《Oh. My. Fate?!》


 Chapter 2 - A Twist of Fate

    Shun Tao, the scribe of mortal fates from the nine heavens and the god, who fabricated the trials in the mortal world for the other gods, sat on his ta and relished in a cup of tea. The last couple of days he had racked his brains what kind of fate he should write for crown prince Jing He. Now, after his task had been satisfactorily finished and presented to the heavenly emperor, he could take some time for himself.


    Really. Writing a mortal fate for the crown prince of the nine heavens was by no means a thankful task. If it was too easy, he would be accused of not executing his task properly. If he wrote a fate too tough, he would be said to make things unnecessarily difficult for crown prince Jing He.


    Shun Tao sighed and picked up the scroll of fate. It was done. He had found a good compromise and Tianjun Rong Su hadn''t complained. He''d better put the scroll away and wait for the crown prince to return from his trial.


    Yes, he''ll do that, Shun Tao decided and stood up. He went to the cupboard next to his writing table and searched for one of the covers, he used to wrap the more important fates. The fate of crown prince Jing He definitely belonged to this category. He put down the scroll of fate and opened the cover. Just as he wanted to take up the scroll again, the end unfurled. A gap glared at him.


    Shun Tao froze. His heart beat faster and cold sweat covered his forehead. A gap in the crown prince''s mortal life? At the beginning of his trial? No! Never! He certainly hadn''t left anything empty! How could he leave anything to chance?! What in Tianjun''s name happened?!


    He carelessly threw the cover aside and unfurled the rest of the scroll: The birth of the human Zhong Jing Yi as the son of two mortal commoners was described, however ¡­ Why was his mother still alive? Her death and the villager''s curses from the following years were entirely missing!


    Shun Tao staggered back, fell down at his writing desk and looked at the scroll in a daze. His arduously prepared fate ¡­ Gone! If the mother didn''t die ¡­ Shun Tao winced. If she didn''t die, wouldn''t that mean, that Zhong Jing Yi''s whole life would develop completely different?


    As fast as he could, Shun Tao skimmed the rest of the fate: A better part of his painfully created fate had vanished.


    Shun Tao dropped the scroll as if it had burned his hands. "This can''t be happening!" He rested his elbows on the table and hid his face in his hands. How did this happen? And more importantly: How would he break it to Tianjun? Or maybe ¡­ Could he keep it a secret?


    He closed his eyes and imagined, how he would meet Tianjun the next time:


    Tianjun would say: ''Fate''s scribe Shun Tao, our son Jing He has already been in the mortal realm for one week. There, that equals to seven years. Shouldn''t he have passed his first trial already? How did he fare?''


    Then he, Shun Tao, would start to sweat and firmly claim: ''To answer Your Majesty: Everything is well. Crown prince Jing He has passed his first trial with flying colors. Just now, he escaped with his father.''


    Then Tianjun would say: ''As expected of our son!'' And he''d laugh and run his hand over his beard.


    At least, that would happen in the best case. But it could very well be that Tianjun already knew for a long time that his son''s fate had changed. Would he leave his precious son, whom he guarded jealously and who should become the next Tianjun to boot, really to his own devices? Wouldn''t that be an invitation to the demons to locate him in in the human world and rob his clueless mortal self of his immortal soul? That would be a disaster to the nine heavens!


    No, it was quite probable that Tianjun would already know what had happened to his beloved son. In that case, he''d holler: ''Shameless! Fate''s scribe, Shun Tao, how dare you lie to us! The fate of our son has already gotten off-track! What do you have to say to your defense?''


    Then he, Shun Tao, would throw himself to the ground and beg forgiveness: ''Forgive me, Your Majesty! I didn''t intend to fool you, I ¡ª''


    Tianjun with his irascible temper, would surely interrupt him at this point: ''Enough! You have put our beloved son in jeopardy and can''t be forgiven! Guards, drag this traitor out and let him be struck by lightning until death!''


    Shun Tao sprang to his feet, his chest heaving from fear. No, he couldn''t keep this from Tianjun! Shun Tao wanted to run to Tianjun''s palace, but then he noticed that he didn''t know what to report. He needed an explanation.


    "Aiya! Why did I have to become the fate''s scribe? I should have taken Yue Xia Laoren''s job! Nobody gives him a hard time, just because he ties the red thread for a god in his trial! Regardless of how sloppily it''s done."


    He sat down angrily and took up Jing He''s fate once again. Well, he couldn''t claim that the crown prince would make things difficult for him. Contrary to his father, Tianjun Rong Su, he was quite easy to get along with. However difficult the fate was, that Shun Tao wrote for him, he probably would have just smiled and said: ''It wouldn''t be a trial, if I could cope with this human life without difficulties.''


    Thinking of the crown prince, Shun Tao''s bad mood lifted a bit. The problem lay still with Jing He''s father. But who could fault the heavenly emperor? Disregarding that he had the right to demand every possible punishment if something happened to Jing He, he had every reason to do so. Jing He was of great importance to the gods. In contrast to a fate''s scribe like Shun Tao, who could be replaced anytime, there was nobody else to take the crown prince''s position.


    Shun Tao sighed, lifted his hand and willed the fate of the mortal Zhong Jing Yi to appear on the scroll, as it had developed until now:


    A daoist stops at the Zhong''s village and offers his help to Madam Zhong and her neighbor Miss Lian. Madam Zhong gives birth to a healthy son, whom she assumes to be blessed by the gods. Her neighbor Miss Lian follows the daoist, but is unable to find him in the darkness. When Mister Zhong returns with the physician, she is still searching for the daoist, while Madam Zhong and her son are out of danger. The physician returns home after a short examination. Mister and Madam Zhong name their son Jing (spirit) Yi (righteousness).


    A daoist? Shun Tao dropped the scroll slowly and stared into space. A daoist, who prompted a young woman to follow him into the darkness and let a mother believe, that the gods had blessed her son? Could it be that one of the gods really had a finger in the pie? Then all of this might be a coincidence. Most likely nobody had wanted to mess with Jing He''s fate deliberately. As long as he adjusted Jing He''s fate a little, everything would be on track again.


    Satisfied, Shun Tao rubbed his hands, prepared the ink and picked up his writing brush. It would be laughable if, after all those years as the fate''s scribe, he wasn''t able to cope with such a small, unintended change in a mortal''s life.


    He thought for a moment, then wrote: After Madam Zhong''s neighbor Miss Lian still can''t find the daoist by the next morning, she tells the other villagers about the happenings of the previous night. Rumors are afloat and soon, the villagers demand that a daoist takes a look at Jing Yi. When the Zhongs refuse, a brawl breaks out in which Madam Zhong loses her life. Now, the villagers believe more than ever that Zhong Jing Yi is cursed ¡­

 Chapter 3 - Being Beautiful Is a Sin

    Mister Zhong couldn''t wait to show his son Jing Yi to the other villagers. His wife had still been asleep, when he took the boy out of her arms. But hardly had he opened the door, the agitated voice of his neighbor Miss Lian greeted him: "He was as beautiful as Pan An, but he claimed to be a daoist. And when he headed off, he vanished as soon as he took one step outside into the night."


    "That doesn''t sound like a daoist, but like a demon", remarked Mister Pi, who lived two houses further down the road and liked to put on the air of a well-traveled and cultured man. However, the only thing that traveled well were the rumors, he picked up with fondness and spread even further. A demon, that helped with the birth of the Zhong''s child, was to his taste.


    Qiu Ling, who had hidden his figure and rested, disregarded by the humans, against the Zhong''s door, sighed, when he saw Mister Zhong furrow his brow. If he had known, that the people would make something like that of his help, he wouldn''t have vanished so fast the previous night. Instead he would have waited until Miss Lian stopped her pursuit on her own. But who would have known, how long she would''ve followed him through the night? What if something had happened to Jing He in that time frame?


    "What demon?" Mister Zhong slammed the door and hurried to the throng of people, that had gathered at the village''s square. "Didn''t he wear the robes of a daoist? And aren''t daoists cultured men? You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Lian Mei, to spread a rumor like that, instead of being happy for your neighbor, that mother and child survived!"


    The neighbor of the Zhong''s grimaced. "What rumors? I only said, he had a face as beautiful as Pan An''s. Mister Pi said, he had to be a demon!"


    Mister Pi coughed. "A cultured man like me would never spread rumors! Most probably, you''re exaggerating, Miss Lian. Certainly, the daoist was ¡ª"


    "Ask Madam Zhong! She also saw him."


    "My wife had other fish to fry than examining a stranger''s face!"


    "You ¡ª" Miss Lian clenched her fist. She couldn''t believe what Mister Zhong indicated.


    "Hmpf!" Angrily, he turned away and looked at the child in his arms instead. His fury instantly made way for a smile and he stepped into the middle of the throng. "That''s our son: Jing Yi! Jing like the friendly spirit, that helped him", he explained with another glance at Miss Lian. "And Yi as in righteousness."


    "A good name, a really good name." Mister Pi ran his hand over his chin and examined the child, that slept placidly. A smug expression occupied his face, as if he had a brilliant idea. And indeed: "Maybe you should make that Jing as in quiet. Really, what an obedient child."


    Qiu Ling snorted. Was that the kind of environment Jing He had to grow up in? Those humans left a bad impression with him. Maybe I should take him away?


    The village women surrounded Mister Zhong, gripped Jing Yi''s small hands and laughed delightedly. In his human life Jing He was as favored as he was as the crown prince of the nine heavens.


    Maybe not. It seems those women will let him have a good life.


    Qiu Ling sneaked closer to the humans and peered over Mister Zhong''s shoulder. Jing He, Jing He ¡­ How long can this trial take? He longed to return to the nine heavens and continue the life they had there.


    The newborn opened his dozy eyes and smiled brightly. Qiu Ling''s heart leapt. Did Jing He recognize me? But that can''t be. He drank the water of the river of forgetfulness, prior to descending into the mortal realm. All memories of his previous life are lost. He''ll only remember, when he ascends again at the end of his mortal life.


    Apart from that, he had hidden from the gazes of the mortals and Jing He was one of them for the time being. Probably one of the women had wakened him and he enjoyed the attention.


    Qiu Ling''s gaze darkened, thinking of what that meant for the future. He snorted again and returned to the door, from where he could keep an eye on Jing He.


    Finally, the villagers went to work. Mister Zhong, too, returned to the house, gave his son back to his wife, and went to feed the animals.


    Only Madam Zhong and her son were still in the village. Qiu Ling smiled, took a seat at the other side of the room and closed his eyes. For now, he couldn''t do anything but wait.


    He didn''t suspect, what happened on the paddies.

 Chapter 4 - It’s like This

    "Ah, what? A demon?" Madam Ouyang couldn''t quite believe, what her neighbor had told her.


    "Yes, indeed! Miss Lian saw him with her own eyes. He helped with birthing the child of the Zhongs."


    Madam Ouyang still wasn''t convinced. "Why should a demon do something like that? What would be in it for him? Who knows, what Miss Lian really saw there."


    Her neighbor pursed her lips. "If I only knew! Maybe he''s planned something for the child."


    Madam Pan from the other side of the village butted in: "Maybe the parents promised him something. Aren''t the Zhongs already married for five years? It''s quite strange they only got a child now."


    Madam Ouyang shook her head and continued to distribute the water. "The Zhongs are good people."


    "Good people need children, too", her neighbor Madam Hou responded to the suggestion. "It could very well be, that they couldn''t see any other way. I''m just curious what they offered the demon in return?" She exchanged a glance with Madam Pan. But this time, even she didn''t have an answer.


    The women fell silent and continued to work all with their own thoughts in mind. Meanwhile, Mister Pi, who just passed the paddy, accelerated his steps. That was definitely a message, one had to look into! An incense stick later, he reached the paddy, where his neighbor and Mister Pan worked.


    He grabbed his rake and took a spot not far from them. He only managed to stay silent for a moment, then he propped his arms up on the handle of the rake and looked around to make sure Mister Zhong wasn''t in the vicinity. "Ah, Mister Mao, Mister Pan, did you hear? Yesterday night, the son of the Zhongs was born."


    The two men nodded, without pausing their work. The birth of Zhong Jing Yi wasn''t news anymore.


    Mister Pi scrunched up his face. Those men obviously didn''t appreciate his effort! He continued to work, but after a few steps, he stopped. "Aiya!", he exclaimed and glanced at them. "I hope, the Zhongs won''t get problems because of that."


    Mister Mao, who had heard the exaggerated rumors of his neighbor often enough, paid him no heed. But Mister Pan stopped and turned around. "Why should the Zhongs get problems? It is good, that they have a son now. They waited long enough."


    "Exactly, exactly!" Mister Pi hurried toward him and leaned forward conspiratorially. "That in itself is the problem! You wouldn''t believe, that Madam Zhong got pregnant after all that time just like that, would you?" Again, he looked around surreptitiously, but the other men were all quite a distance away and nothing could be seen of Mister Zhong. "The Zhongs seem to have asked a practitioner for help."


    "A practitioner?" Mister Mao turned around, too. It wasn''t often that one heard of a true practitioner at their village. "Like an daoist immortal? Where is the problem with that? A bit of heavenly assistance should rather help their child, no?"


    "Aiya, that''s exactly it! The man wasn''t a practitioner of the dao as he pretended, but rather a heretic practitioner!"


    Mister Mao rolled his eyes and continued to work while shaking his head. He didn''t believe a word of what Mister Pi told them. A dao practitioner would be strange enough. But there was no way a heretic practitioner would appear in their village.


    However, Mister Pan was all ears. He''d have to tell something to his wife, when he got home today! He needed to find out more.


    "That''s pretty steep! Why did the heretic practitioner agree to help them? The Zhongs shouldn''t have enough money to pay him." Maybe the main branch of the family from the city had helped them? After all, everyone in the village was poor.


    "Of course he wanted something in return", reported Mister Pi and nodded deliberately.


    "But what was it? The Zhongs couldn''t have ¡­" Mister Pan considered. What could a family as normal as the Zhongs have, that a heretic practitioner hadn''t? "An heirloom?"


    Mister Pi lifted his hand and ran it over his chin. That idea was quite good ¡­ He couldn''t have made a better guess. But what kind of heirloom could the Zhongs possess? He shook his head. "No, no. That''s not it."


    Mister Pan paid his full attention to him, while Mister Mao had progressed so much with his work, that he soon wouldn''t be able to hear them anymore.


    "Well, it ¡­" Mister Pi cudgeled his brain for a suitable reason. "It certainly has to do with the child." He nodded. That was indeed a way better idea than the one Mister Pan had. "The heretic practitioner only granted them the child, because he''ll benefit if it''s born. Mn ¡­ It''s a son."


    "The heretic practitioner needs a son?"


    "En!" Mister Pi nodded. "It has to be like this: The heretic practitioner has a daughter, who is only a few months old."


    "Ah!" Mister Pan seemed to have gained spontaneous enlightenment. "So, the son of the Zhongs is to marry the daughter of the heretic practitioner, when he has grown up. What a perfidious plan ¡­"


    "En", agreed Mister Pi. "It is indeed. Who else would marry her? Her father is a heretic practitioner." He shook his head. "I really hope, the Zhongs know what they got involved with."


    Mister Pan nodded and in quiet compliance the two men started to work again, while both tried to imagine the future, that awaited Zhong Jing Yi.

 Chapter 5 - Help Is on the Way

    The news of the Zhong''s pact with the heretic practitioner spread like a wildfire in their village and the surrounding ones. Mister Zhong didn''t believe his ears, when he heard of it for the first time. The rumors had assumed every possible shape by now: In some of them it was even said, that Zhong Jing Yi wasn''t the child of Mister Zhong, but that the beautiful heretic practitioner was the father instead.


    At least that one wasn''t really acknowledged by the people, since Madam Zhong grew up in the village and had always behaved decently. Apart from that, only Miss Lian had seen the heretic practitioner with her own eyes, so who knew how reliable was what a young, unmarried woman said about a stranger? Maybe her description of the practitioner was more wishful thinking than genuine truth.


    But regardless of that version not being able to establish itself, Mister Zhong chafed excessively at the stories. With each passing day the villagers looked at his wife more strangely and whispered more often and louder about his son. But when he said, that those stories weren''t true, the people lay the blame on his fear of his son''s future. Some even said the heretic practitioner had forbid the Zhongs from ever uttering the truth. And if they didn''t comply, they''d be struck by thunder and find a cruel end.


    Qiu Ling looked at the spreading of those rumors with worry. But until now, nobody had tried to hurt Jing He''s mortal body, so he held back. He assumed, that the people would soon forget about the alleged heretic practitioner and not talk about it anymore.


    However, he hadn''t thought of how little happened in the country side, that could divert the people''s attention. The previous months, the villagers had told over and over again the story of how the daughter of the Chongs had plunged into a mud hole near the edge of the forest and got stuck until two men had been able to rescue her with combined efforts.


    There wasn''t much truth to that story, too: Rather, one of the boys next door, namely the son of the Pans, had pushed the girl, that then only slipped on the muddy ground. Neither had she gotten stuck in a hole. Instead, a second boy ¡ª the son of the Ouyangs, who was known as the most reasonable of his age group and was said to have a good future ahead of him ¡ª had helped her up and brought her back to the village. The men of the village had only heard of it later. Of course from Madame Pan, who had told the story to Mister Pi first of all.


    Qiu Ling didn''t suspect how far the truth could bend at a place like the village of the Zhongs.


    Meanwhile, the rumors even reached the ears of Madam Qiguan from one of the surrounding villages. Her youngest son had recently joined a deity sect and had ¡ª at least in the eyes of the normal villagers ¡ª become a daoist immortal, too. With eyes shining with joy, Madam Qiguan hurried to the paddy, where Mister Pi worked. He was one of the few in the vicinity, that knew how to write a little. ¡ª One of the reasons, he always acted cultured.


    "Mister Pi, Mister Pi!" Snuffling, she halted in front of him and motioned him to the edge of the paddy.


    Only too happily, Mister Pi passed his rake to one of the other men and followed her. "Madam Qiguan, what led you here and that so hurriedly?"


    "I just heard of the child of the Zhongs!"


    "Sch!" Mister Pi looked around hastily and indeed Mister Zhong, who didn''t work far from them on the paddy, lifted his head. "A delicate issue. One can only feel sorry toward the Zhongs. Maybe it would have been better, not having a child at all, than creating one with dark magic."


    Madam Qiguan nodded eagerly. "Indeed, indeed. But maybe they can still be helped?" Madam Qiguan shot Mister Pi an insinuating gaze.


    "That would be great for the Zhongs ¡­"


    "Yes, indeed." Madam Qiguan folded her hands and lowered her voice with a look at Mister Zhong. "You certainly still know, that my son, Cheng Da, was admitted to a deity sect previously. He is a practitioner now, too. A good one, of course", she added with another glance at Mister Zhong. Under no circumstances could she allow people to link her son with the heretic practitioner of the Zhongs. "Anyway, I''m sure my son would know a way to help the Zhongs."


    "That would be great." Mister Pi ran his hand over his chin thoughtfully. "But the deity sect is far away, no?"


    "Indeed, indeed. Regrettably, that is the case. But if you could help me write a letter ¡­ Isn''t Mister Mao going to the city next week? The deity sect is on his way. He could take the letter with him."


    Mister Pi lifted his brows. That was indeed so! If he helped her to write the letter, could he be present, when Qiguan Cheng Da came to examine the child? "Ah, Madam Qiguan, we shouldn''t take our time with something like that. The Zhongs already had to wait that long. The sooner they get good news, the better. Please, after you." He motioned to the path to the village.


    Only a couple of days later, at the beginning of the next week, the letter left the village of the Zhongs with Mister Mao, who knew nothing of it''s content. And two weeks later, he arrived at the deity sect and in the hands of Qiguan Cheng Da, who returned home together with Mister Mao. The next morning, he hurried into the Zhong''s village with his mother.

 Chapter 6 - Looking Good

    Qiu Ling bent over the child and held the small hand of Jing He''s mortal reincarnation. A bright smile adorned his lips, which the boy seemed to reciprocate, even though he couldn''t see him. Qiu Ling felt deeply satisfied. Normally, Madam Zhong wouldn''t leave her son''s side for even a second, as long as he didn''t sleep. But now, she had prepared her husband''s meal and accompanied him outside. For a while, Qiu Ling would have Jing Yi all for himself.


    "Jing He." He sighed, thinking of how only a few weeks had passed in the human realm. In the nine heavens, that hardly even equated to one shichen. He already missed him. "How can I wait a whole mortal life for you?" He wished, Jing Yi could''ve answered him but the boy couldn''t hear him just like all those other humans. But if Qiu Ling was honest, that might be better: He had wanted to help him through saving his mother, but now such rumors had abounded.


    His face fell thinking of that. Jing He''s reputation in the nine heavens was stellar, but now he had just been reincarnated in this mortal realm, and he was treated like a leper. Humans were such inferior creatures!


    Hardly had he thought so, that voices spoke up outside.


    "Qiguan Cheng Da!" Of course, this was Mister Pi, who was the first one to hurry toward Madam Qiguans son. "How nice of you to swing by!", he claimed, so as to not be too direct. His gaze flitted to Madam Qiguan, who waddled up behind him.


    "Da''er!" She took her son by the arm and looked him up. "You''re looking really well!"


    "Indeed, indeed!", agreed Mister Pi. "Being a daoist does you good!"


    Qiu Ling pricked up his ears inside the Zhong''s house. Daoist? What was a daoist doing in such a remote village? "They wouldn''t have called him because of you, would they?" He patted Jing He''s black shock of hair. The boy gurgled happily and extended his small hands. Qiu Ling surrendered one of his fingers to him and watched, what happened outside.


    Qiguan Cheng Da lifted his chin up and smiled, to give the impression of a charitable gentleman. In Qiu Ling''s eyes, he seemed more like a cock, trying to become a peacock.


    "Don''t, don''t, Mister Pi. I only felt, that it was my fate, to commit myself to the righteous cause and help the common people."


    The corner of Mister Pi''s mouth twitched, when Qiguan Cheng Da spoke of ''common people''. He had watched this boy grow up! Did he really have to listen to him trying to sound like someone better? But how could he say his thoughts out loud, after he himself had written the letter to call him because of the heretic practitioner? Mister Pi could only pretend to smile and cast a meaningful glance at the Zhong''s house. "Cheng Da, good, that you came! Actually, there is someone in our village, who could use your help!"


    "Oh?" Qiguan Cheng Da knew, of course, that Mister Pi was talking about the Zhongs. But he didn''t want to give the other villagers the impression, that he could be called upon that easily. He was an important man now! Those villagers couldn''t even compare to his little finger!


    "Indeed, indeed", Madam Pan filled in an explanation. "It''s like this ¡­"


    She told him her favorite version of the story concerning Jing Yi, in which the heretic practitioner noticed Madam Zhong at the riverbank. Crying miserably ¡ª and as a matter of course unaware, that he was a heretic practitioner, since the Zhongs were good people ¡ª she was said to bewail, that even after five years of marriage, she still hadn''t conceived a child and would hardly dare to look her husband in the eye anymore.


    The heretic practitioner then revealed, that he was able to help her. She just had to make a promise in return: His own daughter would be born in eight months and he was already in search of a suitable husband for her. ¡ª Madame Pan hastily inserted the reason for that: As the daughter of a heretic practitioner she, of course, couldn''t find a decent husband. So now her father could only search for someone being in great need of help, who had no other choice but to acquiesce. ¡ª If Madam Zhong promised, that her son would marry his daughter, when both of them were grown up, then of course he could help her.


    Madam Zhong, who ¡ª as everyone knew ¡ª was a decent woman, went back to her husband first, to debate what they should do. Mister Zhong, too, suffered because of their lack of children, so the two of them agreed finally.


    Madam Zhong met the heretic practitioner the following day again. He gave her an enchanted ginseng, she should soak in her and her husband''s blood. If she ate it after that, she''ll conceive a son.


    "And like that, Jing Yi was born", Madam Pan finished her story. "The gods shall be praised, that Miss Lian was there and saw the heretic practitioner. Otherwise, nobody might have ever learned of this and the poor child couldn''t be saved anymore."


    Qiguan Cheng Da pressed his lips together. His mother hadn''t explained much about the story in her letter. Hence, he hadn''t known, what he was going to encounter. After listening to the entire story, he wasn''t sure, if he could do something. He hadn''t left his home too long ago and contrary to what his mother and the other villagers thought, his status and his talent were nothing out of the ordinary. If anything, they were even below average.


    Since that was the case, of course he wasn''t part of the inner sect and he didn''t have a master to teach him anything. If Zhong Jing Yi''s birth really had anything to do with the spell of a heretic practitioner, he most certainly wouldn''t have been able to realize it, much less countering it.


    But of course Qiguan Cheng Da couldn''t admit that. He nodded deliberately ¡ª something, he had copied from Mister Pi of all people to look like a cultured man before he went to the deity sect ¡ª and turned to the Zhong''s house. "That is indeed an alarming story. I should have a look at the child. Those demonic powers aren''t to be trifled with. The whole village could be in danger!"


    The villagers all nodded understandingly and followed Qiguan Cheng Da to the Zhong''s door. Feeling righteousness to be on his side, the young daoist knocked on the door.

 Chapter 7 - Compromise

    Qiu Ling sighed and put down Jing Yi. The Zhongs were outside. What would that daoist do, if nobody opened the door?


    "Mister Zhong, Madam Zhong!", called Mister Pi outside. "Qiguan Cheng Da came to visit. He agreed to have a look at your son."


    His voice was loud enough to alarm Mister and Madam Zhong at the other side of the village. The two of them hurried back. Mister Zhong''s face clouded, as soon as he saw the throng of people at his doorstep. "What is happening here?"


    Mister Pi dutifully made his way through the crowd. "Mister Zhong, today is your lucky day! Qiguan Cheng Da came. He''ll have a look at your son."


    "He will what?" Mister Zhong didn''t believe his ears. "What does my son need a daoist for?" In every other situation, Mister Zhong would have been ecstatic, had a daoist come by and showed interest in his son. But it was Qiguan Cheng Da, they were talking about here, and with all those rumors flying around the last few weeks, he could very well imagine, why that particular daoist had come over.


    "Mister Zhong, please, calm down! It''s for your own good."


    Qiguan Cheng Da followed Mister Pi and nodded toward the Zhongs. "Mister Zhong, Madam Zhong, I was told about the heretic ¡ª"


    "What heretic practitioner!" Mister Zhong clenched his fists and turned to Miss Lian, who stood not far away. "My wife had unbelievably good look, that a daoist came by to save her and our child. How can you vilify such a good man? And that even in front of another daoist! Haven''t you done enough harm?"


    "I haven''t said anything! It was Madam Pan!" Miss Lian pushed the blame onto her neighbor, crossed the arms in front of her chest and lifted her chin. She certainly wouldn''t let others say to her face, that she was a gossip monger. Even though it couldn''t be dismissed, that all of this had only happened, because she had described the alleged daoist with such fervency.


    Qiu Ling looked at the child next to him. "I''m afraid, you have to thank me for this nasty defamation. I was careless. But this might just be the perfect opportunity, to make up for my fault." The corners of his mouth raised and in a spell, he vanished out of the hut of the Zhongs and appeared not far from the village at the path through the forest. He exchanged his clothes for the robes of a daoist and this time, he remembered to change his face, too.


    As the dragon king, Qiu Ling was everything but young. Nevertheless, he hardly seemed older than twenty years of age. Next to Mister Zhong, who was only in his mid-twenties, he looked younger, because of his chiseled features. But now, his body aged visibly, until maybe ten years separated him from Jing Yi''s father.


    Qiu Ling lifted his hand. Water danced around his fingers, covered his palm and formed a silver mirror. Qiu Ling examined his face and sighed. Pretending to be mortal was anything but easy.


    He furrowed his brow. He couldn''t change his face too much or the people wouldn''t believe him to be the same daoist, Miss Lian had seen that night. He narrowed his eyes and examined himself in the mirror again.


    His eyebrows grew denser, his lips became a little thicker. He was still far from looking like a normal mortal, but it might be enough to not let the villagers view him as a heretic practitioner anymore.


    Qiu Ling dropped his hand and the mirror disappeared. He made sure nobody was in the vicinity and stopped hiding his form from mortal eyes. Then, he proceeded down the path into the village.


    On the village square the conflict got worse.


    "If nothing is wrong with the child, then there is no reason, to deter the real daoist from having a look at it!" This was Madam Pan, who tried to justify herself for telling the story about the heretic practitioner to Qiguan Cheng Da. Naturally, she didn''t feel to be in the wrong. Everyone knew, that something was up with the Zhong''s child. How could it be wrong? She had only tried to help, but those people just didn''t appreciate the trouble she had taken for them!


    "A real daoist?", Madam Zhong, too, joined the fray. "You aren''t talking about Qiguan Cheng Da, are you? How long has he been gone? One year? Half a year? What could he have learned in such a short time?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da gritted his teeth and forced himself to continue smiling. It would be below the honorable status of a daoist to squabble with oafish villagers, if they weren''t able to recognize his abilities. His mother, however, couldn''t let this insult slide. Not only, that her son was her pride and joy: Madam Zhong was nearly ten years younger than her. How could she dare to behave like such in front of her?!


    "What do you mean by that, Madam Zhong?"


    "I mean, that your son isn''t a real daoist! Even if something was wrong with our son, I certainly wouldn''t ask him to have a look!"


    "You ¡ª!" Before she had time to abuse the Zhongs, Mister Pi held her back, how he imagined a cultured man would do, and tried to appease her.


    "Please, please. We should all calm down and take a step back. Now that Cheng Da is here, he can just have a look at the child. It won''t hurt him."


    Madam Zhong nearly erupted. What everyone taking a step back? This was clearly them just picking on her family! She had enough of the loose talk regarding her son! She''d teach them a lesson today!


    But before she could even utter a single word, the villagers continued as if to cap it all off: "Aiya!", Madam Pan piped up. "Somebody should just go and get the child! Isn''t he in the house? Pan Chang! You''re standing there already. Go, fetch the child!" She motioned to her husband.


    Mister Pan, who really stood only a few steps from the door of the Zhongs, didn''t wait for their approval and went in.


    Madam Zhong stared unbelieving at the opened door to their house. In there was her first child. Most probably the only child, she''d ever be able to birth for her husband. If something happened to Jing Yi ¡­ She wanted to hurry over, but Madam Pan thwarted her.


    "Aiya, Madam Zhong! Calm down! My husband is only fetching the child for Qiguan Cheng Da to have a short look at him. Nobody''s going to hurt the child."


    "That is still my son!" She tried to force her way through, but now even Miss Lian interfered.


    "Madam Zhong, Madam Zhong!" She wanted to hold her down, but Madam Zhong had tried to pass them with such vehemence, that she recoiled.


    She screamed and extended her arms, to hold on to something, but she couldn''t reach anything.

 Chapter 8 - The True Master

    Qiu Ling reached the edge of the village just in time to see Madam Zhong falling. Nobody stood behind her to catch her. And not just that: One of the villagers had placed his hoe at the wall. While flailing, Madam Zhong knocked it down. If she fell onto it ¡­


    Qiu Ling lifted his hand. The winds picked up. They caught Madam Zhong and shoved her forward. She lost her balance once more, colliding with Miss Lian and Madam Pan and pushing both of them to the ground. Even worse: In his haste Qiu Ling hadn''t borne in mind, that this was the mortal realm. The gust shoved the other villagers, too, and they all landed in a heap on the ground.


    Qiu Ling winced. He formed a fist, raised it slowly to his mouth and coughed. "That ¡­ looked quite dangerous", he commented and strolled toward the villagers, as if nothing had happened.


    The people looked at him in a daze. Even Qiguan Cheng Da had fallen. He opened his mouth to say something, but then reconsidered with a look at Qiu Ling''s clothes.


    "Madam Zhong, are you alright?" Qiu Ling stopped in front of the Zhongs and smiled serenely.


    The villagers, who were just about to complain, shut right up. "Is that ¡­ Is that a real immortal?", asked Madam Pan Mister Pi behind her.


    Mister Pi pursed his lips. Comparing the man before them to Qiguan Cheng Da, he indeed seemed more like an immortal. "Of course!", asserted Mister Pi. "Just have a look at his robes. They seem really ordinary at first glance, but wise people would be able to immediately ascertain, that they are made of a special thread."


    Qiu Ling took a hasty glance at his own robe to make sure, he hadn''t taken out anything from the nine heavens in his haste. Something like that might just lead to another strange rumor, that would implicate Jing He. But no, his robe wasn''t from the nine heavens. It was an ordinary robe from the mortal world. And quite a normal one at that. What special threat? This was clearly only made of hemp!


    "Oh!" Madam Pan was quite impressed and stole a glance at Qiguan Cheng Da. She leaned closer to Mister Pi and motioned at the young daoist. Lowering her voice, she asked: "Then what about him?"


    Mister Pi followed her glance and snorted. Common people, eh?, he thought. We''ll see about that! "Oh, it''s nothing much. But, well, Cheng Da is still young. Of course he couldn''t have attained the same heights as this man before us."


    Qiguan Cheng Da furrowed his brow, but smoothed it out just as fast. He might not have been a cultivator for long and his talent might be just average, but he could still clearly hear what people whispered about him five steps away. And what Madam Pan and Mister Pi, who had been so welcoming before and who he felt to normally be beneath his dignity to even talk to, were saying just now, made him furious.


    What did they believe, who they were to speak about him like that? They were just some common people, who''d never in their life leave this god-damned place! But he, he was a practitioner now. Even though he might not make it to a high level based on his meager talent, who knew what might happen in the future? Cultivation had always been something, that didn''t only rely on talent. There was luck involved, too.


    Well, whatever he thought, he couldn''t let the villagers around him notice. He had to uphold his image, so he just pretended not to hear anything, while he continued scolding them in his heart.


    "But that man seems quite young, too." Madam Pan wasn''t quite satisfied with Mister Pi''s comparison just yet.


    "Indeed." Mister Pi examined Qiu Ling from head to toe. Qiguan Cheng Da was only a juvenile, so he still had some time to try to reach the height Mister Pi proclaimed Qiu Ling to have. Well, regarding Qiu Ling''s true status as the king of the dragon race ¡­ Even if Qiguan Cheng Da would somehow manage to unify the mortal realms and crown himself their emperor ¡ª which was nigh impossible ¡ª he still wouldn''t be comparable. What where mere mortals in the eyes of the dragons and gods?


    "Well ¡­ He is immortal, after all", added Mister Pi after some contemplation. "He only looks young. He is probably ¡­ of my age."


    "Your age?"


    "Mn ¡­ No, no. My father''s age. I misspoke. How could he only be of my age as an immortal?"


    Qiu Ling resisted the urge to roll his eyes and turned toward the door. Mister Pan just came out, carrying a child, that had scrunched up his face, as if it would cry the next instant. Qiu Ling''s heart shook. My poor love! I shouldn''t have left you alone!


    "Ah, that must be your son, Madam Zhong. May I?" Qiu Ling threw her a careless glance and took a step.


    The villagers parted to make way for the acclaimed daoist. Mister Pan glanced from one side to the other and then at the man at the other side. "Er ¡­ What happened?"


    Qiu Ling smiled. How fortunate ¡­ "This morning, when I ended my meditation, I remembered that it had been three moons, since I helped Madam Zhong when she was about to give birth to her child. Since I coincidentally came by then, I felt that this child and I, Daoist Qiu Ling", he threw in to remind them, that he was definitely not a heretic practitioner, "share fate between us. So I set out to visit this village again to see how he fared till now."


    "Oh!" Mister Pi''s eyes widened in revelation and he hurried in front of Qiu Ling. "So you are the great daoist master that helped the Zhongs that night. The whole village is immensely grateful to you, master!"


    Qiu Ling''s lips twitched. Daoist master? Immensely grateful? Where did this come from, after slandering his defenseless beloved week after week? Didn''t they even call some half-baked practitioner over?


    "It was just a slight effort on my part." Qiu Ling stepped past him and took Jing Yi from the arms of Mister Pan. He smiled, looking down at him, and the child, that was just about to throw the first real tantrum of his life, instantly calmed down, too. It was almost, as if he could still remember the man before him and knew, that he was safe in his arms.


    Qiu Ling''s heart melted seeing Zhong Jing Yi''s reaction. I''ll allow your mortal parents to carry you. But those other filthy humans shouldn''t even think of laying a hand on you. As if holding a treasure, he slowly made his way back to the Zhongs and reluctantly placed the boy in Madam Zhong''s arms.


    "A child shouldn''t be separated from his mother for too long at such a young age."


    Madam Zhong nodded eagerly. She''d quite probably not place her son down for even the blink of an eye in the days to come. Qiu Ling repressed a sigh. Why did he feel like he had picked up a stone just to smash his own feet? Now he had tried to help again, but it would probably just lead to him having even fewer time with his beloved.


    "Then ¡­ Then what about the heretic practitioner?", interrupted Madam Qiguan and looked anxiously at her son. She called him to the village so he could show what he learned, but now another daoist had shown up and he seemed to be quite strong. How would her son impress the other villagers now? She didn''t want them to agree with Madam Zhong''s words from before and say, that her son hadn''t learned much in his time at the sect.


    Mister Pi''s face fell. How could he let anyone talk about that story now? What if the mighty daoist immortal before them grew angry, when he heard, that Miss Lian had defamed him? ¡ª Of course, Mister Pi had spontaneously forgotten, that he himself brought up Madam Zhong''s mysterious helper being a demon and then changed it to a heretic practitioner, because it fit his story better.


    Qiu Ling watched the reactions of the mortals and decided to not make it anymore difficult for them. He had been careless this time, so he couldn''t fault them completely. In the end, whatever had led to this outcome, he still couldn''t change it, so he should just go with the flow and bear with it for a while.


    Well, at least Qiu Ling wasn''t the only one, who was dissatisfied with the conclusion of this incidence.

 Chapter 9 - Who’s Messing with Me?!

    The time in the mortal and immortal realms flowed differently. A year in the human world equaled just one day in the nine heavens. Normally, the gods wouldn''t feel this to be a long time. They were immortal, after all. How long could one day be, when you live for eternity?


    But on this day, even one shichen felt painfully long for the fate''s scribe Shun Tao. He had been staring at his newest creation since his last amendments. Each time one of the small black signs solidified into the unchangeable form of a fulfilled fate, he wanted to leap from his seat and dance around his chamber.


    He didn''t follow through with this urge, though, because he felt like he couldn''t leave. There were still characters, that hadn''t solidified.


    Another changed, showing that this part of Zhong Jing Yi''s fate had been fulfilled: The Zhongs and the other villagers got into an argument. Shun Tao stared at the black lines, his whole body tensed.


    Just one more step, just one more step ¡­, he chanted inside his head. Nothing can go wrong here!


    Madam Zhong fell. Shun Tao sprang up. He sucked in a large breath, opened his lips, prepared to laugh.


    The next character lit up, about to solidify and ¡­ crumbled. The air got stuck in Shun Tao''s throat. He dropped the scroll, bent over, pressing a hand to his chest, and coughed until tears spilled from his eyes.


    Bloody hell! Did I jinx it?!


    Shun Tao threw an accusing gaze at the scroll lying motionless on his writing table. The damned thing glowed and changed his carefully crafted characters. Again!


    "Why did I become the fate''s scribe? Why didn''t I apply for another job?" He sniffled and slumped into his seat. Without any motivation whatsoever, he watched the changes on his scroll. "Once is a coincidence, twice is an accident, thrice is someone messing with me. So ¡­ This could just be an accident?"


    Zhong Jing Yi''s mother hadn''t died at birth and now she hadn''t died in the scuffle.


    The first time, well ¡­ such things could happen. A daoist happening upon such a scene wasn''t that strange, even though the village wasn''t close to any sect. There were wandering practitioners and cultivators out on missions ¡­ A lot of things could have led to this. It seemed like one of the gods had his hands in it, but he couldn''t ascertain it just because of this one incident.


    The second time, however, was quite a bit suspicious. If some gust had blown the hoe in another direction, it would have been strange, but acceptable. But a gust of wind pushing Madam Zhong in the other direction? And even all of the other villagers?


    This was definitely the work of a god!


    "This might not be the third time, but someone''s definitely messing with me! Who could it be?"


    Shun Tao stood up again, not bothering to make any rash amendments to the scroll. If some other god was really sabotaging his work, then it wouldn''t make any difference if he did. That asshole would just thwart him again!


    "I need to find out, who this is ¡­" Shun Tao paced up and down in his chamber. "Certainly, nobody would do this just for the fun of it. There has to be a reason. But what could it be?" He stopped before the door and looked out at his garden. "What happens, when that person succeeds?" He leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms, his fingers drumming in a fast rhythm. "Messing up such an important fate ¡­ I''d certainly lose my job. If I lost my job ¡­" His face fell and he slammed his fist against the door frame. "Despicable! Someone''s out to get his hands on my job! Tch!"


    Shun Tao paced back to his table. "I might think it''s a terrible troublesome job, but I won''t hand it over so easily! Don''t think you''ll get away with this. I''m going to catch you in the blink of an eye!"


    He picked up his brush and prepared the ink. The tip of the brush hovered a finger''s breadth over Zhong Jing Yi''s scroll of fate. He didn''t know how to proceed. "I''ll have to take a trip and observe those younglings. It has to be one of them. But ¡­ how to expose him? I''d need to catch him red-handed. That guy is surely watching his highness from the nine heavens. He wouldn''t dare descending, when his majesty might be watching over his son down there. He can only mess with Zhong Jing Yi''s fate in the last possible moment and only through indirect means like that daoist or the gust of wind. He wouldn''t dare to go down personally. Then ¡­ how to catch him?" He needed time and a ploy to tangle his enemy.


    Slowly, the brush advanced toward the scroll. Shun Tao hesitated only a moment longer, then wrote into the gaps, that had opened once again in Zhong Jing Yi''s fate: After the daoist leaves, the villagers don''t speak of the heretic practitioner anymore. Zhong Jing Yi grows into a cute little boy, that is loved by all the womenfolk in his village and the surrounding ones. The other boys grow angry seeing this and decide to teach him a lesson.


    "He! Let''s see how you''re going to mess with this! Even if you indeed manage to prevent Zhong Jing Yi experiencing this lesson, I can still use the little girl! Being betrayed by a childhood sweetheart is certainly even worse than being played by some servant girl. Hehehe. I really am brilliant." Shun Tao put down his brush, rolled up the scroll and hid it in his sleeve. He''d never let this scroll out of his reach or eyes!


    With his preparations complete, Shun Tao set of to the palace, where the young gods waiting for an official position were staying. He was sure, he''d find the culprit there! Little did he know, that the culprit had been in the mortal realm all along and was even now looking out for any slight mishap that may befall Zhong Jing Yi.

 Chapter 10 - True Danger

    Qiu Ling sat at the table in the Zhong''s house and sighed heavily. After what had happened back then, Madam Zhong was overly cautious with her son. She had stripped him to her back and carried him wherever she went. If she could, she''d probably be still doing that, but Zhong Jing Yi had already turned three years old by now. A little too old to be still carried around.


    Still, Madam Zhong didn''t leave him out of her sight. Most of the time, she held one of his tiny hands and had him tag along with her. The boy didn''t mind. In fact, he seemed quite reliant on his mother, gripping the skirt of her dress, if she ever let go of his hand.


    Qiu Ling had been sulking, since he noticed this for the first time. The Jing He he knew from the nine heavens hadn''t even been so close to him. How could he cling to a mere human like that?!


    Thankfully, Mister Zhong had talked his wife out of always taking the boy with her just a few weeks ago. He had understood her over protectiveness after what happened, but he wanted his son to turn into a strong man, not someone who needed protection all of the time. Especially the protection of a woman. How could a boy his age still rely on his mother this much?


    As a result, he had decided to show Jing Yi all the fun things to do as a young boy. Unfortunately, Jing Yi didn''t seem as thrilled as he had hoped.


    Mister Zhong looked at his son wryly. "Jing Yi ¡­ Don''t you want to go have a look at the forest? There is a big river you can play at and if you''re not too loud, we might even see some animals!" The ''big river'' Mister Zhong talked about, was actually a small stream, but a three-year-old child would probably not notice.


    Mister Zhong watched Jing Yi excitedly, but didn''t get any response. The boy clung to his mother again and only blinked his doe eyes at his father. River? Animals? His mother had already told him to be cautious, should he ever have to face something terrifying like that! The river brought small children like him somewhere far away, if they fell in. And those animals would swallow him whole!


    Remembering all of that, the boy hid behind his mother. Madam Zhong crossed her arms and smiled triumphantly. "See that? Jing Yi doesn''t want to go! Why not let him stay with me?"


    Mister Zhong sighed and stood up. He just couldn''t coax his son. "How can that be? He''s a boy. He should be outside, playing in the mud, trying to catch rabbits, climbing up trees. What is it with this child? What did I do wrong as his father, that he doesn''t want to go outside? He''s never played with any of the other children!"


    "What should he play with them for? Who should he even play with? The second son of the Pans? He''s just like his older brother! He''d bully my Jing''er!"


    Qiu Ling nodded vehemently. Indeed! Even though Madam Zhong was at fault for him not having much time with Jing He for the last three years, she was a good mother. She had realized soon enough, that all those other children in the village weren''t good enough to spent time with his Jing He! They would just be a bad influence.


    "It doesn''t have to be the son of the Pans ¡­" Mister Zhong tried getting past his wife, to try coax his son again, but Madam Zhong just turned around with each step he took, pushing Jing Yi carefully along.


    Finally, Mister Zhong threw his hands up in the air and gave up. "Fine! We won''t go into the forest. Stay with your mother today. But tomorrow! Tomorrow, we''ll surely go!" With that, he threw his son a stern look, turned around and went to work.


    Qiu Ling yawned. How many days had Mister Zhong tried and gone without having achieved anything saying the exact same words? "This should be ¡­ day twenty?"


    Madam Zhong smiled, as soon as her husband was out of the door. She turned around, squatted down and pulled her son into her arms. "You did very good! Don''t let your father talk you into anything! The forest is dangerous. We can''t let anything happen to you."


    Jing Yi nodded obediently and looked up at his mother.


    "Mn." Madam Zhong tussled his hair and motioned at the door. Let''s go. You can just follow mommy to work. Today, we''re doing the laundry. I''m sure the others will bring their daughters with them. You can just play with them. They won''t do such dangerous things like the boys!" Hmpf. Thinking about it, she sometimes wished she had given birth to a daughter, then her husband wouldn''t try talking her child into doing all of this nonsense all day! But then again, she''d have to marry a daughter off eventually. Mn, it''s still better to have son!, she thought, took his hand and gripped a basked with the laundry with the other.


    Jing Yi tiptoed and opened the door for his mother and the two set out to meet with the other womenfolk. Of course, Qiu Ling was right behind them, watching out for Jing Yi so nothing would happen to him. Really, the human world was just too dangerous for a small child! What if he was attacked by a wild animal? What if the other children tried to bully him? What if he tripped and got hurt?!


    Why did he suddenly feel like the human realm was full of dangers lurking everywhere? Had it always been this dangerous?


    And worst of all, those things weren''t even the most dangerous things out there. Qiu Ling had discovered the most wicked thing of them all just two weeks prior: small human girls.


    They tried to look all innocent with those dresses and pigtails and their big eyes and wide smiles, but he knew, he just knew they were the worst possible thing out there! He''d never let them near his Jing He! But unfortunately, he still hadn''t found a reliable way to counter this danger.


    Mn, maybe today ¡­

 Chapter 11 - Being Muddy, Being Scolded?!

    Qiu Ling''s worries were confirmed, as soon as Madam Zhong and her son got into the range of sight. The women at the river waved at Madam Zhong, while the girls, they had brought with them, perked up at Jing Yi''s sight.


    Qiu Ling tensed. There it was. The moment he dreaded. Ah, how easy it would have been, if this was still the nine heavens and he could reveal himself to Jing He! Well, it would also have helped, if his beloved wasn''t a three-year-old kid at the moment. Sigh ¡­


    Qiu Ling had to watch, how Madam Zhong brought her son over. She nudged him into the direction of the girls, but the boy still stubbornly held onto her hand.


    "Hehe!" Qiu Ling smiled, satisfied. His beloved had such good eyes. He knew those mortal girls were beneath him and wouldn''t even spare them a glance! What a good boy. He''d love to give him a hug right now, but unfortunately ¡­ Jing Yi had grown too old to be hugged whenever he wanted.


    A newborn wouldn''t notice or even if it noticed, it would forget and couldn''t tell anyone in any case. But a three-year-old was different. If it suddenly got swept up in the embrace of a person it couldn''t see, it''d probably get spooked. And considering how close Jing He was to his mortal mother, he''d certainly run to her crying. And then that over protective woman would only be stricter with guarding her child and he''d have even less time with him than the pitiful amount he could enjoy now.


    Qiu Ling sighed and got back to watching the girls. Jing Yi''s mother had pushed him to the girls, cruelly, and they had swarmed Jing Yi by now, all of them trying to act cute. One of them was jumping up and down, her skirt swaying around her short legs. Another one tried to get his attention with being pretty and was endlessly swirling one of her pigtails around her finger.


    Jing Yi didn''t take a second look. Instead, he watched his mother crouching with the other women at the river, washing the clothes. He was probably thinking about the mad beast as which his mother had described the river to him. Would his mother be swept away, too?


    The jumping girl couldn''t take his indifference any longer. She went up to him and gripped his sleeve. "Jing Yi gege!", she mournfully begged for his attention.


    "How nauseating!" Qiu Ling lifted his hand, prepared to gift her a gust of wind, if she dared to approach his beloved any further. And what was with this ''gege''? She was clearly a year older than him!


    Jing Yi looked at the girl''s fingers, that clutched his sleeve, unsure of what to do. He had almost only spend time with his mother. Those girls didn''t seem as frightening to him than the boys, but he still didn''t know what to do.


    The girl pursed her lips, quivering them as if she''d cry the next moment. Don''t look at how she was only a little over four years old. She had already experienced everyone fussing over her, when she cried. She was sure, that Jing Yi would pay her attention if she did.


    Unfortunately for her, the boy didn''t notice her quivering lips. He was still thinking about those fingers.


    One of the other girls made up for his lack of reaction. "Shameless!", she imitated her mother. "How is Jing Yi gege your gege? He''s my gege!" She shoved the other girl, who lost her grip on Jing Yi''s sleeve and fell to the ground.


    She sat there in a daze, before her fake tears turned into real ones and she wailed loudly.


    The women at the river turned around, only to see a girl sitting in the mud, nearly all of her skirt dirtied. The more direct women laughed out loud, while the politer ones at least turned to the side to hide their faces, while masking their laughter with a cough.


    The girl''s mother got furious. "Fa Chao Fu! What have you done now?" The girl only cried harder at the scolding, but the woman wasn''t even done. "Why am I even washing these clothes? You''re just going to get them dirty anyway! How can a girl be this troublesome!"


    Zhong Jing Yi next to Fa Chao Fu hurried to look at his own mother. A child was troublesome, if it got dirty?


    Qiu Ling, who hadn''t stopped watching him for even the blink of an eye, smiled. So someone was afraid of infuriating his mother? Maybe that could be used against those troublesome girls ¡­ This Fa Chao Fu would just be the first example for his beloved.


    The girl in question turned around to Jing Yi, trying to get his help. But the boy still didn''t react. His gaze only switched between the dirty girl and his mother, who had just finished washing a tunic. He couldn''t let mother scold him!


    Jing Yi ignored the girl and hurried to his mother. Fa Chao Fu couldn''t accept it. She gripped the end of his tunic, to hold him back. No way! She wouldn''t let him go! That was her Jing Yi gege!


    Jing Yi lost his balance. His doe eyes widened. He flailed his short arms around and managed to not fall on his back like the girl, but still lost his balance and instead fell forward. The ground, and with it the disgusting mud, came nearer and nearer. He thought of the crying girl and her mother and then of his mother with the white tunic.


    Qiu Ling''s brows twitched. How should he use this, if Jing Yi found out, that nothing would happen, if he got his clothes dirty?!


    He lifted one hand and the water in the river splashed. All the women turned around to look, not bothering with Jing Yi anymore. Well, at least except for Madam Zhong, who had sprung up, as soon as she saw her son''s impeding fall. But Madam Zhong knew, that her son was special. Qiu Ling grabbed Jing Yi''s collar and pulled him back onto his feet.


    Nobody but Madam Zhong and the five girls saw what happened. The girls swarmed Jing Yi again, impressed by his great balance. Only Madam Zhong understood, that something strange had happened to her son again. But she didn''t say anything and she didn''t mind much. It had kept her son from harm once more. Even though she was afraid her son might be taken away one day, if the gods really favored him, she was still thankful, that there was someone beside her, who watched over her son. Whatever happened to her, her son would be safe.


    Jing Yi darted out of the ring of girls and ran to his mother. He threw himself into her arms, his doe eyes tearing up.


    "There, there. Nothing happened", Madam Zhong tried to pacify her son. But Jing Yi was only more terrified.


    So mother would have really yelled at me, if I had fallen!


    He turned in her arms and looked back at the place he had nearly fallen at. He had felt something tugging at his clothes. Had somebody saved him? But nobody stood there.


    Zhong Jing Yi stared blankly, seemingly at nothing but air. But Qiu Ling still stood at the place and even though he knew, that his beloved couldn''t see him, he returned his gaze and smiled at him.


    Yes, look at me. Whether it''s your immortal or your mortal life, I''ll always be at your side, watching over you and keeping you from harm.

 Chapter 12 - A Heavenly Vision

    Jing Yi stayed beside his mother and wouldn''t go back to spend time with the girls, regardless of how they or their mothers begged him. Madame Zhong just smiled, when the other women teased her about it. She patted her son''s head. "He''s just a little shy. What''s so bad about it?"


    Jing Yi grabbed onto her skirt and refused to budge an inch. His eyes warily darted about. He looked at the mud one time, then at the girls another time, finally even examining the laundry his mother had done.


    "What is it, Jing''er?", his mother asked and bent down.


    But this time, her obedient son didn''t want to answer her. He didn''t want his mother to remember he had nearly fallen!


    Qiu Ling grinned. Mn, this is just perfect. I would be an idiot, if I didn''t make use of this! He followed the two of them home and waited for the night to come. He already had a plan, but he still needed an opportunity to implement it. Considering how the last weeks had passed, he knew that Madam Zhong wouldn''t leave her son out of her sight soon. He didn''t want to wait that long.


    "If there''s no opportunity given, I''ll just have to make one myself."


    Soon enough, night fell and the Zhongs went to bed. Qiu Ling waited a while, then he stood up and went to their bedside. He extended his hand and put the tip of his finger against Mister Zhong''s forehead. "Have a sweet dream and don''t disappoint me tomorrow." Saying so, he turned around and settled down at Jing Yi''s bedside.


    Meanwhile, Mister Zhong entered a dream: He saw himself kidnapping his own son under the cover of the night, while his wife was still asleep. He dressed the boy and brought him into the forest. His son woke up with the first rays of sunlight.


    He blinked his doe eyes and noticed, that he wasn''t at home. He seemed fearful at first, but after looking around, he warmed up a little. He curiously examined the plants and animals around him and followed him all around the forest. They came home late that day and Madam Zhong was furious and scolded the two of them, but father and son just looked at each other and smiled. They regretted nothing.


    Mister Zhong woke up with a smile in the dead of the night. He looked at his wife, who was fast asleep. This dream couldn''t be a coincidence! Hadn''t he fruitlessly tried to coax his son into going outside for a few weeks already? The gods favored his son, he was sure of that, after that daoist master had come by twice for his Jing Yi''s sake. So it must be, that the gods were moved by his tireless efforts and also wanted Jing Yi to be more like the other boys, so they sent him this dream as an inspiration how to solve his problem!


    Motivated as such, Mister Zhong quietly crept out of the bed and dressed. He stealthily searched for something he and his son could eat, while out in the wilderness, and packed it up. Next, he took Jing Yi''s clothes and looked at his sleeping child.


    Mister Zhong was at a loss. How to dress him and take him away without him or his mother noticing?


    Qiu Ling sighed. Really, maybe he should have just taken Jing Yi himself. But he knew, he wouldn''t be able to bring himself to abandon him alone at the forest. The boy would be terrified and probably never sat one foot out of the door for the rest of his childhood days.


    With a wave of his hand both Madam Zhong and Jing Yi were caught in a sleep spell.


    By now, Mister Zhong had persuaded himself, that everything would go well, if he was just fast. He pulled the blanket away, stripped the clothes for the night from his son and put him into the ones for the day. The child didn''t wake up and Mister Zhong experienced a rare feeling of accomplishment.


    I''m such a great father! Jing Yi will be elated, when he finds out, that I was right all along. From tomorrow onward, he''ll pester me everyday to bring him into the forest again.


    Mister Zhong was incredibly sure of this, so he picked up the bundle with their meal, took his son into his arms and glanced at his wife again. Then he left the house and went into the forest.


    It hadn''t been long since winter ended. This early in the morning, it was bitingly cold outside. Jing Yi curled up in his father''s embrace, shivering a little from the wind. Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. Mister Zhong didn''t notice anything and Jing Yi was still under the sleeping spell, so he also couldn''t wake up to voice his discomfort.


    "What kind of father are you?", murmured Qiu Ling, but he had already lifted his hand. The stories about dragons controlling the weather weren''t wrong. And Qiu Ling, as the king of the dragon race, was able to do so to an even greater extent.


    The wind stilled at his command, the clouds, that had been hanging in the sky slowly drifted aside to reveal the countless stars twinkling over their heads. The temperature rose, until Qiu Ling was assured, that Jing Yi wouldn''t get sick. Thanks to Jing Yi, the surrounding villages would get splendid weather today.


    Mister Zhong reached a place in the forest he felt to be good. The river was gurgling not too far away from them and the trees stood a little farther from each other in a small clearing, so that he could see the sky. He settled down at the roots of a tree and sat his son on his lap.


    How long can it take for Jing Yi to wake up?, he mused and looked around to find the best spots to show to his son later on.


    Qiu Ling smiled smugly and lifted the sleeping spell on Jing Yi. Not only Mister Zhong, he himself also couldn''t wait for Jing Yi to wake up. But instead of Mister Zhong, who wanted to wow his son with all the new things around him, so he''d take a shine to nature, Qiu Ling''s thoughts about this trip were rather sinister.


    Just you wait, he thought. Today is the day, I''ll make sure you won''t have the possibility to bother my Jing He again!


    Qiu Ling, the mighty king of the dragon race had inexplicably developed a deep-seated hatred for little girls. Ah, what would the women of his race say, if they ever found out?

 Chapter 13 - A Little Cruel

    The two men didn''t have to wait long. With the first rays of sunlight filtering through the tree tops, Jing Yi''s eyelids twitched. He opened his eyes and ¡­ went into a daze.


    What is a tree doing in our house?


    Jing Yi couldn''t wrap his little head around this idea. He blinked again. Making sure it weren''t his eyes, that were playing tricks on him.


    Qiu Ling snickered. Ah, my love, you''d certainly think I was mean, if you knew, who I am right now. But you really can''t fault me. I thought and thought, but I can''t see any other solution anymore. You can''t want me to see how you fall in love with somebody else. This is just for your own good! For our future together!


    Mister Zhong noticed, too, that his son had woken up. "Jing Yi! Good morning. How did you sleep? Isn''t it such a nice day?"


    Jing Yi looked up at his father and noticed all the other trees and the star-littered sky above their heads. The boy was dumbfounded and could only stare. Mister Zhong waited patiently. He''ll be laughing and jumping around in no time!, he encouraged himself. Only ¡­ he didn''t know his son as good as his wife did.


    Jing Yi scrunched up his face. Tears gathered in his eyes and the tip of his nose turned red.


    Now it was Mister Zhong''s turn to be dumbfounded. "What to do? What to do?! The child is about to cry ¡­ It wasn''t supposed to be like that!"


    Qiu Ling put a hand to his forehead and sighed. Yes, it wasn''t supposed to be like that! As his father, shouldn''t you try to pacify him?!


    "Wife ¡­ How am I supposed to react now?" Unfortunately, Madam Zhong still slept at home, completely unaware of what her husband had done. And if she knew and found the two of them like that, he would have probably gotten himself a good scolding.


    Thinking about that, Mister Zhong manned up. "Jing Yi, there''s no reason to cry. Look, there are such beautiful stars up in the sky! How about daddy tries to catch one?" Mister Zhong reached up, trying to distract the boy, but Jing Yi didn''t even notice.


    He had clenched his small hands into fists and furiously rubbed at his eyes, that got redder and redder, while tears spilled down.


    Flustered, Mister Zhong dropped his hand and cudgeled his brains. What would his wife be doing in such a situation? But he just turned up with a huge blank. Jing Yi was normally so well behaved, that he had never seen his wife needing to pacify him.


    Qiu Ling leaned against one of the trees and closed his eyes. He didn''t want to see Jing Yi''s crying face. But without looking, Jing Yi''s cries sounded even more mournful.


    "Damn it! I shouldn''t have sent that dream! But what''s with you?!" He furiously turned to Mister Zhong, even though the man couldn''t see him. "Your child''s crying! Aren''t you going to do something? Sing him a song? Cuddle him? Damn, I should just cuddle him myself!" Qiu Ling set out to do exactly that, but stopped just short of reaching out.


    He had just remembered, that Jing Yi also couldn''t see him. It would just get worse, if he did anything.


    "Aiya! What are you crying for? Everything is all right!" Mister Zhong picked Jing Yi up, stood up himself and sat his son down on a protruding root. "Look!" He squatted down next to Jing Yi and motioned to a hole in the ground. "Doesn''t that look just like a burrow? There might be some rabbits inside! Wouldn''t you just love to see a rabbit?"


    An even louder wail answered him. Not just that, his son dropped his little fists, jumped down from the root and flitted away from the burrow on his short legs. His father stared after him dumbly.


    "Uh ¡­ So, you don''t think there are rabbits inside? Should we search for them elsewhere?" He stood up and scratched his head. It was really hard to take care of a child ¡­


    Qiu Ling winced. Thank god, I saved his mother back then! I don''t even want to imagine how Jing Yi would have turned out, being left alone with a guy like that. He followed the boy, while Mister Zhong wasn''t sure what to do. When he finally got out of his daze and went after his son, the boy had already disappeared somewhere in the underbrush.


    "Uh ¡­ Jing Yi?", he called out to him.


    No answer.


    "Jing Yi? Where are you?"


    Only the wind, that had picked up where he was at, answered him.


    "Come back here! We ¡­ we don''t have to search for rabbits, if you don''t want to! How about going to play at the river instead?"


    Hearing his father talking about the river, Jing Yi only ran faster. The Zhong parents would probably find out soon, that lying to a child would come back to bite you.


    Qiu Ling sighed. As much as it worried him, that Mister Zhong had taken his son without telling his wife, just because he had a dream, and even managed to lose him in the forest, it was still beneficial to his own plan.


    It was just, that ¡­ he felt himself to be a little cruel.


    "Ah, forgive me, my love. But I''ll make up for it later on. It''s a promise!" With that, Qiu Ling followed Jing Yi to the scrub, he had hid in, and took cover behind a tree out of Jing Yi''s sight. It was time for the grand finale of his plan!

 Chapter 14 - Disgusting Creatures

    Qiu Ling''s robes changed form once again. But this time, it weren''t the robes of a daoist cultivator he donned, but rather a set of clothes convenient for ordinary people to move about in. Simultaneously, his hair turned as white as snow and his body aged, until his whole face was scrunched up in wrinkles.


    Qiu Ling summoned a water-mirror and appraised his new appearance. He was trying to go for a ''sagely old man''-look. Someone, that seemed trustworthy and easy to talk to. A friendly grandfather kind of person. Even a child like Jing Yi should open up to such a person!


    Qiu Ling picked up a branch, transformed it into a walking stick and made sure, nobody but Jing Yi was around. He let the spell surrounding him fall, so that mortal eyes might see him again, and stepped out from his hiding place. He slowly made his way over in Jing Yi''s direction.


    Some steps short of the shrub, he stopped. "Aiyo! What''s this?" He bent down a little and tilted his head to the right. "Something seems to be sitting in this shrub! Could it be some small animal?"


    The boy in the shrub tensed and looked around for the animal, that might attack him any moment. Qiu Ling pressed down a smile and took another step. Jing Yi couldn''t see any animal and turned back to the old man.


    Qiu Ling bent down a little further. "Oh! Isn''t that a child?"


    Jing Yi''s eyes went wide. Is that grandpa talking about me?


    "What is your name, little boy?"


    Jing Yi hid in the shrub, not intending to come out and also not intending to answer the old man.


    Qiu Ling didn''t mind. Jing Yi hadn''t talked much, since he learned how to talk. In fact, back in the nine heavens, Jing He had also been more quiet. Not talking was fine. He would just do the talking. Between them, it had been like that for most of the time. He was already used to it.


    "Little boy, you should be careful! Did you know, that a terrible monster is living over there?" He vaguely pointed in the direction he had come from.


    Jing Yi shook his head.


    "Mn. There is, there is. Shall I tell you about it?"


    Jing Yi tilted his little head and then nodded.


    "Yes? Do you want to come out?"


    Jing Yi didn''t move, so Qiu Ling just sat down before the shrub.


    "The monster isn''t all that big. In fact, I think it might just be as tall as you."


    Jing Yi lifted one hand to his head, as if to check how tall he had grown. He seemed a little more at ease, finding out, that he wasn''t all that tall.


    Qiu Ling nodded slowly like the sagely old man he pretended to be. "It''s not tall, but it''s fast! And that is even more troublesome. Do you know why?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. He waited for Qiu Ling to continue, but just met with a calm gaze. Jing Yi debated, then crept a little closer. "Why?"


    Qiu Ling bent forward and lowered his voice. "It''s because they live in the earth and they are all muddy!"


    Jing Yi''s eyes widened. Muddy?! He remembered the girl from the day before. And there were monsters in the forest, that were even more muddy?!


    Qiu Ling''s lips twitched. If this was still the Jing He from the nine heavens, he''d never be able to dupe him like this! He should cherish this opportunity and brag a little about it, when Jing He came back from his trial.


    Qiu Ling had to avert his face a little, so as to not let the boy catch this telltale sign of his lies. He coughed. "Yes, yes, indeed. It sounds shocking, no? Actually, they aren''t that rare. They live nearly everywhere on this continent. And if one encounters them, it might lead to a disaster."


    Jing Yi, who had just been thinking of the girl, of course thought of how her mother had scolded her, when he heard the word ''disaster''. It couldn''t be, that he would get scolded, if he saw such a monster, right?


    He anxiously looked at the old man. But his counterpart took his time and didn''t seem that rushed to talk about that disaster anymore. He even seemed to be looking around. Was the monster already coming their way?


    Jing Yi again crept closer to Qiu Ling. Now, just the length of an arm separated them.


    Qiu Ling''s fingers itched to grab him and take him into his arms, but he held back. Not only would he thwart his own plan like that, he might even make Jing Yi afraid of strangers and how would he approach him in the future then? No, no, he couldn''t risk anything.


    Jing Yi extended his small hand, bent forward and plucked at Qiu Ling''s sleeve, before recoiling.


    Qiu Ling pretended to be surprised. "What is it?"


    "What ¡­ What disaster?", Jing Yi asked and blinked his doe eyes.


    "Mn." Qiu Ling tried to look serious, while he just felt like pinching the boys cheeks. Ah, now he really wanted to know how his Jing He had looked as a child back in the nine heavens! So cute! "That ¡­ I told you, they are really fast. If you can''t outrun them, they''ll latch onto you and make you muddy, too!"


    The boy sat there, thunderstruck. "They''ll make me muddy, too?" Tears gathered in his eyes again.


    "Ah, there, there." Qiu Ling didn''t have to hide anymore and could placate him, so of course he''d use the opportunity. He reached out, wanting to pull Jing Yi into a hug. At the last moment, he reconsidered, patting his head instead. "You''re such an obedient child, I''d be a bad man, if I didn''t help you. I''ll let you in on a secret, if you stop crying!"


    Jing Yi tried holding back his tears, but still sniffled. "Will ¡­ will I not get caught by the mud monsters, if I know the secret?"


    "Mn!" Qiu Ling nodded eagerly. "At least the possibility of being caught will be extremely low."


    "Then ¡­ then what is it?"


    Qiu Ling slowly raised a finger into the air. "It''s about ¡­ girls!"


    "Girls?"


    "Mn!" Qiu Ling nodded again, slower this time. Lying to a three-year-old wasn''t that hard, but he still wanted to be certain, that Jing Yi wouldn''t notice anything. "You don''t know this, but ¡­ in fact, all girls are transformed mud monsters!"


    Jing Yi thought of the girl from the day before and ¡­ found quite plausible, what the old man said. Qiu Ling clasped a hand over his mouth, but his shoulders shook.


    My beloved ¡­ how can you be so gullible? At least ask for proof!


    Qiu Ling coughed again. "Well, now that you know, you probably know what to do."


    Jing Yi shook his head. He really didn''t understand!


    "You ¡­ should stay away from girls! They are ¡­ such disgusting creatures!" Latching onto his beloved, vying for his attention and acting all cute, while he could only stand in the shadow and watch over him from afar. No! He wouldn''t accept it! If he couldn''t do that, then they couldn''t, either! "If you ever see one approaching you, it would be best to run as far away as you can!"


    Jing Yi nodded. Yes! Run away! He didn''t want to get muddy! "Should I scream for help?"


    "Er ¡­ No, better not." What would the boy say, if anyone asked why he was running away? No, he couldn''t let him do that or his plan would be exposed! "You have to know, only mud monsters can recognize each other, if they are hiding in the form of a girl. If you scream for help, they''ll immediately understand, that you know their secret, and they''ll try to turn you muddy to shut you up."


    Jing Yi shivered. How mean!


    "So, it''s better to just run away. And don''t tell anyone else about that! You know, if they aren''t careful enough and the mud monsters find out through them, that you exposed their secret ¡­" He shook his head and pressed his lips together.


    Jing Yi sat in front of him, stunned. That would be bad! No, he really couldn''t tell anyone!


    "Good boy." Qiu Ling patted his head again. "Just stay away from girls! Then nothing can happen to you ¡­"


    "What about my mommy?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. "Your mommy?"


    "Can I tell her?"


    "No!" Qiu Ling panicked. It would be all over, if Madam Zhong found out! "You see ¡­ mud monsters only go after children. So ¡­ your mommy doesn''t need to fear them. But if you told her and the mud monsters find out, they''d certainly be out to get revenge on you!"


    "Oh."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded, satisfied. Jing Yi would certainly stay away from girls from now on. And since he was an obedient child, he also wouldn''t talk about it, so there was no way, his ploy could be revealed.


    Deceiving a three-year-old child was really ¡­ too easy.

 Chapter 15 - Looking Bad

    Meanwhile, in the nine heavens, another person also used a shrub to hide. It was just that this person wasn''t crouching inside the shrub like Jing Yi, but instead squatting behind it, peeking through the branches. It was a man, normally described as dignified, who was even favorably looked upon by a lot of women. Well, that might not be the case anymore, if they saw him like that ¡­


    That man was the fate''s scribe, Shun Tao, and at this moment, his eyes were glued to a group of young gods in a courtyard. The shrub, behind which he hid, stood a little way from the entrance, so that he could monitor nearly every nook and cranny of the place.


    Slowly, he examined the gods one by one. Some of them held books, others practiced an instrument and at the far corner were even some fighting with swords. At those with books in their hands, his gaze lingered a little longer, but most of his attention was caught by three younglings, who sat at a table each and were either writing or monitoring something themselves.


    It has to be one of them, thought Shun Tao. Reading was something, that could improve the abilities of a future fate''s scribe, but someone able to mess with the crown prince''s fate this accurately shouldn''t be at merely this level.


    Monitoring how a fate unfurled and practicing your writing were advanced skills for a fate''s scribe. So one of those three should be the one, he was searching for.


    Shun Tao craned his neck, but of course he couldn''t see anything from such a distance. What to do? He couldn''t just stroll over, if he wanted to find out. Maybe he could send someone? But that wouldn''t be as reliable as he himself taking a look. Was there an artifact, that could be used?


    The scribe''s palace didn''t have anything, but he might be able to borrow something from another palace. But that should be a last resort. People would pose too many questions, if he asked for something like that. No, it was still better to first send someone over to have a look in his stead. He might glimpse a clue from this, so that he wouldn''t need to borrow an artifact. And if he couldn''t, it still wouldn''t be too late to borrow one. Now, all he needed was someone to take a look for him ¡­


    So, at this moment, the dignified fate''s scribe Shun Tao, in his long silk robe, with his hair tied up with a fashionable crown on top, squatted behind a shrub like a thief, and twisted from one side to the other, craning his neck.


    Watching from behind, this looked quite ¡­ queer.


    And of course, as luck would have it, just at this moment, two people walked down the path outside the walls, looked through the gate and happened to see this scene. The two men halted and watched a moment longer.


    "Isn''t that ¡­ fate''s scribe, Shun Tao?", asked one of them. The other nodded, unsure of what else to say. "I''d like to know, what exactly he is doing there." The other nodded again and the two men made their way over.


    Their shadows loomed over Shun Tao, who only now noticed them. With a bad feeling in his gut, he slowly turned around, still remaining in his squat. The first thing to enter his eyes, was a bright yellow robe.


    Shun Tao gulped. How many people are there in the nine heavens, who wear bright yellow robes?


    The answer is quite easy. Even a three-year-old could probably tell you: Exactly one.


    And who is this person, who wears such robes?


    The answer to that is even easier, since that person is known by all: Tianjun Rong Su. The incumbent heavenly sovereign.


    "Your ¡­ Your Majesty." Shun Tao gulped again, slowly lifting his head. He didn''t even spare a glance at the man next to Tianjun Rong Su, instead focusing all his attention on that serious face.


    Oh no, it''s over. That was his first thought at seeing the heavenly sovereign''s facial expression. He knows.


    Shun Tao lightly coughed and stood up from his squat, switching into a proper bow. Cold sweat grazed his brow. "Fate''s scribe, Shun Tao, greets His Majesty, Tianjun."


    "Mn." The heavenly sovereign motioned for him to get up, then nodded towards the courtyard. "Fate''s scribe, what are you doing here?" He didn''t mention the shrub. Well, he was the heavenly sovereign. Even if he wanted to laugh, he couldn''t with all those people around ¡­


    "I ¡­" Shun Tao''s gaze wavered. "I am looking ¡­ for ¡­ new recruits."


    "New recruits? Does the scribe''s palace lack people?"


    "Er ¡­ no, Your Majesty. We are currently not lacking anyone. I just ¡­ Well, I thought it would be better to have a look now, if there should be need in the future."


    Tianjun Rong Su nodded. "That is quite commendable." He exchanged a glance with the man beside him. Both were asking themselves the same question, but the heavenly sovereign couldn''t pose it.


    "Then ¡­", interjected the other man, who was none other than the god of war, Qiang Yan. "Why were you ¡­" He searched for a harmless way to formulate his question. "Why were you doing it like this?"


    "Er ¡­ I ¡­ of course, I can''t be seen. I have to monitor them, while they feel themselves to be undisturbed. Only like that, I can bring to light, how they''ll work in the future. They''d certainly only show me their good side, if they knew I was here."


    The heavenly sovereign nodded. That was indeed a good idea. Just that the implementation was a little ¡­ unsightly. Considering Shun Tao''s good intentions, the heavenly sovereign decided to let the incident go by the board.


    "Speaking of your work: How is our son faring in the mortal realm?" His gaze grew a little softer, speaking of his precious son.


    Shun Tao gulped again. Here it came ¡­ "His highness ¡­" What to do? Lie? Tell the truth? "The crown prince ¡­" He hadn''t found even the tiniest clue until now! He could beg forgiveness, but would he get it? Of course not! Everyone knew of his majesty''s temper! Everyone knew how much he loved his son! A head would be rolling, if he said the truth! "He ¡­ is faring extremely well, of course." Oh heaven, had his voice quivered right now? Had the heavenly sovereign been able to tell something was up? Had he known beforehand and was just testing him?


    "Ahahaha, as expected of our precious son!" Rong Su laughed and ran his hand over his beard.


    He doesn''t seem like ¡­ he wants to question me? Shun Tao slightly relaxed, but just at this moment, the heavenly sovereign looked up again. Shun Tao tensed again.


    "That''s right. It has been three days since then, that equals to three years in the mortal realm. His first trial should have passed? What is he doing right now?"


    "Er ¡­" Shun Tao slid his hand inside his sleeve, grabbing the scroll of fate with quivering fingers. He took it out, unfurled it and had a look. The words greeting him, surprised him so much, that he blurted the first ones right out. "Girls are ¡ª" He bit down on his tongue to hold himself back.


    Disgusting creatures?! I''ve been looking at the possible recruits the whole time since morning! How did the fate go off track again?! And by this much, even?


    "Girls are ¡­?", prompted Tianjun.


    Shun Tao laughed without any humor. "Girls are swarming him already. Even as a mortal, his highness just can''t hide his great charm. Hahaha."


    "As expected of ¡­" The heavenly sovereign was about to praise his son again, but then remembered, what he himself had just said. "Ah, isn''t he only three years old at the moment? What personal charm? What girls? Shouldn''t his trial of love only happen at the later stages of his live?"


    Shun Tao furled the scroll of fate again and hurriedly stuffed it into his sleeve. A lot of characters had been missing again. He couldn''t risk letting the heavenly sovereign taking a look himself. "That ¡­ that is indeed true. It''s just, that ¡­ you know, children. First love is something ¡­ something so defining. And his highness is such an outstanding man. I felt like ¡­ the fate didn''t do him enough justice, so I ¡­ I added ¡­ a little something, you know, to ¡­ to ¡­ spice things up ¡­ a little. Your majesty."


    Tianjun''s eyebrows lifted. "Spice things up? For a ¡­ three-year-old?"


    Shun Tao nodded solemnly. "One can never start too early."


    Qiang Yan furrowed his brow. "I hope you won''t mind me asking, Shun Tao, but ¡­ I''m an uncultured man and therefore can''t seem to follow. Why would you do something like that?"


    "That ¡­" Shun Tao gulped. Hadn''t he just made that up on the spot? Why did he have to ask? "It''s like this: First love is more memorable than any one thereafter. So, I feel like using first love in addition to the already prepared love trial, might be a greater challenge for his highness. A man as outstanding as him would certainly not lose his way because of just any love trial. Even a prepared fate can''t change his special character, considering it is still his immortal soul, that is experiencing this mortal life."


    Tianjun nodded, satisfied with this evaluation of his son. "That is indeed true."


    Qiang Yan nodded, too, but he wasn''t that convinced. Was all of that really necessary? But that was Shun Tao''s task, so he didn''t have to understand. He would just settle for this answer.


    Qiang Yan looked at the heavenly sovereign, asking through his eyes, if they should go.


    Tianjun gave a curt nod, but still spoke to Shun Tao again. "Fate''s scribe, if you want to have those gods monitored, have some personnel assigned to the task. There is no need to bother yourself with that."


    Shun Tao nodded and bowed, when the heavenly sovereign turned to go. The two men strode away. Shun Tao heaved a sigh and took a last look at the possible recruits, before turning away himself. He wouldn''t be able to achieve anything on his own here. He really needed someone else to do the task.


    A little distance away, Tianjun halted and turned toward Qiang Yan. "The fate''s scribe seemed a little nervous."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Well, that is to be expected, Your Majesty. He was seen in quite a ¡­ unsightly situation. He was probably afraid it would cast a slur at him."


    "Mn, that might very well be the reason. We''re probably just overly anxious about our son''s fate."


    "I could send somebody to monitor him, Your Majesty."


    "Jing He would certainly not mind, but ¡­ it''s his trial, after all. Even if something goes wrong, we shouldn''t do something about it. There would be no reason for such a trial, if we did everything for him."


    "His highness certainly wouldn''t have problems passing this trial."


    "We think so, too. Jing He ¡­" He sighed. "Did we ever have any problems with this boy? It will be a good thing for him to experience those things. He''s too calm. He needs to experience a little disaster." The heavenly sovereign probably wouldn''t have said so, if he knew just how much of a disaster his son''s mortal fate had already become ¡­


    "Mn." Qiang Yan nodded and the men continued on their way, without sending somebody down into the mortal realm.


    But Tianjun Rong Su didn''t discard the thought. He merely shelved it for later, when his son had weathered his first conscious trial. It certainly couldn''t be wrong for a father to take a look, to make sure, if his son was doing alright. He wouldn''t interfere. He would just send someone to take a look. Mn, he had to do so. He didn''t want Jing He to think, that he didn''t care. He cared very, very much. Actually, he still preferred sending someone right this instant ¡­

 Chapter 16 - Being an Old Man … Isn’t Easy

    Back in the mortal realm, Qiu Ling used the fact, that his plan had worked and that he had earned Jing Yi''s trust along the way, and tried to get a little extra time with him. "Oh, right", he said, as if he really just remembered. "Did you come to the forest all alone? Even if your parents don''t know about the mud monsters, it''s quite dangerous to let you go out all on your own!"


    Jing Yi shook his head, but didn''t explain. Qiu Ling had expected as much.


    "Then where are your parents now?"


    "My mommy is at home in the village!"


    The poor Mister Zhong, who still wandered through the forest in search for his son, ¡­ was completely ignored.


    Qiu Ling smiled. "Shall I bring you home, then?"


    Jing Yi nodded eagerly. I don''t want to stay in the forest, where the mud monsters and the terrible river and all those wild, hungry animals are!


    Qiu Ling stood up, extended his arms and pulled the boy into his embrace. Mn, how nice. But he''ll have to be even more vigilant from now on. Jing Yi was just too trusting. Like that, he''d be abducted, if nobody paid attention!


    Qiu Ling hugged him to his chest and brought him back to the village. The sun had gone up by now and the first people came out of their houses.


    One of them was Mister Pi. His first reaction upon seeing a foreign man with Zhong Jing Yi in his arms, was to rub his eyes. Was that really the boy, Madam Zhong didn''t let out of her sight for even the blink of an eye? How come he was with a total stranger?


    Mister Pi''s eyes lit up. How interesting! He made his way over and barred the man''s way. "Good sir, this child ¡­ might I ask, where you are heading with him?"


    Qiu Ling refrained from rolling his eyes. Aren''t you just asking, because you want to hear the gossip? "Ah, might you know this boy? I discovered him in the forest a little way from here. He told me, his mother was still in the village, so I brought him here. Might you know which house he lives in?"


    While Qiu Ling was still talking with Mister Pi, in the Zhong''s house, Madam Zhong woke up. She sat up and paused, thunderstruck. She didn''t care, that her husband had left the house. She didn''t even notice, that the food, she had prepared yesterday, went missing. There was only one thought in her mind: My son!


    "Jing Yi?" She spun around, looking into every corner, but Jing Yi was nowhere to be seen. Hastily, she threw some clothes on and ran out of the house. "Jing Yi! Jing Yi!"


    Lian Mei ¡ª now Madam Shen ¡ª stood at the village square with Madam Pan. The two women turned around and immediately hurried over to see, what was going on.


    "Madam Zhong!", greeted Madam Pan. "Just what has happened? You seem ¡ª"


    Before she could finish her sentence, Madam Zhong had bypassed them and ran through the village, all the while shouting her son''s name. "Jing Yi! Jing Yi!"


    The child in Qiu Ling''s arms grew anxious. He struggled, obviously wanting to get down and run to his mother. Qiu Ling sighed lightly. It seems, I can''t compare to a mortal woman ¡­


    He bent down and let him go. Jing Yi ran to his mother at once, jumping into her arms and hugging her neck with his small arms.


    Qiu Ling pressed his lips together. The difference in treatment was a little too obvious. Hadn''t he been nice to Jing Yi? Well, he deceived him, but the boy didn''t know that and it really was just for his best! Why was he still only getting the bare minimum, while this woman was treated so enthusiastically? This was unfair!


    "Jing Yi." Madam Zhong hugged her son close to her chest and only then looked up at the old man waiting behind him. Vigilance entered her eyes. "Who are you? Why was my Jing Yi with you?"


    Mister Pi, who had followed Qiu Ling, perked up his ears. Here it came!


    Qiu Ling smiled his sagely-old-man-smile. "You must be his mother. I found this boy not far from here in the forest, hiding in a shrub. I don''t know how he got there, but he seemed to be terrified, so I asked him, where his parents were and brought him home."


    Madam Zhong looked at her son questioningly. Jing Yi nodded and took another look at Qiu Ling. The old man had told him such an important secret!


    Madam Zhong turned back to Qiu Ling. "I have to thank you. Jing Yi is my only child. I was afraid, when I found out he was missing."


    "Of course, of course. Don''t worry, he didn''t seem to be injured. You should go and bring him back inside. I''ll have to be on my way again, too."


    Madam Zhong nodded. "Thank you, again. Is there anything I could do, to show my appreciation?"


    Yes!, Qiu Ling thought. Give Jing Yi to me! But he still shook his head and smiled only. "No need, no need. I am on a journey through the whole empire right now and was just passing by. It is a given to lend a hand in such a situation. I shall return to the forest now."


    He took a glance at Jing Yi for the last time, turned around and went into the forest. He went deliberately slow, to adhere to his image of an old man. But every step he took was torture. He wanted to go back to Jing Yi''s side! How far could it be to the forest? Just some more steps ¡­


    A smile broke out on Qiu Ling''s lips, but just then, a voice interrupted him from behind. "Kind sir, excuse me!" Mister Pi came over.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and muttered an entirely non-sagely curse. What about returning to Jing Yi''s side?!

 Chapter 17 - If There’s Fate …

    Mister Pi hurried after Qiu Ling, which wasn''t that hard, considering that Qiu Ling had tried to walk extra slow, to match his outer appearance.


    Qiu Ling was cursing his bad luck inside, but he still turned around with a sagely smile plastered on his face. "May I be of help?"


    "Ah, it''s like this." Mister Pi stopped in front of Qiu Ling and folded his hands behind his back, trying to look as sagely as Qiu Ling. "I happened to hear, what you told Madam Zhong just now. You know, the mother of that child."


    "Is that so." Qiu Ling glanced at the house of the Zhongs. Jing Yi was already inside. What if something happened? I can''t let this Mister Pi hold me back here for long. Maybe I should use some magic to solve this problem?


    Qiu Ling turned back to Mister Pi. His hands twitched, but he still held back. No, too many people are leaving their houses right now. If anybody notices, this could turn out badly for Jing Yi. I''ll just have to talk him into leaving soon.


    "Yes, indeed. I was just wondering ¡­ That boy is normally so well behaved ¡­ You wouldn''t know, why he was in the forest?"


    "No."


    Mister Pi waited, but nothing more came after that. "Ah ¡­ Then, was he really alone?"


    "Yes."


    "Are you ¡­ are you sure? Maybe his father was somewhere around there? Or somebody else from the village?"


    "No."


    "Mn ¡­ Maybe some other children?"


    "I didn''t see anyone."


    Mister Pi stared at the old man in front of him. He felt, like he had somehow offended him ¡­ But examining his face, a sagely smile still hang at the old man''s lips, he hadn''t furrowed his brow and nothing else seemed out of place. Huh, maybe I imagined it?


    Considering that it was only his imagination and that he seldom had the opportunity to talk to such a dignified person, Mister Pi didn''t even think to let him leave. Madam Zhong is really not that bright, to let this man go. She should have invited him! Certainly, it would benefit her greatly, to know such a great personage!


    But of course, for inviting such a person, one couldn''t be too straightforward. It had to be done in a roundabout way.


    "That is quite strange", remarked Mister Pi and looked at the village just like Qiu Ling. See that? I''m standing in the same posture as you, looking at the same thing as you! Don''t you feel like there is fate between us? Don''t you just feel like striking up a friendship with me?


    "Mn." Qiu Ling''s eyes narrowed. How about some lightning? He''d certainly hurry right back home if a storm came ¡­


    He didn''t wait any longer. He motioned and the clouds, that had drifted away just some hours ago, were blown back above the village. It rumbled.


    Mister Pi looked up at the dark clouds looming above their heads. His face lit up. "Oh no! Look at this! It seems a storm is brewing. The next village is quite far away. You''d need at least half an hour by foot. Why don''t you come to my house? You can wait there, until the storm has passed."


    Qiu Ling tensed. Huh? How did that just happen? "Er ¡­ no need, no need."


    "Ah, don''t worry. You don''t have to be formal, you wouldn''t inconvenience us. In fact, we''d be honored. Please, it''s this way." Mister Pi motioned toward his house, his whole face lit up with a smile.


    Qiu Ling returned a smile of his own and motioned behind his back. The wind picked up and the clouds drifted slowly over the village. They still rumbled, but it was obvious, the rain wouldn''t fall above the village.


    "Ahaha,the weather''s quite erratic today." Qiu Ling''s smile grew more pronounced and he turned half around to the forest.


    Mister Pi panicked. Bad weather would have been the perfect opportunity to invite the old man. Now he seemed like an overly anxious person. His counterpart must have a bad impression of him!


    "Are you sure? With how fast it is changing, it might be safer to stay here for a little while longer.


    You think I''m dumb? Qiu Ling masked his thoughts with an even brighter smile. "Especially in such a situation, I should make haste to reach my next destination. My journey is long. Remaining at one place for a longer time will shorten the time I have at others. I thank you for your kind intentions, but another village is already waiting at the horizon for me. I''ll take my leave." Qiu Ling nodded, turned around and vanished into the forest.


    Mister Pi watched him in a daze. How come the old man seemed to have grown wings after that storm passed them by? Why was he so fast now? He didn''t even have time to say his farewell!


    Mister Pi sighed. The possibility to strike up a friendship with the old man had passed. "Well, he wasn''t as outstanding as that daoist master back then, anyway. There''ll be other opportunities in the future." With that, he returned to the village square, to tell Madam Pan, what had just happened.


    Qiu Ling''s lips twitched, when he heard Mister Pi''s last sentence. "What''s that supposed to mean? Don''t tell me, I brought that upon myself, because I looked like such a reliable person each time?" He sighed. He had thought his second transformation had been more low-key, but it seems he still couldn''t judge the humans.


    Regardless, for the moment, that didn''t matter. The most important thing now was Jing Yi.


    Qiu Ling hurried into the forest, hid his presence from the humans and changed back into his own appearance. His form vanished from the spot and reappeared in the house of the Zhongs. Of course, the first thing he noticed, was Jing Yi, who sat at the table with his mother, quietly eating breakfast. He seemed contented, as if he had already forgotten his short stay in the forest. But Qiu Ling was sure, Jing Yi wouldn''t forget his words so soon. From now on, he''d certainly have one problem less.


    While someone was happy, somebody else was sad.


    Mister Zhong sat at the river, staring down into the water, and sighed. "I''m sorry, Jing Yi. I''m such a failure as a father. How could I lose my own son in the forest?" He cradled his head. The forest wasn''t all that big and he had searched everywhere, but he just couldn''t find him anywhere.


    "How do I tell your mother? What if we never find you again? I''m so sorry! You really deserve a better father ¡­ Please, come back?"


    But, of course, his son didn''t come back. He couldn''t hear him. So, while Zhong Jing Yi sat peacefully with his mother, Mister Zhong regretted his rash actions and swore to never believe in any dream he had ever again. He just wanted his son back ¡­

 Chapter 18 - At Least Do It Inside

    Finally, after unsuccessfully searching for his son for five hours, Mister Zhong returned to the village broken-hearted. He was sure, he had lost his son. Who knew, if they''d ever find him again?


    Mister Zhong stopped in front of the door to his own home, not daring to open it or even knock. His wife loved their son even more than he himself did. If he was broken-hearted already ¡­ Would she be able to cope with it?


    Maybe I should go back to the forest and search again? Or maybe I should gather the other men and ask them for help? With all of us searching, we might stand a chance of finding him.


    Before Mister Zhong could decide, the door opened and he found himself face to face with his wife.


    Mister Zhong gulped. How to break the news to her?


    Madam Zhong stood there, arms akimbo, and glared at her husband. Jing Yi hadn''t said anything, but it was easy enough to guess, what had happened. "You ¡ª"


    Mister Zhong might not know how to care for a child, but after some years of marriage, he knew the best way to live through the wrath of his wife. At once, he fell to his knees, clasped his hands and plead guilty: "I''m sorry! I took Jing Yi out into the forest without you knowing. I know, I shouldn''t have done it! I ¡­ I even lost him!"


    Madam Zhong whacked him on the head. "What are you doing? Kneeling outside and pleading guilty? At least do that inside, where people can''t see! I can hear the neighbors talk already!"


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry!" Mister Zhong still didn''t get up. Instead, he started tearing up. "It''s all my fault! I wanted Jing Yi to be a little more open, to play with other children and explore the world outside. I thought ¡­ I thought, if I just brought him there, he''d certainly like it. But he started crying and ran away and I just couldn''t find him anymore. I''m so sorry! I lost our son!"


    Madam Zhong whacked her husband over the head again. "Stop crying already! Really, I feel like you''re the only child in this house! What''s wrong with Jing''er being a little quieter? He''s wonderful like that!"


    "Of course he is, of course ¡­" Mister Zhong sniffled. It was too late now. He had already lost him.


    "Tch. What kind of father are you? Losing such a small child in the forest? What if anything had happened to him?"


    Jing Yi peeked out behind his mother''s skirt at that moment and nodded. Mommy''s right! What if I had fallen into the river and were swept away? What if a rabbit found me and swallowed me whole? What if a mud monster got me and made me muddy? I don''t want to be scolded by mommy!


    Mister Zhong stared at his son unblinking. "Jing Yi?"


    The boy hid behind his mother again. His Father wouldn''t dare to take him away again, as long as his mother was there. He was sure of it. Even if his wife wasn''t there, Mister Zhong probably wouldn''t have thought about it again. Nearly losing his own child had made him see things in a different light. What if something really had happened to his son?


    "Jing Yi! You''re alright!" Mister Zhong extended his arms to hug his son, but the boy stubbornly hid behind his mother and wouldn''t come out. Finally, Mister Zhong had to give up.


    He got up and followed his wife into the house. Like that, the incident of him kidnapping his own son, was laid to rest. The neighbors discussed for a while, but considering the rumors about the heretic practitioner back then and the following appearance of the daoist master, they didn''t believe gossip about the Zhongs as fast anymore. As such, they didn''t mind Mister Pi and Madam Pan''s stories much and just went back to their normal lives.


    But, it wasn''t long before the next rumor spread. And yes, it was still about the Zhongs or rather the Zhong''s boy, who had started to behave quite strangely.


    Qiu Ling smiled smugly, when he listened in on the women discussing the rumor:


    "Have you heard about the boy of the Zhongs?", asked Madam Pan.


    "Zhong Jing Yi? I heard he''s behaving quite strangely. Well, he always was odd." This answer sounded quite disdainful, but it was no wonder: The woman speaking was none other than Madam Qiguan, the mother of Qiguan Cheng Da, that had been called because of the incident with the supposed heretic practitioner.


    Back then, her son had been quite humiliated because the daoist showed up. Not only had Qiguan Cheng Da not gotten any chance to display his abilities, he had even been compared to the other man. Of course the people hadn''t looked at him all that favorably.


    Next to a man the cultured Mister Pi had ascertained to be a daoist master even wearing a robe made of a special thread and having such high abilities, that it was an easy feat, to save a mother and child, Qiguan Cheng Da seemed like the beginner he was.


    Qiguan Cheng Da had just smiled and politely bid farewell, saying, that it was great, that nothing was wrong with the child of the Zhongs, as if he didn''t care for the face he lost. But inside, he had been seething with anger. Should he ever meet Zhong Jing Yi again, he''d certainly give back as he was given.


    His mother, who had been so proud of her son, couldn''t take the pitying gazes of the other villagers. She also felt, that all of that was the Zhong''s fault, even though she herself had provided her so-called help without being asked.


    She certainly wouldn''t let this opportunity slip away.


    "What happened?" Another woman hadn''t heard of it, yet, and couldn''t contain her curiosity.


    Madam Qiguan laughed. "You know the daughter of the Fas?" The other woman nodded. "Well, she went up to him the other day. His eyes went huge as soon as he saw her, then he turned around and fled. It was such a pathetic sight."


    "Now, now." Madam Pan furrowed her brow. "How can you call that pathetic? The boy was just a little spooked. I thought, it was cute." Even though she loved to gossip and didn''t mind gossiping about a child, she didn''t like the way Madam Qiguan talked about the boy. He was such an obedient child, who never made things difficult for anyone. In fact, she would have loved if even one of her sons could be like him. But no, she had two troublemakers at home ¡­


    Another woman agreed with her. "Yes, yes, it was really cute! He has such a round face and with his eyes going all huge, it was so funny to watch!"


    "Yes, indeed!" Even Madam Fa, Fa Chao Fu''s mother, couldn''t be angry at the little boy. "Two days before that, he was with us at the river, when Chao Fu fell down. Her whole dress was dirty and I scolded her. Zhong Jing Yi probably just didn''t want to make problems for his mother, so now he''s cautious around Chao Fu."


    "He''s just such an obedient child", piped Madam Pan up again. Really, she should let her sons spend time with him. Maybe they''d get a little easier to handle like that?


    "Hmph." Madam Qiguan snorted. "Cute? Obedient? Isn''t it just because he''s such a coward? Even afraid of a little girl. My Cheng Da was never like that."


    Madam Fa rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes. Qiguan Cheng Da was never afraid of anything. He just went ahead with whatever."


    One of the women snickered, clearly remembering Madam Qiguan''s son spouting all that nonsense about Zhong Jing Yi being a danger to the whole village.


    "What is that supposed to mean?"


    Madam Fa smiled smugly, "Nothing, I''m just saying, that your son isn''t a coward ¡­"


    Madam Qiguan couldn''t say anything to that. She couldn''t scold her for complimenting her son, no? But she also couldn''t say nothing. Finally, Madam Qiguan could only snort again and give up.


    The other women ignored her and gossiped between themselves. Like that, the rumor of Zhong Jing Yi running away from Fa Chao Fu made its rounds through the surrounding villages.

 Chapter 19 - Happy Cooperation

    While Qiu Ling was delighted, that his plan had succeeded this easily, the fate''s scribe Shun Tao was on his way to thwart said plan, even though he still didn''t know, that Qiu Ling was the one, who changed Jing Yi''s fate every time.


    In the nine heavens, only some minutes had passed, since the heavenly emperor and the god of war had gone. The young gods were still in the courtyard and Shun Tao made his way over to a servant girl, who hurried along outside.


    "Miss!", he called out to her and smiled, when she stopped.


    The girl returned his smile at once. Shun Tao''s task might not have been the most prestigious one in the nine heavens, but he was still somebody no one wanted to cross. What if you had to go for a trial in the mortal world and were on his bad side? A mortal life might seem like the blink of an eye, while they were up in the nine heavens, but being down there as a mortal and leading a hard life felt for them like torture, too. The fact, that Shun Tao looked quite handsome, did help, too. And a lot of people attested him to have a lot of charm.


    Being called by him, a lot of goddesses would have been happy. Even more so a small servant girl, who didn''t have much of a status. What she thought of at this moment would have made a beautiful tale for him to write into a love trial, if another god descended to the mortal realm.


    "Fate''s scribe, what may I do for you?"


    Shun Tao nodded at the small goddess and motioned her to the side, where the young gods from the courtyard couldn''t see them. "First of all, might I know your name?"


    The goddess smiled shyly. "But of course. This one is called Hong Bao."


    "Hong Bao, it''s a pleasure to meet you. It''s like this: The scribe''s palace wants to monitor some of the young gods, to find out, if they would be eligible for joining our ranks in the scribe''s palace. But of course, they would notice, if I went myself and a lot of the other gods at our palace are also quite well known. So I am in search of someone, who could help us with this task."


    "Oh! I can help!" Hong Bao took the chance to volunteer. Her eyes seemed to sparkle, being presented with such an opportunity. Who wouldn''t want to help the scribe''s fate, if he was only a servant? That could be the beginning of a new life. And furthermore, Hong Bao just liked Shun Tao. This was the perfect opportunity for her!


    Shun Tao was a little taken aback at her enthusiasm. But then again ¡­ at least she''d be serious about the task. "That would be wonderful! Mn, we''re the most interested in three of them. If you have a look now, they are writing at the stone tables or monitoring something in the human world. The ones reading could be possible candidates as well, but they are less likely. Just make sure, that it''s not too obvious, you''re only interested in some of them. That might give the plan away."


    "Of course!" Hong Bao tensed up. I''ll be extra careful! If the fate''s scribe sees, how dependable I am, this might just lead to him falling in love with me!


    Shun Tao nodded, satisfied. He couldn''t guess Hong Bao''s thoughts, but her enthusiasm was plain to see. The latter convinced him. Had he known about the former ¡­ he might have asked somebody else.


    But since that wasn''t the case, Shun Tao and Hong Bao happily started their cooperation. Hong Bao skipped away, asking for leave from her regular job, so she could work on her new mission. Shun Tao returned to the scribe''s palace and sat down at his writing table.


    "Hong Bao is observing you, so I''ll use this time to give you something to work on. Let''s see how you''ll fare against this!"


    He dipped his brush in the ink and wrote with fast strokes: After the sagely old man left, Zhong Jing Yi followed his advice. Soon, the people of the village noticed, that he wasn''t just avoiding Fa Chao Fu, but all girls instead.


    Madam Pan, who liked the Zhong''s child and worried whether he''d turn out alright, if this went on, tried to persuade him: Seeing that the child was especially dependent on his mother, she used this to persuade the child.


    Shun Tao put the brush down and smirked. He was far from being at the end of his rope!

 Chapter 20 - Someone’s Lying

    Jing Yi had been avoiding each and every girl of the village for two entire weeks. The women, who had called his reaction cute at first, weren''t sure what to think anymore.


    Madam Qiguan just laughed. "Didn''t I say so? He''s just a coward. Which boy would run from a bunch of girls?"


    Madam Pan, who had still argued for the boy some days ago, didn''t know how to react. It wasn''t surprising, that he ran away, when he saw Fa Chao Fu. That could be explained. But why did he also run from the rest? He couldn''t have thought, that all girls were that troublesome, right?


    Thinking of that, her maternal instinct kicked in. Her own boys were such troublesome creatures, she couldn''t let such a cute and obedient boy go to waste! Her younger sister had just given birth to a baby-girl. Looking at all those boys, she could marry, when she grew up, Zhong Jing Yi was definitely the best. She couldn''t let him come to be afraid of girls!


    With this thought in mind, Madam Pan made her way out of the circle of women discussing the latest news and went over to where Madam Zhong and her son were.


    Madam Zhong looked up, her eyes vigilant. She still hadn''t forgotten how Madam Pan had tried to hinder her back then, when she had wanted to get her child. Who knew if something might have happened to Jing Yi, if the daoist master hadn''t shown up?


    Madam Pan knew, what Madam Zhong thought. Ever since then, she had mostly been ignored by her or treated with mistrust. She found it a little too much, but she understood, that Jing Yi was Madam Zhong''s only child and that she was just over protective, so she didn''t say anything.


    "Ah, Madam Zhong, I heard from the others, that Jing Yi was a little afraid of the girls?"


    "What about it?" Madam Zhong grasped Jing Yi''s shoulders and pulled him a little closer to her.


    Qiu Ling, who leaned not far from them at the corner of a house, lifted his head and watched Madam Pan. What is she doing now? Something seemed fishy, but he wasn''t sure, what was going on.


    "Mn, I ¡­ I was just asking myself, if there is a special reason? Maybe we can help somehow? Jing Yi is such a nice child. It would be a pity if he always had to be afraid around the girls. He doesn''t like playing with the boys already, no?"


    Madam Zhong pressed her lips together. That was indeed true. Jing Yi was always alone. As much as she loved having her child always around her and was afraid of him coming to harm, when he was out of her sight, she still didn''t want to restrict him too much.


    "I don''t know of any special reason." Her tone was a little more reconcilable than normally.


    Madam Pan nodded and squatted down in front of Jing Yi. "Jing Yi, is there something wrong with the girls, that you don''t want to play with them?"


    Jing Yi didn''t answer. He still remembered, what the old man had told him. He couldn''t tell anyone!


    "You know, it''s such a pity not playing with them. Who are you going to marry in the future, if you don''t spend time with them?"


    Qiu Ling snorted. The person he is going to marry? That would obviously be me! No reason to bring up any girls. My beloved doesn''t have any need for them.


    Jing Yi also didn''t seem to care for Madam Pan''s attempt to persuade him. Madam Zhong patted his head. "It''s alright. If he doesn''t want to, Jing Yi doesn''t have to spend time with them."


    The boy turned around and clasped her hand, intent on not leaving her side for even a moment. Madam Pan looked at him pensively.


    "Jing Yi ¡­ Don''t you think your father is incredible lucky, to have such a great wife as your mother?"


    Jing Yi looked at his mother and then at Madam Pan. He didn''t really understand about marrying and having a wife, but of course his father was extremely lucky, that his mother was there! He nodded.


    Madam Pan smiled. "Then, did you know, that your mother was a girl once, too?"


    Jing Yi''s eyes went wide. His mommy was a mud monster, too?! That can''t be! That woman must be lying!


    Madam Pan laughed at his shocked expression.


    She really is lying! The poor boy still believed the lying Qiu Ling instead of the woman, who tried to help him.


    Qiu Ling crossed his arms and smiled. That''s my beloved! He''d still believe in me, even though he doesn''t know me at the moment!


    Unfortunately for Qiu Ling, there was one person Jing Yi believed even more than him. The child turned around and looked up at his mother.


    Madam Zhong wanted to laugh, too, but felt bad seeing her son''s shocked expression. She just squatted down and nodded. "That''s right! Your mommy was a girl once, too!"


    Jing Yi blinked. That couldn''t be! Mommy wouldn''t lie ¡­ But mommy definitely can''t be a mud monster! He tried to wrap his little head around this idea and finally arrived at a shocking revelation: The old man must have lied!


    Jing Yi didn''t understand why, but he felt, that this would be the only explanation. He extended his arms and hugged his mother.


    Madam Zhong really was afraid, that she wouldn''t be able to hold her laughter in this time. The boy had been afraid for nearly two weeks and now he had found out, his mother was once a girl, too. He must feel really conflicted right now! She also saw, that this would be a good opportunity to make him forget his fear.


    "You know, if your father hadn''t played with mommy, back when she was a girl, she might not have married him. And then there wouldn''t be you!"


    Jing Yi looked up. There wouldn''t be him? So it was really important to play with girls? Would he disappear, if he didn''t do that?


    Most likely, too many people had already lied to the poor child. He really didn''t know anymore, what was true and what false. He couldn''t decide, if he should play with the girls or not. What if he really vanished? What if he got muddy and his mommy scolded him? Jing Yi was feeling conflicted.


    Qiu Ling felt just sad. How come he still loves his mother more than me? What''s with the promise to spend the rest of our lives together? Even after drinking the water of the river of forgetfulness, you shouldn''t have forgotten me! Doesn''t your soul ache, from not having me at your side?


    Unfortunately, it really didn''t seem like that.

 Chapter 21 - Oh No, I Did It Again

    Zhong Jing Yi had debated for the whole day, who had lied and who had told the truth. He didn''t believe Madam Pan, but he believed his mother and they had both said the same thing. The old man hadn''t seemed like he lied, but how could his mother have been a mud monster once? It was impossible! So it seemed like the friendly old man had lied, but Jing Yi just couldn''t understand why.


    That was why, untypical for him, Jing Yi looked at his father the next morning and followed him to the door, when he wanted to leave for work. Mister Zhong halted and looked at his son questioningly. Jing Yi looked back at his mother, then lifted his arms.


    Mister Zhong was dumbfounded, then thrilled. My son wants to be hugged! He bent down and hugged his son. A minute later, he let go and stood up again, wanting to go to work. Jing Yi stared at the back of his father, who couldn''t understand him. He gripped his robe, not letting go, even when Mister Zhong stepped out of the door.


    Mister Zhong looked back and then turned to his wife. What does our son want?, his gaze seemed to say.


    Madam Zhong snorted. "Look at you! Is Jing Yi really your son? He obviously wants you to take him with you! Hmph!" She turned away. Why does my son want to go with his father today? What did I do wrong? She couldn''t understand.


    Meanwhile, Mister Zhong felt enlightened. My son wants to accompany me! He squatted down and picked up his son, afraid that Jing Yi would reconsider, if he didn''t react fast enough. "We''re off then!", he happily bid his farewell, closed the door and hurried to work. Ha! Look at this! My son is accompanying me today. And I didn''t need to coax him at all. Maybe taking him to the forest back then wasn''t such a bad choice? Maybe he thought about it really hard, after he came back, and found out, he liked it after all?


    Mister Zhong wouldn''t have been that thrilled and Madam Zhong wouldn''t have been that brooding, if they knew, what their son was thinking. Jing Yi just wanted to look for the sagely old man, because after a day of thinking hard, he decided, that he probably misunderstood the old man. He didn''t believe the old man would lie to him. There had to be another explanation!


    If Qiu Ling knew, he would be happy, because Jing Yi trusted him so much, and feel endlessly guilty, because this trust was misplaced in this case. He had indeed lied.


    Even though he didn''t knew, Qiu Ling followed gloomily behind the father and son. It wasn''t because Jing Yi trusted his mother more than him. Even though he felt hurt deep down, he knew, that Jing Yi couldn''t remember his life in the nine heavens at the moment and that he had only seen him in the appearance of an old man, he didn''t know for more than an hour. It was already quite good, that Jing Yi had trusted him so much. It was just ¡­


    Would it have been different, if he saw my true appearance?, he couldn''t help but ask himself. He wanted to believe, that that was the case. There had to be some fateful connection between their souls, that couldn''t be severed regardless of life and death. What was a mere trial in the human realm for such a connection?


    "Ah." Qiu Ling sighed. "Why am I even thinking about this? He''s merely three years old at the moment. When he''s older ¡­ I''ll have more than enough time to try it. Right now, love is something he isn''t even thinking of." He sighed again. How long a human life seemed, if one was in the mortal world. If he hadn''t been so anxious about something happening to Jing He, while he was here, he would have waited in the nine heavens for his return.


    Two month without him seemed long, but it wouldn''t feel as long as accompanying him through twenty years of growing up, before he could make a move on him. And even more so ¡­ What would happen at the end?


    Qiu Ling halted his steps and watched the father and son departing further. A human life wasn''t that long. He could wait until it ended. But how would that feel? Seeing Jing He dying in this world?


    Qiu Ling shook his head and hurried after them. No, this wasn''t something he should be thinking about. He should just ¡­ just wait. Everything would sort itself out somehow. He could help Jing He in his time here in the mortal world, but he couldn''t do more.


    Mister Zhong reached the paddy and put down his son. "Just stay here and watch your father working!" He smiled brightly and couldn''t help looking at the other men, wanting to brag about how his son had accompanied him today.


    Mister Mao looked at them and lifted his eyebrows. "I hope you didn''t take him without your wife''s approval again."


    Mister Zhong was taken aback. Nobody had said a word about that for the last two weeks! Why was he bringing that up now of all times? Not being in the mood for bragging anymore, Mister Zhong started to work. The other men, who arrived slightly later, glanced at Zhong Jing Yi, but only talked about it between themselves.


    Like that, nobody but Qiu Ling noticed, when the child got up and hurried to the forest. Mister Zhong, who had worked extra hard, to make a good impression in front of his son, only looked back half an hour later. His face lost all color and only one thought crossed his mind:


    Oh no. I lost my son again.

 Chapter 22 - Grandfather?!

    Jing Yi hurried back to the shrub, he had hid in back when Qiu Ling found him. He sat down and looked around, as if waiting for the old man to appear.


    Qiu Ling watched him from behind, sighed and transformed once again. His perfect plan had somehow been thwarted. He had to get it back on track. And ¡­ he had to tell Jing Yi, that waiting in the forest like this wouldn''t be of help, if he was looking for a person. Who knew if a normal passer-by would still be there after a whole day?


    "Oh!" Qiu Ling stopped hiding his presence and like the day before, he bent down and peered into the shrub. "What''s in there today? A little animal?"


    Jing Yi turned around, his face lighting up, as soon as he saw Qiu Ling. He didn''t stay hidden in the shrub this time, but instead came over and looked up at him.


    "What is it, little boy? Did something happen?"


    "My mommy said, she was a girl, too!" His gaze was accusing. Qiu Ling felt a stab in his heart. Why did I plan something like that? See how he looks at me now? How will he look at me, when he wakes up in the nine heavens and remembers everything, that happened in the mortal realm? He''ll certainly blame me for being heartless!


    "Uh ¡­ and?" Pretending like he didn''t understand was certainly for the best! He had to mislead him and then adjust his tale a bit. There was no turning back now, anyway.


    Jing Yi pursed his lips. The old man didn''t seem to understand? "Mommy can''t be a mud monster!"


    "Of course not!" Qiu Ling pretended to be surprised, he''d even think about that.


    "But ¡­" Jing Yi furrowed his brow. "You said, all girls were mud monsters! Mommy was a girl, too. But mommy can''t be a mud monster!"


    Qiu Ling blinked innocently. "Did I say that?"


    Jing Yi looked thunderstruck. The old man didn''t say that?


    "Er ¡­ I must have misspoken." Qiu Ling hung his head. "I''m really sorry! What I meant was: Every mud monster can transform into a human girl! Of course, not every human girl is a mud monster. Your mommy certainly isn''t one!"


    Jing Yi perked up. So it was like that! Everything was really just a misunderstanding! The old man didn''t lie!


    Qiu Ling pressed his lips together. Why did that expression look so familiar? Had he really tricked him successfully already? No need to give any proof? That was really too ¡ª


    "Then how do I know, which one is a mud monster?"


    "Uh ¡­ Through ¡­ careful observance." Qiu Ling looked away. "Why do you ask?"


    "Mommy said, if father hadn''t played with her, I wouldn''t be here. So if I don''t play with the girls, will I disappear?"


    Qiu Ling looked at him, stunned. How did he arrive at that conclusion? He slowly shook his head. "No, you won''t." The boy looked at him questioningly, clearly not understanding, why. Qiu Ling frowned. How to explain that? "It''s like this: You are here, because your father married your mother. Whatever you do, won''t change that."


    "Then I don''t have to play with the girls?"


    "You don''t. In fact, I would advise you not to do so. You know, they could be mud monsters, after all. And even if they aren''t: If you always play with one of them, your mother might just take a liking to her! Then you wouldn''t be as important to her."


    Jing Yi imagined his mother liking another child. He scrunched up his face, ready to cry the next moment.


    Qiu Ling patted his head. "Don''t worry. Nothing will happen, if you''re cautious!"


    "Oh."


    "Mn ¡­ Maybe you should try finding out, which of the girls is a mud monster. Just to be sure ¡­"


    Jing Yi looked at him expectantly. Qiu Ling coughed. He was about to lie to his beloved again. Hopefully, that wouldn''t become a habit. Ah, Jing He, I promise, when you grow up, I''ll never lie to you again!


    "It''s really easy! A mud monster has to return to his natural environment now and then. A place, they''d love to go to, would be the river bank or the path near the edge of the forest."


    "So if they go there, they''re mud monsters?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Yes, indeed. And you''ll see: They''ll transform back, if they go there! You basically can''t be wrong with this method! Just go and have a look."


    Jing Yi nodded eagerly and stood up.


    "Ah, one moment!" Qiu Ling gripped his hand and held him back. "There is another thing. You know, running into the forest all alone again isn''t good. Not even mentioning, that your mother would worry about you, what would you have done, if I wasn''t here anymore?"


    Jing Yi drooped his head.


    "There, there." Qiu Ling patted his head again, his hands twitching again to pull him into his arms, but he held back. "You had luck this time. And for the next time ¡­" He took a jade bracelet out of his inter-spatial ring and handed it to Jing Yi. It was too big for him to wear now, but when he grew up, that would be different. "This is a magical artifact. When you ever want to ask me something or need my help, you just have to hold it between your hands and call for me. Then I''ll immediately hurry to where you are."


    Jing Yi turned the bracelet in his hands and examined it from all sides. He had never seen something this beautiful! With sparkling eyes, he looked up at Qiu Ling. "Thank you, grandfather!"


    Qiu Ling grabbed his chest. My love ¡­ what did you just call me?!


    He masked his hurt with a cough. "Well, that''s only natural. We met two times here in the forest by chance. That means, there must be fate between us."


    "Fate?" Jing Yi didn''t really know, what the old man was talking about. But he put the shiny bracelet away and he intended to use it, to talk to this friendly grandfather again some time.


    Qiu Ling nodded. "You know ¡­ In fact, I''m a master of the dao. As a daoist master, it''s my duty to help other people."


    "Oh, so it''s like that!"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling wanted to spent more time with him, but he still motioned to the village. "You should return now. Your mother''s probably worried about you."


    Jing Yi nodded and turned around. He ran some steps, then turned around, lifting his small hand to wave goodbye. At this time, Qiu Ling, who had stood just right behind him, had already hidden his figure. It seemed as if he had vanished on the spot.


    Jing Yi stared at the place he had been at, turned in a circle to look if he could find him somewhere else, but came up with nothing. He thought a bit, then took out the jade bracelet. He placed it between his hands and called out: "Grandfather!"


    Qiu Ling had black lines running over his face, but he still appeared with a smile in front of Jing Yi. "What happened? Didn''t you want to return to your mother?"


    Jing Yi nodded and put the bracelet away again. "Goodbye, Grandfather!" He waved at him, then ran away.


    Qiu Ling sighed. "Ah, just grow up a little faster. I don''t know how long my heart can take being called ''grandfather'' by you ¡­" He shook his head, hid his presence again and followed after Jing Yi.


    When the boy reached home, he found his father kneeling in front of the door step and admitting his fault to his mother.


    "My wife ¡­ I ¡­ I lost our son again!" He had searched everywhere around the paddy, even asking the other men, but no one had seen Jing Yi and he just couldn''t find him.


    Madam Zhong whacked him over the head, just like the last time. "What are you talking about? He''s standing right behind you!" She ignored her husband and picked up her son. "Where have you been, Jing''er?"


    "I went to look for the friendly grandfather!"


    "Oh?" Madam Zhong carried him into the house. "Did you find him?"


    "Mn!" Jing Yi took out the jade bracelet and showed it to his mother. "Look, he gave me this! I can call him with that."


    "Call him?" Madam Zhong took the bracelet and turned it around just like her son before in the forest. The bracelet was made out of white translucent jade and immaculately carved. Selling off the whole of their family''s property wouldn''t amount to even one finger''s breadth of this bracelet and somebody had just gifted it to her son.


    Before she could ask further, Jing Yi looked up at his mother curiously. "Mommy, what''s a daoist master? Does he really help all people?"


    Madam Zhong smiled. She had seen Qiu Ling''s true face the night Jing Yi was born and she had seen the altered face some weeks later, when Qiguan Cheng Da came. She didn''t know much about those deity sects or cultivation, but she understood, that this man had somehow taken a liking to her son and would probably help him for the rest of his life.


    So the old man from before, who found him, when he was lost in the woods, was him, too.


    She patted Jing Yi''s head and nodded. "That''s true! You know, on the day you were born, a daoist master came to our village, too. If not for him, the two of us might not even be here anymore. So, when you see a daoist master in the future, be sure to be respectful to him!"


    "Mn!" Jing Yi nodded serious. If a daoist master had saved his mommy, of course he would be respectful! He didn''t want anything to happen to his mommy!


    On that day, Zhong Jing Yi heard of daoist masters for the first time and he decided, that when he grew up, he also wanted to help people! Unfortunately, until then, a lot of time would be needed and who knew, what would be his fate until then?


    Anyway, in the village of the Zhongs a new story soon made it''s way around: Somehow, all the girls had fallen into mud holes, that magically seemed to appear at the riverbank and near the path to the forest. But nobody else than the girls fell in and when people went to look, they never found any holes.


    Zhong Jing Yi saw all of them falling in, so nobody said anything, when he avoided the girls from this day forth. The women with daughters or nieces his age, just hoped, that he''d soon forget about it and would still marry one of them, when he grew up.


    Well, even if he forgot, somebody would certainly make sure he remembered. Though, tricking him would be increasingly difficult with each passing year.

 Chapter 23 - How Did They Have Such a Nice Child?

    Never before in his life, had Shun Tao felt frustrated, because the passage of time was different in the mortal and immortal realm. But on this day, he dearly wished, that heaven would just send lightning, aligning both realms and giving him a little more time to finish his task.


    But however much he wished for it, something like that of course wouldn''t happen. His lips pressed into a straight line, Shun Tao took a biscuit and bit into it.


    Mn. Hong Bao''s biscuits were the only good thing in this whole mess.


    What it was, that had dampened Shun Tao''s mood so much? Of course it was, because he still didn''t know, who had messed with Jing He''s fate. Hong Bao had tried really hard and each day, she came over to share with him, what she had found out.


    It was already the fourth day, since he had asked for her help. Unfortunately, that also meant, that Zhong Jing Yi in the mortal realm had aged by four years. He was seven now and Shun Tao really didn''t want to know, what would happen, if he couldn''t find out soon, who was sabotaging his work.


    He was indeed right, thinking like that. In another palace in the nine heavens, a seemingly middle aged man sat at a writing table, holding a cup of tea and peering into space. A woman was eying him strangely from the other end of the room.


    "What are you spacing out for?"


    "Ah?" The man emerged from his thoughts. "I''m sorry. What did you just say, my dear?"


    "I asked, why you were being so strange today."


    "Oh. Well ¡­ It''s been seven days now."


    The woman sighed. "What are you being all nervous for? He''s grown up! He won''t have a problem passing one mortal lifetime."


    "What if something goes wrong?"


    "What could go wrong? Didn''t Shun Tao read his whole fate to you?"


    Yes, the man, who looked to be middle aged, was none other than Tianjun Rong Su. And the woman with him was Jing He''s mother, the heavenly empress. While Jing He''s father was more than nervous concerning his son''s trial, his mother didn''t think much of it.


    "He did, but ¡­ I''m still worried. Jing He never had it rough here. What if he can''t handle it?"


    The heavenly empress sighed and nudged her husband. He stood up and started pacing through the room, while she sat down, crossed her legs and just watched him.


    "What if it''s too much for him? Shun Tao prepared quite a lot of things for him. You know." He turned around and looked at his wife agitatedly. "Some days ago, I was taking a stroll with Qian Yan and we met Shun Tao. And do you know, what he said? He said, he added ''a little something'' because he wanted to ''spice things up a little''! Just one love trial might already be too much for Jing He! He never was in love before!"


    The empress averted her gaze, but the heavenly sovereign didn''t even notice. He only paced around faster.


    "How can he face being betrayed by a woman he falls in love with? Oh no." He stopped and turned around to his wife. "Maybe I should order Shun Tao to remove the love trial. Isn''t it enough, if he experiences the other things? First love is always the most memorable. What if he can''t get over it? His love life could always be overshadowed by it! Wouldn''t it be better, if he experienced his first love here in the nine heavens? I feel like that would be much more dependable. Maybe we should start picking out possible ¡ª"


    "Rong Su", the heavenly empress interrupted him and stood up. She walked over to him and put her hands on his shoulders. "Calm down. Just take some deep breaths and calm down. Jing He isn''t a child anymore. The trial in the mortal world won''t be too much for him to handle. He''ll grow up there again, so it''ll be like a completely new life. When he wakes up here again, he will have a lot of valuable experience. That is all."


    "Then the love trial ¡ª"


    "Is nothing you should worry about. He is old enough for experiencing love."


    "I feel like ¡­ that could wait a little longer."


    "He is more than old enough for that. And now stop thinking about it. Shun Tao wrote a good fate. Just let it unfold."


    "Then maybe we should send ¡ª"


    "No." The heavenly empress didn''t relent. Tianjun Rong Su could only comply.


    If asking who was the mightiest person in the nine heavens, it would be Tianjun Rong Su. But concerning this wife of his ¡­ he couldn''t bring himself to disagree with her.


    "Fine, then. I won''t send anyone." He went back to his table and sat down. But even though he had decided as such, he couldn''t really calm down. Each day, his son spend in the mortal world, he grew more nervous. "Maybe ¡ª"


    "No!"


    Tianjun Rong Su sighed. Fine, his wife was right. As always.


    The heavenly empress nodded satisfied. It really seemed like her husband wouldn''t do anything rash for now. She turned around and went to her son''s palace.


    The two men, Qiu Ling had left with Jing He''s immortal body, looked up. "Heavenly empress", the two of them greeted.


    The empress nodded. "Do you know, what Longjun is up to in the mortal realm?"


    Qiang Wei shook his head. "The king didn''t contact us since then. But he is probably following him closely."


    "Should he need any help, just send someone to me."


    The two men nodded.


    The empress came over, sitting down beside her son''s immortal body. She looked at the face, she knew so well. It was eerily still now. Looking at him like that, she somehow understood her husband''s fear. What if something really happened down there? What if he couldn''t return? Never seeing her son again ¡­ She also wouldn''t be able to take it.


    "Damn it!", the heavenly empress cursed. What had that husband of hers been thinking? Now he had gotten even her all nervous!


    She breathed in deeply, patted her son''s pale cheeks and turned to Qiang Wei and Yi Zan again. They seemed like they hadn''t heard her curses, but it was more like they had experienced the heavenly empress'' unladylike behavior too often, to still be shocked.


    The heavenly empress lifted her hand to her lips and coughed. "I''ll come by again in some days. Tell your Longjun to visit me, if he comes here."


    "Yes." The two of them bowed, their gazes following the heavenly empress on her way out.


    The door closed behind her and Qiang Wei couldn''t help but turn to Yi Zan. "How did those two raise a good-natured child like the crown prince?"


    Yi Zan''s brows lifted. "How could a good-natured child fall in love with our king?"


    Qiang Wei shut up. That was indeed right. Maybe the crown prince was just as good as his mother with hiding his real temperament ¡­ Well, their king most probably wouldn''t care.

 Chapter 24 - Hong Baos Secret Weapon

    While Qiang Wei pondered on the crown prince''s true nature and the heavenly empress went back to her own palace and the heavenly emperor paced around his room, still thinking of all the dangers, that may befall his beloved son ¡­ while all of that happened, in still another part of the nine heavens Hong Bao skipped over to the scribe''s palace from the courtyard Shun Tao had ordered her to monitor.


    Her flowery dress was swirling around her legs with each of her steps and her hair swayed in the breeze. Had she not been of low status, she probably would have had many suitors in the nine heavens. Well, it was not like Hong Bao cared for that. She was bent on making Shun Tao fall in love with her.


    Being on her way to report on the mission, he himself had entrusted to her, she hummed a tune and patted the casket with cookies, she was carrying. Those cookies were her secret weapon. And in a double sense, at that!


    As soon as Shun Tao had given her her mission, Hong Bao had forged a plan: Shun Tao couldn''t observe those gods because of his high status, that would lead to him being recognized instantly. She, meanwhile, couldn''t do it without help, because her status was too low.


    The gods Shun Tao wanted her to monitor might not have a task right now, but they would definitely enter one of the palaces as high ranking officials in the future. They were talents, after all. She, in contrast, was only a small servant. Most of them wouldn''t take her seriously, not to mention speak to her.


    To accomplish anything, a bribe was in order!


    Thus, Hong Bao had made cookies and then went to observe those gods. She didn''t need long to find one, that was a little more easygoing. The best of it was: That guy had a sweet tooth. He was the perfect person to carry out her plan on.


    Like that, Hong Bao had skipped over. Even though he was easygoing, he was a little taken aback first. His attitude became much better, after she took out her bribe, though. Waving the casket with the cookies before him, she had found out his name to be Leng Jin Yu. He came from the mortal realm like her and had ascended after cultivating for a long time.


    In short: Leng Jin Yu was indeed the perfect person to help her. Those other gods wouldn''t bother with her, but he and Hong Bao shared their roots in the mortal realm. Even more important: Some of the other talents here were already born gods and had backing in the nine heavens. Leng Jin Yu had to rely on himself, which was much harder. If he didn''t have some luck, he''d most probably not make it to any position in the next several hundred years.


    So, with the promise of asking fate''s scribe Shun Tao to help him a little and bringing over cookies every day, Shun Tao''s helper Hong Bao gained herself her own helper.


    Leng Jin Yu might have been someone without a backer, but he had still ascended to be a deity, which wasn''t that different from being a true born god, so the other talents didn''t ignore him like her.


    That was why Hong Bao could report the names and backgrounds of all the gods he had on his list of subjects by the next day already. Shun Tao was impressed by her abilities.


    And here came the second task of Hong Bao''s cookies into play: She delivered them together with her findings every day. She was sure, that with some time, Shun Tao would notice, what a good wife she''d made.


    Unfortunately, this lead to an issue of conflicting interests: While Shun Tao wanted results as soon as possible, to save his poor neck, Hong Bao wanted to maximize the time she could spend on this assignment.


    With the excuse of not wanting to be too obvious, she only reported her findings in installments. She had known way more, when she visited him the first time, but only told him some things on the first day. Only now, on the fourth day, did she get to reporting what exactly the young gods were doing in the courtyard.


    Shun Tao couldn''t blame her. It was indeed not an easy task. Especially since the person he wanted to catch, would certainly be extremely secretive. It would be strange if she managed to get him so soon. So he could only wait, listen to Hong Bao''s reports and munch on the cookies.


    "So, them aside. What about the three people, I told you to examine especially close?" Hong Bao had told him about the other gods and he still listened in case one of them was the culprit, but none of what they were doing seemed to have to do anything with Jing He''s trial in the mortal world, so he wanted her to concentrate on the most likely candidates.


    "It''s a little difficult."


    Shun Tao sighed. Why had he expected something like that? "Don''t worry. Everything you can tell me about their activities will help."


    Hong Bao nodded. "About the first one, Yi Jun, I''m afraid he isn''t interested in the scribe''s palace. He was writing most of the time, but all of that was just about love. He probably intends to join the palace of the goddess of love."


    "Oh." Shun Tao nodded and had to repress a relieved smile. That was one less person to worry about. "Then there''s no need to pay any more attention to him. She''ll surely notice him, if he''s hardworking."


    Hong Bao nodded again. "The second one, Zhi Hao, was monitoring the mortal realm through water."


    Shun Tao tensed. "What exactly was he monitoring?"


    "Mn, I''m not too sure about it, but it seemed like he was monitoring different people. He might be following their everyday lives."


    That must be him! Shun Tao sat up straighter, clearly interested in what Hong Bao had to say. The servant girl grew cautious. I can''t give too much away about Zhi Hao. If he decides on him today, I won''t have anymore chances!


    "Do you know which people he monitored?"


    Hong Bao shook her head and tried looking sad. "Unfortunately, not yet. There were different people. It might take a while to find out more."


    Shun Tao sighed and slumped a little in his seat. That would have been too easy ¡­ "What about the last one? I believe he was called Wen Xia?"


    "That''s true. Like Zhi Hao, he''s monitoring people in the mortal realm. I also don''t know which people he is watching, yet, but it seems like he changes the person of interest really fast. It''s one person in one hour, and another one in the next."


    Shun Tao nodded. That was something one would really do to become a good fate''s scribe. He himself had done so, too, back when he was a young god, waiting to be chosen for his profession. It was not impossible for him to be the one messing with Jing He''s face. Maybe he was just too eager, to get his desired status, so he monitored Jing He''s mortal self Zhong Jing Yi and brought his fate off track, when he could, and learned everything else in the meantime, when there was no opportunity for him.


    To find out, which of these two the culprit was, he could only hope for Hong Bao to find out, who the people were, Wen Xia and Zhi Hao were monitoring. If one of them was Zhong Jing Yi or someone close to him like his parents, then he''d know and could plan his counterattack.


    "Then, watch those two a little while longer. You don''t have to find out, who exactly the people they monitor are. That could be a little difficult. But you have to find out what kind of people they are: men, women, children, adults ¡­ Whatever you notice about them, report it back."


    "Sure!" Hong Bao smiled sweetly, hoping for Shun Tao to notice, but the fate''s scribe was already somewhere else with his thoughts.


    The culprit can''t only monitor Zhong Jing Yi and his family. He has to do other things, too, or it would be too easy to notice. I have to alter the crown prince''s fate again. The more challenges he faces today, the better. He''d turn up more often in the observations then and Hong Bao can''t miss it.


    Hong Bao''s face fell, when she noticed, that Shun Tao wasn''t really paying attention. "Then ¡­ I''ll be going."


    "Mn. Thank you!", Shun Tao said, but he didn''t even look at her.


    Hong Bao turned around and left his palace, sighing to herself. "It''s really not easy making a god like him fall in love with you."


    Meanwhile, Shun Tao had taken out Jing He''s scroll of fate and his brush and started to write: After Zhong Jing Yi turns seven years old, a letter reaches the Zhong''s village, that requests them, to go to the main family''s house in the capital city. On their way there, they are attacked by bandits and both Mister and Madam Zhong are killed, leaving only Zhong Jing Yi, who is then sold into slavery.

 Chapter 25 - A Letter From the Capital

    After Zhong Jing Yi had turned seven, a letter reached the house of his family. He curiously eyed it, not understanding, what his father held there. Questioningly, he looked up at his mother. His habit of asking silently and not speaking much still hadn''t been cured. If he talked, than mostly to his mother, even though he had warmed up to his father a little more over the course of the last four years.


    "It''s a letter. Your father''s family probably sent it from the capital."


    Unfortunately, neither Mister nor Madam Zhong could read.


    "How about ¡­ we ask Mister Pi for help?", Mister Zhong proposed, looking a little uneasy. They needed help to read the letter, but everyone knew, how much Mister Pi loved to gossip. If he read the letter to them, he''d certainly tell each and every person within a radius of twenty Li about it later. They didn''t want that.


    "Who else?" Madam Zhong sighed. Who knew what had happened for the main family to contact them?


    The ones who lived in the capital were Mister Zhong''s uncle and his family. He himself had already grown up in the countryside, after his father and mother moved there from the small town they were born in. His uncle had moved to the capital from that town, doing some business. He certainly wasn''t rich, but he had far more, when compared to the Zhong''s from the village.


    Jing Yi blinked at the letter. "How about asking grandfather?" The grandfather he talked about, was, of course, Qiu Ling. Mister Zhong''s as well as Madam Zhong''s parents were both dead, so he had no older relatives in the village. Calling Qiu Ling his grandfather had somehow stuck from four years ago, much to Qiu Ling''s misery.


    Madam Zhong nodded. She felt, that the daoist master would help Jing Yi with everything he asked for and reading one letter should be a small task for him.


    But Mister Zhong wasn''t so sure. "Isn''t it a little exaggerated to ask a daoist master here, just to read a little? Mister Pi might gossip, but it''s not that bad, right?"


    Madam Zhong lifted her brows. "Not that bad? Who knows which heretic practitioner they''ll find this time." Yes, Madam Zhong was still furious about that incident from seven years ago.


    Jing Yi didn''t care for his father''s opinion. He had already taken the letter and ran out of the house with it, as soon as his mother nodded. He had called Qiu Ling quite a few times over the last four years, mainly to just spend a little time with him. He hadn''t needed his help even once. But whenever he called him, he did so in the forest, at the shrub where he saw him for the first time. His mother had told him, that it wouldn''t be good to let other people see the daoist master.


    Jing Yi stopped at the shrub, took out the bracelet and held it between his hands. By now, they were big enough that he didn''t have problems grasping it anymore.


    "Grandfather!", Jing Yi called out.


    Qiu Ling appeared before him with a wry smile. Still calling me that ¡­ He really hoped, Jing Yi would be old enough soon to understand, that that wasn''t really appropriate. In preparation, he had even started to appear less aged before him. Only half the wrinkles decorated his face now. He didn''t look like being eighty years anymore. More like ¡­ being sixty-five.


    Mn, he felt like he had made a good move. If his age regressed, while Jing Yi grew older, they could meet somewhere along the way. But, well, that was still something for the future.


    "Grandfather, someone sent a letter! Can you read it?" The boy handed him the letter.


    Qiu Ling had a casual look, before folding the letter. He''d love to make something up, but he was afraid the Zhongs might find out, so he could only tell the truth.


    "They are asking your family to come to the capital. Your father''s cousin seems to have opened up a second stall and needs someone working there. He thought, it would be a good opportunity for your family."


    Jing Yi tilted his head. "So, we''re going away?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "If your parents want that. What? You don''t like that idea?"


    Jing Yi thought about it and shook his head. "It''s alright. As long as mommy comes with us, I don''t mind going to the capital."


    Qiu Ling felt like crying. That was the only thing his beloved ever thought about, right? Only his mother ¡­


    He handed the letter back to Jing Yi, feeling once again, that time moved too slow in the mortal realm.


    Jing Yi looked at the paper and then up at Qiu Ling. "When we go to the capital, will you still come, when I call you?" He seemed a little sad, asking that.


    Qiu Ling smiled. "Mn. Of course. As long as you have that bracelet, you can always call for me."


    Jing Yi smiled sweetly. He wouldn''t miss anything from the village. He had always ran away, when he saw one of the girls, like Qiu Ling had proposed. The boys from the village had teased him quite a few times, when they saw him, but Jing Yi didn''t go out much, so there weren''t many opportunities and he also didn''t care. Soon after, the boys gave up and Jing Yi could be said to have lived more or less isolated for the last years.


    Thinking about that ¡­ Qiu Ling felt a bit guilty. Jing He had grown up with an insurmountable distance between him and the other gods his age. It couldn''t be helped with him being the son of the heavenly emperor and the crown prince of the nine heavens. He was just too valuable for his people. Who would dare let him grow up like a normal child?


    Now, in this mortal life of his, he could have had such a childhood: Loving parents, friends his age, a first love, that he might be embarrassed about in a few years ¡­ And the person, who took that from him, was he, his lover. The person, who should only want the best for him. But because of his jealousy, he had actually prevented him from getting something, that Jing He surely would have loved to experience.


    Qiu Ling sighed lightly and patted Jing Yi''s head. "You should hurry home and tell your parents. Maybe ¡­ Maybe the capital is exactly the right place for you."


    "Mn!" Jing Yi smiled, waved at him and ran off again.


    Qiu Ling watched him, feeling downcast all of a sudden. Have I ¡­ created unnecessary trouble for my beloved? Should I let him be free in the capital?


    But thinking of how Jing He fell in love with anyone but him, let his heart throb. Just imagining it, he clenched his fists. No, even though he knew, that it wasn''t the right thing to do, he would still do it. Jing He ¡­ he would surely understand. He knew him good enough already.

 Chapter 26 - Must Be My Husband’s Fault!

    Jing Yi told his parents, what Qiu Ling had said about the letter''s content. The Zhong''s discussed and started packing their belongings the same day, intending to head towards the capital the next morning. There wasn''t much they had to take with them. Some clothes, the little stash of copper coins, they had saved up, something to eat for the first days on the road. They were done soon, so they went outside to bid farewell from the other villagers. Who knew, if and when they would see each other again?


    Mister and Madam Zhong looked quite serious, which garnered the attention of Mister Pi and Madam Pan at once.


    "Mister Zhong, what has happened?", Mister Pi couldn''t help but ask.


    "My cousin sent a letter from the capital."


    "And you need help reading it? Just say the word! I''ll tell you immediately, what he wrote." He extended his hand, but no letter was placed on it. Mister Pi lifted his eyebrows. "What''s wrong?"


    "Thank you, but no need. We already know, what he wrote." Mister Zhong smiled wryly and patted his son''s head. He still felt like it would be the hardest for Jing Yi. He was still so young, after all. Would it really be alright, to move somewhere else with him?


    Madam Zhong saw her husband trailing off and cut in: "They invited us to the capital, so we''ll be leaving tomorrow morning."


    "Leaving?" Madam Pan furrowed her brow. "Then when are you coming back?"


    "They want us to help them out with their stall, so we might stay there, if it goes well."


    "Stay there?!" Madam Pan looked at Jing Yi. She still wanted him to marry her niece, when he grew up!


    Madam Zhong could imagine, what Madam Pan was thinking about, so she nudged her husband to say something. Mister Zhong tensed. "We''ll certainly miss the village and everyone, but I can''t just leave my cousin hanging, no? It''s family, after all."


    Madam Pan sighed. If the Zhongs weren''t good people, their child probably wouldn''t have turned out that well. So that was to be expected. Why did my children turn out so disobedient? Must be my husband''s fault! I should have done it like Madam Zhong and let them tag along with me!


    Before the Zhongs had the opportunity to tell the other villagers, Madam Pan''s downcast expression lured a lot of people over.


    "Aiya, Madam Pan! What happened? You look so serious!"


    Madam Pan sighed again. "It''s the Zhongs. They''re going to leave ¡­"


    "Leave?" Madam Shen lifted her brows. "Where to?"


    Mister Pi saw, that it was his turn to explain this situation to the villagers, who were gathering over. "To the capital. It''s like this: Mister Zhong''s cousin met with a mishap, so he asked his distant relatives for help."


    Mister Zhong wanted to speak up, but his wife nudged him again. "Don''t mind it. We''ll be gone by tomorrow. They''re going to say whatever they want anyway."


    Mister Zhong nodded. Unfortunately, that was true.


    The villagers crowded around Mister Pi to find out more.


    "Then what are they going to the capital for?" Madam Shen couldn''t really believe it. "Wouldn''t it be better to just send some money?"


    "Send some money!" Madam Fa snorted. "What are you even saying? How would they send money? You can''t trust those merchants coming by!"


    "What would they even send?", piped Madam Ouyang up. "Do the Zhongs look like rich people to you? They''d probably have to spend all their money, before they even reach the capital!"


    "True, true." Madam Pan nodded and hurried over to her neighbor. "Then what do you think, they''ll be doing there? They don''t know anything about business!"


    "How would I know? Shouldn''t you ask Mister Pi?" The two women looked over.


    Mister Pi straightened up. "Isn''t that obvious? Of course, they''re going to work! You don''t need to know about business for quite a few things. Their family only needs some more helping hands."


    "Oh, so it''s like this!" Madam Pan felt enlightened.


    Madam Qiguan, who had come by to visit her brother''s family, couldn''t help hearing about the Zhongs. She was delighted, that they would leave the village, but she didn''t like, that they would go to the capital. What kind of place was the capital? There were wealthy merchants, ministers and generals and even royalty! If you could get to know such people, you''d have a life in riches! What kind of luck did the Zhongs have, to deserve something like that?


    Thinking of that, she crossed her arms and lifted her chin. "What going there to help? Do they even need to do that? Why don''t you ask that mighty daoist immortal? Shouldn''t someone like him be able to help your family with a wave of his hand?"


    Mister Zhong looked at his wife, feeling that it still would have been better, if he had just explained at the beginning, that his family wasn''t in trouble, but doing quite good instead. But Madam Zhong didn''t pay him any attention. Instead, she turned around to Madam Qiguan and smiled.


    "Don''t you worry about that, Madam Qiguan. A mighty daoist master like him, of course he could do so! In fact, he wouldn''t even need to wave his hand, a flick of his finger would be enough. It''s not like he''s a beginner, after all."


    "You ¡ª!"


    Madam Zhong didn''t let her say anything and just continued: "But, you know, we''d never ask him. A real daoist master uses his powers to help the people in need. He certainly doesn''t use it to do business. And helping the family is still our own matter. How could we trouble our savior with that?"


    Madam Qiguan couldn''t find anything to rebut her, which only managed to anger her further. Someday! Someday she''ll surely make them pay! They would have to watch on, when her Cheng Da was famous in the whole empire and their son was still nothing!


    Unfortunately for Madam Qiguan, her son Cheng Da was, unbeknown to her, still only part of the outer sect and his cultivation base hadn''t progressed by much. In fact, in the last half a year or so, it even seemed to have stagnated, not budging even a hair''s breadth. He was far, far away from ever being famous even in his sect, to say nothing of the whole world.


    "Aiya, then I hope he''ll still watch over you, when you''re in the capital. I heard there are really vicious people there." Madam Pan looked at Mister Pi for confirmation.


    Mister Pi nodded and stroked his chin. "Indeed, indeed." He had heard about that from the merchants! "In the capital, you have to always be on your toes. Every person you come across could be a crouching dragon or a hidden tiger. It''s best not to anger them."


    Crouching dragon? Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. What was that supposed to mean? Shouldn''t it be the other way round? Which dragon would crouch? And even in the mortal world ¡­ He shook his head. Who knew, where he had heard that from?


    But going to the capital would most probably benefit Jing Yi. It was a better environment than this village, where everything remained the same day in and day out. In the capital, he''d have the opportunity to learn new things. It was just that ¡­ new people would bring new problems. He''d have to be vigilant, lest someone snatched his Jing He away.


    "We''ll be cautious", promised Mister Zhong. He couldn''t really imagine how he could offend people in the capital, though. Wouldn''t he just be working at his cousin''s stall?


    "Ah, when you''re free, you have to come back, yes? Bring Jing Yi along then. The other children would certainly love to see him again." Madam Pan gestured to her sister, but unfortunately, she hadn''t brought her daughter along. Madam Pan could only give up for now and hope, that Jing Yi wouldn''t be so shy anymore, when his family brought him home sometime in the future. Mn, following him to the capital would also greatly benefit her niece. Maybe it wasn''t that bad, that the Zhongs left.


    "Of course we will, if there''s time." Mister Zhong patted his son''s head again. He''d certainly miss his home, no? If there was time, they really should return. Unfortunately, though they didn''t live that far from the capital, one still needed some weeks without a horse or carriage. The Zhongs definitely weren''t people, who could afford something like that, so they''d have to walk the whole way.


    "Ah! We can''t let you go just like that!" Mister Pi motioned to the other villagers. "Come on, come on. Get something to eat and drink. We''ll bid farewell to the Zhongs this evening!"


    "Sure, sure!"


    "It''s still Mister Pi, who knows what to do best!"


    The villagers agreed and went to get everything ready. With that, the whole village and some of the people from the surrounding villages, sat together, eating and drinking and retelling all those old stories from the past years.

 Chapter 27 - Do You Still Remember?

    The first thing, the villagers remembered, when thinking about the Zhongs, was of course the rumor concerning Zhong Jing Yi, that was only three years old. In a village such as theirs, that wasn''t all that long.


    "Ah, such a cute and obedient child. Why does he have to be afraid of girls?", lamented Madam Pan.


    Her neighbor, Madam Hou, who had a daughter herself, nodded. "Indeed! Madam Zhong, when you''re in the capital, you should let him interact with other children more. Especially girls. How will he ever marry like this?"


    Madam Zhong smiled, but said nothing. Her son was only seven. Why should she think about his marriage already? If she had a say in it, she''d rather he married a little later.


    Of course, she wasn''t the only one thinking like that. Qiu Ling eyed the women of the village warily. Thankfully, his family is moving away, or else these gossip mongers would make him marry one of those girls, as soon as he comes of age. His gaze wandered to the boy, sitting quietly beside his mother.


    Jing Yi was still only seven. He''d probably need to wait at least ten years, before he even started to think about love. Even more so, after he had made sure, he''d stay away from girls. The only reason, Jing Yi would consider otherwise, was if his mother said something. Qiu Ling glanced at her, too, but she didn''t seem to think about it.


    Mn, even though she''s only human, she''s a good woman. She''d certainly help me, when it''s necessary. He thought of his future mother-in-law in the nine heavens and couldn''t help but smile. Without her, he''d probably not have been able to woo Jing He back then. He should make sure as soon as possible, that this future mother-in-law of his in the human realm, would like him just as much.


    Meanwhile, the women continued to discuss Jing Yi''s future: "If the situation of your family is really bad there, Jing Yi will have to help. Will he be alright with that?", Madam Pan couldn''t help but ask.


    Madam Zhong shook her head. "He won''t have to help."


    Madam Shen just brought over something from her house and sat beside Madam Zhong. "What will he do then? You wouldn''t leave him alone all day, would you? He''s so dependent on you!"


    "Of course not." Though, she didn''t really know, what awaited them in the capital. If she had to help her husband with taking care of the stall, what would Jing Yi do then?


    Mister Pi used the slight pause after her answer and inserted himself into the conversation. "In the capital city, there are some old masters, who teach children. Maybe you should look for someone. A quiet and obedient child like Jing Yi shouldn''t have any problem to appeal to one of them. I mean, he even managed to make an impression on a daoist master."


    "Yes! Wouldn''t it be great, if he could read and write? Your Jing Yi might even become a scholar!"


    Madam Zhong only smiled at Madam Pan''s excitement. Nobody in their family was a scholar. She didn''t know the first thing about it. Being able to live in the capital and do business, instead of the hard work on the fields, seemed already quite good to her. Could she really ask for more?


    Mister Pi stroked his beard. "You know, if you set off a little later, I could probably teach him how to write a word or two. Those masters in the capital would surely be impressed, that he knows so much, without having a teacher at his age."


    "Mn! That''s a splendid idea! Madam Zhong, how about setting off in a week? If he learns a word a day, he''d be able to write seven words by then!"


    Seven words? Qiu Ling snorted. That wasn''t anything to be impressed about. Especially if it was Jing He, they were talking about. If he was taught, he would most likely excel as a scholar. But he''d rather teach him himself, than letting this Mister Pi do so.


    "In fact, that''s a pretty good idea ¡­ We could spend a lot of time together." He leaned back against the wall and contemplated. It was tempting, but proposing it himself, might not be a good idea. The Zhongs probably wouldn''t decline, but disregarding Jing Yi''s birth and the rumors after that, he had never initiated help and waited, if Jing Yi would come to him. He hadn''t, but who knew, what the future would bring?


    "Disregarding this ¡­ He''s so young now. If I spend a lot of time with him, being a teacher nonetheless, wouldn''t he get the wrong impression?" This child ¡­ he even called him ''grandfather''. If he became a teacher, too, even if he let his appearance regress in age, Jing Yi would probably never consider him. The only possibility would be to teach him and then let the old man vanish someday. After that, he could come back as a different person. After all, he had never told Jing Yi his name.


    "Let''s just see, what happens in the capital. If he wants, I can teach him and take care of everything else when the time comes."


    Regarding the proposal of Mister Pi, Mister Zhong shook his head. "I sincerely thank you, but ¡­" He scrunched up his face. "We''ll need six weeks to the capital already. If we wait another one, my cousin might get problems. It''s simply not feasible."


    "Ha ¡­ What a pity." Mister Pi sighed. He really would have loved using this opportunity, to befriend one of the great masters from the capital. Now, he had missed his chance once again.


    His dampened mood didn''t last long, because one of the villagers brought up the other rumor concerning Jing Yi''s life: The heretic practitioner, that was said to have helped the Zhongs to conceive their child.


    "I always wondered, what was up with that", Madam Hou said, who hadn''t been there, when Qiu Ling came to salvage the situation.


    "What could have been up with that?" Mister Pi furrowed his brow, clearly not pleased. "Madam Shen saw wrong that night."


    "I didn''t see wrong!"


    "You described him like a heretic practitioner."


    "I said he was handsome!"


    "Madam Shen." Mister Pi threw her a disapproving gaze. "We''ve all seen him. He absolutely didn''t look like a heretic practitioner."


    "I said, I was only describing him as handsome! Wasn''t he handsome?" She turned around to Madam Pan, who put some meat into her husband''s bowl as a reaction.


    "What handsome man? I hadn''t seen anything back then."


    Madam Shen pressed her lips together. Her husband next to her just took his cup with wine, clearly asking himself, if she would have married him, when that daoist master hadn''t left at once.


    "Everything was just a misunderstanding", Mister Pi summed up and devoted himself to his food again. He obviously didn''t want to speak about that incident.


    Luckily for him, there was much more to talk about: The villagers remembered all kinds of stories, from how Madam Zhong had been so close with her son from the beginning, to how the Zhongs had to wait for five years after their marriage to conceive a child, to how Mister and Madam Zhong had met as children. The sky above grew darker and darker. Only late at night, when the moon was already high over their heads, did the people start to retire.


    Mister Pi sat there as one of the last, his brow scrunched up, while he was in deep thought. "In the end, who did the Zhongs ask to read the letter for them?", Mister Pi wondered aloud.


    His neighbor, Mister Mao, who sat next to him, snorted. "Not a heretic practitioner, that''s for sure." With that, he stood up, turned around and walked back home. Not bothering with Mister Pi and his gossip any longer.

 Chapter 28 - You Shouldn’t Lie to Children

    Early the next morning, the Zhongs set out toward the capital in the north. They would have to cross the plains, until they reached the foothills of the Long mountain range. It was said, that once upon a time, a dragon had laid itself down to rest there, and a lot of towns and villages had been built at its flanks. Dragons were said to be a good omen in the empire, so of course, the capital, too, had been built not far from the mountain range. It was just, that it was located at the northern end, so the Zhongs would need six weeks to get there.


    At the first day of their journey, Mister Zhong looked at his son again and again, trying to gauge, if he already missed home. But to his surprise, Jing Yi didn''t look upset at all. He instead looked really calm, as if it had nothing to do with him.


    Mister Zhong was reassured and by the second day, he saw his chance to help his son to take an interest in nature. He started pointing out special landmarks, plants and animals, all in the hope of Jing Yi being wowed. Unfortunately for him, his son didn''t react much. He looked over, when his father told him to look, but turned back just as fast.


    Mister Zhong could just sigh and give up. This child of his ¡­ It would never love nature.


    This conclusion was proved to be true on the fifth day. They had reached a small town the previous evening and halted in an equally small inn. Come midnight, rain started pattering on the roof.


    Jing Yi woke up, opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling. Then he turned around and slept again. No, it wasn''t the rain, that was the problem. The true problem revealed itself the next morning.


    The Zhongs ate breakfast at the inn, thanked the owner and wanted to set off. Mister Zhong opened the door and stepped outside. The rain had long stopped, only the remaining puddles and the muddy ground proved, that it had fallen in the first place.


    Zhong Jing Yi took one look outside. His eyes went huge and he ran back into the inn, sitting down at the table again, his whole face saying "I won''t go outside!"


    Madam Zhong observed her son, then looked outside and sighed. "Let''s wait awhile."


    Her husband stood outside and scratched his head. "Why?" Didn''t they want to hurry, to reach the capital as soon as possible? Six weeks weren''t short and who knew, how fast his cousin needed their help?


    Madam Zhong didn''t answer and went back to the owner instead, asking her, if they could stay a while longer.


    The woman lifted her brows. She also couldn''t help but wonder, why they decided against it at the last moment.


    Madam Zhong motioned to the door. "The path isn''t that good after the rain. I''m afraid it could be too much for our son, going all the way on such a muddy road."


    The woman didn''t think, that it was a problem for a child his age to travel outside after the rain had subsided, but she didn''t voice her thoughts. "Oh. Well, if you want to ¡­" It wasn''t her loss. If the family stayed a day longer, she''d earn more.


    Qiu Ling sat down at another table and observed Jing Yi. That isn''t ¡­ my fault, is it? His gaze wandered to the door and the path on the other side. Those pools of dirty water ¡­ This mud ¡­ Why does it look so familiar?


    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes and tried to remember. It seemed like ¡­ he had used holes filled with this kind of dirty water and mud, to trick Jing Yi back then? Hadn''t all the girls from the village fallen into such holes with a little help of his?


    He looked back at the child, that sat at the table, petrified. Uh ¡­ It seemed, he had really gone a little overboard back then? The child was still afraid of mud.


    "I never would have thought, I could be this convincing ¡­" Unfortunately, he also didn''t know how to atone for this fault. For the time being, he could only wait.


    Mister Zhong came back in and the family of three stayed in the inn until the next morning.


    Once again, Mister Zhong opened the door and stepped out. It hadn''t rained that night and nothing could be seen of the mud and puddles anymore. Still, Jing Yi went to the door cautiously, craned his neck and looked around everywhere, before deciding it was safe. He set one foot outside the inn and paused, as if he wanted to make sure, he hadn''t judged the situation hasty.


    Madam Zhong smiled. "It''s alright. Let''s go."


    Reassured by his mother, Jing Yi didn''t hesitate any longer and followed his parents down the road. The owner of the inn watched after them and shook her head. "Weird people", she murmured and went back in.


    Qiu Ling threw her a glance, then concentrated on Jing Yi again. Six weeks outside, where it couldn''t be guaranteed, that they would always be able to find an inn and where the weather could change each moment. If it started to rain again, wouldn''t his beloved be suffering extremely?


    "Thank god I can control the weather. But maybe I should really try to find a way to help him get over this fear."


    Qiu Ling didn''t dare dwell longer on the fact, that that wouldn''t have been necessary, had he not behaved like that four years ago. He had just left everything to fate, neither would Jing Yi be afraid of dirt, he also might not have been so isolated.


    But looking at it like this ¡­ who knew, what would have happened, had he left everything to fate.

 Chapter 29 - Might Be a Dragon

    The next days passed without any incidents. If any dark clouds neared the path of the Zhongs, Qiu Ling waved a hand and sent them away. Like this, one and a half week passed and they reached the forest, that bordered the foothill of the Long mountain range.


    Mister Zhong excitedly pointed in front and turned to his son. "Look there! Do you see there, behind the forest? That''s a dragon, that rested there and fell asleep. Maybe it''ll wake up, when we go there?"


    Jing Yi froze. A dragon? He looked at his mother. He had never heard of dragons before, but it sounded just as dangerous as a rabbit.


    Madam Zhong shook her head exasperatedly. "It''s only a mountain, Jing''er. It''s not alive. No need to be afraid." She was a little sorry for having tricked him into being afraid of all kinds of animals. She had just wanted to keep him save, but now her son didn''t dare to step outside. And she didn''t have a good way to let him believe otherwise now.


    Sure, she could tell him, that she had lied and that not all animals were dangerous. But what then? Wouldn''t her son lose trust in her? She selfishly didn''t want to risk that. She wasn''t any different from Qiu Ling in that regard. The best would probably be to slowly ease him into being near animals. She just needed a good idea how to do that.


    "What are you saying? Afraid?" Mister Zhong didn''t like, what his wife said. "Let me tell you, Jing''er: Dragons are good creatures! You know, when our empire was founded, the mighty dragon king helped our emperor."


    Qiu Ling lifted his eyebrows. Did I? Why can''t I remember ever helping an emperor?


    But Mister Zhong hadn''t even finished: "That is why other countries don''t dare invade. They are all afraid, the dragon might wake up and help us defeat them."


    Jing Yi, too, wasn''t so sure about the story his father told. He looked at his mother for confirmation. Madam Zhong smiled and patted his head. "It''s been a long time since then. Who knows what really happened? But if there are daoists, then there might be dragons, too."


    Qiu Ling nodded and smiled. Indeed. Why shouldn''t there be dragons? Pay them a little attention. Your future husband is one of them!


    But unfortunately, Jing Yi didn''t seem that interested in dragons. He just nodded and then trailed along beside his parents.


    The three of them entered the forest, Qiu Ling right behind them. The foliage blocked the sun, shrouding them in hazy twilight. Jing Yi looked around, but just noticed, that compared to the forest near their village there was more underbrush, that was rustling here and there, as if wild animals would leap out at any moment. Furthermore, the trees stood so close, that you couldn''t see anything but the trunks around you. There were no paths, except for the one they were walking on.


    This forest seems even more dangerous than the one at home! Jing Yi grabbed his mother''s hand and walked a little closer to her.


    Qiu Ling smiled indulgently. Ah, I certainly wouldn''t mind, if you were still like that, when you''ve come of age. I''ve always felt it to be a little regretful, that nothing dangerous ever happened in the nine heavens. How am I to show you my might, if you never need my protection? This would be just nice, if it was me by your side. Mn ¡­ There''ll be opportunities.


    The Zhongs followed the forest track for several days, trying to go on for as long as they could, while still finding a good place to rest for the night. They moved at a slower pace here compared to out on the plain, but still made way steadily.


    After another four days, the path started to slowly climb up and slope down again. Again and again. The Zhongs advanced even slower and each day, it got harder to find a good place to rest. It got even worse in the following days. The hills grew higher and higher, until Madam Zhong and her son were out of breath, when they reached the top. Mister Zhong wasn''t faring much better.


    It wasn''t just the greater height. The path wasn''t as well defined anymore: Small stones littered the ground and weeds ran riot at the edge. The further they came, the harder it got to find places to put their feet. Mister and Madam Zhong took their son by the hands to help him along, but the three of them still stumbled more along than that they walked.


    Finally, they reached the top of a hill, that rose in the middle of a clearing and overlooked the forest in all directions. They hadn''t managed to make much progress this day. In fact, most of it had been spent with climbing this hill. Maybe it should even be called a small mountain.


    Looking from there in the western direction, the hills grew even higher, towering over the forest. The jugged stonewalls had indeed a lot in common with the scaly skin of a dragon.


    Thankfully, the Zhongs didn''t have to go that way. Their goal lay in the northern direction, where the hills stayed more or less the same, before growing smaller again and yielding to the forest and, finally, the plain.


    Seeing this, Mister Zhong sighed. "We''ll most probably still need another two or three days, to get out of these hills, and then another half a week to pass the forest on that side."


    Madam Zhong looked at her son. Jing Yi hadn''t complained even once on their journey, but he was still just a child of seven years and even one, that hadn''t spent much of its time outside. This part of the journey wouldn''t be easy for him. "Let''s stop here for the day, alright?"


    Her husband nodded. "Yes. It''s going to be dark soon anyway. We wouldn''t make it down anyway."


    The Zhongs sat down. Madam Zhong retrieved the food, they had brought in the last town, while Mister Zhong took out the blankets, he carried, passing one to his wife and son each.


    The air around them grew colder as it got later, but it still wasn''t as cold as it should have been. Of course, this was once again Qiu Ling''s doing. He just couldn''t stand his beloved having to bear the cold winds. He wanted him to be as comfortable as possible even on this journey.


    The family ate and the last light vanished. They then lay down to sleep, intending on getting up early the next morning and continuing onward with their journey. They fell asleep, as soon as they covered themselves with the blankets.


    Unfortunately for them, before they woke up the next day, the trees at the foot of the hill rustled and soon, steps could be heard. When Mister Zhong opened his eyes, he found himself looking at a foreign man, who had just reached the top of the hill. The man sneered and Mister Zhong''s gaze fell onto the sword, that hung on his waist.


    Fate had once again caught up to Zhong Jing Yi and his family.

 Chapter 30 - Didn’t Think of It

    Mister Zhong gulped. He shook his wife''s shoulder and slowly sat up, trying to smile at the man, while he was shivering inside. Madam Zhong opened her eyes. It was still dark. The sun had just started to rise, painting only a sliver of the horizon in a lighter gray. She wanted to ask, what had happened for her husband to already wake her up, when she saw the man.


    A bandit!


    They both didn''t think, that he was just a wanderer, who had started his journey for the day early. He didn''t look that part at all. He wore mismatched clothing, that seemed to be spoils of his robberies, and more than one weapon. An even more obvious sign was his smug expression. He still sneered and his eyes glinted calculatingly, as if he was already thinking of how he could use this prey of his in a way, that benefited him the most.


    Madam Zhong grabbed Jing Yi and pulled him into her embrace, sliding closer to her husband. Mister Zhong stood up, every bit of sleepiness gone. Unfortunately, his nervousness wouldn''t leave him like that.


    "Good morning, sir, I wonder, how we may help you?"


    The bandit grinned even wider, showing his teeth. "Hand me all your valuables."


    Mister Zhong didn''t even think of refusing. He fumbled around for the few copper coins the family had. Slowly, he made his way over to the bandit and extended his hand. The man scoffed and grabbed the coins, clearly displeased, that it were only so few.


    "The rest?"


    Mister Zhong gave a jerk. "That ¡­ That is all. We don''t have anything else." He backed up a step, positioning himself between the bandit and his family. If worst came to worst, his wife could try to flee with their son, while he stalled him. He didn''t have hope for anything more.


    The bandit examined Mister Zhong. His clothes were old and not of good quality. It was obvious, he was a poor man. The bandit snorted and pushed the coins into his sleeve. Mister Zhong wanted to sigh relieved, but the bandit didn''t turn around and leave. Instead, his hand found the handle of his sword. His fingers drummed on the sheath in a steady rhythm, while his eyes roamed over the family of three. He clearly wasn''t content with just what he got.


    Mister Zhong backed further away, now closer to his family than the bandit. He had to convey his plan to his wife somehow.


    "You, leave." The bandit motioned to Mister Zhong. "You, come with me." His gaze came back to Madam Zhong and her son.


    "Please, kind sir." Mister Zhong stepped in front of his family. "These are my wife and son. Our family awaits us back in the capital and ¡ª"


    "I told you to leave!" The bandit roared at him, shutting Mister Zhong right up.


    Madam Zhong behind him shook, pressing her son closer against her. Jing Yi had woken up with all the tension around him. He hugged his mother, not sure what to do.


    Qiu Ling glanced at him. The boy seemed mostly confused, but also a little afraid. He sighed. See, this was the kind of opportunity he wanted! Especially with Jing He being mortal now, he could totally show off his strength! Such a case of the hero saving the beauty, wouldn''t that smooth the way for a future relationship? Teaching the bandit a lesson, sweeping his beloved up into his arms and comforting him, looking deeply into his eyes ¡­ Mn, he really wanted to experience that!


    But alas, his beloved was too young, his parents were there and he wasn''t even that afraid. Seriously, what needed to happen for him to have a good opportunity?


    Mister Zhong looked at his wife, signaling her with his eyes to run. She didn''t dare nod, afraid that the bandit might notice something. Her eyes darted around, looking for the best way out. The way down was long, the path barely distinguishable. Would she be able to outrun that man? Furthermore with Jing Yi on her arms?


    She probably couldn''t. They both knew.


    "Don''t be afraid." She patted her son''s back. Now, they could only hope for a miracle.


    In this moment, none of them thought of the acclaimed daoist master. Jing Yi still didn''t really understand, what had happened and his parents were too afraid, to think deeper. They just thought, that they''d need to somehow get away.


    "Hurry up!" The bandit unsheathed his sword, tired of waiting for Mister Zhong to comply.


    All color drained from Mister Zhong''s face. He might have had a chance to stall the man, if he took him by surprise and prevented him from drawing his weapon for a while. But now ¡­ One stroke would be enough to kill him.


    He looked at his wife, feeling like this would be the last time, he saw her and their son. "Get back to the village", he mouthed. There was no way, she''d be able to make it to the capital. But if she could somehow outrun this man, she might be able to get back to the village. The others would help her and when Jing Yi was a little older, he could take over one of the paddies.


    Unfortunately, he wouldn''t be able to see that day. They should have never set out for the capital. What was so good about it anyway?


    The bandit had enough. He stepped forward. Mister Zhong lunged forward himself, barely avoiding the sword and throwing the man to the ground.


    His wife took one last glance at him, turned around and ran, as fast as she could with Jing Yi on her arms. Jing Yi looked back at his father. The bandit had thrown him to the side and lifted his sword. Jing Yi grew alarmed, wriggling in his mother''s embrace.


    "Father!"


    "Be quiet, Jing''er." Tears streamed down Madam Zhong''s face. She accelerated her steps, stumbling down the path, they had taken the day before. Mister Zhong was already out of sight. Not, that she would dare to look back. She didn''t want to see. She didn''t want to know. That way, she could still hope, that her husband might live through some stroke of luck and return home to her.

 Chapter 31 - No Need to Thank Me … Father-in-law

    Mister Zhong rolled to the side, evading the strike of the bandit''s blade. He himself couldn''t believe to have such luck. But his luck was about to end. He tried getting up, but the bandit was already right beside him. He lifted the blade and struck again. Mister Zhong closed his eyes and waited for his end.


    The wind grazed his face, as the blade approached. Clothes flapped with the movement. Mister Zhong squinted his eyes even harder, waiting for the pain.


    It never came.


    Mister Zhong slowly lifted one eyelid, unable to believe, that he was still alive. The sight of a black robe with silver embroidered hems greeted him. He blinked, opened both his eyes and lifted his head. A man stood before him. He was tall, with broad shoulders and inky black hair, that fell down to his waist. He currently faced the bandit, so Mister Zhong couldn''t see his face, but even just seeing how straight he carried himself, he gave the impression of being an important man.


    Mister Zhong''s heart leapt. Could it be ¡­ Somewhere in the Long mountain range resided the Yun Zou sect. Could one of their disciples ¡­ no, one of their masters have saved him? That man must have somehow deflected the deadly strike. And with his noble bearing, he couldn''t be just anyone.


    It must be a cultivator, who has cultivated to immortality! What luck our family has! Back then, a daoist immortal saved my wife and child, and now even I am saved by one! Ah, I must have done many good deeds in my last life.


    That man, Mister Zhong was praising incessantly in his head, was, of course, Qiu Ling. He looked at the bandit, feeling irritated. I did want to save my beloved, but didn''t I just decide, that it was still not time? And now, he''s even gone! He won''t even see my heroic act of saving his father!


    "You!" The bandit, likewise, fumed with anger. He had thought, it would be plain sailing, robbing some poor people like the Zhongs of their belongings and selling the woman and the child into slavery. They didn''t have weapons, they didn''t know how to fight and with a wife and child, the man surely wouldn''t dare try anything. It would be profitable for him.


    But not only had the man indeed tried to hinder him, when he wanted to kill him and follow the woman and child, some other bastard just appeared and helped these people!


    The bandit looked Qiu Ling up and down, taking note of the exquisite cloth his robes were made of, the silver embroidery at the hems and the equally silver rings he was wearing. His face lit up.


    Just those two rings should be worth a fortune! And it doesn''t seem like that guy has any weapon with him. It was probably just luck, how he deflected that blow just now. He''s surely just some bored noble on his way back to the capital, who wanted to play the hero. Well, not on my watch! You''re gonna regret getting in my way!


    "Stay back or you''ll regret it!", he roared at Qiu Ling, lifting his sword up again to intimidate him.


    Qiu Ling smiled and lifted a brow, clearly not taking the man seriously. Oh, he''d love to see, how an ordinary human took down a dragon. The king of the dragons no less.


    His attitude enraged the bandit even more and he brandished his sword again. Qiu Ling lifted his hand, his fingers getting hold of the blade, snapping it in two. The upper half fell to the ground with a clang, glinting as if to mock the bandit. He stared at the blade incredulously, then looked up at Qiu Ling.


    His face paled and his hands shivered. That''s not normal! That might not have been a great weapon, but it''s still made of metal! That guy clearly isn''t human! How did he even do that?


    Qiu Ling smiled even wider, lifted his foot and gifted the bandit a kick to the chest. The man was thrown back and stumbled down the path on the other side. There was a thud, then nothing could be heard anymore. Most probably, he had broken his neck, when he fell down.


    Qiu Ling didn''t care. He turned around and observed Mister Zhong, who still squatted behind him on the ground. Mister Zhong''s eyes went wide. He looks so ¡­ young. He really must be an immortal.


    I should thank my savior, no? He tried opening his mouth and saying something, but nothing could be heard. Where to begin? How to address him? Mister Zhong didn''t know what to say.


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows. "Still not going to follow them?"


    "Wh ¡ª Who?"


    "Your wife. Your child." Qiu Ling motioned down the path. Just hurry up!, he thought. Jing Yi would be scared after what happened. He''d better get to see his father soon. And of course, Qiu Ling also didn''t want him to run around the forest with only his mother. What if something happened, while he wasted time with Mister Zhong? That bandit had certainly not been the only one in this forest and even though Jing Yi was too sensitive regarding animals, there might very well be some wild animals, that were indeed dangerous. If he happened to encounter one of them, he might lose his life!


    "Uh ¡­ Yes. You''re right." Mister Zhong stood up slowly, still not that sure, of what just happened and what he was to do now. "Uh ¡­ Thank you, hero. I ¡­ without your help ¡­"


    Qiu Ling interrupted him impatiently. "Just go. No need to thank me ¡­" He motioned to the path again and this time Mister Zhong turned around and hurried along. Qiu Ling smiled and finished in a low voice: "Father-in-law."

 Chapter 32 - Whatever

    Shun Tao threw the scroll of fate. Before it hand time to smack against the opposing wall, he sprang up, flew over his table and caught it again. He sighed relieved and patted it, freeing it from some non-existent dust.


    "Don''t make it worse, Shun Tao", he told himself and cautiously carried the scroll back to his table. The scroll of fate was bound to a person''s fate. Damaging it, would also have an influence on the person''s life. After everything, that had happened, he couldn''t risk something like that.


    Shun Tao sat down, unfurled the scroll and looked at the latest gap.


    Once again. Once again, someone had thwarted his plans. And in the last possible moment to boot. Neither Jing Yi''s mother nor his father were dead. They weren''t even injured. Of course, nothing had happened to the boy. And the bandit, that should have put the final nail in the coffin, had died himself instead.


    It was a pity, that Jing Yi hadn''t been there, when Qiu Ling saved his father. Otherwise, this savior might have been described in the scroll of fate and the miraculous adversary plaguing Shun Tao, would have been revealed. It wasn''t a secret, that there was a man enamored with crown prince Jing He, who perfectly fit the description of being young with black hair falling to his waist, wearing black robes of high quality with silver embroidery and two silver rings. Most gods in the nine heavens ¡ª at least those with a status high enough to have seen the crown prince for themselves ¡ª would have immediately thought of the dragon king, had they heard that description.


    But since Jing Yi hadn''t been there, the fate''s scribe could only sigh. It would probably take another day for Hong Bao to find out, if any of the young gods monitored Zhong Jing Yi and his family. Another day in the nine heavens, another year in the mortal realm. By then, Zhong Jing Yi would be eight years old already and still he would not have needed to pass even a single trial.


    By then ¡­ could Shun Tao still conceal this from the heavenly emperor? Probably not. Even if the heavenly emperor hadn''t sent someone to check on his son by then, waiting longer would be a threat to the crown prince. Those trials weren''t for fun. A true born god had to complete them. If the mortal Zhong Jing Yi never went through a trial, then the same would be true for crown prince Jing He. The consequences ¡­ Shun Tao didn''t even want to imagine them.


    But he also didn''t want to confess his failure, before he could provide an explanation. If he could, he might not have to lose his head. Though, there was no way he could keep his job. It was a pity. He had always loved to be the fate''s scribe. But with how things stood ¡­


    Shun Tao sighed again. He knew, his lamenting wouldn''t lead to anything. He took up the brush again, but hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to write. His well thought out plans hadn''t succeeded even once. And as long as he hadn''t found the culprit, it would most likely stay that way.


    Whatever. I need to add some problems. We''ll see, if that guy can counter all of them. As long as some of it succeeds, the heavenly emperor won''t be as furious. I might still be able to salvage the situation.


    Shun Tao started to write: Afraid, that after losing her husband, her son, too, will be harmed, Madam Zhong sends him in another direction by himself. She wants to draw the attention of the bandit and deliberately leaves traces. Mister Zhong follows them, slowly catching up to his wife, while the two of them create a longer distance between them and their son.


    The bandits, who find the body of their brother, are furious and start searching all over for the culprit. They, too, notice the traces left by Madam Zhong and follow the husband and wife. Shortly after Mister Zhong catches up to his wife, the bandits find them. Still furious about their brother''s death, they kill off Mister Zhong and abduct his wife, detaining her at their lair.


    Thanks to his parents sacrifice, Zhong Jing Yi successfully flees the forest and waits for his parents at the nearest town. But they never come back.


    Shun Tao dropped the brush, nodding slowly. This should work ¡­ For all those other incidents, Zhong Jing Yi had been with his parents. Thinking about it like that, it was fairly easy to counter these things. Only one person had to be observed, while three people could be saved. The person only had to look at Zhong Jing Yi and could automatically save his parents, too.


    Wasn''t that a little too easy? Why did he leave such an obvious loophole in the crown prince''s fate as a mortal? And how had it taken him a whole week to figure that out? But if it was like that, he could succeed. He just had to separate them. Surely, that person couldn''t send help everywhere.


    He would send help to Zhong Jing Yi, neglecting his parents and thus letting fate take its course. The Zhong husband and wife would die and the boy would finally become the orphan, he was supposed to be. How would a boy his age, far from his village and without support, fare? His fate would have a chance of getting on track again.


    "One trial. Let me at least succeed with one trial." Shun Tao furled the scroll of fate again and put it back inside his sleeve. Sighing, he stood up and went to the door facing his courtyard. Ah, how wonderful would it be, if things really worked out ¡­

 Chapter 33 - Maybe He Doesn’t Like Women?

    While fate''s scribe Shun Tao feared for his head, Hong Bao sat on a stone bench in the corner of the courtyard, where she was supposed to observe the gods, and furiously chomped into a cookie.


    Leng Jin Yu extended his hand, but the cookie casket was moved out of his reach. Hong Bao swallowed and took another one.


    "What is the problem? Am I not pretty enough? Or not intelligent enough? Is it, because I am only a lowly servant? Or does he not like conversing with me? Aren''t my remarks witty enough for him? Really, have a look at my face! Is it bad?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head and leaned forward, his breath tickling her skin. Hong Bao blinked, her cheeks still bulging like a squirrels because of the cookies. She returned Leng Jin Yu''s gaze, unsure what he was trying to do.


    Oh no. He couldn''t have fallen in love with me, could he? This can''t be! I''ll only ever accept Shun Tao. I have to reject him decisively, so that he won''t harbor hopes any longer! But I also can''t ¡ª


    Leng Jin Yu reached over the table between them, interrupting Hong Bao''s thoughts. The hopes, that he harbored ¡­ were fulfilled, when he finally took the casket out of her hands. As fast as lightning, he scooted further from her and pressed the casket to his chest.


    "Didn''t you make them for me? Why are you eating them yourself?"


    Hong Bao blinked and stared at the casket he had just stolen. "Leng ¡ª" She coughed, patted her chest and swallowed the last cookie crumbs. "Leng Jin Yu, how can you be so greedy? I brought some over every day and I made them! At least let me have some!"


    "You already had some. Look at this!" He showed her the cookies still in the casket and scrunched up his brows. "What is this? You nearly ate half of them!"


    Hong Bao puffed up her cheeks. "Is that all you''ve been paying attention to?"


    "Of course not." Leng Jin Yu set the casket down next to him, where Hong Bao couldn''t reach, and finally treated himself to a cookie. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Ah, I feel like I''m in heaven."


    "You are." Hong Bao leaned back and crossed her arms.


    Leng Jin Yu took a peek and sighed again. "You''re probably thinking too much. He''s the fate''s scribe and he approached you because he needed help. Isn''t it already great, that you can work for him?"


    "It is! But what about next week? It''s only this one assignment. As soon as he finds the one he''ll take in he doesn''t need me anymore."


    "And?" Leng Jin Yu took the next cookie. Really, it was so worth it, to have made that deal with her.


    "What and? And then I can''t see him anymore!"


    "Why not? Just go there and have a chat with him. He wouldn''t have asked you for help, if he''d really mind your status."


    "That''s not the same." Hong Bao crossed her arms on the table and propped her head up.


    "How is that not the same?"


    "It''s for work! If it''s not for work, how could I just go and inconvenience him?"


    "Why do you care so much? Don''t you love him? Just try it. In the worst case, he''ll kick you out. If not, you''re good to go there again."


    Hong Bao pursed her lips and watched, how he took another cookie. She should have eaten one more ¡­ "He probably doesn''t like me. He listens, when it''s about work, but he never asks about me. He doesn''t even look at me!"


    "He''s probably preoccupied with his work."


    "No, it''s certainly not as simple as that! There must be some problem with me."


    Leng Jin Yu took another cookie and examined Hong Bao. Yes, she didn''t have much status, but he didn''t think the fate''s scribe would mind that. Appearance wise ¡­ she could be counted as a beauty, though she was a little girlish. Maybe the god liked lady-like women better? But he appeared quite easy going ¡­ Leng Jin Yu couldn''t really imagine him being with one of those ice-cold, haughty goddesses. Nah, he''d probably be alright with Hong Bao''s type. Unless ¡­


    "Maybe he doesn''t like women?"


    Hong Bao coughed and stared at him incredulously. "Say that again!"


    "Maybe he''s ¡­ more into men?"


    "That ¡­ That''s ridiculous! How could it be?!" Hong Bao cradled her head and whimpered. "I was so sure he''s my true love!"


    "Heh! It''s just one possibility I thought of. Who knows, if it''s actually true?"


    "Then how do I find out? I can''t just wait and hope for nothing ¡­"


    "Observe him. Finish that mission he gave you, swing by a few times after that and chat with him. And you should definitely have a look at how he treats other women. You''ll see eventually."


    "What if I still can''t tell by then?"


    "Then you''ll come back here and ask me. I have an eye for such things."


    "Oh." Hong Bao nodded. "What if he really ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu shrugged. "Then you''d better give up. If he doesn''t like women, you won''t stand a chance, regardless of what you do."


    "Pass me a cookie." She extended her hand, but Leng Jin Yu didn''t comply. Instead, he took another one and bit into it. His face clearly showed his rejection. "You''re an asshole, Leng Jin Yu! Can''t you see, that I''m heartbroken?"


    "Then you''d better not eat these cookies or you''ll be not only heartbroken but also fat. But who knows, maybe the fate''s scribe is into that?" He frowned. Maybe that was the case ¡­


    Hong Bao slapped his arm. "Don''t talk about him like that! He''s such an elegant man."


    Leng Jin Yu shrugged again. It wasn''t his problem anyway. But speaking of Hong Bao''s crush on the fate''s scribe, Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help wondering about his own love life. Was there no one in the nine heavens, he could take a fancy to?


    Where were all those gods with jade-like skin, starry phoenix eyes and rose-like lips, whose every step seemed to be accompanied with the blooming of lotus flowers and the singing of mythical birds? Sure, there were beauties, but most of them didn''t have that kind of charisma. In fact, they weren''t that different from the immortals, he had seen down in the mortal realm. His expectations ¡­ Maybe they had been to high. Or maybe ¡­ he just hadn''t found the right person yet.

 Chapter 34 - You Still Believe That?

    While Hong Bao and Leng Jin Yu were bantering in the nine heavens and bickering over the cookies, down in the mortal world, Madam Zhong still feared for her and her son''s lives.


    She pressed her son against her chest and ran as fast as she could. Unfortunately, that wasn''t very fast. Her breath already came in short puffs, her legs and feet hurt, but she still hurried forward. Soon, she stumbled over a rock. She tried to catch her balance, but the small stones on the uneven ground slid away under her feet. She fell and turned to the side, so as to not hurt Jing Yi. The hard ground grazed her skin and Madam Zhong took a painful breath, repressing a moan.


    We''re not gonna make it. She looked up at the top of the hill, that wasn''t that far away. They hadn''t covered a long distance. Like that, the bandit would soon get them.


    Madam Zhong sat up and grabbed her son, holding him by the shoulders. She looked into his eyes. "Jing''er, listen to me now. That man just now wants to hurt us. You father is holding him back, but we have to do something, too. Let''s confuse him, alright? If we split up, he won''t know, which of us he should follow."


    Jing Yi shook his head. "No! No, I don''t want to!" Jing Yi still remembered the sharp glint of the blade. For the first time in his life, he was afraid. If he let his mother go alone, maybe that bad man would hurt her, too?


    Madam Zhong understood her son and patted his head. "I''m sorry, Jing''er, but there is no other choice. We have to split up. There, between the trees, go there. He won''t see you that way."


    "Why don''t you come with me?" Jing Yi''s doe eyes shimmered with tears.


    Madam Zhong gulped, but pushed him toward the trees anyway. "Just go. Mommy will run down the hill further. We''ll meet, when the bad man is gone. Go on, be a good boy."


    Jing Yi still hesitated.


    "You don''t want mommy to scold you, do you?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. He finally turned around and disappeared between the trees. Madam Zhong sighed relieved. At least her son would be save. Even if she and her husband couldn''t remain by his side, he''d live.


    She turned around and continued running down the path. She stumbled over the stones, slipped and slid further down, rolling and tumbling down the hill. But she didn''t care. Every zhang she covered, was another moment more for her son to escape. The bandit wouldn''t be able to find him in such a huge forest.


    With that thought, she continued on, not caring, what happened to her. Even if every last bone in her body broke, it was worth it, as long as her son lived.


    At the top of the hill, Mister Zhong had turned around and equally hurried down the mountain. He found her traces on the path and followed it, thankful, that she hadn''t tried fleeing off the beaten track. Else, he might never have found her and his son ever again.


    Like that half an hour passed. Finally, he saw his wife before him. "Chun''er!"


    His wife turned, lost her footing and fell. This time, Madam Zhong didn''t get up. Her whole body shivered. That voice just now, that figure running behind her ¡­ That was her husband! He was alive, he was truly alive! She clasped her hands over her face and cried.


    Mister Zhong ran faster. He caught up to his wife and fell to his knees just like her. Likewise crying, he took her into his arms and buried his face in her hair. The couple sat there, just holding each other.


    Finally, Madam Zhong sat up, wiping the tears from her face. "We ¡­ We have to ¡­ go", she got out between sobs. "Jing Yi ¡­"


    Mister Zhong paled. Right. His son wasn''t there! Being relieved, that his wife was alright, he hadn''t even noticed. "Where is he? Why isn''t he with you?" He certainly could lose his son, but this was his wife, they were talking about. How could something like that happen?


    "I was afraid, you wouldn''t be able to defeat him, so I send Jing Yi into the forest by himself. I thought, he ¡­ he''d have a better chance by himself. If that bandit came after someone, it would be me. I just wanted our son to live." She teared up again.


    Mister Zhong hugged her again, but his body was tensed. How would they find their son in this forest? His wife had done so, because she reckoned, that the bandits wouldn''t be able to. But what about them? They knew even less about this forest than the bandits!


    "That ¡­ certainly, nothing will happen to him. Doesn''t he still have that bracelet? If he doesn''t know, what to do, he''d call that daoist."


    "You''re right." Madam Zhong nodded and wiped her tears again. "Let''s go back to where I sent him off. If that cultivator comes, he''d certainly bring him back there."


    Mister Zhong nodded. He took his wife''s hand and together, they started going up the hill again. Madam Zhong looked at her husband, still a little doubtful, that everything had turned out well until now. "That bandit ¡­ How did you ¡­?"


    "I didn''t." Mister Zhong scratched his head. He was a little embarrassed. If not for that man coming to his rescue, he would be dead by now and his wife might not have managed to escape the bandit. "I was just lucky. A daoist immortal came by and saved me."


    "A daoist immortal?" Madam Zhong looked up to the top of the hill. "That should be the one from our village. Most likely Jing Yi called him."


    Mister Zhong shook his head. "Didn''t you say, he was old? Jing Yi also calls him grandfather. But that man looked really young. Even younger than me." Seven years had already passed since Zhong Jing Yi''s birth. His father had already exceeded thirty years of age. Qiu Ling on the other hand still looked to be in his twenties.


    Madam Zhong just smiled. "That man ¡­ when I first saw him, he looked just like that. He probably figured, that it was safer to appear as an older man, to avoid needless gossip. He probably knew of the rumors concerning Jing''er''s birth, that''s why he appeared as an slightly older man the next time, when Qiguan Cheng Da visited."


    "Ha?" Mister Zhong stopped. "Didn''t he look like that in the first place? Mister Pi said, Madam Shen had looked wrongly."


    "Looked wrongly." Madam Zhong slapped his shoulder. "You still believe that braggart?"


    "It seemed to be true. At least, you didn''t say anything."


    "Why would I say anything? Wasn''t it good for Jing Yi that way? If people had seen how that man really looked, wouldn''t they still have seen an evil heretic practitioner in him?"


    Mister Zhong thought back to the man he had seen on the hill. The man had given him a majestic feeling. He definitely had to be a practitioner. If he was a heretic practitioner ¡­ "The man up there wore black robes. Chun''er, are you sure, that he''s really not a heretic practitioner? Maybe Madam Shen was ri¡ª"


    Madam Zhong whacked his head. "You dare to say that! He saved the lives of your wife and child and now even your own life! Even if he was a heretic practitioner, you should still kneel down and swear to serve him until your dying day!"


    "Oh, yes ¡­ yes, of course. I should." Mister Zhong rubbed his head and turned around again.


    The two wanted to climb further, but just then, the clip-clop of hooves approached them. Mister and Madam Zhong shared a glances. From the top of the hill, several men on horses made their way down toward them.

 Chapter 35 - She’s Not the Only One

    While Mister Zhong had hurried down the hill after his wife, Jing Yi stopped somewhere in the forest. He clutched the bracelet, Qiu Ling had given him, squinting his eyes.


    "Grandfather! Grandfather!" He had called out quite a few times already, but nothing happened. The man, who had helped him back in the village, didn''t appear.


    The boy sat down on the ground, his eyes tearing up. He sniffled, but still called out, despite his diminishing hope. "Grandfather ¡­" His voice broke.


    Finally, he dropped the bracelet. His hands clenched into fists and he furiously rubbed his eyes. The tears flowed down his cheeks without end. He was cold and afraid and ¡­ alone.


    "Mother, father, grandfather ¡­ Why is nobody there?"


    When Qiu Ling finally managed to send Mister Zhong away and followed the mark he had placed on Jing Yi''s body after his birth, that was the first thing he heard. His heart jerked. Why had he needed so long? Look at this, his beloved was really afraid this time!


    Jing He, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have left you alone. Whatever happened, I should have followed you.


    "Aiya, who''s going to cry?" Qiu Ling stopped hiding his figure ¡ª now in the appearance of an old man again ¡ª and crouched down in front of Jing Yi. "No need to be afraid, little boy. The bad man has already been taken care of. Your parents are safe."


    Jing Yi dropped his hands and stared at the old man in front of him, the tears still streaming down his cheeks. "Grandfather?"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded. "I''m here. I''m sorry, it took so long. I went to save your father first."


    "Grandfather!" Jing Yi threw his small body at him. His arms circled Qiu Ling''s neck and held fast to it. He buried his face in Qiu Ling''s hair, just like his father did when meeting his wife again.


    Qiu Ling sighed and patted his back. "There, there. No need to cry anymore. I''m here. I''m with you. I''ll never let you be alone." He closed his eyes and gently held him.


    All of this ¡­ shouldn''t happen. Being slandered, being attacked, nearly losing your parents: You should experience none of that! You should be safe. I promised you, I''d always keep you safe.


    So ¡­ why couldn''t you remain in the nine heavens? Spending your days in leisure with me ¡­ wouldn''t that have been better? Why did you have to go? I don''t want to wait for you, I want to be with you. Now, right now.


    The trials, that the gods had to undergo in the mortal world, the dragons weren''t subjected to them. Qiu Ling couldn''t understand, why his beloved wouldn''t budge on this matter. He felt rejected, unimportant, unloved. Why couldn''t his beloved stay for him? Why did he still want to go?


    He hugged Jing Yi closer to himself, but that only made more obvious, that the person beside him wasn''t the Jing He he knew and with whom he had fallen in love. That person ¡­ was only a child. A terrified child, that should be comforted.


    Qiu Ling pushed all other thoughts aside and slowly stroked his back. "It''s alright. Nothing happened. That man is defeated. I sent your father to look for your mother. He''s probably already found her."


    "Is ¡­ Is mommy ¡­ alright?" Jing Yi sobbed and grabbed Qiu Ling''s neck even tighter.


    "Mn. Should be. Didn''t she run away? How about we go see her? I''ll bring you back to your parents." He patted Jing Yi''s hair, but surprisingly, the boy shook his head.


    "No ¡­"


    "No? You don''t want to see them?" Qiu Ling leaned back, but the boy stuck to him like a koala. He could only gently hold him. "Why that?" He lowered his voice, trying to calm him down slowly.


    "Mommy wouldn''t ¡­ wouldn''t like me crying."


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes. My love, your mother might not like it, but what about me? My heart bleeds seeing you like this. It feels like I can''t breathe anymore. "Then stop crying, mn?" He stroked Jing Yi''s hair, but the boy didn''t calm down. "How about that: I carry you back slowly? Until we get there, you''ll certainly have stopped crying, alright?"


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded.


    Qiu Ling rose and lifted him up. "Then let''s go." He slowly went back toward the path.


    Jing Yi hugged him, his face still buried in Qiu Ling''s neck. Slowly, his sobs subsided, until his breathing finally evened out.


    "Thank you, grandfather."


    "Mn, it''s nothing. I promised, I''d be there, whenever you need my help."


    "I was really afraid, when you didn''t come. I thought, I''d be all alone from now on. Mommy sent me away, too."


    "Your mother was just afraid, that something might happen to you, if you went with her. She did that with your best interest in mind."


    "Mn. Mommy loves me."


    "Mn." She''s not the only one, you know?


    They both went silent. Only Qiu Ling''s quiet steps could be heard. But soon, angry voices reached them from up front. Qiu Ling halted and looked down at Jing Yi.


    "Little boy, wait here for a moment, alright? I''m going to see, what is happening there."


    "You''re coming back, right?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "I''ll always come back to you." He patted his head again and put him down. His figure vanished and appeared on the path up the hill again.


    The scene in front of him, let him grit his teeth. Had he come too late?

 Chapter 36 - Leave Behind Your Lives!

    Blood smirched the ground. Mister Zhong was clutching his arm, while his wife knelt beside him, holding unto his shoulder and crying. Before them stood five men or rather: One of them stood before them, holding a blood soaked sword, while the other four were seated on their horses, looking down at the couple.


    "I asked you, what happened!"


    Mister Zhong pressed his lips together, blood still oozed out of his wound. Madam Zhong clung to his shoulder. "We don''t know anything! We already said, we don''t know anything!"


    "Shut up! I''m talking to your man! You must have seen that guy! What did he look like? Where did he go?"


    Mister Zhong leaned against his wife. The blood loss was already making him dizzy. "Really ¡­" He didn''t get to say more.


    In a flash of white robes, Qiu Ling arrived before the bandit, gifting him with a kick just like the one from before. The man crashed against a tree, slid down and stayed down. Qiu Ling turned around to the other bandits.


    The four men looked at their brother, than gazed at Qiu Ling incredulously. One of them leaned over to the man in the middle. "Boss ¡­ Did that old man just ¡­ knock out fifth brother?"


    The other two men also looked at the bandit in the middle. They hadn''t even seen that white-haired geezer approach them, until he kicked their fifth brother, his white hair and robes swaying in the breeze.


    The leader of the bandits furrowed his brow. "Old man, what is the meaning of this?"


    Qiu Ling smiled at him. "I heard an interesting story yesterday."


    "Ha?" One of the other bandits twitched his lips. "Tch, you''re asking for a beating, old man!" He unsheathed his sword and urged on his horse.


    Qiu Ling just stood still, waiting for the horse and bandit to reach him. The man thrust forth his sword. Qiu Ling sidestepped and grabbed the bandit''s wrist. He pulled him out of the saddle. The bandit crashed into the ground. He wanted to roll to the side and get up, but Qiu Ling still clutched his wrist. Even worse, while the bandit struggled, he stepped onto his back, holding him down.


    "I heard an interesting story yesterday", he repeated and looked up at the three men, who sat still on their horses.


    The two on the side watched him with black faces, but they didn''t dare act rashly. Their leader seemed to have controlled his emotions. Nothing could be gleaned from his face. His fingers tapped his thigh and he slightly narrowed his eyes. "What kind of story?"


    "It''s about the history of this place."


    "Oh?"


    "You see: Someone said, this is the Long mountain range. It isn''t a mountain, but a dragon instead. This empire is blessed, because the dragon king helped the emperor, so nobody dares invade. I reckon, the dragon slumbering here, would be one of his subjects."


    "The people indeed tell a story like that."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling smiled. "You see, it''s like that: I do have some relations with the dragon folk. Since the dragon king seems to have decided to protect this empire, I should help him, don''t you think so?"


    "Help him?" The leader of the bandits smiled. "Old man, I admit, you''re pretty feisty for your age. But you took our fifth and fourth brother by surprise. Do you really think, you can defeat the three of us now that we''re prepared?"


    "Of course." Qiu Ling''s smile grew even sweeter. "I believe, I heard, there is something you people tend to say in this kind of situation. What was it again?" He averted his face and squinted his eyes, all the while rubbing his fingers, as if it could help him remember. "Ah!" Qiu Ling dropped his hand. "We might have to modify it a bit." He looked at the bandits again, the playful smile gone and his lips forming a straight line. "This mountain came into being through me, these trees could grow thanks to me. Since you dared to harm my people, leave behind your lives!"


    He let go of the bandit''s arm and stepped on his neck. The bandit''s eyes bulged, but he couldn''t even cry out. Crack. His life was gone just like that. With a flourish of his sleeves, Qiu Ling sent out a gust of wind, that blew the two bandits at the side from their horses. They crashed in the ground and rolled to the side, moaning and doubling up in pain.


    With one step, Qiu Ling came up to their leader. He grabbed him by the throat and lifted him from the horse. The man clutched at his hands and flailed his legs, but Qiu Ling didn''t budge an inch.


    "You''re overestimating yourself. Seriously, if you hadn''t gone after them again, you might have lived." No one was allowed to make his beloved cry!


    His fingers squeezed. The leader struggled harder, but he couldn''t free himself. His face only turned redder with each moment. Finally, he stopped breathing. Qiu Ling threw him to the ground. His gaze locked unto the two men, who had just gotten up.


    The bandits tensed, exchanged a glance and turned around. They tried to run away, but in the next instant, Qiu Ling already stood before them, each hand grabbing one of their shoulders and holding them in place.


    Daring to hurt his beloved, but not daring to bear the consequences? He''d make them pay with their lives!


    Qiu Ling didn''t waste time, his hands going straight for their hearts this time. He let the dead bodies fall to the ground, their blood forming a pool below them. A deep gash blemished their chests, but not even a drop of blood had soiled Qiu Ling''s hands or clothes.


    Looking at him like that, he seemed like a cold-blooded immortal, detached from the world. After living for too long a time, he didn''t seem to care about human lives anymore. Still, he had done that to save two people.


    Mister Zhong couldn''t help looking at his wife, while still clutching his injured arm. "Are you sure, he''s not a here¡ª"


    His wife threw him a furious glare. She really wanted to whack her husband over the head right now! But she didn''t dare to behave unruly in front of this daoist master.


    Qiu Ling just wanted to turn around to them and have a look at Mister Zhong''s injury, when a small voice cried out to him: "Grandfather!" Jing Yi stood at the edge of the path, his small face pale with fright, while he took in the dead bodies of the five bandits.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes, barely holding back a curse. Damn it! He really wanted to kill those guys all over again!

 Chapter 37 - Finally, It’s Me!

    "Jing''er!" Madam Zhong reacted before Qiu Ling. She got up and ran to her son, pulling him into her embrace and starting to cry again.


    Jing Yi clung unto her, but his eyes didn''t leave the bodies. Qiu Ling gritted his teeth. Why couldn''t his love wait a while longer? He could have made those bodies disappear with just a moment more!


    Jing Yi''s lips quivered, as if he''d start crying again every moment. But finally, he only bit down on his lower lip and stayed quiet. Qiu Ling sighed. There was nothing he could do. Jing Yi had already seen. That couldn''t be changed. So he should concentrate on the things, that could be done.


    He went over to Mister Zhong and knelt on the ground before him. "Let me take a look at that."


    Mister Zhong watched him a little warily, but Qiu Ling didn''t say anything else. He just waited.


    "Ah Lei!" Madam Zhong picked up her son and hurried over to her husband. "Don''t be like that! The daoist master already offered to help. There''s no reason to recline. You''re not inconveniencing him." She threw him a meaningful glance and Mister Zhong finally let go of his arm.


    Qiu Ling didn''t bother with Mister Zhong''s skepticism. He ripped the sleeve and looked at the wound. The blade had cut deep into the flesh, but thankfully, the bone wasn''t injured. It would take a lot of time to heal, but it wasn''t impossible. If he treated it with care, in a few weeks, nothing would remain.


    However, all of that was under the requirement, that the injury was attended to. Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. He extended his senses and found a small pond not far from there. "We''ll need to rinse the wound first of all. There is a pond half a li northwest of here. I''d suggest, we bring you there. Thankfully, those men brought horses." He got up and went to one of the animals. It snuffled and pawed at the ground. Qiu Ling patted its head and it slowly calmed down.


    That was one of the small advantages of being a dragon in the mortal realm: Animals felt his heritage and didn''t dare misbehave. Whatever he wanted them to do, they''d do. Though, his presence did make them nervous.


    Madam Zhong sat down her son and helped her husband up. They walked to the horse slowly, but hesitated at the side. Qiu Ling lifted his brows. "You do know, how to ride a horse, don''t you?"


    Madam Zhong shook her head. Her husband didn''t say anything. He already felt dizzy, after continuously losing blood. And what was there to say anyway? They were simple village folk. Even if someone had a horse ¡ª like Mister Mao for example ¡ª they wouldn''t use it in an extravagant way like riding. They would let them draw a cart instead, to move some goods for the villagers, if it was necessary.


    Qiu Ling didn''t really understand that. The human world was mostly foreign to him, after all. "Mn. You don''t have to actually do anything. Just hold on tight." He helped Mister Zhong up into the saddle and grabbed the reins. His gaze slid to Jing Yi. Was the boy still afraid? Did he ¡­ fault him, for what he had done? Had he even seen him killing those men?


    "Little boy ¡­", Qiu Ling called out and went up to him. He squatted down before him and cast down his gaze, afraid to look at him. "Do you ¡­ fault me, for what I did?" He took a peek and found Jing Yi only blinking his eyes at him. "I killed those men. Do you mind?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "They wanted to hurt mommy. And father."


    Qiu Ling coughed. The poor Mister Zhong had gotten injured and was still only mentioned as an afterthought. This child ¡­ was really too biased.


    "It''s good, that you understand. How about riding on a horse, too?"


    Jing Yi looked at the animals, clearly not taking a shine to the idea. Qiu Ling turned around and shot Madam Zhong a glance.


    She came over and squatted next to him. This might just be the opportunity, she had waited for. "You know, Jing Yi, mother did say, that animals are dangerous. But back then, you were a lot younger and not as tall as you are now. It''s not as dangerous anymore. And mommy is with you. Nothing will happen to you."


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling again, asking for confirmation. Qiu Ling smiled. Finally! Finally, I''m the one he asks for his opinion! "Your mother is right. You don''t have to be afraid. You can even ride together with your mother, how about that?"


    Jing Yi nodded and extended his arms. Qiu Ling picked him up and sat him on top of the horse, helping his mother up after that. He took the reins of the horses and lead them toward the pond. The other animals followed after them, as if they were used to going with this group already.


    Qiu Ling smiled. How nice of these bandits, to gift the Zhongs a couple of fine horses as well as all their belongings. If they brought that to the capital, they wouldn''t be completely destitute. They certainly wouldn''t keep the horses. If anything, they might hold onto one of them as a means of transport. The others, they''d probably sell, but that would provide them with a nice sum of money. It was the perfect start for their life in the capital.


    The four of them soon reached the pond. Qiu Ling helped them down and started cleansing Mister Zhong''s wound. It would have been so much easier, had he really been a daoist. Casually taking out some pill to heal even mortal wounds. How great would that be? But which dragon would carry something like that with him? Their bodies were as robust as a mountain. To seriously injure them was nearly impossible. Even the gods and demons had problems to do so.


    Qiu Ling looked at the wound he had rinsed and frowned. He should dress it somehow. Was there something he could use? He had a look at the spatial ring on his middle finger, mentally sifting through all the things in there.


    Of course, there was no dressing material. He could only use something else. Looking around for a while, he finally found a piece of cloth, that could be used. He winced taking it out. This was originally something, he had gotten for Jing He. But saving his mortal father would probably also get him into his good books?


    He didn''t hesitate any longer and reached out. Just before touching Mister Zhong''s arm, he stopped, turned around and handed the cloth to Madam Zhong. "It might be better, if you dress the wound." Really, he had never needed to do something like that. Before he did something wrong and accidentally hurt the man even more, he''d rather let his wife do it.


    Madam Zhong took the cloth, perceiving the smooth texture. She couldn''t help feeling a little guilty. This seemed like it was worth very much. Could she really use this to dress her husband''s wounds? But before she could ask, Qiu Ling had already turned around. She watched him smiling at her son, sighed and finally helped her husband. She didn''t know, what he hoped to get from helping them, but she certainly wouldn''t refuse this help.

 Chapter 38 - A Short-Lived Success

    They stayed at the pond for a few hours, so the Zhongs could recover from all the excitement and danger. Qiu Ling obviously showered all his attention onto Jing Yi. After his mother had adjusted her lie about animals a bit, Jing Yi was still cautious, but he approached the horses, as long as Qiu Ling stood beside him, and even patted them.


    Qiu Ling smiled and motioned for him to wait a moment. He vanished, reappearing a blink later with a rabbit in hand. He extended it toward Jing Yi.


    "What is that?" Jing Yi hesitatingly took a step toward him and reached out. He patted the rabbits head, not sure, what exactly he was seeing there.


    Because of his mothers warning, he had only ever dared to go into the forest to call Qiu Ling and talk to him. He was sure, as long as his grandfather was there with him, nothing would happen to him. Because of this same reason, he had never actually seen any animals. It spoke volumes about his trust in Qiu Ling, that he dared to approach the rabbit with him around.


    Jing Yi patted the fur, his eyes growing wide. The animal in front of him didn''t seem the least bit dangerous. Instead, it was soft and warm. Even more so than the tall horse.


    "Just take it." Qiu Ling stuffed the rabbit into Jing Yi''s arms and smiled satisfied. Mn, Jing He has always loved animals and they always loved him. It''s a pity, that he needed so long to figure it out down here int he human realm. But I''ll help you to make up for it.


    "Daoist master." Madam Zhong approached him and smiled, seeing her son willing to hold an animal. "My husband seems better already. We should be on our way again."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "I''ll accompany you. Who knows, if those six were the only bandits around here?"


    "Thank you, Daoist master."


    Qiu Ling smiled and waved. There was really no need for her, to thank him. Of course, he would treat his love''s mortal family good. "Let us go. The sooner we leave the forest the better." He once again helped the Zhongs with the horses and they let them trot along the path to the other side of the forest.


    Now free of the worry of happening upon bandits again, Mister and Madam Zhong slowly relaxed. Zhong Jing Yi was still engrossed in patting the rabbit, Qiu Ling had caught him. From a child, that got frightened just from mentioning animals, to one, that could quietly sit there and spent its time with one, the difference was really too great.


    Qiu Ling smiled, extended his hand and patted Jing Yi''s head. The boy looked up and smiled at him. "Thank you, grandfather!"


    "What for?"


    "For saving mommy and father and bringing us out of the forest!"


    "Mn. That''s ¡ª"


    Jing Yi tensed and then sat petrified. Whatever Qiu Ling had wanted to say, it was forgotten in an instant.


    "What''s wrong? What happened?" Qiu Ling grew frantic. He looked around, but couldn''t find anything. No bandits charging at them, no terrifying wild animal breaking through the underbrush ready to assault them ¡­ Nothing.


    Madam Zhong started laughing. Qiu Ling halted and looked at her incredulously. He wanted to say something, but the woman had already patted Jing Yi''s head. "Look at you. You''ve even startled the daoist master with how you''re acting. Haven''t you just gotten yourself a little dirty?" She grabbed the rabbit and revealed some dirty patches on Jing Yi''s clothes. He had carried that rabbit around for so long, that it couldn''t refrain from doing his business any longer.


    Qiu Ling turned around and hurriedly masked his laughter with a coughing fit. My love, you''re really unlucky! It''s your first day getting to know animals and something like that happens?


    Qiu Ling reined his horse in and helped Madam Zhong with hers. The boy still sat there with his hands half raised and a frozen expression on his face. Madam Zhong climbed out of the saddle, while Qiu Ling had a look through the things in his spatial ring again.


    There it is! He took out a white robe. It was several sizes too big for Jing Yi, but it would have to suffice for now.


    "Don''t worry, little boy. I have exactly the thing you need now. Look here!" He showed him the robe. The fabric seemed to shimmer in the faint light, that filtered through the foliage. "Do you know, what this is?"


    Neither did Jing Yi answer, nor did he look. He was still entirely concentrated on the stains on his own robe, his face pale. Qiu Ling threw a glance at Madam Zhong, asking for her help. The woman sighed and set the rabbit down at the edge of the path. The animal hopped away, as soon as she let go.


    Madam Zhong looked after it, a little regretful. Her son had finally gotten over the lies she told him back then and started accepting animals and now something like that had happened. She felt worse than before. She never should have told him something like that!


    She came back to the horse and lifted her son out of the saddle. Qiu Ling passed her the robe.


    "It''s a little big, but it should do for now. It''s made of heav¡ª" He coughed again. "Heavy. Heavy silk. It can''t get dirty. He''ll like that."


    Madam Zhong returned his gaze. Heavy silk? She had never heard of something like that and it hadn''t seem, like he had wanted to say that at first. Could it be ¡­ She thought of another name, he might have wanted to utter, but she didn''t dare dwell on it. She only nodded and brought Jing Yi to a rock at the side of the path to help him change out of the dirty clothes.


    The white robe was more than just a little too big. The sleeves were long enough to be folded in half to fit, while the lower part seemed to be a train, dragging over the ground behind him with every step.


    Qiu Ling sighed. This, too, had been prepared for Jing He. He certainly would have looked marvelous in such a robe. The white fabric would hug his slender body tightly, highlighting his dark eyes and hair and emphasizing his tender skin. But alas, he needed to calm down Jing Yi now and this robe was probably the only thing, that could help with this.


    "How is it? It doesn''t get dirty, right?"


    Jing Yi blinked his large doe eyes. He turned around and looked at the fabric, that had slipped down again and was touching the ground. He frantically pulled it up, only to notice, that it indeed hadn''t gotten dirty. He turned toward Qiu Ling again, his face now lit up with a splendid smile.


    "So it''s alright now? Then come on. We''d better leave the forest soon or else, we''ll be stuck here for way too long."


    "Mn!" The boy nodded happily and let his mother lift him into the saddle again. He didn''t mind the horse, but he''d probably not even look at a rabbit again. Well, at least, he had made a little progress.

 Chapter 39 - There Is Nothing Going on Between Us!

    Shun Tao watched another gap open up in crown prince Jing He''s scroll of fate. He didn''t even sigh anymore. After experiencing it multiple times, he couldn''t muster the energy for that.


    "At least, this time I managed to injure one of them. Mn, I should work with that." He ground the ink and picked up his brush, his thoughts circling around this special fate. Separating the family to let something happen seemed to be the right approach. Even if he couldn''t do something to Zhong Jing Yi directly, this would still influence him. And the loss of loved ones was a trial, too. Like that, the crown prince wouldn''t fail his trial and the heavenly emperor might let Shun Tao keep his head. Wouldn''t that be the perfect outcome?


    With that in mind, he started to write: The Zhongs reach the capital and move in with the main family there. Mister Zhong, who doesn''t want to inconvenience them too much, pours himself into work, disregarding his injury. His state of health slowly worsens, but Mister Zhong doesn''t dare confess to his wife. When she finally notices, that something is wrong, it is already too late to help him.


    Shun Tao put the brush down and nodded. He couldn''t include too many details or it might go awry because of one of them. But such a broad situation should be able to come true. As long as Zhong Jing Yi didn''t notice anything, whoever that person sent to help, it shouldn''t make a difference.


    Right, that person ¡­ Shun Tao furled the scroll of fate and put it into his sleeve again. It hadn''t been a day, since Hong Bao went to investigate again, but maybe he was lucky and she had already found out something? He stood up and left the scribe''s palace for the courtyard, where the young gods lived.


    At that moment, Hong Bao still sat with Leng Jin Yu and pouted because of Shun Tao''s lack of attention.


    Leng Jin Yu had just grabbed the last cookie, when he saw Shun Tao outside the courtyard. He nudged Hong Bao and motioned outside with his head. "Stop complaining, your crush just came here on his own accord."


    "Ha? What?" Hong Bao turned around. Her face lit up, as soon as she saw Shun Tao. "I''ll go then!" Without deigning to look at Leng Jin Yu again, Hong Bao sprang to her feet and rushed out. "Fate''s scribe!" She smiled broadly, but only got a slight movement of Shun Tao''s lips as a response. Her good mood instantly deflated. "Did you come to see me?", she asked, but she didn''t feel hopeful anymore. He really didn''t seem interested.


    "Mn. I wanted to ask ¡­ those two people, have you found out anything?"


    Hong Bao stared at him unblinking. He came over because of that? Just how urgently does he need someone in the scribe''s palace? "That ¡­" She looked back at the courtyard and was met with the sight of Leng Jin Yu munching on the last cookie. What had he said? She should look for him for help, if she couldn''t figure out Shun Tao''s preferences?


    I should get him to help me right now. What observing him? If Shun Tao doesn''t like women, I shouldn''t continue to hope. It''s better, if I find out now. In case he does I still have time to make him fall in love with me. Mn, that''s the right thing to do!


    She turned back to Shun Tao and smiled again. "As I said, it''s a little difficult to find out, without alarming them ¡ª"


    "So you don''t know anything." He hung his head, igniting Hong Bao''s guilty conscience, because she hadn''t told him the whole truth before.


    "Ah, no no no! That''s not it!"


    Shun Tao instantly came back to life. He lifted his head and looked expectantly at her. Hong Bao gulped. If she didn''t know, he was just asking about work related matters, she might misunderstand this.


    "Well, I asked someone for help. I hope, that''s alright?"


    "Someone?" Shun Tao broke out in cold sweat. She couldn''t have said something to someone who shouldn''t know of this, right? What if the culprit knew, that he was trying to catch him?


    "He''s called Leng Jin Yu! He''s also in the court¡ª"


    Shun Tao''s eyes went wide.


    Hong Bao waved her hands defensively. "Don''t worry! He''s not interested in the scribe''s palace anyway. He wants to go to the god of war, Qiang Yan''s, palace."


    Shun Tao didn''t calm down. Quite the opposite: His thoughts began to race. If that guy somehow managed to get into Qiang Yan''s palace, he might speak to him about Shun Tao letting a servant monitor the gods in this courtyard and especially letting her pay attention to what those gods were observing in the mortal realm. The god of war wasn''t dumb. He''d figure out in no time, that this had something to do with the crown prince! And the god of war was quite close to the incumbent heavenly emperor.


    I''m finished!


    Shun Tao turned around to the courtyard and instead came face-to-face with the wall. Somehow, he felt like smashing his head against it ¡­ Shun Tao bent forward.


    "Ah! Shun Tao!" Hong Bao gripped his shoulders, turning him around to her again and hugging him. "There is nothing going on between Leng Jin Yu and me!"


    Shun Tao furrowed his brow. Ha? When did I ask about that?


    Hong Bao grew anxious at his lack of response. "Really!"


    Shun Tao sighed and straightened up. "Hong Bao ¡­ Seriously, what did you tell him?"


    "Ah?" Hong Bao, who had wandered somewhere completely unrelated with her thoughts, didn''t understand, what Shun Tao was talking about.


    "Leng Jin Yu. What did you tell him about the assignment I gave you?"


    "Uh ¡­ Just that I need to observe some of the gods there for the fate''s scribe."


    "Did he talk with anybody about that?"


    She shook her head. Shun Tao really doesn''t care, that I spend time with Leng Jin Yu. So it is true? He doesn''t like women? She pursed her lips at the thought, but Shun Tao was once again too preoccupied with his own worries, to notice anything strange.


    Shun Tao gave a sigh of relief. "Good. Don''t tell him anything else! The less he knows, the better!"


    "Why that? Leng Jin Yu really helped me ¡­", Hong Bao said, while thinking: In fact, I wanted to ask you, if you could help him with getting into the god of war''s palace. She didn''t dare to utter this thought, though. She could feel, that this was definitely the worst possible time to mention her promise to Leng Jin Yu.


    "It''s better, if he doesn''t know." Shun Tao didn''t offer any other explanation. Even in regard to Hong Bao, it was better if she knew less. It would be for the best, if only he himself and the culprit behind this whole mess ever knew what had happened. "So ¡­ What did you find out? Wait. Come with me." Shun Tao gripped her wrist and pulled her toward the scribe''s palace.


    "Ah, fate''s scribe ¡­" Hong Bao wanted to utter an excuse to bring him to see Leng Jin Yu, but he seemed way too anxious. She didn''t dare say anything, when he didn''t react.


    In the courtyard, Leng Jin Yu stood up with the empty casket in his hand and walked to the entrance of the courtyard. He looked after the diminishing figures of Shun Tao and Hong Bao, his lips pursed in thought.


    "Wasn''t that fate''s scribe, Shun Tao, just now?"


    Leng Jin Yu turned around. Behind him stood none other than Qiang Yan, the god of war, whose palace was Leng Jin Yu''s goal.

 Chapter 40 - Seems Fishy

    Leng Jin Yu tried to calm down his heart and nodded as a greeting, as if it was nothing strange, to stand in front of the mighty god of war and answer his questions. "Indeed."


    Qiang Yan didn''t look at him and was instead still focused on the place, where Shun Tao had disappeared. He couldn''t really believe, what he had seen just now. "Was he with a woman just now?"


    "Her name is Hong Bao."


    "Hong Bao?" Qiang Yan repeated the name quietly. "What kind of goddess is she?" He turned around and found a young man in front of him. He needed a moment, but then remembered, that he had seen him in the courtyard, the fate''s scribe had spied on some days ago when he came by with His Majesty. Qiang Yan looked at the gate next to him and recognized it as the entrance to exactly that courtyard. A coincidence?


    "She is only a servant girl. She helps the fate''s scribe with an assignment at the moment."


    Assignment? "He seemed, like he was running away from something."


    "It seems, he doesn''t want anyone to know. He probably didn''t want people to see him with Hong Bao."


    "Then how do you know about it?" Qiang Yan examined him. As the god of war, he had naturally paid most attention to the gods training their sword skills when he came by. He had an impression of the man in front of him, but he hadn''t looked properly at him the last time. Now, he began to feel like he should do so.


    His skills with the sword seemed good enough and he had a calm attitude, that would benefit him, when doing tasks. Furthermore, he had a good overview over the situation.


    Mn. That''s someone talented right here. Maybe I should benefit from whatever Shun Tao is doing here?


    "Hong Bao asked me about some things, so she told me the general gist of what''s going on."


    "So it''s like that." Qiang Yan looked at the courtyard again. Shun Tao had seemed quite casual about it the last time. It was astonishing, he had really found someone to help him and this fast, too. "What did she ask about?"


    "The identity of some of the gods, their activities and details regarding the people they observed. Well, Hong Bao said, he didn''t need to know the exact identities, but some general information on them, like gender and age, so details might not be the right way to put it."


    "The people they observe?" Qiang Yan furrowed his brow. He didn''t know much about the job of the fate''s scribe and normally he didn''t really care either, but what Leng Jin Yu had said, brought him a strange gut feeling.


    Something is fishy here ¡­


    "That seems interesting. How about following me to the god of war''s palace and telling me more?"


    Leng Jin Yu thought about it. This was a great opportunity, to get to know the god of war Qiang Yan and maybe leave him with a good impression, but it could also be a problem in the future. "Will that be alright? Hong Bao asked me for help, but the fate''s scribe probably doesn''t want anyone to know."


    "Hogwash!" Qiang Yan clasped his shoulder and pulled him along, just like Shun Tao had done with Hong Bao. "That fate''s scribe is only afraid those young gods might know about it and try to deceive him. I already knew he wanted to find someone for the scribe''s palace. I''d even ask him about the details, but he''s busy with another important task."


    "Important task?", Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but mumble.


    "What is it?"


    "Nothing. It''s just that Hong Bao mentioned, that he sometimes seemed to be somewhere else with his thoughts, when she spoke to him."


    "Really? And here I thought, that Shun Tao was so popular with the womenfolk." Qiang Yan laughed. He didn''t really care for such things, but he had heard some of the younger gods in his palace discuss such a thing.


    "He is, as far as I know."


    "Mn." Qiang Yan didn''t care about that one bit. He was more interested in finding out, what exactly was going on with that observation Shun Tao was doing. He led Leng Jin Yu to his palace and into his study.


    He didn''t bother with pleasantries and just outright poured a cup of tea for each of them, while waving at the stool on the other side of the table at the same time.


    "So, what exactly did he want to know?"


    "As far as I know, there were mainly three gods, he was concerned about", Leng Jin Yu started to explain. Since Qiang Yan had already said, that he knew about the assignment, and considering, that he was a god with an official status, too, he didn''t hold back and described everything he and Hong Bao had found out in detail.


    Qiang Yan''s eyebrows drew further and further together. He didn''t know, what exactly the problem was, but his gut told him, that something was terribly wrong. Why did Shun Tao care so much about this assignment? Why was he so nervous all the time and let his thoughts wander? Why was he interested in these gods especially? And why was he interested in the type of people, they observed?


    He couldn''t find an answer at the moment, but he didn''t intend to give up so easily. He would find out, what exactly was going on with the fate''s scribe.

 Chapter 41 - Leng Jin Yu Told Me

    While the god of war, Qiang Yan, had gotten a precise and complete account of everything pertaining Shun Tao''s mission and had already decided to get to the bottom of this, Shun Tao himself was still trying to get everything out of a depressed Hong Bao.


    Shun Tao stared at her, his hands nervously clenching and unclenching in his sleeves. If she had found out something ¡ª just a little bit even ¡ª he might know the culprit today. He might be able to go to the heavenly emperor and confess his mistakes, while simultaneously presenting him with the name of the culprit and appropriate countermeasures to get Zhong Jing Yi''s fate on track again and let crown prince Jing He pass his trial in the mortal world.


    Unfortunately, Hong Bao knew nothing of his problems and she felt far from happy. She had wanted to spend time with him, but not like this. As a result, she kept mum.


    Shun Tao grew more anxious with each moment. "Hong Bao, what exactly did you find out?"


    "Not much." She fell silent again after that. He hasn''t even offered me a cup of tea. He just wants to know about the mission and then he''d love for me to go as fast as possible.


    But why? I didn''t do anything! I can''t have left such a bad impression on him, can I? Is it really, that he doesn''t like women? Or no, is it rather, that he hates women? Does he despise me because of that?


    Thinking of how she''d never be able to get together with her true love, her lips started quivering and her hands trembled in her sleeves. Shun Tao still didn''t notice. He was clenching Jing He''s scroll of fate, imagining the next gap, that might grow. His lack of reaction distressed Hong Bao even more.


    Without any other heads-up, her shoulders started shaking, she clasped her hands over her face and started crying.


    Her heart wrenching sobs managed to pull Shun Tao out of his thoughts. He looked at her, stupefied. "That ¡­ Hong Bao, what happened?"


    Instead of an answer, Hong Bao stood up, turned around and ran out of his study, still crying. Shun Tao''s gaze followed her. What exactly ¡­ had just happened?


    "Ah ¡­ Hong ¡­ Hong Bao?" He waited, but there was no response. She really seemed to have run away.


    Shun Tao rubbed his brow, stood up and followed her outside. He didn''t know, what he had done wrong, but he at least knew, that he couldn''t just let her go like that. He found her in the courtyard of the scribe''s palace. She squatted near the wall, seemingly neither wanting to stay nor wanting to go.


    Shun Tao sighed. He didn''t have the time to care about this. But what was to be done? He also couldn''t ignore her. Even if it hadn''t been for her help: Shun Tao believed, that seeing a woman running away in tears after you were talking to her, was more than enough reason to care. He had to at least talk about it.


    He squatted down next to her, likewise facing the wall. He didn''t speak for a while, just listening to her sobbing. They didn''t really know each other, so he didn''t have a good grasp on how to approach the problem. The direct way should be the best in this case?


    Shun Tao bent a little forward and tried to let his voice sound a little gentler. "What''s wrong, Hong Bao?"


    Unfortunately, the girl only cried harder.


    He sighed. "Is it because I said something wrong? You can tell me."


    Hong Bao''s sobs seemed to grow quieter, but she still didn''t talk. Shun Tao hesitated, then stood up and knelt before her. He pulled her into a hug and stroked her back. "I''m sorry. Whatever it is, I did wrong, I''m sorry. You shouldn''t be crying."


    Hong Bao''s sobs stopped short. What is happening here? Shun Tao ¡­ Shun Tao is hugging me? She felt like extending her arms and hugging him back, like nestling against his chest and lamenting how she had loved him for so long, without being noticed. But while her heart told her to do so, her thoughts explained, that that wasn''t the right choice. Shun Tao didn''t behave like this, because he liked her. He did it, because he was a gentleman and felt like he had to take responsibility after she started crying in front of him.


    Feeling touched, that he did so, but also feeling disgusted at herself, for forcing him to do so, Hong Bao pushed Shun Tao backwards. The fate''s scribe, who wouldn''t have expected such an reaction even in his wildest imaginations, fell to the ground. He grit back a groan and rubbed over the hurting place. Yes, even a god would feel pain, when he was pushed out of the blue and fell down.


    Meanwhile, Hong Bao had averted her face, again clutching her hands over it. "You don''t have to force yourself! It''s enough to know, that you care enough to try to console me! But I don''t want to force you to spend any more time with me!"


    Shun Tao lifted his brows. "What?"


    "It''s alright. You can ask someone else!" Hong Bao started sobbing again, leaving Shun Tao completely mystified.


    "That ¡­ what should I ask someone else?"


    "To help you!", Hong Bao sobbed. "It''s alright, that you don''t work with me anymore."


    "Why ¡­" Shun Tao held his forehead. He had fallen onto his buttocks. Why did his head hurt all of a sudden? "Why shouldn''t I want your help anymore?"


    "Isn''t it, because you despise women? You probably only asked me, because I was the only person around!" She cried even harder than before, while Shun Tao''s headache got worse.


    "Who said, that I despised women?"


    Hong Bao dropped her hands and stared at him with red eyes. "Leng Jin Yu told me!"


    Shun Tao didn''t know what to say. How come a person I''ve never before seen told someone whose help I need, that I hate women? Something seems wrong here? "Why ¡­ would I hate women?"


    "Because you''re into men!"


    Shun Tao really didn''t know what to say anymore.

 Chapter 42 - Experiencing It Himself

    Shun Tao sighed and rubbed his forehead again. "Hong Bao ¡­"


    "It''s alright! I can accept it!"


    "Hong Bao, listen to me." Shun Tao gripped her wrists and forced her hands down, that seemed to be on their way to cover her face again. "I don''t know, what Leng Jin Yu talked with you about, but I can assure you, that he is wrong. I don''t despise women and I am surely not into men."


    Hong Bao blinked. Could it be true?! Could her one true love really like women? This ¡­ this seemed to be her lucky day!


    Hong Bao didn''t think, she just threw herself onto Shun Tao, pulling him to the ground. She did, what she didn''t dare to do before: Hugged him and nestled her face against his chest. "So you don''t!" She gave a goofy smile, not caring or rather noticing at all, how strange the situation had become.


    Shun Tao lay on the ground, unable to grasp, what had just happened. He didn''t dare to hug her back in this situation, but he also didn''t dare to push her off. So he could only lay there, hands half raised, facing to the side and hoping, that his capable helper''s brain would catch up soon.


    Unfortunately for him, this took quite some time and when it finally happened, one of the scribe''s in the palace had already spotted them from the other side of the courtyard. Unsure if the person he saw in such an incriminating posture could really be the fate''s scribe, who headed all other scribes, he pulled over another scribe. The two''s discussion drew the attention of some others, so when Hong Bao finally came back to her senses and jerked up, most of the scribes had already seen them like that and the rumor spread like a wildfire.


    One could say, that Shun Tao now had the chance to start experiencing, what had happened to Zhong Jing Yi back when he had just been born.


    Of course, in this moment, Shun Tao didn''t care about that. He only wanted to dispel Hong Bao''s doubts and then get back to discussing the issue at hand: The culprit he was trying to find.


    Hong Bao grinned at Shun Tao, trying to cover up her embarrassment. "I''m sorry."


    "It''s alright." Shun Tao sat up and straightened his clothes. "Though, I do wonder how he got that idea." Shun Tao wanted to shake his head and end the subject right then and there, but unfortunately, Hong Bao had heard him muttering and even though she was happy, that her adored one didn''t despise women, she still felt a little peeved, that he had ignored her before.


    "Isn''t it, because you are always so distant? You''re only ever talking about work, you never ask about anything personal. And even then you sometimes don''t even look at me." She pursed her lips and threw him an accusing gaze.


    Shun Tao wanted to groan. What was this situation? He had just wanted someone to help him find out about the one behind the changes in Jing He''s fate as a mortal! He hadn''t been trying to make friends! But he probably still shouldn''t have treated her like that ¡­


    Shun Tao sighed. "Hong Bao, I''m really sorry. I''ve been preoccupied with my work lately, so I probably wasn''t very polite."


    Hong Bao just pursed her lips a little more. "This isn''t about being polite."


    Shun Tao felt his headache grow. This girl ¡­ she couldn''t be expecting something, right? He wanted to ask, but reconsidered. She had run away crying, because she thought he was into men. What would happen, if he continued down this path? He didn''t want to find out. Unfortunately, he didn''t know what else to say. He couldn''t tell her the truth, right?


    "I''m really sorry." He could only repeat himself.


    "It''s alright." Though Hong Bao said that, she didn''t look like she meant it.


    Shun Tao sighed again. "Look, I can''t tell you much, only that I''m working on something really important at the moment and the assignment I gave you has to do with that. That''s why I might have seemed a little ¡­ distant. There is just much weighing on my mind."


    "If you want to speak about it ¡ª"


    "No need, no need." Shun Tao felt cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. No! Under no circumstances!


    "Oh." Hong Bao drooped her head. So it''s not, that he doesn''t like women. He just doesn''t like me, she thought. Who knows, how she finally arrived at this conjecture?


    This time, Shun Tao was finally paying attention. This headache was growing into a major one. He didn''t know what to do. He didn''t want to tell her anything, but if he didn''t, she might talk about it again with that Leng Jin Yu or somebody else. What if someone found out through that?


    Take Leng Jin Yu as an example: Hong Bao had already said, that he wanted to get into the god of war''s palace. If he succeeded and those two somehow talked about him sometime, then wouldn''t he be in the danger of being exposed? No, he couldn''t let that happen!


    Shun Tao grit his teeth and glanced around sneakily. Nobody could be seen. The scribes gossiping had already fled, when Hong Bao finally got up. Nobody wanted to be seen peeking at their superior being intimate with a woman.


    Satisfied, Shun Tao grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet. "Let''s go back inside. I''ll tell you."


    Hong Bao looked up, her eyes instantly glittering as if a fire had been ignited inside. He wants to tell me! He trusts me! He might just fall in love with me! As if walking on clouds, she followed him back into his study.


    Shun Tao let go of her and poured them a cup of tea. With another sigh, he sat down and pulled Jing He''s scroll of fate out of his sleeve.


    "What I''m about to tell you ¡­ you can''t talk about it with anybody else. Not that Leng Jin Yu, not any of the other servants, nobody. Do you understand?"


    Hong Bao nodded, but Shun Tao wasn''t satisfied. This wasn''t enough. He had to make sure, she wouldn''t blab.


    "Hong Bao, you have to take this seriously. My life might very well depend on this."

 Chapter 43 - You’re Thinking Too Much

    Back in the mortal world, the Zhongs needed four days to get out of the mountains and the forest. After that, the journey got smoother: With the horses, they could cover more than double the distance of what they could tackle on foot. In only one week, they reached the gates of the capital city.


    Jing Yi''s eyes went wide, when he could see the high walls in the distance. He looked at Qiu Ling, waiting for him to explain.


    Qiu Ling smiled. There wasn''t much he could say. It had been ages since he had last set foot into the mortal realm. How would he know, what was going on there? Thinking about that ¡­ he had once proposed to visit the mortal realm with Jing He. Not as part of the crown prince''s trial, but just for them to spend a little time together and have fun without people watching every step of theirs.


    "That in front is the capital city. I haven''t been here before, so I can''t tell you more. Part of your family is living there. You should ask them, when you get there."


    "Mn. I''ll do that, grandfather." Jing Yi smiled sweetly again.


    Mn, this smile ¡­ Qiu Ling gazed at him, lost in his thoughts again. The more time he spent here in the mortal realm with him, the more often he thought of Jing He. Seeing him would be nice. Even though I know, that his soul resides here in Zhong Jing Yi''s body, this isn''t the person I fell in love with, regardless. I''d love to look into Jing He''s eyes again. Even if it''s just for the length of a heartbeat.


    Madam Zhong shifted a little uncomfortable in the saddle. She had noticed Qiu Ling''s gaze and not for the first time. With each passing day, she grew a little more restless. Really, what was the reason for this man, to help them so much? It certainly wasn''t as easy as having passed by that night. No, more likely, this man had known about her son''s birth even before he came. His help had been given, because it was Jing Yi.


    Qiu Ling pulled himself out of his thoughts and motioned to the gates. "I''ll come with you into town. It would look a little strange, to bring five horses with only two people and a child. Like this, they''ll just assume, we were taking a spare horse with us." He looked at Mister Zhong, to see if his future father-in-law was satisfied with this arrangement.


    Mister Zhong scratched his head. "Will that be alright? Those aren''t really our horses ¡­"


    Qiu Ling lifted his head. "You''re too nice. These horses were probably also not the bandit''s horses. They certainly just robbed them somewhere. So there''s no need to think about it too deeply. Look at it this way: If you sell three or four of them, you''ll be able to support your wife and child even without your cousin''s support. Wouldn''t that be great?"


    "Yes, but ¡ª"


    "You''re thinking too much", piped Madam Zhong up, too. She might be curious and a little wary of Qiu Ling''s motives, but she still felt like he was helping them. She trusted him.


    Mister Zhong nodded. "Then we''ll do it like that."


    Qiu Ling didn''t say anything more and the four of them made their way to the gates, where a queue had already formed. Qiu Ling dismounted. The Zhong husband and wife couple had also learned how to get onto the horse and back down again, so they didn''t need his help anymore.


    Soon, they reached in front of the gate. Soldiers stood on both sides, inspecting the people and their luggage, but there wasn''t much to look at with the Zhongs. They had a slightly longer look at Qiu Ling, but since he looked like an old man and even one, that was immaculately dressed, they didn''t want or rather didn''t dare to act rashly and just let them in.


    What Mister Pi had said about the capital back in the village, hadn''t been completely wrong: There were a lot of influential people there, that could make life for ordinary citizens difficult with just the wave of a hand and some casual words. Of course, some of the guests were of equally high status, so someone guarding the gates wouldn''t dare to rashly offend anyone. Even more so, if that someone clearly displayed the bearing of a noble.


    Qiu Ling and the Zhongs went down the main road together. At one of the intersections, Qiu Ling stopped and turned around to them. "We should part ways here. Your family might already be waiting. Do you know how to find them?"


    Mister and Madam Zhong exchanged a glance. They had never been to the capital before, how should they know where Mister Zhong''s cousin lived? Mister Zhong looked down the street. His cousin''s family seemed to have done good in the last couple of years, but it certainly wouldn''t be good enough for anything more than a food stall in one of the smaller streets. How difficult could it be to find them?


    And disregarding that ¡­ Mister Zhong stole a glance at Qiu Ling. He didn''t feel comfortable around him. Qiu Ling might have saved him, but appearing out of thin air, looking like a young man one moment and like an old man the next, being able to summon the wind and defeating five men in a mere instant ¡­ Mister Zhong didn''t like any of that. It wasn''t what humans did. Not normal ones, at least. Even though his wife had said, that this daoist master wasn''t a heretic practitioner and also meant them no harm, he wasn''t that sure about it. He still felt, that it would be better, if they split up.


    "It should be alright", he said and nodded at Qiu Ling. "Thank you again for saving us and escorting us all the way to the capital. We''re really grateful."


    "No need to thank me." Qiu Ling smiled and turned around to Jing Yi, patting his head again. "If something happens, just call for me. I''ll be there right away. If I''m a little late, I probably had something to do. Just wait a while longer then, alright? There''s no need to be afraid."


    "Mn!" The boy smiled and gripped his hand. "I''ll do that, grandfather!"


    "Good boy." Qiu Ling squeezed his hand and turned around with a last look, disappearing between the crowd. Of course, he searched for a place out of sight, hid his figure from the eyes of the mortals and hurried back to where the Zhongs stood.


    His sight landed on the relieved-looking Mister Zhong and he smiled. "Sooner or later, you''re going to get used to me. After all, some day in the future, you''ll be my father-in-law."


    Regarding this, Qiu Ling didn''t even consider for the blink of an eye, that something could prevent this outcome.

 Chapter 44 - I Forgot

    Mister Zhong breathed deeply and smiled. "Let''s search for that stall of my cousin. It should be in some less known side road, so we''d better leave the main road and start looking in the outskirts."


    Madam Zhong nodded and the three of them made their way through the crowd, hurrying into one of the side roads and into the outskirts of the city from there. They had to cover quite a distance to get there and Mister Zhong slowly got an impression of how big the capital really was. How were they to find his cousin''s stall in this place? If they started at the wrong end, they might just need a week! And they couldn''t even split up, since his wife had never seen his cousin. He himself had at least met him twice.


    Mister Zhong looked wryly at his wife. He hadn''t expected this.


    "How about asking around? Surely someone would know his stall if it''s nearby?"


    "Mn. You''re right. Let''s try that." He looked at Jing Yi and the horses and sighed. "We shouldn''t have taken them with us. What will people think, if they see us like this?"


    "It doesn''t matter. But it''ll be difficult to move around with them always trailing behind. We should keep them somewhere. Or maybe I could wait with Jing''er and the horses, while you look for your cousin?"


    Mister Zhong nodded. "Let''s do that. Finding a stable would be good, but we probably couldn''t afford it. Just be cautious. If somebody gets the wrong idea, just run away with Jing Yi. No need to care for them."


    "We''ll do that." Madam Zhong patted her son''s head and watched, as her husband turned around and stopped the first person to ask. He shrugged his shoulders in her direction, when that person shook his head, and hurried on to ask someone else. Soon, Mister Zhong was out of her sight.


    Madam Zhong sat down with Jing Yi, hugging him close to her chest. "Jing''er, say ¡­ that daoist master ¡­ did he tell you anything?"


    Jing Yi looked up at her questioningly. He didn''t understand, what his mother was talking about.


    "Oh, it''s nothing. I was just wondering, why he helps us all the time."


    "Isn''t it, because he is a daoist master? Don''t they help all people in need?"


    Madam Zhong nodded. "Yes, yes, you''re right. Look at me, I forgot. It''s time we get to your father''s family and rest a bit."


    "You can rest here! I''ll look out!"


    Madam Zhong patted her son''s head again and smiled. "That would be great. But mother really wants to see, when your father gets back. I''d better stay awake."


    "Alright." Jing Yi didn''t say anything anymore and started to look around instead.


    He had never left the village. The only towns, he had seen, were the ones on the way to the capital, but of course they couldn''t compare in any regard. The houses here were taller and more refined, even in the outskirts. They were built out of stone, with dark tiles on the roofs and some even decorated with stony ornaments. Though, the houses here couldn''t compare to the estates in the center of the capital. Jing Yi had seen the tall walls, that surrounded them, with the trees looking over and the high gates at the entrance. Guards had stood next to them to bar anyone unannounced entry.


    Is the whole capital like that? He remembered how Mister Pi had told them, that there were dragons and tigers in the capital. He didn''t know about tigers, but he was a little afraid of the dragons. In that dragon mountain, those bad men had attacked them. Would they be attacked here, too?


    Qiu Ling would probably be laughing, if he knew, what his beloved was thinking at this moment. But now he only stood bored to the side and hoped, that Mister Zhong would return soon. He would have helped him, but unfortunately, he didn''t know how Mister Zhong''s cousin looked and even though he was a dragon, he couldn''t just snap his fingers to complete such tasks. He needed a lead at least.


    His gaze landed on Jing Yi, who was still curiously looking around. Mn, this is nice. Jing He had never been like that in the nine heavens. He had grown up there, knowing everything about the place and the people. This kind of lively expression, that would only be shown at something new ¡­ he had never seen it on Jing He''s face.


    Would you have looked like that, had I taken you to my realm before? As the crown prince of the nine heavens, Jing He certainly knew quite a bit about every realm, but hearing about it and seeing for himself was a difference. Taking him to the dragon realm was something, he should definitely do in the future. He wanted to see Jing He''s beautiful eyes sparkling like that. They seemed to be made for it.


    Qiu Ling shook his head, pushing the thought aside. Jing He had only started his life as Zhong Jing Yi seven years ago. There were still a lot to come. He shouldn''t think about such things now. Though, it didn''t matter how often he reminded himself of that, his thoughts would return to his Jing He on their own. He couldn''t avoid it.


    Like Qiu Ling, Madam Zhong, too, was caught in her own thoughts. She didn''t mind Qiu Ling like her husband did, but she was a bit afraid. Helping their family over and over again ¡­ That wasn''t just a helpful attitude. That was the attitude of someone, who got something out of it or had an attachment to the ones he helped.


    She couldn''t imagine, what a daoist master would get out of helping common folk like them. But she could see, that there was some sort of attachment. It was just that ¡­ How could there be sentiments to a child? Could it be, that he really came by their village that night through a coincidence? And then he really felt like there was fate between them, so he watched over him? Or was there something else?


    She didn''t want to admit it, but deep down, she feared it might be the latter.


    This might be something, a normal person like me can''t understand. I just hope, Jing Yi won''t get any problems because of this. If she had known, how right the feeling she had was and that all of the suffering her family had to endure was because of that, who knew, what she would think then? Maybe she would be cursing the heavens and try to find a way to guard her son from those trials, he should be facing. But without knowing, she could only continue living her ordinary live.


    While Madam Zhong pondered this issue, her husband ran everywhere in the vicinity, asking people about his cousin''s stall and getting more frantic by the minute. How come, nobody had heard of it?!

 Chapter 45 - Sounds Like Highway Robbery

    It had been midday, when the Zhongs reached the capital. Now, the sun was already setting and Mister Zhong had still not returned to his wife and child and was instead running everywhere through the streets of the capital. His clothes were drenched in sweat by now and he had to stop to gasp for breath. There were fewer people on the streets, too, making it even more difficult to find someone, who knew his cousin''s stall.


    "Did I really start at the wrong side of the city?" He looked down the street he was on. He had gone quite a distance from the place he left his wife and son. It probably wasn''t wrong to say, that he had already circled half of the outer districts, but everywhere was the same. This street, too, wasn''t any different: There were no food stalls and the people had never heard of his cousin''s name.


    Mister Zhong didn''t know what to do any longer. Go back? But he didn''t want to tell his wife, that he still hadn''t found his cousin. Continue to search? But it was already getting dark and he couldn''t let his family wait much longer. Furthermore: Who said, that he''d be able to find his cousin''s stall before night fell? Even if he did, his cousin would most likely have already packed up for the day and hurried home.


    Mister Zhong could only sigh and return to his family dejectedly.


    Madam Zhong needed only one glance to understand, that her husband didn''t have any luck. She picked up Jing Yi, who had already fallen asleep, and walked toward him.


    Mister Zhong shook his head, as soon as they met. "I couldn''t find it. Nobody had heard of it before."


    "We probably started on the wrong side. Don''t worry, we''ll find it tomorrow."


    "Yes, just ¡­ what to do with them?" He nodded toward the horses and furrowed his brow. We really shouldn''t have taken them. "We don''t have much money to begin with. Finding a room for us three tonight will already be difficult. How could we pay for places in a stable? And it''s too late to sell them or just send them away."


    "There is nothing we can do. Let''s just look for an inn." Madam Zhong carried her son down the road. She also would have liked to find her husband''s family today, but it couldn''t be helped.


    The family of three made its way through the streets of the capital again. They didn''t need long to find an inn, but when Mister Zhong went inside, to ask if they had a stable or some other place to keep the horses, the owner shook his head. Mister Zhong could only leave the inn and shook his head at his wife. They hurried further along, but none of the inns at the edge of the city had a stable or even enough room to let five horses wait there for a night.


    Mister Zhong grit his teeth and led his family deeper into the city. The houses took up more room the farther they went and finally, one of the inns had a stable. It stood right next to the house itself and could even be seen from outside.


    Mister Zhong mumbled a bit and searched for their small stack of copper coins. This was everything, his family had managed to save up over the years, and quite a bit had already been depleted through their journey. They hadn''t minded sleeping outside, if they could, but they still had to eat and six weeks were a long time. Though thanks to the horses, their journey had been cut short in the latter half.


    Would these couple of coins be enough for a night in such an inn and a place in the stable? And would it be alright to use them? What if helping his cousin didn''t work out and they had to return to the village? What would they live off, if he spent these coins now?


    He looked at his wife, clearly hesitating. Madam Zhong gave him a strained smile and adjusted her son''s position in her arms. "There is no other possibility. We didn''t find one in the outskirts and we have to stay somewhere." The capital wasn''t like a small town or village. If the soldiers patrolling found people loitering around on the streets by night, they wouldn''t be gentle. They might beat them up, throw them into prison or even kill them. It depended on luck, what awaited them.


    Mister Zhong nodded heavily and sighed. "You''re right. It''s just ¡­"


    "I know. Just go and ask. If it''s not enough, we can think about what to do after that."


    Qiu Ling took one glance at the inn and sighed: There were cracked tiles on the roof, dust coated the windowpanes and cobwebs decorated the edges. The door creaked in the angles, when Mister Zhong entered. This definitely wasn''t a good place. It was probably even the worst place in this vicinity.


    Qiu Ling threw a glance at Jing Yi. Nothing should happen here, right? With another glance down the street, Qiu Ling disappeared and reemerged in the inn. The room was only sparsely lit. Hardly enough to see its center. Qiu Ling smiled half-heartedly, changed his appearance into that of a middle-aged man, who had traveled far and seen everything, and stopped hiding his presence while in the shadows. With the dark robes, he was wearing, he was nearly invisible.


    Meanwhile, Mister Zhong had walked to the counter and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Sir, we''d like a room for tonight and a place in the stable for our horses."


    The owner looked up, eying Mister Zhong from head to toe, and curled his lips. It was obvious, that Mister Zhong was not somebody he could make a good deal with. "That''s one liang", he still tried to push his luck. The person in front of him was obviously not from the capital. Maybe he had brought all his savings with him and could actually afford it?


    "One ¡­ one liang?" Mister Zhong went pale. How would he have so much money?! One liang, that was a string of copper coins! He hadn''t even had half of that at the beginning of their journey!


    The owner sighed. He knew, that what he had imagined had been too good to be true. "Well ¡­ You look like you came from far away. In this case, I could accept 500 copper coins."


    Mister Zhong''s hands trembled. 500 copper coins? Where was he supposed to get that much?


    Qiu Ling snorted in the shadows and made his way over. "Sounds like highway robbery to me."

 Chapter 46 - Where Did This Guy Come From?!

    The owner furrowed his brow. Where did this guy come from? How come he hadn''t seen him before or heard the door?


    Qiu Ling didn''t care for the ugly expression on the owner''s face, came forward and leaned against the counter. "I came to ask for a room, too, but it seems this isn''t the place for that. I''d suggest you go somewhere else, too", he proposed to Mister Zhong.


    "Ah ¡­" Mister Zhong didn''t know what to say. He had searched everywhere and only found this place. And now it had turned dark. He couldn''t go anywhere else!


    The owner grit his teeth. His inn wasn''t situated in a good position and not many people had come by in the last few days. If those two also went somewhere else ¡­ "Alright, alright. Looking at how it''s late already, I think 250 copper coins would be enough."


    Qiu Ling ran his finger over the counter, lifted his hand and rubbed his fingers together. Dust trickled down. "250 ¡­ seems like quite a lot."


    The owner went from gritting to gnashing his teeth. Where did this guy come from?! He''d earn nothing, if it went on like this! "It seems like it at first, but it actually isn''t that much. You see: He wants one room and place in the stables. That are two things he has to pay for. Only a room would of course be cheaper."


    Mister Zhong pressed his lips together. We really shouldn''t have taken the horses with us! We might be able to get a room without them.


    Qiu Ling just glanced at the owner. "Is that so?", he drawled and dusted his hands off.


    The owner gulped. Somehow it seemed, that this guy knew all too well, that he was trying to hornswoggle them. But could anything happen, if he just pretended, that these prices were normal? The other man looked, as if he was nearly convinced. Yes, I should just concentrate on the other one!


    He turned toward Mister Zhong and forced a smile. "So, how about it? The room and the place in the stable for 250 copper coins?"


    "That ¡­" Mister Zhong had that much, but he really didn''t want to spend all of it. Those were his savings of many years! And what if they couldn''t find his cousin tomorrow? What if they really had to travel back home? Ah! Maybe we can sell one or two of the horses? Shouldn''t we get money from that? Then we wouldn''t have to worry. Mister Zhong took a deep breath, intent on just taking the risk, but Qiu Ling interrupted him.


    "Actually, some streets further ¡ª"


    "Aiya! Look at me!" The owner didn''t let Qiu Ling finish his sentence. Just those couple of words reminded him of the inn three streets further. He and the owner of that inn had always been in a competition. Unfortunately for him, the people liked the other inn more. It was neater and the owner didn''t try to ask for horrendous prices. Going there felt comfortable and yes, they had a stable.


    It was just, that the Zhongs hadn''t come upon that inn. Even Qiu Ling didn''t know there was such an establishment. He had just tried to come up with something and there had to be an inn somewhere. In fact, Qiu Ling didn''t even know, that the prices were too high, he had only thought so because of the way the owner looked at Mister Zhong and reduced the price by half as soon as he knew, that this potential guest couldn''t pay that much. If his rooms were really worth that much, would he drop the price like that? And now it seemed, that his gamble had paid off.


    The owner slapped a slip of paper on his counter. "I looked at the wrong thing. That would be ¡­ the price for a week. It''s only 50 copper coins for a day."


    Mister Zhong''s brows lifted. He wasn''t dumb. The owner had changed prices three times in only a couple of minutes. That certainly wasn''t normal. He examined the man next to him. A slight smile played at the corners of his mouth. That man seemed to have known, that something was up. Thank heavens, that man had entered after him!


    "50 copper coins?", Mister Zhong repeated. That seemed like a more decent price. Unsure, he looked at the man next to him again.


    Unfortunately, Qiu Ling also didn''t know, what a normal price would be. It had been ages, since he had been in the human realm. And he had never bothered with things like inns. He looked at the owner and tried to gauge his expression.


    Having that serious gaze directed at him, the owner started sweating. He felt like kneeling down to that guest and begging him to stop. He could have made so much money! And now he didn''t only miss out on the money, he was even losing face! He felt like crying ¡­


    "Oh ¡­ Oh, look at this." The owner slapped a different piece of paper, his hand covering as much of the writing as possible. "You''re in the capital for the first time, right?"


    Qiu Ling didn''t react, but Mister Zhong nodded.


    "So, it''s like this: For those, who come to the capital for the first time, we''re giving them something like ¡­ a ¡­ present. Yes, that''s right, a present. They ¡­ have to pay ¡­" He took a peek at Qiu Ling and tried to ascertain how much he''d be willing to pay.


    Feeling the mans gaze, Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes to slits. There seemed to be a dangerous glint in them, that sent shivers down the owner''s spine.


    "Half!", he tried for the last time. "They only have to pay half. So it would be 25 copper coins."


    "25 copper coins ¡­" Qiu Ling repeated the number slowly. Mn, I should have taken someone with me who knows about such things. But ¡­ it doesn''t seem much?


    Really, who expects the dragon king to have any concept of money? Whoever does, certainly didn''t know Qiu Ling. Was something expensive? Was it cheap? He didn''t know. Though he could glean the quality of things, he never knew how much they were actually worth. He would just pay whatever was asked for, if he liked them.


    But Qiu Ling knew, that the Zhongs were different. They didn''t have much money. He should try to get a better deal for his future father-in-law.


    With that thought in mind, Qiu Ling nodded slowly. "Mn. So, since we''re two people, that''d be twelve copper coins for each of us, no?"


    "Tw¡ª twelve?" The owner rubbed his ears. Did he hear wrong?


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Of course. You said to pay 25, we are two people, but you can''t want half a coin from us, no? Don''t you think asking for half a coin is ridiculous?"


    "Yes, sure, bu¡ª"


    "Great. Then I guess, there should be no other problem." He smiled and turned around to Mister Zhong. "I seem to have seen, that your wife and child are waiting outside. Why don''t you pay first?"


    "Sure ¡­ Thank you very much, kind Sir." Mister Zhong nodded and gave the stupefied owner the twelve copper coins. After that, he went out to bring the horses into the stable and get his family. Qiu Ling, too, went into one of the free rooms, though his body vanished as soon as the door closed behind him.


    Meanwhile, the owner sat at the counter and pondered over a difficult problem: In the end, why did they each pay half, when they didn''t come together?

 Chapter 47 - Just Wanted to Have a Look

    Mister Zhong sighed contented, when he and his family finally settled into the room. It was really a lucky coincidence, that that other guest came today, too.


    Madam Zhong brought Jing Yi to bed and then sat down next to her husband. "How are we going to find your cousin''s stall? The room was probably quite expensive. We can''t stay here for long."


    Mister Zhong nodded. "We could stay some days, but I''d rather we find Ah Gang''s stall tomorrow. We can''t spend too much money and he''s waiting for us to arrive, too." He sighed. "It''s a pity I''ve never been here before or knew at least something about the stall." He took out the letter, his cousin had written, and unfolded it, staring at the characters. He couldn''t read, so it was pointless, but he still had the slight hope, that somehow a miracle would happen. "In hindsight, maybe it would have been better to ask Mister Pi to read it to us."


    "What are you talking about? You''re not really still thinking, that something is wrong with that daoist master, are you? Ah Lei, he saved your life! Our lives! Could he really be a bad man?"


    "I don''t know." Mister Zhong shook his head. "I just don''t understand all of that. Mister Pi might be a gossip monger, but at least I know what to expect. Don''t you also think, that a lot of things have happened, after that man came by?"


    "What are you talking about?" Madam Zhong furrowed her brow. She had also thought a lot about that daoist master, but always because she feared to lose her son to him in the future, not because she didn''t trust him to keep Jing Yi save.


    "Have you never thought, that a lot of things wouldn''t have happened, if he didn''t come by? Those rumors back then ¡­"


    "And isn''t that the only bad thing? He helped stopping them, too. You can''t really fault him. He already turned immortal. He probably didn''t think about how he looks. If not for Lian Mei, nothing would have happened."


    "That''s true, but ¡ª"


    "No! No but. Think about it: How often has he helped us? Saving me and Jing''er back then, diffusing the rumors, bringing Jing''er back, when you lost him in the woods, reading that letter to Jing''er, saving you from the first bandit, saving us from the bandits after that, escorting us the whole way to the capital. He did all those things. We''re incredibly lucky to have his protection."


    "Aren''t you the least bit afraid?"


    Madam Zhong smiled wryly. "Of course I am."


    "Me, too. I just ¡­ I''m afraid what will happen in the future."


    His wife nodded. "I don''t know what to think. I believe he is a good man. And without him, maybe neither me nor Jing Yi would be alive. But I''m afraid, that he''ll take Jing''er away one day. He is our only child. I ¡­ don''t want him to go. Though, it might be good for him."


    "Becoming a daoist ¡­ is it really that great? Look at Qiguan Cheng Da. He couldn''t do anything. Is that really better than working in the fields?"


    Madam Zhong shook her head. "Certainly not, but if Jing''er could follow that master, he''d certainly learn much more."


    "How long ¡­ How long do you think, he''d leave him with us?"


    Madam Zhong could only shake her head once again. "I don''t know, I just hope, it''s not too soon."


    Qiu Ling, who had sat at Jing Yi''s bedside the whole time, sighed. "So that was, what you''re worried about? You don''t have to be. I won''t take him away, if you don''t want me to. I could just move in with you. What''s so bad about being a live-in son-in-law?" Seriously, he didn''t mind. Madam Zhong was a good wife and mother and she liked him, he was sure about that. And while Mister Zhong was still a little skeptical, he was a way better father-in-law, than that grumpy heavenly emperor.


    Mn. I should help my in-laws to dispel their doubts.


    Qiu Ling stood up, straightened his clothes and combed through his hair with his fingers. To make sure, he made the best possible impression, he even summoned a water mirror and made sure, he looked great.


    Mn, handsome, he evaluated himself, put down the water mirror and let the spell hiding his figure fall.


    The Zhongs sprang to their feet. Madam Zhong shrieked and grabbed her husbands arm, nearly darting behind him. Qiu Ling''s gaze roamed around.


    That ¡­ probably wasn''t the best way to appear? He lifted his hand and coughed.


    "I''m sorry. I was worried, you might not be able to adapt to the capital, so I swung by to have a look."


    "Have ¡­ have a look?" Mister Zhong gulped. This man''s way of having a look was ¡­ too terrifying. He clasped a hand over his chest and took a deep breath, to calm down his heart.


    Madam Zhong dared to step out from behind her husband, when she saw, that it was the daoist master, they had just spoken about. "Thank you very much for worrying so much about us."


    Mister Zhong nodded. "Yes, yes. But we''re alright."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling glanced at Jing Yi. The boy had stirred at Madam Zhong''s shriek, but he was probably too tired, so that he only turned around in his sleep and didn''t wake up. Qiu Ling''s glance wandered further, seemingly taking in the room. "This seems like an inn?"


    "That ¡­ yes", Mister Zhong confessed. "We''re a little early, so we didn''t want to inconvenience my family."


    Madam Zhong threw him a glance and took the letter, he had crumpled at the shock Qiu Ling gave him. "Daoist master, in fact, more than not inconveniencing him ¡­ we couldn''t find their place. We''ve never been here. Was there something in the letter you could tell us?"


    Qiu Ling extended his hand. "Let me have a look again. I didn''t read properly the last time." Indeed, he had just skimmed the letter and not cared any further.


    Madam Zhong didn''t mind and handed it over. Qiu Ling read it carefully this time, then considered, where they were right now. "You''re at the wrong place indeed. What your cousin owns, isn''t a food stall, like you imagine, but a restaurant in one of the smaller streets right next to the main road leading into the capital." Reading this and having to say it out loud, he felt like apologizing to his in-laws. They had actually passed said restaurant this afternoon, when they left the main street! Why didn''t he remember the name?!


    Mister and Madam Zhong exchanged a glance. No wonder, they hadn''t found anything ¡­


    "Thank you, daoist master." Mister Zhong nodded and fell silent again.


    Qiu Ling just murmured an acknowledgment, but didn''t say anything else. Of course, he had heard every word the Zhongs said before, but it wasn''t for him to start that topic. He could only wait.


    Madam Zhong looked at her husband and then at Qiu Ling. She knew, her husband wouldn''t ask. He would just hope, that the daoist would disappeared and never contact them again. But they both knew, that that wouldn''t happen. Instead of always waiting and being worried about the future, why not make sure once and for all?


    "Daoist master, I ¡­ would like to ask you a question, if I may."

 Chapter 48 - That Would Sound Creepy

    Here it comes. Qiu Ling had a look around and sat down at the table. "This seems to be something, that''ll take a little longer." He straightened his robes and looked up at the Zhongs. "Just ask, whatever it is you want to know."


    "Daoist master, you ¡­ have helped our family a great deal. We are truly grateful to you, it''s just that ¡­ we were wondering, why you are helping us out of all people?"


    Qiu Ling''s gaze fell on Jing Yi''s small body. The blanket rose and fell with every breath he took. This journey had really taken a toll on him. "Isn''t that because of your son?"


    The Zhongs exchanged glances. They had known, of course, but assuming and directly hearing it were two different things. "May we know why? Is it that ¡­ you ¡­" Madam Zhong broke off.


    Mister Zhong couldn''t take it anymore and just asked directly: "What do you intend to do with our son?"


    Marrying him! Of course, Qiu Ling was intelligent enough, to not say that aloud. If I said that, it would sound creepy and they''d try everything to keep their son away from me. So, how to give a satisfactory answer, they could believe without being put off? I can''t just tell them the truth, can I?


    He considered it for a moment and finally sighed. "There are some things, I am not sure I should mention. Let me just say this: To this person ¡­ I am incredibly grateful."


    Indeed, I am. Grateful for being able to see him that fateful night, grateful for being allowed to shower him with my affection, grateful for earning his love in return. Jing He, the person I am most grateful to in this life, is you.


    The Zhongs, of course, couldn''t understand. "How so? He is only seven and you were even there, when he was born ¡­" Mister Zhong''s voice trailed off. He didn''t know what else to say. What was this man thinking? They weren''t dumb! Who would believe something like that?


    Qiu Ling sighed, stood up and went over to Jing Yi''s bed. He sat down at his bedside, reached out and smoothed his black hair. "He is. Right now, he is." He could virtually feel their uncomprehending looks at his back. "Three immortal souls and seven mortal forms. Isn''t this just one mortal form of his?"


    And the one, he had fallen in love with, was the one carrying this immortal soul. If he had to follow him through seven mortal lifetimes, he would do so, even though he didn''t like it.


    "Seven ¡­ mortal forms?" The Zhongs exchanged another glance.


    "So you mean to say, that you knew him in another life?", Madam Zhong couldn''t help but clarify.


    Qiu Ling considered and finally nodded. "For what happened in that lifetime, I will pay him back in this one." And every other lifetime he may have. Wherever you go, I''ll follow along, Jing He. I will never leave you. Never.


    "So it''s like that." Madam Zhong sighed. She couldn''t help feeling relieved.


    Qiu Ling turned toward them and smiled. "I know, you must have misgivings about me."


    "We wouldn''t ¡ª"


    "It''s alright. It just shows, that he was lucky with reincarnating into your house. I am very grateful for that, too. He deserves having such a home."


    "So ¡­" Mister Zhong scratched his head. He felt like the daoist master was pretty direct. It shouldn''t be a problem to ask a little more, no? "You don''t want to take him away, to make him into a daoist?"


    "Uh ¡­ no." How would I? I don''t know the first thing about human cultivation! Dragons were born with magic and a sturdy body. Cultivation? What did they need that for? Though, he could teach him the way of the sword ¡­


    The Zhongs looked at him doubtfully, so he didn''t have another choice but to explain: "Well, I did say before, that I had some relation with the dragon folk. That wasn''t just something I made up on the spot. You could say ¡­ our ¡­" He pondered what humans called those things again. "Sect?" Seemed legit. "Our sect''s techniques can only be learned by those with the right heritage. You need to have some dragon blood. Your son wouldn''t qualify."


    "So our son was a dragon in his last life?"


    Black lines ran down Qiu Ling''s face. Father-in-law, seriously, how did you arrive at that conjecture? Did I say anything about that? "No. That isn''t the case."


    "Oh." Mister Zhong felt a little dejected. Look at that Long mountain range! Wouldn''t being a dragon be great? Well, in the end, it didn''t make a difference. In this life, his son certainly was a hundred percent human. Nothing could change that.


    "So he can remain with us?" Madam Zhong didn''t fail to come back to the issue, that had kept bugging her.


    Qiu Ling nodded. "If he would ask me to take him somewhere else, I would do it. But as long as he wants to remain with his family, I will just stand aside and watch over him. I don''t have any intentions to go against his wishes. It''s up to him, where he wants to go in this lifetime." Whatever it is, I''ll just accompany him. "There really is no need to worry. I probably ¡­ should have said this sooner. I''m sorry for that. You probably worried not just a little about this."


    The Zhongs didn''t dare to admit it, but also didn''t dare to deny. Who would lie to a daoist master?


    Qiu Ling just smiled. "It''s alright. I know, I didn''t think things through in the beginning. What happened after he was born, was indeed my fault. That was why I hurried back, as soon as I perceived something was wrong with him. It''s just that I seem to have arrived at too late a time. It had some impact on his life."


    Madam Zhong lowered her head. Yes, that was true. But she felt it was more her fault, than the daoist masters. She had been afraid and protected her son too much because of that. Nothing could be done about that anymore. She could only try to let him have a normal life in the future.


    Qiu Ling patted Jing Yi''s head again and stood up. "You seem to be doing well and I hope, you don''t have to worry anymore now. For now, I should probably go."


    "I''ll show you the way." Mister Zhong hurried to the door, but was whacked over the head by Madam Zhong.


    "Does the daoist master need to use the door?"


    "Uh ¡­ No." Mister Zhong scratched his head again. His wife was right.


    Qiu Ling just continued smiling. "It would probably be less suspicious, if I did that."


    "I''ll show you the way." Madam Zhong shoved her husband out of the way and opened the door.


    Oh? Qiu Ling''s eyebrows rose slightly. It seems, my future mother-on-law isn''t completely satisfied yet with the things I said just now. He nodded at Mister Zhong, passed through the door and waited for Madam Zhong to follow him.


    Indeed, they had just reached the end of the corridor, when Madam Zhong stopped and turned around to him. "Daoist master, there is another thing, I don''t know, if I should ask."

 Chapter 49 - As Sharp as Expected

    Qiu Ling turned to the window. Stars already littered the sky, glinting on the edges of the roof tiles and illuminating the streets of the capital. Down there, nobody could be seen, building a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle, that dictated the capital in the day. Such a night ¡­ really evoked memories.


    In such a night he had encountered Jing He for the first time and madly fallen in love. One glance had been enough, only listening for a bit ¡­


    "Just ask", he said in a low voice, not wanting to disturb the atmosphere.


    "Maybe it''s too much of a personal matter, but ¡­ that person you talked about, could it be ¡­ you were in love with him?"


    Qiu Ling''s smile broadened. Both my future mothers-in-law are so sharp! Is that the intuition of a woman? "What if I said, you are right?"


    Madam Zhong shook her head. "I just want to know."


    "Aren''t you afraid, that this might be a problem for your son? What if I insisted to continue with whatever happened with that person?"


    "Then my son would be incredibly lucky." She smiled and looked with him out at the stars. "From how you talk about that person, it''s obvious that he must have meant very much to you. And considering how you helped Jing''er and us on more than one occasion, even though Jing''er isn''t that person himself, but only his reincarnation, it can be seen, that you treat those you love with care and sincerity. Having such a person by my son''s side ¡­ How could I protest to that?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. Indeed. "You are indeed right. That person ¡­ I love him deeply, I still do. There is nothing that can change that. So ¡­ Madam Zhong, you don''t have to worry. For as long as Jing Yi lives, I''ll watch over him. I won''t let anything bad happen to him. I''ll make sure, he is happy."


    Madam Zhong could hear, that this wasn''t just him promising to keep her son out of trouble, but she didn''t ask further. Her son was too young now. Even if the man in front of her had any intentions to really pick up, what couldn''t be finished in her son''s last life, he would still have to wait for her son to grow up. She could still worry about these things, when that time came. For now, keeping him safe was all she cared about. "Will you always know, if he is in danger?"


    "Mn." Of course he would. He was always at Jing Yi''s side. How could he miss any danger?


    "That''s good then. I shouldn''t delay you any longer."


    "I don''t mind." Qiu Ling smiled at her again, then turned around and vanished down the corridor.


    Madam Zhong stood motionless next to the window and watched him disappear. She had always had a good feeling about him and had only been worried about his intentions in regards to her son''s future. Now that she knew, she could be unconcerned. She didn''t have to let her son go and he wouldn''t have any expectations placed on him. He could decide, whatever he wanted to do. This man, he really was their savior.


    She went back to the room and had a look at her son, who was still sleeping peacefully. Yes, it felt good to have her doubts dispelled. And in regards to him someday requiting that man''s love or not ¡­ She wouldn''t worry about it. After everything she had seen, she didn''t think Qiu Ling would force her son. Everything could just take its natural course. If Jing Yi ever fell in love, it was alright, but it would be alright, too, if he didn''t.


    Mister Zhong came over and stood next to her, likewise looking at their son. "Do you believe, what he said?"


    Madam Zhong lifted her brows. "Who was the one asking, if our son had been a dragon in his last life?"


    Mister Zhong scratched his head and laughed. "He was talking about previous lives and the dragon folk. What else should I have thought?"


    "If dragons really came to our realm before, then one certainly didn''t need to be a dragon to encounter them."


    Mister Zhong slowly nodded. "So it turns out in the end ¡­ our son was the emperor."


    Madam Zhong stared at her husband exasperatedly, unable to say anything else.


    Qiu Ling, who had already returned and sat quietly at the table, put a hand to his forehead. How come, his mother-in-law was so sharp, while his father-in-law could make up such unbelievable nonsense? How had those two fallen in love in the first place?!

 Chapter 50 - Can’t Be His Child

    The next morning, Mister and Madam Zhong took their son to the restaurant in the side street Qiu Ling had told them about. They left the horses at the stable for the moment, since they were unsure, if they could leave them with Mister Zhong''s cousin.


    The restaurant, though in a side street, was in a good location and had become quite well known in the capital. It certainly was one of the more frequented establishments. Even now, early in the morning, people hurried through the streets and stepped into the building. A servant was waiting at the entrance, leading them to an unoccupied table at once.


    Mister Zhong and his family stopped in front of the building, unsure of what to do next. This was a completely new world to them.


    The black roof tiles glinted in the sun, the ornaments at the sides projecting shadows onto the walls below. The building had two floors, both of which already seemed to be filled with a lot of customers. Shadows scurried around inside. The waiters obviously had a lot to do. The entrance was broad enough to enter with a group of five people lined up next to each other and above hung a plaque with the restaurant''s name, that seemed to have been written by a renowned calligrapher. The interior, that could be seen from the street, looked more than decent. Looking at it from the perspective of a family like the Zhongs, it could even be described as expensive.


    Mister Zhong gulped. "This ¡­ is this really the restaurant, the daoist master was talking about?"


    "We only came through this street yesterday. It couldn''t be any other restaurant."


    Mister Zhong''s gaze roamed over the building once more. He knew, there was only one way, to find out for sure: He had to go up and ask. But even the servant at the entrance was better dressed than him. Asking, if this really was his cousin''s restaurant ¡­ He hadn''t enough face to lose. Wouldn''t he seem shameless, if it wasn''t his cousin''s restaurant in the end? It would seem as if he wanted to worm his way into some rich family to lead a comfortable life!


    "Just go!" His wife nudged him.


    Mister Zhong deeply breathed and went up to the servant. "Excuse me, I am searching for Zhong Gang."


    The servant eyed him suspiciously. It didn''t have to be said, that people like the Zhongs normally didn''t frequent the restaurant. "Who is that supposed to be?"


    "Uh ¡­" Mister Zhong shrunk his neck. He hadn''t been sure in the first place and now, confronted with the servant''s harsh attitude, he wanted to back down right away.


    Qiu Ling sighed. It would probably be better, if he didn''t hide his body and just accompanied them the whole way. How could everything go wrong with this family?


    He slipped into the restaurant, found a inconspicuous corner and dropped his spell. In a flash, he walked to the entrance and pretended to have just heard the conversation. "Zhong Gang? Isn''t that the owner?"


    Mister Zhong looked up, feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Indeed. The man, who just came out of the restaurant, was the same man, that had helped him in the inn yesterday! Mister Zhong broke out in a smile at seeing his savior.


    "The owner?" The servant eyed the Zhongs again. "What do you want from him?"


    Qiu Ling snorted, shook his head and exited the restaurant. "Wouldn''t one normally tell that to the person they want to see?"


    The servant grit his teeth. He wanted to rebuke that brazen guest, but though he seemed like he had traveled for a long time, the quality of his clothes and how he told his thoughts as a matter of course, clearly showed, that he was somebody with status, that couldn''t be offended. The servant could only force a smile and nod.


    "Of course, of course. I was just not sure, if I could be of any help to the guests, until someone can report to the owner."


    "Ah, no, no, that ¡­ isn''t necessary." Mister Zhong felt embarrassed. He was just a normal villager. How did he become a guest just through some words? This man was really special. He turned around and wanted to thank him, but nothing could be seen of that man anymore.


    The servant, too, turned around. He waved one of the other employees over and send him inside to get the owner, then went back to watching the Zhongs suspiciously. If the owner didn''t want to see them, he would gladly chase them away. Just imagining it let him smile.


    Mister Zhong relaxed his tensed shoulders. Look at that! That servant had seemed quite hostile at first, but now he was even smiling at them! Sure enough, this was a good restaurant. It might really be his cousin''s.


    Madam Zhong glanced at her husband and shook her head. How could somebody misunderstand someone this much? Her husband was really too naive!


    Meanwhile, the restaurant''s owner was on his way down to see, who these ''shabby people'' were, the servant had described. In case they were the people he was waiting for, he even went down himself. When he reached the entrance, he found a fuming servant, a man with a goofy smile on his face and a woman rolling her eyes with a child next to her.


    The owner laughed heartily. "Ah Lei! You already came. I expected you to only come in one or two weeks!" The owner hurried toward Mister Zhong and pulled him into a hug. "Ah, it''s so good to see you again!"


    Mister Zhong smiled even happier and hugged the man back. "Ah Gang! Haha, some things happened on the way here, that''s why we were faster than expected."


    "Tell me about it inside. Come on, come on. This has to be your beautiful wife? Ah, you didn''t brag for nothing!" He went over to Madam Zhong and smiled, then bent down to Jing Yi. "Oh? And who is this?"


    Jing Yi looked up to him, his doe eyes wide.


    "Ah, what a cute child! This has to be your wife''s younger brother!"


    "No, no. That''s my son."


    The owner turned around to Mister Zhong and lifted his brows. "How did you manage to get such a cute child? Ah, don''t tell me out here. Let''s go in. You must be hungry, right?", he asked, while already hurrying back into the building. He waved at the two servants. "Bring our specialties up for my guests." Then he rushed further into the building.


    Mister Zhong and his family could only hurry to keep up with him. The two servants stood at the entrance, that seemed somehow empty now. They exchanged glances and both thought the same: What exactly has just happened?

 Chapter 51 - I Don’t Need to Hear That

    Hong Bao stumbled out of the scribe''s palace in a daze. She didn''t know what to think let alone do. Shun Tao, her one true love, might ¡­ die? And it might be her own fault, because she had told someone about this assignment, he had entrusted her with.


    Oh no, oh no ¡­ What to do?


    Hong Bao went back to her room, without noticing anything about her surroundings. Accordingly, she didn''t detect, that quite a few gazes were following her. She could only concentrate on the problem at hand. Back in her room, she paced up and down, trying to think of something she could do. I have to help him somehow!


    First of all, we have to make sure, that nobody finds out about this! The only people, who know about the assignment are Shun Tao himself, me as his helper and Leng Jin Yu. I should first go and tell Leng Jin Yu!


    After not even five minutes in her room, Hong Bao stepped outside again and hurried to the courtyard. Unfortunately, nothing could be seen of Leng Jin Yu. Hong Bao grew anxious. Why wasn''t he there, when she needed him so urgently?


    What to do? What to do? She paced outside the courtyard and looked around in the hopes, that Leng Jin Yu would come back. Unfortunately for her, he was still in the god of war''s palace and as long as he didn''t have to, he would certainly not come back so soon. This was his chance to establish a relationship with the god of war. He would be an idiot, if he didn''t use such an opportunity.


    Hong Bao stopped near the entrance, lifted her hand and started biting at her fingernails. Notifying Leng Jin Yu would have to wait. Then how about after that? What was the next step to make sure, that nothing would happen to Shun Tao?


    She smote her forehead. Right! She had totally forgotten to tell Shun Tao, what she knew about the gods in the courtyard!


    Like that, Hong Bao hurried back to the scribe''s palace, once again preoccupied with her own thoughts and once again observed by quite a few people on the way.


    "Fate''s scribe!" Thankfully, Hong Bao still had enough of her thoughts with her to remember, that she couldn''t just casually call him by his name in front of him and maybe even other people.


    Shun Tao looked up from the scroll of fate, he had once again picked up.


    "I forgot to tell you about what I found out."


    "Mn." Shun Tao furled the scroll of fate and put it down. There was nothing he could do at the moment anyway. "So, what do you know?"


    "You only cared about Zhi Hao and Wen Xia, right?"


    Shun Tao nodded. They were the most likely candidates from that patch of young gods. He just didn''t know, which one of them was the culprit.


    "Wen Xia really did monitor different people each time. I don''t know much about the tasks of the scribes, but it seemed like he was watching those mortals entire lives in a short amount of time."


    "That doesn''t sound, as if it had anything to do with the crown prince."


    Hong Bao nodded. "At least I wouldn''t know, what a connection could be."


    "Then what about Zhi Hao? He should be our culprit then. What kind of people did he monitor? It should also be more than one person."


    Hong Bao nodded again. "There weren''t that many people though. The first one was a woman around 30 years of age."


    Shun Tao nodded. That could be Zhong Jing Yi''s mother, Madam Zhong.


    "Then there is another woman, who is a little younger. Sometimes, they even seemed to spend time together."


    Shun Tao nodded again. That should be one of the women from the village. Since she was younger than Madam Zhong, it could be Madam Shen, Lian Mei, who had lived in the house next to the Zhongs.


    "There''s a third woman."


    Shun Tao''s brows lifted. Where did all those women come from? "Did she have a relationship with the other two?"


    "Not as far as I know. At least they never appeared together. The same is true for the other two women he observed."


    "Two other women?"


    "Mn!" Hong Bao nodded. "He observed five women altogether."


    "Then ¡­ was there anything they had in common? Like ¡­ did they appear at the same places? Even if they themselves didn''t meet?" That could very well be the case. In fact, not monitoring Zhong Jing Yi, but instead people in his surroundings was brilliant. If the heavenly emperor had someone from the scribe''s palace watch over his son, he wouldn''t needlessly alarm them, while still being able to find out everything that happened around the boy.


    There were a lot of women in his village and the surrounding ones. Selecting some in strategic positions would be easy.


    "Mn, something like that. It weren''t exactly the same places, but really similar ones. And the things these women did were similar, too."


    "Oh? They were probably working in the village?"


    "No, no. The places they went were mostly ones with water, like the river or a room in the house with a big bucket." Hong Bao tried hard to remember every detail Leng Jin Yu had told her. "And they mostly did things like washing their hair or ¡ª"


    "Alright!" Shun Tao lifted a hand to interrupt her. "I don''t need to hear that. I can ¡­ imagine, what else he was observing there."


    "Really?" Hong Bao was impressed. As expected of the man I fell in love with! He''s just so smart!


    In regards to Hong Bao''s worshiping gaze, Shun Tao could only smile wryly. Yeah, he could vividly imagine, what a young god was doing, monitoring a bunch of women in the mortal realm ¡­ How come, this whole mission ended in disaster without yielding any results? Could it be, that I was wrong? Is the culprit really not one of them? But then ¡­ who is it?


    He sighed. "It seems, I''ll have to confess to the heavenly emperor."


    Hong Bao sprang to her feet. "No! You can''t! What if he really ¡­"


    Shun Tao shook his head. "Going and admitting my mistake is at least a bit better than waiting until he finds out himself."


    "You can''t. Give me a while. I''ll find a solution!"


    "Hong Bao ¡­" Shun Tao wanted to advise her against it, but Hong Bao just bent over the table and took his hand, squeezing it as if they were incredibly familiar with each other. "Don''t you worry! I''ll find a way, I promise!"


    "Well then, good luck. But I can at most wait another day. After that ¡­ I have to tell His Majesty."


    Hong Bao nodded. She certainly wouldn''t allow for anything to happen to her one true love!

 Chapter 52 - Never Trust a Woman In Love

    For the third time this day Hong Bao left the scribe''s palace. But instead of the tears and the daze she left the previous two times with, this time, Hong Bao felt nothing but determination. She would save her loved one! Whatever it might take, she would find a way. Nothing was too hard to achieve this goal. Even going against the whole nine heavens!


    She hurried back to the courtyard and this time managed to catch Leng Jin Yu.


    "Leng Jin Yu!" Hong Bao grabbed his arm and scrunched up her face.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "What is it now? Did the fate''s scribe ignore you again?"


    "No! It''s way, way, way worse! You have to help me!"


    Leng Jin Yu lifted his brows. Normally, he''d think, that this was indeed a major problem. But ¡­ it was Hong Bao, who told him about it. Knowing her for a week was enough to know, that it was entirely possible for her to say something like that, even if she just found out that one of her cookies had been scorched after the fate''s scribe ate it. In that case, she might describe in detail, how he had furrowed his brow, how his gaze had darted around and how he had struggled to swallow it down. She''d describe it as dramatically as if she had just seen the demise of a hundred lower realms.


    Considering this, Leng Jin Yu didn''t show the worried expression Hong Bao had hoped for. He only calmly looked at her. "What happened? We''ll see, what we can do about it."


    "Not here!" She peeked around, as if every person in the vicinity could be eavesdropping on the huge secret she wanted to tell. Leng Jin Yu didn''t answer and just let her grab his sleeve and lead him to an unoccupied corner.


    "So, what is this about?"


    "The things you know about Shun Tao''s mission: You can''t tell them to anyone!"


    Leng Jin Yu lifted his brows. How come she tells me that after I just came back from discussing it with the god of war? This couldn''t be some elaborate plan the fate''s scribe and the god of war had made together to test for both of their palaces? He considered this possibility, but finally decided, that this was most likely just Hong Bao being her usual self. "Why is that?"


    Hong Bao bit her lower lip and peeked around again. Satisfied, that nobody seemed to be around, she bent forward and waved him a little closer. "Shun Tao told me today: He could be killed because of this!"


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows lifted a little higher. "Because of the possible recruits?"


    Hong Bao nodded earnestly. Leng Jin Yu repressed a sigh. "What exactly has he said?"


    "I can''t tell you!"


    "Why that?"


    Hong Bao peeked around again. "I had to promise him. I can''t tell you more, really."


    "But didn''t you want my help?"


    Hong Bao pursed her lips. "Can''t you help me without knowing?"


    Leng Jin Yu shrugged. "If it''s about not saying anything ¡­ Of course I can comply in the future. Unfortunately, today the god of war came by and asked about it already. I didn''t see a need to hide anything, so naturally I answered him honestly."


    "What?!" Hong Bao''s eyes went wide and she grabbed the hem of his robe. "You have to go back there immediately! Tell him you misunderstood or something!"


    Leng Jin Yu grabbed her wrists and forced her hands down. "That would just make it all the more obvious, that something is wrong."


    "Than would do we do?"


    "I can''t help you, if I don''t know, what is going on. You''ll have to figure it out on your own." He turned around, but Hong Bao grabbed his sleeve.


    "No! You''re so much more intelligent than me. You have to help me!" Hong Bao certainly didn''t think of herself as dumb, but she did regard herself as a kindhearted person, that wasn''t able to understand those cunning ways of the people with high status.


    Leng Jin Yu returned to facing her. "Then you''d have to tell me what is going on."


    Hong Bao pursed her lips. I promised Shun Tao, that I wouldn''t. But if I don''t, than we might never find a way to get him out of this mess. I don''t want him to die! Shun Tao doesn''t know Leng Jin Yu, but I''m sure, he wouldn''t speak about it, when he knows how high the stakes are! Instead, he might have a way to help him ¡­


    She contemplated a bit further, than pulled him with her. "I''ll tell you, but we can''t talk here. Nobody else may know of this!"


    And like that, the promise Hong Bao had given Shun Tao, was broken the very same day. Ah, a woman in love should never be trusted. She might just get her adored one killed with her good intentions ¡­

 Chapter 53 - Some Stupid Law

    Leng Jin Yu sat in Hong Bao''s room, a hand at his forehead and his face scrunched up, not sure what to think. "Hong Bao ¡­"


    "Yes? Do you have an idea already?"


    "First of all, tell me ¡ª and please take a moment to think deeply about this ¡ª the things you just told me ¡­ Are they exactly like the fate''s scribe told them to you? Nothing omitted, nothing added, nothing exaggerated?"


    "Why would I do something like ¡ª"


    "I said to think about it a moment."


    "Oh." Hong Bao shut up and remembered her conversation with Shun Tao. It seemed ¡­ she had told Leng Jin Yu all of it? "It really was everything. I didn''t forget anything."


    "And you didn''t add anything?"


    "Why would I ¡ª"


    "Nothing you thought he might have implied?"


    "No. He said all of that."


    "Exactly like that?" Leng Jin Yu lifted his brows. He didn''t really trust her on this. Hong Bao was a little ¡­ too creative with her mind.


    Hong Bao nodded. Why is he asking me this? Of course, this is what Shun Tao said!


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. For the moment, he could only accept, what she had said. "So, the gist of it should be, that the fate''s scribe was responsible for the crown prince''s trial in the mortal world, but someone tried to thwart the prepared fate and so the crown prince still wasn''t able to finish any trial as of now?"


    "Mn!" Hong Bao nodded again.


    "And the fate''s scribe didn''t go to the heavenly emperor immediately, but instead waited a whole week, because he wanted to catch the culprit?"


    "Yes. That''s what he said. That was why he monitored the gods in the courtyard."


    Leng Jin Yu clasped his hands over his face. Damn. I shouldn''t have gone with her. I shouldn''t have listened to this! I don''t want to be part of this mess!


    "What is it? Is it a difficult problem? Do you also not know how to help him?" Hong Bao scurried to the place next to him and gripped his arm, shaking it as if an idea might just tumble out of his sleeve if she did.


    Leng Jin Yu dropped his hands and turned around to her with an even more serious face than normal. "That isn''t the problem!"


    "How is that not the problem? This is about Shun Tao''s life!" Hong Bao sprang to her feet, her hands clenched into fists. "I shouldn''t have told you!"


    "Hong Bao." Leng Jin Yu leaned forward and stared into her eyes. "Tell me honestly: Do you know what a grave issue those trials are?"


    "Of course I know, that they''re serious! Why would the gods go do them if not?"


    Leng Jin Yu slumped in his chair. "When did you say you came to the nine heavens?"


    "Mn ¡­ It''s been some years here. So it should be around a millennium in the mortal world?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s head made contact with the table. "I''ve only been here for a few weeks and I know more than you. With which of your qualities do you think the fate''s scribe would fall in love?"


    He was mumbling into his sleeve, so Hong Bao didn''t quite catch, what he was saying. But she did manage to hear something about ''fate''s scribe'' and ''love''. Happily, she sat down opposite Leng Jin Yu. "Did you just say, you have a way to save my love?"


    Leng Jin Yu lifted his head and looked at her with a deadpan expression. She really doesn''t understand. Why am I even surprised by that? "Hong Bao, you do know about the laws of heaven, don''t you?"


    "Of course!" Hong Bao replied, as if it was a matter of course.


    "Really?" He drew his eyebrows together, unsettling her for a moment.


    "That ¡­ aren''t they the laws that govern all living things?"


    "They are."


    "Then why are you asking after that? Everyone knows them!" Hong Bao shook her head disgruntled. "You better think about how to help Shun Tao!"


    "I am helping him through educating you."


    "You ¡ª" Hong Bao pressed her lips together and thought for a while to find a good cussword, but came up with nothing.


    "Yes, yes, I know. You don''t like me saying that. Back to the topic: If you know heaven''s law, then do you know the law of balance?"


    "What balance?"


    Leng Jin Yu breathed deeply. So she has heard of the laws, but has no idea whatsoever what they are about. "Then let me tell you about it, because this is exactly the reason, your crush is in so much trouble right now."


    "Because of some stupid law?! I thought it was because of the crown prince!"


    "Who''s the stupid one here! Those two things are more or less the same. Now listen!", he said and lifted his index finger to prevent her impending interruption. "The law of balance basically says that for every good thing there has to be a bad thing, too. For every power one has there has to be a weakness. The gods, the demons, the dragons ¡­ This law concerns all of them. And because of their considerable powers they have strong weaknesses, too. For the gods, this weakness are the trials they have to face. Some scholars said, that it would teach the gods compassion, if ¡­ Whatever." Leng Jin Yu stopped explaining, when he noticed how Hong Bao got impatient.


    "The thing is: These trials have to be completed because of the heaven''s laws. No god is able to circumvent that. The god of war completed these trials, your fate''s scribe did and even the heavenly emperor had to do it. Naturally, the same applies to our crown prince."


    "So those trials are important. I get it." Hong Bao waved his explanation away. "That''s really interesting, but I don''t understand what that has to do with Shun Tao."


    "He is the one who picked the trials for the crown prince and wrote a fate, that enables him to pass them. But now this fate won''t come about. The crown prince can''t pass his trials and if he doesn''t ¡­" Leng Jin Yu shook his head, the look in his eyes full of worry. "He could very well lose his life."

 Chapter 54 - Let Them Spend Time Together

    Back in the mortal realm, nobody thought of any impending danger. The Zhongs were sitting with Mister Zhongs cousin, Zhong Gang, in his study on the second floor of his restaurant and chatted happily about what each of them had experienced in the last couple of years.


    Yes, it already had been eight years, since Mister Zhong and his cousin had seen each other the last time. Furthermore, before that, they had seen each other only for one other time. But they had hit it off right off the bat. That was why his cousin immediately thought of Mister Zhong, when he needed someone for his second establishment. Which person could be better suited than someone from his family he got along with well?


    The two men easily talked away a good half of the day, until they finally arrived at the story about how the Zhongs had traveled to the capital.


    "You really had incredible luck!", Zhong Gang exclaimed and shook his head. "Really, I don''t even want to imagine, what could have happened, if you didn''t know that daoist master. Maybe I shouldn''t have invited you to the capital?" He couldn''t help but to reproach himself. He shouldn''t have invited them so casually! "I had heard of the bandits in the mountains, but who would have thought? I should have written that in my letter. I''m really sorry, Ah Lei!"


    "It''s nothing, it''s nothing! You also know I can''t read. Writing it down wouldn''t have made any difference. Haha, we didn''t even find your restaurant, when we arrived yesterday. That daoist master had only told us, that you asked for us to come here in the letter. He didn''t say anything else. I wasn''t expecting ¡­" Mister Zhong looked around and smiled wryly. "You said you were doing good, but it''s even more than that."


    "Haha." Zhong Gang, too, laughed and slapped Mister Zhong on the shoulder. "Don''t say that, don''t say that! This is the capital after all. It''s to be expected to be different from a village, no?"


    Mister Zhong winced, secretly gripping his shoulder, when his family didn''t look. It felt like that slap just now had aggravated his wound again. Unfortunately, not even Qiu Ling was paying him attention.


    The dragon king was caught up in observing Jing Yi once again. The boy had reined his curiosity in for some hours, but finally couldn''t hold back and started to run around, examining every new thing he found. And he found a lot.


    The village he grew up in had only things, that were absolutely necessary for daily life. This restaurant was obviously meant for a more affluent clientele, so everything about it resonated with such people. The beautiful carvings on the furniture, the decorative scroll hanging on the wall, even the writing brush and ink were new to Zhong Jing Yi. With wide eyes he took everything in, not caring about the conversation behind him.


    Finally, he returned to his parents side, but he was clearly not satisfied. He wanted to see the rest of the restaurant! He turned toward the man his father was chatting with and trained his gaze on him.


    Zhong Gang still spoke with Mister Zhong, but soon felt an unwavering gaze on him. He turned toward the child next to his cousin and couldn''t help but smile. He reached over and pinched his cheeks. "Ah, you''re such a cute boy! Why can''t I have such a lovely child?" In fact, Zhong Gang had a daughter, but having grown up in the capital with some of the wealthier merchants sometimes bringing their children along, she had grown a bit conceited. Seeing such an innocent child like Zhong Jing Yi, that could be excited by such simple things like a brush or an ink stone, he couldn''t help but long to see his own child like this.


    Zhong Gang thoughtfully stroked his beard. Maybe it wouldn''t be a bad idea to let them spend some time together ¡­


    Qiu Ling''s eyes narrowed. He saw Zhong Gang''s calculative gaze. Even though he didn''t know, what the man was thinking, he didn''t like it one bit. His intuition told him, that he should be cautious.


    "You seem to be really interested in the things around here, Jing''er. How about having a look around the rest of the restaurant? Only staying here in my study must be boring for you."


    Jing Yi nodded eagerly. "Mn! Thank you, uncle!" Jing Yi seldom smiled as carefree as this. Two small dimples showed on his cheek.


    Qiu Ling clasped his chest and deeply breathed. Oh, heaven! What did I just see? This is ¡­ too cute! Ah, I also want to pinch his cheeks ¡­ His fingers twitched, but he held back. There would be opportunities in the future! A lot of opportunities! He would definitely make up for it.


    Meanwhile, Zhong Gang stood up and waved his cousin''s family with him. "Come, come, let''s have a look around. After that, how about I''ll bring you home? You can get to know my wife and daughter." He smiled, while his gaze fell on Jing Yi again.


    Qiu Ling perked up. This gaze ¡­ Wait! "Daughter?" He tilted his head to the side. It seems, I''ll have to remind Jing Yi soon, that little girls aren''t the right people to accompany him ¡­


    His lips held a sinister smile and his eyes sparkled. I''ll make sure, nobody dares to set their eyes on my beloved!

 Chapter 55 - A Sudden Turn

    As proposed, Zhong Gang showed the Zhongs around the restaurant, before giving some reminders to his employees and heading out. "About those horses you told me about, I''ll send one of my servants to get them later. In fact, we do need some horses, so it''s perfect you brought them back." He laughed once again, while leading the way through the streets.


    "Ah, have a look at that!" He pointed at another restaurant on the other side of the street. "That''s the Wu''s restaurant. It was there before we opened, so the owner blames his recent losses on me, but in fact it hasn''t been doing well for quite some time already."


    "Oh." Mister Zhong nodded and instantly thought of the tigers and dragons Mister Pi had told them about. Hopefully, the Wu''s were neither of them.


    "That over there", continued Zhong Gang and motioned at a house in another side street. "That is the house of a good friend of mine, Shao Chen. He''s a merchant and brings the things I need for the restaurant back to the capital for a good price. That new establishment I am planning is mostly thanks to him. He has a lot of connections and managed to get some special tealeaves ¡­ Did I mention, that it''s a teahouse I want to open?" He turned around to Mister Zhong, who could only shake his head.


    "No. Maybe you wrote it in the letter?"


    "Maybe." Zhong Gang thought a bit, but couldn''t remember, so he just waved it away. "Well, what I want to say is: It''s thanks to him, that you''re here now. Haha, I should find an opportunity to let you meet." Zhong Gang continued to point out the houses and establishments of friends and enemies alike.


    The Zhongs didn''t even manage to remember half of them. In fact, asking them how they had finally arrived at Zhong Gang''s home probably wouldn''t yield any result. They had seen and heard so much, that they couldn''t even remember the way they had taken.


    Zhong Gang didn''t notice this problem and just brought them into the house quickly. "Wife! Wife!", he called out, as soon as he stepped inside. "Come and have a look, who''s here! Ah Lei and his family already came!" He stood in the entrance proudly, with Mister Zhong and his family a little lost behind him.


    Was it really alright, to just come here like this? After all, they had only been expected in another one or two weeks. Mister and Madam Zhong exchanged a glance, both clearly thinking the same. But now it was too late anyway.


    Jing Yi didn''t think further and only examined his uncle''s home, Qiu Ling once again right behind him, ready to brave whatever danger might befall his beloved.


    Finally, a woman walked in. She was some years older than Madam Zhong, but the finely made dress with the bright colors made that nearly imperceptible. She hadn''t heard, what her husband had said, and only noticed, that he seemed to have returned sooner today. Correspondingly, she was quite surprised seeing the people behind him. She forced a smile, seeing their humble appearance.


    She hadn''t minded, when her husband told her he wanted to invite his family to the capital to help him with the teahouse. But then again, she hadn''t imagined his family to look like this. Zhong Gang''s father had already made quite a bit of money and he took the business over early, so when she married him, nothing could be seen of his humble heritage. Seeing this family now, it was quite the shock to her.


    Zhong Gang laughed. "Quite the surprise, eh?"


    "Ah ¡­ indeed." She nodded at Mister and Madam Zhong. "My husband has told me a lot about you already. It''s great, you came earlier!" So she said, but she didn''t really think like that. She couldn''t help wondering if those people might have ulterior motives. Didn''t people always tell such stories? Ah, you couldn''t even trust your own family nowadays! She really hoped her husband would wake up from his fantasies soon.


    Qiu Ling threw a glance at this other Madam Zhong and snorted. Sure enough, my mother-in-law is better. Now wonder, such a woman has a daughter. Speaking of which ¡­ He looked around, but couldn''t find that damn girl anywhere. "Hmph. It''s better, if you stay away. I also wouldn''t want to hurt someone from my beloved''s extended family." With that thought, he turned to Jing Yi again, who was running through the room.


    But Qiu Ling was not the only one, who thought of that girl. Zhong Gang perked up and smiled at his wife. "That''s right. Where is Guanyu? Ah Lei brought his son with him. They''re nearly around the same age. They''d certainly get along well!"


    The lips of his wife twitched. She knew her husband well enough to understand, what was going on in his head. "Guanyu is busy right now." She didn''t add any explanation, leaving Zhong Gang to feel a little awkward.


    With a nervous laugh, he scratched his head. Qiu Ling coughed. They really are family! Father-in-law would certainly have done the same!


    "Well, nothing can be done about that, I guess ¡­ Jing Yi, I hope you don''t mind." He bent down a little and smiled at the boy.


    Jing Yi turned around and smiled, happy that his uncle had not called his daughter over. If he could decide, he''d never meet her!


    Zhong Gang''s wife turned around, seeing her husband speak to Jing Yi. She took one look at the boy and her attitude turned around. "Ah, what a lovely child! So this is your son? Mn, he really looks like he is Guanyu''s age!"


    Madam Zhong smiled, proud of her son''s good looks. Which mother wouldn''t want her daughter to marry someone good looking? "Mn, Jing Yi is seven. But he is a little shy."


    "No problem, no problem!" Her eyes shone and she hurried to Madam Zhong''s side, intimately grabbing her arm. "Come, come, sister, have a look at my daughter."


    "Ah ¡­" Even Madam Zhong felt overstrained at this sudden turn in attitude. Was her son''s face really that useful? But she couldn''t refuse, so she threw her husband a reassuring glance and let the other woman take her away.


    Qiu Ling''s gaze followed them, while his eyes narrowed dangerously. Don''t think, I''ll let you use my mother-in-law against me! Whatever you do, it''ll be pointless. Jing He is mine. Mine alone.

 Chapter 56 - Who’s The Best?

    Zhong Gang thought it for the best, to bring up the subject of their children to his cousin as soon as possible. He scooted over, while stroking his beard, and leaned a little closer. "Ah Lei, truthfully, I like that son of yours. And look at my wife: She was taken with him after just one glance. Have you thought about his marriage already?"


    "Ah ¡­ No. Chun''er might have."


    "Mn, mn. Yes. That''s something our wife''s should decide. But give it a thought! My Guanyu is really a good girl. She is pretty and well-behaved and the best of all: The two are already family! Wouldn''t we be even closer if they married?"


    Mister Zhong tilted his head and pondered. "That''s true." He scratched his head. "It''s just, that Jing Yi is shy. I don''t know if he''ll be easily convinced."


    "Ah, what convinced!" Zhong Gang slapped Mister Zhong''s shoulder once again, causing him to grit his teeth. "You''ll be living here from now on. They''ll see each other everyday. With some time and a little nudge here and there, so two won''t be able to help but fall in love! Haha!" He laughed again. "Ah, but let''s not talk about that now. I''ll show you around. I let the servants prepare some rooms for you. I hope you''ll like them!"


    "Don''t put yourself out on our account! We don''t need anything big. It''s not like we had much in the village anyway."


    "Ah, you''re family! How could I give you just any room. Come, come, let''s go take a look." The two man left the room, forgetting Jing Yi, but the boy had slipped out anyway.


    He already sat under a tree in the garden, clutching the white jade bracelet Qiu Ling had given him. "Grandfather!"


    Qiu Ling appeared next to him, a smile hanging on his lips. That''s right! Ask me for advice, my love! I''ll make sure, that damn girl can''t harass you!


    "What happened, little boy? You seem distressed."


    "Grandfather!" Jing Yi sprang to his feet and hugged Qiu Ling.


    "There, there. What has happened?" He patted his head and moved on to stroking his hair. Mn, how nice. Though, it''s not as good as Jing He''s hair ¡­


    He just couldn''t help to compare, even though he knew, that this comparison was a little mean. Jing He was the crown prince of the nine heavens. He had grown up sheltered, with everything he needed or could possibly want for. Jing Yi had likewise enjoyed his families love, but the Zhongs obviously couldn''t provide him with the same things. With this difference in their living environment, of course Jing He''s immortal body would be in a better shape.


    Ah, just remembering that satiny hair, that soft skin, those supple lips ¡­ Qiu Ling inadvertently closed his eyes, his mind traveling back to the nine heavens. How often had he ran his fingers through those silky strands, twirling them around his fingers while hugging Jing He to his body? There had been that one time, when Jing He ¡ª


    "Grandfather?" Jing Yi gripped the hand on his head and pulled Qiu Ling out of his thoughts.


    "Uh ¡­ What did you say?" Qiu Ling took back his hand and coughed. What''s it with those random flashbacks? I''m really missing him too much ¡­ Ah, my love, come back to me soon!


    "I said, I''m scared!"


    "Scared?" Qiu Ling went into a daze, before he grew furious. "Who dares to scare my ¡ª" He went into a coughing fit, before calming down instantly. Damn. He had nearly blurted out his real thoughts. This has to stop, seriously. Or else, I''ll be the one to scare the boy. "What I wanted to say: Who would dare to scare the people I care about? Just tell me, who did it. I''ll go and beat them up for you!" Mn. The fist spoke louder than words.


    "It''s my uncle!"


    "Your uncle?" Qiu Ling blinked. Had his uncle done something? Furthermore: Could he beat his uncle up?


    "He wants me to meet a girl!"


    "Ah?"


    Jing Yi scrunched up his face again. He somehow felt, like his grandfather wasn''t paying enough attention. What was wrong with him today? What should he do, if his grandfather didn''t help him?


    Qiu Ling put a hand to his forehead. Right, there was something like that ¡­ His memories of Jing He had sidetracked him so much, that he totally forgot about the problem at hand! But with Jing Yi''s reminder, he came back to the point instantly.


    "How dare he!" He clenched his fists. No, this couldn''t be allowed!


    Jing Yi''s face lit up at his grandfather''s fierce attitude. He would definitely help him!


    Qiu Ling squatted down and grabbed Jing Yi''s shoulders. "Don''t you worry! I''ll think of something to keep you safe!"


    "Mn! Thank you, grandfather!"


    "For now, just make sure, you don''t interact too much with her. I''ll see to everything else."


    He smiled and pulled Jing Yi in for a hug. A sinister smile graced his lips. Wanting to steal his love and make him marry someone else? Over his dead body! He''d make that mother and daughter pair pay a painful price, if they didn''t understand it the soft way.


    He stroked Jing Yi''s hair again, before finally letting go and giving a wry smile. "I should go now. But don''t worry: If they don''t understand, when you evade them, I''ll be there immediately! Until then, I''ll forge a plan, alright?"


    "Mn." Jing Yi put his arms around Qiu Ling''s neck and hugged him back. "You''re the best, grandfather!"


    I know, I know, my love! He was so thrilled hearing that from Jing He! He couldn''t help burying his fingers in his hair once again. Ah, this might just turn into an addiction ¡­


    Meanwhile, the boy made a thoughtful face and finally added: "After mommy."

 Chapter 57 - What a Good Girl!

    The moment, that should show if Jing Yi''s evasion would be enough to deter Zhong Gang''s wife, soon arrived: Zhong Gang set up a large dinner that day to welcome his cousin and, of course, to leave a good impression on him. His gaze couldn''t help but flit to Jing Yi every few minutes.


    Finally, he himself couldn''t take the suspense any longer and bent forward. "Jing Yi, my wife will be bringing our daughter Guanyu down soon. Are you excited?" His eyes sparkled. He could more or less imagine, how those two would become childhood sweethearts this very same day!


    It was just that ¡­ Jing Yi was going to disappoint him. He heard just one word, ''daughter'', and his eyes went huge. He leapt to his feet and darted away, hiding somewhere out of sight.


    Zhong Gang stared dumbfounded at the place, where the boy had been sitting at ease before.


    Mister Zhong scratched his head. "Uh ¡­ I said, he''s shy", he tried offering an explanation and shrugged his shoulders.


    His cousin swiveled his head around to him and drew his eyebrows together. "Ah Lei! How can you call that shy? The boy was totally spooked! How fierce are the girls in your village?!"


    Mister Zhong pressed his lips together and turned to his wife. He was too embarrassed to tell the story! Madam Zhong chuckled. She also didn''t want to warm those old stories up. "They''re indeed a little fierce. And he''s our only son. I might have been a little overprotective."


    Zhong Gang nodded gravely. "You should be, you should be! It''s so easy for something to happen!" He knew, what he was speaking about. In fact, his daughter Guanyu wasn''t his only child. He did have a son. Originally. Unfortunately, the child had died some years back and it was unlikely, that his wife would give birth to another one.


    That was probably one of the reasons, he had taken a liking to Jing Yi so soon. He reminded him of his own son and having his daughter marry a distant relative was better than having her marry some other man, right? Like that, everything would stay with the family, too! The things, that carried his name, would still bear the name Zhong in the future. Could there be any more ideal outcome?


    Before Zhong Gang had time to wallow in his remorse for not being able to save his eldest child, his wife came over with the second one.


    The small Guanyu wore a long flowing pink dress with the matching embroidered shoes. Her dark hair framed a round face with big eyes. Looking at her like this, she was really cute.


    Qiu Ling''s face immediately fell. This is the worst kind of girl! Trying to trick my Jing He with that adorable appearance of yours? I''ll expose your true colors! He started looking around for something to use. He had to make sure, she left a bad first impression, that wouldn''t be turned over so soon!


    Meanwhile, her mother, Li Fang, led her into the room, her smile seemingly lighting up the surroundings. "Guanyu, say hello to uncle and auntie!"


    Guanyu pouted her lips and gifted the Zhongs with a disdainful look. Why should she greet these people?


    Qiu Ling stopped in his search for a tool and fixed his gaze on the girl. Oh? Is someone going to destroy his own chances? Disrespecting my love''s mother is the worst you can do, if you want him to like you!


    But this wasn''t even the worst Guanyu had in store. Li Fang turned to the Zhongs with an apologetic smile. "I''m sorry. She''s probably sad, because I told her she could see Jing Yi and now he isn''t here. Where did he go?" She looked around, but couldn''t spot the boy. After all the years of running away from girls in the village, he had become rather good in hiding.


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows and smiled smugly. "Ha! You''re way too late, woman! My love is already educated in this regard. He won''t fall for those petty tricks of yours!"


    Madam Zhong repressed a sigh. She knew, her son didn''t like girls and she also didn''t want to force him out of hiding, but this was her husband''s family, after all. "Jing Yi", she called in his direction. "Look, auntie Li Fang brought her daughter over. Come out and greet her at least." After that, you can go hide again, if you like. She didn''t utter her thoughts, but her son probably understood. He gingerly came out.


    Qiu Ling clenched his hands into fists and grumbled. "Mother-in-law, how mean! How can you treat an outsider like that? Especially after you know, that I love Jing He so much? Shouldn''t you be on my side?!" Yes, Qiu Ling was utterly convinced, that Madam Zhong understood his heart, after their short talk in the inn, and that she was supporting him. He couldn''t understand how she could stab him in the back like that.


    Luckily for him, the women''s efforts yielded nothing, since the girl was perfectly capable of cementing her own image.


    Upon seeing Jing Yi, she lifted her chin and snorted. "What is this filthy beggar doing here? Mommy, throw these people out! I don''t want to see them!" Her tone grew increasingly shrill and she probably would have said some other hurtful things, had Li Fang not hastily clasped a hand over her mouth.


    Her mother could only laugh embarrassed and excuse themselves, claiming that her daughter wasn''t feeling well that day.


    Only two people in the room were happy.


    So, does that mean I don''t have to spend time with her?, Jing Yi thought. I should ask grandfather!


    What a good girl!, thought Qiu Ling and started smiling. Really, she was sparing him so much trouble!

 Chapter 58 - We Need a Plan!

    Zhong Gang coughed, not any less embarrassed than his wife. "I''m sorry. That girl ¡­ we probably spoiled her too much and those children in the neighborhood might be a bad influence."


    Mister Zhong scratched his head again. Of course, he wasn''t happy to have someone talk to his son like that, but she was only a little girl after all and one couldn''t argue away, that the main branch of the family was better off than them by a large margin. It was expected for her to behave like that. "No worries, Ah Gang. If she doesn''t like him, then that''s that. We shouldn''t force them to get along."


    Zhong Gang nodded, but still looked apologetic. Haish ¡­ This would have been perfect. Why could this daughter of his not comply with his expectations? Was it so hard to fall in love with an adorable looking boy like Jing Yi? What was it with children these days? When he was young, it wasn''t as difficult as this! I see you, you see me, we promise to always love each other ¡­ That was the way it should be!


    Qiu Ling kept an eye on Zhong Gang''s expression. That guy isn''t done yet. He''ll try something else. His eyes narrowed and he contemplated for a moment, if it would be too much to kill the girl off. Mn, he wouldn''t mind doing it for Jing He''s sake ¡­


    In the end, Qiu Ling reconsidered. If something happened to the girl her parents might blame Jing Yi''s family. That wasn''t the outcome he desired. No, he had to go at this in a roundabout way. Something not too harmful, but harmful enough to destroy any chance of her being with Jing Yi. Mn, first of all, I should find out her parent''s plan.


    He didn''t have to wait for long. After Zhong Guanyu dropped that bomb, the dinner was over soon and each retired to their own rooms.


    Qiu Ling appeared in the courtyard and waved Jing Yi over to him. The boy smiled happily. "I think, the girl doesn''t like me, grandfather!"


    "Mn, I think so, too. But you should still be cautious! Her family might plan something else. Girls can change their mind like the wind changes direction! Anything can happen, if you spend time with her."


    "I don''t want to!" Jing Yi puckered his lips, stunning Qiu Ling into silence.


    This look ¡­ Ah, my love, let''s repeat this when you''ve come of age. I''d like to see this again very much! Qiu Ling cleared his throat and forced himself to get back to the topic. "Don''t worry. You don''t have to. In fact, I''m already working on a plan. Just wait a bit for me to finalize it."


    "I''ll do that!"


    "Good. Then go on in now." He pushed Jing Yi toward the door, hid his body again and paid a visit to Zhong Gang and Li Fang.


    The two of them had sat down at the table and started discussing. They were at one with each other regarding this possible future couple.


    "We have to do something. The problem isn''t their son, but Guanyu. I can''t believe she said something like this!"


    Zhong Gang nodded gravely. "Indeed. And Jing Yi really seems shy. Wouldn''t he be afraid of her now?"


    "Yes, yes. With a boy like this, a girl can''t show how headstrong she is. She has to show him her soft side! Then he''ll start to be less cautious around her and if he''s relaxed, love won''t be far!"


    Qiu Ling crossed his arms looking from one side to the other. "Completely wrong!" He couldn''t help but blurt out his evaluation of their opinions. In fact, he felt a little sorry, that he couldn''t tell them. "Seriously, it''s exactly the other way around!"


    He didn''t know, if it was different for children, but when they were grown up it wasn''t enough to show someone shy your pretty and demure side. Quite the contrary! Hadn''t he won over Jing He exactly because he wasn''t like that? It were his unrelenting advances, that finally won him the crown prince''s heart. In fact, thinking about it now, he had been pretty aggressive in his pursuit of Jing He ¡­


    "Mn. It should be done like that." He nodded to himself and focused on the conversation in front of him again. In the end, it was good for him, if they tried such a faulty way. It would make their plan even more likely to fail.


    "First of all, we have to make that headstrong girl take an interest in Jing Yi or she definitely won''t heed our advice. She might behave even fiercer."


    "True, true." Li Fang got up and paced around the room. "It can''t be that difficult. Guanyu is a girl, after all. If she takes a good look at him, she''ll be head over heels for him."


    "But will she take a look at him? You heard her. She even called him a beggar."


    "Well, his family does look a bit shabby ¡­"


    "Heh! Li Fang, that''s my family, too!"


    "Aiya." Li Fang hurried to her husband and started massaging his shoulders. "You know, I didn''t mean it like that. They''re from the countryside. It''s normal to look like that. Just let them wear something, that fits the capital better, and nobody will say anything. And I''m sure, Guanyu will fall in love with Jing Yi at first glance, if he is dressed up a bit."


    "So, you want to say, we should give them clothes?" Zhong Gang scratched his head. "I''m not sure, if that is a good idea. Wouldn''t that be rude to Ah Lei? A man has his pride, after all."


    "It depends on how you approach the subject."


    Zhong Gang looked up at his wife, who scurried back to her place and bent over the table, lowering her voice. "You have to give him a good reason! Tomorrow, you''re going to show him the teahouse anyway. Just use that. Since he''s working there, everyone should see he''s part of our family. Just say you want him to wear matching clothes with you!"


    "Matching clothes?" Zhong Gang scratched his head again.


    Matching clothes? Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. When had he heard of this? He tried to remember and when he finally did, his face fell. Hadn''t one of his subjects in the dragon realm given him the advice to match his clothes to Jing He''s to get his attention, back when he was still courting him? How was that a show of affection, if even cousins would do that!

 Chapter 59 - What A Bad Girl!

    Zhong Gang and Li Fang didn''t hesitate to put their plan into work. The next morning, as soon as Mister Zhong exited his room, his cousin hurried over, a small package in his hands and a big smile on his face.


    "Ah Gang, you''re awake! Come, come, I''ve got something for you!" He ushered him back into the room, put the package on the table and unwrapped it himself, presenting a set of new clothes to him.


    Mister Zhong scratched his head. "What''s this?"


    Zhong Gang smiled satisfied. His cousin didn''t grow angry, so his plan should have a chance of working. "It''s like this: I want to show you and your family the teahouse today. Since it''s under our family''s name, I thought it might be good to directly show the people of the capital, that you are part of the family. After all, nobody knows you yet, so they might think it is just an establishment I gave my name for. I discussed long with Li Fang about this and she suggested, that we might wear matching clothes, so that people will notice better how similar we look. Isn''t that a great idea?"


    Mister Zhong scratched his head again and smiled embarrassed. "Sure, that sounds good, but ¡­ isn''t that a little too much?" He grabbed the edge of the clothes and rubbed the fabric between his fingers. He had never seen something like this in the village! Even Mister Pi, who liked to dress smartly ¡ª as he called it ¡ª didn''t own something like this. "I''m afraid, I can''t accept this."


    "Hogwash!" Zhong Gang slapped his shoulder, causing Mister Zhong to stumble to the side. "You''re helping me with this. You know: Just giving my name will not be as effective as having someone from my family run the business. I''ve manage to make a good reputation for myself in the capital. People would trust someone from my family, but they need to see, that you''re really part of my family. So, please, do me the favor, yes?"


    Mister Zhong looked still a little unwilling, but he finally nodded. "I don''t understand about business. If it''s really this important, then of course I''ll comply."


    "Yes, yes, it is!" Zhong Gang grinned sheepishly. Indeed! This was mighty important! After all, this might decide whether he got his preferred son-in-law or not. Ah Lei, please don''t blame me. I''m sure, if you knew, you''d also want for your Jing Yi to marry my Guanyu!


    Mister Zhong nodded and took the clothes, but still hesitated a bit.


    "Go on, just try them!" His cousin urged him.


    Mister Zhong finally complied and changed his clothes. His cousin laughed happily, seeing him like this. The clothes fit him alright, though he did look uncomfortable in them. He just wasn''t accustomed to wearing something like that.


    Zhong Gang nodded. "Great! Really great! You should go and see your wife. Li Fang prepared clothes for her and your son, too. If you take the two of them with you, people will know with one glance, that you''re a family!"


    "Is that ¡­ really alright?" Mister Zhong questioned again. He was the one working for his cousin. His family maybe shouldn''t be involved?


    "Ah, no need to fret. It will be quite hectic in the first few days. If they can help you, it would be great. You can just let your wife sit at the entrance and get some of the more important guests orders. They''ll love, that the owner''s wife is personally tending to them!"


    "What owner''s wife?" Mister Zhong wanted to argue, but Zhong Gang didn''t want to hear anything.


    "Ah, don''t, don''t, don''t! Just go and tell your wife. I''ll send Li Fang with the other clothes over."


    "Mn, alright." Mister Zhong finally relented. In the end, though he was uncomfortable wearing these clothes, he felt like he should give his wife and child the possibility to dress a bit more prettily. He had never been able to let them experience something like that. Why shouldn''t they enjoy themselves for the next few days?


    Zhong Gang was content with his cousin''s approval. He ran back into the house and told his wife, who hurried over to Madam Zhong and her son, handing her two matching outfits. Looking closely at them, it was obvious that special care had been given to Jing Yi''s clothes.


    Li Fang laughed, when she saw Madam Zhong''s gaze. "I hope you don''t fault me, sister. When my husband and I came up with that idea, I couldn''t help wanting to let Jing Yi wear something good. Such a cute child should only get the best!"


    Madam Zhong was of half a mind to decline, but Li Fang beat her to it.


    "I know, this might seem strange to you. But, you see, I just feel so happy with him around. It reminds me of my own son. I loved to dress him up like this. Which mother wouldn''t? So please, just this once?" She looked pleadingly at Madam Zhong, who couldn''t refuse with that gaze directed at her.


    Hmph. Qiu Ling harrumphed. Guilt trapping my mother-in-law. We''ll see, where that gets you! I certainly won''t let you get away with this so easily! Though, he did not have a plan at the moment. For now, it was just important to make sure, that that girl of her wouldn''t get any ideas on Jing Yi. If she really didn''t, then no further intervention was needed. If she did ¡­ he''d formulate a plan in an instant!


    Seeing Jing Yi in the clothes she had picked Li Fang clasped her hands over her mouth and repressed her laugh only narrowly. This is just too perfect! My daughter won''t be able to contain herself!


    "Ah, how great you both look!"


    "Thank you for your kind words."


    "Now that everything is set, let''s go eat!" She turned around and left the room with a spring in her step.


    Jing Yi looked at his mother, not really comprehending, what was happening. Madam Zhong shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe they just want to make us feel welcome." She certainly wouldn''t have thought, that Zhong Gang and Li Fang wanted to make their daughter fall in love with her son.


    Madam Zhong took Jing Yi''s hand and followed Li Fang to where Zhong Gang and Mister Zhong were already waiting.


    "I''ll get Guanyu to come eat!", Li Fang announced and hurried to her daughter. She had spent extra care this morning, to make her as presentable as possible. The girl pouted. She could imagine, why her mother was doing this, but in the end, she didn''t complain, since she also loved looking good.


    In a bad mood she followed her mother to eat. But upon entering the room she froze and her face, that had been locked into a crabby expression, softened. A beautiful smile started playing around her lips, while her gaze locked on Jing Yi.


    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes, fixating the girl, that dared to covet his love. What a bad girl! I''ll certainly make you pay!

 Chapter 60 - Talented Hong Bao

    Speaking of the law of balance, the heavens really treated everyone equally. For example talents: Everyone had his or her own talent. Sometimes, there would be people, that seemed incredibly lucky and got two talents, but, well ¡­ Having a look at Hong Bao probably explains, why the heavens still treated everyone equally.


    Hong Bao''s first talent, without a doubt, was her incredible ability to extract information out of conversations, that hadn''t been uttered. Her second talent was her unique way of looking at things, as Leng Jin Yu found out right this moment.


    Hong Bao looked at him strangely, her brows drawing together like angry storm clouds. Finally, she couldn''t take it any more and leapt to her feet, pointing her finger at Leng Jin Yu. "What is that supposed to mean? The crown prince''s life is a worthy life, but Shun Tao''s life is worthless? How can they make it difficult for him just because of some small issue like that? Isn''t it the crown prince''s fault for being not good enough to pass his own trials?!"


    This kind of perceiving the issue at hand, this kind of arguing ¡­ it stumped even a man as intelligent and eloquent as Leng Jin Yu for words. What would the fate''s scribe have said, had he heard this?


    Probably nothing. If anyone told Shun Tao, that Hong Bao had compared his worth to the crown prince''s like that, he probably would have fainted on the spot. Just let the heavenly emperor hear about it and he would lose his head for sure! With that irascible temper of his, he might even make sure, that the head wasn''t lost too easily!


    Thankfully, Shun Tao didn''t know about Hong Bao''s words and the only one stunned was Leng Jin Yu. "That ¡­ Hong Bao, are you serious with what you are saying right now?"


    "Of course!" Hong Bao clenched her hands into fists and tried to stare down Leng Jin Yu. But alas, he had cultivated into a deity and faced things way more pressuring than a lovestruck servant girl. Though, it couldn''t be said, that he was totally unaffected by her behavior. He at least questioned how she had been able to live in the nine heavens for so long.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "Nobody is saying, that the life of the fate''s scribe isn''t worth anything. But in comparison to the crown prince ¡ª"


    "It''s still important!"


    "But he is someone, that can be replaced. The crown prince isn''t."


    "This is unfair!" Hong Bao sat down again and crossed her arms. This is just too much! I shouldn''t have talked to Leng Jin Yu about this. Who knew, he was just as prejudiced as the people trying to hurt Shun Tao?


    "It is. This is most probably not something, the fate''s scribe could have guessed would happen. In fact, had he admitted to it immediately, I don''t think there would be much of a problem. But it gets worth with each passing day. It would be better, he went to the heavenly emperor right now."


    "He can''t do that. What if that guy really kills him?"


    ''That guy'' ¡­ Leng Jin Yu didn''t even know what to say to her way of addressing the heavenly emperor. "I don''t think, he''d do that."


    "Leng Jin Yu ¡­ You have to help me! You can''t want to see him die, can you?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. He hadn''t even exchanged a word of greeting with the fate''s scribe before, so he didn''t really care. But that naturally was something he couldn''t tell Hong Bao. "Of course not."


    "Then help me think of a plan!"


    He sighed again. "This isn''t that easy. Disregarding the fact, that he should have told the heavenly emperor, the fate''s scribe did the right thing, when he tried to find the culprit behind this. That should still be one of his priorities." Leng Jin Yu drew his brows together. Thinking of that ¡­ he had helped Hong Bao with observing the other gods, so he knew better than Shun Tao, what they did and didn''t do. Obviously, none of them was the culprit. But who else could it be?


    "So, we continue to observe the men in the courtyard?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "No. It''s not one of them. We''ll have to consider who else would benefit from this. There aren''t that many possibilities."


    "So ¡­?"


    "Let me think about that a little more. The other thing we should think about, is how to get the crown prince''s fate back on track. As long as he can pass at least one trial in the mortal world, the heavenly emperor shouldn''t punish the fate''s scribe too badly."


    "And you have a plan regarding that?"


    Leng Jin Yu repressed his sigh. "Wouldn''t the fate''s scribe know better than us how to do that? I''d suggest he focuses on the fate, while we search for the culprit."


    "Let''s do that!" Hong Bao leapt to her feet again and grabbed his arm. "Let us go right now!"


    Leng Jin Yu waved her hand away. "Not so fast. Do you think it''s that easy? If it was, the fate''s scribe would have long found out who the culprit is."


    "Then what exactly do we do now?" Hong Bao sat back down, but shuffled around on her chair.


    "First of all, we need help."


    "No!" Hong Bao sprang right back up and extended her arms, as if she wanted to hinder him from leaving the room. Not that Leng Jin Yu had even attempted to do so. "We can''t do that. Shun Tao explicitly said, that I can''t tell anyone about this!"


    "But you told me nonetheless."


    "That ¡­ That''s something different! I told you, because we need your help."


    "I don''t think, he''d like that either. But that''s not the point. We can''t do this without help. And even if we could, we shouldn''t. This concerns the whole nine heavens. We can''t be irresponsible."


    "I thought you were my friend." Hong Bao scrunched up her face, but Leng Jin Yu didn''t react. "You''re way worse than Shun Tao!" She stumped her feet and turned around, ready to rush out. She had just taken one step, when she remembered, that this was her room. "Why am I running out? You should get out!"


    "You don''t want my help anymore?" Leng Jin Yu lifted his brows.


    Hong Bao pouted. "You can''t tell anyone!" She waited, but didn''t get a response. "Leng Jin Yu! I told all of that confidentially! You have to promise you won''t tell."


    Leng Jin Yu stood up and sighed. "Hong Bao, I''m sorry. I''m afraid, I can''t promise that. This isn''t a trifle. If the crown prince ¡­" He shook his head, unable to even finish the sentence.


    Leng Jin Yu hadn''t been born in the nine heavens. He came from the mortal world. He was born there, had grown up there, had cultivated there and had only recently ascended and found a new home in the nine heavens. Of course, he had never seen the crown prince. But he knew, how important that person was to the nine heavens. If he died or something else happened to him ¡­ The gods couldn''t cope with that. And as someone, who now lived with them, he couldn''t just look the other way, when he found out, that something like that might happen.

 Chapter 61 - That Kind Of Person

    A servant girl like Hong Bao could, of course, not detain a former practitioner like Leng Jin Yu. Since she knew, she didn''t even attempt it and just watched him leave, yelling some parting words at him: "You''ll regret betraying me like this!"


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes. Yes, he also didn''t like this. One should be loyal to his friends. But in this case, there was more than one life at risk. Could he really ignore that? No, he couldn''t. In this case, he had to pick something else over this friendship.


    With a heavy heart, he went to the god of war''s palace. He had already talked to him about the situation once, so he would take his words seriously. Furthermore, as someone who had cultivated into a deity just recently, there was no way he could just go and see whoever he wanted. Gaining an audience with the heavenly emperor just based on something a servant girl said? Dream on!


    Leng Jin Yu hesitated in front of the entrance. This is the right thing to do, he reminded himself. But he also couldn''t help but remember Hong Bao''s incensed gaze, when he walked away. This certainly wasn''t something he liked to do.


    Still ¡­ the crown prince is important to the gods. Him dying would be like losing the successor to our sect master back in the human world and that with the added pressure of not being able to find another one. The heavenly emperor''s only child ¡­ That isn''t something, that could be casually replaced. If he died, the gods would descend into chaos and the demons might just attack.


    Leng Jin Yu gripped the handle of his sword and breathed deeply. Yes, he had to tell someone. And the god of war was the only person he could think of and probably a good choice, since this could have to do something with the demons.


    Leng Jin Yu took a step and wanted to enter, but finally put his foot down again and turned around, returning to the courtyard he was staying at.


    Had he given up on the thought of telling the god of war? Of course not. But he felt like he owed Hong Bao to consider a while longer, if there was another possibility. Maybe he could really help her find out, who the culprit was, and then the fate''s scribe could report to the heavenly emperor himself. That would certainly yield a better result for him.


    And what could the heavenly emperor do with the information anyway? Maybe he could send people to monitor the crown prince, but that was all. It would still be up to the fate''s scribe to rewrite the fate for the trial and the culprit would still need to be found.


    The problem might be solved a little sooner, but there was no guarantee for that. And a human''s life, though short in the eyes of a true born god or a cultivated deity like him, still lasted several decades. Waiting another day wouldn''t be too much.


    With this thought in mind, Leng Jin Yu returned to the courtyard. In comparison to Hong Bao and as a former cultivator, he was more perceptive. Just stepping in, he felt the gazes of the others on him and noticed the lack of sounds in the courtyard. There were no conversations, no turning of pages and no faint scratching of brushes. Even the clacking of metal from the continuous sword fights was missing.


    Leng Jin Yu looked toward the direction, where he normally trained with the others. Without exception, he met complicated gazes and furrowed brows. Leng Jin Yu stopped under the archway. This ¡­ What was going on? Hong Bao had just told him about the situation. It couldn''t be, that everybody already knew, that he hadn''t reported and instead returned here to think it over, right?


    He tried to shake off the uneasy feeling and went over, as if nothing had happened. But the gazes followed him and nobody took up his activity again. Leng Jin Yu stopped in front of the friends he had made here in the nine heavens.


    "What happened?"


    The man in front of him furrowed his brow even more. "You still have to ask?"


    "This ¡­" He shook his head. "I don''t know." It couldn''t have to do with the matter regarding the crown prince. He was sure of that.


    "It''s out in the open", one of the others chimed in and his expression looked anything but friendly.


    "Indeed", confirmed the third one.


    Leng Jin Yu''s gaze flickered from one to the other and finally went back to the first one, Duan Ming. He had come from the mortal realm just like him, though they hadn''t known each other there.


    "I wouldn''t have thought you to be that kind of person." Duan Ming gripped the handle of his sword. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. His frown receded. "Alas, we can''t see, what people think in their hearts. If that is, how you want to advance, then so be it. I wish you luck." He turned around, his whole being radiating disappointment.


    "What are you talking about?" This really didn''t sound, like it had anything to do with the crown prince. Though not reporting on it would be wrong, being loyal to your friends even in such a situation was something Duan Ming wouldn''t look down on. He was sure of that. "Duan Ming, what happened? I don''t understand, what you are talking about."


    Duan Ming halted, seemingly wanting to clarify, but then he proceeded forward without another word. Whatever had happened, must have been too much of a disappointment for him, if he didn''t even want to speak about it.


    But Duan Ming didn''t have to say anything, because there were others who gladly took the opportunity. "You dare ask!" Lan Ling''s fists shook. He was the only one of them, who was a true born god, but he still looked up to Duan Ming and ¡ª until today, that was ¡ª to Leng Jin Yu. Now that the man he had looked up to turned out to be such a person, disappointment wasn''t enough to describe his feelings. "I can''t believe you did that! What''s with the way you acted like a good guy before!"


    "Lan Ling, what are you ¡ª"


    "I''m talking about you sleeping with the woman of the fate''s scribe and blackmailing her to get into the god of war''s palace!"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at him in a daze. That ¡­ seemed somehow wrong? How come, he was stumped for the second time in a day up in the nine heavens, while nothing had been able to move him down in the mortal realm? What had he gotten into here?

 Chapter 62 - Damn That Dandy!

    While Leng Jin Yu tried to figure out how this story came about, the god of war, Qiang Yan, was on his way to the heavenly emperor''s palace. He seemed to have seen Leng Jin Yu at the gate of his palace, but when he came over, that youngster was already gone. Shrugging, he still went over to the heavenly emperor''s palace, though his thoughts stayed a little longer with Leng Jin Yu.


    Whatever that Shun Tao is planning in regard to the new recruits, I should probably thank him. Unearthing a talent isn''t that easy. Even more so a talent, that fits into one of the palaces. But that Leng Jin Yu just seems to be such a person. I should probably observe a little while longer and extend an invitation if the impression holds true.


    He finally reached the heavenly emperor''s palace and pushed the thought aside. Upon entering the study, he could already see the heavenly emperor sitting at his desk and staring vacantly.


    Qiang Yan had a look around. They were alone. He went over, plopped down and chuckled. "Still thinking about that son of yours?"


    Had it been anyone else, this kind of behavior in front of the heavenly emperor would have been highly disrespectful. Well, it was still rude even for Qiang Yan, but the heavenly emperor didn''t care, since they were family anyway. What use was there for some outdated protocol in front of the people nearest to you?


    Yes, Qiang Yan was the older brother of the heavenly empress. The heavenly emperor was his brother-in-law and Jing He was his nephew. It wasn''t without reason, that he spend so much time with the heavenly emperor and dropped the act of being a highly humble subject whenever they were alone. If he wasn''t his brother-in-law, he certainly wouldn''t dare to do that.


    Tianjun Rong Su pulled out of his thoughts and sighed. "Bai Fen said not to send someone down."


    "Of course she did." Qiang Yan laughed again. His brother-in-law spoke about wanting to let Jing He experience more so he could grow, but the truth was, he was a mother hen, who couldn''t tolerate letting that son of his out of his eyes for even a day. If Bai Fen didn''t intervene, Jing He would certainly be followed by guards already. Who knew, if that wouldn''t mess up his fate as a mortal?


    The heavenly emperor sighed. "You''re laughing. Just wait until you''re married and have children. You will be just like me."


    "I guess, I''d be more like sister." If he ever found a wife to have children with, that was.


    "Hmph. At least Jing He knows, that I love him."


    "Yes, yes, he does." Qiang Yan got up, went to the cupboard at the side and procured a flask of wine. "In regards to having someone take a look at his progress ¡­" He sat back down and poured himself a cup, not bothering about inviting his brother-in-law to join in. If he starts drinking, while in that kind of mood, this will end in disaster.


    "What about it?" Rong Su couldn''t take it any longer. Why does he take so much time for one simple sentence?!


    "I''m not sure, if you''d like it, but I do have an idea, that would not anger my sister and still tell you about Jing He''s progress."


    "Which idea?"


    Qiang Yan lifted his cup and slowly savored the wine. "Mn, brother-in-law, you always have good wine at your place. I should come by more often."


    Rong Su slapped the table. "What idea are you talking about, Qiang Yan! Damn it, just tell me straight up!"


    Qiang Yan hid his smile behind the cup. There it was again, that temper of his. Should he keep him in suspense a little longer? "Mn, it''s really simple actually." He put down the cup and gripped the flask again, pouring himself another cup. "You can''t send someone yourself. But you could ask someone to have a look, who isn''t your subject."


    "Someone who isn''t my subject?" Rong Su furrowed his brow. "Who should that be?" Millenniums of being the supreme ruler of the nine heavens led to him not being able to catch on at once. Wasn''t everyone his subject?


    Qiang Yan lifted his cup, raising it as if wanting to give a toast, while a slight smile played around his lips. "Longjun."


    Rong Su''s face fell. "Are you kidding me?" His voice sounded flat, but Qiang Yan only chuckled.


    "He would certainly be highly interested in having a look at how Jing He''s trial is coming along. He probably can''t wait for him to come back. He''d be thrilled, if you ¡ª"


    "Over my dead body!" Rong Su leapt to his feet and paced up and down behind his table. "I''d rather surrender to the demons, than give that dandy a chance to see my precious son!"


    Qiang Yan sipped the wine and refused to comment. The dragon king was indeed quite vain.


    "Argh, just thinking about it makes me want to strangle him!"


    "That could prove difficult."


    Rong Su swiveled around and narrowed his eyes. "How can you even bring up something like this?"


    "It would be the logical step to take. You both want to know how Jing He is faring and Longjun has no reason not to send someone or ¡ª considering his personality ¡ª go himself."


    Rong Su froze. "What did you just say?"


    Qiang Yan looked up, hesitating a little, but finally still told him: "I said, considering his personality, it wouldn''t be strange for him to descend to the mortal realm himself to have a look at Jing He''s mortal fate."


    Rong Su''s eyes grew wide. "I have to send someone down there now!" He hurried to the door, but Qiang Yan already leapt to his feet and stood in his way.


    "Slow down, slow down. Why would you want to send someone down now?"


    "Isn''t that obvious?! That guy will certainly descend and try to seduce my poor innocent son! He might have already started his despicable plan!"


    "Calm down, brother-in-law. It''s only been seven days. Jing He is only a mortal child of seven years right now. What could Longjun do in such a case?"


    "I should still send someone. They can have an eye on him, while he grows up. I''m sure, that guy won''t wait long. He definitely has something planned."


    Qiang Yan drooped his head and sighed. You really are a mother hen. Do you seriously think, Longjun would be able to get near Jing He, if the boy was totally adverse to the idea? It''s obvious, he doesn''t mind the dragon king''s courtship. You should start accepting that fact, brother-in-law. After Jing He returns, those two are going to marry sooner or later.


    Even though he thought so, Qiang Yan knew, that this was better not directly brought up in front of the heavenly emperor. The dragon king had a long way to go, before he would be acknowledged by his future father-in-law.


    "If he has something planned or not, why do you care? We''re speaking about Jing He''s trial here. It''s not like seducing his mortal self would have any effect on Jing He himself."


    "What do you know? That boy has never been in love. Who knows, if he won''t be swayed, when that bastard whispers some sweet things into his ears down there? He might wake up and still have lingering feelings."


    Qiang Yan sighed. "How could that be? And hasn''t the fate''s scribe already written his fate for the trial? What are you so nervous for?"


    "Indeed!" This agreement came from the entrance and with it, the heavenly empress dropped in. She smiled at Qiang Yan and ushered him back to his seat. "Is he going on about Jing He''s trial again?"


    "He is. I heard, you already forbade him from sending someone down there?"


    "I did. But it seems my husband does not take me seriously anymore." She threw Rong Su a reproachful look.


    "No, no, of course not, my dear!" The heavenly emperor sat back down and forced a smile. "We already said, we wouldn''t send anyone. So of course, I won''t do that." He threw Qiang Yan a glance, but the god of war just poured himself another cup and ignored him.


    "Brother, what did he really say?" Bai Fen turned toward her brother and lifted her brows.


    "It''s way more interesting, what I had to say. I told him to ask Longjun to have a look at what''s going on there."


    "And he didn''t like that."


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "Not one bit."


    "Qiang Yan! How dare you tell on me?! Who''s your emperor?"


    "Well, that would be you. But I guess family comes first? Anyway, I still think asking Longjun would be the best idea, if you really want to check on him. He''d gladly go and take a look." He put down the cup and stood up. "I''d better get going now. There are still some things I have to do and I wouldn''t want to get in your way." He blinked at his sister and left, leaving Rong Su alone with his wife.


    "So. You wanted to ask my brother to send someone to our son behind my back."


    Rong Su smiled wryly. Of all people to find out, it just had to be his wife.


    "I can tell you right now: No need! Longjun is already down there, guarding our son. He didn''t miss even one moment of his mortal life."


    "That bastard!" Rong Su leapt to his feet again, clenching his fists. "No! I have to tell Qiang Yan to send someone down. I can''t leave my precious son to that dandy!"


    The heavenly empress shot him a glance, that let his zest for action wither in an instant. He sat down again. If my wife says so, then I really can''t do anything. But Jing He ¡­ My beloved son, I''m so sorry! I have to surrender you to that bastard. At least for a while ¡­


    Bai Fen smiled contented, though she couldn''t help but worry at the same time. You better use this chance in the mortal world to assure that husband of mine, that you are the right choice for our son, Qiu Ling. I can''t do more for you than this.

 Chapter 63 - A Tiger? A Dragon?

    Speaking of the mortal world: Down in the capital, Jing Yi was shivering in fear. He could feel the penetrating gaze of the girl from the other side of the room. Worst of all: After looking at Jing Yi for half a minute, Zhong Guanyu bounced over, he hands clasped behind her back.


    What had her mother said, who he was? The son of her father''s cousin? That was family in the end! "Big Brother!" She stopped directly in front of him, lifting her head up and grinning like a Cheshire cat. Who could resist such an adorable girl like herself?


    Unfortunately for her, Jing Yi was exactly the exception. Looking at the girl grinning widely, seeing her teeth, his tears finally fell. Crying, he ran to his mother and hid behind her.


    So scary! It seems not only mud monsters can turn into girls! This must be one of the tigers and dragons Mister Pi talked about! He clutched his mother''s dress and cried even harder, thinking of how that ferocious beast had somehow taken a liking to him.


    Qiu Ling stood next to the Zhongs, his arms crossed and a smug smile on his face. "See that, little girl? My love isn''t that easily swayed! Get back to where you came from!"


    Even if Guanyu could have heard, what Qiu Ling said, she certainly wouldn''t have heeded his advice. She looked at the crying Jing Yi, unsure what to do. That was the perfect boy, she had always dreamed of! Well, minus the crying, of course, but Guanyu was sure, that such a bad habit could be altered. It would just need a bit of time.


    She turned the intensity of her smile down a bit and made her way over to Jing Yi. The boy ducked behind his mother, wailing bitterly.


    Qiu Ling took a glance at Jing Yi''s crying face and lifted his hand. Guanyu took another step, the air moved and ¡ª plop ¡ª a small girl fell face down to the floor.


    Zhong Gang and Li Fang, who had waited how their daughter would approach Jing Yi with bated breaths, leapt over, pulling her back to her feet and fussing around her to make sure, that she was alright.


    Guanyu glanced in Jing Yi''s direction. With the girl being distracted, he had stopped crying, but he was still hiding half hiding behind his mother and clutching her dress. Seeing him looking into her direction, Guanyu did, what she deemed best in this situation: Her lips quivered, her eyes turned red and tears dripped down one after another. She clasped her hands over her face and started sobbing.


    Jing Yi looked on, not intending to go over and help, like other boys might have done. He was just happy, that she didn''t come over. Guanyu peeked between her fingers. Seeing this scene, she was stunned. What is he doing? Why doesn''t he come over to comfort me? Am I not pretty enough? I should have listened to mother and paid more attention to how I dress today!


    Oh no! I should have listened to her! Now Jing Yi doesn''t like me! What should I do?


    Guanyu cried harder and harder. Her parents didn''t know what to do anymore. She hadn''t fallen that hard, right?


    "Ah, Guanyu, stop crying, alright?" Her mother patted her back, but the girl only cried louder, intent on making Jing Yi take action. "Ah, what to do? Ah Gang, do something!" Li Fang turned around to her husband and glared at him, but Zhong Gang also didn''t know what to do.


    "Maybe ¡­ she''s really hurt? We could bandage the wound?"


    Qiu Ling rolled his eyes at him. "I didn''t hurt her that much!"


    Li Fang also understood, that she couldn''t expect any help from her husband. She turned to the other direction and noticed Jing Yi peeking out from behind his mother. "Jing Yi!" Her face lit up seeing him. "Come here! Come to auntie! Guanyu seems to like you. Why don''t you try calming her down?"


    Jing Yi slid completely behind his mother again. Auntie is scary. Whenever she smiles, she tries to feed me to the dragon. I have to tell grandfather!


    "Jing Yi?" Li Fang wouldn''t give up that easily. As a woman, she naturally came to understand, why her daughter was behaving so oddly today. Their plan must have had succeeded. She really liked him and now she had fallen flat on her face right in front of him. Of course the only one able to calm her down was Jing Yi.


    "Jing Yi, come over here", she tried again, but the boy stubbornly hid behind his mother and Madam Zhong didn''t attempt to convince him otherwise. Li Fang didn''t know what to do anymore. How could it be so hard to set two children up?


    In the end, she could only sigh disappointedly. "I''ll bring her up." She grabbed her daughter, but Guanyu didn''t want to go. She started flailing around her arms and legs.


    "No! I don''t want to! I don''t want to!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, her heart-wrenching sobs already forgotten.


    "Then stop crying", Li Fang hissed in a low voice, so that the Zhongs wouldn''t hear her. "He isn''t going to pay you any attention because of that. You''re just going to scare him away!"


    Guanyu instantly stopped even her struggling, peeking in Jing Yi''s direction again, but nothing could be seen of him anymore. In a spell, Guanyu''s face scrunched up and tears trickled down once again. He really doesn''t like me! I should have spent more time dressing!


    In the meantime, Jing Yi had already fled to the courtyard, Qiu Ling right behind him.


    How scary!, he thought again. That girl definitely has to be a dragon!


    Ah, what would Qiu Ling think, if he heard that evaluation from his beloved?

 Chapter 64 - He Thought of Everything

    After Zhong Gang and Li Fang''s plan to set the children up failed spectacularly and Li Fang finally managed to lure Guanyu back to her room, Zhong Gang led Mister Zhong and his family to the teahouse.


    Getting these children to like each other was just a matter of time in his opinion, so he wouldn''t worry too much. But the teahouse was something, that couldn''t wait. The sooner it could open, the better. And everything had been ready for quite some time. He had only waited for his cousin Zhong Lei to arrive. If everything went well, they could even open it tomorrow.


    The teahouse was two streets further down the main street and did not seem as well off as the restaurant. It had two floors, too, but from the tiles on the roof to the plaque above the door to the width of the entrance it seemed more humble.


    Mister Zhong sighed in relief, when they stepped in. The furniture, too, was less pompous. It still had an elegant feel about it, that let him think of himself as lacking, but at least this was a type of calm and quiet elegance, that had nothing to do with throwing money around. The people who came to such an establishment, should be people with a good character, who wouldn''t make things difficult for someone like him.


    He was really lucky, that his cousin had thought of opening such a place. If this had been another restaurant like the first one, this might have ended badly. But seeing this teahouse, Mister Zhong stopped worrying. He certainly wouldn''t disappoint his cousin.


    "What do you say?" Zhong Gang waved at the interior and smiled broadly. He was proud of this new establishment of his. In fact, it made him even prouder than his restaurant. Everybody could make a place the rich loved if he just had enough money and was willing to throw it around. But creating a tasteful place like this was hard work. If he was able to grab the attention of those famous scholars and make them his frequent customers, he would be smiling even in his sleep!


    "It''s great! When can I start working?"


    Zhong Gang laughed and put his arm around Mister Zhong''s shoulders. "Everything is ready. If you want to you can start right tomorrow morning!"


    Mister Zhong nodded. "Sounds good! Then I''ll do that."


    "You don''t have to force yourself, though. You just arrived the day before yesterday. Don''t you want to take a rest first?"


    Mister Zhong shook his head. "Such things are better done immediately. I wouldn''t want you to miss any opportunities just because I didn''t get to work soon enough."


    "That certainly wouldn''t happen."


    "It''s alright." Mister Zhong smiled, wriggled out of his cousin''s grip and made a round through the teahouse.


    The lower floor consisted of just one big room for the customers and a row of smaller chambers for storing the materials and preparing the tea. There wasn''t much to see. Though nearly the whole floor was dedicated to the customers, there weren''t many tables. Instead, just a dozen were spread through the room, with enough space between them to allow for some privacy. If the teahouse really attracted scholars, like Zhong Gang imagined, they would be able to freely talk at their table without being bothered by the other guests.


    Mister Zhong made his way to the upper floor, looking around with wide eyes. While the lower floor already seemed like an elegant place, that only noble people would frequent, the upper floor gave that impression even more so. Zhong Gang had separated it into several rooms, that overlooked the streets.


    Yes, the teahouse was situated at the corner of the main road and one of the quieter side streets. Like this, not only was there a constant stream of people passing by on the main street guaranteed, the customers would still be able to enjoy peace and quiet. It really was a good place for a teahouse such as this.


    Each of these small rooms facing the street were decorated differently, based on famous paintings or poems, lending them a sophisticated air and giving the customers renting them a subject for a first conversation. If the scholars didn''t like this, what would they like?


    Besides these rooms, there was another, larger one in the back part of the building, that could be used for gatherings. Was there a joyous occasion to celebrate, a contract to discuss or a thank you needed to be expressed for good friends? All of that could be done there and since this was the only room in the teahouse for something like that, Zhong Gang was sure it would give people the urge to rent it. After all, getting what was scarce always held a special sense of accomplishment, no? Even those gifted scholars would like to brag once in a while.


    Zhong Gang had really thought of everything. It was nigh impossible for anything to go wrong.


    Or so he thought.

 Chapter 65 - She Dared!

    After familiarizing themselves with their new workplace and discussing the last details, the Zhongs went back home with Zhong Gang. By now, it was already evening again and another dinner stood before.


    Jing Yi gingerly walked in behind Madam Zhong, looking around and hesitating every few steps, as if he was prepared to run out of the house again the very next second. Qiu Ling tailed behind him, a big grin adorning his face, while muttering to himself.


    "Look at this! All my hard work back then paid off. I just knew I had to make sure soon, that no girl would be able to bother him. It''s really all thanks to my great insight."


    Unfortunately, even this ''great insight'' of his coupled with his little schemes, couldn''t deter Guanyu from pursuing her prince charming.


    She downright floated into the room. Indeed, looking at her all dressed up, she did resemble a cloud: She wore a blue dress with a white pattern, her long sleeves fluttering in the breeze, while the hem grazed the floor with a slight whooshing sound with each step. Some white ribbons gave her outfit the finishing touch.


    Qiu Ling''s grin collapsed upon seeing her. "Damn! It''s that girl again! You still haven''t learned your lesson? This king is going to make sure, you won''t forget this time!"


    His fingers motioned and the wind picked up once again. One of the ribbons loosened, its end falling to the ground. Guanyu took another step. Her tiny feet accurately found the ribbon, the strain pulling at her sleeve, costing her her balance and toppling her over. Once again, the girl''s face became acquainted with the floor.


    Qiu Ling guffawed. "Take that, damned girl!"


    Guanyu lay on the ground, entirely stunned. How come this happened again today? I know! I must have been too excited seeing him again so I didn''t pay attention! I''ll just be more cautious next time.


    Qiu Ling waited for the girl to throw a tantrum again, so that her bad impression would stick better with Jing Yi. Unfortunately, Guanyu wasn''t that dumb. After nearly crying her eyes out this morning, only to get no reaction at all, she had already reconsidered her strategy. Of course, this also had a lot to do with her mother Li Fang.


    Contrary to Qiu Ling''s high expectations of her, the girl only climbed back to her feet, dusted off her clothes and smiled coyly at Jing Yi.


    Qiu Ling clenched his fists and grit his teeth, glowering at her. "You ¡­ You dare!" This is too much. No, I won''t accept this! "This is a clear case of a mortal not knowing the immensity of heaven! I''ll show you, what you get for challenging me!" Ts, making such an obvious move on his beloved ¡­ this girl obviously wasn''t afraid to die!


    Unfortunately for Qiu Ling, his glowering and cursing had no effect on Guanyu, since he was still hidden from mortal eyes. Instead, the girl tidied up her sleeve and slowly made her way over to Jing Yi.


    The boy stood there, frozen to the spot, his face devoid of color. Oh no! The dragon came over! I should have escaped sooner. What is it going to do now? Will I really be swallowed whole?


    He grabbed his mother''s hand, hoping that she could save him. But then he remembered the bandits. Oh no! Those people came after mommy and father, too. What if the dragon wants to swallow not just me, but also mommy?!


    Guanyu still smiled and now, standing in front of him, a faint blush even crept up her cheeks, driving Qiu Ling crazy. Meanwhile, tears welled up in Jing Yi''s eyes.


    I should run away. Maybe the dragon will chase me and leave mommy alone?


    Comparing his fear of the dragon and his wish for his mother''s safety, his desire to protect his mother was still stronger. Jing Yi let go of her hand and dashed outside.


    Guanyu''s smiled dropped. She could only stare after him dumbly, without being able to understand. What has happened? I did nothing wrong this time, didn''t I? She looked at her mother, but Li Fang also didn''t know, what went wrong.


    Jing Yi stopped in the courtyard, hiding behind the tree. He waited, but couldn''t hear any steps behind him. He hesitated, but finally took a peek.


    The courtyard lay silent. Nobody could be seen. No dragon, no girl, nothing.


    Jing Yi blinked. What happened? It couldn''t be ¡­


    The boy froze and stared at the entrance at the other side. He still didn''t see the dragon. His face paled once again and he ran back inside, jumping to his mother''s side and hugging her, while glaring at Guanyu.


    I won''t allow you to eat my mommy!


    Qiu Ling smiled. Mission accomplished! The bad girl seemed to have done something good this time. Mn, maybe I''ll punish you not as harshly.

 Chapter 66 - Disappointed Expectations

    The Zhong''s family dinner once again ended in disaster. Zhong Gang and Li Fang felt helpless, while their daughter Guanyu felt like crying. Jing Yi hovered between fear and anger, amusing his mother with his reaction, while Mister Zhong didn''t understand, what was going on.


    Only Qiu Ling was incredibly happy. He felt like hugging ¡­ No, not the bad girl. Of course, he''d hug Jing Yi, when he felt like hugging someone. Mn, a hug should be alright?


    He waited in the courtyard after the dinner, smiling at Jing Yi and spreading open his arms, as soon as he saw him.


    Jing Yi picked up his pace and threw himself into Qiu Ling''s arms. "Grandfather!" He looked up at him, pursing his lips, his doe eyes wet with tears. "The dragon ¡­"


    Qiu Ling froze. The dragon? Does he remember? Could it be my love found some of his lost memories and knows about me? Ah, how great! I can finally drop this damn disguise! Everything will be like back home. My love, I''ll help you remember the rest of your past life!


    "He wanted to eat me and my mommy!", Jing Yi added with tears in his voice, bursting Qiu Ling''s bubble.


    This ¡­ What had happened to the recovery of lost memories? Where was the emotional reunion with hugs and kisses? The rekindling of their love?


    He felt cheated!


    Qiu Ling swallowed back his bitter feelings and just sighed, hugging Jing Yi to his chest. At least, I can still hug him as his grandfather.


    Thinking like that, Qiu Ling felt like crying. How come, he was now happy to appear as an old man? This wasn''t right! He''d rather be his usual handsome self, to sweep his beloved off his feet once again. But alas, Jing He couldn''t remember and he was too young anyway. I''ll wait, I''ll wait, Qiu Ling told himself once again. But with each passing day, that seemed to get harder.


    "What dragon?", he finally asked to distract himself.


    Jing Yi clutched his sleeve and stopped crying, though his lips still quivered. "I found out, that my uncle''s daughter is a dragon!"


    Qiu Ling''s eyebrows lifted. "The dragon, you''re talking about ¡­ is that Guanyu-girl?"


    Jing Yi nodded earnestly.


    "How did you think of that?"


    "Mister Pi told us, there are tigers and dragons in the capital! I don''t know about tigers, but in the mountain of that dragon, there were bandits. So dragons must be bad! She has to be a dragon!"


    Huh? Is there an archer somewhere? Why does it feel as if someone shot an arrow right into my heart? No, wait, that''s not just one arrow.


    "Little boy, you certainly are a bright child. But, you know, you got it a little wrong."


    "Wrong? What''s wrong with that, grandfather?"


    "You see ¡­ That girl, she isn''t a dragon."


    "Not?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "Of that I''m sure. You don''t know, because you were still hiding, when grandfather told your parents about it, but actually, I know some dragons."


    Jing Yi clasped his hands over his mouth and stared at him with wide eyes.


    Qiu Ling laughed and tussled his hair, his hand lingering a bit, before he reluctantly retracted it. "Let me explain: Mister Pi wasn''t wrong. There are indeed tigers and dragons in the capital." In fact, there is only one dragon in the capital and he is standing right in front of you, but ¡­ I guess that explanation will have to wait another ten years or so. "But the ones you should be afraid of are the tigers only. So the girl is definitely a tiger. Mn, a tigress!" This time, I''m not even lying. She''s definitely a tigress. Crying, screaming, flailing her arms around and kicking ¡­ What a fierce girl! Fortunately she''s only a cub at the moment. When she''s a full grown tigress this would be hard for my beloved. Someone as gentle as Jing He could never defend against someone like that.


    "So she''s a tiger." Jing Yi nodded, but he still furrowed his brow. "But I still don''t understand. How come I don''t have to be afraid of the dragons?"


    Qiu Ling smiled. Here it comes. Thank you for asking! This is the perfect opportunity to set up our future meeting as equals.


    Ah, he felt like tussling Jing Yi''s hair again, now that he was so happy.


    Qiu Ling cleared his throat and secured his naughty hands behind Jing Yi''s back. "You know, those bandits in the mountain? They had nothing to do with dragons. They were just some normal ¡­ arr, despicable humans. They''re bad people, but they aren''t dragons. In fact, normally, the dragon in the mountain would have helped your family, but on that day, he was away, unfortunately. So grandfather had to help you."


    "So the dragon wanted to help us?"


    "Mn. That''s right."


    "So dragons are good people?"


    "But of course! You''ll see in the future. The dragons ¡­ they''ll definitely take a liking to you."


    "Do you really think so?"


    "Mn!" Qiu Ling bent down and smiled mischievously. "Can you keep a secret?"


    "Sure!"


    "Alright, but you have to promise! You can''t tell anyone. Not even your mommy!"


    Jing Yi hesitated, but then he thought of the mud monsters. If it was better for his mommy, if she didn''t knew anything, then he wouldn''t tell her. Finally, he nodded.


    "Actually, I''ve told your parents half of it already. They know, that grandfather knows some dragons. But that''s not all! The truth is grandfather has some dragon blood himself."


    "Really?!" Jing Yi''s eyes went wide. He had just been told, that dragons weren''t bad, but he still couldn''t fully believe it.


    Grandfather is a dragon ¡­ but grandfather isn''t a bad person. So that means, dragons really aren''t bad people.


    Qiu Ling observed the changes in Jing Yi''s expression, until the boy looked up at him with a hopeful smile, that seemed to say ''So I don''t have to be afraid of them?''. He laughed and tussled Jing Yi''s hair once again. Of course, it wasn''t just because he wanted to. It certainly was because he felt the boy needed some friendly acknowledgment for understanding so fast!


    "Mn. It''s as I said. And I''ll tell you something else: When you were born, I only had to take one look at you and I could see, that you were a really special person. That is why I gifted you the mark of the dragon. Here, have a look." Qiu Ling summoned the water mirror and showed it to Jing Yi.


    Jing Yi extended his hand, touching the flowing surface, before retracting his fingers at once, when it moved. He looked up at Qiu Ling, but the dragon king only smiled. Jing Yi turned back to the mirror and started touching his face instead.


    Forget about the dragon mark, as someone who grew up in a rural village and was afraid of the river, he had never even seen his face. Being confronted with a head of black hair and large doe eyes, that conspicuously resembled his mother''s, he was utterly baffled.


    "Is that me?" He looked once again at Qiu Ling.


    Dragons? Tigers? All of that was long forgotten! He hadn''t even seen the golden mark, that glimmered on his forehead.

 Chapter 67 - It Certainly Was the Smile!

    Being asked such a question ¡­ Who would believe, that Qiu Ling wasn''t tempted once again? His fingers found their way into that black hair in front of him, while his gaze stayed trained on those doe eyes.


    "Mn. How do you like your appearance?"


    Jing Yi tilted his head. Like? "It''s a lot like mommy''s!" He looked at the mirror again and smiled. Unfortunately, that goofy smile seemed more like Mister Zhong''s. The boy became depressed instantly.


    Ah, too cute! Qiu Ling''s fingers stopped their movement, but he couldn''t convince himself to take them back. "You really look a lot like your mother."


    Jing Yi''s mood turned around once again. Qiu Ling repressed a sigh. It seemed in this life, he would never be able to catch up to the affection his beloved held for his mother. It''s really fortunate, she likes me. Just imagining what would happen if she was like the heavenly emperor ¡­


    He shook his head and got back to the topic at hand. "Anyway, now you see, you also have something to do with the dragons. So don''t worry about them. If they see you, they''ll definitely get along with you. They might even help you!"


    "Mn!" Jing Yi didn''t really understand what his grandfather was talking about, but he was content just thinking about how he looked so much like his mother. It was just ¡­ He shouldn''t smile so much.


    The smile, that had just spread, instantly withered. He didn''t want to look like his father! Qiu Ling lifted his brows in surprise.


    "What happened, little boy? Come on, tell grandfather who made you unhappy. I''m going to beat them up!" Nobody was allowed to rob his beloved of his smile! Ah, Jing He''s serene smile ¡­ How he missed it! Wasn''t that, what he had fallen in love with that fateful night?


    Qiu Ling reminisced about that first encounter with Jing He. Well, it did have something to do with that smile. Though, he couldn''t say with a clear conscience, that it had nothing to do with the gentle look in those dark eyes, that seemed to melt his heart, or how the blue robe he wore that night highlighted his smooth skin.


    Of course, it couldn''t have been because of that inky black hair, that shimmered like silk in the glow of the lamps. In fact, he didn''t remember it as clearly as the rest. What was there to remember?


    How it had been secured in that blue crown on top of Jing He''s head, the parts at the front swept up and describing a graceful arc at the side of his head? How it had cascaded down Jing He''s back right down to his hips? How it had hugged his shoulders when he shifted in his seat? Or how one of those satiny strands had brazenly clung to his sleeve when he stood up and went over to his father? He certainly hadn''t been jealous when the heavenly emperor took it upon himself to put it back into place!


    Why should he? It wasn''t like his future father-in-law would have used the opportunity to slid his fingers through the rest of Jing He''s hair under the guise of bringing order to that already perfect arrangement.


    Definitely not! Most certainly all of that had been because of Jing He''s beautiful smile!


    Definitely, most definitely ¡­ To calm his poor heart, that had just remembered something dark about his past, Qiu Ling patted Jing Yi''s head again.


    "You ¡­ should smile more often." And do something for your hair. Why did I never ask Jing He, what he was doing with his hair to get it this smooth? Aren''t I the one who suffers now? You should have told me before you went into your trial!


    Ah, now he felt like taking a short trip to the nine heavens. Maybe mother-in-law knows about it?


    "But it doesn''t look like mommy''s!" Jing Yi''s complaint pulled Qiu Ling out of his thoughts again.


    "Well ¡­ Think about it like this: Your mother married your father because she loved him, right? So looking a bit like your father is good. Your mother will like you even more!"


    Jing Yi''s eyes seemed to glow. Mommy will like me even more if I look like father? Why didn''t anybody tell me sooner?!


    At once, a beautiful smile blossomed on his face. He couldn''t wait to test this out! "I''ll go see mommy now, grandfather!" He pulled out of Qiu Ling''s embrace without another word and darted away into the room.


    Qiu Ling, whose arms were empty all of a sudden, stared at his own hands. Ah? How come this was the outcome of my ingenious plan on how to set up our future together? Does he even remember, what I told him about the dragons? No, no, that''s not important! When he meets me in the future and sees my real appearance, will he even care?!


    It seems, I really am destined to be forever number two. What to do? My love is going to be taken away by a mortal woman ¡­


    While Qiu Ling was submitting to self-pity, Jing Yi stood before his mother, looking up and smiling cutely.


    Madam Zhong smiled back at him and rubbed his head intimately. "You look so cute when you smile!"


    Jing Yi''s smile grew even more pronounced. Grandfather was right! Mommy really likes me even better when I look more like father! Had Qiu Ling known, his beloved would be this happy about it, he might not have said anything in the first place. Now, he had somehow become the person to further the affection between mother and child. Where was the person furthering the affection between himself and his beloved? Well, now he could only hope that this ''good advice'' of his would accomplish that job for him.


    Meanwhile, the boy''s face dimmed a little. Between looking like his mother and gaining more of his mother''s affection through looking like his father, Jing Yi would certainly prefer the latter. Why couldn''t he look a bit more like his father?!


    Jing Yi, who had just been thankful to his father for gifting him a bit of his appearance, now threw him a resenting gaze. Why couldn''t you let me look more like you? Confess to it! You just wanted to have mommy''s love all for yourself, isn''t that right?


    Thankfully, Mister Zhong wasn''t that good at reading his son''s expression. He just laughed and came over, also tussling his son''s hair. "You should smile like that when we open the teahouse tomorrow. I bet, we''d get lots of customers like that."


    Madam Zhong laughed, too. "I''m afraid, those won''t be the customers your cousin was thinking about." She could very well imagine, how that would turn out. But as long as the teahouse was doing good, Zhong Gang would probably not care so much. And women had a lot of power. If they liked the teahouse and talked to their husbands, brothers or fathers about it, wouldn''t those talented scholars still come in the end? "Your father is right. When we''re at the teahouse tomorrow, try smiling at the customers. They''ll like it."


    Jing Yi obediently nodded. If mommy says so, I''ll definitely do it! Thus, Jing Yi woke up with the giddy feeling of soon accomplishing what his mother had told him to do. He couldn''t wait to go to the teahouse. Why was his father still not ready?!

 Chapter 68 - Come With Elder Sister!

    Jing Yi was getting impatient. He furrowed his brow and stared at his father with an accusation evident in his eyes. This was probably the closest he would ever get to throwing a tantrum.


    Unfortunately, his antagonizing glare was completely misinterpreted. Mister Zhong laughed heartily, bent down and pinched his cheeks. "Are you already practicing to smile at the customers? What a good child! Come, come, let father help you!" Much to Jing Yi''s dismay, Mister Zhong sat down as if he had all the time in the world. A goofy smile spread out on his face and he pointed at the corners of his mouth. "Look at this! Try lifting them up a bit."


    Jing Yi still glared at him. He even took the extra effort to press his lips into a straight line to make sure his father would finally understand his intentions.


    Could it be this easy? Mister Zhong looked at the boy worriedly, then pinched his cheeks again, this time trying to lift the corners of Jing Yi''s mouth on his own. "Look! Just like this! Isn''t it fun?" He smiled brightly.


    Jing Yi''s face grew gloomier by the minute, but with his cheeks still being held like that, it wasn''t as noticeable. Qiu Ling sighed, seeing this. Mister Zhong wouldn''t understand if he wasn''t told, while Jing Yi wouldn''t tell and just look accusingly. Why was it so difficult for the two of them to communicate?


    Madam Zhong, too, noticed the problem. She went over and patted her husband''s shoulder. "Come on now, don''t play around. You wouldn''t want to be late for the opening of the teahouse, would you?"


    Mister Zhong finally let go of Jing Yi''s cheeks and leapt to his feet. "You''re right, you''re right. Ah, don''t worry, Jing''er, your smile looks great!" He still tried to reassure his son, who was rubbing his cheeks begrudgingly.


    But seeing his father hurrying to the door and his mother waiting for him, his spirits lifted again. He ran over and grabbed her hand, sweetly smiling at her. Madam Zhong reciprocated and patted his head.


    "Just be like that in the teahouse and the guests will want to take you home!"


    Jing Yi halted his steps. "They''ll take me home?"


    Madam Zhong laughed. "They would love to! But don''t worry. Mommy won''t give you away. Aren''t you mommy''s favorite person?"


    "Mn!" Jing Yi continued to follow her, but some steps further down the road, he stopped again. "Then ¡­ Does mommy like me more than she likes father?"


    Madam Zhong smiled. "Of course! Aren''t you the most important thing to both of us?"


    Jing Yi nodded, not really caring if he was the most important person to his father. The main point was that he was his mother''s favorite person!


    Jing Yi and his mother finally arrived at the teahouse, too. Mister Zhong was already busying about, sweeping the floor, rubbing the counter and the tables until everything was polished. Finally, he lit some incense for the atmosphere.


    He sighed contented and took his place behind the counter, waiting for the first guests to arrive. Half an hour passed and finally, a young woman entered the teahouse.


    Mister Zhong perked up, smiled brightly and even walked over to welcome her. "Dear customer, please come in! Have a seat! Tell me what you''d like to have!"


    The woman stopped, looking a bit bewildered. "Ah ¡­ You are ¡­?"


    "Oh! I''m Zhong Lei! This is my cousin''s teahouse!"


    "So it''s like that." The woman gave him a strained smile. "My name is Nie Huang. Mister Zhong probably told you about me?"


    Mister Zhong''s eyes went wide. "Nie Huang?" His cousin had indeed mentioned that name. Nie Huang was the master he had invited to brew tea in his new establishment. He had endlessly gushed about the lofty status of that person and his incredible skills.


    Mister Zhong had imagined a respectable old man with white hair and a long beard, who was clad in expensive robes and exuded an elegant air, to come to the teahouse. But now, in front of him stood a woman, who was even younger than himself! She could hardly be in her mid-twenties. Most probably she was even younger.


    This is ¡­ that Nie Huang? Mister Zhong scratched his head, unsure what to say.


    Nie Huang frowned, but soon smoothed out her expression. "Well, if you don''t know anything about it, then I should better go." She took one last glance at the teahouse and turned around.


    I should have known, she thought. Whatever that Zhong Gang said, he still wouldn''t want a young, unmarried woman to brew the tea in his establishment if he had any other possibilities. He probably found some average middle-aged man for the job and didn''t dare refuse me directly, so he sent that guy to pretend to be his cousin, who was clueless about everything. He won''t lose face that way and his revenue might even be better with a man brewing the tea.


    Madam Zhong sighed seeing her husband like this again. The woman was already leaving and he still stood there, not moving an inch or saying anything worthwhile to save the situation. "Come, Jing''er, let''s go greet that big sister, alright?"


    Jing Yi nodded obediently and followed her over.


    "Miss Nie, you''re finally here!" Madam Zhong caught up with her at the doorway and spoke up, before Nie Huang could really leave. The woman turned around and was greeted with Madam Zhong''s smiling face. "My husband''s cousin told us so much about you already. Look at him, he is totally tongue-tied now that he finally saw you." She ignored her dumbstruck husband and pushed Jing Yi to the front. "Say hello to Miss Nie, Jing''er."


    Jing Yi blinked his doe eyes and smiled at the woman. "Hello, elder sister!"


    Nie Huang looked at the boy and couldn''t help but smile. Whatever intentions that Zhong Gang had and whoever that man over there was, she liked this woman and the child already. They seemed like nice people. "Oh, who''s this?"


    "I''m Jing Yi! My mommy helps my uncle with the teahouse!"


    Nie Huang lifted her brows. Oh?


    Madam Zhong laughed. "This is our son, Jing Yi. My husband''s cousin told us that there wouldn''t be many people working at the teahouse for a while, so my husband will need my help. I just couldn''t bring myself to leave my son alone at home all day. Would it be too troublesome if he stayed with you in the preparation room for some time? He''s a little shy and I''m afraid he might not like being around the guests."


    Nie Huang''s smile eased. If there was one reason to regret not having married until now, then it definitely was not having any children. Leaving this adorable boy with her for some time was more of a gift than a bother! "Of course not. Just leave him with me all the time. I don''t ¡ª"


    Before she could finish her sentence, Jing Yi had grabbed his mother''s skirt, looking at Nie Huang warily.


    Nie Huang was stunned, but who would hold something like that against a child? Especially, if said child looked so afraid? "What is it? Did elder sister say something wrong?"


    "Does elder sister want to take me home, too? I don''t want to leave mommy!"


    Nie Huang stared at him, her lips slowly curling. Finally, she couldn''t hold it in anymore and started laughing. "Oh, so you were afraid of this!", she got out between her laughs. "You don''t have to worry, little one! Elder sister is just going to take care of you, while your mommy works. She''ll come and get you as soon as she finishes work."


    "Oh." Jing Yi''s grip loosened a bit, but he still felt uneasy. He should ask his grandfather if it was true.


    "So, the first guests should come soon. Do you want to watch me brewing the tea for them?"


    Jing Yi looked up at his mother in lieu of an answer. Madam Zhong nodded. "Why not? Miss Nie knows a lot about brewing tea. You''ll certainly like it." She nudged her son a bit, happy that he didn''t outright reject the offer.


    It seems that son of mine finally opens up a bit. Coming to the capital really was the right decision.


    Nie Huang took Jing Yi''s hand and led him into the preparation room. Fortunately for her, a certain someone wasn''t there at the moment and didn''t see this small gesture of affection or it might have spelled trouble for her.

 Chapter 69 - Your Majesty … Why Do You Insist On Being Handsome?

    Normally, Qiu Ling didn''t leave Jing Yi''s side for even half a step. So the question was: Where had he gone?


    The answer to that question ¡­ Haish. It''s hard to say, but Qiu Ling was currently standing in an alley, staring intensely at his water mirror and grooming himself. Not only that, had an immortal walked by, that wasn''t affected by the spell hiding Qiu Ling from mortal eyes and ears, he might have heard him muttering to himself.


    "This isn''t right, this isn''t right. I definitely have to be my most handsome self! What''s with these wrinkles? Does one need to have those ugly things as a human? Damn this!"


    How come, the supposedly mighty and awe inspiring dragon king was fussing so much about his appearance? Well, the short answer to that question was: His future father-in-law was right. Qiu Ling was incredibly vain.


    It wasn''t that strange if one knew that the dragon race in general paid more attention to their appearances. But Qiu Ling was still a rather extreme case. As for the reason to that ¡­ He had been asked once.


    Quite a few men had wondered about it and finally made a bet to decide which of them would go and ask. Their king didn''t have a bad temper like the heavenly emperor. Well ¡­ he normally didn''t have a bad temper. It was another case if it had something to do with crown prince Jing He.


    But asking such a question still seemed a problem, because who knew what their king would answer? What if they didn''t know how to react? They''d lose face in front of their king! Nobody dared to imagine that. Even though Qiu Ling might have his quirks, the people of the dragon race still worshiped him. Losing this bet ¡­ it would be a devastating blow to that person.


    But the men still made the bet knowing the possible outcome. They were just too eager to know the answer. And who knew? The unlucky one might not even be them! That was, what all of them thought.


    At that time, there were five men surrounding a table in a dimly lit room. The bet hadn''t taken place yet. No, right now, those men were still negotiating the terms of their bet.


    "I say, we draw straws. Simple and easy." This proposal came from Fu Heng, the strongest warrior of the dragon folk. Well, disregarding their king, that was.


    "Ts. That would just be leaving it to luck!" Fu Min, who shared part of his name with Fu Heng though they weren''t actually related, crossed his arms. "I say, we decide this with our abilities."


    "Heh. I like how that sounds, Min Min! How about a fight?"


    "How shameless can you get, Fu Heng! Wouldn''t the winner be clear already if we did it like that?"


    "Oh?" Fu Heng lifted his brows. "So you do know that I''m stronger than you."


    "Damn, you ¡ª"


    "Heh, heh, heh!" Qiang Wei grabbed both of them by the shoulders before Fu Min could lounge himself at Fu Heng. "Calm down. I agree with Fu Min that drawing straws isn''t acceptable. This is an important issue, after all. But we also can''t use something to bet that makes the winner or loser obvious. We have to decide on something, every one of us has the same chances."


    "Wouldn''t that be drawing straws? Really, this is not right, that is not right, let''s just decide on something! Anything is fine."


    Qiang Wei looked at the man next to him, who had kept mum until now. "What do you say, Xiang Yong?"


    "I wouldn''t mind drawing straws. But Fu Min''s idea also isn''t bad. Whatever we decide on, we need someone to judge. Maybe we should rather discuss who we are going to ask for help. That person might have an idea what to do for the bet."


    "As expected of the smartest one of us!" Fu Min threw himself at Xiang Yong, his arms accurately circling his neck. "Xiang Yong just always knows what to do. Unlike a certain someone!" Fu Min stuck his tongue out at Fu Heng.


    "Hmph." Fu Heng pressed his lips together and turned away, but he didn''t forget to direct a vicious glare at Xiang Yong before doing so.


    Qiang Wei rolled his eyes. "Come on. Let''s talk about whom we trust enough for this."


    Fu Heng snorted. "The only one all of us trust enough to consider him impartial would be His Majesty."


    "What are you even talking about? How can we ask the king if this is about him?", Fu Min snapped.


    "I didn''t say to ask him!"


    Xiang Yong patted Fu Min''s back. "It''s alright. Let us ask more than one person then. If they judge together, we should all be able to trust their decision."


    "Hmph." Fu Heng was clearly not happy, but he didn''t know how to retort. In comparison to Xiang Yong he really wasn''t that smart. He couldn''t win him in a battle of words.


    "Alright. Then who do you propose?" Qiang Wei took the matter into his own hands.


    The result was a major headache. Fu Heng and Fu Min tried drowning out the other''s voice through crying out names louder and louder.


    Qiang Wei put a hand to his forehead. He didn''t know what to do anymore. He must have been nuts agreeing to betting with these guys!


    "Mh." The one person, who hadn''t said a word until now finally cleared his throat.


    The fight between Fu Heng and Fu Min instantly stopped and both turned around. That was just the kind of effect An Bai had. He didn''t say much normally, but people tended to listen, whenever he did. That was even true for their king. Because of that, the other four were listening with rapt attention.


    "How about asking the women?"


    "Women?", asked Fu Heng and Fu Min together. The two exchanged a glance and looked away just as fast.


    An Bai nodded. "Yi Zan''s sister, Fu Heng''s niece, Fu Min''s two cousins and Xiang Yong''s sister."


    The other men exchanged glances. For outsiders this arrangement might have seemed strange, but they all knew how close-knit that group of women was. They wouldn''t favor any of them just because they were related.


    Thus, their female relatives were chosen to be their judges. Though, one of the men should regret agreeing to that decision soon. He could have known seeing how all five women smiled mischievously after hearing of the bet. But in that moment the possibility of those women colluding to harm him wouldn''t even have crossed his mind.


    "Asking the king why he cares so much about his appearance?" Fu Min''s first cousin repeated disbelievingly.


    Fu Min nodded. "Yes, yes! Don''t you also want to know?"


    "Ts." His cousin gave him a look of only-you-would-think-of-something-like-that.


    His second cousin nodded, too. "Isn''t it obvious? It''s because he''s naturally handsome! It would be a shame if he didn''t pay attention!"


    "Aiya, don''t argue with them over that." Xiang Yong''s sister waved their comments away. "I know exactly what to do in that case!" She looked at Yi Zan''s sister and smiled. "Since you''re asking after his appearance, your own appearance should decide who loses the bet!"


    The men didn''t understand, but also didn''t dare ask. Fortunately, Yi Zan''s sister explained: "Wouldn''t it be strange if someone handsome asked him such a question? The least good-looking one should go."


    The other women all nodded. "Well, asking me ¡­" Xiang Yong''s sister smiled apologetically and looked at Qiang Wei. "I''m sorry, but that would be you, Qiang Wei."


    "Me?" Qiang Wei was a little taken aback. He wasn''t really vain, but had anyone asked him which of them was the least attractive ¡­ He wouldn''t have offered his own name. He glanced at Xiang Yong. He wasn''t bad looking, but still a little plain. He''d probably vote him to be the least attractive one?


    Unfortunately, the women didn''t seem to share his opinion. Fu Min''s two cousins nodded. "Yeah, me too!", the first one said.


    "Why do you even need to ask?", the second one agreed.


    Qiang Wei felt like objecting, but didn''t know what to say. They had agreed they trusted the women. How could he say now that he didn''t? He''d be a sore loser!


    Qiang Wei looked to Yi Zan''s sister for help. She certainly wouldn''t say the same, would she?


    Yi Zan''s sister had to repress a smile. "Qiang Wei ¡­ Well, I feel like you''re not bad-looking. Though the others ¡­"


    "Aiya, Ai Hua, don''t force yourself." Fu Heng''s niece gripped her arm. "Everyone knows Qiang Wei is friends with your brother. Of course you can''t say he''s the worst looking of them. Just name someone else."


    "Well ¡­ I feel like ¡­ Xiang Yong is looking a bit plain. No offense, Xiang Yong. I just think, you could do more for your appearance."


    "None taken." Xiang Yong smiled. It was painfully obvious, that Ai Hua had only named him so she didn''t have to take Qiang Wei. He could definitely live with that.


    Fu Heng''s niece shrugged. "Do I even need to say anything? It''s obviously Qiang Wei!"


    Like that it was decided that Qiang Wei was the least attractive among those five men. Not only that, besides suffering a heavy blow to his confidence, he still had to go and ask the king that damned question.


    Qiang Wei bemoaned his fate, but he could do nothing about it. He had dared to make the bet so he couldn''t chicken out of it now. He had to go.


    Watching him leave, Yi Zan smiled cruelly. "That''ll teach you a lesson. We''ll see if you dare take my little brother for granted the next time!"


    Qiang Wei fortunately knew nothing about the fact that his relationship with Yi Zan had brought this misfortune about. He was completely concentrating on the way to Qiu Ling''s palace. His heart beat heavily entering the throne room. He and Yi Zan were probably the ones who had the closest relationship with their king, but Qiang Wei still wouldn''t have thought of asking such a question on a normal day.


    Thus, he eyed Qiu Ling warily, circling around the subject for quite some time, before he finally breathed deeply and did what he promised: "Your Majesty ¡­ Why do you insist to ¡­ look handsome?"


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows. "Isn''t that obvious?"


    "Ah ¡­ no. It isn''t."


    Qiu Ling lifted his head, staring into space. "Imagine the demons invaded our realm and we beat them back. You know that king of theirs? Jin Ling? I can picture how they''d grovel before him, crying about how they couldn''t fight well because I was looking too hideous!"


    "You ¡­" Qiang Wei didn''t even know how to ascertain what he had just seemed to understand.


    But Qiu Ling''s vivid imagination had the dragon king already fuming with rage anyway, so he didn''t notice the lack of reaction. "Damn that guy! What is he doing besides pursuing beauty? How shallow! I''ll make sure he can''t be shameless in front of me. I''ll let the whole world know that the dragon king Qiu Ling is so handsome even the demons love fighting him! And then nobody will dare say he''s more handsome than me."


    "Mn." Qiang Wei saved the effort to comment and went to Yi Zan, sighing heavily. "What do I tell the others? In the end, wasn''t the reason just because he''s really vain? This seems to be a fault with his character."


    "Just make something up. They wouldn''t dare ask anyway. How about saying there is an old legend about how the dragon race will climb to never before seen heights under the rule of the most handsome king?"


    Qiang Wei furrowed his brow. "Would anyone believe that?"


    "If the only alternative is to accept that our king is just vain ¡­ They will."


    And thus, on that fateful day a new legend was born. If any of the dragons actually believed it ¡­ Who knows for sure?

 Chapter 70 - Strange Uncle

    This vain king of theirs was currently still locked in a battle between himself and his appearance. He definitely wanted to return to his original, handsome features, but after what had happened at the Zhongs'' village he knew better than doing this.


    Though, that wasn''t the main reason. If it had only been for this, he might have ignored the possibility of bringing disaster again. Who was to say that anything would happen this time? This was, after all, the capital! No, the main reason was that he wanted to save using his real appearance for the future when Jing Yi was finally grown up and ready for love.


    If Jing Yi saw him like that now and then again as a grown up, wouldn''t he think of him as some strange uncle? He didn''t want to become an uncle after being a grandfather for so long! He wanted to be seen as a suitor and finally as a lover. Was that asking for too much?


    So, he definitely couldn''t meet Jing Yi with his real appearance. But he also didn''t want to meet him as an old man only. Faced with this dilemma, Qiu Ling had finally decided to once again take on the form of the traveler, that had helped Mister Zhong in the inn and once again in front of Zhong Gang''s restaurant.


    It was just ¡­ he wasn''t all that satisfied. He still wanted to leave his beloved with a good impression of him! Who cared what his father-in-law thought? But Jing Yi couldn''t think badly of him!


    Mn, he had to make sure, he looked especially handsome for this important occasion.


    Qiu Ling rubbed over those small wrinkles again, smoothed out his hair, tugged at his sleeves and evened out the wrinkles on his robe. Once again, he gave the mirror a scrutinizing look. Something still seemed wrong.


    "Ah, it''s such a bother being naturally handsome! This human appearance just can''t compare!" He furrowed his brow a bit and paused. Mn, this actually didn''t look bad. This face seemed to be made for wearing such a grim expression. "This might not be as incredibly handsome as my usual self, but it''ll certainly leave an impression. Don''t women always claim that men are the most handsome while at work? When working one would certainly be serious, so this should be the rumored charm of a man at work?" He tilted his head from side to side and finally kept the water mirror.


    Alright. He was satisfied, more or less. This was probably as far as human handsomeness could go. Now it was time to meet his beloved.


    He breathed deeply and made his way over to the teahouse. It''s alright, he told himself, while his heart still beat wildly. If he doesn''t like me with this appearance I can still change in the future. He certainly wouldn''t dislike my original appearance. Jing He fell for me once, it''ll certainly work a second time in the mortal realm.


    He stepped into the teahouse and was instantly assaulted by Mister Zhong''s excitement.


    "Dear customer, please come in and have ¡ª" Mister Zhong stopped and his eyes went wide. "Ah! Benefactor! So, it''s you! Please, come in and have a seat. Tell me what you''d like! The teahouse only opened today. You''re our first customer. But don''t worry, our tea is really good and we have a lot of tasty snacks, too! You''ll definitely love it! Have you decided where you''d like to sit? See, you can choose any of the tables here on the lower floor. There are rooms on the upper floor, too. Maybe you''d rather take a room? Ah, but you seem to be traveling alone. It might be a bit lonely taking a room for yourself? How about ¡ª"


    "Please have a seat first." Madam Zhong decisively pulled her husband to the side and smiled at Qiu Ling, who still hadn''t gotten time to greet Mister Zhong much less answer any of the questions.


    "Thank you." Qiu Ling smiled relieved and went to a table at the side. From there, he''d be able to see the whole room. Wherever Jing Yi went, he''d be able to watch him.


    Speaking of which ¡­ Where was his beloved?


    Qiu Ling had been gone for quite a bit of time, so neither had he seen how Nie Huang came to the teahouse, nor did he know that Jing Yi was currently with her in the preparation room. And since he could be seen by mortals now, he also couldn''t go and look for him!


    Damn this! He had prepared for so long to make a good first impression and now his beloved hadn''t even seen him enter the teahouse. How could fate be so cruel to him?!


    Depressed, Qiu Ling waved at Madam Zhong. "Just get me whatever you think is good."


    "Alright. Please, wait a moment." She went to the kitchen to get some snacks for him first. "Have these first. I''ll get your tea."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling grabbed one of the cookies. He bit into it while grumpily staring at the plate. He hadn''t imagined it like this.


    What he had imagined ¡­ Ah, well, he knew it couldn''t happen. My love, please grow up faster! I want to experience our touching, romantic reunion!


    Madam Zhong came out of the preparation room with a tray in hand. She wanted to carry the tea over, but stopped right at the door seeing Qiu Ling''s expression. The dragon king wasn''t wrong: That human face seemed to be made to frown. And right now, he was heavily frowning at the plate with the snacks while munching on his cookie. Everyone who observed this would think that he was dissatisfied with the quality of the snacks. In fact, it looked like these were the worst snacks he had ever eaten.


    Special countermeasures were needed here.


    Madam Zhong went back into the preparation room and smiled at her son. "Jing''er, how about you deliver the tea to the customer? You''ll certainly help us working in the teahouse when you''ve grown a bit older, so why not learn now? It''s only one customer at the moment."


    "Mn, alright, mommy!" Jing Yi took the tray and skipped into the hall.


    Madam Zhong smiled. "Let''s see if he still manages to look so grumpy with Jing''er smiling at him."


    Jing Yi hurried to Qiu Ling''s table and pushed the tray toward him. He also didn''t forget to show him a brilliant smile, exposing two small dimples.


    Qiu Ling looked up. The cookie fell out of his hand, but he didn''t even notice. He only stared at Jing Yi.


    So ¡­ cute! Ah!


    He unconsciously extended his hands and pinched Jing Yi''s cheeks, smiling himself until his eyes formed small crescents.


    Ah ¡­ Spending so much time on his appearance and coming here had been worth it! Luck was on his side! Fate meant well with him! In his happy mood, Qiu Ling stopped pinching Jing Yi''s cheeks and instead patted his head, tussling that soft black hair.


    "Such a good boy!"


    Jing Yi stared at that customer in front of him, ignoring the hand on top of his head. I have to smile!, he reminded himself. Mommy wants me to smile at the customers. I can''t stop.


    But this uncle is really strange.

 Chapter 71 - Selling Cuteness

    Thankfully, Qiu Ling didn''t know what his beloved was thinking. He was just happy that he could spend time with him. "Come, come, have a seat." He pulled Jing Yi onto the chair beside him and pushed the plate with the snacks over. "Have something to eat."


    Jing Yi looked at the snacks and grabbed a cookie, too. He hadn''t eaten anything that morning, since all his thoughts were focused on going to the teahouse and accomplishing his mother''s request.


    Qiu Ling smiled even broader seeing Jing Yi accept the snacks from him. "And? How is it? Tasty?" He was just as excited now as Mister Zhong had been when the first guest entered the teahouse. "You can have more if you like. Just take it."


    Jing Yi nodded, but didn''t say anything else.


    Qiu Ling didn''t mind. Quite on the contrary, he liked this atmosphere. If he blended all those extraneous people out, it would just be like in the nine heavens.


    In fact, this really reminded him of that day he had gifted something to Jing He for the first time. They hadn''t been an official couple back then, so he had waited with bated breaths if his adored one would accept or not. If he did, then this would have been the first step of them becoming a couple. If he didn''t ¡­ Qiu Ling would have needed to court him even longer.


    Thinking back now, Jing He had looked a bit troubled. He had clearly hesitated, but finally still accepted his gift. Not only that, he had even secured it in a chest and put it in a place not that easily seen by others. He obviously didn''t want to share even its sight!


    Ah, he must have been so touched!


    Thinking of this distant memory Qiu Ling''s grim expression, that had already wavered for quite a while, completely collapsed and made way for a silly smile.


    Madam Zhong, who observed everything from the door of the preparation room, furrowed her brow. Maybe it wasn''t such a good idea to send Jing Yi over? That man seems a little strange.


    Before she could dwell on it, the second customer finally graced their teahouse. It was a middle aged woman. She wore simple, yet elegant robes and a friendly smile showed between the faint wrinkles on her face. She stepped in and waited. Behind her, another woman entered. She was about half the older woman''s age and seemed more serious. The warm color of her dress balanced the impression, though.


    Madam Zhong hurried past her husband to greet the new customers. "Dear guests, welcome to our teahouse! Would you like a table on the lower floor or do you prefer a room on the upper floor?"


    "How about a room on the upper floor, mother-in-law?" The young woman put her hand on the older woman''s arm and smiled. "There will probably be more people down here later. So it''ll be quieter on the other floor then."


    The old woman started to nod, but then stopped. Her gaze had landed on Qiu Ling and Jing Yi. "Let''s stay on the lower floor!" She didn''t wait for her daughter-in-law''s opinion and made her way through the room. It seemed like she wanted to go to the back of the room, so Qiu Ling didn''t pay her any mind and instead concentrated on Jing Yi.


    Ah, this was heaven! He should come to the teahouse every day. How nice it would be when Jing Yi had finally grown up. He''d bring over some snacks and tea and sit down beside him when there were no other customers. If someone came, he''d reluctantly part with him, his gaze lingering on him while he had to go. And then he ¡ª


    "Oh, what an adorable little boy!" The older woman bent down in front of Qiu Ling''s table and smiled at Jing Yi. "Is this yours?"


    Qiu Ling snapped out of his thoughts and instantly the frown reappeared. "Yes!" Yes, that''s mine, so shove off!


    Madam Zhong''s eyelids twitched. She had followed the new guests and heard Qiu Ling''s words. Dear guest, though I sent my son to you to lighten up your mood, that doesn''t make him your son, right?"


    She cleared her throat and went over to her son. "This is my son, Jing Yi. I wanted him to experience how it is working in the teahouse."


    "Oh! So this is your husband?" The old woman looked from Madam Zhong to Qiu Ling.


    The dragon king looked at her miffed. How could she even think that?! The only person he''d ever marry was his Jing He!


    "Er ¡­ No." Madam Zhong smiled wryly and shook her head. "My husband is over there." She motioned to the counter.


    The old woman looked over. Mister Zhong perked up at his wife''s cue and smiled that goofy smile of his. "Oh. Well, your son looks a lot like him." But her gaze still went back to Qiu Ling for a moment.


    Madam Zhong couldn''t understand herself, why that guest had said something like that, so she could only pretend not to have heard him. She turned to her son instead. "Jing''er, why don''t you come with me and accompany this Madam and her daughter-in-law to their places?"


    Jing Yi leapt from the chair and grabbed his mother''s hand. Of course, he''d rather go with his mother than stay with that strange uncle.


    "Don''t forget the tray."


    Jing Yi took the tray and followed the three women over to the other side of the room.


    Qiu Ling clenched his fists. Damn. What are you doing, mother-in-law? At least leave the tray, so my love will have a reason to come back here!


    Of course, Madam Zhong wouldn''t do that. Instead she felt like it was a good thing, those two women had come. There certainly are strange people in the capital. It seems I can''t let Jing Yi run around alone. He''ll attract some strange people. Who knows if someone really tries to take him home?


    The two guests settled down at the last table. The table, that was the farthest from where Qiu Ling sat. The dragon king could only gnash his teeth in anger and deliberate if it would be too much changing to another table. There weren''t any other customers now. He could do so.


    Madam Zhong seemed to hear his thoughts. She patted Jing Yi''s shoulder and motioned to the table. "How about I get you some snacks first? My son will stay here. You can tell him if you want something else."


    "That sounds great, thank you." The daughter-in-law smiled and turned around to the older woman, while Madam Zhong hurried to the kitchen. "What about the tea, mother-in-law? Is there something you''d like?"


    She didn''t get an answer. The older woman patted the other chair next to her and smiled at Jing Yi. "Come, have a seat, little one. It must be exhausting having to run around the whole day working here in the teahouse."


    Jing Yi sat down, but shook his head. He had just come here today and hadn''t run around much.


    "Ah, what a well-behaved child! Zhi''er, you really have to hurry up! How long do you want to let me wait for my grandchildren?"


    The younger woman''s lips twitched. Did we come here for the tea or for the child? But unfortunately, she couldn''t say that out loud. "Of course, mother-in-law. You certainly won''t have to wait long."


    Meanwhile, Qiu Ling''s face was as black as a pot. What are you still talking over there? If you want your own children, just go home and make them! Give me back my beloved!


    He furiously gulped down the tea, Nie Huang had brewed meticulously, not really tasting anything but vinegar. This should have been his lucky day! Why had fate taken back his chance to spend time with his love? This was unfair!


    Unfortunately, all complaints wouldn''t help. Rather, his troubles had just begun, because just then the next guests stepped into the teahouse and these people spelled major trouble.

 Chapter 72 - Important Guests

    The first one to walk in was a widely grinning Zhong Gang. Behind him, his daughter Guanyu followed, once again dressed up to the nines. Every little accessory she wore was matched to her dress and not a hair was out of place. The corners of her lips were lifted in a demure smile, that was as fake as Mister Pi''s great wisdom.


    Jing Yi still hadn''t seen them, so he sat unsuspecting next to the old woman and smiled like his mother had told him to. He felt like helping out in the teahouse wasn''t so bad. His mother would certainly be proud of how hard he worked!


    Though Jing Yi didn''t notice anything, Guanyu had seen him at first glance. Her eyes gleamed and she had a hard time keeping her demure smile in place. She followed her father deliberately slow, while all the while repeating her mother''s words in her head: Big Brother Jing Yi is shy, he is easily scared. He likes demure and gentle girls. I can''t act out of line. No scratching, no screaming, no running around. If he doesn''t do what I want him to do I have to patiently wait. No scratching. No screaming. No running around. Don''t act out of line.


    She knew full well that these practical tips were the most important. She had to follow them to the letter.


    Qiu Ling looked at the girl and took up his cup to hide the sinister smile, that graced his lips after seeing her. Thank you for coming here! I was just in need of someone to vent my frustrations on. Don''t think that I would stop at you just because you''re a little girl! If I can''t have him, I certainly won''t let you have a chance.


    His hand slipped under the table and commanded the wind. Out on the street a breeze picked up and made its way into the teahouse. The skirt of Guanyu''s dress fluttered, but she was moving at a snail''s pace and there was nothing Qiu Ling could use to make her fall. The breeze swirled around her a few times and finally left the teahouse.


    Madam Zhong, who had just come back from the kitchen, saw this strange occurrence. She paused in the doorway and furrowed her brow. Her gaze roamed about the room and finally stopped at the guest on the other side, who looked at Zhong Guanyu as if he wanted to hypnotize her. Her frown disappeared and she smiled faintly.


    So it''s like this.


    She couldn''t help but sigh in relief. She had been afraid her son might be in danger if some pervert in the capital took a fancy to him, but if it was that person, she did not have to worry.


    She went over to the two women and placed the snacks on the table. "Here are your snacks. Our house offers different kinds of teas, but our tea master has some recommendations for this season."


    The old woman nodded. "Then bring two of his special recommendations, please!"


    "As you wish." Madam Zhong hurried to the preparation room.


    Meanwhile, Zhong Gang had made his way over to the counter. "It seems the teahouse is doing good right now. You just opened and there are already three people. At midday, the whole house might be full!" He looked from Qiu Ling to the two women and back, the contentment evident in his eyes.


    He had high expectations for the teahouse, but he never would have thought that the customers would come on the first day without being invited. He didn''t know even one of them, but all three looked like they were from well-off families. Especially that man. He might not be dressed that spectacularly, but with his high build and that broad chest he made quite an impression. The way he carried himself had something, that Zhong Gang could only associate with royalty.


    This man, could it be ¡­ Zhong Gang leaned closer to his cousin and lowered his voice. "Ah Lei, say: That man over there ¡­ Did he tell you who he is?"


    Mister Zhong looked over, though no other guest had come by until now. "I don''t know. But we met him in the inn the other day. He helped me negotiate a good price!" Mister Zhong smiled at Qiu Ling. He was still thankful. Without him, his family would have lost all of their savings to that hustler.


    "Oh." An inn? Then he couldn''t be who I thought of. Someone like that wouldn''t frequent an inn in the capital. That person would return home.


    Zhong Gang sighed. He was a little relieved, but also a little disappointed. Having a guest with a lofty status might be good if he was satisfied, but it might also lead to disaster if he wasn''t.


    It''s probably better he isn''t someone from that family. Nobody in the capital ¡­ What am I thinking? Nobody in the whole empire could afford to offend them!


    In a rare moment of insight, Mister Zhong looked at his cousin with worry. "What''s going on, Ah Gang? You seem ¡­ depressed?"


    Zhong Gang waved it aside. "It''s nothing. Actually, I came here, because Shao Chen told me he''d swing by in a bit. You remember? He''s the merchant I told you about. The one who brought the tea leaves for me. Without him, there wouldn''t be any teahouse, so he should be one of the first to enjoy it."


    "Oh, that''s true. I''d like to meet him."


    "Of course, of course. I''ll introduce you. Ah! You know what? Shao Chen has a son in Jing Yi''s age. Wouldn''t it be great if the two of them could become friends?"


    "Mn!" Mister Zhong was thrilled. A friend for Jing Yi? That would be great indeed! For the past seven years his son never had a friend. Now that they were in the capital, it shouldn''t go on like this, no? "Is he bringing him over?"


    "Ah ¡­ That I don''t know. I just send someone over yesterday telling him that the teahouse will open today and he promised to come. But he often takes him along, so he might as well today."


    "Great. Really great!" Mister Zhong couldn''t feel happier.


    His wife threw him a strange glance when she came back from the preparation room, but she didn''t dwell on his expression and made her way over to the two women. "Here''s your tea. I hope you like it! Please tell me if I can do anything else for you?"


    "Oh no, no need", the daughter-in-law said.


    This time, the old woman nodded. She also didn''t want to have anything else.


    Meanwhile, Guanyu had finally reached the table. She stopped in front of Jing Yi and smiled as sweetly as she could. "Brother Jing Yi!", she cooed.


    Qiu Ling got goosebumps even on the other side of the room. There was no need to mention Jing Yi. He completely froze, all his thoughts coming to a stop, feeling like the heavens would come crashing down right the next moment. It found me! The tiger found me again! I should call grandfather. But there are other people and mother told me not to call grandfather when other people are around. What should I do?!


    The old woman laughed. "Ah, how adorable! First love is always so sweet!"


    Guanyu giggled and blushed appropriately. "Ah, auntie, how can you say something like that. Brother Jing Yi and I ¡ª"


    Crack.


    With a shattering sound Qiu Ling''s cup broke, the parts clattering down on the table. All eyes fell on Qiu Ling. He stared at the shards now decorating the table and coughed.


    "It seems ¡­ there was something wrong with the way I picked it up."

 Chapter 73 - Love Rivals Everywhere!

    Qiu Ling was saved from that embarrassing situation, because at that moment, a man positively jumped into the teahouse.


    "Haha!" He stood with his hands on his hips and guffawed. If this wasn''t the capital and if the man wasn''t richly dressed, everyone might have mistaken him for a bandit.


    Zhong Gang''s lips twitched. "Shao Chen, you said you''d come by. But you didn''t say you''d come to scare my customers away." He made his way over while laughing. "Come, come, have a seat. Ah, did you bring your son?" He looked around the big man and indeed, behind him stood a boy, who had a remarkable resemblance to him.


    "Of course! How could I let him miss this?"


    "Great, great. You remember my cousin I told you about? The one who I said I''ll invite to manage the teahouse?"


    "Yes, yes! Is he here?" Shao Chen looked around and noticed Mister Zhong at the counter nearly instantly. "Ah! That must be him. You look so much alike!" He stormed over with heavy steps and looked Mister Zhong up and down, stroking his chin all the while. "You''re only cousins, but you''re looking more alike than my brother and me!"


    Zhong Gang followed him over. "Indeed. It was even more so when we were young. You should have seen us. We looked like twins. Twins! I tell you. Haha. There was even one time when ¡ª"


    "Daddy!"


    Zhong Gang flinched and looked over to where his daughter stood. The little girl, that had acted well-behaved at the beginning, had started to frown when Qiu Ling crashed his cup, clenched her fists when Shao Chen and his son came in and now screamed at the top of her lungs when the commotion still didn''t die down. How was she supposed to win over her Prince Charming like this?!


    While she concentrated on her father, Jing Yi slipped out of his seat and around her back. The preparation room was on the other side of the room behind the counter Guanyu was facing right now, so he wouldn''t be able to go there. He ran straight for the entrance, but he only managed to reach halfway.


    Shao Chen''s son stood in front of him. Jing Yi stopped awkwardly, scared stiff, because not only wasn''t he able to flee, there was even an unknown person in front of him! Who knew if that was someone dangerous?


    Shao Chen''s son, Shao Hai, stood frozen to his spot, too. His heart was like a horse bolting. He couldn''t get its beating under control. His ears turned red and he scratched at the floor with his foot, evading Jing Yi''s gaze.


    With both of them hesitating for so long, Zhong Gang had finally managed to calm down that spoiled daughter of his. Inside, Guanyu was still fuming, but she did remember her mother''s words and felt bad about how she had just resorted to screaming in front of Jing Yi. Now she''d have to begin from square one. It was all her stupid father''s fault!


    Though Zhong Gang certainly wouldn''t have liked that evaluation of him, he still understood that his daughter wasn''t that wrong. They couldn''t get this excited with guests around. The man on the other side of the room didn''t seem to mind, but the women looked a little piqued. Well, this was a teahouse, after all. It should be a place to relax in silence with only hushed conversations of great value. Not some old gossip loudly regaled between uncultured laughter.


    Zhong Gang coughed. "Let''s go up into one of the rooms. We wouldn''t want to disturb the guests."


    Shao Chen nodded instantly, but Mister Zhong hesitated. "What about the teahouse? Shouldn''t I ¡ª"


    "Hogwash!" Zhong Gang slapped his shoulder and pushed him to the staircase. "There are only three guests. Your wife can do that and if it''s not enough, there are still the girls in the kitchen. Even your son could help. At least spend some time with us."


    Mister Zhong looked at his wife, but she only nodded and waved him away. Honestly, it would probably be better if he wasn''t there. He smiled in appreciation and followed the other two up, while Madam Zhong went into the preparation room to get another cup of tea for Qiu Ling. She was sure, he was her family''s benefactor even though he had taken on another appearance once again.


    After Guanyu saw her father walk to the upper floor, she was satisfied. She was sure, that nothing could get between her and Jing Yi now. She turned around and ¡­ was confronted with an empty chair. Her Prince Charming was gone.


    Guanyu''s lips quivered. Why was she that ill-starred? She prepared to run out of the teahouse and go cry to her mother. Turning around she stopped dead in her tracks. That boy waiting over there ¡­ was Jing Yi?


    She was stunned for a good while. Like this, three children stared at one another. Guanyu fixated Jing Yi''s back, while Jing Yi and Shao Hai were still locked in an impasse.


    Madam Zhong smiled when she came back and found the children like that. She didn''t say anything and only hoped that Jing Yi would really find a friend this time. If she didn''t intervene, these children might solve the problem on their own. Silently, she made her way over to Qiu Ling''s table.


    "Have a new cup." She swept the broken shards and put down the new cup in front of him.


    "Oh, thanks." He took the new one and lowered his gaze. "I''m sorry for the first one."


    "It''s alright. You''ve done so much for us. What''s one cup compared to that?"


    Qiu Ling looked up again and smiled. You''re just so smart, mother-in-law. You already recognized me. He wanted to say something, but a movement in the middle of the room caught his eye.


    Guanyu had finally figured out, what was going on. Her face lit up and she pounced over, completely forgetting her mother''s warning in her excited state.


    Jing Yi heard the fast footsteps. He turned to the side mechanically and his eyes grew wide in fear. Oh no!


    Guanyu accelerated her steps and extended her arms. She wanted to leap forward and throw herself into his arms. He''d certainly catch her and fall in love with her that way! Who wouldn''t, looking at such a lovely girl like her?


    She leapt, but Jing Yi got scared. In his thoughts, he saw a ferocious animal pouncing on him. He stumbled backward, his face scrunching up and tears welling up in his eyes. In his flustered state, he collided with Shao Hai, but the boy caught him.


    He took one look at Jing Yi''s fear-stricken face, then glanced at Guanyu and finally frowned. He didn''t know, what was going on, but he could clearly perceive that this girl was the evildoer here!


    Hmph, I''ll show you!


    He waited for Guanyu to leap. Jing Yi wanted to scramble away, but Shao Hai caught his wrist. He pulled him toward himself, hugged him to his chest and turned to the side. Guanyu missed her target and once again fell face first to the floor.


    Her crash was accompanied by a crack.


    "I''ll compensate for that", Qiu Ling said flatly. He stared at the boy hugging his beloved without any emotion evident on his face, but there was only one thought in his mind, written in bold, scarlet characters: You! Dared!

 Chapter 74 - Talking Sense Into Him

    A storm was brewing in Qiu Ling''s eyes. Damn, even when he courted Jing He back in the nine heavens, he hadn''t dared to be this straightforward! How could that guy be this brazen?! He''d teach him a lesson!


    Madam Zhong took one look at Qiu Ling''s face and knew that it spelled trouble. "They''re just children."


    "You''re way too laid-back, mother-in-law! This is dangerous. You wouldn''t want him to lead your son astray, would you?" He looked up at her, frowning, but was met with an empty look.


    Madam Zhong''s thoughts were somewhere else. What did he just call me? Mother-in-law? It seems, whatever happened in Jing''er''s last life wasn''t that simple.


    Qiu Ling blinked, now distracted himself. Why is she looking at me like this? He wanted to ponder on it, but with what was going on in the middle of the room he didn''t dare lose focus. No, I can''t think about this now. I have to separate that vile scum from my beloved!


    His hand moved, but was caught in a soft grip. "Don''t. It''s just a child. Nothing to worry about. Shouldn''t you know Jing''er by now? He doesn''t open up that easily in front of other people."


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows. "Madam Zhong", he stated solemnly, "I tricked your son into opening up to me in less than ten minutes. Don''t try to fool me with nice words."


    Madam Zhong didn''t know how to answer. She certainly hadn''t expected such words. "So you don''t have any confidence to make him fall in love with you again?"


    Qiu Ling tensed up. How long had he courted Jing He? One year? Two? Even more? He had taken so long for that even in the nine heavens. In a place, where Jing He had been isolated most of the time, with not much contact to other people.


    The heavenly emperor''s love and protection might have been a little too much. He was always afraid to lose the son that was so precious to him so he didn''t dare take any chances. Who knew if someone he trusted that day would turn into a traitor the next? Who could be sure that some unrequited affection wouldn''t turn into hate and compel someone to take drastic steps? Who was to say that someone wouldn''t get ambitious and kill the heir to the throne to pave a path for himself?


    Finally, the only ones Jing He had regular contact with were his parents and uncle. The rest of the gods ¡­ they saw him. Whenever there was an occasion the crown prince should attend, he''d be there, quietly sitting in his place, never directly looking at anyone, only doing what was expected of him.


    He seemed perfect looking from outside. But Qiu Ling knew him good enough. Jing He had been lonely. Lonely and scared. When he had started courting him, Jing He hadn''t known what to do. On one hand he wanted to accept this love, he wanted to finally have somebody else in his life, whoever it might be. He didn''t want to be so alone anymore. But on the other hand he was scared and didn''t dare follow his heart.


    It wasn''t wrong to say he had lived like a prisoner until then, even through that prison was made out of the most luxurious materials and the one guarding it was a person he loved and who treated him kindly. With such a life, of course there would be some reservations. Of course he wouldn''t believe that his father isolated him like that without good reason. And of course that made him suspect Qiu Ling''s reason for getting closer to him.


    Winning over such a person hadn''t been easy. The trust between them had to be slowly accumulated and Qiu Ling certainly wasn''t eager to wait that long. He wanted to sweep him up into his arms right from the first time he saw him. Persevering for so long ¡­ He himself was surprised he could do it. But he had already been head over heels for Jing He. Waiting some years, he had willingly made that sacrifice.


    But that was all the more reason that he didn''t want to yield to any other person now. He might be able to accept some little girl circling around his beloved, but this was different. From the very beginning Qiu Ling had never taken any woman as serious competition. With how Jing He behaved, he wasn''t suited to be with any of them. He needed someone more outgoing, someone who would take the lead in their life and make him feel secure.


    So, of course, Qiu Ling saw other men as the greater competition. Especially men who showed that they had the necessary qualities.


    Saving his beloved in the time of need, successfully holding off the danger ¡­ That was exactly the kind of thing that would move Jing He! He had to do something now or his beloved would be taken away!


    Madam Zhong observed the changes in Qiu Ling''s face and sighed when he finally returned to his scowl. She sat on the chair beside him, not letting go of his hand lest he do something irreversible. "He''s been alone all the time. He should make some friends."


    Qiu Ling wavered. Yes, he should. It would be good for Jing He to experience something like that in the mortal world. He had thought of that himself even when they were still in the village. It was just too hard to stomach for him that his beloved might fall in love with someone else. If he wanted to allow him to have a friend, he had to make sure that this wouldn''t happen.


    He faced Madam Zhong with an earnest expression and gripped her hands in return. "Be honest, wouldn''t you rather have me as your son-in-law than some son of a merchant?"


    "Daoist master ¡­ My son is seven. I''m not thinking about getting a son-in-law for another ten years at least."


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "I know, I know. But in another ten years: Wouldn''t you rather have me as your son-in-law than some merchant''s son?" He hopefully looked at her, making it hard to reject him.


    "You ¡­ probably wouldn''t be a bad choice?"


    "Right!" Qiu Ling smiled widely, his eyes turning into little crescents. "So shouldn''t you advise your son? To be honest, I don''t mind that other child. I just don''t want your son to be led astray."


    "That ¡­" Madam Zhong didn''t mind humoring Qiu Ling a bit. He wasn''t a bad person and seemed serious about her son, not to mention how much he had done for her family. But she still didn''t like where this was going. "Daoist master, there is something I want to ask. Please take a bit of time to think about it before giving your answer: Are you sure ¡­ Are you sure the person you love is my son?"


    "Of course!" Qiu Ling, of course, didn''t take any time. Who else would it be if not Jing He?


    Madam Zhong shook her head. "You misunderstood. What I meant to ask was: Are you sure it''s my son you''re thinking about and not the person he was in his previous life? I know people reincarnate and still retain the same soul after that. But aren''t they different people nonetheless? My Jing''er ¡­ He probably grew up completely different from the life he had before. You seem like an important man. You certainly wouldn''t have fallen in love with some poor villager. So, please ask yourself: If Jing Yi was only Jing Yi, the boy you see over there, would you still love him?"


    Qiu Ling gazed at her deeply before looking at Jing Yi. If Jing Yi was only Jing Yi ¡­ But how could that even be? This was Jing He''s soul. This body had only been formed, because the fate''s scribe willed it like that. It was only a container for that noble soul. He had never been intended to be more.


    This boy ¡­ he was just as pitiful as Jing He. And just as lovable.

 Chapter 75 - I’ll Do It For You

    Qiu Ling gazed at the boy that carried his beloved''s soul. They weren''t the same person technically. Even though they had the same soul, Jing Yi grew up differently and with everything that he experienced he would diverge more from how Jing He had been.


    His mother-in-law''s question wasn''t without grounds.


    The one he had fallen in love with was Jing He, not Jing Yi. If not for Jing He, he wouldn''t look twice at a mortal boy. But the things he loved about Jing He ¡­ he saw some of them in Jing Yi, too. In fact, the two of them were quite similar, though one couldn''t say that he himself didn''t have a hand in this.


    Jing Yi was similarly closed off from the world, though that was mostly because of his own volition. Like Jing He he had an incredibly good relationship with his mother, though his relationship with his father in this life was kind of lukewarm. Jing He had been a lot closer to the heavenly emperor. But even then comparing both even in the nine heavens he had been more comfortable around his mother.


    Just take his relationship with Qiu Ling for example: The person he went to, to discuss this had always been the heavenly empress Bai Fen. Never once had he asked the heavenly emperor Rong Su for his advice.


    Disregarding these relationships there was still the issue of his temperament. Jing He ¡­ he was gentle, friendly, but always a little distant. He looked at you, but you still felt as if he didn''t. He was looking at nothing at all, because his heart was never there. And still, that gaze drew people in. It was refreshing seeing it.


    When Qiu Ling had seen it for the first time, he had felt like having seen the source of the world. The only pure thing there was, untainted by the filthy world outside, without desire or hate. Seeing this, Qiu Ling hadn''t been able to resist.


    Only much later did he find out that this impression was deceptive. Jing He had desires. He had just learned to hide them. If people don''t know what is important to you, they can''t use it to hurt you. That was what he thought.


    Remembering how Jing He had once confessed that, Qiu Ling grew sad. His love ¡­ he might have given him much in his last life, but he had also robbed him of much in this life.


    "Fine." His voice was slightly hoarse when he made up his mind. "I''ll let it be for now. But I''ll intervene if this goes overboard!" He fixated Madam Zhong with a serious gaze.


    She only nodded and smiled. "Then I''ll get you a new cup." Once again she swept the table and went to the preparation room.


    Qiu Ling sighed, looking at his beloved that was still in the arms of another person. "Well, at least, it''s a child. If they were both grown ups, I''d probably not hold back. But for now ¡­ I''ll let you have some fun if that is what you want. I''ll just ¡­ watch over you from afar." His heart was heavy deciding this, but what other possibility was there? He''d feel guilty if he continued to meddle.


    I''ll give you ¡­ two weeks. If I find that boy''s sight unbearable at that time I''ll drive him away. That sounds fair, right? So you better not go overboard until then! I don''t want to see any more hugging!


    Unfortunately, the boys couldn''t hear him and even if they did, they wouldn''t care. Shao Hai didn''t know him and Jing Yi only knew him as the old daoist master he called grandfather, but not as the one he had labeled the ''strange uncle''. He''d probably be more inclined to trust Shao Hai instead of him.


    So, at this moment, Shao Hai still hugged Jing Yi and stared threateningly at the girl that was just getting up.


    "Why did you do that?!", she complained in a whiny voice.


    "Hmph. What were you trying to do jumping like that? You could have hurt him!"


    "Why would I hurt my brother Jing Yi?!" She stomped her feet and clenched her fists once again. "Who told you to get involved, Shao Hai! Get away from my brother Jing Yi!" She tried to push him off, but Shao Hai stubbornly held onto Jing Yi, even turning around a little, so that Guanyu couldn''t reach him.


    "Go away, Zhong Guanyu! He doesn''t like you! Leave him alone!"


    Guanyu froze. Her eyes welled up with tears. "You''re so mean!", she screamed and then ran away to the preparation room, throwing herself into Madam Zhong''s arms. "Auntie! Wuwuwu, Shao Hai was mean to me! He even caught brother Jing Yi and doesn''t want to let him go! Wuwuwu, you have to do something, auntie!"


    So there she was, the girl that had insulted the Zhong''s as beggars just some days ago, crying into Madam Zhong''s arms and trying to get her help. Well, the winds do change with time.


    Madam Zhong wasn''t small minded. She didn''t fault Guanyu for the way she was, but she understood fully well that her son wouldn''t like her and she didn''t want to force him. He was somehow afraid of girls since a young age.


    Regarding that ¡­ Her gaze found Qiu Ling, who lifted his brows at her as if he didn''t know what was wrong. She had her doubts. Now that she thought about it, all this had probably something to do with him. Girls were falling into some muddy holes or onto the floor left and right wherever her son walked for as long as she could remember. It had been like that in the village, on their way to the capital and now it continued here.


    She sighed. How could a man with such a lofty status as a daoist immortal be so ¡­ narrow-minded? Could he really not stomach anybody else in Jing Yi''s vicinity? The boy was still so young! Where was this even coming from?


    But, well, there was nothing she could do on that front, so she had to make do with patting Guanyu''s head. "There, there, don''t worry. They are both boys. It''s only natural that they would have some things they want to do alone. Aren''t there also things you want to do alone with other girls?"


    Guanyu looked up at her strangely. What is auntie talking about? Why would I want to spend time with other girls? I''d much rather spend time with brother Jing Yi! Hmph, I should still go home and ask mother!


    She pursed her lips, stopped hugging Madam Zhong and ran out of the teahouse, hurrying home as fast as she could.


    Madam Zhong just sighed, seeing her like that and continued her work. It wasn''t long, before the next customers came in and she grew increasingly busy, without even the time to look how her son was faring. But with Qiu Ling around she didn''t worry that anything could happen to her son.


    Indeed, nothing had happened to Jing Yi. He was even quite happy at the moment. Unfortunately, the reason for that wasn''t Qiu Ling, but the person the dragon king had dubbed his love rival: Shao Hai.

 Chapter 76 - Having To Answer

    Shao Hai had struck out his tongue at Guanyu when she left the teahouse. He felt happy having won against her and even happier being able to spend more time with Jing Yi now.


    He let him out of his hug, but only to grab his wrist and pull him to one of the tables. He helped him up on the chair and sat beside him, grabbing Jing Yi''s hand as if they had known each other for years already.


    Qiu Ling''s gaze bore into the back of his head, but Shao Hai didn''t seem to notice. He was completely focused on Jing Yi.


    He smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "You don''t have to be afraid anymore. She''s gone."


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded. He had seen her run out of the teahouse. He was happy because she was gone, but he was also nervous. He had never really talked to any children his age. What was he supposed to say?


    Shao Hai also didn''t know what to say. He had liked Jing Yi at first glance, but he didn''t know anything about him besides the name Guanyu called him.


    Oh! Shao Hai perked up. That is a good way to begin! He leaned over and smiled at Jing Yi. "I''m Shao Hai! The man I came with just now is my father. He''s good friends with Mister Zhong", he added after thinking a bit. Guanyu was Mister Zhong''s daughter and this was Mister Zhong''s teahouse. If Jing Yi was here and Guanyu was bothering him, he probably had something to do with the Zhongs. If their families had something to do with each other, Jing Yi would certainly warm up to him faster.


    Unfortunately, Shao Hai hadn''t taken the right approach. Shao Chen was friends with Zhong Gang, who was Mister Zhong''s cousin. But the one Jing Yi cared about most was his mother. He didn''t really care if someone was acquainted with his father or not. Furthermore, he was still feeling shy.


    As a result, he only nodded, but didn''t answer.


    Shao Hai became anxious. Why hasn''t it worked? Maybe he doesn''t have to do anything with the Zhong family? Shao Hai felt like he should get to the bottom of this. "Zhong Guanyu called you Jing Yi. So is Jing your families'' name?"


    Jing Yi shook his head, but still didn''t talk.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes lit up watching this scene. So my beloved doesn''t like him. Hmph, this was to be expected. His taste is so much more refined!


    Unfortunately for Qiu Ling, Madam Zhong had taken a look in the children''s direction and noticed that something was strange. She went over on the way to the kitchen and smiled at them. "Jing''er, why don''t you take Shao Hai to elder sister Nie Huang''s room? I''ll bring you some snacks in a bit."


    Jing Yi, who was finally told what to do, hopped down from the chair and looked at Shao Hai expectantly. The other boy didn''t really understand what was going on, but he hurriedly followed Jing Yi.


    "Who was the pretty sister just now?"


    Jing Yi finally smiled at that question. "That''s my mommy!"


    "Oh!" Shao Hai''s eyes grew wide and his ears turned red again. Ah, he sounds so nice!


    He followed Jing Yi closely, still holding onto his hand. The children disappeared into the preparation room and sat down at the table there. Nie Huang smiled at them and made them tea, but otherwise left them to themselves.


    Now it was Shao Hai''s task to get Jing Yi to talk. He cleared his throat and slid closer to Jing Yi. "So, if your family isn''t named Jing, what is it called?"


    Jing Yi looked at him. He didn''t really know what to do, but he felt like Shao Hai had liked it when he answered his previous questions? So he should tell him! "It''s Zhong."


    "Zhong?" Shao Hai repeated the name. Did I hear wrongly? That sounds like uncle Zhong Gang''s name?


    Jing Yi nodded, but still didn''t say more. Haish, making friends with him certainly wasn''t easy! But Shao Hai also felt like they were getting somewhere. At least, he didn''t only get a nod or a shake of the head as an answer this time. Who knew, they might be holding a real conversation soon.


    "So, is your Zhong the same as uncle Zhong Gang''s Zhong?"


    Jing Yi blinked and abruptly started crying.


    Shao Hai grew flustered, leapt to his feet and tried patting Jing Yi''s back. "There, there. Why are you crying now?"


    Nie Huang, too, grew alarmed. She came over and knelt beside the children, patting Jing Yi''s head. The two of them talked at him, but nothing helped. Instead, the boy cried even harder.


    Nie Huang and Shao Hai shared a look. What to do in such a case?


    "How about I get his mother?", Nie Huang could only propose. In fact, she didn''t want to do that if she didn''t have to. It was hard enough to get this job. Now the owner''s wife had entrusted her child to her and it started crying on the first day while under her care. How would she keep her job like this?!


    Shao Hai also didn''t want that. If his mother sees he is crying because of me, I might never see him again. I have to make sure, he stops crying before she can find out! He stopped patting Jing Yi''s back and went for a hug instead.


    Jing Yi froze. His body went rigid and the sobs stopped at once. Instead, his eyes went wide.


    He ¡­ he hugged me. Does that mean ¡­ he still likes me?


    Jing Yi tried turning his head a little, but Shao Hai had hugged him so close that he only got to see some black hair. When Jing Yi didn''t try to wriggle out of his grip and even stopped crying, Shao Hai felt accomplished. He hugged Jing Yi even tighter and started stroking his back. "There, there. You see? Everything is alright. You don''t have to cry."


    "Mn." Jing Yi smiled and gripped Shao Hai''s sleeve, holding on to him tightly.


    It feels good being hugged by him. Though, being hugged by mommy is still better!


    "Now, tell big brother Hai why you cried." Shao Hai leaned back and looked him into the eyes.


    Jing Yi pursed his lips. He didn''t want to. What if brother Hai didn''t like him anymore after he did?


    "What is it? You don''t want to say? Why that? Don''t you trust me?"


    Being pressured like that Jing Yi hung his head and mumbled an answer. It was too low to make out any words, though.


    "What was that?"


    Jing Yi mumbled again and this time, Shao Hai was sure, he had heard the words ''didn''t'' and ''understand''. He furrowed his brow, thinking deeply about the hidden meaning behind those words. Unfortunately, he couldn''t find any.


    "I don''t understand. What didn''t you understand?"


    Jing Yi looked even worse. "I didn''t understand the question! And if I don''t, you won''t like me anymore!" His eyes welled up again, but Shao Hai was quick to react this time.


    He hugged him again and patted his head. "Ah, what are you saying! I''ll still like you, even if you understood nothing!" He smiled brightly at him.


    Jing Yi hesitated, but finally he smiled, too. Mn, Brother Hai was really nice. He might just be his favorite person. After mommy.

 Chapter 77 - He Lost It

    Seeing the children leave for the preparation room, Qiu Ling blinked. They were out of his sight. He should ¡ª


    He had gotten up halfway when a slender hand grabbed his shoulder. "Daoist master, didn''t you promise something just now?"


    Qiu Ling coughed. "I did. But I should still take a look!" He had to make sure that nothing bad happened to his beloved!


    "Over there is only a room for preparing the tea. There is nobody inside besides the children and our tea master."


    "I haven''t seen your tea master. Maybe he''s a bad person."


    Madam Zhong shook her head. "She''s a lovely girl."


    "She might want you to think that. Who knows who she really is?"


    "My husband''s cousin hired her himself."


    Qiu Ling looked up at her solemnly. "Madam Zhong, are you sure, your husband and his cousin only share their looks?"


    "Er ¡­" She suddenly remembered how Zhong Gang always scratched his head when he was at a loss. It was just like her husband. Maybe she should worry after all? Her husband wasn''t that good at judging people ¡­ Somehow she had began to worry herself, though she had originally wanted to get Qiu Ling to stop worrying.


    "You see! I''d better go and take a look. Not that something happens to your son."


    He finally got up and wanted to go over, but Madam Zhong grabbed his sleeve this time. "Where do you think you''re going? You''re a guest and that is a room for the servants working here. If any one goes there that should be me."


    Qiu Ling grit his teeth. This was the first time in his life, someone had denied him en¡ª No, wait. This wasn''t the first time. His other mother-in-law had once done the same when she felt like he had gone too far.


    What was it with these mothers? Shouldn''t they be a bit more worried when their sons were in such dangerous situations?! What if that despicable child did something to Jing Yi?


    Qiu Ling slumped back onto his chair. He remembered that damn day his other mother-in-law had denied him entry. It had been in the nine heavens so he couldn''t just force his way inside. The heavenly emperor was still above him there. And more than that he was afraid of pissing off his mother-in-law. However deep Jing He''s love to him was, it would crumble if he didn''t have her blessing. Maybe not instantly but with a bit of time. So pleasing his mother-in-law stood nearly as high on his list of priorities as pleasing Jing He himself.


    But on that day, he had nearly lost all reasoning. He had thought his beloved was with another man and his imagination had supplied him with all kinds of things the two of them could have been doing. Just imagining how some other man gazed heatedly at his beloved and even dared to touch him! Such impudence! At that point in time he hadn''t even held Jing He''s hand yet!


    Well, at least not with Jing He''s consent. He had grabbed his hands once when he was too excited to control his emotions.


    Anyway, on that day, his mother-in-law had also claimed that he was imagining things and that nothing was happening, but Qiu Ling didn''t want to hear that. He wanted to see his beloved. He wanted to make sure nothing was going on. He just wanted to make sure.


    In the end, he had made such a commotion that the guards and the heavenly emperor himself came over. And finally that door opened to reveal two men. Qiu Ling hadn''t cared for any of the other people one bit. He had leapt in front of Jing He, conveniently pushing that other man to the side.


    Not caring about Jing He''s parents behind him or the guards, that were eying him suspiciously, he clasped his hands and smiled. "Jing He, my dear, I was yearning to see you." His voice had turned gentler all on its own.


    The anger he felt before, the fear of losing the one whose heart he was just obtaining ¡­ Oh? Had there been something like that?


    Jing He''s clothes were without wrinkles, every hair on his head in its place. Though he still felt miffed, that his beloved had spend time alone with another man, he already knew his worst imaginations hadn''t come true.


    "Long ¡­ Longjun." Jing He had looked a little uncomfortable.


    They had just been at the point where Qiu Ling''s courting showed effect: Jing He had let his guard down around him, quietly being in his company or sometimes even easing into a conversation. He''d smile every now and then and he didn''t shy away anymore when Qiu Ling came close.


    But they still weren''t at the point where they could be called a couple. This was still Qiu Ling courting the crown prince, slowly seeing the first results. Jing He didn''t even call him by his name then but still by his title. And in front of all those people he reverted back to his old way.


    He tried taking back his hands with that greeting and his feet slid a little back, wanting to get out of Qiu Ling''s reach. But would the dragon king let him have his way so easily? Of course not!


    When Jing He moved, he moved, too, following him until he once again stood before him with next to no space separating them. And of course, he held onto Jing He''s hands.


    Seeing that, the guards had enough. This was their beloved crown prince, that was being pressured here! In their eyes, this was a scene of a beast tyrannizing a gentleman, who was too kind to fight back. How dare that filthy snake touch their son of heaven! They moved as one and the tips of a dozen spears pointed at Qiu Ling''s neck.


    Did the dragon king care, though? Of course not. He just went ahead with what he was doing. He pulled Jing He''s hands a little closer and leaned forward. With their difference in height Jing He had to look up. Their close proximity contributed to turn this into ¡­ a slightly more ambiguous sight.


    Some of the guards turned red seeing this and the heavenly emperor started hollering at Qiu Ling. "What do you think you are doing with our son, Longjun? Get your hands off him right now! Is the crown prince of the nine heavens someone you can touch so easily?!"


    Unfortunately, his roars didn''t yield any result and yes, obviously the crown prince was someone he could touch that easily. What could they do? Fighting with him? He was still the king of the dragon race! It would lead to an all-out war if he came to harm in their realm! Especially if nothing had happened to the crown prince.


    Qiu Ling knew that, of course, so he didn''t bother heeding any of these warnings. He just lowered his voice a bit more and started caressing Jing He''s hands. "You know, I sent Fu Min over with a message for you. I don''t know what happened. It seems he couldn''t find you? So I thought ¡­ Why shouldn''t I come over myself? I hope you don''t mind. The truth is, I just couldn''t wait to see you again. You know, your smile is haunting me. Last night ¡ª"


    Someone grabbed his wrist and forced his hands off his beloved before he could tell the rest of the story. With a crabby mood, Qiu Ling turned around. Upon seeing the man that stood in front of him it got even worse.


    It was him. That was the guy Fu Min had seen his beloved with. That was the man that had come together with Jing He.


    Alright! You want to challenge me? It''s my pleasure! Please, provoke me, so I have a valid reason to rip you apart! The killing intent radiating off of him let Jing He next to him shudder, but he was unable to retract it.


    There was one thing about dating a dragon, one should never forget: They were faithful, but jealous people. Extremely jealous people. If a dragon found his partner cheating on him it might happen that they killed him. But with a probability nearing certainty they would have a fight with the one they had been cheated on with. And most of those fights ended with either of the parties dead.


    Even though he was sure nothing had happened between Jing He and that man, Qiu Ling was prepared for such a fight. That guy certainly wouldn''t have come near his beloved if he didn''t have some intentions toward him. But this would end here. He wouldn''t give him any chance. Jing He was his. Nobody else could have him.


    The man smiled wryly. "Longjun. Care to tell me, what you are trying to do to my nephew?"


    "Ha?" Qiu Ling blinked, not understanding anything.


    The man snorted. "I''m afraid we haven''t had the pleasure of meeting yet", he said, even though he could remember a dozen occasions they had seen each other at on the spot. "I''m the god of war, Qiang Yan, the heavenly empress'' brother. So, I''m Jing He''s uncle."


    "Oh. I ¡­ I didn''t want to do anything. I just came by to say hello. I ¡­ actually, I have something really important to do now." He gave a strained smile, turned around and fled.


    The important thing he had to do? Of course it was giving that damned Fu Min a good beating. How dare he report strange things back to him? He had made a fool out of himself in front of his beloved!

 Chapter 78 - Severe Measures Are In Order!

    Qiu Ling came out of his thoughts and shook his head. This and that were two completely different things. Just because his other mother-in-law had been right back then this mother-in-law wouldn''t necessarily be right, too. No, he needed to stay vigilant!


    Under Madam Zhong''s watchful eyes Qiu Ling continued to sit at his table, held his cup of tea and pretended to drink. His concentration was completely on the door on the other side and his nerves were high-strung.


    Wasn''t that his beloved crying right now? He started to move, but one glance from madam Zhong pushed him back down.


    Damn this! I shouldn''t have come here. I should have stayed invisible. Then I could accompany him at least, even though Jing Yi wouldn''t be able to see him. But there was no merit to Jing Yi seeing him anyway. The boy had more or less ignored him.


    Just what was he to him?


    Qiu Ling felt like crying, but he still had the slight hope that everything would get better soon. That merchant''s son would certainly disappear, that wild girl would lose interest and Jing Yi would grow up and finally take interest in him! Mn, yes. It would certainly happen.


    Just when he had successfully brainwashed himself into thinking like that, the two boys left the preparation room. Shao Hai was holding onto Jing Yi''s hand and both of them were smiling brightly. When Shao Hai looked at Jing Yi ¡­


    Qiu Ling grabbed his chest. Why did he feel like he was seeing some pink haze around them? This ¡­ This was so wrong!


    He looked at Madam Zhong accusingly. You said nothing would happen! Now look at this! Someone is trying to take away my beloved! What do you have to say to your defense, mother-in-law? Make this up to me!


    But however many signals he send her with his eyes, it couldn''t change the fact that Jing Yi had indeed taken a liking to that ''brother Shao Hai'' of his.


    The two boys went to the upper floor and searched for Shao Hai''s father.


    "What is it, Xiao Hai?" His father tussled his hair and smiled back.


    "I want to show Jing Yi the capital! Can I?"


    "All alone? Alright, but be careful." Mister Shao was definitely not an overly cautious man. He didn''t mind letting his child run around alone outside. In fact, he was quite happy his son was already this independent at such a young age.


    Shao Hai was happy. He pulled Jing Yi back down and went to Madam Zhong next. "Auntie! Can I take Jing Yi outside? I want to show him the capital!"


    "Alone?" Madam Zhong''s gaze flitted to Qiu Ling.


    Hmph. Now you know how to look for me. What if I said no? He crossed his arms and closed his eyes to indicate his refusal. He certainly wouldn''t help his love rival!


    Madam Zhong repressed a laugh. Considering how his appearance seemed to change nearly every time she saw him, she had no idea how old he really was. But a man who was able to do all that would probably be quite old already. So, why did it seem like her seven year old son was sometimes more mature than him?


    She bent down to the children, smiled and patted both their heads. "Alright. Go on. But be cautious, alright?"


    "Mn!" Jing Yi nodded and Shao Hai pulled him outside.


    Qiu Ling''s smug smile collapsed. His eyelids twitched. You''re ¡­ too despicable, mother-in-law! I can''t win against you!


    He opened his eyes, threw her a glance and stood up. Without another word he put some silver down on the table and left the teahouse after the children. Of course, he hid his form as soon as he could, following the two of them like a shadow, unseen by mortal eyes.


    The longer the children went through the capital, the gloomier Qiu Ling got. Jing Yi, his Jing He ¡­ had fun. And quite a lot. When the children returned in the evening he was laughing. Laughing! The only thing Qiu Ling had ever gotten from Jing He was a soft chuckle accompanied by a gentle gaze. And he had done a lot to make him laugh.


    But this damned brat just had to show him around the capital a bit, tell him some stories and get him something sweet to eat and his beloved already laughed and hung at his arm! What was with this unfair treatment?!


    "Argh, I should have taken him to my realm. I really should have done that. I could have showed you that capital! It''s at least a thousand times more interesting than this dumb mortal city!"


    He grumpily walked into the teahouse behind them and threw an accusing glare at his mother-in-law, but of course she couldn''t see it. He''d have to come back as a guest to the teahouse tomorrow and throw her another one!


    "Auntie, we''re back! Is father still here?" Shao Hai ran to Madam Zhong, pulling Jing Yi along with him.


    Seeing her son smiling happily, Madam Zhong, too, smiled at the boys. "Mn, he is upstairs with Zhong Gang. Did you two have fun?"


    Jing Yi nodded and hugged Shao Hai''s arm even tighter. Behind him, Qiu Ling cracked his knuckles. This called for severe measures!


    With a fluid motion he turned around and procured a smooth stone from his spatial ring. He put some of his energy into it and the surface lit up.


    In a beautifully decorated palace in the nine heavens two dragons flinched. Both their gazes slowly found their way to the bracelet one of them was wearing. The big smooth stone inlaid there had started to glow.


    Qiang Wei cleared his throat. "Ahem, that ¡­ is that the transmitter stone His Majesty gave you?"


    Yi Zan nodded. "I think so. I had it embedded right the next day."


    "Maybe you mistook another one for it?"


    "But it''s the only one I ever got. How could I have mistaken it? Show me yours! They looked exactly the same."


    Qiang Wei nodded solemnly and took out a chain hanging around his neck. The pendant attached was indeed another smooth stone. "They do look the same, but mine''s not glowing."


    "Maybe he''s only trying to reach me?"


    "Why would he?"


    "Why would he try reaching any of us anyway? He''s in the mortal world with the crown prince."


    The two stared at each other. Indeed, why would he? Whenever he was with the crown prince his subjects were less than air for him. They were hindrances, parasites robbing him of his precious time. He normally treated them like an infectious disease! Why would he contact them of his own volition now?


    Qiang Wei furrowed his brow. "Maybe something happened?"


    "Was there a large scale invasion of the human world through the demons?"


    "Not that I know of. I could ask Fu Min?"


    "No, let''s just hear what he wants." He put some of his energy into the stone and was instantly greeted by Qiu Ling''s frowning face.


    "Why did you take so long?"


    "I''m sorry, Your Majesty. I felt too overwhelmed being bestowed with your favor of ¡ª"


    "Yes, yes, stop it with that. I''m calling for a reason."


    His expression became grim, making Yi Zan''s heart beat faster. Maybe there really is an invasion? That would be bad.


    "Yi Zan, if I remember correctly ¡­ your sister is quite the beauty?"

 Chapter 79 - She’s a Beauty

    "Huh?" Yi Zan rubbed his ears. It seems ¡­ he misheard? "Your Majesty, could you repeat that? It seems the transmission is bad today."


    "I said: Your sister. She''s a beauty."


    "Hm?" Yi Zan looked at Qiang Wei, his gaze asking ''Did you hear that, too?''.


    Qiang Wei leaned over and looked at Qiu Ling''s face with a frown. "Your Majesty, something is wrong with this stone. It sounds like you''re asking after Yi Zan''s sister. How about we try my stone instead? Maybe Yi Zan''s became spoiled or something like that."


    "Screw you, Qiang Wei! How could a transmitter stone become spoiled? You''re talking nonsense again! Now get back to your post! Who''s going to guard my beloved if both of you are talking to me?!"


    "But nothing is happening any¡ª"


    "Don''t you dare slack off!" Qiu Ling had been in a bad mood anyway. Being able to roar at Qiang Wei felt good. He was a little disappointed that he couldn''t kick him through the transmitter stone.


    "Your Majesty, we''re standing right beside his bed ¡­"


    Qiu Ling stopped roaring. "Why the hell are you standing at his bedside talking?", he hissed at them in a low voice. "Yi Zan, get out of the room while you talk to me! Do you want to wake him up?!"


    Qiang Wei''s lips twitched. "His soul isn''t here, though? What does it matter where Yi Zan talks to you? He wouldn''t hear it down in the mortal world, would he?"


    "Shut up, Qiang Wei! Lower your voice!"


    Qiang Wei indeed shut up, but he couldn''t help sending a disgruntled look at their king. This was really too much! But, well, he couldn''t claim to have expected anything else. This was just how their king was.


    Yi Zan didn''t argue and left the room. He had a look around to make sure none of the gods were around in case that what their king had to say was a secret.


    "Your Majesty, I left the room. What may I do for you?"


    "Your sister", Qiu Ling reminded impatiently.


    Yi Zan smiled wryly. So I didn''t imagine that? "Yes, she was described as thus."


    "Good, good. She married some years back, right?"


    "Indeed."


    "And her husband was good looking, too."


    "Yes ¡­"


    "They already have a child together, am I right?"


    Yi Zan started sweating. What was it with these personal questions? On a normal day, he would be lucky if His Majesty even remembered he had a sister. Where did this sudden interest come from? "Yes."


    Qiu Ling frowned. It had been hard remembering that much, but the most important detail still eluded him. "Was it a boy or a girl?"


    "A boy?"


    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. "You don''t seem so sure."


    "Yes ¡­ No. I''m sure. It definitely is a boy, Your Majesty. I was just wondering, why you asked me something like that?"


    Qiu Ling didn''t deign to explain. "Tell your sister to send him down to the mortal world." He wanted to end the transmission, but Yi Zan stopped him.


    "Your Majesty, wait! This is my sister''s son we''re talking about here. He''s her only child and still quite young. She won''t send him down without any explanation."


    "Isn''t me summoning him enough? Damn, just tell her I urgently need him down here! Hurry!"


    "What do you need him for?" This sounds like a life and death situation. But what could one boy do to help in such a situation?


    "To eliminate a competitor! Now hurry! I need him here as soon as possible. No, not as soon as possible. Tomorrow. Tell her, I need him tomorrow. And I''m talking about the mortal tomorrow, not yours!"


    The transmission was cut off. Yi Zan stared at the smooth surface of the stone. He had gotten it a couple hundred years ago, but he still remembered it as if it had been yesterday.


    He had always looked up to his king. Being able to serve by his side and even being trusted to such an extent that the king felt it necessary to give him such a transmission stone so that he could call him if needed ¡­ He had been touched beyond words and felt like he was walking on clouds for weeks. Embedding the stone in a bracelet was as much for showing it off as it was for not losing it.


    Unfortunately, as time went on he had to admit that the stone was merely a decoration. The king never contacted him through it. Even after he found out that his highly respected king was a little strange, he still talked himself into believing that the king had given him the transmitter stone for an important reason. He would certainly use it if there was an emergency.


    Now, that treasured stone had been used for the first time.


    "Looking at it from the king''s perspective ¡­ This probably is a major emergency?" Yi Zan lifted his brows.


    He didn''t have any illusions about Qiu Ling''s priorities. Using that transmission stone, asking him these strange questions in that kind of urgent voice, speaking about competition ¡­ This had to have something to do with the crown prince.


    He sighed, took out another transmission stone ¡ª albeit one that was several levels below the one the king had given him ¡ª and contacted his sister.


    "Yi Zan! You finally contacted me. I thought you ¡ª"


    "The king wants you to send Guanting down to the mortal realm."


    "Huh?" From her happiness because of her brother calling her she was plunged right into confusion. "Why would the king want me to send my son down?"


    "He probably wants him to seduce some mortal child."


    "Why would I do that?! How did he think of such a thing?"


    "It seems to have something to do with crown prince Jing He. His Majesty remembered you were a beauty ¡ª"


    "When shall I send him?"


    Yi Zan kept mum. Seriously, if you weren''t my sister, I would be exasperated by how two-faced you can be. First, you pretend to be totally against it and now you agree without a second thought just because the king said you were a beauty? Where''s your pride?!


    But, well, it made things easier for him. Father, mother, thank you for having such a strange child. Not that the king would thank me.

 Chapter 80 - It Shattered

    The next day in the mortal world came soon. Zhong Gang and Shao Chen both went to their respective work and didn''t come to the teahouse again. But their children, as if they had agreed on it, ran there first thing in the morning.


    Was that the power of love?


    Most certainly, because the third person to hurry to the teahouse ¡ª and the one who managed to arrive even before the two of them ¡ª was Qiu Ling. He stepped into the teahouse with a bright smile and happily skipped to his place at the side of the room.


    Today is the day you''ll pay, damn bastard! I''ll make you show your true colors in front of Jing He!


    Madam Zhong brought him a cup of tea and examined his face. He looks somehow ¡­ gleeful? "What did you plan this time?"


    Qiu Ling swept the grin off his face in the blink of an eye. "What are you talking about, mother-in-law? I just came here to support your teahouse." He fluttered his eyelashes, but only got an empty look back. Oh, right, I still have that other appearance ¡­


    He peeked to the entrance, but nobody could be seen. With a mischievous smirk, he returned to his original appearance and continued. That had always worked on his other mother-in-law! Handsomeness was the best weapon a man could use!


    Madam Zhong jerked. "What are you doing? What if anyone had seen?"


    Qiu Ling leaned over the table and smiled happily. "There''s no one there, don''t worry. Besides, don''t you like seeing my original appearance? Isn''t it so much more handsome? You must be thrilled getting such a handsome son-in-law!"


    Madam Zhong looked him up and down. He was indeed handsome, but his personality ¡­ Did she really want her son to marry someone like that? No, wait! Why was she even thinking about that? Her son was only seven!


    She frowned and put the cup down in front of him with a clunk. "Didn''t I already tell you yesterday? I won''t have to think about that for at least another ten years."


    "Don''t worry, mother-in-law, I''ll look the same ten years from now, so you can slowly start thinking about it." He picked up the cup with a big smile on his face and started to drink without noticing Madam Zhong''s strange look.


    Hasn''t Nie Huang brewed that tea just now? How come he drinks it like that? There is still steam floating up continuously. It should be really hot.


    Well, there were a lot of perks to having the sturdy body of a dragon. But pretending to be human wasn''t one of them.


    Madam Zhong shook her head and went back to the kitchen. He''s immortal, she told herself, there''s nothing strange about being a bit different from other people. Not in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that Qiu Ling hadn''t been human to begin with.


    Meanwhile, Qiu Ling changed back to the grim looking man just in time for Shao Hai''s arrival. The boy ran over to the preparation room without noticing the malicious stare directed at him.


    Just when he entered another little shadow skipped into the teahouse. This time, it was Guanyu. She wore a white and orange dress today and her hair was made into two pigtails. If one didn''t know her, she definitely made the impression of being a sweet, lovely girl that couldn''t hurt a fly.


    Hmph. Qiu Ling ignored her after a dissatisfied glance. Was she even worth his time? No, he should concentrate on that other pest. Taking him out was more urgent. Regarding the girl, he had prepared enough in the last couple of years. Jing Yi wouldn''t fall for her.


    Meanwhile in the preparation room Shao Hai hugged Jing Yi, smiling from ear to ear. "Jing Yi!" They had only seen each other yesterday, but he had already missed him terribly.


    "Brother Shao Hai!" Jing Yi hugged him back, smiling just as widely as the other boy.


    They held each other for a moment, before Shao Hai stepped back and took Jing Yi''s hands. "How about I take you to my home today? Then you can come over whenever you want to play!"


    Jing Yi wanted to accept, but shook his head in the end. "I can''t. Mommy wants me to smile at the customers."


    Shao Hai blinked and tilted his head. "Why that?"


    "She said, they would like it!" He didn''t really understand why, but if it made his mother happy, he would just do so.


    Shao Hai pursed his lips. He considered asking Madam Zhong if it was alright to take Jing Yi away today again. She had seemed nice, so she probably wouldn''t reject. But in the end, he still decided otherwise. Working was really important. His father had told him that very often. If Jing Yi had to work, then it was like that. "How about I help you smile at the customers? Then you''ll be finished sooner!"


    "Mn!"


    Shao Hai pulled him outside to start their ''work'' right away. Unfortunately, there weren''t many customers they could smile at: At the back of the room sat the old woman that had come with her daughter-in-law yesterday, just that this time there was a young man sitting next to her that seemed quite weary. And of course, there was Qiu Ling at the opposite side of the room. It was just ¡­ next to him sat an annoyed Guanyu.


    While he had wanted to ignore her, he had been the only customer in the teahouse when she came by. Guanyu hated waiting and considering how she had grown up, she wouldn''t set one foot into the servants'' rooms if she didn''t have to. As such, she had of course turned to Qiu Ling to question him.


    "Where his brother Jing Yi?", she asked once again, but she didn''t even get a glance in return.


    Though, Qiu Ling was answering her in his thoughts. Kind of. Damned brat, go away! What if my love comes back and sees us together? He''d avoid me even more! Come on, get up and go annoy the old woman over there. Doesn''t she like children? Just go already!


    But Guanyu didn''t even consider that. "I asked you, where brother Jing Yi is!" She slapped the table and furrowed her brows. As long as Jing Yi wasn''t there, she didn''t have to pretend to be a gentle and refined girl. If this man still didn''t answer her, she''d start screaming! And maybe she''d scratch him, too.


    Of course, Qiu Ling''s worst imagination came true: Just at that moment Jing Yi and Shao Hai stepped out of the preparation room and saw them.


    Jing Yi clutched Shao Hai''s arm, shrinking beside him as soon as he saw Guanyu. He was even more afraid of her than he had been of the girls in the village. Shao Hai patted his head.


    "Don''t worry. With me around, she won''t be able to hurt you!" He didn''t know what Guanyu had done, but he had never liked her anyway. Now he was really against her. She should just try hurting his Jing Yi! He''d show her!


    Qiu Ling tensed seeing the boys so close. Oh no. I made a great mistake. I shouldn''t have given them any time together! Where is Yi Zan''s sister? Why hasn''t she brought her son yet?


    While he thought about that, he made another mistake: Guanyu noticed him tensing up and staring at the other side of the room. She turned around and saw Jing Yi. Her face lit up and she leapt from the chair, running over as fast as she could. Yes, she had forgotten her image once again.


    "Brother Jing Yi!" She smiled widely and wanted to hug him, too. After all, what that Shao Hai could do she could, too, right? She extended her arms.


    Shao Hai hugged Jing Yi and pulled him out of the way. Guanyu fell to the ground. She lay there, stunned once again. How many times had she fallen this week? Four times? Five? Why was this always happening? And always in front of her Prince Charming?!


    She started punching the floor and bawling her eyes out.


    The old woman couldn''t take it anymore. She stood up and walked over, standing before the boys with arms akimbo. "What do you think you are doing? The poor girl! Look, how she''s crying now! Shouldn''t you help her up?"


    Shao Hai pursed his lips and just hugged Jing Yi a little tighter. "She scared brother Jing Yi!"


    "Aiya, how can you be like this? You should yield a little to girls."


    "Why should I?" Shao Hai didn''t see reason.


    "How will you marry one of them if you''re like this?"


    "I won''t!"


    The old woman couldn''t help herself and laughed. Young children sure were naive! She couldn''t wait having such a cute grandchild herself. "You won''t? But you have to marry."


    Shao Hai pursed his lips. "Then I''ll marry brother Jing Yi!" He turned around to Jing Yi, cupped his cheeks and leant in.


    Muah!


    A big, moist smack was given.


    Crack!


    No, that wasn''t another cup breaking. This was the sound of Qiu Ling''s heart shattering. His love''s first kiss ¡­ was stolen by another man.

 Chapter 81 - What to Do?

    Back in the nine heavens fate''s scribe Shun Tao was pacing up and down in his palace. Hong Bao sat at his table, biting her nails, her eyes following every step of his.


    What led to this was, of course, the aftermath of Leng Jin Yu quietly walking off. Though he himself was still pondering his next action, Hong Bao had arrived at another conclusion. Thus, after freaking out for half an hour by herself, she ran to Shun Tao and agitatedly told him that Leng Jin Yu had figured out everything.


    Naturally, she didn''t confess that rather than him figuring out everything on his own, her asking Leng Jin Yu for advice had led to this conclusion. What if Shun Tao blamed her? Oh, he had every reason to blame her, but she didn''t want that! She had only tried to help ¡­


    Hong Bao pursed her lips. It was the right thing not to say anything. Leng Jin Yu was so intelligent, he probably would have figured it out sooner or later anyway. She had just sped up the process a little.


    "What to do? What to do?" Shun Tao muttered this sentence over and over while pacing. But he really couldn''t think of anything.


    That Leng Jin Yu knew and he would certainly tell someone. That was what Shun Tao himself would do if he caught wind of such a story. This was, after all, pertaining the life and death of their beloved crown prince. Who didn''t understand what a major incident that was?


    But he couldn''t let Leng Jin Yu tell anyone. He just couldn''t. He wanted to save the crown prince but he also wanted to save himself. Under no circumstances could the heavenly emperor hear of this before he had found the culprit! He needed some leverage. Something, anything that would convince the heavenly emperor of not killing him.


    Unfortunately, even after a week, he hadn''t found anything like that. He had to confess soon. It would still be better confessing himself than somebody else telling on him.


    Shun Tao sighed. Ah, this would be so much easier if I was human. Then I could just kill the one who knows my secret. But disregarding the fact that I don''t even know how that Leng Jin Yu looks, I can''t just go and murder him, can I?


    Shun Tao stopped pacing and turned to Hong Bao. "I''m going to tell the heavenly emperor."


    "What?!" Hong Bao leapt to her feet and shook her head. "You can''t do that! Didn''t you say he would kill you? How can you go there?"


    "I have to. If I tell him myself, he might be lenient ¡­" Shun Tao furrowed his brow. Okay, no, he wouldn''t be lenient. That was the heavenly emperor they were talking about here. He wasn''t lenient. Especially not when it had something to do with his precious son. "Well, I could gain some time at least." Though, that was unlikely, too. Whatever happened, he was doomed.


    Shun Tao could only sigh and shake his head. "Telling him myself is still better than somebody else doing so. At least, I can die with my dignity intact. If he puts lying to the sovereign on my head, too, I will have an even worse end."


    "There must be something we can do!"


    "Nothing I can think of." Shun Tao sighed again and pulled out the scroll of fate. None of his counter-plans had worked so far and he didn''t have any more ideas on how to approach this. "I''ll better go now." He turned around, prepared to head to his doom now.


    "No!" Hong Bao grabbed his arm and held him back. "Please, don''t go!"


    "I have to."


    "But ¡ª"


    "Lying to the sovereign is a capital offense already warranting my death. The longer I wait, the worse it becomes. At the moment, they might still be able to save the crown prince. That might lessen my punishment slightly." Maybe the heavenly emperor will at least leave me an intact corpse? No, wait, I shouldn''t get ahead of myself. Not dispersing my soul so that I may reincarnate as some lowly animal would probably be more like it.


    "At least ¡­ At least wait until tomorrow!"


    "Tomorrow?" Shun Tao smiled self-deprecatingly. "What difference will these few hours make?"


    "Who knows? I might find a way!"


    Shun Tao smiled and patted her head. "Alright, fine. You''ve helped me quite a lot these days. I''ll wait until tomorrow morning then. Whether I tell him now or then ¡­ It probably won''t make any difference."


    "Mn." Hong Bao nodded and left the scribe''s palace.


    Oh no, I have really gotten him into trouble. What should I do now? Normally, she would have run to Leng Jin Yu, but that guy had already betrayed her. There was no way she could ask for his help again.


    Is there anyone else? I don''t know that many people in the first place and none of them are exceptionally smart or have any kind of status that could be of help.


    Ah, being the crown prince must be nice. Whatever you do, nobody will find fault with you. You never have to worry or fear for your life. Of course, at that time, Hong Bao had already forgotten that all of that was happening only because the crown prince''s life was in danger.


    While she walked back to her own room, her imagination filled in every information about the crown prince she lacked: She had never seen him so she imagined him as a despotic man with an eternal frown and a frozen displeased expression. Someone like that would certainly never smile and he definitely didn''t like cookies!


    Such bad taste! Her cookies were delicious! Even Shun Tao had liked them. It was just that ¡­ he soon wouldn''t be able to taste them anymore. She should have brought him some today. They could have even shared them. Maybe she should follow him to confess to the heavenly emperor? They could at least die together as a tragic, star-crossed couple. Wouldn''t that be better than being left alone in this dark world without her beloved?


    Hong Bao sighed and entered the courtyard without looking.


    "Heh! Damn you! Watch where you''re going!"


    She was pushed back rudely and landed on her butt. "Ay!" Hong Bao squinted her eyes and looked up accusingly. In front of her stood a woman in a pink dress with flowing sleeves, whose hair was done up in a fashionable style. Some silver jewelry poked out of those black strands, glinting in the sun.


    "Whoa!" Hong Bao was stunned. "So pretty!"


    The woman lifted her brows in obvious contempt. "Who''s this?", she asked toward one of the servants from the courtyard.


    The girl turned around and her eyes went wide. "That ¡­ That''s her. That''s Hong Bao."


    "You''re Hong Bao?" The woman frowned.


    Hong Bao nodded. "Yes. Why? Were you looking for me?" She couldn''t understand. She had never seen this woman. Why would she suddenly come here?


    The woman harrumphed. "Hmph. Stop asking so many questions. The goddess of love wants to see you!"


    "The goddess of love?" Hong Bao tilted her head. Why have I never heard of her? Wait ¡­ Goddess. Of. Love?! Could it be ¡­ Could it be heaven took pity on me and send me help to save my beloved?!


    She leapt to her feet and smiled at the woman widely. "Great! Let''s go see her right now!" She took her arm and dragged her to the entrance of the courtyard.


    The woman was completely flabbergasted but soon managed to readjust her mental state. She stopped walking and plucked Hong Bao''s hands off her. "No touching", she said with a strained expression. "And you better behave in front of our Lady. The goddess of love might be kind and gracious, but she can''t be disrespected!"


    "Of course!" Hong Bao nodded solemnly and followed the woman to a magnificent palace. She completely didn''t see the malicious grin on the other''s face when she let her in.

 Chapter 82 - Goddess of Love

    Hong Bao entered the palace and looked around astonished. This was even more grandiose than the scribe''s palace! This goddess of love must be really important!


    The woman in the pink dress closed the door behind her, leaving her alone. Hong Bao blinked. Should she just go further in herself? But before she could come to a conclusion, another woman came down the hallway. She, too, wore a pink dress, though there were some white embroidered patterns at her hems that looked like flowers.


    "You must be Hong Bao?" She looked her up and down and ¡ª like the first woman ¡ª harrumphed. She''s just so-so. What does the fate''s scribe like about her? Her face is average and she even has that dumb expression, her figure is quite alright, but of course she doesn''t have such nice curves as our lady. And those clothes ¡­ what are those? She can''t really be a servant, can she?


    The woman frowned, but didn''t dare dally. She motioned at her, turned around and led her to the end of the hallway. There was a large door before them and two handsome young men stood at the side. At the nod of the woman they opened the door and revealed a wide hall. The woman pointed inside and the door was closed right behind Hong Bao.


    Hong Bao looked back, but finally shrugged. Maybe that was just how it was done in these big palaces when one was invited? She had only ever entered them as a servant and then to visit Shun Tao in his study. She didn''t know what it was really like in these palaces.


    She turned toward the hall and looked around. There wasn''t much to see. In fact, disregarding the heavily decorated walls, there was only a big divan at the other side. Four men in armor stood behind it and two women in pink dresses with these white embroidered sleeves stood next to it.


    The most eye-catching thing was the woman sitting on the divan: She had black hair, that seemed long enough to nearly touch the ground when she walked, eyes the color of a squirrel''s fur and skin, that would probably best be compared to jade though Hong Bao thought of her cookie dough before it was baked. The woman wore a white dress with wide sleeves and a similarly wide skirt. If she walked in it, she''d probably look like she was wading through clouds. Besides the dress, the woman wore some ¡ª equally white ¡ª jade accessories.


    Malicious thinking people might have said that she was showing of her skin, but Hong Bao only thought that she looked good like that. Maybe a bit plain with all that white. If it had been her, she rather would have worn blue or green.


    While Hong Bao looked at the woman, she herself was being evaluated, too. The woman''s gaze roamed over her body and a slight frown threatened to appear between her brows, but she repressed it back just as fast, not showing any of her thoughts.


    She couldn''t see anything special about Hong Bao''s appearance or bearing. In her eyes, she seemed less than average. Regarding her appearance ¡­ That might be a three from ten. Her face was a bit too chubby, her eyes and mouth a little too small and her nose a bit too pointed. Her eyebrows weren''t in a good shape either. And this was just the face! Looking at the rest of her ¡­ What was it with these curves? Or rather the lack thereof? What was too much on her face seemed to have come from her chest area and her butt also wasn''t rounded enough. As far as the woman could see, her arms also didn''t have a nice shape at all.


    And that dress ¡­ She examined Hong Bao''s dress more closely. Was that really the dress of a servant? It seemed so. And even one of the lowest kind, made out of cheap fabric with a cut that wouldn''t look good on anyone. Looking for any accessories on her was a wasted effort altogether.


    And talking about her bearing ¡­ Was there even something like that? Hadn''t they been in the nine heavens she would have had to assume that the woman in front of her was a simple mortal. She couldn''t detect any godly aura at all!


    Had the fate''s scribe really taken a fancy to someone like that? Or could it be ¡­ Was all this just a ploy? Maybe he had pretended to be in a relationship with her to ward off other women?


    She pondered the idea for a bit but finally decided that it couldn''t be the case. The fate''s scribe wasn''t a man who would use such a method. He didn''t mind rejecting any woman. He just wasn''t that type of man.


    So ¡­ as unlikely as it seemed that only left the possibility that he had somehow fallen in love with this girl.


    The woman smiled. "So, you are Hong Bao. The woman at the fate''s scribe''s side."


    Hong Bao''s face lit up. "So you really called me here because you want to help me with helping Shun Tao?"


    The woman smiled wryly. Shun Tao? So it seems like it''s true. He really fell in love with her. Someone as uptight as that fate''s scribe would never let any woman call him this intimately if they weren''t together.


    "Helping you with helping him?", she repeated what Hong Bao had just said. "As the goddess of love, I''d naturally love to! Please tell me more about the situation."


    Hong Bao smiled gratified. I knew it! The goddess of love would of course help someone as much in love as me. Now I can save Shun Tao and we might even be able to realize our romantic love story!


    She couldn''t have been happier, so of course, Hong Bao started telling the whole story of how Shun Tao had written a magnificent fate but the reincarnated god hadn''t been able to pass his trial until now and somehow people were blaming Shun Tao.


    Though, this time, she was smart enough to leave out the word ''crown prince'', lest the goddess of love became biased, too, because of his identity.

 Chapter 83 - Drastic Times Require Drastic Measures

    The goddess of love listened to Hong Bao''s story and nodded now and then. After Hong Bao arrived at how Shun Tao had resolved to confront the heavenly emperor, she even sighed. Sure enough, the goddess of love understands the worries of a woman''s heart! She''ll certainly help me.


    "That really is a tragic tale", the goddess of love judged. "He needs help indeed if he wants to stay alive. Hong Bao, be honest, are you willing to do anything for him?"


    "Of course! Shun Tao is the love of my life!"


    The goddess of love nodded. "That''s good then. There is indeed something that can be done."


    "Tell me! I''ll go do it at once!"


    The goddess smiled. "Keep calm. The thing I can propose is indeed a solution, but ¡­ it''s a little risky. Not only might you not succeed, you might even fail with preparing what is necessary already."


    "At least I can try ¡­" Hong Bao grew doubtful. The way the goddess of love talked, this seemed to be a really complicated thing. Maybe ¡­ I could ask someone for help? The goddess of love offered her advice without me having to ask. This must be heaven helping me! If it is something really hard, there will certainly be someone coming forward, right?


    Hong Bao finally made up her mind and nodded solemnly. "I will try. However hard it is, I''ll try for Shun Tao''s sake!"


    "Alright. Then let me tell you: The key lies with that god who reincarnated in the mortal world. He is the root of the problem."


    "Mn!" Hong Bao nodded. Finally someone who understood the essence! Not like that Leng Jin Yu who was only biased. The goddess of love was way smarter than him. It definitely was the crown prince''s fault!


    "If it''s like this, of course, this can only be solved through that god. You don''t know much about the trials, don''t you?"


    "No, only a bit."


    "Then let me tell you: There are many different kinds of trials and no god would attempt all of them in one mortal life. There might be some gods who take on more than one trial each lifetime but nobody ever took every trial. So, not passing in one lifetime is actually not as bad as that friend of yours made it out to be. That god would just have to be called back to the nine heavens, learn a bit more and then he could attempt another try."


    "So we can just call him back?" That easy? Why didn''t Shun Tao think of that? He is such an intelligent man! He should have known there was such an easy way out!


    "Well, this might not seem like much to you, but it is still something done seldom. Most of the time even if there are some slight mishaps the gods will be able to pass at least one trial at the end of the mortal lifetime. So no trip there is ever truly wasted. But if that god is really as untalented as you said ¡­ it wouldn''t make much sense for him to stay there. He definitely needs some more education.


    The problem is rather that there is no easy way of calling him back. After all they did reincarnate as a mortal already. They can only return if their souls are set free."


    "Then how do you do that?"


    "Of course, you''d have to kill them."


    "Kill them!" Hong Bao clasped her hands over her mouth. How cruel! "Is there no other way?"


    The goddess of love sighed. "You''re such a nice girl. Of course you would ask this. Well, it''s not like there isn''t any. It is just ¡­ the other possibility would be much harder for you to accomplish and you only have time until tomorrow. Are you sure that would be such a good idea?"


    "Killing someone just seems wrong."


    "The other method isn''t that different though. You''d still have to hurt that person. The difference only lies in the weapon you use. Killing them to set their soul free doesn''t have any constraints. It doesn''t matter how you do it exactly as long as they end up dead. But if you only want to injure them to set the soul free you need a special weapon."


    Hong Bao hesitated. She didn''t want to kill someone even if it was for Shun Tao''s sake. Even though that person was a god who had just reincarnated as a mortal for a limited time, it still felt wrong. In the moment she''d kill the person he wouldn''t know it. And even though the crown prince was a tyrant who used his high position to bully others she just couldn''t bring herself to kill him. She was a good person after all!


    "Is there any possibility to get such a special weapon until tomorrow?"


    The goddess of love smiled. "Of course there is!" Her smile dimmed a bit and she evaded Hong Bao''s gaze. "Though ¡­ there is some problem with that, too."


    Hong Bao pursed her lips. She had thought everything was clear now after she had gotten the goddess of love to help her, but now problems turned up everywhere!


    "That weapon is in the god of war''s palace."


    Hong Bao waited for her to continue, but that was everything she said. "What is the problem with that? Can''t we just get it from him?"


    The goddess of love sighed. "You don''t know who the god of war is, do you? He is the brother-in-law of the incumbent heavenly emperor. If the fate''s scribe expects to be punished by the heavenly emperor for the problems that god caused, then of course the god of war wouldn''t help. He''d certainly stand be his own family, wouldn''t he?"


    Hong Bao nodded. "True!" Ugh, that whole family consisted of despots! It wasn''t just the crown prince. But she should have known. Where would a child pick up such bad habits if not from its family? His father and uncle were probably the main problem. Most likely they were even worse than the crown prince himself and had even corrupted him when he was a child.


    "So, if you want to do it that way, you''d have to get that weapon yourself."


    "You mean I should steal it?"


    The goddess of love smiled wryly. "Stealing it sounds so bad. Wouldn''t you just be ¡­ borrowing it for a bit? The time in the mortal realm flows differently. If you just take the weapon, descend and free that soul and then return the weapon nobody would even notice. I''m sure with how much you love the fate''s scribe that wouldn''t be a problem for you, would it?"


    "Of course not!" Hong Bao straightened and clenched her hands into fists. "So, how do I find that weapon in the god of war''s palace?"


    "It''s quite easy, actually. You only have to find the study of the god of war. If you look out of the window next to it, you''ll see a pathway to a building in the courtyard. The weapon is in there. It is even nicely displayed at the back of that room, so you can''t get it wrong. If you''re uncertain, you just have to remember that the weapon is a dagger. There shouldn''t be more than one. You really can''t get it wrong."


    "Alright, I''ll go right now!" Hong Bao turned around and wanted to storm out, but the goddess of love called her back.


    "Hong Bao, wait a moment!"


    "Is there something else?"


    The goddess smiled. "Nothing much. I just wanted to say that I''d appreciate it if you came by after you''re done and tell me how it went."


    "Of course!" Hong Bao reciprocated her smile and ran out. She wouldn''t let Shun Tao suffer any punishment. She''d get that weapon and set that god''s soul free and then she''ll like to see how anyone would dare blame her Shun Tao!

 Chapter 84 - Borrowing, Just Borrowing

    Hong Bao went to the god of war''s palace and uncertainly stood before the gate. She did have the resolution to accomplish the task but ¡­ Where was that study? How would she find it? She couldn''t waste any time!


    Hong Bao looked around and finally spotted some young gods in the courtyard. She thought a bit and then hurried over.


    "Excuse me!"


    The gods turned around and were stunned to see a smiling servant girl behind them. "Uh ¡­ What is it?", one of them asked, looking her up and down.


    "It''s like this: I''m new here and I got lost on my way. Could you point me to the study of the god of war?"


    "The god of war''s study-room?" The god lifted his brows but still pointed to one of the buildings. "It''s in there. Just ask again when you''re inside, else you''d get lost again."


    "Thank you, big brother!" Hong Bao smiled at them again and hurried to the building. She couldn''t lose even one second. She had to save Shun Tao as soon as possible!


    "Hm ¡­" The god watched her leave. "Why would she go to the god of war''s study?"


    "Maybe it''s some kind of new trend?"


    "Huh? What are you talking about?" He turned around to the other god but the man only shrugged.


    "You know: An accomplished man in a good position and a servant girl."


    "Why would that be a trend?" He furrowed his brow. Could something like that even become a trend?


    "Well, the fate''s scribe did it. Why not the god of war, too?"


    "What did the fate''s scribe do?"


    "You don''t know about that? Let me tell you, it''s like this ¡­" And thus, while Hong Bao was on her way to save her adored one, the rumors about her and Shun Tao were once again brought up and somehow she had even managed to start another rumor at the side.


    Hong Bao asked nearly every guard she met on the way to make sure that she didn''t lose her way and some of the precious time she needed to save Shun Tao. One day wasn''t much time and more than half of it had already passed. In fact, it wouldn''t be long until night fell.


    Hong Bao finally reached the study. She looked around sneakily but nobody could be seen. The god of war didn''t seem to be in and there were no guards around.


    Hong Bao smiled brightly. Heaven really is on my side! How can I have this much luck?


    She crept up to the window and looked into the courtyard. There was indeed a separate building. It wasn''t big. Even Hong Bao could see that it probably only encompassed one room. She furrowed her brows. "Why would anyone build such a thing in the middle of his courtyard? Wouldn''t that be a waste? You have such a big palace, why don''t you store the things somewhere inside? You could have planted some flowers here or build some pavilion for drinking tea or something like that. Hmph. That just shows what a bad person you are!"


    With another look around, she slipped into the courtyard and sneaked over to the door. One could say she was indeed lucky because there were supposed to be two guards in front of that door. But these guards ¡­ nothing could be seen of them and Hong Bao was too preoccupied with her goal to listen for any sounds, so she didn''t notice the rustling of leaves somewhere behind the building.


    Hong Bao just opened the door and stepped in. She didn''t even bother to close the door behind her since she hadn''t seen anybody anyway. And she needed some light to see, right?


    She didn''t have to worry about that, though. There were some markings on the ground that glowed in the dark and illuminated the whole room. In that silvery glow, Hong Bao instantly saw the weapon the goddess of love had talked about.


    It was indeed displayed on some strange looking cupboard. Hong Bao halted and her gaze roamed over the dagger. It looked eerie, though only a black handle and a similarly black sheath could be seen. Both were slightly curved but had sharp edges. Such a weapon was used to set the soul of a god free?


    She couldn''t really understand. But Hong Bao didn''t care anyway. The main point was that she could save her beloved Shun Tao with this. Thinking of that, she happily skipped over and grabbed it.


    Nobody noticed.


    Hong Bao left the building and closed the door behind her. She looked over to the god of war''s study and pursed her lips. She hadn''t even taken five minutes to get the weapon. Wouldn''t it seem strange to those guards she had asked for the way if she came back now? Maybe it would be better if she went the other way.


    She circled around the building but stopped dead in her track. Some strange noises were coming out of the bushes. This ¡­ what is going on there? Hong Bao wanted to have a look but she still had that dagger in her hand and even though she would bring it back soon the people in the god of war''s palace might not like it. Who knew if they would listen to her if she tried to explain? They might punish Shun Tao even more if it got out that she had wanted to help! After all these people worked for the crown prince''s uncle.


    Hong Bao turned around. Snap. She looked down. A broken branch lay below her feet. The noise behind her stopped.


    "Wait! I think I heard something."


    "Shut up and go on."


    "No, what if the god of war ¡ª"


    "He''ll be out way longer. Now come on. Or is it that you don''t have enough stamina?"


    "What are you saying?! I''ll show you just how much stamina I have!"


    The noises started again.


    Hong Bao waited a moment and then hurried back the way she came. Forget the guards she asked. Maybe they would think she had just delivered a message. The only problem was the dagger. Hong Bao turned it around in her hands. She had to hide it somewhere but she hadn''t brought anything with her.


    Argh, I can''t wait any longer! Shun Tao''s time is running out. With a determined expression, she pushed the dagger into her dress and tried adjusting it below her chest area.


    The guards turning into the corridor halted, exchanged a glance and hurried back, one of them even clasping a hand over his mouth. "What did I just see?", he hissed at the other one, but his companion could only shrug his shoulders.


    "I guess it''s true what the guys outside said. There really was a woman visiting the god of war."


    "Whoa, but didn''t she just go in like ¡­ five minutes ago? How are they already finished? The fate''s scribe is rumored to have taken half an hour. Our master wouldn''t lose out to him, would he?" The guard furrowed his brow. He couldn''t understand. He had seen the fate''s scribe. Their own master looked so much more manly. How could he take less time?!


    "What do you know?" The other guard struck him a blow to the chest. "He''s the god of war, it''s expected for him to take a swift and decisive victory. The fate''s scribe probably had to sweet talk that servant girl first. That''s why he took so long."


    "Ah! So it''s like that!" The guard nodded understandingly.


    They waited a while to make sure the girl wasn''t there anymore but when they turned into the corridor the next time, they were even more stunned: The god of war stood before the door to his study.


    Their master turned around, raising his brows at them. "That girl just now ¡­"


    The two exchanged a glance, understanding dawning in their eyes. Ah, so he wants to make sure we''re not going to gossip like those people from the scribe''s palace! "We didn''t see anyone", the first one said.


    "There was nobody when we made our last round", said the second.


    Qiang Yan lifted his brows. Really? But he could have sworn he had seen the fate''s scribe''s little servant girl. Had he really imagined it?


    Hm. Well, she probably only came because she had to work somewhere around here. It probably wouldn''t be good for her to work at the fate''s scribe''s palace.


    Thinking like that, Qiang Yan shrugged and entered his study. The two guards exchanged another glance and hurried outside. Even if they couldn''t tell anyone else, they should at least let their brothers know, right? Like that, another rumor made its way through the nine heavens, unbeknown to Hong Bao, who was already on her way down to the mortal world.

 Chapter 85 - Scared A Dragon

    Meanwhile, in another palace in the nine heavens, two dragons got another fright. The reason? Qiang Wei''s transmission stone started glowing. This was the second message from their king ever and it had happened on the same day as the first after he hadn''t contacted any of them for the last couple hundred years!


    Since Qiang Wei and Yi Zan had already made sure the stones were the right ones, Qiang Wei answered the call at once. "Your Majesty!"


    "Qiang Wei ¡­" Qiu Ling''s appearance and voice frightened Qiang Wei once again.


    "Your Majesty! What happened?"


    Qiu Ling had been extremely energetic while setting his grand scheme in motion. Now ¡­ he looked listless and his voice sounded flat. What had happened?


    Qiu Ling waved his concerns away. "Is Yi Zan already on his way down here?"


    "Yi Zan?" Qiang Wei looked over to the equally puzzled Yi Zan. "No. Why would he even go down there? His sister is going to bring her son herself. Yi Zan is still here guarding the crown prince."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling stared vacantly. "Then ¡­ you come down here."


    "Ha?" It couldn''t be ¡­ that he misses me? Qiang Wei had that absurd idea but discarded it right away. That was their king they were talking about. As long as he was at the crown prince''s side he wouldn''t even remember them.


    "I said: Come down. Bring some wine with you."


    Qiang Wei threw an alarmed glance at Yi Zan. Wine? Yi Zan nodded. He had heard the same. This wasn''t good! No, not because the wine was more important than Qiang Wei ¡ª he had expected as much ¡ª but because their king should never come in contact with alcohol! That was the golden rule they had come up with together with the others after the last time Qiu Ling got drunk. They couldn''t let him drink. Under no circumstances!


    "Er ¡­ I''d love to, Your Majesty but ¡­ I''m still guarding the crown prince''s body. How could I just leave my post?"


    Hurt flashed through Qiu Ling''s eyes. "What are you saying? Get one of the others to guard him!"


    "One of the others?" Qiang Wei was stunned. Their king was normally so fuzzy about who could get near the crown prince. "You don''t care who?"


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Not Fu Min." Fu Min getting near the crown prince was taboo since the day he had reported seeing Jing He with another man. That was quite the normal reaction.


    "Then I''ll ask ¡ª"


    "Not An Bai either!"


    Qiang Wei lifted his brows. "What''s the problem with An Bai?"


    "He''s too handsome!"


    "Uh ¡­" Well, An Bai was a beauty, but probably not one that would take interest in the crown prince. Their personalities just didn''t match up. They were both the quiet types. Qiang Wei would rather believe the crown prince had to fear An Bai trying to seduce their king than their king having to fear anything could ever happen between An Bai and the crown prince.


    "Xiang Yong! Get Xiang Yong to do it!" Qiu Ling was finally satisfied with this. Even though his heart had been broken, he still wouldn''t want the wrong men near his beloved. "Now hurry and bring the booze down here!"


    "But ¡ª"


    "I said to hurry! So do what you''re told or you can give your position to Xia Rong!" The transmission ended.


    Qiang Wei stood there, frozen to the spot. That was ¡­ quite the threat. Everyone knew how much he hated Xia Rong. And that was exactly because that guy had always eyed his position. Qiang Wei wanted to retort, to tell the king how valuable he was and how much he''d regret if he really gave his position to Xia Rong. But how could he when the king had already ended the conversation?


    "Damn this!", he hollered and jerked around to Yi Zan. "What is the meaning of this? What does he mean, giving my position to Xia Rong?"


    "He wasn''t being serious."


    "He sounded quite serious to me!"


    "Who knows what happened. You''ll find out when you get there."


    "Hmph. Maybe I should just ignore him. He can get his wine alone."


    Yi Zan lifted his brows. They both knew how Qiu Ling was when he felt like or started drinking. That could get ¡­ ugly. It was definitely better if someone was with him to make sure it didn''t come to the worst.


    Qiang Wei also understood and finally relented under Yi Zan''s stare. "Fine. I''ll go."


    "Take the strongest wine you can find."


    Qiang Wei nodded solemnly. "Then I''ll go now."


    Yi Zan also nodded. After Qiang Wei left, he looked at the bed behind him. The crown prince looked as if he was soundly asleep, undisturbed by the problems in the world outside. But the same probably couldn''t be said for his immortal soul. If their king wanted to get drunk that could only mean something had happened with the crown prince.


    What was going on down there? He couldn''t help but worry and he''d much rather go and have a look than to wait in this palace that was guarded by the gods anyway. The people their king left here ¡­ weren''t they just to make him feel better about letting this body stay here alone?


    Knowing him, he probably would have liked to stay at the crown prince''s side the whole time, holding his hand and staring at these closed eyes unblinking until they finally opened again. It was just that he also didn''t want to leave that soul on its own. He wanted to spend that time in the mortal world with his beloved so that the crown prince remembered when he awoke. Wouldn''t that deepen the feelings between them?


    But now their king wanted to get drunk. So ¡­ what had happened?


    "What did you do this time?", he quietly whispered at the crown prince''s motionless form. "Don''t you know how much power you have over him? Sometimes I wonder if it was a blessing or a curse to the dragons that he got to know you. Even if you know nothing right now, you''d better not make any foolish mistakes in the mortal world. Because our king won''t forget. He will never forget. He loves you way too much."


    Unfortunately, Yi Zan''s words couldn''t reach Jing He''s soul. And even if they could: He wouldn''t have understood them. To him, Qiu Ling was still only a stranger and since he had seen him in different appearances, not even one he could say he knew. The real Qiu Ling ¡­ Jing Yi had never seen him.

 Chapter 86 - A Guest Bringing Wine

    Madam Zhong observed Qiu Ling''s expression that seemed to grow darker with every passing shichen. How long had it been? She still didn''t know what exactly had happened. She only knew that when she came back from the kitchen Guanyu had been lying on the ground bawling her eyes out, the old woman that had come by yesterday was totally stunned and Shao Hai was gently hugging a blushing Jing Yi.


    Well, though she didn''t know what exactly had happened she could imagine half of it: Guanyu must have bothered her son again and Shao Hai stepped in, stunning the old woman and angering the daoist master.


    What she didn''t understand was that the daoist master was furious but obviously hadn''t done anything to the boy. Not that she wasn''t happy about it. This was a blessing but it made her feel strange nonetheless. Though she didn''t know him that good she did feel like he was the vindictive type. He shouldn''t be sitting around and only stare off into space.


    She thought like that but of course, she couldn''t go over and say it. Since it was like that she could only sigh and continue working. And there was much work. She didn''t know if it was because Zhong Gang had a good reputation or if the customers from yesterday had spread the word, but today, there wasn''t even one table on the lower floor unoccupied and even most of the rooms in the upper floor had been rented.


    Madam and Mister Zhong were running around all the time: More tea, more snacks, a bit of water, taking away the used dishes, answering some question ¡­ There was too much to do and not enough time.


    But both of them were smiling. If the teahouse was doing good, they wouldn''t have disappointed Zhong Gang and the good life they would be living in the capital wasn''t just them taking advantage of him and his family. Thinking of that they worked extra hard and soon Madam Zhong didn''t pay any more attention to Qiu Ling.


    She only looked up when a young man entered the teahouse. She rushed over, smiling like she smiled at every customer. She wanted to greet him like she always did, but the words got caught in her throat.


    This man ¡­ She looked at his clothes and gulped. She had seen something similar on the daoist master. Was he here because of him? Madam Zhong looked over and indeed: The man stepped past her and went over. The daoist master lifted his hand.


    Qiang Wei stared at his king''s hand and frowned. What was this? He had a look at his face: It was just as listless and grumpy as before. Maybe he wants to be consoled?


    Qiang Wei bent down, extended his arms and tried to give him a hug.


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows, not understanding what was happening. Where''s the wine?, he only managed to think, then he was enveloped in a tight hug. His eyes twitched. What was this? Why was he ¡­


    Qiu Ling''s gaze slipped to Jing Yi who was sitting next to Shao Hai at the counter, stealing peeks at the older boy every now and then. He doesn''t care.


    His heart throbbed. He had followed his beloved down and suffered seeing him being so close to somebody else. And now someone was just shamelessly hugging him and his beloved didn''t care. No, that was an understatement. He didn''t just not care, he didn''t even look! He was completely concentrating on that merchant''s son, not even considering looking over to him!


    This was ¡­ Ah, how could it have turned out like this? He wanted to go back to the nine heavens!


    Qiu Ling pushed Qiang Wei off and frowned. "Where''s the booze?"


    Qiang Wei pressed his lips together. He hadn''t expected a ''thank you'' but at least a greeting would have been nice. "I got some from Lao Chun, so be careful."


    Lao Chun was the one to go to in the dragon realm if you wanted wine. He just loved it! Brewing it, drinking it, cooking with it, talking about it, gifting it to others, ¡­ Whatever could be done with wine he would do it.


    So it probably doesn''t come as a surprise that there was a humongous collection of wine in his cellar. He had everything you could think of and some things you probably couldn''t think of. Even if you wanted to get something to get the dragon king drunk in as short a time as possible there would be something that could get the job done.


    With a solemn look, Qiang Wei took out one big flask of wine.


    Qiu Ling frowned. "What? That''s it? When I told you to bring some wine over I meant something a little different."


    "Just try it." Qiang Wei pushed the wine forward and sat down opposite his king. He would have preferred standing but he had already drawn quite a few glances.


    Speaking of which ¡­ Qiang Wei looked around. Why were there so many women? Nearly all of the tables were taken up by women. The men scattered in the teahouse seemed lost between them.


    Qiang Wei eyed his king. It couldn''t have been him, right? No, he was wearing a mortal appearance right now and even though he was still good-looking, he wasn''t as breathtaking as in his true appearance. Those women wouldn''t go that far. Besides ¡­ quite a few of them were really old. They certainly couldn''t all have a weird taste for seemingly younger men, could they?


    What was the reason? He wanted to observe further but Qiu Ling already opened the wine and Qiang Wei didn''t dare let him out of his sight anymore. Who knew what would happen when he became drunk?


    Qiu Ling carelessly threw the flask''s lid aside and waved at Madam Zhong to bring him a cup. Madam Zhong had already seen the flask but she didn''t really want to go get a cup. This man ¡­ he couldn''t be trying to drown his sorrow in wine, could he? She definitely didn''t want to see that.


    Qiang Wei furrowed his brow and turned around. "Woman, are you blind? Get His Ma¡ª" He coughed. "Get him a cup."


    "How are you talking to my mother-in-law?" Qiu Ling kicked his shin.


    Qiang Wei nearly doubled over. Damn it! What did he come down here for?! It couldn''t be that his king didn''t just want to drink but also itched to beat him up?


    Mn, it wouldn''t be nice to say the truth in this case, so it is better left unsaid.


    Qiu Ling didn''t care anyway. He had started smiling at Madam Zhong. "Mother-in-law, please, be so kind and get your son-in-law a cup, alright? You see, some guest came to visit him. How couldn''t you let them have some cups so they can enjoy themselves?"


    Madam Zhong sighed. In the end, him drinking is better than him doing nothing. I had been worried anyway about his unusual behavior. Maybe this will lighten his mood.


    She nodded and got two cups from the kitchen. "Don''t drink too much. It''s not good for your health."


    Qiang Wei wanted to chastise her for speaking to the king like that but his shin once again made contact with Qiu Ling''s foot.


    "Thank you, mother-in-law. Ah, look. Qiang Wei is so touched by your warm welcome that there are even tears in his eyes."


    Qiang Wei stared at him. Bastard! If you weren''t my king I''d kill you!


    Qiu Ling smiled, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "Even if I wasn''t your king, you wouldn''t be able to", he mouthed back at him, stunning Qiang Wei completely.


    Damn. His thoughts had been seen through. "Ah ¡­ haha, look, how nice! Here, here, let me fill your cup." He took the cups and filled them in record-breaking time.


    Qiu Ling smiled and sipped the wine. "Mn, not bad. Come on, let''s drink!" He raised his cups and downed the rest of the wine.


    Yes, today, he''d get as drunk as he could possibly get. He''d not stop until he was unable to stand straight! Maybe then, his damned heart would finally stop hurting.

 Chapter 87 - He Could Picture It

    Qiang Wei examined his king for any changes. Lao Chun had promised that one flask of this wine would get even their king dead drunk. In fact, he had been positive that it wouldn''t even need one flask. Half of it might suffice.


    Seeing the king down the first cup in one go Qiang Wei grew hopeful. Maybe he''ll collapse right after the first cup? That would save him a lot of trouble! Unfortunately, nothing could be gleaned. The king didn''t even seem dizzy. He just happily filled his cup again and downed it just the same.


    Qiang Wei''s lips twitched. So that was the effect of the rumored strongest wine that could fell their king after one flask? Why did it seem nothing like that? Could it be the effect was delayed?


    "Your Ma¡ª" Qiang Wei coughed again. "Maybe you should slow down."


    Qiu Ling regarded him with a deadpan expression and filled his cup for the third time. Slowing down? Never! The only way to stop him was to make him forget that sight.


    Qiu Ling gulped his third cup down. The wine''s strong flavor was lost on him. He could have been drinking water instead and wouldn''t have noticed the difference. He was only waiting for his mind to get addled. He didn''t want to think anymore.


    Please, just let me forget that.


    He frowned and refilled his cup a fourth time. The alcohol started to set in slowly. A warm sensation filled his body, but deep inside he still felt incredibly cold. And he couldn''t stop his thoughts from wandering.


    I might lose him. I might really lose him. He can''t remember me so it''s not surprising if he falls in love. Moreover, he''s a child now. Falling in love with another child is normal. How could he even fall in love with a grown man?


    Another cup was downed.


    If he really falls in love with that boy and his family stays in the capital than the two of them will grow up together. With each day, with each passing year, their feelings will get stronger. They''d be inseparable when they come of age. What would prevent them from marrying? And even before that ¡­


    His mind conjured up the image of Jing He with another man. He saw him smiling at that man, haltingly reach out and touch him. Faced with that gentle approach, would any man refuse? Of course not!


    Qiu Ling didn''t even look and blindly filled the cup, gulping the wine down before he had even time to put down the flask. His face was completely scrunched up. He looked miserable.


    Qiang Wei examined his face, still holding his own cup. He hadn''t touched any of the wine. He knew he couldn''t. Just looking at his king made obvious that he wouldn''t stop any time soon.


    Qiang Wei sighed and looked around. It had been a week in the nine heavens so the crown prince should be around seven years of age now. There were indeed two boys that age. They were sitting at the counter, looking quite intimate. Just at this moment, the slightly taller one was breaking a cookie in two, sharing with the other child.


    So, it''s like this. The crown prince fell in love for the first time in his mortal life. No wonder the king is like that.


    Qiang Wei put down his cup and turned back to Qiu Ling. Talking wouldn''t help. He could just watch over him while his king got drunk.


    He wasn''t the only one who worried. Madam Zhong came over and bent down next to him. "Is he alright?"


    Qiang Wei tensed. He didn''t want to talk to any of these mortals but his king had called her his mother-in-law. So this was probably the crown prince''s mortal mother? If that was the case, he should better treat her with respect. His king would expect as much.


    Thinking like that, Qiang Wei nodded. "He''s in a bad mood. Just let him drink a while. It''ll be better when he wakes up."


    Madam Zhong nodded. She straightened up and wanted to go, but she couldn''t help looking at Qiu Ling again. He hadn''t even noticed her. He was just staring vacantly, filling his cup over and over again and guzzling down the alcohol like water. As of now probably half of the wine in the flask had vanished.


    Unfortunately, Qiu Ling didn''t feel better. Instead, it got worse. He could picture it perfectly: That man holding his beloved in his arms, these rough hands brazenly touching his slim body, those lips tasting what wasn''t meant for them.


    He could even imagine Jing He''s reaction since he had fantasized often enough how it would be when he finally made his move on him: A slight blush would adorn his cheeks and that quiet sound escaping his lips would entice that man to passionately kiss him.


    Damn, he could understand! He would do exactly the same. He had always held back to give Jing He some more time, just a little bit more so that he would feel secure enough with him. But then this damned trial had come along and his beloved forgot all about him and dared to kiss another man!


    Qiu Ling slammed the table. "Damn this! How could you do this to me, Jing He?! I love you so much. How can you get intimate with another man right in front of my eyes?!"


    All gazes focused on him but Qiu Ling was too drunk to notice. He picked up his cup, only to find out that it was already empty. Not finding the flask immediately he snatched Qiang Wei''s cup and downed the content, smashing the cup after he was finished.


    "I''ll skin that guy alive! How dare he touch my beloved?!"


    "Your Ma¡ª" Qiang Wei cursed silently. Damn, being around mortals was really annoying. He couldn''t even speak normally! "Please calm yourself."


    "You want me to calm down? I''m pretty calm not rushing over and killing him!" He leaped to his feet.


    Qiang Wei panicked. Who knew if his king really wouldn''t rush over and kill that mortal in this state? "Alright, alright. You''re really calm. Now sit down, please, and continue drinking." He reached out to grab Qiu Ling and guide him to sit back down, but Qiu Ling got offended instead.


    "Don''t you dare touch me! This one is solely reserved for the crown prince!"


    Qiu Ling didn''t notice the strange looks he was getting and Qiang Wei didn''t dare to care. He still tried to reach out, but before his fingers could even grab the hem of Qiu Ling''s clothes, his king lifted his foot and kicked him away.


    Mn, his mother-in-law could probably be proud of him. Even though he was already more than a bit tipsy, he had still kicked Qiang Wei out of the teahouse without damaging anything.


    Qiang Wei''s figure described a less than graceful arc and finally landed butt first on the road outside. Damn this! Why didn''t he ask Yi Zan to come down?!


    Qiang Wei got up and dusted his clothes off, ignoring the people staring at him. "This isn''t anything personal", he tried to convince himself. "His Majesty is just drunk. It''ll be alright again after he sobers up." Muttering like that he straightened his sleeves and went back inside.


    He didn''t notice that a young woman stood some steps behind him, whose eyes started gleaming after she heard him mutter. "So this is where you are! I finally found you!" She smiled happily and followed him into the teahouse. With all those women inside, she didn''t attract any attention.

 Chapter 88 - He Mistook Her

    The woman looked around, but there were no unoccupied tables. Finally, she just leaned against the counter and observed from there.


    Qiang Wei had gone back to Qiu Ling''s table and eyed his king warily. Qiu Ling still stood there, prepared to attack once more if Qiang Wei tried to touch him again.


    "It was my fault." Qiang Wei relented and lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Why don''t we sit down again and continue drinking?"


    Qiu Ling didn''t move. The thing Qiang Wei had originally anxiously waited for had happened: He had started getting drunk. An alcohol-induced blush had crept up his cheeks and his eyes were misty and unable to completely focus on Qiang Wei.


    Qiang Wei took the cup from the table and offered it to his king. Qiu Ling only stared. Where had the flask of wine gone?


    "May I?" Qiang Wei extended his hand. He wanted to take the flask that Qiu Ling was, in fact, still holding in his left hand, but his king''s eyes narrowed at the movement.


    Damn. This was leading nowhere. He really hated when their king started drinking! He was so hard to please in that condition. Even harder than normal.


    Madam Zhong couldn''t take the sight anymore. She stepped forward and grabbed Qiu Ling''s arm. She was a little afraid he would kick her just like his guest, but nothing of the like happened. Instead, Qiu Ling turned around to her. He furrowed his brow but not in the grim expression she had seen so often on this face. He just started to look pitiful. Even his eyes were getting mistier.


    "Mother-in-law ¡­", Qiu Ling called out pitifully and hugged her.


    Murmurs erupted around them. Madam Zhong looked like she was approaching her mid-thirties and Qiu Ling seemed to be around the end of his twenties in this appearance. It wasn''t strange for a man to marry a younger woman, but this seemed to be overdoing it a little? In particular, since that guy seemed to be a drunkard. What had the parents thought, marrying their daughter off to somebody like that?


    The woman waiting at the counter frowned, too. "Using your status to bully those weaker than you and even hugging somebody else''s wife in broad daylight! So shameless!"


    "Mommy ¡­" Hugging Madam Zhong had finally gotten Qiu Ling Jing Yi''s attention. Unfortunately, he was already too drunk to notice.


    "Mother-in-law, it''s all your fault!", he complained, resting his head on her shoulder. "You said, I shouldn''t interfere and now look! He kissed somebody else. He''s going to forget about me."


    Madam Zhong sighed. He was never in love with you in the first place, though? He hasn''t even seen your true appearance! What are you expecting? But of course, she didn''t utter any of these thoughts. Instead, she patted his back. "Yes, yes. It''s my fault. I shouldn''t have done that. Now, how about we get you upstairs into one of the rooms?"


    "No!" Qiu Ling gripped her tighter and tried to see the counter. His gaze met with the woman standing there for a moment, but then he just searched further. Where is he?


    "Why that? It''s a little quieter there. You''ll feel better."


    Qiu Ling kept mum and pursed his lips, his gaze still roaming about. "I want to see him."


    Madam Zhong sighed again. She wouldn''t really mind if he was sober, but considering how drunk he was ¡­ Who knew what he would do? She couldn''t let him have his way.


    "What are you even saying? You''re drunk. Would you really want him to see you like that?"


    Qiu Ling tensed up, his grip tightening a bit further. Madam Zhong winced. His grip was starting to hurt.


    She patted his back. "There, there. Let''s go upstairs. You can sober up a bit first, then I''ll bring him upstairs to see you, alright?"


    Qiu Ling was torn between nodding his head and protesting. He wanted to see Jing He. He wanted to see him so badly. But his mother-in-law was right, too. He would regret if his beloved saw him like this. He always ¡­ always only wanted to show him his good side. The ugly things he hid from him ¡­ there was no need to know.


    There was a tug at his robes. Qiu Ling looked down and found Jing Yi''s scrunched up face below.


    Ah. There he is. There he ¡­


    Qiu Ling frowned. No, something wasn''t right. His Jing He ¡­ he wasn''t supposed to look like this. Qiu Ling closed his eyes. He could see him with his eyes closed.


    Jing He was looking at him, his dark eyes as clear as always. He smiled, gently, with a touch of misery. But he still extended his hand, still let himself be swept up in his embrace. That slim body ¡­ Qiu Ling hugged it tighter and ran his hand over Jing He''s back. His fingers somehow slid into that black hair, curling up, tilting his head back. Qiu Ling leaned in, wanting to kiss him. If another man could do so, why couldn''t he?


    Qiang Wei face-palmed. He grabbed his king''s shoulder with one hand and his forehead with the other to stop him from advancing. "Your Majesty, you''re about to kiss your mother-in-law in front of his Highness", he whispered into his ear.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes flew right open and looked into Madam Zhong''s startled ones. His senses sobered a little. The strands of hair he was touching right now were definitely not Jing He''s silky ones. And in which way was this tiny, thin frame similar to his beloved''s graceful figure?


    Jing He might not have been very manly, but he was still at least a head taller than Madam Zhong and though he was slender he couldn''t be described as thin. Everything on his body was well-proportioned as if it had been sculpted by the heavens themselves. How could he have mistaken this body in front of him for Jing He''s perfectness?


    "Your Majesty, let''s go to the upper floor after all, alright?" Qiang Wei tried to pull Qiu Ling back, but his king was still stubbornly clinging to his mother-in-law, though he seemed to have understood she wasn''t the crown prince. "Your Majesty, the people are already talking. Even if you don''t care for your reputation, take your mother-in-law''s into consideration, would you?"


    Qiu Ling blinked and tried listening to those conversations. His head had started throbbing, though, so he didn''t manage to catch much. But what he heard was enough already:


    "Unbelievable! Marrying the daughter and still making a move on the mother! The father must be regretting letting him marry his daughter!"


    "Right, right! Getting so drunk in broad daylight, beating people up when they only mean well and being so indecent with your own mother-in-law. What a lowlife!"


    "Such scum!"


    "Why is that woman not even resisting? It couldn''t be that there''s something unspeakable going on between them, could it?!"


    Oh heavens, what had he done? Qiu Ling dropped his arms at once. Unfortunately, his streak of bad luck didn''t end there.


    A row of sharp teeth sank into his hand. The flask he had been holding fell to the ground and shattered, the heavy fragrance suffusing in the air. Just smelling it made the mortals in the room intoxicated.


    Qiang Wei grimaced. Damn, this shouldn''t have happened. He motioned and a breeze rushed into the room, spun around the broken flask and rushed out once again, taking the heavy fragrance with it to the sky. This was just making it less threatening, though.


    The wine had been brewed from ingredients solely found in the immortal realm. It was meant for dragons and gods. Especially dragons with their sturdy bodies. If even their king could get drunk from less than one flask that meant this wine was potentially deadly to mortals.


    Jing Yi who had stood right next to Qiu Ling, swayed on the spot, his fair face getting red. Qiu Ling swept him up into his arms. Finally! Finally, he had an excuse for getting close to him.


    "Ah, my love! I missed you so much!" He didn''t care one bit about the people around him. He just leaned in kissed him.


    He got a bite and a punch in return. But at least, he was on even grounds with that damned merchant''s son again. More or less.


    Qiu Ling smiled happily.

 Chapter 89 - Drunk Dragon

    Qiu Ling gave Jing Yi back to his mother with a smile and turned around to Qiang Wei, still in a good mood. "Let''s go upstairs." He went over to the stairs without waiting for an answer.


    Qiang Wei looked at his king''s back, at the broken flask on the floor and finally at a totally stunned Madam Zhong with an incensed Jing Yi on her arms.


    Oh, wow. You did it again, Your Majesty. And now you''re leaving the aftermath to me?


    He cleared his throat and bowed to Madam Zhong. "I''m sorry. He normally isn''t like that. Normally he''s ¡­"


    "I know. It''s alright." Madam Zhong smiled wryly. She couldn''t really reproach him. He was obviously very much in love. It was a pity ¡­ This love would probably never come to fruition.


    For now, there was too much of an age difference between them. But that wasn''t even the biggest problem. No, the worst thing was that that man didn''t love her son but the person he had been before.


    Her gaze fell onto Qiang Wei. He had whispered when he tried to get Qiu Ling off her but since Qiu Ling had hugged her so close, she had still heard. He had called him ''Your Majesty'' and the person watching ''his Highness''.


    It can''t be that Ah Lei was right, can it? Does this have something to do with the emperor? But no, that''s not right either. If it was like that, the daoist master should be the emperor.


    She couldn''t figure it out, but she did understand that this was something out of her league. And knowing this ¡­ even though she had thought in the beginning that it would be alright to wait and see, she wasn''t so sure anymore. Did she really want her son to meddle with affairs of royalties?


    No, she didn''t. That was exactly what Mister Pi had warned them about. Crouching dragons ¡­ Who would fit that description better than someone from the royal family? It would be better to distance themselves from him.


    But how would they do that? Telling him would offend him and wasn''t that what they wanted to avoid? She really didn''t know what to do.


    "Then ¡­ I''ll better go and have a look at him." Qiang Wei nodded at her again and followed Qiu Ling upstairs.


    His king had managed to get up the stairs without any problems, but finding an unoccupied room proved to be difficult. He had opened five doors, but behind each of them were already people.


    "Hm ¡­" Qiu Ling eyed the next two doors, trying to decide which he should open next.


    "Your Majesty!" Qiang Wei hurried over and cautiously grabbed his shoulders. "How about I search for a room?"


    Qiu Ling frowned. "I want a nice one."


    "Uh ¡­ sure." Qiang Wei gently pushed him down the corridor. There were quite a few doors there from behind which he couldn''t hear anything. He wanted to open the first one, but Qiu Ling tensed.


    "It has to be a nice one!"


    Qiang Wei sighed. "Alright, alright. We''ll take the next one." He pushed him again and opened the door before his king could complain again. "Is this one nice enough?"


    Qiu Ling''s gaze flitted around and he finally nodded. "It''s nice. Would Jing He like it?"


    Qiang Wei took a look. "I think so."


    Qiu Ling turned around. "It''s not nice. Let''s take another one."


    Qiang Wei lifted his brows. "Why would you say so? What''s wrong with the room?"


    Qiu Ling frowned and looked at him as if he was an idiot. "You said Jing He would like it."


    "Uh ¡­ Isn''t it good if the crown prince would like it?"


    "But you don''t know him that good. How would you know he''d like the room? You have to be wrong! Let''s take another one."


    "This ¡­" Qiang Wei sighed. "There''s no point in arguing with a drunk, is there?" He really wished Yi Zan could have been with him. He was normally better at understanding their king and calming him down if something happened.


    He pulled Qiu Ling with him to the next door. "How about this one?" He opened the door and ¡ª seeing that Qiu Ling wanted to complain again ¡ª just pushed him in.


    Qiu Ling wanted to erupt, but then he took a look at the room. Mn ¡­ Blue ¡­ It was blue. Just like Jing He''s robe that day ¡­ He shuffled forward, plopped down and hugged the table. "Ah ¡­ Jing He ¡­"


    Qiang Wei''s lips twitched. He closed the door behind him and sat opposite his king. For a while, nothing beside their breaths could be heard inside the room. Qiang Wei started hoping that maybe, maybe he was lucky and the king had already fallen asleep.


    Then, Qiu Ling jerked up and stared at him.


    Qiang Wei gulped. What now? "Is ¡­ is something the matter?"


    Qiu Ling squinted. "We were drinking. Where''s the wine?"


    "You smashed the flask."


    Qiu Ling frowned. Did I? He couldn''t remember. He thoughtfully ran a finger over his lower lip, but it hurt and his skin got sticky. He had a look and realized that there was blood. Huh? How come his finger was bleeding?


    He tilted his head and moved his hand as if he could solve that puzzling question this way. Of course, in his drunken stupor, he couldn''t come up with anything. There was only one last resort: He looked up at Qiang Wei and lifted his brows.


    "You kissed the crown prince''s mortal reincarnation."


    Qiu Ling smiled and dropped his hand, not caring about the blood any longer. "I did!"


    Qiang Wei''s eyelid twitched. So he really drank too fast before. Now he''s finally drunk. So please, just collapse, would you?


    "Mn. Jing He ¡­" Qiu Ling''s expression fell. "I''ve never drunk with Jing He before."


    "You shouldn''t do that even in the future."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling tilted his head even further. "But ¡­ he''d certainly be cute if he got drunk. Ah ¡­ I want to see it."


    Qiang Wei saved his comment on that.


    Unfortunately, with nobody interjecting something, Qiu Ling was left to his own devices. And no, a drunk, lovelorn dragon being left to his own thoughts was not a good idea.


    "I want to see him."

 Chapter 90 - Trying to Seduce Him?

    Qiu Ling''s mood once again shifted. He looked at Qiang Wei pitifully and pursed his lips. Jing He ¡­ He wanted to see him so badly. But thinking about seeing him made him remember why he had started drinking in the first place: His beloved had kissed another man.


    Yes, while Qiu Ling was drunk, Shao Hai kissing Jing Yi had somehow turned into Jing He taking the initiative to kiss another man. His imagination had truly gone a bit overboard by now.


    "Where''s the wine?", Qiu Ling asked once again.


    Qiang Wei sighed and emphasized: "You smashed the flask."


    Qiu Ling frowned in answer. "Did you only bring one flask with you? That can''t be, right? Where are the other ones?"


    "That ¡­" Qiang Wei froze. He had indeed only brought one. Lao Chun had been so sure their king would go down after one flask at the latest. Who could have known he would drink half of it and then smash it accidentally? What was he going to offer his king now?


    Qiu Ling''s frown got deeper. "You really only brought one flask? What did you come here for in the first place? Go, get me something else."


    "Your Majesty, if I return to the dragon realm to ¡ª"


    "Who''s talking about the dragon realm? Just find something in this capital of the mortals!"


    Qiang Wei started to protest, but Qiu Ling just waved.


    "Just go. Don''t you dare come back without enough wine!"


    Qiang Wei closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There''s no use arguing with a drunk, there''s no use arguing with a drunk ¡­ He could only repeat that sentence ten times in his head to calm down. Then, he finally opened his eyes and forced a smile. "Of course, Your Majesty. I''ll be on my way now. Please, stay in this room until I come back, so you can start drinking immediately."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling waved again. Qiang Wei turned around and went to accomplish his new task.


    As soon as the door closed behind him, Qiu Ling flopped onto the table once again. "Jing He ¡­ Why did you do this to me?" He closed his eyes and conjured up his beloved''s image once again. Unfortunately, it was still that picture of him with another man. Qiu Ling frowned.


    Meanwhile, Qiang Wei left the teahouse after warning Madam Zhong that Qiu Ling was in the blue room. Madam Zhong only nodded. She couldn''t help him and had even contemplated if it would be wise to break ties with him. Though, she did feel bad about these thoughts. He had helped them a lot and now she wanted to shoo him because of one drunken episode? It didn''t seem right.


    But at the moment, she was afraid for her son. What if he really fell in love with somebody else? How would the daoist master react? He wouldn''t do anything to Jing Yi, right? But even if he didn''t, she didn''t trust that he wouldn''t do something to the person her son loved. In the end, didn''t that mean that her son couldn''t fall in love with anyone but him? Else, he''d be doomed to a loveless life.


    She didn''t want that for him.


    Being lost in her thoughts, Madam Zhong didn''t notice the woman who had waited at the counter go upstairs after hearing what Qiang Wei had told her. She just went back to work, shelving the worries about the daoist master for later.


    The woman went up to the upper floor and looked at the doors. "Which one''s the blue room?" Finally, she shrugged and did what Qiu Ling had done.


    "Ah, I''m sorry, I didn''t know this room was occupied!" She closed the first door.


    "Oh, I''m really sorry, I somehow went into the wrong room!" The second door was closed.


    "Oh no, it seems I was invited to the room next door!" A third door was opened and closed shortly thereafter.


    The people inside couldn''t help but wonder: What was it with the people today? Why did they all go into the wrong room?


    Finally, the woman opened a door and saw the frowning man on the table. Her face lit up and this time, she stepped inside before closing the door. Her gaze lingered on Qiu Ling''s face for a moment, then she started fumbling around at her lapel.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes cracked open at the unfamiliar steps. There was an equally unfamiliar woman in front of him. And she was ¡­ What was she doing? Trying to get undressed? It looked that way.


    Qiu Ling sighed. That reminded him of the past. Before he had fallen in love with Jing He and practically shouted it from the rooftops so that everyone in the dragon realm knew about it, there had been quite a few women who tried to win him over like that. After all, who wouldn''t want to be the queen of the dragon race?


    None of them had truly loved him, but feelings could be cultivated. They had all thought the same and back then, he himself hadn''t really cared. Only after he found Jing He ¡­ How could he let his beloved see something like that? How could he stand someone currying favor like that?


    As a countermeasure, he had told everyone who wanted to know and, in fact, even everyone who didn''t want to know how deeply he had fallen in love with the gods'' crown prince. Since the day that information had started circulating around, the number of such attempts had dwindled considerably until it completely stopped in the dragon realm. Only at the nine heavens, where the gods resided, did some goddesses still try to entice him.


    Well, you couldn''t blame them. A lot of people didn''t know much about the other races. These women were content with knowing that he was the king. Most of them didn''t know he had already fallen in love with their crown prince and even those that had heard of that didn''t know that they couldn''t change it anymore.


    Just like how Qiu Ling didn''t know much about the trials of the gods, even the heavenly emperor probably didn''t know that dragons could fall in love only once in their lifetime.


    Yes, just how the gods had to undertake trials in the mortal world to counter the plentiful magic they had received, the dragons, too, were limited because of the power they had been blessed with by the heavens: As long as they lived, they could only love one person. And if that love didn''t come to fruition or ¡ª even worse ¡ª was betrayed, the lovelorn dragon would most definitely not survive.


    As someone who had already fallen in love, Qiu Ling fixed a disgusted look at the woman in front of him and his voice dropped to a deep growl. "Woman, you better stop now with what you''re doing. However drunk this king is, he still wouldn''t spare you even a glance. This one is solely reserved for the crown prince!"

 Chapter 91 - Reserved For the Crown Prince

    The woman, who didn''t seem to have heard the first half of what he said, finally froze at the last part. She looked up at him with wide eyes. "What did you just say?"


    "Hmph!" Qiu Ling harrumphed. "I told you to get lost! I''m not interested."


    "No, no. After that!" The woman dropped her hands but still stared at him.


    Qiu Ling shifted on his seat. Being stared at like that didn''t feel good. "Isn''t that enough?"


    "No, no! What did you say about the crown prince?"


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. "The crown prince? Of course, you can''t compare to him!" He appraised the woman in front of him and snorted. "Have a look at yourself! In the mortal world you might be a beauty, but how could you compare to Jing He''s godly looks?"


    "Oh, so you aren''t the crown prince ¡­" The woman''s shoulders drooped. She had been so sure that she had found the right person this time!


    Qiu Ling nodded, but then jerked up. "What did you just say?"


    The woman blinked in surprise. "I said what you said."


    "No! You didn''t!"


    "I did!"


    The two of them stared at each other, both unwilling to back down.


    Qiu Ling, who was still drunk, finally tilted his head. Maybe he had really said what she said? Wait ¡­ What was it she said? "You ¡­ What was it you said?"


    "The same as ¡ª"


    "Then what did I say?"


    "You said, you''re not the crown prince!"


    "Of course! Why would I be him? I wouldn''t fall in love with myself, would I?" His head tilted to the other side and he considered the possibility for a bit. "Well, I am really handsome."


    "Pft!" The woman laughed. "How are you handsome?"


    Qiu Ling looked up at her, completely flabbergasted. "What''s wrong with your eyes, woman? I''m the most handsome man in the dragon realm! Even that demon king who is rumored to be able to ruin a mortal kingdom with one glance isn''t better looking than me!"


    The woman lifted her brows, clearly not believing him. Qiu Ling leaped to his feet.


    "What is not handsome about me?"


    She looked him up and down and her lips formed a straight line. "Everything?", she said but it sounded a bit like a question.


    Qiu Ling staggered backward. I''m ¡­ not handsome? My love, did you kiss that man because I wasn''t handsome enough? Qiu Ling hid his face behind his hands and sat back down.


    "Wuwu ¡­ No wonder he kissed someone else! So I''m just not handsome enough!" His shoulders shook, but then Qiu Ling jerked up once again. "I need to do something! How to become more handsome?" He turned around to the woman.


    "Uh ¡­ Well, you could stop frowning!"


    Qiu Ling tilted his head and still frowned. After he had ascertained that this mortal face was the most handsome while frowning he had never forgotten to frown even once. Oh, no, when he kissed his beloved, he had stopped frowning and instantly smiled. But that was to be expected, so one couldn''t really count it as a slip-up, right?


    Thinking about frowning, Qiu Ling finally had a revelation. "No wonder you said I wasn''t handsome! Of course, this appearance can''t compare to my true one. Have a look at this!" He lifted one hand and changed back to his true face.


    "Whoa!" The woman was instantly dumbfounded. How had that average looking man transformed into such a beauty?! She hurried over to the table and sat opposite him. "You really look more handsome like this! What kind of trick is that?"


    Qiu Ling smiled smugly. "Little goddess, what are you talking about? This isn''t a trick. It''s a measure of defense! If I went out in the mortal realm looking like this wouldn''t men and women alike be all over me? I have to make sure nobody can try to take advantage of me, so of course, I have to wear a disguise. My beloved certainly wouldn''t stand for it if I didn''t."


    Mn, this solved his problem. It certainly wasn''t because he lacked in handsomeness. He had just worn the wrong appearance! His beloved had missed him so much so he probably mistook someone else for him. Hadn''t he himself also gotten confused when talking to his mother-in-law? It was perfectly normal.


    Qiu Ling nodded to himself. Yes, yes, perfectly normal. He had no reason to fret.


    "He must be very much in love with you!" The woman looked at him with shining eyes.


    Qiu Ling narrowed his own. "What are you looking at me like this for? I already told you nobody but the crown prince can touch me."


    The woman frowned. "So the crown prince is your lover?"


    "Mn, he is!" Qiu Ling smiled with satisfaction. Finally, he had met someone knowledgeable.


    "How can a handsome man like you have such bad taste?"


    Qiu Ling froze. What was that about knowledge? That woman definitely had none of it! He leaped to his feet and pointed at her with a furious expression. "What are you saying, woman? Jing He is perfect in any way there is! Have you even seen him? He''s such a beauty! And he has such a good character, too!


    Let me open your eyes for you, you stupid thing: Jing He looks like he''s been crafted by the heavens itself! He isn''t tall for a man, but still taller than a woman. He''s slender with a graceful charm. Even hugging his slim waist is a pleasure most people are unworthy of! Every limb of his is formed as if it was made to embody the word perfection. His skin is smooth and soft. Seeing that noble, creamy complexion of his, you can''t help but want to touch him. And his face ¡­ Ah ¡­" Qiu Ling sighed.


    "How could you express its loveliness with simple words? His eyes are as dark as the deepest part of the sea. Looking into them is like looking into the deepest abyss, but one you are willing to fall into. No, not just willing!" He lifted his hand to reject such a silly idea. "You long to leap into it. You know that doing so will be the best decision you''ll ever make in your life because you''ll find absolute bliss at the bottom of that abyss." Qiu Ling closed his own eyes and remembered that gaze he loved so much. "The way he is looking at you ¡­ Ah, it''s so peaceful. You feel your heart warming up and a gentle breeze caressing your soul when his gaze touches you."


    The woman seemed like she wanted to inject something, but Qiu Ling lifted his hand and smothered her protests. "Ah, that''s by far not everything! Saying it like this, you might imagine that you''ll get this impression only from his eyes. But that''s far from true! You know, there are also his eyebrows.


    You might ask yourself what could be so good about eyebrows, but you''re wrong! Eyebrows like Jing He''s are just too beautiful to be true! They''re formed in a graceful, slender arc that directs your gaze from that exquisite forehead of his to his gorgeous eyes. Ah, seeing the outer corner disappear below his magnificent hair, your fingers will itch to trace their course!


    And let me tell you, little goddess! You can''t claim to have lived if you have never seen his hair! Ah ¡­" Speaking about his beloved''s hair, Qiu Ling''s mood lifted. His eyes had a special shine to them and his lips unconsciously lifted upwards, making his face even more breathtaking. "His hair ¡­ the words to describe it elude me. I could tell you how soft it looks and how much softer it feels when you touch it, but you wouldn''t understand anyway and I certainly wouldn''t let you try it out! Wearing the finest silk every day can''t compare to the pleasure of being able to touch a strand of Jing He''s hair even once. Though, running fingers through them is addicting. Just doing it once would probably leave you with regret if you can''t do it again."


    Ah, yes, he himself regretted a lot right now! He wanted to hug him right now, one arm holding that waist he had praised just now and the other stroking these glossy strands. Mn, he certainly wouldn''t mind leaning in for a lingering kiss, too.


    Qiu Ling''s gaze grew absentminded while he thought about that. "Mn, mn. That hair of his ¡­ Those lips ¡­" He just muttered on, not really thinking about what he said.


    But by now, the woman was totally engrossed in listening to Qiu Ling. She still listened even though he seemed to have lost the thread. He has to be deeply in love to praise the crown prince like this! What a good guy!


    Qiu Ling finally emerged from his thoughts. Seeing that he finally had an audience willing to listen to his praises about his beloved, he continued with newfound vigor.


    "His lips, indeed, ah, they are just like the rest of him: They have that perfect form so that it always seems like he is slightly smiling. And that supple curve of his lower lip ¡­ isn''t it just an invitation to kiss him? I feel like the heavens knew he should be mine, so they made him perfect to make me unable to resist him. Ah, they definitely wanted us to be together!"


    "How romantic!", the woman injected.


    Qiu Ling nodded earnestly. "It is, it is. But you shouldn''t say that now. I haven''t even started describing his character. Though, it doesn''t make any difference. I could tell you how gentle and refined Jing He is, how beloved by everyone, but you wouldn''t understand as long as you don''t experience it yourself. You''d need to hear his soothing voice and be hugged by him when you''re feeling depressed. Only then would you be able to acknowledge what a splendid personality he has."


    "Mn." The woman nodded, but she couldn''t help but think: Love really makes blind! He actually praised a bad person like the crown prince so much. "There is just one thing I don''t understand: If the crown prince is so perfect and already your lover then why did he kiss somebody else?"


    Her question struck a nerve and Qiu Ling''s eyes instantly teared up. "What do you know? Isn''t that all because of this damned trial they asked him to take on in the mortal world? My poor love is suffering so much. I can''t watch it. And now they''re even trying to break us apart!"


    Yes, Qiu Ling had found his explanation for the whole mess. And somehow, he had even found someone willing to believe his nonsense.

 Chapter 92 - Soulmates

    "What? Someone would break such a loving couple apart?!" The woman was appalled.


    Qiu Ling jumped at the opportunity to tell someone his woes. "Yes, yes!" He nodded with a grieving expression and sat down again. "It''s awful! Everything was going well: I had finally wooed him after many years and we were even prepared to marry. But then that damned old geezer sent him down to the mortal realm!" Qiu Ling grit his teeth.


    "Which old geezer?"


    "The heavenly emperor!"


    "What?!" The woman straightened up. "How come it''s him again?"


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows. "Again? What are you talking about?"


    The woman slipped to the seat next to him. "It''s like this: There''s this man I like and ¡ª"


    "It couldn''t be Jing He?!" Qiu Ling straightened up and fixed a vicious glare at her. "You won''t get him! Jing He is mine! I won''t let you take him away!"


    "Of course not! Who wants the crown prince? The one I''m ¡ª"


    "I want him! Who wouldn''t want him? He''s so beautiful, inside and out ¡­ Ah, Jing He ¡­" Qiu Ling stared off into space until the woman slapped his arm.


    "Heh, I''m still talking to you!"


    "Hm?" Qiu Ling turned around. "So, you fell in love with the old geezer? But he''s already married?"


    "How is Shun Tao married?!" Yes, the one who had come to the teahouse was none other than Hong Bao. Who else would go around telling others she fell in love with the fate''s scribe?


    "Shun Tao? Who are you talking about? Weren''t we talking about the heavenly emperor?"


    "Who is talking about the heavenly emperor?" Hong Bao scrunched up her face. "I''m talking about Shun Tao, the fate''s scribe."


    "The fate''s scribe ¡­" Qiu Ling tilted his head but couldn''t remember.


    "You don''t know him? But he''s such an important person!"


    The two of them stared at each other. "So ¡­ what about the heavenly emperor then?"


    "He wants to kill him!"


    "That bastard!"


    "Indeed!"


    "Why that?"


    "I also don''t really understand. But it has something to do with the crown prince''s trial, too." Hong Bao''s shoulders drooped.


    She had searched for the crown prince quite a while but still couldn''t find him. Her only clue was that he had something to do with a teahouse, so she had visited all the teahouses in the capital, but none of the people there could help her. Then, she finally saw this man flying out of a teahouse, grumbling something about ''His Majesty''. She had been so sure that the person he complained about was the crown prince! And when she followed him inside, there was indeed a frowning man that fit her mental picture of the crown prince perfectly.


    But now it had turned out that she hadn''t found the crown prince but his lover! How could she be so unlucky?!


    "Mn, his trial ¡­" Qiu Ling sighed. "I hope he finishes it soon. I don''t want to wait any longer."


    Hong Bao turned around to him and grabbed his hands. "Great!"


    "What?" Qiu Ling took his hands back. "I''m with Jing He. I won''t consider you regardless of how you approach me."


    "Who wants to approach you? I already told you: My one true love is Shun Tao! Why would I even try approaching you?"


    "I''m handsome."


    "I don''t care about that!"


    "You should. Being handsome is an extremely important asset to a man."


    Hong Bao pursed her lips. "Shun Tao is extremely handsome, too."


    "He can''t be that handsome. I''ve never even heard of him." Qiu Ling lifted his brows and looked around. Why was Qiang Wei still not back? He felt like continuing with drinking.


    Hong Bao harrumphed but didn''t try to argue. He fell in love with somebody like the crown prince. His taste is probably just bad. Though, all of this might not be exactly like I thought. That heavenly emperor might play a bigger role than the crown prince himself.


    "Listen to me!" She grabbed Qiu Ling''s sleeve and pulled at the black fabric.


    The dragon king looked at her fingers accusingly. That should be Jing He''s hand. He should have grabbed him like that and told him with tears in his eyes: ''Qiu Ling, my love, please, don''t leave me for even one second. Even if I can''t remember anything while being in the mortal world, you have to follow me and make sure, I''ll fall in love with you all over again!''


    Ah, he would sweep him up into his arms, smile casually and grab his chin. ''Don''t you worry, my dear, I won''t let you out of my sight! Wherever you go, I''ll follow along. Don''t you know that you are the most precious thing to me?''


    And then Jing He would smile and circle Qiu Ling''s neck with his arms, tiptoeing and pecking his lips. And then he would hug him closer, deepening their kiss and ¡ª


    His arm was rudely shaken and he was pulled out of his thoughts. Qiu Ling grimaced. "What?", he snapped at the woman.


    "I said, you should listen to me! Don''t you want to get your lover back as soon as possible?"


    Miffed, Qiu Ling turned to the side, pulling his arm away. He had just gotten to the good part ¡­ "Of course."


    "Then how about I help you? You see: that heavenly emperor wants to break us up! He said he''d kill Shun Tao if he can''t help the crown prince. But you yourself also said it would be better he goes back home soon and that he didn''t want to come here in the first place."


    Qiu Ling lifted one of his brows. He started to like what that little goddess was saying. "What are you getting at?"


    "We should do something! Your lover doesn''t want to take this trial and you don''t want him to take it. Shun Tao has to suffer because of that heavenly emperor and I want your lover to come back so nothing will happen to Shun Tao!"


    "Your point is?"


    "We should help your lover to end this trial!"


    "Mn. That would be nice." He stretched and leaned back and propped himself up with his hands behind his back. "Unfortunately, it''s impossible."


    "It''s not!"


    "Sure it is. We''d need to kill him for that and I, for one, can''t do that. Even though he''s in another body right now, that is still him. I wouldn''t do something like that. And you can''t do it either, because I already know what you''re going to do and I wouldn''t allow you to kill him."


    Hong Bao shook her head. "How can you be so stubborn? Don''t you want him to go back to the nine heavens with you?"


    "Of course. Ah, how nice would that be ¡­" Mn, he could imagine it. How Jing He would wake ¡ª


    This time, Hong Bao slapped his leg. "We don''t need to kill him. I met the goddess of love and she told me that it''s not necessary to kill him to end his trial period."


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows. He didn''t know anything about that but he should have heard something that important, right? He pondered but finally shook his head. "No. Even if there was a way, you can''t do it. Jing He was adamant about taking this trial. Even though I don''t like it and want him back in the nine heavens I won''t betray his trust."


    "Are you sure?" Hong Bao looked at him questioningly. "You know, if that was me and Shun Tao, I''d definitely do it. Wouldn''t he be happy being with me again? He probably already misses you."


    Qiu Ling''s gaze wavered. Mn, I miss him, too ¡­


    "I mean, he didn''t know any better before he started taking the trial. He could probably not even imagine how long he''d have to be without you."


    Ah, indeed! His Jing He, he probably couldn''t imagine something like this! And now, his soul was probably crying out for him, longing for his warm embrace and his sweet words.


    "You really have to!" She grabbed his sleeve once again. "If you don''t let me do it, then the heavenly emperor will kill Shun Tao tomorrow!"


    "Oh? It''s that grave?" Qiu Ling''s gaze went to the door. Jing He was out there. With somebody else, not with him. If he let this continue and Jing He woke up, he''d probably be devastated!


    Just imagine: He might kiss that other person or do even more intimate things with him when he grew up. Wouldn''t he feel incredibly guilty when his trial ended?


    No, he really couldn''t let this go on! But Jing He trusted him and the trial had been important to him. Argh, he needed some good advice!


    "Let me think about it for a while."


    "What is there to think about?! Shun Tao will die!"


    "If it''s about that ¡­ Just ask my mother-in-law for help."


    "Your mother-in-law?" Hong Bao blinked. "The woman serving tea on the lower floor? What could she do?"


    Qiu Ling rolled his eyes at her. "No, the other one. You know: The heavenly empress."


    Hong Bao pouted. "I can''t just go to the heavenly empress, can I?"


    "Mn, that''s true, too." Qiu Ling pondered. Finally, he leaned forward and slammed his hand on the table. "I''ll go."


    "You?"


    "Mn. She''s my mother-in-law. Of course, I should go and talk to her. She''d certainly love to see me again." And she can definitely give me some good advice. And ¡­ I might even ¡­


    A slight smile played at his lips and he stood up. "Well, I''ll better go now. Don''t worry, little goddess, I''ll be back soon."


    "Oh, you don''t have to hurry. As long as you save Shun Tao, everything is alright. I''ll just wait here."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling smiled. Hid his presence and returned to the nine heavens, his heart beating wildly in anticipation.

 Chapter 93 - Blowing Her Cover?!

    When Qiang Wei returned to the room with one flask of wine in hand and another couple of flasks in his storage ring, he found a strange woman in the room. Uh ¡­ It seems like I got the door wrong? He stepped back and wanted to close the door, but the woman leaped to her feet.


    "Ah, wait, wait!"


    Qiang Wei paused. "What may I do for you, Miss?"


    "Er ¡­ He said he is going to see his mother-in-law." She pointed at the table where Qiu Ling had sat before.


    "His mother-in-law?" Qiang Wei lifted his brows. He had seen Madam Zhong on the lower floor just now, so the mother-in-law his king had mentioned could only be the other one. What is he doing in the nine heavens again? Shouldn''t he be here and have an eye on the crown prince''s mortal body? Did he really just leave him alone?


    "Did he say, why he wanted to see her?"


    "To talk to her?"


    Qiang Wei repressed a sigh. "Thank you for telling me, Miss." He nodded at her and wanted to go back down, but the woman followed him and grabbed his sleeve.


    "Uh, say, the crown prince ¡­ Who is he?"


    Qiang Wei lifted his brows. "Why would you ask that?"


    "Mn, I was sent down to ¡­" Hong Bao hesitated. She couldn''t tell him the truth. That other guy hadn''t reacted how she hoped. This one was probably the same. They really were all on the crown prince''s side. These bastards! "To ¡­ help with the trial."


    Qiang Wei narrowed his eyes. Really? Wouldn''t the heavenly emperor rather send some guards? This should be about making sure the crown prince was safe, shouldn''t it? "And you are ¡­?"


    "Oh! I''m Hong Bao!"


    "Hong Bao? I''ve never heard of you."


    "I''m ¡­ working for the scribe''s palace."


    "Ah." Qiang Wei smiled. "I''m sorry. I was ¡­ a little suspicious. The crown prince is important to us dragons, too."


    "Mn." Hong Bao pressed her lips together. She was really curious how that crown prince got so many people on his side. She really had to move fast if she wanted to save Shun Tao! "So, could you tell me who he is now? I''ve never seen him before."


    "Of course. He''s on the lower floor. Just follow me." He left the room and led the way down.


    Hong Bao touched the dagger she had secured in her dress and tried to calm her heart. She didn''t really want to hurt someone, but wasn''t it better to hurt the reincarnation of the crown prince a bit than to have Shun Tao die? She didn''t believe for one moment that the crown prince''s lover would really help her. He''d probably tell on her and then Shun Tao would be in even more trouble. So she didn''t have another choice. She had to make her move!


    "See there? At the counter?" Qiang Wei vaguely motioned to the other side of the room.


    Hong Bao looked over. There were only two children and a man frowning at a tray with tea.


    "So that''s him ¡­" Hong Bao felt disappointed. After everything his lover had said, she had expected some otherworldly beauty, but the crown prince was only so-so. Even if she didn''t compare him to a handsome man like Shun Tao, he was still lacking. How had his lover been able to praise him that shamelessly if he looked like that?


    "Is everything all right?" Qiang Wei examined her expression and wasn''t sure what to think. Who exactly was that woman? It certainly didn''t seem strange that the scribe''s palace would send someone down, but why did she seem so ¡­ emotional?


    "Yes, yes!" Hong Bao nodded hurriedly and smiled. "I was just ¡­ overwhelmed for a moment."


    But you looked exactly the opposite? Qiang Wei thought so but didn''t utter his thoughts. It was better not to cause any problems with the gods. Their relationship was strained enough considering that their king had wooed the gods'' crown prince for so long without the heavenly emperor''s consent.


    "Mn ¡­ What will you do now?"


    "I guess, I''ll wait for His Majesty to return and guard the crown prince for the time being."


    "Oh." Hong Bao looked at the door. What could she do? She needed to divert his attention somehow. But how? She had never done anything like that.


    Qiang Wei looked at the woman who was evading his gaze and smiled. "How about sitting down and having a cup of tea? It''ll take a while until His Majesty returns and you''ll certainly stay here for some days before you report back to the scribe''s palace, won''t you?"


    "Ah ¡­ yes!" Indeed. Time flowed differently in the mortal and immortal realms. That much understood even Hong Bao. As long as she managed to injure the crown prince in the next few months it would be enough. Shun Tao had that much time.


    Though, she still had to hurry. If his lover returned before then, her mission would get even more complicated. It would be best if she could do it in the next few days and return to the nine heavens immediately. The sooner all of this was solved the better.


    Qiang Wei motioned to the table and smiled at her. It seemed like this goddess was quite young. She was probably not even a true born goddess but had ascended as a deity somehow. "Is this your first mission in the scribe''s palace?"


    Hong Bao looked at him, completely stunned. "How did you know?"


    "Er ¡­ You seemed a bit ¡­ nervous, I guess?"


    "Oh." Hong Bao looked down. Oh no! She had nearly given herself away! She had to be more vigilant! She tried looking neutral, but Qiang Wei only smiled.


    Ah, now she is looking even more nervous. I shouldn''t have called her out on it. Maybe I should try to help her ease up a bit? Let''s see, how could I do that? He tapped the table with his fingers and narrowed his eyes, making Hong Bao only more nervous.


    Oh no! He''s seeing right through me. I should run away and try to find an opportunity when he isn''t here! Hong Bao''s gaze flitted to the door. She didn''t know who the man in front of her was but she couldn''t imagine him to be all that good if the crown prince''s lover could just kick him out onto the street like that. It certainly won''t be a problem to run away from him. But I should still be cautious.


    "Mn, so ¡­" Qiang Wei had finally resolved to ask a bit more about her job to divert her attention. "How long have you ¡ª"


    "Oh, no! I forgot the cookies in the oven!" Hong Bao leaped to her feet, throwing out this excuse and dashed out of the teahouse.


    A dumbfounded Qiang Wei followed her departing figure with his gaze. This ¡­ seemed somehow strange? In the end, he could only sigh and shrug his shoulders. Whatever. With how His Majesty was, he didn''t have time for a woman anyway. Though, she had looked cute.

 Chapter 94 - Ate a Bowl of Noodles, Met a Demon Hunter

    Hong Bao hid not far from the teahouse at a stall selling noodles. After an hour of not ordering the boss got angry and towered in front of her, arms akimbo. "Young Miss, you can''t just sit here, hogging the table to yourself and not ordering something! Now do you want to eat something or not? If not, then get out of here for heaven''s sake!"


    Hong Bao shrunk up. "Then ¡­ I''ll take a bowl of noodles?"


    "Hmph." The boss went back to get her order and dropped the bowl onto the table with a bang. She threw Hong Bao an unfriendly look and swaggered back to her counter. Hmph, customers these days ¡­ Sitting there and eying the teahouse on the other side of the street. I''d like to know what''s so good about that teahouse! Hopefully, they''ll close down soon.


    Hong Bao took her chopsticks and started eating the noodles one at a time, chewing each of them carefully as if she might choke otherwise. The owner''s brows twitched. She was of half a mind to go over and chastise the brat, but some of her other customers were looking and seemed to enjoy themselves.


    Let''s wait and see how long you''re going to continue like that. You can''t take forever with one bowl of noodles, can you?


    Unfortunately, the boss had underestimated Hong Bao''s talent in slow-eating. She continued eating until all her noodles had grown cold and the sky above turned dark. Most of the other customers in the stall had already left and even in the teahouse on the other side of the road Mister and Madam Zhong were wrapping up for the day.


    One of the few customers still in the stall stood up and carried his own bowl of noodles over to Hong Bao. "May I?" He motioned to the bench on the other side of the table.


    Hong Bao, who still had five noodles left in her bowl, looked up and nodded. The man smiled. He was quite good-looking and Hong Bao couldn''t help but stare for a moment. If it hadn''t been for Shun Tao ¡­ No, if she hadn''t become a deity, she might have fallen in love with such a man.


    "Little lady, I''ve watched you eat one bowl of noodles for over three hours now. Could it be you ran out of the house and forgot to take your purse with you?"


    Hong Bao''s eyes went wide and she started patting her body. Oh, no! He was right! She really didn''t bring her purse! How would she pay for her bowl of noodles now?!


    The boss saw the exchange between the two of them and hurried over. "What, no money? I should have known you were trying to dine and dash! Don''t think you''ll get away with this! I''ll ¡ª"


    A hand with one silver liang entered her sight. "Might this be enough to pay for both of our bowls?", asked the man opposite Hong Bao.


    The boss shut up at once. "Of course ¡­ But why would you pay for her?"


    The man only continued to smile. The boss took the money and threw another glance at Hong Bao. Being young and having a nice face sure does wonders. She was probably waiting for some idiot to help her out. Well, it wasn''t her loss. She had her money and didn''t have to care for anything else. That guy would see what he got from his meddling.


    The woman went back to her counter while the man turned to Hong Bao.


    Hong Bao stared right back. What a nice guy! "Thank you!"


    The man smiled. "No need to thank me. Things like that can happen. Isn''t it natural to help each other out?"


    "Yes!" Hong Bao''s eyes shone. This man thought the same way as her! She leaned forward and clasped his hand. "Thank you so much! You know, I really didn''t think about it. So much happened in the last few days." Her face sank and she looked over at the teahouse. The last guests had just left. That reincarnated crown prince would probably leave soon, too. Could she really accomplish her goal?


    The man opposite her looked at the hand Hong Bao still clasped. He felt a little torn. Being this close to a young woman, even touching her naked skin ¡­ It probably wasn''t good. That was one of those instances where he should take responsibility. But she had been the one reaching out.


    He really had only wanted to help her with paying, since she seemed like a nice lady that really just forgot. That type of airhead ¡­ He actually liked it. But he couldn''t take a wife. What if something happened to him? His job was dangerous. He didn''t want to make such a young girl a widow. Though, she seemed to have taken a liking to him. Maybe he should just see where it led them?


    He looked up and froze. That young lady who he thought had fallen in love with him ¡­ She was, in fact, still examining the teahouse on the other side of the road. Her expression was grave. It was painfully obvious that she was somewhere else with her thoughts. She probably hadn''t even noticed that she was holding his hand.


    The man repressed a sigh and cleared his throat. "Little lady, is something the matter with this teahouse?"


    Hong Bao faced him once again, her eyes wide. "Yes! How did you know?"


    The man was as stunned by her reaction as Qiang Wei had been. "That ¡­ You''ve been staring at it for a while. I just guessed there might be something strange with it."


    "Oh!" Hong Bao was impressed. He wasn''t just good-looking, he was even intelligent! He might be nearly as smart as her Shun Tao!


    "So, what is it with the teahouse? Maybe I could help."


    Hong Bao pressed her lips together and considered. The man in front of her was such a nice person. If he helped her, it might indeed be easier. She finally made up her mind and leaned forward, lowering her voice. "You don''t know, but I''m on a secret mission right now!"


    The man''s brows lifted. Why did that sentence sound so strange coming from a woman who didn''t seem to be even twenty years old yet and had a cute face with round cheeks and big eyes? This was just ¡­ wrong.


    Hong Bao waited for a reaction but only got an empty look. He probably doesn''t understand? She had a look around to make sure nobody was listening in, then she flitted to the seat next to him, leaning close enough for him to count her lashes.


    "It''s about Shun Tao."


    "Shun Tao? Who is ¡­" The man repeated while simultaneously trying to hold his breath. What was it with this woman? Was she flirting with him?


    "Naturally, he''s the man I love!"


    The man felt like crying. How come the woman he thought had taken a fancy to him was talking about her darling now?


    "It''s not that easy to explain, but he might be killed tomorrow because of the man working over there in the teahouse. Thankfully, the goddess of love found me today and told me what I can do to help him. It''s just that I didn''t have any opportunity until now." Her shoulders drooped once again and she looked depressed. But thinking that she had at least gotten the weapon and found the crown prince by now, her spirits lifted again and she smiled at the man in front of her. "Ah, but I''m sure I''ll manage to do it until tomorrow. Look, I even got the weapon I need!"


    Hong Bao finally let go of his hand. The man wanted to heave a sigh of relief, but then he saw what she was doing now and entered a coughing fit instead. Why did it seem like she was trying to get undressed?!


    Yes, Hong Bao was fumbling around for the weapon once again. And since she had secured the dagger below her chest, she had to get her lapel out of the way somehow and take the weapon out of there. The easiest way was, naturally, to open her dress like she had done it in front of the god of war''s study.


    The man clasped one hand over his eyes and gripped her hands with the other. "Little lady, what are you doing?"


    "I''m taking out the weapon!" Her voice sounded so innocent that he had to ask himself if he had some sort of hallucination right now. Goddess of love, weapon, the man in the teahouse ¡­ All of that seemed quite suspicious. "Rather than that ¡­ What did that goddess say you should do to the man in the teahouse?" If some strange woman had tried to lead this girl astray, he''d definitely get involved in this!


    "Well, at first she said it would be best to kill him. But then she told me it would be enough to injure him as long as I use this weapon." Hong Bao managed to take her hands back and finally took out the weapon. "Look, it''s this one." She showed him the weapon and the man forgot his worry about her chastity instantly.


    "This ¡­ Where did you get this?" He wanted to take the weapon but shied away in the end.


    "From the palace of the god of war", Hong Bao confessed, looking a bit embarrassed. "I only borrowed it, I swear!"


    "And you ¡­ want to kill someone with that?"


    "No! I just have to injure him. That is why I took the weapon in the first place."


    "Little lady." The man''s expression had become grave. "I believe you do need my help with this. This weapon isn''t a normal one, it''s demonic."


    "Hah? How do you know?"


    "I''m a demon hunter. Of course, I''d recognize one of their weapons."


    "Whoa!" Hong Bao was really impressed this time. But not by his knowledge or profession, but by her incredible luck.


    The heavens must really be on her side! How come she just went to eat a bowl of noodles and managed to find a demon hunter? With somebody like that helping her, injuring the crown prince would certainly be an easy task!

 Chapter 95 - Demons, Dragons, Gods?

    Before the demon hunter could say anything else, Hong Bao leaped to her feet and pointed at the other side of the road. "There, that''s him!"


    The man whirled around and his gaze locked onto the people leaving the teahouse: Mister Zhong, Madam Zhong, Zhong Jing Yi and ¡­ Qiang Wei. The dragon had hidden his presence to mortal eyes but unfortunately, the demon hunter wasn''t a normal human. He wasn''t able to clearly see Qiang Wei, but he could still perceive that someone was there.


    "I see." His expression became even graver. This young lady and her darling probably have gotten into some fight between demons. That ''goddess of love'' is most likely some fox spirit and the one over there ¡­ I can''t identify his exact origin at the moment, but he should be a pretty high ranking demon if that is the case.


    "So, can you help me?" Hong Bao''s eyes shone. Yes! Finally! She had nearly saved Shun Tao now!


    "Mn. Give me some ti¡ª"


    "Then let''s go!" Hong Bao grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet, running after the Zhongs and Qiang Wei.


    "Heh!" The demon hunter pulled at her hand to make her stop, but Hong Bao lost her balance and crashed into him. The man caught her and closed his eyes. What was it with this woman?


    "Ah! Oh, no! Come on, we have to hurry! What if we lose them? I don''t know where they are staying!" She started pulling him along again and this time, he just followed her.


    Whatever. We''ll see how it goes. Even if it''s a high-level demon, I should be able to kill it. Just that ¡­ He looked at Hong Bao. I can''t have her in the vicinity if a fight breaks loose. She''s just a normal person. How could she be able to take it?


    The two of them followed the Zhongs to Zhong Gang''s house and stopped a few hundred meters down the road. "So that''s where he lives!" Hong Bao fixated on the door.


    This was the right place, she had the right weapon in her hands and had identified the right target. The only thing she had to do was to get inside somehow and do it. She turned around and looked at the demon hunter expectantly but the man was eying the house. He was pondering whether the demon he had seen was the only one inside. He couldn''t sense anything from this distance but thinking about it now, he also hadn''t felt anything from that demon when he was right opposite him on the other side of the road. This was worrying.


    Hong Bao waited for a while but finally lost her patience. She turned around and made her way over to the door. So ¡­ how to get inside? She tried pushing the door open but of course, it was closed. So, this wasn''t possible.


    She looked around and went over to the wall next to the door. There were rather deep joints between the bricks. Maybe she could use those to climb inside? She tried grabbing them and securing her foot in one of them but she fell down as soon as she put the second foot up.


    Hong Bao sat on her butt and pouted. It couldn''t be that she would fail at the last juncture, could it?!


    The demon hunter looked over and lifted his brows. "What are you trying to do?"


    Hong Bao turned around and looked at him, depressed. "I can''t get inside."


    The demon hunter put a hand to his brow and sighed. "What are you hurrying for? There''s a demon inside! You can''t just rush inside blindly!"


    "What demon? Isn''t he a god?"


    The man just shook his head. It would lead to nothing trying to explain the truth to her. Of course, the man never would have thought that Hong Bao understood the situation very well and that she wasn''t any more human than the supposed demon Qiang Wei. Well, maybe she was, considering that Hong Bao had once been a mortal before she was raised to the status of a deity and that Qiang Wei was born as a dragon.


    "You don''t need to worry about that. Just let me finish him off."


    "Are you sure? No, wait, that''s not right! Why do you even want to finish him off? The goddess of love said that it would be enough to injure him a little with that dagger."


    The demon hunter smiled and patted her head. "She''s the goddess of love. She''s probably just too kind to say the truth. It''s better to kill him, believe me." Of course, that wasn''t what he really thought. He was sure Hong Bao had met with a vicious demoness that wanted to use her to harm somebody she couldn''t win against herself. Mn, the young lady was truly lucky to have met him!


    "Oh."


    "Don''t worry. I''ll do it."


    Hong Bao nodded and extended the weapon.


    The demon hunter''s smile went awry. "I don''t need that. I have my own weapons."


    "Oh. Then ¡­" Hong Bao hesitated a bit. "Then when will you go? Shun Tao ¡­"


    Right. There was still her darling that might die if he didn''t do something soon. The demon hunter sighed, looked at the house next to them and procured a rope with a hook at its end from his spatial bracelet. Of course, he didn''t need it. It was just as to not scare the young woman next to him. "Then I''ll go inside now. Don''t worry. I''ll kill the demon and save your darling."


    "Mn!" Hong Bao nodded, though she wasn''t really convinced. She was grateful that he wanted to help but she didn''t have high expectations for someone who couldn''t tell a god from a demon. Not that Hong Bao had ever seen a demon and knew if there was a difference or not.


    The demon hunter threw the rope, securing the hook at the top of the wall, and started climbing up. A little further than half of the way up, he stopped. It somehow seemed like someone was tugging at the rope?


    He looked down and his eyes went wide. "Little lady", he began with an expression as if he wanted to cry, "What''s with that? Why are you climbing up, too?"


    "I''m helping you, of course!" Hong Bao climbed even faster until she was right below him. "What are you waiting for? Can''t you hold on? How about I climb up first and help you up after that?"


    The demon hunter had nothing to retort. He just shook his head and climbed on top of the wall. Forget it. There''s nothing to be done. I''ll just have to keep an eye on her, lest she runs into trouble.


    Thank the heavens he was already prepared for trouble because Hong Bao was like a magnet for such things. After climbing down the wall on the other side, she walked straight up to the rooms, where the Zhong family stayed, alarming Qiang Wei.


    The dragon made his way over from where the Zhongs were eating dinner at this moment. His gaze went from Hong Bao to the man slowly following her and he frowned. "Hong Bao, did you know someone was following you?"


    Hong Bao looked at him innocently. "I just came because of the crown prince."


    "Uh, yeah, he''s inside. I''ll take you there in a bit." Qiang Wei hadn''t been there when she talked to Qiu Ling, so of course, he didn''t suspect her in any way. Considering the way she had behaved in the teahouse, he just thought she had been negligent and somehow attracted a strange person.


    He turned to the demon hunter that was clearly eying him warily. He was quite surprised that the man was actually able to see him, but that made him even more suspicious of him. "I believe you have no business here, so please leave."


    The demon hunter snorted. "Don''t waste your breath, demon! I, Liu Cheng, will make sure you won''t be harming any human from this day forth!" He took out a sword and charged at Qiang Wei without wasting another word. The edge of the blade glinted in the last sunlight of the day.


    Hong Bao looked at the two men, pursed her lips and went deeper into the house. Now, where was the crown prince? She didn''t have much time.


    Qiang Wei grimaced. Why was this happening to him? He had just been told to deliver some wine, damn it! He wanted to go back to guard the real body of the crown prince. At least that task had some prestige to it, considering how much their king valued the crown prince.


    But now here he was, attacked by some strange guy and being accused of being a demon. Qiang Wei sighed. "Looks like I''ll have to educate this fool. Dragons aren''t demons. We''re way more handsome than them!"

 Chapter 96 - Mission Accomplished!

    Hong Bao slipped into the house and looked around. She didn''t need long to find the room the Zhongs were eating in and Mister and Madam Zhong as well as Jing Yi soon retired to their own room to go to sleep.


    Hong Bao followed them. She peeked through the window and contemplated what to do. She had the dagger in her hand. She could just jump inside, injure the crown prince and run out. But who knew how he would react when he woke up as a god again? He''d certainly remember her face and then Shun Tao would get into even more trouble!


    No, she couldn''t let him see her face! She needed to wait until he was asleep. Like that, Hong Bao waited in front of the window and watched how the Zhongs busied themselves. Jing Yi was the first one to sleep. Hong Bao had understood that he was Mister and Madam Zhong''s child and couldn''t help but wonder how that tyrannical crown prince could have such a cute child.


    "That must be the influence of his wife. She probably got tricked into marrying him. Thankfully, the child still has such a nice mother by its side!"


    Soon, Mister and Madam Zhong, too, went to bed. If one managed to ignore the racket from Qiang Wei and Liu Cheng''s fight in the courtyard, the house was completely quiet. Hong Bao waited a bit longer, though. Who knew if that despicable crown prince had some inkling of her plan and was just waiting to catch her? She wouldn''t let him succeed with his evil plan! She just had to wait for a while longer ¡­


    Hong Bao propped herself up at the windowsill and waited. Her eyelids were getting heavier and her head started swaying gently from side to side. Finally, she dozed off, lost her balance and made contact with the window. Hong Bao jerked up. Mister and Madam Zhong inside jerked up, too.


    "What was that?" Madam Zhong clutched her husband''s arm. She had already been frightened by the fight they had heard before, but Zhong Gang and his wife had claimed that such things happened quite often in the capital and were nothing to worry about as long as one didn''t go over to have a look. But now the fight seemed to have come closer by itself.


    "Maybe we should go and have a look?" Mister Zhong proposed.


    "But your cousin said it''s not safe."


    Mister Zhong nodded. In all honesty, he also didn''t want to go. "Who knows? Maybe they were only there for a moment and already went away again. You hear that? The noise still seems to come from the street."


    Madam Zhong nodded. "Alright. Then let''s just ignore it. Nothing will happen."


    Unfortunately, just at this moment, a bang sounded from the courtyard, startling even Jing Yi awake who had been fast asleep. The boy sat up and rubbed his eyes, looking at his mother. "Mommy ¡­"


    Madam Zhong sighed and got out of bed, hurrying over to her son. "Don''t worry. They''re far away."


    Jing Yi didn''t look convinced.


    "How about mommy stays with you tonight?"


    Jing Yi nodded and hugged her neck. He didn''t really care for the fight. If anything happened, they could call grandfather over. Grandfather would protect them! He didn''t suspect that Qiu Ling had already left and that the jade bracelet he had given him wouldn''t be able to alert him however much he tried. As long as Qiu Ling himself or one of his subordinates wasn''t there he would be without protection. But thinking of that sagely old man and being next to his favorite person, Jing Yi fell asleep at once.


    Madam Zhong, though, was kept awake by her thoughts. The fight let her remember that man and she couldn''t help but wonder if he was one of the people fighting there. What if something happened to him? What if nothing happened? Though she had trusted him in the beginning, she grew afraid now. What kind of fate would her son have with this man around? However much she worried, she still finally fell asleep.


    Mister Zhong, who wasn''t prone to brooding at any time of the day, was already fast asleep for a long while at that time.


    Hong Bao looked on, this time straining her eyes so as to not fall asleep once again or startle the three humans in the room awake. Finally, she could only hear even breathing.


    He should be awake by now, she thought and gripped the dagger tighter. She only had to go inside and cut him. That wasn''t so difficult. With a grim expression ¡ª well, as grim as someone like Hong Bao could look ¡ª she unsheathed her weapon and cautiously opened the door. The hinge creaked.


    Hong Bao froze on the spot, the dagger lifted in one hand and the other hand still on the handle of the door. It rustled inside. Oh no. She peeked around the door but found that her target had only turned in his sleep.


    "Phew!" Hong Bao dabbed on the cold sweat that had broken out on her brow. That had been a close shave!


    She tiptoed into the room and halted next to Mister Zhong''s bed. "I''m sorry", she whispered. "Even though you''re an evil guy, I wouldn''t harm you normally. But if this can save Shun Tao, then it''s better you attempt your trial again another time. You don''t have to worry, this won''t hurt at all." She leaned forward and made a small cut on his thumb. The next day, it would probably look as if he had cut himself in the teahouse. Nobody would suspect anything.


    Having accomplished her goal, Hong Bao smiled, turned around and left the room. She closed the door behind her and looked in the direction of the fight. At first, she wanted to go over and tell them to stop but then she reconsidered. One of them was on the crown prince''s side after all.


    Hong Bao pursed her lips thinking of that, sheathed the dagger and made her way back to the nine heavens. Ah, it felt good having accomplished her mission! Now she only had to inform the goddess of love and then she could go and tell the good news to Shun Tao! The heavens really were on her side.

 Chapter 97 - Informing the Nine Heavens

    In the courtyard, Qiang Wei had finally managed to subdue the demon hunter. At the moment, he was holding him down on the ground while sitting on his back.


    "Damn, you''re not bad, considering you''re only human. Now, tell me, what were you trying to do?"


    The demon hunter grit his teeth. "Damn you, demon! Don''t think you''ll win so easily!" He struggled but that bit of strength was naturally futile in front of a dragon.


    "I believe I already won. So why don''t you tell me what you were trying to do? I wouldn''t want to force you, you know?"


    "Even if you kill me, I won''t tell you anything! Others will come to finish this fight!"


    "Yes, yes. So, does this have something to do with His Highness?"


    The demon hunter frowned. His Highness? Could it be ¡­ Has this demon something to do with the demons'' royal court? No wonder he''s so strong! Ah, I shouldn''t have acted so rashly! Even if that woman''s darling was killed, that would still be better than letting this demon rampage in the capital.


    Oh no! His eyes went wide. "What did you do to the woman?"


    "Woman?" Qiang Wei blinked and finally remembered Hong Bao. He looked around but nothing could be seen of the goddess. "Right ¡­ Where''s Hong Bao? Wasn''t she still there a moment ago?"


    The demon hunter frowned deeper. "Leave her alone! She has nothing to do with you!"


    "That''s true." Qiang Wei sighed. "Ah, a pity. She''s cute."


    Liu Cheng stayed quiet. To think he''d ever have the day where he was of the same opinion as a demon ¡­ No, wait! This demon was probably just trying to rile him up so that he would spill the beans! He must have thought they were a couple considering they arrived together. Unfortunately, that also meant the demon might be after her as soon as he finished him off.


    No, I have to do something! I can''t let her take the fall just because I wasn''t strong enough. He didn''t try to struggle free but instead lifted his hand and looked at the bracelet on his wrist. He concentrated his energy on it and took a talisman out of the spatial room inside. Imbued with a bit of his energy, the talisman flew into the air and rushed out.


    Qiang Wei sighed and waved. The winds around them picked up and delivered the talisman right into his hands. "Chun Feng Sect ¡­ Mn ¡­ Never heard of them." He crumpled the talisman and threw it into his own spatial ring. "Well, if you don''t want to tell me anything else ¡­" He took out his necklace and imbued the transmission stone with his energy. The stone started glowing and Qiang Wei started to wait. He waited a bit longer and still a bit longer and finally gave up, sighing. "So we''re back to the normal state of not being able to reach him."


    He shook his head, took out another transmission stone and contacted Yi Zan instead. The other side answered in a spell. "Qiang Wei. What happened?"


    "Is His Majesty over there?"


    "Mn. He came here just now and kicked us out. I haven''t heard anything since then."


    Qiang Wei sighed. The transmission stone they were using could only transmit Yi Zan''s voice and not project his image but he could imagine his deadpan expression. Yi Zan had probably already given up on their king ever behaving in a normal way.


    "Well, when he comes out, tell him that some strange guy showed up. I''m not sure of his motif. This might have been an assassination attempt on His Highness."


    "What did you say?!", came another voice through the transmission stone. "Somebody tried to assassinate the crown prince?! How is he?"


    "What? Somebody tried to assassinate the crown prince?!", a third voice could be heard.


    Qiang Wei closed his eyes. Oh no ¡­ That voice ¡­ That was one of the guards in the nine heavens, wasn''t it?


    "Qiang Wei!" Xiang Yong''s voice was uncharacteristically discomposed. "How is he? Was he hurt?"


    At their side, in front of the crown prince''s palace, the heavenly guards had gathered around him and Yi Zan. Even though they had been eying them warily just before.


    "No need to worry. I managed to catch the guy." He patted Liu Cheng''s shoulder and smiled. "He didn''t even get to where His Highness is. But you might want to tell His Majesty nonetheless. I tried contacting him but ¡­" He interrupted himself. There were still gods around at their side. He certainly wouldn''t speak about their king''s true character when they could hear it.


    "Mn. He probably didn''t want to disturb His Highness'' peace", Yi Zan helped out.


    "Sure."


    "We should inform His Majesty Tianjun at once", one of the heavenly guards whispered in the background. The others whispered their assent.


    "But should we investigate this first?"


    "Mn, yes, we should at least know who they are."


    Qiang Wei smiled. "Those heavenly guards over there, maybe I can help a bit: Some ''Chun Feng Sect'' seems to have something to do with this. At least he tried to contact them when he couldn''t win against me. You might want to start investigating from there."


    There was a short pause before one of them awkwardly managed to answer. "Thank you." There wasn''t anything after that. Qiang Wei only heard one of them walking away from the transmission stone. He''d probably went to inform the god of war or investigate by himself. Great. Now he wouldn''t have to do anything immediately.


    "Considering the circumstances", he picked up where he left the conversation with Yi Zan, "I''d like to ask Fu Min over. Just one person might not be enough to guard His Highness."


    Xiang Yong wanted to reject but Yi Zan''s gaze let him shut up. He couldn''t understand why Qiang Wei would propose something like that when he should know that their king didn''t like having Fu Min by the crown prince''s side but Yi Zan knew him better.


    "Alright. I''ll take care of that. Just concentrate on guarding His Highness."


    "Mn, I''ll do that." He cut the transmission and kept the stone. "So, what should I do with you now?", he asked and patted Liu Cheng''s back once again. He hadn''t said that the culprit was still there with a view to circumventing the heavenly guards running over and taking him away. Their king would want to know what this was about so they certainly couldn''t let such a good lead be taken away.


    Mn, Yi Zan should have picked that up. He''ll certainly send Fu Heng over with Fu Min. Then I can go back to guarding the crown prince until His Majesty returns.


    He sighed. Ah, Fu Min, Fu Heng, please hurry! Having to cope with this is worse than just guarding a mortal reincarnation. He even said I''m a demon. And he said it more than once!

 Chapter 98 - Missing You

    Though time moved faster in the mortal realm compared to the nine heavens, it hadn''t been a long time in either realm since Qiu Ling entered the crown prince''s palace. After returning to the nine heavens, he had taken one deep look at the familiar walls and entered irrespective of the protests from the heavenly guards.


    And then, seeing Yi Zan and Xiang Yong there beside Jing He''s bed, he had grown angry and kicked them out. No, he didn''t want anyone but himself to be by his beloved''s side.


    Qiu Ling stood there next to the folding-screen behind the door. He wanted to go over but at the same time, he was afraid of taking the next step. He could see his beloved lying there on the bed, his white robe shimmering in the sunlight filtering through the windows, his ink-black hair spilling over the sheets.


    He looked as lovely as always. It was just ¡­ He was lying too still. There was no motion, not even the slight rising and falling of his chest to indicate that he was still breathing and alive. If one didn''t know that his soul was only temporarily in the mortal world and would return soon, one would certainly think he had passed on.


    Even Qiu Ling who had been there when Jing He''s soul left and had stayed at his mortal reincarnation''s side couldn''t help but worry, seeing him like this.


    "Jing He ¡­" He called out to him, his voice hoarse and nearly breaking at the last syllable.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and gulped. Yes, he was afraid. Afraid of Jing He never coming back, afraid of losing the person he had irreversibly fallen in love with. He would never have admitted to that in front of Jing He but this fear had accompanied him since the day Jing He told him about the impending trial.


    Qiu Ling opened his eyes and slowly took a step forward. It felt like his body was coated in lead, weighed down by a thousand worries. He only had one, though. He took the last steps and slowly sat down at Jing He''s bedside.


    "You know, I wouldn''t mind giving up on my throne as long as it would enable me to be with you forever. Whatever it is I have to do to have you by my side, I''ll do it. No questions asked. Since I met you, you''ve always been the most precious person to me, so first thing on my mind in any situation. I ¡­ I just love you so much. Jing He ¡­ Please come back soon. I can''t take this much longer." He took his lover''s hand in his and caressed its back with his thumb.


    "When you told me you would descend to the mortal world for one whole lifetime I was devastated. Being without you ¡­ Even one day is agonizing. A whole lifetime ¡­ Seriously, what were you thinking? Did you want to torture me? Did I do something wrong? Is that it?" He smiled at Jing He.


    "I know, it is dumb to think like that. You''re not that kind of person. You wouldn''t want to see me like this. You just wanted to fulfill your father''s expectations, I guess? Maybe I should have begged him to let you stay here. Or maybe not just that. Had I ¡­ Had I asked him ¡­ Do you think he would have agreed to let us marry?"


    Qiu Ling sighed. "You said to wait until you come back. But what if ¡­" He closed his eyes again, bent down and laid his head on Jing He''s body.


    He thought that maybe feeling his warmth again would make him feel better. But the exact opposite was the case: Being so close to him it was just more obvious that he didn''t breathe and that his heart wasn''t beating.


    Qiu Ling snaked one arm below Jing He''s torso and hugged his slender waist while burying his face at his chest. Tears started trickling down his cheeks and moistened Jing He''s white robe.


    He couldn''t help it. He had felt horrible the whole day. And now, indulging in his craving to see his beloved again, he had to find out that being next to this body wasn''t what he had hoped for. It just made his fear grow. This was just an empty husk, not the person he held so dear.


    "Jing He, Jing He. Don''t do this to me. Please, wake up."


    He hugged him tighter but of course, there was no reaction whatsoever. Qiu Ling took a trembling breath and tried to calm his heart. "He''ll come back. He''ll definitely come back. He won''t leave me alone."


    But whatever he told himself, it couldn''t shake the uneasiness in his heart. How long? For how long would he have to be without him?


    Fifty years? That might be an average span of life for a human. That would be fifty days in the nine heavens. Not even two months. He could wait for that long. He could ¡­


    Qiu Ling lay down beside Jing He and pulled his still body into his arms. "You can''t fall in love with anybody down there. Do you hear me? You just can''t. I won''t be able to take it if you do. You wouldn''t want to see me die out of heartbreak, would you? My Jing He ¡­"


    He softly brushed Jing He''s hair back and kissed his brow. Lying next to him like this, looking at the familiar profile, Qiu Ling could talk himself into believing that Jing He had only fallen asleep before him.


    He smiled at that thought and hugged him a little closer. "You know, my love, when you''ve come back and we''ve finally married, it''ll be like this every day. Holding you close to my chest, falling asleep together and waking up with you in my embrace ¡­ Being able to anticipate our marital life is probably the only thing making this whole trial period bearable." He sighed again but finally shook his head. "Let''s not think about that anymore. For today ¡­ just grant me beautiful dreams, my dear."


    He kissed Jing He''s temple and finally closed his eyes. Though, the beautiful dreams he had that night would have to sustain him for a long, long time.

 Chapter 99 - Aren’t I pitiful?

    When the heavenly empress, Bai Fen, came to visit her son''s palace the next morning, she found two dragons guarding the door next to the heavenly guards her husband had arranged. She smiled at the two.


    "His Majesty Longjun is inside?"


    Yi Zan and Xiang Yong both nodded. The heavenly guards grimaced at this reaction. One of them stepped out of the line and knelt before the heavenly empress, cupping his fists.


    "This servant greets Her Majesty, the heavenly empress."


    "Rise. Do tell."


    "Longjun came by yesterday evening and entered the crown prince''s palace." He hesitated a bit but finally stayed silent. Who knew how far the others had investigated? If even the heavenly emperor didn''t know about that assassination attempt until now, he certainly couldn''t inform the heavenly empress. Moreover, they certainly couldn''t trust the dragons. What if they had made up a story to deter them from stopping that brazen Longjun?


    "Oh. So it''s like that." Bai Fen smiled. No wonder the heavenly guards were looking like that. They had the same dislike for her future son-in-law as her husband. They all felt like he was trying to take advantage of their beloved crown prince.


    She nodded at the guards and the two dragons and entered herself. Of course, what she found was Qiu Ling who had climbed into her son''s bed and still hugged him to his chest.


    Bai Fen sat down at the bedside and sighed. "Haish, this child ¡­ What if my husband had found them like this? He might even start a war with the dragons. Shouldn''t you be a bit more responsible?"


    She patted his shoulder but Qiu Ling only sighed in his sleep and started to smile. Who knew what he was dreaming of right now?


    "Jing He ¡­" He rubbed his beloved''s back and his hand glided into Jing He''s hair as if of its own accord.


    Bai Fen looked at him and sighed. "Longjun, it''s not your lover, it''s your mother-in-law who''s trying to wake you up."


    "Mn ¡­" Qiu Ling smiled even brighter and buried his head in Jing He''s hair.


    Bai Fen leaned forward and put her hands next to her mouth. "Qiu Ling, oh no! It''s my father!"


    "What?" Qiu Ling''s eyes flew open and he leaped up, his gaze locking onto the folding-screen in front of the door at once. He couldn''t see anyone and finally, he noticed the woman next to them. "Uh ¡­ Mother-in-law?"


    "Mhm."


    "Mn ¡­ I ¡­ didn''t know you were coming over."


    "I didn''t tell anyone."


    "Then ¡­ the heavenly emperor ¡­?"


    "Is probably in his own palace?"


    "Oh." Qiu Ling sat back down and glanced at Jing He. After hugging him for a whole night his hair was spread out on the whole bed and his robes were crinkled. Qiu Ling conscientiously rubbed at them a few times and tried to arrange Jing He''s hair. Bai Fen caught his wrist, though, before he could touch even one of the silky strands.


    "Longjun, I know you good enough. Don''t even start with that."


    Qiu Ling took his hand back. She was right. He''d probably not be able to hold back after he started arranging Jing He''s hair. Mn, who could fault him? The feeling was just too exhilarating.


    Bai Fen sighed, seeing her future son-in-law absentminded again. "So, what did you run over here for yesterday? Weren''t you accompanying him in the mortal world?"


    Qiu Ling pressed his lips together, threw himself to the ground in front of Bai Fen and buried his head in her lap. "Mother-in-law! It''s terrible!"


    Bai Fen''s brows twitched. "Longjun, have a bit of self-awareness. What if anybody saw you like this?"


    "What about it? I don''t care for my image."


    "Well, but I care for mine! What if people said I was cheating on my husband with you?"


    Qiu Ling tilted his head and looked up at her grumpily. "But I''m your son-in-law."


    "You ¡­ You''re not. Not officially anyway."


    Qiu Ling''s lips quivered and he hugged her. "Indeed! Mother-in-law, I feel wronged! Do you know what your son did in the mortal realm? How are you going to compensate me?!"


    Bai Fen sighed and patted his head. "So something happened. Come on then, child, tell mother-in-law how her son bullied you." She glanced at her own son''s face. I wonder if you would have fallen in love with him had you known this side of him. What will happen when you find out in the future?


    "He kissed another man!". Qiu Ling looked at her accusingly.


    Bai Fen''s brows lifted. "Why are you looking at me like this? I''m only kissing my husband. Even if I was kissing someone else, it would be none of your business."


    "It''s your son we''re talking about here! Do something!" Qiu Ling looked wronged but Bai Fen didn''t relent.


    "Seriously, how old is he now? Eight? He''s just a child! How can you make such a fuss just because a child kissed someone? This doesn''t count."


    "How does that not count? I had to see him kiss another man!"


    "So, what''s their relationship? It couldn''t have been his father?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head.


    "His uncle?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head again, his expression getting worse. "Would I be making a scene then? It''s my love rival we''re talking about here! Take this a little more seriously, mother-in-law!"


    "Yes, yes, yes. You''re such a poor child." She patted his head again and Qiu Ling''s mood lifted a bit.


    "Indeed!" He looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Aren''t I pitiful, mother-in-law?"


    "Yes, you definitely are." Bai Fen stroked his head.


    "Don''t you feel like I''m losing out because of this trial?"


    "Certainly you are!"


    "Then don''t you think you should help me?"


    "But of course!"


    "Then, if your son brings home some other guy in the future you have to chase that man away! You can''t accept him no matter what! And you should advise your son not to fool around with other men anyway! Tell him, he should save himself for me!"


    Bai Fen answered him with leaning forward, grabbing his nose and twisting. "You! Do you think I''m like Jing He? Easily talked into anything just because of your flimsy excuse of an argumentation?"


    "Ah, mother-in-law, I was wrong!" Qiu Ling escaped her grip and moved back a step, grumpily rubbing his nose. "I don''t know what you''re talking about, though. I certainly didn''t talk Jing He into anything."


    "No? I somehow remember a day where my son came to me, paced up and down in my palace and finally asked what I thought of him taking a trip through the immortal realms with you."


    "Uh ¡­ That ¡­ didn''t have to do anything with argumentation, though? Just have a look at my eyes! Your son just couldn''t help being swayed looking at them. It must be that my endless love moved his heart and made him want to go."


    "Really?" Bai Fen raised her brows. "If I remember correctly he didn''t think it was a good idea based on the places you proposed to stop at."


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened and he scurried closer again. "Why that? Weren''t the places I proposed great? We could have had so much fun!"


    This time, Bai Fen went for his ear. "Fun, my ass! He told me everything! Weren''t you just trying to seduce him to make him marry you sooner? There was even a visit to a hot spring planned!"


    "Aiya, mother-in-law, what''s bad about hot springs? It''s beneficial for your health to go there!"


    "Yes, yes. And there was no special reason you decided on a hot spring in the dragon realm instead of the nine heavens, was there?"


    "Of course not!"


    "Mhm. I''d believe you at once. If your record wasn''t this bad, that is."


    Qiu Ling pouted. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. I always treated him like a princess."


    "I hope you''re not serious with that. If not for Jing He''s stellar reputation before knowing you, he might have been ruined by now if he was a girl."


    Qiu Ling pouted even more and slid back to the other side of the bed, looking at Jing He. "Do you hear what your mother is saying, my love? Now even mother-in-law doesn''t like me anymore! I was just earnestly trying to win your heart, though. It seems she doesn''t want a handsome son-in-law after all." Looking at his beloved again, Qiu Ling''s expression slowly worsened. He couldn''t help remembering the trial and the years still in front of them ¡­


    Seeing her future son-in-law so depressed, Bai Fen couldn''t help but sigh. It seems he really didn''t take in a good way whatever happened in the mortal realm. "Qiu Ling ¡­" She went over and patted his head again. "There''s no need to look like this. I''ll advise him as soon as he comes back, alright?"


    Qiu Ling looked up but still seemed depressed.


    "Well, I doubt there is a need anyway. Jing He loves you so much. Why would he even think of getting together with another man? I''m sure all of this only happened because he is a child now. When he''s grown up, wouldn''t his taste get better? Who would he fall in love with then if not with my handsome son-in-law? You''re such a good catch! I trust my son that he''ll be able to see that."


    Qiu Ling looked a bit better after that but he still refused to answer. Bai Fen grew a bit anxious.


    "What is it? Why are you still looking at me like this?"


    "Mother-in-law ¡­" Qiu Ling bedded his chin in her lap and looked up pitifully. "You need to help me devise a plan to capture my beloved back!"

 Chapter 100 - Confessing His Sin

    At the same time, a storm was brewing in the nine heavens because two other men had come to a decision: It was time to confess!


    Hong Bao had informed the goddess of love after she came back from the mortal realm and of course, she had run to Shun Tao''s palace right after that. She had told him she had found a way and that he didn''t have to worry anymore. His answer had only been a pat on her head and a resigned smile, though.


    Even if Hong Bao had found a way ¡ª which he certainly couldn''t imagine if he himself had worked a whole week without any solution in sight ¡ª he still couldn''t continue lying to the heavenly emperor, could he? If Tianjun should ever hear of that he would be furious. No, it was still better to admit his mistake.


    With that in mind, Shun Tao made his way over to the most magnificent palace in the whole nine heavens. Heavenly guards stood at both sides of the staircase leading up to the door and were lined up next to the entrance all the same. He had always felt slightly intimidated by this sight but today, Shun Tao felt like the presence of these men was already spelling his doom. He might very well lose his life today.


    Ah, he didn''t really have any regrets. The worst thing might be that he had doomed the crown prince to die shortly after him. He hadn''t known him that good but the few times they had spoken he had given him an exceedingly good impression. If His Highness had at least managed to pass one minor trial ¡­ He didn''t deserve being punished by heaven''s law either but that would at least be better than dying.


    Shun Tao shook his head and climbed the stairs. He waited to be announced and finally entered the hall with a grim expression. There was no good way to tell the heavenly emperor that the crown prince would most likely die and there certainly was no right way to tell a loving father that he would lose his beloved son with near certainty.


    Shun Tao went into the middle of the hall and knelt down. "Fate''s scribe Shun Tao greets His Majesty Tianjun", he said, possibly for the last time in his life. At the end of this day, he might be dead. But even if he could keep his life through some stroke of luck, he certainly wouldn''t be the fate''s scribe anymore. That position he had spent nearly a thousand years to be able to finally call it his own and which he had hardly occupied for ten millennia ¡­ he would definitely lose it today.


    The heavenly emperor smiled. "Fate''s scribe, what brings you here?" He already had a hunch what was going on, hence the good mood. Though, what he thought of most probably differed vastly from Shun Tao''s real reason.


    Shun Tao drooped his head even lower and gulped. Now it was time. "This lowly one has sinned and came to confess to his wrong-doing."


    Unexpectedly, the heavenly emperor laughed. "So, you indeed came because of that!"


    Shun Tao couldn''t help but widen his eyes. The heavenly emperor ¡­ knew? And he could even laugh in the face of such a danger to his son''s life? No, this couldn''t be right. "This lowly one is afraid that His Majesty might be misinformed as to the reason for this lowly one''s visit."


    Tianjun Rong Su chuckled. "Misinformed? Be honest with me: Isn''t it because of that little servant girl?" Even someone like the heavenly emperor who had to make a good impression couldn''t help but laugh at the rumors he finally heard this morning.


    The fate''s scribe and a servant girl ¡­ It seemed like a bad joke but he had also heard that even his brother-in-law, the god of war Qiang Yan, had fallen in love with a servant girl. Seriously, what was it with the servants? Did they have that much charm to seduce two mighty men? If one of them hadn''t been his brother-in-law he might have suspected that the demons had a finger in the pie with this development.


    Servant girl? Shun Tao furrowed his brow and couldn''t help but take a peek at the heavenly emperor''s expression. He looked amused, not worried in any sense. Shun Tao looked back down. He still hadn''t perceived any of the rumors and he wasn''t of a mind to care for them now.


    "This lowly one doesn''t know of anything concerning a servant girl."


    "Oh?" The heavenly emperor lifted his brows. "You didn''t come to beg for my consent to marry her?"


    Shun Tao frowned even deeper. "This lowly one doesn''t know any servant girl." He didn''t even think of Hong Bao at this moment.


    "But you were seen together ¡­" The heavenly emperor had been of the impression that this couldn''t be wrong. He heard of the rumor concerning Shun Tao and Shun Tao came. He said he wanted to confess his sins and called himself ''this lowly one'' all the time since his greeting as if he had done something unforgivable. What could that be if it wasn''t because he hooked up with some unknown servant girl and carelessly got her pregnant? The heavenly emperor truly couldn''t imagine.


    Shun Tao didn''t answer. Had the person in front of him not been the heavenly emperor, he would have already interrupted him and told him the entire story. But in this case, he had to wait.


    "Then what is your visit about?" Can it really be worse than that? He already threw so much face away doing all of that where they could be seen. The vivid descriptions are all over the nine heavens. It''s only a question of time until the dragons and demons will hear of it.


    Shun Tao took a deep breath. "Your Majesty ¡­ this is about crown prince Jing He."


    "What?!" Before Shun Tao could say another word, the heavenly emperor leaped to his feet.


    If it concerned his son, he always assumed the worst in other people. And hadn''t he heard just this morning what a morally degenerated thing the fate''s scribe and that servant had done in broad daylight? "You scum! You dared to seduce our son?! This is a clear case of a toad lusting after a swan''s meat! How is someone like you worthy of our son? We wouldn''t even accept that damned Longjun and he has at least an appropriate status! You bastard! What fate''s scribe, what true born god? You''re a damned lecher! You''re nearly as old as us! You should be ashamed even thinking of our precious son''s fair skin!"


    The heavenly emperor was one step away from picking up whatever he could grab and throwing it at Shun Tao. Unfortunately for him and fortunately for Shun Tao, there was nothing within reach and he had to be content with roaring at him.


    His voice was loud enough for every word to be clearly audible outside. The heavenly guards standing there clutched their weapons tighter and grit their teeth, some were even cracking their knuckles. Damn this! First, it was that Longjun, now even the fate''s scribe thought he could disrespect their crown prince? Just you wait! If the heavenly emperor lets you live, we''re going to beat you up for good!


    They might not be able to do anything to the king of the dragon race because of his status but what was a fate''s scribe? They would make mincemeat out of him as soon as he stepped out of this hall!


    The guards would have to wait for that. The heavenly emperor was far from finished with his tirade. "Have a good look at the mirror first! A guy as old and ugly as you, how could our son ever fall for you? You vile bastard, you must have forced our beloved son to satisfy your lust! You ¡­ You probably misused your position to acquire his body! You probably coerced him to do some unspeakable things with you for the sake of his trial!


    Such a pure boy, he probably didn''t even know what you were trying to do until it was too late! He got tricked despicably like that and after that, he was so ashamed he didn''t even dare to tell his own father! The poor boy was suffering all on his own and fled all the way to the mortal world just to escape you!


    But you ¡­ I see! That must have been what you talked about when you said you wanted to spice his trial up a bit. You didn''t even leave him alone there and still tried to take advantage of him! Do you believe I won''t have your head severed?! You''re going to pay for this! I''ll have you slowly tortured to death until nothing remains!"


    With all this screaming, Shun Tao didn''t find any opportunity to inject that no, he hadn''t fantasized about the crown prince nor had he done any unspeakable things to him. He wanted to confess so badly but instead, any other possible crime was heaved upon his head until the heavenly emperor finally had enough.


    "Guards!"


    This roar was met with the instant sound of a hundred men storming into the hall, all of them maliciously glaring at Shun Tao. Whatever torture the heavenly emperor decrees, we''ll make sure you get a few bouts extra!


    "Drag this traitor to the justice court! Tell Li Yin I don''t want to see even one place on this bastard''s body unharmed!"


    "Yes!" The guards grabbed Shun Tao with pleasure and started dragging him out as heavy-handed as they could.


    Finally not being interrupted anymore and livid at having all these things said to him, Shun Tao just roared right back at the heavenly emperor: "For heaven''s sake! I didn''t screw your son, I screwed his fate up!"

 Chapter 101 - Nothing May Happen to Him!

    Meanwhile, at another palace in the nine heavens, Leng Jin Yu stood in front of the gates and took a deep breath. He had finally resolved to go see the god of war about the things Hong Bao had told him the previous day.


    Just when he wanted to enter a man''s silhouette appeared on the other side.


    Qiang Yan stopped and raised his eyebrows. "Leng Jin Yu? Did you come to see me?" He had been on his way to see his brother-in-law, the heavenly emperor, to make sure he didn''t go crazy while his son was in the mortal realm attempting his trial. Seeing this newly ascended deity in front of him was quite unexpected.


    Leng Jin Yu pressed his lips together and nodded. "There is something I have to tell you."


    "Oh? Come on in then."


    "I hope I''m not disturbing you?"


    Qiang Yan waved his concerns away. "I was on my way to His Majesty but I guess that can wait. You probably wouldn''t have come if it wasn''t important?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded gravely.


    Qiang Yan watched his expression and couldn''t help feeling a bit worried. I''ve seen him just yesterday and he seemed quite calm then. How come he''s looking now as if something bad happened?


    He led him into his study and poured both of them a cup of tea but unlike the last time Leng Jin Yu didn''t pick it up. His whole body was tense. If he wasn''t someone with a strong mind, he probably would have blurted out everything by now.


    He still felt a bit torn, though. He knew it was the right thing to do but Hong Bao''s accusation still rang in his ears. He had never had to make such a grave decision.


    Qiang Yan sat down opposite him, took his own cup and leveled a gaze at him. "So, what happened to make you so worried?"


    "You probably know about this better than me but it seems the fate''s scribe was working on the crown prince''s mortal fate recently?"


    Qiang Yan''s heart dropped. He had a very, very bad feeling about the direction this was going. "Yes", he said with a tilt in his voice as if he wanted to ask a question instead.


    "It seems like ¡­ something went wrong."


    Qiang Yan dropped his teacup. The hot liquid flowed over the table and dripped down to the floor but he didn''t even notice. There wasn''t much that could throw the god of war off course but this was one of those things.


    "What happened?", he asked flatly. Please, let it be salvageable! Nothing bad may happen to him! He had watched that boy grow up. He wouldn''t be able to take it if he was hurt or ¡­ even worse. And there were still his sister and brother-in-law who would probably go crazy if anything had happened. That was their only child they were speaking about!


    "It seems that his fate went off track. He couldn''t pass any trial ¡ª"


    Qiang Yan leaped to his feet. "I have to tell the heavenly emperor!" He hurried to the door, about to run to his brother-in-law''s palace.


    Leng Jin Yu stood up slowly and turned around to face him. "I know it is not my place to say this but I would advise against this."


    His words stopped Qiang Yan one step out the door. "Why?" He was anxious to tell his brother-in-law but his reason still let him halt. He might not have heard everything. Alarming his brother-in-law without knowing all the facts wouldn''t be a good idea. The heavenly emperor might just get a nervous breakdown, considering this concerned his beloved son.


    "First of all, there is nothing the heavenly emperor could do right now besides summoning the fate''s scribe and lecturing him. As far as I know, the fate''s scribe has tried to salvage the situation several times but failed continuously. It stands to reason that someone is intentionally sabotaging him or targeting the crown prince. Therefore, I believe that the most pressing matter now should be to ask the fate''s scribe directly for all available information and find the culprit. After that information is found the heavenly emperor should be informed."


    Qiang Yan furrowed his brow. What Leng Jin Yu said sounded logical but ¡­ this was his nephew they were talking about. His sister''s only child even after all those years of marriage. His brother-in-law loved him so much ¡­ If he found out that something had happened and nobody had informed him ¡­ He didn''t want to imagine the outcome.


    "The heavenly emperor is his father. Even if he can''t help at the moment, he should be informed."


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t answer. Qiang Yan averted his gaze, hesitated and finally went back to his seat. He couldn''t see clearly at the moment. The fact that it was his beloved nephew they were talking about here clouded his judgment. If that was any other person he would probably not speak with the family until he had found out every information needed. He should do the same now.


    "Fine. Then let''s pay him a visit."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. Together the two men got up and made their way out of the god of war''s temple. They had just reached the front hall when a guard ran toward them. The man stopped in front of Qiang Yan and cupped his fists. "Reporting! His Highness, crown prince Jing He, was embroiled in an assassination attempt. The incident was made known through one of the dragon folk. The attempt could be thwarted but we weren''t able to apprehend the perpetrator."


    Qiang Yan''s face lost all color and he turned around to Len Jing Yu but he could only see the same disbelief written on his face. How had that suddenly happened? The crown prince''s fate going off track was surprising enough. But now somebody had even tried to assassinate him?


    This couldn''t be some desperate attempt of the fate''s scribe to adjust his nephew''s fate, could it?


    Qiang Yan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Calm yourself. It was just an attempt. Whoever it was hasn''t succeeded. You can find out everything and inform your brother-in-law after that.


    Unfortunately, just as Qiang Yan had calmed himself down, another guard ran over and this man was so distraught that he didn''t even manage to stop in front of Qiang Yan and instead fell to the ground. "Reporting! Someone stole the soul-devouring dagger!"


    This ¡­ couldn''t be a coincidence, right? Forget asking the fate''s scribe! Forget investigating anything! Qiang Yan didn''t wait any longer. He turned around and ran all the way to the heavenly emperor''s palace. He needed every man available. This could pertain to the survival of their whole race.

 Chapter 102 - Bad News

    "What did you say?" The heavenly emperor regarded Shun Tao with a strange gaze.


    The fate''s scribe gulped. Damn. Did he just roar at the heavenly emperor? "This ¡­ I ¡­" Shun Tao repressed a sigh. At least he had finally dodged that explosive subject.


    He knelt down again between the guards and took out the scroll of fate. "Your Majesty, I came to inform you that something went wrong with His Highness'' fate in his trial as a mortal. Until now, he still hasn''t been able to pass even a minor trial."


    The hall that had just been filled with the heavenly emperor''s roars and then with the steps of the guards plunged into an eerie silence. Shun Tao winced. Yes, he had expected this reaction.


    "What ¡­" The heavenly emperor sat down on his throne again, grabbing the ends of the armrests. "What did you say?"


    "His Highness ¡ª"


    Hurried footsteps interrupted Shun Tao once again. "Brother-in-law!" Qiang Yan didn''t even remember to speak the polite way to the heavenly emperor while other people were around. He only had one thought: Jing He!


    "Brother-in-law, something bad happen¡ª" Qiang Yan stopped dead in his tracks, Leng Jin Yu directly behind him.


    Where had all these guards come from? And who was that kneeling on the floor? He tilted his head and tried looking past the guards.


    Rong Su waved the heavenly guards away and put a hand to his brow. "Please tell me you found out about what the fate''s scribe said and just wanted to report that. I can''t take any more bad news."


    That man was ¡­ the fate''s scribe? Qiang Yan coughed and stepped further into the hall, glancing at Shun Tao again. So, he probably confessed on his own accord?


    No, that wasn''t important now! Qiang Yan turned back to his brother-in-law and reminded himself that other people were present. "God of war Qiang Yan greets His Majesty Tianjun."


    Rong Su waved again. "What brings you here?"


    Qiang Yan hesitated. "I ¡­ came to report." He gulped and took a deep breath. "Someone attempted to assassinate His Highness, crown prince Jing He, in the mortal realm."


    The heavenly emperor leaped to his feet again. "What did you say?!"


    Qiang Yan''s head drooped. "Someone tried to assassinate him. His Highness is unhurt, though. Thankfully, Qiang Wei of the dragon race was nearby and managed to thwart the assassin''s plan. Unfortunately, we have reason to believe that the weapon used for the attempt was the soul-devouring dagger. There was no time to investigate further but it has been stolen from the god of war''s palace sometime in the last week."


    Rong Su staggered.


    "Your Majesty!" Qiang Yan rushed forward and caught him, guiding him back to the throne.


    "Qiang Yan, be honest with me." Rong Su grabbed his arm. "How is Jing He? My son, he ¡­ he wasn''t hurt with that thing, was he?"


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "He wasn''t. Don''t worry, brother-in-law. But we were lucky that dragon was there. Else, this might have concluded differently."


    "You have to find out who dared to do something like that. And send guards down to the mortal realm. Jing He can''t stay without protection from now on out."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "I''ll do that at once. But ¡­ I have been informed something went wrong with his fate anyway?" Qiang Yan glanced at Shun Tao again. The fate''s scribe sat on the floor, looking pale. "It seems he already told you?"


    Rong Su nodded. "Fine, let''s talk about that. Ah, where''s Bai Fen?"


    Qiang Yan lifted his brows. "I don''t know. I haven''t seen her today. Shall I send someone to get her?"


    "Mn." Rong Su nodded again. "This doesn''t have to ¡­ no, this shouldn''t be discussed in front of unconcerned parties. It would be better if fewer people knew. Send someone you trust."


    "Mn." Qiang Yan turned around to Leng Jin Yu, who had followed him over, and pondered whether to send him back or to let him stay. He had informed him and knew quite a few things already, so it probably wouldn''t be a problem? Besides, after how Leng Jin Yu had dealt with this so far he was considering if he might be a good addition to the god of war''s palace. "Leng Jin Yu ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded.


    "I''d like you to stay for this."


    "Of course." Leng Jin Yu nodded again.


    Qiang Yan reciprocated and went outside. He had a look at the heavenly guards who had probably heard too much already. Those men were under his brother-in-law''s direct command, so he wouldn''t have to worry about that, though. Furthermore, the crown prince had always been popular with the guards. Those men would be cautious with what they said.


    He waved one of them over but before he could say anything a woman sprinted up the staircase. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" She wanted to ignore him and the guards and rush straight inside.


    But were those guards mere decorations? Three of them stepped forward, two brandishing their weapons and the last one grabbing the woman by the shoulder and holding her down.


    Qiang Yan frowned. "Who dares behave so atrociously in front of the heavenly emperor''s palace?" He took a closer look at the woman and just barely repressed a heavy bout of curses.


    Damn! What was this woman doing here? Could this situation really get any worse?


    The woman lifted her head, her long black hair falling to the ground and anger written on her face. "Let go of me! I''m here to report to His Majesty! You''re all going to regret holding me back if His Majesty finds out that I couldn''t report this incident because of you!"


    The guards looked at Qiang Yan, clearly unsure of what to do. Normally, they''d haul anyone away who dared to behave this way in front of the heavenly emperor''s palace but ¡­ this woman had a special identity.


    Qiang Yan sighed. He was thinking the same way as the guards. "His Majesty is busy right now. Why not come back la¡ª"


    "I have to see him right now!" She tried staring at Qiang Yan which wasn''t really fruitful in itself.


    "He really is ¡ª"


    "Damn it, Qiang Yan! Have you forgotten who my father is?!"


    Qiang Yan smiled wryly. If I had forgotten, would I be standing here talking this civilized with you? No, I would have had these guards throw you down the stairs and told you to scram! "Look, it''s ¡ª"


    "I have to see His Majesty!", the woman insisted.


    Qiang Yan was really getting a headache. Whatever. Let brother-in-law deal with her. "Fine. Let her go." He motioned at the guards to step back and waved one of them over to his side, lowering his voice so that the woman couldn''t hear him. "You go and tell Her Majesty, the heavenly empress, to come here as soon as possible. Tell her it pertains His Highness, the crown prince."


    The guard nodded and hurried away. Qiang Yan turned around to the woman and motioned to the palace with a fake smile plastered onto his face. "Then let''s go on in. I''m sure His Majesty will be thrilled to see you."


    "Hmph." The woman stalked into the hall as if it was part of her own palace.


    The men in the hall looked over and froze. The heavenly emperor''s lips twitched and he threw an accusing glare at his brother-in-law while Shun Tao''s facial expression completely derailed.


    "Yin Lin Lin?" No, this couldn''t be true! Her coming here at this moment ¡­ this could only spell his doom.


    Wait a moment ¡­ wasn''t he waiting for that all along? Maybe her coming here would just speed up the process. Well, he could still take that. Certainly. Maybe ¡­

 Chapter 103 - Doesn’t Have the Intelligence

    "Your Majesty!" The woman hurried forward and curtsied. "Yin Lin Lin greets His Majesty Tianjun!"


    "Mn." Rong Su didn''t bother replying to her and instead glared at his brother-in-law. Why did you let her inside? Couldn''t you have told her I was busy or ¡ª even better ¡ª not inside? At least hold her off for a while and send someone to give me a fair warning!


    Qiang Yan shrugged barely perceptible. What could he do? That woman wouldn''t listen to him.


    "Your Majesty!", Yin Lin Lin cried out, her voice already getting on his nerves. "I came to report a shocking incident I was made aware of. A servant girl came and confessed to me that she had killed a god reincarnated for his trial in the mortal world!"


    Rong Su nodded continuously and wanted to politely usher her out of the door when the implication of her words hit Qiang Yan.


    "What did you just say?"


    "Qiang Yan, I was speaking to His Majesty. How dare you interrupt!"


    Rong Su straightened up at his brother-in-law''s words. Indeed, what had she just said? "Just repeat your words for us!"


    Yin Lin Lin puckered her lips. She didn''t like the way the two were talking to her. But what could she do? Rong Su was the incumbent heavenly emperor while her status was lacking. "I said a servant girl came to me and confessed that she killed the mortal reincarnation of a god. Ah, that poor chap. He was attempting one of his trials but he must have crossed someone." Her gaze flitted to Shun Tao.


    The fate''s scribe gritted his teeth. "What are you insinuating, Yin Lin Lin?"


    "I''m not insinuating anything! I''m just telling His Majesty what happened. It''s not my problem your lover did something like that!"


    "Hah?" Shun Tao didn''t even understand but the heavenly emperor and the god of war looked at him immediately. "What ¡­ what lover? I don''t know anything about that!"


    The heavenly emperor frowned. "You still dare to say that? Even we heard of that scandal."


    Qiang Wei hadn''t heard of any scandal since the men in the god of war''s palace wouldn''t dare to gossip in front of him but he had seen Shun Tao and Hong Bao. "That should be the servant girl you got close to."


    Shun Tao was still mystified. Which servant girl?


    "Hong Bao", injected Leng Jin Yu before falling silent again.


    Shun Tao''s eyes went wide. "Hah? How is Hong Bao my lover? She only helped me out a bit."


    Yin Lin Lin stood up without waiting for the heavenly emperor''s permission and pointed at Shun Tao. "Shut up, Shun Tao! That hussy told me her whole sob-story of how you messed up someone''s fate and how she got afraid something might happen to you and how she had wanted to help you. Would she break into the god of war''s palace to steal the soul-devouring dagger if she wasn''t your lover? Damn, you must have hated that god very much to have even his soul ruined for eternity!"


    Yin Lin Lin had turned away from the heavenly emperor and Qiang Yan. Pointing at Shun Tao, she smiled smugly. See that? ''Fate''s scribe''? Somebody like you, I can take out in one move! You had better not offended me. Now live with the consequences! That precious lover of yours certainly won''t see the end of this day!


    The heavenly emperor and the god of war were both stunned and didn''t know what to say.


    Leng Jin Yu pressed his lips together, feeling a little guilty. Had I not gone without a word and taken her with me to the god of war''s palace ¡­ Maybe she wouldn''t have done that? She''s way too naive and doesn''t know much about the nine heavens. She couldn''t have come up with something like stealing a dangerous artifact and killing a reincarnated god by herself.


    He had seen enough in the mortal world and heard of enough in the nine heavens to know that somebody must have plotted against her. And Hong Bao wasn''t experienced enough to understand that. If somebody told her stealing the weapon and killing the reincarnation was the way to help the fate''s scribe she would just believe it and do exactly that.


    This crime ¡­ It was enough to warrant her death. And unfortunately, the god they were talking about was even the crown prince. If he had really been assassinated with that weapon ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu jerked and turned around to Qiang Yan and the heavenly emperor, cupping his fists. "Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but I believe something doesn''t add up here. The servant girl in question should be Hong Bao, who helped the fate''s scribe with an assignment previously.


    But if I heard correctly, the one attempting to assassinate His Highness was fought off by a man of the dragon race. As far as I know, Hong Bao doesn''t know how to fight. That man should have had an easy time subduing and apprehending her. As thus, the perpetrator should have already been handed over to the god of war''s palace.


    Since that isn''t the case it is highly unlikely that Hong Bao is said assassin. Neither should she have been able to flee in such a situation nor should she have had the opportunity to report to this lady here."


    Qiang Yan rubbed his chin and nodded. "I''ve seen her only fleetingly once but I got the same impression, Your Majesty."


    Yin Lin Li frowned. "What is that supposed to mean? She told me herself that she killed him!"


    The heavenly emperor looked from his brother-in-law to Yin Lin Lin and finally to Shun Tao. "Fate''s scribe, do you remember that Hong Bao-woman?"


    Shun Tao nodded. "Yes. After I found out about ¡­" He looked at Yin Lin Lin and interrupted himself. "About that", he corrected, "I tried to find the perpetrator. It didn''t seem wise to observe the possible targets myself so I asked a servant girl for help. I thought she might be less eye-catching doing such a task."


    "Do you think it possible for her to ¡­ do such a thing?" The heavenly emperor''s expression was as frosty as the aura of a ten-thousand-year-old frost phoenix.


    Shun Tao gulped and really took a moment to think about it. "I''m not as knowledgeable about fighting as the god of war but I, too, believe she wouldn''t be able to win against a dragon. Neither do I believe she has the intelligence to come up with such a plan in the first place." He coughed, slightly embarrassed on having to say something like that to His Majesty.


    "Then why was she involved in the first place?"


    "I asked a random servant for help since I felt that time was pressing. After noticing her ¡­ peculiarities, I found it quite fitting since I didn''t want anybody to find out in case anybody might try to take advantage of the situation."


    "Mn." Rong Su waved at his brother-in-law. "Have her imprisoned for now."


    Leng Jin Yu knelt down before the god of war could nod. "Your Majesty, please summon her at least so that she has the opportunity to explain herself."


    Rong Su frowned. First thing in the morning, he was told his precious son might die and he had to deal with this whole mess. He clearly didn''t care for some random servant girl! Even more so if she really was involved in his son''s near demise!


    Qiang Yan saw his brother-in-law''s expression darken and intervened hurriedly: "Leng Jin Yu isn''t wrong, Your Majesty. This issue should be cleared up as soon as possible to make sure the demons aren''t involved. Questioning her early on might save us some time."


    Rong Su nodded. "Fine, then. Someone summon that woman."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed in relief while Yin Lin Lin gritted her teeth and leveled him a superior look.


    Who is that guy even? Why is he going against me? He doesn''t look like anyone that important. It can''t be that he also has the hots for that lowly servant, can it? What''s so special about her? She looked at him a little longer and started to smile. Let''s see how long you''ll have that support, little girl!


    Leng Jin Yu caught the gaze of the goddess in front of him and repressed a shudder. Why did he feel like he had been marked as prey just now?


    Luckily, finding Hong Bao wasn''t as difficult as finding the heavenly empress: Just a little while later one of the heavenly guards brought her into the hall, directing the tension onto her.


    Hong Bao didn''t seem to notice that, though. Seeing Shun Tao she smiled and her smile grew even wider when she saw the woman in the white dress standing next to him. "You''re here, too!", she greeted before even acknowledging the heavenly emperor. "Does this mean what I did really helped?"


    Leng Jin Yu put a hand to his forehead. Hong Bao ¡­ Do you know? What you just said is as good as confessing to your crime. Why did I work so hard to give you this opportunity?

 Chapter 104 - A Woman Scorned

    The heavenly emperor slammed his hand down on the armrest of his throne. "Audacious! Seeing your sovereign and still not greeting him? But what manner did I expect from a woman who would even try to kill an innocent child!"


    Hong Bao flinched. Leng Jin Yu used the opportunity to grab her wrist and pull her to the ground. "Hold your head down. Don''t look at him", he whispered to her and hoped she would listen to his advice this once.


    Shun Tao shot her an uneasy glance. He was sure she had never learned how to behave in front of the nine heavens'' royalties. Why would she? She was just a lowly servant that should never even see one of them if nothing unexpected happened. Unfortunately, this unexpected thing had happened now. If she behaved the wrong way and angered the heavenly emperor, this could get even uglier.


    The heavenly emperor couldn''t see Hong Bao''s face and assumed she was scared. Very well! You should be scared! Attempting to take my son''s life, I''ll show you what I''m capable of!


    "Now, servant, you will tell us how you conspired to kill the crown prince. If you dare to leave out even one detail ¡­ We don''t mind getting the justice court''s Li Yin to loosen your tongue a bit."


    Hong Bao turned her head to the side and looked at Leng Jin Yu. Was she supposed to talk now? He nodded and Hong Bao sat up and looked at the heavenly emperor next. "I didn''t plot anything! I only wanted to help the fate''s scribe."


    "You still dare lie to us!"


    Hong Bao pouted. That man must be the crown prince''s father if he was the sovereign. No wonder he was like that. "I didn''t lie! You can ask the goddess of love!"


    Rong Su furrowed his brow. "Goddess of love? Who are you even talking about? There is no goddess of love!"


    "Hah? But isn''t she standing right here?" Hong Bao pointed at Yin Lin Lin. "She said I could help Shun Tao if I ¡ª"


    "How dare you slander me!" Yin Lin Lin turned around and leveled a freezing stare at Hong Bao to shut her up.


    Hong Bao indeed faltered. What had happened to the elegant woman who wanted to help her? Why was she pretending not to know her? It couldn''t be that this woman was her twin, right? But no, that wasn''t possible either. Her twin should know of the goddess of love, too.


    This once, Hong Bao was indeed right. Yes, this woman was the goddess of love that had offered her help to Hong Bao if one wanted to call it such. She had some history with Shun Tao and though it seemed like she had blurted out the truth of the matter regarding the crown prince in the heat of the moment, in fact, every one of her words was placed with deliberation.


    She had planned for this situation from the very moment she heard the rumor about Shun Tao and Hong Bao. It had just been outside her expectations that there would be someone like Leng Jin Yu who would plead with the heavenly emperor to at least hear Hong Bao out.


    Normally, a servant girl who was rumored to have tried to assassinate the crown prince should be killed by the heavenly emperor''s command given in a fit of rage. But somehow, this one had managed to be escorted into the hall and of course, she blurted the truth right out! What if the heavenly emperor believed her?


    Yin Lin Lin hadn''t known that the god Hong Bao spoke of was the crown prince. She had thought Hong Bao was exaggerating and that it was just some unimportant person nobody would care about. So even if someone questioned Hong Bao and her involvement became known it wouldn''t matter. Considering her identity, the heavenly emperor wouldn''t make it difficult for her.


    But it just had to be the crown prince! The heavenly emperor doted on him even more than on his own wife! Harming even one hair of his'' was asking to have your fingers broken one at a time! And now she had lend advice that nearly led to him being killed!


    Oh, this damned servant girl! She''d make her pay for this!


    While Yin Lin Lin was seeking bloody revenge, Hong Bao had recovered from her speechlessness. She wasn''t one to stay quiet anyway. Thus, Hong Bao pursed her lips and looked at Yin Lin Lin accusingly. "What are you talking about? You said yourself that you''re the goddess of love! And you also told me where to find that dagger and that it would be enough to injure him so that I wouldn''t have to kill him!"


    Yin Lin Lin slapped her. "Shut up! What nonsense are you talking? Everyone knows that the soul-devouring dagger is a deadly weapon. What does it matter how much you injure someone with it? The soul will be lost anyway!"


    Hong Bao held her cheek, tears glittering in her eyes. "I never wanted to kill him! I only wanted to stop his trial so that he could attempt it another time and Shun Tao wouldn''t be punished!. You said that wouldn''t be a problem!"


    "You ¡ª!"


    "That''s enough!", roared the heavenly emperor. "We don''t care who said what to whom! We only care about the fact that someone tried to assassinate our son! If not for that dragon thwarting the assassin''s plans, he would have already died!"


    Hong Bao''s face fell. She looked at Shun Tao but the fate''s scribe ignored her. Then she looked at Leng Jin Yu who only sighed. What was there to say? She had attempted to do that! Even if she was talked into it by someone, you couldn''t resolve her of all blame, could you?


    Hong Bao bit onto her lower lip and looked up at the heavenly emperor. She had a bad feeling. "I ¡­ I don''t understand. The goddess of love just ¡ª"


    "There is no goddess of love!"


    Hong Bao winced and nodded. "She just said as long as one was cut by that weapon the soul will be lost. Is that true?"


    The heavenly emperor snorted, not bothering to answer her. Qiang Yan sighed and took up that role. "That''s right. The soul-devouring dagger is a weapon we managed to wrest out of the demons'' hands. It is highly dangerous. However light an injury is, it''ll obliterate the soul of that person, even though a small injury will take more time than a large one."


    "But ¡­ I did cut the crown prince with that dagger. So ¡­ he ¡­ he is dead?"


    All eyes went to Hong Bao.


    "You ¡­ What ¡­ did you say?" Rong Su only narrowly managed to press these words out. His hands trembled and his heart beat faster, cold sweat forming on his brow. He felt faint. He wouldn''t be able to take it if that woman nodded.


    Seeing his brother-in-law going pale, Qiang Yan ran over. Though, he himself didn''t know how he stayed afoot.


    In a rare show of perception, Hong Bao felt that answering wasn''t a good idea and stayed quiet. The tension in the hall climbed higher and higher until it seemed possible to cut it in two parts with a blade.


    Finally, the rattling of wooden slips broke the deadly silence. Shun Tao was fumbling to open Jing He''s scroll of fate. His eyes scanned the words slowly forming. Finally, he looked up at the heavenly emperor with a pale face. He himself couldn''t believe what he had read.

 Chapter 105 - Trouble at the Teahouse

    It had been in the afternoon when Qiu Ling left the mortal realm. While he slept at Jing He''s palace and only woke up when the heavenly empress Bai Fen came by the next day, a few months had already passed in the mortal realm and Jing Yi had turned eight by now.


    When Mister and Madam Zhong had woken up the next morning they had first taken a look at the courtyard and the street outside to look for traces of the fight they had heard. They couldn''t find anything, though. It seemed as if everything had been their imagination.


    Madam Zhong didn''t think much of it until her son remembered his grandfather some days later. Qiu Ling would probably be heartbroken if he knew that it had taken nearly a week for the boy to even think of him. Most likely, he would be even more heartbroken if he knew that Madam Zhong had just smiled, patted Jing Yi''s head and said: "Don''t worry. Grandfather has something important to do. He might not return for a while. Just spent your time with Shao Hai instead." If he knew, he''d probably make his way over to the teahouse and clamor that she was a traitor. But of course, Qiu Ling knew nothing of all that, yet.


    And Madam Zhong ¡­ she was quite relieved when he hadn''t returned even after a few weeks. She just didn''t know how to face him. She liked seeing her son getting closer to Shao Hai and behaving like a normal child for once. Seeing him smile and laugh and running around made her feel grateful to that boy.


    She was grateful to Qiu Ling, too, but the expectations he obviously carried made her feel uneasy. She knew, neither her or her husband or her son would be alive without him but could she force her son into a relationship with him in the future because of that? And even now: Could she forbid him from making friends and having a normal childhood? She didn''t think so.


    Not having Qiu Ling around freed her of the burden of having to deal with this problem. Deep inside she hoped he would only return when Jing Yi was grown up. She wouldn''t have to fret for the future then. Everything would solve itself.


    Maybe that daoist would take a look at her son and understand that he wasn''t the person he longed for. He might give up then. Or maybe he''d still feel interested and Jing Yi would actually reciprocate those feelings. Then they could just become a couple and nobody would have to feel hurt.


    The only problem would be if Jing Yi fell in love with somebody else first while the daoist master still liked him. What then? For now, Madam Zhong could only hope that something like that wouldn''t happen. But she wasn''t too worried.


    That daoist master ¡­ if he wanted someone it shouldn''t be that difficult to woo that person, right? He was handsome and as far as she knew he had a good personality. As long as he didn''t get drunk or felt betrayed, that was. But that was something he''d probably not show when he just met someone. So who knew? Her son might really fall in love with him.


    Soon, Madam Zhong had other things to worry about, though.


    One morning, an obese man stopped in front of the teahouse, looking at the two stories with a dissatisfied expression.


    "Is this the one?", he asked the two servants behind them who eagerly nodded.


    "Yes, yes! The owner is that Zhong Gang but the man working here is his cousin or something like that, called Zhong Lei."


    "Mn." The man pursed his lips and entered the teahouse. With a dismayed look, he counted the customers sitting at the tables.


    On this day, the teahouse was once again completely booked: Every seat on the lower floor was occupied, every one of the small rooms on the upper floor reserved for guests and even the big room for special occasions had found an occupant. The most astonishing, though, was that all of the tables on the lower floor were occupied by women while all the rooms on the upper floor were occupied by scholars. Zhong Gang''s teahouse was just such a strange place.


    Seeing the new customer, Mister Zhong hurried over. After a year in the capital and taking care of the teahouse for such a long time, he wasn''t as overly excited as at the beginning anymore. Now he could calmly great the guests, so of course, he wanted to do just that on this day, too. "Dear guests ¡ª"


    "Hmph, what guests!", one of the servants interrupted before he could even finish his greeting. "Is your small, dirty establishment good enough to attract the great Li Bo?"


    Li Bo was, of course, the obese man in front. He pursed his lips even more but didn''t deign to say something himself. Why would he? He had brought his lackeys with him to do those lowly tasks in his stead! That was the privilege of the rich!


    "Uh ¡­" Mister Zhong might have learned to greet customers but he had never been confronted with ones as difficult as this. Until that day the work at the teahouse had been smooth sailing. As such, his reaction was ¡­ a bit lacking? "If you''re asking like this ¡­ probably not?" Mister Zhong furrowed his brow. "I''m not sure. Could you tell me who this ''Li Bo'' is?"


    The women at the nearby tables chuckled. They had seen Mister Zhong stunned often enough to know he meant every word he said. Unfortunately, Li Bo and his two lackeys didn''t know him and thought he was mocking them.


    "How dare you speak to us like that!", the second servant roared, clenching his fists and shaking them at Mister Zhong.


    Mister Zhong was dumbfounded and looked around for his wife. He had tried following the golden rule she had made clear to him: Always be polite to your customers! But somehow it seemed like the golden rule didn''t apply here? Why were they mad at him?


    The first servant used this opportunity to chip in the reason for their visit: "What are you getting mad at, Xiao Guo? You shouldn''t have expected anything else from such a shameless person!"


    Mister Zhong didn''t know how to react any longer. Unfortunately, it seemed like his wife was in the kitchen. What to do? He couldn''t just go and bring her over to talk to the guests, no?


    Thankfully, his savior was near! Shao Hai had seen the obese man walking in and observed the following confrontation. He was a little older than Jing Yi and had already turned nine some months ago. He could see this was spelling trouble.


    "Let''s go help uncle Zhong", he said, gripped Jing Yi''s hand and pulled him over. "Uncle Li!", he called out and looked up at the obese man with a deadpan expression.


    He knew him and his two lackeys. Actually, every one doing business in the capital knew them because those three loved to make trouble! And they always got away with it. In fact, they had offended plenty of people but still didn''t have to pay for it. Making trouble for a family like the Zhongs was as easy as taking candy from a baby for them. And they definitely were the type of people who would a baby of its candy.


    Shao Hai''s father, too, had had the bad luck of having to do with this Li Bo once. It hadn''t been a nice encounter. You could even say that Li Bo had ripped his father off but what could he have done? There was no talking things over with Li Bo. If he intended to make things difficult for you nothing could deter him. Well, besides a huge bribe, maybe ¡­


    Shao Hai still wanted to try. This was Jing Yi''s family, after all!


    Li Bo stared at the children in front of him. He didn''t know who they were but his eyes started to shine at their sight. He bent forward and smiled, making the people around him shudder. "Oh! Who might these small munchkins be?"


    Shao Hai curled his lips. "I''m the son of Shao Chen. You did some business with him."


    Li Bo couldn''t remember any Shao Chen and as soon as he heard that he stopped paying attention to Shao Hai and concentrated on Jing Yi. Never mind if that one is from another family, this child would be more useful anyway.


    His smile grew even wider. "And what about you?"


    Jing Yi clutched Shao Hai''s arm and half hid behind him. Shao Hai straightened up, feeling like he had to claim ownership now. "That''s my bride!"


    Thankfully, Qiu Ling wasn''t there to hear that. Though, if he had been, he might have said the same line as Li Bo: "We''ll see about that!"


    Shao Hai frowned and hugged Jing Yi to his chest. "What is that supposed to mean?!" That Li Bo couldn''t be thinking of taking his darling away, could he?!


    Li Bo only smiled, leaving the explaining to his servants.


    The second servant took up where Shao Hai''s arrival had interrupted their act. "Didn''t Xiao Nuo already tell you? They''re such shameless people! Who knows if they can stay?"


    Shao Hai frowned even more. "How can you say that about uncle Zhong and his family? They''re good people and only doing business here!"


    "Hmph! Good people? Only doing business?", the first servant snorted. "How can you say that with a straight face? Those people stole the great Li Bo''s horses!"


    "Right! You better confess now!"


    "Or else we''ll call the people from the justice court over!"


    Li Bo smiled patronizingly. "Even though you''ve wronged me like that, I''ll leave you a way out since I''m such a good person." He gazed at Jing Yi, his smile getting wider.

 Chapter 106 - Related to the Emperor

    Mister Zhong might not be the sharpest tool in the box but he wasn''t totally dumb either. He couldn''t figure out what these three men were talking about but he knew he had to do something. They were definitely planning something with his son!


    He grabbed Jing Yi by the shoulder and pulled him behind him, still trying to follow the golden rule of being courteous. "I''m afraid I don''t understand what you are saying, dear customer. What horses are you talking about?"


    The women in the teahouse started gossiping at once. Fortunately, they had a good opinion of the Zhongs.


    "That Li Bo again! My husband told me about him. He''s ripping off everyone in the capital just claiming whatever he wants."


    "Well, what can you do? He has a powerful backer. Even my uncle doesn''t dare to cross him!"


    "Indeed, indeed. And his whole family is like that. Doesn''t he have two children? They''re even worse. Not caring for anyone. Li Bo gives at least some face to high ranking officials."


    "Some face that is! Have you heard what he did last week?"


    "No. What happened?"


    The women lowered their voices to discuss the latest developments to make sure Li Bo wouldn''t hear them. None wanted to embroil their husbands in the conflict.


    But Mister Zhong had heard enough. So this is one of those hidden tigers Mister Pi talked about. He examined Li Bo but couldn''t find anything that seemed like a tiger. The man rather had the appearance of a fat pet cat pretending to be a predator. But maybe that backer of his is a real hidden tiger, Mister Zhong thought.


    He wasn''t wrong, though he should probably take that crouching dragon of Mister Pi''s as a reference: Li Bo had some connection to the incumbent emperor. Not everyone knew which kind of connection that was but that was to be expected since these connections were always terribly complicated.


    Indeed, summarizing it in one or two words was impossible. But one was still able to summon it up in one sentence even though it might not be that easy to understand then.


    If one wanted to have a go, it might sound like this: The incumbent emperor was the elder brother of the husband of the sister-in-law of the cousin of Li Bo''s second wife Pei Chang.


    The story behind the connection went like this: The incumbent emperor had five brothers. One of them he hated to the bones. With two of them, he had a rather lukewarm relationship and one he liked. And then there was the last one, his favorite brother, who was the person that constituted the link between Li Bo and the emperor.


    This favorite brother of the emperor ¡ª as it was customary in the royal households ¡ª had two wives and five concubines. The third concubine was a woman named Hu Ai who ¡ª although she was said not to be the prettiest ¡ª somehow managed to monopolize her husband''s heart. This Hu Ai was the younger sister of a woman named Hu Chang who had married a man called Pei Wu. And this Pei Wu was coincidentally the cousin of Li Bo''s second wife, Pei Chang.


    Saying it like this might not sound so impressive. But one could say that Li Bo had indeed a connection to the emperor and that was enough in the capital. Who knew how close Li Bo''s second wife was to her cousin and how said cousin doted on his wife? And what if that woman''s sister was so grateful to her for whatever she helped her with previously that she would fulfill every one of her wishes? That the emperor''s brother would do everything for that beloved concubine didn''t even need to be said. And of course, it was an easy feat for the emperor to grant his favorite brother every wish as long as he asked for it.


    Since that was the case, nobody dared to cross Li Bo. And, to be honest, most people actually didn''t know how close the connection between the emperor and Li Bo really was so they just wanted to be cautious.


    Mister Zhong didn''t know that, though. He could only repeat what he had said before: "I don''t know anything about any horses."


    "He still dares to lie!" Xiao Nuo sneered. "Xiao Guo, we better inform the justice court now!"


    "Yes, yes, better inform them now!"


    Li Bo continued with his patronizing smile. "Please, please, how can you be so hasty? Let''s just talk this over. I saw that you urgently need these horses for your teahouse", he commented toward Mister Zhong. "I''ll consider giving them to you and forgetting about this whole incident. Of course, I''m a poor man and can''t live off nothing. So you should give me something in return."


    Mister Zhong frowned. This didn''t sound bad to him but how could he just decide this on his own? "This is my cousin''s teahouse. How about you speak to him?"


    Xiao Nuo piped up in lieu of his master. "What does this have to do with your cousin, huh? I only see you here! Are you trying to get more time so you can flee with the horses? We''re not that easy to trick!"


    "I don''t ¡ª"


    "We''d better go to the justice court right now!" Xiao Guo grinned and crossed his arms.


    Li Bo waved his arms as if to pacify them. To those who knew them, it seemed like a comedic act, though. For how long had they practiced this? "Don''t be hasty, don''t be hasty. Kind sir, you look like such a good and morally upright person. You wouldn''t want to be convicted for being a thief, would you? Think of your family! If you were imprisoned or exiled or even killed ¡­ What would become of them? Wouldn''t it be better to settle this without involving the justice court?"


    "But I don''t know of any horses."


    "You''re still saying that!"


    "Don''t you play dumb with us!"


    Even Li Bo had some problems to cope with Mister Zhong''s approach of not relenting. Normally, people caved in as soon as they heard his name or at the latest when they saw him. Shouldn''t this guy know that it was futile to go against him?


    "I really don''t ¡ª"


    The servants had enough this time. The first one stepped forward and grabbed Mister Zhong by the shoulders while the second followed and punched him. The women in the teahouse shrieked, some of them withdrew to the back of the room while some leaped to their feet and hurried outside. Nobody wanted to have anything to do with this.


    Madam Zhong finally noticed the commotion and came out of the kitchen. The tray in her hands dropped to the floor and she hurried forward. She grabbed her son and shoved him to Shao Hai, pushing the children behind her and glaring at the two servants.


    "Let go of my husband!"


    The two men eyed her but didn''t even think of letting Mister Zhong go. That guy still wanted to play dumb with them! Of course, they wouldn''t let him get away with it so easily.


    Xiao Guo snorted and delivered a powerful kick to Mister Zhong''s chest. The other servant wasn''t even able to hold him because of the force. Mister Zhong tumbled to the ground and stayed motionless. He didn''t get up again.

 Chapter 107 - A Cruel Twist of Fate

    Silence descended on the lower floor of the teahouse. Li Bo''s lackeys weren''t any less stunned than Madam Zhong or the female guests hiding in the corners of the teahouse.


    "Ah ¡­ Ah Lei?" Madam Zhong fell to her knees next to her husband and shook his shoulder. "Ah Lei?" She waited but he didn''t get up or react in any way. "Ah Lei!" She shook him once again but to no avail.


    Madam Zhong''s hands trembled. This couldn''t be true. This couldn''t be happening! She had known this man since they had been children. He was the one who had smiled at her and convinced her to come back with him when she ran away from home at five years old. He had been the one to beat up that boy from the neighboring village who had dared to say something mean about her when she was ten. He had been the one to take her hand when she had just come of age and asked if she wanted to marry him.


    He had stuck with her when she couldn''t get pregnant in the first years after their marriage. He had accompanied her when her father died and when she didn''t know how to cope with his loss.


    He had been so considerate, so sweet ¡­ She had thought that they couldn''t be any happier until she finally got pregnant with Jing Yi. They had both thought the heavens were on their side and wanted to reward them for leading an honest life all these years. Her husband had become even sweeter and had given in to every strange demand of hers.


    She still remembered how he had worried more and more about her well-being with every passing day and how he had run out in the dead of the night to get the physician from the nearest town when they noticed that something was amiss.


    He might not be the best husband one could imagine but he was still the only one she needed, the only one she wanted! Nothing could happen to him!


    "Ah Lei!" Madam Zhong hugged him. Her eyes swam in tears but she fought them back. No, she wouldn''t cry. This ¡­ This wasn''t the end. There was certainly something that could still be done!


    Madam Zhong looked up at the people around her, her tears still threatening to fall. Was there nobody who could help them? Anyone ¡­


    Qiang Wei, who had waited in the shadows of the teahouse to monitor Jing Yi, ran over and knelt beside her. His face was grim. As a dragon, he could already hear that Mister Zhong''s heart had stopped beating just now. But he, too, didn''t want to believe. He hoped for a miracle and took Mister Zhong''s wrist, fumbling for a pulse. Anything, just a trace of some life left in him would be enough. Just a heartbeat, only one ¡­


    Qiang Wei held his breath and calmed his own madly beating heart. His fingers steadied and he continued to search for some sign of life.


    Nothing. He came up with nothing.


    Qiang Wei closed his eyes. This was impossible. That kick had been forceful but not enough to kill someone. What had gone wrong? He searched for any clues but couldn''t find anything. Everything seemed normal. It was as if Mister Zhong''s time had just come.


    Qiang Wei sighed with resignation and turned around to Madam Zhong. "I''m sorry. There is nothing I can do."


    Madam Zhong clasped her hands over her mouth, stifling a sob. She shook her head, not wanting to believe what she just heard. "No. No ¡­"


    "I''m sorry. I''m really sorry." Qiang Wei hung his head. He really wanted to help but there was just no way. There wasn''t anything to be done. Even the gods wouldn''t be able to save him. It was already too late. Somehow, heaven had claimed his soul.


    Though, what Qiang Wei didn''t know ¡ª what known of the people present that day would ever guess ¡ª was that what had happened wasn''t this easy. This soul ¡­ it wouldn''t return to heaven and it definitely wouldn''t pass on to enter a new cycle of life. It had just disappeared forever.


    That was what happened when the soul-devouring dagger''s blade touched a mortal''s husk: If the wound was deep, the soul would disintegrate then and there. But if the wound was shallow, the soul''s energy would slowly dissipate until nothing was left.


    Nobody would notice until it was too late. And even if one had an inkling, there was nothing that could be done. Even the gods hadn''t known how to counter this cursed blade''s fatality and lost countless of their kin when the old demon king wielded it on the battlefield. How could mere humans contest this abominable weapon?


    Even if they had known, they would have had to watch on. This was the cruel reality.


    Like this, Zhong Jing Yi''s father, Zhong Lei, passed away on a bright summer day while birds were chirping on the roof outside. Those who weren''t in the know would believe it to be just another day of summer. Just like all the days prior to this one and all the days in years to come. But for the Zhongs and those that cared about them those coming days would never be the same.


    Maybe this was how the heaven tried to enforce its own laws.

 Chapter 108 - What Happened to Father?

    Madam Zhong sat next to her husband''s body and cried. Nothing could be heard in the teahouse except for her heart-wrenching sobs. Jing Yi struggled out of Shao Hai''s embrace and ran over to his mother''s side, hugging her neck. "Mommy!" He looked at his father with a frightened expression, unable to understand what had happened.


    Madam Zhong turned around and hugged her son back. That''s right. She couldn''t lose herself in her grief. There was still their son to take care of. And Ah Lei wouldn''t want her to cry. He had always loved her smile.


    She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. With a frighteningly calm expression, she stood up slowly with Jing Yi in her arms and turned around to Qiang Wei. This man ¡­ If she had understood it correctly, he was that person''s subject. If it concerned Jing Yi, he would probably help.


    "Please, bring my son back home."


    Qiang Wei nodded and took Jing Yi from her. The boy didn''t want to leave his mother, though. She had only ever cried once and that was when they had met that bandit in the forest. Remembering this he had a sudden sense of crisis.


    "Mommy!" He flailed his arms and tried to get back to her but Qiang Wei decisively left the teahouse.


    "Be good. Your mother has to do something difficult right now. You''re helping her if you''re not there. Let''s go home, alright? You mother''s going to come over after she''s finished."


    Jing Yi didn''t want to go. Especially since he didn''t even know this strange man. But then again ¡­ His mother had entrusted him to this man so he should be a good person, no?


    Jing Yi looked up at him with limpid eyes. Qiang Wei smiled. "What is it, little one?"


    Jing Yi tilted his head. That manner of speaking to him ¡­ "Do you know grandfather?"


    "Grandfather?" Qiang Wei hadn''t seen Qiu Ling''s sagely-old-man appearance and couldn''t understand what the boy was talking about.


    "Mn!"


    "Who''s your grandfather? I thought you only had your parents and your uncle and aunt."


    Jing Yi shook his head. "No, there''s grandfather, too." He pursed his lips, leaned in closer and lowered his voice. "You know, grandfather''s a dragon!"


    Qiang Wei''s lips twitched. Grandfather is a dragon? That should mean ¡­ ''grandfather'' was His Majesty? Did their king know he was addressed like this? Considering his vanity ¡­ He might go insane hearing this.


    Qiang Wei would probably be stunned silly if he knew that his king had fabricated this ''grandfather'' himself. Though, he hadn''t expected that manner of address to develop either.


    After getting over his mental shock, Qiang Wei smiled. "If he''s a dragon, I probably know him. There aren''t that many dragons, you know?"


    "So you''re a dragon, too?"


    "Mn!"


    "I thought so!"


    "Oh? How come?"


    "You''re nice!"


    Qiang Wei''s smile stiffened. Please, little boy, never repeat these words in front of His Majesty. You''re going to get me killed this way! "I''m certainly not as nice as your ¡­ ahem ¡­ grandfather."


    "That''s true." Jing Yi pursed his lips. "So ¡­ What happened to father?"


    Qiang Wei looked at the boy and sighed. "I''ll tell you when we reach your home, alright?"


    "Alright." Jing Yi just hugged Qiang Wei''s neck and let him carry him home.


    Qiang Wei put the boy down in his room and sat before him on the floor. "About your father ¡­" He prepared to explain but hesitated. How to tell something like that to a child? He couldn''t just say ''Your father is dead, he won''t come back ever again'', could he?


    "Mn ¡­ Let me tell you a story first, alright?"


    Jing Yi really was a patient child. He just nodded and waited what Qiang Wei wanted to tell him.


    "So ¡­ many, many years ago, we dragons had a king we loved very much. He was really powerful and inspired awe in everyone who saw him but he was also really caring to his subjects. All the dragons were looking up to him. The males wanted to be like him and the females wanted to marry him." He paused and looked expectantly at the boy. Unfortunately, he didn''t get a reaction.


    Qiang Wei smiled wryly. Little boy, shouldn''t you inject something at this point? Like asking what happened next? Or at least ask for the king''s name! But Jing Yi still waited, even though Qiang Wei made quite the long pause.


    Qiang Wei finally couldn''t take it any longer and coughed in embarrassment. "Anyway ¡­ One day the demons attacked. In fact, they didn''t really attack the dragons but the gods instead. But the gods have ¡­ quite the close relationship to the dragons so when the gods seemed to be losing the war our king set out to help them. He battled with the demon king for four days and four nights and finally managed to kill him."


    Qiang Wei said so but his face fell. "Unfortunately, the demon king had managed to hurt the dragon king with the cursed weapon he wielded. Though the wound seemed to heal, the dragon king got weaker and weaker as time passed and finally ¡­ he took his last breath."


    Without knowing how Mister Zhong had died, Qiang Wei had somehow brought up the story involving the very same weapon to explain his father''s death to Jing Yi. Was this fate at work? Maybe. Or maybe it was because the previous dragon king''s death had just been as mysterious to the dragons as Mister Zhong''s death was to Qiang Wei now. They had taken a long time to figure out it was related to the demons'' soul-devouring dagger and maybe they never would''ve realized had it not been for the fact that quite a few of the gods who had fought in the war died under such mysterious circumstances, too.


    Jing Yi still only looked at Qiang Wei, patiently waiting for the end of the story.


    Qiang Wei sighed. "We were devastated when the king died. Many of us thought that it might be the end of the whole dragon race. But then ¡­" He smiled unconsciously remembering that day. "When the demons had already elected their new king and were trying to take revenge on us for their loss, somebody stepped forward to save us. He was ¡­" Qiang Wei shook his head not knowing how to describe what he had seen that day.


    "He was no less awe-inspiring than our previous king. When he slightly lifted his hand the winds roared and the clouds gathered above our heads bringing heavy rain and rumbling thunder and flashes of lighting that scorched the earth and charred those vicious demons to a crispy black. And amidst all this chaos he just picked up some sword that someone had dropped and plunged into the fray, chopp¡ª er ¡­ defeating that new demon king and saving us dragons once again."


    Qiang Wei patted Jing Yi''s head. "That man became our new king and even though the old king''s passing was still bitterly bemoaned, we were satisfied. So, what I want to say is: Little one, your father is like our old king. He fought valiantly for the sake of his own people ¡ª that is you and your mother ¡ª but finally, he lost. He won''t be returning."


    Jing Yi looked at him with a pale face, understanding dawning in his eyes.


    Qiang Wei tussled his hair. "It''s alright. He was ¡­ He certainly was content to be able to help the people closest to him even if he had to give up his own life for it. And you don''t have to worry. Someday, when you require help, someone will come to your aid just like our new king appeared when we needed him the most and you''ll find that other people can become just as important to you as the people who passed on. It''ll still hurt not having them at your side anymore but ¡­ There will be other good things. So, don''t be too sad. Your father wouldn''t like that either. He''d certainly like it more if you still smiled and continued on with your life to become such a great hero like he had been one."


    Jing Yi nodded slightly. He didn''t understand everything but the last things the man in front of him said were pretty easy. So, I should smile and become a hero. Remembering these words, Jing Yi started to mull over what a hero was. He would definitely do what his father expected of him!

 Chapter 109 - Getting Away with It

    At the teahouse, Madam Zhong faced Li Bo and his two lackeys, her eyes blazing with fury. "You killed my husband!"


    Faced with her accusation, Li Bo''s servants both took a step back. Shit! This wasn''t supposed to happen!


    "That ¡­" Xiao Guo looked at the other one. "It wasn''t us!"


    "How was that not you? Everyone here saw!" Madam Zhong motioned to the women in the back of the room.


    Xiao Guo gulped, but Xiao Nuo didn''t want to give up so easily. "We might have punched him once but obviously, one wouldn''t die just because of that."


    "You punched him and now he''s dead! How can you say one would not die because of that?" She didn''t want to argue with those men but those three had come to make trouble and her husband was dead now. She didn''t know who they were but she could guess that the obese man''s identity was extraordinary considering how he dressed and behaved. She had to chase them out now or this would get even worse. She didn''t even dare to think of making them pay for what they had done to her husband.


    She only hoped that she could save herself and her son and avoid further trouble for now. It wasn''t what her husband deserved but what could a lone widow do? Especially if she had only come to the capital for a few months? She didn''t know anyone besides her husband''s family. She had no way to make them pay however much she would have liked to do so.


    "That ¡­" Xiao Nuo looked at his master. There was really no way to counter what she said.


    Li Bo pressed his lips together. "This lady, how can you make such irresponsible remarks? Has anyone actually seen my servants punching your husband?" He looked at the women hiding at the back of the room. He had seen most of them at some sort of gathering before and knew their husbands. Would any of them dare to rat him out?


    Unfortunately, Li Bo was right with his assumption. None of the women dared to speak up. They liked the Zhongs but not enough to endanger their own families. Li Bo smiled and looked at Madam Zhong smugly. "You see? It''s all your misconception, Madam. But it''s alright. I won''t blame you. You just lost your husband. It''s expected for you to be a little ¡­ addled right now. I''ll give you some time to adjust to your new circumstances. After that, I''ll return and we can calmly talk about how you''ll compensate me for the loss of my horses." He smiled, waved at his two servants and turned around, leaving the teahouse behind.


    Madam Zhong looked at the guests accusingly. All of them had gotten to know her and her husband over the last few weeks. Some had come to the teahouse every single day and talked to them and their son for a good time. But now nobody stepped forward to help.


    Madam Zhong shook her head and knelt down beside her husband again, smoothing his hair that had just started to gray. What could she do about it, though? If they didn''t want to, she could plead however much she wanted. They still wouldn''t do it. She could only silently bury her husband and hope that that man wouldn''t remember her and her son.


    Unfortunately, Li Bo was dead set on ruining her. After leaving the teahouse, he sat inside his carriage complaining. "Aiya, all this trouble for one small child! You better be right about him being able to boost my business, Xiao Nuo!"


    The servant nodded eagerly. "Don''t worry, boss! It''s definitely accurate. That Zhong Gang had a good and steady income with his restaurant before but the teahouse became an instant success and even furthered his earnings from the restaurant after some days. The child is the only explanation. There''s nothing else that makes the teahouse special and the people I asked all said that the women mostly talked about the children. So having that boy in your restaurant would definitely help you a lot, boss!"


    "Mn." Li Bo nodded sedately. "I''m just afraid that woman won''t give him up so easily. And with how good their business has been until now she might be able to pay enough. Even the justice court can''t do anything about it then."


    The servants exchanged a glance but didn''t know how to help.


    Li Bo pondered and finally waved at them. "Go spread the message that they''re at odds with me. Let''s see how long these guests will dare to go there. If business dwindles down she won''t have any other possibility but to comply with my demands. Heh heh." He laughed and rubbed his thighs. He could already see all those coins entering his pockets. And getting that boy would probably not be difficult when the family started losing money.


    And yes, the next day his dirty scheme already seemed to come to fruition: Some of the women were having a guilty conscience because they didn''t help and wouldn''t have dared to come anyway but the rest had been scared away by the rumors flying around. Especially since they knew how true those rumors were. If Li Bo didn''t think much about killing a law-abiding citizen in broad daylight, would he be any more merciful to their families? Certainly not!


    Madam Zhong looked at all the empty tables and sighed. Jing Yi, who had still followed her to work even though Madam Zhong was afraid he might suffer harm if that man came back, looked up at his mother with a worried gaze.


    "Why is there nobody here today, mommy?"


    "Who knows? They all knew your father so maybe they are sad he''s gone now and wouldn''t be able to take their grief if they came here."


    Jing Yi nodded and gripped her hand, smiling sweetly at her. Madam Zhong smiled back, though her smile was strained, and patted his head. "It''s alright, Jing''er. Your father ¡­ Who knows? He might be reborn as a really important person." After all, hadn''t that daoist master told them that souls really reincarnated?


    After burying her husband''s body the previous evening this was the thought she clung to. He had passed away but his soul lived on and would someday return. Maybe ¡­ Maybe they would see each other again in another life.


    Thankfully, Madam Zhong had no idea that that was already impossible.


    "Well, let''s just hope the guests miss us and sister Nie Huang''s tea and return soon."


    Jing Yi nodded but the only person to run over to the teahouse that day was Shao Hai who wanted to see if Jing Yi was alright. It seemed like hard times were imminent for Madam Zhong and her son and they had no way of countering the culprit. They could only wait and see and hope that the situation would miraculously solve itself.

 Chapter 110 - Becoming Family

    Madam Zhong sat in the preparation room with Nie Huang, talking and drinking tea. There was nothing else they could do. A teahouse without customers was like a cart with a broken wheel. But this wheel couldn''t even be repaired. So what else could they do besides waiting?


    Jing Yi and Shao Hai were sitting at the counter. Shao Hai had hugged Jing Yi to console him and was repeatedly stroking his back. "You don''t have to be sad. I''m still here with you, Xiao Yi. I won''t leave you."


    "Mn." Jing Yi just nodded. He didn''t have any concept of death since this was the first time he was confronted with it and Qiang Wei''s story had given him a new goal that he could single-mindedly pursue. This was diverting his attention so much that he didn''t really think about the fact that his father wasn''t there anymore.


    Speaking of which ¡­ There was one problem he could still not solve despite thinking about it long and hard. He looked up into Shao Hai''s eyes with confusion written on his face. "Ah Hai, what is a hero?"


    The older boy was dumbfounded. Why is he asking me this? He pursed his lips and pondered and finally found an explanation: When that Li Bo came and acted all sneakily Jing Yi''s father had stepped in front of them to protect them and lost his life because of that in the end. Jing Yi probably wanted to make sure that his father was a real hero?


    If that was what Jing Yi wanted, then, of course, Shao Hai would fulfill that wish! "Your father is definitely a hero!"


    Jing Yi nodded. That man yesterday had said the same. "But why?"


    "Uh ¡­ Well, because he saved us from the bad guys!"


    "So, one becomes a hero if he saves someone?" Jing Yi thought about it. So his father had been a hero and his grandfather was a hero, too. He had saved them from the bandits, after all! But those were the only heroes he knew. How could he become like them?


    Shao Hai pursed his lips, unsure if that was really true. In the end, he nodded though. "I think so!"


    "Oh."


    Shao Hai felt like Jing Yi wasn''t satisfied with his explanation. "We could go and ask my father!"


    "Does he know about heroes?"


    Shao Hai nodded. "I''m sure of it! You know he''s a merchant. He was traveling a lot over the years and has met many, many people. There should have been some heroes among them."


    Jing Yi''s eyes shone. This was exactly what he needed! Speaking to someone who had met a lot of heroes!


    Shao Hai smiled contented. It seemed like Jing Yi liked his idea. "Come, let''s ask auntie if you can come home with me right now." He took Jing Yi''s hand and pulled him over to the kitchen. "Auntie!" He smiled sweetly at Madam Zhong. "Can Xiao Yi come home with me?"


    Madam Zhong smiled back at them and patted their heads. "Of course, he can. Just be careful on your way. If you''re running late this evening have someone sent him home, alright?"


    Shao Hai nodded earnestly. "Don''t worry, auntie! Nothing will happen to Xiao Yi as long as he''s with me!" Shao Hai pulled Jing Yi toward the entrance.


    The boy looked at his mother and waved. "I''ll be back soon, mommy!"


    "Mn. Have fun!"


    The two boys hurried through the streets of the capital. After living here for some months and spending most of his time with Shao Hai Jing Yi was already quite familiar with them. He didn''t need to be pulled along or trail behind though Shao Hai still insisted on taking his hand when running alongside him. Every now and then he''d even turn around and smile at Jing Yi.


    Had a certain dragon king been there ¡­ Well, it''s better not to think about it. Luckily, he was still in the nine heavens complaining to his mother-in-law so Shao Hai had nothing to fear. Not that he knew of this love rival of his that had stayed hidden most of the time when in the mortal realm.


    Jing Yi and Shao Hai reached the Shaos'' home in a few minutes. Mister Shao was in the courtyard speaking to a supplier while some servants moved products onto a cart standing beside them.


    "Father, father!" Shao Hai ran over with Jing Yi in tow and smiled.


    Shao Chen patted his head and tussled Jing Yi''s hair. "So you''ve brought your little friend over again. How have you been, Xiao Yi?"


    "Good. Thanks, uncle Shao!"


    "Mn. Wait a moment. I need to finish this first." He turned back to his supplier.


    "Come on. Let''s wait inside." Shao Hai pulled Jing Yi with him into the house. "Sit down, sit down. I''ll get you something to eat." Shao Hai ran away and hurried right back with a tray with some snacks. Then he disappeared again, only to return with some tea a moment later. He sat down beside Jing Yi and took his hand.


    His heart beat wildly. They were completely alone at the moment and sitting so close together. He could feel the warmth coming from Jing Yi''s body and smell that fresh scent of his. He wanted to hug Jing Yi but didn''t dare to do so. He didn''t want to scare him away just because he was too direct.


    He really, really liked Jing Yi. If he and his mother couldn''t hold on alone he was thinking about asking his father if they could take them in. Shao Hai had decided that he would marry Jing Yi anyway in the future. What difference would it make if his bride-to-be moved in with them a bit sooner? He hadn''t asked his father for permission yet, though.


    Just when Shao Hai thought of this, Mister Shao returned. Seeing his son nearly glued to Jing Yi once again, he laughed, went over and tousled the boy''s hair. "Nice to see you again, Xiao Yi." His son had told him about what had happened at the teahouse yesterday. At first, he wanted to say something about it but then reconsidered. The boy was probably sad enough and was relieved to not have to be at the teahouse were everything remembered him of his father''s death. They should distract him while he was at their home. "So, what brings you here? You even ran over all the way to greet me."


    Jing Yi looked at him with sparkling eyes. "Uncle Shao, Ah Hai said you''ve met real heroes. Is that true?"


    Shao Chen was a little taken aback. He would have expected a lot of things but certainly not this! "Well ¡­ You could probably say so ¡­?"


    "Then, what are heroes like?" Jing Yi leaned forward eagerly. He didn''t want to miss any clue as to what he should do in the future!


    Shao Chen laughed and sat down opposite the children. "Mn, a real hero ¡­ Let me think for a bit." He wanted to pour himself a cup of tea but noticed that his son had only brought one cup for Jing Yi. Haish, how biased! In the face of first love, family counted for little.


    Well, he didn''t mind it though. Jing Yi was such a cute boy. It was better his son fell in love with him than with some girl like that spoiled Guanyu. Even though he wasn''t a girl, Shao Chen would rather have Jing Yi marry into his family. There would be less trouble that way.


    Thinking of that, he couldn''t help but smile before he remembered their actual subject. A hero, hm? Well, it couldn''t be that hard to explain, could it? The best thing would be if he could help his son become a hero in Jing Yi''s eyes. Ah, that would really be nice.

 Chapter 111 - A Real Hero

    Being spurred on by the thought of gaining a daughter-in¡ª er ¡­ a son-in-law as nice as Jing Yi, Mister Shao dove into his explanation: "A real hero has to be an incredibly brave man. He would never hesitate to face danger and he would fight for the things he believes in like righteousness or loyalty or friendship. Just like how my Xiao Hai stood up for you when that Guanyu girl was making trouble for you."


    Jing Yi pursed his lips. So, he needed to believe in such things and then fight for them if he wanted to become a hero. He knew about friendship since he had brother Ah Hai now but what about this loyalty and righteousness? "Then how do they do that?"


    Shao Chen was stumped again. This child ¡­ What kind of question was that? How should he answer that? And most importantly: How should he relate that to his son? "Well, it''s not that easy to explain. I guess it depends on opportunities? Like when that Guanyu was harassing you. Xiao Hai saw that happen and acted. That''s an opportunity."


    Jing Yi couldn''t imagine something as vague as acting upon an opportunity and somehow he couldn''t relate his brother Shao Hai to the term ''hero''. His father wanted him to be a hero and what that man had said about the dragon kings had sounded really exciting. It couldn''t be that being a hero was as simple as what Shao Hai had done, right? No, he had to get to the bottom of this! "Then what heroes have you met, uncle Shao? What opportunities did they have?"


    "Er ¡­" Shao Chen didn''t know how to answer. There was no way to relate anything to his son any longer if Jing Yi didn''t react to it. Somehow, he regretted having said he had met real heroes. Hadn''t that only been stories to humor his son when he was younger? Now his son had brought that up to Jing Yi and that child didn''t just believe everything he said but asked so much! How should he answer that? Though, there had been that one time ¡­


    "I know, I know! There''s one story I can tell you. That man definitely was a hero. In fact, your uncle Shao owes him his life."


    Jing Yi''s eyes shone. The man yesterday had told him a story, too. Uncle Shao must be getting to the important part now! The things before were probably just some sort of introduction. Thinking like that, Jing Yi perked up and listened attentively.


    Faced with the whole attention of such an adorable child like Jing Yi Mister Shao didn''t want to disappoint him. Well, let''s just modify it a bit so it makes a good story. Doesn''t he just want to be entertained?


    "So, it was like this: One day in autumn your uncle Shao was traveling through the empire selling his products, delivering some things and finding new stock. My business had been going even better than in the previous years and I was already on my way back home. At that time, it was already in the middle of autumn. The sky was overcast with big, dark clouds that raced along over my head on the strong winds that were blowing. In fact, the winds were so strong that the trees along the road creaked and nearly bent over.


    Your uncle Shao was really afraid that day because it got harder to move forward and the clouds above started rumbling and crackling like lightning would strike soon. I and the others from the team hurried on and finally found a small inn along the way. We stepped inside, incredibly relieved that we had escaped that vicious storm outside. We sat down at one of the tables and started to eat. It seemed like everything would be calm for the night. But then the door of the inn opened again and nearly two dozen men stepped inside, all of them bristling with weapons. They took one look around and their mean eyes focused on our group."


    Well, this was a blatant lie. It hadn''t been two dozen people but only half a dozen. They hadn''t been armed to the teeth either and instead only carried a sword each. But well, considering that the mercenaries Shao Chen had hired back then had still been outside guarding the products, there had been no one to counter these men. The cowardly servants he had with him had all pulled back as far as they could, pushing their master to the front to deal with these bandits. Could he as a lone man take out six others? Though he was quite strong, that definitely wasn''t the case. Two, yes. Maybe he''d even be able to take on three if they made some mistakes but he couldn''t even imagine to take down six grown men.


    Shao Chen sighed thinking back to that day. "Your uncle Shao really thought the bell had tolled for him that day. Those men were demanding I hand over all the money I made on that trip. But how could I do that? If I went home without money my family would have had to starve. I tried to reason with them but to no avail. Just when those men were brandishing their weapons to decapitate me the door opened again and a good-looking young man stepped inside."


    Shao Chen pursed his lips and tried to remember what he himself had heard about heroes. They were supposed to be young, handsome men, right? That man who helped him back then was rather plain looking and not that well dressed. He couldn''t really tell the truth of the matter, could he? Thankfully, right at that moment, Shao Chen remembered the stories he had heard about cultivators. Those were real heroes! And they were always immaculately dressed and always handsome! He should just describe one of them to Jing Yi.


    Shao Chen coughed and hid his thoughts behind a smile. "You probably heard of cultivators, right?"


    Jing Yi nodded. Of course, he heard! His mother had told him that grandfather was a cultivator! So did that mean that the hero who saved uncle Shao was a cultivator, too?


    "Mn, that man back then was a cultivator. You could see it at one glance: He wore a white robe with long sleeves that swayed in the wind coming from outside. The hem billowed with every step he took into the room. It seemed as if he was walking on clouds, covering ten-thousand li with each step. In a spell, he already stood in front of the bandits and disarmed all of them.


    He didn''t even need to use his own weapon! He could have done so, though, because he was wearing an incredibly elegant sword. It wasn''t like the swords soldiers or ruffians wear but one with a really thin and sharp blade that glints in the sun. Even the sheath of the sword was looking elegant. If your uncle Shao got something like that into his hands and managed to sell it, our family could probably live for a hundred ¡ª Ah, what am I even saying? ¡ª for a thousand years without ever having to worry about food and clothes!


    Anyway, as I said: The cultivator-hero didn''t need to use the sword. Against such base bandits his hands ¡­ no, one finger of his was already enough. He stopped their weapons just with pointing that finger and then! Pow, pow, pow!" Mister Shao leaped to his feet and demonstrated some punches. "Like this! He defeated all of the two dozen men and saved your uncle Shao. The bandits didn''t even have the opportunity to make a single counterattack. Being humiliated like that, they spewed some nonsense about taking revenge at a later time and fled with their tails between their legs like some lowly dogs."


    Jing Yi waited but it seemed like Shao Chen was finished with his story. Indeed, he nodded, satisfied with his own performance. Yes, yes. He felt like he had made a great story out of that.


    "So, that man was a real hero", he added with a quick glance at Jing Yi. The boy seemed satisfactorily awed.


    Indeed. Jing Yi was incredibly awed. But not really because of Shao Chen''s story but because of the inference he made: So, becoming a hero means I should become a cultivator?


    How had he arrived at that conclusion? Well, he only knew two heroes: His father and his grandfather and he had heard of the two dragon kings. He didn''t know about his father but his mother had told him that his grandfather was a cultivator. And just how his uncle Shao had described it his grandfather was wearing a white robe all the time. That must be what heroes normally wore. Maybe his father was a cultivator, too, and just hadn''t told him because of some important reason. Maybe because of that reason he also hadn''t dared to wear his white robe.


    It had to be like this! Because Jing Yi remembered another thing: His grandfather had revealed to him that he was a dragon. And if his grandfather was a dragon and a hero and those two dragon kings were heroes, too, then they were probably all cultivators!


    Thus, Jing Yi was convinced that his father must have been a cultivator, too. So if he wanted to fulfill his father''s wishes he had to become a cultivator himself. There was just one problem he had to ponder: How did one become a cultivator?


    So, being preoccupied with that question, Jing Yi fell silent. Shao Chen left the children to themselves, not guessing what he had done with his ¡­ slightly adjusted story.

 Chapter 112 - So Good-Looking!

    While Jing Yi pondered how he could become a cultivator, in a certain chamber in the dragon realm a gorgeous looking woman clapped her hands and then clasped her cheeks with a wide smile. "Perfect! You''re perfect! His Majesty will be thrilled seeing you! Come on, let''s hurry up!"


    She took the hand of the boy next to her and made to leave the chamber. She paused on the doorstep, though. "What do you say?" She leaned against the door-frame, smiled and lifted a hand.


    The man sitting in the next room looked up, quickly glanced at her and concentrated on the boy next. "Well, it''s alright."


    "Alright?" The woman straightened up. "How can you call that just ''alright''? We''re looking magnificent!"


    The man lifted his brows. "If I remember correctly, this was never about you but about Xiao Dong. I could be wrong, though. It''s been a while since Ah Zan contacted you." He turned back to polishing his armor.


    "Lei Jiang!" The woman stood with her arms on her hips. "What are you trying to say?!"


    "Nothing, nothing. You should hurry up. His Majesty is already waiting."


    "You said we''re just looking alright. How can I go like this? No, Xiao Dong, let''s change clothes again! Maybe the robe with the golden embroidery would be better?" The woman wanted to turn around but the man opposite them had already put down the armor and came over, pulling her into his arms with a sigh.


    "What are you talking about, my love? You''re as gorgeous as ever! Our son is as gentlemanly-looking as ever. His Majesty will be thrilled."


    "You''re just saying that to shut me up."


    "Ah, how could I do that?" He bent down and kissed her, preventing any further protest. See? That was the right way to shut someone up!


    The woman slapped his broad chest. "What are you doing? Weren''t you the one who said I should hurry up?"


    Her husband smirked and his hand snaked its way into her hair. "You should, you should. But I certainly wouldn''t mind if you let him wait another week in the mortal realm."


    The woman slapped his hand away. "You''re ruining my hairdo! And what are you even talking about? Xiao Dong''s still next to us."


    "Mn." Her husband only smiled. There was nothing bad about a boy learning these things a little sooner. "So, how about it?"


    "Hmph. You should have made up your mind in the beginning, Lei Jiang. Xiao Dong and I are going to see His Majesty now." She pushed her husband to the side, took her son''s hand again and left the house.


    Her husband just smiled and went back to polishing his armor. With such a strange request ¡­ Maybe their king wasn''t even waiting for her anymore.


    Lei Jiang knew Qiu Ling surprisingly good if one considered that he wasn''t even his direct subordinate. Well, he was his subject but he normally got his commands from Qiang Wei, though. It wasn''t like their king cared, anyway.


    When the woman and her son arrived in the mortal realm or, more precisely, at a certain teahouse in the capital of one mortal empire nothing could be seen of their king.


    That''s right. The woman who had brought her son over was, of course, Yi Zan''s sister Ai Hua. It was just that contrary to Qiu Ling''s command she hadn''t arrived the next day in the mortal world but some months later, instead. The reason for that digression from the initial plan was, of course, her vanity.


    His Majesty had praised her beauty ¡­ er ¡­ and her son''s beauty, of course, so she couldn''t just come over looking like she did every day. This was an important mission, after all! She ¡­ and her son, had to look their best! Since that was the case, Ai Hua had spent some hours finding the right clothes and accessories for herself and her son.


    By the time she finished, it was deep in the night and her son looked already sleepy. Ai Hua was thrilled to fulfill her king''s wishes and she was a bit two-faced but she wasn''t a bad mother. Faced with her son''s dejected appearance she put him to bed and just enjoyed the night with her husband before she got back to dressing her son up in the early morning. Only when she was completely satisfied with both their appearances did she take him to the mortal world.


    But now, it seemed like all her effort had been in vain. The teahouse was completely empty.


    Ai Hua looked around and turned back to the street. Maybe the owner had moved his establishment to another building? She should just ask someone.


    "Excuse me!" Ai Hua hurried over to a young man and gifted him a generous smile. "That teahouse over there ¡­ Would you happen to know if it closed? I heard so many good things about it so I wanted to visit but nobody seems to be there."


    The man had one look at her and gulped. Damn. It was true what the people said about the teahouse: It really was a place where women as beautiful as fairies visited! Why had that damned Li Bo gotten into a conflict with them? Now he''d lose out on the sight of all the other beauties! Well, if this one married him he wouldn''t mind, though ¡­


    "Er, that ¡­ You see, the people working there got into trouble with some powerful person, so it''s best not to go there anymore, Miss. But if you''re searching for a place to eat at I ¡ª"


    "Come, Xiao Dong. Let''s go in there and wait for your father." Ai Hua turned around decisively, took her son''s hand and stepped into the teahouse. Of course, she wasn''t waiting for her husband. She just didn''t like the way that man was looking at her. What an overly ambitious guy!


    The young man looked after her, stupefied. That ¡­ That woman already had a son this big?! Damn! Well, it was no wonder, though. Of course, such a beauty would be taken as soon as there was a possibility. He could just blame it on his bad luck that he wasn''t born a few years earlier.


    While that young man still bemoaned his lacking fate, Ai Hua and Xiao Dong had already entered the teahouse and sat down at a table. Ai Hua gazed around and sighed. "It seems His Majesty really isn''t here at the moment. We should wait a while and see if we can do anything for the people here. If I''m not wrong, this establishment should be owned by the family of His Majesty''s beloved."


    Xiao Dong nodded. He looked like he was a little over ten years old but that appearance was misleading. He was a dragon, after all. Though he wouldn''t count as a grown-up dragon for a long time he was still way more mature than a mortal child of ten years so he understood perfectly well what his mother was trying to say.


    Since the owners still hadn''t turned up, Ai Hua faced her son with a serious look. "Xiao Dong, this is your chance to ingratiate yourself with His Majesty! You have to use it! However ugly that human child is you''re supposed to seduce, you have to do your best! Do you understand?"


    Xiao Dong pressed his lips together. He didn''t want to seduce anyone who was ugly but ¡­ That was their king''s order, after all, he''d have to comply. With a bad taste in his mouth, he nodded. Let''s see how ugly that child really is.

 Chapter 113 - New Guests, New Hope

    Madam Zhong and Nie Huang both leaped up and scrambled for the door of the preparation room when they heard voiced from outside. There! There was a woman sitting at one of their tables with her child next to her!


    The two women exchanged a glance. Nie Huang hurried back into the room and started to prepare the tea. Madam Zhong smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes and fixed her hair before she forced herself to smile and walked out to greet her guests.


    "Welcome, welcome! I''m sorry for not greeting you sooner."


    "Oh, no worries." Ai Hua turned around to Madam Zhong and examined her. The woman in front of her was a mortal. She could tell as much at one glance. Looking at her a bit longer she still couldn''t find anything special about her. Was she somehow related to His Majesty''s beloved? Ai Hua narrowed her eyes as if she was able to see something previously hidden like this.


    Madam Zhong''s smile stiffened. This ¡­ What was going on? Was there something wrong with her face?


    When Ai Hua still couldn''t figure out anything after a few minutes, she came out of her thoughts and coughed lightly. "Mn, could we get a cup of tea?"


    Madam Zhong repressed a sigh. She had assumed the worst when the woman only stared at her. But it seemed she was overly anxious after what happened last week.


    Yes, that''s right: Last week. Ai Hua had finished her preparations the day after Mister Zhong''s death when Jing Yi had spoken to Mister Shao. After that, she had whiled away her time through the banter with her husband. One shichen in the dragon realm was a whole month in the mortal realm, so just spending another half an hour there meant that one week would elapse for Madam Zhong and her son. Even five minutes in the dragon realm equaled to a bit more than a day for the Zhongs.


    Ai Hua hadn''t taken that much time but it was still enough for a few more days to have passed when she arrived with her son. Now, it was the early morning of the fifth day after Mister Zhong''s death.


    Nothing had changed in the teahouse since Li Bo''s visit and Madam Zhong dreaded the day he might return. Finally having a new customer gave her hope, though. Maybe they would all slowly return and she and her son could lead a normal life again.


    "What tea would you like?"


    Ai Hua who had no idea what tea there even was in the mortal realm just waved. "Bring me whatever you think is good."


    "Alright. Would you like some snacks, too?"


    Ai Hua nodded. "Sure, why not?" She should support this teahouse considering that it was owned by the family of His Majesty''s beloved. She wouldn''t even mind if she had to come here every day for one mortal lifetime to drink tea and eat snacks. Seriously, if the mortals didn''t want to frequent this establishment she''d even ask the other women of the dragon realm to come over! It couldn''t be that hard to support one mortal family, could it?


    Madam Zhong had hurried into the kitchen and brought the snacks over. "The tea will be done soon! If there is anything else you''d like just tell me."


    "Mn. Thank you." Ai Hua pushed the snacks over to her son and watched as Madam Zhong hurried into the preparation room. Where were His Majesty and his beloved? It couldn''t be that those two were out on a romantic outing while they were waiting here for them, could it?


    Mn, she had to give it to him: The king really knew how to woo someone. It was no wonder the crown prince hadn''t been able to resist back in the nine heavens. In this mortal life of his, it would probably turn out the same way.


    Madam Zhong came back with a tray in hand and put down the tea with a smile.


    "Thank you, thank you." Ai Hua pulled the cup over and took a sip. "Mn, your tea is good."


    "Uh ¡­ Thank you." Madam Zhong looked at the cup. Hadn''t she seen something like that before? Drinking the tea when it was still so hot ¡­ "You wouldn''t happen to know ¡­" She hesitated, not knowing how to call him.


    Ai Hua looked up questioningly. "Know what?"


    "That man." Madam Zhong didn''t know how to say it any better. He had never told her his name.


    Unfortunately, her question was lost on Ai Hua. She didn''t think of her king in the slightest. "Who might you be talking about?"


    Madam Zhong clutched the empty tray. "Mn ¡­ He''s ¡­ quite handsome."


    Ai Hua furrowed her brow. "Quite handsome?" She still didn''t think of her king. Who would dare to call the dragon king ''quite'' handsome?


    Madam Zhong nodded but Ai Hua could only shrug. "I don''t know who you might be talking about."


    "Oh. Please excuse that I asked." Maybe I was thinking too much.


    "It''s nothing." Ai Hua smiled and patted her son''s head, while her eyes darted about. "Are there only two people working in the teahouse?"


    Madam Zhong shook her head. "Normally, there are quite a few people but ¡­ well, you see for yourself: There aren''t many guests today so I sent them home. Besides myself, there are only our tea master and the chef."


    "Oh." Ai Hua nodded. "Well, I heard someone was making problems for you. If it''s really bad you can tell me. I can help you out."


    Hearing that, Madam Zhong smiled. "It''s alright. We''ll be able to make it through the hard times somehow." She couldn''t help but feel like this woman really resembled that daoist master. Speaking of him ¡­ She couldn''t help but wonder if things had turned out differently had he still been with them.


    Was it my fault?, she asked herself again. Did he leave because of my fear and was that the reason Ah Lei ¡­ She shook her head and repressed a sigh. There was nothing to be done about it. Her husband had already died. No thought of hers could change that. And some things were just meant to be that way.


    After five days Madam Zhong wasn''t so sure if everything was just a coincidence. This wasn''t the first time something had happened to their family. Jing Yi''s birth, the rumors, the bandits, now that man ¡­ Could so many things happen to one family just because of some bad luck? By now, she was wondering if all of this might be fate.


    She didn''t know much about these things. Only the little bit one heard in the countryside: There were souls that would be continuously reborn and some things were just bound to happen. That was all she knew. These things ¡­ they had started to happen after Jing Yi was born. And that daoist master had followed her son or rather his soul, too.


    Could it be? Had that soul really such an unlucky fate? Was that why his last life ended and why he was here now? If that was the case ¡­ Would he lose her, too, and be all alone someday?


    Madam Zhong really was perceptive. From the things that had nearly happened and that her family was only saved from because of Qiu Ling''s intervention, she managed to glean some truth. Of course, she wouldn''t be able to find out Jing Yi''s real identity but being able to glimpse a bit of the fate Shun Tao wrote was astonishing enough.


    Before Madam Zhong could dwell any longer on it, light footsteps pulled her out of her thoughts. She as well as Ai Hua and her son turned to the door, all three expecting to see Jing Yi or ¡ª as the dragons thought of him ¡ª the king''s beloved.


    Unfortunately, the one to storm inside was Zhong Guanyu. Even after all these months of Jing Yi trying to evade her and Shao Hai interfering with her approaches she still hadn''t given up. She was intent on making Jing Yi her groom! She would accept nobody else but her Prince Charming!


    With this conviction, Guanyu entered the teahouse. And then, her whole world was turned upside down again.

 Chapter 114 - Love … Square?!

    Guanyu''s gaze zeroed in on Xiao Dong and her heart leaped up and down. This ¡­ Who was this godly looking boy? Jing Yi, whom she had single-mindedly pursued for the last few months, was cute but this boy ¡­ he was beautiful but a little rough on the edges with a cold, condescending gaze that sent chills down her back while still making her blush.


    This ¡­ If Jing Yi was Prince Charming then this boy was the evil demon king from stories who would make respectable maidens fall head over heels for him just to leave them with a broken heart, endlessly pining for him!


    She ¡­ had just fallen in love again!


    Guanyu smiled her most bashful smile and slowly made her way over trying to show off her best side.


    Xiao Dong frowned, though, and looked at his mother, his eyes clearly asking: This ugly looking child couldn''t be the one His Majesty wants me to seduce, could it?


    Ai Hua looked at Guanyu and frowned. This child was really ¡­ Ah, her poor son! He would lose out so much if that was the child His Majesty was talking about! His Majesty should definitely compensate them for this!


    She patted Xiao Dong''s shoulder, her eyes clearly stating ''think of how you''ll help His Majesty and no sacrifice will be too large''. Xiao Dong curled his lips.


    This was what he had been afraid of. His mother had warned him often enough that dragons could only fall in love once. What if he got careless while he complied with their king''s command and actually fell in love with such an ugly thing?! He wouldn''t be able to show his face in the dragon realm anymore!


    Madam Zhong watched the children''s interaction with a smile. It seemed like her son didn''t have to worry about Guanyu anymore. Ah, children. Sometimes just a little bit of time would solve their problems.


    Unfortunately, the opposite of Madam Zhong''s thoughts was true, too: Just a little bit of time could create new problems. One was even on its way to the teahouse.


    Xiao Dong had just brought himself to force a smile in front of Guanyu when light steps sounded from the entrance. Everyone ¡ª except for Guanyu who was still bewitched by her ''evil demon king'' and couldn''t take her eyes off him ¡ª looked up just in time to see two young boys enter the teahouse.


    Madam Zhong smiled. "Jing''er, Ah Hai, you''re here. Come here. Sit down. I''ll get the two of you a cup of tea."


    "Thank you, mommy!" Jing Yi cut loose from Shao Hai and ran over to his mother, hugging her tightly.


    Yes, even though Shao Hai had managed to wrest the place of second most favorite person from a certain dragon king, he still hadn''t been able to find a solution for the biggest issue: Whenever Jing Yi''s mother was around everyone else practically became air. Considering that Shao Hai was thinking of taking both Jing Yi and Madam Zhong in that wasn''t good. He wouldn''t want to be ignored by his bride at home every day, would he?


    While Shao Hai was silently suffering, Ai Hua and Xiao Dong''s eyes widened and started to sparkle as soon as they saw Jing Yi. They followed his every move, intent on not missing even one second.


    So this is the mortal reincarnation of His Majesty''s beloved! Ai Hua was ecstatic and couldn''t help getting up and hurrying over. She even extended her hands to pinch those lovely cheeks but just before touching him she retracted her hands as if she had been burned.


    Uh ¡­ This wasn''t such a good idea, was it? In regards to this child she knew she should always ask herself one question first: Would you do what you are about to do to the crown prince of the nine heavens? If the answer was no then she''d better refrain from doing it. And in this case, the answer was a big, fat no that someone had even circled to make sure it couldn''t be missed.


    It wasn''t even that she wouldn''t dare pinch the cheeks of the heavenly emperor''s son. After all, their king would stand up for her, wouldn''t he? No, instead she was terrified of what her king would do should he find out someone else touched his beloved.


    Especially pinching his cheeks, she thought. Yi Zan had once told her that their king always seemed serious when in front of the crown prince. He had probably never pinched his cheeks because he was afraid it might harm the impeccable image he had cultivated in front of the crown prince. No, no, she definitely couldn''t take a first time with the crown prince from His Majesty!


    Xiao Dong was fixing Jing Yi with a stare, too. How cute! If that is the child His Majesty was talking about I don''t mind this assignment. He, too, got down from his chair and walked over. He didn''t have as many inhibitions as his mother, though. He looked at Jing Yi, reached over and pulled him into an embrace. He buried his face quite naturally in Jing Yi''s neck and ran his fingers through his hair. "Mn ¡­ I like you!", he said, just to make sure the message was really driven home.


    Jing Yi froze. Some strange boy was hugging him ¡­ He looked up at his mother but Madam Zhong only smiled and went into the kitchen to get the tea. Jing Yi relaxed. Oh, so he didn''t have to worry about this boy.


    Seeing Jing Yi relax, Shao Hai got angry. What''s with this?! Some stupid boy came out of nowhere and dared to hug his bride? He''d show him!


    "You!" Shao Hai grabbed Xiao Dong''s shoulder and tried to pry him of Jing Yi. But of course, that was futile. Who in the mortal realm would be able to move a dragon that didn''t want to be moved?


    Xiao Dong just smiled and hugged Jing Yi a bit tighter, even going so far as to rubbing their cheeks together. He felt quite smug. Look at this! The king''s task won''t be difficult for me at all!


    Just when he wanted to go in for the kill and actually kiss the cute boy he was hugging, someone grabbed the back of his collar and lifted him up, carrying him some steps away before putting him down. Xiao Dong wanted to protest but found himself in front of his mother''s serious face when he turned around. The complaint got stuck in his throat.


    Ai Hua whacked his forehead. "What were you doing just now? You got the wrong child! You nearly kissed the king''s beloved!"


    Xiao Dong''s eyes went wide. The cute boy was His Majesty''s beloved?! Oh no! What if the king found out he hugged him?! He''d be dead meat!


    While the normally coolheaded Xiao Dong was freaking out, Shao Hai wasn''t faring much better. He hurried over to Jing Yi and furiously rubbed his cheek. How dare that strange brat hug his bride? He''d make him pay later on! Now, he had to claim his Xiao Yi back, though.


    He hugged him offhandedly and just like Xiao Dong he buried his head in Jing Yi''s neck. Mn, this was his Xiao Yi! He wouldn''t let anyone else hug him!


    Meanwhile, Ai Hua was still advising her son: "The one His Majesty asked you to seduce must be the other one."


    Xiao Dong''s expression fell even more. "That ugly girl?"


    "No, the ugly boy."


    Ah, one cannot fault them for these evaluations of Guanyu and Shao Hai. They were dragons, part of a race that paid attention to looks by nature and it got only worse after the new king turned out to be so vain. They just had very high standards.


    Xiao Dong pursed his lips. He didn''t want to. But His Majesty had given the command. With a gloomy face, he made his way back over to where Jing Yi and Shao Hai stood, letting the completely forgotten Guanyu''s heart leap once again. Xiao Dong still didn''t pay her any mind, though. He gave Jing Yi''s face a regretful look and then concentrated on Shao Hai.


    Noticing that the strange boy had returned, Shao Hai turned around to him and narrowed his eyes, warning him not to take another step toward his bride-to-be. Xiao Dong didn''t seem to notice the warning, though. He still took another step and smiled brightly at Shao Hai, though if one looked a bit closer it was obviously strained.


    Shao Hai got angry, thinking that Xiao Dong wanted to make a move on his Xiao Yi again. He clenched his fists and punched him right on the nose. Then, he screamed.


    Yeah, punching a dragon isn''t such a good idea.

 Chapter 115 - Good Student Xiao Dong

    "Oh heavens!" Ai Hua hurried over to the boy who was clutching his hand and glared at her son. So this is how you seduce someone? I''d like to see how you''ll ever find a wife!


    Xiao Dong pursed his lips and looked at Jing Yi. He''d rather spend his time with him.


    "How are you? Does it still hurt?" Ai Hua patted Shao Hai''s head with one hand and pulled her rebellious child over with the other. "Look what you''ve done, Xiao Dong! It''s all because of that pig-head of yours! Come on, console him!" She pushed him over and sat back down at the table. That should do the trick. She couldn''t imagine that her son would fail to win over one mortal child.


    It turned out a tad more difficult, though. Xiao Dong was disgruntled. How was this his fault? He hadn''t done anything wrong! That stupid human child had tried to punch him on its own! Still, with the command of his king at the back of his mind, Xiao Dong stepped up to Shao Hai once again. He even went so far as to smile slightly.


    Unfortunately, that half smile seemed like an insult to Shao Hai. Before Xiao Dong had the opportunity to hug him, too, the other boy tried punching him again. This time, his fist met Xiao Dong''s cheek. The result ¡­ A certain dragon was unperturbed while a certain human child had two hurting fists now.


    Shao Hai glared at Xiao Dong accusingly. The dragon looked back at him with a deadpan expression. You should have known this would happen, shouldn''t you? You already punched me once and couldn''t take it! How could you expect it to turn out differently this time?


    He paid no heed to Shao Hai''s protest, went forward and hugged him, too. His hands stroked Shao Hai''s back and Xiao Dong''s frown slowly retracted. He''s ugly but considering he''s human his physique isn''t bad. I guess I can live with this for a while.


    Shao Hai started trembling all over. After two tries he also knew it was futile to punch this strange boy but he didn''t want to give up. First, he hugged his bride-to-be and now he was even feeling him up! How could he take it!


    With the mindset of ''a gentleman can be killed but not humiliated'', he tried to push Xiao Dong away. The dragon child stayed on his feet, though. Shao Hai grit his teeth. In another attempt, he first pulled out of Xiao Dong''s arms.


    The dragon let him go without any resistance. He had done a lot already, hadn''t he? Nobody could expect him to do everything in one day. Xiao Dong even wanted to return to his mother''s side but just then Shao Hai came running back. Surprised, Shao Hai stopped in his tracks and turned back to the human boy. Oh wow, he had always known he was handsome but he would never have thought he had this much appeal. It seemed he was irresistible in the mortal world.


    Shao Hai lunged at him with the intention of pushing him to the ground. Xiao Dong misunderstood, though, and extended his arms. He caught Shao Hai and pressed him against his chest. Shao Hai, surprised by his reaction, wanted to get away and nearly fell backward. Xiao Dong grabbed his hand but lost his own footing in the process. Together, the two children tumbled to the ground.


    Xiao Dong looked at the child beneath him, smirked and produced a question he had heard his father ask when in a similar situation with his mother: "My. Aren''t we eager?"


    Ai Hua, who had been sitting at the table observing the children, choked on her tea. Damn, this child! No ¡­ Damn this husband of hers! She''d have to tell Lei Jiang to be more cautious when Xiao Dong was around. What if he had said that somewhere in the dragon realm instead?!


    "You ¡ª!" Shao Hai had obviously once heard such a question, too. His ears got red and he slapped the boy above him. Xiao Dong just smiled, though. He propped himself up on his elbows and stayed put.


    Shao Hai protested. "Damn you! Get up!" He struck him with his elbow but the only one hurt was him again.


    Xiao Dong''s smile widened and his eyes started to sparkle. Why would he get up when he was in such a good position to comply with his king''s orders? This ¡­ might actually be fun.


    Guanyu, who was still being ignored, finally couldn''t take it any longer. "Shao Hai! Let go of him!" She tried grabbing Shao Hai''s arm but Xiao Dong parried all her attempts.


    "What are you trying to do?", he asked with a frown. "Can''t you see we''re busy? Go and find something else to do. You''re not getting him!"


    "Who wants him?!" Guanyu stopped trying to grab Shao Hai and instead went for Xiao Dong himself. Unfortunately for her, a dragon wasn''t as easily caught as a human child and she had even had problems with Shao Hai before. Xiao Dong just evaded every one of her moves, stood up and pulled Shao Hai up with him.


    Ts. And just when it had started to get good. He decisively turned away and wanted to pull Shao Hai over to his mother but even if Shao Hai didn''t like Guanyu he disliked Xiao Dong even more.


    "Let go!" This time, he slapped Xiao Dong''s hand.


    It still didn''t hurt but Xiao Dong at least stopped moving forward. He beamed at the human boy. "What is it, my love?"


    Shao Hai gritted his teeth and pulled back his hand. "Leave me alone!" He ran back to Jing Yi and hugged him for a little comfort. He couldn''t believe what that strange boy had done! He shot him an angry look. "Pervert!"


    Xiao Dong smiled even more. Ah, who cared what he said? As long as he managed to fulfill his king''s expectations.


    "Demon!"


    This let Xiao Dong freeze on the spot. "You ¡ª!"


    Shao Hai lifted his chin smugly. See that? I might not be able to hurt you with my fists but you also don''t like me calling you that, huh?


    "Take that back!"


    "Why should I? You''re a demon! Just have a look at yourself!"


    "What are you even talking about?! How am I a demon?" Xiao Dong clenched his fists. He was a dragon! How could anyone be so blind as to lump him together with these bastards?


    "You''re obviously a demon! What''s with your hair, huh?"


    "What about my hair? It''s beautiful!"


    "How is that beautiful? It''s obvious it''s like that because of some demonic magic!"


    Why was Shao Hai reacting so strongly to Xiao Dong''s hair? Well, he was probably the first one in the teahouse to pay any attention to it. Madam Zhong and Nie Huang had been preoccupied with the fact that there were finally guests again, Guanyu had been blinded by Xiao Dong''s face and Jing Yi''s whole attention had been on the fact that he was suddenly hugged.


    Only Shao Hai who had turned jealous because of said hug took the time to actually examine his apparent love rival. And there was one thing you couldn''t miss when looking at Xiao Dong: He was blond. In fact, his hair even seemed to shimmer with a golden luster when looked at in the sun.


    It was an incredibly popular look in the dragon realm since the old king had sported a head full of knee-length golden hair. But in the mortal realm where the lightest hair color one might find was a dark brown it was obviously eye-catching. And not in a good sense. Thinking of him as a demon wasn''t that strange for a human.


    Unfortunately, comparing a dragon to a demon was the worst insult to a dragon since their whole race hated the demons with even more passion than the gods did.


    Even Xiao Dong couldn''t take it any longer. He lunged himself at Shao Hai and pushed him and Jing Yi, who was still in Shao Hai''s embrace, to the ground. "Take it back!"


    "I won''t!"


    The two boys started wrestling with each other. Of course, the only possible outcome was Xiao Dong winning. It didn''t take long. Jing Yi had crawled away from the fight as soon as he could while the other two boys still rolled on the floor.


    Madam Zhong, who brought the tea for them in the meantime, just took one look and then went back into the preparation room. Fighting a bit was quite normal for boys, no?


    When Jing Yi pondered if he should follow her a large shadow fell into the teahouse, followed by two thinner ones. Jing Yi looked over and ran to the door of the preparation room. Madam Zhong took one look at his spooked expression and came back out. The tray she hadn''t put away yet fell to the ground with a clang that interrupted the fight between Shao Hai and Xiao Dong. The two boys, as well as Ai Hua, looked up.


    An obese man in expensive clothes stood in the entrance, two leaner ones beside him. All three of them had smug expressions when they took in the empty room.


    After five days, Li Bo and his two lackeys had returned.

 Chapter 116 - The Second Face of Ai Hua

    Ai Hua and Xiao Dong both tensed sensing the fear of Jing Yi and his mother. Xiao Dong got up and exchanged a glance with her. They had never seen this man but he was obviously on bad terms with their king''s beloved and his family. There was only one conclusion to this thought: They should teach him a lesson! Preferably one he''d never forget.


    Xiao Dong cracked his knuckles and lifted a brow at his mother. Ai Hua considered their possibilities for a moment. Being beaten up by a child would definitely humiliate him but ¡­ That wasn''t something a human child could do, was it? If the story spread and people saw him with his head of blond hair, they''d certainly react like that boy His Majesty''s beloved had brought along and say he was a demon. That might bring even more trouble. Finally, she shook her head. No, it was better she did this herself.


    While Ai Hua was still caught up in her thoughts a fourth man approached the teahouse. He looked at Li Bo and his servants grimly and wanted to go over but suddenly his eyes bulged. He jumped to the side and hid next to the entrance with his back to the building. He clutched his chest and breathed deeply.


    "What happened?" Another man came over and worriedly peered into his face.


    The first man peeked into the teahouse again but retracted his head at once. When the other man wanted to take a look he pulled him back. "It''s Yi Zan''s sister", he told him in a lowered voice.


    "Ai Hua?" The second man lifted his brows.


    Of course, these two were dragons. In fact, the first one was Qiang Wei while the second one was Fu Min. Fu Min and Fu Heng had fetched the demon hunter some mortal weeks ago and brought him back to the dragon realm. After some ¡­ questioning, they had finally found out that everything had been a misunderstanding. Fu Heng returned the demon hunter to the mortal realm while Fu Min came over to the teahouse to inform Qiang Wei. None of them had been able to contact their king so ¡­ up in the nine heavens the gods still weren''t aware of the fact that nobody was trying to kill their crown prince.


    Qiang Wei sighed. "You know she doesn''t like me. I don''t want her to see me."


    "But His Highness is inside."


    "Right. But he has His Majesty''s mark, hasn''t he? You can say whatever you want about Ai Hua but she would definitely protect him."


    "She might tell on you, though. She doesn''t like you."


    Qiang Wei smirked. "Oh? You don''t say?"


    Fu Min leaned against the wall next to him and threw him a sideways glance. "Having a sister-in-law can be even tougher than having a mother-in-law, it seems."


    Qiang Wei frowned. "What are you talking about? We''re just friends."


    "Sure ¡­"


    Qiang Wei smirked. "Well, it''s true. We''re not like a certain someone and Fu Heng, after all."


    "What are you ¡ª" Fu Min had turned around and narrowed his eyes. "We don''t even like each other!"


    "Oh?" Qiang Wei only grinned wider.


    "Tch. I''m not talking to you anymore." Fu Min crossed his arms and faced the other side.


    Qiang Wei didn''t retort. One couldn''t really fault Fu Min for not understanding how crazy Fu Heng actually was about him. That guy just didn''t understand how to show his feelings and even though he was normally blunt he just couldn''t bring himself to tell Fu Min.


    Qiang Wei had no interest in helping him, though. If they couldn''t even start a relationship without help then they''d never make it work. And he wouldn''t want to see two of his friends dying because of something this dumb.


    Qiang Wei similarly faced the other side and tried to find out what was going on inside.


    Li Bo had reached the middle of the room by now and looked around as if everything he saw was his. Finally, his gaze came to rest upon Madam Zhong. "Aiya! How nice to see you again!" He smiled smugly and his two servants followed suit.


    "You had quite a bit of time to deal with your loss", opened Xiao Nuo. "I hope you took some of it to think about the offer our master made."


    Madam Zhong frowned. They had really come again. And they were still so unreasonable.


    Ai Hua, too, frowned. She didn''t know what had happened but neither did she like the tone of that servant nor the smile of his master. Something smelled fishy.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about." Madam Zhong pulled Jing Yi to her side.


    Xiao Guo snorted. "Your husband stole our horses! Obviously, we want you to compensate us."


    "My husband has never stolen anything."


    "So you still dare to deny it. It seems we''ll have to get the justice court involved." Xiao Nuo nodded at Xiao Guo.


    With another smirk at Madam Zhong, the second servant ran outside and waved at two men on the other side of the street. Despite what they said they had already gone and called someone they knew from the justice court over before they even went to confront Madam Zhong.


    Seeing this Madam Zhong was sure she wouldn''t be able to persuade the people from the justice court. Whatever ruling was made she wouldn''t be able to contest it. She patted Jing Yi''s head. Partly so that he wouldn''t worry and partly to calm herself down. Let them come! What was there to lose for them? In the worst case, she''d just return to the village with Jing Yi.


    The two men stepped into the teahouse and glanced around. "What happened?", the first one asked, though he already knew.


    Xiao Nuo smirked and pointed at Madam Zhong. "Her husband stole six of our horses and now she refuses to compensate us."


    The man turned around to her and smiled just like Li Bo and his servants. "How can you do that? Theft is a serious crime especially if we''re talking about something with such a high value like six horses."


    "My husband didn''t steal anything."


    The man narrowed his eyes.


    "See that?" Xiao Nuo hurried forward and stood right next to the man. "She was like that from the beginning! We know he stole them but she just keeps saying he didn''t."


    "That''s not all!" Xiao Guo came forward, too. "She even slandered our master and said he killed her husband."


    "Now that''s a harsh accusation. You''re damaging his reputation. In fact, you should compensate him for that, too."


    Madam Zhong kept quiet. What was there to say?


    Satisfied with her reaction, Li Bo stepped forward. "I''m afraid this young woman wouldn''t be able to afford to compensate me for both. She was out of her mind when she made that accusation so I won''t hold it against her. But the horses ¡­ I''ll need them back."


    Madam Zhong lowered her gaze. Six horses? They had gotten some from the bandits and maybe Zhong Gang could give her the remaining ones. It wasn''t fair but he would certainly do it for his relationship with her husband. She looked up fiercely. "Then you''ll get these horses. Tell me where to take them."


    Li Bo pressed his lips together. What? That woman really wanted to give him six horses? What would he do with six horses?! He wanted the boy! The boy! The secret to boosting his business!


    Xiao Nuo and Xiao Guo knew the plan of their master. Xiao Nuo snorted. "Give them back? Do you think that would help? You''ve used these horses for so long and you don''t know the first thing about them. They''re practically worthless by now."


    "Right. You should compensate our master with money!"


    They looked at the official from the justice court. The man pursed his lips. "Six horses? And they were good horses, I guess?"


    Xiao Nuo and Xiao Guo nodded fervently. "They were! Extremely good horses!"


    "Then ¡­ a thousand liang in gold should be appropriate?" He looked at Li Bo who nodded with satisfaction.


    "Indeed. They would be worth that much."


    Madam Zhong clenched her fists. A thousand liang in gold? She wouldn''t even be able to earn that much in ten lives!


    "You heard it, Madam. A thousand liang in gold. Can you pay that?"


    Madam Zhong pressed her lips together. Her expression was answer enough. The official sighed as if he found it to be a pity.


    "Then you''ll have to spend time in prison, I''m afraid."


    "Don''t! Don''t be hasty!" Li Bo waved as if to placate the official. "I''m sure she had nothing to do with it. It was all that husband of hers. She shouldn''t have to suffer for his sins. How about I let her compensate in another way?"


    The official lifted his brows. "Oh? Mister Li has a proposition?"


    "Mn. She''s without her husband now and has to take care of such a large teahouse. She doesn''t have much time on her hands anymore, I''m afraid. I''ve seen that she has a young son. How about I''ll take him in as a servant? He can work for me to pay off his father''s debt and he''ll even have someone to look after him! Wouldn''t that be great?"


    Madam Zhong clasped Jing Yi''s shoulders. So that is what he''s after! "You''ll never get my son!"


    The official shook his head. "Woman, can''t you see that Mister Li is already accommodating you? You either pay the one thousand liang in gold, go into prison or let him have your son. You choose."


    Madam Zhong just hugged Jing Yi. What could she do? She''d never give up her son but she also couldn''t pay the one thousand liang. So ¡­ would she have to go into prison? She smiled. "Then I''ll have to follow you to prison. Just let me bring my son home first."


    Li Bo frowned. Why was this woman so stubborn? "Why would you want to harm yourself? I sincerely advise you to give your son to me. It''ll be good for you and good for him, too. Everyone would be happy!"


    Ai Hua couldn''t take it any longer. Everyone would be happy? Kindly explain to her how she would be happy if His Majesty returned and found out that someone had made his beloved a slave! And this guy was just too despicable trying to force a mother to give her child away!


    She slapped the table, stood up and lifted her chin. "A thousand liang in gold is it? Fine. You''ll get that. I''ll even give you a bit more for insulting you!"


    She leaped and in a spell, she already stood in front of Li Bo. Her foot met his chest and Li Bo flew out of the teahouse like a big lump of dough someone had dropped. He crashed to the ground, his fat pads shaking for a moment longer.


    The people out on the street screamed and jumped aside. Then they just stood there, pointed at him and whispered to each other. Everyone who had had the bad luck of getting to know him rejoiced at his misfortune.


    Ai Hua wasn''t finished with Li Bo, though. She strode to the entrance and looked down on him. "Lying and accusing people of things they haven''t done, killing a man and trying to force his widow to give up on her only child, bribing an official for the whole charade. You''re despicable! And ugly! I''ve never seen such an ugly man before! You want one thousand liang in gold? Here! Have some!" Ai Hua took out a purse with money and threw it at his feet. "You think that poor widow was falsely accusing you? Don''t you worry! I''ll pay for her so you can''t come and pester her again!" She took off the bracelet on her wrist and threw it next to the purse. "I said shameless and degrading things about you? Fine! Let me compensate you for that, too!" She ripped an expensive looking pin out of her hair and threw it. The hairpin flew forward and the sharp end embedded itself into the ground. Just a little bit higher ¡­


    Li Bo grew pale. "You! You! Don''t you go overboard! I know the emperor!", he screamed at her.


    Ai Hua stood with her hands on her hips and laughed. "And I know the dragon king!"


    The people around started to laugh, too. So it seemed Li Bo had just been lying before. He didn''t even know the emperor! They had to tell that to their families! They would finally not have to accept everything he did!


    Madam Zhong followed Ai Hua to the door to see what was going on. Her heart beat wildly when she finally saw the man who had caused her husband''s death on the ground. She sighed in relief. Maybe now, everything would end and they would be able to look into the future.


    Jing Yi hurried after her. But before he could even take a glance at the man on the ground he saw him: The man he was sure would change the rest of his life.

 Chapter 117 - Mother-in-Law’s Advice

    In the nine heavens, Qiu Ling had stopped complaining to Bai Fen and was taking a walk with her, trying to get some good advice on how to proceed with making Jing He fall in love with him again.


    Bai Fen listened to the whole story and couldn''t help but sigh at the end. "You didn''t really do that, did you?"


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows. Which part was she talking about?


    Seeing his completely oblivious expression, Bai Fen sighed again. "I really don''t know what to do with you. You''re afraid Jing He might fall in love with a mortal child so you arrange for one of the dragon children to go down? Aren''t you afraid this will backfire?" Her son-in-law still didn''t seem to understand. "A mortal child and a dragon. If it was you who would you choose?"


    Qiu Ling blinked innocently. "What are you saying, mother-in-law? Of course, it''s neither of them. I have Jing He."


    "You!" She slapped his shoulder but Qiu Ling only grinned. "Qiu Ling, I''m serious here. If you''re afraid of a mortal child stealing your beloved you should be wary of a dragon child even more so!"


    "He wouldn''t dare try something with Jing He."


    "But that''s not what this is about. The question is: Who will Jing He choose? And that has nothing to do with anyone daring anything."


    "No? I remember you telling me something else the last time."


    Bai Fen shook her head. "That was then, this is now. Jing He isn''t the same person now. You can''t expect everything to be the same."


    "Then what should I do? Mortal life or not, I don''t want to lose him!"


    "I know, I know." She patted his arm and thought about it. There wasn''t much Qiu Ling could do. "You''re right that a good relationship with his mother is necessary. I''m just afraid that you might have overdone it a bit. She''ll probably be wary of you after you acted so jealously."


    "Isn''t that normal? I''m in love with him."


    Bai Fen shook her head. "You''re in love with Jing He, not that Jing Yi. That''s exactly what she has noticed. She didn''t ask you those questions out of nowhere. I guess she did have a favorable opinion of you at first but now ¡­"


    "Then what do you think I should do?"


    "Talk to her. Tell her your honest feelings as you did with me back then. Tell her about Jing He and what this reincarnation means to you. And for heaven''s sake, Qiu Ling, please don''t try to drive off the people around him anymore. It''s nice that he can have some friends in this mortal life of his. It''s what a child should do. So don''t take that from him. Reign your jealousy in."


    "It''s easier said than done. I don''t want him to fall in love with anybody else. And he wouldn''t fall in love with me just because his mother likes me, would he?"


    "Of course not."


    "Then how do I make him fall in love with me?" Qiu Ling grabbed her sleeve and held on tight. "I can deal with his mother but he ¡­"


    Bai Fen plucked his hands off her dress. "What do you expect? He''s a child and you''re a grown-up man. If he actually fell in love with you I''d ask myself if something was wrong with his head. At his age, he should fall in love with a similarly aged boy." Bai Fen halted and looked up at him strangely. "That''s right. You turned into an old man to gain his trust and sent some dragon boy down to seduce that mortal child. Why didn''t you ¡­" She frowned. "You could have just turned into a child yourself. Wouldn''t Jing He fall in love with you then? Why are you even asking me about these things? It''s so simple!"


    Bai Fen waited for an answer but didn''t get even one word. No, even worse, her son-in-law had tensed and averted his gaze, looking over the flowers in the garden as if he had any interest in them.


    "What''s the matter?"


    Qiu Ling smiled self-deprecatingly. Turn into a child to woo his love? He''d rather die than show Jing He even a glimpse of that part of his life! "Jing He ¡­ How was he as a child?"


    Bai Fen frowned at his diversion but didn''t ask any further. Whatever her son-in-law was thinking about right now he''d tell her when he was ready. She patted his arm and also looked over the flowers. "He wasn''t that much different from how he is now. Very quiet, a bit reclusive. He was quite clingy, though, and more curious than now. I don''t know when he lost that trait." She sighed. That cute son of hers ¡­ How had he grown up so suddenly? "It feels like it hasn''t been that long since I took him here for the first time."


    Qiu Ling smiled. "That must''ve been nice."


    "Mn! It was. He was laughing the whole day. Now ¡­ I can''t remember when I saw him laughing the last time."


    "In the mortal world."


    Bai Fen looked up at Qiu Ling. "You''re still hung up over that? He''s a child now. Who knows if he won''t turn out the same way there like he did here?"


    "His father isn''t as bad there."


    "You! That''s still my husband you''re talking about!"


    Qiu Ling turned around and smirked. "I wonder what made you marry him, though. You''re not the type to go after power."


    "Well, he was quite handsome back then ¡­"


    Qiu Ling''s brows lifted. "Oh?"


    "Mn ¡­" Bai Fen thought back to those days before her marriage and smiled. Rong Su always seemed stern in front of other people but he had a completely different side to him. Speaking of which ¡­ She turned around and sized up Qiu Ling. Her son-in-law tensed under her stare.


    "I apologize!"


    Bai Fen tilted her head. "What for?"


    Qiu Ling''s gaze darted around. "Whatever it is I did wrong. You know you''re the second most important person in my life, mother-in-law!" Qiu Ling gripped her sleeve once again.


    Bai Fen sighed. Yes, they really resembled each other. Surprisingly, her son had fallen for exactly the same type of man as she had back then: A handsome sweet-talker that seemed serious on the outside but was secretly fawning over their beloved on the inside.


    She wasn''t sure if her son managed to see that side of the dragon king, though. He probably still thought of him as that infallible, powerful sovereign that could solve every problem with a snap of his fingers.


    Mn, love really made blind. When her son found out one day ¡­ it''d probably be too late to return him. Not that that man would let Jing He just walk away. He''d probably chain them together before that could happen.


    Bai Fen shook her head and patted Qiu Ling''s shoulder. "It''s nothing. I just thought ¡­ I don''t mind giving my son to you. So work hard, young man. You should probably return to the mortal realm."


    "Mn. I want to see him again." Qiu Ling''s gaze turned gentle. Yes, he really, really wanted to see him again. Him, the one carrying his soul. Not just the body staying here in the nine heavens. Though that was the one he had fallen in love with, it was just a depressing sight as long as his soul wasn''t there.


    Qiu Ling smiled. "Then, I''ll better go, mother-in-law. It''s been quite some time in the mortal realm. I hope he''s doing good and hasn''t run into ¡ª"


    "Your Majesty!" Before Qiu Ling could finish a heavenly guard ran over and knelt down in front of Bai Fen.


    "Rise. What happened?"


    "His Majesty, the heavenly emperor, asks for your attendance in the high hall. It''s about His Highness, the crown prince."


    Bai Fen and Qiu Ling exchanged a glance. Why did it seem like something had happened?


    Qiu Ling gulped. I couldn''t have jinxed it just now, could I?

 Chapter 118 - His Own Fault

    After the heavenly guard brought such a message, Qiu Ling, of course, wouldn''t return to the mortal realm. Together with Bai Fen, he hurried to the high hall in the heavenly emperor''s palace.


    His face paled upon seeing the people already there: There was the heavenly who looked all but well, Jing He''s uncle, the god of war, who was sporting an especially grim expression, some unknown guy that looked like a young guard, some other guy he didn''t know and who was looking at some scroll with a pale face, some haughty-looking, unknown woman and ¡­


    "Eh? Little goddess?" Qiu Ling noticed Hong Bao and lifted his brows. Wasn''t that the woman he dreamed he had met in the mortal world? Maybe ¡­ that hadn''t been a dream after all?


    Bai Fen and Qiu Ling had just managed to appear when Shun Tao had looked at Jing He''s scroll of fate to make sure their crown prince was alright. The sudden interruption let the gods in the hall turn around.


    Rong Su''s expression worsened when he saw Qiu Ling. "So you''ve had a part in it, too! Great, just great! We knew you spelled trouble when you dared to approach our son back then! Are you satisfied now? You nearly got our son killed!"


    "What did you say?"


    This wasn''t Qiu Ling asking. The words ''our son'' coming from the heavenly emperor combined with the mention of ''killed'' had completely floored him. Had he not still held onto Bai Fen''s arm he might have lost his balance and fallen to the ground.


    This ¡­ This couldn''t be? Jing He had ¡­ had been killed?


    His hand went up to his chest, feeling for his still beating heart. It couldn''t be. They might not have been married but they were an official couple already. He would have felt it if Jing He really ¡­


    It isn''t true. It isn''t true. It definitely isn''t true. Jing He is alright. I''ve only left yesterday. Nothing could have happened to him in such a short timeframe. He''s alright.


    "Rong Su, what happened? How is my son?" Bai Fen repeated her question while simultaneously grabbing Qiu Ling''s elbow. Damn this! Her son-in-law had gotten so pale that she was really afraid he might faint the next second!


    The heavenly emperor finally noticed his wife. So that was why that hateful Longjun had come here. He must have run to his wife again to coerce his beloved son to show him some affection and must have heard the heavenly guard calling her over.


    Rong Su curled his lips and ignored Qiu Ling, turning to his wife instead. "We''re afraid it''s grave this time. Someone", he said while looking at Hong Bao and Yin Lin Lin, "stole the soul-devouring dagger and tried to assassinate Jing He''s mortal reincarnation."


    Soul-devouring dagger.


    Qiu Ling trembled. No ¡­ not that thing. Not that. If they had just so much as scratched him with that cursed weapon ¡­


    Bai Fen hugged Qiu Ling, pressed his forehead onto her shoulder and patted his head. "It''s alright. Nothing has happened to him. I''m sure of it. A mother would know."


    "I ¡­ I have to go. I have to see him." Qiu Ling wanted to pull away but Bai Fen held him as tight as she could. If something really happened to her son, she definitely wouldn''t let his lover run out now. He might never come back! Jing He loved him so much. Even if he was dead he would want Qiu Ling to live on. She couldn''t let anything happen to him.


    "Rong Su! What happened to my son? Damn this! Just tell me straight up! Is he dead or not?!"


    Rong Su winced. "This ¡­ We don''t know. Scribe''s fate! Didn''t you have a look at his mortal fate just now? Why haven''t you still not said anything?!" The heavenly emperor transferred the anger his wife directed at him onto the next person. This wasn''t his fault!


    Shun Tao who had been interrupted before he could say anything nodded without a complaint. "To answer Your Majesty: His Highness is alive. He wasn''t hurt with the soul-devouring dagger either."


    Qiu Ling and Bai Fen both heaved a sigh of relief. "So he''s alright ¡­" Qiu Ling still held onto the heavenly empress. Damn this! He should have never returned to the nine heavens just to see Jing He''s immortal body. He had nearly lost him. The real him.


    What if ¡­ What if someone had really hurt him with that thing? He would have died. Not just in the mortal realm but forever. His soul would have dissipated, unable to reincarnate for all eternity. Just because he had craved to see him again he had nearly lost him. He nearly would have been left with nothing but a soulless husk.


    Qiu Ling tightened his grip. How had this happened?


    Before Qiu Ling had time to descend into regret Shun Tao cleared his throat and furled the scroll of fate again. "There is one more thing, Your Majesty."


    "Speak!"


    "It seems like ¡­ His Highness finally managed to complete a medium trial."


    Bai Fen tensed. "What is this about? Jing He has already been gone for a week! He should have long passed some trials."


    Rong Su coughed. "It''s ¡­ a little complicated." He didn''t know what else to say and looked at his brother-of-law pleadingly.


    Qiang Yan sighed and turned toward his sister and his nephew-in-law. "Somehow, the fate the fate''s scribe wrote for him has gone off track. Jing He couldn''t complete any of his trials until now. Because this young lady there was afraid the fate''s scribe would be heavily punished and because somebody", he added with a glance at Yin Lin Lin, "told her that everything could be solved if she just injured Jing He''s mortal reincarnation with the soul-devouring dagger, she stole the weapon and tried to assassinate him. Until a moment ago, we actually thought she might have succeeded. But it seems that wasn''t the case?" He looked at Shun Tao to explain the rest of the situation.


    The fate''s scribe nodded. "I can''t read the whole situation from His Highness'' scroll of fate but I guess that Hong Bao injured the wrong person. A while ago Zhong Lei, the father of His Highness'' mortal reincarnation, died rather mysteriously. It seems likely she injured this Zhong Lei instead of her actual target Zhong Jing Yi."


    The heavenly emperor closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, you want to say that the woman who tried to assassinate our son instead helped him pass his first trial and saved his life through that?"


    "Uh ¡­" Shun Tao took another look at the scroll of fate. So unlikely it sounded but ¡­ "Yes, that seems to be the case."


    "It''s just a medium trial, though", injected Qiang Yan. "If he only passes this one he''ll still be punished by heaven."


    The heavenly emperor nodded gravely. One medium trial ¡­ It was good since that would mean that he wouldn''t die but still. The punishment would be rather heavy: Only passing one medium trial would equal losing at least half of his powers and most likely even a heavy corporal punishment would be exacted. It could very well be that his son would lose one of his senses.


    "Fate''s scribe ¡­ Even with involving this woman you couldn''t find the one behind all this?"


    Shun Tao shook his head. "I''m sorry. I was unable to, Your Majesty."


    Rong Su sighed. In a sense, the thing this woman did was to their advantage. But they couldn''t count on luck for the rest of Jing He''s trial period. He had to at least pass one major trial to be safe from a harsh punishment.


    Bai Fen slowly turned her head and looked at the head of dark hair on her shoulder. "I ¡­ might know who is responsible for this."


    All gazes locked onto her. Even Qiu Ling raised his head and stared at her with anxious eyes.


    Bai Fen coughed. "Longjun, let me ask you a question: Besides the things you told me about already ¡­ Did you do anything else in the mortal realm?"


    The gods present could already surmise what had happened just based on this question. But Qiu Ling was still unaware and innocently nodded.


    "Of course! You don''t know, mother-in-law! There were so many bad things happening around him as if he was haunted by bad luck! So, of course, as his future husband, I couldn''t just stand back and do nothing and lent a helping hand."


    Bai Fen''s left eye twitched. Hearing Shun Tao''s summary she had already suspected as much. "What exactly did you do?"


    Qiu Ling smiled happily. What a great possibility to show off in front of his in-laws! "I saved his mother''s life twice: Once when she nearly died while giving birth to Jing He''s mortal reincarnation and once when she got into an argument with the other villagers. And then when the villagers were talking badly about Jing He''s mortal reincarnation I showed myself to squash the rumors. Oh! And one time his family was attacked by bandits so I defeated them. Really, how dare they attack his mortal family?!" Qiu Ling was filled with righteous indignation.


    The heavenly emperor''s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He slowly stood up, looming over the other people in the room. He wanted to abuse that damned dragon king at least verbally if he couldn''t do anything to him physically. His wife was faster, though.


    Bai Fen grabbed the ear of her son-in-law. "Longjun! Do you have any idea what you have done? You nearly got my son killed!"


    Qiu Ling''s eyes bulged. What? Now it was his fault? How come?!


    He really didn''t understand these trials of the gods.

 Chapter 119 - Law and Punishment

    "Mother-in-law, what are you saying? How come I don''t understand a word?" Qiu Ling tilted his head and tried to wriggle out of her grip.


    Bai Fen wouldn''t let him get away so easily, though. "You still dare to talk back at me! Do you really want to claim you don''t know what you''ve done?"


    "I really don''t know! But I''ll apologize!" He grabbed her wrist and looked at her pleadingly.


    Bai Fen relented under his gaze. She also didn''t want to punish her son-in-law. Although he had made a ¡ª no, several ¡ª mistakes he had done all of that because he loved her son so much and couldn''t see him suffer. As a mother, could she wish for a better lover for her son? Furthermore, Qiu Ling''s eyes told her that he really didn''t know about the trials. Well, he wasn''t a god, after all. It was to be expected. It was partly their fault for not making sure that he knew beforehand.


    Bai Fen let go of him and even went as far as to pat his head when she saw his disgruntled look. "You really did something wrong."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling didn''t argue. Whatever his mother-in-law said had to be true. Had his father-in-law tried to get him to apologize he wouldn''t give in no matter what!


    "Qiu Ling." Bai Fen gripped his hands and sighed. "Since you''re going to marry my son in the future ¡ª"


    "We''ll see about that!", the heavenly emperor injected but he was ignored by both his wife and future son-in-law.


    "¡ª you should learn more about the gods. There are some things that need to be considered."


    Qiu Ling''s head drooped. He didn''t know what this was about but he understood that he must have done something wrong because he didn''t know something. Indeed, he knew next to nothing about the gods. Even after he and Jing He became a couple he hadn''t tried to learn anything about them. He had been content with learning everything he could about Jing He himself. What did he care for the gods?


    "These trials. They are extremely important to us gods. Heaven''s law dictates that we pass them."


    Qiu Ling blinked. "Huh? I thought his father had forced Jing He to descend?"


    The heavenly emperor clenched his fists. "What are you talking about? We''d never force our son to anything!"


    Bai Fen shook her head. "It has nothing to do with that. Rather it''s the way we gods fulfill the law of balance. That is why the trials can''t be ignored. Each of us has to descend someday and pass these trials. Now, if someone went and tried to help in the mortal life we got, we might not pass any trial. You can certainly imagine what would happen if a god returned without having passed the trial issued by heaven."


    Qiu Ling gulped. "Death?"


    Bai Fen nodded. "Yes. It''s commendable that you are trying to stand by Jing He''s side even in his mortal life. But with the way you''re doing it you''re endangering his life here in the nine heavens. So please, let him take the trials normally from now on and don''t interfere. If he manages to pass all of them in one go, he won''t have to descend anymore. He''ll stay with you for the rest of his life."


    Qiu Ling looked at his mother-in-law and even went as far as looking at the heavenly emperor for confirmation.


    The heavenly emperor nodded. He didn''t really like this future son-in-law of his'' ¡­ Well, no, in fact, he didn''t mind him that much. It was just that he felt that no man was good enough for his precious son. He wanted a true born god with excellent manners, handsome looks and the greatest powers ever seen in their race. Only if such a man appeared before him would he be satisfied and think about allowing him to wed his son! Yes, he''d at least think about it. And he''d rigorously test that bastard if he actually dared to have dirty thoughts about his son!


    Qiu Ling gulped and nodded. He couldn''t believe he had endangered Jing He''s life. All of this was his fault. He frowned. No, in all honesty, this was heaven''s fault! What was with this dumb law of balance? The gods were immortal and could use nearly all magic there was, but so what? Why did they have to be subjected to such suffering? This was unfair!


    Since Qiu Ling had nodded and thus more or less promised not to interfere again with Jing He''s trial, the heavenly emperor turned toward the other culprits behind this incident. Everything might have started with Qiu Ling''s intervention but the final problem had surfaced because of Shun Tao, Hong Bao, and Yin Lin Lin.


    Rong Su looked at the three of them and frowned. He didn''t even know where to begin. He took a moment to observe them and finally turned toward the woman on the right.


    "Yin Lin Lin. Do you know what you did wrong?"


    She pursed her lips. "I didn''t know the reincarnated god she spoke about was the crown prince."


    The heavenly emperor once again slammed his hand down on the armrest of his throne. "What kind of excuse is that? You convinced someone to steal the soul-devouring dagger that cost hundreds of our people their lives in the last war and made her kill someone with it. You of all people should have known better!"


    Yin Lin Lin finally lowered her head. She had nothing to say to her defense. Indeed, she should have known better because one of the people losing their lives to this weapon in the war with the demons had been her father, the previous god of war. She should have been the last person to even mention that thing!


    "Furthermore, you once again proclaimed yourself to be the goddess of love. Yue Xia already said he would never take you in even as a helper. So stop it already. If we hear one more time that you dared to assume that title you''ll be punished for that, too. In regards to your latest offense ¡­" Rong Su tapped his armrest and narrowed his eyes. Her matters really were the last he wanted to rule on. But with her character and the history between them she wouldn''t give the god of justice, Li Yin, any face and just ignore whatever he said. No, unfortunately, he had to do this himself.


    "Considering that you didn''t commit the crime yourself but were still partially responsible in the loss of a soul and endangered the life of the crown prince your status as an idle goddess, as well as your right of possession to your palace, will be revoked and you will be reduced to the status of a servant aiding in the ascension of the new deities for a hundred mortal years. After that period you are to report to the god of justice, Li Yin, to be judged once again."


    Yin Lin Lin wanted to retort but one cold glance from the heavenly emperor let her keep quiet. If Jing He''s father wanted, he could be pretty terrifying.


    Rong Su turned to the next culprit. "Servant Hong Bao." He stared at her for a moment. The woman in front of him was obviously not a true born god but an ascended deity. He didn''t know when she had made her way into the nine heavens but she must have been pretty young when she did. Everything she did had not been out of bad intentions and certainly wouldn''t have happened if Yin Lin Lin hadn''t conned her. But she still had brought not only a few problems and it might go on like this if he didn''t rule harshly over this crime.


    "Because of personal interests, you broke into the palace of the god of war, stole the highly dangerous soul-devouring dagger and through its use destroyed a soul. Furthermore, you originally plotted to kill the crown prince. All these crimes are worthy of a death penalty."


    Hong Bao looked up at the heavenly emperor with shock. She had always only thought about how she could help Shun Tao. She had never even considered that she herself could get into trouble because of what she did.


    "In consideration of the fact that you were able to save the crown prince''s life through some stroke of luck and were the deciding factor in bringing this whole problem to light we won''t punish you as harshly. You will keep your life but you will be banished from the nine heavens. First of all, you will return the soul-devouring dagger to the god of war Qiang Yan. Then, you will be allowed one day to say your farewells to friends and ¡ª should there be any ¡ª family and settle any matters pertaining to the nine heavens. After that, your memories, as well as any abilities cultivated after your ascension, will be taken from you. Finally, someone from the palace of justice will escort you back to where you came from."


    Hong Bao was utterly floored. Banished from the nine heavens? Losing her memories? She would ¡­ even forget him? Hong Bao turned to the side and looked at Shun Tao but the scribe''s fate didn''t pay her any attention. She wanted to say something but no sound came out. What was there to say? After one day they wouldn''t be able to see each other anymore. Their beautiful love story ¡­ it had ended before it could even start.


    The heavenly emperor paid no heed to Hong Bao''s grieving expression and turned toward the last culprit. "Fate''s scribe Shun Tao. We are disappointed in your performance this time."


    Shun Tao hung his head. He had expected as much. In fact, this evaluation was quite light in comparison to the things he had imagined.


    "Our son''s fate going off track and you not being able to salvage the situation on your own is to be expected if the person involved is Longjun. But you keeping quiet for a week and even trying to hide the matter from us is not a behavior fit for your station. You were lucky this time that nothing happened to our son and that the heavenly empress was able to figure out the reason.


    For the next hundred days, you will stay in your palace and use the time to reflect on your inappropriate behavior as well as write a new fate for our son. Since your recent actions upset our truth in you, you will come over to our palace once a day to report on our son''s situation in the mortal realm. After the end of that period, you will be judged by the god of justice Li Yin according to your results."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    Rong Su didn''t pay attention to the three gods anymore and turned toward Qiang Yan instead. "God of war Qiang Yan, we task you with investigating everything related to this case in detail. You should pay special attention to the question of how a servant was able to steal the soul-devouring dagger from your palace in the first place. You''re excused."


    He waved at the people in the room and everyone except for Bai Fen and Qiu Ling hurried out of the high hall. Some of them relieved, some in a grave mood.


    One of those who were relieved was Shun Tao. He had kept his life and his position and even his punishment was rather light. At least that was what he thought. Had Shun Tao taken at least a short look at Jing He''s scroll of fate in this moment he might have coughed up blood and hurried right back inside and asked for a harsher punishment because what was going on in the mortal world right now might have even harsher consequences then Jing He''s mortal form taking its sweet time to pass the trials.

 Chapter 120 - Hello, Senior Brother!

    Jing Yi watched the man walking by on the other side of the street. His long black hair danced in the wind and the sleeves and hem of his white robe swayed lightly with every step he took. There was a pleasant smile on his lips and the rest of his features was nice to look at, too. Jing Yi''s eyes sparkled and without anyone noticing he ran onto the street, weaved through the throng of people and hurried after him.


    The man had passed by the people who had gathered in front of the teahouse when suddenly someone tugged at his sleeve. He turned around but nobody could be seen. The man lifted his brows in surprise. Who would dare play such a trick on him?


    He turned back but once again someone tugged at his sleeve. The man halted. Maybe he should just whirl around and throw a punch? But what if some playful lady stood behind him this time?


    "Big brother!" Someone tugged at his sleeve again and this time a sweet voice followed after.


    The man turned around and lowered his gaze. A young boy of not even ten years stood before him and watched him curiously. He must have been hidden by the masses before. "Oh?" The man bent down and smiled. "Now, who''s this?"


    "I''m Jing Yi!"


    "Which Jing, which Yi?"


    Jing Yi blinked, not comprehending what the man was talking about. The man just laughed and ruffled his hair.


    "Never mind. Did you need my help?"


    Jing Yi shook his head.


    "No? But you were tugging at my sleeve, weren''t you?"


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded.


    The man couldn''t help but smile a little wider. He lifted his hands and pinched Jing Yi''s cheeks. "What a cute child you are! So, what was it you wanted from big brother?"


    "Can I ask you something?"


    "Sure, sure! Go ahead!"


    Jing Yi examined the handsome face in front of him again and then looked at the white robe with the long, flowing sleeves and the hem hovering half an inch over the ground. Finally, he looked up at the man''s eyes again. "Big brother, are you a hero?"


    The man laughed. "A hero? Mn, that might depend on what a hero is."


    Jing Yi looked at him and his white robe thoughtfully. "Uncle Shao said all cultivators are heroes."


    "Oh? Then I''m definitely a hero! See here?" He pointed at the pattern embroidered at the hem of his sleeve. "All of the disciples from our sect wear such a robe. Have you heard of it? It''s the Yun Zou sect."


    Jing Yi shook his head and grabbed onto the man''s sleeve to examine the pattern. It looked like ¡­ a row of blue clouds? Jing Yi directed a puzzled gaze at the man''s face.


    "What is it?"


    "Why are there clouds on your robe?"


    The man squatted down in front of him and pointed up at the sky. "It''s because if you are cultivating in our sect you''ll someday be strong enough to walk on the clouds in the sky and maybe you''ll even manage to ascend to heaven."


    Jing Yi''s eyes started sparkling again. Walking on clouds? Ascending to heaven? That sounded like something a hero would do! "Then, can I become a hero, too?"


    The man laughed and ruffled his hair again. "You mean you want to enter the sect and become a cultivator? Sure, why not! In fact, you''re really lucky. I and some junior martial brothers and sisters came to the capital this time to search for new recruits. You just have to take the test on the market square. If you''re suitable you can follow us to the sect right after and start your journey to become a cultivator!"


    Jing Yi gripped the man''s hand. "Then let''s go!"


    "Haha, alright!" The man stood up and led the way to the marketplace.


    Indeed, quite a few men and women dressed in the same sort of robe stood there already. They turned around when the man whose hand Jing Yi was holding approached. "Senior martial brother!", all of them greeted and the man smiled.


    "Look at who I''ve brought! This little dumpling here says he wants to become a hero just like me!" He laughed again and the women hurried over.


    "Awr! What a cute little boy! What''s your name?"


    "Jing Yi."


    "Which Jing? Which Yi?"


    Jing Yi looked up at the laughing man who patted his head in return. "He doesn''t know. Let''s see where his parents are later and ask them."


    "Mn!" The women didn''t mind and started to fawn over Jing Yi instead, patting his head and pinching his cheeks, all the while mumbling that they definitely had to take such an obedient child home with them! He hadn''t complained even once after they started!


    "Alright, alright, enough of that!" The man pulled Jing Yi out of the reach of his junior martial sisters'' hands and pointed at something on the ground. "See that there, Jing Yi? You know, my junior martial sisters really love drawing! Whenever the sect sends them out to search for new recruits they just have to draw these strange circles and get people to stand inside. They''re really playful, aren''t they?"


    Jing Yi looked at the circles, then at the junior martial sisters and finally at the man himself. Then, he nodded. The women couldn''t help laughing again and scuffled closer to pat his head once more.


    "Such a cute child! We definitely have to take him home, Senior martial brother Wu!"


    Their senior martial brother just gave a noncommittal grunt and led Jing Yi over to the drawing. Well, in fact, it obviously wasn''t just a drawing but a formation and it wasn''t just there for his junior martial sisters to have fun but to test the children for their suitability. If a child with spirit veins stepped into the circles in the middle of the big circle, the lines would light up. It was an easy way to see if these children had any aptitude for cultivation at all. How good it actually was would be further tested at the sect.


    The man let Jing Yi stand in one of the circles and looked at the ground. The lines ¡­ they really lit up!


    The junior martial sisters in the background hugged each other and then ran over to pat Jing Yi''s head again. "Look at this! Such a good child! We''re definitely taking you home with us to the sect."


    Jing Yi wasn''t that sure he could trust them. They weren''t at the age where he would be afraid of them because of what Qiu Ling had taught him but the senior martial brother in front of him still seemed more trustworthy. Jing Yi looked up at him.


    The man smiled and ruffled his hair. "Yes, yes. They''re right. You''re such a good child. We couldn''t leave you here. You''ll definitely have to come with us and become a cultivator!"


    "Mn!" Jing Yi nodded. Of course! He wanted to become a hero, after all.


    "Come on! Let''s go ask your parents if it''s alright." The man hadn''t forgotten that Jing Yi walked up to him all alone. They couldn''t just take the child without telling the family, could they? "Where are they?"


    "Mommy''s at the teahouse." Jing Yi smiled, grabbed the man''s hand and pulled him toward the teahouse.


    By now, Madam Zhong, Ai Hua and her son Xiao Dong, as well as Qiang Wei and Fu Min who had come out of hiding, had all noticed that Jing Yi had gone missing. Of course, they first suspected Li Bo who had scrambled away as fast as he could after Ai Hua threw him out. That guy was despicable enough to kidnap a child if he couldn''t force the mother to give it up. So all of them were relieved when they saw a man in a white robe bring Jing Yi back.


    The man smiled when Jing Yi led him to his mother. "Madam, I am Wu Min Huan, a disciple of the Yun Zou sect. Just now, we were testing children for their aptitude in cultivation at the market square and we noticed that your son Jing Yi would be suitable to become a cultivator. Would you mind if we took him in as a disciple?"


    Madam Zhong furrowed her brow. How come someone wanted to take away her son again after she had let him out of her sight for just a minute?


    The man saw the imminent rejection in her eyes and hurried to explain a bit more. "You might not have heard anything about us before." Normally, people would be thrilled about hearing his previous words. Since she wasn''t this probably meant that this mother and child weren''t from the capital originally and didn''t know about the Yun Zou sect. "The Yun Zou sect is one of the ten big sects, suitable for both cultivators and practitioners. Becoming an inner disciple of our sect is nearly a guarantee to become a daoist immortal in the future. Following us would certainly be beneficial for your son."


    Madam Zhong looked at her son and sighed. Contrary to the man''s thoughts she knew. She knew fully well since the Yun Zou sect was the one Madam Qiguan''s son Qiguan Cheng Da had gone to. His mother had never grown tired of bragging about how her son became the disciple of such a great sect. Unfortunately, she also knew that she wouldn''t see Jing Yi for years if she let him go now.


    She patted her son''s head and sighed again. After losing her husband, she definitely didn''t want to lose her son, too. But she had seen how bad things could get and she still suspected that Jing Yi''s fate might be full of such bad luck.


    Becoming a cultivator ¡­ Maybe like that he might gain the strength to overcome this fate. Then, he wouldn''t be subjected to all the suffering heaven might have in store for him. Neither would he be in need of somebody else''s help. He would be able to help himself.


    Madam Zhong finally forced a smile and hugged her son. "Alright. If you want to become a cultivator then go ahead. Mommy will always support you in whatever you decide to do."


    Thus began Jing Yi''s journey of cultivation.


    When Shun Tao finally dared to take a look at Jing He''s scroll of fate again and saw this sentence written there he had only one thing to say: "Shit!" He scrambled to his feet again, ran out of the scribe''s palace and over to the heavenly emperor''s palace.


    He had only one thought: Fate had just started to move in the right direction! Why did it get worse all of a sudden?! If that mortal boy really becomes a cultivator and finally manages to ascend as a new deity, wouldn''t that mean that the trial His Highness just passed became useless? We''d still have lost our crown prince forever!

 Chapter 121 - Reporting. Again.

    In the nine heavens above, the incumbent heavenly emperor, Rong Su, was getting a major headache. He had just managed to make that hateful Longjun leave after ruling on the matter of the assassination attempt on his son and now one of the culprits had already run back to the high hall.


    "Fate''s scribe Shun Tao!" The heavenly emperor grit his teeth. "Weren''t we clear enough when we told you to reflect in your palace for the next one hundred days?"


    Shun Tao dropped to his knees and bowed. "Your Majesty! This lowly one wouldn''t dare to not comply with your commands. This one only returned because he has something to report." Shun Tao felt like crying.


    Writing a fate for the crown prince''s trial was a difficult task, yes. But just because of the expectations! Why had this turned into such a mess?! If everything had gone according to the fate he had written, His Highness would have passed quite a few minor and medium trials already.


    The heavenly emperor''s expression darkened. "You said you''ve come to report something to us? What could that be? You haven''t even been gone for an hour!"


    Shun Tao took out Jing He''s scroll of fate with a wry expression and fixated the ground in front of the heavenly emperor''s feet. Damn. He''d certainly be subjected to the heavenly emperor''s scolding again. He had had enough of that already!


    "His Highness ¡­ His Highness'' mortal reincarnation met a disciple of a daoist sect called ''Yun Zou sect'' and was found to have the aptitude to become a cultivator. They have taken him back to their sect already. His Highness ¡­ The crown prince might be stepping onto the path of becoming a deity."


    The expected scolding didn''t come. Shun Tao waited for a while but finally couldn''t take it any longer. He took a peek and froze completely. The heavenly emperor that lost his temper on a regular basis seemed utterly floored.


    The heavenly emperor closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He started to ask himself the same question as Qiu Ling: Why just why had the gods to undertake these trials? This was the second time this day somebody told him he might never see his son again! If his son''s mortal reincarnation really became a cultivator and thus finally ascended as a deity his original body as a true born god, as well as all his memories of his life as Jing He, would be lost.


    Jing He, my dear son, why do you have such bad luck? Considering your personality and outstanding abilities you shouldn''t have had any problems facing these trials. I was merely worried before because you are my son and I don''t want to see you suffer. But now it seems I should have worried even more. Who knew you might never come back to me?


    He sighed again. As harsh as it may sound but he really hoped that this mortal Zhong Jing Yi would die soon so that he could have his son back. Even if Jing He was punished and lost some of his powers or even one of his senses, at least he would still be alive.


    "We understand." Rong Su came out of his thoughts. Nothing would come out of bemoaning heaven''s law. He could only try to make sure his son would pass his trials and come back. "You did the right thing informing us. Concentrate on preventing him from advancing on this path through his fate."


    Shun Tao nodded. "As you command, Your Majesty."


    Rong Su tapped the armrest of his throne. "Considering the severity of the consequences should you fail ¡­ Ask the god of war, Qiang Yan, for help. He shall assign some of his people to you."


    "Yes, Your Majesty. This one will plan accordingly."


    Rong Su nodded and waved him away. He sighed when the fate''s scribe left his palace, hoping that his son would end his trial period soon.


    Shun Tao, too, could only hope for the same. He unfurled that troublesome scroll of fate once more in front of the heavenly emperor''s palace and watched the characters appearing one after another.


    Really, what had driven the crown prince to enter a deity sect? How bothersome!


    Shun Tao kept the scroll of fate with resignation. He really needed some assistance on this assignment. He went to the god of war''s palace and followed one of the guards to the god of war''s study.


    Qiang Yan lifted his brows at him. "I thought the heavenly emperor had ordered you to reflect in your palace."


    Shun Tao nodded. "That is indeed the case. Unfortunately, there was some change to the situation. His Majesty allowed me to come here to ask for assistance."


    Qiang Yan nodded and pointed at the chair in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat." He threw a pointed glance at the two guards standing at the side. "The two of you scram. Don''t let me see you slacking off on your punishment or I''ll double it!"


    They nodded and went outside, one of them with a pale face, the other one completely flushed. Yes, these two were the ones who had been on duty the day Hong Bao broke into the god of war''s palace and stole the soul-devouring dagger. Considering his beloved nephew had nearly been murdered with that damned weapon the god of war certainly wouldn''t let them get away lightly!


    Shun Tao sat down and glanced at the other person still inside the room. It was the same young man Qiang Yan had taken with him to the high hall. Shun Tao had never seen him before or at least he couldn''t link his face with any name.


    Qiang Yan waved the man over. "I already asked Leng Jin Yu to help me with this case. It might be a good idea if he hears what you have to say."


    Shun Tao''s brows lifted a little further. Leng Jin Yu? The Leng Jin Yu who had figured out what was going on? So that was him. It was a strange feeling seeing him now. If not for him ¡­ Maybe he never would have told the heavenly emperor at all. And then, when Hong Bao tried to assassinate the crown prince and everything came out the heavenly emperor would have had to punish him more harshly. Considering this, he could probably say that Leng Jin Yu had helped him in the end? Well, however he felt about it he couldn''t argue over the god of war''s decision anyway.


    Shun Tao turned back to Qiang Yan and sighed. "His Highness entered a deity sect. If we don''t prevent him from stepping onto the path of cultivation he might ascend one day."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. Though he had tried to learn as much as he could about the nine heavens since he himself as a deity, there were still many things he didn''t understand and only got to know bit by bit.


    For example, he hadn''t understood why the king of the dragon race had interfered in the crown prince''s trial at first but after he heard him calling the heavenly empress ''mother-in-law'' more than once everything started to make sense.


    Surprisingly, the dragon king had done exactly the same as Hong Bao: Because of love, he had actually done something this stupid that caused all this chaos. Really, what was it with people in love? If he considered what he had seen in the nine heavens, maybe he didn''t want to fall in love after all.


    Seeing Leng Jin Yu''s frown, Qiang Yan smiled. "Leng Jin Yu, I want you to take charge of this. You''re going to help the fate''s scribe. If you''re doing a good job, you''ll have a place at my palace in the future."


    Leng Jin Yu looked up, surprise flashing through his eyes. But after a moment it was already gone. Leng Jin Yu nodded and turned to Shun Tao. "Fate''s scribe, I''ll certainly meet your expectations."

 Chapter 122 - Realizing the Truth

    Shun Tao acknowledged Leng Jin Yu''s words with a nod and the two of them left Qiang Yan''s study. Leng Jin Yu''s thoughts were already wandering to the scribe''s palace and the things the fate''s scribe would order him to do. If this mission could really get him into the god of war''s palace ¡­ It would be an unbelievable luck, though he felt a little guilty thinking how he had come to this point.


    He couldn''t help but remember Duan Ming''s words: "Alas, we can''t see what people think in their hearts. If that is how you want to advance, then so be it. I wish you luck." Those three had gotten completely wrong what happened but in the end, it was still true to some extent.


    If not for Hong Bao asking him for help, he never would have gotten this chance. Maybe he should reject the offer? He did want to become part of the god of war''s palace but he wanted to do so through his own efforts not because of some lucky coincidences. Then again ¡­ The god of war wouldn''t have assigned him this task if he didn''t have a good impression of him. Hong Bao asking him for help had just presented him with an opportunity to showcase his aptitude in front of the god of war.


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath. He would just have to work extra hard and show himself and everyone else that this due to his own effort.


    Just when he thought about it, he noticed a woman in an orange dress slowly walking over. That type of dress was the official clothing for female servants of the lowest tier. Even he would normally not pay any attention to it but that gait was just too familiar. Her feet were always dangling in the air for a moment before she put them down, then she would nearly stand a moment before she lifted the other foot, dangled it in the air, too, and repeated the whole process. It was the typical, worried gait of Hong Bao. She had done that a hundred times in front of him while bemoaning how the fate''s scribe didn''t pay her any attention.


    Thinking about it now ¡­ He hadn''t known her for long but he was surprisingly familiar with her. Hong Bao was just so easily excitable and loved to talk about the things she liked so that you didn''t need much time to get to know her completely.


    Hong Bao was pursing her lips at the moment not really paying attention. She only looked up when she had nearly arrived in front of them. Her gaze met Shun Tao''s and both of them froze.


    Hong Bao froze because ¡­ well, the fate''s scribe stood before her. That was Shun Tao, her one true love she would do anything for! And Shun Tao froze because he really didn''t know how to react.


    In all honesty, he had been completely stumped when Yin Lin Lin accused him and Hong Bao of being lovers in the high hall. There were actually rumors like that? Since when and why? He didn''t even know Hong Bao for long or that good. What had given people the impression they were a couple? In fact, he had never thought of Hong Bao as a potential partner. She had just been there when he needed a servant so he had asked her for help. Had it been any other servant that day then he would have asked that person. It had nothing to do with her personally.


    The problem now was: He could have told himself that Yin Lin Lin was just her usual, irresponsible self that assumed and did whatever she wanted. Maybe she was still hung up over him or maybe she just wanted to get revenge on him for rejecting her and thought that Hong Bao was the right person to scheme against for that. But being faced with Hong Bao now ¡­ He finally understood.


    Yin Lin Lin was right. He was sure because even though he wasn''t that romantic and honestly not really interested in starting any sort of relationship at the moment, he was still knowledgeable in these aspects. He had written countless love trials. Of course, he could see the signs when he actually paid attention. And they were surprisingly obvious with Hong Bao: As soon as she saw him, her whole face lit up. Her eyes sparkled, a slight blush crept up her cheeks and the corners of her mouth very naturally lifted into a bright smile, showing two dimples.


    Shun Tao wanted to kick himself. Seriously, how had he missed that the whole time? She had always looked at him like this and each day she brought over some self-made cookies, listened to all of his worries and tried to comfort him. Why else would she do all that if not because she had actually fallen in love with him?


    Hong Bao happily skipped over, halting in front of Shun Tao and ignoring Leng Jin Yu. "Fate''s scribe!"


    "Mn." Shun Tao didn''t dare to acknowledge her any further. Even if he had been of a mind to find himself a wife, a troublesome girl like Hong Bao would have been his last choice. In fact, if he imagined that he got married in the future, then the wife he wanted at his side would be the total opposite of her: Mature and self-reliant with a sophisticated air. Someone who could truly share his burden and was able to create a spark of inspiration within him. An eloquent and intelligent woman who was organized and well disciplined, with high expectations for others and herself.


    Hong Bao ¡­ She couldn''t even fulfill one of those points.


    Shun Tao nodded slightly, stepped past her and continued on. He thought he was being obvious enough. He didn''t want to tell her that it was impossible between them. Hong Bao was young and he could even imagine that she had fallen in love for the first time. He didn''t want to be too harsh. Unfortunately, Hong Bao couldn''t understand his subtle way of saying things.


    She stared into space for a moment, then turned around and ran after him, grabbing his sleeve. "Shun Tao!" At this moment, she didn''t even remember she couldn''t just casually call him by his name.


    Shun Tao repressed a sigh. It seemed he had to be more direct. "What is it?"


    "You ¡­ I ¡­" Hong Bao looked down. "I''ll have to leave the nine heavens tomorrow. And ¡­ I won''t even remember anything."


    "Mn. You did wrong. Considering the crimes you committed you''re lucky to get away with such a light punishment.


    Hong Bao looked up at him, her eyes wide. "But ¡­ I did all of that for you!"


    This time, Shun Tao really sighed. He took the hand that was still holding onto his sleeve and plucked it off. "I never asked for that. I believe I was quite clear with what I required your help with. Doing all that ¡­ it was needless and pointless and it''s right that you''re punished for doing so."


    "But I did it for you!", she repeated, tearing up. She had done everything just because of him! "I ¡­ I wanted you to be safe! You''re so important to me and ¡ª"


    "Stop!" Shun Tao lifted his hand to interrupt her ramblings. "Hong Bao, I am the fate''s scribe. And you ¡­ you''re just a servant. I certainly don''t need you to worry about me. In fact, I also don''t want you to worry about me." Shun Tao averted his gaze and continued on to his palace. His words might sound harsh, especially since it shouldn''t have been needed considering she''d leave the nine heavens the next day, but he felt like he should still say them.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and followed him. There was nothing he could do for her at the moment and most likely he was the last person she wanted to see now.


    Hong Bao stood there as if struck by lightning, rooted to the spot. All this while, she had believed it would be enough if she just tried hard enough. If she showed him how much she loved him, if she made an effort to help him and gain his affection, then someday they could be a couple. But all this while ¡­ All this while her efforts hadn''t been appreciated. She ¡­ She had been a burden to him.


    Tears slowly trickled down her cheeks. She had been given a day to take care of all her matters but ¡­ was there really a need? She felt like it would be better she would descend now, forgetting what the man she loved had just said to her.

 Chapter 123 - Love Makes People Stupid

    Shun Tao sat down at his desk as soon as they reached his study and opened the scroll of fate again. He frowned at the characters slowly forming. Zhong Jing Yi had already left the capital. It was mandatory to do something as soon as possible.


    He looked up at Leng Jin Yu and motioned at the chair opposite him. "Please, sit. Tell me, what are your thoughts on this matter?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the scroll of fate. He didn''t know the exact state of things but what Shun Tao had told Qiang Yan was enough to give him a general impression. "The overall goal, for now, is preventing His Highness from becoming a cultivator. Considering he should already be far behind on the trials he has to pass it would be good if these two things could be combined."


    "So you''re saying?"


    "I trust the fate''s scribe with finding the best way to dictate his fate. It''s just ¡­ You''ve seen what Hong Bao ¡ª"


    Shun Tao tensed. "What does Hong Bao have to do with this?"


    Leng Jin Yu slightly lifted his brows. "This might not be appropriate for me to say but in a sense, she''s surprisingly similar to Longjun. He also did some stupid things because of his love for the crown prince. Now, look at Hong Bao: I advised her to give up and let you report to the heavenly emperor but she still persisted.


    Likewise, I''m afraid Longjun won''t stop trying to ''help'' his beloved. Merely adjusting a scroll of fate might not be enough. Thus, I''d suggest you try writing his fate but to be on the safe side we''ll send someone down. That person can keep an eye on His Highness and especially on Longjun and make sure the dragon king won''t interfere. Meanwhile, we might be able to use that person to have His Highness pass a trial or two."


    Shun Tao narrowed his eyes. "What are you thinking of?"


    "I''m not really knowledgeable about the trials but I think I have heard that two of the major trials a true born god might want to pass are the trial of love and the trial of betrayal. Is that true?"


    Shun Tao nodded. "So you''re thinking of that."


    "With a normal mortal, this might be difficult to pull off. But if we send a god or a deity down there they shouldn''t have a problem assisting His Highness in his trial."


    Shun Tao nodded again. "Indeed. Though, we''ll need an ascended deity for that. Gods'' are limited in the things they can do to interfere with another''s trial even if they take on a mortal identity. Ascended deities are different in this. I''m not that familiar with the ascended deities. There might be some in my palace but considering that His Highness wants to enter a deity sect it might be better to send someone with martial abilities."


    "I do know of someone who would be fit to take that role. It''s just ¡­" He smiled wryly. "This matter is probably not something that can be told to just anyone. After what happened with Hong Bao ¡­ I do trust that person but I''m not sure if you would be alright with it."


    "Hm ¡­" Shun Tao, too, didn''t know how to decide for a moment. "Well ¡­ The god of war assigned you to me because he felt you were suited. If I don''t make use of that I could just try to settle everything myself. In fact, I feel like it would be a good idea if you yourself descended."


    "I?" This time, Leng Jin Yu was really stunned.


    Shun Tao smiled. "First of all, you already know about the whole situation so we wouldn''t have to involve anyone else. Second, you have been a cultivator before you ascended, haven''t you? That would make this task easier."


    Leng Jin Yu looked down at the ring on his hand. It was a memento from his life as a mortal, something he still hadn''t taken off even after all this time. Descending to the mortal world, seeing the places again he had once known ¡­ The notion was tempting.


    "He went to the Yun Zou sect, you said?"


    Shun Tao nodded.


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath. He hadn''t been part of the Yun Zou sect and hadn''t really known anyone from there so most likely nobody would recognize him. There was nothing in its disfavor but two advantages. And this was the task the god of war had given him. It stood to reason that he should solve it himself.


    "I will."


    Shun Tao nodded and turned back to the scroll of fate. After a moment, Leng Jin Yu hadn''t left, though. Shun Tao looked up. "What is it?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "I know, it isn''t my place to say anything but I had the chance to get to know Hong Bao this last week."


    "There is no reason to say anything."


    "I think otherwise. Yes, you don''t reciprocate her feelings and you certainly don''t have to. She did a lot of wrong things, too, and you were right to say that she should be punished for that. But ¡­ her punishment was already meted out. She''ll be leaving the nine heavens tomorrow and after that, she won''t remember a thing. Do you really have to make her this miserable for her last day here?"


    Shun Tao rubbed his forehead. No, he hadn''t wanted to do that. But she just didn''t understand! What else was he supposed to do?


    "After everything I saw this week, I believe even if you said some nice words to her, it would be enough to let her walk on clouds. In the end, she did try to help you and she was one of the reasons your punishment wasn''t as heavy. Even if you don''t love her, don''t you feel at least a little grateful to her? Being loved so much and having someone who is willing to sacrifice everything for you ¡­ Doesn''t that move you even a bit?"


    Shun Tao closed his eyes and sighed. Well, Leng Jin Yu was right in a sense. Even though he had never asked anything more of her than observing those gods and reporting to him she had done everything just for him. And moreover ¡­ she would be banished tomorrow. That wouldn''t have happened had he not gotten her involved. Maybe ¡­ Maybe he really owed her at least some nice words?


    "Alright. I''ll go see her."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled slightly. "Thank you. Even though she''s ¡­ a bit of a burden, nothing she did was with malicious intent. I feel like one shouldn''t make it too hard on her. Ending this life on a high note, maybe it''ll be easier in the rest of her mortal life."


    Shun Tao nodded. "I guess I''ll be the one to write the fate of that."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and stood up. "Then I''ll go and arrange everything to assist His Highness in his trial."


    After he had left, the first thing Shun Tao did was looking at the scroll of fate again.


    Now, what should he write to get that child to quit? He grabbed his brush, ground the ink and rubbed his chin. Mn, there was one way that was pretty straightforward and without Longjun interfering it shouldn''t be too difficult to achieve his goal. Some sentences would suffice to get His Highness''s mortal reincarnation to leave the deity sect.


    Shun Tao brandished his brush and the tip whirled over the scroll: Zhong Jing Yi and the other children arrive at the Yun Zou sect where their aptitude is further tested. Zhong Jing Yi is revealed to have six spirit veins and thus the lowest possible aptitude to become a cultivator. Thus, the man in charge of the test advises him to reconsider joining the sect.


    Shun Tao put down the brush, closed the scroll of fate and kept it. Then, he stood up and went to the servant''s quarters. He asked where Hong Bao stayed just to meet with raised brows and astonished gazes.


    "What is it?"


    "Well ¡­" The servant in front of him squirmed a bit. "Hong Bao ¡­ She left just now. She said she had to leave the nine heavens. She went to the justice court already."


    Shun Tao repressed a curse, turned on his heel and hurried over. The justice court didn''t look much different from any other palace in the nine heavens but it always had a solemn feel to it. If one didn''t have to go there one would stay away as far as possible. It really made one wonder how Li Yin, the god of justice, managed to go there and do his job every single day.


    Shun Tao stopped at the gate and looked up with a taut expression. In a hundred days he''ll come here, too, and he had no idea how his punishment would turn out. Well, that was something he could worry about later.


    He coughed and stepped up to the guards. "Fate''s scribe Shun Tao came to send off a servant girl named Hong Bao. She should be descending to the mortal world right now."


    The guards nodded with knowing looks and one of them pointed inside. Shun Tao felt a little startled that even people in the justice court would think there was something going on between Hong Bao and him but he pushed the thought aside. He would just send her off and then this whole fiasco would be over.


    The guard brought him to the courtyard where the gods being punished would have to descend and bowed to the official standing at the side. "The fate''s scribe came by to send that person off."


    Hong Bao who had just stood next to the portal shrouded in a cloud of depression instantly livened up. She turned around, her face lit up and she hurried over, pouncing at Shun Tao and hugging his neck. "You came!" Tears streaked down her face once again and she sobbed into his shoulder.


    Shun Tao sighed and patted her back. "It''s alright. I ¡­ was a little harsh earlier."


    "It''s alright!"


    "Mn. Alright. Then ¡­ you should go now. Don''t worry. I''ll watch over you while you''re down there in the mortal world." He patted her head, leaned in and kissed her cheek lightly.


    Hong Bao took a step back and nodded vigorously, her tears changing for a smile in an instant. "Mn! I won''t!" She happily turned around and stepped up to the official.


    The man nodded, signed a document and handed her a vial full of the water from the river of forgetfulness. Hong Bao looked at Shun Tao one last time and downed the content. Then she stepped into the portal and was sent down to the mortal realm.


    Shun Tao sighed, shook his head and went back to his palace.


    "Fate''s scribe." The guards bowed. Shun Tao nodded at them and wanted to go inside but one of the guards turned toward him. "Ah, fate''s scribe. A young woman came by earlier and left a package for you."


    "Oh?" Shun Tao took the package from the guard and went to his study. A young woman leaving something for him ¡­ He couldn''t think of anyone who would do that. He sat down at his desk and opened the package: One serving of cookies lay inside.


    Shun Tao lifted his brows. There was only one person who would bring him something like that. And if he needed any other hint, the form used would be a definite indicator: She had actually made them heart-shaped this time.


    Shun Tao sighed and closed the package again. He somehow felt like he shouldn''t eat them, even though it was a shame. The one saving grace of Hong Bao was that she could make really tasty cookies.

 Chapter 124 - Entering the Yun Zou Sect

    Besides Jing Yi, another fifty children had shown to have some aptitude for cultivation. All of them would follow Wu Min Huan and his junior martial brothers and sisters to the Yun Zou sect. The sect wasn''t that far away but of course, the disciples wouldn''t walk there with a bunch of small children. Instead, Wu Min Huan, in proper style, procured a mystic artifact.


    Since the whole of Yun Zou sect was associated with clouds the artifact was, of course, a carpet with a cloud pattern. Actually, one couldn''t really call it a carpet. It was more like a white ribbon made out of thin fabric and embroidered with the same pattern as the disciples'' sleeves. Had Wu Min Huan taken it out to change the crown on his head for it none of the children would have found it strange.


    Wu Min Huan tossed the ribbon. It floated through the air, elongated and finally landed on the ground, now big enough to fit all the disciples and new recruits.


    Wu Min Huan smiled his trademark smile and motioned at the ribbon. "Get on!"


    His juniors made sure that all of the children had gotten onto the ribbon and finally settled down on the edges to make sure none of them would accidentally fall off. Finally, he, too, stepped onto the ribbon and with one gesture of his, the ribbon floated up until it reached the clouds and then moved toward the sect grounds.


    Jing Yi curiously looked around. He hadn''t seen much of the world until now. Thus, he craned his neck and looked past the edge of the ribbon. They were floating over a carpet of clouds, but when the ribbon drifted further toward the sect grounds it opened up and he could finally see the ground below.


    Jing Yi''s eyes grew wide. He could still see the edge of the capital but the buildings weren''t as big as he knew them from his time there. Instead, they didn''t even seem as big as his thumb. He tried looking for the teahouse where his mother was but, of course, they were already too far away.


    The capital was soon left behind and vanished in the distance. Jing Yi didn''t mind, though. He observed the landscape drifting by below them. The paddies and forests didn''t look any different than the capital: Everything was extremely small. When the ribbon finally made a turn Jing Yi could even see the Long mountain range he had needed so many days to pass with his family even though they had only traveled through the foothills. Now, that fearsome place that had nearly cost all three of them their lives seemed small enough to hold it in both of his hands.


    Before Jing Yi could fully comprehend what he was seeing the ribbon started to slow down and descended in a large spiral. Jing Yi looked to the side and finally saw the place he would call home for the next years: The sect grounds of the Yun Zou sect. It truly was a place not meant for the average human.


    Taking in the wide expanse of land in the crook of the mountain range''s neck, trying to count all the buildings there in the valley and finally noticing the buildings that clung to the mountains themselves or had even managed to reach their tops, Jing Yi couldn''t help but feel that he had come to the right place.


    If I really want to become a hero, this is certainly the best place!


    The ribbon descended further and further until it finally came to a gentle stop right inside the gates of the Yun Zou sect.


    Wu Min Huan and the other disciples led the bunch of other children to a square not far from the gates. Jing Yi curiously looked around and noticed another drawing on the ground.


    Of course, this drawing, too, was a formation. Just that it was more sophisticated than the one Wu Min Huan''s junior martial sisters had set up on the capital''s market square in a short time.


    This one had a hexagon as its base. Inside it were another, smaller hexagon in the middle and six elongated rhombi pointing from one corner of the smaller hexagon to the corresponding corner of the larger hexagon. There were some other lines, too, but Jing Yi couldn''t make out what they should present. They seemed just like random scribbles.


    A middle-aged man was already waiting next to the formation. He nodded at Wu Min Huan, before turning around to the children.


    "Welcome to the Yun Zou sect. All of you were found to have at least some aptitude for cultivation and as thus have the right to enter the outer sect. Now, we are going to test your spirit veins.


    Those with heavenly or paired spirit veins will be taken into the inner sect from the beginning and even have the chance to get a master ¡ª though that will depend on if you have fate with any of the elders from our sect. Those found to have assorted spirit veins will be allocated to a suitable adviser in the outer sect.


    To test for your spirit veins, please step into the middle of the formation and wait until the outer layer lights up."


    Since Jing Yi had come to the square in the capital together with Wu Min Huan he was standing right at the front. Before he could step forward, another boy pushed him to the side, though, shot him a condescending gaze and hurried over to the formation.


    Jing Yi didn''t mind the provocative glance, though. He was still trying to understand what the uncle at the drawing was trying to say. What are those spirit veins? What does it mean if they are heavenly or paired or assorted? Since he didn''t know, he didn''t mind waiting a bit. Maybe he would even find out what all this was about!


    He curiously looked on as the child stepped into the small hexagon. Both of them eyed the rest of the drawing. First, the hexagon in the middle lit up, indicating that this child indeed had spiritual veins. Then, the hexagon furthest from Jing Yi lit up. A short pause followed before the outer hexagon lit up, too.


    As if it was somehow tied to the formation even the face of the man in charge lit up. "Heavenly spirit veins!", he called out and waved a disciple waiting at the side over.


    Jing Yi still didn''t understand, but thankfully, he had always been a patient and obedient child. He really just waited until all the other children had been tested and didn''t make a fuss. What did it matter anyway? It wasn''t like the sect would only test the first fifty children and sent the last one home.


    Finally, it was Jing Yi''s turn. He curiously stepped into the small hexagon. It lit up after a spell, signifying that he indeed had spiritual veins. Jing Yi looked on. One after another all six rhombi lit up.


    Jing Yi still couldn''t understand what that meant and looked at the uncle in charge with curious eyes. Do I have the right spirit veins to become a hero?


    The man cleared his throat. "Full spirit veins", he announced solemnly and waved at no direction at all.


    Jing Yi tilted his head. He didn''t understand that gesture. Which group did he belong to?


    "Mn, in this case ¡­ You might want to reconsider joining the sect." Faced with those large doe eyes the man in charge couldn''t bring himself to say it more harshly.


    Unfortunately for him ¡ª and even more so for Shun Tao ¡ª Jing Yi was a really simple-minded child. Reconsider joining the sect? But he needed to join the sect to become a hero like the handsome big brother in the white robe or his father or grandfather. Why would he reconsider?


    And full spirit veins didn''t sound so bad. It was probably like a cup of tea: If you had a full one, you had more you could drink!


    In the nine heavens, the fate''s scribe Shun Tao sat in his study and face-palmed. "Haish ¡­ This child! I really want to know what is going on inside his head." Shun Tao sighed and dropped his hand. Alright. It wouldn''t lead to anything if he just sat there and grew furious again.


    Shun Tao once again ground his ink and picked up his brush. "Seriously, this time it''s my own fault. I shouldn''t have written ''advises him to reconsider joining the sect'' just because I thought every normal person would follow that advice. I should have made it more explicit. ''Zhong Jing Yi follows the advice of the person in charge of the test and returns to the capital.'' That would have been a rock-solid way to put it!" Shun Tao hesitated. That ¡­ would have been a rock-solid way, wouldn''t it?


    He sighed again. After all this time of battling against Longjun, he couldn''t even trust in his own skills anymore. How sad!


    With a nervous feeling in his gut, Shun Tao started to write: Zhong Jing Yi moves into the outer sect with the other new recruits. After their tasks are divided the advisers don''t pay attention to the disciples with more than three spirit veins anymore. Zhong Jing Yi is left to his own devices. Soon, the other children who have fewer spirit veins than him start to let him do their chores so that they have more time to cultivate. With neither time nor guidance, Zhong Jing Yi isn''t able to start cultivating.


    Shun Tao put down his brush and smiled, satisfied with his work. With this, nothing should go wrong, right? He had definitely stated that the crown prince''s mortal reincarnation wouldn''t be able to cultivate. There was no room for interpretation.


    And even if there was, there was still Leng Jin Yu. This time, nothing would go wrong.

 Chapter 125 - Sweet-Talking His Mother-In-Law

    By the time Shun Tao adjusted Jing He''s scroll of fate once again, Qiu Ling had already tossed everything the heavenly emperor said far out of his head. Instead, he had done exactly what the heavenly emperor wanted to prevent and returned to the mortal realm. He was now standing in front of the teahouse, looking at the entrance with indescribable happiness.


    Ah, I''ll see him again soon. Mn ¡­ Qiu Ling closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He had to calm down. He didn''t want to storm right in, sweep his beloved off his feet and hug him. Well, he did want to do that, but no, he couldn''t. It would make a bad impression on his mother-in-law. And as his other mother-in-law had said: Repairing his relationship with Jing He''s mortal mother was one of his highest priorities now!


    Thus, Qiu Ling stormed right in, grabbed Madam Zhong''s hands and showed her a brilliant smile. "Mother-in-law, I''m back!"


    Madam Zhong was stunned. She had just bid her son farewell and now this man had returned. And he was extremely excited it seemed. "You ¡­"


    "Did you miss me?" He only smiled wider, not at all noticing that Madam Zhong was feeling a little out of sorts. Neither did he notice the three dragons sitting at a table and watching his antics.


    Fu Min nibbled some of the snacks Madam Zhong had brought them a while back, clearly enjoying the show in front of him. Ai Hua sipped her tea as if all of that didn''t pertain to her. Xiao Dong, who had never before actually seen their king, stared at him wide-eyed and slack-jawed. That man was ¡­ the awesome and mighty king his uncle and father were always talking about? Why did it seem as if he was sweet-talking a human woman?


    When Qiu Ling didn''t get an answer his face fell and he started to look as pitiful as he had in front of the heavenly empress Bai Fen. Mn, this was a deeply practiced move that would be able to melt every woman''s heart. Who told him to have such expressive eyes?


    "Mother-in-law, don''t blame me any longer. I know I did wrong." He grabbed her sleeve and looked at the ground at his feet. "You were right all along. I shouldn''t have gotten so jealous. It''s just ¡­ I love him so much. It hurts me when I see him getting along so well with somebody else while I can only watch from the sidelines. So, I thought that when all others would only be able to watch from the sidelines, too, it wouldn''t be as bad. I didn''t really think ¡­ Well, I did think of what it would mean for him but I just couldn''t help myself." He looked up at her again, his eyes seeming as if he feared she would blame him but still hoped otherwise.


    Madam Zhong indeed couldn''t help being moved by these words and this gaze. She sighed and patted his hand, meanwhile using the opportunity to pluck it off just how Bai Fen always did. Qiu Ling marveled at that similarity. Jing He had really reincarnated into a family not that different from the one in the nine heavens. Well, his mortal father didn''t have such an irascible temper as his immortal one but he was just as reliant on his wife.


    "It''s alright. I know you meant no harm. Just hold back a little in the future." She smiled slightly. It seemed like the worries she had had about him trying to force her son into something he himself didn''t want were ungrounded.


    Qiu Ling smiled brightly at her again. Then, his gaze flitted around. "So ¡­ Where is he?"


    Madam Zhong patted his hand again. "He isn''t here anymore. Jing''er left the capital. Some days ago, a few disciples of the Yun Zou sect came by. They tested Jing''er and found out that he had the aptitude to become a cultivator. I thought ¡­ Well, things kept happening. Maybe he''ll be safer when he goes there and becomes a daoist immortal, too." She looked at Qiu Ling, hesitating a bit, but finally, she still told him. "You probably don''t know but my husband died some weeks ago."


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. Madam Zhong didn''t know but he had already heard about that in the nine heavens. Qiu Ling gripped her hands again and pulled her into his arms. "I''m sorry, mother-in-law. I should have been here. I ¡­ I wouldn''t have been able to help in that case but ¡­ I should still have been here to help you. All of this ¡­ it''s probably my fault."


    Though, hadn''t he helped in the beginning then she herself wouldn''t be there anymore and considering the attack of the bandits the same would probably be true for her husband. Jing He''s mortal parents, they would have both died and left him all alone long ago. What was it with these shitty trials? Was it that heaven had something against the gods?


    "Heaven ¡­ isn''t fair. To actually torment such good people ¡­ None of you deserve this."


    Madam Zhong closed her eyes. It seemed she had been right. All of this really had to do with her son''s fate. "Daoist master, please, tell me: Will my Jing''er be alright in the future? Will he ¡­ will he continue to suffer like that?"


    Qiu Ling sighed. This was the moment he had dreaded. But he had to come clean. Though, he didn''t have to tell her everything. "He''s destined to have many trials to pass but ¡­ in the end, he''ll have a life brighter than many could imagine."


    Indeed. After the mortal Zhong Jing Yi passed all these damned trials and finally died, he would wake up as the crown prince of the nine heavens, Jing He, again. Wasn''t that a life many would envy him for? He would still have two loving parents and a lover completely devoted only to him, not to speak of the countless loyal subjects that were looking up at him, prepared to give their lives for him at any moment. That counted as a good end for Madam Zhong''s son, didn''t it?


    Madam Zhong sighed in relief. "Thank you for telling me. I''m relieved knowing that whatever happens to him will lead to a good end. You ¡­" Madam Zhong stopped. She had wavered again and again if she should really depend on this man regarding her son''s safety. After doubting him so much, had she still the right to ask anything of him?


    "What is it? Just tell me." Qiu Ling smiled, not guessing what she was thinking about.


    "I''m thinking about Jing''er. As long as he hasn''t started cultivating ¡­ will you still watch over him?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Even when he becomes a daoist immortal, I''ll still watch over him." After all, what was a human cultivator in comparison to a dragon? He wouldn''t be at ease if he didn''t watch over Jing He personally. His beloved nearly would have died when he wasn''t there. How could he be so careless again?


    Madam Zhong patted his cheek. "You''re a good person."


    "Mn. So, you don''t have a problem with me marrying your son, right?" Qiu Ling smiled.


    Madam Zhong, too, smiled. It was hard not to, being faced with Qiu Ling''s unwavering attitude. "We''ll see about that. If he likes you, you''ll have my blessing. Come, sit down. I''ll get you a cup of tea. These people over there should be waiting for you."


    She motioned to the dragons Qiu Ling still hadn''t noticed. He turned around and lifted his brows. Fu Min? With a woman and a child? Wasn''t he into Fu Heng? No, wait, that woman ¡­ He examined her dark brown hair. That looked kind of familiar. She was ¡­ Yi Zan''s sister? Then that child next to her should be her son? Oh, he had called those two over ¡­

 Chapter 126 - Those Loyal Followers

    Qiu Ling examined him and nodded slightly. Ah, it had really been a brilliant idea to call her over. If that boy couldn''t make that mortal stay away from his beloved then nobody could. As soon as he came to that conclusion, Qiu Ling paused. Wait. Wasn''t this exactly what his mother-in-law had warned him about? Damn. What if his beloved had seen this boy and actually fallen in love with him?!


    Fu Min observed the changing expression of his king and grabbed another cookie, furiously munching on. Ah, he''s at it again. Let''s see how it turns out this time. He had seen often enough just how crazy his king was for crown prince Jing He. And his gaze right now was screaming ''You dared to mess with my beloved!'' It was a gaze spelling trouble.


    Ai Hua, too, noticed that gaze. She nudged her son. "Xiao Dong, my darling, Fu Min and I have some things to discuss with His Majesty. Why don''t you go and work on His Majesty''s assignment for a bit? You haven''t seen that Shao Hai for some hours already, have you?"


    Xiao Dong''s reaction so far had been the complete opposite of his mother and Fu Min''s. Under that continuously darkening stare, Xiao Dong actually blushed. Oh heavens! That was it! The kind of stare only a true ruler would have! You could practically feel him oozing his might even though he was standing some meters away. No wonder his father and uncle were looking up to him! Ah, he also wanted to serve this man with his life! He wanted to kneel down right now!


    While imagining how somebody wanted to steal his lover Qiu Ling actually managed to gain a new loyal follower. One really had to wonder how exactly he had established his reign in the dragon realm in the first place. Had all of that really been due to his fight with the demon king? Or had there been some ¡­ controversial coincidences, too?


    Now that his mother wanted him to leave, Xiao Dong''s face fell. That was his idol! He looked at Qiu Ling smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles in his clothes before he sat down with a regal air. He wanted to stay and witness his king''s might for a while longer!


    Xiao Dong looked up at Ai Hua with watery eyes. Unfortunately, that was a skill Ai Hua had taught him herself so of course, it wouldn''t work on her. She waved him away, not caring for his feelings. Well, one could say she cared about his physical well-being more than the emotional one. Who knew what the king would do if he got into a bad mood?


    Yi Zan had once told her how His Majesty had challenged An Bai because he had talked to the crown prince for a minute while His Majesty stood next to them. His Majesty had been ignored and the conclusion he had drawn? An Bai was too handsome for his own good! It was time to disfigure that damned face! Well, thanks to the crown prince An Bai still had that pretty face of his but he hadn''t talked to the crown prince for a long, long time. And whenever he did he took extra care to make sure His Majesty was not around.


    Ai Hua didn''t relent and pointed to the entrance until her son gave up. Xiao Dong''s shoulders drooped but he finally went on his way to search for Shao Hai.


    Thus, a certain young dragon stumbled upon a worrisome scene at the house of the Shaos:


    "I''m going to marry Xiao Yi!" That was Shao Hai throwing a tantrum.


    Xiao Dong''s face fell. Why was that boy not even slightly wavering? Had he not been direct enough in his approach for the last few days?


    Mister Shao sighed. "Xiao Yi is going to become a cultivator. Don''t you understand what that means? He''ll become an immortal and might even ascend to heaven someday. How do you expect him to marry you?" It wasn''t that Mister Shao didn''t want his son to marry Zhong Jing Yi. Quite the contrary. He had been in favor of that idea. But now that boy had joined a deity sect. It was completely impossible to make him his daughter-in-law now. Erm, his son-in-law, of course.


    "Then I''ll become a cultivator, too! I''ll go to that Yun Zou sect right now and ask them to take me in as a disciple!"


    Mister Shao and Xiao Dong were both floored. Hah? What? Becoming a cultivator just like that?


    Mister Shao slapped the table. "I dare you to try that! Who''s going to inherit my business if you become a cultivator?"


    "Don''t know! And I don''t care anyway! I''m going to marry Xiao Yi, you''ll see!"


    After that, a certain boy ran out of his father''s study and went to pack up his things. Nobody but Xiao Dong noticed. His father wouldn''t even have thought something like this could happen. He only sighed and murmured: "Well, he''ll see someday that there are many fishes in the pond."


    Unfortunately, by then, his son had already left the capital in the direction of the Yun Zou sect to catch a special fish in a special pond.


    And of course, to appeal to his king, a certain dragon had followed.


    He didn''t know, though, that his king had already calmed down anyway. With uncharacteristic focus, he had actually managed to shake his head and throw those thoughts of Xiao Dong and his Jing He out of his head. Well, it might have had something to do with the fact that Ai Hua had made her son leave so he didn''t have to see him any longer.


    By now, Qiu Ling looked at Fu Min with expectations in his eyes. It couldn''t be that this guy just waited here for the fun of it, could it?


    Fu Min laughed with embarrassment, clearly perceiving what Qiu Ling was thinking. "Hehe, Your Majesty!" He lowered his voice so the humans around them wouldn''t hear. "Ai Hua brought her child over as you wished. He''s well underway to trap that mortal boy who dared to set his sight on your beloved. Ai Hua and I waited here to support him while Qiang Wei followed your beloved to that mortal Yun Zou sect to protect him. I was so free as to collect some information on these so-called ''deity sects'' of the mortals in general and of course, everything that could be helpful concerning your beloved''s time in this Yun Zou sect. Do you want me to report it now? There are some things I feel we should take note of to ensure your beloved''s safety."


    Seeing that Fu Min had actually prepared all that, Qiu Ling''s mood lifted a bit. Mn, he should at least listen to it. His subjects were all so hardworking and loyal ¡­ Actually, he didn''t care about that. The thing that really cheered him up was the fact that Fu Min had said ''your beloved'' in nearly all of his sentences.


    Qiu Ling smiled a brilliant smile that threatened to blind the female guests around them. "Make it short. I can''t make my beloved wait for too long. In fact, it''ll be alright if you just tell me what I have to do to make sure nobody''s going to seduce him. Or hurt him." In case, anyone would actually want to try the latter. He couldn''t really imagine it, though. With someone as perfect as Jing He, who wouldn''t want to have him as a partner and instead hurt him?


    Ah, my beloved ¡­ Don''t you worry! Your future husband will soon follow you to that ''Yun Zou sect''. I''ll hold off all those annoying men and we can finally rekindle our love!


    The advice his mother-in-law gave him? The things he had promised to do? Oh? Had there been such a thing?

 Chapter 127 - A Most Perfect Plan

    "Well, if it''s just that ¡­" Fu Min leaned back. He had prepared so many things but the king was even more impatient today than normal. "Mn, you might know already that the mortal sects follow a certain hierarchy."


    "Mn, I''ve heard of it." There were some stories about that even in the dragon realm. He remembered ¡­ Qiu Ling stared blankly. It seemed his father had told him one or two? How come he still remembered that? It had been so long already.


    "To summarize it: There are an inner and an outer sect that consist of different types of disciples. There are outer sect disciples who don''t have any privileges, then there are inner sect disciples with a higher aptitude and then there are disciples of certain masters. The status a disciple has in the sect will, therefore, depend on three things: His or her personal aptitude, the relationship to other disciples and the status of his or her master."


    "Mn ¡­" Qiu Ling frowned. "I guess it''s already too late to become a master of the Yun Zou sect myself?"


    "Uh ¡­" Fu Min shook his head. "Yes, that won''t be possible. A master would need to start cultivating in one sect and attain a high enough cultivation base. That would take at least some hundred years, maybe even longer if you want to attain a high enough status. A master could be a normal elder in the sect or the master of a peak or ¡­ Well, there''s also the Sect master and maybe even more importantly: The Yun Zou sect has a Grandmaster."


    "Grandmaster?" Qiu Ling tilted his head. That seemed quite important?


    Fu Min nodded, took out a paper scroll and handed it over to Qiu Ling. "Yes. Grandmaster Zhangsun Xun Yi. He isn''t the Sect master so officially his position in the sect would only be second but he is actually stronger than the Sect master himself so ¡­"


    Qiu Ling unfurled the scroll, scrutinizing the face of the person drawn onto it. "Hm ¡­" That man wasn''t bad-looking if one considered he was just a mere mortal. He couldn''t rival him, though. His own looks were just too outstanding to be overshadowed by some human. Qiu Ling smiled with satisfaction. If even someone with such a high status couldn''t rival him, then he''d definitely be able to win back Jing He''s heart. It had worked once already, so of course, it would work a second time.


    Ahem ¡­ Wait. That wasn''t the point. "So, that Grandmaster''s position in the sect is high. You can''t be suggesting I try to get him to take Jing He as a disciple, can you?" After all, even if that guy was less good-looking than himself he wouldn''t want to take any chances.


    Fu Min shook his head. "No, quite the contrary: I think it would be good if you became his disciple, Your Majesty. That would be the fastest way to raise your status in the sect. If he becomes your lover again, nobody would dare to go against him."


    "Great!" Qiu Ling leaped to his feet and clenched his fist. This was exactly what he needed! The perfect plan to get his beloved back.


    And like this, he wouldn''t even interfere with the trial. He wouldn''t mind Jing He being part of some strange sect for a few years. If he could still become his lover, why should he care? In fact, it was great: When Jing Yi attained immortality in the human realm wouldn''t he ascend to heaven again? Then he''d wake up in his original body and they could continue where they left off.


    Qiu Ling was thrilled but then, he furrowed his brow and sat back down again. "So, what do I need to do to become that grandmaster''s disciple?"


    Fu Min and Ai Hua exchanged a glance once again. Their king was so ¡­ normal today. "That might be a little difficult."


    Ai Hua pursed her lips. "Do you think it would be possible to just go there and ask to be taken in? His Majesty is a dragon, after all. His power is way higher than that of these mortals and he looks quite young."


    Well, Ai Hua had a point: Qiu Ling was without question even stronger than the Grandmaster of the Yun Zou sect himself. And compared to the cultivators and practitioners of the sects who had long lives and might even become immortal he also didn''t look that old. Counting in mortal years, he could probably be described as looking to be in his late twenties.


    Someone being in his late twenties and already having achieved true immortality ¡­ The Sect master of the Yun Zou sect would be laughing in his sleep if he was able to get such a talent!


    "That''s not it. Being accepted as a disciple of the inner sect shouldn''t be a problem", Fu Min said slowly. "But I''m afraid it might not be so easy to become the disciple of the grandmaster. If that grandmaster sees His Majesty, he would certainly take him in. But how to be seen is the question. This kind of man is highly elusive, so it is equally hard to attract his attention. One would need some lucky coincidence or would have to come at an occasion where the whole sect is assembled."


    "Is there any such occasion in the near future?"


    Fu Min shook his head. "Not that I know of. The next one should be some sort of assembly some years from now."


    "Mn. That''s too late."


    Fu Min and Ai Hua nodded. They hadn''t expected any other response.


    "In that case ¡­" Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. "I''ll have to create an opportunity." He would make that Grandmaster accept him as his disciple if that guy wanted to or not!


    Qiu Ling bid farewell to Madam Zhong and left the teahouse. Soon, the capital was left behind him and he could already see the Long mountain range and the different halls and palaces of the Yun Zou sect.


    Mn, Jing He, my beloved, soon I''ll be at your side again! I''ll accompany you every single day and make sure you will have a good life down here in the mortal realm. Even though you''ll have to suffer a bit because of that strange trial, having such an attentive lover like me at your side should console you enough. Mn, you''ll see: Being in my arms will make any worries become unimportant. You''ll feel secure and cared for like never before. Life with me will be absolute bliss!


    Ah, my love, don''t worry. I''ll find that Grandmaster right now and become his disciple. Then I''ll have the perfect status for us to become a couple. Just wait a bit longer!


    He landed on the path leading through the forest until the gate of the Yun Zou sect. Since Qiu Ling didn''t know if those cultivators in the mortal realm could levitate he walked over.


    Two disciples stood there and perked up when they saw him. This ¡­ Damn, how could a man be this handsome?! Heaven was truly biased! Why did that guy get to have such gorgeous features while they had to live with common looking faces?


    "Who''s there?", the disciple on the left questioned indignantly.


    "Qiu Ling. I came to become a disciple."


    The disciple on the right lifted his brows. "Is this some kind of joke?"


    The guy in front of them looked nothing like a cultivator. Well, nothing like a righteous cultivator. Who would turn up at the doorstep of the Yun Zou sect wearing an ink black robe? Wasn''t that what demonic cultivators wore? This guy couldn''t be a spy, could he?


    The disciple narrowed his eyes. He really felt like that was the only possible explanation. "You better scram!", the disciple yelled at him and grabbed the hilt of his sword.


    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. Trying to deter him at the gates? Hmph, not going to happen!


    Qiu Ling''s fingers twitched but at the final moment he hesitated and didn''t unleash his magic. He ¡­ didn''t know anything about human cultivators and their abilities. What if he did something they couldn''t do? They might not take him in at all. He paused. If he couldn''t use magic ¡­ Why not use his sword? He couldn''t go wrong with that, could he?


    Qiu Ling took his sword out from his spatial ring, unsheathed it and stepped forward, the blade already approaching the two disciples. They stumbled and fell onto their buttocks. Qiu Ling smiled mischievously. That''ll teach you not to cross me!


    Just then, an old man with gray hair and an equally gray beard hurried over, his wrinkled face lit up with a bright smile. Even his eyes seemed to sparkle, letting him appear at least some years younger. Well, Qiu Ling had to give it to him: Though he was obviously really old, he had a straight posture and wasn''t the least bit plump. He looked like the kind of man that had lived long and weathered through many hardships.


    The Elder hurried over and stopped right in front of Qiu Ling, sizing him up. "Who are you?", he asked with a slight trace of agitation in his voice.


    Qiu Ling smiled brightly at him. "Good day, Elder! I''m Qiu Ling and I heard many good things about your great sect, so I came here to become a disciple!"


    "Great! Great!" The Elder nodded and motioned further into the sect grounds. "Actually, it''s been a few days since we accepted disciples but I saw just now that you really have the talent to become a practitioner so I''ll make an exception for you."


    "Great!" Qiu Ling reciprocated the Elder''s smile. This first step ¡­ had actually been really easy?

 Chapter 128 - Convincing the Elders

    Qiu Ling followed the Elder with a bright smile on his lips. Each step now took him closer to his beloved. Ah ¡­ It wouldn''t take much longer. Just a little bit. He only had to attract that Grandmaster somehow.


    The Elder turned to Qiu Ling while they walked through the outer sect. "Boy, how much do you know about our Yun Zou sect?"


    "Enough."


    "Haha. It''s good to be self-assured when young." Elder Suo laughed and patted his shoulder. "Have you heard of Elder Kong?"


    Qiu Ling contemplated if he could get away with a lie but finally dismissed the idea. It was better to be straightforward and maybe use this opportunity to make his intentions clear. "No. But I''ve heard of Grandmaster Zhangsun Xun Yi."


    The Elder choked. His chest heaved up and down in a coughing fit and he had to pat it vigorously to calm his breath down. Youngsters these days! Having self-confidence was a good thing. But wasn''t this a little too much? What did he concern himself with the grandmaster? Even the Elder himself couldn''t see that man whenever he wanted. In fact, he had never seen him outside of the assemblies the righteous sects held once in a while.


    But, well, he also couldn''t fault that youngster. Even though most people had never seen the grandmaster he was still a widely known figure. If not for him, their sect wouldn''t even be a first tier sect. Holding someone like that in high regard was quite normal.


    The Elder patted Qiu Ling''s shoulder once again. "Grandmaster Zhangsun sure is famous. It''s no wonder you have heard of him. But for you, Elder Kong is the more important person."


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Why that?"


    "Well, just as I am in charge of the practitioners here in the outer sect Elder Kong supervises the practitioners in the inner sect. I can recommend for you to be taken into the inner sect but it will depend on Elder Kong if you''ll indeed get a place there. After all, you already missed the time when we normally take in our disciples. He''d be doing you a favor."


    "Mn, I understand."


    "Alright. Then I''ll take you to the inner sect now. Please remember: Elder Kong is very strict. You''ll have to make a good first impression if you want him to acknowledge you."


    Qiu Ling nodded. It couldn''t be that hard to make some mortal recognize his might, could it?


    The Elder smiled and turned back to the front. Silently, the two made their way up one of the mountains.


    Qiu Ling observed his surroundings more closely: The sect consisted of a valley and a few peaks surrounding it. The valley had been quite crude with just a few houses and some people around that were mostly doing chores. None of them looked more powerful than the normal people in the capital.


    Now, on the road leading up the mountain, he saw lots of disciples in white, embroidered robes that practiced the sword and were actually giving of a faint aura of power. It seemed these were the inner sect disciples Fu Min had told him about. It was peculiar though, there were fewer disciples here than in the outer sect. Shouldn''t the sect try to take in as many talents as they could?


    In fact, it was no wonder. Qiu Ling just didn''t know about it: The outer sect had cultivators and practitioners mixed together while they were distributed to the individual peaks in the inner sect. If one tallied up all the peaks of the inner sect there would be more inner sect disciples as one of the peaks would let one imagine. And, of course, it wasn''t that easy to find talents. Especially since the Yun Zou sect wasn''t the best choice. Those disciples with great aptitude, wouldn''t they go somewhere better?


    They certainly would. The reason for that was splendidly displayed when Qiu Ling and the Elder finally arrived at the top of the mountain. A magnificent palace ¡­ was what Qiu Ling had expected. Instead, he found a run-down hut.


    Yeah, the Yun Zou sect wasn''t the best sect. And one of the reasons for that was that it lacked resources.


    Qiu Ling''s brows twitched with disdain. For heaven''s sake! What was this supposed to be?! An important Elder was actually living in such a hut?!


    Qiu Ling wasn''t one to judge based on appearances but ¡­ No, wait. Qiu Ling definitely was someone who judged based on appearances and this was really the bottom of the barrel! What a lousy ¡­ building.


    To be honest, it somehow reminded him of that ¡­ thing his father had dared to call their ''home'' back when he was a child. As soon as those two were ¡­ uh ¡­ Anyway, he had ground that thing to dust and built something new. He wouldn''t have wanted to live another day in that.


    Mn, speaking of that: That was the one thing he really liked about his predecessor: He had great aesthetics! Even though Qiu Ling still didn''t get what the dragon race liked about golden hair and golden eyes so much ¡ª after all, weren''t dark eyes and inky black hair like Jing He''s so much better? ¡ª the king''s palace was a sanctuary of good taste. Qiu Ling hadn''t even felt the slightest wish to modify anything.


    And now he was confronted with such a shabby hut. Did this deity sect want to kid him?! How was he supposed to live here? Please, tell him that that Grandmaster Zhangsun had better taste and was living in one of those decent palaces he had seen on his way!


    The Elder cupped his fists and bowed in front of the hut. "Elder Kong, Elder Suo came with a possible recruit for the inner sect."


    Inside the house ¡­ er, hut, fabric rustled and then the door opened. Another old man with graying hair stepped outside and took a look at Qiu Ling before turning back to Elder Suo.


    "Elder Suo, how nice of you to come by." His words weren''t that much of a lie. Even though Elder Suo was only in charge of the outer sect and not as gifted with the sword as Elder Kong, he was still a practitioner and thus deserved respect in Elder Kong''s eyes. And, of course, it also had something to do with the fact that Elder Suo had never been wrong before in regard to possible talents. He had even managed to find one or two geniuses the sect relied heavily upon now. "Isn''t it a little late for bringing over a new recruit?"


    Elder Suo coughed. Maybe he should pretend to have only seen Qiu Ling''s talent now? But in the end, he didn''t dare to lie. "Actually, I only found this young man today."


    Elder Kong lifted his brows and examined Qiu Ling again. The chap was tall with a good physique, suited to become a practitioner, and he didn''t seem overly excited, which was a good characteristic to have. Mn, maybe it would have been better if he hadn''t such a face ¡­


    Elder Kong didn''t like these sort of pretty faces. He always felt like people looking like that were paying too much attention to appearances and would neglect the way of the sword over it. Well, he might not be totally wrong. But he wouldn''t need to be concerned about that with Qiu Ling since nobody in the human realm would be able to teach him anything new, anyway.


    "Mn, well, let''s see how good you are. Why don''t you demonstrate some sword moves for me, young man?"


    Qiu Ling looked at the Elder, then at his sword. Finally, his gaze landed on the hut. Demonstrate a bit? Alright.


    He lifted the sword and concentrated. The blade swished through the air and sword energy leaked out, drawing lines in the air that traveled farther than the sword itself.


    Qiu Ling sheathed his sword and looked on. The sword energy hit the ugly hut and the old wooden beams creaked. Slowly, the roof slid to the side and crashed down while the rest of the building collapsed on itself.


    Qiu Ling turned toward Master Kong with a happy expression.


    See that? I''m even helping you renovate! Now take me to your Grandmaster!


    The Elders didn''t have to comply with that wish though, because in the actually decent-looking palace on top of the highest peak of the inner sect a man that had been in deep meditation until now opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the peak where Elder Kong''s hut stood. Well, where it had stood. And then, said man actually stood up and left his palace.

 Chapter 129 - A Tough Question

    The two Elders blinked and stared at the heap the hut was reduced to. Elder Suo felt cold sweat running down his back.


    This ¡­ What was this boy thinking?! That was Elder Kong''s hut! How dare he! Was he really expecting to become a disciple of the inner sect like this?!


    Elder Kong needed a moment longer for his thoughts to catch up. After all, this had been his home for several decades. Standing before its ruins wasn''t that easy to cope with. But in the end, he just sighed lightly. He was a practitioner, so he felt like he shouldn''t be too attached to such things. The most important thing should always be the sword arts.


    Before he had completely gotten used to the idea of not having a roof above his head anymore and, even worse, of having to go to the sect master to request a new dwelling, the two Elders got another shock:


    A seemingly young man was flying toward them on a sword. It wasn''t so much the fact that he was flying that shocked them because every practitioner would be able to do that as soon as he attained a certain mastery over the art of the sword. It was rather the fact that this seemingly young man looked a bit familiar.


    Indeed, it was just a bit familiar because this man was obviously Grandmaster Zhangsun who only ever stepped out of his palace and came to see people when there was some grand occasion. Had they remembered the wrong year? Was it already time for the Gathering of practitioners that was held every seven years? But it seemed that had only been two years ago? Maybe they had identified the wrong person after all? But no. That was the same perpetual frown they had seen for a short moment two years back.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi landed on the ground before them but ignored Elder Suo and Elder Kong. Instead, he turned toward Qiu Ling and sized him up.


    When in his palace he had felt a formidable sword energy, something that most people would never manage to develop. The only regrettable thing about it was that he had felt quite the sinister aura alongside it. It was something like killing intent just stronger. Extremely unsettling.


    "You. Was this your doing?"


    Qiu Ling looked at the hut, then at the Grandmaster in front of him. He couldn''t confess, right? Then that guy would never take him in. "Uh ¡­ no. It collapsed all on its own."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned even deeper.


    Qiu Ling coughed. It seemed his future master wasn''t satisfied with that answer? "Uh ¡­ Maybe I had a teeny-tiny bit to do with it. Actually, those two Elders asked me to demonstrate some sword moves. It might have been that ¡­ some ¡­ stray ¡­ strike somehow lead to ¡­ this." He looked in the other direction, just one step away from whistling a tune. It definitely wasn''t him! Don''t look at him like that!


    Grandmaster Zhangsun nodded. "How old are you?"


    Qiu Ling felt like breaking out in cold sweat. What was it with that ruthless question? His age was a sensitive issue, alright?!


    Mn, what should he say? He couldn''t really remember anyway. It seemed like ¡­ it had been some ten thousand years since he took over the throne? No, wait, that might already be more than a hundred thousand years. Or ¡­


    In all honesty, Qiu Ling had not even the slightest idea how old he was exactly. He just knew he was older than Jing He by a large margin. Though he always thought that a mature partner was good for someone as insecure as Jing He, he still would have liked it if they were slightly closer in age. Well, that wasn''t the point now.


    "Uh ¡­" Maybe he should just estimate it? But that also didn''t sound that good in front of two mortals. Who knew if he took a number that was outside of a mortals life expectancy? Then how about guessing how old he looked?


    "Twenty-ni¡ª seven." Qiu Ling frowned a little. For someone as vain as him guessing his own age based on his appearance was an even harder task than recalling his true age.


    It couldn''t be too high or he''d feel like he looked old. Neither could it be too low or he''d feel like he didn''t look mature enough. No, a man should be somewhere in between: Mature but not old. It had to be just right.


    Thinking of that ¡­ Jing He, of course, was also older than a normal mortal could ever hope to become. Especially since the gods aged slower than the dragons before they hit maturity. But appraising him from a mortal''s perspective he seemed quite young, probably around twenty-three or twenty-four years of age. Mn, having three or four years between us sounds good. That should make us a little closer, shouldn''t it?


    Qiu Ling had once again forgotten that his beloved was a child at this moment. And that they would be separated by nearly twenty years if he really was twenty-seven. Not, that that would be a problem for someone who cultivated. Twenty years was next to nothing for these people.


    Grandmaster Zhangsun nodded again, not caring in the slightest that the young man in front of him didn''t seem too sure.


    Mn, good, he''s still young. There is still enough time to make sure he won''t stray from the right path.


    "What''s your name?"


    Qiu Ling nearly sighed in relief. Now the questions were getting easier! "Qiu Ling."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded again. "Qiu Ling, I want to take you in as my disciple. Are you willing?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. Huh? Just like that? He hadn''t even done anything! Why had that guy flown over on his own accord and asked to take him in?


    Mn, maybe that''s my personal charm? "Uh ¡­ Why not?"


    The two Elders next to them were appalled. That is Grandmaster Zhangsun asking if you want to become his disciple and you dare to say ''Why not''?! Ungrateful brat! Of course, they wouldn''t dare to openly insult the new disciple of the Grandmaster even if you gave them a hundred guts, thus they could only gnash their teeth in anger and curse him in their thoughts.


    Grandmaster Zhangsun didn''t care anyway. Even though that new disciple of his didn''t sound that enthusiastic he had at least said yes. That was all he cared about. "Come on then." He took out his sword again, levitated and waited for Qiu Ling in the air. He somehow just assumed that Qiu Ling could do the same.


    Indeed, Qiu Ling could. Flying was an innate ability of all dragons. They actually felt better in the air than on the ground oftentimes. It was just ¡­ How did one fly on a sword?


    Qiu Ling eyed his own treasured weapon and then just lifted it. Never mind. If one could fly standing on a sword, then one could fly holding a sword, too. It seemed he had guessed right because the Grandmaster once again said nothing and just led the way.


    Qiu Ling followed him silently, happy that he had already achieved his goal. Now, it wouldn''t take long before he could see his ¡ª


    "We''ve arrived." Grandmaster Zhangsun halted in the air and pointed down at a formation half hidden at the back of the peak he inhabited.


    "This is ¡­?" Qiu Ling wasn''t putting on a show of being a good disciple by asking this question. He really didn''t understand.


    "Mn." Grandmaster Zhangsun turned around toward him, still frowning as usual, though his expression seemed even grimmer. "When you were demonstrating your sword skills to the Elders just now I noticed some unstable energy that is leaning toward a sinister side. It is of utmost importance to curb this now while it hasn''t gotten out of hand. Thus, I want you to enter this formation. It leads to a special dimension tied to the Long mountain range and is a great place for you to gain experience and adjust your mental state."


    Qiu Ling looked at the formation with a wry smile. That Grandmaster was surprisingly perceptive. He was indeed not of a stable mind since Jing He had left the nine heavens. "How do I know how long I should stay inside?"


    "You''ll naturally know." Grandmaster Zhangsun motioned at the formation again.


    Qiu Ling sighed. He had achieved his goal of becoming this Grandmaster''s disciple but that also meant that he''d need to follow his arrangements for the time being. And unfortunately, that guy was even right. If he didn''t go, this might get out of hand and then he''d cause trouble for Jing He. He certainly didn''t want that.


    Qiu Ling looked back at where the outer sect was situated. He could faintly feel the mark he had left behind on Jing Yi''s brow. I''ll return as soon as possible. Just let me do this first.


    With that thought, Qiu Ling stepped through the formation into the Yun Zou sect''s special dimension.

 Chapter 130 - Gathering for the Gathering

    Somewhere in the outer sect of the Yun Zou sect, a youth sighed heavily while looking at the broom in his hands. Becoming a hero sure wasn''t easy.


    Yes, indeed. This youth was none other than Zhong Jing Yi. Since the day he had entered the Yun Zou sect five years had already gone by. His progress, though ¡­


    In fact, there wasn''t any. It had happened just like the fate''s scribe had written it in Jing He''s scroll of fate: Without time nor guidance Jing Yi hadn''t been able to learn anything about cultivation. Well, at least he had picked up some basic sword skills. This had been quite the lucky coincidence: Two years after he joined the sect, Shao Hai and Xiao Dong finally arrived, too.


    Yes, without any help Shao Hai had needed two years to find the Yun Zou sect. Of course, Xiao Dong hadn''t helped him. He had just accompanied him on the way and made sure he didn''t suffer too much. After all, making sure the other was alright seemed like a part of seducing him? Well, he still hadn''t managed to attain his final goal and Shao Hai was still intent on marrying Jing Yi one day but at least he wasn''t completely adverse to Xiao Dong anymore. One could even call those two friends.


    Anyway, upon arriving, Shao Hai had been found out to have no spirit veins at all. Not reconciled to just give up after all the trouble he took to come there he became a practitioner instead and, of course, Xiao Dong followed suit. Thus, those two learned ¡ª or in Xiao Dong''s case: pretended to learn ¡ª the sword arts. Shao Hai very naturally passed some of that newly acquired knowledge on to Jing Yi.


    Jing Yi looked up at the sun. It seemed like it was nearly time for the thing Shao Hai had told him about? He really didn''t want to miss it but ¡­ thinking about how he would meet these senior martial sisters of his again when he went out he couldn''t really convince himself to leave his room.


    That was one thing that hadn''t changed in the last five years, though the reasons were others now: Jing Yi didn''t like girls. At first, he had still believed what his grandfather had told him but with each passing year, he realized a bit more what bogus that really was. Girls grew up just like boys! And how boys would become men someday a girl would become a woman like his mother. Well, maybe not like his mother.


    That was the real problem now: Since he had tried to stay away from girls from a young age the only ones he got to know were those direct and forceful girls like that Fa Chao Fu from his village or his cousin Guanyu from the capital. And now, since being an outer sect disciple, the only girls he met were just like that: Loud, forceful and bossy. Just thinking of them made him shudder.


    "Xiao Yi!" A cry traveled up the stairs, followed by equally loud footsteps and then someone hammered at his door. "Come on, come on, the gathering''s starting!"


    Jing Yi put away the broom with a smile and opened the door. Shao Hai''s happy face greeted him, followed by Xiao Dong''s typical frown. "Why didn''t you go over already? It''s so important for you practitioners! You shouldn''t miss something like that."


    "Ah, don''t worry about me, Xiao Yi!" Shao Hai tried grabbing his sleeve but was evaded. He sighed but didn''t try again. Who knew when it happened but his Xiao Yi wouldn''t let others touch him when he just so much as guessed that their hands might not be clean. And unfortunately, his hands weren''t clean most of the time.


    It was all that old geezer''s fault! That Elder Suo always had them do some hard and dirty work when they finished training their sword arts. In his words: In fact, you should be training your sword arts for the whole day! And at night, you should train a bit more! But since you youngsters would just slack off anyway, I''ll give you something else to do. When you''re finished with training, you''re going to chop wood and then help carry all the supplies to the storage and after that, you''ll go help building the new hut for Elder Kong. Sect master''s orders!


    Grr! Just thinking about it made him angry! How would he get sparkly clean hands to touch his Xiao Yi like that?!


    "Stop dreaming." Xiao Dong tiptoed, gripped him by the ear and pulled him in the direction of the staircase to the lower floor.


    Jing Yi had already left the house by that time and only waited for them to fend off those martial sisters. Xiao Dong really was good at that. Though all of them liked him none dared to approach. He just had that kind of evil aura.


    The three boys finally made their way over to the formation the sect had set up for this year''s gathering of practitioners. This wasn''t a formation like the one Jing Yi encountered when he joined the sect but a teleportation array instead. It led to a special dimension just like the one Grandmaster Zhangsun had send Qiu Ling into. Just that while the one Qiu Ling entered was still tied to the Long mountain range, this one was completely separate from it. Whatever the practitioners did in there, it would have no influence on the Long mountain range or the Yun Zou sect.


    Jing Yi curiously looked around. This dimension was only used for gatherings like this or in case of an emergency when the whole sect had to be evacuated. Naturally, he had never seen it before.


    There wasn''t much to see anyway: They had arrived at a large expanse of land. There was neither grass nor could any other plant be seen. Just some rugged mountains dotted the horizon. It was as if this dimension had really only been created to serve as a spot for large fights.


    "Ah, look at that, Xiao Yi!" Shao Hai excitedly pulled at his sleeve just to have it yanked away the next moment. He grinned and pointed up ahead where the ground was a little lower. The sect had set up some wooden and stony rings in the depression. "Elder Suo told us that the fights will be taking place on these rings. The bigger and sturdier the ring the higher the level of the disciples fighting there."


    "Oh." Jing Yi nodded. No, he still hadn''t gotten over his habit of saying only a little.


    "We should hurry over." Xiao Dong took Shao Hai''s hand and pulled him along.


    The practitioners from the outer sect of the Yun Zou sect were already standing hustled together not far from the wooden rings. Elder Suo was looking over them with a grim expression, giving some last-minute advice. Or well, it would probably be better to say that he urged them not to embarrass their sect.


    The Yun Zou sect wasn''t one of the best and actually only relied on their Sect master Yuchi Bing Xia and Grandmaster Zhangsun Xun Yi to stay as part of the first tier sects. They had to get at least decent results to not lose that right.


    Jing Yi waited further from the rings. Even though he had learned a little bit of the sword arts from Shao Hai he had no business mingling with the practitioners. He could only attend as part of the audience. He didn''t really mind. There was certainly a lot he could learn from looking at these senior martial brothers and sisters fighting, too.


    One after another the Elders and disciples of the other first tier sects arrived. Seeing all these different colored robes and the patterns embroidered to differentiate between these sects and their inner and outer parts had his heart beating faster. He had only ever gotten the opportunity to see the outer sect disciples of the Yun Zou sect fight but today he would finally see the inner sect disciples, too. He really couldn''t wait.


    Thankfully, just at that moment, on the other side of the Yun Zou sect, a certain formation lit up after staying silent for five years.


    Grandmaster Zhangsun who was meditating in his palace opened his eyes and lifted his brows. "He was rather fast." Then, he hurried over to get that disciple of his. Since he had gotten out in the nick of time it would be a shame to not let him compete in the gathering of practitioners.

 Chapter 131 - Stunning the Crowds

    Qiu Ling''s temper seemed quite a bit better after he left that special dimension. His thoughts were a different matter, though. He had had a not so welcome encounter in that dimension but, well, he didn''t want to think about that further for now. He''d much rather go and see his be¡ª


    Grandmaster Zhangsun landed in front of him, dashing his hopes of quickly taking a detour to finally visit Jing He. It had been five years, for heaven''s sake! His beloved should nearly be old enough to start thinking about love. It was imperative that he started his seduction soon!


    "Master." Qiu Ling''s expression displayed his true feelings exceptionally well.


    Grandmaster Zhangsun didn''t care, though. He just frowned like always and handed him a package. "You came back just in time. The gathering of practitioners that is held every seven years will be starting soon. Change into that and then let''s hurry over. We wouldn''t want to be tardy."


    "Master ¡­" Qiu Ling wanted to complain but that way too direct master of his had already levitated on his sword and was speeding toward the teleportation array. Qiu Ling sighed, unfurled the package and stared at the robe inside. It was ¡­ white.


    He sighed again. He had always preferred dark clothes because ¡­ well, it displayed his creamy skin and his dark eyes exceptionally well, no? Just once had he worn a white robe and that had been the result of An Bai advising him to match his clothes to Jing He''s to get his attention.


    Mn, thinking about it now, it had been quite difficult. Jing He was quite particular about his clothing. He would spend a substantial amount of time every day to choose a suitable outfit with matching accessories. He even took the weather into consideration so how would Qiu Ling know what he wore?


    Thus, he had been in the difficult situation of having to send someone to spy on his beloved to find what he was wearing that day but still making sure that that person would see nothing that shouldn''t be seen. In the end, he had decided that he trusted none of them enough so he just went and spied on Jing He on his own.


    Had he seen something that shouldn''t be seen? Ahem. Even if he had, that wouldn''t be a problem! After all, they would marry in the future. It wasn''t a question of if he saw these things it was just a question of when.


    Mn, considering he had quite the fond memories of his one day of wearing a white robe, Qiu Ling hastily changed. Maybe it would do him good if Jing He saw him in a white robe?


    Happily smiling, he finally followed his master. Well, if it was some big event then Jing He should be there as well so he could try if wearing white would have an effect.


    Master and disciple arrived at the array. Grandmaster Zhangsun, in his typical stoic way of doing things, just stepped inside not caring whether his disciple actually understood anything about arrays or not.


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. That thing ¡­ looked a little cheap? He wasn''t a master of formations but he could at least tell that these things were not as sophisticated as the ones in the immortal realms. Well, that was to be expected.


    He followed his master and the two of them arrived at the venue of the gathering. By now, all those sects attending had arrived. The Sect master of the Yun Zou sect, Yuchi Bing Xia, was already there, too. He had set up an elevated stage for the important guests to watch the fights from. There was one chair that was still not occupied since the Grandmaster had made it his duty to at least attend these important events even though he didn''t really like to leave his palace.


    The disciples and their elders expected to see him. What they didn''t expect was the person behind him. Dressed in the white robe Grandmaster Zhangsun had forced on him, with his long black hair fluttering in the breeze and his dark eyes scanning the crowd in a condescending manner he was definitely the role-model of a mighty practitioner!


    The Elder of one of the other first tier sects turned around to Yuchi Bing Xia and lifted his brows. "I didn''t know the Yun Zou sect gained such a formidable talent."


    The Sect master could only smile. How could you? Even I didn''t know!


    Thankfully, Grandmaster Zhangsun never was one to spend time wastefully. He arrived before the Sect master was in need to answer any awkward questions.


    Yuchi Bing Xia stood up. After all, even if he was the Sect master, that position was nothing in front of true power and Grandmaster Zhangsun Xun Yi was one of the most powerful people on the side of the good faction.


    "Grandmaster Zhangsun." He nodded and then shifted his gaze toward the young man behind the Grandmaster. "Maybe you want to introduce him to our esteemed guests yourself?" His question was vague enough to give everyone present the illusion that the Sect master knew exactly who that young man was.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t really feel a need to do so but if the Sect master wanted it ¡­ "This is Qiu Ling. My disciple."


    Hardly restrained exclamations could be heard all around. Grandmaster Zhangsun had taken in a disciple? Why hadn''t they heard of that before?! When had this happened?


    Qiu Ling didn''t notice this commotion, though, and he didn''t even think about greeting the Sect master or those so-called ''esteemed guests''. No, his whole attention was on the audience that had gathered below the stage to wait for the start of the gathering.


    There he was. His Jing He stood in their midst, clad in a white robe like the other disciples of the Yun Zou sect, though there were none of the blue clouds embroidered on the hems to show that he wasn''t an inner sect disciple yet. Normally, Qiu Ling would have started to rage because of that fact but this time it was different. Not because the time in the special dimension had shown any kind of magical effect but because his mind was preoccupied.


    He''s looking at me! He''s directly looking at me! I cannot be mistaken about it!


    His heart pounded heavily like it hadn''t done for a long time. In fact, it hadn''t happened since Jing He left for his trial. Sure, he had been happy to see him but it had never been like this. Not this ¡­ intense. He actually felt his soul shaking.


    Qiu Ling''s gaze accurately pinned Jing He. Seeing an unfamiliar face had surprised him slightly in the beginning but his heart settled down again. Right, Jing He was attempting his trial now. This was just his mortal reincarnation. Mn, still, it was quite sweet that the boy would actually feel attracted to him without his memories of who he was. Could he take that as their innate bond?


    In the audience, Jing Yi gulped. Those dark eyes ¡­ he felt like they were looking directly at him. His heart leaped. This man, he really looked like the heroes from the stories: A white robe, flowing black hair, sharp brows ¡­


    Only ¡­ what was with this smoldering gaze?


    Just when he thought that somebody dropped to the ground next to him.

 Chapter 132 - An Incident at the Gathering

    The dull thud broke the connection between Jing Yi and Qiu Ling. Jing Yi turned around and lifted his brows. There was actually a martial sister from their sect lying on the ground.


    "What happened?" One of the Elders made his way over and frowned.


    "She fainted."


    "How come she fainted even before the gathering?" The Elder hurriedly waved at two other disciples to carry her away. Really, these disciples! Losing their sect so much face in front of everyone!


    "It''s not our fault!"


    "He ¡­ he ¡­ he looked right at us!", stammered one of the other disciples. Her cheeks were completely flushed. She still felt like Qiu Ling''s gaze was burning her to ashes.


    Actually, those martial sisters had no reason to be like this. As practitioners or cultivators did they really need a husband? But, well, they were all humans at the end of the day. Just like the men in the sect would turn around when a pretty martial sister walked past them, the martial sisters would get excited whenever they saw a handsome martial brother. Especially if it was one like Qiu Ling.


    "Eh, did Grandmaster Zhangsun say he was his disciple just now?", asked another one, perfectly displaying what all these martial sisters thought.


    Being handsome was great but you had to have status, too! This was even more important to those on the path to becoming an immortal as it was to normal humans. After all, a long life might bring trouble with a lot of people and this world wasn''t peaceful anyway. Having a strong backer was always welcome.


    The other martial sisters nodded. Even though the stage was a bit farther away and elevated, one could still hear loud and clear what the people above were saying if they spoke normally. After all, those were the honored guests of the Yun Zou sect. If they wanted to praise someone, they should have the opportunity, no?


    "You''re right! Ah, he''s not just drop-dead gorgeous, he also has such a high status! I feel like I''m falling in love!"


    "Hmph. Get in line! I''ve already fallen in love with him when he flew over!"


    Jing Yi''s gaze darted from one martial sister to another. It seemed, being a hero also wasn''t easy. That man would have to deal with so many women. Jing Yi pitied him.


    Indeed. One could only pity Qiu Ling. Though his beloved had noticed his heated gaze, he hadn''t understood and even worse those martial sisters of his had thought it was meant for them.


    Hmph. He wasn''t happy with this result. But, oh well, it was a start. He would slowly work toward their joint happiness. In fact, today was a brilliant day for that. Since he had to join in this gathering anyway he would just use the opportunity to show off his awesomeness. At the end of the day, Jing He would certainly recognize how incredibly skilled and handsome he was! By then, he would definitely sink into his arms and let himself be carried off!


    Qiu Ling smiled, garnering even more attention. Somehow, this smile seemed a little evil but oh so seductive. The female disciples clamored even louder. Thankfully, not all of them were from the Yun Zou sect. Quite a few of the martial sisters from other sects had also clustered together and were excitedly whispering with each other, all the while looking over at Qiu Ling.


    Elder Suo was dismayed. He remembered that boy and the fact that he had become Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple said a lot about his talent. But why did he have to have such a face? What would happen to this gathering?


    Jing Yi, too, looked at him and couldn''t help but be attracted by that smile. This really was how a hero should be! What the martial sisters had perceived as seductive and a little evil somehow seemed dignified and righteous to him. He even wondered if he could smile like that. Had Elder Suo known that something like that might happen, too, he probably wouldn''t have been so salty about Qiu Ling''s looks.


    The uproar was growing a little out of hand, though. It weren''t just the martial sisters. The representatives from the other sects also discussed with each other. Of course, this had less to do with Qiu Ling''s looks and was rather due to the fact that Grandmaster Zhangsun had taken in a disciple so suddenly.


    Nobody had anticipated this. But even if they had, this would still have them on their toes. Someone like Zhangsun Xun Yi would never take in a mediocre disciple. That had to mean that the young man in front of them was a rare talent. They couldn''t help but wonder what this would entail for them.


    Especially the other first-tier sects were getting nervous. What if the Yun Zou sect managed to cultivate that disciple into someone as outstanding as their Sect master or ¡ª even more troublesome ¡ª as Grandmaster Zhangsun himself! If they had three such heavyweights around then they would most certainly attain a higher ranking in the first tier. What would become of the other sects then? Some of them would certainly lose out on talents and resources because of that.


    The Elders motioned to their eldest disciples to inform their respective sects. Thus, an assortment of paper cranes of every possible color soon left the Yun Zou sect with the message that Grandmaster Zhangsun had taken in a disciple.


    Yuchi Bing Xia, the Sect master of the Yun Zou sect, looked at all that with resignation. Did they really have to react like headless chicken? They were from the same faction, for heaven''s sake! It wasn''t like they had been informed that Grandmaster Shen An De from the demonic faction had taken in a disciple. That would have been a real reason to worry!


    He didn''t say anything though and just let them be. After all the disciples had run off to send the messages, he finally stood up again, smoothed out his long sleeves and cleared his throat.


    "I once again thank all our esteemed guests that they have taken the long way to our humble Yun Zou sect upon them to take part in this year''s gathering of practitioners. I won''t bore you with a long-winded speech. Let''s just begin with the first round. Please." He motioned at the elder in charge of announcing the fights.


    The man nodded and procured a cauldron. Yes, this was one of the cauldrons like alchemists used them but this time, of course, the Elder wasn''t going to refine pills. Instead, the cauldron was used to pair the disciples that would be fighting against each other. The elder put in different colored spheres but halted before doing anything else.


    He turned to Grandmaster Zhangsun and bowed. "Grandmaster, this one didn''t know you would bring your disciple here. Is he going to participate in the fights, too?"


    The Grandmaster nodded without a word.


    The Elder turned toward Qiu Ling next and smiled at him. "May I trouble you to give me a drop of your blood then?"


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows. A drop of his blood? Why that? Well, it shouldn''t be a problem, right? He stepped down from the stage and went over. He was even as forthcoming as extending his hand and letting his blood drop on the strange sphere the Elder was putting forth before even being asked.


    His blood made contact with the sphere. The surface sizzled and it went up in flames. Qiu Ling and the Elder both looked at the burning sphere, dumbstruck, then looked up at each other. What had just happened?


    An Elder from one of the other sects leaped to his feet, hardly being able to contain his satisfied grin. This was just what they needed to make sure the Yun Zou sect wouldn''t take over their place in the ranking of the first tier sects. He pointed at Qiu Ling with a trembling finger, his eyes wide as if he had just been shocked deeply. "Demon!"


    The dragon king''s brows twitched. Had somebody just called him a demon? Excuse me, but please repeat that so that I can pinpoint exactly who the one speaking was. I wouldn''t want to rip the wrong person apart!

 Chapter 133 - He Always Knew He’s Divine

    In the audience, Xiao Dong who had sensed the arrival of his king as soon as Qiu ling stepped through the array wanted to argue but one look from his king let him fall silent. Why did he feel like he was being insulted with this look? It seemed to say ''You stay away with that golden hair and blue eyes of yours or do you want to condemn me? Even an idiot should be able to think this far ahead!'' Xiao Dong''s head drooped. Right, he had completely forgotten that he himself would easily be mistaken for a demon due to his outward appearance. He was of no use to his king in this case.


    Qiu Ling didn''t think of it any longer and turned around to the stage. "What did you just say?" He seemed calm but there was an indisputable layer of ice in his voice.


    "Silence!", the Elder chastised, his red sleeves flourishing when his hand grabbed his sword. "This is no place for a demon to speak his mind!"


    Qiu Ling cracked his knuckles. He actually dared to call me a demon again! Let''s teach this guy ¡ª


    He stopped midway and peaked into the audience. From where he stood he couldn''t see him but he felt that his beloved was looking in his direction. Ah! Is he worried about me? Mn, whatever it is, I can''t act out now. I wouldn''t want Jing He to see that. He''ll remember when he wakes up. I have to solve this in the best possible style.


    Qiu Ling dropped his hands that were already on their way to grabbing his own sword and put on a gorgeous smile. "Mn, esteemed guest, I''m afraid I''m not too familiar with the sects here. Could it be that it is your sect''s habit to accuse people of being demons without evidence?"


    The red-clothed Elder was livid. "I told you to keep silent!", he roared. Then he turned toward Yuchi Bing Xia. "Sect master Yuchi, is this the Yun Zou sect''s way of doing things? You couldn''t produce a talent in all those years so now you''ve sunken to this point and actually taken in a demon?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia slightly frowned. He looked at the burned sphere and then at Qiu Ling. It was obvious that it had been this young man''s blood that evoked this reaction. Normally, that should only happen if the sphere came into contact with non-human blood.


    Grandmaster Zhangsun stood up and left the stage, going over to Qiu Ling. He looked at his disciple''s face and took his wrist. If his disciple really was partly demon, that would have explained the problem he had had with his energy when he took him in. He wasn''t too worried, though. That boy didn''t seem demonic to him. He might not be entirely human but that didn''t have to mean he was a demon either. Zhangsun Xun Yi had seen enough of the world to know that there were some other possibilities.


    He closed his eyes and concentrated on the energy in his disciples'' body. Soon, his expression changed. His eyes flew open and he looked at the boy in front of him with surprise. "You actually ¡­" He stopped, unable to continue for a moment.


    The red-clothed Elder smiled triumphantly and pointed at Qiu Ling again. "See that? Even your own Grandmaster had acknowledged that he''s a demon! I say we slay him on the spot!"


    Some of the other Elders from first-tier sects nodded or even murmured their assent. All of them wanted this danger to their spot on the ranking gone. The white-clothed Elders from the Yun Zou sect all had expressions as dark as the bottom of a pot. It couldn''t be that the talent their Grandmaster took in really was a demon, could it? Their Grandmaster wasn''t one to make such a mistake!


    "Grandmaster Zhangsun, what is it?", asked Yuchi Bing Xia.


    "Ah, it seems I overlooked something when taking him in."


    The red-clothed Elder wanted to gloat again but Zhangsun Xun Yi''s next words shut him up.


    "This disciple of mine actually has a unique constitution."


    "Unique constitution?!" The Elders erupted once again. That was ¡­ What heaven-defying luck did the Yun Zou sect have to take in someone with a unique constitution?


    They were in for a surprise, though: The Grandmaster wasn''t even finished. "Actually, that''s an understatement. He has the divine constitution that we call ''dragon body''. It''s quite normal for the sphere to react like this. I fear we''ll have to rely on something else to draw the lots." He somehow managed to return to the original issue without caring for the aftermath of his words.


    Qiu Ling also couldn''t understand what all the hubbub was about. He had some divine body, so what? Wasn''t that obvious just from looking at him? This face, this figure, how could one explain it with anything but the word ''divine''? These puny mortals just hadn''t seen enough of the world!


    That wasn''t what the Elders were shocked about, though. A divine constitution was rarer than rare! As rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns! It could only be chanced upon but never found when one searched for it. In fact, in all the history the sects present at the gathering could remember there had only been two confirmed cases of someone having a dragon body and one rumor about a heavenly genius that also possessed one, though nobody had been able to verify that. Come to think of it, that rumored genius was said to also be part of the Yun Zou sect ¡­


    The Elders had a lot of questions but Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t deign to indulge them further. He looked at the Elder in charge of overseeing the fights. "Since the problem has been solved, I believe we should continue with the gathering."


    The Elder nodded hurriedly and took out another sphere. He just put in into the cauldron without doing anything else. Well, there was only one disciple with an empty sphere anyway.


    Qiu Ling wouldn''t let this go so easily, though. He frowned and looked at the stunned Elder in red that couldn''t believe what his accusation had entailed. He had tried to pull that talent and the Yun Zou sect down but had instead managed to elevate them further. That young man wasn''t just the disciple of Grandmaster Zhangsun, he was even a talent with a divine constitution! The other sects were already hurrying to send another message to their sects.


    "You there. You just accused me of being a demon in front of so many people, after all. Now that it''s proven that I''m not ¡­ Don''t you feel like an apology is needed?"


    The Elder gritted his teeth. He had just unwittingly helped them and now that boy even wanted him to apologize? How much face would he lose if he really did that?!


    Qiu Ling just smiled. "Ah, could it be you don''t trust in my master''s impartiality? Maybe you want to come down and check for yourself whether I''m a demon or not?" He even went so far as to extend his arm, pull up his sleeve show his wrist all the while smiling brightly.


    The disciples around him shuddered and noted him down as someone that shouldn''t be crossed. This man was obviously vindictive! Slight him once and he will pay you back a hundredfold!


    The red-clothed Elder forced a smile, too. "Well, it seems I really misunderstood."


    Qiu Ling''s smile turned even brighter but he didn''t say anything. Don''t think I''m dumb! You clearly just said that you misunderstood. You didn''t acknowledge that I''m not a demon and you also didn''t apologize!


    The Elder''s smile stiffened. Shouldn''t someone from the younger generation magnanimously let him off when he had already admitted his fault? Unfortunately for him, Qiu Ling wasn''t that type of person. This man had tried to shame him in front of his beloved! He couldn''t show off in front of Jing He in good conscience as long as he hadn''t made sure he had taken enough of a revenge.


    Thankfully for him, the Elders who had echoed that red-clothed Elder before were now turning against him. It was to be expected. This was a prime opportunity to take down a competitor and ingratiate oneself with a future powerhouse.


    "He''s right, Elder Gongxi! You should really apologize! Accusing him of being a demon, which righteous practitioner could take such an insult?"


    "Indeed, indeed. If it was me, I would have long challenged you to a duel over this. I''d rather lay down my life and be honored in death than to be seen as a demon while alive."


    Qiu Ling perked up. Oh? That sounded good! "This Elder is right! How can I take this just like that? I think such a duel would be a good idea!" He gripped his sword and looked at the red-clothed Elder Gongxi, his eyes clearly holding a provocation.


    Elder Gongxi gulped. How had he gotten into this situation? Being asked to duel by someone from the younger generation ¡­ Had he any face left at all?

 Chapter 134 - What a Coincidence!

    Elder Gongxi was too embarrassed to answer anything. He just wished he had some mystic artifact to turn back time for half an hour so he could wait for somebody else to jump out and call that boy a demon. Then he could claim to be righteous and chastise that guy for accusing someone without proof before anyone else could react. Ah, he would have ingratiated himself with that young genius and Grandmaster Zhangsun and his image would have become better. Now ¡­


    He could only sigh. "This, I''m afraid it''s not too good. See, I''ll apologize to you. I was really wrong. You definitely aren''t a demon."


    "I know! I said so from the beginning!" Qiu Ling was getting impatient. Damn that old geezer! He should just come down and let him beat him up!


    Just then, the Elder in charge of organizing the fights gave out a surprised noise and looked up at the stage. "Ah, Sect master, with the addition of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple there is one person too much."


    "Oh?" Yuchi Bing Xia lifted his brows. "Which disciple got left out? Is it someone from our sect?" Then he''d just ask that person to stand back for once and compensate him. It was more important to have the Grandmaster''s new disciple fight, after all.


    "No, it''s ¡­" The Elder smiled wryly. "It''s the disciple of Elder Gongxi from the Yang Huo sect."


    Everyone at the site was stunned. What a coincidence! Maybe that Elder Gongxi would use this disciple to leverage the situation?


    Before he had any chance Sect master Yuchi used the opportunity. "Ah, so it''s Elder Gongxi''s disciple. How about this? Qiu Ling just challenged the Elder but I''m afraid it''s not really suitable to have someone from the younger and older generation fight. Don''t hold it against him, he hasn''t been with us for long and didn''t know any better. So how about letting your disciple substitute, Elder Gongxi? After all, you are his master. It''s only right that he stands up for your faults."


    "That ¡­ Is this really necessary?" Elder Gongxi just wanted to wash his hands off this.


    But of course, the Sect master wouldn''t let him. "It''s a great opportunity to solve the problem for the gathering. Let''s just have the one who loses the battle drop out of the fights. Then the numbers will be even again."


    Elder Gongxi smiled wryly. How was this fair? If his disciple lost, his sect would have one fewer slot in the gathering than the rest! And that even without competing.


    The other sects also weren''t thrilled at this possibility. Especially since the one taking that place would be someone with a divine constitution. "That wouldn''t be fair, would it? The Yun Zou sect couldn''t be trying to swindle another slot for itself, could it?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia smiled icily. "The Yun Zou sect certainly never asked our esteemed guests to accuse one of our disciples to declare him a demon. So how can you insinuate this had been our plan all along? Of course, should Elder Gongxi decline then, of course, one of our disciples will yield his slot to Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple."


    "I wonder why he wasn''t on the list of participants in the first place."


    Grandmaster Zhangsun looked at the Elder who had dared to pose that question. Was it really so difficult to have his disciple participate in this gathering? "My disciple just emerged from closed-door practice today."


    "Well, if he''s not on the list ¡­"


    Sect Master Yuchi smiled. "As far as I remember the list isn''t mandatory. It''s just something we casually put together. Had one of the disciples on the list gotten injured we would also have somebody else substitute for him. I don''t see a problem with one of our disciples giving up his slot in favor of another disciple of ours."


    Qiu Ling just listened with a smile. He wasn''t furious as one might expect. No, Qiu Ling was relishing the moment and hoped those Elders would dispute a while longer. Of course, there could only be one reason for that: Jing He. Or rather his mortal reincarnation Jing Yi. Qiu Ling could feel his adoration filled gaze in his back. Ah, it really felt good. Even back in the nine heavens, Jing He had never displayed his affection this openly. Mn, please, argue for some hours more. I don''t want this to end.


    Actually, he was even of a mind to slip away into the crowd, find his beloved and hold his hands. Wouldn''t it be great if they could finally meet face to face? He couldn''t wait for it! Mn, he should start contemplating how to approach him. He had to find some impactful first words.


    Unfortunately, Sect master Yuchi didn''t want to let this drag on. "Let''s get back to the issue at hand. What do you say, Elder Gongxi? Do you want your disciple to take up the challenge in your stead? Or do you actually want to fight with someone from the younger generation?"


    Elder Gongxi gnashed his teeth in anger. What kind of question was that? How could he take up the challenge of that brat? When he won people would point at his nose and accuse him of bullying a junior after insulting him. His face ¡­ No, not just his face, the face of his whole sect would be lost! He didn''t even think of the possibility of losing but for someone who had lived a long life and was accustomed to the gap in skill between the young and the old that was probably expected.


    "Sect master Yuchi''s suggestion seems fair to me. It was my fault, after all. Zhou Wu, go and duel in your master''s place. This will decide which one of you will be participating in the gathering so there is no need to hold back."


    His disciple smiled, cupped his hands and bowed. "Don''t worry, Master. Your disciple won''t disappoint you." He looked at Qiu Ling and lifted his chin. Hadn''t that Sect master of theirs said that this guy hadn''t been in the sect for long? If that was the case, then Grandmaster Zhangsun couldn''t have taught him much. He would definitely be able to beat him!


    He went up onto the jade ring in the middle of the clearing and looked at Qiu Ling again. The dragon king beamed. He was a little sad that he couldn''t bask in his beloved''s attention any longer but he was hyped up that he was finally able to compete. Watch me, my love! I''ll show you my might!


    And then, he would go down and step up to him, finally saying the words he had prepared meticulously!


    His heart beating wildly, Qiu Ling stepped onto the ring. Ah, he couldn''t wait for it! Let''s do this fast! But I also need to display some skills ¡­


    The Elder in charge of the fights nodded at them and sounded the gong to begin while Qiu Ling still contemplated which of his moves were the most dashing.


    Elder Gongxi''s disciple unsheathed his sword and took up a stance, waiting for Qiu Ling to make the first move. His opponent just casually stood there, though. He waited a bit but there was still no movement on the other side of the ring.


    Zhou Wu frowned. It seemed he had to be more direct? "That there, considering I am doing this as an apology on behalf of my master I will let you have three moves first. Please." He motioned at Qiu Ling.


    The dragon king looked up with glimmering eyes. "Three moves?" Ah, that was really hard ¡­ He had finally identified the best moves to use but he had only narrowed it down to five. Well, there would be more fights later. He could just use the first three and then show off the other two in the later fights.


    Qiu Ling didn''t waste any time with words. He leaped forward, turned on the ball of his foot and kicked. His sleeves fluttered and his hair described a black arc in the air.


    The martial sisters on the ground screamed. Jing Yi didn''t say anything but his cheeks were flushed. Ah, heroes really were all handsome young men in white robes!


    Qiu Ling turned further, his sleeves and hair fluttering once again until he stood in front of his opp¡ª Uh? Where was his opponent? Qiu Ling looked around but couldn''t see him. Was this fellow actually good enough to evade his move and then mask his presence so as to mount a sneak attack? But that was strange. It had felt like the kick connected.


    Qiu Ling took some cautious steps forward while looking around. He couldn''t believe that a human would manage to land a good hit on him just because he hid before. Qiu Ling finally arrived at the edge of the ring and detected his opponent: Zhou Wu was lying on the ground. The kick had actually sent him flying out of the ring.


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows. He wouldn''t have thought that his attack had been this successful. He waited but that Zhou Wu was just lying there. Qiu Ling angrily narrowed his eyes. "What are you still doing down there? Get up and continue the fight."


    Grandmaster Zhangsun coughed. "Qiu Ling, you already won the fight."


    "What? But I only used one move!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi lifted his brows. Good that you know ¡­


    Qiu Ling pressed his lips together. "I won''t accept this!"


    Zhou Wu could only groan. He had already kicked him off the ring this viciously and he still wanted to go again?!


    Grandmaster Zhangsun sighed. Why was his disciple so thrilled about this fight? "You''ll be participating in the gathering. Just fight there."


    Qiu Ling paused. Mn, right, this one wasn''t good enough of an opponent to showcase his skills. He could wait another hour before meeting his beloved if it gave him the opportunity to find a better opponent and show off.


    Qiu Ling smiled at that master of his and stepped down from the ring. Mn, please, Elder in charge, hurry up and tell me who my next opponent is!

 Chapter 135 - Which Martial Sister Caught His Eye?

    Qiu Ling hopped back onto the ring as soon as the spheres tied to him and his opponent flew out of the cauldron and toward the venue of their fight. In the audience, a migration happened: Most of the martial sisters surrounded the ring and looked up with sparkling eyes.


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brow and watched for Jing Yi. The boy had actually hurried over, too, but seeing the wall of women in front of him he hesitated. He looked up at the ring and once again met with Qiu Ling''s gaze. He felt compelled to step closer but finally still reconsidered.


    Qiu Ling sighed. That was probably his own fault. Ah, but just wait a bit. He would finish these fights as fast as possible and then hurry over to him!


    With that thought, he looked at Jing Yi for a last moment before he turned around to his opponent. He narrowed his eyes and stormed forward as soon as the gong sounded. This disciple, too, was sent over the edge of the ring with one kick.


    Uh ¡­ That hadn''t been his intention! Haish, humans were really too weak. He''d have to hold back if he wanted to impress Jing Yi.


    Sect Master Yuchi looked at Grandmaster Zhangsun. "You got a fine disciple. If it goes on like this, our Yun Zou sect might actually win the gathering this time."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded but he was somewhere else with his thoughts. That disciple of his ¡­ what he had could probably not be just called a divine constitution. Maybe he should go and ask that man about it. He originally hadn''t wanted to pry further into his matters but if it concerned his disciple he had no other choice.


    Qiu Ling knew nothing of his master''s thoughts. He was preoccupied with watching Jing Yi and showing off to Jing Yi whenever the gong sounded again. After the first three or four fights, he finally found the right amount of strength so as to not kick his opponents right off the stage and had the opportunity to display one or two of his other skills.


    His plan seemed to work. Jing Yi''s eyes were practically glued to him. He hadn''t even taken a peek at the fights of Shai Hai or Xiao Dong. Actually, he only remembered them when Shao Hai finally had some more time and came over to complain.


    "Xiao Yi! You didn''t come to watch my fight!" He stared accusingly at him, hoping for at least some soothing words.


    "Ah Hai, look at that!" Jing Yi pointed at the stone ring where Qiu Ling was fighting.


    The dragon king had finally taken out his sword and was twirling it through the air. The blade glinted in the sunlight and the graceful moves showcased Qiu Ling''s well-built body. He kind of regretted not wearing black because that would probably help with his image but white seemed to be alright, too. At least, he could still feel the unwavering gaze of his beloved in his back.


    "What''s so good about him?" Shao Hai couldn''t help but stare at Qiu Ling, too, but didn''t want to acknowledge him. "It''s just flashy moves!"


    "Mn." Jing Yi made a noise of agreement but he hadn''t really heard. All of his thoughts were still concentrated on that figure clad in white.


    The blade flashed once again and the opponent''s weapon clattered to the ground. With a flourish of his sleeves, Qiu Ling sheathed his sword and turned a little to look at his beloved. Mn, he seems reasonably impressed. It''s probably time to go over.


    He left the ring but found himself in front of a wall of women. He couldn''t even see his beloved anymore. Qiu Ling pressed his lips together. This wasn''t right. He shouldn''t come out of a crowd of women when he officially went over to his beloved. What would Jing He think if he saw that? Mn, in fact, it would be better if they were all alone. He didn''t want to have a crowd around. Then again, when he met Jing He for the first time back in the nine heavens, there had been quite a lot of people around, too.


    On the stage, Sect master Yuchi once again leaned over to Grandmaster Zhangsun. "Grandmaster, it seems the way your disciple fights isn''t your typical direct approach."


    "Mn, he didn''t learn that from me."


    "Ah." The Sect master nodded. "Then ¡­ are you alright with this style of his? It seems quite flashy."


    "Indeed." Grandmaster Zhangsun frowned. He also hadn''t expected his disciple to have such a style. Someone who was able to cultivate sword energy at twenty-seven years of age should be better, no? These flashy moves weren''t good for anything but showing off.


    Just when he thought so one of the Grand Elders of the sect chuckled lowly. "I''m afraid you''ll first have to teach him something else before the sword arts, Grandmaster."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi lifted his brows. The Grand Elder chuckled once again and looked at the Sect master to see if he understood. Yuchi Bing Xia could only blink. He also couldn''t understand.


    "Well, he''s clearly showing off. All those pretty martial sisters must have gone to his head."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked over. At this moment, his disciple was looking at those women in front of him with disgust clearly expressed on his face. Was that really someone who basked in their attention?


    The Sect master was skeptical, too. "It doesn''t seem like that to me. He seems rather ¡­ put out because of them?"


    "Ah, what do you know? You''ve both never been in love. He''s clearly charmed by one particular martial sister! Of course, he''s showing off to her and now that there are so many other women he is afraid she might misunderstand him to be a womanizer. That is why he''s angry now."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. This explanation seemed plausible to him. "Then which martial sister does he like?" Considering this was a future pillar of their sect he should try everything to support him!


    "Well, with all these women around even I can''t tell. But she''s probably standing somewhere at the back. If you trace his gaze when he is on the ring, you''ll see that he has always been looking at the back of the crowd."


    All three men looked at Qiu Ling who had to go to the next ring just at that moment. He looked back at the crowd as soon as he stepped onto the ring, his gaze accurately locking onto a place somewhere at the back of the crowd.


    "It''s indeed true!" Sect master Yuchi was stunned.


    "Mn, it might be that young girl who fainted before", guessed the Grand Elder. "That was obviously a ruse from her to attract his attention. It seems it worked. He hadn''t hurried over like she certainly expected but he probably only wanted to be low-key."


    Sect master Yuchi could only lift his brows. Fainting could be a ruse to get attention from a man? Ah, he really had no idea about love. He had always cultivated, taken on missions and then cultivated some more before he started to take over some of the tasks of the old Sect master. When would he have had time for a woman?


    He peaked at the Grandmaster next to him. That fellow would probably understand even less. Had he done anything else but practice in all those years? He was already so old and still not married even though he looked young. There was probably not a chance that this guy would ever find himself a practitioner partner. Mn, maybe it was good that he would be confronted with that thanks to his disciple.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t dwell on it. He felt like love wasn''t something a practitioner needed in his life but he wouldn''t forbid his disciple from forming a practitioner pair if he found someone he liked. A woman wasn''t something that necessarily had to distract someone. It was also something that could give a man another reason to follow his chosen path. Maybe his disciple would be one of those men who were spurned on by the thought of protecting the woman they loved.


    Meanwhile, the gong sounded. Qiu Ling took one look at his opponent, suddenly appeared in front of him and kicked him off the ring. The sound of the gong hadn''t even subsided. As soon as the disciple landed on the ground and the Elder overseeing the fight gave his nod of approval and announced him the winner ¡­ Qiu Ling vanished.


    All the disciples watching stared at the ring dumbstruck. Where had that genius gone?


    The martial sisters who had waited at the side of the ring looked around anxiously. Only those on the stage who could see the whole clearing with all the rings could see that Qiu Ling had leaped from the ring into the air and out of that encirclement of women. He had already landed behind them where they didn''t bother to look and slowly made his way over in a certain direction.


    The Grand Elder and the Sect master couldn''t help but hold their breath and inch a little forward on their seats. Which one would it be? And what was he going to say to her? Then their eyes bulged.


    Qiu Ling''s actions really surpassed all their imaginations.

 Chapter 136 - A Perfect First Encounter?

    Qiu Ling had defeated his opponent in the blink of an eye while all the other fights tended to get longer the further the gathering progressed. Now was the perfect opportunity! After getting rid of those annoying women, Qiu Ling smoothed out his sleeves, adjusted his posture and walked over with an elegant smile on his lips. He was the perfect picture of a gallant young hero.


    The few women who hadn''t squeezed into the crowd had already hearts in their eyes. Each and every one of them asked herself the same question: Is he coming over to me?! Especially the one who had pretended to faint before in the hopes of him hurrying over to catch her had her heart beating faster. She was sure her plan had still succeeded in the end. He must have regretted not catching her and was now coming over to apologize!


    She smiled sweetly and stepped forward. "Senior martial brother!" Her voice seemed even sweeter than her smile. If it was possible, it might have even dripped with honey.


    Qiu Ling didn''t notice her. He stepped past her and stopped in front of Jing Yi. His heart was in his throat. Oh heavens! When had he ever been this nervous? He couldn''t mess up now! The happiness of this mortal lifetime of his beloved''s reincarnation depended on this moment and maybe even the happiness of their life after returning to the nine heavens! This was too important to let any error occur!


    He silently gazed at the boy in front of him, taking in every little detail of his face. His eyes were a little bigger than Jing He''s peach blossom eyes, the lashes not as thick and the iris a bit brighter but Qiu Ling still felt like the same person was looking at him. That was his beloved''s soul! Even in this mortal life of his he still looked at him the same way! Ah, this slightly puzzled gaze, just like the day they first met in the nine heavens ¡­


    Qiu Ling''s breathing sped up and his gaze turned to Jing Yi''s lips. He wanted to kiss him so badly ¡­ He was of a mind to just follow his impulse, to cup his beloved''s cheeks, lean forward and steal a kiss but he held back forcibly.


    Don''t mess up!, he chastised himself again.


    Even though they looked a little different, this was still his beloved. He deserved being treated like the most precious person in the whole world. He couldn''t just kiss him in front of all those people!


    His first kiss should be cherished like he had done it in the nine heavens. They had to be alone for that and the atmosphere had to be just right. A quiet environment would be necessary, maybe with some slight sounds like a gurgling stream or the chirping of birds as the backdrop. The sun would have to shine brightly but not too hot so that his beloved would be comfortable all over. But there also had to be some wind, so that Jing He would feel good when he took him into his arms and pressed him up against his chest. It would be the perfect prelude ¡ª


    After being stared at for a full five minutes without the other saying a thing, Jing Yi couldn''t help but wet his lips. He wanted to greet him at least, even though he was a little afraid that he might be ignored just like that senior martial sister before him.


    The slight movement of Jing Yi''s lips caught Qiu Ling''s attention. After all, he had been staring at them for the whole time. He woke up from his thoughts and couldn''t help but curse himself inside. Damn, he had gotten ahead of himself again! This wasn''t the time to plan their first kiss! This was the time for his prepared first words!


    His gaze returned to Jing Yi''s eyes, effectively freezing the greeting in his throat. Yes! He had the initiative back! Under no circumstances would he allow his beloved to say something first. After all, who could promise him that he could then still follow up with his perfect first words?


    He had wanted to make this first encounter of theirs as memorable as possible for his beloved. When Jing He woke up he should remember this and then smile that quiet smile of his. He should stand up and come to his side, slowly melting into his embrace.


    What could be better suited for this purpose than repeating the words he had said to him back in the nine heavens when they first met? When Jing He woke up, he''d remember it instantly. Of course, he would be endlessly touched!


    Just imagining it ¡­


    A splendid smile grazed Qiu Ling''s lips and he reached down to take Jing Yi''s hands into his. He held them for a moment, making the boy''s skin tingle with warmth and his heart flutter.


    Qiu Ling inched a little closer, his breath tickling Jing Yi''s cheeks. His voice was unexpectedly smooth when he finally said what he had prepared:


    "Marry me!"

 Chapter 137 - Confessing His Love

    The men on the stage fell silent. The people around Qiu Ling and Jing Yi stopped their whispering, too. Somehow sensing the peculiar atmosphere behind them the rest of the audience turned around and stared at the middle of that ring of silence. They hadn''t heard what Qiu Ling said but seeing him holding Jing Yi''s hands with such an earnest gaze they felt that something major was going on. When nobody looked at the fights anymore and the cheers stopped, the disciples dueling also couldn''t help looking over and stopping their fights.


    Somehow, two words had been enough to shut the whole venue up and make Qiu Ling and Jing Yi the center of attention.


    Qiu Ling didn''t care, though. He looked at Jing Yi with a wildly pounding heart. How would his beloved react? That was all he cared about.


    The boy''s lips moved but he didn''t get any sound out. He wasn''t a child anymore even though one could hardly call him an adult at barely fifteen years of age. He understood what Qiu Ling was saying there, after all, Shao Hai spoke often enough about how he would marry him in the future. He had never paid those words any heed. Sure, he liked Shao Hai but he didn''t have any other feelings for him. Spending time with him was alright but he couldn''t picture a future in which they would live together how his parents had done.


    Now, the person saying these words had changed and he couldn''t keep being as indifferent as he had been before. That was the hero he had just started to admire! Why would he ask him something like this?


    Shouldn''t a hero not care about love at all? Or ¡­ as far as the stories went that Shao Hai and Xiao Dong had told him there were some heroes that indeed fell in love. But the person they loved should be a beautiful maiden they would care for their whole life! Why was this man asking him now?


    Jing Yi took a deep breath. He looked at his hands in the bigger ones of this man and then gazed up into those dark eyes again. "Why are you asking me?"


    Ah! Qiu Ling''s gaze intensified. This reaction, it was too tempting! He gripped his hands a little tighter and inched closer. There was hardly any space separating them anymore. If he concentrated, he might just be able to feel his beloved''s heartbeat.


    "I just took one look at you and heard you speak one word and I knew you were the only one for me. It''s either you or I will stay alone for the rest of my life. In fact, what is this life worth without you? I might just end it altogether."


    He lifted one hand and cupped Jing Yi''s cheek. Indeed. Without him ¡­ he wouldn''t want to live anymore. Just remembering that time in the nine heavens when he stood in the high hall and thought that Jing He had been assassinated ¡­ His whole world had come crashing down on him. He couldn''t let him go. Not in this life and not in any other.


    If Jing He died, he might as well follow him to the yellow springs and reincarnate together with him, entering a new life where they could have a chance of being together again. He didn''t worry that he might not be able to find him there. Their souls would call out to each other. They were fated to be one.


    Jing Yi looked at the man in front of him, his chest tightening at his words. He freed his hands from his grip and gripped the lapel of his own robe. Why did he feel like this? He couldn''t understand!


    Qiu Ling saw the confusion in his eyes and lightly smiled. He took Jing Yi''s hands back and pressed them against his own chest, letting him feel his heartbeat. And then, with a sly smile, he implemented one of the invaluable pieces of advice his mother-in-law had once given him: "Don''t worry. You don''t have to answer now. Take a bit of time to think it over. I''ll ask you again in seven days time."


    His smile intensified, then he let go of Jing Yi''s hands and turned around, his black hair and white robe building a beautiful contrast while they swayed in the breeze.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but follow that leaving figure with his gaze until he vanished into the crowd. His heart still pounded wildly. Ah, someone had just proposed to him and this time, it really felt like an earnest proposal. Not like those jokes of Shao Hai.


    Shao Hai, whose love had just been treated like a joke, felt a sudden sense of crisis. He hadn''t heard the proposal at the beginning but he had still been able to see how close his Xiao Yi and that disciple of the Grandmaster had stood together and since the whole venue had fallen silent he had been able to hear Qiu Ling''s following confession loud and clear.


    Damn this! Somehow somebody else had taken a fancy to his Xiao Yi! And this guy was even so good with words! He had to step up his game or his Xiao Yi might be taken away. Just look at how he was slightly blushing while he looked at that white-clad figure! He had never looked at him that way.


    While Jing Yi was confused, Qiu Ling was incredibly happy and Shao Hai was angry, the three men on the stage who had been discussing which martial sister Qiu Ling might like were completely stunned. They had been so incredibly wrong it couldn''t even be expressed in words! This disciple of Grandmaster Zhangsun ¡­ he hadn''t fallen in love with any martial sister. He had actually taken a fancy to one of his martial brothers!


    "Say ¡­" Sect master Yuchi coughed and evaded the gazes of the other two men. "That boy, who is he?"


    Grandmaster Zhangsun displayed his eternal frown and narrowed his eyes. He also didn''t know but ¡­ "It seems he''s a disciple of our outer sect."


    Sect master Yuchi and the Grand elder couldn''t help but lift their brows. A disciple of their outer sect? That sure was unexpected.

 Chapter 138 - Everyone Needs Advice Sometimes

    Grandmaster Zhangsun didn''t wait for the end of the gathering. He left after watching some more fights of his disciple and observing that boy Qiu Ling had proposed to. Then, he left the venue and made his way over to the formation he had fetched Qiu Ling from before the gathering. He stepped into the array and was transported into the special dimension.


    He looked around but couldn''t spot the person he was looking for. He flew toward the center of the dimension and stopped at the edge of a lake. The water was clear enough to see down onto the ground. Right now, a golden-haired man was seated there in a lotus position. When he felt Zhangsun Xun Yi''s gaze, the man opened his eyes. They glinted golden like the sun.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded at the man and the figure pushed off the ground. It broke through the surface, swam over to where Zhangsun Xun Yi waited and came out of the water. The man waved his hand and his golden hair as well as his black robe both dried.


    "I feel like this dimension has become quite lively."


    "I hope you didn''t mind me sending my disciple over. There was something wrong with his energy. I thought coming here might help."


    The man walked over to a boulder and sat down, smiling lightly. "You''re asking that now. Hadn''t I already been stuck with him for five years?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t answer.


    The man sighed. "It''s alright. Though, I wouldn''t have minded a little warning. It was quite the shock."


    The Grandmaster narrowed his eyes. "A shock? Why that?"


    The golden eyes fixated on him.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed and sat down on the ground in the lotus position, too. "I can imagine. Back then, I actually didn''t know but there was an incident today. When I checked his veins I found out he isn''t human. Is he ¡­ like you?" He looked at the other man but only got a smile in return. "Besides that incident that revealed his ¡­ special constitution he proposed to one of his junior martial brothers he hadn''t seen before."


    The man laughed and leaned back, looking up at the sky. His golden hair gently swayed in the breeze. "So he already proposed? He''s a fast one."


    "If he really is part of your race then ¡ª"


    The man sighed. "There is no use in worrying over that. He''s more decisive in this regard, it seems, but he is just as dumb as that man. He already did something irreversible long ago. Even if you tried to protect him, it would be of no use."


    "So your meaning is ¡­?"


    "Just let it take its natural course. There is nothing you or anyone else could do. It''s up to them in the end."


    Grandmaster Zhangsun nodded. He wouldn''t have known what to do anyway. "Then I''ll just watch and concentrate on training him."


    The man sat up straighter and smiled sardonically. "Train him? Even I wouldn''t be able to train that brat. What do you want to teach him? Just let him stay at your sect and use him when it''s necessary. He''ll be content just being able to watch over that boy he fell in love with."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned. So, he had taken in a disciple that wasn''t a disciple in the end? Somehow, he felt a little reluctant to accept that.


    "You just set your sights too high. If you want to teach someone, look out for someone with potential but no training, not someone who has already mastered everything."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed. "Maybe it''s just time for me to ascend."


    The man examined him for a while before turning toward the lake. "What''s the difference? Whether here or there you''d still be alone."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t answer. He just turned around and left the special dimension. He already had the answer he wanted. There was no need to disturb that man''s peace any longer. Obviously, his questions had already touched a sore spot.


    While Grandmaster Zhangsun had figured out how to proceed in a swift manner, Jing Yi had spent the rest of the day in a daze. Neither did he pay attention to the fights nor did he hear any of the flaming remarks Shao Hai had to say about that ''hateful disciple of the Grandmaster that couldn''t be trusted under any circumstances''. Until the time he went to bed that evening all of his thoughts were occupied with that burning gaze and those earnest words and that gentle hold on his hands. He even seemed to still be able to feel that quickened heartbeat.


    This man ¡­ He couldn''t help but blush thinking of him. What would he have given to have someone at his side he could ask for advice! If he could just talk it over with his mother ¡­ He hadn''t seen her in so long but there was no way to change that. He couldn''t just leave the sect.


    Jing Yi sighed and turned to the other side. What was marriage actually like? He knew it was some kind of relationship like how his parents had shared it. But that had been some years ago and as a child, he hadn''t really paid any attention to it. Now, he desperately needed to know. Was there anyone he could ask?


    Jing Yi pondered. He didn''t know many people in the Yun Zou sect even though he had stayed there for a full five years. The other martial brothers of the outer sect had only ever given him work to do without bothering to exchange even the most basic greetings with him. The martial sisters were a little better but Jing Yi was still afraid of them. He couldn''t ask either of these people.


    Then that would only leave Shao Hai and Xiao Dong. But Shao Hai had always spoken of wanting to marry him himself so maybe it wasn''t so good to ask him? That would leave Xiao Dong as the only option ¡­


    Jing Yi thought of that cold face and couldn''t help but wonder if Xiao Dong was really the right choice for this. He probably didn''t know about things such as love and marriage? Then again, he looked with a similar determination at Shao Hai like that man had used to gaze at him today.


    Jing Yi turned around again and sighed. He could at least try to ask him tomorrow. If he couldn''t get an answer that way, he could still try to come up with other ideas. Having found this solution, Jing Yi finally fell asleep.


    Meanwhile, a lone figure clad in a white robe stood in front of the building and looked up at the window of the room where Jing Yi was sleeping. Qiu Ling was of half a mind to go up there and just stay with him for the night but he held back. He clearly remembered what his mother-in-law had told him back then.

 Chapter 139 - Mother-In-Law Still Knows Best

    They had been walking in the gardens. The heavenly empress Bai Fen had only smiled when he complained to her about how his relationship with her son wasn''t moving forward. He had even thought that she might be amused by his heartache.


    But finally, she had halted in her steps and turned around to him, her gaze profound. He had instantly stopped talking and perked up. That was definitely the moment where his wise mother-in-law would share one of her insightful thoughts with him!


    "Longjun, since the day you have fallen in love with my son: What have you done?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. "I did everything you told me!" And some more things but he didn''t want to confess that. If she knew, she might not like him anymore. Some of the ideas he and the other men from the dragon folk had come up with were probably not something he could tell his future mother-in-law.


    The heavenly empress just continued to gaze at him. That was obviously not the answer she wanted.


    Qiu Ling slightly frowned and pondered her question. What had he done since falling in love with Jing He? "I ¡­ tried to get his attention and make him fall in love with me as much as I''m in love with him?" There was still no reaction. "Mother-in-law, don''t be like this! I''ve done so much to chase your son! How would I know what you want to hear?"


    Bai Fen smiled. "Indeed."


    Qiu Ling blinked. "Indeed? What do you mean?"


    Bai Fen resumed her pace and, of course, Qiu Ling followed right after.


    "What do you mean? Your son-in-law can''t understand your profound thoughts without help!"


    "You''ve done a lot of things to win him over. Now, what has that son of mine done?"


    "Uhm ¡­" Qiu Ling thought of Jing He and a special glimmer appeared in his gaze. "Well ¡­" He probably couldn''t utter his real thoughts here, right? He cautiously looked at Bai Fen but she didn''t seem to be bothered by this kind of gaze. "Ah, don''t fault me, mother-in-law. Actually, yesterday, he let me take his hands and ¡ª"


    "That''s not what I''ve asked about, though."


    Qiu Ling shut up. "Huh?"


    "I asked what he has done. In regards to this relationship between you, what has he done?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "You just said you''ve done a lot of things to chase him. So, what has my son done to reciprocate?"


    Qiu Ling was stumped for words. That question was unexpected. And even worse, there was nothing he could say. Because honestly, Jing He hadn''t done anything. Well, he had let his guard down around him bit by bit and he was obviously feeling much more comfortable around him but he had never done anything of his own accord. In fact, at that point in time, there was still a thin wall separating them.


    Take holding his hands: It was something Qiu Ling would bring up like this in front of Bai Fen because he felt it was a big step in their relationship even though he had already chased Jing He for quite a few years. Until then, occasions like these had been rare. They could spend their whole day together, wandering in the gardens outside or staying in Jing He''s palace and talking but that was it. Jing He still shied away when Qiu Ling tried to do anything more.


    He didn''t mind any seemingly accidental touches but as soon as it went beyond that he would evade. Holding his hands? That was out of the question. Kissing him? Dream on! He couldn''t even think of that.


    If he was honest, Qiu Ling did mind that. It had sometimes made him question if he would ever be able to enter a true relationship with Jing He. At that time, it really hadn''t seemed like it. Hadn''t he been so much in love with him that he didn''t mind waiting some years it would have been completely impossible.


    Now, faced with Bai Fen''s question, the uncertainty in Qiu Ling''s heart had reemerged. Could it be that Jing He didn''t reciprocate his feelings? Was that why he couldn''t name even one instance where Jing He had been the one to take the initiative?


    Bai Fen smiled when she saw that he had understood. "You''re making it too easy on him."


    "Huh?"


    "That boy, he has grown up alone and, honestly, too pampered. He is our only child so we wrapped him in cotton wool. Especially his father. Jing He ¡­ He probably didn''t know how to handle you at the beginning. Your approach was quite forceful, after all. Someone like him who was always handled with special care ¡­ He just wouldn''t know how to react. But you did manage to wear his defenses down."


    "I did." Qiu Ling smiled. He felt proud of that!


    "Then, do you feel that he loves you?"


    Qiu Ling pondered. Disregarding the fact that they hadn''t had much physical contact ¡­ "I do."


    Bai Fen smiled sweetly. "But you still haven''t kissed him, have you?"


    Qiu Ling looked away, dismayed. Somehow, that grin on his mother-in-law''s face looked gleeful. Shouldn''t she want her son-in-law to make better progress? "So, what do you want to say?"


    "Jing He is taking you for granted."


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows and turned back toward her.


    "Since the day you met you''ve run over nearly every day. And if it wasn''t every day, then it was every other day. And you''ve shown a lot of patience when it comes to him. He probably feels like ¡­ You would give him a hundred more years regardless of how he behaves."


    "I would."


    "And that''s the problem."


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Mother-in-law, I really can''t understand you today. How is that a problem? Shouldn''t you be glad that your son found such an understanding partner?"


    "I am. But the worrisome thing here is my own son. He''ll take advantage of your attitude. As long as he doesn''t have to decide he won''t. He''s feeling ¡­ too secure. He likes it the way it is now. He likes your care and the time he spends with you but he also likes the life he had before. There weren''t many people in his life. Actually, disregarding Rong Su and me, there is only his uncle. Everyone else would merely count as an acquaintance. He certainly wouldn''t want to risk one of these relationships."


    "You mean his father."


    "Mn." Bai Fen nodded. "Rong Su doesn''t like you and he has made that quite clear to Jing He. That boy is afraid of how it might affect his relationship with his father if he accepts you as his partner."


    Qiu Ling''s heart sank. "But that won''t change. His father won''t just start to like me suddenly. He doesn''t even give me a chance."


    "Indeed. But that isn''t the issue at hand anyway. My husband will come to terms with it someday. The important thing now is to make clear to Jing He that he can''t stall you forever. He has to decide. Either you are important enough to him to risk having a fallout with his father ¡­ or you aren''t but then he can''t have you around."


    Qiu Ling gulped. He couldn''t help but fear that Jing He might choose the latter. "Then what if ¡ª"


    Bai Fen shook her head. "You just said that you feel like he loves you. I think so, too. He is just too comfortable with the status quo. You have to do something to show him the consequences of his behavior. Let him see where it could get him."


    Qiu Ling looked at the ground. He didn''t want to hurt his beloved. And this would definitely hurt him. But he also knew that his mother-in-law was right. Jing He wouldn''t change his attitude if he didn''t do something.


    "So, what do you propose?"


    "Let him feel what it is like to not have you around. And then see how he reacts."


    "You mean, I shouldn''t come over for a while?" Qiu Ling looked at her pitifully. Not coming over would hurt him just as much as it would hurt his beloved!


    Bai Fen cruelly nodded. "You either stay away for a while now or stay away forever later. If you choose the second option you might get an invitation to Jing He''s wedding someday. Just that the other name on it will not be yours."


    Qiu Ling clutched his chest. His mother-in-law was just too vicious! "How long?"


    "At least a week. Seeing how stubborn my son is, a month might even be better. Let him get anxious about it. We''ll see. Maybe he''ll even run over to the dragon realm." She smiled.


    This woman ¡­ Seeing her like this, Qiu Ling shuddered. Thankfully, she liked him! Otherwise, he never would have had a chance at getting Jing He.

 Chapter 140 - With Time Comes Change

    It goes without saying that Qiu Ling was the first one to break down. After seven consecutive days of neither seeing Jing He nor hearing anything about him, he couldn''t take it anymore. Thus, he barged into the nine heavens.


    According to Bai Fen''s account of the happenings in the heavenly emperor''s palace, Jing He''s father, who had thought that this annoying pest of a possible future son-in-law had finally given up and wouldn''t bother his son any longer, flew into another fit of rage. Especially since his son who had looked slightly out of sorts for the last few days seemed instantly revived upon hearing that that guy had returned. There was even a beautiful smile on his lips!


    Jing He, for once, had ignored his father''s temper and hurried over to where Qiu Ling was without hesitation. He only halted when he saw him and his chest that had felt stuffed for these days finally lightened up. He breathed a sigh of relief and slowly walked over.


    Ah, the crown prince was just as pretentious as the dragon king. All these insecurities he felt inside, he didn''t want to display them before the man he loved. And yes, he really loved him. He just ¡­ had been too afraid to express it.


    Qiu Ling saw him and the look in his eyes that was somehow different from before. This time, he wasn''t cautious. He bet everything he had one this one moment.


    He grabbed Jing He by the shoulder, pulled him into his arms and slid his fingers into his hair. Then he kissed him.


    Jing He stiffened for a moment but then he relaxed and just let it be. He had only started to struggle again when Qiu Ling became greedy and wanted to take it one step further.


    Qiu Ling shook his head with a smile when he thought of that. This first kiss, the day they finally, officially became a couple ¡­ it had been quite a bit of time since then. He wanted nothing more than to take the next step and make Jing He his official consort. Even if it was only in the mortal world, it would drive him crazy with happiness.


    He sighed, looking at that dark window on the second story. One week. Maybe it would work here in the mortal world just like it had back then in the nine heavens. He really hoped so.


    Unfortunately, Qiu Ling hadn''t considered that Jing Yi in contrast to the Jing He of that time actually didn''t know him. Jing He had been hesitating because of the way he grew up but he had loved Qiu Ling very much already at that point in time. Jing Yi, however, wasn''t sure how to react because he knew nothing about marriage. If he knew what it was about, would he really agree? It wasn''t likely. Instead, it was quite probable that Qiu Ling had tried this ploy too soon.


    Well, he might still have a chance if Xiao Dong''s answer the next day was able to convince Jing Yi. Thankfully, Xiao Dong was already worshiping Qiu Ling so he wouldn''t say anything bad about him. And since he was searching for an opportunity to prove his worth to his king anyway, this was just what he wanted.


    When Jing Yi woke up the next morning his thoughts instantly returned to the things that had happened the day before. He couldn''t wait to ask Xiao Dong but there were still the chores he had to do. Just because he had another problem now he wouldn''t slack off on the things he was supposed to do.


    Jing Yi might not have had the opportunity to learn cultivation but he had listened to a hundred different stories about heroes thanks to Shao Hai and Xiao Dong''s efforts. He had a pretty clear understanding of what kind of characteristics a hero should have. Not shirking his responsibilities was one of them!


    He washed up, put the robe of the outer sect disciples on and went down to the first floor. Without hesitation he walked to the storage room and took out a broom, then he proceeded to sweep the floor.


    After a while, two of the other disciples came down the stairs. The first one yawned and passed by him without greeting like on any other day. The second one wanted to follow, stepped past Jing Yi and suddenly froze. Slowly, he turned back and took in what he saw: Jing Yi. A broom. An incredibly clean floor.


    Since Jing Yi hated everything dirty, of course, he would do this chore with special care. Since the day he took over this task of sweeping there had never been any dirt anywhere in the house. The other disciples didn''t care and had never paid him any attention anyway so they had never thought about it.


    But now, the disciple at the door felt cold sweat running down his back. When his friend returned to ask what was wrong, he slapped his arm. "Fuck, are you serious? Look who he is! What is he doing with a broom in his hand?!"


    The first disciple rubbed his eyes and looked. "Seems to be that Junior martial brother, Jing-what''s his name. And isn''t he just sweeping the floor? What are you making such a ruckus for?"


    The second one grabbed him by the collar. "Idiot! That''s the boy Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple proposed to yesterday! Do you believe he''ll have us pay if he ever sees him sweeping the floor? Fuck, haven''t you seen yesterday how vindictive he is? I don''t want to get on his bad side!"


    Qiu Ling had already seen everything there was to see, though. If this was a normal situation the disciple would have been right to worry. In fact, when Qiu Ling noticed that his beloved had to do these menial chores he was ready to unleash his fury on these so-called martial brothers. But then he remembered the trial. It was probably due to this that his beloved had to suffer this humiliation. Thus, he had grudgingly postponed his revenge. That didn''t mean he would forget about it, though. He had already noted all their names down for later.


    The first disciple blinked and slowly shock spread on his face. Shit! His friend was right!


    He hurried over to Jing Yi and just grabbed the broom. "Hehe, greetings junior martial brother Jing. What are you doing this early in the morning?"


    Jing Yi looked up with slight surprise. Normally, his senior martial brothers just ignored him. None of them had ever tried to hinder him in his work. "Greetings, senior martial brother. I''m sweeping."


    "Ah, no need, no need. Why don''t you go and sleep a little longer? Ah Bo and I will do this."


    Jing Yi didn''t know what to do. This had always been his chore since he had entered the sect. Why were these senior martial brothers suddenly of a mind to do this chore instead of him? Well, they were his elders, after all, so he would comply. He''d just go and do some other chores.


    "If the senior martial brothers insist." He bowed and hurried out of the building.


    The first disciple grimaced. "Tch. What an attitude! Just because that Grandmaster''s disciple likes him he thinks he can do whatever he wants!"


    "Sh! Are you dumb? What if someone hears you?"


    "What? I''m only saying the truth. I seriously hope those two won''t end up together!"


    "Who knows? It came out of the blue so it might indeed just be some short-lived infatuation. Just wait until he drops him. Then you can pay him back."


    Somehow, them asking Jing Yi to let them sweep in his stead had turned into him using his relationship with Qiu Ling for his own benefit. Had they known what Jing Yi went to do next they might have thought differently. But that was for some other poor senior martial brother to discover.


    When one of them left the building still wondering why two people he had never seen doing any chores before were actually sweeping the floor now he saw a slender boy sitting not far from the building next to the well and scrubbing clothes. At first, he didn''t pay it any heed but then he halted. That boy ¡­ had seemed familiar somehow?


    He slowly turned back and examined that face. It was slightly red due to the exercise and thus, looked remarkably similar to the blushing expression Jing Yi had shown in front of Qiu Ling the day before. The disciple felt like his heart stopped beating. For heaven''s sake! Why was the beloved of their Grandmaster''s disciple washing their clothes?!


    Yes, those clothes were not just his. They were the clothes from all the disciples living in the building. Those of the common people that believed cultivators always had clean clothes because their robes were made of special fabric and because they could make any dirt magically disappear anyway should probably take a trip to the Yun Zou sect.


    The bitter truth was: They couldn''t just use magic. At least not when they had just begun cultivating. And as for special fabric ¡­ Damn, the sect couldn''t even pay for a decent hut for one of their most trusted elders! Did anyone really expect them to give every disciple special clothes?! Those disciples could thank their stars that they at least got to wear white robes! If Sect master Yuchi could do as he wanted to and wasn''t bound by old customs, they would all be wearing cheap gray! The cheapest gray he could find!


    Since there wasn''t a shortcut to having clean and neat robes for the outer sect disciples they had to wash them by themselves. And just like the task of sweeping the floor, this chore had been heaped upon Jing Yi.


    The disciple hurried over, grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. "Junior martial brother Jing, what are you doing? So early in the morning, there''s no need to wash the clothes. Why don''t you go and take a stroll to wear of the sleepiness? I''ll do this chore instead."


    Jing Yi blinked. What was it with his senior martial brothers today? "But senior ¡ª"


    "No, no. No need to thank me. It''s what I should be doing." He smiled and sat down where Jing Yi had just been sitting, starting to work so that Jing Yi couldn''t protest.


    The boy didn''t give up so easily, though. This was his work, after all. He couldn''t leave everything to his senior martial brothers now, could he? "Senior martial brother, how about we do this together? Then we ¡ª"


    "No, no, no need. Just go take a stroll. Look, the weather''s so nice today." He paused a bit and then slyly added: "Actually, taking a stroll alone isn''t so nice. Why don''t you ask someone to accompany you?" Like our Grandmaster''s disciple, for example? And please tell him that it was my idea! Of course, he could only think that silently and hope that Jing Yi would get the hint.


    "Oh. Well, if you insist ¡­" Jing Yi could only turn around and really start to stroll down the pathway in front of the building. Of course, he didn''t go to get Qiu Ling. Instead, he went to the house where Shao Hai and Xiao Dong were staying.


    If his senior martial brothers were this eager to do the tasks, then he might as well go and find an answer to the question that was tormenting him. After all, seven days weren''t long.

 Chapter 141 - Once Upon a Time There Was a Dragon King …

    Jing Yi went to the room at the back of the building where Xiao Dong was staying. He hesitated in front of the door, though.


    What exactly would he ask? And how should he do it? Could he really just go in and ¡­


    The door was opened and Xiao Dong appeared on the other side. Thanks to the mark of the dragon Qiu Ling had left with his beloved, he had already noticed Jing Yi since he entered the building.


    He lifted his brows as if surprised and nodded. "What may I do for you?" He had always been courteous to Jing Yi. Now that his king had arrived and would stay at the sect, he would try even harder to please his king''s beloved. If his beloved was happy, His Majesty would be happy, too!


    "Xiao Dong ¡­" Jing Yi squirmed a bit. Could he really just ask?


    Xiao Dong stepped to the side and wanted to invite him in when he suddenly halted. Wait. He couldn''t invite him in! This was His Majesty''s beloved! How dare he even think about inviting him into his room?!


    "Ah, how about we go and take a stroll outside?"


    Jing Yi blinked. "Alright?" What was it with people proposing for him to take a stroll today? Was the weather really that nice? But it seemed just like yesterday?


    Xiao Dong smiled relieved and hurriedly closed the door. He wouldn''t be able to make it up to his king if anyone misunderstood the situation. He hastily left the house and tried to find the path with the most disciples wandering about. He even went so far as to maintain an additional step of distance between them. No, nobody may misunderstand! This wasn''t any kind of romantic stroll!


    "So, what may I do for you?"


    Jing Yi gulped and took another look at Xiao Dong''s expressionless face. "Well ¡­ You see, I ¡­ I was wondering if you might be able to give me some advice."


    "Advice?" Xiao Dong blinked. What kind of advice could His Majesty''s beloved want from him? "If it''s something I know, I''ll naturally help you."


    "Well, I don''t really know how to say this but ¡­ I was wondering about yesterday."


    "Yesterday?" For a moment, Xiao Dong didn''t know what this was about. Then, his face lit up. "Oh, you were talking about Hi¡ª uh ¡­ Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple."


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded. He waited if Xiao Dong would say anything else but nothing came. "It''s just that ¡­ I don''t really know about those things. I was wondering if you might know more about it."


    Xiao Dong''s eyes widened. Was this the opportunity he had been praying to the heavens for?! "Are you ¡­ asking for my advice regarding how you should answer?" He turned toward Jing Yi and narrowed his eyes.


    "Ah, never mind, I can go and ¡ª"


    "No, no." Xiao Dong hastily grabbed his sleeve. "It''s no problem at all! Actually, I had already felt like I should offer it of my own volition because your reaction yesterday was really lacking."


    "Lacking?" Jing Yi frowned. Well, he hadn''t said anything.


    "Mn. You know, I think you should accept."


    "Accept?" Jing Yi still could only repeat what Xiao Dong said. He had thought he could find out a bit more about what marriage was like. Now, he instead got advice on how to proceed. "Why?"


    "He obviously loves you very much! He''d hold you in the palm of his hand and care for you for the rest of your life, keeping you safe and anticipating your every wish. Wouldn''t you love to have a partner like that?"


    Jing Yi pursed his lips. "Not really."


    Xiao Dong was stumped for words. Hah? How had that happened? He had praised His Majesty so much! Why was Jing Yi reacting like this?


    "You see, I''ve always wanted to become a hero. How could I do that when I marry someone who would always keep me safe? In all the stories you and brother Hai have told me the heroes always had to live through dangerous situations."


    Xiao Dong really wanted to slap himself now. Why had he told him those stories? "But ¡­ isn''t marrying a hero also a good thing?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "I believe, my father would have wanted me to become a strong man and not someone who has to rely on somebody else for everything."


    Yes, he didn''t believe anymore what Qiang Wei had told him but after five years of struggling in the Yun Zou sect, he was reluctant to give up the dream he had worked hard for. He really wanted to become one of those heroes clad in white now. Even more so after he had seen Qiu Ling yesterday. He might not have fallen in love at first sight but he had definitely paid a lot of attention to Qiu Ling. That man, he definitely was his role-model! He wanted to become just like him!


    Xiao Dong grew flustered. No, he couldn''t mess this up! He had to at least achieve something for His Majesty! "Uh ¡­ you see, I was just guessing. Actually, what I''ve just said wouldn''t have to be true. No, no!" He waved his hands. "That''s also not what I meant. You see, Hi¡ª ahem, the Grandmaster''s disciple, I believe he''s a really good person. He''d treat you nicely and you certainly wouldn''t regret choosing him as a partner."


    "But ¡ª"


    "Wait! I wasn''t finished!" Xiao Dong cried out without knowing what else to say. Ugh, this was too hard. Jing Yi was too hung up over this dream of becoming a hero. It would be impossible to have him abandon that idea. So, he''d have to fit His Majesty into it somehow. Wasn''t there some story where a hero married another hero? Or, well, even if they didn''t marry, was there at least a story about two heroes?


    His eyes suddenly widened. No way! There really was such a story! And it was even one from his own race!


    He coughed and smoothed out his sleeves. "You know, Jing Yi, there is one story I haven''t told you. It''s actually quite famous where I come from." Alright, it was just a rumor and his uncle had told it to him only once but Jing Yi would never find out anyway and as long as it could get His Majesty what he wanted it should be alright to exaggerate a bit.


    "Oh? What kind of story?" Jing Yi instantly livened up. Telling him a story was probably the only time one would see him this expressive.


    "Mn, it''s about ¡­ the dragon king."


    Jing Yi lifted his brows. He still remembered that first story he had heard back then after his father died. It had also been about the dragon king! Or rather ¡­ "The old one or the new one?"


    Xiao Dong coughed again. "The old one, of course." He certainly wouldn''t tell His Majesty''s beloved a story about His Majesty that had to do with his love life. "Now, listen: When the king was young his father died protecting a really important person. Because he had done something good for the people of his country, an incredible master took his son in."


    "Wait. I don''t understand!" Jing Yi frowned. It was the same as always: Shao Hai''s stories were pretty good. He just knew how to tell them so that everyone could understand and would be excited to hear how it would continue. Xiao Dong knew good stories, too, but he just didn''t know how to tell them. Jing Yi always had problems understanding them.


    Xiao Dong felt cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He couldn''t mess this up! His Majesty''s marriage depended on this! With such motivation, Xiao Dong tried to calm down. "Alright, let me start over. So, there was a man once in the dragon realm who saved an important person. Unfortunately, the man died and left a wife and son behind. Because the man had done something incredible for the people of his race when he saved that person, a great master took his son in and taught him everything he knew. That son later became the king of the dragons."


    "So, that son is the dragon king that defeated the demon king?"


    Xiao Dong heaved a sigh of relief. "Yes! That''s the one! He was a great hero!"


    "But what does that have to do with Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple?"


    "Uh ¡­" Xiao Dong embarrassedly tugged at his sleeves again. He had actually forgotten to tell that part of the story because he wanted to tell it as simple as possible. "Well, it''s because a lot of people don''t know this but he wasn''t the only disciple of that great master. He actually had a senior martial brother who was a great hero, too. Those two had many adventures together and actually once had a competition to decide who would become king."


    Jing Yi frowned. "You''re making that up." That really was too coincidental.


    "No!" Xiao Dong shook his head. "I''m not. It really happened."


    "And those two married?"


    Xiao Dong pressed his lips together and evaded Jing Yi''s gaze.


    "Did they?"


    "No ¡­" He might be able to lie a bit but he couldn''t just make something like that up. "But they were really close. Unfortunately, that senior martial brother of the king died someday. The king stayed alone for the rest of his life." He kept to himself that that senior martial brother he spoke of had actually married a wife and even had a son with her. There were some things that shouldn''t be said.


    Jing Yi had a thoughtful expression. It seemed things weren''t as simple as he thought. But he wasn''t so sure if what Xiao Dong told him was true. If there just had been someone who also knew that story and could tell him if it had really happened like that ¡­


    Not far from them, Qiang Wei, who was still guarding Jing Yi even though Qiu Ling had returned, face-palmed. "Ai Hua, seriously, how have you educated your son? What if His Majesty heard that story? Everyone knows he hates it with passion!"


    Indeed. Qiu Ling, who stood on the other side of the street and observed the conversation between Jing Yi and Xiao Dong enviously, had a dark expression. Yes, he didn''t like to hear of that particular story. After all, even though he knew it was futile to think like that, he still couldn''t help but wonder if his life would have turned out different if it hadn''t been for that man. It was a pity that exactly this story might be his only possibility to win Jing Yi over.

 Chapter 142 - Let’s Spend Some Time Together

    Xiao Dong examined Jing Yi''s expression. It was obvious that His Majesty''s beloved didn''t quite believe him.


    "It has really happened like that."


    "Mn." Jing Yi didn''t say anything. He really didn''t know what to make of this story. It sounded quite pitiful that the king had to stay alone because his senior martial brother died. Maybe he had really been deeply in love. But what was that supposed to tell him?


    "I don''t even know him." Jing Yi stopped walking and finally said what was bothering him deep down.


    Xiao Dong halted. "You don''t know him?" It needn''t be said that when even Qiu Ling as the king of the dragons didn''t understand the gods'' trials, then a child like Xiao Dong certainly wouldn''t either. He had somehow always been under the impression that Jing Yi as the one he knew as his king''s beloved would still know Qiu Ling somehow.


    "Mn. I mean: I saw him for the first time yesterday. I don''t know much about marriage but as far as I know, my parents knew each other for many years when they married."


    Xiao Dong grimaced. "My parents knew each other for thirteen days before they married." His parents were dragons, though. If they liked someone, they liked him. And in a normal situation, they wouldn''t wait and just directly admit to it. If the other person liked them, too, well, congratulations! They would just immediately get married.


    That had also been the reason why Qiu Ling had proposed to Jing He on the day of their first encounter. Screw the fact that it was the heavenly emperor''s birthday banquet! He had seen the person he felt was fated for him. Why shouldn''t he propose? If it had been possible, he would have dragged him back to his palace that very night and sealed the deal. Unfortunately, that person''s father had been there and had foiled his plan. Well, Jing He wouldn''t have agreed anyway considering Qiu Ling had needed a decade to finally woo him to the point of no return. And that had been with the Heavenly Empress'' help. One didn''t even want to imagine how much longer he would have needed without her.


    "Thirteen days?" Jing Yi as someone who knew nothing of the dragon race couldn''t understand. How could anyone marry this fast?


    "Aren''t thirteen days enough? If you love the other, then why not marry as soon as possible? The sooner you marry the more time you''ll have with each other. Isn''t that good? So, I think you should agree."


    "But I don''t love him."


    In his hiding place, Qiu Ling clutched his chest. "My love! How can you say that in good conscience?"


    Xiao Dong was completely shell-shocked, too. This ¡­ Why was His Majesty''s beloved saying something like that?


    "That ¡­ Uh. I really don''t understand you. What don''t you like about him? He''s handsome and strong and has a high status. Isn''t he awe-inspiring all over? What''s not to love about him?"


    Jing Yi frowned. "But is that really what makes one fall in love?"


    Xiao Dong slid his fingers through his hair. "My mother always said she fell in love with my father''s hair."


    Jing Yi looked at Xiao Dong''s hair. So, being handsome was really enough to fall in love with someone?


    Xiao Dong winced. Damn, Jing Yi was still not convinced. He had to do something! "Then, why don''t you go and get to know him better? He just said he''d give you seven days time to think it over. That doesn''t mean he''ll only return after a week, does it?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. In fact, he had planned to do just that. After all, that was what had furthered his relationship with Jing He. But in this case, it might really be better to go with the flow. Yes, he should do just that.


    Qiu Ling hurried out of his hiding place and around the building and encountered Jing Yi and Xiao Dong at the next crossroad. Totally coincidentally, of course.


    His eyes lit up and he hurried forward and grabbed Jing Yi''s hands. "Jing He!"


    "I''m called Jing Yi."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded in assent but it didn''t seem like he was paying attention. In fact, he wasn''t. After being apart from him for such a long time he just couldn''t help himself. He had to look at him a little while longer. Well, Qiu Ling had conveniently forgotten that he had done just that the day before.


    "Senior martial brother ¡­"


    "Ah, just call me Qiu Ling, my love."


    "Senior martial brother Qiu, you ¡ª"


    "Just Qiu Ling is alright. Really. There is no need to be so formal between us."


    Xiao Dong looked at the two of them and silently withdrew. When Jing Yi looked over, he was already alone with Qiu Ling. Well, I might as well follow Xiao Dong''s advice and get to know him a bit better. Then, when the seven days are over, I can give him my answer.


    "Then, Qiu Ling, did you come over because of something specific?"


    Qiu Ling nodded and inched closer. "I missed you. I wanted to see you."


    Jing Yi didn''t know what to say anymore. How come this man was so sure about this?


    Qiu Ling smiled at his confused expression. "What is it, my love? Just tell me!"


    "You ¡­ You seem really sure about this."


    "But of course." He could finally see him again and get close to him again and this time his beloved didn''t have such an infuriating father who would try to sabotage him on every step of the way! This was just too perfect!


    "But why? I still don''t understand."


    "You will. I promise someday you''ll fall in love with me just as much as I''ve fallen in love with you. And then you will understand naturally." He lifted his hand and gently stroked Jing Yi''s hair back. It wasn''t the same satiny feeling Jing He''s hair had given him but it was nice all the same.


    Actually, though he was vain and put much emphasis on appearances he didn''t care about it with Jing He. This was the person he loved. Though he had been attracted by his appearance at first that wasn''t the most important thing. The most important thing was still this person, this soul. Even if he hadn''t reincarnated into a boy that was pretty for human standards he still would have followed him all the same.


    "Jing He, my love, I know I was probably too hasty yesterday. I just couldn''t contain myself. If you need more time than these seven days, then you can have them. Just ¡­ Just give me a chance, alright? Let me prove my worth to you. I''m sure you''ll like me."


    "Mn. Alright." Jing Yi tried to take his hands back, though. Who knew what the other person might have touched beforehand?


    Qiu Ling held onto them stubbornly. "Seeing as we''ve met here so coincidentally, why don''t we take a stroll? It''s such nice weather today. Actually, I don''t know much about the sect. I arrived five years ago but my master put me through training the whole time so I never had the opportunity to have a good look around."


    Qiu Ling''s words managed to divert Jing Yi''s attention. "You came here five years ago, too?"


    "Ah, did you arrive at the same time, my love?" Qiu Ling feigned ignorance. "This must be fate! Heaven wants us to be connected!"


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. "Quite a few people arrived five years ago."


    "What a coincidence!" Qiu Ling still smiled brightly.


    Jing Yi didn''t retort but he had his thoughts about it. Don''t look at how he was barely fifteen now. After having been lied to his whole life he had become a lot more vigilant. He wouldn''t just trust anything people told him anymore. And in this case, it was pretty obvious that Qiu Ling tried to find some connection between them.


    "You do seem quite old to have only arrived five years ago."


    Qiu Ling''s brows twitched. Had his beloved just called him old? "I''m twenty ¡­ seven."


    Did he hesitate there just now? Jing Yi blinked. He had heard of cultivators not growing older anymore when they reached a certain level. Maybe Qiu Ling had already managed that?


    If that''s the case, then he must be really good. The Elders and Masters all look so old already. They should all have taken a longer time than him to attain that level. He had to be a real genius.


    Qiu Ling unwittingly smiled when he felt that worshiping gaze on him. Ah, being admired by the person he cared the most about felt really good. "So, what do you say, my love? Let''s have a look around?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Alright." He took back his hands and started in the direction Xiao Dong and he had been going in.


    Qiu Ling still smiled. He hurried after him and quite naturally took his hand. He had a lot of experience with being shameless when it came to wooing someone. And in contrast to Jing He, this mortal reincarnation of his should be easier to deal with. After all, he didn''t have that cumbersome identity of the son of heaven.

 Chapter 143 - Let Me Help You

    The two of them strolled through the outer sect. Jing Yi had already seen everything countless times but he had never been able to enter any of the buildings. Still, he could tell Qiu Ling about them.


    Right now, they passed by a lake that was glittering in the morning sun. Lush grass encircled it and two pagodas with seven stories stood at its edge. They were built from red lacquered wood and their roofs covered with shining black tiles.


    "These pagodas are for the disciples studying talismans and formations. It''s said that the two disciples of the sect''s founder who mastered these arts were brothers. That is why the pagodas were built next to each other like that. For a long time the sect''s disciples studied both arts at the same time but in the last few years, they went back to trying to master only one. I guess it''s just like with cultivators and practitioners. You can''t be both if you want to become a true master."


    "Then ¡­ What do you study?"


    Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling before he looked away. He''ll probably think badly of me if I told him the truth, after all, he''s a true genius. He must look down on people who can''t achieve anything even after a few years. "I ¡­ I haven''t decided yet."


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. Ah, he had seen that kind of face before ¡­ He reached over, gently gripped Jing Yi''s chin and turned his head back. "What''s the real problem?"


    Jing Yi''s eyes widened. He opened his lips but couldn''t get any sound out. "You ¡­ How did you know?"


    Qiu Ling smiled. "It''s the way you looked."


    Whenever Jing He tried to evade a topic he wouldn''t be able to look at you and instead turn his head to the side, tilting his face a bit toward the ground. He would even lower his eyelids half the way to shield his gaze. Jing Yi did exactly the same. This similarity was really astonishing and Qiu Ling couldn''t help but feel drawn even closer to him. This was his beloved. It really was.


    "Jing He ¡­"


    Jing Yi looked up and smiled. Somehow, the person who had proposed to him didn''t even know his name. "It''s Jing Yi."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling interlaced his fingers with Jing Yi''s. "You know, I really missed you."


    Jing Yi blinked. "Didn''t we see each other just yesterday?"


    "We did. I still missed you. I hope I won''t ever have to leave your side again."


    Jing Yi didn''t answer. Honestly, it was a bit too much for him. They didn''t even know each other. He looked up to Qiu Ling as a person but he didn''t love him. In fact, he couldn''t even call him a friend. He wasn''t that comfortable with being so close to him. Strolling through the outer sect with him, talking and getting to know him were alright but why did they have to hold hands? Why did they have to walk so closely next to each other? Actually, he didn''t like it. Not one bit. And having to hear these constant confessions was even worse. He felt like he should make it clear to him but also didn''t want to hurt him. He just didn''t know what to do.


    Qiu Ling didn''t pick up on Jing Yi''s general mood but he at least noticed that he didn''t want to talk about it any longer. "So, what is the problem with your studying now?", he came back to the original subject.


    "I have full spirit veins."


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows. Full spirit veins? He had never heard of that.


    "It means I have six spirit veins."


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. "I don''t understand. What spirit veins?"


    Jing Yi smiled. There was actually someone who also didn''t know about spirit veins upon coming to the sect. And he wasn''t even a child. "Spirit veins are something you need to become a cultivator. You can have six of them but the fewer you have the better." He sighed. "With my six spirit veins, it''s nearly impossible to become a good cultivator."


    Qiu Ling frowned. This wasn''t good. The sooner Jing Yi ascended, the sooner he would be together with Jing He in the nine heavens again. But to do that he would need to become a cultivator first. If his spirit veins were unsuitable for that ¡­


    "Is there any way to change spirit veins?"


    Jing Yi pursed his lips. "Probably. But would someone like me from the outer sect be able to do that? It would be good already if I could understand how to cultivate. Even if the progress would be slow, I could at least work hard to become a true immortal someday."


    "Then ¡­ Is there no way to learn it?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "Not for me. Those with full spirit veins aren''t taught. We have to figure it out on our own if we want to become cultivators. You could only have three spirit veins at most if you want to be taken care of by an adviser."


    "Would my master know about it? I could ask him."


    Jing Yi smiled but shook his head. "It''s nice of you to offer it but Grandmaster Zhangsun is a practitioner, not a cultivator."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling frowned. Was there no way to help Jing He? He could contact Fu Min to find out about it. But gathering information about something only related to mortals wasn''t that easy. Especially if it was something that wasn''t taught so easily.


    "It''s alright. I''ve been here for five years already. I might not have managed to cultivate but I already know much more about it. I''ll be able to figure it out sooner or later."


    Qiu Ling''s eyes gleamed. There was a determination in Jing Yi''s eyes that he had never seen in Jing He''s. It was like a fire that burned neither bright nor high but instead steadily. With enough time and enough nurturing it could burn the whole world to ashes. This silent pursuing of a goal ¡­ He liked to see it very much.


    "My love, don''t worry about it. I will help you. I''ll find a way."


    His gaze wasn''t less fiery than Jing Yi''s. Yes, he would help him. The sooner Jing Yi became a cultivator and ascended, the sooner he could embrace Jing He again. And he really couldn''t wait for the day he could finally hold his beloved in his arms again. He missed him too much.

 Chapter 144 - He Doesn’t Deserve It

    Behind one of the windows in the pagoda of talisman crafting stood a man and observed Qiu Ling and Jing Yi. Seeing Jing Yi''s hands in Qiu Ling''s he snorted. "Hmph. Some people are really too lucky, enticing the Grandmaster''s disciple with their cute looks."


    Behind him, in the room, another man lifted his head from the half-finished painting on the desk. "You''re talking about Zhong Jing Yi?"


    "Zhong Jing Yi?" The man at the window furrowed his brow. That name somehow seemed familiar ¡­"


    "Mn. Ah, right. Shouldn''t you know him? As far as I know, he is from the same region as you." The man picked up his brush again, held onto his long sleeve with the other and continued to paint.


    "The same region?", the man behind the window repeated. Who could it be? Zhong, Zhong ¡­ This name didn''t really ring a bell. There hadn''t been any children with that name back when he was still in the village.


    "He should be quite a few years younger than you", the other man pointed out without lifting his gaze from his painting. "He should be around fifteen years of age now. You''ve already been here for twenty years. It''s to be expected that you don''t know him very well. But I seem to have heard that you returned home once?"


    Suddenly, the expression of the man behind the window darkened. Indeed. He had once returned and now that his Senior martial brother spoke of it he finally remembered where he had heard that name before.


    Zhong Jing Yi. That was the name of the child of the Zhongs. The child that had been born through the help of a demonic practitioner. The one that had led to him being humiliated in a village of commoners that should normally be looking up to him.


    Yes, indeed, that man who had observed Qiu Ling and Jing Yi through the window was none other than Qiguan Cheng Da, the son of Madam Qiguan that had been called when the whole village believed that Jing Yi was the product of some dark magic. And yes, he was still furious about that incident. Since coming to the Yun Zou sect he had always felt superior in regards to the common people. Being ridiculed by them didn''t sit well with him.


    He clenched his fists and leveled a dark glare at Jing Yi. You just wait. I''ll pay you back for what your family did to me. Don''t think you''ll have any chance of marrying the Grandmaster''s disciple or even getting into the inner sect. I''ll make sure you''re not able to!


    The man at the table looked up with a pensive gaze but finally turned back toward his painting.


    Qiguan Cheng Da turned around and hurried to the table, sitting down beside the man. "Senior martial brother Yu, say, do you believe that Zhong Jing Yi will accept the proposal?"


    "Who knows? There are certain benefits for cultivators to get together with a practitioner. And he is young. It wouldn''t be strange if he actually fell in love with him."


    "Then ¡­ do you believe Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple loves him?"


    The man paused with the brush in his hand. "There is no doubt about that, is there? There might be benefits to a practitioner, too, in that kind of relationship but as far as I know, Zhong Jing Yi has full spirit veins and hasn''t been able to draw in spiritual energy even after five years of being in the sect. If this was only about benefits, that Senior martial brother Qiu would certainly look for somebody else."


    "Senior martial brother Yu said it right. I wonder what he likes about him, though. He''s quite young, not really talented ¡­"


    "Sometimes, people are just fated to be together."


    "Mn." Qiguan Cheng Da paused for a while. That senior martial brother Yu, Yu Jin, was someone with a high status in the sect, too. It was his luck that he had been able to meet him early on. Only because of that had he been able to further his cultivation by such a large margin. He had nearly managed to attain the next realm thanks to his help. Thus, he couldn''t risk to anger him. The problem was that this senior martial brother Yu''s thoughts were extremely hard to gauge.


    "As the Grandmaster''s disciple, Senior martial brother Qiu Ling will certainly still have to consider his image. Being with someone from the outer sect, especially someone who still can''t cultivate ¡­ Wouldn''t that implicate him?"


    "He''ll certainly find a way to help him."


    "Mn. I also think that''s quite likely. I just don''t know how he would do that. He himself is a practitioner, the Grandmaster, too. How could they help a cultivator?" He tried to observe the other man''s face but there wasn''t really anything he could see. Like most of the time, Yu Jin had a calm expression. It was as if nothing could move him. Those mortal worries that weighed others down were nothing to him.


    "Does one need to be a cultivator to help one? The easiest way would certainly be to fix his aptitude. With full spirit veins, his path to ascension would be hard. They might find some mystic pill for him to remodel his spirit veins."


    Qiguan Cheng Da''s eyes glinted. There were a few pills that could remodel spirit veins. Considering the ones helping Zhong Jing Yi would be the Grandmaster and his disciple it should be one of the best pills available.


    He pursed his lips. The best pill for remodeling spirit veins was called the Amethyst Lightning Pill. Just as the name suggested it was an amethyst-colored pill with a pattern like dark violet lightning running over its surface and just like a strike of lightning it enlightened everything in its surrounding and set things ablaze. Even someone with trash spirit veins like Zhong Jing Yi could be turned into a genius with heavenly spirit veins if he consumed such a pill. And there wouldn''t even be any kind of backlash. Getting such a pill ¡­ Was he worthy?


    "Ah, Senior martial brother Yu, I just remembered I still have something to do. Please, excuse me."


    "Mn." The man only nodded, neither did he stop painting nor did he look up. But Qiguan Cheng Da didn''t care. That Senior martial brother Yu was always like that. He had already found out what he wanted anyway. For the following things that Senior martial brother wouldn''t be of any help. He had to do it alone.

 Chapter 145 - Perfectly Well On My Own

    Outside at the edge of the lake, Qiu Ling took his leave from Jing Yi with a heavy heart. "My love, don''t worry, I won''t be gone for long. I''ll definitely come back soon with good news for you. You''ll see, I''ll be back before you can even start to miss me." He clung to Jing Yi''s hands and looked at him as if the world was going to end the very next minute.


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. He wasn''t bothered about not seeing him for a while, though? "It''s alright. I''m not ¡ª"


    "You don''t have to pretend, my love. I understand your heart. Don''t you worry! Nothing will happen to me. You can be completely at ease." He looked at Jing Yi''s face for a bit, then he reached out and circled his shoulders. "Ah, I''m already missing you before I''ve even gone." He pulled him into a hug and slid his fingers into his hair.


    Mn ¡­ Jing He''s hair ¡­ Well, not really, but it was better than nothing.


    Jing Yi froze. He felt creeped out being hugged by somebody else and those fingers in his hair ¡­ For heaven''s sake, what was this guy doing?!


    He pushed him away and frowned.


    Qiu Ling stood there as if struck by lightning. His beloved ¡­ had cruelly pushed him away when he tried to say his farewells. His smile faltered and his shoulders drooped. He looked pitifully at Jing Yi. "My love ¡­"


    Jing Yi closed his eyes. As much as he didn''t like what Qiu Ling did, he somehow couldn''t stomach that hurt look in his eyes. What was going on with him? He didn''t even know the guy! "You don''t have to do anything for me. I''m perfectly well on my own. So if you want to go, then just do so."


    "My love ¡ª"


    "And don''t call me that! We don''t even know each other." Jing Yi turned away. He really couldn''t take it any longer. "I''ll take my leave now, Senior martial brother Qiu." He didn''t wait for his answer and just ran away.


    Qiu Ling gulped and watched him leave. He slowly patted his chest. It really hurt, being rejected like that.


    "Never mind, it''s just because you can''t remember me right now. But I''ll make you fall in love with me again. I definitely will."


    He turned toward the highest peak of the sect. That cheap master of his had left while the gathering of practitioners was still underway and seemed to have completely forgotten to tell him where his palace was. Qiu Ling could sense him, though, but hadn''t gone over and instead stayed in front of the building where Jing Yi lived for the whole night. He just wanted to feel a little closer to him. Just a little. Because with each passing day, he had missed Jing He a little bit more.


    Those five years in the special dimension had been the worst time he had had in a while. Being all alone ¡­ he wasn''t used to that anymore. He had already become accustomed to being around Jing He and having his mother-in-law help him out whenever something happened. This sense of belonging ¡­ He really missed it.


    Qiu Ling sighed. This wasn''t the time to become all sentimental. It wouldn''t be long before he got his family back. He flew toward the palace and took a quick glance at it but didn''t stop to admire it any longer. He hurried inside and started to call out: "Master! Help!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi opened his eyes and stared at the door opposite him. He had been meditating in the innermost room of his palace and Qiu Ling had obviously been at the main entrance just a moment ago but not even a minute later the door was pushed open and his disciple barged right in.


    "Master, I need your help!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi motioned to the place opposite him and Qiu Ling took a seat at once, an expectant look in his eyes. "What happened?"


    "It''s Jing He!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi had never heard that name but looking at the pitiful look his disciple sported now he could guess who he was talking about. He waited for further information.


    "You see, I asked him yesterday if he wanted to marry me and I promised to give him seven days time but it doesn''t seem like he''ll say yes."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi still kept quiet.


    "Uh, shouldn''t you try to reassure me now?"


    "Would that change anything?"


    "Maybe I''d feel better?"


    He didn''t get an answer again. Qiu Ling sighed. "The problem is that he has somehow decided that he wants to become a hero. But now he feels like I would hinder him because he''d be too secure if he was with me." Qiu Ling looked down at his hands. He had always felt that it was good to be strong. Then at least he could protect the ones he loved. But now ¡­ How come being strong was now his biggest problem?


    Qiu Ling still hadn''t understood that rather than his power his behavior was what had put out Jing Yi.


    "Then what do you intend to do? Cap your powers?"


    "No! How could I do that? I think I should help him achieve his dream. So, how does one become a good cultivator? Jing He said he needed not too many spirit veins for that but he has six."


    "Full spirit veins?" Zhangsun Xun Yi lifted his brows. His disciple had found a difficult goal to obtain if he wanted to make his beloved into a powerful cultivator.


    "Yes! He said that. Is there any way to ¡­ make him lose some?"


    "Rather than losing you should probably better speak of remodeling. In fact, everyone has six spirit veins. The question is how many of the elements are compatible with them. In the case of your Jing He, his spirit veins are able to channel the six basic types of energy."


    "Six basic types?" Qiu Ling tilted his head. What was that?


    Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed. If he didn''t know that his disciple wasn''t human, he would probably wonder how he had lived for so long without knowing about something as simple as that. "The basic types of spirit veins are fire, water, air, earth, metal, and wood. There are also some mutated types like ice spirit veins or lightning spirit veins. But someone with full spirit veins will normally not have those."


    "Oh, so it''s like that. Then what can I do to help him get rid¡ª er, remodel them?"


    "There are some pills that can achieve that."


    "Then I''ll get one of those for him! Where do I go for that?" Qiu Ling leaped to his feet and got a sigh from his master in return.


    "Not so fast. Those pills aren''t something you can just get. They are something that can only be refined by high-ranking alchemists."


    "So? Can''t I just ask a high-ranking alchemist?"


    "They will also require many valuable ingredients. Nobody will do that for free. Furthermore: Do you know any high-ranking alchemists? The Yun Zou sect definitely doesn''t have them."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling pondered. "Well, in fact ¡­ I might know one."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi lifted his brows but his disciple clearly evaded his gaze. "Mn. That''s good then. Then you''re only lacking the ingredients now."


    "That shouldn''t be too difficult. Those pills, aren''t they just made out of some herbs? I''ll just go and gather them."


    Grandmaster Zhangsun repressed a sigh. His disciple really thought it was so easy. Well, he was part of that race so it might be alright. "Very well. I''ll write down what you need." He stood up and went over to his study.


    Qiu Ling watched him write down a list of ingredients in neat characters. Ah, as expected of his master! His handwriting looked just as serious as he himself!


    "So, that is all I need?" Qiu Ling looked at the twenty ingredients. This didn''t seem like much. He probably wouldn''t even need a day to gather twenty herbs. Tch, even an hour might be enough!


    Seeing his disciple''s overconfident expression, Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head. "Do you know what those things are and where to find them?"


    "Mn ¡­" Qiu Ling looked at the names. Well, if he asked like that ¡­ "So, what are they?" He looked up at his master and raised his brows.


    "Go to the Grand Elder. He will certainly have information on the ingredients that will help you."


    "Uh ¡­ alright? Then ¡­ where do I find him?"


    Grandmaster Zhangsun sighed once again. "His palace is on the peak on the other side of the Sect master''s peak. The herb gardens are located on that mountain, too, so you can''t really miss it."


    "Alright. Thanks, master! Then I''ll head over there!" Qiu Ling smiled, ran out of the palace and flew over to the Grand Elder''s dwelling.


    Grandmaster Zhangsun watched his leaving figure and sighed. "He is really excited about this. I hope this won''t end in another tragedy."

 Chapter 146 - Gathering Information

    "Grand Elder!" Qiu Ling barged into the Grand Elder''s palace just like he had done it with his own master''s.


    The old man flinched and the tender herb in his hands ripped into two parts. The old man closed his eyes and repressed a sigh.


    "Nian, who came in just now?", he asked his head disciple who stood next to him.


    Nian Hong Fang turned around and frowned when he saw the young man standing there. "I don''t know, Master. I have never seen him before." There weren''t many people who would dare to barge into the Grand Elder''s palace like that. And this man ¡­ he certainly would have remembered him if he had seen him at least once.


    The Grand Elder turned around just in time to come face to face with a list of ingredients.


    "Grand Elder, help me find out what those things are!"


    The Grand Elder widened his eyes and took the list from him. "This is ¡­ the list of ingredients for the Amethyst Lightning Pill?"


    "I don''t know. It has something to do with remodeling spirit veins or something like that." Qiu Ling definitely didn''t mind admitting to the fact that he knew nothing about these things.


    The Grand Elder finally looked up and froze. That was ¡­ Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple? "This ¡­ What do you need this for?"


    "Of course, it''s for my beloved!"


    "Oh. So he accepted?"


    "No, not yet."


    The Grand Elder blinked. "Ah, so it is supposed to be a present for the upcoming betrothal."


    Now it was Qiu Ling''s turn to blink. "No, it''s not."


    The two looked at each other. Neither understanding what the other was talking about.


    Nian Hong Fang coughed. Hearing the word ''betrothal'' and adding it to the fact that he didn''t know the man in front of him he could figure out who he was. "Senior martial brother Qiu, I''m afraid we didn''t have the pleasure of meeting until now. I''m the Grand Elder''s head disciple, Nian Hong Fang."


    "Oh. Qiu Ling."


    "Might I ask Senior martial brother Qiu why you would gift something like an Amethyst Lightning Pill to someone who hasn''t agreed to marry you yet?"


    Of course, Qiu Ling didn''t mind answering that question. "Because I love him."


    The Grand Elder and his Head disciple exchanged a glance but both of them didn''t know what to say. This explanation was quite simple but that made it even more unbelievable. Which cultivator or practitioner would sacrifice something this valuable just because of some fleeting feelings?


    Sure, he couldn''t use the Amethyst Lightning Pill himself since he wasn''t a cultivator anyway but he had brought a list of ingredients over. Didn''t that mean he hadn''t chanced upon the pill somewhere but was instead planning to assemble the necessary ingredients and then finding a high-level alchemist to refine the pill?


    Doing something like that was total folly! Even if one disregarded the danger he would have to brave to gather the materials, there was still the price he would have to pay for getting a high-leveled alchemist to do him a favor. After all, there weren''t many of them around and refining such a pill wasn''t easy even for them. Owing a favor to a high-leveled alchemist was nearly as bad as owing one to a demon.


    Could he really love that junior martial brother so much that he was willing to accept all that?


    Qiu Ling knew nothing of the complex thoughts that the Grand Elder and his disciple had. He just pointed at the list again. "Grand Elder, can you help me? I want to gather those things but I don''t have any idea where to find them or how they even look."


    The Grand Elder pushed away all other thoughts and waved Qiu Ling with him. "Sure, sure. But I''ll have to warn you right now: It won''t be easy to gather these materials. In fact, you might very well lose your life in this attempt."


    Qiu Ling just smiled. "Don''t worry about that." It might have been true for a human but if he actually died in the mortal realm, then he wasn''t fit to be the king of the dragon race.


    The Grand Elder nodded and led him into the library. He took a thick book out of one of the shelves and carried it over to a table. "The herbs you need are all listed inside. Let''s see ¡­" He started sifting through the pages and stopped whenever he found one of the herbs from the list.


    Qiu Ling stood next to him with a jade slip in his hand. He wouldn''t risk forgetting any important detail if it pertained to his beloved''s future. Thus, he recorded everything down.


    Finally, the Grand Elder closed the book and turned around to Qiu Ling.


    "Huh? Is that everything? Aren''t still some herbs missing?"


    The Grand Elder shook his head. "No, those are all the herbs needed. The other materials aren''t herbs. You might want to ask Elder Geng about them."


    "Elder Geng?" Qiu Ling frowned. He had never heard of that person.


    "He is responsible for the spiritual beasts in our sect. Those ingredients are tied to them. Maybe you''re lucky and he even has some of them at his peak. But you shouldn''t set your expectations too high. Those ingredients are just as rare as the herbs you want to find." He observed Qiu Ling''s expression but didn''t find any change.


    The Grand Elder was impressed by his calm demeanor. He didn''t know that Qiu Ling just had no idea of how rare these ingredients really were. But even if he knew, he probably wouldn''t care. Those things that were rare for the mortals meant nothing to the dragons. Helping his beloved was worth way more to Qiu Ling.


    "Thank you, Grand Elder. Then I''ll be on my way." Qiu Ling hurried out of the palace.


    The Grand Elder and his head disciple were both stunned. Had the Grandmaster''s disciple just come by only to ask about some herbs and then ran out like the wind?


    The Grand Elder sighed and shook his head. "Ah, even a talented genius can become a fool for love. Promise me you''ll never be like that, Hong Fang."


    "Of course not, Master. Love really is only for fools." He couldn''t help looking in a certain direction, though. Maybe everyone was a fool once in a while.


    Meanwhile, Qiu Ling had already hurried toward the beast taming peak. He grabbed a disciple that was walking by instead of barging right in. "You. Take me to your Elder. He''s supposed to be called Elder Gang or something like that."


    The disciple tried to slap his hands away but found that Qiu Ling''s grip was too tight. "You! What do you think you''re doing?!" The disciple was a cultivator and thus, he hadn''t been at the gathering of the practitioners like many others. He had heard that the Grandmaster had taken in a disciple but he naturally couldn''t recognize Qiu Ling.


    "I''m here to ask your Elder some questions. So where is he?"


    "Damn, let go of me!"


    Qiu Ling frowned but really let go of the disciple. It seems he doesn''t know anything. I''ll need somebody else. He looked around and indeed spotted another disciple not far from him. He hurried over and grabbed the guy by the shoulders. "Heh! Where is your ¡ª"


    The disciple whirled around, grabbed his wrist with one hand and his shoulder with the other and tried to throw him over his shoulder. Qiu Ling blinked. He felt some force pulling at his body but, of course, a grown-up dragon wouldn''t just be thrown through the air by a human. He just stood there and tilted his head.


    Is this some kind of test? You try to throw me, then I try to throw you and when I win you''ll show me the way? He copied the grip of the disciple and threw him over his shoulder. "Did I pass?"


    He turned around to look at the disciple and was met with an incredulous gaze. "How ¡­ How did you do that?" The guy sat up, rubbed the back of his head and winced. It seemed he''d have to go over to the medicine mountain later and ask Nian Hong Fang for help again. That seemed to become a habit.


    "Did I do it wrong? Should we have a go again?" Qiu Ling lifted his hands but the disciple waved his concerns away.


    "No, no need. Actually, I''m sorry. I thought one of my Junior martial brothers wanted to tease me again. It was supposed to be payback."


    "Oh. You should try paying them back a bit harder in the future."


    The disciple nodded while those Junior martial brothers surrounding them were staring slack-jawed. They had been thrown around quite a few times by that brawny Senior martial brother of theirs but now this guy dared to say he should use even more force?! And he hadn''t even budged when he was met with that fearsome throw.


    Qiu Ling ignored them and fished out his list again. "I''m here to see some Elder Gang. Where is he?"


    "Oh, you mean Elder Geng. That''s my Master. He should be at the stables behind his palace." The brawny disciple motioned for Qiu Ling to follow him.


    His master looked slightly surprised when he saw him bringing Qiu Ling along. The important Elders had all been at the gathering of practitioners so he recognized him at first glance. "Isn''t this the Grandmaster''s disciple, Qiu Ling? What brings you here?"


    Qiu Ling lifted the list with a bright smile. "Please, help me find these ingredients."


    The Elder took one look at the list and lifted his brows. "The Amethyst Lightning Pill? Why would you need the ingredients for that? You''re a practitioner, aren''t you?"


    "Mn. It''s for my beloved." Qiu Ling smiled even brighter. "So, please hurry up. I need to be fast or he''ll miss me too much."


    The Elder and his disciple were taken aback. When had anyone dared to speak to Elder Geng like that? "Uh ¡­ What kind of help would you like? It''s not like we have these materials lying around here."


    "Then tell me where I can find them. I''ll go collect them on my own."


    The Elder lifted his brows. "You do know that it will be dangerous to collect these ingredients?"


    "Yes, the Grand Elder already told me." Qiu Ling still smiled as if it was nothing much, shutting every other advice the Elder might have given him up.


    "Alright. We have a book here that contains the spiritual beasts from which you can gain these materials." He motioned for Qiu Ling to follow him and ¡ª just like the Grand Elder ¡ª brought him into the library. He didn''t do Qiu Ling the favor of searching for the spiritual beasts, though, and just handed him the book.


    Qiu Ling didn''t mind. "Thanks, Elder. I''ll be on my way then!" Thus, he turned on his heel and hurried out of the palace. He didn''t pause to look through the book and instead just put it into his spatial ring. There would be enough time for that later. Now, he''d go and gather the herbs first. Mn, where was the first one supposed to be? Some place called Yuanzi Huo? Well, he''d see what that was about.

 Chapter 147 - Reminiscing About Old Times Together

    Meanwhile, in the Yun Zou sect, Qiguan Cheng Da had left the pagoda of forging talismans and hurried after Jing Yi who was on his way back to his quarters.


    "Junior martial brother Zhong!"


    Jing Yi took a deep breath and stopped. Just because he was furious about Qiu Ling''s behavior he couldn''t be less courteous to other people. He turned around and found himself in front of a foreign senior martial brother from the outer sect. Jing Yi cautiously nodded. "Senior martial brother, how may I help you?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da chuckled. "There''s no need to be so formal. Actually, I''m here to apologize."


    "Apologize?" Jing Yi lifted his brows. He certainly hadn''t expected this. He didn''t know this man. So why would he come and apologize?


    "I heard you have some problems with your cultivation. I should have come and helped you sooner, it''s just ¡­ Ah, please don''t blame me but I actually only found out about you yesterday because of that proposal."


    Jing Yi lowered his head. So this person had come because of the proposal? Could it be that those other senior martial brothers had also been so strange today because of that? See? This is exactly what I didn''t want. How am I ever going to grow if everything will depend on that man''s help?


    "Senior martial brother, I''m afraid you are mistaken about something. I''m not going to marry Senior martial brother Qiu. So, if you are here because of that, I''m afraid I have to tell you that it''s futile."


    "You''re not going to marry him?" Qiguan Cheng Da was taken aback. If it was him ¡­ Even the idea of getting together with another man disgusted him but if someone of the station of the Grandmaster''s disciple proposed to him he certainly wouldn''t reject him. Just think of all those opportunities he could get through that! He would be able to endure everything he had to do if it just gave him more power.


    Jing Yi kept quiet. He had already said it. And yes, at this moment, he had truly decided. He wouldn''t marry him. He just didn''t want to depend on another person for everything he achieved. He wanted to do it through his own hard work. That was the only way to go.


    He should probably go and tell that Senior martial brother Qiu right now. Or maybe he''ll wait until he came back by himself. After all, he couldn''t just enter the inner sect just because he wanted to.


    "Actually, that wasn''t the reason I came." Qiguan Cheng Da put on a jovial smile. He had seen the scene at the lakeside before. He certainly wouldn''t drop this opportunity just because the boy said something strange. He probably just didn''t want others to profit from his luck. "What I meant was that I only found out that you are here because of that proposal. Had I known earlier, I certainly would have come and helped you."


    Jing Yi furrowed his brow. "I''m afraid I don''t understand what you are talking about."


    Qiguan Cheng Da laughed again and whipped out a white fan with an elegant ink painting. "Aren''t you Zhong Jing Yi? Your parents should be Zhong Lei and Zhong Chun. You certainly can''t remember me but you might know my mother, Madam Qiguan. She lives in one of the villages not far from yours."


    "Oh." Jing Yi definitely remembered Madam Qiguan. She wasn''t nice and his mother didn''t like her, though he never knew why. Well, at least this had nothing to do with that Senior martial brother Qiu and his proposal. And even though this Senior martial brother Qiguan was the son of that woman he himself seemed quite nice.


    "Junior martial brother Zhong, did you just say you didn''t want to marry Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple? May I ask why? You would certainly have a lot of opportunities if you accepted his offer."


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. "This isn''t about having opportunities. We don''t really know each other so marriage shouldn''t even be considered. Furthermore, I believe I should earn opportunities through my own hard work and not through some sort of connection."


    Qiguan Cheng Da snorted inwardly. What kind of morally uptight nonsense was that? Well, it was good for him. He''d use him for a while and meanwhile make sure that he wouldn''t change his mind. "Your attitude is commendable", he praised. "Well, it''s probably to be expected. People like us from the rural areas who weren''t born with status are just like that. Someone like him probably couldn''t understand. They feel ¡­ entitled to all these things, isn''t it?"


    Jing Yi looked back in the direction of the lake. Maybe that was it. That Senior martial brother Qiu Ling had probably enjoyed having whatever he wanted all his life. Now he had taken an interest in him and felt like his feelings should naturally be reciprocated. He really didn''t want to be with such a person.


    Jing Yi sighed, lifting Qiguan Cheng Da''s mood considerably. "Have you told him already?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "Not really. I ¡­ well, I guess he understood somehow? But I think I should make it clear if he shows up again."


    "Mn, in such a case one has to be decisive. Else, he won''t give up. You wouldn''t want that, would you?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. No, he didn''t want that. This whole situation was something he didn''t want.


    "Ah, never mind. We shouldn''t talk about that. I wasn''t home in a long time. How about you tell me a little? I''m curious how things stand in the village." In fact, Qiguan Cheng Da didn''t care one bit. He was a cultivator now. What should he care about those common people? But this was the only thing that connected him with Zhong Jing Yi and he had to get his trust first.


    "Actually, I myself don''t know much. My family moved to the capital some years back and I''ve been here in the Yun Zou sect for five years already. It''s been too long since I was home in the village."


    "Oh, I''m sorry. Maybe I shouldn''t have brought it up. I myself have been gone for twenty years already. My family probably misses me greatly."


    "Yes. Certainly. My mother also ¡­" Jing Yi sighed. He really wanted to see her again. Who knew what she was doing now? Was the business at the teahouse still good? Were his uncle and aunt caring enough for her? And what about sister Nie Huang who brewed the tea? His mother had been quite close to her in the last days before he went with Senior martial brother Wu. Were they still getting along?


    Qiguan Cheng Da smiled behind his fan. It seemed like his plan was working. Now all he had to do was continue to gain his trust and wait for an opportunity to strike up a relationship with that disciple of the Grandmaster. That couldn''t be hard, right? He had even managed to become friends with that elusive Senior martial brother Yu with his stoic face. A pretty boy like that Qiu Ling would certainly become close to him after a few compliments.

 Chapter 148 - Better Be Prepared For The Future

    Qiu Ling looked at the mountain in front of him. Huh, that Court of Flames lived up to its name. There was an old ruin on top of the mountain. Once upon a time, it had probably been a magnificent palace. Even now most of it seemed like it hadn''t aged much, though you could still tell that it had seen better times. The whole complex was eerily quiet. The only thing he could hear was the wind whooshing over the plane below and the sound of the hot water gushing out of the earth every now and then.


    Qiu Ling took the jade slip out of his spatial ring and checked the information on the ingredients he needed. The first one was a herb called Flaming Lion Tail. The name was pretty descriptive. The herb indeed looked like it was the tail of a lion that had caught on fire and moreover it liked to grow in extremely hot environments. This place was definitely a haven for such a herb.


    Qiu Ling had a look over the ground but couldn''t see anything. The hot water gushing out of the ground had plunged everything in a dense white vapor. It seemed like he had to go and have a look from down there.


    He flew down and landed, his gaze already roaming about. He wanted to get this done as soon as possible. The sooner he managed to find these materials, the sooner he could go and ask that old geezer to refine that Amethyst something pill for him and the sooner he could go and present it to his beloved. Ah, just imagining how impressed Jing He would be lifted his mood. He might just earn himself a kiss for that!


    Qiu Ling hurried along between the geysers. There were a lot of herbs and not only a few of them were red. He frowned. Damn. He should have taken someone with him who understood about herbs.


    "A lion''s tail ¡­" Qiu Ling took out the jade slip again and had a look at the page he recorded down. He saw at least three similar-looking herbs.


    "Damn. Which one is it?" Qiu Ling frowned even more. Wasn''t there some more information on that thing?


    He read the text again: Looks like a lion''s tail on fire. Prefers extremely hot places like the Court of Flames. If consumed, it ¡­


    Qiu Ling lifted a brow. What? If consumed raw, the Flaming lion''s tail will induce a smoldering heat in every part of the body. That didn''t sound like something that furthered cultivation at all! Did they really put something like this into a mystical pill? It rather seemed to be meant for some other kind of drug.


    Mn, he should better ask that old geezer about it before he let him refine that pill. He didn''t want his Jing He to have some strange side effects. Well, it wouldn''t really matter as long as he was with him but he would rather not that Jing He felt forced to do anything with him.


    Qiu Ling shook his head. This wasn''t the time for that. He had to find that dumb plant first. He put the jade slip away. There wasn''t anything useful in it. The only hint was really the mention of extremely hot places.


    "Mn, maybe I should go and look at the hottest place around here?"


    Well, that was as good an idea as he could get from these few clues. He started in the direction of one of the geysers and started looking for the herb again. There was some red grass growing next to it but they were missing that tuft at the end that the Flaming lion tail herb had.


    "This doesn''t seem to be it?" Qiu Ling bent down and examined the grass a little more. Mn, it had some spiritual energy, though ¡­ "Maybe I should just dig it out and take it back to the sect? If that Amethyst whatever pill really isn''t good then that old geezer might be able to use it for something. Or maybe Jing He would like to study herbs and alchemy? He always liked plants ¡­"


    Jing He''s palace in the nine heavens was surrounded by gardens and even housed two inside. Those two had even been tended to by himself. Jing He had a gentle disposition and was an attentive person. Tending to a garden was something he was especially good at. He might really excel in that sort of task if the Yun Zou sect let him study it.


    Qiu Ling didn''t hesitate. He should be prepared for the future. If his beloved wanted to become a great alchemist later on and didn''t have any herbs, then it would be too late to go and find some! He needed to accumulate as many as he could now!


    He started to dig out the herbs one by one. The hot water that gushed out of the earth now and then? Tch! That was just water. A dragon wouldn''t be afraid of water even if it was a little hotter than usual. Qiu Ling worked for a while and hurried over to the next geyser whenever he finished digging up the herbs around one. Finally, all the herbs around them had been cleared and orderly placed into his spatial ring.


    It was a pity, though, that none of these herbs seemed to be the one he actually needed. Qiu Ling looked around again. There were some other herbs around that didn''t grow next to the geysers. They didn''t exude much spiritual energy, too, so he ignored them. Instead, he turned toward the ruin on top of the mountain.


    "That''s the only place where I didn''t look." Mn, how hot could it be inside some ruin?


    He couldn''t really imagine it but he went inside nonetheless. He should at least try.


    Qiu Ling entered the old palace and raised his brows. It was incredibly hot in there. In fact, he felt like the whole thing was on fire even though he could see that that wasn''t the case.


    He continued on and the heat grew even worse. This was definitely the place where the Flaming lion''s tail would grow. He couldn''t tell why it was so hot, though. It seemed to come from somewhere below.


    He just followed the feeling toward a stone staircase. It seemed the source of the heat was at the foot of the staircase. Qiu Ling took one look back. He hadn''t found many herbs in the palace itself and none of them had looked even remotely similar to the Flaming lion''s tail. It could only be down there.


    Qiu Ling climbed down the stairs. What had been built from bricks at the beginning finally became something that had only a rough resemblance to a staircase. The steps were caved merely through people going up and down. They were uneven and at the edges, they didn''t even seem like steps at all.


    Qiu Ling frowned at this sight but he continued on. Finally, he reached the foot of the staircase. In front of him was actually a lake of lava. No wonder it was so hot in the palace.


    Qiu Ling didn''t even have to look around to find what he was searching for: A whole cluster of Flaming lion''s tail grew at the edge of the lava lake.


    "That was surprisingly easy." He went over, bent down and dug them out. He didn''t dare just plucking them off. Who knew if the old geezer would need them with the roots or without? He put the Flaming lion''s tail into his spatial ring next to the other herbs and had a last look around the cavern.


    Mn, there were some other herbs. He should probably dig those out, too. He started to work while his gaze roamed about. There should be some good things in this place he could take back for Jing He.


    Just when he thought about that, he saw something breaking through the surface of the lava lake. Qiu Ling''s eyes gleamed.


    He ignored the herbs he had half dug out from the ground and slowly rose into the air, getting closer to the thing in the lava. He could only see a pair of long ears from where he was but he could feel the spiritual fluctuation from the thing. If he wasn''t wrong, then that was some sort of spiritual beast that inhabited the human realm.


    Qiu Ling hovered above it in the air and waited if it would come out. The beast was cautious, though. It looked around and stayed in the lava. Both of them waited.


    Finally, after a quarter of an hour had passed, Qiu Ling lost his patience. He grit his teeth, swooped down and just reached into the lava. He grabbed the thing by the ears and pulled it out.


    The beast screeched and its legs waved about in the air, revealing some sharp claws.


    Qiu Ling frowned and lifted the beast in front of his face. "Stop it." His expression was grim. Even for a dragon with a sturdy body, it wasn''t pleasant to reach into a lake of lava. He actually had some slight burn marks on his skin. "You already ruined my skin with having me reach in there. If you dare to add some scratches to it, I''ll skin you and present your fur to my beloved."


    The beast halted with his paws raised in mid-air.


    Qiu Ling nodded with satisfaction. "That''s better." He gently grabbed one of the paws and had a look at the sharp claws. "Mn, we''ll have to do something about these." He certainly couldn''t let those get in close proximity of his beloved!


    The spiritual beast retracted its paws at Qiu Ling''s malevolent glare and even took back its paw. It tried looking as harmless as it could. Unfortunately, his whole body was covered in flames.


    "What''s with the fire? Retract that, too!"


    The spiritual beast had no other choice but to comply. It reduced the flames on its body until the fur beneath them could be seen. It still gave off a little bit of warmth, just enough to make one feel comfortable.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes gleamed. This was perfect! Jing He would love this! It could give him warmth when he couldn''t be with him and in an emergency ¡ª should something like that ever happen ¡ª it could even protect him a little bit. Furthermore, it looked quite cute. It was exactly the kind of thing someone with Jing He''s gentle temperament would like!


    "I''ll take you with me and gift you to my beloved. You''ll like him, I''m sure." Qiu Ling smiled and the spiritual beast in his hands shivered. It definitely didn''t want to know what the beloved of such a scary guy was like!


    It had no say in the matter, though. Qiu Ling shoved it into his spatial ring, too. Well, his spatial ring actually had something like a small room inside, so it wasn''t like the spiritual beast was mistreated. It bounced over to the stalks of Flaming lion''s tail Qiu Ling had dug out and laid down beside them, its own long tail curling around them.


    How unlucky! Why did it have to take a peek outside when that guy was out there? It should have stayed inside its home. Now, it could only hope that that guy''s beloved was a better person.

 Chapter 149 - Journeying Through The Mortal Realm

    Qiu Ling went back to the herbs he had dug out half-way. He finished his work, put them in his spatial ring, too, and had a last look around, before he whipped out the jade slip once again.


    Mn, there were quite a few other herbs he needed and they were scattered around the whole mortal realm. There was actually some pretty flower from the highest mountain, some strange looking, thorny plant in an ice desert and the fruit of some tree in a deep chasm.


    "Why were the Grand Elder and that beast taming guy making such a ruckus because of that? Getting that Flaming lion''s tail wasn''t difficult at all and the rest doesn''t look much harder either."


    Qiu Ling shook his head and put the jade slip back into his spatial ring. They were humans, after all, he should have expected this. He took out the book the best taming Elder had given him and browsed through it while climbing up the stairs.


    Aiya, there were a lot of strange beasts in the human realm! What did he need from those? Some kind of horn, some feathers, ¡­ It looked like nothing much. The only problem was that they even wanted things like the bone marrow that he wouldn''t be able to get without killing the spiritual beasts.


    Qiu Ling frowned and closed the book. He''d see about that when the time came. He hurried up the stairs and arrived outside the ruins again.


    Ah, he should hurry up. He leaped up into the air and motioned with his hands. The vapor that shrouded the ground rose up and condensed into a cloud. Qiu Ling stepped onto it, sat down and let the wind blow it forward to his next destination.


    He had decided to go to the ice desert first. Though it seemed strange, it wasn''t that far from the Court of Flames. Only one river separated them. Qiu Ling curiously looked down at it. It seemed quite normal. In fact, it was beautiful to see, lying between that dark, slightly reddened barren ground and that sparkling ice. If one looked closer, one could feel the strong spiritual energy from it, though.


    "Ah, maybe I should have taken Jing He with me. He certainly would have liked this."


    Qiu Ling sighed. Yes, it would have been great: Sitting on this cloud together with him, holding him in his arms so that he wouldn''t feel cold and pointing out what he could see down below ¡­ Mn, that would have been perfect.


    Qiu Ling looked back in the direction of the Yun Zou sect. Maybe he should go and invite him? He moved his fingers and the wind stopped. His cloud hovered in the air.


    He wanted to have him with him. But then again ¡­ Jing He himself had said that he hadn''t been able to cultivate. He would be defenseless. Sure, Qiu Ling didn''t doubt that he could protect him but he still felt a bit nervous. That Grand Elder and the other guy had been quite clear on the fact that this was dangerous. It might just be easy for him because he was a dragon. He really shouldn''t involve Jing He.


    Qiu Ling sighed and moved forward again. It just wasn''t possible now. But as soon as the old geezer had refined the pill and Jing He''s spirit veins were remodeled they could venture into the human realm however much they wanted. Mn, he''d take Jing He to all those places then. Not only would they be able to enjoy the scenery and each other''s company then, it would also help further the bond between them in Jing He''s mortal life. After all, he would be able to finally live through the adventures he desired when they went out together. Mn, this plan was really good. He should hurry up.


    Qiu Ling motioned and the wind carrying him picked up. He sped over the icy desert until he finally spotted another lake. This time, it was a normal lake. Well, as normal as it was for a lake to be completely free of ice when in this environment.


    Qiu Ling didn''t think about it any longer, though. He jumped from his cloud and hurried through the snow, looking for the strange, thorny plant he was supposed to find. This time, he didn''t have any problems. He immediately spotted it some steps away from the edge of the lake. One side of the plant was completely green and small leaves actually sprouted from it. The other side was covered in ice, though, and sharp thorns pointed toward the outside. It was as if the leaves had rolled up because they feared the cold.


    Just like at the Court of Flames, Qiu Ling dug out the whole plant and even took the time to gather some more of them. It would not be amiss to have a little more. He didn''t dally in the ice desert, though. There weren''t any more plants around anyway, at least he couldn''t see any. He should better hurry and return to his beloved''s side instead of wasting his time searching for anything. If there really was something Jing He might need, he could come back here and get it for him or they could just stop here when they were journeying outside together.


    He hopped back onto his cloud and continued on with his quest of gathering the ingredients for the Amethyst Lightning pill. As he had already noticed, this task wasn''t difficult for him at all.


    Reaching the top of a mountain and finding some little flower that grew right on the precipice where one wrong step could cost one''s life? Tch, he''d just fly up on his cloud and dig it out while leisurely sitting there.


    Venturing into some old ruin filled with traps to find some fern in a moldy corner? Ah, he loved seeing new places if they had style! Those traps? It felt a bit itchy when he accidentally stepped into one.


    Getting the horn of a ferocious spiritual beast that might impale you on said horn or trample you beneath its hooves? Well, being a dragon naturally made him the king of spiritual beasts here in the mortal realm. If he wanted a horn, he would get one. All he had to do was appear and ask for it.


    He felt bad about it, though. Most of the ingredients needed for that Amethyst Lightning pill required things from those spiritual beasts that they needed to live. As a dragon, Qiu Ling couldn''t bring himself to kill them. This wasn''t a war or some fight for honor between enemies of the same caliber. This would be a king cruelly murdering his subjects for his own benefit. He just couldn''t do that.


    Thus, the spiritual beast from the lava lake got quite a bit of company in the spatial ring. Qiu Ling was determined to ask that Elder from the Yun Zou sect if there was another way to get those things without harming the spiritual beasts. And if the Elder knew nothing, then he''d go and ask the old geezer. Maybe he just hadn''t thought of the right way. And if there really wasn''t one, then he could still consider what to do. Maybe that pill could be made without those ingredients.


    There were only two things that were slightly more ¡­ difficult to get. The tree he was supposed to find in a deep chasm and the seaweed-like herb at the ground of the sea. But the problems Qiu Ling encountered with them didn''t have to do with danger. Instead, it were things of the past that troubled him.

 Chapter 150 - Why Is It Her Again?

    Qiu Ling reached the place where the so-called Beguiling night tree was supposed to grow. In contrast to those small herbs he needed to search for, he spotted the tree easily. It really stood just there in the middle of a chasm.


    The only thing that made it slightly more difficult to find was the fact that it was nearly invisible if seen from afar. The bottom of the chasm was shrouded in shadows and the tree had dark green sometimes even black leaves, not to speak of the fruits hanging on its branches that were of a deep purple color. This tree was practically camouflaging itself!


    Since Qiu Ling had known where to look for the tree and since dragons had better eyes than humans anyway, it wasn''t that hard to spot, though. He had the winds carry the cloud down and just plucked some of the fruits. Who knew if they were of different quality? Better take some more so that the old geezer could choose which one to take.


    Qiu Ling already wanted to hurry to his next ¡ª and finally last ¡ª destination when he actually spotted an estate that wasn''t deserted. This was the first time he happened upon a place with people while searching for the ingredients, so he stopped for a moment and had a look.


    The estate was spacious with a lot of different courts and buildings. In fact, it seemed like a small city instead of just one estate. One might compare it to the royal court in the capital city that Jing Yi had left five years ago, though it seemed to be even larger. It occupied a spot right in the mountain where a seemingly natural plateau had formed some way up from the Beguiling night tree.


    Just like the tree most of the buildings were black: Black lacquered beams held the roofs, while equally black tiles covered them. The wood the doors and windows were made of were black, too. It was quite the peculiar sight.


    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. This was how he had imagined the court of the demon king: A dark and eerie place but still somehow stylish. It really fitted that bastard, Jin Ling. Had this estate something to do with him?


    Qiu Ling hovered in the air and contemplated. If this was really related to the demons, then he couldn''t just leave. Not even considering that they might be a danger to his beloved if he let them stay in the mortal world ¡­ he just didn''t want that bastard to achieve whatever he had planned. Ruining his plans would be a joy.


    Qiu Ling exchanged the white robe of the Yun Zou sect for the black robes he normally wore and let the cloud disperse. Then, he flew over and landed on the roof of one of the courtyards in the back of the estate.


    This courtyard was the biggest in the whole estate. It had the best structure and was the most lavishly decorated. Knowing that bastard, he would definitely stay at this courtyard if he really had something to do with this place.


    Qiu Ling didn''t have to wait. Almost instantly he noticed a figure next to a gurgling stream. The person held a silvery sword in her hand and was swinging it through the air. It was alright for a human but nothing that could impress Qiu Ling. And indeed, the person was only human. Not just that, she was also a woman. Did this really have nothing to do with the demons?


    Qiu Ling frowned. He couldn''t believe it. His instinct told him that something was fishy about all this.


    He slowly crept over the roof and tried to get a better look at the woman. Demons were the odd ones in comparison to dragons and gods. They didn''t think much of being faithful. That bastard of a demon king had an especially large harem. If the information Fu Min had given him a while back wasn''t outdated already then there should be over five hundred men and women in it.


    Right, that bastard was swinging both ways. One of the countless reasons Qiu Ling hated him. If he was only into women it would be alright but since he also lusted after men he was an enemy that had to be defeated! He wouldn''t stand for that guy getting interested in his beloved!


    Qiu Ling reached the other side of the roof and finally got a good look at the woman''s face. He was instantly stunned. No, not because she was such a heaven-defying beauty. Actually, she wasn''t. She had a slightly rounder face with big eyes and some curves, though they weren''t enough to say she had a gorgeous figure.


    The real problem was ¡­ He had seen that woman before. He couldn''t remember where but he knew he had seen that face before.


    Hm ¡­ He took a closer look: She might have been a little taller than the average woman but not exceedingly so. There also wasn''t anything remarkable about the way she dressed. She only wore a long black dress with some red parts that highlighted the good parts of her figure. Really, the only thing noticeable was probably that she was a little on the chubby side.


    Actually, Qiu Ling''s evaluation was quite mean. The woman definitely couldn''t be described with the word ''chubby''. The problem was rather that he measured everyone against crown prince Jing He who was a special sort of beauty. Even if one disregarded the mortals and only looked at the gods, he would still be considered a rare beauty and a good part of that was because of his slender limbs. If one was compared to him ¡­ It didn''t matter how one looked the result would still be unpleasant to hear.


    Qiu Ling frowned. He still felt like he had seen her somewhere before. But where could it have been?


    Before he could find an answer, a door opened and a man in black robes stepped outside. Qiu Ling''s eyes narrowed. That guy, he had some resemblance to that bastard Jin Ling. So this was really related to the demons somehow.


    The man walked over to the woman and smiled seductively. "Still not finished?" He looped an arm around her waist and pulled her toward his chest.


    The woman lowered her sword and turned around. She smiled sweetly at him and her eyes shone with a gentle light.


    Qiu Ling slapped the roof in front of him in realization. He finally remembered who she was!


    "Hong Bao!"


    That''s right! It was her! That damned servant that had tried to kill his beloved! Grr! What was she doing here? And even with some handsome, demonic-looking man to boot?


    The man and woman both turned around. Qiu Ling cursed in a low voice and slid down on the roof and out of their sight. This was an important discovery but he couldn''t get to the bottom of this now. He still had to find the last ingredient and make sure that Jing He could start to cultivate. He''d investigate this later.


    Thus, Qiu Ling silently ran away and made his way over to the last place: The Glowing sea. In spite of the pleasant sounding name, this was a place he dreaded visiting.

 Chapter 151 - Scars Of The Past

    Qiu Ling stood at the edge of the sea and looked down at the water with a grim expression. No wonder this thing was called the Glowing sea. He could actually see lights down there. Great, just great. Why couldn''t this be the sort of ultra-deep sea where everything would be pitch black after some hundred meters? Seriously, was heaven toying with him? He sent a glare toward the sky but finally waded into the water.


    As a dragon, he naturally had no problems with entering the deep sea. It was just that this kind of place was best traversed in his other form. The form he hated profoundly.


    In fact, the water called out to dragons. Upon entering a stretch of water that was big enough to house the body of a dragon, they would naturally transform. It was an instinct routed in their core. Fighting against it and deliberately staying in their humanoid form would expend a lot of energy. More than they would have if they also had to travel. Thus, it was out of the question to just remain as he was.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "It''s for Jing He", he told himself and gritted his teeth. "You can do it for him."


    In all honesty, he hadn''t taken on that form since his childhood. If it hadn''t been a natural instinct, he might have even feared that he had unlearned how to change forms. Well, it might have been good he could actually forget how to do it.


    Qiu Ling took a look around. Nobody was there. Nobody could see him. He waited a moment and tried to sense any sort of life around him but there were only the creatures of the sea. No humans, no dragons, no gods, no demons. Nothing that could be a problem.


    He took another deep breath, then his form changed. He didn''t dare to dally and instantly plunged himself into the water. For a moment, the few rays of sunlight that managed to break through the surface of the sea reflected on his scales. Then, Qiu Ling was diving too deep for any light to reach him.


    He stopped there in the darkness, his eyes trained on the lights glowing at the bottom of the sea. His tail lashed out uneasily and produced waves that crashed onto the shore. Qiu Ling didn''t care about that, though. He only saw those lights and one thought penetrated his mind: If he went further down, someone might see.


    He drifted around for a while. Neither could he go on nor could he go back. Maybe he should just return to his original appearance and continue on like that? But he knew that wasn''t a good idea. Even he would have to expend a lot of energy uselessly for something like that. He might not even make it to the ground. He could try, though. Just ¡­ Why was he even hesitating?


    Nobody was around. Nobody would find out. And this could bring Jing He back to him sooner.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes closed and he thought of his lover''s tranquil smile. Jing He, Jing He ¡­ Even if you knew, you probably wouldn''t hate me, would you? You would still be there at my side, smiling like that, gently looking at me. You certainly wouldn''t despise me. No, not you. Even if the whole world turned against me, you would still stay with me, wouldn''t you?


    Having found some of his calm back thanks to these thoughts, Qiu Ling hastened to the ground. He only opened his eyes when he could feel the bottom of the sea right in front of him.


    He looked over the herbs growing there but couldn''t find what he needed. He grew frantic. Where was it? He didn''t want to stay here! He wanted to go back up! He wanted to return to Jing He''s side!


    He swiveled around between the plants without any idea how to proceed. At this moment, he couldn''t remember what had stood in the Grand Elder''s book. He only knew that that herb had to be somewhere around there.


    His tail rammed into a shell and toppled it. It opened and a white pearl rolled out and stopped in front of him. The smooth surface reflected the lights of the luminescent herbs. And it threw back his image at him.


    Qiu Ling recoiled but it was already too late. He had seen it. He had seen it again. He closed his eyes and furled his dragon body but the image haunted him. Those scales that were of the same beautiful black as his hair and eyes ¡­ and the markings that blemished them. Those markings that no dragon should ever have.


    And even worse ¡­ Qiu Ling extended his head from under his tail and took another look at the pearl. A pair of eyes stared back at him that wasn''t of the beautiful black color he was so proud of. At least one of his eyes wasn''t. Instead, it was a deep crimson.


    As bloody as the scene he had tried to forget all those years.


    Qiu Ling stared but finally couldn''t take it any longer. He rammed his tail against the pearl, shattering it in a hundred small parts. And with the pearl and the shell out of the way, he finally saw it: The herb he had so desperately searched for. It looked just like seaweed, just that it was of a silvery-white color and gave off a sweet scent.


    Qiu Ling used his magic to excavate it and then turned tail and fled. He didn''t want to stay even a moment longer down there.


    He only managed to cross half the distance before he completely broke down. Ha lacked any energy to go on. His dragon form failed him and he turned back into the black-haired man as which Jing He knew him. He extended his arms but couldn''t actually do anything. The waves just toyed with him, throwing him around, letting him tumble from one side to the other until he was finally washed ashore.


    Qiu Ling just lay there on the beach, unable to move even one inch. He just took the herb and put it into his spatial ring where the other ingredients already waited for him to take them out again and have them refined. This trip couldn''t be wasted. He couldn''t lose the herb. It was necessary to get his beloved back as soon as possible, after all.


    "Jing He ¡­"


    Qiu Ling trembled. He really, really wanted to see him now. He wanted to make sure that his beloved wouldn''t leave him, that he would stay at his side.


    He wanted to make sure his secret was still safe.

 Chapter 152 - A Special Kind Of Elder

    Some hours went by until Qiu Ling finally found the strength to return to the Yun Zou sect. He didn''t go to Jing Yi immediately but instead went to the formation that led to the special dimension.


    His beloved had been angry when he left. He couldn''t return with empty hands. He first had to get that Amethyst something pill and present it to him when they saw each other again.


    He stepped into the array and was transported to the special dimension. Qiu Ling looked around but couldn''t find the person he was looking for.


    "Old geezer! Come out and help me refine a pill!"


    In the lake, in the middle of the dimension, a pair of golden brows twitched.


    Qiu Ling waited but didn''t hear any answer. He started to go forward. "Didn''t you hear me? I said I need your help! Come on out!"


    The man in the lake opened his eyes and leaped out of the water just when Qiu Ling reached the edge.


    Qiu Ling got a slap to his forehead. "Damn! What was this for?"


    The man lifted his brows. "Is this how you talk to your elders?"


    "Tch. Seems like it."


    "Mn." The man turned around and walked to the boulder where he had sat when Zhangsun Xun Yi talked to him. Once again he sat down and observed Qiu Ling with those golden eyes of his. "You look bad."


    Qiu Ling''s brows twitched. "I''m still better looking than you even on my worst day!"


    The man smiled. "Naturally."


    Qiu Ling gritted his teeth. Somehow, he felt like he had lost that bout. "Anyway, I''m here because I need your help", he repeated disgruntled.


    The man leaned back and sighed. "Ah, to think that I''d live long enough to see the day you''ll ask me for a favor." He shook his head. "I should ask Zhangsun Xun Yi to make this into a festival so that I''ll never forget about it."


    Qiu Ling didn''t bother arguing with him. "Are you going to help or not?"


    The man smiled, his gaze turning gentler. "What is this about?"


    "I need you to refine something." Qiu Ling took the herbs out of his spatial ring and put them down on the boulder, then he brought the spiritual beasts out.


    The man lifted his golden brows. "A bunch of herbs and some spiritual beasts. Some other hint as to what you''d like me to refine?"


    "It''s some pill for remodeling the spirit veins of a mortal. It''s called Amethyst something pill."


    "That should be the Amethyst Lightning pill." He sifted through the herbs and nodded. "You did a good job. None of them are damaged and the quality is alright. What about them?" He nodded at the spiritual beasts.


    Qiu Ling sat down next to him and handed him the list. "Eh, you should know some way to get those ingredients from them without killing them, shouldn''t you?"


    The golden-haired man frowned. "Do I look like a magician to you?"


    "Uh ¡­ Actually ¡­ Yes?"


    The man sighed. "There are some we can get without problems but ¡­ not all of them. It''s impossible."


    "Mn. Maybe the humans of the sect would know?"


    Qiu Ling earned himself another slap to his forehead. "Didn''t you listen just now? I said it''s impossible."


    Qiu Ling rubbed his head. "Maybe you just don''t know."


    "Tch. What do you mean by that? You were the one who came here and wanted my help, weren''t you?"


    "Hmph, maybe I shouldn''t have done that, though."


    "Oh, please, go ahead and find someone else. I''d like to see what kind of price you''ll have to pay to get a mortal alchemist to refine that pill for you." The man put down the herbs and smiled.


    "Damn. You''re too calculating! Don''t you feel like you owe me anything?"


    The man lowered his head. "I''ve warned him, though. It was your father who didn''t want to listen to me."


    The two of them grew silent until the golden-haired man sighed and waved. "Alright, let''s not talk about it anymore. He has been dead for too long already. There is nothing we can do anymore to change that. Concerning this", he said and waved the list of ingredients around. "You should ask your Master if the sect has any of the ingredients. Even if you''re a heaven-defying genius they wouldn''t give it to you if they know you''re not going to use it yourself but if you exchange the materials for the beasts you''ve caught then it shouldn''t be a problem."


    "Alright. I''ll go right now." Qiu Ling turned around and wanted to go but the golden-haired man grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back.


    "If you''re already going out, then remember to bring me a cauldron, too."


    "Cauldron?" Qiu Ling lifted his brows. "Don''t you have your own? I remember my father telling me you had one."


    "Are you an idiot? It''s been ages since then and I definitely wouldn''t have taken anything with me when I left. Just imagine what would have happened if people found that my personal belongings had vanished after I died. Wouldn''t everyone suspect that something fishy is going on? Of course, they would! And would I have wanted that? Certainly not! It''s bad enough that my successor found out!"


    Yes, indeed, this golden-haired man in the special dimension of the Yun Zou sect was none other than Qiu Ling''s predecessor, the former dragon king Jinde, that was supposedly dead. It had been quite a shock to Qiu Ling to see him again when he came to the Yun Zou sect, especially since their relationship was a little ¡­ strained.


    But Jinde was the only one he could turn to now, so he swallowed his protest and just nodded. He left the special dimension once again and hurried over to his Master''s palace, taking the spiritual beasts with him.


    "Master!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi was once again pulled out of his meditation. He waited for Qiu Ling to storm into the room and threw him a questioning gaze. Hadn''t his disciple gone to find the ingredients for the Amethyst Lightning pill?


    Qiu Ling sat down in front of him. "Master, I''ve found all the ingredients for that pill but ¡­ Isn''t it a little mean to kill those spiritual beasts for those materials? The old geezer said I should ask you if we have those ingredients in the sect." He waited for Grandmaster Zhangsun''s answer but then remembered that he had to make a deal. "Ah! Wait! Of course, I don''t want them just like that. I brought the spiritual beasts with me." Qiu Ling took them out of his spatial ring.


    Instantly, the two of them were surrounded by spiritual beasts.


    "You ¡­ actually captured all of them alive and brought them back?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Mn. So, can I exchange them for the materials?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed and took a few things out of his own spatial ring. Qiu Ling''s eyes bulged.


    "Master! You actually had all those materials yourself? Why did you make me go and find them, then?!"


    "You can''t use the pill."


    "What do you mean, I can''t use it? It''s for my beloved!"


    "Yes. For someone who has no status in the sect and would never attain it without help. So, why should you be given the materials for it?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "Because you have them and you''re my Master. Shouldn''t you care about your disciple''s well-being? I can tell you now that this well-being is closely tied to Jing He! So helping Jing He is helping your disciple."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi just looked at him.


    "You ¡­ You didn''t care for me at all in these five years! You only put me in there with the old geezer! Don''t you feel like you should make it up to me somehow?"


    This time, something actually changed in Zhangsun Xun Yi''s face. It didn''t have anything to do with Qiu Ling''s accusation, though. He was rather appalled at Qiu Ling''s use of ''old geezer''. He had thought he had misunderstood before but now it was painfully clear that his disciple was using that label to refer to that man.


    Objectively speaking, Jinde was much older than a mortal could even imagine. Then again, if one just looked at him from a mortal perspective he only looked about ten years older than Qiu Ling. Was that really someone that could be called an old geezer? And furthermore, could one really call someone that powerful any names without fearing repercussions?


    Qiu Ling misunderstood his Master''s gaze, though. "Mn, now you finally understand. Well, whatever, I already have the ingredients. The really important thing is that the old geezer can refine the pill now."


    Grandmaster Zhangsun''s brow twitched in a seldom show of agitation. "Qiu Ling, as your Master, let me give you some advice: Some people shouldn''t be provoked."


    He got a blank gaze back. "What kind of people are you talking about?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed. "People like that man in the special dimension. Do you know who he is?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. Of course, he did! "Sure. Speaking of which. What do you know about him? Why is he even here?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned a bit. He wasn''t sure if it was alright to speak about it, after all, it was his private matter. Then again, this was somebody of that man''s own race. It would probably be alright? And Qiu Ling was right that he hadn''t done much as his Master. If he believed that man, then he didn''t need to anyway but he still felt like he owed Qiu Ling something. And warning his disciple was the least he could do.


    "I can''t tell you much. Just that he came here to wait for the person he loved to re¡ª"


    "Heavens!" Qiu Ling leaped to his feet, grabbed the ingredients his Master had taken and ran to the door. "Excuse me for asking! I don''t want to know it after all!" With those words, he ran out and flew over to the Grand Elder''s peak. He still had to get a cauldron, after all.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned. Had he said something wrong just now?

 Chapter 153 - Refining the Amethyst Lightning Pill

    Qiu Ling had a look around the Grand Elder''s peak but actually couldn''t find the old man. Neither did he see the Grand Elder''s disciple Nian Fang Hong. Qiu Ling pursed his lips. That was just too bad. Now he couldn''t ask for a good cauldron.


    Thus, Qiu Ling entered the courtyard, went into the alchemy room that was reserved solely for the Grand Elder''s use and just took the big cauldron that stood on a platform in the middle of the room.


    Alchemy was something all dragons could learn but most wouldn''t make the effort. Since they all had a certain aptitude for it the ones that did take the trouble to become alchemists would never be like humans and ask for strange favors in exchange for refining a single pill. Being an alchemist in the dragon realm was just like any other job: You did what you were asked for and then you got money. End of story.


    The occupation had gotten quite popular after Jinde became king. After all, Jinde had been a distinguished alchemist long before he became king. Actually, this was the reason Qiu Ling had never even thought about touching alchemy. He had never liked Jinde and thus, had instinctively rejected the thing that that guy liked. Now, he could only hope that a cauldron that was this prominently displayed would be of a high enough quality for his predecessor to refine the pill he needed.


    He didn''t know what else to do. There wasn''t anyone around and he couldn''t just take all the cauldrons on the peak with him, could he?


    Just when Qiu Ling wanted to leave, he suddenly had that idea. Mn, maybe it wouldn''t be so bad ¡­ He didn''t have to tell the old geezer. He could just take them, go over and present him the first one. If he wasn''t satisfied, he''d take out another one. Mn ¡­


    Qiu Ling contemplated for a while but finally decided against it. This cauldron looked pretty good. The old geezer should be satisfied.


    Thus, he made his way back to the formation and entered the special dimension once again. "Old geezer, I brought the cauldron and the remaining ingredients." He hurried over to the boulder, took out the cauldron and placed it in the middle. Then, he put the last ingredients next to the herbs that Jinde had already prepared for the refinement process.


    "Mn. Then stand back now. Don''t interrupt me." Jinde frowned before he turned to Qiu Ling. "In fact, I think it would be good if you just went out for some hours."


    Qiu Ling frowned, too. "How could I do that? I have to present that pill as soon as possible to my beloved. I can''t even miss one second!"


    Jinde''s brows lifted. That pill was only for the consumption of mortals. It couldn''t be that that boy had actually fallen in love with a mortal? He observed Qiu Ling''s determined expression and finally sighed. It was definitely possible. "Alright. But sit down over there. Don''t move around, don''t say anything. Understood?"


    Qiu Ling nodded eagerly and hurried to the place Jinde had indicated. He indeed sat down and even went as far as to put up an obedient expression.


    Jinde repressed a sigh. How often had he told the same things to Qiu Ling''s father back then? It was a pity ¡­ He shook his head and turned toward the cauldron. He couldn''t bring Chun Yin back from the dead. Helping his son was the only thing he could do for now.


    One after the other he picked up the ingredients and put them into the cauldron. Then, he used his energy to activate the flame stone that was embedded in the bottom of the cauldron. He closed his eyes and ignored everything else. He only concentrated on the ingredients in the cauldron and the steps he needed to take to refine the Amethyst Lightning pill.


    Qiu Ling sat behind him and bit his lip. Damn. Now he really wished he had tried to learn about alchemy. Was everything going alright? The old geezer wouldn''t mess up, would he? With each passing minute, Qiu Ling grew more nervous. He wanted to stand up and go over to take a closer look but he finally held back.


    No, he had said he couldn''t disturb him. If he lost his concentration and something went wrong ¡­ He couldn''t take responsibility for that. Jing He''s future in this mortal lifetime depended on this!


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and just tried to imagine how deeply moved Jing he would be when he brought the pill over. Mn ¡­ Actually, it wasn''t that easy to imagine. Whenever he closed his eyes he saw Jing He like he had been in the nine heavens. He just couldn''t reconcile his name with the appearance of his mortal reincarnation.


    Qiu Ling repressed a sigh. It was really time that Jing He returned to the nine heavens. Ah, well, at least it would happen sooner if his mortal reincarnation cultivated. He had to support him as good as possible!


    Finally, when the day had ended and the following night was already beginning to brighten again, Jinde extended his hand. A pill flew out from the cauldron and landed in his hand. Qiu Ling who hadn''t been able to keep calm for a long time already leaped up and jumped behind him, looking at the result of Jinde''s work with glittering eyes.


    The Amethyst Lightning pill was just as big as the nail of his pinkie but the energy inside was distinctly perceptible. The lightning pattern on the surface was dark but the amethyst-colored base of the pill seemed to glow from the inside.


    Qiu Ling smiled with satisfaction. Now he finally believed that this pill would enable his Jing He to cultivate. He tried grabbing the pill but Jinde closed his hand and took it back.


    "Qiu Ling, before you go, let me say one thing as your Elder."


    Qiu Ling blinked. Was it really necessary to do that now? He hadn''t seen Jing He for two days already!


    Jinde saw his expression but since he was still keeping the pill hostage he didn''t have to fear that Qiu Ling would just leave. "You''ve fallen in love. That''s great. But you also know what that means for us dragons. You haven''t told me much about him but I gather that he isn''t one of us. Especially in that kind of situation ¡­ Don''t wait too long. Don''t repeat the mistakes your father and I made back then. Some things, once lost, will never be able to be brought back."


    "Mn." Faced with Jinde''s serious attitude even Qiu Ling didn''t manage to say something inappropriate. In fact, he even had to admit that they thought alike this once. "I''ll do that. Now ¡­" He extended his hand and Jinde dropped the pill into his palm.


    Qiu Ling turned around and wanted to leave but in the end, he turned around once again. "Thank you. Even though I can''t stand you, you''re not that bad, actually."


    Jinde smiled. "No need for flattery. Just go and woo that person."


    Qiu Ling nodded and hurried away. Jinde''s gaze followed his leaving figure and he sighed.


    "He''s looking remarkably similar to you, Chun Yin. I really hope he''s not going to end up like you." He sighed again, shook his head and entered the lake again. He knew thinking about it was futile. The things that had passed had passed. He couldn''t bring them back. He could only hope that someday some sort of opportunity would present itself for them to meet again. That was his sole wish.

 Chapter 154 - Answering the Proposal

    Qiu Ling flew over to the outer sect. He wanted to storm right in so he could see his beloved a little sooner but he still waited patiently in front of the door. Even the real Jing He in the nine heavens would have been exasperated if he barged into his rooms this early in the morning. There was no need to discuss how his mortal reincarnation would react.


    Thus, when Jing Yi stepped out of the building he was instantly wrapped in a warm embrace. "My love!", chirped it next to his ears and a pair of naughty hands slipped into his hair and combed through the strands.


    Jing Yi clenched his fists so as to not push the other person away. "Senior martial brother Qiu." His voice was as tight as his muscles. He really had to restrain himself a lot so that he wouldn''t do something imprudent.


    For someone like Jing Yi who was particular about cleanliness, Qiu Ling''s actions were especially revolting. A certain someone had really dug his own grave with his actions in the earlier years. The only reason he wasn''t being scolded and beaten up was that Jing Yi had a sense of decorum. The person acting like this was a senior martial brother, someone with a high status in the sect and furthermore someone he would have to tell something undesirable soon. It wouldn''t be right to treat him too harshly now.


    Qiu Ling heard the strange tone of voice and moved back half a step. "What is it, my love?" His gaze grew worried and he gripped Jing Yi''s hands. "Aren''t you feeling well? Should I help you back inside? Maybe you need a physician? Just tell me where you''re feeling uncomfortable." Qiu Ling started patting Jing Yi''s arms, shoulders and chest, managing to upset him even more. At Jing Yi''s darkening gaze, Qiu Ling grew frantic. "My love, just tell me what is wrong with you! I''ll definitely find a way to help you! I promise!"


    Jing Yi took a deep breath and tried to smile but it was obviously strained. "Senior martial brother Qiu, please kindly take a step back."


    Qiu Ling stopped patting Jing Yi''s body and just blankly looked at him. What could be the problem? He wanted to help but he didn''t know how! Ah, my love, please tell me what exactly is wrong with you! "Jing He ¡­"


    "Please, step back." Jing Yi sounded even worse.


    Qiu Ling frowned. His hands twitched but finally, he really stepped back and folded them in front of his body. He looked at Jing Yi expectantly.


    His beloved lifted his hands as if he wanted to pat his own body, then he froze. Jing Yi stared at his sleeves. They were actually ¡­ alright. They weren''t dirty, they weren''t even crumpled. In fact, Qiu Ling had managed to pat his body in a way that didn''t even leave one wrinkle.


    Well, Jing Yi didn''t know Qiu Ling. If he did, he would have expected this result. After all, Qiu Ling himself was very particular about his appearance and he knew that Jing He was, too. He certainly wouldn''t let even one hair on his beloved''s head be out of place because of him!


    Jing Yi gulped and closed his eyes for a moment. He had overreacted. There was no need to be like this. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes again, looking at Qiu Ling. "Senior martial brother Qiu, it''s nice to see you again."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling''s face lit up. He wanted to take a step forward but Jing Yi lifted his hand.


    "Stop."


    Qiu Ling halted again but he looked a bit depressed. Why didn''t his beloved want him to get closer? He had missed him so much!


    "Senior martial brother Qiu, there is something I want to talk to you about. Maybe ¡­" He looked at the other disciples that were slowly coming out. All of them were looking over at them. "Maybe we could take a walk? It might not be a good idea to talk about it here."


    "Sure!" Qiu Ling stepped forward and wanted to take his hand but Jing Yi sidestepped and turned around. Qiu Ling blinked and looked at his empty hands. He chased after Jing Yi and tried to grab his hand again but Jing Yi once again pulled it out of his reach.


    "Senior martial brother Qiu, please show some restraint."


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. Restraint? He had already restrained himself for two days! He looked pitifully at Jing Yi who nearly stumbled. Why was he suddenly subjected to such a gaze? He couldn''t take it! He wanted to be a hero but now he felt like a villain!


    Jing Yi decisively turned away. He walked in the direction they had gone together two days ago and finally stopped when they reached a spot a bit further from the two pagodas at the lake. He took a deep breath again, lifted his head and turned toward Qiu Ling. The expectant gaze in the other man''s eyes nearly let his conviction falter.


    "Senior martial brother Qiu."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling wanted to close in on him and take his hands but he held back. Something told him that his Jing He wanted to say something important. He had to be patient for now.


    "I''ve thought through what you said before. Mn, I mean ¡­ about ¡­ about marrying you."


    Qiu Ling perked up, his eyes glittering. "You did?" He didn''t know how to describe how he felt. He was ¡­ relieved and happy but he also hurt a bit when he thought that these words should have been spoken by the Jing He in the nine heavens and not just his mortal reincarnation.


    Jing Yi pressed his lips together. It was painfully obvious that Qiu Ling had misunderstood him. He lowered his head, calmed his heavily beating heart and looked up again.


    "Senior martial brother Qiu, I''m sorry. I''m unable to marry you."


    Qiu Ling''s smile faltered, his eyes went wide and his mouth opened and closed without any sound coming out. "What ¡­ What did you ¡­ say just now?" His voice sounded slightly hoarse. He couldn''t believe it. No, he must have misheard it! His beloved wouldn''t reject him.


    "I''m really sorry. I''m sure you''re a wonderful man and you''ll certainly find someone who''ll gladly marry you in the future. But that person won''t be me. I can''t marry you."


    Qiu Ling swayed. He hadn''t ¡­ misheard? It was actually true? His beloved ¡­ didn''t want him? "Why? Why?!" His voice grew more frantic. "What have I done wrong?"


    Jing Yi evaded his gaze. "It''s not about doing something wrong. It''s ¡­ I just feel like ¡­ it''s not supposed to be."


    Saying it like that Jing Yi might have as well taken a dagger and plunged it right into Qiu Ling''s heart. "Not ¡­ meant to be? That ¡­" Qiu Ling shook his head. "No." He continued to shake his head. "You can''t be serious! If we''re not meant to be, then who is?"


    Jing Yi sighed. "I''m really sorry. I''d better leave you alone now." He turned around and walked away, leaving Qiu Ling alone and exposed to the cold wind that blew through the Yun Zou sects grounds that morning.

 Chapter 155 - I’ll Beg You

    Qiu Ling stared blankly. How had that happened? They had barely spoken to each other and he had already been rejected?


    He shivered in the cold breeze. He had been rejected. Jing He ¡­ he didn''t want to marry him. He didn''t like him. He didn''t want to see him anymore. He hated him!


    Qiu Ling squatted down on the ground. He couldn''t help but think of that scene in the sea two days back. That one red eye and those red markings that were reflected on the surface of that pearl. Had Jing He ¡­ somehow found out? Was that it? Did he hate him because of that?


    Qiu Ling pressed his eyes shut. No, that was impossible. Jing He was but a mortal now. He couldn''t know of it. Especially not this fast. It had to be something else.


    ''I just feel like ¡­ it''s not supposed to be.'' Jing He''s voice echoed in his mind. Qiu Ling lifted his hands and cradled his head. It''s not supposed to be. We''re not supposed to be. We ¡­ aren''t supposed to be.


    He shook his head to make the thoughts go away but they just wouldn''t stop. No! He wouldn''t accept this! He couldn''t accept it. He couldn''t lose Jing He. Not him. Not him ¡­


    Qiu Ling thought back to that day when he had first seen him.


    Those glittering lights that should illuminate the venue had ticked him off, the music that was being played in the background got on his nerves and it disgusted him to have all those people around him whom he didn''t know and for whom he didn''t care anyway. He especially hated those women who had pestered him the whole evening. He wanted them to go away!


    He had stared at them as ferociously as he could until they finally backed off. When Qiu Ling had a bit of freedom he turned around and suddenly his whole world lit up:


    He had stood there, dressed in that blue robe with its simple design that gave him a noble and elegant bearing that stood out between these people who dressed as gaudily as they could to attract attention onto themselves. In fact, weren''t all of them there to highlight this person''s elegance?


    The lights that had irritated Qiu Ling''s eyes just a moment ago painted beautiful highlights onto Jing He''s hair and made his pale skin look especially soft, as if it was begging him to go over and extend his hand to verify if it really was as it seemed. Somehow, those lights seemed lovely now. Who had arranged them in this perfect way? He should ask that person for advice on how to arrange the lights in his own palace!


    And then he heard Jing He speak and the annoying music turned into a magnificent accompaniment that couldn''t be missed. Ah, the gods really knew how music had to be made! He should ask them to lend him some of their musicians for his use in the dragon realm. And then he could invite that person over.


    Just like that all those things suddenly seemed less unbearable to him. No, not just that. They were alright now, they were something he liked because they were what had led to him finding this person and finally making his heart beat again.


    Yes, all the things he had had to endure in his life suddenly seemed unimportant. When he saw Jing He for the first time he felt like all this suffering had been worth it. Who cared about all that? As long as it led him to this person''s side, he could live with it.


    It was like Qiu Ling had said to Jing Yi when he proposed: Taking one look at him and hearing one of his words had been enough. He had fallen head over heels for him. This person was his true love, the one he was destined to be with. He had always believed in that.


    After all, since he had seen that person he had felt like all the darkness in his heart had been cleansed. He hadn''t felt alone anymore. He hadn''t felt unneeded and unwanted anymore. He hadn''t felt like a piece of wood tumbling in the roaring waves of the sea anymore.


    For the first time in all those years since his darkest day he finally felt like he had seen light again. That light was Jing He. Without him ¡­ he would be plunged into utter darkness again.


    He couldn''t lose him.


    These thoughts raced through Qiu Ling''s mind. Before Jing Yi had managed to leave his line of sight, he leaped to his feet and ran after him.


    Jing Yi felt a tug at his arms, then he was whirled around and collided with a strong chest.


    "No", came a tight voice from beside his ears. "You can''t do this to me. Jing He ¡­ I love you. I love you more than my own life. Whatever it is you expect from me I''ll do it for you. Just ¡­ just give me a chance, please. Just one chance. Tell me what it is you want. What do I have to do for you to accept me?"


    He let go of Jing Yi and looked into his eyes, his own tearing up. Jing Yi stumbled for words but couldn''t find anything to say. He hurt. Deep inside, he hurt being subjected to this gaze. He grabbed his collar and gulped, trying to make that feeling go away. He had felt bad from the moment he told Qiu Ling he couldn''t marry him. Why was it like that?


    Before he could sort out his feelings, Qiu Ling took a step back. He looked earnestly at him, sorted out his robes and went down on his knees.


    "Jing He, if it is what you desire, then I''ll kneel down in front of you and beg you. Do you hear me? I''ll beg you. Just please, give me one chance. What can I do to make you love me? What is it that you desire? You ¡­"


    Qiu Ling looked at him and tried to find out how to proceed. "You don''t want me to protect you, alright. I won''t do it. You want to ¡­ to experience adventures, alright. I''ll take you out of here. I''ll bring you to the most dangerous places if you want to. You ¡­ you want to become a cultivator, don''t you?"


    He fumbled around and finally managed to find the Amethyst Lightning pill he had worked so hard for. "Here! This is ¡­ this is a pill that will remodel your spirit veins. I was gone the last two days to find all the ingredients and then I went to ask someone to refine it for you. Please, take it." He stuffed it into Jing Yi''s hands while his own fingers trembled.


    Jing Yi looked at those hands, those elegant hands that normally seemed so strong just like the man in front of him had always seemed. Someone strong and infallible but now he was kneeling in front of him asking him for a chance, his hands and his voice trembling. He couldn''t take it!


    "I ¡­" Jing Yi gripped his robe harder. It felt suffocating. He couldn''t take it anymore! "I can''t!" He cried out and once again he turned around and fled.


    But the feeling wouldn''t stop. He still hurt. His chest hurt. No, that wasn''t true. It wasn''t his chest, it wasn''t even his heart. Instead, it felt like his soul itself hurt. As if he had done something irreversible that had shook his core itself. It frightened him but that only managed to make him run faster.


    He didn''t look back at Qiu Ling''s slumped figure even once. He didn''t see the hurt look in his eyes, the defeated expression on his face, the utter desolation his whole being projected. He didn''t dare to look because he didn''t know what he might do then and he somehow felt like he couldn''t give in no matter what. He felt like this would end in disaster if he did.

 Chapter 156 - Drowning His Sorrows

    Qiu Ling sat there on the grass while the sun slowly climbed up the horizon. He didn''t notice how time went by, though. In his head, he was still replaying that scene of Jing He rejecting him and then running away. He really didn''t want to see him anymore. It seemed there was no chance for them.


    He unsteadily stood up. What now? His whole reason for coming to the sect had been because he wanted to be close to Jing He. He had never thought it might turn out like this.


    Slowly, Qiu Ling made his way through the outer sect, not noticing the disciples around him. He didn''t see them much less hear their greetings. He just walked on toward the gates to the inner sect. He passed by them without paying attention to the disciples guarding them and then continued on even further. Somehow, his steps brought him back to the formation Zhangsun Xun Yi had shown him.


    He hesitated for a moment, then he stepped inside and found himself in the special dimension again. He walked to the lake in the middle and sat down on the boulder, silently staring off into the distance.


    At the bottom of the lake, Jinde opened his eyes. He blinked and leaped out of the water, his magic drying his hair and clothes before he sat down next to Qiu Ling.


    "Why are you back so soon?"


    Qiu Ling kept mum. He didn''t want to say it. Maybe if he didn''t, it wouldn''t become reality?


    Jinde observed his expression and continued to sit next to him. He didn''t say anything and just waited.


    Finally, Qiu Ling sighed. What was there to say anyway? Speaking about it wouldn''t help. It wouldn''t change the fact that his beloved had already rejected him.


    "Back then ¡­ how did it feel?"


    "Mn?" Jinde turned around but Qiu Ling wasn''t looking at him. He still stared blankly.


    "When he told you that he had decided on her how did it feel?"


    Jinde averted his face. "Is that something you should ask?"


    Qiu Ling took a trembling breath and stood up. He went over to a tree and started to dig.


    "Heh!" Jinde frowned. "What do you think you are doing?"


    A moment later, Qiu Ling came back with two big flasks of wine. He handed one of them to Jinde and then woodenly sat down next to him again. "Let''s drink."


    "Drowning our sorrows? I feel like I''m a little old for that." He peaked at Qiu Ling and his expression derailed. That boy had already opened up the flask and was really starting to drink!


    He observed as Qiu Ling emptied half the flask, then he sighed and put the flask in his own hands onto the ground. "Alright, what happened? Does that mortal already love somebody else? Is that it?"


    Qiu Ling kept silent and just continued to drink.


    "Haish. Didn''t your father teach you anything? Who knows what dumb things you''ll do once you''re drunk?" He sighed again. It seemed the younger generation really hadn''t learned anything from their faults. Mn, if he had a son he probably also wouldn''t have dared to tell him those stories from back then.


    Qiu Ling emptied the first flask and gripped the one Jinde had put down.


    "Heh!" Jinde grabbed his wrist. "What''s with this senseless drinking? At least, tell me what happened!"


    Qiu Ling wrested his hand back and still took the flask. "He rejected me." He opened up the second flask but didn''t start to drink immediately. Instead, he stared into the flask and at the sweetly smelling wine inside. "He said we were not meant to be."


    "That''s harsh."


    "I begged him. I knelt down in front of him and begged him to give me a chance but he turned around and ran away." He fell silent for a moment and just continued to stare at the flask. "What did I do wrong?"


    Jinde turned away and looked at the still surface of the lake. "It''s not always about doing something wrong."


    "Then what is it about? I don''t understand. I love him so much. I''d do anything for him. Why ¡­ Why can''t he accept me?"


    "Well, I don''t know anything about your situation. But there could be many reasons."


    Qiu Ling took another sip of the wine. "Tell me one I can live with."


    Jinde turned back toward him. "You''ve already joined your soul with his, haven''t you?"


    "Of course."


    "Then you won''t be able to live anyway if he actually rejects you. Why ask for the reason?"


    Qiu Ling stared at the wine. "Maybe I could at least understand. I ¡­ I always felt like ¡­ we were meant to be. When I first saw him ¡­" He shook his head. "You don''t understand that. I suddenly ¡­" He stopped speaking, unable to find the right words.


    Jinde took the flask from him and took a sip himself. "Actually, I do understand. It''s not like I haven''t fallen in love myself. It just ¡­ never worked out. And thankfully I wasn''t dumb enough to join souls with him. Well, you ¡­" He shook his head and gave the flask back. "Since you''ve done something stupid already there''s no way back. Either you make him fall in love with you or you''ll die. Sitting here and drinking won''t solve anything."


    Qiu Ling nodded but still put the flask to his lips and continued to drink. "Mn, I was right. You don''t understand." He tipped his head back and emptied the flask before giving it back to Jinde. "Get me more."


    Jinde''s brow twitched. "Tch. You do remember that I''m your elder and that this is my wine you''re drinking here, don''t you? Now you even want me to serve you?"


    Qiu Ling just turned around to stare at him.


    Jinde cursed under his breath and went to dig out some more flasks. "I''m only doing this because you''re Chun Yin''s son!" He brought the wine back and sat down next to Qiu Ling again. "Alright. I don''t understand. So tell me: What is this actually about?"


    "I''m not drunk enough to tell you."


    Jinde''s face darkened. "How bad can it be?"


    Qiu Ling stared at the wine and smiled self-deprecatingly. "I''ll let you in on a secret. The person I love ¡­" He shook his head. "He isn''t a mortal."


    Jinde frowned. "Then what was the Amethyst Lightning pill for? It only works on mortals."


    "Well, he is now. He''s on his trial in the mortal realm right now. In fact, he''s a god." He shook his head once more. "You probably think that it''s not that bad."


    "It''s quite bad." Jinde lifted his brows and opened one of the other wine flasks. It wasn''t like there had never been couples of mixed heritage but it wasn''t this easy in Qiu Ling''s case. After all, he was the king of the dragon race at the moment. He would be expected to marry a dragon.


    Jinde thoughtfully started to drink. It wasn''t impossible, though, just a little tricky. Well, he still didn''t know enough about their situation so he couldn''t actually give any advice. Had they known each other before the start of the trial? Or had they only fallen in love now? Ah, no, the question should be: Had Qiu Ling fallen in love with this god while he was attempting his trial?


    Qiu Ling gave him some time to think it through before he smiled. "It''s even worse. The god I fell in love with ¡­ he''s the son of heaven."


    Jinde choked on the wine. "What did you say?"


    Qiu Ling nodded with a smile. "Mn, he''s the son of heaven. Isn''t it funny? I fell in love with the heavenly emperor''s son. I. I of all people." His voice shook and his face scrunched up. He continued to drink, not bothering about talking to Jinde anymore.


    His predecessor also kept quiet and drank. It seemed heaven loved toying with people. It just had to be the son of heaven he fell in love with.


    "Does he know? That you ¡­ aren''t a full-blooded dragon?"


    Qiu Ling laughed darkly. "Of course not. If he knew, do you think I still would have had any chance to be with him? The Heavenly emperor already despises me now. He''d probably try to off me if he found out about that, too."


    Indeed. Jinde really had no words to comfort Qiu Ling anymore. In the end, he could only sigh.


    The two dragons continued to sit on that boulder at the edge of the lake and drink. Soon, one of them was dead drunk.

 Chapter 157 - He Did What?!

    In the nine heavens, the fate''s scribe Shun Tao looked at crown prince Jing He''s scroll of fate with a dubious gaze.


    For the last five days, he had gone to the Heavenly emperor''s palace first thing in the morning always repeating the same words: "All is well. His Highness hasn''t started cultivating and is experiencing hardships. He has passed the medium trial of living in humility." The Heavenly emperor had then nodded with a grave expression and waved him away, reminding him that he had to pay attention and not let anything happen. After five days of this, Shun Tao had started to finally relax a bit. It seemed that things were going upwards again.


    Now, he had taken out the scroll of fate to have another look before going and reporting to the Heavenly Emperor. One casual look was enough to make his face fall. This couldn''t be true! Why was this happening?!


    He read again to make sure he hadn''t misunderstood anything: Zhong Jing Yi attends the gathering of practitioners as part of the audience and is proposed to by the Grandmaster''s only disciple, Qiu Ling. When he rejects the proposal, Qiu Ling offers an Amethyst Lightning pill to remodel his spirit veins.


    Shun Tao put a hand to his forehead. He only needed his little finger to think to figure out that that Grandmaster''s disciple Qiu Ling was none other than dragon king Qiu Ling. And that Amethyst Lightning pill was most likely his way of ''helping'' the crown prince again.


    Shun Tao put the scroll of fate down and ran his fingers through his hair. Heavens! What was he supposed to do now? Go to the Heavenly emperor with this message? Well, he couldn''t not do it but he felt like he needed something to let it not sound as bad.


    He stared at the characters that slowly formed. Zhong Jing Yi still hadn''t taken the pill, that was good. And he had actually rejected the dragon king which would better the Heavenly emperor''s mood considerably.


    Mn, speaking of which ¡­ He hadn''t decided on the crown prince''s major trial even now. The first fate he had written had actually included both a love trial and a trial of betrayal so that the crown prince wouldn''t need to pass as many medium and minor trials. It might have been enough if he descended for one second trial instead of having to attempt multiple times like a lot of other gods had to.


    Speaking of his love trial ¡­ It was quite peculiar that the crown prince rejected the dragon king. Even if he couldn''t remember him, hadn''t that Longjun been with him all this time in the mortal world? Why hadn''t he been able to successfully woo him?


    Could it be ¡­


    Shun Tao leaped to his feet and ran out of his study, waving one of the scribe''s in his palace over. "Go to the god of love''s palace and ask him if he would be so kind as to seek me out today to discuss a matter related to a god''s trial."


    The scribe nodded and hurried away. Shun Tao sighed. He couldn''t expect Yue Xia to hurry over right away. He probably still had time to inform the Heavenly emperor. Mn, better he went now or he would once again be committing the crime of withholding information from the Heavenly emperor.


    Shun Tao furled the scroll of fate once again, put it into his sleeve and hastened over to the Heavenly emperor''s palace.


    He waited for the guards to announce him and then hurried in with a tight expression. The Heavenly emperor tensed at his sight and interrupted before he could even start to greet him.


    "What has happened?"


    Shun Tao knelt down. "To reply to your Majesty, it seems like Longjun was admitted into the same sect as his Highness, the crown prince, and proposed to him."


    "What?!" The Heavenly emperor roared and leaped up from his throne.


    That damned dandy had actually dared to propose to his son while Jing He was attempting his mortal trial?! What a vile plan! So he was using the fact that his Jing He couldn''t remember anything to force him into a marriage? His poor child would be completely defenseless against that bastard! And that shameless guy might just use the fact that they had already married in the mortal realm to force his precious son into a marriage even after he returned!


    Furthermore ¡­ he couldn''t allow that bastard to touch his precious son! It was bad enough that he had dared to grab Jing He''s hands right in front of him. Who knew what he would do down in the mortal world where the two of them were unattended?!


    No, this couldn''t go on. He had to do something to save his precious darling!


    "Alright, we understand. You may go now." He waved at Shun Tao. He had no time to deal with his report now. He needed to send people down to save his son.


    Shun Tao cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, that is not all this servant has to report."


    "Whatever. Just tell us tomorrow."


    Shun Tao felt cold sweat on his forehead. He said that now! But if he really walked away now and dared to only bring those things up tomorrow, he would be scolded furiously!


    "Your Majesty, this pertains Longjun''s proposal and his Highness'' future."


    The Heavenly emperor who had already wanted to leave the high hall halted. "Oh? What do you have to say about that?"


    "His Highness rejected the proposal ¡ª"


    "As expected of our son!" The Heavenly emperor smiled smugly and sat down again. So it turned out he had worried for nothing. His precious son had been able to see the shady ways of that dandy and had already rejected him. It really made him happy that his son was this good at judging someone''s character. Though, as a father, he was a little dejected that he couldn''t hurry to his son''s rescue. Wouldn''t Jing He be happy if he woke up and remembered that his father had always watched over him while he was in the mortal realm? He would certainly be!


    "Indeed." Shun Tao hastily agreed. "There is one unsettling thing, though. Longjun somehow managed to obtain a so-called ''Heavenly Lightning pill'' which is used to remodel a mortal''s spirit veins. He has already given this pill to his Highness as a means to win him back. Though ¡ª"


    "Despicable!" The Heavenly emperor slammed a hand on the armrest of his throne and stood up once again. He even clenched his fist this time. Shun Tao could see his heaving chest from the floor. This time, the Heavenly emperor was really angry.


    Shun Tao lowered his head. "His Highness hasn''t taken the pill until now but ¡ª"


    "This bastard really thinks nothing of us! Our son already rejected him but he still tries to force him. No, this can''t continue! We will send someone down right now!" The Heavenly emperor turned on his heel and stalked out of the hall with fluttering robes.


    Shun Tao watched him leave. "That ¡­ wasn''t the point, though?" Why had the matter about that pill been ignored? And why hadn''t his Majesty asked if he had a plan to counter the problem Longjun had once again caused?


    Shun Tao closed his eyes. No, in fact, he didn''t want to know. It was better he was left ignorant regarding this matter. Then, he could at least pretend that there was a good reason for it.


    The fate''s scribe sighed, stood up and went back to his own palace just in time to encounter a white-haired old man at the gates. Relief flooded through his body. Finally! Finally, there was someone normal! Now he only had to find out if his assumption was true.

 Chapter 158 - A Trial Of Love

    "Ah, Senior Yue Xia, you are already here. I just came back from reporting to his Majesty."


    The white-haired god nodded unhurriedly. "It''s nice to see you again, Shun Tao. The matter you wanted to talk about has to be quite important if you''re in such a hurry to see me."


    "Mn. It is indeed of great importance. Please, come in." He motioned inside and led the god of love into his study. "Please, have a seat." He sat down opposite him and poured him a cup of tea while thinking about how to approach the topic. "I hope you don''t mind if I get to the point immediately. The matter I am worrying about pertains to his Highness, the crown prince."


    Yue Xia nodded and took up the cup of tea. "Just go ahead."


    Shun Tao took a deep breath and tried to sort his thoughts out. "You might know that his Highness is currently attempting his trial in the mortal world. The fate I wrote for him originally contained a trial of love."


    "But it didn''t come to be?"


    Shun Tao nodded. "Indeed. There were some ¡­ unforeseen incidents that led to a slightly different fate. The thing I am wondering about is if you tied a red threat for his mortal life?"


    Yue Xia smiled. "Didn''t you send the notice that he shouldn''t be connected?"


    "Indeed. It is just ¡­ I am a little worried about it, so I wanted to make sure. I apologize if I''ve made you come over for nothing."


    "Don''t worry about that. It''s natural to expend a little more effort if our crown prince''s life depends on it. Regarding his love trial, I indeed didn''t tie a red thread. Even if you hadn''t reported the general direction of his mortal life, I wouldn''t have tied it. Actually, his Highness himself came to see me before he descended. He asked me not to tie the red thread for him."


    "Hah?" Shun Tao was stunned. "What do you mean? Why would his Highness do something like that?"


    Yue Xia smiled. "The fate of an immortal''s love can''t be determined by anyone but heaven itself. But looking at his Highness and the current Longjun, I do feel like those two have a special connection between them. They might be meant for each other."


    "I see. His Highness wanted to avoid bringing trouble to that relationship."


    Yue Xia nodded. "We can''t forget that he''s a dragon. As far as I know, they are quite particular about their relationships. If his Highness encountered a love trial in the mortal world and things developed between him and some other man that might ruin his relationship with Longjun forever. That wouldn''t be wise in my humble opinion. Neither for the relationship between our two races nor for his Highness himself. He seems to love this man very much."


    Shun Tao nodded. "Longjun is deeply in love with him, too." The only problem was that he was too crazy in his attempts to show that love. But actually, if one looked at how the Heavenly emperor treated his son, then that wasn''t too unexpected. Those two were extremely similar to each other. Haish, he should probably pity the crown prince to be surrounded by two such men. How was he able to cope with that every day?


    Yue Xia put down his cup of tea and patted the table. "Shun Tao, boy, I know you want to help him pass his trials as soon as possible. And most likely you also want to show off in front of the Heavenly emperor a bit."


    Shun Tao smiled wryly. Well, he had wanted to do that. But it was more than too late for that. In fact, he had even managed to look incompetent in front of him.


    Yue Xia ignored his expression and just continued: "You should think things through again. This isn''t a task to achieve this. The Heavenly emperor cares deeply about his son and attaches a lot of importance to this trial but you can''t forget that he isn''t the one attempting it. The one who has to go through all this is his Highness himself. So, rather than looking at how he can achieve as many trials as possible and how you can impress the Heavenly emperor, you should rather look at which trials his Highness needs to pass."


    "Well, it''s his first trial but he has attempted it quite late. He needs to pass a few."


    "Yes, he needs to pass a few to gain Heaven''s acceptance but the question is: What does he as a person need? Would he really need a trial of love when his love is already being tested here in the nine heavens?"


    Shun Tao raised his brows. "How is his love being tested here? If you want to look at his relationship with Longjun, then wouldn''t it rather be the dragon king''s trial? He was the one chasing him if I remember correctly."


    Yue Xia nodded. "Indeed but that doesn''t mean that his Highness doesn''t have his own problems. Maybe, rather than calling it a trial of love we should maybe call it a trial of decision. He stands between the man he loves and the one who raised him up. That can''t be easy. Especially with the Heavenly emperor''s temper."


    "Mn. They''re both quite temperamental."


    "So, you see, his Highness'' trial is something that might need to be observed from another perspective. Don''t think about that love trial. He has his own that was already issued by Heaven itself. You should be thinking about the rest."


    Shun Tao cupped his fists and bowed his head. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Yue Xia. I feel like I''m seeing clearer now."


    The white-haired old god smiled. "As long as his Highness is alright I''m content. That boy needs a partner like Longjun at his side or life will become a strain on him someday." He stood up and nodded at Shun Tao. "I''ll return to my own palace then. No need to see me out."


    Shun Tao hurried to stand up and bow again. He really felt like he had seen the light. Indeed, he had approached that trial like any other just with the addition that he himself wanted to make an especially good trial. He hadn''t thought about the fact that someone like the crown prince might need something different.


    He sat down again and took out the scroll of fate, reading everything that had happened in Zhong Jing Yi''s life until now once again. It was a pity he didn''t know much about the crown prince. Now, he''d have to piece together some clues to adjust this trial. But, well, it didn''t matter. He would find some way to make his Highness pass a meaningful trial.

 Chapter 159 - Doing Good Deeds

    Back in the Yun Zou sect, Zhong Jing Yi was pacing up and down in his room. He didn''t feel much better than Qiu Ling. Somehow, he didn''t feel good about being with him but he also didn''t feel good about rejecting him. He felt like he was being torn apart and as if every decision he might make would be wrong.


    If the god of love didn''t tie the red thread for someone, it meant that this person wouldn''t find true love for his whole mortal lifetime. When crown prince Jing He had asked him to do so he had thought that Qiu Ling would stay in the nine heavens with him, guarding his immortal body instead of following his soul into the human world to take part in his trial. Thus, he had thought that this step would enable him to save all those things one might encounter in a relationship for Qiu Ling and the time after his trial. He had wanted to save himself for the man he truly loved while also making sure that Qiu Ling wouldn''t have to suffer.


    In fact, asking the god of love for help had only been one of the steps he took to ensure that this would work. After all, just because he wouldn''t end up with someone permanently in the mortal world it wasn''t said that he wouldn''t get together with someone temporarily.


    Back then, he had fretted what to do about that. When his trial ended it would take some days but in the end, he would remember everything. He wouldn''t have experienced it with his real body but he would still remember it. Wasn''t that just the same? He didn''t want that. He had wanted Qiu Ling to be the man he experienced all these things with regardless of which body it concerned. But he certainly never would have thought that the things he did for the man he loved would finally end up hurting exactly that person.


    In the end, Jing He had made too sure that nothing would happen and thus, his mortal reincarnation Jing Yi was now fretting over what to do. On the one hand, his soul recognized Qiu Ling which made him feel attracted. He couldn''t remember anything, though, so he couldn''t understand those feelings. On the other hand, he subconsciously felt like he shouldn''t get into a relationship. Marrying? That was out of the question.


    He was like a moth that was drawn to the flame but, as soon as it came closer to the brilliant light it desired, it would also feel the burning heat and recoil. He wanted to get close but he couldn''t.


    Haunted by these feelings, Jing Yi couldn''t find any peace. He really didn''t know what to do. How much would he have loved to have someone to discuss this with! But who could he ask? Shao Hai didn''t like Senior martial brother Qiu and Xiao Dong looked up to him. None of them would be able to give him good advice. He''d have to ask someone that was impartial and ¡ª


    A knock sounded from the door and a voice Jing Yi had heard just two days prior came from the other side. "Junior martial brother Zhong, I came to see you."


    Jing Yi stood up and hurriedly opened the door with a smile. "Senior martial brother Qiguan, how nice of you to come by." He really was happy to see this person. It wasn''t just that Qiguan Cheng Da was from the same part of the empire as him, he also felt like this man was sensible. He would know what to do in such a situation! "Please, come in!" He motioned into the room.


    Qiguan Cheng Da smiled and entered. "Junior martial brother, Zhong. It''s been two days. How are you feeling?" He took a seat on Jing Yi''s cue and smiled amicably.


    Jing Yi sat down opposite him and sighed. "I told him today."


    "Already?" Qiguan Cheng Da''s eyes widened. Why was this damned boy this decisive? Couldn''t he have waited a while more?! He hadn''t managed to see that Grandmaster''s disciple even once! How was he supposed to establish a relationship with him like that?


    Jing Yi nodded. "He came by this morning. I felt like ¡­ I shouldn''t wait any longer. If he knows, then he can move on. That should be better." He lowered his head and silently put a hand to his chest. Somehow, he missed him now. But hadn''t he felt revolted when he was with him? He couldn''t understand himself anymore!


    Jing Yi looked up again, his gaze troubled. "Senior martial brother Qiguan, I ¡­ I feel like I did the wrong thing. But then I ¡­ I also feel like I did not. What should I do?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da nearly snorted. What, having second thoughts now? Or was that your plan all along? Rejecting him to make you look better in front of him? As if you weren''t that easily available just because he has power? Don''t make me laugh! Everyone would be able to figure that out!


    "Well, it''s natural to feel a little conflicted in such a situation. Why don''t you tell me what exactly happened?"


    Jing Yi nodded and recounted what had happened. Qiguan Cheng Da seemed thoughtful. "Mn, I understand. Well, a big part of your problem should be that you actually took that Amethyst Lightning pill. It is something extremely valuable. If you want it, you definitely have to marry him."


    "No, I don''t need it."


    Qiguan Cheng Da raised his brows. You still want to pretend? Alright. Then I''ll play my part. "Then you should return it as soon as possible."


    Jing Yi nodded. "I''ll do that." He stood up and actually took the pill out in front of Qiguan Cheng Da. He looked at it worriedly.


    Senior martial brother Qiu said that he has searched for the materials himself and even found someone to refine it. Giving it back ¡­ It will probably hurt him again. All his good intentions will have gone to waste. When I go there and tell him ¡­ I''ll have to see him look at me like that again.


    He remembered those sad eyes and his heart clenched.


    Qiguan Cheng Da stood up and walked over. "What is it, Junior martial brother? You can''t bring yourself to do it?"


    "I ¡­ I don''t want to see him anymore." He pressed his lips together. If he just imagined going over to the inner sect ¡­ No, he couldn''t do that anyway. "He''s in the inner sect. How would I even go there?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da''s eyes glinted. "If you don''t want to see him, you don''t have to. Actually, I know someone in the inner sect, so I go over quite often. Why don''t you entrust the Amethyst Lightning pill to me? I can bring it back to him."


    Jing Yi looked up. He hesitated a bit. This was his Senior martial brother''s goodwill. Wouldn''t it be shabby of him not to return it himself? But even if he wanted to, it was true that he couldn''t just enter the inner sect''s grounds. Finally, he sighed and gave the pill to Qiguan Cheng Da. "I''m sorry I have to trouble you, Senior martial brother Qiguan."


    "You don''t have to worry about that. It''s just a slight effort and our families know each other, after all. It''s the right thing to do."


    Jing Yi slightly bowed. Well, at least, he wouldn''t have to see that person again. He really couldn''t take his disappointment.


    Qiguan Cheng Da curled his fingers around the pill. He really couldn''t believe how dumb that boy was. Giving up an Amethyst Lightning pill, especially if one had such a lacking aptitude. Really, even sleeping with that man once or twice wouldn''t be asking too much if it enabled one to get heavenly spirit veins. With a smug smile, Qiguan Cheng Da kept the pill. He could hardly believe that he had been able to gain an Amethyst Lightning pill without having to do anything but listen to a laughable story.


    "Alright. I better go and return this right now. The sooner he has it back, the sooner you can be at ease again."


    "Thank you very much, Senior martial brother Qiguan." Jing Yi bowed again and showed him out of the room.


    As soon as Qiguan Cheng Da was out of sight, he sighed and returned to pacing up and down. Putting his mind at ease was easier said than done. He just couldn''t stop thinking about it.


    Outside, the sky started to darken. Finally, when Jing Yi was about to go to bed there was once more a knock on the door.


    He looked up and frowned. "It couldn''t be that Senior martial brother Qiguan came back to tell me that he managed to deliver the pill, could it?" He went over and opened the door.


    The one on the other side wasn''t Qiguan Cheng Da. Instead, it was the person that had occupied Jing Yi''s whole mind.

 Chapter 160 - Spending The Night Together

    In his drunken stupor, Qiu Ling had come over to see his beloved not caring for his appearance or Jing Yi''s rejection anymore. He only felt that he needed to see him right now.


    "Senior martial ¡ª"


    "Jing He!" Qiu Ling lunged forward, hugged him to his chest ¡­ and lost his balance. The two of them landed on the ground in a heap of limbs and long sleeves.


    "Ah. Senior martial brother Qiu!" Jing Yi tried to push him off but Qiu Ling was too heavy and he wasn''t cooperative at all. "Senior ¡­" Jing Yi stopped once again. This ¡­ What was with the even breath next to his ear? This guy couldn''t have fallen asleep on top of him, could he?! Wouldn''t he have to spend the whole night with him like this?!


    Jing Yi sighed. There was nothing he could do. Qiu Ling wasn''t going to budge and he wasn''t strong enough to shove him off.


    "Being a cultivator must be nice, they certainly wouldn''t lack the strength for something like this." He wriggled around and finally managed to at least free his arms. He sighed. Well, this was at least a bit better. Though, that senior martial brother of his was quite heavy. How was he supposed to sleep like this?


    Especially ¡­ His gaze locked on the door to the room that was still open. Qiu Ling had thrown himself at him so fast that he hadn''t managed to close it. Whoever went by in the hall outside would see them lying on the ground together in that kind of pose.


    Jing Yi tried to imagine how that would be. There was only one answer to that: awkward. Even more awkward than lying on the ground with a man who was more or less a stranger in itself or being proposed to in front of nearly the whole sect.


    No, he really couldn''t accept this! "Senior martial brother Qiu?" Jing Yi turned his head a bit and whispered into his ear.


    His breath moved the black strands of hair that had loosened from Qiu Ling''s hairstyle and tickled his ear. He twitched a bit in his sleep.


    Jing Yi smiled. It seemed this might actually work. "Senior martial brother Qiu", he repeated and wriggled around some more.


    "Jing He ¡­" Qiu Ling''s words were nothing more than a whisper, too, but a beautiful smile grazed his lips. It was pretty obvious what he was dreaming of at this moment.


    "It''s Jing Yi, though." Jing Yi gripped Qiu Ling''s shoulder and shook him. "Senior martial brother, you''re heavy. Please, get up?"


    "Mn ¡­" Qiu Ling frowned. "My heart''s heavy, too."


    Jing Yi closed his eyes. Heavens! Even while drunk this guy managed to make him feel guilty! He shouldn''t have rejected him like that. He really shouldn''t have. There certainly would have been a better way. "We ¡­ We can talk about it again when you wake up."


    "Mn ¡­" The only answer he got was Qiu Ling snuggling up even closer to him.


    Jing Yi frowned. This guy was getting comfortable on top of him! "Senior ¡ª" He stopped. That certainly wouldn''t wake him up. Considering his behavior so far there was probably only one thing that might work.


    Jing Yi examined the face that had occupied his mind for the whole day. With a strange feeling inside he leaned over. "My love, you''re hurting me. Please, get up?"


    Indeed. Qiu Ling''s eyes flew right open. He looked at Jing Yi, not really comprehending what was going on but unconsciously he had already registered that something was wrong with Jing He.


    "My love ¡­", he cooed and his arms actually slid around Jing Yi''s waist, pulling him even closer.


    Jing Yi froze. "You ¡ª" He wanted to scold him but Qiu Ling''s eyes were actually closing again already. "Heh!" Jing Yi slapped his shoulder. "Get off first."


    "Off?" Qiu Ling turned his head to the side. He obviously wasn''t really there with his thoughts.


    "Senior ¡­ Qiu Ling, you''re lying on top of me and you''re heavy. Get off." Jing Yi frowned.


    Qiu Ling examined that frown and followed suit with furrowing his brow. He didn''t get off, though. Instead, he propped himself up on his elbows and looked down at Jing Yi.


    "You ¡­ What do you think you''re doing?" Jing Yi frowned even more.


    Qiu Ling smiled. "My love, there''s no need to look like this. Your future husband is here. Whoever made you angry, you just have to tell me! I''ll go and beat him up." He bent down and kissed Jing Yi''s forehead.


    Jing Yi lay there, stunned. Had he ¡­ Had he just kissed his brow?


    "Mn ¡­" His question was answered when Qiu Ling found that this actually wasn''t bad. His lips roamed a little further, finally finding his temple, and left another kiss right there. "I''m with you", he said in a low voice. "I won''t leave you. You don''t have to be afraid." He cupped Jing Yi''s face with one hand and graced his cheek with a resounding smack, making Jing Yi blush.


    "Senior martial brother Qiu! You ¡­ What do you think you''re doing?!"


    Qiu Ling seriously began to consider that question. After all, this was his beloved asking him. Finally, his face lit up. "I''m trying to comfort you!" His smiling face got closer and his breath swept over Jing Yi''s lips.


    He ¡­ he isn''t going to really kiss me, right? Jing Yi''s eyes went wide. "Qiu ¡­ Senior martial brother Qiu, you''re drunk."


    That face only got closer.


    Jing Yi panicked. He couldn''t allow this! The thought echoed through his head, while his heart beat faster and his face glowed red.


    "Mn, I met the old geezer again. He had some wine. But don''t worry. You''re much sweeter than that flowery stuff. I like you the best." Then, he bridged the last gap between them and pecked Jing Yi''s lips.


    It was nothing more, just a light peck. He also knew that he shouldn''t be getting too close to his beloved while he was drunk. He wouldn''t want Jing He to notice how drunk he really was, after all. It was better if his beloved thought he was just slightly intoxicated. He couldn''t risk him thinking that he was a drunkard. Mn, he had to uphold his image!


    It might have actually worked if Qiu Ling hadn''t been way too happy at this moment. He had just kissed his beloved and neither had Jing He evaded him nor had he scolded him! Who said he wanted to break up? They were obviously still very much in love!


    "My love", Qiu Ling cooed again while a goofy smile spread on his lips. Then, he leaned down once again, puckering his lips.


    This time, Jing Yi was prepared, though. A hand suddenly appeared between them and met with Qiu Ling''s face. Qiu Ling didn''t mind. He planted a kiss right in the middle of Jing Yi''s palm, stunning him again.


    "You ¡­ What do you think you''re doing?" He retracted his hand and glared at Qiu Ling but he only got a happy smile back.


    "I''m showing my love for you!" Qiu Ling hugged him and nuzzled the nape of Jing Yi''s neck.


    "Uh." Jing Yi furrowed his brow. "Alright. I''ve seen it. Now, get up."


    Qiu Ling lifted his head. "Jing He, my love, I really, really like you!"


    Jing Yi sighed. There was no point in arguing with a drunk. "I know. I like you, too. Now get up. You''re heavy."


    "Mn ¡­" Qiu Ling somehow seemed to get what Jing Yi was talking about. He hugged him closer and rolled around so that he was lying on the ground and Jing Yi on top of him. Then, he smiled happily again. Of course, his arms were still circling Jing Yi''s waist. He certainly wouldn''t let go!


    Jing Yi groaned and his head drooped down, falling precisely onto Qiu Ling''s shoulder. Just what was he supposed to do?! This guy ¡­ he really was too sticky!


    Qiang Wei who was still guarding Jing Yi on Qiu Ling''s command used this moment to hurriedly close the door. If anyone saw those two like that, there would certainly be rumors again and his Majesty would definitely fault him then! For a moment, he waited in front of the door, then he cursed and hurried to where Xiao Dong lived. He certainly didn''t want to hear if those two really managed to find their way into bed! Not that the king had seemed sober enough to get anything done.

 Chapter 161 - Waking Up Together

    The next morning, Qiu Ling woke up with a splitting headache. Damn. People shouldn''t be talking about that Lao Chun when they were talking about wine in the dragon realm. Their former king was obviously an expert, too, when it came to manufacturing it! Ugh, he hadn''t even noticed how he got drunk until it was too late. This stuff was really vicious.


    "Damn, no wonder my old man woke up married after getting drunk at his place." He lifted his hand to his forehead but halted in the mid of the motion. Wait ¡­ Why did it feel as if someone''s head was lying on his chest? It couldn''t be that he had also slept with some unknown woman while being under the influence?! Damn this Jinde! He really was a curse to his family!


    Qiu Ling panicked. He wanted to sit up and push the person away but then he reconsidered. What if he woke her up through that? Right now, he could still try to slip out of the room without her noticing. Maybe she had been drunk, too, or it had been too dark to see anything so she didn''t know who he was? He could still get away with this!


    Qiu Ling slightly tilted his head and looked down. He immediately stopped frowning and smiled instead, his arms snapping shut around that person like an animal trap that would be more than hard to pry off.


    Ah! It was actually his beloved! He had found his way to Jing He even while drunk. He was such a good lover! Even more important: He had been rewarded for his faithfulness! His beloved had actually sidled up to him and was snuggling up to his side. Mn, Jing He''s head was lying on his chest and his arm was stretched across his abdomen, with his fingers curled into his robes. Mn, Jing He must have really missed him!


    Qiu Ling grinned. "Watch this, old man! All your warnings in my childhood weren''t for nothing. I might have gotten drunk but I still found the right person! Really, only you would be so dumb as to take the wrong one home!"


    Qiu Ling stroked Jing Yi''s hair, unable to believe he had such luck. Mn, he had spent the night at Jing He''s place. That had to mean that the rejection was no longer an issue. Jing He had probably thought it over and decided that he liked him, after all. There was no other possibility.


    Qiu Ling hugged Jing Yi close, a beautiful smile on his lips. Mn, it was to be expected. Fate had brought them together. Heaven wanted them to be a couple. It was only a question of time until they married.


    Qiu Ling leaned over and kissed Jing Yi''s head. Ah, this felt so good ¡­ There was one thing he didn''t understand, though: Why were they lying on the floor? It was hard and even a little cold. Mn, this couldn''t go on.


    Qiu Ling wriggled out of Jing Yi''s embrace even though he loathed to do so. Then, he picked him up and carried him over to the bed. He gently put him down and covered him with the blanket, taking a moment to admire his face.


    Mn, this mortal reincarnation of Jing He''s might not be comparable to the ethereal beauty of his immortal body but it had a charm of its own. It seemed less mature and more like the face of someone who still needed his protection. He actually liked looking at it very much.


    Qiu Ling lay down next to him, though he paid attention that he was lying on top of the blanket. His Jing He wouldn''t stand for it if he did anything else. After all, they still weren''t married officially.


    He quietly lay beside him and waited but his beloved actually just stayed where he had put him down and refused to snuggle up to him again. Qiu Ling frowned. This couldn''t continue! He still wanted to experience the glorious feeling of waking up together arm in arm!


    Qiu Ling slowly extended his own arm and put his hand under Jing Yi''s head. Mn. That felt good! He slipped closer and turned onto his side. Ah ¡­ His beloved was so cute when he slept! Mn, those slightly curled lips ¡­ He must be having a good dream. And look at how his eyelashes are fluttering! Ah!


    It had been the best decision ever to follow his beloved down to the mortal realm! Well, it wasn''t like he had never spent the night at Jing He''s place. He actually had done that before. Once. And secretly, because if he did so with anyone besides Jing He and him knowing then the Heavenly emperor would certainly find out and then he could forget to ever see his beloved again. So, unfortunately, he had had to leave before the sun could rise that day. Jing He hadn''t even woken up by then. Ah, they actually missed out on such an important thing!


    "Mn, we''re going to make up for all that." Qiu Ling lifted his hand and cupped Jing Yi''s cheek. He really, really wanted to kiss him right now.


    Mn ¡­ Why not? Jing He would certainly love to be woken up with a kiss! Qiu Ling looped his arm around Jing Yi''s waist and leaned closer. His beloved actually sighed and snuggled up to his chest.


    Qiu Ling slightly trembled. Ah, this really was what he had imagined! He bent forward a little more and tilted his head, his lips closing in on Jing Yi''s.


    Just when they were about to meet, Jing Yi''s eyes opened. Qiu Ling smiled, bending down further. Then, a hand landed on his cheek with a resounding slap.


    Qiu Ling hovered above Jing Yi with a stunned expression, before he slowly lifted his hand and covered his cheek. His beloved ¡­ had actually slapped him?! This wasn''t the morning of waking up together he had imagined at all!


    He pursed his lips and looked at Jing Yi with pitiful eyes that seemed to ask what he had done wrong. He really couldn''t understand!

 Chapter 162 - Every Good Morning Should Start With A Kiss

    "My love ¡­"


    Qiu Ling''s voice was just as pitiful as his gaze and Jing Yi instantly felt remorseful. He shouldn''t have slapped him. "I ¡­ I''m sorry." He looked up into that pair of dark eyes and was suddenly unable to look away. They were a little strange, those eyes, unlike the eyes of any other person he had seen before. Somehow, the form of his iris seemed different?


    Jing Yi blinked. That wasn''t important now. "I just ¡­ I became afraid. I just woke up and someone was suddenly so close so I ¡­"


    Qiu Ling lowered his hand and smiled brightly again. "So it was like that! Mn, don''t worry about it. I wouldn''t fault you. It''s the right thing to do to be a little more cautious. You''re so cute, it''s to be expected that people with bad intentions might try to get close to you!"


    Jing Yi frowned. Why did it sound as if he was issuing a warning?


    "Ah, but you don''t have to worry!" Qiu Ling went back to cupping Jing Yi''s cheeks with his hands. "I''m right here. I won''t let any of those shameless men take advantage of you."


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. The only person who had tried to take advantage of him was the man above him, though. "Senior martial brother Qiu ¡­"


    "Ah, don''t say it, my love!" Qiu Ling put his forefinger to Jing Yi''s lips. "I know you''re deeply touched. But you don''t have to be. It''s only natural. As your future husband, I should do these things."


    Jing Yi opened his mouth to refute that there was no future husband but Qiu Ling finally used this moment to finish what he had originally tried to do. He retracted his finger and bent down.


    Their lips met.


    Jing Yi''s eyes went wide. This ¡­ What was happening? What was with all the talk about nobody being allowed to take advantage of him? This shameless guy was doing exactly that!


    His hands twitched. He really wanted to slap him again! Especially since that guy didn''t seem to want to stop at all!


    Jing Yi was right with that observation. Qiu Ling definitely didn''t think of stopping. Quite the contrary! He was finally kissing his beloved and he wasn''t struggling or trying to evade him so, in his opinion, that could only mean that Jing Yi liked it and wanted to continue. When had he ever gotten such a chance?


    After ten years of wooing Jing He, they had kissed quite a few times but Jing He was rather restrained. It had never gotten out of hand. He had never minded a little peck since they were a couple but there had been only a few deeper kisses between them. Their wildest kiss had probably been the one right before Jing He descended for his trial which was a form of torture all on its own.


    Ah, really, how could he just kiss him like that? It had felt as if he urgently needed that kiss, as if he couldn''t go on without it, without him ¡­ Qiu Ling had never felt this good. In fact, he had nearly lost control and was just one step away from pushing Jing He down then and there. But just when his hands had moved to explore further and fan the flames of their lust, his beloved had actually disengaged himself and stepped back.


    Qiu Ling had only been able to look at him with a heated gaze, silently begging him not to stop and instead let him have his way with him. As a dragon, sleeping with him would make Jing He his official consort in the eyes of the dragon race''s people. He desired to have this kind of official relationship between them. Especially since Jing He would be gone for a while. Who knew what the trial might bring?


    But Jing He hadn''t assented to it and Qiu Ling never would have forced him. Thus, they had bid their farewell and only now was Qiu Ling finally able to come this close to his beloved again. Naturally, he wouldn''t stop as long as he wasn''t asked to.


    He hugged Jing Yi as close as possible and tilted his head. His lips pressed against Jing Yi''s. Mn ¡­ One of his hands snaked up his back and curled around his hair, tilting Jing Yi''s head up to meet his. Jing Yi frowned and pushed against Qiu Ling''s chest but his arms didn''t seem to have any strength. Qiu Ling only felt like his beloved was caressing him to show his affection.


    In a happy mood, Qiu Ling returned the favor. While one of his hands still combed through Jing Yi''s hair, the other one stroked his side. His lips didn''t leave Jing Yi''s, though.


    Jing Yi shuddered. He had just wanted to push Qiu Ling off but now he felt ¡­ He couldn''t do it. And not just because Qiu Ling didn''t react. Somehow, his fingers had curled around the hem of Qiu Ling''s robe. They even seemed to unconsciously pull him a little closer. He also didn''t know why he was doing this. He just felt way too comfortable right now.


    Qiu Ling sighed with satisfaction. It was true. His beloved really had reconsidered! He peeked at Jing Yi''s face and saw him slowly shutting his eyes. Mn ¡­ His beloved was way too sweet.


    Qiu Ling cupped his cheeks and deepened their kiss, gently sucking on his lower lip. A hand slowly slid upward from the hem of his robe to his neck and then even further onto his shoulder. There wasn''t any strength behind that movement but Qiu Ling felt like Jing Yi was trying to pull him closer.


    He left Jing Yi''s lips and trailed his chin with light kisses until he finally arrived at his neck. His hands somehow slid down and grabbed that white robe. Mn, since his beloved had reconsidered they could just do it now so that they would be officially married. It had been long enough anyway. After ten years in the nine heavens and fifteen years in the mortal realm ¡­ Wasn''t it time to finally seal the deal?


    He slowly pulled the fabric apart, revealing a jade-like chest. And then ¡­


    Someone knocked on the door.

 Chapter 163 - Can’t Even Fault Him

    Qiu Ling and Jing Yi both froze. So ¡­ what now? Qiu Ling silently lifted his head and looked into Jing Yi''s eyes. He certainly didn''t want to stop!


    He hugged his beloved and stroked his hair, gently pushing it back behind his ears. "How about we forget we heard something and just continue?" He gave him a disarming smile and closed in again, pursing his lips.


    Before he could take over Jing Yi''s lips, a hand clasped over his mouth, though. Jing Yi shook his head and cleared his throat. "Senior martial brother Qiu ¡­ get off, please."


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows. Whoa! One could actually still say ''senior martial brother'' in such a way after kissing like that? He never would have expected such a thing!


    "Senior martial brother", reminded Jing Yi when he didn''t get a response.


    Qiu Ling smiled and tilted his head. "Mn? What did you say, my love?"


    "Get off, please."


    "Eh?" Qiu Ling tilted his head to the other side. "It seems you weren''t speaking loud enough. I couldn''t quite catch that."


    Once again, someone knocked on the door and this time a male voice floated in: "Xiao Yi! You''re not up yet? It''s our day for practicing the sword! Did you forget?"


    Jing Yi frowned at Qiu Ling. He had always thought that this senior martial brother of his was a little weird but now he noticed for the first time just how shameless he was. "Senior martial brother!", he hissed and uneasily glanced at the door.


    "Call me Qiu Ling!"


    Jing Yi''s brow twitched. "If I do, will you get off?"


    Qiu Ling smiled even more brightly. "I''ll consider it!"


    Jing Yi took a deep breath. Alright. If that would make that guy move, then he''d do it. It wasn''t like he was losing out just because he called him by his name. "Qiu Ling. Please, get off now."


    "Ah!" Qiu Ling wrapped his arms around him and nuzzled Jing Yi''s shoulder with his head. "Say it again!" He loved hearing his name from his beloved''s lips! Wasn''t this just Jing He''s way of telling him how much he loved him? Of course, someone as shy as his beloved wouldn''t dare to speak his innermost thoughts aloud at just any moment. The atmosphere had to be right for that. Thus, he could only resort to showing his love in a more roundabout way.


    Ah, how nice, getting a love confession early in the morning!


    Jing Yi frowned. Hadn''t that guy just promised to get off when he called him by his name? Why was he still lying on top of him?!


    He wanted to question him but just then, the voice from outside sounded again. "Xiao Yi! Xiao Yi? Are you alright?" The faint sound of someone pacing up and down could be heard before the person stopped in front of the door again. "I''m coming in!"


    "No!" Jing Yi protested but it was already too late. Shao Hai had opened the door and, of course, he had seen them in this incriminating position.


    Shao Hai stood there in the doorway, dumbstruck. What was going on? Why was his Xiao Yi lying in bed with another man? He looked at Qiu Ling, unable to figure out what was going on.


    Qiu Ling gave him a smug look. See that? You might have gotten his first kiss in this life but I''ll get everything else! I dare you to try to get close to him again!


    Seeing that gaze, Shao Hai came out of his shock and pointed at Qiu Ling. "Scoundrel! What are you doing with my Xiao Yi?!"


    Qiu Ling slowly lifted his brows. "Your Xiao Yi? And we''re cuddling, can''t you see?"


    "You!" Shao Hai''s hands shook. "You ¡­"


    Qiu Ling smiled even more and rubbed his head on Jing Yi''s chest, guiding Shao Hai''s gaze to the half-opened robe of his friend.


    Shao Hai gaped. That ¡­ That scoundrel was trying to take advantage of his Xiao Yi! "I''ll kill you!"


    Qiu Ling blinked. "What for?"


    "Obviously because you''ve tried to take advantage of my beloved!"


    "Hah?" Qiu Ling raised his brows. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. Why would I want to take advantage of your beloved if I have someone as beautiful as Jing He at my side?"


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. That guy still hadn''t gotten his name right and neither had he gotten up! "Senior martial brother Qiu. Why don''t you get up to talk about that?"


    "Ah, my love, don''t worry. I won''t just leave! I''ll stay with you!" He bent down to kiss Jing Yi but Shao Hai finally charged at him.


    Qiu Ling frowned. This guy! Not only had he stolen his beloved''s first kiss from him he had even dared to disturb them when things were getting good. He had to be punished!


    He propped himself up on one elbow and greeted Shao Hai with a kick that let him crash heavily onto the floor. Qiu Ling smiled smugly. Hah! That''s what you''ll get for messing with me!


    "Now that I think about it: What are you doing here? Just barging into somebody else''s room this early in the morning." He shook his head. "My love clearly didn''t invite you in. What if he had been doing something that shouldn''t be seen by strangers? How inappropriate!"


    Shao Hai gritted his teeth. "You''re the inappropriate one! You''re the stranger! I was just checking up on a friend! What''s bad about that? But you ¡­ you ¡­ Ugh!" He stood up and clenched his fists. "You came to his room to shamelessly take advantage of him!"


    "Tch! What shamelessly taking advantage? What stranger? I''m his fiance!"


    This response effectively shut Shao Hai up. It also stunned Jing Yi.


    This ¡­ when had that guy become his fiance?


    "Senior martial brother Qiu ¡­" Jing Yi wanted to rectify the matter at once but Shao Hai reacted faster.


    "You ¡­ You actually accepted his proposal, Xiao Yi? What about me? I''ve been pursuing you for years!" He threw an accusing glare at Jing Yi. Then, he turned on his heel and ran out, leaving Jing Yi no time to respond.


    Qiu Ling smiled. "Don''t forget to close the door behind you!", he called after him but, of course, only silence could be heard outside. Qiu Ling sighed. "Ah, children these days ¡­ Well, whatever." He turned back around to Jing Yi and rubbed his hands. "How about we continue where we left off?" Before he got an answer, his hand already returned to Jing Yi''s neck.


    "Senior martial brother. Stop it."


    Qiu Ling sighed again. "I know the atmosphere isn''t right anymore. But you don''t have to worry: Just give me a bit of time and you''ll certainly be in the mood again!"


    Jing Yi looked at him with a deadpan expression. "The door''s still open."


    "Oh. Let me close it for you!" Qiu Ling''s gaze didn''t leave Jing Yi''s face for even a moment.


    "Yes, please do so." Jing Yi prepared to leap to his feet as soon as Qiu Ling stood up to close the door. Unfortunately, he hadn''t known that Qiu Ling didn''t need to do so.


    Qiu Ling just carelessly waved and a breeze closed the door. Ah, being a dragon really had its perks. Now he could continue what he had started.


    He bent down, his lips aiming for Jing Yi''s neck. Mn ¡­ This time, nobody would ¡ª


    A hand made contact with his forehead and prevented him from bridging the last inch between himself and Jing Yi''s fair skin.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips and tried to reach him like that but it was still too far. In the end, he could only sigh and look up. "What is it, my love? Are you really not in the mood anymore? Just trust me!"


    "It''s not about that. What made you say you''re my fiance in front of Shao Hai?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. "Well, he said I''m a stranger but I''m clearly your fiance. Isn''t it the right thing to do to tell him?"


    Jing Yi frowned. So that hadn''t just been a joke? That guy really thought that? "Since when have you been my fiance?"


    "Well, we''re not married yet. What else would I be if not your fiance?"


    Jing Yi''s lips moved but he didn''t get any sound out.


    "Mn, it''s alright. I know you''re shy." Qiu Ling plucked Jing Yi''s hand from his forehead and tried once again.


    "That''s not it! I''ve rejected you, have you forgotten already?"


    Qiu Ling froze. "But ¡­ haven''t you reconsidered?"


    "No! What gave you the impression?"


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. "Well ¡­ the kissing and cuddling?"


    Jing Yi was floored. This time, he couldn''t even fault Qiu Ling for it.

 Chapter 164 - Maybe I’ll Reconsider

    Jing Yi took a deep breath. It really wasn''t Qiu Ling''s fault this time, he couldn''t argue that. It was his own indecisiveness that had led to this outcome.


    "Senior martial brother Qiu ¡ª"


    "Just call me Qiu Ling."


    Jing Yi nodded. If he didn''t, that guy would probably never listen to him. "Qiu Ling, listen: This got a little out of hand. I ¡­ I also don''t know why I''ve done that but you should know that I didn''t reconsider anything. I still don''t want to marry you."


    Qiu Ling blinked. Huh? What was his beloved saying?


    Jing Yi saw that he was lost. He closed his eyes and sighed. Damn. He really had done it now. Qiu Ling had already been so persistent before when he had rejected him in a straightforward manner. Now that he had shown weakness in front of his relentless pursuing wouldn''t he double his efforts?


    Qiu Ling observed Jing Yi''s expression. Mn, those closed eyes ¡­ He bent down and kissed the corner. Jing Yi''s eyes flew open. That guy! What did he think he was doing?! "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "Mn ¡­" Qiu Ling only gave a murmur as an assent and continued to rain some kisses on Jing Yi''s cheek. Forget about his beloved saying he hadn''t reconsidered. He was probably just embarrassed. Mn, it was understandable. After rejecting him like that he just felt bad about giving right in. Now, he needed to be slowly persuaded. No problem there! Hadn''t he done just that for ten years in the nine heavens? He already had lots of experience with it!


    "I love you", he whispered into Jing Yi''s ears but he didn''t give him time to react. Instead, he cupped his cheeks and kissed him again. Jing He would never just admit to it. Not for now anyway. He needed time. And Qiu Ling was more than willing to give it if that meant being able to hold him in his arms again in this lifetime.


    Jing Yi lay there in a daze. How had they gotten back to kissing again? This guy ¡­ he really couldn''t do anything about him. And actually ¡­ If he ignored the strange feeling he had gotten at the beginning, then it didn''t feel bad to be with him. In fact, he really liked it. It gave him a warm and fuzzy feeling he had never felt before.


    Was this ¡­ love?


    Jing Yi peered into Qiu Ling''s face. His senior martial brother had closed his eyes but even without seeing his gaze he could tell how earnest Qiu Ling was in his pursuit. He might have proposed to him on the spot but he was obviously serious.


    He even got that drunk because I rejected him ¡­ It''s as if I ¡­ actually broke his heart yesterday. And now he''s so happy because he thought I had reconsidered.


    He slowly extended his hand and slid his fingers into Qiu Ling''s black hair. Qiu Ling lifted his head and opened his eyes, a happy smile contained in his gaze. Jing Yi smiled back at him. Maybe ¡­ he shouldn''t reject him outright.


    "Qiu Ling."


    "Mn?"


    "Wait a moment."


    Considering how his beloved had just looked at him, Qiu Ling indeed stopped. He didn''t get up, though, and just propped himself up on his elbows, looking at Jing Yi''s face.


    "I ¡­" Jing Yi licked his lips. He really didn''t know how to say this.


    "What is it, my love?" Qiu Ling took his hand and interlaced their fingers.


    Jing Yi looked at that hand that was so gentle towards him. "I don''t know how to say this but ¡­ maybe ¡­ Give me a bit of time to think this through, alright?"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded and started to wait.


    Jing Yi, too, waited. When he noticed that Qiu Ling still didn''t want to get up, he frowned. "Didn''t you just agree?"


    "Sure! So, have you thought it through?" Whatever ''it'' was. Qiu Ling didn''t really understand what his beloved meant, after all, he was still under the misconception that Jing Yi had already reconsidered.


    Jing Yi sighed. "Qiu Ling, how long do you intend to stay like this? Look at what time it is."


    Qiu Ling gazed at the window blankly. The sun had already risen but one clearly couldn''t call the time late. "Isn''t it still early? We can still stay in bed for one or two hours. Ah, my love, these morning hours are precious. We shouldn''t waste them!"


    "Indeed. So, please get up now."


    Qiu Ling turned a deaf ear once again.


    Jing Yi frowned. "Qiu Ling, if you want me to reconsider my rejection, then you''ll get up. Right. Now."


    Qiu Ling sat up at once, smoothed out his robes, pushed back his hair and put on a brilliant smile. "Oh, so you were thinking about us. If that''s the case ¡­" He helped Jing Yi up and even went so far as to tidy up his robe for him. He really was on his best behavior right now.


    Jing Yi sighed. Why couldn''t he always be so reasonable? Then maybe ¡­ No, actually, had Qiu Ling not been how he was then he never would have thought about reconsidering.


    "So ¡­ My love, is there anything I can do for you?"


    Jing Yi shook his head and used the opportunity to stand up. "It''s alright."


    "Are you sure? Maybe there is something you want me to do for you or anything you want to have? Ah! I know! You''re still a mortal. You''ll need to eat, right?" He leaped to his feet and ran out before Jing Yi had time to say anything.


    Jing Yi could only shake his head and sigh. The sect didn''t lack in food for the mortals in the outer sect. There was no need to trouble his senior martial brother with that but, well, it was already too late. He could only wait until Qiu Ling came back.


    Jing Yi started to wash up and put on a clean robe but his thoughts couldn''t help but remain with Qiu Ling. Why was this guy so easily excitable? Though, it was nice seeing him so earnest about this. He was obviously trying to impress him. "Mn, it would be nice if I could talk about all this with mother ¡­" Though, at the same time, he dreaded going back to the capital. After all, he hadn''t managed to cultivate even after five years. He was afraid his mother might be disappointed in him.


    No, he had to find out what to do on his own.


    "Eh?" Just when Jing Yi had resolved himself to do so, the door had opened again. Qiu Ling had already returned and, upon hearing Jing Yi''s mumbling, his face actually lit up. "Did I just hear you say that you wanted to see mother-in-law?" He put the spirit fruits in his hands down and hurried over.


    Jing Yi tensed. What mother-in-law?! This guy was seriously getting ahead of himself! "I was thinking about my mother."


    "Mn! How about I''ll take you there?" Qiu Ling''s eyes gleamed. This was just perfect! His mother-in-law liked him and she had promised him to help if her son liked him back. And his beloved was obviously reciprocating his feelings, he was just too shy to admit it. If he talked it over with his mother, he would definitely accept him wholeheartedly!


    After all, hadn''t exactly the same thing happened back then? Jing He had also been afraid at first but after having a good talk with the Heavenly empress, he slowly eased up in Qiu Ling''s presence.


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling in a daze. "You ¡­ want to take me to the capital?"


    "Yes!" Qiu Ling nodded eagerly. "Ah, you''d best pack your things right now! I''ll take you there immediately!"


    Jing Yi opened his mouth but didn''t find anything to say. Why was Qiu Ling this thrilled at the prospect of meeting his mother?


    Qiu Ling gripped his hands. "My love, there is no need to wait! Actually, while we''re at it, why don''t we travel a little longer? Didn''t you want to experience adventures? We can go and do that together right now!"


    Jing Yi''s expression eased and he smiled a little. So this was what was up. Qiu Ling wasn''t this excited because he would meet his mother, instead, he was excited because they would spend a lot of time together when they traveled.


    "There is one problem, though: We can''t just leave the sect grounds without reason." There were rules in the Yun Zou sect, after all.


    "Tch." Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. "What without reason? We''re going to temper ourselves in the outside world! Come, I''ll take you to see my Master. He''ll definitely allow it and who would dare refute him?" He grabbed Jing Yi''s waist and pulled him out of the door, just barely remembering to pick up the fruits and stuffing them into Jing Yi''s hands. He couldn''t let his beloved go hungry, after all!


    "Qiu Ling!" Jing Yi wanted to protest but they had already arrived at the building''s doorstep. Qiu Ling, faced with the prospect of getting his mother-in-law''s help and spending lots of time with his beloved while traveling outside, didn''t hesitate and just took to the air, flying over to his master''s palace. He couldn''t waste even one minute!

 Chapter 165 - I’ll Do Whatever You Want

    "Master!" Qiu Ling barged into Grandmaster Zhangsun''s palace like always, not caring that his master was meditating right now.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned a little when he noticed that Qiu Ling had brought somebody with him but he didn''t even open his eyes. His disciple had probably come again to make a ruckus. He shouldn''t entertain him.


    "Master!" Qiu Ling cried out again and pulled Jing Yi into his master''s room. "Here, my love, sit down." Qiu Ling led him to the place in front of Zhangsun Xun Yi, offering a seat.


    "Senior ¡ª" Jing Yi wanted to protest but he couldn''t get a word out before Qiu Ling had taken a seat himself and pulled him down.


    Grandmaster Zhangsun cracked open his eyes. Ah. So it turned out the person his disciple brought was the boy he had proposed to. Well, it was to be expected. He thought of that man''s words and opened his eyes completely. "What is it?"


    "Master, it''s like this: I want to take Jing He out to pl¡ª er ¡­ to travel around and temper ourselves!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi pretended he hadn''t heard his disciple''s slip of the tongue. He turned toward Jing Yi. "Jing He, you don''t have a master in the outer sect, is that right?"


    Jing Yi nodded and tried to ignore the fact that Grandmaster Zhangsun would also remember his name wrong now thanks to Qiu Ling. He didn''t dare to correct him.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi saw that Jing Yi seemed unhappy about something but he didn''t ask. He wouldn''t make things difficult for those two but he also wouldn''t needlessly help. "Very well. Then you may go. If you get into trouble ¡­" He once again thought back to that man''s words. If even he didn''t know if he could teach Qiu Ling anything, then asking him to send him a message if he needed help was idiocy. His disciple wouldn''t need it.


    The Grandmaster sighed. "Just don''t get into trouble. Ah, yes, there is one thing you should remember, though: You better really let that boy learn something. I don''t mind you marrying him but there are certain rules in the sect. As my disciple, you won''t be able to marry someone from the outer sect without trouble so you better see to it that he gets good enough to be transferred to the inner sect by the time you come back."


    "Ah?" Qiu Ling''s smile finally broke down. He couldn''t marry his beloved if he wasn''t a good enough cultivator? Who made such a stupid rule?! That guy needed a thorough beating!


    Grandmaster Zhangsun ignored his disciple''s expression and turned to Jing Yi again. "You probably also wouldn''t want to become an embarrassment to him. Considering my disciple gave you the Amethyst Lightning pill you should have at least reached the root stage if you return one year from now."


    "Root stage?" Jing Yi couldn''t help but get flustered. The root stage was the second stage of cultivating after the seed stage. He had tried to learn everything he could about cultivation since five years ago but he still hadn''t even managed to enter the seed stage. How could he reach the root stage in one year?!


    Qiu Ling looked at Jing Yi''s troubled expression with bewilderment. He had no idea what this stage was but it couldn''t be anything good if his beloved looked like that! He grabbed Jing Yi''s hands. "You don''t have to reach anything, my love. Just do what you want. I''ll always stay with you."


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to. He just couldn''t believe that he would be able to.


    "Remember that you''ll have heavenly spirit veins after you take the pill. Thus, cultivating won''t take you as much time. A year should be enough."


    "Ah. That''s true." Jing Yi lowered his head. That was true. It was just ¡­ He had already given the pill back through Qiguan Cheng Da. He couldn''t ask for it again. And even if he could, he wouldn''t want to. What he had said to Qiguan Cheng Da was true: He really believed that he should achieve his goal through his own hard work. Having somebody else gather the materials for him and just taking the pill seemed wrong to him. He didn''t want to be that kind of person.


    Qiu Ling grew restless. "Is that everything, Master? Can we go now?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "Yes, you may go."


    Qiu Ling didn''t need to be told twice. He pulled Jing Yi to his feet and ran as fast out of his Master''s palace as he had run in. "Let''s go, my love!" Once again, he wrapped Jing Yi up in his arms and flew up into the air.


    Jing Yi clung to his neck. This wasn''t fun at all! Did that idiot not know that he couldn''t fly? What if his grab loosened and he fell down?! "Qiu Ling!"


    "What is it?" Qiu Ling actually halted in mid-air. His beloved''s voice had sounded quite urgent.


    "Let me down!"


    "Hah? Didn''t you want to go to the capital? Don''t tell me you want to walk? That would take ages!"


    "How can we fly like this? What if you drop me!"


    Qiu Ling blinked. Oh. So his beloved was afraid. That ¡­ probably was the right opportunity to showcase his love?


    Qiu Ling slowly descended. They had already left the Yun Zou sect behind and were now on one of the mountains of the Long mountain range that overlooked the forest at its feet. He gently put Jing Yi down. "There is no need to worry. I''d never drop you. I''ll never let go of you. I''ll hold onto you." He took Jing Yi''s hands into his and gently caressed them.


    Jing Yi blushed. He suddenly felt uneasy about raising such a fuzz. Qiu Ling was doing all this just for him and he had indeed held him tightly. "It''s alright ¡­ I''m sorry."


    Qiu Ling leaned forward and hugged him just as gently as he had held his hands. "You don''t have to be. I''d do anything for you. If you don''t like flying that way, then we''ll do it another way." He stepped back before Jing Yi could grow uneasy and slightly waved.


    The wind picked up and actually blew a cloud down. Jing Yi''s eyes nearly popped out.


    What ¡­ What was going on? Wasn''t Qiu Ling a cultivator? "How ¡­"


    Qiu Ling smiled and pulled him onto the cloud. Jing Yi grabbed onto his arm, afraid of what might happen, but the cloud below his feet was surprisingly hard. Or, well, it was soft but still firm. The feeling was quite strange.


    Qiu Ling stepped onto the cloud and hugged him from behind. "Let''s sit down", he murmured, his breath stroking Jing Yi''s ear.


    Jing Yi felt his legs going weak. Seriously, what was going on with him?! He could only sit down with Qiu Ling''s help, still wrapped in his arms. Jing Yi closed his eyes. There was nothing he could say about this. Qiu Ling really had done whatever he could. Jing Yi sighed and leaned back into Qiu Ling''s chest. Qiu Ling''s breath still gently caressed his cheek and at his back Jing Yi could feel his heartbeat.


    Whatever his mother was going to say, he already felt like it wouldn''t be too bad to be with Qiu Ling. He hadn''t felt that strange repelling feeling from the beginning anymore for quite a while. If it went on like this ¡­ Even if he didn''t love him now, he would probably do so soon. Qiu Ling just magically attracted him.


    The cloud steadily rose back into the sky.


    While Qiu Ling and Jing Yi traveled back to the capital like that, a beautiful woman was frowning at a place Qiu Ling had already forgotten. She was deep in thought.


    "What is it?" A seductive, slightly husky voice sounded not far from her and the woman looked up with a troubled gaze.


    "An De, Darling!" The woman scurried over to him and nestled up against his chest. "I can''t stop thinking about what happened that day. Who was that person? He clearly said my sister''s name!"


    The man nodded. "That is indeed strange. Don''t worry, my dear. I''ll have our people look into it."


    The woman nodded, tiptoed and kissed him on the lips.


    The man smiled slightly. "Alright, stop thinking about it. Let''s go back inside." He took her hand and the two of them disappeared back into the building behind them.

 Chapter 166 - My Love, Please Behave!

    Jing Yi had Qiu Ling halt the cloud outside of the capital where even the guards couldn''t see them. It probably wouldn''t cause trouble even if they only halted in front of the teahouse since the Yun Zou sect recruited disciples every few years in the capital. The people had already seen enough of their cultivators to recognize the white robes they were wearing so they wouldn''t wonder about someone flying on a cloud. Jing Yi didn''t want the attention, though. He had come to talk with his mother in private. Who knew what would happen if people noticed them?


    Jing Yi searched around in his spatial bag. Even though outer sect disciples weren''t seen too favorably in the sect and someone with his aptitude was even scoffed at, the sect still wouldn''t stand for others looking down upon their disciples. Thus, even those with trash spirit veins like him would get one of those white robes and an equally white spatial bag upon entering the Yun Zou sect.


    Jing Yi didn''t own much so his spatial bag only contained things that were handy to have on him and a few necessities he might need should he ever leave the sect grounds. There was also a memento inside: A white robe his grandfather had gifted him.


    Yes, Jing Yi still thought of that white-haired old man every now and then. He hadn''t seen him in over five years, though. He already doubted if he would ever see him again but he stubbornly held onto the robe and the bracelet the old man had given him. To him, that Daoist master was his family.


    Had Qiu Ling known this fake appearance of his had such a high regard in Jing Yi''s heart, he probably would have regretted not helping Jing Yi and his family while using his own appearance. But now it was too late anyway.


    Qiu Ling looked on as Jing Yi unfolded the robe. "What are you doing?"


    "Oh." Jing Yi paused and motioned toward the capital. I thought it might not be good if we walked in wearing the sect robes. People might get curious and I don''t want to bring my mother trouble. Do you have anything else you could wear?"


    "Sure." Qiu Ling took one of his black robes out from his spatial ring and happily exchanged the sect''s white one for it. Ah, it felt so much better to wear his own clothes.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but take a longer look at him. He didn''t know why but he somehow felt as if this was how Qiu Ling was supposed to look. He also looked handsome in the white robe and when he wore it he definitely was the spitting image of the heroes Jing Yi had always imagined but this black robe somehow fitted him better. He also couldn''t say why.


    Qiu Ling noticed his gaze and smiled. "What is it?"


    "No, I ¡­ I just thought ¡­" Jing Y shook his head and changed clothes, too. He wasn''t sure if it was a good idea, though. The robe was still a bit big on him. Whoever it had been meant for must have been one or two heads taller than the him now. Furthermore, both robes were white but the robe he was wearing now was even more eye-catching. The fabric seemed to glow under the sunlight.


    Qiu Ling looked at the white robe with a thoughtful gaze. Of course, he recognized it at once. After all, he had spent a lot of time on getting this. He had personally searched for the silk used to make it and had even discussed the design up to the most minute detail before he let his people manufacture it. He didn''t want anything but a perfect gift for Jing He. Who knew it would be used in the human world and even without his beloved knowing?


    Qiu Ling didn''t mind. When Jing Yi ascended and Jing He woke up and remembered everything then he would certainly understand that this robe had been meant for him. Wouldn''t he be endlessly touched then?


    Qiu Ling reached over with a smile and lightly grabbed the fabric. "It looks nice on you."


    "Mn, thank you. It was a present."


    Qiu Ling gave him a knowing smile but Jing Yi had already turned toward the city, looking a bit worried.


    "It''s been five years since I left. I never contacted her. I don''t know ¡­ Maybe she''ll fault me?"


    "She wouldn''t."


    Jing Yi lifted his brows. "What makes you so sure?"


    Qiu Ling smiled and grabbed his hand. "She loves you, doesn''t she? So she''ll understand."


    "Mn."


    "Come on. Let''s go. I also want to meet mother-in-law." He pulled Jing Yi with him.


    "Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing Yi sighed and stopped. "Do me one favor, alright?"


    Qiu Ling gripped his other hand, too, and pressed them against his chest, conveniently stepping a little closer. "My love, even if you asked for a hundred or a thousand favors, I wouldn''t reject even one of them. Just tell me what it is that you desire and I''ll go do it at once."


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. "It''s nothing much. Just ¡­ when we meet my mother later, please behave, alright?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. "What are you talking about? When didn''t I behave?"


    "Well ¡­ It''s not that you don''t behave ¡­" Jing Yi''s expression was a little strained. How should he say this? He didn''t want to hurt his feelings but he had to make sure Qiu Ling understood. "You see, I haven''t seen my mother in a while. It''ll probably be a huge shock to her when I suddenly turn up at her doorstep. It wouldn''t be such a good idea to make this shock even bigger. So, please, just call me Jing Yi while we''re there, alright?"


    "Jing Yi?" Qiu Ling pursed his lips. He didn''t like this one bit.


    "Yes, just Jing Yi. No ''my love''. And you can''t call my mother mother-in-law either."


    "Why not?" Qiu Ling frowned. Alright, they hadn''t slept with each other so they weren''t officially married but it was just a question of time! And his mother-in-law certainly wouldn''t mind. He was sure of that.


    Jing Yi sighed. "Please, just listen to me, alright?" He looked up into Qiu Ling''s eyes, clearly begging him.


    Qiu Ling gulped. This ¡­ What was happening right now? Was his beloved trying to seduce him right now? The gaze in those limpid eyes was more than he could take. "If ¡­ If that is what you want ¡­", he answered with a slightly hoarse voice.


    Jing Yi smiled and nodded. "Thank you." He hesitated a bit, then he squeezed Qiu Ling''s hands, before slipping out of his grip and turning around.


    Qiu Ling followed him in a daze. Honestly, he didn''t even know what was going on anymore. What had they talked about just now? But, well, his beloved seemed happy, so he was happy, too. Mn, he would be even happier if they had kissed just now. Maybe he could exploit Jing He''s good mood a bit?


    He looked over and observed his beloved''s profile. Yes, he was still really happy. This would be a good opportunity. He extended his hands but just then Jing Yi tensed. The gate of the capital had just entered their sight.


    It wouldn''t be long now. Soon, he''d see his mother again.


    Qiu Ling saw Jing Yi''s smile turning into a tensed expression. He sighed and dropped his hand. Well, maybe later. They would be very close to each other for a long time now. There was no need to rush anything.

 Chapter 167 - Nothing Has Changed

    Qiu Ling and Jing Yi entered the capital city and made their way over to the teahouse where Madam Zhong still worked. Jing Yi stopped in front of the door, though. He looked at the familiar entrance and thought back to the time five years ago. Things had happened so fast back then ¡­ First, his father had died, then that strange man told him of the dragon king and finally he met Senior Martial Brother Wu and left for the Yun Zou sect.


    Maybe it had been too fast and it would have been better if he stayed with his mother. Wouldn''t she have needed him at her side after losing his father? How could he just leave her in such a situation? Back then, he hadn''t been able to think as far but now he could and he felt guilty about it. How had his mother felt all those years? Especially since there wasn''t even a word from him. For all she knew he could have been dead long ago!


    Jing Yi gulped but just when he couldn''t take these thoughts anymore, his hand was grabbed and Qiu Ling''s fingers interlaced with his. Jing Yi sighed and forced a smile.


    "Thank you. I''m alright." He took his hand back. Under no circumstances did he want his mother to see him like this. He had to make sure she was alright first, then beg her for her forgiveness and then he could slowly approach the topic of Qiu Ling and that marriage proposal.


    He took a deep breath and stepped into the teahouse. Everything looked exactly the same: The wooden tables with the guests, the counter at the side with the doors to the kitchen and the preparation room next to it, the staircase to the second floor ¡­ The woman carrying a tray over to one of the tables.


    Jing Yi''s eyes teared up. He hadn''t seen her for five years but he had thought of her very, very often. He had missed her so much!


    "Mother ¡­" Jing Yi couldn''t think of any decorum. He ran over and flung his arms around her neck, instantly breaking out into sobs.


    Madam Zhong was stunned for a moment, unable to grasp what was happening. Someone had just run into the teahouse and hugged her before she was even able to see his face. But then, the person started to produce heartrending sobs. Even though Jing Yi had always been a quiet child and never really cried she still instantly knew it was him. Maybe it was just the instinct of a mother.


    Madam Zhong sighed, lifted her hand and patted his head. It probably shouldn''t surprise her but after five years of not seeing him, her son had actually grown as tall as her. In a few years, she might need to crane her neck to look him in the eye.


    "It''s alright. Mother is here."


    "Mother ¡­" Jing Yi cried even harder, hugging her as tight as he could. "I''m sorry! I ¡­ I should have come home sooner. I ¡­ I should have ¡­ should have at least send a message!"


    Madam Zhong chuckled. They both knew that that was complete nonsense. She couldn''t read so what good would a message do? Moreover, Jing Yi still couldn''t write a single word. He hadn''t needed to in the capital and even in the Yun Zou sect writing wasn''t something he absolutely had to learn. It would have been nice if he could at least read a bit just in case he ever managed to get his hands on a cultivation manual someday but how should he learn it?


    Thus, the son and mother wouldn''t even have had the possibility to keep in touch through written messages. The only possibility would have been to send someone to tell the other person directly but who would go from the capital to the Yun Zou sect and just deliver some message for people he didn''t know? There was no one.


    "It''s alright", repeated Madam Zhong. "Come on. I''ll take you to the preparation room. You can slowly tell me everything. How much time ¡ª" Before she could finish her sentence, she finally saw the other person that had silently walked into the teahouse.


    He had been so quiet that she might not have noticed him at all but some of the sharp-sighted female customers had spotted him and were instantly stunned into silence that had spread through the whole lower floor.


    Qiu Ling ignored them but smiled at his mother-in-law. She obviously remembered him. Great! Now he wouldn''t have to work that hard. He just had to let her have a good talk with her son and then nothing would get in the way of their love!


    Jing Yi wiped the tears from his cheeks and took a deep breath. He didn''t want to make such an impression on his mother after finally seeing her again. He dropped his arms and stepped back, looking at her apprehensively. "Mother", he called out in a low voice, a little afraid how she would react.


    Madam Zhong just smiled and patted his cheek. "You''ve grown taller. Now, come on in. Don''t just stand there like a stranger." She motioned at the door to the preparation room but halted and turned back to Qiu Ling. "You, too."


    "Mn! Thank you, mo¡ª" Qiu Ling picked up on Jing Yi''s warning glare and stopped himself before he could call her mother-in-law. Right. It seemed like his beloved didn''t want him to call her that for now. Mn, he''d have to wait until they were officially married.


    "Ah, mother, I hope you don''t mind. This is my Senior Martial Brother Qiu, Qiu Ling. We''re supposed to travel outside together after my visit, so I brought him with me."


    "Senior Martial Brother", repeated Madam Zhong and smiled wryly. This man certainly didn''t mind whatever identity he took on. It seemed he was still intent on winning her son over. "Well, then, come with us." She took her son''s hand and led him into the preparation room, ignoring all the customers that were focusing with wide eyes and strained ears on her son and Qiu Ling.


    The three of them walked inside and were greeted by the sight of Nie Huang brewing tea.


    Jing Yi smiled. Yes, it really is just like back then. If not for Qiu Ling following me I could just imagine I hadn''t left at all.


    He didn''t know yet that Qiu Ling had already been following him around back then. So, actually, there really wasn''t anything that had changed. All of them had just grown a little older.


    Thinking back now, his biggest trouble back then had been how to avoid Zhong Guanyu. Now he had come back to ask his mother for advice on how to deal with Qiu Ling. So, yes, nothing had really changed. He was still being chased around by people who had fallen in love with him and he still didn''t know how to face them.


    It was just ¡­ this time, it wasn''t that detestable. Actually, he liked that feeling of having someone close to him very, very much.

 Chapter 168 - Take Your Time

    Jing Yi sat down in the preparation room, his gaze never leaving the familiar figure of his mother. Five years, even though not much had changed in that time it was still too long. He didn''t even know where to start to catch up.


    Madam Zhong smiled and patted his head. "It''s alright. You''re back for now. How long can you stay?"


    Jing Yi looked over at Qiu Ling with a little worry. He wanted to stay for as long as he could but he also knew that that wasn''t possible. The Grandmaster had indicated that they should return after a year and by then, he''d have to have attained the root stage. There was no time to spare. Maybe it had been too much to even come here.


    Qiu Ling smiled. Of course, he didn''t care at all for what his Master had said. Root stage or whatever, those were all labels the mortals had invented. What did it have to do with them? He was a dragon and Jing He was a god. It didn''t matter much. When Jing He woke up in his real body all of this would just be like a dream. He could take his time cultivating. After all, wouldn''t he still be faster that way than if he just used up his mortal lifetime?


    Furthermore ¡­ if Jing Yi ascended and then woke up, he wouldn''t have to see him die. That was actually his main reason. He just didn''t want to experience the day where Jing He died in his arms. Not even if it was just a mortal reincarnation of his. He just wouldn''t be able to take it. So ¡­ Wasn''t it better if he ascended and finished his trial in such a way?


    Qiu Ling didn''t believe that Jing Yi would be unable to ascend. He''d just need a bit of time to get it right. And since he would help his beloved with figuring everything out, it certainly wouldn''t be long before Jing Yi ascended. What were some weeks when they could have an eternity after that?


    "We can stay for some weeks or even some months if you like."


    Jing Yi looked at him. Those words held a special temptation to him. He wanted to become a cultivator but he also loved his mother very much. Wouldn''t it be nice to stay at the capital for so long? He could imagine it: How he would help his mother out by greeting the guests and carrying their orders over. They could eat together and talk over their meals just like how they had done when he was little.


    His gaze dimmed when he thought of the consequences, though. "The Grandmaster said ¡ª"


    "Oh? Did he say something?" Qiu Ling put his elbow on the table and propped his head on his hand.


    Jing Yi sighed and shook his head. There was no use in talking with him. "I guess we''ll stay for a week at most."


    A week should be alright ¡­ It''s not like I could magically start cultivating now that I''ve left the sect. Quite the contrary. It will become even harder to find out anything in regards to cultivation. I can only hope that I stumble about the solution somewhere but that place will certainly not be the capital.


    So ¡­ As much as he wanted to, he couldn''t stay for too long.


    Madam Zhong nodded. "That''s already quite long. Come, wait a bit, I''ll get you two some snacks." She stood up, hurried over to the kitchen and put some of the snacks her son had always liked onto a plate. She couldn''t help but sigh when she looked at those snacks.


    It had already been five years. Each day she had taken a look at the entrance of the teahouse and hoped that her son would walk in. Now it had finally happened. He would only stay for one week but that was better than nothing. At least, she could spend some time with him again.


    "Ah Lei, you probably would have liked how our son turned out. He looks already so mature. He''s even managed to live alone for five years in that Yun Zou sect. The two of us can be proud of him." She sighed again. It really would have been nice if her husband was still alive and could see Jing Yi.


    In the end, Madam Zhong could only stop thinking about it. She picked the plate up and went back to the preparation room. Seeing Jing Yi sitting harmoniously next to Qiu Ling who was eying him from the side she smiled. So that man had really followed him and it seemed he still hadn''t given up. Did her son know already?


    Madam Zhong placed the plate between them and sat down again. "How is your life in the sect? Do you get along with the people?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Mn, it''s nice. You probably know already but Shao Hai has entered the Yun Zou sect, too. And then there''s that boy called Xiao Dong. He was in the teahouse once before."


    "Ah, I remember him. He came with his mother." Indeed. That had been the lady who helped to drive away that terrible Li Bo. If not for her, she wouldn''t only have lost her son but would even have had to watch him becoming a slave.


    Now that she thought of it, that woman had been associated with that Daoist Master, too. Madam Zhong looked at Qiu Ling and smiled slightly. "It seems you''re doing good there."


    Qiu Ling smiled back and leaned over to Jing Yi. "You two certainly have a lot to talk about. How about I help a little in the teahouse? Then your mother wouldn''t have to worry about the customers while you''re talking."


    "But you''re a gue¡ª"


    "Alright." Before Jing Yi could refute his mother had already accepted.


    How couldn''t she? That man was constantly winking at her, hinting that now was the moment she could finally advise her son in regard to what they had talked about back then. His gaze seemed to say ''Aren''t I the best possible son-in-law you could wish for? Look! I''ll even go and work for you to let you have some time with your precious son! So, shouldn''t you tell him that marrying me would be the best decision of his life?''


    Since he was so eager to help Madam Zhong didn''t mind giving him some work to do. "Just go and stand at the counter. If someone comes in, go up and greet him, show him to a table and ask what he''d like. Are you able to do that?"


    "Of course!" Qiu Ling stood up with a bright smile. He didn''t go without saying farewell to his beloved, though. He bent down, cupped Jing Yi''s cheeks and kissed him, his lips lingering for a while. "Mn, my lo¡ª" Qiu Ling coughed. Ah, his beloved had asked him not to call him that! He couldn''t break his promise! "Junior martial brother, I''ll be back soon. Don''t you worry about me!" Then, he turned around and went to the counter, leaving Jing Yi to face his mother alone.

 Chapter 169 - Maybe It’s Fate

    Madam Zhong looked at her blushing son and chuckled. Jing Yi only grew more flustered. He searched for anything he could say but found nothing. "Mother, that ¡­ I ¡­ I also don''t know why ¡­ I ¡­ I mean ¡ª"


    "It''s alright." Madam Zhong patted his hand. "It''s obvious that he''s very much in love with you."


    Jing Yi lowered his head. He had wanted to approach the subject slowly but now that terrible Senior Martial Brother of his had kissed him right in front of his mother! Hadn''t he taken extra care and begged him to behave himself? How was this behaving himself?!


    Madam Zhong smiled. It seemed her son wasn''t ready to tell her about it. Well, he wouldn''t get around it now. "So, don''t you want to tell your mother what happened? That Senior Martial Brother Qiu of yours, you met him five years ago?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "No. We only met some days ago. It''s ¡­" He squirmed on the chair. "It''s a little complicated."


    "How so?"


    "He ¡­" Jing Yi pursed his lips. He didn''t want to say it! He had just gotten home. He shouldn''t talk about this with his mother. Not now.


    "Jing Yi." Madam Zhong''s tone of voice was as rebukingly as it was indulgently. Jing Yi instantly felt soothed. "Tell me. Aren''t I your mother? Who will you talk about it with if not with me? And shouldn''t your mother know what is going on? Or could it be that you aren''t my sweet child anymore and are now going to start throwing tantrums? Aren''t you too old for this?"


    Jing Yi blushed again but this embarrassment was even worse than the one from being kissed in front of his mother. "Mother ¡­" In the end, Jing Yi could only sigh. "Qiu Ling is ¡­ He''s a little strange. Actually, when we met for the first time he asked me if I ¡­ if I wanted to marry him." He turned away, unable to look his mother in the eye. "Then he said he''d give me seven days to consider. I couldn''t even get a sound out. But in the next days he ¡­" He shook his head. "He always followed me around, trying to hold my hands and calling me ¡­" Jing Yi suddenly shut up. He definitely wouldn''t recount Qiu Ling''s shameless behavior in any more detail.


    "Haish, what a big child!"


    "Ah?" Jing Yi looked up, his eyes wide with confusion. "You really think I''m throwing a tantrum?"


    Madam Zhong laughed. "I wasn''t talking about you. I was talking about him. Did he really expect you to fall in love with him like that?"


    Jing Yi wanted to agree with her but he bit his tongue at the last possible moment. He couldn''t really say if it hadn''t maybe worked in some way. "Mother ¡­" Jing Yi gripped her sleeve and furrowed his brow. "How do I know if I''m in love with him?"


    Madam Zhong blinked. It couldn''t be that that direct approach had really worked, could it? On the other hand ¡­ If her son asked like that, then his feelings probably weren''t too deep yet.


    She contemplated a moment and then took her son''s hands. "When he asked you if you wanted to marry him were you happy?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "Just stunned. I didn''t know how to react. It was so ¡­" He shook his head once more. "It was just too sudden."


    "Mn. And now, how do you feel about him?"


    "Oh ¡­ I also don''t know."


    "No?" Madam Zhong watched his face, seeing how he fell into deep thought.


    Jing Yi couldn''t really put into words what he felt. "It''s a little strange. At first, I didn''t feel good. It was as if ¡­ as if I should keep away. The closer he came the worse I felt. But then ¡­ I don''t know how but that feeling suddenly stopped and I actually liked having him around."


    "So you''re happy that he came with you."


    Jing Yi nodded. He was worried about the journey itself and if he would really be able to cultivate after he hadn''t been able to enter the first stage for such a long time already. But he hadn''t minded having Qiu Ling with him. In fact, it had felt good not being alone.


    Thinking back to the time they flew to the capital and how Qiu Ling had sat behind him, wrapping him in his arms and sharing his warmth with him, he had felt content. More content than he ever had in the last five years. Even learning the sword arts from Shao Hai and Xiao Dong hadn''t felt this good, even though he had been immensely happy about this first achievement of his. Being with Qiu Ling unexpectedly had such an effect on him.


    Seeing the pensive look on her son''s face and the gentle expression in his eyes, Madam Zhong patted his hand. "Do you see a bit clearer now?"


    "I ¡­ I still don''t know. I really am happy when I''m with him. But does that mean I should marry him?"


    "The only person who can decide that is you."


    "I still feel like it''s not such a good idea. We don''t even know each other. You and father ¡­" He tried to gauge his mother''s expression but she seemed quite normal after he had mentioned his father. "You two knew each other for years and only then he proposed to you. I think Qiu Ling is getting ahead of himself. Shouldn''t he have tried to get to know me better first?"


    Madam Zhong sighed. That man really was a big child. Wouldn''t it have been easier to just tell her son? Why was he making it so hard on himself? "You know, actually, when he proposed to you that wasn''t the first time he saw you. He had already seen you here in the teahouse five years ago."


    "Hah?" Jing Yi couldn''t believe what he had just heard but his mother nodded.


    "It''s true. When I told him that you had gone to the Yun Zou sect, he followed you there. I don''t know why he didn''t want to tell you. But you can definitely be sure that he hasn''t rushed anything. He was already in love with you a long time ago."


    Jing Yi turned around to the door. He could see the counter on the other side and Qiu Ling who stood behind it, seemingly bored. Even like that he still managed to attract the eyes of all the women in the teahouse. This man ¡­ he had somehow fallen in love with him not just in the sect but even sooner when he had still been a child?


    "How is that even possible?" Jing Yi didn''t think of the fact that Qiu Ling was so much older than him but he still felt like it was strange that he would fall in love with him even as a child. He didn''t have that kind of charm, did he?


    Madam Zhong smiled. "Maybe it''s fate."


    Jing Yi once again didn''t know how to react. Qiu Ling, too, had once said it had to be fate that brought them together. "What kind of fate is this?", he murmured, unable to understand for the time being.


    This man and he, were they really connected by the red thread of fate? This kind of love ¡­ Had some god read in the stars that it should come true? Was this why all this was happening? Was it just his own fear that had posed an obstacle for them but in the end, that predestined love would win?


    Somehow, he really would have liked to get even one tiny glimpse at his fate. He really wanted to know what would happen in the future and if this man that had so persistently followed him in the last days, would stay true to his words and be at his side forever.


    But alas, the only one who could look at his fate was the fate''s scribe, Shun Tao, who was brooding over a scroll of fate this very moment.

 Chapter 170 - Wherever She Goes Chaos Ensues

    Shun Tao frowned at the scroll of fate in front of him. Surprisingly, it wasn''t the crown prince''s scroll of fate this time. Instead, it was Hong Bao''s.


    Shun Tao read through the fate already written there and couldn''t help but sigh. "No wonder! No wonder! It''s really no wonder. That explains how she managed to get into the nine heavens."


    It turned out everything had been a mix-up. Hong Bao had never been supposed to ascend to the nine heavens.


    Shun Tao leaned back. Should he report on that? After all, the person who should have ascended hadn''t gotten the chance. Wasn''t that unfair? Seriously, how had that happened? Those guys taking care of the ascensions were usually so meticulous.


    There had to be a story behind this.


    Shun Tao rubbed his head. He felt a little guilty toward Hong Bao so he had thought he should write her a nice fate where she could fall in love with a nice man that would reciprocate her feelings and, most importantly, a fate where she couldn''t cause any chaos. Now it seemed that her fate had been quite strange from the beginning till the end.


    She was born as a normal mortal child but things started to get strange when her sister became a cultivator and left. Hong Bao stayed alone with her mother ¡ª their father had long died ¡ª but the surroundings of their village grew more dangerous by the day. Finally, her mother fell prey to the beasts that lived in the forest now.


    That was when Hong Bao''s sister came back. She was talented, so she was hailed as a genius cultivator by now. When she heard that something had happened to her little sister, she naturally couldn''t just sit back and watch. She got no help from her sect, in fact, they didn''t even want to let her go. What if something happened to this genius of theirs? Wouldn''t their sect lose out a lot?


    Hong Bao''s sister didn''t care for that. It was her sister they were talking about here! Thus, she sneaked out of the sect and traveled to her village all on her own. Then, she single-handedly destroyed the demons that were the cause of all the trouble, sustaining grievous injuries.


    Her heroic and selfless deed was what had led to her being noticed by heaven. For this act, she had been chosen for ascension and obviously, someone had even been sent down to fetch her. It was just ¡­ How had the person actually ascending ended up being Hong Bao, that happy-go-lucky girl? Those two were obviously nothing alike!


    Thus, Shun Tao could only sit there and frown. He was of half a mind to descend to the mortal world to take a look at the situation himself but ¡­ First of all, he was still under detention and only allowed to go out to report to the Heavenly Emperor. And secondly, what if Hong Bao saw him and actually fell in love with him again, doing such crazy stuff once more?


    This woman was obviously incredibly motivated whenever it had anything to do with the man she loved. She might just start cultivating and ascend again. What would happen then?


    No, he couldn''t take any risks. But he also didn''t want to leave those things be. Someone had to have an eye on Hong Bao or who knew what might happen?


    Shun Tao stood up and went to the door, motioning one of his scribes over and handing him the scroll of fate. "I want you to investigate the details of this person''s fate."


    "Sure." The scribe took the scroll and hurried off to start on his assignment.


    Shun Tao went back to his study and sighed in relief. As long as someone had an eye on her, nothing should happen, right?


    Of course, Shun Tao''s thoughts too simple. Hong Bao had already managed to get embroiled in the next troublesome thing.


    Being in a familiar surrounding but suddenly finding everything unfamiliar was quite the shock to Hong Bao. She didn''t notice right away, though, because she was busy. Busy with waiting.


    She stood there and looked around, waiting for the person who was supposed to come and fetch her. The minutes trickled by and became hours and the sun climbed up the horizon and somehow climbed down again from the zenith.


    When the sky started to darken, Hong Bao frowned. "What''s with these people from heaven? Ai Ai said they would come today. Why are they still not here? How long do they want me to wait?" She looked at the sky that was turning darker with reproach. They should better hurry up! It was getting cold, too.


    With her simple thinking, Hong Bao didn''t even get the idea to just stand up and hurry back home. So, she just sat there next to the stump of a tree that had broken because of some storm. She started drawing circles on the ground, then stood up and paced around. Finally, it got so dark that she couldn''t see anything anymore.


    Hong Bao sighed. "It seems they won''t come. Maybe they somehow found out that Ai Ai didn''t want to go up there? That''s alright and everything but couldn''t they have at least told me? I''ve waited for so long!"


    She shook her head. "There''s nothing I can do about that. I''d better go home now."


    Thus, Hong Bao started to stumble through the darkness. She thought she knew the way, after all, she had grown up in the village and she had always liked to run around everywhere. But just after a couple of steps, she tripped over a root and fell down.


    "Argh!" Hong Bao cried out but instantly stood up again. She had just fallen down, what was the big deal? Someone with Hong bao''s frame of mind would naturally not reconsider moving through the night like this.


    Thus, she once again started stumbling forward. Soon, she had completely lost her way. She didn''t notice, though, and was still sure that she was going in the right direction. She only found out that something was wrong when there suddenly wasn''t any ground under her feet anymore.


    She cried and fell. And then, she landed in a pair of strong arms.

 Chapter 171 - She Couldn’t Remember

    The person who caught her was able to see a little even in the darkness. He did a double take, though.


    "Hong Bao?!" He sat her down on the ground and looked her over once again. Indeed, it was really her.


    Hong Bao who was completely blind in the night started fumbling around. Her hands found the man''s chest and patted up and down, somehow landing at his face after a while. She tried finding out who the person before her was but only came up with a blank.


    What to do in such a case when the other one knew you but you didn''t know who it was? Of course, you needed to feign recognition!


    "Oh, it''s you!" She smiled sweetly and somehow managed to find that person''s sleeve. She grabbed onto it, not intending to let go anytime soon.


    The man was a little taken aback. They didn''t know each other that well. Why was she so happy to see him? It couldn''t be ¡­ Had she actually fallen in love with him even though their time together had been that short? He shook his head. This wasn''t the time to get all sentimental!


    "Hong Bao, what are you doing here? It''s late at night. You shouldn''t be running around here. Especially not alone!"


    Hong Bao pursed her lips. It really was hard to pretend to recognize someone. How was she supposed to answer now? "Uh ¡­ It couldn''t be helped. I was waiting for someone."


    "Waiting? This late at night?" The man was taken aback. If it was any other woman, he might have thought this was the confession of a tryst but since it was Hong Bao ¡­ "Why did you wait for that person?"


    "To help my sister out! You see ¡­" Hong Bao suddenly shut up. "Oh, I can''t tell you. I had to promise her not to tell anyone. Nobody. She stressed that!"


    "Alright. You don''t have to. Then, where is your sister now?"


    "I guess she''s with my brother-in-law."


    "Mn. And where is your brother-in-law?" The man demonstrated a commendable amount of patience.


    Hong Bao lowered her head. "I don''t know. She didn''t tell me. It''s not her fault, though! I was supposed to go with the person I was waiting for but who knew that he would never show up? Now I''ll have to go home alone."


    The man in front of her sighed. "Where do you live? I''ll bring you there."


    Hong Bao''s face lit up. "Really? It''s ¡­" She lifted her hand and wanted to point in a direction but in the end, she didn''t know where to point. Where was she?


    "Wait." The man procured a talisman, imbued it with some energy and the paper lit up, showering their surroundings in a soft glow.


    Hong Bao looked up and was instantly stunned. The man in front of her was really good-looking. He seemed mature and a little wild. In any case, really strong like nothing could happen to him!


    Hong Bao was instantly fascinated. She gave him a once-over and still felt like this man was pretty good. It couldn''t be ¡­ After sister finally found her true love, it''s now my turn?! Her eyes started to sparkle at that thought and she grabbed his sleeve a little harder.


    There was one problem with this man, though: She really didn''t know him. She was quite sure of that because she certainly would have remembered such a face. Could it be that this guy was the one who was supposed to take her to heaven? She felt that it was entirely impossible! After all, he did look this good. Maybe all immortals and gods looked like this?


    Hong Bao contemplated and finally decided that it was alright for him to let her wait for so long. Someone this handsome had probably a high status, so he should have a lot of things to do in heaven. She couldn''t fault him.


    Hong Bao grabbed his other arm, too, and smiled. "It''s alright", she conveyed her conclusion. "Forget what I said before. You can take me to heaven now!" She held onto him tightly and closed her eyes. After all, it would probably get really stormy when you flew to heaven, wouldn''t it?


    The man blinked. "Heaven? Why would I take you to heaven?"


    Hong Bao cracked her eyes open. "Haven''t you come to take me to heaven? You know, because of defeating the demons and everything."


    "Defeating the demons?" The man''s eyebrows rose. "I''m afraid I don''t understand what you''re saying."


    Hong Bao opened her eyes completely and let go of his sleeves. "You''re not the envoy from heaven?"


    "No. Why are you even asking? We know each other."


    Hong Bao shook her head. "No. I''ve never seen you before."


    The man was stunned. Hadn''t she just reacted as if she had finally seen a long-lost friend again? "Then what was with that greeting just now?"


    "Uh ¡­" Hong Bao who had slipped up already could only continue her small lie. "I ¡­ mistook you. I thought you were somebody else. It was dark, after all."


    "Mn. But you really don''t remember me?" It might have just been a short time but hadn''t it been intense? "I''m Liu Cheng, the demon hunter. We met each other in the capital when you had found that demon."


    Hong Bao tilted her head. Demon hunter? Demons? Capital? She frowned. "But I''ve never even been to the capital!" That was definitely the most important point! What demons and demon hunters? She had lived her whole life in the village!


    Liu Cheng frowned just as much. That couldn''t be. He definitely hadn''t mistaken her. She was Hong Bao. She looked like her, she spoke like her ¡­ Everything was the same.


    That could only mean one thing: The demon that had managed to subdue him and then kidnapped and interrogated him before bringing him back to the capital had done something to her, too! And it seemed the consequences for her were even graver. She couldn''t remember her time in the capital at all!


    Liu Cheng looked at her with a pitying gaze. That poor girl, maybe her memories would be lost forever. No, he had to do something! "Hong Bao, since it''s a little brighter now let''s go to the place you live."


    Hong Bao squirmed a bit. There was actually such a handsome man asking her to take him home! Maybe she had somehow helped her sister unknowingly with banishing those demons? She couldn''t have that much luck without reason, could she? Ah, the goddess of love was really smiling at her from above!


    She gripped Liu Cheng''s sleeve again and the two of them went into the direction where Hong Bao thought to find her village. Unfortunately, she was disappointed soon enough. Even though they walked for nearly an hour she just couldn''t find it. Even worse, her surroundings weren''t the least bit familiar anymore. Slowly, panic arose from within her heart.


    Of course, it was only natural that she couldn''t find it. After all, the village Hong Bao grew up in had already ceased to exist. It wasn''t really a surprise since she had lived in the nine heavens for quite a bit of time and one day there equaled a year in the mortal world. It had just been too long for a small village such as theirs to survive until then.


    But unfortunately, Hong Bao''s memories had been erased upon her banishment. Thus, she couldn''t remember how long she had been away. She couldn''t even remember that she had been away at all. For her, it was as if it was still the same day where she had taken her sister''s place to go to the nine heavens.

 Chapter 172 - Invitation To The Chun Feng Sect

    Liu Cheng and Hong Bao searched around until it became morning and then had another look before Hong Bao was finally sure that her village had disappeared.


    "How could this have happened?" She really didn''t understand. Hadn''t she just left this morning to wait for that heavenly envoy? How could the whole village with all its people disappear in a few hours?


    Liu Cheng sat down next to her and crossed his arms. He also didn''t understand but in most cases, there was only one explanation: "This might have to do with the demons." Eradicating a whole village overnight? It was certainly something they might do!


    Hong Bao looked at him with disbelief. "That can''t be. My sister drove all of them off."


    "Your sister?" Liu Cheng raised his brows. He had never seen her sister but if she was even a bit like Hong Bao, then there was no way she could banish any demons.


    "Yes, my sister Hong Ai!"


    "Ho¡ª Hong Ai?!" Liu Cheng''s eyes widened until it seemed as if they would pop out the very next moment. "You can''t be talking about the Hong Ai from the Tian Yu Sect, right?!"


    Hong Bao blinked. "Tian Yu Sect?" She tried to remember. It seemed the sect her sister had joined had been called something with heaven? "Could be. It was a Tian-something sect. But if it was Yu or something else ¡­ She had been gone for a few years already before she came back to drive those demons off. I can''t remember."


    Liu Cheng felt like his head was spinning. Who was Hong Ai? A peerless genius like the world hadn''t seen it for a few hundred years already! And a genius that was shrouded in mystery because she had somehow somewhere vanished without any traces. If she really was Hong Bao''s sister ¡­


    "Hong Bao." Liu Cheng tried to get his expression under control. "You really don''t know where your sister went?"


    Hong Bao shook her head. "No, she only said to meet with that person so that she could go to my brother-in-law."


    "Alright. I understand." Liu Cheng took a deep breath and stood up. "Since your village has disappeared you''ll have to go somewhere else. Considering that you also don''t know where your sister is, I''d like to invite you to our Chun Feng Sect."


    "Chun Feng Sect?" Hong Bao had never heard of that. But her thoughts started to race.


    She looked at Liu Cheng''s face. If she went with him, she could see him every day! Who knew if he wouldn''t fall in love with her then? They might just become as happy as her sister and her brother-in-law and marry! Or maybe he was already in love with her and had invited her to follow him because he wanted her to fall in love with him, too?!


    She definitely couldn''t disappoint his expectations! And why should she stay in the village? Her sister had already moved in with her brother-in-law and their parents were dead. Well, the village had disappeared anyway, so even if she wanted to she wouldn''t be able to return there.


    Thus, Hong Bao smiled, stood up and gripped his sleeve again. "Alright. I''ll follow you home."


    Liu Cheng nodded. "Good. I''ll bring you over right now." He stepped onto his sword, hugged Hong Bao and rose into the air. Soon, they sped away in the direction of the Chun Feng Sect.


    Hong Bao happily clung to Liu Cheng and looked up at his face. She didn''t even take the time to take note of her surroundings. Ah, he was really good-looking! And he seemed so mature! That was definitely the type of man she wanted to marry. She had to work hard for their future together!


    Soon, they reached the grounds of the Chun Feng Sect. It was located at the side of a lake in the middle of a valley. All buildings were grouped around that lake and those who knew a bit about formations might notice that this arrangement didn''t seem casual but instead had its own function.


    Of course, Hong Bao wasn''t one of these people. Until Liu Cheng landed, her gaze hadn''t wavered from his face even once while her thoughts had run mile after mile. By now, she had already formulated the perfect plan to capture this handsome man''s heart: She had to do something that would impress him. And not just a bit but a whole lot! And she actually had an idea what she could do to achieve that.


    "Alright, we''re here." Liu Cheng stepped down from his sword and let go of Hong Bao. "I''d like to take you to our Sect Master. He should know that you''re here and why so that the Sect can take charge of the problem with your village. Don''t worry, Hong Bao, we''ll find out what happened."


    "Mn. Alright." Hong Bao just smiled sweetly. Meeting the Sect Master or whatever, she didn''t care about it at all. She just followed Liu Cheng deeper into the sect grounds when he started in the direction of the Sect Master''s palace.


    When they arrived she only listened half-heartedly to what the man said but she answered everything he asked. In the end, Hong Bao stayed in the Chun Feng Sect. In fact, she didn''t just stay there but became part of it.


    It was just as Shun Tao had thought: Whenever she fell in love Hong Bao would instantly become mightily motivated. Thus, when Qiu Ling and Jing Yi left the Yun Zou Sect after five years, Hong Bao had already become a demon hunter in the Chun Feng Sect. And even though she wasn''t as talented as her sister Hong Ai, she could still be considered a talent. At least, her aptitude was better than Jing Yi''s. One really had to wonder what would happen should those two ever meet.

 Chapter 173 - The Way Of Cultivation

    Jing Yi fell into deep contemplation after getting his mother''s advice. For a while, he just sat there in the preparation room and pondered, then he went over to the counter and leaned next to Qiu Ling. He wanted to say something but didn''t know what. In the end, how had Qiu Ling fallen in love with him? He still didn''t understand. Could all of this really be fate?


    Qiu Ling turned toward him and smiled. "You''ve finished already? Did you manage to catch up a bit on the things that happened in the last years?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "It''s so much. How could some hours be enough for that?"


    Qiu Ling sidled a little closer. "You know I was being serious when I said that we could stay some weeks or even some months if that is what you like."


    "But the Grand¡ª"


    Suddenly, a hand gently pressed onto his lips. "Sh! No need to bring that up. Nobody can force you to do anything."


    Jing Yi blushed, then he gripped Qiu Ling wrist and pulled his hand down. "This isn''t about someone forcing me to do anything. I want to become a cultivator. Isn''t this journey supposed to help me?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "What''s the problem with that?"


    Jing Yi sighed. "You''re a practitioner so you might not understand. But just how you practitioners have to go outside and use your sword skills sometimes to get better we cultivators also need some fortuitous encounters.


    "Like what?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "It''s nice of you to ask but what difference would it make to talk about it? You''re a practitioner, not a cultivator."


    "Still. Maybe I can help you figure something out if you tell me a bit about cultivation." He saw Jing Yi''s doubtful gaze and pressed his lips together. "I have lived quite a bit longer than you. Maybe I have encountered something that could be helpful."


    "Alright." Jing Yi noticed the hurt in Qiu Ling''s eyes and for the first time he reached out himself and patted his arm, instantly elevating Qiu Ling''s mood. "I''ll tell you what I know. It''s not much, though. People with my aptitude aren''t taught in the sect, after all." He sighed again, then he examined the handsome face in front of him. Qiu Ling really was serious about helping him. There was no doubt about that.


    In the end, what did he have to lose when he told him? Nothing. In the worst case, he would just have used a lot of the precious time he could have had with his mother to talk with Qiu Ling without getting anywhere. But his mother would probably understand. In fact, he felt like she would welcome it. He didn''t understand why but his mother somehow seemed to like Qiu Ling.


    "You don''t know anything about spirit veins, do you?", asked Jing Yi instead of a direct explanation.


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "Just tell me slowly. We have a lot of time." He grabbed Jing Yi''s hand and this time Jing Yi just let it be. He didn''t feel bad about it anymore so there was no need to reject it. And with a bit of time, he would figure out if marriage was really something they should consider.


    "Well, as I said before you can have a different number of spirit veins and there are different types of them, too. For example, you could have a fire spirit vein or a water spirit vein or even a mutated one like an ice spirit vein. To cultivate means to somehow use these spirit veins to draw in the corresponding energy.


    So, if you have a heavenly water spirit vein, then you would draw in water energy. If you have paired spirit veins of water and air, then you take in the energy of water and air and so forth. The energy you''ve taken in would then condense inside your body, forming something that is called the dantian. After it is formed you can store energy inside."


    Qiu Ling frowned.


    "I know it''s hard to understand if you don''t have spirit veins at all."


    "No, I ¡­" Qiu Ling pondered. He hadn''t shown his magic inside the human realm at all. Well, he had done it once when he thought about sleeping with Jing Yi and used his magic to close the door. No, actually, he had also used his magic to call that cloud down that they had used to get to the capital. But disregarding these two times he really hadn''t shown his magic!


    Actually, now that he thought about it, shouldn''t his beloved know that he knew magic? He looked at Jing Yi appraisingly but his beloved''s gaze actually only showed doubt. He really hadn''t noticed. Qiu Ling didn''t know if he should be happy or sad about it. Shouldn''t his love notice something this important about him?


    It wasn''t that strange for Jing Yi to not have noticed. After all, he had been occupied with trying to get Qiu Ling off of him when he used his magic to close the door. And in regards to the cloud ¡­ Well, Jing Yi hadn''t seen much magic in his life but he had seen one magical artifact. He had just somehow assumed that the cloud had to be something like that. After all, he had never heard of a hero calling down clouds.


    What he had heard was that you couldn''t really be a cultivator and a practitioner at the same time. Him learning a bit of the sword arts from Shao Hai and Xiao Dong had only been because he still hadn''t been able to take in spiritual energy when the two arrived at the sect. Thus, he had wanted to achieve at least something.


    Anyway, Qiu Ling didn''t dwell on the fact that Jing Yi hadn''t noticed for long. He was far more interested in his other observation: What Jing Yi had described just now sounded exactly like the way a dragon would use magic.


    It was probably not a good idea to expose it, though. Wouldn''t someone from the sect try to test for his spirit veins if they found out he was able to use magic? He didn''t even want to know what else they might find. It was alright with his master but the other people ¡­ No, it was better if they never found out. But, of course, he also wouldn''t leave Jing Yi to himself.


    "Come with me." He grabbed Jing Yi''s hand and just pulled him out of the teahouse without even asking for his opinion while his thoughts already raced. He had to find a suitable place to test his idea. It had to be somewhere without people and it would be best if there was enough of one element around.


    Mn, his beloved held all spirit veins so it would be alright regardless of what he chose. In that case ¡­ Qiu Ling took a cautious look at Jing Yi''s face. He had to help him cultivate but nobody had said that he couldn''t use this opportunity to further their relationship.


    "I''ll take you to a place that might help."


    "Ah? Uh ¡­ Alright." Jing Yi didn''t know how to respond. He hadn''t expected Qiu Ling to actually have an idea. But now ¡­ It seemed like he really had. "Ah, wait!" Before Qiu Ling could hurry any further, Jing Yi pulled his hand to make him stop. "Let me tell my mother first. Then we can go."


    Qiu Ling smiled. "Sure!" He watched how Jing Yi turned around and ran inside again and a warm current coursed through his heart. Bringing that up ¡­ It seemed his beloved didn''t see him as an outsider any longer. He was really, really happy seeing this. It meant they indeed had a chance to make this mortal lifetime of Jing He''s a memory they both would be fond of.

 Chapter 174 - The Energy Of … Love?

    With a slight smile on his lips, Qiu Ling led Jing Yi out of the capital before taking to the sky once more. This time he didn''t call down the cloud but instead tried to pick up Jing Yi and carry him once again. After all, weren''t they much closer like this?


    Surprisingly, Jing Yi didn''t say anything this time. Instead, he actually hugged him back, closed his eyes and just let himself be carried.


    Qiu Ling froze. Unbelievable! He had known that a mother-in-law was effective but he never would have thought that it could be this effective! This was like ¡­ like going to war and winning instantly after appointing a different general! Ah! He should have taken his beloved home sooner!


    Qiu Ling slowed down a bit. There was no way he would hurry up to that place if he could hug Jing Yi the whole time on the way there!


    "My love, actually, I feel like cultivation doesn''t sound so hard. Don''t you just have to go to a place with lots of spiritual energy?"


    Jing Yi cracked his eyes open. He had actually felt so comfortable right now that he nearly would have fallen asleep. "Mn, that might help ¡­" He clung tighter to Qiu Ling and shook his head. "It''s not that easy, though. The issue is that I don''t know how to sense the energy and take it in. Normally, it should work everywhere."


    "And there is no way to learn that?" Qiu Ling frowned. He had felt like his idea was pretty good but now it seemed that it might not help his beloved at all.


    Jing Yi looked up at his face and smiled. "Well, you might be right, after all. I just ¡­ don''t want to get my hopes too high up. You see, the grounds of the Yun Zou Sect are rich in spiritual energy anyway, though it''s not that obvious in the outer sect. But it''s a bit of everything so maybe I was just unable to separate the different energies from one another. Going to a place where one energy dominates might reduce that problem. Let''s just try it."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling smiled back at him and actually sped up. Forget it. I can spend time with him whenever I want in the future. For now, I should just help him to make him happy. After all, if I managed to let him achieve what he worked for five years to do, then he should be really grateful. That definitely can''t be bad!


    Qiu Ling imagined how Jing Yi might show his gratitude to him and was instantly even more motivated. Thus, he used his fastest speed to fly to the place he had chosen.


    Jing Yi cried out and clung to Qiu Ling''s neck, burying his head at his shoulder. Needless to say, Qiu Ling didn''t even think of slowing down. Ah, had he known his beloved would react like this, he would have sped up way sooner!


    Ah, this was a day with so many realizations ¡­


    Soon, the place Qiu Ling had thought of appeared before them. He had actually found it accidentally when he was searching for the ingredients of the Amethyst Lightning Pill. He had really regretted not having Jing Yi with him right then! It was so romantic it just had to be experienced with his beloved!


    Ah, speaking of which ¡­ "My love, what about that pill? Did you already take it?" Qiu Ling slowed down a bit to make it easier for Jing Yi to answer him. After all, the wind was quite strong when they flew so fast.


    "Ah, about that ¡­" Jing Yi evaded his gaze.


    "Mn? What is it?"


    "I ¡­ I didn''t."


    "Then you should do it now. If you have fewer spirit veins, wouldn''t it become easier?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Probably."


    "Then ¡­"


    "I already gave it back."


    Qiu Ling blinked. Hah? His beloved gave the pill back? How come he couldn''t remember that?


    "Well, I didn''t give it back directly. You''re from the inner sect, after all. I can''t just go over when I want. So, I gave it to a Senior Martial Brother who knows someone in the inner sect. He said he''d return it."


    "Oh."


    "Are you ¡­ Are you mad?"


    Qiu Ling froze. He certainly wouldn''t be mad but the expression his beloved was making just now ¡­


    He gulped. "Mn. Very mad. Very, very mad."


    Jing Yi sighed, not sensing that Qiu Ling was messing with him. "I know you invested a lot of time and energy into this. You must think I''m ungrateful to have given it back just like that. It''s just ¡­ If I took it and would only be able to cultivate because of that, then I would feel as if it wasn''t my own effort that enabled me to become a cultivator."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling didn''t say anything else to that and just admired his beloved''s face a little longer.


    Mn, who cared that this wasn''t Jing He''s immortal face? The way he expressed his feelings was just the same. And this mixture of a guilty conscience and his wish to please his lover was just too enticing! Really, he felt like kissing him right now. Not saying anything was the right thing to do or his beloved would certainly notice and then he''d miss out on this lovely sight.


    Being faced with an uncharacteristically silent Qiu Ling, Jing Yi''s guilty conscience got even worse. He must really be mad at me. Normally, he''d be already gushing about him and calling ''my love'' left and right while his hands wouldn''t stop moving until they managed to clasp onto him somehow.


    "Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing Yi looked up at him with sad eyes. "Is there anything I can do so that you won''t blame me anymore?"


    Qiu Ling seriously considered this question. Even though he wasn''t mad at all, he shouldn''t miss this opportunity! He pressed his lips together and looked at Jing Yi with the sternest expression he could manage. "How about a kiss?"


    Jing Yi blinked, then laughed. "Aren''t you going a little too easy on me?"


    Qiu Ling froze. Had he not been daring enough? Then what should he have asked for?


    Seeing his lost expression, Jing Yi smiled indulgently. He cupped Qiu Ling''s cheeks, leaned upward and gently touched his lips with his own. "Better?", he asked in a low voice, his breath tingling on Qiu Ling''s skin.


    Qiu Ling was too stunned to react. Could it be ¡­ his beloved ¡­ had just taken the initiative for the first time?


    Jing Yi waited but didn''t get an answer. Even worse, they had stopped moving altogether, even though their destination was right in front of them. Qiu Ling would just need to go down and they would be there.


    "What is it? Is something wrong?" Jing Yi grew nervous. He had never seen Qiu Ling like that. Well, they didn''t know each other very well but he still had a feeling that it needed a lot to disconcert him.


    Had he felt some sort of danger ahead? Then what should they do? Qiu Ling could certainly fend for himself but what if he slowed him down?


    Jing Yi started to panic and tried to get out of Qiu Ling''s arms. The movement finally woke Qiu Ling. He pressed Jing Yi closer to his chest and lifted his chin.


    "Again."


    "Huh?" Jing Yi couldn''t understand what Qiu Ling was saying. "What are you talking about?"


    "Do it again. You were too fast. I couldn''t savor it enough." Just in case Jing Yi wouldn''t know what he was talking about, he pursed his lips and looked expectantly at him.


    Jing Yi stared back at him exasperatedly. And here I thought it was something grave ¡­ But it was just this guy being shameless again!


    He shook his head and slapped Qiu Ling''s chest. "Put me down. I think we''ve arrived."


    Qiu Ling sighed. He should have reacted sooner, now his chance at a second kiss was already gone. Ah, he really needed to make sure that Jing Yi would learn to cultivate with his help! That should get him another one, right?

 Chapter 175 - Sharing Old Memories

    Qiu Ling put Jing Yi down regretfully. But his mood lightened considerably when he thought of what would happen next. He gripped Jing Yi''s hand and led him forward.


    Jing Yi smiled. It seemed like Qiu Ling had already forgiven him. He was back to his old self.


    Still, I should find a way to make it up to him. Even if he doesn''t mind, all his effort was still wasted because of me. It''s only right that I do something for him in return.


    He looked up at Qiu Ling''s smiling profile. He didn''t have to think much to realize what Qiu Ling might appreciate. In his eyes, spending time together would probably be enough of a repayment. Jing Yi still felt like it wasn''t enough but for now, he would do just that.


    The place Qiu Ling had brought him to was the foot of a mountain. A lush forest grew all around and only a small path was left open.


    Qiu Ling looked at Jing Yi expectantly.


    "That ¡­ looks nice?"


    "Mn! Come on!" Qiu Ling pulled him along.


    The two of them passed the gate at the beginning of the mountain pass and then started to walk up. Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling questioningly. If the place they wanted to reach was on the top of the mountain, wouldn''t it have been better to fly there directly? Why had Qiu Ling ¡­


    In the end, he smiled. He probably understood already. Qiu Ling wanted to spend time with him. Naturally, he would set him down here and then walk up with him. Wouldn''t they take several times longer this way?


    Mn, the idea was actually quite good. It wasn''t sure yet if he would be able to cultivate at the place where Qiu Ling brought him. If he was still unable to do it, wouldn''t this trip have been wasted? Thus, it was definitely better to find something they could do despite this. Like that they could still look back and say that this day had been successful.


    "Qiu Ling."


    "Mn? What is it, my love? Do you need something?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "No, I just thought that we''ll probably be on the move for a while."


    "That''s right." Qiu Ling smiled brightly, proving that Jing Yi had guessed right. It really was intentional.


    "Then ¡­ why don''t we use this time to get to know each other a little better? We know next to nothing about each other, after all."


    "Oh. Alright." Qiu Ling didn''t know how to go about that, though. Back then he had sent his men to find out everything about Jing He they could and everything else ¡­ Uh, he probably shouldn''t admit to it but he himself had done his fair share of spying on ¡­ ah, no, of observing his beloved, of course. There hadn''t been much that had to be told directly.


    "So ¡­ You''ve come to the Yun Zou Sect five years ago. What did you do before that?" Jing Yi didn''t pick up on Qiu Ling''s problems and just started to ask. He really wanted to know more about him.


    "I ¡­" Actually, I followed you around the whole time since your birth. That was the truth but he probably couldn''t tell that to Jing Yi? "Mn, I was outside trying to help the people in need." It wasn''t that far off. Hadn''t he always tried to help Jing Yi and his parents?


    Jing Yi''s eyes gleamed and he gripped Qiu Ling''s arm. "You must have done a lot of good deeds." This was exactly how he had always imagined the heroes from the stories. His opinion of Qiu Ling was instantly raised. This Senior Martial Brother of his might be a bit shameless now and then but he definitely knew right from wrong.


    "Well, I tried."


    Qiu Ling felt a bit uneasy about it, though. First of all, he had made problems for Jing He with everything he did. And secondly, he hadn''t been able to save Mister Zhong. And that was solely because he was an idiot. Because of some small thing that had happened while his beloved couldn''t remember a thing and was furthermore a child he had gotten so depressed that he actually fled back to the nine heavens and stayed there for a whole night. If he hadn''t done that, if he had stayed in the human realm, then maybe the mortal father of his beloved could still be alive.


    Qiu Ling suddenly stopped and pulled Jing Yi into his embrace. "I''m sorry."


    "Why would you?" Jing Yi tried to look up at his face but Qiu Ling had lowered his head and his hair was blocking the view. Jing Yi didn''t need to look, though. He understood even without that. There was such a desolate aura around him right now that one didn''t need to be a cultivator to pick up on it.


    Jing Yi reached up and silently rubbed Qiu Ling''s back. "Whatever it is I''m sure it''ll be alright."


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "It won''t. It will never be alright. It''s all my fault." It seemed he really was destined to destroy whatever he held dearly.


    Qiu Ling hugged his beloved even closer. No! No, he wouldn''t stand for it. He could lose everything but not this person. Whatever happened he would keep him safe. That curse or whatever it wouldn''t come true.


    "Qiu Ling?" Jing Yi was close enough to feel Qiu Ling''s quickening heartbeat and hear his ragged breath. He didn''t understand what was going on but he could at least feel that something was wrong. Qiu Ling really seemed to be panicking right now.


    Did I say something wrong? He thought back to what he said and then to Qiu Ling''s answer. It seemed something had gone wrong sometime. And Qiu Ling probably felt guilty about it. Mn, this man was really such a good person. He cared deeply about others.


    "Qiu Ling, it''s alright. You can''t save everyone. Whatever happened ¡­ it wasn''t your fault. Sometimes, things are just fated to be."


    Qiu Ling took a deep breath and tried to get his emotions under control again. He didn''t want his beloved to see this side of him. He definitely didn''t.


    He raised his head and cupped Jing Yi''s cheeks, gently rubbing his skin. "You don''t understand. I really am sorry. Back then ¡­ if I had come to the capital a bit sooner, then ¡­ then your father might still be alive. You should fault me for that. But ¡­ I won''t let anything like that ever happen again. I swear, I''ll keep you safe. Nothing will happen to you. You''re the most important person in my life." He didn''t wait for an answer. He just bent down and kissed him again. It wasn''t a sweet kiss like the one from before, though.


    Jing Yi somehow felt like crying at that moment. Not because he was imagining that Qiu Ling was right and that his father might still be there if Qiu Ling had lent a hand back then. No, his heart was actually heavy because of Qiu Ling himself.


    Someone you''ve seen five years ago for a short while and who you''ve spoken to for the first time just some days ago is your most important person? Qiu Ling, just what kind of life did you lead until now?


    He didn''t dare to ask but he noted the question down in his heart. There would certainly be a lot to speak about. For now, he just had to comfort him.


    Jing Yi didn''t need to think twice to figure out how to do that. He wrapped his arms around Qiu Ling''s neck and kissed him back. And indeed, whatever had plagued Qiu Ling until now, he threw it out of his mind.


    He forgave me. He actually forgave me! And in his head, he tried to imagine that his Jing He in the nine heavens would forgive him just the same should he ever find the courage to confess everything he had done in his life to him.

 Chapter 176 - Inadvertently Helping

    In the end, Qiu Ling actually ended the kiss. This wasn''t the time for that. "We were ¡­ on our way up."


    "Qiu Ling." Jing Yi stroked his cheek and smiled. "You know if you really love me, then you should also trust me. So if there is something tormenting you, then we can talk about it."


    Qiu Ling nodded, though he didn''t plan to actually follow through with that. It was bad enough that he had lost his calm in front of Jing Yi once. That couldn''t happen a second time.


    Jing He would remember everything when he woke up. Not immediately, but in the end, he would. He couldn''t let him see anything bad. Jing He should always feel secure at his side. How would he be able to do that if he saw him like this?


    "I''m sorry. I ¡­" He shook his head. "It''s because I love you so much. When I thought that you had to suffer because of me I ¡­"


    "It''s alright. It''s not your fault. My father ¡­" Jing Yi sighed. "Maybe his time had just come. It has happened long ago, too. There is no need to worry about it now. Come on now. Didn''t want you to show me a place? I''m curious about it so let''s hurry up."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling took his hand again and they continued upward.


    Jing Yi looked up at him once again. He really wanted to say something but after what had happened just now he didn''t dare to. What if he asked another question that would hurt Qiu Ling? He didn''t want that. This was supposed to be a memorable day for them. And one with nice memories.


    Jing Yi silently stepped closer to Qiu Ling and grabbed onto his arm. Qiu Ling turned toward him and raised his brows. "Oh, it''s ¡­ it''s a little chilly, don''t you think so?"


    Qiu Ling looked up as if he could actually see the temperature. Then, he waved his hand. The temperature around them instantly increased. That wasn''t the only thing that happened, though.


    Jing Yi''s eyes went wide and he stopped. What was that just now? He felt like ¡­ like he could feel something moving around them.


    "What is it, my love?"


    "What did you do just now?" Jing Yi jerked around and gripped Qiu Ling''s robe.


    "You said it was cold so I made it a bit warmer."


    Jing Yi''s mouth opened and closed again. This guy ¡­ He had spirit veins, too? Then why was he ¡­ Jing Yi shook his head. That wasn''t important right now.


    "Qiu Ling, can you repeat that?"


    "Is it still cold?" Qiu Ling frowned a bit. He had felt like it was a mild day in the first place. Now that he had adjusted the temperature once it was quite warm already. His beloved wouldn''t be falling sick, would he?!


    Slightly worried, Qiu Ling waved once more and the temperature rose.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes, trying once again to feel what he had been unable to notice these last few years. It wasn''t really clear but he could feel the warm breeze touching his skin and hear the currents turning around them. It wasn''t as much feeling the spiritual energy as noticing the airflow around him. It was still somehow special.


    In the last years, he had tried concentrating on the elements. He had sat on the earth and next to the water and gone outside when a storm was brewing just to experience what the elements were like. But he had never felt this close to the revelation.


    Qiu Ling wanted to say something but finally stopped himself when he saw Jing Yi''s concentrated expression. I just used my magic. Maybe he figured something out because of that? After all, that human cultivation sounded pretty similar to our magic. It might have helped him.


    Silently, Qiu Ling lifted his hand and made the wind slowly turn around them, the hot and cold currents interchanging. Then, he just waited.


    Jing Yi still clung to his robes and had his eyes tightly shut. He concentrated on the things he could sense but those were just things of physical quality not spiritual.


    No, what he actually needed ¡­


    His fingers slowly unclenched and his hands wandered over Qiu Ling''s chest to his shoulders and down his arms as if on their own. What he had felt just now hadn''t come from the wind itself but from Qiu Ling. He had managed to feel it because he had been so close to him, closer than he had been to anyone else in the last years.


    Qiu Ling smiled. He understood somehow. "I''ll show you." He gently turned Jing Yi around in his arms, so that Jing Yi''s back rested against his chest, then he interlaced their fingers with each other. He rose into the air and sped toward the summit. Forget that place he had thought about and how it might help with closing the distance between them. It was much more important to follow this approaching insight of his beloved. This had been his dream since five years ago. It was time to make it come true.


    They landed on top of the mountain and Qiu Ling looked up at the sky. He would help him. He definitely would.


    Qiu Ling took a deep breath and silently lifted their hands. His magic coursed through his body and called out to the winds above. They stopped whatever they had been doing and started to move in a circle, slowly descending.


    Jing Yi held his breath. He could feel it. Not in the winds for now but from Qiu Ling. It was like water rippling along a small stream. It flowed down his arms into his hands and back up again, building a never stopping cycle.


    So that was how it was supposed to be ¡­


    Jing Yi tried to sense the same cycle inside himself. He pressed his eyes together and frowned, concentrating as much as he could. He felt his limbs, their warmth and the tension within. The cycle he had felt from Qiu Ling eluded him, though.


    Jing Yi lightly sighed. He wasn''t resolved to just give up. After five years he had finally managed to sense something even though it was not in himself. This was a first step. He just had to try further.


    Next, he concentrated on the wind. It whirled around them, faster and faster, howling and making the trees below them groan and creak. He could feel their suction growing stronger and the only thing that seemed to hold him in place were the hands holding onto him. As for the spiritual energy inside these winds ¡­


    Jing Yi sighed and opened his eyes, leaning heavily against Qiu Ling. He had been so close. Why was this last step still eluding him?


    "What is it, my love? Just tell me." Qiu Ling rubbed his cheek against Jing Yi''s hair. Finally, he was able to do something for him. He definitely wouldn''t let this chance pass!

 Chapter 177 - The Energy Of The Wind

    "I think I felt the spiritual energy from you just now. I can''t feel it in the wind, though." Jing Yi hung his head. He had been so sure that it would work! He had never been closer but ¡­


    "Don''t worry." Qiu Ling turned Jing Yi around to face him again and cupped his cheeks, not caring about the winds surrounding them. "You already felt something. Isn''t that great? Let''s just try a bit more. Mn?" He smiled and Jing Yi indeed felt a bit better.


    "Alright."


    Qiu Ling nodded and pulled Jing Yi down onto the ground, carelessly waving the winds away. He didn''t forget to keep one strand of it back, though. It blew around them, ruffling their hair one moment then weaving around their hands the next.


    Jing Yi breathlessly observed it. This time he felt like there was something special about this breeze. It wasn''t like the wind before, such a large current that spanned their whole surroundings or even the entire mountain. This was just a strand of wind, barely enough to weave around their figures once.


    He couldn''t see it, of course, but he felt it. He could actually feel its beginning and end as if it was a snake curling around him.


    "Close your eyes." Qiu Ling gripped Jing Yi''s hands once again. They were sitting opposite each other, both seated in the lotus position. Just perfect to try something like this.


    He waited until Jing Yi had done what he told him to, then he closed his own eyes and concentrated on his magic. He actually didn''t know how exactly his magic worked. It was an innate ability of all dragons that would come to them sooner or later, not something they needed to think about. Most of the time, they would learn the finer details from their parents or a teacher, though, but he had figured most of it out on his own. But maybe that was good. Maybe Jing Yi could learn it the same way as him: Just interacting with the elements around them.


    Qiu Ling manipulated the wind energy, his magic once again spreading throughout his body. Jing Yi tensed. He could feel it even clearer now. After he had managed to do it once it seemed like he wouldn''t have any problems repeating this step ever again in the future. The revelation made him giddy with happiness, until Qiu Ling tightened his grip.


    "Concentrate. Don''t think of anything else now. Just ¡­ try to feel it. I''m sure it will naturally come to you." He slowly let go of Jing Yi''s hand but only to press their palms together. Then, he once again paid his attention to the strand of wind.


    He lifted his left hand while manipulating his magic and the strand twirled around and rose up.


    Jing Yi took a trembling breath. Before he could react further, Qiu Ling had taken one hand back and gripped his left hand. The strand of wind followed his motion and descended once again, curling up in Jing Yi''s hand. And yes, this time, he could actually feel it. It wasn''t just a breeze grazing his skin. It was indeed a strand of wind and one that had build a form. It was like a living thing.


    Qiu Ling smiled. His beloved seemed to have calmed down, so it should have worked. "How about you try to take it in?" He slightly opened his eyes and, as if on cue, Jing Yi did the same. They looked at each other.


    Jing Yi watched Qiu Ling for a moment and finally smiled. "Thank you, Qiu Ling. You know this ¡­ means really much to me."


    "I know." Qiu Ling smiled back at him, suddenly feeling warm. This smile ¡­ Jing He had always looked at him just like this. It was somehow happy, but also a bit melancholic, a bit like he couldn''t trust this sudden bliss.


    Ah, my love, I''ll make you understand. I''ll fulfill whatever wish you have in this mortal lifetime and then, when you wake up in that palace once again, then you''ll see that you can trust me with everything. Maybe then we can finally marry.


    "Come here." Qiu Ling gripped his hands once more.


    This time, he really didn''t know how exactly he could help Jing Yi. Who knew how similar his magic really was to the human cultivation? After all, he didn''t have to take in any energy. The magic was already a part of him. But he had to try nonetheless. Jing Yi''s dream depended on this.


    Alright, let''s try this.


    He guided the energy as close to Jing Yi''s body as he could. He hoped that something might happen, that Jing Yi might understand on his own like he had managed to do it back then.


    Jing Yi, too, tried to take the spiritual energy in. He had already sensed it. How difficult could it be to take this last step? Just a bit more ¡­


    He tried once again to sense that circle he had discovered in Qiu Ling in himself. But nothing. Once again, he came up empty-handed. Jing Yi suppressed a sigh and instead focused on the energy itself again. Wasn''t there any clue? Any indication what to do with it whatsoever?


    He furrowed his brow and gripped Qiu Ling''s hands tighter. But, of course, that also didn''t help. However much he concentrated and however much he tried to find some kind of link between the energy and that cycle he could feel by now, he couldn''t find a way to take it in.


    In the end, Jing Yi opened his eyes and smiled wryly at Qiu Ling. "Thank you, but ¡­ I''m afraid this is as far as I''ll be able to go. Maybe someone with six spirit veins like me is really not made to cultivate. I probably should have stayed in the capital from the beginning instead of attempting to become a cultivator."


    At this moment, he really felt like his dream had shattered. Feeling hope before despair was really much worse than never having any hope at all.


    Qiu Ling smiled back at him but he didn''t seem defeated at all. He bent forward and lightly kissed Jing Yi''s cheek. "My love, after five years of achieving nothing you finally took the first step. Is this really the moment where you should think of giving up? Trust me a bit. It might not have worked just now but we''re not at our rope''s end, are we? I still have an idea that might work. Let''s just try it."


    Seeing Qiu Ling''s confident gaze, Jing Yi''s worry dispersed and he finally nodded. "You''re right. I shouldn''t give up this easily. No hero would do that. Isn''t that right?" His smile lightened, too. Really, to have met this man might be the best thing that happened so far in his life. Why hadn''t he noticed sooner?

 Chapter 178 - A Careless Mistake

    Qiu Ling felt Jing Yi''s gentle gaze and smiled even more sweetly. Mn, it seemed like helping him had made his beloved look with other eyes at him. Qiu Ling bent forward and stretched his neck to make it easier for his beloved to reward him.


    Jing Yi laughed and cupped his cheeks. "You''ve really helped me a lot." He also leaned forward but before he could kiss Qiu Ling, he suddenly froze. His face went pale. "Qiu Ling ¡­ Isn''t that ¡­ the direction of the capital?"


    "Mn, why? You wouldn''t need to take the direction into consideration, would you?"


    Qiu Ling was puzzled. Just in case, he turned around and ¡­ grimaced. There was actually a gigantic whirlwind rushing toward the capital. Uh ¡­ It seemed he had completely forgotten to disperse the winds and had waved them away as the tempest they had formed?


    "Qiu Ling!" Jing Yi grabbed onto his arms. "Do something!"


    Qiu Ling nodded and lifted his hand, waving at the whirlwind. Then, nothing happened. Qiu Ling''s eyes went wide and he stared at the whirlwind that continued forward and destroyed everything in its wake.


    "Qiu Ling?" Jing Yi grabbed onto his sleeve even harder. "What is it? Why is it still ¡­"


    "I ¡­ I don''t know." Honestly, he had never before conjured such a large storm up. Sure, he had called for smaller ones with some dark clouds and maybe a bit of lightning and lots of rain but he had never even thought of doing something like this! And now this thing was getting further and further away and slipped out of his grasp.


    Most likely ¡­ his magic had limits. He had just never tested them before. But now it seemed that this had somehow exceeded them. Either the storm was too far away or it was too strong. He actually didn''t want to know which one it was. Both of them were really, really troublesome.


    Qiu Ling stood up and stepped forward to the edge of the summit. Damn. The whirlwind had left a swath of destruction. It ruined everything in its way but that didn''t seem to slow it down. Instead, it even seemed to get faster.


    Jing Yi leaped to his feet, too, and gripped his arm once again. "Qiu Ling, please ¡­"


    Qiu Ling turned around to him but the words he had wanted to say got stuck in his throat. There were actually tears in his beloved''s eyes. "Jing He ¡­"


    "Please, do something. You have to stop it somehow. My ¡­ my mother ¡­ she''s ¡­ still in the capital." The tears finally flowed over, trickled down his cheeks and dropped to the ground.


    He hadn''t seen her for five years and had only returned today to spend some short hours with her. When he imagined not seeing her ever again ¡­ He wouldn''t be able to take it!


    Qiu Ling gritted his teeth. Right. He couldn''t let anything happen to Madam Zhong. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.


    He didn''t know that much about magic since he never had anyone to teach him but there was one thing that he was sure of: Even if he didn''t manage to call back the winds when he went closer, if he took on that other form of his, then he definitely would have the power to stop it. He would have more power.


    It was just ¡­ Jing He was there. And even if it wasn''t like that, there were still other people who might see him. What if they talked about it? A dragon turning up would be a huge sensation. They would definitely talk about it, there was no other possibility. What if Jing He heard? What if some god who coincidentally wandered the human realm heard of it or even saw and then reported to the Heavenly Emperor? What then?


    He''d lose Jing He forever! How could he be able to take that? No, he couldn''t do it. This was just a human life. His beloved wouldn''t take it too seriously upon waking up, would he? He could just ¡­


    "Qiu Ling!" Jing Yi''s tear-choked voice sounded next to him and his beloved shook his arm. "Please! I beg you! Do something!"


    Qiu Ling gulped. Even if Jing He didn''t blame him later on, he would blame him now. How could he take that?


    "Alright", he choked out. "Jing He, do me a favor, alright?"


    "Just tell me. I''ll do anything if it helps you to save her." Jing Yi wasn''t thinking of all those people in the capital right now. He only thought of the smile on his mother''s face, of the kind words she had told him just some hours ago. How could that be suddenly gone?


    Qiu Ling turned around to him and grabbed his shoulders. "Close your eyes. Close your eyes and don''t open them until I come back and tell you to. Do you hear? You have to promise me! You can''t open them no matter what!"


    With his frantic voice, Jing Yi didn''t even think to ask for any reason. He just hurriedly nodded and then closed his eyes, even going as far as covering his face with his hands.


    Qiu Ling once again breathed deeply. He bent forward and placed a light kiss on Jing Yi''s forehead. "I''ll try everything to stop it. If I can''t ¡­ then I''ll save at least your mother. Don''t you worry about her. Nothing will happen to her. She''ll be alright." Right, he couldn''t let his beloved experience another loss.


    Qiu Ling rose into the air. He only hesitated a bit, then he changed his form. A large, black dragon with red markings on its scales and, of course, a crimson eye appeared in the air. It remained there for a moment and looked at Jing Yi''s small form. His beloved really hadn''t looked. He was someone who honored promises, so ¡­ it should be safe.


    The black dragon sighed, turned around and sped toward the capital. He was still afraid, his heart beating madly, but he could do it for this person. If his beloved wanted him to do it, then he could do everything. Even if it was taking on this accursed form.


    Maybe the people would be too preoccupied with their fear of the whirlwind to notice him? Even if they did, nobody would know that it was him. After all, he wasn''t the only dragon in the mortal realm and nobody that was still alive had ever seen his true form. There really was nothing to be afraid of.


    Trying to boost his confidence with these thoughts, Qiu Ling rushed toward the whirlwind. All of this was his fault. He had been too careless. He had to save the people from the capital and if that was impossible, then he''d have to save at least Madam Zhong.

 Chapter 179 - The Mighty Dragon God

    The people in the capital had already noticed the whirlwind approaching them. It was probably hard not to, considering that it was at least two times higher than the city wall and was whirling around all the debris it had picked up on its way there. After the first person halted and looked up with a pale face, more people followed until half of the capital had stopped doing anything else. They just stood there and pointed at the whirlwind and then started to scream or to cry. They were sure that the bell had tolled for them.


    Why was this happening to them? They hadn''t done anything wrong! Why were the heavens punishing them? Could it be that those in the palace had done something atrociously that angered the heavens so much that they wouldn''t just send down lightning to strike the evildoer but instead wipe out the whole country?!


    This wasn''t fair! The cries grew louder and soon the tumult reached the palace. The Emperor stood at the entrance of his palace and looked at the sky with furrowed brows. He, too, couldn''t help but wonder if the heavens were angry at something he had done. He tried to recall everything he had said and done in the last few days but couldn''t find anything that might anger the heavens so much. In the end, he fled back into his palace and knelt down in prayer, hoping that he would live and that the heavens might spare his country if he was just sincere enough.


    Meanwhile, in a small teahouse, Madam Zhong walked to the entrance upon hearing the noise outside. She looked where all those people pointed and gave a bitter laugh. Just today, she had seen her beloved child again after waiting for so long. He had grown into a fine young man, so she could probably die without regrets. She just would have wished to spend a little more time with him. There were so many things she hadn''t asked about because he was preoccupied with his worry about Qiu Ling.


    Madam Zhong sighed. "At least, Jing Yi isn''t here. He''ll certainly be safe at that man''s side."


    Madam Zhong went back into the teahouse and waved at Nie Huang. "There''s a storm coming. You should go home to be with your family."


    Nie Huang didn''t look willing. She hadn''t gone home to her family in quite a few years already. In fact, it would nearly be ten years since she last talked to her parents. She still felt like it was their fault that she hadn''t been able to marry the man she loved back then. And then they had even wanted her to marry someone else instead of concentrating on her tea brewing skills. No, she definitely wouldn''t go back!


    "You''d regret it if you didn''t", said Madam Zhong before she turned around herself and sighed. "I''ll go home to see my husband, too."


    Nie Huang blinked. She, of course, knew that Mister Zhong had already passed away five years ago. "It couldn''t be a really bad storm, could it?" She stood up and ran outside. Her expression derailed when she saw the huge whirlwind.


    "No wonder ¡­" She did some soul-searching with a grim expression on her face and finally sighed, too. Madam Zhong was right. She should go home. If this truly was her last day, then she wanted her parents to know that she still loved them. She also understood that they had done it for her own good. She just ¡­ had still mourned for the love she would never have and hadn''t been able to accept it back then.


    Madam Zhong reached Zhong Gang''s house. She didn''t search for him or his wife and instead went to the small shrine she had made for her husband''s memorial tablet. She knelt down in front of it and smiled at his name. This was the only thing she actually knew how to write and read after staring at it for so long.


    "It seems like I''ll be joining you soon. I''m happy to see you again. It''s just ¡­ I had hoped that at least I could accompany our son a little longer. Well, he''s in good hands. You remember that Daoist Master from back then? Today, he brought Jing Yi back to the capital but they went out for a while. It''s good because there probably won''t be a capital anymore, soon. I really hope they are far away and won''t get hurt. When Jing Yi finds out he''ll probably be heartbroken but at least, he has that man at his side so he''ll be able to get through it." She nodded and stood up. She picked up the memorial tablet and clutched it to her chest before going outside. This last storm, she''d weather it together with her husband.


    But just when Madam Zhong stepped outside and looked up at the whirlwind without any hope to survive, a true miracle happened! A black dragon appeared out of nowhere and faced off against that punishment sent by the heavens.


    Qiu Ling had reached the whirlwind in only a few minutes. As much as he hated this form of his, he had to admit that it was really useful. He stared at the whirlwind in front of him that had already reached the size of an estate.


    Ah, he really had been careless. Really, really careless.


    He called onto his magic and circled the whirlwind, slowing it somewhat down. The damned thing still didn''t want to stop, though. The huge dragon frowned and circled the whirlwind again, flying in the opposite direction and thus, slowing it down a bit more. But the whirlwind still wasn''t stopping and instead advanced further toward the capital.


    The dragon sped up, its tail brushing against the current and throwing down the debris the storm had picked up, taking some of its deadly power away.


    The people in the capital stared breathlessly at this scene in front of them. Never would they have believed to see something like this in their lives! All of them were frozen stiff. There was a whirlwind sent by heaven to eradicate them all together with every last dog and chicken in their house and then came a dragon to save all of them!


    The first person finally found his senses again. He threw himself to the ground and kowtowed in the direction of the mighty, black dragon. "Long live the dragon god!"


    The people around him looked over and then hurriedly did the same. This dragon god had descended to save them! They should pay respects to their savior!


    Qiu Ling nearly tumbled down when he heard their cries. This title really rubbed him the wrong way. What was that ''god'' doing in there? But he had no time to care about that anymore. He first had to stop this whirlwind or it would be too late.


    He sped up again and more of the debris crashed down but it still wasn''t enough. It was far from that and they had neared the capital enough for him to spot the teahouse and the house of the Zhongs. He saw Madam Zhong standing there, a memorial tablet in her arms and her gaze fixed on him.


    Qiu Ling roared at the whirlwind. Damn this! He hadn''t managed to save his beloved''s father, he definitely wouldn''t fail to save his mother!


    In a last, desperate attempt, he opened his maw and just swallowed the whole damn thing. Then, he sped over to the house of the Zhongs and fell from the sky.

 Chapter 180 - Without Help

    Madam Zhong looked with a blank expression at the man in black robes that had crashed into Zhong Gang''s courtyard. She had known that he had something to do with the dragons from the very beginning, after all, he had left a dragon-shaped mark on her son''s forehead and had later admitted himself that he had some connection to them. But seeing a large dragon flying over and then turn into a familiar human figure still came as a shock to her.


    So, he doesn''t just have a relationship with them. He is one of them. No wonder. I always felt that this man wasn''t simple. He has a special aura around him. And those things he could do like changing his face and appearing out of thin air ¡­ Maybe that isn''t what a Daoist Master does but instead typical for a dragon?


    She was lost in thought for a moment until she finally realized that something wasn''t right. Qiu Ling wasn''t moving.


    She hastily put her husband''s memorial tablet down and knelt beside Qiu Ling. "Daoist ¡­" She shook her had. "Qiu Ling? Are you alright?" She gingerly shook his shoulder.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes cracked open, scaring Madam Zhong half witless. Those eyes ¡­ She had looked often enough into them to know that they were of a dark color, nearly completely black. But now, one of them had turned red.


    Qiu Ling blinked as if he felt that something was wrong. When he opened his eyes again they had returned to their original color. "Mother-in-law ¡­ don''t ¡­ don''t tell him", he whispered hoarsely. Then his eyes closed again.


    Madam Zhong shook his shoulder once more. "Qiu Ling. Qiu Ling!" Her self-proclaimed son-in-law didn''t wake up, though.


    Madam Zhong sat next to him and bit her lower lip. What now? She didn''t know why he was like this and how she could help.


    She looked at her husband''s memorial tablet as if he could answer her questions. "Let''s just bring him inside first", she decided. She gripped Qiu Ling''s arm and put it around her shoulder, then she tried to pick him up from the ground.


    She managed to lift his upper body but she couldn''t go any farther. He was too heavy and she wasn''t strong enough. Madam Zhong sighed and tried to drag him but she had to stop after a couple of steps already.


    "Ah, I''d better go and get help." She put Qiu Ling down and wanted to run out but she halted when she was about to pass by her husband''s memorial tablet. "Let me put that inside first." She picked it up and ran back into the house.


    In the meantime, a man in white robes descended from the sky. He stopped next to Qiu Ling and frowned. His gaze wandered to where the whirlwind had been, then he crouched down. He picked up Qiu Ling''s wrist and inserted a thread of spiritual energy. His frown deepened.


    Just then, Madam Zhong returned. She instantly tensed seeing an unfamiliar man next to Qiu Ling. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"


    The man stood up and slightly bowed. "Pardon my intrusion. I''m Yu Jin of the Yun Zou Sect. I came over because I wanted to help disperse the whirlwind but it seems like somebody already took care of it. Then, I noticed Senior Martial Brother Qiu. Do you know what happened to him?"


    The man looked slightly worried and he wore the white robes she knew from the disciples of the Yun Zou Sect so she slowly let her guard down. She didn''t intend to answer his question, though, and shook her head. "No, I''m not sure." Of course, she knew that it had to have something to do with that whirlwind but she wouldn''t say that.


    Her son-in-law had just asked her not to tell him. She could imagine which ''him'' he was talking about. It definitely was her son. But she didn''t know what he didn''t want her to tell Jing Yi. So, she better said nothing for now. Neither to her son nor to anybody else. That would be for the best.


    "Ah, Daoist Yu, could you help me carry my son-in-law inside? I tried to do it myself but ¡­"


    The man nodded, picked Qiu Ling up and followed Madam Zhong to one of the rooms. He put Qiu Ling down on the bed and once again took his wrist. What had happened? He didn''t understand and somehow he was unable to find any hint either.


    Madam Zhong cast a worried glance at what he was doing. She was afraid he might find something out that Qiu Ling rather wanted to keep a secret but they were from the same sect and he only wanted to help so there was no valid reason for her to refuse him. She picked up a blanket and covered Qiu Ling. That was probably all she could do to help him.


    In the end, she stood next to Yu Jin. "How is it? Did you find anything?"


    He shook his head. "No. I also don''t understand what is happening. It seems whatever it is he''ll have to manage to get through it himself."


    Madam Zhong looked at her son-in-law and could only sigh. She really hoped he would be able to overcome whatever it was that tormented him right now. She didn''t worry too much, though. She had already seen what this man was capable of. She didn''t believe that anything could devastate him so easily.


    Instead, there was another thing worrying her: Qiu Ling had taken Jing Yi away but he had returned alone. So, where was her son now?


    Indeed, she was right to worry about that because Jing Yi was still sitting at the summit of that mountain, his eyes closed like he had promised Qiu Ling. He was still afraid that something might happen to his mother and the longer he waited there, alone, the more he started to worry that something might have happened to Qiu Ling, too.


    In the end, when the day was about to end and Qiu Ling still hadn''t returned he lowered his hands and opened his eyes, looking in the direction of the capital. "Qiu Ling, where are you? It couldn''t be that because of what I said, because of me begging you to save my mother, you yourself were injured, could it?" Once again his eyes filled with tears. They hadn''t known each other for long but he did like to have Qiu Ling around him. He could actually imagine that this might evolve into something more in the future. But maybe it would be better if it didn''t since it seemed like he had only caused trouble for him up until now.


    Jing Yi sighed, wiped the tears from his cheeks and stood up. "I can''t just depend on him. If I want to make sure that Qiu Ling won''t regret choosing me, then I have to become strong myself. Grand Master Zhangsun said that it would be possible to reach the root stage in one year. Even if I don''t have heavenly spirit veins I can still do it. I''ll prove to Qiu Ling that he can depend on me just as much as I depend on him."


    With that thought, he turned around and started to climb down the mountain on his own.

 Chapter 181 - Getting Stronger For Him

    The sky grew darker with each passing minute until Jing Yi''s surroundings were finally plunged into darkness. He tried to see the way in front of him but it was futile. He hadn''t managed to leave the mountain. Just as he had predicted it would take a long time if one went by foot.


    He sighed and sat down on the roadside. "I''m sorry, Qiu Ling, I''m really sorry. This should have been a memorable day for us but now ¡­"


    No, he didn''t believe that everything had worked out. He didn''t know whether Qiu Ling had been able to save his mother or even the people in the capital.


    "Maybe he has. Just thinking back on how he managed to conjure such a huge storm up in the first place it''s obvious he''s a cultivator. I wonder why he never said anything? Why did he become a practitioner anyway? With his talent ¡­ he probably has heavenly spirit veins."


    Jing Yi sighed again. "I can ask him when I see him again. It''s just ¡­ I don''t know if he''s alright. If he was, he certainly would have come back by now. So ¡­ something must have happened to him. Maybe he really saved them but he was hurt because of that?"


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. "It''s my fault. I told him to do something about it. No." He shook his head. "Not just that. He only summoned this storm because of me, because he wanted to help me finally cultivate. And I ¡­ I actually didn''t manage to learn it. I''ve let him down."


    Jing Yi leaned back against a tree trunk and looked up at the star-dotted sky. If he was able to cultivate, to manipulate the air currents just like Qiu Ling then he would be able to fly. He could just fly down from this mountain and over to the capital and see for himself whether his mother and Qiu Ling were alright.


    "I have to learn it. I can''t drag it on."


    He closed his eyes and slid into the lotus position once again. So many people had been able to do it before him. It couldn''t be that he would be unable to do the same. Having trash spirit veins didn''t mean that he lacked comprehension ability, too. He would just have to work a bit harder than the others with better aptitude.


    He concentrated on the spiritual energy of the air around him but that was still as far as he could go. He couldn''t move it or take it in or do anything else but watch through his inner eye how it moved about.


    Would it really be different if he had heavenly spirit veins? What was the difference between them? He had never really thought about that. Back then when the Elder in charge of testing their spirit veins had announced him to have full spirit veins he had thought that something being full didn''t sound so bad. Even a while later when he found out that these strange names had something to do with the number of spirit veins one had, he had still been sure that having six must be a good thing. The more, the better.


    After all, wasn''t that always the case? He had thought of rice bowls back then to explain it to himself. If you had six, then besides his father and mother and himself, another three people could eat with them. Or, if it was just them, then they''d have three spares! How great was that? If one broke, they could just take one of the spares!


    Only after nearly a year did he find out what exactly it meant to have full spirit veins. Trash. Indeed. If it was about trash, then having more of it wasn''t a good thing. Quite the contrary. Nobody wanted trash.


    "I still have to live with it, though. Ah ¡­ I really wonder what that other idea was that Qiu Ling had. His first one really helped, so maybe it would have worked out?"


    He couldn''t ask him, though. "For now, I should try to become better at this. It''s a long way till the capital. Until I''m there I can train. Wouldn''t Qiu Ling be happy when he saw that I don''t have any problems anymore sensing the energy of the air he showed me? And maybe I can even learn to sense one of the other energies ¡­"


    He lightly pursed his lips. He was sitting on the ground with earth below him and all around him was forest. There should be a lot of earth and wood energy. He had tried to sense them back in the outer sect already but had never managed to do so. Maybe it would be different now. After all, he had been able to do it with one of the elements. Maybe he could do it with the others, too?


    He put his hands on the ground and concentrated. He felt the little grains it consisted of and the sharp stones embedded in it, he could even feel the moisture that had covered it and was slowly seeping down. But just like with the air before this was just something physical. It had nothing to do with the spiritual energy. It was just the same as always.


    Jing Yi sighed. "Do I really need Qiu Ling''s help to achieve anything? How can that be?"


    He turned around and pressed his hands against the tree trunk instead. Once again he felt those things he already knew: The bark, the sticky resin and the water droplets that clung to it and the bit of earth the wind had blown up. Once again, the spiritual energy completely eluded him.


    Jing Yi dropped his hands and sighed. He felt defeated right now. As if he would never be able to solve the mystery around cultivation. Without help, he couldn''t even sense the energy!


    He furrowed his brow and thought of what Qiu Ling had said: ''My love, after five years of achieving nothing you finally took the first step. Is this really the moment where you should think of giving up? Trust me a bit. It might not have worked just now but we''re not at our rope''s end, are we? I still have an idea that might work. Let''s just try it.''


    Right. He was right. This wasn''t the moment to give up. Today was just the first day. He''d just try every day from now on. And someday he''d manage to do it. He was sure of it!


    Jing Yi continued to sit on the ground and went back to sensing the air energy, slowly trying to widen his scope. He only fell asleep in the morning hours and rested a bit before continuing on towards the capital.

 Chapter 182 - An Even Worse Situation

    A week went by without any progress in Jing Yi''s cultivation. He had left the mountain and went in the direction of the capital but he hadn''t covered much distance. He couldn''t even see the city wall.


    It was to be expected. Qiu Ling hadn''t even needed an hour to bring him to the mountain but they had flown and that fast. And not even considering the fact that he''d need much more time to walk back to the capital under normal circumstances, there was another problem: The whirlwind had caused too much damage.


    Trees had been uprooted and entire villages collapsed. The people ¡­ Jing Yi could only sigh. Their moment of carelessness had done such huge damage. He tried to help wherever he could but there wasn''t much to be done. Maybe he could have helped more if he was a cultivator but even then ¡­ He might be able to help them reshape the villages but could that help those people? A lot of them were injured, some even heavily. What could a cultivator do about that?


    "You''d probably need to be an alchemist to help in such a case. I should ask Qiu Ling if he knows anything about it when I see him again."


    Jing Yi sighed again when he thought of that. He still didn''t know what had happened to Qiu Ling. Every once in a while, he would look up at the sky in the hope of seeing him fly over. But each time he was disappointed. Qiu Ling wasn''t there.


    By now, Jing Yi was really worried. Even though they hadn''t known each other for long, he believed in him. Qiu Ling wouldn''t just leave him to fend for himself. If he could, he would have hurried back to him as soon as possible.


    So that could only mean that something had happened to him and it had to be bad. Bad enough that he was actually unable to make his way back to the mountain.


    Jing Yi looked in the direction of the capital and hastened his steps. He wouldn''t know what to do if Qiu Ling was really badly hurt. Maybe ¡­ maybe it was something different. Maybe Qiu Ling hadn''t been able to stop the whirlwind outside of the capital and part of it had been destroyed? Considering how he had used to help other people before he came to the Yun Zou Sect he probably wouldn''t be able to reject their pleas for help for even a moment.


    Yes, that might be it. Qiu Ling might have figured that he would be alright even if he was alone for a while and had started to help the people. As soon as he was finished, he would hurry over and take him back. He''d probably be heartbroken and apologize without end as soon as he saw him again.


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. As much as he had hated Qiu Ling''s clinging at first, he really missed it now. He would have given his eyeteeth for Qiu Ling to appear and pounce on him, hugging him without letting go despite his protests. But he knew there was no way that would happen.


    While Jing Yi worried about Qiu Ling, another day drew to a close. The sky had already darkened considerably but this time, Jing Yi marched on. He didn''t know how far it was to the capital. But he wanted to arrive there as soon as possible. He had to see with his own eyes that his mother and Qiu Ling were alright. Unknowingly, the two of them had already become equally important to him.


    Jing Yi hurried on through the darkness. Well, at least, he tried. The uneven ground was littered with fallen branches and stones the whirlwind had blown over. Every few steps, Jing Yi stumbled. He still persisted on, though. Each step took him closer to the capital. Maybe if he continued for only an hour more every day, he would reach the capital a day earlier.


    The last light finally vanished and Jing Yi was plunged into complete darkness. He stopped for a moment and looked up at the sky once again. Some stars were already twinkling up there but they weren''t enough to illuminate his way. They also didn''t reveal any figure up there.


    Jing Yi shook his head. By now, he should have given up his hope to see Qiu Ling on his way back. They would pro¡ª


    "Ah!"


    Jing Yi slipped on a patch of loose ground and lost his balance. He tried to grab onto something but there was nothing close enough to him. He fell and slid down the ground in front of him, tumbling further and further down. Finally, he collided with something hard and stopped moving. He didn''t get up again.


    In the capital, the situation wasn''t looking any better. Qiu Ling still hadn''t woken up after this week. Madam Zhong was running to the teahouse in the morning and did her work with only half of her mind there. If somebody asked, she told them that her son-in-law had fallen ill and that she was gravely worried.


    None of the guests made trouble for her because of that. All of them could imagine why she was this anxious. After all, a lot depended on a son-in-law. Especially for a widow like Madam Zhong.


    As soon as the last guest left the teahouse, Madam Zhong hastened back home. She sat next to Qiu Ling''s bed and peered at his face, looking for any signs of him waking up. She couldn''t find any, though. It was as if Qiu Ling had been turned into a jade statue and would continue to be like that for all eternity.


    With each passing day, Madam Zhong grew more anxious, until she finally couldn''t take it any longer and went to see Yu Jin who had stayed in one of the rooms of Zhong Gang''s house in case Qiu Ling''s condition might worsen.


    "Daoist Yu." Madam Zhong knocked on his door.


    Yu Jin opened his eyes but he didn''t stand up or open the door. "What may I do for you?"


    "It''s ¡­" She sighed. "My son-in-law is still not awake. I know you said you can''t do anything. But there is something else. Before he collapsed he had taken my son out of the capital. It''s already been a week but I still haven''t heard of him. You ¡­ might you know something?"


    Yu Jin looked at the door. "Your son?"


    "Mn. Zhong Jing Yi. He''s also from the Yun Zou Sect. So maybe you know him?"


    Yu Jin lowered his gaze. "I''ve heard of him. I haven''t seen him, though."


    "Oh."


    The two of them fell silent. Madam Zhong wanted to beg him to go look for Jing Yi but in the end, she didn''t. After all, this wasn''t Qiu Ling. She couldn''t expect any help.


    "Then, I''m sorry to have disturbed you."


    "It''s alright. It''s to be expected that you are worried. I''m sorry that I can''t be of more help." Yu Jin closed his eyes again. He understood what she had tried to say but unfortunately, he couldn''t fulfill her wish. He had to stay and keep an eye on Qiu Ling. If he went away and something happened to him at that time ¡­ He didn''t even want to imagine the consequences.


    "In the end, what is it that kept his consciousness back even until now? I couldn''t find anything but it certainly isn''t normal. He should have been awake for a long time already."

 Chapter 183 - It Was An Accident

    Jing Yi only regained consciousness the next morning. He groaned and rolled to the side, pressing a hand against his forehead. When he lowered it again it was actually sticky with blood.


    Jing Yi looked at the red color blankly. What had happened? He needed a moment to remember how he had fallen. He sat up hurriedly and looked around. There wasn''t much to see, though: He had tumbled down a slope and landed himself in a depression. On all four sides were only earthen walls, nothing else. He couldn''t even see any roots.


    Jing Yi froze. He had ¡­ fallen into a hole. A dirty hole. And one out of which he probably couldn''t escape.


    He rubbed at his forehead to get rid of the blood but finally noticed that his hands were dirty from the fall, too. Jing Yi paused and slowly stood up, his limbs already trembling. It wasn''t just his hands. His hair, his face, everything on him was dirty!


    His breath sped up and he tried to get as far away from the edge of the hole as possible. There wasn''t much place to avoid them, though.


    "Oh no, this can''t be!" Jing Yi turned in a circle. There really wasn''t any way out here! He ¡­ he would have to stay in here until someone came to save him!


    What to do? Was there nothing he could do?


    He closed his eyes and tried to calm his heart down. First of all, he had to get this disgusting dirt off of him. Jing Yi cracked his eyes open and lifted his hands. They were filthy. There was dirt on his palms and on his fingers and under his nails, too. He wanted nothing more than fresh water to wash all of it off but, of course, that was an impossible luxury in this situation.


    Thankfully, he had changed the robe from the sect against the one his grandfather had given him back then. Just like he had said back then it couldn''t get dirty. Everything would just slide off the fabric.


    Thinking of that, Jing Yi calmed down a little. He pressed his lips together and hurriedly wiped his left hand over the fabric once. A bit of dirt showed on the sleeve before it magically vanished.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It worked. It really worked. He could get all this dirt off. Hurriedly, he wiped his hands on the robe but, unfortunately, that only took care of the dirt on the surface. There was still some under his nails. And he didn''t know how his face looked.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes again and rubbed his sleeves over it to take care of that at least. Then, he remained standing in the middle of the depression and waited.


    "Sooner or later somebody will come by and then I''ll be saved." He said that with a bit of conviction, even though his voice was trembling.


    He managed to stay calm for a while but finally, the panic came again. He turned in a circle once more, looking at the dirt all around him and bit his lip. No, nobody would come and save him. Qiu Ling hadn''t come to get him back for a whole week. Why should he come now? And who besides Qiu Ling would come here? It had already been quite a bit of time since he passed the last village and even that had been nearly ruined because of the whirlwind.


    As if the heavens wanted to remind him that he hadn''t been in the worst possible situation until now, it started to rumble in the distance. Jing Yi''s head jerked up and he stared at the clouds that were hurrying over the sky. Did they seem to get darker?


    Once again, it grumbled in the distance but it didn''t seem to be as far away anymore. There was actually a storm coming!


    At first, Jing Yi was afraid. After all, he was outside and couldn''t hide anywhere. Then, he stopped and slowly a smile spread across his face. A storm! That also meant that it would rain! He could finally get a little bit of water and wash all of this dirt away!


    As soon as this thought was finished, Jing Yi''s eyes bulged and he looked down at the earth below him. Oh no ¡­ Didn''t that also mean ¡­ that the ground below his feet and the walls around him would get wet and muddy?!


    Jing Yi took a trembling breath and once again bit his lower lip. Heavens! He wanted to get out of here!


    "What to do? What to do? I definitely can''t stay here!"


    He took a step toward one of the walls and reached out but then retracted his hands just as fast. No, he couldn''t touch that. It was dirty. It was dirty! He stepped back into the middle of the depression again and hugged his hands to his body. He wouldn''t touch that. He wouldn''t!


    But the storm wouldn''t go away just because he didn''t want to face it. The wind started to blow more violently and the rumbling came closer and closer. Jing Yi could already see the lightning.


    "Why did this have to happen today of all days? Why?!" It had been a clear sky for the last seven days. Why was the weather suddenly getting bad when he was stuck in such a place?!


    Finally, the first droplet fell. It struck Jing Yi''s shoulder and made him flinch. No!


    "Please, please just pass by. Just pass me by", he begged but the heavens were merciless. Jing Yi''s prayers weren''t answered.


    One after another, the raindrops fell until they pattered continuously. They soaked the ground in the depression and above and finally started to form a layer of water when the ground couldn''t take all of it in. The water from above ran down the walls and added to the water already down there, soaking Jing Yi''s feet.


    Jing Yi hugged himself and held back a scream, biting down on his lower lip until it started to bleed. He wanted to get out of here!


    "Qiu Ling ¡­", he hoarsely called out but, of course, there was no answer. He was still alone. There was nobody that could save him. He would have to save himself if he wanted to get out.


    He looked up at the sky. The wind was getting stronger just like on that day on the mountain. In his despair, Jing Yi reached out to the one thing that reminded him of Qiu Ling, to the one thing that felt familiar to him in this environment he hated.


    He felt the energy of the air around him and somehow he actually called out to it. One of the currents rushed over to him and entered his body.


    Jing Yi didn''t stop to marvel at his achievement. He didn''t even dare to think. He pushed out his hand and a strong force flew out, bursting half of the wall in front of him. Jing Yi ran out, stumbling out of the depression and then running on. He didn''t stop until the storm had already long passed and he had reached the next village. He took shelter under a roof that was jutting out and hugged himself.


    He had managed to get out of there. That was his first thought. Only then did he realize that he had somehow managed to take in spiritual energy for the first time. Not only that, he had even managed to use that energy on the very same day.


    How come the thing he had tried to do for so long, had now been achieved accidentally? He certainly couldn''t return to the capital and tell that to Qiu Ling!

 Chapter 184 - Kill Him

    In the nine heavens above, the always dignified fate''s scribe, Shun Tao, finally couldn''t take it anymore and threw the scroll of fate in front of him across the room. "Damn this!"


    He really couldn''t believe it. How come everything was going wrong? How difficult could it be to let one person experience one major trial? In the end, he could only sigh. It really seemed as if it was especially difficult as long as the person in question was the son of heaven.


    "So, does heaven favor you and doesn''t want you to suffer down there or does heaven have some sort of vengeance against you and doesn''t want to let you pass the trials so that you''ll die in the end?"


    He shook his head, stood up and went to pick up the scroll. He dusted it off and put it back into his sleeve. It seemed he had to go to the Heavenly Emperor once again to report. Ah, it wasn''t even the next day yet. It had only been a few hours!


    Shun Tao contemplated if he should just wait but finally reconsidered. No, he couldn''t just sit here. He had to go now. After all, the situation was getting worse. The Heavenly Emperor had to be informed. Mn, maybe he should try to get the Heavenly Empress to be there. With her around his head might be safe.


    In the end, that notion was wishful thinking. When Shun Tao arrived at the high hall and was announced, there were only the Heavenly Emperor and the god of war, Qiang Yan, present.


    Shun Tao stepped inside and knelt down. "Fate''s scribe Shun Tao greets His Majesty Tianjun."


    The Heavenly Emperor frowned. "Why have you come again? It can''t be that there''s something else to report already, can it?"


    Shun Tao repressed a sigh. How couldn''t it be? Everything had been going wrong from the moment His Highness left the nine heavens. "This one indeed came to report, Your Majesty."


    The Heavenly Emperor leaned back on his throne and put a hand to his forehead. "What happened now?" His voice was laced with resignation.


    Shun Tao took a deep breath. "It isn''t looking good, Your Majesty. After His Highness rejected Longjun, the two of them somehow reconciled."


    "So it''s that dandy again. Tell me, what has he done now?"


    "He tried to show His Highness how to cultivate. It yielded only marginal results, though. His Highness managed to sense spiritual energy but couldn''t take it in and was thus unable to truly start cultivating."


    "That''s worrying, though", injected Qiang Yan. "If he was able to do this much, then the rest will happen sooner or later."


    Shun Tao nodded. "I thought so, too. Thankfully, His Highness and Longjun separated because of the circumstances and His Highness was left alone for a week. I thought ¡­" He gulped and took a peek at the Heavenly Emperor''s face. He didn''t look as angry as he had seen him before. Maybe he would get through this without problems. "I thought it would be a good opportunity and ¡­" He cleared his throat and lowered his head a little further. "This one unauthorizedly decided to end His Highness'' trial."


    "What?!" The Heavenly Emperor jumped to his feet but luckily Qiang Yan was there.


    "Ah, Your Majesty, please calm your anger. I''m sure there is a good reason for this." He lifted his palms in a pacifying gesture and then turned toward Shun Tao. "Ending his trial ahead of time could have grave consequences. You surely know of that. Why did you still ¡­"


    Shun Tao nodded. "I know. It''s just ¡­ even though the Heavenly Empress told him how important this trial is for His Highness, Longjun is still interfering. I''m afraid he won''t stop with that. It might not even be because he wants to disturb the trial. Most likely he just doesn''t understand in what dire straits His Highness would be if his mortal reincarnation succeeded with his attempts at cultivation. So I reckoned that His Highness wouldn''t be able to pass his trial peacefully as long as Longjun is around."


    "I agree with that." Qiang Yan looked up at his brother-in-law and slightly raised his brows.


    The Heavenly Emperor breathed deeply and finally sat down again. "That''s indeed true. So you thought to end Jing He''s trial in the time Longjun wasn''t there. Why didn''t you just make him pass a trial?"


    Shun Tao smiled wryly. "Your Majesty, a major trial needs preparation. How could a love trial happen while he isn''t even in love? And how should he be betrayed when he doesn''t trust anybody besides his mortal mother and Longjun enough to feel the betrayal? And there was no decision to be made. I only had the choice to attempt a death trial."


    The Heavenly Emperor closed his eyes. "Dying young. Indeed. It''s only been a little more than two weeks since he left. He isn''t even considered an adult down there yet."


    Shun Tao nodded. "Indeed. But I had planned some other things as well. I wanted him to pass the major trials of dying young and dying with regrets, as well as the medium trial of being unable to attain a lifelong dream and the minor trial of succumbing to emotions. All of that could have been achieved with just his death. He would have fulfilled heaven''s requirements like that and his trial period could have ended without problems. Unfortunately ¡­" Shun Tao sighed. "In the last moment, His Highness managed to save himself. Not only that but in this moment of great need, he was actually able to understand what Longjun taught him. He isn''t fully aware of how he did it yet but I''m afraid His Highness has already stepped onto the path of cultivation. It''s only a question of time when he''ll become an immortal."


    The Heavenly Emperor closed his eyes and silently clenched his fists. My son, my precious son ¡­ This can''t be happening to you. It just can''t. He took a trembling breath and looked at the two men who stood below his throne.


    "Then ¡­ How about sending someone down to kill him?"


    Shun Tao shook his head. "Killing him in that situation would have worked. But now ¡­ I''m afraid the consequences would be dire."


    Qiang Yan nodded, too. "It could work if the person to do it would be Longjun but ¡­ If you will excuse me, that''s even more unlikely than you descending and killing him yourself, Your Majesty."


    The Heavenly Emperor could only sigh. Indeed. He wouldn''t have the heart to kill his own child. And as much as he hated that dandy, he couldn''t deny that that bastard loved Jing He wholeheartedly. Even if you put a weapon into his hand and placed the tip against Jing He''s chest, he still wouldn''t be able to take that last step forward.


    "Then there is nothing that can be done?"


    Shun Tao shook his head. "Nothing besides observing further and waiting for another opportunity. But with His Highness starting to cultivate it''ll get harder. A cultivator is hard to kill and the trials he can pass are getting fewer. He has already partly attained his lifelong wish and it''ll only be a few more days until he should be able to lay his regrets to rest."


    "What about Leng Jin Yu?", asked Qiang Yan. "He is supposed to help you. Didn''t he have any ideas?"


    "He did. In fact, he is down in the mortal world right now and laying the groundwork for possible future trials. Actually, without him, His Highness might have been able to become a true cultivator much earlier. He has worked hard."


    "That''s good to hear."


    The two of them grew quiet and looked up at the Heavenly Emperor. Rong Su was still sitting there with his eyes closed. He didn''t want to be too harsh to his son but what could he do? Jing He needed to pass these trials.


    "Fate''s scribe", he started to issue his command in a hoarse voice. "We don''t care how you do it but you should find the fastest way to end his trial. If you have to be cruel ¡­ then do so. It wouldn''t hurt Jing He if he experienced how vicious fate can be. After all, he''ll return home soon."


    "This one obeys the command." Shun Tao bowed once again and then left the high hall. He wasn''t sure on how to be cruel and fast, though. Mn, he''d have to take a look at the scroll of fate again. Maybe there was a hint on how to proceed.

 Chapter 185 - Returning To The Capital

    As soon as Jing Yi had calmed down, he continued toward the capital again. Every night, he still sat down and tried to further his cultivation but this time there was actually progress.


    In the first night, he hadn''t been able to achieve anything since his mind was still chaotic. But after thinking everything through on the second day he finally managed to sense the cycle of spirit veins in his own body when he tried at night.


    For a moment, he lost his concentration and could only sit there, grinning madly. He really would have liked it if Qiu Ling was there with him. He wanted to share his achievement with him. His achievement and, even more important, his happiness. This was only possible because of Qiu Ling. He should be there to take part in it.


    "He''d probably do the same as on the mountain and silently beg for a reward. Or he might even ask for it directly. You know, Qiu Ling, I wouldn''t mind it. You can get as many rewards from me as you''d like. You''re already ¡­ really important to me."


    Thinking of Qiu Ling had calmed him down, thus, Jing Yi sighed and went back to work. He noticed that he could feel the whole cycle but not every part was equally easy to sense. It was fairly simple around his hands and arms while the most difficult was the part of the cycle in his midst.


    "It probably depends on training. Maybe it is something you can only gradually achieve. When I was ¡­ there the energy only entered my hands and then pushed out from there. Maybe I''ll be able to circulate it through my whole body in the future, just like Qiu Ling." Jing Yi sighed. Somehow, all his thoughts returned to Qiu Ling sooner or later.


    He stopped thinking about it and just continued to observe the cycle. If he wasn''t completely wrong, then in the middle where he could sense next to nothing the dantian should be situated. Some way or another, he''d have to clear the way to that point.


    He didn''t get any further in that night but when he got up the next morning he felt like he had achieved a lot already. Qiu Ling really had been right. He couldn''t give up too soon. After he had taken the first step, he would just need to continue trying and then he would achieve his goal one day.


    In the third night, Jing Yi managed to deliberately take in a bit of spiritual energy. It was only a bit and he was drenched in sweat when he finally managed to do it but there was still a happy smile on his lips. When he opened his eyes the sun was already starting to rise. He hadn''t slept for even a wink. He contemplated to sleep for at least a few hours now but then thought of Qiu Ling again. He still didn''t know what had happened to him. Thus, he hurried onward.


    When he reached a small town that evening he couldn''t go on anymore. He just collapsed on the roadside and slept the whole night. He hadn''t managed to cultivate even a bit.


    Of course, he regretted doing so, as soon as he woke up. He wanted to make Qiu Ling proud. He wanted to see him smile when they saw each other again. He couldn''t return without having made a lot of progress. Somehow he felt like just being able to sense and take in the spiritual energy wouldn''t be enough. He wanted to have a big surprise ready for Qiu Ling when he returned.


    Thus, Jing Yi tried to cultivate even while walking. It was hard. Much harder than cultivating in the night when he could sit down and solely concentrate on this one task. Correspondingly, he only managed to take in as much spiritual energy as in the night when he had first tried it out.


    He wasn''t satisfied with that at first but when night came he found out that he was now a lot faster when he fully concentrated. The spiritual energy seemed to rush toward him and after two nights he could feel the cycle of spiritual energy in his hands and arms while concentrating on something else. It felt completely natural to him.


    Without noticing, Jing Yi had reached the first level of the seed stage if one only considered his air spiritual veins. It was slow progress if one considered he had taken five years until he started cultivating. If one looked at how it had only taken him two weeks to figure everything out, then this was nearly heaven-defying.


    Those peerless geniuses with heavenly spirit veins would also take two or three days and they had their masters and cultivation manuals to guide them. Jing Yi had been able to manage all of this with just a bit of help from Qiu Ling and a lucky coincidence. It had actually been a blessing in disguise.


    Even though Jing Yi didn''t know that he had gotten so far, he couldn''t wait to finally see Qiu Ling again to tell him everything. Thus, when he reached the capital and everything seemed alright he hurried over to the teahouse.


    Maybe Qiu Ling went to look for me but couldn''t find me because I had already left the mountain by then. Thus, he would have waited at the teahouse. He might be over there with my mother, already anxiously waiting that I come back. He''ll probably pounce on me as soon as I enter.


    Jing Yi''s steps grew more hurried the closer he got to the teahouse until he finally ran the last steps. He couldn''t see the two of them from the entrance and ran over to the preparation room. His mother was just picking up a tray with tea.


    "Mother!" Jing Yi forgot Qiu Ling for a moment, jumped over and hugged his mother, tears clouding his sight once more. He had really feared to lose her in that whirlwind.


    "Jing Yi?" Madam Zhong couldn''t believe that her son had finally returned. "Jing Yi, it''s really you! I was so worried!" She put the tray down and hugged him back, finally taking a deep breath after all the anxiousness she had felt for the last two weeks. "Are you alright? You''re not hurt, are you?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "I''m very well, mother. Actually, something good happened while I was outside. Right, where''s Qiu Ling?" He looked around but still couldn''t see him. Strange. Why wasn''t Qiu Ling there? He couldn''t be helping out in the kitchen, could he?


    Madam Zhong looked at her son worriedly. She really didn''t know how he would receive the news. She didn''t want to imagine. "About that ¡­ Maybe it''s better if you see for yourself."


    Jing Yi''s scalp grew numb. His mother hadn''t said anything about where he was and how he was doing but that alone told him more than he wanted to know. It seemed the thing he had worried about had come true.


    Something had happened to Qiu Ling.

 Chapter 186 - Asking For Help

    Madam Zhong asked one of the servants from the kitchen to take over for a while and hurriedly brought Jing Yi home. She looked at his face, again and again, and tried to gauge how he was feeling. She was really worried.


    It wasn''t a secret that Qiu Ling was madly in love with Jing Yi. If it had been Jing Yi that had been unconscious for two weeks without any sign of waking up, that man would have done everything he could to help him while fretting the whole time. If Jing Yi wouldn''t wake up, he might just close his eyes with him.


    But even though her son hadn''t said that he loved Qiu Ling, she could still see that it was the same the other way around. Jing Yi felt for Qiu Ling just the way that man felt for him, he was just unable to name that feeling or even clearly describe it. But he was young, so that was to be expected.


    She only feared that seeing Qiu Ling like this might actually let her son realize how much he truly loved him. What then? What if that self-proclaimed son-in-law of hers never woke up again and made her son unhappy before they had even had the opportunity to get together?


    Madam Zhong hesitated in front of the door and took a trembling breath. Qiu Ling, you better wake up. My son has already returned. You wouldn''t want him to suffer because of you, would you?


    She pushed the door open but, of course, Qiu Ling was still unconscious. Nothing had changed from when she left this morning. Madam Zhong sighed and stepped to the side to let her son in.


    Jing Yi hesitated. He saw Qiu Ling lying there, motionless, and his heart couldn''t help but thump in fear. "What ¡­ What''s with him? Why is he ¡­"


    Madam Zhong lowered her head. She still remembered Qiu Ling''s plea. As much as she wanted to tell her son what had happened, she didn''t dare to. "I also don''t know. He arrived here and then collapsed. It''s a good thing he was still able to make his way over."


    Jing Yi finally couldn''t hold back anymore. He ran over and fell to his knees in front of the bed. Then he reached out and took Qiu Ling''s hand. It was cold. "He ¡­ He''s not ¡­ dead, is he?"


    Madam Zhong shook her head. "I don''t think so. He''s breathing and his heart is still beating. But he hasn''t woken up for two weeks already. I don''t know what to do." She sighed. "There was even someone from the Yun Zou Sect that came by. He''s still staying here in case it gets worse. He took a look at Qiu Ling but also couldn''t do anything. He said ¡­ He said Qiu Ling would have to pass this on his own."


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. He had been right. Why did he have to be right?! He wanted to be wrong. He wanted to be mistaken so badly that it hurt.


    He lowered his head until his forehead lay on the bed. Tears silently trickled down his cheeks.


    Madam Zhong went over and patted his back. "He''s so strong. He''ll certainly wake up again. Just give him a bit of time."


    Jing Yi pulled himself together for his mother and nodded.


    "Alright. I''ll leave you two alone and go back to the teahouse. I''ll be back in the evening."


    "Yes."


    The door closed and the room was plunged into silence. Jing Yi gripped Qiu Ling''s hand tighter. "Qiu Ling ¡­ What has happened to you? Was this really because you tried to stop the whirlwind? Can that be? So ¡­ this is my fault? Because you wanted to help me ¡­ because I urged you ¡­ you became like this?" He lifted his head and peered into Qiu Ling''s face.


    The man in front of him was still as handsome as ever but with him lying there so motionless this sight wasn''t as moving anymore. Jing Yi''s heart didn''t beat faster like it did normally but tightened instead. It really hurt seeing Qiu Ling like this.


    "I wanted to tell you about everything that happened while I was alone. I ¡­ I thought so much about you. If you asked me if I wanted to marry you now ¡­ I would probably say yes."


    He looked at Qiu Ling''s eyes, half hoping that they would open and that he would say something shameless like ''You''ve promised so you''ll really have to marry me now'', but, of course, this was an extravagant hope. Nothing happened. Only silence greeted him.


    Jing Yi bedded his head next to Qiu Ling again and just stared blankly. What could have happened? His mother certainly would have noticed had Qiu Ling been injured and if it was some inner injury, then that person from the Yun Zou Sect should have found out about it.


    Right! Jing Yi sat up straight and then hurried out of the room. He didn''t know where his mother had housed that person or who it was but he had no other choice. He ran around looking for clues where to find that person and finally halted in front of a small room. It hadn''t been occupied back then when he left for the Yun Zou Sect but there was obviously someone living there now.


    He knocked and cleared his throat. "Excuse me? Are you ¡­ the person from the Yun Zou Sect?"


    Inside, Yu Jin opened his eyes. Ah, it seems like he has returned. He still didn''t get up, though. "I am. My name is Yu Jin. What may I do for you?"


    "I ¡­ I''m Zhong Jing Yi. I just came back and ¡­ I heard you had a look at how Qiu Ling is doing. Is that right?"


    "I did."


    "Then ¡­ you really don''t know what to do?"


    "That is indeed the case."


    Jing Yi sighed. "I see ¡­" He bit his lower lip again but contrary to his mother two weeks ago he didn''t give up as easily. "Do you have any idea what could have caused this?"


    Yu Jin looked at the door and finally stood up. He went over, opened the door for Jing Yi and motioned inside. "Why don''t you sit down, Junior Martial Brother Zhong?"


    Jing Yi nodded with a hopeful smile and hurriedly sat down. Maybe this person could really help him? He didn''t know many people in the sect and he couldn''t remember ever hearing of someone called Yu Jin but there was the blue cloud pattern on his sleeves so he had to be an inner sect disciple. He should know a lot about cultivation.


    "I''m afraid I can''t really answer your questions. I was unable to find out what exactly caused Senior Martial Brother Qiu to become like this. If I knew, I might be able to help him."


    "I see. Then what should we do? My mother said it''s already been two weeks. We can''t just wait, can we?"


    "I''m afraid that will be the only thing we can do. He''s already in this condition. Even though I couldn''t find the cause, I still think it is something internal."


    "Internal?"


    Yu Jin lowered his gaze. "You''re an outer sect disciple. You probably don''t know much about cultivation, do you?"


    Jing Yi shook his head.


    "Let me say it like this: Sometimes, things can go wrong with somebody''s cultivation. That is what we call a Qi deviation."


    "And you think Qiu Ling has encountered something like that?"


    "Maybe. It could also be an inner demon. Actually, that is something quite similar. In fact, in a lot of cases, an inner demon will lead to a Qi deviation."


    "I don''t think I understand."


    Yu Jin nodded. "To put it simply: An inner demon is something that haunts us. It can originate from a lot of things. Regrets, old memories, things we want to attain but are unable to ¡­ There are hundreds if not thousands of possibilities. But most of them have to do with our inner thoughts and emotions. That is why a good cultivator should be able to shut his emotions out. You can''t become too attached to persons or things if you want to become a good cultivator."


    Jing Yi stared at him silently. Not becoming attached to people or things? Only then ¡­ Did that mean ¡­ he shouldn''t feel the way he did for Qiu Ling? Would he be unable to become a cultivator if he continued to be with him? That couldn''t be, could it?


    Yu Jin seemed to see that Jing Yi had lost focus but he didn''t say anything to it. "Anyway, the inner demons have in common that they can only be solved by the person that acquired them. If somebody else is close enough to them that they can circumvent their guard, then they may be able to penetrate into their inner self and help. But that is nearly impossible and even if one manages to do so, it is extremely dangerous for both people."


    "So there is really nothing we can do?"


    Yu Jin nodded. "I''m afraid that is the case."


    Jing Yi nodded. "Then ¡­ I''m sorry that I''ve disturbed you."


    "It''s alright. You''re merely worried about a friend. I''m sure Senior Martial Brother Qiu would be happy if he knew how much you cared about him."


    Jing Yi smiled slightly. Certainly. Qiu Ling had done so much to gain his affection, after all. And now, something like this had happened.


    Jing Yi bid his farewell from Yu Jin and returned to Qiu Ling''s room. Looking at his face, he couldn''t help but wonder if Qiu Ling trusted him enough to let him try to enter his inner self. Maybe he would be able to help him?

 Chapter 187 - I’ve Decided

    Jing Yi sat at Qiu Ling''s bedside, holding his hand and looking at his face. Another day had gone by but Qiu Ling still hadn''t woken up. The question if he should try to access Qiu Ling''s inner self to help him overcome whatever it was that tormented him got more pressing with every hour.


    Jing Yi wouldn''t mind getting into a dangerous situation if it meant that he could help Qiu Ling. It would be the right thing to do, especially considering that Qiu Ling had done so much for him already. But he was afraid that his lacking knowledge of cultivation and his low level might cause problems that would even worsen Qiu Ling''s condition. After all, his Senior Martial Brother, Yu Jin, had said that entering someone''s inner self was dangerous for both people. He couldn''t risk hurting Qiu Ling even more.


    But what else could be done? Even that Senior Martial Brother Yu didn''t have an idea. He himself certainly wouldn''t have one. No, they would need somebody more proficient than themselves.


    Jing Yi pursed his lips and finally stood up, caressing Qiu Ling''s hand for a moment, before he turned around and hurried to Yu Jin''s room again. He knocked.


    "Senior Martial Brother Yu?"


    In the room, Yu Jin once again cracked his eyes open.


    "I ¡­ I''m sorry to disturb you again. It''s just ¡­ I was wondering ¡­ Do you think we could ask Grandmaster Zhangsun to come over? I mean Qiu Ling is his disciple, after all."


    Yu Jin sighed. "I''m afraid that even the Grandmaster won''t be able to help him. And even if he could: How do you want to call him over? I can''t leave, in case anything worse happens to him. As for you ¡­ How long would you need to get back to the Yun Zou Sect?"


    Jing Yi lowered his head. That was true. So that couldn''t be done either. Unfortunately, at that moment, he didn''t think of the paper cranes the people in the inner sect used to send messages. Otherwise, he might have at least managed to inform the Grandmaster. But just as Yu Jin had said: It wouldn''t have helped anyway. Zhangsun Xun Yi, too, would only have been able to find out that Qiu Ling''s condition was likely tied to the appearance of an inner demon. But he couldn''t have done anything to help him.


    Jing Yi stared at the door in front of him and bit on his lower lip. "Senior Martial Brother ¡­ if ¡­ nothing is done and Qiu Ling doesn''t manage to overcome this, then ¡­ what will happen to him?"


    Yu Jin sighed. "He''ll stay like this. In the end, his cultivation base will be assaulted resulting in a Qi Deviation and, finally, death."


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the door. "So it''s certain that he''ll die", he murmured.


    "Not necessarily. There is still the possibility of him overcoming the inner demon on his own. It''s hard to say how likely that is, though. Considering that he managed to become Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple his mental strength should be good. That speaks in his favor. But I don''t know him good enough to guess what this inner demon is. If it could harm him enough to trap him in this condition, then it might be too much for him to handle."


    Jing Yi paced around in front of the door. What Senior Martial Brother Yu says doesn''t sound good for Qiu Ling. It seems quite likely that he won''t make it. In that case, wouldn''t it be better if I just tried? There shouldn''t be a problem with that. Maybe I''ll really be able to help him overcome this, after all, he did trust me very much previously. I should at least be able to enter his inner self.


    "Senior Martial Brother Yu, would it be possible for me to help Qiu Ling? We are quite close so I feel like ¡­ If he would permit somebody to enter his inner self, then that person would probably be me."


    Silence greeted him from the other side of the door. In the end, he only got a noncommittal grunt.


    "Senior Martial Brother?"


    There was a sigh. "I also don''t know. You might be right. We can only try. You have to seriously consider this, though. If you fail, you might both die."


    Jing Yi looked back at the other side of the building where Qiu Ling was lying in his room. If he didn''t try, then Qiu Ling would most likely die. If he dared to attempt entering his inner self, then there was a chance of them both surviving. He couldn''t back off just because of fear.


    "I''ll do it. Just ¡­ let me bid farewell to my mother first. Just in case."


    "Alright. Come and get me when you''re ready. I can at least guide you in entering his inner self."


    "Thank you, Senior Martial Brother Yu." Jing Yi bowed, even though Yu Jin wouldn''t be able to see it from inside. Then, he turned around and went to the room where his mother was staying.


    She was sitting there in front of the shrine that was holding his father''s memorial tablet. Jing Yi lowered his gaze and went over, kneeling beside her.


    If something really happened to him, then she would be left all alone. Having her watch her only child die before her ¡­ Wasn''t that too cruel?


    He bowed in front of his father''s memorial tablet and sighed. "Mother, father, the two of you have always tried to keep me save back then. But father also believed that a man should fight for his family. For me ¡­ Qiu Ling is part of my family already. Now, he''s in grave danger and I might be the only one who can save him. The thing I decided to do is dangerous, though. Mother, father, I''m sorry. I know, I should accompany you until the end but I might not be able to do so."


    He turned toward his mother who could only sigh. "I expected as much. Your father ¡­ He would certainly be proud of you."


    Jing Yi nodded and looked up at his father''s memorial tablet. "You''ve already lost father and I ¡ª"


    "Sh." Madam Zhong took his hand and shook her head. "Whatever it is you have to do, Qiu Ling would do the same for you. You wouldn''t be the son I brought up if you didn''t do this." She took a deep breath and stroked his hair back. "Just be honest with me, is there any chance that the two of you will live?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "There is. It''s small, though. I can only try my best and hope that Qiu Ling will be able to do the rest himself."


    "I''ll come with you and wait for you two to come back."


    Jing Yi prepared to refuse but in the end, he only nodded again. She would probably feel better if she could be there, even if she was unable to do anything besides waiting.


    He stood up and helped his mother to her feet, then he went to fetch Yu Jin. The three of them entered the room where Qiu Ling was lying. Jing Yi looked at his mother for the last time, then he sat down next to Qiu Ling.


    Yu Jin nodded. "It''s best if you lie down. And here, take his hand."


    Jing Yi followed his command and interlaced his fingers with Qiu Ling''s.


    "Now, close your eyes and concentrate. I''ll do the rest. If he really accepts you, then you''ll be able to enter his inner self. I can''t guarantee where inside you''ll appear, though. It might be close to him but you could also be somewhere far away. You''ll have to search for him and then find out what is holding him down. You can interact with him, so whether you''ll manage to achieve anything will depend on how close your bond is and how much that inner demon torments him."


    "I understand." Jing Yi closed his eyes, calmed his heart and concentrated on Qiu Ling next to him. He would be able to do this. He would save Qiu Ling and safely return with him. He promised himself as much.


    Yu Jin waited a moment, then he lightly touched Jing Yi''s hand. A sliver of spiritual energy entered Jing Yi''s body and jolted his inner self. Before Jing Yi knew what had happened, the foreign spiritual energy had already brought him to a dark place.


    Jing Yi stared. This ¡­ was Qiu Ling''s inner self?

 Chapter 188 - Inner Demons … Or Something Like That

    Qiu Ling stared at the woman opposite him with a deadpan expression. She looked back at him with one just as lacking. For a while, the two of them continued like this, until Qiu Ling couldn''t take it anymore and averted his gaze.


    "What good does staring at me do? You''re still not going to come back to life."


    The woman didn''t answer. She just sat there, opposite him, and continued to stare.


    Qiu Ling took a deep breath. He really didn''t know how long he had been sitting there, locked in this stupid situation. He wanted to stand up and go but he didn''t know where.


    He sighed. "It''s pretty obvious why you''re here. You want me to feel guilty. Do you think you''ll live on that way?" He peeked over but she was still just sitting there, staring at him. Qiu Ling grew silent again.


    This woman ¡­ measured in human years she looked to be about sixteen or seventeen. She was a dragon, though, so that would make her about four-hundred centuries old, maybe even a little more. He knew because he had known her when she was still alive.


    "Seriously, even if you hadn''t died, I never would have married you. It was all your wishful thinking."


    He took another peek at her but with the same result. It was as if she couldn''t change her expression at all. For a moment, Qiu Ling was tempted to go over and try. He hadn''t even managed to fully turn around when he already discarded the idea. What going over and trying? He''d rather continue to sit here and be stared at!


    The silence between them stretched.


    Another hour went by and Qiu Ling sighed. "You see ¡­ I''m sorry. There, I said it. And I actually really mean it. You could have had a nice husband and children and ¡­ well, you could have had a future if you hadn''t met me. I''m sorry for taking that from you. But it''s been long past. Why can''t you ¡­ just go away? There is nothing I can do about it anymore."


    He still didn''t get an answer. Qiu Ling covered his face with his hands. This was dumb. "You''re not even really there. I''m just imagining you." He didn''t know whether he was talking to her or to himself. Maybe it was both.


    "I''ll just stand up and go." He said so but he continued to sit in the same place. And yes, he had been sitting there since coming to this place, not even moving half an inch.


    Qiu Ling stared off into the darkness. Seeing the woman opposite him, he could already imagine what else was out there. No, thanks, but he had no desire to see any of these things. This right here was bad enough.


    Yes, this was the reason why Qiu Ling still hadn''t woken up. Normally, when one was confronted with his inner demons one would either fight against them or be devoured by them. Qiu Ling had decided to ignore it, though, and thus arrived at this standstill.


    Qiu Ling was growing restless, though, and it got worse with each passing day.


    He turned back toward the woman and frowned. "You know I totally don''t mind that you''re angry at me. Actually, you have every right to do so. Heavens, if somebody killed me before I could get married, I certainly would make them pay. But seriously, this kind of making someone pay is dumb. Can''t you just come back as a restless soul and haunt me out there? Why do we have to do this in here?"


    This time, he actually stood up, his gaze scurrying everywhere. He wanted to get out of there. Never mind facing off against his inner demons. He had ignored them for so long, he could continue to do so. But he had to leave his inner self somehow.


    "Jing He is still waiting for me. Who knows how much time has already passed out there? Ah." Qiu Ling had only gone a few steps before he sank to his knees covered his head with his hands. "My love ¡­ I never should have gone and tried to save those insignificant people. I should have picked you up and carried you to the teahouse. Then, we could have fled with mother-in-law. Who cares about the rest? Natural disasters happen all the time. The humans certainly would have found some kind of explanation for it."


    Qiu Ling groaned. "No! What should I do? You''re all alone on that cold mountain now. You must be asking yourself whether I abandoned you or if I will still return. You''re probably sitting there right now, ripping out the leaves of a flower, trying to divine whether I love you or not. Uh, really, you don''t have to fret about that! I''ll always love you, always!"


    He leaped to his feet again and started to pace up and down, completely ignoring the woman opposite him. "Don''t you worry, my love. I''ll make it up to you. As soon as I get out of here, I''ll fly over to where you are and pull you into my arms. I''ll hug you and shower you with kisses and then we can talk about our marriage again. You''ll see: You''ll feel much safer after we''re married."


    He stopped and pondered for a moment. "Before we talk about the marriage, I should probably confess my feelings again. Ah, I already told you in the most perfect way the last time. What am I supposed to do now?"


    He frowned and a serious expression found its way onto his face. If one saw him like this, one might actually expect him to ponder on how to vanquish his inner demon.


    "Mn ¡­ blue robe ¡­ your hair ¡­ Ah, I should include that, too. Inner qualities are important." From time to time, he mumbled in the darkness. In the end, he turned around to the woman that was still staring at him. "I''ve finished. You can let me out now."


    The woman didn''t react, earning her a frown from Qiu Ling.


    "I''m serious here. I just found the perfect way to confess my love again. So let me out. I want to do it as soon as possible." He waited but still didn''t get an answer. Qiu Ling''s gaze wandered around. "It couldn''t be ¡­ you want to know what it is?" He raised his brows and looked at her.


    "Ah, well, if it''s like this ¡­" He waved with a smile and sat down next to her. "Actually, I''ve composed a poem for him", he said proudly, looking at his inner demon with a smug expression.


    Yes, indeed, Qiu Ling had started to compose a poem instead of thinking through how to deal with her. His beloved always was his first priority, after all. And this confession was important.


    He was sure that a poem was the next best way to confess his feelings. Jing He was a cultured person, after all. He loved hearing poems. If he managed to compose a poem that was truly able to capture Jing He''s greatness and his love for him, then that would definitely deepen his beloved''s feelings. Thus, Qiu Ling was satisfied with himself right now.


    Satisfied enough to forget for a moment that he was still trapped in his inner self. Ah, thinking of his beloved just had this kind of magical effect on him.

 Chapter 189 - Traces Of Bad Memories

    Meanwhile, Jing Yi was wandering through another part of Qiu Ling''s inner self. He had finally managed to get out of the complete darkness but he wasn''t sure if that was any better.


    Jing Yi frowned at the hut in front of him. You couldn''t say that it was dilapidated. Actually, it was in a pretty good condition. It was just that it looked somehow eerie. He couldn''t say why, though. It was just a normal, wooden hut with a door, two windows and a roof that was jutting out on one side. There was a bench below the roof as if it wanted to invite you to sit there on a rainy day and look out at everything getting wet while you didn''t have to worry about a thing.


    This should have been a harmonious picture. So why did he feel so creeped out?


    Jing Yi slowly inched closer. He listened for any sounds but there were none. Right, there were no sounds at all. Jing Yi stopped and looked around once again. There was nothing besides this hut: No people, no animals, not even any plants. It was as if everything had been sacrificed so that this hut could grow right out of the ground.


    Why was this thing in Qiu Ling''s inner self? Did he have some kind of connection to this hut? Had something happened here?


    Jing rubbed his arms to disperse the chill that was creeping up his body. Slowly, he stepped closer to the hut, half expecting the door to open but nothing happened. When he arrived in front of the door there was still no change around him.


    He reached out to open the door but jerked his hand back as soon as he touched the handle. It was wet. He turned his hand and gulped. Was that ¡­ blood on his fingers? He looked up at the handle and indeed, it was coated in blood.


    Jing Yi gulped again. He didn''t want to touch it but he had to. He needed to find Qiu Ling and he needed to find out what his inner demon was. Maybe Qiu Ling was in this hut. Maybe whatever was in there, whatever had caused these bloody traces, had to do with his inner demon. He had to make sure.


    He opened the door and looked inside. Everything looked normal. There were two beds and a table with three chairs and some cupboards. Nothing out of the ordinary. There were some more bloody traces but not many and all of them were small.


    Jing Yi went over and examined one of them. It looked like the mark of a hand, a small hand. He frowned and went over to a chest that was standing next to the bed. There were clothes inside. Sifting through them, most seemed like the things Qiu Ling liked to wear: Made of fine fabric in dark colors and sometimes with embroidery on it. It seemed those weren''t the clothes of just one person, though. There were robes for men and for women alike and he even found some clothes for children.


    Jing Yi paused with one of those little robes in his hands. Two beds, clothes for a child and small, bloody hand-prints. Was this ¡­ something from Qiu Ling''s childhood?


    He couldn''t piece together what had happened, though. Where did the blood come from? Had Qiu Ling been hurt? Or had something happened to his family? Jing Yi felt that the latter was quite likely. Hadn''t Qiu Ling once said something along the lines of him being the most important person to him? If he didn''t have his family anymore, that would explain it. After all, it was impossible for him to value someone he only knew for a few days more than his own flesh and blood, right?


    Jing Yi put the clothes back, took one last look around the hut and left. He closed the door behind him and silently wiped his bloody hands on his robe. The stains vanished after a moment, thanks to the special silk. If it wasn''t for what he had just seen, it would be as if he had never been here.


    Jing Yi sighed and continued on. He felt like he was getting closer to the cause of Qiu Ling''s inner demon. And maybe he would find Qiu Ling himself there, too. He just had to follow the clues.


    He didn''t have to go far to find something. Though he would have wished that he hadn''t stumbled upon this scene. Behind the hut was a small hill. He had gone up there because it was the only thing different in the otherwise unchanging solitude of Qiu Ling''s inner self.


    The hill turned out to be the beginning of higher ground. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that the hut had been built in a slight depression. Looking down at it from above, Jing Yi once more felt that this should have been a picturesque sight but he couldn''t shake the cold feeling inside him that the bloody traces had evoked.


    Jing Yi sighed and shook his head. "I merely took one look at the memory preserved in his inner self and I can''t calm down. It''s no wonder this left him with something like an inner demon. Qiu Ling ¡­ I''m sorry you had to live through this."


    He turned his back toward the hut and instead looked down at the ground before him. The body of a man was lying there. His hand had grabbed onto his weapon and drawn it out half-way but his effort had obviously been futile. He still had his eyes opened and stared intently at the sky. It seemed as if he had tried to communicate some kind of directive before he died.


    Jing Yi knelt down beside him. This man looked a lot like Qiu Ling, especially his eyes. It was obvious that he had to be his father. "So your father died early and in such a bloody way."


    Jing Yi sighed. His own father had died early, too. And even though he hadn''t been a great fighter and had lost quite easily to the men who came to make trouble in the teahouse, he had stood in front of his family to protect them. This man had done as much. Maybe he had seen his wife and child in the distance and wanted to tell them to just leave him be since it was too late for him anyway? He certainly wanted them to run away, to seek shelter from those that had managed to kill him. Even without him, they would be able to go on. He could probably die in peace if he knew that they would go on living.


    Jing Yi reached over and gently closed his eyes. If Qiu Ling had been there, then they could have buried his father''s body. Most likely, Qiu Ling hadn''t had the time to mourn for him back then.


    "You were probably fleeing for your own life. How could you have had the time to bid farewell to him? Maybe that is part of your inner demon. You regret not being able to send your father off in the manner he would have deserved?"


    Jing Yi stood up again and looked over the dark meadow in front of him. Qiu Ling''s childhood really hadn''t been good. In comparison, he himself was lucky. At least, he had had his father for a few years and then people had come to help his mother and him. He never had had to flee. In fact, his own life had been quite blessed.


    "When we get out of here I''ll make it up to you. You might not have been able to spend much time with your family when you were young and you might not have many happy memories but I''ll promise you that the two of us will make up for that. We''ll really marry someday and then when we''re a family we''ll make lots and lots of happy memories. I promise."

 Chapter 190 - That Kind Of Love

    Jing Yi''s journey through Qiu Ling''s inner self didn''t get any better. He hadn''t walked far when he found the body of a woman that was most likely Qiu Ling''s mother. At least, they had a vague resemblance, even though it wasn''t as obvious as with his father. She, too, had been killed and her death was even more gruesome than her husband''s. She hadn''t even been left with an intact corpse.


    Jing Yi knelt down beside her, too. "I''m sorry, auntie. You probably felt very bad having to leave your only child behind like that. But you don''t have to worry. Even though the things that happened back here left a shadow in his heart, he has still grown into a good man. You would certainly be proud when you could see him right now." Well, she would probably feel better if Qiu Ling hadn''t been imprisoned in his own inner self because of the things he had had to endure as a child but still. It wasn''t wrong what he said.


    "You know ¡­", he started to tell her more while picking up her head and slowly closing her eyes. "Qiu Ling has become a really handsome man. He looks a lot like your husband. And even though I never had the chance to get to know his father, I still think that the two are very similar inside, too.


    Your husband tried to save the two of you, didn''t he? He even gave his life for that. Qiu Ling is just the same. He does things for those he holds dear without thinking of the dangers. If I told you of all the things he already did for me, even though we don''t know each other that long ¡­"


    He sighed and brushed her hair back before putting her head back where it belonged. "You would probably worry. But you don''t have to. You really don''t have to. In the future, I''ll make sure Qiu Ling won''t do anything too dangerous. And if there ever comes danger our way, then I''ll help him. I''ll become strong for that. He won''t have to go through things alone anymore. He''ll always have somebody by his side. So you don''t have to worry about him anymore. You can journey to the Yellow Springs in peace and meet up with your husband. Maybe you''ll even see my father there."


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling''s mother and sighed once more. He picked up the rest of her limbs that had been chopped off. Really, who could do something like this? Killing a defenseless woman like this ¡­ It was too cruel.


    "I''d like to bring you to your husband but, unfortunately, I''m just a mortal. I won''t be able to carry you there. Maybe I''ll return with Qiu Ling. Then he can bring you over and we''ll bury you side by side. You certainly would have wanted that. Being together in life and death ¡­ How nice to have that kind of love."


    Jing Yi smiled slightly. Love ¡­ He felt like, now that he hadn''t seen Qiu Ling for a while, he suddenly understood. Loving someone would mean to be happy when that person was with you and it meant being sad when that person wasn''t there. It meant worrying for that person''s safety when you knew they were doing something dangerous and wanting to get stronger for their sake so that you could be at their side when they attempted something like that again. And if something happened to that person, then you wanted to be at their side. And you also wanted them to be there when you couldn''t go on. Just like he had regretted not knowing what had happened to Qiu Ling when he thought that he might die. His seemingly last thoughts had been directed at Qiu Ling.


    Yes, without knowing, he had fallen in love with that person who had pestered him for so long. It seemed like all defense was futile in front of his persistence.


    Mn, he really wanted to see him soon to make sure he was alright. It was time to go and find him.


    Jing Yi stood up and took one last look at Qiu Ling''s mother. Letting him into his inner self should also mean that Qiu Ling was alright with him seeing these things. He felt honored. It should be hard showing these emotional scars to anyone. Maybe it was even harder to show them to a person you cared about.


    Jing Yi continued on. He hadn''t gone far, though, when he happened upon quite the peculiar scene: There was a small stream running through the meadow, a forest towering behind it while two hollow tree trunks were lying in front of it.


    Two people were sitting on them, one on each trunk. On the trunk to the left sat a young woman. She had blazing red hair and a pair of dark eyes, the dress she wore was simple but neat. She was quite cute but her expression was blank as if she was deep in thought and didn''t know what to make of all this.


    The person on the other trunk ¡­ It was a handsome man with long black hair and equally black eyes. He wore a dark robe with some golden embroidery on the edges that made him look especially elegant. Unfortunately, he stared gloomily at his hands as if he was discontent with the rings there.


    That person was none other than the man he had searched for. It was actually Qiu Ling.

 Chapter 191 - A Touching Reunion?

    Naturally, Qiu Ling noticed his beloved as soon as he stepped into his field of vision. He leaped to his feet and seemed to fly over to him, hugging him to his chest at once.


    "My love!", he cooed once again while his fingers slipped into Jing Yi''s hair, entangling with the inky-black strands. Qiu Ling gave a satisfied sigh. Ah, finally! He had his beloved back!


    He hugged him closer, grabbed his chin and bent down for a kiss. Their lips met and they both closed their eyes, sinking into the feeling of finally being with each other again. Jing Yi circled Qiu Ling''s neck with his arms, his hands trembling a bit.


    He''s alright. He''s actually alright.


    Don''t mention being alright. Qiu Ling was walking on clouds right now! Even though Jing Yi had started to accept being with him even before they left the Yun Zou Sect, he had never before shown such an enthusiastic response. Mn, he had to make use of this opportunity! Qiu Ling snaked an arm around Jing Yi''s waist and pulled him closer, deepening their kiss.


    After the initial joy of seeing him again, Jing Yi had actually wanted to pull back but feeling Qiu Ling''s eagerness he didn''t have the heart to do so. He stayed in his arms and gently cupped Qiu Ling''s cheeks. "I''ve missed you", he breathlessly got out as soon as they separated for a moment.


    "I''ve missed you, too." Qiu Ling wanted to continue but Jing Yi put his fingers against his lips.


    "Wait."


    Qiu Ling tilted his head and smiled. "What for? You wouldn''t have decided to give yourself to me right now, would you?" He looked at Jing Yi expectantly but only got a wry smile in response.


    Jing Yi didn''t know what to say. Was this really the time for such jokes? "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "Mn?"


    "You do know where we are, don''t you?" Jing Yi looked at him with a worried gaze. It couldn''t be that Qiu Ling had been imprisoned here without knowing what had happened, could it? He took his hand and wanted to say some comforting words but Qiu Ling had already seized his hand and was beaming at him once again.


    "My love, as long as you''re with me, it doesn''t matter where I am. I''m already content having you at my side."


    "I know already. But didn''t you want to marry me? You can''t do so in here."


    Qiu Ling opened his mouth and closed it again without saying anything. There was too much information in that short statement of his beloved. He needed a moment to digest everything.


    "You ¡­ want to marry me?" He couldn''t really believe it. His beloved had been so against it at the beginning and now he told him he wanted to marry him? Just like that? He had thought he''d have to repeat using the 69 stratagems he had tried on Jing He back in the nine heavens. Could it really be this simple?


    Jing Yi couldn''t help laughing out loud. Why was Qiu Ling this surprised?


    He gently caressed his cheek. "It couldn''t be that you suddenly don''t want to marry me anymore?"


    "Of course not! Of course, I want!" Qiu Ling hastily pressed Jing Yi''s hand against his chest. "Jing He, my love, you''re the most important person to me, my other half, the light illuminating my darkness. Naturally, I want to marry you! Ah, I''d marry you right this instant if I could. In fact, why don''t we swear our oaths now?"


    "Huh?"


    "Yes, yes. Don''t you go¡ª" Qiu Ling suddenly started coughing. Damn, he had wanted to ask if the gods didn''t have to swear some oaths for their marriage. But how would Jing He''s mortal reincarnation know? "I mean, don''t people normally do that?"


    "Uh ¡­ Yes." Jing Yi nodded. "But, Qiu Ling, have a look at where we are. How could we marry here? This isn''t even real. It''s your inner self. When we marry then my mother should be there and sister Nie Huang and your master and our friends. And ¡ª"


    "Alright, alright." Qiu Ling waved. "I understand. You don''t want to marry me now."


    Jing Yi sighed. "Isn''t it just a matter of marrying now or a bit later? What''s the rush? Do you feel like I''d run away?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. Actually, he was a little afraid of that. After all, he hadn''t been able to marry Jing He before he descended to the mortal world. Wasn''t that kind of like running away? What if this time he went somewhere else again?


    Jing Yi didn''t need to get an answer. The look in Qiu Ling''s eyes was more than enough to understand. "You ¡­ Seriously, what are you afraid of? Even when I said no I still followed you here in the end, didn''t I?"


    Qiu Ling hesitantly nodded. That was true indeed.


    "So, you don''t have to be afraid. I won''t leave you." He caressed his cheek again and hugged him again, his heart throbbing painfully.


    Maybe it''s no wonder that Qiu Ling is afraid. After losing his family like that he probably can''t trust that he won''t be left alone. Don''t worry. I''ll show you that you don''t need to be afraid. I''ll stay with you forever.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and nestled up against Qiu Ling''s chest for a while. Somehow, Qiu Ling actually didn''t seem nervous. His heart wasn''t beating any faster than usual and he was unhurriedly stroking his back. In fact, when Jing Yi cracked his eyes open and peered into his face he seemed quite content.


    Is that the kind of attitude you should show when you are trapped in your own inner self? Well, it didn''t matter. It was better he felt well instead of being depressed.


    "Let''s go back together, alright?"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded eagerly, not minding the earlier talk about Jing Yi leaving him in the least. He had him at his side now and that was all that he cared about. Even if Jing He ran away ¡­ Didn''t he just have to run after him? Wherever his beloved went he would just follow him. Even if it was to the end of the world.


    Jing Yi looked back at the woman on the tree trunk. "So ¡­ Who is she?"


    Qiu Ling tensed. "Who are you talking about, my love? It''s just us. We''re alone here."


    Jing Yi raised his brows. "No, we''re not. There''s clearly a woman ¡ª"


    "Ah! That reminds me! My love, I composed a poem for you! How about I recite it for you now?" Qiu Ling''s face was radiating with so much eagerness that there was no doubt that he was trying to evade the topic.


    Jing Yi raised his brows a little higher. Was talking about this woman this hard? Who was she? With Qiu Ling not wanting to talk about it Jing Yi was taking an even greater interest in the matter. Seeing that, Qiu Ling barely repressed a curse. It couldn''t be that he really had to talk about it with Jing Yi, could it? But then Jing He would remember when he woke up. He couldn''t risk that.


    Qiu Ling looked at his beloved and smiled but as amicable as he seemed there was only one thought in his mind: Over my dead body!

 Chapter 192 - I’ll Deal With It

    Jing Yi, of course, didn''t want to let the matter go like this. After all, how would they leave here if Qiu Ling didn''t confront his inner demon? "Qiu Ling? Tell me who she is, alright? What happened to her? I''m sure ¡ª"


    "Oh! Listen to this!" Qiu Ling flipped him around in his arm so that Jing Yi''s back was pressed against his chest. He had to face away from the woman and look down the stream like this, so he would hopefully forget about her soon.


    Qiu Ling encircled his waist and bent his head until his lips were next to Jing Yi''s ear. "A flash of blue like water in front of a man dying of thirst, a sound like wind chimes making my heart beat faster, inky-black silk begging me closer to sample, that bothersome word now the sweetest promise."


    Jing Yi shuddered at the feeling of Qiu Ling''s warm breath against his skin. His mind went blank and he had problems following what Qiu Ling was saying. Why were his legs suddenly so weak? He felt like he needed Qiu Ling''s arms to stay upright.


    Qiu Ling waited with bated breath after he finished his poem but he didn''t get an answer. Mystified, he craned his neck and looked into his beloved''s face. As soon as he saw the blush that had crept up his cheeks and the dazed look in his eyes, a smile broke out on his face.


    Ah! His beloved was so touched that he didn''t know what to say! Words were actually failing him! How great!


    Qiu Ling was especially proud of himself, after all, it wasn''t a secret that Jing He was eloquent and composed. Stumping him for words was a task not easily accomplished. And he had done it with his love confession!


    "Mn, my love, if you''re too touched for words, why don''t you kiss me?" Qiu Ling turned him around again, cradled the back of his head and gently pressed his lips against Jing Yi''s.


    Jing Yi still hadn''t really come out of his daze. Being suddenly kissed threw him completely off his guard. He somehow reached out with his hands but he didn''t know what to do. Pulling him closer? Pushing him away?


    Qiu Ling made the decision for him. He picked him up from the ground without stopping to kiss him. Jing Yi could only cling to his neck. Qiu Ling carried him over to the tree trunk where he had been sitting before and took a seat once again. He didn''t let Jing Yi out of his arms, though.


    "Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing Yi finally found his voice again but he only got out Qiu Ling''s name before his lips were once again taken over. In the end, he just closed his eyes. Whatever. They hadn''t seen each other for so long. Why should he make Qiu Ling confront his past immediately? They could certainly take a bit of time for themselves.


    He gripped Qiu Ling''s shoulders and leaned closer. Qiu Ling still felt like it wasn''t enough, though. He reached up and undid the knot in Jing Yi''s hair, letting the black strands cascade down. They formed a curtain on both sides of their faces and kept out everything else in his inner self.


    They continued to kiss until both of them were breathless, their hearts beating faster than they had ever before.


    "Jing He, I love you", Qiu Ling whispered. "You can''t even imagine how much I love you."


    Jing Yi smiled. "You still can''t remember my name?"


    "Of course, I can. You''re Jing He. My Jing He." His hand found its way up Jing Yi''s chest toward his lapel. Right now, he felt like Jing Yi wouldn''t reject him. If he used this opportunity, there would be no going back. They could be officially wedded in the eyes of the dragon race and even the heavenly emperor might not say anything after they had already done the deed.


    Before he could decide, Jing Yi had already caught his hand. "I love you, too."


    Qiu Ling sighed inwardly. He had hesitated a bit too long. Now, he''d have to wait for another opportunity. But, well, it wasn''t that bad. His beloved was right: This wasn''t a good place to get married. It really wasn''t. And his beloved should have the best possible place, the best of everything. Their first time together was supposed to be an unforgettable experience for him. One he would love to think back to.


    Qiu Ling smiled and cupped Jing Yi''s cheeks, giving him a small peck on his lips. "Alright. Let''s get out of here."


    Jing Yi raised his brows. Just like that? If it was that easy, shouldn''t Qiu Ling have been able to free himself a long time ago? Why had he been in a coma for the last two weeks then? "How do you want to get out?"


    Qiu Ling smiled. "You don''t have to worry about it. Just let me take care of it."


    Jing Yi looked into those eyes that had taken him captive from the moment he first saw him. He felt an inexplicable trust towards him. If Qiu Ling said that he could get them out of here, then he probably could. He nodded and stood up from Qiu Ling''s lap.


    Qiu Ling followed him and gently turned him around again. "Don''t look."


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded and waited.


    Qiu Ling went over to the red-haired woman and stared down at her sitting figure. He couldn''t talk since Jing Yi was there with him but in the end, maybe there wasn''t anything he had to say.


    He had killed her because she had seen something she shouldn''t have. He was sorry for that and yes, he did feel a bit guilty. After all, this had been a young life. She hadn''t deserved dying. Especially not at the hands of the man she had fallen in love with. But ¡­ if he was in the same situation again, he would still do it all the same. Because he had to keep this secret. At all costs. And that included her life.


    He took his sword out of his spatial ring and peeked at Jing Yi. Good, his beloved was still obediently facing the other direction. Qiu Ling unsheathed his weapon and took one last look at the woman in front of him. Honestly, he didn''t even remember her name. Well, maybe he hadn''t known it in the first place.


    He shook his head to clear it of these random thoughts and brandished his sword. The woman''s head fell to the ground with a thump.


    "Qiu Ling, what ¡ª" Before Jing Yi could turn around and ask his question, a warm hand covered his eyes.


    "Don''t look."


    Qiu Ling silently sheathed his sword and put it back into his spatial ring. Then, he looked up at the sky and waited. He had dealt with her already. Now, the sky should light up and they should be transported out of this dimension.


    The seconds trickled by but nothing happened. Qiu Ling frowned. This couldn''t be! Why were they still in here?! No, they had to get out! He had already told Jing Yi that he should just trust him with this! How would it look like if he was unable to get them out now?! This was a complete loss of face! And that in front of his beloved!


    Qiu Ling hugged Jing Yi to his chest, prepared to burst into tears. This was the worst day of his life!

 Chapter 193 - Those Gates

    In the end, Qiu Ling picked Jing Yi up and carried him away from that place without a word of explanation. The scene they happened upon next made him clench his teeth, though. Why was his inner self littered with the corpses of people he had killed?


    Qiu Ling stopped regardless. At least, this seemed less conspicuous than the one before. Jing Yi glanced up at his face first when he was let down onto the ground and only then took a look around. He couldn''t say that he wasn''t surprised at what he saw. They were actually in front of a battlefield.


    He took in a sharp breath and silently grabbed Qiu Ling''s hand. Then, the two of them stared ahead, both not knowing what to say.


    Jing Yi didn''t understand what this was about. He could only surmise that Qiu Ling might have fought in a war before. After all, he was already an immortal. Who knew how long he had actually lived? If he saw people in danger, he naturally would have lent his assistance. But he probably felt bad since so many people had still lost their lives here.


    Qiu Ling''s thoughts were going in a completely different direction. He understood fully well what this in front of them was and why it was inside his inner self. He didn''t like it any more than that dead woman from before, though.


    Finally, Jing Yi couldn''t take it any longer. "Qiu Ling ¡­ What''s this?"


    The battle that made me king. Naturally, he couldn''t say this, so he just sighed.


    Jing Yi felt like this sigh was a confirmation of his thoughts. He patted Qiu Ling''s back and gave him a smile when he looked down. "I''m here with you."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "That''s right. You''re here with me." He hugged Jing Yi to his chest and smiled with satisfaction.


    Honestly, too many bad things had happened in his life. Even he himself thought so. But if that wasn''t the case, then he never would have met Jing He. He never would have fallen in love this much and would have missed out on that feeling of happiness. In the end, all this crap had probably been worth it.


    Qiu Ling looked at the battlefield, his gaze landing accurately on the face of that hateful bastard. Back then, he hadn''t understood why that man had been smiling at him like that. Only later when he had already been crowned and things had calmed down in the dragon realm did he finally hear that Jin Ling had similarly taken the throne of the demon realm. Ugh, he had actually helped that bastard to become king. He really wanted to slap himself.


    Well, there was nothing that could be done about it. He had already killed the old king and there wouldn''t have been any other way considering that the lives of all those people of their dragon race had been at stake. This was once again something he would do all the same if he got another chance.


    He really couldn''t understand why his inner self would want to trap him here. For every decision he had made in his life, he could say in good conscience that he would make them exactly like that again. So ¡­ What was this all about? Was he supposed to change his views or something?


    He looked at the small person in his arms and a gentle smile lit his features up. These things ¡­ though he did them he felt like they weren''t really his fault. All of that had begun before he had even been born. Why should he feel bad about it? Why should he even care about it?


    Jing Yi looked up at that moment and caught his gaze. "How do you feel?"


    "Like all of this is pointless."


    "How so?"


    Qiu Ling sighed. "Even if there were some regrets, it couldn''t be changed anyway. So what''s there to be hung up about? Wouldn''t it be better to look forward?"


    "But you wouldn''t be here if you could do that, would you? Something must be holding you back or else you never would have been trapped here."


    Qiu Ling caressed Jing Yi''s cheek, silently gazing at those eyes that reminded him so much of Jing He''s even though this was another reincarnation of his. "But what if that is also something that can''t be changed?"


    "Everything can be changed."


    Qiu Ling smiled sadly. No, unfortunately, this time his beloved wasn''t right. There were things you couldn''t change.


    Jing Yi felt Qiu Ling''s skepticism. "Well, maybe there are things you can''t change but you can learn to live with them, can''t you?"


    "What if it''s not about yourself, but about other people?"


    "I''m not sure I understand."


    "Maybe that''s better." Qiu Ling kissed his cheek and then let go of him. "Let''s continue. There has to be some way out of here."


    Jing Yi followed him but he frowned. He somehow felt like the time in his inner self wasn''t helping Qiu Ling at all. It seemed he was unable to shake his inner demon off. The worst thing was that he still had no idea what exactly that inner demon was. It should have to do with the things that had happened in Qiu Ling''s past but how were these things connected?


    He couldn''t understand that. Maybe that woman had known Qiu Ling''s parents. That would explain why she had a part in this. But if Qiu Ling had fought in that war, then he would have needed to be an adult by then. Could that really still be tied to his parents? After all, he seemed to have been a child when they died.


    "Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing Yi opened his mouth to ask but only with some hesitation. He didn''t want to rip some old wounds open but he also couldn''t imagine how they would get out of here if he didn''t do something. After all, Qiu Ling didn''t seem to have any idea how to deal with this either. They had to try something!


    "What is it, my love?" Qiu Ling seemed unperturbed by the endless darkness around them as if none of this was important and they were just taking a leisurely stroll like they had done back in the Yun Zou Sect.


    "Your parents ¡­ What happened to them?"


    Just as he had expected, Qiu Ling tensed. "That ¡­ Let''s not talk about that, alright?"


    "Why not?"


    Qiu Ling evaded his gaze. "It was long ago."


    "But it must have had a big influence on you. Losing both your parents early ¡­"


    "It wasn''t that bad." He said so but his expression was wooden.


    Jing Yi lowered his head. He also didn''t want to hurt Qiu Ling. But what else could they do? He searched for something he could say to continue the conversation but before he found anything Qiu Ling became slower.


    Jing Yi looked up at his face and noticed that his gaze was locked on a point in front of them. He turned around and lifted his brows. There was a pair of magnificent gates in front of them. They weren''t the astonishing thing, though. What really surprised him was the fact that the place behind them wasn''t dark like the rest of Qiu Ling''s inner self. Instead, it was brightly illuminated like on a sunny day.


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling''s face again, a question written in his eyes: Just what is this place? But this time, Qiu Ling actually wasn''t paying attention to him. He was completely focused on the gates in front of them.


    It didn''t need to be said how big of an influence these gates needed to have on him to actually make him ignore the reincarnation of his beloved. There was probably only one reason that would let Qiu Ling react as such. Without thinking, Qiu Ling already hurried over not even considering for a split second if Jing Yi could keep up with him. Thus was the appeal of what lay behind those gates.

 Chapter 194 - That One Memorable Person

    Jing Yi felt a little taken aback when he saw Qiu Ling hurrying away like that. He took a deep breath and tried to shove that heavy feeling in his chest out of the way. This was Qiu Ling''s inner self. All the things here had to have a special meaning for him. It wasn''t unexpected that he might react to something like that.


    He couldn''t help feeling a little despondent, though. He had never experienced this kind of treatment from Qiu Ling. Suddenly, he understood just how much Qiu Ling had spoiled him from the day they met. He had done so many things for him and had even been there when he didn''t want his company. Now that he wanted Qiu Ling by his side, something like this suddenly happened. It wasn''t that easy to accept.


    Jing Yi sighed and hurried after him. He just barely managed to catch up before Qiu Ling could turn a corner. Or, well, it probably would have been more accurate to say that he still saw him turn the corner. Jing Yi could only hurry up and try to follow him but it didn''t take long for him to completely lose sight of Qiu Ling.


    Jing Yi stood there on that unfamiliar path and suddenly felt really alone. He had already accepted that he had fallen in love with Qiu Ling over the course of the few days that they knew each other. He just never would have thought that being in love could also hurt this much.


    He closed his eyes and took another deep breath to calm down his heart. Never mind. It''s only natural. It''s not like he has forgotten me or anything. He just got momentarily excited. That''s typical for him. I shouldn''t be wondering about that.


    Jing Yi hurried forward. Soon, he heard something from in front of him. There was music and people laughing and talking. He followed their voices and finally found himself at the edge of an elegantly decorated square.


    Jing Yi was stunned by this sight. It wasn''t just the decorations, though, the people, too, were dressed lavishly. He probably should have expected it since he had already seen the gates and the paths that led here but still. What had Qiu Ling to do with this place? Everything else he had seen until now hadn''t indicated that he might have to do with a place like this. He had seemed like a normal person, not somebody especially rich or noble.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but search for Qiu Ling''s figure between the other people mingling there. It wasn''t that hard to find him. His black robe stood out between the people in brightly-colored robes. Moreover, there were some other men in dark clothes not far from him. It really managed to draw gazes to them.


    Jing Yi made his way over but soon noticed that he wasn''t the only one. There were some women walking in the same direction. They seemed to be talking to Qiu Ling as if this wasn''t just something based on Qiu Ling''s memories but a real event happening.


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. He felt even worse now. Why were those women with Qiu Ling? What did they want from him? He squirmed on the spot but finally couldn''t take it any longer and went over himself.


    As soon as he came closer, he noticed a peculiar thing: The women were obviously standing right next to Qiu Ling and talking to him but neither could he make out the words they were saying nor could he clearly see their faces. They were rather like patches of colors that gave off a constant stream of noise.


    The corners of Jing Yi''s lips raised in a smile and he went the rest of the way to Qiu Ling''s side and grabbed his arm. It seemed the interest of those women was completely one-sided. Qiu Ling hadn''t even paid them any attention.


    Jing Yi leaned against him and closed his eyes, feeling content again. Seriously, what had he been concerned about? The things in Qiu Ling''s inner self were all things from the past that somehow still haunted him. It wasn''t like those women were actually real. Since Qiu Ling was an immortal they might not even be alive anymore. Wasn''t the only important thing that he was with Qiu Ling now? What should he care about the past?


    Before Jing Yi could get completely comfortable he was pulled out of his satisfaction, though. The noise around them suddenly seemed to die down and a clear voice broke through, seemingly piercing right into his heart.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but open his eyes. He glanced up at Qiu Ling first and noticed that he was facing the side with rapt attention as if he was listening in on what that person was saying. Jing Yi turned around and his face drained of color.


    In the midst of this sea of colors where no person could clearly be distinguished was one figure that was presented in such detail that Qiu Ling must have had ingrained everything pertaining to that person into his heart.


    The person was young, seemingly only a bit over twenty years. He had donned a blue, embroidered robe that hugged his body and highlighted his slender limbs and graceful movements. When he tilted his head the light of the lamps painted tantalizing reflections onto his silky black hair, giving him an indescribable allure. And his face was like that of an immortal fairy, too lovely to be described.


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip and looked up at Qiu Ling. He regretted it at once. Qiu Ling was staring at that man with a feverish gaze as if he was unable to look away for even a second.


    But that wasn''t even the worst. Before Jing Yi could try to cope with how Qiu Ling looked at that person, the man he loved actually parted his lips and whispered a name that was hurtfully familiar:


    "Jing He."


    There was so much emotion in these two syllables that there was no room for interpretation. Not that it really needed Qiu Ling''s voice for that. His gaze alone said everything: He was deeply in love with that person.


    Jing Yi didn''t even notice when the first tears slid down his cheeks. He was too preoccupied with his thoughts, recalling every single instance when Qiu Ling had called him by this name.


    So all this time the person he was actually thinking about wasn''t me but this man. Why? Why would he go and come to me then? I don''t even resemble him in the slightest!


    Jing Yi didn''t know what to think anymore. Had Qiu Ling ever loved him? Why did he even have to question this? Everything had been going well for them. He had finally understood his own feelings and now ¡­


    Had Jing Yi known that the person he was jealous of right now was actually himself, he probably could have laughed and settled everything with a kiss. But without that knowledge, he was once again assaulted by the feeling of loneliness he had experienced moments before already.


    It seemed ¡­ he couldn''t be with Qiu Ling, after all. Why had he only realized that after falling in love?

 Chapter 195 - It’s A Promise

    Qiu Ling was of half a mind to go over and sweep that person up into his arms. But before he could take a single step, he felt some wetness on his hand. He looked down and his mind went blank.


    This ¡­ What was happening?


    Somehow, he was greeted by his beloved''s crying face. It really looked extremely pitiful. Big tears were rolling down his cheeks, his eyelashes trembled and his lower lip had actually started bleeding. He had obviously bitten down on it so as to not make a sound.


    "My love!" Qiu Ling instantly let go of every notion of going over there. He wasn''t dumb. That there might look like his beloved Jing He but it was still only an apparition his mind had conjured up based on the countless memories he had of him. It wasn''t real. On the other hand, the boy next to him might not look like his Jing He but he still carried his soul. It was obvious what should have priority in this case!


    Qiu Ling encircled Jing Yi in his arms but was unexpectedly met with resistance. Uh ¡­ What now?


    "My love!", he cooed once again and grabbed the back of Jing Yi''s head. Ignoring that the boy obviously wanted to escape from his arms he bent down and lightly kissed his cheeks, taking those tears away. "What are you crying for?", he asked gently while trying to peer into Jing Yi''s eyes.


    Jing Yi averted his face, though. "Why are you asking? Didn''t you want to go over there?" He took a peek at Qiu Ling to see if he was looking over to that person again. Instead, he was met with the sight of Qiu Ling''s eyes lighting up.


    "Eh, my love, it couldn''t be that you''re jealous, could it?" Qiu Ling who had been panicking before because his beloved was crying in front of him suddenly experienced a mood swing. Ah, this was a great day! His beloved was actually jealous! This had to mean that he was very, very deeply in love with him! "My love!" He hugged Jing Yi closer, laughing happily.


    Jing Yi didn''t know what to think anymore. His tears stopped, too, and he only trembled a bit. It couldn''t be that ¡­ he had misunderstood? He looked over there. That person was still there talking with the person in front of him, smiling gently. He was still the only one that could really be seen.


    Jing Yi hugged Qiu Ling back and burrowed his head into his shoulder. "Who is he?"


    Qiu Ling kissed his cheek. "You don''t have to worry about that."


    Jing Yi took his hands back at once and tried to shove Qiu Ling off. Naturally, he didn''t budge. "Qiu Ling!"


    Qiu Ling sighed and cupped Jing Yi''s cheeks. "I''m sorry. I didn''t want to make you cry. But ¡­ you really don''t have to. I love you. I''ve said so before and I''ll repeat it as long as you want to hear it and ¡­ maybe even a bit longer. I will always love you. From the moment I first saw you I knew that." He gripped Jing Yi''s hand and put it over his heart once again. It was beating madly. Of course, that had also to do with seeing Jing He again.


    Honestly, he couldn''t deny that he missed him. That seemingly perfect person that had only recently started to show cracks in front of him. Thinking back to it now, that was probably what had attracted him to Jing He in the first place. The two of them ¡­ they were equally fake.


    They both put on that artificial smile when they left their rooms in the morning and only stopped with that when they were sure they were alone again. Jing He even managed to spew some niceties when people talked to him. But nobody knew just how much they were hurting inside. It probably needed someone like them to recognize it. And maybe it also needed someone like them to finally let go of that mask.


    Not that he had managed to do that.


    Ah. Qiu Ling closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It felt like he suddenly understood. The reason he had been trapped in his inner self, it wasn''t that he was supposed to feel guilty or find a way to make up for it. It was because even until now, as much as he loved Jing He, he still hadn''t been able to confess to all these things. He hadn''t been able to tell him his true feelings even after those ten years of chasing and finally getting him.


    Because deep down he was still just as scared as he had been in the beginning. He feared that everyone may find out. He feared how people would look at him. He feared to lose him, that person most precious to him, that person that couldn''t be lost under any circumstances.


    How would he live should that person ever leave his side? But most likely Jing He wouldn''t actually leave him. After all, hadn''t he fallen in love in these ten years? His fear was irrational, it was downright dumb. But he still hadn''t been able to do anything about it.


    "Imagine you fell in love with someone ¡­"


    Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling''s words. Hadn''t he just been confessing his feelings? Why was he saying something like this now? Moreover ¡­ What was there to imagine? He had already fallen in love. He wanted to say something but Qiu Ling already took a trembling breath and continued.


    "And then imagine that person loved you back but ¡­ there is something you haven''t told him and you don''t dare to tell him because you''re afraid that that person would leave you if he knew?"


    "You ¡­" Jing Yi bit his lip again, tasting the blood that had already congregated there. "You''re not saying that because I cried just now, are you?"


    Qiu Ling looked at him and smiled but his smile was so sad that Jing Yi felt a pang in his own heart. "It''s because of that, too. I feel like ¡­ Everything might be so much easier if I wasn''t such a coward."


    "You''re not."


    "You think that because I always wanted you to believe that." And not only in this life.


    Jing Yi wanted to retort but then suddenly thought of how Qiu Ling had clung to him when he rejected him previously. Indeed. Maybe Qiu Ling wasn''t as perfect as he had made him out to be. And maybe that was a problem. Wouldn''t he feel weighed down by those expectations?


    Jing Yi wiped the tears from his cheeks and grabbed Qiu Ling''s shoulders. Forget about whoever that person is. There will be some kind of reason for how Qiu Ling reacted. But I shouldn''t bother with this now. The most important thing is that I like him, isn''t it? Why should I care about anything else?


    "You don''t have to be perfect. I ¡­ I love you, too. And I would do it all the same regardless of what is distressing you so much. You ¡­ can always talk to me."


    Qiu Ling smiled and bent down, pecking Jing Yi''s lips. He''d give everything to hear those words from Jing He. But how could he if he never said anything? As long as he pretended, Jing He would pretend with him, even if he knew the truth at heart.


    Jing He has already dared to show some cracks. I should do, too. And this time of his in the mortal world ¡­ Can''t that count as a time for me to try that, too? He doesn''t remember the past here. It won''t influence his decisions at all. And when we return, I can tell him everything.


    He hugged Jing Yi to his chest and closed his eyes, silently sighing. Yes, when Jing He woke up again, he would tell him everything. Nothing would keep him from doing so.

 Chapter 196 - It Was Me

    Qiu Ling took a seat and pulled Jing Yi onto his lap, gently wrapping him in his arms before leaning forward and lightly touching his forehead to Jing Yi''s. "You wanted to know who he is, didn''t you?"


    "You ¡­ don''t have to tell me if you don''t want to."


    "I''ll tell you. As much as I can. There are some things I''m unable to say, though." Actually, he would have loved to tell him that this was him in another life, that he had actually followed him because he loved him so much. That he always had been and would always be his most important person.


    But he was afraid that it might interfere with Jing He''s trial. After all, he was supposed to face some hardships. Maybe being confronted with the fact that the person he loved had been very much in love with somebody else before counted as that? He didn''t want to risk screwing up one of Jing He''s trials again. After all, he still clearly remembered his mother-in-law''s warning.


    Jing Yi waited for Qiu Ling to sort out his thoughts. His heart was beating hurriedly. He didn''t need to know everything. It was more than enough that Qiu Ling was willing to share a bit with him. After all, he was sure that he hadn''t been prepared for that before. So, that must mean that he had just made up his mind. He felt honored to actually be able to receive that much of his trust.


    Qiu Ling sighed and lifted his brows. He really didn''t know how to explain all that without leaving out too much but also not saying too much. This was harder than he had imagined. "Let me answer your other question first."


    "Huh?" Jing Yi looked up at him with a questioning look in his eyes. He couldn''t remember what other question he had posed. The only thing still present in his mind was that young man Qiu Ling had looked at so intently.


    Qiu Ling smiled. "You wanted to know what happened with my parents, didn''t you?"


    Jing Yi nodded. Right, he had asked him about that before coming to this palace. Qiu Ling had rejected telling him anything, though. "But you don''t have to ¡ª"


    "It''s alright. Actually, I''ll have to tell you to explain everything else."


    "Oh." Jing Yi only had the vague feeling that all this was more complicated than he had imagined in the beginning. Well, he had thought that everything should have some sort of connection since it had been able to trap Qiu Ling here but he couldn''t figure out what that was.


    "I don''t know how much you''ve seen there."


    "I''ve seen that hut and ¡­ both of them." He gripped Qiu Ling''s hand and gently caressed it. "It must have been hard losing them. I really can''t imagine what kind of person would be able to do something like that. Especially your mother ¡­" Jing Yi paled just remembering it. "I''m so sorry. I hope you ¡­ you didn''t have to see that. It must have been terri¡ª"


    A hand clasped over his mouth and stopped all of the comforting words he had wanted to say. Jing Yi widened his eyes, unable to comprehend what was going on. He could see that something was wrong, though. Qiu Ling''s expression wasn''t good. His lips kept twitching.


    Qiu Ling slowly lowered his hand and grabbed Jing Yi around the waist, looking into the distance.


    Jing Yi waited but when Qiu Ling didn''t bother to start explaining he couldn''t keep quiet anymore. "What is it, Qiu Ling? Didn''t you ¡­ want to explain?"


    "Yes. Just ¡­ give me a moment to pretend I didn''t hear what you said just now."


    Jing Yi blinked. That didn''t make any sense. He didn''t know what to say, though. It probably wasn''t easy to talk about his parents'' death. He should just wait for Qiu Ling to prepare himself.


    Jing Yi leaned against Qiu Ling''s chest, burrowed his head into Qiu Ling''s shoulder and lightly rubbed over that familiar black robe. Mn, he really couldn''t understand anymore why he had reacted like that earlier. He felt like he had been throwing a tantrum. Wasn''t everything well with Qiu Ling? It really felt good lying in his arms like this. He felt secure right now as if nothing could ever happen to him.


    Qiu Ling gulped. Forget trying to pretend that he hadn''t heard a word of what Jing Yi said just now, all of his thoughts were flying away right now! "My love ¡­", he choked out, his voice slightly hoarse.


    "Did you figure out how to tell me?" Jing Yi looked up at him with oblivious eyes.


    Qiu Ling gave a strained smile. Could he get mad for being seduced and then reminded that he was originally going to confess something? He bent down and gave Jing Yi a hasty kiss. "Let''s continue that later."


    "Hah? But you ¡ª"


    Qiu Ling cleared his throat and looked away to make sure he wouldn''t be distracted again. "About the death of my parents ¡­"


    Jing Yi grew quiet when he noticed that Qiu Ling had meant to continue the kiss later and was actually prepared to really tell him. He didn''t even dare to nod to show that he agreed.


    "It''s not what you''ve imagined."


    Jing Yi''s eyes widened slightly but he still didn''t dare to even breath a little louder.


    Qiu Ling sighed. "You probably thought they had some sort of ¡­ honorable death protecting their family or something like that, didn''t you?" He looked at Jing Yi with a deadpan expression.


    Jing Yi wasn''t sure how he should react. Of course, he had thought exactly that but he somehow felt like it wouldn''t be good to admit that.


    Qiu Ling gently caressed his cheek. "It''s alright. You don''t have to say anything. Most likely, everyone would think that. The truth ¡­" He shook his head and sighed. "The one who killed my father was that mother of mine. And the one who cruelly slaughtered my mother ¡­" He gave Jing Yi another smile and tightened his grip on him to make sure he wouldn''t run away.


    "That was me."

 Chapter 197 - The Bitter Truth

    For a moment, Jing Yi couldn''t help but wonder if Qiu Ling had some motive telling him such an absurd story. Maybe he''d tell him that it had only been a joke and then tell him the real story because he thought that he wouldn''t be as shocked by whatever had really happened? But the way Qiu Ling hugged him a little too tight and how he was unable to meet his eyes told him that he was serious. It really had happened like that.


    Silence engulfed them and Jing Yi could observe how Qiu Ling gritted his teeth and tightened his facial muscles.


    He must be really afraid how I''ll react.


    With that insight, Jing Yi put one hand onto Qiu Ling''s shoulder and cupped his cheek with the other, turning Qiu Ling''s face back toward him. "You don''t have to be afraid that I''ll run away. I said I wanted to know, so I''ll listen until the end. Don''t you want to tell me why?"


    "You really want to listen? You''re not ¡­ disgusted with me?"


    "I ¡­ can''t really comprehend why you would do something like that. But knowing you, even though it''s only been a few days, I''m sure that there has to be some sort of reason. I should at least listen to that, shouldn''t I?"


    Qiu Ling smiled slightly. "You''re too good to me." He sighed and looked at the celebration going on around them. It seemed to be the wrong place to talk about all that but when he saw Jing He''s figure between all these people, he calmed down. This had been the day he finally felt like he saw the light again. Being engulfed in this memory ¡­ wasn''t that a good place, after all?


    "Back then ¡­" He stopped and shook his head, lowering his gaze to the ground. "I was old enough to already know that something was wrong between my parents. I just ¡­ never ¡­" He laughed and shook his head again. "Never in my life would I have imagined just how wrong things were between them.


    My father never loved her. From beginning till end, there was another person in his heart. He even advised me to pay attention in the future so that I wouldn''t make a mistake when I was an adult and marry the wrong person. Like him. Well, he never compared it to himself but it was obvious if you observed for a while."


    "Then why did he marry her?" And was that already the reason for what Qiu Ling''s mother had done? Had she been unable to bear the lack of love in her relationship?


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. This whole story was so ridiculous he didn''t really want to share it but how else would he explain it? "It was an accident. Me, too, actually. You don''t know this but where I come from marrying isn''t that complicated. You just ¡­ take the person you love to bed and that''s it. When you get up the next morning everyone will think of you as a married couple."


    "Oh." Jing Yi felt his cheeks growing hot but thankfully, Qiu Ling wasn''t paying attention at that moment. He was completely immersed in his memories of that time.


    "My father, who knows what hit him that day? He got dead drunk and the next morning he woke up with a wife. He might still have left her but a few weeks later he found out that he would also have a child soon. So, they stayed together.


    Actually, if it wasn''t for how much I resemble him I would suspect that he wasn''t my father at all."


    "I don''t think I can follow your thoughts."


    Qiu Ling sighed and leaned back, slightly easing his grip on Jing Yi. It seemed like his beloved really didn''t want to run away. "It''s pretty easy. Back then they were still living in the capital. My father was something like the right hand of the king. He had a lot of influence on him and together they were able to assure that the people had a good life.


    Unfortunately, their relationship soured very fast after my father got married. I don''t know the details myself but it seems the old gee¡ª" Qiu Ling coughed. "Er ¡­ our honorable king suspected my mother to have ulterior motives for getting close to my father."


    Jing Yi''s expression fell. "You don''t believe that your mother wanted to kill your father from the beginning, do you? Don''t do that! She probably really liked him at the beginning! It''s just that sometimes, people ¡ª"


    "You''re too naive. Unfortunately, my father was the same. He didn''t listen to the warnings of the king and in the end, he left the capital with us. We moved to that shabby hut you''ve seen and we lived there until the day they died.


    My mother ¡­ You''re right with one thing: She probably didn''t want to kill him at the beginning. But the king was right, too. She had ulterior motives. Her first motive was to separate him from the king which ¡­ was really too easily achieved. Heavens!" He snorted. "I can''t believe how easily those two were played! Even I did a better job."


    Jing Yi raised his brows. He couldn''t understand that last part once again but he decided to keep quiet. He should just let Qiu Ling explain in his own tempo.


    "Her second motif was probably to spy on him. My father knew a lot and all those things he told her in good faith were certainly used adequately."


    "Your mother ¡­ She certainly wouldn''t have spied for herself, would she?"


    Qiu Ling smiled. "Naturally. That''s the thing you''re wrong about: She never loved him. In fact, just like him she already loved somebody else when she married my father." Qiu Ling snorted again and shook his head. "My father was at least drunk. What''s her excuse? She willingly got married and pregnant for that guy, living with someone she deeply hated for so many years. She even raised that child!"


    "She ¡­ She was your mother. She probably loved you, even though she couldn''t love your father." He gently stroked Qiu Ling''s cheek, trying to placate him but Qiu Ling only smiled wryly.


    "Oh, yes, she did. After she had killed my father, she actually proposed to bring me back to live with that other man. She most likely never would have thought ¡­" His gaze grew distant when he remembered that day and his breath hitched. That day. He had wanted to forget it. More than anything else he wanted to forget those things from back then. Why were the memories still so vivid after all those years?


    "She stood there, a few steps away from him, that bloody dagger still in her hands. She had turned her back toward the direction I came from so I couldn''t see her face but I saw his. He looked ¡­ utterly defeated. Not because he was going to die but because at that moment, he finally understood that he had thrown away the life he had wanted. He had wasted his precious time on a person who didn''t love him and whom he didn''t love and gave up on the person he had wanted to marry originally. And thanks to the fact that he had let his guard down around her, he wouldn''t even live to crawl back to that person and ask for his forgiveness."


    Qiu Ling snorted and shook his head. "I feel like that person would have forgiven him. If he told him, honestly told him, how much he had missed him in all those years and how much he regretted what he did, then he would have taken him back." It was a no-brainer. He had just needed to take one look into Jinde''s eyes when the old geezer talked about his father and he knew at once that that guy still loved him deeply. Most likely he had staged his death and come to the Yun Zou Sect to recuperate and wait for that guy to be reincarnated.


    "The person my father loved, his identity was quite special. If my mother succeeded, he most likely would have been harmed. So, the last thing he did in his life was to turn his head toward me and give me a look. I saw his lips moving and I understood that the word he was silently saying was the answer to the question what had happened to him. And his gaze said ''You know what to do. Show me that I didn''t teach you how to use the sword for nothing. Kill her. Kill her and end this! We can''t let them win!''


    But that person was my mother. He might not have loved her but I did. How could I do it? But ¡­ I also understood that I had to. She had killed him, her husband of many years, the man she had birthed a child for. She would do more than that. She would stop at nothing to help that man achieve his goal.


    I didn''t know that much back then but I understood my father pretty well. He wasn''t cruel. He wouldn''t have asked that of me if it hadn''t been inevitable. Thus ¡­ I took up the sword he had given me. I stabbed it into her back before she had the time to turn around. She was shocked."


    He shook his head once more and silently rubbed the ring on his hand. "She screamed and backed away but I just followed her. She ¡­ she tried talking to me. ''Ling''er'', she said and she sounded so pitiful, so aggrieved as if all that was my fault. ''What are you doing?'', she asked next. ''I''m your mother! Now that your father is dead I''m the only family you have left! Put that thing down. Let''s bury your father and go. I still have some family. We can go there. You''ll like it, I promise!'' I didn''t know what she meant with family back then. I only found out much, much later."


    He closed his eyes and sighed. "I didn''t listen to her. I registered her words unconsciously but I didn''t really pay attention. I just remembered the things my father had taught me. And I cut her down. No, I ¡­ I didn''t just cut her down. I did, at first. But seeing her lie there I couldn''t believe ¡­ Couldn''t believe she was really dead. So I ¡­ just ¡­" He voice broke and stopped talking but Jing Yi didn''t dare to say anything. He didn''t know how much time had passed since then but Qiu Ling obviously hadn''t been able to overcome this experience.


    It was to be expected. If he imagined someone would demand of him to kill his mother ¡­ He wouldn''t be able to do it. But Qiu Ling had been able to. He had killed her. Just that it had hurt him very deeply.


    Jing Yi leaned forward and hugged him, still not saying anything. He felt like it would be the best to just show Qiu Ling that he was here with him. As long as Qiu Ling knew that he hadn''t left, he should at least feel a bit better.

 Chapter 198 - Doesn’t Sound Like A Good Person

    Qiu Ling hugged Jing Yi back and leaned his forehead against his shoulder.


    "I didn''t know how to go on after that", he admitted after a while. "I hid in the hut for two weeks, not taking even a single step outside. Those two were still lying outside. Sometimes, I thought I heard her scream in the night."


    Jing Yi rubbed Qiu Ling''s back and silently pressed a kiss on his hair. "You were afraid. It''s normal. You shouldn''t have been alone."


    "Yeah. But there was no one. I didn''t know about her family and I honestly didn''t want to know. And my father didn''t have anyone. The person closest to him had been the one he loved and I couldn''t go to him. I had known that person and I had always felt like he was the one who had destroyed our lives. Because of him, we had to leave the capital, leaving everything behind." He shook his head. His hands on Jing Yi''s back were already shaking by now. He clearly remembered.


    "When I think back I sometimes wonder if none of that would have happened if we stayed there. She clearly wouldn''t have dared to kill him in the capital, would she? Back then, I was still a normal child. I had friends there, something I never found after that day. Ah, I guess I was pretty normal once."


    "You''re still normal."


    "Mn ¡­" Qiu Ling closed his eyes and just concentrated on Jing Yi''s hand that was continuously stroking his back. If this was Jing He ¡­ How would he have reacted?


    He turned his head and looked at the person in the blue robes, even though it was just an apparition and not the real one. Considering Jing He''s gentle disposition he might have been the same. Showing him so much consideration, trying to calm him down and showing him his love.


    "There were some more unpleasant things that happened. It just kept piling up. Until the day I met him."


    Jing Yi''s hands stopped for a moment before he continued to caress Qiu Ling''s back. "Then he really is important to you. You must have been happy."


    "I was. I was immensely happy. I hadn''t felt so happy ¡­ for a long, long time." Qiu Ling took a shaking breath. Right. How long hadn''t he felt that way before he found his Jing He? It was as if he had done something wrong in his last life and was being punished by the heavens now. He had just wanted it to stop but there had been nothing he could do.


    "Jing He ¡­ It''s a little strange. On one hand, he was the same as me. He hadn''t experienced any bad things actually but he was unhappy deep down. He felt caged here and most of his time was filled with just as much pretending as I had to do. He smiled at people but when you looked closely enough then you could see that he seldom meant it."


    Jing Yi pressed his lips together. That didn''t sound like a nice person at all. How could Qiu Ling love him that much?


    "But sometimes when you were quiet and just followed him then you could see a glimpse of his true self. He was ¡­ beautiful. Not just outwardly, though there isn''t anyone that can rival his looks. No, it was ¡­ it was his inner self. Even though he was suffering he was still so gentle at heart. If you managed to get past those barriers he had erected around himself, then he would show you that other side of his.


    His smile ¡­ was enough to calm me down in an instant. When being close to him I felt like everything else was unimportant. He was everything to me. Without him ¡­ I don''t know how long I would have been able to go on living. But I feel like he was just the same. We saved each other."


    "I see." Jing Yi stroked Qiu Ling''s hair, his thoughts spinning. He didn''t like hearing Qiu Ling compliment that man so much. But without him, Qiu Ling would be in an even worse state. He had already been imprisoned in his inner self without being able to get out alone. If he hadn''t met that man before, then maybe it would have been even worse. That man had helped him heal to some degree at least.


    "We were both cowards who didn''t dare to look at the truth. He never told me why he suffered. I also never asked because ¡­ I didn''t want him to ask me, after all. I didn''t tell him anything about what happened." He lifted his head and looked at Jing Yi, smiling slightly. "You''re the first person I''m telling this. I''m glad you stayed."


    "We promised to stay together, didn''t we?"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling sighed. Actually, he had been the one who promised. Neither Jing Yi nor Jing He had ever promised something like that. But he knew that Jing He had thought about it. He was just too shy to say it out loud. Most likely he had been too afraid to be left behind. Just like he was.


    Qiu Ling turned around and looked at that person clad in blue. Jing He ¡­ I''m sorry. I chased after you for ten years but I still didn''t dare to tell you. I promise I''ll tell you whatever I can in this mortal lifetime of yours. And when you wake up, I''ll tell you everything I can''t tell him. Even ¡­ about what my mother''s blood did to me. I''ll tell you everything.


    Qiu Ling lifted Jing Yi from his lap and stood up. "Let''s go." He gripped his hand, took one last look at Jing He''s slender figure and then closed his eyes.


    He had done what had to be done. It was time to leave.


    "Ah ¡ª" Jing Yi wanted to say something but in the end, he just closed his eyes, too. He felt the same feeling of his soul being shaken that he had experienced when Yu Jin helped him enter Qiu Ling''s inner self and then he already opened his eyes to reality again.

 Chapter 199 - A Secret Message

    Quite a distance away from the capital, in an old palace with black lacquered wooden beams and equally dark tiles on its roof, a man sat on a throne-like seat and pensively looked down at his subordinates.


    "Are you sure she''s with the demon hunters of that Chun Feng Sect?"


    The two men kneeling below him on the ground nodded hurriedly. "Yes, Grandmaster. There''s no possibility that we''ve mistaken her. They called her Junior Martial Sister Hong and she closely resembles the girl in the painting. She''s looking a little older, though."


    "Ah, right." The second man took something out from his pocket and held it up while his head still remained bowed. "We were able to get this pouch. It has her name sewed onto it, Hong Bao."


    "Let me see." The Grandmaster waved and his subordinate brought the pouch over. The Grandmaster turned it over in his hand. That was indeed the right name. And considering how his wife had described her little sister he was inclined to believe that she would indeed like this type of pouch.


    The Grandmaster frowned at it. Honestly, why was it pink? And why were there little hearts sewn on it? And what, in heavens name, was in there? It smelled like flowers, especially sweet-scented flowers.


    He sighed and waved the two men away before standing up and withdrawing into his private chambers. Hong Ai was once again training in the courtyard. He observed her through the window for a while and smiled.


    Whatever had led to Hong Bao being with the demon hunters now, his wife would still be happy to hear some news regarding her. The fact that she had abandoned her little sister had always weighed on her mind. If he could entice that little girl to come over to their side ¡­ Wouldn''t Hong Ai be especially happy?


    He smiled and put the pouch away. He''d tell her when he was sure or maybe he could even bring that girl back and surprise his wife. He silently withdrew and left the sect grounds, hurrying right for the Chun Feng Sect. He stopped in the air when he was close enough to take everything in with the naked eye. Now, where was his sister-in-law?


    His men had said that she had become an inner sect disciple by now. It was no wonder. Hong Ai was especially talented so it stood to reason that her sister''s aptitude shouldn''t be too shabby either. Spirit veins might depend on luck to a certain margin but your family played a big role, too.


    The inner sect disciples ¡­ He spotted some buildings that seemed to house them. There weren''t many women with the demon hunters so they would most likely all stay in the same building. He continued to wait and observe until he saw a woman entering one of the houses. It wasn''t Hong Bao but it was alright as long as he had the right vicinity.


    After all, he couldn''t enter the sect grounds anyway. The Sect Master of the Chun Feng Sect certainly wouldn''t be able to defeat him in a fight but he was here to peacefully invite his sister-in-law. He didn''t want to attract trouble.


    He took a piece of paper out of his spatial ring and wrote a short message onto it before furling it and stuffing it halfway into his sister-in-law''s pouch. He lifted his hand and threw the thing down, while he sent his energy to accompany it. The pouch accurately landed just one step away from the door of the building he had observed.


    Once again, he continued to wait. Soon enough the door opened. A young woman stepped outside but stopped when she saw the pouch. She bent down and picked it up. The woman was indeed one of Hong Bao''s Senior Martial Sisters and one look was enough for her to understand that this had to be Hong Bao''s pouch.


    She shook her head and sighed and then put the pouch into her pocket.


    The Grandmaster''s eyes bulged. What was with that?! Shouldn''t she hurry and bring the pouch back to its owner? What was she doing keeping it to herself?! As angry as he was, he couldn''t do anything about it. Thus, he could only leave and hope that the pouch would land within Hong Bao''s hands in due time.


    He flew to the town down the mountain path and changed his clothes into something that seemed more like those of a rich heir than those of a demonic practitioner. Then, he went to the inn he had mentioned in his message to Hong Bao and got a room.


    "Ah, please do me a favor", he said to the owner before going to his room. "I''m waiting for someone. That person is from the Chun Feng Sect and should arrive in this town by tomorrow. Please show her to my room when she comes asking for me."


    "Sure, sure." The man hurriedly nodded and thankfully took the money the Grandmaster gave him.


    Meanwhile, Hong Bao''s Senior Martial Sister had bumped into her on her way to her training. "Hong Bao!" She hurried over and nodded at her before giving Liu Cheng a smile. "Senior Martial Brother Liu."


    "Mn." Liu Cheng only nodded. Even though Hong Bao had got to know him as an amicable person, he actually wasn''t that sociable. He liked to keep to himself whenever possible. Hong Bao was the only person he had tolerated at his side for a long period of time.


    There wasn''t any other reason than the feeling of having some fate with her. Bumping into her in the capital, bumping into her once again in the forest ¡­ Could that really be a coincidence? He couldn''t believe that. Thus, he had always treated her differently than anybody else.


    Hong Bao''s Senior Martial Sister was disappointed. She didn''t dare to show it in front of him, though. "Hong Bao, you lost your pouch." She took the pouch out of her pocket and handed it over.


    "Ah! Thank you! I was searching everywhere for it!" Hong Bao smiled brightly before turning toward Liu Cheng. "Senior Martial Brother Liu, actually, I made this pouch for you! Didn''t you say you could need one? I never would have thought it would disappear just like that." She pouted but at least didn''t forget to hand it over.


    Liu Cheng looked at the pink pouch with the hearts and smiled slightly. The Martial Sister next to him felt like her eyes might fall out. Had she actually seen him smile just now? And at such an ugly pouch?! She felt like she should reconsider her own attempts at getting a good husband.


    "I ¡­ I will go. Take care. Senior Martial Brother Liu." She nodded and hurriedly left. She certainly didn''t want to hear them whispering sweet nothings anymore.


    Liu Cheng looked up at Hong Bao and smiled. "Thank you very much, Junior Martial Sister Hong. I''ll definitely pay close attention to it, lest it vanishes again."


    "It certainly wouldn''t!" Hong Bao grinned but suddenly jumped to her feet with a yelp. "Oh no! I totally forgot! Master wanted to see me!" She didn''t even say goodbye before she hurried away.


    Liu Cheng laughed and shook his head. She had gotten more mature but not that much. She was still a bit of an air-head. But, if he was honest with himself, he liked that about her.


    He looked down at the pouch with a gentle gaze but suddenly paused and lifted his brows. It seemed ¡­ the pouch wasn''t the important thing. There was actually a secret message inside.


    He took the small paper out and had a look: ''Meet me at the Phoenix Inn tomorrow at noon.''


    Liu Cheng''s heart beat faster and he pressed his lips into a tight line. Could it be ¡­ his Junior Martial Sister finally wanted to confess to him? He couldn''t deny that he felt a bit of anticipation.

 Chapter 200 - As A Man, He Should Take The Initiative

    Liu Cheng couldn''t sleep that night. Well, he was a high-leveled cultivator already so he didn''t necessarily have to sleep but he still tried to maintain a normal sleeping schedule. After all, it would still be beneficial to a cultivator to rest regularly.


    The next morning, he stood up with his heart beating hurriedly. He had felt attracted to Hong Bao the moment he first saw her in the capital and he had thought every now and then of her after that. Meeting her again in the forest had felt like a stroke of luck to him. Now, after several years of accompanying each other, it seemed like they would finally become closer.


    He stood up and took all of his robes out of the spatial pendant he was wearing. Hong Bao had seen him every day for the last five years so it probably wouldn''t make any difference but he wanted to look nice for such an important occasion.


    He selected the best robe and put the others back inside. With great care, he washed up, donned his robe and made his hair. He even went the extra mile and searched for an old bronze mirror to take a look at himself. He normally wasn''t particular about appearances so he couldn''t really tell if it was alright, though.


    "She shouldn''t mind even if it isn''t good. Junior Martial Sister Hong Bao isn''t that superficial."


    He had no idea that it was actually his face that had attracted Hong Bao and had made her join the Chun Feng Sect. If he knew ¡­ well, it was better if he didn''t.


    Liu Cheng took a deep breath. It was way too much time until noon. What should he do until then? He sat down on his bed and tried to meditate but his thoughts were in an uproar. No, he wouldn''t be able to concentrate until he had met her. Maybe he should already go to the town? Knowing Hong Bao she might be there earlier, too.


    In the end, he shook his head. Maybe Hong Bao wanted to prepare something. He couldn''t disturb her before the appointed time. Actually, it probably wasn''t right to have her confess to him first. As a man, shouldn''t he take the first step? What was so difficult about that?


    Mn ¡­ Liu Cheng suddenly stood up, squared his shoulders and lifted his chin. Right. As a man, he should take the first step. Hong Bao had already started to initiate everything. He could only do some preparations of his own and then say the words before she could do so.


    Yes, that was a good idea. He felt like Hong Bao would like it. He could already imagine how her eyes would sparkle when he confessed his feelings first. She was the type of woman to take these things especially serious.


    He hurriedly left his room and flew into the town. In a happy mood, he strolled through the streets and looked around for a present. He certainly couldn''t show up empty-handed! Finally, he noticed a pretty hairpin. It was only wooden but some flowers were engraved on it. It seemed playful and girlish as if it had been tailor-made for Hong Bao.


    Liu Cheng smiled at the vendor and bought the hairpin, not even thinking about the price he paid. He put his gift into his spatial pendant and slowly made his way over to the Phoenix Inn. By now, it was nearly noon.


    He looked up at the front of the inn. As far as he knew, this was the best establishment in the town. Since the Chun Feng Sect was nearby, he had heard a lot about it. It was established by a local family and had been operated for three generations already. Whenever there was a bis festivity in one of the wealthier families of the town they would almost always go there.


    The Chun Feng Sect disciples didn''t really have a reason to take a room in an inn here since the sect grounds were nearby but those with a bit of background still liked to go to town every now and then and would at least eat in the inn.


    As far as they had told him, there were only a few rooms in the inn to give the customers a more exclusive feeling. Other people could still eat there and there was music to enjoy in the evening, though. It should be pretty lively inside by then.


    Liu Cheng gulped and took another deep breath. He couldn''t make a pig''s ear out of this. He straightened out his robes and strode into the inn, directly going up to the boss.


    "Someone asked me to meet here at noon."


    "You''re from Chun Feng Sect, right?" The boss hurriedly made sure that there wouldn''t be a misunderstanding. He smiled brightly at Liu Cheng''s nod and motioned to the staircase to the upper floor. "Please. The guest is inside the room."


    Liu Cheng followed the boss until the door and waited for him to knock. He didn''t really pay attention to him, though. All of his thoughts were with Hong Bao. He touched the pendant around his neck and breathed deeply once more. Now that he was so close to her he felt unsure of how to proceed.


    There was a murmured assent that Liu Cheng didn''t notice because of his chaotic thoughts. The boss dutifully opened the door for him and smiled. He couldn''t help but think that he would also be nervous if he was faced with such an important-looking person. Who knew what they would be discussing? He closed the door behind Liu Cheng and went back down. He really hoped that that guest would be satisfied with his service and come by more often. He had already spent a large sum of money, after all.


    Liu Chen stepped into the room. He couldn''t see Hong Bao though. Instead, there was a beautifully painted folding screen in front of him. He could vaguely make out some light sounds from behind it. Ah, that Phoenix Inn really was something different. The room looked incredibly elegant. Hong Bao really had done a lot. He couldn''t disappoint her.


    Liu Cheng took the hairpin out of his spatial pendant and stepped closer to the folding screen. "I can already guess what you want to tell me. But there is something I have to tell you beforehand. Actually, I have wanted to tell you this for a long time already." He made a slight pause and closed his eyes. "I love you", he said and stepped around the folding screen.


    The person on the other side unhurriedly sipped the tea in his hand before looking up at the petrified Liu Cheng. "I''m sorry but I don''t swing that way."

 Chapter 201 - A Family Gathering

    "Who are you? Where is Hong Bao?" Liu Cheng frowned and looked around the room as if he could materialize her that way.


    The Grandmaster slightly lifted a brow. Hong Bao? It seemed this man had somehow been under the impression that his sister-in-law would be in this room. Mn ¡­ It should have to do with the message he had left in the pouch. Most likely, the pouch had somehow ended up with this man and since Hong Bao''s name was embroidered onto it, he must have thought it was a message she had sent him.


    He narrowed his eyes at the man. This wasn''t good. If this man confessed to his sister-in-law, she might not come back with him. "You''re from the Chun Feng Sect?"


    "Indeed. So who are you? Why are you here?"


    "I came here to wait for Hong Bao. It seems my message ended up with you. Please be so kind as to go back and tell her that I''m waiting for her." He would have liked to do it himself but he couldn''t enter the Chun Feng Sect without alarming its Elders. He could only rely on somebody else now.


    "Who are you? What do you want from her?" Liu Cheng frowned. He certainly wouldn''t tell his Junior Martial Sister that some man was waiting for her in an inn if he didn''t know what this was about! Hong Bao was too gullible. She might be tricked into something she would regret later.


    "You don''t need to know. In fact, it suffices to give the original message back to her."


    "Hmph, you won''t even identify yourself but want me to pass on a message? I don''t think so."


    The Grandmaster frowned, too. When was the last time he had had to argue with someone? Especially someone this young? He couldn''t do anything about it, though. "Alright. Then don''t pass on my message. You may go now." He waved toward the door and poured himself another cup of tea, ignoring Liu Cheng completely.


    The demon hunter also wasn''t used to being dismissed like that. But he, too, couldn''t do anything about it. In the end, he turned around and strode out of the room. He closed the door and continued to stand there for a while, before hurrying down to the reception.


    "Boss!"


    The owner of the inn looked up and instantly smiled. This was the man who had visited that important guest! He had to be especially courteous. "What may I do for you?"


    "The person in that room ¡­ May I ask if you know his name?"


    The boss was a little taken aback. Why would such a person give a name to a small owner like him if he didn''t even tell his guest? "That ¡­ I''m afraid I don''t know."


    "Mn." Liu Cheng frowned once more. "Then do you know where he came from?"


    The boss shook his head while his confusion grew. Why was that man''s guest asking him such questions now? Shouldn''t he himself know that?


    "I see. Thank you for your help." Liu Cheng nodded and left. He hurried back to the Chun Feng Sect but didn''t really know what to do.


    Naturally, he wouldn''t inform Hong Bao. He didn''t even know who that man was. It could be that he had ulterior motives. He couldn''t expose his Junior Martial Sister to such danger. Thus, Liu Cheng just ignored the issue and was slightly more vigilant, lest that man came to the sect and met Hong Bao accidentally.


    All his vigilance was no use in the end. Half a week later, Hong Bao left the sect on her Master''s orders. Naturally, the Grandmaster had found out and followed her.


    Hong Bao wasn''t the same clueless girl from back then in the Nine Heavens anymore. When a man suddenly appeared in front of her she stopped and at least took a suspicious look at him. Seeing the handsome face and the clean robes, her suspicion reduced by half, though.


    "Who are you?"


    The Grandmaster smiled at her. "Your sister Hong Ai might have mentioned me. I''m Shen An De, your brother-in-law."


    Hong Bao''s eyes widened. "My brother-in-law?" She took another look at him. Now she really understood why her sister hadn''t even thought about going to heaven. She also wouldn''t have wanted to go there if there was such a handsome man waiting for her!


    Shen An De laughed at her steamrolled expression. "No need to look like that. We''re family. Mn, speaking of family. Your sister misses you greatly. Hong Ai and I heard of you a while ago but we didn''t know where you had gone. It wasn''t that easy to locate you, too. Thus, I was only able to arrive now. I wonder ¡­ Would you be free to follow me home? I haven''t told Hong Ai yet that I was searching for you so it wouldn''t matter if you came by later. I''m sure she would want to see you again as soon as possible, though."


    Hong Bao didn''t think much about it. The task she had gotten from her Master wasn''t something that needed to be done soon. She only had to find some plant. She could do that after seeing her sister.


    Thus, Hong Bao readily agreed and Shen An De took her back to his palace.


    He silently waved at her to follow him into the private chambers and motioned at the door. "She''s in the courtyard", he whispered and smiled at her mischievously.


    Hong Bao nodded. Whoa! Her sister had really gotten a great husband! He wasn''t only really, really handsome, he was also caring! He had actually searched everywhere for her and then let her surprise Hong Ai on her own instead of telling her beforehand. If this wasn''t a great husband, then what was?


    Hong Bao tiptoed through the door. But even though she wasn''t as clumsy as before, Hong Ai was still a peerless genius. Hearing a slight sound behind her that seemed like someone was sneaking around, she whirled around with the sword in her hand put the blade to the other person''s neck. Then, she froze.


    "Hong ¡­ Hong Bao?!" She lowered the weapon and then looked behind Hong Bao. Her husband was leaning in the door and smiled that trademark smile of his. It really was true! He had found her sister for her!


    Hong Ai carelessly threw her sword aside and pulled Hong Bao close. "Xiao Bao!" She actually started crying. Only Heaven knew how long she had wanted to see her again. "Xiao Bao ¡­"


    "Sister Ai!" Hong Bao hugged her back but instead of her crying sister, she was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Even though she had liked being in the Chun Feng Sect, it was still better to be with her family! She couldn''t wait to hear what Hong Ai had experienced in the last five years.

 Chapter 202 - Finally Awake

    In the capital, Madam Zhong was sitting next to the bed where her son and son-in-law where lying and cried. Jing Yi had said that he might not live through this but since he had said that there was a chance she had thought that he would definitely be able to overcome this. After all, Qiu Ling had once said that her son would have to face a lot of difficulties but would finally have a good life.


    Now, her son was already in this state for half a week and neither he nor Qiu Ling were showing any signs of waking up. She started to fear that this really might be the end. Certainly, Qiu Ling hadn''t foreseen that he himself would land in such dire straits. So maybe he also hadn''t known that her son would try to help him and thus become like this.


    Just at that moment, Qiu Ling''s eyelids finally fluttered. The first thing he heard was the sound of a woman crying. He frowned and then noticed the steady breathing of his beloved next to him. A light smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He opened his eyes and turned his head, observing Jing Yi''s profile.


    He couldn''t ignore the crying, though. Qiu Ling propped his upper body up on his elbow and looked at Madam Zhong. "Mother-in-law, why are you crying? Did something happen?"


    Madam Zhong''s breath caught. She slowly lowered her hands before she leaped to her feet and grabbed Qiu Ling''s hand. "Qiu Ling! You''re awake!"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded and looked at Jing Yi. He gently stroked a strand of hair aside. "He''ll wake up soon, too. It just takes a little longer for a human."


    Madam Zhong nodded. If Qiu Ling said so, then she believed it. "I''m glad you''re awake again. When you fell from the sky just like that ¡­" She shook her had and patted his hand.


    Qiu Ling looked up at her in surprise. Maybe it was because of the fact that he had finally dared to tell somebody about his past but he suddenly understood that Jing He wasn''t the only person who was there for him. His two mothers-in-law were there, too. The Heavenly Empress Bai Fen, as well as Madam Zhong, cared for him deeply. Maybe they did so just as much as Jing He.


    He smiled. "Thank you, mother-in-law."


    "No need to thank me. You''re part of our family."


    "Mn." The two of them looked at Jing Yi''s face, both not willing to notice even a second later that he would wake up.


    Finally, Jing Yi''s brows twitched. Before he could open his eyes, somebody had thrown himself across his body. "My love! You''re finally awake! I''ve waited for so long!"


    Jing Yi was still in a daze but the eager tone of voice woke him up instantly. "Qiu Ling ¡­" He frowned. Was this really the same man who had just told him about his tragic past? Why did he sound completely different now?


    "Jing''er!" Madam Zhong grabbed her son''s hand. Once again, tears were streaming down her cheeks but this time, they were tears of happiness.


    "Mother ¡­" Jing Yi finally noticed his mother beside them. He blushed, completely embarrassed that he hadn''t paid attention to her and, well, that she was seeing something like that. "Qiu Ling, get up." He squeezed Qiu Ling''s hand but naturally, that had the adverse effect to his wishes.


    Qiu Ling snaked his other arm around his waist and raised his head, looking into Jing Yi''s face. His hair was hanging down at the side, shielding the view at them. "Mn, my love!" Qiu Ling bent down and kissed him, ignoring the fact that his beloved was trying to shove him off.


    Jing Yi turned his head aside. "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    Madam Zhong smiled and quietly left the room. She felt like she should give her son and son-in-law a little privacy.


    "Qiu Ling!"


    "Don''t worry. Mother-in-law already left." Qiu Ling went for another kiss but once more his lips met slender fingers instead of silky lips.


    "You''ve given her such a bad impression!"


    "No, you don''t need to worry. Mother-in-law likes me. She won''t mind us being affectionate. After all, she was married once. She knows what longing means." He pulled Jing Yi''s hands down and at least gave him a peck. He knew he wouldn''t get more at the moment.


    Jing Yi didn''t know what to say. He just looked at Qiu Ling with a mixture of resignation and indulgence. He wouldn''t be able to change this man''s behavior anyway. Why should he try? It showed at least how much Qiu Ling loved him.


    Thinking like that, Jing Yi circled his neck with his arms and raised his head to give Qiu Ling a kiss of his own. "Are you satisfied now?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "No, no. Another one."


    "Alright. But get up first."


    Qiu Ling hesitated. "I really get another kiss if I get up?"


    "Naturally."


    Qiu Ling sat up and pulled Jing Yi along. Before his beloved had the chance to change his mind, he pressed him against his chest and monopolized his lips. He didn''t stop at one kiss, though. After the first one, he encircled Jing Yi in his arms. After the second, he pulled him onto his lap and after the third, he thought about pressing him down onto the bed again.


    "How about we marry right now?", he whispered when he withdrew for a moment.


    Jing Yi smiled but shook his head. "Did you forget already what your Master said? We can only marry when I''ve reached the root stage."


    Qiu Ling blinked. Mn, it seemed there had been something like that. "Then what stage are you at right now?"


    "The seed stage."


    "And the root stage is the next one?"


    Jing Yi nodded and got a relieved sigh in return.


    "Then it won''t take long. Let''s go and train right now!"


    "Qiu Ling, there are different levels to a stage. It won''t be that fast even if we train the whole day. Grandmaster Zhangsun already said that I''d be able to make it in a year but that was under the assumption that I have heavenly spirit veins. Now my aptitude is worse. It''ll be a miracle if I actually manage to reach the root stage in a year."


    Qiu Ling froze. "You want to say ¡­ We can only marry in more than a year?!"


    Qiu Ling felt like his whole world was collapsing once again. This couldn''t be! He had finally gotten Jing He''s promise but now he had to wait a whole year?! Damn this! Just what kind of grudge did Heaven have against him?!

 Chapter 203 - Bidding Farewell Once More

    Qiu Ling''s head drooped. "My love, let''s use every minute of the day to cultivate, alright? I''ll bring you to all those miraculous places. Maybe we can marry sooner." Once more, he had that pitiful look that seemed to say that someone had done him a wrong.


    Jing Yi''s heart couldn''t help but palpitate. This kind of look ¡­ He also didn''t know why but he always grew weak when he was confronted with it. He cupped Qiu Ling''s cheeks and leaned forward, their forehead''s touching. "Alright. But you really don''t have to worry. Whether we''ll have to wait a day or a year the outcome will be the same, won''t it? So there is no reason to be depressed." He kissed Qiu Ling''s cheek and stood up. "Alright, I''ll go see Senior Martial Brother Yu Jin now." He turned around but a pair of strong arms encircled his waist and pulled him back. Once again, Jing Yi landed on Qiu Ling''s lap. "Qiu Ling, what do you think you''re doing?"


    "Mn, I''m making sure my beloved doesn''t get any bad ideas. We were just talking about marriage and now you want to go and see another man. I won''t stand for it."


    Jing Yi sighed. Somehow, he couldn''t even get angry. "You know you could come with me."


    "Why would I want to do that? I won''t share you. It''s so much better if we''re alone with each other."


    Jing Yi slapped the hand that was slowly moving up his side in obviously bad intention. "Who asked you to share? Senior Martial Brother Yu Jin was here when you collapsed and stayed in case you needed help. Without him, I wouldn''t even have been able to enter your inner self. You''d still be in there then! Don''t you think we should go and thank him?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. No, actually, he didn''t think that. He didn''t mind saying his thanks but why did his beloved have to be there, too? Hadn''t it been his life that was saved? This was probably just that Senior Martial Brother Yin or whatever that was shamelessly pestering his beloved!


    Jing Yi didn''t understand Qiu Ling''s worry. "Come on now. He probably doesn''t want to stay here for much longer."


    Qiu Ling perked up. Oh? If they said their thanks, then that shameless guy would disappear? "Well, if it''s like that ¡­ How could I make that Senior Martial Brother wait?" In fact, it was pretty good, too, if he could see that guy. He could make sure that he didn''t get any ideas about his beloved.


    Qiu Ling finally let go of Jing Yi. As soon as he stood up, he was glued to him again like a leech, though. Mn, he had to display how close they were in front of that Senior Martial Brother!


    Jing Yi wanted to say something but finally decided against it. Forget it, Qiu Ling seems so happy right now. I should just let it pass. Senior Martial Brother Yu probably won''t mind anyway. It''s not like he doesn''t know.


    Jing Yi brought Qiu Ling to the room where Yu Jin was staying while he smiled wryly. Right, there probably weren''t many people in the Yun Zou Sect who didn''t know. After all, Qiu Ling had asked him to marry him in front of all those who attended the Gathering of Practitioners.


    Jing Yi knocked on the door. "Senior Martial Brother Yu, I came to thank you. Qiu Ling is awake again. Without your help ¡­"


    Inside, Yu Jin opened his eyes. "That''s good to hear. In that case, I''ll leave for the sect today."


    "Ah? Already?" Jing Yi was a little taken aback. He would have thought that Yu Jin would at least stay to take a look at Qiu Ling but that didn''t seem to be the case.


    Qiu Ling frowned. His thoughts were going in a completely different direction. Why is Jing He so disappointed that this guy will leave today? It couldn''t be that he wants him to stay behind, could it? He leveled a stare at the door but naturally, that wouldn''t make his love rival appear. He gritted his teeth and hugged Jing Yi a little closer. He''d make sure this guy would really disappear! If he refused to, then he''d make him disappear completely!


    Jing Yi took one look at Qiu Ling''s face and repressed a sigh. "Well, if it''s like that, then please take care on your way back, Senior Martial Brother Yu."


    "Mn."


    There was no further answer and Jing Yi finally turned around and went back into the house with Qiu Ling.


    "Alright. We''ve thanked him." Qiu Ling hugged Jing Yi to his chest once more. "Now, let''s start cultivating. We need to make sure you reach that whatever stage as soon as possible!" There was an ambitious light in his eyes that made Jing Yi smile. It was as if Qiu Ling didn''t have any other goals than marrying him.


    Indeed. Marrying Jing He had been Qiu Ling''s only goal for a long time already. Thus, he was especially eager to have Jing Yi advance in his cultivation now that he had already gotten his promise that they would marry when they returned to the sect.


    "Mn, actually, I''ve made a bit of progress after we separated last time. I''m at least able to sense the wind energy now and take it in."


    "Great!" Qiu Ling hugged him closer and placed his chin on Jing Yi''s shoulder. "Then, what should we start with?"


    "I''m also not sure. I think I should continue with that but it''s also important to learn about the other energies. After all, I can''t neglect my other five spirit veins."


    "Alright! It''s decided!" Qiu Ling let go of him, spun Jing Yi around and grabbed his hands with sparkling eyes. "I''ll take you to all the places that could help."


    "Are you sure that that is a good idea? The last time ¡­"


    "Ah, don''t worry! I didn''t pay enough attention the last time. This time will be different." Qiu Ling smiled and then pulled Jing Yi with him. "Let''s go tell mother-in-law. After that, we''ll travel through the whole realm until you''ve reached that stage. And then, we''ll directly return to the sect."


    "Alright."


    Jing Yi agreed without hesitation and the two of them once again started their travels to further Jing Yi''s cultivation.


    They didn''t foresee, though, that in another part of the human realm things were happening that would cut their plan short once again. Though it would take a while for the effects of these happenings to reach them and thus, Jing Yi indeed made good progress in the months he traveled with Qiu Ling.

 Chapter 204 - Disturbing News

    A year went by. On the surface, it seemed like a calm year: Jing Yi and Qiu Ling had traveled without being disturbed. Yu Jin had returned to the Yun Zou Sect and just continued to cultivate like always. In fact, the disciples of all the deity sects didn''t seem to be doing much more. It really was too peaceful and people became restless, waiting for something big to happen.


    The first sign of things shifting was that one of the outer sect disciples of the Yun Zou Sect called Qiguan Cheng Da somehow had a stroke of luck when he was outside on a mission: He had had minor spirit veins that only lacked the wind spirit vein when he left his sect but when he returned he had a heavenly spirit vein. And it wasn''t just any spirit vein but a water spirit vein that had mutated into an ice spirit vein. It was something especially rare and naturally, the other sects started to eye the Yun Zou Sect with envy once more.


    The Yun Zou Sect made Qiguan Cheng Da into an inner sect disciple but they didn''t have much time to care about that because shortly after a special guest arrived at their gates and asked to meet their Sect Master.


    Yuchi Bing Xia smiled at the man that had come over and poured him a cup of tea. Inside, he felt wary, though. That man wouldn''t come over if it wasn''t of utmost importance and urgency.


    Yuchi Bing Xia lightly coughed. "Sect Master Xian, you probably still prefer to get to the point right away. So let me just ask: What brought you here today?"


    The man frowned and pressed his lips together. "Some news that can''t easily be shared but our Chun Feng Sect needs help with this. I couldn''t think of anyone besides you that I can trust with this."


    "That sounds grave."


    "It is. You don''t know but six years ago I took in a young woman. My disciple Liu Cheng had brought her back and asked me to let her stay for a while. The girl was willing to join the sect and was really hard-working. I never regretted taking her in." He fell silent for a moment and took up the cup of tea. "A year ago, that girl vanished. We still haven''t been able to locate her. There aren''t any valuable leads, too. We only know that a few days prior to her disappearance a man was asking to see her. We only found out because the message that was intended for her somehow ended up with Liu Cheng."


    He shook his head and took a sip of the tea before putting the cup down again. "I know you might think she has just run away. But I''m certain that that isn''t the case. It was obvious that she liked Liu Cheng and he liked her back. She wouldn''t have run away with another man just like that."


    "But you still believe that this has to do with that man?"


    Sect Master Xian nodded. "Mn. The thing that worries me most is that girl''s identity. She''s called Hong Bao."


    "Hong Bao?" Yuchi Bing Xia repeated the name but couldn''t pinpoint what Sect Master Xian was trying to tell him. He couldn''t remember anyone by that name


    "She is the younger sister of the Hong Ai. The genius cultivator that also vanished."


    Yuchi Bing Xia blankly stared. Hong Ai? Ah, he remembered her. She had raised a storm when she appeared in the cultivation world and had done so once more when she suddenly disappeared.


    "Both sisters vanished just like that ¡­" He frowned. That was indeed suspicious.


    Sect Master Xian nodded. "That is exactly what worries us. Furthermore, we found out through Hong Bao that her sister''s disappearance seemed connected to a man, too. I''m afraid that the demonic sects might be at work here."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. "That seems to be the most likely explanation. Was Liu Cheng able to tell you anything else about that man?"


    "Well, he wasn''t dressed like a cultivator but instead like a rich merchant and he couldn''t feel any Qi fluctuations from him so Liu Cheng thought he was a mere mortal at first. But thinking about it I''m quite sure that that man''s cultivation base was just much higher than Liu Cheng''s."


    "Liu Cheng is talented, though. That man can''t be a simple disciple."


    "I think so, too. Most likely the demonic sects are planning something big. I just don''t know how to counter it. Our Chun Feng Sect was always specialized in hunting demons."


    "So you want my Yun Zou Sect to do something instead?" Yuchi Bing Xia sighed. He understood why that man had come to him for help. He felt a bit honored and naturally, he understood that he couldn''t reject this task. If Sect master Xian was right and the demonic sects indeed planned something, then it was imperative that they thought of some countermeasures.


    "Mn, Sect Master Xian, how about this? We''ll send someone over to the Hei Dian Sect to gather information. If the demonic faction really plans something, then the Hei Dian Sect should be involved in it."


    "That sounds good. Do you have somebody in mind?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia thought it over. There were a lot of disciples in the Yun Zou Sect. Naturally, he had a lot of people to choose from. But since they didn''t know if there were spies of the demonic faction in their sect they had to be cautious. It couldn''t be one of their inner sect disciples. It had to be someone from the outer sect that wasn''t well-known and wouldn''t have attracted their attention.


    "Let me think it over for a while. I''ll notify you as soon as I''ve found a good candidate."


    "Alright. Then I''ll take my leave." Sect Master Xian stood up and cupped his fists.


    Yuchi Bing Xia bid him farewell and sat down again with a sigh. "It seems the peaceful time is over." He sipped his tea and carefully thought over whom to send. Actually, there weren''t that many candidates that came to mind.

 Chapter 205 - He Lacks Moral Integrity

    In the end, Sect Master Yuchi called his youngest disciple over with a candidate in mind.


    Yu Jin cupped his hands and bowed to his master before taking the seat he offered him. He didn''t say anything and just sat there, looking at the man.


    Yuchi Bing Xia repressed a sigh. Haish, that child, still not talking if you don''t ask him anything directly. "Yu Jin, you''re probably surprised that I called you over so suddenly. I hope I didn''t disturb your cultivation."


    "Mn." Yu Jin just gave a murmur that could mean anything. He didn''t look surprised at all. In fact, there wasn''t any kind of expression on his face. It was as if the problems that worried the mortals and immortals were nothing to him. In his eyes, everything seemed to be dust.


    Having such a disciple, Yuchi Bing Xia was actually happy. He had worried about who should succeed him in case something happened to him. Now he felt like Yu Jin was a good candidate for that. Otherwise, he never would have consulted a disciple about something as important as this. "Sect Master Xian of the Chun Feng Sect came by earlier. One of their disciples has vanished and there seems to be more behind that."


    Yu Jin frowned. "The demonic faction?"


    "That seems likely, yes. We''ve decided to send someone over."


    Yu Jin nodded but didn''t say anything. He knew the Sect Master couldn''t be talking about him. Even though he was the last disciple he had taken in, he was still the Sect master''s disciple. News of him would definitely have reached the demonic faction for a long time already. He was unsuitable for this.


    "I''ve thought it through and I feel like that Qiguan Cheng Da could be a good choice. He has only risen to the inner sect a short time ago. People don''t really know him yet. This would be a good opportunity for him, too. He can lie low so as to not attract too much attention and still generate some merit. You know him a bit better. What is your opinion?"


    Yu Jin kept silent for a moment. "Master has considered this quite well. Looking at the circumstances Qiguan Cheng Da would be a good choice."


    Yuchi Bing Xia narrowed his eyes. Even though the boy never talked much, he still had a pretty good grasp on what he meant when he did talk. "You think he is unsuitable?"


    "When sending someone to the demonic faction as a spy the most important thing besides making sure he isn''t exposed would be that the person doesn''t become a double-agent that spies for the demonic faction in the end. Nobody can say for sure how something like this will turn out but in regards to Qiguan Cheng Da ¡­ I''m afraid he lacks the moral integrity to trust him with this."


    "Oh?" Yuchi Bing Xia lifted his slender brows. "I thought you two were getting along fine."


    He got a glance in return that said as much as his murmur earlier.


    "You''ve been going to the outer sect quite often."


    "Mn."


    "So that wasn''t to meet up with him?"


    "The talisman forging pagoda is quite nice."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s lips twitched. Fine, forget it if you don''t want to talk about it. "So what makes you question that man so?"


    "He is vain and seeks his own profit. I''m afraid ¡­ If the demonic faction offered him enough benefits, he might betray us." Yu Jin''s brows slowly drew closer to each other. "That stroke of luck he had outside, I doubt it is what he said."


    "Oh? How come?"


    "Turning minor spirit veins into a heavenly ice spirit vein ¡­ There aren''t many things that would allow one to do so. There are even fewer of these that could be stumbled upon outside. Nevertheless, Qiguan Cheng Da only went on a mission for two weeks and not even in a dangerous place and came back like that. It''s more likely that he had that stroke of luck earlier."


    "You think ¡­?"


    "About a year ago, we spoke about Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple. I surmised that considering the vastly different status of him and that disciple from the outer sect he would try to change that boy''s aptitude. My guess was that he would try to get his hands on an Amethyst Lightning Pill."


    "And you think he really did so and that pill somehow ended up with Qiguan Cheng Da?"


    Yu Jin nodded. "Naturally, I can''t say for sure. But I think it likely to be the case."


    "I don''t think Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple would be this easily duped."


    Yu Jin just nodded. Whether he agreed or not ¡­ Yuchi Bing Xia sighed. "Then, who would you deem a suitable candidate for this task?"


    The corners of Yu Jin''s mouth slightly lifted. "Zhong Jing Yi."


    Yuchi Bing Xia tilted his head. He had no idea who that person was.


    Yu Jin took one look at his face and explained: "The lover of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple. Just like Qiguan Cheng Da, he isn''t known by many people. Moreover, I think he has the qualities to fulfill this task without wavering in his loyalty. And finally ¡­ There is still the problem of their status. He should be at least an inner sect disciple.


    Last year when those two left the sect he hadn''t even managed to attain the seed stage. When I saw him in the capital some weeks later he had managed to overcome this and started cultivating. It''s only a question of time for him to advance but if we disregard the connection to Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple, then he would just be a slightly more talented disciple with full spirit veins. That isn''t someone the sect would raise to the inner sect."


    "But it would be different if he attained merit through exposing the plans of the demonic faction." Yuchi Bing Xia nodded slowly. That was indeed true. Mn, as expected of his youngest disciple. He really was smart. A worthy successor.


    "You''re right. He is indeed a good option. Did you say he was in the capital?"


    Yu Jin nodded. "A year ago."


    "Then Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple ¡­?"


    Yu Jin nodded again.


    "Alright. You can go back to cultivating."


    Yu Jin stood up, bowed once more and left without another word.


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed. "I''d really like to know what that boy is thinking. Well, whatever, I''ll go and see Grandmaster Zhangsun about this issue first." He, too, stood up and made his way over to the Grandmaster''s palace to discuss his plan. They needed to settle this as soon as possible.

 Chapter 206 - Who Is That Person Again?

    A few days later, a paper crane fluttered above Qiu Ling''s face. At that moment, he was spending time with Jing Yi at the bank of a small lake, reveling in the wonders of love. Actually, he was just lazily lying there with his head resting on Jing Yi''s lap while his beloved was still working hard on his cultivation. That paper crane was an ugly annoyance in this blissful atmosphere.


    Qiu Ling glared at the thing and swatted it away like a fly. The poor paper crane landed in the lush grass with one of his wings crumpled. Qiu Ling didn''t even look. He closed his eyes again and just enjoyed his time with Jing Yi.


    Mn ¡­ He sighed in satisfaction. Ah, life could actually be so perfect.


    The sun sent warm rays down to them, a slight breeze ruffled the surface of the lake, making light sounds that nearly lulled him to sleep. And most importantly there was his beloved at his side. There really wasn''t anything else he could wish for.


    "Don''t you want to see what message you got?" Jing Yi stopped cultivating and gently combed through Qiu Ling''s hair. "What if it''s important?"


    Qiu Ling cracked his eyes open. "How could it be more important than you, my love?" Qiu Ling started sweet-talking him instantly. After a whole year of practice, he felt like his skills had gone up. Unfortunately, Jing Yi''s resistance had done the same. At first, he had actually still been able to make him blush but now ¡­ Ah, it was a pity.


    "Let''s just continue with your cultivation. Haven''t you nearly broken through? If all goes well, we should be able to return to the sect in a few weeks." He smiled and sat up half-way. "Aren''t you thrilled, my love?"


    Jing Yi returned the smile. "You should still have a look. Maybe it''s even from the sect."


    "Mn." Since his beloved wanted him to, he would take a quick glance. After that, they could continue in this blissful state.


    Qiu Ling lifted his hand and with a wink of his fingers, the message was blown right over. He unfurled the paper crane. The message inside was short: ''Bring that boy back to the sect. Zhangsun Xun Yi''


    Qiu Ling stared at the characters. Uh ¡­


    "What is it?" Jing Yi took a look at the message himself and frowned.


    ''That boy'' was obviously him. But why? Although a year had passed he wouldn''t have thought that they had to return exactly at that time. What would happen now? He hadn''t managed to raise his cultivation enough, yet. He still lacked another level for the energy of the earth and this element had always been his weak point. Even if he used the whole way back to train it might not be enough!


    Qiu Ling was equally frowning but he was thinking about something else. "Say, my love, Zhangsun Xun Yi ¡­ Who is that person again?"


    Jing Yi came out of his thoughts. "Huh?"


    "You also don''t know?"


    "I''m sorry, what did you say?"


    "Who is Zhangsun Xun Yi? Do we know him?" He looked doubtfully at the message. He felt like he had heard that name somewhere before but ¡­ Where could that have been?


    "Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing Yi rested a hand against his forehead. What should he do with this man?


    "Yes, my love?" Qiu Ling threw the message aside and hugged Jing Yi to his chest. "You want to continue with your cultivation, right? Mn, it''s not a problem. Let''s just ignore this thing. Who knows which basta¡ª"


    Jing Yi hurriedly clasped a hand over Qiu Ling''s mouth. "Sh! How can you say something like that?" He looked around as if he was afraid that the so-called bastard would show up.


    Qiu Ling took advantage of the situation and planted a kiss in the palm of Jing Yi''s hand.


    "Qiu Ling, stop it." Jing Yi took his hand back and shook his head. This guy was hopeless! "You really don''t remember the name Zhangsun Xun Yi?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head.


    "That''s Grandmaster Zhangsun! Your master!"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. "Oh." So it was that guy. "Well, you can''t blame me. When he took me in he threw me into some dimension and didn''t even come to take a look at me for five whole years. Then, I didn''t even see him for a day before I was cruelly abandoned again at the Gathering of Practitioners. And after that, I already went to search for the ingredients of the Amethyst Lightning Pill and finally left the sect with you. We''ve probably only spoken four or five times to each other. How should I have remembered his name?"


    Jing Yi sighed. That was indeed true. "Anyway, he''s your master. You should listen to him. Let''s return to the sect."


    "But you haven''t finished your cultivation and we can only marry when you reach the root stage. How could we return just like this?"


    "Maybe something happened at the sect." Jing Yi couldn''t really imagine that, though. If something happened, then Grandmaster Zhangsun might indeed message Qiu Ling but wouldn''t he ask him to return? Why was he asking Qiu Ling to bring him back? It made no sense!


    "Mn." Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "How long do you think you''ll need to reach the root stage?"


    "Well, the only spirit vein that''s lacking is the earth spirit vein. I was never good with that one. Most likely, I''d still need a few weeks."


    "Then we''ll have to pretend that we didn''t get the message yet. Let''s at least wait a week or two while you concentrate completely on your cultivation. We can only return after you''ve reached the root stage or they might not let us marry."


    "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    Qiu Ling grabbed his hands and looked into his eyes. "Please. I already waited a year. I don''t want to wait any longer. It''s important to me."


    Jing Yi sighed. "I''m sure it doesn''t have to do with that at all. Let''s go and find out, alright? If ¡­ If it''s really about our marriage, then we could still marry secretly, couldn''t we?"


    Qiu Ling pressed his lips together. "I don''t want a secret marriage. I want to marry you openly. Everyone should know! You''re mine. And you''ll always stay mine."


    "I just said if. Isn''t the most important thing that we know?"


    Qiu Ling wasn''t completely persuaded but he still nodded in the end. If his beloved wanted to return, then they would return.


    "Alright. We don''t have to hurry, though. The closer you are to your breakthrough, the better."


    "Mn."


    Qiu Ling stood up and pulled Jing Yi to his feet and together they traveled back to the Yun Zou Sect again.

 Chapter 207 - Important Mission

    It took Qiu Ling and Jing Yi two weeks to reach the gates of the Yun Zou Sect. It wasn''t that they couldn''t have been faster but Qiu Ling wanted to give Jing Yi as much time to cultivate as he could without making it too obvious.


    In the end, it hadn''t been enough for him to reach the second stage, though. His earth spirit vein was still in the fourth of the five levels of the seed stage, even though his other five spirit veins had already reached the peak. If not for that earth spirit vein, he could have already broken through a while ago.


    Whenever Qiu Ling thought of that he felt a pang of guilt and regret. If he hadn''t been so ridiculously jealous back then and made his beloved scared of everything dirty, then they could have already been married by now. This was probably what one would call digging your own grave.


    It was too late to change anything about that now, though. He could only hope that his master hadn''t called them over because of the marriage.


    Qiu Ling and Jing Yi hurried right over to Grandmaster Zhangsun''s palace.


    "Master?" Qiu Ling gripped Jing Yi''s hand and led him inside, already calling out from the door. He felt like he should be prepared to flee just in case his master really wanted to prevent the marriage.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked up and nodded. He didn''t waste his time with explanations. Instead, he stood up and waved at the two of them. "Come with me."


    "Uh ¡­ Why?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi turned around. He didn''t know what to say to the doubtful expression in his disciple''s eyes. Even though it was just a fake disciple he had never taught, it was bitter seeing him like this.


    The Grandmaster sighed. "Sect Master Yuchi wants to see him. He''ll tell you everything else."


    Qiu Ling didn''t feel one bit reassured but what could he do? He hugged Jing Yi and flew after Grandmaster Zhangsun to the Sect Master''s palace on the second highest peak of the Yun Zou Sect''s mountains.


    He entered with a grim expression, Jing Yi directly behind him.


    Sect Master Yuchi was sitting on an elevated seat on the other side of the hall. He held a cup of tea in his hand as if he would take a sip the next moment but he wasn''t actually drinking. He seemed to have completely forgotten about it and just stared off into space. Who knew where his thoughts were headed right now?


    "Sect Master." Zhangsun Xun Yi sat down next to him and made his presence known.


    Yuchi Bing Xia jerked and nearly spilled the tea. "Grandmaster Zhangsun!" He hurriedly placed the cup down and turned toward him with a tensed expression. "Your disciple ¡­?"


    Grandmaster Zhangsun indicated his head toward Qiu Ling who had stopped in the middle of the hall with Jing Yi.


    Qiu Ling felt like he was just being cautious. He was faster than the humans anyway but he still wanted to make sure that he could get out of the hall if they tried to do something fishy.


    Sect Master Yuchi only took a quick glance at Qiu Ling. The Grandmaster''s disciple still looked the same as back then. The youth next to him, however ¡­


    Yuchi Bing Xia could still remember the young boy from last year. He had been a little short and quite thin as if one breeze might be enough to blow him away. His face had been lovely, though, the dark eyes especially appealing.


    Now, that boy had turned into a youth that made the Sect Master marvel at Qiu Ling''s foresight. His figure could only be described as slim and willowy and lend a certain elegance to his movements, even though he seemed to be a rather simple person. His face was diamond shaped, his cheeks seemed a little haggard but that only highlighted his full lips. Though, just like back then it was still his eyes that attracted the gaze of others: A dark iris that made one think of the starless night-sky, dense lashes that didn''t lose out to those of any of the beautiful female disciples of the inner sect and a pair of slim eyebrows that formed a soft arch above them.


    Yuchi Bing Xia actually had trouble to look away. How had that boy turned into such a beauty in just a year? One really had to wonder how he''d look when he was a few years older.


    Qiu Ling frowned. Don''t talk about someone preventing his marriage, this guy was looking at his beloved as if he wanted to marry him himself!


    "Heh!" He grabbed Jing Yi''s hand and pulled him behind him. With his chin raised, he looked at Yuchi Bing Xia and narrowed his eyes. "That is my fiance. Find somebody else if you want to marry!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi took a cup of tea and pretended to hear nothing. He had brought the person over. Everything else had nothing to do with him.


    The Sect master coughed. "Uh ¡­ I know that. Come over here, you two."


    "No, thanks. We''re good here." Qiu Ling wasn''t dumb. He certainly wouldn''t go over there if that guy had already lusted after his beloved at such a distance! Wouldn''t it get even worse if his Jing He came closer? Maybe that guy would even try to touch him!


    Jing Yi slapped his shoulder, though. "Qiu Ling!" His tone of voice told Qiu Ling that his beloved once again thought of him as shameless.


    Begrudgingly, he stepped aside but he still took Jing Yi''s hand and led him forward. Under no circumstances would he separate from him and give that guy any chances!


    Sect master Yuchi tried to ignore the obvious distrust and motioned at the chairs next to him. "Please, take a seat. There''s something I''d like to discuss with you."


    Qiu Ling''s distrust wasn''t waning. He took the seat that was closer to Yuchi Bing Xia and had Jing Yi sit down in the other. "What is this about?"


    "Actually, this concerns Zhong Jing Yi." He faced him and smiled lightly. "You might ask yourself why I''ve called you here. Actually, there is a mission of utmost importance that was entrusted to our sect and I would like you to undertake this mission."


    Jing Yi was stunned. He never would have thought that the Sect Master would personally issue a mission for him. It seemed like his dream of becoming a cultivator that was able to help people wasn''t unattainable anymore.


    He smiled back at him and nodded. "Please do tell, Sect Master. As long as I can be of help to the sect I''ll gladly do it."


    Qiu Ling felt a sudden sense of crisis at these words.

 Chapter 208 - He Turned His Life Upside Down

    "My love, you shouldn''t hastily promise anything." Qiu Ling looked at Jing Yi imploringly, his thoughts clearly written on his face: My love, we wanted to marry when we return! What if that stupid mission takes a lot of time? Let''s just turn them down and enjoy our blissful life as a couple!


    Jing Yi observed the minute changes in Qiu Ling''s expression before he hastily turned back to Sect Master Yuchi. The longer he looked at that man, the more he would start to waver. But this wasn''t something he could waver on. The sect was important. Especially now that he had finally started cultivating he should do his part.


    Sect Master Yuchi was a little hesitant to bring it up when Qiu Ling was obviously this much against it. The Grandmaster''s disciple was an important person, especially if he had a special constitution. That was someone even he as the Sect Master had to humor a bit. Since he didn''t want his fiance to go it might be better to find another candidate for this.


    Then again ¡­ He thought of what Yu Jin had said. It was true that the Elders might have something to say if Jing Yi was just raised to the status of an inner sect disciple like that. And a marriage without him being an inner sect disciple would make them a laughingstock in the good faction. How could he allow that?


    Yuchi Bing Xia made up his mind but he still decided to explain his reasons first. "Actually, it''s not like you''re the only person who could do this. But you are one of the most suitable candidates and considering your circumstances, I''d like to give you the chance to take this mission.


    The situation is as follows: A while back I was informed by the Sect Master of the Chun Feng Sect that one of their disciples went missing. This is quite the peculiar case because the same happened to her sister a long time ago. Both were talented cultivators and they both vanished seemingly overnight. We don''t know anything about it despite the fact that both times a man seemed to be involved."


    "Oh", Qiu Ling injected with a deadpan expression. "So you want us to find out who their secret lover is. That shouldn''t be too hard."


    Yuchi Bing Xia blinked and took a look at Grandmaster Zhangsun. That man didn''t seem to have heard, though. The Sect Master coughed and turned back to Jing Yi. He felt like this boy was the only normal person there.


    "It''s highly likely that this has to do with the demonic faction and is only part of a larger plan. We decided to send somebody over to find out more and inform us of their intent."


    "So you''re sending over a spy." Qiu Ling looked less than thrilled. This guy couldn''t be serious! His beloved, the good-natured son of heaven, was supposed to infiltrate a demonic sect and spy on those guys?! How could that be possible?


    Unfortunately, Sect Master Yuchi nodded. "That is indeed true. I know this is a difficult mission. After all, you''ll have to hide your true identity and try to adjust to their style of life. It definitely won''t be easy. But it is also the only feasible approach.


    If you decide to do this, then you''ll have several tasks: First, locate the missing disciples and find out if there are more. Second, find the reason behind the kidnappings and all the details of how it was done. Third, uncover all the demonic sects partaking in the operation and reveal their larger plan."


    "I understand." Jing Yi nodded. He didn''t understand why he of all people had been chosen for this mission but he would gladly take it. This was his chance to prove himself, his chance to do something for the sect, his chance to become a powerful cultivator and someone that could stand equally next to Qiu Ling.


    Jing Yi took a quick glance at Qiu Ling who was frowning deeply. He knew Qiu Ling wouldn''t like it but he felt like it was the right choice. "Then, when should I depart, Sect Master?"


    "It''s better if it is as soon as possible. I have already organized everything in the hope that you''d agree. If you want to, you can leave today."


    "One moment!" Qiu Ling finally couldn''t take it any longer. "What about our wedding?"


    Jing Yi lowered his gaze. He had dreaded that question the moment he heard what the mission was about. It would obviously not been done in a few days.


    Yuchi Bing Xia saw that Jing Yi didn''t want to answer the question and hurried to his aid. "Disciple Qiu, you see ¡­ It''s not really appropriate for someone of your status to marry someone from the outer sect."


    "Screw that!" Qiu Ling leaped to his feet, clenched his fists and faced Zhangsun Xun Yi. "You said it would be alright as long as he reached the root stage in a year!"


    The Grandmaster unhurriedly sipped his tea, infuriating his disciple even further.


    "What is this supposed to mean? He''s nearly there! Have a look! He only needs a week or two to get there. You can''t seriously prevent our wedding just because of that, can you?!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi lowered his hand and sighed. "That was under the assumption that he would take the Amethyst Lightning Pill and remodel his full spirit veins into a heavenly spirit vein. Someone like that would naturally be taken into the inner sect and find a good master.


    But that has obviously not happened. He still has full spirit veins. That limits his aptitude gravely. Even if he had managed to reach the root stage half a year ago, he still couldn''t be raised to the status of an inner sect disciple. Nobody knows how far someone with his aptitude will be able to advance in the end. A high stage is quite unlikely. And people would credit his achievement in cultivation to you and your status in the sect, not to Jing Yi himself. With the kind of aptitude he has now, he''ll need to achieve great merit for the sect to be eligible for a place in the inner sect."


    Qiu Ling frowned. He wasn''t reconciled! He had already waited for so long. How could they ask him to still be patient and wait even longer?


    Jing Yi stood up, went over and lightly touched his shoulder. "Qiu Ling, there''s nothing we can do. But it''s not so bad. I''m still young and with this mission, I could certainly achieve a bit of merit. Wouldn''t completing it take us one step closer to our marriage?"


    "But it should already be enough. You did so much this year. You were constantly cultivating. We didn''t have much time together. And now we can''t even marry!"


    Sect Master Yuchi took a look at Qiu Ling''s face. It was obvious how disappointed he was. This was probably natural. He had wanted to marry as soon as he saw that boy and now the sect had thwarted his plans.


    The Sect Master stood up and cleared his throat. "Mn, Disciple Qiu, how about this? If your Master doesn''t mind, you could accompany Jing Yi."


    "You don''t say! Naturally, I''ll accompany him! Did you honestly believe I''d just stay behind here?"


    The Sect Master coughed and just continued to talk as if he had heard nothing. He suddenly felt like he understood the Grandmaster. "Like Jing Yi, you''re also not that well-known since you only showed your face for a while at the Gathering of Practitioners and then left the sect very soon. They shouldn''t recognize you. That way the two of you could spend some more time and when you get back ¡­ I don''t believe that somebody would still raise doubts about Jing Yi''s qualification for the inner sect after he managed to uncover one of the schemes of the demonic faction. Then you can marry instantly."


    Qiu Ling stared at the Sect Master. He didn''t trust these words. Hadn''t his Master said the same thing last year? Why did it feel like everyone wanted to stall him? He took a suspicious glance at the piece of sky he could see from inside the hall. That couldn''t be a present from his father-in-law, could it?


    "Qiu Ling?" Jing Yi grabbed his hands and lightly caressed them. "This mission means a lot to me. Please, let me go there, alright?"


    Qiu Ling took a moment but finally nodded. "Alright. Let''s go there." He hugged Jing Yi to his chest but didn''t forget to throw an angry glare at his Master. This bastard! He hadn''t helped at all!


    Zhangsun Xun Yi reciprocated with a deadpan expression. He felt like he should do something for his disciple, though, so he pulled out a worn-out book. "Zhong Jing Yi ¡­ Considering you''re my disciple''s future spouse I think I, as his Master, should help you a bit.


    When you are in the Hei Dian Sect you won''t be able to use the cultivation arts our faction uses. It''s not much of a problem since you haven''t learned any until now but as you progress it''ll become important that you have a decent cultivation art to your proposal. Naturally, you can''t learn those they use and will need something else.


    Though I''m a practitioner I''ve lived a long life and once came about something that might be of use to you in this situation. It''ll be on you to figure it out on your own, though." He handed over the book and turned to go as soon as Jing Yi had grabbed it.


    "Ah ¡­ Thank you, Grandmaster." Jing Yi cupped his fists and bowed before giving the book to Qiu Ling for keeping. Then, he turned to the Sect Master. "Then, we''ll be going. The less time we waste the better."


    "Indeed. Be cautious. If you''re about to be exposed, you should return instead of endangering your life."


    "Mn. Thank you for the reminder." Jing Yi cupped his fists once more and then left with Qiu Ling.


    Thinking back on the six years since he came to the Yun Zou Sect he nearly couldn''t believe all the things that had happened. He had managed to start cultivating, he had gotten himself a fiance and now he was about to become a spy in a demonic sect. It didn''t sound like much but Jing Yi felt like Qiu Ling''s appearance had turned his whole life upside down. He really wondered what would happen in the future.

 Chapter 209 - A Guilty Pleasure

    Jing Yi stood at the bottom of the chasm with Qiu Ling and looked at the tree in front of them. He had to squint to actually spot it, even though they were just standing a couple of meters away. Never before had he seen such a tree: Above the black trunk grew leaves of such a dark green color that they seemed just as black as the bark. The only thing he could see a bit better were the purple fruits because their smooth surface reflected a hint of light.


    "What kind of tree is this?"


    "Beguiling Night Tree." Qiu Ling looked at it with mixed feelings.


    Jing Yi looked up at him to ask for more information but Qiu Ling seemed deep in thought. "Is something wrong with the tree?"


    "Mn? Why?"


    "It looks so strange and you ¡­ you seemed a little absent-minded right now." After one year of traveling together, he had a pretty good grasp on Qiu Ling''s moods. His temper was still quite erratic but it had gotten better and most of the time he could predict when he would have another mood swing. This seemed like one of those times where it could actually happen, though he was still quite serious right now.


    "Mn, it''s always looking like that. There''s nothing to worry about. I just remembered something."


    Jing Yi gently rubbed his arm, afraid that this might be another unpleasant memory of Qiu Ling''s past. "Do you want to talk about it?"


    "The fruit of the Beguiling Night Tree is one of the ingredients for the Amethyst Lightning Pill so I came here last year already. Mn, it''s nice, though. This time I''m not alone." He looked at Jing Yi, bent down and lightly kissed his cheek. "Let''s go, alright?"


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded and followed him past the tree. He was relieved that this didn''t seem to be something Qiu Ling would rather forget.


    Qiu Ling still thought back to his trip last year, though. He had completely forgotten about it afterward because he still had to go to the sea but he had seen that servant girl here. If she was still there and met him and his beloved, would that cause any problems? It shouldn''t be, right? After all, they should have erased her memories. But if she really had to do with the demons like he had predicted back then ¡­


    Ah, it seemed he would have to be cautious. It would be for the best if his beloved didn''t meet her but if that couldn''t be prevented, then he''d need to make sure it wouldn''t have any serious consequences. He had to stay alert!


    In front of them, an opening appeared in the wall of the chasm. Two grim-looking disciples of the Hei Dian Sect stood at the sides, weapons in their hands. Qiu Ling just wanted to go over but Jing Yi held him back.


    "Qiu Ling, we ¡­ we can''t divulge our identities."


    "I know." Qiu Ling blinked. He didn''t understand what Jing Yi was being worried about.


    "We ¡­ We''re still wearing the robes of the Yun Zou Sect." Jing Yi tugged at the white fabric that stood out like a sore thumb in the darkness around them. He hadn''t known what the demonic sect would be like so he hadn''t thought of it before but now he finally realized that he had to pay attention to all details. Being a spy really wasn''t easy.


    "Oh." Qiu Ling thought a bit and then took a dark robe out of his spatial ring and handed it to Jing Yi. "Take this." He himself was still wearing the black robes he had worn when they were traveling. Since they had only returned to the Yun Zou Sect for a short time he hadn''t been bothered to put on the official robes for that short visit.


    Jing Yi nodded. This wasn''t the first time Qiu Ling gave him clothes. Who knew where they came from but it seemed like he always had some in his spatial ring. He didn''t mind taking them. They were going to be husband and wife soon, anyway. What need was there to distinguish to whom those things belonged?


    Jing Yi untied his belt and wanted to slip out of his outer robe but he hesitated before even opening it. Somehow, he felt like he was being scorched by someone''s gaze. Jing Yi looked up. Qiu Ling was standing a few steps away, his hands clasped behind his back, and stared at him with unveiled desire. The hunger in those eyes made Jing Yi blush.


    They had traveled together for a whole year. He might have been too young to really understand in the beginning but with each passing month, he noticed more and more just how intense Qiu Ling''s feelings for him were. On one hand, it made him anticipate the time when they would be married but on the other hand, it scared him a bit. He just didn''t know how to handle this.


    "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    Qiu Ling''s gaze lifted from Jing Yi''s hands and finally looked into his eyes. A brilliant smile emerged from his lips. "What is it, my love? Please, continue." He motioned and seemed as if he was enjoying himself.


    Jing Yi blushed even deeper and his breath caught. "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "Do you need help?" Qiu Ling stepped closer and reached over, his hands grabbing the white robe. He really, really wanted to pull it apart and reveal the slender figure beneath. When Jing Yi said nothing, he indeed slowly pulled at the fabric. The outer robe came completely undone. It was still warm from Jing Yi''s body and it smelled just like him. Qiu Ling''s hands trembled a bit when he finally took it off Jing Yi''s shoulders. He had never gotten this far with Jing He.


    He let the robe vanish in his spatial ring and reached out again. He really wanted to use this moment and take a bit of advantage of Jing Yi. After all, even though they had traveled together for so long, this was still the first time he saw Jing Yi like this. Before, he had always behaved or, well, Jing Yi had made sure he couldn''t even peek.


    But he knew better than to go too far. They were outside right now. He couldn''t risk that somebody else saw his beloved''s perfect body.


    Qiu Ling took the black robe again from Jing Yi''s hands and helped him put it on. He looked at him and frowned. This ¡­ looked completely wrong. His beloved shouldn''t wear this color. Well, it also looked good on him but it was still not quite right. Mn, thinking about it, Jing He would look even more gorgeous in it if this was his immortal body. He could imagine it very well. When he woke up and they also married in that life, then he should take him to the dragon realm and have him wear a black robe at least once. It would probably be a guilty pleasure.


    "What is it?" Jing Yi smiled and tugged at the black sleeves. "Does it look strange?"


    "You''re looking beautiful. It''s just ¡­ unfamiliar. I''ve seen you in white robes most of the time. It seems to suit your character better."


    "I think so, too. But we can''t do anything about it. So, let''s concentrate on the mission for now, alright?"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded and grabbed his hand. Finally, they went over to the opening to begin their time as spies in the Hei Dian Sect.

 Chapter 210 - Unable To Hold Back

    The two disciples at the entrance eyed them with suspicion.


    "Who are you?"


    Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling before he turned to the two men. What was he supposed to say now? He had thought of changing their robes but he hadn''t considered that their names might be a problem. His name shouldn''t give them away but Qiu Ling was Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple. What if they had heard of his name before?


    Qiu Ling took a glance at Jing Yi and smiled. Ah, his beloved didn''t want to say it? Then he''d help him!


    He took a step forward and pulled Jing Yi behind him. "Who wants to know that?"


    The two disciples frowned and tightened their grip on their weapons. "It seems you haven''t noticed what situation you''re in. These are the gates of the Hei Dian Sect! And we''re the ones asking the questions here!"


    "Tch, now even such small fry like you dares to lecture someone of my caliber?" Qiu Ling straightened his shoulders and cracked his knuckles. He''d use these guys to show-off! Ah, no ¡­ He''d show these guys that they shouldn''t try to humiliate someone who peacefully came to their doors! This kind of behavior, how could a good-natured dragon like him accept it?


    He lifted his hands and a gust swept those two off their feet. They wanted to leap up but next thing they knew their arms and legs were already cuffed to the ground by an earthen ring.


    Qiu Ling smiled and dusted off his hands. "Come on, let''s go inside, my love." Qiu Ling took Jing Yi''s hand and led him inside.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but take another look at the disciples. They had seemed quite formidable. He hadn''t even been able to sense their cultivation level.


    "Qiu Ling!" Jing Yi walked as close to him as possible. "What names should we give when we''re asked again? We can''t always keep quiet about that, can we?"


    "Mn ¡­" Qiu Ling deliberated. "The let''s just go with Jing He and Longjun."


    "Long Jun?", Jing Yi cluelessly repeated.


    Qiu Ling stopped in his tracks and coughed. Ah ¡­ His poor heart couldn''t take it! This was just like back then when Jing He had still insisted on calling him Longjun instead of using his name. Just that ¡­ with this kind of intonation it was even more lethal.


    "My love ¡­ don''t call me that in the future, alright?"


    "Huh? Why that?" Jing Yi didn''t understand. Hadn''t Qiu Ling proposed that name himself?


    Qiu Ling turned around, cupped Jing Yi''s cheeks and examined his face. "It''s because ¡­ if you say it like that, I might not be able to hold back and just pounce on you." He bent down and gave him a peck before pulling him along again.


    Jing Yi was stunned. He really couldn''t understand what made Qiu Ling react like this. He felt like he had uttered that name normally? Then again ¡­


    He came up with these names nearly instantly. It''s obvious where he got Jing He from so maybe Long Jun has something to do with that? Jing Yi clenched his fist. Maybe that is how that man called him back then. He couldn''t imagine why but he felt like that was the only explanation. And since Qiu Ling still felt a lot for that person he reacted so strongly.


    Once again, Jing Yi asked himself if Qiu Ling might just be projecting his feelings for that Jing He onto him. After they left his inner self back then he had never dared to bring it up again. Those scars were just too deep to casually mention it. But he couldn''t help but worry. It would be nice if he could get Qiu Ling to clearly separate that matter and this from each other. Maybe he should propose another name?


    When he finally arrived at that conclusion it was too late, though. They had passed through a long tunnel and stepped into a cave. Jing Yi needed a while to figure out that it was a cave, though. It was humongous and the fact that there were some simple huts and even some trees growing at the sides didn''t help with identifying this as the inside of a mountain. If he hadn''t walked into the opening in the wall of that chasm by himself, he might have thought he was approaching a normal village outside. He actually looked up to check if he could see the night sky above them.


    On this side of the tunnel stood another two disciples. They frowned when they saw Qiu Ling and Jing Yi.


    "Who are you?", one of them asked, just like the man on the other side.


    Qiu Ling smiled wryly. "Yo, it seems you all went through the same training."


    Jing Yi averted his face. His cheeks were red from embarrassment. Who knew his fiance could act the part of a hoodlum so well?


    The two disciples frowned and grabbed their weapons. In contrast to those two on the other side they had only worn them at their side but now that Qiu Ling had started to infuriate them, they didn''t think of waiting before unsheathing them.


    Qiu Ling just waved. "Enough, you two. You can''t win anyway. We just arrived here. Get us to someone who has the authority to take us in." He looked utterly bored when he said this as if it was a no-brainer that they would definitely be accepted.


    The two disciples of the Hei Dian Sect frowned even more but they at least exchanged a glance. The one on the right came over and leaned closer to the one on the left. "The small one is only at the fifth level of the seed stage but I can''t perceive the taller ones. He''s probably at a higher level."


    "Mn." The other nodded and sheathed his weapon again. "Alright. You should have said so from the beginning. I''ll take you there." He waved at another disciple to take his place and led Qiu Ling and Jing Yi further into the cave. In the end, they halted in front of one of the few buildings built from stone.


    The disciple turned around to them and measured them with a quick glance again. "This is where Elder Shan resides. You better behave inside. In front of the Elder, you definitely can''t behave like you did before."


    "Sure." Qiu Ling said so but he elongated the word and smiled in a way that said ''Keep this nonsense to yourself and don''t bother this master''.


    Jing Yi hid behind him. He really wanted to find a rock that was big enough to crawl under it so that he wouldn''t be associated with this shameless person! Before he could even look around the disciple had already knocked on the door, though, and the raspy voice of an old man sounded out.

 Chapter 211 - Something Ugly

    The Elder they saw when the disciple opened the door looked exactly like his voice had seemed: old, almost ancient.


    At first glance, he was nothing more than a patch of black and white. Jing Yi blinked and it turned out that the Elder was wearing a dark robe and that his hair and his skin were nearly as pale as tofu. This was probably what happened if you lived inside a mountain for too long where the sunlight couldn''t reach.


    Jing Yi gripped Qiu Ling''s sleeve. Somehow, he felt a little afraid in front of this Elder.


    Qiu Ling reached over and caressed the back of Jing Yi''s hand. His eyes stayed on the Elder in front of them, though. Mn, that guy was sufficiently talented for a mortal. But this kind of face ¡­ Just looking at it for a while Qiu Ling wanted to lock himself into a room and do something for his own skin. How had all those wrinkles even enough place? It seemed like they were growing across each other.


    The Elder glanced at Jing Yi before focusing on Qiu Ling. The two men stared at each other, none of them saying a word.


    Qiu Ling watched with amazement how another wrinkle seemed to grow right in front of him. In reality that was just the Elder frowning, though, because he felt disturbed by Qiu Ling''s unwavering gaze.


    "Young man. Is there something you want to say?"


    Jing Yi hugged Qiu Ling''s arm closer at the raspy voice. It seemed to come straight out of a nightmare. Would all people in the demonic sect be this terrifying? He wasn''t sure if he would be able to find out anything in that case. He was already frightened.


    Originally, Qiu Ling had felt the mood to share a bit of free advice with this poor man. When he felt that Jing Yi didn''t like this person''s company he dropped that thought like a burning stick. "We came to become disciples."


    Elder Shan looked at the disciple that was waiting at the door. The young man nodded. That was indeed what they had said when they came over. Elder Shan turned back toward Qiu Ling and Jing Yi. "He''s at the seed stage only. And you ¡­" He frowned even more, his wrinkles deepening further.


    Qiu Ling''s hands twitched. He really wanted to touch his own face to make sure it was alright. This type of aging wasn''t contagious, was it?


    Jing Yi had no idea what was going on in Qiu Ling''s head but he could feel that his fiance was getting nervous himself. It did nothing to calm him down. When had he ever seen Qiu Ling in a nervous mood? Sure, he had seen him serious and restless and clingy and a lot of other things but as far as he could remember he had never seen him nervous.


    He couldn''t understand why he would need to be, either. Qiu Ling was a practitioner and a cultivator, someone that had advantages over both groups and he wasn''t weak. It shouldn''t be a problem to deal with this Elder, should it?


    With a troubled gaze, he looked at Qiu Ling. He couldn''t ask now, he could only hold it in and hope that Qiu Ling would find a way out of this.


    Qiu Ling pressed his lips together and shoved the thought aside. "What''s with me? You need a demonstration?" Ah, this was just like six years ago when he wanted to be taken in by the Yun Zou Sect. Why was it so hard for a dragon to be admitted into a human sect?


    The Elder drew his brows together. He couldn''t sense Qiu Ling''s cultivation. That left three possibilities: This young man in front of him was a practitioner and not a cultivator, he hadn''t started cultivating yet or he had such a high cultivation base that he was unable to perceive it. The latter wasn''t likely considering his age and his attitude suggested that he should be a talent instead of a good-for-nothing.


    "You''re a practitioner?"


    "Mn."


    "Then, yes, please demonstrate a bit."


    Qiu Ling had a look around. Could he smash something again? But there wasn''t anything ugly. He suddenly halted and took a measuring glance at the Elder. Well, there was that face but the poor man didn''t deserve to lose his head just because he hadn''t taken enough care of his skin. He was already punished by having to live with this appearance.


    When Qiu Ling finally turned around and led Jing Yi out of the house the Elder shuddered. Somehow he had felt a sense of dread right now when that young man had looked at him. This was stupid. Why was he feeling so pressured? What could this boy ¡ª


    Just then, Qiu Ling turned around to Jing Yi, pecked his lips and then distanced himself a few steps. He whipped out his sword and with a careless swing the tree next to Elder Shan''s house fell down and the wall behind it crumbled.


    The Elder gulped. Oh. It seemed he had underestimated these two. Or, no, he had underestimated this young man. The youth next to him seemed quite normal. Actually, that might even be an overstatement. He seemed like he was sixteen or seventeen years old but he was only in the seed stage. Even though it seemed like he''d break through soon that wasn''t much. He didn''t have much talent for cultivation. The reason he had come here nonetheless ¡­ One would need to be blind and deaf to miss it.


    While the Elder analyzed the situation Qiu Ling had already sheathed his sword again and hurried back to Jing Yi''s side. His eyes gleamed and there was a beautiful smile on his lips. He was so obviously asking for praise that Jing Yi couldn''t help but give in despite the situation.


    He reached over and lightly gripped Qiu Ling''s shoulders. Even though he had grown taller in the last year he was still much shorter than his fiance. He tiptoed and gently pecked Qiu Ling''s lips. "You did well."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling hugged him. Ah, had he known that so many good things would happen on this mission he wouldn''t have made such a fuss about it. Thinking about that ¡­ Qiu Ling swiveled around to the Elder. "Elder, are we accepted or do you need another demonstration?"


    "No, that should be ¡ª"


    Qiu Ling''s sword struck again and felled the tree on the other side before the Elder had time to say ''enough of a demonstration''. Elder Shan closed his eyes and repressed a sigh.


    "Alright. You''re accepted."


    "Then where is our room?"


    It was so obvious what Qiu Ling was thinking that Elder Shan didn''t bother to say anything more. He waved the disciple back to his post and then turned around. "Follow me. I''ll bring you there." Then, he hurried to one of the better dwellings in the inner sect. Even though he was a cultivator he could still recognize that this young man was especially talented. They had to treat him well.


    "Here we are", he started to introduce the place.


    "Thanks, Elder!" The words had barely reached his ears when the door was shut in his face and a thud could be heard from the other side.


    Elder Shan stared at the door in a daze before he hurriedly turned around and left. There was no need to know what exactly those two were doing. He''d better go and tell the Grandmaster that they had gotten a new talent.


    Thus, Qiu Ling and Jing Yi were left alone.

 Chapter 212 - You Can’t Forget Your Promise

    "Qi¡ª" Jing Yi bit his lower lip before he could utter Qiu Ling''s name. They were in the demonic sect now, he had to be cautious. Who knew if that scary Elder was still out there?


    "He''s gone already." Qiu Ling smiled and bent forward to kiss Jing Yi but at the last moment, he halted. "Wait a moment." He conjured his water mirror up and took a scrutinizing gaze. Ah, he was still as handsome as ever.


    Jing Yi watched Qiu Ling stare into the mirror for a few minutes. What was he doing? "Qiu ¡­ Long Jun."


    Qiu Ling''s gaze flickered. That title really evoked too many memories. "My love ¡­" He bent down and hugged Jing Yi closer. He took a deep breath and smiled. Ah, if they could stay here in this house until Jing He returned to the nine heavens he would be really happy.


    "Do you want to continue standing here?" Qiu Ling had pressed him up against the door as soon as they were inside and now it didn''t seem like he wanted to move away. Jing Yi leaned his head against Qiu Ling''s chest. Actually, he didn''t mind. He was really happy to be with him. And he was especially glad that Qiu Ling had been able to follow him here. This mission, though he had voluntarily accepted it, it was still daunting. With Qiu Ling at his side, he felt like he could overcome all the dangers and problems, though.


    The two of them stood there behind the door without doing or saying anything. They just hugged each other and continued to stand in silence.


    Jing Yi was slowly growing tired, though. He was still mortal and the last few weeks had been especially taxing. First, he had had to double his effort in cultivating while simultaneously hurrying back toward the sect. Then, they had barely arrived when he already got the mission from Sect Master Yuchi and had to come to the Hei Dian Sect. He hadn''t had a good night''s sleep for over a month already.


    Now in this environment that should have scared him the fatigue finally caught up with him. Jing Yi''s head started to grow heavy and he nestled down deeper in Qiu Ling''s arms. He felt like he should sleep for some hours ¡­ His eyelids fluttered and finally closed. Despite the fact that they were in enemy territory he could relax since Qiu Ling was still there. As long as his fiance was by his side Jing Yi knew that he didn''t have to be afraid.


    Qiu Ling looked at his peaceful expression, picked him up and carried him over to the bed. He gently put him down and covered him with a blanket before he laid down next to him. He embraced Jing Yi and closed his eyes, too.


    He was unable to sleep, though. This faint smell ¡­ It wasn''t exactly the same as in the nine heavens but still so similar. Jing He had always smelled of flowers since he spent a lot of time in the garden. It really fit his image of the gentle, perfect beauty.


    Jing Yi wasn''t the same. He had spent a lot of time outside, too, but since he was cultivating the whole time he naturally didn''t have the time for such a time-consuming leisure activity. And, well, as bad as it may sound he also didn''t have the same knowledge as Jing He.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes opened and he stared at the face of the youth in his embrace. Jing He ¡­ Jing Yi ¡­ Even though they were actually the same person there were a lot of differences, too. He often missed those little habits of Jing He. If he could, he would like to take him back to the nine heavens right now. Then, they wouldn''t need to take on any missions or wait for whatever. They would only need to convince the Heavenly Emperor and then they were ready to marry. Not that that would be an easy task.


    Qiu Ling sighed, hugged Jing Yi closer and shut his eyes again. Even though he wanted to return as soon as possible he knew that Jing He took this trial seriously. And it was nice to see this not so perfect version of him. When Jing He woke up they might be able to shed all the pretenses from before. Mn, it would be nice.


    And that wasn''t even the only nice thing ¡­ Qiu Ling smiled and his hands silently moved to undo Jing Yi''s belt. They were already engaged. It wouldn''t matter anymore, would it? And wouldn''t it be so much more comfortable for his beloved if he didn''t have to wear all his clothes to sleep?


    With a bit of a guilty conscience, Qiu Ling took the black outer robe off of Jing Yi''s slender frame. He hesitated, then slipped out of his own outer robe, too. He didn''t take the time to fold them and just threw both of them behind him. Then, he laid down and took Jing Yi into his arms again.


    He had gotten the chance to spend time with Jing He like this. He had to make use of it! He started to caress Jing Yi''s back and finally slipped his hands into those silky ¡­ well, into his hair. This also couldn''t compare to the hair of Jing He''s immortal form but it was still a good feeling. He also didn''t know why but he just liked touching his hair. Maybe it was because he would have to be close to him for that?


    "Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing Yi''s hand weakly slapped his arm. He had nearly been woken up by Qiu Ling''s movement. "Be good. Just sleep for a while. When we wake up ¡­ we can talk about everything."


    "Talk?" Qiu Ling tilted his head, then he leaned closer with an evil smirk on his lips. "How about doing some other things?"


    "Mn. Whatever it is you want. But let''s sleep for now."


    "Alright. But you can''t forget your promise! A gentleman should always stay true to his words." He smiled happily and started to ponder how he should take advantage of this. Ah, no, he started to ponder how to make his beloved''s day unforgettable.

 Chapter 213 - My Most Beloved Person’s Name

    For the first time in weeks, Jing Yi felt completely rested. It gave him the illusion that he would be able to achieve anything right now. He didn''t act on the impulse, though, and continued to lie there, his thoughts wandering.


    He had agreed to marry Qiu Ling but up until now, he hadn''t felt much anticipation for that time. Wouldn''t it be the same whether they were married or not? They spent every day with each other anyway. Traveling together, wasn''t that also a proof of the feelings they shared between them?


    But at this moment he finally understood. It wasn''t the same. The type of feeling he had now was completely different from what he had experienced on their travels. He felt especially warm and secure right now. It was as if they were a family. There was someone beside him he could trust, some who would take care of him.


    When had somebody bothered to cover him with a blanket the last time? When had somebody stayed next to him and held him in his arms? He remembered exactly: It had been when he was a child and that person had been his mother. Now, there was Qiu Ling.


    I really am lucky. Even though father isn''t there anymore, I still have my mother and I even had the fortune to meet someone like Qiu Ling who cares so much about me.


    Jing Yi nestled closer in Qiu Ling''s embrace and covered the hand next to him with his own. He felt like he should do something for Qiu Ling, too. Despite that one time when he helped him to get out of his inner self, he had never done anything for him. And even then there had been another person helping because he couldn''t even enter on his own and he himself hadn''t done much besides finding Qiu Ling and listening to his story.


    This relationship of theirs ¡­ it was quite one-sided, wasn''t it?


    Jing Yi turned in Qiu Ling''s arms and looked up at his face. He couldn''t help but smile when he saw his eyes closed. It seemed he hadn''t been the only one who was tired. In the past year, he had never seen Qiu Ling sleep. When he fell asleep Qiu Ling was still wide awake and when he woke up the next morning Qiu Ling would always have gotten up already. This was actually the first time he saw Qiu Ling asleep.


    Jing Yi examined the face he had already gotten so familiar with in the past year. His features were relaxed right now and he was even smiling a bit as if he was having a nice dream.


    Jing Yi reached over and lightly caressed his cheek. Qiu Ling''s smile grew more pronounced and he pulled him closer with a practiced motion until Jing Yi''s head came to lie against his chest. Then, he sighed with obvious satisfaction. "Jing He ¡­ So you''ve come back."


    Jing Yi froze. His hand on Qiu Ling''s cheek trembled a bit and he hurriedly took it back. That name again. More and more often he felt like Qiu Ling wasn''t really talking to him when he used it.


    Jing Yi sighed but in contrast to Qiu Ling''s happy mood, his heart was heavy. He still remembered that person in the blue robe. His beautiful face, the valuable robe, his elegant movements ¡­ And the thing he remembered most clearly was Qiu Ling''s reaction. The expression he had made when he saw that person again and spoke about him. Even though it had only been a fragment of his memory that they saw he had been so happy. It was obvious how much he had loved that person.


    Jing Yi tried to get out of Qiu Ling''s arms but naturally, he didn''t succeed. Instead, Qiu Ling pulled him even closer when he noticed. "Jing He. Where do you think you''re going?" The words he whispered made it even worse.


    "Let go." Jing Yi tried to free himself of Qiu Ling''s hands but they gripped onto him too tightly.


    In the end, Qiu Ling opened his eyes. "What is it, my love?" He relaxed his grip but still didn''t let go of him completely.


    Jing Yi sat up. It was too obvious that something was wrong. Qiu Ling sighed and sat up, too. He leaned forward and put his chin on Jing Yi''s shoulder. "You don''t want to talk about it?"


    "I ¡­" Jing Yi pressed his lips together. He wanted to but he didn''t dare to. What if Qiu Ling would indeed realize that he still loved that person and that he was just a replacement? Wouldn''t he lose him? He didn''t want to. He had already fallen in love with him.


    "Mn, I''m pretty sure my sleeping posture is extremely handsome. You can''t be miffed about that, can you?"


    "No, I ¡­" Jing Yi sighed. "You said his name. Again."


    "Ah? Whose name?"


    "Jing He''s."


    Qiu Ling gripped Jing Yi''s cheeks and made him turn around. "But that''s your name. My love, is everything alright with you?"


    Jing Yi slapped his hands away. "How is that my name? I''m called Jing Yi. It''s clearly that person we saw back then in your inner self you''re calling out to."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling let go of him and laid back down. He crossed his arms behind his head and looked up at the ceiling, his mood tangled.


    Jing Yi was equally embroiled in his own thoughts.


    In the end, Qiu Ling sighed. "So, you''ve been agonizing over this issue for a whole year?"


    Jing Yi winced and averted his face. He really had but he didn''t want to admit it.


    Qiu Ling reached over and grabbed his hand. "My love, I''m sorry. I''m at fault for this. I told you a lot of things back then but not everything. And I probably did a poor job at it. I should have said more regarding him."


    "I don''t even want to hear more about him." Jing Yi bit his lip as soon as the words were out. That person was Qiu Ling''s savior. How could he talk about him like that?


    Before he could apologize, Qiu Ling had grabbed his waist and pulled him back. Jing Yi gave a yelp but his fiance caught him and hugged him to his chest again. "Alright. I''ll explain."


    Qiu Ling absentmindedly stroked Jing Yi''s hair. "Yes, Jing He saved me from everything back then. My fear, my hate, everything seemed less severe after we met. I was really happy. Jing He ¡­ Ah." Qiu Ling sighed. "He didn''t like me back. I spent ten years until I had finally wooed him. And then ¡­ he left."


    Qiu Ling''s voice lowered at the end and when Jing Yi glanced at his face it seemed grieve-stricken. He regretted bringing it up. So that person already wasn''t there anymore. He had died.


    Qiu Ling sighed again. He couldn''t tell Jing Yi the truth without risking to bring him new trouble. Thus, he could only go with this vague account of what had happened. "That isn''t the important thing here, though. That was then. This is now.


    Jing ¡­ Yi. We''ve been together for a year. And even if I use the wrong name that doesn''t mean that I don''t love you. It''s just ¡­ To me, you''re the same person. Whether it was the Jing He back then or the Jing Yi now I feel content being with that person. I can forget about the things that happened in my past and enjoy my life. That is only possible because you''re with me.


    So ¡­ You don''t have any reason to be jealous or doubt my sincerity toward you. I really love you. It''s just that sometimes I get caught up in my memories of my time with him because they are so important to me. And, it was ten years after all. We''ve only known each other for one. Isn''t it normal that there is more connecting me to him than there is between us?"


    "That''s true." Jing Yi reached out and stroked Qiu Ling''s chest. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have reacted like that. It just hurts a bit that you don''t even know my name."


    "I do know I just never use it."


    Jing Yi looked up at him with a questioning gaze. He could understand everything else but not that.


    "Well, you could probably say that his name is equivalent to the person I fell in love with, the person that brought me light and happiness. And now I fell in love with you so you''re Jing He to me."


    "It feels strange, though."


    "Then I''ll try not calling you that anymore."


    "You can''t. We''re in the Hei Dian Sect now. We can''t use our real names. Have you forgotten already?"


    "Mn, right. Then how about I call you Jing''er from now on?"


    "Jing''er?" Jing Yi blushed. His parents had called him that when he was small. Being called that by Qiu Ling ¡­ It felt a bit weird.


    "Ah, I think I like it." Qiu Ling hugged him closer. Actually, this was pretty good. Thanks to his beloved''s jealousy he would now get to call him this way. He should continue to do so when they returned to the nine heavens.


    "Mn. My Jing''er." Qiu Ling smiled but froze the next second. There was a calculating light in his eyes, though, when he leaned over Jing Yi. "Right. Now that we''ve settled that ¡­ Where''s my good morning kiss?"

 Chapter 214 - I Only Need Your Approval

    Qiu Ling''s eyes seemed to sparkle in anticipation.


    Jing Yi smiled. "I''ve made unnecessary trouble for you." He cupped Qiu Ling''s cheeks and lightly kissed him. It was as much of a good morning kiss as it was an apology. This man was his fiance. They had already promised to marry so he shouldn''t doubt him even if he was unable to understand.


    "It''s no trouble. And I was at fault as well. I should have noticed you were anxious about that." Qiu Ling hugged him close. "Is there anything else you want to know?"


    Jing Yi considered. This would be the best opportunity to speak about these things but at the moment he really couldn''t think of anything. Thus, he shook his head.


    "Alright. Let''s talk about the mission now."


    Jing Yi raised his brows. Since when had his fiance gotten so motivated?


    His doubt was so obvious that Qiu Ling couldn''t help but smile. "Our marriage depends on it, doesn''t it? And you take it seriously. So, as your future husband ¡­" His smile became a smirk and the serious air he had about him before completely vanished.


    "Alright. But I''m not sure what else we should discuss. They accepted us and we found ourselves different names. We only need to get used to it."


    "Then, how do you want to accomplish the tasks the Sect Master gave you?" Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. What was that guy''s name again?


    "I think we have time for that. For now, we should get used to this place and find a position for ourselves. When we''ve established that we should be able to find out what Sect master Yuchi wants to know."


    "Mn, Yuchi."


    Jing Yi lifted his brows but didn''t ask. He had the vague feeling that he wouldn''t like the answer if he did. Qiu Ling used his silence to sit up and stroke Jing Yi''s hair. "That sounds like a good idea. Ah, how about I help you with getting dressed?"


    Jing Yi looked at him and then looked down at himself. Finally, he noticed that he was only wearing his inner robes. Furthermore, his inner robes were white and didn''t leave that much of his body to imagination. His whole face turned crimson and even his ears got slightly hot.


    "Qiu Ling!" He turned around and tried to cover himself up but that only led to him feeling the heated gaze on his back more prominently.


    Qiu Ling didn''t mind at all. "What is it, my love? You''re looking lovely like that. Now, should I lend you a hand? I''d gladly do so." To make sure his fiance understood, he even reached out and gently caressed his back.


    Jing Yi shuddered and closed his eyes. He knew he should be angry but Qiu Ling''s slight caresses made it hard to stay in the mood for that. Most likely Qiu Ling had only tried to help. "Stop it", he said but his voice had already lost the sharp edge from just now. It was more like a whisper begging him and quite naturally, Qiu Ling rather felt enticed to continue.


    He bent forward and kissed Jing Yi''s shoulder through the thin fabric, the heat of his own body was transmitted and made that cozy feeling from before return to Jing Yi. The kisses continued and Jing Yi closed his eyes.


    Ah, how had this happened? This was their first day in the demonic faction but things had already gotten this far. That had never happened while they were traveling. "Qiu Ling ¡­" He took a trembling breath and caught the hand that had snaked around his body and was trying to worm its way into his inner robe.


    "Mn, I''m here."


    "I remember you telling me that ¡­ these things would make us a married couple where you come from." He was getting breathless already to the extent where he couldn''t get the sentence out in one try.


    "Mn."


    "Then what are you trying ¡­ to do right now? You haven''t gotten ¡­ your master''s approval."


    "I only need your approval."


    "No. That''s like ¡­ as if you said you ¡­ you wouldn''t need ¡­" His voice trailed off. Somehow, Qiu Ling had decided that kissing his shoulder wasn''t enough. His lips had wandered higher and were now giving their best attention to his neck. It only started with a few light pecks but soon, Qiu Ling was gently sucking his skin.


    Jing Yi''s mind went blank. What had he tried to say right now? Try as he might, he couldn''t remember. He raised his hand but wasn''t able to push Qiu Ling off. His fingers had somehow found their way into his hair instead and were caressing him while his own head tilted back, exposing his throat to Qiu Ling.


    Qiu Ling looked at the red marks on Jing Yi''s neck and smiled. This was the first time since falling in love back then that he could actually claim his right to his most beloved person. And from the looks of it, Jing Yi allowed him to do.


    He gently bit into Jing Yi''s earlobe, leaving another shallow mark on his body before he pushed him down and propped himself up above him.


    There was no protest so ¡­ It should be alright, shouldn''t it?


    He kissed the other side of Jing Yi''s neck and simultaneously stroked his chest. If this really was the day of their wedding, he wanted to do everything right. His Jing He should have an unforgettable experience. His hand finally found it''s way into Jing Yi''s inner robe.


    Qiu Ling shuddered. Ah, seventeen years, he had almost waited seventeen years for this moment! Finally, his beloved was old enough and willing to sleep with him. They could get married at long last!


    "Jing He ¡­" He whispered his name like a prayer and bent down to kiss his chest. Feeling the smooth skin he wanted to shed tears of joy. This really was his beloved! It couldn''t be that much different from being with the real Jing He.


    "I love you. I love you so much. You''re ¡­ the most important person to me. You''re my life, my light, my everything. Jing He ¡­" He caressed him and his lips found Jing Yi''s. Ah ¡­ too great, too perfect! He couldn''t believe this was real!


    Qiu Ling and Jing Yi locked gazes. There was still a hint of hesitation in Jing Yi''s eyes, though.


    Qiu Ling lightly touched his shoulder and stroked his hair back, his movement exceedingly gentle. "May I?"


    Jing Yi breathed deeply. This really was the moment he had to decide, wasn''t it? He reached out and circled Qiu Ling''s neck with his arms. "You ¡ª"


    A knock on the door interrupted him and Qiu Ling flared up.

 Chapter 215 - Some Kind Of Conspiracy

    "Damn this!" Qiu Ling sat up with a stormy expression. He really wanted to rip the door open, haul that person off and chop him into mincemeat. "Is this some kind of conspiracy? How am I supposed to get married like this?! First, it''s that damned kid who dares to seduce my beloved and interrupts us and now someone gets in between again when we''re just getting to the good part!" He clenched his fists and stood up. But after taking a single step, he reconsidered, hurried back and bent down. "Ah, my love, please be patient. I''ll just go and swat that cumbersome fly. After that, I''ll hurry right back to your side and we can continue, alright?"


    He bent down and gave Jing Yi a lingering kiss. "Mn! I''ll be fast!"


    He turned around, prepared to open the door and thrash whoever stood outside without any questions asked. But just when he had taken that first step again Jing Yi grabbed his clothes.


    "Qiu Ling, you¡ª"


    "Ah, my love!" Qiu Ling turned around and leaped onto the bed again. "It''s alright. I know you can''t bear to part with me. You feel sad and lonely just thinking about it, isn''t that right?"


    "I ¡ª"


    "I know, I know. You don''t have to say it. I feel the same way." He took Jing Yi''s hand and put it onto his chest, directly above his wildly beating heart. Ah, he had just been a step away from his goal. "You know, actually, why don''t we just ignore that person and continue? The mood was just right, wasn''t it?" He leaned forward and pursed his lips but was met with the oh so familiar sensation of a hand in his face.


    "I wanted to remind you that you should put on your robe first." Jing Yi obviously wasn''t in the mood anymore. The blush on his cheeks had receded and his voice already sounded normal again. Nothing could be gleaned of the breathless whisper from before.


    Qiu Ling felt immensely cheated. He had finally gotten this far but now all his effort had been in vain. "Then ¡­ how about I chase him off first and we continue after that?"


    His suggestion was met with a no-nonsense expression. Qiu Ling''s head drooped. It really was too late. With his lips pursed he stood up and picked up his outer robe. He put it on with a heavy sigh. Naturally, he didn''t forget to peek at Jing Yi to see if his beloved had changed his opinion yet. Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case. Instead, Jing Yi had closed his inner robe. Now, he hurried to pick up his outer robe, too.


    Qiu Ling watched with a bleeding heart as Jing Yi got dressed again. Ah, he had just managed to peel him out of these robes and now they were back in place again! Who knew when he would get another chance?


    While Qiu Ling lamented over the fact that time and tide waited for no man Jing Yi made the bed. Even though he seemed calm and collected on the outside, he was completely embarrassed on the inside. Who knew what that person had heard from outside while they were preparing to ¡­ Ah, and then Qiu Ling had shouted all these things. For that visitor to not know what had happened before he''d need to be deaf, extremely dumb or both. There was no need to talk about how likely that was.


    Qiu Ling finally opened the door and leveled the person on the other side with a dark gaze. His expression fell even more when he saw who it was. "You''re the last person I want to see now." Not only had he been disturbed, now he even had to look at the ugly face of an old man!


    Elder Shan coughed. "You''re extremely lucky ¡ª"


    "I''m what?!" Qiu Ling flared up again. "Do you have any idea what you''ve interr¡ª"


    A slender hand clasped over his mouth and muffled the final words. "Elder Shan!", Jing Yi greeted hurriedly. "We''re honored you''ve come by. Do you want to come inside and have a seat?"


    Elder Shan looked at the youth and took in the red marks on his neck. It seemed he hadn''t heard wrong. He couldn''t understand that remark about marriage, though. "No need, no need. I only came by to tell you that the Grandmaster wants to see you."


    "Ah?" Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling and slowly lowered his hand.


    Qiu Ling frowned. So the one at fault wasn''t just this Elder but that Grandmaster, too. Mn, wait! Wasn''t the Grandmaster his Master? And wasn''t he in the Yun Zou Sect? Why did he want to see him now? And why did this guy know about it?


    Qiu Ling still hadn''t learned much about the human world, even though he had traveled around with Jing Yi for a year. He always only took the time to learn about the things he thought Jing Yi might need and the demonic faction had never been on that list. Thus, he didn''t get immediately that Zhangsun Xun Yi wasn''t the only Grandmaster around.


    Jing Yi hadn''t paid much attention to the demonic faction either but he had still picked some rumors up. "You couldn''t be talking about ¡­ Grandmaster Shen?"


    "Naturally. Who else is there?"


    The good faction had quite a few cultivators and practitioners that were eligible for the title of Grandmaster but the demonic faction only had one: Shen An De, the former head of the Hei Dian Sect.


    "Why does that guy want to see us now?"


    Elder Shan was taken aback. Everyone was always respectful when talking to or about the Grandmaster. He had never seen someone dare to casually call him ''that guy'' or something similar. It seemed the talents these days were getting gutsier. He coughed. "He heard of you. I don''t know more than that. And he only wants to see you, not him."


    Qiu Ling frowned even more. That guy had not only had someone interrupt his quality time with his fiance and thus prevented his marriage, now he wanted to lure him away? His instincts told him that there was some sinister plan behind this!


    Jing Yi just patted his back. "You shouldn''t let the Grandmaster wait."


    "But what about ¡ª"


    "It''s alright." Jing Yi tiptoed and gave him a peck. "I''ll wait here and maybe have a look around. We''ll stay here for a long time, after all. We should get used to this place." He thought Qiu Ling would catch onto the fact that he wanted to start on the mission but instead, Qiu Ling''s head drooped.


    "Shouldn''t we be doing that together? You won''t have any fun while I''m not around and it''ll be dangerous."


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. "Sh. Stop it now and go. The more you hurry, the earlier you''ll be back to spend time with me." He gave him another kiss and finally tried to shove him out of the door.


    Qiu Ling sighed. "How about you wait for me inside? I''d be less worried that way."


    "Alright, alright. Now, go."


    "Mn. I''ll be back soon. No need to worry about me." He hugged Jing Yi and kissed his cheek before finally stepping outside. The door was shut in his face before he could utter the sweet words of farewell he had prepared.


    Qiu Ling wanted to say something but Elder Shan coughed. "Disciple, let''s go then. The Grandmaster hasn''t that much time." Honestly, he couldn''t believe that guy was still in the mood to exchange caresses after he had heard that the Grandmaster was waiting for him. Ah, the young ones these days ¡­

 Chapter 216 - Having A Cute Face

    Qiu Ling followed Elder Shan to the direction of the estate he had seen when he came to get the fruit of the Beguiling Night Tree last year. He didn''t forget to turn around every few steps to look at the building where his beloved was staying, though.


    Ah, he loathed to part with him! He really, really wanted to return right now. Even if they couldn''t continue what they had started to do, it would still be better than having to go and meet some strange guy all on his own while his beloved stayed behind. Mn, Jing He was most likely very depressed right now ¡­


    That was what Qiu Ling thought when he reached the estate. Jing Yi was preoccupied with completely different things, though.


    As soon as he had closed the door behind Qiu Ling he had winced and hurriedly clasped a hand over his mouth before he could make any sound. He had suddenly realized that the embarrassment of having someone know about what they had done wasn''t the worst. No, the worst was that he might have already given their identities away.


    "Stupid!", he cursed himself as soon as he heard Qiu Ling and the Elder leave. He leaned against the door and slid down to the ground.


    He had actually blurted out Qiu Ling''s real name. That Elder had certainly heard and with Qiu Ling''s status in the Yun Zou Sect, it was more than likely that they knew about him. It was only a question of time until they found out that this Qiu Ling and that one were the same.


    Jing Yi covered his face with his hands. The Sect Master shouldn''t have put his trust in him. He had already messed up on the first day after arriving. How much worse could a spy be?


    It wouldn''t be of any use if he only sat there and felt sorry for himself, though. He had to do something! Qiu Ling had just gone with the Elder and maybe they wouldn''t figure it out immediately. He might have at least a few days.


    He nodded, stood up and straightened out his robes. Yes, he had to hurry up. This might have been a mission that was supposed to take a long time but now that wasn''t possible. He had to be faster.


    He opened the door and left the building, his gaze already wandering about. He felt like the Hei Dian Sect was confusing. Back in the Yun Zou Sect, the outer sect was situated in the valley while the inner sect was distributed on the different peaks. Everything was clearly separated. Here ¡­ He really couldn''t tell what was what. There were huts and stone buildings in the cave but there were also some tunnels leading deeper into the mountain.


    Where should he start with his mission? And which part of the mission was the most important? Most likely finding the missing disciples. If they could take them back to the sect, then these two might be able to tell them about the plans of the demonic faction or at least provide some clues.


    Furthermore, it would probably take a lot of time to unravel the plot behind all of this. That was most likely not something that could be achieved in a few days. Finding the disciples was easier in comparison. Especially since he had at least some clues he could start working with. Thankfully, the Sect Master had sent someone after them to hand them a jade slip with information on the missing disciples, their original sects, and the Hei Dian sect. That should be enough to find them.


    Jing Yi made his way through the cave and looked around. He observed the disciples but none of them looked like the two missing women. Well, it probably would have been strange to just happen upon them on his first day. No, he needed to utilize what he knew.


    The disciple that had gone missing first, Hong Ai, should be quite problematic to find since it had been many years since then. She had already attained a high level in her cultivation so she should still look the same but who knew if she hadn''t already assimilated into the Hei Dian Sect or even died?


    Her younger sister, Hong Bao, had only vanished in the past year. That was still a lot of time but should still have left some clues. Now, there were two possibilities: Either she was imprisoned somewhere or she had become a disciple of the sect.


    Considering the information in the jade slip, the second possibility should be unlikely since she had had a high status in the Chun Feng Sect where she came from. She would have no reason to betray them. But then again, it was also possible that she had been a spy in the first place and had just returned to the Hei Dian Sect after she had accomplished her mission.


    Jing Yi pondered and finally decided to make sure she wasn''t one of the disciples. If he could eliminate the possibility of her being a disciple, then it should also be unlikely that her older sister had become one. Then, he could start to search for clues in regards to prisoners of the Hei Dian Sect.


    Jing Yi had a look around and finally approached a young man in a dark robe. He knew nothing for now but since Qiu Ling wasn''t there he could try to get something out of the people around him.


    He reached out and tentatively tapped the disciple''s shoulder. "Senior ¡ª"


    The disciple swiveled around with a ferocious glare that made Jing Yi jump back a few steps and retract his hand. As soon as the disciple saw him, his gaze softened, though.


    He gave Jing Yi a once over and smiled. "Ah, I''m sorry. I thought some rascal was trying to play a trick on me." Ah, how lucky! It''s actually a cute Junior Martial Brother! "Was there something you wanted to ask?"


    "Oh ¡­" Jing Yi took a deep breath to calm down and nodded. "Well, I don''t want to bother you but ¡­ I only arrived here yesterday and nobody explained anything, so I''m a little lost now. Would you mind showing me around for a while and telling me where I should go?"


    The disciple beamed. "Naturally!" He stepped forward and took Jing Yi''s hand. "What''s your name, Junior Martial Brother?"


    "Jing ¡­ Jing He."


    "Mn, Jing He. What a nice name. Then come on. Big brother will make sure you don''t run into problems!"


    Jing Yi followed him when the disciple excitedly started to show him around. He wouldn''t have expected such an enthusiastic response but after spending so much time with Qiu Ling he had a vague idea what was going on here.


    It seemed ¡­ being a spy was much easier when you had a cute face.

 Chapter 217 - The One And Only

    Jing Yi followed the disciple around the cave, through the tunnels and finally a large staircase up onto the hillside. It turned out that the Hei Dian Sect was indeed completely different from the Yun Zou Sect.


    There was no clear-cut distinction between a place for the outer sect and one for the inner sect. In fact, there wasn''t even something like an inner and an outer sect.


    The disciple pointed toward an estate on the other side of the chasm. "Jing Yi, look over there. That''s the Grandmaster''s palace."


    "Grandmaster Shen?" Jing Yi was a little taken aback. That should be where Qiu Ling was right now. Had they already found out? He couldn''t help but gaze over a little longer. Even if they found out, Qiu Ling should be alright, shouldn''t he? He was such a talented cultivator and even a practitioner, too. There shouldn''t be many people that could hurt him.


    Then again, it was an Elder that had taken him away and the one they had gone to see was the Hei Dian Sect''s Grandmaster, the most powerful individual in the demonic faction. Most likely even Qiu Ling''s Master, Grandmaster Zhangsun, would have difficulties defeating him. In fact, he might not even be able to defeat him. So Qiu Ling as his disciple ¡­ Wouldn''t he be in grave danger if the Grandmaster attacked him?


    "Eh, Jing He, what is it? You''re looking a bit pale." The disciple grabbed his shoulder and pulled Jing Yi out of his thoughts.


    "Ah, I''m sorry, Senior Martial Brother Niu, I ¡­ I was lost in thought for a moment."


    "You certainly have another question!" Niu Hai beamed. This cute Junior Martial Brother hadn''t spoken much up until now but when he said something it was generally a question. Most likely, he just liked listening to him. Mn, he probably thinks I''m really smart. I''ll show him a bit more of my wisdom! "What do you want to know?"


    "Mn, I''ve heard a bit about Grandmaster Shen. Is he really like the people say?" He didn''t know anything other than the fact that he was really strong, though. He just hoped Niu Hai would continue to prattle on and provide him with some useful information.


    Niu Hai''s face twitched. "You mean handsome?" He finally let go of Jing Yi''s shoulder and looked at the estate with an accusing gaze. How should disciples like him ever find their respective other half when all these cute Junior Martial Brothers only cared for the legendary Grandmaster? "I guess he is. But there''s no use in talking about that. He''s already married for a long time now and he''s very much in love with his wife."


    "Oh?" Jing Yi perked up. This didn''t seem useful for his mission but knowing more about the Grandmaster that might be the mastermind behind this conspiracy might help in the end.


    "Mn." Niu Hai nodded.


    "Then what do you know about her?"


    Niu Hai perked up. Could it be Jing He wasn''t actually interested in the Grandmaster? "Well ¡­ There isn''t much to say. Just like the Grandmaster, she likes to keep to herself. She''s rumored to be a beauty, though, and a talented cultivator. Oh, speaking about that, you might have heard about her. She was pretty famous back then before she married the Grandmaster."


    "Really? Then what''s her name?"


    "Hong Ai."


    Jing Yi coughed. Hah? Hong Ai?! As in the missing disciple Hong Ai?!


    "Heheh." Niu Hai laughed. "Now you''re surprised, right?" He gently patted his back until Jing Yi calmed down.


    "Senior Martial Brother, you can''t be talking about that Hong Ai, can you?"


    "Naturally. There''s only this one. I guess it is pretty surprising that our Grandmaster would marry someone from the good faction. Well, it''s alright I guess. She hasn''t returned there and probably won''t do so in the future. It''s a complete win for us. Heheh."


    "Oh ¡­ yes." Jing Yi tried to look impressed and happy but inwardly he smiled wryly. It couldn''t be that Qiu Ling had been right that they had to find out who the secret lover of the missing disciples was. That was too ridiculous! A talented cultivator like Hong Ai, she certainly wouldn''t leave her sect just like that only to marry someone from the demonic faction, would she? No, that was impossible.


    Jing Yi frowned. Actually, maybe it wasn''t that unthinkable. It would depend a lot on her personality. If she was like Qiu Ling ¡­ He had no doubt that his fiance would leave the Yun Zou Sect at once if he had fallen in love with someone from the demonic faction. It wasn''t important to him that he was the Grandmaster''s only disciple. He would just follow his heart. Maybe Hong Ai had done the same.


    "The Grandmaster must be charismatic if he is able to win over someone from the good faction so thoroughly."


    "I guess so." Niu Hai didn''t mind talking about him anymore after he noticed that Jing Yi wasn''t interested. "Well, he really is extremely handsome. And I guess someone like his wife would care even more about the fact that he''s such a talented cultivator."


    "Probably." Though, love wasn''t like that. At least, neither Qiu Ling nor he himself had ever cared about that. It was rather about the feeling the other person gave you, that feeling of being content when you were with them and restless when you weren''t. Maybe love needed neither a handsome face nor was it measured in the strength of a cultivator or practitioner. If he remembered it now, then what he had actually fallen in love with was the way Qiu Ling honestly and directly admitted his feelings and never let go despite all his protests. In the face of this relentlessness ¡­ How could he have resisted?


    Jing Yi smiled while he looked at the estate on the other side. That man ¡­ he would always find his way back to him. He probably didn''t need to be worried about him. He turned back toward Niu Hai, his smile stealing the other person''s breath away. "Senior Martial Brother, is there anything else I should see in the sect?"


    Niu Hai gulped and silently rubbed his hands. "Well, that depends on which division you want to be part of in the future."


    "Ah?" Jing Yi lifted his brows. He really didn''t know how to answer that. Could he just arbitrarily make that decision? That should be impossible, shouldn''t it?

 Chapter 218 - Choosing His Path

    "You don''t know?" Niu Hai smiled and looped his arm around Jing Yi''s shoulder. "Eh, how about you join us then? I could help you further if you like."


    Jing Yi tensed. He hadn''t told Niu Hai that he was already engaged since he thought he might get more information if he didn''t but now he regretted it a little. This Senior Martial Brother was obviously a little too fond of him. "Mn, I''m afraid that ¡ª"


    "Don''t worry!" Niu Hai pulled him closer. "I know it can seem a lot at the beginning but you''ll find out soon that it isn''t that bad after you''ve joined. You see, we from the division of the blades are a close-knit team. We''d always help our Junior Martial Brothers and since the two of us know each other already ¡­ There is nothing for you to worry about Jing He." He lifted his hand and caressed Jing Yi''s cheek.


    Jing Yi trembled. He was assaulted by the same feeling of dread he had felt back then when Qiu Ling came close to him for the first time. He didn''t want this! He took a step back to escape out of that embrace and lowered his gaze. "I''m afraid I''m not that suited to being a part of the blade division."


    "Ah, you don''t have to think that we''re all swinging dadaos around the whole day. You could also try using butterfly swords. I think that would suit you very well." Niu Hai smiled and tentatively reached out again.


    Jing Yi frowned slightly. He really didn''t feel good about this but he couldn''t just walk away now. Maybe he should tell him about Qiu Ling after all? But his fiance wasn''t there at the moment and Niu Hai wouldn''t have any problem to subdue a cultivator of the first stage. He couldn''t make him angry. "I still think I''m not too suited for that. What else is there? The Hei Dian Sect is so big. There will certainly be a lot of divisions."


    "Mn." Niu Hai wasn''t really thrilled to talk about that. He''d rather entice this cute Junior Martial Brother to join them but he didn''t want to be too obvious either. "Well, there''s the division using pole-arms and what we call the light one. They''re using ropes and whips and such things."


    "It seems like the Hei Dian Sect has a lot of practitioners then." Those were all things a cultivator would only learn as a support for his cultivation techniques after all. Could it be that the Hei Dian Sect was one of those that specialized in the ways of the practitioners? But that couldn''t be true. There had been no information regarding that in the jade slip! And furthermore, how would they have become the foremost sect of the demonic faction if they completely ignored cultivators? Wouldn''t they be limited that way?


    "Ah, no, naturally, there are divisions for the different spirit veins, too. I''m not a cultivator, though."


    Jing Yi nearly sighed in relief. "Well, I am a cultivator so I should probably go there."


    Niu Hai''s face fell. There was next to no possibility to get someone with spirit veins to give up on cultivating to become a practitioner. He should better try and find another reason to see him often. "Then ¡­ what kind of spirit veins do you have?"


    There was an awkward pause while Jing Yi turned away from him. "Full spirit veins."


    Niu Hai stared in surprise. This cute Junior Martial Brother ¡­ only had full spirit veins? "Eh, Jing He, then why don''t you reconsider? Cultivating with full spirit veins won''t yield much of a result. It might still be better for you if you become a practitioner."


    Jing Yi pressed his lips together. He also knew that cultivating with his aptitude was futile. People with full spirit veins seldom got farther than the root stage. This adventure of cultivating that he had finally started after five years ¡­ it would probably come to an end soon.


    He sighed. Well, he was now in a demonic sect. He couldn''t cultivate their techniques anyway so it would be better to secretly cultivate with the manual Grandmaster Zhangsun gave him while doing something else as a diversion.


    Jing Yi paused. A diversion? That wasn''t even necessary. He might not be able to cultivate here but there were things that could still be done even while staying a righteous person. "Senior Martial Brother Niu, say ¡­ does the Hei Dian Sect teach alchemy?"


    "Alchemy?" Niu Hai nodded. "Sure. Do you want to learn that?" His expression said that he himself didn''t think much of alchemy.


    Jing Yi smiled. "Yes. I''d like to. In fact, I''ve already thought about that a while back." Indeed, when he had seen Qiu Ling trapped in his inner self he had thought that it might be good if he could do something for him. He had neither the spirit veins to become a great cultivator nor the body to achieve remarkable feats as a practitioner. But alchemy didn''t rely on either of them. With just enough work he could accomplish something as an alchemist. And even more importantly, he might be able to be of help to Qiu Ling.


    "Well, there''s indeed a division for that. If you want to, I can bring you over right now."


    Jing Yi nodded and bowed. "Thank you very much, Senior Martial Brother." He gifted him a smile and followed him back to another large estate on the hillside.


    Actually, he really anticipated becoming an alchemist. This path would enable him to do at least a bit for Qiu Ling. He imagined how he would care for him should Qiu Ling ever be injured and how his efforts would manage to lessen the pain of his fiance. Wouldn''t that be the best thing he could do?


    Unfortunately, he had no idea that it was next to impossible for a human to injure a dragon. Well, it was probably better to say that even after a year of traveling together and promising himself to him he still didn''t know that his so-called fiance wasn''t even human. Maybe he would never find out.

 Chapter 219 - A Complete Lunatic

    Jing Yi looked up at the gate of the estate and couldn''t help feeling awed. Even from where he stood the whole place smelled like herbs and medicine. Since the outer sect of the Yun Zou Sect only had a small building for those who were interested in alchemy and since he wasn''t allowed onto the peaks of the inner sect he had never experienced something like that.


    "Jing He?" Niu Hai stopped and turned around when he noticed that the sound of steps behind him had ceased. "What is it? Have you reconsidered? Do you want to join our division of blades instead?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "No, I just wanted to take a moment to have a look around. It''s really a nice place." In fact, he somehow felt drawn to this place as if he belonged here and should have come far sooner. "Let''s go." He caught up to Niu Hai and followed him further inside.


    There were different buildings in the estate and each of them had a plaque placed above the door with its name on it. Judging from the few he could see while following Niu Hai there seemed to be different branches to the Alchemy division. He had seen a plaque that read Supporting Alchemy, one with the words Healing Alchemy and another one that had Furthering Alchemy inscribed. All of that seemed to be things he might have learned in the Yun Zou Sect, too, if he was an inner sect disciple.


    Before they reached their destination he finally got a taste of the evil ways of the Hei Dian Sect, though: They passed by a building that had a plaque with Deadly Poisons written on it above its entrance.


    Jing Yi gulped. He really hoped he would never have to have anything to do with that. He didn''t want to know anything about poisons.


    They finally reached a building in the middle of the estate. Niu Hai looked back at him and smiled. "It''s here."


    Jing Yi nodded and followed him inside. He didn''t know what he had expected but he was a little disappointed when he saw the hall before him. There was nothing that seemed like it had to do with alchemy, only the same things you might have expected in a hall that was used to receive guests at any other estate, too.


    Niu Hai didn''t seem to find anything strange. He led Jing Yi to a door at the side and looked into the room behind it. "Heh, anyone there? I brought a new disciple over!"


    Jing Yi curiously leaned to the side and peeked past him. The room seemed to be a study, an extremely messy study. Books piled up until they formed stacks that were high enough to reach his hips, paper scrolls covered the table on the other side of the room and some had even fallen down and were rolling over the floor.


    Jing Yi''s brows rose. This definitely wasn''t what he would have expected but at least it looked different from the study a normal house would probably have. Actually, the only study he had ever seen was that of Shao Hai''s father so he probably couldn''t judge how normal this one was.


    "Uh ¡­ Senior Yue Lin?" Niu Hai cautiously tiptoed to the other side of the room and reached into the pile of scrolls. "Senior? Senior!"


    A hand shot out of the pile and accurately grabbed Niu Hai''s collar. "Who is it?! How dare you trespass onto the alchemy division''s ground?!" The voice was distorted and sounded more like that of a demon than like the voice of a human being.


    Jing Yi jumped back and hugged the door frame. What was this? Maybe he didn''t want to become part of the alchemy division after all!


    Niu Hai tried to pry the hand off his collar but just when he succeeded, the hand grabbed his throat instead. His face started to turn red from the strain. "Senior Yue Lin ¡­"


    Jing Yi watched on with dread. Shouldn''t alchemists be more peaceful? Why was that person under the scrolls trying to strangle someone to death?


    "Fire! The gardens ¡­ caught on fire!"


    "What?!" The hand let go and a head jerked up from the table, scattering the scrolls everywhere.


    Jing Yi stared at the person in a daze. Only half his hair was still secured on top of his head, the other half was sticking out in all directions. His face didn''t look much better: There were red lines running across his skin and some ink stains on the right side while you could actually read some sentences on his left cheek. He looked like a complete lunatic.


    The lunatic leaped to his feet, ignored Niu Hai and ran to the door. He grasped Jing Yi by the shoulder and stared into his eyes. "Where''s the fire?"


    Jing Yi looked back, his own eyes wide. That senior''s eyes were completely blood-shot and there were dark circles beneath them. He probably hadn''t slept for a couple of nights. No wonder he tried to strangle the person who woke him up.


    "I ¡­ I haven''t seen any."


    "Hah? What do you mean you haven''t seen any?" The lunatic''s expression darkened.


    In the meantime, Niu Hai had finally made his way back over. Breathing heavily he grabbed Yue Lin''s shoulder and pulled him back. "Heh, Senior, calm down. I was just trying to wake you up. Nothing''s burning. That''s Jing He. He wants to join you alchemists." His expression clearly said that he didn''t think of that as a good idea.


    Jing Yi gulped. He also wasn''t sure anymore if that idea had been a good one. Maybe he should really have joined the practitioners?


    Yue Lin blinked and tried to take in Jing Yi''s appearance. His eyes weren''t really focused, though. After a minute of futile effort, his brows slowly rose and he seemed to wake up a bit more. "Eh, little Junior Martial Brother, you sure look like a hardworking person."


    "Uh ¡­ Thank you, Senior Martial Brother Yue." Jing Yi lowered his head. Somehow, this man''s gaze made him shudder.


    "Mn. How about ¡­ you help me out a bit as your first assignment?" He didn''t wait for an answer before he clutched Jing Yi''s hand and pulled him over to the desk. "Look at this. We have to work all those scrolls over."


    Jing Yi looked up at him and pressed his lips together. "Senior Martial Brother, I ¡­"


    "It''s alright, it''s alright!" Yue Lin blinked and tried to look less emaciated and more spirited. Unfortunately, he only managed to look even more like a madman. "You''ll see that it''s not that hard. And with the two of us, we''ll be done in no time!"


    "No, that''s not it. Senior Martial Brother, I don''t know how to read." He looked at the characters on Yue Lin''s cheek. To him, they were still only fancy decorations. Some misplaced fancy decorations.

 Chapter 220 - Becoming A Fringe Disciple

    The room was plunged into silence. Both Niu Hai and Yue Lin seemed lost.


    "What do you mean?", Yue Lin asked after a while and frowned. He must have heard wrong.


    "I said I don''t know how to read." Jing Yi lowered his head. Yes, even after spending five years as an outer sect disciple of the Yun Zou Sect and another year of traveling with Qiu Ling he still hadn''t learned how to read and write. He felt lacking. These Senior Martial Brothers would probably think of him as an annoyance now.


    Yue Lin slumped down in front of his desk. "Then how am I supposed to do all of this?!" He shoved the scrolls aside and threw a book at Niu Hai. "There, you register him and show him around. I''m going back to sleep." He put his head on the table again and closed his eyes.


    Niu Hai stared at the book in his hands then at Yue Lin. "Heh! Senior Yue! You can''t do this! How am I supposed to show him around? I don''t even know anything about this place!" He kicked the table but Yue Lin had already gone back to sleep and didn''t wake up.


    Niu Hai turned around to Jing Yi and smiled sheepishly. "Well, I guess we''ll just sign you up then?"


    "Oh, alright." Jing Yi nodded but took another look at Yue Lin. That Senior Martial Brother hadn''t seemed like he cared much. But he should probably try to learn how to read and write. Maybe Qiu Ling could teach him?


    Niu Hai thumbed through the book with a frown. He was just a normal official disciple. How should he know how a new disciple was registered? I guess you''d just have to write down his name somewhere? He opened the site that had last been written on and picked up Yue Lin''s brush. "Uh ¡­ How do you write your name?"


    "I''m also not sure but it''s Jing as in spirit and ¡­"


    Niu Hai wrote down the character and nodded. Jing Yi stopped, though. It was Yi as in righteousness. But now he wasn''t Jing Yi. He was supposed to be called Jing He. How should he know what that name actually meant? He thought of that graceful figure in the blue robe. Someone like him had probably been gifted with a really elegant name. "And ¡­ and He as in waterlily."


    Niu Hai looked up, his gaze strange. "Waterlily? Are you sure about that?"


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded but lowered his gaze. He hadn''t said anything wrong, had he?


    "Oh. Alright. Well, it suits you." He frowned when he wrote the name, though. Wasn''t that a name you''d give to a girl? Well, he couldn''t read so maybe he had gotten the character wrong or his parents hadn''t known either and had actually called him that. Poor boy. Maybe it was better that he couldn''t read.


    Jing Yi was still mulling over the name of that person and didn''t notice the peculiar gaze directed at him.


    "Alright." Niu Hai closed the book and put it down next to Yue Lin''s head, placing the brush on top. "Now you''re officially a disciple of the Alchemy division. You should keep at the back of your mind that you''re only a fringe disciple for now, though. If and when you can become an official disciple or even a direct disciple will depend on your own effort."


    Jing Yi frowned and follow Niu Hai out of the study. "Senior Martial Brother, I''m afraid I don''t really understand. I thought there were only the different divisions and no other distinction between disciples?"


    Niu Hai laughed and once again looped his arm around Jing Yi''s shoulder. "Ah, Junior Martial Brother, you still have a lot to learn. Naturally, it''s not that easy. Otherwise, people wouldn''t put in any work, would they?"


    Jing Yi didn''t know what to say. He couldn''t believe that somebody would slack off just because he got a higher status. Even in the Yun Zou Sect, the inner sect disciples had to work hard. Wouldn''t the other disciples leave them behind if they didn''t? And what about something like the Gathering of Practitioners? How would they perform if they didn''t take their practice or their cultivation seriously? He couldn''t believe that their status would change anything about that.


    "Well, you''re probably different." Niu Hai pulled him closer and smiled. It was obvious that he had some other intention but what could Jing Yi do?


    He smiled wryly and refrained from responding. He''d have to search for a new opportunity to get away from this guy. Really, he probably should have listened to Qiu Ling and stayed in the house Elder Shan had brought them to yesterday. Then again, he wouldn''t have found out about Hong Ai and Grandmaster Shen if he hadn''t met Niu Hai. He could probably endure spending a bit of time with him. He just had to make sure this guy didn''t go overboard.


    "Come with me. I''ll explain everything to you." Niu Hai wanted to pull Jing Yi along but this time, the cute little Junior Martial Brother actually tensed up and didn''t want to go.


    "Senior Martial Brother Niu, since I''m part of the Alchemy division now I should probably familiarize myself with this place first."


    "Oh, but I can''t show you around."


    Jing Yi lowered his gaze. It would be for the best if Niu Hai himself realized that he should leave him alone.


    "How about this? You come with me to our division first and I''ll explain everything. When we come back Senior Martial Brother Yue will certainly be awake again. Then he can show us around."


    Jing Yi grimaced. Us? And what kind of suggestion was this? "Wouldn''t it be better to wait here for another disciple of the Alchemy division? Senior Martial Brother Yue seemed quite busy."


    "That''s true." Niu Hai sighed. It seemed he couldn''t make this Junior Martial Brother leave with him. What a pity! "Then let''s sit down together, alright?" He pulled Jing Yi over to a stone bench and sat down next to him, holding his hand. There was a gentle smile on his lips that made Jing Yi shudder. Unfortunately, that only seemed to further Niu Hai''s interest. "Junior Martial Brother, are you feeling cold?"


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. This time, he really, really hoped that his fiance would turn up and make a scene. That way, he would probably be exempt from any further advances.

 Chapter 221 - Thwarting Evil Plans

    Qiu Ling was still in the Grandmaster''s estate at that time but instead of Jing Yi who had at least found something relevant to his mission, he felt like everything was a waste of time. He would have much rather stayed with his beloved even if they couldn''t continue what had been interrupted. And the most unfortunate thing was that nobody besides him seemed to feel any urgency.


    Elder Shan had been feeling like Qiu Ling was too slow when he brought him over to the Grandmaster''s estate. The person who wanted to see him was Grandmaster Shen, the most important personage in the whole faction! Could you let somebody like that wait for you? Especially when you were a new disciple that didn''t even have an official status yet. But this guy actually followed him with the pace of a snail. Every few steps he would turn around and gaze longingly at that building behind them as if he really couldn''t bear to part with his lover.


    Elder Shan was tempted to allow him to bring that boy but finally reconsidered. The Grandmaster wouldn''t be interested in someone who hadn''t even managed to attain the root stage. He only wanted to see the talent!


    Thus, Elder Shan could only speed up himself and hope that that young man would understand the message. Naturally, Qiu Ling didn''t bother about that. He knew the Elder wanted him to move faster but what did he care about that Grandmaster? He wanted to go back to his beloved! He still wanted to cuddle with him for a few hours before he got up and helped him accomplish that mission!


    Thus, he only followed him reluctantly until the building couldn''t be seen anymore. Like that the two of them needed a quarter of an hour for a distance that should have been accomplished in three. Elder Shan was already sweating profusely. Why was it so hard to bring this person to see the Grandmaster? He normally didn''t even have time to remind those talents of their manners before they reached the gates.


    In the end, there was nothing he could do about that. They had already needed that long. That couldn''t be changed. But at least he could go and explain to the Grandmaster. Thus, he stopped in front of the gate and turned to Qiu Ling. "Wait here. I''ll go and notify the Grandmaster that you''ve arrived."


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened. "You can''t be serious!" He had separated from his beloved with a heavy heart and now he was supposed to wait here while these two old men wanted to have a cozy chat? Over his dead body!


    Elder Shan felt dazed upon seeing Qiu Ling''s indignation. This guy that had slowed them down so much ¡­ Why was he now looking as if he couldn''t wait to see the Grandmaster? Damn this! Make up your mind already!


    Qiu Ling grew even more impatient when the Elder didn''t react. "What do you even need to notify him about? He was the one who asked to see me not the other way around."


    "That ¡ª" Elder Shan had never seen such a shameless disciple! What was he trying to say with that?


    "Let''s go." With the arrogance of the king of the dragon race, Qiu Ling just stepped past Elder Shan and entered the estate.


    The Elder stared dumbly for a moment. This ¡­ Had this really just happened? What was wrong with this disciple? No! He shook his head. This wasn''t the issue here! How could he just let him enter the Grandmaster''s estate?


    He hurried after him but was a step too late. Qiu Ling who felt like he should get it over with had hurried into the hall. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the person on the other side, though.


    How was this the old and ugly man he had imagined?! This guy was even worse than his master in the Yun Zou Sect! Damn! Had all these humans discovered a magical pill that could make them handsome?! This was getting ridiculous!


    Grandmaster Shen lifted his brows. He had talked about the new talent with Elder Shan the previous evening and had expected the two of them to come by this morning. Knowing Elder Shan he had just thought that he was running rather late but he never would have thought that that talent would appear alone.


    Even more astonishing was that young man''s expression, though. It had already seemed quite dark when he stepped inside but it got worse when their gaze met. It was as if this wasn''t a talent but rather someone he knew from his days as a simple disciple and whom he still owed a lot of money.


    "Is something the matter?"


    Qiu Ling frowned even more. This type of lazy tone ¡­ It could probably drive a lot of men and women crazy. This definitely wasn''t simple! Most likely this guy was really after his beloved!


    Shen An De continued to look at Qiu Ling. He really couldn''t fathom what was going on in that person''s mind. Had he really offended him somehow? "You there, what brought you here?" He gave an amicable smile in the hope of easing up the situation.


    Qiu Ling tensed up even more. This ¡­ He knew this person! That was the demonic-looking guy he had seen together with that servant girl! The one who looked a bit like that bastard Jin Ling!


    So in the end, this wasn''t a ploy to seduce his beloved but most likely one to get him killed!


    Qiu Ling''s hand twitched, prepared to draw his weapon and make sure that nothing would happen to his Jing He. But just then a heavily breathing Elder Shan stormed into the room, thwarting his plan to thwart that guy''s evil plan.

 Chapter 222 - The Only Available Link

    "Grandmaster Shen! Ah, the disciple ¡­ the new disciple ¡­ you wanted to see ¡­" Elder Shan took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "I brought him over."


    Shen An De gave an amused smile. So this was how it looked when the Elder brought someone over. "I see." So that was indeed the new disciple. That didn''t explain what kind of grudge this young man had against him, though. He had clearly felt some killing intent from him just now before Elder Shan had entered the room. Well, whatever. He''d just take it step by step. There might be a misunderstanding somewhere.


    "You might wonder why I''ve called you here."


    "No." The reply came prompt and was delivered in a flat tone and with a deadpan expression. This might prove to be a difficult conversation.


    Shen An De raised his brows again. "No?"


    "No. I know exactly why you''ve asked me here." Qiu Ling frowned. He''d have to be dumb not to notice. What did this guy take him for?


    Shen An De grew even more confused. If this disciple knew that he had taken an interest in him because of his talent, then why was he reacting like this? Shouldn''t he be happy instead? Ah, this was pretty interesting ¡­ "Oh, then do tell me about it. I''m curious just how much you know."


    "Hmph. It''s obviously because of that woman." Qiu Ling raised his chin, his gaze saying that he knew exactly what was going on.


    Grandmaster Shen had no idea what he was talking about, though. "That woman?"


    "Yes! Don''t think I wouldn''t know! I''ve seen you together when I came to get that fruit. You''re obviously in league with her!"


    Shen An De closed his eyes. This was just too much information at once. He needed a moment to sort everything. It seemed like this disciple had come to the sect to get a fruit even before he called him over. The fruit in question could only be one from the Beguiling Night Tree considering that that was one of the prized possessions of the Hei Dian Sect. Most likely that incident had even happened before he came to the sect officially since plucking the fruits was forbidden for the disciples and he hadn''t heard that one had gone missing. Besides himself and the Sect Master, only the Elder in charge of the Alchemy division had the rights to take them and he would report to him immediately if the fruits were used.


    Since the Elder kept a close eye on the tree to make sure nobody tried to circumvent this rule Shen An De had no problems guessing when this new disciple had stolen the fruit: It should have been roughly a year ago. Back then one fruit had disappeared without anyone noticing the thief.


    Furthermore, the day that the Elder reported the missing fruit to him was one day after he and Hong Ai had noticed that stranger creeping around who had uttered her sister''s name. So, the woman this disciple had seen him together with could only be his wife. Judging from his reaction back then it might be that he had mistaken her for her sister Hong Bao, though.


    Shen An De had no idea how those two should know each other and it might prove difficult to find out. For now, he could only ascertain that this man somehow seemed to have something against her and thought that she was planning something that he was helping with. The question was: What did he think they were up to and why?


    Shen An De crossed his legs and leaned back. This was indeed getting interesting. His sister-in-law couldn''t remember some years of her life even though she herself didn''t seem to miss any memories. The Chun Feng Sect that had taken her in hadn''t been able to find out anything and neither had he. If this man wasn''t connected to the Chun Feng Sect but knew her from before that ¡­ Wouldn''t that make him the key to figuring out what had happened to his sister-in-law? He had to make sure! Hong Ai had been worried sick because of her sister''s memory loss.


    "So, how did you get to that conclusion?"


    "Hmph. Do you think I''m dumb? She already tried to kill him once! And now you''ve lured me over to ¡ª" Qiu Ling stopped speaking and his eyes bulged. "Oh shit!" He turned on his heel and left, hurrying back to the building where Jing He was supposed to wait for him. He barged inside and ¡­ found it empty. His beloved wasn''t there. He had disappeared.


    Qiu Ling''s mind went blank. He felt like he heard the angry roar of the Heavenly Emperor again: ''Are you satisfied now? You nearly got our son killed!"


    It couldn''t be ¡­ Had he once again brought danger upon Jing He? But he had tried so hard not to interfere with his trial! No! It wasn''t his fault this time. This time it was purely that servant girl''s doing. She was obviously in league with that Grandmaster and the demons. Just take a look at that guy''s face! That guy was definitely connected to the demons!


    So, that bastard Jin Ling had probably found out about Jing He''s trial in the mortal world and now he was trying everything to make sure that Jing He wouldn''t be able to pass it. Then, wouldn''t he be punished by the heavenly law when he returned? The demons wouldn''t even need to do anything to Jing He himself! They could just wait and see. And hurting a mortal was so much easier than hurting a god. If they managed to kill him so that his trial would end sooner, then this plan would definitely succeed.


    Oh no ¡­ He had once again underestimated that despicable bastard. He had actually already managed to separate them and now he would certainly try to kill Jing He''s mortal reincarnation! No, he had to prevent this! He couldn''t let anything happen to him! He had to make sure Jing He could pass his trial in peace.

 Chapter 223 - Prying For Information

    Meanwhile, Grandmaster Shen had turned toward Elder Shan that was standing in the doorway, shaking like a leaf. In all his years as an Elder of the Hei Dian Sect, he had never seen such a disciple! No, it should be said that he had never seen such a daring person. Who had the guts to talk to the Grandmaster like that? Even seeing how the Grandmaster was looking at him right now elicited the urge to flee in Elder Shan.


    "Elder Shan." The Grandmaster narrowed his eyes while looking at the doorway. He had to make sure that he didn''t miss out on this opportunity. "What do you know about this new disciple?"


    "Uh, that ¡­ not ¡­ not much, Grandmaster."


    "Mn?" Shen An De slightly arched his brows.


    The Elder''s shaking got worse. As amicable as the Grandmaster looked, those who were old enough knew that he could be downright demonic if you got on his bad side. Elder Shan was old enough to have seen his fair share of the Grandmaster paying back grudges. "Well, he only arrived yesterday. As I''ve said before I didn''t have the time to ask anything. He brought his lover with him and asked for the dwellings almost immediately. I didn''t dare keep him back in case he really is as talented as he seemed."


    "You said he was a practitioner?"


    "Indeed and a highly talented one at that. At least it seemed that way when he demonstrated his strength yesterday."


    Grandmaster Shen nodded slowly and pensively tapped his knee. Although he hadn''t seen this disciple in action yet he had also thought that he was pretty good. At least he had had that aura about him that a lot Of highly talented practitioners shared.


    Mn. Looking at it that way it probably wasn''t surprising that this man might have something to do with his sister-in-law''s memory loss. At least he would have the power to erase her memory. Then again he shouldn''t have any reason to. Moreover, he hadn''t seemed like he knew that Hong Bao had lost her memory. Instead, it seemed like he carried a grudge against her because she had killed someone. That person ¡­ could it be the lover Elder Shan had mentioned?


    Grandmaster Shen looked at the Elder again. "That lover of his, what do you know about him?"


    Elder Shan shifted on the spot. Now that the Grandmaster seemed to have taken an interest in this manner he really felt like kicking himself. Why hadn''t he tried to pry for more information yesterday or asked some simple questions on the way to the estate? "There isn''t much to say about him. He seemed to be about sixteen or seventeen years of age but he had only attained the seed stage. There was nothing remarkable about him."


    "Then what did you think about their relationship? Did they seem close?"


    Elder Shan nodded. "As I said the first thing he asked about after being admitted to the sect were the dwellings. I thought they would be preoccupied for a few hours so I didn''t bring him over yesterday. Who knew that they would still be doing it when I came by this morning?"


    Grandmaster Shen raised his brows. If that was the case, this probably had to do with his lover. He couldn''t imagine why his sister-in-law would try to kill someone like that but that seemed to be the most likely case.


    "Was there anything else you noticed? Any details about them?"


    Elder Shan pondered everything that had happened since Qiu Ling and Jing Yi arrived at the sect grounds. It didn''t seem like he had forgotten to tell the Grandmaster anything. There were just the details of what these two had done in the morning and the Grandmaster certainly wouldn''t want to know about that. "Ah! There is one thing! I don''t know if it will help, though. His lover called him Qiu Ling."


    "Qiu Ling?" Grandmaster Shen frowned. He felt like he had heard that name before. He just couldn''t remember where.


    "Indeed. I''m sure that it was Qiu Ling." Elder Shan nervously stood in the doorway and looked up at the Grandmaster. He really didn''t know what to say more than that. That new disciple hadn''t been exactly forthcoming. In fact, it wouldn''t have been wrong to say that he had only mentioned what was required. This was probably the most difficult disciple he had ever encountered in his life.


    Grandmaster Shen nodded. "I see. You may go now. If you see him again ¡ª"


    Before the Grandmaster could finish his sentence a black-robed figure dashed into the hall once more, the expression on the young man''s face just as grim as before. This time he even held a sword in his hand and he looked like he was going to use it any moment now.


    "Where did you bring him?" Qiu Ling was fuming with anger. That bastard had actually managed to separate him and his beloved. He had to find him now before they could do anything to him. Rather than searching for Jing He himself, it would probably be much faster to just have this Grandmaster spill the beans directly.


    Grandmaster Shen raised his brows once more and stood up. He was a patient man but he wouldn''t tolerate someone waving a sword in the estate where he lived with his family. "I don''t mind fighting you but wouldn''t you think it better to talk this through instead?"


    "Hmph. What is there to talk about? You kidnapped Jing He! You better tell me now where you brought him or I don''t mind trashing this whole place!" He stared at the Grandmaster and gripped his weapon tighter. He certainly wouldn''t allow anyone to harm his Jing He! This guy had chosen the wrong opponent.


    Grandmaster Shen took out his own sword from his interspatial ring. He didn''t see any reason to fight this disciple but he didn''t mind testing how talented he really was. "Well then, let''s see if you are strong enough to demand an answer from me."


    Qiu Ling didn''t wait for his opponent to make a move. He dashed forward and brandished his sword while he called onto the wind at the same time. His thoughts were with his beloved, though. Just wait for me, Jing He, your fiance will soon be at your side again!


    He had no idea that his fiance was waiting for him on the other side of the chasm. Exactly like Jing Yi had no idea that his wish of Qiu Ling raising a fuss would be fulfilled in this way.

 Chapter 224 - He Sure Is Interesting

    Elder Shan watched in horror As Qiu Ling and Grandmaster Shen clashed. The energy that was released pushed him out of the hall and nearly toppled him. He had to stem his feet against the ground so as to not lose his balance. How could this disciple be described as a mere talent? He had actually managed to withstand one attack of the Grandmaster! Even if the Grandmaster hadn''t used his full strength, that was still much more than a lot of people could say about themselves! Even he himself wouldn''t dare claim that he would be able to do that!


    Elder Shan was in for a surprise, though: Qiu Ling naturally wasn''t satisfied with just defending. He was intent on giving this person no way out so that he would need to tell him where they had brought his poor beloved. He clenched his teeth and continued to slash at the Grandmaster.


    Shen An De frowned a little. He had expected this person to be good after what Elder Shan had said the previous day but he wouldn''t have expected him to be this good. He was entirely on the level of one of their Elders! In fact, he could just go and tell the Sect Master to exchange the Elder in charge of the division of blades with this youth and nobody would be able to raise a fuss as soon as they competed with him!


    "How old are you?"


    He was honestly interested in the answer to that question but Qiu Ling naturally misunderstood. "Are you mocking me?! I''ll show you!" He put on a burst of speed and tried driving this shameless bastard back. He, too, wasn''t using his full strength in face of the fact that the person in front of him was a mere human. He couldn''t hurt him too much or he wouldn''t be able to answer his questions anymore. How would he find Jing He then?


    The Grandmaster countered all of Qiu Ling''s attacks but didn''t initiate any of his own. He wanted to see how far this new disciple would go in order to save his lover. The two of them fought across the hall and back again without any of them gaining the upper hand. At least it seemed that way to Elder Shan. The longer he watched the more anxious he got. As unbelievable as it was, it seemed like Grandmaster Shen wasn''t able to win against this disciple. He had to do something!


    Elder Shan secretly raised his hand and channeled his Qi. A wall of earth sprang up behind Qiu Ling, attempting to trip him and provide an opportunity for Grandmaster Shen.


    Qiu Ling frowned and glanced at Elder Shan. Seriously? They really expected him to trip because of such a lousy magic trick? Tch. He''d show them! How dare they underestimate him?! He raised his hand and threw a spell at Elder Shan. The cultivator was thrown out of the hall once more. Qiu Ling smirked. Serves you right! He didn''t pay him any attention after that and turned back toward Grandmaster Shen, narrowing his eyes. You''ll be the next one!


    Before he had the chance to strike, Grandmaster Shen had lowered his weapon, though. "It seems you''re really as talented as Elder Shan said." In fact, he felt like this new disciple was even more talented but he wouldn''t admit to that in front of him lest he became complacent.


    "Who cares about that? Where''s Jing He?!" Qiu Ling glowered at him without lowering his weapon. This man wasn''t bad. He could probably attack him harder without having to fear that he would die. If he still didn''t want to talk ¡­


    "Jing He ¡­ That should be your lover''s name?" Shen An De smiled amicably. He still felt like everything was some kind of misunderstanding. That bubbly sister-in-law of his certainly wouldn''t kill anyone. Maybe someone had given this man false information and led him to believe that it was the fault of Hong Bao that his beloved had nearly come to harm. It was understandable that he was wary in that case. He himself would have reacted just the same had someone hurt his wife.


    "Don''t you dare pretend! Where did you bring him?"


    Shen An De sighed. He''d just take that as a yes. "I don''t know where he is. And neither I nor my wife or sister-in-law had anything to do with this. Are you sure someone kidnapped him? You just arrived yesterday. Maybe he just wanted to have a look around?"


    Qiu Ling paused but then shook his head fiercely. "Impossible! He promised me to wait until I''m back."


    Grandmaster Shen took a look at the Elder that somberly nodded. So that was indeed the case. This wasn''t good. It would be beneficial for the Hei Dian Sect to take in such a talent. If his lover came to harm shortly after arriving here, there wouldn''t be any opportunity for that, though. It was imperative that they found him as soon as possible!


    "Alright. Then we''ll help you search for him. Is there anything special about him that could help us to identify him?"


    Qiu Ling paused. Wait. Something special about his beloved that could help identify him? How could he have forgotten! His beloved carried the mark of the dragon! He just had to look for that and he would know instantly where his beloved was! Why hadn''t he thought of that immediately?


    Qiu Ling''s face fell. He had been too anxious before. He could only hope that nothing had happened to his beloved while he was wasting his time here.


    Without another word, Qiu Ling turned around and hurried out of the hall once more. Elder Shan and Grandmaster Shen looked at his leaving figure, unsure what had just happened.


    "This new disciple sure is interesting. I''ve never seen something like this."


    The Elder smiled wryly. He hadn''t seen something like this either but he would have preferred it if it stayed that way. The Grandmaster might still think it interesting now but what if he changed his opinion in a few days? He had admitted that troublemaker to the Sect! Wouldn''t he also be the one to blame if something even worse happened? Damn. In hindsight, he should have pretended not to be home yesterday then maybe this cup would have passed from him.

 Chapter 225 - A Challenge To A Duel

    The first thing Qiu Ling saw when he neared the place where he felt the dragon mark was a black-robed man who was trying to shamelessly take advantage of his beloved. Qiu Ling frowned, hurried over and picked the guy up by the collar before throwing him aside.


    "My love!" He sat down next to Jing Yi and gripped his hand, pulling him in for a kiss. "Mn, I missed you!"


    Jing Yi wanted to take a look at Niu Hai but Qiu Ling gripped his chin and turned his head back. Jing Yi sighed. "It hasn''t been that long, has it? Only a few hours."


    "Ah, just one hour without you is like an eternity in the darkest depth of hell. I feel terrible just thinking about it. Ah, my love, you have to heal me!"


    Jing Yi leaned forward and circled his neck. "And how would you have me do that?" He smiled indulgently. It wasn''t that hard to imagine what his fiance would ask of him.


    "With a kiss." Qiu Ling pressed Jing Yi''s hand against his chest and embraced his waist. "How about it?"


    Jing Yi cupped his cheek and lightly pecked his lips. "Better?"


    "A little. How about another one?"


    Jing Yi looked up into those dark eyes. "You won''t be satisfied even after another kiss, will you?"


    "You know me too well." Qiu Ling pulled him closer and this time, he didn''t let him pull back after just a peck. He held him gently and their lips met in a lingering kiss until both of them were short of breath.


    "You can''t complain now, can you?"


    "Mn. Aiya, let''s just make sure I''m alright." Qiu Ling bent forward but just then a blade was thrust in his direction. He spun around, lifted a hand and caught the weapon. It turned out the idiot he had thrown away had come back. "What, you still haven''t gotten enough?"


    "Who are you and what are you doing with Junior Martial Brother Jing?" Niu Hai frowned. This bastard! How dare he make a move on the cute junior in front of him!


    "Why do you care? It''s none of your business." Qiu Ling twisted his hand and the blade broke in half. "Hmph." Qiu Ling ignored him. He might pay a little attention to someone like that Grandmaster Shen but a human such as this wasn''t worth it. "Mn, my love, why didn''t you wait for me? Did I take too long?"


    Jing Yi sighed and turned to Niu Hai. "I''m sorry. This is ¡­ Long Jun. My fiance. He''s a little short-tempered sometimes."


    Qiu Ling''s eyes glittered. Ah, his beloved had actually introduced him as his fiance! Well, it was right that he did so since he was indeed his fiance but still! He felt so lucky right now!


    "Your ¡­ your fiance?!" Niu Hai''s expression derailed. The cute Junior Martial Brother actually had a fiance? This couldn''t be! "Since when?"


    "Uh ¡­ Last year?"


    Niu Hai staggered back. How was this possible? He had just fallen in love and now this happened! No, he couldn''t accept this!


    Niu Hai lifted his chin and tried to stare down at Qiu Ling. "You! I''m challenging you to a duel!"


    "On account of what?"


    "I don''t think you''re a match for Junior Martial Brother Jing. He''d be way happier with me. So I challenge you to a duel. If I win, you''ll leave him!"


    Qiu Ling blinked. Ah? He was being challenged to a duel over his beloved? He turned toward Jing Yi and silently observed his face. This was too strange. Even in the nine heavens, nobody had challenged him to a duel over Jing He. Why was it happening now?


    The gods would have stood a slight chance of winning against him at least, though he doubted that anyone other than Jing He''s uncle Qiang Yan, the god of war, would have been able to even manage a draw. And now a human actually had the guts to try something like this? This was too peculiar!


    Qiu Ling slowly turned around. He felt like smacking the guy to death just on account of the fact that he had delusions about his beloved but then again it might be more worthwhile to leverage this situation.


    "Alright. But ¡­ You see we just arrived here yesterday. I don''t know much about how duels are done here but I feel like we shouldn''t do it half-heartedly. If I duel you, I want the whole sect to watch!" That would teach all those idiots who thought they might be a match to his beloved a valuable lesson. Nobody would dare to think of his Jing He inappropriately after they saw his strength.


    "That''s alright with me!" Niu Hai smirked triumphantly and turned to Jing Yi. After he thoroughly humiliated this idiot this cute Junior would certainly leave that guy and choose him instead. "Don''t worry, Junior Martial Brother Jing, you''ll soon be freed of this bastard!"


    "Tch." Qiu Ling didn''t even give Jing Yi time to respond. "You''re taking the words right out of my mouth! My love!" He gripped Jing Yi''s hands again. "Don''t you worry. Whether it''s this idiot or anybody else I''ll make sure they won''t dare to bother you anymore in the future!"


    "Hmph! You just wait!" Niu Hai looked at their interlocked hands and frowned, then he turned around and stalked away, his fists clenched. He wouldn''t let that shameless bastard succeed. Those two still weren''t married. It wasn''t too late to open Jing He''s eyes to what type of person this so-called fiance of his was.


    He hurried back to the division of blades and recounted the whole story to his Martial Brothers.


    "So, you just have to wait for me to defeat that guy in the duel. Then I''ll bring back a cute Junior Martial Brother." He smiled smugly but the others just exchanged some doubtful glances.


    One of them unsheathed his sword and held it in front of Niu Hai. "Brother, grip onto this."


    "Huh? Why?"


    "Just do it."


    Niu Hai gripped the blade and looked at him questioningly.


    "Now, break it in two."


    Niu Hai glowered at him and let go. "What are you talking about? How would I be able to just break it in two?"


    "Exactly." The other sheathed his sword again and patted his shoulder with a sigh. "It was nice knowing you."


    The others nodded. "Yeah, it was."


    "Maybe you should train a bit more. If you''re lucky, he''ll just break your arms and legs and lets you live."


    "Heh, you!" Niu Hai slapped the hands patting him in consolation away. "What are you talking about? Who says he''ll win?"


    The first of his brothers sighed again. "Isn''t it obvious? That guy just casually broke your blade while you yourself know that you can''t do it. He''s obviously at a much higher stage than you. Unfortunately, it''s too late to take it back now. You''ll have to compete and I doubt he''ll let you off lightly after you dared to go after his fiance and then challenged him in front of the boy. If it was me, I''d definitely mop the floor with you when it''s time for the duel."


    The others nodded again. "Yeah. I''d totally make an example out of you to warn all those other idiots out there."


    "Woah, Brother Niu, you''re going to be famous soon."


    Another round of shoulder patting started but this time Niu Hai didn''t have the strength to slap them away. Shit. He had actually thought he could flatten that guy since he was new. Who would have thought it would actually be the other way around? It seemed this time he had really brought trouble upon himself.

 Chapter 226 - The Reason We Came Here

    Jing Yi looked at Niu Hai''s leaving figure and sighed. "Did you really have to accept that challenge?"


    "Why not? You don''t have to be afraid. I''ll definitely win!" Qiu Ling conveniently picked up Jing Yi and pulled him onto his lap.


    Jing Yi wanted to chastise him but decided against it in the end. This guy, he wouldn''t stop doing these things just because he asked. "That''s not it." He looked around but nobody could be seen. It should be safe talking here, shouldn''t it? Just in case, he leaned a little closer until his lips were right next to Qiu Ling''s ear. "You haven''t forgotten why we''re here, have you?"


    Qiu Ling stared ahead. Don''t ask him what his beloved had just said. He only knew that Jing He was really, really close to him right now and that he had initiated this by himself. So ¡­ Was his beloved giving him some signs? Did he want to continue what they had been doing this morning?


    He seriously pondered this question and finally decided that it was most probably the case. "I love you, too!" He hugged his waist and wanted to kiss him but the familiar feeling of a palm on his face stopped him. "Ugh. Why are you doing this to me?"


    "Did you even listen to me?" Jing Yi tried to wriggle out of Qiu Ling''s grasp but his fiance naturally held him tightly.


    "I did! You ¡­ You were saying you wanted to continue where we left off this morning!"


    Jing Yi sighed and leaned his head against Qiu Ling''s shoulder. "What am I going to do with you? You''re ¡­ you''re doing whatever you want. Don''t you feel ashamed at all?"


    "No. Why should I?" Qiu Ling tilted his head and tried to look into his face.


    "You''re shameless."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling pursed his lips. He didn''t think that he was shameless at all. Well, maybe a bit ¡­ "You know, my love, as long as I can get you that way, I don''t mind being shameless at all."


    "So now you''re a flirt, too."


    Qiu Ling stopped talking. He felt like he wouldn''t give a good impression if he continued.


    "I was asking you if you had forgotten why we''ve come here."


    "I came here because you weren''t at the house anymore."


    "I mean why we came to the Hei Dian Sect. We have a mission. If you duel someone in front of the whole sect, that isn''t exactly low-profile. Even if it doesn''t impede the mission, what would you do after returning home? If you make yourself known as a disciple of the Hei Dian Sect, it''ll be hard to shake that impression."


    Qiu Ling looked up at the sky. His beloved wasn''t completely wrong with that. He couldn''t ruin his image. After all, it would ruin the image of his fiance, too.


    "Then what do we do? It''s not like I can just opt out of the duel." He frowned. Damn, he should have thought about that earlier.


    "I also don''t know. Ah, right, I already found out from Niu Hai that one of the missing disciples is the wife of Grandmaster Shen. You were just called to him. Were you able to find out anything?"


    Qiu Ling looked away. "Not really." He certainly couldn''t tell his beloved that he had run away twice because of him and fought with the Grandmaster in the meantime. Wouldn''t Jing He get angry at him?


    Jing Yi naturally would. But even though Qiu Ling didn''t tell him, he sighed. "I''m afraid I''ve already given us away this morning. I called you by your name while that Elder Shan was standing outside. What if they figure it out?"


    Qiu Ling slowly stroked his back. "Don''t worry about that." He narrowed his eyes and stared at one of the buildings opposite them. He hadn''t been the dragon king all this time for nothing. If he wanted to, he could be pretty shrewd. And paired with the shamelessness he had developed to pursue Jing He ¡­ Hmph. Such a small problem wouldn''t stump him.


    "Just leave it to me. I''ll find a satisfactory explanation. For the time being, just try to get used to calling me Long Jun. If you slip up a few times, it won''t be a problem. In fact, it''ll probably make it more believable."


    "Just what are you planning?"


    Qiu Ling smiled, bent down and gave him a smack on the lips. "Don''t you worry about that. I''ll take care of it. You''ll be impressed!" Qiu Ling''s smile grew even wider. "My love ¡­ when you''re impressed, how about rewarding me then?"


    "Remind me when it''s time."


    "Mn. I will."


    Jing Yi sighed and patted his fiance''s chest. "Alright. We should have a look around now. Niu Hai showed me most things already but I haven''t seen what it''s inside of the different divisions. Ah, right, you don''t know yet. I let him enlist me for the Alchemy division. If you really find an explanation for that thing about your name, then I''ll be able to learn a lot. So, if you get hurt in the future I''ll be able to help you."


    "Mn. I''ll try to get hurt more often."


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and repressed another sigh. Honestly, what was Qiu Ling thinking? "You don''t have to. Actually, I''d be especially happy if I never had to use the things I learn here."


    "Alright. Then I won''t get hurt." Qiu Ling was actually a bit relieved. After all, it wasn''t that easy for a dragon to be hurt. Fulfilling that wish of his beloved would have been a problem. "So, how about we take a look at that ¡­ division together? You can tell me what it''s all about while we''re at it."


    "Mn. Then come on." Jing Yi got down from Qiu Ling''s lap and they started to circle the estate of the Alchemy division while he slowly recounted everything he had found out from Niu Hai.


    By the time they got back to the entrance, he felt like they had made a lot of progress considering that this was their first day. They had managed to find their place in the Hei Dian Sect and actually found the first clue for their mission. They only needed to follow up on it and this mission would probably be accomplished soon. The only thing he still worried about was that upcoming duel. Well, at least it was still a few days until then. They could make preparations.


    Jing Yi probably would have been more worried if he knew that they weren''t the only ones making preparations. Even more so if he knew that these preparations might be able to separate him and Qiu Ling for a long, long time.

 Chapter 227 - The Demon And The Dragon King

    In another part of the Hei Dian Sect, Elder Shan was pacing up and down in his room. The Grandmaster hadn''t given him a task officially but he had still felt like he was supposed to find out more about that new disciple and his lover. After all, the amount of information he had been able to provide before was pitiful. He had to make up for that!


    He called his youngest disciple over and sat down, trying to look like a dignified Elder. "Xiao Li, I have a mission for you. It''s not that hard but very important to our Hei Dian Sect. Yesterday, two new disciples arrived here. We need as much information about them as possible, preferably without them knowing."


    "Mn. I''ll take care of it, Master."


    "Good. I know I can count on you. The only information I can give you is that they are lovers and one of them seems to be called Qiu Ling. You''ll have to find out everything else by yourself."


    "Qiu Ling?" The disciple tilted his head and frowned. It couldn''t be ¡­ No, this had to be a coincidence.


    Elder Shan raised his brows. "Oh? Have you heard of him?"


    "No, probably not. I just felt that ¡­ this name sounded a bit familiar."


    Elder Shan frowned. The Grandmaster had said the same thing. That certainly wasn''t a coincidence. "Then maybe you should start from there."


    "Mn." The disciple nodded. "Then I''ll take my leave."


    "Do that." Elder Shan waved him away and continued to ponder. There had to be something special about that person if two people felt like they had heard the name before. Could it be that he had been a famous wandering practitioner before? Ah, no, he probably wasn''t just a practitioner but also a cultivator. After all, he had used his Qi to attack him back in the hall. Yes, such a person would very naturally become famous. It wouldn''t be a surprise if even the Grandmaster had heard about someone like that.


    Meanwhile, his disciple had already gone to the Hei Dian Sect''s entrance to inquire about Qiu Ling and Jing Yi.


    "So, he actually attacked you?" Xiao Li examined the two disciples in front of him. He didn''t look particularly worried about the fact that someone had attacked the guarding disciples upon his arrival.


    "Yes! We were only freed when the others came to take over in the morning. What if there had been an attack that day?"


    "Yeah! That guy is too irresponsible! How could they make him a disciple?"


    "Is there anything else you noticed?"


    The disciples grumbled when they noticed that Xiao Li didn''t care about their plight. "What''s there to notice? We hadn''t seen them before. They just came up to us, attacked us and marched right in. Both were wearing black robes and the taller guy seemed quite strong."


    "Oh. It seems like they were lovers."


    "I see." Xiao Li ignored the two, turned around and searched for the disciples that had been guarding on the inside. Unfortunately, those two also couldn''t tell him anything. Now, how was he supposed to find this guy?


    Yes, he was only interested in Qiu Ling, though he wouldn''t mind finding out a bit about his lover. He stepped to the side and crossed his arms.


    I have to at least find out if that new disciple is indeed that person. If he is and I provide His Majesty with this information, then he would certainly let me leave this god-forsaken place. But how do I find out? There aren''t any leads.


    He frowned. He knew next to nothing. With just that name he couldn''t go to report. If it turned out to be wrong, then he would never get another chance. No, he had to make sure that it was indeed the right person. Seeing him would be enough. But where to go?


    Xiao Li suddenly jerked. Right! That so-called Master of his wouldn''t have given him the task of finding out more if the sect wasn''t valuing that person''s talent. Thus, they would certainly provide him and his lover with the best lodging. The most likely ones were those buildings not far from Elder Shan''s own house. They would sooner or later return there. So, if he just waited close by then he would be able to see him with his own eyes.


    Xiao Li hurried over. There weren''t many of these houses in the sect and most of them were occupied by the Elders. Only a few chosen disciples would have the honor to occupy one of them. Even he as a so-called direct disciple of Elder Shan hadn''t gotten the opportunity. If they really let that Qiu Ling live there, then that would show that they were valuing him greatly. Especially since he was a new disciple.


    Xiao Li sat down on a stone bench that was situated behind a scrub. He could see the path leading up to the houses in the vicinity from there but the people who came wouldn''t see him immediately. It should be enough for a quick glance.


    Unfortunately, he could do nothing but wait and his target didn''t seem like he wanted to show up. After two hours of futile waiting, he couldn''t help but frown. Maybe he had gotten it wrong and the sect hadn''t actually given him one of the houses yet but had just taken a general interest in him? Or maybe they had but it wasn''t one of those situated in the cave but rather up on the mountain? Or maybe that guy was inside and wouldn''t come out until tomorrow?


    He slowly grew anxious. This was most likely his only chance to leave this place and get himself a place in court. He couldn''t mess up!


    He agonized over what to do but just when he stood up to go and take a look at the other dwellings he noticed the sound of steps from the pathway. He hurriedly sat down again so as to not draw attention onto him and peeked through the branches of the scrub.


    Indeed. Two men in black robes were coming up the path. Or rather there was a man that seemed to be in his late twenties that led a boy of about sixteen or seventeen years of age forward. He had hugged his waist and was completely focused on him, not caring about the path in front of them or their surroundings at all.


    Xiao Li smiled sinisterly. This man, he was so obviously not human that there was no reason to doubt his initial idea anymore. This person was indeed that Qiu Ling, the king of the dragon race.


    Qiu Ling suddenly halted and his gaze flitted to the shrub not far from them. Someone was observing his beloved and that person obviously had ulterior motives! He could feel it even from this distance!


    "Long Jun, what is it?" Jing Yi looked over, too, but he couldn''t see anything. Unfortunately, now that he had finally remembered to call Qiu Ling by his alias that was exactly what made Xiao Li completely sure of his inference.


    Which non-human in his right mind would dare to let himself be called Longjun? He was right! He had to go and tell His Majesty right away!


    Before Xiao Li could take even one step a black-robed figure appeared in front of him. Qiu Ling just wanted to catch the person with the bad intentions toward his beloved but as soon as he stood in front of Xiao Li his expression shifted. "Demon!" He didn''t even unsheathe his weapon but just clawed at him right away.


    His nails formed into claws and his hands seemed to have struck but before he could injure him the body transformed into a cloud of black smoke and flew away. Qiu Ling cursed.


    Damn this! So I was indeed right. The demons are after Jing He! He clenched his fists not caring one bit that his claws were digging right into his palms. Only when Jing Yi gripped his hand did he come out of his thoughts.


    "Long Jun! What happened to your hand?! Who was there?" Jing Yi looked up at him with an anxious expression. It seemed like his imprudence had really led to his fiance being injured. "I''m sorry. This is all my fault."


    Qiu Ling sighed. "It''s not. This ¡­ You''re the least responsible for all this." He looked at the spot where that person had vanished and frowned. In fact, he rather felt that it was his fault.

 Chapter 228 - Meeting The King

    Far away from the Hei Dian Sect, in one of the immortal realms, a black cloud of smoke appeared and formed the figure of a young man. He wanted to hurry up the stairs in front of him but the guards lazily glanced at him and extended their weapons to stop him.


    "Let me through."


    "This is the king''s palace. Not everyone can just come and go as he wants."


    Xiao Li gritted his teeth. "I have important information for His Majesty."


    "Sure. I also have some important information. Maybe I should go and tell him?" The guard looked at the one stationed on the other side and smirked.


    "I wouldn''t try it if I were you. His Majesty has such a bad temper. Well, it might work if you were handsome. Hahah."


    The guard stopped smirking. "I am handsome."


    "Sure. You''re as handsome as a langur." The two of them looked at each other.


    "That ¡­ What''s that supposed to mean?" The first guard frowned and gripped his weapon tighter.


    The other guard and Xiao Li both gave him a measuring look. He had tanned skin and a head full of silvery-white hair. Did he really have to ask?


    Xiao Li coughed. "So, can I see His Majesty now?"


    "Of course not!", the guard snapped at him before turning to the side once more. "What did you mean with that, huh?"


    "What are you talking about? I just agreed. You''re handsome. Isn''t that great? And you should leave!", he said to Xiao Li to divert the topic.


    "I''m a spy from the human realm. I have to tell His Majesty what I found out."


    The guards stopped their dispute, even though the guy with the white hair didn''t look happy about it. They both turned to Xiao Li. "Did His Majesty call for you to report?", asked the first one, his tone lazy. He really had enough of these guys trying to curry favor with His Majesty. Who would get the trouble if His Majesty felt disturbed? That was certainly him! He certainly wouldn''t risk that.


    "He didn''t but this is about the dragons. He''ll certainly want to know." Xiao Li lowered his head. "Why don''t you just ask if he''s interested in what I have to say? If he isn''t, I''ll leave at once. And if he is ¡­ wouldn''t it also be to your advantage?"


    "Hmph." The second guard snorted. "Do You have any idea how many people already tried to use that on us? And a lot of them were more handsome."


    The first one furrowed his brow, though. He''d think exactly the same, normally, but if this was indeed about the dragons ¡­ His Majesty would probably be interested. After all, he hated the dragon king with passion. The guard smiled at Xiao Li. "Alright. I''ll go and see what he says. Wait a bit." He turned around and entered the palace while the other guard watched him in confusion. He couldn''t help asking himself if he hadn''t thought of something important and thus wasted a chance right now.


    "Your Majesty." The white-haired guard knelt down in the hall and cupped his fists.


    "What is it?"


    "There''s a man at the gates claiming to be a spy stationed in the human realm. He said he has information regarding the dragon race. Should we let him in or ¡­?"


    "The dragon race?" The demon king furrowed his brows. Why would there be any information on them from someone in the human realm?


    "Mn. He said so."


    "Alright. Show him in."


    "As you wish." The guard stood up, bowed and left the hall. With a smug smile, he waved at Xiao Li. Even if the king hadn''t said anything he probably would have remembered him. "You were better saying the truth or His Majesty will certainly kill you."


    Xiao Li nodded and went inside. He took one look at the man on the opposite side of the hall before he hurriedly knelt down. He had never before seen the king but he knew that this man wasn''t one he could just blatantly stare at if he liked.


    "You said you had information on the dragon race?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty. I''m stationed at the human realm''s Hei Dian Sect. Yesterday, they took in a new disciple that turned out to be from the dragon race."


    "Mn. I see." The king didn''t seem interested at all. Indeed. What did he care for some dragon? Maybe that guy was taking his stay in the human realm as some kind of vacation. It wasn''t anything he wanted to concern himself with. "You may go now."


    Xiao Li smiled. He had expected as much. "Your Majesty, that person wasn''t just anyone."


    "Oh?" The king leaned to the side, slightly shifting his hand. His patience was already wearing thin.


    Xiao Li gulped. If he didn''t say it now, he probably wouldn''t be able to say anything ever again. "That person was actually Qiu Ling, the dragon race''s king."


    "Qiu Ling?" The king sat up straight and his eyes widened a bit. So it turned out to be that bastard! "What is he doing there?"


    "I came as soon as I confirmed it was him so I am unable to say for sure. I only know that he let them admit him and a human boy into the sect. That person with him seemed to be his lover but he isn''t very powerful, so the sect didn''t take any interest in him. They are only interested in that Qiu Ling."


    "Is that so?" The demon king smiled. "Alright. You did well. It was the right thing to do to inform me."


    Xiao Li bowed even further. "It is my honor to ¡ª"


    "Yes, yes. Cut that out. I have something to do for you."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "You will go back and find out everything you can about that lover of his. I want to know who he is, where he came from, what kind of strengths and weaknesses he has and I want to know everything about their relationship."


    Xiao Li nodded. He hadn''t expected that it would be easy to get back into the court. Getting this kind of outcome was already really good. If he provided the king with all that information, then his dream might be achieved.


    "Alright. Go now."


    Xiao Li nodded but didn''t go. "Then about what I was doing before ¡­"


    "Concentrate completely on this assignment. Whatever you were doing before, it isn''t as important as this. Here." He threw over a badge for a mission. "Find someone to take over what you were doing before. If you need further help, then come and get it."


    "Yes." Xiao Li stood up, bowed and left the hall with a grin. This had really gone way better than expected.


    Inside, the demon king stood up and paced around in front of his throne.


    "So it turns out you have gone to the mortal world and gotten yourself a lover. And here I thought you were so much in love with the son of heaven." Jin Ling smiled. "Well, whoever it is, I''ll make sure you won''t be happy with him for long."

 Chapter 229 - He Couldn’t Decide

    "Honestly, what happened out there?" Jing Yi hurriedly bandaged Qiu Ling''s wound. He really felt that it was a pity that he hadn''t been able to learn anything about alchemy yet. Maybe he could have done more for him?


    "Don''t worry about that."


    Jing Yi sighed and gripped Qiu Ling''s uninjured hand. "Long Jun. I''m your fiance. Don''t you feel that that is someone you should share your troubles with? And don''t say there isn''t anything troubling you. I can see it. It looks a bit ¡­" He lowered his head and gazed at Qiu Ling''s hand in his instead. "It looks like back then, in your inner self. You have that same expression right now."


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes. Damn. He really couldn''t pretend in front of this version of Jing He. Was he really more observant than Jing He''s immortal self? Or could it be that Jing He had just pretended not to notice because he himself had things he didn''t want to talk about?


    Ah, Jing He, I''d like to go up and ask you about it. Maybe I''d be surprised by your answer.


    "It''s not that bad. It''s just ¡­ There was somebody hiding over there who shouldn''t have been here in the Hei Dian Sect and I''m afraid ¡­ this might have something to do with me."


    Jing Yi pondered and finally looked up at Qiu Ling''s face again. "Is it ¡­ about your mother''s family?"


    Qiu Ling took back his hand, stood up and paced through the room. He really wanted to run away from this conversation but he had told himself that he should tell Jing He''s mortal reincarnation as much as he could. As his fiance, he was entitled to that knowledge just like Jing He''s immortal self was. He had missed talking about it in the Nine Heavens so he couldn''t ignore it now.


    "You could probably say that. It''s more complicated than that, though. I guess the simplest way to explain it would probably be to compare it to the sects or maybe even better this country. You know I''m not from here, don''t you?" He turned back around and looked at Jing Yi questioningly.


    "I figured as much."


    "Mn. Well, as I''ve told you back then, I originally grew up in the capital of our kingdom. You could even say I spent half my childhood at the royal court. My father was the king''s right-hand man, after all. The man my mother had fallen in love with was from another kingdom. In fact, he was that other kingdom''s sovereign and one who felt like he had the right to our kingdom''s throne."


    "So all of what happened to your family back then was because he wanted to take over the kingdom. It didn''t work, though, or did it?"


    "No, you''re right. It didn''t. They managed to ¡­ kill the old king, though." Qiu Ling turned away before his guilty conscience could give him away.


    The old geezer probably had his reasons for fleeing the dragon realm. He certainly needed the rest here in the mortal realm to heal the injury the soul-devouring dagger had caused him. It was a miracle anyway that he was still alive after being injured with that thing. As far as Qiu Ling knew nobody else had ever managed to live through that. He really was curious how he had done it ¡­


    Anyway, he couldn''t tell Jing He. The fewer people knew the better. In fact, it would be for the best if the only ones who knew of that would be the old geezer, that human Grandmaster from the Yun Zou Sect and he himself. Like that nobody would be able to inadvertently give the information away.


    Qiu Ling stared at the window and tried to convince himself of this noble reason. In the end, he closed his eyes and cursed inwardly. Alright. He was just afraid that he would have an even harder time to marry Jing He when that old geezer took back his throne. What type of status would he have then? What would he use to convince that Heavenly Emperor to take him in as his son-in-law? ''I''m the best warrior in the dragon race'' probably wouldn''t be enough even if the Heavenly Emperor would certainly love to have someone capable guard his son.


    "And this person today had something to do with that other kingdom?"


    Qiu Ling emerged from his thoughts and nodded. "Yes, he was. Knowing them they have some sort of plan and it won''t be anything good. I''m afraid they''ll try to hurt you."


    "Why would they? I''m not important at all to your kingdom."


    Qiu Ling pressed his lips together. Alright, here it was. Lies soon catch up with one. "You ¡­ You''re important to me."


    "But you just said the old king is already dead and so is your father, as well as your mother. Why would they still pay attention to you?"


    "Uh ¡­ I guess ¡­" Qiu Ling pondered on a good excuse but came up empty-handed. He should probably say at least half of the truth. "Well, you could say I do have some connection to the new royal court."


    "Hah?" Jing Yi stood up and went over to him. "What do you mean?"


    "Well, after the old king died they naturally needed a new one. His old retainers kind of ¡­ retired or had died in the war already so with the new king came new followers, too."


    "So you''re tied to the current king."


    "You could say that, yes." Actually, I''m the king myself but most likely you wouldn''t take that so well.


    Jing Yi turned around and sat down once more. He folded his palms in his lap and stared at them. His fiance ¡­ was actually tied to the royal court.


    "Jing''er ¡­" Qiu Ling slowly went over and took his hands. "Why aren''t you saying anything?"


    "I just ¡­ need a bit of time to process this."


    "Oh. Alright." Qiu Ling sat down next to him and waited. He could only congratulate himself that he had been intelligent enough to hide the fact that he himself was the king.


    In the end, Jing Yi sighed. The longer he had thought about it, the less he felt that it was surprising. Qiu Ling had seen his father work closely together with the king. Even though their relationship had deteriorated, he certainly understood after what had happened with his mother that it hadn''t been the king''s fault and that he had, in fact, just tried to save his follower and friend.


    Following in the footsteps of his father through building a relationship with the new king was probably to be expected. "You''ve been here for a long time already. That one year traveling with me, the five years in the Yun Zou Sect before ¡­ Won''t the king need you at his side?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "It''ll be alright without me for a while." After all, time was running differently in the immortal realms. The six years Jing Yi was worried about weren''t even a week back in the dragon realm. And, honestly, he had been notably absent even before following Jing He down to the mortal world. His subjects probably expected this from him.


    "You don''t have to worry." Jing Yi gently touched Qiu Ling''s arm. "I''ve nearly broken through to the root stage so I''m not totally helpless anymore. And hasn''t your Master given me that cultivation manual? I''ll certainly become stronger with that! So, you don''t have to worry about me."


    "I know." Qiu Ling lightly pecked Jing Yi''s cheek. "Right. That book, I still have it." Then, he took out the manual the Grandmaster had given Jing Yi and handed it over. Ah, his beloved wouldn''t need this thing anyway. From now on he wouldn''t leave his side for even a moment.


    Jing Yi opened the manual and smiled wryly before giving it back.


    "What is it?" Qiu Ling was a little taken aback. Even if his beloved trusted in him and his ability to protect him, shouldn''t he still show at least a bit enthusiasm for this? He had always wanted to become a hero, after all!


    Jing Yi sighed. "It''s probably nice. It''s just that ¡­ I still don''t know how to read."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling looked at the book in his hands. He couldn''t decide immediately if this thing was an eyesore that dared to dampen his beloved''s mood or a heaven-sent tool to further their relationship.


    Mn, probably the latter.

 Chapter 230 - Spending Time With His Fiance

    Qiu Ling looked at the book and hurriedly stuffed it back into Jing Yi''s hands. This was his chance! "Ah, don''t worry about that, my love. I''ll teach you!"


    Jing Yi observed Qiu Ling''s sparkling eyes and had a bad premonition. He really wanted to learn how to read and write but he suddenly felt that he might want to find another teacher. His fiance had obviously planned something fishy.


    Qiu Ling naturally saw his hesitation. He hurriedly grabbed his shoulders and tried to look serious. "My love, think of it this way: I could just read this manual to you but what about later? When you''re learning how to do that alchemy-thing you''ll probably need to read, too. What will you do then?"


    Jing Yi sighed. Qiu Ling was right. How could he become an Alchemist if he didn''t even know how to read? Considering what they had seen when they looked around the Alchemy division earlier that was something he definitely had to know.


    "Alright. Teach me."


    Qiu Ling nodded eagerly and took out a scroll of paper, some ink, and a brush and sat down to work. Jing Yi lifted his brows. His fiance seemed extremely motivated to work. Maybe he had worried without reason?


    Qiu Ling wrote down three characters with great concentration before carefully blowing the ink dry and turning around to Jing Yi with the scroll in his hand. His expression clearly said ''Look! Aren''t I the most awesome fiance you could ever find? I put in so much effort into this. Tell me I did great!''


    Jing Yi smiled. "Alright. What does it mean?"


    Qiu Ling reciprocated his smile and pointed at the first character. "This means ''I''. This one means ''love''." Qiu Ling''s finger proceeded to the next character and finally stopped at the third one. "And the last one means ''you''." Qiu Ling smiled happily and showed off the scroll.


    Jing Yi put a hand to his brow and sighed. His misgivings really had come true.


    Qiu Ling stood up and came over to sit next to Jing Yi. "Why aren''t you saying anything? Don''t you think those three characters are pretty important? You''ll definitely need them."


    Jing Yi only smiled. At the very least, Qiu Ling had written down three characters. It would probably be for the best if he just indulged him for a while and learned how to write these three characters first. It was better than nothing.


    He stood up, went over to the table and sat down while picking up the brush. "Let me have a look at that." He nodded at the scroll in Qiu Ling''s hands. His fiance came over obediently and put the scroll down in front of him while taking out another piece of paper.


    Jing Yi dipped the tip of the brush into the ink and started copying the characters stroke by stroke. Halfway through, Qiu Ling sat down next to him and observed excitedly. Finally, Jing Yi put down the brush.


    Qiu Ling immediately gripped his hands. "You did well, my love. Now, how about we practice reading?"


    Jing Yi nearly laughed out loud. He raised a hand and stroked Qiu Ling''s cheek. "No need to practice. I think I already know what this means." He leaned forward and kissed Qiu Ling''s lips. "I love you", he whispered.


    Qiu Ling beamed. Teaching his beloved how to read and write didn''t seem like such a bad idea. Now that he had gotten his way it was probably time to get serious, though. After all, it couldn''t be that the son of heaven''s mortal reincarnation was unable to read or write.


    Qiu Ling fetched the cultivation manual from the bed and opened the first page. "It might be better to start with easy words but I guess you won''t have much use for them. So how about practicing with the words inside this thing?"


    Jing Yi nodded. He was grateful that Qiu Ling truly intended to help him and wasn''t just using this to his own advantage.


    "Let''s see ¡­" Qiu Ling skimmed the text. He had no idea whatsoever what human cultivation was about. It seemed that this part of the text was only a general introduction of some sort, though.


    He picked out one of the characters and copied it onto the scroll. "This one means ''heaven''."


    "Heaven." Jing Yi took the brush from Qiu Ling''s hands and copied the word.


    He looked at the different strokes and tried to memorize them. It wasn''t that easy though. He had never had much to do with characters. Disregarding the names written on the plaques about the gates of some estates in the capital he probably hadn''t seen any at all. Being asked to memorize several of them so suddenly he wasn''t able to adapt.


    Jing Yi sighed. He put down the brush and studied the characters some more. "This won''t be easy."


    Qiu Ling nodded and silently put a hand on Jing Yi''s shoulder. "It won''t. But we''ve got a lot of time and I''ll teach you whatever you want. So don''t feel pressured. It''s not like you''d have to be able to write perfectly tomorrow." He kissed Jing Yi''s cheek, picked up the brush and handed it to him again. "Just try again. The more you practice the easier it''ll get."


    Jing Yi smiled and pulled himself together. His fiance was taking this rather seriously. He couldn''t disappoint him. "You''re right."


    The two of them continued with their practice until the sky outside grew dark. Qiu Ling put away the brash and paper and hugged Jing Yi to his chest. "Alright, that''s enough for today. Let''s continue tomorrow."


    Jing Yi yawned and snuggled up to Qiu Ling. He, too, thought that it was time to stop. "Considering that I was completely illiterate this morning I''ve learned a lot. It''s just that ¡­ If we continue at this pace, then it''ll probably take years until I''m able to read the manual the Grandmaster gave me."


    Qiu Ling couldn''t disagree. Even after working some hours Jing Yi was only able to recognize ten characters. Considering how complicated the cultivation manual was it would really need several years to learn enough words to even understand the gist of it. "Well, just because you''re slowly learning how to read now you don''t have to do everything by yourself. I can still read it to you."


    Jing Yi lifted his brows. "You want to read the whole manual to me?"


    Qiu Ling shrugged. "Why not?"


    "Well, it''ll take a lot of time. And you''d be pretty busy with teaching me how to read and write already. Wouldn''t that be too much? When would you have the time for your own practice then?"


    Qiu Ling just smiled. "I don''t think there''s much they can teach me here anyway. So, isn''t it better to spend some time with my fiance? And do something useful?"


    Jing Yi somehow felt like the last question had only been added for his sake. Well, whatever. As long as Qiu Ling was happy it should be alright.

 Chapter 231 - A New Mission

    In the end, Qiu Ling didn''t start reading the cultivation manual to Jing Yi immediately. The two of them had been traveling for a long time and even though they had a good night''s sleep the day before Jing Yi still wasn''t at his best. It wouldn''t be of much use if he tried to learn the cultivation technique in that kind of condition. Thus, the two of them went to sleep instead.


    The next morning, Jing Yi was once again greeted with the sight of Qiu Ling''s sleeping face. He smiled and took a moment to admire his fiance. You could say what you wanted about Qiu Ling but he really was handsome. In fact, thinking back to all the people Jing Yi had seen until now he felt that Qiu Ling was the most handsome. There were many good-looking cultivators and practitioners in the Yun Zou Sect, as well as in the Hei Dian Sect, but none of them came even close to Qiu Ling. He really was lucky having met such a man. Especially since his looks weren''t his only good point.


    Jing Yi thought back to the previous day. How many men would accept having an illiterate fiance? And how many out of these men would take the time to teach their future other half? He could very well imagine that Qiu Ling was the only one. Or if there were other men he would still be one of few. He really didn''t know what he had done to deserve getting such a good husband.


    While Jing Yi pondered his good luck Qiu Ling woke up. He opened his eyes and watched Jing Yi with a smile. He, too, felt incredibly lucky at this moment. "Good morning, my love."


    Jing Yi blushed at being caught red-handed. "You''re awake?"


    "Mn. How did you sleep?"


    Jing Yi leaned over and gave him a short kiss as his answer. "How about you?"


    Qiu Ling used the opportunity and hugged Jing Yi''s waist. "I''d always sleep perfectly well with you at my side." He didn''t give Jing Yi any time to respond and kissed his brow. "What are we going to do today?"


    Jing Yi slid a little closer and hugged Qiu Ling''s neck. "I don''t know if there is anything I have to do as a fringe disciple. So I guess I should go over to the Alchemy division and try to find out more from the Senior Martial Brothers over there."


    "Should I come with you? Who knows if there is another shameless bastard under them."


    Jing Yi just smiled and didn''t respond to Qiu Ling''s remark. "Shouldn''t you worry about the upcoming duel first?"


    Qiu Ling shamelessly gave Jing Yi another kiss. "Are you that worried about me? You don''t have to, my love. As I said yesterday I''ll be perfectly fine. I''ll defeat him for you."


    Jing Yi patted Qiu Ling''s back and this time his fiance actually got the hint and sat up. Jing Yi got up, too, and hugged him as a reward.


    Qiu Ling smiled. It seemed like it had been the right call to do what his beloved wanted. He should try this more often. "How about I go and try to find out a bit more about those disciples we''re supposed to find?"


    Jing Yi lifted his brows. He really couldn''t imagine his fiance leaving him alone and seriously working. In fact, the concept was new to such an extent that it stunned him into silence.


    Qiu Ling''s smile became wry. Did he really give such an unreliable impression? "You know even if I don''t care about anything much while I''m with you, you still have to admit that I''m pretty good with the sword and my magic isn''t half bad either."


    Jing Yi stroked Qiu Ling''s hair. "I know, I know. I was just surprised that you didn''t raise a fuss about wanting to come with me."


    Qiu Ling jerked up. Right! He should have done that.


    Jing Yi laughed and patted his shoulder. "It''s alright. I''m happy that you are acting so responsibly today. I think it''s a good idea if you go and try to find out more. But be careful. If Hong Ai is really the Grandmaster''s wife, then you''d most likely find her at his estate. That would probably be dangerous. So please promise me that you won''t do anything reckless. Staying safe is more important than making headway in this mission."


    Qiu Ling smiled. "Alright, I promise." He didn''t really pay Jing Yi''s warning any heed though. After all, he was a dragon and he had seen the extent of Grandmaster Shen''s power for himself. He didn''t feel like it was anything he should be worried about. The worrisome thing was the demon. He had to find out what that bastard was up to. Else, he might regret it for the rest of life. There weren''t any second chances with Jin Ling. He had already found out the hard way.


    Jing Yi was reassured after Qiu Ling''s promise. The two of them got up and separated after a short kiss. Jing Yi went to the Alchemy division while Qiu Ling found an unoccupied spot.


    He took out the transmission stone from his interspatial ring and imbued it with his energy. In the Nine Heavens above, two dragons got another scare.


    Yi Zan looked at Qiang Wei who had already returned from the Yun Zou Sect a year ago when Qiu Ling and Jing Yi left for their travel. "It seems his Majesty has another mission."


    Qiang Wei nodded and took the necklace with the transmission stone off while imbuing his energy. An apparition of Qiu Ling appeared before the two of them. "Your Majesty, what may I do for you?"


    "One Of those vile demons actually dared to follow us. I''m sure they''re after Jing Yi. Take Fu Min and find out what that bastard is planning."


    Before Qiang Wei had the chance to respond that apparition already vanished again. He looked at the necklace in his hand and sighed. He turned to Yi Zan and lifted his brows. "I guess I''ll call Xiang Yong over then."


    Yi Zan smiled. "Take it seriously. It''s not just about His Majesty''s beloved this time. The demons aren''t to be taken lightly."


    Qiang Wei nodded and left Jing He''s palace for the dragon realm. This type of mission was best done immediately.

 Chapter 232 - The Wrong Subdivision?

    Said demons were already working on their own mission at that point in time. Xiao Li stood behind the edge of one of the buildings in the Alchemy division and observed Jing Yi who was entering the main building right now.


    "So you''re a disciple of the Alchemy division." He narrowed his eyes and took a look around. As Elder Shan''s disciple, he wasn''t part of any division. Thus, he had never seen the alchemy division from within. But he had been a direct disciple long enough to know that the first place you should look for information on a new disciple would be the book where the disciples of the subdivisions were recorded.


    Xiao Li smiled sinisterly. The book would definitely be in the main building that the boy had just entered. He could follow him while looking for it and might even find out something more.


    Once again his body turned into a wisp of smoke. It flew into the building and followed Jing Yi''s steps to the small study.


    Jing Yi was standing in the doorway and softly called out even though nobody else could be seen. "Senior Martial Brother Yue?"


    From the desk on the other side, a soft rustle could be heard. Finally, some black strands of hair appeared between the scrolls of paper before the rest of the head followed. Yue Lin blinked tiredly and rubbed his eyes. "You are ¡­?"


    Jing Yi smiled, cupped his fists and bowed slightly. "I''m Jing Yi. Senior Martial Brother Niu Hai brought me over yesterday to register for the alchemy division." He pointed at the book that was still lying at the corner of Yue Lin''s desk.


    Yue Lin picked it up and browsed through the pages. "What''s your name?"


    "Jing ¡­ Jing He."


    Yue Lin flipped further through the book, before finally tapping on one of the pages. "So you want to become part of the poison subdivision."


    Jing Yi''s eyes went wide and he hastily shook his head. "No, no! I don''t want that. Didn''t he register me for the general Alchemy division?"


    Yue Lin sighed. He really didn''t have the time to educate some newcomer. "It doesn''t work like that. You can only become a disciple of the whole Alchemy division if you have notable talent. I doubt you were tested for that."


    Jing Yi lowered his head. How could he have notable talent for alchemy? He couldn''t even read more than ten characters! "Then ¡­ I definitely have to become part of the poison subdivision? There''s no other choice?"


    Yue Lin looked up and wanted to nod but looking at the cute junior in front of him he didn''t feel as annoyed anymore. He sighed and stood up. He slowly stretched his limbs and motioned for Jing Yi to come closer.


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip and hurried over. He had already seen the day before how busy Yue Lin was with his work. He felt bad about disturbing him again and even adding to his workload. Maybe he should have accepted being part of the poison subdivision? After all, he wouldn''t stay in the Hei Dian Sect for much longer.


    Yue Lin pointed out the window. "Did he explain what subdivisions there are?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "But I did see the buildings on the way here yesterday. Senior Martial Brother Niu Hai mentioned them."


    Yue Lin shook his head. How could one just arbitrarily decide which subdivision to choose? No, he had to explain to this Junior Martial Brother in detail so that he would become an asset to their division in the future. "What do you know about alchemy?"


    Jing Yi lowered his head and folded his hands in front of his body. "Actually ¡­ I don''t really know anything about it. I just heard it has to do with herbs and you can help people with it."


    Yue Lin lifted his brows. "Oh. So ¡­ You came here because you want to help people."


    Jing Yi pondered and finally nodded. Yes, that had indeed been what he thought. He wanted to be of help to Qiu Ling so that he''d be able to do more for him than just bandage his wounds should something like yesterday happen again. It had just been a light injury this time but what if something more dangerous had happened? Him knowing alchemy or not could have very well been the deciding factor in whether Qiu Ling lived on died. He never wanted to be in this situation again while being helpless.


    "Senior Martial Brother Yue, I know I''m making things difficult for you but isn''t it possible to change the subdivision I''m in?"


    Yue Lin patted his shoulder. "Don''t worry about that. There''s no problem with changing that. It''s partly my fault considering I just let an outsider sign you in. Something like this was bound to happen. I asked just now because I wanted to know which subdivision would fit you best. Hearing your answer I guess you''d best be suited to our House of Healing."


    Jing Yi smiled gratefully. "Thank you very much, Senior Martial Brother Yue."


    Yue Lin nodded and went back to his desk. He put the scrolls of paper to the side and picked up the book and a brush. Then, he crossed out Jing Yi''s name from the poison subdivision and blew the ink dry. Lastly, he wrote it under the House of Healing''s subdivision.


    "Alright, everything is done. You''re now a fringe disciple under the command of the House of Healing and its Elder Xie."


    "Thank you very much, Senior Martial Brother Yue. Then, what should I do now? Can I just go over?"


    Yue Lin wanted to nod but halted before actually saying anything. He took a closer look at Jing Yi and sighed. "How did they admit you to the sect? You''re not even wearing the official robes!"


    Jing Yi could only smile wryly. He certainly couldn''t say that Qiu Ling had forced his way in. "Well, I only arrived the day before yesterday."


    Yue Lin nodded and stood up again. "Alright, if that''s the case I''ll help you organize everything. First of all, you will need an appropriate robe." He left the room and waved Jing Yi with him. Both of them didn''t notice the wisp of black smoke that was trailing them.

 Chapter 233 - The Life Of A Fringe Disciple

    It turned out, one division of the Hei Dian Sect was just as large as the outer sect of the Yun Zou Sect. There were at least fifty different buildings that housed a subdivision or at least part of it. And then there were all the administrative buildings like the one where Yue Lin worked and those the disciples and elders lived in.


    Most of the buildings had more complicated names than what Niu Hai had told Jing Yi on the way to registering yesterday.


    "This is the subdivision of the water of the yellow springs", Yue Lin explained just now while pointing at the building that Niu Hai had called deadly poisons.


    Jing Yi wrinkled his brow. He could see where the name was coming from. It wasn''t strange that the disciples would call it something like that. Looking at the many buildings in front of him Jing Yi was glad that they wouldn''t have to leave in a few days already. This was only one division and there were several in the whole Hei Dian Sect. It would be impossible to find two disciples in such a large sect just by looking for them. He really was lucky to have heard news of Hong Ai by coincidence yesterday.


    "Alright, we''re here." Yue Lin halted in front of a two-story building in the back half of the estate. "This is where we are keeping all the Stuff the disciples need on a regular basis like the robes or our cauldrons. The herbs and other materials are kept in a different building near the gardens. I''ll show that to you later."


    Jing Yi nodded and took another glance around. He had seen these buildings already when he had a look around with Qiu Ling yesterday. It seemed like the front half of the estate was used for the different subdivisions while the back half was used for everything that pertained to the whole alchemy division.


    He followed Yue Lin inside. There was a big entrance hall but nobody could be seen inside. Yue Lin waved Jing Yi with him and went down one of the silent corridors. Finally, he halted in front of a door to a small storage room.


    "This is where we are storing our robes." He led him inside and went over to a stack on the right. Then, he took three of them down and handed them to Jing Yi.


    They were dark like all the robes Jing Yi had seen in the Hei Dian Sect so far but upon a closer look, there seemed to be something different about them. Jing Yi frowned. The robes in his hands weren''t black like he had thought but instead of a dark red. There was some embroidery on the lapels as well as on the shoulders.


    Looking over at the other two stacks it seemed like they were a little different. The stack in the middle held robes that were of the same dark red color but in addition to the embroidery, the hem of the sleeves was set off in a lighter color. The robes on the left stack were so dark that they seemed black in the dim lighting of the storage room. The only thing noticeable about them was that the embroidery was done with silver threads that seemed to glow in the dark.


    Jing Yi looked up at Yue Lin. There was no doubt that these different robes corresponded to the three types of disciples. This was probably the best opportunity he''d get to ask what differences were between them. "Senior Martial Brother Yue, there is one thing I haven''t completely understood yet. Senior Martial Brother Niu told me that there are three types of disciples. The fringe disciple''s like me, the official disciples and the direct disciples. But I don''t know ¡­ What is the difference between them?"


    Yue Lin folded his hands behind his back and straightened his shoulders. He was content with having a junior who asked the right questions. It wasn''t a problem not to know about some things but it was a problem to not know and pretend to know. He''d much rather have such a Junior Martial Brother like Jing He who would admit to not knowing. Thus, he''d naturally explain to him.


    "It''s good that you''re asking. Actually, it''s quite simple. Depending on what type of disciple you are, you''ll have different rights and benefits." He waved Jing Yi with him and continued to explain on the way.


    "A fringe disciple like you will be entitled to be taught by the Senior Disciples once a week and by the Elder of his subdivision once per month. For you, that''ll be Elder Han. The Senior Martial Brothers you''ll most likely have as a tutor are his direct disciples but you''ll see that when it''s time for your first lesson.


    The other days of the week you''ll be on your own. For now, you''ll have limited access to the library of the House Of Healing to further your knowledge and you''ll get a few materials for practicing. I''d recommend not using them for now, though. Since you don''t know anything about alchemy yet it would most likely go wrong, so it''s still better to wait."


    "I see." Jing Yi bit his lower lip. This wasn''t good. He could only read ten words! How was he supposed to study by himself? He certainly couldn''t ask Qiu Ling to read everything to him. His fiance certainly wouldn''t mind but it would take up way too much time. They weren''t here to learn. They still had to work on the mission and find out what the Hei Dian Sect was planning.


    With Qiu Ling''s talent, he might be able to do what he wanted in the sect but Jing Yi knew that he himself was different. Now that he was a disciple of the House Of Healing he''d have to put in some effort or they would soon notice that something was off. As a spy, he had to conceal that he wasn''t an actual disciple. And, in all honesty, he just wanted to learn so badly! If he didn''t, wouldn''t Qiu Ling suffer with him? If not for his low status, they could already be married. They also wouldn''t have needed to come here where he had been confronted with his past once more. He definitely had to get stronger!


    Yue Lin stopped in front of another room and got a small cauldron. "Here. This is for you, too. You can use it in your own room for refining some simple pills. You won''t be able to refine anything better with it, though."


    "Thank you. That should be enough for me."


    "Mn." Yue Lin smiled contentedly. Ah, it really was great having such an understanding Junior Martial Brother. It really was a pity that that child couldn''t ¡­


    Yue Lin suddenly stopped on the way to the next room and turned around, silently examining Jing Yi.


    "Senior ¡­ Senior Martial Brother Yue, is something the matter?" Jing Yi couldn''t help but shudder under that gaze.


    "You''d also get a simple manual as something like a welcome gift to get you started but I just remembered you can''t read."


    "Mn. That''s true." Jing Yi lowered his head. It was obvious that he himself thought it was a disgrace.


    Yue Lin''s eyes sparkled. He gripped Jing Yi by the shoulders. "You know the moment I saw you yesterday I knew there was fate between us. Let''s get the book and settle you down. After that, I''ll personally teach you how to read!" He patted his chest and smiled for the first time since Jing Yi saw him.


    The smile on that emaciated face looked gruesome and Jing Yi forgot to answer. Before he knew what had happened he was already being pulled along by a suddenly very energetic Senior Martial Brother.

 Chapter 234 - Needlessly Paranoid?

    A quarter of an hour later, Jing Yi stood with three robes, a cauldron, a manual and a bag full of materials in front of the building that housed the fringe disciples of the House of Healing.


    "Alright, let''s get you a room!" Yue Lin was still as energetic. He could already imagine the future: If he took out two or three hours a day and diligently taught this obedient Junior Martial Brother, then in a year or two he wouldn''t be the only one to do the paperwork for the Alchemy division! Ah, he''d have nights full of sleep again and maybe even ¡ª Ah, no, better forget about cute Juniors. Sleeping some additional hours was still way more important.


    Yue Lin nodded with satisfaction and pulled at Jing Yi''s arm but this time, his obedient little Junior Martial Brother didn''t budge. He turned around and lifted his brows. "What is it?"


    "Senior Martial Brother Yue ¡­"


    "Oh! Is it too heavy? Let me help you!" He couldn''t let this junior hurt himself. He still needed him to save his life!


    "It''s not that." Jing Yi hurriedly turned to the side to evade Yue Lin. If this Senior Martial Brother managed to grab some of his things, he might just run away with it and dump it in some room. "I don''t need a room."


    "Huh?" Yue Lin frowned. "How can this be? Little Junior, you don''t have to worry. Every disciple of the sect gets a room when they''re admitted. It''s not that I''m especially nice to you." Well, I certainly am. I''ll even give you the best available room! You just have to do a little something in return.


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. "That''s not it. I''m living with my fiance."


    Yue Lin''s eyes went wide. "Fi ¡­ Fiance?!" He turned away and looked up at the building in front of them. Oh heavens! This cute Junior was actually engaged already! How come he himself was still doing paperwork? "Is that true? You''re engaged?"


    Jing Yi looked around. Maybe he was getting paranoid because he was with Qiu Ling too often but he felt that this reaction wasn''t normal at all. It couldn''t be that this Senior Martial Brother liked him, too, could it?


    Well, even if he did, he couldn''t just stay silent. Jing Yi cleared his throat. "Mn, yes. I am. We''re ¡­ very happy with each other," he added on in the hopes of diffusing any interest that might be there.


    Yue Lin barely held back a sigh. The Junior Martial Brother he had picked as his helper ¡­ he would be stolen away by another man! And even one that might not need his help!


    Yue Lin turned around again and examined Jing Yi. Mn, this Junior was so obedient. There might still be the chance to talk some sense into him. "Which division is your fiance from? Is he also an Alchemist?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "No, he isn''t. I''m afraid he isn''t part of any division yet. After all, we only arrived ¡ª"


    "Aiya!" Yue Lin lifted his hand to interrupt him. "Don''t speak any further. Jing He, you''re young and very much in love. I can see that and honestly, I do understand it. But you see ¡­" He went over and wrapped one arm around Jing Yi''s shoulders before turning him around to face the buildings behind them. "Look, this is a new environment for you. You''ll learn new things and get to know new people. And you''re so young. I feel like ¡­ it''s way too soon for you to think about marriage. If you ask me, you shouldn''t even consider that for the next fifty years or so."


    Jing Yi averted his gaze. If Qiu Ling heard that someone wanted to persuade him to not marry for half a century ¡­ He was afraid this Senior Martial Brother Yue wouldn''t live to see the next day.


    "For now, you should completely focus on your studies. Look, there''s so much you have to learn about alchemy and now I''m even teaching you how to read and write, that will take up a lot of time, too. And then you''re still a cultivator besides being an Alchemist. You''ll want to take some time to cultivate, won''t you? Where do you want to take the time for a fiance from?" Yue Lin looked at him with a gaze that seemed really, really worried as if Jing Yi was walking down the path to his doom.


    Jing Yi pressed his lips together. "That''s true."


    "You see! So you should move in here." Yue Lin was sure his persuasion had paid off.


    "But if I did that, we''d have even less time together. Don''t worry, Senior Martial Brother Yue. My engagement won''t affect my responsibilities to the sect. I won''t slack off." He wanted to bow but with all the things in his arms, it was impossible. Ah, it would have been nice having Qiu Ling with him right now. He would have just put it into his interspatial ring and be done with it.


    Yue Lin wanted to retort but finally sighed. "Alright. I see there is no persuading you." I won''t give up, though. Let''s see if that fiance of yours is able to bear some hardships. Maybe he''ll give up on his own.


    "Eh, Junior Martial Brother Jing, how about asking your fiance if he wants to become an Alchemist, too? Then the two of you could move in here together and spend more time with each other."


    Jing Yi smiled. It seemed he had been needlessly paranoid. Senior Martial Brother Yue really was just worried about him. Well, it was to be expected. Even though he could seem terrifying at first he was a nice guy. "I''ll ask him."


    "Mn. You definitely have to bring him over. If not as a disciple, then at least to let your new Senior Martial Brothers have a look at him, alright?"


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. "I guess ¡­ you won''t have to worry about that. Senior Martial Brother Niu Hai challenged him to a duel yesterday. Those two agreed to have it in front of the whole sect."


    Yue Lin''s eyes sparkled. "Really?"


    "Yes. I''m a little worried. We just arrived and ¡­"


    "Ah, don''t, don''t! We''ll all be there to cheer!" For Niu Hai, that is! Yue Lin smiled. "Oh, right, you should bring this home. I''ll see when the duel is scheduled and prepare everything for our division. It would be such a pity if our Martial Brothers couldn''t go and have a look, right?" He patted Jing Yi''s shoulder and sped off.


    Jing Yi sighed. How come this Senior Martial Brother was so thrilled about this? If everyone reacted like that, then Qiu Ling would attract a huge crowd. What then? He really felt like this would become a problem in the future.


    He knew he couldn''t do anything, though. For now, he could only go back and hope that Qiu Ling would try to hold back a little. They really couldn''t make a huge fuss this shortly after arriving.


    Thankfully, he had no idea what his fiance was doing at this moment.

 Chapter 235 - What Are You Doing?

    At the same time, a certain dragon king was lying on a roof and intently peered into a courtyard. This was the place where he had seen that damned servant girl the last time so he was sure she would turn up there again sooner or later.


    His plan was easy: He''d lie in wait and as soon as he saw her, he''d jump down, struck her unconscious and bring her back to Jing He. Then his beloved could ask her all the questions he wanted and their mission might be accomplished in a few days at the very latest. Then, they could return to the Yun Zou Sect, Jing He would be made an inner sect disciple and then, finally, they would hold their wedding!


    Qiu Ling''s lips slowly curled into a smile. Ah, he could practically see it in front of him: Jing He in a beautiful red robe, wearing some nice jade accessories while his beautiful hair flowed down his back and sparkled even in the dimmed lights. The bright red of his clothes and the inky black of his hair would let his skin appear even more creamy than normally which, in turn, would set off the slight blush on his cheeks. Jing He''s lips would be curled into a gentle smile when he snuggled into his arms.


    Ah! Qiu Ling''s hands twitched. He seemed to feel it: The smooth silk of Jing He''s robes slid across his fingers, unable to hide the warmth of his body. He let his fingers wander higher, up into that satiny hair. They glided through the strands and up toward that slender neck. The contrast of the warm skin and the slightly cool hair electrified him.


    He bent down and kissed those supple lips. His eyes closed in delight and he continued to savor what he had longed for. Mn ¡­ Jing He''s lips. He had always liked to kiss him but it felt even better now that they were about to be married. Ah, was this already the feeling a husband had for his spouse? Had their feelings deepened even further?


    Ah, no, no! That couldn''t be! His feelings had already been as deep as the sea, as high as the sky, as broad as the horizon! They couldn''t get deeper or higher or broader or anything. Everything was perfect already!


    He pushed the thought aside and continued with his kisses. Mn, yes, he broke the first one and started anew and finally he rained some short kisses on Jing He''s cheek, trailing the beautiful cheekbone and then toward his ear. His lips lingered on his beloved''s hair for a bit before gently sucking on his earlobe.


    Meanwhile, he snaked an arm around Jing He''s waist and pulled him closer, until their bodies stuck together, seemingly inseparable. And then, finally, his lips reached Jing He''s jawline and went even lower. With his heart beating wildly, Qiu Ling kissed his neck. A light sigh escaped Jing He''s lips. Ah, his beloved was anticipating this just as much as he did!


    Qiu Ling smiled and slowly loosened his grip on the nape of Jing He''s neck. It was time to take the last step.


    He gently stroked Jing He''s shoulder and chest and finally untied his sash. Ah, looking at how this infuriating piece of cloth fell to the floor really made him giddy with excitement! His fingers trembled a bit when he reached out and grabbed the lapel of Jing He''s robe.


    He gazed up into his face, though, when he opened the robe. His beloved was blushing even deeper now and his eyes had turned a little misty. Anticipation and embarrassment rang with each other inside them. He clearly didn''t know how to feel.


    Qiu Ling smiled, took Jing He''s hand and pressed a fleeting kiss on its back. "There''s no reason to be nervous."


    Jing He nodded and surrendered himself into his arms.


    Ah, finally! Finally! Qiu Ling embraced him and lightly pecked his lips before pulling that thin red fabric off his shoulders and carefully putting it aside. Ah, he had to take good care of that robe, too. This was what his Jing He had worn to their wedding, after all. It was an especially important piece of clothing! Maybe he could even make him wear it once every year on their anniversary and then he''d once again peel him out of it in reminiscence of their wedding day. Uh, night.


    Ah, he really liked this idea! He definitely had to do this!


    "What are you doing?" a slightly husky voice asked from somewhere above.


    "Planning my wedding anniversary!"


    "Alright?" The word was somehow stretched and uttered like it was a question. "Then ¡­ Why are you doing that on my roof?"


    Qiu Ling''s eyes flew open and he looked up at a disgustingly blue sky with a lot of offensive, fluffy white clouds. How had these abominations gotten into his nuptial chamber?! And why was there a person next to him?! And why was it even some demonic-looking man who seemed to be that Hei Dian Sect''s Grandmaster?


    Qiu Ling turned back onto his stomach and saw the courtyard in front of him. "Damn!" He slapped the roof in front of him, breaking the tiles in two. Wuwuwu, this wasn''t fair! It had been so wonderful, so perfect! Why couldn''t it have been his real wedding?!


    Grandmaster Shen raised his brows. He couldn''t understand why the disciple that had just happily rolled around on his roof was now shrouded in a cloud of misery. Maybe ¡­ this needed the hand of a woman?


    He silently left to find his wife, leaving Qiu Ling to wallow in his self-pity.

 Chapter 236 - It Doesn’t Work On Humans

    "Did you find out what happened?" Hong Ai looked up from where she was sitting with her sister. All of them had heard the strange tinkling of the tiles just now.


    Grandmaster Shen nodded and sat down next to the two women. "It''s one of the disciples. Say ¡­ Is it normal for a man to visit somebody else''s roof and roll around on the tiles while planning the anniversary of his wedding?"


    Hong Ai stopped with the chopsticks in her hand. "The anniversary?"


    Shen An De frowned. "I think that''s what he said. But I was quite surprised so maybe I misunderstood. Maybe he was just talking about his wedding?"


    "Then I''d say that''s something I''d only plan on the roof of the person I liked."


    Hong Ai and Shen An De exchanged a glance. There were only three people living in the estate and two of them were a married couple. So the only possible answer ¡­ They turned to Hong Bao mechanically who was stuffing her mouth with buns. Two at a time.


    Shen An De blinked and turned back to his wife. Hong Ai just smiled, reached over and patted Hong Bao''s head. Then, she sighed.


    "Ah, it was just a question of time until someone would see her worth."


    Shen An De looked up at the ceiling. That guy was probably still there. "I doubt it''s her. He already has a lover. A male one."


    Hong Ai''s chopsticks fell onto the table. "What?"


    "See? I also can''t understand. How about you talk with him?"


    "What do I have to do with him?"


    "He''s the person I told you about the last time."


    Hong Ai''s brows arched and she stood up at once. "Let''s go talk with him! What are you waiting for?"


    Hong Bao looked up when her sister wanted to leave but she was still chewing on the buns and couldn''t speak. She looked to her brother-in-law for help and got a smile and another pat on the head in return.


    "We''ll be back soon. Just continue eating."


    Hong Bao nodded, even though she was a bit curious. Who would plan a wedding on somebody else''s roof? That sounded like someone who might be very much in love but also very desperate! Mn, maybe she should find out who that person was and help him a bit? Hong Bao slowly started to ponder.


    Meanwhile, her sister and brother-in-law made their way up onto the roof. Indeed. Qiu Ling was still lying there. He had propped his head up on his hands and stared into the courtyard while frowning and pursing his lips. He seemed like the epitome of dejection.


    Hong Ai smiled and walked over, folding her hands behind her back and leaning down to him. "Do you have trouble planning your wedding?"


    "What use is planning it?" Qiu Ling didn''t even look up.


    "Oh? Why that?"


    Qiu Ling frowned even more. "Hmph. What? You also want to ¡ª" He finally turned around and froze. That ¡­ Wasn''t this that damned servant girl?!


    Qiu Ling leaped to his feet and reached out to grab her. Hong Ai''s eyes widened. She certainly hadn''t expected this reaction! She tried to evade him but Qiu Ling had already grabbed her shoulder.


    "You ¡ª"


    Shen An De also hadn''t expected this. He knew that something had happened between this new disciple and his sister-in-law but he wouldn''t have thought that he would just attack without even saying anything!


    "Stop that!" He flew forward and grabbed Hong Ai''s other shoulder while pushing his hand toward Qiu Ling. He wasn''t holding back much this time. He didn''t want to hurt a talent but he certainly wouldn''t let him injure his wife!


    Qiu Ling raised his other hand and pulled Hong Ai toward him. Huh! Don''t think I would let her get away after I''ve finally found her! I''ll take her back to Jing He right now! Qiu Ling pushed off the ground and pulled her with him.


    Hong Ai screamed and unsheathed her weapon. The blade glinted in the sun before it struck at him. Qiu Ling ignored it. What could a simple sword do against the body of a dragon?


    The weapon hit and pain shot through Qiu Ling''s arm right into his heart. "Ah!" He doubled over from the pain and let go of her. They both tumbled down again.


    Shen An De leaped forward and hurriedly caught his wife. "Hong Ai!"


    Qiu Ling fell down next to them, smashed the tiles and crashed through the roof and down onto the floor of the building. He groaned at the impact and rolled onto his side, clutching the arm Hong Ai had struck.


    Shen An De and Hong Ai exchanged a glance and bent over the hole in the roof before looking at each other again. Hong Ai tried to speak up several times but couldn''t find the right words. Shen An De also didn''t know what to say and just frowned. He put his wife down again and went through everything that had happened again but it seemed like Hong Ai had really injured him right now.


    Hong Ai gripped his sleeve. "This ¡­ Didn''t you say this weapon couldn''t injure humans?"


    Shen An De nodded. "It doesn''t."


    "So then he ¡­"


    "I also don''t know." Shen An De could only shake his head. Qiu Ling hadn''t been wrong when he saw him for the first time: Shen An De had some demon blood in him and normally, he was able to recognize other demons. But he hadn''t felt anything from Qiu Ling.


    "Eh, when this disciple isn''t human and Hong Bao''s loss of memory has to do with him ¡­ Do you think the demons are behind this?"


    Shen An De smiled wryly. This was once again a question he couldn''t answer. "Let''s go down there and ask him." He looped an arm around her waist and leaped down, landing next to Qiu Ling who was still lying on the floor in pain.


    Qiu Ling cracked his eyes open and stared at the two of them vigilantly. "What do you intend to do?!" This was such a joke! He was the best warrior in the dragon realm. Damn, he had even managed to kill the old demon king! Would he really be taken down by two humans?!

 Chapter 237 - Double The Trouble

    No! He couldn''t let that happen! Jing He was still waiting for him! They still hadn''t married! He certainly wouldn''t die before that! He had waited so long, far too long to give up now that he was only a few days short of attaining his goal.


    Shen An De frowned and gripped his own weapon. This disciple had attacked his wife without warning and obviously still harbored ill-intent. He couldn''t give him any chances to try anew.


    Hong Ai just smiled. "Shouldn''t we be the ones asking that? What were you trying to achieve through attacking me?"


    "Hmph." Qiu Ling averted his face. "You ¡ª" His eyes bulged and he stopped talking, instead staring at the woman who was sitting at the table and chewing on the remains of a stuffed bun. Heavens! Why was there another servant girl?! Wasn''t one of them enough? This was basically double the trouble!


    Hong Ai smiled and crouched down next to him. "That''s Hong Bao, my younger sister." Even though this man had attacked her, she didn''t actually feel threatened by him. A guy who fantasized about his wedding on their roof couldn''t be a bad person.


    "Younger ¡­ sister?" Qiu Ling frowned at Hong Bao, then turned back to Hong Ai. Shit. He had no idea which one was which. "So ¡­ Which one of you was the one who tried to kill Jing He?"


    Hong Ai blinked. "Jing He?" She had never heard of that person. "Could it be you''re mistaken? I don''t know anyone with that name."


    Qiu Ling turned back to Hong Bao. "Then it has to be you."


    Hong Bao gulped the remainder of the bun down and shook her head. "I also don''t know."


    "You''re lying." His expression fell. This was definitely the same servant girl. That manner of speaking ¡­ Hadn''t the woman who had rattled on next to him when he had gotten drunk sounded the same way?


    "My sister lost her memory. Even if she had known that Jing He she couldn''t tell you."


    Qiu Ling sat up. Right. She was supposed to have lost her memory. He had just thought she still remembered because she was in league with the demons.


    He pressed down on his arm and scooted over, sitting down next to her. "You really don''t remember? The teahouse in the capital, does that ring any bell?"


    Hong Bao pursed her lips and looked up at the ceiling as if the answer was written up there somewhere. There was indeed something that came to mind ¡­ "I don''t know about any teahouse and I''ve never been to the capital. But Liu Cheng asked the same."


    "Who''s Liu Cheng?"


    "My one true love, obviously!" Hong Bao turned around to him and grabbed his hand. "Brother-in-law said you were planning your wedding. When is it going to be?"


    Normally, Qiu Ling would have loved to talk about his wedding but this time the reason why he couldn''t marry sat right in front of him. Mn, he should probably try to get something out of her.


    "Your one true love? I thought that was Shun Tao."


    Hong Bao blinked. "Who''s Shun Tao? I''ve never heard that name."


    Hong Ai also hadn''t heard of that but she was intrigued. This had to be something that had happened before Hong Bao became a disciple of the Chun Feng Sect. Maybe they could finally find out what had happened in those years! She hurriedly sat down on Hong Bao''s other side and looked at Qiu Ling expectantly.


    Shen An De sighed, let go of his weapon and sat down next to his wife. It would really be for the best if they could finally shed some light on all this. Including this new disciple''s identity.


    Qiu Ling looked at the three people in front of him and smiled. "Why should I tell you anything? You injured me!" He pointed at his arm just in case that shameless woman would pretend not to know what he was speaking of.


    Hong Ai pouted. "You attacked me first and I didn''t know this would happen. The weapon doesn''t work on humans. How would I have known that you''re a demon?"


    "I''m not a demon!" Qiu Ling leaped to his feet and pointed at her. "Take that back!"


    Hong Ai sighed. "There''s no reason to be like that. An De also has some demon-blood. We don''t mind at all."


    "I. Am. Not. A. Demon." Qiu Ling''s eyes were blazing. He wouldn''t stand for it if she called him a demon again.


    "Alright. You''re not." She smiled but her tone said that she didn''t believe a word of what he said.


    "I''m really not a demon!"


    Shen An De rubbed his temples. This wouldn''t get them anywhere. "You can''t be human either. The weapon Hong Ai used was from the demon hunters. It''s made so that it can''t hurt humans but will injure demons."


    Qiu Ling frowned and sat down. "Show me that weapon." He reached over but Hong Ai hesitated.


    "Why do you want to have it?"


    "Let me have a look."


    Hong Ai glanced at her husband. He had given her that weapon after they had met back then and he had told her to never let go of it. She definitely didn''t want to give the weapon to Qiu Ling.


    Shen An De lightly touched her arm. "It should be alright."


    "But ¡ª"


    "You also want to know what happened to your sister, don''t you? If we want him to tell us anything, we have to meet him halfway."


    Hong Ai nodded and handed the weapon over.


    Qiu Ling just snatched it away and turned it over in his hands. This weapon ¡­ sure was peculiar. The blade actually felt hot to him as if it would burn his body to ashes when it struck him. That definitely wasn''t normal. For a dragon to feel such intense heat it would need a place like that Court of Flames he had visited to get the Flaming Lion''s Tail for Jing He last year.


    If this kind of heat was condensed into just one weapon ¡­ Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. This was definitely not something that could be achieved easily. It would most likely need a special material and maybe even a different forging process than normal. It wasn''t impossible, though. But to have this weapon not injure humans ¡­ How was that supposed to work?


    "Is something the matter with that sword?" Shen An De observed Qiu Ling''s face. As someone who had a bit of demon blood in his veins, he was always cautious with the sword. The fact that this could be used to easily kill him was the reason he had gifted it to Hong Ai. It was the proof of his trust in her. Now seeing it in the hands of another person made him apprehensive, too. But he understood that Qiu Ling was likely their only way to find out what had happened to Hong Bao.


    Qiu Ling put the weapon down on the table and pushed it over to Hong Ai. "It''s quite peculiar and certainly not just used to kill demons."


    Shen An De raised his brows. "What makes you say so?"


    "Well, I''m not a demon," he iterated. "And I''m sure that this thing ¡­" He pondered something he could use as an example without giving his identity as a dragon away. "Have you ever tried to kill a spiritual beast with it?"


    "Uh ¡­ no." Hong Ai shook her head.


    "You''d be able to. And they aren''t demons either. Most of them aren''t, at least."


    Shen An De nodded. That much was true. So this new disciple ¡­ was partly a spiritual beast? That certainly was rare! But it would explain how he could be so strong even at such a young age.


    "So, you''ve seen the weapon. Can you tell us now what happened to Hong Bao?"


    "Sure. There isn''t much to say, though. She did something bad and was thrown out of the Nine Heavens. Well, she deserved it." He crossed his arms, lifted his chin and looked at Hong Bao condescendingly.


    Trying to assassinate his beloved. She deserved even more than being thrown out! Huh. He should make sure she got her just desserts while he was in this Hei Dian Sect.

 Chapter 238 - Never Seen A Dragon?

    Hong Bao who had just reached out to grab another bun looked up. "I was in the Nine Heavens? But didn''t the guy who was supposed to bring me up there never show up?"


    Hong Ai and Shen An De also exchanged a glance. So Hong Bao had actually been in the Nine Heavens in the time she forgot. "If that is true ¡­ then why can''t she remember?"


    "Hmph. Obviously, because they don''t want some dumb servant girl running around telling everyone about the Nine Heavens. What if she told the demons?" Qiu Ling looked at Shen An De and narrowed his eyes. This guy was partly demon. If she had still known, she certainly would have told him everything. That old man had made the right call having her memories erased.


    "Servant?" Hong Ai frowned. She had been chosen to ascend to the Nine Heavens because she had confronted the demons despite being alone and her sister had taken her place. As long as they hadn''t noticed, she shouldn''t have become some servant girl. "Why was my sister made into a servant?"


    "How would I know?" Qiu Ling took one of the cups on the table and poured himself a cup of tea.


    "Then what did she do that warranted her being thrown out of the Nine Heavens again? Something like that shouldn''t happen, right?"


    "Naturally." Qiu Ling sipped the tea, his expression darkening upon remembering.


    "So, what happened?" Hong Ai grabbed Shen An De''s hand. She had already lived this long but when it concerned her little sister she still felt like a mortal that would easily lose composure.


    "Well, the gist is: She fell in love with some god who did something wrong and because she wanted to help him she did something that was even worse."


    "So she wanted to help someone? Why would they throw her out of the Nine Heavens for that?"


    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes and put the cup down. "If not because her plan had gone awry and was actually of benefit in the end, she wouldn''t even be alive anymore. You can be certain that the Heavenly Emperor would have had her executed on the spot and definitely not in a simple manner."


    Hong Bao finally stopped eating and stared at Qiu Ling. She couldn''t believe that these things really could have happened. She wasn''t someone who would commit a crime, was she?


    Hong Ai gulped. It couldn''t be ¡­ She had nearly sent her sister to her death? She went pale imagining that her sister might have died up there in the Nine Heavens without her ever knowing about it. Wouldn''t Hong Bao have resented her for making her ascend in her stead then?


    Shen An De also frowned. His sister-in-law was a bubbly person who was hard to control. That much was true. He could also imagine that she might do something dumb out of love. But something grave enough to warrant her death? He couldn''t believe that. "What did she do?"


    "She plotted to kill the Son of Heaven."


    "The emperor?!" Hong Bao''s eyes went wide. "Why would I do something like that?"


    Qiu Ling''s brow twitched. "Of course not! I''m talking about the Nine Heavens here. Naturally, it''s the Heavenly Emperor''s son!"


    "Why would she ¡­"


    "As I said: She did it for that Shun Tao. Who knows what she saw in that old guy?" Qiu Ling frowned. Shun Tao was actually not that old-looking even though he wasn''t that much younger than the incumbent Heavenly Emperor.


    Then again he himself probably couldn''t judge him. He had long been the dragon king when Shun Tao took the position of the Fate''s Scribe. Well, Qiu Ling still felt that he was looking way better. Tch, these goddesses were all blind. Not that he wanted their attention. He was very happy with just Jing He at his side.


    Mn, his Jing He ¡­


    Qiu Ling smiled, creeping the couple on the other side of the table out. Hadn''t they just talked about Hong Bao plotting to kill someone?


    Ah! Shen An De suddenly felt like he had seen the light. "Let me make sure that I understood correctly: My sister-in-law fell in love and tried to kill the Son of Heaven because of that. But when we last saw each other you accused her of having tried to kill your lover. So what you want to say is ¡­"


    "She tried to kill Jing He. She would have deserved being executed for that. Well, good for you that you messed up royally and killed a mortal instead." He glared at Hong Bao who had gone pale.


    "I ¡­ I killed someone?"


    "Yeah. You did. But you got the wrong person otherwise ¡­" His father-in-law never would have let her go. Actually, knowing that old man''s temper in case his son had died it might not even have been enough to quell his fury if Hong Bao''s whole family had been extinguished together with her.


    Qiu Ling snorted. Ah, well, he couldn''t fault him in this case. He, too, would cry out for blood if somebody dared to hurt his beloved. And if he ¡­


    Qiu Ling picked up the tea again and wished it was wine. Just imagining it hurt so much. "Luckily, he''s alright."


    Shen An De frowned. "We''re talking about only one person here, right? So your fiance ¡­ is the Son of Heaven?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. "Who else?" Honestly, was there anybody else he''d even think about marrying?


    Shen An De and Hong Ai exchanged another glance. "Then ¡­ Who are you?"


    "Longjun." Qiu Ling gave the name he had agreed upon with Jing He without thinking. Unfortunately, he had forgotten that the person in front of him was part demon.


    Shen An De scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide and stuttered to get the words out. "The Dragon King?!"


    Qiu Ling looked up. Oh, it seemed he had just given himself away. Well, whatever. It might be easier to explain everything else that way. "What''s the problem, ah? Never seen a dragon, demon?" He smiled. Now, this guy certainly wouldn''t dare to think of hurting his beloved. But maybe he should make sure.


    He narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice. "I don''t have to remind you that I do have the strength to raze this tiny sect of yours to the ground in case anything happens to my beloved, do I? So, you better tell that demon who was sniffing around yesterday that he should stay far, far away from him."


    Shen An De frowned as soon as he was over the first shock. "Which demon? I don''t know about anyone else in the sect who is of demonic descent."


    "Uh?" Qiu Ling froze. Damn! If this guy didn''t know anything about that, then ¡­ Wouldn''t that mean that that bastard was directly behind this?! That could only mean that he already knew Jing He was ¡­ well, Jing He!

 Chapter 239 - Help Me Out As Compensation

    "Damn this!" Qiu Ling slapped the table.


    Shen An De sighed. "If this is about someone as important as the Son of Heaven, then it''s probably Jin Ling who is behind all this."


    "You don''t say."


    Shen An De frowned. He really wanted to give this shameless guy a piece of his mind but he reconsidered at the last moment. If this person was indeed the current Longjun, then it really wouldn''t be a problem for him to flatten the whole sect. And it was rather unlikely that someone would pretend to be the dragon king.


    Shen An De had lived most of his life as a human so he didn''t know much about neither the demons nor the dragons. But even he had heard that the dragon race adored this king of theirs. If someone dared to impersonate him, he probably wouldn''t even have to utter a single word before they would hunt that person down.


    Hong Ai looked at her husband. She did know quite a bit about the demons since the Daoists from the good faction had fought against them quite often. She had participated in these fights up until she met him. Even though he had a bit of demon blood in his veins her husband had never liked to have anything to do with them. Now that they had the dragon king sitting at their table and the Son of Heaven, as well as some demon, in their sect wouldn''t he inevitably be pulled into the fray?


    Shen An De smiled. He could understand her apprehensions and honestly, he thought the same way. If it was possible, he''d like to stay out of this but it was probably too late for that already.


    "I guess we can''t stay out of this. So, Longjun, what can we do to help?"


    "Hmph. Shouldn''t you be asking that your king instead?"


    "He isn''t my king." Shen An De smiled. "In fact, a few millennia back, Jin Ling came here and proclaimed to be my ''good uncle'' who would very much ''like to lend me his help''. Naturally, he was expecting something in return. When I didn''t accept and even went so far as to mobilize the whole of the Hei Dian Sect to drive him off he swore he''d come and take care of me someday. So you could probably say that I''m a traitor to the demons."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. This sounded good but he knew how tricky demons were. Who knew if this guy wasn''t just trying to pull the wool over his eyes so he''d have it easier when he tried to kill Jing He?


    Shen An De sighed. He probably shouldn''t have expected that someone would believe a person with demon blood. Especially if they were talking about the demons. But he had no idea what he could do to make the Dragon King believe him.


    Hong Ai couldn''t stand watching her husband act like this. He was the Grandmaster of the Hei Dian Sect, someone with a status that so many looked up to. He shouldn''t feel so down because of something he originally had nothing to do with.


    She leaned forward. What Dragon or Demon King? These were just people making trouble for her husband. "If you don''t trust An De, then why do you even stay here? Now you already know he''s part demon you can just leave."


    "I can''t."


    "Why?"


    "Obviously, it''s because of my beloved. You don''t know." Qiu Ling straightened up and looked especially sad. It was time to bring out his great acting skills and tell them the pitiable story about how they had ended up here that he had prepared to explain the two sets of names. Well, he would have to add some new things to it now that they already knew a bit about the story behind all of it. "My beloved descended to the mortal world for a while. I also don''t understand why but it''s some kind of thing the gods just do.


    Originally, I thought it would be really easy to marry him as soon as his father was out of the picture. But then when I followed him I had to find out he had become a child and I had to wait until he grew up. But then before that time could arrive he somehow ended up in that Yun Zou Sect. Naturally, I wouldn''t just give up so I followed him. Unfortunately, I''m just too awesome so their Grandmaster took me in as his disciple. I thought this would be good because then nobody would dare to bully my beloved as soon as we were married.


    But then that so-called Master of mine told me that we couldn''t marry as long as Jing He was just an outer sect disciple. So, I went to gather all the ingredients for some pill and had someone refine it so that he could get heavenly spirit veins or whatever it is called but my beloved didn''t want to. Of course, a devoted lover like me would always honor my beloved''s wishes so we just forgot about it and gave the pill to the sect.


    It wasn''t that important anyway because we thought that as long as Jing He was able to reach that whatever stage in a year it would be alright even if he hadn''t these spirit veins. So, we went to travel together and he had nearly managed to get to that stage when my Master called me back. I thought that would be the time we could finally hold our marriage but once again my Master didn''t allow us. This time he used the excuse that my beloved didn''t have these spirit veins so even if he managed to reach that strange stage it wouldn''t be enough.


    Finally, Jing He and I couldn''t take it anymore. Honestly, who is able to separate a loving couple such as us over and over again? If he wasn''t that old I might just believe he was interested in Jing He himself!"


    Shen An De slightly raised his brows and averted his face. Grandmaster Zhangsun from the Yun Zou Sect was younger than him and he had already heard of Dragon King Qiu Ling when he was young. How could this man be shameless enough to call Zhangsun Xun Yi old?


    Qiu Ling didn''t notice Grandmaster Shen''s peculiar expression, though. He was completely immersed in his story. "Naturally, Jing He and I couldn''t accept what he said so we fled the Yun Zou Sect and came here. And finally, everything seemed to be going well: We were taken in, Jing He was even accepted into that plant division and we are living together. But we still haven''t married yet and now that bastard Jin Ling is getting involved! How am I supposed to marry Jing He? So, no, I definitely can''t leave here!"


    Hong Ai didn''t know what to say anymore. Her sister had found herself in familiar waters, though. "Oh, wow! That is such a nice story!"


    "It''s not a story, though. It happened exactly like that." More or less.


    "Don''t you worry!" Hong Bao clutched his arm like she had done back in the teahouse while her eyes seemed to sparkle. "I''ll definitely help you to marry him!"


    Qiu Ling blinked. Eh? It seemed he remembered that this servant girl was someone hopelessly romantic. Even more so than he himself ¡­ "Well ¡­" He looked at her with a bit of hesitation. "You do owe me for what you nearly did to Jing He. It''s just right that you help me out a bit."


    "Mn! Don''t worry! I''ll definitely help you get married! It''ll be the best wedding you can imagine."


    "Actually, I don''t need anything fancy." Then again ¡­ His beloved would only marry once. It should be something special. Qiu Ling smiled sweetly. "Alright. It''s a deal. You help me out as compensation."


    Mn. This really was such a good idea. Really, what could go wrong?

 Chapter 240 - Good Uncle Jin Ling

    Hong Ai and Shen An De could only watch as Hong Bao and Qiu Ling made their deal. They didn''t want to get involved but it was already too late for that anyway. Hong Bao had something to do with all this and if Jin Ling had decided to make trouble they couldn''t just ask him to stop. There was no discussing with the demon king.


    "Alright, if there is anything I or the sect can do ¡­"


    "Mn, just treat him well."


    Shen An De nodded. He didn''t need to be told twice. The Son of Heaven, what kind of position was that? Even he who had always kept away from the demons knew at least a bit about the immortal realms. And the fact that the Son of Heaven had a position that was more than just a nice title was something everyone would figure out sooner or later. He didn''t know the details, though, but it was enough to know that the gods wouldn''t let anyone off who dared to endanger their Son of Heaven.


    Qiu Ling nodded. He hadn''t expected that this would actually turn out so well. He hadn''t managed to find out anything in regards to that mission but who cared? He would be able to marry Jing He if they stayed in the Hei Dian Sect, too, and it wouldn''t even be as much of a hassle as in the Yun Zou Sect. Ah, this really was worth considering.


    "Alright. Then I''ll go back to that plant division now to see him." He stood up and left without another word.


    Hong Ai lifted her brows. "What did he mean with plant division?"


    "I''m not sure either. He already said that before."


    "It''s certainly the division with the cauldrons!" Hong Bao piped up. "You know the one where they go and dig out plants and then throw them in a cauldron to cook them?"


    "The Alchemy division?" Hong Ai smiled and patted her sister''s hand. "You''re probably right. Eh, what do you plan to do to help them?"


    "Just wait for it! I''ll certainly be a big help!" She, too, got up and left.


    Shen An De looked at the door thoughtfully. "Are you sure this is a good idea? You know how your sister is. If this goes wrong ¡­"


    "What could go wrong? She''s only trying to help them get married, not trying to contend against the demons."


    "I''m worried, though. You don''t know Jin Ling. He''s ¡­ cunning and unfathomable evil. He wouldn''t stop at anything."


    "He''s a true demon."


    Shen An De nodded. "It''s peculiar, though. I heard he has often contended against the Dragon King but never touched the dragon race. Instead, his subordinates are here in the human realm trying to cause havoc. I don''t know about the relationship with the gods but it shouldn''t be good if he is really after the Son of Heaven."


    "What do you want to say?"


    Shen An De shook his head. "Nothing, really. It''s just something very complicated. I don''t know if it''s the right thing to do. It would be better not to get involved at all."


    "It''s not like we have an alternative. This problem has already reached the Hei Dian Sect. Even if we managed to make them leave now it might not help. Actually, it might be worthwhile to help him. He was the one who killed the previous Demon King. He would certainly be able to kill the new one, too. Then we wouldn''t need to think about Jin Ling anymore." Hong Ai sighed. "I honestly don''t get why he would want you to help him. You''re mostly human. Don''t the demons look down on us?"


    "I''m not sure either but I always felt that ¡­ Jin Ling was different then I would have expected. He''s arrogant, yes, but look at this Longjun. He isn''t any better. It''s normal considering their status and strength. Back then I didn''t feel like Jin Ling was looking down on me, though. That thing about being a good uncle and nephew was obviously fake but he really didn''t seem to mind that I wasn''t even half demon. Maybe his relationship with my father was unexpectedly good?"


    "I doubt it. Demons don''t feel like us. It''s just ¡­ about benefits. He probably thought you were worthy to work with. After all, even though they are humans the disciples of the Hei Dian Sect are still Daoists in the end. They can contend against demons."


    "Mn. You might be right." Shen An De narrowed his eyes and looked at the door. "It might be difficult to contend against a dragon, though. If he turns against us ¡­"


    Hong Ai patted the sword at her waist. "Have you forgotten already? He isn''t immune to this. If he really attacks us, we won''t be completely helpless. But actually, I doubt he''ll do something like that. His story certainly wasn''t the whole truth but it''s definitely true that he loves that Son of Heaven very much. As long as we make sure that that person isn''t treated badly here he won''t have any reason to make trouble."


    "Mn, that''s ¡ª"


    "Grandmaster Shen!" An agitated Elder Shan hurried into the hall and hastily cupped his fists. "I''m sorry for disturbing you and your wife but something happened."


    Shen An De raised his brows. Oh?


    "It''s about that new disciple, Qiu Ling. Actually, I just heard that that doesn''t seem to be his name. He''s called Long Jun instead."


    Shen An De and Hong Ai exchanged a glance. They could already imagine how this misunderstanding had happened. But even if that wasn''t the case this alone would never be enough to make Elder Shan so flustered.


    "One of my disciples just sent word back that he is dueling one of the disciples of the Dancing Blades Division tomorrow."


    "A duel?" Shen An De raised his brows. This couldn''t have happened after he left just now, right? "How did that happen?"


    "It seems it''s about his lover. I also don''t know how that could happen but that disciple somehow got acquainted with his lover and then challenged him to a duel. If he wins, that Long Jun is supposed to give up on his lover. Ah, it''s supposed to be a duel in front of the whole sect, too."


    Shen An De sighed. "Alright. It''s good that you told me. I guess we''ll go and watch, then."


    Hong Ai nodded. She also wanted to see how that Dragon King would fight.


    Elder Shan was floored. Had the Grandmaster ¡­ just said he''d come to watch? "Shouldn''t we ¡­ try to stop the duel? What if he loses? Wouldn''t he blame us?"


    "If he lost, then I would have been wrong to have taken an interest in him. But I doubt he will. So there''s no reason to worry."


    "Mn."


    "Ah, by the way, it seems his lover was admitted to the Alchemy Division. Make sure he is treated well there."


    "Of course." Elder Shan bowed and left. He couldn''t help but wonder, though, how Grandmaster Shen had already found out about that boy being admitted into the Alchemy Division when he himself hadn''t even heard of that despite sending Xiao Li to find out more. Well, it probably wasn''t a surprise. That was the Grandmaster, after all.

 Chapter 241 - A Fallen God

    Qiu Ling stopped on one of the roofs of the Alchemy Division. He couldn''t see Jing Yi but he didn''t go and search for him either. Speaking of Jing He''s position he had suddenly remembered something.


    It had been a few years after he met Jing He for the first time. By then, Jing He wasn''t that guarded against him anymore and maybe he had even started to view him as something like a friend. One of those days, they had been sitting in the pavilion behind Jing He''s palace and drank tea.


    Qiu Ling had admired Jing He''s elegant posture, the way his eyes seemed even darker in the shade of the pavilion just like the starless night sky and how his hair flowed down behind his shoulders. He had felt that Jing He was even more beautiful than usual.


    Well, it probably couldn''t be said like that. Jing He was always beautiful but at this moment there was a special quality to his beauty. He suddenly seemed less like the Son of Heaven and more like a young god who could spend some of his leisure time with a friend.


    Seeing him like that Qiu Ling hadn''t been able to hold back a question that had been bugging him for a while: "Say ¡­ about your title as the Son of Heaven. What does it actually mean?"


    "I''m afraid I don''t understand your question."


    "Well, there have been several gods who were appalled that I dared to go after their Son of Heaven and looked at me as if I was a sinner. Why that? I''m still the dragon king. Don''t tell me I''m not a suitable partner for you?"


    Jing He had opened his mouth and closed it again before finally averting his gaze. It was obvious that he was appalled at the implication of Qiu Ling''s words. Qiu Ling hadn''t minded, though. He didn''t feel like it was a problem to be this direct. He had fallen in love with this person and was set on marrying him. Why shouldn''t he be allowed to say so?


    "You don''t know?"


    In the end, Jing He sighed and picked up his cup of tea. "It''s probably because of that old story about ¡­ how that title came to be."


    "Oh? What kind of story? I''m afraid I haven''t heard of that."


    Jing He had lifted his gaze to him again, surprise written in those limpid eyes. Qiu Ling had only given a smile. What was he to say? He had never heard of that because he had left the capital and had lived alone after his parents'' death. Where could he have heard such stories? He didn''t even know much about the dragons. The gods were more or less a blank slate to him.


    "It might not be so well-known to the other races anyway. It ¡­ has a lot to do with the gods."


    "I''d like to hear it." He really did. Not because he was really interested in the story but much rather because he wanted Jing He to tell it. His beloved had an especially soothing voice. He couldn''t explain why but every time he heard it he felt his heart calm down. Whatever he had experienced in the previous years ¡­ It wasn''t important anymore while listening to this special person.


    Jing He put the cup down and lightly cleared his throat. "There isn''t much to say. But once upon a time, there was a god called Xing who was the son of the Heavenly Emperor. Back then, the gods and especially their sovereign often married more than one wife and this son had been born by just a concubine.


    His status among the children of the Heavenly Emperor was thus low but Xing was said to be of exceptional beauty which could have enabled him to find a good marriage. Unfortunately, he wasn''t favored. The Heavenly Empress hated him because quite a few important gods had taken an interest in him and she felt that he would endanger the position of her children if he was allowed to marry one of them. She did everything to prevent these marriages and indeed, in the end, Xing was still without a spouse."


    "That''s sad."


    "Mn. It is." Jing He''s gaze at that moment had been melancholic as if he himself had been the one hindered to find his other half. It had been the first time Qiu Ling actually saw such an emotion on his face.


    "It probably didn''t stay that way, though, did it?"


    "No, it didn''t. Someday, a stranger came by. He called himself Tian and showed interest in none other than Xing. Since he was merely a stranger without any title or known talent the Heavenly Empress didn''t think much of it. In fact, it is said that she even encouraged her husband to have him marry Xing since it seemed like none of the other gods would want to marry him. The Heavenly Emperor took some time since this was his son, after all, who couldn''t be married to just anyone. In the end, he accepted, though."


    "So those two married. Did Xing fall in love?"


    "Mn. He did. For a while, those two were quite happy. They didn''t pay attention to other people and just quietly lived together. But people wouldn''t leave them alone. Xing had never been favored and now that he was married to a stranger, a man without known talents, the gods looked down on him even more. Rumors abounded and Xing was shunned when he dared to leave the house." Jing He made a pause and silently refilled their cups.


    This story seemed to mean quite a lot to him. Qiu Ling felt the urge to reach over and take his hand. He held back at the last moment, though. He didn''t want Jing He to stop telling the story.


    "The Heavenly Emperor didn''t care much for him so he didn''t do anything. But Xing''s husband couldn''t watch him suffer any longer. He thought that ¡­ if he became someone the gods looked up to, then they would honor Xing alongside him. So when the war with the demons came Tian took up his weapon and followed them."


    Jing He sighed. "Tian actually made his name known through the war and for a while, it got better after he came back. The people even tried to curry favor with Xing since Tian made obvious how much he loved him. This made a lot of people jealous, though."


    "So they started to go against Xing once more." Qiu Ling shook his head. He couldn''t believe how dumb these gods had been. What did they think they''ll achieve like that? Wouldn''t Tian be furious and turn against them when they did something to his beloved? He knew he would if the gods were treating Jing He this way.


    "Who knows what exactly happened but, in the end, Xing couldn''t take it any longer."


    Qiu Ling frowned. "He took his own life?"


    Jing He shook his head. "Worse than that. If he had just died ¡­ this story might not even have been remembered. No, Xing ¡­ became a fallen god."

 Chapter 242 - The Son Of Heaven

    "A fallen god?" Qiu Ling furrowed his brow even more. "I''ve never heard of them."


    Jing He seemed surprised. "Not? Well, there aren''t many of them. They are even too few to call them a race of their own. Moreover ¡­ fallen gods aren''t like us. They were gods in the beginning but then something happened that ¡­" He paused and silently rubbed the cup in his hands. "I guess it''s not wrong to say they lost their minds. The reason for that can be anything. In Xing''s case, it was probably his loneliness. He had no family or friends just his husband and then it seemed like he would lose him, too. He couldn''t take it any longer and these thoughts, this fear of his ¡­"


    "Mn. I understand." This time, Qiu Ling reached indeed over and grabbed his hand. Jing He retracted his own, though. He really was too proper to accept that so soon. Qiu Ling leaned back, too. "He must have felt really lonely. It might have been alright had he never known Tian but after finding out how his life could be with somebody else at his side he probably feared losing that support."


    Jing He lowered the cup in his hands and just looked at him. Qiu Ling wasn''t sure if he saw it right but ¡­ it seemed as if something had changed between them just then? Before he could be sure, Jing He had already looked down.


    "I think so, too. Unfortunately, Xing was too weak to fight for this love of his. It wasn''t that bad, though. Some gods descend into a killing frenzy after they are fallen and slaughter whoever stands in their way. Xing ¡­ he just vanished. He fled immediately after he had fallen."


    "He probably didn''t want his husband to know ¡­ Mn, then how did the gods know that he fell? Did Tian search for him and still find him in the end?"


    "He did search for him but it isn''t known whether he found him or not. It''s rather that there is a phenomenon that shows when someone falls. The gods just needed to look at those of them that were still there to know that it was Xing."


    "I see." Qiu Ling frowned. "But if Tian didn''t find him ¡­ then why is this story so important to the gods?" He had thought that maybe Tian had become even more important in the future or that maybe those two had a child that later on became the new Heavenly Emperor. After all, this story had something to do with Jing He''s title as the Son of Heaven. It couldn''t be over yet.


    "Well, the day Tian left the gods found out that he was someone they shouldn''t have provoked. Tian. His name alone might have been enough of a clue. He was Heaven himself, the one who had established the Nine Havens and all those other realms and judged the different races since the beginning of time."


    Even Qiu Ling didn''t know what to say to this revelation. The gods had managed to drive the one Heaven had fallen in love with to insanity. Someone of his status ¡­ would he just let it go?


    "What happened?"


    "He slew the Heavenly Empress and all children of the Heavenly Emperor except for one. Then, he cursed the gods. After that, he left and couldn''t be found anymore." Jing He sighed. "It is said that ¡­ he traveled through all the immortal and mortal realms in search of Xing but nobody knows if those two ever reunited."


    "So, in remembrance of this story, the gods started to take the children of the Heavenly Emperor more seriously?"


    Jing He smiled lightly. "There were many changes. First of all, the gods stopped to take more than one wife. And yes, they did pay special attention to the children of the Heavenly Emperor after that. Well, ''children'' might be the wrong word. Since that day the Heavenly Emperor never managed to have more than one and even that one child ¡­ often died."


    "So they became even more important to the gods. Just like Xing should have been."


    Jing He nodded. "Yes, just like that."


    "So, the gods aren''t thrilled that a dragon would dare to set his sights on their Son of Heaven."


    Jing He didn''t dare to nod but Qiu Ling took his silence as acquiescence.


    "There is one thing I don''t understand, though: Xing was the Heavenly Emperor''s son but Tian''s lover. So shouldn''t they be calling you Heaven''s lover instead?"


    Jing He coughed. "You ¡­ How ¡­ How can you even say that?"


    Qiu Ling grinned. Ah, he would say that once again if he was given the chance. He had never seen Jing He lose his composure like this! He was completely intrigued. "Ah, I''m sorry!" He leaped to his feet and hurried over. His hand slipped below Jing He''s hair and silently rubbed his back. Ah, he couldn''t believe how silky his hair was!


    "You ¡­"


    "Well, if you were Heaven''s lover then I might consider holding back. But since you''re not ¡­" He smiled and just continued until Jing He really couldn''t stand it anymore.


    He rose from his seat and took a step back. "Longjun, please behave yourself. This ¡­ this is highly inappropriate."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling had nodded but his gaze had said exactly what he was thinking: You might still call it inappropriate now but I won''t stop until there is no need to think that anymore.


    "Why don''t you have a seat again, Longjun?"


    "Sure." Qiu Ling sat down again as if he had been nothing but well-behaved the whole time.


    Jing He hesitated a bit but finally took a seat again, too. "About why it is the Son of Heaven ¡­ I guess they found it inappropriate to call the person his lover. It is said that Tian called the Heavenly Empress too conceited before he slew her. The gods tried to be more humble since then."


    "They should be pretty happy with you then. You''re ¡­ a great beauty but still so humble." Qiu Ling''s eyes gleamed. In his eyes everything about Jing He was perfect. He had no idea how that Xing had been but Jing He couldn''t be any less perfect. In fact, he was certain that his Jing He was even better.


    Jing He ignored his statement and just continued with the original topic. "There is also the belief that through Tian''s actions the gods were created anew so he is seen as their father. The Heavenly Emperor''s child ¡­ it is his creation. Thus, the Son of Heaven."


    "I see."


    "The title comes with some expectations ¡­" Jing He''s eyes dulled for a moment but he soon smiled again and picked up his cup.


    That was one of the expectations he had just mentioned. The Son of Heaven ¡­ he couldn''t have that kind of personality. He had to be a happy person. Someone who could be loved by everyone and who could embrace everyone with equal feelings of goodwill.


    Qiu Ling picked up his own cup and reciprocated the smile. "It seems like I''ll have to show the gods I''m not any worse than Tian then."


    "You ¡­" Jing He had looked exasperated but deep down he actually hoped that Qiu Ling would. Because, even though Qiu Ling himself didn''t know about it, Jing He had started to ask himself that day if maybe, just maybe the person sitting opposite him that very moment might be his own Tian. He certainly longed for such a person in his life.

 Chapter 243 - The Same Feeling?

    Qiu Ling sighed. He really missed the time with Jing He. It wasn''t bad spending time with his mortal reincarnation either but there wasn''t the same feeling of familiarity that Jing He had given him.


    Ah, come to think about it his mortal reincarnation was already sixteen years old. That was about a fourth of a long human lifespan. If the life was short, it might even be a third already. Most of this time he had stayed with him. He had watched him grow up but he still didn''t feel for him like he felt for Jing He.


    "That is ¡­ probably strange? You''re clearly the same person. Why do I still feel like it''s different? Do your memories really play such a big role?"


    Qiu Ling frowned. If that was the case, then who knew what would happen after Jing He woke up. Honestly, he was a little afraid of that.


    "You wouldn''t stop loving me, right? You ¡­ shouldn''t mind those things I told him after you wake up." He stayed silent for a while before he finally stood up. "No, you wouldn''t. You know how much I love you and I''m sure you love me just as much."


    He closed his eyes and sensed for the mark of the dragon he had left on Jing Yi''s body. "Uh? Why is it ¡­" He turned around in the direction of their house. It seemed Jing Yi had already returned.


    Qiu Ling smiled and hurriedly flew over, barging right in and sweeping the person inside up into his arms. "My love! Did you miss me so much? Don''t worry, your future husband is finally back!"


    Jing Yi laughed and clung to his neck to not lose his balance. "Alright, alright. Put me down." He waited for Qiu Ling to comply, tiptoed and gave him a short kiss. "Senior Martial Brother Yue showed me around the Alchemy division. It seems I don''t have to go there every day so ¡­"


    "So we can spend a lot of time together?" Qiu Ling grabbed his hands. Honestly, this missing feeling of familiarity probably just resulted from him losing out on five years of this mortal life. And, well, Jing Yi had been too young before that to really get familiar with him. The important time had started only last year. He couldn''t expect to know him as good as he had known Jing He after just that short amount of time. No, such a thing had to be developed through intense study over a long period of time.


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. "Well, that, too."


    "Oh? You had something else in mind?"


    "There''s still the mission. Right, could you find out something?"


    "Mn. I''ve seen both of them. They''re alright."


    "Hah?" Jing Yi raised his brows. "You''ve seen them?"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded and led Jing Yi over to the bed. "It wasn''t that difficult. Ah, well ¡­" Qiu Ling pursed his lips and looked at his fiance pitifully. "That vile woman actually hit me." He turned around and showed Jing Yi his arm.


    "Heaven''s!" Jing Yi gripped the ripped sleeve and looked at the wound below. Blood had smeared everywhere but he could still see the gash left by the sword. "This ¡­" Jing Yi bit his lower lip. "Why would she do this to you? Did you tell her who you are?"


    "No. I didn''t." Qiu Ling tilted his head. "Are you mad?"


    "You certainly had your reasons. Does it hurt?"


    Qiu Ling wanted to shake his head but reconsidered at the final moment and nodded instead. "Yes. You don''t know but she didn''t just use a normal weapon. Who knows what that blade was made of? It burned like fire when it hit. I was rolling around on the floor in pain."


    Jing Yi looked up with a pale face. "Maybe you should lie down." He stood up and pressed against Qiu Ling''s chest, gently coaxing him to do as he said. "Wait a bit. I''ll get something to wash away the blood and cool the wound."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded and watched Jing Yi leave. Actually, it didn''t hurt as much anymore but even the little pain he still felt was alarming. What kind of blade was able to injure a dragon this much? If this got into the wrong hands ¡­


    That wasn''t important now, though.


    Jing Yi hurried back inside with a bowl of water. He set it down next to the bed and started to open Qiu Ling''s robe.


    "I never would have thought you''d try to strip me under these circumstances."


    Jing Yi gave half a smile. "It''s good you''re still able to joke around." He gently took the outer and inner robe off Qiu Ling''s body and looked at the injury.


    It really seemed gruesome. He felt queasy just looking at it and his hands trembled when he dipped a cloth in the water and wrung it out. Qiu Ling reached over and gripped his hand.


    "You don''t have to." He hurriedly put his robes back on and tried to sit up but Jing Yi shook his head.


    "What are you doing? Let me clean that up for you."


    "It''s alright. It''s not that bad. I can do it on my own." He turned away with a guilty conscience.


    He had looked forward to his beloved caring for him. Back in the Nine Heavens, he had never dared to go to Jing He if he got hurt. First of all, he wanted to appear strong and dependable but he also didn''t want to burden him with it. Jing He might have been the nephew of the god of war but his father had made sure he stayed far away from every fight. He had never seen any injuries. Going there and showing him these things ¡­ Qiu Ling hadn''t had the heart to do it. It would have felt like tainting him.


    And now he had done just that with this mortal reincarnation of Jing He''s. As much as he saw him as Jing He, he also saw him as someone different with these things. He had felt like it wouldn''t be as bad. But now that he saw that shocked expression on his face ¡­ He couldn''t go on.


    "Qiu Ling, please. We have to do something."


    "It''s really alright." Qiu Ling took the wet cloth from Jing Yi''s hands and stripped half of his robe again. He silently cleaned the wound himself and made sure that Jing Yi wouldn''t be able to see the gash. "You know, it''ll heal soon."


    "How could that be? It''s such a deep injury! It''ll probably take weeks." Jing Yi bit his lip again.


    "It won''t for me. Mn ¡­ How about bandaging it for me?" Qiu Ling turned around and smiled. The wound didn''t look as bad anymore now that the blood was gone. And honestly, he just wanted to feel it. Just once.


    Jing Yi hurriedly nodded and took the bandage Qiu Ling had retrieved from his spatial ring. He slowly wrapped it around his arm, all the while looking like he feared to hurt him.


    Qiu Ling watched with rapt attention. How long had it been since someone had cared for him like this? These gentle hands, that worried gaze ¡­ He himself couldn''t believe how much he craved this.


    "Jing He ¡­" He leaned forward and pulled Jing Yi into his embrace. "You have no idea how much I love you."


    Jing Yi looked up at him uncomprehending. But seeing the expression in Qiu Ling''s eyes he understood. "I''ll always be there for you. And ¡­ I promise I won''t be as frightened the next time. Then I can do everything for you."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded but he didn''t intend to let this mortal reincarnation of Jing He see his wounds ever again. In the end, they really were the same person even though there were some slight changes due to the different experiences they had. He couldn''t be like that to him anymore. He had to treat him just as cautious as he had Jing He.

 Chapter 244 - I Told Them

    Jing Yi helped Qiu Ling into another set of robes and sat down next to him again. "So, what exactly happened? Why did she attack you?"


    "Well ¡­ I guess she was a little surprised?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "If it''s true that she married the Grandmaster, then she probably doesn''t want to be found. Maybe you said something that gave your identity away?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "No. But ¡­ I tried to take her with me. She didn''t seem to like that."


    "You ¡­"


    Qiu Ling averted his gaze. "I grabbed her and tried to take her away. Don''t look at me like that! The Grandmaster was still standing next to us. It wouldn''t have been convenient to talk there."


    Jing Yi opened his mouth but didn''t manage to say anything. In the end, he just shook his head. He could probably be happy that his fiance had ended up with just a cut on his arm. "Qiu Ling, you can''t be like this. You tried to kidnap the Grandmaster''s wife right in front of him? What if he had attacked you? You might have ended up dead!"


    "Don''t worry, I''m not that weak."


    "How can you say that? Even his wife managed to hurt you!"


    "Well, I didn''t take her seriously ¡­"


    Jing Yi wanted to scold him but the way Qiu Ling looked let the words get stuck in his throat. Alright. He couldn''t bring himself to do it. In the end, he only cautioned him. "Please, be more careful in the future."


    "Sure!" Qiu Ling leaned over and gave him a kiss. "You don''t have to worry anyway. I already told them."


    "Mn? What do you mean?"


    "Didn''t you say you were afraid because you gave away my name?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "I did. You said you had an idea to take care of it."


    "I had. I told the Grandmaster and his family that we''re from the Yun Zou Sect."


    "You ¡­ You did what?"


    "I told them. Well, I did adjust the story a bit. I told them the two of us were very much in love but my Master was very much against it so we couldn''t help us any other way than fleeing. So we came here to the Hei Dian Sect."


    "And he believed that?"


    "Yes."


    Qiu Ling didn''t seem to find that strange which stunned Jing Yi even more. It couldn''t be that the Grandmaster had accepted this story just like that, could it?


    "What about you?" Qiu Ling hugged him as if he had just delivered some news that wouldn''t have any impact on them.


    Jing Yi couldn''t adapt that fast. "Wait, wait. Qiu Ling, not so fast. What exactly happened? You ¡­ you tried to kidnap the Grandmaster''s wife in front of him and then you told him we were from the enemy side and made that up and he just ¡­ This is unbelievable!"


    Qiu Ling pressed his lips together. "Well ¡­ It''s not that easy to explain."


    "Then tell me slowly. It''s not like we have to go somewhere else now."


    Qiu Ling wasn''t so sure if that was actually a good idea. He would have liked if Jing Yi didn''t ask any more than that. Then again ¡­ he had wanted to be honest with him anyway. As long as he didn''t tell him about Jing He and the trial everything should be alright.


    "Actually, it''s not that difficult to explain either. At first, I wanted to take her with me but then she injured me. After that her sister somehow ended up in the fray and, well, I noticed that I already know her. It''s been some years since then and she doesn''t even remember but that was actually in our favor.


    The thing is, she ¡­ somehow lost her memory and the part that she lost was the one where she had met me. So, the Grandmaster and his wife wanted me to tell them what I knew so the fight stopped. Then I told them what they wanted to know and mentioned our story on the side so that they wouldn''t find out the whole truth. That''s everything."


    "Something like that can actually happen?" Jing Yi still found it hard to believe but it made a bit more sense now. He didn''t have any siblings but if he had he would probably care as much about them as he cared about Qiu Ling. And if Qiu Ling lost his memory ¡­ Even if the one who had information was his enemy, he would still do whatever he asked for just to help his fiance. And Qiu Ling would certainly do the same for him.


    Why should the Grandmaster and his wife be any different? They were all humans, in the end.


    "So we don''t have to fear that they''ll find out about it anymore?"


    "No. We''re safe now. You can even continue calling me Qiu Ling if you want."


    Jing Yi smiled but shook his head. He had probably done that unconsciously again anyway since he was too agitated after he saw Qiu Ling''s injury. "No, I should get used to it and call you Long Jun. There''s still the matter of returning. Considering your talent you might make a name for yourself even without trying. What then?"


    "Have you ever considered ¡­ not returning?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Qiu Ling cleared his throat. He knew that this wasn''t something that could be casually brought up but he really thought it might be a good idea. "Look at it like this: You''ve been part of the Yun Zou Sect for six years already. In the first five years, they didn''t help you at all. You were on your own and had no opportunity to become a cultivator. In the last year, you became a cultivator but that was thanks to your own effort and even now they don''t want to reward you for that hard work. No, quite the contrary, they still hinder our marriage. Is that how the sect should be?"


    Jing Yi was taken aback. "You ¡­ It couldn''t be you want to propose to stay here."


    "I don''t want to propose anything. I''ll go wherever you go and stay where you stay. I''m just staying the Yun Zou Sect might not deserve having you. And if we stayed here, we wouldn''t have to wait for our marriage either. Just think about it for a while."


    Jing Yi would have liked to disagree immediately but Qiu Ling''s gaze was too earnest to do so. In the end, he only sighed. He couldn''t imagine turning his back on the Yun Zou Sect. Even though it wasn''t completely wrong what Qiu Ling said he still felt like he should be grateful to the sect.


    They might not have helped him in the first years but they never helped those with low aptitude. It wasn''t something they had done to him personally. Then, he had lived there for five years and even met Qiu Ling so the sect carried a lot of sentimental value. And finally, Sect Master Yuchi had given him a chance with coming here. He couldn''t disappoint that trust. It wouldn''t be right. Even if that meant that Qiu Ling would have to wait a bit longer for the wedding he looked forward to so much.

 Chapter 245 - The First Alchemist Duan Guiying

    Jing Yi left it be. Qiu Ling had already done what he had done and it was obvious why he had made that suggestion. He didn''t agree with it but he also couldn''t fault him that easily.


    "So, then what about that Senior Martial Brother Yue now? Did he harass you?"


    Jing Yi sighed. "No."


    "Are you sure? You can tell me if he did. I''ll go and beat him up for you."


    Jing Yi reached over and cupped his cheeks. "Don''t be like that. Not everyone is going to be after me. And even if he was, I''m only in love with you. So you don''t have to worry."


    "Mn. I know that."


    "Actually, Senior Martial Brother Yue is really nice. He offered to teach me how to read, too."


    "You told him that you won''t need that, didn''t you?"


    "I didn''t."


    Qiu Ling paused. He had been sure his beloved would decline! "Why?"


    Jing Yi sighed again. "Qiu Ling, I do understand that you don''t want me to spend too much time with somebody else but ¡­ How are we going to accomplish our mission like that?"


    "But we already found those two. They''re here willingly and don''t seem like they''ll go back anytime soon. Doesn''t that mean we''re already done? We could just go back and marry if you really don''t want to stay here."


    "It''s not like that. What you said is true, yes, but what if the Grandmaster had some sort of hidden agenda when he approached them?"


    "He certainly had if wanting to marry someone counts as a hidden agenda."


    Jing Yi just looked at him and Qiu Ling sighed.


    "Alright, alright. I''ll let him teach you. But you''ll see that I''m way better at teaching than him. Hmph. I really want to see that guy now."


    "You won''t have to worry about that. I told him about the duel with Senior Martial Brother Niu. He said he''ll come to cheer you on."


    "Oh?" Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. Could it actually be that this Senior Martial Brother Yue was a decent guy who really wanted to support them? Mn, maybe Jing He was right and he shouldn''t suspect all these men from the outer set?


    "Ah, right, he also gave me all the things I''ll need in the Alchemy division." Jing Yi nodded in the direction of the things he had brought back. The house they had moved in was completely furnished but they didn''t have anything to put inside so he would have felt strange to do so with the things he had gotten from Yue Lin. In the end, he had just put them into a corner.


    "There''s a manual and it seems I''ll have to read a lot, so ¡­" He rubbed over Qiu Ling''s chest and smiled. "Even if Senior Martial Brother Yue teaches me how to read, there are still things you can help me with. In fact ¡­ learning to read is a lot of work. It''s not so bad if somebody else teaches me that. But there is only one person I''d like to read a manual to me."


    "Mn. Is this considered as you coaxing me?"


    Jing Yi smiled. "Does my future husband require to be coaxed?"


    Qiu Ling sharply inhaled. Alright, his beloved was incredibly good at sweet-talking. He couldn''t compare at all! "I ¡­"


    "¡­ feel like reading that manual to you right now?"


    "Indeed. I can''t imagine anything better." Qiu Ling lifted his hand, waved at the book and had the wind bring it over. He certainly wouldn''t leave his beloved''s side to get it. "Alright. Come here." He hugged Jing Yi close and lay down on the bed.


    Jing Yi smiled. He had been prepared for Qiu Ling to take advantage of the situation. Thus, he just nestled up against his chest and looked at his face. Qiu Ling actually seemed serious when he opened the book.


    "The Alchemy our Hei Dian Sect teaches is based on the achievements of Duan Guiying. Thus, it is important that our disciples know of this first alchemist.


    When Huan Yin established the Dark Temple to honor the god of darkness there were three men at his side who should later be known as the first cultivator, the first practitioner, and the first alchemist. The disciples of these four men later founded the Hei Dian Sect around the Dark Temple and passed on the knowledge their masters had imparted to them.


    While the cultivator and practitioner, as well as Huan Yin himself, passed those lessons down orally Duan Guiying wrote down what he knew and let each of his disciples make a copy that they should carry around and have their disciples copy when the time came for them to pass their knowledge down.


    Duan Guiying separated his notes into several parts: One part about how the alchemist should be. One part about what the alchemist should have. One part about how the alchemist should work. One part about what the alchemist should use. And finally one part about what the alchemist shouldn''t do.


    These five parts are still the basis of our teachings, though they were edited by each new generation." Qiu Ling stopped and frowned. "I don''t think this is actually important."


    Jing Yi laughed lightly. "You haven''t read that much yet."


    "Yes, but isn''t this just self-adulation? They''re basically saying ''Oh, look! We had some great ancestor who was really smart and wrote everything down and we''re still honoring him. So kneel down and worship him!'' Don''t you think so?"


    "Is it wrong? They had that ancestor."


    "Who knows if he really wrote all that down. You heard it yourself: His students and everyone else copied and edited it. There''s probably not much of his initial ideas inside."


    "Still, without the things he did, the others wouldn''t have had anything to edit. So I guess it''s not wrong to write a bit about him. Moreover ¡­ it''s the history of the sect. Isn''t it normal to teach that to the disciples?"


    "Mn ¡­" Qiu Ling looked at the strokes in the book. Maybe his beloved was right. It was just that he hated that kind of praising of the predecessors. It always made him feel like he should be doing the same. But he hated his predecessor and even though his father had told him about the guy who had been king before the old geezer, he had never known him and didn''t really care about him either. About those kings even before that guy ¡­ He had no idea at all. They were already swallowed up by the changes time brought with it.


    "Well, as long as you like it, I''ll continue to read the rest." He looked back into the book and continued. Actually, it wasn''t so bad considering he had his beloved''s complete attention. Mn, he should treasure this moment.

 Chapter 246 - Obedient, Thoughtful and Reliable

    Meanwhile, the Senior Martial Brother Yue that Qiu Ling had nearly absolved of the imagined crime of coveting his beloved was seriously examining Niu Hai. In the end, he sighed.


    "This isn''t good. I haven''t seen that guy but I''m not convinced. We can''t leave anything to chance."


    Niu Hai raised his brows. "I understand why I want to win but why is this so important to you?"


    Yue Lin stroked his hair back and smiled. "Naturally, it''s because this Junior is such an excellent person. He''s obedient, thoughtful and seems reliable unlike those other Martial Brothers at our division who''d rather prank someone with their newest creation. If there is someone that can be trusted to help me with all my tasks, then it''s him. I definitely won''t let any guy take him away!"


    "But if I win I''ll also take him away."


    "Tch. We''ll see about that. I know you so I''ll definitely find something to use against you."


    Niu Hai frowned. He had thought his biggest problem would be defeating that shameless guy but now he might get help for that but ultimately come to grief because of the person who had helped him. Damn. This wasn''t even funny.


    "Don''t think too much about it. First of all, you''ll need to win against him. What do you know about him?"


    Niu Hai pursed his lips, unwilling to answer. His friends didn''t have any qualms talking about it, though, and immediately butted in.


    "He seems to be really strong."


    "Most likely, he''s at least one realm above Brother Hai."


    "Yeah, I guess it might even be more than that. So as long as there isn''t any new kind of alchemy that can make him become a higher-leveled practitioner in a day there is no way he''ll win."


    Yue Lin frowned, too. Niu Hai wasn''t weak. He had thought they would be evenly matched. Especially since they had agreed on a duel in front of the whole sect. Who would do that if his opponent was that much stronger? Wasn''t that just asking to be humiliated?


    "Well, I don''t have something like that but I can help you a bit at least. I''ll visit you again before the duel. You should try to raise your level, though."


    "As if it''s that easy. I''m not a cultivator who just needs to take some pills."


    "It''s not my problem you''re dumb enough to accept a duel with someone who''s clearly stronger than you."


    Niu Hai''s friends snickered. "He didn''t just accept. He was actually the one who issued the challenge."


    Yue Lin frowned but finally just shook his head. "Well, it''s your problem. I''ll just help you out a bit because I need Jing He. You better not disappoint me."


    "Yes, yes." Niu Hai picked up his sword again. He didn''t need to be told. He also knew that his prospects were looking dim. He really could just hope that enough training would make him reach the next realm before the duel. Maybe he''d have a better chance at winning then.


    Niu Hai trained until deep into the night. Not only Yue Lin even his friends had long called it a day and gone back to their dwellings. He wasn''t alone, though. Not far from him stood Xiao Li, the disciple that Elder Shan had sent to find out more about Qiu Ling and Jing Yi or, more accurately, the demon that Jin Ling had sent to find all information on Jing Yi.


    Xiao Li made sure that nobody was around anymore before he slowly went over to Niu Hai. "You''re still training at this hour?"


    Niu Hai looked up and sighed. "Brother Xiao ¡­ You haven''t heard yet? I agreed to a duel with a new disciple."


    "Mn, I did hear of that. I just wouldn''t have thought you''d take it this seriously."


    Niu Hai smiled wryly. He also wouldn''t have thought so but what could he do? That guy was strong. If he didn''t give everything he got, he might end up dead or even worse.


    "What was the reason for that duel? Did he provoke you?" Naturally, Xiao Li had come to find out more about Jing Yi. Following him around and secretly taking a look at his registration for the Alchemy division hadn''t gotten him much. He only knew that Jing Yi was now a fringe disciple of the Alchemy division but his king wouldn''t be interested in that. Unfortunately, he had no clue where to look for that and he couldn''t eavesdrop on the conversations Jing Yi had as long as Qiu Ling was around. Thus, Niu Hai looked like the next best alternative.


    "It''s because of his fiance." Niu Hai really wanted to say that they just wanted to exchange some pointers. That wouldn''t have been as embarrassing. But unfortunately, his friends already knew and a lot of people had heard later on. The bit of face he could save in front of Xiao Li if he claimed something like that would be thoroughly trashed when the truth came out. Thus, he just admitted it himself.


    "Oh. He must be someone special then."


    Niu Hai smiled wryly. "Well, he''s cute and has a nice personality."


    "Nothing more?"


    Niu Hai shook his head. "No. What more could there be?"


    "Well, he could have a special identity."


    "I don''t think so. He seemed pretty normal to me. If he actually came from an important background, it would probably show in the way he acts."


    "Mn. I see." Xiao Li barely held back from sighing. He had hoped Niu Hai knew something but it seemed that wasn''t the case. Well, maybe he''d hear something tomorrow. After all, people would certainly talk about the reason for the duel and that dragon king would be preoccupied with the duel. He wouldn''t have time to hunt him. "Well, then I guess I should wish you good luck. I''ll definitely come by to cheer you on."


    "Mn, thanks." Niu Hai nodded. "I guess I''ll get back to training then."


    Xiao Li wanted to go when he suddenly had an idea. "Ah, Brother Niu, I heard that guy is several realms above you. Will it really be alright to fight him?"


    "Even if not, it''s not like I could just drop out. Where would I put my face then?"


    "Then ¡­ have you thought about ¡­ well, making sure he can''t use his full strength? There would certainly be ways to do that."


    Niu Hai paused. He really wanted to try but ¡­ "No, I won''t. Winning like that wouldn''t be good. It should be fair."


    "What is fair about him fighting someone weaker than him?"


    Niu Hai pressed his lips together. Damn, this Xiao Li! Did he have to say it like this. "Thanks for your concern, Brother Xiao. But there''s no need. I should get back to training now."


    "Alright. It''s a pity, though. You might have even won like that." He shook his head and went his own way.


    Thus, the day of the duel finally arrived.

 Chapter 247 - Assembling for the Duel

    Qiu Ling crooned to himself while unhurriedly putting on his robe. Ah, he really could get used to life in the Hei Dian Sect. Going to bed with his beloved, sharing a bed with his beloved, waking up together with his beloved ¡­ He had never had these opportunities when they were still in the Yun Zou Sect. Well, not that they had spent much time there.


    Mn, if they really went back after fulfilling this mission, then he had to make sure his Master wouldn''t find some other excuse to hinder their marriage. Or, even if he found something to postpone the wedding again, he at least had to make sure they would be allowed to share a room. He''d never give up on this privilege!


    Qiu Ling took a peek at Jing Yi and hurried over when he saw that his beloved had already dressed. He swept him up into his arms and kissed his cheeks. "Are you ready?"


    Jing Yi laughed. "Shouldn''t I be the one asking you? It''s your duel."


    "Mn, that guy is a small fry. Watch your fiance dispose of him in one strike."


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. Right. It had been over a year already so he hadn''t thought of it but thinking back now he had seen Qiu Ling disposing of others with just one strike back at the Gathering of Practitioners in the Yun Zou Sect. In fact, he hadn''t even taken out his sword for the first opponents.


    "I guess I''m thinking too much then."


    "No, no, no. It''s definitely not too much! I love seeing you worry about me. Ah, no, that ¡­ I don''t like seeing you worried but if you have to be worried it''s still better if you''re worried about me." Qiu Ling grinned. Yes, he definitely loved it! It showed just how important he was to his beloved.


    Ah, in fact, he would like to see him cry because of him once. But then again he probably wouldn''t be able to take it if Jing He really started crying in front of him. No, it was still better something like that never happened.


    Jing Yi had no idea what Qiu Ling was thinking about just now. He just smiled and took his hand. "We should go. Otherwise, you''re going to be the last one showing up for your duel."


    "Who cares?" Qiu Ling followed him out, though, and the two made their way over to the clearing in front of the Beguiling Night Tree where the duel was supposed to take place.


    There were indeed a lot of people already. Jing Yi examined the robes they were wearing. It seemed like all divisions had three types and all of them looked the same as in their division just that they were of different colors. Here and there were some disciples in black robes but there weren''t many. Most likely that was the case for the whole sect because when he and Qiu Ling walked by he heard the disciples whispering with each other. They probably thought he was a direct disciple, too, since he was still wearing his own black robe. Ah, it was really time to find a division Qiu Ling could join.


    Jing Yi looked up at him but didn''t bring it up in the end. Qiu Ling would have to concentrate on the duel now. There was no reason to talk about anything else now.


    Qiu Ling, too, had a look around but he ignored the people around them and just searched for a good spot. He had to make sure his beloved would have the best possible view of the duel. Unfortunately, most of the people were standing and there were only a few elevated seats near the Beguiling Night Tree.


    "Come." Qiu Ling led Jing Yi over there and had him sit down on one of them.


    The disciples in the vicinity eyed them strangely, making Jing Yi squirm. "This ¡­ Qiu Ling, maybe this isn''t such a good idea? These seats are probably reserved for someone."


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows. "It''s my duel. If anyone should have a seat, then it should be my fiance." He smiled and just sat down next to him, not caring even a bit about the looks he got. Instead, he just slid a bit closer to Jing Yi and put an arm around his shoulders.


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. He could feel his cheeks heating up. Oh heavens! Couldn''t Qiu Ling behave at least once?


    A moment later, steps approached them or rather the seats they were sitting on. Jing Yi tried to diminish his presence as much as possible but next to Qiu Ling he probably didn''t have to worry. His fiance had that much presence that whoever came would certainly focus on him.


    Indeed, the next moment, an Elder in black robes halted in front of them. Jing Yi didn''t dare to look up and crouched in Qiu Ling''s arms.


    His fiance had no qualms about his behavior, though. He just looked up and lifted his brows. "Is something the matter?"


    The Elder frowned even more at that reaction. "What''s your name?"


    Qiu Ling pondered. Should he go with Longjun or with Qiu Ling?


    The Elder''s expression clouded even more but before he could erupt the appearance of another person interrupted him.


    Grandmaster Shen led his wife to the seats and then sat down next to Qiu Ling. "You''re still sitting here? Shouldn''t you go over there for your duel?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "The other guy isn''t even here yet. Why would I go over?"


    The Elder''s eyes widened. Was this ¡­ Grandmaster Shen? Why was he speaking to this disciple as if they knew each other? Not just that, it seemed like they were really familiar with each other. He gulped and silently slipped away, finding a place a little further away. He couldn''t help gazing over again, though.


    It seemed the Grandmaster had talked about the duel with that person? So was this the one that was going to duel the disciple of his division? Ah, it seemed he could only hope that Niu Hai wouldn''t totally embarrass them.

 Chapter 248 - Not Looking As Good

    After the Elder of Niu Hai''s division had left, Grandmaster Shen didn''t say another word and Qiu Ling ignored him, too. Instead, he held onto his beloved and didn''t care for anyone else.


    Soon, Niu Hai appeared, too. He looked up at the elevated seats in order to find his Master and the Elder leading their division but instead, he saw Qiu Ling and Jing Yi sitting there. And even next to the Grandmaster and his wife.


    Niu Hai gulped. He had no idea what he should be more shocked about: The fact that the Grandmaster had actually come to watch a duel between two disciples or that one of those disciples was seated next to him. If this wasn''t the Grandmaster but some Elder instead, he would have called this blatant favoritism! Well, he couldn''t say anything. That guy was probably a real talent. Naturally, the sect would support someone like that.


    Niu Hai didn''t look around any longer and just went to the middle of the clearing. He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and waited for Qiu Ling to come over.


    Jing Yi patted Qiu Ling''s hand. "Senior Martial Brother Niu is there. Shouldn''t you go over now?"


    "Mn. I will. Don''t worry, my love, nothing will happen to me. In fact, I''m rather worried you won''t have the opportunity to see how good-looking your future husband is when he fights. I''ll try to drag it out for as long as possible, alright?"


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. "No need, no need."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Mn. Now go."


    "Give me a good luck-kiss!" Qiu Ling leaned over and pursed his lips.


    "You ¡­" Jing Yi looked around. With so many disciples around who knew each other, it wasn''t hard for news to spread. Most of them already knew that Qiu Ling was the one who would fight against Niu Hai and a lot of them were looking over, observing the person who dared to fight against a direct disciple immediately upon entering the sect.


    Oh heavens! Did Qiu Ling really have to be like this? But then again if this really was a fight that could end with his death, then there was no way he could just let him go.


    Jing Yi leaned forward, his hands came to rest upon Qiu Ling''s chest and their lips touched for the shortest of moments. "Even if you''re sure that you''ll win, you have to be careful," he cautioned quietly.


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded, looking quite earnest.


    Jing Yi watched him jump down from where they sat and go over. Qiu Ling seemed unhurried as if this was something he could do every day. He didn''t care for the people watching him or for the fact that there was the possibility of him dying in a few minutes.


    Jing Yi sighed. Why was his fiance still thinking about looking good in front of him? A man who believed that much in himself ¡­ He didn''t have to do anything. He looked good just standing there.


    Just when Jing Yi was completely immersed in his thoughts about his fiance a shadow slipped past him. Then, someone clasped his arm, making Jing Yi jump. He turned around and found himself face to face with a girl.


    Jing Yi blinked. He had never seen her in person before but this was definitely one of the girls he was supposed to search for: Hong Bao.


    "So you''re the one he wants to marry!" Hong Bao was happy that she had finally found him. She had pondered the issue with the wedding a lot since she promised Qiu Ling but then she had had no idea where to find him again. Thankfully, there was this duel so she didn''t have to wait too long. And now, she had even found his fiance, too! How great!


    "You ¡­"


    "I''m Hong Bao! He probably told you about me. I''m the one who will help you so you get the best possible wedding."


    "Ah. He ¡­ he must have forgotten to mention that." Jing Yi was taken aback. He knew Qiu Ling had met the two girls but ¡­ Where was this about their wedding coming from?


    "Oh. That''s not a problem. There isn''t much to say anyway. The thing is your fiance and I got to know each other yesterday. Well, actually, we knew each other before but I forgot so that doesn''t really count. Anyway, he told me everything about how you two fell in love and how those vicious people dared to separate you again and again. I''m appalled that they would dare to do something like that to such a loving couple! So, I decided then and there that somebody has to help you and since I already know about it I''ll naturally support you! You don''t have to worry. I might not have married myself but look over there!" She pointed behind her where Grandmaster Shen and his wife sat. "My sister married such a great man and I''m definitely also going to marry a great man someday. In fact, there already is someone I like very much. It''s one of my Senior Martial Brothers at the Chun Feng Sect, he''s called Liu Cheng. He really is so handsome and such a kind-hearted man. You would say the same if you saw him. But you don''t have to feel down your fiance also isn''t bad. He''s quite good-looking himself and he seems to care really much about you."


    Hong Bao finally took a breather.


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. He had never seen someone talk this much all at once. It was as if she hadn''t talked for a week and finally gotten an opportunity. It was good that he had met her, though. Now he could start working on the mission the Sect Master had given him. And thankfully, Hong Bao had already provided him with a topic. "Yes, he does care very much about me and he''s the best-looking man I know."


    "That''s just because you haven''t seen Liu Cheng yet. Actually, I think of all those people I know your fiance would come in third place if we compare their handsomeness."


    "Oh." Jing Yi looked over at where Qiu Ling stood discussing something with Niu Hai and the Elder that was the referee for their duel. If he knew that someone had said he wasn''t the best-looking man around ¡­ Would he be mad? He really cared about his appearance.


    "One of them is my brother-in-law." Hong Bao pointed behind her once more and this time, Jing Yi couldn''t help but look over.


    His gaze met with Grandmaster Shen''s. The other man smiled, showing off the handsomeness Hong Bao had just talked about but Jing Yi only blinked. After being around Qiu Ling for so long ¡­ he surprisingly felt that this man wasn''t looking that good. Ah, he was probably biased.

 Chapter 249 - Duel … to the Death?

    Shen An De smiled wryly. He wasn''t expecting everyone to get stunned when they saw him but what was with that lack of reaction? Shouldn''t that person greet him at least? He was still the Grandmaster of the Hei Dian Sect!


    Before he had time to say anything the Elder in charge of the duel stepped forward. Jing Yi turned around, his gaze locking onto Qiu Ling. Even though Qiu Ling himself wasn''t worried Jing Yi couldn''t help but be nervous. He certainly didn''t doubt his fiance''s strength but Niu Hai was a direct disciple and even one of an evil sect. What if he was going to use underhanded tricks against Qiu Ling? Even if he wasn''t mortally wounded he might still be hurt.


    Shen An De sneaked a peek at Jing Yi. Seeing how his hands cramped in his lap and how he was biting his lower lip even though the duel hadn''t even started the Grandmaster couldn''t help but raise his brows. This couple of dragon and god ¡­ they really were something. Fearing for the other''s well-being this much even if there was no need at all ¡­ It showed how much they loved each other.


    It really was no wonder his uncle would go after him. Even if he wasn''t the Son of Heaven he would probably find it fun to break such a couple apart.


    Shen An De paused and turned around to Jing Yi. One moment ¡­ The Son of Heaven? That couldn''t be! This person was obviously completely human! But it couldn''t be that the dragon king had lied. It would be too easy to find out if it was true or not. So, there had to be another explanation.


    He really wanted to get behind this but it was finally time for the duel.


    The Elder in charge cleared his throat. "This is the duel between disciple Niu Hai and disciple Long Jun. Both agreed to not hold the other side accountable for any injuries received whether they are lethal or not." He nodded and stepped aside but his words made the disciples that spectated whisper.


    "Wasn''t this supposed to be a duel to the death? Which of them chickened out?"


    "Is this really a question? It''s definitely the new guy! He probably just challenged Senior Martial Brother Niu on a whim because he thought he could get famous like that. Now that he found out that he''s a direct disciple he probably doesn''t dare to really fight him."


    The Elder in charge shot Qiu Ling an irritated look, too. He had no idea who had proposed the duel but the whole sect certainly wouldn''t gather if it wasn''t a duel to the death. To propose a normal duel right before the start ¡­ And now that even the Grandmaster was there to watch!


    Yes, indeed, the one who had proposed to make this a normal duel was Qiu Ling. His justification: "My fiance is watching. If I kill someone just like that, wouldn''t he think I''m cruel? I can''t risk that!"


    The Elder had never heard a worse excuse but unfortunately, Niu Hai had actually accepted it! Since both participants consented there wasn''t anything he could do. There were no rules that forbid them from changing the nature of their duel right before the start.


    The Elder''s look seemed to confirm what the disciples thought. The way they looked at Qiu Ling instantly changed. Jing Yi''s heart ached seeing that but his fiance didn''t seem to mind.


    Qiu Ling just took his spot and smiled at Niu Hai, making sure he made the best possible impression he could. Naturally, that was all for his beloved!


    Mn, I have to use this opportunity wisely, he cautioned himself. He had to gain an overwhelming victory to make sure none of these shameless people would dare to approach his beloved but, on the other hand, he had to make sure he didn''t win too fast or his beloved wouldn''t have anything to watch.


    Qiu Ling didn''t take out his sword and instead struck a pose. Niu Hai pressed his lips together. He somehow felt mocked. Wasn''t this guy looking down on him a bit too much? He took a deep breath and unsheathed his weapon.


    There was nothing to fear. This wasn''t a duel to the death anymore and he had taken those pills Yue Lin brought in this morning. They might not be able to make him attain a new realm or even level but they were able to make him stronger and faster. He had some advantage at least.


    Qiu Ling waited calmly and just lightly waved his fingers. A breeze sprang up and his hair and long sleeves swayed with the wind. Qiu Ling turned his face a bit and peaked at Jing Yi. Mn, his beloved was watching him intently. He was certainly cutting quite a dash!


    Niu Hai''s eyes gleamed. His opponent was actually distracted! This was the perfect moment! He leaped forward and brandished his dadao. The blade cut toward Qiu Ling''s shoulder.


    Qiu Ling swayed to the side with a profound smile, turning around a bit further to make sure his handsomeness was displayed to its fullest.


    Niu Hai gritted his teeth. This bastard! He clearly hadn''t paid attention now! How could he have so much luck to evade his attack? He gripped his weapon tighter and once again struck at Qiu Ling, aiming for his shoulder to immobilize him.


    Once more, Qiu Ling sidestepped. This time, he didn''t leave it at that, though. His hand shot out and accurately struck his collarbone. There was a crack, Niu Hai tumbled backward and landed on the ground with a groan.


    The disciples watching the duel went crazy. Shit! Had they really just watched the new disciple take out their Senior Martial Brother who was a direct disciple of one of the Elders of the blade division with just one strike?!


    Qiu Ling frowned and hurriedly looked back at Jing Yi. He had wanted to take his time with this fight. Why were these guys all so weak?


    On the elevated seats, Grandmaster Shen facepalmed. "Is he really a dragon? He seems more like a peacock right now."


    Jing Yi paused and slightly turned to the side. The only one that resembled a peacock here ¡­ was his fiance. So ¡­ what was this about being a dragon? He turned back to the front and lightly touched his forehead. He hadn''t thought of it for a long time but ¡­ he had some relationship with the dragon clan. It couldn''t be that Qiu Ling had approached him because of that, could it?

 Chapter 250 - An Unwelcome Invitation

    Niu Hai rolled around and forced himself to stand up again. He definitely couldn''t go down after just one strike! He had to at least exchange a few moves with him!


    Qiu Ling heard the rustling of clothes behind him and turned around with an excited expression. Thankfully, this guy had gotten up again! He straightened his sleeves and waited until Niu Hai had caught his breath. Unfortunately, his opponent didn''t seem like he would hold on for long. The fight would probably still be a short one.


    Niu Hai lifted his weapon again and stared at Qiu Ling. He had to find some kind of weakness and use it to his advantage. He tried to circle him but Qiu Ling didn''t react as he had thought. While he stepped right, that guy just continued to stand there and only inclined his head a bit. When he went back to the left that guy still didn''t move but just turned his head to the other side. What the hell was he doing?! Shouldn''t they both test each other? Then again, that guy probably didn''t need it ¡­


    Niu Hai winced. His collarbone hurt like hell. It was actually getting hard to breathe and his vision had dimmed a bit. He had to be fast if he wanted to score at least some points in this fight!


    He clenched his fist and once again ran forward, brandishing his dadao at Qiu Ling. The weapon didn''t go for his shoulder this time but instead for his leg. Niu Hai hoped to catch him off-guard but instead, he saw Qiu Ling''s eyes sparkle the moment the blade lowered for the strike.


    Qiu Ling took a quick glance at his beloved, lifted his leg to evade the dadao and simultaneously kicked Niu Hai in the chest. The direct disciple flew out and crashed into the ground once more. This time, he could struggle however much he wanted he couldn''t get up anymore.


    The Elder in charge of the duel just stared at them. Had the guy who didn''t want a duel to the death just won? He had thought that disciple was afraid and had just searched for an excuse but it seemed he had really said the truth! After all, why wouldn''t he dare to have a duel to the death if he could take out his opponent in just two moves?


    The Elder shook his head, stunned. The result of the duel was obvious, though. He stepped forward, took a closer look at Niu Hai just to make sure and nodded before turning to the elevated seats. "Disciple Long Jun wins the duel."


    Two of Niu Hai''s friends ran over, picked him up and carried him back to their division. Qiu Ling turned around and wanted to hurry back to Jing Yi but unfortunately, quite a few people had already prepared themselves for the Elder''s announcement. A tight ring of Martial Sisters had formed around him the moment Niu Hai was being carried away.


    Qiu Ling frowned and looked over at Jing Yi. How dare these mortals bar his way to his beloved?!


    Jing Yi smiled. This was just like last year at the Gathering of Practitioners. Back then, Qiu Ling also hadn''t been able to come over because of all those women. But back then, they hadn''t been a couple. Now, things were different.


    He stood up and wanted to go over but just then, Grandmaster Shen stood up, too. "Jing He."


    Jing Yi turned around and looked up at him. He didn''t know what to think of this man. He seemed nice but ¡­ Maybe all of this was also just a plan? "Grandmaster." He cupped his fists and bowed.


    "Hong Bao seems to like you very much and I do admire your fiance. How about the two of you come over to eat with us this evening?"


    The Elders and disciples around them turned away and stopped moving particularly inconspicuously.


    Jing Yi''s gaze swiveled around. He wasn''t like Qiu Ling who could just continue being like always in front of so many people. Speaking with such an important person while being observed made him nervous.


    "We ¡­ We''d be honored."


    "Mn. Then I won''t disturb you any longer." Shen An De turned around, took the hand of his wife and went his way.


    Hong Bao stayed behind, though. She grabbed Jing Yi''s sleeve and smiled. "It''s great your fiance won! How about we talk about your wedding now?"


    "Now?" Jing Yi didn''t know how to react. He looked over to Qiu Ling who was angrily staring at the women around him. Strangely enough, his expression smoothed out as soon as Jing Yi gazed at him and even managed to smile. Unfortunately, that made the Martial Sisters around him only go crazier.


    Jing Yi smiled and turned back to Hong Bao. "I''m afraid that could prove difficult. You see how it is. Qiu Ling might have some trouble getting out of there."


    Hong Bao looked over and frowned. "We should go over! That''s your fiance, those women should leave him alone."


    Before Jing Yi could respond, he was already dragged along and into the fray. The Martial Sisters were everything else but happy at being shoved to the side but it proved useful to have Hong Bao with him. As soon as one of the women turned around and noticed her, she gulped down whatever she had wanted to say. Most likely everyone knew she was associated with the Grandmaster.


    Jing Yi heaved a sigh of relief. Well, whatever her reason was for coming here, at least she wouldn''t suffer. And he might be able to find out everything else when he spend a bit more time with her. It shouldn''t be too hard. Hong Bao obviously loved to talk.


    With her help, they managed to reach the inner circle. Qiu Ling''s eyes lit up and he hurried over, pulling Jing Yi out of Hong Bao''s grab and into his arms. He even went as far as straightening out the sleeve Hong Bao had slightly crumpled.


    "My love! You came over. How did I do?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "You did well." He tiptoed and rewarded him with a kiss. "By the way, uhm ¡­ Grandmaster Shen invited us over."


    "Oh."


    While the disciples around them went into an uproar upon that message Qiu Ling pursed his lips. He had wanted to spend the day alone with his beloved and not go to some old guy with him to hang out.


    Jing Yi knew him good enough to figure out what his problem was. He took Qiu Ling''s hand and gently stroked the back. "It''s only in the evening. Until then ¡­"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling didn''t care for the people around them anymore. He picked Jing Yi up, leaped into the air and carried him away. Even Hong Bao was left behind.


    She sighed and made her way out of the encirclement again. "Seems like I''ll have to continue planning their wedding alone ¡­"


    "Oh?" Just then, somebody stopped next to her.


    She looked up and ¡­ found herself in front of the fourth most handsome guy she had ever seen. Well, she might have judged differently if she still remembered Shun Tao.

 Chapter 251 - Uncovering the Final Secret?

    Hong Bao looked up at him and tilted her head. She had never seen this man before. "You are ¡­?"


    The man smiled. "My name is Xiao Li. I couldn''t help but overhear what you were saying just now. So you are planning a wedding?"


    "Mn!" Hong Bao nodded. Thanks to Liu Cheng''s constant nagging in the Chun Feng Sect she had broken her habit of trusting every stranger she saw, though. Thus, Xiao Li didn''t get more than that as a response.


    He smiled wryly. Hadn''t this girl just talked that boy''s ear off? Why was she suddenly keeping mum when he wanted to talk to her? "Mn, it seemed like you needed some help?"


    Hong Bao shook her head. "No, it''s alright."


    Xiao Li looked at her. Hong Bao looked back. "Are you sure about that?"


    Hong Bao nodded. "I''ve planned most of it already. I just need to talk about it with those two."


    "I see. Well, then ¡­ I won''t disturb you any longer." Xiao Li smiled wryly, turned around and walked away. As soon as he was out of sight, he dropped his smile and punched the building next to him. "Damn this! How can it be so hard to find out something about that boy?! That girl definitely knows something. I have to keep approaching her." He narrowed his eyes, straightened his clothes and went back to the crowd that was slowly dispersing. He didn''t believe it but maybe he would get lucky and hear at least something.


    Meanwhile, Hong Bao had happily skipped back home to the estate of her sister and brother-in-law. She might not have been able to talk with Qiu Ling and Jing Yi for now but those two would come over in the evening anyway. She could wait for that long. In the meantime, she would just train a bit so that Liu Cheng could be proud of her when he came back.


    On the other side of the Hei Dian Sect, Qiu Ling finally put Jing Yi back onto the ground. He hadn''t returned to their house with him but instead brought him to an uninhabited part of the mountain. He had noticed this place when flying to the Grandmaster''s palace the previous day and had thought immediately that he should bring his beloved over.


    It wasn''t anything more than a small ledge that was just big enough for them to walk a few steps in every direction. But there was green grass on the ground and some flowers in between and even a beautiful tree growing crooked out of the mountain.


    Qiu Ling pulled Jing Yi over to the tree and sat down at its roots with him on his lap. "Ah, isn''t this great?" He snaked his arms around his waist and leaned back against the trunk, looking up at the sky.


    Jing Yi smiled and observed the ledge. It was indeed nice there. He could see all of the Hei Dian Sect that was outside of the caverns. He didn''t really have the mind to admire the scenery, though.


    Jing Yi turned in Qiu Ling''s arms and examined his face.


    Qiu Ling smiled. "Are you admiring your fiance?"


    "Do you have any relationship with the dragons?"


    Qiu Ling''s lips twitched. What kind of question was that? And so suddenly? How was he supposed to answer without ample preparation?


    "So you do." Jing Yi turned back.


    Qiu Ling coughed. "That ¡­" It seemed it was too late to deny it. "Uh, it''s not that bad, is it? You know even though I''m not human, I''m still the best husband you could ever find." He tightened his grip around Jing Yi''s waist and pecked his cheek.


    Jing Yi sighed. He didn''t care for that. But there was something else that bothered him. "Qiu Ling, be honest with me: When we met back then ¡­ in the Yun Zou Sect or, no, when you saw me in the capital was that really a coincidence?"


    Qiu Ling gulped. "Uh ¡­ How could that be a coincidence, my love? It was naturally fate that brought us¡ª"


    "Qiu Ling." For the first time since they knew each other, Jing Yi''s voice was stern. He wouldn''t let his fiance worm his way out of this!


    "Well ¡­" Qiu Ling pondered what to say. Argh, he really hated that he couldn''t give away that they had already been lovers in Jing He''s life in the Nine Heavens!


    Jing Yi turned around and narrowed his eyes at him. Qiu Ling''s heart beat faster. Oh heavens! He really couldn''t keep this up!


    "It''s ¡­ not that easy to explain."


    "We have time until the evening."


    Qiu Ling tried to evade his gaze. Jing Yi let him. He would have to answer him sooner or later so he could take his time.


    Qiu Ling broke down after not even five minutes. He just couldn''t take being stared at by Jing Yi like that. The accusation was just too strong!


    "Alright, alright!" He looked up at him, his mind churning faster. He couldn''t tell him the truth. He needed a good excuse! What could have made him approach Jing Yi as a mortal?


    "I''m all ears."


    "You ¡­ can''t get angry at me."


    Jing Yi paused. "So it''s something that should make me angry?"


    "No ¡­" Qiu Ling frowned. "I don''t think so." But he also didn''t have an idea what he should claim as a reason. What could make a dragon approach a human? Or Jing Yi in particular? Was there anything despite his immortal identity that would warrant that? His spirit veins? But they were ordinary. Something he owned? But the most valuable thing he possessed was probably that jade bracelet he ¡­


    Qiu Ling''s eyes flashed. Right! That bracelet he had given him. And the things he had claimed back then. And ¡­


    He lifted his hand and lightly touched Jing Yi''s brow. "It''s hard not to notice. I ¡­ guess I got curious and ¡­ then somehow fell in love."


    "So it''s really because of that?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. "Huh? You thought it ¡­"


    Jing Yi smiled. "I just wanted to make sure so I asked. Why didn''t you tell me?"


    "I thought it wouldn''t be important. Or, well, isn''t it unromantic? It''s so much better to say it was just fate. Actually, I still believe it was fate that brought us together."


    Jing Yi laughed and hugged him. "It''s alright. It certainly was fate. It''s just that ¡­ there was something that made you follow fate''s plan."


    "Mn. So you''re not mad?"


    "I''m not."


    "Prove it!" Qiu Ling pursed his lips and inched closer. He had suffered such a shock just now. He just had to get something in return!


    Jing Yi shook his head, cupped his cheek and kissed him. Mn, dragon or not, Qiu Ling really was the best husband he could imagine. The only one, actually.


    Unfortunately, they both didn''t suspect that Qiu Ling''s lies from this day would soon bring about Jing Yi''s hardest trial.

 Chapter 252 - Just a Human?

    In the end, Qiu Ling had indeed managed to get Jing Yi to drop the question and they just continued to spend the rest of the day on that ledge, doing nothing but enjoying each other''s company.


    Finally, it was time to go over to the Grandmaster''s estate.


    "Do you think there will be problems?" Jing Yi couldn''t help but look worriedly at Qiu Ling. His fiance had divulged that they were from the Yun Zou Sect, after all. Even if the Grandmaster believed him for now, as soon as they did something even slightly suspicious wouldn''t he notice that something was odd? Then he''d only have to put two and two together.


    "No. I was really convincing." Qiu Ling hugged Jing Yi to his chest and sighed. "I''m just sad that we won''t have the evening to us."


    Jing Yi put his hand over Qiu Ling''s and looked up at him. "You have to see it like this: If we spend this evening with them, we might already find out more that is relevant to our mission. Then, we''ll be able to return to the Yun Zou Sect sooner."


    "And then we''ll marry immediately."


    "Of course we will."


    "Alright. Then let''s hurry up. Ah, I really can''t wait to go over." Qiu Ling picked him up and flew to the Grandmaster''s estate as fast as he could. Then, he barged right in before putting Jing Yi down. "We''ve come!"


    Grandmaster Shen looked up with a peculiar gaze. He certainly wouldn''t have expected that Qiu Ling to be that thrilled about his invitation. "Thank you for coming. Have a seat." He motioned at the table that was already filled with food.


    Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling and silently followed him over. His fiance didn''t have any qualms about sitting down. In fact, looking at the way he sat there one might have believed that this was actually his estate and the Grandmaster and his family were the guests.


    Meanwhile, Shen An De observed Jing Yi. That boy really was completely human and there didn''t seem to be anything special about him. Well, there was only one thing that could explain this: The Son of Heaven had actually descended and had even sealed his powers for that. Maybe even his memories were sealed. Well, the latter could be tested.


    "Hong Bao was waiting the whole day for you to come over. It seems she''s even more thrilled about your wedding than you yourself."


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Nobody is more thrilled about this wedding than me!" He turned around and grabbed Jing Yi''s hands. "You do know that, right? I''m incredibly thrilled to marry you!"


    Jing Yi blushed. Heavens! Did he have to do that in front of other people? Well, he probably should have expected that.


    Shen An De continued to stare at him. As someone who had lived with the humans for most of his life and was part demon on top of that, he had never seen the Son of Heaven himself and only heard of him. If the rumors were to be believed, the crown prince of the Nine Heavens was a great beauty who was versed in the four arts. Someone gentle and refined who was able to handle everyone regardless of which attitude they showed him.


    Well, who would dare to be anything but courteous to the Son of Heaven? Don''t mind that he was the Heavenly Emperor''s only child and apparently the lover of the dragon king, too, just on the off chance that he was the true son of Heaven nobody would dare to offend him. After all, everyone knew how vindictive Heaven was. One just had to take a look at what he had done to the three immortal races as revenge for his beloved. How would he react if somebody dared to hurt his son?


    Yes, indeed. There was more to the story of Xing and Tian than Jing He had told Qiu Ling. In fact, there was even more to it than Jing He himself had known. And most likely only Heaven himself would know how much more that was. After all, he was the only one from that time who was still alive.


    Shen An De smiled, picked up some food and put it into his wife''s bowl. He''d just leave breaking the ice to Hong Bao. She was chatty enough that even that Longjun shouldn''t have an opportunity to interfere.


    Indeed. It didn''t take long until Hong Bao stopped eating and examined Jing Yi instead, making him a little flustered.


    "Mn ¡­ Miss Hong, is something the matter?"


    "You can call me Hong Bao!" She sidled closer and smiled. "After all, I''m helping you to organize your wedding. So we''ll be spending a lot of time together from now on!"


    Jing Yi smiled. That was indeed what he wanted. There wasn''t much that he could ask while the Grandmaster was sitting right next to them but when they were alone it wouldn''t be a problem anymore.


    Qiu Ling wasn''t thrilled, though. "What are you talking about?" he snapped at her. "Jing He is going to spend his time with me." To make sure his point came across, he snaked an arm around Jing Yi''s waist once more and pulled him over.


    Jing Yi lost his balance and tumbled against Qiu Ling''s chest. While his fiance smiled contentedly he blushed. Could this get any more embarrassing for him?! He bit his lower lip and stared up at him. "Long Jun!"


    Shen An De slightly lifted a brow. Was this him being formal in front of other people or ¡­ His mind churned. If the Son of Heaven really had descended, then maybe he didn''t know about his fiance''s identity. But then why would he call him that? Could it be there was more to this than the eye could see?


    "Mn. My love, I''m here!" Qiu Ling smiled sweetly and gently helped Jing Yi up, making him unable to scold him. Not that Jing Yi would have wanted to do so in front of the Grandmaster.


    Jing Yi wanted to slip back to his own seat but Qiu Ling didn''t let go. Jing Yi froze. It was inappropriate to sit like this when they had been formally invited to someone who had a higher status in the sect. But it would be just as inappropriate if he started to quarrel with Qiu Ling in front of that person.


    Shen An De looked over, smiled lightly and grabbed a bowl of fruits, extending it to his wife. "Have one."


    Hong Ai smiled sweetly. "Thank you, my dear." Obviously, she also had no problem with what was happening on the other side of the table.


    Hong Bao extended her hand. "Me, too, brother-in-law! Me, too!"


    Shen An De sighed and handed the bowl over. Hong Bao took one of the fruits and reached for another when Shen An De cleared his throat.


    "Xiao Bao, shouldn''t you offer them to our guests? There''s only five, after all."


    Hong Bao hesitated. Honestly, she was a glutton and she knew it but these were the people whose wedding she was planning. She should really offer some. With a slightly miffed expression, Hong Bao turned around and held the bowl in front of Jing Yi.


    Seeing that nobody cared for Qiu Ling''s antics Jing Yi had calmed down. He shook his head. "It''s alright. Just take them yourself."


    Hong Bao''s expression brightened but once again her brother-in-law thwarted her plans.


    "Just take them. It''s not like I''m not feeding her daily. Moreover, she has already attained a higher realm than you. She actually doesn''t need to eat anymore."


    "Oh." Jing Yi hesitated. It would be impolite not to take one when the Grandmaster put it like that but it also wouldn''t feel right to take one when Hong Bao obviously wanted them while he didn''t care for them that much.


    Qiu Ling took the decision upon himself. He reached over and picked one of the fruits up before scrutinizing it. He also took a look at Shen An De to make sure that demon hadn''t any other plans. Who knew if this thing was poisoned?


    He carefully took a bite. Chewing it, he couldn''t find anything peculiar about it. Mn, it seemed this guy wasn''t as bad as he had thought. The fruits were actually alright. With a smile, he offered the rest of the fruit up to Jing Yi. "Have a bite, my love."


    Jing Yi looked at the fruit in Qiu Ling''s hands. This ¡­ wasn''t too good, was it? But Qiu Ling''s expression was too eager to not give in. Jing Yi smiled and took the fruit. Next to him, Hong Bao perked up and happily gobbled down the rest of the fruits. Shen An De watched attentively as Jing Yi bit down. He really was interested in seeing what would happen.

 Chapter 253 - A Double-Edged Sword

    In the Nine Heavens above, Fate''s Scribe Shun Tao heaved a sigh of relief. He had just read how Hong Bao had been approached by Xiao Li. Thankfully, that girl seemed to have grown up a bit. At least, she hadn''t gushed to him about everything and given the crown prince''s identity away. It was alarming, though, that a demon or rather a half-blood had come this close to his Highness.


    Speaking of that ¡­ Longjun''s presence seemed like a double-edged sword. They should really be grateful for the fact that he stayed at the crown prince''s side since he had managed to drive that demon away when he first turned up. Without him, that might have turned out differently.


    But then again these mortals wouldn''t have found out about Zhong Jing Yi''s real identity if Longjun hadn''t directly told them and then Hong Bao wouldn''t be in the position where she actually could tell the demon something. Ah, knowing her it might just be a question of time until she started to trust him and divulged everything.


    "Aiya, even though nothing happened yet it''s still worrying. I should probably go and report to the Heavenly Emperor." Shun Tao said so but stayed seated, though. "Maybe I should go to the God of War instead." He frowned. "What is that Leng Jin Yu doing anyway? I haven''t heard anything from him since he followed those two. It can''t be that he ran into trouble, right? Or is he treating this as a vacation?" Shun Tao stood up and paced up and down.


    This troublesome task seemed to get even more troublesome with time. The crown prince was already sixteen years old and even though he had managed to pass some minor trials there were no others in sight. On the contrary, he was especially happy thanks to Longjun. If those two indeed married ¡­ The only thing that might happen was that one of them would die of absolute bliss.


    If things went on like this, then those two would soon finish that mission and return to the Yun Zou Sect and then Zhong Jing Yi would become an inner sect disciple. It wasn''t hard to imagine what the next step would be: An inner sect disciple with at least a little bit of worth and one that was engaged to the most promising disciple of said sect, the Sect Master would need to be more than blind if he didn''t try to help him further his cultivation!


    In short: If he didn''t do something soon, then his Highness'' mortal reincarnation would indeed become immortal and someday ascend as a deity. And then their crown prince ¡­


    "Aiya! What should I do?" Shun Tao slid his fingers through his hair. He honestly felt like some strands were dropping out because of this couple. Hadn''t the Heavenly Empress warned Longjun enough? What was this guy thinking?


    He really needed to throw some trials at the crown prince but Longjun''s presence was just too troublesome. It might not yield any results. But trying it might still be for the best. He just needed an opportunity ¡­


    Shun Tao sat back down at his desk and picked up Jing Yi''s scroll of fate. Right now, the boy should be on his way to Grandmaster Shen''s estate with the dragon king. Shun Tao scratched his head. With Longjun and Hong Bao around, this would probably end in chaos anyway. He just had to watch, prepare his ink and brush and strike as soon as an opportunity presented itself.


    He read the last part that had appeared on the scroll. Those two had indeed accepted the invitation and gone there. Everything seemed ordinary. Shun Tao watched as the next part of Zhong Jing Yi''s fate revealed itself, stroke by stroke.


    Then, Shun Tao threw his brush away, leaped to his feet and ran outside. He came back at once, picked up the scroll he had forgotten to take and hurried over to the Heavenly Emperor''s palace.


    He didn''t care for the guards and just barged right in, throwing himself to the ground. He even forgot to extend the customary greetings. "Your Majesty! Something bad happened!"


    The Heavenly Emperor Rong Su had already guessed that something must have happened as soon as he saw Shun Tao''s untypical behavior. He looked at his brother-in-law who stood next to him and gulped. "What happened to our son?"


    Shun Tao winced. Ah, this Longjun! Could it be that he wouldn''t be happy until he had completely destroyed him? "His mortal reincarnation was sent on a mission to one of the heretic sects together with Longjun. Besides the Sect Master, the most important person is their Grandmaster Shen An De who is part demon."


    "What?!" The Heavenly Emperor leaped to his feet. "Qiang Yan, you have to send your people immediately! We definitely can''t let Jing He stay there unguarded if demons are running rampant there."


    The God of War looked at Shun Tao. "Did that Grandmaster try to attack his Highness?"


    Shun Tao shook his head. "No. In fact, he just met him for the first time. But he had dealings with Longjun before and ¡­" Shun Tao grimaced and lowered his head. "The dragon king told him about his Highness'' identity!"


    Rong Su and Qiang Yan exchanged a glance. They didn''t like where this was going.


    "I don''t know what his plans were but that Grandmaster gave his Highness one of the fruits from the Beguiling Night Tree."


    Rong Su sat down on his throne again. "The Beguiling Night Tree?" That was actually a tree they had in the Nine Heavens, too. All of the immortal realms had them and not just a few. They were only rare in the mortal realm. And they could only prove difficult for mortals. Unfortunately, his son was one of them right now.


    Qiang Yan watched his brother-in-law''s expression before turning back to Shun Tao. "Did his scroll of fate say anything about what he saw?"


    Shun Tao opened the scroll with trembling fingers. He hadn''t dared to read on back in his study. Just knowing that it was a fruit of the Beguiling Night Tree had shocked him enough. Now, he took a quick glance before hurriedly closing his eyes. This ¡­ didn''t look good at all.

 Chapter 254 - Lying to a Dragon

    Jing Yi didn''t notice anything strange when he ate the fruit. It was sweet and the taste lingered in his mouth for a while but everything else seemed to stay the same.


    A few minutes later, that changed, though. Jing Yi frowned and grabbed onto the edge of the table. His head felt funny. It was as if the room spun around him but he couldn''t see it, he just felt it. He blinked to make it go and away and it actually seemed to work. The spinning stopped but with it, the sounds around him came to a halt, too. He felt like he could still hear the echo of Hong Bao''s chatter but it wasn''t more than that. He couldn''t even make out the words.


    Jing Yi gulped. He had no idea what was happening and he didn''t even think that this could be the result of eating the fruit Shen An De had offered him. He was just scared. He wanted to reach for Qiu Ling to calm himself down but he actually couldn''t move. It was as if his whole body was frozen stiff. He could only stare straight ahead at the bowl in front of him and hope that it would pass.


    It didn''t. Instead, his vision blurred and finally completely receded. With the final bit of his senses gone, his body slid to the side, falling right into Qiu Ling''s arms.


    Qiu Ling stared foolishly. This ¡­ What was going on? "Jing''er?" He gripped his shoulder and shook him but there was no reaction. Qiu Ling instantly grew frantic. "Jing He!" He pulled him closer to his chest and bent down to listen for his breath. It was still there so he was alive. Qiu Ling gave a relieved sigh and felt for his pulse next. There didn''t seem to be anything wrong with that either. In fact, he seemed really well.


    Qiu Ling frowned. He had no idea what this was supposed to tell him! What to do? For a human ¡­ Right! One would go and see a physician!


    He wanted to pick his beloved up and carry him to wherever he could find one when Shen An De coughed.


    "There''s no need to worry. It''s normal."


    "What are you talking about? How is it normal for him to collapse just like that?!" Qiu Ling snapped at him. He really wasn''t in the mood for jokes!


    The Grandmaster nodded at the now empty bowl of fruits. "Those are fruits from the Beguiling Night Tree. He only just attained the root stage. It''s normal that his body will have some trouble to process the spiritual energy inside. He''ll wake up soon."


    "You knew and you still gave it to him?!" Qiu Ling wanted to leap to his feet and unsheathe his weapon but he was still holding his beloved.


    Hong Ai sighed and shook her head at her husband. "How can you say it like that? He''ll naturally misunderstand." Then, she leaned forward and smiled at Qiu Ling. "You really don''t have to worry. He''s a cultivator. Even though he''ll need a bit of time to process the energy he''ll be able to do so. In fact, it will even be beneficial for him. He might break through to the next level with it."


    Qiu Ling perked up. "Really?"


    "Mn. That is one of the reasons why spiritual fruits are so popular. If our disciples could they''d probably eat all of them. It''s a great opportunity for him to get one. He''ll just need a bit of time to make use of it." She glared at her husband again. "You shouldn''t have taken them out now. Wouldn''t it have been better to do so after we''ve eaten?"


    "I didn''t think of it." Shen An De kept a straight face but his wife just narrowed her eyes at him. He still didn''t admit to it, though.


    Hong Ai sighed again and turned back to Qiu Ling. "He might only wake up in a few days. Do you want to stay in one of our guest rooms or take him back to your house?"


    Qiu Ling looked at Jing Yi worriedly. "Will it have any impact on him?"


    Shen An De smiled. "It might not be good to move him too much."


    Hong Ai frowned at her husband. She had no idea what he was planning but she didn''t like it. Hadn''t he promised her not to do this kind of thing anymore? Why was he suddenly like this? Could it be that this had indeed something to do with his uncle?


    Qiu Ling frowned. Right now, he was so worried that he would have believed everything. "Then ¡­ Is there anything else I should take note of?"


    Shen An De shook his head. "No. You just have to wait. If you feel like something is strange, you can come and ask me. I''m half-human, after all." He gave a smile and just continued to eat as if nothing had happened.


    Qiu Ling looked into the pale face of his beloved and then up at Hong Ai, clearly asking for help.


    She sighed. "Alright. Come with me." She shot her husband another angry look and led Qiu Ling deeper into the estate. She was tempted to tell him the truth but finally kept silent. Her husband would have his reasons. She should at least speak with him before she did anything that brought him problems.


    "Thank you." Qiu Ling nodded at her when they arrived at the room and put Jing Yi down on the bed. His heart was still beating wildly. How could this have happened? He had tasted that fruit himself! He should have noticed that it contained spiritual energy that might be too much for his beloved! He had followed his beloved''s reincarnation for so long but he clearly didn''t know enough about the humans. If this had been something his beloved couldn''t handle ¡­


    Hong Ai continued to stand behind him and finally patted his shoulder. "You don''t have to feel guilty. It really isn''t anything dangerous for him. The most that could happen is that he might see some things."


    "See things?" Qiu Ling frowned. "Like what?"


    "Well, it probably depends on the person. But in general, it is said that the fruits of the Beguiling Night Tree can show you things that ¡­ are deeply hidden inside yourself like ¡­ a dream you always had but never dared to admit or something you desperately tried to forget. Such things."


    "So, if you don''t have something like that, you wouldn''t see anything?" Qiu Ling really couldn''t imagine that Jing He''s mortal reincarnation could have something like that. He was only sixteen, after all. What kind of thing could be deeply hidden inside his soul?


    Hong Ai shrugged her shoulders. "I don''t know. That could be possible. You should ask him when he wakes up." She smiled again and patted his arm. "I''ll leave you alone. Just come over if you need something."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded and sat down next to Jing Yi. Ah, he really hoped his beloved would wake up soon. Having to wait like this without the possibility of doing something was really torture.

 Chapter 255 - Two Lovers At Sunset

    Jing Yi opened his eyes to a beautiful painting. It showed a garden with flowers he had never seen before, on the right side glittered the surface of a lake and a pavilion stood next to it. Everything was tinged in the red glow of the evening sun. It gave one a warm but also a lonely feeling.


    Jing Yi wanted to look further around but he still couldn''t move his body. No, not just that. His body was moving of its own accord! He panicked and tried to wrest control over it back but it was impossible.


    He watched on helplessly as he unhurriedly placed down the brush as if he himself had just painted this picture. His movements seemed to slow even more and finally, his lips parted and Jing Yi heard himself sigh.


    Just when his body wanted to turn around a pair of strong arms snaked around his waist and held him in place. Jing Yi felt the broad chest in his back and a smile tugged at his lips.


    "That''s beautiful," came a man''s voice from behind him, the person''s breath tingling his ear.


    This voice ¡­ it sounded somehow familiar but he couldn''t associate it with anyone. Maybe it sounded a bit like his fiance? But since when had Qiu Ling sounded this ¡­ serious?


    "You forgot something, though." The man continued to hold him in place with one arm while he picked the brush up with his other hand. The tip lightly touched the screen and the silhouettes of two people emerged.


    They sat in the pavilion, a tea set between them. The smaller person had picked up the pot as if he wanted to pour them a cup of tea but the way he held his head made obvious that he wasn''t paying attention to the tea at all. Instead, he looked at the man across him as if he was the most important thing. The man seemed to look back at him, instantly diffusing the lonely feeling and making this the scene of two lovers meeting at sunset.


    "You''re surprisingly good at this."


    Jing Yi wanted to frown but still couldn''t. This didn''t sound like his voice. It was similar but not the same. What was happening?


    He couldn''t ask his questions, though. His body leaned back against that broad chest, lowered his hand and stroked the arm around his waist. Black fabric. Could this really be Qiu Ling? He liked to wear black clothes, too. That at least would explain why he felt this man to be so familiar even though he hadn''t even seen his face.


    Yes, somehow, he felt oddly at ease in his arms. His feelings of confusion and loneliness, they were all gone as soon as this man had wrapped his arms around him and murmured those words into his ear in that deep voice.


    But maybe those weren''t his own feelings? Maybe he was forced to feel this just how his body was forced to move?


    A pair of thin lips pressed against his cheek and pulled him out of his thoughts before that warm breath tingled his skin again. "There are some things I''m especially good at painting. I guess it''s true that practice makes perfect."


    Jing Yi felt his mind go blank and foreign thoughts invading it. Does he mean he painted us together very often? A feeling of sweetness arose in his heart with this thought. He clearly liked this idea very much.


    That person behind him chuckled. It was deep and ¡­ unbelievably seductive. No, this couldn''t be Qiu Ling. He had spent more than a year with him already. He would know if his fiance could sound like that. So this ¡­ was somebody else?


    Jing Yi felt a feeling of dread arise in his heart but it was drowned out by the sweetness the person controlling him felt. Yes, he was sure that somebody must have taken over his body. Hadn''t Shao Hai and Xiao Dong told him of such stories? Then ¡­ did this person intend to ruin his relationship with Qiu Ling for this man behind him? He couldn''t let that happen!


    Another kiss landed on his cheek before that person whispered into his ear once more. "So, why did you still paint an empty pavilion?"


    Jing Yi lowered his head and turned it sidewards, hiding even the last bit of his expression from that person behind him. He didn''t know what to say, although the answer in his heart was crystal clear: I was afraid there might be a day when there is only one person in that pavilion again.


    The man behind him also didn''t say anything. But he didn''t pull back, instead, he hugged him even tighter and put his chin on Jing Yi''s shoulder. It instantly made his body relax again. He downright melted into the man''s embrace.


    The two of them stood there, closely tied together as if they never wanted to let go of each other. The more at ease they felt, the more Jing Yi wanted to escape, though. He couldn''t let this go on! He was engaged to Qiu Ling. How could he let another man get this close to him? He somehow had to escape!


    He tried to move his body but it still wouldn''t listen to him. Don''t even speak of his limbs, he couldn''t even twitch a brow. His mind wasn''t much better. He could still think his own thoughts but every now and then one of that person flashed across his mind and his feelings seemed even stronger than Jing Yi''s own.


    The man behind him lightly sighed and lifted a hand to grab his chin. "I''ll always be at your side. Whether it be this life or the next ¡­ I''ll always stay with you." He made him turn his head and bent forward his breath nearing Jing Yi''s lips. "I love you."


    Jing Yi panicked. No! His body didn''t listen to him, though. That man''s lips met his and his soul shook. This was ¡­ too familiar as if it had really happened, as if ¡­ this was destined to be.

 Chapter 256 - Just a Nightmare?

    Jing Yi awoke with a scream but he still felt like he was trapped. Once more a pair of strong arms had wrapped around him and didn''t want to let go. He wriggled around, trying to get away but he was pulled back at once.


    "My love!" Qiu Ling panicked once more. What was happening with his beloved? Could it be that this fruit had been more harmful than that Hong Ai had told him?! "My love, calm down! I''m here! I''m right beside you!"


    Jing Yi froze. Qiu Ling! That was Qiu Ling''s voice! He turned around and clung to his neck, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Qiu Ling!" His voice broke in the middle. He really had feared to never see him again, to only be able to watch on as someone took over his body and not only forced him to leave Qiu Ling but even stayed with somebody else. How could he take that?


    "Jing ¡­ Jing''er what ¡­ What happened?" Qiu Ling hugged him back and lightly stroked his head. "What did you see?"


    Jing Yi didn''t say anything, he just clung to Qiu Ling''s side and tried to calm down his frantically beating heart. He really, really didn''t want to lose him. Qiu Ling was way too important to him. Just thinking about it ¡­


    He closed his eyes, burrowed into Qiu Ling''s embrace and just continued to cry. Naturally, a certain dragon king was nearly going crazy.


    "My love ¡­" He held him and gently kissed the top of his head. "You don''t have to be afraid. Whatever you saw it''s just because of that fruit. I''ll ¡­ I''ll go and beat that Grandmaster up for you tomorrow so please stop crying?"


    Jing Yi sniffled and looked up at him, his eyes red. "What are you even talking about? What fruit?"


    Qiu Ling continued to stroke his hair. "You don''t remember? That bastard offered us these fruits from the Beguiling Night Tree and only told me afterward that it might be too much for you because you don''t have a high level. Ah, I''m sorry. It''s my fault. I should have thought of that myself."


    "So ¡­ I ¡­ I saw something because of that?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips but finally nodded. "That''s what he said. Well, it''s more like his wife said so."


    "So, whatever I saw wasn''t real?"


    "I ¡­" Qiu Ling wanted to nod but he actually had no idea. "Probably?"


    Jing Yi took a deep breath. He was starting to calm down. Yes, maybe this had just been a nightmare. Maybe it wasn''t real. How could something like that happen in reality?


    Qiu Ling carefully peered into Jing Yi''s face. "Are you alright?"


    Jing Yi''s heart still beat crazily. He just ¡­ couldn''t forget. As much as he had dreaded what happened, there were still that other person''s thoughts and feelings and he had felt whole in that man''s arms, something he definitely hadn''t felt when he was alone.


    Just thinking back to how he had sighed when he finished that painting and how he had had been afraid of the future and afraid of telling that man of the fear in his heart ¡­ He was probably very alone.


    If such a person existed, would he take over a body to not feel as alone anymore? Jing Yi could actually imagine that.


    "Did she say anything else?"


    "Huh?"


    "The Grandmaster''s wife, Hong Ai. Did she say anything else about the fruit and ¡­ the things I''d see?"


    "Mn, no. Just that it was something that is deeply hidden inside oneself."


    Jing Yi looked up with a questioning gaze.


    "I also didn''t really understand. She mentioned it might be a lifelong dream or something one tried to forget." He looked at Jing Yi and gently stroked his head again. "Is there something you want to forget? Did you see that? Maybe ¡­ you want to tell me about it?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. Actually, he would have loved to talk about it but Qiu Ling was already extremely jealous on a normal day. If he told him he had seen ¡­ no, not even seen, but that he had been held by another man and had actually felt these things, wouldn''t Qiu Ling go completely mad? He couldn''t say anything.


    Jing Yi sat up and patted his chest. He had to talk with Hong Ai. He had to make sure what this was about or he wouldn''t be able to lay this to rest.


    "Qiu Ling, I ¡­ I''d like to go and speak with Hong Ai for a bit, alright?"


    "Oh. I''ll take you there." Qiu Ling sat up with him but Jing Yi hastily shook his head.


    "No, it''s alright. I ¡­ I''m alright. You don''t have to worry. I was just ¡­ a little frightened at first because I didn''t know what was happening. Now that you told me I''m already feeling a lot better."


    "But ¡­ Wouldn''t you still like to have me with you?"


    Qiu Ling felt a little strange. It had been several days since Jing Yi fell unconscious. He had imagined how he would wake up and how they would cuddle and spend some hours together to make up for the time they lost but now everything was different. His beloved hadn''t been happy to see him. He had reacted as if he was still in a nightmare and had even tried to shake him off. And now he didn''t want to have him there. What could have happened? What could he have seen?


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip and averted his face, once again showing the same expression Jing He always had when he was about to tell a lie. "I just don''t want to burden you."


    "Oh. I see. Then ¡­ I''ll wait here for you." Qiu Ling slid to the side and tried to look as if everything was alright but he couldn''t help and reach up to stroke his chest to lessen the pain when Jing Yi straightened his clothes with a smile and hurried out of the room. "Why did you lie just now? What is it you don''t want me to hear?"


    He was tempted to hurry after him but this was his beloved. If he didn''t want to talk about it, he shouldn''t pry. Maybe Jing He just wanted to make sure if he had understood correctly and after that, he''d tell him. Yes, that had to be it. It couldn''t be that there was anything he didn''t dare to tell him.

 Chapter 257 - A Lover From a Past Life?

    "Madam Shen? Madam Shen!" Jing Yi hammered against the door, his heart once more beating crazily. The feeling had returned as soon as he left the room as if he had to fear being taken over once more after he left Qiu Ling''s side.


    Hong Ai opened her eyes blearily. She might have been a cultivator that didn''t need to sleep anymore but she still enjoyed cuddling with her husband in bed so she hadn''t gotten rid of having a few hours of sleep every night. Right now, she should be deep inside some dream so what was happening?


    "Madam Shen!" Jing Yi''s panicked voice came from outside again.


    "One moment!" Hong Ai sat up and rubbed her eyes.


    Shen An De got up, too, and hurriedly grabbed their robes. "That sounds like the dragon king''s beloved."


    "He''s awake already?"


    "He might have the body of a mortal but his soul is that of a god. It''s no wonder he''s able to process a spirit fruit this fast."


    "But it''s only been three days and he was barely in the root stage."


    Shen An De smiled and helped her put on the outer robe. "You''d be surprised what the immortal races can do. Processing a spirit fruit in three days is nothing to them even if they are young. Descended or not he has most likely retained some of their attributes. The problem should just be that he doesn''t remember."


    "Then how did he ¡­?"


    Shen An De shrugged. "Maybe it was subconscious. He wasn''t awake, after all. We should see what he wants first."


    Hong Ai nodded and went to open the door. "Jing He, come on in."


    Jing Yi stared at her unkempt hair and paused. "I ¡­ I''m sorry." He bowed, his bad conscience evident on his face.


    Hong Ai just lifted her brows. "What is it?"


    "I ¡­ I just woke up and wanted to ask about that fruit. I completely didn''t think about what time of day ¡­ of night it is. I''m sorry."


    "You don''t have to be," Shen An De called from the room. "It was my fault you fell unconscious in the first place. It''s the least we can do to receive you in the middle of the night to answer some questions." He sat down at the tea table and poured all three of them a cup.


    Hong Ai smiled and grabbed Jing Yi''s sleeve, pulling him inside before she closed the door. "Don''t worry about it. An De and I are both of a higher realm. We actually don''t need to sleep. It''s just ¡­ well, I guess I don''t have to explain." She smiled mischievously but Jing Yi didn''t understand.


    He just looked at her puzzled, making her laugh.


    "It''s alright if you don''t understand yet. You will when you''re finally married." She sat down next to her husband and motioned at the seat on the other side.


    Jing Yi sat down and took a deep breath. "I didn''t want much. I just ¡­ I saw something and I wondered if you could tell me more about what that means?" He looked hopefully at Hong Ai but she just picked up one of the cups and turned to her husband. "I guess An De can tell you more about that."


    She hadn''t asked him yet what his plans were even though she really wanted to know. She just trusted for the moment that it wouldn''t be anything evil.


    Jing Yi turned to Shen An De and bit his lower lip. "So, is there anything you can tell me, Grandmaster?"


    "What did your fiance tell you?"


    "N¡­ Nothing much. Just that the things one might see were something that was hidden in your soul like ¡­ a dream or ¡­ something you want to forget."


    Shen An De nodded. "That''s the gist of it. Then what do you know about the Beguiling Night Tree?"


    Jing Yi pondered but came up with a blank and could only shake his head.


    "To make a long story short, it''s a tree that came from the immortal realms. It''s quite common there and doesn''t have much effect on them. It''s the same with high-leveled cultivators. That is why you were the only one affected by the fruit.


    The first thing you should know about it is that the fruit contains a lot of spiritual energy. If you have a look at your own spirit veins, you''ll probably notice that you rose at least a level." He stopped to allow Jing Yi to take a look.


    Jing Yi didn''t manage to do that though. He was still too agitated. Just breathing to calm himself down was impossible and meditating ¡­ If he closed his eyes he would just feel that man''s embrace again.


    Shen An De frowned a little. He had just wanted to test if this so-called Son of Heaven still retained some memories but it seemed he was really troubled by whatever the fruit had shown him. "Well, you can always do that later."


    Jing Yi nodded.


    "About the things, one might see ¡­ It''s not completely clear what they are. Some say they are just hallucinations, manifestations of something the people who eat the fruits desire deep down. Others say they are apparitions of what is in our souls. Something like ¡­" He stopped and searched for the right words. "Maybe you could call it a manifestation of the inner self."


    "The inner self?" Jing Yi didn''t know much about that. His only time getting into contact with it had been when Qiu Ling was trapped in his. Back then ¡­ the things he had seen were things that had happened to him and still occupied his mind. "But ¡­ what if the thing you see ¡­ isn''t something that really happened?"


    Shen An De tilted his head. "Your meaning is ¡­?"


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip again. "I don''t know much about the inner self but I was of the impression that you''d find things there that happened to you. Like ¡­ my father died when I was still a child. I do think of it quite often so I would expect to see him or maybe even his death in my inner self. Isn''t that true?"


    Shen An De nodded. "That''s about it."


    "But what if, after I ate that fruit, I saw a person I had never seen before?"


    Shen An De tightened his lips. His question had been answered: This god had no idea he had descended. He couldn''t remember and Longjun had obviously not told him. Now the question was: Should he do it in the dragon king''s stead?


    "Grandmaster?" Jing Yi''s voice got more pressing. He really couldn''t go on without finding out at least something!


    Shen An De sighed. "In that case, it might be a remnant of another life."


    "Another life?"


    The Grandmaster nodded. "If one dies, one reincarnates sooner or later. Sometimes there are remnants of that old life still in our soul. If there was nothing in this current life of yours that the Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit elicited, then maybe it found something related to your last life."


    Jing Yi took a trembling breath. So that person ¡­ had been his lover in his past life? This ¡­ He really didn''t know what to think of it. He actually wished he hadn''t found out.

 Chapter 258 - Would He Be Able to Handle it?

    Shen An De frowned at Jing Yi''s panicked expression. What exactly had the Son of Heaven seen? Hong Ai furrowed her brow just the same but she looked at her husband instead, her gaze saying ''That''s what you did. How do you intend to straighten this out?''


    Shen An De took a deep breath. "Do you want to talk about it?" He really had no other idea on how he could help him.


    Jing Yi lowered his head. That was exactly what Qiu Ling had asked and he hadn''t even told his fiance. Now, after the Grandmaster had more or less told him that the person he had been embraced by in that nightmare had been his lover once, he definitely couldn''t bring it up with Qiu Ling! But if he didn''t speak with him, he shouldn''t tell anybody else about it.


    In the end, Jing Yi just shook his head. "No. It''s alright. I was just ¡­ a little worn-out after seeing all that without understanding what is going on."


    Shen An De nudged his wife. This needed some capable female hands.


    Hong Ai sighed and slid onto the seat next to Jing Yi. She gently patted his arm. "It''s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed after something like this. Especially if the thing you saw isn''t something that has to do with your current life. I guess it''s a bit terrifying seeing something you don''t know anything about."


    Jing Yi nodded. "I honestly thought I was possessed. My body ¡­ suddenly did things without me willing it and there were thoughts and ¡­ feelings that clearly weren''t mine but I couldn''t do anything." He lifted his hands and hid his face. He definitely never wanted to feel like that again.


    Hong Ai hugged him and patted his back. "I''m sorry. We should have warned you." Yes, at this moment, she really regretted not having held her husband back. This was only a young boy. Whoever he had been in his past life he wasn''t that person any longer. He didn''t deserve to be treated like this.


    Jing Yi took a trembling breath and lowered his hands. "I should probably go back. My fiance ¡­ He''s probably worried."


    "Why didn''t you bring him over?"


    Hong Ai''s question made Jing Yi flinch. He felt guilty about that, too. Since they were engaged shouldn''t he tell him everything? "Madam Shen ¡­ Can I ask you something?"


    Hong Ai lifted her brows. "Naturally. What is it?"


    "You ¡­ You and your husband ¡­" He looked at Grandmaster Shen and felt instantly dumb. Even if he asked, she wouldn''t tell him the truth in front of her husband, right?


    Shen An De lifted his brows, too. "I ¡­ still have some paperwork to do." He smiled at his wife, kissed her cheek and left. Whatever that boy had wanted to know it seemed like he shouldn''t hear. Mn, Hong Ai could tell him later.


    Meanwhile, his wife turned back to Jing Yi. "What is it?"


    "Has there ever been something ¡­ you felt you shouldn''t tell your husband?"


    "Oh." Hong Ai leaned back and poured herself another cup of tea. "I''m not so sure. We''ve been living together for a good millennium now. A lot has happened. Even if there were things that I wouldn''t have told him in the beginning, I probably wouldn''t have qualms about telling him now."


    "I see." Jing Yi lowered his head. So he should probably go and tell Qiu Ling.


    "Did you see something that you feel your fiance can''t accept?"


    Jing Yi hesitated but finally nodded. He had nobody else to ask and a married woman could probably give him advice. "The person I saw ¡­ If what your husband said is true and this is something from a former life, then I feel that he was probably my lover."


    "Oh." Hong Ai thoughtfully shook her cup. "That is probably hard to tell your current lover."


    "Mn."


    Hong Ai furrowed her brow. Judging from what the dragon king had said the last time he had been the boy''s lover. But he himself hadn''t reincarnated as a mortal so he shouldn''t have changed. If the person Jing He saw was really him, then he should have recognized him. So ¡­ was this another lover he had had as the Son of Heaven? Or was this someone from yet another life?


    She didn''t know that much about the gods since she had never gone to the Nine Heavens after meeting Shen An De. The only one who had been there and could tell them more about it was Hong Bao but she couldn''t remember anything so that was a hopeless case.


    She could imagine, though, that it didn''t really count as a new life if a god descended. As far as she knew, they didn''t have to die for that, after all. So maybe the last life the Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit had evoked was indeed the last real life and that lover really wasn''t the dragon king.


    Jing Yi observed Hong Ai''s expression and gulped. She also didn''t look optimistic. "Do you think I should tell him?"


    Hong Ai looked up and sighed. "That''s hard to tell for an outsider. You know him the best. Would he be able to handle it?"


    Jing Yi wanted to nod but hesitated at the last moment. Qiu Ling''s moods could be a bit unstable. Most of the time he was overly excited when he was with him, sometimes he could get serious, too, and then there were these rare moments where he made it seem like the world would end the very next moment.


    It had been like that back when he had rejected his proposal and it had also been like that when they were in his inner self. Both times it had to do with love. So it was pretty obvious that that was something that could hurt Qiu Ling deeply.


    In that case ¡­ Telling him that he had seen another man and that he had relived the positive feelings he had had for that person once probably wasn''t a good idea.


    Jing Yi shook his head. "I''m not sure but I''m afraid he won''t."


    "Then you already have your answer. But, Jing He, you shouldn''t concern yourself with the thing you''ve seen too much. That was another life. This one is your current life and your current fiance is Qiu Ling. There is no need to be on edge because of something that is long gone."


    Jing Yi nodded hesitantly but Hong Ai wasn''t finished yet.


    "What I want to say is that ¡­ It might not be good to tell him right now since you yourself are unsure about what it means. But when you''ve calmed down and have accepted that it''s no odds, then you can tell him, too. He''ll probably feel better knowing that you dare to bring it up in front of him."


    This time, Jing Yi nodded with a better feeling. Yes, indeed, he shouldn''t completely keep it from Qiu Ling but he should take a bit of time to think it through, first. "Thank you, Madam Shen."


    "Don''t mention it." She waved his concerns away before patting his arm again. "Speaking of your fiance, you should probably hurry back. You''ve been unconscious for three days. He was really on edge."


    "Three days?" Jing Yi paled. He wouldn''t even have thought that it had been this long! He would have thought that it had been a few hours at most. Oh no! And he had left Qiu Ling immediately after that. Wouldn''t he feel especially bad now? "Thank you for your advice." He stood up, cupped his fists and bowed hurriedly before leaving the room in a haste and running back to his fiance''s side.


    He really didn''t want Qiu Ling to worry. It was more than enough if one of them felt bad about this. Unfortunately, it was too late for that already. A certain someone was already fretting over what his beloved''s changed attitude could mean.

 Chapter 259 - Something Was Wrong

    "Qiu Ling?" Jing Yi couldn''t see his fiance anywhere when he came back and called for him. Qiu Ling didn''t appear, though. It was as if he had left.


    Jing Yi frowned but there was nothing he could do. So he just took a seat at the table and waited.


    Meanwhile, Qiu Ling was sitting on the roof and pouted. What had his beloved seen that he couldn''t know of? Weren''t they already engaged? Why were there still things he didn''t tell him?


    "I told you everything about me. Well ¡­ More or less everything. So why can''t you tell me what you saw? It can''t be that bad, right?"


    He heard the door open below him and Jing Yi''s voice calling out for him but he didn''t leave his place. He somehow felt disregarded. As his beloved''s future husband, shouldn''t he be the first one he told his woes? Why hadn''t he said anything? There clearly had been something wrong! He had looked downright spooked.


    Qiu Ling stared into the night but finally couldn''t take it any longer. His beloved was in the room below him! Even if he felt betrayed, he shouldn''t leave him alone. His Jing He might very well have a good explanation for his behavior.


    Finally having found an excuse for himself, Qiu Ling leaped from the roof and hurried back into the room. He headed straight for the bed just to find it empty. Qiu Ling stared at the blanket that was still crumpled from the time Jing Yi had laid there. Where had he gone? He had clearly heard him come back.


    He turned around and saw Jing Yi sitting at the table. Or, well, he was seated there but his head had lowered and his black hair spread across the tabletop. He had fallen asleep.


    Qiu Ling sighed. He suddenly felt extremely dumb. So what if his beloved hadn''t told him what he saw? He wasn''t Jing He, the Son of Heaven, right now. He was Zhong Jing Yi, a mortal of not even twenty years. He was bound to be easily spooked by things Jing He would have been able to accept without so much as twitching a brow. It might even be that he hadn''t seen anything worth worrying over at all but to him who had no idea what hit him it had certainly been terrifying.


    Qiu Ling silently picked him up and carried him over to the bed. Before he could put him down he hesitated though. His beloved had woken up, the Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit had already been processed. There was no reason to stay here any longer.


    With a slight smile, Qiu Ling turned around, left the Grandmaster''s estate and carried Jing Yi over to their own little house. For the time being, this was their place for just the two of them. They should stay here whenever it was possible.


    He put Jing Yi onto the bed and laid down beside him. He should just ask him tomorrow what he had seen. By then, his beloved probably would have calmed down and would tell him everything.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and fell asleep. Before long, he was woken up by a pair of hands clutching his robe.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes snapped open and he stared at the hunched up figure in front of him. Jing Yi was trembling. It was more or less the same as when he had been under the influence of that fruit.


    "Jing''er." Qiu Ling grabbed his shoulder and shook him.


    Jing Yi sat up, breathing heavily. He hid his face behind his hands and tried to calm down but he felt suffocated. Once again he had seen that scene where he painted and was then surprised by that man. He couldn''t do anything, he couldn''t say anything. He had completely been at that memory''s mercy again.


    Qiu Ling hugged him but didn''t know what else to do. He couldn''t even say anything.


    Jing Yi clung to Qiu Ling until he finally calmed down. The first thing he did was rubbing his eyes and cheeks to make sure there weren''t any tears. He didn''t want Qiu Ling to see him like this.


    "I''m sorry." He looked up at him and bit his lower lip. This was the second time he had woken up like this. Knowing Qiu Ling he was probably anxious.


    "You don''t have to apologize. Are you alright?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Yes, it''s ¡­" He shook his head and leaned against Qiu Ling''s chest again. "I dreamed of that thing again."


    "That ¡­ thing?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "What I saw because of that fruit. I ¡­ I''m sorry," he repeated and gently cupped Qiu Ling''s face. "Are you mad at me? For not telling you earlier?"


    Qiu Ling hesitated a bit but finally shook his head. "I was a bit ¡­ disappointed at first. But you certainly had your reasons."


    Jing Yi sighed. "I didn''t know what exactly I had seen and I was just anxious. Please don''t mind it."


    Qiu Ling nodded but he couldn''t completely shake the feeling. "Then do you mind telling me now?"


    "Can you promise you won''t get angry?"


    Qiu Ling smiled brightly and kissed Jing Yi''s brow. "I would never get angry with you."


    Jing Yi nodded. He wasn''t too sure if he did the right thing but after dreaming of it again and once again startling Qiu Ling he probably couldn''t go with his initial plan of waiting a while. "I actually saw a man in that dream. I don''t know who he was but ¡­ he seemed to be an important person to me."


    Qiu Ling froze but then relaxed. Jing Yi obviously hadn''t recognized that person so it wasn''t anyone he knew right now. Considering he had Jing He''s soul this might be someone from the Nine Heavens and speaking of the people there that were important to him ¡­ This was probably the Heavenly Emperor.


    Ah, no wonder his beloved had gotten anxious! He would have felt the same if he suddenly saw such an old, bearded man in his dreams.


    Jing Yi observed Qiu Ling''s expression. When he saw that Qiu Ling actually reacted normally ¡­ he didn''t know how to continue. Why had he fretted over how to tell him that much? Qiu Ling didn''t seem to mind at all.


    Qiu Ling finally cleared his throat and stroked Jing Yi''s hair back. "You were afraid I''d become jealous?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "I ¡­ would have expected that.


    "Mn. Maybe I should. I would have liked it more if you dreamed of me." He gave Jing Yi another kiss and smiled brightly. "Just do that the next time."


    "Alright." Jing Yi laughed happily and burrowed into Qiu Ling''s arms. Even though he still felt terrible remembering how he hadn''t been able to do anything in that dream, it was just a dream, after all, wasn''t it? He shouldn''t pay it too much heed. He should just enjoy what he had with Qiu Ling now.

 Chapter 260 - He Had Betrayed Him

    Back at the Yun Zou Sect Sect Master Yuchi Bing Xia sat in a pavilion behind the sect''s main building and watched the young man next to him pour a cup of tea for both of them. He couldn''t help but smile seeing his elegant gestures. Ah, it really had been his luck to find Yu Jin.


    Yu Jin placed the teapot down and looked up at his master. He certainly hadn''t called him over just to drink a cup of tea with him.


    Yuchi Bing Xia smiled. This child was really perceptive. You could see that he already knew that something was up. His only fault was probably that he disliked talking. He never said more than necessary.


    "Jin''er, you''ve been here for a few years already."


    Once again only silence answered him.


    "You know I always think if I had gotten married and had children my son would probably be like you. Just a bit more talkative."


    Yu Jin''s lips twitched. "I''m honored."


    The Sect Master sighed. "And still you won''t change your ways. Well, let''s not talk about that any longer. It''s just how you are. I''ve asked you over today because of that boy, Zhong Jing Yi. He and the Grandmaster''s disciple have been gone for a while. I''m thinking about sending someone over to check on them."


    Yu Jin silently nodded. He also thought that it would be good to have someone take a look at them.


    "I thought this might be a good opportunity for you."


    Yu Jin''s brows drew together slightly. He knew what his master was trying to get at but he was afraid he''d have to disappoint him.


    Yuchi Bing Xia stood up and looked over the valley at the foot of the mountain. "I''ve always fretted about whom to give the sect to. Your Senior Martial Brothers ¡­ Though they are all capable they are all lacking in some regard or the other. I wouldn''t be able to hand the sect over to them in good conscience. But you ¡­" He turned back and smiled. "I do think you would make a fine Sect master, Jin''er."


    Yu Jin lowered his head. Yes, he had expected as much. He slowly stood up and followed his Master over. For a while, he just looked down at the outer sect with him before giving a sigh. He stepped back, cupped his fists and bowed. "I thank you for your high regard, Master. But ¡­ I can''t accept this. Please decide on one of my Seniors."


    Yuchi Bing Xia reached over and patted his shoulder. "There''s no reason to be shy about this. You might be the youngest of them but you have the capabilities. They won''t say anything about it."


    "That''s not it. I just feel ¡­ that it''s not what I should be doing. I''ll probably leave here in the future." Yu Jin looked up at the sky. Honestly, he did feel quite a bit of attachment for the Yun Zou Sect.


    He couldn''t explain it even to himself but from the moment he set foot on the sect grounds he had felt that this place was special. Maybe it was the place he should be at? But he had never intended to stay here for long. Could he just willfully change that? He had worked so hard to ascend ¡­ Wouldn''t all that be for naught if he accepted his Master''s suggestion?


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked at his disciple in astonishment. "Jin''er, what are you talking about?"


    "Master, I''m sorry. This isn''t anything I can explain. Just believe me that the Yun Zou Sect won''t be my home for long."


    Yuchi Bing Xia frowned. Yu Jin seemed quite sure but that made him worry even more. "Is there something troubling you?"


    "No." Well, in fact, there was. But he had been here for more than half a decade already and he still couldn''t figure out why the sect seemed so special. Maybe he would see clearer when he left?


    "Is somebody threatening you?"


    Yu Jin turned back to his Master and gave a rare smile. "May I ask you something?"


    "Of course."


    "You''ve done so much for the sect all these years. Neither have you had the opportunity to marry and have a family nor have you been able to ascend. Do you feel it''s worth it?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia was stumped by this question. Did Yu Jin mean that he didn''t want his position because he felt like it wouldn''t be worth it? Well, one probably couldn''t answer this question in a simple way. "If you''d ask if I would have liked to marry and have children, then the answer would definitely have been yes."


    "I thought so."


    "And if you asked if I wanted to ascend ¡­ Naturally, the answer would still be the same." He took Yu Jin''s arm and led him back into the pavilion. "It''s not that easy, though. Honestly, most people would say the same. Who wants to be alone? And who wants to stay mortal and die if he could become a deity? It would be hard to find a person that would be content with that.


    "But the sect has given much to me and without a Sect Master, it couldn''t continue to thrive. The Yun Zou Sect ¡­" He sighed and shook his head. "We were one of the strongest back in the day. One of the first ranked sects or maybe you could even say that we exceeded that ranking. You can see where we stand now. The Yun Zou Sect isn''t bad but we''re by far not a powerhouse anymore. If not for Grandmaster Zhangsun ¡­ Who would take us seriously?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia took the cup of tea and drowned it in one gulp. "Ah, it''s also my fault. I haven''t advanced in a long time. Who would take a Sect Master like that seriously? And with my advancement failing to appear the sect continues to decline. It''ll go on like that." He looked up at Yu Jin and smiled. "That was one of the reasons I decided on you. Among my disciples, you have the best aptitude. I had hoped that ¡­ you wouldn''t end up like me."


    Yu Jin furrowed his brow. Hearing his Master talk like that he felt guilty. He had accepted the position as his disciple even though he knew that he didn''t intend to stay. The hopes this man had placed on him ¡­ he had betrayed them since the beginning. Even worse, he had betrayed this man who had taken him in with good intentions. He didn''t feel good about it at all.

 Chapter 261 - A Half-Finished Painting

    Yu Jin took a deep breath and stood up, once again cupping his hands and bowing in front of his Master. "Master, I understand. Please give me a bit of time to think things through. I''ll give you my answer then."


    "Mn. Very well. But Yu Jin ¡­"


    Yu Jin looked up and was met with a smile on his Master''s lips.


    "I''m already happy that you''re willing to consider it because of the things I said. So don''t force yourself. If you feel like this isn''t your way, then don''t do it. Everyone has their own fate. Maybe yours ¡­ will truly be outside of our sect."


    "Thank you, Master." Yu Jin straightened and actually reciprocated his Master''s smile. In all honesty, he also had good feelings for him. It seemed like it had been an eternity since he last saw his own parents. Now, they weren''t even alive anymore. Maybe even their bones had become dust by now. Having someone who cared so much about him and put this much trust in him ¡­ it really felt good.


    "About the matter regarding Zhong Jing Yi, I''d suggest sending Qiguan Cheng Da instead."


    Yuchi Bing Xia lifted his brows. "Qiguan Cheng Da?" He needed a moment to remember who that actually was. "Didn''t you say he lacked moral integrity?"


    "Mn. I definitely think he''s unsuitable as a spy but he is someone who has risen to prominence. He should get some opportunities to prove himself."


    "That is true." Yuchi Bing Xia nodded slowly. "Well, there isn''t much he could do wrong with that assignment. In the end, it''s just being a messenger, even though it''s a bit dangerous going into their territory. You know him better. How about you bring it up?"


    Yu Jin nodded. "Then I''ll take my leave now." Yu Jin turned around and went back to his own house.


    Yuchi Bing Xia watched him leave and sighed. He had put the matter with Qiguan Cheng Da and Zhong Jing Yi to the back of his head already. The thing that really troubled him was still the question of who would become his successor.


    "Ah, let''s hope for the best. The sect definitely needs a capable Sect Master. If I choose just anyone, it will definitely continue to decline. Well, if Yu Jin doesn''t want to do it, there would still be the Grandmaster''s disciple. I don''t know about his personality but his aptitude is high. Even higher than Yu Jin''s considering his constitution. Well, I still hope it''s going to be Yu Jin."


    He poured himself another cup of tea and looked down at the outer sect again. Leaving all this in his disciple''s hands ¡­ he wouldn''t have to be worried.


    Meanwhile, Yu Jin went to his study room. His Master had provided him with a house all to his own. He had protested back then since he didn''t need more than one room but Yuchi Bing Xia had been thrilled at the opportunity of teaching this last disciple thus no matter what he said his Master had insisted.


    With his thoughts uncharacteristically churning, Yu Jin felt even more that it was too big. This wasn''t like being outside in the vastness of nature. No, this was a little suffocating to him.


    He sat down at his desk and took out a scroll of paper. Grinding the ink gave him at least a little peace of mind. His thoughts focused on the scroll, he dipped the brush into the ink and slowly traced it across the parchment.


    Yes, indeed. It felt more like tracing then actually painting. He felt like he could already see what he was painting although the whole image still eluded him when he thought about it.


    Yu Jin took a deep breath and stopped thinking. First of all, he needed to calm down. In those years since he had come to the Yun Zou Sect, painting had been the only thing that let him achieve that. Even meditating was out of the question.


    The brush swayed from one side to the other and an image emerged bit by bit. There was a tree in the background and the walls of a building on the sides. In the middle ¡­


    The brush in Yu Jin''s hands paused for a spell and the lines he had still seen a moment ago vanished in front of his eyes. A half-finished painting remained.


    He sighed and put the brush down. How often had he experienced this now? Before he could finish the painting the thing he wanted to paint made him pause and suddenly he couldn''t remember what it had been in the first place. He couldn''t help starting anew afterward. It was just like an obsession. If he didn''t pay attention, he might actually suffer a Qi deviation because of this someday.


    Yu Jin stared at the empty middle of the scroll. He couldn''t explain why but he felt like there should be a person there. Someone very important.


    Maybe this was a memory of a past life? And that person had been someone close to him? It was the only explanation he could find. But then that still posed the question of why he only remembered it now. Could it have something to do with the Yun Zou Sect? Maybe he had been here before and that was when he met that person?


    Yu Jin sighed. There were just too many things unknown to him. He could guess however much he wanted he wouldn''t find out the truth that way.


    He stood up and put the painting into the shelf at the side of the room, his gaze lingering on the rows of unfinished scrolls for a moment. How long would it take until he finally found out what this meant?


    He sighed again and left his house. There wasn''t anything he could do regarding this besides waiting but he could go and relay his Master''s message to Qiguan Cheng Da. And after that, he should start pondering on his Master''s proposition.


    Becoming the Yun Zou Sect''s next Sect Master ¡­ He didn''t doubt that he would be up to the task. The question was: Did he really want to take that place?

 Chapter 262 - The Sisters’ Decision

    Yu Jin wasn''t the only one who pondered what he thought to be memories from his past life. Even though some days had already passed since Jing Yi ate the Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit and even though he had talked about it was Qiu Ling, Jing Yi couldn''t forget about it.


    As soon as he closed his eyes, he once again felt the sensation of that man''s arms around his waist and his breath that tickled his ear. He shuddered involuntarily whenever he remembered and hastily opened his eyes.


    It helped to be around Qiu Ling but when he finally fell asleep that scene would be there again, haunting him in his dreams. Even worse, he felt like there were more things. He could see details he hadn''t noticed when they stood in front of that painting. It really had to be a memory of his past life and it got more vivid with each time that he remembered.


    He felt like he was going crazy and there was nothing he could do against it. Thinking that it might have to do with the Hei Dian Sect and that everything would return to normal after they got back to the Yun Zou Sect he threw himself into accomplishing the mission Yuchi Bing Xia had given him.


    It actually wasn''t hard. After finding Hong Bao and her sister part of it was already achieved and since Hong Bao was still adamant about organizing his wedding with Qiu Ling he didn''t even need to think up a reason to spend time with her. Considering how chatty she was it probably wasn''t a wonder that he had already found out the whole story in a few days.


    The result left him speechless, though.


    The story went as follows: Once upon a time, the forest near the village where Hong Bao and her mother lived was infested with demons. Even though there was a small deity sect situated not far from them the cultivators turned a blind eye. Villagers died left and right until finally, Hong Bao''s mother became one of the victims. Hong Bao who was just fifteen years old back then didn''t know what to do.


    In her desperation, she traveled to the nearest town and asked somebody to write a letter for her that was then sent to the sect where her sister stayed. Maybe it was true that stupid people never had to fear anything because even though the letter needed some weeks to reach her sister Hong Bao was still alive when Hong Ai finally arrived at the village.


    Hong Ai was furious at that time. Not because of her sister but because of the attitude the deity sects were showing. Even her own sect that was hailed as one of the premier sects that weren''t even ranked had done nothing when she informed her master of the things going on there. They just adopted an attitude of ''that''s just how the world is, the strong survive and the weak will die'' and continued with what they had been doing before.


    Now, it was just Hong Ai against all the demons. She didn''t hesitate though. Her sister''s life depended on her and she was also taking revenge for her mother. Furthermore, she knew that someone would have to do something or the villagers around the forest would all die. They were mere mortals, after all.


    So she set out on her own and started to decimate the demons. Unfortunately, there were too many. She killed the first wave and then a second and third but over time her injuries accumulated. Finally, she could barely hold on.


    Hong Ai had no idea that someone had been watching her the whole time. That person was naturally Shen An De. Since he was part demon himself and even the nephew of the current demon king Jin Ling he couldn''t help but pay attention to everything related to the demons. Their movements at that time were really suspicious and he couldn''t help but suspect that his uncle might be behind that. He had never trusted him so he went to check things out.


    Who knew he''d see a young woman fighting against the demons all on her own until she only had one breath left? He was quite intrigued and in the end, he lent a helping hand.


    What sounded like the beginning of a beautiful love story didn''t unfold that way, though. Hong Ai wasn''t thankful. Just taking one look at his black robes would tell everyone that he was a heretic practitioner. She actually suspected him to have orchestrated everything.


    Shen An De who was more and more falling in love had quite the headache. In the end, he left the blade with her that was able to eliminate a demon. Then, they parted ways and Hong Ai returned to the village.


    She spent some time with her sister while in the Nine Heavens above someone noticed her selfless deed. Soon after, a message was sent down telling her the time and place when someone would come and have her ascend as a reward.


    Unfortunately or maybe it was fortunate, by that time Shen An De had already succeeded in moving her heart. Considering that most likely only a messenger would be sent Hong Ai persuaded her sister to go in her stead. If Hong Bao ascended, then she wouldn''t have to worry about her anymore and she imagined life in the Nine Heavens to be nice.


    Hong Bao who was a hopeless romantic had nothing to say to that. She let her sister flee with her soon-to-be brother-in-law and went to meet up with the messenger from the Nine Heavens.


    What came after that was the reason for Hong Ai''s worries: If one believed Hong Bao, then that messenger had never shown up. She was picked up the next day by a handsome man called Liu Cheng and brought to the Chun Feng Sect because her village had mysteriously vanished. In reality, more than a millennium had already gone by since her sister followed Shen An De to the Hei Dian Sect.


    Hong Bao didn''t think very much about this. Most of the time she talked about her Senior Martial Brother Liu Cheng who was the best-looking man she had ever seen. In the five years she had been in the Chun Feng Sect, the two of them had gotten quite close and she was expecting him to take the next step soon enough.


    There was only one problem: Hong Bao still wanted to see her sister again very badly so when her brother-in-law suddenly showed up in front of her she didn''t think much and just followed him back to the Hei Dian Sect. Then, she had to catch up with Hong Ai and she really wanted to get to know her brother-in-law better and see how those two were living and before she noticed a year had already gone by.


    Why she never contacted her Master or that handsome Senior Martial Brother? Well ¡­ she forgot.


    It really wasn''t a story Jing Yi wanted to report to the Yun Zou Sect.

 Chapter 263 - That Side of His Fiance

    Jing Yi sat next to Qiu Ling in their house and pondered what to do. He had found out what he needed to find out: The reason for Hong Ai and Hong Bao to stay in the Hei Dian Sect was simple, there was no plot against the good faction, nothing they should worry about. Should he just report this?


    If he was the Sect Master who had been approached by another sect and asked to find out what had happened to those two disciples, he would probably think that this story was made up. Especially since the person he had tasked with this mission was someone whose marriage depended on the results. Wouldn''t such a person be eager to show results?


    Qiu Ling watched his beloved frowning and furrowed his own brow. What was his Jing He thinking about? He seemed discontent. Had somebody said something to him that made him upset? Or maybe one of those shameless Senior Martial Brothers of his had dared to bully him?!


    Qiu Ling straightened up. He''d find that bastard and break his bones to vent his beloved''s grievances! But first of all ¡­


    He smiled sweetly and hugged Jing Yi from behind. "Jing''er, my love, don''t be like this. My heart hurts seeing you frown the whole time. Tell your husband-to-be who is bothering you. I''ll go and beat them all up." He leaned forward and kissed his cheek, startling Jing Yi out of his thoughts.


    Jing Yi froze. Just now ¡­ That kiss was exactly like in that dream he had because of the Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit. He closed his eyes, frowning even more.


    This isn''t good. I have to stop thinking about it. Whatever happened in my last life is already in the past. Now, there''s only Qiu Ling for me. There''s no need to think about anybody else. Even if the me back then loved him deeply, it doesn''t have to do anything with the me now, right? I was somebody else in that life, after all.


    His brow finally smoothed out and he even smiled a bit, making Qiu Ling''s heart flutter. Ah! His words unexpectedly had that much influence on his beloved!


    Qiu Ling gently grabbed his chin, turned his head and gave him a kiss on the lips. "So, who should I beat up for you?"


    Jing Yi laughed. Somehow, his fiance looked especially eager. "It''s not a matter of beating somebody up. I''m just a little worried."


    Qiu Ling pouted. Such a pity. He really would have liked to beat someone up for his Jing He. Well, dispelling his worries also wasn''t bad. "Tell me about it?"


    "It''s about the mission the Sect Master gave me. We haven''t even been here for a month but we more or less accomplished it. It''s just that it turned out completely different than we expected."


    "Isn''t that good? Then we can go back and get married."


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. Was there nothing else his fiance could think about? "Don''t you think it''s too coincidental?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. He really didn''t understand what his beloved was saying. "In what way is it coincidental? We were lucky."


    "That''s about the same. I''m just worried that the Sect Master won''t believe us. This story ¡­ it''s a little strange, isn''t it?"


    "Not particularly."


    Jing Yi turned to the side observing his fiance''s face. Qiu Ling looked just confused. Jing Yi sighed. Right. He had nearly forgotten that his fiance was also someone who fell in love head over heels and didn''t care for any implications that may have.


    "I feel like it wouldn''t be good to tell him directly about it now."


    Qiu Ling tightened his grip on Jing Yi''s waist and pursed his lips. This sounded like their wedding wouldn''t happen too soon. "Then when do we tell him?"


    "I''m not so sure. We shouldn''t wait too long either." Jing Yi turned in Qiu Ling''s arms and hugged him back. "You''ve had to wait this long already. I wouldn''t want to be the reason you have to hold on for even longer." He smiled and gently pecked Qiu Ling''s lips.


    His fiance''s face lit up instantly. "Don''t think about it, my love! Take as much time as you want!" Ah, just seeing his beloved''s smiling face was worth waiting even another year! Well, he wouldn''t want to wait longer than that, though ¡­


    Jing Yi snuggled into Qiu Ling''s embrace and sighed. "Let''s wait for a good opportunity. Maybe something will happen that we can report alongside the news about Hong Bao and Hong Ai. That might help in persuading the Sect Master that we''re telling the truth."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling silently stroked Jing Yi''s hair, lost in his thoughts for a moment. He hadn''t needed to be concerned with what others thought for a long time. Being the king of the dragon race was just like that. But his beloved might be right that things were different in this situation.


    If that Sect Master didn''t believe what they reported, their wedding would be delayed even more. So it was of utmost importance that they made sure he wouldn''t have any reason to doubt it.


    "Maybe we should ask that Hong Bao to write to her Master?"


    "Huh?" Jing Yi looked up, doubting what he had just heard. As a result, he saw a rather shrewd look on his fiance''s face. What was this about?


    "Let her write a letter and deliver it with our report. As her Master, he should be able to recognize her handwriting. That is at least definite proof that she is alive. And depending on what she writes the letter might even support our account of what happened."


    Jing Yi examined Qiu Ling''s face. Was this the same person that had offered to beat someone up for him just now? Why was he suddenly sounding so ¡­ sensible? Wait, no, this shouldn''t surprise him. Even though Qiu Ling was overly excited most of the time that was only when dealing with him. He was ¡­ very much in love. But he had told him that he worked for the king of his home country. So, he shouldn''t be surprised that Qiu Ling could come up with something like that.


    "You''re right. That''s a great idea." He craned his neck and pecked Qiu Ling''s cheek, making that earnest expression disappear in but a second.


    Qiu Ling shamelessly toppled Jing Yi onto the bed and grinned. "How about you continue to worry about that tomorrow? It''s not like that Hong Bao wouldn''t appear on our doorstep again."


    Jing Yi just smiled. After all this time, it would be pretentious to try and shove him off. "Let''s do as you say."


    Qiu Ling''s mood lifted even more when his beloved didn''t protest. Ah, he could practically feel the day of their wedding approaching ¡­

 Chapter 264 - He Had His Uses

    At the same time, Yu Jin knocked on Qiguan Cheng Da''s door, his face as expressionless as usual.


    "Yes?" Qiguan Cheng Da didn''t go to open the door. He wasn''t that outer sect disciple with only minor spirit veins anymore, he was one of those geniuses with heavenly spirit veins of the inner sect now! Why should he go and open the door for anyone?


    Yu Jin looked at the door not bothering to feel upset even though he could imagine why Qiguan Cheng Da stayed where he was. He himself also never opened the door so he had no right to judge.


    "Junior Martial Brother Qiguan, I came to relay my Master''s orders to you."


    Qiguan Cheng Da perked up. Wasn''t this that Senior Martial Brother Yu Jin that always ran around with a deadpan expression? He hadn''t seen him for a while and was actually tempted to just ignore him. What did he need him anymore? He was already part of the inner sect. What more could that Yu Jin offer him?


    In the end, he went over and opened the door with a smile, though. This person was still the Sect Master''s disciple and if rumors were true, he was even his favorite disciple. He had a chance of following in that man''s footsteps and taking over the sect in the future so he should continue to entertain him. Furthermore, he had already invested a lot of time in this relationship. Wouldn''t it be dumb to dump him before he got something out of it?


    "Senior Martial Brother Yu, I''m sorry for being so slow. I was cultivating just now. Why don''t you come in? I can''t offer you much but I hope you won''t mind."


    Yu Jin nodded and stepped inside, not saying anything. He sat down at the table where Qiguan Cheng Da had been drinking tea and poured himself a cup. "Zhong Jing Yi was sent to the Hei Dian Sect of the evil faction to find out some information. My Master wants you to go over and meet with him to find out what he has accomplished so far."


    Qiguan Cheng Da frowned. Not even talking about the fact that Yu Jin wasn''t any more courteous than he had been before the Sect Master would give him such a task?! "Why does he want me to do it? Isn''t this just playing the messenger? He should just send someone from the outer sect instead." He took up his own teacup and sipped the tea, imitating what he had seen from Yu Jin.


    Yu Jin watched the person who obviously despised him try to mimic his movements. "It sounds easy but it actually isn''t. This task requires you to venture into the evil faction''s territory and not just to any place but to the grounds of the Hei Dian Sect which is akin to their headquarters. It will be fraught with danger. How could this mission be given to just anyone?"


    "Still. I have heavenly spirit veins. Isn''t it too much to ask me to do this? Brother Yu, I wouldn''t bring this up if it was anyone but you. We have known each other for a long time already. Don''t you feel like your Master is looking down on me with giving me such a task? Why don''t you talk to him and advise him to choose somebody else?"


    Yu Jin put down his cup and turned to the window. Ah, he just wanted to go back and try painting again. "It was I who proposed you for this task."


    Qiguan Cheng Da froze. "What?"


    "Master originally wanted to send me because he thought it would be a good opportunity. The information Zhong Jing Yi is supposed to gather is important. Whoever is involved in this task would certainly be highly regarded by the Elders of the sect. Furthermore, it is a prime opportunity to gain experience and hone one''s skills. And, as I said, not everyone is qualified to take it up. I originally thought it would be a good idea to give this opportunity to you but ¡­ I see you aren''t keen on going. Don''t worry about it too much. I''ll go and talk to my Master. He certainly won''t mind if I go myself."


    Qiguan Cheng Da gulped. Shit! He had actually made such a mistake! He should have asked him more about it. "Ah, Brother Yu ¡­ Don''t be like this. I was hasty just now and hadn''t properly listened. I really can''t help it. After having that stroke of luck and gaining heavenly spirit veins thanks to the mission the sect gave me back then I can''t help but want to give back. I always thought cultivating as fast as possible would be the best way to do that but now that you''ve mentioned how important this task is to our sect ¡­ How could I reject it? I''ll naturally accept."


    "Is that so?"


    "Mn. Thank you very much for recommending me to the Sect Master! Brother Yu is indeed the one who treats me the best."


    "It''s nothing. As fellow disciples, we should help each other out."


    "That''s true, that''s true." Qiguan Cheng Da hurriedly poured another cup of tea for Yu Jin. It seemed this guy really had his uses. He should spend some more time with him in the future even though it was dull. "So, what exactly is this about?"


    Yu Jin lifted his hand and took a flower out of the spatial ring his Master had given him. "This can be used to contact him. You just have to travel to the vicinity of the Hei Dian Sect and find a spot where you''ll be able to set up a meeting with him. After that, just imbue your spiritual energy and this flower will travel to him."


    "I see. And what about the mission he was given?" Qiguan Cheng Da took the flower and unceremoniously put it into his magical bag.


    Hmph. He still didn''t have a spatial ring even though there were some Elders who were considering to take him in as their disciple. He didn''t understand what they were hesitating about, though. He had heavenly spirit veins already! What more did they want?!


    If he compared himself to Yu Jin ¡­ This guy had already had heavenly spirit veins when he came to the sect. Heavens! It had even been the Sect Master who personally brought him back if the rumors were true and he had been doting on him since then. Whatever a cultivator could wish for it would be presented to this Yu Jin on a silver platter. How was this fair?


    Yu Jin silently turned the cup in his hands. "I can''t tell you much but this doesn''t only have to do with the Yun Zou Sect."


    "So something big is going on." Qiguan Cheng Da tapped his leg. If that was indeed the case, then he might be able to use this. He narrowed his eyes and smiled. This might be a prime opportunity to pay that Zhong Jing Yi back for how his family had humiliated him back then while simultaneously rising to even more prominence. Ah, this Yu Jin had really done him a favor.

 Chapter 265 - Sending a Message

    After Yu Jin explained the benefits of taking on that mission, Qiguan Cheng Da didn''t wait long and made his way over to the grounds of the Hei Dian Sect. He looked down into the chasm where the Beguiling Night Tree stood and snorted.


    "How fitting for an evil sect. That guy should just stay here. No need to return to the Yun Zou Sect."


    Qiguan Cheng Da narrowed his eyes. That was actually a good idea. He had wanted to do something but had still lacked the right inspiration. But this might be feasible. If he made sure that that boy didn''t return to the Yun Zou Sect too soon, then he could expand his own influence. If he indeed came back someday ¡­


    Qiguan Cheng Da chuckled.


    "Let''s see how you''ll deal with this, Zhong Jing Yi."


    He took out the flower that Yu Jin had given him but he didn''t send it immediately. Instead, he took a moment to have a closer look at it. The thing obviously wasn''t a real flower. It was made out of white jade and the petals were carved so thin that they were translucent. Just one glance was enough to understand how much this thing was worth. Though, the jade with its intricate carvings contributed only slightly to the actual worth of the flower. Its use was what was special.


    Everyone in the Yun Zou Sect including the Sect Master himself normally only used paper cranes for communication. Well, except for the outer sect disciples, of course, who had no means of communication at all if it wasn''t required for a mission the sect gave them. He himself had only received paper cranes when he was admitted to the inner sect and even then they had only provided him with three. It showed how precious even these were. This flower ¡­ It was a hundred times better than any paper crane.


    Qiguan Cheng Da frowned. Why had this Yu Jin so much luck? What had he actually done to deserve getting such a treasure? Besides having heavenly spirit veins since birth and coincidentally being picked up by the Sect Master he hadn''t done anything. And still ¡­


    Well, whatever. He couldn''t do anything about that. In fact, it might even benefit him. After all, he had already established a relationship with him. When Yu Jin profited from something he would also profit.


    Qiguan Cheng Da pushed the thought aside and imbued the flower with his spiritual energy just as Yu Jin had told him. One of the petals loosened and floated into the air.


    Qiguan Cheng Da lifted his brows. It seemed this flower could even send several messages at the same time. He''d really like to try it out ¡­ But who could he message? He didn''t know many people outside of the Yun Zou Sect. That was also something he should change. Now that he was one of the peerless geniuses he should make use of that and make connections. Well, he could worry about that later.


    He hastily wrote a note on the petal and watched it fly away. "Let''s see if it really reaches that boy. If not ¡­" He grinned. It wouldn''t be too bad if the heretic practitioners of the Hei Dian Sect found out he was a spy. Wouldn''t they take care of him then?


    Qiguan Cheng Da''s wish naturally wasn''t fulfilled. The jade petal flew to the house where Jing Yi and Qiu Ling were staying and landed on the window sill. It didn''t look any different from the petal of a normal flower though it gave off a bit of spiritual energy.


    Qiu Ling lifted his head from the bed and stared at the window. He couldn''t see the petal from his position but he could feel the energy. This definitely wasn''t something that had flown there coincidentally.


    He lifted his arm and his magic had the petal drift over and land in the palm of his hand.


    "Meet me at the cave five li from the big tree as soon as you get this message to report on what you found out about the Hei Dian Sect." Qiu Ling lowered his hand and stared at the window. This seemed like it had come from the Yun Zou Sect.


    It was good considering that they had indeed found out something and might be able to go back and marry soon. Then again it was bad timing because they hadn''t had Hong Bao write that letter and maybe his beloved was right and the Sect Master wouldn''t be able to accept their story.


    What were they supposed to do now?


    He put the message aside first, turned around and hugged Jing Yi again. Ah, the message had said he should go when he received the message. Since his beloved was still fast asleep he hadn''t received the message yet. There was no reason to hurry. That person could certainly wait until his beloved woke up.


    Mn, most likely the person who had come wouldn''t be his Master or the Sect Master himself. It should just be some disciple so ignoring it wouldn''t be an issue. Well, he wouldn''t care even if it was the Sect Master. Ah, the only ones he couldn''t afford to have to wait for him were his beloved and his in-laws.


    Mn, thinking of that ¡­ it was nice not having to deal with the old geezer for a while. It was just the two of them now so they could do whatever they wanted.


    Qiu Ling snuggled up against Jing Yi, closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Meanwhile, Qiguan Cheng Da stood at the entrance of the cave and waited. After a while, he frowned and started to pace up and down but he still couldn''t see even a glimpse of that damned boy.


    "Is he trying to mock me?!" He slapped the wall beside him and took out the flower again. It had a lot of petals. It wouldn''t be a problem to send a few more messages. He could even use them to discredit that Zhong Jing Yi when he returned to the sect.


    With a devious smile on his lips, he started to carve another message onto a petal and let it fly over. Unfortunately, Jing Yi hadn''t cultivated enough to sense such a light ripple of spiritual energy and Qiu Ling didn''t even bother to stir. He just continued to hold onto his beloved and enjoyed this moment of peace.

 Chapter 266 - Betraying a Spy

    Qiguan Cheng Da was fuming. He couldn''t believe this! He had attained heavenly spirit veins, become a disciple of the inner sect and it was only a matter of time until one of the elders would make him his disciple and yet a puny outer sect disciple dared to make him wait?!


    He once again hit the wall next to him. He''d pay him back for this! He plucked another petal from the flower, prepared to write his honest thoughts down. Before his spiritual energy could even touch the petal, it flew out of his hand though.


    Qiguan Cheng Da frowned and looked up. Not far from him stood a man in a black robe and curiously eyed the petal.


    "Not bad, not bad."


    "Who are you? What do you want?"


    The man lifted his brows and slowly smiled. "I''m called Xiao Li. Naturally, I''m a member of the Hei Dian Sect. But don''t worry. I won''t give away that you''re here."


    Qiguan Cheng Da tilted his head. "What do you mean?" This guy was obviously a heretic practitioner. Shouldn''t he be attacking him already? Why had he even waited until he was noticed?


    "I saw quite a few of these petals flying around in our sect grounds. Strangely enough, they all landed on the same window sill."


    "Oh? So you want me to rat out our spy?" Qiguan Cheng Da smiled. There was nothing he''d rather do more! But as soon as he told that guy he might really attack and he didn''t know how strong he was. He had to observe him for a while and get a feeling for him before he told him anything.


    Xiao Li smiled, threw the petal back at Qiguan Cheng Da and sat down. "No need to worry. I don''t really care if someone is spying on the sect. Even if they got this one, there''d be another one soon. Maybe there are already a hundred spies in the sect. We''ll never get everyone."


    "Then what do you want?"


    "Well, I''m actually interested in one of the people living in the house where that petal landed. Might that be the person you tried to message?"


    "I''ve never been here before. How would I know where the houses are and who lives in them?"


    "Mn, that''s true ¡­" Xiao Li narrowed his eyes. "It''s a boy, about sixteen or seventeen years of age."


    Qiguan Cheng Da slightly lifted his brows. That sounded a lot like Zhong Jing Yi. Maybe this was the chance he had waited for?


    "Did you think of something?"


    "Maybe. But how could I tell you? You''re a heretic practitioner. You might try to kill him."


    "Ah, I wouldn''t do that. I''m just ¡­ tasked with finding out some things."


    Qiguan Cheng Da stepped to the side, increasing the distance between them.


    Xiao Li just smiled. "It''s actually not about him but about the man he came here with. Someone I know is interested in why he would be with such a person. I want nothing more than to find out the reason."


    "The man he came here with?" Qiguan Cheng Da looked at the flower in his hand.


    Yu Jin hadn''t said anything like that. But the only one this Xiao Li could be talking about should be the Grandmaster''s disciple. Hadn''t he proposed to Zhong Jing Yi? It would make sense for him to accompany him on such a mission.


    Tch. So much for rejecting him. He had obviously just acted coyly to make a good impression before pretending to give in reluctantly. Now such a genius practitioner even accompanied him on this mission. Didn''t that just mean that the Grandmaster''s disciple would do all the work while he profited from it? The only thing he had to do was to lie down!


    Don''t think I''ll let you get away with this!


    Qiguan Cheng Da looked at Xiao Li and smiled. What was there to lose? If this guy was much stronger than him, then he wouldn''t win anyway. If he told him, he could at least pull that Jing Yi down into hell with him. And if he wasn''t ¡­ well, even better. He could escape unscathed while that boy would get his just desserts.


    "The person you''re talking about might be my Junior Martial Brother. He''s called Zhong Jing Yi, an outer sect disciple from the Yun Zou Sect. He only has trash spirit veins but he somehow managed to entice that man you mentioned. That''s Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple, by the way."


    "Oh?" Xiao Li rubbed his fingers against each other. "So he''s from the Yun Zou Sect ¡­" This was valuable information. He could use it to investigate further.


    "Is that all you want to know about him?"


    Xiao Li lifted his brows. "You know more?"


    "Naturally. He was from some small village originally. You can get there if you follow the Long mountain range toward the south. It doesn''t even have a name so you''ll have to ask around for the Zhong family. The family head was Zhong Lei, he''s already dead, though. In fact, nobody from that family lives there anymore. It was just that Zhong Jing Yi and his parents before. Then they moved to the capital. His mother should still be there, living with some relative of her husband. Tch, who knows what''s going on there?"


    Xiao Li grinned. He never would have thought that there were humans that could rival a demon''s dark thoughts. This was actually a first. And this guy even openly admitted these thoughts now that he had started to talk.


    "What''s his mother''s name? And that relative, do you know anything about him?"


    "I''m not sure. But it seems that relative had some kind of business in the capital. You''ll just have to ask around."


    "Thank you very much. You helped me a lot." Xiao Li stood up and nodded. Indeed, this had really been a great help. Who would have thought that after searching for information for this long he''d get it delivered just like this?


    Well, it seemed like he''d need to pay a visit to the capital if he wanted to find out more. After that, he could go and report to his king. Then, he might finally be able to return home.

 Chapter 267 - True Bliss

    Jing Yi only awoke several hours later. For the first time since eating the Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit, he had had a good night''s sleep. In fact, he had slept so well that he just wanted to turn around and close his eyes again.


    He knew he couldn''t though. It hadn''t been long since they came to the Hei Dian Sect and even though they had already finished their mission there were still a lot of things to do. After all, he had finally started to learn how to read and write and had even managed to grasp the basics of Alchemy.


    As long as they stayed in the Hei Dian Sect he had to use these opportunities that were presented to him. Sooner or later he wouldn''t be a burden to Qiu Ling then and would even be able to help him. That was more than enough reason to get up.


    He turned his head to the side to take a look at Qiu Ling. Once again he was greeted by his beloved''s sleeping face. He couldn''t help but watch him a little longer. This was something he was only able to do since they came to the Hei Dian Sect. Would he still be able to see it when they returned to the Yun Zou Sect? How long would it be until then? Another week? Another month?


    Come to think of it, it had only been a bit more than a year since Qiu Ling proposed to him. That probably wasn''t too long. Even though they had needed to postpone the wedding it wasn''t like an end of the delay wasn''t in sight. Qiu Ling could probably wait that long.


    Jing Yi was tempted to lean over and give him a kiss but he was afraid that Qiu Ling might wake up. Well, he didn''t know if dragons actually needed to sleep like humans but it certainly seemed that way.


    Jing Yi frowned. Qiu Ling had told him a lot about his past when he was imprisoned in his inner self but he had never mentioned he was a dragon. If not for what Grandmaster Shen had said at the duel, he might have never found out about it. Qiu Ling had admitted it when he asked but they hadn''t had the opportunity to talk about it. After all, they had been invited to the Grandmaster''s house and then the thing with the Beguiling Night Tree had happened and he ¡­ It was his own fault.


    Jing Yi sat up and leaned against the beam behind him. He had thought that he knew Qiu Ling quite well after spending more than a year with him but there were still a lot of things he had no idea about. Especially concerning the dragons ¡­ What were they like? How did they live? Were there things he should take note of?


    While Jing Yi was deep in his thoughts Qiu Ling finally woke up. He, too, had slept wonderfully if he ignored the short disturbance by that message from the sect. Mn, in fact, he was very rested right now. This was the perfect opportunity to do something.


    He peeked at the spot beside him and noticed that Jing Yi had sat up. His lips curled into a satisfied smile. Ah, there was that one thing he had always thought must be bliss but that he had never dared to try with Jing He. This was a prime opportunity to make use of!


    He silently crept closer to Jing Yi before taking another peak to make sure his beloved hadn''t noticed anything. Ah, perfect! He wasn''t paying attention. Well, not that his beloved wouldn''t allow him if he asked nicely ¡­ It wasn''t like they hadn''t done this before, after all. Still, it was better to be prepared.


    Qiu Ling pushed himself up a bit and charged forward, putting his head on Jing Yi''s lap and encircling his slender legs with one arm to make sure he couldn''t get up.


    Jing Yi jerked. "Qiu ¡­ Qiu Ling, what are you doing?!"


    Qiu Ling gave a satisfied smile. "Basking in the wonders of love!" He rubbed his cheek on Jing Yi''s thigh before lying still again. Mn, this was too wonderful! Ah, but it might have been better if his beloved was sitting the other way around, then he could actually turn around and look up at his face to admire him.


    Jing Yi sighed. What else had he expected? Well, this was probably a good moment to ask him about the dragons.


    "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "Mn? Do you want a good morning kiss?"


    Jing Yi smiled. "Maybe later. There''s something I wanted to talk with you about."


    Qiu Ling perked up. He actually wanted to lift his head to look his beloved in the face but then he would have needed to leave this spot. Argh, this wasn''t ideal. "My love, can you turn around?"


    "Mn?" Jing Yi reached down and gently combed through Qiu Ling''s hair.


    Qiu Ling''s lips curled and his eyes formed into little crescents. He probably would have started purring in pleasure if he wasn''t afraid that the excruciating rumor of the hidden tiger would be heated up again.


    Jing Yi stopped to take a look at Qiu Ling''s face though. "What do you mean?"


    Qiu Ling loathed to break the wonderful moment but this really wasn''t right. "Turn around, my love!"


    "Huh?" Jing Yi still didn''t understand. Was he supposed to face the wall?


    Qiu Ling sat up, grabbed Jing Yi by the waist and pulled him to the side so that he looked into the other direction. Then, he flopped down again. Ah, finally he could look up at his beloved''s face while lying on his lap! This was really true bliss!


    No, wait ¡­ There was one thing wrong! Qiu Ling frowned a bit and grabbed Jing Yi''s hand, putting it back onto his head, his gaze expectant.


    Jing Yi didn''t even know how to react. In the end, he only sighed and started to comb through Qiu Ling''s hair again with his fingers.


    "Can I ask now?"


    "Of course, my love! Don''t hold back! I''ll answer all of your questions at any given time!"

 Chapter 268 - What Are They Like?

    Jing Yi didn''t dare to comment on that and just breached the topic he was interested in. "Do you remember what you told me before we went to the Grandmaster''s place that day?"


    Qiu Ling cracked his eyes open. Naturally, every moment he spent with his beloved was etched into his mind. It just seemed ¡­ the topic they had discussed then was a bit dangerous?


    He averted his gaze. "Not really? Maybe it was about the duel? That was the same day, after all. Ah, my love, it couldn''t be that you''re still worried I might have ¡ª"


    A finger landed on his lips and he was met with a slightly sterner gaze.


    "Didn''t you say you''d answer all of my questions at any given time?"


    "Uh ¡­ Of course! So if you want to know if I''m ¡ª"


    "That''s great then!" Jing Yi smiled, shutting up Qiu Ling again.


    A certain dragon king felt rather helpless. He always grew weak-willed in front of his beloved and now with that gaze ¡­ He pursed his lips and tried to look pitiful but Jing Yi just continued to stare at him. After more than a year he knew exactly how to handle Qiu Ling.


    In the end, Qiu Ling could only sigh. "Alright. What do you want to know?"


    "You''re really a dragon, right?"


    "Mn."


    "Then ¡­ What about them? I mean ¡­ I''ve heard of dragons but I don''t really know anything about them. What are they like?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. This was all his beloved wanted to know? Why had he gotten anxious because of this? Well, he didn''t really know how to answer this question though. Regardless, he would still try for the sake of his future marital bliss.


    In a rare show of seriousness, Qiu Ling actually sat up and leaned against the back of the bed next to Jing Yi. "What are they like? It''s not so easy to say. You probably also wouldn''t know how to describe to me what humans are like if I asked you."


    "That''s probably true."


    "It''s the same for me. Well, comparing both our races the most obvious difference would probably be that we dragons are immortal by nature. We do need longer to mature though. Think of Xiao Dong. He still isn''t an adult so from a mortal perspective he isn''t growing anymore and still looks very much like a child while you and that Shao Hai have both grown up."


    "Xiao Dong is a dragon, too?"


    Qiu Ling coughed. "Uh ¡­ Yes. You''d be surprised if you knew how many you''ve actually seen."


    "So is there no way to distinguish a dragon from a human?" Jing Yi leaned against Qiu Ling and reached out, gently sliding his hand into Qiu Ling''s.


    "For a normal human definitely not. A cultivator might be able to tell from the energy inside the body but most of the time they''d have to touch you for that. It''s not easy."


    "I see." Jing Yi realized once more just how little he knew about Qiu Ling''s race. Speaking of that ¡­ "So what you told me about ¡­ concerning your family ¡­ That is related to the dragons, too?"


    "Yes." Qiu Ling sighed. It seemed, in the end, he''d really have to tell Jing He''s mortal reincarnation everything. It probably was his fault for thinking he could keep it to a minimum. A human life was still rather long even if it couldn''t compare to that of a dragon or a god.


    "Then your mother ¡­"


    "The one she fell in love with was the demon king. There aren''t just dragons out there. In fact, the guy that was lurking around here the last time was a demon and ¡­ well, that Grandmaster is at least partly of demonic descent."


    Jing Yi had no idea how to continue. This was ¡­ more than unexpected.


    Qiu Ling smiled when he saw him like this. "That is why I didn''t want to tell you in the beginning. It''s something that is hard to understand if you''re mortal."


    "Mortal." Jing Yi leaned his head back against the wall and looked at the canopy of the bed. "I''m mortal. If you''re a dragon, then ¡­"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "I know. Which is why you have to hurry up with your cultivation. If you continue like this, you''ll stop aging soon and then you can someday ascend as a deity and we''ll be together in the immortal realms." Again.


    "You''re making it sound rather easy. Cultivation only gets harder the further you go and my aptitude ¡­" Jing Yi shook his head. "If I had known, I would have taken that Amethyst Lightning Pill back then. With heavenly spirit veins, we wouldn''t have this problem. I could probably ascend in a few hundred years."


    Qiu Ling froze. A few hundred years? This was obviously much too long! Ugh, did it really take that long for a cultivator to ascend? No. He couldn''t accept that. He had to find something to speed that progress up. He''d have to send Fu Min to find out something. Mn, he''d give the message to Qiang Wei later.


    "I''m sorry." Jing Yi frowned and bit his lower lip. "I was just thinking about myself back then and didn''t consider what it meant to you. Now we''re in this kind of situation."


    "Ah, don''t worry, my love. It sounds worse than it actually is. You''ll see it won''t take long for you to reach the next level. Furthermore ¡­ After we go back to the sect they''ll admit you to the inner sect, won''t they? Then they''ll do more for you and your speed will accelerate. So there''s no need to be depressed." Qiu Ling leaned over and pecked Jing Yi''s cheek, making him smile a little.


    "I hope you''re right." He couldn''t help but worry though.


    The bit he knew about Qiu Ling''s past was depressing and considering what his fiance had told him the person who had managed to make him let go of most of that pain had died. Had he also been a human? And had he been unable to ascend and thus left Qiu Ling to himself?


    He really wanted to ask but he didn''t dare to. In the end, thinking of that person might be worse than everything else. After all, gaining hope and then losing it was worse than being in despair from beginning to end.

 Chapter 269 - He’s Using a Strange Dialect

    Qiu Ling took a look at his beloved''s face and cursed inwardly. It seemed he had said something wrong. What to do now? He frowned a bit and looked around to find something he could use to divert Jing Yi''s attention. Finally, his gaze landed on the petal with the message.


    Qiu Ling perked up. Right! Wouldn''t Jing Yi need to concentrate on this when he told him?


    "Mn, my love, by the way ¡­ It seems like the sect sent a message tonight."


    Jing Yi turned around while trying to understand what exactly Qiu Ling was saying. "The sect sent a message."


    Qiu Ling nodded with a smile. It seemed his plan had worked! His beloved had indeed stopped to think about it!


    "And this message already came in the night."


    Qiu Ling''s lips twitched. Oh. Right. He had forgotten about that. "Uh ¡­ I read the message and it didn''t seem all that urgent." His fingers flicked and the petals that had accumulated on the windowsill fell to the ground as if they had just fallen down from some tree in the vicinity. Those definitely weren''t any messages.


    Jing Yi furrowed his brow. "What did it say?"


    "Oh. Let me read it to you." Qiu Ling picked up the petal and started to read: "Meet me at the cave five li from the big tree ¡­" He made a pause and looked at the other characters. That person had written ''as soon as you get this message''. No way he''d read that out loud! Wouldn''t his beloved get furious if he found out that he hadn''t woken him up even though they were supposed to hurry over right then? "¡­ to report on what you found out about the Hei Dian Sect. Tomorrow night."


    Jing Yi watched Qiu Ling''s face and slightly narrowed his eyes. He had noticed the small pause in the middle and he knew Qiu Ling well enough to understand that something fishy was going on. "You wouldn''t mind if I took a look myself, would you?"


    Qiu Ling struggled to keep a straight expression. "No, why would I?" He handed the message over but covertly used his magic to change it a bit. Well, it was that person''s own fault for sending a message written with that so-called inner energy. Wasn''t that too easy to forge?


    Jing Yi looked at the message. He couldn''t read everything but it was enough to verify that his fiance had seemed to say the truth. He never would have thought that Qiu Ling had just changed what had been written there.


    Qiu Ling smiled when he saw Jing Yi''s face relax. It seemed he was saved.


    Before he could celebrate Jing Yi''s brows furrowed again. "Why is there such a gap in here?"


    "Ah?" Qiu Ling looked at the petal and cursed inwardly once more. "Uh ¡­ It''s written with inner energy. The one they send is probably just a simple disciple. Maybe he needed to take a break?"


    "Is that so?" Jing Yi looked at him and then tipped on the character that he could indeed decipher as ''tonight''. "This looks a lot like your handwriting, Qiu Ling." He should know, even though he had learned a lot from Senior Martial Brother Yue his fiance had still insisted on helping him, too. Thus he had seen a lot of Qiu Ling''s handwriting and since he always tried to copy exactly what Qiu Ling wrote he was especially familiar with it.


    Qiu Ling couldn''t quite find an explanation to that. Ugh. Why did he have to answer on the spot?


    "You don''t have another excuse? Then change it back!"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips but still did as he was told.


    Jing Yi looked at the original message but unfortunately, he couldn''t read the characters that had appeared. He looked up at Qiu Ling with a questioning gaze.


    There was a sparkling in Qiu Ling''s eyes that gave his plan away before he even uttered the first syllable. Jing Yi gave him the opportunity to display his shamelessness though. He really wanted to see what kind of excuse his fiance had come up with.


    "Oh, it says exactly what I''ve read to you. You see there is more than one opportunity to write ''tonight''. I just changed it to make reading easier for you!"


    "How noble of you."


    "Mn! It''s good that you know!"


    "So why would he use this one?"


    "Mn ¡­ That ¡­ how would I know what he''s been thinking? I don''t even know who the person is!"


    "Oh. That''s true." Jing Yi didn''t stop staring at Qiu Ling though. That guy was clearly lying to him. He wouldn''t let him get away as easily as this.


    "What ¡­ What is it ¡­ my love?" Qiu Ling gulped. Looking at him like this ¡­ This was really too vicious! Why did it seem as if his beloved was very, very disappointed in him? It seemed as if he was just a few words short of breaking up with him!


    Well, this was probably Qiu Ling''s bad conscience raising its head.


    "You don''t have any idea why he used another word?"


    "Mn, no ¡­ how ¡­ how would I know?"


    "I always thought my fiance was incredible, knowing so many things, being able to infer so much from just little hints ¡­" Jing Yi looked away, the very image of someone disillusioned about the person they had thought to be so great.


    Qiu Ling panicked and naturally missed how the corner of Jing Yi''s lips curled up for a moment. "Ah! Wait! Let me think, let me think! I''m sure I can figure that out!" He stared at the petal darkly, just one step away from ripping it to shreds. This damned thing had made him lose face in front of his beloved!


    "Oh! I know! I know!" Qiu Ling pressed Jing Yi''s hand up against his chest to show his sincerity and looked deeply into his eyes. "In fact, it''s so simple I overlooked this possibility."


    Jing Yi actually lost his train of thought. Qiu Ling''s eyes ¡­ were really too beautiful. Especially if he looked as serious as right now.


    "You see I''m sure this person ¡­ he''s using a very strange dialect. It''s no wonder he used this word."


    With his fiance looking like this, Jing Yi didn''t have the heart to call him out on his lies. So, he just played along. "So it''s like that. Still ¡­ It''s quite dangerous for that person to wait here for so long. Maybe we should get up and go over right now?"


    "Oh. Sure." Qiu Ling nodded. He didn''t care when they went to see that person. The only important thing was that his beloved had brought that excuse. Ah, he was safe now!


    It was probably like Leng Jin Yu had once said in the Nine Heavens: Love really made people blind. Even the dragon king wasn''t able to think rational in front of the person he loved.

 Chapter 270 - So He Was That Person

    Jing Yi hurriedly washed up and dressed before heading out with Qiu Ling. In his haste, he didn''t notice how his fiance scattered the petals lying below their windowsill further with his magic.


    Well, it wouldn''t have made a difference if he knew there had been more than one message. He wouldn''t have arrived sooner anyway and he already had a bad conscience. Who knew how long that person had waited there already?


    Qiu Ling also noticed that Jing Yi might have forgiven him but wasn''t content with the situation. Thus he tried to make up for his earlier ¡­ mistake as he reluctantly called it through carrying Jing Yi over to the cave that had been mentioned in the message with the highest possible speed.


    When they arrived they saw a pensive looking Qiguan Cheng Da sitting in the mouth of the cave. Xiao Li had already vanished long ago.


    Jing Yi instantly felt worse. "Senior Martial Brother Qiguan!" He hurried over, clasped his hands and bowed. "I''m sorry for only arriving now!"


    He knew not explaining himself wouldn''t be polite but he also didn''t want to rat Qiu Ling out. Although he didn''t agree with Qiu Ling''s way of doing things he also understood that he had done it for his benefit. He probably hadn''t been able to resolve himself to wake him up when he saw him deep asleep. After all, Qiu Ling had certainly noticed that he hadn''t slept well for the past two weeks.


    "I got your message earlier already but you know I can''t read. I had to wait for Senior Martial Brother Qiu to read it to me, hence I made you wait. Please forgive me." He didn''t want to tell a lie but under these circumstances, it was the only thing he could do.


    Qiguan Cheng Da smiled and nodded. "It''s not a problem. We''re on an evil sect''s territory here. It''s only natural for you to be more careful." His words sounded nice but like always his thoughts were the exact opposite of them.


    He looked at Jing Yi and then at Qiu Ling and barely held back a smirk. He knew from Xiao Li that these two lived together so he had his own thoughts about what had held them back. He wouldn''t say any of that in front of Qiu Ling though and as long as Jing Yi hadn''t fallen out of grace in the sect he also wouldn''t show him his true colors.


    Jing Yi smiled gratefully while Qiu Ling took a pensive gaze at Qiguan Cheng Da. He felt like this guy looked slightly familiar but he just couldn''t remember where he might have seen him before. Then again that probably wasn''t important. He might just have passed by him when he was in the sect.


    "Ah!" Jing Yi noticed that those two had never met and hurriedly motioned at Qiu Ling. "Senior Martial Brother Qiguan, this is Senior Martial Brother Qiu, Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple. Qiu Ling ¡­" He blushed. He had actually wanted to stay formal in front of Qiguan Cheng Da since he didn''t know him that well even though they had had a good relationship thus far. But he was already so close to Qiu Ling that he had just blurted out his name. Well, he couldn''t change his way of addressing him now.


    "This is Senior Martial Brother Qiguan. Do you remember? I told you about him when we left the Yun Zou Sect. He''s the person from my village who offered to bring the Amethyst Lightning Pill back to the inner sect."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling nodded. So he was that person. He could remember that his beloved had said something like that once. He wasn''t too interested in him though so he stopped at that.


    A shrewd light glinted in Qiguan Cheng Da''s eyes though. This was the opportunity he had waited for for so long! Forming a relationship with the Sect Master''s favorite disciple Yu Jin had already benefited him. If he now managed to get to know the sole disciple of Grandmaster Zhangsun ¡­ Would anyone in the sect still dare to cross him?


    He smiled lightly, cupped his fists and bowed, the very image of a sincere cultivator who was living and dying for the righteous cause. One really had to say, even though Qiguan Cheng Da hadn''t been talented in cultivation by nature he really had a knack for acting. Had he become part of a theater he might have become famous already.


    "Greetings to Senior Martial Brother Qiu. Junior Martial Brother Jing Yi talked a lot about you. I actually feel like we know each other already."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling gave a low murmur. He really had no wish to talk with this person. Couldn''t they just get this done with?


    Jing Yi gave a strained smile. He could imagine what his fiance was thinking right now. Honestly, couldn''t he at least pretend for a while to be a polite person? What would people say when they returned to the Yun Zou Sect? Then again he was the sole disciple of Grandmaster Zhangsun and might attain the same heights one day. People would probably expect someone like this to be a little aloof, right?


    "Ah ¡­ The Sect Master send you to get our report on the mission?" He turned to Qiguan Cheng Da to try and resolve the awkward atmosphere.


    Qiguan Cheng Da was livid inside. Who knew what that Zhong Jing Yi had whispered into the ears of the Grandmaster''s disciple while in bed for him to treat him this coldly?! But what could he do? Now that the two of them were this close he had to put a good face on the matter until that Qiu Ling understood that Zhong Jing Yi wasn''t any more than a thing to pass a bit of his time with. He definitely couldn''t let them marry! But he had to approach this cautiously.


    "Indeed. So ¡­ How is it?" He looked at Qiu Ling rather than Jing Yi since he doubted that the boy had done anything. The one who would accomplish this mission would definitely be the Grandmaster''s disciple.


    Jing Yi also looked up at Qiu Ling. They hadn''t decided what to report to the sect yet. They hadn''t even talked to Hong Bao about the letter. He really didn''t know what to say.


    Being subjected to his beloved''s helpless gaze Qiu Ling''s eyes curved into a smile. Ah, his beloved still thought of him as the most important person! Naturally, he would solve this tricky situation for him!

 Chapter 271 - Reporting Their Progress

    Qiu Ling cleared his throat, stepped forward and put an arm around Jing Yi''s waist. Mn, he had to make sure this guy wouldn''t get any funny ideas. After all, he had already approached his beloved before!


    "We were indeed able to find out something: The missing disciples are both here in the Hei Dian Sect. To be more precise, they are currently in the estate of the Hei Dian Sect''s Grandmaster Shen."


    Qiguan Cheng Da lifted his brows. Missing disciples? This didn''t sound like the important mission Yu Jin had described to him. And they weren''t even talking about many disciples but just two! The sect definitely wouldn''t care about this!


    Qiu Ling''s eyes narrowed. Even though he didn''t like being around other people as long as it wasn''t about his beloved he had lived long enough to see through the thoughts of a human like Qiguan Cheng Da. That guy was somehow dissatisfied with his words thus far.


    Not good! I have to add more details! If this guy reports something bad back to the sect, then they''ll postpone our wedding even further. And my beloved also wouldn''t stand for it if I don''t do a good job with this.


    Qiu Ling pulled Jing Yi even closer and gave Qiguan Cheng Da a smile. "Well, you can probably imagine that it''s difficult to find out more. That Grandmaster is obviously a highly skilled person. I''m afraid he wouldn''t even lose against my Master that easily. Naturally, we were unable to infiltrate his estate in this short amount of time. We have thought up a plan though but executing it will take a bit more time."


    Qiguan Cheng Da nodded. He might not think much of the mission but it was still good to establish a connection with the Grandmaster''s disciple. He should try and give him a good expression that even this Zhong Jing Yi wouldn''t be able to shake.


    "What kind of plan is it, Senior Martial Brother Qiu? Can I or the sect do anything to help you?"


    Qiu Ling barely stopped himself from frowning. This guy was obviously just talking to him and ignoring his beloved even though Jing Yi was the one who had officially been given the mission. He had just tagged along. So ¡­ could it be that this guy wasn''t after his beloved in a romantic way but was instead targeting him in some other way? He should make sure of that.


    "Well, Jing''er has managed to have them admit him into the ¡­" Uh ¡­ What was it called again? He shot a look at his beloved to seek help.


    "Ah, I''ve been admitted to the Alchemy division." Jing Yi really hoped that he had understood correctly where Qiu Ling was going with his story. It seemed that way though.


    "Right, into the Alchemy Division. He approached a disciple called ¡­" Qiu Ling''s lips twitched. To him, all of them were just rivals. He had never bothered to learn their names. How had his beloved called him? "Uh ¡­ Yu. Some disciple called Yu. His Master is the Elder in charge of the Alchemy Division and he has already been given a lot of responsibility within the sect. If we leverage on the relationship between Jing''er and him we''ll be able to attain more information."


    Jing Yi nodded at Qiu Ling''s cue but didn''t say anything more. He felt that his fiance''s words seemed quite convincing. Well, if one ignored the constant problem of him not remembering names.


    Qiu Ling''s gaze flitted about. He felt like he still hadn''t done enough. This was his opportunity to show off in front of his beloved, after all! "Well, even this disciple Yu might not be able to provide us with the specific location of those two disciples but he might know more about the underlying plans behind their kidnapping."


    A glint flashed in Qiguan Cheng Da''s eyes. Kidnapping? So this was what the mission was about! The evil faction had started kidnapping their righteous cause''s disciples. Those two they were searching for might just be the first or rather the ones that had disappeared for the shortest time. It seemed that Yu Jin had indeed said the truth.


    Well ¡­ Qiguan Cheng Da nearly snorted. That Yu Jin probably thought of himself as a righteous and principled cultivator. He probably wouldn''t lie even if it was beneficial to him and he was given the chance. He shouldn''t have suspected the words of such a person.


    "That sounds like a really well thought-out plan. As expected of Senior Martial Brother Qiu."


    Qiu Ling smiled back at Qiguan Cheng Da but his thoughts weren''t any less two-faced than the ones of the person opposite him. Tch! Daring to look down on his beloved? He''d show this guy!


    Jing Yi noticed how the atmosphere around him became strange. He hastily put a hand on the arm still around his waist to signal Qiu Ling that this definitely wasn''t the time for any of his antics. He wasn''t sure this would be enough, though.


    With a serious gaze, he faced Qiguan Cheng Da and bowed slightly. "I''m sorry to say this, Senior Martial Brother Qiguan, but this is all we''ve managed to find out so far. We''ll probably need another month or so to attain any useful results. I''m sorry you had to make the trip here just for this."


    Qiguan Cheng Da''s lips continued to curve in a smile but his eyes blazed. You''re really good at faking concern, Zhong Jing Yi! Even I wouldn''t be able to outclass you in that. No wonder that Senior Martial Brother Qiu fell for your lies. He wouldn''t let him one-up him though.


    Qiguan Cheng Da''s smile got even brighter. "Don''t sweat it, Junior Martial Brother Zhong. As a fellow sect member, it''s my duty to help to solve this difficult problem. Just coming here and delivering your findings back to our sect is just a little effort on my side. It can''t even be compared to the trouble the two of you are going through." His words were accompanied by a compassionate gaze that actually made Jing Yi''s bad conscience rise.


    They had accomplished this mission so easily but were still lying about it. Weren''t they making things difficult for Senior Martial Brother Qiguan? He looked at Qiu Ling, his gaze clearly communicating that he wanted this to end when Qiguan Cheng Da came by the next time.


    Qiu Ling smiled. If his beloved wanted it like this ¡­ He would naturally fulfill his wish.

 Chapter 272 - A Pair of Special Eyes

    Qiguan Cheng Da took his leave after another few words. He regretted not having more time to make a lasting impression on Qiu Ling but he felt like he had already done the best that he could. Most likely the Grandmaster''s disciple would remember him the next time they met. Especially considering he''d be the one to come back the next month.


    Qiguan Cheng Da naturally was too optimistic: Qiu Ling already threw his visit to the back of his mind as soon as he turned around and vanished from his sight. Instead, his whole attention was on Jing Yi.


    He grabbed his beloved''s hands with glittering eyes. "How was I?"


    "Mn, very good." Jing Yi smiled rewardingly but his fiance didn''t seem satisfied at all. Jing Yi''s lips twitched. This kind of thing ¡­ Did Qiu Ling really need to take it this seriously? No, wait, he probably didn''t. This was just him being shameless again. "You did especially well. As expected of my fiance." Even though he knew this was a ploy, he still tiptoed and gave Qiu Ling a kiss.


    A beautiful smile instantly blossomed on Qiu Ling''s lips. "Mn, my love!" He encircled Jing Yi''s waist with both arms and held him in place. "Don''t be hasty! Why would you want to step back already? Didn''t you just say I did especially well? Why do I only get such a short kiss? I demand a second one!"


    Jing Yi took a measuring look at his fiance who seemed extremely serious for once if one didn''t consider what he was talking about. "You demand it?"


    Qiu Ling pondered if his beloved would get angry if he said yes. Most likely ¡­ he wouldn''t. Thus, he nodded curtly.


    Jing Yi barely held back another smile. "What if I don''t intend to fulfill your demand?"


    Qiu Ling''s expression blanked. Somehow, he hadn''t thought of this scenario. He had only considered if Jing Yi would get angry or fulfill his request.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but laugh out loud at Qiu Ling''s dumbfounded expression. Even though he had seen him in many moods, he didn''t really get the opportunity to see him like this often.


    Indulgently, he circled Qiu Ling''s neck with his arms and gave him the second kiss he had wanted. He even made sure it was a bit longer than the one before lest his fiance complained.


    Qiu Ling definitely didn''t think of complaining right now. His lips lingering on Jing Yi''s, he held him in his arms and closed his eyes in satisfaction. Feeling his beloved''s warmth at his body, hearing his steady and maybe slightly faster than normal heartbeat he really was in an exceptionally good mood.


    When Jing Yi finally managed to disentangle himself from Qiu Ling the first thing he saw was a brilliant smile and a pair of eyes overflowing with love. His heart gave a loud thump while his own gaze unconsciously singled in on Qiu Ling''s eyes. He had no idea why but he had always felt that they were somehow special, something he should look at. Even when he first met Qiu Ling at the Gathering of Practitioners this notion had crossed his mind.


    Qiu Ling bent a little closer again and the corners of his eyes crinkled with mischievousness. "How about a third one?"


    Jing Yi needed a moment to understand what his fiance was asking for. As soon as he did, his brows furrowed. He was already breathless right now! "Don''t you think you''re being too much?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips in contemplation. Then, he pursed them a little further. He obviously didn''t think that way.


    Unfortunately, Jing Yi''s resistance against that kind of gaze was just as bad as Qiu Ling''s against ¡­ Jing Yi in general. He indeed met Qiu Ling halfway but this time he only settled for a peck.


    "Alright, enough now. We should return before anyone finds out that we were here. They can''t find out that we''re spies, after all."


    Qiu Ling sighed but still complied. He flew up into the air, carrying Jing Yi in his arms and returned to their house. Mn, well, it was also nice having something like a home he could return to with Jing Yi. There would always be other chances for getting a kiss.


    He gently put Jing Yi down in front of the door and looked at him expectantly. "What are we going to do now? Since the mission is actually finished there shouldn''t be anything to do besides asking that Hong Bao for a letter."


    Jing Yi smiled and went in first. "The mission might be finished but we''ll still be staying here for a while. Furthermore, I should learn whatever I can. Senior Martial Brother ¡­ Yue," he emphasized with a look at Qiu Ling, "is really helpful. He gave me another assignment."


    That said Jing Yi took out the cauldron he had gotten from Yue Lin on his first day in the division and then searched for the bag with the herbs. It hadn''t been that long since they came to the Hei Dian Sect but he felt like he had already learned a lot.


    Naturally, he still couldn''t refine pills but he was already able to process herbs into powdered or liquid form. Those weren''t nearly as strong as pills, especially in regard to healing abilities, but it was better than nothing. At least this was way more than he had learned in the five years at the Yun Zou Sect. Thus, Jing Yi was always happy when he could practice a bit more.


    This time wasn''t an exception. A happy smile hung on his lips while his hands swiftly moved about, picking up the right herbs, cutting off whatever he needed, processing it and finally throwing it into the cauldron. The atmosphere around him seemed to radiate good feelings.


    On the opposite side of the room, the situation was also the total opposite. Qiu Ling had stepped this far away so as to not disturb Jing Yi but he was radiating a special kind of gloominess that seemed to dim the light and lower the temperature in the room. If anybody came by at that moment, the person would probably feel desolate at once.


    Nobody could feel as desolate as Qiu Ling though. At this point in time, only one thought remained in his heart: After chasing him for so long and finally managing to wrest a bit of his attention away from his family and becoming his fiance I actually ¡­ lost to a bunch of smelly flowers.

 Chapter 273 - The Zhong Family

    At the same time, Xiao Li had already made his way over to the capital. The vague information he had gotten from Qiguan Cheng Da made accomplishing his task so much more difficult though. How was he supposed to find the family of that Zhong Jing Yi if his only clue was that some relative of his was running a business in the capital?


    There were way too many possibilities what this could mean. Maybe that person was running a store or some kind of restaurant or inn. And even if he ran a store, what kind of store was it? There were many in the capital! Should he go and ask in each one of them if their owner was related to a boy named Zhong Jing Yi?


    Even if he did, the people working there most likely wouldn''t be able to answer the question. The boy was now in the Hei Dian Sect as a spy so he should have been in the Yun Zou Sect for quite a while. After all, the sect certainly wouldn''t send someone over they didn''t trust.


    Now, what should he do? Xiao Li looked the main street up and down. He definitely didn''t want to run through the whole city and ask everywhere. Especially since he didn''t know that relative''s name. Who could guarantee him that the people working at that relative''s place would actually know of Zhong Jing Yi? No, he had to find another way.


    Xiao Li pondered but still couldn''t find a better answer in the end. He would have to ask around. He did have some insight into how he should go about this though.


    With a look around to make sure nobody was following him, he turned into a side street and then ducked into another lane. There weren''t any people around, perfect for his plan.


    He took out a white robe from the magic bag he was carrying around and wore it instead of the black robe of the Hei Dian Sect. He even made sure to pin up his hair with a white ribbon. He gave a satisfied smile at this. Now, people definitely wouldn''t think of him as a heretic practitioner and instead think he was someone from the righteous path. And since those mortals had no idea at all they would instantly believe him if he said the Yun Zou Sect had sent him over.


    Thus prepared, he went back to the main street and approached a small stall. With a smile on his lips, he cupped his fists and bowed slightly in front of the man on the other side. The man was instantly flabbergasted. Was this a Daoist Master approaching him? How did he deserve such heaven-defying luck?


    He hastily came to the other side of the stall and returned the greeting. "Daoist Master! How may I help you?"


    Xiao Li continued to smile like a good guy while laughing on the inside. "You''re giving me too much credit. I''m just a lowly disciple of the Yun Zou Sect, here on the orders of the Great Master Ling. I''m supposed to deliver important information to the family of one of my fellow disciples. Unfortunately ¡­" Xiao Li timely revealed a troubled expression.


    The vendor who had been completely taken in by the nonsense about a great master and some important information was eager to help. After all, Daoists were all extremely important people. If he managed to help one of them ¡ª even if it was only a Daoist disciple ¡ª he could still proudly brag to his great-grandchildren about it. "What may be the problem, Daoist? Is there anything I can do to help?"


    Xiao Li''s eyes glinted. This was working even better than he had expected. "Maybe you are indeed able to help me. You look like you are a very knowledgeable man. The problem is that I don''t know where exactly to find my Junior Martial Brother''s family. I''ve only been told that they are here in the capital."


    "Oh!" The vendor was instantly enlightened and the mention of a ''Junior Martial Brother'' made him already think deeply if he knew of any family whose child had gone to some Daoist sect. This sounded really extremely important. "What''s the family''s name? Maybe I know them and can bring you over!"


    "That would be most appreciated." Xiao Li gave a grateful smile. "My Junior Martial Brother''s name is Zhong Jing Yi, hence his family''s name should be Zhong."


    The vendor pursed his lips. "That ¡­ Do you know his father''s name? There are a few families that are named Zhong." He could name three right this instance.


    Xiao Li pursed his lips. "His father was called Zhong Lei but ¡­ he is already dead."


    The vendor''s face fell. Of all those Zhong families he had thought of none had any dead father with a son who might have gone to a sect.


    Xiao Li wasn''t surprised at this. Who knew when the boy''s father had died? It might have been quite a while ago. Who would still remember an outsider then? "Ah! I just remember it seems like the family wasn''t originally from here. They came from a small village somewhere on the other side of the Long mountain range. But it seems another distant relative of them has a business here in the capital? After the father''s death, he took the boy and his mother in."


    The vendor rubbed his chin. Someone called Zhong with a business ¡­ "You mean Zhong Gang who owns that restaurant around the corner?"


    Xiao Li lifted his brows. "That might be him."


    The vendor nodded. "Mn, I remember part of his family from out in the countryside came here to settle down a few years back. If I remember correctly, that was indeed a couple with a child. Oh!" He had a sudden epiphany. "Yes, yes. I remember now! That''s indeed them! It''s actually such a bittersweet story. Shortly after coming here, the father was antagonized by Li Bo who was something like a local tyrant. I don''t know what exactly happened but that was when the father died. Such a tragedy! But then a few days later your sect came and had that big assessment they hold every few years and it seemed he took in his son?"


    Xiao Li smiled even brighter. "Mn, that should have been my Junior Martial Brother. It must have been around ¡­ six years ago?"


    The vendor thought and nodded. "Yes, yes! Around five or ten years ago. Something along those lines."


    "Then, do you know where his mother or that Zhong Gang you spoke of live?"


    "Sure, sure." The vendor nodded. "If you want to go over now it would be best to try your luck at the restaurant or the teahouse though."


    "And where may I find those?"


    Being faced with Xiao Li''s good-natured look the vendor had no apprehensions whatsoever and described to him in detail how he could find those two places.


    In a show of sincerity, Xiao Li cupped his fists once more and thanked the vendor in an exuberant manner. The man was all smiles when he saw him off. He never would have thought that he had just brought immense trouble to that proclaimed Junior Martial Brother Xiao Li had talked about and instead even felt like he had just done a good deed the heavens would look favorably upon him for.

 Chapter 274 - The Effects of One Afternoon

    For now, Xiao Li ignored the restaurant where Zhong Gang worked and made his way over to the teahouse. The one working there was that Zhong Jing Yi''s mother. Information about her should be more valuable to the king.


    He stopped in front of the door and had a closer look at the building. This teahouse seemed to be doing pretty good. At least the house itself was in a good state and he could hear a lot of voices from inside. There should be many guests. Xiao Li tilted his head. Those all seemed to be women and judging by their voices they were all young. Was there something special about this teahouse to more or less have only this group of customers?


    He probably never would have thought of this but this strange assortment of guests was the fault of Qiu Ling. Last year when he had gone to visit Madam Zhong with Jing Yi he had taken over at the counter for a while. Since he wanted to make an especially good job to impress his fiance he had shown as much of his personal charm as he could. In the end, he had dazzled all the female customers who had come to the teahouse that day.


    Well, even though Qiu Ling was normally only charming in front of his beloved and ignored everyone else that was just because he didn''t want to, not because he wasn''t able to. If he wanted to sweep someone off his feet it would be an easy task for him. After all, he had superior looks, a kingly demeanor and gave off the feeling of being a wealthy man.


    Which of the women coming to the teahouse who wasn''t married yet wouldn''t jump at this opportunity?


    Unfortunately, when they returned later that handsome, well-off man hadn''t been there anymore. And when they asked Madam Zhong who he had been they were utterly disillusioned: She actually told them he was her son-in-law!


    The women were downcast for a while but then they rallied their spirits again. Madam Zhong didn''t even own the teahouse. She was just managing it for somebody from her husband''s family. In other words, she was neither wealthy nor did she have any status. She probably only had a beautiful daughter.


    Most likely, that man had been smitten as soon as he saw that girl and had then married her. Speaking of that: If he really was rich and influential like they thought then he most likely wouldn''t settle for having just one wife. And the daughter of a family without status certainly wouldn''t be his first wife. She probably had just been taken in as a concubine!


    Thinking till there, the women were sure they still had a chance. There were still the spots of first and second wife, after all! Thus, they continued to come here to get an opportunity to make the acquaintance of this handsome man.


    Unfortunately, even after a year, he hadn''t shown up again. The women didn''t mind too much though. After a year of waiting, their initial fervor had considerably calmed down. Some of them were even married already since they couldn''t wait indefinitely.


    Why they still came to the teahouse nearly every day? Well, they had also come to like it. The tea was great and the snacks also weren''t bad. Wasn''t that what going to a teahouse was all about anyway? Thinking back now, maybe that man hadn''t actually been there and had just been some kind of hallucination. Though, it was strange that all of them had had the same.


    This day was the day on which the women''s hope should be rekindled once again though because right at this moment, another exceedingly handsome man stepped into the teahouse.


    Those women who still hadn''t married yet felt extremely lucky. Especially since this man seemed like an even better catch. Well, it couldn''t be said that he was more handsome than the man a year back but just take a look at him! With that white robe and the gentle smile on his lips, he seemed like a true gentleman, someone worth entrusting their lives to.


    That man last year had been better looking but in terms of the feeling he gave off ¡­ A woman probably couldn''t feel secure with him as a husband! He was just too handsome, too majestic, too outstanding! Wouldn''t they always have to be afraid that other women would try to snatch him away? And then his personality was still debatable, too. He had looked so proud, he was probably not easy to handle.


    Mn, this man before them was much better!


    They had learned their lesson last time though: One had to act swiftly in order to ensure victory!


    Thus before Xiao Li had the opportunity to find out who Madam Zhong was he was already approached by another woman. At the other''s gaze, he actually couldn''t help but shudder. This was ridiculous! He was part demon! Why would he be afraid of a purely mortal woman?


    Or, wait ¡­ Maybe she wasn''t? He narrowed his eyes slightly but couldn''t detect any traces of other blood in her. Well, things like that weren''t that obvious just at a glance. He''d have to interact more with her to find out.


    To make sure he didn''t give the wrong impression Xiao Li once again cupped his fists like a good, righteous path cultivator. "My greetings. Might you be the owner of this teahouse?"


    The woman was a bit taken aback. It couldn''t be ¡­ that this was also a person who wanted to marry one of the owner''s daughters?


    Seeing her reaction, Xiao Li was sure that she wasn''t the person he was looking for. Flashing another smile, he bobbed his head at her. "I''m very sorry, Miss. I have something important to discuss with the owner so if there is nothing else ¡­"


    The woman looked at him, a sense of urgency arising in her heart. How was she supposed to get him interested in her? What could she do? Looking at his appearance he was definitely a Daoist Master! This realization instantly sparked an idea.


    The woman lifted her hand to her forehead in a manner she thought most graceful. "Aiya!" She sighed and then collapsed right toward Xiao Li.


    The half-demon was stunned but considering he was pretending to be a righteous cultivator right now it was impossible not to catch her. Thus, with a seemingly worried expression, he caught the woman. Inwardly, he gnashed his teeth though. This dumb thing was just making things difficult for him!

 Chapter 275 - Tricking a Gentleman

    This was the scene Madam Zhong stumbled upon when she came back from the preparation room with the order of a guest. She instantly froze. Not because of the handsome Xiao Li but because of the woman in his arms.


    She hurriedly brought the cups to the guest who had ordered them and then took her leave with a smile, running over to Xiao Li''s side. "This Sir ¡­ what may have happened?"


    Xiao Li looked up at her with a troubled expression. "This ¡­ I''m also not sure. It seemed she wanted to leave the teahouse but then suddenly collapsed. Are you working here? Maybe you could get the owner. I''m afraid it''s not appropriate for me to handle this."


    Madam Zhong instantly calmed down when she heard how reasonable he was. It really had to be said that Xiao Li was a great actor. Mn, he and Qiguan Cheng Da really were the same type of person.


    "Ah, I''m in charge of the teahouse. You can leave her to me." She hurriedly reached out and took the woman who still pretended to be unconscious from him.


    As soon as the person had changed hands, there was a tug at Madam Zhong''s sleeve though and someone actually hissed close to her. "Auntie!"


    Madam Zhong nearly rolled her eyes. Yes, this person was her niece, Zhong Guanyu. And it seemed that she still hadn''t changed her ways one bit. After falling in love with Jing Yi and then falling in love with Xiao Dong, she had actually taken a fancy to Qiu Ling last year.


    She had been intent on becoming his wife even when Madam Zhong told her that he was her son-in-law. Guanyu hadn''t listened one bit. She even tried to ''reason'' with Madam Zhong that since her elder cousin brother and that handsome man couldn''t have any children together anyway it would be a great opportunity to have her ''help out''. She wouldn''t even demand much. Just being his official wife would be enough.


    For the first time since that detestable Li Bo had killed her husband, Madam Zhong had grown angry. If Guanyu married Qiu Ling as his official wife, what would her son be then? She didn''t even want to remember the answer Guanyu had given to that. Thankfully, she trusted that son-in-law of hers very much. Considering the way he looked at Jing''er she could be sure that he would never cheat on him. He wasn''t that type of person.


    Hearing her niece call out to her, Madam Zhong knew what was up. Guanyu had obviously shifted her attention from Qiu Ling to this man in front of her. She looked at that man and found that he didn''t look too shabby. He would probably make a good husband.


    Madam Zhong definitely wasn''t a ruthless woman but for the last year, she had felt pressured because of Guanyu''s infatuation with Qiu Ling. Even Zhong Gang who had been helpless in front of his daughter''s tantrums had asked if there was no possibility to arrange a meeting with her son-in-law.


    Thus Madam Zhong had the sudden notion that this was a prime opportunity to save her son from future harm. "Aiya!" Her hold on Guanyu suddenly slipped and the girl tumbled toward the ground.


    Xiao Li had no idea what was going on but the honest looking woman in front of him probably wouldn''t pretend. Maybe that girl had made her let go? He definitely had heard how she had called out to her! Since this was obviously the mother of Zhong Jing Yi and this girl should be his cousin then he naturally couldn''t do nothing.


    He grabbed onto Guanyu again and even went so far as to lift her up into his arms. "Pardon me," he said like a righteous person and nodded at Madam Zhong. "I see it''s asking too much of you to carry her. Is there any place in the teahouse we could bring her?"


    Madam Zhong nodded hurriedly and motioned at the stairs. "Please, follow me." She turned around and went to the flight of stairs, her heart pounding wildly. Heavens! Had she really done that just now? She felt a bit bad about doing this but if her niece married, then she wouldn''t be able to covet Jing''er''s future husband any longer. For her son, she had to do this. Madam Zhong took another look at Xiao Li. At least, he looked like a decent man. There was probably no need to worry.


    Xiao Li followed her up the stairs with Guanyu in his arms. He actually didn''t feel that something was fishy about this situation thus he didn''t raise his guard at all. On Madam Zhong''s cue, he entered one of the small rooms on the upper floor of the teahouse and put Guanyu down at the table. He wanted to stand up again but sometime while he had carried her, the girl had actually grabbed the lapel of his robe. He tried taking it back but she refused to let go, her grip even tightening.


    Xiao Li frowned. If this was his outer robe, he might still be able to just slip out of it and step back but this girl had somehow managed to accurately grab his inner robe. What kind of bad luck was this?!


    Madam Zhong took a look at the situation and barely held back her smile. "Oh no! I''m so sorry. Now, something like this happened ¡­ Wait, let me go and get help!" She wanted to dash to the door but then remembered that the poor guy was just trying to help. She should at least accommodate him a bit. Thus she went back and got the seat cushion for him, smiling brightly at him. "Why not sit down until I come back?"


    "But ¡ª"


    Before Xiao Li managed to retort, Madam Zhong had already hurried out of the room and hastily closed the door behind her. She couldn''t lose any time! She had to make sure this guy would marry Guanyu!


    She ran down the stairs as fast as she could, went into the kitchen and grabbed one of the maids. "Xiao Lan, hurry over to owner Zhong''s restaurant and tell him something has happened to his daughter! Hurry! He has to come as fast as possible!"


    The girl was instantly frightened. She only nodded and then dashed out of the teahouse. Madam Zhong sighed. Ah, she felt despicable tricking a young girl and an honest man but ¡­ This was for her son. And for him, she would do whatever was necessary.

 Chapter 276 - Bearing the Responsibility

    It only took five minutes for Zhong Gang to run over to the teahouse. He stormed right in, his brow covered in sweat. The last six years since Jing Yi had left the capital hadn''t done his figure any good.


    "What happened to Guanyu?!" He didn''t wait for Madam Zhong to come over and just started to holler.


    In the room up on the second floor, Zhong Guanyu stiffened. That roar just now ¡­ hadn''t that sounded a lot like her father? No, she must be imagining things! With newfound conviction, Guanyu snuggled even closer to the handsome man''s chest. This time she wouldn''t let her victim ¡­ er, the love of her life get away!


    Xiao Li''s expression darkened even further. It was way too obvious that Guanyu wasn''t unconscious. If she hadn''t been Madam Zhong''s niece, he definitely wouldn''t have entertained her! Unfortunately, he still needed to build good relations to find out more about that boy.


    Meanwhile, on the lower floor, Madam Zhong hurried over to the side of her late husband''s cousin and shushed him. "Don''t be like that. It''s just the usual. Your daughter fell in love again. This time, I managed to keep the man here. You should go and make it official before it''s too late. She''s old enough to marry by now."


    Zhong Gang was stunned. His daughter had fallen in love again? How could that be?! He smiled wryly at Madam Zhong. He also knew that Guanyu had been extremely unreasonable when she demanded to marry her son-in-law. Mind you, Madam Zhong only had a son. So, if she also had a son-in-law ¡­ What was there to get for a woman if she latched onto a man who preferred his own gender? She would just end up miserably.


    Even though he had thought so from the beginning, he still didn''t have the heart to tell that to his daughter or strictly demand she forget about that idea. Thus he had still talked about it with Madam Zhong. He couldn''t resent her for being angry. He himself had felt his face burning up in shame when he tried to find some excuse as to why it might be a good idea to let Guanyu marry that man, too, while he knew very well that it would only bring disadvantages to Madam Zhong''s son.


    So, even though Zhong Gang was shocked when he heard that Guanyu had fallen in love again this lasted only for a few heartbeats. As soon as he understood what this meant he was instantly laughing happily.


    Ah! This was a prime opportunity to marry that troublesome daughter off! When she finally had a husband of her own she would definitely stop coveting somebody else''s husband.


    "Where is she? Where is she?" Zhong Gang rubbed his hands, clearly anticipating this happy occasion.


    "In the bamboo room on the upper floor. That man is with her."


    Zhong Gang''s countenance changed. "What?!" He hastily heaved his body up the stairs before Madam Zhong could explain herself.


    As much as he wanted his daughter to get married to be finally saved from her endless cycle of falling in love and then falling in love again, he didn''t want her to lose her reputation for that! And being alone with a man for this long would definitely result in that.


    How could Zhong Chun do something like this to his daughter?! Even if she was angry because of the things they had said to her last year, something like this shouldn''t be done. Her son wouldn''t get any problems if they discussed whether or not Guanyu might marry the same man as him but if she spent time alone with a man, she might as well kill herself!


    Zhong Gang crashed into the bamboo room and stared at the man in the white robe with blazing eyes. "What do you think you''re doing to my daughter?!"


    Xiao Li looked up, grimacing inwardly. Damn. Now, something like this had happened, too. Unfortunately, he couldn''t just do whatever he wanted. He had to give a wry smile. "Might you be the person Madam Zhong got for help? Then please, help me. After collapsing, this woman wouldn''t let go no matter what." He tried looking a bit wronged as if this had really been a big problem for him. Well, a righteous path cultivator certainly would be troubled at this.


    His expression actually gave pause to Zhong Gang. It seemed ¡­ the guy he had labeled as a despicable asshole right after seeing him wasn''t that bad. Haish, the problem was still that overly spoiled daughter of his.


    Zhong Gang stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. Looking more closely at the scene in front of him, he could actually see that the man wasn''t doing anything to his daughter. He had even slightly turned away and kept his hands folded in his lap. It was indeed this daughter of his that had grabbed onto his lapel, making it impossible for the young man to leave.


    Zhong Gang felt a bit bad but ultimately felt that Zhong Chun was right. This was a good opportunity. He had to make sure Guanyu would marry this man!


    He gritted his teeth and tried to look grumpily at the other man. "Whether you were waiting for help or not being alone with an unmarried woman, haven''t you thought what the consequences would be for her?"


    Xiao Li really wanted to snort. A woman who latched onto a man this shamelessly ¡­ could she really complain if her reputation was ruined? But, well, he was a righteous cultivator right now so he revealed an even more troubled expression in response. "I''m very sorry."


    "What use is there in being sorry? You ¡ª"


    Before Zhong Gang could act out his fury Xiao Li already interrupted him. "This is indeed my fault. Then how about this? I''ll take responsibility and marry her."


    "You ¡­ What?" Zhong Gang''s anger went up in smoke. Well, it had only been pretended in the first place but right now Zhong Gang was unable to show any expression at all. Could it really have worked just like this?


    Even Guanyu was dumbfounded and couldn''t help but crack her eyes open a bit to take a look at the handsome man''s face. He seemed really serious.


    Xiao Li grinned inwardly while acting like he felt even worse now. "Is this no good? I thought if I married her, then nobody would be able to say anything. And if we don''t speak about the reasons and set the wedding up soon, wouldn''t her reputation remain pristine?"


    Zhong Gang narrowed his eyes. "You''re really ¡­" ¡­ willing to marry her? That was what he wanted to ask but he didn''t dare phrase it like that. "¡­ willing to take responsibility?"


    Xiao Li nodded extremely earnestly. "Naturally. It was my fault to begin with. How could I bear to hurt an innocent woman with my actions? Thus I''m naturally willing to marry her to atone for my sin. If that isn''t acceptable, then I''ll repay you with my blood!" He looked up at Zhong Gang, his gaze so earnest that Guanyu''s father instantly believed him.


    Well, he never would have thought that the man his daughter had fallen in love this time was actually half demon.

 Chapter 277 - Negotiating a Wedding

    Zhong Gang''s mood lifted immediately. Such a good man! He would really make a fine husband for his daughter! He definitely had to make sure nothing would go wrong!


    He scrambled over to the tea table but noticed that both seat cushions were already taken. Well, whatever. He just sat down directly on the floor and looked at Xiao Li with sparkling eyes.


    "No need to repay anything with blood. Marrying her is fine. So ¡­ When should the wedding be held?" He silently pondered how much of a delay he could accept. With how fast his daughter managed to fall in love, it shouldn''t be more than a week.


    Xiao Li obviously noticed how eager he was to marry his daughter off and since he still pretended to be a righteous cultivator who would take his promises very seriously he knew he couldn''t give a long amount of time. "How about three days?"


    "Three ¡­ days?" Zhong Gang''s eyes went wide. He had first thought that the man would suggest three weeks but now it turned out he wanted to marry Guanyu even sooner than expected? It couldn''t be that he had also fallen in love with her?


    Zhong Gang pondered it a bit more. It wasn''t completely impossible. Guanyu was a pretty girl and always dressed well. As long as she didn''t interact too much with him so that he couldn''t find out about her personality that wasn''t quite up to par it was indeed possible that he had fallen in love with her.


    If that was the case, he had to strike as fast as possible!


    "Three days sounds good to me. How about having the wedding in the morning? I heard someone on the streets saying today that that would be an auspicious hour for nearly anything."


    Xiao Li just nodded. Honestly, he just wanted to get it over with this negotiation. He wouldn''t marry her anyway.


    Zhong Gang grew a little suspicious. Could it really be this easy? "Then ¡­ is there anything else?"


    Xiao Li narrowed his eyes. "Well, you see, I''m from the Yun Zou Sect. So we''d have to hold the wedding here in the city. Would that be a problem?"


    A glint flashed through Zhong Gang''s eyes. This man was from the Yun Zou Sect? He looked at the white robe. Well, he really looked like a cultivator ¡­ This was terrific! How did his daughter have that much luck this time?! She was actually about to marry a cultivator!


    He hastily put on a smile and rubbed his hands. "Heh, no problem at all, no problem at all. We''ll just have the wedding at our house."


    "Mn. That would be great. I guess I should also inform my Master and I still need to organize some presents. Would it be too much to ask of you to prepare the wedding on your own?" Xiao Li timely put on a troubled expression again.


    Zhong Gang''s mood lifted even further though. Just look at how serious his future son-in-law took this wedding! He even wanted to inform his Master! That man was probably a great Daoist Master. Ah, he''d have to prepare a grand wedding! One only got the opportunity to make such connections once! "No problem, no problem at all."


    "That is good then." Xiao Li looked at the human girl. In fact, this might be a good opportunity for him, too. If she was Zhong Jing Yi''s cousin she might also know a lot about him. He could use her to find out more.


    With this plan in mind, he turned back to her father. "Your daughter hasn''t even had the opportunity to see me. I''m afraid she''ll be troubled when she wakes up. So how about this? After sending a message to my Master tomorrow morning, I''ll come over so she can see who she is about to marry."


    Zhong Gang''s smile froze. Shit! This couldn''t be allowed! Wouldn''t his daughter ruin everything as soon as she opened her mouth in front of this cultivator? He had to prevent this at all costs! "Mn ¡­" Sweat covered his forehead when he tried to hurriedly come up with an explanation why this wouldn''t be a good idea. Ah, it was impossible to outright reject him lest he snubbed this powerful man! But he didn''t have any idea either. If he could ask his wife ¡­


    Zhong Gang finally nodded with gritted teeth. "Naturally." For now, he could only compromise and accept. Maybe his wife would have an idea how to take this back.


    Xiao Li was content with that. "Alright. Then I''ll come by tomorrow morning. For now, I should better go and search for an inn. It wouldn''t be good for your daughter''s reputation if I lingered here any longer."


    "Sure, sure!" Zhong Gang stood up to sent him out but Xiao Li still knelt on the cushion, not moving to get up. Zhong Gang could only wonder if he had misunderstood.


    "Ah, could you maybe ¡­" Xiao Li pointed at the hands of Zhong Guanyu that were still clutching his inner robe. How was he supposed to get away like this?


    Zhong Gang''s face flushed in embarrassment. That girl! She still hadn''t let go even now?! That man had already promised to marry her!


    "Sure, sure." He knelt down next to them and gripped Guanyu''s hands, giving them a light slap when he thought that Xiao Li wouldn''t notice.


    Naturally, he wasn''t subtle enough but Xiao Li had already figured out what was going on anyway. Well, he didn''t mind playing his part in this act as long as he got the information he needed. Thus he pretended not to have seen anything.


    Having heard the entire conversation and now feeling her father''s slap on her hands, Guanyu naturally let go of Xiao Li even though she loathed to part with this handsome man. Just like her father she couldn''t believe what great luck she had had this time. He was actually a cultivator! And such a handsome one to boot! Of course, it was also good that he was really responsible ¡­


    As expected of her superior taste! Her one true love could only be such a great man!

 Chapter 278 - News of Jing Yi

    As soon as Xiao Li was out of the room, he gave a relieved sigh. He didn''t mind pretending but it was really stressful to pretend to be a nice guy. When pretending to be a demonic sect disciple he could at least show his true personality.


    Well, whatever. That part of his life would soon be over. Then he could finally live in the demon realm. Maybe His Majesty would even give him a post if he was satisfied with the information he reported to him.


    With a slight smile on his lips, Xiao Li descended the steps. Now that he had finally dealt with that annoying girl, he could go and speak to Madam Zhong. It really was time to find out more.


    He reached the lower floor and spotted Madam Zhong at the counter. With a gentle smile on his lips, he went over and cupped his fists. "Might you be Madam Zhong, the mother of Zhong Jing Yi?"


    Madam Zhong gave a jolt. She had no idea who this person might be. She had definitely never seen him before. Why did he know her son''s name? And why had he come here? She looked at his white robes and gulped. It couldn''t be that he was from the Yun Zou Sect and had come because something had happened to Jing Yi, right? "Yes ¡­"


    "Ah, how great! Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Xiao Li, a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect''s outer sect just like your son. My Master sent me here to bring you news of Jing Yi."


    Madam Zhong nodded. Her heart pounded wildly. Had something indeed happened to her son? But how could that be? Hadn''t Qiu Ling always be with him? And hadn''t they wanted to travel for this year anyway? Why was the Yun Zou Sect involved now? Had they gone back? Or, no, maybe something had happened on that journey and the Yun Zou Sect had found out?


    She didn''t want to think like that but seeing a foreign disciple of the same sect in front of her that wanted to bring her news that was still the first thing that came to mind.


    "What happened?"


    Xiao Li''s smile faded and he lifted his brows as if he had just noticed how much his words had distressed Madam Zhong. "Ah, please don''t misunderstand! Jing Yi is alright. It''s just that ¡­ Ah, how should I explain? You know there are an inner and an outer sect, don''t you?"


    Madam Zhong shook her head. "But this sounds like it is something you''ll need time to explain. Why don''t you come inside?" She motioned at the door of the preparation room.


    Xiao Li seemed to hesitate but finally nodded and followed her inside.


    Nie Huang looked up from her place when Madam Zhong came back and wanted to say something. When she saw Xiao Li she stopped talking though. Not only that, she even stood up from her chair and looked at him as if she couldn''t believe her eyes.


    "Bai Mu?"


    Xiao Li lifted his brows. He had never before seen this woman. Why did she look at him as if she knew him? Well, most likely this was a ploy just like how that girl had fainted. This one was just a bit more mature. Unfortunately, he still had to keep up appearances. "I''m afraid I don''t know who you are, Miss. Might you have mistaken me for someone?"


    Nie Huang''s expression fell. Indeed. It couldn''t be him. "Yes, that ¡­ seems to be the case." She lowered her head, her eyes glistening for a moment before she took a deep breath and looked up with a smile. It seemed forced though. "I''m sorry. I''m Nie Huang, I''m the tea master of this teahouse. Maybe you want a cup of tea while you''re talking with Madam Zhong?" She seemed as if nothing had happened but her eyes were still a little wet and her heart hadn''t stopped thumping hurriedly.


    Yes, for a moment, she had truly believed he might have come back. But, well, she also knew it was futile hoping for that. Her Bai Mu ¡­ he had long died at the hands of those people.


    Xiao Li felt a little strange at this reaction. What was this woman trying to accomplish? He looked at Madam Zhong who nodded at him with a smile.


    "Nie Huang is a great tea master, you''ll definitely like her tea."


    "Ah ¡­ Then, thank you, Miss Nie." Xiao Li cupped his fists and bowed before sitting down at Madam Zhong''s cue.


    "So, what is this about? I thought there was only the Yun Zou Sect."


    "Mn. It is the Yun Zou Sect but the disciples are grouped according to their talent. Those with higher aptitude are part of the inner sect and those with lower aptitude are part of the outer sect."


    "I understand." Madam Zhong wasn''t sure why this was anything worth coming over for. There had to be more to this.


    "Well ¡­" Xiao Li once again procured that troubled look he had already practiced so many times that day. "Jing Yi and I are both of the outer sect. It''s nothing shameful as it is already a great honor to even be an outer sect disciple of the Yun Zou Sect and it doesn''t even have to stay that way. If one just works hard enough, one might become an inner sect disciple someday."


    "And Jing Yi ¡­" Madam Zhong looked at him questioningly. She couldn''t really believe that her son would try to get into that inner sect. It didn''t sound that important.


    Xiao Li smiled wryly. "Madam Zhong, do you know ¡­ a disciple of our sect called Qiu Ling?"


    Madam Zhong nodded. "Yes, Jing Yi brought him over last year."


    "And do you know of the relationship between them?"


    Madam Zhong nodded again. "Yes, they wanted to marry as soon as they got back from their travels."


    Xiao Li nodded silently noting that down in his heart. Ah, it really had been the right decision to come here. Just this one sentence told him so much already. "Well, that didn''t happen. I also don''t know what exactly the reason was but I guess it''s tied to the fact that Jing Yi is from the outer sect. Maybe he wanted to become an inner sect disciple like Qiu Ling?" He looked at Madam Zhong questioningly but she just looked back at him. Mn, so she didn''t know anything about that.


    "Anyway, Jing Yi was sent on a mission. That on itself isn''t worth mentioning but ¡­ The place where he has to accomplish that mission is in the Hei Dian Sect. That''s an evil sect so it''s extremely dangerous for him."

 Chapter 279 - How to Accomplish His Mission?

    Madam Zhong''s hands trembled. Her son ¡­ was in danger? How could this be! Qiu Ling had followed him. He was so strong. With him around, nothing should be able to happen to her son.


    Xiao Li put on an apologizing expression. "I''m very sorry. There are a lot of missions like that. I guess it means the sect trusts him very much. Knowing this will probably not help you very much but you can be proud of him."


    Madam Zhong nodded mechanically. She knew she needed to calm down. It wasn''t as if something had already happened to Jing Yi. He had just gone to a dangerous place. That didn''t have to say anything.


    She took a deep breath and smiled at Xiao Li. "Mister Xiao ¡­"


    "Xiao Li is alright."


    "Mn. Xiao Li, do you happen to know if my son went alone to that ¡­ other Sect?"


    Xiao Li shook his head. "He didn''t. Senior Martial Brother Qiu followed him."


    "Ah." Madam Zhong''s smile grew lighter. So he wasn''t alone. Qiu Ling was indeed with him. In that case, she didn''t need to worry. Nothing would happen to Jing Yi.


    Xiao Li''s eyes narrowed. Surprisingly, this woman had calmed down completely after knowing that the dragon king was with her son. Could it be that she knew who he was? Did that boy know? Then their relationship should be closer than he had thought. Mn, His Majesty would definitely want to know about this.


    Just then Nie Huang brought two teacups over, placing them in front of Madam Zhong and Xiao Li. Her gaze lingered on Xiao Li''s face for a moment before she hastily turned away and went back to her place. He really looked a lot like him. Was that just a coincidence?


    Xiao Li''s gaze followed her. This was interesting, too. But he didn''t have time for that now. He had to find out more about Jing Yi first, then he could find out what was up with that Nie Huang woman.


    He lightly touched the teacup in front of him before looking up at Madam Zhong again. "Senior Martial Brother Qiu is very strong so I guess Jing Yi won''t be in too much danger. Still ¡­ It''s an evil sect, after all. One can''t know what might happen. I''m actually worried about him. Junior Martial Brother Jing Yi is still so young, after all. Will he really be alright?" He drew his brows together and stared down at his tea with a dark expression.


    Madam Zhong had no idea this person was only pretending. Seeing him this worried about her son, she was actually happy. It seemed Jing Yi didn''t only have Qiu Ling. He still had other friends in the sect. Well, he had also told her that Shao Hai and Xiao Dong had become disciples of the sect when he came by last year.


    "I''m sure Qiu Ling will protect him."


    "Mn." Xiao Li nodded. "That''s also true."


    The two of them fell silent. Madam Zhong was thinking about her son''s life in the Yun Zou Sect while Xiao Li pondered how to find out more.


    How could he trick this woman into telling him something? It definitely wouldn''t be easy. He didn''t have enough information in the first place to pretend to be close with Jing Yi. Since she was his mother she would definitely notice if he talked about something from his time before entering the sect. As for the time in the Yun Zou Sect ¡­ if he had indeed returned with the dragon king once last year, then she might also know about that. The only things he could talk about for now were his time in the Hei Dian Sect and the few pieces of information he had gotten from that Qiguan Cheng Da.


    Ah, speaking of that ¡­ Xiao Li looked up again. "Right, I remember the sect also send someone to check on the two of them. You should also know that person. Jing Yi mentioned once that he''s also from your village. He''s called Qiguan Cheng Da."


    "Qiguan Cheng Da?" It had been years since Madam Zhong had seen him but she instantly remembered. The day she had met Qiguan Cheng Da the last time had been when the villagers called him over to have a look at her son. That day she had really feared to lose her son and the one to save them from that situation had been Qiu Ling.


    Remembering that day Madam Zhong frowned. Her reaction was registered by Xiao Li who barely held back a smile at that. It seemed the dislike was mutual. She also didn''t think well of that Qiguan Cheng Da. Well, it was understandable. He was a despicable guy.


    Xiao Li averted his gaze again. "Maybe Jing Yi already told you when he came over the last time. The two of them also get along very well. It''s probably good that the sect sent him. Being able to report his findings to someone he knows well might make his mission a bit more bearable. It''s not that easy to be a spy, after all."


    "Spy?" Madam Zhong''s brows furrowed even more. Would her son do something like that?


    Xiao Li nodded. "Yes, he was sent there as a spy. But that''s all I know. It''s a very important mission after all. The sect wouldn''t publicize any more information and I hadn''t much time to talk with Jing Yi. So, I''m afraid I can''t tell you any more than this."


    "That''s alright." Madam Zhong didn''t say more than this, much to Xiao Li''s frustration.


    Why couldn''t this woman be more communicative? This mission of finding out a bit about the dragon king''s beloved should have been so easy but somehow nobody wanted to talk! The disciples of the Hei Dian Sect didn''t know anything, the Grandmaster''s sister-in-law seemed to know something but didn''t want to say it and this woman obviously knew everything about her son but still didn''t talk! How was he supposed to accomplish his mission like this?!


    He could only sigh silently. Well, there was still Zhong Jing Yi''s cousin. Since she was so eager to marry him she would definitely tell him whatever he wanted to know.


    At least that was what Xiao Li thought. He never would have thought that Zhong Gang and his wife would try everything to make sure he''d only have the chance to talk with Guanyu after their wedding.

 Chapter 280 - He Was Lucky To Have Someone Like Him

    Meanwhile, Jing Yi was working on Yue Lin''s assignment in his place at the Hei Dian Sect. Even though this Senior Martial Brother of his wanted him to learn how to read or write as fast as possible he didn''t neglect to let him learn alchemy, too. After all, what was a disciple of the Alchemy Division that didn''t know anything about alchemy?


    Thanks to Qiu Ling reading the basic manual to him and the two times he had actually seen one of the Official Disciples of the division that were giving them pointers for their refinement processes Jing Yi felt like he might indeed become an alchemist later on. Having Yue Lin help him definitely was a great help to him, too.


    Speaking of that ¡­ He was a bit afraid of what would happen when they returned to the Yun Zou Sect. Would he be able to continue learning alchemy? Or would everything revert to how it was before he met Qiu Ling? Would he just be one of the outer sect disciples who weren''t taught anything and had to fend for themselves, trying to figure everything out just from the things they saw and heard somewhere whether they were true or not?


    If he compared how the two sects treated their disciples, then he actually felt that the Hei Dian Sect was better. Sure, a fringe disciple also wouldn''t get much help but there was a manual that explained the basics and they had access to the library of their division or at least to part of that library. And there would be an Elder or at least a senior disciple instructing them once in a while. It certainly wasn''t easy either but they had opportunities to learn. Well, if they were like him and couldn''t read any of those books, they were in trouble, too.


    He really was lucky to have somebody like Qiu Ling at his side. He had helped him so much already. If not for him, he neither could have started to cultivate nor could he have learned anything about alchemy. Qiu Ling had also been the one to teach him how to write his first words.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but smile when he thought of that. He took a glance at Qiu Ling who was still sitting on the other side of the room and glaring at the herbs on the table. His fiance obviously felt neglected.


    Jing Yi repressed his smile and took up his brush, writing three characters on a scroll of paper he had put on the side in case he needed to take notes. Then, he put down the brush as if nothing had happened and continued to grind the berries of the herb in front of him before putting them in the cauldron. He hadn''t lit the fire yet so there was a bit of time.


    Jing Yi looked up again and pointed at the scroll beside him. "Qiu Ling, there''s something I don''t understand. Could you come over and read it to me?"


    Qiu Ling froze and then, the dark expression receded and his face lit up instead. He leaped to his feet and ran over, instantly hugging Jing Yi from the back. "What is it you can''t read? Let me teach you!"


    Jing Yi nodded at the scroll without saying anything.


    "Mn? Just this line?" Qiu Ling picked it up. "I love you ¡­"


    Uh? He stared at the three characters he had just read. I. Love. You. It really was true.


    Jing Yi looked at him and chuckled. It couldn''t be that Qiu Ling didn''t get it, could it? Had he really surprised him this much? "What is it? You don''t believe it''s true?" He reached up and grabbed Qiu Ling''s shoulder. "I know I haven''t spent much time with you today. First, it was the meeting with Senior Martial Brother Qiguan and then the assignment from Senior Martial Brother Yue. But you''re still the most important to me. I love you and nothing will change about that. I want you to know that."


    Qiu Ling put the scroll down and smiled. He really had been dazed for a moment. Even though he himself always ran around loudly proclaiming his love for Jing He, his beloved wasn''t that open about it. He was sure he requited his love but it was a rare chance to actually have him express it.


    "Mn." Qiu Ling smiled and hugged Jing Yi closer. He should take advantage of this! "So, the rest of your day is exclusively reserved for me?"


    Jing Yi smiled. "I still need to boil this but after that, I''m all yours."


    "Let me do it!" Qiu Ling carelessly waved and lit the fire below the cauldron.


    "That ¡­" Jing Yi pressed his lips together. "It can''t be too hot and ¡ª"


    "I know, I know." Qiu Ling smiled and kissed Jing Yi''s temple. "Haven''t I read all those recipes to you? Even if I didn''t know anything about alchemy before I would still remember what they said. You don''t have to worry."


    Jing Yi sighed. Right. He had forgotten about that.


    Qiu Ling noticed his gaze that seemed somehow disappointed and didn''t know how to proceed. Why was his beloved looking like this?


    When Jing Yi caught his gaze he smiled again. "It''s nothing. I just thought that I''m making a lot of trouble for you. I originally thought that becoming an alchemist would be a good thing since I could be of help to you then but it turns out I can''t even learn the basics without your help."


    Qiu Ling stood up and pulled Jing Yi to his feet. "Isn''t that alright? I''m your husband-to-be. Who else should help you with that? Actually, the things that are now aren''t that important. You''ve just started to learn. The really important thing will be the time after your ascension. I''ll let you learn all about the alchemy of my race if you want." Qiu Ling''s eyes gleamed.


    Jing He loved plants. He knew a lot about them but he had never learned to refine pills. If he woke up with his memories from this mortal life, maybe he would want to continue. Then he could use this opportunity to take him to the dragon realm under the pretense of having him learn and ¡ª


    Uh, wait, there was no reason to pretend anything. Jing He had already promised to marry him as soon as he came back from his trial. He didn''t have to kidnap him to marry him in secret.


    Jing Yi had no idea what his fiance was thinking about but he was happy that Qiu Ling was so thrilled about this. He tiptoed and gave him a kiss before he turned back to the cauldron. He really hoped that he would indeed ascend one day. He didn''t want to leave Qiu Ling behind all alone.


    I have to cultivate as fast as possible, he thought to himself. When we get back to the Yun Zou Sect I should ask Senior Martial Brother Qiguan how to do that. Or, wait ¡­ I still have that manual from Grandmaster Zhangsun. Maybe that will help with my cultivation?

 Chapter 281 - Just Like You

    Jing Yi and Qiu Ling watched the boiling cauldron together. Half an hour later the lid started to shake and vapor leaked out. Jing Yi sat up and grabbed a rag to open it but before he had even turned around Qiu Ling waved and the fire stopped, then the lid was lazily thrown onto the table.


    Qiu Ling turned to look at him and blinked rapidly, clearly waiting for praise.


    Jing Yi only sighed and handed him a vial. Honestly, what else was there to say?


    Qiu Ling scooped the content up, plugged the vial and put it to the other ones already on the table. "Alright. All done. So can we go to bed now?"


    Jing Yi narrowed his eyes. Why was his fiance this eager to go to bed? This sounded fishy somehow. "Is there any specific reason why you''d like to do that now?"


    Qiu Ling smiled, came over and hugged him. "Of course! You''ve worked the whole day. I''m just really afraid that you might overwork yourself. I wouldn''t want you to be tired."


    Jing Yi waited just in case Qiu Ling would give himself away a moment later but surprisingly, nothing happened. Could it really be that Qiu Ling was saying the truth? He eyed him suspiciously but couldn''t detect anything. It really seemed like he just wanted to care for him.


    Jing Yi finally relented. "Alright. Let me put this away." He took the vials and put them aside. It would be a disaster if something happened to them and he''d have to do everything again. Especially since he didn''t have the right ingredients anymore.


    Qiu Ling beamed. "So are you finished yet?"


    Jing Yi frowned but turned around and nodded. He still felt like Qiu Ling was planning something. He silently followed him to the bed and took off his outer robe before lying down. Qiu Ling stripped, too, and lay down beside him, his lips tugged into a smile.


    "So what now?"


    Qiu Ling looked back at him uncomprehendingly. "What do you mean?"


    "Are we really just going to lie down and sleep? That doesn''t really seem like you."


    Qiu Ling slid closer and pulled him into his arms. "Is this better?"


    "A bit." Jing Yi was still puzzled though. On a normal day, he wouldn''t be able to get Qiu Ling into bed and fall asleep before hugging him around a dozen times and sharing a couple of kisses for whatever reason Qiu Ling managed to make up on the spot. Why was he suddenly so well-behaved?


    As if Qiu Ling knew what he was thinking, he bent forward and kissed his temple. He didn''t take advantage of the situation though and instantly moved back again. He just smiled before hugging Jing Yi tighter and closing his eyes. He seemed oddly satisfied.


    Jing Yi peered at his face and pondered. Had something happened? There had been the report they gave Senior Martial Brother Qiguan but because they had been too slow to get Hong Bao''s letter it actually signified that they''d have to wait another month before they could return to the Yun Zou Sect and marry. It shouldn''t result in such a mood. Him refining those liquids couldn''t be the reason either. Qiu Ling had seen him do that a lot of times and actually got rather grumpy whenever he did since he felt ignored. There hadn''t been anything different ¡­


    Jing Yi paused. No, there had been something different. He had written his love confession.


    He shook his head, snuggled into Qiu Ling''s arms and closed his eyes, too. He probably should have known that it was something like this. Qiu Ling was just that type of person. He seemed really happy right now. Well, it wasn''t bad. He probably didn''t have to worry that Qiu Ling would go crazy tonight and do anything strange.


    Qiu Ling wasn''t asleep though. His eyes opened as soon as the breathing next to him became regular and his eyes curved. He couldn''t help himself from reaching out and gently stroking Jing Yi''s hair back.


    For a moment, he could actually believe that this was his Jing He from the Nine Heavens. He had that familiar scent of flowers on him thanks to the assignment he had worked on, and now that he had become older his body was of a similar physique as his immortal body''s. His hair had also started to have a light shimmer to it even though it still wasn''t as silky as that of the original Jing He.


    What actually made Qiu Ling''s heart beat faster was the similarity in their personalities. Jing He had been shy. Even after knowing each other for a long time and finally becoming a couple he hadn''t dared to confess directly.


    The first time he spoke those words it had actually just been an answer. ''I love you, too.'' He was able to say that but to take the initiative ¡­ He probably didn''t dare to.


    And before that, he had left him the message in whatever way he could think of. Writing a love poem onto one of his paintings and placing it where he''d definitely see it, giving a flower to him that symbolized love or sewing him a scented satchel after mentioning how some goddess had used that to confess her feelings ¡­ How many things like that had he done?


    Qiu Ling smiled but tears were actually running down his cheeks. He really thought he could see him in front of him.


    You still haven''t changed at all, he thought, looking at that imaginary figure. You grew up completely different and even started to learn new things but you still ¡­ You''re still like this. Going in such a roundabout way ¡­ I can''t even be angry at you.


    He pulled him into his arms and took a deep breath, smelling once again those flowers and imagining that this was indeed his Jing He. Ah. He just ¡­ missed him so much.


    Qiu Ling burrowed his head into Jing Yi''s hair and gently stroked his back. He wanted to tell him. He really wanted to tell him. "I love you. I love you more than you can even imagine. My Jing He." His hands on Jing Yi''s back trembled and his voice sounded choked but he didn''t mind. Everything was alright as long as he got him back soon. He was counting toward that day.


    In the end, Qiu Ling fell asleep just like that. He had no idea that Jing Yi''s eyes opened soon after, a pensive look in them. Yes, he had heard every word and his mind couldn''t help but churn at them. Most likely, their personalities really were alike.

 Chapter 282 - Making Up For Past Mistakes

    In the capital, Xiao Li indeed sent a message to his Master. Naturally, that Master was the Elder from the Hei Dian Sect and not someone from the Yun Zou Sect. Even though he would soon return to the Demon Realm, it was still better to tell him where he was. Maybe that man would find out other things about the boy in the meantime and could inform him. Every little detail he could provide the king with was worth it.


    Speaking of which ¡­ He looked up at the sky. It seemed it was time to go and find out a bit more from that girl. He once again put that fake smile on. Ah, he really couldn''t wait to return home. Then it would finally be alright to be himself. He wouldn''t have to pretend any longer.


    Xiao Li went to the house of the Zhongs and nodded at a servant that was sweeping the entrance. "Excuse me, I''m the disciple Xiao of the Yun Zou Sect. I was supposed to come here today to visit Miss Zhong."


    The servant looked up and frowned. He had never seen that guy but he instantly felt disgusted. So just because one wore a white robe one could come to the door of a respectable household and demand to see the family''s daughter? Who would fall for such a cheap trick?! That guy probably stole this robe somewhere!


    "Do you actually believe something like this would work? You better scram now, lowlife!"


    Xiao Li was taken aback. This was the first time anyone had reacted like this since he started to pretend to be a righteous path cultivator. Should he congratulate this guy for his insight or just laugh at him that he was even more distrustful than a demon?


    Unfortunately, he could do neither. He could only give the same troubled expression as yesterday. "Good Sir, what might you be talking about? I went to the teahouse where Madam Zhong works yesterday and met Mister Zhong. He told me to come here today to meet his daughter."


    "Sure, sure." The servant grabbed his broom and swung it at Xiao Li. He might have misunderstood back then but this certainly wouldn''t be the same way again! This time, he was certainly right!


    Yes, indeed. This servant was none other than the one who had also tried to chase Mister Zhong and his family off when they had come to Zhong Gang''s restaurant back then. If Qiu Ling hadn''t intervened, they might never have been able to see Zhong Gang and would have had to return to the village.


    Unfortunately, he had suspected them wrongly and after a few other things happened Zhong Gang had felt that he wasn''t fit to work at the restaurant so he had been degraded to a servant at the Zhong''s house that was only sweeping and doing some odd jobs. Now, he felt like he had a chance to make up for his past fault!


    Someone had actually dared to come over and pretend to be a mighty Daoist to take advantage of the family''s daughter. Since she was the Zhong''s only child she was naturally very important to them. If some man actually managed to threaten her chastity, then they would certainly flay him alive. This was his chance! If he drove him off and then reported to Mister Zhong, wouldn''t all past things be forgiven?


    He wouldn''t just be able to work at the restaurant again, no he might even get a better job! Maybe he''d be the one to head the restaurant in the future?! After all, Mister Zhong couldn''t take care of everything on his own. And maybe that Zhong Guanyu would be really happy when she heard that he had saved her and when she came over to say her thanks and saw him she''d fall in love with him. It wasn''t entirely impossible. When they got married wouldn''t he inherit everything? Ah, he could practically see the good life he''d have!


    "It''s the truth!" Xiao Li had a hard time upholding his righteous image. This would have been so much easier as a heretic practitioner! He could just kill whoever stood in his way or teach him a bloody lesson. Now he had to pretend to be good-natured and talk it out or wait until someone came to let him in.


    "Screw off!" The servant once again tried to beat him with the broom.


    Xiao Li evaded and gnashed his teeth. Why was still nobody else in sight? Did he as someone who was part demon really have to take this from a simple human?! He couldn''t do anything in this situation though. Thus he stepped back and nodded. "Then I''ll go back to the inn. Should Mister Zhong change his mind, please tell him to come look for me." Then he turned away and left.


    The servant laughed triumphantly. Hmph, as if his Master would go and look for that guy! Now, the only question was: Should he go and tell him now or should he wait a while longer? Mn, the best thing would probably be to go later. After all, he had to make the best possible impression. If Mister Zhong''s wife and daughter could hear of his great service firsthand, too, that would be for the best. Mn, midday sounded like a good opportunity.


    Xiao Li went back to the inn and sat down, his thoughts churning. Who knew how long it would take for those humans to come over? He didn''t want to wait all that time. In the end, didn''t he already have quite a bit of information? It wouldn''t be bad to inform His Majesty about that. Then he could decide whether he wanted to know even more or not. If he did, then he could bring up the relationship with that cousin he could use and that guy from the Yun Zou Sect. And if he didn''t ¡­ he could return to the Demon Realm sooner.


    Xiao Li stood up with a smile and exchanged the white robe and hair ribbon against black ones. Then he left the inn and returned to the Demon Realm once more.

 Chapter 283 - Useful People in the Right Places

    Xiao Li hurried to the palace. The guards in front were actually the same ones he had seen the last time. He narrowed his eyes at them and nodded. "I''m here to report to His Majesty."


    The guy who looked like a langur turned to the gate and wanted to go and immediately report to the king but the other man held him back. "Heh, don''t be hasty. His Majesty was good-natured the last time. Who knows if he really wants to see him this time? Wouldn''t you be the one to take the fall then?"


    The first one narrowed his eyes. It was obvious what was going on here. His so-called partner was afraid he''d get some benefit if he did the right thing once more. "Don''t worry about me. I''m prepared to take whatever punishment His Majesty intends for me." Then he turned around and stepped into the hall.


    He took a short glance at the king to give him the opportunity to remember his face before he bowed. "Your Majesty, that spy from the mortal realm returned to report to you. Shall I sent him in?"


    "Oh?" Jin Ling''s lips curved up. So he had found out something about Qiu Ling''s lover already? This was good. He couldn''t wait to make his move. "Yes, do that."


    The demon nodded and hurried back outside. He motioned at Xiao Li and stood to the side afterward. Xiao Li threw a glance at the other one. The times when he had to take this from the people here would be over soon.


    With his chin raised high, he strode into the throne room. As soon as he saw the king, he knelt down though. Nothing could be seen of the high-profile way he had used to come in right now. He looked entirely submissive.


    Before he could even say a greeting Jin Ling already waved. "Just speak. What do you have to report?" He didn''t have the time for any mindless chatter. The opportunity to torture Qiu Ling might be right in front of him. How could he wait any longer than necessary?


    Xiao Li nodded. "I''ve investigated that human boy at the dragon king''s side as you''ve ordered. His name is Zhong Jing Yi. He was originally born as a lowly villager somewhere close to the Long mountain range in one of the mortal kingdoms. Later on, his family moved to the capital where his father died. Right now, as far as I know, there is still his mother, a male relative of his father''s and a cousin of his called Guanyu there.


    From the capital that Zhong Jing Yi was accepted into one of the human sects called the Yun Zou Sect which is part of the so-called good, righteous faction. He is only an outer sect disciple at the moment though. Furthermore, they sent him on a mission to the evil faction''s Hei Dian Sect as a spy which was how I encountered him. There he became a disciple of the alchemy division and managed to establish ties with the head disciple of the Elder overseeing this division. It seems he also knows the sister-in-law of the sect''s Grandmaster who came to the sect about a year ago."


    Jin Lin narrowed his eyes when Xiao Li stopped. "That is all?"


    Xiao Li lowered his head. "Well, concerning his aptitude it''s quite bad. He has full spirit veins which is the lowest possible aptitude. I didn''t dare to enter the Yun Zou Sect yet to find out more for fear of being discovered and hindering Your Majesty''s plans. If I may be so bold as to state my opinion, there are a few people that might be useful in providing further information."


    "Oh? Go on." Jin Ling leaned back. This information this Xiao Li had brought back was quite basic. It wasn''t really anything he could use. He needed more details, some intimate things from his life that could be used to manipulate him.


    "Considering there are leads in different places I think it might be useful to have someone in each place to use. In the Yun Zou Sect, there is an elder disciple called Qiguan Cheng Da. He is from the same place as that Zhong Jing Yi and they seem to have some grievances between them. The peculiar thing is that Zhong Jing Yi doesn''t seem to know about this."


    Jin Ling straightened up. This was indeed interesting!


    Xiao Li didn''t dare look up to gauge his expression though and continued on. "This Qiguan Cheng Da is quite the malicious character. He didn''t know that I''m a demon but was aware of my identity as a disciple of the evil sect but still sold Zhong Jing Yi out without hesitation. In fact, he seemed quite pleased to be able to do so. He could certainly be used to gather more information in the Yun Zou Sect or do something to the boy if we provide him with the means." At this point, he paused for a moment but Jin Ling didn''t say anything.


    "The Hei Dian Sect shouldn''t be a problem since I could use my connections there. Another opportunity would be the Grandmaster''s sister-in-law I mentioned. I don''t know much about her but she is young and should be easily influenced. Just sending someone to her side might be enough to win her over." He paused again and his gaze flitted about. "As for the capital ¡­ As I said, Zhong Jing Yi still has a cousin there. I don''t know why but her family seems eager to marry her off. They even wanted me to take her as my bride." His voice revealed his disgust. His mother might have been a lowly human but his father was still a demon! How could they actually dare think of having him as their son-in-law?


    Unfortunately for Xiao Li, his head was still bowed and he didn''t see the mocking smile hanging on Jin Ling''s lips. "Oh? That''s perfect then. You should return there and go through the motions of the wedding. That would certainly help in securing information. Even if it can''t be used for that, it might still draw that boy over."


    Xiao Li clenched his teeth. Draw that boy over? That was tantamount to drawing the dragon king over! Would he live through that? His Majesty really was too vicious. But what could he as a lowly half-blood do?

 Chapter 284 - I’ll Pay You Back a Hundredfold

    Jin Ling leaned to the side and propped his chin up on his hand. When Xiao Li looked up with an incredulous gaze he smiled at him like an angel, stunning the other into silence.


    "Is something the matter?"


    The sweet tinge of Jin Ling''s voice probably should have made him feel disgusted but Xiao Li was only stunned. It really was true what people said: Their king was beautiful.


    Xiao Li lowered his head again and hastily stammered a reply. "N ¡­ No." He might be beautiful but he was just as vicious and cruel. He better not let his thoughts show.


    Who told him to be a half-blood? Who told the guy on the other side of the room to be the demon king? Whatever he thought privately, he''d have to swallow it as long as he wasn''t able to beat this guy. And he knew that he wouldn''t be able to.


    Everyone knew that Jin Ling had used favorable circumstances to get his throne but that didn''t mean that he wasn''t strong or hadn''t proven himself. No, quite the contrary. After the dragon king had killed the last demon king there had been a bloody war among their race. And the last one standing had been that amicable looking man in front of him. Whether he had killed all of them singlehandedly or actually had supporters willing to do these things for him wasn''t important. He had managed to emerge on top.


    As long as one wasn''t convinced to be able to beat him and whoever he might send out in a fight one shouldn''t even think of challenging him. There was only one outcome otherwise and that was utter annihilation. It certainly wouldn''t be as easy as having your head chopped off.


    As much as Xiao Li loathed the idea, he still couldn''t do anything else but accept the circumstances he was in. "As you wish, Your Majesty. This one will marry that mortal and procure more information for you."


    "Mn. I''m very satisfied with your performance." Jin Ling made a pause for further impact and looked at his nails in disinterest. This guy was so transpicuous that it was laughable. "You''ve been in the human realm for quite the long time, haven''t you?"


    Xiao Li''s eyes gleamed. "Yes, Your Majesty!" Could it be that he wanted to call him back? Was this his last assignment?! He didn''t dare hope but why else would the king ask this?


    Jin Ling naturally wouldn''t say anything directly. Wasn''t it so much better to leave this idiot in suspense and have him work a bit more? He should use him as much as he could. "See to it that you find out everything you can from that human girl. I''ll personally do the rest."


    Xiao Li shook. If the king himself became involved ¡­ Didn''t that mean he really placed high importance on this mission? Xiao Li lowered his head even further. "I won''t disappoint you, Your Majesty."


    "Mn. You may go now." Jin Ling waved and watched him leave.


    Once again his lips curved into a smile. The Yun Zou Sect was it? The Hei Dian Sect? It seemed he should go and pay that good nephew of his a visit. And while he was at it he could have a look at that sister-in-law and see if she was really of any use in this mission.


    Marrying a human and what not, he wasn''t as hypocritical as that Xiao Li. His harem was already that big. Why should he care whether or not he added another person? It wasn''t like he could ever have the one he truly desired.


    Jin Ling''s smile slowly faded thinking of him. He still remembered it clearly: That graceful smile, the way his hair shimmered in the sun, the way it swung when he turned around and the indulgent look in his eyes when he looked at him. It was like being submerged in warm water, like bathing in the sun. This perfect feeling, it should have accompanied him for his whole life! But instead, it had been taken from him.


    And not only him. Even all those things he should have left for him ¡­ they had been given to somebody else. How could he take it? He''d never be reconciled!


    Jin Ling stood up and clenched his fists. "You dared to vie with me for his attention. Now watch me break you and that lover of yours up and destroy your happiness! Qiu Ling, don''t you dare think I''ll stay idle and just watch you leading a happy life. You''ll suffer just as much as me. No, you''ll suffer worse than me! The things you took from me ¡­ I''ll pay you back a hundredfold for them!"


    Once more the corners of his lips raised in a smile but this time it was dark and twisted, completely different from the angelic face he had shown Xiao Li before. It was a smile made to creep out those around him and haunt them in their nightmares. Seeing him like this one could truly understand why he deserved the throne of the demon realm.


    With a flick of his sleeve, Jin Ling''s figure vanished from the palace and reappeared in the human realm. Standing on the top of a mountain he looked down at the human sect beneath his feet.


    For a moment, he was tempted to go and look at that human lover of Qiu Ling but he knew he couldn''t. He needed a moment when that bastard wasn''t around or else he would give himself away. And he couldn''t do that, could he? Where would be the fun in playing games if it was discovered too soon? No, if he let Qiu Ling discover, then it would only be after it was too late.


    Yes, he could already imagine his wretched expression after he succeeded. Ah, that unbearable pain on his face. That misery, that loneliness, that destitution. He really wanted to laugh just thinking about it!


    Stepping down, his body once again vanished and reappeared inside the estate. He had a look around and smiled. It really was just like the last time he had come. And yes, just like the last time as soon as he let a bit of his aura leak someone rushed over.


    Jin Ling really tried to seem sincere. "My good nephew. It''s so nice to see you again. Have you been well?"


    Shen An De''s face couldn''t help but darken. This guy ¡­ what was he doing here again? He probably wasn''t just here to mock and taunt him. After all, he already knew that that wouldn''t work on him. "What do you want?"


    "Oh, it''s nothing serious. I just heard ¡­ you took in some interesting disciples this time?"


    His nonchalant attitude made Shen An De''s brows twitch. This uncle of his ¡­ just how much did he know about the situation?

 Chapter 285 - A Heart-to-Heart Talk with the Good Nephew

    Shen An De shook his head. "I don''t know what you are talking about. I don''t take in any disciples."


    "Mn, then it''s not you but your sect that took them in."


    "Then I won''t be of much help to you since I don''t concern myself with that. The Sect Master might be able to tell you more."


    Jin Ling sighed, turned around and went over to the tea table. He sat down unsolicited and looked at Shen An De. His gaze seemed to ask why he still hadn''t been offered any tea or any seat for that matter.


    Shen An De sat down across him but didn''t even think of offering him anything. This kind of uninvited guest ¡­ one shouldn''t help him become too comfortable lest he stayed even longer.


    Jin Ling sighed again. "I really don''t understand how I deserve this treatment. I''m still your uncle."


    Shen An De abstained from answering. They had already had this talk back when Jin Ling came by the first time. Since then nothing had changed. Why should he humor him again?


    Jin Ling didn''t want to talk about it either. Whether or not his nephew wanted to tell him anything, he would still find out what was going on in the end. He''d just give him a bit of time to make himself useful. "It''s really a shame you haven''t heard anything about those disciples. It''s two of them. One of them is actually the incumbent dragon king, Qiu Ling."


    So he knows. Shen An De held back whatever reaction he might have had and continued to just look at this uncle of his. He wouldn''t give anything away. Maybe Jin Ling knew about the dragon king but that didn''t mean that he knew anything else. He certainly wouldn''t provide him with any information.


    Jin Ling took up the empty teacup and swirled it between his fingers, looking at the painting on the side. "The other one is rumored to be his lover. Quite funny, isn''t it?" His gaze suddenly lifted and a smile graced his lips. It was the same kind of smile that had been presented to Xiao Li the first time: One that seemed exceedingly friendly on the outside and highlighted Jin Ling''s handsomeness. Nobody who saw him like this would be able to think of him as a demon. "Ah, you''ve been in the mortal realm for so long you might not even know about this but it''s said that Qiu Ling chased after the Son of Heaven for quite a long time."


    Shen An De really wanted to ask if maybe he just gave up after such a long time but Jin Ling wasn''t dumb enough to fall for that. He obviously already had at least a hunch what this was about. Every word he said would just lead to Jin Ling being more sure about what he thought.


    "You''re only half demon so you don''t even know much about your own race. Most likely you know even less about the dragons. Well, let me share an interesting thing about them: Dragons can''t fall in love more than once. If they ever decide on a partner, they''ll cherish them deeply and be faithful to them until the end. Naturally, there are some ¡­ accidents but you see that also depends on what they do. If they''re sure, they can merge part of their soul with the other one. After that, they really don''t have any other possibility anymore. They''re bound for life."


    "You know quite a lot about the dragons."


    "Mn. Naturally."


    Shen An De frowned. Why did it seem like ¡­ his uncle''s smile had actually gotten gentler for a moment? No. He had probably imagined that. Jin Ling wasn''t the type for emotions. One just needed to take a look at how he ruled his realm to know that.


    "Our races were incredibly close once. In fact, it wouldn''t be wrong to say we were of the same race back then. My father wished to reunite us once again and honestly, I''ve long since wished for the same thing. Unfortunately, the current dragon king wouldn''t even think about the opportunities that could give us."


    "It''s hard to fault him for that. If I were him, I also wouldn''t trust that the demons won''t make that into a one-sided deal that only benefited them and not both races. Who knows who ''us'' will be when it gets to the final stages?"


    Jin Ling still retained his smile. Naturally, he''d make the other side suffer as many losses as he could if Qiu Ling was the one sitting on that throne. "Anyway, I think that the current dragon king is the type to merge his soul. In that case ¡­ wouldn''t the boy beside him be the Son of Heaven?"


    Shen An De only looked at him but Jin Ling didn''t mind.


    "You don''t have to say anything. I''m already certain. I don''t know why he came here or why he has a mortal identity but I don''t care for that anyway. Now, where can I find the two of them? I''d really love to say hello."


    Shen An De smiled back, not any less fake than Jin Ling''s smile. "I really don''t know what you are talking about. Didn''t we establish at the beginning already that I don''t concern myself with these matters? You should better ask the Sect Master about this."


    "You''re right. That must have slipped from my mind. Well, then." Jin Ling stood up, still smiling. "It was nice to see you again, my dear nephew. I should drop by more often in the future."


    Shen An De stood up too. "Please don''t trouble yourself. I know you''re very busy and can''t possibly have the time to come and see me just because you''d like to."


    "Ah, my good nephew, you''re thinking too much. This little bit of time, I can certainly set it aside for you."


    "I wouldn''t want to be a burden."


    "Speaking of burdens I heard you got a sister-in-law. Don''t tell me you married another wife?"


    Shen An De frowned. "How could that be? A simple man like me ¡­ I wouldn''t even dream of being like my uncle and setting up a harem."


    Jin Ling reached out and patted his shoulder. "It''s the natural thing to do for a demon. You shouldn''t forget that." With that, he turned around and left.


    It really was a pity that his nephew wasn''t that talkative. But, well, he still held some hope for that sister-in-law. Maybe she would be able to tell him a bit more about the situation. Thankfully, he had seen Shen An De''s wife before. It shouldn''t be too difficult to recognize her sister.

 Chapter 286 - Aren’t We Siblings?

    Jin Ling left the hall but naturally, he didn''t leave the estate immediately. Instead, he had a look around and tried to find that sister-in-law of his nephew. It was just ¡­ the girl seemed to have vanished. He had already circled the whole estate twice but he couldn''t find her. In fact, even when he used his senses to explore the estate he could only feel two other people inside, one of them being his nephew and the other one being his nephew''s wife. That girl wasn''t even there.


    Jin Ling shook his head. Who knew where that girl had gone to? Ah, being in the mortal realm was really troublesome. If this was his own realm, he could just summon her.


    He stopped and looked up at the sky. When had he last needed to do this kind of thing by himself? It had probably been after he returned to the demon realm back then. Mn, thinking about it now ¡­ it really brought back bad memories.


    He sighed and shook his head. There was no use thinking about it any longer. All of that was in the past. Whatever he did, he wouldn''t get the happiness from those early years back. He could only continue on and make sure that he''d achieve one day what his father had wanted him to do. As long as it brought him a bit closer ¡­ it was alright.


    He left Shen An De''s estate but stopped in front of the gate. If he couldn''t find that girl, then he should have a look at the other person. After all, he didn''t want to have come here in vain.


    With a smile, he let more of his aura leak until it even seemed to manifest in the air. As long as Qiu Ling wasn''t completely without senses, he''d definitely notice it and hurry over. After a moment, Jin Ling retracted his aura and vanished once more.


    In front of the gates of the Alchemy division of the Hei Dian Sect, Qiu Ling''s head jerked up. Demonic energy! And not just a bit. This was ¡­ This was just like back then in the war.


    His gaze wavered. For a moment, he didn''t know what to do. Jing Yi was inside bringing those things he had made yesterday to that Senior Martial Brother. He would have the time to go over and take a quick look.


    His hands twitched but in the end, he didn''t move even an inch. No. His Jing He was still inside. If by any chance, there was more than one demon, wouldn''t he be in danger if he went to take a look? It was still better to stay here and guard him.


    Not far from him a figure emerged. Qiu Ling whirled around and both of them froze.


    Jin Ling gave a hollow laugh. "Ah, it seems I was careless." So much for not giving the game away before it was too late. It seemed this bastard wasn''t as rash anymore as he had been back then. He really had expected him to hurry over there as soon as he noticed the demonic aura.


    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. So it was this bastard. Why had he come here? It couldn''t be that he wanted to personally deal with Jing He, could it?!


    Jin Ling slowly walked over, a small smile on his lips. "Mn, Qiu Ling, who would''ve thought you''d be here, too?"


    "What do you want?"


    "Oh, nothing much. You might not know but the sect''s Grandmaster Shen An De is my nephew. He''s half human. Well, you know how complicated the relations between demons can be." He turned to the side and took a step but Qiu Ling barred his way. It seemed he wanted to hinder him from entering the estate behind him by all means. He didn''t even take the time to refute the previous statement. "Is something the matter?"


    "Why are you here?"


    Jin Ling stopped and folded his hands behind his back. The smile he gave Qiu Ling was more than a bit mocking. "What''s with you today? Didn''t I just explain that I came to see my nephew?"


    "That so-called nephew of yours lives on the other side of the sect and you were already there. So why have you come here?" Qiu Ling didn''t even blink. He stared at Jin Ling, prepared to launch an attack if the demon as much as looked in the wrong direction.


    "Naturally, I sensed that someone of the immortal races was here. Who would''ve thought it was you?" His smile grew even more pronounced. "Well, it''s not bad, isn''t it? We haven''t seen each other in so long. Why don''t we have a chat to catch up? I''m sure a lot of things have happened to you since we last saw each other."


    "I don''t feel like chatting with you. I don''t feel like seeing you either. So you better scram back to where you came from."


    Jin Ling tsked. "How can you be so cold? Aren''t you even a bit happy to see me? After all, we can be considered siblings. With your mother being my father''s wife and all."


    The response he got were five dragon claws swiping at his face. Jin Ling stepped back and narrowly avoided them. Damn! Did this guy need to go after his face? How come he was already this angry after just that remark? He hadn''t even brought up his lover yet! Well, there would be an opportunity the next time they met.


    Jin Ling stepped back even further and gave a bright smile. "I just remembered there is something I urgently need to do so I''ll have to leave now. Don''t forget to watch your back, dear unrelated brother of mine." His eyes curved and he vanished just in time to evade yet another attack of Qiu Ling.


    Back in his palace in the demon realm, he hummed a little tune. Ah, it really felt great ruining that bastard''s day. Maybe he should do that every time he went over. He still needed to go there a few times anyway. After all, neither had he seen Qiu Ling''s lover yet nor had he managed to find Shen An De''s sister-in-law. Mn, it seemed his future days would be full of fun.


    "Xin Lan ¡­ I''ll be gone for a few days. Help me take care of my kingdom."


    Only a sigh answered him from the shadows. Xin Lan already knew whatever he wanted to say about this behavior it wouldn''t change anything. These two were already as irreconcilable as fire and water. If his Master knew ¡­ he''d turn over in his grave.

 Chapter 287 - Calling on Family

    Qiu Ling took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. This bastard just wanted to taunt him. He couldn''t lose his reason or something bad would happen. The most important ¡­ the most important was seeing Jing He now!


    He turned around and wanted to dash inside but he held back at the last moment. No, he had been outside the whole time. He knew there was no demon inside. He would have noticed in such close proximity. For now, he should rather make sure what Jin Ling had really wanted here in the sect.


    He whipped out a transmission stone and imbued his energy, anxiously waiting for it to connect to the other side. Soon enough the pale apparition of Qiang Wei could be seen above.


    "Your Majesty, what ¡ª"


    "Have you found out about the demons already?" Qiu Ling didn''t have time for any chit-chat. That bastard had already come over himself. Most likely he knew about Jing He''s trial. They had to do something now or it might be too late!


    Qiang Wei looked to the side and raised his brows. The next moment, his head was shoved to the side and Fu Min''s face appeared above the transmission stone. "Your Majesty? Is that you?"


    "Who else? Now tell me what you found out!"


    "Uh ¡­ Actually, there isn''t anything."


    "Fuck! When did I give you that mission? You still haven''t found out anything?" Qiu Ling was livid. The life of his beloved might depend on this!


    Fu Min pouted. "It''s not like that. We''ve already come to the demon realm and pried about but there''s nothing. If that demon king has anything planned, then it''s not a large scale action. If anything, he might only have involved a handful of people but finding out about that ¡­" Fu Min shook his head. "Qiang Wei and I aren''t enough for that."


    Qiu Ling frowned. This wasn''t good news. He could guard against a large scale operation. He was the dragon king, after all. But a small secret mission? How would he do that if he didn''t know anything about it?


    Well, there was nothing he could do about that now. "Alright. I understand."


    Fu Min didn''t say anything else but Qiang Wei''s head popped up again. "Your Majesty, should we continue to look for clues?"


    Qiu Ling pondered. It was important to find out more but ¡­ it was even more important to guard Jing He. "Who''s guarding Jing He''s body right now?"


    "Yi Zan and Xiang Yong."


    "Alright. Call Fu Heng to the demon realm."


    "Hah?!" Fu Min shoved Qiang Wei to the side. "Your Majesty, you can''t do this! Why do I have to work with that asshole?!"


    "Stop this bullshit right now! Can''t you see that Jing He''s life might be on the line? I don''t give a fuck about your feelings! You''re going to do this with Fu Heng. Qiang Wei!"


    "Yes! Your Majesty?" Qiang Wei hurriedly took the necklace with the transmission stone back and turned away from the grumbling Fu Min.


    "You get An Bai and come over here. Jing He''s mortal reincarnation can''t be left alone for even a second."


    "I understand."


    Qiu Ling pressed his lips together and considered whether he had forgotten anything. No, this was probably everything he could do here. "Alright. Then get ready. We''re in the humans'' Hei Dian Sect. You should be able to find that?"


    "Yes, Fu Min drew a map when he collected information on the humans before."


    "Good. Hurry up."


    Qiu Ling ended the transmission but didn''t keep the transmission stone. He looked into the distance, a bad feeling in his heart. Maybe it was because he hated Jin Ling or maybe it was because he had already seen how manipulative this guy was but he felt like he couldn''t just depend on this.


    He once again imbued the stone with his energy but this time the stone that lit up in response wasn''t with a dragon. The voice that answered him didn''t sound pleased either.


    "You damned bastard! What do you think you''re doing with my ¡ª"


    "This is about Jing He."


    The other side stopped screaming at him and silence stretched between them.


    Qiu Ling took a deep breath. He didn''t have the time to consider anything right now. "That bastard Jin Ling came by. He might know about Jing He''s trial. Father-in-law, I wouldn''t bother you if it wasn''t important. I''m with Jing He the whole time and I''ve already called two of my best men over but I''m still ill at ease. You know how that bastard is. Now that Jing He isn''t immortal wouldn''t he be an easy target? Please send some support. You also wouldn''t want for anything to happen to him."


    The Heavenly Emperor still didn''t say anything. As much as he hated the idea of his precious son and this dandy being together he couldn''t deny that Qiu Ling would always place Jing He''s safety first and think about everything else later. Just look at this: Even though he knew he wasn''t welcome, he didn''t mind putting down his dignity and being yelled at just for the sake of keeping Jing He safe.


    Rong Su sighed. If this guy wasn''t a dragon but a true born god instead he wouldn''t actually be a bad choice. He was a capable warrior and even though he put a little too much emphasis on that point he was quite good-looking, too. In fact, seeing those two together made for a nice picture.


    The Heavenly Emperor frowned. What was he even thinking? Those two definitely didn''t make a nice picture! Hmph, this must be the influence of his wife, always saying good things about this dandy.


    "No need to tell me. He''s my son. Naturally, I''ll keep him safe. There''s no need to bother yourself with this. In fact, why don''t you just return to your realm and leave Jing He to us? He certainly doesn''t need a dragon to worry about him."


    Qiu Ling''s brows lifted a bit. He actually properly called me a dragon this time? Eh? This is nearly as good as using my name!


    Most likely, this fight between father and son-in-law had gone on for so long that Qiu Ling''s standard for what was good had already become exceedingly low.


    "Mn, I understand, father-in-law. But I''ll stay here just in case." Qiu Ling smiled at the bearded old man in front of him. Ah, it really was nice to be able to call on the family when things got bad. He really wondered if it would have been the same had his father still been alive ¡­


    Qiu Ling sighed and pushed the thought aside. What use was there to think about that? He had already been killed. That bit of family he had had was already gone. Now, his only family was Jing He''s family.


    He flashed another smile to leave the Heavenly Emperor with a good impression. "Then, I''ll take my leave, father-in-law. You don''t have to worry too much. I''ll definitely guard Jing He with my life!" With that, the transmission was stopped.


    The Heavenly Emperor stared at the white stone in front of him and frowned before slapping the table in front of him. "This bastard! What are you saying, ''father-in-law''? I''ve never agreed to let you marry my precious son!"

 Chapter 288 - Can’t Take Any Chances

    The Heavenly Emperor Rong Su frowned at the transmission stone for a while before getting up and hurrying over to his brother-in-law''s palace. Never mind how aggravating he found that dandy, the bastard was still right about the demon king.


    It wouldn''t be wrong to say that he didn''t trust Qiu Ling with his son but he definitely didn''t trust Jin Ling with anything. That guy was even worse than his father. Just take a look at those eyes and you knew that he wasn''t anything good.


    "Thinking about that I can probably be happy that the one to fall in love with Jing He was the dragon king and not the demon king. Just imagining it ¡­" Rong Su shuddered. He might be able to accept that dandy but ¡­ No, that demon king was completely out of question. He wouldn''t allow his pure son to be defiled by the filthy hands of a demon!


    The Heavenly Emperor arrived at the God of War''s palace and hurried inside. He barged into the study without knocking only to stop dead in his tracks. It seemed he had walked in on Qiang Yan scolding some guards. And it was a scolding he definitely didn''t want to hear.


    "If the two of you can''t keep your hands off each other, then ¡ª" Qiang Yan stopped as soon as he saw his brother-in-law. Damn. Why was he always interrupted when he wanted to scold those two? Was this some kind of heavenly luck only lovers were awarded?


    He sighed and waved at them. "You already know what I want to say. Go back to your posts. If I ever hear that you were doing those things again while you were supposed to work, I swear I''m going to split you up and have you work in different groups!"


    "Of course, of course!" The two hurriedly nodded, stood up and then froze when they saw the Heavenly Emperor behind them. Oh shit! It couldn''t be that he had heard all of that just now, right?!


    One of them elbowed the other before clasping his hands and bowing. "Your Majesty!"


    The other hurriedly followed suit, his face heating up until even his ears were red. "Your Majesty!"


    Rong Su tried very hard to retain his dignified expression and gave a noncommittal grunt before stepping further into the room and waving at the two guards. "You may go now."


    The two bowed once more and hurried outside, their backs drenched in cold sweat. It was one thing to be chewed out by the God of War, after all, they had already experienced that many times, but it was something different altogether if the one to hear about their misconduct was the Heavenly Emperor. It really made one ashamed.


    Rong Su sat down when the door closed behind the two guards but he didn''t know what to say anymore. Should he ask what this was about? Or should he just start with his own problem?


    Qiang Yan gave a cough. He really was embarrassed to have this witnessed by his brother-in-law. Those two only knew how to make trouble for him. "Please don''t mind those two. They''re something like the bad apples of my palace. The things they do ¡­" He shook his head. There really wasn''t anything he could say in their defense. Especially after those two had already made such a huge blunder the last time they had left their posts without permission. He really would have expected them to learn from their mistake. It seemed he wasn''t hard enough on them. This time he should probably punish them harder. And separately.


    Rong Su nodded and just tried to forget about it. He really didn''t want to know about that kind of thing. Furthermore, there were more pressing issues right now. "That hateful Longjun just contacted me."


    Qiang Yan lifted his brows. Why would his nephew-in-law do something like that? Had he forgotten that his father-in-law didn''t like him? Or was he tired of living?


    "It seems the demon king somehow found out about Jing He''s trial. Longjun called some of his people over but asked for our help. Hmph. It''s my son. Why is he asking for help? If anything, then I should be the one asking for his help. Why does it seem as if he was paying more attention to Jing He than I am? I can''t let my precious son misunderstand!"


    Qiang Yan went to fetch his brother-in-law a cup of tea and wordlessly put it down in front of him. He really didn''t want to get embroiled in another of those tirades about how bad Longjun was.


    Thankfully, the situation this time was too dire. The Heavenly Emperor only grumbled a bit before he came back to the topic at hand. "Anyway, I also think we shouldn''t take this lightly. Send some of your best guards down to make sure nothing happens to Jing He and have someone investigate what the demons are doing. We can''t take any chances. This is about Jing He''s life."


    Qiang Yan nodded and stood up, bowing to his brother-in-law. "I''ll go and arrange it immediately."


    "Do that." Rong Su continued to sit in the study even after Qiang Yan left.


    He gazed out of the window at the separate building in the courtyard where the soul-devouring dagger was being kept. Jing He had nearly been grazed by that thing the last time. He could have died. And if they left even a bit of a chance for that demon king, then it was likely that something equally horrendous would happen this time.


    He couldn''t let that happen.


    And not just because he didn''t want to lose his son. But because if what he surmised was true, then the day of Jing He''s death would be the day the three races disappeared forever. That person certainly wouldn''t condone somebody hurting his family ever again.

 Chapter 289 - Keeping Him Safe

    While the Heavenly Emperor Rong Su worried in the Nine Heavens his son-in-law Qiu Ling worried in the mortal realm''s Hei Dian Sect. He paced up and down in front of the gate of the Alchemy division. What should he do? He knew he had done all he could to add some layers of defense around his beloved but he still felt like it wasn''t enough. It could never be enough if the one he had to go against was that bastard Jin Ling.


    That guy had managed to become demon king against all odds. He had uprooted all opposition in the demon realm and was sitting even more securely on his throne than his father had before he grew megalomaniac and wanted to take over the dragon realm.


    If that type of person truly started to target Jing He ¡­


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes. He had no idea what exactly it was that had made Jin Ling hate him so much. It certainly wasn''t because of his mother considering she had only been one of the countless wives of that guy''s father. As far as he knew Jin Ling hadn''t even known her. But Jin Ling had done everything he could to make him suffer and it didn''t seem like he would stop anytime soon.


    Under these circumstances ¡­ it wasn''t unthinkable that Jin Ling would target Jing He because of that. After all, how could he hurt him more than through taking his most important person from him? And now was the perfect time for him to act.


    Jing He couldn''t remember his life as the Son of Heaven at the moment. He didn''t understand the conflict between the three immortal races. He wouldn''t be able to recognize a demon if he saw one and even if he did, he wouldn''t understand how dangerous that was to him.


    Should he tell him?


    Should he tell him about his life as Jing He? How they had met, how they had fallen in love and how they had had to separate because of that trial? It would be great if his beloved could remember. In that case, wouldn''t this time here in the mortal realm be just like a timeout for them? A retreat from the things holding them back in the immortal realms?


    He could imagine doing this. In fact, he had often wished that it was his Jing He here with him. The year they had spent traveling ¡­ How different it would have been if it had been the real Jing He and not just his mortal reincarnation. Then again, he also couldn''t say that he hadn''t liked spending that time with Jing Yi. It had been like exploring a new side of his beloved.


    Regardless, there wasn''t anything he could do. Just because he told him Jing He wouldn''t remember. It would just be like a story he had heard. Something he might remember hearing but not something he would truly understand and take to heart. And furthermore, he had no idea how it might influence Jing He''s trial.


    He had already made a grave mistake once that nearly killed his beloved. He wouldn''t take any chances ever again. No, he just had to be by his side and stay vigilant to prevent any attempt of taking Jing He''s life.


    Yes, he would do that. And wasn''t he hailed as the best warrior of the dragon race? He''d show that bastard Jin Ling that the person he loved couldn''t be harmed so easily!


    Qiu Ling took a last look around to make sure that neither Jin Ling nor any other demon was around then he dashed inside and lunged himself at the person sitting in front of the writing desk.


    "My love! I missed you!"


    Jing Yi flinched and lightly patted his chest to calm down. Was his fiance trying to give him a heart attack? How could he leap at him like this? He wanted to scold him but just before the first words came out he felt a slight tremble from Qiu Ling''s body.


    He stopped just in time and tried to take a look at Qiu Ling''s face. His fiance had lowered his head though. His black hair completely veiled his expression. It couldn''t mask his shaking hands though.


    Jing Yi looked at them. The shivering was so faint that he actually would''ve missed it if it wasn''t transmitted from Qiu Ling''s body. For someone like Qiu Ling who was always steadfast, this was something big though. What had happened? This certainly wasn''t normal.


    He gently put his hand on Qiu Ling''s and rubbed it while leaning back into Qiu Ling''s arms. "I''m here. Whatever happened, I''m with you."


    "You are." Qiu Ling hugged him closer. "Jing''er, promise me you''ll stay with me. Whatever happens, you''ll never leave me."


    "What are you even talking about?" Jing Yi slipped his hand around that hair and cupped Qiu Ling''s cheek. "Aren''t I right here in your arms?" He leaned over and their lips met, calming those tremors in Qiu Ling''s body.


    "You''re right," whispered Qiu Ling back. "It''s my fault. I shouldn''t have reacted like this. I just ¡­" He shook his head and continued to hold him. Whatever. Jing He was in his arms now. Who would be able to take him away from there?


    "What happened?" Jing Yi couldn''t help but be infected by Qiu Ling''s worry. He would stay with him and confront whatever it was but he couldn''t deny that he was ill at ease.


    Qiu Ling sighed. "It''s the demons. One of them came here again and this time it''s even someone I''ve seen before. He ¡­" He shook his head. "He hates me very much. I''m afraid ¡­ he might target you to get to me."


    Jing Yi smiled and gently rubbed Qiu Ling''s hand. So that was what he was worried about. He feared for him, not himself. "Then don''t worry too much. I''ll be careful. Nothing will happen to me."


    Qiu Ling smiled back but he wasn''t convinced. How could just being careful be enough if he was faced with Jin Ling? Well, he would just do whatever he could. It would be enough, it had to.


    He bent down to kiss Jing Yi again and calm his heart but somebody coughed. "You two, have you forgotten that I''m still here?"


    Qiu Ling and Jing Yi looked up together only to find a grim-looking Yue Lin on the other side of the table. Oh, right, there had still been that guy who was buried in so much paperwork that he was still single ¡­

 Chapter 290 - How to Explain

    At that time, Xiao Li had already returned to the capital and was working toward fulfilling his king''s wishes. He wasn''t thrilled to have to marry a human but if it could get him his place in the demon realm afterward he didn''t mind it.


    His short trip home had presented him with a problem: He had only spent a few minutes there but in the human realm five days had already gone by. He had even missed that fake wedding. Now, how should he explain that to the mortal father-in-law he''d be getting?


    Xiao Li unhurriedly changed his black robe for the white one again and pondered. The easiest way would be to push everything onto that servant''s head. Considering that he had still returned relatively soon he might get away with it.


    It was just a pity that he wasn''t in time for the designated wedding day anymore. Because of that, he''d need another explanation on top of that and maybe something that would divert his father-in-law''s attention. Mn, an expensive gift might do the trick.


    Xiao Li sifted through his bag. As a half-demon, he didn''t have much. After all, his demon father had never cared about him. Maybe he didn''t even know he had this son. And his mother as a woman with a child out of wedlock ¡­ Well, it certainly needn''t be said that she wasn''t well-off even though her family had originally been quite wealthy.


    Thankfully, he had become a spy in the Hei Dian Sect and was especially suited to cultivation thanks to his blood. He had even managed to become a direct disciple of Elder Shan who oversaw part of the sect. Considering that his Master was normally quite generous he shouldn''t have trouble finding something he could give those mortals.


    Soon enough he happened upon a pleasant surprise. It actually wasn''t anything his Master had given him, at least not in the normal sense. This was a pill one of the Elders of the Alchemy division had turned in. It was supposed to cleanse the body of a cultivator and thus activate latent talent which might lead to a faster speed in cultivation.


    The pill had never been refined in large quantities though because it had one downside: Taking it would disable one from having children. The Elders had been shocked when they found out after distributing a few of them already. After all, some had been given to talents whose children would have had a good chance of being excellent cultivators themselves.


    As soon as they noticed they naturally didn''t want to waste any more potential. What use was there in cultivating their geniuses a bit faster when it prevented them from continuing the lines of those geniuses? Especially since there was the Pavilion of Flowers in the Hei Dian Sect that actually cultivated largely through paired techniques.


    Thus the Elders had decided to dispose of the pills refined so far. It was just that somehow one had slipped through the net. When Elder Shan found it Xiao Li had immediately volunteered to get rid of it for him. The place where he disposed of it? Naturally, that was his bag. What else could one expect from a demon?


    Even back then he had thought that he might have a use for it sometime even if it was just to exchange it for something else. Now it seemed its time had actually come. This would be his leverage in the discussion with his so-called future father-in-law.


    Xiao Li grinned and sifted further through the things in his bag for something he could use to present the pill. He finally found a white jade bottle. Mn, normally, it could fit around ten pills but ¡­ who cared? Those mortals wouldn''t understand anyway.


    Xiao Li tossed the pill inside, plugged the bottle and slipped it into his sleeve. He stood up, straightened his robes and combed through his hair again before putting on an expression that wavered somewhere between guilt and hope.


    Finally, it was time for his grand entrance.


    He left the inn and went back to the house of the Zhongs. His luck was pretty good. The servant in front of the gate was once again the one who had thrown him out. For a moment, a wicked notion passed through Xiao Li''s expression before he settled on the well-intentioned one he had already practiced so much.


    The servant, Ma Tao, frowned at first before his face lit up. He actually hadn''t gone and told Zhong Gang about Xiao Li because he had feared that he wouldn''t believe him. Now that he had come back by himself that problem was solved.


    "It''s you again."


    Xiao Li nodded. Now was the right chance for his act. He actually knelt down in front of the gate, shocking not only Ma Tao but also all the passers-by. Quite a few people actually stopped walking and watched what was going on. Well, it certainly didn''t happen every day that a well-dressed man knelt down in front of a gate where only a servant stood. After all, didn''t this type of person have knees of gold?


    Ma Tao looked around. He actually felt embarrassed instead of Xiao Li. "What are you doing? Do you think I''d let you in just because you kneel down? Forget it! You better scram or I''ll tell the Master!"


    Xiao Li lowered his head a little, barely hiding his smile. Then, as if with new-found conviction, he looked up again. "Xiao Li will continue to kneel here until Mister Zhong is willing to listen to me. I''ve waited for five days at the inn already. I even missed the wedding. Please ¡ª"


    "Hmph. What wedding? You better scram now or ¡ª"


    "Mister Xiao?" Before Ma Tao could say anything else he was interrupted by the voice of Madam Zhong who was just on her way to the teahouse.


    She had talked a while with Xiao Li so she naturally remembered how he looked. She had been quite surprised when he hadn''t turned up for the meeting he had agreed on with Zhong Gang and not even for the wedding day. After all, she had felt that he seemed like a decent man. Seeing him kneeling in front of the house now made her wonder what was going on. It had even sounded as if Ma Tao had argued with him?


    "Madam Zhong!" Xiao Li instantly looked relieved. "Please let me meet with Mister Zhong! Or at least tell me what I did wrong. I already waited for five days. If I gave any cause to discontentment, I''ll do whatever I can to make up for it. Even if it means laying down my life!"


    To make sure his words were believable enough he drew his sword and laid it in front of him. Just in case Madam Zhong wanted to pick it up and be done with him. That should prove his determination.

 Chapter 291 - A Righteous Cultivator Isn’t Afraid of Dying

    "Ah, Mister Xiao! There''s no need to be like this! Just tell me slowly what happened."


    "Then ¡­ Mister Zhong ¡­?"


    "Oh, right. Why don''t you come in?" Madam Zhong motioned at the house behind her but Xiao Li tensed up.


    "How could I do that? If Mister Zhong isn''t satisfied with me, then I naturally can''t just enter. I''ll continue to kneel here until he forgives me."


    "Alright then." Madam Zhong nodded. She was just happy that Xiao Li hadn''t taken the sword himself and done something that couldn''t be undone anymore.


    She deliberated for a moment whether she should send Ma Tao inside to get Zhong Gang or go herself. She didn''t want to leave Xiao Li to himself considering how agitated he seemed but Ma Tao probably didn''t even know who he was so it would take even more time to explain to him so that he could tell Zhong Gang.


    In the end, she just hoped that nothing would happen. "Mister Xiao, just wait here for a bit. I''ll go and get Zhong Gang. He''ll be here soon. I''m sure whatever happened can be cleared up."


    Xiao Li gave his most sincere-looking nod before he continued to kneel and stare at the gate.


    Madam Zhong hurried inside. The others were still sitting and eating or maybe it was more accurate to say that Zhong Gang was picking at his food while his wife was trying to coax their daughter into eating.


    Yes, Guanyu had gone into a hunger strike because of the canceled wedding. She was sure that her parents would make every effort to find her lost fiance if they saw how utterly miserable she was. Well, she had never been in any danger. After all, her ''hunger strike'' also involved frequent visits to the kitchen late in the night when she couldn''t take it any longer or stuffing herself with snacks at the teahouse.


    Still, everyone would feel better if this issue was finally dealt with.


    "He came back."


    Zhong Gang was the only one who looked up from the table. "Who?"


    "Xiao Li. Guanyu''s fiance."


    "Ah?" All three of them leaped to their feet. Zhong Gang''s dishes even fell to the floor thanks to his hasty movement.


    Madam Zhong nodded and gave a smile. "He''s kneeling in front of the gate and wants to speak to you, Ah Gang."


    "Kneeling in front of the gate?" Zhong Gang fell silent and sat down again in a daze before slapping the table. "Well, he better kneel down! What was he thinking not appearing at the wedding?! We invited so many people!"


    "Auntie! Did he say that he still wants to marry me?" Guanyu hurried over, that strike or whatever completely forgotten. She only wanted to know what would happen to the wedding. Would there still be one? It couldn''t be that she would be unlucky once again, could it?


    Madam Zhong patted her hand. "He didn''t say that but it seemed like things aren''t so simple. We should go and have a talk with him. Ask him to come in first. There''s certainly a good explanation. Having him kneel in front of the gate isn''t right."


    "Hmph." Zhong Gang stood up and turned to his wife and daughter. "I''ll go and speak with him. The two of you wait inside." Then he turned around and strode outside.


    Li Fang and Guanyu exchanged a look before hurrying after him. Madam Zhong sighed and followed the three of them. Thus Xiao Li and Ma Tao were soon faced with the whole family.


    Guanyu''s heart instantly leaped. What a handsome guy! He seemed even better-looking now than six days ago at the teahouse. She could probably forgive him for missing their wedding based alone on this. Well, that would naturally only count if he still married her now.


    While Guanyu was already appeased just by looking at Xiao Li''s face Zhong Gang had mixed feelings about this. They had tried to trick this guy into marrying his daughter and it had seemed as if he was a good choice but then he somehow didn''t turn up for the wedding, embarrassing them gravely.


    He had been angry but also felt that maybe it was a good thing. After all, how would a wedding that was based on such a ploy turn out? He also didn''t want for his daughter to be trapped in a bitter marriage.


    But now this guy had unexpectedly come back. So did this mean he really wanted to marry Guanyu? But then why had he missed the wedding? It really seemed that there was more to it.


    Zhong Gang frowned. He had to get to the bottom of this! "What is the meaning of this?"


    Xiao Li took great care to look depressed. "Mister Zhong, I''ve already waited for five days. Is it that I did something wrong? Or is it that you just can''t accept me as your son-in-law?"


    Zhong Gang frowned even more. "What five days?"


    Xiao Li looked perplexed and then turned to Ma Tao whose face had already lost all color. He had already understood that this was most likely once again not what he had expected it to be.


    "That brother, didn''t you say five days ago that Mister Zhong didn''t want to see me?"


    "Ah? I ¡­ I never said anything like that!" Ma Tao clenched his fists. He couldn''t do anything else but deny everything. This guy didn''t have any witnesses. What could he do? "Don''t accuse people randomly!"


    Unfortunately for him, Xiao Li was still the better actor. Contrary to Ma Tao who got loud after being accused he instead fell silent and had a contemplative expression on his face. "Is that so?" he mumbled and seemed even more depressed than before. Then, he looked up at the Zhongs.


    "I am sorry! It seems it''s all Xiao Li''s fault! I misunderstood and made Miss Zhong wait. I even made her miss out on what should have been the most beautiful day of her life! There really isn''t anything I can say in my defense. If it will calm the anger in your heart, then please strike me down right here on the spot!"


    Once again, dying was brought up. It seemed a righteous cultivator really wasn''t afraid of being pierced by a sword.


    Faced with such a determined fellow Zhong Gang didn''t believe for one moment that this was Xiao Li''s fault. Just as the half-demon had planned all blame fell on Ma Tao''s head.


    "Mister Xiao, seeing that it''s a misunderstanding there''s no need for something like this. We''re going to be family after all."


    Xiao Li looked up, his gaze seemingly coincidentally stopping at Guanyu. "So ¡­ Does that mean Miss Zhong is still willing to have me as her husband?"


    Guanyu beamed and wanted to answer but her father luckily got the drop on her. "Naturally, my daughter still wants to marry you! In fact, why not hold the wedding right this afternoon? We had hoped you''d come again so the preparations were all made. We were just missing the groom."


    "This truly must be the result of the good karma I collected in all my previous lives!" Xiao Li went so far as to kowtow in front of this human family. He felt bitter inside but he forced himself to endure. As long as he fulfilled this task he would get his place in the demon realm. For that result, everything was worth it.


    One really had to say that as a demon who was doing a task based on lies and deceit he really had a lot of trust in his king. Well, that was probably the advantage of being handsome. People were less likely to doubt your words.

 Chapter 292 - A Genius Not Just with the Sword

    While Xiao Li prepared for the wedding with Zhong Guanyu, Qiguan Cheng Da finally arrived at the Yun Zou Sect again. Actually, he could have been there a few days earlier already but he hadn''t seen any reason to make haste. Wasn''t this just about Zhong Jing Yi? Who cared how dangerous the mission was? The Grandmaster''s disciple could take care of himself and that Zhong Jing Yi wasn''t important at all. As far as Qiguan Cheng Da was concerned, that boy could go and die.


    But, well, he still had to report what had happened at the Hei Dian Sect. Not that he minded. In fact, he was quite pleased with this part of his mission. After all, the order had come from the Sect Master himself even though Yu Jin had been the one to inform him. For the report he brought back he would certainly talk to the Sect Master directly. This was his chance to impress him and get some benefits out of this!


    He walked to the palace on the Sect Master''s peak and nodded at the two disciples guarding the door. "Disciple Qiguan came to report on his mission to the Sect Master."


    One of them nodded and hurried to the study inside. "Sect Master!" He cupped his fists and bowed. "A disciple Qiguan is outside. He said he wants to report on a mission."


    "Mn, I see. Get Yu Jin for me and then let him in."


    "Yes!" The disciple bowed again before hurrying out again. Naturally, he didn''t leave through the front door. Instead, he used one of the doors at the side of the palace and flew to Yu Jin''s dwelling on his sword.


    He stopped a few steps short of the door and tidied up his clothes first. Honestly, he had always admired Sect Master Yuchi. It might not show on the outside but he had been a genius back in the day. Even though he had the spirit veins to become a cultivator he still learned the way of the sword, too. And he had gotten great results with both and in a short time no less. It was a pity that he hadn''t had enough time for his training after taking over the duties of Sect Master. He hadn''t advanced in a long time.


    But now this genius had actually taken in another genius. The disciple was once again awed by this person. Thus he didn''t want to face this Senior Martial Brother in a state that wasn''t perfect. He actually regretted not being able to re-do his hair right then and there.


    Inside the house, Yu Jin had long noticed that someone was outside. He didn''t pay that person any mind though. Once again he sat at his table and painted. He somehow felt like the background was becoming clearer and clearer even though he still couldn''t say what or who was in the middle.


    A knock on the door finally broke his concentration. "Senior Martial Brother Yu?" The disciple sounded nervous.


    Yu Jin didn''t think that something might have happened though. If that was the case, that guy wouldn''t have stood in front of his house for that long. Most likely, he was just intimidated by the fact that he was the Sect Master''s disciple.


    "Come on in."


    The disciple gingerly opened the door and came into the study. "Senior Martial Brother Yu ¡­" He took a peek and blushed. Ah! This genius wasn''t just talented with the sword it seemed! He really looked up to him more and more.


    Yu Jin lifted his gaze, his expression as tranquil as ever, not even slightly bothered by this kind of admiration.


    "Ah ¡­" The disciple scratched his head. "It''s like this ¡­ I was guarding at the Sect Master''s palace today and then a disciple called Qiguan came to report on some mission. The Sect Master said to call you over before letting him in."


    "I see. Thank you for telling me. I''ll hurry over then." Even though he said he''d hurry, he still cleaned the brush before putting it down as if he had all the time in the world. Finally, he took another look at the half-finished painting, hoping to notice something he hadn''t seen before.


    Unfortunately, there was still nothing.


    He repressed a sigh and put the painting to the others. Some things just couldn''t be rushed. He was sure if he just kept on trying he would someday find out what this was about.


    He turned around and nodded at the disciple who was once again in awe witnessing Yu Jin''s unhurried manner.


    He himself would have dropped everything and flown over as soon as he knew the Sect Master was looking for him. Well, that probably just showed how much of a difference there was between them.


    He followed Yu Jin back to the Sect Master''s palace and finally took his leave in front of the study. "I''ll go and get that disciple Qiguan then."


    "Mn." Yu Jin nodded and stepped into the study. "Master." He cupped his fists and bowed.


    Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t really care for those formalities and waved him inside. "Jin''er, you''ve come. Don''t just stand there. Come over here."


    Yu Jin nodded and took a seat beside his Master. Without waiting for him to say anything he poured him a cup of tea. After that, he didn''t move again. His Master might not have said anything but he understood that he had called him over to hear what Qiguan Cheng Da had to say. Most likely he''d talk it over with him afterward.


    Yu Jin took a look at the insignia of the Sect Master hanging from Yuchi Bing Xia''s belt. It seemed he couldn''t wait too long before he decided whether or not he wanted to accept his offer. After all, his Master was obviously trying to groom him as his successor. If he didn''t want to become the next Sect Master, then he had to give him the time to find and train somebody else.


    Yuchi Bing Xia actually also wanted to ask if he had given the question some thought already but he knew that this wasn''t the time for that. For now, they had to see what those two had been able to find out in the Hei Dian Sect.

 Chapter 293 - Reporting to the Sect Master

    Qiguan Cheng Da entered the study with a smile on his lips although his eyes dimmed when he noticed Yu Jin to the side. He knew that Yu Jin was the Sect Master''s disciple but why did he have to be there when he reported on his mission? Couldn''t it have been just himself and the Sect Master?


    Well, there was nothing he could do for now. He could only try not to show his dissatisfaction and use the situation as best as he could. There was no reason to rush anything. He would still return to the Hei Dian Sect later to get another report. Then he might have another opportunity.


    Thinking till there, Qiguan Cheng Da cupped his fists and bowed. "Disciple Qiguan greets the Sect Master." Then he looked at Yu Jin and smiled a little brighter as if he was really happy to see him. "Senior Martial Brother Yu." This guy was still rumored to be the Sect Master''s favorite disciple. He should use his relationship with him.


    Yuchi Bing Xia reciprocated his smile while Yu Jin just nodded.


    "Qiguan Cheng Da, you''re back. Come on, have a seat." Yuchi Bing Xia motioned to the other side of the table and waited until Qiguan Cheng Da had sat down. "So ¡­ What did they find out at the Hei Dian Sect?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da put on a troubled expression. "I don''t know much about that mission of Junior Martial Brother Zhong so I can only report what I saw and repeat what he told me. It seems that he hadn''t found what he was looking for yet but he established good relations with people from the sect."


    "Good relations?" Yuchi Bing Xia slightly furrowed his brows.


    Qiguan Cheng Da nodded. "Yes. He has been taken in as a disciple and even managed to enter the Alchemy division. He didn''t say much about it since he wanted to hurry back but it seems he is quite close with one of the elder disciples called Yu. I''m not quite sure about his standing in the division but Junior Martial Brother Zhong made it sound as if he was of higher status."


    Qiguan Cheng Da hardly held back a smile. Until this point, everything he had said was true although he had left out all of the reasons Qiu Ling had presented for the things Jing Yi did, as well as what they had said about Hong Bao''s whereabouts. And, well, he hadn''t mentioned Qiu Ling either. It really made it sound as if all this was just the work of Jing Yi. It really was a situation too favorable to not make use of it.


    "It seems that disciple''s Master is a high-ranking Elder in the sect. If I understood correctly, he is in charge of a part of the sect. This disciple Yu is supposed to be his most-trusted one that is even entrusted with several tasks his Master would normally do. Junior Martial Brother Zhong mentioned that he was able to get some benefits because of his relationship with him."


    "Oh?" Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows but didn''t say anything else.


    Qiguan Cheng Da was sure that his plan had succeeded though. Now he only had to strike while the iron was hot. "Mn. Junior Martial Brother Zhong didn''t explain in more detail so I can''t say what exactly they were. He only said that it wasn''t enough to return just yet so he told me to report he''d stay there for a while longer."


    "Did he say for how long?"


    "Ah ¡­ not directly. He just said that it would take a lot of time and that there wasn''t any reason to check in on him for the next few months. I guess he himself wasn''t sure how much time he''d need?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. "Alright. Is there anything else?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da furrowed his brows as if he had to think about it. In the end, he shook his head. "No. No, other than that Junior Martial Brother Zhong only described the life in the sect."


    "I see. Alright. Thank you for traveling so far to accomplish this. You''ve helped us a lot."


    "It''s an honor to be able to be of help to the sect." Qiguan Cheng Da cupped his fists and bowed again, his smile getting complacent.


    Yuchi Bing Xia picked up his teacup and nodded. "You''re certainly tired after this ordeal. You may go and rest."


    Qiguan Cheng Da didn''t dare tarry even though he would have liked to stay longer very much. He stood up, once again cupped his fists and bowed in front of the Sect Master and nodded at Yu Jin before he turned around and left the study.


    It hadn''t gone as well as he had hoped it would but he might be able to build on it at a later date.


    Inside the study, Yuchi Bing Xia sipped his tea while looking at the door with narrowed eyes. After a while, he put the cup down and turned to the side. "What do you think?"


    "He lied."


    Yuchi Bing Xia waited but this disciple of his had turned mute once again. He sighed. "You don''t want to elaborate on that?"


    "As far as I know, Qiguan Cheng Da and Zhong Jing Yi know each other. They came from the same place. Maybe there''s some bad blood."


    Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t respond. Maybe his disciple would talk more if he kept quiet? But unfortunately, Yu Jin had only gone back to silently sipping his tea. The Sect Master could only sigh. "Who knows what was truth and what was falsehood? We should send somebody else over."


    "I''ll go."


    Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows. "You want to go personally? Why that?"


    "Didn''t Master intend for me to go in the first place? Now that something like this happened I might as well do it. There''s nothing for me to do in the sect anyway." He slightly furrowed his brows thinking of the stack of half-finished paintings in his house. If he left the sect ¡­ would he still see these things?


    Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t notice the slight change in his disciple and just nodded. "Alright, then you better go soon. If it''s not necessary, don''t tell those two what happened. We can''t let them be distracted."


    "Mn. Then I''ll go right now." Yu Jin put down the cup and stood up. He cupped his fists, bowed and left.


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed again and poured himself another cup of tea. "This child ¡­ I really don''t know what is going on inside his head."

 Chapter 294 - Heaven’s Way of Setting Things Right

    Yu Jin left the Yun Zou Sect immediately and headed in the direction of the Hei Dian Sect. The distance between both was actually quite far but that wouldn''t prove difficult for a cultivator or practitioner of a high enough level. If he really used his full strength, he probably wouldn''t even have needed a full day to travel there.


    Halfway to the territory of the evil sects, he stopped though. This part of the mortal realms was rich in spiritual energy thanks to the varied shapes of nature congregated here. Mountains towered high above the meadows, creeks crisscrossed the land and the wind whispered in the treetops of the ancient forests. If one wanted to find rare spiritual plants or even beasts, then this was the first place one should go.


    It was a place that had often been the cause for fights between the two factions and had been ruled by either side for long periods of time. Right now, the righteous faction had the upper hand and only some of the peripheral areas were under the rule of the evil faction. But that didn''t mean that it was something the righteous sects could use however they liked. For the disciples, this was a place fraught with danger. If they weren''t sent to temper themselves, they would never even think of entering here.


    Yu Jin silently floated in the air above this place, not caring for the dangers lurking on the ground at all. His gaze roamed and finally settled on a spot between the mountain peaks.


    The spiritual energy at that spot was different from that of the surrounding area: While the rest softly wafted over the ground and seemed to gather at some places the spiritual energy between those peaks roiled and warped. Looking at it, it seemed as if it wanted to escape the valley but was imprisoned and would inevitably have to return to the place it came from.


    Yu Jin took a look in the direction of the Hei Dian Sect and gave a sigh before slowly descending and landing at the top of one of the mountains. He scrutinized the valley again. Indeed, there was a disturbance in the spiritual energy just as he had thought.


    "Sure enough, Heaven has its own way of setting things right." He shook his head and took out a piece of paper. Using his spiritual power he wrote a message, folded it and sent it back to the Yun Zou Sect as a paper crane.


    Whatever they did it wasn''t up to him. Whether or not anything would happen he would just leave it to fate.


    He took a last look at the valley before flying up on his sword again and speeding off in the direction of the Hei Dian Sect once more.


    Contrary to Qiguan Cheng Da he didn''t take his time and thus arrived at the edge of the Hei Dian Sect''s territory a few hours later. He took a look around, his gaze lingering on the Beguiling Night Tree for a moment.


    He wasn''t an alchemist but he had studied spiritual plants and beasts quite a bit in case he ever got into a situation where he needed one of them. The peculiarity of this tree''s fruits wasn''t lost on him either.


    Yu Jin forcibly shook his head and took out another piece of paper. When had he become so easily distractible? The most important thing now was to inform those two that he had come to take their report once again.


    He wrote another message and sent it across the Hei Dian Sect to where Jing Yi and Qiu Ling currently were. While waiting he couldn''t help but look at the Beguiling Night Tree again.


    Honestly, just one fruit might be able to answer all his questions. Maybe he would remember that person? Maybe he''d at least get a clearer glimpse at whatever it was he had forgotten when he reincarnated after his last life? But it might also leave him without any clues or, even worse, suggest something that wasn''t actually true. The things one might see could be too easily misconstrued.


    Yu Jin closed his eyes and decisively turned away. He walked further away from the edge of the chasm until he couldn''t see the tree anymore and sat down on the grass.


    There were risks a cultivator had to take to advance but there were some things one shouldn''t even consider to risk. Taking a glimpse at your last life if it wasn''t intended by fate was such a risk. There were just too many things that could go wrong and might cause you to diverge from the path you were destined to walk. And maybe that would even keep you from ever finding out what you really should have seen.


    He didn''t want that. Whoever it was he should remember, he wanted to remember him and he wouldn''t do anything that might jeopardize the slim possibility of ever doing so. He''d rather wait a few more years or even a century if it could just lead him to that person.


    Looking up at the sky that was slowly turning dark he took a deep breath. It would have been too good to be true to happen upon something that might help him to achieve what he desired. If this had been the Fractured Crystal Leaf, he might have decided differently but the Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit definitely wasn''t a solution. It was more of a problem in itself.


    Well, maybe he''d have better luck the next time.


    He closed his eyes and just waited for Jing Yi and Qiu Ling to come over. As opposed to Qiguan Cheng Da he didn''t mind the wait. The spot he had chosen was hidden enough so he wouldn''t be noticed by any disciples guarding the sect and what difference was there between immersing himself in the spirit of the world here or in the Yun Zou Sect? In fact, he felt like a change of scene might be beneficial. After all, no place was like another. Maybe this Hei Dian Sect might reveal some new insight to him.

 Chapter 295 - Writing Home

    The two people Yu Jin was waiting for were busy with talking Hong Bao into writing to her sect.


    Jing Yi already held a scroll of paper and a brush and tried to stuff them into her hands. "Hong Bao, I''ve thought really long about this and you''ve been helping us so much. It''s only right that we do something for you. Look, Qiu Ling and I will be taking a trip soon and we''re coincidentally going to pass by your sect. So why don''t you write a letter to your Master to let him know you''re doing well? If I remember correctly, you never told him you''ve come here, did you?"


    Hong Bao shook her head. "I didn''t."


    "Then you should." Jing Yi tried to hand her the paper and brush but Hong Bao still didn''t take them. "You don''t want to write him? Are you afraid he''ll be mad because you didn''t get in touch with him for so long? You don''t have to worry about that. I''m sure your Master will be immensely happy as long as he knows that you''re well."


    "That''s not it." Hong Bao blinked. Why would she even worry about that? "I don''t know how to write."


    "Don''t ¡­" Jing Yi turned to face Qiu Ling. Why did this sound so familiar? He grimaced and handed the paper and brush to his fiance before turning back to Hong Bao. "Then how about we help you? You can just tell Qiu Ling what you want to tell your Master and he''ll write it down."


    Hong Bao pursed her lips. "So, you can just write whatever I say?"


    Qiu Ling nodded with a heavy heart. Actually, he didn''t really want to. Wasn''t his writing down things for someone reserved for his beloved? Why did he have to do so for this troublesome woman? But looking at the pleading eyes of his beloved he really couldn''t bring himself not to fulfill this little wish of his. "But just this once!"


    "Mn. Alright!" Hong Bao hurried over and sat down at the table. "Sit, sit."


    Qiu Ling sighed but still did as he was told. Jing Yi smiled and took a seat next to him to make this task a little more bearable for him. Indeed, Qiu Ling instantly straightened. Mn, this wasn''t bad! He''d love to write some more letters!


    "So, write down: Dear Senior Martial Brother Liu."


    "Huh?" Qiu Ling had started to write but stopped after the first character. "Senior Martial Brother? What about your Master?"


    "Ah, it''s much better to write to my Senior Martial Brother. Don''t ask. Just write it down."


    Qiu Ling lifted his brows but still got back to work again. As soon as he finished the line he looked up at her, waiting for the next thing she wanted him to write down.


    Hong Bao pressed her lips together. "Cheng."


    "Huh?" Qiu Ling blinked and turned to Jing Yi to see if he understood but Jing Yi also shook his head.


    "What do you mean, Hong Bao?"


    "Well, it sounds so formal if you only write Senior Martial Brother Liu. It''s better if you write Liu Cheng."


    "Alright ¡­" Qiu Ling complied, after all, this was his beloved''s wish. He could make any alterations she wanted. "Then what after that?"


    "What did you write until now?"


    Qiu Ling gave her a dark look. "Dear Senior Martial Brother Liu Cheng."


    Hong Bao grimaced, making Qiu Ling wince inside. This was only the first line! What could be wrong with it now?


    "So, what do you want me to change now?"


    "How about changing that to just Dear Brother Liu Cheng? Doesn''t that sound much more intimate?"


    "Sure." Qiu Ling just scribbled over it. "Done."


    "Great!"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling gave an unenthusiastic murmur. "So what do I write after that?"


    "How about ¡­ ''I''m visiting my sister''?"


    "Mn, sounds good!" Qiu Ling once again swung the brush but before he had even managed to finish the line Hong Bao already lifted her hands with a yell.


    "Ah! No, no, no! That''s not right! He still thinks she''s missing. We should explain that first."


    "¡­ Alright."


    "So, how about writing ''Do you still remember when I told you about my sister, Hong Ai? I''ve found out that she''s living at the Hei Dian Sect so I went there to meet with her.'' instead?"


    "Mh-mh." Qiu Ling waved the brush around but only wrote two or three characters. Wouldn''t she change her opinion the next minute anyway?


    Indeed. Hong Bao had just finished dictating these two sentences when she suddenly remembered that she hadn''t told Liu Cheng about her trip at all. She should tell him a bit more. "This isn''t right either! Well, the first sentence is alright but the second one isn''t. I think it would be better if you wrote: ''A while back my brother-in-law came looking for me and told me that she''s living at the Hei Dian Sect now so I followed him home to catch up with her.''"


    Qiu Ling nodded and this time he did indeed write down everything. Unfortunately, this wasn''t the last change Hong Bao wanted him to make and the rest of the letter was composed in the same messy way. Even with all the foresight, Qiu Ling could muster he had to cross out nearly a third of the things he had written.


    In the end, the letter looked like a strange painting depicting a panda.


    Qiu Ling didn''t care at all. He had written this letter all for the sake of satisfying his beloved but he certainly wouldn''t sit down and transcribe the thing in a neater way. If this woman couldn''t organize her thoughts beforehand, it was her fault if her Senior Martial Brother thought badly about her.


    "Great. Then let''s go." He stood up and pulled Jing Yi''s arm, intent on leaving right away now that they had gotten the evidence they needed. Honestly, if he could he would even hurry back to the Yun Zou Sect right now. At least, his beloved would be a bit safer there.


    "Eh? Wait! What about your wedding?"


    Qiu Ling stopped in his tracks and barely withstood the urge to turn around. "What about it?"


    "I think we''ve talked about everything that''s important. So how about having it next week?"


    "Oh?" Qiu Ling turned Jing Yi around and pulled him back down. Somehow, this troublesome woman didn''t seem as annoying anymore now that he looked at her again. Mn, it seemed it was true that everyone had their good sides.

 Chapter 296 - A Unique Family

    Jing Yi smiled wryly. Was this everything Qiu Ling could think about? But then again he was really happy that Qiu Ling had finally stopped being so tense. Since that day when he went to give the things he had refined to Senior Martial Brother Yue, Qiu Ling had never relaxed even for a minute. Seeing that demon had really distressed him. It was good that there was now something else occupying his mind.


    Qiu Ling turned toward him and grabbed his hands. "My love, what do you think? Wouldn''t marrying next week be great?" His eyes seemed to sparkle.


    Jing Yi actually didn''t think it was a good idea. They were still in the Hei Dian Sect. There was no way they could have a normal human wedding with his family and their friends from the Yun Zou Sect here. As for the way Qiu Ling''s race married ¡­ He blushed just thinking about it. It probably wouldn''t be a problem to do that here.


    Regardless, he couldn''t bring himself to reject when Qiu Ling looked at him like this. "Well, if you want to ¡­"


    Qiu Ling''s expression brightened before dimming again. "You don''t sound like you really want to."


    "Of course I want to." He really wanted to explain himself but how could he say these things in front of Hong Bao? She was still the Grandmaster''s sister-in-law. If she told him about it ¡­ He couldn''t risk that. In the end, he opted for giving his fiance a hint. "I just ¡­ thought about your family."


    Qiu Ling blinked. "What about them?"


    "Well, they can''t be there, can they? Isn''t it sad?"


    Qiu Ling thought about it. "Not particularly?"


    Honestly, even disregarding the whole thing with his mother, his relationship with his father hadn''t been that good either. After all, it was hard to ignore the way his father had looked at that so-called best friend of his. He might not have understood back then what exactly it meant but it was clear as day that that had been the main reason why they had to leave the capital. Back then, he had actually resented his father for that.


    Well, he had thought of love too simple back then. You fell in love, you married, you''d be happy with each other until the day you died. And even then you''d be lying next to each other until your bones turned into dust. That had always been what he believed. To a certain degree, he still did. He wanted to have that kind of life with Jing He.


    But with several ten thousand years of experience more that included falling in love himself he finally understood that things weren''t as easy. His father had done some dumb things admittedly and maybe things would have turned out differently if he hadn''t. But quite a few of them had been forced by the circumstances, too. The expectations of others, the expectations he had of himself ¡­


    In the end, he had probably been too honorable. Taking a woman home he didn''t love, raising the child he never wanted and abandoning the one his heart truly longed for ¡­ Hadn''t all of it been just because he felt it was the right thing to do? Whatever he felt he knew it wasn''t right to abandon a woman in that situation, so he hadn''t been able to bring himself to do it. Instead, he had actually denied what his own heart felt and abandoned that person.


    Would things have turned out differently if that old geezer ¡­ no, he should have been a young geezer back then. If he had raised a fuzz and demanded him to follow his heart would his old man have done it?


    Or maybe his father could have done it like the demons and married twice? Qiu Ling smiled wryly just thinking about it. He still remembered his father pretty good and would never forget the face of his mother. It hadn''t been that long since he saw the old geezer either. If his old man had actually married both of them, it might have been even worse. After all, his mother hadn''t been as demure as she looked while the late, uh, not so late dragon king had been the total opposite.


    Heavens, just thinking back on it now he felt it pretty creepy how that geezer had looked at his father. As if he was some shy flower that couldn''t even completely lift his head in front of the man he loved. Yeah, sure, because those two didn''t run around killing things when they were young. Well, that was probably the type his father liked considering he fell for it twice.


    Qiu Ling shuddered and shook his head. He definitely didn''t want to think about that any longer. Some things about dead people should better be forgotten.


    Jing Yi raised his brows. Watching his fiance''s expression for the last minute he really had to wonder about that family. Well, considering how Qiu Ling was it was probably to be expected that his family was also a little ¡­ unique.


    Qiu Ling came out of his thoughts and squeezed Jing Yi''s hands. "My love, as long as I have you it''s alright. You''re the only family I need. Well, and your mother is nice, too." Qiu Ling smiled. Indeed. And not just his mortal mother. The Heavenly Empress was also a nice lady. Mn, much better than his own! Getting that type of mother-in-law on top of the marriage with his beloved was really such a great thing!


    He turned to Hong Bao and nodded. "Then let''s do ¡ª"


    Before he could finish his sentence a paper crane swished past him, circled around him once and then proceeded to float in front of his face. Qiu Ling frowned.


    Do you think I wouldn''t know what you are? You''re clearly a stumbling block someone with bad intentions sent over to once again prevent my marriage! But honestly, do you believe I''d fall for the same trick twice? I''ll just ignore you!


    He swatted the thing away and smiled at Hong Bao. Unfortunately, Jing Yi had seen the paper crane, too. He leveled Qiu Ling with a dark look until a certain dragon king''s smile deflated. Then, he obediently picked the paper crane up and read the message.

 Chapter 297 - Giving Another Report

    This time around, Qiu Ling''s expression changed in the opposite way: It darkened at first before suddenly brightening. This was terrific! It was actually some disciple of the Yun Zou Sect that wanted them to meet up again to hear their report. Didn''t this mean that they could hand in the letter of that troublesome woman, say the truth and then immediately return to the Yun Zou Sect to have the wedding?!


    "We need to go!" He stood up again and pulled Jing Yi along, not giving any explanation even when they had left the Grandmaster''s estate.


    Jing Yi stumbled along until he was sure that Hong Bao wouldn''t be able to hear them. Then he grabbed Qiu Ling''s arm. "Qiu Ling, Qiu Ling! Wait! What happened?"


    Qiu Ling halted but already took his beloved into his arms as a precaution. "It''s from the Yun Zou Sect. Somebody has come over to take our report again." He smiled brightly while Jing Yi furrowed his brow.


    "But it has only been a week since Senior Martial Brother Qiguan left."


    "Who cares? We already have the letter. Let''s go and deliver it so we can return. Wouldn''t you rather marry at the Yun Zou Sect, too?"


    "So you know." Jing Yi sighed. "But, Qiu Ling, what if this is a trap? Maybe someone wants to test whether we''re spies or not. If we go there, we''d give ourselves away."


    Qiu Ling froze. Uh, right, that was entirely possible. He shook his head the next moment though. "There''s no need to fuss. Even if you''re right and it''s just a test, we already have the evidence." He waved the letter around with a grin. "If we''re exposed, we''ll just run away and deliver the letter home. Then they can''t force us to return anyway."


    "That sounds horrible."


    "But it''s true." Qiu Ling didn''t feel like there was anything wrong with what he said. "So, let''s go. The sooner we meet up with him, the sooner we can leave here." He leaped up from the ground and flew over to the spot indicated in the message.


    They were greeted by the sight of Yu Jin sitting on the ground in meditation.


    Jing Yi lifted his brows. "Senior Martial Brother Yu?"


    Qiu Ling followed him in lifting his brows. How odd! This guy had the same name as his beloved''s Senior Martial Brother in this Hei Dian Sect!


    Yu Jin opened his eyes and nodded. "I came on my Master''s orders to hear what you were able to find out until now."


    "What about Senior Martial Brother Qiguan?" Jing Yi was relieved that this wasn''t someone from the Hei Dian Sect testing them but he also couldn''t understand why the Yun Zou Sect would send someone after just this short amount of time. The only explanation he could think of was that something might have happened to Qiguan Cheng Da so that the sect hadn''t been able to hear what they reported to him.


    "There were some complications."


    "He ¡­ Is he alright?"


    Yu Jin nodded again. "He is. So, about your mission ¡­?"


    Jing Yi turned to Qiu Ling who handed over the letter with a smile. "We found those two. This is a letter I wrote for that troublesome ¡­ younger sister."


    Yu Jin coughed and his schooled expression actually derailed for a split second. This ¡­ was such an apt description. "So, they''re both alright?"


    "Yes. Very well. Just give that to their sect and everything should be explained. Actually, there isn''t any underlying plot at all. It''s just a misunderstanding."


    "I see." Yu Jin put the letter away. There was still the question of how much of what Qiguan Cheng Da had said was false.


    He felt like not everything had been made up or rather most of it had somehow been the truth. It just seemed as if it had been reported in a way that was especially ambiguous to give the impression that Jing Yi had turned on the Yun Zou Sect while still making sure that nobody could fault Qiguan Cheng Da in case the truth came out. He hadn''t said anything wrong after all. It was just that people had misunderstood him.


    He was actually quite smart. If not for his questionable personality he might even have become a valued disciple. Now, he was just someone with talent that couldn''t be used. In fact, the sect might even try to suppress him to make sure he wouldn''t become dangerous.


    "In the end, what exactly is their situation?"


    Qiu Ling and Jing Yi exchanged a glance.


    Jing Yi lowered his head. He was embarrassed on behalf of Hong Bao. Her sister eloping with someone from an evil sect was something that could be explained. She had been young and Grandmaster Shen was a handsome and charismatic man. People would feel that she had decided wrong but it was still acceptable to a certain degree.


    Hong Bao ¡­ She was just careless. Following her brother-in-law to meet up with her sister again was alright but how could she have forgotten to inform her Master? Or anybody else for that matter. Even if she just wrote a single letter to that Senior Martial Brother Liu of hers this whole misunderstanding could have been prevented.


    Not that he had any reason to complain. The Sect Master had made pretty clear that he wouldn''t be able to marry Qiu Ling as long as he was an outer sect disciple and becoming part of the inner sect depended on this mission. It was actually his luck that this was just because Hong Bao had acted this stupidly and not because of an intricate plot he''d need years to unravel. Thinking like that she had actually done him a favor.


    Qiu Ling had no qualms about exposing the whole thing though. What was there to be embarrassed about? He wasn''t the one who had done it and even if he had, it would''ve been for Jing He. Who could fault him for doing something outrageous for such a heavenly person?


    Thus, he told Yu Jin the whole ridiculous story without any reservations.

 Chapter 298 - They Were All Blind

    While Qiu Ling and Jing Yi reported to Yu Jin, Zhong Gang and his wife Li Fang were busy preparing their daughter''s marriage in the capital. They had finally gotten her fiance back. If they didn''t pounce now and made it official, would Guanyu ever manage to marry?


    They hurriedly sent their servants out with the message that the wedding would be held the very next day and that the attempt two days prior had been a misunderstanding. Well, they had already lost face, so why shouldn''t they explain? The important thing was that Guanyu would really get married this time. Furthermore, they had gotten a cultivator as their son-in-law. Whatever face they had lost, he''d win it all back for them just by appearing!


    Soon enough midday had gone by and the guests slowly started to trickle in. Not just a few of them were gossiping in hushed voices even upon arrival. Zhong Guanyu who was already waiting in the hall couldn''t help but clench her fists. This was her wedding! How dare these people badmouth her on this perfect day?! Alright, they had already come two days ago and then went home without having seen a wedding but still. Could something like that happen a second time?


    That was exactly the question everyone was asking themselves or their neighbors. "Heh, do you believe that so-called groom will show up this time?" This question was directed at Shao Chen who was known to be friends with Zhong Gang. Everyone thought that he should have some inside information.


    Shao Chen didn''t know anything but he naturally wouldn''t say something that brought trouble to his friend. "Why shouldn''t he? Didn''t the Zhongs explain that the last time was a misunderstanding?"


    The other man laughed. "What kind of misunderstanding could that be? Maybe they misunderstood the so-called groom and mistakenly thought he wanted to marry that Guanyu-girl? Honestly, there isn''t anything good about her and everyone knows."


    Shao Chen wanted to retort but actually found himself tongue-tied. Well, Guanyu certainly wasn''t a girl he''d want as his daughter-in-law ¡­ Ah, not everyone could be as demure and obedient as Zhong Jing Yi. That really was one of the biggest regrets in his life that he hadn''t managed to make Shao Hai marry him!


    "Hmph. Now you see!" The other man wasn''t satisfied with just silence as his answer. "If the Zhong family actually manages to produce a groom today, then they probably just paid a beggar to take on that role. Which good man would even consider her? She''s loud and has a bad temper and no wifely qualities at all. If this was about my family I''d rather my sons don''t marry at all than marry someone like her."


    Shao Chen couldn''t argue with the first part but as for the second ¡­ "You''re being too harsh. This is her wedding day and the Zhongs certainly didn''t need to coerce him. He''s doing it out of his own free will. Just because you can''t see anything good about Zhong Guanyu that doesn''t mean that others are just as blind." Alright, he was blind too but this was his best friend''s daughter. Even if he thought differently inwardly he still had to say something nice about her outwardly.


    The other man just laughed though. "I''d really like to see the man who has such discerning eyes!"


    As if he had just waited for that cue, Xiao Li walked into the hall in a fiery red robe. His gaze touched upon the assembled guests and finally stopped at the man who had vilified Guanyu. He certainly didn''t want to marry her and he definitely didn''t like her but this woman was still his bride-to-be. How dare a mere human talk about her like this?!


    "That man would be me," he said coolly and flicked his sleeve before walking to the front of the hall where Guanyu stood.


    Guanyu instantly got over her frustration. What a grandiose entrance! Her future husband wasn''t just good-looking he was even so domineering! She really couldn''t wait to become his wife! She really wanted to tell him but she was afraid that somebody would hear or, even worse, that her mother might be right. Maybe he would really be appalled if he got to know her and refuse to marry her. She couldn''t let that happen! Thus Guanyu kept quiet in a rare show of obedience.


    The guest who had spoken badly about Guanyu didn''t dare to say anything else. It turned out ¡­ the groom was real and just judging from his presence he was not the usual kind of person. Maybe he was from a really prestigious family? That kind of arrogance where one looked down upon everyone else was normally just achieved in such families. Come to think of it, this was the capital city. It could even be that he was part of the royal family!


    The man elbowed Shao Chen and lowered his voice. "Old Shao, just who is this man?"


    Shao Chen himself had no idea who exactly this person was. He knew the most important thing though. With a smug smile, he turned to the other guest. "You probably won''t believe it but he''s a Daoist Immortal!"


    "A ¡­" The guest snickered. "Alright, alright. I went too far before. I''ll apologize. But tell me the truth now. Who is he?"


    Shao Chen frowned. "It''s the truth already. He is part of the Yun Zou Sect."


    Right at this moment, Xiao Li turned around to Guanyu and nodded. "Miss Zhong, I''m very sorry for what happened previously. Getting the days mixed up and having your family take the blame ¡­ there really isn''t anything I can do to make amends. Just that, since we''re about to become husband and wife I hope you''ll forgive me."


    Guanyu grinned madly behind her red veil but she forced herself to calm down. "Naturally. How could I dare resent my husband? It''s all Guanyu''s fault." She made an attempt at being as demure as possible but it really sounded unnatural.


    Xiao Li didn''t care though. His king had ordered him to marry her. Even if he didn''t want to, what option was there? "As a small sign of appreciation let me give you this." He took the small jade bottle out of his sleeve and handed it Guanyu. "This is a mystical pill my Master once gave me. It will cleanse a practitioner''s body and thus enable him to reach greater heights." He forced himself to give a gentle smile.


    The guests were awed. This girl who always made trouble in the capital had actually managed to get herself a Daoist Immortal as her husband-to-be! Not only that, the man was obviously smitten! How could she have such heaven-defying luck?!


    Guanyu felt immensely touched. She took the bottle from Xiao Li and held it in her hands like a treasure. "Thank you. I ¡­ I''ll definitely cherish it!"


    Xiao Li faked an even sweeter smile. "It''s not to be cherished. It''s to be consumed. You see I''ve already cultivated for a long time while you haven''t even tried. There is already a difference in our lifespans. I hope that this pill will allow us to overcome this difficulty and be together for the longest possible time."


    Guanyu didn''t even know what to say anymore. She could only nod obediently, nearly choking because she somehow had to stifle her happy laughter behind her veil.


    Then, finally, it was time for the ceremony.

 Chapter 299 - Entertaining the Guests

    While Guanyu had trouble holding in her excitement Xiao Li gritted his teeth the whole time. Over and over again he reminded himself why he was doing this and that he could still return to the demon realm after the task was finished. The demons wouldn''t even find anything strange about it. For them, marrying several partners was natural. What was one human wife? They wouldn''t even bat an eyelid at this.


    He calmed himself and accompanied Guanyu in the three kowtows and then in paying respect to those gods the mortals prayed to and to Guanyu''s ancestors.


    Heavens! He wanted to puke! Why did he have to pray to some gods? And pay respect to some humans?! He was a demon! A demon! If anything, he should be the person that was being paid respect to by the humans not the other way around!


    He clenched his fists inside his sleeves and thought of the beautiful face of his king and that gentle smile on his lips. Just taking one look at him would tell everyone how superior demons were. Over and over again Xiao Li told himself these things and swore that he''d marry a few women of the demon tribe in the future to make up for the shame he felt today.


    All of the rituals were done soon. Guanyu retired to her chambers while Xiao Li stayed behind to entertain the guests. Naturally, the people of the capital were thrilled to have the chance to speak with a real Daoist. Whatever they had thought about this wedding previously, all of it was long forgotten.


    Who knew how they would react if they ever found out that Xiao Li was a demonic cultivator instead of a righteous Daoist? And even part demon on top ¡­


    Xiao Li managed to continue smiling gently through the remainder of the afternoon and even answered some of the questions.


    How had he become a Daoist Immortal? Well, naturally that was because one of the Elders of the Yun Zou Sect went out on an important mission one day and happened upon him. Seeing his natural aptitude for cultivation he took him back to the sect with him.


    His mortal family? Ah, that had been long ago so none of them were alive anymore but both of his parents had been from good households. His mother was a woman of nobility while his father had been a man of the military. Other siblings? He didn''t have those. Yes, indeed, everything had fallen to him after their death. Naturally, a cultivator wouldn''t care about worldly possessions. Spiritual enlightenment was so much more important.


    Oh? You asked how it could be that a Daoist Immortal would marry? That wasn''t anything strange, actually. Quite a few of the Elders of the sect were also married. It wasn''t actually forbidden. Love, too, was important in life. The only prerequisite was that it had to be a pure love not tainted by desire.


    When Xiao Li got to that point the men all looked at him as if they had seen a monkey riding into town on a pig. What did he mean ''not tainted by desire''? It couldn''t be ¡­


    One of the guests couldn''t take it any longer and asked in a roundabout way. "So you can''t have children with her?"


    Xiao Li gave him a contemplative look. "Of course I can. Why wouldn''t I?"


    "Well ¡­" The man scratched his head and then shut up. He definitely didn''t dare to ask that question.


    Zhong Gang had heard too what Xiao Li had said just now and was getting impatient. Why couldn''t this guest ask further?! He wanted to know what this was about! He hurriedly elbowed Shao Chen who wasn''t that easily embarrassed and motioned for him to pose the question.


    Shao Chen smiled wryly. Even though his skin was a little thicker, how could he just ask something like that so directly?


    An awkward silence enveloped the place. Xiao Li looked at the entrance and pondered whether or not he should take his leave now. The light of the day was already waning and soon enough night would fall upon the capital city. Maybe it was time?


    Just when he wanted to say his farewell Shao Chen finally spoke up. Or, well, first of all, he gave a cough. "Uh ¡­ Pardon me, Daoist Immortal, but ¡­ you see, I''m an uncouth man. I don''t know much and can''t even read that well. I was wondering what does that mean ''a love not tainted by desire''? How is it different from normal love?"


    The other guests curiously looked at Xiao Li before hurriedly throwing piqued glances at Shao Chen as if they couldn''t believe he actually asked.


    Pretentious pack! Shao Chen snorted. As if he didn''t know that they had all asked themselves the same question! It was so obvious but they still wanted to pretend. Did they think this Daoist Immortal was blind? If even he himself could see it, then this man could see it even more easily.


    Xiao Li really wanted to sigh. Had he said too much? Well, maybe he should have said that he indeed couldn''t have any children. Then he wouldn''t have to do anything with that human woman. But then again wasn''t pillow talk exactly what he was after? He wanted intimate details about the dragon king''s beloved, after all.


    Xiao Li lowered his head and gave another smile. "Oh, no, it''s my fault, Mister Shao. I probably didn''t say it right. You see it''s not something anyone else can judge. Only the person himself and heaven will know. You could say that it is in the reason for the marriage. Does one marry because one truly loves the other person or is it because of something else like materialistic gains or just because one wants to indulge in carnal desires?"


    "Oh!" Shao Chen made a show of enlightenment while all the other people nodded along as well.


    So it was like this!


    Zhong Gang also heaved a sigh of relief. It was great that his daughter had married a Daoist Immortal but what could she get out of it if they two couldn''t have children? After marriage, a woman''s worth was always measured depending on her son, after all. That certainly wouldn''t be different even among Daoists.


    Knowing that he had only made a wrong assumption and that his daughter''s future wasn''t at stake Zhong Gang hurried over to Xiao Li''s side. "Alright, alright. You''ve talked so much with the groom already. He should go and spend some time with his wife now."


    The guests all signaled their understanding while Xiao Li just continued to smile gently. He cupped his fists at the guests and even bowed to Zhong Gang.


    "Then if you would excuse me. Miss Guanyu is certainly waiting already."


    Nobody had any objections to this. Thus Xiao Li turned around and went in the direction of Guanyu''s quarters. Nobody noticed the grim expression on his face. Only he knew how much he loathed having to do this.

 Chapter 300 - That Favor Never Existed

    While Xiao Li begrudgingly finished the last step of his wedding his king was busy exploiting his own harem. Having one was something that was expected of him even though he himself didn''t have much desire for it. There was and there had always been only one person he truly loved so he hadn''t felt much better than Xiao Li when he married his first wife.


    He had still gone through with it in the end because he knew he had to. Having a harem was important in his position. Without it, he might not have been the demon king very long. Naturally, the security a harem could give largely depended on how apt one was at using it but looking back at generations of demon kings Jin Ling was probably the one doing the best job in this regard. Naturally, the men and women in his harem hadn''t been chosen arbitrarily either.


    For example, the woman he was with right now: Her name was Xiang Yu and she was one of the few goddesses who had married a demon. Among all of them, she was also the highest ranking goddess.


    With her father being one of the Heavenly Generals who directly answered to the God of War Qiang Yan, she had always felt that she couldn''t marry just any man. When the supreme ruler of the demon race approached her she had been a little taken aback at first but finally gave in.


    This was a man with the kind of status she desired! Who wouldn''t want to be called the queen of a whole race? Even if it was the demons, it was still something a lot of people would envy her for. Well, and Jin Ling''s appearance might have played a role too ¡­


    Xiang Yu had thought too simple though. What queen of the demon race? There were about a hundred beauties in Jin Ling''s harem! She was lucky that he could actually remember her name and face. In fact, she didn''t saw him often, only every few weeks and he didn''t seem as enthusiastic about her as he had right at the beginning when he had still been wooing her. She always tried winning his favor back without ever realizing that this so-called favor had never existed.


    There wasn''t any place for her in Jin Ling''s heart and the reason he had approached her was naturally because of her father. In fact, if given the opportunity he would have rather seduced another woman to attain his goals. He didn''t think Xiang Yu was worthy of him in any aspect. Be it her status or her appearance she was just sub-par. Well, he had never expected much. Besides that special person, there was no one who could fulfill his requirements. She was useful for the time being though.


    Jin Ling plastered a pleasant smile onto his lips and gently kissed her shoulders. "Ah, it''s all my fault. I haven''t had the time to give you much attention in the last weeks. I don''t know what it is but something seems to be happening in the immortal realms. I''m actually a little worried."


    "Why would you?" Xiang Yu purred and clung to his neck. "Such a strong and powerful man like you, there really isn''t any need to worry."


    "Silly!" Jin Lin''s smile seemed to become gentler and he kissed her brow. "Naturally, I''m not worried about myself but rather about you! What if someone targets you? Or maybe they''ll go after your family since they know that I''ll have you guarded. Ah, you certainly wouldn''t want that."


    "Mn, that would be horrible." Xiang Yu scratched his chest. She actually didn''t care much for that. She was already a married woman. Why should she concern herself with her maternal family? No, she was way more interested in spending some time with her husband and cultivating good feelings between them.


    Jin Ling grabbed her wandering hand that was trying to ignite some fire between them once again. "I''ve been thinking that it might be a good idea if you went and had a look. Just go and visit them for a few days. We''ll both feel better if you do."


    "Ah?" Xiang Yu looked up without managing to mask her shock in time.


    Jin Ling sat up and stroked his copper-colored hair back. "I''ll miss you so much but I wouldn''t be able to forgive myself if anything happened to your family. Just go over and make sure. Maybe ask them if anything has happened. After that, you should hurry right back. Mn, I''ll better send a guard with you. We can''t risk anything happening to you. I''d better organize that right now." He stood up and put on his clothes again before striding out of the room. He didn''t look back for even a moment.


    Xiang Yu could only stare at his back, unable to protest before the door had closed behind him. She slumped down and hit the pillow. "Damn this! I''d much rather stay and spend time with him!" Well, if he wanted her to visit her maternal home for a while, she''d do it though. Who knew? Maybe something had really happened. It didn''t matter much to her but whatever she found out might be of help to her husband. Then the trip would have been worthwhile. After all, who didn''t like a useful woman?


    Thus she got up and started packing a few things. She didn''t intend to stay long but who knew if she wouldn''t need something?


    Jin Ling went to the throne room and motioned to one of the servants. "There''s some guard outside at the gates who looks like a langur. Get him in here."


    The servant hurriedly nodded and hastened away. Jin Ling sat down on his throne and looked at the door in boredom. He was already quite sure that the person accompanying Qiu Ling was the Son of Heaven, Jing He. The bastard''s reaction had already given away as much. But he''d rather make sure one more time. He didn''t want to waste his time on someone unimportant after all.


    Considering Qiu Ling''s personality and the rumors about how protective the Heavenly Emperor was of his son, there should be a large scale movement of the guards soon enough. Xiang Yu would definitely hear of that.


    If it was true, then there would be some considerations to make when dealing with this situation. He wanted to kill that boy but he definitely couldn''t do so in an obvious fashion if he really was the Son of Heaven or he''d be caught up in an all-out war against both the gods and the dragons. That would really be too troublesome.


    The guard Jin Ling had asked for hurried inside and bowed. "Your Majesty."


    "One of my wives will be visiting the Nine Heavens for a few days. I''m extremely worried that something might happen to her so I want you to go along and guard her."


    "Understood." The man bowed again, rejoicing inside. His Majesty had actually remembered him! Not only that, he had even given him an important mission!


    Well, just like Xiang Yu he had no idea that Jin Ling was just doing things out of convenience. The demon king actually didn''t care for this at all. Thus he just waved at the servant again who led the guard to where Xiang Yu was preparing.


    Meanwhile, Jin Ling prepared for his own trip.

 Chapter 301 - Entrusted with a Mission

    The first thing he did was hurrying back to his own chambers and taking a bath. Believe it or not even after marrying so many times and doing what he had to do with all these people he still felt disgusted just thinking about it. If he could, he would just scrub off part of his skin every day.


    Finally feeling a bit better when he came out of the bath he looked for something to wear that wouldn''t scream ''demon king'' too much when he went out. Mn, there was that green robe. Back then, he had always liked seeing that color on him ¡­


    Jin Ling sighed and slipped into the robe. He couldn''t help but take a look at the mirror. Mn, this probably counted as handsome? "If you saw me like this ¡­ I wonder if you would still react the same way?" His lips curled in a ridiculing smile. What was he even thinking about? Naturally, his reaction would still be the same.


    Jin Ling shook his head. This wasn''t the time to think about that. He still had to prepare to ruin Qiu Ling. Well, this appearance was still a little troublesome. To a human, he would probably look like a demon regardless of what he wore. His hair really was troublesome in that regard.


    Anyway, he''d just try. If the guy didn''t trust him, then he could still change his appearance and approach him a second time. He didn''t believe that a human would be able to reject his offer time and again. Especially if he was like Xiao Li had described.


    Jin Ling turned around and strode out of his palace. When his figure was out of sight a sigh sounded in the shadows. A person stepped out and silently left the palace, too. He didn''t leave the demon realm like Jin Ling though. Instead, he went to an abandoned courtyard and quietly slipped into one of the houses.


    Two people were sitting opposite each other at a table. Neither of them said a word and they just stared at each other. A broadsword was lying next to one of them and the atmosphere indicated that it might be drawn any moment.


    The person who had just entered furrowed his brow. He stepped forward and placed one of his feet on the blade of the sword. "If this was one of the demons, the two of you might already be dead."


    The two dragons at the table jumped up, the left one taking out a whip while the one on the right frowned and looked at his weapon.


    The man who had entered furrowed his brow even more but took his foot back and sat down. "Sit. Let''s talk."


    The other two exchanged a glance before taking a closer look at the man. He was wearing a black robe and part of his face was covered by a mask so they hadn''t noticed at first but the other half of his face and the silvery-white hair were a dead giveaway that they actually knew this person!


    "Senior Xin?" Fu Min indeed sat down. In fact, he wouldn''t have been able to continue standing. His knees had just gone weak at this surprise. What was this person doing here?


    Indeed, those two men were none other than Fu Min and Fu Heng who had been sent to the demon realm by Qiu Ling to find out what Jin Ling was planning.


    Fu Heng hesitated but finally sat down, too.


    Xin Lan took a deep breath. Those two really were infuriating. They clearly had so much potential but they just couldn''t draw on any of it when they were together.


    When the man didn''t speak Fu Min couldn''t help but lean forward. "Senior Xin, what are you doing here? I thought you were ¡­"


    Xin Lan''s brow twitched. "Worry about yourself first. Honestly, how can the two of you be this unguarded while in enemy territory?"


    Fu Min lowered his head in shame but Fu Heng frowned. He wouldn''t let anyone scold Fu Min, not even if it was a respected senior. "Senior Xin must be joking. How could it be the same if it had been one of the demons? Senior wouldn''t want to proclaim them to be on the same level as himself, would he?"


    Fu Min wasn''t thankful for his aid though. Instead, he erupted. "Fu Heng, you bastard! What are you even saying? How dare you compare Senior Xin with the demons?!"


    Xin Lan raised his brows. These punks. They were still the same as ever. Fu Heng trying to rescue Fu Min out of whatever situation arose while Fu Min gave a loud show of how much he disliked the other even while everyone else could see him ogle Fu Heng as soon as the other turned his back for a second.


    Fu Heng frowned at Fu Min''s complain. When had he compared anyone? He didn''t say anything though. One shouldn''t argue with the person he liked. His reaction seemed like it would make Fu Min fly into an even greater rage though.


    Before he could erupt Xin Lan cleared his throat. "I can imagine why the two of you are here. It''s indeed true. The demon king is planning something. He already found out that His Majesty and his lover are in the human realm. He is still trying to find out more but I''m afraid his plan to go after His Majesty''s beloved is already set. The two of you shouldn''t continue to linger here and instead go and help His Majesty guard him. I certainly don''t need to remind you what might happen if that person indeed comes to hurt."


    Fu Min nodded hurriedly. "Of course, Senior Xin! We''ll go and report right now!" He stood up and wanted to go but Fu Heng didn''t bother to do the same. He just stared at Xin Lan, his eyes slightly narrowed.


    Xin Lan just waited. He actually felt that it was good that Fu Heng didn''t react like Fu Min immediately. It clearly showed that he was the more mature person of the two. After all, they had gotten a mission from their king. How could they just declare it accomplished because of a few words? Even if those words came from a respected Senior of theirs.


    "Senior Xin, pardon my asking, but why do you know about this situation?"


    "I myself have come here because of a mission. I found out about it on the side and then noticed that you arrived here shortly thereafter."


    Fu Heng nodded. "So it''s like that."


    "Let''s go now!" Fu Min grabbed Fu Heng''s robe and tried to drag him to his feet. He wasn''t able to though.


    "Mn, so it''s like that. You see I was quite surprised. His Majesty didn''t even mention Senior Xin was here on a mission."


    Xin Lan gave a smile. "Naturally so. He doesn''t know either that I''m here."


    "Then the mission ¡­"


    "Was given by the former king."

 Chapter 302 - Searching for Clues

    While the three dragons were talking, the demon king Jin Ling arrived not far from the place where the former dragon king Jinde was currently at. Jin Ling examined the grounds of the Yun Zou Sect and stroked his copper-color hair back. "So this is the place. Mn ¡­ Where to find that Qiguan Cheng Da now?"


    He silently descended to the ground and walked straight toward the gates. Naturally, he didn''t forget to conceal himself with his magic. He wouldn''t want any of the other mortals to meddle in his plan.


    Jin Ling had never before been in the Yun Zou Sect but since one of his nephews was the grandmaster of the Hei Dian Sect and there were a few others who were part human and had decided to try their luck in the mortal realms instead. Most of them had become influential figures in these cultivation sects. Thus he knew quite a bit about these sects in general.


    Looking at the layout of the sect grounds he already knew that the inner sect would be distributed on the different peaks while the outer sect was in the valley. Xiao Li hadn''t mentioned to which of them Qiguan Cheng Da belonged.


    Jin Ling slightly furrowed his brows. Ah, that Xiao Li ¡­ The general information he gave was pretty good but it lacked in details. How was he supposed to put his plan into motion like this? Now he''d have to expend extra effort.


    Jin Ling slowly wandered through the Yun Zou Sect. Listening to the disciples might point him in the right direction but that would require that they talked about that person and even mentioned his name. After all, he didn''t know anything else about him. No, he couldn''t just leave it to fate like this.


    There had to be some sort of clue. The most intriguing thing was certainly the grudge he had with Qiu Ling''s beloved. If it was there but the other person didn''t remember, then that only left a few possibilities: Either he had known that boy before he came to the mortal world or the grudge had formed here but something had happened that made the boy unable to remember about it.


    The first possibility was next to impossible. How could a mere mortal know a trueborn god? So that only left the second one. As for things that could make him forget about it ¡­ Either there had been an accident or it had just been erased from his memory by time. The boy was young though.


    Oh? Jin Ling halted in his steps. Maybe that was a possible reason, too. The boy might just have been too young to still remember about it. If that Qiguan Cheng Da was a really narrow-minded person like Xiao Li had said, he might still carry a grudge for something the boy had done when he was young. Or maybe it wasn''t about the boy himself but about something that had to do with him. It certainly was a possibility.


    In both cases, the grudge should have formed a long time ago. So, if his aptitude wasn''t totally worthless, then he should already be part of the inner sect. Furthermore, the sect certainly wouldn''t have sent just any disciple to get a report from someone they had sent as a spy to enemy territory. It should be someone they trusted. Thus, the possibility of Qiguan Cheng Da being part of the inner sect was quite high.


    Jin Ling smiled. Ah, that already cut the time for his search in half. Now he only had to find out on which peak that guy lived. Well, there was nothing Xiao Li had said that could give him any hint so he could only try one by one and see if he found some clues.


    Thus, Jin Ling went to the highest mountain.


    He wanted to search the peak from the bottom to the top but just when he reached the foot of the mountain he stopped in his tracks. Oh? There was actually quite the sophisticated array there. Well, sophisticated for human standards at least. It seemed like it was one that led to another dimension?


    He had no idea what this array was about but his instincts told him that he should take a look. Even if it was nothing special it might help knowing more about this sect. After all, how would he make a better plan on how to torture Qiu Ling if he didn''t know about the place where that bastard was staying with his beloved?


    Jin Ling had a look around and finally stepped into the array. His figure vanished from the grounds of the Yun Zou Sect and reappeared at the place it led to.


    In the middle of the special dimension at the ground of the lake, Jinde opened his eyes. He had connected to the energy of the dimension thousands of years ago. Whenever someone used the array he would feel it.


    The only person who came regularly was the Yun Zou Sect''s Grandmaster Zhangsun Xun Yi and he never hid his presence. The only other person that had stumbled into the dimension besides him in the last couple of years had been Qiu Ling who definitely wasn''t someone who would ever bother about hiding his presence regardless where he was. That guy would probably walk into the demon realm and still loudly proclaim he was the dragon king.


    The person who had just entered wasn''t displaying his energy though. So who had come? One of the disciples of the Yun Zou Sect? A spy from another sect who was trying to find out where the array led? Someone from the immortal races?


    Whoever it was he couldn''t let that person find him.


    Jinde silently left the lake. His magic dried his clothes and he hurried into the grove that occupied part of the back of the dimension. He crouched down and hid in the shrub, peeking out to see who had come. Soon enough, the sound of light steps carried over and a young man emerged on the other side of the lake.


    Copper-colored hair flowed down his back while a few strands had been blown over his shoulders and framed his handsome face. He was clad in a green robe with a belt that was the same color as his hair.


    Jinde''s eyes widened and he hurriedly clasped a hand over his mouth before crouching down even lower.


    Why did it have to be him of all people?

 Chapter 303 - Why Did it Have to Be Him?

    Jinde closed his eyes in resignation. Don''t talk about Qiu Ling finding out he was alive. That was something he could deal with. After all, even though their relationship was somewhat strained Qiu Ling had no reason to do anything. He would just know and then do nothing with that. If he didn''t have any need for him, he might even completely forget about it over the course of a few weeks just because ¡­ well, Qiu Ling was like that. Chun Yin had been like that, too. Just that Chun Yin had done so deliberately while he wasn''t so sure about that in regard to Qiu Ling.


    Jin Ling though ¡­ If he ever found out that he was still alive, he would definitely act out. And considering that his injury still hadn''t healed he wouldn''t be able to do anything about it. He couldn''t risk that.


    But what was he to do? He obviously couldn''t fight but he also couldn''t get away. Who knew if Jin Ling had come alone or brought somebody with him who waited outside? Even if he hadn''t, could he really make it to the array and out of the dimension without him noticing? There wasn''t any place to hide inside the dimension though. Then what else?


    He peeked through the leaves. Jin Ling had already reached the lake and was taking a look around. He didn''t seem to notice anything odd and crouched down next to the lake and held a hand into the water.


    "Spiritual water." Jin Ling''s lips quirked. Well, that wasn''t anything notable to him. Even in the human realm, it wasn''t that astonishing. It was probably just a place where the sect cultivated their disciples.


    He stood up again and turned around to leave when suddenly, something glinted in the sun. Jin Ling paused and slowly turned back, his eyes narrowed. That glimmer of gold ¡­


    He went over and reached out. He touched the boulder at the side of the lake and finally found what he had noticed. He lifted it into the air and examined it with a dazed expression. It was actually a hair. A shimmering, golden hair, long enough to reach below one''s waist.


    Jin Ling suddenly lifted his head and peered into the lake again.


    Jinde covered his eyes with a hand and ducked behind a tree. Heavens! If he had known his hair would get him into trouble one day he would have cut it after he supposedly died! They might as well have burned it in place of his body!


    Meanwhile, Jin Ling took a closer look at the lake while his fingers still played with the golden hair he had found. Come to think of it this spiritual water had another property besides being able to help humans cultivate. Well, even normal water would have it or should it be said that this was a property of the dragons instead?


    While demons were creatures of earth and fire, dragons were creatures of the air and water. If one of them was injured, it would certainly do him good to submerge himself in water. Especially in spiritual water. So, what he had thought of just now wasn''t completely impossible. He couldn''t assume based on one hair alone though.


    Jin Ling leaped into the lake. He was actually able to see the bottom when looking from the bank but something like that hair was just too small to be noticed from that distance and through the added layer of water. No, he had to make sure. He had to make sure without a doubt. Maybe there really were some clues down there. He dived down and floated in the water, his gaze roaming. Somebody had obviously been there.


    He touched the traces on the ground. The size of those feet ¡­ it was the same. The spot where the person had sat ¡­ it was clearly distinguished as if that person had just sat there in meditation without moving at all.


    Jin Ling''s hands lightly touched the ground, hoping that he''d find more. Unfortunately, he came up empty-handed. So, was it him or not? Jin Ling floated there while contemplating this question. It seemed impossible.


    Jinde had been injured by the soul-devouring dagger. Nobody had ever lived after receiving an injury from that weapon. And there was no question that he had been injured by it. He had seen him fight with his father with his own eyes. He had seen how he seemed to win only for that weapon to graze his arm when his own sword was already plunged into his enemy''s chest. In the end, his father hadn''t won but managed to pull him down with him. It was just that Jinde could live a while longer until his soul completely vanished.


    So, was it really possible?


    Jin Ling pushed off the ground and broke through the water''s surface. He remained there for a moment and looked at the boulder again. That hair ¡­ Who said it had to be his? Just like the demons, the dragons had all kinds of hair colors. Golden hair wasn''t actually that rare. The rare thing had been the combination of his golden hair and equally golden eyes. And this was the Yun Zou Sect where Qiu Ling was staying with his lover right now. It would be logical to have some dragons come here. The hair could be from just anyone.


    Jin Ling climbed out of the lake and dried his clothes with a gloomy expression. He felt like an idiot right now. He obviously knew that it was impossible. Why did he still get this excited? He should go and do what he had come to do. Finding that Qiguan Cheng Da, enticing him and then ruining Qiu Ling''s relationship.


    He turned around and left the dimension without looking back. His steps were slow though.


    Jinde slowly lowered his hand when he felt the array activate again. He didn''t leave the cover of the shrub though. His heart still beat wildly. This had been too close. And even though he had managed to escape from this danger who knew if this was the last time Jin Ling came here? Why had he done so in the first place? Why did he come to the dimension? Why to the Yun Zou Sect? Had something happened in the outside world?


    For the first time in a long while, Jinde couldn''t help but regret being all alone in this place. It would have been nice to have someone he could ask these questions. Maybe even ask someone who might know or could find out.

 Chapter 304 - A Matter of Luck

    Jin Ling wasn''t feeling well either. He continued to curse himself inwardly but still continued on. He had a task to fulfill right now. He couldn''t let anything distract him.


    He rushed up the mountain in front of him but finally noticed that this couldn''t be the right place. There was only one palace on the peak and no signs of even one disciple.


    He tsked and turned back so as to take a look at the second peak. His luck was pretty abysmal that day though. After the Grandmaster''s peak, he had chosen the Sect master''s peak of all places. Thus he found a few houses that seemed to be used by disciples but some of them weren''t even there while the rest was deep in cultivation. There was no way to eavesdrop on anything so his mission was once again foredoomed.


    Jin Ling wasn''t ready to give up though. He sneaked into one of the houses and started to rummage about. Shouldn''t those humans have something that would represent their identity? Qiguan, Qiguan ¡­ Wasn''t that name mentioned anywhere?


    He finally found a jade pendant that had a name engraved but unfortunately, it wasn''t Qiguan. Ah, so it turned out he had wasted his time again.


    Jin Ling carelessly threw the pendant away and left the house. He leaned against the wall next to the door and looked out at the sect grounds. This wasn''t working. He might need forever to even find that Qiguan Cheng Da if he continued like this. No, he needed to do something else.


    Jin Ling took out a transmission stone and imbued it with his energy. Immediately, the pale image of a white-haired man whose face was partly covered by a mask appeared.


    "Your Highness."


    Jin Ling curled his lips. Still calling him that? "Xin Lan, send someone to ask that Xiao Li where I can find that Qiguan Cheng Da from the Yun Zou Sect."


    "As you wish." The transmission stopped instantly.


    Jin Ling sighed. Ah, this guy ¡­ he was still the same as always. Couldn''t he at least take the time for a simple farewell? He really would have liked to ask him ¡­ about Jinde.


    Jin Ling looked back toward the other peak or rather the array at its foot. Most likely Xin Lan wouldn''t have been able to tell him anything else but still. If there was even a slim possibility that he was still alive, then he had to know.


    Mn ¡­ Xin Lan would send someone immediately but that person would still need to go to the capital and then from there bring the message over to the Yun Zou Sect. That would take a while. So, why shouldn''t he go and take another look?


    Yes, maybe he was chasing shadows but he still wanted to make sure.


    He left the peak and once again went to the array. He didn''t hesitate. He stepped into the array and arrived in the special dimension a moment later. Once again he opened his eyes to the beauty of a green retreat. An alchemist would probably like this type of place.


    Jin Ling''s lips curved. He had time now. Thus, he wouldn''t leave until he hadn''t searched every nook and cranny of this place.


    On the other side of the dimension, Jinde froze. He still hadn''t calmed down after the shock of seeing Jin Ling and thus hadn''t even left his hiding place. Now, the array had activated once more.


    Jinde''s heart thumped heavily. It couldn''t be that ¡­ Jin Ling had indeed noticed something and had come back? Or maybe he was incredibly lucky and this wasn''t Jin Ling who had returned but instead really a disciple? Maybe someone had seen him when he entered before and now wanted to see what exactly was on the other side of the array?


    He knew himself that this was a vain hope. That person definitely was Jin Ling. Then what was he supposed to do? He was still in the same dilemma as before! Neither able to fight back nor able to retreat. What now?


    He stayed in his hideout and heightened his senses as much as possible to find out where exactly Jin Ling was. Not being seen was the most important thing or this would have a bad ending. He couldn''t let that happen. He was still waiting for Chun Yin to be reincarnated and come back to him! Until then ¡­ At least until then, he had to hold out.


    Jin Ling searched everywhere but couldn''t find much. There were a few traces of footsteps in the area between the array and the lake but that was all. He couldn''t even find another golden hair. Who knew how the first one had gotten there?


    He slowly closed in on the lake again. Since he had already searched this part before he turned to the side.


    Jinde tensed. When he was done there he would certainly come in his direction. He had to somehow circle around him without alarming him. He gently shifted to the side and tried to evade the leaves around him. He couldn''t make a sound. Jin Ling had always been powerful and after all these years he had probably matured a lot. Furthermore, he was already searching for something. Escaping from him under these circumstances ¡­ It might be impossible.


    Jinde slowly crept to the other side while Jin Ling searched to the left of the lake. He tried to keep an eye on him but finally gave up. He could either try and observe everything but slow down or he made a speedy retreat. In this case, he was afraid there was only one possibility.


    Jinde took a last look at Jin Ling, closed his eyes for a moment and then dashed over to the other side, into the shrubs there and then further toward the array.


    The leaves rustled and Jin Ling naturally turned around and observed. His heart thumped. Someone was there! Maybe ¡­


    He hurried over to the place where he could still see the leaves sway. His fingers swept past and his eyes searched for the telltale glint of gold.


    Who knows? Maybe Jinde''s luck was better than he thought or maybe Heaven really hated the demons and fate was playing a trick on Jin Ling: He came up empty-handed once again. Not only that, his search even gave Jinde the time to safely reach the array.


    He stepped inside and then dashed further away as soon as he arrived on the other side. He wanted to hurriedly climb up the mountain to Zhangsun Xun Yi''s palace but halted and turned around before he had even taken ten steps.


    This was Jin Ling. If he had even an inkling that he might still be alive, then he wouldn''t give up. This palace was the closest spot so he would search there first. And considering he had probably come here for Qiu Ling he certainly knew that Zhangsun Xun Yi posed as Qiu Ling''s Master for the time being. It would be all to easy to guess if he went there.


    Thus, Jinde sped toward the Sect Master''s peak instead. He couldn''t hide his appearance thanks to the injuries he had suffered back then and he had nothing he could use to hide his hair so the fewer people were around the better. The Sect Master didn''t have many disciples or at least he hadn''t had many back when Jinde came to the Yun Zou Sect. Thus he felt like this place was pretty good.


    He rushed up halfway and then sneaked into one of the houses. He couldn''t stay outside for too long. After all, Jin Ling would leave the special dimension sooner or later. When the door closed behind him Jinde finally took a deep breath.


    Ah, he had managed to escape. Now, he just had to hide for a while until he could be sure that Jin Ling had left the Yun Zou Sect. Mn, for now, he should probably make sure if there was anyone else in the house.

 Chapter 305 - A Meeting with the Elders

    At the same time, Sect Master Yuchi Bing Xia was holding a meeting with the Yun Zou Sect''s Elders. Even Grandmaster Zhangsun was present which showed how important this meeting was.


    "My disciple Yu Jin sent word over that there is a spiritual disturbance in the Leyuan region. It seems like a special dimension is about to open there that hasn''t been noticed by anyone else yet."


    The Elders went into an uproar at once.


    "A special dimension? How could that be? Don''t they always open after a set amount of time? Why would nobody know about this?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t answer and turned to Grandmaster Zhangsun instead. "Yu Jin has gone to the Hei Dian Sect to see what Zhong Jing Yi and your disciple have found out. Should I send him a message to bring those two over to the Leyuan region as well?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. His disciple wouldn''t need such an opportunity but Zhong Jing Yi would. In that case, Qiu Ling would certainly want to go there as well.


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and took out a paper crane. He wrote down his message and sent it to his disciple before turning to address the Elder that had spoken before. "I know it seems strange but I trust in Yu Jin''s judgment. Maybe this special dimension has never before opened. In any case, we''re lucky to get such an opportunity."


    "Then what does Sect Master Yuchi propose we should do?" asked another Elder.


    "In my opinion, we should set out right now but limit the number of people we take with us so as to not alarm anyone else. I think one or two disciples for each one of us should be alright."


    One of the Elders nodded. "That sounds good to me. Do we know if there are any restrictions on entering the special dimension?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia shook his head. "No. When Yu Jin went there the special dimension hadn''t yet appeared. But to make sure that we don''t take the wrong people I would propose to take disciples of the second and third stage. They should definitely be eligible to enter." He paused for a moment before sighing. "I don''t think that I need to remind you that this might very well be an opportunity to help our sect attain its former glory again. All of you should choose wisely which disciples will profit the most from this opportunity but are also able to bring benefits for the sect. Go now and have the disciples gather here."


    The Elders nodded and stood up. They bowed to Yuchi Bing Xia before all hurrying back to their own peaks to inform their disciples.


    Yuchi Bing Xia turned to Zhangsun Xun Yi and bowed himself. "Grandmaster, may I trouble you to bring the disciples over? I dare not leave the sect myself and we shouldn''t send too many of the Elders."


    "Of course. This is for the benefit of the Yun Zou Sect. Furthermore, it''s beneficial to my own disciple as well. I should get involved."


    "Mn. I also fear that something may happen. Yu Jin couldn''t provide much information considering that the special dimension was only starting to appear. We don''t know if there are restrictions or who was the previous Master of the dimension. We know nothing. It really worries me. So ¡­ I hope the disciples will be safe with you. If we were to lose them ¡­" He shook his head. He didn''t even want to think about it.


    "I''m sure nothing will happen. I don''t know much about your disciple but when I saw him he struck me as someone reliable."


    "Mn. He is." Yuchi Bing Xia hesitated for a moment. "In fact ¡­ I''m considering to pass my position to Yu Jin later on. When you lead the disciples over there have a look at him and tell me what you think."


    "Haven''t you already decided?"


    The Sect Master smiled. "Considering my own opinion I have. It''s just that Yu Jin ¡­ He didn''t seem all that thrilled at having the opportunity."


    "That''s a little strange, isn''t it?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. "It is. But I never doubted him. He''s a good child. And if he were a spy from another sect, then he definitely would have jumped at just a whisper of inheriting my position."


    "Mn. That''s true. Then maybe something else is bothering him?"


    "I think so, too. It''s just that ¡­ he doesn''t like to talk. Well, he does if you ask him something but he wouldn''t say anything on his own accord. Maybe that, too ¡­"


    "I''ll take a look and tell you what I think. But everything else will depend on you. You''re his Master. If there is anything to talk about, then you should be the one he divulges everything to."


    "Yes. I should be. Maybe I should just ask straightforwardly. I''m just ¡­ a little afraid. He''s quite perceptive. If there is anything that bothers him to this degree ¡­ I just can''t fathom what it might be."


    "Everything will be revealed in due time. You shouldn''t worry too much about it. Maybe what bothers him will resolve itself soon enough."


    "Mn. I hope so."


    "The special dimension is at least an opportunity for that." Zhangsun Xun Yi stood up and nodded at the Sect Master. "There is something I should do before leading the disciples over."


    Yuchi Bing Xia lifted his brows. "You ¡­"


    "That person in the back of the mountain." Zhangsun Xun Yi turned around and left the peak without waiting for an answer. These words alone would be enough to let the Sect Master understand.


    Indeed. Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t question any longer. He had never seen that person with his own eyes but his Master had told him about him back then. Without him, the Yun Zou Sect would probably be in an even worse situation right now. Naturally, the Grandmaster should tell him if he left the sect for an indefinite amount of time.


    Oh. If the Grandmaster left, then ¡­ should he go over there to see if that person needed anything? He straightened up just thinking of that. Ah, he''d just ask the Grandmaster when he returned. Until then he should better consider whom to send besides Yu Jin. After all, he could send two people, too.

 Chapter 306 - Making Use of the Situation

    Zhangsun Xun Yi flew over to the array and stepped into the special dimension. He didn''t notice anything out of the ordinary and went over to the lake. As soon as he reached the edge, he stopped though. On the other side stood an unfamiliar person. Or, well, he looked only slightly unfamiliar.


    Despite the resemblance, this was an unwelcome guest. Especially since that man couldn''t be seen anywhere. Who knew what had happened? Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"


    Jin Ling frowned just as much. A human needed quite the high cultivation base to see him when he had concealed himself. Or maybe this was just someone who knew a lot about the dragons? That would mean ¡­


    Jin Ling stopped frowning and gave his trademark smile instead. "I''m Jin Ling. I came to visit an old friend."


    Someone younger and less experienced than Zhangsun Xun Yi probably would have fallen for this trick. The Grandmaster wasn''t fooled though. That man had come to the Yun Zou Sect several thousand years ago and he had reiterated more than once that nobody who knew him before could ever find out that he was alive or else a tragedy would happen.


    It had been bad enough that his disciple that he let into the special dimension actually counted among these people. He definitely wouldn''t make the same mistake twice.


    "An old friend? Who might that be?"


    "He should be living here." Jin Ling evaded the question.


    So he''s indeed here because of him. How did he find out? Zhangsun Xun Yi made sure his expression didn''t show any of his thoughts. "In the Yun Zou Sect? In which part then? The inner or the outer sect?"


    "Oh, it should be here." Jin Ling pointed at the boulder where he had found the golden hair.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned. His bad feeling got even worse. "This is a special dimension that is only used on special occasions. The last one who came here should be my own disciple, Qiu Ling. But that was already more than a year ago. You''re not looking for him, are you?"


    Jin Ling lowered his gaze. So he really wasn''t here? Well, he should have expected that. In that case, he should probably try to make the best out of the situation. "No. Isn''t Qiu Ling in the Hei Dian Sect anyway? The one I''m looking for is a fellow disciple of his, though. He''s called Qiguan Cheng Da."


    "Qiguan Cheng Da?" Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned. He couldn''t remember ever hearing that name. "I''m afraid I can''t help you with that. I''ve never heard of that person."


    "I see."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi contemplated what to do. This man obviously knew quite a bit already or at least had some kind of hunch. If he just sent him away like this, it might serve the opposite effect and have him question if there really was no one in the special dimension. He couldn''t risk that.


    "Seeing that you''re a friend of my disciple I may as well help you out. I''ll be going on a mission in a bit and have to check if everything is alright here. After that, I can bring you over to the Sect Master''s place. Even if he doesn''t know that Qiguan Cheng Da personally, there will be records."


    "That would be wonderful." Jin Ling watched as Zhangsun Xun Yi circled the special dimension once and followed him outside. It seemed there really wasn''t anyone here. Well, if he was indeed there, he would have found him already. He had searched thoroughly, after all.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t know whether or not he had managed to convince Jin Ling that nobody lived in the special dimension. For now, he could only hope and act as if everything was alright.


    He brought him over to the Sect Master''s peak. At that moment, Yuchi Bing Xia was talking to a disciple while two Elders already waited with their own disciples at the side.


    The Sect Master instantly stopped talking, especially when he saw the person walking in behind Zhangsun Xun Yi. Neither he nor the two Elders could help but ask themselves if maybe Grandmaster Zhangsun had silently taken in another disciple. It certainly would have been a happy occasion especially since his first disciple hadn''t been in the Yun Zou Sect much since his relationship with the Grandmaster was announced.


    They were going to be disappointed though. Zhangsun Xun Yi walked in and then motioned at Jin Ling. "This is Jin Ling. He came to find a disciple called Qiguan Cheng Da." He looked at the Sect Master who slowly lifted his brows before looking at the disciple standing in front of him.


    "Qiguan Cheng Da? That is ¡­"


    The disciple turned around and frowned. He was indeed Qiguan Cheng Da but naturally, he had never seen Jin Ling before. "You are ¡­?"


    Jin Ling gave a smile. "Oh, someone told me to find you. May I have a few minutes of your time? Of course, I wouldn''t want to disturb the Sect Master and the Elders of the sect." He motioned to the gate to ask him to go outside.


    Qiguan Cheng Da turned to the Sect Master. He wasn''t thrilled at being bothered right now. After all, the Sect Master had called him over. This might be the chance he had waited for!


    Yuchi Bing Xia just smiled. This person had been brought over by the Grandmaster. Naturally, he wouldn''t make things difficult for him even though he was a little troubled by the fact that he had been asking for Qiguan Cheng Da of all people. What was going on? "The other Elders haven''t brought over their disciples yet. It shouldn''t be a problem if you take a while to go out and discuss."


    "Many thanks, Sect Master." Qiguan Cheng Da bowed and followed Jin Ling outside in a sour mood.


    At the side of the hall, one of the disciples narrowed his eyes. Copper-colored hair? A handsome face? And his name was even Jin Ling? That person ¡­ could it be that he was the demon king Jin Ling? He certainly fit the description he had heard of.


    Whatever the case he had to inform His Majesty somehow. It was just ¡­ How could he do that with all these people around? Especially since he couldn''t directly contact him. He''d have to go through his mother and then have her pass on a message to his uncle somehow. How long would it take for His Majesty to get the message then?


    He gritted his teeth. Considering what that guy might have planned it could already be too late by then. He had to hurry!

 Chapter 307 - Jade Gathering Beast

    Qiguan Cheng Da followed Jin Ling outside disgruntled. Why was there always someone who destroyed his opportunities at the last moment? He couldn''t be this unlucky!


    Jin Ling just walked a little further away. After all, he didn''t want any of these humans to overhear what he was talking about lest they disturb his plans. To make sure he cast a simple barrier spell that should prevent any sound from leaking out. Even that Grandmaster shouldn''t be able to hear anything now.


    Looking at Qiguan Cheng Da''s displeased expression Jin Ling smiled brightly. This man was obviously really as narrow-minded as Xiao Li had said. Well, that would make his task easier. "Brother Qiguan."


    Qiguan Cheng Da frowned even more. "I doubt that I''ve ever seen you before. Who told you to come here?"


    "Xiao Li. Ah, you might not know that name. It''s ¡­ the disciple from the Hei Dian Sect you told all about your Junior Martial Brother Zhong Jing Yi."


    Qiguan Cheng Da''s eyes flew open wide and he hurriedly looked back at the gates of the Sect Master''s palace.


    Jin Ling laughed. "Don''t worry. There''s already a barrier in place. They won''t find out."


    "You ¡­ What do you want?"


    "Well, it''s actually something you might be happy about. I came to know about your grudge against Zhong Jing Yi. You see there are some circumstances that align our goals in that regard. So ¡­ How about I help you out?"


    "Help me out?" Qiguan Cheng Da frowned. He did indeed like what this man was saying but he wasn''t sure yet if he could trust him.


    "Mn. Actually, for me, it''s enough to break him and his fiance up. Everything else ¡­ I''d leave that to you."


    Qiguan Cheng Da''s furrowed brows slightly relaxed. That sounded exactly like what he had wanted to do all this time. As soon as Zhong Jing Yi couldn''t rely on the Grandmaster''s disciple any longer there wouldn''t be any reason to worry. "That would be enough. But the two of them are in the Hei Dian Sect right now. There is nothing we can do."


    Jin Ling''s smile got even brighter. "Don''t worry about that. I don''t know what exactly they were doing there but I have a feeling that they''ll be coming back very soon." After all, that guy would never stay in the Hei Dian Sect if he had to fear that he would come over and do something to his fiance. He wouldn''t risk that.


    "Then what do you propose?"


    Jin Ling''s eyes narrowed a bit. "It''s a little difficult. I don''t know much about your Yun Zou Sect. We''d need some kind of opportunity. Something ¡­ out of the ordinary."


    Qiguan Cheng Da nodded. "There is actually something. The sect discovered the opening of a secret realm. I think they might call those two over."


    Jin Ling''s eyes blazed. "A secret realm?" Ah, he really wanted to laugh! This was obviously Heaven helping him! His originally bright smile grew twisted in an instant. "That Zhong Jing Yi doesn''t have a high cultivation base, does he?"


    "No. He''s relying completely on the Grandmaster''s disciple."


    "In that case, visiting such a secret realm should be quite dangerous."


    Qiguan Cheng Da responded with a smile of his own. Meeting this person was really a great boon! "Then, how do we want to make sure ¡­"


    "Well ¡­" Jin Ling lifted his hand and gently touched the bordered gem embedded in his earlobe. He should have stored something that was exactly right for this situation inside. He had his mind enter the space connected to the gem and searched for a while.


    There! With a smile, he pulled something out and handed it to Qiguan Cheng Da. "This should solve the problem."


    Qiguan Cheng Da turned the thing around in his hands and furrowed his brows. At first glance, it looked like it was made out of white jade but upon examining it more closely he actually found a pair of eyes staring back at him! He nearly dropped the thing and looked up at the other man.


    Jin Ling laughed. "There''s no reason to be like this. This cute guy is a demonic beast. It lives off spiritual energy and is even able to collect it for a long time. It''s called a Jade Gathering Beast."


    Qiguan Cheng Da frowned. "I heard of them. Weren''t they used to aid cultivation a long time ago? What am I supposed to do with this?" He would like to keep it though. As far as he knew this was the first time in thousands of years since one of these Jade Gathering Beasts was seen.


    Jin Ling chuckled. "Well, it often is used like that. It can be quite dangerous though. It doesn''t have a concept of quantity. Thus regardless of how much spiritual energy it is faced with it''ll try to devour it all. In some cases, that may lead to regrettable accidents."


    "So I should bring it over and see to it that such an accident occurs?"


    "Mn. Don''t worry. I''ve kept this one well. It''ll definitely be able to achieve our goal. Right, to make sure it works it should be as close to Zhong Jing Yi as possible. In fact, it would be best if you could get him to carry it on his person." He didn''t remind him to stay away from it himself though. What did he care for a human? He just had to make sure that Qiu Ling thoroughly lost this person.


    Ah, just thinking about it made him smile.


    "Is that all?" Qiguan Cheng Da frowned a bit. He really couldn''t believe that it was supposed to be that easy.


    Jin Ling laughed once more. "You think it''s too simple? Oh, you''ll see that it''s actually quite the hard task. This little guy will start devouring the energy as soon as you get close. So you have to hand it over as soon as possible but not too early either or Qiu Ling might notice something. Your timing will be essential to this task."


    "I see."


    "Now, I wish you luck. Unfortunately, I can''t help you further than this since I''m not part of this sect. I trust that you''ll be able to do this." He nodded and then turned around, his eyes fixating a spot not too far from them. He still had to shut up a little mouse that wanted to nibble at the fine thread holding together his plan.

 Chapter 308 - Such a Beautiful Place

    While Qiguan Cheng Da and Jin Ling had gone outside to discuss their plan someone inside had tried to set his own plan in motion. The person who had noticed who Jin Ling was, was none other than Xiao Dong who was still in the Yun Zou Sect to divert Shao Hai''s attention on the command of his king.


    In the past year since he had seen that Qiu Ling had become a disciple of the sect too and that Jing Yi would most likely become an inner sect disciple, he had started to work hard to have Shao Hai and himself likewise admitted into the inner sect.


    With his dragon blood and the sword skills taught by his father as a basis, it hadn''t taken long before he realized his plan. In fact, he had even been taken in by one of the Elders and was chosen to follow him to the secret realm now.


    Seeing Jin Ling he turned around to the Elder next to him. "Master, seeing that it''s still a bit of time can I go to say farewell to Brother Shao?"


    The Elder sighed. He knew how close the two of them were but Shao Hai wasn''t talented enough to enter the secret realm with them. In fact, if not for Xiao Dong, he wouldn''t even have managed to become part of the inner sect this fast. "It''s a secret mission. We can''t let anyone know."


    "I won''t tell him about the realm or anything. I''d just say that I''m going on a mission. Please?"


    Faced with his disciple''s eager expression the Elder finally couldn''t take it any longer. "Alright. But hurry up."


    "Mn. I''ll be back right away." Xiao Dong didn''t take the front gate but ran out through one of the doors at the side puzzling his Master, as well as the Sect Master.


    Grandmaster Zhangsun watched the boy leave with a contemplative expression. One just had to take a look at Xiao Dong''s golden hair to know that he wasn''t a normal person. With what he knew about that man in the special dimension and his own disciple, it was obvious that this child was a dragon, too. Now, this dragon had run out in such a conspicuous way. Something was up.


    The last thing that happened and that might make him take another way outside was obviously the appearance of that person talking to Qiguan Cheng Da now. The boy probably didn''t know about the person in the special dimension so maybe he was trying to reach his disciple? Just who was that Jin Ling?


    Xiao Dong didn''t dare tarry. He flew down the mountain and sped into a little grove at the foot of the peak of his own Master. He took out a transmission stone and imbued it with his energy. The stone started to pulse with a white light but the signal didn''t stabilize.


    Xiao Dong hit the tree next to him. "Fuck!" How was he supposed to warn His Majesty now? He hurriedly took back his energy. If he couldn''t reach his mother, then he might still be able to reach his father. Once again, he tried to establish a connection but nothing happened.


    He instantly grew flustered. What to do now? This was one of the exceedingly simple stones that could only be used to connect with a few people! He couldn''t even reach his uncle Yi Zan through it!


    Before he had the chance to try reaching his parents once again, his wrist was hit and the stone flew out of his hand. Xiao Dong took on a battle stance and looked up but he was faced with a smiling face. "You ¡­"


    Jin Ling continued to smile. "I was wondering what kind of little mouse hurried away so fast. Turns out it wasn''t one at all. It''s actually a dragon. Who were you trying to reach?"


    Xiao Dong frowned. "Stop the chatter, demon! What do you want?" He lowered his hands and stared at him gloomily. There was no reason to pretend. He wouldn''t be able to win against this person. For now, he had to try and stay alive so that he could still message His Majesty somehow.


    "Oh, it''s nothing much. I just wanted to ¡­ ask a few questions." Jin Ling''s gaze flitted to the golden hair flowing down Xiao Dong''s back. "You wouldn''t know about some special dimension here at your sect?"


    "Whatever I know I certainly wouldn''t tell you about it."


    "Mn ¡­ That isn''t really a nice thing to say." Jin Ling clasped his hands behind his back and slowly circled Xiao Dong. "Actually, I feel like the two of us could get along really well."


    Xiao Dong kept silent. He really wanted to give this demon a piece of his mind but if he angered him and that guy killed him, then how would His Majesty ever find out what was going on?


    Needless to say, Jin Ling wouldn''t give him the opportunity to inform Qiu Ling anyway. He had finally set everything up. He didn''t even need to do anything by himself. If the Nine Heavens noticed, then it would be one of that Zhong Jing Yi''s fellow sect members who had done it. Or maybe it would even be assumed to be an accident.


    Well, even if it wasn''t and they managed to find out that his death had been connected to a Jade Gathering Beast, they would only be able to make assumptions. Based on that alone they probably wouldn''t start a war.


    Even if the Heavenly Emperor did declare war, the gods would be alone in that. After all, that idiot Qiu Ling had certainly merged part of his soul with his lover. If that person died, he would just lose his life alongside him. The dragons would be like a headless snake then, unable to do anything. In fact, it might even be a good opportunity to realize his father''s ambitions and take over the dragon race''s throne.


    Jin Ling stopped behind Xiao Dong and smiled. "You don''t believe me?" He slowly reached out and grasped that golden hair. Most likely, this was the person who had made him believe erroneously that Jinde was still alive.


    "You''re looking a little young but ¡­ I''m a lot like a dragon in many aspects. One of them is that I''ve always liked this kind of shimmering, golden hair. It really makes me feel like the world is such a beautiful place."


    Xiao Dong tensed. He was really getting goosebumps now. This guy was the fucking demon king! What did he think he was doing?!


    Jin Ling didn''t care for that though. He pulled Xiao Dong back against his chest and smiled. "How about marrying me? If you do, I might just let you go to report to your king."

 Chapter 309 - Departing for the Leyuan Region

    Xiao Dong had black lines running down his face. This was going too far! "Eh, uncle, can''t you see I''m a child?"


    Jin Ling smiled, a trace of regret mixing into his expression. "Indeed. As I said, you''re a bit young for this. But look, I even have a few human wives. They might look older than you but they''re still younger. So I don''t really mind your age. In the worst case, we could wait a bit. How long will you need till you''re becoming an adult? A hundred years? Two hundred? Waiting that long is not a problem."


    "Your age is the problem!"


    Jin Ling smiled even more. "Oh? So it''s just my age that concerns you? Don''t worry about that. You won''t notice the difference when you''re lying in my bed."


    Xiao Dong froze. Shit! When had this guy come so close? And why did it sound as if he was seriously considering this instead of just teasing him? "You ¡­"


    Jin Ling only continued to smile. "You wouldn''t think I jest, now, would you? I''m serious. I feel like the two of us would make a good couple. In fact, I feel like you should have a special place in my harem." He gently combed through Xiao Dong''s hair, his gaze growing distant.


    Thinking back now he could hardly believe there had been a time where he could just touch his beautiful hair like this. It really was a pity he had lost him like this.


    Xiao Dong sensed his enemy becoming absent-minded. He lashed out, struck Jin Ling''s chest and tried to hurry away. Who knew the demon king would have held his hair so tightly? He just yanked him right back. Thanks to Xiao Dong''s effort, his smile had become unpleasant, too.


    "It''s really frustrating to see how you want to run away from me. I''m afraid I can''t allow that." Bloodlust permeated the air around him. He wouldn''t let him get away!


    Xiao Dong''s eyes widened. This guy changed his mood way too fast! He had to get away now or it would be too late.


    Just when Jin Ling reached out again, Xiao Dong unsheathed his sword. He cut off his hair, leaped away and turned into the form of a small golden dragon. Without a look back, he flew off into the sky and vanished in the clouds.


    Jin Ling cursed and looked at the golden hair in his hand. He had actually let that little one get away. Well, this might at least get him a few answers from Xin Lan. Jin Ling went back to smiling and gently tied the hair into a knot before putting it into the space connected to his earring.


    Now, the question was should he return to the demon realm immediately or should he go and have a look at the fun things that would happen at the emergence of that secret realm?


    Ah, he really wanted to see Qiu Ling''s stupid expression when his beloved died right in front of him! But his presence might tip him off and if the gods investigated and found out that he had been nearby, then things might turn ugly.


    With a sigh, Jin Ling vanished from the grounds of the Yun Zou Sect and returned to the demon realm. He''d have to live with just the imagination of how Qiu Ling would react at losing that person.


    Soon after Jin Ling left, the other Elders had already brought their chosen disciples over to the Sect Master''s palace. Qiguan Cheng Da had naturally gone back too so the only one missing was Xiao Dong who didn''t dare to try to go back to the sect.


    His Master was livid when everything was waiting for his disciple. "This boy! How dare he let everyone wait like this?!" He turned to Yuchi Bing Xia, cupped his fists and bowed. "Sect Master, let me go and have a look where Xiao Dong has vanished to. He only wanted to say his farewell to a fellow brother from our peak. Who knows what is taking him so long?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked at the other disciples. He really wanted for as many disciples as possible to have the opportunity to go to the secret realm to try their luck but time was of the essence. "I''m afraid we can''t wait that long."


    The Elder deflated. This promising seedling ¡­ now he would miss out on such a great opportunity just because of his sentimentality. He should teach him how to be cold-blooded when he found him!


    Grandmaster Zhangsun furrowed his brow. The boy they were talking about was the one he had ascertained to be a dragon. The way he had behaved before hinted that something was wrong with that man who had come over to look for Qiguan Cheng Da. Maybe something had happened? Something that concerned his disciple or the man in the special dimension? After all, that person seemed to have vanished.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi turned to the Sect Master. "The situation is indeed unfavorable but it would be a pity to have a disciple miss out when we clearly had the capacity to take another person along. How about this? I''ll bring the other disciples over and Elder Nong may go and search for his disciple. When he finds them that boy can just follow us. Even if he''s slightly late, it shouldn''t be a problem. A lone practitioner traveling won''t attract much attention anyway."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded in relief. This was indeed a good solution. Grandmaster Zhangsun really knew what he was doing. "Then we''ll do as you say."


    The Elders once again reiterated their warnings for their disciples and finally, the group set out toward the Leyuan region.


    At the same time, Yuchi Bing Xia''s message made its way over to the Hei Dian Sect. As the Sect Master and since the one he wanted to message was his favorite disciple, he had sent it over on the best and fastest way available to him: Instead of sending a paper crane imbued with his spiritual energy he actually sent a spiritual beast carrying a letter. Thus the message reached the three disciples a few hours later already.


    Qiu Ling was naturally ecstatic when he heard that they wouldn''t have to stay at the Hei Dian Sect. He grabbed Jing Yi around the waist and with Yu Jin flying a bit further in front to show the way, they hurried over to the Leyuan region, too, coincidentally meeting up with Grandmaster Zhangsun and the disciples of the Yun Zou Sect who had also just arrived.

 Chapter 310 - Don’t Blame Me for Being Ruthless

    Needless to say, Xiao Dong didn''t manage to pass on his message to Qiu Ling in time. One day in the immortal realms was a year in the mortal realms. After entering the dragon realm again, one could imagine how fast he would have needed to be to warn his king in time. Thus when Qiu Ling and Jing Yi arrived at the Leyuan region with Yu Jin, Xiao Dong hadn''t even managed to get to the capital yet.


    The dragon king had no idea of the danger his subject had found out about so Qiu Ling was still all smiles when he saw Grandmaster Zhangsun leading the group of disciples from the Yun Zou Sect. He hurriedly flew over and beamed at him.


    "Master! Look, Jing''er and I already accomplished the mission the Sect Master gave us!" So, why don''t you admit my beloved into the inner sect right now so that we can marry? I don''t care for any secret realms anyway!


    Zhangsun Xun Yi tightened his lips. It wasn''t hard to guess what his disciple was thinking about. "Qiu Ling, I have to talk to you for a bit." He motioned to the side, effectively stunning Qiu Ling into silence. When his disciple kept mum the Grandmaster turned to Jing Yi. "Jing Yi, I don''t know how much Sect Master Yuchi wrote in the message he sent over. Why don''t you go and have the other disciples tell you and disciple Yu Jin about the reason we''ve come here?"


    Jing Yi nodded and wanted to wriggle out of Qiu Ling''s grasp but his fiance held onto him fast. Jing Yi gave a sigh and looked up at him to remind him but he was met with Qiu Ling''s rapidly darkening expression.


    "You wouldn''t want to renege on your promise again, would you?!" Qiu Ling''s voice wasn''t lowered at all.


    Every single disciple that had come heard loud and clear what he said. What was this about? What kind of promise was there between this Master and disciple? And why would an honorable man like the Grandmaster renege on it?


    Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t grow angry. This situation was indeed his fault. Naturally, his disciple was cautious after what had happened the last time. "That''s not it."


    "You''re saying that now! You ¡ª"


    "Qiu Ling." Jing Yi gently put a hand on Qiu Ling''s arm. "It''s alright. The Grandmaster just wants to speak to you for a bit. Why don''t you go over and hear what this is about? He''s your master. Isn''t it normal that there are things he would only tell you but can''t say in front of me? I''d also like to hear more about this secret realm from the others."


    "But ¡ª"


    "He already said it''s not about that." Jing Yi tiptoed and kissed Qiu Ling''s cheek.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. His arms loosened a bit but he wasn''t reconciled yet. He didn''t want to let go. Not just because of what his so-called Master might want to say but also because he was a bit afraid. They might have left the Hei Dian Sect but that didn''t mean that that bastard wouldn''t still try to plot against them.


    "Qiu Ling?" Jing Yi was growing restless. Even though the sect hadn''t sent that many disciples in comparison to the number of people that were part of it overall, there were still fifty pairs of eyes staring at them.


    "Ugh. Fine!" Qiu Ling let go but bent down and gave Jing Yi another kiss. Naturally, he didn''t just settle for his cheek. "I''ll be back at your side in a minute. Be careful."


    Jing Yi smiled. "You''re thinking too much. We''re not even in the Hei Dian Sect anymore. What could happen to me?"


    "Ah, you never know ¡­"


    Before his fiance could find another opportunity to latch onto him Jing Yi hurriedly slipped away. He wanted to go over to the other disciples but the way they looked at him was strange.


    Jing Yi paused and his face flushed red. Well, he couldn''t fault them. Qiu Ling was really ¡­ He looked around for Yu Jin but that taciturn Senior Martial Brother of his was staring at the air with his brows furrowed as if he was able to see more than him. Maybe he could already perceive that secret realm?


    Faced with this obvious difference between them Jing Yi didn''t dare to go over to him either. Just like that, he was forced to awkwardly stand alone somewhere in the middle. He really didn''t know what to do.


    "Junior Martial Brother Zhong." Qiguan Cheng Da used the opportunity to make his way over with a fake smile.


    Jing Yi answered with a relieved smile of his own and hurried toward him, meeting him halfway. "Senior Martial Brother Qiguan, I''m glad you''re alright. I was worried when the sect sent over Senior Martial Brother Yu to get our report again."


    Qiguan Cheng Da frowned slightly. The sect had sent over that Yu Jin? His gaze wandered to the side. Why would they do that? "Oh, is that why Senior Martial Brother Yu arrived together with you?"


    "Mn. We had just given our report again when the Sect Master''s message arrived stating that the three of us should come over here."


    "So it''s like that. Well, there was probably some misunderstanding." Qiguan Cheng Da gave a condescending smile. What a joke! Yu Jin had been there when he reported to the Sect Master. What kind of misunderstanding could have happened? It was obvious that they hadn''t trusted what he said and so sent Yu Jin over, too.


    "I guess so. Well, the most important thing is that you''re alright."


    "I am. Junior Martial Brother Zhong doesn''t have to worry. It''s just a pity that Senior Martial Brother Yu had to make a pointless trip."


    Jing Yi lowered his head in shame, his cheeks once again flushed red. "Well ¡­ Actually, the week after you went back we already managed to find out what had happened to those two disciples."


    Qiguan Cheng Da frowned even more before hurriedly smoothing out his expression and putting on a happy smile. "Ah, that''s good then. Senior Martial Brother Yu is such an important figure in the sect. I was afraid he would have wasted his time. But if it''s like this, then I worried too much."


    Jing Yi nodded but he still felt bad. "I''m sorry. It was only a few days but we couldn''t tell you much. Who knew everything would have been resolved so fast after you left?" He blushed even more, his heart rate picking up. Heavens, he really didn''t want to lie! But what could he say? They had already lied to him back when he came to get their report since they didn''t have any evidence. Now it was too late to tell the truth.


    Qiguan Cheng Da''s eyes narrowed slightly. He was distrustful by nature and coupled with Jing Yi''s ¡ª in his eyes pretend ¡ª bashful look he was even more sure that all of this had been a ploy. After all, what could they have found out in a week? This had obviously just been done to make him look bad! What would the Sect Master think if he brought over one report and a week later his own disciple brought over another one? He would think that he had lied!


    This Zhong Jing Yi! He actually dared to make a fool out of him and destroy his opportunities! If it''s like this, then don''t blame me for being ruthless.

 Chapter 311 - Energy Disturbance

    Qiguan Cheng Da didn''t let any of his bad mood slip and instead pretended to be generous. "Don''t think too much about it, Junior Martial Brother Zhong. As long as the Sect Master got the information he needed all is well. Making a trip more or less doesn''t matter."


    "Senior Martial Brother Qiguan ¡­" Jing Yi''s bad conscience became even worse.


    Qiguan Cheng Da smiled even more brightly. "Ah, that''s right. On my way back, I happened upon something interesting. It doesn''t hold much value to me since my cultivation base is already higher but it might be beneficial to Junior Martial Brother Zhong."


    "Ah?" Jing Yi hurriedly shook his head. "We made such trouble for you. How could I ¡­"


    "As I said, you don''t have to worry about that. Sometimes missions are just like that." He took out the Jade Gathering Beast that had already started to rapidly take in the spiritual energy in their surroundings and held it in front of Jing Yi. "Here, take it."


    "But ¡ª"


    "We''re disciples of the same sect. It''s only natural to help each other out. And as I said it''s nothing I can use anyway. Considering our relationship I really can''t think of anyone I''d rather want to have it." He forced the beast into Jing Yi''s hands with a smile.


    Indeed. With how their relationship was, he couldn''t imagine who he''d rather want to see caught up in the kind of accident this beast might bring about. Ah, he just hoped it would happen soon so that he could enjoy the show.


    Faced with Qiguan Cheng Da''s seemingly sincere attitude Jing Yi didn''t have the heart to reject it. He solemnly held it and took a closer look. Just like Qiguan Cheng Da, he couldn''t understand what he saw at first. This was ¡­ a stone? At least it was hard and cold to the touch. The smooth surface felt different though. It reminded him of the white bracelet his grandfather had given him when he was a child.


    Just when Jing Yi wanted to lift his head and thank Qiguan Cheng Da the stone turned to the side and looked up at him with shimmering eyes. This ¡­ What was this? A living stone? He wanted to ask Qiguan Cheng Da but the stone surprisingly grew a few pairs of legs and started to climb from his hand up onto his sleeve and then further up until it reached his shoulder. The next thing he knew the thing had grabbed onto a few strands of his hair and climbed even further up.


    Jing Yi froze, his hands shaking a bit.


    Would it be really rude to grab the gift of his Senior Martial Brother and fling it away? Because right now he really wanted to do just that. Ah, he really wished Qiu Ling was here right now. He definitely wouldn''t have any qualms about doing that.


    Jing Yi took a careful glance to the side while he tried to ignore the sensation of something climbing up his hair. His fiance was still talking with the Grandmaster and his expression was solemn. It seemed what his Master had wanted to talk about with him was a grave matter. So he couldn''t count on Qiu Ling''s shamelessness to solve this.


    While Jing Yi fretted about the thing crawling up his hair, Qiu Ling, Grandmaster Zhangsun, as well as Yu Jin, all stiffened and looked around.


    The opening of a secret realm was preceded by a disturbance of spiritual energy since that was what had hidden it before. In short, a realm was created in another dimension and then protected by a layer of spiritual energy. Part of this layer was also used as an anchor so that the realm wasn''t completely cut off from the dimension from where its owner had originally created it.


    Thus when this layer shifted it would result in a disturbance that could even be detected outside of the protected dimension, namely at the place that was connected to the dimension. When the disturbance grew large enough the layer protecting the realm might split open and allow passage for a limited amount of time before the shift was completed and the layer closed up again.


    The way the disturbance grew was always the same: It started out as a single point that churned and whirled around itself, the faster it turned the more it concentrated in its middle while simultaneously attracting spiritual energy from the surroundings.


    It had been the same this time, too, but right now something strange was going on. The spiritual energy that had been attracted by the swirling mass of the shifting layer slowly frayed out at the edges, drifting in another direction. At first, it just seemed as if it dissipated as if perhaps the layer protecting the secret realm just wasn''t strong enough to attract it for long. But all of the spiritual energy disappeared in the same direction. Like a thin thread being unfurled from a bobbin. Even worse, this thread seemed to knot at a place not far from the original energy disturbance and thus created a second one!


    Qiu Ling had no idea what this actually meant. He just felt the energy around him shift in an uncomfortable way. It was somehow tensed as if the air would rip apart the very next moment and reveal the secret realm the Sect Master had mentioned in his letter.


    He was actually happy when he thought about that possibility. Wouldn''t his so-called Master stop talking then and let him go back to his beloved so that they could enter the secret realm together? Even though it was indeed worrisome that Jin Ling had appeared at the Yun Zou Sect, there was nothing he could do about it right now.


    At least there, he wouldn''t be able to use the connection to his nephew. If they prepared well, his beloved would be much safer. Mn, exploring that secret realm together also wasn''t bad. Jin Ling certainly wouldn''t follow and they would be alone with each other. Ah, it would be just like when they traveled together, only better!


    Grandmaster Zhangsun frowned even more. "Something is wrong."


    Qiu Ling blinked and instinctively took a look back at his beloved. Jing Yi ¡­ indeed looked like something was off. Qiu Ling hurried over. "Jing Yi, my love, what ¡ª" Qiu Ling''s eyes widened when Jing Yi turned his head. He recognized that thing that was trying to climb up his beloved''s head. But even more alarming was the fact that the mark of the dragon on his forehead had started to show. This thing was obviously not just trying to take in the spiritual energy of the surrounding!


    He lunged forward but before he could reach Jing Yi to kill that thing somebody else charged over. Qiu Ling''s gaze met Yu Jin''s before the other struck out his palm. A wave of spiritual energy hit him that actually made Qiu Ling fly back several dozen meters. He leaped to his feet again but it was too late.


    Yu Jin had shoved Jing Yi to the ground and plucked off that Jade Gathering Beast without caring that some of that black hair the beast had clung to came off as well. With a swift motion, he tossed it as far into the air as he could, even sending another palm strike imbued with spiritual energy.


    Despite his effort, the spiritual energy the Jade Gathering Beast had accumulated still went awry. It exploded, the shockwave knocked the disciples off their feet. Even Qiu Ling had to raise his arm to block the gales and barely remained standing.


    The spiritual energy lashed out and merged with the disturbance around the secret realm. For a moment, the layer surrounding it vanished, revealing the secret realm before closing for good. What was left behind was a bloody scene filled with the agonizing screams of the Yun Zou Sect''s disciples.


    Qiu Ling couldn''t care less. He dashed over, his heart beating frantically. He turned around and looked everywhere but couldn''t see what he wanted to. His beloved ¡­ had vanished. Together with that man that had hindered him from approaching and that definitely wasn''t just a human.

 Chapter 312 - He Wouldn’t Let Them Succeed

    Qiu Ling stared at the chaotic scene in front of him, his body slightly trembling. His beloved ¡­ had been taken away. He had vanished right in front of his eyes and he hadn''t been able to do anything about it.


    Where? Where had that person taken him? How was he supposed to get him back now?


    His breath sped up and he finally sank down to the ground, unable to keep standing any longer.


    "Jing He ¡­" He reached out to where his beloved had just stood, his sight clouding over with tears.


    This couldn''t be real. His beloved wouldn''t leave him. Hadn''t they promised to spend the rest of their lives with each other? They still hadn''t married yet ¡­


    He decisively shook his head. This had to be a ploy of the demons. They had tried to separate them but he wouldn''t let them succeed. Yes, that person had managed to kidnap his beloved but he would find him and bring him back and then kill that bastard that had dared to lay his hands on his Jing He!


    Qiu Ling took a deep breath and got up again. He straightened his clothes and turned around. First of all, he had to find out what had happened. Something like a Jade Gathering Beast wouldn''t appear just on its own. Somebody had to have brought it over. His gaze fell on Qiguan Cheng Da who was just getting up from the ground.


    Qiguan Cheng Da took a relieved sigh. He never would have thought that the ''little accident'' Jin Ling spoke of would turn out like this. If not for the attack Yu Jin had sent at Qiu Ling that had flung him out of the way, too, he would have been meat paste by now. Well, he had still gotten injured but it wasn''t as bad as the other disciples.


    He took a glance to the side where one of them was still writhing in agony. The lower half of his left arm was completely gone, blood still flowing unceasingly from the stump. His back was a mangled mess of bloody flesh and ripped clothes. Part of the skin and hair had even been burned off by the energy set free in the explosion. The guy might have been better off dead.


    Qiguan Cheng Da lifted his own arms. His clothes were singed at the hem, the fabric cut here and there and he was dirty and dusty but he didn''t have any grievous injuries, only a few scratches.


    He stood up and wanted to dust off his sleeves when he was suddenly grabbed by the lapel, whirled around and then came face to face with a pair of eyes that seemed so angry that he thought he saw sparks flying.


    Qiguan Cheng Da gulped. "Senior Ma¡ª"


    "Cut the crap!" Qiu Ling wasn''t in the mood to pretend any longer. He wouldn''t listen to even one word that was irrelevant to what he wanted to know. "You will tell me exactly what happened just then." His voice had already become a threatening growl. Threatening the chosen partner of a dragon was really the last thing one wanted to do.


    Qiguan Cheng Da smiled nervously. "I don''t know what Senior Martial Brother Qiu is talking about. I only know that Senior Martial Brother Yu suddenly stormed over and knocked Junior Martial Brother Zhong to the ground and then something flew into the air and exploded. I ¡ª"


    Qiu Ling''s eyes blazed. "Where did that Jade Gathering Beast come from?"


    "Uh ¡­ What?" Qiguan Cheng Da could only pretend to be stupid. His courage was waning though. Qiu Ling''s gaze became more savage by the second. He really feared that he might lose his head if he didn''t say what he wanted to hear.


    Indeed, he was right to worry about that. Qiu Ling wasn''t holding back anymore. His killing intent leaked and it wasn''t just a bit. It was probably enough to make even a battle-hardened person back off, not to speak of someone like Qiguan Cheng Da who''d rather advance through deceit than actual hard labor.


    As amicable as Qiu Ling seemed when his beloved was around and as silly as he could be he had killed his fair share of people. Starting with fulfilling the last demand of his father and killing his own mother, then murdering that young woman to keep the secret of his heritage, to the demons that had fallen to his blade in the war ¡­ He actually didn''t think much of taking a life. And he definitely would take a life if he thought that the person in question was a danger to his beloved.


    He already hadn''t had a good feeling about Qiguan Cheng Da when they had seen him at the Hei Dian Sect. But right now when Qiguan Cheng Da had been the one next to Jing Yi when the Jade Gathering Beast appeared his initial dislike became profound hate. He really would have liked to shred this person to pieces. Unfortunately, he still needed information from him and when his beloved came back and heard that he killed someone he regarded as a friend it wouldn''t be good.


    "I''ll ask you for the last time: Where did that Jade Gathering Beast come from?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da gulped. He felt deeply that he couldn''t continue to lie or else ¡­ He didn''t want to die! He had just managed to survive this crisis! Why would he accept to be killed now?! He definitely wasn''t willing!


    "Senior ¡ª"


    Qiu Ling lifted his other hand, his fingers seemingly poised to kill.


    "Stop, stop, stop! I''ll tell you! I''ll tell you!" Qiguan Cheng Da''s voice instantly became higher in fear. "It was me who gave it to him! I didn''t know something like this would happen! The person who gave it to me said it would be able to help with cultivating. It seemed really suitable for Junior Martial Brother Zhong so I handed it over to him. I also don''t know why it suddenly exploded like that. It might be because of what Senior Martial Brother Yu did!"


    One really had to hand it to him: Even in these circumstances, Qiguan Cheng Da was able to revert black and white and conveniently mix lies with truth. Maybe it was some kind of innate talent?


    Qiu Ling let go of him and furrowed his brows. He wasn''t sure if he could trust this but he felt himself wavering. It was possible ¡­ "The person who gave it to you ¡­ What did he look like?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da grimaced. "Senior Martial Brother might not believe me but that person was actually quite conspicuous looking. He was really handsome and his hair was copper-colored. Ah, you can ask your Master! Grandmaster Zhangsun was the one who brought him over!"


    Qiu Ling frowned even more. "No need. I believe you."


    So this was indeed that bastard''s doing.

 Chapter 313 - Taking Care of the Aftermath

    Qiu Ling wasn''t the only one shocked at this development. Not far from him the gods that Jing He''s uncle, the God of War Qiang Yan, had sent to guard him were equally bewildered. They had arrived not too long ago but before any demons had been able to attack their crown prince had been caught in an explosion that seemed to have been caused by a simple human. What should they do now?


    The guards turned to their leader who frowned at the scene in front of them. "We should try and see if we can find out more but we can''t do that as long as those mortals are there. Go and inform the God of War." He looked at one of the guards who instantly clasped his hands and retreated with a bow.


    The leader turned back to face the situation in front. Ah, he really couldn''t see anything important! The guy who had suddenly ambushed their crown prince was gone, too, and there was no clue as to where they could have vanished to. Was their Son of Heaven even still alive?


    He gulped at this thought, his brow beading with cold sweat. The whole ground was soaked with blood, a few of the disciples who had been closer to the center of the explosion already dead, not much from their bodies still intact. As the one closest to it and with a frail mortal body to boot ¡­


    The leader took a deep breath. He couldn''t lose his calm now. First, they had to make sure whether or not their crown prince was really dead. Well, even if he was this would just signify the end of his trial period. He would just wake up in the Nine Heavens again and most likely, this even counted as a trial. They didn''t need to worry about that for now. This wasn''t anything irreversible.


    While the gods remained motionless on the sidelines Grandmaster Zhangsun was busying about. The people who had been hurt in the explosion were a few dozens of their best disciples. If all of them died, this might very well spell the end of the Yun Zou Sect. He couldn''t allow that.


    He didn''t bother about the disciples that had been the closest to the explosion. One casual look was enough to understand that they wouldn''t live through this. Most of them were already dead anyway and the few that were still breathing wouldn''t have much more time. Even if he gave them the best pills he had on him, they probably wouldn''t heal completely. In that case, it would be better to let them die. For a cultivator or practitioner, it would be unacceptable to become a mere mortal again and even one that was incapable of living an ordinary life.


    Instead of treating them, Zhangsun Xun Yi hurried to the disciples that were injured but could still be saved. He didn''t care for resources and just took out whatever he had that could be used. Precious pills and rare herbs could be refined or found again but these lives couldn''t be brought back once lost.


    Halfway through treating them, he gazed over at his own disciple. Qiu Ling didn''t even attempt to help his fellow disciples out. It was as if they didn''t even exist in his eyes. He really wanted to ask him to help out but finally reconsidered. He hadn''t spotted Jing Yi anywhere so maybe his disciple''s fiance was hurt, too? Or even ¡­


    He shook his head and turned back to the disciple in front of him, feeding him a pill. He shouldn''t be thinking about this. He should concentrate on the task at hand. Then he could worry about Qiu Ling''s matters. Furthermore, most likely that boy was still alive otherwise Qiu Ling wouldn''t stand there that calmly.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi hurried and finally treated the last disciple. Most of them were still gravely injured even though the gravest wounds had already closed. They were still covered in smaller injuries though, their faces pale as snow. They were in no condition to go back to the Yun Zou Sect now but at least he wouldn''t have to worry about them dying anymore.


    He looked over at the ones still lying on the ground. All of them were motionless by now. With how badly their bodies had been mutilated, he couldn''t even say how many were lying there but it was probably still around a dozen people. A dozen people their sect had lost.


    How would they make up for that? Especially since it was only a question of time until Qiu Ling would leave their sect. And when he left wouldn''t that other dragon leave, too? That were another two talents they couldn''t keep.


    He had stayed in the Yun Zou Sect for so long, always hoping that it might become again what it had once been. Unfortunately, it seemed like that wasn''t the case. What had been lost once would most likely be lost forever.


    With a sigh, he stood up and slowly went over to Qiu Ling who was eying the ground suspiciously as if he was considering whether his fiance might have been swallowed by it.


    "Qiu Ling."


    He didn''t get an answer. Qiu Ling just continued to look at the ground. He wasn''t really considering what his master had feared though. No, he was trying to figure out how the secret realm was connected to this place. After all, it was quite likely that Jing Yi was in there right now.


    No, it wasn''t just likely. He was certain of it. After calming down for a bit and thinking things through he knew that nothing had happened to his beloved. If it had, he''d be able to feel it. After all, he had bound his soul to Jing He''s early on. Even if this was just a reincarnation of his it would still be just the same as if he died. That kind of agony ¡­ he certainly would have felt it.


    Anyway, if he wanted to get his Jing He out of that damned secret realm, he had to first understand this thing.

 Chapter 314 - Being Dead Wasn’t Easy

    "Qiu Ling." Grandmaster Zhangsun once again called out to his disciple.


    This time Qiu Ling indeed turned around even though he still looked unwilling.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Trying to figure out how it works."


    "How it works? What are you talking about?"


    "That secret realm. My beloved is inside."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded relieved. "That''s good then. He was extremely lucky to have managed to enter it in time. Otherwise ¡­" He didn''t finish the sentence. His disciple certainly knew what the alternative would have been.


    "Mn. So how do we open it?" Qiu Ling frowned slightly.


    He had looked at it for quite a while and even though the arrays and formations used in the dragon realm were way more complex ¡­ he had no idea how the thing worked. The humans had crafted quite the simple thing but he wasn''t sure what the underlying principle was.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi took a deep breath. He really didn''t want to be the one who said this. "We can''t."


    "Mn?" Qiu Ling raised his brows. "What are you talking about?"


    "Opening the secret realm. We can''t do that."


    "Why? That thing was already blasted to smithereens. It isn''t dangerous anymore. We can just open it again."


    The Grandmaster''s lips tightened. "You misunderstood. It''s impossible to open the secret realm again. Well, at least for now it is."


    Qiu Ling looked at his master blankly. "What do you mean? Impossible?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed. "Those secret realms open on their own when they are without a master. When they do so will depend on the array that connects them to our realm."


    "So, what about this array?"


    "I don''t know."


    In fact, it wasn''t just that Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t know, he couldn''t even see the array that Qiu Ling had been observing for the last few minutes. How would he be able to find out when it would open? Especially since this was a secret realm that had only been recently discovered through sheer coincidence.


    Qiu Ling''s lips parted but he didn''t know what to say. He looked back at the array in front of him and humphed. "Then let''s return to the sect." He''d just ask the old geezer about it. That guy had lived in the mortal realm for so long he was bound to have learned a thing or two.


    "We can''t."


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. "How come that''s your answer to everything today? It couldn''t be that the secret realm also swallowed the way back, could it?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed. "No, but look at the others. Do you believe they are able to return in their condition? That''s simply impossible. And it''s not like I could just let them wait here."


    "That''s true. Ah, but you certainly don''t need me to wait here with you, Master, do you?" Qiu Ling''s eyes gleamed. He definitely wouldn''t waste any time when he could already go and start working on his plan to save his beloved!


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "Then go. Do stop by the Sect Master''s peak and tell him what happened. Especially ¡­"


    "Mn?"


    "That person who knocked your fiance to the ground was Yu Jin. The Sect Master''s disciple. He also vanished so ¡­"


    "The Sect Master''s disciple?" Qiu Ling frowned. What was this about?


    This guy had attacked his beloved so he should be part of that bastard''s plan. So had the sect master taken in a demon? Or maybe he was human but the demons had somehow enticed him to work for them? Or maybe he actually wasn''t part of their plan but wanted to harm his beloved because of something else?


    Ah, whatever. First of all, he had to find out how this array worked to get his beloved out. "Sure!" He nodded at Zhangsun Xun Yi and then took off without delay. He didn''t know whether or not Jing Yi had been injured by the explosion. He had to find him soon to make sure.


    Traveling at his fastest speed it only took Qiu Ling a few minutes to reach the Yun Zou Sect. He did indeed still remember the task his master had given him but ¡­ he didn''t have time for that now!


    He hurried to the array leading to the special dimension and ran over to the lake. There wasn''t anyone there though. Neither meditating on the ground of the lake nor sitting on that boulder next to it. It was as if he had vanished just like his beloved.


    Qiu Ling frowned even more. It couldn''t be that something had happened at the Yun Zou Sect, too, could it? But it certainly didn''t look that way. It was just as if ¡­ that person had just stood up and left.


    Mn, actually, it wouldn''t be so strange. After all, this had been his secret retreat after his ''death''. But now not only the Grandmaster but also his own successor knew of it. And hadn''t that Qiguan Cheng Da said that that bastard had given him the Jade Gathering Beast? Maybe that guy had come to the sect and thus startled the old geezer who then fled in search of a new retreat.


    Come to think of it, being dead really wasn''t easy.


    Qiu Ling sat down on the boulder where he had once gotten drunk with Jinde. Alright, he had been the one who got drunk while that old geezer just sat there with a miserable expression, probably reminiscing about the good old times.


    If he was the old geezer, where would he go when his first retreat had become dangerous? It needed to be a place where neither dragons nor demons would visit, preferably with a large quantity of water to heal his injury and it certainly wouldn''t hurt if that water was rich in spiritual energy. Knowing him he would also prefer a place that reminded him of his old man ¡­


    Qiu Ling frowned. Honestly, he might be able to think of a lot of places that fulfilled one of these requirements but all of them together? Impossible.


    Everything that connected the old geezer and his old man was in the dragon realm. And even if he didn''t search for a place the two of them had frequented, how would he know about any places with water rich in spiritual energy in the human realm? This was completely impossible!


    Qiu Ling gritted his teeth. Surprisingly, his search for this supposedly dead person had already led him into a dead-end. Well, in fact, he hadn''t even started to search yet.


    Ah, had Qiu Ling known how close by Jinde was ¡­ But he didn''t and thus this opportunity to get help had to remain unused.

 Chapter 315 - A Painting of the Past

    Jinde, at this moment, was slowly strolling through the house he was using as his temporary hiding place. He didn''t know how long it had been since he had fled from the special dimension to escape from Jin Ling. Time had long lost its meaning for him. Staying alone in the dimension every day, nursing his injuries and waiting for the person he loved to finally come back to him, the passing of a day was without meaning.


    What was one day? What was a year? What was a century or even a millennium? As long as he had to wait it was all the same endless agony to him.


    Jinde sighed and continued his walk through the house. He hadn''t left the dimension for a long time so he had no idea who the host that had been forced to grant him his hospitality was. The house was located on what had been the sect master''s peak once so it was quite likely that it was normally occupied by one of the current sect master''s disciples. Jinde didn''t know who the one presiding over the Yun Zou Sect at the moment was though so naturally, he also didn''t know about any disciples of that person.


    Who knew when his involuntary host would come back? It might be difficult to explain the situation so he could only hope that the person he''d be confronted with would turn out to be someone with an even temper.


    Looking at the interior of the house ¡­ Jinde couldn''t help but feel a bit of appreciation toward this person. There wasn''t much in regard to furniture or decorations but the few things that had been used to furnish the house exuded a simple elegance. It made him feel ¡­ quite at home. This definitely was the kind of place he''d choose to stay at if he was in the position to do so.


    He arrived at a study and sat down at the low table. Light filtered through the window and warmed his skin that had always felt a little cold since he had been injured back then. Jinde closed his eyes in satisfaction. Just when would he be able to completely leave that dimension and return to living a normal life?


    "Chun Yin ¡­ Hasn''t it been enough time already? But maybe you''ve already reincarnated and just haven''t found me." He sighed and stood up, restlessly walking to the window.


    Back then what had actually ruined the perfectly good relationship they could have had, had been him taking the throne. For a person such a Chun Yin, having an affair with the person he had to formally pledge loyalty to was unthinkable.


    He had understood that. But how could he have known ¡­ From the very first day, he had always thought that Chun Yin would turn out to be their king. He was so strong, so dependable, so awe-inspiring. How could he lose in that dumb competition? How could he actually give up that seat that should have been his by all right ¡­ to someone like him?


    Jinde turned his back to the light, his golden hair sparkling in the sun while his face was cast in shadows. Why hadn''t he questioned it more back then? Then maybe they would have been able to detect that all this was Jian Heng''s doing. And if they had, then Chun Yin could have taken the place that was supposed to be his and maybe none of what had happened after that would have transpired.


    He certainly ¡­ wouldn''t have minded becoming his king''s beloved. At least not if that king was Chun Yin.


    He gave another sigh and looked back at the table. It had been a long time since then and he knew that thinking about it was futile. They had all failed to recognize what was happening back then. The one with the biggest error in judgment was he himself. If Jian Heng hadn''t said those things back then in the last battle before he died, he might never have pieced together how the desolate latter half of his life had come about.


    Back then, for a while, he had entertained the thought that maybe Jian Heng had just wanted to make his death even more unbearable. To have him feel miserable in his last days while his soul slowly dissipated.


    But in the end, how much more unbearable could it have become? Jian Heng had already managed to destroy everything important to him. The love of his life had already been killed back then, the only hope of them ever meeting again being his reincarnation. Even his child ¡­


    Jinde sighed and gently placed a hand atop his chest. Well, at least he had managed to escape the danger of having his soul dispersed by the soul-devouring dagger. At least he had managed to keep the last bit of Chun Yin safe.


    Waiting for him to return ¡­ as unbearable as it was, he could endure it as long as he knew he''d be rewarded one day. And he was sure that he would. From the day he had first seen Chun Yin and that bright smile of his, he had always known that he could completely depend on this person. This conviction had only become firmer with time.


    Chun Yin wouldn''t leave him alone for the rest of his life. However long it might take, however many dangers might be lurking in the path, Chun Yin would find a way to return to his side. Until then, he just had to keep waiting.


    With a small smile, Jinde picked up a scroll of paper from a shelf and went back to the table. He ground the ink and unfurled the scroll just to give pause when he wanted to fixate it on the table.


    What he had thought to be an empty scroll of paper had actually turned out to be a half-finished painting. He couldn''t help but admire the clear strokes for a moment but what truly astonished him was what the painting depicted.


    How come this painting kept in the study of a human''s house ¡­ showed the courtyard of his master?

 Chapter 316 - The One He Was Waiting For

    Jinde had no way of finding out how this half-finished painting had come about. He couldn''t leave the house for fear of being spotted by Jin Ling and he didn''t have any other means of contacting Zhangsun Xun Yi than to go over and ask him directly. Thus, he could only stay in that study and look at one painting after the other, the shock in his heart growing deeper and deeper.


    He might not know who was living in this house, what his name was and how he looked like but he was certain that he knew exactly who he had been before. This person ¡­ was obviously the one he had waited for all this time.


    Jinde lowered the last painting in his hand and looked at the dazzling light streaming through the window. Unknowingly, his eyes had long since teared up and by now one of those glittering tears hung on his lashes, trembling for a bit before finally sliding down his cheek and dripping onto his golden hair.


    Soon enough, it was joined by another one until Jinde was unable to bear his blurry vision. He closed his eyes and curled up at the table, covering his face with his hands.


    "Chun Yin," he choked out, his whole body trembling with his sobs. "Chun Yin ¡­"


    How long had he waited? How many millennia had gone by since the day he left the dragon realm after his so-called death? How many years had it been before that that he had actually seen him?


    All the years that they had lost ¡­ Would they finally end? With Jian Heng dead and that demonic woman out of the picture ¡­ Would they have another chance? Could this love they had never been able to live finally have a chance to come to fruition?


    Jinde''s tears continued to stream down and for the longest time he wasn''t able to calm down, his body racked by sobs until he could barely breathe.


    He had strolled through this house long enough to know that it might be deserted right now but it hadn''t been for long. Furthermore, just counting the scrolls of paper in that shelf even if he had only painted one a day it would still mean that he had been in the sect for quite a while now.


    "Ah, Chun Yin, why are we always so unlucky?"


    They had clearly been at the same place for a long time already but they still hadn''t met. If not for Jin Ling appearing and him fleeing the special dimension in haste, he might never have found out that Chun Yin had already come. In the worst case, the person he had waited for might have ascended someday without them ever knowing they had closely passed by each other.


    Jinde couldn''t help but give a laugh, his voice still hoarse from crying for so long. "Jin Ling, as much as you hated Chun Yin, without you I never would have been able to find him." He slowly lowered his hands and his lips curled in a brilliant smile, his golden eyes suffused with happiness.


    "I''m sorry I can''t come to see you. I know I ¡­ shouldn''t be like this. It wasn''t your fault back then. If not for Jian Heng, everything might still be well. Maybe even you and Qiu Ling ¡­" He sighed and shook his head. "It''s not that I hate you. I really hope you''re going to find your own happiness someday. Then, there really wouldn''t be any reason to worry any longer."


    He picked up one of the scrolls he had put down on the table and gently traced the dark lines. Who knew his Chun Yin would ever be patient enough to sit down and draw something like this? It seemed this new life of his had brought quite a few changes with it. He really couldn''t wait to see him.


    Jinde stood up with the scroll still in his hands and went back to the window. When would he come back here? How many more days did he need to wait? "Chun Yin, since I''ve already found your traces here and since you seem to remember at least some things from your past life, can''t you hurry back to my side already? I''ve waited for you for so long. I don''t mind waiting a little longer. Just ¡­ don''t let me wait too long. My heart ¡­ might not be able to take it."


    He leaned against the wall and gazed at the painting once more. This definitely depicted their master''s courtyard. There was the tree in the background, the winding path to the left and the wall of the building to the right. All of that looked as lifelike as if the person had stood there in that very same courtyard and seen these things before him before merely capturing their appearance on paper.


    In fact, he could even imagine where that person had stood and how he had looked doing so: At the corner of the winding path, his hands propped up on the handrail, his gaze following the movements of the person in the courtyard while his thin lips were slightly curved.


    How often had he seen him like this? How often had Chun Yin startled him out of training the sword? Ah, it was probably no wonder that he hadn''t achieved such a high proficiency in the sword arts compared to his achievements in alchemy.


    Caught up in the memories of this part of his life when everything had still been alright and he and Chun Yin had spent every day with each other, another beautiful smile tugged at Jinde''s lips. He really couldn''t wait to see him again. Unfortunately, their reunion probably wouldn''t be as heartfelt as he hoped.


    He looked once again at the painting and gave a sigh. Even though everything about the courtyard was lifelike there was one thing about it that made Jinde''s heart squeeze painfully: The middle of the painting was empty as if the one painting it just couldn''t make up his mind what should be there. Or maybe it should rather be said that the person just couldn''t remember what should be there.


    Yes, obviously, even though Chun Yin could remember that place where they had spent so much time he had forgotten everything about him. The love of his life didn''t remember him.

 Chapter 317 - An Opportunity for a Trial

    At the same time, in the secret realm connected to the Leyuan region, Yu Jin gave a sigh and looked at the young man lying on the ground next to him with a pale face. He had already tried his best to shield him from the explosion but in the end, he had still been slightly injured. The hem of his sleeves was ripped and there were some cuts on his hands and face. Considering the scale of the explosion he could be said to have gotten off fairly lightly though. The biggest problem would probably be the impact the spiritual energy had had on him.


    Yu Jin reached over and lightly took Jing Yi''s pulse. As soon as he felt the energy inside, his brows lifted slightly. Being caught in the middle of a disturbance of that scale and then being thrown through a small crack in the array surrounding a secret realm but still not having your spiritual veins damaged ¡­ Was this the impact the soul of a trueborn god had? But that shouldn''t be. Spiritual veins weren''t tied to the soul but rather to the body. In his human life, his immortal soul shouldn''t have had made a difference. At least not such a big one.


    Yu Jin took his hand back and stopped thinking about the problem. It was good as long as the Son of Heaven wasn''t irrevocably hurt. If not for the fact that a spiritual energy disturbance brought about by a Jade Gathering Beast would have been able to bring harm to his soul, too, he wouldn''t even have interfered at all.


    Wouldn''t that have been a great opportunity for a trial? He could imagine how happy the Fate''s Scribe would have been once he opened the crown prince''s scroll of fate and saw him hurt by a man-made calamity. A trial of betrayal, a trial of pain ¡­ It really was a pity that the crown prince had once again missed out on it.


    Yu Jin sighed once more and stood up. It didn''t matter. Being in this secret realm might be a good opportunity in itself. After all, that troublesome dragon king wasn''t with them so there was no one that could ruin anything. Whether it was hindering Jing Yi''s progress in cultivation or making sure that he suffered through a hard time inside the secret realm to pass some minor trials, there was nobody that could mess it up.


    Yu Jin closed his eyes. In all honesty, he felt bad about this. He hadn''t interacted much with him but whether it was the few short days in the capital when Jing Yi had affectionately taken care of the dragon king when he was unconscious and trapped in his own inner self or the even shorter amount of time when he had seen Jing Yi at the Hei Dian Sect and then accompanied Qiu Ling and him over to the Leyuan region he always had had a good impression of him.


    This boy really was such a nice child. He was honest and caring and open-minded with morals he held fast to. He definitely didn''t deserve such suffering. Even though he would wake up as the Son of Heaven later on and then understand that all of this had just been a trial he had had to undertake, it would still be a tragic experience for the mortal Jing Yi. And wasn''t he also a person?


    But there was nothing he could do. The God of War had already assigned him to help the Fate''s Scribe whose task was making this child suffer out of all things.


    Yes, indeed, this person who seemed to be the favorite disciple of the Yun Zou Sect''s Sect Master Yuchi Bing Xia was, in fact, none other than the ascended deity Leng Jin Yu who had come back to the mortal world to make sure that Jing He''s trial would be successful and not meet with another mishap.


    He didn''t really want to since he had gotten to know him but there was nothing he could do. Even if it wasn''t the Fate''s Scribe''s task to take care of the trial they couldn''t just leave everything to fate. After all, without passing the required trials the Son of Heaven would be the one to suffer the consequences. That was probably even worse than having this mortal boy go through all this. After all, the gods couldn''t lose their Son of Heaven.


    Just while Leng Jin Yu was struggling with his role in all of this, Jing Yi''s eyelids fluttered until he finally opened his eyes. The sun blinded him for a moment and he closed his eyes again and turned his face to the side. "Qiu Ling?" He instinctively called out for his fiance and even lifted his hand to try and find him.


    Yu Jin opened his eyes and turned back toward him. Losing his fiance for an undetermined amount of time might very well be a trial of its own already. "He isn''t here."


    Jing Yi slowly sat up and turned toward the voice only to find Yu Jin standing next to him while everyone else had disappeared. "Senior Martial Brother Yu?"


    Yu Jin nodded, not saying anything else. He observed Jing Yi for a while longer and slowly, determination suffused his gaze. Even if this boy hated him later on, he''d make sure that he passed enough trials while being imprisoned in this secret realm. If he did so, then whatever he wanted to do after getting out of here wouldn''t be a problem.


    Marrying the dragon king? Returning to the capital to be with his mother? Taking over the teahouse and living an ordinary life, having a few years of happiness? Why shouldn''t he have that? He just had to pass his trials first and get through a dark time in his life, then he could be like everyone else. Like a normal person who wasn''t burdened by his past life.


    Just like he himself.

 Chapter 318 - More Than Unlikely

    Yu Jin, or, well Leng Jin Yu watched Jing Yi stand up and look around. He himself had long since observed their surroundings. This part of the secret realm didn''t look much different from outside. There was a meadow surrounded by a forest with mountains towering in the distance. The spiritual energy inside was much purer though. This place was actually very suitable for cultivating.


    If Leng Jin Yu didn''t do something to impede Jing Yi''s progress, then he would probably improve by leaps and bounds while staying here. Then, after his return, there definitely wouldn''t be any reason for the Yun Zou Sect to refuse to take him into the inner sect and the wedding with the dragon king was only a question of time. As for his ascension ¡­ Well, that would still depend on his aptitude to a large degree.


    "Senior Martial Brother Yu, what happened? Where are the others?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "The question should be where we are. You remember the explosion?"


    "Explosion?" Jing Yi knitted his eyebrows.


    Actually, he couldn''t remember anything like that or maybe it was more accurate to say that he had never seen the explosion in the first place. Being thrown to the ground by an ascended deity in a hurried manner while said deity still threw an attack at someone close by had actually knocked him out for good. He hadn''t been conscious anymore when the Jade Gathering Beast exploded and the gap to the secret realm opened. The last thing he remembered was Yu Jin slamming into him. After that everything was engulfed by darkness.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I don''t know if you noticed but a creature called a Jade Gathering Beast had latched onto you."


    "Jade Gathering Beast?" Jing Yi thought of the stone-like thing Qiguan Cheng Da had given him. It had seemed like it was made out of jade. So that was probably what was called a Jade Gathering Beast? "Oh, yes. Senior martial brother Qiguan gave it to me."


    Leng Jin Yu paused. Qiguan Cheng Da? How had he gotten his hands on a Jade Gathering Beast? Not to talk about the fact that not even one had been seen for several hundreds of years already, even before that they had been quite rare. And Qiguan Cheng Da hadn''t left the Yun Zou Sect often. How should he have found one? It seemed someone had used him to try and hurt the Son of Heaven. This was ¡­ dangerous.


    "Did he say anything about it?"


    "Just that it was something used for cultivation and that his cultivation level was already too high to use it."


    "I see." Leng Jin Yu didn''t say anything else to that.


    Jing Yi also kept quiet for a while. He didn''t understand though and finally couldn''t take the wait any longer. "Senior Martial Brother, what does this have to do with the others vanishing?"


    "A Jade Gathering Beast might be used for cultivation. It can''t be used in the vicinity of large quantities of spiritual energy though. Especially a place where a secret realm emerges isn''t suitable. It will cause the Jade Gathering Beast to explode and might even harm the owner in the process. In fact, the one that had latched onto you was about to explode. Luckily, I noticed in time and managed to separate it from you and destroy it. Otherwise ¡­"


    "Then senior martial brother Qiguan ¡­" Jing Yi couldn''t help but worry. Qiguan Cheng Da had stood right next to him. If Yu Jin had helped him, then what about him? Was he alright?


    "I don''t know. The two of us were lucky. We were thrown into the secret realm when the explosion occurred. As for the others ¡­" Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "I don''t know what happened to them. But considering the scale of the explosion, I reckon that not everyone lived."


    Jing Yi''s heart throbbed. "Not everyone ¡­" He frantically tried to recall where Qiu Ling had been when he lost consciousness. It seemed he had stood a little farther away with Grandmaster Zhangsun? He wasn''t sure though. "Qiu Ling should be alright, shouldn''t he?"


    Leng Jin Yu wanted to nod but finally just kept silent. He had said that he didn''t know. He should probably let him worry.


    Jing Yi lifted a hand to his chest, trying to calm down his furiously beating heart. Could it really be that something had happened to Qiu Ling? That shouldn''t be, right? He hadn''t stood that close and even if he did, he wasn''t even mortal! It would be strange if he was really ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu kept quiet and turned away, unable to watch how Jing Yi bit his lower lip in fear. Those two ¡­ they really loved each other very much. He certainly didn''t understand why the dragon king kept acting so recklessly but it was obvious that their feelings for each other were deep. Even the mortal reincarnation of the crown prince loved him very much even though he had no memories of his past life.


    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat and nodded at the forest. "We should go and take a look around." He didn''t wait for an answer and just started to march forward.


    Jing Yi hastened after him. "Senior Martial Brother Yu, is this really alright? If we got into the secret realm here, then wouldn''t it be better to stay here to get out?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked up at the sky. Right. How could he have forgotten that this boy knew next to nothing about cultivation? "It won''t be of any use. The secret realm won''t open on its own for a long time."


    "Then maybe we can open it?"


    "We can''t."


    "And ¡­ Grandmaster Zhangsun? He is right outside. He''ll probably take care of the other disciples and then get us out of here, won''t he?"


    Leng Jin Yu stopped and turned to Jing Yi. "He won''t. He''s just the same as us. Nobody is able to open this secret realm for the time being. The only opportunity would be if one of us managed to replace the master of this realm and that ¡­ is more than unlikely."

 Chapter 319 - A Dangerous Assumption

    Jing Yi fell silent and Leng Jin Yu didn''t try to make conversation. The boy probably had a lot to think about. It was alright as long as he could take a closer look at the secret realm. After all, he had to make sure that there was nothing here that could be dangerous to the Son of Heaven. Having him die would probably be alright but as soon as his soul was concerned ¡­


    Speaking of that ¡­ Leng Jin Yu took a glance at Jing Yi''s troubled expression. It seemed the dragon king and him weren''t the only ones who knew about his hidden identity as the Son of Heaven. After all, it was quite suspicious that Qiguan Cheng Da had been given a Jade Gathering Beast of all things.


    Most people in the human realm nowadays might not know about it and assumed that the Jade Gathering Beast was only dangerous because of the accidents that might occur when it devoured spiritual energy but he had already cultivated to the peak of immortality once and ascended as a deity so he knew the truth. The Jade Gathering Beast was far more vicious than that.


    It gathered spiritual energy, yes, but that wasn''t all it gathered. In fact, every type of energy was a welcome meal for this creature. Nothing was wrong with that generally, it was just its nature to do so. The problem was that this energy also referred to life energy or even soul energy.


    In other words, if the Jade Gathering Beast followed a cultivator to a place where there was no spiritual energy in the vicinity, then it would first start to devour the cultivation base of its owner. If the cultivator still didn''t manage to leave the place after that was done, it would then start taking in the life energy in his body which would in turn slowly let him lose all strength until he was too weak to even lift a hand. Normally the cultivator would then fall into a coma.


    But the Jade Gathering Beast at that point in time would still have no other source of energy and would thus start to take in the last bit of energy the cultivator had: The energy of his soul. In the worst case, it would be completely devoured without any chance to ever enter the circle of reincarnation.


    It had happened often enough in the past until the cultivators hated the Jade Gathering Beasts they had once thought of using so much that they were killed upon sight. This was what had led to the near demise of the whole population of Jade Gathering Beasts.


    Considering this history of that beast type and the fact that Jing Yi didn''t know much about cultivation and even less about the different beasts in the human realms one only needed to use one''s toes to think to understand that something was up with this gift. He was just afraid that this wasn''t something Qiguan Cheng Da could have come up with. The only thing he might have known of was the possibility of an explosion. So, who had incited him and provided him with the means to this sinister plan?


    Was this another coincidence like back when the idle goddess Yin Lin Lin incited Hong Bao to murder the god that had descended to the mortal realm for his trial just to make trouble for the Fate''s Scribe Shun Tao? But how many people could have a grudge against him? And after what had happened back then some precautions had certainly been taken.


    Don''t talk about the Fate''s Scribe that would want to prevent anything unexpected from occurring, there were still the God of War and the Heavenly Emperor who were both part of the crown prince''s family. After someone had nearly gotten him killed accidentally they would certainly be more careful.


    Leng Jin Yu had naturally felt when the Heavenly Guards had joined them halfway on their journey from the Hei Dian Sect to the secret realm. He had been a little astonished that they only came then after so many days had already passed in the Nine Heavens since that incident but the point was that they had come. That showed that the God of War was trying to minimize the potential danger for his nephew. So it was completely impossible for any god to be the cause behind the appearance of the Jade Gathering Beast.


    Then who else could it be? Someone from the demons? But they shouldn''t have known that the Son of Heaven was attempting his trial right now. Not even all of the gods knew. As far as Leng Jin Yu had heard the crown prince was quite the reclusive person. One could see him sometimes from afar and he certainly would attend the important festivities but otherwise, he kept to himself. It was normal for people not to see him for a week or two in succession and it wasn''t even strange if he didn''t appear before them for a month. Probably, they''d even be freaked out should they actually meet him every few days.


    So if even the gods themselves had no idea, how should that information have spread to the other races? Especially the demons that hadn''t much to do with them.


    Leng Jin Yu''s eyes narrowed. There was one possibility that he felt to be quite likely, unfortunately. Once again, this should be tied to the dragon king. Maybe he had told someone about it in good faith or maybe someone was actually spying on him instead of the crown prince and had found out about the trial like that. Whatever the case it was more likely than someone getting a handle on the crown prince''s information from the side of the gods.


    Unfortunately, this was only a conjecture and he had no way of verifying or even reporting it right now. That would have to wait until they could leave the secret realm. Although ¡­ considering his assumption it might be good if they returned as late as possible. The older Jing Yi became while in here the less trouble the dragon king could make.

 Chapter 320 - That Strand of Golden Hair

    Yu Jin was right with his assumption that the incident with the Jade Gathering Beast had come about because of a certain dragon king. At the same time, the culprit who handed the Beast to Qiguan Cheng Da had already arrived in the demon realm again.


    Jin Ling was in an especially good mood. Unfortunately, he hadn''t been able to go over but it should be about time for that Qiguan Cheng Da to act. Maybe Qiu Ling had already lost his beloved. Ah, he really wanted to see his expression!


    Jin Ling went back to the palace but stopped in front of the side door he usually used. Nobody was around and he took a moment to breathe deeply and school his expression. If he wanted to extort some information regarding Jinde from Xin Lan, then he had to make sure that his acting was flawless.


    He opened the door and stepped inside, slowly walking toward the inner chambers of the palace. Most likely ¡­


    When he arrived Xin Lan already stepped out of the shadows on the other side of the room.


    "Xin Lan. Did everything go well?"


    The dragon nodded, his gaze measuring Jin Ling''s face. "Your ¡­ plan wasn''t successful?"


    Jin Ling''s lips curved up in another beautiful smile. "Oh, no. You got it wrong. It''s probably about to come to fruition. It''s just such a pity that I couldn''t be there to see his stupefied expression." Jin Ling showed a wistful expression. This time he didn''t even need to act. He really regretted it deeply! He should have given that Qiguan Cheng Da a mirroring gem, then he could have watched from afar.


    Xin Lan nodded. If Jin Ling still wanted to watch his expression, then it wasn''t anything lethal. Well, if he had actually managed to kill Qiu Ling, then he certainly wouldn''t have kept so calm. He would probably still be laughing right now.


    Jin Ling slowly walked over, the smile still tucking at his lips. "Say, Xin Lan, how do you think a dragon looks ¡­ when he loses his partner?"


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. "You killed his partner?"


    "Ah, you can''t say it like that. The one he bound his soul to is the Son of Heaven. How could I just go and kill him? Wouldn''t the gods wage war against us? I still know what to do."


    "But he is dead?"


    Jin Ling rubbed the gem at his ear. "He should be. I did find someone to do it instead of me, after all." He sighed and gave Xin Lan a contemplative gaze. "It''s really such a hassle. Finding someone, providing that someone with an opportunity, hoping that everything will go well ¡­ It would be so much easier if there was a capable person at my side that would do such things for me."


    Xin Lan didn''t respond to that. There was something far more important now. "So you''re not sure whether or not he is dead."


    "How can one ever be sure about something like that?" Jin Ling once again touched the gem and his smile became gentler. Even after all this time he just couldn''t believe it. How could Jinde have died? Certainly ¡­ Certainly, there had to be something more to that.


    He took out one of the strands of golden hair he had brought back from the Yun Zou Sect. He carefully held it in his hand and stroked it with his thumb. "You wouldn''t know anything more than me, would you?" He couldn''t imagine how Jinde might have managed to escape his fate but he couldn''t imagine him dying either. Maybe ¡­ there had really been a miracle?


    Xin Lan stared at the strand of hair in Jin Ling''s hand. Golden hair ¡­ Whose golden hair would Jin Ling keep? Especially ¡­ considering the length ¡­


    Xin Lan furrowed his brow even further and his eyes narrowed. His hand moved and he slapped Jin Ling across the face, his other hand snatching that strand of golden hair. He held it, his fingers trembling.


    "You ¡ª" Jin Ling was livid but he still swallowed his anger. He wasn''t even sure if he could beat Qiu Ling in a fair fight. Winning against Xin Lan? Don''t make him laugh!


    "I?" Xin Lan looked up from the shimmering hair, a fury in his eyes Jin Ling had never seen before. "I''m certainly not the one at fault here! You actually ¡­"


    He lifted the hair again before mechanically turning aside. He walked to the incense burner in the corner and put the hair inside. Xin Lan watched it burn until nothing but ash was left, his heart heavy the whole time.


    "You actually dared to desecrate his body ¡­" He had to close his eyes for a moment and take a deep breath so as to control his voice. He definitely couldn''t let that brat hear how hoarse it was right now. "I really can''t understand you. He did so much for you. Why do you always do such things? Making him suffer like that. Even after his death, you won''t let him rest in peace!"


    Jin Ling tightened his lips. "I never made him suffer."


    Xin Lan didn''t even turn around. Speaking to Jin Ling about this was pointless. It had always been. "Your Highness ¡­ Was this strand all you had?"


    Jin Ling looked away. "What are you getting so worked up for? It''s not even his hair."


    Xin Lan looked back. He didn''t believe him. Not one word.


    "I went to that human sect where Qiu Ling has gone and found a separate dimension. I found a golden hair there and thought ¡­" He stopped talking but Xin Lan already understood.


    He turned back around and sighed. "Why are you still unable to accept it? He''s dead. It was your father who killed him. And he did so in front of your eyes. What is there to doubt?"


    "He wouldn''t die so easily. Not him."


    "His soul dissipated. I burned his body when only an empty husk was left. Your Highness, you have to accept it. The sooner you do, the better."


    "Why didn''t you help him? Why didn''t you fight against my father? You''re obviously the better fighter!" Jin Ling''s voice started out low but he couldn''t help screaming at the end.


    Yes, why? Why hadn''t Xin Lan helped him? If he did, then maybe Jinde would still be alive. After all, he had always said that Xin Lan was a rare expert. Ah, he still remembered the day he had first asked him about that.

 Chapter 321 - A Cute Little Demon

    It had been in the last days of spring when the temperatures slowly went up but a cool breeze still rustled in the herb field behind the palace. Jinde''s hair had shimmered in the afternoon sun, his eyes sparkling as if they were truly made out of melted gold and all the while a gentle smile hung on his lips.


    Jin Ling watched him weed the field and water the herbs. Back then how old had he been? A hundred years? Maybe a hundred and fifty years? It sounded old but for dragons or demons he could merely be regarded as a little child. In fact, some of the herbs in Jinde''s field were larger than him so he had to make sure he didn''t lose him.


    He waddled after him. As soon as Jinde took half a step he''d follow two. He wouldn''t leave his side for even a moment and every so often Jinde himself would turn to the side to make sure he was still there. Then, that gentle smile would become a little brighter and those beautiful eyes became glittering crescents. Whenever he saw them Jin Ling would inch still a bit closer regardless of how close he had stood before.


    Unfortunately, good things never lasted long. It had probably been just an hour or two when a dark voice sounded behind them.


    "Your Majesty."


    Jinde looked back and stood up, elegantly patted off the dirt of his hands. "Xin Lan, you''ve returned."


    "Mn." The man didn''t say anything else. He just looked at Jinde, his deep gaze raising Jin Ling''s hackles.


    He was still too young to understand but he had the bad feeling that somebody wanted to take Jinde from him. He wouldn''t allow him! That was his Jinde! Nobody else could have him!


    He reached out to grab Jinde but just then this beloved person of his had actually seen something worrying. He hurried over to Xin Lan''s side and grabbed his arm.


    "What happened to you?"


    Xin Lan didn''t say anything. He just looked at those long fingers that gently held onto him and then lifted his gaze to those golden eyes that examined his wound before hurriedly looking ahead again. Just as if nothing had happened.


    Jinde didn''t notice but Jin Ling did. And even if he was still a child, a child of the immortal races would still have a little more awareness than a mortal child. He hurriedly reached out again and tugged at Jinde''s sleeve.


    "What is it, Ah Jin?"


    Jin Ling stretched out his little arms, asking for a hug. Jinde blinked as if a bit surprised. In the end, he still bent down and picked the little one up. Jin Ling couldn''t help but shoot a triumphant glance at Xin Lan. The man wasn''t fazed though. He just returned that gaze until Jin Ling couldn''t take it any longer and burrowed his face into Jinde''s golden hair. To his horror, the unwelcome person still didn''t leave after that. Quite the contrary.


    "Xin Lan, come on in. Let me have a look at that." Jinde just carried Jin Ling into his alchemy room, sat him down in a chair, patted his head and ¡­ turned to Xin Lan, this terrible patient.


    Jin Ling watched in horror as the other person stripped down to the waist and let Jinde take a look at his injuries as if it was nothing strange at all. Jin Ling sat at the side with a bitter expression on his face but in front of Jinde, he would never raise a fuss. So, he just patiently waited until the bad person was all stitched up and finally left.


    As soon as the door closed behind Xin Lan, Jin Ling slipped down from the chair and hugged Jinde''s leg. Jinde stopped moving and looked at him.


    For a while, the two of them just watched each other. Finally, Jinde''s hand lifted and ruffled Jin Ling''s hair. "Did I take too long? Don''t worry. Uncle Xin is alright again. Now I''m only there for you."


    Jin Ling smiled brightly. Who cared about ''uncle Xin''? But he finally had his Jinde back! As cutely as possible he stretched out his arms again and once again he was picked up and carried in Jinde''s arms. Jin Ling grabbed a strand of that golden hair hanging down and held onto it, feeling like he had found the most valuable thing in the world.


    Jinde just let him be. He couldn''t help but sigh when thinking of Xin Lan though. "Mn, Xin Lan was hurt again. I really wonder what he''s been up to in the last few months. It''s been quite often already. I''m a little worried."


    Jin Ling looked up, not understanding what this was about. Why did his Jinde care so much about that terrible person? He pursed his lips, unwilling to share Jinde''s attention with anyone. He had to let him see what a bad person that man was!


    Jin Ling thought about it hard. What exactly was bad about that person? Naturally, it was because he wanted his Jinde''s attention! And he had a head full of white hair. Wasn''t this practically an old man? How could someone like that disgrace his Jinde with his presence?! His Jinde was a beauty! And then he was wearing that stupid mask every day. What was he trying to say with that?


    Jin Ling didn''t understand so he could only lower himself to show a bit of interest in the bad person first. After that, he would find something to make Jinde hate him!


    He tugged at Jinde''s lapel until he finally came out of his thoughts and looked at him. "Why is ¡­ uncle Xin wearing a mask?"


    Jinde had seemed to hesitate and his gaze went to the door Xin Lan had left through. "Mn, that''s a good question. It''s because ¡­ your uncle Xin is the strongest among us dragons!"


    "The strongest?" Jin Ling blinked his eyes. So that terrible person was with his Jinde because he was the strongest? His eyes lit up and he lightly tugged at that golden hair. "Then in the future, I''ll become the strongest!"


    Jinde blinked. "Why? You like uncle Xin''s mask? I can make one for you, too, if you want."


    Thinking back to that now Jin Ling furrowed his brow. Who wanted a stupid mask?! He had obviously just wanted to stay at his side forever! What kind of misunderstanding was that?


    Had Jin Ling known that Jinde had understood very well and that he had actually gotten a good laugh out of this show of affection he would probably have been furious. Thankfully, the two people who knew about that would probably never talk about it.

 Chapter 322 - I Would Trade Them for Him

    Xin Lan lowered his head at Jin Ling''s outburst. Yes. If he could turn back time, then he would certainly go back and change that part of the past. If he could just save that one person, then even dying in the process was worth it. His life had long been his master''s. He certainly would have liked to give it to him. Unfortunately ¡­


    "His Majesty wouldn''t have wanted me to do so."


    Jin Ling was pulled out of his thoughts and gave a snort. "Wouldn''t have wanted to? Did you ask? Maybe you should have done that instead of trying to guess what he might have thought."


    Xin Lan didn''t respond. Naturally, he had done so. He had told him he would go and fight in his stead. He had asked him to send him out to fight in his stead. He had even knelt down and begged him when nothing else had worked. But his master hadn''t budged until the end. He had gone to war himself and then ¡­ he had only been able to watch as he grew weaker and weaker in the following months.


    Xin Lan closed his eyes. He had known from the beginning that this would be the result. Maybe if his master had had something worth living for, he would have decided differently. Maybe if the people he loved had still been at his side, he wouldn''t have killed Jian Heng at the expense of his own life. Maybe he could still be alive.


    But it was futile thinking like that. He couldn''t turn back time. And even if he had managed to keep his master away from the fight back then, what would the result have been? He was sure he could have killed that damnable Jian Heng but just preserving his master''s life probably wouldn''t have been enough. Maybe it would have been worse.


    As a man who had already lost everything, forcing him to live on for another year, another century, another millennium ¡­ wasn''t that pure torture? He just wished he could have saved his soul so that he could be reincarnated.


    Wouldn''t it have been wonderful if he could start anew without anything from his tragic past life weighing him down? Maybe he could find his destined person again and hold onto him this time. They could marry and spend their whole life together. Who knew? They might even be able to have a child together.


    He was sure his master would have liked that very much. But it was already too late. The only thing he could do was following through with what he had asked him to do. Fulfilling these last three wishes ¡­ He was already honored that he was the one who had been asked for that.


    Xin Lan shook his head and looked up at Jin Ling again. "Maybe I should have done that. But it''s already too late now. As much as you regret, as much as I regret, nothing can be done about that, Your Highness. He is dead and his soul has dissipated. He won''t come back ever again, he won''t be reincarnated either. We have to accept that."


    "I won''t."


    Xin Lan knitted his brows. "You''re still as obstinate as ever. You''ve seen how your father cut him with the soul-devouring dagger. You know what will happen after that. What more do you want?"


    "Proof!" Jin Ling gritted his teeth. Of course, he knew all that! But how could he just accept it because of that? It was Jinde they were talking about here. How could he have died just like that? Heaven couldn''t be so ruthless as to erase that beautiful smile. It was impossible.


    In a rare show of patience, Xin Lan actually replied. "What proof do you want?"


    "I want to see his body!" Jin Ling clenched his fists. This was actually the main reason why he still believed to this day that there was something more to this. If Jinde was really dead, then there would be the empty husk of his body. But when he had sneaked into the dragon realm he hadn''t been able to find it. Didn''t that mean that there was no body and that Jinde still had to be alive? He was probably just hiding.


    Xin Lan sighed again. "I already told you that it was burned. I told you more than once."


    Jin Ling shook his head. No, he wouldn''t believe it. Why would they do so? That was Jinde! Their beloved king! They wouldn''t have burned him.


    Xin Lan went over and grabbed Jin Ling''s shoulders. "It''s true. I did it myself."


    "Why would you do that?"


    "Because he asked me to. And if you''re honest with yourself, then you understand why he did so. The war was already at that stage. The dragons were without their king. Having to see that body that didn''t even have the strength to return to his true appearance anymore ¡­ It would have been even worse. He couldn''t tolerate the thought that he would bring disaster upon his people. You know how he was. He would rather nothing remains of him than that he would become the cause of his race''s demise."


    "But ¡­"


    "I do understand how you feel. I would also ¡­ instantly trade every member of the dragon race for his life or even his remains."


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes. Indeed. He didn''t care for the dragons at all. None of them had ever been able to gain his recognition. Only Jinde, this person, was able to make him acknowledge him. Naturally, he would do everything to get him back. But what could he do? Body and soul were both long destroyed. Most likely not even Tian would be able to save him now. It truly was too late.


    This person he had sworn to protect with his life ¡­ had actually died before him.

 Chapter 323 - A Fate Too Cruel

    Jing Yi as the person whose supposed death had led to the conversation between Jin Ling and Xin Lan was still following Leng Jin Yu through the secret realm. He was a little stunned from what he had seen until now.


    When he heard from Leng Jin Yu that the sect master had asked them to hurry over to the Leyuan region to enter a secret realm that was opening he had thought of it as a place that normally couldn''t be found and was hidden with some kind of magic. It was called a realm but he had imagined it as a house or maybe a town. At most he would have thought that it would be as big as the capital. But even after following his senior martial brother for half a day he still hadn''t seen anything like an end to this realm. Just how big was it?


    Jing Yi really wanted to ask but Yu Jin had always struck him as someone who rather kept to himself and didn''t like to speak if there was no reason to. He was afraid he might disturb him if he said something now.


    Ah, it would be so much easier if Qiu Ling was here with him. His fiance probably would have told him all about this secret realm even without him asking. Just imagining it made Jing Yi smile. It was just that he didn''t know how long it would take for Qiu Ling to find a way to get them out of here.


    Considering what Yu Jin had said before it probably wouldn''t be too soon. Maybe they''d need to stay in this secret realm for a whole week. But then again, Yu Jin didn''t know about Qiu Ling''s origin. Everyone else thought that he was just an especially talented practitioner but he knew that Qiu Ling was more than that. Don''t even talk about his identity as a member of the dragon race, even his talent for cultivation was enough to give Jing Yi confidence that his fiance would manage to find a way to save them. It was only a question of time.


    He didn''t know if a week was a realistic estimation but he hoped so. Qiu Ling was normally so clingy. Wouldn''t he go crazy if they didn''t see each other longer than that? It wasn''t even unexpected. After all, hadn''t he told him that the person he loved before had died? Back then it had seemed as if that had upset him very much.


    It wouldn''t be strange if he grew worried if they were separated for a long time. Especially considering what had happened before. Had Qiu Ling seen what exactly happened?


    Jing Yi looked at Yu Jin''s white-clad back. He really wanted to ask but ¡­ This senior martial brother of his seemed so concentrated. He struggled for a while before accelerating his steps. "Senior Martial Brother Yu ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu turned around and looked at the boy, not saying anything.


    Jing Yi grew flustered. Had he already annoyed him? Yu Jin had never seemed like the type to grow angry but still. "I ¡­ I''m sorry. I just can''t stop thinking of Qiu Ling. Do you know ¡­ Did he see what happened at that time? Does he know we''re in here?"


    "Probably."


    "And ¡­ does he know we''re alright?" Jing Yi clutched the hem of his sleeve and nervously looked at the person in front of him.


    Leng Jin Yu really wanted to sigh. The more questions Jing Yi asked the more he''d have to lie. He really didn''t want to do that. Faced with this dilemma he just turned away and continued forward.


    Jing Yi watched his expression or at least he tried. From beginning to end Yu Jin''s face hadn''t had even the slightest change. What did his silence mean? Was he angry? Or was it that he didn''t know? Or ¡­ It couldn''t be that he thought it unlikely for Qiu Ling to know, could it? "Senior Martial Brother Yu, so, you think Qiu Ling doesn''t know? Wouldn''t he worry very much then?"


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t take it any longer and nodded. "Probably, yes. But nothing is certain right now. Don''t think too much. Let''s just ¡­ continue to look around."


    "Yes." Jing Yi bit his lower lip.


    Don''t think too much. It was something that could be easily said but doing so was much more difficult. He knew how Qiu Ling was. If he didn''t see him after an explosion had happened, wouldn''t he freak out? What if ¡­ What if he became like back then in his inner self?


    Jing Yi stopped walking. Just a while ago in the Hei Dian Sect, he had seen Qiu Ling still mourn for that other person. And it had probably been a lot of time since he lost him. Qiu Ling was obviously someone who felt deeply and would be deeply hurt by these feelings if something went wrong.


    He didn''t want to be the reason another scar was added to his soul. There had already been enough things going wrong in Qiu Ling''s life. Why couldn''t he have a bit of luck for once?


    Leng Jin Yu noticed that the other person wasn''t following anymore. He turned back to take a look and was greeted by the sight of the boy''s crying face. For a moment he didn''t know what to say. Maybe it would be better if he said nothing? But Jing Yi didn''t seem to get better at all. Quite the contrary, his sobs even intensified and he finally fell down to his knees.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and went back to him. He crouched down and grabbed his shoulders. "I know it''s hard but crying won''t change anything. Right now, we can''t leave and we can''t send a message to anyone outside. That is something we have to accept. The only thing we can do now is to brace ourselves and try to change these facts as soon as possible. So, stop crying and let''s continue. We''re not completely out of options yet."


    "But ¡­ Qiu Ling ¡­ I''m afraid he ¡­ he won''t take it well."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips tightened. So the reason the boy was crying like this was actually because he was worried about his lover. Truly, those two were very much in love. It really was a pity to break them up.


    This kind of fate was too cruel.

 Chapter 324 - The Anchor of the Array

    While Jing Yi was already fearing for his fiance''s sanity a certain dragon king wasn''t that desperate yet. It hadn''t even been a day and disregarding that first time of shock he was quite calm about all this. His beloved was just locked in some other dimension. How difficult could it be to get him out? He only had to find out how to open the dimension again.


    Since the old geezer he had wanted to ask wasn''t in the Yun Zou Sect anymore and his own master didn''t know anything about that array, he could only turn to the next best person for this job.


    As fast as he could he returned to the Leyuan region where the secret realm had opened. As for the task of notifying the sect master about the things that had happened ¡­ That task was long forgotten.


    Qiu Ling didn''t go back to his human master when he returned and instead landed behind a group of trees, his gaze locking onto his target.


    An Bai smiled wryly. "Your Majesty." He had come over to the human realm''s Hei Dian Sect with Qiang Wei just to have to journey to another place immediately. He didn''t mind complying with his king''s orders but ¡­ he was a scholar, not a warrior. This kind of task, why couldn''t it be left to people like Qiang Wei and Fu Heng?


    "You come here." Qiu Ling grabbed An Bai''s shoulder and unceremoniously dragged him toward the array without caring for An Bai''s uncomfortable expression.


    At least he remembered to hide his figure from the disciples although at least Zhangsun Xun Yi could perceive that they had guests.


    Qiu Ling didn''t care. He pointed at the array before turning to An Bai. "Figure that out."


    An Bai''s brows slightly shifted. "Your Majesty''s meaning is ¡­?"


    "Look at it and tell me how to open it. It''s something the humans made so I have no idea how it works." He wasn''t embarrassed at all to admit that. He didn''t know about human arrays. What was the big deal?


    An Bai looked at his king''s face and sincerely prayed that he would marry the Son of Heaven soon. Only a young gentleman like him could turn this beast into a decent person. Ah, he really missed those conversations he had had with him back then. Unfortunately, he had been banned from getting close to him for the rest of his life.


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brow when An Bai didn''t move. "What? Don''t tell me all those books you read were for nothing. You can''t even solve this?"


    An Bai told himself not to condescend to his king''s level. If he did, he would certainly lose. He didn''t have enough practice in being shameless to contend with him. Instead, he turned around and observed the glowing lines on the ground.


    The formation didn''t seem completely unfamiliar. In fact, the base was more or less the same one that was used in the lowest level arrays of the immortal realms. It was just ¡­ What was with the rest of the array?


    He furrowed his brow and stepped closer, his gaze following the thin lines. The way they spread out from the base was completely different from the way they were doing the formations in the dragon realm and who knew how they had originally been placed down there anyway?


    An Bai lifted his hand and closed his eyes, concentrating on what was below the earth. As a dragon, he was susceptible to water and air and everything that got its power from these two elements. If the humans who set this array up had used anything like that, he should be able to feel it.


    He slowly walked around the array to make sure he didn''t miss out on anything. When he arrived back at his starting point and opened his eyes again there was a trace of uneasiness in them though. He couldn''t feel anything. It actually seemed as if no anchor had been placed at all.


    Qiu Ling had already become impatient long ago. When he saw An Bai return he really couldn''t take it any longer. "What have you found? How do we open this?" He stared at that subordinate of his with bright eyes. Just a bit more and he''d be able to embrace his beloved again! Mn, he''d give him an especially sweet welcome back-kiss.


    An Bai turned to his king and gulped. He wasn''t sure what would happen if he said the truth now. Unfortunately, there was no way he could keep quiet. "Ah, Your Majesty, I might need the help of the gods for this."


    "Hah?"


    An Bai motioned to the array. "This array is somewhat different from the ones we use."


    "You don''t say." Qiu Ling frowned at him. Argh, he had always hated this guy! Wasn''t he just shamelessly exploiting his good-looking face and scholarly aura to have people lower their guard? Even his Jing He had nearly fallen for it!


    An Bai forced himself to keep a straight face. "The difference isn''t just in the way it was drawn. Such a large formation and even one whose owner most likely isn''t around anymore, it needs something to keep it going. Unfortunately, I''m unable to perceive what exactly was used in this case so I reckon that it might be something using another element than ours."


    Qiu Ling who had just prepared the next nasty remark shut up at An Bai''s last sentence and stared at the ground with a contemplative gaze. Just how dragons were creatures of water and air, the demons were creatures of the earth and fire. Thanks to his cursed, mixed blood he had no problem at all to perceive anything related to these two elements.


    Looking at the ground below the array ¡­ There was no fire element at all and the earth element was just at a normal level. Well, it was as strong as one would expect when looking at a huge lump of earth. But something used for setting up an array should be richer in spiritual energy so ¡­ Those two elements most likely weren''t used.


    Ah, the hateful guy was right. They really needed the help of the gods for this.

 Chapter 325 - Borrowing a God

    Seeing that An Bai was right Qiu Ling naturally didn''t waste any time. His body flashed behind another group of trees and before the gods squatting there even realized what was going on one of them had already been grabbed by the collar and dragged back to An Bai where he was carelessly thrown to the ground.


    "Will this one suffice?"


    The god felt a chill down his back at those words. What did he mean with that, hah?! Nobody would say anything like this after abducting someone! Not if you didn''t want to do something extremely despicable! If he didn''t know that those two men in front of him were dragons, he might be afraid to be sacrificed in some demonic ritual this very day!


    An Bai wasn''t any less indignant than the god. He didn''t say anything though, after all, it would have been too shameful to argue with his king. As a good subject he should at least pretend that his king hadn''t done anything wrong.


    Thus An Bai nodded with a heavy heart. "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Inwardly, An Bai felt like crying. All of them who directly answered to Qiu ling had long since grown accustomed to his quirkiness but An Bai was still the one who was the least resigned. Why couldn''t the king he served be an outstanding, accomplished gentleman like the previous king? How come instead of someone who was knowledgeable in alchemy and proficient in the four arts he now had to serve a rogue who abducted people in broad daylight?


    Well, at least this king still knew how to paint even though he used this talent only for the sake of drawing a certain person''s portrait all day. Heaven alone knew how many different portraits of the god''s crown prince were already stored away in the dragon king''s palace.


    An Bai chose to ignore the gaze of his king and helped the god back to his feet. "I''m very sorry we have to disturb you. I''m sure the gods already noticed that crown prince Jing He''s mortal reincarnation was thrown into the secret realm when the explosion occurred. Considering the relationship between our races us dragons naturally can''t remain as bystanders. I hope the gods don''t mind but we took the liberty of having a closer look at the array used to conceal the secret realm. We reckon it might be the key to setting His Highness free. Unfortunately, we couldn''t determine what was used to place this array here. Might I trouble this brother to help us out?"


    The god listened to every word An Bai said but only half of it was actually understood. He was just too stunned at what was happening in front of him. This person ¡­ was so ¡­ polite. And he spoke so ¡­ elegantly. So dragons could actually be like this?


    Qiu Ling frowned, grabbed the guy by the shoulder and made him turn around. "Didn''t you hear? We asked you what the humans used to place this array! Take a look now or do you want to be responsible if something happens to the Son of Heaven?"


    Qiu Ling''s forceful approach startled the guard awake and he scrambled to take a closer look at the array himself. Considering that his family hadn''t much status he definitely couldn''t be compared to someone like An Bai in terms of knowledge. In fact, even Qiu Ling had learned more in his time in the capital city of the dragon realm than a normal guard would ever have the chance of learning. Thus he didn''t bother about the complicated design of the formation and only looked at the elements used for it.


    In terms of magical power the gods certainly were the most blessed since even after Tian cursed all three races they had retained the power of all six elements. The guard didn''t waste his time on water and air since he knew that the two dragons would have already looked at that. Instead, he focused on the other four elements one after the other.


    When he started he was still confident that he''d find the solution but his confidence slowly disappeared bit by bit. Neither the earth, nor the fire element had been used for the array. Well, there weren''t any special characteristics of these two elements around though. It would have been dumb to use something for a spell that wasn''t supported by the surroundings. No, looking at the forest around them it was quite probable that the array used the wood element.


    The guard took a deep breath and closed his eyes to concentrate even more. He could feel the elements in his surrounding and tried to distinguish the array from them. There was ¡­ nothing.


    The god opened his eyes and looked at the gentlemanly dragon to his left. He definitely didn''t want to tell these bad news to the dragon king, ah! The guy was already looking like he''d eat him raw if he said the wrong thing.


    "You ¡­ were also unable to perceive the element?"


    The guard gulped and swept another glance at the array to make sure that the metal element also wasn''t likely to be the source of this array. "I''m not sure. There''s traces of earth and metal but that''s normal for the ground. It would be stranger not to find them. I don''t think they''re likely to be part of the array."


    An Bai''s gaze sunk. "Not that either ¡­" He really felt depressed now. How were they supposed to open the secret realm like this?


    He looked up at Qiu Ling whose gaze had already darkened considerably. "I''m afraid it won''t be that easy, Your Majesty. We''ll probably need to research this for a while."


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and turned away, muttering to himself. Research ¡­ Just hearing this word he dreaded the future days. How long would they take if they tried to unravel the formation bit by bit?


    No, he couldn''t wait this long. He needed the solution as soon as possible. It seemed he should make another effort to find that old geezer. He was still the one most likely to know a way.


    Mn, he should have An Bai work on finding out more about the array though. Just in case he really couldn''t find the old geezer.

 Chapter 326 - Getting Help from the Master

    Qiu Ling ditched An Bai and the frightened god and hurried over to his master''s side. Mn, if anyone knew where the old geezer had vanished to, then it should be him. Qiu Ling didn''t care about the disciples around them and just directly dropped the spell that had hidden him from their eyes.


    "Master, you need to help me!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned slightly. So it turned out the person who had been sneaking around had indeed been his disciple. He had already thought as much.


    Qiu Ling was unperturbed even when he didn''t get an answer. This human master of his had never talked much, after all. "I went to find the old geezer but he wasn''t in that special dimension. Where did he go? You surely know something!"


    The Grandmaster furrowed his brow even more. That man still hadn''t come back? Who exactly was that young man that had turned up at the special dimension? His disciple had also looked strange when he mentioned that name before the explosion.


    "Qiu Ling, shouldn''t you tell me who that Jin Ling is first?"


    Qiu Ling averted his gaze. "What does that have to do with him?"


    "I already told you that he went to the dimension. Isn''t it likely that that man disappeared because of him? He doesn''t want to be found, after all. Even exposing him to you back then was a great risk."


    Qiu Ling gritted his teeth. He had already thought, too, that Jin Ling was likely the reason the old geezer had cruelly abandoned him right when he needed his help the most. Ah, that bastard! He really wanted to beat him up! But, well, that could still wait. First, he had to find the old geezer.


    "So, in the end, where did he go? Do you have another special dimension hidden in the sect?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi gave his disciple an incredulous gaze. What did he think special dimensions were? "We don''t."


    "Then where else could he be?"


    "That I don''t know."


    Qiu Ling frowned. "How could that be?! You clearly knew he was in that dimension! Why wouldn''t you know where he went to now?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed. Why had he taken this person in again? Up until now he only seemed to give him a headache. He wasn''t even able to teach him a little bit! If his so-called disciple didn''t always shamelessly call out ''master'' whenever he wanted something, he was afraid he couldn''t speak of having a master-disciple relationship with him at all.


    "Qiu Ling, look: It''s been a long time since that person came to the mortal realm. Back then he was gravely injured and he needed a place to rest. I provided him with that place and in return he provided the Yun Zou Sect with some help. I sometimes go to see him to make sure there isn''t anything he needs but I don''t know anything else. I''m just a human. How could I dare to pry into that person''s matters?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. Hypocrite! This guy had clearly known about the issue with his father! And he dared to say he wouldn''t pry into the old geezer''s private matters? This was laughable!


    Zhangsun Xun Yi could see that his disciple didn''t believe him at all. But what could he do? He had indeed never dared to ask deeper. That man had been willing to divulge some things about his origin and the reason why he had come to the mortal realm but besides these things he hadn''t talked much.


    In fact, even the thing Qiu Ling was thinking of had been told to Zhangsun Xun Yi in that manner: The history Jinde had with Chun Yin, the things Jiang Heng had done to separate them, how Jiang Heng had injured him in the war with the demons, all this had been told to Zhangsun Xun Yi in bits and pieces because it was tied to Jinde''s appearance in the mortal world.


    Jinde didn''t mind talking about it. He even liked to do so. After all, he had been alone for too long. In the special dimension but also in the last years in the dragon realm. After all, with whom should he talk about all these things?


    Most people had assumed him and Chun Yin to just have been friends and there had even been rumors that their falling out had been because Jinde liked the woman Chun Yin had married. Ah, the dragon race certainly would have been shocked had they known that their king was actually more interested in that childhood friend of his.


    Anyway, Jinde hadn''t been able to talk about these things for a long time but doing so gave him the feeling that it wasn''t completely over. Talking about it, especially talking about Chun Yin strengthened the belief that his lover would one day come and get him back. Naturally, he would tell those things to Zhangsun Xun Yi when he had the opportunity to talk.


    The Grandmaster didn''t know all that though and actually believed that this information had indeed just been provided for the sake of convenience so that he would take guarding the special dimension seriously.


    Knowing that he had already betrayed that hope once when he let Qiu Ling in who was actually a dragon himself Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t want to make the same mistake twice so he had been extremely cautious in regard to Jin Ling. Now, it seemed like this caution had been the right decision if that person still hadn''t returned to the special dimension.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi took a deep breath. This person had greatly benefited the Yun Zou Sect and even if that wasn''t the case, Qiu Ling was his disciple. Even if it was just for his sake, he should go and look for that person.


    "Qiu Ling, can I rely on you?"


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. "What do you mean, master?"


    "I might not know where that person went but I think he should still be in the Yun Zou Sect. I''ll go and have a look but I need someone to guard these disciples and wait with them until their injuries are better. Can you do that?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. "Uh ¡­ Of course!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "Then do so. I''ll inform you immediately when I have found him."


    He turned around and flew back to the Yun Zou Sect on his sword at the highest speed possible. He didn''t look back at his disciple even once but maybe that was good because if he had done so, he might have coughed up blood.


    In the end, the dragon king just wasn''t someone one should rely on.

 Chapter 327 - Abducted by Demons

    Qiu Ling who hadn''t taken the matter about informing the Sect Master to heart, naturally also didn''t really think that guarding the disciples was important. This time, he at least didn''t ditch the task completely. Instead, he motioned at Qiang Wei and had him monitor those humans.


    He himself definitely couldn''t do it. He had more important things to do!


    Qiu Ling hurriedly distanced himself from the people around and squatted in a shrub not far from where the secret realm had opened. Naturally, he wouldn''t leave this place for long. In fact, he would only leave if he absolutely had to do so. Asking the old geezer for help was a reason for him to leave since it would help him to get his beloved back sooner but otherwise what else could make him leave here and possibly miss his beloved''s return?


    Qiu Ling took out a transmission stone and imbued his energy. A moment later the image of a bearded old man sprang up.


    "Father-in-law!" Qiu Ling cried out in a wronged tone.


    The Heavenly Emperor''s brow twitched. Never mind that he hated seeing that shameless guy who dared to call him father-in-law even though he still hadn''t allowed him to marry his precious son, right now his beloved wife was with him! Could this guy not act so pitifully?! Bai Fen was already frowning at him as if he had bullied him!


    Qiu Ling had no idea how the dissatisfaction of his father-in-law had come about and just assumed that it was the usual reaction to seeing his face. Thus he just moved on to the purpose of his contacting. "Father-in-law, you have to help me! A bad person abducted my beloved!"


    The Heavenly Emperor wanted to scold him for being useless that he couldn''t even protect one of his people when something slowly dawned on him. Wait! The person this dandy was shamelessly calling his father-in-law was he himself and the one he brazenly called ''my love'' and ''my beloved'' left and right ¡­ wasn''t that ¡­


    Before the Heavenly Emperor could process completely what was going on he was already shoved out of the way by Bai Fen. The Heavenly Empress'' eyebrows were knitted and worry suffused her gaze. "What happened to Jing He?" She clutched the transmission stone, her hands itching to shake the person on the other side to finally spill the beans! Was her beloved son hurt?


    "Mother-in-law!" Qiu Ling cried out wretchedly, making the dragons who weren''t standing nearly far enough away shudder.


    Heavens! Could their king get any more shameless? He had obviously already calmed down and hurried around to ask people for help. Why was he pretending to still be all shaken up right now?


    Qiu Ling also clutched the transmission stone in his hands. Finally, a like-minded person who also cared deeply about his beloved! With his mother-in-law there, he would definitely get help to solve this crisis as fast as possible!


    "Mother-in-law, it''s terrible! I''m afraid it has to do with those bastards from the demon realm. It''s all their plan!"


    "What?!" Bai Fen stumbled backward. "Jing He ¡­ Jing He is ¡­"


    Just at that moment the God of War, Qiang Yan, entered the Heavenly Emperor''s study. He saw his sister swaying on the spot and hurried over. A guard trailed behind him, his brow coated in cold sweat and his expression just as wretched as that of the three people who had been previously in the room. Naturally, this was the guard that had been sent over to report from the human realm.


    Qiang Yan caught his sister and helped her sit down at her husband''s desk. Never mind etiquette now. They had more pressing matters to attend to!


    He turned to his brother-in-law who was, strangely enough, sitting on the floor with a dumbfounded expression. Qiang Wei had no time to think about this right now though. He hurriedly clasped his hands and bowed to keep up appearances in front of the guard but didn''t wait for anyone to ask him to speak. "Your Majesty! One of the guards who was sent to the mortal realm to guard His Highness, the crown prince, just came back and reported that His Highness was attacked. His whereabouts are still uncertain!"


    The Heavenly Empress covered her mouth with one hand and stared at her brother, tears already brimming in her eyes. Her son was undertaking his trial right now. If he died, he would wake up and might be punished by Heaven for not accomplishing everything.


    But that was still alright. At least he would return to them. Whatever punishment he received, whether it was losing some of his powers or even losing one of his senses, they could cope with that. He was their son, their only child that they had showered with all their love. Naturally, they would find a way to help him and make his life bearable.


    But considering what Qiu Ling just said it was highly likely that this was related to the demons and they hadn''t killed him but abducted him instead. Who knew what they were doing to him right now? Torturing him until he wanted to die but still had to continue living, maybe even injuring the immortal soul that was residing in that mortal body of his. They might even ¡­


    Tears slid down her cheeks and she grabbed her brother''s arm, looking up at him with pleading eyes. She had been married for so long already. This child, it had been a blessing after all these years. She had finally managed to raise him up without problems and now he might be killed forever! She couldn''t let that happen!


    Qiang Yan clenched his fists. He really wanted to do what his sister was silently pleading for: Taking his army and setting out to destroy whoever had dared to lay a hand on his precious nephew. But it wasn''t his decision. He turned to look at his brother-in-law, waiting for his decision.


    The Heavenly Emperor sat up straight and his gaze became hard. They had dared to kidnap his son! Did they take him for a paper tiger? He''d show those demons that the gods weren''t to be messed with!

 Chapter 328 - Calling some Bigwigs over

    The Heavenly Emperor''s lips parted but just when he was but one step short of uttering the command, the infuriating voice of his so-called son-in-law sounded and interrupted him.


    "Eh? Uncle-in-law, is that you?" Qiu Ling''s tense mood finally lifted. "How great! With all three of you there, we can definitely find someone fast!"


    Bai Fen was too shaken to answer her son-in-law right now. The Heavenly Emperor Rong Su was secretly annoyed. This guy had managed to lose his son and now he still made a mess with his interruption!


    The only one who actually paid attention to what exactly Qiu Ling had said was Qiang Yan. He knelt down beside his sister and shoved his face in the scope of the transmission stone. "Longjun, what''s your meaning, ah?" He hadn''t said ''find Jing He'' but instead talked about finding ''someone''. This had to have another meaning!


    "Mn, uncle-in-law, those guards probably told you about the array already, didn''t they?"


    "Array?" Qiang Yan frowned and looked at the guard opposite him.


    The man froze. He didn''t know anything about an array!


    Qiang Yan turned back to Qiu Ling''s pale apparition and shook his head. "No, I haven''t been informed yet. I only know that Jing He vanished. What do you know about that?"


    Qiu Ling frowned. "A while back that bastard Jin Ling came over to the Hei Dian Sect where I was staying with Jing He. Luckily, he didn''t see him but he must still have found out something. When we left the sect someone actually gave a Jade Gathering Beast to Jing He. Naturally, he didn''t know what it was and didn''t guard against it at all. I noticed in time but just when I tried to grab the thing and destroy it I was attacked by someone. The Jade Gathering Beast was still killed in the end but there was an explosion and after that Jing He and that guy were gone."


    Qiang Yan frowned. "Jade Gathering Beast?" He felt a chill run down his back. That was ¡­ too vicious!


    Never mind those mortals who had no idea that Jade Gathering Beasts would devour every kind of energy, a god in his trial period was the one who would suffer the most should he encounter one of them. Jade Gathering Beasts were, after all, attracted by energy and the stronger and purer the energy was the more they would want to devour it. In comparison to a mortal soul, an immortal one like Jing He''s was a delicacy for such a creature.


    Bai Fen''s hands holding the transmission stone shook. "Jade Gathering Beast? But it didn''t ¡­"


    "No, don''t worry, mother-in-law. I noticed in time. It didn''t have an opportunity to do anything to Jing He. It''s just ¡­" Qiu Ling''s expression grew solemn. "All of that occurred at a place where a secret realm was supposed to open. Because of the explosion, it closed immediately but before that, it seems that that man dragged Jing He inside. So now, they''re trapped in that secret realm together."


    "He''s trapped with a demon?!" Bai Fen''s voice had grown shrill. "Where is that? Rong Su, we have to send someone immediately!" She grabbed her husband''s arm and shook him.


    This was even worse than Jing He being held in the demon realm! At least there they would have some understanding of where Jing He could be and how they could proceed. But now he was trapped with an unknown person in an unknown realm. Who could tell her for sure how this would end?


    The Heavenly Emperor nodded. He also felt that sending people over was a must. He turned to his brother-in-law but before he could give a command, he was once again interrupted by his son-in-law. Was this guy doing it on purpose?


    "Yes, mother-in-law is right! Please send someone over as soon as possible, father-in-law! I already asked our dragon race''s An Bai to take a look at the array but he couldn''t figure it out. Even when we asked one of the guards you left behind he also didn''t notice anything. We definitely need someone who knows a lot about arrays!"


    "Arrays?" Bai Fen repeated that word and looked at her husband and brother. Could somebody tell her what her son-in-law was talking about?


    "Mn!" Qiu Ling scrunched up his face. "I asked that human master and he said that the secret realm would only open on its own but I don''t believe him. There''s an enormous formation drawn on the ground. It''s obvious that this has something to do with the opening of the secret realm. The only problem is that the humans have arrays that are different from ours. An Bai said he''d need time to figure it out but I''m not sure how long that would be. We can''t wait for him to finish! Don''t you think so, too?"


    This time all four of them were of the same opinion. Nobody wanted to see Jing He trapped for longer than absolutely necessary if the one imprisoned with him was a demon.


    Rong Su stroked his beard. "We have quite a few people who are proficient in that area. Let''s just send all of them to help."


    Bai Fen instantly nodded. "Yes, ah, let''s send someone to inform them right away." She pleadingly looked at her husband. Why couldn''t he hurry up, ah? Their son was in danger! "Ah! I''ll do it myself!"


    She leaped to her feet and ran out, grabbing the next servant she saw. She rattled down a list of names that frightened the poor guy into speechlessness. "These people are to immediately convene at the Heavenly Emperor''s study!"


    "Yes, Heavenly Empress!" The servant bowed and hurried away, afraid that she would remember another bigwig for him to call. Really, his heart would probably stop beating if he had to do that!


    Meanwhile, Bai Fen didn''t return to the study. Instead, she hurried to another palace in the Nine Heaven''s capital. The guards at the door looked at her with a dumbfounded expression and even forgot to greet her.


    Bai Fen ignored their lack of manners. She had something else to do. Now, nothing was more important than her beloved son. "Bring me to the Fate''s Scribe, Shun Tao."

 Chapter 329 - Just a Misunderstanding

    At that moment, the Fate''s Scribe Shun Tao was sitting in his study and listened to the report of one of his scribes. This was the person he had sent to check on Hong Bao. The results ¡­ Well, nothing major seemed to have happened but her talent of causing trouble hadn''t seemed to diminish by much. The only saving grace was probably that the crown prince''s reincarnation hadn''t stayed too long in the Hei Dian Sect.


    He sighed and waved at the god to leave. His gaze unwittingly landed on the scroll of fate next to him. The situation really was vexing. The boy hadn''t made much progress in his cultivation but he had learned alchemy. Wouldn''t that benefit him in the future? Alchemists were especially important in the human realm. If he learned more, then how was he supposed to make his life difficult?


    Shun Tao tapped the table in front of him and pondered. Maybe that could also be a chance for another trial. A high tree would attract the winds. If he actually became a great alchemist, he might find supporters but might also attract enemies. Wouldn''t that be beneficial for creating some new trials?


    Just when Shun Tao considered how to set up such a trial a guard hurried into the room and bowed. "Fate''s Scribe, the Heavenly Empress came to discuss some matters with you."


    Shun Tao leaped to his feet. "The Heavenly Empress?!" His eyes widened immediately. This wasn''t good! Had something happened to the crown prince?


    He hurriedly grabbed the scroll of fate and skimmed the last few lines. His lips twitched. What was this about? The crown prince had nearly been killed but was now somehow trapped in an environment that was just too suitable for cultivation? And the one who had actually pulled him into this environment was none other than Leng Jin Yu who had been sent to help with the crown prince''s trial? How could this be? Hadn''t he just listened to a report for a few minutes?!


    And now the Heavenly Empress was standing in front of his door! Everyone knew that she deeply cared about the crown prince! She might not have a temper as bad as the Heavenly Emperor but that didn''t mean that he wanted to tell her what had happened. And she had certainly come because she wanted to know how her son was faring.


    Shun Tao couldn''t do anything about that though. He stood up and had the guard lead the Heavenly Empress inside. He didn''t even have time to greet her though.


    Bai Fen impatiently waved and had the guard withdraw before sitting down at the other side of Shun Tao''s table. "Fate''s Scribe, excuse us for disturbing you without prior announcement. You might have already noticed that something happened to our son."


    Shun Tao gulped. So she already knew. "What may this one do for the Heavenly Empress?"


    Bai fen sighed. "We received a report about what happened in the human realm but we don''t know about our son''s current situation. Fate''s Scribe, just tell us where he is now and if he is still well."


    Shun Tao was stunned. The Heavenly Empress had actually come by to make sure her son was alright? "That ¡­ naturally, this one can do that." Shun Tao once again picked up the scroll and made sure that nothing had happened since he last looked at it. "As far as his fate has been revealed, His Highness'' reincarnation is trapped in a secret realm but has otherwise only suffered light injuries."


    "Will the demons be able to take advantage of this situation?"


    Shun Tao''s brows raised. "That ¡­ is highly unlikely."


    Bai Fen''s face lit up. "Did the demon that attacked him get hurt when they were thrown into the secret realm?!" These news would be fantastic! In that case, she wouldn''t have to worry any longer. As long as Jing He wasn''t trapped with a demon this matter wasn''t all that serious.


    Shun Tao frowned. "Your Majesty, this one is afraid ¡­ he doesn''t understand what you are talking about. His Highness was nearly attacked by a Jade Gathering Beast but the person this one and the God of War sent down to the mortal realm to help with his trial managed to save him in time. To make sure he wouldn''t be caught up in the explosion and most likely to also separate him from the dragon king that was still making things difficult he pulled him into the secret realm. Nobody besides His Highness and that person are inside the secret realm and nobody but the master of the dimension should be able to open it again. This one can''t see any opportunity for the demons to take advantage of this situation at all."


    Bai Fen stared at the Fate''s Scribe. "The person ¡­ you and my brother sent to the mortal realm?"


    Shun Tao nodded. "His name is Leng Jin Yu. The Heavenly Empress had already seen him back when ¡­" Shun Tao coughed. "Back when the matter about the soul-devouring dagger was revealed." He definitely didn''t want to bring up his own shameful history again.


    The Heavenly Empress stared at the god opposite her. She had a vague recollection of the person he was talking about. "That ascended deity?"


    "Mn. Precisely."


    Bai Fen took a moment to digest this information. Then, she laughed. Her laughter was full of relief but her eyes teared up. She had thought her son was in grave danger, that even his soul might be lost in an insidious plan of the demon race. But now it turned out that everything was just a misunderstanding!


    The mysterious man who had attacked her son-in-law wasn''t actually in cahoots with the demons. Instead, he was an ascended deity that wanted to save her son! Those two men might just have misunderstood each other because of the situation and her son''s identity.


    Shun Tao had no idea what was going on but he felt that the Heavenly Empress'' laughter lightly meant that he didn''t have to fear anything.


    Indeed. When Bai Fen had calmed down again she smiled at Shun Tao and stood up. "Thank you for telling us, Fate''s Scribe. You really helped us very much."


    "Ah, it''s nothing, it''s nothing." He hurriedly accompanied her when she turned to the door. "Is there anything else this one can do for the Heavenly Empress?"


    Bai Fen shook her head. "Just continue as before. We only hope ¡­ that our son can safely pass the trial and return as soon as possible." She smiled slightly before already leaving the Fate''s Scribe''s palace again.

 Chapter 330 - Making Wild Guesses

    The servant the Heavenly Empress sent had already managed to find those people familiar with arrays before she returned and the Heavenly Emperor had dispatched them immediately. Thus, in the end, a group of ten masters with their disciples went down to the human world and stood around the array that separated the secret realm from the Leyuan region even though it wasn''t as urgent as everyone had thought.


    Next to those gods stood two dragons. One of them was actually listening to what those masters said and provided his own ideas. It didn''t need to be said that this dragon was definitely not Qiu Ling.


    No, while An Bai dealt with those gods Qiu Ling just looked from one person to the other and contemplated if he thought of them as trustworthy or not. Those were gods so they should want to get his beloved out of the secret realm. But who knew how their skills were? They had already discussed with An Bai for a while but still, nothing had been done. He really started to feel like this whole undertaking was futile. Those guys just wouldn''t be able to manage. Ah, he really had to find the old geezer!


    As unkind as Qiu Ling''s thoughts were they weren''t completely wrong. If the array was anything those gods knew, then it wouldn''t have taken them such a long time to discuss. In fact, the gods were faced with the same problem as An Bai before: Some elements of the array seemed familiar but the rest wasn''t and even though every one of these masters had checked the ground and had even let their disciples have a try, none of them could say what had been used to anchor the array. It didn''t seem to be based on any of the six elements.


    "Maybe ¡­ we''re looking at it the wrong way. Figuring out what was used to tie the array down here would be good but it could also be that the changes to the array as we know it were brought about by the incorporation of a second array. In that way, the true entrance to the secret realm might not be lying here but is at another place instead. This array here would then merely be a passage."


    This proposition by one of the honorable elders was met with some nodding and murmuring but not everyone was convinced.


    "That could very well be. But even then this array would need to be stabilized with something."


    "That is also true but maybe the anchor is, in fact, at the place this array leads to. This would require it to be a very strong anchor but it isn''t impossible. If that was the case it would even make it easier to find this place. After all, not every place could provide the necessary spiritual energy for that."


    At this revision of his original theory, another god shook his head. "Even if that was the case, we would still need to find a clue as to what element was used. There are quite a few possible places, after all. We couldn''t check all of them without narrowing the options down at all, could we?"


    "We''re twenty people. It wouldn''t be completely impossible."


    "Wouldn''t it still be better if we figured the unfamiliar parts of this array out first? That might help us with finding out more about a possible second array. Furthermore, even if there isn''t a second array, we would still get closer to solving this problem. Although I have to say that I think the incorporation of a second array to be highly likely."


    "Indeed, indeed." The first honorable elder spoke up again. "It could also be ¡ª"


    "Aren''t you just guessing?" Qiu Ling frowned and looked at each of them one by one. Those guys had no idea what this was about at all! They were just wildly making guesses!


    The gods froze. That was indeed right. All of them were trueborn gods. How would they know about human arrays?! These things weren''t related to them at all! How could this guy reproach them for that?


    One of the elders that had just taken part in the guessing coughed. "Longjun, you can''t say it like that. We''re not just wildly guessing. In fact, we''re narrowing this situation down to the most likely scenarios. Doing so will reduce the effort needed to dispel this array later on."


    Qiu Ling just stared at them. He might as well wait until his master found that old geezer or until An Bai finished with his research. The speed of these old turtles discussing just wasn''t fast enough.


    An Bai was quite embarrassed by his king''s display of his lack of politeness. "Ah, what His Majesty actually wanted to say was that all guessing will not bring us a final conclusion so long as we don''t try to verify it. How about this? One or two of us will search for possible places that may hold a connected array. Somebody else could try to find a master of arrays from the human world or something left behind by such a master. There might be valuable clues in that. The rest should try to deconstruct the structure of this array and compare it with arrays known to our two races. Maybe we can find some similarities with other arrays. In that way, we might also find something that points in the direction of interconnected arrays or saves us the trouble of searching in that direction any longer."


    The venerable elders slowly nodded. "That doesn''t sound bad. Then we''ll do it this way."


    An Bai gave a relieved sigh. He had really feared that his king might have offended these masters too much. Well, not that they would dare to slack off just because of that. After all, these gods hadn''t been kidnapped by his king but had been sent by the Heavenly Emperor instead. They would certainly work until they found the solution.


    In this way, the research An Bai had intended to do from the very beginning finally started. Qiu Ling just frowned. He really didn''t trust these gods. No, it was still better to rely on his race''s old geezer. Mn, where could he have gone? Couldn''t his master message him already?

 Chapter 331 - No Hope Left

    At that moment, Grandmaster Zhangsun had just arrived at the Yun Zou Sect again. His steps first led him to the special dimension to make sure that that person hadn''t returned yet. Indeed. The place where he normally rested was empty and nobody seemed to have been there since he encountered that Jin Ling.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi couldn''t help but worry. That man had been injured in the first place when he found him back then and he had later expanded a great deal of power for their sake when the Yun Zou Sect was in a tight situation. It certainly hadn''t helped the condition of his body and soul. Now that he couldn''t rely on the spiritual energy of the lake anymore ¡­ Who knew how his situation was?


    Zhangsun Xun Yi left the dimension and flew to his own palace. Nothing had changed in regards to the general layout of the Yun Zou Sect so that person should at least know which of the palaces on the peaks was his palace and which one was that of the Sect Master even if he couldn''t remember which Elder was responsible for the other peaks respectively. Maybe that man had gone to his palace since he was the only one he had had contact to for the last few thousand years?


    He looked through every room of the palace but couldn''t find him anywhere. Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned. Thanks to his injuries that man didn''t exude even the slightest presence. If you didn''t know he was there, you wouldn''t notice him. And even if you knew that he had to be around somewhere, it was difficult to find him. At least there was no possibility to detect him using spiritual energy. No, the only possibility was to look for him the traditional way.


    If he hadn''t missed him through sheer coincidence, then that could only mean that he wasn''t on this peak. Considering how long that person hadn''t left the special dimension before he wouldn''t know anything about the Yun Zou Sect of this day. Thus, the only other place where he''d likely go besides his palace was the Sect Master''s peak. After all, he was a cautious person who didn''t want to be found. He wouldn''t go in a random direction.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi hurriedly flew over to the neighboring peak and entered the sect master''s palace.


    At that moment, Yuchi Bing Xia was sitting in his study and going over some documents. Ah, he really missed Yu Jin ¡­ His little disciple had relieved him of quite a bit of work previously. Now that he had gone out to participate in the mission to enter the secret realm in the Leyuan region everything had once again to be done by himself alone. Ah, he really wanted to take a break!


    Just when Yuchi Bing Xia searched for a reason to take one, steps sounded from outside. He instantly perked up. Could it be that somebody was coming to report?! Ah, this was just like a summer rain after a long period of drought! He really wanted to hug the person who was liberating him from these documents!


    Yuchi Bing Xia played with the brush in his hands and tried not to look too eager. When the person stepped through the door the brush fell down on the papers he had just been looking through, staining them with black ink.


    "Grand ¡­ Grandmaster?" Why had the Grandmaster come?! Wasn''t he leading the disciples to the Leyuan region?


    Ah, no! He shouldn''t be thinking about that now!


    He hurriedly leaped to his feet and smiled. "Grandmaster, it''s good that you''re back! I hadn''t thought that the secret realm would open so soon. Did any of the other sects notice?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi who had just stepped into the room immediately halted. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He really shouldn''t have trusted that disciple of his to deliver the message to the sect master! Thinking about it now he worried a little for the other disciples he had left in his care. Would they really be alright when he came back?


    Seeing that the Grandmaster didn''t answer Yuchi Bing Xia couldn''t help but wonder what was going on. Then, it finally dawned on him! He hadn''t invited him to sit! He hadn''t offered him any tea! He was simply being a bad host!


    He hurriedly motioned to the seat opposite him. "Grandmaster, excuse me for getting ahead of myself. Please, have a seat first. We can slowly talk about everything."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and sat down. There was no use in crying over spilled milk. He could only hope that Qiu Ling would at least treat the lives of the other disciples with care.


    Yuchi Bing Xia hurried to pour him a cup of tea before calmly waiting for him to speak. Before a Grandmaster, the sect master was a negligible existence. Paying attention to his every word and gesture was a matter of course. Unfortunately, this time he had to notice that Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t touch the tea. His facial expression didn''t look good either, making Yuchi Bing Xia worry. Maybe he had forgotten something else? He furrowed his brows and pondered but couldn''t think of anything.


    Finally, Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed and looked up. "An accident happened."


    The sect master''s lips parted but he didn''t say anything. For the Grandmaster to say it like that ¡­ it sounded more than ominous.


    "When we reached the Leyuan region there was another energy disturbance. The cause was likely a creature that was once known as a Jade Gathering Beast. I thought they had all been killed but ¡­ who knows how it ended up there? I''m afraid ¡­ we lost a third of our disciples in the resulting explosion."


    "A third ¡­" Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t know what to say. That had been the elite of their disciples that they sent there! Losing a third of these disciples was more or less the death sentence for the Yun Zou Sect.


    He closed his eyes and just like Zhangsun Xun Yi before took a deep breath. It seemed the last bit of hope he had held for this sect had been blasted into smithereens alongside the disciples.

 Chapter 332 - A Beautiful God

    Zhangsun Xun Yi waited until Yuchi Bing Xia had calmed down a bit. He knew this news was hard to take. After all, they had put much hope in this mission and now instead of improving their situation it had instead become worse. Who wouldn''t be crestfallen in such a case?


    Furthermore, after losing so many excellent disciples it really was questionable whether they would manage to hold on to their position among the sects of the good faction. The Yun Zou Sect had already been on the decline for a long time. Presumably, this was the last blow it could take.


    "That''s not all."


    "There''s more?" Yuchi Bing Xia already felt a bit numb. Wasn''t this bad enough? Why was there still more?


    "The larger part of the surviving disciples is hurt, quite a few of them gravely. And ¡­ two of them have vanished."


    Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t answer. He knew he should but ¡­ What was he to say in this situation? No words could change the situation.


    "The ones who disappeared ¡­" Zhangsun Xun Yi furrowed his brow. "One of them is Zhong Jing Yi."


    "Your disciples'' ¡­" Yuchi Bing Xia rubbed his brow. One message was worse than the one before. "How did he react?"


    "Well, according to expectations. He isn''t happy. He asked if there was a possibility to open the secret realm again. He didn''t believe me when I said no. I guess he is still searching for one now."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. "He''ll understand sooner or later."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned slightly. "I hope so." Considering what that person had said about Qiu Ling and the relationship to his lover it would certainly be a heavy blow to him.


    "Ah, you said there were two disciples that disappeared? Who is the other one?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed. "The other one is your little disciple. It''s Yu Jin."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s hands trembled. Yu Jin ¡­ had been lost?


    Zhangsun Xun Yi had known that this would be hard to accept for the sect master. It was obvious that he liked this little disciple of his very much. He hurriedly spoke up again. "Yu Jin saved that boy. He reacted very fast and his cultivation isn''t low. I doubt you have to worry about his life. It''s just that ¡­ the secret realm seemed to have opened for a moment and those two were probably sucked right in. They''ll be trapped in there until it opens again."


    Yuchi Bing Xia shook his head. "I know that Yu Jin is strong enough to survive. It''s just ¡­ I had hoped he would one day inherit my position. Now that this happened ¡­ Well, he wasn''t eager to fulfill that wish of mine anyway."


    "That says a lot about his character. He''s a good man. You''ve chosen wisely."


    Yuchi Bing Xia smiled wryly. "I know. But now ¡­ Who knows when that secret realm will open again?"


    "There is still the possibility of him finding the core of the realm and gaining its ownership. It might not be impossible for Yu Jin."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes lit up. Indeed! His disciple was obviously a prodigy. Even though he had gotten into such an unfavorable situation that didn''t mean that he wouldn''t be able to find a way out. He nodded. "Thank you, Grandmaster. Hearing you say that, I feel like not all hope is lost. We should think about the other disciples first. Have you brought them to the Lu Xuan Peak already?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head. "They were injured too heavily. I left them in the Leyuan region for now and had Qiu Ling keep watch. The reason I came back was to one, inform you of what happened in the Leyuan region, and two, look for that person from the back of the mountain."


    Yuchi Bing Xia tensed. "Then, by all means, do so, Grandmaster. I wouldn''t want to hold you back."


    "You misunderstood. I actually wanted to ask whether you''ve seen him."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyebrows shot up. "Why would you ¡­ Did something happen?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "You can say that. Do you remember the person that I brought here before I left for the Leyuan region with the disciples? The man that was looking for Qiguan Cheng Da?"


    "Of course." Not even talking about the copper-colored hair, that man had displayed a kind of aura that was hard to overlook and even harder to forget. He reckoned that he still would have remembered him even if the Grandmaster had only asked in a year.


    "I don''t know who exactly he is but his identity probably isn''t simple. I found him in the dimension at the back of the mountain."


    "Then that person ¡­?"


    "I don''t know where he is. He was already gone when I found that Jin Ling there. He probably didn''t want to be found and left. The problem is that I don''t know where he went. He isn''t at my peak so I had hoped that he had come here."


    Yuchi Bing Xia shook his head. "No, he hasn''t. Should we have the disciples look? He isn''t that hard to recognize, after all."


    That person wasn''t any different from that Jin Ling. In fact, he was even more noteworthy. He still remembered the day his master and the Grandmaster had taken him to the back of the mountain after it was decided that he would inherit the position of sect master in the future. Just a short glance at that man had petrified him.


    He didn''t know his name and he didn''t dare ask but his appearance seemed to be burned into his memory. The golden hair that sparkled in the sun, the golden eyes that seemed to be made of molten gold ¡­


    He really ¡­ really was too beautiful. He hadn''t seemed human. Well, he probably wasn''t. At least Yuchi Bing Xia had never thought of him as a mere mortal. In his imagination, this person was rather a true immortal, a god that had descended to the human world.


    And now, this beautiful god had vanished. It really made one worried.

 Chapter 333 - Searching for a Way out

    While Sect Master Yuchi Bing Xia started to help the Grandmaster to look for Jinde his lost disciple was facing his very own crisis. He had lived for a long time considering that he had already cultivated and ascended as a deity once. This return to the mortal realm to help the crown prince of the Nine Heavens could only be considered a short trip. But in all these years he had lived Leng Jin Yu had never been faced with a person crying in front of him.


    He had grown up among cultivators, lived with the elites of his sect and finally ascended after a long time of seclusion. Not one of the people at his side would have shown such weakness in front of others.


    The boy in front of him was different though. Had he still been the Son of Heaven then this certainly wouldn''t have happened but right now he was just a mortal boy who had lived a simple life until recently. And now this kind of person had lost one of the people closest to him or at least he wasn''t sure if they''d ever see each other again. Naturally, he was worried. Who could fault him? Especially since the person he lost was such a difficult one.


    Leng Jin Yu could only sigh. Had he been in his stead he would probably worry about the dragon king, too. Looking at this couple he felt quite glad that he had never fallen in love. It really made things so troublesome.


    Well, he still couldn''t just look the other way. He had to at least try to calm him down.


    "Jing Yi, I know this is hard to accept. But there is nothing we can do right now. I''m sure your fiance understands that as well. He will wait for you."


    "But he has already waited for so long." Jing Yi looked up at Yu Jin, his eyes brimming with tears.


    He hadn''t accepted Qiu Ling''s proposal at first since they didn''t know each other and then when he had accepted he still hadn''t gone through with it and married him. Even when he himself didn''t mind anymore, there was always one thing or the other that prevented their wedding from happening.


    So since the day Qiu Ling proposed to him in front of all those people at the Gathering of Practitioners, Qiu Ling had waited. And he had obviously hated it every second. The only thing making it acceptable for him was obviously that he could wait at his side. It had given him peace of mind. But now he wasn''t there anymore.


    "I should have married him right after he asked me to back then."


    Leng Jin Yu tensed. He had honestly no idea why they were talking about marrying now. But considering these words he felt that making the crown prince stay in this secret realm for the longest possible time was really what he should do.


    Just look at what the dragon king had done until now. Wouldn''t it get even worse when they were married? He didn''t know much about the dragons since the different races mostly kept to themselves but Longjun was obviously someone who guarded those close to him. He wouldn''t allow for even one hair on the crown prince''s head to be out of place. It was to be expected that this would get even worse when he took him as his spouse.


    That definitely couldn''t be allowed until the Son of Heaven had accomplished his trial.


    So ¡­ should he make sure that the boy stayed in the secret realm until his death? That would definitely be a harsh trial. Living without the love of your life, unknowing whether the other person was dead or alive, unsure if that person still loved you or had already moved on, unable to tell them that you were alright, that they shouldn''t worry for your safety, and ultimately dying with the regret of never having seen them again.


    If he did that, then the crown prince would definitely have accomplished his trials and could return to the Nine Heavens with peace of mind.


    It was just ¡­ never mind that it was cruel, why had nobody ever thought of the other implications? Just look at this mortal boy. He hadn''t known the dragon king for even two years but he obviously loved him very much. Even though Leng Jin Yu didn''t know the crown prince considering what he had heard and that he had spent a longer time with the dragon king it was to be expected that he loved him even more than Jing Yi did.


    In that case ¡­ would the Son of Heaven be able to take this trial? The god that had descended, after returning to the Nine Heavens, he would remember everything. Not even a little detail would be forgotten.


    Bringing such worry to the man he loved ¡­ if it could already make Zhong Jing Yi react like this, then wouldn''t the crown prince''s reaction be even worse? What if ¡­ he was unable to take it?


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but furrow his brow. What now? If this really happened ¡­ But then again this was exactly what the trial was for. It was supposed to let the gods experience something they wouldn''t encounter in their life in the Nine Heavens. The crown prince would have to live with it. If it wasn''t easy, then the trial would probably have succeeded in what it was supposed to accomplish.


    Leng Jin Yu gently grabbed Jing Yi''s shoulder. "Alright, come on. We should check the rest of the secret realm. Maybe we''ll even find a hint on how we can get out of here. Just because we can''t see a way right now that doesn''t mean that there isn''t one. Maybe we''ll find an opportunity to get back soon then Qiu Ling won''t have to worry anymore either."


    "Really?"


    Leng Jin Yu gulped but nodded. Never mind. This boy had to go through all this. It wasn''t fair but it had to be done. "Really," he claimed and pulled him to his feet. Then he took him to explore the secret realm.

 Chapter 334 - Still a Mortal

    Being slightly calmer thanks to Yu Jin''s promise that there might be a way to leave this secret realm somewhere Jing Yi followed him. It didn''t seem like it would be so easy though.


    The secret realm indeed didn''t look much different from the Leyuan region outside as if it was just a copy of it in another dimension: A chain of mountains meandered through the middle while lakes and groves occupied the sides in varying distances. It was quite beautiful and the spiritual energy was obviously much richer than in the Yun Zou Sect. Jing Yi had only ever felt such pure energy when he was traveling with Qiu Ling.


    This place ¡­ was probably really suited to cultivation, he determined. It was a pity that the state of his mind wasn''t or he might have used his time here to cultivate a bit and surprise Qiu Ling when they came back.


    But even though he had calmed down a bit his thoughts were still circling around his fiance. He definitely wouldn''t be calm enough to concentrate on cultivating. And even if he was, his aptitude was low anyway. Most likely he wouldn''t be able to even reach the third stage when they spent ten years in here. After all, reaching the third stage was said to be the first bottleneck in cultivation. The probability of him ever passing this point were exceedingly low.


    Jing Yi shook his head. There was no use thinking about that. He had to concentrate on the task at hand. He hurried to catch up with Yu Jin. "Senior Martial Brother Yu, where are we going?"


    Leng Jin Yu pointed at the mountain chain in front of them. "This secret realm was once created by an expert. It is expected that he lived here for a while or maybe even spent a long time here. Most likely, he built some kind of dwelling for himself and even though it was his dimension if another expert somehow managed to enter, he certainly wouldn''t have wanted that person to give him a nasty surprise. Thus, I surmise that his dwelling should be in a safe spot. The mountains should be the best place for that."


    "So we have to go up there?" Jing Yi looked up at the peaks towering above them. Never mind checking all of them, how were they even supposed to climb one of them? "Will this really be alright?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked up at the peaks, too. He also didn''t know where that expert''s dwelling might be but it wasn''t like they didn''t have time to check slowly. "Mn."


    "That ¡­ will probably take really long." Jing Yi couldn''t help but become downcast. When Yu Jin said that there might be a way out of this secret realm he had felt hopeful but seeing this chain of mountains now ¡­ He had probably expected too much.


    The two of them walked on in silence but soon enough this solemn quietness was disturbed by a sound. Leng Jin Yu turned back just to find Jing Yi''s face flushed. He turned back around and sighed.


    Right, he had completely forgotten that Jing Yi was still mortal. The second stage wasn''t enough to say you were on the path to immortality. Only starting from the third stage onward would you slowly turn immortal.


    "Let''s find you something to eat."


    Jing Yi''s cheeks flushed even more when he heard Yu Jin say so. He hurriedly pressed a hand against his stomach and shook his head. "It''s alright. We should just continue on. I ¡­ I can hold on." He had to. After all, Qiu Ling was still waiting for him out there. Having to take a break and eat after just such a short amount of time, he couldn''t do that.


    Leng Jin Yu stopped walking and turned around again. "I understand that you want to find a way to return soon but just look at the mountains. Do you think we''ll find that way soon? You won''t be able to hold on if you don''t eat until then. So let''s search for something now when we know that there are groves around. Who knows how the situation on the mountains will be?" He certainly didn''t want to let the Son of Heaven starve in his company. That would really be too much. Although ¡­ wouldn''t that also be a trial of poverty?


    Jing Yi hurriedly nodded. Thinking like that Yu Jin was also right. He hadn''t thought about it enough. Thankfully he hadn''t been thrown into this secret realm all alone. Without senior martial brother Yu, he really wouldn''t have known what to do. He wouldn''t even have thought of searching the mountain range. The only thing he would have been able to do was to wait until Qiu Ling found a way to open the array again.


    Ah, he really was hopeless ¡­ As long as nobody else was around he really couldn''t do anything. He was probably quite the burden to Qiu Ling.


    Jing Yi''s thoughts went back to his fiance and he couldn''t help but smile. Even if he was a burden, Qiu Ling would probably carry it with joy. He was just like that.


    Leng Jin Yu and Jing Yi arrived at the edge of a grove. The trees stood quite far apart, allowing the sunlight to reach the ground. The warm rays had led to a variety of different plants growing there. Just here at the edge, they could count at least twenty different plants.


    Leng Jin Yu turned to Jing Yi and slightly furrowed his brows. "I don''t know that much about spiritual herbs." He had studied them but only in regards to their effects and he had never considered whether they could be consumed by lower leveled cultivators.


    Jing Yi''s eyes lit up. "That''s not a problem, Senior Martial Brother! Actually, while Qiu Ling and I were in the Hei Dian Sect I learned a bit about alchemy. It''s not much but I should be able to recognize a few herbs."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Then you go and look for them. I''ll wait here." He sat down and started to cultivate or, well, at least it looked like that to Jing Yi. In fact, his thoughts drifted back to the Yun Zou Sect.


    Since leaving he hadn''t seen any of those images he thought to be memories of his past life. So, it seemed they were really tied to the sect somehow.

 Chapter 335 - Spiritual Herbs

    Jing Yi hurriedly went into the grove and looked at the plants around him. He didn''t dare to take anything he didn''t know. After all, who knew if they were poisonous or might have some side-effect? He couldn''t risk that.


    Thankfully, there were also a few herbs around that he had already seen at the Hei Dian Sect or at least spotted in one of the books from the alchemist''s library. Qiu Ling had read some of their descriptions to him so he was quite sure that he shouldn''t have to worry about them.


    The only thing he feared was that this wouldn''t be enough. Yu Jin was right that they didn''t know what the situation inside the mountains was. So, he would have to find enough herbs to last for the time they would spend there.


    Jing Yi looked up. He couldn''t see much of the mountain range from inside the grove but it was obviously a big area. If they really had to search the whole mountain range they would probably need months or maybe even years. What was he supposed to do? Even if he took every single herb from this grove, it probably wouldn''t do him much good. He could substitute a bit of food through cultivating but even then this amount would probably only last for a few weeks at most. That was definitely too short.


    Jing Yi hurriedly plucked what he knew but his thoughts were already churning. Substituting food for spiritual energy was probably the only thing he could do. The effect would be better the higher his level was until he didn''t need to eat anymore after he reached the third stage.


    He knew that reaching the third stage might be impossible but if he ate the right spiritual herbs he might be able to use their inherent spiritual energy to help him advance. Even if he couldn''t reach the next stage, every level was helpful in this situation.


    Jing Yi looked at the herbs in his hands again. Most of them were stalks of Crystal Grass. One alone wouldn''t provide much spiritual energy but they always grew in large clusters and the massive amount one could harvest at a time was enough for someone at the beginning of the first stage to advance one level. Unfortunately, he was already at the beginning of the second stage so they wouldn''t help him much.


    There were also a few Blue-Patterned Shadow Ferns that he had found at the roots of the trees. Their spiritual energy was solely stored in the blue pattern underside their leaves so it wasn''t much either. Well, one fern compared to just one stalk of Crystal Grass was still much better. But even together this wouldn''t be enough to advance a level even in the slightest.


    Jing Yi sighed. "I''m probably expecting too much. If just eating some herbs could make once advance to the next level, then there wouldn''t be so many cultivators who never manage to break through to the third stage and stay low-leveled cultivators all their life.


    Well, it''s still good. I never would have thought I could see all these herbs in reality so soon. If it''s true what senior martial brother Yue said, then this will be more helpful for advancing as an alchemist than studying ever could."


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. He definitely didn''t want to make Qiu Ling worried but ¡­ staying in this secret realm for a bit would be really beneficial to him. Ah, it would have been great if the one thrown into the secret realm with him was Qiu Ling instead. Not that he had anything against Yu Jin. It was just ¡­ Well, Qiu Ling was his fiance, the man he would marry. Being trapped with him would naturally be different from being trapped with somebody else.


    Come to think of it did Qiu Ling know that he wasn''t trapped alone? Jing Yi closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. If Qiu Ling knew that he was in the secret realm with another man, wouldn''t he grow even more worried? After all, he easily got jealous.


    Well, just like Yu Jin had said: There was nothing he could do about that. So, for now, he had to concentrate on the things that he was able to change.


    Jing Yi continued forward with the herbs in his hands. He didn''t have any place to put them. Normally, he would give everything to Qiu Ling who would then throw it into his spatial ring but now he could only carry them around in his hands. Maybe Yu Jin would have a magic bag or something similar? He probably wouldn''t mind helping out.


    Jing Yi stopped and crouched down next to an inconspicuous flower. It seemed yellow at first glance but when the sun touched the little petals they shimmered golden. He hadn''t seen this plant in the Hei Dian Sect but it fit the description of a flower Qiu Ling had read to him and it resembled the picture very much.


    "This should be the Golden Teardrop Flower."


    Jing Yi looked at the small plant. If he remembered correctly, it didn''t contain much spiritual energy but supposedly it was able to cure wounds. He wasn''t really sure how though. Most of the herbs he had worked with until now had some so he had subconsciously always believed that the spiritual energy was what made the effects of the plant possible.


    When Qiu Ling read the description of the Golden Teardrop Flower to him he hadn''t really been able to believe that it wouldn''t have spiritual energy. But looking at it now that was indeed the case. He couldn''t feel even the slightest fluctuation from it.


    Maybe ¡­ he had identified it wrong? Maybe this was really just a yellow flower? But it did look golden in the sunlight ¡­


    Jing Yi picked one just in case. His senior martial brother Yu had said that he didn''t know much about herbs but he probably still knew a bit. So, maybe he had already heard of this flower and could tell him more. Even though they were trapped here and had to find a way out as soon as possible that didn''t mean that he couldn''t try to learn some more things.

 Chapter 336 - Cultivating Together

    Jing Yi hurried further ahead and picked some more herbs. Approximately in the middle of the grove, he even found some shrubbery that was growing bright red fruits. His eyes lit up and he wanted to pluck some but just before his fingers reached it he paused. He suddenly had to think of the fruit of the Beguiling Night Tree and what had happened after eating it. It couldn''t be ¡­ that he would once again be faced with something like that?


    He hesitated but finally still took some. This wasn''t the Beguiling Night Tree. It wasn''t any kind of tree. It was just some shrub with a few spiritual fruits. Most likely nothing was strange about them. Even if it was, that was something that even people who weren''t alchemists would know. He just had to ask Yu Jin and then he would know whether or not he could eat them.


    Jing Yi carried the things he found back to the edge of the grove where Yu Jin was still sitting on the ground with his eyes closed, seemingly meditating. Seeing him like that Jing Yi wasn''t sure what to do. Should he tell him that he was back? But that would disturb him and he was already enough of a burden to Yu Jin. He didn''t want to make it even worse.


    In the end, Jing Yi just sat down a little distance from Yu Jin and sorted through his spoils again. It wasn''t actually that much since he wouldn''t have been able to carry them anyway and also didn''t know too many herbs yet. But it was still great to see them in reality.


    He put them down next to him and picked them up one by one to have a closer look. He didn''t know much about spiritual fruits but had seen some before when he was traveling with Qiu Ling. The red one he had found now hadn''t been among them though. He definitely had to wait for Yu Jin to stop cultivating before he could ask about them.


    Jing Yi put the fruit back and picked up the Golden Teardrop Flower. Even now that he looked at it more closely, he still couldn''t feel any spiritual energy inside. It really was just like a regular flower. So how was it able to cure wounds? Or maybe that was just a rumor? Jing Yi furrowed his brow. He had no way to make sure if it was. In the end, he just didn''t know enough about alchemy yet.


    He could only sigh and put the flower next to the fruits. Well, as long as Yu Jin was still cultivating he might just as well use the time to absorb the spiritual energy from the Blue-Patterned Shadow Fern and the Crystal Grass. After all, he wouldn''t just be able to take a break once they continued toward the mountains. So this was probably the last opportunity he''d have for a while.


    Jing Yi picked up some stalks of Crystal Grass first. After all, the spiritual energy inside was the lowest. It probably wouldn''t make any difference since he had already attained the root stage and this was clearly something that could only help a cultivator in the seed stage break through but alchemy was something that shouldn''t be rushed and cultivation was probably the same. So, taking some small steps first before taking some larger ones should be the right way to go about this.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and gently held the first stalk. Each of them had five leaves and it was only a bit larger than his hands. The smooth surface was something he hadn''t felt before on any of the herbs he had worked with in the Hei Dian Sect. The name ''Crystal Grass'' probably wasn''t without reason. Even disregarding the translucent leaves it actually even felt a bit like a stone. A very smooth stone ¡­


    Jing Yi slowly opened his eyes again and sighed. Thinking of stones made him remember that Jade Gathering Beast that was the cause of them being trapped. Really, how had something like that been able to happen?


    Opposite from Jing Yi, Yu Jin slowly cracked his eyes open and observed him. It was obvious that Jing Yi''s mind was in no state for him to cultivate. Normally, that was something to be happy about but ¡­ he still had to take in some spiritual energy if he wasn''t even able to eat.


    Yu Jin sighed and completely opened his eyes. "Junior Martial Brother, it''s good that you found something but you also have to calm your mind. Otherwise, these herbs won''t be of use to you and might even harm you if you try to take in their energy."


    Jing Yi nodded. "I know. It''s just ¡­ I can''t stop thinking about it. Have you never experienced something like that?"


    Yu Jin wanted to negate but halted in the last moment. Had he really never experienced that? Then what did he want to call his state in the last few years in the Yun Zou Sect? Actually, even though he seemed calm on the outside he knew that it was looking different inside of him. His thoughts had circled around the things he thought to see again and again. If he still had to cultivate, then that kind of state would have been fatal. Thankfully, he had already ascended.


    "I guess everyone has that kind of time someday."


    "Then ¡­ how did you overcome it?" Jing Yi listened attentively. Now he had the rare chance to learn something about cultivation from his senior! Being trapped in this realm really was a blessing in disguise!


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t answer though. What was he supposed to say? If he hadn''t left the Yun Zou Sect, then he would certainly still see those things and think about them. In fact, hadn''t he thought of them just when Jing Yi entered the grove?


    His lips tightened imperceptibly. If he was honest, then it really was a bit pathetic. He had actually felt a kind of loss when he didn''t see those memories anymore.


    If he stayed in this secret realm, then would he be forever unable to find out what or who had been missing from them?

 Chapter 337 - Heart-Calming Buddha Flower

    Jing Yi knitted his brows. "Senior Martial Brother Yu? How did you ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "It''s not so easy to explain. You could say that my case was a bit different from yours. My experience ¡­ most likely won''t help you."


    "Oh." Jing Yi lowered his head. He had really hoped that maybe this could make him overcome his current problem so that he would be able to take in the spiritual energy and maybe really advance a level. But now it seemed that that would be impossible. "Then ¡­ what do we do now? If I can''t take in the spiritual energy ¡­"


    Jing Yi stopped talking. He also knew that he was making things really difficult for Yu Jin. He was only in the second stage and still had to eat. But there probably weren''t any regular plants in this secret realm. The only things that could be eaten here were the spiritual fruits but those also contained spiritual energy. If he couldn''t calm his mind, then he could forget about eating anything. And naturally, exchanging food for spiritual energy was out of the question anyway.


    Jing Yi felt depressed. What had first seemed like a great help hadn''t gotten them any results. They were still back at the point where they noticed that him being still a normal mortal being would bring a lot of problems. He really was making things difficult for Yu Jin.


    Leng Jin Yu observed the changes in Jing Yi''s face. He could imagine what he was thinking right now. Unfortunately, there was nothing much he could do. Talking to him wouldn''t necessarily calm him down. If it could, then he would''ve already been calm by now. After all, he had already tried to talk to him.


    Ah, maybe he should have told him that he believed everything would be alright with Longjun? That might have done the trick. But if he tried that now, the boy would certainly think that he was just saying it to help him and not believe it. In fact, it might make things even worse.


    For the first time, Leng Jin Yu could see for himself how easy it was for fate to go awry. Such a small decision had actually brought them into this kind of situation. It seemed the Fate''s Scribe didn''t have it easy. Even without the dragon king interfering something like this could happen so easily. What more if there was someone who deliberately tried to change fate.


    Well, for now, he had to first solve the issue at hand. "Let''s put these away for later and have another look around. Did you see some Heart-Calming Buddha Flower?"


    Jing Yi blinked his eyes. "Heart-Calming Buddha Flower?" He had never heard of that.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "That''s not a problem. I''ll come with you and have a look myself. As I said before I don''t know much about herbs but there are some I know. The Heart-Calming Buddha Flower is a herb that can calm one''s state of mind. The blossoms look like a Buddha seated in a meditation pose, hence the name. If we are able to find one, your problem could be solved."


    "I''ll try to help Senior Martial Brother Yu look for it then." He had never even seen a picture of the plant but it shouldn''t be too hard to recognize a plant with such curiously shaped blossoms, should it?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "While we''re at it we should take some more spiritual fruits. The herbs aren''t bad for taking in spiritual energy but you can''t eat them. The spiritual fruits are different. In your current situation ¡­"


    Jing Yi nodded. That was indeed true. He couldn''t live just off spiritual energy. Spiritual Fruits were really his best choice in this situation. It was just ¡­ "I don''t know much about them. The ones I brought back ¡­ Does Senior Martial Brother Yu know what they are?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded again. "They''re called Flame Berries. They''re beneficial to people with fire spiritual veins."


    "Well, I have full spirit veins so it shouldn''t be a problem."


    Leng Jin Yu murmured an assent and put the herbs and fruits into his spatial ring. Looking at how he had to store everything ¡­ "Mn. Here." He took out a spatial bag he still had lying in there and handed it to Jing Yi.


    "This is ¡­?"


    "A spatial bag. I can take most of the herbs and fruits so that they won''t rot but it would be for the best if you had some with you as well. Who knows what will happen? Maybe we''ll be separated while we''re in here. Then at that time, you wouldn''t have anything to eat. If you''d be unable to go and search for something because of your circumstances at that time, you''d starve to death."


    "Oh." Jing Yi hurriedly put the remaining fruits inside and tied the bag to his waist.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and turned away without wasting even another word. "Let''s go then."


    Jing Yi followed him. He had already seen all the herbs in this part of the grove so he didn''t pay that much attention to them. If the Heart-Calming Buddha Flower really grew in the grove, then it still wouldn''t be in this part.


    Jing Yi would have liked to ask Yu Jin some things about cultivation and maybe even the spiritual fruits but he seemed unapproachable. He didn''t dare to randomly blurt something out but he also didn''t have a question he could start with.


    Thus, Yu Jin and Jing Yi quietly walked through the grove. Soon enough they reached the middle where the Flame Berries were growing. Yu Jin stopped some steps away and waited. He didn''t say anything though.


    Jing Yi hesitated a moment before he walked to the shrub and plucked a few more of the Flame Berries. Looking at the spiritual fruits in his hands he once again looked at Yu Jin. "Senior Martial Brother Yu ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu turned around and raised his eyebrows.


    "Uh, I just wondered ¡­ Spiritual herbs often have quite the harsh requirements on where they can grow. So, do you know something about that Heart-Calming Buddha Flower? Where would it grow?"


    "It should grow somewhere cool. Maybe around a source of water."


    Jing Yi waited for more but Yu Jin had already stopped talking. There was no way to start a conversation with him. Jing Yi bit his lip and pointed ahead. "If I''m not wrong, there should be a pond not far from here. Maybe we should look there."


    Yu Jin nodded, turned around and started walking ahead again.


    Jing Yi sighed. Faced with this silent approach of his senior martial brother he missed Qiu Ling''s constant chattering even more.

 Chapter 338 - A Nice Person

    It only took Jing Yi and Yu Jin a few minutes to reach the pond. The trees around stood a little closer to each other at this spot, shrouding the edge of the pond in shadows. Without the sunlight trickling to the ground, the temperature was a little lower than in the rest of the grove although it still couldn''t be described as a cool place. The chances of the Heart-Calming Buddha Flower growing here actually weren''t that high.


    Leng Jin Yu once again stood to the side although his gaze was roaming. The Heart-Calming Buddha Flower wasn''t that hard to recognize. If it was there, he would probably spot it immediately but he wanted to give Jing Yi a chance to have a look for himself. He couldn''t let the boy cultivate until ascension but there was nothing keeping him from learning alchemy. After all, he only had to pass a few trials. His life didn''t have to be completely miserable. He should be able to enjoy at least a few things.


    Jing Yi walked around the pond and looked at the places between the protruding roots of the trees. These were probably the places where a flower that favored cool spots would grow. Unfortunately, he couldn''t find anything that was even close to the appearance of a meditating Buddha.


    Jing Yi turned to Yu Jin with a nervous expression. "Senior Martial Brother Yu, it seems ¡­ there isn''t any Heart-Calming Buddha Flower growing around here."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. He had feared as much. The Heart-Calming Buddha Flower might have been a low leveled spiritual herb that was still quite common but it still didn''t grow as widespread as the Crystal Grass and similar herbs. The conditions it needed for its growth were stricter.


    "If that''s the case, then let''s go and search somewhere else. Looking at this secret realm I''m sure there will be some places that meet the requirements for the Heart-Calming Buddha Flower to grow." He turned around and made to leave the grove in the other direction.


    Jing Yi hurriedly followed him. This time he stepped a little closer though. This senior martial brother of his seldom spoke if you didn''t ask him a question. Now that he had responded it was probably the best opportunity to get him to talk a little more.


    "Senior Martial Brother Yu, say ¡­ you''re a cultivator, right?" Jing Yi''s gaze flitted to the sword Yu Jin carried around and couldn''t help but wonder if he had misunderstood maybe.


    Yu Jin obviously knew some things about cultivation else he wouldn''t know such things like the Flame Berries being good for somebody with fire spiritual veins. But it was also very rare for a cultivator to carry a sword around. Most people that did were practitioners instead. So could it be that he had gotten it wrong? Was Yu Jin actually a practitioner that just knew a bit about cultivation, too?


    Leng Jin Yu noticed Jing Yi''s gaze. "I''m both."


    "Both?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "You haven''t heard about the Sect Master being a practitioner also able to cultivate? As far as I know, he was famous for that once." He furrowed his brows slightly. Indeed, Yuchi Bing Xia had been famous for that. He had even heard of him before he ascended to the Nine Heavens. It was a pity though that he hadn''t been able to advance anymore because he took over the sect.


    "That must be difficult."


    "Mn, it''s not always easy. But with a higher cultivation base comes a longer life. So it''s not like one wouldn''t have the time for it. Furthermore, there are benefits to it."


    Jing Yi waited for him to elaborate but once again his senior martial brother had already stopped talking. He had to thicken his face and ask further. "What kind of benefits?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked over to the boy beside him. If he wasn''t able to tell that he wanted to talk with him, then he would have wasted all these years. Well, it wasn''t a problem for him. If not for the sake of pretending to be the disciple ''Yu Jin'' and making sure that nobody would associate him with the Daoist Leng Jin Yu that ascended two decades ago, he wouldn''t have adopted such a taciturn attitude in the first place.


    He still had to be a little careful but it shouldn''t be a problem if he slowly started to be a little more like himself. After all, they were in exceptional circumstances. Taking care of a junior martial brother was also expected. And many people were warmer to those they were familiar with.


    "Well ¡­" Leng Jin Yu slowed his steps a bit to make it easier for Jing Yi to follow next to him. "It''s actually nothing special. Cultivators and practitioners can do different things. The way they defend and attack in a fight is different and there are also other things that will be easier or more difficult to learn depending on what one does.


    I guess the former is self-explanatory. In a fight ¡ª a real fight, not just one like those at the gathering of practitioners or the cultivators'' tournament ¡ª it will naturally come in handy to have other skills besides those your opponent also has.


    You''ve never been in a fight so it might be hard to imagine it but everything you know can be used somehow. Countering something you know is often a lot easier than countering something unknown, too.


    Someone who is both a cultivator and a practitioner and might even have several spirit veins will have more knowledge. Defending against either a practitioner or a cultivator will become easier since they often know what the other person is doing while surprising the opponent will be easier, too, since one could use the skills of the other occupation."


    Jing Yi nodded, a little stunned. He had never heard Yu Jin talk this much and he even tried to explain it so that he would be able to understand even though he lacked a lot of experience. He really was not only capable but also a very nice person.

 Chapter 339 - Both a Practitioner and a Cultivator

    After deciding to not adhere to the personality of ''Yu Jin'' too tightly anymore, Leng Jin Yu naturally wouldn''t just stop there. He had always felt that the younger generation and with them a sect would come the farthest if those older than them shared their experiences and views. Guarding those things like secrets when you had already attained a higher level ¡­ Wasn''t that too selfish?


    The sect gave to those people so when they achieved a higher stage they should naturally give back through teaching the younger disciples. At least that was always what he had believed and what he had done before his ascension. He would do the same now as much as he could even if Zhong Jing Yi couldn''t be allowed to become a high-leveled cultivator.


    "You''re probably not too suited for fights so the other benefit I mentioned might be more important to you. You started studying alchemy, didn''t you?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Mn. I had to do something while we were on that mission in the Hei Dian Sect and I thought that alchemy would be the right thing since I wouldn''t need to follow any ¡­ evil techniques." Jing Yi frowned slightly. Actually, he had never seen any evil techniques or something like that while being in the Hei Dian Sect. They had seemed exceedingly normal to him.


    In all honesty, if he compared how he had been received in the Hei Dian Sect with how he had been treated in the Yun Zou Sect the latter probably wouldn''t do that good. On one hand, Niu Hai had immediately shown him around and Yue Lin had even taught him how to read, while on the other the disciples had often dumped more than one of their tasks on him. How was the former an evil and the latter a righteous sect? Didn''t this just show that on both sides there were good and bad people? In the end, everyone decided for themselves what kind of person they wanted to be.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "That was a good decision. Alchemy is something that relies on spiritual energy. Only a cultivator would be able to learn it and someone with wood spiritual veins would be especially suited to it. So, in your case ¡­ learning alchemy really isn''t a bad decision." Leng Jin Yu smiled slightly.


    Jing Yi froze and stopped walking. Had ¡­ senior martial brother Yu just smiled at him?


    Leng Jin Yu also stopped walking and turned around with a puzzled expression. "What is it?"


    "Uh ¡­ Oh, nothing." Jing Yi hurriedly stepped closer again.


    Leng Jin Yu just turned back and continued to walk forward, without thinking about it further. "Just like with the spirit veins that are needed to learn alchemy, becoming a practitioner will also be necessary if one wants to choose some paths. Beast taming and weapon forging are reliant on the sword energy you gather as a practitioner. So, naturally, if you are a cultivator, as well as a practitioner, you will have more possibilities to learn."


    "So, you can''t learn these things without becoming a practitioner?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "More or less. It''s like with alchemy: In the beginning, it won''t make a difference. Nobody needs to be a cultivator or practitioner to understand the theory and there will always be some simple things that can be done even without the corresponding energy. But if you want to attain greater heights on one of those paths, then you will have to choose the corresponding side in the beginning."


    "I see." Jing Yi nodded. "Thank you for telling me."


    He had never thought about learning any of these things. It wouldn''t have been possible anyway. Where would he have gotten the opportunity after all? Even learning alchemy was something that had just arisen out of the situation his relationship with Qiu Ling caused. It was already lucky for him to have achieved a little bit on that path.


    "So ¡­ What have you learned? If you''re both a practitioner and a cultivator, then you had all possibilities, didn''t you?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes, I did. Well, back when I just started ¡­" He smiled and thought back to those days long before his ascension.


    He, too, only had full spirit veins so nobody had had any hope that he would ever become a successful cultivator. His physique was quite suited to become a practitioner though.


    "It actually wasn''t as straightforward as you might think. I started out as only a practitioner and I concentrated solely on that. Later I became interested in forging weapons since that was something that would benefit me as a practitioner, too. After all, what is a practitioner without a sword?" He smiled again. "That was also the reason why I finally started cultivating. It''s true that you need to be a practitioner if you want to reach the higher stages of weapon forging but having metal and fire spirit veins is definitely a huge boon, too."


    He sighed and looked up at the patch of sky that could be seen through the treetops. "Ah, I was naive back then. I didn''t know much about cultivation and thought that I could just cultivate those two spirit veins and ignore the rest. Well, it was quite the surprise when I reached the peak of the seed stage and couldn''t proceed further regardless of how I tried. I never would have thought that they were actually dependent on the other spirit veins."


    "So what did you do?" Jing Yi couldn''t help but wonder. Listening to him it was obvious that Yu Jin had already reached the third stage at the very least and partly shed his mortal body. But how had he done so if he started out late and also had full spirit veins? Wasn''t it said that the peak of the root stage was the farthest one could go with that kind of aptitude? How had he reached the sprout stage?


    "I started to cultivate my other spirit veins, too. What else could I have done?" Leng Jin Yu shrugged elegantly.


    Back then he had already been called a genius disciple among the practitioners of his sect. Starting to learn about weapon forging was something his master accepted because it would help him on his way. When he who only had full spirit veins wanted to start cultivating his master didn''t want to hear any of it though.


    Only two of his spirit veins would have been useful but only cultivating to the peak of the first stage wouldn''t make much of a difference. In that case, he might as well invest the time into weapon forging or practicing the sword arts.


    "My master was livid when I insisted on cultivating. But I guess he started to feel different when I really managed to reach a high level."


    Jing Yi frowned. "I don''t understand. If the sect master himself is both a practitioner and a cultivator, then why would he be against you doing the same?"


    Leng Jin Yu froze. Ah. Right. They had been talking about Yuchi Bing Xia. Right now, thinking back to how he had begun he had actually thought of his old master and just told the truth.


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to be more careful from now on.

 Chapter 340 - Destined to Be

    Leng Jin Yu coughed. "That ¡­ was before I came to the Yun Zou Sect. I actually learned under a different master before the sect master took me in."


    "Oh. And your former master is alright with you taking somebody else as your master, too?"


    "I guess so."


    "You didn''t ask him? He ¡­" Jing Yi stopped talking. Considering the impression he had of Yu Jin he felt that he wouldn''t do something so insensitive as taking a second master without asking his first one. So maybe ¡­ that person couldn''t be asked anymore.


    He searched for some kind of clue in Yu Jin''s face but couldn''t find any. Maybe he wasn''t dead but something else had happened? Just look at them, they were also trapped in a secret realm and didn''t know how to get out. Maybe Yu Jin''s master had also been trapped somewhere and so Yu Jin had just continued on and then met the sect master of the Yun Zou Sect? Or maybe he was thinking too much.


    Leng Jin Yu noticed the probing gaze and raised his brows. "Is something the matter?"


    "I ¡­ No, it''s nothing." Jing Yi shook his head. Whatever it was he felt like he shouldn''t pry too much. If Yu Jin wanted to talk about it, then he would have done so. Since he hadn''t he shouldn''t risk opening old wounds.


    Leng Jin Yu turned back to the front where the other side of the grove could already be seen. They were still quite far from the mountain chain and a few other groves and lakes were on their way there. Maybe they would be able to find the Heart-Calming Buddha Flower in one of them.


    Although ¡­ it seemed talking to Jing Yi had already calmed him down somewhat. As long as he wasn''t reminded of the current situation and the fact that his fiance was still outside he was probably alright. Unfortunately, he couldn''t just make him forget about that. If that was possible, then the whole trial the crown prince had to undertake wouldn''t have been so difficult. Well, he should have drunk some of the water of the river of forgetfulness prior to descending for his trial. The problem was that a certain other person hadn''t.


    Come to think of it, this was probably a good opportunity to find out a little more in that regard. "So, I noticed that your fiance didn''t use a sword when bringing you back from the Hei Dian Sect. Is he also studying both paths?"


    Jing Yi hurriedly averted his face. "Yes, you could say that."


    "Well, it figures. He has a special constitution, after all. Wasn''t it the divine constitution ''dragon body''?"


    Jing Yi pressed his lips together. He remembered vaguely that the elders had talked about such things at the gathering of practitioners but back then he hadn''t known anything about these things so he hadn''t really understood what it was about. If Yu Jin hadn''t brought it up again, he never would have remembered. He would have liked to forget about it indeed. What divine constitution? His fiance was a real dragon! But he definitely couldn''t talk about that so he just nodded.


    Leng Jin Yu slightly lifted his brows. So it turned out that Jing Yi already knew that his fiance wasn''t human. Just how much had the dragon king told him?


    "Your fiance ¡­ seems quite close to you."


    Jing Yi hurriedly nodded. This was a much safer topic. Although it felt a little strange to talk about it with Yu Jin of all people who normally had a stony expression. "Yes, we''re very close. But it''s probably no wonder. We''ve been traveling together for a long time and then spent some more time in the Hei Dian Sect together. I guess it''s normal to grow closer in such a situation."


    Leng Jin Yu also nodded. "That''s true. I was a little surprised though. I was there at the gathering when he proposed to you. You seemed ¡­ stunned. As if you hadn''t expected it."


    "I didn''t."


    "Oh?"


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. Somehow the topic he had just considered safe turned out to be not so safe after all. "We actually didn''t know each other before that. Well, I guess you could say it was love at first sight?"


    "For him at least."


    "Mn." Jing Yi tugged at his sleeve, feeling uncomfortable. This really wasn''t something he wanted to talk about.


    "So ¡­ Why did you change your mind? About marrying him I mean."


    "Well, I guess after spending so much time together I just fell in love somehow?"


    "Nothing else?"


    Jing Yi looked up. Why did he feel like he was interrogated? Wasn''t it a little strange for a senior martial brother he hadn''t had much to do with until now to suddenly show this much interest in his private matters?


    It might have been Qiu Ling''s influence but Jing Yi couldn''t help but question if there was some hidden reason behind this. It couldn''t be that Yu Jin ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows at Jing Yi''s strange gaze. "Junior Martial Brother?"


    "I just wondered ¡­ We''ve talked about Qiu Ling just now. So ¡­ Is there someone Senior Martial Brother Yu likes?"


    Leng Jin Yu blinked. Someone he liked? He wanted to shake his head but hesitated at the last moment. His thoughts involuntarily drifted to those half-finished paintings back in his house at the Yun Zou Sect. Maybe what was missing from them was indeed a person and maybe that person was indeed someone he had loved dearly.


    For a long time, even before his ascension, he had wondered why he never fell in love. He wanted to. But it somehow never happened. He had thought that maybe he was too picky but even in the Nine Heavens where beauties were nothing special and where you could find a few people with an acceptable temperament by just taking a casual glance around he still hadn''t found anyone.


    "Maybe there is."


    Maybe ¡­ the reason for him being alone all this while and solely focusing on cultivation had been that person. Maybe he was supposed to find that special someone again. Maybe they just were destined to be.

 Chapter 341 - A Different Kind of Painting

    Leng Jin Yu was thinking about the person missing from his memories while searching for the Heart-Calming Buddha Flower with Jing Yi. At the same time, sect master Yuchi and Grandmaster Zhangsun were searching for Jinde on the sect master''s peak. They had already looked in every nook and cranny of the sect master''s palace and in those places where one could hide outside. Unfortunately, there wasn''t even a hair of Jinde to be found.


    The two men convened in front of the palace again. Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned while Yuchi Bing Xia looked defeated. That person had done a lot for their sect while they had only provided him with a place to stay. Now they weren''t even able to do that much. He didn''t even know where to put his face anymore.


    "There are quite a few empty houses on the peak. Let''s look there, too. He probably felt that he didn''t have much time so entering one of them would have been a good idea. And if he didn''t find anyone in there, he might have just stayed and waited for one of us there."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. "Then ¡­ I''ll take the west side and you take the east side?"


    "Mn. Let''s do that then." The Grandmaster didn''t stay to talk about it any longer and hurried to the east. Never mind opening the secret realm. He didn''t have much hope that that person would be able to do it. But he felt bad about having him experience all this.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi started to comb through the houses. He didn''t enter if somebody else was there and instead started with the other houses. Only if he couldn''t find him there, would he have a closer look at the others. Unfortunately, it seemed like he''d really have to do so.


    Although they hadn''t talked about it, Yuchi Bing Xia adopted the same attitude. He searched in the houses where nobody was living first but couldn''t find that person anywhere. For a moment, he considered going to see the Grandmaster again to ask if he had been lucky but then decided against it. Who knew if that person stayed put? If he felt that something was wrong on the peak, he might go somewhere else. How were they supposed to find him then? So he shouldn''t waste any time.


    He looked at the house closest to him but hesitated. One of his disciples was in there. If he went up, then he''d have to explain at least a bit but normally nobody would talk about that person. Even he had only heard about him when he had been chosen to become the next sect master. He couldn''t casually divulge this secret even if the person he''d talk to was one of his own disciples.


    But how was he supposed to do this then? He would have to make sure that the disciples weren''t in. But they wouldn''t just leave their houses. Only if they wanted to seclude themselves in an environment more suitable for cultivation or were sent on a mission would there be an opportunity.


    Yuchi Bing Xia slightly raised his brows. Come to think of it of the few disciples he had some actually were on the outside right now. Maybe he should start with their houses first.


    He looked around and his gaze fell on a path leading to a house close to the foot of the mountain. That was where Yu Jin had lived until a few days ago. Yuchi Bing Xia sighed. He really had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that his favorite disciple had been lost just like that. He really could only hope that the secret realm would open soon. Even if all hope was lost for the Yun Zou Sect, he didn''t want Yu Jin to die in some unknown realm.


    He reached the door to Yu Jin''s house and gently opened. He had mostly called Yu Jin over to his palace but one or two times he had also visited him here. It really was a place that made one feel at home.


    Inside the house, Jinde leaped up from his seat at the desk and hid in a corner. The person he had just heard entering had hidden his aura so that he couldn''t figure out who it was. It couldn''t be that Jin Ling had come back to the Yun Zou Sect once again, right? And even managed to locate him here?


    Jinde''s gaze glided back to the desk and his pupils shrank. Oh no! He had forgotten ¡­


    Before he could do something about it, steps closed in on the room. The house wasn''t big in the first place and since Yuchi Bing Xia had seen Yu Jin painting in the study both times when he came here he had gone to this room first.


    Upon entering he sighed. Seeing this room where they had talked before really made him melancholic. The person he was searching for right now didn''t seem to be there, though. He wanted to turn away when his gaze fell on the furled paper scrolls on the desk.


    He frowned and turned back to the shelf where he had seen them the last time. Not a single one was lying there right now. Yuchi Bing Xia tilted his head and went over to the desk. Why had Yu Jin placed all of them there? As far as he knew he treated those paintings like his treasure. He wouldn''t just let them lie around like that.


    Yuchi Bing Xia shook his head and gently picked them up. Maybe his disciple had looked at them before he left the sect. Now he wouldn''t be able to see them for quite a while. He should make sure that they were in a good state when Yu Jin came back.


    He placed them back on the shelf one after the other until finally the last scroll was put back in its place. Yuchi Bing Xia turned back to the desk to take the painting that was still lying there opened. He picked it up and paused.


    This ¡­ didn''t look like Yu Jin''s paintings at all. The way it was painted was different but the biggest disparity was certainly what it depicted. He had only ever seen Yu Jin paint a courtyard or a building and not even completely. But this ¡­


    This painting clearly showed a man and it seemed that there wasn''t even a hair missing. It was as if this person had stood right in front of him when he painted. And somehow this person seemed slightly familiar.


    "Who did you paint, Yu Jin?"

 Chapter 342 - Until the End of Time

    Yu Jin?


    Jinde who was still in hiding perked up. Was that the name of the person who lived here? Was this ¡­ Chun Yin''s reincarnation? He lifted his hand and rubbed his chest, his gaze lingering on the scroll of paper in Yuchi Bing Xia''s hands. Could it really be? After all this time he had finally found him?


    Jinde stepped out and gently cleared his throat. "Yu Jin ¡­ Might that be the person living here?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia whirled around and lifted his hand, caution written in his eyes. He hadn''t noticed somebody entering behind him and couldn''t help but feel a sense of dread. As soon as he saw the person behind him he relaxed though. So it turned out this was the person he had been looking for.


    He lowered his hand and smiled awkwardly. "Ah, I''m sorry. I didn''t notice you were here."


    Jinde just smiled. Since his injury back then there wasn''t any kind of energy that could be detected from him. Even that of his soul was greatly diminished. It would have been a miracle if a human could notice him.


    "I''m sorry for scaring you, sect master." Jinde looked at the insignia Yuchi Bing Xia was wearing on his belt. He shouldn''t have made any mistake, right? This person was indeed Yun Zou Sect''s sect master?


    Yuchi Bing Xia hurriedly shook his head. "I don''t dare to accept your apology. It''s my fault for not paying better attention. Mn, actually, I was searching for you. Or ¡­ Grandmaster Zhangsun was."


    "Oh?"


    "You probably left that place because of that person who came to our sect? That ¡­ Jin Ling?"


    Jinde nodded but his gaze swiveled back to the painting in Yuchi Bing Xia''s hands. He didn''t want to talk about that. He just wanted to know more about that Yu Jin. "I did. I didn''t know where to go, though, so I ended up occupying this house. I hope I haven''t made problems for anyone?" He lifted his gaze once again and gave a slight smile.


    Yuchi Bing Xia gulped. Beautiful people really shouldn''t smile like that ¡­ He felt like his heart would stop beating any moment now. "No ¡­ You certainly wouldn''t trouble anyone."


    Jinde nodded. "The person living here ¡­"


    "Ah, Yu Jin! He''s ¡­ He went out on a mission."


    "So it''s like that." Jinde stepped to the window and looked outside. So he might have missed him by just a few days. "In that case ¡­ would it be alright for me to stay here a little longer?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia hurriedly nodded. "Of course, of course."


    "Then ¡­ how long will he be gone?" He turned to look at Yuchi Bing Xia and noticed out of the corner of his eye how the sect master tensed up for a moment. Jinde lowered his gaze.


    What was this about? There shouldn''t be a problem with what he had just asked, should it?


    "I''m not quite sure about that."


    "So, it''s a difficult mission?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia averted his gaze. How come the beautiful god was interested in this so much? He considered just nodding but couldn''t bring himself to do so. This person was the Yun Zou Sect''s benefactor. How could he just lie to him? "Not ¡­ that difficult. It''s just that there was a slight mishap."


    "Mishap?" Jinde''s face paled. It couldn''t be that something had happened to Chun Yin, could it? He wouldn''t ¡­ wouldn''t leave before they had even managed to see each other again, would he?


    Yuchi Bing Xia reached out and grabbed his elbows. "You ¡­ are you alright?" There was a hint of panic in his voice. Don''t joke with him! This beautiful god was already pale on a normal day. He had been when he saw him for the first time back then and he had been when he saw him again today. But at this moment even the last bit of color had vanished from his face. He looked just like a ghost.


    Jinde sighed. "Thank you but it''s alright."


    Yuchi Bing Xia wasn''t convinced though. "How about you sit down for a while?" He gently led Jinde over to the desk and helped him sit down. He certainly couldn''t let their benefactor suffer any harm. "Maybe I should get Grandmaster Zhangsun? Or take you back to the Special Dimension?"


    "No need." Jinde shook his head. There was only one thing he wanted right now. "You wanted to tell me what happened on that mission just now."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded but still took out a paper crane and hurriedly sent a message to Grandmaster Zhangsun. "It was an unfortunate accident. He was supposed to get a report from two of our disciples and then bring them over to a place where a secret realm opened. Unfortunately ¡­" Yuchi Bing Xia sighed. "A creature known as a Jade Gathering Beast ¡­"


    Jinde''s hands trembled. Most humans might not know about it but the dragons were definitely different. The Jade Gathering Beasts were something most of them knew, although those creatures that the humans had placed so much hope on were nothing more than bugs to them. Unfortunately ¡­ if he was right, then Chun Yin had been reborn as a human. He wouldn''t have ¡­ suffered from an attack by one of those things? Then his soul ¡­


    Jinde looked up at the window. There was probably no one who knew better than him what an injury to the soul meant. If Chun Yin really ¡­


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. No, he wouldn''t believe it. Chun Yin wasn''t that weak. He hadn''t been in that life and he wouldn''t be in this life either. He would never believe that the man he had irrevocably fallen in love with would ever be defeated by something like a Jade Gathering Beast.


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed. "I wasn''t there so I can''t really say what exactly happened. It would be better to ask Grandmaster Zhangsun about that. But it caused some kind of energy disturbance and Yu Jin was trapped in the secret realm with a fellow disciple."


    "Trapped? So it''s like that."


    "Mn. Well, I trust in Yu Jin''s abilities. He''ll be able to get out of there. Sooner or later he will return to our Yun Zou Sect."


    Jinde hardly held back his smile. He hadn''t even seen this Yu Jin. But he knew Chun Yin and there definitely wasn''t anything that could imprison him. If he wanted to get out, then he would get out. He had seen that more than once.


    Until then, he would continue to wait for him. Whether it was a year or a decade or even another millennium. He wouldn''t stop waiting. For this person, he would wait until the end of time.

 Chapter 343 - Discerning the Truth

    "Maybe?" Jing Yi blinked. Why did this sound as if Yu Jin wasn''t sure? Shouldn''t he know whether or not he was in love?


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "It''s a little complicated."


    "Senior Martial Brother ¡­ isn''t sure if that person likes you back?" He couldn''t see any other reason why Yu Jin would answer like that. Well ¡­ it certainly wouldn''t have been like with Qiu Ling and him back then, would it?


    Leng Jin Yu smiled at Jing Yi''s weird out expression. He really wondered what he was imagining right now. "That''s not quite it." He fell silent and looked at the clear sky for a while. It shouldn''t be a problem to tell him, should it? After all, it didn''t concern the matter of the crown prince''s own descent to the mortal world. And it wasn''t impossible for cultivators of a higher stage to remember parts of their past lives. It shouldn''t raise any questions.


    "Back when I was with my first master and in the time after that there wasn''t anyone. Even now, I''m not sure. When I came to the Yun Zou Sect I started to see some things that might be memories from my past life."


    "Ah?" Jing Yi''s eyes widened and he turned to Yu Jin. Memories of his past life? Like ¡­ how that scene he had seen after eating the fruit of the Beguiling Night Tree?


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "It''s just something I surmised. But I think it''s the most likely explanation. In those ¡­ fragments, something is missing and I think it should be a person. I don''t know why I''m seeing these things since coming to the Yun Zou Sect and I don''t know why something is missing from them, I also don''t know who that person is. But I somehow feel ¡­ that this missing part was very important to me once. Maybe it was someone I loved dearly."


    "So you ¡­ think about that person now?" Jing Yi''s heart couldn''t help but thump. He had tried very hard to forget about that man he had seen in that dream in the Hei Dian Sect. But somewhere at the back of his mind he still remembered how it had felt to be embraced by him. He couldn''t shake the memory of that warmth and the contentment inside himself regardless of what he did. Was it the same way for Yu Jin?


    "I do. Since the first time I saw one of those fragments, I tried to somehow find out what was missing from them. I want to know who that person is and who he was to me. And maybe ¡­ find him in this life."


    Jing Yi hurriedly looked away. They weren''t far from the next lake on their way to the mountain chain.


    Leng Jin Yu slightly raised his eyebrows. Had he said something wrong? "Junior Martial Brother ¡­"


    "Oh, it''s nothing. I just ¡­ I just wondered how Senior Martial Brother Yu wanted to find out about that person. Wouldn''t that be really difficult?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I already tried everything I can do just by relying on myself like meditating or immersing myself into my inner self but none of that worked. There are still some auxiliary means that can be used. For example, you might have seen a dark-colored tree in the Hei Dian Sect. That''s the Beguiling Night Tree. Eating its fruit may lead to seeing a fragment of the past."


    "So, did Senior Martial Brother Yu get one?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "It wouldn''t have been advisable considering the circumstances. Furthermore, the Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit wouldn''t necessarily be of help."


    "Why that?" Jing Yi pressed his lips together. Since Yu Jin brought the thing up that had caused him so many sleepless nights he didn''t feel that well. Why did it seem like the Beguiling Night Tree was haunting him?


    "Well, let''s compare it with our situation right now. The Heart-Calming Buddha Flower could grow everywhere here in this secret realm since most places are suitable. But it won''t. It still depends on chance whether we can find it or not. The situation with the Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit is similar. There is a certain chance that you will remember an event from your past if you eat it but there is no certainty."


    "But ¡­ wouldn''t it still be better for you to have a chance? Maybe you would know ¡­ who that person is then."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "If it was just that, then I''d certainly do that. Unfortunately ¡­ You won''t necessarily see something from your past life. There might be other things."


    Jing Yi stopped walking. "Other things? Senior Martial Brother Yu''s meaning is ¡­"


    "The Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit shows something in relation to your soul. That might be a memory that is still hidden somewhere inside but it could also be something taken from your current life."


    Jing Yi averted his gaze but his heart was beating even faster now. So what he had seen back then ¡­ wasn''t necessarily a memory? That man ¡­ might just be a figment of his own imagination or rather something the Beguiling Night Tree had made out of it? "Then, does Senior Martial Brother Yu know how one can distinguish between those two things?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head and sighed. "That''s why I didn''t take that fruit. There is no way to ascertain what is what. An illusion will be made out of something that hasn''t actually happened but that you wanted to happen or that you didn''t even dare to think of because it seemed so unlikely. It isn''t something that comes out of nowhere. It will have a relation to your current life. Thus, an illusion might seem more real than an actual memory.


    In my case ¡­ considering how much I already thought about that person the fruit could present me anyone. Maybe someone who fits my current taste but not necessarily the person I knew in my past life. But it would probably seem real to me since I expect to see someone I loved previously. Wouldn''t that be especially sad? Seeing someone and mistaking him for that person while I never find out who that person is?"


    "So, it would work if you hadn''t thought about that person previously?"


    "Probably."


    Then what about the man he saw? He never thought about anyone but Qiu Ling. So why had he seen another man in that dream? Was what he had seen really something from his past life?


    The hope he had felt for a moment shattered once more. It seemed there had really been such a person. Ah, but why was he even thinking about that? A past life was a past life. As long as that person didn''t remember him and searched for him like how Yu Jin searched for the person from his memories, then everything would be alright.


    There was no reason to fear.

 Chapter 344 - Solving One Trouble

    Soon enough, Jing Yi and Leng Jin Yu reached the lake they had seen a while ago. They hadn''t talked anymore since the Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit was brought up. Jing Yi wasn''t in the mood to ask anything else anymore and Leng Jin Yu was pondering over what he had seen before.


    Upon reaching the lake, Leng Jin Yu just shook his head and surfaced from his thoughts while Jing Yi still had trouble to shake that memory off. Well, after living not even twenty years in this mortal life it probably couldn''t be expected of him to have the same mental fortitude as Leng Jin Yu who had already lived many years before his ascension.


    Leng Jin Yu took one look at Jing Yi and noticed that he was a little out of it. He wasn''t sure what exactly had caused this but this wasn''t the moment to worry about that either. "I''ll go and look for the Heart-Calming Buddha Flower. You can wait here." He didn''t wait for an answer and started to walk around the edge of the lake.


    The temperature at the lake was a lot lower than that in the grove. Come to think of it, it seemed like it had lowered further the closer they got to the mountain chain. Could it be that there was something special about these mountains?


    He didn''t have any more clues for now so he could only resolve to pay attention to that later on. For now, the Heart-Calming Buddha Flower was the most important.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t have to look for it for long. The environment was suitable and a small patch of them was actually growing by the side of the lake. He crouched down with a smile on his lips and carefully harvested a few of them. Maybe one would be enough and Jing Yi would stay calm after he managed to discard the initial fears that weighed him down. If not ¡­ then he at least wanted to be prepared.


    He put all of the flowers except for one into his spatial ring and brought the last one back to Jing Yi. "Here. You should sit down and meditate with this right now. After that, take some time to take in some spiritual energy. Then we can continue toward the mountain."


    "Mn. Thank you for your trouble, Senior Martial Brother Yu." Jing Yi hurriedly clasped his hands and wanted to bow but Leng Jin Yu just smiled at him.


    "No need to thank me. You''re my junior from the same sect. It''s what I should do."


    "Still ¡­"


    "Alright. You sit down and start meditating. The sooner you calm down and take in some energy, the sooner we can go to the mountains and find a way out of here. Don''t you want to see your fiance again?"


    Jing Yi smiled and nodded. "Of course. Then, I''ll start meditating right now, Senior Martial Brother."


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu turned away and went back to the lakeside where the Heart-Calming Buddha Flowers grew.


    He stepped past them and looked at the other herbs growing there. Unfortunately, herbs really weren''t his strong suit. He only recognized a few and those weren''t any that could help him ascertain his assumption.


    He searched a little longer but still couldn''t find anything useful. In the end, he could only turn back. Well, Jing Yi had started to learn alchemy. There was at least a slim possibility that he would know some of the herbs he hadn''t been able to identify yet.


    When he finally reached the spot where he had left Jing Yi the boy had already finished meditating and was absorbing the spiritual energy of a herb. It seemed he had even eaten the spiritual fruits already.


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and sat down a few steps away. The most urgent problem had been solved, they had a direction in mind and if he could verify his assumption, then they would find the dwelling of the secret realm''s master even sooner. Not that he could let Jing Yi out of the secret realm even if they did.


    It really was a pity that he was the Son of Heaven.


    Just when he thought so there was a slight gasp from the boy. Leng Jin Yu looked over, dumbfounded. He had just come back a minute ago. What could have gone wrong in that short amount of time?


    But something was obviously wrong. Jing Yi''s skin had lost all color, sweat beaded his brow and his face was scrunched up in pain. Leng Jin Yu leaped to his feet and hurried over. He grabbed Jing Yi by the shoulder and grabbed one of his hands to take his pulse and have a closer look at his spiritual energy.


    He didn''t need to though. As soon as he lifted Jing Yi''s hand the herb below it was revealed.


    "You ¡­"


    Jing Yi clutched his arm and opened his eyes with effort. "Senior ¡­ Sen ¡­" He gasped for breath, unable to utter even a single word.


    Leng Jin Yu frowned and helped him lie down. "Why did you take that herb?"


    Jing Yi still didn''t answer. He rolled over to the side and clasped Leng Jin Yu''s arm even tighter. He didn''t know what was happening. How come ¡­ he had such an intense reaction after taking in the spiritual energy of the Crystal Grass? And this wasn''t even the first one!


    Could it be ¡­ the effect of the Heart-Calming Buddha Flower was limited to a certain time and he had passed this limit? He really wanted to ask but he couldn''t even open his mouth. All his muscles had tensed. Breathing was hard enough already. He didn''t ¡­ didn''t have the energy ¡­


    Jing Yi''s sight dimmed and his eyes slowly fluttered shut until he was enveloped by darkness. The pain didn''t subside though. Instead, it only seemed to get worse.


    Why wasn''t there anybody there to stop it? Why wasn''t at least Qiu Ling with him? Fate ¡­ really seemed to be toying with him.

 Chapter 345 - It Might Be for the Best

    Outside of the secret realm, Qiu Ling was pacing up and down. "Why is this taking so long?!" He glared at Qiang Wei who was waiting beside him.


    "Your Majesty ¡­ Didn''t An Bai already say that they needed to research on the array first? They have already decided on the next steps and are working on it. That is the most that can be done for now."


    Qiu Ling stopped walking. "Ah, there has to be something I can do! My beloved is all alone in there!"


    "There''s that senior ¡ª"


    "He''s probably scared! And lonely! And misses me very much."


    Qiang Wei shut up. He deeply felt that his king wasn''t interested in what he had to say anyway.


    Qiu Ling continued pacing up and down. He couldn''t help but feel restless. He felt as if ¡­ something bad was about to happen. He stopped once again and looked at the array on the ground. "Damn this! We should just force our way in!"


    He wanted to go over but Qiang Wei grabbed his arm.


    "Your Majesty, you can''t! I don''t know much about these things but this is a formation that connects this place to a dimension. If you use force, the array might shatter and the realm it connects to would strand somewhere or even cease to exist. And that would include the people inside. So you can''t brute force your way in under any circumstances."


    "But ¡ª"


    "Your Majesty. Please keep in mind that the person inside is only Zhong Jing Yi, not crown prince Jing He. If that boy dies, his soul will just ascend to the Nine Heavens again and the crown prince will wake up. Isn''t that what you want? It would actually be for the best if he can''t hold on in there."


    "But ¡­" Qiu Ling frowned. He didn''t want him to suffer. He wanted him to be happy. Whether it was Jing Yi or Jing He, this person was his beloved. And his beloved deserved to be happy. "I want to help him."


    "You can''t."


    Qiu Ling sighed and rubbed his brow. "I feel like ¡­ something will happen. Something bad."


    "It''s normal that you''re worried about him. But as I said there''s no reason to. Maybe ¡­ Maybe you should do something else for now? Search for some clues yourself or ¡­ return to the immortal realms for a while? You could visit His Highness, you know?"


    Qiu Ling froze. Right. He could ¡­ use this time to go and have a look at Jing He. It wasn''t like he could guard Jing Yi right now anyway.


    But the last time he went to the immortal realms because he longed to see his beloved something had happened to his beloved''s mortal father. Who could assure him that something like that wouldn''t happen again? He definitely didn''t want to explain to his beloved why he hadn''t paid attention once again.


    "Your Majesty?" Qiang Wei raised his brows and waited for Qiu Ling''s decision.


    "I ¡­ I should try to help for a bit." Qiu Ling said so but his gaze said that he wanted to do something else.


    "It wouldn''t be a problem to leave that to An Bai and the gods. You can go to see His Highness without worry."


    "But what if something happens here while I''m away?"


    "Then I''ll inform you immediately." Qiang Wei pulled out the pendant with the transmission stone he wore. "You could come back immediately. And I honestly doubt that something will happen soon. An Bai and the gods need time to find out something and the secret realm won''t open on its own for quite a while. It''s not a problem to go and have a look at His Highness."


    "Mn. Then I ¡­ I''ll just go and take a look. Just a look."


    Qiang Wei nodded happily. He really wouldn''t have known what to do if his king still hadn''t resolved himself to go. It really was too much of a torture to wait here with him.


    Qiu Ling also nodded. He still felt a little worried in his heart but the prospect of seeing his real beloved again naturally lifted his spirit. "Then ¡­ I''ll go now. You inform me immediately if anything happens, even if it seems unimportant!"


    "Naturally! Nothing is unimportant if it concerns His Highness!"


    Qiu Ling nodded relieved. It seemed Qiang Wei had understood how important Jing He was. There was probably no reason to worry. He turned around and left the mortal realm for the Nine Heavens. Needless to say, his steps immediately led him to Jing He''s palace.


    Qiu Ling hesitated for a moment in front of the folding screen behind the entrance but finally stepped past it. There he was. Still lying on that bed, his dark hair flowing down like ink next to his pale skin. Qiu Ling''s heart ached once again upon seeing him like this. The last time he had come he had been dead drunk, his emotions high-strung but a little numbed afterward. This time he was completely clear though.


    He slowly walked over and looked at that familiar face he hadn''t been able to forget for the past ten years. He stood next to the bed and just observed him for a while.


    The last time, he had feared Jing He wouldn''t wake up again. This time, he actually thought that Jing He ¡­ looked especially peaceful.


    He slowly sat down and took Jing He''s hand. It was cool to the touch but otherwise exactly like in his memory. The soft skin, the slender fingers, the way it fit perfectly into his larger hand ¡­ It really brought back memories.


    Qiu Ling looked up at Jing He''s face and smiled. "I came to visit you. I really hope ¡­ you''ll wake up soon."


    Ah, he didn''t mind spending time with Jing He''s mortal reincarnation in the human realm but it would still be better if Jing He woke up and they could resume their previous life. Maybe ¡­ it wouldn''t be too bad if what Qiang Wei had said became reality and Jing He returned from that secret realm directly to the Nine Heavens.


    At least then, this vexed trial would be over and everything would be back to normal.

 Chapter 346 - He Regretted Nothing

    A slight gasp sounded in the darkness, breaking the silence and seeming especially loud in the empty room.


    For a while, his ragged breaths were the only thing filling the silence. If not for the pain that still racked his whole being whenever he took a breath, he might not have been sure whether he was still alive.


    He turned to the side and curled up in the hope of alleviating the pain but it didn''t help. On the contrary, the movement made it even more painful. He pressed his eyes shut and continued to lie in the darkness, not moving a single inch for fear of suffering through another bout of pain.


    He waited for it to slowly subside and only then did he crack his eyes open. Hazy light fell into them, blinding him and making him moan again. He felt as if he hadn''t seen it for a few years already when in reality it couldn''t have been more than one or two hours since he came to this room.


    He never would have expected that the consequences of his actions would be this harsh. But he didn''t regret. He would never regret. That he was sure of.


    He continued to lie there until his breath finally evened out. When silence enveloped the room again, a pale hand reached upward and clasped the edge of a stone altar. He remained like that for a moment, half-kneeling, half straightened up, until he finally opened his eyes completely. The signs engraved on the front of the altar fell into his sight.


    He touched them gently and sighed. What did it matter if they warned him or not? This was something he had had to do. Now, there was no going back anyway.


    He took a deep breath and pulled himself up with the help of the altar''s edge. He stood there, his body shaking like a leaf in the wind, his legs seemingly ready to collapse at any moment. Without the support of the altar, he certainly would have fallen to the ground again. But he couldn''t falter yet. He had already done what he intended to do. Now, all that was left to do was making sure that nobody would find out.


    He lifted his other hand that held onto a dagger. The weapon was slim, the blade only as long as his fingers. Its most noticeable trait was its color though: It was crimson as if it had just been bathed in blood. In fact, in the hazy light of the room, it seemed to give off a subtle glow.


    He placed the dagger down on the altar and stepped back, his gaze lingering on the weapon for a moment longer. Even though his body was still soaked in cold sweat, he could hardly believe what this seemingly simple weapon was able to do. It really was right for this to be locked away.


    He slowly lifted his hands, magic surging through his veins until a pale blue light condensed at his fingertips. He painted in the air in front of him. An afterimage could be seen for a moment but nothing else seemed to happen. The afterimage faded and only those pale hands remained, unerringly painting in the air.


    Finally, he took his hands back and his lips lifted in an imperceptible smile as if satisfied with the work he had just done. He only managed to take another step back before blue lines lit up. They instantly illuminated the whole room and formed an array that enclosed the altar and dagger, shutting everyone out who possessed even a shred of magic.


    He continued to smile but turned to look at the door on the other side of the room. He remained standing there and listened with his head slightly inclined. Everything outside stayed quiet though. He couldn''t hear any movements from the guards. It seemed they were still busy dealing with his diversionary tactic. Nobody had found out what was going on inside the room. They hadn''t even noticed that somebody had managed to sneak inside.


    A light sigh escaped from his lips and the last bit of tension left him. If he could, he really would have liked to collapse on the spot and rest for a while to recover his energy. He couldn''t do that though. He had planned well but this could also be called being lucky. He had to use the opportunity well or he would have a lot to explain if they caught him. Maybe ¡­ they would even find a way to undo what he had achieved. He couldn''t risk that.


    He walked to the other side of the room and stopped in front of the door. Once again he breathed deeply, shaking off the last trembles in his limbs and that bit of breathlessness that had still persisted. He dabbed at the sweat that beaded his brow, smoothed out the strands of his hair that were out of place, straightened his sleeves, and raised his chin.


    Seeing him like this nobody would be able to gauge what he had just gone through. Nothing could be gleaned in regard to the previous pain that had made him even unable to move. He seemed elegant and refined, like someone who would never violate any taboo.


    Now, he had to make sure that it stayed that way.


    With a last look at the stone altar and the crimson dagger on top, he opened the door and stepped outside, arriving under a canopied corridor leading around a courtyard.


    He looked in both directions but nobody could be seen. The guards were indeed still far away. With a slight smile on his lips, he turned to the side and left the place he shouldn''t have entered, following the corridor deeper into the palace. By the time the guards finally returned, it seemed as if nothing had ever happened.

 Chapter 347 - Never Enter Reincarnation Again

    "Junior Martial Brother Zhong! Wake up!" Leng Jin Yu frowned at Jing Yi''s motionless figure and shook his shoulder. "Jing Yi! Wake up!"


    There was nothing he could do about the effect of the herb but Jing Yi seemed to be going through something he couldn''t take right now. He had to at least wake him up. If he knew what was going on, he might be able to make it more bearable.


    Leng Jin Yu once again shook his shoulder but Jing Yi didn''t show any signs of waking up. The pain seemed to slowly subside though and his breathing evened out. Leng Jin Yu sighed in relief. It seemed Jing Yi would get through this all on his own. That was still for the best. The less he had to intervene the better.


    After all, who knew what the Fate''s Scribe was doing right now? Maybe this too was part of a trial the crown prince had to undertake. In that case, he couldn''t arbitrarily interfere. Maybe what he thought of as help would end up like the so-called help the dragon king had offered that had ultimately endangered even the crown prince''s life.


    No, it was indeed better if he held back.


    Leng Jin Yu sat down to the side and waited. Half an hour went by. The sky was already turning dark and the temperature had fallen even further. Jing Yi still hadn''t come to and Leng Jin Yu was starting to grow worried.


    Jing Yi had cultivated until the root stage so he was more resilient to the impact of the environment but lying the whole night here at the lakeside wouldn''t be good either. Now, what should he do?


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and rubbed his brow. Not getting involved ¡­ was certainly the right thing to do. But he didn''t feel good just watching him lie there. This person might be the reincarnation of the crown prince but he was also just a boy of not even twenty years.


    "Ah, now I really wished the dragon king was here. This shouldn''t be something I have to care about." He still stood up and went over to Jing Yi''s side again.


    With his brow furrowed, he crouched down next to him and picked him up. At the same time, he started to circulate the spiritual energy he had accumulated over the years and his body soared into the air. He took a last look at the lake below them and the way they had covered today before he sped in the direction of the mountains.


    He reached out with his spiritual sense and looked for a place where the elements were denser. If his guess wasn''t wrong, then this realm contained a spiritual ice vein. At least that was the most likely explanation of the temperature that fell lower and lower the closer they got to the mountain chain.


    Most likely the one who had created this realm had done so because of the vein he discovered. It should have been something that was extremely beneficial to him so he would have set up his dwelling as close to it as possible. Thus, the place where his palace was should be the spot where the ice spiritual energy was the densest.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t take long to detect that spot. Just like Jing Yi he also had full spirit veins and the ice spirit vein was just a mutation of the water spirit vein. In connection with the fact that he had already ascended, it didn''t take more than a moment to find what he was looking for.


    Leng Jin Yu gazed at Jing Yi''s face that had recovered a bit of its color although it was still pale. Most likely, he would need more time to wake up. Well, that was also a good thing. Now he could bring him to the palace and make sure that the environment was suitable for him.


    The only downside was that they had saved a lot of time. Now he wouldn''t be able to delay talking about the heart of the secret realm for long. Well, it wouldn''t be a problem to tamper with it before Jing Yi woke up and make sure that the secret realm wouldn''t open before he wanted it to.


    Leng Jin Yu hurriedly flew toward the palace and only stopped when he was directly in front of it. What he saw was a little disconcerting. The whole building was covered in a layer of ice that sparkled in the last rays of the sun.


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brow and once again took a look at Jing Yi. The boy had unwittingly curled up in his arms. He obviously felt the cold and had thus searched for a source of heat.


    "Well, it''s good that I brought you here while you''re unconscious. Otherwise, I really wouldn''t know how to explain this."


    He lifted his hand and his spiritual energy swirled and rushed out. The ice cracked before bursting apart and raining down in hundreds of sparkling shards. Leng Jin Yu watched them fall until silence reigned over the palace again. He turned his hand, the spiritual energy surged forth once again and the remaining ice melted and rushed down the mountainside until it finally formed a small lake in one of the valleys.


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the palace again before slowly descending. This kind of place ought to be tightly guarded. The layer of ice might be troublesome for someone like Jing Yi but those who had attained a higher stage wouldn''t have any problems entering. This certainly couldn''t be the extent of protection the secret realm''s master had set up. He had to be careful.


    Leng Jin Yu reached the ground and looked around. There wasn''t any obvious trap or at least he couldn''t see any. He didn''t want to risk anything though. After all, there wasn''t only him right now. As an ascended deity he would be able to withstand whatever could happen here but Jing Yi was different. And even though it might have been for the best for the trial of the crown prince if he died here in this secret realm Leng Jin Yi still couldn''t bring himself to endanger his life just like that.


    Being a reincarnation or not he was still a living, breathing person. What right did he have to dictate his life or death?


    Furthermore ¡­ weren''t they all someone''s reincarnation? If they were all haunted by the things that happened in their past lives, then there was no reason to go on living at all. They might just lay down and die again and never enter the cycle of reincarnation ever again.

 Chapter 348 - The Palace of the Secret Realm’s Master

    Leng Jin Yu slowly walked up to the gates of the palace. He only took one step at a time and continued to observe their surroundings. He had entered quite a few secret realms before he ascended and in all of them he had encountered trouble even before reaching the gates.


    Now that nothing happened at all he felt it to be quite odd. Was this a ploy by the secret realm''s master? Did he want to have his visitors raise their vigilance first before completely stopping to be careful? Would he strike then when they weren''t expecting it anymore? Or was he just so sure that nobody would be able to live after his first attack?


    Leng Jin Yu stopped right in front of the gate. This was a spot that was highly likely to be installed with some kind of spell that would activate as soon as someone unauthorized touched it or tried to open it. He had seen countless cultivators die because they weren''t careful enough.


    Leng Jin Yu looked back at the boy in his arms. He definitely couldn''t take any risk. An explosion of spiritual energy was able to injure even a soul. And there were some nasty spells around that could entrap a defenseless soul forever.


    As long as the crown prince''s soul didn''t merge with his old body again it wouldn''t regain its past memories on its own. If it was trapped, it wouldn''t be able to fight back even if the crown prince himself could do so. The soul would only be able to rely on the bit of experience Zhong Jing Yi had gained in his short life. That naturally wouldn''t be enough to escape the spell of an expert.


    No, he couldn''t risk it.


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and mentally searched through his spatial ring. He should have some kind of mythical artifact or at least a high-grade defensive treasure somewhere in there. Where was it? He rummaged around and finally found an inconspicuous necklace that was tucked into the lapel of a robe.


    He smiled gently and willed it out of the spatial ring before slipping it over Jing Yi''s head. He imbued it with a bit of his own spiritual energy and finally turned back to the gate. With Jing Yi being taken care of, he didn''t need to worry about traps anymore. It really would have been ridiculous if he as an ascended deity was done in by the things someone from the human realm could do.


    He walked forward, reached out and just pushed the door open. As soon as his skin touched the surface it crackled and lightning pulsed around the door leaf. Leng Jin Yu only continued to smile and pushed the gate completely open. The lightning struck his body but what could this bit do to someone who had faced the tribulation lightning of ascension?


    The gate opened completely and the lightning abruptly stopped. Leng Jin Yu stepped into the palace and found himself in a wide hall that was more or less bare of anything. There was only an old incense burner next to this door and the one on the other side and a few statues lining the walls. Other than that the hall was empty.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. This arrangement was so obvious that he really wondered how any cultivator could step into this trap. He could feel some of the residual energy of those who had passed on in this room though.


    Leng Jin Yu once again circulated his spiritual energy and a breeze blew the incense in the other direction. Unperturbed, Leng Jin Yu carried Jing Yi to the other side and just opened the door there. He stepped through it and hurriedly closed it again. After all, it was too obvious that this so-called incense was highly toxic. Why else would it be so obviously displayed in the front hall?


    He had to give the secret realm''s owner some recognition though. Even after all this time that the realm was probably empty already the incense was still burning. He really had looked ahead and planned meticulously.


    All his planning was null and void in front of someone like Leng Jin Yu though. Having experienced countless secret realms with all their traps and dangers he could accurately predict nine out of ten things this expert had prepared. And even the last thing that could surprise him wasn''t enough to deal with an ascended deity.


    In fact, the longer Leng Jin Yu walked through the palace and the more he experienced the more he felt that the master of this realm hadn''t had reached the peak when he created it. It had probably still been a lot of years until he ascended. If he ever managed to do so in the first place.


    Finally, after walking for more than two hours, Leng Jin Yu reached the heart of the palace. He could feel the array from which it was controlled somewhere in front of him. If he went there and took control of it, then this would become his realm. The traps wouldn''t be a problem any longer and he could come and go as he liked.


    He didn''t go there though. Instead, he entered one of the rooms close by and dismantled the spell that had been prepared inside. After that, he put Jing Yi down on the bed and sat down himself.


    Most likely, it was time for the boy to wake up. He couldn''t let him see how easily he was able to get past the traps. Furthermore, he might still need them to have the boy stay in the secret realm as long as possible.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t have to wait for long. Just a few heartbeats after he had sat down Jing Yi''s eyelids fluttered until he finally cracked his eyes open. He didn''t sit up though. Instead, he just looked at the ceiling as if in a trance. A moment later, he lifted his hand, turned it in front of his face and sighed.


    It seemed as if he was immensely relieved to see this hand.

 Chapter 349 - Fractured Crystal Leaf

    "Jing Yi?" Leng Jin Yu slightly frowned. Why did it seem as if Jing Yi still wasn''t really back?


    Jing Yi still didn''t react as if he had only opened his eyes out of instinct but couldn''t see what was in front of him. Leng Jin Yu tentatively reached out and touched his shoulder. The boy flinched. He jerked his head around, his expression as if he had just been caught red-handed.


    "Jing Yi?" Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but feel worried. This was getting stranger by the minute. Why did Jing Yi have such an intense reaction?


    Jing Yi stared at him before slowly blinking his eyes. "Senior ¡­ Martial Brother ¡­ Yu?" It was as if he wanted to make sure if the person in front of him was indeed the one he thought.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes."


    Jing Yi fell silent again and looked back at the canopy of the bed. He didn''t really see it though. His thoughts were still with the things he had experienced just now.


    "Jing Yi. What did you see?"


    "See?" Jing Yi turned back again, puzzled. "How do you know ¡­?"


    Leng Jin Yu gave a sigh and pointed at Jing Yi''s other hand that was still clutching the herb from before. "You absorbed a part of the spiritual energy of this herb."


    "The Crystal Grass?" Jing Yi frowned and tried to sit up. His thoughts were slowly returning to the present. "What does that have to do with it?"


    "It''s because this isn''t Crystal Grass. Haven''t you noticed that it looks different?"


    Jing Yi lifted the herb in his hand and frowned even more. However he looked at it, it seemed like Crystal Grass to him. It was about the size of his hand, maybe a little larger than the other stalks but not by much. The stalk consisted of five leaves that were about half the width of a finger and a bit wider in the middle. Furthermore, they were transparent, something that couldn''t be said of many herbs. In fact, he didn''t know of any other herb besides the Crystal Grass that had this trait. Even if there was, wouldn''t it be too coincidental for it to otherwise look like Crystal Grass, too?


    Jing Yi looked up at Leng Jin Yu doubtfully.


    "Look at this." Leng Jin Yu pointed at the root of the stalk where an irregular tear could be seen.


    Jing Yi blinked. "This ¡­ there were originally more leaves?"


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Seven, to be precise. What you''ve found isn''t Crystal Grass but a Fractured Crystal Leaf. In contrast to the Crystal Grass that has up to five leaves at most, it always has seven leaves. If you hold it up against the light, each one will fluoresce in a different color of the rainbow."


    "Senior Martial Brother Yu seems to know a lot about this herb."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "Yes. It is one of the few I''ve familiarized myself with." He sighed. "Actually, I was searching for it."


    "Then ¡­" Jing Yi wanted to hand the herb over but Leng Jin Yu shook his head.


    "No, it''s too late for that already. Never mind that you''ve absorbed a bit of its spiritual energy already it didn''t have all its leaves in the first place. Like that it wouldn''t be of any use to me."


    "Then what is its use?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the damaged herb and felt like sighing again. "It''s actually what we talked about before. It has the same property as the Beguiling Night Tree''s fruit just that it is more reliable. It only shows memories of one''s previous life, nothing else. And if you are lucky enough to find one with all seven leaves intact and can absorb all of its spiritual energy, then you''ll be able to remember everything from that life."


    "Everything?"


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu nodded and stood up. He slowly walked to the window and looked out at the courtyard.


    He had wanted to find this herb because it would enable him to remember everything. If he wanted to find these memories buried in his soul, then he couldn''t let anything be missing from them lest he misunderstood something. He needed every single one of them from beginning to end. Only then could he find out what he had missed until now. Only then would there be a chance to find out about that person and maybe ¡­ find him again.


    This herb was missing two leaves but he hadn''t happened upon it anyway. Instead, it was Jing Yi the one who couldn''t be allowed to remember his life as the Son of Heaven who had found and taken it. Wasn''t this ironic?


    It was as if despite everything the Fate''s Scribe had written and everything he himself had tried to do in the mortal realm, Heaven somehow wanted this boy to remember. In that case ¡­ should he allow this to go on?


    "I ¡­" Jing Yi bit his lower lip and stared at the herb in his hand. "Actually, I don''t want to remember it."


    Leng Jin Yu blanked. What had he just heard?


    Jing Yi noticed his gaze and gave a wry smile. "I feel like it would be better not to know what happened in my past life. I''m not like Senior Martial Brother Yu who already remembered part of it on his own. I''d rather not remember these things. I''m very happy in this current life. I don''t want to concern myself with anything else."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "If that''s the case, then you shouldn''t absorb the rest of the spiritual energy of this herb. You will still remember some things until the energy taken from it already runs out but it won''t become any more than that."


    "Then please, you take it." Jing Yi hurriedly held the herb out to Leng Jin Yu. He really didn''t want anything more to do with this. The two things he had remembered from his previous life were bad enough.


    Leng Jin Yu slowly walked back to the bed and took the herb. Looking at the thing he had searched for and that wasn''t of any use to him now he felt a pang in his heart.


    Whoever you might have been I''m sorry to you. I know ¡­ I can feel that I should remember you, that I should do everything I can to find you again but ¡­ it seems luck just isn''t on my side.


    Ah, maybe we''ve been a pair of star-crossed lovers in the first place and maybe this cruel fate will continue in this life. Otherwise, I really can''t imagine why we should be so unlucky while this boy just stumbles upon something like this.

 Chapter 350 - Another Past Life?

    Jing Yi observed Yu Jin''s face and couldn''t help but feel guilty. Now that Yu Jin had said that he had been searching for this herb he felt like just casually plucking it and absorbing its spiritual energy was even worse. He shouldn''t have done that. He should have shown it to him first.


    Maybe five leaves would still be alright if he hadn''t absorbed part of the spiritual energy in it. After all, that was better than nothing, right? He could have remembered at least part of his past life and maybe found the person he was searching for. Most likely he was feeling very dispirited right now.


    "I''m sorry."


    Leng Jin Yu looked up in surprise without knowing what to say for a moment. In the end, he smiled. "It''s alright. I guess it just wasn''t the time for me to remember yet. Let''s talk about you instead. Why don''t you want to know about your past life? Is it really only because you''re happy with your current life? Or does it have to do with what you saw just now? You seemed a little ¡­ out of sorts after waking up."


    Jing Yi lowered his head. He really didn''t know what to say. "It''s ¡­ a little complicated."


    "We''re trapped in a secret realm without knowing how to get out. There''s really nothing we have more of than time."


    Jing Yi laughed. It was obvious Yu Jin was trying to cheer him up. He had been doing that the whole time since they were forced to enter the secret realm. He really was an unexpectedly nice person despite how unapproachable he had looked in the beginning. "The thing I remembered just now actually wasn''t ¡­ that bad. It hurt but ¡­ it''s something I can live with."


    "It hurt?" Leng Jin Yu wasn''t really surprised. With just one look at how Jing Yi had curled up and how pale his face had become, it was obvious that he had been suffering a lot. He was a little astonished that Jing Yi could just say that it was alright though.


    Jing Yi nodded. "Yes. I''m actually not sure what I saw. Everything was dark at first but I was hurting terribly. After that, I woke up in a foreign room, holding a dagger. I placed it on an altar and then left. I don''t know what that could be about."


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brow. A dagger? An altar? That was strange. As far as he knew the Son of Heaven had grown up quite sheltered. When could he have come into contact with a weapon? Maybe in the wake of a ritual? But that couldn''t be true either. In that case, he shouldn''t have been hurt. Something like that certainly would have created waves in the Nine Heavens. And even though he had only lived about two weeks in the Nine Heavens after his ascension he had heard about a lot of things already. Something like that certainly would have been brought up, too. Just what had Jing Yi remembered?


    "The strangest thing was what I felt though. It seemed ¡­ so real."


    As calm as Jing Yi had been able to stay in the wake of the pain he had suffered, his eyes were suffused with hurt when he spoke about the things he had felt in this memory. Leng Jin Yu frowned. The more he listened, the stranger this seemed to become. The crown prince was said to be a gentle and pleasant person. Someone people easily got along with even though his status was lofty. Everyone in the Nine Heavens looked up to him. Even the servants who had some nasty things to say about other gods couldn''t find anything to criticize in regard to their crown prince. He was loved by everyone.


    What could this kind of person feel that would make Jing Yi this uncomfortable that even the obvious pain he had felt in that memory paled next to it?


    Or maybe ¡­ Leng Jin Yu''s fingers lightly tapped his leg. There was another possibility but that wouldn''t be so easy to verify. Normally, a person wouldn''t know about their previous life. Absorbing the spiritual energy of the Fractured Crystal Leaf and then remembering something, it had always been said that what the person remembered was the immediate previous life. So even he had instinctively believed that this had to be a memory from Jing Yi''s life as crown prince Jing He.


    But a case such as Jing Yi''s where there were people around who knew for a fact who he had been before wasn''t just rare it was next to impossible to encounter. After all, reincarnation normally took a long time and how many people would live long enough to see an acquaintance reincarnated? Even if they did, who would habitually check the soul of every person he got to know? If there wasn''t anything wrong with the soul, people would normally leave it alone.


    So in the end, the knowledge passed down about the Fractured Crystal Leaf might just be wrong. It might not necessarily have to be the immediate prior life that would be remembered.


    Well, even if that was the case, the Son of Heaven had never died so maybe he wouldn''t count as a past life anyway. So this memory of Jing Yi might not be one of the Son of Heaven at all. Instead, he might have remembered something from yet another life of his that he and the gods knew nothing about.


    If it wasn''t about the crown prince''s life, then he could allow him to remember if he wanted to. Not that he expected him to. Leng Jin Yu examined Jing Yi''s expression. There was still some of that hurt in his eyes. He obviously had no desire to find out anything about that life.


    Whether Jing Yi wanted to or not, he still had to make sure anyway. After all, Jing Yi would still remember some scenes from that life. It might be a problem depending on what life these memories actually were from.


    His best shot at finding out about that should be the dagger Jing Yi had mentioned. After all, if the gods had no records of that dagger or of any incident where the Son of Heaven had gotten into contact with a weapon, then they could be certain that this wasn''t something from his life as the crown prince.


    So, he had to find out more about that first.

 Chapter 351 - About Eight Parts Similar

    While Leng Jin Yu wanted to find out more about the things Jing Yi had seen Grandmaster Zhangsun had gotten the message from the sect master and hurried over to Yu Jin''s house. Seeing Jinde upon entering he gave a sigh of relief.


    "I''m glad nothing happened to you."


    Jinde smiled. "It''s alright. He didn''t see me. I just ¡­ would like to stay here for a while longer." He picked up the painting Yuchi Bing Xia had put down on the table when he helped him sit down.


    At this place, he would probably feel a bit better. Even though he still had to wait for Chun Yin to come back he might be able to see him a bit sooner if he did so in this house. After all, wouldn''t he come back home first?


    Yuchi Bing Xia cleared his throat. "Well, the person has been found. I guess I''m not needed here anymore so I''ll take my leave now." He nodded at Grandmaster Zhangsun and then at Jinde before leaving the house, his heart thumping madly.


    Ah, he wasn''t made for this! How could anyone expect a single man to face such a beauty?! Not that he would dare to think about making a move on him. Appreciating his beauty was really the only thing he could do. A human ¡ª even if he became immortal ¡ª still shouldn''t think about going after a god.


    "Thankfully Yu Jin isn''t one to be swayed by beauty. When he gets back I''ll announce him as my successor and then bring him over to meet that person. Yes, I''ll do that." Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and hurried back to his palace. He really couldn''t wait to leave that house behind. As long as that person was there he couldn''t relax at all. Ah, beauty really was a weapon.


    In Yu Jin''s house, Zhangsun Xun Yi sat down opposite Jinde. "I''m sorry. Nobody should have entered the dimension. It was supposed to be your safe place."


    Jinde shook his head and gently stroked the painting in front of him, his gaze gentle. "There is nothing you could have done. Jin Ling ¡­ he isn''t someone that can be held back that easily. If he wants to do something, he will do it."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi slightly frowned. "So you also know him. That makes it even worse."


    "Your disciple told you about him already?"


    "Not really. But it was obvious he knew about him. There seems to be some history between them."


    Jinde smiled wryly. "You could probably say it like that."


    "It seems that there is something more to this."


    "Mn. It''s ¡­ complicated. Jin Ling ¡­" He sighed. "It''s my fault. All of this is my fault."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head. "I know this isn''t something that concerns me. I shouldn''t meddle. But I definitely won''t believe that you are to blame for whatever happened."


    Jinde lowered his head and looked at the painting in his hands again. "Blame ¡­ No, there isn''t anyone to blame. Or if there is, then ¡­ that person would long be dead. Maybe not even him ¡­" He shook his head and sighed before putting the painting down.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi involuntarily took a look. His brows raised. That person ¡­ looked a lot like his disciple. Although ¡­ "May I?" He reached out but didn''t dare touch the scroll.


    Jinde nodded. "Don''t mind me."


    "This person is ¡­?" He took the painting and scrutinized the face.


    There were about eight parts similar to Qiu Ling. Those expressive eyes with their proud look, the straight nose and that pair of thin lips ¡­ There wasn''t any difference in those.


    What varied a bit was the way their eyebrows were shaped and the position of their cheekbones. This man seemed a little rougher around the edges in contrast to his disciple who had a face that seemed quite smooth and pleasant. Maybe it was because of that but the man in the painting seemed quite arrogant. His look might even be a bit condescending as if no one could meet his eyes.


    "Qiu Ling''s father." Jinde''s gaze flickered.


    Knowing that he had finally found Chun Yin it didn''t feel as bad anymore but it still hurt to talk about him. After all, they still hadn''t met each other again and who knew how it would end in this life? He would wait, naturally, but there was no guarantee he would get a happy end in the arms of the man he loved.


    "Qiu Ling''s father?" Zhangsun Xun Yi looked up and examined Jinde''s expression.


    "The man I loved. The reason why Jin Ling hates Qiu Ling so much."


    "I''m afraid I can''t follow."


    Jinde sighed. "Chun Yin." He looked at the painting but his gaze grew distant. He obviously wasn''t in that house anymore, waiting for the person he loved, but had instead returned to those days in his memories when he had still been at his side.


    "I spent my brightest days with him but he was also the one who brought about my darkest time. In a sense, he was one of the main reasons Jin Ling became part of my life." Jinde smiled. "Speaking about him ¡­ You could probably say Jin Ling was the brightest hours I spent in that darkness. Unfortunately, fate seems to like playing jokes on me."


    His smile disappeared and a hurt Zhangsun Xun Yi had never before seen in his face showed for just a moment before Jinde managed to control his expression again. The Grandmaster didn''t know what to say or even think. Even when Jinde had talked about how he had lost the person he loved most and how he had had to leave his home he had never looked like this. Not this ¡­ regretful.


    "Jin Ling ¡­" Jinde shook his head. "He somehow fell in love with me but ¡­ us dragons are only able to give away our heart once and mine ¡­ mine was already with Chun Yin. Naturally, he started hating him. After Chun Yin''s death, he probably transferred that hate onto Qiu Ling." He couldn''t help but laugh when he said that, earning him a bewildered look from Zhangsun Xun Yi. "It''s actually really funny. They hate each other so much but ¡­ they''re actually very, very similar. If they knew, I really wonder how they would react."

 Chapter 352 - Prevent Him from Repeating the Same Mistake

    Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned. Although Jinde laughed the hurt inside his voice couldn''t be missed. Why had that person driven him so far? "If dragons can''t fall in love again, then wouldn''t it be in vain? Doesn''t he understand that? Why did he still ¡­?"


    Jinde sighed and took the painting back. "He''s probably just as hopeless as I. You know Chun Yin ¡­ I''ve loved him for so long. I would have done everything for him and I always thought that he loved me back. I did the whole time. But, in fact, he only told me once that he did. And the day he told me ¡­ was the day he decided to stay with Qiu Ling''s mother." Jinde looked up, his expression blank.


    All tears that could be shed about that day had already been shed back on that very same day and on so many days in the years after, that he spent alone. He had been hurt and he had felt betrayed but ¡­


    "To this day I still love him. I still wait for him to come back to me. Isn''t that ¡­ madness?"


    The one he loved, the one he had only been able to call his lover for a few precious hours, that person had already died. Even he himself had nearly died and the only reason he held on, the only reason he injured his own soul to this extent had been because he didn''t want to lose those memories they had made. He wanted to preserve them so that he could share them with Chun Yin when he came back.


    All that without any insurance that this time would be different.


    Granted, they probably would have been together if not for Jian Heng. If he hadn''t schemed against them from the time they started to compete for the dragon realm''s throne, then all this probably would have never happened. Now Jian Heng was dead.


    Unfortunately, there was still Jin Ling around. With his feelings, he would never allow them to be happy with each other if he ever found out that he was still alive. The fact that he still tried to interfere with Qiu Ling''s life made that obvious.


    So ¡­ Why was he still sitting here and hoping? Wasn''t it because he was just as madly in love as Jin Ling? He really was the last person who could fault him.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi lowered his head. He really didn''t know what to say anymore. He had known the gist of what happened that made Jinde come to the human realm but as for the details ¡­ He had stayed oblivious and if he could, he would want to keep it that way. Unfortunately, it was too late for that. He couldn''t go back to knowing nothing.


    "If dragons fall in love only once, then it isn''t your fault. It''s what your nature dictates."


    "Other dragons would kill their other half if he dared to betray them. Maybe I should have done that. Kill that woman who dared to bind him. Maybe kill him, too. And then I could have followed suit. All these things ¡­ would have never happened.


    There wouldn''t be any Qiu Ling who could cause chaos everywhere. Jin Ling ¡­ wouldn''t have needed to suffer like that. I ¡­ I wouldn''t need to wait for Chun Yin day after day. Everything ¡­ would have just ended."


    He reached up and touched his chest. Somehow it felt less bearable right now. The pain he had thought he had left behind long ago caught up with him and it seemed even worse. Why? Why had they been cursed like this? Why had fate played with them like that?


    "I loved him. I always did. I still do. But there wasn''t even a whole day for us. Sometimes I feel that we''re even more pitiful than Jin Ling. At least he knew from the beginning that there was no chance it could ever come true."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi stayed quiet and looked at the painting that was still held in Jinde''s trembling hands. The only thing he could think right now was that ¡­ This man really sounded like a total jerk.


    But he knew better than to say that out loud. The gentle gaze that person had when talking about him showed just how much he still loved him. He certainly wouldn''t appreciate his honest thoughts.


    Jinde sighed and put the painting aside. "I''m sorry. It''s none of your business. You shouldn''t have to listen to this. So ¡­ You just wanted to make sure I''m alright?"


    "Mn." Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded but in contrast to a certain other person, he didn''t just forget what he promised. "There is one other thing though. My disciple''s ¡­ fiance disappeared."


    "The ¡­" The Son of Heaven had disappeared? "How come?"


    "There was a mission and ¡­ well, something went wrong. He''s trapped in a secret realm with another disciple now. My disciple had hoped that you could ¡­" Zhangsun Xun Yi stopped talking.


    The person opposite him had obviously stopped paying attention to what he said right now. His expression had become completely blank and his whole body had tensed up. Just what was going on here?


    Jinde took a trembling breath. "Trapped in a secret realm?"


    "Mn, yes."


    Jinde really didn''t know what to say. Hadn''t the sect master told him just now that his disciple Yu Jin had met with a mishap on a mission that had resulted in him being trapped in a secret realm? And now Zhangsun Xun Yi told him that Qiu Ling''s beloved was trapped in a secret realm with another disciple.


    Honestly, was fate really trying to play a joke on him? Why was the reincarnation of his lover trapped together with the reincarnation of Qiu Ling''s beloved?! And the worst thing was that both of them couldn''t remember their past lives! Who could assure him that time wouldn''t lead to anything between them?


    Feeling that he had Jinde''s attention back Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t lose time in telling him what Qiu Ling wanted. "My disciple thought that maybe you would know how to open such a realm. I told him not to get his hopes up but ¡­ I figured it would not be amiss to ask you. In the worst case, you just wouldn''t be able to help. Nothing would be lost."


    Jinde put a hand to his forehead. Ah, how much he''d love to go over and help! Not only would he be able to prevent Chun Yin from repeating the same dumb mistake, but he could also see him again sooner. Unfortunately, just at this kind of time Jin Ling was out there somewhere and might return any time. So how was he supposed to leave the sect?!


    Ah, if he ever saw that troublesome child again, he would give him a good spanking!

 Chapter 353 - The Person He Loathed

    Jinde sighed. There was nothing he could do about Jin Ling running around so leaving the Yun Zou Sect was out of the question. As much as he wanted to meet Chun Yin sooner it was too dangerous.


    "I''m afraid I can''t do much from here. Go and tell him to ask for help in the Nine Heavens. There are ascended deities there that lived in the human realm before. One of them should know about the kind of array that is connected to the secret realm and they naturally have higher strength than someone who hasn''t ascended yet. Breaking that array without harming the realm shouldn''t be an issue."


    "Ascended deities ¡­" Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. He had always postponed ascending for the sake of the Yun Zou Sect. Now they actually needed someone who had ascended before and he was unable to help his disciple because of his prior decision. Not that Qiu Ling truly was his disciple.


    "They were once human, after all. That is an advantage in this case. I know about the arrays in the dragon realm but those from here are mostly unknown to me. It could be that I wouldn''t even recognize the array and would need to expand a lot of time to research it. I''m sure Qiu Ling wouldn''t want to wait that long."


    "Yes, I doubt that, too."


    "So, an ascended deity is the best match for this task."


    "Then I''ll go and tell him." Zhangsun Xun Yi stood up and nodded. He didn''t leave immediately though. "About that Jin Ling ¡­ Is there really nothing I can do to make sure he won''t come trouble you?"


    Jinde shook his head. "If you tried, you''d just be accomplishing the opposite. He didn''t find anything in the secret realm so he might have given up. If he comes back ¡­ Well, he can''t search the whole sect on his own." Jinde lowered his gaze. There was still the possibility of Jin Ling mobilizing his men though but he didn''t want to worry the Grandmaster. He had done a lot for him already when he took him in.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded again. "Alright, then I won''t do anything. Please notify me if you need help with anything else though. Sect Master Yuchi would certainly try to help you, too." With that, he finally left.


    Jinde stayed in the study and sighed. "Ah, I still can''t believe you became the demon king. Just what happened to the cute child that would always cling to me the whole day? Jian Heng really knew nothing about children." He shook his head and picked up an empty scroll.


    There was no use crying over spilled milk. From the day Jin Ling fell in love with him this outcome had been destined. He could only make sure he wouldn''t find him. Maybe ¡­ these feelings would wear out someday and Jin Ling would find somebody else to love.


    Speaking of loving somebody else ¡­ "Mn, I wonder what happened to Xin Lan. Is he still with him? Or did he run away already?"


    The corners of his mouth lifted a bit when he thought about that man. Ah, he could imagine how it would play out with these two together. Xin Lan had probably been in fourth place on the list of people Jin Ling loathed. And Xin Lan in return hadn''t been fond of Jin Ling either.


    Most likely the two of them would be glaring at each other all day and say some nice-sounding pleasantries that were actually meant to hurt the other. After all, they had had enough time to perfect these skills considering when they started developing them.


    Jinde shook his head and picked up the brush to paint another portrait. This time the person emerging on the scroll wasn''t Chun Yin though. Never mind that he was still in love, Chun Yin definitely couldn''t expect that nobody else had a place in his heart after all this time, right? For that, he was a couple thousand years too late.


    At the same time, two people were sitting next to each other in the demon realm and tried to ignore the other as good as they could. The expression of one of them was grim while the expression of the other one was blank as if he didn''t even notice the person next to him. Well, it was kind of hard to gauge the latter''s expression considering half of his face was obscured by a mask.


    That''s right. These two were none other than Jin Ling and Xin Lan whom Jinde had just thought about.


    The reason for Jin Ling''s bad mood was the message he had just gotten. He himself was a bit surprised that he already got one, after all, it hadn''t been long since he sent his wife from the gods back to her race to find out about the Son of Heaven.


    The message Xiang Yu sent had certainly been written after what happened in front of the secret realm so it could be seen not only as a proof of Zhong Jing Yi''s identity as the Son of Heaven but also as an indicator of his fate. The latter was what had Jin Ling look like he''d eaten a fly.


    It turned out that the Nine Heavens hadn''t mobilized their soldiers but instead sent some scholars to the secret realm. Didn''t that mean that that boy had somehow survived? Why had Qiu Ling that much luck?!


    Jin Ling stood up and paced up and down. "I can''t leave it at that."


    Xin Lan ignored him. He didn''t even know why he had stayed behind after clarifying the matter about the hair. Jin Ling wouldn''t change his mind, his master wouldn''t come back ¡­ What was he still doing here?


    Jin Ling turned around to him and examined the part of the face that wasn''t obscured by the mask. "Xin Lan, say considering I was unable to have that boy killed this time and since the gods are warned now which would make it troublesome to plan another attempt on his life what do you think would be a good way to make that bastard Qiu Ling suffer?"


    Xin Lan looked up without interest. "I''m not here to help you scheme against him."


    "Such a pity. I always thought you hated him, too. With him being Chun Yin''s son and all that."


    Xin Lan turned his head away. He wouldn''t let that child talk him into anything.


    "Well, whatever. You don''t need to help me with this. I''ll find a way on my own. And it will even be worse for Qiu Ling than seeing his lover getting killed."


    Mn, come to think of it ¡­ there was probably only one thing that would feel worse to a dragon.


    Jin Ling''s lips slowly arched into a smile. Ah, it was probably time to see what that idiot Xiao Li had found out in the human realm. After all, he needed some information if he wanted to implement that plan.

 Chapter 354 - Baffling Messages

    Meanwhile, Zhangsun Xun Yi returned to the Leyuan region. What he saw let him halt instantly. There were the disciples of their Yun Zou Sect lying on the ground while his disciple ¡­ had vanished.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi touched his forehead and repressed a sigh. Qiu Ling couldn''t be serious! He had given him only one task and that was guarding the injured disciples. And now he actually dared to just leave them alone?!


    "Qiu Ling!" Against better knowledge, he called out. He really wanted to see where his irresponsible disciple was hiding.


    Qiang Wei who had been tasked with guarding the disciples hurriedly rushed forward and dropped the spell hiding him. "His Ma¡ª Uh ¡­ He had to do something and left."


    "You are ¡­?"


    Qiang Wei tensed. "A ¡­ A friend."


    "And my disciple told you to ¡­"


    "Guard those humans!" Qiang Wei pointed at the disciples on the ground. "He''ll come back as soon as he has taken care of his ¡­ issue." He hurriedly averted his gaze and hoped that His Majesty''s human master wouldn''t ask any more questions. He really didn''t want to have to make up some kind of story why their king had vanished. And he certainly couldn''t just tell the truth, could he?


    Zhangsun Xun Yi took one look at Qiang Wei''s expression and turned away, too. He felt that he didn''t even want to know what exactly his disciple was up to now. "As long as he had someone keep watch everything is well. So, did anything happen while I was away?"


    Qiang Wei hurriedly shook his head. "No, everything was normal. No one came by. Everything stayed quiet. Nothing strange happened. Really exceedingly normal."


    "Mn, well. You''ll stay here until Qiu Ling comes back?"


    "Naturally."


    "Alright. Then I''ll leave the heavily injured disciples in your care and escort the others back to the Yun Zou Sect."


    "Of course." Qiang Wei nodded.


    "Right ¡­ Mn ¡­" Zhangsun Xun Yi pondered how to tell this person about what that person had said. He wouldn''t risk involving someone else but he was afraid his disciple wouldn''t take it seriously if he didn''t mention where the message came from. "Qiu Ling wanted to know something. Is there any possibility to reach him?"


    Qiang Wei nodded again. "That shouldn''t be a problem."


    "Very well. Then please try to reach him and tell him that his idea won''t work. But he can go to the Nine Heavens and ask for the help of an ascended deity. It''s important that the person is an ascended deity since they were human before. Alright?"


    Qiang Wei continued to nod. "I''ll inform him."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi took a last look at Qiang Wei before turning away and going over to the disciples waiting in the middle of the meadow.


    As soon as he was gone and Qiang Wei was sure that nobody was watching he once again hid his form and took out his necklace.


    He wanted to imbue his energy and contact Qiu Ling but hesitated. Wouldn''t His Majesty expect that the secret realm had opened if he contacted him? Ah, did he even need to do this? Who knew if His Majesty cared about this? He hadn''t been in the Nine Heavens with His Highness for long. He should give him a bit more time. Well, he should try to reach Yi Zan. As soon as His Majesty stepped out of His Highness'' palace Yi Zan could inform him.


    He put the necklace back but just then the normal transmission stone he carried with him glowed on its own. Qiang Wei frowned and took it out, imbuing it with his energy.


    "Yes?"


    "Qiang Wei," sounded Fu Heng''s deep voice from the other side. "Are you with His Majesty?"


    "No. His Majesty is in the Nine Heavens right now while I''m waiting in the human realm. What''s up?"


    Fu Heng took a look at Fu Min who was sulking not far from him. He shook his head and turned away. "His Majesty sent us to the demon realm to investigate something but ¡­ something strange happened."


    "The demons weren''t planning anything? Well, you were probably too late. Something happened on our side."


    "Hah!" On the other side, Fu Min''s cry sounded. "You hear that? We could have prevented this! It''s all because you didn''t want to do what Senior Xin said! I really don''t understand why you''re acting so high and mighty!"


    Fu Heng frowned but just blended Fu Min''s nagging out. "While in the demon realm we met Senior Xin. He told us that the demon king was plotting against His Majesty''s beloved."


    Qiang Wei frowned. "Senior Xin? He''s still alive? And he knew about the demon king''s plans?" Why did this sound so strange?


    "That''s exactly what I wondered. He told us to leave the demon realm and inform His Majesty immediately but he didn''t give any additional information."


    "Do you suspect he isn''t telling the truth?"


    "Fu Heng! Qiang Wei!" Fu Min''s angry voice came from the other side again. "How can the two of you suspect Senior Xin?"


    Qiang Wei rubbed his brow. He really didn''t want to be involved in this lover''s tiff. "How about I inform His Majesty of this? He can judge for himself what he thinks of this. I had to notify him about something else anyway."


    "Sounds good to me."


    "Don''t you dare slander Senior Xin in front of His Majesty!"


    "Naturally. I''ll just tell him that Senior Xin was there. Right, was there anything else he should know about this?"


    "No!"


    Fu Heng narrowed his eyes. "The Senior was as enigmatic as ever. I wouldn''t dare make any assumptions. There are two puzzling things, though. Regarding the attempt on His Highness'' life, we couldn''t find anything even though we searched for a while longer."


    "It''s because we''re not as good as him! How can you say it as if it was Senior Xin''s fault?!"


    "The second thing is that Senior Xin said that he was on a mission in the demon realm and that mission seemed to be given by the previous king. He didn''t divulge anything about its contents but ¡­ I found it strange that he would still be working on a mission there. It''s been so long, after all."


    "Mn, that''s true. Especially since ¡­ Well, I don''t know about you but I thought he was dead. I''m afraid nobody saw him since the previous king died?"


    "Yes, I thought so, too."


    "Isn''t that our fault for not paying attention?" Fu Min sharply tugged at Fu Heng''s clothes but still couldn''t make him shut up. He was getting furious right now. How could this guy shamelessly badmouth such a great person?!


    "I''ll tell His Majesty. Thank you for contacting me."


    "Mn. It''s what should be done." Qiang Wei cut the transmission and frowned.


    That mysterious Senior Xin was in the demon realm on an old mission? He provided Fu Heng and Fu Min with information those two couldn''t get? This ¡­ sounded indeed quite strange. It seemed he still had to disturb His Majesty himself after all.

 Chapter 355 - Most Troublesome Rival

    Qiang Wei took out his necklace again and imbued his spiritual energy, making the corresponding transmission stone in the Nine Heavens light up. His king ¡­ wasn''t that interested.


    Qiu Ling frowned slightly but continued to hold Jing He''s hand. He didn''t want to let go. Honestly, who would disturb him at a time like this? He was finally with his true beloved for a bit and somebody actually dared to demand his attention?!


    The next moment his expression changed though. What if this was Qiang Wei who wanted to tell him that the secret realm had opened again? He couldn''t just ignore it!


    He hurriedly took the thing out of his spatial ring and stared at the pale apparition of Qiang Wei. So that was indeed the case! Thankfully, he hadn''t just ignored it!


    "Qiang Wei!" Qiu Ling''s expression lit up, startling the other dragon.


    Honestly, when had his king ever seemed so happy to see him? This definitely couldn''t be because of him so ¡­ he had probably misunderstood. Qiang Wei sighed and schooled his expression. "Your Majesty, there''s news."


    "The secret realm opened?!"


    "No." Qiang Wei didn''t hesitate to throw out this answer. He definitely couldn''t let his king misunderstand even longer. He couldn''t be ambiguous with this.


    Qiu Ling''s expression fell and instantly turned even darker. "Then why are you disturbing me?!" He only hissed, his voice so low that Qiang Wei had some trouble understanding him.


    This guy couldn''t really worry that he would wake up the crown prince, could he?


    "Your Majesty ¡ª"


    "Quiet!"


    Qiang Wei rolled his eyes and started to whisper, too. "Your human master came back. He said your idea wouldn''t work but that you should ask an ascended deity from the Nine Heavens since they were mortal before and should know more about it. I thought you ¡ª"


    "Right!" Qiu Ling straightened up. Why hadn''t he thought of this himself?!


    He leaped to his feet and instantly cut the connection, leaving Qiang Wei to stare at his necklace dumbfounded. Qiu Ling wanted to leave immediately to find an ascended deity but then remembered that he couldn''t just go without wishing his beloved farewell. He turned around and looked at the peaceful face of Jing He. With a gentle smile, he leaned down and kissed his temple.


    "My love, wait for me. I''ll go and find someone so that you''ll be released from that terrible realm. You certainly wouldn''t want to be trapped. With another man, that is. Ah, we should have hidden away in such a secret realm when your father didn''t want us to be together. Would he still have dared to oppose our marriage after that? Whatever, I''ll be back soon. You don''t have to be afraid at all. Your awesome fiance will save you."


    He gave him a kiss on the lips just to make sure his beloved wouldn''t feel neglected before happily hurrying outside. He slipped around the folding screen and ¡­ collided with his father-in-law. Who looked extremely grim and whose arm was being held by his mother-in-law who nonchalantly stood next to him.


    "Uh ¡­ Father-in-law, mother-in-law! I didn''t know you were here!" Qiu Ling still smiled happily. Ah, this was great, too! Now he could immediately tell them that he had an idea how to save Jing He!


    He grabbed onto Rong Su''s sleeve and excitedly leaned forward. "Father-in-law, guess what I thought of! We could ask one of the ascended deities for help! Isn''t that great? They would definitely not have trouble to find out what that array is about. Jing He will be freed in no time! So, do you have anyone in mind already?"


    Qiu Ling''s eager expression pissed the Heavenly Emperor off even more. "You ¡­ You bastard! Don''t think we haven''t seen what you just did to our precious son!"


    Qiu Ling blinked and looked at Bai Fen. "Mother-in-law ¡­"


    "Don''t you dare try to get our wife onto your side!"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips, looking pitiful, and shuffled to Bai Fen''s side. "Mother-in-law!" Excuse him for being shameless but he finally had a clue how to proceed. He definitely wouldn''t waste time arguing with his father-in-law right now.


    Bai Fen raised her brows and turned away. "Don''t look at me like that. I''m not going to help you this time."


    "Hah?! But ¡­" Qiu Ling clutched her sleeve instead of the Heavenly Emperor''s this time but Bai Fen cruelly plucked it off again. "Mother-in-law, what are you doing? This is to save your son from the evil clutches of the demons!"


    Bai Fen shook her head and gazed at her husband pointedly before stepping into her son''s room. "You explain it to him."


    Rong Su harrumphed. He didn''t want to talk to this troublesome dandy any longer, especially after what he had done to his precious son right now but ¡­ well, if his wife insisted ¡­


    "You bastard! Why were you crying wolf in the first place?! The person in the secret realm with our son is obviously one of our own people! So stop being bothersome and go back to your own realm! We don''t need you here! Hmph." He turned away and followed his wife, leaving Qiu Ling to stand in front of the folding screen all alone.


    The dragon king blinked. Huh? The person in there with Jing He was one of the gods? So there was no reason to worry?


    Ah! Wait! Qiu Ling''s face rapidly paled. Just because this guy wasn''t a demon and a god instead that didn''t mean that he could relax! On the contrary, he had to be especially careful! After all, the Heavenly Emperor would help him against a demon but what if this god was after his beloved? Wouldn''t the Heavenly Emperor support that guy instead of him?!


    No, he couldn''t let that happen! This was his toughest rival until now! He had to devise a plan to hinder him. Ah, no, the most important thing was separating him and Jing He. He had to open that secret realm as fast as possible.

 Chapter 356 - Blame Your Previous Actions

    Qiu Ling paced up and down in front of the folding screen, his brows furrowed. He didn''t know that much about the Nine Heavens. The only place he had explored in detail was Jing He''s palace. So where was he supposed to find ascended deities? It wasn''t like they were carrying signs around to identify themselves.


    Qiu Ling stopped and slightly raised his brows. He needed help. He needed someone who knew his way around the Nine Heavens and could find an ascended deity for him. Unfortunately, his in-laws weren''t on his side this time. Who else could help him?


    Jing He''s uncle? But he certainly wouldn''t help if his sister was against this.


    Qiu Ling frowned again. He didn''t really know anyone else besides these three people. Hadn''t he seen any other god until now? He tilted his head. Most of his time in the Nine Heaven''s had been spent with Jing He at Jing He''s palace. The only times he wasn''t there were official festivities.


    Oh. Qiu Ling straightened up. Right! There had been that one other time, too ¡­


    He hurriedly left Jing He''s palace and grabbed one of the Heavenly Guards patrolling the streets. "You! Tell me where the God of Fate is."


    "The ¡­" The guard frowned and took a closer look at the person in front of him. "Longjun?"


    "Mn. So where is he?"


    "Who?"


    "The God of Fate. Uh ¡­" Qiu Ling frowned back when the guard still looked at him as if he had no idea what he was talking about. "The ¡­ god that writes down the fates of the mortals?"


    "The Fate''s Scribe?"


    "Yes! That one! So, where is he?"


    "In the Scribe''s palace, I guess?"


    "Bring me there!"


    The guard looked around. "I''m on duty."


    "That''s great. So bring me over to that Scribe''s palace."


    "But ¡­"


    "Great, thank you so much!" Qiu Ling grabbed his arm and pulled him down the road.


    "That''s not the right direction!"


    "Alright, then let''s go in the other one." Qiu Ling pulled him back into the other direction until the guard finally sighed and led him to the palace.


    "Here. I have to go back now though."


    "Mn, no problem. Thanks again!" Qiu Ling didn''t even look back and stormed right in, grabbing one of the scribes on his way. "You! Tell me where the Fate''s Scribe is!"


    "Ah? He ¡­ He''s probably in his study."


    "Great! Bring me there!"


    "Sure ¡­" The scribe hurriedly led the troublesome person over, bowed and hurried away again. He really didn''t want to have anything to do with this. Just look at how their Fate''s Scribe had been put under house arrest because of what that guy had done. If he got involved with him, he might get fired or even worse!


    Qiu Ling didn''t mind. He was only here to get some help anyway. Why would he need to involve other people?


    He pushed the door open and rushed right in. "Fate''s Scribe! I need your help! Tell me where to find an ascended deity!"


    Shun Tao who had just been watching how Hong Bao''s fate was playing out in the mortal realm, jerked and dropped the scroll of fate.


    Qiu Ling hurried over and plopped down on the chair on the other side of the table. "What is it? Are you thinking about whom to call? You probably know a lot of ascended deities."


    Shun Tao looked at the dragon king without knowing what to say. He blinked, took a deep breath and picked up Hong Bao''s scroll of fate again, rolling it up before putting it to the side. "Longjun, why are you here?"


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Didn''t you listen to me at all? I need an ascended deity. So tell me where to find one. A talented one, please."


    Shun Tao also frowned. Never mind that he didn''t know any ascended deities besides Hong Bao who had been banished from the Nine Heavens already and Leng Jin Yu who was currently trapped in the secret realm with ¡­


    Wait! Shun Tao tensed up. Longjun couldn''t have come to find an ascended deity to get the crown prince out of the secret realm, right?!


    Seeing Shun Tao''s reaction Qiu Ling tensed, too. "What is it? Did you think of someone?"


    "Longjun ¡­ Are you asking because you want to set His Highness free?"


    Qiu Ling opened his mouth before closing it again. Thinking of how his mother- and father-in-law had reacted he couldn''t tell him. "No! Naturally not! Why would I do that?"


    Shun Tao tilted his head. "Then ¡­ What does Longjun need an ascended deity for?"


    "That ¡­" Qiu Ling looked away before frowning again. "That''s none of your business! Just tell me where to find one!"


    Shun Tao raised his brows. "You expect me to help you after everything you''ve done without knowing what you''re up to now? Forget it!" Shun Tao stood up and motioned at the door. "Longjun, excuse me for being discourteous but I won''t be able to tell you what you want to know. You''d better go and ask the Heavenly Emperor if you want help."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "But why?!"


    "Better blame your previous actions. I might have been wrong in not telling the Heavenly Emperor what was happening but you''ve been wrong for getting involved in His Highness'' trial without understanding what was happening. I won''t be part of it if you''re getting involved once again. And you better consider well if you really want to repeat your past mistakes."


    "Hmph. I''m going to find an ascended deity on my own then!" Qiu Ling leaped to his feet and rushed out of the room once again.


    Argh! How could this bastard do this to him?! He had been asking so nicely! Hmph, watch him find somebody else to help him. And when Jing He was finally free wouldn''t his parents be happy, too? Then that hateful God of Fate or whatever would be left out in the cold. Hah, he''d deserve it!


    Qiu Ling left the Scribe''s palace, his thoughts circling around whom to ask for help now that this option had proven to be fruitless.


    Meanwhile, Shun Tao remained standing in his study and stared at the door Qiu Ling had left open. Why did he feel that some kind of chaos was going to ensue now that the dragon king had been there? Ah, he should take a look at the crown prince''s fate immediately!


    He hurriedly sat down and unfurled Jing He''s scroll of fate. His eyes only skimmed a few lines before he leaped to his feet again and ran out of the palace. He didn''t even see Qiu Ling who was still standing not far from the gate. Instead, he rushed straight to the palace of the Heavenly Emperor to report.


    It was a pity that Rong Su was still at his son''s palace together with his wife.

 Chapter 357 - Enduring for the Time Being

    In the secret realm, Leng Jin Yu was still trying to find out more about Jing Yi''s memory.


    "Well, it is a memory of a past life. Naturally, it would feel real. Say, that dagger you saw was there something special about it?"


    "Special?" Jing Yi frowned slightly and thought back to it. "It was red. Completely red."


    "I see."


    Leng Jin Yu pondered but couldn''t remember ever having heard of such a weapon. Neither in the mortal realm nor in the Nine Heavens. The color alone might be enough to have it identified though. He just needed to find someone who was more knowledgeable in this area than him. The God of War was probably a likely candidate to have such knowledge. He would ask him when he had an opportunity to return to the Nine Heavens for a while.


    Meanwhile, Jing Yi''s thoughts had already wandered back to the other memory he experienced. "Senior Martial Brother Yu, actually, it''s not what I saw today what bothers me. You have to know while staying in the Hei Dian Sect with Qiu Ling I ate one of the fruits of the Beguiling Night Tree without knowing what it was. I already saw something back then."


    "Something that makes you even more nervous?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "It was actually nothing much just that ¡­ it is a little difficult in my situation."


    Leng Jin Yu wasn''t so stupid as to think that Jing Yi had figured out that he was a god undergoing his trial so his situation, in this case, could only either mean him being a spy in the demonic sect or his relationship with Qiu Ling. Since he already wasn''t in the Hei Dian Sect anymore it would be strange if it was the former. That task didn''t seem as important as his relationship anyway so ¡­


    "This is about Senior Martial Brother Qiu?"


    Jing Yi nodded again. "Yes. What I saw was ¡­ someone I was probably in love with in my previous life. It made me feel strange and I was a little worried that ¡­ it would somehow influence my relationship with Qiu Ling. He reacted quite well, so I''m probably worrying too much but still. I''d rather not remember any more than that. It might be a problem to what I have now and I don''t want that. Qiu Ling and I are very happy."


    "I see." Leng Jin Yu looked back at the window.


    This would probably make a great love trial ¡­ He couldn''t take any chances though. Getting a god undergoing his trial to remember something wasn''t wise. Especially if the trial was such a serious issue like the one with the crown prince. As far as he understood this was his last chance to accomplish these trials or else he would have exceeded the limit given by Heaven. This really wasn''t a situation where he could try things out.


    "Well, the effect of the Fractured Crystal Leaf will run out as soon as the spiritual energy you took in from it runs out. So not absorbing anything more will solve most of the problem already. As for the bit you still have in your body ¡­" He sighed. "I''m sorry. There is nothing I can do. As far as I know, there is no way to dissolve it. A powerful alchemist might be able to do it but, well, it''s not like we could find one here."


    "So I''ll have to endure it."


    "Mn. I''m sorry about that."


    "There''s no need. It was my own fault in the first place. I just shouldn''t have picked it."


    "You didn''t know what it was."


    "That''s true but I at least should have noticed that. There are differences between it and the Crystal Grass. Senior Martial Brother Yu spotted them immediately even though you aren''t an alchemist and said you don''t know much about herbs. But I who actually wants to become an alchemist wasn''t able to. This is probably my just desserts."


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head and took Jing Yi''s hands into his. "You''re looking at it the wrong way. I don''t know much about herbs but because of what I experienced I searched for information on herbs like the Fractured Crystal Leaf for a long time. I''m bound to recognize it when I see it.


    At the same time, you only started to learn alchemy a few weeks ago. It''s normal not to know about herbs yet that you can''t work with for now anyway. Instead, you focused on other herbs just like the Crystal Grass. Mistaking the Fractured Crystal Leaf is normal."


    "It shouldn''t be. There were differences. I should have noticed them. I should have ¡­ At least I should have been uncertain if it was the right one but I didn''t even think about it." He lowered his head. If he hadn''t been so dumb, then this wouldn''t have happened. If this caused problems between Qiu Ling and him, he wouldn''t be able to forgive himself.


    "Maybe that''s true. You can''t change it now though. So instead of agonizing over that, you should try to learn more so that something like this won''t happen to you again."


    "Mn. Senior Martial Brother Yu is right. I should do that."


    Jing Yi smiled slightly before his eyes dimmed again. Continue to learn ¡­ Back in the Hei Dian Sect, there had been people helping him. Especially Qiu Ling. Without him ¡­ Would he be able to make progress at all? Well, at least Qiu Ling had handed the two manuals over to him before they left the Hei Dian Sect so that he could ''read if he got bored on the way''.


    Ah, who could tell him what his fiance was thinking? As the person who had taught him how to read and write to a large extent, Qiu Ling should have been pretty clear that he wouldn''t be able to read these books on his own.


    Well, most likely Qiu Ling had indeed known and was just pursuing his own goals. After all, who would he ask about it if he didn''t know something? That would naturally be his fiance! He knew Qiu Ling well enough already to understand that this was something exactly to his fancy. He just loved being ''helpful'' and coming to his rescue. At times it really made him wonder how Qiu Ling''s mind worked.


    "I miss him." Jing Yi knew that his senior martial brother had nothing to do with his relationship and probably didn''t even want to know anything about it but he couldn''t help saying it out loud.


    "That''s understandable." Leng Jin Yu sighed, reminded of that person he didn''t know. Someday, he would find out who he was. And then they would hopefully be just as much in love as the crown prince and the dragon king. He could only hope that he wouldn''t become as silly as the dragon king because of that.


    He stood up and smiled at Jing Yi. "It''s late already, you should go to sleep. That will also make it easier for the powers of the Fractured Crystal Leaf to take effect. I''ll go and have a closer look around."


    "Can I help?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "No, we''re already in the palace of the secret realm''s master. It''s dangerous around here. With your cultivation base, I''m afraid ¡­" He sighed before finally leaving.


    Jing Yi watched the door close and blinked. Huh? How had they ended up in the palace of the secret realm''s master already? Wasn''t it supposed to be in the mountains? He couldn''t even begin to imagine how this might have come about. In the end, he could only ignore the matter for now and resolve to ask Yu Jin the next day.

 Chapter 358 - Still Failing to Acknowledge Him?

    Jing Yi had trouble falling asleep. Not only were they in a secret realm he had never seen before, but he had also been separated from his fiance because of it and might remember things he didn''t want to know because he had carelessly taken in the spiritual energy of the Fractured Crystal Leaf.


    He lay there awake for a while but finally, his eyes closed. With all the things that had happened his mind and body were both fatigued. There was no way he could put off falling asleep any longer.


    Naturally, Jing Yi''s luck wouldn''t be so good as to escape the effects of the Fractured Crystal Leaf. In fact, his luck seemed pretty bad because what he saw was exactly what he didn''t want to remember.


    Once again he opened his eyes to a stone pavilion among a sea of flowers but this time it wasn''t just a painting. No, this time he was actually standing in front of the real thing. He didn''t feel any excitement though. Instead, there was a feeling of deep tranquility in him as if all this was normal, as if it was the way it was supposed to be.


    The quietness was abruptly shaken by the rustling of the plants in the wind and in the next moment, he was wrapped in a warm embrace that shielded him from the fresh breeze. Now aware that this was only a memory from a past life Jing Yi wanted to somehow break out of it but just like in the Hei Dian Sect he was bound, unable to move this body or even control its thoughts. Instead, he had to follow with what the him of his past life wanted.


    Right now, his past him wanted to smile. "Who would have thought that the weather would suddenly change?"


    "Mn. It sure is surprising. You''re wearing too little. Let me warm you."


    The arms around his waist tightened, making his heart speed up. He leaned back against that broad chest and closed his eyes for a moment. In turn, the man actually leaned forward until their cheeks touched. He lifted a hand and his fingers slid through Jing Yi''s hair. He shuddered at the man''s touch only to be hugged even closer in response.


    "Are you really that cold?"


    The past Jing Yi slowly opened his eyes and looked at the flowers in front of them. That so-called change in weather had already gone by and now there was only the evening sun shining down on them. Yes, it was getting slightly chillier but it was nothing more than that. There really was no way to call this being cold.


    "We could go inside."


    Jing Yi shook his head. "No, there''s no need. All is well."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Mn. You don''t have to worry about me."


    The man gently chuckled and his hand slipped out of Jing Yi''s hair and touched his arm instead. It traced the flowing fabric of his sleeve until it reached Jing Yi''s fingers. The man intertwined his own with them while his lips softly touched Jing Yi''s temple. "I''ll always worry about you. You''re my most important person. The one I love. How could I let you suffer any harm? Be it as small as it may. I still want to keep it away from you."


    The gentle voice, the breath caressing his cheek, the hand holding onto his and never letting go paired with these sweet words had Jing Yi''s heart flutter. He turned in the man''s arms and lifted a hand, touching the black fabric stretching over his chest.


    He felt the urge to tell him what he felt, to express the wild beating of his heart, but he didn''t dare to. Thus, he only continued to stand there, his hand on the man''s chest, feeling the heartbeat of this person he loved but didn''t dare confess to. Maybe there was no need to anyway.


    The man leaned down to him, exposing the sharp line of his jaw. Jing Yi''s eyes flickered but he didn''t dare to lift his gaze and look at him. He felt like he would do something stupid if he did.


    The man came even closer and their lips finally met. Only a moment went by until the man pulled back. Jing Yi wanted to follow suit. His heart cried out for this person, for the gentle touch of his hands and the feeling of his lips but he stayed where he was. He couldn''t go overboard. His heart hurt just thinking that, though.


    "My ¡­ my father will come by later." His voice sounded weak. It was too obvious that this was an excuse but the man just sighed.


    "If that''s the case, then I''ll come back tomorrow." He lifted his hand and caressed Jing Yi''s cheek. "Don''t worry about it too much. I will convince your father. Just wait a bit longer." He kissed his cheek before stepping back and finally leaving.


    Jing Yi didn''t dare to look up. He wanted to. He wanted to see him, to smile at him and maybe wave like he had seen other people do it but he couldn''t even lift his head. What if ¡­ anybody saw? What would they say? What if they told his father? It was already dangerous enough to let him hug him like this.


    It was only that he was too weak to even think about resisting that. He didn''t want to miss out on this. He craved his warmth, his gentleness, that sense of security he gave him. Whatever the circumstances might be he didn''t want to lose that. He ¡­ really had to resolve himself to acknowledge him despite his father''s attitude.


    He sighed and finally went back to his palace but his movements were a little sluggish. He felt that he had done something wrong. He shouldn''t have been like that. Hadn''t he decided? Why did he still behave like this? Deciding to be lovers but then not facing up to it in the open ¡­ This was wrong.


    He should go and talk with his father as soon as possible. Just ¡­ not now. He had to prepare for it for a while. After all, his father certainly wouldn''t be pleased.


    He lay down on his bed, his thoughts all tangled up.


    When he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off into sleep the real Jing Yi in the secret realm finally opened his own again. His body was drenched in cold sweat and his heart pounded hurriedly.


    Why?! Just why did it have to be that person again? Why did he have to witness this? Why did he need to experience it? He didn''t want to!


    He turned to the side and wished that Qiu Ling would have been at his side. He definitely would have felt better if he could burrow into his arms. But there was no way he could do that because ¡­ he was all alone now. Qiu Ling wasn''t there to hold him. So the only thing he could do was watch helplessly how he had been with another man in his past life. Ah, it really, unexpectedly ¡­ hurt.

 Chapter 359 - Three Days Without Him

    Jing Yi continued to lie in the darkness, unable to fall asleep again. His thoughts were circling around what he had seen just now and what he might still see in the future.


    He hadn''t absorbed much of the spiritual energy of the Fractured Crystal Leaf before he noticed that something was wrong. After that, he had immediately stopped. So it couldn''t be much energy that he had taken in. In turn, there shouldn''t be many things he would remember because of that, either, right?


    Furthermore, he might have remembered something concerning that man just now but the memory before that had been about something entirely different. He definitely wouldn''t be so unlucky so as to only remember him. In fact, it was probably highly unlikely to remember much concerning that person.


    Just think about it: The spiritual energy of the herb was stored in the leaves. If what senior martial brother Yu said was true and one would remember one''s whole life after taking the spiritual energy in, then there would be seven parts to remember about that life with each leaf accounting for one of them. Two of the leaves had been missing in the first place so there were two parts he would never remember.


    The other five parts of his life ¡­ They couldn''t solely consist of memories of that man, could they? He certainly had had parents and friends in that life, too. They should make up a big part of his memories.


    After thinking it through, Jing Yi felt much calmer and closed his eyes again. Ah, it would be better if he got over with it as soon as possible. He should try to exhaust the absorbed spiritual energy as early as possible.


    Then he could concentrate on helping senior martial brother Yu or cultivate to become stronger and then help him. Wouldn''t Qiu Ling be really proud of him if he returned stronger than before? Then he could also show him that he didn''t need to be too nervous. See? He could persist on his own ¡­


    While thinking about his fiance Jing Yi finally fell asleep again. It was a pity that he neither understood the effects of the Fractured Crystal Leaf thoroughly nor had any idea how crown prince Jing He''s life had been which rendered all his assumptions null and void.


    The first memories the Fractured Crystal Leaf evoked were those laden with emotions, the most memorable moments of that past life because those were the ones linked the closest with the soul.


    And the life of crown prince Jing He ¡­ There weren''t many people in it. Disregarding his parents and uncle, who else was there besides a certain shameless dragon king that had pestered him for a decade before finally getting his wish? Naturally, his most memorable moments were to a large degree connected to that person. Thus, it was rather a question of when he saw which one of those memories with Qiu Ling and not if he saw them at all.


    This time he got lucky though. When he opened his eyes it wasn''t his past life''s lover that awaited him but the face of a beautiful woman.


    Jing Yi was stunned. Just who was she? He had never before seen such a person. She was beautiful and dressed very elegantly in an apricot-colored dress. Her eyes were filled with laughter and love when she looked back at him.


    "So, what is it you''re worried about?" She gently grasped his arm, making Jing Yi feel a special kind of warmth.


    Mn, this was very much like how his mother had always treated him ¡­


    Unfortunately, his past self lowered his gaze and didn''t continue to look at her. "I ¡­" He sounded hesitant and Jing Yi could feel just how hesitant he really was. There was a dull pain in his chest and it seemed to grow worse the longer he kept quiet.


    The woman next to him didn''t say anything either and just accompanied him silently, waiting for him to speak first.


    "He ¡­ He hasn''t come by for three days now."


    "Mn." The woman murmured an assent.


    "I ¡­ I''m afraid ¡­" He looked up at her, his brows drawing together slightly. "Do you think he tired of me?"


    The woman stopped walking and looked back at him. She didn''t answer his question though. "Do you think he tired of you?"


    "I ¡­" He looked away once more and stepped to the railing to look down into the pond on the other side. "He said he loved me." His heart gave another painful thump.


    He remembered it. Those times when he had taken his hands or hugged him close to kiss his hands or maybe his cheeks bereft of any decorum whatsoever. He had thought that ¡­ he should hate it but the truth was he had always looked forward to seeing him again. He had longed for him.


    How had ¡­ it turned out like this?


    "You doubt it?" The woman stepped forward and leaned against the railing next to him.


    He didn''t answer. He didn''t want to doubt but ¡­ three days. It had been three days since then. It wasn''t that long but considering that he had come by every day before that ¡­ Maybe he really had stopped loving him. Or maybe he never loved him in the first place ¡­


    His eyes stung and he hurriedly looked away. He didn''t want her to see him like this. Wouldn''t she worry then? No, he couldn''t let anyone see. He couldn''t. He ¡­


    A hand gently grabbed his shoulder. "Maybe he''s just busy. He is the king of his realm, after all. There are bound to be times when he is tied down by his duties. Isn''t your father the same?"


    But shouldn''t that have been the case before, too? That thought echoed through his heart, heightening the doubts even more. For so long that person had run over to his side nearly every day, hardly ever missing even one. Even if he did, he had always come by the next day for sure, apologizing over and over again and insisting on staying with him as long as he could. Was he really supposed to believe that he had suddenly encountered something that could prevent him from doing so?


    Or ¡­ had something really bad happened? Was there a war coming, maybe? Or ¡­


    His breath hitched imagining all the things that could have happened to him. He really regretted it now. He regretted never having told him directly how much he loved him. Sure, he had hinted at it but ¡­ Why had he never been more open about it? What was wrong about it? Their status matched, their appearance matched, their hearts ¡­ they matched even more so.


    As if the woman next to him had heard his thoughts, she spoke up again. "Well, it could also be that he felt ¡­ disconcerted by your reaction."

 Chapter 360 - Being Heartbroken

    Jing Yi turned around with worry written in his eyes. "Disconcerted ¡­ by my reaction?"


    "Mn." The woman nodded, grabbed his arm once more and led him further down the stone path in the direction of a huge palace. "How long has he been going after you? It should be close to ten years, I believe. In all this time, you haven''t reciprocated much, have you?"


    He lowered his head before nodding in shame. "You''re right. I ¡­ I don''t deserve his love." There was a pang in his heart that nearly had him stumble.


    Right, he didn''t deserve this love. He didn''t deserve this man. But Heaven alone knew that he wanted to. Even if he deserved nothing else, he wanted to deserve at least this love. That was all he wished for. Could it really be ¡­ too late already?


    "Do you think ¡­ he''ll come by again?" He gingerly looked over at her, afraid of what she might say. What if she didn''t think so? What if he really ¡­ never saw him again?


    "It''s hard to say. I always felt that he was really serious about you so, yes, he might do so. Then again it''s been so long and all his courting hasn''t yielded much. Sooner or later a man is bound to give up hope if there isn''t even the slightest hint that things might change for the better with time."


    "I see."


    So I really drove him away with my behavior. I should have known before. I should have ¡­ should have given him some kind of hint. But if I did ¡­ What would father say?


    He looked up at the palace in front of them and his heart felt heavy. He didn''t want to lose the man he loved but he also didn''t want to disappoint his father who had such high expectations for him. Whatever he did he would let one of them down. How should he decide?


    They reached the gates of the palace and the guards opened them and bowed. Jing Yi forced himself to smile and stepped in with the woman next to him. They only managed to pass through the first room when a man in splendid robes hurried toward them and grasped Jing Yi''s hands. His eyes radiated excitement while his grasp was still so gentle as if his hands could break should he hold them just a little tighter.


    "There you are! Come in, come in. Let father have a look at you." His gaze indeed traveled up and down before returning to his face. The man frowned slightly. "Who dared to bully my precious son?!"


    "Huh?" Jing Yi''s eyes widened and he opened his mouth without knowing what to say.


    "Was it the guards at the gate? Hmph, don''t worry! Father will replace them for you." He turned to do just that when he suddenly remembered something. He turned back and smiled. "Don''t worry, father will give justice to you!"


    "Father ¡­" Jing Yi smiled wryly. This sounded a lot as if the guards would have to expect punishment for something they never did. "All is well. Nobody would dare bully your son in the Nine Heavens. You don''t have to do anything."


    "Ah, how could that be? You''re obviously unhappy! Come on, tell your father. Whoever it was they''ll get their just desserts!"


    Jing Yi lowered his head. "I don''t understand why father insists on this. Your son is really very well."


    "You don''t have to make up excuses." His father reached out and cupped his cheek, lifting his head up while he was at it. "You know I have eyes and can see. Your smile obviously isn''t as beautiful as yesterday. Somebody must have done something."


    Jing Yi really wanted to smile to put his father''s mind at ease but ¡­ he didn''t feel happy at all. And as much as he could pretend to smile on a normal day, with his heart as heavy as this, it felt like an act that required a lot of strength to lift the corners of his mouth even a little.


    "I ¡­ I''m just not feeling that well, father. Maybe I should go and lie down for a while."


    "Ah?" His father instantly became even more worried. "You wouldn''t be getting sick, would you? Let father send for the physician. You should lie down here."


    "No need. I''ll go back to my own palace. There is no need to disturb you."


    "You wouldn''t disturb me! You never would!"


    "Mn." Jing Yi smiled at least a little. "You should spend some time with mother instead, father." He nodded at the two of them, turned around and left the room. He had to try hard not to run away. He really just ¡­ wanted to forget about all this.


    Behind him, the voices of his parents sounded.


    "Ah! Bai Fen, why ¡­"


    "Hmph! Just take a look at yourself! How inconsiderate can you be? Talking so much and still not understanding anything. Isn''t it obvious your son is heartbroken?"


    "Heartbroken?" There was a pause before his voice sounded again with an obviously pleased tone. "Did that damned bastard finally stop coming by?! Ah, Heaven really heard my prayers!"


    Jing Yi didn''t wait for his mother''s reaction. He hastened his steps and went back to his own palace as fast as he could. Only when the door closed behind him did he finally break down. He slumped to the ground, tears streaming down his cheeks.


    Why ¡­ Why didn''t you come back to me? We knew each other for so long. Even if I didn''t say it, shouldn''t you have understood just how much I loved you?


    "Ah ¡­" He clasped his hands over his mouth, afraid that anyone might hear him.


    How could he fault him? It was he himself who had caused this. If not for him hesitating and struggling, wouldn''t they have already been lovers? Maybe they would even have been married. But he had never dared to accept those feelings, deathly afraid of what his father would say and what other people might think. Now, he might very well have lost the love of his life.


    Had it been worth it?

 Chapter 361 - Becoming Immortal Again

    Jing Yi sat up and lifted his hands, only to find his cheeks stained by tears. Just what was going on? It couldn''t be that this memory had really affected him this much, could it?


    He wiped the tears away but it didn''t help at all. His heart wouldn''t calm down. What he had felt back then in his past life, it assaulted him just as much in this one. There were still tears spilling from his eyes and he even had trouble breathing. He had the vague feeling as if his chest was penetrated by a blade, his heart breaking and his lungs ceasing to function. It was as if death itself had come for him.


    "Just how much did you love him?" His voice broke as if he really couldn''t take losing that person.


    But all this was nonsense! He just hadn''t seen him for three days and there was even a good explanation for that! Why would he even assume that that man had stopped loving him?! Was there anything that had even vaguely suggested this? Why was he so ¡­ desperate?


    Jing Yi lay back down and turned onto his side. He himself had also felt lost when he was separated from Qiu Ling but there had always been a good reason. When Qiu Ling vanished after bringing him to that mountain to learn how to take in spiritual energy there was the possibility of him being hurt by that storm he wanted to prevent from reaching the capital. And now with the secret realm, there had been that explosion. Both times there had been a possibility of Qiu Ling being hurt. Even though it wasn''t likely, there had been one.


    But his past self''s worry had been uncalled for. He knew that his lover was busy in his role as ¡­ the king? Jing Yi blinked and once again wiped those tears away that slowly stopped streaming down his cheeks. He took a deep breath and turned onto his back again, staring up at the ceiling.


    This last memory told him a lot about his past life. So it turned out back then he had been someone important. His lover was actually the sovereign of a realm and his parents seemed to be high-ranking people, too. Just one look at the robes his father wore and the dress and accessories his mother had donned made that obvious. Even the clothes he had seen in the capital city couldn''t compare to that. Not to speak of the attitude his father had had ¡­


    So there was actually such a huge discrepancy between his self now and his previous one. Jing Yi bit his lip and sat up. His status wasn''t the only thing. What had his past self said to his father? ''Nobody would dare bully your son in the Nine Heavens.''


    The Nine Heavens? He might not be a cultured person but even he knew that the Nine Heavens was a place of immortals. So, in his past life, he had been an immortal with a high status?


    He couldn''t help but think of Qiu Ling when he noticed. His fiance was a dragon and even someone who directly served his king. The kind of status he had had in his previous life probably would have been very fitting for his lover, wouldn''t it?


    Jing Yi clenched his fists. He didn''t know if his past self had gotten that status because of his birth or because of his own talent but he couldn''t lose to himself. He would become just like him: Someone who could stand next to the man he loved. But he wouldn''t let himself be tied down by any circumstances. He wouldn''t lose the one he loved just because of fear.


    Jing Yi took a deep breath and changed into the lotus seat. Qiu Ling was immortal so becoming immortal himself was the most important step. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be able to stay with him.


    "If I was immortal once, then it shouldn''t be that much of a problem to become immortal once again. I''m able to do this."


    He closed his eyes and started to take in the spiritual energy from his surrounding. It rushed toward him, forming two vortexes above his palms that endlessly fed into his body.


    Jing Yi gritted his teeth at the somewhat painful sensation and made sure to patiently guide this energy through his body. He couldn''t be too impatient but with his aptitude, he couldn''t delay either. He had to make sure to use any second he had to cultivate. That way when he left the secret realm he might have attained the third stage already.


    Yes, Jing Yi who had previously doubted that he''d ever reach the third stage in his life had resolved himself to reach it before he left the secret realm thanks to finding his lost memory. What aptitude? What fate? As long as he worked hard enough, as long as he believed in himself and the person he loved he would be able to do it.


    He definitely wouldn''t allow himself to end up like his former self who had all the things he needed but was too timid to use them. That person had been too weak for his own good. Because of a little pressure from his own father he actually lost the person he loved. How could he do that?


    Jing Yi smiled. Maybe remembering these things wasn''t that bad. Seeing how he had messed up back then actually made him more decisive to never give up now. He wouldn''t let anything stand between himself and Qiu Ling. His past life had served as enough of a warning.


    Thus, Jing Yi threw himself into his cultivation with a vigor he never before had. Maybe belief really was what was needed to attain greater heights. It only was a pity that he was cursing his past self for his weakness while not knowing what Jing He really had had to face. Well, maybe he would have the opportunity to find out later and see if he really had been as weak as he thought right now or if maybe there was something more to that story than he thought now.

 Chapter 362 - The Secret Realm’s Core

    Jing Yi hadn''t slept much that night, thus he had already cultivated for some hours when Leng Jin Yu finally came to check up on him in the morning.


    Seeing the boy sitting on the bed and cultivating with an incredible speed Leng Jin Yu was somewhat speechless. How come the person who had been all panicked and afraid of remembering his past yesterday was suddenly cultivating as if he hadn''t done anything else in his life?


    And furthermore ¡­ why was he so fast?


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the flow of the spiritual energy and slightly frowned. For a normal person, this speed of taking in spiritual energy would definitely lead to injuries sooner or later.


    Maybe they could sustain it for a while if their stage was higher but someone at the second stage like Jing Yi shouldn''t be able to do it. Just a slight lapse in judgment, just a bit of hesitation might even lead to death. So why ¡­ was he alright?


    Could this have something to do with his special situation? But if that was the case, then wouldn''t a lot of trueborn gods have ended up dead because their reincarnations ascended? After all, only a few of them would be watched as closely as the crown prince and would get impeded at every step they took. So the probability of them ascending if they ever stepped onto this path would be quite high. And even though it was said that Heaven had cursed the gods, Leng Jin Yu couldn''t really believe that he''d be that harsh to allow something like this.


    Leng Jin Yu really would have liked to take a closer look at Jing Yi''s situation but who knew if his probing wouldn''t startle the boy and thus indeed lead to an accident? He could only sigh, leave the room and close the door again.


    Well, he might as well use the time and find the core of the secret realm and wrest the control over from the previous master. That way he would know if that troublesome dragon king managed to find a way around the array and could react accordingly.


    As for the crown prince''s reincarnation ¡­ He didn''t like to leave it at that but for now, he couldn''t do anything. He''d have a look as soon as Jing Yi stopped cultivating and then depending on how much progress he had made he would do something. Maybe he wouldn''t even need to act. Wouldn''t it be great if Jing Yi just wasn''t able to make progress for long? Hindering him seemed a little vicious.


    Well, now wasn''t the time for that.


    Leng Jin Yu walked down the corridor, keeping an eye on his surroundings so as to not activate any of the traps around him. After all, he still needed a reason to keep Jing Yi from the core of the realm.


    Soon enough, he reached the door to the courtyard in the innermost part of the palace. He took a deep breath and opened it.


    The courtyard in front of him wasn''t big compared to the rest of the palace. In fact, it only measured about twenty steps in both directions. There was a roofed corridor leading around it and two short bridges leading to a small isle in the middle of a pond where two stone statues stood.


    This was supposed to be the place where the core of the secret realm lied? He hadn''t imagined that it would look like this. But then again, it wasn''t that unexpected. After all, whoever was still alive after encountering all these traps probably wouldn''t be kept away just because the realm''s master added another one. So, the question was where exactly in this courtyard was the core?


    Leng Jin Yu stayed at the door and closed his eyes, sensing for any larger accumulation of spiritual energy.


    There wasn''t any.


    Leng Jin Yu slightly frowned. The ice spiritual energy below the courtyard seemed especially dense but it wasn''t the core of the realm. Then what could it be? Had he missed something? Or was the core hidden so well that he couldn''t find it from this position? If the latter was the case ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu stepped below the roof of the corridor and slowly made his way around the courtyard. He still didn''t notice any traps but also couldn''t find any trace of the realm''s core. Just where was it hidden?


    His gaze turned toward the middle of the courtyard. Those statues ¡­ were placed there pretty obviously. Could it be that they were the core? It would make sense, too.


    He slowly walked over, taking one step at a time until he reached the bridge. He made sure to reach out with his spiritual sense to make sure nothing would hinder him from approaching and stepped onto the first plank. Everything stayed silent. There really didn''t seem to be any more obstacles around.


    Leng Jin Yu still didn''t hurry and approached the statues slowly. What was the rush? He had to keep Jing Yi in the secret realm for as long as possible anyway and he really doubted that Longjun would be able to break the formation tying the secret realm to the Leyuan region anytime soon.


    He hadn''t looked at it too closely before but as far as he remembered it was an array from the mortal realms. The dragon king shouldn''t be all that familiar with it. He''d need some time to find out how it worked. And even if time was of the essence, being careful was still the most important. If something happened to him, how would he help the crown prince with his trial then?


    Leng Jin Yu finally reached the small spot in the middle of the lake. With the two statues around, there was barely enough place to step between them or go around them once.


    Leng Jin Yu stopped next to them and took a closer look. The two statues depicted humans, one man and one woman, that were facing each other. Both of them wore robes that seemed to belong to a cultivation sect although Leng Jin Yu couldn''t say which one it was.


    Maybe one of them was the master of this secret realm? Then it really was likely that he had put the core of the realm here. If he examined the statues, he would probably be able to find it.

 Chapter 363 - The Reincarnation of a God?

    Leng Jin Yu stepped closer to the statue of the woman. She seemed young. If she wasn''t an immortal, then she couldn''t even be thirty years old. If he had to guess, he''d probably say that she was only a bit older than twenty.


    She had a lovely face sporting big eyes and a cute smile and with the way half her hair fell in front of her shoulders and slightly curled, she seemed like a playful maiden. In contrast to that, the way she held the fan in her hands was quite elegant, belying the impression she gave off at first glance.


    Disregarding her beauty there didn''t seem to be anything remarkable about her.


    Leng Jin Yu turned to the statue of the man next. Comparing him to the woman he seemed a little older, maybe nearing thirty years of age. His physique was bigger although he still gave off a feeling of elegance. It was an unrestrained one though.


    Leng Jin Yu stared at the face. He was sure that he had never seen it before but the way the man was standing there seemed a little familiar. Or it wasn''t exactly the way he stood with his hands resting on his drawn sword but rather the way he carried himself while doing so.


    Who did this statue remind him of? He had the vague feeling that this was an important clue, something he needed to know. Well, there weren''t that many possibilities. Either it was someone he had seen in his life before his ascension such as a fellow disciple of his previous sect or someone from the Nine Heavens.


    He immediately excluded the people from the Yun Zou Sect and Hei Dian Sect from his thoughts. After all, he had come here a few years ago. Never mind that he had spent most of his time inside, not interacting with other people much, if he did have to do with someone, then it was mostly for a longer amount of time like with his new master. Thus, he would definitely remember if there had been a similar person.


    As for the years before his ascension ¡­ It hadn''t actually been that long ago. But his early years were so forgetting someone wouldn''t be strange.


    He tried to recall his fellow sect members and the ones from other sects he had known. He even thought about those from the sects that stood opposed to them but he still came up with nothing.


    So was this person ¡­ really from the Nine Heavens?


    Leng Jin Yu looked at that unfamiliar face again. It actually made sense, too. He obviously didn''t know this face so he couldn''t have seen exactly this person. Maybe this situation was similar to the one of the crown prince: Someone who had descended for his trial. He would look different but might still carry some of his previous mannerisms. After all, it was still the same soul in that body. It was to be expected to have some similarities.


    So, the person he was looking for should be a trueborn god. There weren''t that many that he knew. Thinking about anyone he had spent more time with there was only Lan Ling but he had nothing in common with the man depicted by the statue.


    Then those he hadn''t really known that well ¡­ There were only those he had gotten to know because of the matter with the crown prince. Namely ¡­ the Fate''s Scribe and ¡­ the God of War.


    Leng Jin Yu''s gaze traveled downward to the sword in the man''s hands. Could it be ¡­ Was this the reincarnation of the God of War? Was this a trace he had left behind on his trial? So it turned out that the realm that had opened during the crown prince''s trial might have been created by his uncle.


    In that case, it wouldn''t be difficult at all to open the realm from the outside. After all, the gods would remember their trials when they woke up in the Nine Heavens again. Well, it was highly unlikely that the God of War would tell the dragon king the method though. After all, this concerned the life of his nephew and he certainly wasn''t as blinded by his emotions as the dragon king was.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. Well, for now, this was only his conjecture anyway. He couldn''t be sure. But anyway, this didn''t answer the question just where the core of the realm was. It should be tied to one of the statues but ¡­ He couldn''t sense it?


    Leng Jin Yu circled both of them again but still came up empty-handed. There didn''t seem to be any clue at all.


    He frowned. Normally, finding the core shouldn''t be so difficult. Never mind that most experts that created realms also hoped to find a suitable person to leave their heritage to there just wasn''t any way to completely conceal the core in the first place.


    But maybe it was different in this case because of the ice spiritual vein? After all, a spiritual vein would give off a lot of spiritual energy. That might be able to conceal most of the true core of a realm if it consisted of another and maybe even the opposed element.


    But even then he should still be able to perceive it if he stood directly in front and searched for it. After all, a core would be made up of spiritual energy. As long as he could perceive the corresponding element he could find it. But now there was nothing of the like. He only felt the spiritual energy that surrounded the whole realm. There was nothing special about this place.


    Leng Jin Yu had a sudden sense of crisis. He had believed that there wouldn''t be any problem in wresting the control over the secret realm from the previous master considering that he was probably long dead but that still required him to find the core first! And if he didn''t gain control of the realm, then forget about going to ask the God of War about whether or not he was the one who had created this realm, he wouldn''t be able to get out at all!


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He had always thought of keeping Jing Yi here to make sure the dragon king couldn''t make trouble. Now he himself had no chance to get out. Heaven really had to like playing jokes on people.

 Chapter 364 - Too Good at Making Trouble

    While Leng Jin Yu was faced with this bitter truth a certain dragon king hadn''t given up hope yet to find an ascended deity that might be able to help him. Considering that he didn''t know many people in the Nine Heavens he came up with only one answer: Hong Bao.


    Just think about it: Even though she seemed to have no talent at all and had made so many problems, she had somehow still managed to ascend. So, she should know about human arrays, right?


    Thinking like that Qiu Ling left the Nine Heavens and returned to the Hei Dian Sect. He didn''t look around and just directly stormed into the Grandmaster''s palace, not caring at all that it was the middle of the night right now.


    Shen An De and his wife woke up to the sound of their gate opening with a loud crash.


    Hong Ai turned to look at her husband but only got a blank look in response. He also didn''t know what was happening. Just who would dare to break into his palace?


    Wait. That question ¡­ somehow did conjure up a certain image.


    "It couldn''t be that dragon king again, could it?"


    Hong Ai raised her brows. "I could imagine him breaking in like that instead of coming over in the morning as any normal person would do. I don''t know why he would come here though. Didn''t Elder Shan say that he and his lover disappeared? I thought they might have returned to the Yun Zou Sect."


    "Mn. Maybe something went wrong."


    "Should we ¡ª"


    Before Hong Ai could suggest to go and ask Qiu Ling''s voice already sounded. It turned out a certain dragon king had lost his patience.


    "Damned servant girl, come out here! I have something to ask! Don''t you dare hide from me! You still owe me from what you did before!"


    Hong Ai and Shen An De exchanged another glance. Alright, the dragon king coming to visit in the middle of the night was strange enough but could anybody tell them why he had come to talk to Hong Bao of all things?!


    Shen An De sighed, stood up and put on his clothes. Hong Ai was directly behind him when he went to greet Qiu Ling. She also wanted to know what this was about. After all, this person had come for her sister.


    Qiu Ling excitedly turned around when he heard steps behind him. Unfortunately, the ones to emerge were the Grandmaster and his wife instead of the one he was looking for. His expression immediately darkened. "Where''s the damned servant girl?"


    Shen An De''s brow twitched. He still called her that even after Hong Bao had put so much effort into planning his wedding with Jing Yi. And he didn''t even care that the ones to hear were Hong Bao''s own family. "Longjun, I wonder what brought you here ¡­ in the middle of the night?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips and looked back at him with reproach. "Isn''t it all because of your uncle?"


    Shen An De''s brows rose. "My uncle? You mean Jin Ling? What does that have to do with Hong Bao?"


    "Hmph." Qiu Ling sat down at a table without being asked. "Isn''t it all because he schemed against my beloved? Ah, my poor Jing He, now he''s trapped in that secret realm ¡­" Qiu Ling frowned. "It''s all that bastard''s fault!" Never mind that his father-in-law had said that the one who was with Jing He right now was a god, this was obviously still the demons'' fault!


    "That bastard actually dared to show up in your sect and made me all nervous. So when that guy from the Yun Zou Sect came to pick us up I naturally just went with him. Who would have thought! This guy was actually so shameless as to steal my beloved! We''re already engaged, you know? And even twice! But somebody still dared to try and get between us. Tch, I''m going to kill him when he gets out of there!"


    "What does Hong Bao have to do with that?" Hong Ai couldn''t help but pipe up. As far as she understood until now nothing of this was related to her sister in any way. Why had this guy come here and screamed for her to show herself? Could this be another misunderstanding?


    Qiu Ling looked at her miserably. "Didn''t you listen at all? Because of what Jin Ling did my poor beloved is trapped now. We have to get him out of there! So I need your sister to come and open the array!"


    "My sister?" Hong Ai blinked. Her sister was proficient with arrays? Why had she never known?


    "What array?" Shen An De was still the one who found the important point among all of Qiu Ling''s ramblings.


    "The array of that secret realm! It''s a very strange one. Neither us dragons nor the gods knew what to do with it so we need an ascended deity. But it''s not like I know a lot of them so your sister-in-law will have to do. Not that I particularly trust her. You know it''s actually no wonder she''s your sister-in-law. Fits her to be related to that bastard."


    Shen An De rubbed his temple. "Hong Bao isn''t here. She returned to the Chun Feng Sect. And even if she was it wouldn''t be of any use to you. Did you forget already that she can''t remember anything from her time in the Nine Heavens? She might have had ascended once but whatever knowledge she gained after that she doesn''t have it anymore. You''ll have to look for another ascended deity."


    "How troublesome! That woman is really too good at making trouble!" Qiu Ling couldn''t help but grumble.


    First, she tried to kill his Jing He and then she even got herself banished so that she couldn''t even help him now. This damned servant girl had no conscience to speak of! How could she do this to him?! Who was he supposed to ask for help now?!

 Chapter 365 - A Special Type of Array

    Hong Ai cleared her throat. "That ¡­ Does it need to be an ascended deity? As far as I understood the array is here in our realm, right? In that case, wouldn''t it be enough to take someone with you who is proficient with arrays?"


    "Hah?" Qiu Ling came out of his misery and looked up. What did this woman want to say?


    Hong Ai pointed at her husband. "An De is quite proficient with arrays. Why don''t you take him with you to have him take a look at the array? He might be able to find out something."


    Qiu Ling looked at the Grandmaster skeptically. "But he''s just a human. How would he know about that array?"


    Shen An De smiled wryly. "It''s not like the array was put there by a dragon or god. Otherwise, you would know how to solve this yourself. But considering that you came running to find my sister-in-law this is obviously something that concerns the human race."


    "That''s true."


    Hong Ai nodded. "In that case, An De really is your best option. He knows a lot about formations and he''s only a step away from ascension anyway. If not for me, he probably would have ascended already."


    Qiu Ling pondered. His own master hadn''t been able to help and the old geezer had said that he should look for an ascended deity. Was it really alright to take this human guy with him? Then again he might as well try. Who knew? Maybe this man would surprise him and be able to solve his problem. Then his beloved would be free again and they could finally marry!


    Just thinking about the possibility to finally hold his wedding Qiu Ling didn''t consider any longer. He leaped to his feet and was next to Shen An De in the next second, grabbing his arm and dragging him to the gate. "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s go right now! I''ll consider this as you repaying your sister-in-law''s debts. I''ll even be nice and tell my father-in-law that you''re a good guy even though your uncle is such a bastard."


    Shen An De looked at his wife who only smiled wryly and waved at him. "Have fun, my dear!"


    "I''ll be back soon." At least he hoped he would. Who knew what would happen now that he had followed this guy?


    Shen An De''s worries seemed to be uncalled for though. After the two of them left the Hei Dian Sect, Qiu Ling let go of him and just rose into the air, waiting for him to follow. Shen An De didn''t dare tarry. After all, one never knew what a madman would do if you gave him any cause to do something.


    Thus, the two people with mixed blood rushed toward the Leyuan region where Qiang Wei was still waiting for Qiu Ling''s return.


    Qiang Wei''s face lit up when he saw his king. Had His Majesty found help? Would they finally be able to open the secret realm and free His Highness?! He really hoped they would otherwise the future would be looking bleak. Everyone knew that His Majesty would be in a bad mood after not seeing the crown prince for a few days. If he was completely unable to see him and didn''t know what was going on, then a bad mood was probably the least of their worries. Who knew what would happen?


    He instantly hurried over when Qiu Ling and Shen An De landed a few steps away from him. "Your Majesty! Did you manage to find ¡­" He stopped talking when he took a closer look at Shen An De.


    Uh? This person ¡­ didn''t seem to be an ascended deity? He wasn''t a god either. In fact he ¡­ was either a dragon or a demon? Qiang Wei normally would have thought that the latter was impossible considering how much his king hated the demons but since this was about the crown prince he wasn''t as sure anymore.


    Qiu Ling ignored him and looked at Shen An De with sparkling eyes.


    The Grandmaster sighed and went over to the array. Thanks to the demon blood he had inherited from his father he had no trouble seeing it at all. Just like the dragons, he could see a net of glowing lines on the ground. It made telling what kind of array this was especially easy.


    Shen An De still took a second look at it. Never mind that Qiu Ling would probably try to strangle him to death if he said even one word wrong and they didn''t manage to get his fiance out of there, this array came as quite the surprise to him as well. He walked along the lines and took in the symbols engraved around them. In the end, he even tried to sense the spiritual energy in the array and the surroundings.


    Just as expected. There wasn''t any. Or rather there was a minuscule amount of all the elements in the array so that they balanced each other and finally appeared as if they weren''t there at all.


    Shen An De took a deep breath and walked back to where Qiu Ling and Qiang Wei stood. The two dragons looked at him with eager expressions.


    "So, how is it? Can you open it?" Qiu Ling didn''t bother with any details. He only wanted to know when he could hug his beloved again.


    Shen An De wasn''t going to do him the favor of answering fast though. After all, wouldn''t he be held accountable if he left out anything that might lead to them being unable to save the Son of Heaven? He definitely wouldn''t let that happen!


    He cleared his throat and motioned at the array. "It''s quite unexpected. This isn''t just any array but an ancient one. Nobody has used it for a long, long time already. In fact, there is only one person known to have used it."


    "Who?" Qiu Ling''s eyes sparkled. Never mind that the array was a strange one. At least they knew something about it now! Didn''t that mean that they would be able to free his beloved in a moment? Ah, he''d finally be able to hold him in his arms again! He would make sure to properly express his sentiments when they saw each other again!


    Unfortunately, Shen An De''s next words were bound to burst his bubble.


    "The one who used it was Huan Yin, the founder of the Hei Dian Sect. Unfortunately, he only left a general description behind, so I''m not sure how to open the secret realm."

 Chapter 366 - Just Waiting?

    Qiu Ling stared at Shen An De and blinked. Somehow ¡­ he felt mocked. Was Heaven trying to torture him or something? Hadn''t he already suffered enough? He was already without his beloved for so long! Please, how long were they supposed to stay separated?! No, he wouldn''t accept this!


    "You have to open it!"


    Shen An De sighed. Why was he looking at him like this? There was nothing he could do about this either! "Well, we can try to work something out and try it but ¡­"


    "Then let''s do that!"


    That should at least be faster than having An Bai and those gods research everything from scratch, right? Wait! Were the gods even still working with them? After all, his in-laws had cruelly abandoned their son and left him to fend for himself. Ah, now it really was only him who cared for Jing He ¡­


    Shen An De frowned. He felt like he was getting a headache trying to talk to this guy. "It''s not that easy! Right now, your fiance is inside. If something goes wrong and we accidentally damage the array, he might be trapped in there forever. The realm won''t even open on its own anymore."


    Qiu Ling was petrified. What? His beloved might be ¡­ trapped forever?!


    Shen An De sighed. "I''m sorry but I''d suggest for you to wait until the realm opens on its own again. Sooner or later that is bound to happen. It might take a lot of time but at least there is no risk involved. I''m sure you also wouldn''t want to damn your fiance to a life in the secret realm, would you?"


    "No, but ¡­" Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. He felt lost right now.


    Argh, why had he never made an effort to study these things after he became king? Then he wouldn''t be standing around now without knowing how to help Jing He!


    "I will look for the description Huan Yin left of the array. You can send someone to get it. Maybe your people will be able to find out something more."


    "Mn. Alright. Thanks."


    Shen An De looked at Qiu Ling. To think that he would actually hear a thank you from him, even if it had sounded perfunctory ¡­ The news must have been really hard on him.


    Shen An De turned around and wanted to go back to the Hei Dian Sect but Qiu Ling suddenly remembered something.


    "Eh? Wait! So, how long will it take for the realm to open again on its own?"


    Shen An De just looked at him. Honestly, what was he supposed to say? The truth? He might as well ask his wife for the demon-banishing sword and cut the dragon king a few times. Most likely, it would hurt him less.


    He averted his gaze and sighed. "Who knows? Even we in the Hei Dian Sect didn''t know about the realm. Its opening was probably only found coincidentally. It would be best to always have someone monitor it at all times. With the manpower of the dragon realm, that shouldn''t be a problem. I can lend you some of our disciples, too."


    "Mn ¡­ No need." Qiu Ling thought about it but finally shook his head. "I''ll do it on my own. I''ll ¡­ wait here for him."


    Shen An De raised his brows. "On your own? But ¡­ you know that this might take several years?" Or rather several thousand years.


    Qiu Ling nodded. "It''s alright. I ¡­ I want to be here when he gets out of there. Maybe ¡­ Maybe we''re lucky and it opens really fast?"


    Shen An De wanted to deny that possibility but refrained from saying anything when he saw how Qiu Ling looked at the array. Maybe it was better if he didn''t know how long it would really take for the secret realm to open again. This way he could look at the future with hope.


    "You''ll see." He didn''t dare to stay any longer and hurriedly turned away, returning to the Hei Dian Sect.


    Qiu Ling continued to stand in front of the spot where the secret realm would open. He stared at the array with narrowed eyes while his mood sank.


    Alright, how long could it take for this dumb thing to open again? A week? Well, that was probably too short. Maybe a month? Or ¡­ a year?! Oh, Heavens! He wouldn''t be able to take that!


    Just when Qiu Ling felt desperate Qiang Wei cleared his throat. "Your Majesty ¡­"


    "What?!" Qiu Ling definitely wasn''t in the mood for any nonsense.


    "Previously, you cut me off before I could report to you what Fu Heng said."


    "Fu Heng?" Qiu Ling wasn''t impressed. "Is that really important?"


    "I''d say it is ¡­"


    "Then let''s get it over with."


    Qiang Wei smiled wryly. Well, at least he was going to listen. That was already more than he had hoped. "He and Fu Min met Senior Xin in the demon realm."


    "Senior Xin?" Qiu Ling blinked, his bad mood forgotten for the moment.


    "Mn. He said he was there on the previous king''s command and he told them about the demon king''s plan regarding His Highness. Fu Heng found it a little strange. They themselves weren''t able to find any information so ¡­ He thought we''d better inform you."


    Qiu Ling''s gaze flitted about. "Is Senior Xin still in the demon realm right now?"


    "Uh ¡­ probably? I didn''t ask. Fu Min and Fu Heng are definitely still there."


    "Mn. I''ll take care of it You''ve done well. Guard the entrance to the secret realm for me." With a flurry of his sleeves, Qiu Ling hurried away.


    Qiang Wei blankly looked at the figure diminishing in the distance. "Was I ¡­ Was I praised just now?" He blinked before slowly returning to reality. "Wait! Where is His Majesty?" His eyes widened and he started to run after him before he remembered that somebody had to watch over the Yun Zou Sect''s disciples. "Your Majesty! Stop! You wouldn''t want to go to the demon realm, would you?! Please keep in mind that you''re the king of the dragon race, ah!"


    Unfortunately, Qiu Ling couldn''t hear him anymore. Well, it might be for the best. Otherwise, Qiang Wei would have had to see just how little his king cared for his opinion because a certain someone definitely would have still gone through with his plan.


    After all, this was probably the last opportunity he had to get his Jing He out of that damnable secret realm before it opened on its own someday in the future.

 Chapter 367 - Such a Coincidence?

    At the same time, Jing Yi stopped cultivating in the secret realm and opened his eyes again. He had taken in a lot of spiritual energy and he could feel that the second stage that he had hurriedly reached on his way to the Hei Dian Sect had finally stabilized.


    Ah, this secret realm was really too suitable to cultivate! If he continued like this, reaching the third stage would probably take just as long as reaching the second stage had. In the end, it seemed he was still quite lucky despite the circumstances.


    For now, he needed to take a break, though. Even though cultivation could replenish the energy of the body somewhat, he was still only a mortal. Right now, he only felt hungry and tired.


    He took a look at the window. It seemed that a day had already gone by. The sky was turning dark again. Yu Jin didn''t seem to have come by, so he was probably still busy with the traps he had mentioned. In that case ¡­ it shouldn''t be a problem if he ate something and went back to sleep, right?


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. Yu Jin had said that he couldn''t help him anyway but he still felt like he should do something. Wouldn''t it be heartless to just wait and have him do everything?


    "Ah, I guess I can only hurry up with my cultivation. When I reach the third stage I might at least not be a burden to him anymore."


    He sighed and took two of the spiritual fruits out of the magical bag Yu Jin had given him. Eating them also had an effect on his spiritual energy so this wasn''t too bad. He was only afraid that they might not be enough for the time they''d have to spend here at the palace. After all, who knew how much time that would actually be?


    Jing Yi shook his head. This wasn''t the time to think about that. He concentrated on eating the fruits and taking in their energy. Everything he could do to raise his level was a good thing. When he managed to attain the third stage all of this wouldn''t be important anyway. So, he had to concentrate on cultivation. Before that ¡­ he had to sleep for a while though.


    Jing Yi lay back down and closed his eyes. His heart couldn''t help but thump. Would he once again see something from his past? And if yes, then what would it be? That man? Or maybe his parents again? Somebody else from his family? Previous friends?


    Ah, it really was hard to imagine. His past life was quite different from his current one. He didn''t want to remember for fear of damaging his current relationship but he still couldn''t help but wonder.


    What kind of life had his former self led? Why had he allowed others to destroy his relationship if he was so much in love with that man? Why had people objected to it anyway?


    Thinking about the bit he had seen it seemed as if they made a fine couple. In his previous life, he had obviously been an immortal with a high status. Shouldn''t that be a suitable status to be with a king?


    Jing Yi frowned slightly and opened his eyes again. Could it be that this wasn''t about their status? Maybe that man ¡­ Could it be that they had been just like him and Qiu Ling just ¡­ the other way around? Had he been an immortal that actually fell in love with a human king?


    Just how had that happened? Where had they met and why had an immortal developed feelings for a mortal if he knew that the other would die someday while he still lived on? And had they maybe, somehow managed to get together in the end? Had there been a happy ending to their story? Had they found a way to be together or maybe even for that mortal king to become immortal? Just like he cultivated to become immortal so that he could stay with Qiu Ling forever?


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but feel intrigued. Could there really be such a coincidence? Two similar lives ¡­ It seemed unbelievable at first glance but maybe it wasn''t? Maybe you were ¡­ somehow still the same person?


    He couldn''t really imagine that. Considering the things he had already seen he''d like to believe that he would have reacted differently. But then again he didn''t know much about the situation he had been in, in his previous life. Maybe things hadn''t been as easy as he thought?


    Honestly, what exactly was reincarnation? What did it mean? He should probably go and ask Yu Jin tomorrow. After all, he had certainly concerned himself with that subject considering what Yu Jin had told him about the memories he had seen in the Yun Zou Sect.


    Well, that was something for tomorrow though.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes again and finally drifted off into sleep. As for the effects of the Fractured Crystal Leaf ¡­ Maybe madly cultivating for an entire day had taken such a huge toll on his mind and body that even his soul was resting at this moment because Jing Yi didn''t see anything that night.


    When he woke up the next morning sunlight already spilled into the room. Jing Yi couldn''t help but frown. How come he hadn''t remembered anything? Had the spiritual energy he absorbed from the Fractured Crystal Leaf already run out? That was ¡­ a bit of a pity. Because as much as he hated remembering that man he indeed would have liked to know what exactly the situation between them had been. Maybe then it would have been easier to understand just what was going on.


    Well, if he could talk to his senior martial brother about reincarnation, then at least some of his questions might be cleared up anyway. The problem was just ¡­ how was he supposed to do that?


    Jing Yi sat up in bed and looked at the door that was still tightly closed. He couldn''t leave the room but there was no sign of Yu Jin. So ¡­ what should he do? Wait?


    It seemed ¡­ there was nothing else he could do.

 Chapter 368 - Falling into Madness

    Jing Yi sighed and went back to cultivating. He had the time now, so why shouldn''t he use it? Just like yesterday he sat in the lotus position and started to take in the spiritual energy. He slowly guided it through his body, making sure nothing unexpected would happen.


    Unfortunately, Heaven didn''t care what people planned. Not even an hour had gone by when Jing Yi''s hands twitched. The spiritual energy around him got out of control and shot off in every direction. He didn''t have time to care for that, though. Before he knew what was happening he fell down onto the bed again and pain shot through his body. He pressed his eyes closed and the next thing he knew he had returned to that other life.


    When he opened his eyes he once again held a brush in his hand just like in the memory he had seen after eating the fruit of the Beguiling Night Tree. This time the painting wasn''t finished though and what it showed ¡­


    Jing Yi stared at it through the eyes of his past life in astonishment before the other hurriedly covered it. He jumped to his feet, walked a few steps and slumped down on another chair. He sighed but still looked back at where the painting was lying on the table.


    "This is madness ¡­" His voice was low, almost inaudible. If Jing Yi hadn''t relieved this as a memory, he probably wouldn''t have been able to understand even if he stood just a step away from him.


    His past self covered his face with a hand and averted it but in the end, he couldn''t resist standing up and going back. He lifted the empty scroll he had thrown on the painted one and looked once again at the painting below, his heart thumping wildly.


    Jing Yi had seen the general gist of it even before he managed to cover it but now he finally had time to take a closer look: The painting showed two men who were holding each other''s hands below the branches of a pine tree. They were looking off into the distance, their faces couldn''t be seen.


    Still ¡­ Looking at this painting it gave off a feeling of contentment. These two men, they seemed to be happy to share this moment. The quietness that they alone enjoyed in the other''s company ¡­


    Jing Yi couldn''t understand how this translated to ''madness'' in his previous life''s eyes. Or maybe ¡­


    He tried to take a closer look at the two men to find out if they might be a depiction of himself and his lover but his past self already stood up again and slowly wandered to the door on the other side of the room. He opened it and looked at the garden outside.


    "My Tian ¡­" He sighed again, his heart squeezing painfully.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but perk up. Tian? Was that the name of his past lover? Then what was his own? Nobody seemed to have used it until now.


    Before he could think about it any longer there was a knock on the door on the other side of the room. "Your Highness."


    The voice was deep and made him shudder. He instinctively clutched the frame of the door while looking over. The one behind that other door was obviously the man he longed to see.


    "Your Highness?" The voice sounded again, a sliver of worry mixed in there that tugged at Jing Yi''s heartstrings.


    His past self couldn''t refrain from slowly walking over there. He didn''t dare to open the door, though. "I''m sorry, I ¡­ I''m not feeling too well today. Please excuse me for not seeing you."


    There was a short silence on the other side before the rustling of clothes could be heard. The other person had obviously stepped closer. "What may be the matter?"


    What may be the matter? Oh, how could he tell him? Obviously, it was because he couldn''t sleep at night because he thought of him all the time and it was because he couldn''t eat in the day when the one he loved hadn''t come by that morning.


    "I ¡­" He tried answering but the words wouldn''t come out.


    With a sigh, he reached out and his fingers gently touched the wooden beams of the door as if this wasn''t just an object but the person he loved instead. He wanted to open the door, he wanted to see him, he wanted to talk to him but he didn''t dare to. Wouldn''t everything become even worse then? Just where would this lead? He could hardly think of anything else but this man these days.


    Without him, he was empty. Without him, he was nothing. By now this person he hardly knew was everything to him.


    The other man had obviously noticed that he wouldn''t get an answer. He wouldn''t be deterred by that, though.


    "If you''re feeling unwell today, then you should lie down. Take it easy for today, take care of yourself. I ¡­ wouldn''t be able to take it if you ¡­ were to suffer any harm."


    Jing Yi leaned his head against the door, his heart throbbing painfully. How could he still utter such sweet words to him? Didn''t he know that he was driving him further and further toward that abyss? If he ever stepped over that edge, then there would be no turning back. He couldn''t allow that.


    "I will." He didn''t say anything more so as to not encourage him anymore.


    He wanted him to go so that he didn''t have to carry on this arduous conversation but he also wanted him to stay for a while longer so that he could listen to his voice.


    "Is ¡­ Is there anything I can do?" The man seemed to step even closer to the door. By now, Jing Yi could hear his breath.


    "This ¡­ should be of no concern to you."


    "How can you say that? Aren''t we friends? A friend''s well-being is naturally my concern. If I were able to do anything to -"


    A friend? Jing Yi''s heart gave another painful thump and this time it was too much. The ground suddenly seemed to come closer. A slight sound of shock escaped his mouth but it was enough to alarm the person on the other side of the door. Before he could tumble down, the door was already opened and a pair of strong arms pulled him into a warm embrace.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes. This really ¡­ was madness. And he seemed to be falling deeper and deeper into it.

 Chapter 369 - It’s the Truth

    The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was the face of the beautiful woman he had seen before.


    "Mother ¡­" His voice sounded weak and Jing Yi could feel that there was no strength in his body whatsoever.


    The woman sighed. "Child, just what are you doing? Worrying yourself sick until you collapse. Do you want me to worry myself sick, too?"


    "I''m sorry." He tried sitting up but as soon as he moved his body collapsed on its own again.


    "Just continue lying down, ah." She sighed and shook her head. "Why are you making things so difficult for yourself? How long do you know him now? Four years, five?"


    "It''s not quite five."


    "That''s still long enough. You do like him, don''t you?"


    Jing Yi''s eyes flickered. "He said ¡­ we were friends."


    His mother coughed. "You don''t believe that he really thinks of you like that, do you?"


    Jing Yi didn''t answer. He hadn''t until now but ¡­ maybe he had misunderstood? Or maybe he had hesitated too long and thus had missed the chance? "Maybe it''s better this way. He isn''t a god, after all."


    His mother tsked. "Don''t even start with that. I already said from the beginning that it wouldn''t be impossible. As long as you like him we''ll find a way."


    Jing Yi nodded but his heart was still filled with worry. "Mother ¡­ what if he really only thinks of me as a friend? Then ¡­"


    "Jing He, my child, he asked you to marry him. Would he do that if he just thought of you as a friend?"


    "Then ¡­ Then why did he say that?"


    "Well, he''s a smart man. If he still hadn''t noticed that being direct won''t get him anywhere and changed his approach, then I would really reconsider if I want him as my son-in-law."


    "So you mean ¡­"


    "He''s obviously trying to win you over as a friend first before trying to talk you into marrying him again."


    Jing Yi smiled lightly. "So it''s like that."


    "Mn. Most likely he''ll revert back to his old ways again soon anyway. You''ve shocked him quite a bit today. So don''t think too much. You don''t have to decide immediately but if you like him, then you shouldn''t avoid him. You know ¡­" She slid closer and leaned forward with a smile. "I wasn''t the one who carried you to your bed when you collapsed."


    Jing Yi stared at her, not understanding what she was getting at for a moment. Then, his cheeks heated up. "Mother!"


    The woman chuckled and leaned back, before patting his hand. "Alright, mother won''t tease you any longer. He still hasn''t left so he''ll probably come by later to see how you''re doing. Do you want to prepare a bit?"


    Jing Yi opened his mouth but closed it without saying anything. He really wanted to prepare. At least he should take a look at the mirror and maybe change his clothes but ¡­ wouldn''t he notice? He definitely didn''t want that.


    "Maybe ¡­ Can we just close the curtains?"


    His mother sighed but still stood up to close the curtains of the bed. Her figure could only be seen indistinctly on the other side. "Alright, then I''ll go and tell him that he can come in."


    "Mn. Thank you, mother." He listened to her steps and took a deep breath when she closed the door behind her.


    He didn''t know if seeing him was right or wrong. Until a few weeks ago he had believed that it wouldn''t be a problem but ¡­ the more time they spent together the less he could control his thoughts. Where would this lead?


    There was a knock on the door that pulled him out of his thoughts and had his heart beat faster instinctively.


    "Your Highness ¡­"


    "Please, come in."


    The door opened and he came over with slow steps. They even seemed a little hesitant.


    "I''m sorry for not getting up to greet you. Please, have a seat."


    "Mn." The man sat down on the other side of the curtain and looked at him. "You ¡­ How do you feel?"


    "A bit better. Thank you for ¡­ your help earlier."


    "Oh, it''s ¡­ it''s nothing. I''m glad I could help."


    They both fell silent. Jing Yi really felt awkward. He wanted to say something but he didn''t know what. What was he supposed to say in this kind of situation?


    His lover seemed to have the very same problem. He only hesitated for a while though. Before Jing Yi could understand what was happening, he had stood up and stepped forward. He grabbed the curtain and lifted it.


    Jing Yi hurriedly averted his face. He didn''t want to be seen like this by the man he loved. He was certainly pale and his hair lacked the usual luster. He shouldn''t see him like this. He should only see his perfect, beautiful side, not ¡­ this. Not the ugly truth.


    "This ¡­ this isn''t appropriate."


    His lover didn''t seem impressed by his protest. Instead, he reached over and gently cupped his cheek. "I was afraid. Seeing you like that really made me afraid. I''ve never ¡­ felt so helpless in my whole life."


    "I''m sorry."


    "It''s not your fault." He sat down next to him and gently took his hands into his. "You ¡­ you should probably rest for now, so I won''t take up too much of your time. Just ¡­ I want you to know that I''m here. I''ll always stay at your side. You can ¡­ depend on me, regardless of what happens."


    "I ¡­"


    I know. He really wanted to say that but he didn''t dare to. He just looked down at his pair of pale hands in those larger and stronger ones. Being so close to him he really felt especially secure. Naturally, he wouldn''t mind depending on this man.


    For just a moment, he entertained the thought of leaning forward and falling into his arms again. This time he wouldn''t black out, he would be able to enjoy the feeling of being so close to him. He would feel his warmth and hear his heartbeat. He would be able to relax and sleep for a while for the first time in the last few weeks. Although ¡­ he didn''t want to miss out on even a second with this man. Why should he go to sleep?


    As if he could hear his thoughts the man suddenly reached out and encircled his shoulders with one arm. He pulled him forward, into his embrace and against his chest. His fingers slid into his hair as if it was completely natural.


    "I love you. I know you don''t want me to say such things, you think it''s inappropriate but it''s the truth. I love you. Since the moment I first saw you I''ve been in love with you. Whether you reciprocate my feelings or not I will never stop loving you. And I will try to make you fall in love with me.


    I''m sure that ¡­ one day, we''ll be married and then you won''t be able to say that it''s inappropriate. Holding you like this, making sure that you''re alright, that you''re not lacking in anything ¡­ it''ll be ¡­ as if it was supposed to be. Nobody will say anything against it."


    Jing Yi pressed his eyes shut and his fingers tugged at the man''s robe. Ah, how he longed for the future he described ¡­ But unfortunately, he couldn''t imagine that it would ever come true.


    "Aren''t you afraid ¡­ that we''ll be like Tian and Xing? A pair of star-crossed lovers that will just bring misfortune to each other?"


    The man chuckled lightly and turned his head a little until his lips seemed to touch Jing Yi''s skin. "You just imagined us as lovers. Does this mean I have a chance?"

 Chapter 370 - A Way to See the Past

    Jing Yi ¡ª the real Jing Yi in the Nine Heavens ¡ª immediately sat up as soon as his eyes flew open. His cheeks were flushed crimson and he couldn''t help but feel a little annoyed.


    "Shameless!"


    How could he do this?! Although ¡­ this kind of swooping in when the other was wavering and using the moment to make him falter even more through honeyed words and faulty logic ¡­ It was oddly familiar. It was probably exactly what Qiu Ling would have done in such a situation. After all, his fiance really had a talent for inverting what others said.


    "Don''t tell me I have some odd preference for that kind of man?"


    Jing Yi rubbed his brow and sighed. He really would have liked to deny it but it was hardly possible. Furthermore, this wasn''t the only similarity. Never mind that Qiu Ling was normally overly excited and tended to be even more shameless around him, always trying to hug and touch him, deep down he had the same attitude as that man.


    He would always guard him regardless of what happened. Watching him suffer was probably worse for him than suffering himself. Just imagining what would happen if he collapsed in front of Qiu Ling like that ¡­


    Jing Yi sighed. As similar as they were it was a little bit ironic that that man from his past seemed more mature than Qiu Ling. How come his immortal fiance lost to a human in that regard? As someone with hundreds or maybe even a thousand years of experience shouldn''t he be far ahead?


    But maybe that was the difference between a normal person and a king. After all, the latter would be responsible for all his subjects. Just a few years in that position would probably make you a really dependable person.


    Jing Yi frowned slightly. "Didn''t you tell me you were something like an adviser to your king? How come nothing of your king''s maturity rubbed off on you? Or are dragons just different?"


    He sighed and lay down again. He knew he should get back to cultivating but right now his head was full of thoughts about that man. Remembering him had seemed so torturous at first but right now he didn''t really think so. In fact, he felt ¡­ really warm.


    To know that there had been such a person at his side, someone who would stay with him regardless of what happened, who would care for him and protect him and share the good and the bad times ¡­ it really made him feel happy.


    "In the end, did we find happiness?"


    He wanted to know. Had that man finally succeeded in swaying him? Had he thrown aside all those worries and uncertainties and been with him? He hoped so. That man had made that much of an impression on him that he couldn''t help but do so. He felt like he deserved it. Even if it wasn''t for himself, at least that man should have had his wish fulfilled.


    "Who knows how much of the Fractured Crystal Leaf''s spiritual energy is still inside me? For how many memories will it last? If I really was immortal ¡­ it should be a lot, right?" Jing Yi sighed again. "I can hardly believe this. Just yesterday I was still hoping that this would end as soon as possible and now here I am hoping that it will last for a while longer so that I can see some more."


    It seemed strange but ¡­ he really wanted to know. Wasn''t there something he could do? Could he really just wait until he remembered the next part of his previous life? Would it really just depend on his luck which part that would be? Wasn''t there any way to control this?


    A knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. Jing Yi hurriedly sat up again and straightened his clothes. "Senior Martial Brother Yu?"


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu opened the door and gave a nod. "How do you feel?"


    Jing Yi hesitated for a moment. It had been more than a day since they had last seen each other. The last time ¡­ Yu Jin had brought him here after he collapsed at the lakeside. "A lot better."


    "That''s good then."


    Jing Yi nodded and wanted to ask how things were going with the traps when his eyes suddenly widened. "Senior Martial Brother Yu! You ¡­ You do know a lot about cultivation, don''t you?"


    "Yes?"


    "And you researched that Fractured Crystal Leaf, didn''t you?"


    Leng Jin Yu had a bad feeling but he had more or less said that already so he could hardly deny it now. "I did although I don''t know that much."


    "Then ¡­ do you know if there is any way to influence when you see something and what it is?"


    Leng Jin Yu relaxed when he heard this question. So it was merely this. That shouldn''t be much of a problem. He still had to make sure, though. "Is it that you want to avoid seeing something?"


    "Well ¡­ Not exactly." Jing Yi lowered his head. He knew this had to sound strange. After all, he had said previously that he didn''t want to remember. "I just thought that ¡­ Wouldn''t it be better to remember everything as soon as possible? I mean I have to remember it anyway. I''d rather like to do so now and be done with it than be faced with these memories randomly appearing. You know I ¡­ I was cultivating before and then I just ¡­ collapsed like at the lake. It''s not a problem as long as I am here but what if you need my help later on and something like this happens? Wouldn''t that be dangerous?"


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu sighed and slowly walked to the window.


    He was right. It was dangerous. In that case, he should probably not get involved. Maybe this was something the Fate''s Scribe wanted to use. There was that possibility. But then again he would also feel better if Jing Yi remembered everything he could because of the Fractured Crystal Leaf. At least then he would know if there was any problem that would influence the crown prince''s trial.


    It might be wrong but Leng Jin Yu still felt like he should tell him. He couldn''t think of anything that might go wrong. Even with the method he had thought of, Jing Yi could only influence the when and not the what. It wouldn''t change anything in the overall matter of things. After all, there was no way to prevent him from remembering all of this anyway.


    "There is. But you''ll have to enter your inner self for that."

 Chapter 371 - Kind of Occupied

    While Leng Jin Yu in the secret realm decided to help Jing Yi to remember everything faster the Fate''s Scribe Shun Tao finally managed to grab a hold of the Heavenly Emperor and the Heavenly Empress in the Nine Heavens.


    "Your Majesty!" Shun Tao really felt aggrieved. Thankfully, he had run to the crown prince''s palace immediately after failing to find the Heavenly Emperor at his own palace but even though he had run as fast as he could until he looked quite disheveled there was still the problem that a few minutes in the Nine Heavens would equal a day in the human realm. He didn''t even want to look at what might have happened in that amount of time!


    Rong Su looked at Shun Tao with a deadpan expression. "What happened to our son?" Honestly, did he still need to guess? Obviously something major had happened once more for the Fate''s Scribe to come running like this. He probably wouldn''t like what he''d hear next.


    Shun Tao hurriedly knelt down. "There is news regarding His Highness. In the secret realm, he found a herb called the Fractured Crystal Leaf and took in its spiritual energy. As such he has begun to remember his life in the Nine Heavens!"


    Ah, he really wanted to cry! Why was the crown prince''s trial so troublesome? Just look at him lying on that bed over there so obediently! Their crown prince was such a nice and well-behaved person. How could he bring so much trouble to him now?!


    The Heavenly Emperor rubbed his brow. "How much?"


    Shun Tao hurriedly took out the scroll of fate and had another look. His expression became even uglier. "The scroll just mentions that he remembered scenes of his past life but not exactly how many and which scenes. They seem to become more, though and ¡­ he seems to be about to enter his inner self to speed the process up."


    "What is that ascended deity doing?"


    Shun Tao shook his head. "I''m not sure about that but he might be helping him."


    "Tch." The Heavenly Emperor frowned and turned to his son that looked as if he was sleeping peacefully. He took his hand and gently rubbed his fingers.


    Ah, father has let you down! I shouldn''t have let Qiang Yan sent some unknown person with you. I should have had you watched by a squadron of trustworthy guards. Now you''re suffering like this ¡­


    Seeing her husband''s expression Bai Fen cleared her throat. "Well, there was probably nothing else he could do. That Leng Jin Yu is a warrior, not an alchemist. Countering the herb''s effects should be difficult if not impossible to him. He probably thought that if Jing He will remember anyway he should do so as soon as possible. That won''t bring more harm than remembering slowly but at least he''ll know how dangerous it really is to the procedure of the trial."


    Rong Su ground his teeth but there was nothing he could say against that. "If Jing He really remembers everything ¡­" He shook his head.


    There were no rules against that but it would be hard to finish his trial in a satisfactory manner considering that he wouldn''t face it as purely a human anymore. Heaven certainly wouldn''t be happy to see someone who had gained knowledge of his previous identity as a god to do the trial. After all, wouldn''t that change things?


    "By the time he can judge how much of a problem it will be, it might be too late already. We have to think of a countermeasure to this herb immediately."


    Bai Fen nodded. She also knew what the consequences of angering Heaven might be. She definitely didn''t want her son to go through that. "The simplest solution would probably be the water of the river of forgetfulness. If he remembered everything, he certainly wouldn''t refuse to drink it since he would understand what is at stake. If he doesn''t, it would be even better."


    "Would it work if he drank the water before remembering everything? He''s in a human body now, after all ¡­"


    "No, he''d have to drink it afterward. Regarding that, it''s probably better if he remembers everything earlier. We could wait for him to remember everything and then give it to him. Ah, thankfully Qiu Ling followed him down there. If he asks him to do so, the boy should accept even if he doesn''t know what all this is about."


    "Mn. I''ll contact him."


    "Don''t." Bai Fen shook her head and took out a transmission stone. She imbued her energy and in the next moment another stone in one of the immortal realms lit up.


    The one holding onto it didn''t bother to take it out, though. Well, at least not for now. Naturally, he would contact her after he had finished what he was doing right now. After all, this was his mother-in-law contacting him! Whatever he did he couldn''t anger her. His marital bliss with Jing He largely depended on her!


    With a grim expression, Qiu Ling stepped on the demon in front of him again. "I''ll ask you one more time: Where is he? Don''t you dare lie to me! You''re a demon. I certainly wouldn''t mind disposing of you."


    "I have no idea who you''re talking about!"


    Qiu Ling rolled his eyes. "Xin Lan! Silvery hair, half of his face covered by a mask while the other half scowls all the time. Does that ring a bell?"


    The demon looked up at Qiu Ling in puzzlement. What was this guy talking about?! He had never seen anyone like that! Was he sure that he had come to the right realm?


    Qiu Ling slowly but surely lost his patience. "Damn this!" He took out his sword and swung it down. Hmph. He was doing the world a favor in eliminating this guy. Even that bastard Jin Ling probably couldn''t be mad at him for this.


    Eh? Speaking of that ¡­ If he was the one giving that Xin Lan commands, then he would have sent him to the demon realm''s palace to keep an eye on that hateful bastard. So ¡­ he should probably pay him a visit?


    Qiu Ling wanted to hurry over but he suddenly remembered that there was something else he needed to do first. He hurriedly whipped out one of his transmission stones and imbued his spiritual energy while already putting on a sweet smile.


    "Mother-in-law, forgive your unworthy son-in-law for not answering immediately! I was kind of occupied right now."

 Chapter 372 - I’m Not an Idiot

    Bai Fen didn''t even want to think more closely about what could be important enough for Qiu Ling to let her wait. Normally he would jump at every opportunity to give her a good impression.


    "It''s alright. Listen ¡ª"


    "Mother-in-law, have you decided to help me?" Qiu Ling winked at her. "I knew you wouldn''t just ignore Jing He''s plight! So when will you send an ascended deity down to open the array?"


    "Uh ¡­ That''s not it."


    "Hah?" Qiu Ling was stunned. She hadn''t contacted him to tell him that she would finally get Jing He out of that stupid secret realm? "Then why did you ¡­?"


    "I need your help. See, Jing He started to remember his old life."


    "Really?"


    Bai Fen sighed when she saw Qiu Ling''s eyes light up. "You know that this isn''t a good thing. Jing He is still attempting his trial right now. If he remembers, it''ll be troublesome."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. Alright, he could understand that. "Then what do you want me to do? It''s not like I can go in and tell him not to remember. Even if I wanted to do that, I still can''t. After all, he''s trapped in that secret realm." His gaze said that this was obviously her fault for not lending her help.


    The Heavenly Empress withstood the urge to curse him. For now. "Look, I get that you''re angry about that. But what was I supposed to do? Jing He has to do this trial. If he gets trapped in another dimension, then that is nothing I should interfere in."


    "But you want me to interfere now that he remembers." Qiu Ling looked at her skeptically before hurriedly taking a glance at his surroundings. Mn, this talk with his mother-in-law would probably take quite a bit of time. He should make his way over to the palace in the meantime.


    "That''s not the same. Whether he in that dimension or not won''t have much of an impact. But if he remembers that he was a god and finds out that he is only attempting a trial right now, that would render the whole trial pointless. Heaven won''t accept that.


    So I want you to help us make sure that he won''t remember his real life. You also understand that that is necessary. Think about what happened with the soul-devouring dagger. You don''t want him to be in danger again, do you?"


    "No, of course not. So what do you want me to do?" Qiu Ling finally relented but still started to walk into the direction of the demon realm''s royal palace. His mother-in-law might not think it was a good idea but he would get his beloved out of that special dimension! And that annoying Xin Lan would help him with that.


    Bai Fen took a relieved sigh when Qiu Ling''s attitude softened. She had really been afraid that he wouldn''t agree. It wouldn''t be impossible to have the boy drink the water of the river of forgetfulness but it would become more difficult. Especially if Qiu Ling even worked against them. Now, with his help, things would become a lot easier.


    "He remembered because of a herb he found in the special dimension. The process hasn''t finished yet so there isn''t anything we can do for now but as soon as we know that he has acquired all memories we can open the secret realm. Then we''ll have him drink some of the water from the river of forgetfulness."


    Qiu Ling stopped walking and looked at Bai Fen. He furrowed his brow for a bit before narrowing his eyes. "Mother-in-law, do you think of me as an idiot?"


    "No. Why ¡ª"


    "I might not be a terribly cultured man but even I now that if he drinks the water from the river of forgetfulness as a human, he won''t just forget the memories he acquired from his previous life but all of his memories. Including those from his new life as a human."


    "That''s true. But where''s the problem?"


    "He would forget about me, too!"


    Bai Fen sighed. "Qiu Ling, I understand that this is hard for you, too. But it''s the only way. We can''t have Jing He remember everything. If he figures out what this is all about, then ¡­ Heaven will punish him. That can''t happen."


    Qiu Ling looked at her, his mind working fast. He never would have thought he''d have to say this one day but ¡­ "You''re trying to dupe me. You don''t even know what he''ll remember. You''re just randomly guessing and you still want me to make him forget everything."


    "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "No!" Qiu Ling frowned. "Mother-in-law, I respect you very much and I don''t want any trouble with you but I won''t do this. This trial ¡­ I know it''s important to Jing He. I respect that, too. The mistakes I made before ¡­ I''ve already stopped being like that. When something bad happens I''m not interfering anymore.


    But this is the life he is supposed to live and we can''t take it from him. So, no, I won''t do this and you better not try to send somebody else to do it in my stead. I won''t allow it."


    He pulled his spiritual energy from the transmission stone and put it back into his spatial ring. Don''t kid him. This would ruin everything he had achieved in this life. He had waited so long for Jing He to grow up and then waited again for him to accept him again. Why would he sabotage himself?


    Qiu Ling shook his head and flew toward the palace. He wouldn''t help her with this. And he wouldn''t let her succeed in having somebody else do it. He would find that Xin Lan and he would get Jing He out of that secret realm with his help and then ¡­ He''d take him away.


    He wouldn''t return to the Yun Zou Sect with him. These guys'' hadn''t let them marry anyway and just made up one excuse after the other. It would be much better to leave and start a new life somewhere else. If he explained it to Jing He in a believable manner ¡­ Ah, no, maybe he wouldn''t even need to do that. Now that Jing He remembered he would probably want to leave himself. After all, hadn''t they decided to marry anyway?


    A smile bloomed on Qiu Ling''s lips. Yes, soon enough they''d be happily married and everyone else could just get lost. It would only be the two of them.

 Chapter 373 - Some Sentimental Feelings

    Qiu Ling took cover as soon as he came into the field of vision of the guards in front of the palace. Sure, he could just march in there and demand to see Xin Lan but ¡­ Who knew what exactly that guy was doing here? Maybe he wouldn''t come out if he made a ruckus because he wanted to keep his secret mission ¡­ well, secret.


    Qiu Ling observed the two guards in front of the gate for a while until he decided that those two weren''t a big deal at all. Then he examined the palace. Getting in there shouldn''t be too difficult. But how would he find Xin Lan? Maybe he wasn''t in the palace at all?


    Ah, no, no, no! He shouldn''t think too much. That annoying guy was definitely there and observed that damn bastard. What else could the old geezer have ordered him to do in the demon realm?


    Qiu Ling rushed out of his hiding place and hurried to the palace. He took another glance at the guards and flipped over the wall.


    Huh. Look at this! The security in this place was really awful. Maybe he should have those guys in the dragon realm check their own place. Mn, well, not for now.


    He hurried deeper into the palace and looked around, avoiding the few guards that were patrolling. Well, where would he hide if he was Xin Lan? He needed a place that was secure but would enable him to work on his task at all times. So, if he really was here to keep an eye on that bastard, then he would certainly live somewhere close to where that guy lived.


    Uh, imagine that!


    Qiu Ling shuddered and just went toward the innermost part of the palace. Wasn''t that where the important people lived? At least that old geezer had always lived in the middle of the dragon realm''s royal palace.


    Qiu Ling wandered through the palace unhindered but finding Jin Ling''s chambers wasn''t all that easy. It wasn''t like he''d hang a plaque with his name over the door, after all. So, he could only guess and open doors at random.


    He toured the rooms for almost two hours but couldn''t find even a hint of Xin Lan. "Just where is that annoying guy?" He turned in a circle in the hope of noticing something he hadn''t seen but there was nothing.


    Qiu Ling frowned. "This isn''t right. He turned up all on his own when Fu Heng and Fu Min came here but he won''t appear when I''m searching for him? What is that guy doing? Heh, you! I can still be considered your king! Shouldn''t you at least come out and greet me?"


    Naturally, Xin Lan wouldn''t do him the favor of coming out just because he behaved shamelessly.


    Qiu Ling sighed in frustration. "I really don''t know why you''re being like this. Even the old geezer wanted to help me with this. If not because his idea didn''t work, I certainly wouldn''t have come here. Or do you think I have some kind of urge to see you? Ugh, don''t kid me! I always found you annoying."


    "What are you talking about?"


    Qiu Ling whirled around. Shit! How had that guy suddenly appeared there?!


    Xin Lan frowned. "I asked what you were talking about."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows and got over his surprise. Well, at least he had found him now. "Ah, how nice of you to come out! You see it''s like this: My beloved got trap¡ª"


    "You were talking about His Majesty."


    Qiu Ling blinked and decided to play dumb. "I ¡­ Was I?"


    "You were. So what did you mean when you said that he wanted to help you?" Xin Lan stared at Qiu Ling, making sure not to miss even the slightest movement. He had heard it clearly. He just ¡­ needed to verify.


    Qiu Ling smiled perfunctorily. "Just what I said: The old geezer certainly would have wanted to help me with this. So, as his close follower shouldn''t you also want to help me?"


    "That''s not what you said." Xin Lan took a step forward. His face seemed impassive but only he himself knew how fast his heart was beating. Could it be? Could it really be? Had Jin Ling been right all along? Had his master really survived somehow? Was he ¡­ still alive and waited somewhere?


    "Mn, I might have misspoken. You see that bastard of a demon king did something that got my beloved trapped in another dimension. I''m really distraught because of that. You have to know he himself won''t be able to get out so I have to open that realm somehow. Unfortunately, the array used for opening it was done by humans and ¡­ I don''t have any idea how it works."


    "But His Majesty had one."


    Qiu Ling smiled a bit wider. "How could that be? He''s dead already, isn''t he? But thinking of all the intelligent people I ever knew I indeed remembered him. A pity that he can''t help me with this. But thinking of him I naturally couldn''t exclude you from these thoughts seeing that you''ve always hung around him so when I heard that you were here on some secret mission I couldn''t help but come over."


    Honestly, he didn''t really like the old geezer but the guy had helped him quite a few times and ¡­ well, he did have at least some sentimental feelings and that old guy was his father''s true love, after all. He shouldn''t sell him out.


    Qiu Ling watched Xin Lan take another step and silently raised his guard. He wouldn''t sell the old geezer out but he couldn''t take any chances with this annoying guy in front of him either. He might not fear anyone in the dragon or demon realm but this guy ¡­ If they fought, it would be a miracle if he managed to win and even then he''d have to pay a hefty price. He wouldn''t risk that.


    Xin Lan stopped next to Qiu Ling. He examined that face that was a little too familiar to that person''s. There instantly was that old hate welling up inside him but he pressed it down again. This was too important. He couldn''t let his emotions get in the way.


    "So you''ve come to ask for my help in freeing your beloved."


    "Mn. So, do you know anything about human arrays?"


    "Maybe I do." Xin Lan turned away and silently lifted his hand, looking at his claws in contemplation. "The question is ¡­ Why should I help you?"

 Chapter 374 - Negotiating the Terms

    Qiu Ling felt an alarm go off in his head. Shit! This guy ¡­ was trying to trap him.


    Indeed. Xin Lan looked over his shoulder at Qiu Ling''s slightly pale face and the corner of his mouth that wasn''t covered by the mask curled up where Qiu Ling couldn''t see it. "You don''t know?"


    "Well ¡­ We know each other. You could do it for the sake of our old feelings."


    "Mn. I could. Unfortunately, I''ve never liked you. In fact, rather than helping you to get your beloved out I might as well add another array on top to make sure he stays in there forever."


    Qiu Ling shut up before the words he had prepared could get out. Alright. He shouldn''t try to negotiate with him that way. He looked at the floor and pondered before clearing his throat.


    "Well, you don''t like me but ¡­ the old geezer wanted me to follow in his footsteps, didn''t he? So, shouldn''t you want to help me?"


    Xin Lan finally completely turned back around. "Now you''re starting to consider how I think. Unfortunately, you running after your beloved doesn''t have anything to do with you being king. I don''t see any reason to help."


    "I can only be king as long as I live. And you know ¡­ how dragons work."


    "Mn, Heaven''s curse. Without your beloved ¡­" Xin Lan slowly paced up and down. "At least that''s what''s being said."


    "That''s how it is."


    "Is that so? Then I really wonder how your father managed to survive all those years after betraying His Majesty."


    Qiu Ling wanted to retort but he had no words. Yes, honestly, how had his father done that? He couldn''t imagine it at all. If it was him ¡­ "You''d have to ask my father about that. I certainly can''t imagine. So please. Help me get him out of there."


    Xin Lan didn''t answer and just continued slowly walk up and down.


    "What do you want me to do? Beg you? I''ll do that. I''ll even get down on my knees if you want that."


    Xin Lan stopped. "That would certainly be nice to see."


    Qiu Ling instantly moved to do what he promised but Xin Lan''s next words froze him in place.


    "Unfortunately, it won''t be enough. What use is there in you kneeling down? The short pleasure I might derive from that ¡­ it''s so fleeting. That''s not something I pursue."


    Qiu Ling straightened up again. "Then what do you want? I''d do anything as long as I can get my beloved back."


    Xin Lan looked at him. Ah, hearing him say that he actually felt that this boy wasn''t so detestable. At least he was better than his father. He would actually try to stay with the one he claimed to love even if the circumstances were adverse.


    "Well, it''s quite moving hearing you talk about him like this. I guess it''s not impossible for me to help you. It''s just that I''m quite a busy man seeing that I still have to accomplish the task His Majesty gave me. If I actually leave for a while to help you, then you should make this worthwhile for me."


    "I''ll do whatever I can. Is there something you want? I''ll go and get it for you."


    "Mn, there is. And you know what it is already." Xin Lan stepped closer and smiled. "So, I''ll help you save your beloved ¡­ if you tell me where His Majesty is."


    Qiu Ling opened his mouth but Xin Lan shook his head.


    "This isn''t negotiable. There always was and always will be only one person I care about and that is His Majesty. So either you tell me what you know or ¡­ you might want to look for somebody else to help you."


    Qiu Ling lowered his gaze. He knew it! Ah, damn this. Had he known before ¡­ He shouldn''t just have talked aloud. He sighed and looked up again. "I know you admired him very much, so naturally, I''d really like to help you with this. But we both know that he is dead. In fact, you were the one who told me back then. I wasn''t in the dragon realm back when it happened. So why do you insist that I would know more about his death than you do?"


    "You said it before."


    "I misspoke. As I''ve said. You also know that this is insane. So please, let''s talk about something I can really do to get your help."


    Xin Lan smiled. "Qiu Ling, you coming here and saying all that ¡­ Do you think I wouldn''t be able to find out about it on my own? I don''t know why but he probably descended to the mortal world and went into hiding somewhere. When you went there you found him by chance which ultimately made you come here when you needed help because His Majesty couldn''t help you.


    In other words, I''d just have to backtrack the steps you took in the mortal realm and I would find him sooner or later. Now, there are two possibilities: One, I''ll go and search for him and finally find out what I want to while you ¡­ still have to find a way to save your beloved.


    Two, you make matters easier for me and tell me where to find His Majesty and as a show of my appreciation for you saving me a bit of time I''ll free your beloved. Now, which one do you want?"


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes. He didn''t want to sell the old geezer out but it seemed it was too late. He had already unwittingly revealed it. He sighed and nodded. "Alright, I''ll bring you there. But I will only do so after you''ve helped me save my beloved."


    "Tch. You think I''d fall for that?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "I''m being serious here. You don''t like me, that''s obvious. So shouldn''t you hold up your end of the bargain first? Furthermore, I''ve already confirmed what you wanted to know. You could go and find him yourself. So, you help me first then I''ll tell you."


    Xin Lan leaned forward. "Alright. But you better don''t try to play any tricks. If you don''t do what you''ve said ¡­ or even try to hinder me in finding His Majesty then I will take revenge. And not against you but against your beloved and I assure you that you wouldn''t like what I''d do to him. Do you understand?"


    Qiu Ling gritted his teeth. Yes, unfortunately, he understood too well. "Don''t worry. I wouldn''t risk his life. Never."


    "Mn, I certainly hope so." Xin Lan turned away. "Alright, then let''s go." With that, he left the room and Qiu Ling could only follow him with a sigh.


    Suddenly, the great idea to find this guy to help him didn''t seem so great anymore.


    Sorry, old geezer, I''ll have to sell you out in the end after all.

 Chapter 375 - He Plucked His Flower

    Qiu Ling tried to be as slow as he could about bringing Xin Lan to the Leyuan region. He still hoped that maybe his mother-in-law would try to contact him again and that the gods might get involved then and that he would have time to warn the old geezer while still not having to endanger Jing He''s life.


    Well, he certainly wouldn''t have delayed like this had he known that he was, in fact, already racing against time. Now, it really was questionable if he would be able to free Jing Yi from the secret realm in time to prevent what could only be called a disaster.


    Since the time in the demon realm flowed differently from that in the human and the secret realm a few weeks had already gone by when Qiu Ling returned. Never mind the injured disciples that had already been taken back to the Yun Zou Sect, naturally, this was also enough time for Jing Yi and Leng Jin Yu in the secret realm to put their plan into action.


    By the time Qiu Ling and Xin Lan arrived at the array that marked the point where the secret realm would open Jing Yi had long entered his inner self. In fact, he had already stumbled upon the place he was searching for.


    Jing Yi looked up at the gates of the palace and couldn''t help but frown. This place looked slightly familiar although he was sure that he had never been here in this life. Most likely this should be a place he had frequented a lot in his past life.


    "This probably is the place where I can find my memories ¡­" He slowly walked toward the gates.


    He didn''t know how long exactly he had been in his inner self now but it was probably about two weeks. Thanks to the time he had spent in Qiu Ling''s inner self back then he had felt that the inner self was a scary place where you''d need to watch every step you took.


    Surprisingly, his inner self had turned out to be completely different: There was the hut he had lived in when he was a child, the teahouse in the capital and the streets where he had played with Xiao Dong, even the Yun Zou Sect and that house in the Hei Dian Sect where he had lived with Qiu Ling were there.


    Nothing of this was scary. Quite the contrary, he felt happy when he saw these things. All these were memories he was fond of. It really spoke volumes about how different the life he had led was from Qiu Ling''s. It turned out ¡­ his fiance hadn''t really had any memories he wanted to remember.


    Well, nothing besides that one person he had dearly loved.


    Jing Yi shook his head. He himself had obviously been very much in love with another man in a previous life. It wasn''t exactly the same as the situation with Qiu Ling and that Jing He but it could probably be compared now that he remembered.


    So, he didn''t have to worry. That person could only be regarded as a fond memory. Nothing more, nothing less.


    Jing Yi took a deep breath and finally pushed the gates open. The first thing he saw was an intricate folding screen. He paused and took a longer look even though just a short glance was enough to tell him that this was something he had already seen in previous memories. It was obviously the folding screen that stood in front of one of the doors of the room he had lived in.


    Jing Yi''s heart thumped. This really was the right place. If nothing went wrong, then he would finally find the rest of the memories from his past life here.


    Jing Yi stepped past the screen and took in the room behind it. This really was the one he had seen previously. He went over to the desk where he had placed the painting in the memory he acquired previously but this time the desk was empty. There was no scroll so he couldn''t take a closer look. This was just ¡­ an empty room.


    Jing Yi frowned. Yu Jin hadn''t explained too much and just told him that he might go into his inner self and explore his memories. As for how exactly he would do that and how he would know that he had remembered everything he could ¡­ he didn''t know anything about that. So, it seemed he could only go and look around and hope that his memories would come back sooner or later. Maybe something he saw would trigger them.


    Jing Yi turned away from the desk and went to the other door he had seen in his memories. He opened it and found the familiar garden in front of him. In his previous life, he seemed to have spent a lot of time here. Most likely some memories would be tied to this place.


    He slowly walked over and took a closer look. These plants ¡­ he had never seen them before. Well, if he had understood correctly, then he was in the Nine Heavens right now. It was to be expected that things would be different. These were probably plants that only grew in the realms of the immortals.


    Jing Yi reached out to touch one of them but somebody else was faster. A hand bypassed his, grabbed the flower and cleanly plucked it off.


    "Your Highness, I came to see you again. Here, this is for you." The flower was stuffed into his hands.


    Jing Yi''s past self turned around with a smile while his current self couldn''t help but stare dumbfounded at the flower in his hands. This ¡­ Had this guy just plucked one of his flowers and then gifted it to him? What kind of nonsense was this?!


    "Mn ¡­ It suits you so well. You''re looking ¡­ especially lovely today."


    Jing Yi''s heart fluttered a little and the resentment over the man''s shamelessness was replaced by a sudden sweetness. His past self paused when he noticed and hurriedly pressed the sentiment down. It seemed he didn''t want to feel like this for the man in front of him.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but be curious. How come the person he had remembered to love so deeply was suddenly treated like this? Or was this somebody else? He wanted to look up at him but as soon as he moved the memory dissolved. The man behind him vanished, the flower in his hands disappeared. There was only him at the edge of the garden.

 Chapter 376 - I Can’t Beat Him up for You

    Jing Yi frowned. What was going on? Why hadn''t he been able to look at that man? Even after rediscovering some memories where he had played a big role he still didn''t even know how that man looked. Was it because this was, after all, just a memory? Maybe he wasn''t allowed to do what he hadn''t done in his past life?


    "Honestly. Is it asking too much for you to turn around and look up at him? He''s your lover, isn''t he? Why don''t you dare look him in the eye?"


    Then again ¡­ That just now hadn''t been the words of a lover. If anything, these were the words and actions of an admirer. An admirer that was a bit lacking. Who would come to someone''s garden, pluck off a flower and then present it as if he had done something very romantic?


    The image of a goofily smiling man sprang up in his mind and Jing Yi''s lips couldn''t help but twitch. Alright, this was exactly what Qiu Ling would do, too. These two ¡­ were really very similar.


    Jing Yi furrowed his brows even more. Was all this really just a coincidence? Or maybe ¡­ Could it be that Qiu Ling had also been reincarnated once just as he had? Maybe once upon a time, he had been that person? Maybe that was why Qiu Ling had fallen in love with him at first sight even though he had still been so young? Maybe as an immortal, he could perceive better what had happened in their past lives?


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. Maybe that was it. But ¡­ then why had Qiu Ling fallen in love with that other person?


    He couldn''t figure it out so he could only believe that he was thinking too much.


    "I guess I can''t deny it. Somehow, I''ve been very much in love with another man. Searching for some kind of connection between them ¡­ I guess I''m just as hopeless as Qiu Ling."


    He sighed and shook his head. His past self was really too vexing. He hadn''t even seen the face of his past lover yet. Maybe then things would be easier. Or maybe ¡­ it was good as it was. Maybe seeing more of him would make it more difficult for him.


    Yes. He should probably go somewhere else and try to remember other things. As long as that man wasn''t around it should be better, shouldn''t it?


    He walked along the edge of the garden, turned at the corner of the palace and walked away. As soon as he stepped forward, the plane in front of him turned into a road.


    Jing Yi paused and raised his brows. Was this ¡­ some kind of clue? Was he supposed to follow this road? He hesitated. What if he had misunderstood and this road would vanish just like the flower before? He didn''t really want to risk that. But what else could he do?


    He gazed into the distance. This wasn''t a real road just like the hut he had seen hadn''t been real. This was only something formed from his memory. In the case of the hut, it had been something he could really remember because he had experienced it in this life. This road, however ¡­ It was probably part of a memory that was available to him.


    He really regretted not knowing more about the inner self right now. Maybe then he would know what to do. In the end, he could only step forward even though he felt that it wasn''t the right thing to do.


    He slowly followed the road and soon enough the palace he had visited with his mother before appeared in the distance. Jing Yi stopped and looked up at it. This was where he had met his father. This was ¡­


    "Jing He."


    Jing Yi shuddered. Where had that been coming from? It felt like a nightmare suddenly being reminded of the person Qiu Ling had loved before. Unfortunately, after being called by Jing He''s name so often by his fiance over the years Jing Yi hadn''t even noticed that his mother, too, had called him the very same name in one of his memories. Otherwise, he might have noticed that something was odd about being called this familiar name twice already in his memories.


    As such he only turned around and noticed a man hurrying toward him. He smiled in a friendly and familiar manner. Jing Yi couldn''t help but reciprocate it and one word emerged in his thoughts.


    "Uncle."


    He froze. He had just blurted it out without thinking any more about it. Would this ¡­


    The memory didn''t shatter this time. Instead, the man nodded at the palace. "I was on my way to your father. You seem to be headed there, too?"


    Jing Yi followed his instinct and nodded. It seemed everything would be alright if he just did what his past self would have done? And he ¡­ seemed to be able to feel it?


    Together with this uncle of his Jing Yi walked toward the palace. He didn''t know what to say. Most likely his past self wouldn''t have said anything anyway. He seemed to be the kind of person that wouldn''t talk if he didn''t have to.


    His uncle seemed to want to talk, though. "You''re fleeing from that not so secret admirer of yours?" There was a hint of teasing in his voice that made Jing Yi blush.


    "Uncle ¡­"


    "Ah, I know, I know. Uncle has let you down. I''m afraid I can''t go and beat him up for you."


    Jing Yi''s lips curved into a smile although he felt that it was rather perfunctory. "It wouldn''t be wise anyway."


    "Mn. The war with the demons ¡­" His uncle sighed again and gently patted his shoulder. "Don''t think too much. If you like him, everything will be possible. If not ¡­ Well, I might not be able to beat him but I can still hold him off so he can''t come and bother you."


    "Demons?" Jing Yi couldn''t help but blurt out. He cursed. Naturally, this wasn''t anything his past self would do. The memory that had been proceeding quite nicely stopped and he found himself standing alone on that road in front of the palace where he had wanted to meet his father.


    Ah, it seemed he''d have to control himself better if he wanted this to work.

 Chapter 377 - Just Wishful Thinking

    Jing Yi silently followed the rest of the road and arrived at the palace. His thoughts were still circling the previous conversation with his uncle, though.


    Thinking back now he was sure that his uncle had called him ''Jing He''. For a moment, this made his heart leap with joy. Maybe everything had been different from what he thought? Maybe the person Qiu Ling had fallen in love with back then had been him all along?


    But upon thinking closer about it it made no sense. It was only wishful thinking. Yes, that person had died and might have reincarnated. It wasn''t impossible. But the rest didn''t match.


    Even though his past life''s lover could display a bit of the shamelessness he knew from Qiu Ling and even though they were quite similar overall, too, that person couldn''t be Qiu Ling himself. If he was, wouldn''t Qiu Ling have told him so?


    Furthermore, there was still the thing about his position. His mother had clearly said that that man was the sovereign of his realm, a king. Qiu Ling had to do with the king of the dragon race but that was all.


    And if that wasn''t enough to nip things in the bud, now his uncle had even brought up the demons. Qiu Ling''s stance toward them ¡­ nothing needed to be said about that. He obviously hated them. He had every right to do so. And now it seemed like ¡­ the one he had fallen in love with in his previous life had some ties to the demons. Why else would his uncle have brought this up?


    He felt like he had let Qiu Ling down with this. But it was his past life. There was nothing he could do about it. It couldn''t be changed anymore.


    Jing Yi shook his head and climbed the steps to the palace. The guards bowed, almost making Jing Yi stop in his tracks again. It seemed his own identity wasn''t that simple either. Hadn''t his lover also called him ''Your Highness''? So this had to mean that he hadn''t just a high status but ¡­ was on par with his lover? Had he also been part of a royal household?


    Jing Yi forced himself to continue into the hall even though he felt numb inside. Immortal. And now even royalty? He certainly never would have expected this.


    "Jing He!"


    The excited voice of his father pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up and smiled.


    "Father."


    It was surprisingly easy saying this in the face of this man''s smile. He had obviously loved him very much when he had been his son in his past life. His mother, too. They seemed both great. He could certainly be happy to have been blessed with such nice families for two lifetimes.


    The man reached out and gently touched his cheek. "You''re looking a little fatigued. That bast¡ª" He coughed. "Ahem, that person wouldn''t have bothered you again yesterday, would he?"


    Jing Yi continued to smile although he instantly lowered his lids, shielding his gaze. Even while saying what his past self had said, Jing Yi couldn''t help but feel some dread. Just why had he behaved like this? Never showing his true feelings ¡­ Was this being dishonest or just being extremely weak?


    "It''s nothing, father. Your son is feeling really well. Furthermore ¡­ If anything I can do can help with maintaining the current relationship between our races, then that would make me happy, too."


    "Hmph." His father snorted. "Don''t you worry. I won''t marry you off to that shameless guy. Never. Over my dead body."


    "Father ¡­" Jing Yi reached out and gently touched his arm. "There is no need to fret. I already promised you that I wouldn''t marry a man you don''t like, didn''t I?"


    "Mn." His father seemed a little appeased at these words. "Well, let''s not talk about that person anymore. It''s ruining the mood. Come on in. Sit down for a bit, have a cup of tea."


    He ushered him into a study next to the hall and waved at one of the servants to bring them some tea. Jing Yi couldn''t help but frown inwardly, though. As nice as this father of his past life was he had probably been the main reason why his past self was so reluctant to get involved with the man he obviously loved. Between the loyalty to his family and the love for a man that was only just blossoming it was probably hard to decide.


    He could relate to that. If his mother hadn''t liked Qiu Ling, he probably wouldn''t have gotten involved with him either. The family that had raised him for all these years ¡­ how could he just betray them like this? Was this also what his past self had thought? Was that why he was behaving like this? But he didn''t even dare to tell his father the truth! Maybe all this could be solved if he just told his father that he loved that man!


    Jing Yi couldn''t just do that though. If he wanted to acquire this memory, then he had to do what his past self had done. He had to restrain himself and become him for the time being.


    He tried to calm down as good as he could, just like when he wanted to cultivate. He didn''t think any further about what was going on or what he would have done and just watched as if all this wasn''t his past life but just something he observed as a passerby.


    His past self smiled and thanked the servant that brought the tea, his voice serene. "Let me do this."


    "Of course, your Highness." The servant stepped back with a smile and bowed before leaving the room.


    Jing Yi, no, Jing He poured his father a cup of tea while still continuing to smile. His father''s gaze didn''t leave him for even a second. Each movement, each gesture, each gaze were all noticed by him, all scrutinized.


    In the silence of Jing Yi''s mind, Jing He''s thoughts welled up conjuring up yet another memory the Jing He himself was remembering at that moment.

 Chapter 378 - The Perfect Child

    Dark clouds covered the entire sky, looming over him, growling and twisting in an endless manner, enlarging the shadows around him and lighting up the room with pale white light. He shivered. His tiny hands clutched the hems of his sleeves and he retreated to the side but it wasn''t like he could escape from a storm.


    The wind blew across the Nine Heavens and rain started to patter down. Jing He shivered and shrank even further into the corner of the courtyard. He covered his ears so as to not hear the thunder and pressed his eyes close so as to not see the lightning. He curled up and remained like that for the following hours.


    Far from him, lightning finally struck and the screams of the gods rose into the air. Jing He jerked and tears streamed down his cheeks. He wanted to go out and go back to his parents but he was afraid. Why was nobody coming to get him? Why was nobody searching for him? Not only scared but now even feeling alone he cried even harder.


    The night finally went by.


    "Jing He! Jing He!"


    Jing He awoke in the very same courtyard, his hands and face as cold as ice and his clothes wet from the morning dew. He blearily opened his eyes and looked ahead. That seemed ¡­ like the figures of his parents?


    "Mother ¡­" He called out but his voice was too weak to reach them.


    Jing He panicked. Would they leave him here? He extended his tiny arms but he had, after all, hid in a corner where he would be safe from the rain. How could they see him? Tears once again sprang to his eyes and he tried to crawl out of his hiding place. He pulled himself forward on the ground until finally a small, white hand could be seen.


    "Jing He!" The one who spotted him was his mother. She ran over, pulled him out and picked him up.


    His father was right behind her but the initial relief written on his face was soon replaced by anger. "Just what do you think you did?! How could you run away like this? Did you want to die?!"


    Jing He paled even more in the face of his father''s fury. And finally, he couldn''t take it anymore. A spell of dizziness hit him and he fell straight to the ground, enveloped in darkness.


    He could only recall bits and pieces of what had happened after that. Sometimes he was awake and conscious, sometimes he was awake but who knew where his consciousness had gone? And most of the time there was nothing but endless darkness and the feeling of never waking up again.


    He was vaguely aware that his uncle had carried him somewhere and that he had been ill for the following weeks, hovering between life and death all the time. His mother had been sitting next to his bed, holding his hands and crying. She only did one other thing in those weeks: Screaming at his father to get out as soon as he dared to come close as if all this was his fault. And, yes, she seemed to have believed that.


    Jing He could remember. There was that one thing he remembered in absolute clarity although he''d rather have forgotten about it.


    His uncle had been there sitting next to his mother and trying to convince her to take at least a short break. "Bai Fen, I''ll be here," he had said. "Nothing will happen to him."


    "I won''t. I won''t leave him alone. I''ll stay with him."


    His uncle sighed. "What''s the use in that? Look at him. He hasn''t been conscious for three days already. And even before that ¡­"


    "I won''t!" She was adamant.


    "He won''t wake up just because you stay here."


    "But at least I won''t be away if ¡­ if ¡­"


    "It''s alright. I understand."


    "How could you? You don''t have children. You''re not even married. You don''t know how this is. Nobody does. I ¡­ I also would have liked to be like a normal goddess. Bearing and raising some cute children. Who wouldn''t like this? If I had known ¡­ If I had known ¡­" She started sobbing again, making Jing He''s heart ache even now that he remembered it. It had been worse back then.


    He really wanted to wake up. He wanted to wake up and tell her that she didn''t need to be so sad. Look! He was alright. He was her cute child that she could raise. Wasn''t that enough? Wasn''t that good?


    "Bai Fen ¡­"


    "I''ve already lost two of them. I can''t lose Jing He, too. I can''t."


    "You won''t. I''m sure he''ll wake up. And then ¡­ and then we''ll just pay better attention. It was my fault this time. I didn''t guard him well enough. He somehow slipped out."


    "If he didn''t, he''d be dead already. It''s the curse, Qiang Yan, the curse. None of the children of the Heavenly Emperor are exempt from suffering under it. I honestly ¡­ don''t see any possibility to raise him until adulthood. One way or another, Heaven will take him from us. I should ¡­ never have married his father. If he was the son of a normal family, then he wouldn''t have to suffer like this. Wouldn''t it be better that way?"


    His uncle sighed. "It''s hard. I know that. But you''ve already married the Heavenly Emperor and you''ve already given birth to the heir to the throne. This is nothing that can be changed anymore. Let''s just ¡­ do our best.


    Look at him. Isn''t he quite big already? That''s so much better than the last two times. This time it''ll certainly work out."


    "Let''s hope so." His mother had squeezed his hand while he was once again enveloped by that darkness.


    He managed to live through it. Although his life had never been the same. Causing mischief just one time had actually led to such a disaster. How could he continue being a willful child? The things that had happened, the things he had heard ¡­ it had changed too much.


    From the day he woke up again Jing He had only ever been the perfect child for his parents. Never doing anything they didn''t want him to do, never saying anything he wasn''t supposed to say. And with the years, a character had formed that he himself didn''t want to examine too closely. Because if he did, he might feel like being struck dead by the lightning that night or being swallowed by the darkness in the weeks after might have been a better fate.

 Chapter 379 - Mending His Irresponsible Behavior

    Jing He came out of his thoughts and looked up at his father with a sigh. He never wanted to see him angry again or hear the worry in his uncle''s voice or feel the hot tears of his mother on his skin. Even now, he still felt that he had done the right thing back then when he changed his behavior.


    And now he had to do the right thing, too. He had to reject this man that his father wouldn''t accept. He had to make sure that he wouldn''t come and find him again. But he also had to make sure that he was tactful enough not to endanger the relationship between their races.


    It was a pity but ¡­ what could he do? This had been going on for far too long. Just a few days should have been enough time for him to figure it out but he had actually let things drag on until almost two years had gone by. It was no wonder that the gods had started talking and that his uncle would joke about it and that his father would react like this. It was his fault. He hadn''t reacted the way he should. He had ¡­ almost made another mistake.


    Jing He accompanied his father in silence for a while before giving him an apologetic smile. "Father, please excuse me. There is something I still need to do."


    "Oh?" His father reached over and took his hand, gently rubbing his skin with his thumb. "Don''t tire yourself out, my child. You should also rest every now and then."


    "I will, father." He still stood up and left, his thoughts churning.


    Nobody knew better than him why he was so hesitant. Yes, there was the fear of worsening the relationship between their races but if he was truly honest, then that wasn''t the main reason. No, in fact, he had done it for himself. He had tolerated that behavior because it was a nice change in his otherwise dull life. He had ¡­ liked seeing someone come over and act crazy for his sake.


    He had ¡­ behaved utterly irresponsible.


    Jing He stopped when he left the field of vision of the guards in front of his father''s palace and looked up at the sky. "A cursed child, is it?" He sighed.


    He had lived a thousand years by now. That couldn''t be considered old for a trueborn god but contrary to the him of that dark memory he was already considered an adult. He couldn''t behave willfully anymore. After all, he understood the consequences already. He might not be at the age anymore where the curse would implicate him but that wasn''t a reason to take any chances. He couldn''t betray the hope of his parents, he couldn''t ¡­ disappoint the expectations Heaven had for him.


    Jing He sighed again and finally made his way to another palace. His heart hurt coming here and thinking of what he was about to do. But there was no other way. He had to do it.


    He nodded at the guards and smiled. "Crown prince Jing He came to see the God of War, Qiang Yan."


    "Your Highness." The guards bowed, one of them slightly blushing at his sight before he led the way inside.


    Jing He maintained his smile while following him. Such a man was probably the one he''d marry one day. Well, probably not a mere guard knowing his father but maybe one of the Heavenly Generals or rather one of their chosen successors. Someone from their own race who could guard him and add to the prestige of his family. Someone Heaven wouldn''t mind seeing at his side.


    Well, he could probably also take a wife as his father had done but if he was honest, he had no interest in women whatsoever. No, if he was truly honest, then what he saw when he closed his eyes ¡­


    He blinked and for a moment a familiar figure appeared in his mind, soothing his chaotic thoughts. Ah, it should be enough to remember him like this, to remember how it had felt being loved this intensely.


    He who bore the curse of Heaven couldn''t expect more than that. Finding love, being happy with that person ¡­ it was asking too much. The sins of his ancestors, they still hadn''t been paid off.


    Jing He waited in his uncle''s study when the guard had shown him inside. He took a look at the sword displayed to the side and smiled. Ah, this really reminded him of the clamor that broke loose most of the time when that person came over. The clanging of weapons, the angry shouts of the guards ¡­


    But he still somehow always looked impeccable when he stood in front of him and nothing indicated that there had been a scuffle with the guards. In fact, he always looked as if he had just leisurely walked over. Not rushed at all. There wasn''t a hair out of place or even a single wrinkle in his clothes. He was ¡­ perfect all around.


    Well, he always was.


    The door behind him opened and his uncle stepped into the study. "Jing He."


    "Uncle." Jing He smiled and hurriedly shelved the thoughts about that man. He couldn''t let his uncle notice his feelings.


    The God of War smiled back and motioned at the door. "I guess there was something to talk about. How about we go for a stroll?"


    "Mn." Jing He followed him outside, not saying anything for a long time.


    He wasn''t even sure anymore if he wanted to bring it up. Maybe he could drag it on for another year? If he just ¡­ played for time, maybe everything would solve itself? Maybe he wouldn''t have to reject the man that made his heart beat faster? Because he honestly didn''t want to. He''d much rather ¡­ bath a little longer in that gentleness. He really wanted to bath in it until he drowned.


    "Eh? Isn''t that that Fu Min?" His uncle suddenly motioned ahead.


    Jing He looked over and saw someone hurriedly running away. If he wasn''t wrong, it was one of that man''s subordinates. Jing He sighed. This was probably a sign. He shouldn''t waver. He should do what he had gone to his uncle for.


    "Uncle, say, you know more about their race than I do. How do you think I should reject one of them?"

 Chapter 380 - A Lovestruck God

    "Rejecting?" Qiang Yan turned to look at him, obviously stunned. "Why ¡­ Why would you do that? I thought ¡­"


    He didn''t finish the sentence but Jing He could imagine what he wanted to say: I thought you liked him. So it turned out he was that transparent.


    "Father doesn''t like him."


    "Well, your mother likes him ¡­"


    "It''s a pity then. I can''t fulfill both of their wishes." Jing He looked away. Ah, he didn''t want to see his uncle''s gaze right now. He didn''t want to see anyone. He''d much rather be alone and think of that person since there was nothing else he could do.


    "Jing He, have you ever thought ¡­" Qiang Yan sighed. "Look, this is about choosing your spouse. Whether your father or mother is satisfied with the choice isn''t really important, is it? You''re the one who''ll spend his life with that person. You''re the one who should be happy.


    Even if both your parents wouldn''t like the idea of you marrying that person it would still be better than marrying someone you''re not happy with. You''d just be miserable if you did that. And isn''t your mother alright with him? That''s still good. It could be really hard to find someone both your parents agree on."


    Jing He took a shaky breath. He didn''t want to hear this. He had just resolved himself to end things with the one he loved because he was sure that it was the right thing to do. Why was his uncle saying the opposite now? He didn''t know what to do anymore!


    "He ¡­ He isn''t even a god."


    His uncle kept quiet for a while. "Is that really bothering you?"


    Jing He hurriedly nodded. What else was there to say? Besides these two points, there was nothing to criticize about him. He was handsome and knew how to take care of his appearance. When had he ever seen him not dressed impeccably? From head to toe, he knew how to present himself and that wasn''t just about how he looked. It was hard to describe but the feeling he gave off when he stood in front of him was unforgettable. He gave off the impression that he was dependable more than anyone else and he radiated a strength unique to him.


    And still, he was still so unbelievably gentle with him. Every time he touched him it would be with utmost care as if he could break if he just used a little more pressure. If he held his hands, he always felt like he was someone especially treasured, the most important person in all of the mortal and immortal realms. It was as if ¡­ that man''s whole world revolved around him.


    And it wasn''t just in the way he touched him, either. He knew how to listen, too, and he could talk for hours if he noticed that you didn''t want to say anything. And if you really wanted to have a conversation, then he would be the right partner for that, too. The things he said could be so insightful and he would address the things most important to you.


    He was ¡­ perfect all around.


    "You''re looking lovestruck."


    Jing He turned to his uncle, prepared to refute but still unable to utter even a word in his defense. Yes, most likely, he was already lovestruck. He averted his face and kept silent. What else was there to say?


    "So ¡­ despite being in love with him and despite your mother being alright with him you still want to reject him?"


    "He isn''t a god." Jing He could only weakly repeat what he had said before but it was probably obvious from his expression that his heart spoke different words.


    Qiang Yan nodded slowly. "Well, it won''t be too late in a few days. Come on, let your uncle tell you a story first."


    Jing He looked up at him questioningly. He had no idea what his uncle might want to tell him. Qiang Yan didn''t immediately start to talk though. He just continued walking as if he had to organize his thoughts first.


    "You know I''ve never told this story to anyone but ¡­ when I had my last trial I fell in love with a woman."


    Jing He didn''t say anything. He could imagine what his uncle was trying to get at but how could that be compared? This wasn''t just a trial. This was his life and the person he was falling for ¡­ he wouldn''t just disappear.


    Qiang Yan looked up at the sky and smiled. "Ah, I was really madly in love with her. Together we journeyed through the lands and nearly scaled the heavens. In fact, even after returning I thought that ¡­ if she had managed to indeed ascend to the Nine Heavens, I would have told her everything and asked her to marry me."


    "But she didn''t."


    "No, she didn''t. She ¡­ must have died trying to do so." He sighed. "Ah, it''s a pity. As a god, I''ve never fallen in love. Only she ¡­ Mn, well, that''s not the point I wanted to talk about. You have to know that this woman wasn''t what I thought her to be at first. I thought she was merely human but after returning I naturally realized that that wasn''t the truth. She wasn''t human. Not much, at least. She was partly human but also partly god and another part of her was even demonic."


    "That ¡­" Jing He didn''t know what else to say. "How could that be?"


    "Well, somewhere some time along the way a god and a demon must have fallen in love with each other and had a child. If that is possible, then why should you reject him if you''re in love with him?"


    "But ¡ª"


    "No buts. You''re in love with him and he''s in love with you. There''s no need to consider anything else."


    "The Son of Heaven ¡ª"


    "Is only a person, too. And every person has the right to fall in love. So don''t torture yourself anymore. You don''t have to reject him. You don''t have to marry him immediately either. Just ¡­ go along with it. And someday you''ll know if it''s the right thing to do or not."

 Chapter 381 - What Should Be His Will Be His

    The memory diffused as if he had reached the end. Jing Yi surfaced from the ruminant state he had been in and blinked his eyes. He had seen so many things, he didn''t even know where to start with processing them.


    The worst thing was that these memories didn''t seem to follow the course of his previous life. The things he had seen earlier, outside of his inner self seemed to have happened long after the things he had witnessed just now. After all, they had already been lovers in those early memories while this just now had obviously been from a time when nothing was certain yet between them.


    The only thing Jing Yi knew with certainty was: Jing He had loved that Tian very, very much. Not just seeing him, even thinking about him had made his heart beat faster. It really was a pity that their circumstances had been so bad. Well, if he was honest, he still didn''t really understand what about them had been bad.


    Sure, his father had been against it and they had been from different races but was that really so bad? He and Qiu Ling were also from different races but he hadn''t really cared when he found out. In fact, the only thing that bothered him about Qiu Ling being a dragon was that Qiu Ling would lose someone important to him again if he didn''t manage to become immortal. Everything else could certainly be overcome somehow.


    Well, he didn''t have to live with being cursed though, so maybe that was actually the main reason.


    Speaking of that ¡­ He didn''t really understand what that curse had been either. Was it having some kind of bad luck? Something where when he was careless he''d die? But how would he know that that was a curse and not things that just happened like that? After all, everyone had bad luck sometimes. Was it different for gods?


    In the end, even though he had remembered quite a bit he still couldn''t understand anything. There were just too many things he didn''t know. He instead started to understand what Yu Jin had meant when he said that only half a Fractured Crystal Leaf wouldn''t be useful to him. It was true that one couldn''t find out everything from only half the memories. One would really need all memories to understand everything.


    Jing Yi couldn''t change anything about only having found a damaged Fractured Crystal Leaf though. He had to live with it even though he was actually curious about the life of his previous self by now. The only thing he could do was to continue searching for the other memories he''d be able to acquire.


    Thus Jing Yi started to walk down the road. It seemed that with every memory he acquired, the places in his inner self would expand. He could see more of the roads and the buildings around him by now and even though they weren''t as familiar as the places where he had lived in this life, he still felt that he knew them.


    He just randomly walked around and finally found himself in front of another palace when a memory once again raised its head. Jing Yi withdrew into a ruminant state again and left the apparition of his body inside his inner self to the past Jing He.


    The guards at the gates bowed in front of him. "Your Highness."


    Jing He nodded, the same gentle smile on his lips that he always showed. "Please inform the god of love, Yue Xia, that I''ve come to discuss some matters with him."


    "As you wish." One of the guards hurried toward the palace while the other led Jing He into a hall. "Is there anything else I might do for Your Highness?"


    Jing He shook his head. "Thank you very much for your effort but I''ll just wait here for the God of Love. You can go back to your post."


    The guard bowed again and stepped outside, not turning his back until he had backed up a few steps.


    Not long afterward, an old man appeared. He sported a head full of white hair, an equally white beard, and a wrinkled face but the smile on his lips was so genuine that Jing He instantly felt drawn to him. This God of Love was probably the person that came closest to representing what he imagined a kind grandparent to be like. Unfortunately, he wasn''t close to him.


    Jing He nodded while the old god bowed.


    "Your Highness, what brings you to my palace?"


    Jing He lowered his head, his fingers rubbing the hem of his sleeve. His heart was pounding heavily and he didn''t really know how to approach the topic that had let him come here.


    "There is something I wish to discuss", he finally mentioned in a low voice.


    "Have a seat, your Highness." Yue Xia motioned at the chair and Jing He sat down with another nod. "What is this matter you wish to talk about? It seems to be quite important."


    "Mn." Jing He looked up but his gaze didn''t reach the other god''s eyes and instead stopped a little lower. "You might know that my trial is approaching. I ¡­" He exhaled and slightly shook his head. "I know it is what heaven demands from our race. I don''t mind descending and passing those trials either. It is just ¡­ There is one specific trial I can''t bring myself to endure."


    Yue Xia smiled knowingly. "The trial of love."


    Jing He nodded. "You most likely know already that there is someone I love. That man ¡­" He shook his head again. "Even if it is just a trial in the mortal world, something we as gods don''t attach much importance to, I can''t bring myself to take the things from him that should naturally be his."


    "Your Highness'' meaning is ¡­?"


    "Yue Xia, I beg of you, whatever the fate''s scribe writes down in his scroll of fate, don''t tie the red thread for me. Let me stay alone in that mortal life. That, too, would be a trial for me but it would allow me to honor that man. What should be his ¡­ would remain his."


    Yue Xia nodded. "If that is your Highness'' wish, then I will do so gladly. Honoring the feelings you have is exactly what I wish to see from the mortals for whom I tie the red thread."


    "You have my sincere thanks." Jing He stood up and actually bowed, shocking the old man into leaping to his feet and grabbing his elbows.


    "Your Highness, don''t shock this old man like this. There is no need to bow. Tying the red thread is my task. I wouldn''t mind doing it for your trial but ¡­" He sighed. "Well, you are young and in love and he isn''t part of our race. Who knows how he would take it if you were to fall in love with somebody else in your mortal life? Something like that shouldn''t be risked. Especially not considering the positions of the two of you."


    Jing He actually smiled an uncharacteristically genuine smile. "He probably wouldn''t take it too well."


    A bubbly feeling of happiness spread in his chest that he had never before experienced. Ah, he had really made the right decision. Now he only needed to make sure that he was well enough prepared. He couldn''t risk that anything might happen that would render his preparations so far futile.


    No, he would never allow anyone to take from that man what he was supposed to have.

 Chapter 382 - An Array Drawn with Blood

    While Jing Yi observed how Jing He had tried to make sure that his lover wouldn''t miss out on anything with him the person in question finally arrived at the Leyuan region with Xin Lan.


    Qiu Ling felt a little torn. Yes, he wanted to get his Jing He back as soon as possible but he also felt a bit bad about selling the old geezer out. If he could, he really would have liked to warn him that such a troublesome person had found out that he was still alive. Unfortunately, Xin Lan didn''t leave him out of his sight and he would take it out on Jing He if Qiu Ling really tried something. Thus, he couldn''t do anything. Well, the old geezer would be able to cope with it somehow. Probably.


    When Qiang Wei saw the two of them arrive his expression brightened. "Your Majesty, Senior ¡ª"


    A dark look from Qiu Ling shut him right up again. Ah, he might look up to Xin Lan but not so much that he would risk offending His Majesty over it. He wasn''t like Fu Min who blindly worshiped Xin Lan, after all. Before he could react further Xin Lan had already stepped past him anyway. Don''t even mention responding to his greeting, he didn''t even look at him.


    Qiang Wei smiled wryly and just remained where he was. Right, he had completely forgotten how stand-offish Xin Lan could be. There really was no merit in offending His Majesty for him.


    Xin Lan didn''t consider how his behavior might be perceived. He only had one goal: Seeing his master again as soon as possible.


    He walked to the array and took a look at it, spreading out his senses while he was at it. He had spent a bit of time in the human realm when his master had still been king and he had come into contact with quite a few arrays back then. After all, he had only come in search of things his master might need and those were only rare things that would most likely be found in such a secret realm. This kind of array seemed quite different though.


    Qiu Ling couldn''t help but follow Xin Lan even though he knew that the other didn''t like to see him. "Can you see anything? That guy from the Hei Dian Sect said it was an ancient array someone from his sect used. Uh, right, that guy from the Hei Dian Sect is that bastard''s uncle but you should know about that, right?"


    "Mn." Xin Lan only murmured an assent. He had followed Jin Ling for so long under his master''s comment and had even seen him grow up before, naturally, he knew everything about him there was to know.


    He didn''t say anything else and just followed the outer layer of the array. This thing was actually quite simple but it didn''t astound him that the dragons of today wouldn''t be able to figure it out. Considering that, the array could probably be called brilliant. Furthermore ¡­


    "I can tell you how to open the array. You''ll probably not succeed though." Xin Lan''s lips quirked up. Honestly, he could somehow relate to Jin Ling''s wish of imprisoning Qiu Ling''s beloved. It was ¡­ quite entertaining to watch.


    "What do you mean?" Qiu Ling worriedly walked after him, staring at the uncovered half of Xin Lan''s face.


    "This array wasn''t erected with the elements like other mortal arrays. Instead, the person used blood."


    "So, we''ll need blood to solve it?"


    Qiu Ling frowned. He might not know much about arrays but it was common sense that an array would either be solved by using the same medium that had been used as an anchor or by something that was the polar opposite of the anchor. Since blood didn''t really have an opposite ¡­ They could only use blood. What was the problem with that?


    Xin Lan nodded. "Yes. Since it''s you I''ll tell you even more. This isn''t normal human blood. Consequently, you won''t be able to open it with only human blood either. You''ll need blood of roughly the same composition."


    "That means?"


    Xin Lan just continued to smile.


    "Heh! You said you''d help me open the array!"


    "I already did. I provided you with most of what you need to know. Unfortunately, I don''t really trust you. So I feel it would be safer for me to wait with telling you the last part until you''ve brought me to where ¡ª"


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened and he reached out to clasp a hand over Xin Lan''s mouth. He couldn''t let Qiang Wei hear about this, too!


    Xin Lan angrily slapped that hand away. "What? You think I''m as dumb as you, blurting someone''s secrets out just like that? Now, tell me what I want to know. Then I''ll tell you what you''ll need to know about that blood."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "I''ll bring you there."


    "Tch." Xin Lan snorted. "Do you think I''d fall for that? You''d just be trying to play for time once again. You already did that on the way here. Don''t think I didn''t notice. So, tell me."


    Qiu Ling sighed. "Yun Zou Sect." He nodded in the vague direction of the sect.


    Xin Lan smiled. Thanks to Jin Ling''s intense hatred for Qiu Ling he was very clear on where Qiu Ling had spent his time in the human realm. The Yun Zou Sect had been one of those places so it was likely that his master really was there.


    "Very well. You''ve upheld your end of the bargain. Then I''ll uphold my end, too. The blood you need has to be part human, part god, and part demon. Naturally, it needs to be blood from just one person." He smiled and turned around, his feet already leaving the ground. "Good luck finding such a person."


    With that, he vanished in the direction of the Yun Zou Sect. He wasn''t like Jin Ling who absolutely wanted to see Qiu Ling''s defeated expression when he lost his beloved. No, it was enough for him to know that Qiu Ling wouldn''t be able to find such a person. To him, it was much more important to finally see his master again.


    Master, I''m coming to see you. Please, tell me, have you missed me at least a little bit in all these centuries?

 Chapter 383 - A Scene of Utter Destruction

    Xin Lan reached the gates of the Yun Zou Sect after only a few minutes. His gaze swept over the valley and the peaks with their houses and the mortals busying themselves and he frowned.


    Where exactly was his master? He couldn''t feel him from where he was right now. Had Qiu Ling lied to him after all? But no, that wasn''t likely. The life of his beloved still depended on him and in contrast to his father Qiu Ling was serious about the person he loved. He wouldn''t risk anything as long as his beloved was involved.


    His master had to be here.


    Xin Lan closed his eyes and extended his senses again. His presence swept over the Yun Zou Sect startling the disciples and elders into looking up. They couldn''t see anyone though.


    In just a few minutes, all the disciples had gathered on the plane in the middle of the outer sect. Most of their faces were already pale and quite a few had sweat running down their faces. Even the elders next to them looked slightly strained. Withstanding the power of a dragon as old and powerful as Xin Lan certainly wasn''t easy. And that even now that he hadn''t showcased all of his strength.


    Sect Master Yuchi and Grandmaster Zhangsun were the only ones that still looked normal. They convened in between their peaks and soared up into the air to confront whoever had come to attack their Yun Zou Sect.


    Yes, indeed, they both thought that somebody had come to attack them. After all, what other reason could there be for someone to release his presence like this in front of their gates? Well, they could probably count themselves lucky that this person hadn''t attacked first and instead announced his arrival.


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked around but couldn''t spot anyone. He frowned. Shouldn''t that person reveal himself if he came here like this? Well, he couldn''t fathom the mind of someone who was even stronger than Grandmaster Zhangsun and he certainly couldn''t be insolent in front of him or his Yun Zou Sect would cease to exist this very same day.


    Ah, he could probably be happy that Yu Jin wasn''t here right now. This way, whatever happened next, at least this disciple of his would survive.


    Yuchi Bing Xia took a deep breath and addressed the empty air in front of them. "Senior, this one is the Yun Zou Sect''s Sect Master Yuchi Bing Xia. May I ask what Senior intends to do here?"


    Xin Lan didn''t even take a look. He just continued to search for his master. The more time passed, the worse his expression got. He couldn''t sense him! It was as if his master really wasn''t there! How could that be?! Had Qiu Ling indeed lied to him?


    That bastard! Did he really think he could get away with this?!


    Clouds gathered in the sky over the Yun Zou Sect and the winds picked up, making the robes of all those humans gathered there flutter. Thunder crackled over their heads and soon enough the first lightning strike enveloped the sect grounds in eerie, pale light.


    Yuchi Bing Xia gulped and turned to the man next to him. "Grandmaster ¡­ This is ¡­"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned. "This has most likely to do with that person."


    Yes, he had seen something like that once. Shortly after he took that person in, back when the Yun Zou Sect had still been the strongest sect of the righteous faction, quite a few of the evil sects had banded together and attacked them with all their might. In the face of such a large scale attack and without any prior warning or any help of their peers from the other righteous sects the Yun Zou Sect had been in dire straits that day.


    In the end, that person had stepped forward. He rose into the air, his dark robe billowing in the wind he called forth, his golden eyes sparkling despite the storm clouds that gathered at his cue, his golden hair shimmering in the lightning that struck wherever he pointed. The screams of their enemies had been drowned out by the thunder.


    It was a scene of utter destruction and evidence for the great power he held. Even with the heavy injuries he had suffered before, even when he himself said to be at the end of his tether he could single-handedly wipe out the joint forces of the evil sects.


    Comparing what he had seen back then with what was happening right now he, unfortunately, had to say that the person who had come today wasn''t any less strong than that person. There was no way they could resist him.


    Yuchi Bing Xia inched closer and lowered his voice. "Could we ¡­ call him out to deal with this?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head. "No."


    Maybe they could but he wouldn''t let that happen. That man had saved their sect back then when they had been at the peak even though he was heavily injured. He had never said anything but it was obvious that his injuries had worsened because of that. Since then not much time had gone by. A couple hundred thousand years weren''t enough to heal the type of injury that could hold a man like that down. He definitely wasn''t in the condition to help them again.


    And even if he would have been willing to risk it ¡­ Why should he? The Yun Zou Sect wasn''t the same sect anymore. They declined year after year. Maybe this was the day that was supposed to mark the end of the Yun Zou Sect''s time. Maybe it had been destined like that. There was no resisting it any longer.


    Their time had come.


    He wanted to rise higher into the air to meet this person who had dared to attack them and to at least give their disciples some time to flee but just then something changed above them.


    The clouds churned and something twisted inside them. Zhangsun Xun Yi only saw a row of glittering scales when a deafening roar sounded, shocking all of them to the core. They stared at the dark clouds in horror. This wasn''t anything a human could do. This was the roar of a dragon from the legends. Why would something like this have come to their sect?


    Just when they prepared to face this legendary creature''s wrath the chaos above them suddenly stopped and silence returned to the sky above the Yun Zou Sect.


    The disciples could only gape in astonishment, unable to understand what had just happened. Only Yuchi Bing Xia and Zhangsun Xun Yi knew that what had saved them was a calm voice sounding from somewhere inside the sect grounds. Just a few words had been enough to end the madness in front of them. That person really was too formidable.

 Chapter 384 - The Worst Thing that Happened to Me

    "Stop with this nonsense, Xin Lan, you''re scaring the humans."


    Xin Lan''s heart seemed to skip a beat when he heard this oh so familiar, calm voice. The words were scolding him but the tone seemed to indulge him. His temper that had flared up and unconsciously called up a tempest was instantly soothed. The lightning and the thunder stopped and the clouds slowly dispersed. For a moment, the people from the Yun Zou Sect could see a dragon completely covered in silver-colored scales. Then the dragon sped up into the sky, turned in a circle and suddenly vanished.


    All the disciples looked at the sect master who in turn looked at the Grandmaster. Was it really over? All of them couldn''t believe it.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi turned to look at the house where that person had taken up residence for now and sighed. He hadn''t fought but once again he had sacrificed himself for their sect. What if this person was an enemy of his? What if this would bring him trouble? Well, he couldn''t do anything but trust in him. He wouldn''t be able to defeat whoever had come here anyway.


    "It should be safe. Send the disciples back." He turned around and returned to his peak. He felt that it wouldn''t be wise to disturb that man and whoever it was who had come. He would ¡­ just have a look tomorrow.


    Yuchi Bing Xia watched the Grandmaster leave and his heart finally settled down. Well, it seemed they really didn''t have to worry anymore. He nodded at the elders and disciples and tried to come up with some kind of explanation for what had just happened. In the end, he could only sigh.


    "The danger has passed. You may return to what you were doing before." He hurriedly turned around and fled before anyone could ask any questions. Ah, this was too much ¡­ Just why had he become the sect master?


    The elders didn''t know what to say either. They just repeated the sect master''s words and sent their disciples off before hurrying away themselves. Soon enough everything seemed to have gone back to normal.


    There was only one place in the Yun Zou Sect that was different from usual. Xin Lan stood in front of Yu Jin''s house looking at the person standing by the door. His heart thumped loudly and his hands slightly shook.


    He didn''t look any different from back then. Those golden eyes that sparkled in the sun while trying hard to conceal the sadness inside, the gentle curve of his lips that instantly calmed him down, the golden hair framing that lovely face and running down his back ¡­ All of that was the same. Maybe his figure had gotten a little thinner and maybe his skin was a little paler but nothing else had changed.


    "Master."


    Jinde smiled at him. "What are you doing coming here and roaring like that? My head hurts just thinking back." He turned away and stepped into the house again, walking into the study where he spent most of his time since he had found out that this was the place Chun Yin would return to when he managed to leave that secret realm.


    Xin Lan followed him. He stepped as lightly as possible and didn''t dare to make any sound even when he closed the door behind him. His master might have been joking just now but he felt that it was indeed possible.


    His master was alive, that was good news. But he had been injured by the soul-devouring dagger, that was a fact. Keeping his life was already more than he could have imagined, it was impossible for that to not have cost him anything.


    Xin Lan silently stepped behind Jinde and knelt down. He didn''t say anything and only reached out, his fingers gently touching Jinde''s temples. As gently as he could he let some of his power slip out while massaging that creamy skin.


    "Does it feel better like this?"


    Jinde didn''t answer immediately. His gaze was distant, his thoughts traveling back to those days in the dragon realm. How often had Xin Lan spent time with him? How often had he silently accompanied him like this while trying to alleviate the pain that losing Chun Yin had brought to him?


    "I''ve always felt better when you were with me."


    Xin Lan''s heart shook but he managed to keep his hands steady. In front of his master, he had never dared to show any of his feelings. However sweet his words sounded he would respond to them as if they were normal, as if they didn''t have any deeper meaning for him.


    The dragons of today could only fall in love once and his master had long given his heart away. What use was there in burdening him with his feelings? It wouldn''t lead to anything.


    Silence stretched between them. The first one to sigh was Jinde. He turned his head and looked at Xin Lan who instantly lowered his hands.


    "Don''t you resent me?"


    "How could I?" Xin Lan smiled slightly. Yes, how could he? This person ¡­ He could never resent him.


    "I lied to you. All these years I let you believe that I was already dead. Don''t you feel betrayed?"


    Xin Lan sighed. "I don''t. I just ¡­ If possible, I''d like to know why. Why didn''t you tell me? Not even me?"


    Jinde reached out and cupped the cheek that was hidden by the mask. "You''ve stayed with me for so long. How could I keep you even longer with me when I didn''t even know if I would really be able to hold on? And even if I did ¡­ Why should you accompany me in waiting for him? Watching me pity myself ¡­ it can''t be anything good." He smiled self-deprecatingly.


    Yes, most of his time with Xin Lan had probably been spent in longing for Chun Yin. How often had he lamented losing his lover in front of this loyal follower of his?


    "You ¡­ didn''t have your own life for a long time already. I just hoped that you might be able to put all this behind you and start living your own life again."


    Xin Lan lowered his gaze before hesitatingly reaching out. He took Jinde''s hand and observed it for a moment before looking up at his golden eyes again.


    "I did. For a long time, I already lived for myself and not because I wanted to repay you for saving my life. It''s just that the only thing I wanted to do with my life was guarding the one person I looked up to. Master, just like you lost everything because of Jian Heng I lost everything to time. You''re the only thing, the only person I had left. Losing you ¡­ was probably the worst thing that ever happened to me."

 Chapter 385 - Always at Your Side

    Jinde felt a pang in his heart at Xin Lan''s words. Right, he hadn''t thought enough about it. He had only thought about himself and his pain upon losing Chun Yin back then. He hadn''t really considered Xin Lan''s feelings even though he had known him for so long.


    "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have kept it from you."


    Xin Lan smiled slightly. "It''s not a problem. I''m just happy that you''re still alive. Whatever was before ¡­ it doesn''t matter."


    Jinde nodded and gently stroked Xin Lan''s cheek. "How have you been these years? Jin Ling ¡­"


    "I accompanied him as you had wished."


    "Did he make a lot of trouble for you?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. How could anything he did at his master''s command ever be trouble to him? Sure, that brat was not that easy to handle but he would gladly endure it as long as that meant honoring his master''s last ¡­ no, his master''s wish. "It wasn''t a problem. He didn''t make too much trouble for that Qiu Ling either."


    "Mn, I see." Jinde nodded and looked up at the window. "Qiu Ling ¡­ He was probably the one who told you about me?"


    "Yes." Xin Lan wasn''t nice enough to clarify that Qiu Ling hadn''t directly told him and only blurted it out when he thought nobody was listening.


    "Well, he probably had trouble finding an ascended deity. It figures that he would go and ask you then. Did you take a look at that array? Were you able to help him?" He turned back to Xin Lan and a hint of worry crept into his voice.


    Unwillingness rose in Xin Lan''s heart. Why was his master so concerned about this? And why ¡­ "Did you tell him back then already that you were here?" Xin Lan lowered his head immediately after blurting out this thought.


    He knew it was impossible. He had been the one to get Qiu Ling after his master''s supposed death. And he hadn''t told him anything besides the fact that they needed him in the fight against the demons. He hadn''t even told him that he was supposed to follow onto the throne. There was no way there could have been any hidden message for Qiu Ling that would reveal his master''s whereabouts.


    Jinde sighed and stood up. He stepped in front of Xin Lan and gently cupped both his cheeks. "Xin Lan, I am really sorry. This shouldn''t have happened. You shouldn''t have ¡­ found out like this. But I can''t change it. You can rest assured though that I didn''t just not tell you. I told nobody. Qiu Ling didn''t know either. He only found out on coincidence when he came here because of his beloved."


    "I see. I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have said that."


    Jinde laughed lightly and wanted to bend down. Before he could move any further Xin Lan already got up and pulled him back up.


    "You shouldn''t move too much. You''re still hurt. It would be best if you sat down again."


    Jinde smiled wryly. "I''m not that frail."


    "You are." Xin Lan just looked at him. He didn''t even dare to use his own energy to probe his master''s true condition. Just thinking about it his heart squeezed painfully. "You might be able to fool those humans and maybe that boy but you can''t fool me. I''ve been at your side for so long and I''ve seen so many dragons come and go. If I still couldn''t see just how bad your condition is, I wouldn''t deserve to even think about guarding you. How much of your soul remains? Will it ¡­"


    "No, it won''t. If I hadn''t broken the curse of the soul-devouring dagger, then I definitely would have been dead already. It''s just that ¡­ an injury to the soul isn''t that easily healed. Especially not if there is nothing to help with the process."


    "I''ll go and ¡ª"


    "No." Jinde grabbed onto Xin Lan''s hand before he could move. "You haven''t even answered my question yet."


    "Which one?"


    "The array. Did you find out anything? Were you ¡­ Were you able to open it?" There was a certain hope in his eyes that made Xin Lan''s heart sink.


    "Why is master so concerned with this?"


    The corners of Jinde''s mouth lifted in an especially sweet smile. "Well ¡­ Since Qiu Ling found you, you certainly know already that his beloved his trapped in there, don''t you?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, you see he ¡­ he isn''t the only one." Jinde''s cheeks slightly flushed, telling Xin Lan everything he had to know.


    "So he reincarnated. Congratulations, Master. You''re certainly happy to have finally found him again."


    "Mn." Jinde nodded, his expression bashful now that he thought of his lover. He didn''t have any problem displaying this kind of feeling in front of Xin Lan. He already knew, after all.


    "Well, it is a little strange. We haven''t seen each other yet. He already spent some years here without me noticing. I only found out when he was already trapped. So ¡­ What about the array?" Jinde reached out and worriedly grabbed onto Xin Lan''s robe, dangerously close to that telltale beating heart. He really couldn''t take it any longer. Why had he still not told him what he found out?


    Xin Lan slightly lowered his head to evade his master''s pleading gaze. "I did take a look at the array. It''s a slightly difficult matter since it differs from the ones normally used in the human realms and a special medium is needed to open it. I ¡­ I wanted to see you and make sure you were alright first so I left that boy there to think of a solution himself first. If you''re alright, I''ll immediately return and help him free his beloved and ¡­ your lover." He forced himself to add those words.


    He had to remind himself. Just because his master had returned that didn''t change anything between them. He would only ever be the man his master had saved, the loyal follower of all these years that he never commanded and only ever asked if he would be willing to do something. He couldn''t expect more than that.

 Chapter 386 - His Most Trusted Follower

    "Thank you." Jinde reached out and his fingers lightly touched Xin Lan''s skin. "I know you never liked Chun Yin and his child. It must be hard doing me this favor. But you know it wasn''t entirely his fault. We were both played by Jian Heng."


    "It was a set-up, yes, but he jumped into the trap himself. Who asked him to betray you? It was his own decision to sleep with that woman."


    Jinde retracted his hand and turned around, slowly sinking back onto the seat in front of the table. Ah, yes, thinking back to all the things that had gone wrong that had always been what hurt the most. The fact that he had willingly slept with her, willingly stayed with her, and in the end ¡­ he even willingly chose her over him.


    Xin Lan knelt down beside him again. He was tempted to take his hand and plead with him to forget about that man but he knew better than to actually do that. "I shouldn''t have brought it up. I''m just afraid that you might expect too much. He didn''t stay true to you back then. Who can say if it will be different this time around?"


    "Mn. Nobody knows." Jinde sighed. Chun Yin wasn''t even a dragon anymore. Heaven alone knew how Chun Yin had been able to live back then when he had already bound his soul to him. Normally, it should have killed him when ¡­


    Jinde''s lips tightened. No, he didn''t want to think back to that.


    "Chun Yin wasn''t the only one at fault. And even if he repeated the same mistake ¡­" He sighed again. "What would it change? I''m already his. I''ll always remain his. Whether in his last life or in this one, nothing will change about that."


    "So you don''t mind at all?"


    "Of course I do. I mind it very, very much. So, this time around I''ll be more careful. I''ll make sure that there is no way he''ll ever go to bed with somebody else!"


    There was a mischievous smile on Jinde''s lips that made Xin Lan speechless. He somehow felt like he had done something very stupid just now.


    Xin Lan hurriedly bowed. "Master, I can see that you''re missing him very much. I''ll go at once and help Qiu Ling to open that array. Please have a little more patience. It won''t be that easy to find a suitable medium so it might still take quite a bit of time."


    "It can''t be more than I''ve already waited. Don''t worry about it. I''m already very grateful that you''re willing to help Qiu Ling. I would also like to do my part. Unfortunately ¡­" He looked back out of the window and sighed. "Jin Ling is somewhere out there. I don''t mind that you know that I''m still alive but he can''t find out. He can never find out."


    "I understand. I will make sure he stays in the dark about this. I''ll find some excuse as for why I am doing this and then return to his side. Should you need me ¡­"


    "Don''t worry." Jinde patted his chest. "I still have it with me."


    "Mn." Xin Lan smiled. Honestly, even though he could never take up the place as his lover, it wasn''t too bad to be his most trusted follower either. At least he trusted him so much that he had still kept his gift even after he staged his death. That said a lot about how much he meant to him, didn''t it?


    In a good mood, he directly looked into Jinde''s eyes for a moment. "I''m glad you''re back. I''ll help you to find means to speed up the recovery of your soul while helping Qiu Ling."


    Jinde''s golden brows drew together. "Xin Lan ¡ª"


    "Don''t worry. I will prioritize freeing your lover."


    "That''s not what I meant."


    Xin Lan slightly tilted his head.


    "Don''t do anything stupid. After all, I''m a dead man already. You can''t always run here to have me stitch you back together as you did back then, can you?"


    Xin Lan tried to calm down his madly beating heart and nodded. "Understood. Now, excuse me. I''ll better hurry."


    "Mn. Take care." Jinde watched him leave and sighed.


    Ah, it felt pretty good to see all these people again. First Qiu Ling, now Xin Lan, soon there would also be Chun Yin''s reincarnation Yu Jin. For the first time in what seemed to be an eternity, he felt alive again. Yes, he was still injured and yes, he didn''t know what would happen in the future but at least he wasn''t completely alone anymore. It felt ¡­ pretty good.


    Xin Lan''s mood wasn''t any less happy. Unfortunately, his luck was running out way earlier than Jinde''s. He had barely taken to the air again when he found himself opposite a person he definitely didn''t want to see right now.


    "Your Highness."


    "Xin Lan." Jin Ling smiled and observed the not so happy expression on the other''s face. Well, that was expected. Xin Lan was never happy to see him. "What a surprise to see you here. Well, not really, I could hear you roar even in the capital. I wonder what made you call out that tragically? There wouldn''t be anything ¡­ interesting in the Yun Zou Sect, would there?"


    His gaze slid down and fell onto the array at the foot of the Grandmaster''s peak that led to the special dimension. Could it be that he hadn''t imagined it? Was Jinde really here? That definitely was something that would be able to make that eternally cool Xin Lan lose his head for a moment.


    Xin Lan frowned. How come this brat had come here? He had just talked badly about Qiu Ling for casually revealing his master''s secret and now his own behavior had nearly given his master''s whereabouts away to the one person who really couldn''t be allowed to know about it. He needed to deal with this and fast!

 Chapter 387 - If Not for Him

    Thanks to the time flowing differently in the mortal and immortal realms Jin Ling had already spent a few days in the capital to have a look at how Xiao Li was doing. Well, there wasn''t much to say about that.


    He had found out next to nothing but it was still quite amusing to see his eyes nearly blazing with hatred whenever that human woman he had had to marry appeared. It had been especially grave when his newly wedded wife met Jin Ling and couldn''t help but regret a bit that she had already married. After all, even with his copper-colored hair changed to a more human appearance Jin Ling could be called inhumanly handsome.


    Xiao Li didn''t take that nicely. He might not like her but which man could stand it if his wife was eying another? And that even in front of him? The man in question might be his king but he still didn''t want his own wife to show that obvious that she didn''t think of him as highly as of a man that was a total stranger to her. Wasn''t that questioning his worth?


    Well, there was nothing Xiao Li could do since he had chosen to appear as a righteous cultivator. He needed to keep up the front. In that regard, his king''s visit was more than welcome. After all, it was quite nice to be able to pretend that a fellow sect member was visiting when you were pretending to be someone else. And nobody could pretend to be a good guy as good as his king.


    Seeing Xiao Li''s colorful expression that was furious one moment and docile the next Jin Ling had actually thought about staying a little longer in the capital. Furthermore, he would be able to find out more if he tried it himself instead of depending on that Xiao Li. In fact, he had just been about to ask the mother of that bastard''s beloved some questions when suddenly Xin Lan''s roar sounded.


    Jin Ling immediately stopped what he was doing with the excuse of something having happened to one of his race and hurried away. The roar of a dragon was something that could hardly be ignored. Even when Jin Ling managed to hurry over the animals in the mountains and forest surrounding the Yun Zou Sect were still cowering in fear.


    The roar of a dragon was also something very, very rare. Just think about it: They would have to take on their true form which wasn''t something that happened every day and then something needed to stimulate them enough to call out. Even for a regular dragon that was something that seldom happened. Not to speak of someone like Xin Lan. There was only one thing Jin Ling could imagine to have such an effect on him. Or, well, he should probably say one person.


    Jinde.


    Considering that this had happened at the Yun Zou Sect where he had found that beautiful golden hair before he couldn''t believe that this was supposed to be a coincidence. No, something had to be going on and he would find out what that was.


    Naturally, Xin Lan could imagine what Jin Ling thought. And naturally, he wouldn''t let him succeed. His master had said it himself: Jin Ling could never find out that he was still alive. Thus he had to prevent him from finding him at all costs. He had to be careful though. Jin Ling was treacherous just like his father. One wrong word or one wrong step might tip him off and make sure that he would never let go of that one trace of the person he loved, ruining the bit of happiness that his master had managed to find.


    "There is indeed."


    "Oh?" Jin Ling raised his brows. This sure was unexpected. Xin Lan wouldn''t actually admit that Jinde was here, would he?


    Xin Lan nodded curtly but didn''t say anything.


    "Xin Lan, what is it? Aren''t you supposed to help me? Why are you withholding information now?"


    Xin Lan knitted his brows. "Withholding information? Isn''t it rather that you didn''t gather enough information before trying to mess with Qiu Ling?"


    Jin Ling frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"


    Xin Lan stared at him, his gaze dark. "Among the people that were present the day you tried to kill Qiu Ling''s beloved was the reincarnation of His Majesty''s lover. You most likely killed him. How could you let such an accident occur? Or is it that you knew exactly that he was there and that was why you did it in the first place?" He frowned even more, the accusation in his eyes thickening. "Was this really just targeted at Qiu Ling''s beloved or did you want to exterminate that person, too?"


    Jin Ling gritted his teeth. The fury radiating from Xin Lan''s body was real. So he ¡­ had only found out about that? He couldn''t help his expression from falling. "How should I have known? But even if I did, I still would have done the same! No." Jin Ling laughed. "If I knew, I would have made sure that he is completely annihilated. His body, his soul, everything. I would make sure that he follows Jinde since he pretended to love him that much!"


    Xin Lan clenched his fists, his voice dangerously lowering. "Do you think His Majesty would be happy about that? You know very well how much he loved him! His sole regret when dying was that part of that man''s soul would dissipate with his own! You know that! Why would you still ¡ª"


    "Because I hate him! He is the one who took Jinde from me! If not for him ¡­ If not for him ¡­" Jin Ling''s voice faded.


    Xin Lan laughed. "If not for him? You''re delusional! Even if there hadn''t been Chun Yin, there would have been another man! You''re the last person in all mortal and immortal realms he''d ever consider. He would have rather married me than you!"


    "You?" Jin Ling also laughed. "He wouldn''t have considered you either. You were just ¡­ someone he picked up by the roadside. That''s like taking a pet home. You find it when it''s injured and you pity it so you take it home and care for it until it''s better. It''s so you can feel better. Unfortunately, some mutt refused to leave the house after being cared for and shamelessly clung to someone who didn''t want to own him! Do you honestly think he would have married you if Chun Yin hadn''t been?!"


    Xin Lan didn''t respond. He just looked at Jin Ling, his eyes dark. Jin Ling had always liked to sling mud at him. Even when his master ¡­ well, even back then when they had both lived with him. But this was probably the worst insult he had ever thought of.


    If he hadn''t just seen Jinde and once again experienced how much his master cared about him, it certainly would have hurt a lot. Well, it came in quite handy. Hadn''t he just been searching for an excuse to leave his side so that he could go and free his master''s lover while conveniently picking up something that would help him regenerate his soul on the way?


    Well, thank you very much. He had just found the excuse he needed.

 Chapter 388 - Maybe Then

    Xin Lan closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. "Very well. If that is what you think, then maybe I should return to that roadside." He gave a short, derisive laugh. "Ah, I did everything His Majesty asked me to. I tolerated you all those years even though you were being so disrespectful to His Majesty. I looked the other way even when I found out just how deep that disrespect went.


    And when His Majesty asked me to go to the demon realm after his death to keep an eye on you so you wouldn''t suffer too much I still did it! But if His Highness thinks that the master''s dog shouldn''t be kept, then it will gladly return to the roadside. It would still be better than having to stay at yours."


    Jin Ling snorted. "Then go if you want to go! Don''t stay here and waste my time with your words!"


    Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed. This brat had indeed always been disrespectful. If not because his master loved him so much, he certainly wouldn''t have stayed with him for so long.


    In the end, he just shook his head, turned around and flew away. The most important thing was that his master wasn''t found by him. As for everything else ¡­ it wasn''t his problem anymore.


    His master was already back. Why should he stay with that brat? No, he''d help his master regain what he had lost and then he would stay with him just like before. He would make sure that his master was happy this time around. He wouldn''t let him down.


    While Xin Lan sped away Jin Ling hovered in the air, lost. Had Xin Lan really just left? He couldn''t really imagine it. He had always been with him. After Jinde died and that bastard followed onto his throne, he had immediately come to his side and served him until now. He wouldn''t leave his side just because of a few words, would he?


    Jin Ling tightened his lips. "Too sentimental. Why would you get all emotional just because I said something like this? Well, thinking about all the years you loyally served me I''ll excuse your behavior today. But you''d better come back soon. Mn, I should use the time and go see what that Qiguan Cheng Da is up to. Maybe he survived and I can still use him against Qiu Ling."


    He similarly sped away, leaving the sky above the Yun Zou Sect finally empty.


    A few minutes passed by until, finally, a golden-haired person stepped out from behind the wall of one of the houses in the Yun Zou Sect. Jinde looked up through the window, shook his head and sighed.


    "You couldn''t think of anything more hurtful to say to him? Xin Lan''s heart is probably bleeding right now. You really haven''t changed at all."


    With another sigh, he turned away from the window and sat down at the desk again. "Jian Heng, just what did you do to make this out of the cute child I raised? He wasn''t like this when he was young."


    Thinking back now it seemed as if the little one clinging to him, following every one of his steps and begging to be hugged at every opportunity had been another child. Just when had it stopped to be like that?


    "I guess it''s all my fault. I should have kept you with me and not sent you back there. Isn''t it obvious that you''d become twisted after living there and even under Jian Heng''s influence? Mn, he really didn''t know how to raise children."


    He shook his head again, took an empty scroll of paper and slowly ground some ink. Ah, back then, the smart thing to do would probably have been to sent Xin Lan to deal with Jian Heng. With him and with that wench that had seduced his lover. Then wouldn''t Chun Yin have returned to his side? They could have married and raised those two little ones together. Qiu Ling and Jin Ling certainly would have made a cute pair of brothers.


    Now, Jian Heng and that wench were dead. Unfortunately, Chun Yin was dead, too. Qiu Ling had suffered so much that his personality had become quirky and Jin Ling had grown accustomed to life in the demon realm and already grown twisted. Oh, and he himself was clinging to his last thread of life, stubbornly hanging on to preserve those memories of Chun Yin he had gathered in his last life, unable to heal his own soul even after several millennia.


    What a waste.


    The beautiful dream he had had was nothing more than that. A dream, an illusion, something that could never become true. Why was he still sitting here and pondered it? Chun Yin might return to him albeit as someone that had led another life. But these two children ¡­ Wasn''t the hope for them already lost? The damage had been done, that couldn''t be changed anymore.


    Well, maybe the Son of Heaven would be able to save at least Qiu Ling. Maybe that child ¡­ maybe he could still live a normal life someday. Maybe after marrying the one he loved and finally starting a new family he could get over the pain from that time.


    As for Jin Ling, the best thing he could do for him was not to appear again. He wouldn''t show himself in front of him ever again. Maybe then someday that child would also be able to live a normal life. Maybe someday he would find someone he could love just like Qiu Ling had done. Maybe then all of this would have been worth it.

 Chapter 389 - Love Between the Races

    The one who had inadvertently caused all that trouble or, well, his reincarnation at least was wandering through the innermost courtyard of the secret realm. He had stayed next to Jing Yi for the first few days after the boy entered his inner self but there was nothing he could do anyway so he went to explore the secret realm instead.


    The more he saw the more impressed he was. Yes, this realm had obviously been created by someone of a lower stage than him but that wasn''t surprising. The surprising thing was that the realm still included a lot of things that weren''t typical. The two statues he had found in the innermost courtyard had only been the first in a row of things that he had never seen in the human realm before.


    There were plants and beasts and things that had obviously been crafted by humans like arrays or decorations. Especially some of the plants and beasts resembled those he had seen in the few days he had spent in the Nine Heavens or the ones he had encountered in the fights against the lesser demons back when he hadn''t had ascended yet.


    Why were these things here? There were only two possible explanations he could think of. Either this was mere coincidence and the plants and beasts had just diverged more and more from their counterparts in the mortal realm and thus became more similar to the ones in the immortal realms or someone had brought the actual ones from the immortal realms and because they were mixed with those from the mortal realms a kind of crossbreed came about.


    Leng Jin Yu thought back to one of the demonic flowers he had seen. It wasn''t exactly the same as the ones he had once encountered on the outskirts of the demon realm but it came close. Considering that the second variant was more likely. These were the results of bringing a demonic flower to the mortal realm.


    So, was this secret realm the work of a demonic sect? Or that of the demons? But that wouldn''t explain the things similar to what could be found in the Nine Heavens.


    With these questions in mind, Leng Jin Yu had returned to the palace of the secret realm''s master and gone back to the innermost courtyard. He once again examined the two statues. The last time he had merely regarded them as humans but maybe that was wrong. Maybe he had been wrong all along and they were more than that. Demons? Gods? Or ¡­ both?


    Leng Jin Yu narrowed his eyes. As an ascended deity he wasn''t as opinionated regarding interracial relationships as the trueborn gods. So what if the one you fell in love with was human or part of the dragon race? Couldn''t you still love that person?


    Even he found it a little hard to believe that one of the gods would get together with a demon though. Never mind that trueborn gods didn''t think very highly of the demons and that they frowned upon such relationships, if he hadn''t misunderstood, then the demons didn''t think much of monogamy. Or love, for that matter. He had even heard rumors that demons were unable to fall in love at all and that their relationships were only based on mutual benefits.


    The gods already looked down upon the humans for marriages like that. If another immortal race that should know better was to engage in relationships with multiple partners at the same time, wouldn''t they detest it even more?


    So had these two defied the common beliefs and gotten together despite the scorn of their races or was he just thinking too much and there was another reason for all this? Actually, he felt that the former was quite likely. After all, it would also explain why someone from the immortal races would settle down in the mortal realms or, well, a realm created and anchored in the mortal realms.


    They might have been driven out of their homes because of their relationship and then had to settle down somewhere else. Naturally, the mortal realms would be the only place that could work out.


    Well, it was a possibility at least. Unfortunately, there just weren''t enough clues to really find out what was going on. But something was different about this realm that much was certain. Those things that weren''t of human origin, the statue of a man that had more or less the same presence as the God of War ¡­ These couldn''t be mere coincidences. And most likely it wasn''t a coincidence either that the reincarnation of the Son of Heaven had stranded here.


    "Nothing happens without a cause. So is it that Heaven wants him to stay here and figure out what this realm is about?" Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows. It was the only logical explanation he could think of if he didn''t want to dismiss this as mere coincidences.


    "Jing Yi is still in his inner self. And he probably won''t come out soon."


    Considering that the Son of Heaven had been at least a thousand years old when he descended for his trial that would still mean that he had to acquire the memories of more than a hundred years even if he had only taken in the spiritual energy of one part of the Fractured Crystal Leaf.


    Speaking of that ¡­ Leng Jin Yu took out the plant and scrutinized the five leaves. It wouldn''t be impossible to find out just how much spiritual energy Jing Yi had taken in. He only needed to probe it a little with his own energy. But ¡­ he couldn''t risk that any mishap occurred.


    There were plants that could only be used once in your lifetime and even though he didn''t know if the same was true for the Fractured Crystal Leaf he still felt that it was quite likely. He couldn''t risk it. Maybe he''d have the opportunity to find a Fractured Crystal Leaf for himself one day. A complete one, even.


    Well, even if he feared making trouble for himself, he still had to make sure. He closed his eyes and carefully probed the energy still stored in the plant. It was ¡­ almost everything. Jing Yi had only managed to absorb a sliver of energy before the first memory assaulted him.


    Leng Jin Yu gave a relieved sigh. That was good. In that case, there wasn''t much he could remember. Maybe it wouldn''t even be enough to piece together that he had been a god that ascended for his trial. As long as he didn''t remember about that everything was alright.


    Well, at least that problem didn''t remain any longer. Now, he only had to figure out a way to leave this realm. After all, there was still something waiting for him out there.

 Chapter 390 - Rampant Spiritual Energy

    Thinking of those fractured memories from the Yun Zou Sect that he hadn''t seen anymore since leaving from there Leng Jin Yu felt another sort of determination rise up within himself.


    Yes, he was here to help the crown prince through his trial and make sure that the dragon king wouldn''t interfere too much. He had done what he could in that regard. But who said that he couldn''t do something for himself, too? This wouldn''t hinder him in accomplishing his task.


    He kept the Fractured Crystal Leaf, stepped in front of the statue of the man who reminded him of the God of War and put his palms on the shoulders. He had looked at all this from the perspective of a human cultivator. But if these two had been a god and a demon instead, then he naturally couldn''t find the same clues from their statues. So, he had to look for the things he had encountered in the Nine Heavens and the demon realm instead.


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes, took a deep breath and sent some of his spiritual energy out. He didn''t find anything at first but he didn''t give up that fast. He searched further and finally found a trace of something at the tip of the handle of the sword the statue held.


    Leng Jin Yu probed the spot further but couldn''t tell what exactly it was. It seemed like a trace of spiritual energy but he couldn''t feel any sign of a specific element inside. That shouldn''t be. If a human had left this trace, then there would inevitably be some trace of the element the person used. Leng Jin Yu frowned. No, wait. If the person had full spirit veins, then things were different. And, well, trueborn gods had, as far as they could be compared to humans, always full spirit veins.


    He sighed. It really was a little strange to investigate something done by a god. After all, he had only lived about two weeks in the Nine Heavens. Sure, he had tried to find out everything he could but that definitely wasn''t enough time to get a thorough understanding of them. In most regards, he still thought like a human being and not like the ascended deity he now was.


    He slightly furrowed his brows and continued to ponder. If there wasn''t just one element involved, then he couldn''t rely on this to find changes that had been made by the realm''s master. So, what distinguished the handle of the sword from the rest of the statue? There definitely was something there.


    He took one hand from the shoulder of the statue and carefully touched the sword handle in the hope of finding another clue. The stone there was just as cold as the part on the statue''s shoulders and there was no obvious difference in the spiritual energy, neither in the use of one element nor in the overall level of energy.


    Something told him that there was something different though. Well, he wouldn''t be able to find it like this. It seemed he''d have to take a risk this time.


    Leng Jin Yu took another deep breath and put both of his hands against the handle. He circulated his spiritual energy and made sure to have all six elements equally distributed. Then he carefully inserted a sliver of energy into the stone.


    The energy inside the stone instantly reacted. It threw his spiritual energy right back at him and started to whiz around uncontrollably. If this went on, even the stone of the statue might be shattered.


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. Just what had happened? It was normal for there to be some reaction but it shouldn''t be to this extent. He had only carefully probed the energy inside not fired a large amount at it.


    It was too late to regret now though. It was already done. He could only find a way to somehow calm it again. What to do? Maybe the composition of his own energy had been wrong? Maybe it hadn''t been as balanced as he thought?


    He once again inserted a bit of energy but the result stayed the same. It entered the stone only to clash with a part of the energy already inside. It was thrown the other way in the process but at least it wasn''t reflected back at him this time.


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows knitted further. Why? Why had it been reflected the first time but had now been able to stay inside? That certainly had to do with the energy in the statue. But how?


    The spiritual energy inside right now was chaotic so that was probably what had led to the change. So ¡­ could it be the spiritual energy had been organized in a specific way before? Might that also be the key to finding the secret realm''s core?


    Leng Jin Yu lifted one hand and carefully put it onto the statue''s torso. He tried to search for some other spot where the spiritual energy felt different while still keeping an eye on the handle of the sword and the energy rampaging inside.


    Finally, he found what he had been looking for. There was a spot the size of a fingernail that was different from its surroundings. All the spiritual energy in the statue seemed to be balanced and this part wasn''t an exception but it seemed to be cut off from the rest of the energy. The energy of this spot seemed to slowly spin around itself and thus created a small layer where spiritual energy was missing.


    Leng Jin Yu''s expression slightly eased. A spinning vortex of energy would certainly be able to reflect his spiritual energy. The composition hadn''t been the problem. So, in other words ¡­ everything seemed to have to do with the movement of the energy.


    His hand glided over the surface of the statue, searching for other parts where these kind of little energy whirlpools were present. There were quite a few. Maybe there was even some deeper meaning behind them and their arrangement but he didn''t have the time to care about that now. First of all, he had to calm the rampant energy in the sword''s handle.


    Leng Jin Yu once again placed both his hands against the sword and calmly imbued some energy. This time he steered it into a spiral first and had it form its own vortex in the middle of the handle where he had first felt the original energy.


    The rampant spiritual energy shot against it but the smaller strands had no chance to disturb it and were instead sucked into it. Leng Jin Yu made sure that it was stable again and bit by bit the rampant energy was assimilated and it seemed as if nothing had happened at all.


    Leng Jin Yu''s eyes opened and he took his hands back, his gaze moving up and down on the statue. It might not seem as if anything had happened but since he himself had made sure that the vortex of spiritual energy wasn''t further disturbed the little changes hadn''t eluded him. There was always some energy drifting away from the vortex when it was stable and other energy was coming in from a different direction. So this vortex, most likely, was connected to the other ones and maybe this connection was the key to controlling this secret realm.


    Maybe if he found out more about these vortexes of spiritual energy and how they were connected he would be able to leave here and return to the Yun Zou Sect.

 Chapter 391 - How About Stealing a Child?

    Outside of the secret realm Qiu Ling was sulking. How could that guy only tell him something like this and then go? Wasn''t that cheating?! He was supposed to help him free his beloved!


    Qiang Wei looked at his king and tried to find something reassuring to say. "Uhm ¡­ I guess an ascended deity would count as a human? There''s certainly one that had a child with one of the gods."


    Qiu Ling turned around with a deadpan expression. "You don''t say. I went to the Nine Heavens to find an ascended deity and didn''t succeed. Now please tell me how I am supposed to find the child an ascended deity had with a god. And even if I found it, it still wouldn''t have demonic blood."


    "That''s true." Qiang Wei furrowed his brows. "Then ¡­ How about the demon king? Doesn''t he also have some wives from the gods? He should have a child with at least one of them."


    "Isn''t that the same? It still wouldn''t have human blood."


    "Well, you could steal the child and then have it marry a human and then have them have a child together."


    Qiu Ling stared at him, making Qiang Wei grow flustered.


    "What? It could be possible! And it is better than searching for someone who actually has all three types of blood on his own, isn''t it?"


    "You have a point. How long would that take?"


    "Depends. If you steal a child that has almost come of age, about a year''s time should be enough. Otherwise ¡­"


    "A year ¡­" Qiu Ling sighed. "Well, that''s better than waiting indefinitely, isn''t it?"


    "Mn. I think so, too."


    "Then I should go and have a look at the demon realm again.


    "Let''s ask Fu Min about his children. That should be faster." Qiang Wei hurriedly took out a transmission stone and imbued his energy.


    Soon enough Fu Min''s voice sounded from the other side. "Qiang Wei, what is it? Did His Majesty tell you to relay some orders to us? Can we leave the demon realm?"


    "Er ¡­ that''s not it. Say, do you know if the demon king has a child with one of his wives from the gods?"


    "Huh?"


    Qiang Wei looked up at the sky. "The demon king. He has married some women from the gods, hasn''t he? Does he have a child with one of them?"


    "Why are you suddenly asking something like that?"


    Qiu Ling listened intently but couldn''t take it any longer. He snatched the stone from Qiang Wei. "Fu Min, you bastard, you better tell me what you know now!"


    Fu Min tensed. His Majesty was there, too?! And this was even his question?! Why had nobody told him?! "Ah, Your Majesty, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I didn''t know ¡ª"


    "Just tell him what he wants to know." Fu Heng piped up next to him, nearly scaring him into dropping the transmission stone.


    Luckily, a pair of strong hands reached over and made sure he held onto it. Fu Min took a relieved breath. Ah, he really didn''t want to imagine what might have happened had he cut off the connection with His Majesty now.


    Fu Heng took his hands back and calmly sat down next to him. Mn, this was a step in the right direction.


    Fu Min didn''t even notice that a certain someone was happy and just concentrated on the question his king had asked. "Actually, Your Majesty, I''ve never heard about him having a child with any of his wives. And I really mean any. Not just the ones from the gods. Even those from his own race don''t seem to have borne any children for him yet."


    "Huh? Qiu Ling blinked. "What''s that supposed to mean? Isn''t he ¡­ Uh, well, he''s not that much younger than me, is he?"


    There was a slight pause on the other side and Qiu Ling felt Qiang Wei''s doubtful gaze on him. It seemed to say ''Oh? So you know that you''re old?''. He somehow felt misunderstood being subjected to this.


    "I don''t really know how old he is. Honestly, it feels like he just popped up back when Your Majesty took the throne. Well, rumor has it that Jian Heng didn''t like him very much."


    "Well, who would like him? He''s detestable."


    "He was his son though and he''s quite capable. For a demon ¡­"


    "For a demon." Qiu Ling stared at the stone in his hands.


    Well, he probably couldn''t argue that. After all, that bastard had managed to snatch the demon king''s throne after he killed his predecessor and he had held onto it all these years. That said something about his capabilities.


    "So, does that mean that he doesn''t have a child with any goddess?" Qiang Wei couldn''t help but remind the two of them of the real subject. They still had to find a child of the three races, after all.


    Fu Min frowned. "Didn''t you listen? He doesn''t have any children at all. Ah, it really makes one wonder if maybe he''s lacking in ability ¡­"


    The other three men kept silent about that. Never mind that Qiu Ling didn''t like Jin Ling as a good guy he naturally wouldn''t gossip about something like that. Although ¡­


    "Honestly, he has married so many people and has lived for so long and he still doesn''t have children? Please! If not for the Heavenly Emperor obstructing us, Jing He and I would probably have two children already."


    Qiu Ling''s boasting was met with silence.


    "What? You don''t believe I have the ability?" Qiu Ling glared at Qiang Wei who instantly shrunk.


    What was he supposed to say to this?


    Thankfully, someone else took it upon himself to save him from this situation. "Your Majesty, did you forget? You''re a man, His Highness is also a man. You won''t have any children regardless of your ability."


    Qiu Ling blanked. Huh? What did Fu Heng mean he and Jing He wouldn''t have a child? Naturally, they would have one! At least one! At the very least. Mn, he''d actually like to have a few more. After all, his Jing He was so beautiful and he was so handsome. It would be a crime against aesthetics not to have several good-looking children!


    Qiang Wei could see that his king hadn''t really gotten the point but he refrained from saying anything. Ah, he''d just let him see for himself when the time of marriage finally came.

 Chapter 392 - My Natural Instincts Are Better

    Two dragons were silently sitting on an empty plane, one of them holding a transmission stone in his hands. Nothing but the wind in the trees surrounding the clearing could be heard. This peculiar sight was what Xin Lan found when he arrived in the Leyuan region again.


    He landed a few meters away from the two dragons and slightly frowned. "What? You haven''t even started searching for the person with that blood yet? Your beloved can''t be that important to you then."


    Qiu Ling and Qiang Wei looked up. Wasn''t this the person that had left before?


    Simultaneously, Fu Min''s excited voice came through the transmission stone. "Is that Senior Xin? Senior Xin, it''s Fu Min! Do you remember me? I ¡ª"


    The transmission was suddenly cut when someone took the stone from Fu Min''s hands. "His Majesty already knows now. Don''t bother him any longer."


    "You ¡­" Fu Min leaped to his feet and pointed at the bastard next to him. "Fu Heng, you''re shameless! Haven''t you heard that that was Senior Xin on the other side?! That''s my idol! The most important person in my life! You''ll immediately reestablish the connection!"


    Fu Heng calmly kept the transmission stone, stood up and walked away. He definitely wouldn''t let him talk to that ''most important person Senior Xin'' for even a second longer. With a calm expression, he walked away while a certain someone followed him and hurled abuses at him. Well, at least they were spending time together.


    In the Leyuan region, Qiu Ling handed the transmission stone back to Qiang Wei and stood up, too. "What are you doing here? Don''t tell me you ¡ª"


    "I went and made sure that you said the truth." Xin Lan hurriedly interrupted him before Qiu Ling could once again blurt his master''s secret out. Ah, just why had this person found out? If they weren''t careful, the whole dragon realm might know about it soon. Well, that was something to worry about later.


    "Now that I''ve confirmed it I came back to help. I promised to help you free your beloved, didn''t I? How could I just stop midway?" With a righteous attitude, he faced Qiu Ling. Naturally, he wouldn''t have done anything had his master not asked him to do so.


    Ah, why did that person have to be trapped in there, too? Well, at least like this his master would still be free for a while. He didn''t even want to imagine what would happen when that man returned. Hadn''t it been enough to break his master''s heart one time? Why did he have to come and bother him again?!


    Xin Lan''s face darkened which in turn calmed Qiu Ling down. Mn, look at this! As if that guy would ever willingly help him. It was obviously the old geezer that had helped him out! Mn, if you''re like this, it would be rude of me to reject your good intentions. Ah, I might even forgive you for not holding on to my father back then.


    "Well ¡­ then what special insight does Senior Xin have? I can''t wait to hear it."


    Xin Lan didn''t bother to respond to Qiu Ling''s taunting. "Let''s go to the Nine Heavens."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "What? Are you just going to look around until you find someone? Don''t tell me you''re able to sniff out if someone has mixed blood."


    Xin Lan went over and grabbed Qiu Ling by the scruff of his neck. "Don''t talk so much or I''ll go by myself."


    "Heh!" Qiu Ling lashed out at him, showing his claws but Xin Lan effortlessly deflected the hit.


    "Don''t bother trying. You''re a few thousand years too young to win against me."


    Qiu Ling grumbled and retracted his claws. "Then what are we going to do in the Nine Heavens?"


    "Visiting the Fate''s Scribe."


    "Hah? Why would we do that?" Qiu Ling blinked and hurried to keep up with Xin Lan.


    He certainly couldn''t imagine how the Fate''s Scribe would be able to help them. Well, even if he could it would probably be pointless to ask him. That guy had refused to help him find an ascended deity to free his beloved. Why would he help them find a person with the mixed blood of three races? Absolutely impossible!


    The other dragon only rolled his eyes though and sped toward the Nine Heavens. Qiu Ling didn''t have another possibility than to follow him if he wanted to know what Xin Lan''s plan was. Qiang Wei who had just tried to help his king think of ideas was left behind without a thought. His king didn''t even bother to tell him to keep guarding the entrance of the secret realm.


    Ah, it really wasn''t easy to be His Majesty''s subordinate ¡­


    Soon, Qiu Ling and Xin Lan arrived in the Nine Heavens. Xin Lan didn''t hesitate for even a second before making his way to the Scribe''s palace.


    "You know your way around here surprisingly well."


    Xin Lan threw a glance at Qiu Ling but didn''t respond.


    "Do you know the Fate''s Scribe or something? Don''t tell me I''m tagging along for some emotional reunion. Eh? No, that can''t be. Wasn''t he in love with that servant girl? Or does he swing both ways?" He slightly furrowed his brows but finally decided that it wasn''t his problem. "Anyway, there''s no reason to drag me along if you want to have some private time with him. Just tell me what I should do to find a person with such a composition of blood and I''ll go do it."


    Xin Lan frowned. He didn''t really want to talk with Qiu Ling but he was afraid that the boy wouldn''t shut up if he didn''t say anything. "Isn''t it because I often accompanied His Majesty on official business after your father betrayed him?"


    Unfortunately for Xin Lan, this kind of angry response naturally wasn''t able to shut Qiu Ling up and instead made him hasten his steps so he could walk next to Xin Lan. "You''re still bitter about this? Come on! Even the old geezer gave up on it. It''s been such a long time and my old man even paid with his life for that fault. What more do you want him to do?"


    Xin Lan didn''t say anything more now that his plan had obviously backfired.


    "Actually, it was also the old geezer''s fault. Honestly, have you ever drunk his wine? It''s so strong I couldn''t remember how I got home that one time I drunk it. Well, I at least managed to find back to my beloved even in that state. That must be natural instinct." He hesitated for a moment before turning to Xin Lan. "So I guess my natural instincts are just better than my father''s? Or maybe it was because he got drunk at his beloved''s place and so he went the wrong way because of that?"


    Xin Lan just ignored the person tagging along with him. He knew exactly what had happened back then but whatever. There was no use in discussing with this child. It was better if he concentrated on finding the Fate''s Scribe so that he could bring that person back to his master''s side.


    Maybe he was thinking too much and this time everything would turn out well. Maybe his master would finally find his happiness. If that could happen, then he didn''t mind sacrificing his own for it. His happiness, his life, whatever he had to give to make this special person show a genuine smile again, he would give it immediately and without any regrets.

 Chapter 393 - Scamming the Fate’s Scribe

    When they finally arrived at the Scribe''s palace Xin Lan went up to the guards to announce their arrival. Qiu Ling watched him curiously. He had only ever experienced Xin Lan''s stony or condescending side. Seeing him so formal was kind of strange. Had he been like that when he was on official duty for the old geezer? Truly too astounding! Well, he didn''t care as long as this got him some help with freeing his beloved.


    Qiu Ling silently followed behind when the guard led them to the study of the Fate''s Scribe. Maybe it would work if he let Xin Lan do the talking? After all, it wasn''t him asking then ¡­


    Shun Tao looked up from the scroll of fate in his hands. Seeing Xin Lan his expression lit up and he even got up to greet him. "Senior Xin! What a nice sur¡ª" He froze when he saw the person trailing behind Xin Lan and the delight on his face immediately vanished. "Longjun, you''ve come, too."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling smiled but didn''t say anything. He''d really like to see just how that Xin Lan would get the Fate''s Scribe to help them.


    Shun Tao sighed and turned back to Xin Lan. "Senior Xin, you wouldn''t have come here on behalf of Longjun to ask for my help, would you? In regard to the issue with the ascended deity, I can''t help. This concerns the future of our race. I can''t arbitrarily do something that might bring harm to us."


    Xin Lan nodded. "I understand. The Fate''s Scribe doesn''t need to worry. I haven''t come here for that. Might you have some time to listen?"


    "Sure. Why don''t you take a seat?" Shun Tao hurriedly motioned at the chair in front of his desk and then looked at Qiu Ling. This person was troublesome but he was the dragon king, after all, the leader of their ally against the demons. Shouldn''t he offer him a seat too?


    Shun Tao suppressed a sigh and went to the door, waving a servant over to get another chair before he returned to the study. "I''m sorry for letting you wait. I wasn''t expecting any visitors today."


    "Don''t worry. I know I came at quite the inopportune time." Xin Lan''s gaze brushed Qiu Ling''s figure but he didn''t say anything about him. "This is important though so I couldn''t wait."


    "Then please don''t hold back. Just tell me what it is you need from me. If it''s something I''m able to do, then I''ll naturally help you."


    Qiu Ling looked from Shun Tao to Xin Lan and back. Whoa! Was this the advantage of being old? While he was rudely complimented out Xin Lan was asked to stay and talk about his troubles? This was so unfair! This guy was just some old dragon while he was the son-in-law of the Heavenly Emperor! Shouldn''t the gods want to help him instead?


    Qiu Ling grumbled a bit but Xin Lan ignored him.


    "This is a bit tricky. You might know that I haven''t been in the dragon realm for several thousand years."


    "Indeed. Many actually wondered if ¡­ maybe something might have happened to Senior Xin."


    "Mn. There was nothing that could be done about that. The past years I''ve been working on a mission the ¡­ previous king gave me."


    "Longjun ¡­ Jinde?" Shun Tao blinked. He wasn''t that old yet and the previous dragon king was someone he hadn''t actually seen. Not in person, at least. Considering how popular he had been back then there naturally were a lot of depictions of him still circling around.


    Xin Lan nodded. "Yes. I''m not at liberty to say too much about the content of that mission but it has to do with the demon realm. It seems like demon king Jian Heng had some longterm plans and since the current demon king is his son it is quite possible that he might be continuing these plans. His recent actions are quite worrying if one considers this backstory."


    "That ¡­" Shun Tao''s lips moved but no sound came out. He really didn''t know how to answer this. "Shouldn''t you rather talk with the Heavenly Emperor about this?"


    "Mn. I''ll do that. That is also why I asked the current Longjun to assist me with this. But first of all, we need some more tangible information. I happened upon some clue recently that might answer a lot of questions but I wasn''t able to follow it any further. This is where I think the Fate''s Scribe might be able to help us."


    "What might that clue be?"


    "A person of mixed descent. Human, god, and demon. As far as I have been able to find out that person was part of a human sect that is known as the Hei Dian Sect today." He glanced at Qiu Ling meaningfully.


    Qiu Ling straightened up. He certainly wouldn''t have thought that Xin Lan''s great plan was to spew a lot of nonsense in front of the Fate''s Scribe to find out what he wanted. Thinking about it, it made a lot of sense though. Why else would that guy help them? Well, he didn''t mind as long as he could free Jing He.


    "Uh, since I was in the Hei Dian Sect before I know a bit. Their current Grandmaster is that bastard''s uncle but he''s not really on good terms with him. He said that person was some ancestor of theirs from ancient times." He stopped talking and got himself a dissatisfied look from Xin Lan.


    What? He had said everything he knew! Why was this guy still not content?


    Shun Tao looked back at Xin Lan. "So, Senior Xin wants me to ¡­"


    "To have a look at your scrolls of fate. That person''s heritage is quite unique but that person might still count as mortal or even if not then the godly part of that person should make a trial necessary. As such there should be a scroll of fate detailing that person''s life. I want to ask the Fate''s Scribe to please look for it. Any information you can provide about that person''s life or any children that person left could be useful for finding out more about the demons'' plans."


    Shun Tao nodded grimly. "If it might help to spare our two races from danger, then I will naturally assist Senior Xin in finding out more!" He straightened his shoulders and stood up with righteous indignation at the demons'' sinister plans written on his face.


    Qiu Ling really wanted to laugh. This guy probably never would have thought that this highly respected senior of his was scamming him right now.

 Chapter 394 - Only Two Names

    Shun Tao was of half a mind to bring Xin Lan with him but when his eyes fell on the one sitting two steps away from him with a highly curious expression he reconsidered.


    "If Senior Xin would be so kind as to wait here. I''ll arrange everything."


    Xin Lan stood up and cupped his fists as thanks before sitting down again when Shun Tao had left.


    Qiu Ling couldn''t resist leaning over. "Eh, ''Senior Xin'', I''m appalled at your ability to lie. Every single thing you said just now sounded like it was the complete truth."


    Xin Lan didn''t even bother to look at him.


    Qiu Ling waited a moment but when he still didn''t get a reaction he also turned away. What use was there in talking to him when he wouldn''t answer anyway? Furthermore, he now knew what Xin Lan''s plan was. He just had to wait until the Fate''s Scribe found something about that person with the mixed blood. Mn, he should use the time to think of his beloved ¡­


    Ah, his poor beloved! He was all alone in that secret realm now. Most likely, he felt lonely and scared and longed for him to come and save him! Ah, my love, I really let you down this time! But don''t you worry I''ll soon come and free you from that wretched place! Soon ¡­


    Mn, come to think of it ¡­ Qiu Ling turned back to Xin Lan. "Eh, how long do you think this will take?"


    Xin Lan continued to look straight ahead. Nothing indicated if he had even heard him.


    "Maybe we should have provided the Fate''s Scribe with some more details? Aiya, I should go and tell him more." Qiu Ling rose to his feet, prepared to stride outside.


    Xin Lan closed his eyes and sighed before turning around. "So? What do you want to tell him? Maybe that the person we are searching for used a special form of array? And if that''s too abstract he may just go and have a look at the human realm''s Leyuan region because that is where one of them is still situated?"


    Qiu Ling stopped at the door and turned around. "Of course not! That would be like telling him that you lied."


    "Then what do you want to tell him?"


    "Well ¡­" Qiu Ling pondered. Did he know anything else? "That bastard''s uncle seemed to have told me that guy''s name. It was ¡­ Hua Yin." He furrowed his brow. "Or Huan Yin. Huang Yin. Huang Yi?"


    Xin Lan returned to looking ahead.


    "It was something along those lines!" Qiu Ling hurried back to his chair and flopped down, leaning toward Xin Lan. "Eh, do you think the Fate''s Scribe will be able to do anything with that information?"


    "What information? Even such a clear clue was already ruined by you."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "How can you say that? I know the name ¡­ roughly."


    "Well, how many people with roughly the same name will there be? What do you think?"


    Qiu Ling leaned back and cleared his throat. "You can''t fault me for that. Furthermore, it''s not like I knew back then that the name would be important. Why should I have made the effort to remember it? I mean there are really only two names you absolutely have to remember. One is the name of the one you love since that is the most important person. And the other name is your own because you have to use it to introduce yourself to the one you fall in love with so that he then knows what the first name he has to remember is. Everything else is superfluous."


    Xin Lan shook his head.


    "What? You don''t believe me? But it''s true. Well, I do admit that I took the effort to remember some less important names because those guys in the dragon realm seem like they can''t do without."


    "Qiu Ling?"


    "Mn?"


    "Just shut up."


    "You''re not really being nice here."


    Qiu Ling didn''t get an answer to this. Just when he wanted to start a new attempt on getting Xin Lan to speak footsteps sounded from the corridor. The two of them turned around and finally saw Shun Tao coming back.


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. "Fate''s Scribe! You''ve already found the scroll?" He felt Xin Lan''s disdainful look in his back but didn''t think further about it. Who knew? Maybe the guy had just been lucky?


    Surprisingly enough the Fate''s Scribe actually nodded.


    Qiu Ling turned to Xin Lan with a triumphant expression. "See? What did you look at me like that for? He really found it already!" He hurriedly leaped to his feet and turned back to Shun Tao, his lips curling into a happy smile. "That''s great. So, then tell us what you know so we can solve this problem."


    Shun Tao looked down at the floor for a moment before he cleared his throat and looked up again. His eyes were trained on Xin Lan instead of Qiu Ling though. "I do think I might have found the right person but ¡­ It''s a little difficult. And I''m afraid I can''t just tell you what I''ve found. We should involve the Heavenly Emperor in this."


    Qiu Ling whirled around to Xin Lan, his eyes widened, clearly asking if the other dragon had heard the same thing as him.


    Xin Lan took a deep breath and calmed his heart. He certainly didn''t want to involve the Heavenly Emperor but, well, if there was no other way, then he would do it. After all, this was to free his master''s lover.


    "Then let''s not waste time here. We should hurry to Tianjun''s palace immediately."


    Seeing that Xin Lan didn''t have a problem with it Shun Tao nodded in relief. He really didn''t feel well about deciding this issue alone. Especially after he had caused one great blunder before. He certainly couldn''t risk doing the wrong thing a second time.


    Thus the three of them hurried over to the Heavenly Emperor''s palace, all of them with their minds not at ease.

 Chapter 395 - An Ancient Fate

    Seeing the Fate''s Scribe in front of him the Heavenly Emperor''s expression darkened. "What? Don''t tell us you have some more bad news? How long has it been since the last time?"


    "Uh ¡­" Shun Tao cleared his throat and motioned to the side where the two dragons waited.


    The Heavenly Emperor looked up and raised his brows. Weren''t this ¡­ his self-proclaimed son-in-law and Senior Xin? What were they doing here? And why hadn''t they been announced? Or had they?


    He furrowed his brow and pondered but really couldn''t remember. Ah, it was no wonder! The bad news about his son''s situation that the Fate''s Scribe had brought earlier were still occupying his mind. Naturally, he wouldn''t have the mind to care about other things.


    Well, now he had to pretend to care for a while. That damnable dandy might still be alright to ignore but he definitely couldn''t ignore the man beside him.


    "Longjun, Senior Xin, what might bring you here?"


    Qiu Ling looked away as if all this had nothing to do while Xin Lan stepped forward and cupped his fists.


    "Excuse us for disturbing you, Tianjun. Something has come up that needs the gods'' help. I took the liberty to directly ask for the Fate''s Scribe''s help since His Majesty mentioned that Tianjun is rather busy at the moment. Unfortunately, this case seems to be even trickier than I thought. Thus, we had no other possibility than to still come and disturb you."


    The Heavenly Emperor pushed the thought of Jing He aside for the moment. This seemed like it was indeed important. "That isn''t a problem. Please tell us what all this is about. We will help you if we are able to do so."


    Xin Lan nodded and presented the exact same lies to the Heavenly Emperor that he had fed the Fate''s Scribe. Qiu Ling quietly listened and marveled at Xin Lan''s acting abilities.


    This guy was really talented! Just take a look at his father-in-law''s face that grew darker by the second! He looked ready to call his brother-in-law over and send the army over to the demon realm in retaliation!


    "I can''t believe it! This Jian Heng! What a bastard!"


    "Mn." Xin Lan actually murmured his assent.


    The Heavenly Emperor turned to Shun Tao. "So what are you waiting for? Why didn''t you tell them immediately? Such an important thing and you''re actually wasting Senior Xin''s time!"


    Shun Tao lowered his head and took out the scroll of fate he found. "There aren''t many scrolls pertaining to mixed raced people considering that they would need a considerable amount of human blood to count as mortal. Someone with a composition of three different types of blood definitely would seldom fulfill these criteria. I did manage to find a scroll that might have to do with that person though. It details the life of someone who was closed to a person that fits Senior Xin''s description. It''s just that ¡­ the life the scroll depicts is that of a god in his trial period."


    The Heavenly Emperor raised his brows. This seemed to get more bizarre the more he heard! "So which god is it?"


    Shun Tao glanced at the two dragons but the Heavenly Emperor just waved.


    "Don''t be like this! Tell us!"


    "It''s the current God of War, Qiang Yan."


    "The brother of the Heavenly Empress?!" The Heavenly Emperor''s eyes widened. How could this be? His brother-in-law actually had to do with this cursed plan of the demons?! "Servants!" The Heavenly Emperor motioned at the person that came running. "Go and tell the God of War to come here immediately. Hurry!"


    The servant hastened outside while the four men in the throne room could only wait.


    Qiu Ling pensively looked at the scroll of fate in Shun Tao''s hands. This really was ¡­ too interesting! He never would have thought that his uncle-in-law would have been close to someone with demon blood before. Mn, what might their relationship have been like? Maybe they had been friends? Or even lovers? If so, then maybe he could use that to his advantage should the gods ever find out about his heritage? Mn ¡­


    Xin Lan carefully observed Qiu Ling while they waited. Seeing the contemplative look on his face he couldn''t help but furrow his brows. What was this boy thinking? He wouldn''t make everything more complicated with his actions now, would he?


    At the same time, the Heavenly Emperor was worrying about his son. He had just been told that the demons had been planning something for a long time and hadn''t his son''s mortal reincarnation just been trapped somewhere where he started to remember his life as a god because of the demons? Maybe this was also part of the demons'' plan!


    Thankfully, Qiang Yan arrived soon and saved all three men from their worries. "The God of War, Qiang Yan, greets His Majesty, Tianjun!" Qiang Yan bowed to keep up appearances in front of the guests.


    The Heavenly Emperor wasn''t in the mood though. He motioned at him to get up and summarized as fast as he could what had happened. "Senior Xin came to alert us to the plans the demons have been making. It seems like a person you knew in one of your trials could be the key to solving this issue so I hope you don''t mind us hearing about this from the Fate''s Scribe?"


    "Of course not. As long as it can be of help."


    The four men turned toward Shun Tao and the Heavenly Emperor motioned for him to start explaining.


    Shun Tao took a deep breath and unfurled the scroll of fate. He had read it before and knew exactly what was written inside but being subjected to the gazes of these high-ranking people he couldn''t help but grow nervous. This had, after all, been one of the earliest fates he wrote.


    "Well, this is from the trial where the God of War was reborn as the mortal Feng Jian Hao and the person Senior Xin had been talking about is very likely a woman named Huan Yin." He looked at the God of War and saw him gulp. Seeing that he didn''t feel any better about what he had to say but what else could he do? This certainly wasn''t a situation where he could keep silent about the details.


    "That woman ¡­ was his lover."

 Chapter 396 - The Limitations of Ascension

    The Heavenly Emperor and Qiu Ling both turned to Qiang Yan to look at him with shock.


    "Who would have thought!"


    "You never said anything."


    Qiang Yan cleared his throat. "That was a trial and it''s long in the past. Why would I have talked about it? So, what about her?"


    The Heavenly Emperor turned to Xin Lan. "Senior Xin, what exactly is it that you''d like to know?"


    Xin Lan cupped his fists in front of Qiang Yan. "I appreciate that the God of War shares this story with us. It probably isn''t easy to talk about this. We don''t know exactly what the plan of the demons is so in theory every information could be important. For now what concerns me most is if you know whether that woman is still alive now or has some other living family? And if yes, do you have any idea where we could find either her or her family members?"


    "Huan Yin is dead. Back then we ¡­ we were cultivating immortality." He laughed and shook his head. Back then he must have made as much trouble for the Fate''s Scribe as Jing He''s reincarnation was causing right now. "We wanted to ascend together but the only one who made it was me. Huan Yin must have fallen due to the lightning tribulation."


    Shun Tao looked away. Did he really have to talk about it? Why did he feel like that would bring even more trouble?


    "Then her family?"


    "I don''t know much about that. She rarely talked about them. As far as I know, her mother should have been partly-human and partly-god while her father was a full-blooded demon. The two of them had two children together, both girls, and there were a bunch of other children her father had with other women. But that is all I know. As for whether any of them is still alive ¡­ I''m afraid I can''t help with that either."


    Xin Lan frowned slightly. Ah, this wasn''t good. Mixed raced children were quite rare, especially in such a combination. If they didn''t manage to find either that Huan Yin or her sister they probably wouldn''t have any chance to open the array. After all, where else were they supposed to find another person with such blood? Having two of them was already rare enough!


    The Heavenly Emperor looked at Xin Lan. "Senior Xin, does that help you?"


    "No, I''m afraid this means that that clue won''t lead anywhere. I still thank you for your help." He cupped his fists again and slightly turned around to signal Qiu Ling to leave together with him.


    Before he could do anything else the Fate''s Scribe cleared his throat. "Uhm, there is actually ¡­ I know something that might be of help to you. It''s just ¡­" He looked at Qiang Yan and gulped. Maybe he should have told him back then? But that wasn''t really his task, was it? It had just been a trial anyway.


    "What does the Fate''s Scribe know?" Xin Lan turned back, clenching his hands. He didn''t like that man but his master wanted to see him again. He couldn''t allow the secret realm to remain shut. He had to open it one way or the other.


    "Well, that woman ¡­ she didn''t die back then."


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. "What? That can''t be. We both tried to ascend and she fell back while I already ¡­ Why wouldn''t she have come to the Nine Heavens if she did ascend?"


    Shun Tao squirmed on the spot. "She didn''t ascend either."


    "Fate''s Scribe!" The Heavenly Emperor struck the armrest of his throne and frowned. "Stop dilly-dallying and tell us what happened!"


    "This ¡­ I''m sorry, God of War. You''ve also heard it. His Majesty ordered me to say it and the situation is special. Normally, I certainly wouldn''t want to talk about your private matters like this.


    The thing is back then Huan Yin couldn''t ascend. Not because she lacked the strength to do so but because there are limitations to the ascension of mortals. For example, only the person that suffered through the tribulations can ascend. The person can''t carry anyone with her."


    Qiang Yan frowned. "What''s that supposed to mean? There was only us. Why would Huan Yin even try to take somebody else with her?"


    Shun Tao coughed. "Well, she was pregnant at that time."


    "She ¡­ What?"


    "She was pregnant. So, technically speaking, she carried a child with her which made her unable to ascend. She could have done so after giving birth but ¡­ Maybe she couldn''t bring herself to leave the child. I don''t know about that. Since Huan Yin wasn''t mortal there is no scroll of fate for her. I can''t check what happened to her after your trial ended. I only know that when Feng Jian Hao ascended he left behind a pregnant woman."


    "So I ¡­ I might have a child somewhere out there?"


    The Heavenly Emperor coughed. "God of War, don''t get this wrong. It''s not your child. It''s the child of the mortal you were in your trial. That has long passed and most likely that child will be dead anyway. You were mortal and that woman was partly-human. The child was certainly mortal itself. It has probably long died."


    "Mn. Your Majesty is probably right." Qiang Yan said so but he definitely didn''t look as if he could just push the thought aside.


    In fact, he really couldn''t. As he had told his nephew once he had really loved Huan Yin. Had she managed to ascend back then he probably would have asked her to marry him despite the fact that she had some demon blood. He hadn''t cared about that. Knowing that she hadn''t been able to ascend because she had been with his child ¡­ It unexpectedly made his heart throb painfully even after all this time.


    Why? Just why had he ascended that bit before her? He should have held back until he could be certain that she would be able to ascend. Some years more or less ¡­ What did it matter? Unfortunately, it was already too late now. It had been too late for a long time already.


    Qiang Yan sighed. "Then, does this help you, Senior Xin?" If this could at least help against the demons, then it wouldn''t have been all in vain.


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes. The God of War had been a human so the general composition of the blood would be the same for mother and child even though it varied a little in regard to the size of the parts.


    "I think it might. But ¡­ to make sure we would have to find that child or at least make sure whether or not it''s still alive."

 Chapter 397 - Only Emptiness Remains

    While the gods and dragons were wondering how to find Qiang Yan''s child Jing Yi was still slowly walking through his inner self drawing out one memory after the other. Since he found out how to rest his own consciousness the memories seemed to come faster and faster, not even giving him the time to think the things he saw through.


    Rather than saying that Jing Yi was taking a look at the Nine Heavens, it would probably have been more accurate to say that Jing He was currently living there and was being observed by someone without his knowledge. Those were Jing He''s steps he retraced and it was Jing He''s words that he spoke and it certainly was Jing He''s thoughts that occupied his mind. The most noticeable were his feelings though. The longer Jing Yi stayed to rediscover his memories the more he felt himself to be influenced by Jing He''s feelings.


    Right now, he was once again caught in a memory that highlighted just how much they did. He was back at his own palace, tending to his flowers like he seemed to have done a lot. Just when he bent down to gently brush the brightly colored leaves of a flower the hem of a dark robe appeared in front of him.


    Jing He straightened up but his gaze only lifted until it reached the plant in the man''s hands. "Longjun has come by again? I''m honored by your visit." He said so but his heart was tranquil. This was obviously a memory from the beginning when they hadn''t known each other very well. At the moment, this man meant nothing to him.


    "Mn. I came to bring you a present." The plant was handed to him and a pair of hands followed suit to cover his.


    Jing He looked at them and there was slight worry in his heart. Well, rather than saying this man meant nothing to him it would probably be more accurate to say that Jing He felt him to be trouble. "Longjun ¡­"


    "Oh. Yes, yes, of course. This ¡­ That wasn''t appropriate. I know. I just ¡­ felt so happy to see you."


    Jing He''s lips tightened, the worry over what would happen next getting stronger. But just when he was searching for a reason to send this person away or at least call somebody else over Jing Yi''s consciousness raised its head in protest.


    This was his lover! How could he treat him like that? No, he should ¡­ he should do what he always did. He should let him hold his hands and gently smile at him the way he liked and maybe ¡­ maybe he should finally lift his gaze to his eyes to see where it led them.


    His eyes wandered upward indeed and that familiar sight made his heart beat higher. Meanwhile, the man''s voice sounded again the warm timbre seemingly caressing him.


    "I missed you very much. I know we only saw each other yesterday but I longed for you. If I could, I would spend every single minute here."


    Even though Jing He was unimpressed by this confession, Jing Yi wasn''t. He blushed and his heart throbbed faintly. He wanted to reach out to that man and he wanted him to come closer, to take him into his arms. Yes, he didn''t mind to lie in this man''s arms anymore. On the contrary, he actually liked it. His embrace felt warm. Warm and secure. As if it had been supposed to be this way.


    But right now he could only watch and hope that maybe Jing He would do what he longed to do since he himself couldn''t. It all depended on his former self. Unfortunately, it didn''t seem that he would be lucky.


    When the two of them reached the pavilion, Jing He placed the plant on the table before turning back to his future lover. Even though he wanted to show him out immediately he was a person that placed much emphasis on manners. He definitely wouldn''t throw somebody out who had come to give him a present.


    Jing He motioned at the table. "Please, have a seat. Would you like some tea?"


    The man sat down and his gaze very obviously brushed Jing He''s face and finally stayed there. It even seemed tangible.


    "Mn. Why not? I wonder ¡­ is there any special tea Your Highness likes?"


    Jing He just smiled and motioned for the man to wait a moment. There weren''t many servants in his palace and most of the time when he was in the gardens he would have to go himself if he wanted tea. It probably didn''t conform to his status but since he liked to live this way and his father endlessly indulged him it had never presented a problem.


    As expected his future lover couldn''t wait for him to prepare the tea. Jing He had only just reached his chambers and placed everything on a tray when steps sounded behind him.


    "Your Highness, this looks heavy. How about letting me lend you a hand?" He asked politely but he actually reached out while saying so and took the tray from him.


    Jing He kept his gaze trained on the tray and smiled. "I thank you for the offer but you''re my guest. How could I let you carry things for me?"


    "Then just don''t regard me as a guest."


    The man''s gaze seemed to burn into him, urging him not to regard him as an outsider any longer but to accept the advances he was making.


    Jing He''s head lowered further while he contemplated how to evade this man''s advances once more without risking the relationship between their races. Jing Yi couldn''t take it any longer. He really couldn''t understand this past self of his.


    When had their lover ever treated them anything but gently? When had he ever spoken an untrue word to them? This kind of man, how could he treat him so coldly? How could he stay so cowardly even up until the end and not follow what his heart had already told him for a long time? How could he risk this beautiful love between them?


    Jing Yi reached out, his fingers tugging into his lover''s robe. He ignored the tray Tian was still holding and tiptoed, his lips nearing those of the other man. But just when they reached them the memory in front of him faded, leaving only a feeling of emptiness behind.

 Chapter 398 - Stoking His Desire

    Jing Yi stood in place and blankly looked ahead. What had just happened?


    He sighed and sat down at the table where he had just prepared the tea. There was no need to think about it. He already knew. Seeing the familiar figure of that man in one of his memories even if it was a memory from the beginning when his past self obviously hadn''t known him very well and didn''t feel much for him his own heart inevitably beat faster. So just now, his own consciousness had been called out and he had instinctively reacted and reached out to the man he loved. Unfortunately, this had stopped him from seeing how the rest of the memory had originally played out.


    Jing Yi sighed again. How could he have reacted so impulsively? He should have known that this would happen! Why couldn''t he have just watched and seen where everything led? Now he had missed the last part of this memory because he was too impatient.


    Well, there was nothing he could do now besides trying to elicit another memory. He closed his eyes and tried to calm his wildly beating heart again. He slowly breathed in and out but just when he thought he was successful a pair of arms snaked around his waist and a pair of lips pressed against his cheek, disturbing his concentration.


    Jing Yi''s eyes flew open and he was tempted to turn around. He really wanted nothing more than to snuggle up against this person and lift his gaze to finally look at him. But he knew he couldn''t or this would end just like the memory from before. Thus he suppressed his own wishes and just followed Jing He''s memory.


    Well, at least this time Jing He''s reaction was not that different from his own. When his lover pulled him closer up against his chest Jing He''s heartbeat picked up and he actually raised his hands to cover those of Tian while resting his head against that broad chest behind him. His lips carried a sweet smile and he closed his eyes in contentment.


    "It''s only one more day." Tian''s hands gently caressed him while his breath brushed against Jing He''s skin.


    "I''m sorry for leaving you alone."


    "Ngh, don''t be. As long as you come back to me." The grip of those arms tightened a little and Tian lifted him off the chair before sitting down himself and pulling him onto his lap. "It''s just ¡­ about two months. I''ll be able to take that. Although ¡­ I''ll miss you terribly. There won''t be even one day that I don''t spend thinking about you."


    Jing He lifted a hand and placed it on Tian''s chest, feeling his heartbeat. Strong and fast. He obviously really ¡­ loved him very much.


    Tian reached out and cupped his cheek. He craned his neck and their lips met, Jing He''s long hair hanging down like a curtain to cover them from curious gazes. Being sure that nobody would be able to see Jing He felt emboldened. He reached up and circled his lover''s neck.


    Maybe it was because he had never gotten such a response from Jing He before but Tian''s grip tightened again, one hand holding his waist while the other gently stroked his back, higher and higher until it finally found it''s way up to his neck. Tian''s fingers found the edge of his robe and pulled it down to touch his bare skin.


    Jing He gasped, the sound unlike anything he had ever made and shockingly loud in the quiet environment of his palace. His lover''s touch seemed to scald him and his own hands on Tian''s neck shook. This was ¡­ They weren''t married yet, not even officially engaged. He felt like what he did was forbidden and his guilty conscience rose only to be smothered by his lover''s touch again.


    Tian didn''t think of stopping. Hearing the voice of his beloved like that instead seemed to have intensified his desire. He held him close and deepened their kiss, his lips sucking at Jing He''s as if they wanted to leave a tangible imprint. Finally, even Tian''s tongue snuck out, tasting those lips.


    Jing He couldn''t take it any longer. He opened his eyes and tried to break away, even his hands pulled back, pressing against Tian''s chest to hold him off.


    Both of their breathing was heavy and Tian didn''t seem reconciled at all. He tried to pull his lover back and his lips neared him once again. This time they went for his cheek though and the kiss they left there was gentle and sweet and not as wild as the one from before.


    "Forgive me. I lost myself in you for a while." Another kiss fell on Jing He''s cheek, just as light as the one before but at another spot as if Tian wanted to make sure that he was covered in his kisses. "Don''t worry. I''ll be gentler now." Another kiss, a little further to his cheekbone made Jing He close his eyes and turn his head, surrendering himself to his lover once more. "I''ll be careful. Don''t worry. Don''t worry."


    Tian gently repeated those words over and over again until Jing He calmed down, his lips meanwhile exploring his skin, his hands stroking his back again, making sure that he would be comfortable.


    And Jing He was. He slowly fell back into his lover''s arms and his hands that had just tried to push him away now stroked Tian''s chest, feeling the muscles below and relishing in the warmth they gave off. He barely noticed how his lover''s kisses had trailed a path to his jaw and how they were slowly making their way toward his neck. He just obediently bent his head for him and let him do as he desired, not noticing that his own behavior stoked this desire even more.


    In the end, Tian didn''t seem to able to take it any longer. He lifted his head from where he had been caressing his beloved with kisses and whispered into his ear. "Let me stay here for tonight." His voice sounded raspy and the heat radiating from his body seemed to have intensified over the last minutes.


    Jing He languidly cracked his eyes open. They were misty and with the light that had grown dimmer and his dense lashes obscuring his vision even more he could only vaguely see the appearance of his lover in front of him.


    Tian took in a sharp breath and stood up, carrying his beloved in his arms. His steps unerringly took them to Jing He''s bed, only stopping right in front. It was more than obvious what he intended to do.

 Chapter 399 - He Suddenly Understood

    Tian gently lowered him down onto the edge of the bed and knelt before him, taking Jing He''s hands into his and pressing a kiss onto each of them.


    "I love you." He only whispered but this kind of whisper felt more like hearing a prayer than actually talking to him.


    Jing He didn''t know what to say. He should probably respond but ¡­ but how? Whatever he said it would certainly seem feeble in the face of his lover''s fervent confession.


    While Jing He still fretted over what to do Tian didn''t stop and just continued with what he had been doing. His hands let go of Jing He''s and instead cupped his calves, gently kneading the soft flesh through the thin fabric of the robe, preparing him for what was to come later.


    Tian lowered his head and placed a kiss on top of Jing He''s knee, his lips lingering for a moment. When his beloved didn''t protest he leaned forward and kissed him once more, higher up on his thigh. There still wasn''t any protest but Jing He also hadn''t moved the hands that Tian had held just before.


    Did he want to continue? Did he want to stop? Just looking at how he was sitting there it wasn''t obvious at all. Most likely Tian wanted to make sure before he did anything overboard. His raspy voice once again broke the silence of Jing He''s palace.


    "Then ¡­ Let''s go to bed?"


    His words startled Jing He out of his thoughts and he replied by instinct. "My clothes ¡­"


    Both of them froze. What had he just said? And what had it been a response to? Why did it seem as if ¡­ he had just asked his lover to help him take off his clothes?


    Jing He''s cheeks flushed and he wanted to say something to make sure Tian wouldn''t misunderstand him but his lover was faster. Tian''s hands shot forward, aiming to undo Jing He''s belt and finally peel those clothes off him.


    Jing He hurriedly reached out and clasped the fabric to his body. "I ¡­" He wanted to speak up again but his voice sounded too breathless even in his own ears. With that kind of voice ¡­ whatever he said would probably be misunderstood anyway.


    Jing He''s face heated up even more. Without knowing what else to do, he hurriedly lied down and faced away from his lover, pulling the blanket over him. He intently listened for sounds behind him but there was nothing.


    Jing He tightly gripped his sleeve below the blanket. Why? Just why did he have to say something like that? What would his lover think of him now? Would he think he was cheap? Or would he think that he was trying to delay him? This ¡­ this wouldn''t change anything between them, would it?


    He was of half a mind to get up again and reach out to Tian to invite him to continue when finally the rustling of fabric sounded behind him. Tian had probably gotten up from the floor.


    Jing He''s heart raced. What now? Would he turn away and leave? Or would he lie down beside him? What if ¡­ what if he really left him? That couldn''t be! He had to make sure he would stay with him! Maybe ¡­ maybe he really should ¡­ should invite him?


    If he surrendered his body to Tian, then he certainly wouldn''t leave him. As soon as he let it happen there was nothing that could separate them ever again. Tian was a dependable man. If he took him, then he would care for him for the rest of his life. So maybe it would be for the best. Maybe he should ¡­ let Tian embrace him.


    But how? After what just happened he could hardly just fold back the blanket and ask, could he? Just imagining it Jing He felt like his cheeks were set ablaze. This really was too frivolous. What was he even thinking? But in case his lover took the first step again ¡­


    Jing He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Yes, if he slipped under the blanket and reached out to him, then he would allow him. If he tried to touch him again, whether it was undoing his clothes or taking possession of his body he would allow him.


    Jing He waited for the blanket to lift and for his lover to close in on him. His heart couldn''t help but beat faster when he imagined how Tian''s body would press up against his back. His breath would probably tickle his cheek or maybe even his neck and his hands ¡­ Jing He''s eyes slightly misted over and he stroked the bed next to him, hoping for Tian to finally move. Now, after hesitating for so long and wondering if it was something he should do, something he could allow to happen, he was finally filled with excitement.


    How would it feel? He knew it was wrong. They weren''t married according to the gods'' laws and they definitely shouldn''t share a bed. It was ¡­ plainly wrong. But right now he wanted it. He wanted his lover to embrace him. Regardless of whether that made him frivolous or cheap or ¡­ even worse.


    He wanted it. He wanted to lie in his arms and he wanted to do so without anything between them. If Tian took off his clothes, if his skin touched his lover''s skin, if those hands roamed his body and explored whatever there was to explore ¡­ What was wrong about that? He would be his and he would be his forever. He had already made sure of it. His heart, his soul, they were completely his. So why shouldn''t he surrender his body to him, too? Why shouldn''t he give Tian everything of himself? Why shouldn''t he finally let his lover do what he had desired for so long?


    Unfortunately, Jing He was bound to be disappointed. Tian didn''t lift the blanket and he definitely didn''t try to strip him. After knowing each other for so long the image of Jing He being a person who was prim and proper was probably deeply ingrained in his mind. And after being rejected twice on the very same evening he might not have dared to make a third attempt.


    He lied down next to Jing He but there weren''t just their clothes between them. Tian even conscientiously made sure to lie on top of that blanket and only cradled Jing He in his arms after that.


    His beloved, at that moment, felt slightly at a loss. After finally having decided and now being denied what he desired ¡­ he suddenly understood very well how his lover had to have felt all these years when he was rejected.

 Chapter 400 - Even More Charming in the Moonlight

    Jing He and Tian lay in the darkness both of them seemingly unsure of what to do next. Tian had probably given up hope already that anything would happen this night and Jing He who wanted something to happen didn''t dare to bring it up.


    Yes, he had decided. If Tian took the first step, he would allow him. But it still required Tian to take the first step. He himself ¡­ he couldn''t bring himself to do it. After all, even if he had decided, he didn''t want to give his lover cause to think of him differently. There was a chance that he already would when he embraced him before their wedding but he definitely didn''t want to make it worse.


    In his lover''s eyes, he wanted to remain pure. Tian should think of him as perfect, as someone worthy of his love. He didn''t want to be seen as a slut. So, naturally, Jing He wouldn''t ask for it even if it was the only possibility to fulfill this wish tonight. He''d rather forgo being embraced by his lover for now than risking that Tian would dislike him.


    Although ¡­ Jing He slightly lifted his head and looked at Tian''s arm that held onto his waist. It had been ten years since they met and his lover had tried more than just a few times to get physically closer to him. If it didn''t happen even now and he then went on his trial, would Tian feel that there wasn''t any hope left for them? Ah, he would rather Tian thought badly of him but stayed with him than losing him while leaving a perfect image in his mind.


    Jing He wanted to speak up but he couldn''t find any words that would convey his feelings. What should he say? How could he say it in a way that wouldn''t leave too bad of an impression in his lover''s mind?


    At the same time, Tian seemed to decide that he had waited long enough for his beloved to calm down. The arm that had been calmly lying around his waist started to move and finally found Jing He''s hand in the dark. "My love, don''t you want to see me?"


    Jing He shuddered. Tian''s voice sounded so close, even more so because of the darkness around them. There was nothing but that gentle voice behind him, the warmth of the chest in his back, the heavy arm circling his waist, the slightly rough skin of that hand ¡­ Jing He closed his eyes and let himself fall. Maybe his lover wouldn''t embrace him tonight but ¡­ he could still be his in a sweet way.


    "Was what I did this unforgivable?" The person slowly moved, propping himself up on one arm and slightly bending over his lover, his breath caressing Jing He''s cheek.


    Jing He''s eyes opened only to see the vague silhouette of his lover above him. His heart leaped. If Tian bent down now and their lips met, then ¡­ then maybe ¡­


    "Jing He?" Tian indeed lowered himself a little but didn''t try to kiss him.


    "Mn." Jing He waited with bated breath but his lover didn''t even seem to think of continuing. In the end, he himself turned to the other side. He didn''t say anything though.


    Tian observed him for a moment before lying down again. "So you''re not angry with me?"


    Jing He slid closer in lieu of an answer and snuggled up against his lover''s chest. How could he be angry? He would never be able to be angry at him.


    Tian reached over and gently cupped his cheek. "I really wouldn''t have been able to stand it had you been dissatisfied with me. Having to separate for these two months ¡­ it''s bad enough. I don''t even want to imagine separating on a bad note."


    "I ¡­" Jing He wanted to assure him that that would never happen because there was no way they would ever really argue but he still kept quiet in the end. Yes, he would never be angry or dissatisfied with his lover but who could say that it was the same for Tian? Such a perfect man, wouldn''t he get bored with him one day? After all, what did he have to make him stay?


    "It''s alright." Tian once again hugged his waist and pulled him closer, even bending forward to lightly kiss his cheek. "As long as you''re happy it''s alright."


    Jing He nodded and leaned his head against his lover''s chest. Hearing his heartbeat a sweet feeling emerged in his own heart. This was his lover, the man he had decided on, the one and only man he would ever accept at his side.


    ''I love you.'' Jing He silently mouthed those words he had longed to say for so long already. For now, he couldn''t say them aloud. That would have to wait until after their wedding.


    But someday he would say them. Someday, he would look up, directly into his lover''s, no, into his husband''s eyes and would declare his love for him. And maybe he would even be bold enough to tiptoe and kiss those thin lips.


    Jing He smiled at that and lifted a hand. He carefully placed it against his lover''s torso and rubbed the fabric of his robe. He could feel the slight elevation of the embroidery and gently traced the threads that seemed to form scales. His fingers trailed down until they reached Tian''s navel. His lover shuddered.


    Jing He hastily retracted his hand. "I''m sorry. I ¡ª"


    "It''s alright." Tian said so but he pulled Jing He closer, not giving him even the slightest space to move.


    Jing He felt like he had done wrong. Obviously, his lover didn''t want him to continue. Look, he held him so close so that he couldn''t continue. And before that, he had shuddered. He must have hated the feeling. Jing He lowered his head and wished he hadn''t done anything. He should have just continued to lie there then nothing would have happened.


    Tian also lowered his head and looked into his beloved''s eyes. Who knows if he could actually see something? It was already so dark that Jing He could hardly see his lover''s form.


    "My love, when you come back ¡­"


    "Mn?" Jing He looked back at his lover.


    The moonlight falling through the window made Tian''s eyes gleam for a moment and uncovered a pale cheek. Jing He stared blankly. He had always known that his lover was handsome but ¡­ Could it be that he was even more charming in the moonlight? It felt impossible but looking at the bit he could see right now it certainly seemed true.


    "When you come back from your trial ¡­ let''s marry that very same day."

 Chapter 401 - They’d Ambush You

    "Ah?" Jing He raised his brows. Why would his lover suddenly ask this?


    Tian didn''t say anything else. He only pulled Jing He still a little closer, closing the last inch that had separated them. Any further and they would have to melt together. Tian''s breath caressed Jing He''s face, their hearts beat wildly next to each other and their legs stuck together down until their toes.


    Jing He gasped again before holding his breath. He looked at Tian''s form before him in the dark and waited. What would his lover do next? Could it be that ¡­ Would it still happen today?


    Tian''s hands indeed stroked his back but that was it. He only moved his hands up and down gently before finally lying still again. "Promise me. Promise me that we''ll marry as soon as you get back."


    Even in the dark of the night Jing He felt like he could feel Tian''s gaze on him. He really was serious about this. He wanted to marry him. If there had still been any slight hesitation in Jing He, then it finally vanished at this moment.


    "I promise you. As soon as I get back we''ll marry."


    "Mn. That sounds good." Having obtained his lover''s promise Tian finally seemed unable to hold back. He leaned over and kissed Jing He, his lips lingering on his beloved''s until Jing He had to pull back to take a deep breath.


    "Ah, you ¡ª"


    Tian chuckled and once again sealed Jing He''s lips with a kiss. "What''s there to talk about now?" He only murmured those words before cradling Jing He in his arms again and continuing.


    "Mn, you ¡ª"


    Jing He still didn''t get the words out and finally, he just surrendered. Seeing that his beloved didn''t want to speak up any longer Tian also stopped. It really made one wonder if he had been afraid of what Jing He might want to say.


    The two of them lay there in the darkness, their breath mixing together. Jing He hesitated but finally still brought up what had been on his mind.


    "Say after we''ve married ¡­ are you going to take me away?"


    "Of course. Or could it be that you still want me to run over here every day to see you instead of moving into your husband''s palace?"


    Jing He smiled and shook his head. "How could that be? I also want us to spend more time together."


    "Mn. We''ll definitely have more time then. Eh, just imagine spending every night like this one. Lying in the same bed, whispering to each other in the dark ¡­ maybe ¡­" Tian''s hands grabbed onto Jing He''s and pulled them up against his chest. "We can also do some other things by then."


    "Other things?"


    "Mn. Won''t I be your husband then?" Tian''s voice dropped to a whisper and he gently stroked Jing He''s shoulder. "Aren''t there certain things you''d do with your husband at night?"


    Jing He could have sworn he saw his lover''s lips curl in the moonlight but he wasn''t sure if he hadn''t seen wrong. He hastily lowered his own gaze and just concentrated on the fabric below his fingertips. "Things I''d do with my husband ¡­"


    "Mn."


    Jing He certainly couldn''t be called knowledgeable in this regard but he was intelligent enough to get the hint. Well, it was hard to miss with the way Tian had whispered those words. "Whatever it is my husband wants to do I''d certainly comply."


    "Mn, that''s how it should be." Tian brushed Jing He''s hair back and gently stroked his cheek. He sighed. "I also know this isn''t easy for you. The gods are different from us in that regard but ¡­ you don''t have to worry. We''ll have a beautiful wedding following your customs first and only then will I take you to my kingdom. We''ll follow my race''s customs then and after that ¡­ However you imagine our life to be, is how it''ll be. Whatever wish you have you only have to tell me." He laughed lightly. "Ah, no, I said it wrong. You don''t have to say anything. Just look at me. Your husband will be able to read your thoughts from your eyes and before you can even think of bringing it up I''ll have your wish fulfilled already."


    Jing He''s lips lifted. After having known his lover for ten years, he could very well imagine that it would indeed happen that way. "You don''t have to take the trouble to do so much. Just staying with you will make me happy. Just ¡­ take a bit of your time every day and spend it with me, alright?"


    "That''s a given." Tian''s lips brushed Jing He''s forehead. "Mn, how about this? After marrying according to our customs, the next day I''ll show you around the palace and the capital. It''ll be just the two of us. Nobody else."


    Jing He hesitated slightly. "Wouldn''t that be dangerous? You''re the king, after all. Shouldn''t there be some guards with you?" Not that he had ever seen his lover with guards before ¡­


    "What guards? They''re a bunch of useless fools. Haven''t you heard yet? Your husband is hailed as the strongest warrior of his race. Even if I took these guys with me they wouldn''t be of help. They''d only get in my way if something happened. So you don''t have to worry about me. And you don''t have to worry about your own safety either as long as I''m with you. Oh, come to think of it. In the future, if you go out, do tell me beforehand, yes? I''ll arrange some people to protect you if I can''t come with you myself."


    "I can''t go alone?"


    "Of course not! Just look at you, my love. You''re so beautiful! You''d naturally be ambushed as soon as you step out of the palace."


    Jing He barely held back the laugh that rose in his throat at these words. "What are you even saying? You''re the only one who thinks so."


    "How could that be? You''re clearly ¡­ clearly the most beautiful person in the Nine Heavens. No, not just that. You''re the most beautiful person in all of the immortal realms. Ah, I can''t believe that I really have the good fortune to marry you in two months'' time already."


    "It''s the truth. And if anything then shouldn''t I be the one who''s disbelieving? Such a wonderful man like you just fell in love with me and despite everything you ¡­" Jing He didn''t have the words to describe what he felt. He wanted to lean forward and kiss his lover but in the end, he still didn''t dare. Ah, he would wait until they were married for that.


    "What are you even saying? How couldn''t I fall in love with you? Don''t you know? The first time I saw you I was already head over heels for you. No, in fact, I already irrevocably fell in love with you when I only heard your voice. Mn, come to think of it ¡­ Seeing that you''re about to leave for such a long time ¡­ How about singing your husband-to-be a lullaby?"

 Chapter 402 - In Heaven’s Name

    Jing He couldn''t see it but this time he was sure that Tian was smiling at him. After all, wasn''t that always what he did when he had some irresponsible wish? He would look at him with those soulful eyes and then give him that charming smile that made him unable to reject any of his wishes.


    "I ¡­ Do I have to?"


    Tian seemed to hear that he had already convinced him halfway. He gently grabbed Jing He''s waist and murmured his assent. "I would really appreciate it. You know when we got to know each other back then I nearly instantly thought of that. I just ¡­" He sighed and leaned forward until his forehead touched his lover''s.


    A special warmth spread to Jing He and the last bit of resistance melted away. Ah, whatever it was he wanted he would do it for him. What was singing one lullaby? It wasn''t like that was anything indecent either. So why shouldn''t he?


    Tian had no idea that he had already convinced his lover and threw himself into a teary explanation. "My love, you don''t know but these years I''ve sometimes had trouble falling asleep. I''d be lying there in that cold and lonely palace and my thoughts would inevitably wander toward the Nine Heavens. I would remember the time we spend here and recall each and every word that was uttered from your lips. I would imagine all those little gestures you do and wonder what we would do if you were there with me at that moment.


    "So, for the whole night, I''d be lying there until dawn arrives again. And even when I finally fall asleep then I still can''t rest. I can only rest at your side. Lying here next to you or walking beside you in the day ¡­ that''s when my mind is completely at ease."


    Jing He smiled and gently covered Tian''s hand on his waist with his own. "I had no idea it''s that grave."


    "Mn. So, my love, be so kind and sing one song for me, alright? I''ll listen and engrave it into my heart and when I feel restless again I''ll remember and I''d certainly feel better then. Won''t you do me that little favor?"


    "Well, if it''s such a grave issue, then I naturally can''t reject it, can I?"


    "Mn, that would be ¡­ I would appreciate it so much if you could do this for me."


    "Then, what kind of lullaby would you like?"


    "I don''t care!"


    The response came so fast that Jing He really had to wonder if his lover had prepared this for a long time already. The eagerness in his voice didn''t help diffuse this notion either. Well, Jing He didn''t mind.


    "Normally, I don''t sing so you can''t be angry if it''s not up to par."


    "Oh, no need to say that. I will love it anyway. It''s you singing for me, after all."


    "Mn."


    Jing He smiled and held his lover''s hand, thinking of that one song he normally didn''t dare to sing. His lover next to him waited with bated breath. Finally, Jing He took a deep breath and his lips parted, issuing the first sound.


    "Thinking of that familiar figure, remembering the lines in that face, recalling the voice gently calling out to me, reminiscing about that sweet touch."


    This song wasn''t well-known and normally, even those who knew it wouldn''t dare to sing it. Jing Yi didn''t know and Jing He at this moment didn''t think about it but this was a song that was said to have been sung by Xing for his husband Tian. And rather than calling it a lullaby it would be more accurate to call it a lament because this was what Xing had sung when Tian marched off to war when it hadn''t been sure whether they would see each other ever again.


    "If ten-thousand li separate us, if flood and fire bar your way, if our mighty enemy''s army thwarts you, then remember that I ¡­ am still waiting for you."


    His lover''s grip tightened as if he would really fear that something like that might ever happen. Maybe it was a little cruel to sing this song before separating but Jing He really couldn''t think of anything else that summed his feelings better up right now.


    "From the distance I call you, wanting to visit you at least in your dreams. I pray to Heaven for your safe return, fearing for them to bring back news of disaster.


    Oh, my love, other half of my soul, why did you have to go? Why would you leave me while braving those dangers alone? I know a man like you can''t be tied down but at least ¡­ at least take me with you to die at your side.


    I do not fear death or injury. What I only fear is to never see you again. Remembering, recalling, reminiscing forever and ever while being alone."


    Tian finally was unable to take it. He pulled Jing He into his arms, his grip tighter than it had ever been before. His lips found Jing He''s but the kiss was desperate as if his life depended on it.


    "Jing He ¡­ let''s ¡­ let''s never separate, alright? Whatever happens in the future let''s face it together. I''ll accompany you as you accompany me. There won''t ¡­ ever be a day when we''re apart, alright?"


    Jing He smiled and reached up, his hands gently touching Tian''s neck. "Yes. Let''s be together forever."


    In the cover of the night, his smile became even more beautiful and when Tian bent down to kiss him again his mind echoed with the words that he hadn''t dared to say aloud just now.


    Let''s be together and never separate. Whether it''s in this life or the next. I will always ¡­ only love you. There will never be another man in my heart or at my side. There will only be you. Forever only you.


    To that, I swear in Heaven''s name.

 Chapter 403 - Too Many Questions Left Unanswered

    Jing Yi''s eyelids fluttered and he blinked against the rays of light coming through the window. He felt a little light-headed but still sat up in bed and looked at the window.


    His mind still echoed with the song he had just sung. He got up and walked over, humming it again. He opened the window and looked out at the garden outside. He half expected to spot that familiar figure there but nobody could be seen. There were only a lake and the corridor leading over it with its red lacquered beams. It made for a tranquil image but Jing Yi couldn''t help but feel lost.


    In the end, where was Tian?


    Had they really been separated by ten-thousand li? Had there indeed been something keeping them from each other? Rendering Tian unable to come back to him?


    He grabbed onto the window frame and looked out at the lake. Not knowing what had happened to his lover felt terrible. Just imagining the countless possibilities of what could have happened to him made him worry.


    "Just what happened? Where did you go?"


    He had to find out. He had to figure out what had happened to them afterward. He had to find Tian again. There was no other way. But how should he do it? Where should he even start looking?


    "Tian ¡­ Is there no clue at all how to find you?"


    The image of the garden where they had spent so much time flashed in his mind. Right, if he went there, then he might also find Tian. Just thinking about it his heart fluttered.


    What would his lover say when they finally saw each other again? He would probably be happy. Maybe he would take him into his arms and stroke his back like he had done that night.


    Jing Yi sighed. Even imagining it was enough to calm his heart. Yes, he would find him again and everything would return to how it had been before. Then they could finally marry.


    The door opened behind him and Jing Yi turned around, slightly puzzled. The man in the white robe that entered didn''t help with clearing his confusion.


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows lifted when he saw Jing Yi standing at the window and noticed the change in his expression. Well, it was a good thing he had woken up though. "Junior Martial Brother Zhong, you''re awake. How do you feel?"


    Jing Yi blinked and shook his head to clear his thoughts. Right. That was Yu Jin. He had helped him enter his inner self to gather his memories. "Senior Martial Brother Yu, it''s alright. I just ¡­ It''s a little confusing. I just woke up and I guess I''m still not completely back yet."


    "Mn, that should be normal. So, did you gather all memories?"


    "I think so." Jing Yi looked back out the window. He had found a lot of his memories but somehow he felt like he didn''t know nearly enough. "Senior Martial Brother Yu say, do you still have the rest of the Fractured Crystal Leaf?"


    Leng Jin Yu tensed. Jing Yi had been against remembering anything. Why would he suddenly ask for the rest of the herb now that he had acquired all of those that he hadn''t been able to avoid? "Junior Martial Brother Zhong ¡­ Why would you suddenly ask this?"


    Jing Yi sighed. "There are just so many questions left unanswered. I feel like it would be better to take the remaining spiritual energy in and find out what all this meant."


    After all, that would give him a better chance to find Tian again. If he knew what had happened after that night, if he could find out what this trial was about and if he had returned after those two months, then he might also know why Tian wasn''t with him now or where he could go to find him again. Taking in the rest of the spiritual energy of the Fractured Crystal Leaf was the best thing he could do in this situation.


    Leng Jin Yu tightened his lips and gave an apologetic smile. He could understand Jing Yi''s thoughts very well. After all, he too wanted to know everything about his past life. Just acquiring about a hundred years of memories from a life that had lasted a thousand ¡­ He certainly wouldn''t have been reconciled if that happened to him.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t help Jing Yi. It was bad enough that he had remembered part of his life as the Son of Heaven. Giving him the rest of the Fractured Crystal Leaf and letting him remember even more could only end in disaster.


    "I''m very sorry. I destroyed it after you said that you didn''t want to know. I was afraid that ¡­ I might become weak if I carried it around with me. So I wanted to make sure nothing could happen."


    "Oh." Jing Yi lowered his head, his expression lost.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "I''m really sorry about this. But, well, isn''t it better this way? Let''s just concentrate on getting out of this secret realm." He smiled. "You seemed a little lovelorn when I came in earlier. You probably miss your fiance, mn?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Mn, it''s been so long ¡­ Who knows how long it really has been?" He looked back out the window and smiled. Yes, he should concentrate on getting out of the secret realm. After all, how could he go search for Tian if he stayed in here?


    Leng Jin Yu secretly took a relieved breath. Thankfully, Jing Yi didn''t ask further or insisted on finding a way to acquire the rest of his memories. He really wouldn''t have known how to cope with that. "Don''t worry too much. You only spent a week in your inner self. Together with the few days before it hasn''t even been two weeks. Senior Martial Brother Qiu won''t be too troubled. He''s probably still looking for a way to open the array from the outside."


    Jing Yi tensed and the expression on his face was odd.


    Leng Jin Yu frowned and tilted his head. Jing Yi seemed ¡­ surprised? Or maybe rather ¡­ caught? "You ¡­" He watched as Jing Yi''s expression changed to something that could only be called a guilty conscience and suddenly felt like he understood. "Junior Martial Brother Zhong, don''t tell me you ¡­ weren''t thinking about Qiu Ling?"

 Chapter 404 - Unfair to One of Them

    Jing Yi hurriedly averted his gaze but he didn''t need to say it anyway. It was way too obvious that he really hadn''t thought of Qiu Ling.


    "How ¡­ How come? You were so much in love with him before ¡­" Leng Jin Yu froze. There was only one possible explanation for this. "You saw part of your past life and got so involved in it that you forgot about him. And you probably ¡­ fell in love?"


    "I ¡­" Jing Yi turned back to the window and looked at that corridor leading across the lake again. "It''s true. I saw him."


    Even now that Yu Jin had reminded him of Qiu Ling he still felt that it was natural. Tian was his fiance, he was the person he had sworn to stay true to for his whole life, no, for all his lives. Who else should he think of?


    Seeing Jing Yi''s tangled expression Leng Jin Yu really didn''t know what to do. How come just remembering parts of his past life had led to such a situation? "That was your past life. Qiu Ling is your fiance now and he''s still waiting for you out there." Leng Jin Yu stepped forward and leaned against the wall next to Jing Yi. "Don''t you miss him?"


    Jing Yi looked away. Regarding Qiu Ling ¡­ He felt a pang in his heart thinking of him. He had also promised to stay with him but ¡­ How could he do so? There was still Tian waiting for him somewhere.


    "You don''t love him anymore?"


    "I ¡­ I shouldn''t have fallen in love with him in the first place. It''s my fault." Yes, how could he have fallen in love so casually? And even promise to marry that person? What would Tian say if he knew?


    "But you did and your past life is long over anyway. Why shouldn''t you be happy with Qiu Ling now?"


    "Senior Martial Brother Yu." Jing Yi smiled at him. "You of all people should understand, shouldn''t you? Don''t you also want to find that person from your past life? How is that different?"


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his brow. Why did it seem as if the things he had said before would now come back to bite him? "Junior Martial Brother Zhong, what are you talking about? I never was in a relationship my whole life. This person from my past life ¡­ maybe it was predestined to meet again. But you already have Senior Martial Brother Qiu. Do you want to throw those feelings away?"


    "You think it was predestined for you to be with that person again. But who says that it wasn''t predestined for me to meet Tian again? Didn''t I find that Fractured Crystal Leaf here even though it is so rare? And I acquired so many memories that had to do with Tian. This has to mean something!


    "Yes, sure, to Qiu Ling this isn''t fair but ¡­ What am I supposed to do? Can I really just ignore the promise I made to Tian? Can I just pretend that this past life of mine didn''t happen? Then that wouldn''t be fair to him! Whatever I do I would disappoint one of them.


    "And ¡­ I feel like it shouldn''t be Tian. I promised him and if I understood correctly, then I did a lot to make sure that I wouldn''t break this promise. Thinking back now ¡­" Jing Yi sighed. "At first, when Qiu Ling and I met there was a sign. When he proposed to me I had the feeling that I should reject him and when he touched me I actually felt ¡­ really opposed to it. That was probably my soul warning me that I was about to do something wrong. It''s a pity that my resistance faded with Qiu Ling''s relentless efforts. Maybe if I had stayed strong and listened to that warning, then nothing would ever have happened."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. There really wasn''t anything he could say against this. Well, maybe he shouldn''t anyway. Falling in love and then having to leave that lover because of someone from his past life, searching for that person from his memory and probably never finding him ¡­ Maybe this was another trial the Fate''s Scribe had written for him? Or maybe ¡­ Maybe the Fate''s Scribe hadn''t needed to write anything? Maybe this was what Heaven had destined for the crown prince in the first place?


    If that was the case, then he couldn''t say anything against it. No, on the contrary, he should probably help with advancing this.


    "Alright. If that is what you believe, then you should go ahead with it. Although ¡­ while we''re still in here you should consider how to tell Senior Martial Brother Qiu. He wasn''t here when you regained your memories and the concept is strange. Who knows if he would believe you?"


    "Mn. I''ll think about it."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Alright. Then I''ll go back and work on getting us out of here."


    "Thank you, Senior Martial Brother Yu. If there is anything I can do to help ¡­"


    "No need. You just ¡­ rest a bit and think things through."


    "Alright." Jing Yi nodded but when Leng Jin Yu left he sighed.


    What was there to think through? He had remembered Tian and their promise. There was no way he could just pretend nothing had happened and continue on with Qiu Ling. No, he had to end things with him as soon as he got out of the secret realm and then he would go and find Tian. As for how he would do that ¡­ Wasn''t it obvious?


    The place where his past self and Tian had spent their time had been in the Nine Heavens. So if he wanted to find out what had happened to him in his past life and what had happened to his lover, then the only way was to speed up his cultivation and continue on until he was finally able to ascend.


    Only his ascension would allow him to enter that place and search for his lover. He couldn''t waste even a single moment.


    Thus Jing Yi went to sit down on the bed again and once again cultivated, hoping that he would at least be able to reach the third stage before his Senior Martial Brother figured out a way to leave the secret realm. After all, this place was way more suitable to cultivate than the Yun Zou Sect. He had to make proper use of it.

 Chapter 405 - Mixed Blood

    Qiu Ling had no idea that his previous lies had managed to ruin his relationship. Instead, he was giddy with excitement. Alright, yes, it wouldn''t be easy to find that child the God of War knew nothing about but hadn''t Xin Lan said the same about someone of blood that was mixed three ways? And now look at this! They already knew about three people with that type of blood! If that was so easy, then it shouldn''t be too hard to find that child.


    He looked at Qiang Yan with shimmering eyes. "So, uncle-in-law, do you have any idea how to find your child?"


    Qiang Yan frowned. He had only found out about this child now. How would he know where to find it? It wasn''t like he had returned from that trial yesterday and could just go to the place where Huan Yin and he had lived before to find them.


    "Don''t take too much time to think about it. This is a very important matter!"


    Qiang Yan looked at Qiu Ling and shook his head. He really didn''t know what to say to this guy!


    Xin Lan also narrowed his eyes at Qiu Ling. With how excited that boy looked, he should probably worry that he would give away what this really was about. He couldn''t let that happen!


    "Fate''s Scribe, that child should have a high amount of human blood. There wouldn''t be a scroll of fate detailing its life, would there?"


    Shun Tao shook his head. "Unfortunately not."


    "Then can''t you ¡­" Qiang Yan frowned. "Don''t the scribes have the ability to see what is going on in the mortal realm? I remember seeing them observe people through plain water."


    Shun Tao nodded. "We indeed have that ability. But just like the scrolls of fate it only pertains to mortals. That child ¡­ I''m afraid it was born immortal."


    Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed further. They already had such a huge lead. He couldn''t disappoint his master! What they needed now was another clue, just one bit of information that would give them the possibility to search further from there. They at least needed a name or a place where that child had been or maybe a person it had come into touch with.


    Mn? Xin Lan''s gaze shot to the scroll of fate in Shun Tao''s hands. That Huan Yin hadn''t had a scroll of fate either but they had still managed to find a clue about her so ¡­ "Fate''s Scribe, you were able to find this woman through the God of War''s scroll of fate. Can''t we do the same for the child?"


    Shun Tao once again shook his head. "His fate has already ended. His scroll ¡ª"


    "I''m not talking about his scroll of fate. Naturally, the God of War wasn''t there then. But the child certainly hasn''t only been in contact with his mother. They lived in the mortal realm and considering that they are immortal it should have been for a fairly long time. It is impossible for them to have evaded mortal eyes for all this time. Thus they should appear in quite a few scrolls of fate of mortals. Isn''t that right?"


    Shun Tao slowly nodded. "That''s true."


    "Then how about searching for these scrolls instead? It might take a lot of time but we could at least gather some clues as to where those two have been. If we get a clear enough lead, we could go and investigate further in the mortal world."


    All four men looked at the Fate''s Scribe but Shun Tao seemed a little hesitant.


    "What is it, Fate''s Scribe? Can''t that be done?" The Heavenly Emperor frowned. Senior Xin had made the matter sound urgent. He really didn''t want to delay.


    Shun Tao smiled. "Well, it could be done but, Your Majesty, you also know that there is a myriad of scrolls in the scribe''s palace. That child was born in ancient times, its mother even earlier. The number of people they met won''t be small. Finding them isn''t the problem but I might need to mobilize every single scribe we have to gather them and then figure out how all these clues connect and even then it would take a lot of time."


    "That''s true." The Heavenly Emperor frowned even more. This was important but the scribe''s palace had other tasks too. He could hardly have them neglect all of them and only focus on this.


    Qiu Ling also frowned. "What''s the problem with that? Just get some other people to help! Even I could read some scrolls if that is what you''re worried about."


    Four pairs of eyes turned to look at him condescendingly. Especially the Heavenly Emperor wasn''t happy about it. Just how dumb was this self-proclaimed son-in-law of his?! And he dared to go after his child?!


    Xin Lan sighed. "Your Majesty might not know but the scrolls of fate can''t be read by just anyone. One would either need to be a scribe of the scribe''s palace or have a very high level of power. I''m afraid in the whole Nine Heavens there are only a handful of people outside of the scribe''s palace that would qualify for this task."


    "Then what about us?"


    "We''re dragons."


    "So? I''ve never heard that dragons can''t read."


    Xin Lan refrained from answering that and instead turned back to the Heavenly Emperor. "I know this is problematic but I can only ask Your Majesty to make a decision on behalf of the future of our two races. It would spell trouble if the demons succeeded in their plans."


    Rong Su nodded. He also understood that. "Senior Xin, be honest with me just how incremental are these people of mixed blood to the demons'' plans?"


    Qiu Ling also turned to look at Xin Lan. He wasn''t afraid anymore that that guy wouldn''t be able to lie his way through, after all, he had proven himself to be a worthy liar. But he was quite curious just how Xin Lan would manage to get through this.


    Xin Lan took a deep breath. Forgive me for this, master, but between revealing His Highness'' secret and finding your lover again you yourself would certainly choose to reunite with your lover.


    Xin Lan lifted his gaze to the Heavenly Emperor. "I''m afraid this is the main point of Jian Heng''s plan. The dragons and demons were one race once. His first step would have been to rejoin them before moving against the gods. Your Majesty might not know but the current demon king, Jin Ling, is actually of mixed descent. It was intended for him to follow not only onto Jian Heng''s throne but to also take that of the dragon realm."

 Chapter 406 - The Allure of a Beauty

    Pin-drop silence engulfed the throne room. This definitely wasn''t something one heard just any other day. The one sitting on the demon race''s throne right now and who had done so for a long time ¡­ actually possessed mixed blood? Especially the Heavenly Emperor''s expression was queer upon imagining this.


    The one who was uncharacteristically silent was Qiu Ling. Looking at him one could have thought that this wasn''t a secret to him but something that Xin Lan had shared with him long ago. Needless to say, this was just a facade. Inside him ¡­ he was cursing a certain someone.


    Motherfucker! Hadn''t that bastard mocked him for his mixed descent all these years?! Now it turned out he himself wasn''t a full-blooded demon! Just where came that guy''s sense of superiority from?! He really wanted to go over and laugh in that bastard''s face right now!


    The Heavenly Emperor finally coughed. "Is this really true?"


    Xin Lan nodded. "Mn. The late king personally confirmed it." He paused before clearing his throat and looking back up. "I didn''t really want to bring this up but now that it has come to this ¡­ It was actually a mistake on our part. You might not know about this but back then it was His Majesty who personally carried that child home. The dragons had no idea that he was of mixed blood. In fact, they don''t know about it even until now and I certainly don''t intend to tell them. It would only serve to mar the late king''s image in their hearts which would be beneficial to the demons. So, I guess it would be better to just let the matter rest. Everyone regards him as a demon anyway."


    The Heavenly Emperor nodded. He too had known the late king Jinde and his impression of him was a good one. He certainly didn''t want to do something that would damage that person''s image.


    His brother-in-law wasn''t as easily convinced though. "But how can this be? As a dragon himself shouldn''t he have been able to tell that this child had demonic blood? How come ¡­"


    Xin Lan sighed. "It''s not that easy. You also know that we were originally one race. The differences between the dragons and the demons ¡­ I''m afraid they are so marginal that no one is able to tell for sure. Especially so if the person tries to hide it. And that Jin Ling really hid his demonic side very well. Even I didn''t notice." He shook his head. "That Jian Heng, he was too good at taking advantage of people''s weaknesses. The late king never married but he loved children. When he brought Jin Ling back he was ¡­ really happy. He never said so but maybe he actually had intentions of passing his throne to him in the future. Thankfully, Jin Ling revealed his true colors before that could happen. Otherwise ¡­"


    The Heavenly Emperor rubbed his forehead. How could that be? Even someone as knowledgeable as the previous dragon king fell for such a ploy? And why had he never heard of that? If the dragon king really brought back a child, then shouldn''t the gods have heard of it?


    Xin Lan could also tell that the Heavenly Emperor wasn''t completely satisfied with his short explanation but he didn''t intend to say more than this. It was bad enough to have exposed this secret that his master had wanted him to guard. Well, in exchange for the key to freeing that man from the secret realm and letting his master finally reunite with him it was probably worth it.


    "Now that Your Majesty knows ¡­ What is your decision in regard to the scrolls of fate?"


    The Heavenly Emperor gritted his teeth. This information really was too shocking. He would have expected a lot of things but certainly not this. The demon king was actually someone with mixed blood and nobody had been able to tell. What would be revealed next?


    He turned to look at his self-proclaimed son-in-law. For all he knew, this shameless dandy that had pestered his precious son for all these years might also be a demon in disguise. Mn, when Jing He came back he had to tell him all about this and warn him again not to trust this bastard! He definitely wouldn''t let his son fall into the dirty hands of someone who might be a demon!


    Seeing the Heavenly Emperor''s gaze on him Qiu Ling gulped. Why did it seem as if his father-in-law had already figured out his own unclear origin? No, this couldn''t be! He was prepared to talk about it with Jing He when he finally returned from his trial but he certainly wouldn''t let his father-in-law find out! Not until after the wedding, at least. After that, he might acquiesce if Jing He found it really important to tell his family.


    For now, he had to divert his attention though. "Father-in-law, don''t be like this. I know you don''t like me but after that Jin Ling is done with us dragons he would come after you gods. Just think of Jing He! Imagine how scared he would be if a horde of demons suddenly broke into the Nine Heavens!"


    The Heavenly Emperor''s expression darkened. Indeed. Assimilating the dragons into their race was the easiest and thus the first step but naturally, it wouldn''t be the last one the demons took. No, they would come after the gods after that.


    Yes, it wasn''t the first time they waged war against each other but all this time they had been allied with the dragons. Most of the time the demons hadn''t even been able to take a single step into the Nine Heavens. If the dragons weren''t helping them anymore or, even worse, instead helped the demons, then it wasn''t sure what would happen! It could very well be that they managed to reach the capital and Jing He ¡­


    The Heavenly Emperor and Qiu Ling imagined the very same thing at that moment and suddenly both their expressions derailed. Shit! Wasn''t it said that that bastard Jin Ling was a lover of beauty who had a harem of a hundred people and didn''t care whether the one he lay with was a woman or a man? If that kind of person saw Jing He, would he still be safe?!


    The two of them exchanged a glance and even though they normally didn''t see eye to eye they had a sudden understanding between them: That bastard! He shouldn''t even dream of thinking about getting his hands on their Jing He! They would rather cause chaos in the mortal world than allow that!


    Thus, the Heavenly Emperor turned to Shun Tao with a serious expression. "Fate''s Scribe, hear my command: All scribes of your palace are to concentrate on this task and only this task from now on!"

 Chapter 407 - First Talent of the Yun Zou Sect

    Shun Tao wanted to protest but one look from the Heavenly Emperor made him shut up again. Alright, he could also see that he wasn''t allowed to discuss this.


    Thus, half an hour later, all the scribes in the scribe''s palace were gathered and got their new task and soon enough each of them sat down in the study hall and went through the heap of scrolls of fate that had been assigned to them. Bit by bit all clues regarding Huan Yin and her child were tallied up and brought to Shun Tao.


    Unfortunately, even with the help of all the scribes, this process took several days and thus the years in the mortal realm went by without the secret realm opening. As for the changes that came with these years ¡­ some were happy and some were saddened by them.


    To the great delight of the other sects, the Yun Zou Sect''s position took a turn for the worse. They had already had trouble hanging on as one of the first-grade sects before, now, with several of their geniuses heavily injured or even dead because of the explosion of spiritual energy in the Leyuan region, they had plummeted even further in the ranking. The fact that the prodigy their Grandmaster had taken in had vanished and that Sect Master Yuchi''s newest and most talented disciple had also disappeared didn''t help their case either.


    They lost miserably in both the Gathering of Practitioners and the Assembly of Cultivators and thus cemented their fate of only being a second-grade sect from now on. Yuchi Bing Xia could only sigh when he thought of this. He really had let his predecessors down. But, well, there was nothing he could do right now.


    The only chance their sect had was that the gate to the secret realm in the Leyuan region would suddenly open, thus allowing Yu Jin and Zhong Jing Yi to return to their sect. With Yu Jin there and the Grandmaster''s disciple returning for his beloved, their sect might be able to rise again. As for attracting any other talents ¡­ Ah, don''t joke with him! They already were a second-grade sect. Which talent would want to become their disciple?


    Naturally, the Sect Master wasn''t the only one worrying about the decline of their sect. In one of the houses of the inner sect, Qiguan Cheng Da paced up and down.


    "Why should I stay here in this damned place and wait for its demise? I should just go and become part of a first-grade sect!"


    "You really are an idiot." A languid voice sounded from behind him, the words acting not unlike oil that was poured into a fire.


    Qiguan Cheng Da''s face scrunched up and he turned around, scowling at the person. "I''m an idiot? I''m a peerless genius! I''m the first talent of the Yun Zou Sect! I ¡ª"


    "Exactly. With all those other people gone, you are the first one here. The Yun Zou Sect will pour all their resources on you so that you can help them save some face. After all, they need at least one genius, don''t they?" The man''s eyes narrowed and his lips hooked up into a charming smile. "But what would you be in a first-grade sect? Wouldn''t it be just like it was in the Yun Zou Sect before this ¡­ accident? You''d be one among many, someone who still needs to prove his worth. Especially so since you''d be someone who came from another sect. The resources you need to grow ¡­ Do you honestly believe you''d be able to get them easier at any other place than here? Please! Don''t make me laugh!"


    Qiguan Cheng Da tightened his lips but still nodded in the end. What that guy said wasn''t without merit. "But this sect is still dying. I don''t want to go down with it."


    "You won''t. Just wait for a while more. I''m sure that Qiu Ling will soon manage to open the secret realm and then he will return to the Yun Zou Sect. It will just be a matter of time until the sect revives then. After all, how could that bastard allow his beloved to stay at a place that isn''t the best? When that time comes you will already have a firm position in the sect. When it soars you will do the same."


    "Then ¡­"


    The man on the bed sat up and his smile widened. "Then I''ll naturally fulfill my promise. You only have to cling to that bastard''s beloved and I will provide you with all resources and opportunities you need."


    Qiguan Cheng Da examined the man in front of him again. With that fancy robe and the copper-colored hair, he didn''t look like much, but he would never dare to underestimate him. He had already proven what he was capable of when he gave him that Jade Gathering Best back then and the few things he had pointed out for Qiguan Cheng Da to advance his cultivation had all been spot on. It was obvious that relying on this man would yield great results.


    Qiguan Cheng Da''s eyes narrowed and he smiled back at the demon. "In that case, I''m happy to oblige. I''ll make him entrust everything that weighs on his mind to me."


    Jin Ling nodded. "Then I''ll leave this task in your capable hands." He gracefully stood up and left the house, returning to the demon realm once more.


    On another peak, Jinde gave a relieved sigh. "Ah, finally, he left. I really don''t know what it is with this boy, running over here every few weeks. People who don''t know might think he actually fell in love with that mortal."


    Xin Lan looked up at his master, marveling at that gentle smile on his lips for a bit. Mn, if that Jin Ling had actually fallen in love with somebody else, it would be great news. Unfortunately ¡­ Xin Lan lowered his head again and continued to tend to his master''s hands. Never mind, as long as he was here that troublesome person wouldn''t find his master. He would make sure of that.

 Chapter 408 - We Missed out on That

    At the same time, Shun Tao went over the clues he had gathered one last time, making sure that they were in the right sequence. Ah, looking at the scroll in his hands he could hardly believe what had happened the last few days. When had the Heavenly Emperor ever ordered all the scribes to work on the same task? But, well, that time of chaos was finally over.


    He motioned at the scribe in front of him to return to his original task like all the others and straightened his own clothes before going over to the Heavenly Emperor''s palace. When he arrived not only the Heavenly Emperor was present. Even the Heavenly Empress was sitting beside him and looked at Shun Tao with slight worry written on her fate.


    Shun Tao clasped his hands and bowed. "Fate''s Scribe Shun Tao greets His Majesty, the Heavenly Emperor, and Her Majesty, the Heavenly Empress."


    "Mn." The Heavenly Emperor waved impatiently. "Did you finish looking through the scrolls?"


    Shun Tao nodded. "Yes. All scrolls have been reviewed and the clues found were organized. We know the course of Huan Yin and her child''s life more or less now."


    The Heavenly Emperor nodded. "Alright, don''t tell me just yet. Let me call Senior Xin and ¡­ Longjun." He took a peek at his wife''s expression and hurriedly waved at one of the servants. Ah, thankfully, he hadn''t called his self-proclaimed son-in-law any names just now. Wouldn''t Bai Fen have grown angry at him again if he did?


    Soon enough, Xin Lan walked into the throne room, nodding at the people inside. Even Qiang Yan hurried over as fast as he could when he heard that Xin Lan had come. Unfortunately, the third person was somehow missing.


    Rong Su frowned. "Where did that guy vanish to?"


    His wife threw him a condescending gaze. "What do you think where he vanished to?" She waved at one of the servants. "Go and fetch Longjun from the crown prince''s palace. Tell him the Fate''s Scribe has news."


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" The servant hurried away while the Heavenly Emperor grumbled.


    "What is that guy doing at Jing He''s palace? And why didn''t you do anything if you knew? What if he does anything indecent to him? My poor child, he ¡ª"


    Bai Fen narrowed her eyes, making her husband shut up immediately.


    The Heavenly Emperor cleared his throat and looked away. Alright. He shouldn''t have blamed her. It was all that stupid dandy''s fault! How could he just stay at Jing He''s palace like this?! This guy was even more dangerous than the demon king!


    Ugh. He should have made sure that he left the Nine Heavens! How could he have been this negligent?! His poor son ¡­


    Meanwhile, in the crown prince''s palace, a certain dragon king was lying half sprawled on the bed. He tightly clasped Jing He''s hand while his long hair had somehow gotten entangled with the white robe on his beloved''s body.


    He drowsily awoke when steps sounded from the entrance.


    "Longjun?" Somebody called out but Qiu Ling wasn''t in the mood to answer.


    He lifted his head and looked at the person that seemed to sleep on the bed. Ah, his Jing He was still just as beautiful as in his memory. It was a pity ¡­ He still hadn''t woken up. By now it had nearly been three weeks since Jing He left for the mortal world. That was ¡­ a third of the time a trial normally took?


    Qiu Ling sighed and sat up on the ground, carefully gathering his hair and combing it back. Mn, even if his beloved couldn''t see him right now, he definitely couldn''t look sloppy in his presence! This was a matter of principle!


    He stood up, straightened his clothes and finally sat down on the edge of the bed. Mn, his beloved ¡­ He once again took that pale hand into his and marveled at Jing He''s smooth skin. Ah, this was just his hand ¡­


    Qiu Ling''s face froze. He definitely couldn''t let his beloved see any change in his expression! Ah, but just thinking about when his beloved would return in four weeks and how they would marry and how he would finally be able to touch all of his skin and ¡ª


    "Longjun! Are you there? The Heavenly Empress sent this servant to notify you that the Fate''s Scribe has brought news. They are at the ¡ª"


    Before the servant had the chance to finish what he said a black shadow whooshed past him and Qiu Ling suddenly appeared in the throne room. His heart was bleeding a little though. Ah, he hadn''t even had the opportunity to bid farewell to his beloved! He had only managed to give Jing He a short kiss so he wouldn''t miss him too much!


    Well, his beloved would certainly understand. After all, the news that the Fate''s Scribe had was certainly about that woman and her child who would help them with opening the secret realm. So, he had to listen to it immediately and then go and fetch them! Then, at least his beloved''s mortal reincarnation would return to his side!


    Ah ¡­ His Jing He ¡­ No, his Jing''er! He could finally hold him in his arms again and kiss him and ¡­ And wouldn''t they already marry in the human realm after that damned array was taken care of?! So he might already be married to his beloved in a few short hours!


    Qiu Ling couldn''t help but give a goofy smile when he thought of it. Mn, certainly enough Heaven wouldn''t punish good people like him and his beloved. In fact, Heaven was obviously helping them! Soon enough they would be united again.


    Ah, my beloved, just hold out a little bit longer! No need to cry so bitterly! Your fiance will return to your side soon enough!


    Mn, and while I''m at it I''ll also beat that guy up who dared to covet you while I was away. What a bastard! He actually took the opportunity from me to be trapped together with you! I can''t believe we missed out on that ¡­

 Chapter 409 - That Child’s Fate

    Seeing her son-in-law''s entranced expression the Heavenly Empress Bai Fen could imagine what was going on in his head. She cleared her throat and looked at Shun Tao. "Fate''s Scribe, since everyone is here now tell us what you found out."


    Shun Tao nodded and pulled out the scroll where he had written down all their findings. "After the God of War returned to the Nine Heavens, Huan Yin gave birth to her child, a son she named Bai Mu, in the wilderness with the help of some travelers. There wasn''t any mention of either her or Bai Mu in the scrolls of fate for the following years so it is highly likely that she secluded herself with her child or at least didn''t have any contact with mortals that influenced their fate heavily enough to be mentioned in the scrolls.


    "There aren''t many mentions of Huan Yin even after that. She seems to have appeared rather randomly and never left her name. Sometimes she went to take a look when things happened in the world of cultivators but often she was also present at happenings in the secular world. We couldn''t find any rhyme or reason to these short appearances but, well, she was only mentioned, after all, and we don''t have a full account of what she did at these times.


    "In regards to Huan Yin, nothing has changed. The last time she appeared was about two hundred years ago at the wedding of some crown prince. The mentions of her son Bai Mu are more extensive.


    "It seems after growing up for a few years Huan Yin sent him away. He joined a human sect and learned their cultivation. In fact, he seemed to have become a figurehead of the younger generation that was both looked up to and envied by his fellow martial brothers and sisters. Well, the martial sisters had some other feelings as well.


    "The envy of the others was, unfortunately, what led to Bai Mu''s downfall. The sect he had joined was a righteous sect so when someone accidentally discovered that he was a demon and made it known Bai Mu was instantly met with disgust. The Sect Master and Elders of the sect wanted to trial him and finally put him to death and nobody stepped out to save him. Of course, a child with his heritage wouldn''t be so easily defeated.


    "Bai Mu managed to flee from the sect and disappeared for a few years. Afterward, he reappeared in a demonic sect where his rise to power was even more shocking than the one at the righteous sect before.


    "Bai Mu wasn''t really happy with that though. The sect he had joined could really be classified as an evil sect and deep down he loathed their way of doing things. He finally couldn''t take it any longer and left, once again disappearing for several years.


    "Bai Mu was seen wandering the human world after that, not appearing regularly but still a lot more often than his mother. Since a lot of time had passed since he was a part of both that righteous and that demonic sect he wasn''t bothered by them either. He sometimes even lived among humans for extended periods of time without alerting them to his mixed blood.


    "Some years ago he met a human woman by the name of Nie Huang and the two of them fell in love. They were even about to get married. Unfortunately, tragedy once again struck and Bai Mu was discovered by a member of a righteous sect that views the hunting of demons as their main task. When Bai Mu and his fiancee were on an outing the cultivators struck and since Bai Mu was afraid of his fiancee getting hurt he was finally caught."


    The people in the throne room waited for him to continue but Shun Tao just looked at the Heavenly Emperor.


    "Then what?"


    "Ah? Uh, nothing, Your Majesty. He was imprisoned in that Chun Feng Sect and that is the last we could find about him. It could be that he is still there."


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Chun Feng Sect?" Why did he feel as if he had heard that name somewhere before?


    The Heavenly Emperor nodded and turned to Xin Lan. "Senior Xin, I''m afraid this is all we will be able to find out. Should we send someone to check on that Chun Feng Sect?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "No need. I will go there myself. After all, I''ve been investigating this for a long time already. There might be some further clues I can gather that others might overlook."


    "Mn, that''s true. Then we''ll leave it in your hands. Please inform us if you need any further help."


    "Thank you. Should the need arise I will definitely take you up on the offer." He nodded and turned around, striding out of the throne room.


    Qiu Ling looked at Xin Lan''s leaving figure, turned to his father- and mother-in-law and smiled at them brilliantly. "Mother-in-law, Father-in-law, I''ll go and help Senior Xin." He turned around and hurried after him, not even giving them the time to reply.


    Hah, wouldn''t he be an idiot if he stayed to talk? They finally knew where to find the person with the mixed blood. He should hurry there as fast as he could and then bring that person to the array so that he could free his beloved. Mn, Jing He would be so touched when he told him about all the things he had taken on to free him! Ah, just imagining how he would show his gratitude ¡­


    "Umph!" Qiu Ling crashed into someone and hurriedly drew back.


    Xin Lan turned around, frowning. "Are you done yet? Let''s return to the human realm. It''s your beloved we want to free, after all."


    "Mn, that''s true." Qiu Ling perked up and hastened forward. After three steps he stopped and turned around. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up!" Then, he returned to the mortal world.

 Chapter 410 - The Final Step

    Qiu Ling stopped shortly after reaching the mortal world and looked back at Xin Lan who was directly behind him. Xin Lan also stopped and crossed his arms, looking back at Qiu Ling and waiting for him to talk.


    Qiu Ling smiled. "Ah, you wouldn''t ¡­ coincidentally know where that Chun Feng Sect is, would you?"


    "What if I don''t?"


    Qiu Ling''s expression tensed. "Then we''d need to go back and ask for my father-in-law''s help."


    "Hmph." Xin Lan turned around and flew away.


    Qiu Ling blinked and hurried after him. "Heh! Where do you think you''re going? Don''t we need to go back and ask my father-in-law for help?"


    Xin Lan looked at him condescendingly. "Do you think everyone is like you? Staying in the human world for nearly twenty years and not learning anything?"


    "Oh. So you know where that Chun Feng Sect is?"


    "Naturally." Xin Lan faced back to the front.


    Since he knew now that his master had been living here he had naturally taken the effort to learn everything about the mortal realm he could. From its history to the best sightseeing spots he knew everything about the human realm. After all, this might be something his master would need to know one day.


    Finding his way to the Chun Feng Sect was as easy as finding the teapot for his master to him. After all, he had paid special attention to the different sects since his master was living on the grounds of one.


    Actually, thinking of that ¡­ He loathed that the Yun Zou Sect was doing so badly. This was the place where his master lived. It should be the best available place, not some second-rate power that might completely crumble in the future.


    Well, at least that could be taken care of. After he got the blood of that mixed raced person he would free his master''s lover. If his information was right, then that man was a good cultivator. With him returning to the sect, the Yun Zou Sect had a reliable chance to fight its way back to the top. Maybe they would even manage to improve their situation compared to how it had been before that disaster Jin Ling caused.


    Xin Lan further sped up and soon enough the Chun Feng Sect could be seen below them. Now, where would the person they were searching for be? He was partly demonic and this sect hunted demons so even though they let him live he would be imprisoned at a place where he couldn''t easily flee from.


    Qiu Ling stopped next to him and examined the sect below them. "This is it? Can you feel his presence?"


    "Not without alerting the humans."


    "Would that be a problem?" Qiu Ling blinked. He didn''t think much of alerting any humans. After all, they only wanted to get the person and would leave after that. What was the problem with letting the people of the sect know that they were here?


    Xin Lan frowned. "You''re officially a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect as is your beloved. The Chun Feng Sect and the Yun Zou Sect have close ties. The Chun Feng Sect even alerted the Yun Zou Sect when they found out about the two missing disciples you and your beloved were then asked to investigate. Do you really want to give the Chun Feng Sect any reason to doubt you and, in turn, your beloved? If so, then please go ahead and unleash your power to find that person."


    Qiu Ling tightened his lips. Alright, that hadn''t been such a good idea. "How about you divert their attention while I search for him?" He got himself another condescending gaze for that. "What? That''s a good idea!"


    "Can''t you think ahead at all? His Majesty is also staying at the Yun Zou Sect. I''ll naturally remain at his side. Wouldn''t it just invite trouble if I revealed myself?"


    "Then what do we do? We can''t just wait until he frees himself and charges out on his own, can we? If he was able to do that, he would have long done so."


    Xin Lan nodded to the space between two hills. "That seems to be a likely place to hold prisoners. We''ll hide our presence, glamour our appearance and sneak in. If he is indeed there, we''ll get his blood and then we''ll sneak back out again. If he isn''t ¡­ we''ll search somewhere else."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded in response. His thoughts were wandering somewhere else though.


    He hadn''t missed how Xin Lan said ''get his blood''. He obviously just wanted to do that and leave the person there. But how could he let that happen? This Bai Mu was his uncle-in-law''s child! Alright, it was a child he hadn''t know about until a few days ago and it was even one he had fathered while on his trial but it was nonetheless his child.


    It had been enough to take one look at his face while the Fate''s Scribe reported about the fate of that Huan Yin and her child to understand that. The Heavenly Emperor might stress the fact that it had been a trial and the Fate''s Scribe might pretend it had nothing to do with him but the God of War had definitely felt troubled when he heard about it. Even if this wasn''t because of the child and only because of the mother that mother could also only be found through the child.


    So ¡­ He had to free that Bai Mu. Wouldn''t his uncle-in-law be extremely grateful then? And if he was grateful, then he would support him and Jing He! Hah! That was one more thing he could use to force that bearded old man to finally accept him! He would be an idiot if he didn''t use this chance!


    Thus, Qiu Ling did exactly what Xin Lan told him and followed him with a happy smile. Ah, this would be the final step he needed to take before he could finally marry his beloved! Now, nothing would go ¡­ wrong? Qiu Ling''s eyes flew open when he turned at the corner of the first building.


    What in Heaven''s name was she doing here?!

 Chapter 411 - In the Name of True Love!

    The woman''s eyes widened just the same but contrary to the shock on Qiu Ling''s face, her expression immediately brightened into a happy smile. "I didn''t know you were coming! Did you bring Jing Yi with you? Do you want to hold the wedding today?!" There seemed to be stars glittering in her eyes, making even Qiu Ling recoil a bit.


    He certainly wasn''t disinclined to finally marry his beloved but ¡­ Why did it have to do something with this damned servant girl?!


    Qiu Ling ground his teeth. Wouldn''t everything go wrong with her here? It seemed this woman was only talking about helping him hold his wedding but in truth, she was out to sabotage him so he wouldn''t be able to free his beloved! Ah, it was actually not anything surprising. Wasn''t this woman always going around gushing about how handsome this guy or that man was? His beloved was so beautiful it was a matter of fact that she would fall for him after spending some time with him.


    Oh, no! He had actually let something like this happen and now this woman would try to stand between him and ¡ª


    "What are you doing?" Xin Lan who had already been on his way to enter the dungeons came back frowning when Qiu Ling''s steps stopped. He definitely didn''t want to bother with him but leaving him alone ¡­ Wasn''t that just asking for him to ruin this opportunity?


    When he saw the woman in front of Qiu Ling Xin Lan''s frown grew deeper. It seemed he had still been too careless. Qiu Ling had actually managed to invite trouble already. He lifted his hand, prepared to strike her down when the woman jumped at him, her eyes gleaming.


    "Whoa! You''re the fifth ¡­ No! The fourth most handsome man I''ve ever seen!"


    Qiu Ling also shuffled over and looked from Hong Bao to Xin Lan and then back again. "The fourth most handsome? What about the other three then?"


    Hong Bao blinked. "What do you mean what about the other three?"


    "Who are they?"


    "Naturally, that''s Senior Martial Brother Liu Cheng, my brother-in-law, and you."


    Qiu Ling nodded. It seemed she had already told him something like that before ¡­


    Hong Bao tilted her head and took a closer look at Xin Lan. "There was actually that guy called Xiao Li at the Hei Dian Sect and I thought he was the fourth most handsome person I''d ever see but looking at you, you''re way more handsome than he is. Although ¡­ Why are you wearing a mask?" Hong Bao tiptoed to look at it more closely.


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes but didn''t answer. Instead, he turned to Qiu Ling. "We don''t have time for this. Or could it be that you don''t want to save your beloved anymore?"


    "Save him?!" Hong Bao straightened up. "What happened?"


    Qiu Ling sighed. "Ah, it''s such a long and sad story ¡­"


    "You could come to my house and tell me. I even have tea!" She smiled and squirmed on the spot. "Senior Martial Brother Liu Cheng gave it to me."


    "Qiu Ling!"


    Faced with Hong Bao''s curious look and Xin Lan''s quickly darkening expression Qiu Ling came to a difficult decision. He just cut the story short. "You see there was some accident and now my beloved is imprisoned in some secret realm and we need one of your prisoners to get him out of there because only that guy can open the array surrounding the realm."


    "Huh? That''s terrible!"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded gravely. "So I don''t have time to chat with you now. I need to go and set that guy free first and then save my poor beloved." He made to follow Xin Lan but Hong Bao grabbed his sleeve.


    "Eh, wait!"


    "Didn''t you listen just now?" Qiu Ling furrowed his brows and yanked his sleeve back. "I really have to hurry! My poor beloved is all alone." With that strange Senior Martial Brother Yu who is definitely into him and following some sinister plan to seduce him!


    "Then you should wait even more! Didn''t you say that the one you need is a person from our sect? I can help you find him!"


    Xin Lan who had wanted to leave stopped at that and turned back. "You could lead us there?"


    "But of course! Look at this!" Hong Bao pointed at the jade amulet she wore on her waist. "This means I''m one of the disciples of Elder Gan!"


    Qiu Ling looked at her blankly but Xin Lan nodded. "Alright. The one we''re searching for is called Bai Mu. Someone of mixed descent. He was imprisoned because of his demon blood."


    Hong Bao tilted her head the other way. "Do you know what he looks like?"


    This time Xin Lan was stumped for words. How would he know how that person looked like?


    Qiu Ling was doing a bit better. He thought of his uncle-in-law and pondered how to describe him best. After all, his child should look a lot like him, right? "Well ¡­ He''s handsome. Certainly not as handsome as me but he probably won''t lose out to Xin Lan."


    "Certainly won''t lose out to him?" Hong Bao turned to look at Xin Lan again but wasn''t really satisfied. "Really, why are you wearing that mask? Can''t you take it off?"


    Xin Lan frowned and turned to Qiu Ling. "This isn''t leading anywhere. Let''s just go and look for him ourselves."


    Qiu Ling didn''t really think the same way. Wouldn''t searching for him take much longer than just having Hong Bao lead the way? He just had to make her realize which of the prisoners that Bai Mu guy was. Xin Lan had probably been a bad example. After all, he was wearing some strange mask all day. How should she judge how good-looking he really was? And, well, even though he didn''t like Xin Lan very much he probably had to admit that he was more handsome than his uncle-in-law.


    "Alright, maybe he''s not exactly as handsome as Xin Lan. He''s probably ¡­ about as handsome as that Xiao Li guy you mentioned." Well, he had no idea who that Xiao Li was but he shouldn''t look much better than his uncle-in-law, right?


    Hong Bao pursed her lips and pondered. "As handsome as Xiao Li?" She thought back to the face of that strange person. "Ah! I know now! You should have said that he looks like Xiao Li in the first place! Come with me!" And with that, she turned around and hurried into the dungeon.

 Chapter 412 - A Sect of Demon Hunters

    Qiu Ling blinked. He certainly hadn''t imagined that it would work that well ¡­


    "Are you sure she''s dependable?" Xin Lan continued to frown. This woman made quite the chaotic impression on him. Trusting her to lead them to the right person and then set that person free ¡­ He doubted that this was a wise decision.


    Qiu Ling didn''t have as many concerns. After his initial shock, he hurried into the dungeon as well, leaving Xin Lan behind by himself. He couldn''t waste even a second! This was for freeing his beloved, after all!


    Looking at the figure hurrying after that woman Xin Lan could only sigh. He didn''t want to but he still followed the two of them lest they provoked some trouble that would cause his master to have to wait for the return of his lover even longer.


    Thus three people who weren''t supposed to be there entered the dungeon of the Chun Feng Sect.


    Qiu Ling stopped after taking just a single step. This place ¡­ felt really weird. Or, no, he felt weird being at this place. His fingers tingled and his mind buzzed. It seemed as if ¡­ someone was talking to him but he couldn''t really understand the words?


    He turned to look at Xin Lan only to find him frown even more than usual. "What is it?"


    Xin Lan also turned in his direction before motioning deeper into the dungeon. "This place was made to detain demons. There should be something called a Blood Gem incorporated into the walls and if I''m not wrong, then that plant growing in the seams is Soul Cleansing Grass." Xin Lan laughed. "This is a sect of demon hunters alright. Both of these suppress demons. If they catch one and imprison it here for a few days, it''s expected that the demon wouldn''t have the ability to escape any longer."


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Then why ¡­"


    Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed. "Well, considering the close relationship between our races it''s not strange for us to feel the effect of the Blood Gem and the Soul Cleansing Grass too." He said so but his eyes told a different story.


    Qiu Ling looked away. It was obvious that Xin Lan indeed felt the effects to a certain degree. His reaction wasn''t very strong though while he himself ¡­ Qiu Ling gritted his teeth. Well, he shouldn''t have expected anything different. Between his father and mother, his father had always been stronger and it seemed that the dragon blood he had inherited was also stronger than his demonic side but he couldn''t deny that it was there. As much as he wanted to forget about it there would always be a part of him that wasn''t a dragon. And this part would naturally show the same reactions as a demon would.


    Ah, he could probably count himself lucky that there was only Xin Lan around who knew about it anyway. If some other dragon had seen ¡­


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn''t let them find out. At least not as long as he wasn''t married to Jing He. Afterward ¡­ It wouldn''t matter any longer. The only reason to hold onto his throne was to win over his beloved and have the right to marry him. As soon as that was accomplished he could give the right to the throne up and return it to someone who was a pure dragon.


    Qiu Ling cracked his eyes open and tried to ignore those voices and that strange numbing feeling. He slowly followed Hong Bao and Xin Lan who had already gone ahead. Unfortunately, the dungeon of the Chun Feng Sect was designed to be as troublesome as possible to the demons. There wasn''t any kind of straight way through the building. No, instead, it twisted and turned, increasing the time one needed to flee.


    Not only that, but the Chun Feng Sect had also taken great care to make every attempt to escape as bothersome to the demons as they could or, well, to render them impossible in the first place. While there had been some Blood Gems and some Soul Cleansing Grass in the outer parts but nothing else that could keep the demons back the inner parts were worse. The number of Blood Gems increased until almost every stone slab used in the floor, the walls and even in the ceiling had some. In some parts where the path winding through the dungeon was small, there were even slabs made completely out of Blood Gem.


    Qiu Ling cursed silently. Had this sect done this on purpose?! Couldn''t they have used some anti-demon, pro-dragon gem instead?! At least then the effects would have canceled each other out!


    He gritted his teeth and continued to follow Hong Bao and Xin Lan but his face had paled and cold sweat beaded his forehead. Ah, if it went on like this ¡­ Don''t even talk about freeing that Bai Mu he would be lucky to get out of here himself. Argh, those humans were really vicious! Had he known then, he would have insisted that his father-in-law sent help with them. Then again ¡­ he couldn''t let the gods find out about how badly this affected him.


    He reached out, wanting to prop himself up on the wall but as soon as his fingers touched it a searing pain engulfed his hand. Qiu Ling recoiled but where was he supposed to go? He winced and tried to stay away from the walls as best as he could. This was nearly as bad as the time in the Hei Dian Sect when Hong Ai had hit him with that sword against demons.


    Xin Lan looked back at him. "If you can''t keep up, then wait outside. I''ll go and get his blood."


    Qiu Ling shook his head even though Xin Lan had already turned back around. No, he couldn''t just go and wait outside. He had to ¡­ to find his uncle-in-law''s son and get him out of here. He couldn''t give this chance up.


    He had to stay strong. For his Jing He.

 Chapter 413 - I Have to Bring Him out

    The path in front of them soon got wider again. In fact, there even was something like a cave in front of them. Qiu Ling took a relieved breath. Finally! He really wouldn''t have been able to take it any longer!


    He hastened his steps and arrived at the entrance of the cave shortly after Hong Bao and Xin Lan. He stopped, combed his hair back and straightened his sleeves. Ah, he definitely wasn''t a demon! He had just been ¡­ a little too excited because his uncle-in-law would soon owe him something. Yes, that was the reason.


    Hong Bao had already hurried forward again while he recovered his breath. Qiu Ling sighed and followed her only to find himself in front of two disciples of the Chun Feng Sect that were guarding a door. A red door.


    Qiu Ling frowned. Honestly, you didn''t need to be a genius to understand what this door was made out of. Argh! Just what was this sect thinking?! Did they really need to be so vicious? If it was so hard on dragons already, then no true demon would be able to even lift a finger in this kind of dungeon! Really, why had they built it in the first place? They could have just killed them instead! Wouldn''t it be the same?


    Even Xin Lan felt slightly uncomfortable in this cave. He looked around and his eyes narrowed. It seemed that this dungeon was getting harder to escape from with every step they took. Most likely this Chun Feng Sect had wanted to let the demons imagine they were still safe when they brought them in so that they would struggle less and instead wait for an opportunity. An opportunity they would never get because the further they went the more they would be influenced by the Blood Gem and the Soul Cleansing Grass.


    He turned to look at Qiu Ling and even though he didn''t like him, he couldn''t help but feel a bit of approval. Considering the fact that a part of this boy''s blood came from the demon race it really was a wonder he could still remain standing. Granted, he looked terrible at the moment but who wouldn''t?


    Considering that and the fact that his master wanted this person to sit on the throne of the dragon race ¡­ "Qiu Ling, you should go back and wait outside. You''ve certainly also noticed that you can''t stand being here."


    Qiu Ling shook his head and stepped closer to Xin Lan. "No. I won''t."


    "Don''t be so stubborn. Nothing will happen and even if it did, you wouldn''t be of any help. You''d be a hindrance instead."


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and took another deep breath. "If it was you ¡­ you''d just get his blood and leave."


    "Of course. That is what we came here for."


    "I can''t." Qiu Ling cracked his eyes open and looked at the blood red door in front of them. "That person in there is my uncle-in-law''s son. I can''t leave him there. I have to bring him out."


    "You''re an idiot."


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "Maybe I am. You wouldn''t understand. You haven''t been cursed. But I ¡­ I already fell in love and bound my soul. If it''s for Jing He, then I would do anything. And helping his uncle is something he would definitely expect of me. So, whatever nasty thing they put in here I will fight against it and get that person out of here. There is no way they can stop me from that." He lifted his chin and clenched his fists, staring straight ahead at the door.


    Xin Lan also turned back to the door. The two disciples of the Chun Feng Sect next to it kept an eye on everything happening in the cave but they relaxed a little when they saw Hong Bao running over.


    "Junior Martial Sister Hong, how nice of you to drop by."


    Hong Bao smiled brightly. "Senior Martial Brothers, good afternoon! Don''t worry, I won''t take up much your time. I just need to go in for a bit. My two friends want to visit someone."


    Xin Lan''s brow twitched. And this was why he had asked if that woman was reliable ¡­ This place was obviously the dungeon used for imprisoning demons! If anyone came to visit someone, wouldn''t he be looking for a demon then?


    The two disciples looked at the spot where Hong Bao pointed but couldn''t see anyone. They exchanged a glance but saw the same confused expression on the face of the other person. They turned back to Hong Bao. "Junior Martial Sister ¡­ Who are you talking about?"


    Hong Bao blinked and looked at Xin Lan and Qiu Ling. What were her Senior ¡­ Ah! Right! They hadn''t seen each other before so they had no idea who they were. "Oh, one of them is a disciple I met in the Hei Dian Sect and the other one is ¡­ a friend of his?"


    Qiu Ling chuckled. "Did you hear that? She said you were a friend of mine."


    "Shut up." Xin Lan frowned at Hong Bao. This girl, she really spelled trouble. Didn''t she know that those two couldn''t see them? And why was she bringing up a heretic sect in front of two demon hunters? Wasn''t that just like asking for those two to become more vigilant?


    Indeed. The two disciples instantly perked up. "Hei Dian Sect?" They naturally both knew what kind of place that was. Especially after Hong Bao had gone missing and somehow turned up there.


    The official version the Sect Master had given the disciples was that the heretic practitioners had somehow tricked Hong Bao into following them there but that nothing else had happened and that they didn''t need to be too worried.


    But now this very same Junior Martial Sister stood right in front of them and told them that someone from the Hei Dian Sect had come and wanted to go into the dungeon where the demons were held. This had to mean that something had gone wrong again!


    "So, you want to enter the dungeon?" one of the disciples asked to make sure.


    Hong Bao nodded very honestly. "Yes. They want to visit a friend of theirs to ask him for help."


    "Oh. I see." The other disciple smiled and nodded. "Well, if that''s the case, then we don''t want to be a hindrance. It''s just ¡­ Elder Du said that something happened a few days ago so we first have to notify him. Wait a moment, alright?"


    Hong Bao nodded again and actually watched the disciple walk away.

 Chapter 414 - What’s the Name of Your Mother?

    Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed and he struck out before the disciple had managed to take even five steps. The other disciple jumped in shock but before he could further react he had also been struck unconscious.


    Hong Bao''s eyes widened and she stared at the two disciples on the ground, not understanding what had just happened.


    Qiu Ling turned to look at Xin Lan. "You didn''t kill them, did you?"


    "Of course not. With that woman involved, we can''t do anything too drastic. Well, as long as we don''t kill her too that is."


    Qiu Ling considered it for a moment but shook his head in the end. He didn''t like her but his beloved seemed to consider her a friend. He couldn''t let Xin Lan kill her. "So let''s continue then? We still haven''t seen any prisoners. Where are all the demons?"


    Xin Lan stepped forward and motioned at the door. "Miss Hong, don''t worry about those two. They were probably just worn out from working too long. How about we go and see our friend first? When we come back those two will probably be awake again already."


    "Oh." Hong Bao actually believed him, nodded and opened the door for them. "It''s this way."


    Qiu Ling frowned when she stepped through the door. Argh, why was that door so small? "Uh, Hong Bao ¡­" He followed her to the doorstep but halted when he saw what lay behind.


    He closed his eyes for a moment before taking another look. It was indeed true. Those demon hunters had actually made an even more vicious move and built the room behind the door completely from that Blood Gem. Heavens! Was he really supposed to step in there?


    Xin Lan smiled cruelly. "Didn''t you just say you''d do everything for him?"


    "Of course. But can''t I be unhappy that someone is making it so difficult for me?" Qiu Ling took a deep breath and stepped through the door only to wince the next moment.


    Ah, this really wasn''t a good idea. Maybe he should have gone to the Leyuan region instead and sent somebody else to help free that Bai Mu. Ugh, it was too late now.


    He gritted his teeth and followed Hong Bao to the end of the room where another door was waiting for them. This one wasn''t made out of Blood Gem, fortunately. Maybe behind it were the cells holding the demons already and since the demon hunters didn''t want to kill them because of some strange reason they hadn''t used the Blood Gem in their direct vicinity?


    It would actually make sense. A true demon would be impeded by the Blood Gem from behind the door already but not so much that it would kill him even in the long run. These demon hunters were surprisingly smart. Not at all how he would have imagined them after he had heard how one of them had attacked Qiang Wei in the capital back then.


    Hong Bao opened the second door too and the three of them stepped into the room or, well, the true prison. Qiu Ling''s guess had actually been right. This had been the door to the innermost part of the prison and there indeed wasn''t any Blood Gem used in building it. There was some Soul Clearing Grass growing in the corners though but Qiu Ling could live with that. Having some herb whisper to him might be strange but it was still easier to handle than some stone that could suck his energy from afar.


    He took a relieved breath and turned to Hong Bao, taking another step away from the door in the process. "So, where''s Bai Mu?"


    Hong Bao pointed to the far side of the prison. "Back there if I remember correctly."


    Qiu Ling nodded and hurried over without saying another word. Looking at the five cells in front of him he couldn''t help but pause. None of the men inside looked like his uncle-in-law. So ¡­


    "Which one of you is Bai Mu?"


    Three pairs of eyes were raised to his face and three voices immediately sounded out.


    "I''m Bai Mu!"


    "It''s me!"


    "You''re finally here!"


    Qiu Ling blinked. Right. He had forgotten that these guys were all demons. He couldn''t trust what they said. Thankfully, he wasn''t completely oblivious to Bai Mu''s situation. "So, what''s the name of your mothers'' then?"


    The three demons blanked. They certainly hadn''t expected this question. They wouldn''t suddenly give up though. After all, it wasn''t often that somebody who wasn''t from the Chun Feng Sect would come by. Especially someone who had obviously come for a specific person that would probably be taken away.


    "Er ¡­ It''s been so long. How could I still remember my mother''s name?" The one on the left tried to lie his way through the question but naturally, Qiu Ling didn''t react.


    "It''s ¡­ Fang He!" the one on the right tried his luck.


    Seeing that Qiu Ling still didn''t react the third demon slightly furrowed his brow. Was this some kind of test? He looked at Qiu Ling''s face that was still a bit pale and lifted his chin. This person was obviously from their own race since he was also affected by the Blood Gem and Soul Clearing Grass. "What mother? I only had two fathers!"


    Qiu Ling blinked. Look at this! Two fathers! Hadn''t Fu Heng pretended that such a thing would be impossible a few days back? And now even this demon confirmed that he didn''t have a mother at all and only two fathers. So it was obvious that Fu Heng had lied. Tch, he''d show him when he got back! Just because that guy was single there was no reason to sabotage the relationship of his king!


    Qiu Ling shook his head. This wasn''t the moment to dwell on that. He looked at the other two demons instead. "So, what about you?"


    One of them didn''t even react while the other one only looked back at him without a word. Qiu Ling sighed. Ah, why were demons so troublesome? He had even come here to save him but that Bai Mu guy actually didn''t cooperate at all!

 Chapter 415 - The True Bai Mu

    Qiu Ling looked from one guy to the other and finally froze. Wait! Why did this one guy look like that demon he had seen in the Hei Dian Sect?!


    Qiu Ling frowned and squatted down, intently peering into the guy''s face. He had seen that demon only for a moment but the similarity was uncanny. They could have been brothers. Well, considering the relationships between demons it wasn''t that strange. Who wasn''t related among them? That was the problem if everyone had something going on with everyone else.


    Qiu Ling turned back to look at Xin Lan and pointed at the guy before him. "That''s Bai Mu."


    "Are you sure?" Xin Lan came over as well and examined the man in the cell. He could feel a bit of immortal energy from him but it was faint. Well, whatever he had possessed of it might have been eroded after being imprisoned here for a few years. He hadn''t been a true demon, after all.


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Mn. He looks nearly identical to that demon I saw at the Hei Dian Sect."


    Xin Lan frowned. "That''s what that Hong Bao said. But this doesn''t mean that he''s the person we''re looking for. The Fate''s Scribe didn''t speak of any other relatives than his mother and aunt."


    "Well, you never asked about them. And most other relatives probably wouldn''t have that kind of composition of their blood anyway. They''d probably be just demons or just humans or just gods, so why would he have told you about them?"


    Xin Lan nodded. That was also true. But what if they got the wrong person?


    "If you think I''ve got it wrong, we could free all of them."


    "You want to help the demons?" Xin Lan''s brows lifted. He really couldn''t imagine Qiu Ling doing anything that might benefit Jin Ling. Their hate was mutual, after all.


    Qiu Ling frowned. "What are you talking about? I''m not the one who lived with a demon."


    Xin Lan didn''t respond to that and just turned to the man in the cell. "Do you know somebody by the name of Huan Yin?"


    The man didn''t answer but somebody else connected the dots. "Ah!" The demon on the left cried out. "Now I remember! Huan Yin, that''s actually my mother''s name!"


    Xin Lan didn''t even look over. He lashed out and only a gurgling scream could be heard before the demon slumped to the ground in a pool of blood.


    "I''m still waiting for your answer."


    The man looked back at him but didn''t open his mouth. Xin Lan frowned but it wasn''t like he could attack him. Who knew if he was still able to withstand even a weak attack?


    Qiu Ling continued to frown. "Why aren''t you answering? Heh!" Qiu Ling poked the bars. "You do realize we could get you out of here? Don''t you want that? What about your fiancee?"


    The man suddenly looked up.


    Qiu Ling grinned. "See? So, you still don''t want to answer him?" He motioned at Xin Lan.


    The man ignored the question. "How do you know about Nie Huang?"


    Qiu Ling turned to Xin Lan. "Hear that? He said she''s called Nie Huang. It has to be him."


    "Then get him out of there and let''s go. We shouldn''t lose any more time." After all, his master was still out there in the Yun Zou Sect waiting for the return of his lover.


    Hearing Xin Lan''s reminder Qiu Ling''s eyes sparkled. Right! They shouldn''t lose any more time. After all, his beloved was still waiting in the secret realm for him! He had to hurry up and save him!


    He stood up and didn''t even bother to take out his weapon. His nails turned into claws and he lashed out at the bars. "Argh!" Qiu Ling staggered back and clutched his hand. "These damned demon hunters! What do they think they''re doing?!" These assholes had actually used Blood Gem inside the bars!


    Xin Lan frowned. What did his master see in this person that he had given his throne to him? Wasn''t he completely unsuitable for this position? Well, he had no right to question his master''s decision.


    He drew his sword and the bars fell to the ground after two strikes. "Can you get up?"


    Bai Mu looked at the bars on the ground and then up to the two men on the other side. He couldn''t understand. He had never seen them before. Why did they know so much about him? Why had they come to save him?


    Xin Lan frowned and lifted his sword. He accepted that Qiu Ling wanted to save this person but if he didn''t want to be saved, then he would just take his blood and open the array himself to free his master''s lover.


    "Eh!" Qiu Ling hurriedly stepped in front of him. "What are you trying to do? I already said I''ll get him out for my uncle-in-law! Don''t even think about doing something to him!"


    Xin Lan sighed and sheathed the sword. "Then get him out of there. We still need to leave this dungeon without being noticed and I doubt he can hide himself from mortal eyes."


    Qiu Ling didn''t seem impressed. "What''s the problem? Hong Bao could see us too and it wasn''t a problem."


    Xin Lan shook his head and turned away. Why was he even trying to talk to him? This boy really was an idiot. Although ¡­ he also wondered how the girl had been able to see them. Wasn''t she just a simple mortal?


    Qiu Ling didn''t care for Xin Lan''s thoughts. Now, he only had Jing He on his mind. He didn''t wait any longer for Bai Mu to come to terms with the situation. Evading the bars he stepped into the cell and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him to his feet.


    "Come, come, come. Time is of the essence!" He didn''t explain anything else and just dragged Bai Mu off.

 Chapter 416 - A Demon and a Demon Hunter

    Qiu Ling pulled Bai Mu out of the room with the cells and into the corridor that was made out of Blood Gem. As soon as he stepped through the door his grip loosened.


    "Ugh." He clenched his hands into fists again and gritted his teeth. "You better follow up on your own."


    Bai Mu looked at Qiu Ling who seemed to be slightly wavering. The person who saved him ¡­ He obviously had some demon blood too and it seemed stronger than his own. Well, it shouldn''t surprise him considering how this man had recoiled when he touched the inner part of the bars that was made out of Blood Gem.


    The difference between their blood was indeed rather large. Qiu Ling''s mother had been half-dragon and half-demon while his father was a purebred dragon. So it wasn''t wrong to say that a quarter of his blood was that of a demon. And since the dragons and the demons had been one race the Blood Gem influenced him even more.


    Bai Mu, on the other hand, hadn''t that much demon blood in him. His father had been a hundred percent human if one excluded the fact that he carried the soul of a god around. His mother also hadn''t had that much demon blood. After all, she had the same composition of blood from the three races. Thus Bai Mu''s demon blood already stemmed from the generation before Huan Yin''s.


    Barely two-thirds of his blood could be considered to be demonic and another part was even that of the gods which negated some of its effects. The Blood Gem''s influence on him was paltry.


    Bai Mu frowned and reached out to Qiu Ling. "Are you alright?"


    Qiu Ling looked back at him. The color was visibly draining from his face but he nodded and hurried onward.


    Bai Mu followed him. He really couldn''t understand. Besides his mother he never had any other family and neither from his time at the Da Dao Guang Sect nor from the time he had spent at the Shen Shen Yuan Order were there any friends that would take it upon themselves to break into the Chun Feng Sect on the off chance that they might be able to free him. That would be even truer if they had demon blood themselves and would run the risk to be imprisoned.


    So who were these people? He turned to look at Xin Lan that was walking behind him with a grim expression and then at Hong Bao that was happily hopping at the end of the line.


    Well, at least this woman wasn''t completely unknown to him. She had once been there when the Chun Feng Sect disciples brought a new demon in. Back then she had been just as flippant as she was now as if she didn''t notice that she was in a prison and that the person being thrown in there was a demon. She had seemed like a normal human, not like a cultivator but she wore the green robes of the Chun Feng Sect. She definitely was one of their disciples too.


    So why were someone who had at least a bit of demon blood and a demon hunter working together to help him escape from a prison the demon hunters had set up themselves? He couldn''t wrap his head around this!


    He really wanted to ask. But who should he turn to, to get answers? The guy in front of him who already looked like he would collapse if you so much as tipped his shoulder? Or the guy behind him that was scowling at him as if he owed him money? He certainly couldn''t ask the demon hunter in the back. Not only that she was part of the group that had imprisoned him in the first place, but she also didn''t seem very reliable.


    Without any options, Bai Mu followed behind Qiu Ling, his heart beating faster and faster the further they got away from the room with the cells. Could it really be that he would leave this prison today? Could it be that ¡­ he would see Nie Huang again?


    Bai Mu took a deep breath. He would love nothing more than to return to his fiancee and finally marry her but it had already been so many years. Would Nie Huang really have waited for him? He couldn''t fault her even if she had already married another man. Actually, it was quite likely that she had.


    Hadn''t her parents wanted her to marry somebody else back then? They had never been satisfied with him. After he was imprisoned by the Chun Feng Sect and didn''t return all that time, they certainly would have pressured her to finally marry.


    Maybe his chance to be together with her had al¡ª


    The man before him staggered to the side and crashed against the wall. Bai Mu hurried forward and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him away from the Blood Gem.


    "Careful! The closer you get to it the worse it gets."


    Qiu Ling groaned. "These damned demon hunters! They''re discriminating against my race!"


    Bai Mu didn''t know what to say and turned to look at the other two people.


    Xin Lan didn''t really care. It wasn''t like anyone from the Chun Feng Sect was around to catch them right now and hadn''t Qiu Ling said that he would do this for his beloved? He had insisted on getting the guy out and now look at this. He had actually trouble to get out. What an idiot!


    Hong Bao hurried forward though. "What happened, Senior Martial Brother Qiu? Don''t you feel well?"


    Qiu Ling looked up at her. No kidding! "Does it look like that?"


    Hong Bao examined his face and his hand that still had a mark from when he had tried to destroy the bars. "Actually, if you''re asking like that ¡­ You do. You''re looking a little pale. Don''t tell me you''ve fallen sick? What about your wedding then?"

 Chapter 417 - How Do You Know Him?

    Qiu Ling closed his eyes. "Don''t worry about that. I wouldn''t miss my own wedding. Let''s go!" He clutched Bai Mu''s shoulder and pulled himself up but he didn''t look too well.


    "Are you sure you can go on?"


    Qiu Ling turned to stare at him. Was his uncle-in-law''s son an idiot? Even if he had to crawl out of here, he''d still have to do it! Otherwise wouldn''t those stupid demon hunters imprison him too? Ah, there was no use in talking to him.


    He turned around, let go of Bai Mu''s shoulder and walked forward. His speed had reduced considerably though and he swayed every few steps. Bai Mu wanted to say more but finally reconsidered. He didn''t even know who these people were. He really wasn''t in the position to say anything.


    Hong Bao hurried past Xin Lan and fell into step beside Bai Mu. She looked up at him curiously. "So, how do you know Senior Martial Brother Qiu?"


    "Senior Martial Brother Qiu?"


    "Mn. Qiu Ling!" Hong Bao pointed to the front where Qiu Ling was trying to make his way through the corridor without touching the Blood Gem embedded in the walls. Until now, they still hadn''t even reached the halfway mark of their way out.


    Bai Mu raised his brows. "He is part of the Chun Feng Sect?"


    Hong Bao shook her head. "No. Why would you think so?"


    "Well, you''re wearing the robes of the Chun Feng Sect and if he''s your Senior Martial Brother ¡­"


    "Oh, no, actually he''s from the Hei Dian Sect."


    "Hei Dian Sect?" Bei Mu frowned. Wasn''t that the premier heretic sect of this day? At least it had been when he was imprisoned. "Then how is he related to you?"


    "Oh, you see my sister, that''s Hong Ai, she married Shen An De who is the Grandmaster of the Hei Dian Sect so she''s his Senior Martial Sister or maybe she''s his Senior Martial Aunt? Or maybe just his Martial Aunt?" She frowned and pursed her brows. "That doesn''t seem right either. If Brother An De is the Grandmaster, then isn''t she the Grandmistress? Or, no, the Grandmadam?"


    "I don''t think there is such a position."


    "Oh. Then maybe she is just his Senior Martial Sister? Well, anyway since they''re fellow disciples and I''m her sister I''m his Martial Sister too, right?"


    "Uh ¡­" Bai Mu had no idea what to say.


    This somehow seemed ¡­ odd. Well, at least it made a little more sense now that this man would come to save him. After all, hadn''t it been his mother and father who established the Hei Dian Sect back then? Maybe they had somehow found out that he was imprisoned here and had sent someone to help. It was just a pity that this person had turned out to have even more demon blood than him.


    "So, how do you know Senior Martial Brother Qiu?" Hong Bao finally remembered her original question.


    "We don''t know each other. I''ve seen him for the first time today."


    "Then you know Jing Yi instead?"


    "Jing Yi?" Bai Mu looked at the other man bringing up the rear. Could she mean him? But he had never seen him before either. Well, he also hadn''t heard the name Jing Yi before.


    "Yeah, Senior Martial Brother Qiu''s fiance. He''s also from the Hei Dian Sect. Qiu Ling said you can save him."


    "Save him? So ¡­ His fiance is in trouble?" Bai Mu smiled. This answered a lot of questions. Someone coming to save him just out of the goodness of their heart was hard to believe. Especially if that person had demon blood in them. But if that person needed a favor from him, then things were different.


    "Mn. Qiu Ling said he got trapped somewhere and we somehow need you to get him out." She frowned. "I also don''t understand why he can''t get him out himself. What''s so special about that place that only you can get him out there?"


    Bai Mu stopped walking. A special place only he could open? That could only be one that needed his blood to open. And the only place like that would be ¡­ Before he could finish thinking it through Xin Lan had caught up to him and stopped directly behind him.


    "You can either decide to follow us and open it on your own or you decide to work against us. I for one don''t mind killing you for your blood."


    Qiu Ling in the front also turned around. "Xin Lan, shut up. I already told you that I''d get him out for my uncle-in-law. Don''t even think about harming him!"


    Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed. "Between your fiance and your uncle-in-law you should be very clear about who is more important to you."


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Let''s talk about that after we get out of here." He turned back to the front and continued forward. Ah, why was this damned corridor so long? He actually ¡­ wasn''t sure if he could reach ¡­


    Qiu Ling stumbled and once again collided with the wall. Ah. Damn this.


    "Xin Lan! Is there nothing that can be used against this Blood Gem?"


    "Well, you could turn into your other form. That should stimulate your dragon blood enough to render the effects of the Blood Gem less effective."


    Qiu Ling tensed. "Is there any other way?"


    "No."


    "Then ¡­ then let''s just go." He wouldn''t change into his other form. He definitely wouldn''t. Not if there was still a chance for him to get out of here on these two legs.


    Xin Lan chuckled. "Well, let''s see if you can continue to be stubborn."


    Bai Mu watched the exchange between the two with creased brows. It seemed ¡­ those two weren''t really of the same opinion. If he wanted to get out of here alive and maybe even return to his fiancee, then he had to make sure that that Qiu Ling managed to leave the prison too.

 Chapter 418 - Do You Know a Secret Passageway?

    Bai Mu watched for a moment longer how Qiu Ling stumbled through the corridor before he shook his head and accelerated his steps. He grabbed Qiu Ling''s arm and tried to hold him upright.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" Qiu Ling wanted to retract his arm but in his condition, Bai Mu''s grip was too firm to shake him off.


    Bai Mu slightly frowned. "I don''t know who you are and how you found out about my blood but I do realize that you''re my only chance to get out of here. So, let''s just work together. We get out of here and then you can tell me what exactly you found me for."


    Qiu Ling kept silent for a while before he sighed. "What''s there to talk about? My fiance got stuck in that secret realm in the Leyuan region. Xin Lan ¡­ that dude back there." He vaguely nodded to the back while stumbling forward with Bai Mu''s help. "He said only someone with blood from three races could open it. So we investigated and it turned out you actually fit the bill. So, I want you to come with me and help me save my fiance."


    "That realm isn''t somewhere other people should enter."


    "Yes, yes. It''s too late now. He''s already in there. And don''t be like this. You''re family. You should help him out."


    Bai Mu frowned. "How are your fiance and I related?"


    "Well, you''re the son of his uncle, aren''t you?"


    "His uncle?" Bai Mu''s brows creased even more. "That can''t be. My mother only had a sister and she wasn''t married."


    "I''m talking about your father. And can''t you walk faster?"


    Bai Mu looked at the man that was leaning nearly all of his weight onto him by now. Qiu Ling''s face had lost the last bit of color. Not only that but his eyes or rather one of his eyes was slowly losing color and turned to an unholy red. This person obviously wasn''t a full-blooded demon either but now the Blood Gem was stimulating that side of him.


    Bai Mu looked back at the two people behind them. "How about one of them helps? Wouldn''t we be faster then?"


    "Forget it. That servant girl is trouble and Xin Lan ¡­ Uh, let''s not talk about it."


    Bai Mu nodded. He could hardly argue with that. It was exactly the same impression those two had given him. "About what you said just now ¡­"


    "You mean about that servant girl?"


    "No. No, I mean ¡­ About my father. What did you mean? I''ve never heard that my father had a sibling."


    "Mn. He has a sister. She''s called Bai Fen. Eh? Come to think of it. Aren''t you called Bai Mu? What a coinci¡ª" Qiu Ling stumbled again and almost dragged Bai Mu down with him. "Ugh. Why aren''t we out yet?"


    Hong Bao hurried forward on cue. "It''s still a long way. We''re only halfway through the dungeon. But if you want to take a break it''s alright, Senior Martial Brother Qiu. We can wait for you to catch your breath."


    Bai Mu frowned and turned to Hong Bao. It was obvious that she didn''t get the situation. "Miss Hong, do you see these red stones in the wall? That is something called a Blood Gem. That is what is making him sick right now and the longer he stays here in the dungeon, the worse it''ll get. You''re part of the Chun Feng Sect. Do you know if there is a faster way out of here?"


    "A faster way?" Hong Bao blinked.


    "Yes. Something the disciples and Elders would use in an emergency."


    Hong Bao tilted her head. "You mean like ¡­ a secret shortcut through the dungeon nobody else knows of?"


    Bai Mu nodded.


    "Sure there is!"


    "Where?"


    Hong Bao blinked again. "I can''t tell you. It wouldn''t be a secret then, would it? And Senior Martial Brother Liu said I couldn''t tell anyone. It''s only between us."


    Bai Mu''s mouth opened and closed again. He couldn''t ask her to betray the promise she had made to somebody, could he?


    Qiu Ling didn''t have as much qualms as he. "What are you talking about, servant girl? This might be something he told you in private but can''t you see how important this is? I''m already on my last leg here and Jing Yi is still relying on me to bring this guy here over to save him! How is he going to get married if I don''t make it out of here alive! You''d be ruining a perfectly good relationship if you don''t tell us about the secret passageway!"


    Hong Bao pursed her lips. This sounded quite logical. "Alright. Since it''s you and I also know Jing Yi I won''t be like that and tell you. We''re past the entrance already though."


    "Ah?" Qiu Ling''s expression derailed while Bai Mu sighed.


    "How far past the entrance are we?"


    "Uh, it was before the turn that was before the last turn."


    Both men turned to look at the turn behind them. That was about a hundred meters. It wasn''t much for either of them normally but with Qiu Ling''s condition now.


    Qiu Ling sighed. "Well, it''s still better than going all the way back, right?" He clutched Bai Mu''s shoulder and tried to get up but his body only moved up halfway. "Uh. I can''t believe this is happening to me."


    "It won''t get better. I''ve seen the demons in the prison slowly die because of the Blood Gem. At the end, they were only empty husks. The only reason I was able to stay there several years without being affected too much was because the part of my blood that is demonic was negligible in the first place."


    "Don''t talk so much. Help me up."


    "Sure." Bai Mu put an arm around Qiu Ling''s waist and pulled him up. He turned to Hong Bao and nodded back into the corridor. "Miss Hong, please be so kind and lead us to that secret passageway on the shortest way possible. We need to get your Senior Martial Brother out of here."


    Hong Bao nodded and this time it seemed very, very earnest as if she had understood the seriousness of the matter.

 Chapter 419 - Green, Wet, and Prickly

    Hong Bao indeed didn''t waste any time. She ran to the turn they had taken before and vanished around the corner.


    "Miss Hong!" Bai Mu hurriedly called out to her. Who knew if this woman would just enter the secret passageway without showing them where it was?


    Thankfully, Hong Bao came indeed back. "What is it? Didn''t you say we had to hurry?"


    "Yes, but ¡­ look at your Senior Martial Brother Qiu. He can''t run that fast right now."


    Bai Mu tried to speed up his own steps but Qiu Ling couldn''t match them. The faster they tried to walk the slower they got. Qiu Ling stumbled forward, almost dragging Bai Mu down with him and getting up seemed to require more energy each time.


    Bai Mu finally slowed down. It was still better to walk forward steadily than to try and hurry and make Qiu Ling lose his strength even faster. Hong Bao stood at the turn and anxiously bounced up and down.


    Qiu Ling sighed. Ah, he never would have thought that he''d ever need someone to support him just to walk forward. Ugh. And it wasn''t even his beloved. He looked to the side and grimaced.


    "If you''re the son of my uncle-in-law ¡­ does that make you ¡­ my cousin-in-law?"


    "I guess so."


    "Ah, no offense but ¡­ I''d much rather ¡­ have Jing He help me."


    "Jing He?" Bai Mu looked at Hong Bao. "Your fiance? I thought he was called Jing Yi."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded. "He''s called Jing Yi now."


    Bai Mu frowned. "I don''t understand."


    "In the Nine Heavens ¡­ Ah." Qiu Ling grimaced and shut up. Who would have thought that even talking could be tiring? Even until now they had only passed half the way to the previous corner they turned. Ah, just imagining that there was another one behind that ¡­


    Bai Mu could also see that they weren''t making as much progress as they should. He turned back and looked at Xin Lan. "Why don''t you help out a bit?"


    Xin Lan raised his brows. "I said we should just get your blood and leave. There was no need for any other actions. Now he''s getting what he deserves."


    "Even if you aren''t friends, aren''t you at least acquainted?"


    "Hmph." Xin Lan snorted but he still came forward and grabbed Qiu Ling''s other arm. "I''m not doing this for you."


    "Sure, sure." Qiu Ling nodded. Ah, he should probably thank his old man for seducing the old geezer. Now even though Xin Lan didn''t like him, he still wouldn''t let anything happen to him as long as the old geezer was looking out for him.


    Xin Lan dragged him along with him, not caring if Qiu Ling or even Bai Mu could keep up with him. Well, it might not have been the best treatment but at least they were faster.


    Only a minute went by until they reached the turn where Hong Bao had been waiting. She turned around and hurried further. The three men didn''t lag behind by much this time and soon enough they reached the next turn.


    Hong Bao had halted only a few steps around the corner and was looking at them as if Qiu Ling would die if they didn''t hurry up. "It''s here!" She turned to the side and took the jade pendant from her waist, inserting it at a spot a little below her eye level. Her spiritual energy surged forth next, lighting up the lines of an array. The light congealed in the middle where the pendant had been embedded and pulsed, giving off a green hue.


    "Come, come!" Hong Bao didn''t wait a single moment and stepped through the array, vanishing from the corridor of the dungeon.


    Bai Mu looked at Qiu Ling, his heart racing. "Let''s go then."


    Qiu Ling nodded but stepped to the side. "You go first."


    Bai Mu''s lips moved and he peered at Xin Lan but in the end, he nodded, turned around and followed after Hong Bao.


    Qiu Ling sighed and closed his eyes. He had no idea how far the way out of the dungeon would be after they stepped through the array. Just how long did he need to hold on? In case it was too long ¡­ He turned to Xin Lan. "If it''s still a long way, then bring him to the Leyuan region and free Jing He first. I''ll get out of here somehow."


    "Stop blabbering and go." Xin Lan pushed him forward.


    Qiu Ling crashed into the array and fell face-first on the ground. "Ugh." He furrowed his brow and patted around. It was ¡­ wet and somehow ¡­ prickly? Qiu Ling turned his head to the side and found something green in front of him. He blinked but couldn''t figure out what it was supposed to be.


    A pair of shoes stepped on the green thing and trod it into the ground. "Have you had enough yet? Then get up. I''m not going to help you again."


    Qiu Ling peered up at Xin Lan''s face and found his gaze especially condescending. Ah, damn, it wasn''t his fault that his mother had been a demon! This guy should have bitched to his father about it!


    He closed his eyes and sighed. The smell drifting into his nose made his eyes spring open again though. Wait. Was this ¡­ grass? He lifted his head and looked around. Indeed. The wet, prickly, green thing in front of him had been a stalk of grass and it wasn''t the only one around. They were actually in some meadow. There were even some nice little flowers growing around them.


    Qiu Ling sat up. His strength that had been sapped by the Blood Gem slowly started to return to his limbs. It turned out ¡­ Hong Bao''s so-called shortcut was actually another exit out of the dungeon. They had already left it and if he wasn''t completely wrong, then they had even left the grounds of the Chun Feng Sect.

 Chapter 420 - The Core of the Secret Realm

    "Uh ¡­ Well, this is great." Qiu Ling slowly got to his feet. He dusted his clothes off and stretched his limbs. Alright, he still wasn''t back to his peak state but it was a lot better now that there wasn''t any Blood Gem around anymore. If he took an hour, he should be able to regain his strength even if he just waited.


    Not that he would do so.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes again and took a deep breath. His hands lifted, his palms facing the sky. The bit of energy he still had stirred and called for the elements around him.


    The dew coating the grass lifted into the air and swirled around his figure, the water droplets glittering in the sunlight. Qiu Ling''s magic surged and the drops rushed toward him, gathered above his hands to form a ball of water and evaporated. Mist drifted into the sky, obscuring the sun behind a white veil that slowly eased down and enveloped Qiu Ling''s body.


    Even his black robe seemed white for a spell until the mist finally dispersed in a sparkling flash, leaving only the energy behind that entered Qiu Ling''s body and replaced what the Blood Gem had taken from him.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes opened again. The one that had turned red previously was back to the inky black it used to be before and Qiu Ling''s lips quirked up in a smile. He bent down and plucked one of the flowers, taking in the sweet smell before turning around to the others.


    "Let''s go save Jing He."


    He didn''t wait for an answer and just soared into the sky, speeding toward the Leyuan region.


    Xin Lan grabbed Bai Mu''s shoulder and nodded at the sky. "Let''s go then. After you''ve opened the array and those two are out you may go as far as it concerns me."


    Bai Mu nodded, took a look at Hong Bao and the three of them followed behind Qiu Ling.


    At the same time, Leng Jin Yu stood on the small isle in the innermost courtyard of the palace the secret realm''s master had left behind. His hands were lifted into the air, his fingers pointing at two points opposite from each other that he had found to link the two statues together.


    After these years in the secret realm, he had finally located all the spiritual energy vortexes and had even managed to find out how they were connected. If he wasn''t wrong, he only had to manipulate the connection between the two parts and thus activate the whole net of energy. Then the core of the secret realm should be under his control.


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath and calmed his mind. His thoughts flickered to the courtyard from his visions for a short moment and he tightened his lips. If this went wrong, then not only wouldn''t he be able to leave the secret realm he would even lose his life. Not finding out who the person missing from this memory was would be a regret but even more so, that he would leave that person behind somewhere.


    "Heaven, let this be the right way. Don''t let me lose my life here. Let me hold on until we see each other again. At least until then ¡­"


    He lifted his head and his spiritual energy surged forth. It struck the point in the tip of the sword handle the man''s statue held and the point at the middle of the fan in the woman''s hand. The vortexes were disturbed and with a slight twitch of Leng Jin Yu''s fingers they changed directions and the collective energy of the two halves rushed toward each other.


    Leng Jin Yu stepped aside, barely evading the two rays of energy. He saw them bypass each other and enter the respective other statue, closing the ring of spiritual energy.


    Leng Jin Yu exhaled and opened his eyes. The ground below the statues had lit up with fine lines. Was this the core of the secret realm? It seemed different from what he would have expected after the vortexes he found in the statues.


    He traced the lines with his gaze, his brows slowly furrowing. This seemed ¡­ wrong. Not just unexpected but wrong. This form ¡­ Wasn''t it ¡ª


    The ground below his feet shook and interrupted his thoughts. Leng Jin Yu cursed, his brow furrowing even further. It couldn''t be! This wasn''t the core at all! It was actually an array used to destroy the realm!


    "Ah ¡­ No! This can''t be, this can''t be!"


    He couldn''t die here! He still hadn''t found out who that person from his memory was. He still hadn''t met him. He couldn''t ¡­ he couldn''t go without ever looking into his eyes.


    Leng Jin Yu looked up into the sky. It had taken him four years to decipher the vortexes in the statues but now it had been for naught. There was no chance that he would find a way out of this realm in just a few hours.


    He was doomed. The crown prince was also doomed. Well, at least the Son of Heaven would only die here and then reawaken in the Nine Heavens. After finding out about his past life here and falling in love again, living with the uncertainty of what had happened to that past lover and carrying the burden of having to betray Qiu Ling, he should have passed at least one major trial. Heaven wouldn''t punish him too badly. He would ¡­ at least get another chance.


    One of the doors to the courtyard burst open and a young man hastened out. "Senior Martial Brother Yu! What happened? I felt ¡ª" The young man stopped talking, his eyes widening when he took in the scene in front of him.


    The array glared bright red, bathing the statues and Leng Jin Yu''s figure in a red hue. Looking at it from afar it was gruesome, like a bloody scene straight from a nightmare.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "I''m sorry. I''ve let you down."


    Even he himself didn''t know whether he was talking to Zhong Jing Yi or to the person he had lost before meeting them.

 Chapter 421 - Find a Way to Let Him Know

    Jing Yi hurried over to Leng Jin Yu''s side. "Just what happened? The whole palace is shaking!"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "I''ve made a mistake. I thought I was getting closer to the core of the realm to open a passage back to the Leyuan region. Who would have thought ¡­" He shook his head. "The realm is collapsing. I''m afraid ¡­" He sighed again. "We won''t get out of here in time."


    Jing Yi stared up at the handsome face he had grown accustomed to in the last few years. "You can''t mean ¡­ We''ll die here?" The color drained from his face.


    He couldn''t die here! He had barely managed to reach the third stage. He was far from ascending to the Nine Heavens, far from finding Tian. He couldn''t die yet!


    "Senior Martial Brother Yu ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu turned around to him. "I know. Don''t worry too much. I''ll ¡­ I''ll try to think of something."


    Jing Yi nodded but he knew that there was no use in thinking about it. Yu Jin had already worked on whatever he had found in the courtyard for four years. Could he really find another way this fast?


    "Is there anything I can help with?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the brightly glowing array. Zhong Jing Yi wasn''t in trouble but he was. If he wanted to find that person, then he had to think of something, however unlikely it was to find a solution.


    "For now, let''s leave the palace. The core isn''t here and the realm should become unstable here first."


    "Alright." Jing Yi nodded and together they turned around and hurried back into the palace.


    Jing Yi had spent most of those four years in just one room, cultivating day and night. Only sometimes did he go and take a look at Yu Jin in the courtyard to find out if there was progress or anything he could help with. Now, he had no idea how to get out of the palace. He just hurried after Yu Jin and hoped that they would make it out before everything collapsed.


    The ground shook fiercer with each room they left behind. By the time they finally reached the gates of the palace, Jing Yi could barely hold himself upright. Leng Jin Yu looked back at him and grabbed his hand.


    "Come on, we still have to leave the mountains. After that, we''ll be slightly safer."


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded and accelerated his steps again, relying on Yu Jin''s help not to fall.


    The two of them finally broke through the gate. The wooden beams below the roof creaked and dust trickled down.


    "Hurry! The roof is going to cave in!"


    Leng Jin Yu grabbed Jing Yi around the waist and pulled him up against his chest. He took out his sword and they rose into the air, speeding away from the palace of the secret realm''s master.


    Jing Yi looked back at the place they had spent the last four years of their life at. Now, this place was collapsing in front of his eyes. First, the roofs caved in, then the last remainders of the walls crumbled until only a big cloud of dust remained and obscured his view.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and held onto Yu Jin. Even though he had managed to attain the next stage, there was nothing he could do besides hoping that Yu Jin would have an idea how to get them out. If he managed not to be a hindrance, it was good enough.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t hold back this time. Jing Yi wouldn''t be able to sense a difference between the stages above him and even if he could what use was there in concealing anything now? They might both die today.


    They reached the foot of the mountain but Leng Jin Yu didn''t slow down at all. He just sped away further because the more distance he managed to create between the destruction array and themselves the more time he would have to figure something out.


    Unfortunately, he had still underestimated the previous owner of the secret realm.


    Leng Jin Yu came to a harsh stop.


    "What happened?" Jing Yi lifted his head and his fingers tightened around the fabric of Yu Jin''s robe. He didn''t get an answer and could only turn around to look in the same direction as his senior martial brother. "That ¡­ What is that?"


    "The work of someone more cunning than me. I thought the secret realm would collapse from the inside out but it turns out the previous master connected the array in the middle to something at the edge. It''s destroying itself from both directions simultaneously."


    "That means ¡­" Jing Yi looked up at him and the expression on Yu Jin''s face made his heart turn cold. So it was true. They would die here today.


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and sighed. "It''ll take even less time now. I''m sorry. I can''t figure out anything. There might be a possibility of brute-forcing our way out of here but I can''t promise anything. If I''m not strong enough, then I might just be accelerating our doom."


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. "There is no other possibility, is there?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "There isn''t. The realm is collapsing too fast. Even if there is another way out somewhere, we won''t be able to find it fast enough."


    "Then let''s try it. Maybe ¡­ maybe we''ll really manage to get out of here like that."


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu soared higher into the air. He looked up at the sky but didn''t attack immediately. "Junior Martial Brother Zhong."


    "Yes? Can I help somehow?"


    "No, just ¡­ You know if I die here, there would only be one thing I regret. And that is not finding the person I still have to remember."


    "Me too."


    "Mn. In case you make it out of here alive while I ¡­ In that case, if you have a way to find him, then please let him know that I won''t be able to come and see him. Tell him that there is no reason to wait for me. He should just ¡­ go on without me."


    "Senior Martial Brother Yu ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and raised a hand. He circulated all of his spiritual energy and blasted it up against the sky of the secret realm.

 Chapter 422 - A Trap in the Secret Realm

    At the same time, Qiu Ling and the others arrived at the Leyuan region. Qiu Ling immediately hurried over to the array on the ground, ignoring Qiang Wei who was still waiting in case the gate to the secret realm opened on its own.


    As soon as he stopped in front of the array Qiu Ling frowned. The lines had changed from a light blue to red. This shouldn''t be normal!


    "Qiang Wei! What happened?" Qiu Ling whirled around, his chest heaving up and down. He had a very, very bad feeling about this.


    Qiang Wei straightened up. "I don''t know. It changed right now. I was just about to ¡­" He raised the transmission stone in his hand, his expression solemn. He also felt that something might be wrong but there was nothing he could do. He didn''t even have a way to find out more since he didn''t understand the array.


    Qiu Ling cursed under his breath and turned to Bai Mu and the others that had just landed. "Something happened with the array."


    Bai Mu frowned and hurried over, staring at the array for a while.


    "What is it? What is happening? Why did it change color?"


    "Most likely the people inside found the trap my parents left behind."


    "Trap?!"


    "Mn. My mother told me they implemented one trap in case someone really strong ever managed to make their way into the realm. If that happened, they would be able to flee and the person would be imprisoned there.


    "If the intruder searched long enough, they would find a spot that would seem like the core of the realm and they would try to break out through that place. But in case they actually managed to open what they thought to be the array it would destroy the realm and the person inside with it."


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened. "That ¡­ Wouldn''t that mean ¡­" He grabbed Bai Mu''s lapel and pulled him closer. "Then what about Jing He?! Won''t he ¡­ Won''t he also ¡­"


    "Calm down." Bai Mu put a hand on Qiu Ling''s shoulder and pushed him out of the way. "It''s not too late yet. The array would have stopped glowing if the realm had already been destroyed. Right now, we can still get them out. Just let me do it." He lifted a hand and looked at it, his brows furrowing. The Chun Feng Sect had taken everything from him so he could only use his raw blood to open the array now.


    He cut his skin open with his nails and let it drip down while circulating his energy. The array lit up brighter, the light pulsing three times before it turned back to blue.


    Bai Mu raised his other hand too and his fingers drew another array into the air that slowly descended to the ground. The lines cut through those of the first array and extinguished the light.


    Qiu Ling grabbed Bai Mu''s shoulder. "What happened? Why did it stop glowing? Don''t tell me ¡ª"


    "Calm down. I cast a second array. Your fiance and whoever else is in there with him will be transported out in a ¡ª"


    "Ah!"


    Two people fell from the sky with a yelp. Qiu Ling''s head jerked and he leaped to the side to catch Jing Yi but ¡­ somebody else was faster. Or, no, that wasn''t right either. The person he wanted to catch had been lying in somebody else''s arms the moment he appeared.


    Qiu Ling stared at the two people on the ground and his brows knitted. There he was! The bastard that had dared to kidnap his beloved and spent all this time with him in the secret realm!


    This time, Qiu Ling wasn''t the only one who was mad. Xin Lan stared at the two people that were lying on the ground tightly entangled. He clenched his fists and gnashed his teeth. That bastard! He actually dared to go against his master once more?! He wouldn''t be reconciled if he couldn''t at least hit him a few times!


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t care about those angry stares. He held onto Jing Yi and took a deep breath before opening his eyes and looking at the sky. He could feel that they weren''t in the secret realm anymore. The spiritual energy around him wasn''t as dense anymore. So ¡­ had his approach worked?


    Well, whatever. The most important thing was that they were safe. They had survived. He could still go and find that person after all.


    "Junior Martial Brother Zhong, are you alright?" Leng Jin Yu lifted his head and tried to look into Jing Yi''s face. Most of it was obscured by his hair though. He lifted his hand, prepared to brush it aside when two pairs of hands reached down.


    One of them gently picked up Jing Yi who was instantly pulled into another tight embrace while the other ¡­ Xin Lan roughly lifted Leng Jin Yu from the ground, his eyes blazing with fury.


    He didn''t dare to do anything now though. Never mind Qiu Ling but there were still that unreliable Hong Bao, the son of the God of War and Qiu Ling''s follower Qiang Wei around. If they saw him bash this guy, they might talk about it somewhere they shouldn''t. Those who knew him well enough would figure out that this must have to do with his master.


    Xin Lan held back his anger and forced himself to smile. "You should be the head disciple of the Yun Zou Sect''s sect master Yuchi Bing Xia, Yu Jin. How nice to finally meet you."


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the man in front of him without knowing how to respond. He had never seen this man and he could perceive that he definitely wasn''t mortal so he shouldn''t be from any sect.


    No, if anything, he would come from the Nine Heavens but then why would he have brought up his position from the Yun Zou Sect? And especially ¡­ Why did he exhibit such a strong intent to kill? Could it be that the God of War or the Fate''s Scribe were this dissatisfied with the way he had handled things?


    That seemed to be the only explanation. He would need to find out more when he could be sure that nobody who shouldn''t know of his other identity was around. For now, there were still Zhong Jing Yi and two other people he didn''t know so he could only wait.

 Chapter 423 - I Already Love Somebody Else

    A few steps away from them, Qiu Ling gently brushed Jing Yi''s hair aside. Seeing the face that had aged a few years since they had last seen each other he felt a pang in his heart.


    "Ah, my love ¡­ How could I have missed out on a part of your life again?" He cupped Jing Yi''s cheek and leaned down until their foreheads touched. Ah, he had him back. He finally had him back! "From now on, I won''t let go of you ever again. I''ll hold you tightly."


    His breath tickled Jing Yi''s skin and finally awoke him. His eyelids fluttered and he opened his eyes, his heart beating wildly. This warm embrace ¡­ wasn''t it Tian''s? He reached up, his fingers tugging into the robe while slightly trembling.


    "I thought I would never see you again." He sighed and blinked his eyes only to find himself not in front of the person he had expected. His eyes widened and he blinked again, unable to believe what was happening. "Qiu ¡­ Qiu Ling?"


    Qiu Ling froze slightly at the doubt in Jing Yi''s voice but he finally nodded happily. Ah, his beloved was probably still a little drowsy. He had barely escaped death, after all!


    "It''s me. I''ve come to get you back. I tried everything to open this stupid array and rescue you from the secret realm. Thankfully ¡­" He leaned closer, wanting to kiss Jing Yi on the lips.


    The next moment, a hand touched his forehead and made him unable to advance. He blinked. "Jing''er?"


    "I ¡­" Jing Yi''s gaze flitted about.


    The four years in the secret realm, if they hadn''t been spent in cultivation or daydreams of Tian, then he had tried to imagine this reunion with his other lover. Each time his heart had hurt and his bad conscience seemed to have only grown with time. After all, he knew fully well that Qiu Ling would be waiting for him out there. It felt like he had betrayed him, like he had led him around by the nose even though that had never been his intention.


    And now his worst nightmare had come true. He was indeed faced with Qiu Ling and naturally, Qiu Ling was happy to have him back. It was just that ¡­ he wasn''t the same anymore. And he couldn''t continue to love him even though being back at his side felt good.


    "Qiu Ling."


    "What is it? Don''t you feel well? Don''t worry. We can take a break first, then I''ll ¡ª"


    "No." Jing Yi pressed his hands against Qiu Ling''s chest and pushed. His strength certainly wasn''t enough to move a dragon but his tortured expression coupled with that bit of pressure was enough to raise Qiu Ling''s attention.


    "Jing ¡­ Jing''er?" He didn''t loosen his grasp and instead even tried to hug him closer. They had just found each other again. Why would his beloved want to get away from him? This couldn''t be!


    "Qiu Ling ¡­ Let go." For the first time, Jing Yi could actually understand the sentiments of his past life. At this moment, he didn''t dare to look Qiu Ling in the eye. "Please, let me go."


    "But ¡­"


    "Please!"


    The urgency in Jing Yi''s voice made Qiu Ling drop his arms. His beloved stepped back at once, still not even lifting his head.


    "Jing''er, why ¡­ why are you like this? Did I ¡­ Did I do something wrong? Is it because I took such a long time to free you? Are you mad at me because of that?"


    Jing Yi pressed his eyes shut. Ah. He wasn''t prepared for this. He wasn''t ready to tell him. Not at all. But he had to.


    "Qiu Ling ¡­ I''m sorry." He bowed to him, his heart squeezing painfully. Tears gathered in his eyes and he had to force himself to think of Tian, of that warm embrace and those careful touches, the gentle words ¡­ He had to stay true to him. He couldn''t betray him with Qiu Ling as much as it hurt to reject Qiu Ling now.


    "What do you mean?"


    Qiu Ling''s voice quivered, breaking Jing Yi''s heart even more but he didn''t see any other possibility. It was still best to tell him now after they had been apart for some time. It wouldn''t do to lead him on and every minute they spent together now that he knew of Tian would be exactly that: Betraying his real lover and leading on the one he had mistakenly fallen in love with. It was bad enough that all of this had happened.


    "I''m sorry for ¡­ what happened and for what I''m about to say but there is nothing I can do about that. Qiu Ling." He took a deep breath and looked up at him, meeting his gaze for maybe the last time. At least this much he owed him. "I won''t be able to marry you. I won''t be able to stay with you at all. I ¡­ I realized that this ¡­ between us was a mistake. We ¡­ we just weren''t meant to be."


    "No. No that ¡­ that''s wrong! We''re clearly meant to be! Heaven ¡ª"


    "Qiu Ling. Please. I know this is hard to take. It isn''t easy for me to say either. But it''s the truth. We can''t be together anymore. I ¡­ I already love somebody else. There''s no room for you anymore. I''m sorry. I really am."


    He turned around, not willing to see Qiu Ling''s defeated expression. He hurried over to the only other person he could count on now. "Senior Martial Brother Yu, if it''s not asking too much of you, could bring me home to the Yun Zou Sect?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at Jing Yi who had his head bowed again and nodded. "Alright. Come here then." He took Jing Yi''s hand, pulled him into his arms and stepped onto his sword. Their figures soared into the sky and sped away toward the Yun Zou Sect.


    Qiu Ling still stood there in the Leyuan region in front of the array he had tried to open for so long. He didn''t know what to do. He didn''t understand. In his mind, only the voice of his beloved echoed.


    We just weren''t meant to be. We can''t be together anymore. I already love somebody else. There''s no room for you anymore.


    No room for him anymore ¡­ His beloved ¡­ loved another man now.


    Qiu Ling fell down to the ground, tears streaming down his cheeks. Why? Just one moment of carelessness, just one second too late and he had lost his beloved to another man. This couldn''t be! It mustn''t be! He wouldn''t accept it!


    "Ah!"


    Qiu Ling clenched his fists and his body shook, almost unable to stay in his human form. He only managed to calm himself down after taking a few deep breaths and looking at the figure of his beloved diminishing in the distance.


    He had fallen in love with somebody else? Then he would destroy that love and make sure that Jing He fell in love with him again! He had managed to do so once. He would be able to do it again. There was nobody who could steal his beloved from him. If he had to, he would kill that bastard with his own two hands.

 Chapter 424 - Finally Good News!

    In the Nine Heavens, or more precisely in the scribe''s palace, the Fate''s Scribe Shun Tao looked incredulously at a certain scroll of fate.


    "Are you kidding me?"


    He read the newest part of Zhong Jing Yi''s fate again but the result stayed the same. That boy had somehow managed to accomplish a trial. And even a major one.


    "It''s good for the crown prince but why do I feel that Heaven isn''t hurling trials at him but at me instead? I wrote such a great fate for him but nothing of that came true! Now I didn''t write a single character and he suddenly passes a major trial?! What do you think you''re doing?!"


    He put down the scroll and stood up, pacing up and down in his study. Was this just a coincidence or should he congratulate that Leng Jin Yu? Pushing Longjun aside at the last possible moment and then grabbing the Son of Heaven so that he was the one that was imprisoned with him had really been the best course of action. To allow the crown prince to regain some of his former memories so he would start to doubt his relationship with Longjun had certainly been a risky choice but it was incredibly effective.


    Now, that Zhong Jing Yi who had fallen in love with Longjun felt like he couldn''t be together with him anymore. He felt torn but whatever he had remembered was important enough to make him stay away from Longjun. Wasn''t this a blessing in disguise?


    Whether Leng Jin Yu had meticulously planned all of that or if there had been some coincidences mixed inside the results really didn''t leave anything to be desired.


    "Ah, this Leng Jin Yu ¡­ Thankfully, he wants to become part of the God of War''s palace. Otherwise, I might lose my position to him." Shun Tao sighed and went to pick up the scroll of fate. "Well, at least I finally have something good to report to the Heavenly Emperor. And His Highness should also be out of harm''s way now. Never mind the minor and medium trials, as long as he has accomplished that major trial it isn''t too bad."


    He left his study and hurried over to the Heavenly Emperor''s palace. Once again, he was met with a gaze that told him he shouldn''t dare to say any nonsense.


    Shun Tao gulped and thanked Leng Jin Yu in his heart. "Greetings, Your Majesty! Fate''s Scribe, Shun Tao, came ¡ª"


    "Yes, yes, yes. What happened this time? Just spit it out."


    "There''s good news. Although the way it came about is a little unexpected."


    "Oh?" The Heavenly Emperor sat up straight. This was the first time he heard that there were actually good news since his precious son had left the Nine Heavens. Could it be that his trial would finally get back on track?


    Shun Tao nodded and unfurled the scroll of fate, intending to read the newest part of Zhong Jing Yi''s fate to the Heavenly Emperor.


    The Heavenly Emperor waved, though. "Don''t bother with it. Just give us a summary." He definitely wouldn''t wait for the Fate''s Scribe to read all of that to him. He wanted to know what had happened to his son now.


    Shun Tao faltered. Just a summary? Uh ¡­ Alright? "Well, as Your Majesty already knows the mortal Zhong Jing Yi took in the spiritual energy of a herb called the Fractured Crystal Leaf and thus remembered parts of his life as crown prince Jing He. The scroll of fate doesn''t detail which memories he acquired but when Zhong Jing Yi was rescued from the secret ¡ª"


    "What?! He was rescued from that realm? Wouldn''t it have been better to stay there? It was that hateful Longjun again, wasn''t it?!" The Heavenly Emperor clenched his fists and hit the armrest of his throne. That damned dandy! Just what needed to happen until he would stop bothering his precious son?!


    Shun Tao cleared his throat. "That may be the case, normally. But this time it had an unexpected effect that was beneficial to His Highness. As I already mentioned the scroll doesn''t say what he remembered but it prompted him to sever his ties with Longjun, albeit reluctantly. This, in turn, constituted a trial of love for him. So, His Highness has managed to pass a major trial."


    "He passed a major trial? And he ¡­ broke up with Longjun?" The Heavenly Emperor''s expression brightened bit by bit.


    Didn''t this mean ¡­ his son was finally out of danger?! Heaven wouldn''t punish him? And even better, he had dumped that bastard Longjun! Ahahaha, this really was good news!


    The Heavenly Emperor leaped to his feet and pointed at Shun Tao. "Very good! We knew it wasn''t a mistake to let you become the Fate''s Scribe! Let''s forget about what happened before. Your detention is lifted. You may continue your work as before."


    Shun Tao perked up but deflated just as fast. "Uh ¡­ Ahem, most of this is actually thanks to Leng Jin Yu."


    "Hahaha, no need to be so modest! Wasn''t he chosen by you?"


    "Actually, it was the God of War who ¡ª"


    "Ah, why would you be so small-minded? Just go and do your work." He waved impatiently and Shun Tao finally nodded.


    Well, it benefited him. Arguing any longer would be dumb. If he did, he might just anger the Heavenly Emperor again and who knew what would happen then? Losing the advantage he had gotten just now would be the smallest problem. In the worst case, he would even get another punishment.


    Thus Shun Tao bowed and hurried out of the palace. Leaving as long as the Heavenly Emperor''s mood was still good was the best choice of action.


    Behind him, the Heavenly Emperor laughed boisterously. "Ah, he passed a trial! And finally said goodbye to that dandy! Hahaha, what a good day! I should go and tell Bai Fen." With that, the Heavenly Emperor hurried away too.

 Chapter 425 - It Would Work Again

    While the good news made its way through the Nine Heavens, Leng Jin Yu dropped Jing Yi off at the Yun Zou Sect''s outer sect. "Will you be alright on your own?"


    Jing Yi turned around to him and lowered his gaze. No, he wasn''t alright. Especially not if he was supposed to be alone now. He couldn''t help but think back to Qiu Ling''s expression at that moment. But how could he expect Senior Martial Brother Yu to stay with him? He had already done so much for him. He had even risked his life to get them out of the secret realm.


    He forced himself to lift his head and smile. "No problem. I''m still shaking a little when I think of how narrowly we escaped. But we''re out already. Now, it''s time to get back to how our lives were before. I''ll just go in and cultivate. You''ll probably go and report to your master?"


    "Mn. Soon. I still have something else to do first."


    "Then I shouldn''t keep you back."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and nodded before soaring into the sky again. Jing Yi looked at his diminishing figure for a while before shaking his head and heading into the house where he had lived before. Ah, it was a little strange to be alone again.


    He had no idea that not far from the house a certain someone had been lying on a roof from the moment Leng Jin Yu had put Jing Yi down. Qiu Ling stared at the hateful guy who was making a bolt for it.


    Argh! That bastard! First, he seduced his beloved and then he just left him alone shortly after? How dare he! He''d show that guy!


    Well, he wouldn''t do that now. The most important thing was to leave a good impression on his beloved. After that, he could still go and beat that guy up. Mn, he''d do that. Now, how should he go about this?


    Qiu Ling looked around but didn''t see anything he could use to score some points with his beloved. Mn ¡­ Maybe he still had something in his spatial ring? He opened it and rummaged about. Ah, there were some things. Some fabric he had brought with him from the dragon realm for Jing He, some jewelry just in case his beloved liked any of it, some plants he had plucked since Jing Yi wanted to become a¡ª


    Eh?


    Ehhh?!


    Qiu Ling pulled out a furry thing and lifted it by its ears. A few minutes went by while the two of them stared at each other. The creature blinked its black eyes and slowly wagged its bushy tail. It even lifted a paw with five little pads to act cute.


    Qiu Ling blinked back. Wasn''t this the strange thing he had fished out of the lava back in the Court of Flames when he was searching for the Flaming Lion Tail he needed for the Amethyst Lightning Pill?


    Qiu Ling''s face lit up. Right! The Amethyst Lightning Pill! Hadn''t that also been an attempt to win his beloved over because he refused to become a couple? And even though his beloved had acted coyly, it had worked in the end! So, naturally, this time would work too. He just needed some time and some good ideas and then his beloved would be his again in the end!


    With sparkling eyes, Qiu Ling put the furry thing back into his spatial ring and hurried to Jing Yi''s door. He couldn''t rush this. He had to knock and then calmly wait until his beloved opened the door, then he had to start a conversation and only when his Jing''er felt at ease could he take out this furry thing for him.


    Qiu Ling took a deep breath and raised his hands. Nothing would go wrong. Very soon his beloved would have forgiven him for what he had done wrong and then they would be a couple again.


    He knocked.


    Inside the room, Jing Yi raised his head. He had just tried to calm down to meditate but hadn''t had much success. Maybe it was a good thing if he had something to divert his attention. He had no idea who would come this fast after his return though. Maybe it was Shao Hai? They had lived in the same house back then so maybe he was still there and had seen him return?


    At the prospect of seeing an old friend again, a smile bloomed on Jing Yi''s lips. "Come in."


    The door opened but the one to step in wasn''t Shao Hai. Jing Yi''s expression dimmed. "Why are you here?" He stood up and stepped toward the window, further away from Qiu Ling.


    "I ¡­" Qiu Ling watched how Jing Yi pulled back and his own expression fell just the same. What was he supposed to do now? "You ¡­ Did you really mean what you said before?"


    Jing Yi lifted his gaze to Qiu Ling''s eyes and nodded.


    Qiu Ling tightened his lips. "Are you sure about this?"


    "Yes. I''m sorry."


    "And there is nothing I can do?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "No. There is nothing. I''m ¡­ really sorry about this."


    "I love you."


    "Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing Yi turned away. He couldn''t look at him. The way Qiu Ling gazed at him ¡­ it was too much to bear.


    "I do. And I won''t stop doing so. So ¡­ if you change your mind, then I''ll be there. I''ll wait for you. Oh, and ¡­ I got something for you." He wanted to take the furry creature out of his spatial ring but Jing Yi already shook his head.


    "Qiu Ling, don''t. Whatever it is please keep it for yourself. And you don''t have to wait for me."


    Qiu Ling lowered his hands but didn''t back down. "I will wait. I love you and I''m sure that you love me too. You will realize that too."


    "No ¡­ No, Qiu Ling, no. I ¡ª"


    "It''s alright." Qiu Ling forced himself to smile. "I''m sure you will. I''ll just wait for that time." He didn''t leave Jing Yi any time to answer and just turned around and left.


    Jing Yi stared at the door and sighed, sinking to the ground. Just why did it have to happen like this? He really ¡­ didn''t want to hurt Qiu Ling. But it was already too late for that. He could only hope that Qiu Ling would give up and maybe even fall in love with somebody else. Then he wouldn''t have to feel as horrible anymore.

 Chapter 426 - The One to Hold His Love

    Jing Yi wasn''t the only one who couldn''t walk away from his problems this easily. Leng Jin Yu had also met with some trouble. He only managed to soar into the air and distance himself a few hundred meters from the Yun Zou Sect when someone appeared in his path.


    Leng Jin Yu stopped and his brows drew together. The man in front of him had long, silvery-white hair and half of his face was covered by a mask. This was the same person that had already reacted to him so strongly at the Leyuan region.


    "What may I do for you?"


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes. "Where do you intend to go?"


    Leng Jin Yu inclined his head. "May I know how that concerns you?"


    Xin Lan didn''t answer but he clenched his fists and the winds around him picked up, making the strands of his hair dance and the sleeves of his robe flap. "I want you to turn back."


    Leng Jin Yu paused. This wasn''t right. He didn''t know this person but the other obviously hated him. Had something happened while he was in the secret realm? Or ¡­ He thought back to the moment he came back.


    He had attacked the sky of the secret realm since he hoped that the distance from the dimension of the realm to the Leyuan region would be closer there. He didn''t know if it had actually worked but the next moment, they had fallen through empty space. Without knowing what was happening, he had held onto Jing Yi as tightly as he could. That was also how they had finally arrived at the Leyuan region.


    This person, he wasn''t mortal and he had never heard of him in the Nine Heavens. So most likely ¡­


    "If I didn''t get it wrong, you were with Longjun so you should be part of the dragon race. You probably didn''t like seeing me with your king''s beloved."


    Xin Lan snorted. He didn''t care about that boy''s beloved at all. Whoever it was this man took a liking to he wouldn''t accept it. This man had dared to betray his master once. He wouldn''t let him do it again!


    Seeing that the other person didn''t react at all Leng Jin Yu tried to explain further. "If Longjun brought you with him to that place, you should know about the matters regarding the Son of Heaven. Maybe you have heard that the gods sent someone to help him with achieving his trials? That person is me."


    He cupped his fists and bowed. "I''m called Leng Jin Yu. I was originally a cultivator and ascended as a deity some years ago. Since His Highness intended to join a deity sect the Fate''s Scribe and the God of War decided to send me as help.


    "Back when that accident occurred I couldn''t judge accurately just how much damage would be done. His Highness is currently living with a mortal body so even if he is heavily injured or even dies, it wouldn''t be too much of a problem. In fact, being injured might have been beneficial to his trial. But Longjun is a different matter. He might have died and then ¡­"


    He sighed. "I might not be part of the gods for long but I know that the dragons are our allies. I couldn''t have let anything happen to him. That was why I pushed him out of the way. I actually didn''t intend to be imprisoned with His Highness.


    "Actually, I thought I''d be able to leave the realm immediately but it turned out that things weren''t as easy. Now, we managed to leave the secret realm so I have to go and report to the Fate''s Scribe and the God of War. So please, let me pass. I assure you that nothing is going on between me and His Highness. I''m just an ascended deity. I wouldn''t dare to presume anything." He smiled but that seemed to be the wrong move.


    The man opposite him actually gave off a faint killing intent, his arms shook in anger and the winds around him blew even fiercer. Leng Jin Yu frowned. Just what was this about? He had already explained this much but the man was still like that. Could it be that he had misjudged the situation?


    Xin Lan took a deep breath and tried to calm down. He also knew that he was being unreasonable but it had just happened. He didn''t have himself under control. He had known that he would see this person again. Or, well, the one he had become now.


    He looked vastly different from the arrogant Chun Yin he knew from the past and his way of speaking was also completely different. But one thing wouldn''t change: This was the person his master had chosen. This was the person that would forever prevent him from attaining his master''s favor.


    Seeing this person and hearing how he actually admitted that he wasn''t suited to his master his heart couldn''t help but race. Yes! Yes, he wasn''t suited! He had never been! His master was beautiful, intelligent, his magic stronger than that of most dragons of this day and age. Someone like him should only have the best. The man at his side ¡­ should have been the strongest of their race.


    And yes, back then Chun Yin had been the strongest of the dragons. He had been the one most gifted with the sword, the one famed in all three immortal realms. But there was still him! He might not have had fame but it was because he kept to himself and only did things for his master silently. If they had fought, he would have been able to kill Chun Yin in just a few moves! So why ¡­ why did his master still choose Chun Yin? Why hadn''t he ¡­ given him a chance?


    Xin Lan closed his eyes and took another deep breath. There was no use in thinking like that. When Jinde took him in back then he had already been deeply in love with Chun Yin. And he was one of the dragons born after the curse. Falling in love once ¡­ there was no possibility of him falling in love ever again.


    "You will come back after you reported?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes. My task isn''t done yet."


    "Alright then. You may go. Don''t take too much time." Xin Lan turned away.


    Ah, there really was no use in getting angry at this man. In the end, he would still be the one who held his master''s love. There was nothing that could be done about that.

 Chapter 427 - An Ascended Deity

    Xin Lan watched Leng Jin Yu leave before he turned around and went to the house where his master was staying. He didn''t step in immediately. Instead, he looked at the door and took a deep breath. He could already imagine how his master would react to seeing him and what the first thing he''d say would be.


    In the end, Xin Lan still opened the door and quietly stepped into the house. His gaze moved to the study and indeed, Jinde was sitting there and painting. The person he painted ¡­ naturally, it was Chun Yin. Xin Lan looked away and went over.


    Jinde looked up when he saw something move from the corner of his eyes. His expression lit up. "Xin Lan!" He threw the brush aside and leaped to his feet, hurrying over. "Did you ¡­" He looked behind him but nobody was there. The happiness in his eyes dimmed and he turned away.


    Ah, what was he doing? He had waited for so long. What was getting anxious for now? Xin Lan certainly would have said it if he had brought him with him already.


    "Master." Xin Lan gently grabbed his arm and led him back to the table. He even cleaned up the mess Jinde had caused just now, cleaning away those ink stains and preparing another scroll for his master.


    Only when he had finished with all that did he sit down next to him and look up. "I''m sorry. He''s not back yet. But the gods indeed managed to find out about the person that can open the array. It''ll probably take a few days or a few weeks at most until he will be back."


    "Oh. I see." Jinde grabbed the brush again but didn''t paint. He didn''t know what to do. Should he be wild with joy now? But maybe something else would happen that would separate them again before they could even meet?


    Xin Lan lowered his gaze when he saw Jinde''s lost expression. "I ¡­ found you some more information on him. It''s not much but I thought you might be interested."


    "Really?" Jinde turned to the side, a faint hope rising in his heart.


    "Mn. He isn''t just a mere human as we thought. He is actually an ascended deity send by the Nine Heavens to help in the case of the Son of Heaven. That should also be the reason why he was imprisoned in the secret realm with him."


    "An ascended deity?" Jinde perked up. This was good! If he was an ascended deity, then he was already immortal. He wouldn''t have to worry that they''d be separated by time.


    "Mn. His real name is Leng Jin Yu." Xin Lan nodded, evading Jinde''s gaze. It was good that that man had told him his real name. He actually remembered it from when he had investigated the human sects. "It hasn''t been that long since he ascended so that was probably why he changed his name for the Yun Zou Sect."


    "Leng Jin Yu." Jinde smiled and grabbed Xin Lan''s arm. "What do you know about him?"


    "Not that much I''m afraid. It''s been mere decades since he ascended. Back then he was famous in the cultivation world but not many people saw him in the last couple hundred years before his ascension. He lived secluded in the Jian Yi Sect."


    "The Jian Yi Sect is ¡­"


    "It is one of the premier deity sects. They were already ranked highly before Leng Jin Yu became their disciple but if I remember correctly, they rose further when he reached the higher stages of cultivation. I guess he''s very talented for a human."


    "Mn." Jinde nodded. "I expected nothing less from Chun Yin''s reincarnation." A sweet smile graced his lips, showing very much just how much he trusted in the ability of the person he regarded as his lover. "How are his sword arts?"


    "He was both a cultivator and a practitioner so they should be quite good. I''d need to see them for myself to accurately judge them."


    "I see." Jinde nodded and looked at the shelf next to the window. By now there were two piles of scrolls lying there. One was the paintings of their master''s courtyard that Leng Jin Yu had done while the other consisted of the paintings of Chun Yin that Jinde had painted in the last few years since coming here.


    He knew that Leng Jin Yu wasn''t Chun Yin. There might be some similarities owing to the fact that he carried the same soul but overall their appearance, their mannerisms, even their personality would be different. It was dumb to think of Chun Yin now.


    "Do you know ¡­ what he looks like?"


    "Mn. Should I ¡­" Xin Lan motioned to the brush in Jinde''s hands.


    "Yes. If it''s not asking too much. I know you never liked Chun Yin. It''s my fault for saying so many bad things about him." Jinde stood up and paced through the room while Xin Lan ground the ink.


    "You never said anything bad about him."


    "Ah, don''t say that. I always complained. I wasn''t happy with him back then. Marrying that woman, leaving me behind ¡­" He sighed. "I couldn''t accept it. Had I known that it would end like this ¡­" He stopped at the window and shook his head. "I did so many things wrong."


    Xin Lan''s grip on the brush tightened and he had to take a deep breath before he could continue to paint that portray. How dare this person make his master say something like that! How was it his fault? It was clearly him. Had Chun Yin not refused to take responsibility, had he not betrayed him, then how could it have ended like that? It definitely wasn''t his master''s fault.


    "Ah, it''s long past. I just hope he''ll return soon. This time I won''t be the same. I''ll just ¡­ hold onto him as good as I can. I won''t give up regardless of what happens. I''ll fight for him. Nobody will take him away from me this time."


    Xin Lan hastily drew the last line and cleared his throat. "It''s finished."


    "Really?" Jinde whirled around and hurried over to Xin Lan''s side. He sat down next to him and grabbed his arm, his gaze unerringly landing on the face painted on the scroll, his heart fluttering.

 Chapter 428 - Mature Charm

    Jinde stared at the portray unblinkingly. His heart raced and his cheeks flushed pink. So this was ¡­ what Chun Yin''s reincarnation looked like? They indeed seemed quite different. And still ¡­ Why was his chest so tight suddenly?


    "Master ¡­" Xin Lan watched him and regret welled up inside him. He shouldn''t have let that guy go! What reporting to the Nine Heavens? He could have done that later! His master had already waited for so long, he shouldn''t have to do so even longer.


    "He''s ¡­" Jinde fell quiet again. He couldn''t even express what he felt at this moment. This was just a painting. Who knew ¡­ "How accurate is it?"


    Xin Lan smiled wryly. He had just seen the man himself. Naturally, it would be as accurate as possible. But he couldn''t say that or his master would know that Leng Jin Yu had gone to the Nine Heavens instead of returning to the Yun Zou Sect. Wouldn''t his heart hurt then? "It should be very similar to his real appearance."


    "He''s ¡­ different from Chun Yin. He seems more ¡­ refined?"


    Xin Lan refrained from commenting on that. Love made people go blind, especially dragons. Even if the person on the scroll looked like a pig his master would certainly still praise him. Well, at least in terms of appearance this person wasn''t too shabby. He might be able to bear seeing him next to his master in the future. Not that he was good enough for him.


    "He looks quite young though." Jinde touched his cheek. "Do you think ¡­ he''ll find me attractive?"


    Xin Lan''s lips opened and closed again, unable to utter a single word. Unfortunately, Jinde''s worry grew even worse at that.


    "You''re not sure, mn? Well, it''s to be expected. I''ve grown older. He''ll probably ¡ª"


    "You''re beautiful."


    Jinde laughed. "There''s no need to humor me. I also know that a lot of time has passed. I''m not the youth anymore that stupidly fell for his senior brother. I guess I can''t pretend to be cute anymore."


    "You ¡­" Xin Lan shut up. Honestly, he also couldn''t say that his master was cute.


    He took a peek at his face and his heart quivered. Cute really wasn''t a word that should be used to describe him. He was gorgeous though. He really couldn''t imagine that there could be a man that wouldn''t fall head over heels for him as soon as he saw him.


    Jinde turned to Xin Lan and smiled mischievously. "Maybe I have a mature charm now?"


    Xin Lan averted his gaze. If he wasn''t sure that he had hidden his feelings deeply, he would think his master was teasing him. Especially since he still held onto his arm. The place where his fingers lay, only separated from his skin through the fabric of the robe, seemed to burn.


    Ah, mature charm it was? Yes, he had that. If not for that curse, if not because his master didn''t regard him as anything but a follower he would have long given in to that special charm and tried to seduce him. Unfortunately ¡­


    Jinde sighed as if in response to Xin Lan''s thoughts. "I guess it''ll be difficult. In human years ¡­ you could probably say he looks like he''s in his mid-twenties? Or maybe his late twenties?" He turned to look at Xin Lan who hurriedly nodded. "Then what about me?"


    "You ¡­" Xin Lan looked from Jinde''s face to those hands on his arm and back up.


    Jinde sighed again. "See? That''s what I''m talking about." He let go of Xin Lan and stood up. He disappeared into one of the other rooms and came back with a bronze mirror. "I guess if I want to be nice to myself, I could pretend I look like I''m in my early thirties."


    "You definitely don''t look older than that."


    Jinde glanced at Xin Lan before turning back to the mirror. "It''s probably closer to my mid-thirties. I should probably thank the Heavens that I''m going to age even slower in the future. Ah, if only my magic still worked like back then. Glamoring my appearance a bit wouldn''t have been a problem. Now I really have to let him see me like this."


    Xin Lan got up and quietly took the mirror from him. "You''re beautiful regardless of how old you are or look."


    "How come you''re still not married, Xin Lan?"


    Xin Lan turned away and put the mirror down. "If you''re really worried about it, then use the next few days to relax. It''ll show and you''ll certainly look stunning when he gets back."


    Jinde smiled. "This is what I like about you. Thank you."


    "It''s what I should do. Come, let me help you." Xin Lan took his hands and led him back to the table, making sure he sat comfortably. "Is there anything else I can do?"


    "Mn. You know I''m normally not that vain but ¡­ it''s the first time seeing him again, after all. Could you ¡­ get me something nice to wear? Something that will dazzle him so he''ll only think about me from then on?"


    Xin Lan nodded. "I''ll see what I can do."


    "Ah, if there''s some problem, you can go ask Qiu Ling for help. He should also be quite free since the Son of Heaven is still imprisoned. Rather than waiting it''s better he does me some small favors." His lips lifted into another mischievous smile. "After all, I''m going to be his stepfather soon."


    Xin Lan cleared his throat and nodded. Then he hurriedly left the house. He really didn''t want to think about that time. Although ¡­ maybe it would be easier to bear when he saw him with that man again. After all, when his master was happy there was less reason for him to indulge in flights of fancy.


    Xin Lan shook his head at himself and closed the door. When he turned around he came face to face with a down-looking Qiu Ling. He frowned, grabbed him by the lapel and dragged him away. "Whatever it is don''t go and bother His Majesty."


    "But ¡ª"


    "Don''t." Xin Lan shoved him away and turned to guard the house.


    His master was beautiful even on a normal day. Whatever he wore, as soon as a genuine smile lit up his face from seeing that man again, that Leng Jin Yu would have to be blind and heartless if he didn''t lose his heart to him right away. Thus it was more important to make sure that that boy didn''t go and ruin his master''s mood by telling him that the secret realm had already been opened. He definitely couldn''t let his master find out.


    Faced with Xin Lan''s rigid attitude Qiu Ling could only roll away. Without anything better to do, he went to the dimension at the foot of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s peak. Mn, the old geezer certainly would have some more wine buried there. He just had to find it, then he could at least get dead drunk and forget about his problems for a little while.


    Thus, a not-so-mature dragon king went to dig the dimension over.

 Chapter 429 - There’s Something I Don’t Understand

    Meanwhile, Leng Jin Yu had returned to the Nine Heavens and went to the scribe''s palace. Actually, he would have liked to talk to the God of War instead but his task had been to support the Fate''s Scribe so the person he should speak to was him too.


    Seeing one of the guards show Leng Jin Yu in Shun Tao''s face lit up. "You probably came to report on the matter regarding the crown prince?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes. I''m sorry for not sending a message but you probably know already that I was with him in a secret realm. Surprisingly, even as an ascended deity, I couldn''t open that realm so I was indeed trapped until now. I thought it would be best to report in person."


    "Mn. It''s good now that you''re both out. I already saw in the scroll of fate that he remembered some parts of his past life. This somehow led to him passing a major trial. The Heavenly Emperor is informed already. I guess I should congratulate you. You can regard your assignment as accomplished. Go to the God of War and report. He has certainly been informed as well."


    "Ah?" Leng Jin Yu was taken aback. His assignment ¡­ was accomplished? Then wouldn''t this mean he didn''t have to return to the mortal realm? Thinking back to what the God of War had said back then this would be his opportunity to become part of the God of War''s palace.


    He had worked hard for this. It had been his dream after his ascension. But now ¡­ He thought back to the things he had almost seen in the Yun Zou Sect. That courtyard, the person missing from it ¡­ He didn''t want to give up on that. But he couldn''t have both.


    What should he do now?


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Right now, he didn''t know but he first needed to report to the God of War anyway. After that ¡­ he could at least ask him for some time to think things through again. The God of War had seemed like someone one could easily get along with. If he explained himself, it might not be a problem. And if not, he could still decide what he wanted to do.


    "Thank you, then I''ll take my leave now." Leng Jin Yu cupped his fists and bid farewell to the Fate''s Scribe.


    Shun Tao nodded and walked him out of his study. Ah, this man had probably saved his life. As long as nothing else went wrong with the crown prince''s trial he had nothing to fear. Mn, he should keep an eye on that scroll of fate.


    Shun Tao returned to his study and put Jing He''s scroll of fate next to him while Leng Jin Yu left the scribe''s palace and went to that of the God of War instead. One of the guards brought him to Qiang Yan''s study.


    Leng Jin Yu once again cupped his hands and bowed. "Greetings, God of War."


    Qiang Yan waved. "Come here, sit. I already heard that things in the mortal realm worked out well. Jing He isn''t in danger anymore."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and sat down opposite from the God of War. "The Fate''s Scribe already told me as much. There are still some things I''m not too clear about though. I don''t know if ¡­"


    "If there''s something on your mind, just say it."


    "His Highness didn''t say too much about the memories he acquired but there were two things that were perplexing. He mentioned a person named Tian who seems to be the reason he broke up with Longjun. I know this doesn''t concern me but ¡­ wasn''t he in a relationship with Longjun even before he descended for his trial? How is there another lover now?"


    Qiang Yan sighed. "Ah, I guess it''s our luck he didn''t remember much. There was no person called Tian. At least not in Jing He''s life."


    "Then ¡­"


    "Tian. That should be the Tian, Heaven. There is an old story about him descending to the Nine Heavens after he fell in love with one of the gods. Jing He has always ¡­ liked the story." Qiang Yan stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the courtyard behind his study.


    Saying that his nephew had liked the story wasn''t wrong but it wasn''t the whole truth either. It was probably closer to obsession. It had fascinated but also terrified him. Inside he had probably compared himself to Xing more than once. It wasn''t a good thing considering Xing''s end. But what could they do?


    Bai Fen had always hoped it might get better after he met Longjun and it had indeed seemed that way. The closer they got the less reclusive Jing He had seemed. Seeing him genuinely smile for the first time in so many years ¡­ They had both felt a weight lift from their hearts.


    That boy ¡­ he wouldn''t overthink when he came back and remembered that he broke up with Longjun in the mortal realm, would he? Ah, even if he would, there was nothing they could do now. But he should go and tell Bai Fen what Leng Jin Yu had said. She could at least be there and do some damage control.


    Qiang Yan shook his head and turned around. "All of this should be his misconception. He probably remembered part of that story and somehow got the impression his own life had to do with Tian."


    "Ah, I see. Then maybe that other thing is also just something he misunderstood."


    Qiang Yan tilted his had and came back to the table. "What was it?" Somehow, Leng Jin Yu''s expression alarmed him. Could it be that this was something serious? But this was something Jing He had remembered from his life in the Nine Heavens. There shouldn''t be anything they didn''t know about. After all, they had always paid a lot of attention to him. There was more or less no possibility of anything happening without them knowing.


    "Do you know of a dagger with a red blade and handle?"


    Qiang Yan''s expression blanked. A red dagger? "Why?"


    Seeing the God of War so serious Leng Jin Yu straightened up. It seemed this indeed wasn''t simple, just as he had thought. "One of the first things His Highness remembered was such a weapon. He didn''t mention many details but it seems he woke up at a dark place, holding that weapon in his hand before placing it on an altar. It seemed strange to me since ¡ª"


    Before Leng Jin Yu had time to speak about the reasons for his worry Qiang Yan leaped to his feet and ran out of the study. Leng Jin Yu blanked but then hastened after him.


    As bad as it seemed his heart beat faster when he saw how worried the God of War was. After all, if something went wrong, then he would definitely be able to return to the Yun Zou Sect. Nobody would try to hinder him. To him, this really was the best that could have happened.

 Chapter 430 - Twenty-Three Days Ago

    Leng Jin Yu soon found himself in front of the gates to the Justice Court. Qiang Yan didn''t wait or say anything to the guards. He just stormed right in. Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. It seemed the situation was even worse than he had thought. He nodded at the two guards and followed the God of War inside.


    Qiang Yan didn''t slow down until he barged into a room in the deeper parts of the palace. "Li Yin! Did anyone enter the repository in the last weeks? Maybe in the last month?"


    The God of Justice looked up, his gaze traveling further to Leng Jin Yu before he leaned back. "What happened?" He may have asked but he got up at the same time and stepped out of the study.


    Qiang Yan and Leng Jin Yu followed him to a courtyard where an array was drawn on the ground. Leng Jin Yu''s eyes traced the lines. This should be a portal, most likely one leading to the mortal realm. This was probably the place where they sent off those banished from the Nine Heavens.


    Li Yin went past the array and walked down a small path. Another courtyard lay at the end with a red lacquered door leading into the building on the opposite side. The God of Justice took a dark red jade ornament from his sleeve and inserted it into the door. Something inside clicked and the God of Justice took the jade out and pushed the door open.


    The three of them stepped into the building. It turned out to only consist of one room. Taking a look around Leng Jin Yu frowned. This looked like the place Zhong Jing Yi had described: A dark room, some sort of altar and a red dagger on top of it.


    Li Yin went over to the altar but halted a few steps away, his gaze tracing the lines of the array drawn onto the ground. "It doesn''t seem like anybody was here."


    "Is there any possibility you''re wrong?"


    "Well, you also know that the arrays only work on someone with spiritual energy. If it was an honorary ascended deity ¡­ But there aren''t many in the first place and most of them gain at least some spiritual energy here in the Nine Heavens if they didn''t do so in the mortal realm. I''m positive that that servant girl that was banished last week was the only one we''ve had in some years. You''d need to check with the Goddess of Magnanimity on that though.


    "As for other possibilities ¡­ It could also be that someone deactivated and then reinstated the array. But we both know that that isn''t very likely. There are only a few people able to do something like that."


    Qiang Yan closed his eyes and suppressed a curse. Yes, there were only a few people able to do something like that. Unfortunately, his nephew just had to be one of those few people. He opened his eyes again. "Do you know if His Highness came by in the last few weeks?"


    Li Yin''s brows raised and he once again looked at the array. "Do you suspect the crown prince broke into the repository, deactivated the array and stole the soul-engraving dagger before putting it back?"


    "Did he or didn''t he?"


    The God of Justice sighed and waved the other two men out of the room, closing the door behind them. "He did."


    "Then did you notice anything ¡­ strange?"


    "He asked about the mortal world. It didn''t seem strange at that time. He told me that he would soon have to descend for his trial and I guess he just wanted to lay his mind at rest. Talking about it now he seemed a little pale."


    They went back into the palace and Li Yin motioned at a guard. "The day the array around the prisons activated when exactly was that?"


    "Ah?" The guard blanked. "Uh ¡­ Twenty-three days ago?"


    "Twenty-three days?" Li Yin narrowed his eyes. "When you came to report that day was I alone?"


    "No." The guard blushed and glanced at Qiang Yan before looking away.


    "Who was there?"


    The guard that had managed to clearly answer all previous questions mumbled something and lowered his head.


    Li Yin knitted his brows and his eyes narrowed even more. "What was that?"


    "The ¡­ the crown prince ¡­ was there." The guard''s head lowered even further. Heavens! Why was the God of Justice asking this when the God of War stood next to him? Everyone knew he was the crown prince''s uncle! Who would dare talk about him in front of this man? Wouldn''t he immediately see through all their improper thoughts?!


    Li Yin turned to Qiang Yan. "That should answer your questions."


    Qiang Yan nodded and sighed. "Yes. Thank you for your help. I won''t take up any more of your time."


    "Mn. Should I amend the report?"


    "No need." Qiang Yan turned around and hurried out of the palace before the God of Justice could think of anything else. He stopped in front of the gate and turned around to Leng Jin Yu. "I''m afraid you were right about that dagger. Something is wrong."


    Leng Jin Yu looked back at the Court of Justice. "If I didn''t hear wrong, it is called the soul-engraving dagger. Does it have to do with the soul-devouring dagger Hong Bao stole previously?"


    The God of War sighed again and nodded. "Yes. They were originally a pair. One of them ended up with the gods and one with the demons. It was only in one of the previous wars when the previous dragon king Jinde managed to kill the former demon king Jian Heng that we managed to get a hold of the soul-devouring dagger and keep it safe."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. He had known about the soul-devouring dagger. He only wouldn''t have thought that there was another dagger. "Then the soul-engraving dagger ¡­"


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "It''s not as lethal but it can''t be used arbitrarily either."


    "Then do you think that His Highness ¡­"


    Qiang Yan didn''t answer directly. "There are some things we''ll have to find out first. Let''s go make a trip to the God of Love''s palace."

 Chapter 431 - The Destiny of Love

    This time the God of War didn''t just barge in. Instead, he notified the guards in proper form and let them show him and Leng Jin Yu inside.


    Yue Xia was sitting in his study and smiled when they stepped in. "Qiang Yan, how nice of you to come by to visit this old man." He wanted to get up but Qiang Yan hurriedly waved.


    "Senior Yue Xia, please stay seated. I''m afraid I''m not here for a private visit though." He stepped to the side and motioned at Leng Jin Yu. "This is Leng Jin Yu. He is currently tasked with assisting His Highness while he attempts his trial. Some issues came up so we were wondering if you might be able to help us."


    Yue Xia looked at Leng Jin Yu and tilted his head as if he was contemplating something. "Leng Jin Yu?" He murmured the name but didn''t say anything else in the end. Instead, he motioned at the seats across from him. "Then please sit down. If I am able to help, then I will naturally do so."


    He waited for Qiang Yan and Leng Jin Yu to sit down and even placed a cup of tea in front of them as if he hadn''t noticed at all that the God of War was in a hurry.


    "Senior ¡ª"


    The old god waved. "Will His Highness come to harm if you don''t sort this matter out immediately?"


    "No, but ¡ª"


    "Then you have at least time for a cup of tea."


    Qiang Yan shut up and took the cup. Well, a minute more or less wouldn''t change anything. If his assumption was right, then they might not be able to do anything at all. Well, he could only hope that he had been wrong.


    Yue Xia finally leaned back and smiled. "So, I guess you came to ask me whether I tied the red thread for His Highness."


    Qiang Yan raised his brows and sipped the tea.


    "The Fate''s Scribe asked me the same question a while back. The answer is still the same: I didn''t. And not just because it originally wasn''t intended in the fate the Fate''s Scribe wrote but also because His Highness himself asked me not to do so."


    Qiang Yan put the cup down and sighed. "I feared as much."


    "Oh? Is this a problem? The Fate''s Scribe seemed alright with my decision. Don''t tell me we unknowingly caused a war."


    Yue Xia smiled but Qiang Yan wasn''t in the mood to reciprocate. It seemed more and more as if his initial fear had been right. Now he could only pray that there was some other explanation he had overlooked.


    "No, that''s not it." Qiang Yan pushed the teacup around. "Senior Yue Xia, say ¡­ When His Highness came to you to ask about this ¡­ what kind of impression did he give you?"


    Yue Xia raised his bushy brows. "He seemed collected as always. Maybe a hint sweeter than usual."


    "Sweet?" Qiang Yan''s hand stilled. When had he heard someone use the word ''sweet'' to describe his nephew the last time? A thousand years ago when he had still been a child?


    "Mn. Being in love suits him if I may say so."


    "So he ¡­ talked about it."


    "Indeed. Actually, I was a little astonished. He was ¡­ surprisingly frank that day. I wouldn''t have assessed him to be like that."


    Qiang Yan nodded. Yes. Unfortunately, that was indeed true. His nephew wasn''t somebody who shared his innermost feelings. The only one that would have the opportunity to hear him utter at least some of his thoughts was his mother but even Bai Fen couldn''t say for sure just how much her son kept to himself.


    It needn''t be said how withdrawn he was in regard to strangers and Yue Xia definitely counted as one. To talk to him so freely and even about his innermost feelings ¡­ this was indeed more than unusual for Jing He.


    Yue Xia studied Qiang Yan''s serious expression. "Is something the matter?"


    "I''m not too sure yet. I''d like to investigate some more. Thank you for your help." Qiang Yan stood up and bowed, Leng Jin Yu following suit. "We''ll take our leave then."


    They turned around but Yue Xia called out once again. "Young man ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu stopped. The old god should be talking to him? He turned back and nodded at him. "Yes, Senior?"


    "Your name was Leng Jin Yu, right?"


    "Yes."


    "I see. Mn ¡­" Yue Xia paused and his brows wrinkled slightly. "This might seem a little random and I hope you don''t mind me asking but ¡­ Are you married yet?"


    Leng Jin Yu blanked. Married? "No. I''m not."


    "Mn. So it''s like that."


    The old god nodded and stopped paying attention to him, leaving Leng Jin Yu bewildered. Why had he suddenly asked that? He wanted to question but the God of War was already urging him to leave. Leng Jin Yu could only rein his curiosity in and follow him out of the palace.


    His thoughts still lingered on that question though. This wasn''t just any god asking. It was the god of love. Could it be that there was something strange about the love that had been destined for him? As someone who had been mortal once it should have been this old god or one of his servants that tied the red thread for him. Or, well, maybe they didn''t do so at all and that was why he had asked.


    "What Senior Yue Xia said just now ¡­ I''m afraid it''s not good." The God of War pulled Leng Jin Yu out of his thoughts.


    "I''m not sure if I understand. How is the dagger related to His Highness'' destined love?"


    "Let''s not talk about that here." Qiang Yan looked around and started off in the direction of his own palace, waving him along. A few steps down the street, he stopped though. "Actually, it might be better we report this to the Heavenly Emperor immediately." His expression while coming to this conclusion didn''t look too good. It seemed whatever he had found out from his conversations with the other two gods would be something very grave.


    Leng Jin Yu just nodded and followed him to the palace of the Heavenly Emperor who was sitting in his study together with his wife at that moment, finally at ease because the matters regarding his son seemed to have come to a good conclusion.

 Chapter 432 - He Wouldn’t Consider Him

    "Ah, Qiang Yan, come in, come ¡ª" The Heavenly Emperor stopped when he saw the person walking in behind his brother-in-law.


    The God of War bowed as if nothing happened. "The God of War, Qiang Yan greets His Majesty Tianjun."


    Leng Jin Yu hurriedly bowed too but didn''t say anything. He still didn''t understand what had happened and his status in the Nine Heavens wasn''t high enough to just talk to the Heavenly Emperor at will.


    Rong Su took a look at his wife and cleared his throat. "God of War, what brings you here?" And please, don''t tell me it has anything to do with Jing He! Didn''t that Shun Tao just say that his trial was back on the right track? What could have happened now?


    Qiang Yan looked at his sister first before he turned to face Rong Su again. "Leng Jin Yu came back from the mortal realm to report on Jing He''s situation."


    "The Fate''s Scribe already reported that Jing He passed a major trial. What else could there be to report?"


    Qiang Yan sighed and stood at ease. It had already gotten this bad. What use was there in pretending anymore? His sister and brother-in-law also wouldn''t want him to waste time with needless formalities. "Leng Jin Yu was able to find out some details about the memories Jing He acquired. One of the things his reincarnation described was a red dagger.


    "We already went and talked to Li Yin. Jing He was at the Court of Justice two days prior to his descent to the mortal realm. The official reason he gave was to inquire some information about the mortal realm from him but shortly before that, the array around the prisons was triggered, plunging the whole court into chaos. It wouldn''t have been impossible to take a trip to the repository and ¡­ use the soul-engraving dagger."


    The faces of both the Heavenly Emperor and the Heavenly Empress had paled. Rong Su shook his head. "No. No, this can''t be. Why should Jing He do that?"


    "We also went to Yue Xia. Jing He spoke with him and ¡­ He asked him not to tie the red thread for him. I''m afraid he did this for Longjun."


    The Heavenly Emperor shook his head again. "No, this can''t be. Why would he do that?"


    "Rong Su ¡­" Bai Fen sighed and turned to Qiang Yan. "Is it certain that he used the dagger?"


    Qiang Yan motioned to Leng Jin Yu. "What exactly did he say?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "He described the dagger as being completely red and his surroundings as being dark which matches the repository of the Court of Justice. He mentioned that he felt pain but he didn''t say directly that he used it in any way. He only said that he placed it on top of an altar. It could be that he didn''t remember more than that."


    Bai Fen closed her eyes, her brows knitting together. "That sounds as if he used it. Ah, this boy ¡­ How could he do something like this? What if something went wrong? He should have just talked about this with us!"


    The Heavenly Emperor slammed his hand down on the table. "He wouldn''t! If that damned dandy had harassed him to this point, he certainly would have told me! He knows I would have sent some guards with him to protect him!"


    Bai Fen and Qiang Yan both looked away pointedly. Leng Jin Yu also lowered his head again. He couldn''t help but wonder though. Could it be the Heavenly Emperor didn''t know of the relationship between the crown prince and the dragon king? But that should be impossible! Wasn''t it obvious?


    Rong Su stood up and paced up and down. "This bastard! Actually driving my precious son so far as to actually do something like that!" He was shaking with rage. What had that bastard done now? What if something had gone wrong?!


    Bai Fen sighed. "Rong Su, sit down. This isn''t going to help."


    The Heavenly Emperor continued to pace around. "I know! Nothing will help now! If he really ¡­ Argh, it''s all that damned dandy''s fault! Why can''t he just leave Jing He alone?!"


    Bai Fen slapped the table. "Shut up and sit down! How is this Qiu Ling''s fault? It''s clearly you who''s forcing Jing He! Jing He clearly likes him but how would he dare to say so when you''re always against him? Haven''t you been badmouthing Qiu Ling since the day they met?! And now Jing He was desperate enough to do something like this! What are you going to do if something went wrong? That''s his soul we''re talking about here!"


    Leng Jin Yu lowered his head further, earnestly praying that somebody would remember that he was here and kindly dismiss him. He definitely didn''t want to be involved in the familial problems of the Heavenly Emperor''s family!


    Unfortunately for him, the other three people were all occupied with the current drama.


    "What do you mean with that?" Rong Su looked at his wife with a blank expression. "Jing He wouldn''t ¡­ He wouldn''t get involved with someone like that! He promised he wouldn''t!"


    "So you do remember that you forced him to swear something like that!" Bai Fen leaped to her feet and pointed at her husband. "I''ve had enough of this! It''s all your fault! If not because you were so against it and used every opportunity to tell Jing He to not even consider it, the two of them could have long been married!"


    The Heavenly Emperor took a shaky breath. "That''s ¡­ Jing He wouldn''t even want that! He knows what kind of person that Longjun is! He wouldn''t even consider him!"


    "Then kindly tell me why my son would go and injure his own soul before descending for his trial!"


    Rong Su stared at his wife. Yes, why would his son do this? It wasn''t anything that could be done easily. The probability of being discovered was high and he would have trouble to explain himself if someone found him in the repository. And the danger involved in using the soul-engraving dagger wasn''t anything to scoff at either.


    "But ¡­ if that was the case, then why would he ¡­ Why would he break up after remembering his life in the Nine Heavens? Doesn''t that mean that he hates that dandy and doesn''t want to be together? Isn''t it just that that bastard tricked him into being with him and now that he knows who he is Jing He broke up with him?"


    Why else would his son break up with Longjun right after seeing him again when he had recovered his memories? That was the only explanation he could find.


    Leng Jin Yu used the opportunity to make his existence known with a cough.

 Chapter 433 - They Had to Make Sure

    Three pairs of eyes turned to Leng Jin Yu. Both the Heavenly Emperor and the Heavenly Empress blanked. Had they really just argued about the love life of their son in front of a stranger?


    Qiang Yan looked at the ceiling. Neither his sister nor his brother-in-law had asked him to speak and Leng Jin Yu wasn''t the kind of person that would speak out of turn. Clearing his throat to draw their attention and make them ask him was already quite daring. Ah, it seemed he''d have to do this in Leng Jin Yu''s stead.


    The God of War sighed. "That was also something Leng Jin Yu reported. Jing He breaking up with Qiu Ling was a misunderstanding. He somehow remembered that story about Tian and Xing and got it mixed up with his own past. He believes that the man he remembers from the Nine Heavens is Tian and that Qiu Ling is a stranger. So ¡­ He didn''t break up because he remembered any negative feelings about him."


    Bai Fen snorted. "I''d say it''s even the complete opposite. Jing He remembered and those memories, however incomplete they may be, were enough to make him leave the person he had fallen in love with in the mortal realm. So, what do you have to say now, Rong Su?"


    The Heavenly Emperor didn''t say anything. He just stared blankly ahead. His son ¡­ His precious, little son had actually been taken away by that dandy already? Even though he had repeatedly warned him and tried to keep that bastard away, he had somehow managed to spend enough time with his Jing He to seduce him?


    Rong Su staggered back and fell onto his chair. This couldn''t be! Impossible! His son ¡­ His precious son wouldn''t have fallen for such a dandy! He wasn''t someone who would be dazzled by just a pretty appearance. He wasn''t as shallow as that! And after being warned so many times, he shouldn''t give anything about some nice words either! Just how had this happened?!


    Bai Fen harrumphed. "Don''t pretend to be so shocked. Don''t tell me you really know your son this bad. Wasn''t it obvious from the way he looked at him? He''s clearly smitten with Qiu Ling."


    "That ¡­" The Heavenly Emperor wanted to retort but didn''t know what to say. Could it really be? He had hardly seen his son together with the dragon king and Jing He had always assured him that he definitely wouldn''t consider a man he didn''t accept. Just how could he have fallen in love with him? And why hadn''t he said anything?


    If he had known, then ¡­ then he could have done something about it! He could have made sure that Jing He would understand that this man wasn''t any good. He could have prevented them from meeting any longer. Or he could have found someone better for him so Jing He could fall in love with that person instead. There would have been possibilities! Now, his son had actually done something like that.


    Rong Su sighed and covered his face. "Let''s not talk about what he feels for Longjun for now. What do we do about the matter with the soul-engraving dagger? We have to check if he really used it!"


    Bai Fen and Qiang Yan both nodded while Leng Jin Yu tried to minimize his presence again. This really wasn''t anything he should meddle in. He would just wait until they found a solution and then ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu looked at his hand where he was still wearing the ring from before his ascension. He had been human to begin with and then he had found fragments of his past life in the human realm. Maybe this was to show him that his place was there? That person ¡­ might also be waiting for him there. So, it was better if he returned. Not becoming part of the God of War''s palace was a small matter in comparison with losing out on meeting the love of his life.


    The God of War had no idea that he had just lost the person he had thought of as part of his palace already. Instead, his thoughts were still concentrated on the matter at hand. "It would be good to make sure that he didn''t inadvertently injure his soul but who can say for sure that we wouldn''t do more harm than good? Checking a soul ¡­" He shook his head. "I don''t know about you but I wouldn''t dare to do it."


    The Heavenly Emperor''s face didn''t look much better. He too wouldn''t dare to arbitrarily take a look at his son''s soul. The probability that something would go wrong and that Jing He''s soul might be further harmed in the process was just too high.


    Silence engulfed the room. They had to check but they couldn''t. What were they to do now?


    Finally, Bai Fen perked up. "What about Senior Xin? Didn''t you say he came by because of the demons? If anyone knows how to do this, it''s him! We should ask if he would be willing to take a look for us."


    The Heavenly Emperor nodded. "Senior Xin ¡­ He should indeed be able to do this. Unfortunately, he already left with Longjun after he found out what he wanted. Contacting him again after this should be difficult."


    Qiang Yan nodded in agreement. "Yes. And he already disappeared once before this. If not for him showing up on his own again, everyone would have thought he had died."


    "Then how about we ask Qiu Ling for help? Didn''t you say he came with him? He might know where Senior Xin went. If we have at least a direction, we could send someone to search."


    Qiang Yan sighed. His sister wasn''t wrong but ¡­ "I''m not sure about that. If I understood correctly, then Senior Xin was pursuing this matter at the late king''s order. The current Longjun might not be that much involved. He probably only followed him since they wanted to get brother-in-law''s help." He shook his head. This situation was really ¡­


    "We should at least try!" Bai Fen took out the transmission stone Qiu Ling had given her and imbued her energy. The stone pulsed with white light but nothing else happened. Bai Fen sighed. "He''s probably still hurt because of what happened with Jing He." And considering what had happened the last time her son-in-law got rejected he was probably lying somewhere dead-drunk. Reaching him now would be impossible.


    The Heavenly Emperor once again slammed his hand down on the table. "Damn this! Now that he could be of use once he just ignores us! How dare he call himself our son-in-law?!"


    Bai Fen narrowed her eyes. So now her husband remembered that Qiu Ling was their son-in-law?


    Qiang Yan also looked away. And then, he finally noticed Leng Jin Yu again who still stood behind him. Ah, right. He should probably let him go for now. This wasn''t anything he could help with.


    "Leng Jin Yu ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. He had at least half listened to what was being said. "I indeed saw Longjun before returning from the mortal realm. And there were two men beside him. I just don''t know ¡­"


    He had seen neither Xin Lan nor Bai Mu before and he hadn''t heard their names. How would he know if one of them was the Senior Xin they were discussing?

 Chapter 434 - Everyone Has Their Own Fate

    The Heavenly Emperor and the Heavenly Empress exchanged a glance. It couldn''t be that the person who had come to report had seen Senior Xin, could it?


    Bai Fen leaped to her feet and hurried over, grasping Leng Jin Yu''s hands. "The two men with him ¡­ Had one of them white hair and wore a mask covering half his face?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the hands of the Heavenly Empress before lifting his gaze. "Yes. There was."


    "That''s him!" Bai Fen tightened her grab on Leng Jin Yu. "Then do you know where he is now?"


    Leng Jin Yu thought back to how that man had looked at him. This hate ¡­ But he had still sounded as if he definitely had to return to the Yun Zou Sect. Why? Well, at least he was sure about the answer to the Heavenly Empress'' question. "He should still be at that place. I can go and notify him that you wish to see him. I''m just not sure ¡­ He didn''t seem very amicable. I wouldn''t be sure that he agrees to help."


    Bai Fen gave a relieved sigh. "Don''t worry about that. If rumors are true, Senior Xin has always looked a little grumpy. If he knows that this is about our crown prince, he would certainly help. So, please, go and talk to him, yes?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and turned to the God of War, unobtrusively extricating his hands from the grip of the Heavenly Empress. "In that case, I should go as soon as possible. May I have a word with the God of War before that?" He cupped his fists and took a deep breath.


    He was doing the right thing. If he returned to the Nine Heavens after delivering the message, he would always regret it. He would always ask himself what he would have remembered had he stayed in the Yun Zou Sect longer. He would always wonder if that person and he ¡­ could have had a future together that he had destroyed with his own decision.


    Qiang Yan observed Leng Jin Yu''s expression. The young man had always seemed serious but today ¡­ He felt like he was even more resolute than normal. "Mn. Then I''ll take my leave too." Qiang Yan nodded at his brother-in-law and smiled at his sister and went outside with Leng Jin Yu.


    The two of them slowly walked down the steps and followed the road away from the Heavenly Emperor''s palace. Neither of them said a word.


    Only when they had already reached the next palaces did Qiang Yan clear his throat. "This isn''t just about returning to the mortal realm?"


    Leng Jin Yu stopped walking and turned to the God of War. He cupped his fists again and bowed. "It is about returning to the mortal realm. It''s just ¡­ when I return this time I''m afraid I won''t be coming back."


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. "Not coming back? What do you mean by that?"


    Leng Jin Yu straightened up and sighed. "I was originally mortal and now I feel that the mortal realm might be the place where I should stay."


    "Didn''t you want to become part of my palace before?" Qiang Yan scratched his head. How had this happened? He had found an excellent addition to his palace and now the person told him he didn''t want to join him anymore. Maybe he shouldn''t have sent him to the mortal realm? Just what was so good about it that Leng Jin Yu would rather stay there?


    Leng Jin Yu lowered his head. "I know this is sudden. Originally, after I ascended, I thought that the God of War''s palace would be the place where I belong. But now I think I might have erred. When I went to the mortal realm to assist His Highness I ¡­" He stopped talking. Just what was he supposed to say? He felt like whatever he said it wouldn''t be able to express his feelings.


    Qiang Yan sighed. "You don''t have to explain. It''s a pity though. I think you might have liked it in my palace."


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I think so too. But ¡­ everyone has their own fate. Having followed the crown prince for so long I know that when I was mortal someone in the Scribe''s Palace probably wrote mine but now it''s different. My fate is truly my own fate now. And I feel that ¡­ it should take place in the mortal realm."


    "I see. Well, then ¡­ go and follow your fate. Should you return to the Nine Heavens in the future and think that the God of War''s palace might be a place for you then, you can still come by. It''s not like much changes here anyway. At least not when you spend a few years in the mortal realm."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Then I''ll take my leave now. I can''t promise I''ll be able to find him right away. I''ve only seen him twice so far and I don''t know where exactly he will be. I don''t think it will take longer than a few days though." After all, that man seemed to hate him with a passion even though he had no idea why. He would probably meet him again soon.


    "Don''t think too much about it. In fact, it''s good if he''s really in the mortal realm. You don''t have to bring him here. Just tell him what happened and ask him if he would be willing to have a look at Jing He''s soul to make sure nothing went wrong when he used the soul-engraving dagger."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. "I''m afraid I don''t understand the situation too well. Will it really be alright if I try to explain?"


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Yes. Just tell him that Jing He used the soul-engraving dagger and that we ask him to make sure if everything is still alright with him. He will understand everything from that."


    Leng Jin Yu wasn''t sure if it would really work but the God of War should know that man better. "Alright. Then I''ll go now." He cupped his fists again, turned around and left.


    Actually, he couldn''t wait to return to the Yun Zou Sect.

 Chapter 435 - Returning to the Yun Zou Sect

    Leng Jin Yu didn''t waste any time and returned to the Yun Zou Sect at the fastest speed possible. He hovered in the air above the sect grounds but the person he was supposed to find didn''t appear like the last time. In that case ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu observed the sect grounds for a while and finally flew to the Sect Master''s peak. That person was probably still in the Yun Zou Sect but if he had to search for him he would need some time and there was no way he would be able to do it without being seen. Since Zhong Jing Yi and Longjun had already returned anyway he should just announce that he was back too. So, he should first go and see his Master. After that, he would search for that Senior Xin and then find the person he couldn''t remember yet.


    Leng Jin Yu landed in front of the two disciples guarding the gates and nodded. "Is my Master inside?"


    The eyes of the two widened and they exchanged a glance. Was that ¡­ the Sect Master''s disciple Yu Jin? But wasn''t it said that he had vanished?


    Leng Jin Yu waited. He could imagine that it was hard for them to accept that he was suddenly back. "Maybe one of you could go and announce me? I wouldn''t want to disturb him."


    "Uh ¡­" One of the disciples cleared his throat. "The Sect Master definitely wouldn''t feel disturbed!" He straightened up and motioned at the gate. "Senior Martial Brother Yu is the Sect Master''s youngest disciple and has been vanished for so long. The Sect Master will certainly be very happy to see you again! He won''t want to wait."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and followed the disciple into the palace.


    The youth almost ran to the Sect Master''s study and only stopped at the door. "Sect Master, Sect Master! Senior martial brother Yu returned!"


    Yuchi Bing Xia froze at his desk. What had he just heard? Yu Jin ¡­ had come back? He leaped to his feet and stormed outside, almost knocking Leng Jin Yu down. "Yu Jin, you ¡­ you''re really back!"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and gave a nod. "Yes, Master. I''m sorry for making you worry."


    "Ah, you! What are you even saying?" Yuchi Bing Xia examined his disciple from head to toe. He didn''t seem to be hurt at all. It was as if he had never been away. Yuchi Bing Xia sighed and patted Leng Jin Yu''s hands. "It''s good that you''re back. Come on in. Tell me what happened."


    "Mn."


    Leng Jin Yu followed him inside while the disciple ran out again and leaned against the wall with a sigh. "I can''t believe it! It''s really Senior martial brother Yu!"


    "Mn, he''s finally back. Let''s see if that Qiguan Cheng Da will continue to be so arrogant now!"


    "Mn!" The first disciple nodded. Finally, they had their senior martial brother Yu back. "We should inform the others!"


    "Ah? But we can''t leave our post. How are we going to do that?"


    "Don''t you have a paper crane?"


    "Yes, but that is for emergencies only. How could I use it now?"


    The first disciple sighed. "That''s right too. Well, let''s wait until we get off-duty then. Anyway, it won''t change anything. He''s back and he''ll certainly stay here for now. The Sect Master wouldn''t let him go on any mission after something like that happened. Let me tell you, senior martial brother Yu is his favorite disciple. He''ll guard him especially closely now! Every possible kind of danger will be eliminated before it can get into a hundred meters of senior martial brother Yu."


    "That''s probably true. Although I don''t think that he needs that. Doesn''t he have a high cultivation base? I heard rumors he is already in the leaf stage."


    "Me too, me too. And you have to consider that was before he disappeared on that mission. Since he managed to return he should have had some kind of fortuitous encounter. He might already be in the bud stage by now."


    The two disciples looked at the sky with sparkling eyes. Ah, this senior martial brother Yu was too outstanding! Not only did he have a high cultivation base, but he was also so modest about it. Unlike a certain someone who shoved into everyone''s faces just how great he was ¡­


    While the two disciples were daydreaming Leng Jin Yu sat down in his Master''s study. A cup of tea was forced into his hands and his wrist was grabbed, almost making him spill the tea. Leng Jin Yu hurriedly adjusted the cultivation base he was projecting and just like the disciples had guessed he elevated it to the bud stage. After all, when would he get a better opportunity to adjust it?


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes widened and he looked up at his disciple''s face. "You reached the fifth stage already?"


    Leng Jin Yu gave a small smile. "We were trapped in a secret realm for a few years, after all. The environment was very suitable for cultivation. Junior martial brother Zhong also made tremendous progress. He reached the third stage by now."


    "Ah? Oh, you mean ¡­ the fiance of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Precisely so."


    "So he is also back. That''s good, that''s good. Does Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple know already?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded, reverting to the way he had portrayed Yu Jin before. Ah, this might become troublesome in the future. Maybe he should also use this experience to change his ways a little? After all, even he himself didn''t know just how long he would stay in the mortal realm. He didn''t want to have to act all the time.


    And there wasn''t a reason to do so anyway. Zhong Jing Yi already knew him better and wouldn''t catch onto something. Furthermore, he wasn''t in any danger regardless of how the rest of his trial passed. It wouldn''t change anything.


    With that thought, Leng Jin Yu turned to Yuchi Bing Xia and gave him a bright smile for the first time. "Master, I''m happy to be back."


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked at his disciple, startled. Was this really the taciturn Yu Jin he had taken in?

 Chapter 436 - He Was Too Young

    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "Master, could you not look at me like that? It was a long time. Can''t I be happy that I was able to return?"


    "Uh ¡­ sure ¡­ sure you can." Yuchi Bing Xia tried to pour himself a cup of tea but the only thing he managed to achieve was that his sleeve got wet. Ah. His disciple was behaving too shockingly!


    Leng Jin Yu sighed, took the teapot out of his Master''s hands and poured the cup for him. "Being trapped in there, not knowing whether I''ll be able to return or not ¡­ it made me see a lot of things differently. What I thought of as important before suddenly had no meaning to it anymore while things I had considered normal or taken for granted seemed much more important."


    "Well, it''s good you could learn something from it. It''s even better you were able to return already. I was afraid you ¡­" He shook his head and sighed.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Mn, I''m back." And the things he had learned or maybe the one thing he had learned ¡­ he wouldn''t postpone it any longer. As soon as he had greeted his Master and found that Senior Xin he would find out more about the person missing from his memories and then he would go and search for him.


    Seeing the smile on Yu Jin''s lips Yuchi Bing Xia felt his heart ease. Ah, his disciple had come back. Not only that he seemed to be even stronger than before. Not only in regards to his cultivation but also in regards to his personality. Being tested like that ¡­ maybe it had really done him good.


    Yuchi Bing Xia smiled. It seemed he wouldn''t have to worry any longer now. "Yu Jin, in the time in the secret realm, have you ever thought about what I said before? About succeeding me?"


    Leng Jin Yu lowered his gaze onto his cup of tea and nodded. "I did. And ¡­ if it is still your wish, then I will do so."


    "Really?" Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows. He certainly hadn''t expected that his disciple had already reconsidered the matter. "That''s good then. Although, I have to be honest with you. The Yun Zou Sect isn''t doing as good anymore. In fact, it''s doing quite bad. We can''t even be considered a first ranked sect anymore. Back then when that Zhong Jing Yi and you disappeared a lot of the other disciples got killed and Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple left to search for a way to get his fiance out of the secret realm. The only ¡­ talent we had left was that Qiguan Cheng Da."


    "Qiguan Cheng Da." Leng Jin Yu''s eyes narrowed. He remembered that it had been Qiguan Cheng Da who stood next to Zhong Jing Yi when the spiritual disturbance occurred. Most likely, all of this was his doing.


    Before he had been the one who pointed Qiguan Cheng Da in the direction of Zhong Jing Yi for the sake of the trial but now he had returned here for himself and the crown prince''s trial was more or less accomplished. Maybe it would be better to make sure that Qiguan Cheng Da wouldn''t do anything more from now on or the Yun Zou Sect might end up completely destroyed.


    "Mn. So are you sure that you want to accept the position of Sect Master? Naturally, you don''t have to decide now and even if you do, you''re still young. You don''t have to take the seat immediately."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "Master, whether the sect is doing good now or not is not important. The important thing is that we''ll work together to improve the sect''s situation in the future. If I reconsidered this decision just because the sect is ranked differently now, then I wouldn''t be fit to be the Sect Master in the first place."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. "Alright. Then it''s set. You''ll succeed me. From now on I''ll slowly let you get acquainted with everything you need to know."


    "Mn. Thank you for your guidance, Master."


    "Don''t mention it. It''s for our sect too." Yuchi Bing Xia drank his tea, his thoughts circling around all the things he needed to teach Yu Jin from now on.


    Leng Jin Yu smiled when he saw his Master like this. He really loved the Yun Zou Sect very much. "Master, if there''s nothing else, I''ll return to my house for now."


    "Mn, returning home is ¡ª" Yuchi Bing Xia stopped and his eyes went wide. Right! Yu Jin''s house! How could he have forgotten about it?! There was still a beautiful god residing inside right now!


    Yuchi Bing Xia leaped to his feet and hurried to the other side of the table, pulling Leng Jin Yu to his feet. "Yu Jin, before that there is one thing I have to tell you. No, there are a few things I have to say. Ah, I don''t even know where to begin with this ¡­"


    "Don''t worry, Master. Just tell me from the beginning. I''m sure I''ll be able to cope."


    "Mn. Yes." Yuchi Bing Xia looked at his disciple. He wasn''t too worried although ¡­ "Yu Jin, say, have you ever been in love?"


    "Ah?"


    "I thought so." Yuchi Bing Xia sighed. "Well, the thing is that there is a kind of ¡­ hidden expert in our sect. The only ones who know about this are Grandmaster Zhangsun and me or, well, the previous Sect Masters. Since you''re going to succeed me you should also know about him."


    "I''m afraid I don''t understand." What did this have to do with whether he had ever been in love?


    Yuchi Bing Xia patted his hand with a pitying expression. "He was originally living in a special dimension at the foot of the Grandmaster''s peak but there was some kind of accident so ¡­ he moved into your house."


    "Oh. I wouldn''t mind moving somewhere else."


    "Ah, that''s not it. I guess he''d also like to return to his own place. It''s just ¡­ I''d like for you to meet him first."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Then ¡­ let''s go over now? Or ¡­ announce ourselves to him?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia patted his disciple''s hands again. "Going over right now isn''t the problem. It''s just ¡­ you''re still so young. I''m afraid you won''t be able to take it."


    "Is he ¡­ especially powerful?" Leng Jin Yu didn''t think much of it. He had ascended already. Regardless of how strong that person was, he wouldn''t mind.


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s expression got only worse. "That too but the real problem is ¡­ He''s especially beautiful. Even I think it hurts to look at him directly. You have to promise me that you will keep your calm. Falling in love with a person such as that ¡­ It won''t lead anywhere."


    Leng Jin Yu had trouble keeping a straight expression but he forced himself to nod as earnestly as he could. "Don''t worry, Master. I certainly won''t be that easily impressed by someone''s outer appearance."


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed. His disciple was too young. He was unable to imagine just how beautiful the person in question was. Ah, he could only hope this wouldn''t end in embarrassment.


    Seeing the expression of his Master Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. As if he would fall in love at first sight just like that. He had lived for so long and never fallen in love. He was sure that nobody but that person missing from his memories would be able to move his heart.


    Well, he would soon find out just how right he was with that thought.

 Chapter 437 - Does That Make Me Look Innocent?

    At the same time, the people in a certain house further down the Sect Master''s peak were also getting busy. Xin Lan had naturally noticed when Leng Jin Yu returned but he hadn''t gone to greet him on purpose. After all, he hadn''t forgotten his master''s command.


    Thus upon seeing the person his master was waiting for return, he stepped into the house and gazed at the person his heart was beating for. "He is back."


    Jinde lifted his gaze from the scroll of paper in front of him, not daring to believe what he had heard. "You ¡­ You said ¡­"


    "He has returned to the Yun Zou Sect." Xin Lan stepped forward, knelt down before Jinde and offered him a robe with both hands.


    Jinde looked at the pristine white fabric that seemed to shimmer even in the shadows. "This is ¡­"


    "Didn''t you want a special robe for this day? You should hurry and change, master. I don''t know whether he''ll come here or report back to the Sect Master first."


    "Ah, yes." Jinde took the robe and stood up, his hands trembling. It had finally come, the day when they would meet again. What should he say to him? Would Chun Yin ¡­ no, would Leng Jin Yu feel anything when he saw him? Probably not. After all, he had no recollection of his past life.


    "Xin Lan, are you ¡­ are you sure he''ll like it if I wear this robe?"


    Xin Lan glanced upward and nodded. "He''d need to be without a sliver of taste not to like you."


    "Alright. Then I should really ¡­" Jinde said so but he still stood there as if rooted to the spot.


    Xin Lan got up and took his arm. "Let me help you." He led him into the room where Jinde normally changed and carefully took the robe from him again, placing it aside. "Don''t worry needlessly. You''re beautiful and the robe will highlight your best points. He''ll be completely stunned when he sees you."


    "I hope so. I just ¡­ I''m afraid." Jinde gulped. Ah, hadn''t he promised himself that he would fight for him this time? Why was he suddenly so timid?


    "You''ll feel better after you see him." Xin Lan reached out and opened the belt around Jinde''s waist. He looked down as soon as it came undone and placed it next to the robe. With his heart beating madly, he stepped behind his master and tugged at the robe, slowly pulling it off his shoulders. His gaze touched on the creamy skin beneath for a moment before he turned away, hanging the robe away.


    Xin Lan took a deep breath to calm himself and picked up the robe he had chosen. He gently helped his master into the layers and finally secured the belt around his waist. Then he stepped back. He didn''t even dare to lift his head. Yes, that man would be stunned. He would certainly be the same. It was better not to look.


    Thankfully, Jinde was too occupied with his own thoughts to notice anything off. He hurried outside to the pond behind the house and took a look at himself. It seemed ¡­ this robe really managed to bring out his good points?


    He smiled and ran back inside, almost knocking over one of the tables. Xin Lan caught him with one hand and secured the piece of furniture with the other.


    "Careful. How about you sit down? Just tell me what you need. I''ll get it for you."


    Jinde lowered his head. "I''m sorry. I know I shouldn''t be like this. I''m already this old and still ¡­ Ah, just thinking about it I get all nervous." He put a hand on his stomach and tried to calm himself. He felt ¡­ excited, even a little nauseous. This shouldn''t happen. He wasn''t that young anymore!


    Xin Lan looked away. "What was it you wanted?"


    "Ah, a comb. I should comb my hair again. He always ¡­ he always loved my hair." Jinde touched one of the golden strands, his gaze growing distant.


    Xin Lan clenched his fists but still nodded and left to find one. When he got back he didn''t hand it to Jinde though. Instead, he knelt down behind him and started to comb through the beautiful strands himself.


    Ah, this was madness! Just why was he doing this? Today, his master''s lover would return. After that, his position would be reduced to that of his master''s most loyal follower again. Well, it had never been anything else. Not in his master''s eyes at least. Whether he picked out a robe for him or helped him dress or combed his hair ¡­ His master would never see it as anything else than the care his most trusted follower showed him. Only when that man did those things would they become proof of his love.


    Xin Lan finished with the last strand and stepped back. "I''m done. You''re ready now."


    Jinde nodded and stood up, his hands twisting. "What should I do now?"


    "Just ¡­ wait for him?" Xin Lan gritted his teeth.


    "Yes, I know. What I meant was ¡­ What should I do? I can''t just sit here, right? When he comes in shouldn''t I show him my best side? Chun Yin always loved it when I seemed gentle and refined. What do you think is the most elegant thing I could do? Should I paint? Do some calligraphy? Drink tea? Meditate?" He grabbed Xin Lan''s arm, his eyes wide with worry.


    Xin Lan looked at the table where another portrait of Chun Yin was lying. His master hadn''t done much else in the last few years besides painting these portraits. He really wouldn''t be able to take it if he saw him paint another one.


    "He isn''t Chun Yin anymore so painting him might give him the wrong impression instead."


    "I could paint some flowers. Maybe a lotus? Would that make me seem especially innocent?"


    Xin Lan motioned to the side. "Why don''t you go outside and just admire the flowers there? The light will reflect off your hair beautifully."


    Jinde grabbed Xin Lan''s arm with the other hand too. "Ah, Xin Lan, you still know me best! Thank you!" In his exuberance, he tiptoed and kissed his cheek.


    Xin Lan remained standing in the study with a blank expression.

 Chapter 438 - No Need for Formality between Us

    Leng Jin Yu followed his Master down the mountain. He could only smile wryly when Yuchi Bing Xia turned toward him for the fifth time with a look of ''Will it really be alright to let him see this person?'' Just how beautiful was this hidden expert to make his Master this flustered?


    The two of them finally reached the door of Leng Jin Yu''s house. Yuchi Bing Xia straightened his shoulders and smoothed out his sleeves, brushing his hair back at the end before giving a light cough. He couldn''t look shabby when stepping in front of the beautiful god! With that thought, he finally knocked on the door.


    Leng Jin Yu refrained from commenting. But watching all this he was more worried about his Master falling in love with that hidden expert than he was about himself. This didn''t have anything to do with age. Or, well, maybe it had. After all, if he considered the time before his ascension, he was older than Yuchi Bing Xia by more than just a few years.


    From inside the house, a melodious voice rang out. "Please, come on in."


    Leng Jin Yu''s muscles tensed. This voice ¡­ Why did it sound so familiar? Had he met this person somewhere before?


    Jinde on the other side of the door didn''t feel much better. His voice might have sounded normal but his heart raced. He patted his chest and glanced at the door before he turned back to the plum tree while taking a shaky breath. He had to look good for him! He had to look his best!


    Yuchi Bing Xia opened the door and stepped into the anteroom, his gaze immediately drawn to the other side where the door to the courtyard stood open. He gulped. Thankfully, he had warned Yu Jin insistently! The beautiful god was looking even more stunning today!


    Jinde turned around when he heard the steps, a gentle smile lighting up his features. When he saw who stood in the doorway he stiffened and his heart plunged into desperation. "Sect Master Yuchi ¡­" Melancholy crept into his voice unasked. So it wasn''t him. He had ¡­ still not come back.


    Yuchi Bing Xia cupped his fists and bowed. The change in Jinde''s mood had been too subtle for him to notice. "I hope I''m not disturbing you. My disciple returned today so I brought him over to meet you." He looked behind him only to notice that Yu Jin was missing. His lips twitched.


    Hadn''t he told him how important this was? How could Yu Jin fail to keep up with him now of all times? He cleared his throat and waved at the door as if all of this was natural and he had intended to only invite his disciple in at the beautiful god''s cue in the first place.


    Leng Jin Yu breathed deeply and stepped forward, his hands inexplicably trembling. Just why had this voice shaken him so much?


    He stepped into the room and his gaze met that of the person opposite them. His lips parted. He wanted to call out but ¡­ What was he supposed to say?


    The man looked back at him, his pale lips curving up and his golden eyes narrowing into a smile. "So this is the Sect Master''s rumored disciple." He turned around completely, the blossoms behind him rippled in the breeze, a few petals reigning down and landing in his golden hair.


    Leng Jin Yu''s breath hitched. He finally understood why his Master had warned him. This person ¡­ was truly too beautiful. He was ¡­ Was he real? He wanted to go over and reach out to touch him to make sure that he wasn''t just imagining this. How could such a person exist?


    He watched as Jinde stepped into the room, his gaze unwaveringly following him. Even inside the room where the light of the sun didn''t touch every corner, his pale skin seemed to glow, the white robe shimmered, his hair and the golden embroidery twinkling as if inviting him to reach out.


    Beside him, Yuchi Bing Xia awkwardly cleared his throat. "Ah, he has never talked much. Please, don''t take offense."


    Unfortunately for the Sect Master, the other two people were already in their own world and didn''t pay him any attention. Jinde walked forward until only an arm''s length separated him from Leng Jin Yu. He would have liked to step even closer but he wasn''t that desperate yet. No, he would go up to him but he wanted to see Leng Jin Yu take the final step. He wanted him to decide.


    Well, it might not need much for that anymore. Jinde slightly lowered his head, his lips curving up even further. Xin Lan really knew what he was doing. The robe had achieved its purpose. Just look at him! He was stunned speechless.


    "It''s a pleasure to finally meet you. If you don''t mind ¡­ How may I call you?" He tilted his head, his gaze flickering upwards to Leng Jin Yu''s face, taking in the unveiled appreciation in the other''s eyes.


    Jinde wanted to sigh. Ah, how long hadn''t he felt like this anymore? How long had it been that someone desired him this much?


    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat but his voice still sounded hoarse. "You ¡­ you may call me Jin Yu."


    Yuchi Bing Xia wanted to facepalm. His disciple was indeed too young! How often had he warned him on the way to the house? But here he was staring at the beautiful god with passionate eyes, unabashedly showing his desire and even jumbling his own name! What a disgrace! Hopefully, the beautiful god wouldn''t remember this.


    Jinde chuckled. This Leng Jin Yu might seem more refined than Chun Yin at first glance but he wasn''t that different deep down. Dropping his family''s name as a mortal just like that ¡­ Was this announcing that he already considered him his? Was there no need for that kind of formality between them anymore?


    "Mn. Then please call me Jinde."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded, his heart beating faster. Jinde. Jinde ¡­ Yes, that was the name he should have called out before. The next time ¡­ The next time, he would do so for sure.

 Chapter 439 - Take Care of Me

    Leng Jin Yu and Jinde gazed at each other, both tacitly ignoring the presence of the other person in the room. They didn''t know what to say though.


    Leng Jin Yu felt an odd sense of familiarity from the man in front of him but he was sure that they had never met before. After all, wouldn''t he remember this kind of person? He was so beautiful, with such a gentle disposition, certainly, he would remember if he had just so much as glanced at him in passing.


    Jinde also didn''t know how to react. They had finally found each other again but this Leng Jin Yu wasn''t his Chun Yin. He couldn''t remember their past and even though he was looking at him this intently, there seemed to be no intention to do more than that. It couldn''t be that this person was indeed more reserved than Chun Yin? Then how would he make sure he decided on him? No, he couldn''t leave this to fate! He had to do something.


    With new-found conviction, Jinde looked up at the other man through his lashes, his golden eyes shielded halfway but still halfway exposed. He saw Leng Jin Yu''s Adam''s apple bob up and down and satisfaction submerged his heart. Mn, he still knew him best. Chun Yin had never been able to take it when he looked at him like this! Even that terrible woman hadn''t been able to wrest Chun Yin''s attention from him when he used this move. Even on his worst day, he could still give her fake gentleness a run for its money!


    He tilted his head and brushed a strand of golden hair aside, exposing his collarbone for a moment. "You''ve probably heard already that I''ve occupied your house for the last few years."


    Leng Jin Yu stared at that skin and lifted his gaze to those pale lips, watching them move. A hot sensation spread through his body, making him shudder. He forcibly closed his eyes. "Yes, my Master told me."


    "Is that so?" Jinde examined the handsome face in front of him and forced himself to hold back his smile. He had to try very hard to make himself look earnest though. "That''s good then. I hope you don''t mind."


    "Of course not. I ¡­ I''m happy I could be of help to you."


    "You were. Very much so." Jinde turned to the side and took a few steps around him.


    Leng Jin Yu very naturally turned with him, not leaving Jinde out of his eyes for even a second.


    "I was living in another dimension first but you see there are reasons why I can''t be found by some people. Unfortunately ¡­" He looked at him with the saddest gaze he could muster in the face of his true love.


    Leng Jin Yu''s heart jumped. "I understand. You can stay here as long as you want."


    Yuchi Bing Xia used the opportunity to insert himself into the conversation again. "Indeed! The Yun Zou Sect owes you so much. Yu Jin can just move somewhere else. He doesn''t mind."


    "I wouldn''t want to inconvenience you. You''ve lived here for a long time before, haven''t you?"


    "I did but ¡ª"


    Jinde''s soulful gaze froze the rest of the sentence in Leng Jin Yu''s throat. Ah, what had he wanted to say?


    "Since that is so I truly can''t expect you to move out. It''s just ¡­ I don''t feel that well at the thought of leaving here. There''s still the possibility that I might be found out if I return to the special dimension. I get scared thinking of it."


    Leng Jin Yu shifted closer without any clear thought in mind. He was scared? Then he should calm him down! His hands twitched, wanting to reach out and wrap Jinde into his embrace. He even had the corresponding words on his lips already: ''Don''t worry. There is no reason to fear anything as long as I''m at your side. Whoever it is that threatens you I will make sure they can no longer bother you.''


    Just when his fingertips were about to touch the other''s elbow Leng Jin Yu froze. He took a deep breath and forced his hand away, his gaze also shifting to the side so he wouldn''t get tempted any longer.


    Jinde stared at him, inwardly torn. On the one hand, he marveled at his ability to stay clearheaded in such a situation, on the other hand, he cursed him for his lack of activity. Why can''t you make up your mind? In Heaven''s name, just reach out and touch me already! I can clearly see that you want to! Is it really that hard to give in to your desire?


    It certainly seemed that way. In that case, he had to step up his game. He had finally found him again. He couldn''t let him slip away again.


    Jinde''s lids closed halfway, exposing only a small sliver of gold. It made him seem even more seductive. "So if you don''t mind ¡­ There are so many rooms in the house and I think that I''m not too troublesome to live with. So how about you just move back in but let me stay here? I promise you will hardly notice that I''m here. Would that be acceptable to you?"


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but look back at Jinde when he heard this suppliant tone of voice. Being provided with the visual of an expression that seemed to say ''I''m so scared! If there was just a strong man to take care of me ¡­'' he forgot all about his conviction not to look and not to give in to the strange feeling inside him.


    He bridged the last step that still separated them, grabbed Jinde''s hands and pressed them against his chest. "Don''t worry. We''ll do as you say. I''ll take care of you for as long as you want."


    Only much later when his Master had managed to pull him out of the house under the guise of ''teaching his disciple about his future responsibilities'' did he manage to understand that he had just walked right into a honey trap.

 Chapter 440 - Keeping His Distance?

    Yuchi Bing Xia stared at his youngest disciple that he had been proudest of since the day he took him in. He could only shake his head.


    "Didn''t I tell you? How could you ¡­" He sighed and rubbed his brow. What use was there in saying anything? It was already too late by now. It was obvious that Yu Jin wasn''t able to control himself in the face of the beautiful god. Ah, just thinking back to how he had looked at him ¡­ Honestly, couldn''t he have at least tried to hide his desire? Well, he couldn''t change it anymore.


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed again and patted his disciple''s shoulder. "Don''t worry too much about it. A person like him certainly knows how beautiful he is and what kind of effect he has on people. He wouldn''t bear a grudge."


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu just murmured without really listening.


    That man, Jinde, just who was he? And why ¡­ Honestly, now that he didn''t stand in front of him he also understood that everything he had said must be utter nonsense. What afraid of other people? If he was the hidden expert of the Yun Zou Sect, then there shouldn''t be such a thing! Why would he need someone else to take care of him? And a disciple no less?


    But what reason would he have to lie? Why should he want to make him stay together with him? It couldn''t be that he had also fallen in love at first sight, could it?


    Leng Jin Yu paused. Also? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Was this karma? Because he had previously thought that maybe his Master would fall in love at first sight he had been made to experience just that? But why did he feel that Jinde was so familiar then?


    "Master ¡­"


    "Yes?" Yuchi Bing Xia perked up. His disciple was finally reacting again! This was a good sign. Maybe the next time he wouldn''t embarrass himself as much in front of the beautiful god?


    "What he said about the special dimension and people who can''t be allowed to find him ¡­" He didn''t finish his sentence. After all, he also knew it was idiotic to ask. Wasn''t it obvious that it had been a lie?


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked back at the house. "I don''t know much about that. In fact, I''ve only seen him a few times. The one who interacted with him the most is certainly Grandmaster Zhangsun so you''d need to ask him if you want to know more."


    "So you don''t know if it''s true or not?"


    The Sect Master looked at his disciple strangely. Why would he question the beautiful god''s words? "Well, I only know that somebody broke into the Yun Zou Sect when you had gone to get Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple and his fiance from the Hei Dian Sect. That person somehow stumbled into the special dimension where the Grandmaster found him.


    "By that time, that man had already fled and somehow settled down in your house. We had quite a bit of trouble to find him after he vanished. After that ¡­ I don''t know what happened but he asked to stay there. Naturally, we wouldn''t reject it if he asked for a favor. He is our sect''s greatest beneficiary."


    "I see."


    "Yu Jin, be that as it may, you have to find an excuse to get out of there. He might have been understanding of your behavior today but you should have noticed that you are unable to control yourself when he is around. It can''t go on like this. You would disgrace yourself sooner or later. You can''t want that."


    Leng Jin Yu looked up at the sky. Ah, how had it come so far? He, the person who had never fallen in love, not even when he entered the Nine Heavens that was rumored to be full of beauties was actually being lectured because his Master feared he would disgrace himself in front of this hidden expert. Was he really unable to control himself when Jinde was around?


    Leng Jin Yu gulped. Alright. Just thinking back to how he had grabbed Jinde''s hands and promised to take care of him was probably answer enough. Yes, he wasn''t himself when that man was around. He lost all reason.


    "I''ll try to think of something." He promised as such but inwardly he didn''t want to. Even though he understood that this was dangerous and that it might be better to keep his distance from him, he wanted to stay close to him and do exactly what he had promised him: To be at his side and protect him from whoever dared to disturb his peace. He deeply felt that that was what he should do.


    Yuchi Bing Xia had no idea what his disciple was thinking so he was gratified that Yu Jin was so understanding. "Alright, then you take some time and clear your head. If you need help, I''ll be in my study. You can just come over and ask if you feel you can''t figure it out alone or are unable to confront him by yourself."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and watched his Master leave. As soon as his figure had vanished his gaze returned to the house where he had lived and his feet carried him closer. He forcibly stopped himself when he noticed what he was doing.


    No! He couldn''t give in! His Master might not be right that he definitely had to keep his distance from Jinde but he shouldn''t get too close to him for now. First, he had to figure out some things. Mn, taking a stroll to clear his mind wasn''t a bad idea.


    Unfortunately for him, he wasn''t the only person outside and the list of people who didn''t like him seemed to be getting longer.

 Chapter 441 - Why Did They Hate Him So Much?

    Leng Jin Yu had barely left his Master''s peak and entered the common area of the inner sect when a sense of danger assaulted his heart. He threw himself to the side and the attack missed his heart but left five deep gashes on his arm.


    Leng Jin Yu leaped to his feet and whirled around. His expression blanked. "Longjun?"


    Qiu Ling didn''t wait for any other words and pounced on him again. Leng Jin Yu clutched his arm and fell back, barely evading yet another attack.


    "Longjun! What are you doing? We''re allies!"


    "Shut up! You seduced my Jing He!" Qiu Ling gnashed his teeth and leaped forward again. "Damn it! Stop dodging already! If you have the guts to try and steal my beloved, then you also have to have the guts to fight me!"


    His beloved hadn''t left his chamber for the past couple of days. He didn''t even react when he went and knocked on his door. He was ignoring him! And it was all this guy''s fault. It was because of him, because he had pushed him aside and had spent those four years with his beloved instead of him. He wouldn''t let him get away with it!


    Leng Jin Yu stumbled backward again, cold sweat beading his brow. He had always thought he was a good fighter and that there weren''t many who could be dangerous after his ascension but in front of this man he suddenly realized just how dumb that notion was.


    Yes, those cultivators in the human realm were nothing to him but weren''t there still the trueborn gods, the dragons and the higher demons? He hadn''t spent enough time in the Nine Heavens to be able to accurately judge their strength.


    After fighting a few times with Lan Ling and the others he had thought he was on par with them but he hadn''t considered that Lan Ling was a young god, after all. Longjun, on the other hand ¡­ And he couldn''t even fight back! After all, that would implicate the gods if he managed to injure him by some stroke of luck.


    "Longjun, please! This is neither the place nor ¡ª"


    Five claws headed for his face. Leng Jin Yu fell to the ground only to see a sword swoosh down. He rolled to the side, barely evading the strike. Qiu Ling cursed.


    "Stay put, damn it!"


    "Please, calm down. We can talk ¡ª"


    The sword cut off some of his hair, the blade only missing his face by an inch. Leng Jin Yu leaped up again and staggered back even further. This guy was going after his face on purpose!


    "How about we go and seek out junior martial brother Zhong to clarify?"


    "Don''t you dare go see him!"


    Leng Jin Yu sweat-dropped. Damn! He had thought bringing up Zhong Jing Yi would at least make him pause but it seemed he had made it even worse. Not good!


    "I won''t! I promise I won''t!"


    "As if I would believe you!"


    The sword came at him again. Leng Jin Yu cursed and unsheathed his own weapon. He had to defend at least or this guy would really kill him. He couldn''t let that happen. He hadn''t found the person from his memories yet. And ¡­ he hadn''t even thought about what had happened with Jinde just now. And wouldn''t succumb to anything before he didn''t manage to do at least that!


    The swords clashed, sending sparks into the air.


    "I''m not interested in junior martial brother Zhong. I only did what I had to. There are no romantic feelings involved."


    "Lies!"


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. Why was this guy not listening at all?! "Longjun, really, I don''t think of him that way at all."


    "You''re still lying! Why wouldn''t you want him? My Jing He is perfect all around!" Qiu Ling slashed out again, the blade screeching across Leng Jin Yu''s sword and going straight for his heart. Qiu Ling''s eyes lit up. This time he had him!


    "But I''m already in love with somebody else!" Leng Jin Yu frowned. He wanted to fall back but Qiu Ling followed him, the blade closing in on his body. He wouldn''t be able to evade this time. He raised his hand and lashed out with his spiritual energy to deflect the blade at least far enough so it wouldn''t puncture his heart. He gritted his teeth, bracing himself for the impact.


    It never came.


    Leng Jin Yu looked up blankly. The first thing he noticed was Qiu Ling''s annoyed expression. It definitely wasn''t that he had finally reconsidered.


    A certain dragon king even tightened his lips to make sure that point came across. "Who could be better than my Jing He? You have no taste at all!"


    As a consequence, he was hurled in the other direction. He managed to stabilize himself in the air and glared at the other person reproachful. "What do you think you''re doing? I almost had him!"


    Xin Lan frowned. "This person, you cannot kill." The way he looked at Leng Jin Yu spoke another language though. It seemed as if he wanted to rip him apart.


    Leng Jin Yu gulped and sat up. How come these people he hadn''t interacted with much seemed to hate him? Unrelated people might think he had killed their fathers.


    The sounds of the fight had indeed managed to attract those unrelated people. They weren''t so sure what had happened to Qiu Ling''s father but the smell of gossip was still strong in the air. So it turned out the senior martial brother Yu that had vanished four years ago had returned and not only that but he had used his time and seduced the fiance of the Grandmaster''s disciple! This was huge news! Eh? And who was that man with the white hair that had half his face covered by a mask?


    The latter was especially important to the female disciples that had gathered around while the others were more interested in finding out whether there would be another part to the fight. It couldn''t be that this senior martial brother Qiu would let off the guy who had snatched his lover, could it?

 Chapter 442 - A Righteous Person?

    Leng Jin Yu looked at the person that had saved him and frowned. Well, it was a good thing he had found this Senior Xin he was supposed to talk to but unfortunately ¡­ He glanced at the disciples that had gathered around them in small groups at a safe distance. He couldn''t very well bring up the matter regarding the crown prince with so many people around, could he?


    Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed while he stared at Leng Jin Yu. "Still not leaving?"


    Leng Jin Yu stood up and cleared his throat. Never mind, he should at least ask him to step aside to have a chat. It shouldn''t be that much of a problem. He cupped his fists and bowed. "Senior Xin, thank you for your help. Would it be possible to ¡ª"


    "Leave!" Xin Lan''s eyes blazed with fury. This person still dared to stay in front of him after he confessed that he was already in love with somebody else! He wasn''t worth his master''s affection at all! If he didn''t leave now, he really couldn''t promise that he wouldn''t finish what Qiu Ling had started. Heaven alone knew that he really wanted to take up a sword and ram it straight into his heart. Ah, using his own claws might actually be more rewarding.


    Leng Jin Yu tensed and took a step back. The man opposite him hadn''t moved a single muscle but he was oozing killing intent. If he stayed any longer, he really might be unable to keep his life.


    Leng Jin Yu frowned, turned away and left. He would have to find another opportunity to talk to him. Although ¡­ with how this man reacted to him, it was hard to say if it would be any different. Could it be because of the matter with Zhong Jing Yi? Was he still indignant on behalf of his king? But why had he stopped him then? He was unable to make head or tail out of this.


    Meanwhile, at the scene he had just left, the female disciples applauded. "Wah! Look at this! This Senior Xin is such a righteous person! Preventing a fight but still scolding the scumbag who dared to drive a loving couple apart!"


    "Right, right. Senior Xin is so cool!"


    "Yeah. But I''m really disappointed with senior martial brother Yu. How could he do something like this?"


    "How could he even think about it?!"


    "Honestly, I can''t believe it. I always thought senior martial brother Yu was a good guy. How come he suddenly seduced someone''s fiance?"


    "Yeah! He''s just a total scum! Everyone knows how much senior martial brother Qiu loves his fiance. He proposed to him in front of all the practitioners and even those from the other sects."


    "Right!"


    All the female disciples agreed that the senior martial brother Yu they had looked up to until now wasn''t worthy of their interest. Instead, they set their sights on another person or, well, two other people. After all, there wasn''t just the righteous Senior Xin who happened to be very good-looking as far as the exposed half of his face suggested, but also the senior martial brother Qiu who wasn''t engaged anymore. Losing senior martial brother Yu to get two new prospects, that was simply a deal worth celebrating!


    One of them hurried over to get the drop on the others. "Ah, Senior Xin! That was ¡ª"


    Xin Lan naturally didn''t wait for her to finish talking. He didn''t even glance at her before he turned around to Qiu Ling. "Don''t make unnecessary trouble!"


    Qiu Ling frowned and clenched his teeth. "What are you talking about? Unnecessary trouble? That guy seduced my beloved! Should I just take that lying low? I''ll get him back!"


    "Then go and do that but leave that person alone. This isn''t something you should meddle in." He gave him a warning look and turned around, leaving for his master''s house.


    He wouldn''t let anyone destroy his master''s happiness. He had waited long enough, he deserved it. If it was Qiu Ling preying on that man''s reincarnation, then he would go and intervene. And if it was that man''s reincarnation being too liberal in showering people with his affection ¡­ he didn''t mind eliminating each and every person that dared to fight his master for that man''s care.


    Even if that person was Qiu Ling''s beloved. After all, he didn''t care what became of the dragon race. As long as he made sure his master didn''t find out it would be alright.


    The female disciples could only sigh in regret when he left but their fervor had already cooled by half when they saw him ignore their martial sister this obviously. Shouldn''t a gentleman at least pay a basic amount of attention to a woman? That could be expected of him, right? In that case ¡­ there was still senior martial brother Qiu!


    Qiu Ling suddenly found two women at his side that were grabbing onto his sleeves.


    "Senior martial brother Qiu, don''t worry too much! Even if your fiance this time betrayed you, there are a lot of other people out there. Maybe you''ll even find somebody else you can love here in our sect."


    Qiu Ling looked at them, frowned, and shoved them out of his way. "Scram! There''s only Jing He for me!" With a huff, he turned around and returned to the roof of the house opposite of his beloved''s dwelling. He didn''t believe that his Jing He would be able to stay inside forever. Sooner or later, he would come out and then he would have another chance to woo him again!


    At the same time, another person turned away from the spot where Qiu Ling and Leng Jin Yu had just been fighting, a sinister smile on his lips. He walked until he was too far from the other disciples to be heard or seen and took out something about as big as two hands. At first glance, it looked a lot like a mirror except for the fact that it was as black as ink. He imbued his spiritual energy and the surface lit up, revealing the silhouette of another man.


    The man turned to face him and his eyes narrowed. "What? You finally have something to report?"


    "I have. And I think you''ll like the news."

 Chapter 443 - It Benefited Him

    "Hahahaha! His fiance broke up with him for another man?" Jin Ling doubled over with laughter. "I indeed like this news! Who''s the guy that managed to snatch him away?"


    "It''s a senior disciple of our sect. He''s called Yu Jin. The youngest disciple of our Sect Master."


    "Ah ¡­ I feel like I should go and congratulate him. He really did such a good thing." Jin Ling should his head, still chuckling.


    Ah, Qiu Ling should feel pretty bad now. After all, he had just thought that he had gotten his beloved back but now he had to face the bitter truth that he had lost him even more thoroughly. Rescuing him from that secret realm was one thing but if he lacked the affection ¡­ And it would get even worse if Qiu Ling really managed to kill the boy''s new lover.


    "Mn, Qiguan Cheng Da, do me a favor. Try to find out some more about this matter from that Zhong Jing Yi and if you can, fuel the conflict between the two men. Qiu Ling is already mad with jealousy. It won''t take much to make him lose all reason. As for that Yu Jin ¡­ No man likes seeing an old love of his beloved around or even hear about them. Just make sure you mention Qiu Ling and his relationship with that Zhong Jing Yi in front of him."


    "Alright." Qiguan Cheng Da smiled. "I guess that Zhong boy won''t be able to enjoy this much longer. Tch, actually baiting both the Grandmaster''s disciple and the favorite disciple of our Sect Master ¡­" He shook his head. "I really wonder what he has to make two men in such positions go crazy for him."


    Jin Ling smiled but refrained from saying anything. That mortal didn''t need to know about the true identity of that boy. If he did, wouldn''t there be a possibility of him changing his mind? After all, he had already proven that he only cared about the benefits he could get. If that Qiguan Cheng Da felt that allying himself with the Son of Heaven would be more beneficial to him, then that be too annoying. He really didn''t want to search for a new lackey for this little thing.


    "This should be all you wanted to report, shouldn''t it?"


    "Yes. Well ¡­ There was that man that stopped the fight but I don''t know if you''re interested in that."


    Jin Ling looked at his nails and sighed. "Did it seem important?" Ah, it was really too hard to find someone suitable to do his dirty work in the human realm. If only Xin Lan would come back to him ¡­


    "Well, I don''t think he''s part of the Yun Zou Sect. At least I''ve never seen him before or heard of him and I''m sure I would have if he was really one of our Elders. He was quite ¡­ conspicuous."


    "Is that so?"


    "Yes. He had white hair and wore a mask."


    Jin Ling lowered his hand, his interest sparked. "A mask?" It couldn''t be, could it? "So he had his whole face covered?"


    "No, just one half. It looked really strange."


    "Oh. That seems indeed interesting. You did well. That man could be important to us later on. Pay some attention to him too."


    "Alright. But the main focus will stay Zhong Jing Yi, right? You still want him dead, don''t you?"


    "But of course!" Jin Ling sat up straight and gave a charismatic smile. "Although not immediately. Let him suffer a bit first."


    "Mn." Qiguan Cheng Da nodded, his eyes curving into a vicious smile. "If you have any idea how to achieve that ¡­"


    "Just do what I told you for now. He''ll suffer enough if the men he seduced injure each other."


    "Alright. Then I''ll tell you when I managed to alienate them further from each other." Qiguan Cheng Da stopped imbuing his spiritual energy and kept the magical artifact. Ah, he could hardly wait to see the result of his hard work.


    With a satisfied smile, he walked to the house in the outer sect where Jing Yi still lived. Ah, just thinking about it he felt good. That Zhong Jing Yi had schemed so much to make the Grandmaster''s disciple fall in love with him but it hadn''t benefited him at all.


    The Amethyst Lightning Pill senior martial brother Qiu had manufactured for Zhong Jing Yi had instead ended up with him, making him into a peerless genius with heavenly spirit veins. And even after traveling a year with senior martial brother Qiu, Zhong Jing Yi''s cultivation base had only marginally improved, leaving him still unable to join the inner sect.


    Yes, that Zhong Jing Yi had managed to get an important mission after that due to their involvement and senior martial brother Qiu had helped him solve all issues and even assisted Zhong Jing Yi in trying to trip him. But what had been the final result? He was still the peerless genius of the Yun Zou Sect while Zhong Jing Yi had to stay in the outer sect.


    Ah, going over to secretly laugh at him wasn''t bad at all. The only nagging thing was that this boy had somehow managed to latch onto senior martial brother Yu too. Well, considering he had a somewhat nice-looking face and was shameless and debased enough to spread his legs for different men it wasn''t too surprising.


    But he wouldn''t let him succeed with this either. He would make sure that this Zhong Jing Yi would give his all to senior martial brother Yu and still be left with nothing in the end. Mn, thinking about that Jin Ling''s plan it actually wasn''t that bad. And if everything went the right way, it would benefit him even more.


    Just imagine it: If the conflict between senior martial brother Qiu and senior martial brother Yu escalated and both got heavily injured or maybe even died, then wouldn''t that mean that he would remain as the only talent of the Yun Zou Sect? And this time it wouldn''t only be in the short term until the others returned. His time it would be forever!


    Ah, Zhong Jing Yi, Zhong Jing Yi. If you had known that your dirty ways only benefited me in the end, you certainly wouldn''t have seduced so many men. But now it''s already too late.

 Chapter 444 - A Good Relationship

    Qiguan Cheng Da adjusted his expression and knocked on the door with a pleasant smile. Jing Yi opened his eyes inside the room and looked over but didn''t stand up to open. A sigh escaped his lips.


    Had Qiu Ling still not given up? Just how long would he need to ignore him before he did? Or could it be that giving him the cold shoulder wouldn''t help at all? Did he really need to be more direct? But that would hurt Qiu Ling even more, wouldn''t it?


    In front of the door, Qiguan Cheng Da frowned. What was this Zhong Jing Yi thinking? He opened his door for senior martial brother Qiu and senior martial brother Yu but not for him? Was he worth less in his eyes? But he was also one of the premier talents of the Yun Zou Sect! In fact, he was the third talent directly behind those two if one didn''t count the disciples that had been secluded for several years to cultivate.


    Qiguan Cheng Da knocked again. "Junior martial brother Zhong, are you in?"


    Inside the room, Jing Yi''s brows raised. "Senior martial brother Qiguan?" He leaped to his feet and hurried to the door, bowing as soon as he opened it. "Senior martial brother, I''m sorry for letting you wait this long. I ¡­ was cultivating just now and then when I heard you knock I thought ¡­" He sighed and motioned into the room. "Please, come in."


    Qiguan Cheng Da nodded and stepped in but when he passed Jing Yi there was a ridiculing smile on his lips. Sure, he had just been cultivating. There certainly wasn''t any other reason.


    He sat down at the table and folded his hands in his lap, taking a look at Jing Yi in the meantime. Well, after seeing him again now that a few years had passed he could at least understand why senior martial brother Yu would risk offending senior martial brother Qiu. Even though he couldn''t be described as a stunning beauty, you could at least say he looked cute.


    Qiguan Cheng Da put on a pleasant smile again. "It''s good to see you again, junior martial brother Zhong."


    "Mn, I''m also happy to be able to see you again, senior martial brother Qiguan. Do you want some tea?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da nodded and watched as Jing Yi poured him a cup of tea. "I heard that you and senior martial brother Qiu broke up."


    Jing Yi''s movements stilled, his hands trembling a little so that some of the tea spilled over. "So you heard. I wouldn''t have thought ¡­ somebody would find out so soon."


    Qiguan Cheng Da narrowed his eyes. "I''m sure half the sect knows already. Everyone is talking about it."


    Jing Yi lowered his head and frowned. Everyone was talking about it? Then Qiu Ling ¡­ Wouldn''t he always be confronted with it? He sighed and placed the cup in front of Qiguan Cheng Da. Even if he wanted to change it, he couldn''t. He couldn''t stay with Qiu Ling, not now that he knew about Tian.


    Qiguan Cheng Da used the opportunity to paint himself the good guy again. "Don''t you worry. I''m sure people will understand that you had your reasons. Nobody would talk badly about you."


    Jing Yi sighed. "Thank you but ¡­ actually, that''s not it."


    "No?" Qiguan Cheng Da raised his brows. He leaned forward and patted Jing Yi''s hand. "I can see that this is weighing on you. Maybe you''ll feel better if you talk about it?"


    "I don''t know. You probably ¡ª"


    "Don''t worry about me. We''re from the same village. Naturally, I''d support you whatever happened."


    "Thank you, senior martial brother Qiguan."


    Qiguan Cheng Da smiled even more brightly and patted Jing Yi''s hand. "It''s a matter of course. So what happened? Did you find out that you and senior martial brother Qiu weren''t suited for each other?"


    "No. That''s not it. Actually, I ¡­ I really ¡­ really liked Qiu Ling. I guess I still do even though I shouldn''t say this."


    Qiguan Cheng Da nodded sympathetically. Inwardly, he sneered. So he had been right all along. This boy had figured that senior martial brother Yu could give him more benefits since he was the favorite disciple of the Sect Master and might even take over his position in the future. On the other hand, he felt reluctant about leaving the possibilities behind that the disciple of Grandmaster Zhangsun meant to him.


    "This matter is a little complicated. I don''t know if ¡­" Jing Yi looked up questioningly. He really would have liked to talk about this with someone and Qiguan Cheng Da and he had had a good relationship before he got trapped in the secret realm. If he really didn''t mind listening, he would like to tell him about it.


    Qiguan Cheng Da sighed. "Is it that junior martial brother Zhong doesn''t trust me after being away for so long? Your matters are naturally my matters. So please, don''t hold anything back. Tell me everything."


    "Mn!" Jing Yi nodded gratefully. "This matter began shortly after senior martial brother Yu and I got trapped in the secret realm."


    "You ¡­ got closer to each other?"


    "Ah?" Jing Yi shook his head. "No, why would you think so?"


    "Well, everyone knew you were trapped together. Some of the martial brothers and sisters wondered if maybe ¡­ being together for so long with only the two of you there to depend on each other might have led to something else. It wouldn''t be surprising to develop feelings for each other in such a situation."


    Jing Yi laughed. "No, that''s not it. Senior martial brother Yu ¡­ He helped me a lot in that time and without him, I probably wouldn''t have been able to survive in that place but we didn''t fall in love with each other. But ¡­ there is somebody else." He lowered his head and rubbed the hem of his sleeve.


    "So you actually weren''t alone in the secret realm?"


    "No, we ¡­ we were. But I found something and then I remembered some things."


    "What kind of thing?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da leaned back in his seat and Jing Yi started to tell him everything that had happened in the secret realm. And at Qiguan Cheng Da''s prompting, he even told him all about the scenes he had remembered, not knowing that all this would be reported to his true lover''s archenemy and used against him.

 Chapter 445 - Caring for His Wounds

    Meanwhile, Leng Jin Yu had returned to his house or rather he had returned to the threshold of his house. He stared at the door, one hand lifted as if to open it but in the end, he didn''t go through with it.


    He glanced at his white robes that had been ripped and sullied with blood and then thought of Jinde who was still inside. He somehow felt that he couldn''t let him see this.


    "Ah, this is crazy ¡­" Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Even if he didn''t want Jinde to see this, it wasn''t like he could stand in front of his house forever. He would still have to go inside. Maybe he was lucky and Jinde wasn''t there right now.


    Thus Leng Jin Yu opened the door as quietly as possible and sneaked into his own house. Unfortunately, all his carefulness was for naught.


    Jinde had been sitting in the study, a brush in hand, the ink dutifully ground by Xin Lan before he went to Leng Jin Yu''s rescue, and an empty scroll of paper in front of him. He hadn''t been painting though, his mind flickering between the memories he had made back with Chun Yin and the appearance of Leng Jin Yu.


    He somehow didn''t know what to paint. The former face of his lover? The new one? In the end, he just sat there reminiscing about the past one moment and imagining his future the next. He was only woken from his daze when the smell of blood assailed his nose.


    Jinde sniffed and his golden brows wrinkled. It had been a long time since he smelled blood and he didn''t really want to have to do anything with it ever again. Now, this smell had somehow invaded his house.


    Jinde looked at the door and waited for the offender in front of it to knock only to witness how it was opened by a slightly pale hand. Jinde''s pupil''s contracted. This was ¡­ Leng Jin Yu?!


    He leaped to his feet and threw the brush away without caring if it was still stained with ink or not. He hastened to Leng Jin Yu''s side and grabbed his arm, stunning him into remaining on the doorstep.


    "What happened? Why ¡­" Jinde''s gaze lingered on the ripped fabric and the blood seeping into it. His heart squeezed tightly. Ah, this shouldn''t be happening! "How come you''re injured? Didn''t you just go outside for a few minutes?"


    Leng Jin Yu gulped. Jinde looked distraught. Seeing him like this ¡­ It hurt more than the injury to his shoulder. "It''s alright. It''s ¡­ it''s not my blood."


    "Not your blood?" Jinde repeated in a daze.


    Leng Jin Yu hurriedly nodded. "Yes. I''ll go change." He wanted to go but Jinde grabbed onto his sleeve. His hold wasn''t strong. Wresting out of his grip and walking away would have been easy but Leng Jin Yu couldn''t bring himself to do it. "It''s alright. It''s really ¡ª"


    "Really! Don''t try to hoodwink me!" Jinde''s chest heaved. This bastard! He actually dared to lie to him on the day they met! His grab on Leng Jin Yu''s sleeve tightened and he pulled him deeper into the house. "Let me have a look at that."


    "It''s not necessary. I ¡ª"


    Jinde stopped and whirled around. His golden eyes that had looked at him so gently before were suddenly blazing with fury, freezing the words he had wanted to say in Leng Jin Yu''s throat.


    Jinde harrumphed and pulled him into the room he had occupied the last few years. Leng Jin Yu blanked when he stepped into the familiar room. Four years ago, this had been the room he used. Now ¡­


    Jinde didn''t wait for him to adapt to the new situation. He pushed him onto the bed and before Leng Jin Yu knew what was happening, the belt he had been wearing was thrown beside him, his outer robe had fallen down to gather in a heap of fabric around his hips and his inner robe had been pulled off one of his shoulders, revealing one side of his torso. And those hands ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and gulped, shifting slightly on the bed. Alright. He obviously knew that Jinde was tending to his wound but ¡­ Why didn''t it feel like that at all?


    He cracked his eyes open and watched how Jinde cleaned the wound. He dabbed at it gently, his gaze flickering to Leng Jin Yu''s face every now and then to make sure it didn''t hurt. Their gazes finally met and both of them froze. The piece of cloth Jinde had used remained pressed against Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder, water slowly trickling down.


    Leng Jin Yu shuddered. He forced himself to take another breath and tried to calm down but with Jinde''s golden eyes in front of him ¡­ His hands trembled. He wanted to reach out. He wanted to touch him. He wanted to press him down onto the bed and show him that there was no need to worry about him, that he was still well, that he could still ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu pressed his eyes shut and cursed himself inwardly. What was he even thinking? They had only met today! And even if they hadn''t ¡­ How could he ¡­


    Jinde peered at Leng Jin Yu''s face and his tightly closed eyes. Had he seen that right just now? Leng Jin Yu had looked at him as if he wanted to make use of the situation, hadn''t he? Jinde''s gaze flickered. For a moment, he couldn''t help but think of Chun Yin.


    He could hardly say that they had done this kind of thing often considering that they had only managed to get into bed with each other for a pitiful three times despite living for so long. But Chun Yin''s way of looking at him had sometimes been just like this.


    Jinde bent forward and his fingers touched Leng Jin Yu''s torso. He was a dragon. In the face of the man he loved, he naturally wouldn''t have any inhibitions. Whatever he wanted to do to him he would let him do it.


    Unfortunately for him, Leng Jin Yu wasn''t a dragon but an ascended deity. He had grown up as a human and even now, after his ascension, the moral values they had still held him back. When Jinde touched him his muscles tensed and his eyes sprang open.


    "I ¡­ Maybe I should do this alone, after all."

 Chapter 446 - Seducing Him

    Jinde stared at the man that had half risen from the bed, his mind in a jumble. What was happening here? What had happened to the desire he had just seen in Leng Jin Yu''s eyes? Where had the predator gone he had just seen? He still wanted to become his prey!


    Jinde took a shaky breath and leaned back, his heart feeling a little empty. Was he really too old for this? Had he actually lost his sex-appeal? Was that the problem? Was it that the touch excited Leng Jin Yu but as soon as he looked at the person in front of him he felt his interest wane? Jinde''s gaze inconspicuously moved to Leng Jin Yu''s private parts. Mn, he really hadn''t gotten hard. It seemed like he had indeed been hoping for too much.


    Jinde sighed but still touched Leng Jin Yu''s arm where he hadn''t been injured. "Don''t. It''s your shoulder. How will you dress the wounds? It''s still better if you let me do it." He didn''t wait for Leng Jin Yu''s answer and just continued to clean the wound in a gentle manner.


    Leng Jin Yu was unable to reject the help. It wasn''t wrong what Jinde had said and ¡­ well, he just wanted to help. The problem was just him thinking too much. Ah, this had to stop. This person was a guest in his house. How could he have designs on him? Although ¡­ Maybe he was imagining things but it had seemed as if Jinde had detected his gaze and still not backed off? Could it be ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. This was just wishful thinking, wasn''t it? No, even if it wasn''t, he couldn''t just do something like this, could he? Never mind that he still believed the person missing from his memories was supposed to be his true love, even if there wasn''t that person, it was unthinkable to do something like this. After all, they didn''t know each other. They hadn''t even talked about what they wanted. Was this like becoming dao partners? Or was this just ¡­ giving in to primitive lust?


    Jinde took out a vial from his spatial ring and generously covered Leng Jin Yu''s wound in the medicine. "This shouldn''t take long to heal. I guess in a day or two you''ll be back to your peak state."


    Leng Jin Yu knew he shouldn''t but he once again opened his eyes to look at Jinde. His voice still sounded a little hoarse. "Two days?"


    "Mn."


    Leng Jin Yu was a little skeptical. He hadn''t looked too closely but the dragon king had dealt him a heavy hand. He would have thought it would take at least a week.


    Jinde chuckled at his doubtful expression and shoved the vial into his hands. "You can believe me. I''m probably not as strong as you but I do know my way around medicines." He couldn''t help but reach out again, his fingers stroking across Leng Jin Yu''s abdomen. "So, if you''re hurt again, just come to me. I''ll help you with it."


    Leng Jin Yu gritted his teeth and took another deep breath. "I wouldn''t want to inconvenience you."


    "It''s not an inconvenience." Jinde retracted his hand and smiled. It was seven parts gentle and three parts cunning. Even if Leng Jin Yu didn''t find him very attractive right now, he wouldn''t give up. No, he had promised to fight for him and he would. Such a prime opportunity such as this ¡­ he couldn''t let go of it!


    He settled down at Leng Jin Yu''s feet, looking up at him with his golden gaze tinged in sadness. "You know for the past years I''ve mostly been alone. There isn''t anyone to accompany me. I''ve been alone for such a long time, I almost forgot how it is to talk to another person or ¡­" Jinde''s fingers lightly brushed Leng Jin Yu''s leg before he retracted them again. He couldn''t be too obvious or he would just seem needy. That wasn''t the impression he wanted to leave Leng Jin Yu with. "Being able to stay with you like this means a lot to me. If I am able to take care of at least one of your needs ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the face in front of him and felt torn apart inwardly. Heavens! Jinde''s eyes seemed to sparkle in the sun. They were easily the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. There was no question about it. Seeing them and the small smile on Jinde''s lips he felt his heart being submerged in happiness and he immediately wanted to reassure him that yes, he would stay with him and make sure that he never again would have to suffer from loneliness.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t help but also take in the way Jinde''s golden hair fell over his shoulders, innocently exposing the line of his neck. He couldn''t fail to take in the way the white robe hugged Jinde''s body either or how the golden embroidery somehow managed to paint his figure in an even more alluring light. Seeing him like this and hearing him say that he wanted to take care of his needs ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu had no idea where it came from but the images his mind conjured up had him take in a sharp breath. Heavens! When had he developed such a side? Hadn''t he always prided himself in being able to withstand all temptation? Of being detached from the world and solely focused on cultivation? Then why ¡­ Why did he suddenly feel like he indeed had some bodily needs that wanted to be met?


    Jinde watched the subtle changes in Leng Jin Yu''s expression with interest. This man was indeed not as unassailable as he had seemed at first. Actually, he was quite susceptible to this kind of seduction. Unfortunately, his will was firm and he wouldn''t give in that easily. He needed to be more daring if he actually wanted him to give in to his desire.


    While Jinde found the direction for the next part of his plan Leng Jin Yu already reigned his thoughts in as well as he could and nodded at him. "I understand. Living in another dimension must have been difficult. Naturally, I''m willing to accompany you for a while. Why don''t we sit down and have some tea? I''m sure there are a lot of things we could talk about." And I''m sure my thoughts will be wandering less when we''re sitting opposite each other at a table instead of such an ambiguous position.


    Well, he was probably right about that. Sitting down for a cup of tea would most certainly be innocuous. At least if one of the people sitting down wasn''t trying to seduce the other.

 Chapter 447 - A Sensuous Image

    Jinde felt it to be a pity. He might not have much experience but he still knew that seducing Leng Jin Yu would probably be easiest the closer they physically were. Especially so if there was a bed involved.


    In other words, their current position was ideal for his uses. Leng Jin Yu might only be sitting but with him kneeling at his feet and leaning so close it still wasn''t bad. In fact, their position was ambiguous enough that had Sect Master Yuchi come back and walked in on them like this he would have dragged Leng Jin Yu out and given him a tongue-lashing he wouldn''t forget for the rest of his life. It just seemed a little too much as if something not so innocent might happen the very next moment and they just had had to leave the door open.


    Even though Jinde really would have liked to continue on where they were he still nodded well-behaved. A good partner should always agree to what his husband wanted, shouldn''t he? "That''s a good idea." His hand brushed Leng Jin Yu''s thigh though and his hair somehow managed to land in his lap when he stood up.


    Leng Jin Yu stared at the golden strands covering his legs and his fingers twitched. Mn, they seemed especially soft. And unfortunately, the person that had managed to place them there didn''t seem to notice at all. He just stood there and looked at Leng Jin Yu as if waiting for him to get up too so that they could go and drink that cup of tea they had talked about.


    Leng Jin Yu really didn''t know what was worse: Sitting so close to Jinde and feeling troubled by almost every word he said or trying to get out of the situation only to grow even more confused at the mere sight of his hair. Well, it was really beautiful hair ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu gulped. Since Jinde didn''t move and just waited for him he had to solve this issue himself. He reached out and grabbed it. The silky strands slid across his skin, feeling even better than he could have imagined.


    An image flashed before Leng Jin Yu''s eyes. It only lasted for a spell but it seemed to burn into his memory. He was looking at the same golden hair but it was spread messily on a bed, part of it darker than usual as if damp with sweat. And somewhere in between a slender shoulder was peeking out, showing off a noble pallor that could entice one to touch.


    Who wouldn''t want to see if this skin was indeed as soft as it seemed? Who wouldn''t want to leave his mark on this shoulder and claim this person for themselves? And there was indeed one. It was half-hidden beneath the golden hair but there was indeed a reddened spot as if someone had tasted this creamy skin.


    Leng Jin Yu hissed and his hand unconsciously shot out and grabbed Jinde''s arm, pulling him closer. Jinde stumbled forward, lost his balance and tumbled into Leng Jin Yu''s arms. His hair slipped down but he didn''t care. His eyes gleamed.


    Could it be that he had already managed to achieve his aim? Had Leng Jin Yu decided to take him? He melted into his embrace, all the bit the gentle beauty he knew Chun Yin had liked. Even though he would have liked to, he didn''t touch him in any other way. No, he had to let Leng Jin Yu make the first move. And his lover didn''t disappoint him. He hugged him to his chest, one hand ravishing his back while the other went for his shoulder, pulling at the white robe as if it was the most offensive thing he had ever seen in his life.


    Finally! Finally, they were together again and finally, his lover had decided to take this the whole way. Jinde sighed in satisfaction, closed his eyes and tilted his head back. His fingers curled around the lapel of the second half of Leng Jin Yu''s inner robe that had somehow managed to stay in place. He considered pulling it down but finally just waited. He would let Leng Jin Yu take the lead. There was still time enough for him to take action later on.


    Leng Jin Yu, on the other hand, didn''t hesitate at all. He pulled the robe from Jinde''s shoulders, ripping the white fabric in the process. The skin beneath was even paler now than in that image he had seen. A pure, snowy white, too perfect to be true. He reached for Jinde''s shoulder and tried to find the mark left there but came up with nothing. Everywhere was the same, perfect, unmarred skin.


    How could this be? There was supposed to be a mark there. His mark! How could it be missing now? Hadn''t he just left it there?!


    He bent down and greedily sucked on Jinde''s skin, seeking to once again leave proof of their union there, proof that this person was his and would be his forever. The skin reddened but he felt that it wasn''t enough. It had vanished once. He couldn''t let that happen a second time!


    He searched for another, for a better spot and finally found the tender skin between his shoulder and his neck, right above his collarbone. He kissed the spot and his tongue flicked out, licking the sensitive skin and making it show a faint flush.


    Jinde couldn''t hold back any longer. This was too much. After all this time ¡­ His body shuddered in bliss at the strangely familiar touch. One of his hands slid into Leng Jin Yu''s hair as if on its own and a moan escaped his lips. "Jin Yu ¡­"


    Hearing this name from Jinde''s lips and while he was pleasuring him no less fury rose in Leng Jin Yu''s heart and he bit down.


    "Ah!"


    Jinde''s yelp was as much born from pain as it was from pleasure but it finally woke Leng Jin Yu up. He froze and his teeth that had just clamped down instantly let go. He retracted his head and stared in horror at what he had done. Just what ¡­ had happened?

 Chapter 448 - Not Only an Adventure

    Leng Jin Yu stared at the blood oozing out from the wound. The bright red seemed even more shocking on his snowy-white skin. Had he really just bitten him? He gulped and shook his head. That wasn''t important now! He first had to help Jinde take care of the wound!


    He fumbled around and found the fabric Jinde had just used to care for his wound. He washed the blood out and pressed it onto Jinde''s shoulder to stop the flow of blood first.


    Jinde''s eyes flew open at the cold sensation and he lowered his head to take a look at what Leng Jin Yu was doing. Seeing the wet fabric on his shoulder confused him. He blinked and combed through Leng Jin Yu''s black hair to get his attention. It didn''t work too well though.


    Feeling Jinde move Leng Jin Yu froze. Ah, what was he supposed to say now? How could he explain this? "I ¡­" He looked up at him and meeting his golden gaze he felt even more unsure of how to proceed.


    "Jin Yu?" Jinde inched closer. They had been so close to the good part! He would be damned if he let him stop now! He tried to put his head on Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder but that seemed to be another wrong move.


    Seeing Jinde lean against him in a supposedly weak manner Leng Jin Yu''s bad conscience grew worse. "I''m sorry!" He hugged him and clenched his fists, cursing himself inside. How could he have done something like that?!


    He dabbed at the wound with the wet fabric and then searched for the vial Jinde had given him. If it could heal the wounds the dragon king had given him in two days, then this wound should be able to heal soon enough. He finally found the vial somewhere between their clothes. His fingers stilled when they touched the cold surface and he stared at the heap of fabric around his hips. This ¡­ They were still ¡­


    He looked up and was faced with the sight of Jinde''s snowy skin and two dots of pink still half-hidden in the robe he had pulled down half-way. Leng Jin Yu gulped. Right. How could he have bitten his shoulder if he didn''t take his robe off first? "I''m sorry," he said once more, his voice already only a whisper. He honestly didn''t know where he took the courage to say something like that from. He had imagined something like that and then descended on him like a mad beast. How could a simple apology suffice?


    Jinde observed the changes in Leng Jin Yu''s face and his lips thinned. He had thought they were on the right way but now his lover looked ashamed as if he regretted what he had done. He reached out and gently grabbed Leng Jin Yu''s chin. "What are you apologizing for? You did nothing wrong."


    "I ¡­" Leng Jin Yu looked into those eyes that seemed to say there wasn''t anything he could do wrong and he felt even worse. He hurriedly put Jinde down next to him and knelt down on the floor, his forehead heavily touching the ground. "I''m sorry! You trusted me and even cared for me when I was hurt and I tried to force you, even injuring you in the process. I really deserve death for this!" He gritted his teeth, not daring to look up at Jinde. He really deserved death. Just how could he have done that? He couldn''t understand himself anymore!


    Jinde looked at the person kneeling in front of him and a self-deprecating smile tugged at his lips. It seemed he wasn''t as seductive as he thought. Or, well, even if he was, he obviously wasn''t interesting enough to do more than this. Well, at least Leng Jin Yu properly knelt down to apologize. Thinking of Chun Yin''s way of doing things ¡­


    ''I''m sorry. It''s my fault. I was too hasty. I shouldn''t have ¡­ I''m afraid I can''t keep my promise. Not now, at least. Later. When the child ¡ª'' The thoughts Chun Yin had said back then echoed in his mind.


    Jinde clenched his fists just from remembering it. How dare he talk to him about that child? How could he even mention it in front of him?! He took a deep breath to get his emotions back under control. It was long past. This wasn''t Chun Yin anymore but Leng Jin Yu instead. And all he was doing was apologizing for the way he treated him. He shouldn''t overthink this. He shouldn''t ¡­ shouldn''t ¡­


    Jinde closed his eyes. "It''s alright. Just ¡­ Just leave me alone for a while."


    Leng Jin Yu looked up. Maybe he imagined it but Jinde looked even paler than before. "I ¡­" He reached out but finally refrained from touching him. Hadn''t he done enough? He was certainly the last person that should try to console him. Ah, but then who would? Hadn''t he been alone before? Leng Jin Yu got up but still hesitated.


    Jinde cracked his eyes open. Seeing him still stand there he couldn''t help but lift his gaze further. Leng Jin Yu still hadn''t pulled up his robe, exposing his torso up until his waist where he was barely holding the fabric together.


    Maybe he should just abandon all pretenses? Maybe he should just get up, pull his robe down and him into bed? But who knew if that wouldn''t just get him laid one time again? That wasn''t what he wanted. He wanted his lover to stay with him this time. He didn''t want to be left alone again while having to watch his lover be happy with somebody else. He didn''t want to be ¡­ an adventure for just one night again.


    Leng Jin Yu''s hands trembled. Did he imagine it? Jinde''s eyes seemed as if they were slightly reddened. So he had hurt him that much. Well, it was no wonder. Jinde had had high hopes for this. He had wished for someone to spend his time with but that person had turned out untrustworthy. Who wouldn''t feel like that? And it wasn''t just any betrayal. It was one of the worst kind.


    Leng Jin Yu hung his head. "I''m sorry!" He repeated it once more before hurrying away. He almost collided with the door on his way out and shook his head. Ah, he was too confused! He had actually thought they had left it open. Whatever. He opened it and stepped out only to freeze right away.


    Someone leaned against the opposite wall and his gaze right now screamed bloody murder.

 Chapter 449 - Somebody Better than Him

    Leng Jin Yu stared at him, his gaze wavering. What was he supposed to do now? He had to talk to this person but never mind that the other already hated him, he wasn''t in a presentable state either. "Senior Xin ¡­"


    It would have been better had he not said anything. Xin Lan already had had trouble keeping his emotions in check. When the person he wanted to rip apart actually dared to speak to him, the thin thread of rationality he had still held onto finally snapped. His nails turned into claws and he went right for Leng Jin Yu''s face.


    Leng Jin Yu wanted to dodge but he had already had trouble contending with an enraged Qiu Ling. Evading Xin Lan ¡­ The wind generated by the hit reached him and he could only tense his muscles. Well, he certainly deserved this hit.


    "Xin Lan!" The voice behind him had a certain urgency to it. "I just patched him up."


    Xin Lan halted, his claws only a hair''s breadth away from Leng Jin Yu''s face. He gnashed his teeth and finally grabbed him by the shoulder, pushing him out of the way. "You better leave now!" He stepped into the room, his chest undulating with heavy breaths, and slammed the door shut.


    Leng Jin Yu stared at the tightly closed door and felt at a loss. Just what was happening? He didn''t understand anymore. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and really left. He had no place staying here. He had already done too much.


    Inside the room, Xin Lan forced himself to calm down before walking over to Jinde''s side. He knelt down at his feet and took out another robe. "Let me help you change."


    Jinde didn''t say anything. He just looked at Xin Lan''s taut expression. This person was also very important to him. It probably wasn''t wrong to say that he was his most important person after Chun Yin. It was a pity that the two had never seen eye-to-eye.


    "Master ¡­" Xin Lan finally couldn''t take the silence any longer. "I''m sorry. I just ¡­ He hurt you. I guess I wanted to get back at him."


    "It merely stings a bit." Jinde touched the injury on his shoulder. He could hardly believe that this would be the only thing that remained of his time with Leng Jin Yu today. It certainly wasn''t what he had expected.


    Xin Lan looked at Jinde''s movement and his gaze darkened. "That''s not what I was talking about."


    Jinde sighed but didn''t answer. He only pulled the white robe up to his shoulders again.


    Xin Lan frowned. "It ripped. Why not ¡ª"


    "I don''t want to. This is ¡­ He clearly liked seeing me in this. I won''t change the robe."


    Xin Lan frowned even more. "It''s already like this. You should ¡ª"


    "Don''t tell me what to do!" Jinde leaped to his feet, his whole body trembling. He didn''t want to hear it. He didn''t want to face it.


    Xin Lan also rose to his feet. He pulled Jinde into his arms and held him, trying to stop the shivering. It only seemed to get worse though.


    "Xin Lan, just ¡­ just what am I doing wrong? Am I not beautiful enough? Not gentle enough? Is it my age or my hair or ¡­ What is it? Why doesn''t he like me? Why can''t he decide on me? He clearly wanted to take me just now! Why did he suddenly stop and even apologized for it?!" He gripped Xin Lan''s robe, his fingers crumpling the fabric. "I don''t know what I''m doing wrong ¡­" His eyes finally welled up and tears dripped down.


    Xin Lan hugged him even tighter. "It''s not your fault. It''s ¡­" It''s his fault. He thought so but he naturally couldn''t say that. It would just anger his master and he would once again defend this man. He was just that much in love. "The situation isn''t ideal. He isn''t a dragon right now. He doesn''t think like us. He probably thought he had done something wrong when he made a move on you."


    Jinde looked up, his eyes completely red and his cheeks wet with tears. Xin Lan''s heart squeezed together. He wanted to console him but he knew he wasn''t the right person for that. The only one who could ease his master''s pain was that man.


    "Why ¡­ Why did he do it in the first place then? He seemed ¡­" He took a shaky breath and tried to remember how Leng Jin Yu had looked at him. A small smile lit up his features. "He seemed to hunger for me. It was ¡­ so intense. I was sure he wanted to do it."


    "Maybe he does. Maybe ¡­ he still feels some connection with you from his previous life. You are carrying part of Chun Yin''s soul, after all. It wouldn''t be unthinkable. It''s probably just that the human way of doing things interfered with what he wanted. So he thought ¡­"


    Jinde nodded and wiped his tears away. "I''m feeling pathetic right now."


    Xin Lan just looked at him. It didn''t surprise him at all. His master had been rejected by that man once already when he thought they finally had a future together. Now, after they had been separated for a long time, he saw another chance for them only to be shut out again the moment it seemed to come true. Who wouldn''t feel cheated? "If you feel bad, then ¡­" He tightened his grip and leaned down a little, taking in Jinde''s smell in the process. His eyes shut on their own. Ah, how much he wished he could give Jinde what he desired. If only ¡­ "It''s a pity dragons can only fall in love once. You could have found somebody better."


    Jinde laughed. "There isn''t a better person than him."


    "Of course not. He''s perfect all around."


    "Mn."


    Xin Lan continued to hold him, silently cursing the bastard who had done this to the dragon race. In another era, this person could have been his. Now, he could only watch him being hurt by another man. Again. He sighed and gently rubbed Jinde''s back. "Do you feel better now?"


    "Mn. Thank you. If not for you ¡­"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "My life is yours." So whatever it was his master needed he would make sure that he got it. Even if it was the love of another man.

 Chapter 450 - The Missing Person?

    Xin Lan helped Jinde rearrange his robe and combed his hair again before silently withdrawing. His steps led to the courtyard where Leng Jin Yu was staring at the plum tree, obsessing over what had just happened.


    Leng Jin Yu still couldn''t understand how it had come to this. He had always felt himself to be a rational person, someone who wouldn''t make decisions in the spur of the moment. He never could have imagined that he would have a day when he would force himself onto someone, even going so far as to bite him.


    This wasn''t him. Not the normal him, at least. It sounded like a bad excuse but the longer he dwelt on that notion the more likely it seemed.


    From the moment he first saw him, he had felt that Jinde was somehow familiar as if he had seen him before or even known him well. When they had talked he had had these strange thoughts that didn''t match with their situation at all. He was a stranger. Why should he be the one to take care of him?


    And then that image. Sure, it could have been just his imagination. Maybe deep down he was actually such a base person and now that he had found someone who struck his fancy this part of him became visible. But he couldn''t believe that. This image had been too clear, too detailed. Such a thing couldn''t be imagined. It was more like ¡­ a memory.


    Leng Jin Yu reached up and touched one of the twigs of the plum tree. He still remembered the way the white blossoms had been blown down and caught in Jinde''s hair. Yes, that image of him lying there with his shoulder bared, that dazzling golden hair spread out like that, the strands wet with sweat ¡­ It made sense. Hadn''t he thought about that mark? He had felt like the person who had left it was him. He had been hurt that it had vanished and wanted to leave another one.


    Normally, shouldn''t it have been anger at somebody else having obtained the object of his desire? Shouldn''t he have wanted to leave his mark to offset the one somebody else left before? But that hadn''t been the case. He had clearly thought of it as the mark he himself had left.


    On the other hand, his reaction to Jinde calling out his name had been the opposite. He had been furious, furious enough to actually hurt him, because to him at that moment it had been the name of somebody else. He had clearly felt that Jinde was doing the wrong thing, that it was wrong to say that name when he was doing something like that to him. It had been a foreign name to him, not his own and he had wanted Jinde to call his name.


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. So was this indeed a memory? Had he known Jinde in his previous life? Was he the person he couldn''t remember? The one that should have been in that courtyard? In that case ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu wanted to return, to run back to that room and swoop Jinde up into his arms but he forced himself to remain in the courtyard. Even if he was right and this was a memory, it didn''t change anything. He was a stranger to Jinde. After all, he had died and been reincarnated. He wasn''t the same person any longer. The same might have been true for Jinde.


    Come to think of it, his Master had referred to Jinde as a secret expert of their sect and said that the previous Sect Master''s had known about him. So Jinde had already stayed at the Yun Zou Sect for a long time. Maybe it had truly been him, this same Jinde, that he had known and that was why he had had such a strong reaction. It wasn''t impossible.


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. If that was the case, it still left the question of why Jinde wouldn''t shake him off. As a hidden expert he should be strong enough to do that and if they had indeed been in love as deeply as he imagined them to have been, then Jinde shouldn''t be able to accept another man. So could it be that Jinde had recognized him despite his reincarnation?


    "What did you want?"


    Xin Lan''s dark voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Leng Jin Yu turned around but was unable to say anything. He wanted to bring the matter with the crown prince up but his mind only flashed the memory of how he had opened the door with his clothes not properly worn. Ah, this was probably the most embarrassing moment of his life.


    Xin Lan frowned. "What? Didn''t you want to talk to me?" He crossed his arms in front of his chest to hinder himself from attacking him again. Heaven knew he really wanted to destroy this hypocritical face.


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath and pushed his thoughts aside. He had to somehow right this man''s impression of him and then bring up the matter with the crown prince. "I''m sorry for what happened earlier, Senior Xin. It wasn''t my intention to let you see me like that."


    Xin Lan''s brows drew closer together and his lips tightened. He didn''t care at all how he had seen this person. He did care for the fact that this man had let him see his master in such a state though. What if it hadn''t been him in front of the door? Could his master''s body be seen by just anybody? Even he hadn''t dared to look at him when he helped him change!


    Leng Jin Yu looked away. He somehow felt that he was making things even worse. Who knew was his problem actually was? Maybe he should just ask directly. "Senior Xin, could it be that there is some kind of misunderstanding between us? If so, then ¡ª"


    "Get to the point. What do you want?"


    Alright. It seemed whatever misunderstanding there was it was past the point of making up.

 Chapter 451 - Do as I Say

    Seeing that he couldn''t do anything Leng Jin Yu didn''t waste time with another attempt and cut straight to the matter. "It was discovered that His Highness, the Son of Heaven, used something known as the soul-engraving dagger and the Heavenly Emperor fears that his soul might have been injured because of that. His Majesty sent me to inquire if you might be able to help in this matter."


    Xin Lan frowned. "So they want me to take a look?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and cupped his fists. "If you would."


    Xin Lan snorted. "Why would I? I don''t have anything to do with the Son of Heaven. I don''t care what happens to his soul."


    The two of them stared at each other. The leaves of the plum tree rustled in the breeze.


    Leng Jin Yu looked up, his thoughts returning to the moment he met Jinde. He sighed. Somehow, he could understand the dragon king a little better after meeting him. If he imagined that something could happen to Jinde ¡­ And they weren''t even a couple. They didn''t even know each other that well. Not in this life, at least.


    "Aren''t you part of the dragon race? The crown prince is the beloved of your king. Shouldn''t you want to make sure there is nothing wrong with his soul?"


    Xin Lan smirked. "You said it yourself. He''s his lover, not mine. If he can''t protect his lover, then he can''t expect me to do it. So if the Heavenly Emperor wants someone to take a look at his son''s soul, shouldn''t he let you ask him?"


    Leng Jin Yu hesitated. What this Senior Xin said wasn''t completely wrong but was this really how he should talk as an ally of the gods? "Senior Xin, this matter is very important to the Nine Heavens. As far as I know, you are very knowledgeable. The Son of Heaven would have the best chances if you took a look."


    Xin Lan wanted to retort but finally rubbed his brow. Whatever. This person was his master''s lover. He might not like it but he had to live with it.


    Leng Jin Yu straightened when he saw this gesture. It somehow seemed as if this Senior Xin was relenting? It couldn''t be that he was the type that was susceptible to praise, could it? He really couldn''t imagine that but he had no idea what else could have swayed him.


    Xin Lan looked up again. He didn''t look happy at all but still started to explain. "You don''t understand. Souls are fragile things. There is no way to casually take a look. That could have serious consequences for the person."


    "Which is why His Majesty had hoped you could do this."


    Xin Lan frowned. "That ¡ª" He stopped himself and took a deep breath. "It won''t change regardless of whether the person taking a look is me or not. In fact, the Heavenly Emperor might have better chances at success than I because he has a connection with the Son of Heaven that I lack. The soul is a vital part of a person. In a sense, it is even more vital than the body. Because even if you destroy the body, the soul could live on. But without a soul, the body would inevitably stop functioning and start to rot and decay. Something this important, you wouldn''t think it is just something floating around somewhere in the body, right?"


    Leng Jin Yu lowered his gaze. Honestly, he had never thought about that. But being asked like this ¡­ "That is unlikely. It should be well-protected."


    "It is. And taking a look without that person''s conscious and unconscious acquiescence will most likely end in injury. Both to the one whose soul is being examined and to the one who examines it."


    "So there is no way to make sure His Highness'' soul is undamaged?"


    "As I''ve said you''re asking the wrong person."


    Leng Jin Yu tilted his head. "You mean ¡­ we should ask Longjun?" He blinked. It would make sense. At least the crown prince and the dragon king had a close relationship. "But shouldn''t this be about as dangerous as it would be for the Heavenly Emperor to do this? Whether it''s his father or his lover ¡­ It shouldn''t make too much of a difference."


    Xin Lan huffed. "You forgot he''s a dragon."


    "Does that make a difference?" Leng Jin Yu hadn''t spent much time in the Nine Heavens compared to the mortal realm. Naturally, that time had mostly been spent on understanding the gods he had become part of.


    Xin Lan turned to look at the house. Ah, his master would have trouble being with someone who didn''t know much about the dragons. Wouldn''t this guy always misunderstand things? In the end, his master would be the one suffering because of that. He couldn''t let that happen.


    Xin Lan turned back to Leng Jin Yu and nodded. "Considering the three immortal races the dragons are the most capable in matters regarding the soul. That is because they are able to split their own souls and attach one part to their destined partner''s. Naturally, viewing a soul without damaging it is an inherent ability of theirs. Of course, this still necessitates that their partner is willing or at least doesn''t guard against it. So considering all people you could ask Longjun would still be the most suitable."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and bowed. "Thank you."


    Xin Lan murmured something that didn''t sound friendly at all but maybe the actual content wasn''t too bad. He still turned around and wanted to walk back into the house without another word. Before he stepped in he once again looked at Leng Jin Yu though.


    "Right. About the soul-engraving dagger ¡­ Don''t mention it again. Especially not here."


    "Why that?"


    Xin Lan frowned. "Just do as I say." With that, he turned back and went into the house again, leaving a confused Leng Jin Yu alone in the courtyard.


    Just why shouldn''t he mention the soul-engraving dagger again? Furthermore, how could he promise it so casually? Maybe he would be required to find out more about it. After all, even though he had told the God of War he wouldn''t return to the Nine Heavens for the time being, he was still an ascended deity and he knew that the gods and their crown prince were important to the balance in the immortal realms. He certainly couldn''t ignore this issue completely if he was able to make a difference.


    In the end, he could only shake his head. He didn''t understand this man but at least he had told him what to do next. The only problem was ¡­ How was he supposed to ask the dragon king for a favor when the man obviously wanted to kill him?


    He touched his shoulder absentmindedly, his thoughts hovering somewhere between the rage-filled expression of the dragon king and the worried face of Jinde. Mn, for now, he should make sure his injury was fully healed. In the meantime, he could try and find a way to have a civilized talk with the dragon king. Maybe he could find Zhong Jing Yi for help?

 Chapter 452 - Staying True to Him

    The person Leng Jin Yu had just thought of was still chatting amicably with Qiguan Cheng Da at this moment. Honestly, he felt like it had been the right decision to talk about his matters, especially with this person.


    He might have had the opportunity to talk about Tian with senior martial brother Yu too but that wasn''t the same. He wasn''t that familiar with senior martial brother Yu and even though he and senior martial brother Qiguan also hadn''t had much time with each other, they had a different connection thanks to the fact that they came from the same place.


    He felt this once again when he talked about his current problem. Senior martial brother Qiguan was so sympathetic. He showed a lot of concern for him and his feelings and he understood that Jing Yi had made the decision he had made in such a situation.


    Jing Yi felt that he could really count himself lucky that he had such a good friend here in the Yun Zou Sect. He didn''t want to take up too much of his time though. Thus Jing Yi finally bid farewell to him when the sun was already going down and watched him leave for the inner sect.


    He smiled and wanted to go back in when he halted. Speaking of friends ¡­ He had been gone for such a long time. He should also go and see how Shao Hai and Xiao Dong were doing, shouldn''t he?


    He looked up at the sky. Maybe it was a little late now? But he had already been back for a few days. Only thinking of them now ¡­ He wasn''t a good friend, was he?


    He sighed, went to the house where the practitioners that had arrived with Shao Hai and Xiao Dong back then were living and hurried to Shao Hai''s door. The two of them would be able to understand him. So much had happened in all these years, after all, and even though he was back at the Yun Zou Sect his thoughts were still with Tian.


    He raised his hand and knocked. A moment later, steps sounded from the other side and someone pulled the door open. The face that greeted him wasn''t Shao Hai''s though. Instead, it was that of a disciple he had never seen before.


    Jing Yi blinked. Had he gotten the door wrong? But he was sure that Shao Hai had been living here ¡­ "Ah ¡­ I''m sorry. I am searching for Shao Hai."


    The disciple frowned. "Why would you be looking for senior martial brother Shao here? I haven''t even talked to him."


    "But you do know where he lives?"


    The disciple frowned even more. "Do you think I''m an idiot? He''s an inner sect disciple. Naturally, he lives in the inner sect."


    "Inner sect disciple?" Jing Yi blanked.


    Shao Hai had become an inner sect disciple? Well, it probably figured ¡­ It had been several years already and practitioners weren''t like cultivators. They didn''t have spirit veins that determined their aptitude and limited their future possibilities.


    Naturally, there were also special body types that could make a path smoother but those were rare and not having one wouldn''t impede practitioners. As long as one dedicated a lot of time and effort to one''s training achieving a higher rank wasn''t impossible. And naturally, that also meant that their chances of becoming an inner sect disciple were generally higher than the chances a cultivator had.


    Shao Hai had wanted to become a famous practitioner. It wasn''t so strange that he had managed to become an inner sect disciple by now. "Then ¡­ what about Xiao Dong?"


    The door was slammed in his face. Jing Yi looked at it blankly and finally turned away with a sigh. It seemed this person thought he had been making fun of him. He left the house and returned to his own dwelling.


    "So Shao Hai and Xiao Dong are both inner sect disciples now. It seems I won''t be able to see them if they don''t come here." He halted in front of the window and looked out.


    As soon as he did he froze. Wait! Wasn''t that ¡­


    The head he had just seen poking out behind the roof of the house on the opposite side of the road disappeared. Jing Yi narrowed his eyes and continued to observe. If he wasn''t wrong ¡­


    Indeed. Not even five minutes had gone by when a head with black hair and a pair of equally dark eyes slowly emerged from behind the roof. The person froze when he noticed that Jing Yi was still looking over. His gaze flitted from one side to the other as if he was considering to take cover again. In the end, the rest of the head emerged and Jing Yi was greeted with a silly smile.


    He frowned and stepped away from the window, sitting down in the only corner of his room that couldn''t be seen from outside. He certainly wouldn''t allow him to do something like this!


    Jing Yi had just closed his eyes to meditate when someone knocked on the door. He sighed and looked up. "Qiu Ling, please, go. I already told you, didn''t I?"


    Qiu Ling scratched at the door. He wouldn''t accept it! "My love ¡ª"


    "No! I don''t allow you to call me that. It''s over. Can''t you understand?"


    Qiu Ling frowned and mumbled some curses. "I''m clearly much better than him." He thought of how easily he had managed to drive that guy back. How was this person fit to be his beloved''s partner? Obviously, he was a much better match!


    Jing Yi sighed, stood up and went to open the door. Ignoring Qiu Ling hadn''t worked. It seemed he wouldn''t be able to make Qiu Ling give up like this. He had to explain it to him again and make sure he understood that there was no possibility of them being together ever again.


    Unfortunately, when he opened the door a certain someone''s expression lit up. It really seemed as if he would grow flowers from his head the very next moment. Jing Yi''s heart fluttered and he had to lower his gaze.


    Ah, what was he doing? He had to stay true to Tian. So why ¡­ was his heart still fluttering when he looked at Qiu Ling?

 Chapter 453 - Make You Fall in Love Again

    Jing Yi sighed and motioned to the room behind him. "Come on in then."


    Qiu Ling''s expression lit up even more and he hurried inside, even closing the door behind him. "My love, you ¡ª"


    "No." Jing Yi lifted a hand and took a deep breath. "Qiu Ling, I already told you. I''m not in love with you anymore. We''re not a couple anymore. So don''t call me ''my love'', it''s not right. Just ¡­ call me by my name."


    "Just your name?" Qiu Ling''s expression dimmed but he soon rallied his spirits again. Whatever it was he called his beloved, as long as he could see him again it was already an achievement! He stepped closer and grabbed Jing Yi''s hands with a smile. "My Jing''er ¡ª"


    "No." Jing Yi wriggled his way out of Qiu Ling''s grasp and shook his head. "Just my name. Jing Yi. Just call me Jing Yi."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. This wasn''t romantic at all!


    Seeing his expression Jing Yi felt a major headache coming on. There really was no simple way to break up with someone like Qiu Ling. Well, he hadn''t expected anything else. Now he could only hope that Qiu Ling would understand and accept how matters were when he explained everything.


    He turned around and poured a cup of tea for Qiu Ling. "Why don''t you sit down?"


    Qiu Ling did as he was told and used the opportunity to look up at Jing Yi. His beloved had turned older in the secret realm. Right now, he was closer to Jing He''s age. Well, at least appearance-wise. Naturally, as a mortal, Jing Yi didn''t even come close to Jing He''s real age.


    As for their actual countenance ¡­ There was barely a slight resemblance. Jing He had always been beautiful, even to a degree that couldn''t be measured by human or even godly standards. Even someone of the inherently vain dragon race wouldn''t be able to disagree that Jing He was a supreme beauty. Everything about him was perfect.


    Jing Yi, on the other hand, could probably be counted as good-looking or maybe a little cute. He wasn''t as beautiful as Jing He though. There wasn''t anything wrong with his appearance but he lacked the spotless, jade-like skin of Jing He that seemed to radiate a gentle light and the deep gaze from those dark eyes. Naturally, his hair wasn''t as silky either and the color was a little off.


    If you looked at Jing He, then it was as if you were examining a beautiful portrait, painted with the best colors by the best painter the Nine Heavens had, honed to perfection. Jing Yi ¡­ Maybe it had been the best painter''s assistant that painted him and maybe the colors he used had been the remainders of what his master used. It still was a stunning portrait but next to the one the master had drawn you would naturally notice the areas where it was lacking.


    Qiu Ling still liked looking at it. The portrait was nice in its own way and if you compared the way the person on it smiled, then you would realize that it was completely unimportant who had drawn it and what he had used to do so. The most important was the object that was painted and that was still the same to him.


    This was his Jing He. Whether he knew who he was or whether he accepted that he was his, this was still his Jing He. And he would remain his Jing He forever.


    "Jing''er ¡­"


    "It''s Jing Yi." He handed Qiu Ling the cup and sat down opposite him. "Qiu Ling, I can only repeat that I''m sorry. I know this won''t change anything. I hurt you. That is unforgivable, especially since I know how much this meant to you. But I think that ¡­ rather than being with me while my heart is with somebody else, you would also prefer we split up. Maybe you''ll find somebody else you can be happy with."


    Qiu Ling just continued to look at him. Mn, his beloved truly was beautiful. He probably shouldn''t think so but this slightly ashamed expression in his eyes was so enticing. He really couldn''t resist. He wanted to touch him.


    Jing Yi''s eyebrows slightly knitted when he didn''t get a response. Well, he couldn''t expect Qiu Ling to accept it this easily when he hadn''t done so before. "I know I promised to stay with you before. I''m very sorry that I am breaking this promise. You have every right to hate me. I ¡ª"


    "I could never hate you." Qiu Ling unwaveringly gazed at Jing Yi as if he wanted to imprint the way he looked into his mind.


    Jing Yi sighed. "You could. I would understand. I really ¡­ wronged you with this. I know I should stay true to my word. I should stay with you but my heart tells me that it is the wrong thing. We''re not meant to be."


    Qiu Ling''s gaze flickered for the first time.


    Jing Yi paused and looked away. He really couldn''t take the expression Qiu Ling made right now. Ah, why did this have to happen? It would have been better had he not accepted Qiu Ling''s proposal back then. Or maybe ¡­ if he had never remembered Tian ¡­


    He shook his head. No. He couldn''t think like that. He shouldn''t consider that for even a moment. It was his luck to have remembered his lover before it was too late. It had to mean that Heaven was giving them a second chance. They were meant to be. He and Tian. Not he and Qiu Ling.


    "I''m sorry that I only realized it now and hurt your feelings in the process. But I don''t love you anymore. I love him and nothing will change about that. He is ¡­ my whole world."


    Qiu Ling''s gaze once again flickered. He didn''t like hearing this. He didn''t like it one bit. His beloved shouldn''t talk about another man like this. But he wouldn''t give up just because of this. It was just ¡­ a temporary setback. His beloved was confused because of the time they hadn''t spent with each other. Soon enough he would remember how happy they had been and then ¡­ then he would forget about that ascended deity.


    He smiled at Jing Yi when he thought of that. "Don''t worry, I can wait. If you could fall out of love with me, then you can also fall out of love with him. After that, I''ll just make you fall in love with me again."


    Mn. He would do exactly that. It couldn''t be that hard.

 Chapter 454 - Already an Inner Sect Disciple

    Jing Yi rubbed his brow. Just why was Qiu Ling so persistent? Hadn''t he already explained? "Qiu Ling ¡­" He wanted to repeat what he had just told him but seeing the determined expression on Qiu Ling''s face he knew it would be futile.


    Qiu Ling wouldn''t give up. He never would. When he decided on something then he saw it through until the end. He had really made trouble with the way he acted. How could he have gotten into a relationship with Qiu Ling so casually? How could he have promised to marry him and stay with him forever so easily?


    Now, all this came back to bite him and the worst thing was that he only had to bear a bad conscience while Qiu Ling was the one who truly suffered. Maybe Qiu Ling would never find happiness because of his hasty decisions. After all, he wasn''t a man that reconsidered easily.


    He wouldn''t have fallen in love with him if his previous lover hadn''t died. He might not give up on him as long as he was still alive. That was indeed possible. Telling him how much he loved Tian wouldn''t change that. Especially not now that Tian wasn''t at his side. If he saw them together ¡­ But, well, that was impossible. He didn''t even know where Tian was at the moment.


    Well, that might be good too. As much as he missed him and wanted to return into his arms if Qiu Ling had to see them together every day, it might be even worse for him. That wouldn''t be right either. Most likely, it would be best if he found a way to not see him in the near future at all. Who knew? Maybe Qiu Ling''s feelings would dim with some time?


    He cleared his throat and picked up his tea. "You know I found out that Shao Hai and Xiao Dong have already become disciples of the inner sect. They have made tremendous progress. I think that for the time being I should put my focus on cultivation and try to be more like them."


    "You''re great the way you are."


    Jing Yi didn''t know how to react to Qiu Ling''s almost instinctual sweet-talking. He sipped his tea before placing the cup down again. "I also want to become an inner sect disciple. I want to further my cultivation and ascend one day. So ¡­"


    Qiu Ling leaped up and clenched his fists. "So I should go and help you! Didn''t my Master promise that you would become a disciple of the inner sect when we did that mission in that Hei Dian Sect? We already finished it so you should already be an inner sect disciple. I can''t believe they forgot about it! But don''t worry. Your fiance will hurry over and remind them!" With that, he hurried out of the door and disappeared.


    Jing Yi had no time to react. When he managed to open his lips to retort he could only blink at the door and sigh. "I''m not your fiance though. I''m not even your lover anymore. And I don''t want you to take care of this either. I want to become part of the inner sect myself, through my own effort." Well, he couldn''t believe that Grandmaster Zhangsun and the Sect Master would just agree. Especially since they certainly knew that Qiu Ling and he had split up.


    Well, Jing Yi was still underestimating his lover. Even if the Grandmaster and Sect Master had heard of their break up and refused to make Jing Yi an inner sect disciple because of it, would he just accept it? Of course not! He was fully prepared to cause a ruckus in the Yun Zou Sect until his beloved got his wish.


    His first destination was his Master''s palace. As always he stormed right in and didn''t mind slamming some doors on the way to announce his presence.


    Indeed. In the deeper recesses of the palace, Zhangsun Xun Yi who had been meditating cracked his eyes open. So his disciple had finally returned and it seemed he had come to demand something again.


    A moment later, Qiu Ling stopped in front of him and knelt down, peering at his half-opened eyes. "Master! Your disciple returned! Do you remember how you promised that when Jing''er did that mission at that strange sect he would become a disciple of the inner sect so we could marry? Well, he already did but then he was imprisoned in that terrible secret realm so it couldn''t happen. But now he''s back. Actually, he already has been back for a few days but nothing has happened. Why isn''t he in the inner sect yet? I still want to marry him!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi opened his eyes completely. As he had thought. His disciple only ever came running to him when he wanted something. And the only reason he wanted something was that boy from the outer sect.


    "That seems true. Let me write a letter for you."


    Qiu Ling blinked. "I don''t need a letter. Just make Jing''er a part of the inner sect."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t bother to explain and went to write the letter. Qiu Ling trailed after him with his lips pursed. Why was his Master doing this? Couldn''t he hurry up and make his beloved an inner sect disciple already? Then his beloved would be grateful and remember all the other things he had done for him before! And when he did wouldn''t he realize what a good partner he was?


    Mn, maybe he should also remind him of what he had done previously? His beloved still didn''t know that he had been the one to save his mother, right? That should impress his beloved, right? Mn, that sounded logical. He should definitely bring it up!


    While Qiu Ling was planning how to get his beloved back Zhangsun Xun Yi finished writing the letter. He handed it to Qiu Ling.


    "Bring this to the Sect Master."


    "And then he''ll make Jing''er into an inner sect disciple?" Qiu Ling''s expression lit up. Ah, this was great! Now his plan would definitely work out!


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "He should. Although ¡ª" He wanted to remind his disciple that there might be some discussion about it but before he had time to finish his sentence Qiu Ling had already run out again. Ah, never mind. His disciple would find out on his own.

 Chapter 455 - What an Inner Sect Disciple Needs

    Qiu Ling didn''t consider that it was getting late already and barged right into the Sect Master''s palace. He even ignored the disciples that were on watch at the gate and made his way into Yuchi Bing Xia''s study.


    "Sect Master!"


    Yuchi Bing Xia dropped the brush he had been holding and ink smeared across the document he had been working on. With an incredulous gaze, he looked up to find out who was responsible for this mess. Seeing the long-lost disciple of Grandmaster Zhangsun he stopped caring about the mess. "Qiu Ling!" Ah, getting a talent back was so much more important!


    "Mn! Sect Master, I brought you a letter from my Master!" Qiu Ling pretended to be a good disciple and handed the letter over before he sat down. His fingers drummed on the armrest of the chair though. Couldn''t this guy hurry up with reading the letter? He wanted to go back to his beloved to bring him the great news!


    Yuchi Bing Xia hadn''t even opened the letter by that time. Hearing the fast rhythm of Qiu Ling''s fingers drumming on the wood his heart sank. It couldn''t be that something grave had happened so that time was of the essence, right? How bad could it be now that not only Yu Jin but even Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple had come back? Or ¡­ could it be that Yu Jin had indeed angered the beautiful god in his house and now he had turned against them? Or killed his disciple?!


    He hastily opened the letter and started reading with furrowed brows. Soon enough his expression blanked. This ¡­ What was happening here? It didn''t have anything to do with the beautiful god or the future of the sect. It was just asking him to raise the disciple Zhong Jing Yi from an outer to an inner sect disciple!


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s brows twitched. He wasn''t as reclusive as Zhangsun Xun Yi. He also knew about the rumors abound in the sect. "Qiu Ling, say, didn''t Zhong Jing Yi and you break up? Why should he still be raised to the status of an inner sect disciple? That was planned to have your status match so you could marry without trouble, wasn''t it?"


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Who said we''re not going to marry? We are! He loves me. He just doesn''t realize it yet. And what does this have to do with each other anyway? He did what you said, so make him an inner sect disciple already!"


    "Qiu Ling, Zhong Jing Yi has full spirit veins. His aptitude is extremely low. Raising him to the inner sect was something we only proposed since the two of you wanted to marry. Since that isn''t going to happen there is no need to do anything. He doesn''t have the talent to ¡ª"


    "Shut up! I already told you we will definitely marry! We didn''t break up at all. Jing''er is just ¡­ confused. And it''s your disciple''s fault anyway! So don''t try to wriggle your way out of this!"


    Yuchi Bing Xia stared at the disciple in front of him. This was probably the rudest he had been treated in the last few thousand years. This person really had guts! Well, he was the Grandmaster''s disciple and a great talent so he could act like this. The Yun Zou Sect really needed such people. Especially in this situation.


    Ah, and he was young and in love. Who hadn''t done something stupid when they fell in love for the first time? Speaking of that ¡­ What might his Yu Jin be doing right now? Had he already thought of an excuse to get away from the beautiful god? He had to find one fast or it would be too late. The more time he spent with him, the more troublesome this issue would get.


    Anyway, this was about that Zhong Jing Yi now. Well, Yu Jin obviously wasn''t completely unrelated although he couldn''t imagine that Zhong Jing Yi''s feelings were reciprocated. Yu Jin wasn''t like that. He might get confused in front of the beautiful god but certainly not in front of some youth. Especially when he knew that said youth was already engaged.


    Well, whatever had happened in the secret realm it didn''t matter to Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple. It seemed he was intent on having Zhong Jing Yi be made into an inner sect disciple. Yuchi Bing Xia sighed and stood up. This person was one of their foremost talents. If he wanted the youth to become an inner sect disciple, then the youth would become an inner sect disciple.


    At the end of the day, it wouldn''t cost the Yun Zou Sect anything. And hadn''t Yu Jin said that the youth had managed to reach the third stage? That was already very good for someone with full spirit veins. Who knew? Maybe he would surprise all of them and manage to advance even further.


    "What are you doing?" Qiu Ling eyed the Sect Master warily.


    "Didn''t you say you want Zhong Jing Yi to become an inner sect disciple? He''ll need a jade pendant and a new robe, won''t he?"


    "Will he?" Qiu Ling blinked. He honestly had no idea how things worked in the Yun Zou Sect even though he had officially been a disciple for over ten years.


    Yuchi Bing Xia took a look at the black robe Qiu Ling wore and sighed. One of their foremost talents wasn''t wearing the official robe of their sect and instead looked more like a demonic cultivator. No wonder the Yun Zou Sect had dropped to the status of a second-grade sect. Would they ever manage to rise to the first rank again? "Yes, he will. I have some jade pendants with me but no robes. So let''s get him one."


    Hearing the Sect Master finally agree to fulfill Jing Yi''s wish, Qiu Ling happily followed him to the storage where the robes for the disciples and the jade pendants were stored together with most resources of the sect.


    Mn, was there something else his beloved could need? He looked around but he had no idea what those plants were and the other things mostly were some human stuff too. He really didn''t know what to take. Mn, he should have Fu Min or An Bai take a look at this and choose something.


    Eh, come to think of it, could it be he had left Fu Min and Fu Heng in the demon realm?

 Chapter 456 - Strange Conversations

    Fu Min and Fu Heng were indeed still in the demon realm. They didn''t really have a mission though since Xin Lan had already solved the issue that had led them there in the first place and Qiu Ling hadn''t given them another task even though he hadn''t let them return. Ah, they really were so pitiful!


    Fu Min pursed his lips and stared at his cup of tea while Fu Heng sat on the other side of the table with a deadpan expression and polished his blade. His gaze wasn''t really on the weapon though. Mn, he certainly didn''t mind spending some time with Fu Min. Following His Majesty was really the best path he could have taken.


    Fu Min finally couldn''t take it any longer. He hated Fu Heng''s guts but he was the only other dragon around and sitting there in silence wasn''t to his liking at all. "I heard that the demon king is having some strange conversations recently."


    "Oh." Fu Heng nodded but failed to ask further.


    Fu Min frowned. Ah, why hadn''t His Majesty sent Xiang Yong with him? Or even sent Senior Xin back? He would have loved to be on a mission with Senior Xin!


    As if he was able to read Fu Min''s thoughts, Fu Heng halted in his movement. He observed his expression and also frowned. This guy was thinking of somebody else again! He put his blade down and poured himself a cup of tea too. He had to divert his attention somehow. "So what''s so strange about them?"


    Fu Min instantly smiled smugly. "Well ¡­ Have you heard of the demons'' black crystal glass?"


    "Isn''t that a stone they extract?"


    "Yes!" Fu Min leaned forward, his eyes glowing. "It is. It''s actually not that uncommon but it''s hard to use. Only some demons of upper ranks would have things made out of this black crystal glass. Naturally, the demon king is one of them."


    "His conversations?"


    "Don''t be so impatient! I haven''t even told you about the features of the material! You have to know that if the crystal glass is manufactured a certain way it can be used to communicate. It''s quite similar to transmission stones just that it''s more like looking into a mirror. Well, using the material like this is extremely wasteful. So you can imagine just how many demons will have such a thing."


    "The demon king?"


    Fu Min grumbled. This wasn''t fun at all! Well, at least Fu Heng didn''t know about the best part yet. "Yes! He does! And here''s the strange thing: He is actually using it to communicate with someone who isn''t in the immortal realms."


    Fu Heng stared at him. He didn''t understand what was so special about this. His Majesty wasn''t in the immortal realms either right now. How else would they reach him if not through the transmission stones? That was their use, after all.


    "If what I heard is true, then that person he is talking with is a human man!"


    "Addition to his harem?"


    "I''m not sure." Fu Min knitted his brows. "Maybe we should take a closer look into this matter?"


    Fu Heng nodded. "We have nothing else to do."


    "Alright, then let''s go!" Fu Min leaped to his feet and grabbed Fu Heng''s arm, pulling him up and toward the door.


    Fu Heng hurriedly grabbed his blade and secured it on his back before following him out. Mn, this wasn''t too bad. Hopefully, the demon king wouldn''t have one of these conversations too soon again. Then they could spend some more time together.


    Unfortunately for him, just when they had managed to infiltrate the demon king''s palace Jin Ling was holding the mirror made of black crystal glass and listened to what Qiguan Cheng Da had heard from Jing Yi. Then again Fu Heng''s luck was also quite good because Qiguan Cheng Da had already recounted everything of importance and the two of them were already wrapping up their conversation, making it impossible for the two dragons to understand what was going on.


    At that moment, Jin Ling narrowed his eyes. "What a sad story. He must be suffering very, very much inside. Maybe ¡­ I should send some help."


    The person that could be seen in the mirror narrowed his eyes just the same. "You wouldn''t change your stance because of this nonsense, would you?"


    Jin Ling''s lips curved up in an enchanting smile. "But of course not. I''m just genuinely sad for his sake and think that he should be put out of his misery. Isn''t that what you want too? After all, that would also make him leave the sect."


    Qiguan Cheng Da tightened his lips. "As long as you remember."


    "Mn. Try to find out some more details. I''ll make a plan then."


    Qiguan Cheng Da wanted to retort and tell him to make one now but he finally reconsidered. Until now, this person hadn''t disappointed him. He should at least wait a little longer. He wouldn''t lose out even if he did. In the worst case, he would just have to deal with Zhong Jing Yi on his own.


    He nodded and capped the connection, making the surface of the mirror go black again.


    Jin Ling just smiled. Mn, this wasn''t too bad. If he went about this in the right way, he would be able to completely crush Qiu Ling. "What if ¡­ Tian was indeed a demon?" He chuckled and stood up, leaving for the inner chambers of his palace.


    In a corner, Fu Min snorted. "This guy is completely nuts! How could Tian have been a demon? He''s Heaven himself! How could he be part of any of the three immortal races?"


    Fu Heng murmured a few indistinguishable words while his gaze remained fixed on the person crouching next to him. Mn, this kind of mission wasn''t bad at all.


    Fu Min continued to ponder the issue of Jin Ling''s strange conversations. "I don''t know what all this is about. Talking with a human man, mentioning Tian ¡­ Or could it be the Tian he mentioned isn''t that Tian? If this is about the humans, then maybe there is someone called Tian there?" He turned to Fu Heng but the guy was looking at him as stoic as ever. Fu Min pouted. "You''re not helping at all! What if this is important?"


    "Then we should continue to observe."


    "Tch, as if I didn''t know that myself! Come on, let''s go." He stood up and grabbed the front of Fu Heng''s robe, pulling him along.

 Chapter 457 - It’s a Pity

    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, Qiu Ling had finally gotten his hands on the robe and jade pendant. He had even acquired a basic cultivation manual that was originally meant for those disciples that had high aptitudes and became part of the inner sect when they arrived. He knew his Jing He already had that manual from his Master but he figured that having a second one couldn''t do any damage so he just grabbed it when Yuchi Bing Xia said that new disciples normally got them. If he didn''t need it, he could still throw it away.


    With his spoils in hand, Qiu Ling flew back to the house where Jing Yi lived. He didn''t care that it had already become dark by now. His beloved would certainly wait for him!


    Indeed. When Qiu Ling knocked on the door, it was immediately opened. Jing Yi didn''t look too happy though. Qiu Ling''s smile faltered but he didn''t stay downcast for long. He had managed to get his beloved into the inner sect! Jing Yi would certainly forgive him now!


    "My love, I got your things for you!" He put everything down on the table and turned to Jing Yi with an expression asking for praise.


    Jing Yi only rubbed his brow. He didn''t even know where to begin. He had always known that Qiu Ling was a little ¡­ strange in some regards but why had he never noticed that he was actually this troublesome? "Didn''t we talk about what you should call me already?"


    Qiu Ling blinked, stepped forward and grabbed Jing Yi''s hands. With a very earnest expression, he looked into his eyes and smiled. "My love!"


    Jing Yi frowned but a certain someone shamelessly reached out and rubbed at the spot between his brows.


    "Why are you frowning, my love? If you don''t feel well, just say so! I will do everything I can to make you more comfortable!"


    "How about ¡ª"


    "A cup of tea? Very well!" Qiu Ling let go of him, poured a cup of tea and stuffed it into his hands.


    Jing Yi looked at it with a troubled expression. "That wasn''t what I wanted to say and you know that fully well."


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. He might know but he definitely wouldn''t admit it! As long as he didn''t admit to it he could pester Jing Yi and with time, his beloved would certainly remember all their happy times and relent. And then ¡­ he would beat that Yu Jin or whatever up and finally marry his Jing He!


    Jing Yi sighed and gave up. He also knew that Qiu Ling was quite unorthodox in regard to these things. If it made him feel less terrible, then there probably wasn''t any harm in allowing him to continue like this. Tian would understand it. For now, it was more important to solve the issue at hand.


    "Qiu Ling, about me becoming a disciple of the inner sect ¡­"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Mn! Everything is done already. You can just start wearing the robe and that jade tomorrow."


    "No, I can''t."


    Qiu Ling blinked and looked at the things he had brought over. "Can''t? But I did get the right size. You haven''t grown by much in the last few years. Alright, I can understand if you don''t like them. The fabric is really ¡­ ugh. And that jade looks so cheap. How about I get you something of better quality that looks better?" Qiu Ling''s eyes sparkled at the prospect of doing something for his beloved. Ah, wasn''t this another chance he had gotten?! Heaven was so nice to him!


    Jing Yi just frowned. "That''s not it. I meant that I can''t just become a disciple of the inner sect. They did this because of you not because I earned this status. And as long as that is the case I can''t wear this robe and jade. So, please, bring them back and tell the Sect Master that I''m sorry he was bothered because of this."


    Qiu Ling also frowned. "How could that be? This had nothing to do with me! I just went and talked to them. It''s all because of your own effort! Look, didn''t they say you''d become an inner sect disciple when we solve that mission? I merely reminded them and then they gave me your things. They probably forgot about it because it had been so long. So you can''t just give it back. You wouldn''t want to reject the reward of your hard work, would you?"


    Jing Yi observed Qiu Ling''s downcast expression. If he looked at him like this, he could almost believe that his words were true. "But the mission turned out completely different than expected. There was no conspiracy of the evil sects. It was just two women who ran away from their sects because of love and ¡­ well, their family. We only needed a few weeks to figure that out! The sect would hardly let me become an inner sect disciple because of that, would it?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. "Ah? But they said so! And, well, before that you also cultivated to that stage they wanted. Maybe they finally realized that you''ve done enough."


    Jing Yi''s expression softened when he saw Qiu Ling argue on his behalf like that. It seemed he truly believed what he said. Even if the Sect Master had only let him become an inner sect disciple because Qiu Ling asked, it wasn''t Qiu Ling''s fault either. He shouldn''t make things difficult for him.


    "Maybe you''re right. Thank you."


    Qiu Ling beamed and stepped forward again, grabbing Jing Yi''s hands once more. "How about giving me a kiss as a reward?" He pursed his lips in preparation and bent down just in case his beloved really agreed or even wavered. He couldn''t let that opportunity slip by!


    Jing Yi stared at the familiar face with that silly expression and his heart squeezed painfully. Qiu Ling was a great man. Even if he was a bit silly sometimes, he would always take the time to listen and do whatever he thought necessary to help him. He was charming and gentle and faithful and he didn''t deserve to be treated this way at all.


    Jing Yi cupped Qiu Ling''s face and tiptoed, carefully kissing his cheek. "I''m sorry. I truly am but in this life, I can''t be with you. It''s impossible."


    It''s a pity.

 Chapter 458 - Two Lovebirds

    Qiu Ling peered at Jing Yi''s expression. It seemed like ¡­ his beloved wasn''t too happy? But this wasn''t the same unhappiness he had shown before. Earlier, he had clearly felt troubled because of his presence and might even have considered to throw him out. But now ¡­ He looked a little hurt.


    But why? He hadn''t done anything too overboard, had he? He pondered the issue and found himself to be blameless. So that left the question why his beloved was troubled now. Could it be he regretted his decision to split up with him?


    Qiu Ling''s eyes gleamed. That had to be it! After all, why else would he kiss his cheek? And he had even shown such a sad expression and touched him so gently. This could only mean that he was still very much in love with him!


    Mn, maybe he actually didn''t want to be with that Yu Jin but something had forced him to do so? Oh, no! Could it be something had happened in the secret realm?! Qiu Ling''s gaze flitted about while he decided on his course of action. He should definitely go and break some bones! But before that ¡­


    Qiu Ling blinked and took Jing Yi''s hands again, making sure he was as careful as possible. Whatever had happened to his beloved it wouldn''t change the way he saw him. His Jing He would always be the most beautiful, most gentle, most perfect person in his mind.


    Jing Yi''s heart thumped. Why ¡­ was Qiu Ling looking at him like this? And why was he so gentle? It was really ¡­ hard to shake him off if he was so gentle. Even more so than before. "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "My love, don''t you worry. I''ll always be at your side. Now ¡­" Qiu Ling smiled smugly. "Since you don''t want to give me a kiss as a reward, how about giving me one as compensation? You know it was really hard to fly all the way to my Master''s palace and wait for him to write that letter, and then even fly to the Sect Master too before he went to gather the stuff you would need. The whole time I was suffering because of my longing for you! So some compensation would be appropriate, don''t you think?"


    Jing Yi had the crazy urge to do what Qiu Ling had just proposed. He could even imagine himself smile but he hurriedly shook his head. No! He couldn''t do this. Tian was still waiting for him. He couldn''t ¡­ grow weak in front of Qiu Ling.


    "No. I''ve already told you, haven''t I? I don''t love you anymore. I''m in love with somebody else."


    Qiu Ling shushed him. "Don''t say that. I''m talking about compensation. That shouldn''t be asking too much."


    "I ¡­ I already kissed your cheek!"


    Qiu Ling pouted. "But I want a kiss on the lips!"


    "You ¡­" Jing Yi didn''t know what to say any longer.


    "Mn, you don''t need to say anything else. I know, actually, I''m the most important to you so just ''you'' will suffice!" He smiled brightly and leaned forward but unfortunately found a hand in his face the next moment. It seemed like he wouldn''t get that kiss on the lips today. Ah, well, there were still other days. At least his beloved was talking to him again.


    Qiu Ling leaned back as if he was a very well-behaved person and blinked at Jing Yi, making him lower his guard. "Then, I should probably leave you alone now. It''s already late. You probably want to cultivate again."


    Jing Yi furrowed his brows. So Qiu Ling had really been spying on him the last few days. He knew exactly what he had done. "Qiu Ling ¡ª"


    "Mn! I''m also wishing you a good night!" Qiu Ling leaned down as quick as lightning and kissed Jing Yi on the forehead. Then he ran out of the door and vanished.


    Jing Yi stared at his leaving figure and touched his brow. Actually, he had wanted to bid farewell to Qiu Ling with that kiss on his cheek. But now ¡­ Wouldn''t it rather seem as if he wasn''t completely sure about their break-up? He had to find a way to make it clear to him once and for all or Qiu Ling would only suffer more later on.


    Meanwhile, Qiu Ling hurried to a spot not far from the house and took out a transmission stone. His beloved was already wavering, he could feel it. Now was the time to press his advantage and make him reconsider his decision!


    He imbued some of his spiritual energy into the stone and waited for Fu Min''s response. This guy had always had good ideas regarding how he could woo his beloved. He would certainly have another one now!


    A pale apparition finally appeared above the stone. Unfortunately ¡­ the person it showed wasn''t Fu Min.


    Qiu Ling stared at the other man and frowned. "Why do you have this transmission stone?"


    The other smiled happily. "My dear brother, you won''t believe this but I somehow happened upon two lovebirds sneaking around in my palace. Both of them had such stones and since I felt that it''s such a pity that the two of us didn''t talk in a long time I collected both of them. And look at this: Not even an hour has gone by and you already contacted me! Isn''t this such a coincidence?"


    Qiu Ling didn''t answer but his hand clenched into a fist. This bastard! It really was like him to do such a thing. And he actually had to do it at a time like this! How would he go about getting his beloved back now?!


    "Speaking of lovebirds ¡­ I heard the Son of Heaven rejected you for another man." Jin Ling lifted a hand and took a look at his nails as if this was a matter that wasn''t of much importance. "Ah, that must have stung. The mighty, handsome dragon king ¡­ dumped for another man. Mn, maybe I''m better looking than you, after all." He laughed, combing his copper-colored hair back. Ah, making fun of this bastard was just too much fun!


    Qiu Ling glared at the apparition and flung the stone away, cutting off the connection. Argh, this bastard! He hated him! If he didn''t get his beloved back, it would all be this guy''s fault!


    Qiu Ling ran to get the stone back and turned around. There was only one thing he could do now! He needed to get help. Thankfully, he knew exactly the right person for that!

 Chapter 459 - A Frivolous Painting, a Love Confession

    At the same time, Leng Jin Yu returned into his house. He still didn''t know how to approach the dragon king. Even his initial idea of asking Zhong Jing Yi for help didn''t seem doable after he thought about it for a while. The youth was the reason why Longjun hated him so much. If he brought him into this, it would only make matters worse. No, he needed to find another approach.


    He went to the study and sat down at the desk, habitually taking out a scroll of paper and grinding the ink. When he dipped the brush into it and wanted to start drawing he noticed that he didn''t know what to paint though. It hadn''t been long since he returned from the secret realm and a lot had happened so he probably shouldn''t be surprised that he hadn''t remembered anything.


    His mind conjured up an image and Leng Jin Yu coughed. Alright. He shouldn''t say he hadn''t remembered anything. It was just ¡­ He peeked at the door but nobody could be seen. It would be strange if Jinde came by right this moment, wouldn''t it? He had experienced something like that. He probably wanted to rest for a while and not see him. So ¡­ it shouldn''t be a problem.


    Leng Jin Yu coughed. "I''ve always painted what I remembered. I''m doing this just to sort my memories and see if I can call out some more. There''s nothing more to it."


    With another look to the door, Leng Jin Yu concentrated on the paper scroll and started to paint. The black lines soon combined to show the silhouette of a person or rather part of a person.


    The longer Leng Jin Yu dwelt on what he had seen the clearer it seemed to get. It wasn''t unlike with the courtyard so he could almost say with certainty that, yes, Jinde was the person from his past life. He hadn''t just imagined something because he desired him. There really had been something like that. They had indeed spent that night together.


    Leng Jin Yu put the brush aside when he had finished, picked up the painting and examined it. Mn, Jinde really was ¡­


    He grimaced when he noticed just where his thoughts had gone. This wasn''t right! He was supposed to think about the memory, not relish in Jinde''s appearance! Although it really was difficult. Jinde was a first-class beauty. Don''t mention the mortal realm, even in the Nine Heavens he had never seen someone like him. And it wasn''t just his outer appearance. The way he smiled and how his eyes twinkled as if trying to tell him of the thoughts going through his mind ¡­


    "Jin Yu?"


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu nodded. Yes, he would really give a lot to be the person on his mind. Being in this situation and hearing him whisper his name would certainly be very sweet.


    "It turns out you''re really talented with the brush."


    Leng Jin Yu froze. Had he just ¡­ felt a person''s breath on his cheek? He mechanically turned around and came face to face with Jinde. He hastily scrambled to put the painting away but in his frenzy, he actually dropped it.


    Jinde managed to pick it up and admiringly held it up while taking a few steps away. Leng Jin Yu leaped to his feet and hurried after him.


    "It''s not what it looks like!"


    Jinde turned his head to look at him, still a smile on his lips although Leng Jin Yu couldn''t say for sure if it was condescending or teasing or maybe just innocent? It couldn''t be that he hadn''t recognized himself, could it? Well, there wasn''t much to see of his face since he hadn''t remembered that. In fact, his neck and chin were slightly blurred. As much as he had tried to clear his mind of any extraneous thoughts his memory just hadn''t wanted to grace him with a clear view of this beautiful face.


    Jinde held the painting a little further away. "It''s not? But I thought it looked like a lovely painting."


    "Lovely?" Leng Jin Yu wanted to reach over and take it from him but he was afraid that his actions would make even more obvious how uncomfortable he felt.


    "Mn. It''s painted with so much detail. Just look at the way the hair falls down the shoulders and curls where it is damp from the sweat as if this was something the painter had really seen. Or no, not just seen. He must have observed it. He must have lain next to him and studied him for a very, very long time and each detail must have been ingrained in his mind, maybe even into his soul. Isn''t that something you would only do if you loved the other more than everything else? So, how isn''t this a lovely painting?"


    Leng Jin Yu watched Jinde''s profile. Somehow, a frivolous painting of him seemed to have turned into a love confession. Somehow, the person in question had leaned on him and was now resting in his embrace. Leng Jin Yu blinked. Without conscious thought, he had even put an arm around his waist. Just what was happening here?


    "Jin Yu ¡­" Jinde pushed the painting over and Leng Jin Yu caught it reflexively. "I wanted to talk to you."


    "Of course!" Leng Jin Yu made the painting float onto the table as carefully as he could. Now that Jinde had already seen it and didn''t have any problem with it, he certainly wouldn''t let it go to waste!


    "It''s about earlier. I had the feeling that ¡­ you blamed yourself very much because of what happened."


    "I should."


    "No ¡­" Jinde slightly moved in his arms and lifted an arm, the back of his hand gently knocking his shoulder. "You shouldn''t. Actually, I don''t blame you at all so why should you blame yourself?"


    "You''re too kind." Leng Jin Yu reached up and held onto his hand. Jinde''s fingers were slightly cold and he couldn''t help but rub them.


    As if on cue Jinde''s cheeks reddened. "The truth is ¡­ the reason I wanted to be alone afterward wasn''t because you hurt me. I was just ¡­ surprised and ¡­ maybe a little overwhelmed. You might not be able to understand this but ¡­" He sighed. "I was afraid to tell you before but I felt very good in your arms and that made me question myself for a while."

 Chapter 460 - A Night Or Two Won’t Suffice

    Leng Jin Yu took a shaky breath. Had he really just heard that? "I ¡­ I''m afraid I don''t understand."


    Jinde looked at him with sad eyes. "Maybe it''s better if you don''t. I myself was shocked. How much worse would it be for you who doesn''t know me yet? I wouldn''t want you to think that I''m impressionable or even easy."


    Leng Jin Yu''s breath hitched again. Alright. He couldn''t get any more direct, could he? "I ¡­ would never."


    "Mn. I also can''t believe you would be so quick to judge." Jinde leaned his head back until it came to lie on Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder. A few strands of his hair slipped to the side and fell down Leng Jin Yu''s back.


    He shuddered and his grip around Jinde''s waist tightened. This person, he really didn''t understand how he deserved his feelings. His thoughts about Jinde obviously weren''t as pure as they should be. Well, he wouldn''t think badly about Jinde because of that though. He was rather questioning his own morals. Even now ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu turned to look at him and gulped. Ah, those golden eyes ¡­ That gentle gaze ¡­ "Jinde ¡­" He tightened his grip on him. "I ¡­ I really didn''t want to bite you."


    Jinde''s lips hooked up. So, he had only wanted to kiss and strip him? That was alright with him too. "I know that. It just happened ¡­ on the spur of the moment. As I said I didn''t mind at all. So ¡­ What about you?"


    "Me?"


    "Mn. Do you mind ¡­ what I said before? Will it change how we treat each other?"


    "That ¡­" Leng Jin Yu gulped. What was he supposed to say now? Naturally, he wouldn''t think any less of Jinde. But, of course, this didn''t mean that it wouldn''t change the way he saw him either. Naturally, he would! If he understood correctly, then Jinde ¡­ liked him? So their feelings were mutual and nothing to be ashamed of?


    Jinde''s eyes narrowed. It couldn''t be that his plan had backfired, could it? Hmph. This guy was really such a tough nut to crack. Well, if it was like that, then he had to try a little harder.


    "Jin Yu. If you can''t accept my regards, then I can handle that. You can just say so. I just want you to know that you are the only person I''ve ever felt for like this." Jinde turned in his arms and his hands gently rubbed his chest. He didn''t forget to include the most sensitive spot in that movement either.


    Leng Jin Yu gulped again. Alright. It would probably be difficult to stay civilized in this situation. "Jinde, I ¡ª"


    "Ah!" Jinde raised a hand and put a finger against Leng Jin Yu''s lips. On one hand, shutting him up and on the other using the opportunity to touch his lips. Mn, they felt good. "Wait. Don''t say anything yet. Let me ¡­ Let me finish first. There are some things I feel I need to say. Otherwise, I won''t be able to take your rejection."


    I didn''t want to reject you though.


    Jinde leaned against Leng Jin Yu more heavily and once again, his head came to rest on Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder. "I ¡­ had to leave my home because of ¡­ some unfortunate circumstances. All those people I cared for had to be left behind. I never wanted to do so but there was no other way. If I had stayed, then even more problems would have come up and they would have had to suffer. I didn''t want that so I left."


    He sighed and his fingers traced invisible lines on Leng Jin Yu''s robe. "I was badly injured back then and I honestly didn''t even know if I would survive. But then Grandmaster Zhangsun from your sect found me and after listening to my story, he brought me here. I went into the special dimension to recuperate from my injury and even though he came to visit me sometimes and even brought the Sect Master along, I always felt ¡­ terribly alone.


    "I never could have imagined finding myself company though. These men ¡­ I couldn''t feel anything when I looked at them. Whether it was the Grandmaster or the Sect Master or even Xin Lan ¡­ I just couldn''t imagine it. Actually, I didn''t even have that thought. I just sometimes wondered if maybe ¡­ someday somebody might come who would free me from that misery. I just wanted to escape that loneliness.


    "But finally, I had to admit to myself that that would never happen. It hadn''t in so long and I saw no way that could change in the future. So I gave up hope." He smiled and looked up at Leng Jin Yu, holding his gaze for a while before looking down again.


    "Sometimes fate is strange. Just when I had resigned myself to a life in solitude I was rudely awoken. I had to leave the special dimension and somehow ended up here and then ¡­ you stepped into the house." His golden eyes once again lifted and an enchanting smile lit up his features. "I don''t know what it was but when you appeared ¡­" He grabbed Leng Jin Yu''s hand and pressed it against his chest. His voice sank to a whisper. "My heart beat wildly. I actually felt a little faint and I knew, I just knew that you would be the only person that could free me from this loneliness. The only man I would ever be able to accept."


    He sighed and looked down, his fingers absentmindedly caressing Leng Jin Yu''s hand on his chest. "I don''t expect anything. You are free to do whatever you want. If you can''t accept the way I feel and want me to leave, then I will do so immediately. I will leave you alone and I won''t bother you in the future. If you feel like you can''t love me but would enjoy spending a night with me, then I would gladly give my body to you. Other than that ¡­" Jinde''s golden eyelashes fluttered and shielded his eyes. Only the faint blush across his cheeks told what he thought of at that moment.


    Leng Jin Yu''s own gaze softened. He carefully grabbed Jinde''s cheek with his free hand and tilted his face up. "One night definitely won''t be enough."


    Joy seemed to light up Jinde''s expression before he forcefully suppressed it. "If you want me longer than that ¡­ Maybe two or ¡­ even three ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu bent down, his breath mixing with Jinde''s. "That won''t suffice either."


    The two of them closed their eyes and leaned closer to each other. Their lips were about to meet and both their hearts leaped. Finally! Finally, they could give in to this desire! Finally ¡­ Jinde took a shaky breath and also reached up with his free hand, encircling Leng Jin Yu''s neck. And then ¡­


    The door was smashed open, bringing in a rush of cold air that rudely awakened them.

 Chapter 461 - Not the One on Top

    "Old geezer, I need your ¡ª" Qiu Ling stopped and stared at the scene in the study as if struck by lightning.


    One really couldn''t call the way Leng Jin Yu and Jinde hugged and looked at each other ambiguous. No, it was long past that. They had already reached the part where it was blatantly obvious what had been going on.


    Jinde''s lips twitched. This brat! Couldn''t he have come at least a few minutes later? Or, no, better an hour later? Then they could have been in bed already! He had almost had Leng Jin Yu!


    Qiu Ling stared at the two of them dumbstruck. What ¡­ What was happening here? Why was the old geezer ¡­ with some stranger? Hadn''t he always regarded his father as his one true love? Then why was he suddenly ¡­


    Qiu Ling looked at the other man and his expression derailed. "Fuck!" That was actually that Yu Jin guy! "You damned bastard! What do you think you''re doing?"


    Leng Jin Yu tensed. Never mind that somebody had walked in on them. But why did it even have to be the dragon king that hated him?! And look at this. He was already fuming with rage again. This wasn''t good. He had to make sure that nothing would happen to Jinde. He gently pushed Jinde to the side to step in front of him. If Longjun lost control, at least he would be the one to bear the brunt of the attack.


    Qiu Ling was indeed getting more furious, especially when he saw Leng Jin Yu guarding Jinde like a gentleman. Damn this! What was this guy thinking? "Do you have some vendetta against my family or something?! First, you seduce my fiance, now you''re even going after my fa¡ª"


    Jinde''s eyes widened and he rushed forward. This bear child! He definitely couldn''t let him mention Chun Yin in front of Leng Jin Yu! He couldn''t remember so he wouldn''t understand! Even worse, he would certainly misunderstand and think that he had lied when he told him he was the only person he had ever felt for like this. Then he would really seem like he was easy!


    Thus Leng Jin Yu who had just wanted to shield Jinde from the dragon king suddenly found the gentle beauty dash out from behind him and in front of said dragon king.


    "Jinde!" Leng Jin Yu wanted to follow but Jinde''s next action rooted him to the spot.


    Jinde lifted his hand and rapped Qiu Ling on the head. "What are you making such a ruckus for?!"


    "You!" Qiu Ling frowned and clenched his fists. Damn this! "Old geezer, what ¡ª"


    Qiu Ling was rapped on the head once again. "Who are you calling old?" And in front of my lover to boot! "I look like I''m in my early thirties!"


    Qiu Ling frowned and examined Jinde''s face. How did this guy look like he was in his early thirties? "You look like ¡ª"


    Jinde''s eyes widened ominously and his hand twitched.


    Qiu Ling gulped. Uh ¡­ He probably shouldn''t say what he really thought. After all, he still needed the old geezer''s help. He cleared his throat and smiled. "Ah, what are you saying? You look like you''re in your late twenties at most." His eyes turned into little crescents.


    Jinde lowered his hand. Mn. This was better! "Ah, don''t flatter me."


    "I''m not, I''m not! You''re looking beautiful. Ah, my dear ancest¡ª"


    Jinde''s eyes blazed and Qiu Ling hurriedly looked away and coughed.


    "Ahem, how about sitting down first?" Qiu Ling grabbed Jinde''s arm and led him back into the study and to the chair where Leng Jin Yu had sat before. "Let me massage your shoulders!" Qiu Ling didn''t even wait for Jinde''s answer and just went to work.


    Jinde tensed and slapped his hands away though. "Heavens! Just tell me what you want, you''re terrible at this."


    "Ah? How am I terrible? Should I ¡ª"


    Jinde turned and rapped his head. "Just tell me what you want."


    "Uh, well, it''s like this ¡­" Qiu Ling eyed Leng Jin Yu. "That bastard over there seduced my beloved."


    "Jin Yu seduced nobody."


    Qiu Ling looked from Jinde to Leng Jin Yu and back and again and raised his brows. Was the old geezer really sure about that? It had certainly seemed as if that Yu Jin had seduced him when he walked in on them.


    Jinde frowned. "So what were you going to say?"


    "Ah, right, it''s not that much of a problem. My Jing He was just ¡­ a little confused. It''s a temporary issue. Actually, I''ve almost solved that problem."


    "Then why are you disturbing me?"


    "Because of that bastard!"


    Jinde sighed. He really didn''t understand what Qiu Ling was talking about. Hadn''t he just said that Leng Jin Yu wasn''t a problem? "Who are you talking about?"


    "That Jin Ling, of course! He actually kidnapped Fu Min and Fu Heng. So what am I supposed to do now? I can only either seduce my beloved back or I can go and save those two. I can''t do both at the same time!"


    "Then what have you come here for? It''s not like I could do something about that. So why don''t you go and bother somebody else with this?" So that he could continue to seduce Qiu Ling''s father.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "You owe me! But you didn''t even think about it."


    Jinde sighed again. What a pity that he couldn''t lose his temper in front of Leng Jin Yu. "Look, Qiu Ling, I can''t leave the Yun Zou Sect and I certainly can''t and go see the demon king. So what am I supposed to do? Seduce your beloved for you? I''m afraid I''m unable to do that."


    "Of course, you can''t. You''re also not the type of guy who''s on top."


    Jinde and Leng Jin Yu both looked at him incredulously. He hadn''t really said that just now, had he?


    Qiu Ling blinked and looked from one to the other before his gaze settled on Jinde. He tilted his head. "Or are you?"

 Chapter 462 - Don’t Forget to Close the Door

    Jinde was unable to find a comeback. He might be able to be shameless when it was required to seduce his lover but ¡­ How was he supposed to react to this when his lover was standing only a few steps away?


    Eh? Jinde barely held back a smile and turned to look at Leng Jin Yu with a wronged expression that clearly asked for him to step out and defend his virtue.


    Leng Jin Yu gulped. Alright. Jinde obviously wanted him to do something. And he really should. The sooner they managed to solve the dragon king''s problem, the sooner he would leave and then ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu turned to Qiu Ling and cleared his throat. "Longjun, considering that the situation with your fiance is partly my fault, maybe there is something I can do to help you with the other matter?"


    Qiu Ling looked back at him and frowned. "You? You couldn''t even win against me! How do you want to break into the demon realm and free two of my people? It''s not like that bastard wouldn''t have someone guard them."


    Jinde slowly turned around and stared at Qiu Ling until his skin crawled.


    "Uh ¡­ What is it?"


    "So you were the one who hurt Jin Yu?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. He somehow felt ¡­ that this was something he couldn''t admit under any circumstances. "How could that be?! Even though I hate him because he seduced my beloved, I would never be so base as to attack him while I know fully well that he doesn''t stand a chance against me."


    Jinde''s hand clasped over Qiu Ling''s arm, his nails digging into the fabric of the robe. "Are you sure that is what I''ll hear if I send Xin Lan to investigate?"


    "Uh ¡­ We might have exchanged a few pointers earlier. But honestly, there was no danger involved at all. Now could you let go? This actually hurts."


    Jinde stared at Qiu Ling. He would need to be an idiot if he even considered believing Qiu Ling''s words. Fury welled up in his heart. The injury to Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder might not have been life-threatening but that was probably only due to the fact that he had been able to evade. His attacker had certainly gone for his heart in a sure-fire attempt to kill him.


    Well, he couldn''t fault Qiu Ling. He was a dragon and even one that had bound his soul to his beloved. Naturally, he would lose all reason when he was told that his beloved had now fallen in love with another man.


    Jinde loosened his grip. "He''s human now. That''s something you should keep in mind. He doesn''t understand the impact it has to reject you or even cheat on you. Even if he was ¡­" Jinde shook his head. "Things aren''t always as easy as they seem. You know that fully well."


    Qiu Ling looked at Jinde and took in the way his gaze clouded over. The old geezer was obviously thinking of his old man again. "I only know that he had bad judgment. But, well, seems like you don''t care anymore."


    Jinde sighed and let go. "I would never."


    "But ¡ª" Qiu Ling stopped talking and his eyes went wide.


    Wait! The old geezer had left the special dimension and was now living in this house. He had obviously been about to kiss some man even though he was supposedly in love with his father. And, well, it wasn''t like any dragon would just make up being in love with somebody since it was such a serious issue for them. So that left only one possibility.


    This senior martial brother Yu Jin that had seduced his beloved away only to flirt with the old geezer right after ¡­ was his father?!


    Qiu Ling knelt down next to Jinde in defeat. This couldn''t be! He had actually lost to his own father?! He turned to Jinde with reproach written in his eyes. Please, tell him that this wasn''t true! He didn''t want to lose his beloved to his father out of all people! This was probably the most humiliating thing that could happen!


    Jinde just smiled, not bothering to say anything. Wasn''t this matter clear already? There certainly wasn''t any man beside Chun Yin he would ever try to seduce. It was a wonder Qiu Ling had needed this long to figure it out.


    He turned to look at Leng Jin Yu, his gaze gentle. Mn, his lover had finally returned. He had found his other half again. Whatever the future held for them they could finally confront it together.


    Love really was such a wonderful thing. Mn, since everything had turned out so well for him, he shouldn''t slight his stepson and help him out a bit. "You can ask Xin Lan for other ideas. Don''t forget to close the door on your way out."


    Qiu Ling''s brows twitched. Alright. He got the hint. "At least wait until I''m outside." He got up and threw Leng Jin Yu an angry look. Tch. What a fine father he was, actually seducing his son''s fiance!


    He harrumphed and ignored him while walking past him. "Don''t forget to pay attention to your bones." With that, he picked up his speed and ran out of the house, slamming the door shut behind him.


    Jinde blinked. Bones? He leaped to his feet and clenched his fists. "Damned brat, come back here if you dare! Do you think I wouldn''t tell Xin Lan not to lift a finger?"


    Unfortunately, Qiu Ling was already gone and Jinde could only remain standing there, his chest heaving up and down in anger. This damned boy! How could he say something like that and even in front of his lover?!


    Ah! Jinde paled. His lover! Leng Jin Yu had actually seen him lose control like this ¡­ What would he think now? This stupid brat! He would definitely tell Xin Lan to go and teach him a lesson when he was free!

 Chapter 463 - I Only Asked You to Lie Down

    Jinde didn''t have to worry at all about what his lover would think. As soon as Leng Jin Yu saw his face pale he hurried to his side, grabbed his waist and pulled him up against his chest.


    "Are you alright? You seem a little pale."


    Jinde looked up, surprise written on his face. Leng Jin Yu ¡­ didn''t mind?


    "What is it? Do you want to sit down?" He already moved to help Jinde back onto the chair but a pale hand on his arm made him pause.


    "It''s alright. I guess it was just a bit much. I ¡­ Although it''s been a long time since I suffered those injuries I still feel a little worn out sometimes. Thank you for caring so much for me." He leaned closer onto Leng Jin Yu and once again rubbed his chest. Mn, this was probably the best opportunity to get the right atmosphere back.


    Unfortunately for him, Leng Jin Yu wasn''t such an easy character either. He might be seduced by Jinde but he had enough self-awareness not to go any further when Jinde''s injuries were brought up. He had already bitten him. He definitely couldn''t do anything else that would hurt him. Not if he knew that Jinde was suffering from previous injuries.


    Thus Jinde was bound to fail this time. Since he didn''t know yet he still tried though. And considering how everything had developed until now he felt that he had a pretty good grasp on what Leng Jin Yu liked.


    Actually, it wasn''t too different from Chun Yin''s preferences back then. He also had that wish to see his lover a little ¡­ helpless. It might not even be conscious but he craved that feeling to wrap his special person into his arms and reassure him, to hold him tight and make sure he was safe.


    It was nothing strange for a dragon. And maybe humans weren''t that different from them in that regard or maybe Leng Jin Yu just had a lot in common with Chun Yin since part of his soul hadn''t gone into reincarnation. Anyway, he liked this. He had always admired Chun Yin''s strength and he had indeed always felt secure when he lay in his arms.


    This feeling of warmth ¡­ Maybe he had craved this the most. Just how long had it been since Chun Yin held him like this? After he became king, it had hardly happened because Chun Yin had always thought of it like overstepping some invisible boundary.


    Jinde shuddered and hugged Leng Jin Yu more tightly. He had found him so he wouldn''t let him go again. He would hold onto him. Forever.


    Leng Jin Yu gently rubbed Jinde''s back. "You''re shivering. How about sitting down? Or maybe you want to lie down? I can help you to your room."


    Jinde burrowed his face into Leng Jin Yu''s chest and smiled. "If I say yes, will you lie down with me?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s grip tightened. "Is that really such a good idea? You''re injured ¡­"


    Jinde chuckled. "What were you thinking? I was just talking about lying down. Let''s just ¡­ spend some time with each other, alright?" He had already lost Chun Yin because he hadn''t been courageous enough. He shouldn''t make the same mistake twice.


    Jinde raised his head and cupped Leng Jin Yu''s cheek. "I like you. I like you very much. And if I''m not wrong, then you''re not indifferent to me either."


    Leng Jin Yu gazed at him and smiled. "Is it that obvious?"


    "Is it bad if it''s obvious?"


    Leng Jin Yu examined his face. Why hadn''t he found this person sooner? He had been in the human realm for so long but never known there was someone like him.


    He smiled, bent down and picked up Jinde.


    "Ah! What ¡­ What are you doing?" Jinde grabbed his shoulder but only got a chuckle in return.


    "Didn''t you say you''d lie down if I accompanied you? You''re still looking pale. I think it''d be better if you took a rest." Without waiting for Jinde to respond, he carried him out of the study and to his room, only putting him down when they reached the bed.


    He wanted to step back but Jinde encircled his neck. "Didn''t you say you''d accompany me?"


    "Mn. But does that really require me to lie down next to you?"


    Jinde smiled and shuffled back on the bed. "I want you to hold me."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. He wasn''t sure if this was such a good idea but if Jinde insisted ¡­ He sat down on the side of the bed and grabbed Jinde''s hands.


    "Is that all? You really don''t want to lie down?" Jinde grabbed onto those hands but he wouldn''t accept just this. Chun Yin owed him so much. He should at least fulfill this little wish of hi.


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath. "Well ¡­"


    "Come on, now. It''s not like I asked you to ravish me. Just be with me."


    "And I can''t do this from here?"


    "No, you can''t. How am I supposed to burrow into your arms and cling to you and feel your heartbeat? You''re making me feel insecure." Jinde''s voice went from a soothing and somewhat seductive gentleness to a tone of begging.


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t take it any longer. He brushed his hair back in resignation and indeed lay down. Not only that, he even pulled Jinde into his arms. Ah, what use was there in denying it any longer? He had liked this man from the moment he first saw him and Jinde had said that he liked him too.


    They had to take some time to get to know each other better and then they could make this official. But that could only be done if he didn''t refuse to spend time with him. Sure, it could have been done differently but he could understand that Jinde would crave this contact after being alone for so long.


    So, why shouldn''t he give him what he wanted?

 Chapter 464 - He Could Get Used to This

    Jinde smiled happily when Leng Jin Yu finally did as he had wanted. He scooted closer and just as he had said he burrowed into his arms. Mn ¡­ This really felt good.


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but smile either when he saw Jinde like this. He reached out, wrapped his arms around him and gently stroked his back, his fingers sliding through his golden hair.


    Leng Jin Yu picked one of the strands up and looked at it. Golden hair ¡­ "So you''re part of the dragon race?" It probably should have tipped him off sooner but he had been preoccupied with figuring out his feelings.


    Jinde nodded, not minding at all. He didn''t even consider that Leng Jin Yu might only have realized now.


    "I see. And you and Longjun ¡­"


    This time Jinde froze. How was he supposed to explain this without giving his age away? Qiu Ling had already hinted at it and Leng Jin Yu was too smart not to understand if he said he knew him from the past. Eh? Wasn''t there also ¡­


    Jinde playfully tugged at Leng Jin Yu''s robe. "He''s Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple, isn''t he? The Grandmaster threw him into the special dimension before and that boy only left five years later so you could probably say that we''re pretty familiar with each other."


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the pale fingers playing with his robe and gave a low murmur. He didn''t believe that this was the true nature of their relationship though. Even if they spent five years together, that was nothing to a dragon. And the kind of familiarity the two of them had displayed had to have other reasons. Leng Jin Yu didn''t intend to pry though. If Jinde only said this much, then it meant that he wasn''t comfortable with disclosing the rest. He should respect that.


    "And that Senior Xin? I didn''t think about it before but he seems to be some kind of Elder of the dragon race and I saw him several times here at the Yun Zou Sect."


    Jinde sweat-dropped. His lover was too sharp! How come he could suddenly bring all those things up? He really felt like the next question would be just how many years he had spent in the mortal realm already.


    He gave a nervous smile and tugged at the robe a little harder. He was afraid what Leng Jin Yu would think when he caught onto the fact just how big the difference in age between them was but he also didn''t want to lie to him. "Well ¡­ We met before I came to the human realm. ''Meeting'' is probably not what I should call it though. Xin Lan ¡­ he was badly injured back then. I stitched him back together so since then he followed me around for a while. We only recently met again though."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded but his thoughts were churning. He had always assumed that this Senior Xin''s attitude was because he thought that he had seduced the Son of Heaven and thus disrespected his king. But now it seemed as if he had been wrong. This wasn''t about Longjun at all but about Jinde instead. That also explained why Xin Lan would interfere when Longjun tried to kill him. He had done it for Jinde because he knew that Jinde liked him.


    Then his attitude at the beginning ¡­ Leng Jin Yu tried to gauge something from Jinde''s expression but other than a little nervousness there wasn''t anything to see there. Could it be that Jinde had known about him before? What he thought of as their first meeting, had it been something different for Jinde? Or ¡­ was this because Jinde remembered their past lives? No, his past life. If he was right, then he was the only one who had died. Jinde had lived on.


    Leng Jin Yu suppressed a sigh. He felt that he was right but there was no way to confirm. He would have to ask Jinde for this, especially if he wanted to know more about what had happened. He felt like this wasn''t the moment though.


    They had just gotten closer and Jinde seemed happy. He shouldn''t risk destroying this just to satisfy his curiosity. After all, whatever had happened it was the story of how Jinde had lost his partner. He certainly wouldn''t want to remember.


    Leng Jin Yu started to stroke Jinde''s back again, making him narrow his eyes in pleasure. If he thought about it, then it was no wonder that Jinde had insisted on lying down together. He probably wanted to reassure himself that this was real, that his lover had indeed returned to him. For him who had waited all this time, this was probably something he needed to have.


    Ah, thankfully, he had given in. He should probably take note of this in the future.


    Jinde sighed in satisfaction when Leng Jin Yu caressed him. He snuggled up against his chest more closely and hugged his waist. Mn, he suddenly felt a little sleepy. He really would have liked to close his eyes and just sleep in Leng Jin Yu''s arms but he didn''t dare to. What if he woke up the next morning and his lover was gone again? He couldn''t risk that!


    He pressed his eyes together before opening them wide. He couldn''t fall asleep under any circumstances! He had to use this time with Leng Jin Yu. He couldn''t waste even a single second.


    "Mn, how about you? You''re from the Nine Heavens, aren''t you? An ascended deity?"


    Leng Jin Yu peered at Jinde''s face. "How did you know?"


    Jinde chuckled. "You told Xin Lan, that''s basically the same as telling me."


    "Oh. Well, I hope he only said good things then."


    "Of course. What bad thing could there be?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s hand stilled. Yes. What bad thing could there be? Why did Xin Lan who was obviously very supportive of Jinde hate him so much? Just what had he done to deserve this treatment?


    Once again he held back from asking. This had very likely to do with his past life too. It was better not to think about it for now. In a few days or maybe weeks, things would be different.


    Leng Jin Yu started to stroke Jinde''s back again. "Well, it''s good then. I wouldn''t want you to think badly of me."


    "I would never." Jinde''s voice lowered and his eyes fell shut on their own. He really was ¡­ so tired.


    "As for the Nine Heavens ¡­" Leng Jin Yu stopped talking and looked at the person in his arms. "Jinde?"


    He didn''t get an answer. Jinde had obviously fallen asleep. Leng Jin Yu brushed his hair back and took a closer look at his face. His eyes were shut and his lips had curled into a sweet smile. Even though he slept, it was obvious he was very happy.


    Leng Jin Yu also smiled, bent down and kissed his temple. Mn, holding him while he slept wasn''t bad at all. He could get used to this.

 Chapter 465 - Help Me Out a Bit

    While Leng Jin Yu and Jinde were sharing a sweet moment Qiu Ling went and did what his predecessor had suggested and went to find Xin Lan. Honestly, this idea wasn''t bad at all. Even if Xin Lan himself didn''t want to acknowledge it, he was still part of the dragon race so it really wasn''t asking too much to have him help out every now and then. Especially after he had refrained from lifting even a single finger for his race in the last couple thousand years.


    Naturally, Xin Lan wasn''t far from where Jinde was so Qiu Ling finally managed to find him sitting under a tree a few steps away from the house.


    Qiu Ling unceremoniously plopped down beside him. "The old geezer wants you to help me."


    "He said you should ask me for help, not that I''m obliged to help you." Don''t kid him. He had heard every word spoken inside. In fact ¡­ he could even hear those two sweet-talking each other in the bedroom.


    Ah, his master sounded so happy. It had been the right decision to help that Leng Jin Yu a little. He should probably do even more to make sure his master could feel more secure in this relationship. It was just ¡­ His heart squeezed at the thought. Yes, he wanted his master to be happy. But he didn''t want him to be happy with that man!


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "Well ¡­ I could go back inside and tell the old geezer you wouldn''t help me. I''m just afraid I might be disturbing him. He seemed pretty busy."


    Xin Lan didn''t answer. Maybe it would be good if that boy went and disturbed them. Then he wouldn''t have to hear them any longer.


    Qiu Ling frowned and stood up. He actually hadn''t been serious right now because he was sure that Xin Lan would help him but if he didn''t want to then he would naturally go and bother the guy that wanted to sleep with his father. Tch, don''t think he''d let him be happy if even he wasn''t happy after being engaged for so long!


    Xin Lan startled awake and stood up, grabbing Qiu Ling by the shoulder and pulling him back. "Where do you think you''re going?" From inside the house, he heard Leng Jin Yu murmur Jinde''s name like a question until only silence remained.


    So, his master had fallen asleep. It seemed like all the worries of the last millennia were finally gone. He would become the person he had been before. That man who could laugh with his eyes sparkling and smile when he saw something he liked and bury himself in his study for hours to work on some new recipe. This was good. This was ¡­ long overdue.


    "That Jin Ling probably just imprisoned them to make some trouble for you. He doesn''t have the means to actually hurt you. Not without doing damage to himself. It''s just a matter of going in, smashing in some doors and leaving."


    "I like your way of thinking. Unfortunately, I don''t have time to go since I still need to seduce my beloved back. So how about you go and do that part with smashing the doors? I wouldn''t mind if you killed some demons on the way either."


    Xin Lan eyed Qiu Ling. Everything he said was bullshit. But, well, today he somehow liked to hear it. Smashing things and driving that hateful Jin Ling crazy seemed like something he would want to do very much right now.


    Seeing Xin Lan still not agree Qiu Ling grew impatient. "Come on! One of them is Fu Min. Don''t the two of you have some kind of thing going on?"


    Xin Lan blinked. Fu Min? He couldn''t remember anyone with that name.


    Qiu Ling also saw his confusion and gritted his teeth. This guy was so troublesome! Why was there nothing he cared about besides the old geezer?! "Didn''t you save him when he was a child? He''s been treating you like an idol since then. You can''t be so cold-hearted to have one of your fans wither away in the demon realm''s prison, can you?"


    Xin Lan indeed didn''t care about this but he wasn''t against doing this task. And maybe ¡­ He could never attain his master, he knew that as well. And while his heart wouldn''t just stop loving him and move on just because he knew so that didn''t mean he couldn''t do other things. Maybe it would be less unbearable to witness his master being with that man if he also indulged in pleasure for a bit. It didn''t necessarily have to be that Fu Min but if that boy was passable, he wouldn''t mind considering him.


    Xin Lan finally nodded. "Alright. Since His Majesty already said you should look for me to help I shouldn''t reject you. I''ll go and save those two. I won''t care about their condition though. Whatever happened to them in the demon realm will be their problem, not mine."


    "So you won''t kill any demons?" A hint of regret mixed into Qiu Ling''s voice. Ah, he really would have liked it if that Jin Ling''s plan backfired so much that he not only lost the means he had acquired to pressure him but even lost what he originally had.


    Xin Lan only looked at him as if he was an idiot and turned around. He didn''t have to consider this boy''s opinion. He left for the demon realm but before he even left the sect grounds of the Yun Zou Sect he was faced with someone he didn''t want to see. Xin Lan frowned and withstood the urge to look at his master''s house to make sure the two of them were still inside.


    Opposite him, Jin Ling smiled brightly. "Xin Lan, what a surprise to see you here. Don''t tell me you actually waited for me to come back and fetch you?"

 Chapter 466 - Home?

    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes. "Quite the contrary. I had hoped not to see you again. Especially since I''m here to solve the mess you created."


    Jin Ling tilted his head. "Oh? It couldn''t be ¡­ that man is still alive?" He also narrowed his eyes. The last time they had met, Xin Lan had said that that man had been reborn and that one of the disciples caught in the explosion in the Leyuan region had been him. Xin Lan certainly knew which of them it was. So if he was still here ¡­ then that man was too. He had to be one of the disciples that had only been injured. Or maybe ¡­ "Is it that person you saved from that bastard Qiu Ling? That Yu Jin?"


    Xin Lan cursed inwardly but his face stayed impassive. "What are you even talking about? I''m here because the Heavenly Emperor sent word that your actions were the cause of some mishap with the Son of Heaven. They asked me to fix this mess."


    Jin Ling frowned. Could this really be true? "Why would you do the Heavenly Emperor a favor?"


    Xin Lan snorted. "Do him a favor? Don''t tell me you have another screw lose since we saw each other the last time? If this matter isn''t dealt with, who knows if he will live? If the Nine Heavens loose their crown prince, it is obvious what will happen, isn''t it? You sure are bold doing such things. Bold but an utter disappointment. His Majesty never would have accepted this kind of behavior. Naturally, I won''t be like you. I''ll set right what you did wrong. I''ll make sure nothing is changed about the status quo of the immortal races."


    Jin Ling looked down. So this had indeed nothing to do with that man. He was probably dead already. Well, then he''d have to wait a while longer until he could find him and annihilate him, soul and everything. Whatever. He should deal with Xin Lan first.


    "So, have you fixed the mess already?"


    "Mostly."


    "Then why don''t you come back home now?"


    "Home?" Xin Lan''s brows lifted. How had the demon realm become his home? Actually, he never had had a home. He only ever had places where he stayed. Even at his master''s side ¡­ Could he dare to call a palace or a house where another man went to lie down in bed call his home? At the most, he was a guest that was condoned. Someone Chun Yin had accepted to be there because his master had wanted him to and he could probably count himself lucky that the two of them had never become an official couple or this might have changed.


    Jin Ling nodded as if it was a matter of course though. "Yes. Haven''t you had enough of wandering outside already? It''s time to return to the demon realm. That''s where you belong."


    "The demon realm?" Xin Lan''s lips quirked up in a self-ridiculing smile. "But I''m a dragon. Shouldn''t the one to call me home be the dragon and not the demon king?


    "Tch." Jin Ling floated closer. "What are you even talking about? Jinde left you to me. Actually, now that I think about it, it''s not too bad. He gave a person he liked having around to me while that bastard only got the throne he always hated. Sure, that also should have been mine but at least he left me something that was to his liking, didn''t he?"


    Xin Lan''s smile faded. Someone he liked having around? Something to his liking? How absurd! In his master''s heart, there was no place for anyone or anything but Chun Yin. He didn''t mind having anyone else around but he would also forget about them at one glance of that man.


    Ah, but he had known all this since long ago. He had just ¡­ foolishly continued to hope. Well, it changed nothing about his feelings. Whether his master reciprocated them or not ¡­ He would continue on this path.


    He didn''t want to leave this place. Not after he had found his master again after such a long time. He wanted to stay with him and even if they could never be together, he wanted to do all those odd tasks for him. Choosing a robe one day and brushing his hair the next, preparing the ink for him in the morning and serving him tea in the evening. Whatever it was his master wanted he would do it and he would be happy while he did. He really didn''t want to leave.


    But if he did ¡­ at least ¡­ at least he could make sure that his master wouldn''t be bothered. He could follow Jin Ling to the demon realm and make sure that he didn''t run to the Yun Zou Sect for every little reason. He could make sure that his master and that man wouldn''t be discovered and could spend their time in peace, unaffected by Jin Ling''s hunger for revenge and his desire to get Jinde back.


    Xin Lan sighed. Maybe it was his fate to not even be able to see the person he loved. He hadn''t been able to for such a long time, so it shouldn''t be a big deal to live with it again. The only difference was that he knew that his master was still alive now. Well, he could still contact him if he missed him too much. There would certainly be some excuses along the way.


    Xin Lan finally nodded. "Alright then. I''ll come back. Maybe that will prevent you from creating even more problems."


    Jin Ling smiled. "How am I creating problems? I just had a bit of fun."


    "Then don''t have fun in the future." Xin Lan flew past him as if he didn''t care if Jin Ling would follow him at all.


    Jin Ling hovered above the Yun Zou Sect for a moment, his gaze lingering on the place at the foot of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s peak where the array led to the special dimension. Was all this really a coincidence? Or had Jinde actually managed to do what everyone had deemed impossible and somehow survived? And if he had ¡­ was he here then?


    He didn''t know but he definitely wouldn''t give up until he had found out. For now, he had to follow Xin Lan though. He definitely wouldn''t let the person Jinde had left to him go! It was important to humor him for a bit so he wouldn''t run away again.

 Chapter 467 - A Broken Jade Pendant

    The night came and went by in the human realm and the disciples of the Yun Zou Sect got up again. Jing Yi was one of them. He looked at the robe and the jade pendant on the table and sighed. So all of that had really happened. He hadn''t accidentally fallen asleep while cultivating and dreamed of it. In that case, he had to make a trip to the Sect Master.


    Jing Yi freshened up, took the things and left his room. He didn''t see any of the disciples he knew from his childhood as if there were only new faces around. It made him feel as if he had missed out on many years. Well, he had just that he had spent them cultivating at another place. It wasn''t too bad. It just ¡­ felt a little strange. Maybe that would have been different if at least Shao Hai and Xiao Dong had still been around but as things stood it would take a long time until he could see them again.


    Jing Yi made his way over to the array dividing the inner and the outer sect from each other. He looked at it and frowned. It should suffice to hold the jade pendant over it, shouldn''t it? He tried it but instead of opening the array, even the pendant was repelled. Jing Yi blinked and lifted the jade pendant to take a closer look at it. It certainly looked like the ones he had seen on some of the senior martial brothers. So why didn''t it work?


    Jing Yi pondered. The first explanation he found ¡­ It couldn''t be that Qiu Ling hadn''t actually talked to his Master and the Sect Master and instead just given him some similar looking pendant, could it?! Or maybe he had gotten the real one originally but figured that it wasn''t good enough and thus somehow got his hands on one that looked the same but didn''t have the same features? It was entirely possible. That sounded like something his fiance would do.


    Not far from him Qiu Ling was hidden behind a tree and observed how his beloved waited at the border to the inner sect. What was his beloved doing there? Why was he looking at the jade pendant like that? Could it be ¡­ Had he thought about his suggestion and decided that he wanted to have another one?!


    Qiu Ling jumped out of his hiding place and ran over, grabbing Jing Yi around the wait. "My love, I just knew you would consider your future husband''s words! Tell me what kind of jade pendant you want instead and I''ll get it for you immediately! Actually, I have a few here ¡­"


    Qiu Ling wanted to search for them but Jing Yi put a hand on his arm, stilling his movement. Qiu Ling didn''t mind. Ah, look at this! His beloved was finally willing to talk to him again and even touch him! This was such a great day! In celebration, Qiu Ling hugged him closer against his chest. "What did you decide on, my love?"


    Jing Yi tried to ignore Qiu Ling''s shameless behavior and held the jade pendant in front of his face. "This is the pendant you got from the Sect Master for me?"


    Qiu Ling looked at it and nodded very honestly. "Yes. They didn''t have better ones."


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Are you sure it''s this one? You didn''t exchange it for another one or change anything about it? It''s really the same one and exactly like it was when you got it?"


    Qiu Ling nodded again. "Yes. It''s the same, ugly thing I got from the Sect Master. What do you want to change? If you like the jade, we could just tie a nicer ribbon to it."


    Jing Yi''s brows twitched. Just why was Qiu Ling always harping on how ugly it was? It wasn''t that bad, was it? He took a closer look at it before he jerked. What was he doing here?! He was supposed to enter the inner sect grounds and give this back to the Sect Master! He didn''t even have to consider whether it was pretty or ugly. That was completely irrelevant! Ah, he shouldn''t listen to Qiu Ling.


    Jing Yi took another deep breath and pointed at the array on the ground. "This is the array that separates the inner and the outer sect, isn''t it?"


    Qiu Ling looked at it. Uh ¡­ That was an array alright. What a crude one! He could hardly tell what it was meant to do. "Seems like it?"


    "Then why can''t I step past it even though I have the jade pendant already?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. So his beloved hadn''t been waiting for something, he just hadn''t been able to cross this stupid array. He didn''t know what the reason was though. "Maybe it''s broken?"


    "Could we stay serious for a moment? This is the array the Yun Zou Sect has used for thousands of years to divide the inner and outer sect. Why would it break down now of all times?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "Well, if they''ve used it for that long, it''s pretty old already."


    Jing Yi just sighed. He felt like speaking to Qiu Ling wouldn''t help at all. On the contrary, it would make things more difficult. No, it would still be better to go and ask one of the Elders. "Alright, then I''ll go and ¡ª"


    "Ah, no, no, no, no!" Qiu Ling hurriedly gripped him tighter. He definitely couldn''t let this prime opportunity slip by! They were finally spending time together again and even so harmoniously. He had to use this to his advantage.


    Thus Qiu Ling lifted one of his hands and waved it in the direction of the array, sending a powerful burst of spiritual energy with it. The array flared and finally became dull while Qiu Ling''s face lit up. "I think it''s alright now. Try to go over." He took Jing Yi''s hand and led him over the array.


    Indeed. This time there was no invisible boundary that Jing Yi encountered. He wasn''t too happy about it though.


    "Qiu Ling, what did you just do? Won''t this cause problems?"


    Qiu Ling blinked at him very innocently. "No. Why should it? So, where did you want to go?"


    Jing Yi had nothing else to say and just sighed. "The Sect Master."


    "Then let''s go!" Qiu Ling very cheerfully led him in the right direction. Mn. How nice. His beloved wasn''t even trying to shake him off.


    At the same time, Sect Master Yuchi leaped to his feet inside his palace. What was this? Had he just heard the alarm that one of their arrays had been broken?!

 Chapter 468 - You Don’t Have to Thank Me

    Yuchi Bing Xia closed his eyes and stretched out his senses. There were hundreds of arrays in their sect, each of them with a distinctive task. If this was just one of the smaller ones that were used for convenience''s sake, it wouldn''t matter too much. They could just ignore the matter. Else ¡­ Ah, he didn''t want to think about it! Their sect definitely didn''t have the resources to repair one of the big arrays right now!


    He first swept the miscellaneous small arrays with his senses but all of them were intact. His heart sank. Oh, no. Don''t tell him his worst nightmare was really coming true!


    He frowned and swept the other arrays with his spiritual sense. He cursed. This couldn''t be true! He refused to believe this! Why was it the array separating the inner and outer sect grounds?! That was the second biggest, second most expensive array of their sect! And it was their second line of defense in case they were attacked! How could this array just stop working?


    Had they already been attacked without him noticing? Had someone broken through their first line of defense with none being the wiser? Could he still save the disciples?


    Yuchi Bing Xia wanted to hurry outside but a sudden guest swept into his study.


    "Sect Master, I brought Jing''er over!"


    Qiu Ling happily smiled while Jing Yi''s face flushed red. Was Qiu Ling doing this on purpose? It was bad enough to refuse to just call him by his name normally but why did he have to call him Jing''er in front of the Sect Master? Well, considering it was Qiu Ling he could probably be happy that Qiu Ling hadn''t announced that he brought ''his beloved'' over.


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked from one person to the other. Weren''t this ¡­ Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple and his fiance ¡­ no, ex-fiance Zhong Jing Yi? Why were they here? Well, whatever, he couldn''t care about that now. He had to take care of the matter with the array first! "Ah, Qiu Ling, you''ve certainly come for something very important but I''m sorry. I can''t deal with it at the moment."


    Qiu Ling blinked. Couldn''t deal with it at the moment? But his beloved wanted something from the Sect Master!


    Seeing Qiu Ling frown like that Yuchi Bing Xia winced. Why did their Yun Zou Sect only have so few talents? If this was still in their heyday he never would have to justify himself in front of a disciple! "There is something wrong with one of our arrays."


    Qiu Ling turned to look at Jing Yi proudly. "See? I told you it was old and stopped functioning!"


    Jing Yi''s face turned even redder and he looked away. As he had feared Qiu Ling had actually destroyed one of the arrays the sect used. Just how did he expect to explain this?


    The Sect Master looked at Qiu Ling blankly. What was this disciple saying? "You ¡­ saw that something was wrong with the array?" Don''t tell him this talent was also proficient in arrays. Well, it wouldn''t be too strange. After all, the Grandmaster had also some attainment in that area. It wouldn''t be strange for him to teach him at least the basics.


    Qiu Ling snorted. "How couldn''t I? It was so obvious!"


    He crossed his arms, clearly indignant, but Yuchi Bing Xia had no idea why this disciple felt insulted. It couldn''t be that his question had been this insensitive, could it? He turned to Zhong Jing Yi to get some feedback but the young man sheepishly averted his gaze again. The Sect Master grew even more confused. "So, in the end, just what happened?"


    "Tch! That dumb array! Your sect actually used it for so long that it stopped functioning. When my beloved wanted to go to the inner sect it actually prevented him from doing so!"


    Jing Yi lowered his head. There it was. He had actually called him ''my beloved'' in front of the Sect Master. Jing Yi might have been embarrassed already but Qiu Ling was far from finished with his tirade.


    "You clearly gave me that jade pendant for Jing''er yesterday. Isn''t it used for opening that array? But it didn''t work at all and he had to wait at the outer sect even though he''s an inner sect disciple now. That''s unacceptable! If I didn''t know any better, I would assume you don''t want him to be part of the inner sect.


    "Well, anyway, my beloved was extremely lucky that I was in the vicinity. Quite coincidentally, of course," he added for the sake of Jing Yi. He definitely couldn''t let his beloved know that he had been trailing him from the moment he stepped out of his room. "When he told me what had happened I knew immediately that that array had just grown too old and wasn''t working properly anymore so I was so nice to take care of it." Qiu Ling nodded with a satisfied smile.


    Hear that, my beloved? I did such a good thing for your sect! Don''t you just feel like getting back together with me?


    Jing Yi tried to inconspicuously raise a hand and covered half his face. Could he still bring up an excuse to leave the Sect Master''s palace? He really couldn''t bear this any longer! The Sect Master would certainly ask just what Qiu Ling had done to ''take care'' of the array. There was nothing they could say in apology!


    Yuchi Bing Xia indeed reacted as Jing Yi predicted. "What do you mean you took care of it?"


    "Well, obviously, I took it down. An array that hinders the inner sect disciples from entering the inner sect definitely can''t be kept."


    "Ah?" Yuchi Bing Xia wasn''t even able to say a single sentence. His brain just refused to accept what he had just heard. This disciple ¡­ he certainly couldn''t have said that he had destroyed one of their arrays right now. He never could have said that he had destroyed the second biggest, second most expensive array of their sect. He definitely couldn''t have.


    Qiu Ling raised his hands in a magnanimous gesture. "You don''t have to thank me."

 Chapter 469 - Giving Him Face

    Yuchi Bing Xia gaped. Had he ¡­ Had he just said that he didn''t need to thank him? After destroying their array? That array?!


    Jing Yi paled when he saw the Sect Master''s expression. He grabbed Qiu Ling''s arm and pulled him down with him as he bowed. "We know our fault, Sect Master! We know this can''t be undone. We''ll accept our punishment!"


    Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows. At least this young man still knew how to react appropriately. Well, he probably should have knelt down instead of just bowing considering just how great this kind of offense was.


    Jing Yi also knew this but what use was there if he knelt down and Qiu Ling just continued to stand beside him? Then the Sect Master might get even angrier. No, he had to apologize first and then somehow give Qiu Ling a hint.


    He furrowed his brows and tugged at Qiu Ling''s sleeve, lowering himself slowly. This should be pretty obvious, shouldn''t it? Certainly, Qiu Ling would ¡ª


    "My love!" Qiu Ling turned around and grabbed him by the waist. "What''s with you? Aren''t you feeling well? Do you want to sit down? Lie down? Should I bring you back to your room? No, do you want me to bring you to a room here in the inner sect? I can fly you over immediately!"


    He wanted to pick him up but Jing Yi hurriedly evaded.


    Forget it! Qiu Ling was a hopeless case. He would just kneel down himself. Maybe Qiu Ling would understand then. Jing Yi grabbed his robe and knelt down. "Asking the Sect Master to mete out punishment!"


    Qiu Ling looked at Jing Yi and then turned to look at the Sect Master incredulously. Mete out punishment? This guy should better not dare to punish his beloved!


    Yuchi Bing Xia grimaced. Why was this Qiu Ling looking at him like this? He wasn''t the one who had destroyed something! Yuchi Bing Xia tightened his lips. He wanted to scold him harshly. As the Sect Master shouldn''t he be able to yell ''Still not kneeling down and begging for forgiveness?'' or something along those lines? But why was everything he could think when seeing him ''first talent of the Yun Zou Sect, don''t aggravate''?


    Argh, being the Sect Master was such a shitty job! He should go and look how Yu Jin was getting along with the beautiful god after this. If everything was alright, he should speed up the process of making him the new Sect Master.


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed and waved the matter aside. "It''s alright. Let''s not talk about this any longer." But don''t think I won''t go and complain to your Master! The costs for repairing that array will definitely come out of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s pocket!


    Jing Yi lifted his head and stared at him dumbly. Had that really just happened? They had destroyed the property of the sect but hadn''t been held responsible? Just what was happening here? He looked at Qiu Ling in confusion and got a splendid smile in return.


    "My love, why don''t you get up?" Qiu Ling grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. "Are you feeling better now?"


    "Uh ¡­" Jing Yi averted his gaze once more.


    Yuchi Bing Xia coughed. He was already crying inside from having lost the second biggest, second most expensive array of their sect. Did they really need to display their affection in front of him? Especially since they were supposed to have broken up already?!


    "So, in the end, why did you come here?"


    "Oh, I don''t know." Qiu Ling continued to look at Jing Yi. He hadn''t even thought to ask about this. He had just brought his beloved here since he wanted to go see the Sect Master. Now that that guy mentioned it ¡­ he was also curious. It couldn''t be that his beloved had come here to see that guy''s disciple, right? That senior martial brother Yu Jin?!


    Qiu Ling frowned and hurriedly grabbed Jing Yi''s hands. "My love, if you''re here to see that Yu Jin, then let''s better go. Don''t you think I''m a much better catch then he? I even solved this problem of the sect just like that!"


    Jing Yi''s brows twitched. Could Qiu Ling stop to relate everything to their relationship? And why was he still talking about that array? If one thought about it a little longer, then the Sect Master had probably just let them go to give Grandmaster Zhangsun face! Who knew if he wouldn''t reconsider if Qiu Ling mentioned the matter a few more times?


    Jing Yi took his hands back and turned to the Sect Master. "I''m sorry for disturbing the Sect Master. It''s just that I wanted to bring back the things senior martial brother Qiu took for me. I do understand that I haven''t done enough to become an inner sect disciple just yet and I don''t want to get my status just because of ¡­ my relationship to senior martial brother Qiu." He bowed again and offered the robe and the jade pendant.


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. This youth wasn''t bad. If his aptitude was a bit better, he definitely wouldn''t have minded making him an inner sect disciple. But as things stood ¡­ most of it had really been because of the Grandmaster''s disciple. He couldn''t say that now though.


    He took the jade pendant and turned it between his fingers, his expression darkening a little. "I guess this is my fault."


    Jing Yi tensed and looked up. What was the Sect Master saying there? Was this him admitting that he had indeed only made him an inner sect disciple because of Qiu Ling? And after the thing with the array, he now regretted it deeply?


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed and put the jade pendant back onto the robe. "I sent nobody to bring you over or explain anything to you so it''s expected that things might go wrong. You have to induce the jade pendant with your spiritual energy for it to work on the array."


    "Ah?" Why was he telling him this?


    Yuchi Bing Xia smiled a little strained. "I probably can''t deny that a lot of your opportunities came from knowing the Grandmaster''s disciple. But that isn''t everything and luck plays an important role in cultivation. So just go and have Wu Min Huan assign you to a place here in the inner sect. You''re already an inner sect disciple of our Yun Zou Sect. Nothing will change about that."

 Chapter 470 - Tell them to Do it Together

    Yuchi Bing Xia gave a relieved sigh when he finally managed to drive the two disciples off. Ah, this really was too stressful. He had to make sure Yu Jin would soon start to take over so he could concentrate on cultivation instead. Mn, if he managed to attain the next stage, the Yun Zou Sect might also secure a better position again. Yu Jin would certainly understand that this was good for everyone.


    He nodded to himself and finally left his palace. The first thing to do was to notify Grandmaster Zhangsun of what his disciple had done. And, well, to demand the cost for repairing the array from him.


    He flew over to Zhangsun Xun Yi''s peak and slowly walked inside. Ah, he didn''t feel too good about this. Grandmaster Zhangsun certainly wasn''t unreasonable like his disciple but just like with Qiu Ling the sect also couldn''t do without him. Demanding something from a person like that wasn''t easy at all.


    He slowly approached the room where the Grandmaster was cultivating. Zhangsun Xun Yi had already noticed him and finally opened his eyes when he stepped into the room.


    "Grandmaster."


    One look at Yuchi Bing Xia''s face was enough for Zhangsun Xun Yi to know that something had happened. If he came to him for that ¡­ "Qiu Ling?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia took a seat and sighed. The Grandmaster really knew his disciple too well.


    "Is it because of that boy from the outer sect? Is Qiu Ling still bothering you to make him part of the inner sect?"


    "No. I already did that yesterday. It''s not like we''ll lose out or something. The problem is that nobody explained the jade pendant to him so he wasn''t able to enter the inner sect today. Your disciple noticed and, well, took some radical measures to help."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi''s gaze flickered. Even he couldn''t begin to imagine just what Qiu Ling might have come up with.


    "Uh ¡­ He ¡­ kind of destroyed our array. I normally wouldn''t bother you with this but you also know that we''ve fallen to the status of a second-rank sect. There is no way for us to repair the array." He looked down and sighed. Ah, he couldn''t just outright ask for it! "Uhm ¡­ So, do you have any thoughts on this? I don''t think we have to expect an attack right now but it doesn''t seem too good to just ignore the possibility and leave it like this."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "No, we shouldn''t do that." He pondered, his gaze flickering for a moment. "Well, if the sect lacks the materials, then we''ll have to get them from somewhere."


    Yuchi Bing Xia tightened his lips. Yes! So, please offer to have them come out of your pocket! "The Grandmaster has an idea?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "The person who did the damage should make up for it. Just ask Qiu Ling to do it. He shouldn''t have trouble to find some materials for the array. Just think of how fast he gathered everything needed for the Amethyst Lightning Pill back then."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes lit up. "Right! Then this shouldn''t be too difficult for him. The array might be expensive but disregarding a few rare materials it''s mostly the amount needed that results in that. If we give him a spatial ring it shouldn''t be a problem to bring them back."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi smiled wryly. "No need to give him anything. Let him deal with it alone." He wouldn''t believe for a single moment that Qiu Ling would need anything from the sect.


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded happily but soon enough reality came crashing down on him. Ah, just imagining how he confronted that disciple ¡­ He coughed. "Uh, Grandmaster Zhangsun, could I bother you to inform him about this? Your disciple is a little ¡­ I''m not too sure he would accept the task from me."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked at him strangely.


    "Uh ¡­ What is it? Did I say something wrong?"


    "Just tell him he should do it together with his fiance since they were both involved in this. He''ll jump at the chance to take the mission."


    "Is that really such a good idea? They broke up, after all."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi lifted his brows. They broke up? But hadn''t his disciple come by just yesterday to demand they make that Jing He part of the inner sect? Why would he ¡­ The Grandmaster thought back to when Qiu Ling had gone to gather the materials for the Amethyst Lightning Pill even though he didn''t know if the boy would ever accept his advances. Alright. Maybe he shouldn''t wonder that he still wanted him to become part of the inner sect. Well, he wouldn''t mind as long as Qiu Ling helped to rebuild the array.


    The Sect Master nodded. "Mn, it seems that things happened in the secret realm so ¡­" He coughed embarrassedly. "Well, that Zhong Jing Yi is still quite young and even though your Qiu Ling is certainly a peerless genius, my Yu Jin isn''t half-bad either. It''s not too unexpected I guess."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi frowned. Normally, he wouldn''t care about something like this but his disciple was a dragon. If his beloved left him and got together with another man, wouldn''t that impact him a lot? Ah, this wasn''t good. He should go and ask that person for help.


    Yuchi Bing Xia waited but didn''t get an answer. "Uh ¡­ Grandmaster Zhangsun, the mission for your disciple?"


    "Ah, yes, I think it would be a good idea. Whatever happened they should be able to work together. Now, please excuse me. There is something I have to talk about with that person."


    Yuchi Bing Xia rose to his feet together with the Grandmaster. "Actually, I wanted to go there too and see how things stand. He''s living at Yu Jin''s place right now, after all. Right, did I mention already that I intend to have Yu Jin follow in my footsteps now that he is back?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head. "What about Wu Min Huan? Doesn''t he mind? He was your head disciple for so long."


    The Sect Master sighed while he followed the Grandmaster out of the palace. "Wu Min Huan isn''t bad but ¡­ he lacks some qualities he''d need as the Sect Master. I still feel that Yu Jin is the best person for this. Well, let''s see how he gets along with that person."

 Chapter 471 - Waking Him Up

    The people in question were still lying in bed at that time. Jinde had finally peacefully slept for a whole night after many years without real rest and even though Leng Jin Yu had already been awake for a while he just couldn''t convince himself to get up and leave Jinde alone. Well, it wasn''t that late yet anyway.


    Jinde sighed in his dreams and burrowed deeper into Leng Jin Yu''s arms, his golden hair brushing against his skin. Leng Jin Yu''s lips unwittingly rose in a smile and he combed through the silky strands with his fingers before leaning down and kissing Jinde''s head. He held him for a few more minutes before he finally let go of him. He carefully got up, making sure not to make any unnecessary movements or causing any sounds that might wake Jinde up. He went to make some tea for Jinde first and changed his robes before carrying the tray back.


    Mn, would Jinde like to be woken up like this? He didn''t know but it couldn''t be wrong to try. Like that they would soon get to know each other better. He put the tray down next to the bed and leaned over to gently wake him up.


    Jinde turned in his sleep, his hands unconsciously reaching out for the other side of the bed as if he wanted to make sure his lover was still there. Leng Jin Yu caught the wandering hand with his own and placed a kiss on it.


    "It''s time to get up."


    "Mn ¡­" Jinde smiled and gripped that warm hand tighter. So this hadn''t just been a dream. It was true. His Chun Yin ¡­ he had come back to him. He wasn''t alone any longer. "Kiss me ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu chuckled. Was this really the first thing Jinde thought of in the morning? Well, he didn''t mind waking him up like that either. He bent down and cupped Jinde''s cheeks. He didn''t immediately kiss him though. Instead, he took a moment to admire his face.


    Jinde was ¡­ even more beautiful like this. His skin was pale as usual but his cheeks had a light flush, making him look healthier than yesterday. His hair was loosely scattered around him, making him seem so much more approachable and attainable even though nothing had changed in just a day. Ah, this really ¡­ was such a feast for the eyes.


    He finally bent down the last bit and their lips met. Jinde sighed lightly and reached up with one hand, grabbing onto the front of Leng Jin Yu''s robe and pulling him down even further. He didn''t want to separate, never again. If they could just stay like this or even entangle further, he would be content for the rest of his life.


    Leng Jin Yu reached down and his fingers once again slid into Jinde''s hair. He brushed those silky strands away and finally rubbed the sensitive skin at his neck.


    "Ah!" Jinde gasped and his grip on Leng Jin Yu''s robe tightened while his brows creased a little.


    Leng Jin Yu immediately pulled back. "Are you alright? Does your shoulder hurt? Should I ¡ª"


    Jinde took a deep breath. Was this guy trying to drive him crazy first thing in the morning? First, he kissed him like that and started to tease him and then he just pulled back? What was this if not torture?


    He wanted to retort and tell him to take him already but just then a sound of surprise came from the door.


    Leng Jin Yu turned around to look what had happened only to find his Master and Grandmaster Zhangsun standing in the door. Both of them looking at the scene in the room incredulously.


    Leng Jin Yu gulped. Damn it. When had those two come by? He hadn''t heard anything! This wasn''t good at all. His Master had warned him just yesterday to keep his distance from Jinde. He didn''t intend to do so but he definitely hadn''t wanted to break the news to his Master like this. No, he would rather have wanted to wait a while longer until Yuchi Bing Xia got used to the thought of them living together. He had thought he could just reveal everything bit by bit until it seemed normal to him. But now, that was definitely impossible. After all, he was half kneeling on Jinde''s bed right now and the way he had bent over him probably didn''t leave many questions open.


    "Uh ¡­ It''s ¡­ not what it looks like?" He himself felt that it was obvious that this was nonsense.


    Yuchi Bing Xia and Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t look convinced either. Behind Leng Jin Yu, Jinde finally cracked his eyes open but there was a dangerous glint in them. Not how it looked like? So his lover actually dared to spend the night in his bed but didn''t dare to admit it? Wasn''t this almost as bad as what Chun Yin had done? He definitely wouldn''t let him embark on the same path! Just you wait!


    Jinde closed his eyes again, shoved the blanket a little bit down and gave an audible sigh. "Jin Yu, where are you going? Come back to bed ¡­"


    Yuchi Bing Xia froze. Zhangsun Xun Yi froze. Leng Jin Yu froze.


    The latter cursed inwardly. What timing! But he could hardly blame Jinde. He had still been sleepy when he came back. He probably hadn''t even noticed that his Master and the Grandmaster had come by. He considered waking Jinde up but turning to him now probably wasn''t a good idea. What if Jinde said or did something else? Wouldn''t it get even worse? He cleared his throat and tried to look as earnest as possible. "It really isn''t!"


    Jinde frowned. Bastard! Then he reached out and grabbed his sleeve with a precision that belied his ''sleepiness''. "Jin Yu, don''t go! You can''t just throw me away after you used me!"

 Chapter 472 - Let’s Talk About That Outside

    Leng Jin Yu almost fell down. What did he mean after he used him?! He really wanted to turn around and ask but as things stood that would make matters worse. The looks on the other two men''s faces were already as ugly as they could get. Leng Jin Yu hurriedly tugged at his sleeve but Jinde held onto it with a death grip.


    Don''t think I''ll let you get away! You owe me for all the years with that woman! And what about the time you left me alone? Make up for it, damn it!


    Leng Jin Yu''s expression darkened. Great, just great. Now, what was he supposed to do? He looked from his Master to Grandmaster Zhangsun and finally to the pale fingers clutching his sleeve. Alright, he had to clear this up now or the situation would get even messier. And with how things had gone until now it would probably be better if he did so while Jinde was not next to him. After all, he tended to have trouble concentrating when he was. That couldn''t happen in such a situation!


    Leng Jin Yu lifted his other hand and took a dagger out from his spatial ring. He turned around and carefully cut off the part of his sleeve that Jinde was clutching. Then he got up in a swift motion and walked over to his Master and Grandmaster Zhangsun. He cupped his fists and bowed. "I''m sorry for making Master and the Grandmaster wait."


    "That ¡­" Yuchi Bing Xia stared at the bed where a certain golden-haired beautiful god was lying in a way that very obviously screamed ''something happened here''. That long hair was scattered everywhere, that robe was ripped at his shoulder and the creamy skin could be seen through the tear. If you wanted him to believe that nothing ambiguous had been going on here ¡­ you really needed to think he was an idiot.


    He still couldn''t help but hope that there was a good explanation for everything. After all, it was his favorite disciple they were talking about here. He turned to look at Leng Jin Yu but didn''t say anything. He really didn''t know how to word this. What kind of question should he ask?


    "It''s really not what it looks like!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked from Leng Jin Yu''s face to the dagger in his hand and finally to the piece of fabric that Jinde was still clutching. "Which is why you cut your sleeve."


    Leng Jin Yu tensed. Ah ¡­ Heavens! What had he done? He just hadn''t wanted to wake Jinde up because ¡­ well, it wouldn''t be a good idea. But now the Grandmaster had misunderstood even more. There was no way he could explain this anymore!


    Yuchi Bing Xia blinked and also turned to look at the fabric in Jinde''s hand. "Cut his sleeve ¡­" He couldn''t help but repeat the words. Wait ¡­ Didn''t this mean ¡­ he was in that kind of relationship with the beautiful god? But ¡­ Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes widened. "You only met each other yesterday!"


    Leng Jin Yu winced. "Master, please let''s discuss this outside ¡­"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi indeed turned away and stepped back into the corridor outside. He didn''t care where they talked about this. Actually, he didn''t even care if they talked about it. After all, it wasn''t like this was his matter.


    He had brought that person to the Yun Zou Sect back then because he could provide him with the place he needed to rest and because that man could add another layer of protection to their sect. It had been a deal beneficial to both sides and one with clear boundaries.


    He admired that man for his strength as it was considered normal and he felt that the other also had good feelings for him but they weren''t very familiar and he definitely wouldn''t get involved in his private matters. He didn''t mind listening to them if he wanted to talk about it but he wouldn''t pry into it if the other didn''t want to divulge them.


    The only thing he was slightly curious about was just what made that Yu Jin so charming. First, he had managed to wrest the fiance out of his disciple''s hands and now he had even managed to spend a night with this man, even making him call out for him like this in the morning. This really was astonishing.


    Yuchi Bing Xia was thinking completely different. Fuck! First, his disciple didn''t listen to him when he said he shouldn''t get close to the beautiful god. Not only that Yu Jin had even spent the night with him. And then he actually had the guts to cut off his sleeve in front of him and the Grandmaster and ask them to step out so as to not wake up his lover! Was this a rebellious phase or something?! How could he just do the complete opposite of what he had promised yesterday?!


    As much as Yuchi Bing Xia raged inwardly he could hardly stay in the room and erupt if even the Grandmaster stepped out politely. Furthermore ¡­ even though Yu Jin had disobeyed him and deserved punishment he could hardly take care of that now while the beautiful god was sleeping in the same room. Wouldn''t he wake him up then? Who could bear to do so?


    Yuchi Bing Xia stopped right behind the door when that thought crossed his mind. Uh ¡­ It seemed he couldn''t put all the blame on his disciple''s head. Part of that was only because the beautiful god just had such an effect.


    Leng Jin Yu closed the door behind him, taking a last look at Jinde who seemed to have fallen asleep again. He sighed lightly and motioned to the other side of the corridor. "Why don''t we go into the study? Maybe Master and the Grandmaster would like a cup of tea?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and followed his invitation. Yuchi Bing Xia murmured another curse but still went on his way. Leng Jin Yu sighed. It seemed it wouldn''t be easy to calm down his Master. He shook his head and followed the two of them into the study. Or rather he followed them until the door because they had both stopped in their tracks there.


    Leng Jin Yu blinked and took a glance at the study. His ears flushed in shame. Oh, damn. He had completely forgotten about that. That frivolous painting of Jinde was still lying on the table.

 Chapter 473 - Call Him Elder

    Leng Jin Yu coughed, stepped into the study first and picked up the painting. He took a regretful glance at it, rolled it up and placed it into the shelf where the other paintings were lying. Then he turned to make some tea only to realize that the teapot was still standing next to Jinde''s bed.


    Ah, this seemed to be one of those days where everything that could go wrong would go wrong. It could have been so nice to wake up with his lover and snuggle in bed for a while before they got up together. They could have talked and gotten to know each other better. If his Master didn''t have anything to do for him, they even could have spent the rest of the day with each other.


    But here he was entertaining his Master and the Grandmaster while Jinde was sleeping alone. Leng Jin Yu sighed and pulled another teapot and two cups out of his spatial ring. Thankfully, he had been gifted this set back when he hadn''t ascended yet or this whole situation might have become even more awkward. Offering tea and then being unable to serve it ¡­ If things like this continued to pile up, his Master might reconsider letting him become the Sect Master.


    Leng Jin Yu busied himself with making the tea and finally put two steaming cups onto the table. "Please." He motioned to the table and stepped back.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi went over and sat down while Yuchi Bing Xia shot Leng Jin Yu another reproachful gaze. He would never be able to serve him enough tea to make him forget about everything that had happened today.


    Ah, he had just started to forgive Yu Jin a little and then he actually had to see that kind of painting! Don''t kid him! Even if the face hadn''t been depicted, it was obvious from the way the hair was scattered that this was obviously the beautiful god! Argh, and he had actually believed that Yu Jin was a good disciple, a refined gentleman that would never give in to carnal desires. At least not this easily ¡­


    Yuchi Bing Xia grimaced. "I brought you over yesterday."


    "Yes, Master." Leng Jin Yu knelt down beside the table like a good disciple and lowered his gaze.


    "Hmph. So you still remember. How come I found you together in bed with him today then? Even if the two of you somehow felt drawn to each other, isn''t that too fast?!"


    Leng Jin Yu tightened his lips. That was exactly what he thought but, well, he certainly couldn''t blame Jinde for wanting to spend time with him. No, he needed a better excuse.


    "Master, it''s not like that. I just brought tea over and wanted to wake him up."


    "Like that?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched but he forced himself to thicken his face. "He ¡­ was deeply asleep and didn''t hear when I called from outside. He didn''t even notice when I put down the tea so I ¡­ well, I probably didn''t really think it through."


    Yuchi Bing Xia stared at his disciple''s face and tried to find out if he was pretending. It didn''t seem like it but he wasn''t too sure. Maybe he thought too well of him?


    Leng Jin Yu also noticed that his Master wasn''t completely satisfied with this explanation. Well, it figured. It was only an excuse, after all.


    "Then ¡­ why did he ask you to come back to bed? And what did he mean when he said you used him?"


    "He ¡­" Leng Jin Yu''s gaze flitted to Grandmaster Zhangsun but the man seemed more interested in the painting on his cup than in the content of the conversation. "Well, Master might not know yet but yesterday I got into a ¡­ dispute with Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple."


    This time the Grandmaster actually looked up. His disciple had gotten into a fight? Why didn''t he know about this? Had that been before he ran to him to let his ex-fiance become an inner sect disciple or afterward?


    Yuchi Bing Xia wasn''t surprised though. He had already long known about that. That was the reason why he knew that his disciple was the reason for the break-up of those two. He was curious just how his disciple thought of using this to make his lousy excuse of waking up the beautiful god work.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t need him to ask anything else. He motioned at his shoulder. "Senior martial brother Qiu accidentally injured my shoulder. Since it''s a spot that isn''t that easily taken care of by oneself Jinde offered his help."


    Yuchi Bing Xia tightened his lips. Ah, just hearing his disciple refer to that person so informally made him furious. "Don''t you think you''re being disrespectful? You should at least call him Elder."


    "Elder?" Leng Jin Yu blankly stared at his Master. He tried very hard to imagine how he called Jinde ''Elder'' but ¡­ He could only shudder. This was so wrong! Jinde was a lot but there was no way he could bring himself to call him Elder. He just didn''t look the part.


    Sure, most cultivators stopped aging early on if their aptitude was high so there were quite a few young-looking cultivators that should be addressed as such. But even if you took someone like Grandmaster Zhangsun as an example it wasn''t as ridiculous as it was with Jinde.


    Jinde was ¡­ Well, looking at his face very closely he might indeed be somewhere between thirty or thirty-five but the truth was that nobody would ever think he was that old when they didn''t search for clues of his age. His skin was soft and elastic just like that of a young person. The usual paleness served more as a sign of nobility than anything else and if Jinde had any wrinkles, then they were so small and so well-placed that he had never noticed them. Maybe they even added to his charm.


    Leng Jin Yu felt a little guilty thinking like that but if the Yun Zou Sect had even a single Elder like Jinde, then they wouldn''t need to worry about their rank anymore. Countless young geniuses would travel to their gates and beg them to be taken in. They might even offer presents to maximize their chances. Jinde just had that kind of appeal.

 Chapter 474 - A Man He Could Count on

    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat. "Master, I don''t really think he would appreciate being addressed as Elder."


    Actually, he wasn''t just guessing. If he hadn''t heard wrong, then Longjun had wanted to call him ''ancestor'' to ingratiate himself but Jinde hadn''t taken nicely to it. He probably was quite conscious about his age.


    Outside of the study, Jinde nodded. He naturally hadn''t stayed in bed after Leng Jin Yu led Yuchi Bing Xia and Zhangsun Xun Yi away. Instead, he had waited a moment and followed them. He definitely couldn''t allow Leng Jin Yu to get away with it if he said something wrong.


    Ah, just where was Xin Lan? Normally, he would do something sneaky like this.


    Jinde looked around but he couldn''t see any traces of him. Well, it wasn''t too unexpected. Xin Lan had often vanished for several weeks back when they had still been living in the dragon realm. If it was the same this time, then he would return with his clothes ripped and a myriad of little scratches all over his body. But he would just expressionlessly hand over something he had found for him and then sit still while he stitched him back together.


    Jinde''s expression clouded over. He really hoped he was wrong and that there was another explanation. Xin Lan was strong and didn''t get easily injured, yes, but just the fact that he risked so much time and time again was worrying. It was as if Xin Lan didn''t value his own life.


    While Jinde was lost in his musings Yuchi Bing Xia finally found his voice again. "What are you even talking about?! He is the benefactor of our sect. Doesn''t he deserve at least that much respect?"


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath. "Naturally, he deserves respect and I''m willing to pay him this respect but I think he wouldn''t be too happy about it if I really did. Look, Master, he''s currently living in this house that he knew was originally occupied by me. He wasn''t alright with me moving out probably because he felt he was imposing. He certainly doesn''t have to feel this way but he will since he''s a very courteous and conscientious person. I''m afraid if I start to call him Elder after he himself offered me to call him Jinde, he might misunderstand and feel that I feel forced to keep him here or even that he isn''t welcome."


    Yuchi Bing Xia wanted to retort but Leng Jin Yu''s explanation didn''t really leave him any opportunity. What should he say? That he didn''t see the beautiful god as a courteous person? That wouldn''t just be wrong, it would even insult him. Then maybe he should argue that his disciple had inferred wrong and that calling the beautiful god Elder had nothing to do with how he would feel? But what if Yu Jin was right? They couldn''t risk offending this person! In the end, Yuchi Bing Xia kept quiet and just drank his tea.


    Outside, Jinde smiled. Ah, this was his lover! He really knew how to make people shut up. And it was an interesting change to see him do so with arguments instead of wild accusations or even some more ¡­ physical means.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t seem too interested in the conversation. When both Master and disciple had fallen silent he lifted the cup. "This is a very nice painting. I believe this isn''t the tea set the sect normally uses?"


    "Ah? Oh, no. It was a gift from a friend."


    "Mn." Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and sipped his tea just as before as if all this had nothing to do with him.


    Leng Jin Yu looked away. Was there any way to send those two out fast? He didn''t want to let Jinde wait for too long.


    Unfortunately, his Master wasn''t even done. He might not be able to get him to call the beautiful god Elder but he certainly wouldn''t budge on the rest! "Well, whether or not you call him Elder isn''t that important. But have you found an excuse to leave here yet?"


    Jinde''s expression blanked. Excuse? Leave? This couldn''t mean ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu''s gaze flickered and he hurriedly lowered his head. "No, Master."


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed. "Ah, this is bad. After what happened today, you definitely can''t stay here any longer. Even if he was too deeply asleep to notice how you behaved, he will at least find that part of your sleeve. Won''t he realize what happened then?"


    "I don''t think he would mind." After all, hadn''t Jinde been the one who wanted to seduce him yesterday? He certainly hadn''t imagined that. If somebody made advances on you like that, then he wouldn''t get angry at finding part of your sleeve in his bed. No, Jinde might even celebrate.


    Yuchi Bing Xia tsked. Why was his obedient disciple suddenly so difficult when it came to this topic? "You don''t have to worry about it any longer. I already have an idea."


    Both Leng Jin Yu and Jinde froze.


    "You''ll go on a mission. It might take a long time which isn''t good considering I wanted to teach you everything you needed to know to succeed me but getting you away from that person is still more important."


    Leng Jin Yu clenched his fists and looked up at his Master. "I won''t."


    Yuchi Bing Xia gaped. "What?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. He knew this wasn''t the way to go. Even though this person wasn''t his Master in the way he thought he was, he still shouldn''t disrespect him like this. He lifted his hands and bowed. "I''m sorry, Master, but I won''t follow your orders on this."


    "Your meaning is ¡­"


    "I won''t leave this house and I won''t keep away from Jinde. Punish me if you must but I won''t budge on this."


    In the corridor, Jinde smiled. His heart that had always felt like it was being torn apart suddenly felt like it was bathed in honey. This sweetness ¡­ Even with Chun Yin, he had never felt it. In all those years he had lived already, for the first time he had the pleasure to hear his lover acknowledge their feelings.


    He hadn''t said ''I love you'' or sworn to stay with him forever as Chun Yin had but maybe it was exactly this what made this feel so real. Ah, he didn''t need some honeyed words that were whispered into his ears in the heat of the moment. What he needed was this type of man. The type that would insist on being at his side even if it was disadvantageous to him, even if it went against another believe he had. Someone who didn''t give him high-sounding promises he broke the same day but who showed him how much he loved him through what he did.


    His Chun Yin, in this new life he had finally become a man he could count on.

 Chapter 475 - An Important Mission

    Yuchi Bing Xia looked at his bowing disciple and sighed. Ah, he didn''t want to be too harsh on him. It was just ¡­ "Yu Jin, it''s not that I can''t understand you. He''s beautiful and has a pleasant disposition. Falling in love with him is probably easy and nothing strange. But you''re a disciple of our sect while he ¡­" He shook his head. "I''m just afraid this won''t end well."


    "That is a risk I''m willing to take."


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed again. "Is there no way to convince you to go on that mission instead? Maybe with a bit of time ¡­"


    "Jin Yu!" Jinde couldn''t take it any longer. His lover had already rejected the idea of going on that mission and leaving him so directly. Why couldn''t his Master just let him be? He wouldn''t accept this! He would make this Sect Master Yuchi promise right here that Jin Yu wouldn''t have to go.


    "Jinde!" Leng Jin Yu immediately leaped to his feet and hurried over. "How do you feel? Are you alright?" He took his hands and took another look at his face. His cheeks were indeed not as pale as yesterday. Maybe it had really helped him not to be alone anymore?


    "Mn. I''m feeling very well. What was this about just now? Did I hear you have to go on a mission?"


    Leng Jin Yu wanted to deny but Yuchi Bing Xia was faster than him.


    He also stood up and came over, smiling a little apologetic. "I''m afraid that''s true, yes. You see there is that array in our sect that suddenly malfunctioned. It is extremely important to us but we are lacking the necessary materials to repair it. I''ll have to entrust this mission to Yu Jin."


    Leng Jin Yu stared at his Master disapprovingly. Just where did he get this excuse from so suddenly? He had always thought his Master was an upstanding man that wouldn''t casually lie but now it seemed he had a lot of experience with this.


    Jinde also frowned. At this moment he really missed Xin Lan. Finding some materials in the mortal realm would have been so easy for him. He could have asked him if he was willing to go in Jin Yu''s stead. But who knew when Xin Lan would come back? Was there really nothing else he could do?


    Maybe they could go together? But that was too dangerous. He could never know if he might not meet someone from the immortal races. The gods might not care too much but every dragon or demon would be a problem. It was alright with Qiu Ling but ¡ª


    Jinde perked up. Wait! Qiu Ling?


    A treacherous smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Ah, my dear stepson, you can''t fault me for this! I might owe you because I didn''t hold onto your father properly but you also owe me for Chun Yin''s faults. And I might even be able to do you a favor with this.


    "That''s really a grave issue, Sect Master."


    "Mn. It is. I''m afraid something might happen at the sect if the array isn''t repaired soon."


    "I see. Well, there''s nothing that can be done I guess." He grabbed Leng Jin Yu''s hands tighter and took a step closer. "Then you have to promise to take care of yourself. And that you will hurry so you can return soon."


    "I ¡­" Leng Jin Yu wanted to say that he didn''t want to go at all but before he had the time to do so a certain someone had somehow managed to free one of his hands from his grip and was pressing it against his chest. The breath caught in Leng Jin Yu''s throat.


    "I guess I''ll miss you. It was so nice to have somebody else here with me. I''ve stayed alone for such a long time. But I guess there is nothing that can be done."


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath. He really, really wanted to clear this up. As fast as possible.


    Jinde scratched him before his gaze trailed to the side to where Grandmaster Zhangsun had silently stood up when he stepped into the room. "Ah, Grandmaster Zhangsun. I didn''t know you were here too. How have you been?"


    "Very well."


    "And your disciple? I haven''t seen Qiu Ling for such a long time."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "Qiu Ling ¡­ is having some issues right now." He glanced at Leng Jin Yu who was looking like he was also having some issues.


    "Oh, what might have happened?"


    "His fiance ¡­" Zhangsun Xun Yi blinked. Something told him he was playing into this man''s hands right now. Well, this wasn''t his matter. "He broke up with him."


    "What a pity! I remember that Qiu Ling mentioned that he was so much in love with him. Don''t you also think it''s a pity?" He turned back to Leng Jin Yu, inching yet a little closer. Another step and he would once again lie in his lover''s arms. Mn, such a tempting thought! But it was still too early. He first needed to make sure that Jin Yu would be able to stay with him.


    "It ¡­ definitely is. If it was me ¡­ I definitely wouldn''t want to part with my lover."


    "Mn." Jinde murmured his assent. "It really makes me wish I could help them somehow ¡­" He looked up through his lashes, his fingers curling around the hem of his lover''s lapel.


    Leng Jin Yu gulped. Could somebody help him first? His Master and Grandmaster Zhangsun were still watching. "Well, I don''t know if there is anything we could do. That matter ¡­ They''ll have to sort it out themselves."


    "I see ¡­" Jinde''s fingers slid up and down and he kept silent for a while. "Eh?" As if he had suddenly realized something, he turned to Grandmaster Zhangsun. "Grandmaster, how about sending Qiu Ling with his fiance on this mission instead of Jin Yu? Wouldn''t that give them time to sort things out?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked at Jinde''s face and then at his hand that was tugging at the other''s robe. Well, whatever the reason his disciple would still be ecstatic if it turned out like this. "I don''t see any problem with that. It''s his fault anyway that the array broke down. He should take responsibility."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes bulged. He really wanted to retort but what could he still say now that Grandmaster Zhangsun had spoken? He could only grit his teeth and nod. "Well, if you think it''s a good idea, then we should do it like that."


    "Mn. How great." Jinde answered but his gaze remained on Leng Jin Yu''s face. Ah, how great. Now he only had to make sure that the extraneous people would finally leave so that he could spend some alone time with his Jin Yu.

 Chapter 476 - Something from Another Time

    Jinde tore himself away from Leng Jin Yu''s sight and turned to look at Yuchi Bing Xia. "Considering it''s such a grave issue I wouldn''t want to keep Sect Master Yuchi longer than necessary. It might be for the best to tell Qiu Ling and his fiance immediately so they can hurry along on their journey."


    "Ah, sure ¡­" Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and cupped his fists, already turning to the door when he suddenly realized that something was wrong. Hadn''t he come to see how Yu Jin and the beautiful god were getting along? Hadn''t he wanted to appeal to Yu Jin''s conscience when he found out that something was going on that shouldn''t be happening? And now his plan to separate them through the mission had failed. He definitely couldn''t just go!


    He turned back. "Yu Jin ¡ª"


    Jinde''s eyes flashed. Was this guy still not going? Just why was he so intent on having them break up with each other?! He definitely wouldn''t allow it!


    Jinde put both his hands against Leng Jin Yu''s chest and inched closer. "Jin Yu, actually, now that you''re staying here there''s something I''d like to talk to you about."


    "What is it?" Leng Jin Yu gently grabbed Jinde''s elbows. After seeing him go so pale yesterday and hearing him talk about some injuries he had suffered that still ailed him, he couldn''t help but be a little cautious. Maybe it would be better to have him sit down? Come to think of it, Longjun had told him to sit down too when he came by yesterday. Maybe Jinde''s injuries were even worse than he had thought? He should pay more attention to this in the future.


    "Well, those paintings in the shelf ¡­ Were they done by you?"


    "Mn. They were."


    "You''re really good at this." Jinde''s hands slid lower until they rested on his lover''s abdomen, making the men in the room with him wonder just what he was talking about there.


    "Uh ¡­ Thank you. It''s ¡­ just something I do in my leisure time."


    "Really? That courtyard seemed familiar. Is it something you''ve seen?" Jinde looked up, his golden gaze inquiring earnestly.


    Leng Jin Yu''s grip tightened. "I think I did but I''m not too sure. It seems to be something like a distant memory, something from another time, another life."


    "Would you care to tell me more?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded but didn''t start talking immediately. Instead, he looped an arm around Jinde''s waist, much to the horror of his Master. "You''re still looking a little pale. How about sitting down for a while? Let me pour you a cup of tea." He led Jinde over to the table and made sure he was sitting comfortably.


    Grandmaster Zhangsun watched the two of them from the side before walking to the door. He glanced at Yuchi Bing Xia pointedly before he silently left. The Sect Master stared at his disciple in the hope that he would reconsider but Leng Jin Yu was completely absorbed in his task of caring for Jinde.


    Yuchi Bing Xia followed the Grandmaster out of the house and sighed. "I can''t believe this happened. I warned him so many times even before they met and then ¡­ How come something like this still happened?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked over to his own peak and narrowed his eyes. "Sometimes things are just like that. By the way, I thought your disciple was called Yu Jin?"


    "Ah? He is."


    "Then why ¡­"


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s expression darkened. "That''s exactly what I''m talking about. When they met Yu Jin was so enraptured that he even messed up his own name. Ah, what am I going to do about this?" He put a hand to his brow and shook his head. He never would have thought he''d have such problems with Yu Jin. The first five years with him had been a breeze but now his disciple had encountered a problem and it was even such a difficult one. Ah, what a pity!


    Zhangsun Xun Yi just murmured something that could have been an answer before he motioned to his palace. "I''m sure he''ll be able to cope. Now, if you would excuse me. There is still something I have to take care of."


    "Oh, but of course. I should also go and continue to take care of the documents." He sighed. "Hopefully Yu Jin won''t forget that he''s supposed to inherit my position over this matter."


    "I doubt he will. He seems quite ¡­ dependable."


    "Yes, I thought so too." Yuchi Bing Xia nodded but he couldn''t help but be anxious. This was his favorite disciple, his chosen successor, ah! What if he became so caught up with his feelings that he suffered from a Qi deviation or something? Things like that weren''t unheard of!


    Well, he couldn''t expect the Grandmaster to discuss this with him. He cupped his fists. "You said you were busy so I won''t keep you any longer. Thank you for accompanying me."


    "Mn. No worries." He turned around and returned to his own peak.


    He immediately walked to his study and sat down at his desk, grinding the ink and finally taking up the brush. The problem with Qiu Ling was already solved even though he hadn''t talked with that person. After all, that man hadn''t seemed too bothered by the fact that Qiu Ling''s fiance had broken up with him. Yes, he had been preoccupied with his own affairs but if this matter could actually endanger Qiu Ling''s life, then he certainly would have shown more interest.


    Now, there was only one thing he had to make sure of.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi dipped the brush into the ink and wrote a message, folding the scroll into a paper crane afterward. He imbued it with his spiritual energy and sent it out of the sect grounds of the Yun Zou Sect and to one of the righteous sects beyond the ranking system.

 Chapter 477 - How About You Paint Me?

    Inside the house that the two men had just left, Leng Jin Yu went to get the teapot Jinde had left in the bedroom and poured him a cup of tea. "Here, drink a bit."


    Jinde smiled. It had been a long time since he had gotten injured and he had already become used to the bit of pain that still lingered. It was still nice to have somebody care about him like this. Well, Xin Lan had done the same when they met again but that wasn''t the same. Having Leng Jin Yu at his side and being cared for by him felt sweet.


    He silently sipped the tea, making the lips of his lover quirk up in a smile. "You wanted to tell me about the paintings."


    "There isn''t much to tell. I''ve seen that courtyard a few times. Well, not really seen it. It''s like a memory that resurfaces but I can''t see more than that one glimpse and I know that something is missing. I don''t know what it is but I always felt it is a person." He looked into Jinde''s eyes, trying to find any hint, any confirmation that this was indeed him.


    Of course, he already knew. There was no other explanation for the way he felt. He didn''t believe in love at first sight, after all. He never had. So him falling so hard for Jinde after not even knowing him for even a single day ¡­ This could only be the result of having loved him for a very, very long time in his past life.


    Unfortunately, Jinde''s eyes stayed serene. "So you''ve continued to paint what you saw?"


    "Yes. I had always hoped it might enable me to see more. Maybe ¡­ draw out the memory of that person so I would be able to find him again. But it didn''t work. It was only that courtyard, over and over again. I never remembered anything else."


    Jinde''s lips curved in a mischievous line and his hand lifted to Leng Jin Yu''s chest again, slowly drawing circles on the fabric of the robe. "Never? So that painting from yesterday was merely a figment of your own imagination?"


    "That ¡­" Leng Jin Yu reeled. What was he supposed to say now? Jinde hadn''t confirmed that he was that person from his memory. Maybe there was a reason why he didn''t want him to know, at least for now. So if he said this was a memory, then Jinde might not like it since it would mean they''d have to confront it already. But if he said it wasn''t ¡­


    He cleared his throat and grabbed that teasing hand. "I thought you liked the painting?"


    "Mn. I like it very much. I also admire the painter very much. You know I''d feel honored if you did a painting of me."


    "Oh? I ¡­" Leng Jin Yu looked at the ceiling. Ah, why did it feel as if he was digging his own grave here? Talking to Jinde was thrilling but it also made him feel as if there was a noose around his neck that was tightening further and further. When it finally touched his skin and cut into it ¡­ What would happen then? Anyway, there was no way to escape any longer.


    And why should he refuse something as agreeable as this request? Just imagining to sit down with Jinde, to observe him for a while and to pin his appearance on paper so it could be taken out and admired from time to time ¡­ He actually anticipated it.


    "Well, if you want me to paint you, then I''d gladly do it."


    "Alright." Jinde put the cup down and stood up, startling Leng Jin Yu to his feet.


    "Where do you want to go?"


    "Mn? Shouldn''t I go and change my clothes? Having you paint me is something exceptional. I should dress accordingly."


    Leng Jin Yu blinked and turned to look out the window where the sun had gone up not long ago. "Now?"


    Jinde''s smile grew even more pronounced. "Of course, now. Or could it be that you don''t want to do it now?"


    "Ah, no, that''s ¡­ that''s not it. I just thought ¡­"


    Jinde stepped closer again, his hands once again searching to come into contact with Leng Jin Yu''s body. "Could it be you rather want to wait for a more appropriate time?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s gaze flickered. A more appropriate time? Just what kind of painting was Jinde asking him to do?


    Jinde inched closer and his hands slipped down to Leng Jin Yu''s waist, tugging at his robe. "How about this evening?" You know just in case you can''t hold back afterward.


    Leng Jin Yu gulped. If he really said he wanted to paint him in the evening, there was only one way this would end. He took a shaky breath and reminded himself that he definitely couldn''t just pounce on Jinde. There were some steps to observe with such things. At least they had to get to know each other better first before anything else could happen. This wasn''t their last life anymore.


    Suppressing the desire boiling in him, he stepped back and motioned to the door. "If you''re looking forward to it so much, then I won''t force you to wait that long. Please. Take your time to change. I''ll prepare the ink and brush."


    Jinde looked at his lover and pursed his lips. Still not giving in? In that case, he had to do a little more with regard to this painting. "Very well, then I''ll go and change." He turned around slowly, showcasing his slim frame beneath the robe. In the door, he stopped though. He reached out with one hand and lightly touched the door frame before turning around.


    "Right ¡­ There''s only that chair in the study. I''m afraid it wouldn''t make for an interesting painting. How about doing it in the courtyard instead? I like to do it outside."


    Leng Jin Yu who had just wanted to sit down and grind the ink to sort his thoughts shook. Why did everything Jinde said sound so ambiguous? Just what did he want to do in that courtyard?!


    "Jin Yu?"


    That gentle voice made him close his eyes and take a deep breath before he turned around. Well, one breath obviously wasn''t enough to calm down with Jinde looking at him like this. "Yes. Sure. I''ll ¡­ I''ll carry everything outside."


    "Mn. Thank you so much." Jinde didn''t go, though. "If it''s not asking too much ¡­ How about using a daybed? I think I would look great lying down on it."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched and he looked at Jinde with slight reproach. He could say whatever he wanted but he had been planning that all along, hadn''t he?


    Even though he knew, there was nothing he could do despite nodding. "Of course. If that''ll make you happy ¡­"


    "Very much so." Jinde rewarded him with a bright smile and finally left the room.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and touched his brow. Ah, just talking to him drained him off a lot of energy. If he really sat down and painted him ¡­ Would he really be able to hold back?

 Chapter 478 - Where Did That White-Clad Hero Go?

    At the same time, Jing Yi finally found Wu Min Huan after asking around on the Sect Master''s peak. It turned out the disciples guarding the gates of the Sect Master''s palace hadn''t even known where he lived. It really was embarrassing considering he had been Yuchi Bing Xia''s head disciple for such a long time.


    Jing Yi ignored the person who had shamelessly followed alongside him and knocked. Silence answered him before the door was cracked open and an eye peered out.


    "What?"


    Jing Yi blinked at the eye. "Uh ¡­ senior martial brother Wu?"


    "Yes, that''s me. What do you want?"


    Qiu Ling frowned. What was this guy thinking, talking to his beloved like this? He wanted to scold him but Jing Yi turned around just in time and frowned at him, effectively shutting him up. Qiu Ling withered like a flower in winter and hung his head. Ugh, now his beloved was angry at him. It was all this guy''s fault!


    Jing Yi turned back to Wu Min Huan when he was sure that Qiu Ling wouldn''t do anything outrageous again. "Senior martial brother Wu, I''m sorry for disturbing you. I don''t know if you remember me. I''m Zhong Jing Yi from the capital city. You brought me to the Yun Zou Sect back then."


    "Zhong Jing Yi?" Wu Min Huan furrowed his brow before recognition flashed through his eyes. "You mean that Jing Yi who didn''t know how to write his name? Don''t tell me you also forgot to mention your family''s name?" He opened the door a little wider, revealing a pale face and a pair of sunken eyes.


    Jing Yi was taken aback when he saw him. This person ¡­ Was he really that spirited and good-natured senior martial brother Wu he saw in the capital that day? This person looked nothing like him! Well, the appearance was generally the same but the vibe he gave off ¡­ Why did it remind him of his senior martial brother Yue from the Hei Dian Sect instead? Where had the white-clad hero he knew gone to?


    Wu Min Huan cleared his throat and finally opened the door completely. "I apologize for bringing that up. You were very young back then, there''s no need to be embarrassed. Actually, I''ve seen a lot of children react the very same way when we brought them to the sect."


    Jing Yi''s face flushed red when he found out that Wu Min Huan had no idea that he was reeling from the shock of seeing him and instead thought that this was because of the old story he had brought up. It was probably better this way but now he felt guilty because of what he had thought before. It wasn''t important how he looked at all.


    Senior martial brother Yue Lin had also been very nice despite how he looked and reacted at first. He was just constantly over-worked. Ah, maybe senior martial brother Wu was similarly worn out from all the tasks the Sect Master was giving him? Then he shouldn''t take up too much of his time!


    Jing Yi straightened up and cupped his fists. "Thank you, senior martial brother Wu, for bringing me to the Yun Zou Sect back then. I''ve really learned a lot in the years I''ve spent here. Actually, today I came because I had the good fortune to enter the inner sect. The Sect Master told me to come and find you so you could assign me to the suitable accommodations."


    Wu Min Huan blinked. "Master ¡­ sent you to me?" He blinked again. How come someone was sent to him? How come he suddenly got a task again? What about that junior martial brother Yu of his? Shouldn''t he deal with this? Something was fishy about this ¡­


    Jing Yi nodded and smiled.


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Of course, he did! Didn''t my beloved already say that? Why are you ¡ª"


    His words were stifled by a hand. Qiu Ling instantly shut up. Mn. So he could actually get his beloved to cling to him with angry outbursts? He should try to do this more often in the future!


    Jing Yi continued to clamp a hand over Qiu Ling''s mouth just in case. "Please, just ignore him, senior martial brother Wu."


    Wu Min Huan looked at Qiu Ling, puzzled. Who was this person? He had never seen him before. Well, it probably couldn''t be blamed on him. It had only been about ten years since Jing Yi and Qiu Ling entered the Yun Zou Sect and Qiu Ling had only emerged in front of the normal disciples five years ago at the Gathering of Practitioners. After that, he had traveled with Jing Yi for almost a year, spent several weeks in the Hei Dian Sect and then traveled around to free Jing Yi from the secret realm in the Leyuan region. The time he had actually spent in the Yun Zou Sect probably only amounted to a pitiful few days. And most of those had been spent there after returning from the Leyuan region when Wu Min Huan had long secluded himself. Naturally, he didn''t know about this so-called disciple of Grandmaster Zhangsun.


    Jing Yi cleared his throat when Wu Min Huan just stared at Qiu Ling. "Senior martial brother Wu, I''m really sorry that I have to disturb you for this. You''re probably very busy with everything the Sect Master wants you to do. Actually, it would be alright if you just point me in the right direction."


    Wu Min Huan shook his head and turned back to Jing Yi. "Ah, no, no, it''s nice to see a familiar face. So, do you know to which peak you want to go in the future?"


    "The Alchemy ¡ª" Jing Yi stopped and glanced at Qiu Ling, slowly retracting his hands. "It''s ¡­ Actually, I don''t mind either way."


    Right. There was no need to go to the Alchemy peak any longer. After all, Qiu Ling and he ¡­ were no longer a couple.

 Chapter 479 - His Fiance

    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes in puzzlement. Why was his beloved looking at him this way? Had he done something wrong? "My love ¡ª"


    Jing Yi''s brows knitted together and he turned further away. Ah, he definitely didn''t want to hear Qiu Ling call him that way. It brought back too many memories.


    Wu Min Huan looked from Jing Yi to Qiu Ling and back again. "Junior martial brother Zhong, this person is ¡­"


    "His fiance!" Qiu Ling made a point of putting an arm around Jing Yi''s waist just to make sure this person wouldn''t be as shameless as the Sect Master''s other disciple and try to seduce his beloved too.


    Naturally, the arm was wrested down. "This is Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple, Qiu Ling."


    "His fiance!" Qiu Ling reiterated and lifted his chin.


    "Uh ¡­" Wu Min Huan once again glanced from one person to the other before his gaze stopped at Jing Yi''s face. "So you''re engaged to the Grandmaster''s disciple? Congratulations!"


    Qiu Ling beamed. Ah, this senior martial brother Wu wasn''t bad at all!


    Jing Yi, on the other hand, felt the urge to facepalm. He really had to find a way to make Qiu Ling give up or everyone would misunderstand sooner or later. What if Tian managed to find him here and heard that he was engaged to somebody else? Wouldn''t he feel betrayed? After all, he had promised to never love another man. Well, that promise might have been given silently but he was sure Tian had felt it. There was no way his love could have stayed undetected.


    Wu Min Huan straightened up when Jing Yi didn''t clarify. This was the first assignment he got from his Master in such a long time and now it turned out that the person he was supposed to help settle in was actually the fiance of the Grandmaster''s disciple. This was such an important task! Could it be his good luck was finally about to turn around again? Maybe that hateful junior martial brother Yu had fallen from grace?! Ah, that would be too great!


    In his excitement, he grabbed Jing Yi''s hands. "Don''t worry, junior martial brother Zhong! I''ll get you the perfect accommodations for your goal! Actually, looking at you I can see you''re hard-working and polite. Just the perfect disciple to go to the Alchemy peak! Let''s just go there and see if the Grandelder would take you in immediately. No need to wait."


    "Ah, but ¡ª"


    Jing Yi''s protest was interrupted by Qiu Ling''s hands that couldn''t help but pluck Wu Min Huan''s hands off his beloved. Hmph. He had been wrong about this guy! He was just as shameless as that other guy the Sect Master had taken in!


    Wu Min Huan didn''t mind. "Please, don''t be courteous. Let''s go over right now!" He took out a sword, stepped on it and flew over as fast as he could. Ah, he had to finish this task perfectly so his Master would understand just how much better than that junior martial brother Yu he was! In his haste, he didn''t even notice that Jing Yi wasn''t behind him.


    Jing Yi sighed when he saw Wu Min Huan speed off. There was nothing he could do. He might have cultivated a lot in the secret realm and finally managed to attain the third stage but he still hadn''t learned how to use it exactly. Neither could he manipulate the elements around him to do anything, nor could he fly on a sword. Thus in this situation, he could only walk over to the Alchemy peak if Wu Min Huan didn''t take him.


    He wanted to go when a certain someone once again latched onto him. Qiu Ling grabbed his arm and jumped in front of him, smiling brightly. "My love, do you want to follow him to the Alchemy peak?"


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "You know I could bring you over."


    Jing Yi sighed. "There''s no reason to. Really. I can just walk over."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "Maybe the Grandelder will be gone by the time you arrive."


    "He certainly will if you continue to stand in my way." Jing Yi tried to step past Qiu Ling but his self-proclaimed fiance naturally held onto him and just followed along.


    "You know it would be so much faster if you let me bring you over. Isn''t that good for you?"


    Jing Yi sighed and stopped walking. He really didn''t want to rely on Qiu Ling so much but if he didn''t accept, he might never make it over to the Alchemy peak. He knew Qiu Ling well enough to understand that he wouldn''t just let him go. "Alright, then please be so kind as to bring me over."


    Qiu Ling''s face lit up. "Really?"


    "Yes."


    Qiu Ling hugged him. "Great!" He took out a sword too but didn''t move otherwise.


    Jing Yi frowned. He had a very, very bad feeling about this. "Qiu Ling ¡­ What are you doing?"


    Qiu Ling sighed. "Relishing the moment. You know you haven''t let me hug you for such a long time. I''m feeling famished and tired and really, really sick. You''re the only cure to my condition!"


    Jing Yi''s brows twitched. Where was Qiu Ling getting all this shamelessness from? Hadn''t he already hugged him several times after he returned from the secret realm? "Qiu Ling, if you don''t want to bring me over, it''s alright. I can just walk. But please let go of me. I''m not your fiance anymore. I''m not your lover either. I''m in love with somebody else and I don''t want that person to misunderstand."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. Ah, his stupid father. Couldn''t he just concentrate on seducing the old geezer? Why did he want to go after his beloved too? This was unfair! Hmph, if you don''t stop to seduce my beloved, I''ll go and complain to the old geezer about you! Don''t think he wouldn''t make your life miserable if he found out what you''re doing behind his back! If he sees how you''re seducing my beloved, he will certainly be furious! Well, that was something he could only do at a later time. For now, it was more important to spend as much time with his beloved as possible.


    Thus Qiu Ling very reluctantly rose into the air and flew over to the Alchemy peak.

 Chapter 480 - Admitting Him to the Alchemy Peak?

    Jing Yi''s heart thumped loudly when they reached the Alchemy peak. Ah, back in the Hei Dian Sect he had wanted to become part of the Alchemy division so badly to make sure that he could be of help to Qiu Ling. Now, he wasn''t even together with Qiu Ling anymore and had found out about his true love that was waiting for him somewhere.


    Well, continuing to learn alchemy might not be such a bad thing. After all, demons weren''t invincible either. His Tian would probably need some help from time to time too. His efforts wouldn''t be wasted.


    He walked over to Wu Min Huan and cupped his fists. "Thank you for helping me so much, senior martial brother Wu."


    "Ah, it''s nothing, it''s nothing. Come on in then. This shouldn''t be too difficult. I''m sure the Grandelder will love to take you in."


    Jing Yi just smiled. He knew that things very likely wouldn''t be as easy as Wu Min Huan made them seem. This wasn''t the Hei Dian Sect where you could decide yourself where to go and then really go there. This was the Yun Zou Sect where it would depend on the Elders in charge of the peaks to decide if they wanted you there or not. He shouldn''t get his expectations up too much.


    Wu Min Huan wasn''t worried though. He just nodded and made his way inside, directly going to the workroom of the Grandelder. He wasn''t there though. The only person inside was a young man with a pallid face and a pair of watery eyes that didn''t even look over when they entered.


    "Nian Hong Fang!" Wu Min Huan rushed over but halted two steps away from him as if he was afraid he could hurt him if he got any closer. "I brought someone over who wants to become part of your Alchemy peak."


    Nian Hong Fang glanced up but still turned away with the basket full of herbs in his hands. "I''ll be with you in a moment." He brought the basket over to the table and started to sort through the herbs.


    Wu Min Huan waited but when a few minutes had passed and Nian Hong Fang had only managed to sort half of them, he couldn''t take it any longer. He rushed over again, this time halting across from him on the other side of the table. "Oh, come on! It wasn''t my fault! You also know that my Master entrusts everything important to my junior martial brother Yu now. Regardless of what I had said it wouldn''t have made a difference. He still would have sent junior martial brother Ma."


    Nian Hong Fang lifted his chin. "What are you even talking about? I would never question the decisions of the Sect Master."


    "Sure, sure, sure. You wouldn''t." Wu Min Huan''s fingers drummed onto the table. Ah, such an important task, he couldn''t let this be ruined by his tiff with Nian Hong Fang! "Mn ¡­ How about this? I''ll go and ask my junior martial brother Yu where exactly our Master sent junior martial brother Ma. Wouldn''t that take some of the worries off your shoulders?"


    Nian Hong Fang paused before he frowned and continued to sort the herbs. "What are you even talking about? Even if I was worried about him and even if you went and asked your junior martial brother, it wouldn''t change anything. Wasn''t all this because the two of you don''t get along?"


    Wu Min Huan coughed. Ugh, this guy was too smart. Tricking him probably wouldn''t work. "Well ¡­ We''re not that close but he wouldn''t refuse to tell me something like that, would he?"


    Nian Hong Fang''s hands stilled. He really wanted to know where Ma Zhi Wu had been sent to.


    Qiu Ling looked from one man to the other and finally dragged Jing Yi over to the table too. "This is my fiance. So do you want to take him in or not?" He stared at Nian Hong Fang, waiting for a reply.


    The Grandelder''s disciple blinked in astonishment. Wasn''t this the Grandmaster''s disciple, Qiu Ling, that had come by some years ago to find out about the ingredients for the Amethyst Lightning Pill? Then the person next to him ¡­ He looked at Jing Yi. That was probably the rumored beloved of this senior martial brother Qiu that the Amethyst Lightning Pill had been intended for.


    Nian Hong Fang wasn''t against letting someone enter their peak. If the person was earnest about this, why shouldn''t he be given a chance? "So you want to become a disciple of our Alchemy peak?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Yes, senior martial brother Nian. The Sect Master sent me on a mission in the Hei Dian Sect previously and I had the luck to learn a bit about alchemy there. I was hoping that I''d be able to continue my studies here in the Yun Zou Sect."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded. "It''s not impossible. The path to becoming an Alchemist isn''t easy though. If you merely dabbled a bit in it, you should consider well if you want to continue on this path or rather choose something else. If I remember correctly, then senior martial brother Qiu searched for the ingredients of the Amethyst Lightning Pill for you before. You should have Heavenly Spirit Veins now. Maybe it would be better to focus completely on your cultivation?"


    Jing Yi furrowed his brow. This wasn''t wrong either. Yes, it might be of help to Tian if he learned alchemy but to help him he had to find him first and the first step to that was to ascend to the Nine Heavens. He needed to cultivate for that. So maybe ¡­


    "What are you talking so much for?" A certain rogue couldn''t refrain from yelling out his opinion on the matter. "My beloved already said he wants to enter your peak so he wants to enter your peak! As if he wouldn''t be able to do both at the same time with me at his side."


    Nian Hong Fang turned to look at Wu Min Huan instead of taking it up with Qiu Ling. One glance was enough to tell him that he wouldn''t win against this guy, after all.


    Wu Min Huan gritted his teeth. "Yes, I''ll still go and ask junior martial brother Yu!"


    Nian Hong Fang smiled sweetly. "You''re such a nice person, senior martial brother Wu."

 Chapter 481 - A Strategic Retreat

    Nian Hong Fang stopped bothering with the herbs and left the palace, Wu Min Huan following behind. Qiu Ling turned to look at Jing Yi. When his beloved also wanted to leave he naturally followed along.


    Jing Yi wouldn''t have it though. "Qiu Ling."


    "Yes, my love?" Qiu Ling stopped and wanted to grab his hands but they were taken out of reach. Ah, why did this remind him so much of Jing He? Hadn''t he done the very same thing in the beginning? The only thing missing was Jing Yi saying that this was inappropriate.


    Jing Yi sighed. "You''ve already brought me over and I''m sure I''ll be able to handle the rest on my own. So how about you just return now?"


    Qiu Ling froze. Was his beloved telling him to leave him alone? He hurriedly grabbed Jing Yi''s elbows when he couldn''t reach his hands. "My love, how I could I do that? What if that senior martial brother Wu is inconsiderate again and leaves you behind somewhere?"


    "We''re on the sect grounds. I can just walk back."


    "Aiya, but that''d be so slow and who knows if you would find the way? It''s much more secure if I come along."


    "Qiu Ling ¡ª"


    "Don''t you worry, my love!" Qiu Ling hurriedly straightened up and interrupted him. He certainly wouldn''t allow Jing Yi to send him away! "I don''t mind it at all. Actually, I''m very, very happy to spend time with you. Even if it''s just running from one peak to the other and trailing behind other people, as long as the day is spent with you it''s one of the best days of my life."


    Jing Yi''s gaze flickered. As corny as it may sound he knew that Qiu Ling meant every word of what he said there. But that was the problem, wasn''t it? He was too attached, too happy. He thought he had found the person to spend his life with and now he had been disappointed but he didn''t want to let go. He didn''t dare to let go. Because he still hoped that he would change his mind.


    Qiu Ling accompanied him in these little things all in the hope that spending enough time with each other would be enough. But it wasn''t. It would never be because somebody else had already done the same.


    Jing Yi lowered his head and tried to get out of Qiu Ling''s grasp. Naturally, Qiu Ling wouldn''t let go. He could also see that Jing Yi wanted to shake him off. He couldn''t let that happen either! Wouldn''t his beloved try to send him away again then?


    "My love ¡­"


    "No." Jing Yi furrowed his brows and stopped struggling. "Qiu Ling. This has to stop. We ¡ª"


    "Oh! I suddenly remembered I had something to do! My love, don''t worry about it! I''ll be back soon!" Qiu Ling didn''t wait for his response. He just turned around and fled.


    Ah, don''t blame him! It wasn''t that he was running away. No. He was just ¡­ making a strategic retreat. He definitely couldn''t let his beloved say again that they had broken up. No, he shouldn''t remind him of that! He should just give him a bit of space and time to calm down and then he could start another attempt.


    Mn, that was what he should do. Just think of his father and the old geezer. Hadn''t those two ended up together again in the end? And that was even after those stupid demons had interfered. In that case, wouldn''t it be really easy for him to get his beloved back since there was no interference from outside? He just had to slowly seduce him back.


    Qiu Ling took his position on the roof of the Grandelder''s palace and started to observe what was going on down there. By now his beloved had run after those senior martial brothers and arrived before a small, separate building. That Nian Hong Fang had already gone in while that Wu Min Huan stood outside and waited.


    Just then Wu Min Huan turned to look at Jing Yi. "Eh? Where did your fiance go, junior martial brother Zhong?"


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. "Senior martial brother Wu, actually, Qiu Ling isn''t my fiance. I''m afraid this is just a misunderstanding. We ¡­ We have known each other for a long time but we don''t have intentions to marry."


    Wu Min Huan tilted his head. Ah? But hadn''t he heard that man say that he was his fiance? Twice? How come they suddenly weren''t engaged at all?


    Before he could ask further Nian Hong Fang returned with a cauldron. "There''s no need to be shy here. Just say it if you like him. Nobody will judge you because of that." He shoved the cauldron into Jing Yi''s hands and didn''t give him time to defend himself. Instead, he immediately pointed at the things inside.


    "There''s a manual inside as well as some basic herbs and a jade slip to enter the library. This is what everyone gets when they enter our peak. If you are able to refine one of the potions in the manual, we can talk about everything else. Now, as for your accommodations ¡­" He turned around and motioned to the foot of the mountain.


    "We''ll have to go down there for that. Up here is where the direct disciples of the Grandelder and the other Elders of our peak live. If you''re taken in by one of them or are able to show your talent otherwise, you''ll be allowed to live further up the mountain."


    "I see. So, are there many Elders on this peak?" Jing Yi hurried to follow Nian Hong Fang. If he wanted to know more about the peak, this was the best opportunity he would get to ask.


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head. "No, just three. Alchemy is something that is easy to learn but hard to master. It has stages just like cultivation and most disciples stay at the first stage with not even half of them advancing to the second. You could probably call yourself a genius if you managed to reach the third stage in your lifetime."


    "Oh." Jing Yi frowned. He hadn''t felt that alchemy was that hard when he was in the Hei Dian Sect but maybe that was because he was just at the beginning. Wasn''t it also said that cultivation would get harder the higher you climbed in the stages? Maybe alchemy was just the same.


    Ah, this really felt as if he was back at the beginning.

 Chapter 482 - Took a Liking to Their Little Junior

    Nian Hong Fang didn''t say anything when he saw Jing Yi''s expression. There had been too many people coming to their peak with the idea that alchemy was very easy and that they would excel at it. But honestly, didn''t they take the time to think things through?


    If alchemy was really that easy, then why were there only three Elders and the Grandelder on their peak? If it was really so easy, then why had people like the Grandelder such high prestige? If alchemy was easy, then there would be a lot of alchemists and if there was a lot of something, then it would be hard for a single one of it to shine.


    Wasn''t that the problem a lot of cultivators and practitioners had? They weren''t bad. In fact, a lot of them could be considered to be good. But there were just so many of them that only those peerless geniuses would be known.


    Even in their own sect that had fallen to the second rank, there were quite a few geniuses but those that had secluded themselves for a long time had been forgotten and the ones remembered were only the disciple of the Sect Master and that Qiguan Cheng Da from the inner sect. Even the Grandmaster''s disciple wasn''t talked about that much anymore since people hadn''t seen him for a long time. The cultivation world was just like that.


    Nian Hong Fang might not care to comfort Jing Yi but Wu Min Huan took to the task. "Don''t worry about it too much, junior martial brother Zhong. He makes it sound so difficult but there''s no harm in trying. Even a bit of knowledge in alchemy isn''t anything to scoff at. You might learn a lot of useful basic potions while you''re here. And if you find out that you''re not suited to this peak, then you can still drop out of it. It''s not like you''ve become someone''s disciple, after all."


    "I see."


    Nian Hong Fang looked back at them. "That isn''t recommendable though. Changing the peak is frowned upon."


    Wu Min Huan knitted his brow. Couldn''t this guy see that he was trying to comfort their junior martial brother? Or maybe he could tell and was doing this deliberately because of what had happened with Ma Zhi Wu? Ah, this guy was too vengeful!


    Wu Min Huan hurriedly turned to Jing Yi to appease him. "Don''t worry about that either. It might be frowned upon a bit but that''s more in regard to the other peaks. Alchemy is different and everyone knows that. There''s really no harm in trying."


    "Well, you could still reconsider now." Nian Hong Fang stopped walking and turned back to them. "I haven''t officially registered you so you can still think about it and go do something different now."


    Jing Yi pondered the issue. He didn''t mind what others thought so he wouldn''t reconsider because of what someone might say if he dropped out in the future. No, the thing that still bothered him was that he should probably concentrate on his cultivation more. Would learning alchemy really do him any good? Yes, it might be useful in the short term but long term? First and foremost, he had to think of his ascension.


    "Senior martial brother Nian, in the Alchemy peak ¡­ can we still continue to learn cultivation?"


    Nian Hong Fang''s brows lifted. What kind of question was this? "But of course you can. You have to. Alchemy on its own won''t prolong your life. How do you want to master it in just the course of a normal human lifespan? It''s imperative that you also spend time on your cultivation. Only that will provide you with the kind of lifespan you''ll need to advance to a higher stage with your alchemy."


    Jing Yi nodded, obviously relieved. "That''s good then. In that case, we can go on. I won''t just drop out of the peak. I''ll seriously try to learn alchemy."


    Nian Hong Fang examined Jing Yi''s face and nodded, already feeling better about this new addition to their peak. He had thought that Jing Yi was hesitating because he looked down on alchemy and also thought that it was easy but now it turned out that he was just concerned that he wouldn''t be able to properly cultivate if he also took on alchemy. He actually understood just how much work was needed to become a good alchemist!


    Well, it figured. Even though the Hei Dian Sect was a demonic sect, it was still the premier sect of that side. If he had started to learn alchemy there, his experience shouldn''t have been too shabby.


    Nian Hong Fang turned at the next juncture and walked to one of the better accommodations of their peak. It couldn''t be compared to the houses with the little courtyards surrounding the Grandelder''s palace but it was a lot better than the shared houses most new disciples would have to live in.


    Soon enough the three of them came to a grove. Nian Hong Fang just continued to walk serenely as if all this had nothing to do with him and wasn''t out of the ordinary at all. Wu Min Huan raised his brows though. He had lived long enough in this sect and knew Nian Hong Fang good enough to know what kind of place was lying ahead. Ah, it seemed Nian Hong Fang had taken a liking to this little junior martial brother of theirs.


    Jing Yi tried to look around without being too obvious. There wasn''t much to see though. The path was lined by green bamboo that towered far above their heads. With each breeze, the leaves would rustle and the flexible trunks rubbed against each other, filling the air with a melodious sound.


    Jing Yi blinked. This place felt a lot like the palace in the secret realm, very suitable for cultivation. If he compared this to the house where he had lived in the outer sect ¡­ No, actually, there was nothing that could be compared. If he could actually live here from now on and cultivate in this environment every day, then it might not be as impossible as it had seemed to ascend.

 Chapter 483 - The Sect Master’s Head Disciple

    Nian Hong Fang finally stopped in front of a hut made out of bamboo. Well, calling it a hut seemed somehow wrong. It stood on a wooden base a few inches above the ground and looking from outside it probably consisted of several rooms. At least it was bigger than the house where he had lived with his parents back in the village.


    Jing Yi turned to Nian Hong Fang. "Who else is living here?"


    He got a strange gaze in response. "Nobody. This is where you''ll live from now on."


    "Ah?" Jing Yi looked back at the house. He was supposed to live there ¡­ alone? In such a big house?


    Well, the house where he had lived with Qiu Ling in the Hei Dian Sect hadn''t been much smaller and even built from stone but that had been because Elder Shan saw Qiu Ling''s potential. This time ¡­ He really didn''t know why he was treated this well.


    Nian Hong Fang nodded and turned back. "If there is nothing else, I''ll return to my Master''s palace. In case you have any further questions, you can go and ask the other disciples."


    "Oh. Thank you." Jing Yi cupped his fists and watched him leave.


    Wu Min Huan stayed back though. When Nian Hong Fang had disappeared in the distance he cleared his throat. "Er, don''t take his brusque attitude to heart. It has nothing to do with you."


    Jing Yi nodded and hesitated if he should say anything else. In the end, he still asked. "If you don''t mind me asking ¡­ There seemed to be some kind of argument between the two of you. Is there something I can do to help maybe? I do know senior martial brother Yu if that helps."


    Wu Min Huan sighed. "I don''t know if that will change anything. Nian Hong Fang has every right to be angry with me."


    Jing Yi furrowed his brows. He didn''t understand what this was about but he felt that this matter could be solved easily if it involved senior martial brother Yu. After all, he had always felt that he was quite easygoing after he got to know him a little better.


    Jing Yi motioned at the bamboo house. "Why don''t we go in, senior martial brother Wu? You can tell me everything and we can think about how to solve this matter. Well, only if you want to, that is."


    Wu Min Huan smiled and nodded. "I don''t think there is much we can do though." He still followed Jing Yi inside.


    The house was indeed as big on the inside as it had seemed from the outside and the feeling that this place was suitable for cultivation became even stronger. Jing Yi still hadn''t learned much about cultivation but from the bit, he had heard from Yu Jin in the secret realm this should be the result of some kind of array guiding spiritual energy. He really would have liked to sit down and see what kind of spiritual energy it used and how effective it was but for now, it was more important to solve Wu Min Huan''s matter. After all, without him, there was no way he could have entered the Alchemy peak this easily.


    The two of them sat down in a room to the front of the house that didn''t seem to have any other use than to receive guests. At least there wasn''t much more in it than a table with two chairs and a tea set that was displayed to the side.


    Jing Yi motioned for Wu Min Huan to sit down and went to fetch some water. He glanced at the rest of the house on the way out and found that his original assumption was indeed right. The house was much bigger than it needed to be for one person. It could have easily fit another three people without them needing to squeeze in with each other. Living here ¡­ would probably be a little lonely.


    Jing Yi sighed when unbidden memories of another time assaulted him and went back to the room where Wu Min Huan was waiting. He shouldn''t get distracted. He needed to concentrate on his cultivation so he could find Tian again. There was no use comparing his situation now with how it had been when he and Qiu Ling were still a couple. That time wouldn''t come back. It couldn''t because he had already promised himself to somebody else. Regardless of how his heart fluttered when he saw Qiu Ling he couldn''t betray his feelings for Tian.


    Jing Yi silently brewed the tea and poured both of them a cup. It would be great if he could help Wu Min Huan. It wouldn''t be bad either if this could distract him from this trouble. Since he had seen Qiu Ling again it got harder and harder to deal with this.


    Jing Yi forced himself to smile. "So what actually happened?"


    Wu Min Huan sighed. "Ah, it''s actually not much. You know that I was Sect Master Yuchi''s head disciple, right?"


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded. He had heard as much when he first entered the Yun Zou Sect. Everyone had looked up to Wu Min Huan so people couldn''t help but talk about it.


    "Well, a few years ago my Master took in another disciple. You also know him. It''s that senior martial brother Yu Jin you spoke of. Actually, he''s probably not a bad person. It''s just that he is so darn talented that he overshadows everyone around him. The way Master''s eyes lit up when he saw him ¡­"


    He sighed again and picked up the teacup. "I can understand it. Our sect needs talents as much as every other one does. Someone like Yu Jin is very important to us. He could have improved our ranking tremendously or at least secured our spot. I do understand all of that. It''s just that I always felt a little bad seeing him. I guess it just hurt to see my Master treat somebody else so well." Wu Min Huan shook his head. He also knew he was being ridiculous but he couldn''t help it. He just always felt that his life would have been so much better had Yu Jin not appeared.

 Chapter 484 - A Special Training Mission

    Jing Yi nodded slowly even though he couldn''t completely understand it. He had never been somebody''s disciple and even though he called the others his senior martial brothers that was only because they were from the same sect. He had never had a senior martial brother of the same Master so he couldn''t comprehend the complex feelings this situation gave Wu Min Huan.


    Wu Min Huan didn''t seem to notice. "I mean I''ve been Master''s head disciple for so long. Shouldn''t that account for something? How could I be replaced so easily? Actually, there was talk that my Master might make him his successor. I don''t want to sound conceited but I had always thought ¡­ I''m his head disciple. Shouldn''t I be his successor?"


    Jing Yi didn''t know how to answer that either. "Well ¡­ Those are just rumors, right?"


    "Right. They''re just rumors for now but I doubt they won''t become reality. Master has really taken a liking to him. Well, that''s not the problem. Not the one with Nian Hong Fang at least." He sighed again and sipped the tea. "You know Nian Hong Fang has been in love with Elder Geng''s head disciple for quite some time now. I think Ma Zhi Wu also liked him so ¡­ everything was going well. But then that accident happened in the Leyuan region and our sect lost a lot of talents."


    Jing Yi froze. He hadn''t heard about what had happened at the Leyuan region after he came back. He had seen Qiu Ling again and then even met Qiguan Cheng Da who had been close to him and Yu Jin back then so he had assumed that the explosion hadn''t been as bad as he had originally thought. But it seemed that hadn''t been true.


    "That ¡­ What exactly happened?"


    "You haven''t heard?" Wu Min Huan''s brows raised. "Well, you were still an outer sect disciple by then so it''s not too surprising you don''t know all the details. Back then someone noticed the appearance of a secret realm in the Leyuan region so my Master sent the best talents of the sect over. They were supposed to cultivate in that secret realm and gather some supplies but then an energy disturbance occurred. More than half the disciples died and almost all the others were gravely injured. Only a few came back with just minor injuries."


    Jing Yi nodded. So it had been that bad. It seemed he could really count himself lucky that senior martial brother Yu and he had been thrown into the secret realm.


    "Some of the Elders were sent to investigate but it couldn''t be ascertained what exactly had caused the energy disturbance. Well, no matter what the reason is it wouldn''t change the fact that we lost a lot of talents. The sect directly dropped to the second rank after the other sects came to know of this issue."


    "So something like that actually happened."


    "Mn. It was lucky for our sect that there were still a few talents that were either away on missions or in closed-door cultivation. And, well, they couldn''t send everyone in the first place so some disciples just got lucky that they weren''t chosen. Unfortunately, the ones we lost were often the best disciples the Elders had."


    "And this Ma Zhi Wu ¡­"


    "Ah, right. Ma Zhi Wu was lucky. He didn''t get sent there since he had intended to go on a mission soon and nobody knew when the secret realm would close again. After the sect dropped in rank my Master and the Elders decided that they needed to promote the talents they had left. My Master forced me into closed-door cultivation, for example, while other disciples were allocated new resources or sent on training missions. Ma Zhi Wu ¡­" Wu Min Huan sighed and shook his head. "Before I had to enter closed-door cultivation my Master announced a special training mission and Ma Zhi Wu was one of the few chosen to attempt it. The problem is that not many details were announced to the rest of the sect since the Elders were afraid spies would forward the information to the other sects that would then harm the last talents we had left. So since the day Ma Zhi Wu left, Nian Hong Fang still doesn''t know where exactly he went or how he is doing. For all he knows, Ma Zhi Wu could already be dead."


    Jing Yi''s gazed flickered. He might not be able to relate to Wu Min Huan''s feelings in regard to his Master and his junior martial brother Yu Jin but he could relate to Nian Hong Fang''s feeling very well. Not to know what had happened to your lover ¡­ It made you feel lost. Lost and stranded. It was a feeling that could make someone hold a grudge. Well, there was one thing he didn''t understand yet though. "Then why is he angry at you? It''s not like you sent Ma Zhi Wu away."


    Wu Min Huan nodded. "That''s true but I would have been in the position to ask my Master about information on that mission. You know regardless of how much my Master loved Yu Jin he never hated me or treated me badly. I still got the same resources after junior martial brother Yu became part of the sect, Master still watched over my cultivation and he was still there when I needed something. I was just ¡­ not his favorite disciple anymore. So if I had gone and asked him where he had sent Ma Zhi Wu he would have told me. But I didn''t go. So Nian Hong Fang feels I betrayed our friendship."


    Jing Yi frowned. He could understand this sentiment too. If somebody knew where Tian was but didn''t tell him, he would also feel betrayed. "Then why didn''t you ask? If you were sure your Master would tell you ¡­"


    Wu Min Huan sighed. "I was afraid. Back then junior martial brother Yu got trapped in the secret realm. It wasn''t sure when he would be able to get out of there or if he ever would for that matter. It was obvious my Master was suffering very much. So ¡­ I didn''t dare to bring it up. I was afraid it might be a burden to him."

 Chapter 485 - Visit the Grandmaster

    The two of them fell silent for a while and both sipped their tea. Wu Min Huan couldn''t help but think back to his Master''s expression at that time. His face had been pale when he told his other disciples that Yu Jin had been trapped in the secret realm and all of them had understood that he was mourning this loss. Nobody had been able to fault him. They had all known that he liked Yu Jin very much and being trapped in a secret realm often equaled certain death. Of course, they could hope that Yu Jin would make it back but the chances weren''t high. They all knew that.


    Jing Yi, on the other hand, couldn''t help but compare Nian Hong Fang''s situation to his own. Yes, he understood why Wu Min Huan had reacted how he had but he could also understand that Nian Hong Fang was angry. Wu Min Huan just would have needed to ask one question to dispel his worries. But he hadn''t and now Nian Hong Fang had waited several years and still not heard any news on his lover''s whereabouts. Who wouldn''t be angry in his situation?


    "Well, senior martial brother Yu is back. It shouldn''t be a problem to ask now."


    "Mn." Wu Min Huan nodded. "That''s true. I just feel ¡­ it would be strange to ask my Master now after so much time has passed. So I was hoping I could go and ask junior martial brother Yu and then maybe have him ask our Master. It''s just that I feel also strange about that. I never liked him, after all."


    Jing Yi raised his brows. "I think you''re worrying too much. Your Master wouldn''t mind and senior martial brother Yu wouldn''t mind either. He''s pretty easygoing."


    Wu Min Huan''s brows raised just the same. "Easygoing? Are we talking about the same Yu Jin here?" He hadn''t seen him after his return but the Yu Jin from back then had been a reclusive and taciturn person. If he didn''t have to come out, he wouldn''t come out. If he had to come out but didn''t have to say a word, he would stand to the side and keep silent. Well, if he had to talk, he could say a lot and every word sounded like it had been deliberated for a long time. Every syllable extremely meaningful.


    Wu Min Huan sighed. Maybe this was what his Master liked about Yu Jin? That he didn''t do or say anything unnecessary? Did he feel that they were more bothersome in comparison?


    Jing Yi had no idea what Wu Min Huan was thinking and nodded. "Yes. Well, he might seem a little distant at first but after interacting with him for a while I felt that he was really easy to get along with."


    "I see." Wu Min Huan hadn''t heard about the rumors regarding Jing Yi and Yu Jin yet so he didn''t think much about it. Maybe he was just biased because he felt that Yu Jin had taken over his position in his Master''s heart and thus couldn''t see this easygoing side of his junior martial brother Jing Yi spoke of. "Well, regardless of what I think I''ll have to talk to one of them about this."


    "Mn. I don''t think it''ll be a problem but if you''d like I could accompany you to talk with senior martial brother Yu."


    Wu Min Huan tightened his lips. Honestly, he shouldn''t have a problem to go and talk to Yu Jin alone. They were martial brothers, for Heaven''s sake! But imagining that Zhong Jing Yi would be there too he actually felt better. Maybe this junior martial brother was indeed nicer when talking to someone younger than him?


    Seeing that Wu Min Huan was hesitating Jing Yi smiled. "Actually, there are a few things I have to do anyway. It would just be on my way."


    Wu Min Huan straightened up. "Well ¡­ If I''m not inconveniencing you ¡­"


    "No, not at all. In fact, I''d like to go and thank senior martial brother Yu again for taking care of me."


    Wu Min Huan tilted his head. He didn''t understand what Jing Yi meant with that last point but he did understand that he was trying to do him a favor. Wouldn''t it be wrong to reject him when he already offered his help like this? "Well, then ¡­ alright. But let''s take care of your other matters first. It''s still early and junior martial brother Yu is so hardworking. I wouldn''t want to disturb him while he cultivates."


    Jing Yi wasn''t so sure if it would make any difference when they went but considering the history between these two martial brothers, he could understand that Wu Min Huan needed a bit of time to prepare himself. Thus he only nodded. "Then let''s do that. I wanted to return something to Grandmaster Zhangsun and then look for two old friends of mine that should already be part of the inner sect by now."


    "Eh?" Wu Min Huan leaped to his feet. "Go to Grandmaster Zhangsun''s palace?!"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Yes. Is that a problem?"


    Wu Min Huan''s lips moved but he didn''t get any sound out. What kind of question was that?! Who would dare to casually say he wanted to go visit Grandmaster Zhangsun? Especially if he was of the younger generation? But, well, maybe it was different for Zhong Jing Yi. After all, he was the fiance of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple. They might have a good relationship. Ah, thankfully, he had agreed to come with him! He would actually get to see Grandmaster Zhangsun up close!


    Wu Min Huan smoothed out his sleeves and cleared his throat. "No, of course not. What kind of problem could there be? Let''s go! We shouldn''t let Grandmaster Zhangsun wait!"


    Jing Yi raised his brows but also stood up. What did he mean with not letting the Grandmaster wait? It wasn''t like they had announced themselves in the first place. He didn''t say anything though and just left the bamboo house. This time Wu Min Huan didn''t just speed off so Jing Yi had time to mention that he didn''t know how to fly on a sword. Thus he was finally brought over on Wu Min Huan''s sword while a not-so-happy Qiu Ling trailed behind them in a safe distance.

 Chapter 486 - His Person

    Meanwhile, Leng Jin Yu was busy with arranging everything for Jinde. He had dragged out a daybed just like his lover had asked him to and placed it below the branches of the plum tree. Looking at it he felt that it was lacking. Jinde could lie down but would he be comfortable? Probably not.


    Thus he went to fetch another pillow for Jinde to lean against and a light blanket in case he didn''t like the breeze. Then he carried a little table out and put it beside the daybed, placing a teapot and a jade cup on top so that Jinde could take some if he felt thirsty. Maybe he would also like something to eat? Leng Jin Yu had a look at the content of his spatial ring and found some spiritual fruits he had taken from the secret realm. With a smile, he put them down next to the teacup.


    Leng Jin Yu examined his preparations again and nodded with satisfaction. This should be alright. Or maybe Jinde could use something in case the sun was too glaring? He turned to go back in and see if he could find a parasol for him when he already came face to face with the person he was doing all this for.


    Jinde had exchanged the torn white robe for a green one. Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but stare. He had thought Jinde had looked splendid yesterday but now he was completely stunned.


    The robe consisted of several layers in different shades of green, from the dark green found in the needles of conifers to rich moss green to the color of lush spring grass. The darkest inner layer contrasted with his pale skin while the lighter outer layers made it seem less like the sickly pallor of someone injured and more like the noble pallidness you would expect from someone of high status.


    Once again the outermost layer of the robe was embroidered but this time not only the hems were decorated richly. From top to the bottom the lifelike image of a dragon with dark green scales was depicted that seemed to coil around Jinde''s body. The image was even continued on the belt that secured the robe around his waist.


    The dark scales seemed to press up against his body making his slim waist seem especially supple. Before Leng Jin Yu knew what he was doing he had already walked to Jinde''s side and put an arm around his waist. His fingers brushed across the embroidery and trailed the side of Jinde''s body. Ah, indeed ¡­ Jinde slightly twisted, his body following Leng Jin Yu''s movements.


    Leng Jin Yu''s heart jumped and his hands moved to encircle Jinde tighter. His. This person was his. He had to hold him close. He had to make sure that he knew, that everyone knew that he was his. He couldn''t let them look at him.


    He closed in on Jinde, his eyes falling shut. An image flashed before them. Jinde in a set of robes quite similar to this one only that it was wound loosely around his body. With each step he took, each gesture he made with his hands it would slip to the side revealing something that shouldn''t be seen. Ah, how could he let it happen? He didn''t want them to see. He wanted to wrap him in his arms and keep him to himself, hide him away so nobody else would ever lay eyes on the beauty he had discovered. This should be his. His person. His other part. His.


    Leng Jin Yu unwittingly trapped Jinde in his arms, not noticing how his own body shook. He could only hear that voice inside his head screaming at him over and over again that Jinde couldn''t be anyone else''s. Telling him to take possession of him.


    Leng Jin Yu gritted his teeth. His person? His possession? How could he do this? Yes, he desired him. Yes, he wanted to take him even though he knew he should wait. But that wasn''t the same. Imprisoning him? Robbing him of his freedom after he had already been missing it for so long? This was utter nonsense!


    He took a shaky breath. He couldn''t hurt him again. Whatever this voice was he couldn''t listen to it. He slowly relaxed his body and rested his head against Jinde''s. Ah, he had almost done something wrong again. The last time Jinde hadn''t taken it to heart and had graciously forgiven him. But he couldn''t use that as an excuse to sin against him once more. He had to keep himself in check.


    Jinde had already snuggled up against his chest by that time. He gently rubbed Leng Jin Yu''s torso, enjoying the sensation of his arms around him with his eyes closed. Mn ¡­ Finally. This was the kind of possessiveness Chun Yin''s reincarnation should have. Ah, if he picked him up right now and carried him to the daybed to love him it would be perfect. He sighed at the thought of it and rubbed his head against Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder. Please, don''t let me wait any longer. Do it. Do it now.


    Unfortunately, that pleasantly tight grip started to loosen until Jinde felt like Leng Jin Yu might let go of him. He hurriedly reached out and grabbed his robe, making sure Leng Jin Yu wouldn''t be able to just step back.


    Well, it seemed he didn''t need to worry about that. Leng Jin Yu didn''t let go completely. At least not for now. He just held him carefully, their hearts close to each other, their heads close to each other, their bodies almost sticking together. He took a few deep breaths before looking up. Seeing Jinde''s happy expression he smiled. He leaned down and kissed his cheek, his lips lingering for a moment and eliciting a sigh from Jinde.


    Those golden eyes cracked open and Jinde tilted his head, exposing part of his neck to Leng Jin Yu in the hope that he would bend further down and take advantage of the situation.


    Leng Jin Yu indeed bent down but his lips didn''t go for Jinde''s neck. Instead, they landed on his lips.

 Chapter 487 - Not that Conservative

    Jinde''s eyes widened in surprise. Was this real? Had his lover finally decided that it was time for them? His hands traced Leng Jin Yu''s chest as if on their own, happily taking in every little elevation that could be felt from below his robe. Mn, he really couldn''t wait to pull this fabric down and feel those muscles directly.


    Jinde reached up to Leng Jin Yu''s shoulders and held onto them. Now, his lover only had to pick him up and carry him over.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t seem to think of that though. Quite the contrary. Just when Jinde was waiting for him to take the next step he actually stopped the kiss and leaned back, taking a deep breath as if he was inwardly bidding farewell to the beautiful sensation.


    Jinde frowned. "What are you doing?"


    Leng Jin Yu cupped his cheek with one hand and rubbed the soft skin with his thumb. "How about you lie down first?"


    "Oh?" Jinde''s frown dispersed and instead his brows raised in a teasing way. "Then I hope you won''t let me wait too long." His eyes narrowed slightly, shielding half of that golden gaze and making him seem even more seductive than before.


    Leng Jin Yu took a shaky breath. "I ¡­"


    Before he could explain himself Jinde had left his arms and taken the few steps to the daybed. He sat down and leaned back half-way, his legs spreading slightly.


    This time Leng Jin Yu didn''t manage to do anything but stare. The way Jinde was lying there ¡­ This definitely wasn''t a coincidence. This was ¡­ an invitation. He would need to be an idiot not to understand it.


    There he was. Looking at the person he liked that presented himself so willingly to him. Now, what to do? Jinde obviously didn''t mind getting close to him. In fact, he seemed to want them to get even closer. If he went over and sat down next to him ¡­ He knew where this would lead. And honestly, he wanted to go over and indulge in this.


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath. "Wait a moment." He turned around and went back into the house.


    Jinde''s brows lifted once more. Just what was his lover doing there? Shouldn''t he pounce on him already? What could he still need at this time? Well, as long as he hurried back and finally fulfilled his wishes it was alright.


    Jinde made himself comfortable and adjusted the layers of his robe. Ah, it was great to seduce somebody but not so nice if things had to go fast. Hopefully, Leng Jin Yu wouldn''t have any trouble to get it off later. Mn, even if, that wasn''t necessarily a bad thing. It might also fuel his desire.


    Jinde brushed his hair to the side when Leng Jin Yu''s steps finally returned. Looking at him there didn''t seem to be anything different. Jinde blinked and wanted to ask when Leng Jin Yu stopped a few steps into the courtyard and took something from his spatial ring.


    It was ¡­ a chair?


    Jinde''s eyes widened. Ah, he certainly hadn''t expected this. He had honestly thought that Leng Jin Yu was more conservative but if he liked things this way ¡­


    Before Jinde had time to get up and ask how exactly Leng Jin Yu intended to make use of this chair his lover also took out a table. Then an ink slab and a scroll of paper followed.


    Jinde''s expression derailed before he caught himself. "Jin Yu, what are you doing with that?"


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t answer immediately. He took out everything else he needed before he sat down at the table and ground the ink. He had already thought it through. As much as he wanted to go over and take Jinde, he couldn''t do it. Wouldn''t he disrespect him if he did?


    Because even though Jinde wanted it now he still feared that this desire might just be fueled because of the relationship they had had in his past life. He had to give both of them the time to find out if those feelings were true. Everything else would be irresponsible. After all, it had only been a day since they met. That was really too short.


    "Jin Yu ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled a little strained and motioned at the daybed. "Are you comfortable like this or do you need something else?"


    Jinde stared at him. If he needed something else? Please, did his lover ever listen to himself? What did he want to hear? ''Oh, yes, please bring me some pastries''? He needed a man, for Heaven''s sake! His man! Was that really so hard to get?!


    His brows twitched dangerously but he held back from hurling that cup of tea at him. Ah, Heaven! How vicious to let his lover reincarnate as someone with such good self-restraint! If this was still Chun Yin ¡­


    Jinde sighed. Well, even Chun Yin had had such moments when nothing could shake him. Almost nothing. Jinde subconsciously felt around for the pendant he could use to contact Xin Lan. There was nothing that had worked as well on Chun Yin as showing him that there were actually some rivals around.


    Back then he had been able to hold back when it was just the two of them. Courting him, then pulling back, leaving him with a bleeding heart. He had been able to do that. But he had come running as soon as he heard the news that he was searching for a partner for marriage and he had made sure that he ruined every chance there was. And then that day with Xin Lan ¡­


    Jinde couldn''t help but smile. Somehow, Chun Yin had always seen Xin Lan as his biggest rival even though the notion of them being together was completely absurd. Maybe the same would work on Leng Jin Yu.


    Jinde''s eyes narrowed slightly while he considered. Leng Jin Yu definitely liked him and judging from the way he looked at him there was nothing wrong with his body either. It was just a matter of stimulating him enough to abandon his self-restraint.


    Maybe it would indeed work to bring Xin Lan into this but it felt like using a flood to water a single sprout. What if it was too much and Leng Jin Yu actually withdrew because he felt powerless in front of an opponent like Xin Lan? After all, he wasn''t a dragon anymore and his temperament seemed to be better than Chun Yin''s too. He wouldn''t needlessly aggravate someone and he had already lost to Qiu Ling once. Wouldn''t it be worse to have him contend against Xin Lan?


    In that case, he would try another trick or two first. If all of that failed, he could still ask Xin Lan to hurry back and lend him his body for a bit.

 Chapter 488 - How Had He Grown to Look Like This?

    Jinde finally smiled and leaned to the side, propping himself up on one elbow and resting his chin against his hand. "Wait a moment. If I have the honor of being painted by you, then I should make sure I look my best, shouldn''t I?"


    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat and nodded before hurriedly looking at the ink. Ah, he definitely shouldn''t have agreed to this. It would have been much better to pretend his Master wanted to see him. Or maybe say that his skills weren''t sufficient but that he would love to accompany him for a cup of tea. That probably wasn''t as tempting as this.


    Leng Jin Yu paused. Alright. Maybe he should stop to pretend. There was nothing that wasn''t tempting if Jinde was part of it. He just had that kind of natural charm and with the way he acted right now, it was impossible not to feel attracted.


    The person in question very happily sorted his robes again and slid into a ''comfortable'' position. When Leng Jin Yu looked up ¡­


    "Ah ¡­ your ¡­ your foot."


    Jinde tilted his head, making a few golden strands fall down. "What about it?"


    "It''s ¡­" It''s peeking out from below your robe and seriously distracting me.


    Leng Jin Yu stared at the pale skin before taking up the brush. Forget it. Jinde obviously wanted to do this. Whatever he said it might just make it worse. It was better to give in to fate and just paint him like this. He could also see it as his punishment for rejecting the beauty that had offered himself up.


    Jinde just continued to smile when Leng Jin Yu refused to say anything. Ah, my dear lover, don''t think you''ll get away this easily. You don''t want to take me? Then have a look at what you missed out on! Mn, he would only stop when Leng Jin Yu was completely bothered and unable to think straight. Maybe then he would finally accept his advances!


    Honestly, what was with this hot and cold treatment? Hadn''t he kissed him this morning to wake him up? But now he was playing hard to get. This was blatantly challenging him to seduce him! Jinde pursed his lips and rested his other hand in front of his abdomen. Mn, he''d adjust some other details later on. He''d really like to see how long Leng Jin Yu could resist!


    For the moment, Leng Jin Yu didn''t have much of a problem. After he had left for a moment and Jinde had changed his posture, he had already calmed down. Now, he was only faced with a very pleasing sight that he could even pin on paper. Wasn''t that a pleasant pastime?


    He sketched the general outline of Jinde''s body on the daybed before looking at his face again. Those beautiful golden eyes were narrowed right now but he had seen him often enough already to know that they were more on the narrow side even when fully opened. It made them seem longer than they probably were and in that heart-shaped face they gave off a flair of elegance and wisdom as if Jinde had seen more than anyone could imagine. And his lashes shaded part of those eyes as if they were intent on letting them appear even more mysterious.


    Leng Jin Yu took his time to paint every little detail as truthfully as he could. Ah, that light reflected in his eyes, those shadows of the building behind him, the way the tips of his lower lashes almost touched his skin ¡­


    A breeze rustled in the leaves of the plum tree and once again those white petals rained down. One of them got caught in his hair. Jinde gently shook his head and the petal fell down further but ultimately stopped above his eyebrow.


    Jinde chuckled. "Do you want to draw me like this or should I take it away?"


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t answer immediately. He looked at those thin eyebrows that only slightly dipped down toward his nose and otherwise ran almost straight above his eyes before they disappeared below the golden strands that framed Jinde''s face. "I ¡­ don''t mind either way."


    "But I do. I''d like to look my best ¡­" For you.


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips parted and a shallow breath escaped them. "Then you really don''t have to worry. You''re looking good either way."


    Jinde''s lips curved up. "That''s not the question. How do I look my best?"


    "How am I supposed to answer this?" Leng Jin Yu looked at his scroll of paper again and tried to put those brows down.


    Ah, this really wasn''t easy. This golden color of Jinde''s hair was too distinctive. How could he accurately display him when he just used black ink? He had to find a way to color this later.


    He looked up again when he was satisfied with the way he had painted the brows only to be stumped once again. That nose ¡­ Could somebody explain to him how Jinde had managed to grow to look like this? Just like with his eyes his nose was narrow, the nostrils hardly pronounced. If it was turned up, it was only so little that he couldn''t make it out from where he sat.


    Come to think of it Jinde''s face looked very symmetrical, very well-proportioned. Drawing somebody like that was pleasant but also a huge burden. Would he really be able to paint well enough to do him justice? He honestly couldn''t believe it. Something would certainly seem off.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and shook his head, moving on to Jinde''s lips. He stared at them for a moment and his own brows creased. Just what had gotten into him that he had agreed to paint this person? Really, if somebody looked like this and you already felt drawn to them, then you shouldn''t attempt to do anything. It would just make matters worse.

 Chapter 489 - I Don’t Want You to Feel Slighted

    Jinde smiled even brighter when he saw Leng Jin Yu give pause. This was probably the moment when he should implement his next trick.


    "Jin Yu."


    "Mn?" Leng Jin Yu looked up and found himself faced by a brilliant smile.


    "Would you mind if I tried to get rid of that petal, after all?"


    "Of course not." Leng Jin Yu added some details to the pair of lips he had painted and tried to ignore the way Jinde looked at him.


    Jinde didn''t mind. He gently shook his head, making the petal fall down onto the daybed. Some strands of his hair slipped across his shoulder and gathered in a golden lake next to his body.


    "Aiya. It tickles." Jinde shook his head again.


    The green sleeve slipped down his arm and exposed his skin down until his elbow.


    "Oops." Jinde''s golden eyebrows raised. "Now that''s unfortunate. Did you paint that part already?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. Did Jinde honestly think he wouldn''t be able to tell that this had been intentional? He wasn''t that gullible. "No, I didn''t."


    "Ah. Well ¡­ Would you mind if we left it like that? I''m afraid if I tried to adjust it now, it would make matters even worse."


    Leng Jin Yu slowly took a deep breath and expelled it again. "You''re certainly right. Just leave it at that."


    Jinde''s eyebrows lifted a little higher. He hadn''t expected this. Shouldn''t Leng Jin Yu feel troubled by this? Don''t tell him this man was even more resilient than he had thought? Did he actually have to go further?


    Leng Jin Yu, in fact, wasn''t as unbothered as he seemed. Looking at that slender arm made his heart palpitate and his throat felt dry. But what was he supposed to do? Jinde obviously didn''t intend to stop with this game and he only had himself to blame for that. After all, Jinde had already been very open about his feelings and since he had given in yesterday evening when Jinde asked him to lie down and then tried to wake him up quite intimately this morning it was understandable that Jinde was vexed now. Why shouldn''t he vent a bit?


    If that was the case, they should have a talk about this though. He definitely couldn''t let it go on like this.


    "Jinde."


    "Mn?" Jinde gently rubbed his feet against each other. Could it be that his attempt was already making an impact?


    "I was wondering ¡­ You''ve been in the mortal realm for quite some time if I understood correctly."


    "Oh ¡­ It hasn''t been that long."


    "Ah. Well, you haven''t been in contact with many humans in that time anyway. Isn''t that right?"


    "Mn, that''s true."


    "You probably don''t understand the human customs very well."


    Jinde examined Leng Jin Yu''s expression and tried to gauge what he was getting at. "Well, I''m not human so ¡­ I guess that''s to be expected. I do know quite a few things though. I''ve been to the mortal realm a couple of times before ¡­ those things happened."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "So it''s like that."


    Silence engulfed them. Jinde''s gaze flickered. He knew Leng Jin Yu wanted to talk about something. He actually didn''t mind. It was just ¡­ What would the subject be? Was it something he could live with? Leng Jin Yu had sounded as if it was something grave.


    A few minutes went by and Leng Jin Yu slowly painted those shoulders and that exposed arm with the fabric surrounding his elbow. Mn, this also made for a very beautiful painting. Although it was something he wouldn''t dare show somebody else. This was still too sensual, even though it wasn''t as bad as the other painting of Jinde he had made.


    Jinde sighed. There was no way around it. If he wanted to get his lover back, he couldn''t shy away whenever he feared something serious. What kind of relationship would they have if he did? "Was there something about the mortal realm you wanted to speak to me about?"


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu nodded again. "I don''t really know how to breach this topic. We haven''t known each other for long." The brush stilled for a moment before he dipped it back into the ink and traced Jinde''s form again, adding some more details to the image of Jinde''s other arm.


    "You don''t have to worry about that. Whatever it is I''d like to hear it."


    Leng Jin Yu kept quiet for a moment and concentrated on the painting. He really didn''t know how to do this but he had to explain himself. "I ¡­ started out as a normal human. It might have been a coincidence that I finally ended up as a cultivator and practitioner that ended up ascending. Most of my life was spent according to what the mortals believed to be right and I didn''t spend a lot of time in the Nine Heavens to be influenced by their beliefs very much."


    "So the mortal customs are important to you."


    "Mn. To a large degree, they are. I tend to think that I am quite open-minded. I''ve lived a rather long life for a human and I''ve seen a lot of things. Ascending has also opened my eyes to another world. There are still some beliefs I can''t shake easily."


    Jinde''s lips quivered and he took a shaky breath. Here it came. "Did I do something that went against those beliefs?"


    "No. Not ¡­ Not really."


    "But a little?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "Even if you did, I wouldn''t hold it against you. You''re of the dragon race. Things might be different there. That''s natural and nothing to blame someone for. I just feel that I should explain some things to you so you won''t feel slighted by the way I treat you."


    "You''re too courteous."


    "I just ¡­ care for you." Leng Jin Yu smiled and took a moment to trace the curve of Jinde''s legs with his eyes.


    Feeling his lover''s gaze on him Jinde moved, his legs rubbing together slowly. This time it wasn''t conscious. He just felt ¡­ warm all over under this kind of gaze. With the way he was lying there, the fabric of the robe didn''t help to cover that movement at all. In return, Leng Jin Yu didn''t feel less hot than Jinde.


    Ah, had the weather suddenly changed?

 Chapter 490 - My Husband, I’ll Be Yours Forever

    Jinde pulled at his lapel to try and get some more air. He had really been along for too long to take that kind of gaze from his lover.


    Leng Jin Yu hurriedly looked away when he saw Jinde move but he couldn''t help but notice how dry his throat had gotten. He shouldn''t only have put a cup of tea beside Jinde. He should have gotten one for himself too. If he went now to fetch one, it would really be too obvious.


    He cleared his throat and tried to get back to the topic. "Well, the humans are ¡­ I don''t know how to describe it. A lot of them are very pragmatic about relationships. It is something expected of them and something that is beneficial to their families. Naturally, they would want to marry someone they love if possible but that depends on their ability to find that person and some unions might indeed be deemed impossible."


    Jinde''s gaze clouded over and the heat cooled quite a bit. "You wouldn''t want to say that it is impossible between us, would you?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head, his hands also stilling. "No. Definitely not. I don''t know, I was probably too indecisive in regard to you. I didn''t make my feelings as obvious as I should have."


    "Then what are your feelings?" Jinde straightened up, his gaze never leaving Leng Jin Yu''s face. The answer to this question might very well decide over how they would proceed. Or maybe if they would proceed at all.


    Leng Jin Yu looked back at him. How could he clad those feelings in words? "I desire you."


    Jinde smiled. Should he congratulate himself that his plan to seduce his lover had worked out or should he hate himself for failing to induce more than just desire? Before he could answer Leng Jin Yu already continued.


    "I desire your body, your touch, your company. I crave to see you and to hear your voice. From the moment I saw you, I was hardly able to think of anything else. Sitting here and looking at you is more difficult than I could ever have imagined. My throat is dry and my eyes can''t help to return to your body while my heart beats madly. I think ¡­ I think I''m in love with you."


    Jinde''s lips curved into a sweet smile. "I love you too."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled back. "I think you''ve already confessed to that earlier than I did. Jinde, I can see what you''re trying to do. It''s not that I ¡­ don''t want you. Or that I''m not willing to spend a night with you. It''s just that among humans just spending a night would be frowned upon. I think in this case it would be expected to get to know each other better and then ¡­ marry."


    Jinde continued to smile. "So you want to marry me?"


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t answer immediately. He looked at the scroll of paper and picked up the brush again, adding details to the lines depicting Jinde''s legs. "I think I do."


    Silence engulfed them for a while before Jinde sighed. "Why do I always hear you say you think? Aren''t you sure?"


    "I''m not sure about that. My heart tells me that I love you. My mind tells me that there is more to this than I understand right now. Jinde, we''ve known each other before, haven''t we?" He didn''t want to bring it up. He didn''t want to make Jinde miserable by reminding him of a time he might want to forget. But if Jinde continued to behave like this ¡­ sooner or later he wouldn''t be able to hold back and until that day he wanted to get those doubts out of the way.


    "Why do you say so?"


    "There were a lot of hints. Those things I remembered, those things you said ¡­ If I wasn''t able to figure it out with this, I probably wouldn''t have been able to ascend and would have died long ago. So is it true?"


    Jinde nodded. "It is. We knew each other. By all right ¡­ you should have been my husband."


    "Your ¡­" Leng Jin Yu stared at him, unable to understand what he had said just now.


    His husband ¡­ Well, he had expected that they had been lovers of some kind. But assuming and hearing it were two completely different things. Suddenly being faced with this honest revelation he didn''t know what to do.


    "Mn. Well, you never were. Not officially, that is. Actually, it''s kind of funny considering what you just said about human relationships. You know us dragons are a little more simple-minded in regards to that. If we like someone, we will tell him so and if that person likes us back, we will spend a night together. If there are witnesses or if we show off the marks of that night the next day, we would count as a married couple."


    Leng Jin Yu listened and his heart squeezed together. He had a sinking feeling and it got worse the longer Jinde talked. If ¡­ so maybe those ifs hadn''t been fulfilled in his past life? Maybe there had been a night but no witness or no mark? Well, that would explain why that voice inside of him had been so anxious when it discovered that the mark left on Jinde''s shoulder had vanished. "I ¡­"


    Jinde didn''t give him time to mention his guesses. "You ended up married to somebody else instead. Even though there was no doubt that we loved each other."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. How could something like this have happened? And why did he remember that image of Jinde lying in bed naked if ¡­ Ah, no. Come to think of it he had never seen Jinde''s whole body in that memory. It had just been his upper body, most of it covered by his hair. Maybe they hadn''t actually slept with each other? Maybe they had been interrupted? He didn''t know but he didn''t dare to ask either. This was something far away from him but it was obvious it was still very close to Jinde.


    Jinde sighed when he saw Leng Jin Yu like that. "Jin Yu, your past life is your past life. Whatever happened, it''s not something that can be changed anymore. I don''t blame you for anything either. All that ¡­ it''s long past and it''s not like I didn''t make my fair share of mistakes. It''s normal."


    "Then ¡­"


    "Well, you said you love me. I said I love you. So if you want me, you only need to come over and take me and I''ll be yours forever."

 Chapter 491 - Doing It the Dragon Way

    Leng Jin Yu stared at the person opposite him and his skin seemed to grow even warmer. He wanted to gulp but his throat was too dry. Ah, he really wanted a cup of tea to try and quench his thirst. Not that he really expected it to work. It didn''t help that Jinde was still lying on the daybed, looking like that. He had already been gorgeous when he stepped into the courtyard in that green robe but by now his right arm was exposed from his wrist up to his elbow, his clavicle was revealed behind his lapel and his feet peeked out from below the hem of his robe. He was enticing all over.


    "That ¡­ isn''t really the human way of doing things."


    Jinde smiled. "I''m a dragon. Originally, you were a dragon too. I don''t see any reason why we shouldn''t do this the dragon way. As long as you stay with me wouldn''t it also conform to whatever ideals the humans have?"


    The dragon way ¡­ Leng Jin Yu slowly got up, his gaze still lingering on Jinde. Yes, he could do it. He could go over and make this come true. Jinde could be his. Today, tomorrow, forever. And yes, he wanted to do this. Just imagining it ¡­ How he went over and knelt down at the edge of the daybed. How his fingers traced the lines embroidered on that outermost layer of his robe before he opened the belt and took it off. How he bent down and left those marks that he was supposed to leave while slowly continuing to strip him, strip himself and then ¡­


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. This time it didn''t help though. The scent of the plum tree entered his nose and conjured up the image of how the petals had looked in Jinde''s hair yesterday and how that petal from before had clung to his brow, right above those seductive eyes.


    Jinde watched him struggle with himself. He was obviously just a few steps short of giving in. Jinde''s gaze traveled downward and his lips curved up in a satisfied smile. Well, if he still didn''t feel anything, he couldn''t be called a man. Mn, he should give him the last push.


    Jinde sat up and his naked feet touched the ground. Leng Jin Yu tensed when he heard those feet tap over to him. Jinde didn''t care. He stopped in front of him and reached out. His fingers touched Leng Jin Yu''s chest. He left them there for a while before hugging Leng Jin Yu''s waist and snuggling up against him. Leng Jin Yu tensed even more but Jinde didn''t step back. Don''t joke with him! His muscles obviously weren''t the only thing going rigid there. If he didn''t try to take advantage of that, he''d be stupid.


    He stroked up and down on Leng Jin Yu''s back, reveling in Leng Jin Yu''s reaction. Mn, so he hadn''t lost his charm over the years. His lover still desired him just as much as back then.


    Leng Jin Yu''s hands slowly raised behind Jinde''s back and finally caught onto him, burrowing into the golden strands of his hair. He wasn''t sure what to do though. Give in to Jinde and do it? Hold back once again to give them some more time?


    As if Jinde had felt him hesitate he lifted his head and kissed Leng Jin Yu below the chin. "Jin Yu ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu trembled and his grip tightened. "Jinde ¡­" His lover''s name came over his lips without conscious thought as if this was his natural instinct. Who knew how often he had done this in his previous life?


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and rested his head against Jinde''s. "Is this really because of me?"


    "What is?" Jinde almost cooed. Mn, too great. His lover''s hands felt really great in his hair. Now he just had to use them to pull that terrible robe off.


    "Your feelings ¡­ Are you sure they are because of me and not because of who I was in my last life?"


    "What kind of question is that? You are you. Nothing changes about that, regardless of which life we''re talking about." He didn''t wait any longer and kissed Leng Jin Yu''s neck. If his lover didn''t want to start, then he''d do it himself. Sooner or later ¡­


    Before Jinde could continue the grip around his waist loosened and the person somehow slipped out of his grasp and stepped back.


    "I think ¡­ we should take some more time to think this through. To make sure this is really because of us. I might be carrying the same soul as the one I was before but I am still a new person. I had other experiences, I don''t share the same history with you that he did. We should take the time to share all those things before we ¡­ get married." Whichever way we''ll do it in the end.


    He gulped and turned around, unable to look at Jinde any longer. If he did, he really wouldn''t be able to hold back.


    "Jin Yu ¡­"


    The lost tone made Leng Jin Yu''s body and soul tremble. He took a shaky breath and ran away. He himself felt pathetic and he really didn''t want to know what Jinde thought.


    His lover indeed harrumphed while he watched him flee. "Ah, humans. They''re so complicated. I guess I should just strip the next time. Let''s see if he''ll be able to run away if I''m already naked."

 Chapter 492 - You Called Him a Bastard

    Leng Jin Yu didn''t get far before he was spotted by someone. Qiu Ling stopped mid-flight and hovered in the air, gazing after his beloved that was still standing on that hateful Wu Min Huan''s sword one moment and then looking at his reincarnated father-turned-love rival the next.


    Mn ¡­ As hateful as that Wu Min Huan was for not giving him the chance to bring his beloved over to his Master himself, it might be more important to have a talk with his father. After all, even though he didn''t like to admit it, his old man was better at seducing people than him. Just look at how his own beloved and the old geezer were clinging to him!


    He needed to find out about some of his tricks so he could use them on his beloved!


    Qiu Ling dived down and fell into step beside the already flustered Leng Jin Yu. "Old man ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu stopped dead in his tracks and turned to the side, his face twisting into a grimace. He had been so occupied with what had happened with Jinde that he hadn''t noticed at all that someone was closing in on him. And now it turned out that the person in question was none other than that Longjun that hated him. If he had been a little less lucky, he could have been dead by now.


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Old man! Didn''t you hear me?"


    "Longjun ¡­"


    Qiu Ling shook. Never mind that he had another face now, this was still his father. "Just Qiu Ling is alright. Don''t pretend."


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brow. Pretend? He had no idea what the dragon king was talking about but he wasn''t in the state to discuss it either. "Is there something I can do for you?"


    "Of course! Or do you think I''d like to spend some time with you to catch up?" Qiu Ling frowned at him as if that was really the last idea that would ever cross his mind.


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his brow. "Then what may I do for you?"


    Qiu Ling looked around to make sure that nobody was listening and leaned over. "Share your secrets with me!"


    "Ah?" Leng Jin Yu''s brows knitted together even tighter. Maybe it was because half of his mind was still with Jinde in that courtyard but what Longjun said didn''t make any sense to him.


    Qiu Ling tsked. "So you don''t want to share. Well, it figures. You already seduced him. Why would you suddenly give up and let me have a chance? But don''t think I wouldn''t go and tell the old geezer that you''re two-timing again!"


    Leng Jin Yu paused. Two-timing again? Did this mean ¡­ "So Longjun knows about who I was in my previous life?"


    "Duh! Isn''t that obvious? So how is it? Are you going to tell me your secrets now as compensation?"


    "Compensation? And what secrets?"


    "The secret to how you seduced my beloved, of course! I want him back! So I need to find out how to do that. I already tried it the normal way but it''s not really working. So what did you do?" Qiu Ling blinked at him with sparkling eyes, finally pulling Leng Jin Yu out of his thoughts of Jinde.


    Ah, being looked at like that by the current dragon king was truly ¡­


    "I ¡­" He pondered for a moment. The Son of Heaven had already passed a major trial so he was out of danger. There wouldn''t be any harm in letting Longjun know that this was a misunderstanding. That way those two could get together again and Zhong Jing Yi could spend the rest of his mortal life in peace instead of trying to catch up to a person that didn''t even exist. Wouldn''t that be the perfect outcome for everyone?


    Leng Jin Yu wanted to speak up but reconsidered. There was no harm in telling him but ¡­ if he did, this guy would immediately run away and never look back. Could he really let that happen? Longjun obviously knew something about his past life. Since he couldn''t ask Jinde without hurting him he should make use of this situation.


    Leng Jin Yu smiled amicably. "I can tell you. But there is something I''d like to know in return."


    Qiu Ling frowned. "I thought this was considered compensation?"


    "I don''t even know what you think I should compensate for. Isn''t that a little ¡­ disadvantageous for me?"


    "So you want some advantage." Qiu Ling tensed. "Hmph. As expected of you. Well, I''ll tell you some valuable information. But in return, I want every last detail of how you seduced my beloved!"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded absentmindedly. Valuable information ¡­ This should be something vital about his past life, right? Maybe he would find out how he had ended up married to somebody else than Jinde.


    Qiu Ling cleared his throat and straightened up. He had to make sure that his old man understood just how valuable his information was. Maybe he would give him some further hints on how to approach his beloved again as thanks. "The most important person to look out for ¡­ is that Xin Lan!"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. "Senior Xin?"


    Qiu Ling''s expression twisted. "What Senior Xin? Since when have you gotten so formal and polite? Didn''t you curse him as ''that bastard'' the whole day back then?"


    "That ¡­" That couldn''t be, right? Wasn''t that Senior Xin some kind of ancestor of the dragon race? If he had been a dragon in his last life, he couldn''t have been that disrespectful, could he?


    "What? You don''t believe me? But it''s true!" Qiu Ling fell silent for a moment before his fist hurtled toward Leng Jin Yu''s face. "Bastard! So you just wanted to get information from me but never considered holding up your end of the bargain! You''ll just shamelessly pretend everything I say is unreliable, won''t you?!"


    "That ¡­ Longjun, stop this!"


    "Still pretending to be polite! You''re also a bastard! I shouldn''t have trusted you!" Qiu Ling extended his claws but Leng Jin Yu was mentally prepared and managed to evade. He still felt himself to be at a disadvantage though and he doubted that he would have as much luck as the last time. After all, there weren''t that many people who could contend with the dragon king and he hadn''t seen that Xin Lan for some time already. Ah, it seemed he had to get out of this himself somehow.

 Chapter 493 - It’s Your Decision

    Jing Yi and Wu Min Huan hadn''t noticed that Qiu Ling was following them in the first place and thus they didn''t notice when he stopped either. They just continued on their way to the Grandmaster''s peak. Jing Yi couldn''t help his muscles from tensing the closer they came. The Grandmaster had treated him nicely on account of the fact that he was Qiu Ling''s fiance. But now he had canceled that engagement. It really felt as if he had used Qiu Ling to get benefits from the sect.


    But that had never been his intention! He had honestly thought that he loved him back then. He hadn''t ever considered that he might be wrong about that. How could he have known that he was already bound to somebody else by a promise made in his previous life?


    He sighed and got a questioning look from Wu Min Huan in return.


    "It''s nothing, senior martial brother Wu. I just ¡­ I was just thinking of something."


    "Oh." Wu Min Huan wanted to ask but didn''t know what to say. They weren''t that familiar with each other. Actually, he was a little embarrassed that he had told Jing Yi about the matter with Nian Hong Fang and even made him tag along to go see Yu Jin. Wasn''t he the senior martial brother? Why did he need his junior''s help for something as simple as this?


    Jing Yi smiled. "It''s alright. Don''t mind me. Let''s just ¡­ go to see Grandmaster Zhangsun." If he gave back what he was given and tried to make things as easy as possible for Qiu Ling, then maybe things would somehow work out. Maybe there really was a way they could both find their happiness. Independent from each other.


    Wu Min Huan nodded and flew up to the Grandmaster''s peak, only halting in front of the entrance. He kept his sword and looked around curiously. Even though he had been the Sect Master''s head disciple for many years, he had never come here to see the Grandmaster. And now he was here just to accompany Jing Yi. Would it really be alright to enter with him? As much as he wanted to see Grandmaster Zhangsun from close up, he didn''t have anything to do with this matter. By all right, he should stay back.


    Wu Min Huan also sighed and turned to Jing Yi. "This is probably a private matter so ¡­ I''ll wait here for you to come back." Ah, as much as he hated it, it was better to do it this way.


    Jing Yi nodded. "Thank you for your help, senior martial brother Wu! I probably won''t take long." He hurried inside.


    His steps slowed just a few meters past the gate though. He hadn''t come here before. Where was he supposed to find Grandmaster Zhangsun? And could he even walk into his palace just like that? Weren''t there some other steps to observe before that? He stopped in the middle of the hall and tugged at his sleeves. What to do now?


    Inside the palace, Zhangsun Xun Yi looked up. It seemed somebody had come to visit, just that this somebody wasn''t as impolite as his own disciple. Well, in that case ¡­ "Come on in." He called out to the front of the palace, imbuing his voice with mild sword energy so it would carry until the place where that person stood.


    Jing Yi flinched before going in the direction where the voice had come from. He finally found himself in front of the door to the room where Zhangsun Xun Yi was meditating. He hesitated once again but finally called out. "Greetings to Grandmaster Zhangsun."


    "Come on in."


    Jing Yi nodded and stepped in, hurriedly clasping his fists in another greeting. His face was still flushed in shame. He might be as polite as he could, it wouldn''t change anything about what had happened with Qiu Ling.


    "Sit. Why have you come?"


    Jing Yi didn''t want to sit down but since the Grandmaster had asked him to, he didn''t dare not to either. He hesitated to speak up though.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked at the young man in front of him, his gaze complicated. This was the person his disciple liked. The person that had recently broken up with him. Why had he come here now?


    When the Grandmaster didn''t say anything Jing Yi was forced to make the first move. "The Grandmaster has probably heard about Qiu Ling and me already."


    "Mn."


    "I ¡­ I am sorry. It was never my intention to hurt Qiu Ling. It just ¡­ It just happened."


    "Isn''t that something you should tell him and not me?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Yes. I ¡­ I tried."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t say anything more to that. He was very clear about the fact that it wouldn''t be so easy to shake Qiu Ling off. His disciple was a dragon and according to that man, he had bound his soul to this boy. He wouldn''t let go of him no matter what.


    "Well, the reason I came here ¡­" Jing Yi took out the book the Grandmaster had given him and extended it with a bow. "Grandmaster Zhangsun was very gracious to me but I don''t dare to impose on your goodwill after breaking up with Qiu Ling so ¡­"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi stared at the cultivation manual and his brows creased a bit. He reached out and took it from Jing Yi, leafing through the pages.


    Jing Yi lifted his head and watched him look at the manual intently. His guilty conscience couldn''t help but raise its head. "I didn''t use it. I know my word probably doesn''t count for much anymore but I really didn''t."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi put the manual on the table and pushed it back to the other side. "I don''t care about that. I gave this to you partly because of Qiu Ling but I also did so because of the mission the sect gave you. I know that mission turned out differently and you didn''t even have the time to take a look at the manual while you were in the Hei Dian Sect but still. That was my intent back then. And since this has already ended up with you I won''t take it back either. It is yours now. Whether you use it or keep it or give it away is your decision and it shouldn''t have anything to do with me or my disciple."


    "But ¡ª"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head, signaling that this wasn''t open for discussion. "Speaking of that the sect has another mission for you."


    Jing Yi blinked. Ah? The sect had another mission for him? He certainly wouldn''t have expected that.

 Chapter 494 - It Would Hurt Him Less

    Jing Yi left the Grandmaster''s palace in a daze. He held a list of ingredients in his hand but didn''t really know what to do with it. Keep the manual and go on a mission, with Qiu Ling out of all people even ¡­ How would that turn out? He couldn''t imagine anything else but chaos when he thought of it. After all, Qiu Ling hadn''t given up yet and his own heart wasn''t as unperturbed by Qiu Ling''s presence as he would have liked.


    "Junior martial brother Zhong!" Wu Min Huan called out to him with a tight voice.


    Jing Yi hurried over. "What is it? Did something happen?"


    Wu Min Huan wordlessly pointed to the unrestricted area of the inner sect that all disciples could enter. A lot of people had gathered there and clamored while they looked on in awe as two people clashed again and again. Or, well, one of them tried to clash with the other while the second one evaded all of the time. He didn''t look like he was very successful with that though.


    Jing Yi frowned. They were too far away to make out more than the general happenings down there but looking at that black and that white spot ¡­ Wasn''t that Qiu Ling?! After all, there shouldn''t be anyone else shameless enough to wear a black robe in the Yun Zou Sect when the official robes for the disciples were white.


    Jing Yi rubbed his brow and held back a groan before he turned to Wu Min Huan. "Senior martial brother Wu, could I trouble you to bring me down there? That looks a lot like Qiu Ling. I''d like to make sure everything is alright."


    Wu Min Huan nodded. "Of course! It''s only natural that you''re worried about your fiance. I would have gone to take a closer look if I hadn''t been worried you might see and not know how to get down there fast. Come on then." He unsheathed his sword and the two of them flew off once again. A few minutes later, they had already reached the unrestricted area.


    Jing Yi''s expression twisted. The person in the black robe was indeed none other than Qiu Ling. As for the person he was going after ¡­ Jing Yi frowned even more when he saw the familiar face. Why was Qiu Ling trying to injure senior martial brother Yu?!


    "Qiu Ling!"


    Qiu Ling stopped in mid-flight and retracted his claws, brushing back his hair and smoothing out his sleeves to make sure he looked presentable. "My love!" He turned around to greet his beloved but the words got stuck in his throat when he saw Jing Yi''s furious expression.


    Uh. It couldn''t be that his beloved was angry because he had tried to teach that shameless bastard a lesson, could it?


    "My love!" He called out again, his voice sounding pitiful as if he was the one who had been wronged.


    Jing Yi''s brows twitched. Had Qiu Ling forgotten how many people were still around? "What do you think you''re doing?"


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows and pointed at Leng Jin Yu. "He seduced you! And when I wanted to make a deal with him to get you back he agreed but didn''t hold up his end of the bargain after I provided him with the information he wanted!"


    The disciples around them started to whisper. It wasn''t news that the Sect Master''s disciple Yu Jin had come back and that he had somehow made the Grandmaster''s disciple and his fiance split up. But now it seemed there was even more to this than they had thought!


    Jing Yi held his forehead. So Qiu Ling actually thought he had fallen in love with senior martial brother Yu? That was ¡­


    He sighed. He wanted to say that it was ridiculous but upon closer inspection, it was actually the most plausible assumption. He had spent those five years in the secret realm with senior martial brother Yu and as far as they knew there had been nobody else inside. Other than that, he had also left with him after he broke up with Qiu Ling. So it was probably no wonder that Qiu Ling thought like this.


    Ah, he had to clear this up. Jing Yi lowered his hand and looked at Qiu Ling. The words didn''t want to come out though. The way Qiu Ling looked at him ¡­ He was obviously still hoping that they would get back together. Maybe that had been the reason why he attacked Yu Jin in the first place. He hoped that he would get him back if he could defeat the other person.


    Jing Yi lowered his gaze. There was no way that would happen. And he had to make that clear somehow. And furthermore ¡­ Jing Yi looked at Leng Jin Yu and bit his lower lip. He wanted to apologize for what he was about to do but he didn''t see any other way.


    In the end, it was good that Qiu Ling had misunderstood. It was better if he believed that the person he had fallen in love with was the one he had spent those five years in the secret realm with. It would be better than letting him find out the truth.


    After all, the person he had really fallen in love with was a demon and Qiu Ling hated their race. If he found out that the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with was one of them, there was no way to tell what he would do. But considering how he had reacted even to Yu Jin ¡­ He might try to attack Tian.


    Jing Yi clenched his fists. He couldn''t allow that. Never mind that he had promised himself to Tian already, even though he didn''t like to admit it there was still a place in his heart that belonged solely to Qiu Ling. He would hate to see him hurt and he didn''t doubt that he would be injured if he took up a weapon and tried to fight him. After all, Tian was the king of the demon race. Qiu Ling might be a dragon but there was no way he could win against someone of Tian''s status.


    So he had to sustain this misunderstanding. After all, as much as it would hurt Qiu Ling, it would hurt him less than losing the person he loved to a demon and knowing that he could never win him back.

 Chapter 495 - I Apologize for This

    "Qiu Ling. We''ve already talked about this and more than once. I can''t stay with you. I know there is no way to make this up to you and I''m sorry for that but there is nothing I can do about my feelings. I ¡­ don''t love you anymore." His heart squeezed painfully and he tightened his lips. Ah, he didn''t want to do this. Why did there have to be Qiu Ling if there was Tian already? Was fate playing a joke on him?!


    Qiu Ling knitted his brows. "That can''t be."


    Jing Yi''s expression softened. "I don''t regret even one day I spent with you. That was ¡­ a very important part of my life and I''ve truly cared for you. But in the time I spent in the secret realm I realized that it really was just that. I cared for you but I didn''t love you. Take it as me being too young. I didn''t know what love was so ¡­ I mistook the feelings I had for you for it. Only now that I''ve really fallen in love did I realize how wrong I was."


    Qiu Ling''s expression blanked. His beloved ¡­ didn''t love him back? That couldn''t be! Why would he ¡­ He turned to look at Leng Jin Yu who furrowed his brow in return.


    "What''s so good about him?!" Qiu Ling clenched his fists, his arms trembling. "He''s ¡­ He''s weaker than me and less handsome and he doesn''t care about you as much as I do either!"


    Jing Yi''s heart throbbed. He had seen Qiu Ling this disturbed only a few times and each time worried him. Leaving him ¡­ really wasn''t a good decision. He should have kept his promise and accompanied Qiu Ling for the rest of his life however long it took. But there was also his promise to Tian. Both of them were important and neither of them should be broken. What was he supposed to do now?


    He took a step forward and cupped Qiu Ling''s cheeks. "You''re right. I know you care the most about me. And you definitely are the strongest and the most handsome man I''ve met in this life."


    "Then why ¡­"


    Jing Yi hugged him and stroked his back. "I''m sorry, Qiu Ling. Sometimes ¡­ it''s just not that easy." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep himself from tearing up. Hugging Qiu Ling like this ¡­ It was so familiar. Ah, he would miss this. He could only hope that he would find Tian soon. Without any of them, his life seemed so empty.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t feel good when he watched Qiu Ling and Jing Yi either. He knew that Jing Yi was misunderstanding something else entirely. He should clear it up. The Son of Heaven had passed a major trial, after all. "It''s not how you think it is."


    Qiu Ling turned to him and his eyes narrowed. His beloved wasn''t as indifferent to him as he pretended. He was sure about this. It was all this guy''s fault. He should just ¡­ His fingers twitched and his claws once again appeared. Yes, he would just take out his rival. Then his beloved would come back to him and ¡ª


    "Qiu Ling." Jing Yi let go of him and stepped back. "Don''t do this."


    Qiu Ling didn''t listen. He didn''t want to listen. He would just ¡­


    "Don''t." Jing Yi stepped further back until he stood in front of Leng Jin Yu. "Qiu Ling, I understand how you feel but ¡­ this is making matters worse. It isn''t easy for either of us and it would hurt me deeply if you injured him."


    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat. "Junior martial brother Zhong, this ¡ª"


    "Senior martial brother Yu." Jing Yi turned to him and smiled wryly. "You know about my feelings."


    "Yes, but ¡ª"


    "I ¡­ I apologize for this. I never wanted to make trouble for you but ¡­ this is the only thing I can do." He grabbed the lapel of his robe, tiptoed and pressed his lips onto Yu Jin''s.


    Leng Jin Yu froze. Ah? What was going on here? Wasn''t Zhong Jing Yi''s reincarnation convinced that there was a lover from a past life called Tian that was waiting for him? Then why was he ¡ª


    Someone in the crowd around them harrumphed. Fabric rustled when the person turned away and his steps receded. Leng Jin Yu caught up with reality again. Jinde! That had definitely been Jinde''s voice!


    He grabbed Jing Yi''s shoulders and pushed him back. "I''m sorry." He turned away without waiting for an explanation or any response at all. He didn''t care about that. He only cared about what Jinde thought. "Wait for me!" He hurried through the crowd and tried to catch up to the person in front of him.


    Jinde accelerated his steps. He definitely didn''t want to talk to this person! His hands curled into fists inside his sleeves.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t give up though. He made his way through the crowd and finally saw Jinde in front of him. He had donned a hat with a veil to cover his hair and face but there was no doubt it was him. He would always recognize him.


    "Wait! It''s not what it looked like!" He reached out and wanted to grab Jinde''s arm to hold him back but the fabric ran through his fingers.


    "Not what it looked like?" Jinde laughed without any humor and stepped back even further. "You already cheated on me once. You already refused to marry me twice. Whatever it looked like ¡­ it''s obvious what your meaning is, isn''t it?" He looked at the person that had refused to budge when the Sect Master wanted to make him leave. Just a few hours ago he had been so sure that things would be different this time. He had thought that he just needed to make him give in, that they would spend a night together and then the rest of their lives. How come everything went wrong again? Was this some kind of curse?


    "Jinde ¡­"


    Jinde shook his head and sighed, the disappointment obvious. "Let it be. If you don''t want me ¡­ I''d rather not bother you at all and stay alone. It''s also ¡­ not too bad." He turned away, his heart squeezing painfully.


    Not too bad. Ha. What a lie. But he really couldn''t bring himself to make a scene again. After all, that hadn''t helped with Chun Yin either. In the end, he would lose him anyway.

 Chapter 496 - Let’s Talk About It

    Leng Jin Yu looked at his dejected figure and closed his eyes. Just what had happened? Why had Zhong Jing Yi done that? He turned back and found that neither Qiu Ling nor Jing Yi had moved while the crowd around them was spiritedly discussing what was happening.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and went back. He stopped in front of Jing Yi who looked up at him with an apologetic expression.


    "I ¡­ I''m sorry. I didn''t know ¡­" He clenched his fists and looked down. He had only thought about Qiu Ling and how he could make sure that nothing would happen to him. He had never even considered Yu Jin''s side of things. After all, Yu Jin had said that he didn''t know about the person he seemed to remember. He never would have thought that Yu Jin might have found that person in the short time since their return.


    "It''s alright. I''ll explain to him later. I''m sure he''ll understand." Well, he could only hope Jinde would. Actually, looking at how he had left, Leng Jin Yu wasn''t too sure if Jinde would really understand. After all, things had happened in their past lives. Something like this kiss he had had to watch would inevitably rip those old wounds open again.


    "Junior martial brother Zhong, I think that ¡­ we should have a talk. The three of us should. Because I think that there are a lot of misunderstandings that need to be unraveled. Here is hardly the place though. How about the two of you calm down a bit on your own while I go and talk to that person? After that, we can meet up again and talk things through."


    Jing Yi lowered his head. He could imagine what Yu Jin wanted to talk about. He knew about Tian so he probably wanted to clear this up so he wouldn''t get drawn into this any further. Well, it was understandable. If Yu Jin had found his special person, then he couldn''t let him suffer for his own selfish reasons. He couldn''t let Qiu Ling be hurt in a fight against Tian though.


    Jing Yi considered and finally cupped his fists and bowed. "I understand, senior martial brother Yu. There already is somebody you love. I don''t expect anything from you, don''t worry. I can''t change my feelings but I will give up on you and just stay alone for the rest of my life."


    "No, what ¡­" Leng Jin Yu frowned. "I said it''s a misunderstanding and we should talk about it!"


    "There''s no need for that. I already understand." Jing Yi turned around and stopped in front of Qiu Ling again. "Qiu Ling, please don''t make things difficult for senior martial brother Yu. You''ve heard it already. He doesn''t like me. It''s all one-sided affection on my part so just let him be happy with the person he likes. As for us ¡­ It won''t change anything. I can''t be with anyone but the person I love." He took a deep breath. "Right. We were supposed to go on a mission together but I know the situation isn''t right for that. Please don''t bother with it. I''ll just go and finish the mission on my own. It''s also what I owe the sect. Farewell." He cupped his hands in front of him too and turned away.


    He didn''t go to see Xiao Dong and Shao Hai as he had originally planned and just left the sect grounds directly. He already had the list of materials for the array and he knew of the places where he could find some of them. He would get those first and bring them back to the sect before he tried to find out where the others were. Ah, maybe things would already be different by the time he came back.


    Qiu Ling watched Jing Yi leave and stealthily touched his chest. It still hurt since the moment Jing Yi had kissed Leng Jin Yu. Was this the pain of losing your lover? Then ¡­ what would happen now? His beloved seemed intent on breaking up with him. According to the curse of the dragons ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu sighed when Jing Yi left. There obviously wasn''t any use in trying to persuade him. He didn''t understand why Jing Yi would pretend to be in love with him in front of Longjun but it was obvious he didn''t want to stop doing so. In that case, he could only try and convince Longjun to listen to him. As long as he knew about the misunderstanding that had occurred, he could do something about it and everything would get back on track.


    Leng Jin Yu walked over to him and lowered his voice. "Longjun, there is something we should talk about."


    "Leave me alone." Ah, he couldn''t believe his own father had made his beloved split up with him. This was too vicious! Had that guy no morals at all?! Qiu Ling turned to glare at him. "You''re a bad parent!"


    Leng Jin Yu touched his brow. He didn''t even want to try and understand what he meant with that. "Longjun, I''m serious here. Didn''t you want information from me? Well, I''m willing to tell you. You''ve also seen how Jinde reacted. I''m in love with him. I wouldn''t want him to misunderstand. So I have no reason whatsoever to hinder you in your relationship with the Son of Heaven, do I?"


    "Well ¡­ the old geezer said it himself. You cheated on him once already."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. "Could we leave my past life out of this? Please follow me. I''d like to explain to both Jinde and you."


    Qiu Ling looked at the place where Jing Yi had vanished once again and sighed. "Ah, well, I guess it wouldn''t change anything. My beloved doesn''t want to see me right now."


    "He will soon. So please follow me." Leng Jin Yu motioned to the house where he was living with Jinde and hurried over. Ah, he had to clear this up as soon as possible. He definitely couldn''t allow Jinde to misunderstand any longer.

 Chapter 497 - Worse Than a Demon

    At the same time, Xin Lan made his way into the dungeon of the demon realm''s palace. He might have had to follow Jin Ling to prevent him from finding out about his master''s whereabouts but that didn''t mean that he had forgotten the last task his master had given him. He was supposed to help Qiu Ling get that Fu Min and Fu Heng out of the demon realm. Since he had already promised he wouldn''t go back on his word. After all, that would just give Qiu Ling an excuse to go bother his master.


    Xin Lan walked into the dungeon unhindered, not even sparing a glance for the demons guarding the place. In some regards, the demon realm was a lot easier to live in than the other realms. If someone saw that you were stronger than him, then he would just step out of your way and avert his gaze, not seeing what you did.


    They didn''t have close familial ties so in contrast to the dragons and gods nobody could rely on a status acquired through birth. A mere guard could kill the child of the demon king and nobody would bat an eyelid. On the contrary, he might enjoy a higher status because of that. Everything in the demon realm was about strength. As long as you were strong enough, nobody would dare to mess with you.


    So when a demon was born he was the same as everyone else. A weak child that had to grow into its strength as fast as possible so as to not be killed. Everyone had the same chances, the same difficulties. In a way, this was better than the lives of the dragons and gods. Had he grown up as a demon instead of as a dragon ¡­ Maybe it would have been more fitting.


    Xin Lan reached the cells and spotted the two dragons. His lips curled up in ridicule. So that was that Fu Min that had a soft spot for him? It sure didn''t look like that. At this moment Fu Heng was leaning against the wall at the back of the cell. Fu Min had curled up next to him, his head resting in Fu Heng''s lap. Considering that they were dragons they looked like a pair of lovers.


    Xin Lan didn''t go forward any further and just watched as Fu Heng gently combed through Fu Min''s hair with his fingers. Lovers ¡­ Yes, whatever that Fu Min thought, this Fu Heng was obviously in love with him. Who knew if he hadn''t already bound his soul to him?


    "Stupid."


    Xin Lan turned around and frowned at the person behind him. "What do you want?"


    "What''s it to you?"


    Xin Lan waited but didn''t get any further response. The other person only looked gloomily at Fu Min and Fu Heng. Xin Lan faced the other side. Ah, he hadn''t wanted to do this in the first place. Now, he even had to deal with this.


    The person next to him finally moved. His black robe slid across the ground but nothing could be heard. Not even his steps broke the oppressive silence of the dungeons. It was as if he wasn''t there at all.


    He reached the front of the cell and examined the two dragons inside. Ah, looking at the surface, they seemed perfect. A red-headed warrior, robbed of his weapon but still intent on calming down his lover. The way he let him rest on his lap when they were in such danger and how he gently combed back his hair while his gaze never left his lover''s face ¡­ It was too beautiful to look at.


    Unfortunately, all this was just an illusion. Looking deeper they obviously hadn''t merged their souls yet. They were still free and unfettered, ready to abandon and betray each other at the drop of a hat.


    He lifted his chin and stared at the two of them, his gaze darkening the longer he looked. Pretending over and over again. He would rid them of this disease. His presence flared.


    Fu Heng''s eyes widened and he looked up in a rush, finally noticing the person in front of the cell. His hand on Fu Min''s head stilled. Oh no, this couldn''t be true.


    Fu Min stirred in his sleep. "What''s going on?" He groggily lifted his head and rubbed his eyes.


    They had already been several days here in the demon realm. In the beginning, he hadn''t been able to get a wink of sleep because he couldn''t help but imagine what the demons would do to them. But over time he realized that the demons didn''t seem to have any intention to hurt them. Well, at least not for now. So in the end, he had just curled up next to Fu Heng and caught up on the sleep he had missed before.


    Fu Heng pulled him closer without another word and motioned to the front. Fu Min frowned. Just what was going on? He rubbed his eyes again and turned around. When he saw the person on the other side he froze.


    The man wore a black robe without any embellishment and his equally black hair fell down to his hips. Even his eyes, whether it was the pupil or the iris, looked as if they had been painted with ink. Not to speak of the symbol between his brows. If not for the white skin, he could have been mistaken for a shadow instead of a person. Well, to a certain extent this wasn''t wrong.


    Fu Min''s eyes widened and his body trembled all over. He unconsciously grabbed Fu Heng''s hand and tried to burrow deeper into his arms but there was no way to escape the penetrating gaze of the man outside the cell.


    "Fu Heng, that ¡­ that''s a ¡­ a fallen god, right?"


    Fu Heng nodded with a dark expression. Yes, the man in front of them was indeed a fallen god. The only kind of person that was even worse than a demon.

 Chapter 498 - I Understand Now

    Leng Jin Yu nervously rubbed his fingers against his palms. Ah, he could only hope that Jinde would listen to what he had to say. This whole situation ¡­ He shook his head and took a deep breath. There was no use in speculating. He had to go in there and try. Well, he had to be careful though or Jinde might get even angrier.


    Leng Jin Yu knocked on the door. "Jinde? Can we talk?"


    "Eh! Did you forget about me?" Qiu Ling leaned forward and frowned. This guy was the reason why his beloved had broken up with him. He definitely wouldn''t allow him to have a heartfelt reunion with the old geezer as long as he was still without his beloved.


    Leng Jin Yu ignored him. "It really isn''t as it seemed. I brought Longjun over to explain to the two of you. Please let me in."


    Inside the house, Jinde raised his chin and snorted. "What are you begging for? It''s your house anyway. I''m just a guest. Naturally, I''ve left the door open." But even a guest can invite someone. Just wait until I call Xin Lan over! We''ll see if you still refuse to marry me with a rival in front of your nose!


    Leng Jin Yu gave a relieved sigh and opened the door, motioning for Qiu Ling to step in.


    Qiu Ling threw him a warning look before marching in. He found his way into the study and looked around. Hmph. How come the old geezer hadn''t even taken out any wine? He felt like drinking a cup or two ¡­


    Jinde frowned when he saw Qiu Ling''s searching gaze. "There''s none. As if I would get drunk over something like this." And as if I would let your father get close to that wine after what happened the last time.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips and sat down on the other chair in the study. Ah, first his beloved got stolen and now he wouldn''t even get the wine. Life sure was hard.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed when Jinde and Qiu Ling finally sat at the table. He went over and wanted to kneel down next to Jinde but the look he got in return froze him on the spot. "That ¡­"


    "No need to get so close."


    Leng Jin Yu wanted to refute but finally backed a step up before kneeling down. "All of this is a misunderstanding."


    Jinde picked up the teapot next to him. "You know what happens when you repeat something very often?" He poured himself a cup of tea and lifted it to his lips. "It starts to ring hollow. It''s like someone saying he loves you over and over again and then he goes to sleep with somebody else."


    Qiu Ling propped his elbows up on the table and put his chin on his hands. "You should mention in his defense that he was dead drunk that night."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. Those two were talking as if he wasn''t there at all. Well, he couldn''t really blame them. It would probably be best if he ignored those remarks and just got to the point.


    "You know that Longjun''s fiance is the reincarnation of the Son of Heaven. And you also know that the God of War sent me to help him pass his trial. Well, he did manage to do that but there were some complications. Longjun should know about this but your fiance remembered parts of his life as crown prince Jing He."


    Qiu Ling blinked. Now that this Leng Jin Yu said it like that ¡­ "This doesn''t make sense! If he remembered, shouldn''t he want to be together with me?" He tilted his head and pondered. "Ah!" Qiu Ling leaped to his feet and pointed at Leng Jin Yu. "You''re saying that Jing He remembers who he is but he doesn''t know that he already passed the trial so he forced himself to separate from me to pass his trial like that? Because he knew that that would break his heart? Heavens! My poor beloved! I should ¡ª"


    "Brat, sit down and shut up for me!" Jinde slammed the teacup on the table, making both Qiu Ling and Leng Jin Yu flinch. He harrumphed. That''s what you get for being such a bother. He was still angry at Leng Jin Yu but at least it seemed as if there really was a good explanation. "So what about him remembering his past life now?"


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath. "He only remembered parts of it and not even in order. As a result of that, he has misunderstood some things." He looked at Qiu Ling and furrowed his brows. "He probably remembered you but because he had no context to the things he saw he believes his past lover to be someone called ''Tian''."


    "Tian?" Qiu Ling repeated the name and his gaze grew distant.


    This wasn''t impossible. Jing He had told him the story of Tian and Xing once and it had seemed like it was very important to him. He had referenced bits and pieces of that story every now and then and sometimes he would murmur Tian''s name. So maybe ¡­


    "In other words, he knows that we were a couple but he doesn''t know it''s me?" He frowned. This sounded stupid.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes, something along those lines. I don''t know why he would suddenly pretend he has fallen in love with me though."


    Jinde pursed his lips. "What does he believe to know about that Tian?"


    "I''m not too sure. He didn''t say much. Just that ¡­ he had made a promise to him and ¡­ that he definitely couldn''t break it. That them being together was fate. He wasn''t very precise."


    Against better knowledge, Qiu Ling grinned. Ah, so his beloved loved him this much! He would even break up with him because he loved him so much! It seemed he had worried without reason.


    In a good mood, Qiu Ling stood up and straightened his sleeves. "Thank you for telling me. I understand now. I''ll use this to get him back. It shouldn''t take long but don''t worry!" He raised his hands in a magnanimous gesture. "I''ll stay outside with Jing He for a while. I won''t bother you while you''re rekindling things with the old geezer. I guess I can also forgive you for falling for my mother''s stupid tricks."


    "Ah?" Leng Jin Yu stared blankly at him.


    Then a cup of tea flew across his field of vision and shattered on the wall. "Get out, bear child! You''re already bothering us!"

 Chapter 499 - He Engraved His Soul

    Leng Jin Yu blinked. Before he could react to that flying cup Jinde had sidled up to him, his fingers stroking his arm and his head coming to lie on his shoulder.


    "Mn, my dear, I''m so happy that this misunderstanding is cleared up now. I felt horrible when I saw that child kiss you. I even feared my heart might break."


    Leng Jin Yu''s hand was grabbed and pulled purposefully onto Jinde''s chest.


    Qiu Ling whistled and turned away, intending to leave.


    "Ah, wait!" Leng Jin Yu wanted to get up but Jinde wouldn''t let him. He grimaced. "Jinde, whatever issue we have we can still talk about it later, can''t we? There''s something I have to tell Longjun."


    "Is that really more important than me?" Jinde slid even closer and his other hand pulled at his lapel, revealing that clavicle once again.


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes. "It''s about his fiance."


    "What''s with him?"


    Before Jinde could do anything, Qiu Ling was already kneeling in front of Leng Jin Yu with his eyes wide open. He didn''t even seem to notice that Jinde had been in the process of showing off his body. Jinde gritted his teeth. Ugh. Now what? Could he still strip in front of his stepson?


    Leng Jin Yu opened his eyes and carefully took his hand back. "I went to report to the Nine Heavens after we returned from the secret realm. Besides this story about ''Tian'', he only revealed one other detail about his memories. Further investigation showed that it is related to something called the soul-engraving dagger."


    "What?!"


    Both Jinde and Qiu Ling jerked and stared at him incredulously. Leng Jin Yu tried to loosen his shoulders but their gazes made him tense again immediately.


    "Well, I don''t really know what that is but it seems His Highness has used it. The Heavenly Emperor sent me to ask that Senior Xin of your race for help. I was supposed to ask him to take a look at His Highness'' soul but he refused and said that the chances of this would be more successful if you did it because you already have a connection to His Highness."


    Qiu Ling nodded but he was obviously in a daze.


    Jinde sighed. "It''s no wonder you don''t know about this. The soul-engraving dagger is an old artifact. It is a pair with another weapon called the soul-devouring dagger."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. "I know of that one." After all, that had been the weapon Hong Bao stole to help the Fate''s Scribe. "It seems the soul-devouring dagger is able to destroy a soul, is that right?"


    "Mn." Jinde nodded and lifted his left sleeve a few inches. He absentmindedly caressed the pale scar that could be seen on his wrist. "Legend has it that long ago a god and a demon fell in love. But the demons originally can''t love so to reassure his lover he forged this pair of daggers. The soul-engraving dagger was left with him and he used it to engrave his soul with the promise to never stop loving this god and stay true to him until the end of time. The soul-devouring dagger was given to the god and he was supposed to make use of it in case the demon should ever break his oath."


    "Did he break it?"


    Jinde smiled. "Of course not. There is hardly anything more compelling than an engraving to the soul. Unfortunately, the daggers somehow ended up in the wrong hands later on. In my ¡ª" Jinde coughed and barely stopped before he could blurt ''my reign'' out. "In my youth, I heard that the soul-devouring dagger had ended up with the demons and was used in the war against the dragons and gods. Thousands of them died, their souls obliterated."


    Qiu Ling resurfaced from his daze and stared at Jinde unblinking. His youth? Wasn''t that when he had led the army in the charge against that bastard Jian Heng?


    "Then the soul-engraving dagger?"


    Jinde sighed. "I don''t know as much about this one. It was kept with the gods if I''m not wrong." He looked away, his golden lashes shielding his gaze. "It''s not as harmful as the soul-devouring dagger although it''d be possible to wreak havoc with it. Most of the time people would decide to use it themselves though."


    "For the purpose of engraving their souls?"


    Jinde nodded but Qiu Ling interrupted before he could explain further. "This doesn''t make any sense. Why should Jing He engrave his soul?"


    Jinde covered the scar on his wrist and smiled. "Why would somebody willingly mutilate their own soul? Of course, it''d have to be because of the same reason that led to this dagger being forged in the first place. He did it out of love."


    Qiu Ling frowned. "But ¡­"


    Jinde pulled his sleeve down decisively. "You should be able to understand. You''ve already bound your soul to him. We dragons are able to do so naturally but that doesn''t mean that we''re the only race that loves deeply. He probably wanted to bind himself to you, even while he was attempting his trial. And his only chance to do so was the soul-engraving dagger."


    "Mn ¡­" Qiu Ling frowned.


    If it was him, he also wouldn''t have hesitated to engrave his soul to make sure he could stay with his beloved forever. But Jing He ¡­ He shouldn''t have to do something like this. It was too easy for a god to injure his soul if they attempted it. They weren''t dragons, after all. Their souls weren''t meant to be parted.


    "I should go and take a look then. I''m just afraid he won''t let me after what happened before."


    "Should I talk to him?" Leng Jin Yu wanted to get up but Jinde still held onto his arm and didn''t seem to intend to let go any time soon. Leng Jin Yu could only sit back down.


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "No. Even if you told him about his soul, it wouldn''t make a difference. Right now, his feelings for me ¡­" He sighed. "He has his guard up so taking a look at his soul would be difficult. I''ll have to make him realize first that I''m the one he remembered. After that, I''ll make sure he''s alright."


    "Alright. If you need help ¡­"


    Qiu Ling''s gaze flickered. It had been ages since he had seen his father and honestly, their relationship had been a little strained back then. He hadn''t noticed as much when he was a child but it was obvious in retrospect. Having him offer his help was a little strange.


    "Uh, no need. Just ¡­ enjoy your time with the old geezer. I''ll go and follow Jing He." He turned away and left the house, concentrating on the mark he had left on Jing Yi''s body at his birth. Ah, never mind his father, at least his beloved hadn''t really stopped loving him.

 Chapter 500 - Dragons Can Be Simple-Minded

    Jinde sighed when the door fell shut and let go of Leng Jin Yu''s arm.


    "You''re still mad at me?"


    Jinde chuckled. "Of course not. How old do you think I am?" He smiled but it was still a little strained.


    Leng Jin Yu reached over and cupped his cheek. "I''m sorry. Even though I can explain, that wasn''t something that should have happened in the first place. You already told me that there were such problems in the past and I ¡­ still let it happen just like that."


    Jinde reached up and covered Leng Jin Yu''s hand with his own. "It''s alright. Actually, it might have been a good thing. What you just said made me realize that I shouldn''t take things for granted."


    "What are you even saying?" Leng Jin Yu slid closer and wrapped Jinde up in his arms. "You can take me for granted."


    Jinde chuckled again and snuggled up against his chest. "You know ¡­ That''s something very nice you said there. Unfortunately, it''s not true. I ¡­ should probably tell you what exactly happened back then."


    "You don''t have to."


    "But that is what you meant, right? You can''t just plunge into this relationship if you don''t know what happened back then. You''ll upset me with things you can''t understand and I''ll be angry even though I don''t have the right to. Because it''s my fault. If I don''t tell you, how can I expect you to know?"


    "It''s your life. And ¡­ I guess it''s a part of your life that will hurt you very much when you remember it. I don''t want to force you to tell me."


    Jinde looked up and gently stroked Leng Jin Yu''s cheek. "It does hurt. Every moment I remember of it hurts me. Especially since I know that Chun Yin will never come back. But I knew that long ago and it''s not like I wouldn''t remember it if I don''t tell you about it. Quite the contrary. I just can''t help but think of the time back then. So rather than keeping silent about it, I think it''s better to tell you outright. If I do, we can take a step forward too. Isn''t that enough of a compensation? And maybe starting over with you will make the things from back then hurt less."


    "Mn. Maybe you''re right. And I would like to hear about it. I can''t deny that."


    "Then I''ll tell you." Jinde took a deep breath and turned to look out of the window. We were still children when we met for the first time. You were about to become the disciple of our king. In fact, the ceremony had already been held so I guess it would be more accurate to say you already were his disciple. My mother had heard that he was taking somebody in and even though she knew that you were supposed to be his only disciple, she still dragged me over there and knelt down to beg him to take me in."


    "I hope I didn''t make trouble."


    Jinde laughed and turned back to him. "No. Quite the contrary. The king wasn''t sure if he should really take me in. On the one hand, he had only wanted to take one disciple. On the other hand, it hadn''t been long since my father died while protecting him. I guess he felt a little guilty. His decision depended on you to a large degree."


    Jinde encircled Leng Jin Yu''s neck and peered into his eyes, his own gaze puzzled. "I don''t know what it was but you took one look at me and it was obvious that you had no problem whatsoever to have me as your junior martial brother. In fact, you seemed thrilled at the prospect."


    "Maybe it was love at first sight?"


    Jinde gave a low hum. "It could be. Dragons can be quite simple-minded in choosing their partners."


    "Oh?"


    "Mn. As for us ¡­ We were expected to stay in the palace to be taught. We spend the bigger part of our childhood and all of our youth together. I don''t know when exactly the friendship we had developed at the start changed into something else.


    "I ¡­ had admired him for a long time. Chun Yin was famed for his sword arts even when he was only a young man. There was hardly anyone who could defeat him. That kind of strength and that self-assuredness he displayed alongside it ¡­ It was irresistible to me."


    "That sounds as if I was someone very dependable."


    Leng Jin Yu got a mocking gaze in return.


    "Dependable?" He laughed. "Well, you might say it like that. Actually, if I try to be objective, you weren''t. You were ¡­ self-important and conceited and much too demanding. You always expected things to go your way. But ¡­ maybe you were right with that. Because most of the time they did. I certainly wouldn''t have objected to anything you said."


    Leng Jin Yu kept silent. His past self didn''t sound too good to him. Just how had Jinde fallen in love with him? Were dragons really that different?


    Jinde could feel how uncomfortable he was with this description and he barely held back from laughing. "I know it sounds bad. But it was how we grew up. Chun Yin was a prodigy with the sword and his character ¡­ It might have been a little flawed but a lot of dragons are like that. Just look at Qiu Ling. Most of the time he feels like he is Heaven''s gift to all immortal realms."


    Leng Jin Yu coughed. "Should you really say that about him? Isn''t he your king?"


    Jinde smiled and his fingers slipped into Leng Jin Yu''s hair. "Wait until I''ve told you the rest of the story."


    "Alright." Leng Jin Yu smiled and interlaced his fingers behind Jinde''s back. Mn, he shouldn''t interrupt him if not necessary. Jinde would know how to tell him.


    It was just that it felt a little strange to hear him talk about this Chun Yin. In a sense, Jinde was talking about his past lover while he was also talking about him. He didn''t know how to feel about this exactly.

 Chapter 501 - The Dragon King’s Throne

    "Anyway, I''m sure Chun Yin thought about me the same way even though he might have needed a bit more time. He wasn''t ¡­ very subtle in that regard." Jinde sighed. "Unfortunately, life got in the way. Before we had the time to figure out where we wanted this to go the king announced that he would step down. Generally, everyone has the right to attempt to become king. But the previous king''s opinion will value a lot and being the strongest won''t necessarily make you the new king. We''re not demons, after all."


    Jinde lowered his head when he reached this part of the story. He hadn''t wanted to tell Leng Jin Yu about his status in the dragon realm for now. Speaking about it made him feel strange. After all, it had been so long ago. He had grown older and somehow, this seemed to open up an invisible wall between them. One that he definitely didn''t like being there. He wanted to be close to him, as close as possible. Unfortunately, the problems between Chun Yin and him couldn''t be explained without talking about this part of their lives.


    "To make a long story short the king wanted us to compete for the throne. We did him the favor but we both thought that Chun Yin would win anyway."


    Leng Jin Yu tensed. He didn''t want to interrupt but he could barely hold back the question at the tip of his tongue. Did Jinde want to tell him that he ¡­ had become the king of the dragon race? Was the reason why he didn''t care about talking to Longjun that way that he was his predecessor?


    Jinde smiled wryly. "Don''t look at me like this. I wasn''t better suited to the throne at all. The only reason I won was that the demons interfered in the trial. Unfortunately, I only found out much, much later when everything was too late already. So, yes, I was the dragon king. And that was one of the reasons while things between Chun Yin and I didn''t work out."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. "He rejected you because you managed to get the throne while he ¡­"


    "Not ¡­ not really, no. Sure, Chun Yin was a little conceited and he certainly thought that he was better suited but in all the years he always supported me. He didn''t complain about me being king either. It was just ¡­ he couldn''t imagine being with his king. That was ¡­" He shook his head. "I don''t know. Maybe his self-esteem wouldn''t let him? Maybe he also did it for me because he didn''t want people to talk? The dragons are pretty open-minded in regard to relationships but since we fought for the throne it might have been strange if we got together afterward. It wouldn''t have been the same if he ¡­"


    Jinde sighed again and his fingers combed through Leng Jin Yu''s black hair. "Nobody believed I would win. That competition was just for appearance''s sake. Even our Master thought so. Had Chun Yin won and become king, it wouldn''t have been a problem at all to make me his lover. Actually, people might have expected that too. After all, we were close and ¡­ I could probably be regarded as a beauty." He laughed but it didn''t sound happy at all.


    "Chun Yin always liked the way I looked. If he had indeed become king, he would have asked me instantly. I know that. But that plan the demons had was too elaborate. It cut the chance for that relationship off before it even started. And Chun Yin was too stubborn and too prideful to go after me even after some time. He only reconsidered when talk about my marriage came up."


    "I guess he got jealous?"


    "Mn. Very much so. Chun Yin might have been able to ignore me while I was alone but when the issue was brought up he started to behave differently. It wasn''t that bad as long as it was about women. We had known each other long enough that he knew I couldn''t even imagine starting a relationship with one of them. But when the first male suitor appeared ¡­" He shook his head and his lips couldn''t help but curve up. "I myself didn''t notice at first but somehow things always went wrong. Oftentimes, I wouldn''t even get to see those men. And if I did ¡­ When it didn''t work out it wasn''t a problem. But if I got along well with one of them, they got into accidents or lost interest very suddenly. I needed a while to find out that Chun Yin was behind that."


    Leng Jin Yu coughed and looked away. Ah, had he really been that unreasonable back then?


    "Don''t look like that. I ¡­ was very happy when I found out. I thought that maybe we still had a chance. I was waiting for you. Each day when I got up I looked at the door and wondered if maybe today you would come and make it official. Unfortunately, things got even worse. There were some rumors that I had already decided on someone. That night you got drunk and ¡­ the next day, you were married."


    "I ¡­"


    Jinde shook his head. "I''ve already told you that it''s not so complicated. There were no witnesses that night but somebody found the two of you the next morning. I don''t know whether you were just too slow to reject it or if you didn''t even try but it only took a few hours for everyone to know. That day I ¡­ I don''t remember much about it. After I heard that you had decided on somebody else ¡­ I lived the rest of the day in a daze."


    "I''m sorry." Leng Jin Yu tightened his grab on him and gently kissed his cheek. "I''m here now. And something like that will never happen again. I''m only yours."


    "Mn. I believe you. Although you should know that that wasn''t the end of us. There was ¡­ another mistake we made. Do you want to hear?"


    Leng Jin Yu pressed his eyes shut. No, actually, he didn''t want to. It was already more than enough. Just how many mistakes could one man make? It seemed he had already done all of them.


    In the end, he still nodded. Jinde had suffered for a long time because of his decisions back then. Why should he be able to just say no and ignore these matters? Jinde had the right to talk about it and let him know. And that way he hopefully wouldn''t make any more mistakes.

 Chapter 502 - That Last Mistake

    "You remember Xin Lan, don''t you?"


    "Mn. He seems to have a high status in your race and ¡­ he said you saved him once."


    Jinde nodded. "That''s true. I found him heavily injured. Without me, he probably would have died that day. I didn''t even think about it. I just took him home and cared for him until he was better. There was no intention behind it.


    "But Xin Lan refused to leave after that. He was always pretty obstinate, maybe even more so then Chun Yin. He had decided that he wanted to repay me so he stayed. Whatever I wanted to have done he would be the first to jump at it. If I didn''t have any task for him, he would go out of his way to find one. He often returned badly injured and I had to patch him up again but he never complained. He just handed me whatever he had gotten in return for those wounds."


    Leng Jin Yu gulped. It seemed Longjun hadn''t been that wrong when he said that the person he should worry about the most was that Xin Lan. This kind of behavior was obviously more than just repayment for someone''s kindness.


    Jinde didn''t notice that Leng Jin Yu''s expression had changed. He was completely immersed in those memories. "Xin Lan was probably the person closest to me after Chun Yin. And after Chun Yin had married ¡­" His fingers stroked Leng Jin Yu''s neck and his lids lowered. It wasn''t that easy to say this. He felt a little guilty about it.


    "I felt alone. And all those suitors had already disappeared thanks to Chun Yin. There was no way to even start a relationship for convenience''s sake. It was either being alone for the rest of my life or ¡­" He licked his lips and lowered his head a little further. This wasn''t Chun Yin but he was still embarrassed. "Xin Lan was too strong to feel intimidated by Chun Yin and we were close anyway, so I thought ¡­ If he wasn''t against it, why shouldn''t I try? It wouldn''t have been the kind of loving relationship I would have had with Chun Yin but he was already married anyway. Why shouldn''t I be able to share my life with somebody else too?"


    "So you ¡­ wanted to marry him?"


    Jinde stroked Leng Jin Yu''s chest. "Don''t be angry. You were married and ¡­ I didn''t even sleep with him. I had the intention though. That day we were in the palace. I had had that thought for a while and Xin Lan had just returned. Looking at him ¡­ he was pretty much what I admired in a man. I could imagine it quite well."


    He sighed. "Xin Lan probably wouldn''t even have considered it but I did think of myself as a beauty. If I wasn''t, then there wouldn''t have been so many suitors in the beginning. So I thought that I just had to try and I ¡­" He sighed again. "Well, I went over and ¡­ I guess you could say that I tried to seduce him? He didn''t say anything or do anything but he didn''t reject me either. It probably could have worked out."


    Leng Jin Yu squirmed on his place. He had felt uncomfortable when Jinde told him about the way he had been before. But hearing about how he had considered another man was a lot worse. Unfortunately, even his past self hadn''t been taken seriously by that man and his current self couldn''t even win against Longjun who seemed to be regarded as a child by that man. What did he have to compete with him?


    "I was already in his arms and about to kiss him when Chun Yin came in." Jinde cleared his throat. "Dragons are jealous creatures and a man like Chun Yin ¡­ He didn''t take it too well. He was mad with rage but what could he do?"


    "Did he ¡­ leave after that?"


    "No. Quite the contrary. He couldn''t win against Xin Lan, not in a fight at least. But he had one advantage and that was my feelings for him. He just ¡­ pulled me out of his arms, picked me up and carried me to bed."


    "And Xin Lan?"


    "He stood in front of the door and kept guard while we ¡­" Jinde blushed. "I mean it''s nothing to be embarrassed about. He knew how I felt about Chun Yin for a long time. He was probably happy for me. It just felt so strange after I tried to make a move on him. Not that I had the opportunity to think about that for long. Chun Yin was really ¡­ He didn''t give me any time to consider anything that night. Every single minute was spent in his embrace. We only fell asleep sometime in the morning hours."


    "And you were alright with that?"


    Jinde smiled sweetly. "Of course, I was. Chun Yin might have been a little forceful but every word he whispered into my ears that night made me feel as if I was walking on air. Ah, even now my heart races when I think back. The way he swore to love me forever, to only have me in his life, to care for me and protect me and make me his official partner ¡­"


    Jinde sighed and his smile was tinged with sadness. "Unfortunately, all of that was said in the heat of the moment. None of that was supposed to come true. When we woke up later that day he was still sweet to me, reiterating all of those promises, making me swear in return that I would definitely never lie with any other man, that I wouldn''t even look at somebody else.


    "I didn''t think about it. I promised him whatever he wanted to hear. When had I ever really considered somebody else? Xin Lan had been ¡­ someone I thought of when I was miserable and desperate and couldn''t take that loneliness any longer. But now Chun Yin was with me and he wanted me. Why should I still consider anything else?


    "But then somebody came over and told him that he was supposed to go home to his wife because something seemed to have happened. Chun Yin didn''t seem too happy but he still went. He did promise me to use the opportunity and break up with her. He promised he would come back soon and that the life I wished for would begin right after that. I didn''t question it.


    "Not until Chun Yin came back to tell me that she was pregnant and that he couldn''t leave her after all."

 Chapter 503 - Evil Charm

    Jinde''s expression twisted and he burrowed deeper into Leng Jin Yu''s arms. Ah, that day ¡­ it had been the worst day of his life. Before that time he had always been able to find some kind of excuse, some kind of explanation that could make him feel better.


    Leng Jin Yu pulled him up against his chest and gently stroked his back. "I''m sorry. The things I did in my past life ¡­" He sighed and shook his head. What use was there in apologizing? All of that was long done. Whatever he said it wouldn''t change anything about the pain Jinde had suffered.


    "It''s not your fault. Nothing ever was. From the very beginning, we were played. That woman ¡­ she was from the demons. Or more precisely she was one of the wives of the demon king."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. "Then how could ¡ª"


    "The demons aren''t like us. In fact, calling one of them husband and wife is probably wrong. They have ¡­ relationships that are of mutual benefit but they often don''t last long. It''s hard to even say who is related to whom among them.


    "The only one that is slightly different is the demon king. As long as he is able to keep his throne, he has the supreme power in the demon realm. Forming a union with him ¡­ it''s beneficial to a lot of demons and often even to those outside their race. And Jian Heng ¡­ He had his good sides, I guess. At least he could be charming if he wanted."


    Jinde closed his eyes and sighed. Until the very end, he never would have guessed that all of this was Jian Heng''s doing. He had seemed suave when he saw him, maybe with a tint of evil charm every now and then but most of the time he was a gentleman. Nothing at all like one would expect a demon to be. But maybe that was exactly what was demonic about him.


    Leng Jin Yu continued to stroke Jinde''s back. The more he heard the more he regretted even though he knew that he wasn''t able to help it. That life was already in the past. "So that Jian Heng was the one behind all that. He even sent his own wife to make us separate."


    "Mn. As I said those unions are based on mutual benefit. He never loved her and she was perfect for the task since she was partly of dragon descent. People wouldn''t normally suspect her. Well, I did." He sighed again and turned in Leng Jin Yu''s arms until his back leaned against his chest. "I only guessed at first but the longer I observed her the more I felt certain that she wasn''t what she pretended to be. I accused her of having ulterior motives but that only made things worse.


    "There are a lot of things I can say about Chun Yin. Objectively speaking, there are also a lot of negative things. There is one thing especially great about him though. He would always protect you if he considered you to be one of his people. That was what would have made him a great king. It was also ¡­ what made him such a great husband."


    Leng Jin Yu''s grip tightened. "He ¡­ He sided with her?" He couldn''t bring himself to say I. He didn''t want to acknowledge that this was he himself. He didn''t want to admit that he had hurt Jinde this much in his last life. If he pretended this was another person, he could still be outraged about it. Wasn''t that better?


    Jinde reached up and clasped Leng Jin Yu''s neck. "There''s no need to feel bad about this. I don''t agree with a lot of things Chun Yin did but in that case, I think he did great. He had married her. She was his wife and the mother of his future child. Siding with her ¡­ it was what he should do. Even though it hurt me.


    "It was just that with these arguments we drifted further and further apart. Chun Yin accused me of being jealous and picking on her because of that. He said that ¡­ as king I shouldn''t be like that. I should stand above such things."


    He paused and stared at the door, his heart twisting. "I guess a lot of what he said was true. But that didn''t mean that I was wrong. Chun Yin finally left the capital, taking the two of them with him. We never saw each other again."


    "Then Chun Yin ¡­"


    "She killed him."


    "I see."


    Jinde kept quiet for a while but his fingers gently brushed Leng Jin Yu''s neck. He had always felt bad when he thought about it. He still did. But this time he wasn''t alone. This time there was somebody with him who listened and held him close.


    "If I asked nicely ¡­ would you kiss me?"


    Leng Jin Yu gave a wry smile. "What made you think I wouldn''t?" He leaned forward and kissed his cheek.


    Jinde sighed. "That''s not the kind of kiss I had in mind. You know it feels terrible to talk about it. I loved him. Almost my whole life was spent loving him. But in the end, not only did we fail to become a couple, we even separated and Chun Yin died."


    "I''m sorry." Leng Jin Yu carefully grabbed Jinde''s chin and turned his head around, pressing his lips onto his as gentle as he could. "This time it will turn out differently."


    "Mn ¡­" Jinde sighed. He separated from Leng Jin Yu for a moment and smiled. "Don''t promise me anything. Just ¡­ stay with me. That is all I ask for."


    "Really?" Leng Jin Yu raised Jinde''s chin a little higher and smiled. "I could have sworn there was something else you hoped for."


    Jinde''s lips curled up. "Saying it like that ¡­ You''re surprisingly evil for a righteous cultivator."


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu gripped his neck and leaned down again.


    Honestly, telling him about the evil charm of the demon king and how that Xin Lan was everything he admired in a man ¡­ Wasn''t that telling him that he should already stop being a worrywart and just do what he wanted?


    Mn, maybe he was right. They had missed out on so much in their past lives. Why should he keep dragging out things in this life?


    "How about being even eviler?"


    "Ah?"


    Leng Jin Yu got up before Jinde could ask. He smiled at him and picked him up. Yes, they had already lost too much of their precious time. He wouldn''t hesitate any longer.

 Chapter 504 - Some Convoluted Plan?

    At the same time, the fallen god in the demon realm curled up his lips. It could hardly be called a smile though. There was no expression in his dark eyes and nothing else but the angle at which the corners of his lips were raised changed.


    "How pitiful you are. Imprisoned in the demon realm." He raised his hand and his fingers curled around the bars of the cell. "How about I liberate you?"


    Fu Heng gritted his teeth and pulled Fu Min closer to his chest, incessantly stroking his hair as if that alone might suffice to make sure nothing would happen. He knew that there was no hope though.


    This was a fallen god. You couldn''t beat them, you couldn''t argue with them, you couldn''t appeal to them. After all, most of them had already lost their sanity when they fell.


    In fact, staying silent would be the best choice. That way they at least wouldn''t aggravate him. He might kill them fast, without letting them suffer too much.


    "Fu Heng ¡­" Fu Min''s fingers curled around the fabric of Fu Heng''s sleeve, his hands trembling. Would they die here? But they were still young! This shouldn''t be happening.


    "Shh." Fu Heng gently shook his head. He also didn''t want it to end this way.


    He had always thought that he would one day die at Fu Min''s side. He just never would have thought that it would happen like this. Ah, he regretted now. He should have told him at least. Now, they would die without him ever knowing. That wasn''t how it was supposed to be.


    Fu Heng''s hands stopped moving and he lowered his gaze to Fu Min''s face. He wanted to say something to reassure him but no words came out. Everything was pointless already. Faced with this kind of person the only thing he could do for Fu Min was killing him himself so he could make sure he would die immediately.


    The fallen god watched them, his gaze following the movements of Fu Heng''s hands. Ah, such a devoted pair of lovers ¡­ His lips curved up even further. "You don''t want to die? Well, I''m not a bad person. I could let you go."


    Fu Min froze before his body started to tremble. Fu Heng tightened his grip on him to calm him down, his gaze returning to the person outside the cell. He didn''t know if it was a good idea to respond but maybe ¡­ maybe this one wasn''t completely deranged yet. Maybe they could actually negotiate something. Maybe ¡­ at least Fu Min could live.


    "What do you want?"


    Those black eyes stared at them for a moment, the smile slowly receding. "Would you like to go, yes? But I''ll only let you go. Not him."


    Fu Heng closed his eyes. So he had already made up his mind. "Then thank you for the offer but no. I won''t leave him alone."


    The fallen god let go of the bars and stepped back, turning to the side before silently pacing up and down in front of the cell. "Not leaving him alone. What is it for? You haven''t even merged your souls."


    Fu Heng frowned, his mind churning. Chatting with them almost amicably, offering to let one of them go but still not attacking when the offer was declined ¡­ This person wanted something. He had some kind of plan. What was it? If he could figure that out, then maybe they could live through this, after all. But he had to tread carefully or this could end them even faster. Well, he didn''t have a choice. This either worked out or they would die. There was no other outcome.


    "You want to know why?"


    "Mn." The fallen god stopped walking and turned to look at them again.


    That expressionless face gave nothing away but at least he listened. That might be a good sign.


    Fu Heng tried to calm down but with that black gaze on him, his heart raced. He felt very much like prey in front of a predator. Fu Heng took a deep breath and turned to look at Fu Min instead. His heart instantly calmed down. This person ¡­ He could do everything for him.


    He concentrated on the weight leaning against his chest and refused to look up at the fallen god again. If he was killed, then he wanted Fu Min to be the last person he saw in his life. "Why I would do this ¡­ I don''t know how to answer this. Isn''t that what you would normally do for the people most important to you?"


    The fallen god tilted his head. "The people most important to you?"


    Fu Heng nodded.


    "But you aren''t a couple. You haven''t even merged your souls."


    Fu Heng perked up. You haven''t even merged your souls. He had already said that twice now. Could it be that? Did he want them to merge their souls? But why? What could he get out of that?


    He wouldn''t mind binding his soul to Fu Min''s. After all, he had been in love with him for a long time already. But if they merged their souls ¡­ their lives would depend on each other. So maybe this was just some convoluted way to kill them both? First, he''d let him bind his soul to Fu Min, then he''d kill Fu Min and watch him die with him? Was that it? Or was there something else? He frowned. Ah, he just didn''t know enough about this person! There was no way to gauge what he was thinking.


    "We haven''t yet. That doesn''t mean we won''t in the future."


    Fu Heng wasn''t looking but Fu Min saw the fallen god''s brows knit together, twisting the symbol between them. His fingers dug into Fu Heng''s arm. This guy was obviously going to kill them now!


    Just when he thought that everything was over steps sounded from behind the fallen god and a person with endlessly familiar silver hair and a mask covering half his face appeared.


    "I think this is enough now. Just leave them be."


    Fu Min''s heart thumped and he straightened up unconsciously. "Senior Xin!" Ah, Heaven had a heart! Senior Xin had come to save them!


    Both Fu Heng''s and the fallen god''s expressions darkened.

 Chapter 505 - Even More Vulnerable

    The fallen god whirled around, his black robe fluttering around him, and dashed in front of Xin Lan, his fingers curling around his throat. "Look at you! Don''t you feel ashamed?"


    Xin Lan frowned. He didn''t have time for this. He had to free those two and return to Jin Ling''s side before he could make trouble. His Master wasn''t safe as long as Jin Ling ran to the Yun Zou Sect all the time.


    He reached up and grabbed the fallen god''s wrist in return. "This has nothing to do with you."


    "Nothing to do with me?" The fallen god paused but his grasp didn''t loosen in the slightest. "Then what does it have to do with you?" He pulled Xin Lan forward and turned to face the cell. "Look at that! They could be such a lovely couple. But here you are, trying to break them up. Why would you?"


    Xin Lan ground his teeth. Ah, he really wanted to kill this guy and be done with it. Arguing this and that, it would lead them nowhere! "Who is breaking up anyone? I''m trying to get them out of here. So, let. Me. Go."


    The fallen god didn''t move. He just looked at the two dragons in front of them. Fu Min''s face had lost all color while Fu Heng was gritting his teeth in silence. So in the end, were they in love with each other or not?


    "Still not bound their soul ¡­"


    Fu Heng''s frown deepened. That fallen god was still talking about the same thing. Don''t tell him he really wanted them to merge their souls now? Then maybe ¡­ He turned to look at Fu Min who was still observing with wide eyes how the fallen god treated Xin Lan.


    Ah, he might as well do it.


    Fu Heng closed his eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating on the translucent thing inside him that was his soul. He clenched his fists, his claws unwittingly extending and cutting into his palm. The scent of blood filled the cell, making the other three men turn toward him.


    Fu Min clutched his arm. "Fu Heng, what ¡ª"


    Something touched his soul. This was ¡­ Fu Min''s eyes went wide. This couldn''t be! Why would ¡­ Why would Fu Heng do something like this? He forced himself to close his eyes and concentrate on his own soul to make sure. Unfortunately, it was true. His soul that had never changed in all the years of his life and was more familiar to him than even his outer appearance ¡­ had suddenly gained a thin layer. It didn''t look much different than his own soul. It was also more or less translucent, a bit like water that was on its way to freezing into solid form but instead of the yellowish-golden dots of his own soul, this one was laced with red streaks.


    Fu Min let go of Fu Heng''s arm, his expression blank. This was ¡­ This was a part of Fu Heng''s soul, no question about that. Fu Heng had actually bound his soul to him at such a time.


    Fu Min''s hands shook and he grabbed Fu Heng''s collar, shaking him as hard as he could. "You stupid idiot! What do you think you''ve done?! What if anything happens to me?!"


    Fu Heng''s eyes cracked open and he examined Fu Min''s shocked face. Mn, this wasn''t how he had wanted to do it but, well, under these circumstances, it was the best outcome.


    "Are you even listening?!" Fu Min shook him again, his eyes tearing up.


    Never mind that Fu Heng was a stupid idiot who never said more than three words at a time if he didn''t have to, he had still spent more than half his life with him. How could he casually throw it away like this?


    "I am."


    "Then what do you have to say for yourself?"


    Fu Heng kept silent. There were a lot of things he had to say for himself. I''ve loved you. I''ve always loved you. I don''t mind binding my soul to yours. I don''t mind dying with you. But he also understood that none of this could be said now. Not with Fu Min being like this, not in a cell in the demon realm, not with his biggest rival and a fallen god in front of them. No, he would tell him but he would do so when the time was ripe.


    "Idiot! You''re an idiot! You''re the stupidest dragon I''ve ever seen!" Fu Min hugged him and the tears spilled over, running down his cheeks and dripping onto Fu Heng''s shoulders.


    Fu Heng sighed and hugged him back and once again stroked his head. You''re the one who''s stupid. Why are you crying when I''m the one who bound his soul? He really wanted to say so but he was afraid he might aggravate Fu Min even more.


    In front of the cell, the fallen god let go of Xin Lan''s throat, staring at the couple that was hugging as if there weren''t any spectators around.


    Mn, as expected, dragons weren''t too bad.


    He lifted his hand and a small flame sprang up at his fingertips. Fu Heng tensed when he felt the magic in the air. He hurriedly turned around, shielding Fu Min from the attack. It never reached them though.


    Before any of them could understand what had happened the fallen god turned away and walked back into the darkness as if he had never been there.


    Xin Lan frowned and stepped closer to the cell. He took a look at the bars and cautiously extended a claw. The bar crumbled upon his touch. Xin Lan stared at the heap of ash on the ground before looking up at the couple inside. Fu Min was still shaking like a leaf while Fu Heng was pressing him up against his chest.


    Well, at least he didn''t need to explain to Jin Ling now just why he had saved two unrelated dragons. Unfortunately, there was no way to distract himself with that Fu Min for a while now. He wasn''t so vicious as to drive another man to his death just for a bit of pleasure.


    Xin Lan turned to leave. "You should see that you get out of here before something else happens. After all, you''re even more vulnerable now."

 Chapter 506 - Everything Is Clear

    "Se ¡­ Senior Xin!" Fu Min looked up from Fu Heng''s shoulder with reddened eyes.


    Xin Lan sighed. He didn''t want to spend even more time on this troublesome thing. "Look, I don''t like you. So why don''t you just try to treasure what you already have?"


    Both Fu Min''s and Fu Heng''s hands shook. Wasn''t this a little too direct?


    Fu Min cleared his throat. "That ¡­ That''s not it. I just ¡­ You might not remember but you saved my life once."


    "Mn." Xin Lan indeed couldn''t remember but if he had done so, then it had been for his Master. If he wanted him to save someone, then he would naturally do so.


    "So if there''s anything I can do ¡­ I still haven''t repaid you." He pursed his lips and continued to cling to Fu Heng.


    "There isn''t any¡ª" Xin Lan stopped. Wait. Was there really nothing he could use him for? He turned back and examined the boy. Fu Min looked young, probably even more than he actually was. But nonetheless, he was one of Qiu Ling''s most trusted aides. "There is indeed something you could do for me."


    "Really?" Fu Min blinked and turned to look at Fu Heng. He certainly wouldn''t have expected that the lofty Senior Xin would have something he could help him with. Well, then again he wouldn''t have expected him to be so rude as to tell him to his face that he didn''t like him either.


    "Mn. Have a look at your treasury for me. There should be some things that can help with restoring an injured soul. I do remember that I managed to gain hold of a phoenix feather back then. See what is there and then inform me. I will be taking some of it."


    "Uh ¡­" Fu Min''s gaze flitted around. He really wanted to do something for his hero but ¡­ that was their realm''s treasury they were talking about here. He couldn''t just casually take something from there!


    Xin Lan didn''t wait for his answer anyway and just left, making the two dragons remain there alone.


    Silence engulfed the former cell. Neither Fu Min nor Fu Heng had any idea what to say. Maybe it was better not to say anything at all. After all, nothing would change. It wasn''t that a bound soul couldn''t be separated again but the punishment for that would be huge. In fact, it was so huge that most people wouldn''t even consider it if their life depended on it. Now, Fu Heng''s soul was bound to Fu Min''s. There really wasn''t anything that could be said.


    Fu Heng suppressed a sigh when Fu Min didn''t make any sound for a while. "He is right about one thing. We should leave here as soon as possible. It''s not safe and we have to inform His Majesty."


    Fu Min nodded in relief. Yes, yes, they should go and inform His Majesty. They should definitely do that. He hurriedly got up and ran to take a look at the ashes on the ground. "That should have been that fallen god. Why do you think did he do it?"


    Fu Heng followed him and frowned. Yes, why did he do it? He had no idea either but somehow it seemed to have to do with merging their souls. "Who knows what is going on in a fallen one''s head? Let''s forget about it and go." He grabbed Fu Min''s arm and pulled him toward the door.


    Fu Min hurried to keep up and tried to inconspicuously wrest his arm out of Fu Heng''s grasp. Unfortunately, Fu Heng was holding him too tight and didn''t seem to intend to let go at all.


    They hurried through the corridors of the demon king''s palace and finally found a door that was less strictly guarded. Fu Heng stopped and took a careful look around before turning to Fu Min. "Wait here. I''ll make sure nobody is outside."


    "But ¡ª"


    "Be good." Fu Heng finally let go of Fu Min''s arm and instead brushed back that blond hair. "I''ll be back in a bit."


    Fu Min shut up and watched him leave. He couldn''t help but reach up and touch his own hair. Uh ¡­ It seemed Fu Heng had done that when they had been young too?


    "Stupid idiot." He shook his head and sighed. He''d have to talk with Fu Heng when they had made it out of here. Well, actually it wouldn''t make a difference whether they talked about it or not. Fu Heng had already bound his soul to his. If they wanted to change that, he would also have to pay the prize. That was impossible. He couldn''t let that happen. Then what should he do? If something happened to him ¡­


    "Everything''s clear." Fu Heng appeared in the door again and motioned outside. "Let''s go then."


    Fu Min ran over and the two of them sped away as fast as they could without taking on their other appearance. Soon enough they left the demon realm behind.


    Fu Heng stopped and turned to Fu Min. "Where to now?"


    Fu Min didn''t answer. He also turned to Fu Heng but he only looked at him. Wasn''t there something Fu Heng wanted to say? Unfortunately, the person opposite him was exactly the stupid idiot that didn''t like to talk. Waiting for him to bring the issue up was as useful as waiting for a mountain to move out of your way on its own.


    Fu Min frowned. "Is there nothing you want to say?"


    Fu Heng looked back in the direction of the demon realm and then at Fu Min. "We made it out alive."


    "That ¡­" Fu Min shook his head, making the blond strands fly. "What are you even talking about?! Yes, we made it out alive but what kind of prize did you pay?! You bound your soul! That ¡­ Never mind that you''ll die if something happens to me. That''s something you should only do if you love the other person!"


    Fu Heng turned back to Fu Min, his gaze solemn. "Who said that I don''t?"


    He watched Fu Min''s enraged expression turn blank and his mouth open to say something but even after a few attempts, he hadn''t uttered a single syllable. Fu Heng lowered his head. Mn, he had said it. He didn''t regret it either. After binding his soul to Fu Min''s, what was there to hide? Maybe ¡­ he should try and see if he could even go further.


    Fu Heng looked up again, took a step forward and grabbed Fu Min by the neck. He pulled him over and his lips accurately landed on Fu Min''s.


    And finally, Fu Min''s thoughts also caught up with him.

 Chapter 507 - A Beautiful Robe

    The two dragons somewhere in the wilderness weren''t the only ones who were about to have a heart-to-heart talk. In the Yun Zou Sect, Leng Jin Yu and his dragon were about to do the same.


    Jinde clung to Leng Jin Yu''s neck and hummed while his lover left the study and walked to Jinde''s room with determination written in his features. Jinde stayed well behaved. He didn''t touch him in any other way than encircling his neck and even held back from kissing him. Now, things were up to his lover.


    Leng Jin Yu had no idea what Jinde was plotting. He silently carried him into the room and put him down on the edge of the bed as gently as he could.


    Jinde''s hands slipped onto his shoulders but he made sure not to do anything else. Leng Jin Yu had finally decided. He had to make sure that he wouldn''t pull back again so he couldn''t go overboard now. He needed to give him the initiative until the end.


    Leng Jin Yu knelt down in front of him, his hands resting next to him on the bed. He took a long look at Jinde''s face and smiled. This was his lover, the person he would spend the rest of his life with. Their fate had already been sealed when they met in his past life and now, it would finally be fulfilled.


    Leng Jin Yu leaned closer and their lips finally met halfway. He reached up and cupped Jinde''s cheeks, his fingers brushing against that silky, golden hair. He hummed and slowly rose, toppling Jinde onto the bed. Those elegant fingers finally let go of his shoulders and instead slipped into his hair, trying to pull him closer.


    Leng Jin Yu chuckled. He had wanted to ask him one last time if he really wanted this but it seemed he was thinking too much. Jinde had already been clear about what he wanted long before he came to terms with his feelings.


    He pulled back and looked into those golden eyes again, his breath mixing with Jinde''s. "I love you."


    "I love you too."


    Leng Jin Yu''s gaze slid down and he touched the lapel of Jinde''s robe, admiring the embroidery for a bit. "That is a very beautiful robe."


    "Then you should take it off very carefully." Jinde pushed against his chest and rose slightly.


    Their gazes met and Leng Jin Yu''s fingers slid down without looking until they reached the rim of the belt. "I''ll try my best but I can''t promise anything. Not in regard to that, at least."


    The belt opened and fell down onto the bed. The outer robe slid open to reveal the second layer. Leng Jin Yu laughed. "Why did you have to pick such a robe?"


    "Well ¡­" Jinde leaned closer to him and traced the frame of his face. "Maybe it''s one layer for every rejection you''ve made me suffer until now. You can be glad you didn''t hesitate even longer or you might not get me out of my clothes in an hour. This should be ¡­ just enough to keep you occupied for a moment." He looked up through his golden lashes, his gaze teasing.


    Leng Jin Yu observed him for a moment, unsure if he was indeed trying to punish him or if he was still seducing him. Ah, whatever it was he couldn''t go back now. And even if Jinde wanted to punish him, it would be for not being decisive enough. He shouldn''t make his flaws even more obvious.


    He pecked Jinde''s cheek in apology and pushed him back down onto the bed while one of his hands slid below his outer robe and pushed it to the side. His fingers brushed the fabric below and his eyes fell shut. It was smooth, unlike the outer robe and the innermost layer beneath it was obviously very thin. He could feel the warmth of Jinde''s body through the fabric. Maybe if he managed to take that one off, he would even be able to feel his skin through the last one.


    His lips trailed the slight curve of Jinde''s cheek back down to his lips. Before he had time for another kiss they parted. Leng Jin Yu cracked his eyes open and looked at Jinde. This time, there was no doubt that he was teasing him.


    "You know you can''t tease forever."


    "I never intended to tease for long. The plan was for you to take me up on the offer."


    Leng Jin Yu looked at him and his lips couldn''t help but curve up in a smile. "I wouldn''t want to thwart your plans."


    His lips returned to Jinde''s and his tongue flicked out, touching the supple skin. Jinde murmured approvingly and his fingers continued to brush through Leng Jin Yu''s hair until it finally came undone. The black strands fell down beside their faces, enclosing them in a world of their own.


    Jinde curled one of the strands around his finger and smiled. "You know you''re pretty different from Chun Yin in a lot of regards but your hair is just as beautiful as his."


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t answer. He leaned down, one arm slipping below Jinde''s body and pressing it up against his chest while his other hand grabbed him by the neck. When their lips met this time it wasn''t as gentle as before. He pressed his lips up against Jinde''s, forcing his mouth open again before finally invading it.


    Jinde chuckled, his fingers still combing through the black strands of hair. So it seemed somebody was jealous of his own past self. Wasn''t this ridiculous? Well, he couldn''t judge. He hadn''t reincarnated. And as long as this man was with him, he hoped that he''d never be forced to. He just wanted to spend the rest of his life with him, however many days or years that would be. From now until the end of time, he would be his.


    Jinde clung to Leng Jin Yu''s neck, not giving him any opportunity to draw back. His legs moved to the side, trying to trap him in the sweetest way. He definitely wouldn''t let this person who had evaded him for such a long time get away ever again.

 Chapter 508 - You Should Reciprocate

    Leng Jin Yu felt like he was going crazy when Jinde''s leg rubbed against his. Ah, this was really going too far! Even if he didn''t mind sleeping with him, shouldn''t he still hold back a little when teasing him? He was still injured! They couldn''t leave all reason behind and let this go overboard.


    Even though he thought so, he was unable to actually follow through with it. Before he could think further his body had reacted on instinct. Jinde''s outer robe was pushed off on the other side too, his thigh grabbed securely and pressed up against Leng Jin Yu''s hip.


    Jinde gave a muffled groan and pulled his head closer, deepening their kiss.


    "Mn ¡­" The second layer of his robe followed the first one and Leng Jin Yu''s hands slid across the innermost layer. Ah, it was indeed just as thin as he had thought. It was hardly thick enough to cover his skin. Well, it was still too much. He reached up and pulled the lapel of the last layer further down, exposing Jinde''s clavicle.


    His lips left Jinde''s and slid down to his jaw. Jinde hummed, raised his chin and pushed Leng Jin Yu''s head further down. Those thin lips found his neck and left a row of kisses. Jinde smiled. Mn, yes, that was what he had imagined.


    His hands slid out of Leng Jin Yu''s hair and down to his shoulders. He brushed his chest before grabbing his lapel. "Shouldn''t you reciprocate?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked up from his neck. "Reci¡ª"


    The halves of his robe were wrested apart. Jinde curled his hands into the fabric and pulled Leng Jin Yu even closer onto his body. "See there? Much better." He pushed the outer robe over Leng Jin Yu''s shoulders as good as he could from his position.


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and bent further down, his lips trailing Jinde''s clavicle. Ah, he really didn''t know why but every part of Jinde looked so elegant it was maddening. Honestly, if he hadn''t ascended back then and was still a simple mortal, he might not dare to do this. Thankfully ¡­


    "Mn ¡­" He sighed and pulled the innermost layer of Jinde''s robe further apart, exposing his chest. "You''re beautiful."


    Jinde chuckled. "I know. So how long do you still want me to wait?"


    Leng Jin Yu lifted his head and looked into Jinde''s eyes that were sparkling with a teasing light. It seemed he wouldn''t get past this until they were done. "I thought I''d take my time so you can enjoy yourself to the fullest. Shouldn''t I make up for everything you''ve missed out on until now?"


    Jinde''s lips curled up. "I see now what you meant when you said you could be eviler. But isn''t this a little too cruel?" He stroked Leng Jin Yu''s chest and pulled at his inner robe. "This feels more like you''re trying to torture me."


    "I would never." Leng Jin Yu sat up, opened his belt and threw it off together with his outer robe.


    Jinde happily pulled at his inner robe. The two halves parted and exposed the body below. Jinde hummed and stroked Leng Jin Yu''s skin with his fingertips. Ah, his lover''s body hadn''t changed that much in this reincarnation. His built might be a bit leaner than Chun Yin''s but his body wasn''t any less strong. His chest and the arms that could be seen below the white inner robe were sculpted beautifully.


    Jinde smiled and sat up too. Mn, maybe it wasn''t too bad to take it slowly. With Chun Yin, everything had always happened in a rush. He had never been able to enjoy this kind of thing.


    His hands came to lie on Leng Jin Yu''s abdomen and brushed against the muscles, slowly following their curve. Jinde leaned closer and his lips touched Leng Jin Yu''s chest, slowly feeling their way upward. A pair of strong hands founds its way into his hair and pulled him closer.


    "Jinde ¡­"


    Jinde chuckled and looked up. "You said to take our time and enjoy this to the fullest. So you should give your lover the time to enjoy this." He reached up as far as he could and pressed a kiss beneath Leng Jin Yu''s chin while his hands brushed across his waist and onto his back. He lightly scratched Leng Jin Yu, leaving a faint red line, and gave another chuckle. "Jin Yu, you know, you''re really evil. Doing all that ¡­ But there''s still no trace left on my body. Do you think people will be able to read our minds tomorrow?"


    Leng Jin Yu took in a sharp breath and swayed on the spot. He really was just half a breath away from pushing Jinde down. Ah, screw all those concerns. He should just take him.


    Jinde hummed again, reached up and pushed the inner robe from Leng Jin Yu''s shoulders. Mn, great, his lover was at least half-naked now. It couldn''t take that much longer.


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and suppressed a groan. How was he the one torturing Jinde? It was obviously the other way around! His fingers curled tighter into Jinde''s hair but he didn''t know how to proceed. Pull him closer? Push him down?


    Jinde used his indecisiveness and continued to feel up those muscles. His lips stayed on Leng Jin Yu''s chest while his hands brushed his torso down to his abdomen and to the rim of his pants. Mn, he would be an idiot if he didn''t make use of the situation. His fingers slipped below the fabric, lightly scratching Leng Jin Yu''s skin. He definitely wouldn''t give him any opportunity to get out of this tomorrow.


    With a jerk, the pants were pulled down. Jinde inwardly congratulated himself while his gaze slipped down. Mn. The corners of his mouth lifted up. Not bad, not bad. His hands slipped down but before he could reach anything Leng Jin Yu grabbed his waist and pulled him up.


    "Ah! What ¡ª"


    The last layer of his own robe was wrested from his shoulders and he was pressed down onto the bed, his hands that had just tried to explore his lover''s body some more held down at his sides. Ah, really evil!

 Chapter 509 - Still Talking So Much

    Leng Jin Yu held onto those soft hands before they could do anything else. His lips once again found Jinde''s and he sealed his protest with a kiss.


    Jinde tried to speak up and wrest his hands away from Leng Jin Yu''s grip but his lover had made sure to hold onto them tightly. Jinde harrumphed. Did Leng Jin Yu honestly think he wouldn''t be able to do anything without his hands? Let''s see how he liked this then!


    A slender leg moved upward and a dainty foot found its way below the fabric of the pants that had somehow managed to stay around Leng Jin Yu''s feet. A shoe came off first and landed on the floor with a dull thud.


    Leng Jin Yu had already been frozen stiff above Jinde, all his muscles tensed. His grip on those hands tightened for a moment before slowly loosening. Alright, he had lost. There was no way to restrain Jinde.


    Jinde laughed happily and his arms clamped shut around Leng Jin Yu''s neck again. Another shoe fell to the floor and the pants followed. Jinde leaned upward, kissed Leng Jin Yu''s jaw and lifted his lips to his ear. "Still not going to make your move?" His tongue slipped out and licked his lover''s neck.


    Leng Jin Yu shuddered. He grabbed Jinde by the waist and pressed him closer up against his body, their skin rubbing together. Heavens! He closed his eyes and took a shaky breath. "Jinde ¡­"


    That slender leg moved upward again, making him gulp down the words he had wanted to say. Jinde chuckled and bit his earlobe. "Stop thinking already. Just do what you want. I''m sure I''ll like it. The one who''s doing it to me is you, after all."


    Leng Jin Yu grabbed the layers of Jinde''s robe that were still stuck under their bodies and threw them out of the bed.


    Jinde''s golden brows lifted. "I tell you to do something to me and you throw away my robes?"


    Leng Jin Yu laughed and gently lowered Jinde back onto the bed. "You also said to take it off very, very carefully since it''s such a beautiful robe. And I''d like to see you in it again some other day. Then ¡­ we could think back to this."


    Jinde brushed his lover''s hair back with a smile. "Think back? I think it would be better to pull it off again and just repeat what we did today. Although ¡­ Maybe you''ll be a bit faster the next time. You''re really letting me wait so long."


    "You don''t like it?"


    Jinde just hummed. He himself wasn''t too sure. He didn''t want to wait. He wanted to be taken, not sometime in the future but now. On the other hand, he also liked this. Slowly getting naked, exploring his lover''s body ¡­ Chun Yin had hardly given him time for that. Now, he finally had the opportunity. He shouldn''t throw it away, should he? But then again ¡­


    Jinde smiled and kissed Leng Jin Yu''s cheek. "Actually, I just want to be yours. How we do it ¡­ Well, I guess I can''t say I don''t care but I''m happy with everything as long as it makes us get closer."


    Leng Jin Yu''s heart throbbed. Jinde had waited way too long. No wonder he wanted this to go fast.


    He leaned down and pecked his lips. "You will be mine. I know you don''t like to hear promises after what happened in my past life but I still want to say this: You will be mine. Today, tomorrow, and each day after that. I won''t let go of you ever again."


    Jinde kissed his cheek again, his lips staying close to his skin while his nails scratched Leng Jin Yu''s back. "You''re still talking so much. Don''t tell me this is how humans normally do it."


    Leng Jin Yu just smiled. He had no idea if this was how humans normally did it. After all, he had always kept away from other people. Not consciously but he had always felt that something was missing even if somebody made the effort to go after him so he had never wanted to be with anyone.


    This time though ¡­ He wanted to do so but at the same time, he was suddenly embarrassed about the fact that he had never tried this before. What if Jinde didn''t like the way he did it? He had, after all, the comparison to how he had been in his past life. What if he looked at him afterward and told him that that ''Chun Yin'' had been better than him?


    Jinde looked into his lover''s dark eyes and his brows raised slightly. Why was he looking so ¡­ awkward? Had he said something wrong? He thought back to what he had said before. Well, maybe Leng Jin Yu hadn''t taken it too well. He was human now, after all. Ah, he couldn''t talk this irresponsibly anymore! Actually, he didn''t want to talk anymore anyway.


    Jinde snuggled up against Leng Jin Yu, his body very obviously rubbing against his lover''s. "Husband!"


    Leng Jin Yu shook at the touch and the pleading tone Jinde used. Right. Why should he care? What he didn''t know, he would learn. After all, he was the one who was here with Jinde. His past life was over. His new life was the one he had to live now. He should live it to the fullest and not think about unnecessary things.


    With a smile, Leng Jin Yu pressed Jinde back down onto the bed and hugged his waist while he gently kissed him. Jinde hummed again and his hands once again slid into his lover''s hair and tried to pull him closer.


    Leng Jin Yu complied. His lips trailed the line of Jinde''s neck, finally leaving the traces he had asked for and his hands started to roam about Jinde''s body. He admired the smooth skin and relished in his warmth, his fingers tracing the line of his spine.


    Jinde shuddered and the leg that had already been halfway draped around Leng Jin Yu''s body bent some more, finally finding its place secured around Leng Jin Yu''s waist.


    Leng Jin Yu lifted his head from Jinde''s neck and the two of them gazed into each other''s eyes. Finally, Leng Jin Yu reached down and grabbed his other leg.


    "Alright. If you insist, then I won''t let you wait any longer."

 Chapter 510 - I’m Here with You

    Leng Jin Yu bent down and gently kissed the spot where he had bitten Jinde yesterday. "I''ll be careful."


    "Mn." Jinde nodded even though he didn''t care that much. His experience with Chun Yin hadn''t been gentle either but he had still liked it. To a dragon, there wasn''t too much of a difference. Still, as long as Leng Jin Yu liked it better that way, he would let him do so.


    Leng Jin Yu looked up, his gaze interlocking with Jinde''s. He cupped his cheek, his other hand holding his waist and finally, their bodies connected.


    Both Jinde and Leng Jin Yu took a shaky breath and had to close their eyes for a moment.


    When Leng Jin Yu opened his eyes he saw Jinde frown slightly. "Is everything alright? Is it too much? Am I ¡­ Am I hurting you?"


    Jinde shook his head and opened his eyes but it didn''t help. They had reddened, making Leng Jin Yu almost pull back. Jinde hurriedly pulled him closer again and tightened the hold of his legs around Leng Jin Yu''s waist.


    "Don''t. I just ¡­ Until now, I still couldn''t really believe it but you really ¡­ You really came back to me." The tears finally spilled over, trailing down his cheek and dripping onto the bed.


    Leng Jin Yu was at a loss. Jinde had told him everything but it was still so far away from him. He couldn''t imagine how it had been for Jinde. He only understood that it must have been painful. His voice had said so.


    Without any other idea, he leaned down and kissed those tears away, gently wiping his cheek. There were no words he could say. In his past life, he had made too many promises. Now, he had to show Jinde that he was with him and that he was finally making those promises true. It had taken him one reincarnation to be finally able to do so but he would. And with time, the wounds he had made Jinde suffer would heal.


    He exhaled and slowly started to move.


    Jinde took another shaky breath. "Jin Yu ¡­"


    "I''m here." Leng Jin Yu kissed the corner of his eye, taking away the last tear that was clinging to his lashes. "Tell me if you don''t like it."


    Jinde kept silent. His hands slipped out of Leng Jin Yu''s hair and onto his broad back. His fingers stroked the smooth skin and his eyes shut. "Jin Yu."


    "I''m with you." He kissed his cheekbone and gently traced the line of his clavicle with his fingers, stopping at the depression in the middle. "You''re beautiful."


    Jinde''s lips curved up but he didn''t open his eyes. His whole world only consisted of the breath of his lover that brushed his earlobe, the rough skin of the fingers that gently stroked his skin and the slight pain in his backside that came back each time his lover''s hips swayed.


    Jinde sighed. It was true. Leng Jin Yu was saying the truth. He really was here with him. He was at his side. Finally, he wasn''t alone anymore. As much as he wanted to just enjoy the moment, he couldn''t hold back the tears.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t say anything. He just wiped them away again and kissed Jinde''s jaw, his lips traveled down further and he sucked on Jinde''s neck. "Tomorrow ¡­ let''s ask someone over."


    "Huh?" Jinde''s voice trembled. His skin seemed to grow hotter at Leng Jin Yu''s touch. His feet curled up when his lover reached for another spot on his neck.


    "Didn''t you say dragons display the traces? You can''t go home so ¡­ let''s find somehow to come here and have a look. Alright?"


    "Al ¡­ Alright ¡­" Jinde took a deep breath and raised his chin, surrendering himself.


    Leng Jin Yu bent down to his clavicle and trailed it with his lips. He couldn''t say why but he somehow liked this spot. Was this something from his past life or did he just have some kind of preference for this? He didn''t know. Well, it didn''t matter either. He pushed the thought aside and just concentrated on what he was doing.


    His tongue slipped out and carefully nipped the depression he had touched before.


    "Ah ¡­" Jinde arched his back and his nails dug into Leng Jin Yu''s skin.


    Leng Jin Yu lifted his head in surprise. Was that reaction normal? He wasn''t hurting him, right? He took a look at Jinde''s face but the frown from before had receded and there wasn''t any trace of tears anymore. If anything, he seemed ¡­ impatient. Well, he had taken a lot of time to get here.


    Leng Jin Yu let go of Jinde''s waist and reached up, stroking his chest. With how Jinde had curled his legs around him, there wasn''t a need to hold him anyway. His fingers traced the outer line of his chest while he kissed his way down from Jinde''s chin, across his throat and finally down to his chest. He leaned to the side, his fingers brushing one side while his lips wandered off to the other.


    "Jinde ¡­" He murmured his name when his lips and fingers reached the small protruding buds. He didn''t know if he was supposed to touch them but something told him Jinde might like it. His lips left a short kiss on the right side while his fingers brushed it on the left.


    Jinde took in a sharp breath and his legs tightened around Leng Jin Yu''s waist. "Jin Yu ¡­"


    "I''m here." Leng Jin Yu repeated the words he had said before but his lips immediately returned to Jinde''s chest. He hadn''t imagined that, right? Jinde did seem to like this.


    His lips closed over the spot that was slowly hardening under his touch. A sigh escaped Jinde''s lips and his nails scratched his back.


    Leng Jin Yu gave a grunt. His tongue flicked out and brushed Jinde''s skin.


    "Ah!" Jinde clung to him, his own hips slowly starting to move in the same rhythm as Leng Jin Yu''s. "Jin Yu ¡­" He breathlessly whispered his name, making Leng Jin Yu shudder. "Jin Yu ¡­"


    Those feet brushed his lover''s leg and Leng Jin Yu finally couldn''t hold back any longer. Unwittingly, he picked up the pace of his thrusts.

 Chapter 511 - Only Pleasure and Happiness

    "Mn ¡­" Jinde gave a groan but when Leng Jin Yu wanted to slow down, he grasped his shoulders. "No. Don''t. It''s ¡­" He took a sharp breath and reached up with one arm, clinging to Leng Jin Yu''s back. He closed his eyes but his face showed only ecstasy. "Continue."


    "Alright." Leng Jin Yu''s arm slipped back down to Jinde''s waist and he continued to watch his face, taking in every slight change in his expression.


    His brows had slightly drawn together but his eyes were only gently shut. This wasn''t pain. This was just him enjoying this. Jinde''s lips parted. "Jin Yu ¡­"


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu pulled him closer, his lips sealing Jinde''s shut. "Jinde."


    Their bodies moved in the same rhythm, their limbs intertwining as good as they could until they didn''t know where one body ended and the other began. There was just warmth and pleasure and a familiarity that they shouldn''t have had but that they still felt and felt even more the longer it went.


    Jinde couldn''t help but utter his lover''s name, again and again, listening for his answer whether it was his own name or the reassurance that he was there. He didn''t care what Leng Jin Yu said, he just wanted to hear his voice. He wanted him to show him through his actions that this wasn''t like the last time. That yes, they had sex but no, that wouldn''t be the only thing.


    "Jinde ¡­" Leng Jin Yu whispered into his ear, his hot breath brushing Jinde''s neck, making the love bites on his neck tingle.


    Jinde moaned. He tried to tighten his grip on Leng Jin Yu''s back but both their bodies were coated with a sheen of sweat and his fingers slid off. He groaned and his nails finally dug into Leng Jin Yu''s skin, drawing a thin line of blood.


    Leng Jin Yu gave a grunt and his own arms around Jinde''s waist tightened. "Jinde!"


    He thrust forward harder, each movement eliciting another moan from Jinde. The sweat ran down his brow and dripped onto his lover''s body but he didn''t care. No, more than that, he even smiled. After this day, what would there be that they hadn''t shared? Their kisses, this time spent in bed together ¡­ From this day onward, Jinde would forever be his.


    "Jinde." He lowered his head and once again kissed the bite mark he had left on his shoulder yesterday. The wound hadn''t completely closed yet and was reddened from their sweat. Mn, in the future, there wouldn''t be any injuries anymore. Only pleasure and happiness. "Jinde ¡­"


    Another thrust and Jinde gave a yelp. His eyes flew open and his nails dug deeper into Leng Jin Yu''s skin. His legs almost lost their grip on Leng Jin Yu''s hip. He tried to tighten it again but his limbs trembled and finally, he couldn''t care anymore. He closed his eyes again and his head fell back, his body writhing in pleasure.


    Leng Jin Yu watched his lover''s expression slacken but he didn''t stop moving. He continued to thrust forward. "Look at me."


    Jinde''s eyes cracked open. His lashes still shielded them halfway but the bliss in his gaze couldn''t be denied. "Jin Yu ¡­" Even Jinde''s voice trembled when he uttered his lover''s name.


    Leng Jin Yu''s eyes widened and his body stiffened for a moment before he took up his movements again, this time even faster than before. Jinde groaned and clung to him as good as he could until finally, Leng Jin Yu also reached the climax and his movements stilled.


    The two of them lay there, breathing heavily, both of them not intending to move even a single inch. Their bodies were still joined to each other, their skin still touching everywhere. Even Jinde''s legs were still curled around Leng Jin Yu''s hips, although not as tight as before. They just lay there, basking in the afterglow and enjoying each other''s company.


    Finally, Leng Jin Yu leaned forward and kissed Jinde''s cheek. The nails that were still digging into his back pulled back and Jinde rubbed the skin as if he was afraid it might be painful. He still continued to clutch Leng Jin Yu''s hips though. He definitely didn''t want his lover to retreat just yet.


    Leng Jin Yu''s hand slipped higher onto Jinde''s back and he rolled them to the side so he could look into Jinde''s eyes. Once again, they lay there but this time, their gazes were locked and even though they said nothing there were a lot of things they shared.


    Finally, Jinde''s lips curved up. "Very good," he answered what Leng Jin Yu seemed to have asked.


    His lover chuckled and brushed that golden hair back that was sticking to Jinde''s face. "That''s good then. I was afraid I might have hurt you. I ¡­ couldn''t really hold back at the end."


    "No, it really was good. I liked it very much. In fact ¡­" He took a hand from Leng Jin Yu''s back and his fingers slid down on his chest instead. "In fact, I''d like to go for another round."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. Once again, he leaned forward but this time he kissed Jinde''s forehead. "You''re injured and even if I didn''t hurt you just now, it was strenuous. You should rest a bit first."


    Jinde''s fingers couldn''t hold still though and once again explored his lover''s chest as if he wanted to make sure that he wouldn''t change his mind.


    Leng Jin Yu laughed and grabbed his hand. "Alright, be good. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, we can do it again. Just wait until then. If not for yourself, then do it for me. I''ll worry otherwise."


    Jinde nodded. "Then if I close my eyes now and sleep for a while ¡­ will it count as tomorrow when I wake up?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "We''ll see about that. Come on now." He grabbed Jinde''s legs and carefully made him let go, pulling himself out in the process.


    "Jin Yu ¡­" Jinde called out for him. What if Leng Jin Yu got up and left him?


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and pulled Jinde back into his arms. "Don''t worry. You can sleep for a while if you''d like. I''ll stay with you and hold you until you wake up again. Alright?"


    "Mn. Alright. I trust you." Jinde closed his eyes, his lips curved in a smile again.


    Maybe that was all he could do for now. He had once again given his body to the man he loved. Now, he could only hope that those promises wouldn''t end in nothingness again and that instead, he would find his lover right next to him the following morning. Then he could finally say that he had found happiness.

 Chapter 512 - Make Him Wear Leaves

    While the two lovers peacefully slept in each other''s embrace, both their faces adorned with satisfied smiles, another person could only smile wistfully.


    Not far from the Yun Zou Sect, Qiu Ling stared at the lonely person walking down the path through the forest. His beloved was so close yet he couldn''t go over and pull him into his arms because of that stupid misunderstanding! Ah, his beloved had to feel so alone, so lost, so ¡­ unloved.


    He definitely couldn''t let him suffer much longer! He had to make him understand that there was no Tian at all and that it was all him. Mn, his one true love. Ah, their final reunion would definitely be such a romantic scene!


    He could already imagine it! Maybe they would kiss, both their hearts melting in the sweetness of their touch. Most definitely they would hug tightly and he would take his beloved''s hands and ¡ª


    Qiu Ling forcefully shook his head. No! He couldn''t indulge in his thoughts of the future now. He first had to find a way to make his beloved realize the truth. After all, he could hardly go up to him and just tell him, could he? No, that wouldn''t work. Jing Yi would think that it was just a plot to get him back. He would think that he had somehow gotten the story about Tian out of that senior martial brother Yu and now wanted to pretend that it was him. No explanation would be able to shake this misunderstanding then.


    So if he wanted to get him back ¡­ he''d have to make him realize on his own that they were one and the same person. Jing Yi had to see the similarities and connect the dots. That was the only way. In other words, he had to act like he had in the Nine Heavens.


    Qiu Ling frowned and silently followed Jing Yi through the forest, hiding in the treetops so his beloved wouldn''t notice him while he hadn''t finalized his plan.


    Mn, the way he had been in the Nine Heavens ¡­ Wasn''t that him before shedding any pretenses? Ah, no, uh, naturally, that wasn''t a pretense. No, he was really such a mature and reliable person as he had preten¡ª


    Qiu Ling coughed lightly. Mn, Jing He would certainly recognize him if he took a little care. That couldn''t be so difficult. He had probably already wavered in the Yun Zou Sect or he wouldn''t have acted like that. Looking at him so sadly and kissing his cheek ¡­ Those clearly were signs of his deep love for him!


    Ah, telling him that he had fallen in love with his father had probably only been because he was afraid of the truth. Inwardly, he hoped that his guess was right and that his fiance here in the mortal realm was also his fiance back in the Nine Heavens. But he was terribly afraid that he might find out that it wasn''t like that so he hadn''t dared to talk about it. Mn, that had to be it.


    Qiu Ling called up a water mirror and took a look at his face. Mn, handsome as always. His hair ¡­ Well, it seemed to be perfect too but he hurriedly brushed it with his fingers to make sure he hadn''t missed anything. Then ¡ª


    "Your Majesty."


    Qiu Ling frowned and kept the water mirror before turning around. His brows twitched when he saw the two people behind him. "Fu Heng ¡­ Fu Min ¡­" He spat the two names out through gritted teeth while his hands clenched into fists and his expression darkened further and further.


    Fu Min looked away with his cheeks flushed red while Fu Heng just calmly looked back at his king.


    "Argh, you still dare to look at me! For Heaven''s sake, even I haven''t married yet! How can you two ¡­ Ugh! What utter shamelessness! Heavens, at least pull those leaves out of your hair!"


    Fu Min turned even further away but thanks to that the leaves that had gotten stuck in his hair were even more obvious. Qiu Ling gnashed his teeth. These bastards! He still had to woo his beloved in the mortal realm before they could marry and had to wait for him to pass his trial in the Nine Heavens! How could they just casually have a go at each other while he was still in this kind of situation?!


    "Hmph! I''m not speaking to you. Traitors!" Qiu Ling turned around with a huff. Ah, he wanted to go and complain to someone about this.


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. Eh? Wait. Didn''t he have a father again? Maybe he could go and ¡­ He glanced at the leaves still stuck in Fu Min''s hair and his expression darkened. Yeah, sure. He could go and tell his father. That was such a brilliant idea. Unfortunately, he could already imagine what he would see when he did so. After all, his old man was certainly rolling around in bed with the old geezer right now.


    He once again peeked at the leaves sticking out of Fu Min''s blond hair. Well, maybe they were rolling around somewhere else but they definitely were rolling around. That much was for sure. So ¡­ He couldn''t go and complain to him.


    Uh, maybe he could go and see his mother-in-law? He thought of Bai Fen but something told him that she would just throw him out if he went to complain about this. Ah, there was nobody in this whole world he could rely on! It really was time for his beloved to remember him already!


    Mn, speaking of that ¡­ Qiu Ling ignored the two lovebirds behind him and watched Jing Yi. What use was there in thinking about it for such a long time? He had played that role perfectly for almost ten years. It couldn''t be that hard to show his beloved his mature and reliable side once again. It probably wouldn''t take long for him to remember the good things they had shared and then ¡­


    Then he''d make sure his beloved would also wear leaves in his hair! Hmph! Just watch him!

 Chapter 513 - Pretending to Be Mature

    Qiu Ling exhaled, straightened his shoulders and jumped from the branch of the tree where he had been crouching. He silently landed a bit behind Jing Yi and followed him. First of all, he needed to make a stunning entrance. He considered which pose to strike when he remembered that this wasn''t important at all. Right. He didn''t need to look stunning because he wanted to seem mature. Ah, how sad.


    Qiu Ling just cleared his throat and waited for Jing Yi to turn around.


    Besides them, there was nobody else around or at least Fu Heng and Fu Min had withdrawn quite a bit to give them some privacy so the sound was loud and clear on the forest path. Jing Yi turned around in surprise. When he saw Qiu Ling he frowned but he was already interrupted before he could say anything.


    "Wait. It''s not what you think."


    Jing Yi''s brows rose. Something seemed different although he couldn''t say what exactly it was for the moment.


    Qiu Ling took a deep breath. "I''ve ¡­ probably been a bother to you the last few days. I''m sorry about that, even though I can''t say that I regret doing so. I know you don''t want to hear this but I love you and I think that trying everything I can to win back the love of the person I want to spend my life with isn''t wrong.


    "I understand though. Your love ¡­ It can''t be won back just like that. You''ve already moved on. It pains me to admit it but I can''t change it and I have to accept it if I don''t want to cause difficulties for you." He sighed. "I hope you still think well enough of me so as to not think I''d like to do that."


    "Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing Yi''s brows knitted together and he felt a pang in his heart.


    He also understood now. What was different ¡­ was Qiu Ling. He hadn''t run over and swooped him up into his arms, he hadn''t chattered endlessly and called him ''my love'' all the time. Even the tone of his voice seemed to have changed. He sounded calm now, maybe a little sad. "I ¡­ I really didn''t want ¡ª"


    "It''s alright." Qiu Ling smiled sadly. "I certainly never hoped for this to happen but it''s not that strange. People fall in love all the time. There''s nothing that can be done about that. If something is destined ¡­ then it will somehow happen."


    Jing Yi took a shaky breath. The longer Qiu Ling spoke, the heavier his own chest felt. This was his fault. All alone his fault. He had been the one to forget about Tian and the one who casually gave in to Qiu Ling''s advances back then. Now, he had broken his heart.


    "I''m sorry." He bit his lower lip and clenched his hands into fists.


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "It''s alright. I just wanted to tell you that I won''t pester you anymore. Besides that ¡­" He looked up at the treetops. "This mission is something the sect wanted us to do together. Sure, I''ve only come here because of you and maybe it would be better for me to return to the dragon realm so that I won''t bother you but I don''t like leaving things unfinished. So for this mission, I''d like to follow you. Let''s do it together. I promise I won''t do anything that''ll make you feel uncomfortable."


    "Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing Yi''s eyes reddened. This was so typical! Qiu Ling seemed so silly all the time but at heart, he was a very good person. Even now that he had rejected him so harshly and even kissed another man in front of him to make sure he would forget about him, he still followed him and wanted to help.


    Qiu Ling looked at those reddened eyes and was taken aback. Why did his beloved look like he was about to cry? Had he said something wrong?


    Jing Yi turned to the side and took a shaky breath to calm himself down. He definitely couldn''t cry in front of Qiu Ling. Not after what he had done. If he was a good person, he should gently reject his offer so Qiu Ling wouldn''t have to bother with him anymore. Wouldn''t he be much happier if he returned to the dragon realm? Maybe he could even fall in love with someone from his race.


    Qiu Ling watched him and the distress in his heart grew. Finally, he couldn''t take it any longer. He went over and took Jing Yi''s hands. He wanted to do more like pulling him into a hug or something but that probably wouldn''t seem very mature. No, even holding his hands might be too much. At least Jing He had never let him do that when they had just met.


    "Is everything alright? Don''t you feel well?"


    Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling and the worry in his eyes finally made his tears spill over. They ran down his cheeks and dripped onto his sleeves.


    Qiu Ling''s expression derailed. Forget about mature! He pulled Jing Yi into his embrace and stroked his head. "It''s alright. No need to cry like that." He gulped.


    Actually, he could count the times Jing Yi had cried in front of him on one hand. As for Jing He ¡­ When had the Son of Heaven ever cried? He probably thought of it as something not befitting of his status. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn''t allow himself to do so and if he couldn''t prevent it, then he would at least make sure that nobody was around to observe such a shameful thing.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and sighed. Maybe it was a good sign that Jing Yi dared to cry in front of him. At least it meant that he trusted him even though there was presumably some ''Tian'' in his life. That should make things easier, right?


    "I''m sorry." Jing Yi could only whisper those empty words again while his fingers couldn''t help but curl into the fabric of Qiu Ling''s robe. He didn''t want to be like this but being this close to him he felt even more like crying.


    Just why was fate so cruel and had to separate them?

 Chapter 514 - You Deserve Such a Person

    Qiu Ling held Jing Yi and continued to stroke his head. Ah, he had just wanted to let him realize that he and that so-called ''Tian'' were one and the same person. He hadn''t wanted to make him miserable! Maybe he should just tell him, after all?


    "Jing''er ¡­"


    "I''m sorry." Jing Yi once again said the words he himself felt to be lacking and pulled back. "You don''t have to follow me for this mission. I can do it alone."


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "I might not need to but I want to. Jing''er ¡­ You said to that senior martial brother Yu that you would continue to love him even though you knew you couldn''t be with him. I''m the same. Even though you already love somebody else, that won''t change the fact that I love you. I won''t stop loving you. And for the person I love ¡­ I should do whatever I can to make them happy."


    "But ¡ª"


    "No." Qiu Ling put a finger up against Jing Yi''s lips. "You expect him to accept that you love him but won''t go after him so you also have to accept that I love you if I don''t bother you because of that. And following you, helping you ¡­ That is because I love you but I believe that it isn''t asking too much. So please just let me do this."


    Jing Yi didn''t know what to say in front of such a Qiu Ling. If he had still sounded as shameless as always, he wouldn''t have minded too much. But this kind of serious person couldn''t be rejected as easily. "You shouldn''t force yourself."


    "I''m not. I want to do this. You know if I returned to the dragon realm, I would always wonder how you are. I would torment myself with all kind of ideas what could happen to you while you''re out here alone. That would be way worse. Like this, I can stay with you and make sure that you''re alright. I prefer that. So please."


    Jing Yi finally nodded. "Then ¡­ Then, of course, you can." He had to lower his head while he said so though. He couldn''t look into his eyes. Deep down he was happy that Qiu Ling would be with him but that little bit of happiness was overlaid with a deep feeling of shame.


    Why did he still cling to Qiu Ling? Why couldn''t he let him go? He already knew about Tian now. He shouldn''t be so shameless as to still desire the company of one man while he had already decided on the other. That wasn''t right. No, it was utterly wrong.


    Qiu Ling could see that Jing Yi wasn''t feeling too well but he didn''t know what to do. "Would you ¡­ like to take a break? You''re a little pale."


    Jing Yi looked up and smiled another teary smile. He was still so good to him ¡­ "Qiu Ling."


    "Mn?"


    "I ¡­ I guess I shouldn''t keep saying that I''m sorry. It wouldn''t change anything and just remind you of what happened all the time. But ¡­ let me say again that I wish you well. I hope you can find someone you can love, someone who can ¡­ wholeheartedly love you back from the first time they see you to the day both of you close your eyes. You ¡­ You deserve such a person."


    Qiu Ling smiled and reached out, wiping the tears away that were once again dripping down Jing Yi''s cheeks.


    Mn, maybe he deserved such a person. Thankfully, he didn''t need to find them anymore though. After all, he had already found him. Maybe Jing He hadn''t loved him from the time he first saw him but obviously, he loved him enough that he wanted to stay with him until they took their last breath. He had even gone so far as to injure his own soul to assure that. Something even Qiu Ling never would have expected.


    Eh? Qiu Ling blinked. Wait. Wasn''t this the way out of this? Jing Yi had remembered a lot of things but only told that so-called senior martial brother Yu about two of them. In other words: If he mentioned enough things from the time he had shared with Jing He in the Nine Heavens, he was bound to talk about something Jing Yi had remembered and there would be no explanation as to why he knew something like this if he wasn''t Tian. And then Jing Yi would understand that they were one and the same person and they could finally get married.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes blazed but he forced himself to suppress the excitement. He had to make sure that everything was perfect. He needed to keep pretending to be someone mature and make some insinuations to guide Jing Yi along so he could make the inference sooner.


    "You know ¡­ I always thought the person I would spend my life with would be Jing He."


    Jing Yi shook. Jing He? Wasn''t that ¡­ His gaze flitted about. He had been called Jing He in his past life. But ¡­


    He pressed his eyes shut and gulped. Ah, how easy it would be if Qiu Ling had been his lover from his past life. If he was really the reincarnation of that Jing He and this life was an opportunity given by the Heavens to fulfill what they hadn''t been able to achieve back then. He dearly wished for it to be true.


    Unfortunately, his lover had been Tian and the Jing He that Qiu Ling had loved and the Jing He he had been hadn''t been the same person.


    Jing Yi gulped, swallowing down the disappointment in his heart. "I''m sorry it didn''t work out."


    Qiu Ling smiled. His beloved had obviously wavered just now so he was on the right way. "Well, it''s not the end, right? There is still a future ahead."


    Jing Yi forced himself to nod before turning around and motioning down the path. "How about we get going? The sooner we start on this task, the sooner we can return to the Yun Zou Sect."


    "Mn. Sure. Actually, I look forward to this mission." After all, this is my mission to get your heart back. And I''ll definitely accomplish it.

 Chapter 515 - But He Was a Demon …

    Jing Yi and Qiu Ling walked through the forest in silence, one in the front and one in the back. Qiu Ling kept quiet because he thought it might seem more mature than any subject he could come up with right now. Actually, the subjects he could come up with right now ¡­ Mn, his beloved''s hair looked very lovely with the patches of sunlight that were shining down through the tree branches. How about letting him brush it for a while?


    While Qiu Ling indulged in his flights of fancy Jing Yi couldn''t help but think back to their conversation right now. Qiu Ling had been so different it had shocked him. It wasn''t that he had never heard Qiu Ling say anything serious before but it was something that happened seldom and normally, he''d revert back to his usual silly and excited self in a matter of seconds. This time though ¡­ He had been like another person.


    Jing Yi raised a hand and touched his chest. If he didn''t know any better, he really could have made himself believe that Qiu Ling was actually Tian and that there might have been some reason that had made it necessary for him to use another name, either back then or now.


    The two of them were really too similar. He had already thought so when he started to remember Tian. The way they wanted to protect those they loved and the care and gentleness they showed to them ¡­ It was the same. And Tian had also had those moments where he was a little shameless like when he had presented him with the flower that he had plucked from his garden. It was just that Tian had this kind of moment much less than Qiu Ling and mostly showed a more mature side of himself.


    Jing Yi sighed. Wasn''t it normal for people to have similarities? And maybe he had fallen in love with Qiu Ling because of his love for Tian. Maybe he had been able to get into this relationship with Qiu Ling so easily because he unconsciously reminded him of Tian. Couldn''t that be?


    At least it sounded more plausible than his other thought. Qiu Ling and Tian ¡­ they couldn''t be the same person, right? Wouldn''t that be ¡­ too big of a coincidence? Just because he''d like to prevent having to decide between them, it wouldn''t just happen. Life wasn''t like that.


    And he knew, didn''t he? He knew that it was impossible. There were so many things speaking against it. The most important that Tian was the demon king, part of a race that Qiu Ling hated. So how could they be one and the same? No, it was impossible.


    Then again Qiu Ling''s mother had been a demon. So maybe it wasn''t completely impossible? Ah, but even then he wouldn''t have been their king. After all, his father had been a dragon, right?


    Jing Yi sighed again. He really didn''t know what to do. Ah, why was he only in the third stage of his cultivation? Why couldn''t he already be of a higher stage and ascend soon? He wanted to know what had happened back then and how he had come to be a mortal!


    Qiu Ling finally pulled himself out of his thoughts when he heard his beloved sigh for the second time. He sped up his steps until he was walking next to him and used the opportunity to peek at his face. Mn, he looked better than before. His eyes weren''t the least bit red anymore. "Is something the matter?"


    Jing Yi looked up and his heart jolted again. There it was again, that look ¡­ He actually didn''t know how Tian had looked at him back then since his past self hadn''t dared to look into his eyes but he felt that Tian should have had the same expression that Qiu Ling had right now. He couldn''t help but stare.


    Qiu Ling didn''t look away either. He tried to appear as calm as possible even though his hands were sweating. Could it be his beloved was doubting his previous judgment very much already? Would he ask him if he was Tian now? Would he melt into his embrace and kiss him in a mixture of bliss and regret over missing out on some time with him?!


    Unfortunately, Jing Yi did none of that. His gaze flickered and he finally turned away. "No, it''s nothing. I just ¡­ I wondered how we''ll proceed with the mission. Ah, right." He took out the list of ingredients for the array and handed it to Qiu Ling. "There are some herbs on the list that I''ve heard about in the Hei Dian Sect so I wanted to search for them first. I know the kind of place they would grow. For one of them, the deepest part of the forest would be suitable so I thought about looking there first."


    Qiu Ling stared at the list of ingredients and knitted his brows. Ah, this was difficult. He hated plants. Not just that the old geezer had liked them, Jing He had also always liked those stupid plants more than him. Even Jing Yi had suddenly shown interest in them. But now he was trying to act mature. As a mature person, wasn''t he supposed to be knowledgeable? So shouldn''t he know where exactly to find those herbs? But unfortunately, he hadn''t even heard of them.


    Qiu Ling finally nodded. Jing He had known that he didn''t know much about plants so maybe this was also a good opportunity to make Jing Yi realize the truth. "Let''s do what you said. I''m afraid I myself don''t know about plants." This was more or less the same thing he had told Jing He back then. He observed Jing Yi''s expression but the words didn''t seem to spark anything. It was as if he had just heard a random fact.


    Qiu Ling smiled wryly. Well, it would have been too much of a coincidence if the first thing he mentioned already made Jing Yi realize his mistake, wouldn''t it?

 Chapter 516 - I’ll Teach You How to Fly

    The two of them followed the path through the forest, once again keeping to themselves. Qiu Ling had a harder time to do so the longer they walked though. Finally, he couldn''t take it any longer and turned to Jing Yi.


    "My l¡ª" He coughed and looked at the treetops. "Uh, Jing''er, I was just thinking that we''re a little slow like this. Looking at this list there are a lot of ingredients we''ll need to find and it''s probably extremely important to find them if they sent both of us. So maybe we should try to speed things up?"


    Jing Yi tensed when Qiu Ling almost called him the old way again. Well, he shouldn''t have expected that it would be that easy to move on for either of them. He looked away uncomfortably. "I wouldn''t know how."


    Qiu Ling wanted to blurt out that he could carry him when he remembered that he was acting mature right now and that they weren''t officially a couple and, well, it seemed it was impossible. He couldn''t stay silent though, could he? After all, that would seem as if he had wanted to take advantage of Jing Yi. Uh, what to do now? He needed a better idea and that fast!


    He looked for Fu Heng and Fu Min but couldn''t spot them anywhere. Hmph. Those two traitors had probably hidden somewhere to celebrate that they had managed to get together already. Argh, he''d pay them back for this as soon as he was happily married to Jing He!


    Qiu Ling frowned. Ah, it would have been so easy if this was Jing He instead of his mortal reincarnation. He''d have been able to fly on his ow¡ª Oh! Qiu Ling perked up and smiled. "Well, how about I teach you how to fly?"


    "Ah?" Jing Yi stopped walking. "Do you even know how to ¡­ well, fly as a human?"


    Qiu Ling looked a little embarrassed. "Well, I don''t really know how they fly on swords but the gods can fly with their magic and, well, I guess it''s also some kind of spiritual energy so I guess it should work the same way for humans. Even if not ¡­ We''d take a long time anyway so trying it wouldn''t hold us back too much, right?" He shrugged his shoulders.


    Jing Yi felt that this wasn''t completely right. Shouldn''t they focus completely on their task? But then again the sect would certainly expect him to put his own thoughts aside and fly with Qiu Ling to speed things up. If he didn''t want this, then Qiu Ling''s suggestion was the next best way to go about this.


    He finally nodded. "Alright. And if it doesn''t work ¡­" He took a deep breath.


    "Then we''ll just take our ¡ª"


    "No." Jing Yi shook his head. "If it doesn''t work, then I''d like to ask you to bring us to the places we need to go." He couldn''t continue being so willful. Qiu Ling hadn''t done anything wrong. There was no need to resist.


    "Oh. Alright." Qiu Ling thought of making sure that Jing Yi wouldn''t learn how to fly if that was what the end result would be but he hurriedly pushed that idea aside. No, he was a mature man. A cultured dragon. He definitely wouldn''t do something that childish.


    Especially not if his beloved would be really, really happy after he learned how to fly. Maybe he would forget himself in his excitement and hug him?


    Ahem. Anyway, it was good if Jing Yi knew how to fly. If he did, all those terrible senior martial brothers wouldn''t have any reason to pull him onto their swords. Mn, what a great benefit to his idea!


    Qiu Ling rubbed his hands and motioned to the sides. "Then let''s start here?"


    Jing Yi looked at the treetops above them and raised his brows. "Are you sure it''s a good idea to do that here? Won''t the trees get in the way?"


    Qiu Ling looked around. "Well ¡­ We could go somewhere without trees but I thought you''d want to start as soon as possible. I don''t think you''d soar up that high for now anyway."


    "Alright. If you say so."


    Qiu Ling smiled. "Don''t worry. I''m still here with you, right? I''ll help you out."


    Jing Yi observed Qiu Ling''s expression and finally nodded. "Yes, you''d do that."


    "Then ¡­ let''s start?"


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded.


    "So ¡­" Qiu Ling lifted a hand and had the air currents swirl around them. "Basically, it''s just about controlling the air. You have to control it so that you can step on it and then have it move in the direction you want. That''s all."


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling and debated whether he should wait if he would add something or ask immediately.


    Qiu Ling looked back at him and finally smiled. "What is it?"


    "Qiu Ling ¡­ Are you sure I''ll be able to do that? Air doesn''t seem to be made to step on it."


    Qiu Ling blinked. What was so bad about air? Hm, maybe his beloved hadn''t understood just from telling him? He had an air current move down and did what he had said, stepping on it. Then he hovered a few inches above the ground. "Like this."


    Jing Yi stared at Qiu Ling''s feet and frowned. "But you can''t even see it. How would you ¡­"


    "With your spiritual energy."


    Jing Yi still looked skeptical. He might have been part of a cultivation sect for ten years now but that didn''t mean that he had stopped thinking like a human being. He could imagine flying on a sword since he had done that and most of those swords had magical properties anyway. In the end, you stood on something anyway so it wasn''t too strange of a concept. But stepping on air ¡­ He just couldn''t imagine it.


    Maybe it would be better to let Qiu Ling bring him over, after all?


    Qiu Ling stepped back onto the ground and gently touched his arm. "Just give it a try. If it doesn''t work out, I''ll catch you and then we''ll think about something different, alright?"


    Jing Yi looked up into those familiar dark eyes and nodded as if compelled. Yes, why was he worrying with Qiu Ling at his side? He should just try it and see where it led.

 Chapter 517 - Do It Again

    Jing Yi took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. "Alright. You said I have to control the air current first, didn''t you?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Yes. You know how to do that, right?"


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded. This shouldn''t be too difficult. After all, the air spiritual energy had been the first he learned to sense back then. He felt a little more intimate with it than with the others.


    The only problem was that he hadn''t used it much. His time had been spent on simple cultivation. Feeling spiritual energy and taking it in. He knew how to do that but he had never tried to move the spiritual energy in another direction. It couldn''t be that hard though, could it? At least it always looked easy when Qiu Ling or Yu Jin had done it.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes to concentrate and felt for the spiritual energy around them. He didn''t have any trouble sensing that of the air. He tried to move it down like Qiu Ling had done but it only rushed at him.


    Jing Yi hurriedly broke off and looked up at Qiu Ling with a worried expression. "It ¡­ I don''t really know how to guide it to a specific spot. I''ve only ever taken it in."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling nodded. "No problem. We''ll need a lot less time for the rest of the mission if you''re able to fly on your own. So taking a little longer now isn''t a problem. Furthermore ¡­ you''re an inner sect disciple now. The sect would probably also like you to know how to fly. Isn''t that also about their face?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "I guess so." Although he couldn''t deny that most of this was probably just something Qiu Ling said so he wouldn''t feel bad. Qiu Ling just was like that.


    Qiu Ling smiled happily. It seemed it had really been the right call to show Jing Yi how to fly. He seemed a lot more comfortable around him already. He should make sure that Jing Yi really learned how to do it! That would strengthen his trust in him. "How about trying to stop it from entering your body first?"


    Jing Yi raised his brows.


    "Well, I mean just do the same as when you take it in but try to stop before you can. Make it ¡­ stay it right outside of your body. If it doesn''t work immediately, it''s not a problem. That''ll also strengthen your cultivation, right?"


    "That''s probably true." He didn''t feel too optimistic though. At the end of the day, he had just never learned how to use spiritual energy. Only starting now when he was more than twenty years old ¡­ Wasn''t it a little late?


    "You can do this. You also learned how to take it in, right? Don''t worry so much. I''m sure ¡­ you have a natural talent for this."


    Qiu Ling''s words made Jing Yi relax. Well, he might not be naturally talented but it was true that he had learned the rest without the sect''s help too. It had only been Qiu Ling and him back then and it had still worked. It had taken some time and he had needed something to trigger his potential but he had managed to do it.


    He took a deep breath and closed his eyes again, concentrating on the spiritual energy again. He pulled it toward himself and tried to stop it while it was on the way to his body but even though he was able to make it move, he couldn''t stop it without losing his connection to it.


    Jing Yi furrowed his brow. Why was this happening? It shouldn''t be so difficult. He should be able to make it move in every direction and even if he couldn''t do that at first, he should at least be able to make it stop.


    Qiu Ling watched Jing Yi''s strained expression. Mn, come to think of it, he had no idea how good Jing He was with spiritual energy. He couldn''t imagine that he would have any problems considering that gods were naturally able to control all the elements but who knew? Maybe there was this one thing that Jing He wasn''t good at. In that case, he probably would have spent a lot of time to make up for his lack of talent until everyone else believed he was talented.


    He tried to imagine how Jing He had struggled this very same way and his heart squeezed painfully. His beloved shouldn''t have it so hard. There should be someone to help him. He didn''t know if Jing He had really had trouble with learning how to control the spiritual energy but even if it was true, it would have been too late for him to help. Now, with Jing Yi though ¡­


    "Let me help you." He stepped behind Jing Yi''s back and gently took his hands. "I''m not really good at this but when I had to learn how to control the air and water it helped me to visualize them. Here." He called one of the air currents over and had it stop in front of Jing Yi and twirl on the spot.


    "Do you feel this? It''s energy but with all that energy collected at one point, it can form a shape. This would be ¡­ some kind of whirlwind but you could also have it form another one." He waved again and the spiritual energy condensed into a sphere.


    "Look. It''s almost like a real object. So just like with a real object, you can push it around." He led Jing Yi''s hand forward until it seemed to touch the sphere before moving the sphere of energy aside. "How about you try it again?"


    Jing Yi kept silent until the sphere of energy unfurled and sped off again.


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. His beloved hadn''t even tried. He would have felt that. Just what was going on? "Jing''er? Is everything alright?"


    Jing Yi tensed. "Could you ¡­ Could you show me again?"


    "Ah? You didn''t get it the first time?"


    Jing Yi''s cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. He definitely couldn''t tell Qiu Ling that being so close to him had distracted him so much that he hadn''t been able to follow. No, if he did, he would just make matters worse.

 Chapter 518 - Trying and Trying Again

    Qiu Ling didn''t really understand what was going on but he didn''t mind explaining to Jing Yi again. Especially ¡­ since his beloved still hadn''t complained about the half-hug he was doing right now! Ah, if he didn''t say anything, he wouldn''t let go of his hands and he definitely wouldn''t step back. It felt so great to be this close to him again.


    Mn, pretending to be a refined person was really such a good thing. He should have done that much sooner. Who knew? Maybe they would already be married by now then. Well, he shouldn''t think about that for now. They could still marry when his beloved had finally realized that he had always been his only lover. Mn, it would be so great then. Maybe he could even find a way for his beloved to remember the rest, then it would be just like marrying Jing He himself.


    Qiu Ling almost hummed but he held back just in time. Ah, that had been dangerous! He definitely couldn''t show his happiness now or his beloved would catch onto something.


    "Alright. I said that you shouldn''t think of it as just energy. I mean it is energy but it takes on a form too." He furrowed his brows. Alright, it didn''t make sense if he said it like that. "Maybe it''s not as obvious with air but think of something like water. Sometimes you can feel the energy around you without seeing any water, right? But then when there is a lot of spiritual water energy you will also see a lot of water. I guess you could say that the energy took on a form."


    "That makes sense."


    "Mn. And you could move water, right? So why shouldn''t you be able to move its energy too? The same goes for air. You could wave your hands and the air would move away from you, so you could do the same with the energy. Just try it. I''ll help you."


    Jing Yi nodded and closed his eyes again. He tried to sense the spiritual energy first but this time, he couldn''t concentrate as well as he wanted. Somehow, instead of sensing the energy, the only thing he felt was Qiu Ling''s body in his back.


    Ah. Had they stood this close the whole time?


    He turned his head and looked up at Qiu Ling, their gazes meeting. For a moment, they just looked at each other, neither of them saying a word.


    Finally, Qiu Ling couldn''t hold it in any longer. "Is it still not working? Maybe we should try something else then."


    "Ah, no, I ¡­" Jing Yi turned back to the front.


    Qiu Ling hadn''t seemed as if he was doing this intentionally. He was just trying to help him. He had probably ¡­ really given up. Jing Yi sighed lightly. This was what he had wanted. Qiu Ling was supposed to move on. So how come he suddenly felt that it was a pity?


    Qiu Ling would have liked to lean forward to take a look at Jing Yi''s face but he was afraid that that might give their embrace away. He couldn''t remind his beloved that he was doing something forbidden now. With no other option, he just spoke up again. "If you want me to explain it differently, I can try. You just have to say so."


    Jing Yi shook his head. He didn''t trust his voice too much right now. Ah, this would probably stop soon. He just needed a bit of time to get used to the thought that Qiu Ling and he wouldn''t be this close in the future anymore. Even if they somehow managed to stay friends instead of lovers, there was no way they could keep spending time together like this when he went to the demon realm with Tian.


    Jing Yi sighed and forced himself to speak up. "No, I ¡­ I think I understood it quite well now. Let me try again."


    He concentrated on the energy again and tried to do what Qiu Ling had said. Imagine it as an object ¡­ The spiritual energy shuddered a little but still rushed forward into his body.


    Behind him, Qiu Ling smiled though. "That was already a lot better. Let''s keep trying."


    Jing Yi nodded, his own lips also curving into a smile. He started over, once again sensing a part of the spiritual energy around him and imagining it as an object. He tried to push against the object, even extending his hand to do so but it didn''t seem to work. Once again, the energy shuddered and maybe it got a little slower but it didn''t stop. He still couldn''t move it at will.


    Qiu Ling let go of his hands and instead grabbed his shoulders. "Don''t rush it. We have time. You''re already doing very good considering you''ve never tried this before."


    Jing Yi nodded again and started over. Again and again, he sensed for the energy and tried to imagine it as an object that he could push back or move somewhere else. It seemed like there was some progress but it was so little that he didn''t know if this was just his wishful thinking. He still didn''t give up though. He just continued, starting over and over again. Sooner or later, he would get the hang of it.


    Finally, the air spiritual energy in front of him halted at his cue.


    Jing Yi froze, almost losing the grasp on the energy. This ¡­ How had he done that just now?


    Behind him, Qiu Ling beamed. "You did it, my l¡ª" He coughed. "Uh, you did it, Jing''er! That''s great! How about trying it once more to see if you can do it again? After that, we can take a break."


    Jing Yi nodded with his eyes still closed, not placing too much emphasis on how Qiu Ling had almost called out to him again. He took a deep breath, sensed for the energy and made it move before having it stop again.


    It was ¡­ surprisingly simple. Why had it taken him that long to learn something this easy? He opened his eyes to turn around to Qiu Ling and ask but what he saw made him freeze. Or rather what he didn''t see made him freeze.


    How had it already become night?

 Chapter 519 - A Lot of Progress

    Jing Yi tried to look up at Qiu Ling but by now, it was so dark that he couldn''t even make out his face. "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "Mn?"


    "Did we really spent this much time here just for that?"


    "What do you mean ''just for that''? You made a lot of progress!"


    "I ¡ª"


    "Sh!" Qiu Ling accurately put a finger onto Jing Yi''s lips and hushed him. "Don''t say anything. You did very well. This morning you only knew how to take in spiritual energy. Now, you''re able to control it. That''s the basis for everything afterward, a ¡­ fundamental step if you want to call it that way. How isn''t that a lot of progress?"


    Jing Yi blushed. Qiu Ling''s other arm was still lying around his waist while his finger was still gently pressed against his lips and his breath brushed his face. They were ¡­ much closer than he liked under the current circumstances but if he didn''t think about that, he felt well. This was ¡­ just so familiar.


    He closed his eyes again, his lips curving up in a smile. Well, Qiu Ling wouldn''t see it anyway. He could ¡­ indulge in this for just a moment.


    Unfortunately or maybe it was fortunate, he was wrong about that. As a dragon Qiu Ling had less trouble to recognize Jing Yi''s features in the darkness even though the image wasn''t as clear as during the day. Thus he saw how Jing Yi closed his eyes again and he also noticed the smile on his lips. He wasn''t really sure what it meant though. What was his beloved doing?


    He didn''t ask though since he was supposed to be a refined person right now. Mn, most likely, he''d be able to figure it out on his own anyway. He just had to search for clues.


    Qiu Ling stared at Jing Yi''s face, grateful for the darkness surrounding them. Ah, he should really use the time on this mission to do this more often! Anyway, his beloved seemed very content right now. So maybe ¡­ he liked being with him?


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. Was his approach really showing results already? Ah, Heavens! Someone should have told him earlier! He wouldn''t have needed to suffer the last few days then!


    Anyway, it was nice as long as that meant he would get his beloved back soon. Mn, in this case ¡­ he should continue with this. What should he do in this situation?


    He continued to stare at Jing Yi and finally sighed. "Well, it''s late already. How about searching for a place where we can sleep tonight?"


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. "That sounds good but how are we supposed to search for an¡ª"


    A small flame ignited in the darkness, illuminating everything a step around it.


    Jing Yi stared at the flame and then at Qiu Ling''s fingers half an inch below it. Well, he should have known. Qiu Ling knew how to use spiritual energy too. Why shouldn''t he be able to conjure up some light?


    "Alright, then ¡­ let''s search?"


    "Alright." Qiu Ling let go of Jing Yi with a heavy heart. Ah, he had to endure! Soon enough his patience would pay off and they would be even closer than before. Then he would be able to look back at this day and laugh. Together with his beloved, that was.


    Qiu Ling walked down the path through the forest together with Jing Yi, making sure that his beloved didn''t stumble in the darkness. If he did ¡­ Well, he certainly couldn''t let him fall! Mn, it was necessary to catch him and wait until he found his footing again. Yes, very necessary.


    Unfortunately, Jing Yi didn''t stumble. He got slower the longer they walked though. Finally, he stopped completely. "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "Mn?" Qiu Ling turned toward him and waited with bated breath what his beloved would say.


    "Would you mind stopping here for the night?"


    "Ah?" Qiu Ling looked around. There was nothing around them besides the path and the trees. In fact, the trees stood very close to the path. There wasn''t even any good place to lie down. "That ¡­ Are you sure you want that?"


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. "Well, we still haven''t seen a good place and I''m afraid I can''t go on any longer. We''ve been up the whole day. So ¡­"


    Qiu Ling looked at his beloved and furrowed his brows. Yes. Why hadn''t he thought of that? His beloved had set off in the morning and even though trying to control his spiritual energy could be counted as a break from walking, it was still something that would use up a lot of energy. He was probably dead tired.


    He didn''t feel too good about letting Jing Yi sleep right on the path though. Well, there was nothing really bad about it. He just didn''t like the idea. His beloved should have a nicer place to lie down.


    "This ¡­ isn''t such a good place. Uh ¡­ How about I fly up and take a look around if there''s a better one around? You could just sit down here for the moment."


    "Will that work? It''s so dark already."


    "Mn, don''t worry about me! I''ll be back in a minute!" Qiu Ling straightened up and wanted to soar into the air when he noticed that he had forgotten something very important. "Uh, right." He took something out of his spatial ring and pushed it into Jing Yi''s arm. "Here. Just sit down for now." With that, he soared up into the sky, skillfully evading the tree branches.


    Jing Yi stayed behind, darkness engulfing him again. He sighed but there was a smile playing around his lips. Ah, Qiu Ling. He had probably completely forgotten that he would be without light if he just left like that. That was so typical of him. Still, it was nice that he put himself out on his account this much even though they weren''t a couple anymore.


    He patted the thing Qiu Ling had stuffed into his hands, his thoughts flickering through all the things they had experienced together. Ah, senior martial brother Yu had been right. Sometimes it might be better not to know about one''s past life. Yu Jin might have managed to find the love of his life but he ¡­ he had only found a way to make someone miserable. And right now, he wasn''t even sure if it would be just one person.

 Chapter 520 - A Peaceful Night

    Qiu Ling had a look around and indeed spotted a good place just a stone''s throw away. It was a clearing in the forest with a little creek flowing by and if he didn''t see wrong, then there was some grass growing there. Mn, it would probably be much softer to lie down there. Perfect for his beloved!


    Just to make sure he still looked around a little further in case there was an even better place around but finally, he decided that this was the best one of all. Thus he flew back down.


    He landed next to Jing Yi and wanted to tell him what he had found when he noticed that something was off. His beloved had wrapped the blanket he had given him around him and sat down against a tree trunk. His head was leaning to the side and his eyes were closed gently. His breath was also coming in a gentle and steady rhythm. It seemed his beloved had already fallen asleep.


    Qiu Ling smiled and knelt down in front of him, peering at his face for a moment. Mn, Jing Yi was a little cuter than Jing He. Now that he slept, it was even more obvious than usual.


    He reached out but didn''t dare to touch him. His fingers hovered next to him in the air, just a hair''s breadth away from Jing Yi''s cheek. Ah, he would really like to touch him but if he did, maybe his beloved would wake up? He couldn''t go too overboard.


    Qiu Ling sighed and didn''t touch his cheek. He still picked him up though. Just look at how tired his poor beloved was! He definitely couldn''t let him rest at such an uncomfortable place. Thus he flew back up and over to the clearing he had spotted.


    Landing on the ground again, he took a look around. Mn, this was indeed not bad. So, where to put him down? Next to the lake? But that might be a little chilly. Not that he couldn''t adjust the temperature for him.


    In the end, Qiu Ling walked to the side of the clearing where they would be covered by the tree branches but could still see a bit of the night sky. It was also just a few steps away from the pond, not too close that it could get chilly but also not too far in case his beloved woke up and wanted to drink some water.


    Mn, he had thought of all this. Ah, he was such a good lover. His beloved would certainly be very impressed when he woke up again.


    He gently put him down and looked at his sleeping figure again. Mn, one blanket might not be enough ¡­ Since caring for someone should always go the whole way Qiu Ling took out another blanket. He put it on the ground and then carefully lifted his beloved onto it. Mn, how nice! Now his beloved didn''t have to lie on the cold ground.


    Qiu Ling very happily sat down next to him, propped his elbows on his knees and his chin onto his hands and continued to stare at Jing Yi. Mn, tomorrow, he would wake up and be really, really happy that he would be the first thing he saw. Especially if he noticed all the things he had done for him. Ah, he just had to wait a few hours ¡­ Qiu Ling continued to stare at Jing Yi until his own eyes also fell shut.


    While the one pair of dragon and human just fell asleep, the other pair in the Yun Zou Sect finally woke up again.


    Leng Jin Yu opened his eyes with a smile only to freeze just like Jing Yi when he noticed just how much time had gone by. The sweat on their skin had already dried and the last light long vanished.


    He lifted a hand and rubbed his face with a sigh. If Jinde woke up now, it could really be called the next day already. Ah, hadn''t he just wanted to keep him company while he slept? How come he had fallen asleep himself?


    Just like Jing Yi with Qiu Ling Leng Jin Yu had no idea that the person in question had already opened his eyes and was fixating him, waiting for what he would do. Even though they had already spent the night or, well, the day together, he couldn''t help but dread if Leng Jin Yu might get up and leave.


    Leng Jin Yu sat indeed up but before Jinde even had the time to furrow his brows he leaned over to the other side of the bed and pulled the blanket up, gently covering both of them with it when he lay back down. He even carefully wrapped him in his arms again.


    Jinde''s gaze softened and his lips curled into a splendid smile. Mn, he had worried without reason. Leng Jin Yu definitely wouldn''t just leave him. No, he wasn''t that type of man and this time, there wasn''t anyone interfering from outside either. He didn''t need to worry at all.


    Jinde snuggled up against Leng Jin Yu''s chest and closed his eyes again. Ah, falling asleep in somebody''s arms really felt good.


    Leng Jin Yu also sighed in satisfaction. He reached up and gently stroked Jinde''s back. He never would have thought that the mess with the fate of the Son of Heaven would finally lead him to the person that had been missing from his life. It really made him feel that everything had its cause. Maybe it wouldn''t be obvious at first but someday you would look back and find out that each step you took unwittingly brought you closer to something like this.


    Leng Jin Yu raised his head and gently kissed Jinde''s brow. "I might not be the person you longed for originally but I promise I won''t repeat his mistakes. Tomorrow when we wake up, let''s start our life as a married couple. With everything both our races expect of that."


    Jinde didn''t want to give away that he was awake and heard everything but inwardly he answered him. Yes, of course, from tomorrow onward he would leave all that pain in the past and look forward to their happiness. They certainly deserved it.

 Chapter 521 - Bearing Witness

    While Leng Jin Yu fell asleep again in the matter of a few minutes, Jinde couldn''t relax. There was still one thing that bothered him: Where would they find the witnesses for their status as a newly-wedded couple tomorrow?


    It was all well and good that they both agreed they were married but the customs still required at least one person to see the marks on their bodies. Even better if it were more people. But they were living far away from the dragon realm right now and he couldn''t leave the house for long without having to worry about being seen. Even when he had followed Leng Jin Yu yesterday to continue to seduce him, his heart hadn''t been able to settle down. Who knew if Jin Ling would come back, after all? If he saw him, everything would be over.


    In that case, there were only a few people left that could serve as witnesses. Grandmaster Zhangsun, Leng Jin Yu''s Master Yuchi Bing Xia or Qiu Ling. But the latter had already run away to go after his beloved while the former didn''t want to pry into other people''s matters. As for Leng Jin Yu''s Master ¡­ Jinde sighed. That guy had wanted to separate them yesterday when nothing had happened yet. If he found out that things were different now, he definitely wouldn''t bear witness to anything.


    Ah, how sad! Now they were finally married but they couldn''t make it official because his circumstances were so special! Other than Qiu Ling and Xin Lan nobody from his race knew that he was still alive.


    Eh? Come to think of it ¡­ Xin Lan had been gone for quite some time already. Whatever he was doing should be finished more or less. It shouldn''t be a problem if he reached out to him to have him bear witness, should it?


    Jinde looked at Leng Jin Yu''s face and smiled. "Mn, don''t be angry, my dear. It''s not that I don''t trust you. This is just to make sure that nobody will get in the way of our happiness again." He kissed his cheek before leaning over the edge of the bed and fishing around for his robe. Mn, it should be somewhere around there ¡­


    Jinde finally grabbed onto the embroidered fabric. His face lit up and he searched further for the pendant Xin Lan had given him. Finally, his fingertips touched the cold stone. Jinde pulled it out and lay down next to Leng Jin Yu again. He looked at his lover and snuggled closer up against his chest. Leng Jin Yu sighed and tightened his grab around his waist. Jinde gently patted that hand before pushing the blanket a little further down. Mn, if he wanted Xin Lan to bear witness, he had to show him a bit. Ah, thankfully, his lover was working with him!


    Jinde imbued the pendant with a bit of spiritual energy, his face paling slightly. Thankfully, Xin Lan had made a habit out of always getting the best things for him. This kind of transmission stone would require much less energy to work. It was probably the only kind he could still use in his condition.


    In the demon realm, Xin Lan stopped in one of the corridors and stared down at his chest disbelieving. Was this really his Master reaching out to him? He hurriedly took the pendant out and imbued his own spiritual energy, establishing the connection between the two sides. His Master was already weakened. He couldn''t let him waste any energy. "Master!"


    "Xin Lan."


    There was a special lilt to Jinde''s voice that gave Xin Lan pause. His gaze flitted across that familiar face. He seemed ¡­ tired but at the same time content. Could it be ¡­ Xin Lan finally noticed the black strands next to Jinde''s golden hair and then the transmission stone was tilted a bit, letting him see Jinde''s skin.


    Xin Lan tensed. His first impulse was to lower his gaze how he had always done when he came close to Jinde but he understood that this wasn''t the time for that. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to take a good look, to take in every one of the tell-tale signs on his Master''s body.


    It had happened. It had actually happened while he was away. "I see. Congratulations."


    Jinde chuckled happily. "You haven''t even seen Jin Yu yet." He stroked his lover''s hand and turned the pendant to the other side, letting Xin Lan take a look at him.


    Xin Lan clenched his hand into a fist and cursed that bastard inwardly but he still looked. This was what his Master had wished for. And he had left with Jin Ling to ensure that he could get to this point. Bearing witness for him now was the least he could do.


    Seeing the scratches on Leng Jin Yu''s back Xin Lan narrowed his eyes. This was a far cry from the claw marks his Master had left on Chun Yin''s body back then. Ah, he really needed to find something so his soul could be regenerated. It couldn''t go on like this. Unable to use most of his magic, unable to transform his body ¡­ How could his Master be forced to live like this?


    The pendant was turned back and Jinde''s happy smile came back into view. It dimmed when he saw Xin Lan''s expression though. "What is it? You ¡­ It couldn''t be that you''re worried the same thing as back then would happen, could it?"


    Xin Lan hurriedly schooled his expression and shook his head. "No, that ¡­ How could that be?"


    "Right. Jian Heng is dead and Jin Ling doesn''t know that I''m alive. There is nobody manipulating us this time. It will work out."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Yes, I know. I just thought that ¡­ you''re looking rather tired."


    Jinde smiled wryly. "I slept a few hours. It has to be because of that."


    Xin Lan shook his head. "No, it''s not. But don''t worry. I''ve already promised I would find a way to heal you. I just need a bit of time."


    "You don''t have to. Over time ¡­" Jinde shook his head and sighed. "It''s already much better than back then. In a few ¡­ millenniums, I''ll probably be back at full health."


    Xin Lan just stared at his Master. They both knew that this was nonsense. Even if he submerged himself in spiritual water of the finest quality for that time span there was only a slight chance of him healing completely. That type of minuscule chance ¡­ he wouldn''t depend on it. No, he would find a way to make sure Jinde would get back to full health and he would find a way that was fast enough to enjoy his time with his lover.


    Xin Lan''s lips twitched. No, that was wrong. From now on, he had to say that he wanted him to enjoy the time with his husband.

 Chapter 522 - Searching for a New Place?

    "You don''t have to worry. I already have some ideas. It won''t take long for you to regenerate your soul."


    Jinde hummed. "Well, it would be nice if it could be healed. You know I feel like it''s a little unfair. Chun Yin bound his soul to mine but I ¡­" He sighed. "In this life, I''d like to reciprocate. He should also have part of my soul." He turned to the side and brushed Leng Jin Yu''s hair to the side, making his lover sigh in his sleep and tighten his grasp around his waist.


    Jinde smiled but couldn''t help and sigh again. "Unfortunately, it''s impossible as I am now. It''ll have to wait until my soul has at least regenerated a bit."


    Xin Lan nodded. "I will find a way. It''s not impossible to heal a soul."


    "Mn. I know. I just ¡­ You know, I feel so happy right now. All those things we couldn''t have in our past life, they suddenly seem possible. I would like to do all of them but when I take a closer look I find out that there are still things holding us back."


    Xin Lan looked at the person whose image was transmitted together with Jinde''s. Ah, that bastard had so much luck. He didn''t deserve this at all. But as long as he managed to make his Master happy this time around ¡­


    "You might not be able to do everything now but you''re together already. You''re married. It''s official now." He paused, his thoughts traveling back to that day back then. His brows furrowed and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself down. "Well, maybe call that brat over to bear witness too. You should make sure just in case."


    Jinde chuckled. "You still don''t trust him?"


    "I will never trust him. As long as he doesn''t stand in front of the whole dragon realm and acknowledges you as his partner, I won''t trust him."


    "How harsh. It wasn''t alone Chun Yin''s fault. If not for Jian Heng, things would have turned out differently."


    Xin Lan''s gaze flickered and he looked away. "That thing with Jian Heng ¡­ did you tell him?"


    Jinde took a look at Leng Jin Yu''s sleeping face and shook his head. "No. And I don''t intend to do so for now. At least not if I don''t have to."


    "I see."


    The two of them fell silent. Xin Lan cleared his throat after a few moments. "Master ¡­ If there''s nothing else, we should stop here. Your energy ¡­"


    "I know, I know. But what about you? You''ve vanished so suddenly. Did something happen?"


    Xin Lan sighed. "Jin Ling."


    Jinde closed his eyes and rubbed the spot between his brows. "Haish, that child. Did he still not give up?"


    "No. And he never will. I''ve followed him to the demon realm to hold him back for a while but it could be that you have to leave the Yun Zou Sect. The more I try to keep him here, the more suspicious he will get. He will find opportunities to go to the Yun Zou Sect or maybe even send somebody else."


    "Shouldn''t he send you? I thought you would have become his most trusted aide by now."


    "I certainly am. As long as it doesn''t concern you." Xin Lan smiled faintly, the gaze in his eyes turning gentler.


    Maybe it was normal that the person in question was unable to see it while those around him had long figured it out. Chun Yin had known back then and Jin Ling had never doubted his feelings for Jinde either. Only him alone ¡­ didn''t manage to see. But maybe he didn''t want to see either. After all, he had already given his heart to somebody else. There was no use. Especially not now that he had finally married that person.


    Jinde sighed. "Yes, Jin Ling knows that you would rather listen to me than him. I guess I should really find out if there''s another suitable place. I just doubt that Jin Yu would like that." He stroked Leng Jin Yu''s hair, coiling one of the strands around his fingers. Mn, this really was a lot like Chun Yin''s hair. Although he should stop comparing them. Leng Jin Yu didn''t seem to like it if he did. "He hasn''t been here for long but he does have some sentiments for the Yun Zou Sect. Leaving might not be an option for him right now."


    "Even if staying would mean to lose you?"


    Jinde''s eyelids lowered, shielding his golden gaze. "There are things I haven''t told him, things I don''t want him to know. But if I don''t explain, he won''t understand. So what am I to do? Tell him everything?"


    Xin Lan didn''t answer. He had no right to give any advice on this matter. "Whatever you decide to do I''ll support your decision. If you need me to help, then I will do so. If you need me to search for another place to stay ¡­"


    Jinde shook his head. "No, not now, at least. We''ve only just married. I think we should take some time to get used to this. After that, I''ll try to tell him. Let''s see what he thinks about it. Maybe I''m worrying too much and he won''t have a problem with it."


    "Mn. Maybe." He didn''t have high hopes though. Chun Yin had always been someone who put his duties first and his reincarnation didn''t seem much different in that regard. After all, hadn''t he also gone to report to the Nine Heavens first instead of following him to the Yun Zou Sect to meet Jinde? If he felt he owed the Yun Zou Sect and was obligated to stay there and help them, then he wouldn''t leave with Jinde just because of some vague insinuations. And there was no way his Master would tell him the whole truth if he wasn''t forced to do so.


    "Well, it''ll take some time un¡ª" Jinde''s eyes widened and his face paled. "Behind you!"

 Chapter 523 - You Wouldn’t Want to Destroy That

    Xin Lan whirled around with his claws extended, prepared to impale whoever was behind him. He got the vague impression of a pale face and a pair of especially dark eyes and stopped just before his claws injured the skin. He stared at him, only to get stared back at.


    The fallen god tilted his head. "Please. Go ahead. I''m sure you could take a curse."


    Xin Lan took a deep breath, retracted his claws and lowered his hand. "What are you doing here?"


    The fallen god turned to the side and silently walked a circle around him before he faced him again. "Taking a look."


    "At what?"


    The fallen god didn''t answer and just stared at him with those black eyes. He didn''t even seem to blink.


    Xin Lan waited. He wanted to turn away but he didn''t dare to. How long had he stood behind him? How much had he heard? How much had he seen? And would he talk about this?


    The fallen god''s gaze slid down to the pendant that was still hanging above Xin Lan''s robe. He reached out and lifted it, looking at the transmission stone embedded in the middle as if he could still see the people inside. "So that is the person you pretend to love."


    Xin Lan''s gaze flickered. So he had really seen him. "What are you talking about?"


    "A beauty. No wonder." He let go of the pendant and turned away, looking down the corridor.


    Xin Lan also shifted to the side, no longer looking at him. This guy wasn''t talkative, normally. Maybe he would see and then just forget about it? He probably wouldn''t ¡ª


    "Mn, golden hair ¡­"


    Xin Lan frowned and glanced at him. "What do you want to say?"


    "He had golden hair."


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes. "Yes, that ¡­ isn''t that uncommon for dragons."


    The fallen god turned to him and raised his brows. "Really not that uncommon. Doesn''t the demon king''s beloved also have golden hair? I think I''ve heard him talk about it."


    "What do you want to say?"


    "Such a coincidence." The fallen god turned away and silently walked down the corridor.


    Xin Lan frowned and followed him. "What do you intend to do now?"


    The fallen god didn''t answer and just continued to walk as if he hadn''t heard at all.


    Xin Lan sped up his steps until he was right behind him. He reached out, grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. "You ¡ª"


    A hand swished toward his face. Xin Lan evaded barely and stepped back, letting go of the fallen god.


    Once again the two of them stared at each other.


    The fallen god harrumphed and turned away, letting Xin Lan remain alone in the corridor. His gaze flitted around before he ran after him. He finally saw him again at the next turn.


    "Don''t talk about it."


    The fallen god didn''t react and just continued to walk. Xin Lan gritted his teeth. Why did this have to happen? If this guy said something in front of Jin Ling ¡­


    "He''s a dragon and he already has a partner. You wouldn''t want to destroy that, would you?"


    The fallen god finally stopped and remained standing at that spot.


    Xin Lan relaxed slightly and stepped closer. "He saved my life. Yes, I love him. Yes, Jin Ling also loves him. But he already has someone else. And he will stay true to that man forever." Xin Lan hesitated but still added on. He couldn''t just stop there. "You''ve also seen them. They are together right now. You wouldn''t want to destroy that, would you?"


    The fallen god didn''t answer. He stared ahead, not moving a single muscle. Finally, he looked at the ceiling, his black hair cascading down his back, shimmering on top of that equally black robe.


    "You don''t love anyone. The demon king doesn''t love anyone either. An old dragon. Half a demon. You don''t even know what true love is."


    "That might be true. But he loves that man. And that man loves him. He bound his soul to him, he reincarnated for him. Do you want to jeopardize their love? For a demon?"


    "I wouldn''t do anything for a demon."


    The fallen god started walking again but this time, Xin Lan didn''t follow him. There was no way to force a fallen god to do anything. There wasn''t any easy way to kill him either and definitely no way to kill him without facing the consequences. And if something happened to him ¡­ Who would protect his Master? Chun Yin''s reincarnation? But he was a mere mortal right now. He couldn''t rely on him for that. He could only ¡­ hope that that fallen god wouldn''t say anything.


    He sighed and turned away, lifting the pendant again. He wanted to imbue his spiritual energy to reach out to his Master but hesitated at the last moment. Finally, he slipped the pendant back below his robe.


    What was he even thinking about? With how his Master had warned him, that man had certainly woken up. Right now, he would be reassuring Jinde. If he tried to contact him now ¡­ He would just be disturbing them.


    Xin Lan sighed and withdrew deeper into the palace, searching for a place from where he could have an eye on Jin Ling without having to deal with his temper.


    The person in question was sitting on his throne, staring at a black crystal, and waiting for news from the Yun Zou Sect. Seeing that Crystal Xin Lan narrowed his eyes. He didn''t know yet that Jin Ling had already found someone from the Yun Zou Sect to supply him with information but he did have some suspicions.


    Jin Ling normally wasn''t very interested in anything. Holding onto the demon realm''s throne had entirely been for Jinde''s sake because he knew that Jinde would have wanted him to become the demon king and stay in this position for as long as possible. That was his only impetus. Nothing else. Well, maybe dealing a blow to Qiu Ling was part of the reason too but it definitely paled in comparison to the motivation the memory of Jinde gave him.


    So why was he staring so intently at this crystal? Don''t tell him he was already on to something?

 Chapter 524 - The Oldest Dragon

    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, Leng Jin Yu leaped up when he heard Jinde yell. His hand went for his sword but he couldn''t discover anything. He lowered his weapon and turned to look at Jinde.


    "What happened? Are you alright?"


    Jinde sighed and brushed his hair back. "I contacted Xin Lan just now. It seems like he got into trouble."


    Leng Jin Yu put his sword away and slid closer to Jinde again, pulling him into his embrace. "It''s alright. Didn''t you say he was strong? I even saw him subdue the current Longjun. Shouldn''t he be able to deal with whatever happened?"


    Jinde furrowed his brows. It was almost impossible for anyone to get close to Xin Lan without him noticing. And if he hadn''t seen wrong, then the person that had managed to do so had carried a black mark between his eyebrows. Wasn''t that the distinctive mark of the fallen gods? If so ¡­ then even Xin Lan might be helpless.


    "What is it? Are you that worried? Maybe I could help? I could go there and ¡ª"


    "No." Jinde grabbed his lover''s hand and leaned his head against his shoulder. "Xin Lan went to the demon realm. That isn''t a place you should go."


    Leng Jin Yu gently stroked the back of Jinde''s head. "I''m not human anymore. Even though I came back here, I''ve already ascended. Going there wouldn''t be too dangerous. If it can help him ¡­ He means a lot to you, doesn''t he?"


    Jinde looked up and cupped Leng Jin Yu''s cheeks. "Jin Yu. Regardless of how much Xin Lan means to me, you are the most important person to me. If something happened to Xin Lan, I would be very much heartbroken and I would love to kill whoever hurt him. But if something happened to you ¡­ I don''t know if I could go on living.


    "I held onto my life even after I found out that Chun Yin died just because I couldn''t bear to let the memories between us vanish just like that. I wanted to hold onto them until you returned to me so that I could tell you about them or maybe even give them back to you if it''s possible."


    Leng Jin Yu grabbed his hand and pressed it against his chest. "Don''t worry. I''m here. You won''t lose me again. I''m not that weak."


    Jinde smiled. "Chun Yin wasn''t weak either and still ¡­" He sighed. "Anyway, there is nothing you could do now to help Xin Lan. If I saw correctly, then there was a fallen god around. That is nothing any of us can do anything about. And Xin Lan probably knows that best."


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows drew together. "Fallen god? I think I''ve heard of them before but I''m not too sure how to imagine them. Are they similar to cultivators suffering from a Qi deviation?"


    Jinde looked up and smiled. "Right, Xin Lan said you only ascended a few years ago. You probably haven''t heard much about these things." He sighed. "I think your comparison isn''t that far off the mark. The fallen gods, they indeed aren''t a race of their own but rather former gods that ¡­ changed because of something. In the immortal realms, it is often said that demons can''t feel, that dragons feel too much and that the gods symbolize something like an equilibrium where they feel but not too deeply. If this equilibrium is broken ¡­ a fallen god might emerge."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Mn. I think that is what their trials are for, to let them experience these emotions so something like that doesn''t happen."


    Jinde smiled. "I wouldn''t be too sure about that. I don''t know much about the gods. The races aren''t too close, even though they have been allied with the dragons for a long time already. I have heard that there are trials for them but I don''t really know what they are for. Considering the peculiarities of the dragons though ¡­" He shook his head and sighed again, snuggling up against Leng Jin Yu''s chest. You don''t know about a lot of things yet and I don''t even know where to begin with explaining them. What you should know is that all three immortal races are cursed. The reason for that ¡­ in a sense, are the fallen gods and that is also why they are feared so much."


    "Cursed?"


    "Mn. I can tell you more about that later but for now ¡­ You''ve said that Qiu Ling''s beloved remembered something about a person called ''Tian'', didn''t you?"


    "Yes. The God of War said that this might be from an old story of the gods that he got mixed up with his own life."


    Jinde nodded. "Very likely so. Tian is someone all three immortal races remember even though the only one alive that has actually seen him is Xin Lan."


    "Even the Heavenly Emperor called him ''Senior Xin Lan'' of the dragon race. I guess that means he is really old?"


    Jinde smiled wryly. "I don''t like how you''re saying ''really''. I''m not old."


    Leng Jin Yu chuckled, leaned down and kissed Jinde''s temple. "I never thought you were. And even if ¡­ you look stunning."


    "Mn, not bad. At least you know how to sweet-talk someone."


    "For a human, I''ve also lived long."


    Jinde smiled and stroked Leng Jin Yu''s arm. "It''s true what you said. Xin Lan is the oldest dragon around. Even the oldest immortal. I am ¡­ Well, I guess I can''t deny that I am fairly old in comparison to a lot of other dragons. In the Nine Heavens, the one who could most likely compare to me in age would be their Senior Yue Xia, the God of Love."


    "Ah, I''ve seen him." Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows again. Come to think of it ¡­ Why had the God of Love asked whether he was married or not? He hadn''t managed to ask him but maybe he should have done so. Could it be that this had something to do with Jinde?


    He looked at his lover and gently brushed back his hair. Mn, he should really go and ask. Even though ¡­ whatever that Senior Yue Xia had to say, it wouldn''t change anything about his love for Jinde.

 Chapter 525 - An Injury to the Soul

    Jinde sighed. "Well, never mind that. Tian is what his name suggests: Heaven, the one who governs all immortal realms and judges our races. There is an old story about how he fell in love with a god but things didn''t turn out well and that god finally fell. To a certain degree all three races were involved in his fall and thus Tian cursed all of us.


    "I don''t know if you can imagine this. Three races with just a few people as exceptions were cursed just like that, a lot of their powers taken from them and constraints placed on them that they didn''t know before.


    "I don''t know about the specifics of the curses that were placed on the gods and demons. I only know that the gods lost most of their physical powers but could keep all their magic while the demons and dragons lost part of their magic but kept their physical strength."


    "Both the demons and the dragons?"


    Jinde nodded. "Mn, even though the dragons don''t like to admit it but our races are of the same origin. Once, there was just one race and it only separated into the demons and dragons after a long time."


    Leng Jin Yu felt intrigued. He had managed to gather quite a bit of information about the gods in the short time after his ascension but he knew next to nothing about the demons and dragons. Especially the latter was maddening considering he had been a dragon in his past life and was now married to one.


    He sighed. "It''s a pity I can only remember a few images from my past life. I guess a lot of things would be easier if I was like the Son of Heaven and had managed to gather those memories."


    Jinde reached up and cupped his cheek, his golden gaze saddened. "I''m sorry. It''s my fault."


    "What are you saying?" Leng Jin Yu hugged his lover''s waist. "This isn''t your fault. If anything, it would be mine because of what I did in my past life. Had I stayed true to you, I might not have died yet."


    "That''s not it." Jinde lowered his gaze and sighed. "This actually has to do with the curse I told you about. Since we''ve already come to talk about it ¡­ Maybe I should tell you about this too. Dragons ¡­ can only fall in love once. That is part of the curse Tian placed on us. I can''t say for sure how it happens, if it''s destined or more of a coincidence, but for every one of us, there is that one person we will be drawn to. "And sometimes when we''ve fallen in love and the time is right we will exchange a part of our soul." He looked up and took Leng Jin Yu''s hand, placing it on his chest.


    "I didn''t know but Chun Yin ¡­ he had already given part of his soul to me. I guess it was that night before he found out she was pregnant even though I can''t say for sure. Normally, as partners, we should have died together. In that case, the part of your soul you had given to me would have been returned to you. But unfortunately, I found out too late and failed to kill myself in time."


    Leng Jin Yu gently framed Jinde''s face with his hands and shook his head. "Don''t say anything like that. Don''t mention killing yourself. I don''t want to hear anything like that. You ¡­ you should stay alive. I''m sure Chun Yin would have wanted that because I too would wish that for you if anything happened to me."


    Jinde shook his head. "No, you don''t understand. That isn''t how dragons work. Losing Chun Yin ¡­ it hurt. More than you can probably imagine. As a dragon, your destined one is everything to you. Even more so if you are bound through your souls. I guess I could say that I was lucky not to have bound my soul to him too. Otherwise ¡­" He shook his head. "Then again I wish I had. We could have died together, reincarnated together and maybe we would have been reborn as dragons then."


    Leng Jin Yu still shook his head. "I wouldn''t want you to die."


    Jinde chuckled. "It''s alright. I lived. Although ¡­ things didn''t go as expected. And that is also why we''re like this now."


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows drew together. He didn''t understand what Jinde meant.


    "Those images you saw were very likely parts of Chun Yin''s memory. It''s probably because you managed to ascend already so your spiritual awareness should be high. You somehow established a weak connection with the part of your soul that I am still carrying. Unfortunately, it isn''t enough to draw out all your memories." Jinde sighed. "Normally, I would just need to give a bit of it back. Since you were reincarnated it wouldn''t even have any consequences. You would just be able to remember. Unfortunately ¡­ that isn''t possible with the state my soul is in."


    "Your soul?" Leng Jin Yu frowned.


    Jinde nodded. "Yes. The injury I mentioned? It wasn''t to my body although it had an influence on that. Rather what was injured was my soul. What I said before when Qiu Ling was here ¡­ I didn''t want to admit how old I actually am. I know that ¡­ is dumb. You''re not that shallow. I just ¡­ felt a little insecure with how that boy kissed you right before and ¡­ us not being married yet." He reached up and stroked Leng Jin Yu''s cheek. "I hope you won''t hold it against me."


    "Of course not. I just ¡­ I don''t understand. Do you want to say your soul was injured? But how ¡­"


    "The soul-devouring dagger. In that war against the demons, I fought against demon king Jian Heng and he managed to injure me with the soul-devouring dagger. My soul ¡­ it slowly dissolved on its own."

 Chapter 526 - A Pair to Complement Each Other

    Leng Jin Yu tightened his grab on Jinde. "You ¡­ were injured with the soul-devouring dagger?" This couldn''t be! Hadn''t they said in the Nine Heavens that there was no cure for an injury caused by that weapon? Then Jinde ¡­ "You ¡­ Don''t tell me your soul still ¡­"


    "No." Jinde pulled Leng Jin Yu into his arms, holding him gently against his chest and brushing his hair. "It''s alright. Don''t worry. It''s been a long time since then. Actually, my soul has started to recover a bit."


    Leng Jin Yu clutched his lover''s body, his own limbs still trembling from the shock. Just the thought of losing Jinde after just finding him ¡­ "But how can this be?" He lifted his head and gazed into Jinde''s eyes, wanting to make sure that he wasn''t just reassuring him.


    Jinde smiled. "Well, back then I was ¡­ desperate. You don''t know but when I say dragons can only love one person in their life ¡­ then that is only what we know for sure. A dragon tends to reincarnate as a dragon. And a lot of us believe that Tian''s curse is even more vicious. Most likely, you won''t just love that person in one lifetime. No, if you happen to fall in love with them, then you will recognize their soul and you will still love them in all those other lives to come.


    "It''s not certain but just imagining how Chun Yin might be reborn and then wander around, feeling like he is missing something but never being able to find it ¡­ I couldn''t live with that. Even more so ¡­ Part of my soul was his. It would have been destroyed by the soul-devouring dagger just the same. So part of his soul and all of those memories we made together, both would have been erased forever."


    His eyes reddened and he had to gulp to steady his voice. "I wasn''t willing to allow that. So ¡­ I came up with a plan."


    Leng Jin Yu took one look at that half-smile on Jinde''s lips and those curved, golden eyes that were wet with unshed tears and his heart gave a pang. Whatever Jinde had done it had to be something huge. After all, it was obvious how desperate he had been.


    "I thought ¡­ the soul-devouring dagger and the soul-engraving dagger were forged as a pair. To restrain each other, to complement each other. If there is anything in this world that can save someone from an injury caused by the soul-devouring dagger, then it would be the soul-engraving dagger. So I ¡­ used a diplomatic visit to the Nine Heavens and ¡­ borrowed it for a bit."


    Leng Jin Yu paled. Judging from what the God of War had said and what Jinde had told him and Longjun about the soul-engraving dagger before ¡­ "It must have been painful."


    Jinde didn''t make the effort to try and cover it up. His lover''s gaze already said that he had understood. "Yes, it was. Very much so. Which is why I can understand just how desperate Qiu Ling''s lover must have been to use it. Back then I ¡­ felt like I didn''t have any other way out. To save myself, to save Chun Yin''s soul I could only use that thing. But the Son of Heaven ¡­" He shook his head and sighed. "I admire his courage. It certainly takes a lot to not only pick that weapon up and try it out but to go through with it until the end. And compared to what I did ¡­ Engraving your soul must be even worse."


    "What did you do?"


    Jinde once again brushed his lover''s hair. "It''s long in the past. Don''t worry too much about it."


    "Tell me. You ¡­ You also did it for me, didn''t you? Don''t you think I have a right to know?"


    Jinde reached up and rubbed the space between his lover''s brows. "Then stop frowning or I''ll worry it might stay like that. Although ¡­ it might not be too bad. It makes you look slightly older."


    Leng Jin Yu chuckled against better knowledge. "Tell me."


    "I cut it up. I cut everything off that had signs of being devoured, leaving only that part of Chun Yin''s soul and a sliver of my own. That day ¡­ I didn''t know if I would live. I collapsed in the Nine Heavens and ¡­ the gods found out I had been injured. Until then I had actually managed to keep it a secret."


    He sighed again. "Our race was devastated. Losing their king and that shortly after they thought they had finally triumphed over the demons ¡­ It was a devastating blow to them." He paused and finally lifted the pendant he had let go off sometime while they spoke. "I still remember how Xin Lan looked at me when I woke up again. He was ¡­ I don''t even know what to call it. He had followed me for so long. I think he felt ¡­ for the first time in a long while like he had a home. And now that home collapsed in front of him. And the worst thing was that I couldn''t disabuse him."


    "Why not? Weren''t you saved? In fact, if that is the injury you were talking about and if it was caused by the demons, then why ¡­" Why had Jinde left the dragon realm?


    Jinde smiled. "You''re right. Maybe ¡­ I wouldn''t have needed to leave. But I felt that it was the best back then. A dragon will always be the strongest in its other form. But that form is bound to our soul and my soul ¡­" He sighed and his expression grew wistful. "I think I was beautiful. I had golden scales without a single blemish and my eyes ¡­ Chun Yin once said they glowed like the sun. It was a popular look in the dragon realm back then."


    "You ¡­ can''t take on that form anymore?"


    Jinde shook his head. "No. I can''t even use my claws anymore. I''m a disgrace of a dragon. That kind of person ¡­ couldn''t have continued being king."

 Chapter 527 - A Hopeless Romantic

    Leng Jin Yu wanted to retort but he stayed silent in the end. He didn''t know much about the dragons. Saying things like ''they would have accepted it'' or ''you were thinking too much'' ¡­ Those were just empty words coming from him. He could only lean his head against Jinde''s and show him that he was there for him.


    "I''m sorry this happened to you. I''m sorry you had to go through this alone."


    "It''s alright." Jinde patted his lover''s back and hummed. "Actually, it''s not so bad if I think about it now. If that hadn''t happened, I might still be in the dragon realm and who knew if we would have ever seen each other then?"


    Leng Jin Yu gently kissed his cheek. "I''m sure we would always have found a way. That is how love is, isn''t it? I mean meeting here wasn''t easy either. Doesn''t this mean that whatever would have happened, we would have been able to meet again?"


    Jinde encircled his neck and smiled seductively. "Who knew you could be such a romantic?" He leaned upward and their lips met in a short kiss.


    Leng Jin Yu smiled back. "You came here after that, didn''t you?"


    "Mn. I staged my death and had Xin Lan burn what he thought to be my body. After that ¡­ I was lucky to meet Grandmaster Zhangsun. If it had been somebody else, maybe one of the demon hunters ¡­ I probably would have died. And that part of your soul ¡­" He rubbed Leng Jin Yu''s chest and sighed. "Jin Yu. I''m sorry. Even though you think it''s not my fault, I still did many things wrong."


    "Didn''t I do the same? We all make mistakes."


    Jinde smiled self-deprecatingly. Yes, everyone made mistakes. But the mistakes he had made ¡­ He was afraid they couldn''t even be compared to what Chun Yin had done. Trusting the wrong person ¡­ Chun Yin had done so because he was an honorable man. What was his excuse? He should have known better.


    "It''s long in the past. Whatever happened ¡­ Let''s not think about it anymore." Leng Jin Yu kissed his temple and pulled the blanket up a little higher to make sure his lover wouldn''t feel cold. "Tell me some more. I don''t know much about the immortal realms or either of the races. Even if I can''t get my memories back, we should at least work on that, shouldn''t we?"


    "Mn. What do you want to know?"


    "Whatever you want to tell me." He grabbed Jinde''s hand and interlaced their fingers.


    Jinde pondered. "Something about the dragons? Or the gods? You do count as one of them since your ascension, don''t you? Ah, speaking of that ¡­ Did I finish talking about the fallen gods before?"


    "I don''t think so. You told me about the curse though."


    "Ah, right." Jinde nodded. "Well, about the fallen gods ¡­ That matter is a little ¡­ delicate. People are afraid they might anger Tian with it again if they aren''t careful."


    "Is that why you said there was nothing even Xin Lan could do?"


    "More or less. Well, for one, the fallen gods are strong. They have all the magic of the gods but they can also use the same dark energy as the demons. Their only weakness is that their bodies are still fragile but that is hardly of importance. There is almost nobody who could get close enough to kill them and even if, nobody would try to do so if he can help it. Injuring a fallen god is forbidden. Whoever breaks this taboo will have the honor of gaining an exclusive curse by Tian''s hand."


    "So he''s still rather protective of his lover?"


    Jinde smiled. "You really are a romantic. I don''t think it''s quite that. His lover probably isn''t even alive anymore. I think it''s rather that he thinks that the three immortal races are at fault in regard to that. He''d rather torture us than let us die fast. What else are those curses for?"


    "Maybe Tian is as much of a hopeless romantic as I and that is why he cursed the three races. Only loving one person doesn''t sound too bad."


    Jinde harrumphed. "You''d better keep that in mind. By the way ¡­" He trailed the curve of Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder and looked up at him suggestively. "I seem to remember you promised me something yesterday."


    "Finding a witness to make us an official couple?"


    "That too. But I was rather talking about the other thing ¡­" His hand trailed further down. "I feel like I''ve rested enough. What about you?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at that pale hand and it began to dawn on him what Jinde was talking about. He cleared his throat and grabbed him around the waist, his hands slipping below the blanket. "I guess it is the next day already."


    "Mn."


    "And it''s still dark so we aren''t even doing anything against human customs."


    "Precisely."


    "In that case ¡­" He leaned down and kissed him while his hands pushed the blanket aside. "Mn, Jinde ¡­ Say ¡­ Even if we hadn''t had anyone witness yet, we should still count as married already, shouldn''t we?" As a married couple, this was normal ¡­ He lifted his head and smiled.


    Jinde sighed, his fingers sliding into his lover''s hair. "That''s right. As long as we both admit to it, it counts. Although ¡­" His fingers slid to the back of Leng Jin Yu''s head, down his neck and finally to the scratches he had left yesterday. "The reason I contacted Xin Lan before was to have a witness. I can''t just let you get away again, can I?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "I won''t deny it. Not in front of anyone. You''re mine now. If you want to, I''ll go and tell my Master right now."


    "Ah, I wouldn''t want you to go anywhere else now." Jinde rubbed his lover''s back while pushing the last bit of the blanket off. They hadn''t gotten dressed again yesterday so there was no reason to waste any time today. Although ¡­ "Jin Yu, you know ¡­ today, I don''t mind regardless of how much time you take with this. Even if you say you want to take a good look at me from head to toe first, I won''t complain. I''ll just lie here for you and let you do it."


    Leng Jin Yu chuckled. "From head to toe? That sounds enticing. I didn''t really have time to admire you yesterday with how impatient you were." He sat up and indeed took a look.


    As soon as he did, his smile froze and his hands shook. His eyes turned red but whether it was with rage or sadness, he couldn''t say himself. He just knew ¡­ it shouldn''t be like this.

 Chapter 528 - Too Eager to See Similarities

    In the forest not far from the Yun Zou Sect, Jing Yi opened his eyes again and blinked in the twilight of the beginning day. The first thing he saw ¡­ was his former fiance that was crouching a few steps away.


    At first, he thought Qiu Ling was staring at him but when his eyes slowly got used to the darkness around them he noticed that Qiu Ling actually had his eyes closed. Not just that, he was obviously asleep.


    Jing Yi sat up and a blanket fell from his shoulders. He caught it and then stared at it in a daze. This ¡­ wasn''t the blanket Qiu Ling had given him yesterday, was it? He took a closer look and indeed. It seemed similar at first glance, especially in the darkness, and with the fabric being of the same quality he almost hadn''t noticed it but it was a different blanket. He looked back at Qiu Ling but he didn''t have it either. Then where ¡­


    He wanted to put the other blanket to the side and finally noticed that the other one ¡­ was spread on the ground? Don''t tell him that Qiu Ling had actually taken out another one to make sure he would be comfortable?


    Jing Yi looked up again and his gaze couldn''t help but turn gentler. Well, it shouldn''t come as a surprise. Qiu Ling had always been like this. Taking care of him without thinking about himself ¡­


    Jing Yi pulled his knees up to his chest, encircled them with his arms and looked at Qiu Ling. He had had the opportunity to see him sleep in the Hei Dian Sect already but this was different. Qiu Ling seemed ¡­ peaceful but also a little lonely.


    Back in the Hei Dian Sect, they would have been lying in the same bed and Qiu Ling definitely wouldn''t have passed up the opportunity to snuggle up against him and wrap him in his arms. He probably would have chattered next to him until he had fallen asleep and the first thing Qiu Ling would have done when he opened his eyes would be cooing to him, begging for a kiss or at least a little peck until he finally got his wish.


    But now, he was sitting so far away. He hadn''t even dared to come and lie next to him on the blanket because he had rejected him so harshly.


    Jing Yi picked up the blanket again and silently got up. He tried to sneak over as silently as possible so as to not wake Qiu Ling up. Who knew if he really managed to be quiet or if Qiu Ling hadn''t just let his guard down around him and accepted for him to come this close even in his sleep but he didn''t stir at all.


    Jing Yi knelt down beside him and gently put the blanket over his shoulders. He wanted to get up at first but seeing Qiu Ling from so close he suddenly didn''t have the will to move. He continued to sit next to him and examined that face he had looked at so often already.


    He looked ¡­ very familiar. He had what people called a pair of heroic eyebrows and he knew that if Qiu Ling opened his eyes now they would be a bit hazy at first but when they focused they would either be very gentle when he looked at him or indifferent, maybe even a little conceited, when he looked at others.


    His lips were the same. Qiu Ling had a beautiful smile if he was genuinely happy but thinking back to the time with him ¡­ he only seemed to show it when they were together. Others couldn''t make him smile like that.


    "Ah, Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing Yi leaned forward until his forehead touched Qiu Ling''s shoulder. "I deserve neither you nor Tian. Two such wonderful men but I ¡­ I''m just making everything difficult."


    This time Qiu Ling seemed to have felt that someone was close by. His lips curved up in exactly the beautiful smile that Jing Yi had just thought of and he tilted his head to the side until it gently touched Jing Yi''s. "Mn, Jing He ¡­ Let''s get married then ¡­"


    Jing Yi jolted and looked up at him. This ¡­ This had almost sounded like ¡­ like that day with Tian before they had to separate. They had lain in bed together and Tian had made him promise that they would marry when he came back. This was almost the same. Actually, Qiu Ling even sounded a little like Tian.


    Jing Yi sighed. "I''m probably too eager to see similarities between them. As if it would change anything when I do. We''ll still be in this stupid situation." He sighed again and closed his eyes.


    Sitting so close to Qiu Ling felt comfortable. That familiar warmth, the familiar curve of his arm ¡­ Ah, even the way he breathed when he was relaxed was familiar. He had certainly felt the same way with Tian back then. He definitely had. His past self had been crazy about him, even to the extent of not wanting to live without him. He had even promised to stay true to him forever.


    Jing Yi leaned closer against Qiu Ling, a single tear wetting his lashes. Why did his past self get to decide? Why couldn''t he also ¡­ Why did he have to feel like he betrayed Tian when he was happy with Qiu Ling? Why couldn''t he be allowed to be happy with the man he had fallen in love with?


    "Ah, senior martial brother Yu was right. Knowing part of your past life really isn''t anything good. I wished things hadn''t turned out like this."

 Chapter 529 - Cuddle Now or Cuddle Later?

    When Qiu Ling woke up he and Jing Yi were sitting huddled together. A blanket was hanging around his shoulders while his beloved clung to him, seemingly searching for warmth.


    Qiu Ling blinked and stared at him, his thoughts circling around all the great things he could do now. His beloved had obviously come over to him on his own volition so maybe it wouldn''t be overboard to wrap him into his arms, topple him to the ground and cuddle with him until he woke up. Then he could pretend to be really surprised and say that he had no idea how this could have happened. Maybe Jing Yi would even believe him.


    He entertained the idea for a while but finally sighed. No, he couldn''t do this. Not without jeopardizing his current mission of making Jing Yi realize that Tian was him. After all, a mature man like him wouldn''t do something as sneaky as cuddling with his beloved in his sleep.


    Qiu Ling gave pause and pondered the issue a little longer. Maybe it wasn''t all that immature if he did? They had cuddled in sleep before, after all. It was nothing new. And if he pulled him into his arms now and then closed his eyes, he might just fall asleep and then Jing Yi might wake up before him and couldn''t blame him at all when he saw how deeply asleep he was.


    Qiu Ling reached over but stopped just before his fingertips could touch Jing Yi''s shoulder. No. He couldn''t do this. It was very, very tempting but he had to withstand this temptation. Cuddling now wasn''t worth the risk of never cuddling again. It was better for him to take responsibility now.


    Mn, now, what would a responsible man do in such a situation?


    It was early in the morning, his beloved was obviously cold and they would have another long day in front of them. The answer should be ¡­ prepare for everything his beloved would need!


    Qiu Ling pulled the blanket from his shoulders and wrapped Jing Yi back into it. His beloved actually sighed with satisfaction and snuggled up closer to him. Qiu Ling''s zest for action instantly withered. Uh, maybe he could still remain here and let his beloved cuddle with him? That wasn''t the same as him starting to cuddle, was it?


    His heart heavy with sadness, he pulled his arm out of Jing Yi''s grip and stood up. He got the other blanket and put it over Jing Yi''s legs so his beloved wouldn''t be cold while he was away. Then ¡­ he bent down and kissed his temple.


    Ah, don''t blame him! He just hadn''t been able to resist! And it was a very, very short peck anyway. Nothing important. Even if his beloved knew, he wouldn''t blame him!


    He sighed and got up again, turning away from Jing Yi before he could get any worse ideas. He went over to the pond and rummaged through his spatial ring until he had found a basin and a cup. He filled both of it with water and brought it back to Jing Yi.


    Putting both of it down next to him, he looked at his beloved again before turning away again. Uh, his beloved would also need something to eat. He didn''t have anything in his spatial ring so he''d need to go and search for it. Mn, he''d have to hurry though or his beloved would worry for him.


    Qiu Ling nodded to himself and soared into the sky, taking a look around to see if he could spot something from there. Who knew there might be a fruit ¡ª


    Uh? Weren''t that Fu Heng and Fu Min in that tree? And next to them ¡­ Qiu Ling frowned and rushed over, landing next to the three and glaring at them.


    "What are you doing here? Are you trying to watch my beloved?"


    Fu Min had the decency to lower his head and look guilty. Fu Heng ¡­ Argh, never mind that stupid newlywed! Naturally, he was looking at Fu Min and ignored even his king.


    Qiu Ling harrumphed and turned around to the third person that Fu Heng had very conscientiously distanced from Fu Min with his own body. Qiu Ling frowned. "What are you doing here?"


    Xin Lan frowned back at him. "You''ve only noticed us now? What kind of dragon are you? The two of you could have been dead ten times over if one of the demons attacked you."


    Qiu Ling raised his chin. "If it was a demon, I would have noticed. And I knew that Fu Min and Fu Heng were here anyway. So what are you doing here? Don''t think I wouldn''t have noticed that you didn''t answer my question. Is this because of the o¡ª"


    Xin Lan leaped to his feet, grabbed Qiu Ling by the collar and hauled him off the tree. This brat! Did he want to make the fact that his Master was still alive known to everyone? He followed him down and dragged him along, not caring at all that Qiu Ling was trying to scratch him with his claws.


    "You better shut up or I won''t tell you what I''ve come here for."


    "I don''t care anyway! My old man is already with the old geezer. He doesn''t need to bother me anymore!"


    Xin Lan finally let go of Qiu Ling and turned to look at him skeptically. He didn''t believe for a single moment that it was his Master that had bothered Qiu Ling. "I could also go and just inform His Majesty but I thought you might also want to know about this. After all, this might have to do with your beloved."


    "Ah? What is it?" Qiu Ling conveniently forgot what he had just said and leaned closer to Xin Lan. If this had to do with his beloved, then he would reluctantly listen to what this bastard had to say!


    "Jin Ling. He is planning something again. I don''t know the specifics yet but considering what happened the last time it won''t be anything good."

 Chapter 530 - Two Owls Huddled Together

    Qiu Ling frowned. Argh, this bastard Jin Ling again! And it had to be now of all times when he was finally making some progress with his beloved again! Couldn''t this guy just stay in his stupid demon realm and leave them alone?! Hadn''t he anything else to do? Like combing his damned copper-colored hair or admiring himself in a mirror or something?


    "What is he doing?"


    Xin Lan motioned toward Fu Min and Fu Heng. "I just wanted to ask the two of them that. They were spying in the demon realm before, weren''t they?"


    "So were you. So why would you need to ask them? And if you need to ask, then why are you so sure he is planning something?"


    Xin Lan didn''t bother to care about Qiu Ling''s accusatory tone. "I was in the Yun Zou Sect for a while to support His Majesty so I don''t know about the latest developments. But I saw him fumbling around with a black crystal so he was likely trying to contact somebody. With how Jin Ling is, I''m sure this has to do with the Yun Zou Sect."


    "Well ¡­ my beloved and I aren''t in the Yun Zou Sect right now." He turned away, not intending to care about this any longer.


    Xin Lan naturally wouldn''t let him. He grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pulled him back. "His Majesty is there though. As is your father. And you and your beloved will return there sooner or later, won''t you? So do you want some nasty surprise to wait for you there or would you rather work together with me to prevent that from happening?"


    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. "You''re just doing this for the old geezer."


    "I''m indeed doing this for His Majesty but it benefits you, doesn''t it?"


    "I could just ask Fu Min and Fu Heng myself. Wouldn''t that be the same?"


    "Not if you want me to help you from inside the demon realm. So will you keep quiet about His Majesty''s whereabouts in front of those two and let me ask?"


    Qiu Ling tightened his lips. Ugh. He definitely didn''t want to do this! He wanted to go and find something to eat for his beloved and then surprise him. He had to show him what a caring husband he was! Well, caring for him also meant making sure that he wouldn''t suffer in the future so ¡­


    "Alright." He freed himself from Xin Lan''s grasp and jumped back onto the tree, ignoring the two lovebirds crouching there.


    Xin Lan followed and turned to Fu Min. "Before the demon king caught you, you were investigating things in the demon realm, weren''t you? Do you know who he contacted and what they talked about?"


    Fu Min turned to look at Fu Heng and his ears turned red. His husband obviously wasn''t that pleased that his idol had come by and was talking to him. But this wasn''t his fault, was it? Senior Xin Lan had come by to ask something related to his mission. This was totally harmless!


    To make sure that Fu Heng wouldn''t misunderstand, Fu Min slid closer to him and grabbed his sleeve before looking away. Even if they asked him a hundred times, he wouldn''t answer! They could just ask Fu Heng. Hmph.


    Xin Lan stared at the small dragon in front of him and his brows twitched. That guy hadn''t been able to reign in his excitement when he saw him just a day ago and now he was acting like this? Did he have to be so fickle? At least wait until his Master was safe!


    Qiu Ling also frowned and reached out to shake Fu Min. Fu Heng reacted faster though. He pushed Fu Min behind him and glared back at his king.


    The two dragons looked at each other.


    "What is this supposed to mean? I''m your king! Shouldn''t you help me out?"


    "He''s my partner."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. Alright. He couldn''t argue against that. If this was about Jing He, he would also do the same. Although ¡­ "You''re being too much, Fu Heng! I don''t even want to hug him! I just want him to answer Xin Lan''s questions!"


    Fu Heng didn''t seem too convinced. Even if it was just answering a few questions, it was still answering the questions of his biggest love rival. If Fu Min didn''t want to do that, then he would happily help him to get around that.


    Qiu Ling frowned. Alright, talking to Fu Heng wouldn''t yield any result. That guy didn''t like talking anyway and it would probably get worse if it was about Fu Min. No, the only way to get this done was to go directly through Fu Min! He didn''t believe that he couldn''t make him talk! "Fu Min! Are you going to answer him or not?!"


    Fu Min looked at his king, looked at his husband and finally turned the other way, snuggling up against Fu Heng''s back for some support. Ah, as long as he didn''t look at their king and used Fu Heng as a shield, nothing could happen.


    Fu Heng''s lips curved up happily. Mn, being married was great. He reached to the back and gently patted Fu Min''s hands. His lover didn''t need to worry. He would definitely protect him. If he didn''t want to say anything, he didn''t need to. Not even their king could force him.


    The said king looked at the two of them and blinked. Sticking together like this and Fu Heng smiling like that ¡­ "You two look so stupid."


    The heads of three dragons swiveled around to him. Excuse them but who had been the one sitting together with his beloved down there, huddling together like two owls in winter?

 Chapter 531 - He Had to Hurry

    Qiu Ling couldn''t understand why those three would look at him like that but he didn''t care either way. Finally, Fu Min was looking over again! Now, he wouldn''t be able to get away!


    "Fu Min! What did you find out in the demon realm?! What is that bastard Jin Ling doing?!"


    Fu Min flinched and wanted to take cover behind Fu Heng again when he realized that there was no reason why he shouldn''t answer the question. After all, Fu Heng didn''t regard their king as his love rival, did he? There definitely was no need to. Not only that he had never even considered their king, wasn''t His Majesty crazy about the Son of Heaven anyway? Why shouldn''t he answer him? This wasn''t his idol asking.


    "Well, I don''t know that much. Just that he was talking to some unpleasant-looking man. They were talking about some sect and Tian and the demons. It was really strange."


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. "Tian?" Don''t tell him this had indeed to do with his beloved? Could it be Jin Ling had somehow found out about Jing He''s misconception about him? Ugh, he wouldn''t try to use this to separate them, would he?


    He pressed his lips together. Who was he kidding? If Jin Ling knew that Jing He had broken up with him because of a misunderstanding, then he would definitely use this to his own advantage! Heavens, knowing him it was totally possible that he would try to further the misunderstanding between them!


    Qiu Ling''s gaze flitted about before finally coming to rest on Fu Min and Fu Heng. Screw this conversation! He had to hurry! "You can speak about the rest with Xin Lan. I have something to do." He whirled around and this time, not even Xin Lan was fast enough to catch him. He vanished between the trees and ran to find something for his beloved to eat.


    He definitely wouldn''t waste his time with anything else if he knew that there was somebody around that would try to ruin his relationship. No, he had to make sure that Jing Yi would realize that there was no Tian as fast as possible.


    "It can''t be that hard." He looked around for some spiritual fruits and grabbed whatever he found without thinking any deeper about it. "We''ve experienced so much together. I just need to casually mention a few things and he should find out. I have to make sure that he doesn''t notice what I''m trying to do though or he might think I somehow found out about his memories. Mn ¡­ Maybe I should make up some reason for telling him."


    He stuffed some other fruits into his spatial ring before hurrying back to the clearing where he had left Jing Yi.


    When he reached there his beloved seemed to have woken up long ago. He had folded up the two blankets, washed his face and even changed his robes already. Qiu Ling stared at him and couldn''t help but look in the direction of the tree where the other three dragons were sitting. Never mind Fu Heng and Fu Min, that couple of lovebirds but Xin Lan wasn''t married yet. He wouldn''t have watched anything he shouldn''t, right?


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling and took a sigh of relief. Actually, he had already woken up when Qiu Ling got up. He hadn''t opened his eyes though. How could he? Wasn''t it awkward to face Qiu Ling after he snuggled up to him like that just some days after their breakup? No, he didn''t have the face to do that. Thus he had pretended to be still asleep to wait for a better opportunity. Who could have known ¡­ Things would turn out differently than he had expected?


    He had heard and felt everything. From when Qiu Ling put the blanket around him, over how he quietly busied about to get him some water so he wouldn''t need to kneel down at the side of the pond. Even that gentle kiss. He had been awake through all of that and his heart had beaten faster and faster. He had hardly managed to keep his eyes closed when Qiu Ling behaved like that.


    He had forced himself to do so, thinking that it was the best to keep things the way they were right now. Qiu Ling had finally accepted that they weren''t a couple anymore. Well, he might forget himself every now and then but it wasn''t as bad as in the beginning anymore. He couldn''t waver himself now. He definitely couldn''t become weak.


    Saying so was easy but actually following his own advice turned out to be even harder than he had thought. He might have been able to do so in the beginning when Qiu Ling was busying about. At least he could sit there and concentrate on what Qiu Ling was doing. But when he suddenly left ¡­


    He hadn''t been able to hold back for even a moment. His eyes had opened almost on their own and he had looked to where Qiu Ling had been right before, his heart beating wildly. When he couldn''t see him his whole world seemed to come crashing down.


    That kiss before ¡­ could it be that Qiu Ling had reconsidered? Had he decided that he didn''t need to stay around now that he knew how to fly or could at least figure it out on his own? Did he want to leave because of that? Had that been a farewell-kiss?


    He didn''t know but at least he couldn''t see Qiu Ling anywhere and there wasn''t any kind of message around. He had only been able to busy himself and then dilly-dally in the hope that Qiu Ling would come back. Now that he stepped onto the clearing ¡­


    His heart once again pounded faster. He felt the urge to run over and throw himself into Qiu Ling''s arms, to tell him how much he had been afraid that they wouldn''t see each other again.


    But just when he moved to do so he stopped himself. If he did what his heart told him to do ¡­ then what would happen to him and Tian? Could he just throw that relationship away and forget about the man that he had loved so much in his past life?

 Chapter 532 - He Didn’t Know the Answer

    Qiu Ling was just as stunned as Jing Yi. His beloved was already awake? Then did this mean his surprise hadn''t worked?! Oh no! Why did this have to happen now of all times when that bastard Jin Ling was trying something fishy? Ugh, this wasn''t good. He had to do something!


    He hurried over and pulled the fruits out of his spatial ring, presenting them to Jing Yi. "My ¡ª" He coughed and looked to the side. "Uh, my apologies for not returning sooner. I went to find something to eat for you. It took a little longer than expected."


    Jing Yi looked at him, his expression not changing at all.


    Qiu Ling paused. "Uh ¡­ You don''t like them?" He looked at the fruits in his hands and felt dumb. He had followed Jing Yi since his birth but he wasn''t even able to find something he''d like to eat. But his beloved had never seemed like a picky eater and what else was he supposed to get? There weren''t that many things around in the forest! Mn? Maybe it wasn''t about the fruits themselves?


    Qiu Ling tilted his head and examined them a little more closely. It seemed ¡­ they were a little dirty? He cleared his throat and motioned at the pond. "I ¡­ I''ll go and wash them for you." He didn''t wait for Jing Yi''s reply and just hurried over, washing the fruits meticulously.


    Mn, right, he should have thought of that before. His beloved was a very neat person. He didn''t like dirty things. Naturally, he wouldn''t eat something that hadn''t been cleaned. Ah, how could this have slipped his mind? He wasn''t careful enough! The next time, he''d need to pay more attention.


    While Qiu Ling was worrying about his lack of care, Jing Yi observed him, his own thoughts circling around his past and present life.


    He had given one promise to one man each. He couldn''t fulfill both at the same time. Back in the secret realm when he just remembered everything. Tian had felt so incredibly close to him that he hadn''t hesitated to decide on him. He had even broken up with Qiu Ling as soon as he left the secret realm.


    But now he had spent time with Qiu Ling again and even though he didn''t want to admit it at first, his heart wavered each time a little more. Looking into his eyes, seeing how he cared so much, listening to how he patiently guided him on the things he didn''t understand, feeling his warmth at night and taking in that familiar scent ¡­ All of that made his heart palpitate just as much as Tian had done in his past life. Maybe even more so.


    He looked at the crouched figure of that man that seemed so proud in front of others but showed him his silly side every day. There was nothing Qiu Ling wouldn''t do for him. That, he was sure of. Maybe the same was true for Tian but he didn''t actually know that. He didn''t know Tian himself. He was just ¡­ part of his memory. Part of a memory from another life that he had somehow acquired. Was that really reason enough to leave the man he had promised to stay together with for the rest of his life?


    Without noticing it himself, Jing Yi had followed Qiu Ling as if in a trance and only came to a halt when he stood behind him.


    What was right? What was wrong? Which man deserved his love? Whose love did he deserve?


    He didn''t know the answer to even one of these questions and he didn''t know whom to ask. Yu Jin had said to stay with Qiu Ling while his heart had said to stay with Tian. Part of it might have been his conscience because he had unwittingly broken an oath he had given. But why should what he had sworn in front of Tian count more than what he had sworn at Qiu Ling''s side? One had been in his past life, one in his present. One he hadn''t known about and the other had been given in full conscience.


    Which one to fulfill?


    He quietly knelt down beside Qiu Ling, once again examining that familiar face. This was the man he had fallen in love with, the one he had observed like this countless times already.


    His past self ¡­ He hadn''t even dared to lift his head in front of Tian. Maybe he had been timid, maybe he hadn''t dared to ever do something in his life. No, only Tian ¡­ The only thing he had dared to do was falling in love with a demon despite being a god. That should be honored, shouldn''t it?


    But at the same time, he, the him in this current life, had fallen in love with a dragon as a human. Someone mortal and someone immortal. Wasn''t that just as daring? Wasn''t that just as bold? How could he assign more worth to one of them?


    He didn''t want to compare. He didn''t want to measure. He just wanted to be happy with the one he loved. Whether it was Tian, whether it was Qiu Ling ¡­ He just wanted to not regret it, to look forward into a future with someone he loved and who loved him back.


    Maybe it would have been easier if he knew what had happened to Tian. Maybe if he knew what had happened back then, he would be able to decide. Maybe if he somehow found out ¡­ he could leave one of these men for good.


    "Qiu Ling."


    "Mn?" Qiu Ling turned around with a smile only to be confronted with a solemn expression. He gulped. "Is something wrong?"


    "I just wondered ¡­ as a dragon, what do you think a past life counts for? What do you think a promise given to somebody in another life means? Do you think ¡­ there is something like fate there? Something that will bring people together again?"

 Chapter 533 - One and the Same Person?

    Qiu Ling stared at Jing Yi, his heart beating wildly. Jing Yi''s eyes right now were especially earnest as if he needed this answer right now to go on living. Qiu Ling wanted to throw the fruits away, reach out and cup his cheek and then tell him: ''Yes, you''re right. There is fate between people and what happened in your past life will affect your current one. Jing Yi, no, Jing He, I know you''ve remembered part of your previous life. But you''ve misunderstood. There is no Tian. There is only me. Only us. Only Jing He and Qiu Ling. If you need me to, I''ll prove it to you.''


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t be that direct. It might have solved his problem but it could also bring him back to square one if Jing Yi didn''t believe him. He definitely couldn''t risk that now that Jin Ling somehow knew about their problems. He needed to make him waver some more first.


    He cleared his throat and carefully put the fruits aside before turning back to Jing Yi. "Past lives? Fate? It couldn''t be that you''ve remembered something from your past life, could it?" He looked intently at him, hoping that Jing Yi would pick up on the hint.


    Jing Yi''s gaze indeed flickered but he didn''t say anything. He just shook his head. He didn''t want to have to explain to Qiu Ling that that was the reason why he had broken up with him. Especially not if he''d need to tell him that his past lover had been a demon.


    Qiu Ling smiled wryly. Just why didn''t his beloved want to tell him about it? Well, even if he didn''t want to talk about it, he had still asked the question. This was an opportunity he could use.


    He picked up one of the fruits, took a cloth out of his spatial ring and dried it off before handing it to Jing Yi.


    "Oh. Thank you."


    Qiu Ling continued to smile. "You''re welcome. As for your question ¡­" He looked at the pond in front of them and sighed. "Do you remember back when we had just met and left the Yun Zou Sect so you could learn how to cultivate?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Yes. Of course. We were gone for almost a year."


    "Mn. In the beginning, I didn''t pay attention and that whirlwind was rushing toward the capital. I went after it to stop it but things had already gone too far and I had some trouble with it. In the end, I was trapped in my own inner self and only found out of there because of you."


    "Of course, I remember. I was there. But why ¡ª"


    "You''ve seen Jing He, haven''t you?"


    Jing Yi jolted and almost dropped the fruit. Jing He. There it was again, that name. Back then he had been incredibly jealous when he saw that person. Now, he knew that he had shared his name with him in his past life. It was strange thinking about it now.


    Qiu Ling curiously observed Jing Yi''s reaction. Ah, it seemed his beloved knew his name? Then did he know about the rest of his identity? How great!


    He hurriedly schooled his expression and looked away so as to not give himself away. He cleared his throat to get his voice under control and continued. "What you''ve seen there was the day I met Jing He. I ¡­ don''t remember that much of it. Just that I didn''t want to be there and that everything was getting on my nerves. Actually, I was just searching for a way to leave as soon as possible."


    Jing Yi laughed. "That sounds a lot like you."


    Qiu Ling couldn''t help but turn back to him and smile. "I''ve always loved it when you laugh."


    Jing Yi paused at Qiu Ling''s earnest gaze and looked away. Right. They weren''t a couple any longer even if he wavered. So what was he getting so comfortable for?


    Qiu Ling didn''t mind this small setback. Overall, he felt like he was making progress. After all, Jing Yi certainly wouldn''t have laughed a few days ago when they were together. Thus he happily continued even though he brought his smile down a notch.


    "Jing He never laughed while I was around."


    Jing Yi glanced over again, his heart squeezing. This sounded sad and ¡­ familiar. Just like the person he had been in his past life.


    "He was ¡­ of pretty high status among the gods. I guess he felt it wasn''t appropriate for him to do so. Even if he just caught himself smiling a little brighter, he would immediately turn serious again. It was a pity. Jing He had a very beautiful smile."


    Jing Yi tightened his lips. The longer Qiu Ling talked, the tighter his own chest seemed. This sounded so much like the him in his previous life. Was this really just a coincidence? Could it be that ¡­ he had misunderstood something?"


    Qiu Ling sighed. "Anyway, the day we met was actually some kind of banquet for his father. Uh ¡­ When I said Jing He was of high status, then I meant he had a really high status. His father ¡­ was actually the Heavenly Emperor."


    Jing Yi shook. He had remembered his parents from his past life and even though nobody had used any titles he still knew that they had been royalty. The Emperor ¡­ sounded like he would fit very well with that description. "The Heavenly Emperor ¡­ Who exactly would he be in the immortal realms?"


    Qiu Ling smiled. "The one ruling the Nine Heavens. He''s on par with the dragon and the demon king."


    Jing Yi gulped. The ruler of the Nine Heavens. Then his son ¡­ would be the next ruler. And his status ¡­ would be on par with the demon king. A perfect match considering just their status.


    It fit well. Too well. How could it be that what Qiu Ling said conformed with his memories of his past life? Could it really be ¡­ that the Jing He he had been and the Jing He that Qiu Ling had been in love with ¡­ were one and the same person? But how did Tian factor into this then?

 Chapter 534 - Being Playful

    While Jing Yi questioned what he knew about his current and his past life, Leng Jin Yu regretted what he had done in his life as Chun Yin. He reached out with trembling fingers but Jinde caught his hand and shook his head.


    "It''s not that bad. Just don''t look." He even smiled but that just made it worse.


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and cursed himself inside. Back then, back in his past life, why had he been that easily manipulated? Why hadn''t he stayed at Jinde''s side? Why hadn''t he protected him and made sure that something like this couldn''t happen?


    He opened his eyes again and once again looked at his lover. Jinde was perfect. Those slender limbs, that soft skin, the way he behaved with such elegance ¡­ Just looking at him could make someone lose their head. So how had someone been able to bear injuring him to this extent?


    He kissed Jinde''s hand before reaching out again, carefully tracing one of the black scars lining his abdomen. "Does it ¡­ Does it still hurt?"


    Jinde reached up, cupped his husband''s cheeks and lifted his head up to him. "You don''t have to force yourself."


    "I''m not. I just ¡­ I feel like this is my fault." He escaped from Jinde''s grasp and lowered his head, his forehead touching Jinde''s chest. Ah, he shouldn''t have allowed something like this to happen! What kind of man was he that he couldn''t even protect the person he loved?!


    Jinde sighed and combed through his hair. "I guess this means we won''t have sex now."


    Leng Jin Yu lifted his head. How was Jinde still in the mood to joke around?


    Jinde chuckled. "What? You think I''m being strange? Jin Yu. This isn''t anything that happened yesterday or even last year. It''s been thousands of years. It doesn''t hurt anymore, it doesn''t hinder me in anything I do. It''s just ¡­ It doesn''t look very nice. So how about you just forget about it?"


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. Wasn''t it too late for that? He had already seen. How could he just pretend he hadn''t? Although he could understand where Jinde was coming from. He had obviously always placed a high value on his appearance. That was why he hadn''t wanted to admit that he was older than him in the beginning. And if he was already afraid of being judged as old ¡­ Just how much would these scars bother him?


    He sat up and stroked one of them, trying not to look as pained. He had to give him the feeling that he didn''t love him less because of this. He had to reassure him so Jinde wouldn''t be hurt on another level. The physical pain, the pain to his soul ¡­ he had had to deal with that. He couldn''t hurt him emotionally now.


    "You know that this doesn''t change anything, don''t you?"


    Jinde smiled wryly. Hearing that ¡­ was really nice. Unfortunately, he knew full well that Leng Jin Yu didn''t really understand what this was about. He sighed and reached over, encircling his neck with his arms again.


    "I''m kind of happy you were too busy yesterday to notice. That would have really killed the mood."


    "I ¡­" Leng Jin Yu leaned down and kissed his forehead, then his lips. "I love you."


    Jinde chuckled. "I know that. Although ¡­ I don''t mind hearing that a few more times. It''s really nice. I didn''t have that opportunity too often with Chun Yin so you''ll have to make up for it. I think ¡­" He traced the line of Leng Jin Yu''s neck with his finger until he reached his clavicle. He looked up through his lashes and smiled. "Telling me three times a day might be a good start. Anything below that will get you into trouble."


    Leng Jin Yu blinked. Why did it feel ¡­ as if Jinde was teasing him again? Shouldn''t this have stopped now that they were married? "I ¡­"


    "I know. You agree. So what kind of punishment do you think we should administer if you forget about it?"


    "I ¡­"


    "That sounds good. A kiss for each time it is then."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. It seemed his lover wanted to play? "That doesn''t sound like a punishment at all. Aren''t you afraid I might ''forget'' about it on purpose if you threaten me with this?"


    "Well ¡­ you haven''t asked me what your reward for remembering it is."


    Leng Jin Yu laughed. "Alright, I should have expected it."


    "Still not curious?"


    "I think I''d like to be surprised." He pulled Jinde up against his chest and smiled.


    There was nothing he could do about Jinde''s injuries. Crying over spilled milk would just dampen the mood. That certainly wasn''t what Jinde needed right now. No, rather than that he should concentrate on making up for the lost time from their last life.


    "So what should we do today?"


    "Oh? Is my husband adventurous today?"


    Leng Jin Yu laid back down next to him. "Well, you''ve told me a lot about yourself already but we''ll need some time to get familiar with each other. Regardless of what was in my previous life, I''m not Chun Yin, after all. Doing something together should be helpful."


    "Mn. Yes, it''s just a pity that I can''t leave here." He turned around in his lover''s arms and propped his torso up on his elbows.


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but look at that butt sticking into the air. Alright, maybe it would be better if they got dressed.


    Jinde noticed his gaze and couldn''t help but tease him. "Do you like what you see? You know I wouldn''t mind continuing where we left off before. You promised me anyway."


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "I think I''ve already ruined the mood."


    "I don''t think it''d be so hard to repair it considering how you''ve looked at me just now."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled but didn''t agree.


    Jinde harrumphed and sat up. "Then I''d like to take a bath."


    "I''ll get you water." Leng Jin Yu immediately got up and picked up his robe from the floor, putting it on to prepare everything for his partner.


    Jinde watched him happily. Mn, this would be fun.

 Chapter 535 - The Right Way to Fight Back

    Leng Jin Yu went to fetch water and filled the tub behind the folding screen on the other side of the room bit by bit. Halfway through he turned to look at Jinde. His lover was still sitting there in all his glory and watching him run around with a smile.


    Leng Jin Yu went over. "Aren''t you cold? How about you put your robe on for the time being?" He picked up the inner robe before gently wrapping it around Jinde''s shoulders. "I''ll be finished soon." He kissed his cheek and hurried outside again to get another bucket of water.


    Jinde smiled and crossed his legs, making the robe open in the front. He definitely wouldn''t let his husband get away that easily.


    When Leng Jin Yu stepped into the room the next time, the first thing he saw was a pair of long legs and a dainty foot that blocked his way. He smiled wryly. "I feel like you''re doing this on purpose."


    Jinde leaned back and propped himself up on the bed. "I certainly am."


    Leng Jin Yu looked at him and sighed. Ah, what should he do? The person he had fallen in love with actually liked to seduce him this much. He should probably get used to this soon. After all, he couldn''t make Jinde stop and there was no way to resist him either.


    He sighed and brought the bucket over to the tub, filling in the rest of the water. Mn, this should be enough for Jinde? Ah, it was still too cold though. He reached in and warmed it up with his spiritual energy.


    "You could get in now if you want." He turned back and was met with Jinde''s beautiful smile.


    His lover got up and slowly walked up to him, his lips curving even further when he stopped in front of him. Jinde reached out and gently touched his chest, tiptoeing to kiss his lips. "Thank you, my husband. Showing me so much care ¡­"


    "It''s what I should do." Leng Jin Yu grabbed him by the hips and leaned down, giving him a kiss in return. "You should get in now or the water will get cold again. Tell me if it''s not hot enough. I''ll heat it up some more."


    "Mn." Jinde moved his lips and the thin inner robe slipped from his shoulders, falling down to his hips where it was only held in place thanks to his lover''s hands.


    Leng Jin Yu stared at him and his lips curved up. "I guess I fell for it."


    "I hope you fell for me."


    Jinde grabbed the lapel of Leng Jin Yu''s robe and tried to pull it to the side. Unfortunately, his lover had already closed it. Jinde hummed and set out to open it again. "Ah, it''s a pity I can''t use my claws anymore. This could have gone so much faster." He glanced up through his lashes and caught Leng Jin Yu smiling. "Oh? You like the idea?"


    "I like you." He reached down and helped him open the robe, pushing it to the ground together with Jinde''s.


    Jinde wrapped his arms around his waist and snuggled up against his chest. "Ah, my husband ¡­"


    "Alright, alright. You already got your wish. Let''s get in now or you''ll get cold."


    Jinde chuckled, let go of his lover and stepped into the tub. "You know, you don''t have to worry this much. I might have been injured and will need time to heal but I''m not frail to that extent. Didn''t I say that the dragons were the strongest race in respect to their physique?" He sat down in the tub, leaning to the side to make space for Leng Jin Yu.


    "You did say something like that. But does that mean I can''t worry about you?" He leaned down and propped himself up on the edge of the tub, smiling at Jinde.


    "Of course not. But if you''re so worried, then the only thing you can do is to stay very, very close to me. So get in already." He reached out and grabbed onto Leng Jin Yu''s arm, trying to pull him in.


    Unfortunately, his lover didn''t seem like he wanted to make it easy for him this time. Jinde pursed his lips.


    "Is this your revenge? That''s so mean! How can you be like this to your lover? Didn''t you say you wanted to care for me?"


    Leng Jin Yu grinned. "But that''s what I''m doing. I''m making sure this won''t get too much for you."


    Jinde leaned back and examined his husband''s face. Ah, look at this! His husband actually had such a teasing side to him. How utterly ¡­ enticing!


    He leaned back even further, submerging himself almost completely in the water. It didn''t serve to cover his body that well though. After all, Leng Jin Yu had just used plain water. Jinde didn''t care. That wasn''t what he had in mind anyway. Instead, he lifted one foot and placed it on the other side of the tub''s edge, just where Leng Jin Yu stood.


    "That is too thoughtful of you, my husband. I can''t thank you enough. Maybe ¡­ I should reciprocate?" He stretched his leg even further and his toe brushed Leng Jin Yu''s leg. "We wouldn''t want you to suffer because I''m so frail, would we?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked down at that foot and sighed before catching it. "I guess I''m defenseless against you."


    "Ah, that''s not it. You just ¡­ haven''t found the right method to fight back yet." Jinde smirked and reached out again, accurately grabbing onto his wrist this time. "Now, get in here. We''re a newly-wedded couple. How can you make your husband suffer this much?"


    Leng Jin Yu laughed and stepped into the tub, moving to sit next to Jinde.


    Just then a knock sounded from the door.


    The two of them froze and stared incredulously at each other. They had played around for so long and now that they finally reached this part, someone actually came to disturb them?

 Chapter 536 - Two Guests

    Jinde reached up and cupped Leng Jin Yu''s face. "Don''t you dare to go out there now."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "Shouldn''t we at least make sure who it is? What if it''s my Master? Or Longjun?"


    "Qiu Ling wouldn''t come over right now. He''s busy with his beloved and he knows that we''re together. As for your Master ¡­" He leaned closer and his breath brushed Leng Jin Yu''s face. "Don''t tell me he''s more important than your husband."


    "Nobody is more important than you."


    "Then forget about it." Jinde craned his neck and kissed him.


    In front of the door, two dragons turned to look at each other.


    "Maybe he isn''t in?" Fu Heng looked at the house and then up at the path leading upward next to it.


    "Then what should we do? Wait?"


    "I don''t think that would be a good idea. Since he is part of the sect he should be somewhere around here. Let''s see if we can find someone who knows where he went."


    Fu Min nodded and also took a look around. His brows furrowed. "Isn''t that the guy the demon king was talking to?" He pointed at the general area of the inner sect that was situated further down the path.


    Fu Heng turned around and narrowed his eyes. There were already some Disciples up and about. At the edge of the square stood Qiguan Cheng Da. He hadn''t seen the two dragons and was instead talking to another disciple, smiling brightly.


    "Indeed."


    "Then should we contact Senior Xin Lan?" Fu Min looked up at his husband, holding onto his arm as a precaution.


    Fu Heng furrowed his brow but still nodded in the end. "Let''s do that then." He took out a transmission stone from the gem embedded in his belt and imbued his spiritual energy.


    The pale image of Xin Lan sprang up, his silvery-white eyebrows drawn together. He certainly hadn''t expected to hear from the two of them this fast. Hadn''t it only been a few minutes since they went to the Yun Zou Sect? "What happened? Did you find him already?"


    Fu Heng frowned at the other dragon. He really didn''t like talking to his love rival but he also understood that they had no other choice right now. "No, we found the house where he''s supposed to live but nobody is in."


    Xin Lan''s brows knitted together even further. Not in? He couldn''t believe that. His Master couldn''t leave the house and, certainly, that men wouldn''t leave him alone right after the wedding. "Are you sure nobody is there?"


    Fu Heng nodded.


    "Try again. If nobody answers, just open the door and go in." He wasn''t afraid that the two might see his Master.


    Even if Jinde hadn''t told Leng Jin Yu the whole truth, he should have at least told him that he couldn''t be seen by anyone from the dragon race. So if that man was really worthy of his Master, he would make sure that the two of them wouldn''t get a chance to meet him.


    Fu Heng frowned and cut off the connection. Fu Min wasn''t too happy with his behavior. Weren''t they already married? Why would he still behave like that? At the very least, Senior Xin Lan was his savior. He should be treated with corresponding respect. Even though he thought that, he didn''t dare to speak this thought out loud. Thus he just watched as Fu Heng turned back to the door and knocked again.


    The two men inside hadn''t let down their guard. Jinde furrowed his brows at the second knock.


    "It seems whoever it is, is serious about this." He leaned back with a sigh, let go of his lover and waved in the direction of the door. "Go on then. See who it is and what they want. I wouldn''t want to make trouble for my husband."


    Leng Jin Yu examined Jinde''s face. If this wasn''t important ¡­ He sighed and stepped out of the tub. "I''ll be back in a minute. Just relax for while." He picked up his robe and got dressed before hurrying to the door.


    He reached just in time to see a red-headed man opening the door. The two of them stared at each other in surprise.


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but sweat-drop. If he had just been a little slower, this man would have surprised him and Jinde in the tub. Just thinking of it ¡­ Furthermore, it was obvious that the other was a dragon. One just needed to take a look at his hair and eyes to know.


    Fu Heng likewise looked at the person in front of him before he turned to Fu Min. He didn''t mind his partner talking to other men as long as it wasn''t that Senior Xin Lan of all people. Naturally, he wouldn''t prevent him from doing this task.


    Fu Min peeked out behind his husband and curiously look at the human in front of them. Or, well, the ascended deity. He hadn''t seen too many of them yet so he couldn''t help but be a little curious.


    At first glance, the man had a tidy appearance. Black hair was flowing down his back while a white robe covered his body. A closer look revealed some tell-tale creases in the fabric though. Fu Min couldn''t help but raise his brows. "You are ¡­ Leng Jin Yu?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and looked from one dragon to the other, subconsciously smoothing out the wrinkles in his sleeves. "I am. May I ask what brings me the honor of receiving two guests of the dragon race?"


    Fu Min motioned to the door behind them. "Do you know of a disciple called Qiguan Cheng Da?"


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. "I do. Is this about the Son of Heaven?"


    The two dragons shared a glance. Senior Xin Lan had told them that Leng Jin Yu knew about the issue with the crown prince. They hadn''t expected him to catch onto the problem this fast though.


    Fu Min finally nodded. "Indeed. We found out that he is providing the demon king with information. Senior Xin Lan of our race told us to come and inform you of this." He couldn''t help but frown saying that. Their king obviously wasn''t in the Yun Zou Sect at the moment. Why had Senior Xin Lan wanted them to inform this person? Since His Highness was with their King, there shouldn''t be any reason to worry about what was happening here.


    Leng Jin Yu also furrowed his brows. Xin Lan? In that case, this most likely didn''t have to do with the crown prince at all. Don''t tell him the demon king was actually after Jinde?

 Chapter 537 - Too Heavy-Handed

    Leng Jin Yu glanced at the corridor behind him but, naturally, he couldn''t go and ask Jinde now. He first had to deal with the two dragons in front of him. "Alright, I know now. Thank you for your effort and please also convey my thanks to Senior Xin Lan. This information is very valuable to us." He cupped his fists and bowed slightly, hoping that the two would get the hint and leave.


    Fu Heng nodded and turned to his partner to see if he wanted to go. Fu Min didn''t seem like it though. He couldn''t help but take a closer look at Leng Jin Yu. Even though this person seemed calm at first glance, his brows were drawn together slightly and he obviously avoided looking at them. Huh. Why was he worrying so much?


    "His Majesty is still with the Son of Heaven."


    Leng Jin Yu glanced at the blond dragon in front of him and nodded. "I see."


    "So ¡­" He glanced at Fu Heng, urging him to provide him with an idea. Something was obviously fishy here.


    Fu Heng met his partner''s gaze and understood instantly. They had spent so many years together and he had paid a lot of attention to him so he didn''t have trouble to guess what he wanted.


    He turned back to Leng Jin Yu. "Senior Xin Lan only told us to inform you but considering that His Majesty and the Son of Heaven aren''t here at the moment, this might be a good opportunity to act. So what should we do?"


    Leng Jin Yu lowered his hands. Why wouldn''t those two leave? "I ¡ª"


    "How about inviting us in?" Fu Min smiled brightly and motioned down the corridor.


    Leng Jin Yu gritted his teeth. Seriously? Why was this happening now of all times? Hadn''t he just promised Jinde that he would be back soon? Well, he could hardly tell them to go outright.


    He cleared his throat and pretended not to have heard Fu Min. "I don''t think it would be wise to act. Qiguan Cheng Da was pulled into this because of the crown prince''s trial and he is human. It is neither our duty nor do we have the right to do anything to him. That would be the task of the humans or, more precisely, the Yun Zou Sect."


    "The Yun Zou Sect doesn''t know though."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Then I''ll find a way to let them know. Other than that we shouldn''t interfere with this though."


    "Mn." Fu Heng glanced at Fu Min to see if he still wanted more time.


    "Then ¡­ Will you also keep an eye on him?"


    Leng Jin Yu suppressed a sigh. Were all dragons this talkative? Or had such a bad sense of timing? Longjun had also managed to interrupt him and Jinde just when they had been getting closer.


    He forced himself to smile. "Certainly."


    "Ah, that''s good then." Fu Min smiled back at him and nudged his husband.


    "Mn, yes. If there is anything we can do ¡­"


    "Thank you for the offer but I don''t think that will be necessary. I am already in the Yun Zou Sect, after all, and am regarded as a disciple. Me being here and having an eye on him won''t be suspicious. If you got involved though ¡­"


    Fu Min smiled even more brightly. "Don''t worry about that! We could just glamor our appearances." He turned to his husband. "How about you be His Majesty and I''ll be His Highness? People probably wouldn''t notice the difference."


    Fu Heng stared at his partner. No one would notice the difference? So in Fu Min''s mind, he was actually as strange as His Majesty?


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips also twitched. Even if those two changed their appearances, he doubted that it would work out. At least not in that constellation. Considering what he had seen just in the short time since meeting them the red-haired dragon would probably fit Zhong Jing Yi''s quieter temperament better while the other one ¡­ Well, he wasn''t as strange as Longjun but still quirky enough to imitate him at least for a while.


    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat again. "Really, that shouldn''t be necessary. Furthermore, Grandmaster Zhangsun and Sect Master Yuchi know that Longjun and Zhong Jing Yi are out."


    Fu Min pursed his lips. This guy was such a tough nut to crack! Just what was going on here? "Uh ¡­ How about ¡ª"


    "Jin Yu!" From inside the house, a whiny voice sounded. "What are you doing out there this long? Didn''t you promise you''d be back in a minute? It''s been so long already ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu''s ears reddened and he gulped. Ah, Jinde ¡­ He should have expected this, shouldn''t he? He smiled wryly at the two dragons in front of him who were looking back at him with blank expressions. They certainly hadn''t expected this!


    Jinde wasn''t even finished though. After lamenting for a moment, his approach got a little more forceful. "What kind of husband are you? It''s only the first day after our wedding and you''re letting me wait this long! Come back here already! Or do you want me to get out of here and put my clothes back on?!"


    Fu Heng wordlessly turned around, grabbed Fu Min''s arm and pulled him out of the house, closing the door behind them. Ah, as a newly-wedded man himself, he definitely didn''t want to be the reason another man got into trouble with his partner.


    Inside the house, Leng Jin Yu facepalmed. Alright, it was his own fault for not being able to drive those two off fast enough. But had Jinde really needed to be this heavy-handed? Half of that should have sufficed. Well, that wasn''t important now.


    He went back to Jinde''s room, picking up a chair on the way.


    Hearing his husband approach, Jinde happily sat up in the tub, slipping to the side to make room for him. "Finally! I thought you''d ¡­" He stopped when he saw the chair in his lover''s hand. "Uh ¡­ Jin Yu, my dear, what is that thing for?"

 Chapter 538 - If You’d Let Me Take a Look …

    While trouble was approaching for Jinde, Jing Yi was also having trouble with his situation. He stared at Qiu Ling''s face, cursing his previous self inwardly for never looking at Tian''s face or inquiring more about him. How was he supposed to judge this without knowing more about the situation?


    Qiu Ling quietly requited his beloved''s gaze. He felt that Jing Yi was struggling but there was nothing he could do for the moment. He had already provided so many clues. Now it was up to Jing Yi to draw his conclusions and ask for more. Thus he just waited.


    Jing Yi looked at the pond next to them, his thoughts in disarray. He knew that something was wrong, that something didn''t fit but he couldn''t make any sense out of this.


    He turned to Qiu Ling and opened his mouth to speak up but in the end, he didn''t know what to say. He couldn''t just ask him if he knew about Tian, could he? Or maybe ¡­


    Jing Yi looked up again, meeting Qiu Ling''s dark gaze. "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "Yes?"


    "Have you ¡­ ever heard about someone called ''Tian''?"


    Qiu Ling gazed at his beloved, his lips almost curving into a smile. So he finally dared to bring him up, huh? Well, that was good.


    Jing Yi held his breath. Why wasn''t Qiu Ling saying anything? Could it be that he didn''t know him? Or could it be that he did and that their relationship was bad? In that case ¡­ Wouldn''t this trouble their own relationship even more?


    His heart throbbed at the thought. If he was honest with himself, then Qiu Ling still meant a lot to him. He didn''t want to lose him. And somehow he had still hoped that they could see each other every now and then even if he went to the demon realm with Tian. If that wasn''t possible ¡­ He would really miss him.


    Qiu Ling finally sighed. "Tian, it is? Of course, I''ve heard of him. Jing He is a trueborn god, after all, and that story is pretty popular among them. He told me about it when we ¡­ could be considered friends, I guess?"


    "A story?" Jing Yi blinked in confusion. What did Qiu Ling mean? Could it be ¡­ Had his past life been so long ago that even Qiu Ling and his Jing He had only heard of the things from back then in stories? Had his Tian become that important that people actually still talked about him? Then maybe the Jing He that Qiu Ling had fallen in love with had liked that story because he shared the same name with Tian''s lover. Maybe he had even been given that name because of him.


    That might explain things. What he had thought of as coincidences weren''t coincidences at all. They would all have to do with the fact that this Jing He and that were linked through their names. Well, their names and maybe even their heritage. They might very well be related.


    Qiu Ling motioned to the sky. "According to Jing He, Tian is Heaven, the one who stands above the immortal races. It''s said he had a lover called Xing who was from the gods."


    "Xing?" Jing Yi frowned. How could this be? His name had clearly been Jing He in that life!


    His heart throbbed once again and he couldn''t help but reach up and rub the spot.


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Does it hurt?" He leaned down to Jing Yi and gently grabbed his shoulders while peering into his face to search for any sign of discomfort.


    Jing Yi indeed didn''t look too well. He seemed a little pale and his eyes were widened as if he was spooked.


    Qiu Ling rubbed his cheek and his own head drooped. "I''m sorry. It''s my fault."


    "Ah?" Jing Yi looked up and shook his head. "No. What are you even talking about? I ¡­ It doesn''t hurt. I just ¡­ I was in thoughts and ¡ª"


    "Leng Jin Yu ¡ª" Qiu Ling glanced at the sky and cleared his throat. "Uh, that senior martial brother Yu Jin told me that there might be some problem with your soul."


    "Huh?" Jing Yi was startled. "Senior martial brother Yu? Why would he say something like that?"


    Qiu Ling''s gaze flitted about. Ah, he couldn''t say anything wrong now! He had already blurted out his father''s real name just now without thinking. If he said anything suspicious now, then he might as well tell Jing Yi the whole story and hope that he would understand it and believe him.


    Mn ¡­ He considered doing exactly that but finally still decided against it. No, it was too risky. He had to take a look at Jing He''s soul at least before he tried that.


    "Well, you remember that he wanted to talk to us? Before you left for the mission?"


    "Ah, right. But wasn''t that about ¡ª" Us? He didn''t dare to finish his sentence and just glanced away.


    Qiu Ling murmured an agreement. "Yes. Uh, the thing is ¡­ this likely happened while you were in the secret realm and it could make some trouble in the future so it would be better if someone took a look at it."


    "And ¡­ that someone should be you?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Mn. You don''t know but the dragons are naturally talented in regards to souls because ¡­ Well, it''s a natural talent." He hurriedly looked to the side so he wouldn''t give himself away. Not even the real Jing He in the Nine Heavens knew that he had bound his soul to him. That was something he wanted him to find out under more favorable circumstances. Mn, some time when it was really romantic ¡­


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling and his lips curved up in a smile. He had that look again. The one that said he was imagining some weird things again. "Qiu Ling. What about my soul now?"


    Qiu Ling''s eyelids fluttered and he resurfaced from his thoughts. "Uh, right, your soul. Well, I could take a look if you''d let me. Just to ¡­ make sure everything is alright."


    "Alright."


    Qiu Ling blinked. "Really? But ¡­ we''re not a couple anymore. Are you sure you ¡­"


    Jing Yi continued to smile. "We might not be a couple anymore but you''re still the person I trust the most." His lips curved up a little further. "Well, after my mother maybe."

 Chapter 539 - I’ve Only Ever Wanted You

    Qiu Ling''s lips twitched. So he still ranked behind Madam Zhong in his beloved''s heart ¡­


    Seeing his gaze, Jing Yi couldn''t help but laugh. "You''re looking so down. Don''t tell me you really mind it so much?"


    Qiu Ling''s expression blanked. "Did you ¡­ Did you just tease me?"


    Jing Yi stopped laughing and looked away as if he suddenly felt uncomfortable. Qiu Ling''s gaze flickered. Could it be ¡­ Was this Jing Yi warming up to him again? Was he already reconsidering his decision even though he didn''t know the whole truth yet?


    Qiu Ling reached out and gently took his hand. Jing Yi wanted to draw back but when Qiu Ling didn''t let go, he paused and looked up at him.


    "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "That ¡­ That you broke up with me, that didn''t really have to do with that Yu Jin, had it?"


    Jing Yi stared at him in a daze. How had he suddenly ¡­


    "It is something else. Something that happened in the secret realm but it wasn''t related to him."


    "I ¡ª"


    "You don''t have to say it." Qiu Ling rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb and smiled. "I told you I wouldn''t pressure you. If you don''t want to be with me, then I won''t bother you. I will just ¡­ quietly stay at your side. I''m alright with that. In case you ever reconsider ¡­ I''ll be there. And I''ll still be there if you don''t. Even if you don''t think that way, in my opinion, us being together is fate."


    "Qiu Ling." Jing Yi''s gaze grew gentler.


    Qiu Ling didn''t wait for his answer though. He patted his hand and slid closer. "Alright, let''s not talk about this for now. Let''s take a look at your soul first. Making sure that you''re alright is the most important."


    "Mn. Thank you."


    "Don''t mention it." Qiu Ling brushed his hair back with a smile. "Then ¡­ Could I ¡­ hold you?"


    "Ah?"


    "I mean ¡­" Qiu Ling looked up at the sky. "Dragons are quite good at this but ¡­ it''s still difficult to do. I can''t guarantee that you won''t feel any pain at all and we can''t let you recoil or I might accidentally injure you so ¡­ It would be best if you could just ¡­" He stopped talking and tightened his lips.


    Alright, this totally sounded as if he wanted to take advantage of Jing Yi. Mn, maybe he actually wanted to take advantage of him but it wasn''t like his words weren''t true. Holding him in his arms would make this easier.


    Jing Yi examined Qiu Ling''s face. It seemed ¡­ he was serious about this? "Well, if it''s better that way ¡­" He slid closer, his heart speeding up. He couldn''t help but look up at those dark eyes and his breath caught. Was this really alright? Wouldn''t that make things even more difficult? But this was something that had to be done. He couldn''t refuse ¡­


    He reached out and his fingertips touched Qiu Ling''s chest, feeling the smooth surface of his robe. They both gulped. Qiu Ling gently took his wrist and pulled him closer, their breath mixing while they still held each other''s gaze.


    The closer he got, the faster his heart beat and Jing Yi''s cheeks couldn''t help but flush. He had thought he understood what love was after remembering Tian but right now, he felt that maybe the difference between him in this life and him in his past life had simply been their age.


    When Qiu Ling approached him back then he had merely been fifteen, hardly old enough to understand what was going on. The year after that had been spent getting to know each other and then there had been the time in the Hei Dian Sect where he felt like things were moving faster, going in another direction, a direction he didn''t know and was still a little hesitant to explore.


    He certainly had never felt this kind of feeling in proximity to Qiu Ling while his previous self seemed to have felt it a lot of times when he was with Tian. But then again his past self had been older than him. And now, after five years had passed while he was in the secret realm, he suddenly felt that he could comprehend very well what had been happening with him in his past life. This kind of attraction ¡­ was a little different from the one he had felt for Qiu Ling before.


    Qiu Ling waited. He wanted to see what Jing Yi would do. Whether he would decide for him here and now. Unfortunately, Jing Yi just stared at him, his gaze torn between confusion and longing.


    Qiu Ling finally couldn''t take it any longer. He leaned over, his warm breath caressing Jing Yi''s skin. He raised a hand, cupped his cheek and finally, their lips met in a short kiss. They broke apart a few moments later, both of them lowering their gazes, unable to look each other in the eye for now.


    "We shouldn''t do this."


    "You make it sound as if we were hurting somebody. There''s just us."


    "No, I ¡ª"


    "Sh." Qiu Ling pressed a finger against Jing Yi''s lips when he wanted to bring up the person he loved. At this moment, he definitely didn''t want to hear it. "It''s alright. Just treat it ¡­ as me being unruly and not respecting your boundaries if you feel the need to justify."


    Jing Yi looked up at him, his gaze flickering. "You''ve lived for so long. Have you never felt unsure about how to proceed? Was there never a time when you didn''t know what you wanted?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "I''ve only ever wanted you." He pulled Jing Yi into his arms and hushed him when he wanted to speak up. "Don''t. I know you''re unsure. Even if you don''t say it, I can feel that. I''ve known you long enough, after all. So just take your time and find out what you truly want. I''ll be here until that moment and even afterward. For now, let''s really take care of your soul."

 Chapter 540 - A Beautiful Soul

    Qiu Ling tightened his grasp on Jing Yi until their bodies seemed to stick together.


    Jing Yi could feel Qiu Ling''s heartbeat at his back. It was steady but faster than normal. Regardless of what he said this embrace was obviously agitating him. But who was he to judge? His own heart raced. The warmth transmitted from Qiu Ling''s body made him sweat and he couldn''t help but incline his head toward him, hoping to get a glimpse at his face.


    His wish got fulfilled. Qiu Ling leaned forward, his cheek touching Jing Yi''s while his eyes closed. He seemed concentrated as if there was nothing in this world that could distract him. One of his arms snaked around Jing Yi''s waist and secured him in place while his other hand came to rest on his chest.


    Jing Yi took a trembling breath. Qiu Ling''s hand seemed heavy as if he could already feel the impact it might have on his soul. Or maybe it was his heart that would be impacted. He didn''t know for sure.


    "Try to relax. I know it''s not that simple but ¡­ that will make this easier."


    "Alright." Jing Yi bit his lower lip. Why did he sound so breathless? It wasn''t like Qiu Ling had never hugged him before. There was no reason to feel like this.


    "You ¡­ If you''re feeling uncomfortable like this ¡ª"


    "No. It''s ¡­ alright." Jing Yi looked away when he repeated his previous words. What was he doing here? How could this be alright? Qiu Ling and he, they were stuck together like this even though they had officially broken up. This couldn''t be a good idea!


    "If you want to sit differently ¡­" Qiu Ling''s eyes opened slightly and his grab on Jing Yi unwittingly tightened. Ah, he had said he''d wait but being this close just made him realize how much he craved his touch. Why couldn''t they forget about this stupid thing with Tian and ¡ª


    Ah, wait, that wasn''t important now. He first had to check Jing He''s soul.


    Qiu Ling cleared his throat. "Alright, if you don''t mind it, then I''ll start now. I''ll be as careful as possible. If it hurts ¡­ Just grab my hand and squeeze, alright? Or maybe bite me if it helps or ¡ª"


    "It''s alright." Jing Yi patted the hand on his waist, leaned his head back onto Qiu Ling''s shoulder and also closed his eyes.


    This had to be done. There really wasn''t any reason to act so coyly. He should just let Qiu Ling do what he intended to do. After all, it was true what he had said before: He did trust him. Actually, he trusted him just as much as he trusted his mother. In his heart, there wasn''t any separation between them. They were both a very important part of his life.


    Jing Yi''s eyes cracked open and he watched the white clouds float across the sky. Indeed. He thought of Qiu Ling as important as his mother. Shouldn''t this already tell him what his heart wanted? He glanced at him but Qiu Ling wasn''t looking back. He seemed completely absorbed in his current task. Well, there was no reason to decide anything right now. He should at least wait until Qiu Ling had finished. Thus he closed his eyes again and surrendered himself to Qiu Ling''s hands.


    The dragon king didn''t start immediately. He tried to feel for the other dragons'' presence to see if there was somebody close by who could help if something happened. Unfortunately, he only sensed Xin Lan.


    His lips twitched. His two so-called trusted aides had disappeared and only the person that hated him was left. Great. If they got attacked while he examined Jing He''s soul ¡­ Ah, but there was nothing he could do. And even if Xin Lan hated him, his father was back and had certainly married the old geezer already. So he could be considered his stepson, couldn''t he? Xin Lan should at least want to save his life.


    With that thought, he stopped caring about their surroundings, silently regarding the task of guarding them as Xin Lan''s, and concentrated on Jing He''s soul.


    He pulled him yet a little closer and reached out with his energy, feeling for the intangible thing that was his soul. He didn''t need long. In fact, just taking a casual look was enough. After all, part of his soul was bound to Jing He''s. He just had to search for this part of his soul and he would automatically find Jing He''s soul.


    He took a moment to admire it. Jing He''s soul was of a half-transparent, silvery-white that seemed to twinkle with little stars. In the dragon realm, this kind of soul would be regarded highly. It was something very beautiful.


    His own soul instead ¡­ Qiu Ling really wanted to sigh. It was black for the most part, actually a very fitting match for Jing He''s pretty white soul but, unfortunately, there were a few red streaks mixed inside. Even the part that he had used to bind to Jing He''s soul had one of those streaks as if it wanted to remind him that even when he managed to attain Jing He''s heart and start his own family with him, he would never be able to escape his own origin.


    No, he couldn''t deny that his mother was part demon. He couldn''t deny that he himself had some demon blood even though it was only a little amount. Those ugly red streaks would be proof of that forever. There was no way to eradicate them and have his soul finally match Jing He''s. This would forever be a stain on his life.


    Qiu Ling frowned and pushed the thought aside. As long as Jing He could accept him even though he was part demon, it didn''t matter to him. His mother was long dead and he himself felt more like a dragon than like a demon. In fact, he had the demons to the bones. They had been the ones to take his family from him, after all.


    Well, that was long in the past. Now, only Jing He was important. He was his family now and he would stay his family in the future. This time the demons wouldn''t ruin this.


    Qiu Ling''s lips curved up in a smile and he gently wrapped his beloved''s soul in a layer of his own energy. He had to make sure that nothing bad would happen to this one family member he had found for himself. His beloved, his reason to live ¡­ he couldn''t let him suffer any harm.

 Chapter 541 - My Love Shall Remain

    When the soul was covered with his energy, Qiu Ling heaved a first sigh of relief. Now, he wouldn''t carelessly hurt him. Even if some problem came up, he could immediately shield the soul with his own energy. Nothing would happen to Jing He. Not that that would make him risk anything.


    He carefully used his senses to get a clearer image of the surface of Jing He''s soul. Looking from this close the soul that first seemed intangible had an actual form. It was ellipsoid although the edges were feathered out and only the innermost core could be called a firm body.


    Qiu Ling perused the outermost layer, hoping to find whatever inscription Jing He had written there. Unfortunately, he couldn''t find anything. His beloved''s soul was like shimmering, white fog that hadn''t been disturbed by anyone. It was perfectly suspended inside his spiritual self with no spot being any different from the others.


    Qiu Ling''s brows drew together. In that case, he''d have to look deeper.


    He inclined his head until his lips almost touched Jing Yi''s skin. "Jing''er, this might hurt a bit now."


    His beloved didn''t answer but he was sure that he had heard him. He gave him a moment to prepare himself and then entered deeper into his soul.


    Jing Yi''s brows knitted together but he didn''t actually feel pain. It was more of an uncomfortable feeling but even that lessened after a moment. He unwittingly opened his eyes and looked up at the sky. Was this because Qiu Ling was so careful? Or did it actually not hurt that much to have somebody look at your soul?


    While he pondered the issue, Qiu Ling slowly sifted through Jing He''s soul, looking out for any signs of change. He had seen Jing He''s soul when he bound his own to him and even though he hadn''t taken that much time, he still felt that he had a good grasp of how it was supposed to look. Well, with Jing He''s soul being of just one color, it shouldn''t be too hard to spot a difference anyway.


    His expression darkened the further he searched though. Don''t tell him Jing He had actually engraved the core of his soul? Didn''t he know how dangerous that was?! He gritted his teeth but there was nothing he could do. Jing He had already done what he had done. It couldn''t be changed anymore.


    Qiu Ling closed in on the soul''s core even more carefully, gently weaving his energy through the different layers of the soul, trying to touch it as seldom as possible. Who knew if part of it had fractured because of his use of the soul-engraving dagger? He couldn''t let any injuries get even bigger just because he didn''t pay attention.


    He finally reached the core but only stared blankly for a moment. At first glance, it seemed normal. Only at a second glance did he notice the fine lines of the engraving.


    Qiu Ling gulped and reached out but didn''t touch the lines in the end. He couldn''t help but stare at them though, following the flow of the strokes and taking in the words.


    Part of your soul has become mine so henceforth I shall be yours. Whether the blue seas turn into mulberry fields or the High Heavens and deepest pits of hell change place, my love shall remain. For this life and all those following after, this soul shall only recognize one man.


    "Jing He ¡­" Qiu Ling''s gaze softened while his brows drew together in pain.


    Each stroke of this engraving was done clearly as if Jing He had pushed the blade into his soul, shifted it and then pulled it out again all without the slightest hesitation. They didn''t seem any different from the calligraphy he normally did with a brush. As if this ¡­ was a matter of course to him. As if it didn''t hurt at all.


    Qiu Ling''s hands trembled. It didn''t hurt a dragon if they parted their soul since they had been changed to do so. But Jing He wasn''t a dragon. He was a god. Their souls had a firm core, a sphere surrounding it and a layer of spiritual energy to protect both of it. Their souls were fragile and easily hurt and any small fracture could weaken them considerably.


    How could Jing He have done this? Why would he go this far? There was no need to. Wouldn''t he follow him in every one of his lives anyway? Wouldn''t he make sure that Jing He would fall in love with him over and over again? There was no need for him to suffer like this.


    He pulled Jing Yi closer and lowered his head, trying to calm his heart but he couldn''t forget those rows of characters. Ah, just how many strokes had he used? How often had he put the blade to his soul? How often had he needed to suffer through that pain for him?


    "Qiu Ling?" Jing Yi stirred in his arms.


    His former lover''s body was shaking like a leaf. It couldn''t be that there was really something wrong with his soul, could it? He tried to look at his face but Qiu Ling had lowered his head too far for him to see anything.


    He reached out and cupped Qiu Ling''s cheek only for his fingers to become wet. Jing Yi froze. Looking at Qiu Ling''s trembling figure ¡­ "Qiu Ling, are you ¡­ are you crying?" He himself couldn''t believe what he was saying but there was no other explanation.


    Qiu Ling finally lifted his head. His cheeks were indeed stained with tears, his eyes shimmering with sadness. "Jing He. I''m so sorry. It''s all my fault." He hugged Jing Yi to his chest, burying his head at his neck.


    Yes, all this was his fault. If not for him courting him, if not for him demanding all of him, Jing He wouldn''t have suffered so much. Letting something like this happen and only finding out much later ¡­ He really wasn''t a good lover. He really ¡­ didn''t deserve this much love from Jing He.


    And still, he couldn''t let go of him.

 Chapter 542 - The One I’m Most Thankful to

    Jing Yi stared ahead blankly, not understanding what was going on. How was it Qiu Ling''s fault if something had happened to his soul? It wasn''t like he had caused him to be sucked into the secret realm. Quite the contrary, he had done everything he could to get him out of there, hadn''t he?


    Jing Yi sighed and gently combed through Qiu Ling''s hair. "That''s not true. There is nothing you have to feel responsible for. You''ve always wanted my best and you''ve done so much for me. Accompanying me out of the Yun Zou Sect to learn how to cultivate, going with me to the Hei Dian Sect to accomplish that mission, finding a way to get senior martial brother Yu and me out of the secret realm ¡­ You even followed me this time even though I rejected you so harshly. Considering all the people in my life, you''re probably the one who did the most for me. The one I''m most thankful to."


    Qiu Ling raised his head and looked at Jing Yi as if he wanted to hear that it indeed wasn''t his fault.


    Jing Yi''s heart throbbed. He couldn''t bear to watch this. Qiu Ling wasn''t supposed to be like this. He should be happy and a little shameless. Just like he always was. This sadness didn''t suit him at all.


    He cupped Qiu Ling''s cheeks and leaned down, his lips touching Qiu Ling''s forehead. "It''s not your fault. Even if it was, I still wouldn''t blame you. You''re ¡­ very important to me."


    Qiu Ling stared up at him with rapt attention. Was this ¡­ his beloved confessing to him? Could it be he had finally understood that there was no Tian? Or could it be ¡­ he didn''t care? He wanted to ask but just then Jing Yi stroked his cheek, making him shut up and relish in the feeling a little longer. He closed his eyes and burrowed into his arms, listening to his heartbeat that had picked up speed.


    Somehow, their roles had reversed in just a few minutes and now it was Jing Yi holding his former lover in his arms. He didn''t mind though. Qiu Ling had always liked this kind of thing. Even back when they had been traveling outside in that year they left the Yun Zou Sect, he had used every possibility to recline in his arms or rest his head on his lap.


    It had weirded him out a little at first but considering how Qiu Ling had grown up, it wasn''t that surprising. Parents that didn''t love each other and just played out an act every day of their lives, then losing even them at a young age and remaining all alone with a secret he couldn''t tell anyone, not even the people closest to him ¡­ The strength that he showed on a normal day, it had come at a high price.


    He probably just wanted to make up for all that. It was alright. If it made Qiu Ling happy, he would do it.


    Jing Yi patiently combed through Qiu Ling''s hair and stroked his back until he was sure that his former lover had calmed down. Only then did he dare to ask the question that had inevitably come up. "So about my soul ¡­ How bad is it?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. Uh? It seemed ¡­ he had completely forgotten about that? He hurriedly closed his eyes and once again took a look. Since he already knew where the engraving was and didn''t have to search for it again, he only needed a moment to sense the spot again. Looking at the part of the soul around it ¡­ It seemed there wasn''t much need to worry.


    The soul-engraving dagger was able to cut through a soul easily. The only problem and the reason why it would lead to damage alongside the engraving was that pushing it into one''s soul would feel as if the soul was being ripped apart. Few people could take that kind of pain. Even if they were earnest in their attempt to engrave their souls, their hands would involuntarily tremble. Even more so the longer they used it.


    But despite that heart-wrenching pain, Jing He had drawn the characters so straightforwardly as if he was merely adding strokes to a scroll of paper with his brush. The probability of this having caused injuries was quite low.


    Qiu Ling still took the effort to examine the core around the characters more closely. Especially the part around the end of it. After all, however resolute Jing He had been when he decided to engrave his soul, there was no way he wouldn''t feel the pain. Someone like him who had been raised in a golden cage, protected by the Heavenly Emperor and the Heavenly Empress, never to know pain ¡­ How was he supposed to bear this kind of self-mutilation? It was a wonder he hadn''t collapsed before he finished adding these three lines.


    Qiu Ling hoped that Jing He might have been lucky but, naturally, that wasn''t possible. One person couldn''t have this much luck. There actually was some damage to his soul.


    Qiu Ling exhaled and opened his eyes, looking at Jing Yi with a tinge of sadness still in his eyes. He gently cupped his cheek and rubbed his skin with his thumb. "Don''t worry about it. I wouldn''t let anything happen to you. We''ll ¡­ look for a way to heal your soul."


    "So it is bad?"


    Qiu Ling hesitated a bit but finally shook his head. "No. Considering the circumstances ¡­"


    Jing Yi tilted his head. "The circumstances?"


    Qiu Ling cursed. "Uh, well ¡­" He looked up at the sky and sighed. Ah, screw it. Sooner or later, he''d have to tell Jing Yi the truth anyway. After all, he had remembered part of his life already and he would soon figure out that there was no Tian. So why should he wait until his beloved grew angry for withholding the truth from him? He might as well tell him now.

 Chapter 543 - Not a Disciple of the Yun Zou Sect

    "Actually, I ¡­ haven''t told you everything."


    Jing Yi''s heart raced. Qiu Ling hadn''t told him everything? Could it be ¡­ Was this the answer he had been searching for? The final clue that might enable him to decide between Qiu Ling and Tian?


    He gulped and took a few deep breaths to get his heart back under control. Only then did he look up at Qiu Ling again. "Then ¡­ What is it? You can tell me. I won''t hold it against you. I''m sure ¡­ whatever you kept from me was kept from me for my own good."


    Qiu Ling''s gaze softened. Jing Yi trusted him this much. It really ¡­ made him want to kiss him.


    He almost leaned forward and did what he wanted to but he caught himself at the last possible moment. Actually, he had bent down already. And actually, their lips were just half a breath short of touching. He looked into Jing Yi''s eyes that showed his inner struggle and sighed. Ah, this wasn''t the moment yet.


    Qiu Ling lowered his eyelids and leaned back. "That senior martial brother Yu ¡­" He furrowed his brow. Well, if he was at it, he might as well spill the whole truth. "Actually, he''s not really a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect."


    "Ah?" Jing Yi''s brows raised. What had Qiu Ling just said? "You ¡­ You want to talk to me about senior martial brother Yu?" Where was the profound truth he had been expecting? How was this related to their relationship? To his memories of Tian? He somehow ¡­ felt cheated by his former fiance.


    Qiu Ling coughed. "Ah, no, that''s ¡­ I just ¡­ I mean it does have to do with that." He looked at Jing Yi''s face again and sighed, reaching out for his hands. "You have to promise that you won''t get angry. I ¡­ I kept a lot from you."


    "Well, if it''s about senior martial brother Yu, I definitely don''t mind. His matters aren''t my ¡ª" He bit his own tongue. Oh no! Had he just revealed his previous lie?


    Qiu Ling smiled. "Don''t worry. I already know that you only pretended to have fallen in love with him."


    "What? How ¡­ How could that be? I ¡­ I even kissed him!"


    Qiu Ling nodded slowly. "Right. You kissed him."


    Jing Yi blushed. "That ¡­ I mean ¡­" He looked away and lowered his head. "I guess I''ve been stupid."


    "Not that much. In fact, I did believe it at first. Actually, I still don''t understand why you would do so. Is it so bad to tell me you found some of your past life''s memories?"


    Jing Yi lifted his head again. "How do you know about that?"


    Qiu Ling smiled and flopped down on the ground, propping his head up on one hand. "That''s what I wanted to tell you." His lips raised in a mischievous smile.


    Jing Yi continued to sit in front of him and hesitated. Qiu Ling''s gaze said that he wasn''t up to anything good. He shouldn''t ask but ¡­ he wanted to know. In the end, he could only give in to temptation. "So then why don''t you tell me?"


    "It''s not nice to talk like this. Come." He patted the spot beside him. "Do you want me to spread out the blanket for you?"


    "No." Jing Yi shook his head. He hesitated again but finally just laid down beside Qiu Ling. "So will you tell me now?"


    "Mn. If you want me to."


    Qiu Ling''s breath brushed Jing Yi''s face, making his cheeks flush red again. He felt as if it had been a long time since they were this close together even though he knew that they had spent the morning hours in even closer proximity and hugged just now.


    Still, lying next to him, looking into his eyes and feeling his breath ¡­ it felt rather intimate. If he reached out now, he''d be able to touch Qiu Ling. If he inched just a bit closer, he would almost be lying in his arms. But even like this ¡­


    He took a shaky breath. "So what is it now?"


    "That senior martial brother Yu of yours told me."


    "Because of my soul?"


    Qiu Ling nodded.


    "But that ¡­ that doesn''t make any sense." Jing Yi narrowed his eyes and wanted to get up but Qiu Ling reached out and cupped his cheek, making him freeze on the spot.


    "Why not?"


    "You ¡­ You said dragons were good at this. But how would he know ¡­" His gaze flitted about and finally, understanding dawned in them. "Senior martial brother Yu knows about you."


    "Mn. He has known all the time. As I''ve said, he isn''t really a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect."


    "Then he''s a dragon?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "He''s from the gods. An ascended deity."


    "So he was originally human like me and cultivated long enough to ascend to the Nine Heavens?" Jing Yi''s heart jumped. That had been what he worked for for the last few years. If he could also ascend, then he''d be able to find out ¡ª


    He stopped the thought right there, his guilty conscience weighing down on him. Yes, if he ascended, then he could go and find that other man he had promised himself to. But that would also mean to lose the one he loved in this life forever.


    Maybe it would be better if he kept cultivating and stayed at Qiu Ling''s side until he took his last breath without ever ascending. Then he might be able to pretend he just hadn''t been able to find out more about Tian. And maybe in his next life, he would be able to be with Tian instead. That way wouldn''t everyone be satisfied?


    Maybe Tian didn''t even know that he had been reborn already. Maybe he would just patiently wait for him in the demon realm. Which reincarnation came to him ¡­ it might not even matter.

 Chapter 544 - I Wished It Was True

    Qiu Ling ignored the struggle he could read in Jing Yi''s eyes. This wasn''t the moment for that. In a bit, his beloved might already understand that he had been wrong all along and then they could have their heartfelt reunion. It was better not to draw it out any longer.


    "Exactly that. I don''t know what his specific position in the Nine Heavens was but he was sent by your old man to watch over you."


    "My ¡­" Jing Yi''s eyes widened and this time, he really sat up. "Qiu Ling you ¡­ you know about my ¡­ past life?"


    Qiu Ling also sat up and nodded. "Of course."


    Jing Yi''s heart shook. Could it be? Was he actually ¡­ that Jing He? Had Qiu Ling followed him here because of that? Then ¡­ Then what about Tian? How did he fit into this?


    Qiu Ling didn''t hold back this time. Screw acting mature. His beloved had already wavered so much. If he still didn''t use the opportunity, he would be an idiot. He inched closer, cupped Jing Yi''s cheek with one hand and wrapped his other arm around him. "I guess what you''re thinking right now is true. You were a god in your past life. That was why I came here originally." He hesitated and looked at Jing Yi''s face.


    His beloved seemed stunned. Well, it was to be expected. It was something Jing Yi had only found out in the secret realm and now a person he had trusted told him that he had known about it a long time ago. Maybe he would feel hurt and betrayed now.


    Qiu Ling sighed. "I''m sorry. I wanted to tell you much sooner. It''s just that ¡­ they forbid me from doing so and I didn''t want to make any trouble. Knowing what happened in your previous life can have pretty heavy consequences. You''ve also seen that."


    Jing Yi looked from one side to the other, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Qiu Ling knew about him being a god previously? How could that be? He didn''t understand this at all! Nothing made any sense. Something had to be wrong ¡­


    "Ah." Jing Yi looked up, a sad smile lifting up his lips. "Senior martial brother Yu told you, didn''t he?" Right, this was the only logical explanation. Senior martial brother Yu must have told him about Tian and since he couldn''t accept that they had split up, he was now trying to make him waver with telling him these things. It was very much like Qiu Ling.


    "You don''t believe me?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "How could this be?"


    "I love you. I''ve always loved you. Since the day I first saw you ¡­ I''ve never stopped loving you. That injury to your soul, it didn''t happen in the secret realm. It''s still from the Nine Heavens. You engraved your own soul. I don''t know when or how you managed to get your hands on the soul-engraving dagger but you did and you did it to make sure we would always stay together. It was for us. Because we loved each other and ¡ª"


    "Stop." Jing Yi lifted a hand and gently touched Qiu Ling''s lips, making him shut up.


    Qiu Ling hesitated what to do. Should he take his beloved''s hand and continue speaking? Or give him a moment to come to terms with this? He wasn''t sure. But he was afraid that he would only get one chance to decide.


    His gaze intensified and he finally grabbed Jing Yi''s wrist and gently pulled his hand down, pressing it up against his chest. "It''s the truth. We were a couple. We wanted to get married and live ¡ª"


    "I said to stop." Jing Yi''s brows drew together and his gaze lowered, pain written inside.


    "Jing''er, I ¡ª"


    "No."


    This time Qiu Ling really stopped talking. He couldn''t take this kind of gaze from Jing Yi. Just what had he done wrong? He waited but Jing Yi didn''t say anything. He didn''t explain, didn''t ask anything. He just continued to look like the pain from engraving his soul had caught up to him. As if he was losing something very, very precious to him right at this moment.


    "Jing''er ¡­"


    Jing Yi sighed and finally looked up. His eyes were wet with tears and when he finally spoke up his voice was choked with them just the same. "I know that you''re lying."


    "I''m not."


    "I know it. I''ve remembered enough. The man I was in love with ¡­ He was the king of his realm."


    "But I ¡­ I am. I am the king of the dragon realm. I just ¡­ I didn''t tell you the whole truth. I didn''t dare to tell you back then in the Hei Dian Sect because I was afraid you wouldn''t be able to take it. You ¡­ already had to deal with the fact that I was a dragon. I didn''t want to make it even worse."


    Jing Yi shook his head. "Senior martial brother Yu told you. I can''t blame him. He thought from the first moment that I shouldn''t remember. He said it would lead to trouble and he was right. If I could ¡­ If I could choose again, then I wouldn''t want to remember him. Because regardless of how much we loved each other that man robbed me of something very precious."


    Qiu Ling froze. What? He had taken something from his beloved? But how? Hadn''t they always been happy?


    Jing Yi reached up and cupped his former fiance''s cheeks. He gazed into those familiar black eyes and smiled sadly. "I really regret it. And I wished what you just said was true. I wished you were the dragon king, I wished you were the man I loved back then, the one I promised myself to. I wished all of that was true."


    Qiu Ling wanted to speak up but just then the first tear slipped out of the corner of Jing Yi''s eye, stunning him into silence once more. It ran down and finally dripped from his chin, falling onto Qiu Ling''s skin.


    It was wet but somehow, Qiu Ling felt as if it burned his body and soul like a flame. Just why ¡­ was his beloved crying in front of him again? Why was he never able to save him from all that pain?

 Chapter 545 - I’ll Prove to You What’s Fated

    Jing Yi sighed. "You know, back when you proposed to me for the first time at the Gathering of Practitioners, I didn''t know how to react. I only felt ¡­ vaguely afraid and something seemed to tell me that I shouldn''t do this. So I rejected you. And I continued to do so until it became obvious you wouldn''t stop trying.


    "The more time we spent with each other, the less I had that feeling of dread. Instead, I felt better and better with you and I think it wouldn''t be wrong to say that I came to love you when we were out traveling. And my feelings for you grew.


    "Since you already know everything, there is no need to pretend anymore. I love you, Qiu Ling, I really do. But I found out that there is somebody else and that promise ¡­ can''t be forgotten that easily. I''ve loved him too. And I feel that I owe him to search for him and at least make sure what has happened before.


    "I''m sorry. Even though I love you and you love me, we can''t be together."


    He leaned forward and his lips gently pressed onto Qiu Ling''s. Unfortunately, this kind of kiss wasn''t meant to show his love. At least not only that. It was just as much used to apologize for his decision and to express his regret.


    Qiu Ling grabbed onto his shoulders and pulled him closer, deepening their kiss. He wouldn''t just let him go. Ten years of wooing Jing He, twenty years of waiting for his wishes to be fulfilled with Jing Yi ¡­ How could he give up now? He wrapped him in his arms, hoping that it might be enough to change Jing Yi''s mind if he just showed him how close they actually were.


    Jing Yi let him do as he liked. If he could do anything to make this more bearable for Qiu Ling, he would do it. All of this was his fault, after all. Qiu Ling shouldn''t have to suffer because of that.


    Qiu Ling kissed him. Feeling him neither reciprocate nor resist, he leaned back though. "You''re not just going to let me do whatever I want, are you?"


    Jing Yi smiled. "If it''ll help you to let go."


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "You just said you love me. How could I ever let go? Jing Yi. Jing He. I also love you. So why shouldn''t we be together?"


    "Maybe fate is like that."


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and sighed. Was this his fault? Had he been too hasty with saying the truth? They had already gotten closer but now the thing he had worried about had happened and Jing Yi didn''t believe him anymore. Whatever he said it wouldn''t change a thing. Right now, Jing Yi didn''t trust him on this issue.


    He could only accept how things were for now, let him calm down and then start another attempt. Or maybe ¡­ there was something he could do?


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. Jing Yi already remembered. He knew who he had been and, most likely, he also knew about the trial. If that was the case, then there was no reason to keep secrets or not show him the truth. No, since Jing Yi already knew he could prove to him that he wasn''t lying.


    Qiu Ling''s lips hooked up in a charming smile and he got up from the ground, reaching out to Jing Yi. "Alright. Let''s see about that."


    "Ah?" Jing Yi didn''t understand what he was talking about but he still put his hand into Qiu Ling''s and let him pull him to his feet. Well, even if Qiu Ling wouldn''t be able to accept it, he still trusted him. He certainly wouldn''t do anything that hurt him.


    Qiu Ling pulled him up against his chest. "Jing''er, I''ll prove to you just what is fated. You think there is some man called Tian in the Nine Heavens or the demon realm waiting for you? Then I will take you there. As soon as we''ve healed your soul, I''ll bring you to the Nine Heavens. You can see for yourself whether there is anything leading to that Tian or if I''m right and everything you''ll find will be my traces. Do you dare to take that gamble?"


    Jing Yi took a shaky breath. Qiu Ling was so sure. Maybe ¡­ Just maybe this was indeed true. He didn''t dare to hope yet though. After all, it could also be that Qiu Ling was just trying to convince him to give up on Tian with this display of assuredness. Maybe taking this gamble and finding out once and forever wouldn''t be that bad.


    He nodded. "Alright. Then let''s do that. Where do we go to heal my soul?"


    "Back to the Yun Zou Sect."


    "The Yun Zou Sect?" Jing Yi blinked. He had thought Qiu Ling would bring him to the dragon realm or some other place in the immortal realms where he knew a lot of people and things like healing a soul were probably common. He certainly wouldn''t have expected them to return to the Yun Zou Sect.


    Qiu Ling nodded though. "There is someone in the Yun Zou Sect that should know a lot about this."


    After all, the old geezer had been injured with the soul-devouring dagger and still survived somehow. Didn''t this mean that he had a special way to heal a soul? Qiu Ling couldn''t even begin to imagine how he might have gone about it but that made him even surer that asking Jinde would be for the best. Even if the way the old geezer had used back then wasn''t suitable for Jing Yi now, he had to have researched that pair of daggers. If he could repair the damage caused by the soul-devouring dagger, then healing the damage done while using the soul-engraving dagger should be an easy feat for him.


    Without another word, Qiu Ling picked Jing Yi up and soared into the sky to return to the Yun Zou Sect.

 Chapter 546 - Deny All of It

    At that time, Jinde was facing a crisis of his own. His newly-wedded husband had actually put down the chair and sat on top of it, looking at him with a gaze that said he wouldn''t tolerate any nonsense now. The worst thing was that he had positioned the chair so that even if Jinde leaned over the edge of the tub closest to him and reached out, he still wouldn''t be able to touch even the hem of his robe.


    Ah, how evil! He certainly hadn''t imagined his marital life to be like this!


    Jinde sighed, put one foot on the edge of the tub and crossed his legs at his ankles. If he couldn''t touch Leng Jin Yu, he''d at least tease him a bit with what he could show. He couldn''t let his husband get bored now that they were married, could he?


    Leng Jin Yu looked at those two dainty feet and suppressed a sigh. He wasn''t sure if Jinde was doing this on purpose or if this was just part of who he was but it was effective anyway. Half his displeasure had already dissipated. Well, there probably wasn''t any way he could be displeased while looking at Jinde, was there?


    He still sighed in the end and also crossed his legs. "So do you want to know who the people at the door were?"


    Jinde put his elbow on the rim of the tub and propped his chin upon his hand. "Not particularly."


    "They were from the dragon race."


    "Well, they''re already gone, aren''t they? So why don''t we continue where we left off before?"


    "Xin Lan sent them."


    "Really?" Jinde''s golden brows lifted. "How strange! But maybe he didn''t know that Qiu Ling isn''t here. Don''t worry too much about it. They''ll probably find him later on and tell him whatever their visit was about."


    "Jinde."


    "Mn?"


    "He sent them to me so that message was certainly meant for you."


    "Oh?" Jinde smiled. He had no idea what this was about but the way Leng Jin Yu looked at him told him that he had to deny everything for as long as possible. Maybe there would be an opportunity to honey-trap his husband later on and make him forget about it? Even if there wasn''t, he had to try at least!


    "Don''t you want to know what the message is?"


    "Mn, well, it''s probably very important if he sends someone to tell us. But actually ¡­ I''d much rather spend my time with you now and don''t worry about anything else."


    "They said the demon king was being provided with information from someone here in the Yun Zou Sect."


    Jinde''s smile got a little strained. Ah, that bear child Jin Ling! He wouldn''t be able to ruin his day with his husband even without knowing that he was still alive, would he? "That ¡­ sounds grave. Do we know who that person is?"


    "We do. I''m just wondering why Xin Lan would want you to know about this."


    "Uh, well ¡­ Maybe it doesn''t have to do with me? He sent those two to you, after all."


    "He can''t tell them about you, can he?"


    "No but ¡­ maybe you''re over-analyzing this. Sure, Xin Lan does a lot for me but he is of the dragon race, after all. If it concerns Qiu Ling and the Son of Heaven, he also wouldn''t want Jin Ling''s plans to succeed. So maybe he had them tell you so you could inform the gods or something."


    Leng Jin Yu folded his hands in his lap and stared at his husband.


    Jinde took his feet from the edge of the tub and sat up straighter. "What? Did I say something wrong?"


    "Jin Ling?" Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. "That''s an awfully familiar way of referring to the demon king, isn''t it?"


    Jinde''s eyes narrowed and he gave a hollow laugh. Ah, how maddening! He had worried so much about what that bear child might do that he had finally busted himself. Well, it wasn''t all over yet. "Well, as much as I hate to admit it ¡­ I have witnessed the reign of three demon kings so ¡­ I tend to refer to them by their names. I''ve done the same with Jian Heng, you remember?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows drew together. Well, that wasn''t wrong but something told him that even if Jinde wasn''t lying, he wasn''t saying the whole truth either. But why?


    Jinde shifted on the spot and finally patted the rim of the tub. "So ¡­ Any chance that you''ll get back in? The water is getting a little cold too."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed, got up and went over. He didn''t take off his clothes though and just reached down to heat up the water a little. When Jinde reached out to grab onto his arm, he evaded him and stepped back to the chair, finally sitting down again.


    "That should feel better now."


    "It doesn''t!" Jinde shifted over to the other side of the tub, looking at Leng Jin Yu with a complicated gaze. "Jin Yu, seriously, why are you so hung up over this? Someone delivered a message, so? Let''s ignore this. We''ve married just yesterday. Do you really want to spend our time arguing?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s gaze softened. "I don''t want to argue with you. I just want to understand. You''ve said you can''t leave the Yun Zou Sect out of fear of being discovered. But Longjun already knows. So who are you running away from? The current demon king? Is there something about him I should know?"


    Jinde lowered his head, unable to look Leng Jin Yu in the eye. Telling him about his relationship with Jin Ling ¡­ It was asking way too much of him. If he could, he would just indulge in the happy things and forget all about the life back then. All those dark years he had suffered, that short time of happiness Jin Ling had brought him ¡­ He would have liked to deny all of it.

 Chapter 547 - He Meant a Lot to You

    Seeing his lover still hesitate, Leng Jin Yu sighed. "Jinde, I certainly won''t force you to tell me. But as you''ve said just now: We''ve married yesterday. Is there really something you can share with Xin Lan but not with your husband?"


    Jinde smiled wryly. "There are a lot of things that could be shared with somebody else but not with one''s husband."


    "So is it that I have another rival?"


    Jinde reached out, hoping that Leng Jin Yu would take his hand. Leng Jin Yu looked at it and finally sighed. He leaned forward and caught it between his own.


    "So I''m right? And that is why you don''t want to talk about it?"


    "Something like that."


    "Then you don''t have to worry. You''re beautiful. Of course, I''ll have rivals. I know that. The only thing that''s important is that I''m the one who married you. Everything else is just somebody else''s affection. We don''t have to concern ourselves with it. So will you tell me about it now?"


    Jinde squeezed Leng Jin Yu''s hand. "You won''t get angry, will you?"


    "Of course not."


    "Alright, so ¡­ It might be that I''ve known Jin Ling for a long time." He paused and looked up at the ceiling. "Maybe ¡­ that was before he became the demon king. And maybe ¡­ that child might have liked me a little too much."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. For someone who didn''t like being seen as old, Jinde sure was calling the current demon king a child often. "So he fell in love with you. That''s ¡­ unexpected. Especially for a demon. Didn''t you say they can''t love because of Tian''s curse?"


    Jinde looked back at his husband and squeezed his hand. "You''re too sharp, my dear. I can''t keep anything from you."


    "Oh? So there''s more to this story?"


    "Quite a bit. I guess in a sense it wouldn''t be wrong to say that he doesn''t actually love me. It''s not like demons can''t feel at all. It''s just that they don''t have a ¡­ healthy kind of love. What they do have is a kind of obsession. If they see something they like, they will do everything to get it. Whether that''s a thing or a person ¡­" He broke off and his brows knitted together.


    All of this wasn''t Jin Ling''s fault. He refused to believe that the cute little darling he raised had turned into that kind of bastard. No, most likely, this had been Jian Heng''s influence.


    Leng Jin Yu held his lover''s hands and sighed. "He meant a lot to you, hm?"


    Jinde looked up at him. "If you think I reciprocated his feelings ¡ª"


    "No, not that." Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath. "I can''t say I understand what exactly was there between you and him. But I can see that he was important to you. You wouldn''t be this hesitant if it was different. But you''ve also said that dragons can only love once. So why would I suspect that you felt like that for him?"


    "Mn, that''s also true." He sighed and shook his head. "I don''t think I can explain it." Actually, it wasn''t that difficult but just as he had said: Leng Jin Yu was too sharp. If he started to explain, then his lover would soon have guessed the rest or at least found something that didn''t add up. No, it was still better to keep as much as he could to himself regarding this issue.


    "If you really can''t, then don''t do it. As I said I won''t force you."


    "No, you were right with what you said before. We''re married already. The thing is I''m a little embarrassed about this. You remember how I said the dragons and demons were one race once?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, you can''t really tell them apart. That was also the reason why Chun Yin never noticed what was up with his wife. And I also ¡­ I just thought he was a cute dragon child that had lost its parents. And I liked children so ¡­ we spent some time together."


    "Oh." Leng Jin Yu looked away. He didn''t mind Jinde''s relationship with the demon king but there was something that worried him a little. Jinde liked children. But while Chun Yin had had one with his wife, Jinde had never married and thus never had children. It had probably been even harder to watch Chun Yin with his new family considering that.


    Jinde also stopped talking. If his husband didn''t ask anything more, he would just leave it at that. Unfortunately for him, Leng Jin Yu wasn''t finished yet.


    "So you ¡­ raised him?"


    "That ¡­ No ¡­ I don''t think you can say it like that."


    "Then he was a little older already? You''ve probably still taken care of him for quite a bit of time."


    "No."


    The two of them looked at each other.


    Leng Jin Yu finally raised his brows. "You''re being rather vehement about this."


    "Well, it''s not true. Definitely not."


    "But you did pick him up as a child. And then he somehow fell in love with you. Just how did that happen? I feel like there is a lot missing in between."


    Jinde took a deep breath. Fine. It seemed his husband wasn''t so merciful as to let him get away with such a vague explanation.


    Leng Jin Yu chuckled when he reacted like this. "Don''t worry. It won''t change anything between us. Actually, I think the one who should be sorry is Chun Yin. Having a child with somebody else when you had to stay without ¡­" He shook his head and patted Jinde''s hand. "It''s rather cruel."


    Jinde also lowered his head. Yes, maybe ¡­ it was cruel to have a child with somebody else. "You''re right. I did pick him up as a child. I did raise him for a few years. It''s just that ¡­ Jin Ling was a demon, after all. I didn''t think the differences between the races were that big but ¡­ they are."


    "You mean ¡­"


    "Which child would fall in love with the person that raised them?"

 Chapter 548 - He Should Have Known

    Leng Jin Yu stared at him blankly. Right. How had the demon king fallen in love with him after Jinde raised him? That was ¡­ He closed his eyes and sighed. No wonder Jinde didn''t want to talk about it.


    "It must have been terrible for you. You finally had something like a family of your own and then ¡­"


    Jinde stared at his husband without blinking. His lips parted but he didn''t know what to say. Finally, he could only repeat his lover''s words. "A family of my own?"


    Leng Jin Yu squeezed his hand. "Don''t look at me like this."


    "Like this?"


    "As if you expect me to get angry. I''m not Chun Yin himself. He might have but I certainly won''t. Not only that, this was long before we even met, I think it''s understandable."


    "Understandable?" Jinde took his hand back and sat up straight, looking at Leng Jin Yu as if this was a completely foreign concept to him.


    "Don''t you think so? Chun Yin left you. No, even worse. He betrayed you with somebody else and then he had the family with her that you desired. It must have felt ¡­ like a slap in the face."


    Jinde laughed hollowly. "It did."


    "You see? After doing that, which right would he have had to criticize any decision you made? You wanted a family but he didn''t even let you have a lover. Not him, not any other man. And then he even had the child you wanted."


    Jinde nodded. "Yes. I''ve always thought that ¡­ If he left her ¡­ I certainly would have taken care of Qiu Ling as if he was my own child. I wouldn''t have minded at all. And he should have known that." Jinde''s voice broke. He tried to gulp those tears down but it didn''t work. They finally spilled over. "He should have known. He should have known me well enough. Didn''t we spend almost all of our lives together? How could he not think of that?"


    Leng Jin Yu stared at him, his thoughts coming to a jarring halt. There was way too much information in these few sentences. His lips moved but he couldn''t say anything. Chun Yin''s child had been called ''Qiu Ling''? That ¡­ was probably a strange coincidence, right? It certainly couldn''t be that the son he had had in his past life was the quirky dragon king that had tried to kill him twice, could it?


    Well, he couldn''t worry about that anyway. At least not for now. Jinde''s eyes were wet with tears that constantly spilled over and fell onto the surface of the water in the tub. His lips trembled slightly and his fingers were curled around the edge of the tub as if they wanted to dig into the wood. It was a pitiful sight.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t think any longer. He got up and knelt down in front of the tub, gently putting his arms around Jinde''s shoulders and resting his forehead against Jinde''s. "I''m sorry. That shouldn''t have happened. I wish I could tell you why he did so to at least give you a reason you can live with."


    "That''s also my fault." Jinde let go of the tub and instead grabbed Leng Jin Yu''s robe. "You can''t leave me, do you hear that?"


    "I won''t. I was worried about not finding you before. It was my luck to meet you here. The best thing that happened to me in my whole life. Naturally, I won''t let go of you ever again." He cupped Jinde''s cheek with his hand and kissed the other side of his face, interrupting the trail of his tears. "Don''t cry, alright? You''re making my heart hurt. What he did wasn''t right. It made you suffer. But it''s in the past. You have me now." He kissed the rest of the tears away and turned to the other side.


    Slowly, Jinde calmed down. He let go of Leng Jin Yu''s robe but hugged his neck instead. "Stay with me, yes?"


    "Of course."


    They stayed together in silence and Leng Jin Yu gently caressed his lover''s back.


    "Anyway, what happened with Jin Ling? You just picked him up like that?"


    Jinde didn''t answer at first. He stared at Leng Jin Yu''s profile and wondered if maybe this was the right moment to tell him the whole truth. In the end, he still lowered his lids and pretended the thought had never crossed his mind. "Yes. That was after Chun Yin left the capital. I was ¡­ alone. No, not just that. I was ¡­ lonely. Terribly lonely. It was a type of loneliness that neither my advisers nor Xin Lan could fill, although he stayed with me every day.


    "Jin Ling ¡­ When I held him in my arms for the first time, I felt like life wasn''t as bad. I felt that ¡­ I could still continue going forward. Even if there wasn''t Chun Yin, my life would still have a reason.


    "For a long time, Jin Ling was the only thing that kept me going. I guess you could say he saved my life. Without him ¡­ Who knows if I would have been able to take it? Maybe the loneliness would have gotten too much someday."


    "So you raised him until ¡­"


    "Until he came of age, yes. He was a sweet child. Really cute. Not as much when he got older but still very lovable. He started to get a little difficult with other people though. I never would have guessed the reason though."


    "He had already fallen in love with you at that time?" Leng Jin Yu tried to look into his lover''s face but Jinde had leaned his head against his shoulder and didn''t look up.


    "Mn. Though I can''t say when it happened. I only know ¡­ that it very likely had to do with Jian Heng. Ah, that bastard. Taking Chun Yin from me. Then taking Jin Ling from me too. Just what did he have against me?"

 Chapter 549 - What’s So Strange about That?

    Leng Jin Yu reached up and stroked Jinde''s golden hair. "I''m sorry. You really went through a lot. That Jian Heng must have hated you very much to do all that to you."


    Jinde''s lips curved up in a half smile. "Well, he''s a demon. Saying he hated me ¡­" He sighed. "Maybe it was rather the opposite."


    "The ¡­" Leng Jin Yu''s brows raised. Had he understood this right? Jian Heng had also liked Jinde? Despite the bad luck, this had brought Jinde he couldn''t help but chuckle. "You certainly are something. The strongest fighter of the dragon race, the previous demon king, and even the current demon king all fell in love with you. Is there someone among the gods that mentioned he was interested?"


    Jinde''s lips curved up further and he happily stroked Leng Jin Yu''s neck. "My husband wouldn''t happen to be jealous, would he?"


    "Mn, not really. It''s not like you reciprocated their feelings, after all. It''s just a little unsettling to know just how many love rivals I had." His fingers continued to comb through Jinde''s hair. "Ah, if not for Chun Yin getting the drop on them, I wouldn''t have been as lucky."


    "I''m pretty sure you would. We might only be able to love once but that doesn''t mean we''ll fall in love with just anyone. Most dragons are pretty picky in regards to their spouses. They don''t take interest in someone that easily." He furrowed his brows. "Well, that son of yours is a special case."


    "My son ¡­" Leng Jin Yu''s hands stilled. Jinde had already calmed down so now was probably a good time to ask. Although ¡­ He wasn''t sure if he really wanted to know. His lips twitched just imagining it. He had to ask though.


    He cleared his throat. "The Qiu Ling you''ve talked about before ¡­ It wouldn''t be that one, would it?"


    Jinde turned to look at him, his expression puzzled. "Of course, it is. Who else would it be? Didn''t Qiu Ling already call you a bad parent to your face? I thought you knew."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. Now that Jinde mentioned it ¡­ "So the dragon king is actually my ¡­ former life''s son?"


    "Mn, your son. What''s so strange about that? Chun Yin almost became king too. It was just because of Jian Heng''s doing that things turned out differently. So why shouldn''t your son be the dragon king? Despite the fact that Chun Yin died early on, he still taught Qiu Ling quite a few years. If he didn''t pick up some of his skills at least, it really would be strange."


    "I guess that''s also true. It''s just ¡­" He took a deep breath. "Looking at how our encounters up until now went, I''m feeling a little strange about this. Well, I guess there''s no need to fret, is there? That was my past life. He wouldn''t expect ¡ª" He stopped at Jinde''s look. "What?"


    "We''re talking about Qiu Ling here. He knows you''re Chun Yin''s reincarnation and he''s selfish enough that he will use that to his advantage. Heavens! He even comes running to me when he has problems because he knows I''m in love with his father."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched again. Somehow, he could imagine that really well. "So Longjun, how is he?"


    "As a person?" Jinde turned around and faced the ceiling, resting his head on Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder. "Well, he was a child back then. At least for someone in the dragon race. He was older than a human child by a lot though and children of our race are more mature than them but still. He was just a child. And that child saw his mother kill his father."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. He himself could hardly remember his family. He had been young when he came to the sect and the rest of his life had been spent there. His family ¡­ He might have seen them a handful of times afterward but their relationship hadn''t been close. In fact, he had been closer to his own Master. He couldn''t completely relate to the situation. If his Master had betrayed the sect though ¡­ "It must have been hard."


    "It was worse. I don''t know what exactly happened but it seems Qiu Ling killed his own mother afterward. He knew she was a demon, he knew she was responsible for his father''s death, and he also knew that it was the only thing he could do. But he was a child and she was his mother. Just imagining it ¡­" Jinde sighed.


    Just like Leng Jin Yu, he didn''t have too many memories of his own family. His father had died for his Master''s sake while his mother brought him to be taken in as a disciple. He had visited her a few times but their relationship had become more and more estranged. Of all the people around him, he had been closest to Chun Yin and his Master''s wife, not even his Master himself.


    Jinde sighed again. Well, all those things were long past. There was no need to dwell on it. For now, he should concentrate on his future with Leng Jin Yu.


    He reached up once again and his fingers slipped into his lover''s black hair. "I guess it''s strange for you to be confronted with him suddenly. But if you can, try to accommodate him a bit. Qiu Ling might be a little strange but it''s because of how he grew up and the things he went through. He deserves to find a bit of happiness."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded but he couldn''t help but frown. "Saying that now ¡­ I''m afraid I''m responsible for quite a bit of his troubles in the last few years. He''s obviously very much in love with the Son of Heaven but because of the trial ¡­" He sighed. "I''m feeling sorry for him now that you said it."


    Jinde nodded. "You probably should. I guess in Qiu Ling''s mind, the Son of Heaven is the only good thing."

 Chapter 550 - I’ll Be Well-Behaved

    "It''s that bad?"


    Jinde turned his head and smiled at his lover. "What do you think? After what happened with his parents, he didn''t dare return to the capital. He lived out there in the wilderness, all alone. He had to deal with his father''s death, with the fact that he himself killed his mother, with his mixed heritage that finally showed after killing her. There was a lot on his plate and nobody to help him through it.


    "And that is only what I know about. That child didn''t talk about it much but I guess there are some other things that happened along the way. He won''t confide in me though. After all, there is still a part of him that wants to believe that things would have turned out differently if it wasn''t for me. If his father hadn''t loved me or if I hadn''t become king, then maybe his life could have been different. He might not say so but that is what he thinks nonetheless."


    "But ¡ª"


    "You don''t have to say it. I know it''s not true. But it''s what Qiu Ling thinks and I guess it''s understandable. His life is in shambles. Naturally, he wants to believe that there is some kind of reason for it. And Jian Heng is already dead. Even though he knows that it was his scheme all along, there is nothing he can do because I already killed him. He can''t take revenge, he can''t end it either. So he can only blame me in his heart."


    Leng Jin Yu''s grab on his lover tightened. "You don''t deserve this. You''ve also suffered a lot on Jian Heng''s hands. How can he ¡ª"


    "Sh." Jinde reached up and put a finger against his lover''s lips. "Don''t say anything. I don''t blame him. He was a child. In some aspects, he still is. He had to mature too soon but in a sense that also took the possibility of really maturing from him. Qiu Ling ¡­ He has no sense of responsibility, no sense of belonging, no real goal in his life or even some kind of vision of how he imagines it to be. Right now, the only thing he knows is that he loves the Son of Heaven and that he wants to stay with him. But even that is jeopardized because of his heritage."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. "Right. He is part demon while the Son of Heaven ¡­ If someone found out, there would be endless troubles."


    Jinde nodded. "Yes. As far as I know, the Heavenly Emperor isn''t thrilled that Qiu Ling is going after the crown prince. He dotes on his son very much and I guess it would be difficult for any man to be judged as good enough. It''s even more so when it''s someone like Qiu Ling. He''s from another race, he''s strong and in a high position. All three things something that make it difficult to control him.


    "The Heavenly Emperor probably feels that his son will be estranged from him if he lets him marry Qiu Ling. He''d very much prefer a spouse from his own race. After all, that man would be bound to listen to his commands. Even if the Heavenly Emperor refused to let him live with his son and only hold his hands once a day under supervision, a trueborn god wouldn''t dare to refuse even though he might be gnashing his teeth in secret. Qiu Ling though ¡­"


    Jinde sighed. "I''m sorry to say this but your son turned out to be a bear child. He doesn''t respect his Elders one bit and he certainly doesn''t take nicely to people telling him what to do. If the Heavenly Emperor ''proposed'' something like that to him, he''d probably turn around and take his lover away without even bothering to leave a note. That''s just the kind of person he is."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. Somehow he could imagine that very well even though he had only seen Longjun a few times.


    Jinde smiled at his lover''s expression. "Awr, my dear husband, don''t take it too hard. Your child is just a little unruly. Nothing to fret about too much. I promise I''ll be well behaved instead." He used the opportunity and leaned up, kissing his cheek. Mn, their conversation had taken so many twists and turns, it could probably be said that the mood was quite good right now. Maybe ¡­


    He turned in Leng Jin Yu''s arms again and encircled his neck. "Very, very well-behaved." He pressed his lips onto Leng Jin Yu''s jaw this time, one of his hands slipping into his hair. Mn, this wasn''t too bad ¡­ Hadn''t Leng Jin Yu wanted to get to know each other better? Since they had already done that, there shouldn''t be anything speaking against this.


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath. Ah, he had completely forgotten to return to the chair after he wrapped Jinde in his arms to console him. His husband had obviously stopped crying long ago. There hadn''t been a real need to stay this close. Now ¡­ there was no way to escape. Jinde certainly wouldn''t let go of him this time. Well, not that he really wanted him to do so.


    Jinde''s lips continued to travel downward. From his jaw, they slowly made their way down the side of his neck, then to the front until they finally reached the hem of his robe just above his clavicle. Those gentle fingers tugged at the fabric, opening the two sides and exposing just enough skin to press another kiss onto it.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and his own hand reached up and grabbed onto Jinde''s golden hair. "Are you sure you''re up to this already?"


    Jinde''s lips curled into a satisfied smile. Ah, look at this! It seemed his appeal was still greater than his husband''s self-restraint. He sat up straighter and his fingers trailed the hem of Leng Jin Yu''s robe down to the belt and then even further down until he finally reached the spot he wanted. He smiled at his husband with sparkling eyes. "Try me."


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but smile back. He took a shaky breath and leaned down. His lips closed in on Jinde''s and then ¡­


    The door was thrown open. "Old geezer! I need your help!"

 Chapter 551 - A Child Throwing a Tantrum

    The two people leaning over the rim of the tub froze with their lips just a hair''s breadth apart. They looked at each other and turned to the door in unison only to see Qiu Ling with Jing Yi on his arms staring unabashedly at them, taking in the whole scene.


    Qiu Ling blinked when he felt that he had seen enough. "Is this some kind of weird foreplay? Have you started yet? If not, then wait for a while and help me first. Jing He''s soul is cracked. I need a way to repair it. It shouldn''t be painful though. Oh, and I want one that will really heal everything. You should know one, shouldn''t you?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. Suddenly, he seemed to understand what Jinde had meant when he called Longjun a bear child. This guy had no decency at all! Couldn''t he see that Jinde was still naked?!


    Qiu Ling definitely could see that but he didn''t care. He had already promised himself to his Jing He and the old geezer was married to his father anyway. What was there to fuss about? Anyway, even if there wasn''t his beloved, he certainly wouldn''t go after someone that old. Thus he walked over to the chair opposite the tub without any embarrassment at all, intending to sit down to discuss the problem at hand.


    At least Jing Yi was embarrassed though when he saw the situation in the room and Qiu Ling''s non-reaction to it. He grabbed onto Qiu Ling''s robe and hissed into his ear. "Qiu Ling! How can you ¡­ Let''s go back!"


    Qiu Ling only blinked and still sat down on the chair. "Why? He hasn''t told us yet how to heal your soul. There are several cracks around the engraving. You should take this seriously."


    Jinde looked at his stepson with a contemplative gaze before he turned to his husband. Maybe he had described it too harmless?


    Leng Jin Yu also turned back to look at Jinde. He really didn''t know what he should say or do. This was his son, wasn''t it? So was he supposed to tell him off? Especially since this was about his husband? But then again he didn''t really know him. Jinde was more familiar with him than he was.


    Opposite them, Jing Yi tugged at Qiu Ling''s clothes again. His cheeks had already flushed and even his ears were turning red. He didn''t dare to even glance in the direction of the tub. "Qiu Ling! Please let''s leave, yes? We can come back later."


    Qiu Ling secured Jing Yi on his lap and patted his back. "Don''t worry. The old geezer knows me. He''ll certainly help you with your soul."


    "Qiu Ling! That''s not what this is about at all!"


    Jing Yi tried to wriggle out of his arms but a certain dragon king naturally held onto him securely. He finally had his beloved in his arms. He certainly wouldn''t let go!


    Jing Yi could only give up with a sigh and hope that this wouldn''t be put onto his head. Ah, why did this have to happen? And especially with senior martial brother Yu and the person he had fallen in love with! Hadn''t that person already seen him kiss senior martial brother Yu before he left the sect? Then what would he think now that they walked in on them like this? He really regretted agreeing to Qiu Ling''s suggestion.


    Jinde propped an elbow up on the edge of the tub and harrumphed. "You should try and learn from your fiance, brat. Do you think it''s forgivable to walk in on your parents like this?"


    Qiu Ling frowned. "You''re not my mother though."


    "Thanks for the reminder but I think I would have remembered if I gave birth to a difficult child like you."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. This old geezer! How could he say something like this?! Before he had the time to complain though Jinde had already turned to the other person that was feeling embarrassed about the situation.


    "My dear, can''t you do something? That''s your son! And he''s refusing to leave while I''m still naked. Do you think it''s acceptable to just wait? You should be fighting for my honor!"


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows twitched. He was pretty sure that Jinde would be able to handle the dragon king way better than he could but, well, if his husband insisted ¡­ He turned to Qiu Ling and Jing Yi and smiled wryly. "Longjun, it''s not that Jinde is refusing to treat him. It''s just that you came at a rather inopportune time. Why don''t you take Zhong Jing Yi to the study and wait there? We''ll come over as soon as we''re finished."


    Jing Yi nodded and tugged at Qiu Ling''s clothes but a certain someone wasn''t too thrilled at the prospect.


    "What are you talking about? Coming over when you''re finished? Who knows how long the two of you will take! And who knows if you''ll just go for one round if nobody is looking? I definitely won''t wait that long! I''ve promised to take Jing He to the Nine Heavens afterward."


    "You ¡­" Leng Jin Yu looked up at the ceiling. Heavens! Just what was that guy thinking? Well, never mind the first part. They should just talk about the second one. "Longjun. This can''t be done. You ¡ª"


    "Whose side are you on?!" Qiu Ling frowned. "Aren''t you my father''s reincarnation? You should help me but instead, you''re first siding with the old geezer and now you''re even telling me I can''t take my beloved to the Nine Heavens, even though you were the one who screwed everything up!"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. What should he do? Somehow, he felt like he was facing a child throwing a tantrum ¡­

 Chapter 552 - An Empty Cell

    While the men inside the house were still confronting each other, another person outside leaned against the trunk of a tree not far from it and took out something that looked like a black mirror. He imbued some spiritual energy and a handsome face appeared on the black surface.


    "What is it?"


    "Something happened and I thought you''d like to know about it."


    "Oh? I thought that Zhong Jing Yi and his lover had left?"


    "Mn, I thought so too but the two of them returned just now. Other than that, two other people came to the sect. They were looking quite strange. One of them had light-colored hair while the other''s was red. They were standing in front of the door to senior martial brother Yu''s house."


    "Senior martial brother Yu?" Jin Ling narrowed his eyes. "The person that Zhong Jing Yi was trapped in the secret realm with?"


    "Yes, that one. I don''t know what they talked about but Zhong Jing Yi and Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple returned shortly after and went directly to the house too. I wondered if this might have something to do with each other?"


    Jin Ling gave a charming smile. "Most likely." The two men that had visited that Yu Jin sounded like that pair of lovebirds he had imprisoned in his dungeon. Really strange, ah! He should find out what this was about. Jin Ling sat up straight and crossed his legs. "Are you able to find out what is happening inside?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da looked at the closed door and the windows at the side. "I don''t think so. Both that Yu Jin and Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple have a high cultivation base. If I get closer just like that, at least one of them will notice." He gnashed his teeth. Ah, he had been in the inner sect for so long. That Yu Jin hadn''t even been here for the last five years and still he hadn''t managed to catch up to him. Just how had that Yu Jin done that? Why was he still so much better than him?!


    Jin Ling didn''t care for Qiguan Cheng Da''s changing expression. He didn''t even look. Instead, his gaze traveled to the door at the side of the throne room. If those two lovebirds had turned up at the Yun Zou Sect, they obviously couldn''t be in his dungeon anymore. That left the question of how they had gotten out of it. The answer to that ¡­ probably wore some stupid mask.


    "Say, you wouldn''t have seen that man with the silver hair and the mask again at the Yun Zou Sect, would you?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da stopped frowning. "That guy? No."


    "Mn, I see. Keep your eyes open. I''ll go and check on something and then come over to the sect to take a look at it myself."


    "Alright. Then ¡­"


    "Yes, yes, don''t worry. I''ll give you something for your valuable information." Jin Ling smiled and cut the connection.


    Running over to the Yun Zou Sect repeatedly, freeing the two lovebirds and letting them deliver a message to a place where soon after Qiu Ling and the Son of Heaven would turn up?


    Jin Ling''s lips curved up even further. "You can deny it as much as you want but ¡­ this obviously isn''t for the dragon race or Qiu Ling. No, obviously, something else is compelling you. Something ¡­ much more important to you. Or should I say the only person you care about?"


    He got up from his throne, kept the black crystal glass and walked down to the dungeon with hurried steps. If Xin Lan had really freed those two, then this was indeed the only explanation. And in that case ¡­ Jinde was in the Yun Zou Sect. He could go there and finally see him again. Maybe he would even see him when he went over in a bit. Ah, finally ¡­


    Jin Ling reached the cell where he had imprisoned Fu Heng and Fu Min only to be greeted by the sight of ¡­ an empty cell. No, actually, it wasn''t a cell anymore. There weren''t any bars and even the last traces of the magic arrays on the ground had been erased.


    Jin Ling frowned and crouched down, picking up some of the ash on the ground and rubbing it between his fingers. There wasn''t even a shred of spiritual energy left in it. This kind of ash ¡­ Even Xin Lan wasn''t able to produce it.


    Jin Ling let go of the ash and stared at the line on the ground. So he had been wrong? Jinde ¡­ really wasn''t there? He really was dead? But that couldn''t be! He wouldn''t allow it to be that way.


    He got up and turned around only for his chest to be met with a hand. He was thrown back and crashed into the rear wall of the cell. "Ugh." Jin Ling slid down with a groan and pressed his eyes together. Damn it! Just who ¡­


    He forced his eyes open and barely held back the curse at the tip of his tongue. In front of him, the hem of a black robe swung silently and the rest of the figure was shrouded in a gloomy aura. Jin Ling forced himself to smile again and sat up with difficulty.


    "Yu Xiang. How nice to see you again."


    The person in question stared down at him before turning away without a word. Only when he disappeared behind a corner did Jin Ling sink back against the wall. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, wincing in the process.


    Ah, he hadn''t thought of that. There was still one other person in the demon realm that might want to set the lovebirds free. And obviously, that had been the case.


    Jin Ling slammed his fist down on the ground before getting up. Whatever. Even if he couldn''t get Jinde back, he might as well go to the Yun Zou Sect and finally implement his plan. There was no reason to let that brother of his find happiness if he couldn''t have his own. If he had to suffer, then Qiu Ling would suffer as well.

 Chapter 553 - Everyone Came by Already

    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath. He wouldn''t respond to that. He would just ignore it and get back to the point. "Longjun."


    "Don''t Longjun me! Isn''t it true?!"


    "You''re not even listening to me!"


    "Longjun ¡­"


    Qiu Ling wanted to interrupt again when he noticed that Jing Yi had stopped struggling in his arms and had instead turned especially still. He looked down only to find his beloved stare at his lapel with a contemplative gaze. Qiu Ling drew his brows together and tried looking at his robe. Uh ¡­ It seemed normal?


    Jing Yi wasn''t actually looking at the robe. Instead, he was remembering something. Back in the secret realm, he had seen so many things in his spiritual self. Too much to remember all of it. Especially many of the details eluded him. But there were some scenes he remembered quite well because they had impacted him that much.


    One of the things that had caused his emotions to run wild had been the moment when his past self was cold to Tian. Back then he hadn''t yet understood how recovering his memories worked so it hadn''t been obvious to him that the fragments weren''t in the right order. He hadn''t been able to understand why his past self could pine for Tian one moment but then treat him like a stranger the very next.


    At that moment, what had he said to him?


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and the memory slowly resurfaced in his mind. They were standing in his gardens, Tian holding a flower in his hands that would soon be given to him. He had looked at that plant with a tranquil gaze and said: ''Longjun has come by again? I''m honored by your visit.''


    Longjun ¡­ Longjun ¡­


    And then, later on, on that day when he collapsed because of his endless worry after he had fallen in love with that man ¡­


    ''Aren''t you afraid ¡­ that we''ll be like Tian and Xing? A pair of star-crossed lovers that will just bring misfortune to each other?''


    Like Tian and Xing. Like Tian. Like Xing. Just like the names in the story that Qiu Ling told him. So could it be ¡­ Was all of this his misunderstanding? Had Qiu Ling told him the truth before?


    Jing Yi took a shaky breath and got up from Qiu Ling''s lap. This time his former lover let him go. He was too puzzled by the way Jing Yi looked right now.


    "I ¡­ I''ll wait outside. You can ¡­ you can ¡­" Jing Yi stopped talking and stared blankly at Qiu Ling''s figure that was clad in a black robe.


    Just like Tian.


    He turned away and ran out of the house, leaving the three men to stare at his back.


    Jinde lifted his golden brows. "Well, your fiance certainly leaves the same way you enter. Quite dramatic."


    Leng Jin Yu looked at his husband but kept quiet. He felt like he didn''t have the right to say anything to this.


    Qiu Ling looked at the door and finally turned to Jinde. "Did I say something wrong?"


    "Who knows? It wouldn''t be a wonder. There''s only one way to find out though."


    Qiu Ling eagerly waited for his stepfather to enlighten him but was disappointed. Jinde just leaned over the edge of the tub and grabbed a towel. He picked it up and held it up in front of Leng Jin Yu.


    "Jin Yu, my dear, why don''t you lend me a hand?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the towel and then at the slight smile on Jinde''s lips. Oh no. This was boding ill. Don''t tell him ¡­


    The towel was thrown to the ground and Jinde stood up, the water in the tub rolling off his skin.


    Leng Jin Yu bent down and hastily pulled the towel up, stepping in front of Jinde at the same time to make sure Qiu Ling wouldn''t see anything he shouldn''t. "Does this really have to be now?"


    Jinde stepped over the edge and turned around, falling back against the towel and into Leng Jin Yu''s arms. He looked up at his lover''s face and smiled. "It does."


    Behind them, Qiu Ling frowned. "I don''t think so. You didn''t tell me the way yet!"


    Jinde peered over Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder and lifted his brows again. "Oh, you''re still here?"


    "Of course! You haven''t told me anything yet!"


    Jinde sighed as if this was a great burden to him. "You''ve grown so tall and so old and you still don''t know what to do in such a situation? What did your father teach you?"


    "Nothing!"


    "Obviously, you should run after him. Call out to him, wrap him into your arms, whisper some sweet nothings into his ears. Something like that."


    Qiu Ling wanted to speak up but Jinde shook his head.


    "Stop talking already and go. The farther he gets away, the less effect it will have. Don''t worry, you''ll know what to do as soon as you see him."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling got up, turned around and ran outside.


    Leng Jin Yu watched him before turning to Jinde. "Do you really think this is a good idea?"


    "Sending Qiu Ling away while I''m naked and in your arms? I think it''s one of my best ideas today. Although ¡­ I already had quite a few of those." He turned in Leng Jin Yu''s arms and reached down again. "Everyone who could come to disturb us has already come by so ¡­ shouldn''t we have time for us now?"


    Leng Jin Yu gulped. "I don''t think my Master was here yet."


    "Mn, that''s true. In that case, you should hurry up. Not that he comes in halfway."


    "That would indeed ¡­ be very bad." Leng Jin Yu looked down and gently started wiping Jinde''s body with the towel.


    His lover didn''t seem to like the idea though. He grabbed his hand, took the towel from him and threw it back onto the ground. "Since nobody else is here anymore there''s no need for that thing either. Just wrapping me up in your arms will be enough." With that, he tiptoed and kissed his husband.

 Chapter 554 - He Finally Understood

    Qiu Ling ran out of the door and toward where he felt his beloved''s presence. He finally saw Jing Yi at the edge of a bamboo grove. The sleeves of his white robe were fluttering in the wind and his black hair swaying in the breeze behind his back. With the desolate air about him, he looked surprisingly much like Jing He.


    Qiu Ling accelerated his steps and just like Jinde had said he wrapped Jing Yi into his arms. Ah, it seemed he had forgotten to call out to him before! Well, it should still be effective to do it now.


    "Jing He." Qiu Ling whispered his name and tightened his grab around him.


    Jing Yi involuntarily reached up and touched those familiar arms. This way of hugging him ¡­ He remembered that Tian had done it regularly. Sneaking up on him from behind and then embracing him without warning, it was a thing he seemed to like doing.


    And his past self had loved it because it made it so easy to fall against his chest. If somebody saw, he could still pretend to have been too surprised to react. But if nobody was there ¡­ then he could snuggle up against his lover''s broad chest and be his for a while. Only his person.


    With his heart beating wildly, Jing Yi leaned back against Qiu Ling''s chest and just like in his memories, his lover leaned forward, his hair tickling his shoulder and his lips brushing his cheek.


    "Don''t worry, my love. I''m here. Whatever it is I''ll stay with you. I''ll help you."


    Qiu Ling''s breath tickled his skin, making Jing Yi shudder. In response, those arms tightened once more.


    "Are you cold? Do you want to go back inside?"


    Almost the same words as back then ¡­


    Jing Yi held onto those hands, his head spinning. He felt like he understood but at the same time, he was still confused. If he was Jing He, the Jing He that Qiu Ling had loved so much, then why had Qiu Ling never said anything? But if he was, it would at least explain how Qiu Ling had found him and fallen in love with him out of all people even though he had been so young back then.


    And now that he thought about it, everything else made sense too, didn''t it? The similarities that he had explained away just by him liking the same type of man before, the name he shared with Qiu Ling''s previous lover, the strong feelings he had developed for Qiu Ling in such a short time.


    He didn''t know what had happened to that trial he had talked about with his lover on that last night or how Jing He had died in the end but it indeed explained his feelings, didn''t it? Back in his life as Jing He, he had engraved his soul to make sure that Tian ¡­ no, that Qiu Ling would be the only man he ever was with. Then, when he was reincarnated as Zhong Jing Yi in his current life, this engraving first made him cautious about being in proximity to a man but later made him feel especially close to Qiu Ling. His own feelings for this man that slowly developed were heightened by that engraving and that was also why he loathed to part with him even when he thought that there was Tian waiting.


    Ah, Heaven alone knew how much it had hurt. He had been confused and felt like he couldn''t be with Qiu Ling. For a while, he had even thought that he was only in love with Tian because Jing He''s feelings for his lover had been so strong. Most likely, they had been even stronger than his own feelings for Qiu Ling.


    But that was in the past now. He finally understood. Qiu Ling ¡­ He was the only man he loved. In this life, in his past life, maybe even in his future lives.


    He understood and it was time to show his lover to make up for the time he had kept him waiting.


    Jing Yi turned around in Qiu Ling''s arms and looked up at him, his gaze much calmer than it had been for the last few weeks. Qiu Ling cautiously returned this gaze. He couldn''t help but feel apprehensive. It couldn''t be that his beloved would completely break with him now, could it?


    Contrary to his expectations, Jing Yi reached up and gently cupped his cheeks. He continued to look at him as if he couldn''t get enough of seeing this face that he was already so familiar with.


    Qiu Ling didn''t know what to do. Say something? Hug him some more? Just wait?


    Just when he thought that he couldn''t take it any longer, Jing Yi finally moved. His eyelids lowered and he tiptoed, his lips nearing his lover''s. Qiu Ling''s heart jumped. Was he seeing things? His beloved ¡­ wanted to kiss him? And he didn''t look sad at all!


    Qiu Ling''s hands in Jing Yi''s back trembled a little but he still leaned down, shortening the distance between them. Their lips met and whatever confusion had still been in their minds vanished. The breeze ruffled their hair and the whooshing of the bamboo enveloped them just like the scent of the earth.


    Jing Yi''s eyes closed completely and whatever was around them seemed to disappear until only he and his lover remained. This moment, maybe it would be engraved into his soul just as much as what he had cut into it with that dagger. Even if it couldn''t remain with him for all his lives, it would at least stay with him for this life as an unforgettable memory.


    "Qiu Ling." He whispered his lover''s name and his lips curved into a small smile before returning for another kiss.


    Qiu Ling pulled him closer. If he could, he would have picked him up and carried him home but he felt like it would be too early. He didn''t know why this was happening but anyway, Jing Yi had only decided now that he wanted to be with him. Marrying him right now ¡­ seemed a little hasty?

 Chapter 555 - Call Me Husband!

    Just like back in the night before Jing He descended for his trial, the two lovers weren''t on the same page at all.


    Jing Yi separated from Qiu Ling and his heels touched the ground again but he didn''t look away. Right now, he felt happy. Way happier than he had felt in the last couple of years when they had been separated whether it was by space or by his own doing.


    Realizing that Qiu Ling had indeed to be Tian made this so much easier but right now he felt that even if he wasn''t, even if there was still another person waiting for him somewhere, he should stay with him nonetheless. Because Qiu Ling was the man he had fallen in love with and whatever had happened in a past life couldn''t change that. His feelings from this life wouldn''t just disappear and the man he had loved in his past life wouldn''t be anything more than a stranger. So regardless of who Tian was, Qiu Ling was the one he wanted to stay with.


    Jing Yi''s hands slid down and he grabbed onto the lapel of Qiu Ling''s robe. His past self had never dared to be straightforward. He hadn''t told Qiu Ling his true feelings, he hadn''t looked at him, and even when he had finally decided, he hadn''t dared to follow his impulse for fear of disappointing his lover.


    In fact, he had always been afraid to disappoint others. He had always been conscious of what others would think and had forbidden himself from doing what he himself desired.


    And even though he had seen and relived all of that, he himself had almost made the same mistake. Because of Jing He''s memories, because of what Tian might think, he had pushed Qiu Ling away. He couldn''t continue to be like this. The courage Jing He had lacked, he had to make up for it.


    Jing Yi lifted his head and looked into Qiu Ling''s eyes, that pair of eyes that seemed human at first glance but still betrayed his nature as a dragon if one looked closely enough. The pupil wasn''t as round as that of a human but rather elliptical and the iris wasn''t a ring around it but seemed to have straighter lines instead. If one looked closely, there even seemed to be two corners on each side. They were rounded though and wouldn''t be obvious at first glance. The color wasn''t normal either. His iris seemed to be of a dark brown that almost appeared black in the shadows but actually, there was some red in there. A color one certainly wouldn''t find in a human.


    This kind of thing, had Jing He ever noticed it? With how careful he had been, he had missed out on so many things. The beautiful love he could have had ¡­ hadn''t it been wasted like that?


    Jing Yi smiled and tried to snuggle up even closer to his lover. "Qiu Ling, I''m sorry for letting you wait for so long. I ¡­ I understand now."


    Qiu Ling blinked. Letting him wait? Did his beloved mean they would continue kissing now? Not that he minded but ¡­ why didn''t it seem that way?


    "Do you think ¡­ the Yun Zou Sect can wait a bit longer for the materials for that array?"


    Qiu Ling had no idea how Jing Yi had thought of that at this moment but, well, if he wanted to know his opinion ¡­ "Uh ¡­ certainly?" It probably wasn''t that important. The array hadn''t been that great in the beginning and there was his Master, the old geezer, and now even his old man. The sect wouldn''t get into so much trouble that these three people wouldn''t be enough to protect it.


    "In that case ¡­ how about bringing me home?"


    "Home?" Qiu Ling stared at him blankly, not understanding what he was talking about.


    "Mn. Before I was trapped in the secret realm, didn''t you want to marry me? Does that still count or don''t you want me anymore?"


    "Marry?" Something in Qiu Ling roared at him to grab his beloved and go to the dragon realm but ¡­ he still didn''t understand what was going on and could only look at him dumbly.


    Hadn''t his beloved broken up with him just a few weeks ago? Hadn''t he still told him a few hours ago that they couldn''t be together because of that imaginary Tian? How come he was suddenly hearing things like ''home'' and ''marry'' from him? Was it possible he was hallucinating right now? Or daydreaming maybe?


    Eh? If this was just a daydream, why was he still standing here and wondering? He should just pick him up and do what he said!


    Qiu Ling''s face finally lit up and he pressed his beloved against his chest, squeezing him happily. "Ah, my love! You finally realized that I''m your most important person! Ah, call me husband! No, give me a kiss first!"


    He let go of Jing Yi''s back, grabbed his face instead and gave him a resounding smack on the lips. Ah, how he had waited for this!


    He stared at him, looking very much like a lovestruck fool. "Now, call me husband."


    No way would he lose out to his old man and the old geezer! He also wanted to be called ''my dear'' or, even better, ''husband''! Or something else that was really sweet and would showcase their great relationship. Hmph, and then he''d have those two walk in while they were doing something fun in a tub! His beloved would certainly look much better than the old geezer in it anyway.


    Jing Yi smiled and encircled Qiu Ling''s neck with his arms. "My future husband."


    Qiu Ling straightened up. Ah! That was what he wanted! This sounded heavenly! Ah, now he just had to get rid of that extraneous word in there. "My dear, let''s go get married!"


    He bent down to pick him up but just then a sickening voice drifted over to them.


    "Jing He, my love, what are you doing? Don''t tell me you forgot about me?"


    Qiu Ling looked up and his expression of extreme bliss turned as black as the bottom of a pot in an instant.


    That. Fucking. Bastard.

 Chapter 556 - You Won’t Have a Choice

    Jing Yi couldn''t help but turn around at the address and the slightly familiar voice. When he saw the man standing in the bamboo grove, his face paled.


    The man was wearing a black robe just like Qiu Ling and looking at their stature and that face ¡­ they were about eight parts similar.


    It couldn''t be. No, this didn''t make sense. This didn''t make any sense.


    His fingers curled tighter around the lapel of Qiu Ling''s robe but he couldn''t help his body from trembling. Looking at the man that probably should have made him feel ecstatic, he only felt dread creep up in him. Over and over again he repeated the same sentence to himself: This didn''t make sense.


    The man slightly drew his brows together, the gesture uncannily alike to the way Qiu Ling did it. Even the hurt expression in his eyes was almost exactly the same.


    "Could it be you don''t remember me? It is I, Tian, your lover! Didn''t we promise each other to always stay together before you went on your trial? What are you doing now?" His gaze slid to Qiu Ling before returning just as fast, the hurt in his eyes deepening.


    Jing Yi stared at him and then looked up at Qiu Ling. His lover looked at him with a pleading gaze.


    "Jing''er ¡­"


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. It didn''t make sense. But even if it did ¡­ He smiled and cupped Qiu Ling''s cheek. "Don''t worry. Whoever he is, it won''t change anything." He had already decided on Qiu Ling, after all. Whoever this man was he wouldn''t care. From now on, there would only be Qiu Ling for him.


    Qiu Ling blanked once again. It wouldn''t change ¡­ anything? Did this mean ¡­ Had he just won against himself? Or was that bastard just really bad at impersonating him?


    Unfortunately, his beloved already wriggled out of his arms before he could say anything. Qiu Ling hurriedly grabbed his wrist.


    "My love!"


    Jing Yi turned back to him, still smiling, and squeezed his hand in the hope of reassuring him. "You really don''t have to worry. Qiu Ling, I love you. Whatever happened in my last life, I would still love you. I''ve needed some time to understand but that is the way it is. Nothing will change about that. So let me go to make it clear to him. Even if he was the person I loved back then ¡­ he would still need to understand that this is a new life." To make sure Qiu Ling understood, he once again tiptoed and kissed him. This time it was only a short peck though.


    He gave him a sweet smile, peeled Qiu Ling''s hand off his wrist and turned back to ''Tian''. With a calm gaze, he walked over and only stopped when he was one step away from him.


    Looking up close, the differences between the two men were more obvious but they still weren''t that big. They might have passed for brothers. At least, he wouldn''t have questioned it if Qiu Ling had told him that this was his long-lost sibling he had thought to be dead.


    "Jing He." The man smiled happily when Jing Yi left Qiu Ling''s side and came over. "So you do remember me."


    Jing Yi smiled back. "I don''t know who you are."


    "I am Tian." The man looked at him worriedly. "You haven''t recovered your memories? I am sorry." He furrowed his brows and lowered his head, very much the image of guilt. "I should have found you sooner and made sure you could do so. It''s just that ¡­ I couldn''t find you. I searched all over the Nine Heavens and the demon realm for you but you were nowhere to be found. Who could have known you were in the human realm at the moment? I should have known. I''m sorry. Now you had to wait for so long and you can''t even remember."


    "I remember very well. And I know that whoever Tian was it isn''t you."


    The man lifted his gaze, surprise written in his eyes. "What are you talking about?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "I don''t know who you are or why you are doing this but however much you might look like Qiu Ling I would still feel the difference. Had you come a week earlier, this might have worked. But I''ve already found out now. It''s not important what I saw in my memories. The only important thing is what I feel in my heart. And it tells me that the man I love is back there. It is Qiu Ling and it will always be Qiu Ling. So you should go back to where you came from."


    The man looked at him, seemingly in a daze. Jing Yi turned away but just like Qiu Ling before, the man reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him back.


    Jing Yi sighed and looked up, ready to tell him off. He wouldn''t mind if it was Qiu Ling but he wouldn''t accept this from any other person. The smile on the man''s lips made him freeze though. Just what was this supposed to mean?


    The man smiled even brighter when he looked at him blankly. "It''s true what they say about the Son of Heaven. He truly is an intelligent person. Even his reincarnation is, it seems. It''s a pity though. You know there is something called being too intelligent for your own good.


    "Had you not figured it out, you could have lived a beautiful dream. I would have given you everything you wanted. I would even have pretended to love you so you could feel better about betraying your lover. But you had to go and ruin my plan. In that case ¡­ I''m afraid your time in my realm won''t be as enjoyable."


    Jing Yi frowned and tried to wrest his arm out of the man''s grasp. Unfortunately, this person wasn''t Qiu Ling and obviously not any kind of Tian either. He didn''t care if Jing Yi was hurt. "Let go. I certainly won''t follow you to your realm."


    "I''m afraid ¡­ you won''t have a choice." The man pulled him over, right into his arms. With a provocative smile, he glanced at Qiu Ling and then, he disappeared from the spot, taking Jing Yi with him.

 Chapter 557 - A Combination That Could Steal Hearts

    A young man dressed in a green robe approached the gates of the Yun Zou Sect on his flying sword. Just a meter short of it, he swooshed down, kept the weapon and walked up to the two disciples guarding the entrance.


    He cupped his fists with a smile. "Greetings. This one is You Xin Ru from the Liu He Alliance. I came on the orders of my Master, Alliance Head Hua, to deliver something to Grandmaster Zhangsun." He took out a scroll and showed it to the disciples but didn''t open it.


    The two disciples exchanged a glance. "For Grandmaster Zhangsun?"


    You Xin Ru nodded. "Yes."


    The two looked at each other again before one of them motioned inside. "Then let me show you the way. We couldn''t let Grandmaster Zhangsun wait."


    You Xin Ru cupped his fists again. "Thank you for your help. I''m much in your debt." Then he happily followed the disciple into the sect and up the mountain where Zhangsun Xun Yi''s palace stood.


    The disciple of the Yun Zou Sect couldn''t help but feel curious. What exactly was it that this guy''s Master had made him bring over? And would their Grandmaster really be interested in it? Ah, but this was something an Alliance Head of the Liu He Alliance had sent. It should be something pretty important. Maybe it was some rare cultivation resource? But that couldn''t be. The Grandmaster certainly wouldn''t need something like that. He had already reached the highest stage, after all.


    He came up with some other ideas but had to let go of all of them. Nothing seemed to fit. Either it was something the Grandmaster wouldn''t need or it was something that the Alliance Head wouldn''t send. A lot of things also weren''t possible because this thing looked like a simple paper scroll.


    Well, maybe it wasn''t a simple paper scroll. It was probably a special paper scroll instead. Just look at the fabric that had been used on the outside! It was certainly worth a lot.


    Like that the two of them finally arrived in front of the palace. The disciple took a deep breath and cupped his fists, bowing in front of the building. "This disciple greets the Grandmaster. A disciple of the Liu He Alliance came by on the orders of Alliance Head Hua to deliver something to the Grandmaster."


    Inside the building, Zhangsun Xun Yi opened his eyes. Oh? It seemed his old friend had already taken care of the favor he had sent with the paper crane yesterday. He certainly hadn''t expected the results to be brought over this fast.


    "Come on in."


    The disciple turned to You Xin Ru and motioned inside. "Please follow me." Then he walked into the palace toward the place where the voice had come from.


    Ah, being on duty today was great! He would actually get to see their elusive Grandmaster! He couldn''t help but hasten his steps in anticipation. It wasn''t like he had never seen Zhangsun Xun Yi before. He had been at the Gathering of Practitioners, after all, where the Grandmaster had come by with his disciple.


    But this and that were two completely different things! At the Gathering, he had been far away and hadn''t been able to see much of him. But today he was in his palace and actually brought somebody over to his study or wherever he was right now. He might see him from just across the room! If it wasn''t a big room, they might only be separated by a few meters. That wasn''t much at all. It was almost as if he could touch him.


    The disciple''s heart was beating wildly and his hands already sweating when they reached the room where Zhangsun Xun Yi had been meditating. He still remembered to cup his fists again and bow though.


    "Greetings, Grandmaster. This is the disciple of the Liu He Alliance that asked to see you."


    "Mn. Thank you. You may go." Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t look at him for even a moment and instead looked at the disciple of his old friend. It seemed he had seen this one before.


    The disciple of the Yun Zou Sect was a little disappointed that he wasn''t able to take a longer look but thinking about the fact that the Grandmaster had spoken so many words to him, he felt like he was walking on clouds when he returned to the gate.


    Inside the Grandmaster''s palace, the two people looked at each other.


    You Xin Ru smiled and also cupped his fists. "Greetings, Grandmaster Zhangsun. I''m You Xin Ru, my Master sent me to deliver this scroll to you. He said it is something that has been kept by his Master before and he couldn''t bear to give it away so he stored it for the time being. It should be able to dispel your doubts."


    "Oh?" Zhangsun Xun Yi got up and walked over, taking the scroll from him.


    Just like the other disciple had noticed before the scroll wasn''t simply made out of paper. Instead, the back was made from fabric and the ends were attached to an engraved wooden beam each. This was obviously something very precious.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi walked back into the room and unfurled the scroll. The drawing inside made his breath catch for a moment. It depicted a man, who looked to be in his mid- or maybe in his late twenties. He wore a pristine white robe and his long black hair seemed to flutter in a breeze. He held a sword in hand and his eyes seemed just as sharp as the edge of the weapon at first glance but upon examining it closer, a hint of laughter could be seen in them.


    The rest of his face could certainly be described as equally good-looking. He seemed youthful but also mature, a combination that had certainly been able to steal a lot of hearts back in the days.


    Well, most likely, it was still able to do so if he considered how that person had reacted to him.

 Chapter 558 - You Pushed Me out of Bed

    The person in question was lying on the floor right now, looking at his newly-wedded husband with raised brows.


    "Might I ¡ª"


    Jinde clasped a hand over his mouth before he could say another word. He tilted his head and listened for any sounds outside. Nothing. It seemed he had already left.


    Jinde closed his eyes and took a relieved sigh. He had honestly thought his heart was going to stop right now. How could that bear child turn up this unexpectedly?


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows raised even further. Just what was happening here? He didn''t dare ask though. Jinde had looked quite spooked just now. He didn''t want to aggravate him further.


    Jinde''s golden eyes opened and he took his hand from Leng Jin Yu''s mouth. "I''m sorry. That ¡­ That was ¡­ Ah, forget it."


    "Forget it?" Leng Jin Yu sat up, securing Jinde on his lap. "My dear, you just pushed me out of bed even though you were the one who was going on about how we were always being interrupted just a few minutes earlier."


    Jinde grimaced. "You think I wanted to interrupt you? It was just getting good. It''s all those children''s fault."


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his brow. He certainly couldn''t get used to Jinde''s way of addressing other people that fast. Especially considering the status of these people. "You''re not talking about Longjun and the Son of Heaven, are you?"


    Jinde considered nodding but finally shook his head. "Not just them. That ¡­ Did you hear that voice just now?"


    "That man?" Leng Jin Yu frowned. "If I heard right, he pretended to be Tian."


    "Yes. But he can pretend as much as he wants. I certainly wouldn''t mistake him. That was Jin Ling."


    "Jin ¡­ The demon king?"


    Jinde nodded and sighed again. He could probably be happy that Jin Ling had been focused on ruining Qiu Ling''s relationship. Otherwise ¡­ If he had gone on another tour in the Yun Zou Sect to find out whether he was here or not, it wasn''t certain if he might not have found him.


    "I''m afraid we won''t be able to continue to stay here." He turned to look at Leng Jin Yu, trying to figure out what he thought about this. His husband didn''t look too thrilled. "You don''t want to."


    "I promised my Master to take over the sect. I might not be a real disciple but ¡­ I don''t want to break that promise either. It''s bad enough that ¡­ I can''t be the person I pretend to be. The Yun Zou Sect should at least have something from me, shouldn''t they? If I go now ¡­"


    "I see."


    The two of them fell quiet for a moment.


    Leng Jin Yu used the time to look out the window. Just the demon king''s voice had been enough for Jin Ling to recognize him even though it had had to be millenniums since they last heard each other. This person ¡­ had really been very important to him.


    "You don''t want to be found by him."


    Jinde nodded. "Yes. But I understand what you mean. Maybe I''m over-thinking things anyway. Those two dragons before sent word that he received information about the Yun Zou Sect from someone. He might have heard that Qiu Ling returned with his lover and come because of that."


    "But the two of them were here just a few minutes ago. If he had followed them in ¡­"


    Jinde nodded. "Yes. But what can we do? We only found each other again not too long ago. I would have to leave but you can''t. And there''s no way I want to separate from you. Let''s just forget about it."


    Leng Jin Yu gently took his lover''s hand. "Only for now. We will think about this later and find a way that won''t leave you vulnerable. Alright?"


    "If my husband says so. Then do we continue now?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and brushed Jinde''s hair back behind his shoulder. "You''re not in the mood anymore, are you? This was quite a shock."


    Jinde sighed. "I never would have thought I''d have to say this but ¡­ yes. I''m not really in the mood anymore."


    "Then let''s get dressed and see how Longjun is doing." He got up and pulled Jinde to his feet, helping him back into his robe before getting dressed himself. Just when he wanted to go out with him he stopped. "Right. If the demon king is getting information about the sect from Qiguan Cheng Da or maybe even from other people too, then you can''t be seen by any of them."


    He turned back to him and cupped his cheeks. "I''m sorry." Only now did he understand just how bad Jinde''s situation was. Before this, he had had the dimension at the foot of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s peak but now ¡­ there was only this house. He wouldn''t be able to leave it for the foreseeable future. That certainly wasn''t good.


    Jinde forced himself to smile. "It''s alright. You just go and see how Qiu Ling is doing. I''ll wait here. You can tell me about it later." He patted Leng Jin Yu''s chest, leaned over and pecked his lips before stepping back and waving at him.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "We will find a way. Don''t worry. This ¡­ It won''t continue like this. I promise."


    "Don''t promise too much. Just staying with me is enough." Jinde turned away and returned to the bedroom, falling onto the bed with a sigh.


    It certainly would be great if his lover could indeed find a way. He was already sick of being imprisoned. But he couldn''t really imagine any way for this to work out. There were a lot of things different between Leng Jin Yu and Chun Yin but this sense of loyalty and the urge to honor one''s promise, that hadn''t changed one bit. If he didn''t have to, he wouldn''t leave the Yun Zou Sect hanging. Instead, he would make sure that the sect was doing well and that the wishes of his Master were fulfilled. He just was like that.

 Chapter 559 - He Couldn’t Cope with It

    When Leng Jin Yu left the house, he saw Qiu Ling standing among the bamboo trees, not moving at all. He couldn''t help but frown. The demon king had turned up. Why was he just standing there? Shouldn''t he have some kind of reaction?


    He looked for Zhong Jing Yi to get some kind of clue what this was about only to find out that the person in question wasn''t there. Leng Jin Yu felt a sinking feeling in his heart. Don''t tell him ¡­


    He made his way over to Qiu Ling and stopped some steps away from him. "Longjun?" He didn''t get a reaction. Most likely, this was really as bad as he had thought. Leng Jin Yu gulped and stepped closer, reaching out to the person left in the bamboo grove. He lightly touched his arm and called out once again. "Longjun? Where is His Highness?"


    Qiu Ling turned around, his expression lost. "He ¡­ He took him away."


    "The demon king?"


    Qiu Ling nodded but it didn''t seem as if he really understood what was going on. This was just a reflex.


    Leng Jin Yu barely suppressed a shudder. Was this really the same dragon king that had fiercely attacked him when he thought that he had made his beloved break up with him? How come he suddenly showed such a reaction?


    Could it be he had misunderstood? Leng Jin Yu knew it wasn''t likely but he knew he had to make sure. "Longjun. His Highness is with the demon king Jin Ling right now?"


    Qiu Ling nodded again, his brows scrunching up. "He took him away. He just ¡­ took him away." Qiu Ling''s hands trembled. His beloved ¡­ had been taken from him. Again. Just what should he do now?


    Leng Jin Yu hurriedly caught onto the dragon king when his figure swayed. He barely suppressed a curse. "Longjun, this is not the time to be like this. His Highness was taken away against his will. By the demon king no less. We have to think about what we should do to help him get back."


    Even though he said so he didn''t get a response.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "We first have to inform the Nine Heavens." He looked at the sky and wanted to propose that he could go and handle that while Qiu Ling could go and inform his own people. But then his gaze swiveled back to the house behind them.


    He could go and inform them. But what about Jinde then? Hadn''t he told the God of War that he would stay in the human realm because he didn''t want to be tied down by the responsibilities joining the God of War''s palace would bring him? And now these responsibilities were in front of him again. Jinde would understand but that didn''t mean that it wouldn''t hurt him.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. This was about the Son of Heaven. He couldn''t just leave it be. Especially not with Qiu Ling being like this.


    He helped him onto the ground and crouched down next to him. "Longjun, this is important. Do you have a way of reaching the Nine Heavens? A transmission stone to reach someone in a high position? The best would be if we could reach the God of War or maybe even the Heavenly Emperor. Do you have something like that?"


    He waited but once again, there was no response. Leng Jin Yu gritted his teeth. He apologized in his head and finally grabbed the dragon king''s head, turning it around to him.


    "Longjun. Look at me."


    Qiu Ling lifted his head but his thoughts obviously hadn''t caught up to him yet. He just looked at him blankly.


    "A way to reach the Nine Heavens? Your ¡­ uncle-in-law? Mother-in-law? Father-in-law? Anyone from His Highness'' family? Longjun, please, His Highness is in danger. You have to do something."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned when he still didn''t get a response. What was he supposed to do now?


    "Qiu Ling." Jinde''s voice sounded from behind them. "This is for your beloved. For Jing He."


    "Jing He ¡­" This name finally got them a reaction. Qiu Ling''s fingers grabbed onto the next best thing they could reach which turned out to be Leng Jin Yu''s robe. He held onto it, obviously not noticing what he was doing. Finally, his head lowered and his shoulders shook.


    Leng Jin Yu stared at him. Was this ¡­ Was he crying?


    It didn''t take long for him to get an answer. Qiu Ling leaned forward, grabbing onto him in a half-hug, his claws digging into his shoulders. Leng Jin Yu groaned but didn''t move. Instead, he stared at the person in front of him, a little unable to believe what was happening. The dragon king that had seemed so weird but still so strong was breaking down right in front of him, crying his eyes out because the person he loved had been taken away.


    Unwittingly, Jinde''s words came back to him: ''He was a child. In some aspects, he still is. He had to mature too soon but in a sense that also took the possibility of really maturing from him.''


    Yes, Jinde was obviously right. This person, he hadn''t been given the opportunity of a normal life. He had somehow managed to go on, one day after the other, and that had resulted in a skewed personality. A personality that was probably mostly used to cover up the scars left from his childhood.


    It might have gotten better after he found the Son of Heaven but now that that had been taken away from him again ¡­ All those insecurities came back. And that without any warning. It was no wonder he couldn''t cope with this. After all, he had never learned how to do so. The life he had led ¡­ It probably hadn''t allowed him to do so.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and reached out, patting Qiu Ling''s back. "I''m sorry. All of that is my fault. But still, you can''t be like this now. We still have to save your beloved. You wouldn''t want for anything to happen to him, would you?"

 Chapter 560 - You Better Have a Good Reason

    Qiu Ling looked up at the person quietly talking to him. This was important. He knew that. This was about his Jing He, after all. But his Jing He was gone ¡­ He had been taken from him again. Once again, they were separated and he didn''t know when they would see each other again.


    He didn''t want to believe it but could it be ¡­ Jing He had been right back then? Were they really a pair of star-crossed lovers like Tian and Xing? Would they forever be unable to be together? Would they always be separated like this? Would they never marry like he wanted them to?


    He didn''t want that. He didn''t want to be without him. His Jing He ¡­ He was the only important thing in his life. The one he wanted to spent all his remaining years with. How should he go on without him?


    "Longjun." Leng Jin Yu shook his shoulder but the person in question obviously didn''t listen. He was already in a world of his own and didn''t seem like he would get out of it soon. Leng Jin Yu looked at Jinde for help.


    "He should have a transmission stone in his spatial ring."


    "Can we get it without his help?"


    Jinde shook his head. "Just tell him you want it. He will hand it over. And you should contact the Heavenly Emperor directly. It''s his son, after all, and a situation that concerns all of the Nine Heavens. The God of War might have the command over the army but he can''t make this decision alone."


    Leng Jin Yu grabbed Qiu Ling''s head again, making him look up. "The transmission stone to reach the Heavenly Emperor."


    Before he could try to explain further, something was thrown at him. It was ¡­ indeed a transmission stone. Leng Jin Yu raised his brows and looked at Jinde.


    His husband smiled in return. "He trusts you. Naturally, he will hand it over. His condition right now ¡­ It''s not that strange. Not even considering the rest, just the fact that the Son of Heaven is the person he bound his soul to will have a big impact on him. It''s as if ¡­ he''s caught in a circle of gaining and losing him again and again. It''s hard to understand. No dragon would be able to take that forever. He''ll need a moment to come to terms with it. Afterward ¡­ you should make sure you get out of his way. So contact the Heavenly Emperor fast."


    Leng Jin Yu wanted to question it further but Jinde''s look made him stop himself. He could still talk to him afterward and find out what this was about. First, he really needed to get help.


    He patted Qiu Ling''s back again and raised the transmission stone, imbuing his spiritual energy.


    The pale apparition of the Heavenly Emperor sprang up and immediately hollered at him. "You better have a good reason to disturb me, you bast¡ª" The Heavenly Emperor''s eyes widened and he stared at the image of the person that was projected by the transmission stone. "Uh ¡­ Who are you?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows twitched. "Greetings, Your Majesty. This one is the ascended deity Leng Jin Yu. You might remember me from the investigation about His Highness'' changed scroll of fate."


    "That''s the person I sent to help the Fate''s Scribe with taking care of Jing He''s trial," the voice of the God of War could be heard from somewhere. A moment later, his head popped up next to that of the Heavenly Emperor. "Leng Jin Yu, ah, how are you doing? How is your mission going?"


    Leng Jin Yu gave a wry smile. It certainly was nice of the God of War to try and give him an official reason for being in the human realm but ¡­ He really didn''t want to let the crime of the Son of Heaven being abducted right in front of his eyes be dumped onto his head. He hadn''t been tasked with guarding him at all!


    "Thank you, God of War, for inquiring and for trying to make me look better in front of His Majesty. I''m afraid I don''t deserve this after refusing to stay in the Nine Heavens for my personal reasons."


    Qiang Yan''s lips twitched. What was this guy doing? Was he trying to purposefully slap his face? And here he was being nice!


    "Actually, I''m very happy here. I''ve married yesterday. Naturally, that isn''t the reason why I''ve dared to contact the Heavenly Emperor." The slight smile that had made his lips curve up when he thought of Jinde instantly vanished. "My spouse is living in the Yun Zou Sect so I''ve been staying there as well. Today, it seems like the demon king, Jin Ling, came by here. I am afraid ¡­ something might have happened to His Highness. He can''t be found anywhere and Longjun ¡­" Leng Jin Yu''s gaze switched to the person sitting next to him in a daze. He still hadn''t gotten over it. He could only hope that Jinde would be right and that the dragon king would get a grip on himself soon.


    Qiang Yan frowned, forgetting about the previous slight. "What''s with him? Is he hurt? Do you have a way to reach someone of the dragon race? They should know about this."


    "I''m not too sure what is going on myself. I only ¡ª"


    "That fucking bastard!" Qiu Ling leaped to his feet, clenching his fists and roaring at the sky.


    Leng Jin Yu flinched, almost dropping the transmission stone but he managed to catch it before the connection could crumble. He stared at the person standing next to him and wanted to call out but right then, Qiu Ling took to the air. Leng Jin Yu only managed to take a breath before his figure had vanished. If he didn''t remember wrong ¡­ that was the direction of the demon realm.


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows twitched again. Don''t tell him Longjun wanted to go and fight his way through the demon realm all by himself? Was he nuts? Even if the dragons were strong, he was just one man. How could he survive by himself if he ran into his arch enemy''s territory?


    In the Nine Heavens, Rong Su and Qiang Yan exchanged a glance before turning back to Leng Jin Yu''s image.


    "Was that Longjun?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes. I''m afraid he left in the direction of the demon realm to get His Highness back."

 Chapter 561 - Completely Yours

    Rong Su and Qiang Yan exchanged another glance.


    "That ¡­" Qiang Yan wasn''t sure what to say.


    The Heavenly Emperor cleared his throat and showed a disgruntled expression in return. "Well, at least that bastard knows what to do in a dire situation. I certainly wouldn''t give my son to him if he couldn''t even keep him safe." His brows drew together. "Why could the demon king even take Jing He away when that bastard was with him? Shouldn''t he have protected him?!"


    "Brother-in-law, calm down. This isn''t helping. We should consider how we want to react."


    "What consider? Naturally, we''ll send our army! What are your Heavenly Guards there for?!"


    Qiang Yan''s lips twitched. "Don''t forget that the demon king has Jing He''s mortal reincarnation in his hands. Since he took him, it''s very likely that he already knows about his identity. If he does something to him ¡­"


    "What should he do to him? If he kills him, Jing He will come back sooner. I certainly wouldn''t mind that."


    "I wasn''t thinking of that." He gave his brother-in-law a look but it seemed to go over his head. "I mean, think of what is said about the demon king: A harem of a thousand beauties ¡­"


    The Heavenly Emperor stared at him, his mouth opening and closing before he finally found his voice again. "You ¡­ You don''t think he would try to ¡­ make my son part of his harem?"


    Qiang Yan only tightened his lips. While he hadn''t known Qiu Ling well before he started to go after his nephew, he had had at least a general understanding of him. He always seemed like he didn''t care about other people but whenever the demons moved and the dragon race was in jeopardy he moved out immediately, making his way to the battlefield just like all the other warriors, his blade or his claws bringing death wherever he went.


    The demon king, on the other hand ¡­ He was more of a mystery in that regard. While nobody really knew about Qiu Ling''s origins, it was common knowledge that the demon king Jin Ling was one of the sons of the demon king Jian Heng who had reigned over the demon realm two generations ago. Everything else remained a mystery.


    What was his take on the relationship between the three immortal races? Since he had taken the throne, there hadn''t been any big battles, only small skirmishes here and there that might not even have been done on his command. Comparing that to how Jian Heng was said to have ruled back then ¡­


    That kind of person, maybe he wouldn''t hurt his nephew? But what he just said about Jin Ling''s harem was also true. It was said that there were countless beauties in his palace and he didn''t seem to mind whether they were male or female either. Qiang Yan hadn''t seen Zhong Jing Yi but if the human boy had at least a tenth of his nephew''s beauty, he would certainly make a nice addition to such a harem.


    Or maybe this wasn''t about Jing He''s appearance at all and just something the demon king had planned since long ago? Maybe the war he hadn''t waged had been part of that plan. Maybe he had wanted them to feel safe only to destroy them with a single strike now that they hadn''t paid attention.


    Qiang Yan frowned and looked up at the image of Leng Jin Yu. "Was there anything you noticed? Did the demon king give any hint as to what his goal is?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. At that moment, he had just given in to Jinde''s seduction. He had heard that something was going on outside but he hadn''t paid any attention at all. His thoughts had been completely on his lover. "No, I''m sorry. I only found out when it was too late."


    "I see."


    "Maybe the Fate''s Scribe has some more information? This should turn up in Zhong Jing Yi''s scroll of fate, shouldn''t it?"


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Yes, it should. I''ll send someone over. As for the rest ¡­ since you already know about this, how about taking part in this?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head without the slightest hesitation. "No. I''m honored by your offer but as I''ve said before my fate lies here in the mortal realm. For now, I only want to spend time with my spouse. I don''t mind providing the Nine Heavens with some information if I happen upon it but I won''t leave here."


    "Alright. Then thank you for telling us. We''ll take care of this."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and cut the connection. He looked at the transmission stone in his hand and sighed, putting it away before he returned to the house.


    Jinde sat on the bed in his room and looked at him. "What will you do now?"


    "Well, I guess we won''t continue where we left off, will we?" He went over and sat down next to him with a slight smile.


    Jinde raised his brows. "Continue ¡­ You mean ¡­?"


    Leng Jin Yu reached over and grabbed one of the hands that had been folded in Jinde''s lap. "You don''t have to worry. I will stay with you. I promised you and I won''t break this promise. Although ¡­ we''ll have to see how we go about that other promise."


    "That other promise?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes. I''ve promised to take over the sect. I still intend to do so but seeing what just happened ¡­" He shook his head. "Had Longjun still been inside, then maybe you being here would already have been exposed. We can''t take such a risk again. We''ll have to find a way to both make sure that you won''t be found by him and that I won''t have to disappoint my Master."


    Jinde smiled and leaned against his husband''s shoulder. "Don''t worry. I''ve hidden for so long. I won''t be found that easily."


    "Mn. Let''s hope so. I can certainly do without a crazy love rival."


    Jinde chuckled. "I don''t think you still have love rivals. I''m ¡­ already completely yours."

 Chapter 562 - You’re My Guest

    While a certain couple tried to reestablish the mood, Zhong Jing Yi finally opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was an unfamiliar pair of legs clad in a violet robe. He blinked. Just what was going on here?


    The last thing he remembered was that a man had appeared that claimed to be Tian but he hadn''t felt even an ounce of familiarity from him. Whoever he had been, he definitely wasn''t his past life''s lover. Especially since he was almost certain by now that Qiu Ling had said the truth. He really was the king of the dragon race and he had indeed been the one he had fallen in love with back when he was Jing He. He didn''t fully understand the ins and outs but that could wait until later. For now ¡­


    He raised his head only to freeze right after. He had expected that the person opposite him would be the one that looked so similar to Qiu Ling but ¡­ This person and Qiu Ling had nothing in common.


    The man''s hair was copper-colored and his eyes of a shocking light brown. It was as if he wanted to tell the world with his appearance alone that he wasn''t human. Jing Yi stared at him, unable to look away for the moment. He looked completely different from Qiu Ling although he felt as if he had seen him somewhere before or maybe he just reminded him of somebody else. He couldn''t come up with who that should be though. He certainly would have remembered if he had ever seen someone like this.


    Jing Yi sat up and looked at the man warily. "Who are you?"


    "Jin Ling."


    Jing Yi frowned. He had never heard this name, had he? "I don''t know you."


    "Mn, that''s true." Jin Ling leaned to the side, resting his chin on his hand. Ah, kidnapping Qiu Ling''s beloved sure was interesting. He could imagine how much that guy would freak out right about now. He should be seething with rage.


    "Then why am I here?"


    "Well ¡­ You''re my guest, of course."


    "Your guest?"


    "Mn." Jin Ling gave a charming smile. "Naturally. Or do you want to be a prisoner instead? But then I would have to tie you to the bed."


    Jing Yi frowned. Why would he tie him to the bed out of all places? Shouldn''t a prisoner be tied up in¡ª


    Jing Yi froze. Come to think of it ¡­ it seemed he was sitting on a bed? He tried to glance around as unobtrusively as he could. Indeed. He was sitting on a bed and compared to where he had lived before it was a luxurious one. There wasn''t much else in the room either as if ¡­ nothing else was used here.


    Jing Yi gulped and looked up at Jin Ling again, a sinking feeling in his gut. "Why are you doing this?"


    Those copper-colored eyebrows raised. "You still have to ask? I thought it was obvious?"


    "Not really?"


    Jin Ling continued to smile but stood up, slowly walking over to the bed. "You know ¡­ even though we demons aren''t shy with expressing our feelings and even though we don''t even keep to just one partner, it can be pretty ¡­ lonely here in this palace." He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at Jing Yi, watching how his expression froze bit by bit. Ah, if only Qiu Ling could see this ¡­ He sighed and tried to look desperate and bitter despite his good mood. "You see, we have to find ways to fight that loneliness. Ah, if we could just have someone at our side, someone willing to accompany us through all those days ¡­" He reached out toward Jing Yi.


    Before his fingertips could touch anything, Jing Yi recoiled, pulling his legs up against his chest and looking at Jin Ling even more warily. His hands trembled. What was he supposed to do now? He had managed to cultivate to the third stage but he didn''t know how to fight. If this guy tried to do something to him ¡­ And Qiu Ling wasn''t here to help him this time. He had to find a way out by himself.


    Jin Ling sighed. "Ah, it hurts me to see you recoil so much. Is that man from the Yun Zou Sect really so much more lovable than me?"


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but glance at Jin Ling when he brought up Qiu Ling. Could it be that ¡­ this was on purpose? He had said himself that he was a demon. Was it possible that this had something to do with Qiu Ling? He had said, after all, that part of his family lived here in the demon realm.


    Wait, could it be that this man seemed a little familiar because of that? Did he have some similarity to Qiu Ling, after all? He tried to find some trace in his face but he couldn''t detect anything. In fact, the longer he looked at him, the more he felt that he must have had imagined it.


    There was no reason to think about it anyway. Qiu Ling obviously hated his mother''s side of the family. It was no wonder after what she had done. So even if this had something to do with his family, he couldn''t get comfortable. Qiu Ling wouldn''t like him being here. No, he would worry a lot as long as he didn''t return. So he had to get out of here as fast as possible.


    "That man is my fiance and I want to return to him."


    "Your fiance ¡­" Jin Ling sighed again. Ah, it seemed those two had already made up. Well, considering how they had been hugging and kissing in the Yun Zou Sect, it was to be expected.


    Mn, that would make things more difficult but then again ¡­ they might also become more interesting. After all, seducing Qiu Ling''s beloved while he thought of him as his past life''s lover was easy. But if he managed to make this person fall in love with him while Qiu Ling thought everything was alright ¡­ Wouldn''t he feel even worse?

 Chapter 563 - He Seemed to Attract Strange Men

    Jin Ling looked at the person that was obviously terrified. It shouldn''t be too hard to make this kind of person waver. After all, this wasn''t the true Son of Heaven and he didn''t remember everything. If he showed him a vulnerable part of him, then he would naturally soften and with a bit of time ¡­


    Jin Ling sighed again. "You''re afraid. I''m sorry. That''s not what I wanted."


    Jing Yi didn''t answer. He couldn''t trust this person. The less he talked, the better. Instead, he should try and find a way out of here. He glanced in all directions and noticed two doors. One was behind Jin Ling but the other one was on the other side of the room. If he managed to get there before him ¡­ Maybe he could find a way outside?


    But no. This person lived here. He would know this place better than him. If he tried to flee but got lost, he would be caught in no time and dragged back here. And then this Jin Ling would have been warned and every new attempt to flee would become harder. He couldn''t risk that.


    "You see, when I left the demon realm the last time, I coincidentally watched the two of you. Seeing how happy you were I couldn''t help but be envious. I thought that it must be so wonderful to have somebody care about you so much. Somebody who would accompany you wherever you go and help you if you get into trouble. Just someone who ¡­ is there for you." He leaned closer to Jing Yi but didn''t try to touch him. If he had learned anything in the many years of collecting beauties for his harem, then it was that such things couldn''t be rushed. This type of person wouldn''t submit to only beauty. No, this type of person wanted a heart.


    "Maybe you think I''m cruel to just take you away like this. But I couldn''t help myself. I thought that if that man can be so happy with you at his side, then maybe you could bring the same happiness to me?


    "Please, I don''t ask for much. Just ¡­ stay with me for a while. Let me feel the same love he feels. I''m sure the two of us will also make for a great couple."


    He waited for Jing Yi''s response, already preparing his answers for the two types of reactions he thought the most likely. If Jing Yi grew angry, he would admit that he had made a mistake and then he would beg him. This kind of person had trouble resisting that. But if he had already softened, then ¡­


    Wait. Why wasn''t he saying anything?


    Jin Ling looked up only to find Jing Yi stare at the door behind him as if his gaze alone could open it. This ¡­ this stupid boy! Don''t tell him he hadn''t listened at all?!


    Jin Ling frowned but hurriedly smoothed out his expression. No, he couldn''t get angry. The success of this relied on how well he could portray a personality this boy could love and he certainly wouldn''t like someone who would lose his fuse at the first problem. That bastard was also very patient with the Son of Heaven, even though he couldn''t hold back in any other situation. So ¡­ he had to be exceptionally patient as well.


    Jin Ling leaned over even further and slowly reached out. "Jing He." He lightly touched his leg, making Jing Yi recoil again. But at least, his ''guest'' had finally come out of his thoughts. "I''m sorry. I don''t want to ¡­ pressure you. It''s just that I don''t know what else to do."


    "How about bringing me back to the Yun Zou Sect then?"


    Jin Ling smiled. "How could I do that? I really like you. You might not believe it but it''s the truth. I want to have you by my side, to accompany me, to ease my loneliness and heal my heart. Can''t you imagine that at all?"


    Jing Yi''s brows twitched. What was this man talking about? "I don''t even know you."


    Jin Ling smiled even more serenely. "That''s not important. We can still get to know each other. I just know that we''re right for each other. I knew from the moment I first saw you."


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. Somehow ¡­ he seemed to attract strange men. Or how come Qiu Ling proposed to him when they first met while this man told him they were made for each other? That certainly wasn''t what a normal person would do!


    Ah, but his fiance at least had a good excuse. He had been with Jing He for so long and then finally found him in the world of the mortals again. Naturally, he had been unable to wait any longer. He had seen him when he was still a child, after all. To wait until the Gathering of Practitioners had probably needed a lot of willpower already.


    Jing Yi smiled at Jin Ling, making him hope that his plan had already worked out. Unfortunately, Jing Yi''s following words destroyed this hope. "I''m sorry but even if you say so, it won''t change that my heart only holds my fiance. So please let me go. I don''t intend to spend time with any man but him."


    "What a lucky man he is." Jin Ling got up and turned to go. At the door, he stopped once again. "We''ve traveled rather far to get here so ¡­ Why don''t you rest for a while? I''ll come and see how you''re doing later on." With that, he stepped out of the room, leaving Jing Yi alone. He didn''t worry that his ''guest'' would manage to escape. This was his palace and that boy was just a mortal. Even if he left that room, he would be able to find him and drag him back. So there really was no need to worry.

 Chapter 564 - What to Do?

    Jing Yi was left alone. He continued to sit on the bed and listened for Jin Ling''s steps to recede outside. Only when he was sure that he couldn''t hear him anymore, did he heave a sigh of relief.


    Ah, at least he wouldn''t have to deal with this unreasonable person for the time being. He didn''t doubt that he would come back though. Before that could happen, he needed to get an idea of where he was and if there was a way to flee from here without being caught immediately.


    Thinking about that he couldn''t help but sigh. "I should have asked Qiu Ling more questions. I would at least know a bit more about the demons then."


    Right now, he had no idea what to expect but he certainly wouldn''t buy that story about how that guy wanted him to become his lover. Wasn''t that more or less what had happened to Qiu Ling''s father? Getting together with someone from the demon race who only wanted to use him to get to their ¡­


    Jing Yi perked up. Could it be that this whole thing was about that? Had that Jin Ling taken him with him because he was Qiu Ling''s fiance? Because he thought he could use him to hurt Qiu Ling? And since Qiu Ling was the king of the dragon race, hurting him would equal to hurting his whole race? That seemed plausible.


    Jing Yi clenched his fists. That bastard! That despicable bastard! Hadn''t Qiu Ling gone through enough because of the demons? And he was even partly of their own race! How could they want to do something to him?


    He definitely couldn''t let it happen.


    Jing Yi slid down from the bed and tiptoed to the door on the other side of the room. Opening it he was greeted by the sight of yet another room. He frowned and took a look around. There were a large tub and a chair next to it with a robe and a towel on it. What he couldn''t see was a door.


    Jing Yi sighed. Thankfully, he hadn''t blindly rushed over here before. In that case, not only would he have alarmed that Jin Ling, he would also have gotten himself into an even worse situation. It seemed he really needed to be careful from now on.


    Jing Yi went back and checked on the other door. Outside was an empty corridor. His heart screamed at him to run but he took a deep breath and closed the door again.


    No. No, he couldn''t be reckless. He didn''t know even nearly enough. He first had to find out where exactly he was and what that Jin Ling really wanted from him. If he indeed wanted to use him against Qiu Ling, then he certainly wouldn''t let him go just like that. Who knew? There might be guards just around the corner and if he stepped out and was caught, he might indeed be chained up somewhere. What then? He couldn''t risk it.


    Jing Yi went back into the room and paced up and down. He needed a plan. But what kind of plan was that supposed to be? He didn''t know anything about the demons in general or that Jin Ling specifically. The only thing he knew for sure was that they didn''t have a good relationship with the dragons. Otherwise, what had happened to Qiu Ling''s parents would never have occurred.


    With that kind of starting point, he didn''t even need to try and get something out of Jin Ling to help Qiu Ling. If he tried, that man might just exploit his ignorance like he had tried to do with taking on Qiu Ling''s appearance and pretending to be Tian. No, just getting out of here would be enough. He had to get out and somehow meet up with Qiu Ling.


    Jing Yi folded his hands in his lap and bit his lower lip. It sounded so easy when he thought about it. But how was he supposed to do it? Even if he got out of the room without being seen, he would still need to find a way out of the building first, and depending on where they were ¡­ Maybe this was a town somewhere in the demon realm? Then he would also have to navigate the streets, get out of the gates and maybe even make his way through the whole realm.


    Something like that ¡­ Was it even possible?


    Probably not. He might still be able to escape out of the building but that was it. If the town had a gate, then he was done for. And even if it hadn''t, it was entirely possible that demons could tell who was one of them and who wasn''t. They would recognize him immediately and if that Jin Ling was someone important, he would be delivered back to his doorstep.


    And even if he managed to flee by a simple stroke of luck and even made it out of the demon realm ¡­ Who knew where he would end up? He didn''t know where the demon realm was. He wouldn''t know how to get back to the Yun Zou Sect or to any place where he could get help.


    Jing Yi leaned back and sighed again. Then what? He couldn''t just wait until Jin Ling gave up, could he? Considering how that guy had talked, that might never happen. So should he just ¡­ wait for Qiu Ling to come and save him?


    Jing Yi''s cheeks grew hot. Considering everything that seemed like the most reasonable approach but ¡­ he felt shameless just thinking about it. It had been more than five years since they had been a proper couple. He had been in the secret realm for most of the time since then and broken up with him right after he had been freed. He had rejected and pushed Qiu Ling back again and again in the weeks after that, even though his fiance had tried to approach him more than once.


    All that time, Qiu Ling had never pulled back. He had stayed close to him, protected him, helped him ¡­ How did he deserve this man?

 Chapter 565 - Maybe He Could Outrun a Dragon?

    Jing Yi covered his face with his hands. He regretted it now. When he saw those things in the secret realm, he shouldn''t have been so hasty to judge. And even if it had been true and there had been a Tian, how had he been able to waver so fast? That shouldn''t have happened.


    "I''m sorry. I''m so sorry, Qiu Ling. It''s all my fault. If not for me being so indecisive ¡­" He sighed again and lowered his hands, staring at the wall on the other side of the room.


    "When I get out of here ¡­ Let''s continue where we left off. Let''s not wait any longer. Let''s just ¡­ get married like you always wanted and spend the rest of our lives together."


    Jing Yi smiled to himself and pulled his knees up to his chest again.


    Qiu Ling had seen how that guy took him away so he should be able to find out where he had taken him. He could follow them and take him back then. For his fiance, that wouldn''t be too hard. It might just take a bit of time to figure out where exactly he was.


    "I should find something useful to do for the time being." Jing Yi closed his eyes, intending to cultivate when he remembered that he was in the demon realm right now. They certainly wouldn''t have spirit¡ª


    Uh? Jing Yi perked up and opened his eyes. Was he imagining things? He closed his eyes again, sat down in a proper lotus position and sensed the spiritual energy again. It was ¡­ indeed there. In fact, there wasn''t just a bit, there was a whole lot of it! This was even better than the secret realm.


    His brows furrowed. Just how could this be? Shouldn''t the demon realm be devoid of spiritual energy? Or maybe even rich in demonic or dark energy or something? Wasn''t that what Shao Hai had told him back when they were children? Then why ¡­


    Could it be that Jin Ling hadn''t brought him to the demon realm at all? Had he managed to throw Qiu Ling off on the way and figured it might be better to hide him somewhere else? After all, if a demon took him away, then searching in the demon realm would be the obvious thing to do.


    Jing Yi opened his eyes again. He couldn''t concentrate like this. What if this was indeed true? Then he couldn''t just wait for Qiu Ling to find him. No, he would need to go and do something himself then. But nothing had changed about his circumstances so there was nothing he could do.


    Jing Yi sighed and closed his eyes. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe this was the demon realm after all. Shao Hai had told him these things when they were young and hadn''t learned anything in the Yun Zou Sect yet. It could be he had been wrong. Who knew?


    Since he didn''t know and couldn''t do anything else, he might as well cultivate. With such a dense amount of spiritual energy, he might get a lot closer to the fourth level and thus to ascending some day. And then ¡­ he could follow Qiu Ling to his realm and indeed stay with him forever. Ah, thinking of it like this it might not be too bad to stay in the demon realm for a while.


    While Jing Yi cultivated to pass his time until Qiu Ling came and saved him, his fiance was already making his way through the demon realm. Well, ''making'' his way was probably the wrong way to put it. A certain someone was currently halfway to Jin Ling''s palace, killing his way through a horde of demons that still dared to try and stop him.


    He hadn''t even taken out his sword and was just using his claws to rip them apart. These bastards shouldn''t think that he would show any mercy. He had hated them before already. They had destroyed his family, his life, and now they had even dared to take his beloved! He wouldn''t forgive them! He would kill every last of them that crossed his path.


    He grabbed the next one by the shoulder and pulled, twisting off an arm and throwing it away. The demon screeched but Qiu Ling didn''t even twitch. His claws slashed the demon''s chest open and he pushed the corpse to the ground.


    His eyes touched upon the rows in front of him and he growled. These bastards. He wouldn''t mind killing each and every one of them but ¡­ there were so many. When he was finished with them, that bastard might already have done something to his beloved. He couldn''t risk that. He had to go and save him now.


    Qiu Ling grabbed one of the demons by the throat and pulled him over until they were face to face. "You. Go and tell your stupid king that he better shouldn''t think of hurting my beloved. If my Jing He even looks like one of his hairs is out of place, then I will raze the whole fucking demon realm to the ground. Do you understand?"


    The demon just stared back at him blankly. Was this ¡­ the rumored dragon king?


    Qiu Ling tsked and threw him to the ground, kicking his butt. "Go! Tell him he should prepare to hand my beloved over if he doesn''t want more of his subjects to die here."


    The demon hurriedly got up and ran away, his gaze traveling past the bodies on the ground. So ¡­ did this mean he wouldn''t die? That was too good to be true, wasn''t it?


    Still, since he had gotten the chance to open up some distance between himself and that lunatic, he would gladly do so. Maybe he could outrun a dragon if he just started early enough?

 Chapter 566 - Would He Be Able to Go on Living?

    While Qiu Ling''s message was being related to Jin Ling, the preparations to rescue their crown prince from the clutches of the evil demon king also started in the Nine Heavens.


    The Heavenly Emperor just waved at Qiang Yan. "Do what you must. Just bring me my son back. If that mortal reincarnation of his dies, I don''t mind. He has already done what he has to, after all. But nothing can happen to his soul."


    "Don''t worry, brother-in-law." Qiang Yan nodded and stormed out of the palace, grabbing the next best Heavenly Guard he could get his hands on. "Go to the God of War''s palace and beat the war drums. All men are to gather immediately. We''re going to war with the demons."


    "Yes." The Heavenly Guard bowed and hurried away.


    Qiang Yan didn''t linger either and hurried toward Jing He''s palace. He didn''t have time to lose. His men had to prepare and he had to inform the dragons of this matter. After all, although saving Jing He was important the person over there was only a mortal reincarnation. It was different with Qiu Ling though. He was the real dragon king and he had been for a long time. If the dragons lost him, chaos would ensue and that might very well be an opportunity for the demons to wage another bloody war. Something like that couldn''t be allowed.


    Jing He, on the other hand ¡­ If the demons didn''t try to do anything to his soul, it wouldn''t be too bad. Everything else could be salvaged. Even if ¡­ Qiang Yan closed his eyes and gulped, thinking of the gentle smile of his nephew and the way he seemed at least a little more lively around Qiu Ling.


    Falling in love had been hard for Jing He. Or maybe it wasn''t to fall in love but to be able to stand by his feelings and declare them to the person in question. Those feelings were even more important to him because of that and after finding out about Jing He stealing the soul-engraving dagger it was a no-brainer why he had used it. He wanted to make sure he wouldn''t experience any kind of love with another man. He was ¡­ saving himself for the dragon king.


    Qiang Yan rubbed his brow while running over to Jing He''s palace and cursed. That child. Why couldn''t he take the trial less seriously? If the demon king touched him and took something from him that he deemed to be Qiu Ling''s, would he even be able to go on living? Probably not.


    His father was too pragmatic in regard to the trials and too opposed to the idea of Jing He and Qiu Ling being together that he could understand. But as someone who had watched Jing He slowly open up and fall in love with that man, Qiang Yan knew that this was the most important for Jing He. Maybe ¡­ the dragon king was even more important to him than his own family.


    Qiang Yan sighed. There was nothing he could do at that front even though he would have loved nothing more than to storm over there himself, kick the door in and bash that demon king''s head in right after. How dare he kidnap his nephew!


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t possible so he would have to settle for the next best thing: Make sure the dragons were warned so they could send help to their king! Then, he would take his own men and join them. He''d really like to see how that Jin Ling wanted to beat both their armies!


    Qiang Yan ignored the two Heavenly Guards in front of Jing He''s door and jumped right in, startling the two dragons next to Jing He''s bed.


    Qiang Wei and Yi Zan crouched down and their claws shot out, ready to attack whoever dared to disturb the crown prince. Seeing Qiang Yan, they both froze.


    Yi Zan managed to regain his composure first. "God of War? Did something happen?"


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Jing He''s mortal reincarnation was kidnapped by the demon king. As far as we know, Longjun followed them. He should be in the demon realm by now. I thought the dragons should know about this."


    Yi Zan and Qiang Wei exchanged a glance, both seeing alarm in the other''s eyes. Their king was crazy about the crown prince and the demon king was likely the person he hated the most. Now that the crown prince''s reincarnation was in that man''s hands ¡­ Their king wasn''t likely to react logically anymore. He would just storm over and kill his way through the demon realm, not caring for his own well-being.


    Yi Zan furrowed his brows and turned back to Qiang Yan. "His Majesty informed you himself?"


    "No. One of our people coincidentally noticed. I''ll leave informing the dragon race''s people to you. I have to go and lead the army to the demon realm now. We can''t let too much time pass in case ¡­"


    "Naturally." Yi Zan bowed.


    As soon as Qiang Yan stepped out of the palace, the two dragons turned to look at each other and then glanced at the quiet body of the crown prince.


    "Do you think ¡­ His Majesty will be able to take it?"


    "I don''t know but we have to be vigilant. This matter likely isn''t simple. Even though that Jin Ling didn''t bother to lead any big wars like his predecessors, he has still been ruling the demon realm for almost as long as His Majesty has been on the dragon realm''s throne. And I''ve never heard about any challenge coming even close to dethroning him either. We can''t take him lightly."


    "That''s for sure. In that case ¡­ I''ll contact Fu Min? He''ll be able to gather more information the fastest."


    Yi Zan nodded. "Then I''ll try to reach Xiang Yong."


    "Mn."


    The two of them turned away from each other, both taking out a transmission stone each and imbuing their spiritual energy to relay the message they had just received.

 Chapter 567 - Let’s Contact Them Later

    Xiang Yong reacted immediately. "Yi Zan, what may I do for you?"


    "The Son of Heaven was abducted by the demon king. His Majesty has followed them and is likely fighting in the demon realm alone."


    There was only a slight pause before Xiang Yong reacted. "I''ll gather our warriors and lead them over. You and Qiang Wei ¡­"


    "We''ll continue to guard His Highness'' immortal body. Qiang Wei is trying to reach Fu Min."


    "Alright. I''ll leave that to you."


    "Mn."


    The transmission was cut as fast as it had been established and Yi Zan turned to Qiang Wei. His friend obviously had more trouble than him. His transmission stone pulsed with white light, a sure sign that he was imbuing spiritual energy but no connection was established.


    Yi Zan walked over and frowned. "Could it be he is in the demon realm and already knows?"


    "Maybe. Then he could have joined His Majesty in the fight already."


    Yi Zan shook his head. "He should have been with Fu Heng. Wouldn''t he rather let him join the fight while he informs us? He should know that the three of them aren''t enough to contend against a whole army. Not even with His Majesty around."


    "That''s true. Let me try to reach Fu Heng instead."


    In the human realm, not far from the Yun Zou Sect, another transmission stone started giving off light just after the first one had stopped. Fu Min clung to his husband''s shoulders and looked at the thing that peaked halfway out of the robe he had flung aside earlier.


    "Ah, Fu Heng, that ¡­ your ¡­ mn ¡­"


    Fu Heng very conscientiously pretended to have neither seen nor heard anything and just continued. This wasn''t the stone His Majesty had given him so it should be alright to ignore it for a while. He sealed those lips with another kiss and brushed that blond hair out of the way, his hands stroking his partner''s torso.


    Fu Min forgot about the transmission stone just as fast. His arms circled Fu Heng''s neck and he managed to wrap his legs around Fu Heng''s waist, sticking to him as close as possible.


    The two dragons in Jing He''s palace exchanged a glance. Yi Zan also took out his transmission stone and tried to reach Fu Min again.


    With both of their transmission stones glowing, Fu Min had trouble to ignore it. "Fu Heng ¡­"


    "They can wait."


    Fu Min wanted to protest but his husband had already leaned down again, his lips wandering across his throat while his hips ¡­


    "Mn!" Fu Min hugged him tighter and reached over to Fu Heng''s robe, pushing it onto the transmission stone so it wouldn''t interrupt them again. They could still contact the others later and make up some story why they hadn''t been able to react before that.


    Fu Heng smirked when he saw his partner behave like that. He ran his hands down his sides and picked up his pace.


    Fu Min moaned and his feet rubbed the back of Fu Heng''s leg.


    Fu Heng shuddered. He hugged his lover to his chest and kissed him again, whispering his name. "Fu Min ¡­ I love you. You can''t believe how happy I am. I ¡ª"


    Fu Min cupped his husband''s cheeks and pulled his head up, frowning at him. "How come you''re so talkative today? Aren''t you mincing your words, normally?"


    Fu Heng didn''t care that he was being scolded. He bent down and kissed his lover''s lips. "That love has to go somewhere." His lips moved to the side and his hands started roaming again.


    Fu Min grinned. "I don''t think that''s the way to have it go somewhere." His own hands slid down on Fu Heng''s back and he tightened his legs around Fu Heng''s waist. "How about concentrating on that instead?"


    Fu Heng snorted and kissed Fu Min''s cheek before falling silent and doing what his lover wanted. Mn, after following him around for so long and seeing how he pretended to like Xiang Yong instead ¡­ he still had a hard time to believe that this person was finally his. He might as well make sure.


    Fu Min groaned, almost regretting a little that he had teased his husband so much. As soon as his brows furrowed, Fu Heng slowed down though.


    "Are you alright? Should I stop?"


    "Stop, my ass! Continue!"


    Fu Heng nodded and did as he was told until they finally both lay in the grass, heavily panting. Fu Heng pulled his lover into his arms and kissed his cheek, humming in a low tone.


    Fu Min looked at him and snorted. "Take a look at your face! Thankfully, we''re outside. If the others saw ¡­"


    "They can see all they want."


    "They can''t." Fu Min grinned and snuggled up to his husband, poking his chest with a finger. "You''re my husband. How dare they try and see?" He looked up at Fu Heng''s face through his lashes. Seeing the indulgent look in them, he seriously wondered how he had been able to miss for so long just how smitten Fu Heng was with him. "You know we could have had this much sooner if you just told me."


    "Weren''t you always gushing about how great Xiang ¡ª"


    Fu Min clasped a hand over his husband''s mouth. "Sh! Don''t talk about other men after doing it with me. I''ll think you want to reconsider this marriage."


    Fu Heng smiled. "My soul is already yours."


    Fu Min nodded but he didn''t look as happy as before. "Sorry about that. Even though ¡­ we''re a couple now, that shouldn''t have happened. If something happens to me ¡­"


    "If something happened to you, I wouldn''t want to live anyway. So let''s forget about it. Do you want to contact the others now or ¡­"


    Fu Min sighed and hugged Fu Heng''s waist. "Let''s sleep a bit first. I would be embarrassed if they heard what we just did."


    Fu Heng smiled. "You think your voice sounds like it?"


    Fu Min poked his husband''s waist. "You don''t think it does? It''s a seductive voice! Those single dogs won''t be able to take it."


    "Mn." A certain someone went back to mincing his words again but he still stroked his lover''s hair and finally pulled over his outer robe to cover them when their sweat slowly dried.

 Chapter 568 - Incoming Disaster

    When Yi Zan and Qiang Wei couldn''t reach Fu Heng and Fu Min even after several minutes they stopped trying.


    "Maybe they''re indeed in the demon realm and it isn''t convenient to talk. We shouldn''t continue. It would be dangerous if this diverts their attention."


    "Mn." Qiang Wei weighed the transmission stone in his hand and frowned. "Xiang Yong alone will hardly be enough support for His Majesty. Should we contact An Bai?"


    "Xiang Yong should have done that already. An Bai was still in the dragon realm." Yi Zan turned to look at Jing He''s motionless body. "Ah, if just His Highness wasn''t ¡­" He furrowed his brows. Would their king really be alright after losing him like that? It wasn''t news that he hated the demon king and now it was exactly this person that had taken his loved one from him.


    "Don''t worry too much. Even though he acts like an idiot if it''s about His Highness, he''s still a warrior at heart. And he''s stronger than all of us together. They won''t easily injure him. Didn''t he manage to survive all these years without problems?"


    "That''s not what I''m worried about." Yi Zan continued to look at Jing He''s body and sighed. "If this was just His Majesty ¡­ naturally, he wouldn''t have any trouble. But the Son of Heaven''s mortal reincarnation is there and even though he is but a reincarnation, His Majesty certainly feels different."


    "You mean they might threaten him with His Highness?"


    Yin Zan looked back at his friend and smiled wryly. "Would you do anything else if you were the demon king? He has the perfect bargaining chip in his hands while our king ¡­" He shook his head. What could their king offer in exchange for His Highness? "The only thing I could think of would be him stepping down. But if we lose our king ¡­"


    Qiang Wei nodded. "It''s possible. He would do that for His Highness." He tsked. "That Jin Ling, he really is too vicious using the Son of Heaven like that."


    "I guess we can only hope that Xiang Yong reaches there before anything bad can happen and that the gods are able to exert their pressure. With both our races standing together, there might be some room to negotiate. And the God of War has a favorable impression of our king. He''ll look out for him."


    Qiang Wei nodded and the two of them went back to their posts. There was nothing they could do besides waiting and continuing to guard the crown prince. Everything else was in the hands of others now.


    At that time, Xiang Yong had already informed An Bai and the two of them had set out together with their race''s warriors, finally reaching the demon realm. They had circled around to the position where their king had most likely entered it. The most important thing was to find him as soon as possible and make sure that nothing happened to him. After that, they had to find out whether there was any additional information they could use to locate the Son of Heaven and free him to eliminate the chance of him being used by the demons.


    The dragons rushed into the demon realm, not caring whether anyone had declared war already or if it was alright to kill those standing in their way. This time the demons had gone too far. They could try and harm anyone but not the Son of Heaven! He was their king''s future consort, after all, his other half. How could they let the demons harm this special person? Wasn''t that a direct attack on their king and their whole race?


    Thanks to Tian''s curse, the dragons took relationships very seriously. Even though their king hadn''t officially married the Son of Heaven yet, with how he had told everyone and some more about how much he was in love with him, everyone in the dragon realm regarded this as a sealed deal. The rest were just formalities.


    Correspondingly, they were enraged that their king''s partner had been targeted and were itching to pay the demons back. A lot of them had already turned into their dragon forms, flying through the clouds and calling up a storm. The winds rushed across the land, snapping off every tree they could, the rain flogged the ground and flooded the valleys. And the clouds drew still further together, darkening and darkening while thunder rumbled and lightning crackled, prophesying the incoming disaster.


    Jin Ling watched the spectacle from his palace, his copper-colored hair dancing freely in the storm and his sleeves flapping. He didn''t seem to feel the cold or hear anything happening around him as if he was in a separate space. His eyes were trained on those dark clouds though, trying to take in every last detail.


    He knew it was stupid but he couldn''t help and hope. Maybe somewhere in there, somewhere between all those normal dragons, he would be able to spot a golden one. Maybe he would descend in front of him and turn back into his immortal form. He would draw his beautiful brows together and scold him like he had done when he was a child, his gaze already gentling when he saw him about to cry. He would sigh and scoop down, picking him up and letting the matter go just like he always did.


    "Jinde ¡­" Jin Ling raised his hand and watched the rain hammering onto it. The cold sensation made his thoughts stray even further, back to the time when he had still been with the person he loved.

 Chapter 569 - A Pair of Pretty Eyes

    He had seen Jinde''s dragon form a few times but he honestly hadn''t liked it very much. Well, that wasn''t completely true. When Jinde transformed for the first time, he had loved it. At least for a short moment.


    It had been a sunny day. The warm breeze was pushing a few fluffy, white clouds across the sky but they hardly provided any shade. That kind of day was his favorite. Thanks to their superior physique, dragons didn''t mind any kind of weather so Jinde would still spend the day outside if he had something to do there. Then his hair would gleam in the sun and his eyes would sparkle especially pretty.


    Jin Ling couldn''t help but follow him even more closely than usual, tugging at his sleeve every now and then so he would turn around and smile at him. Then he would be happy that Jinde smiled at him but also a little sad because his eyes would curve up when he smiled, hiding that beautiful golden color.


    Thus after a few minutes, he would tug again and maybe this time, Jinde wouldn''t smile like that. No, sometimes, he would crouch down next to him and look at him with his eyes open, sparkling in the sun.


    "What is it, Ah Jin? Don''t you like it outside? You can go in and wait. I''ll be with you in a bit."


    Jin Ling hurriedly shook his head and grabbed Jinde''s hand.


    "You don''t want to go inside?" Jinde tilted his head. "Then do you want to wait over there?" He motioned at a row of trees, probably thinking how it would be cooler in their shade.


    Jin Ling shook his head again. He just wanted to stay with his Jinde, nothing more.


    Unfortunately, Jinde didn''t seem to understand. He reached up and touched Jin Ling''s forehead. "Mn ¡­ You don''t seem to have a fever. Are you feeling unwell anywhere else?"


    Jin Ling shook his head for the third time, his gaze still trained on Jinde''s eyes. So pretty ¡­ He was a little dazed looking at them, which in turn had to worry Jinde.


    He got up and patted Jin Ling''s head. "Wait here for a bit. I''ll be back in a minute." With that, he wriggled out of Jin Ling''s grip and turned away.


    Jin Ling grew anxious and hurried after him but Jinde was so tall and his legs were long and finally, that tall and beautiful person transformed right in front of his eyes.


    Jinde''s dragon form looked a lot like his immortal form: A pair of dazzling, golden eyes and the whole body covered with equally golden scales. He was easily the most beautiful dragon in the whole realm.


    Jin Ling stood rooted to the spot. Even though he knew that Jinde was a dragon, the dragons didn''t transform that often so he had never seen him do it, despite growing up at his side. Right now, he could only stare slack-jawed and admire the beautiful creature in front of him.


    Jinde, the dragon, turned around and nuzzled his head with its own. Jin Ling happily reached up and patted it, touching those golden scales. They were warm, just like Jinde''s immortal body. They weren''t as soft though. Between hugging a soft leg and touching pretty scales ¡­ Jin Ling wasn''t too sure what he liked more but the soft leg would probably win by a bit.


    The dragon turned its head again, flew once around Jin Ling and then soared up into the sky before speeding off. Jin Ling who had just been ecstatic from seeing another beautiful side of his Jinde stared at the rapidly disappearing figure. His heart squeezed and his body shook, his face scrunching up in only a few moments. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he ran after the dragon.


    "Jinde! Jinde!" He called his name but contrary to the usual routine, nobody came running and picked him up. Nobody came to pacify him. His Jinde ¡­ had disappeared.


    He finally sat down somewhere in Jinde''s garden and hugged one of the big flowers, his tears still flowing down rapidly, his shoulders shaking with sobs.


    In the end, he didn''t even notice when Jinde returned.


    Something crashed to the ground behind him. Jin Ling flinched and turned around, seeing a big tub with water on the ground. Well, the tub had fallen to the ground and the water was flowing out and seeping into the ground. He couldn''t help but stare at it, thinking that his Jinde wouldn''t like this. He was very particular about how much water his plants should get.


    Before he could dwell on it, he was wrapped in a pair of arms and hit with the familiar scent of plants. Jin Ling stopped crying on cue and nestled into that embrace. Jinde held him, stroked his back and even hummed a song for him. It was as if he had never been gone. Finally, Jin Ling calmed down.


    "Feeling better? Then do you want to tell me now what happened?"


    Jin Ling shook his head again, very much like before.


    "No?" Jinde cupped his cheeks and looked into his eyes. "Ah Jin, are you hurting anywhere?"


    "No." Jin Ling finally talked, even though he didn''t have much else to say.


    Jinde''s brows knitted together in worry. "Then why were you crying? Did something happen? Did somebody come and bother you?"


    Jin Ling shook his head and reached up, putting his small hands over Jinde''s. He couldn''t let go. What if his Jinde transformed again and flew away? He couldn''t let that happen!


    Jinde watched him and the corners of his mouth lifted in a small smile. "You wouldn''t have been afraid, would you? Because I went away?"


    Jin Ling froze and hurriedly shook his head. He hadn''t forgotten that his Jinde had told him that that stupid Xin Lan wore a mask because he was the strongest. He couldn''t let him know that he had been afraid! If he did, wouldn''t Jinde think he wasn''t strong enough to protect him?

 Chapter 570 - Can I Sleep with You?

    "Ah, silly child." Jinde had hugged him, ruffling his copper-colored hair while he was at it. "You don''t have to be afraid. I would never leave you."


    Jin Ling snorted at that memory. He would never leave him ¡­ What a nice-sounding promise. But hadn''t he still thrown him out of his palace and banned him from the dragon realm? Even worse, hadn''t he died before him, leaving him all alone in this world?


    Jin Ling lowered his hand and closed his eyes, lifting his face to the sky for the rain to fall onto his skin. "Liar. You didn''t stay with me. You abandoned me. How could you just sent me back to my father and ignore me? I wanted to stay with you forever ¡­"


    Ah, those happy memories, they were way too far in the past. Thinking back now, it felt like he had only spent a few short years with him. That wasn''t enough. It was by far not enough. The thing he had dreaded most, in the end, it had still happened. His favorite person had abandoned him and flown away.


    He sighed and thought back to the next time he had seen Jinde transform. That day, it had also been pouring. One of Jinde''s aides had just reported a disaster that hadn''t happened far away and Jinde wanted to go and check on it.


    He probably couldn''t fault him. He was the king and he had to make sure his people were alright. Jinde had even remembered to say goodbye to him and assure him that he would come back soon so he wouldn''t worry like the last time.


    But naturally, Jin Ling hadn''t been content with that. His Jinde had flown away just like that back then, leaving him behind. And even until now, he hadn''t figured out how to transform himself so that he could follow him. He didn''t want to let him go!


    Thus when Jinde ran outside and transformed in a hurry, he also ran out, stubbornly clinging to his robe first and then to his tail. He was determined not to let go and follow him wherever he went. His little feet slapped onto the puddles and splashed the water around.


    Jinde might have been in a hurry and the thunder from above was loud but he still noticed that something was off. Maybe he was already so attuned to having a little child clinging to him that he immediately turned around and looked at the ground. Even in his dragon eyes, it could be read how stunned he was when he actually noticed Jin Ling.


    He hurriedly transformed back, caught him and rushed back inside. "Child, what were you doing out there?! Do you want to worry me to death, is that it?"


    Jin Ling shook his head and hugged Jinde''s leg, pressing his cheek against his thigh without caring that he was soaked wet and would dirty Jinde''s robe. Even if Jinde scolded him, he wouldn''t let go. What if Jinde just flew away? How would he catch up to him then? After all, he couldn''t transform. He only had his feet to walk after him.


    Jinde really seemed as if he wanted to scold him for a moment but finally, his caring side still won out. He crouched down and held Jin Ling in his arms, gently kissing his temple. "Ah Jin, you''ve really worried me just now? What were you thinking of doing? Holding onto my tail and flying to the area with the disaster? What if you had fallen down? Or gotten caught somewhere? Or ¡­" Jinde shook his head and pressed him against his chest. "I don''t want to lose you. You''re the most important person to me, don''t you know that?" He looked at Jin Ling and smiled, nudging his nose. "Even though, I do have to go and see what is happening over there. Can''t you stay here alone for a bit? It won''t take long."


    Jin Ling shook his head and clung to Jinde''s neck. He didn''t want to stay here alone! He didn''t want to be alone ever. He only wanted to be with his Jinde.


    Jinde might have been great at caring for a child but he had no idea how to handle one that was throwing a tantrum. Since he had no idea, he could only turn to somebody else for ideas. The someone in that situation ¡­


    "Do you want me to go and take a look at the disaster area, Your Majesty?"


    Jin Ling scowled at the stupid man with the mask but the person in question didn''t even look at him. He only looked at Jinde, his gaze not wavering in the slightest.


    Jin Ling scowled even more but it didn''t have any effect. In a last effort, he hugged Jinde tighter to show the stupid person that he was much more important to his Jinde!


    Seeing the child behave like this Jinde sighed and patted his head before turning back to face Xin Lan. "I''m sorry. I also don''t know what''s with him today. Would you mind very much?"


    "Of course not. Just leave it to me."


    The stupid person didn''t say anything more and turned around, leaving the palace and flying to the place where Jinde had originally been supposed to go. On one hand, Jin Ling was angry that that man was able to help his Jinde while he couldn''t do anything but on the other hand, he was happy that his Jinde had stayed with him and that he even had him all to himself now.


    Jinde looked like he originally wanted to scold him but when Jin Ling blinked his caramel-colored eyes at him, all resistance seemed to melt away and he sighed. "Alright. It''s late and the weather isn''t nice. How about going to bed now?"


    Jin Ling continued to hug Jinde''s neck and blinked at him. "Can I sleep with you?"


    "But ¡ª"


    "It''s so loud outside! I''m afraid." The person that had run outside just a couple minutes ago and normally refused to admit even if he was scared, shamelessly pretended not to remember any of that.


    Face? What was that? Would it let him sleep snuggled up to his Jinde? If not, then he didn''t need it.

 Chapter 571 - See Him Suffer While Alive

    "Your Majesty." The demon that Qiu Ling had let go cleared his throat and pulled Jin Ling out of his thoughts.


    The demon king opened his eyes and smiled, part charming, part melancholic. Ah, why was he still thinking of him? Jinde ¡­ Their time together ¡­ That was long past. Now, there was nothing left of it but regrets and reproach.


    "What is it?"


    "Uh ¡­" The demon gulped. Somehow, his king''s face didn''t look right. Furthermore ¡­ Excuse him, but had his king missed the spectacle over there? Wasn''t it obvious that the dragons were on their way over? "The dragon king ¡­


    "What''s with him?"


    "He invaded our territories and started slaughtering our people. We tried holding him back but ¡­ he''s terribly enraged and we couldn''t even scratch him up till now. He said to deliver a message to you."


    "Oh?" Jin Ling turned around to the man and his half-smile turned back into the charming one the demons knew him with.


    The demon hurriedly nodded. "Yes, he said that if something happened to his beloved, then he would flatten our whole realm."


    "Mn. I wonder if he has that ability." Jin Ling turned back to watch the dragons roaring in the sky.


    Actually, it didn''t sound too bad. Flattening a kingdom to take revenge for your beloved, that was. Unfortunately, the one who had killed the person he loved had been his own father and he had already been killed by that person in return. Who was he supposed to take revenge on now?


    The only one that was still there was Qiu Ling so ¡­ he would make sure he didn''t have a good life. That man''s child, the proof that he had betrayed Jinde and broken his heart, something like that couldn''t be allowed to exist in this world. He had to vent Jinde''s anger for him, slowly torture him and then kill him off. That would be his revenge for Jinde. Maybe then ¡­ he would forgive him for falling in love with him.


    Jin Ling chuckled lightly. "Well, then I guess we should go and talk to him. Negotiations are very important in this kind of situation."


    He said so but instead of hurrying to the battleground, he turned around and went back into the palace.


    The demon that had delivered Qiu Ling''s message stood there dumbly. What now? Could his task be considered to be done? So ¡­ Should he go back? But that crazy dragon king would certainly kill him if he did. Then should he follow his own king? Ah, but his king also seemed strange today.


    In the end, he still returned to the battlefield. Maybe he would be able to impress his king when he displayed his willingness to put his life on the line in the fight against the dragon king.


    Unfortunately, when he arrived, he wasn''t faced with Qiu Ling''s handsome face but instead got greeted by the claw of a dragon that pierced right through his shoulder. He screamed and staggered back, eying the bloody wound on his shoulder suspiciously. How had this happened?!


    Looking around him, he finally realized that the dragon king wasn''t alone anymore. The warriors of his race had caught up to him and joined him in the fight, rapidly decimating the number of the demons who hadn''t had any time to prepare.


    While his subjects were already fighting for their lives, Jin Ling leisurely walked back to the room holding his most valuable asset. Opening the door, he found the mortal sitting on the bed, his eyes closed and the spiritual energy circling around him.


    Jin Ling chuckled. "It seems you''ve already grown used to the thought of living in the demon realm."


    Jing Yi''s eyes sprang open and he scrambled back on the bed, widening the distance between Jin Ling and himself at least a bit.


    Jin Ling looked at him and continued to smile. "It''s good that you are. You can tell your ex-fiance in a bit."


    "What are you talking about?"


    Jin Ling didn''t answer. He strode over to the bed and grabbed Jing Yi''s wrist. "He was faster than I thought. I had expected he would first inform everyone and then plan how to proceed before bringing the joined armies over here to confront me but ¡­ your ex-fiance is a little rash. He actually seems to have come over here by himself. Well, the news spread soon enough so at least the dragons are here now. I don''t know whether they''ve found him yet but I guess it is likely. So ¡­ I guess we''re at war again. That will be pretty dangerous. Who knows if your ex-fiance will live to see its end?"


    Jing Yi frowned. "Why are you calling him my ex-fiance all the time?"


    Jin Ling stopped walking. "Isn''t that obvious?"


    "No." Jing Yi furrowed his brow even further. He didn''t understand this man anyway but this didn''t make sense to him. Hadn''t he already told him that he and Qiu Ling were a couple and that he wouldn''t reconsider that? "We made up already. We''re engaged and we''ll marry as soon as I get out of here."


    "Ah, but you don''t want to get out of here."


    "I ¡ª"


    "Or at least that is what you will tell him. Otherwise ¡­" Jin Ling leaned down and his eyes curved up. "Do you believe Qiu Ling would kill himself to save you? That would be a pretty tragic end. Ah, just thinking of his blood spilling onto the demon realm''s ground ¡­ It makes me unbelievably happy. Almost happy enough to light some incense sticks for my deceased father''s soul. Just in case he actually had one.


    "You know, the only thing that could make me even happier and might make me drop the idea to kill him would be to see him suffer while he is alive. So ¡­ I guess I''ll leave it up to you what it should be."

 Chapter 572 - Even More Amusing to Watch

    Jing Yi''s eyes widened. "You ¡­ You''re crazy!" This guy wanted to have Qiu Ling kill himself?! How could he even consider something like this?


    Jin Ling smiled at him and pulled him off the bed. "That might be true. Or maybe it''s just that I don''t have anything to lose so I might as well have a little fun with him. What do you think?"


    "Leave Qiu Ling out of this!" Jing Yi tried to resist Jin Ling but the demon king just continued to pull at his wrist until the boy stood in front of him.


    The demon king looked at him with a smile. Ah, so stubborn ¡­ "Didn''t you almost leave him for a non-existent man? He can''t mean that much to you. So why would you care if he dies or not? It doesn''t have to do with you. As soon as his cold body touches the ground, I''ll let you go. Ah, no, not just that. I''ll bring you back to where you were before. That Yun Zou Sect. I might even reward you for being of so much help."


    Jing Yi gritted his teeth, his limbs trembling. If he wasn''t just a weak human ¡­ He wouldn''t have gotten into this situation and made things difficult for Qiu Ling. Even if he was somehow captured and brought here, he would still be able to free himself and return to Qiu Ling''s side through his own effort. He wouldn''t be forced to wait for his fiance to come and rescue him. He wouldn''t need to listen to this bastard in front of him.


    Jin Ling smiled even more happily. "I like the way you look right now. It''s as if you want to scratch out my eyes. Unfortunately ¡­ There aren''t many people that can win against me and you''re certainly not one of them. Your ex-fiance could but ¡­" Jin Ling ran his fingers through Jing Yi''s black hair and smiled. "He won''t be able to anymore. Not as long as you''re in my hands."


    Jin Ling chuckled and finally stopped playing around. He condensed his spiritual energy into the dark energy of the demons and his body vanished from the spot together with Jing Yi, reappearing on the battleground.


    The two armies had already come to a halt. Or, rather, it should be the three armies. By now, the gods had also arrived and joined the side of the dragons. Unfortunately, the demons had also managed to gather reinforcements by now and this was their realm. If they wanted to, they would be able to mobilize their whole army while the gods and dragons had to keep men in their own realms to not let them be defenseless. After all, who knew if all this wasn''t a ploy to have them move out and then attack their homes? It certainly was something that the demons would do.


    The people from the three races stared at each other, both sites looking as if they wanted to tear the other apart limb by limb. No one moved though. Currently, they were still waiting for the last person to arrive. After all, before the gods and dragons could wage war, they first had to know what had happened to their own person and what the demon king was planning.


    Jin Ling appeared with Jing Yi pulled up against his chest.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened in anxiety. "Jing''er!"


    He wanted to storm over but Jin Ling casually lifted his hand and his nails turned into five claws, not quite unlike those of a dragon. Normally, he would have mocked Jin Ling for his own mixed heritage at this moment but his gaze zeroed in on the tip of the claw that was just a hair''s breadth away from Jing Yi''s carotid.


    Qiu Ling had no illusions. A dragon''s claws were sharp and Jin Ling had obviously inherited that part of his lineage. If he only put a bit of pressure onto Jing Yi''s skin, he would injure him enough to kill him. Who was to say that they could him back to the Nine Heavens fast enough to have him treated?


    Qiu Ling took a shaky breath. How had this happened? Why hadn''t he paid better attention? He had failed his beloved!


    Seeing their king not knowing what to do, the dragons behind him roared at Jin Ling.


    The demon king only tsked. "Qiu Ling, you better call those dragons back or I won''t be able that nothing happens to your little beloved here." He happily leaned his head against Jing Yi''s and smiled.


    The dragons roared again and those that had followed their king''s example and hadn''t transformed yet tightened their grip on their weapons or clenched their hands into fists.


    Qiu Ling stared at the two people opposite him that were standing in a close embrace. His hands shook and his eyes narrowed down. He knew that this wasn''t what Jing Yi wanted and that Jin Ling was forcing him but ¡­ He didn''t want to see this!


    He gnashed his teeth and glared at Jin Ling. "Let go of him!"


    Jin Ling didn''t even bother to answer. He turned his head to Jing Yi and brushed his hair back behind his shoulder, his fingers lingering on the black strands for a bit. "I can see what you like about him. Really such a beautiful person." His gaze brushed across Jing Yi''s body. "It makes me wonder how His Highness looked before descending. Was he truly such a heaven-defying beauty as people say?" He glanced at Qiu Ling and smirked.


    The eyes of this unrelated brother of his were turning red at the moment. Ah, killing him would be too easy. But if he actually tormented him into showing his true form ¡­ What would the dragons say if they knew that the king they had worshiped for so many millennia suddenly turned out to be part demon? What would the gods say if they knew that the person that had courted their crown prince wasn''t a true-blooded dragon? Even if he let this boy return and let him finish his trial, Qiu Ling still wouldn''t be able to obtain him. That ¡­ would probably be even more amusing to watch than his death or just him losing his beloved in an almost obvious ploy?

 Chapter 573 - I Cost Us Our Future

    Jin Ling buried his face in Jing Yi''s hair and chuckled. Ah, he was getting ahead of himself. Thinking about Qiu Ling''s tortured look, he just wanted to achieve his goals immediately but naturally, he couldn''t let it end this easily. He first had to play with him for a while. Otherwise, how could Jinde''s soul be called avenged? No, he had to do more for him.


    Jin Ling pressed up even closer to Jing Yi and took a deep breath before lifting his head. "He doesn''t just look like a beauty. Even his scent is this bewitching in his mortal form. I feel like I understand your hopeless feelings a lot better now. With someone like this ¡­ Who could resist?" He turned to Jing Yi and brushed his hair over to the other side, exposing a slender neck and a delicate ear. He leaned in and lowered his voice. "It really makes me curious about His Highness'' voice. How about letting me hear it when we''re back in my palace later on?"


    He might have spoken quietly but the other side was made up of the immortal races. Several rows of dragons and gods could hear every word. Their expressions screamed bloody murder. This was their crown prince, the beloved son of their Heavenly Emperor! This was their king''s beloved, his future consort! Could the demon king casually make such remarks?!


    Jing Yi didn''t care about Jin Ling''s words. He knew that the other side was just pretending as he had done before. Maybe he wouldn''t even do anything to him as long as he didn''t feel that it was necessary to implement his plan. He wanted to hurt Qiu Ling and that didn''t require him to do much more than what he was already doing.


    Jing Yi concentrated on his fiance''s face and his eyes couldn''t help but gentle. Qiu Ling ¡­ He was obviously so mad. His whole body was trembling, his black eyes were turning redder and redder, and his nails had also turned into claws. But he didn''t move a single step. He stayed where he was, shaking with rage but afraid to make him suffer even more.


    Jing Yi continued to look at him and finally smiled. "Don''t worry about me."


    Qiu Ling stared at him as if that alone would be enough to pull him out of the demon king''s embrace and back to his side. He didn''t know what to do or to say. Right now, he felt utterly helpless.


    Jin Ling frowned and leaned closer to Jing Yi''s ear. "What are you doing?"


    Jing Yi didn''t answer him. This person, he wasn''t worth talking to. Today ¡­ might be the last day of his life, the last day when he saw Qiu Ling. He wouldn''t waste even one second on another man. Instead, he continued to look at Qiu Ling. "It''s alright. What I said before still counts."


    Qiu Ling stared at him, the redness of his pupils slowly receding. What his beloved said before ¡­


    ''Whoever he is, it won''t change anything.''


    Qiu Ling took another shaky breath and nodded. Yes, his beloved had already understood that there was just him. This time they had been separated against his will. If not for this bastard Jin Ling, they have already been on their way to get married.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and the last bit of redness vanished. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was clear, and his voice sounded steady when he spoke. "What is demon king Jin Ling''s meaning with doing all this? This is the Son of Heaven''s reincarnation. Taking him away and keeping him in your palace by force, neither the gods nor the dragons will condone this! If you don''t want us to wage a bloody war in the demon realm, then you better give up on whatever you have planned!"


    Jin Ling stared at him. "Are you finished?"


    Qiu Ling''s eyes narrowed. "Can it be you regard this as an empty threat?" Qiu Ling flexed his claws as if he wanted to rush over and use them.


    The two dragons to his side hurriedly grabbed his arms.


    "Your Majesty!" Xiang Yong hurriedly shook his head. "Don''t forget that he still has His Highness in his hands. If we don''t want the crown prince to be hurt ¡­"


    An Bai nodded. "Yes, we can''t be hasty with this. Let''s think this through clearly."


    Qiu Ling gritted his teeth. Damn this! That bastard had really made use of his only weakness! What was he supposed to do now?


    Jing Yi''s gaze grew even gentler when he saw his fiance''s attitude of wanting to attack but not daring to do so. He couldn''t help but smile. Seeing the two people at his side, he also felt better. Even if they weren''t close to him, they would certainly be there for him. He wouldn''t be left alone, even if ¡­


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and took a deep breath before looking at Qiu Ling again. "Qiu Ling, I''m sorry. It''s all my fault. I didn''t trust you enough. Just see it as me being young and immature. I ¡­ cost us our future."


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. "Don''t say that."


    "But it''s the truth. I want to be with you. More than anything else. But I''m afraid I''ve already ruined it. So ¡­ Don''t mind me. Do what you have to do. Don''t listen to him. Even if ¡­ Even if I die today, I trust that you''ll find me in my next life."

 Chapter 574 - Have You Kneel Down and Beg Me

    Qiu Ling stared at him, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Jing''er ¡­" He clenched his fists and forced himself to stand where he was but his heart screamed at him to dash forward and pull his beloved out of Jin Ling''s arms. "Don''t worry. I won''t let you die."


    Jin Ling rolled his eyes and concentrated on the overcast sky. These people ¡­ they were no fun at all. Readily dying for the other to go on living ¡­ Could this boy tone it down a bit? Humans weren''t supposed to be like this!


    He took a deep breath and looked at Jing Yi. "It seems someone has a death wish. Even though I gave you the opportunity to get out of this unharmed."


    Jing Yi continued to ignore him. Naturally, he didn''t want to die. If he could, he wanted to get out of here, make up for what he had done wrong before and spent the rest of his life with Qiu Ling as he had promised. But as things stood now that was completely impossible. So what was he supposed to do?


    He couldn''t allow himself to become a burden to Qiu Ling. He had hurt him because of his own stupidity. He couldn''t allow himself to make the same mistake twice.


    And more than everything else, he trusted Qiu Ling. Even though he still didn''t know what exactly had happened in his past life, he knew that they had already fallen in love as Qiu Ling and Jing He. And after his death, Qiu Ling had found him when he had become Jing Yi. Whoever he became in his next life, he didn''t doubt that this man would be at his side again. What couldn''t be fulfilled now, maybe in their next life there would be an opportunity. And then ¡­ then he wouldn''t hesitate.


    "When we see each other again the next time, just tell me everything honestly from the first day we meet so there will be no misunderstandings."


    Qiu Ling shook his head wildly. "No!"


    Jing Yi smiled sweetly as if dying now wouldn''t mean anything to him. The Heavens alone knew that he only did this so Qiu Ling wouldn''t feel too bad about this. If he could wait ¡­ and hold on for some more time, then certainly they would see each other again.


    His fiance didn''t want to hear about that though. He looked away from Jing Yi and to Jin Ling. He either had to kill this bastard ¡­ or find another way to get Jing Yi out of his hands. "What do you want?"


    Jing Yi''s gaze flickered. Wasn''t this exactly what he had wanted to prevent?


    Jin Ling thoughtfully brushed through Jing Yi''s hair. "What I want? You mean for me to let him go unharmed? Well ¡­ I think having you kneel down to me and beg would be a great start." He chuckled as if he had made an especially great joke.


    Before his laughter stopped, Qiu Ling had shaken off Xiang Yong and An Bai and indeed knelt down. "Please let Jing''er go."


    Jin Ling stopped awkwardly and stared at the person he wanted to torment, his copper-colored brows twitching. Excuse him? Could this guy show at least a little resistance? Where was the fun in this if he didn''t complain or gnash his teeth a little? It was as if this meant nothing to him! Well, at least the dragons behind him were indignant. It wasn''t enough for him though. But it wasn''t like he was out of options yet. If that part of the couple didn''t want to play ¡­


    He turned to Jing Yi and sighed. "Ah, look at that. You must be very touched. Your ex-fiance is actually able to lay down his dignity for you. Well, not that Qiu Ling didn''t have a thick face in the first place. I mean, just look at how he became the dragon king despite his origin." Jin Ling smirked and his eyes narrowed when he looked back at Qiu Ling.


    Surprised? I know everything about you and your family! And I don''t mind bringing it out in the open.


    Qiu Ling would have liked to remind the bastard that he was also just someone of mixed blood but he held back. Never mind that he still had Jing Yi in his hands, Jin Ling also didn''t need to fear his heritage.


    The demons had always valued strength. As long as he was able to defeat whoever challenged him, he would sit on the demon realm''s throne. Furthermore, the demons regarded the dragons to be part of their own race. An especially unruly part of their race that refused to acknowledge their relationship but still part of their race. So the demons might not even feel that Jin Ling was of mixed heritage.


    He himself on the other hand ¡­ It wasn''t so certain that he would be able to stay in his position. At the very least, the dragons wouldn''t be happy to have someone like him as their king. The fact that his father had been Chun Yin and that his mother had still been half-dragon herself might help but it was only a possibility. And even if the dragons could live with that knowledge ¡­ The gods couldn''t.


    If his origin was revealed, then his engagement with Jing He would be in the past. Not even the Heavenly Empress would allow him to become her son-in-law, regardless of their previous relationship. She just wouldn''t be able to hand her son over to a demon.


    Qiu Ling just smiled. Nobody would believe Jin Ling just like that. If he couldn''t bring his mother back from the dead and have her confess or present any other evidence, then people would just assume that he was spouting nonsense to drive a wedge between their two races.


    "Does the demon king require me to also bow my head? Just say the word and I will do so, as long as it means you''ll let my beloved go."


    Jin Ling glanced at him. "I wasn''t going to ask for that but ¡­ if you insist. Please do so." He watched in glee as Qiu Ling indeed bowed his head.


    "Please let him go."


    Ah, it seemed this would still be more fun than he had thought. Mn, he should make good use of this opportunity and demand some more things that would make Qiu Ling uncomfortable. For example ¡­ His gaze slipped to the other dragons and his mood got even better. Ah, he really wanted to see how much Qiu Ling would be willing to give up for this boy.

 Chapter 575 - Let’s Make an Exchange

    "Mn, Longjun is so sincere. It really moves my heart." Jin Ling looked back at Qiu Ling''s form on the ground and chuckled again. "I''m starting to consider to really let him go. It''s just ¡­" His fingers brushed Jing Yi''s arm and he sighed. "I actually caught such fine prey. Not taking him home and tasting him seems like such a waste. I don''t know if my poor heart will be able to take that. How about this? I''ll bring him home for now and then after I''m thoroughly done with him, I''ll send him back to you. What do you think?"


    Qiu Ling''s body shook but he forced himself to calm down. "What do I have to do for the demon king to let him go now?"


    "Ah? You don''t think it''s a good idea?" Jin Ling''s eyes widened in mock surprise. "Mn, well, if it''s like that ¡­ How about an exchange? Present somebody else to me. Doesn''t the dragon race also have beauties? Give one of them to me to cut my losses. The more beautiful the person you choose is, the less other things I''ll demand. How about it?"


    Qiu Ling froze. Give somebody else to him in exchange for his Jing He? Someone beautiful? Qiu Ling looked up to the person standing next to him, his eyes burning.


    An Bai gulped. Ah, this was ¡­ Well, it was to be expected. He sighed and looked at Xiang Yong who still stood at Qiu Ling''s other side. "I''ll leave everything here to you then."


    "An Bai."


    An Bai shook his head. "Don''t worry. He''s just messing with us. He won''t do anything to His Highness. He just wants to see His Majesty suffer. As for me ¡­ Even if he does something, it would still be the lesser of two evils. I''ll be able to cope with it and not in a relationship yet. His Highness though ¡­ His Majesty wouldn''t be able to take it."


    Xiang Yong nodded. He didn''t like this but it was the best thing they could do for now. And An Bai could take care of himself. Most people might know him as a scholar but that didn''t mean that he wasn''t also a fierce warrior. Contrary to a frail mortal boy, he wouldn''t be without options in the demon realm. In the worst case, he could just change into his dragon form to defend himself until they figured out how to save him.


    An Bai looked at his king for the last time and slowly went over to the side of the demons. He finally stopped a few meters in front of Jin Ling. "I''m here. Now let His Highness go."


    Jin Ling narrowed his eyes. "I''d need to be quite stupid for that. Isn''t your king eying me right now because he hopes I''ll loosen my grip? If the boy slips away and then you grab him or your king grabs him ¡­ Then what will I be left with?"


    "Then what does the demon king suggest we do?"


    Jin Ling looked around and his gaze fell on the demon that had delivered Qiu Ling''s message previously. His brows raised. The guy had a hole in his shoulder and blood had soaked his robe. "What happened to you?"


    The demon lowered his head in shame. His king had actually remembered him but whatever impression he had left him with previously ¡­ it should be utterly destroyed now.


    Jin Ling didn''t care what the guy thought. He turned back to An Bai and smiled. "Since this dragon is willing to take His Highness'' place, then you certainly won''t mind to follow one of my subjects to my palace first and wait there, will you?"


    An Bai lowered his gaze. Well, he shouldn''t have expected it to be so easy. "I don''t mind. It''s just ¡­ Who says that we can trust the demon king? What if you imprison me in your palace and then still refuse to let His Highness go?"


    Jin Ling smiled. "Even if I do, it won''t be your problem. You can just wait in my palace until I come back." He ignored An Bai and turned back to Qiu Ling. "I must say, Longjun, this is quite surprising. The person doesn''t look bad overall. I''m a little dissatisfied with the hair color though. He looks like that old man of your race. What was his name? Xin Lan?"


    The dragons behind Qiu Ling once again growled. This guy! Not only had he kidnapped their king''s consort, now he was even insulting one of the heroes of their race! When this was over, they would appeal to their king to go to war regardless of the cost. They wouldn''t be able to bear this otherwise!


    An Bai''s lips twitched. Actually, he also admired Senior Xin Lan and he had often thought that having this kind of hair color wasn''t bad at all if there was even one person who thought it made him look a little like him. But now, the thing he had been proud of was suddenly brought out as something that made him less handsome. Don''t tell him this was secretly the reason while he was still alone?


    In the end, he didn''t dwell on it. This was a demon. He wouldn''t give anything about his evaluation. Instead, he followed Jin Ling''s subject to the demon king''s palace.


    The demon didn''t know what exactly his king wanted to do with this dragon but ¡­ he couldn''t just let him sit somewhere, could he? Thus he led him to the dungeon and An Bai finally landed in a cell. The door was locked behind him and the demon left to report to his king.


    An Bai looked around. The most eye-catching were the fairly knew bars that made up the front of the cell. Other than that, there was only an array on the ground but that was all the cell needed. Looking at the faintly glowing marks, this array would absorb his magic if he tried to use it to break the bars or the door and reflect any physical attacks back at him. Ah, well, he shouldn''t have expected anything else. The demon king wasn''t stupid, after all. He certainly wouldn''t let a dragon wait anywhere else.


    An Bai sat down at the back side of the room and took out a scroll from the spatial room tied to his hairpin. Well, if he had to wait until the demon king returned and decided what to do with him, then he might as well use the time.


    While he concentrated on the scroll, An Bai failed to notice the person that had quietly followed him and the demon as soon as they entered the dungeons.

 Chapter 576 - Supreme Beauty

    While An Bai leisurely sat in his cell and read, the confrontation on the battlefield continued. Taking someone to the demon king''s palace and returning didn''t take long for someone from the demon race. Thus just a few moments later, the demon that had brought An Bai to the dungeon stood next to Jin Ling again.


    He bowed. "I''ve brought him over, Your Majesty."


    "Mn, very well." Jin Ling looked at Qiu Ling. "Longjun is really decisive, abandoning one of your own people just like that. I truly wouldn''t have thought you''d be able to make that decision so easily."


    The dragons stared at him with disdain. What did this guy expect? He was holding their future consort hostage! Every dragon would decide in favor of their own partner before considering anything else. Naturally, their king was no exception.


    Qiu Ling didn''t feel bothered by Jin Ling''s words either. Sure, An Bai might have to suffer a bit but it wouldn''t be as bad as it would be for Jing Yi. And, well, An Bai might be someone whom he had known for a long time and who had done a lot for him but they had never been that close. In fact, before he got to know Jing He he had barely taken notice of any of these so-called ''advisers'' he had. He had only regarded them as people he could conveniently throw work at that he didn''t want to bother with.


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brow. Come to think of it, nothing much had changed since then. It was just that he now remembered their faces and even names and he trusted them even if it concerned his beloved. That was also why he would let An Bai take Jing Yi''s place. He knew that these men understood how important Jing He was to him.


    "Since the demon king has gotten a beauty in exchange just as we promised, it''s time to release my beloved." He spoke to Jin Ling but his gaze remained on Jing Yi.


    Ah, his beloved was so brave! He had had to remain in Jin Ling''s arms all this while but he hadn''t cried or made a fuss and instead reacted this calmly. Mn, his beloved was really great.


    His gaze softened. When Jin Ling let Jing Yi go, he would take him to the Nine Heavens immediately. Forget about ascending, it should be enough to bring him back so that he would wake up in his original body. Then they could confront the Heavenly Emperor together and marry. That old man certainly shouldn''t have anything to say considering he would have saved Jing He from the claws of the demon king by then. Ah, he couldn''t wait to marry him!


    Jing Yi''s lips couldn''t help but curl up when he saw his fiance''s lovestruck gaze. It wasn''t hard to guess what Qiu Ling was thinking of. Seeing that he could still spare some thoughts on other things, Jing Yi''s heart felt lighter. Maybe he could indeed get out of here? Well, if he couldn''t, that man from before who took his place would really have suffered without reason. Not that it would make any difference. Whether or not the demon king let him go, that man would still be imprisoned in his stead.


    Jin Ling frowned when he saw the gazes exchanged between the two people he was trying to torment. Were those two not taking him seriously? It seemed he needed to step up his game!


    Jin Ling restored his charming smile. "How could that be? Didn''t I say that everything else would depend on how beautiful the person you sent is? You certainly can''t want to say that you sent me a supreme beauty, can you?"


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes and looked at Jing Yi. Supreme beauty ¡­ There was only one anyway and he could hardly want him to exchange Jing He for himself, could he? This Jin Ling was really too unreasonable!


    The dragons behind him were in an uproar once again. What was this supposed to mean?! Their scholar An Bai was definitely a supreme beauty! This stupid demon king should go and wash his eyes if he had so much trouble to see!


    Jin Ling wasn''t bothered by their reaction though and just continued to smile happily. "I do have to say that he doesn''t meet my requirements that well."


    "You can''t keep Jing He."


    "Who wants your Jing He? Your beauty-standards are way too poor! If we want to talk about beauties of the dragon race, then the one you should bring up is the previous dragon king Jinde. There certainly isn''t anyone more beautiful than him."


    Qiu Ling frowned. That old geezer? "Eh ¡­ I guess he''s alright. Not that he could compare to my Jing He."


    Jin Ling frowned back at him. "What are you even saying? How is this boy any better than Jinde?!"


    Qiu Ling clenched his fists. Was this guy trying to badmouth his beloved? "In which way is he better? In every way! Look at his hair! And those eyes! That fair skin! What isn''t perfect about my Jing He?"


    Jin Ling tsked. "How can he compare with Jinde? That pair of muddy eyes can''t even be spoken about in the same sentence as Jinde''s golden gaze that makes you feel as if you''re basking in the sun!"


    "You fucking bastard! How is my beloved''s gaze muddy?! This is obviously a pair of eyes as mysterious as the night sky dotted with a thousand stars! It''s incomparably beautiful! You demons probably don''t have a soul so you need something like the sun to burn your skin or you wouldn''t be able to feel anything at all!"


    "Don''t tell me what I''m able to feel or not! Jinde is much more beautiful than your Son of Heaven, that''s for sure! You can ask everyone what they think and they''ll give you the same answer!"


    Qiu Ling wanted to retort when Jing Yi cleared his throat. "Uh ¡­ If the demon king finds me this atrocious, then why not just throw me out? Nobody forces you to keep me here."


    The demons behind Jin Ling and the dragons behind Qiu Ling nodded. Yes, ah! Why were their kings arguing over who was more beautiful? Weren''t they trying to take advantage of the other side just now?


    And furthermore ¡­ Why was the dragon king arguing on behalf of a god and the demon king arguing on behalf of a dragon? This was so wrong! Could somebody lend some common sense to these two?!

 Chapter 577 - He Would Turn in His Grave

    Jin Ling looked at the boy in his arms and smirked. "Actually, what you said makes sense. I really shouldn''t keep you with me. I''m not satisfied with what your ex-fiance offered me in exchange for your life though. But you''re giving me an idea there ¡­" He turned back to Qiu Ling and his eyes seemed to sparkle. "Longjun, don''t you agree that being of differing opinion is quite good in this case? How about this? I''ll give you your beloved Son of Heaven back if you bring me your predecessor Jinde."


    The dragons hissed at him. What kind of suggestion was this? Never mind that the person he wanted was their previous ruler that was almost as important to them as their current king, the person he asked for was also long dead! Who didn''t know that Longjun Jinde had courageously sacrificed himself in the battle against the demon king Jian Heng back then? This story was still being told in the dragon realm!


    While the dragons rioted, Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. This guy ¡­ Did he or didn''t he know that the old geezer was still alive? And how come he wanted him in exchange for Jing He?


    He thought back to the story Xin Lan had told the Heavenly Emperor about how Jin Ling was of mixed blood and had been brought up by Jinde. Even though Xin Lan hadn''t been very honest with everything else he had said, he had believed that there was some truth to this. After all, it wasn''t like this kind of thing couldn''t be checked. Back then, he certainly wouldn''t have risked that the Heavenly Emperor asked someone old enough to remember and found out that he had lied. Not if that might mean that they wouldn''t get help to find that man who could open the array to the special dimension.


    Since that was the case, most of what Xin Lan had said would have needed to be true. But it seemed that Jin Ling growing up in the old geezer''s care wasn''t just Jian Heng''s plan? At least not to him. He obviously felt strongly about Jinde.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes narrowed further. Jin Ling''s attitude obviously wasn''t that of someone who wanted to see the person that had raised them again. The way he spoke about the old geezer ¡­ That was the kind of obsession demons felt instead of love.


    Qiu Ling''s eyelids lowered, half-shielding his gaze. "What a peculiar demand. Hasn''t Longjun Jinde died by your father''s hands?"


    The dragons hissed again. Right! It was this bastard''s own father who killed their previous dragon king! How could he utter such shameless words now?! Did he want to mock them? Asking to see Longjun Jinde in exchange for their current king''s consort was the same as telling them that they would never get the Son of Heaven back!


    Jin Ling sneered. "Don''t pretend. I''m sure he''s still alive. And you know where he is."


    Qiu Ling smiled. Yes, he did. And he could tell Jin Ling and maybe get his beloved back that way. Wouldn''t that be nice?


    He couldn''t do that though. Yes, he still resented the old geezer for not properly holding onto his old man back then. If he had just tempted him a bit more, just made more of a fuss when his father wanted to leave him, then maybe ¡­ maybe he could have had a better life. What was so hard about that? Hadn''t he been able to play the vulnerable white flower quite well? Looking at his father like that ¡­ Thinking back now, his old man had obviously been tempted. So why hadn''t he been able to take that last step and ensnare him? Make him leave his wife and bring his child with him to live with his lover? Was that really so hard?


    Be that as it may, Jinde had never done anything to him. Quite the contrary, he had always tried to help him. Back then it had been him who sent Xin Lan and had him follow him onto the throne. He hadn''t wanted to but considering it from where he stood today it had been exactly what he needed. It had been a new perspective in his life and ultimately, it was what made him encounter his beloved and even have the right to stand next to him.


    The person who had enabled him to find the love of his life ¡­ That person couldn''t be betrayed so casually. Not when he knew that Jin Ling''s thoughts about him weren''t anything good.


    Qiu Ling''s lips hooked up. "My predecessor?" He laughed.


    The dragons behind him fell silent. The gods and demons likewise looked at him. What was going on? Had the current dragon king lost his sanity?


    Qiu Ling continued to laugh before stopping abruptly and leveling Jin Ling with a deathly stare. "Never mind that the person is long dead and your so-called demand can''t be fulfilled, even if he was still alive it wouldn''t change anything. Weren''t you raised by a dragon? How come you still don''t understand us? It''s our curse never to fall in love a second time. There is only one person in our hearts and my predecessor''s heart was long given away. So even if you could somehow turn back time and make sure your father doesn''t kill him, it wouldn''t change a thing. He would still be pining for his dead lover and ignoring you and your feelings."


    The hand around Jing Yi''s throat tightened but he hardly noticed. He only stared at Qiu Ling. Who could have known that his fiance could also be like this? His words didn''t seem vicious but they had obviously touched a sore spot. The demon king was trembling.


    "Is that so?"


    "You probably know that even better than me. Whatever you think about him, he has never and would never reciprocate your feelings. If his soul hadn''t been annihilated by your father, he''d turn in his grave if you went to confess your feelings to him now."


    Jin Ling''s hand around Jing Yi''s waist clenched into a fist and the claws that had threatened to cut his throat drew the first drop of blood. Jinde ¡­ wouldn''t need to turn in his grave if he confessed now. After all, he had confessed his feelings to him a long time ago already. But hearing it still made his blood run cold.


    "You ¡ª"


    Jin Ling wanted to lash out, to threaten this person that dared to laugh about his feelings for Jinde but his senses tingled. He diffused his body and reappeared with Jing Yi a few steps to the side.


    The demon behind him gave a gurgling sound and collapsed to the ground, a white arrow lodged into his heart. Ah, it seemed the time to civilly talk about things was over.

 Chapter 578 - Second Choice

    All eyes swiveled to the direction where the arrow had come from.


    Qiang Yan tsked and lowered the bow. It seemed he should have waited until the demon king was even more enraged. Now, he was already alarmed and wouldn''t let his guard down again. He sighed and gave the bow back to the guard next to him before facing Jin Ling again. "The demon king certainly isn''t in a hurry to resolve this conflict. While Longjun might indulge your flights of fancy because he wants to save his lover, I won''t take part in this game of yours. Longjun already surrendered one of his people and even laid down his own dignity to beg you. If you want one of the gods as well, that can be arranged. But the demon king should know that our patience has its end too. You either take one of our people and surrender our crown prince or ¡­ this will become an all-out-war."


    Jin Ling snorted. "The God of War must be jesting. Would you ¡ª"


    "Uncle-in-law!" Qiu Ling wasn''t even listening to Jin Ling. He turned to stare at Qiang Yan incredulously. "How can you say something like this? He still has Jing He in his hands! What if anything happens to him?!"


    "Exactly." Jin Ling was seldom of one opinion with Qiu Ling but he felt the God of War''s words unbelievable as well.


    Qiang Yan sighed. He answered neither of the two men and instead turned to Jing Yi. Even though he had known that Jing He had been in the mortal realm and that things were rough for him, he hadn''t gone and taken a look at him. This was Jing He''s trial. If he could pass it like all the other gods did and gain some experience, that would have been for the best. Unfortunately ¡­


    Qiang Yan sighed again. "Jing He, forgive uncle. It''s my fault you weren''t protected well enough previously and were taken away by this man. Now, uncle even has to do something like this and put you into danger ¡­ My heart also hurts. But it''s the only way. I''m sure you''ll understand."


    Jing Yi wanted to nod but there was still the claw that was pressing up against his carotid so he just smiled. This uncle from his previous life ¡­ He had a good impression of him. This person hadn''t tried to force his opinion on him but had tried to encourage him to follow his own heart. And it seemed that had worked sooner or later or else, he never would have gotten together with Qiu Ling in the end.


    Qiang Yan appreciated that smile and the way the boy looked at him. He didn''t say anything but just the way he carried himself even in this situation was nothing like Jing He''s way of doing things. Ah, maybe even those few years in the mortal world might have had an influence? He would really like it if Jing He could retain a bit of that confidence after waking up in the Nine Heavens.


    "Uncle-in-law!" Qiu Ling wasn''t going to just let Qiang Yan do whatever he wanted though. This was his beloved! How could they kill him just to get him out of Jin Ling''s claws?!


    The God of War sighed. "Longjun, no need to be like this. Did you forget that this is just Jing He''s reincarnation? If he dies, it just means he''ll wake up in the Nine Heavens sooner. Shouldn''t that be to your interest?"


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened. Right ¡­ How could he have forgotten about this? This wasn''t his Jing He. It was Jing Yi, Jing He''s reincarnation. If he died here ¡­ Jing He would wake up sooner. But ¡­ his beloved would suffer at the same time. Whether it was this body or his immortal body back in the Nine Heavens, it would still hurt him. And Jing He would certainly remember this pain when he woke up. He didn''t want that for him! Qiu Ling''s gaze flitted about. What should he do? He wanted to have his Jing He back as soon as he could but ¡­ he also didn''t want him to suffer.


    Jing Yi looked at his fiance, his lips parting to call out to him. He didn''t like the look on Qiu Ling''s face at all. Just what was going on? He didn''t mind dying to reunite in their next life. In fact, he was already prepared to lay down his life if it meant that Qiu Ling wouldn''t have to sacrifice even more for his sake. But why was Qiu Ling now looking so torn? It was as if ¡­ There was more to this than he could see?


    Jin Ling noticed the person in his arms stirring. He glanced at him and his lips curved up in a charming smile. "What is it, Your Highness? Are you curious why your ex-fiance is behaving like this?"


    Jing Yi ignored him. This was obviously Qiu Ling''s arch-nemesis. He couldn''t fall for his tricks.


    "Yes? Then I''ll be so kind as to tell you." He leaned closer, his breath tickling Jing Yi''s skin. "It''s because you ¡­ are nothing but a placeholder. The one he truly loves is still the person in the Nine Heavens that is currently peacefully sleeping. And killing you ¡­ would make your soul return to the Nine Heavens and wake that person up. So right now ¡­ your ex-fiance is considering whether he should wait ¡­ or kill you immediately to reunite with his true lover. Mn, I can already imagine the splendid wedding they''ll hold."


    Jing Yi clenched his fists. He couldn''t believe even one word this person said. Most likely, this was just a ploy to drive a wedge between Qiu Ling and him. He couldn''t let it get to him.


    Unfortunately, Jin Ling wouldn''t let go now that he had found an opportunity. "It must sting being the second choice and watching how he still pines for his true lover. Ah, maybe I should just kill you now so your soul can return to your original body? I''m sure your ex-fiance would be very, very happy should the Son of Heaven finally open his eyes again. Letting him wait so many days ¡­ it must have been hard for him. I truly can relate to that."

 Chapter 579 - Make an Example of Him

    Jing Yi trembled. This couldn''t be, could it? Jing He ¡­ was still alive somewhere? No. No, this was ridiculous. Jing He was his past life. How could he be alive if he was here? That didn''t make any sense. This was just the demon king trying to take advantage of the things he didn''t know yet. There was certainly a very good explanation for why Qiu Ling had reacted like this.


    Jin Ling chuckled when he saw Jing Yi close his eyes and slowly restore his calm. "You don''t believe it? Well, that''s alright with me. You can slowly think things through." He stopped paying attention to him and turned to the God of War instead. "How nice of you to remind me of this point. I had almost forgotten that this boy''s body holds no value to you. But ¡­ now that you''ve said it, you should probably fear for his soul." His eyes narrowed and his lips curved up further, making Qiang Yan shudder.


    Don''t tell him he had just given the demon king an idea? He couldn''t let that happen! "I certainly don''t have to tell you what will happen if you dare to hurt our crown prince''s soul."


    Jin Ling nodded. "Of course, of course. An all-out-war where you and the dragons join hands to eliminate the demon race. I''ve heard it. The problem is ¡­ whether or not his soul will be hurt depends on you. After all, I don''t have a reason to hurt him as long as nobody forces my hand. So the God of War should better hold back and also put the dragon king on a leash or I won''t guarantee anything."


    Qiang Yan frowned. This guy! Did he really intend to threaten them with his nephew''s life? In that case ¡­ they couldn''t lose any more time. Right now, the demon king certainly wasn''t prepared to do anything. If they let him get away, things would be different.


    He glanced at the Heavenly Guard beside him and nodded. The gods drew their weapons. He himself also unsheathed his sword and stepped forward.


    "The gods won''t let that happen." He dashed forward, his blade directed at the two people in front. He also didn''t want to kill this child but if he had to choose between him and Jing He, then naturally, his nephew''s soul would take precedence.


    Jin Ling remained where he was and leisurely smiled. As if they would actually kill the boy.


    Qiang Yan''s weapon drew close, the tip almost touching them. Jing Yi closed his eyes, preparing for the pain. He would be able to take this for Qiu Ling''s sake.


    With a thud, Qiang Yan was tackled to the ground.


    "Uncle-in-law! What are you doing?!"


    Qiang Yan cursed and tried to throw Qiu Ling off but it only resulted in them rolling around on the ground a few times. Those claws were still grabbing onto his shoulders. "Damn this! Qiu Ling, let go! Haven''t you heard him? If we let him get away, he might injure Jing He''s soul! You can''t want that!"


    Qiu Ling grimaced but still held onto Qiang Yan. "I can''t let you go and hurt him." That was his beloved, ah! It might not be his immortal body but it was his soul. His Jing He shouldn''t have to suffer like that!


    "Qiu Ling, wake up! We''re not going to be able to free him if we let the demon king get away with him now!"


    Qiu Ling glanced over to where Jin Ling stood with Jing Yi, smiling enigmatically. Ah, he knew Jin Ling couldn''t be trusted but ¡­ he didn''t want to see Jing Yi suffer. He tightened his lips and shook his head. "I''m sorry, uncle-in-law. I promise I''ll find a way."


    "Stupid! By the time you figure something out, it might be too late!"


    Behind them, Jin Ling chuckled. "You should listen to him. What makes you so sure that I won''t take your beloved back to my palace and take my time to chop him up slowly and imprison his soul while I''m at it?"


    Qiu Ling''s grip around Qiang Yan''s shoulders tightened. "You wouldn''t."


    "Oh, whether I would or not ¡­ You won''t get to decide. After all, I don''t think there is anything you can do about it." He smiled and before Qiu Ling could answer his body dissolved into black mist and vanished, taking Jing Yi with him once again.


    Qiu Ling stared at the spot where his beloved had been standing just a moment before. He couldn''t help but feel lost. What should he do? How was he supposed to free him now that Jin Ling had brought him away?


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and took a deep breath. What was he doing here waiting stupidly? Even if Jin Ling imprisoned Jing Yi in his palace, that wasn''t the end of the world. He had broken into the demon king''s palace before. There wasn''t any reason why he shouldn''t be able to do so again. Furthermore ¡­ didn''t he have someone he could ask for help now?


    Xin Lan had lived in the demon king''s palace for a long time and he knew Jin Ling well enough to be able to guess where his beloved would be held. And even if he couldn''t guess it, he shouldn''t have any trouble to find out.


    Qiu Ling let go of Qiang Yan, his gaze thoughtful. "Don''t worry too much, uncle-in-law. I definitely won''t let him get away with this." His eyes flashed with a vicious light.


    This time Jin Ling had gone too far. Kidnapping his beloved, then threatening him with his life, and finally even daring to insinuate he would torture him and trap his soul. This kind of thing, he wouldn''t let him get away with it. No, for the sake of his beloved, he would make an example of Jin Ling. He really wanted to see if anyone would dare to threaten his beloved again after that day.

 Chapter 580 - How to Save Him

    Qiu Ling left the battlefield under Qiang Yan''s worried gaze. He couldn''t tell anyone what he intended to do. Neither the gods nor his own race could be allowed to know about the things going on in the background. If anyone found out that the old geezer was still alive or that Xin Lan was actually living in the demon realm ¡­ Who knew what would happen? It might hinder his plan or, in the worst case, even thwart it. He couldn''t let that happen.


    Qiu Ling stopped not far from the border of the demon realm. A few ideas were circling in his mind but he wasn''t sure yet how to go about this exactly. The easiest way to solve this should be to go to the Yun Zou Sect and ask the old geezer for help. If he told Xin Lan to rescue Jing Yi, then he would do so.


    But Jin Ling was certainly waiting for him to run over to Jinde. That was what he wanted so, naturally, he couldn''t let him have his way. No, Jin Ling had taken his beloved from him. He certainly wouldn''t let him find his own happiness now. If he could, he would make it so that Jin Ling would never have the opportunity to see the old geezer again.


    In that case, he couldn''t contact him now. The best would be if he didn''t contact him directly at all. He had to wait some time and then send someone over in a sneaky manner.


    With that decision in mind, Qiu Ling finally made his way over to the Nine Heavens and sneaked into Jing He''s palace. "You can leave."


    Qiang Wei and Yi Zan flinched and turned around with their claws extended. Seeing their king sitting at the crown prince''s bedside, they relaxed.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" Qiang Wei sighed. Couldn''t this guy use the door? And how had he managed to get behind them anyway? He hadn''t heard anything at all!


    "Mn. I''ll stay with him for a while. You ¡­" He lowered his gaze and glanced at Jing He. Even though he would have loved to send one of them over to the Yun Zou Sect, it wasn''t the time yet. Jin Ling certainly had someone monitor the people coming to this palace and leaving. He couldn''t rush this matter. "You just wait outside until I leave."


    "Yes." Yi Zan and Qiang Wei bowed and left the palace, not daring to say anything else to him.


    Yi Zan couldn''t help but furrow his brows when they closed the door behind them though. "This means that they weren''t able to save him, doesn''t it?"


    "I think so. He''s surprisingly calm though. Maybe they have a plan?"


    Yi Zan looked at the door, his thoughts wandering. Considering how their king behaved normally when His Highness was concerned ¡­ "The God of War should have been there. He wouldn''t let anything happen to his nephew."


    Qiang Wei nodded and the two fell silent again.


    Inside the palace, Qiu Ling took Jing He''s hand, gently caressing the soft skin with his thumb. "Don''t worry, my love. I won''t let you suffer. I''ll free you soon. Just give me a bit of time to prepare so you won''t be hurt."


    Naturally, Jing He couldn''t answer. Looking at his face that still showed the faint trace of a smile since the day he had descended for his trial, Qiu Ling sighed. Ah, when would he see him again? He couldn''t deny that he wanted Jing He to wake up again soon. He just couldn''t bear to see Jing Yi get hurt for that. His beloved was his beloved, after all, regardless of which body he used.


    He leaned down, his hair covering Jing He''s face, and kissed his forehead. "I won''t let him hurt you. Whether it''s your immortal or your mortal body. Nothing may happen to you."


    He got back up but even though he said these things to Jing He, his heart wasn''t calm at all. Right now, Jin Ling had Jing Yi in his hands. If he went to get him, he would have to leave Jing He alone. And with how Jin Ling was, it was entirely possible for him to come up with the plan of letting him rescue Jing Yi only to lose Jing He''s immortal body.


    In fact, this whole thing might just be a big trap that was used to lure him away so this would be possible. After all, Jing He''s immortal body was even more useful to him than Jing Yi''s. Because Jing Yi just had to be killed to save Jing He from Jin Ling''s clutches while Jing He''s body was where Jing He''s soul would ultimately return to. If it was lost, they really would be in trouble.


    He couldn''t risk that. So either he had somebody else rescue Jing Yi ¡­ or he made sure Jing He''s body couldn''t be taken away.


    Qiu Ling looked over at the door. He trusted Qiang Wei and Yi Zan but he himself had been able to get past the two of them. Who was to say that Jin Ling wouldn''t be able to do the same? Especially if everyone else was occupied with thinking about how to free Jing Yi without jeopardizing Jing He''s soul.


    Mn, he had to take some more precautions against that bastard.


    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. Jin Ling wasn''t dumb. He was a good fighter but both he and the God of War were able to best him. So he wouldn''t risk trying anything funny while they were close. But if both of them weren''t around, Jin Ling wouldn''t have any reason to stay his hand.


    So if he went to save Jing Yi himself or at least pretended to do so while he asked Xin Lan for help, then he had to make sure that his uncle-in-law would be here fast enough. And that ¡­ shouldn''t be too hard to accomplish.


    Qiu Ling''s lips curved up in a smile. "Ah, my love, don''t worry anymore. Your future husband already has an idea of how to save you."

 Chapter 581 - How about an Array?

    Qiu Ling opened his spatial ring and grabbed the thing crouching in one of the corners, dragging it out by its ears. The beast shivered in his hands but Qiu Ling just smiled. "I finally brought you over. Look at him!" He turned it around and showed Jing He to him.


    Ah, actually, he was a little envious that this thing would be able to spend time with his Jing He while he had to go and trick the demon king. Couldn''t they swap tasks? Unfortunately, he knew that that wasn''t possible. Tricking Jin Ling was much too important to leave it to such a little thing.


    The beast looked at the person lying on the bed and continued to shiver. So this was the one who the terrible person wanted him to stay with? Would he be just as terrifying?


    Qiu Ling lifted the beast before it had time to take a closer look. "He''s very important to me so you better behave yourself. You can''t burn him so keep your flames to yourself. And should somebody who shouldn''t be here come, you better drive them away. If something happens to my beloved but I still find you unharmed, then don''t think I wouldn''t drown you. Do you understand?" He narrowed his eyes to make sure the beast knew he was serious.


    The poor thing shivered and hurriedly moved its head, indicating that it had understood very well. It would certainly defend this person with its life!


    Qiu Ling''s expression brightened. "That''s good then." He carefully placed the thing on Jing He''s chest and used the opportunity to brush his beloved''s hair. "Mn, this thing will keep you safe, my love. It''s probably not of much use but at least it can bite and burn whoever comes close. And maybe it''ll be loud enough to warn people." He turned to the beast and poked it. "Heh! You can hiss or something, can''t you?"


    The beast didn''t know whether it should nod or shake its head and just froze on Jing He''s body, looking at the dragon king vigilantly. Couldn''t it just stay here and keep this person warm? The body was quite cold.


    Qiu Ling tightened his lips. What a stupid thing! It didn''t even understand such a simple question. He really shouldn''t depend on this alone.


    He sighed and once again rummaged through his spatial ring. Mn, he had collected quite a lot of stuff over the years. Some of this could probably be used to set up a formation or something? Hm ¡­


    Outside of the crown prince''s palace, thumps and thuds could be heard as if someone was redecorating the place and moving His Highness'' furniture. Qiang Wei''s brows twitched. This wouldn''t be their king who was doing something ridiculous again, would it?


    He turned around to knock on the door and make sure that there wouldn''t be another incident when hurried steps approached. Both dragons looked over, only to find the God of War and his sister approaching.


    "Is Longjun inside?" Bai Fen furrowed her brows, obviously not very pleased.


    The Heavenly Guards next to the door bowed. "Greetings, Your Majesty. We didn''t see Longjun enter but the two dragons left just a moment ago. There are sounds coming from inside so Longjun should be there."


    Huang Lan''s cheeks seemed to burn while saying this and he couldn''t help but glance at the God of War. Ah, they were really throwing away the face of the Heavenly Guards with their inability to detect the dragon king. Just how often had this guy managed to infiltrate their crown prince''s palace already?


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Alright. Continue to guard the palace then." He didn''t say anything else and followed his sister inside.


    The person in question was indeed there. Although ¡­


    Bai Fen''s brows twitched. "Qiu Ling! Kindly explain to me what you are doing there?"


    Qiu Ling looked up from where he was sitting next to Jing He''s bed, his face lighting up. "Mother-in-law! It''s good that you''re here. Look, I''ve already started to go through all the things in my spatial ring. I think some of that can be used as materials for an array. Let''s set one up around Jing He''s bed. We have to make sure that that despicable bastard won''t try to steal his immortal body too!"


    Bai Fen stared at the ores and crystals littering the ground and rubbed her forehead. "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "Yes, yes, I know we still have to decide which formation to make but, actually, I think having several wouldn''t be too bad either. Wouldn''t it be for the best if we have them overlap? If that despicable bastard comes by and tries to do something to Jing He, he''d have to solve all of them first." Qiu Ling straightened up and puffed out his chest as if he had suggested something extremely great. He deflated just as fast though. "Ah, now that I think about it, he''d only need to solve half of them, wouldn''t he? Then maybe it would be better to stack them all on top of each other? We can make them a little bigger so they keep the bastard several steps away. What do you think?" He looked up at Bai Fen with hopeful eyes.


    The Heavenly Empress sighed, went over and patted his head. "It''s a good idea. Just see what you have there and put some down."


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. Hadn''t his sister still been angry just now and wanted to scold him? Why was she suddenly praising him for doing a good job?


    Bai Fen shook her head at him and left the room, waving him with her.


    Qiang Yan took a last look at Qiu Ling before following her into Jing He''s garden. "What''s the matter?"


    Bai Fen sighed again. "I just feel that ¡­ I can understand him a bit. He''s afraid to lose Jing He. But he also doesn''t want him to suffer. Let him calm down for a while. After that, we can sit down together and try to think of something we can do. There has to be a way to save Jing He without sacrificing his mortal reincarnation. We just need to find it."

 Chapter 582 - He Just Needed to Wait

    Having received his mother-in-law''s consent, Qiu Ling threw himself into setting up arrays around Jing He''s bed. He made sure their cores didn''t overlap and that they were of different sizes so that they couldn''t be broken at the same time.


    Arrays weren''t his strong suit but it would be enough to hold off that bastard Jin Ling for a while. In fact, he wasn''t hoping for these arrays to accomplish much but he had made sure that they would be as flashy and loud as possible upon activation. That way someone would definitely hurry over at the speed of light and save his beloved from Jin Ling''s evil clutches.


    Ah, he was such a genius!


    Qiu Ling turned to smile at Jing He. "I''m sorry, my love. I know if he really comes here and triggers the arrays, it''ll disturb you. But it''s the only way for now. As soon as I''ve managed to free your mortal self, I can swap them for something else you like." Qiu Ling blinked. "Uh, actually, there''s no need to swap them. I''ve already thought it through. After I free Jing Yi, I''ll bring him here so you can wake up again. Naturally, we won''t need the array anymore then. No, you''ll be able to open your eyes again and then ¡­"


    He smiled and leaned over, gently stroking Jing He''s head. Ah, he couldn''t wait for his beloved to wake up. It had really been too long since they spent time together.


    Qiu Ling sat down at Jing He''s bedside and took his hand again, earnestly examining his face. His beloved didn''t look any different from the day when he had left for the mortal world. It was as if he had just fallen into a long sleep.


    Qiu Ling bent down again and kissed his beloved''s cheek, his lashes brushing against his skin. Thinking back to the day when his beloved had left, his heart beat faster. With how proper Jing He had always behaved, it shouldn''t be wrong to say that he had initiated a kiss for the first time that day. Even though it hadn''t been one they shared and just a peck on the cheek, that was already more than usual. After all, before that, it had always been him who prompted Jing He and his beloved only let him do as he liked. Seeing him take the initiative really was nice. Especially since Jing He had also said that they would marry immediately after his return.


    Qiu Ling couldn''t help but smile. So finally, after ten years of wooing him, he would be able to take him home. He had always known that this day would come but with all those years passing, he had really started to wonder just when that would happen.


    Qiu Ling gave a sigh. What a pity that the moment it could finally happen had also been the moment Jin Ling had picked to make trouble for them. But soon, it would be over.


    Thinking of the plan that had already started to form in his head and just needed him to wait a while before he could implement it, Qiu Ling lay down next to his beloved and wrapped his arms around his waist. The little beast from the mortal world scrambled away and eyes him warily. When he didn''t do anything, it carefully inched closer again and finally snuggled up against Jing He''s neck, making a nest out of that silky hair. It happily pushed its snout into it, its eyes curving up. Mn, this really was comfortable. Hopefully, the terrible person couldn''t see it here. It didn''t want to leave again.


    Like that one dragon and one beast fell asleep pressed up against the crown prince of the Nine Heavens. As for that person''s reincarnation ¡­


    Jing Yi had been brought back to the room in Jin Ling''s palace where he had been held captive before. The demon king, after laughing for a while and telling him not to overthink what he had seen on the battlefield before, left him alone and hadn''t returned in the past hours.


    Jing Yi still sat on the bed, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. He really wanted to laugh at himself. He knew he shouldn''t listen to that person but still ¡­ His thoughts continued to circle around those moments. He couldn''t forget Qiu Ling''s torn expression. And then there was his uncle''s prompt decision to kill him off. Just what was up with that? Sure, he himself had said that he wouldn''t mind dying for Qiu Ling but did his uncle have to be that decisive? Couldn''t he hesitate at least a little?


    Jing Yi sighed and propped his chin up on his knees. There was no use in thinking about this. He also knew that. As long as there was nobody he could ask, he wouldn''t find an answer.


    Since that was the case ¡­


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying not to think of these things any longer. Qiu Ling had said that he didn''t need to worry. He had promised to get him out of here. And obviously, he knew where this place was. He even knew the person that had taken him away. He would come. After all, Qiu Ling had never disappointed him. When he needed his help, then Qiu Ling would certainly lend him a hand.


    In that case, he should also try and help Qiu Ling in the only way he could: Getting stronger so that on the day when Qiu Ling came to rescue him, he wouldn''t be a burden. Maybe that way, he wouldn''t make trouble for Qiu Ling in the future either or maybe ¡­ even stand next to him as his equal, not lacking compared to the person he had been in his past life.

 Chapter 583 - A Romance Gone Bad?

    While the two lovers were hoping to see each other again soon, a person silently crept up to a certain cell in the dungeon of the demon king''s palace. He wrapped his slender fingers around the bars, looking at them intently. They were new. The demons sure were lavish. Did they think he wouldn''t destroy them again?


    His grip tightened but his magic didn''t activate in the end. Instead, he turned to look at the person inside. A dragon. Why was the demon king so fond of imprisoning dragons? This one was another one though. Mn, had those other two escaped?


    He tilted his head to the side, examining the white-haired dragon inside the cell. He looked scholarly with that scroll in hand but his strength didn''t seem any less than that of the two from before. Maybe they knew each other?


    An Bai tensed and finally lifted his gaze from the scroll. His pupils contracted at the sight of the other person. When ¡­ No, wait. An Bai lowered the scroll and gulped. The mark on his forehead ¡­ This person should be a fallen god.


    He took a shaky breath and put the scroll back into his spatial ring. If this person attacked, it wouldn''t help either but at least he would be able to die in a dignified manner. Although ¡­ dying with a scroll in hand wouldn''t be too bad either.


    "A pair of dragons ¡­ One of them has red hair and the other is blond. Do you know them?"


    An Bai''s brows wrinkled. Red and blond hair? That sounded a lot like Fu Heng and Fu Min! "May I ask ¡­ why you want to know this?"


    "They were imprisoned here before."


    An Bai got up. "Before? Before what?"


    "Before I let them go." The fallen god brushed a finger along the bar next to him. "I could let you out too."


    "Why would you do that?"


    "You''re a dragon."


    An Bai stared at the person that seemed to think this was self-explanatory. Unfortunately, he didn''t understand at all. "Because I''m a dragon? But aren''t you with the demons?" After all, why else would he be here?


    The fallen god hissed at him and let go of the bars, his expression darkening. "I''m not with the demons! I will never be!"


    An Bai backed off and nodded hurriedly. "So you''re ¡­" He wanted to ask if he was on their side then but reconsidered. His previous question had already set this person off. He couldn''t risk it. "So you''re not. That''s good."


    The fallen god stared at him with wide eyes. His gaze seemed to drill into him.


    An Bai looked away. Ah, he shouldn''t have spoken with him at all. Wasn''t it said that all fallen gods had lost their sanity? Talking with a lunatic wouldn''t lead anywhere.


    "You ¡­ Why isn''t your soul bound? You''re a dragon. You should bind your soul to your partner."


    An Bai glanced at him. The flash of fury had disappeared completely and instead, he just looked curious. Maybe there was a little reproach in his eyes but he couldn''t detect any anger.


    An Bai''s eyes flashed. Could it be? If he remembered correctly, then there were different reasons for gods to fall and most of them were tied to emotions. So maybe ¡­ this person had lost himself to love? A romance gone bad or maybe one that had never flourished in the first place? In that case, he might be able to get out of this.


    "That ¡­ is certainly true. It''s just that I haven''t found my destined one yet." He tried to smile and even though the fallen god didn''t reciprocate, at least he didn''t erupt again. An Bai''s heart settled down. Maybe this wasn''t hopeless.


    He continued to smile and nodded at the god. "My name is An Bai. What is yours?"


    The fallen god tilted his head again. It had been a long time since somebody asked for his name. "Xiang Yu."


    "Oh. Xiang Yu, may I ask you something?"


    "Mn." The fallen god turned to the side and walked a few steps in front of the bars.


    "The two dragons you asked about ¡­ Can you tell me more about them? They might be friends of mine."


    "They were imprisoned by the demon king. That fake dragon wanted to free them."


    "Fake dragon?"


    "Mn."


    "Who is that? Someone who pretends to be a dragon?"


    The fallen god stopped walking and nodded. "He looks like one but, actually, he''s not much better than a demon."


    An Bai wrinkled his brows. Who was he talking about? Well, that wasn''t important now. "Xiang Yu, the two dragons that were imprisoned ¡­ You helped that fake dragon too rescue them?"


    The fallen god nodded.


    "Then what happened with them?"


    "They left."


    "The dungeon?"


    The fallen god nodded again, making An Bai sigh.


    Ah, talking to this person was hard. On one hand, he seemed like he wanted to talk, but on the other, he wouldn''t answer even when asked. Just how was he supposed to obtain answers from him? It would probably be easier to get out of here and try to contact Fu Heng and Fu Min on his own.


    Thinking of that, An Bai stepped closer. "Xiang Yu, you said you could let me out. Is that true?"


    "Mn." The fallen god reached out and touched the bars again but An Bai lifted his hand.


    "Wait!"


    The other stopped indeed and looked at him puzzled. Did this person not want to be let out?


    An Bai walked forward and also grabbed the bars, looking at Xiang Yu inquisitively. "You ¡­ have a high opinion on dragons that bind their soul, don''t you?"


    "Mn."


    "In that case, could you do one of them a favor?"

 Chapter 584 - A Dragon’s Other Half

    Xiang Yu inched closer, his face only separated from An Bai''s by a hand''s width. The dragon didn''t recoil though. It was a dangerous plan but if he could get this fallen god''s help, it would be worth it.


    "Who?"


    "It''s our king. He fell in love with the Son of Heaven and bound his soul to him. Before they could marry, the crown prince had to descend for a trial though and then the demon king took him. His Majesty is powerless to do anything. He wants to save him but as long as the crown prince is in the demon king''s hands ¡­" He shook his head, lowering his gaze. "They are currently facing off on the battlefield and the demon king has started to demand things in exchange. That is also why I''m here. He wanted someone from the dragon race but I doubt he''d let His Highness go just like that. My king will have to do even more and I''m afraid ¡­ even then the demon king might not let his beloved go."


    Xiang Yu''s brows drew together. "He stole a dragon''s other half?"


    An Bai nodded, a faint hope rising in his heart. It seemed he had been right. This person indeed valued relationship. "Xiang Yu, there is nothing our king can do at the moment. But you''re different. You''re already here in the palace and I doubt the demon king would dare to stand against you. So ¡­ could you try to find His Highness and help him escape?"


    The fallen god stared blankly, his thoughts seemingly flown somewhere else.


    An Bai reached out but finally didn''t dare to touch him. "Xiang Yu, please. I can''t see any other way. Our king is helpless. He loves him way too much to risk anything but this way, he won''t be able to free him either. Isn''t that pitiful? Not being able to see each other just so the other can live? I''m sure both of them would rather lay down their life than to be separated forever. His Ma¡ª"


    The fallen god turned around and walked away.


    An Bai blinked and clung to the bars. "Xiang Yu!"


    Unfortunately, his call was met with silence. The fallen god didn''t stop. He didn''t even turn around. An Bai sighed. He had really hoped that this person might be able to solve their dilemma. But now, he didn''t even listen until the end. Ah, well, maybe it was better this way. Fallen gods were crazy and who knew if His Highness would be able to deal with him now that he was mortal? It might be better if they didn''t meet after all.


    The crazy person directly left the dungeons but stopped at the entrance, tilting his head. The Son of Heaven ¡­ He touched the mark between his brows. No, this person shouldn''t be the true Son of Heaven. Still, the demon king shouldn''t have taken him. This wasn''t right. He was obviously the partner of a dragon. How could he separate them? And the gods ¡­ How could they force him to go to this trial instead of letting him marry his lover?


    The fallen god''s eyes flashed with gloom. It wasn''t right. None of this was right. Since that was the case, then he had to make it right.


    He closed his eyes and the mark between his brows turned into black mist that slowly diffused in the air, drifting off in all directions. The demon king''s palace appeared in his mind and he looked through all the miscellaneous images.


    There were the guards patrolling on the corridors. There was one of those stupid men that needed to be taught a lesson. There was the demon king looking at his stupid collection of flowers ¡­ Oh. There was the fake dragon.


    The fallen god tilted his head in the other direction. That person seemed to have returned just now and he looked anything but happy. Right now ¡­ he walked toward the demon king.


    The fallen god watched him for a moment but finally ignored the two. He searched further until he finally found what he had been looking for: In one of the rooms not far from the demon king''s chambers sat a mortal. He had closed his eyes and spiritual energy swirled around him.


    What was he doing? The demon king wasn''t there. Shouldn''t he try to flee? Or was it that he missed the dragon king less than the dragon king missed him?


    The fallen god frowned and pulled out of his inner self. The black mist returned and the black mark reappeared between his brows. He continued on his way until he stood in front of the door where he had seen the mortal before. He didn''t bother to knock or call out and directly opened the door, slipping into the room.


    Behind the door, he stopped again and looked at the person inside. He was sitting on the bed, the knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs. His eyes were closed and the spiritual energy continued to swirl around him as if he was quietly cultivating.


    The fallen god stepped closer, his robe barely touching the ground. Not a sound could be heard, even when he sat down at the edge of the bed. He quietly stared at the person.


    This mortal ¡­ He couldn''t be much older than twenty years. Exactly the age where they were easily impressionable and gullible, believing anything you would tell them. And this person was now in the demon realm.


    The fallen god reached out and tipped the spot between his eyebrows.


    Jing Yi''s eyes flew open and he flinched. This ¡­ Where had this person come from?

 Chapter 585 - The Happiest Man in the Immortal Realms

    At the same time, Qiu Ling laughed happily and clutched his beloved''s hands. "Ah, Jing He, my love, I''m so happy!"


    Jing He looked back at him and his rose-colored lips curved up into a beautiful smile, his face illuminated by the golden rays of the afternoon sun. "You certainly can''t be happier than me. Qiu Ling, my husband, marrying you was the best thing that happened in my life."


    "Ah, don''t say that. My love, haven''t we spent many happy days together already? And there will be even more happy days in our future. I really don''t know how I deserve this bliss."


    Jing He freed his hands from his grasp but only so he could cup his face. "What are you even saying? You are the most handsome man in all immortal realms, the strongest warrior, the gentlest lover. You are so excellent. Isn''t it natural for me to fall in love? Marrying you is just logical."


    "Ah, my love, there is no logic to this. I''m just madly in love with you!"


    "I feel the same!" Jing He looked at him, his gaze full of love and longing.


    Qiu Ling wrapped him in his arms and leaned down and their lips finally met in a sweet kiss. Jing He''s hands stroked his cheeks but finally, he clung to his neck, his slender body pressing up against Qiu Ling''s as if he wanted to melt and become one with him.


    Naturally, Qiu Ling wouldn''t disappoint him. His grip around Jing He''s waist tightened and he held him as close as possible, their kiss slowly deepening.


    "Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing He broke away from his lips and sighed his name, stroking his chest. "I''m so happy. Can it really go on like this? It seems too good to be true."


    Qiu Ling smiled gently. "But of course, my love. Now that we''re married, nothing will be able to get between us. We''ll forever be happy and in love."


    Jing He sighed and snuggled up against his chest. "This is too great! Qiu Ling, my love, hold me tight! Else, I won''t be able to continue believing this."


    "Mn!" Naturally, Qiu Ling complied happily. He hugged Jing He to his chest and his hands slipped into Jing He''s hair as if on their own. Mn, those silky strands ¡­ Qiu Ling combed through them and hummed. This was the ultimate bliss! There was probably only one thing that could be even better ¡­


    Qiu Ling trailed the curve of his beloved''s spine and lowered his head, gently placing a kiss on his cheek.


    "Qiu Ling ¡­" Jing He sighed his name and his fingers curled into the fabric of his robe. He looked up, his eyes glittering with anticipation.


    Qiu Ling carefully cupped his face and their lips once again met in a kiss. Qiu Ling held the back of Jing He''s head and deepened the kiss, making his beloved sigh in satisfaction. His lips opened slightly and Qiu Ling took advantage.


    Ah, they were already married. What need was there to hold back? Whether they wanted to kiss or do some other things ¡­ Who would say anything against it?


    He pulled Jing He closer, his hand stroking his back and igniting a fire in his body. Jing He sighed again, the sound smothered by Qiu Ling''s tongue. Qiu Ling cracked his eyes open that had inadvertently closed and saw a faint blush spread on his beloved''s cheeks. He smiled and deepened their kiss even further, his tongue entwining with Jing He''s.


    His beloved''s fingers tightened their grip on Qiu Ling''s robe and he broke away from his lips. "Qiu Ling, this ¡­" He looked embarrassed and a little guilty as if what they had done was something shameful.


    Qiu Ling''s gaze burned on his skin and his cheeks flushed even further.


    "My love, why are you still being shy? Aren''t we a married couple already? Doing this is normal."


    Jing He nodded but still looked around uneasily. "But what if someone sees? This ¡­ I certainly look indecent like this."


    Indecent? Qiu Ling''s pupils contracted. He picked Jing He up, making his beloved lightly cry out in surprise. "Ah, my love, then let''s go to a place where only I can see how you''d look indecent." He turned around and carried Jing He into the palace, kicking the door shut behind them. His steps led them to the bed and he put Jing He down with a smile. "Show me. I''m afraid I didn''t have enough time to appreciate it on our wedding night." His fingers slipped into Jing He''s robe. Unfortunately, his beloved was really very decent, actually wearing several layers.


    Qiu Ling smiled wryly. Ah, but this was just a short setback! If he had to take off two layers, he would do so. If he had to take off fifty, he would still take up the challenge!


    Qiu Ling very meticulously pushed the overcoat from his beloved''s shoulders before his hands turned to the belt holding his outer robe. His fingertips glided over the fabric and finally opened it. The belt fell to the side and the outer robe fell open, revealing the fabric of the next layer.


    Qiu Ling smiled proudly. Ah, this was going well! Soon ¡­ Soon, he would reveal his beloved''s bare skin and then ¡­


    He took the outer robe from his shoulders and his hands caressed Jing He''s chest before opening the inner robe. The fabric slid to the side and ¡ª


    "Bastard! What do you think you''re doing to my son?!"


    Qiu Ling flinched and the beautiful image before his eyes cracked. He opened his eyes and was faced with his beloved''s still body. Uh? Huh? Why was Jing He''s robe crumpled?

 Chapter 586 - A Sooty, Battered Robe

    The Heavenly Emperor stared at the shameless beast that had dared to climb in his son''s bed and even touch him indecently. His whole body trembled. "You better get out now!"


    Qiu Ling didn''t move. He blinked his eyes in confusion. How come his father-in-law was scolding him? Hadn''t Jing He and he already married? What was there to be angry about? Wasn''t it normal for spouses to sleep in the same bed and touch each other here and there? Don''t tell him his father-in-law and mother-in-law weren''t doing so?


    Qiu Ling finally raised his gaze from Jing He''s figure and turned to give his father-in-law a pitying gaze. "Father-in-law, if mother-in-law doesn''t let you touch her, maybe you should try humoring her more often?"


    "You! Now you''re even cursing me?! And who allowed you to call me father-in-law, huh?! I''d rather die than let you marry my son! Now get up! I won''t let you taint him any longer!"


    Qiu Ling blinked again. Eh? Won''t let him marry Jing He? Don''t tell him ¡­ Qiu Ling''s expression fell. Oh no! So all of that had only been a dream. How sad! Mn, he had to work hard so that it would turn into reality soon.


    The Heavenly Emperor gnashed his teeth. Was this bastard still not getting up?! He stepped forward to drag Qiu Ling down but just when his foot touched the ground, the room erupted in colors.


    Rong Su froze and stared at the colorful dust sprinkling down on him, dyeing his clothes and hair. This ¡­ What was this?!


    Qiu Ling also froze but after a second he leaned over Jing He''s body. Ah, he had forgotten about that! He still needed to lay down an array that would repel all the things he had used to hinder Jin Ling! He certainly couldn''t let his beloved suffer such an affront to his beauty!


    Seeing the person he had been furious at lying down on top of his precious son, the Heavenly Emperor dashed over. The first step gifted him with an ear-shattering explosion that made sparks fly through the air, igniting the dust that had settled on his body. He cursed but didn''t stop. He had to pull that bastard down there! With the second step, a roar sounded not much unlike that of a dragon.


    Outside of the palace, the Heavenly Empress, the God of War, the Heavenly Guard, as well as Qiang Wei and Yi Zan, flinched and exchanged a glance before running inside.


    "What happened?"


    "Your Highness!"


    "Bastard, get down there for me!"


    "Your Majesty!"


    All the voices sounded at once. The beast that had rolled up in the crook of Jing He''s neck and managed to continued resting through the whole of Qiu Ling''s dream finally leaped to its feet. It looked from the person it was supposed to guard to the person it didn''t like and finally at the person jumping at them. Its fur stood on end and it opened its snout. It sneezed out a fireball, finally making the Heavenly Emperor stop in his tracks.


    Maybe the little beast had too good an aim or maybe the Heavenly Emperor hadn''t taken it seriously and thus hadn''t tried to evade but the fireball hit and the already battered robe lost the last bit of resemblance with its former white-gold splendor.


    All eyes fell on the spiritual beast. As if it knew that it had done something bad, it backed a step off. Finally, it turned to Qiu Ling for help. It had only done what this terrible person asked! Now, shouldn''t he save it as thanks?


    Qiu Ling looked at the thing and then at his father-in-law. Finally, his lips curved up. "Ah, you did well! Do that again if somebody bad comes along!" He reached over and generously patted the beast''s head.


    Behind him, the Heavenly Emperor clenched his hand into a fist and wanted to jump at Qiu Ling. This damned dandy! Not only had he shamelessly clung to his precious son the past ten years, now he even dared to take advantage of Jing He while he was on his trial and thus defenseless. And on top of that, he even dared to have some demonic beast attack him when he came to protect his son''s chastity!


    "You!"


    Thankfully, the others reacted fast enough.


    Qiang Yan leaped forward and grabbed his brother-in-law by the shoulder. "Alright, alright. Calm down. I''m sure that was just an accident."


    Bai Fen also hurried over, putting a hand on his arm while trying to ignore the sooty sleeve. "Brother is right. Don''t mind that. Wouldn''t it be better to talk about Jing He? His mortal reincarnation is still in the demon king''s hands. We need a plan as soon as possible!"


    The Heavenly Emperor ground his teeth. Ugh. He really wanted to bash this guy! Well, even if he wanted to, he wouldn''t win if they pitted their physical strength against each other. Ah, Jing He, my precious son, forgive your father! I''ll try to find a stand-in to avenge you!


    With no way to deal with Qiu Ling, the Heavenly Emperor could only turn to his brother-in-law and find a way to vent his anger on the demon king instead. "Whatever you need, just take it. Even if we have to wage war on the demon realm for a thousand years, it still won''t be too long!"


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Yes, I''ll gather the Heavenly Generals and we''ll try to come up with a plan." He said so but he wasn''t very hopeful.


    The original plan had been to catch Jin Ling with their swift response off-guard, embroil his soldiers in a battle and free Jing He''s mortal reincarnation while they were occupied. Who could have known that the demon king would guard the boy himself and never separate for even half a step? This way, there really was nothing they could do. Ah, if things went on like this, then as much as he didn''t want to say so but they might not be able to free Jing Yi at all.

 Chapter 587 - I Have a Plan!

    Qiu Ling finally sat up but didn''t forget to rearrange Jing He''s robe. "Uncle-in-law, don''t worry about it. I already have a plan for how we can free Jing He."


    "Who are you calling your uncle-in-law?!" The Heavenly Emperor erupted once again but the God of War just raised his brows.


    "You really have one?"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded and smoothed out Jing He''s sleeves. Ah, his beloved was still wearing the same robe as on the day he had left for his trial. This couldn''t be good. He should help him change it ¡­ Qiu Ling blanked. Eh ¡­ If he helped him change his robe, then wouldn''t he ¡­


    The Heavenly Emperor once again gnashed his teeth. "What is this guy looking at? He wouldn''t be thinking about doing something shameless to Jing He, would he?!"


    Bai Fen smiled wryly. "You''re thinking too much." There was no way it was anything else. Not with the way Qiu Ling looked right now. She cleared her throat to get his attention again. "Longjun, care to let us in on your great plan?"


    "Of course!" Qiu Ling pushed the idea of stripping Jing He to the back of his mind for the moment and turned back to his mother-in-law. "It''s really easy. I''ll go and divert his attention and at the same time, I''ll send Xin Lan to free Jing He."


    The other people stared at him, waiting for the rest of the plan. It couldn''t be that this was all the dragon king had come up with, right?


    Qiang Yan finally lost hope that Qiu Ling would explain on his own accord. "That ¡­ is a good idea. With Senior Xin Lan''s help, things will be easier. I''m wondering though how you want to make sure that the same thing as today won''t happen again. After all, Senior Xin Lan can save Jing He only when he isn''t with the demon king."


    "Which is why I''ll divert his attention."


    The God of War sighed. "But if you go to the demon realm, then won''t the demon king assume that you''ve come to save Jing He? In that case, it would only be logical for him to keep Jing He at his side to make sure nothing can happen."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. It wasn''t that he didn''t have an idea but he couldn''t tell them. After all, the fewer people knew that the old geezer was still alive the better. And not talking about the plan out loud was better anyway. After all, who knew if there wasn''t one of Jin Ling''s spies around? For all he knew, the two Heavenly Guards could be demons in disguise! As long as they didn''t transform the spiritual energy into dark energy, there was simply no way to tell for sure. Even their magic wasn''t a clear indicator. After all, they didn''t need to be full-blooded demons. If there was a human ancestor somewhere down the line ¡­


    Qiu Ling shook his head. No, he couldn''t risk it! The fewer people knew the better. Mn, but his uncle-in-law did remind him of something: Jin Ling would be especially vigilant in the beginning. It would be for the best if he feigned a few attempts. Sooner or later, he would let down his guard. And then he would be able to save Jing He in one try.


    "That ¡­ That''s just something you think might happen. I''ll go and try." He stood up and wanted to leave when he looked on the lines crisscrossing the ground. "Uh, what do we do with the arrays now that father-in-law destroyed them? They were intended for Jin Ling."


    "You ¡ª"


    Bai Fen pulled at her husband''s arm to make him shut up and gave Qiu Ling a smile. "Don''t worry about that. We''ll stay here while we discuss some further measures so nothing will happen to him. You can just go and play."


    "Mn. Then I''ll do that, mother-in-law." Qiu Ling smiled happily and ran outside. His smile collapsed as soon as he was through the door though. Ah, this really was irksome! He actually had such a good plan but he couldn''t tell anyone about it! This would have been a great chance to make his father-in-law finally acknowledge him! Mn, well, maybe that could still happen if he just brought Jing He back. His father-in-law probably wouldn''t care about his means too much as long as it meant that his son was safe.


    Qiu Ling nodded to himself and pushed off the ground, making his way to the demon realm. For now, he would test the situation. If he could find out where Jing Yi was and how tight Jin Ling''s security around him was, then that would be for the best. If not ¡­ As long as it helped to push the time when he could implement his actual plan forward, it would be enough for him.


    He flew at the fastest speed he could manage without taking on his other form. This time, he didn''t enter the demon realm in a high-profile way though and instead snuck in secretly.


    His gaze flitted about. There couldn''t be any demons seen here even though the battle hadn''t been long ago. It seemed they had already gone back to their everyday activities.


    Qiu Ling tsked. Jin Ling wasn''t taking him seriously, was he? As if he would give up just because of one little setback! His beloved was way too important for that! Well, it was also good this way. That meant it would be much easier to get into the palace. Maybe ¡­ The corners of the mouth curled up. If Jin Ling was really this unprepared, then he wouldn''t mind taking his beloved back right now.

 Chapter 588 - I Came to Save You

    At the same time, one reincarnated god and one fallen god looked at each other in the demon king''s palace.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but shiver when he was subjected to the gaze from those black eyes. "Who are you?"


    The fallen god took his hand back and sat up straight. So this was the reincarnation of the Son of Heaven? How strange! How come he was so ¡­ mediocre?


    Jing Yi furrowed his brow when he didn''t get an answer. Just who was this person? He was sure that he had never seen him before but that didn''t have to say anything. He couldn''t remember everything from his previous life and he had hardly seen anyone from the demon or dragon race. Even those people who had come with Qiu Ling to save him had been strangers to him.


    "Are you ¡­ someone the demon king sent?"


    The fallen god looked at him. "He can''t send me. Nobody can."


    Jing Yi nodded but he didn''t understand. So this person had come on his own accord? But why? Well, if he wasn''t someone working for the demon king ¡­ could it be he was someone Qiu Ling knew? "Then do you know Qiu Ling?"


    "Is that your lover?"


    Jing Yi''s cheeks flushed. This ¡­ Wasn''t this too direct?!


    "I see." The fallen god stood up and walked to the window, staring out at the courtyard. Mn, the demon king sure had an interesting way of imprisoning people. Putting dragons in the dungeon and reincarnated gods in simple rooms ¡­ Well, a mortal wasn''t a threat and this mortal was one even less.


    He turned around and tilted his head. "You''re only in the third stage. It wasn''t even long since you entered it."


    Jing Yi''s eyes widened. How did he know? He looked at him more closely. Seeing the black robe, there was only one place he could think of. "Are you from the Hei Dian Sect?"


    The fallen god raised his head and touched the mark between his brows. "The Hei Dian Sect?" He stopped talking until he lowered his hand. "No."


    "Then ¡­ Why did you come here?"


    "To save you."


    Jing Yi had no idea how to answer. He still didn''t know who this man was. Why did he want to save him?


    The fallen god turned back to the window. "The dragon in the dungeon told me. You are the dragon king''s beloved. He bound his soul to yours. You shouldn''t be separated from him. You should ¡­ stay at his side and enjoy your time with him."


    "So you know Qiu Ling." Jing Yi heaved a sigh of relief. If that was the case, then he didn''t have to worry. He got up from the bed and walked over, looking up at the fallen god''s face. "Then do you know how we can get out of here? I don''t know much about the demons and I don''t even know where exactly we are. I have no idea how I can get back to Qiu Ling."


    The fallen god looked back at him. "We''re in the demon king''s palace. It''s in the part of the demon realm that is farthest from the Nine Heavens. You do know about the Nine Heavens, don''t you?" He reached out and once again tipped the spot between Jing Yi''s brows. "Mn. You do. But you don''t know everything."


    "I ¡­" Jing Yi furrowed his brows. "How do you know?"


    The fallen god lowered his hand and blinked. "Naturally, it''s in your soul. Part of your memories is still sealed by the water of the river of forgetfulness. The rest has already become undone so you can see what happened then. It''s quite chaotic though. You don''t even know the right sequence of those events, do you? And you lack almost all understanding about the Nine Heavens or the gods. That''s not good." He frowned and turned away, muttering under his breath. "We shouldn''t lack such knowledge on our trials. It''ll just make us do stupid things. Who can decide on anything if they don''t know?"


    His brows relaxed and he turned back to Jing Yi, his gaze inquisitive. "How did you come to be the dragon king''s beloved after your descension?"


    "De ¡­ Descension?"


    The fallen god frowned again. "So you don''t even know about that. That''s not good. He should have told you. What if you fall in love with somebody else?"


    Jing Yi tightened his lips, his face flushing in shame. He still didn''t know who exactly this person was but this man still managed to see all his shortcomings immediately.


    His expression made the fallen god pause. "You ¡­ fell in love with somebody else?"


    Jing Yi''s lips parted. He wanted to explain but something in the other''s gaze made him halt. His hair stood on end and he gulped the words down. In the end, he shook his head. "No. I''m in love with Qiu Ling. He''s my fiance. We wanted to get married when ¡­ this happened." He motioned back into the room and his face fell.


    The fallen god relaxed but couldn''t help but tighten his lips. "It''s good if you love him. There is nobody worth falling in love with other than a dragon."


    Jing Yi raised his brows but didn''t dare to ask. He still remembered the feeling from just now. Whoever this person was ¡­ he shouldn''t anger him. Although he didn''t know what exactly he had done wrong for him to look at him like this. Well, that wasn''t important now anyway.


    He cleared his throat and stepped a little to the side so he could see the other''s face. "In that case ¡­ I should return soon. So do you know how to get out of here? I''m sure Qiu Ling is very worried about me."


    The fallen god nodded. Yes, he certainly was. After all, which dragon would take it lightly if their other half was imprisoned? In the demon realm no less.

 Chapter 589 - A Damaged Core

    The fallen god took a deep breath and turned back around, gripping Jing Yi''s hand while he was at it. "Then come on. We''ll go."


    "Ah?" Jing Yi blinked. Just like that? He said they would go and then they would do so? He wanted to ask if it would really be this simple but remembering how the other man had looked at him before, he kept quiet. He didn''t understand why but he felt that he couldn''t provoke this person or things might end even worse than if he continued to stay as the demon king''s prisoner.


    No, it was better not to risk anything until he was back at Qiu Ling''s side. For now, he would just need to follow this man and see how things unfolded. Maybe that man was right and they would indeed be able to leave just like that. If not ¡­ Well, after what he had seen on the battleground, he didn''t believe that the demon king would do anything to him for now. He obviously wanted to use him against Qiu Ling. Even if he caught him while he tried to escape, nothing should happen. At the worst, he would just be guarded more strongly, making it more difficult for Qiu Ling to rescue him. But his fiance would certainly still try and find a way.


    With that in mind, Jing Yi followed the fallen god through the corridors of the demon king''s palace. To his surprise, they didn''t encounter anyone. It was as if the whole palace was deserted.


    He frowned. This certainly wasn''t normal. Could it be the demons were still out there, facing off against the gods and dragons? But as long as he was with the demon king, the other races probably wouldn''t dare to do anything. After all, the demon king''s threats had sounded quite ominous. Come to think of it ¡­


    Jing Yi looked up at the person holding his hand. "Say, do you know about the gods?"


    The fallen god faced him, his expression as gloomy as ever. "The gods?" His eyes flashed for a moment and he looked away again. "A little."


    "Then ¡­ do you know something about their souls? And ¡­" He wanted to continue asking but stopped himself at the last moment. What was he doing here? It wasn''t important. Whether that Jing He was still alive somewhere or not, it wouldn''t change anything. Qiu Ling was his fiance now. Whatever had happened before and whatever was happening somewhere else, he didn''t believe that he would leave him for the person he had been in his past life.


    Then again ¡­ He still remembered clearly how Qiu Ling had looked back in his inner self when they saw Jing He. The happiness upon being able to see him again, the pain and grief when he had to admit to himself that this would be the last time, that their time was already over. He had clearly loved him very much and his heart still yearned for him.


    If Jing He hadn''t died ¡­ If they were different people and could live at the same time, he couldn''t be too sure that Qiu Ling would choose him. After all, Jing He had been everything to him. He was the one that had healed him from everything that had gone wrong in his life until then. He, on the other hand, he had only been able to heal him from losing Jing He. In a way, he was nothing more than a replacement.


    The fallen god stopped and turned around, his gaze incredulous. This person ¡­ He reached out and once again touched the spot between his brows, spreading out his senses. Souls or at least the souls of the gods weren''t fixed and could instead extend through their bodies. Their core was at this place though. And the core was the most important part of a god''s soul. The fringe could be disturbed or even erased without lasting effects. The core though ¡­


    The fallen god stared at Jing Yi''s face while his senses focused on this core. He had taken a short glance before but now that he looked carefully, his own brows knitted together tightly. What was it with this person? He had engraved the core of his soul! Didn''t he know how dangerous that was?! Did he want to kill himself? Although the content ¡­


    The fallen god''s expression softened. Ah, he had been in love. The dragon he gifted his heart to had been special enough for him to try to do what the dragons did. He couldn''t give part of his soul to him so instead, he had made sure that his own soul would remember so that he would never betray him. That was ¡­ certainly what should be done.


    Unfortunately, he hadn''t done so well enough. The cracks around the engraving were minimal but since it was on the soul''s core, it had still left damage. Damage that couldn''t be healed easily. If it was left like this ¡­


    The fallen god lowered his hand and examined Jing Yi''s face. He was young. He still had several decades in this mortal lifetime. Who knew if there wouldn''t happen anything? If the circumstances were bad ¡­ He might end up the same as him. A fallen god.


    He couldn''t let that happen.


    The fallen god grabbed Jing Yi''s shoulder and his feet left the ground. He pulled him with him, not out of the demon king''s palace but instead down into the dungeons and then even further down into a corridor below the palace that was left entirely in darkness.

 Chapter 590 - A Torture Chamber?

    Just at that moment, Qiu Ling entered the demon king''s palace through one of the side doors. His gaze darted around. He couldn''t see anyone. Well, he could hear some demons patrolling not too far from him but it should be far enough for him to slip through.


    Ah, wasn''t this Jin Ling making this a little too ¡­


    His eyes widened. He had just thought that Jin Ling was making things to easy but how come his beloved was moving? And rapidly, even? Could it be that despicable bastard was bringing him somewhere else so he wouldn''t find him?


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. That guy was really underestimating him. This was exactly why he had put the mark of the dragon on Jing Yi''s body after his birth! Obviously, he wouldn''t have trouble finding him.


    He shook his head and followed his senses in the direction where he could feel his mark. He didn''t mind if Jin Ling looked down on him. If that meant that he would get his beloved back on the first attempt, it was great. Jin Ling could look down on him a little more if he wanted to.


    Ah, if he managed to do that, his father-in-law would have to acknowledge what a dependable man he was. Mn, with that, nothing would prevent them from marrying anymore. Ah, This truly was a blessing in disguise!


    Qiu ling ducked behind a beam when the patrols passed by and then continued forward. Mn, the place Jin Ling had brought his beloved was in the back part of the palace. This wouldn''t be some kind of torture chamber, would it?


    He furrowed his brows. Thinking about it now, Jin Ling was probably the type that would do something like this. Ugh, if he really dared to harm his beloved, he would indeed raze the demon realm to the ground!


    Qiu Ling hastened his steps, not caring anymore whether he might run into a patrol. Damn, if any of the demons dared to bar his way, he''d slaughter them! He couldn''t let his beloved stay here any longer! The risk was way too high. Hmph, he should have known he couldn''t trust Jin Ling.


    He finally arrived in front of a door. His senses tingled when he stopped. This was obviously where his beloved was being held. He hadn''t moved in the last few minutes either so he could be pretty sure that Jin Ling wanted to keep him here.


    Qiu Ling frowned. What now? If Jin Ling still had Jing He in his hands, then storming right in would jeopardize his safety. He couldn''t let this happen. No, he had to surprise the bastard and wrest his beloved from him in one go!


    He looked around and his gaze locked onto the beam above his head. Great! His own palace also had these beams. As long as he managed to get below the roof, he would be able to move along them. Then he could ambush that bastard from there.


    He pushed off the ground, grabbed the closest beam and crouched down on top of it, surveying the surroundings. Mn, it wasn''t constructed much different from the one in his palace. Although ¡­ He furrowed his brow. There seemed to be a strange opening in the roof? Was this some kind of torture device Jin Ling had come up with?


    Maybe he chained his victim down on the ground and then had the elements do the rest? It certainly wouldn''t feel good to be left lying there with the sun burning down on your body or the rain hitting your skin while you shivered in the cold wind ¡­ What a bastard! If he had really done that to his beloved, then he should better pray to Heaven that he wouldn''t get his hands on him! Otherwise, he''d do the same thing to him! Ah, first of all, he had to save his beloved though.


    Qiu Ling held onto the beam and crawled forward. He made sure that he didn''t make any sound. He couldn''t let the bastard notice him. If he did, his beloved would be the one to suffer.


    He finally reached the place with the hole in the roof, he couldn''t help but look up. His expression turned puzzled. This ¡­ wasn''t an actual whole? There was some kind of translucent crystal glass covering it. Had he been wrong? Was this not a torture device? At least the wind and the rain couldn''t come in there. Ah! Maybe he only intended to use the sun as his weapon? This crystal should strengthen the power of the sun. The people he chained down there would feel like they burned to death! Ah, too despicable!


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brow and looked down, prepared to jump if he saw his beloved suffering too much. Seeing the situation down below ¡­ Qiu Ling''s face blanked. This ¡­ What was this? That bastard and ¡­ a big plant?


    Qiu Ling blinked and tilted his head, leaning forward to take a better look. The thing looked like a huge sack, just that it was green with ugly blotches and something that looked like a lid.


    Right now, Jin Ling patted the thing. "Ah, beautiful, I brought you something nice today. You''ll certainly like it." With that, he turned to the side and picked something up that had been lying in an actual sack.


    The thing was red and something was dripping onto the floor. Qiu Ling sniffed. This smelled like ¡­ blood? He looked at the thing again. It was long and cylindric with an end that hung down a bit. Five smaller parts hang down from there.


    Eh? That kind of form seemed familiar? Wait! Was that ¡­ Was that an arm?!


    Qiu Ling''s face paled. "No!" He yelled and jumped down from the beam, pushing Jin Ling to the ground just when he had thrown the bloody arm at the plant.


    "No!" Qiu Ling hurriedly caught it and held it in front of him, his expression twisted. "No! Jing He! What did he do to you?!"

 Chapter 591 - His Favorite

    Qiu Ling stared at the severed arm and his eyes reddened. His beloved ¡­ His beautiful beloved had been hurt to this extent! Ah, he had taken too much time to go to the demon realm and save him! He shouldn''t have waited in the Nine Heavens for so long. It was all his fault!


    Below him, Jin Ling groaned. "Fuck! Could you get up already?!"


    "You!" Qiu Ling gritted his teeth and tucked the severed limb below his arm. "You dared to do something like this to my beloved and still want to order me about?! I should also tear you apart limb by limb!"


    Jin Ling frowned and lashed out. Qiu Ling could only leap aside. He didn''t forget to grab the sack lying next to him though. He had to make sure that this bastard hadn''t cut off any other limbs of his beloved''s body.


    Jin Ling''s brows furrowed. "What do you think you''re doing? Give that back! The arm too!" He dashes forward and tried to grab the sack but Qiu Ling evaded him.


    "No! You won''t get the arm! You won''t even get a finger of my beloved!"


    "Who wants a finger of your beloved? You can keep it! I wouldn''t even look at his fingernails! Now give back the sack and the arm!"


    Qiu Ling turned away, keeping both from Jin Ling. He looked at the arm with a pitiful expression. Uwuwu, his poor belo¡ª Uh?


    Qiu Ling tilted his head and raised the arm a little higher. Thanks to Jin Ling throwing it and him catching it and then running away, the blood had already dropped down. The skin ¡­ absolutely wasn''t the nobly pale skin of his beloved!


    Qiu Ling stared at the arm in a daze before throwing it behind him. Ah, so that hadn''t been his beloved''s arm at all. Ah, thankfully! Then the limbs in the sack ¡­ He opened it and pulled out a hand. The skin was paler but ¡­ How was this the smooth texture he knew from his beloved?! He threw the hand away just the same.


    Behind him, Jin Ling hurried to catch it and gnashed his teeth. "What about the rest? Do you want to go through everything and throw them one by one? None of that is a part of the crown prince''s body! Do you think I''d be so dumb to cut him up into little pieces?"


    Qiu Ling glanced over his shoulder, his gaze everything but nice.


    "Tch. Wouldn''t the other two realms be after my life then?"


    "We''re already after your life now. You kidnapped Jing He."


    "I kidnapped his mortal reincarnation. And now give the sack back. I still need to feed the plants."


    Qiu Ling glanced at the content of the sack again but didn''t throw it over. If this was so important to Jin Ling, then he should make use of it. "Then where is my beloved if he''s not in here?"


    Jin Ling snorted. "As if I''d tell you."


    "Then ¡­ you won''t get this sack back either."


    Jin Ling wasn''t impressed. He turned away and went into the adjacent room. A few snapping sounds could be heard and then he came back with another sack. "By all means, hold onto it for as long as you want. It''s not like you didn''t kill a few demons before." He stopped in front of the plant again, took out an arm and threw it into the air. It flew up in an arc and finally landed inside, making a splash.


    Qiu Ling''s lips moved but he had no idea. In the end, he could only throw the sack back over. "Fine. You take it back. See it as a sign of my goodwill. Now, where is my beloved?"


    Jin Ling ignored him and instead rubbed the plant in a happy mood. Ah, this was too great! Now that he had the mortal reincarnation of the Son of Heaven, he could ask anything of Qiu Ling. The bastard might still be stubborn right now but sooner or later when he realized that there was no other way to get his beloved back, he would spill the beans. And then ¡­ then he could finally find happiness with Jinde.


    Jin Ling''s lips curled up into a dreamy smile. The person that had monopolized Jinde''s heart was dead, even his reincarnation had died thanks to his scheme with the jade-gathering beast. So why shouldn''t his wishes be finally fulfilled?


    Whatever Jinde had to bring up to oppose this, he would talk him out of it. He didn''t believe that there was no chance for them to be together. Why shouldn''t they fall in love? Why shouldn''t they share the rest of their days?


    If Jinde was uncomfortable with being physical with him, then he wouldn''t mind abstaining from it. If it was for him, he could do that. He wouldn''t mind at all. Over the years thanks to the fact that he needed that damned harem to rule the demon realm, he had been physically close to a lot of people without having feelings for them anyway. It wasn''t special to him. In fact, he abhorred it. Not doing that kind of thing with Jinde might be good.


    No, rather than that, it would be much better to spend their days as they did back then. Jinde could take care of his garden while he followed him along. Maybe he could even help him. After all, he had spent a lot of time to learn about all the plants in the demon realm for him. Jinde would certainly like it when he showed him his collection.


    "Mn, just eat, just eat, there''s plenty today." He tickled the plant and gave it another smile.


    Ah, this one was his favorite. He was really curious what Jinde would say about it. He should be impressed that he had managed to raise it to such a size! Jinde straightened up, proud of his accomplishment and moved to the next one. It wasn''t as big as his favorite, only about as big as a head. It was of a very pretty red color though and had a row of barbs that looked like the fangs of a beast. Mn, what a ferocious plant! Jinde should be impressed that he was able to raise it.


    Jin Ling continued to move through his garden, feeding one plant after the other. He had already forgotten about the dragon king that was following him with a strange expression. To him, only those plants and what Jinde might think about them counted.

 Chapter 592 - I’ll Reward You Very Well

    Jin Ling finally arrived at the end of his garden and folded the sack. He turned around to bring it back, only to come face to face with Qiu Ling. He raised his brows. "What? You''re still here?"


    "Of course! You still didn''t tell me where my beloved is!"


    "And I won''t." Jin Ling stepped past him but stopped right afterward. "Well, I won''t tell you unless ¡­ you tell me where your predecessor is."


    "Why? You want to ask him whether he wants to become part of your harem? Forget about it! He always liked my father. He wouldn''t even take a second glance at you."


    Jin Ling curled his hands into fists but forced himself not to react to that insult. "Your father is dead though, isn''t he? Your mother killed him. So your predecessor ¡­"


    "So my predecessor would be heartbroken if he was still alive. Thankfully, your father killed him for good. There''s no way he''ll have to deal with the pain now."


    Jin Ling looked back at him. Maybe he should just attack him and end it here and now? Unfortunately, winning against this bastard wouldn''t be easy. Ah, he shouldn''t let this guy provoke him. He wasn''t worth his time.


    He turned away and walked back to the adjacent room, throwing the sack down next to a heap of bodies. Mn, they should wage war more often. His plants would probably grow a lot after getting all this nutritious demon meat. It should be much better than the beast meat he normally gave them.


    Behind him, Qiu Ling entered the room and looked around. Strange. His beloved wasn''t here either. But he clearly felt his mark somewhere around here. "Are there any other rooms?"


    Jin Ling glanced at him and passed by him, returning to his throne room. It didn''t matter what Qiu Ling did. A demon would always be faster than a dragon. If he wanted to, he could appear in that room in the next second and drag the mortal boy out of there and in front of Qiu Ling. He wouldn''t do him the favor though. After all, he would be the one who would need to find a new place where he could keep the boy if Qiu Ling found that one. He couldn''t take a risk, after all. Not if this concerned whether or not he would see Jin Ling again.


    Come to think of it ¡­ He took out the black crystal mirror and imbued his energy, establishing the connection to the part that Qiguan Cheng Da had right now. The other person didn''t seem happy though.


    "Didn''t you say you want to come over? It''s been several months already!"


    Jin Ling raised his brows. Oh? It seemed he had forgotten about the issue with the time. "I''m sorry. But you should have noticed that I already solved your problem. That Zhong Jing Yi and the Grandmaster''s disciple ¡­ aren''t they both gone?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da narrowed his eyes. "Do you want me to believe that that was your doing?"


    "You don''t have to believe it. It''s enough as long as you help me find out some things."


    "I already did but you didn''t give me anything in return."


    Jin Ling sighed. Humans were so despicable! Couldn''t this guy do something for him just out of the goodness of his heart? As a righteous cultivator, he should love that kind of thing, shouldn''t he? Jin Ling''s lips finally lifted in a charming smile. "And here I thought getting rid of Zhong Jing Yi was my gift to you. Well, if that isn''t enough, I guess I can send someone over to bring you a thing or two. What would you like?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da snorted. "What should I want? I''m a cultivator. Give me something that can help me achieve a breakthrough with my cultivation."


    "Mn, alright. I''ll send someone. In the meantime ¡­"


    "I don''t think I want to do anything ''in the meantime''. I''ve already given you information. As long as you don''t provide me with anything, I won''t continue to do anything for you either."


    Jin Ling sighed. "Ah, I see. Well, you can at least listen to what I have to say, can''t you? In case you notice something related to that, you can inform me after you got what you wanted. Naturally, I''ll reward you for that too."


    Qiguan Cheng Da pursed his lips. He wasn''t too sure he could trust this person but his demands weren''t over the top and his rewards were good. Listening wouldn''t take up too much of his time either. "Alright. What is it?"


    "I''m looking for a person. A man, to be precise."


    "That could be difficult without knowing who exactly you mean. Don''t you have a name?"


    Jin Ling chuckled. "Believe me, if you see him, you will know it''s him. He has golden hair."


    "Golden hair?" Qiguan Cheng Da narrowed his eyes. Hadn''t he seen someone like that in the inner sect? Or, no, not there ¡­


    Jin Ling raised his brows. "What? You already know who I mean? That was fast."


    "Is this person related to Zhong Jing Yi?"


    Jin Ling leaned back and crossed his legs. "Well ¡­ You could probably say so." After all, the boy was Qiu Ling''s fiance and Qiu Ling''s father ¡­ Jin Ling''s smile dimmed.


    Qiguan Cheng Da was reassured though. "Then I did see him. I guess there''s no reason to hide it from you since it''s something this simple. Don''t think you can scam me out of my reward though."


    "Don''t worry. If what you say is accurate, I will definitely reward you very well." After all, if he really got Jinde back, then he wouldn''t mind giving away all the treasures in the demon realm. "What do you know about him? Where is he now?"

 Chapter 593 - Don’t Trust a Fallen God

    Meanwhile, Qiu Ling was still searching through the rooms around Jin Ling''s garden. Unfortunately, he still hadn''t found Jing Yi and with each new room he tried, he felt like he was getting further and further away from him even though Jing Yi didn''t move.


    Ah, just where was he?!


    Qiu Ling returned to the garden and sat down in front of the big green plant, eying it suspiciously. Jing Yi was petite. Jin Ling wouldn''t have thrown him in there like that arm, would he? Then by now ¡­


    Qiu Ling stood up again and looked into the plant. There was a knee-deep dark puddle in there. By now, only the tip of a finger could be seen from the limb Jin Ling had thrown in. Ah, if he had thrown his beloved in before ¡­ he would have been eaten already.


    Qiu Ling scrunched up his face. "Really fitting for the demon king! Stupid plant! I should do everyone a favor and rip you out!" He reached toward the stem where the plant was hanging from but pulled his hand back at the last moment. No, he couldn''t do this. If he angered Jin Ling, the bastard might really go and torture his beloved as payback.


    No, instead, he had to concentrate on finding his beloved. It couldn''t be so hard. He was somewhere around here. Since he hadn''t seen him, he could only be somewhere where he couldn''t see him.


    Qiu Ling frowned. Somewhere where he couldn''t see him ¡­ He looked around. Jin Ling could hardly have hidden him below the ¡ª


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened and he stormed out of the room and down the corridor, finally arriving in front of a staircase leading down. He tsked. Why hadn''t he thought of this sooner? Jin Ling might not be able to hide his beloved in that room but he could hide him below the room. He would still feel his mark to be in the same area so he might not notice. Vicious! Truly too vicious! This guy was the demon king indeed.


    Qiu Ling didn''t hesitate any longer and jumped down the steps, running into the dungeon. Just where was Jing He? He hurried past a few empty cells and past some cells with people inside and ¡ª


    Qiu Ling hurried back and blinked. "An Bai?" How could this guy still sit there and read as if nothing had happened?


    "Your Majesty?" An Bai lowered his book and looked at his king in surprise. "Did ¡­ Did the demon king let His Highness go?"


    "No. Of course not. This stupid bastard! He actually tricked me!"


    An Bai didn''t comment on that and just put the book away. "Then why are you here? Did that ¡­ fallen god bring him out?"


    Qiu Ling wanted to shake his head when An Bai''s words registered. "What? Fallen god?"


    An Bai wanted to speak up but hesitated. His king''s beloved was a god. Naturally, his king wouldn''t like to hear about a fallen god. It would just remind him of the possibility that something could go wrong with the crown prince. And, well, the fallen gods weren''t people one should trust. Most of them were crazy.


    "An Bai. What did you just say? What fallen god? What does he have to do with Jing''er?"


    An Bai gulped. Obviously, the Son of Heaven hadn''t returned yet so maybe the fallen god hadn''t stayed true to his word. No, actually, he hadn''t even said that he would save the Son of Heaven. Thinking about that, he couldn''t help but regret. Maybe his idea hadn''t been that good after all. Unfortunately, he couldn''t turn back time so the only way was to confess and hope that his king would be able to save the Son of Heaven in case something had really happened.


    "Well, it''s like this. Shortly after I was brought here, someone approached me. He asked about Fu Heng and Fu Min and apparently, he freed the two of them when they were previously held captive here in the demon king''s dungeon. So I thought ¡­"


    "So you thought you could trust him with freeing Jing He?!" Qiu Ling grabbed the bars of the cell, his hands trembling.


    This couldn''t be true. This couldn''t be true! Hadn''t Jing He himself told him that a fallen god couldn''t be trusted? That all of them were deranged and would madly attack whoever stood in front of them? How could his beloved have fallen into the hands of such a person? That was even worse than being imprisoned by Jin Ling!


    An Bai looked at his king''s tormented expression and dropped to his knees, lowering his head. "I''m sorry. I thought I could trust him. If His Highness hasn''t returned yet ¡­"


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and took a shaky breath. "He hasn''t returned. I can feel that he''s still in the demon realm. In fact, he''s here in the palace. I can feel him close by."


    An Bai furrowed his brows. That Xiang Yu had made a rather approachable impression for a fallen god. Why hadn''t he brought the Son of Heaven out if he valued the soul binding of the dragons so much? Could it be that something had happened that made him change his plans? Or was it that he had been mistaken about Xiang Yu?


    "Maybe ¡­ you could ask Fu Heng and Fu Min for information? If he really freed them, they might know more."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "That''s true." He took out a transmission stone and imbued his spiritual energy, impatiently waiting for it to connect to the two dragons.


    By that time, Fu Heng and Fu Min had already woken up and gotten dressed again. Seeing one of their transmission stones lit up after the others had flashed almost continually before, they exchanged a glance. It seemed something important had happened.


    Fu Min imbued his energy and was met with the tensed expression of his king. "Your Majesty, what ¡ª"


    "What do you know about that fallen god from the demon king''s palace?"

 Chapter 594 - A Fake Dragon?

    Fu Min glanced up at his husband. The fallen god? The crazy one that had let them out of the dungeon?


    Fu Heng nodded. He also couldn''t imagine that their king might mean any other person. At the same time, his gaze darkened. Could it be that the one who had tried to reach them before had also been their king? But no, that couldn''t be. This wasn''t the same transmission stone. But maybe one of the others had tried to contact them on behalf of their king.


    His grip around his weapon tightened. They shouldn''t have ignored it. As much as he loved Fu Min and even though he would put his life first even compared to his king''s, that didn''t mean that he could ignore his duties. If he did, then he didn''t deserve to call himself his king''s aide. From now on, they would need to pay more attention.


    Fu Min looked back at the image of their king that was projected in front of them. "We don''t know much, Your Majesty. He approached us when we were imprisoned in the dungeon. He was rambling about how we hadn''t bound our souls and that he should put us out of our misery."


    Qiu Ling''s face fell. Put them out of their misery? So this guy was indeed deranged and might harm his beloved!


    Seeing his king''s expression, An Bai cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, the fallen god also asked me why I hadn''t bound my soul yet. I think he values the soul binding of us dragons very highly. Since His Highness is bound to you that should make it less likely for the fallen god to injure him."


    Fu Min''s brows raised. "The fallen god took His Highness? How did that happen? Isn''t he in the demon realm while His Highness is in the mortal realm? Don''t tell me that that fallen god ran all the way to the mortal realm?" Well, not that it would be too strange. It wasn''t like the fallen gods had a realm of their own. They didn''t need one either. Who knew if there was even a handful of them around?


    Qiu Ling frowned. "You still dare to ask! Where were you when that bastard kidnapped my beloved?! Even An Bai and Xiang Yong came and fought against the demons with us, but where were the two of you?!"


    "The demons?" Fu Heng furrowed his brows. Don''t tell him a war had actually happened in the time they had leisurely spent in the mortal realm?


    Qiu Ling wanted to snap at him but An Bai spoke up.


    "Your Majesty, the most important thing should be to find the fallen god and save His Highness. Everything else can be sorted out later. Maybe Fu Min and Fu Heng saw something that could tell us where to find him?"


    Fu Min shook his head. "No ¡­"


    Fu Heng''s grip around his weapon tightened even further. Not only had they ignored when the others tried to contact them, but they had even missed out on something this back and couldn''t provide any help now. But there really wasn''t anything he had noticed. All his attention had been on that fallen god and on Fu Min. He hadn''t thought of anything else back then.


    An Bai furrowed his brow. "Was there any dragon around? Or someone who might be of mixed blood?"


    "Ah?" Fu Min looked up at his husband again. "There was nobody else. It was just us, wasn''t it?"


    Fu Heng nodded.


    "That''s strange. That fallen god said something about a fake dragon that wanted to save you."


    "Fake dragon?" Fu Min blinked. What was a fake dragon supposed to be?


    "The only dragon in the demon realm that I know of would be that Senior Xin Lan."


    "Why would anyone call him a fake dragon? Senior Xin Lan ¡ª" Fu Min stopped when he saw the expression of his husband. Uh, right. He shouldn''t praise the person Fu Heng regarded as his love rival too much in front of him. "It''s true though."


    An Bai nodded. "It makes sense."


    Qiu Ling frowned at him. "How does this make sense? Isn''t everyone looking up to him? Why would somebody call him a fake dragon? Not that I think he''s that great."


    "The person we''re talking about isn''t a dragon though. As far as we know, that fallen god thinks positively of the dragon''s soul binding. He also reacted pretty harshly when I asked about the demons and their curse is the opposite of that of the dragons. To him, it might be that true feelings hold value. More so then strength does.


    "But if the rumors are true, then Senior Xin Lan was born at the time when Tian just cursed the three immortal races. I don''t know the specifics but it seems there were a few people that somehow escaped the curse and of those, he is the only one that is still alive. Hence the three immortal races all respect him.


    "But the same might not be true of the fallen god. If he values feelings, then a dragon that isn''t cursed and can love freely won''t be a real dragon to him. In fact, he would almost be as detestable as a demon to him. In that case ¡­ the person he talked about was likely Senior Xin Lan. He might have come to set Fu Min and Fu Heng free but didn''t show himself when he saw that the fallen god was already doing that. With a fallen god''s higher perception, he might have noticed even if it wasn''t obvious to Fu Min and Fu Heng."


    "What does that mean for my beloved?"


    "It means that Senior Xin Lan was there and knows of the fallen god. Maybe he could tell us where to find him."

 Chapter 595 - Cause as Much Chaos as Possible

    Qiu Ling cut the connection with Fu Min and Fu Heng without warning and took out another transmission stone. Before he imbued his spiritual energy, he stopped though. Ah, he was still in the demon realm. He couldn''t contact the old geezer or that bastard Jin Ling might notice. He couldn''t let that happen!


    Mn ¡­ Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. He had to do this in a roundabout way. Otherwise, he would lose the only bargaining chip he had.


    He kept the transmission stone and looked at An Bai. "I have to return to the Nine Heavens for a while. You, keep watch here!" With that, he turned and rushed out of Jin Ling''s palace.


    An Bai looked at the spot where his king had stood and sighed. "I''ll certainly keep watch, my king. It''s not like I could do anything else." With another sigh, he returned to the wall of the cell and sat down, looking out at the corridor outside. Ah, maybe he would be lucky and Xiang Yu would return on his own? Then he could ask him what had happened to His Highness and maybe ¡­ maybe the fallen god would even answer. He could only hope so.


    Meanwhile, Qiu Ling arrived in the Nine Heavens. He wanted to hurry to Jing He''s palace but turned around halfway and instead barged into the palace of the Heavenly Emperor. "Something bad happened, father-in-law!"


    The Heavenly Emperor frowned at him. What was this dandy doing here? Hadn''t he said he wanted to save his son? Now, look at him! It hadn''t even been a double hour and he was already back here without any results! Had he even tried?! Hmph, he had known he couldn''t trust this guy!


    He frowned at Qiu Ling with dissatisfaction and waved. "I know, I know. You didn''t manage to free him. I expected nothing else. No need to make such a fuss."


    "No, it''s even worse!" Qiu Ling stormed further in, finally seeing his uncle-in-law standing to the side too. He blinked but didn''t greet him. There was no time now! First, he had to cause as much chaos as he could to divert Jin Ling''s attention!


    He turned back to the Heavenly Emperor and put on the most grievous expression he could muster. "There''s a fallen god in the demon king''s palace!"


    "What?!" The Heavenly Emperor leaped up from his throne. "A fallen god?!"


    Qiu Ling nodded eagerly. "Yes! It could even be he kidnapped Jing He from the demon king! At least I couldn''t find him, even though I saw the demon king ¡­"


    The Heavenly Emperor turned to the God of War. "What can we do?"


    Qiang Yan gulped. "Against a fallen god? Nothing. You also know how they are." He clenched his fists. He still remembered when one of them had made trouble when his predecessor was still the God of War. As just one person the fallen god back then had managed to annihilate almost the whole army of the Nine Heavens, leaving the battlefield in ruins. Even to this day, that piece of land was hard to look at.


    If that kind of person had his nephew in their hands, then all hope was lost. They could only kill the boy and pray to Tian that the fallen god wasn''t deranged enough to try and destroy Jing He''s soul. His expectations were low though. With a fallen god, you could never know what went on in their heads. Back then, if not for someone who had known that person prior to his fall figuring out what had caused it, they wouldn''t have been able to defeat that fallen god at all.


    With an unknown fallen god, it was impossible. They had nothing they could work with. Even if they exhausted all the manpower of the Nine Heavens, it wouldn''t be enough. Not to mention that there was no way they could do so. Even if the person in question was their crown prince, it was impossible. One life against that of hundreds of thousands of others ¡­ He wouldn''t even be able to make that decision if this wasn''t just Jing He''s mortal reincarnation but his true self. It just ¡­ was impossible.


    The Heavenly Emperor paced up and down in front of his throne. This couldn''t be. This couldn''t be happening! He swiveled back to Qiu Ling and leveled him with a dark glare. "Are you sure he''s in the hands of the fallen god?"


    Qiu Ling hesitated but finally nodded. "Mn. Uncle-in-law probably told you about the exchange I made with the demon king. The person that was sent saw the fallen god and also found out that he took an interest in Jing He."


    He blinked innocently as if he had no idea that the fallen god had only taken an interest in Jing He because of what An Bai did. Don''t kid him! His father-in-law would want to skin An Bai alive! Even if he wasn''t happy with what had happened, he wouldn''t let him do that. An Bai might have done something wrong and he might be more handsome than was good for him but he was still kind of his person! Especially since his beloved liked talking about plants with him. His father-in-law wasn''t allowed to off him. If anything, he would do it himself. Or maybe he''d just disfigure his face a bit and call it a just punishment. Mn, that might not be bad.


    Qiu Ling shook his head and looked up. "I''ll go and look at Jing He to make sure he''s alright!" With that, he ran out of the palace.


    Qiang Yan watched him leave and nodded at his brother-in-law. "There''s something I have to tell him. I''ll be right back." With that, the second person ran out of the palace, leaving the Heavenly Emperor alone with his worries.


    Ah, his beloved son''s mortal reincarnation was in the hands of a madman! What was he supposed to do now?

 Chapter 596 - Deliver This Message

    "Qiu Ling!" Qiang Yan hurried after his nephew-in-law but couldn''t reach him. "Qiu Ling, wait! There''s something we need to talk about!"


    Qiu Ling frowned but still stopped. He couldn''t let his uncle-in-law find out what he was planning. Wouldn''t that give his plan away? "What is it? I want to see Jing He."


    "I know, I know. It''s important though." Qiang Yan caught up to Qiu Ling and looked at him solemnly. "Qiu Ling, I know you love Jing He very much. You also know I''ve always been in favor of the two of you being together. But you aren''t just Jing He''s lover. You''re also the king of the dragon race. Please keep that in mind."


    "I know. What do you want to tell me?"


    Qiang Yan sighed. "Don''t do anything stupid. Not only Jing He would grieve if you did. The dragons would be the same."


    Qiu Ling blinked. "What are you talking about?"


    "That fallen god. Don''t go and confront him. Defeating a fallen god requires a whole army and even then you need an opportunity. So don''t even try. That isn''t a fight you can win. And even if you have an opportunity ¡­ don''t do it. Injuring a fallen god isn''t something you should do."


    Qiu Ling looked at him in confusion. "Why?" Wouldn''t it be good if he did? Then Jing He might be able to flee and he could bring him back to the Nine Heavens. Shouldn''t Jing He''s family also want the same?


    Qiang Yan sighed. "You probably don''t know but the fallen gods are a special existence. Killing one of them or even injuring them to the extent that blood flows will reflect back on you. If you take any chances and attack that fallen god, even if you manage to defeat him and free Jing He, it won''t be the outcome that either of you wants. So please be careful."


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. "How bad can it be?"


    "I can''t say for sure but it''s said to be on the same scale as Tian''s curse of the immortal races. Dying might be the best case so don''t take any chances."


    "Oh. I''ve got it. Don''t worry about me, uncle-in-law. I''ll take care of myself. I wouldn''t want Jing He to become a widower even before we can marry." He smiled and wanted to say goodbye when he remembered that there was an even worse issue he hadn''t thought of. "Uncle-in-law, say does Jing He know about this?"


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. "About what?"


    "The thing with the fallen gods. What if he attacks him because he''s afraid? Would it be a problem?"


    Qiang Yan froze. He hadn''t thought of that either. Indeed. "Jing He knows but as for his mortal reincarnation ¡­" He furrowed his brows. It was unlikely. Even though the boy had remembered parts of his life as Jing He, it couldn''t be too much considering how old Jing He was. The likelihood of remembering something about the fallen gods when Jing He had never come into contact with any of them wasn''t high. "Well, he''s a mortal right now. For him to injure a fallen god wouldn''t be easy even if he wanted to."


    Qiu Ling nodded. That was also true. Then again they couldn''t be sure. "I''ll try to get him out as soon as I can."


    "Mn. I trust you." Qiang Yan sighed. "I''ll better go back inside and see what we can do. Being up against a fallen god is even worse than having to deal with the demon king. Ah, this trial of Jing He''s seems like it''s a trial to us all. I hope he can finish it soon and return here. I''ll feel much better when he''s back." He nodded at Qiu Ling and returned to the Heavenly Emperor''s palace.


    Meanwhile, Qiu Ling returned to the dragon realm. Even though he had to deal with the fallen god, he still couldn''t forget about Jin Ling. And thankfully, the key person to both these problems was the same. Now, he just needed to get a handle on that guy!


    He went to his rooms that he had hardly ever used and searched around for some ink and paper before jumping onto one of the beams below the roof. He couldn''t let any spy see what he wrote here, after all!


    He thought for a while and then wrote two notes. He carefully read over them again and wondered if he had forgotten anything. No, this should probably work out. With sat up, took a deep breath and jumped down from the beam, leaving the ink and the brush up there.


    He hurried to Xiang Yong''s study and kicked down the door. "Xiang Yong!"


    The dragon jumped to his feet and extended his claws, prepared to defend against whoever wanted to attack him. When he saw his king, he stared at him blankly. Just what was His Majesty doing here? And why had he stormed into the room like this? "Your ¡­ Your Majesty, you ¡ª"


    "Stop jabbering! I have an extremely important mission for you!" He ran over and smashed one of the notes against his chest, making the other dragon recoil.


    Xiang Yong hurriedly grabbed the note. "This is ¡­?"


    "Something I want you to deliver to Qiang Wei!"


    Xiang Yong stared at the little piece of paper. This could at most be a short message. "Deliver to Qiang Wei?" Why should he do that? Wouldn''t it be faster to use a transmission stone? The look his king gave him suggested that asking this question wouldn''t be a good idea though thus he nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty. I''ll go at once."


    "Wait!" Qiu Ling threw the other note at him. "Give this to him to. He''s not supposed to read it though!"


    "Alright?" Xiang Yong to the second piece of paper and tugged it away in his sleeve to make sure he wouldn''t mix them up.


    Qiu Ling smiled with satisfaction. "Then go. Don''t take your time. It''s really important!" With that, he turned around and walked away.


    Xiang Yong raised his brows but still left the dragon realm and made his way to the Nine Heavens. He didn''t need to understand what his king was thinking. It should be alright as long as he did as he was told.

 Chapter 597 - Are You Sure, Your Majesty?

    While Xiang Yong went to deliver the message, Qiu Ling unhurriedly walked back to his own chambers and jumped back onto the beam. Mn, now as for the second part of his plan ¡­


    He picked up the brush and smeared down another few lines of text. Mn, very good! Now, he only had to deliver this and wait for the results.


    He threw the message into his spatial ring, picked up the ink and brush and jumped down, discarding both of them on a table before running out again. This time, he rushed into An Bai''s study. Facing the table ¡­ he blinked. Where was An Bai? Wasn''t he normally here?


    He looked around but couldn''t find him anywhere. Qiu Ling pondered and his expression fell. Oh no! He had completely forgotten that An Bai was still imprisoned in the demon realm!


    What was he supposed to do now? Go and free An Bai? But what if Qiang Wei came to see An Bai and he hadn''t brought him back yet? Wouldn''t his whole plan be ruined then?! What should he do now? Qiu Ling looked around to find some kind of inspiration. Maybe he could have somebody else pretend to be An Bai? But who should he ask? That guy looked so damned handsome. Nobody would believe it was An Bai.


    Qiu Ling frowned. This guy! He was totally destroying his plan! This had to be on purpose! He probably wanted him to take a really long time to free Jing He so that he could go and blame him afterward. Argh, this guy was certainly still after his beloved! But he wouldn''t let him take advantage of the situation! No, he would find a solution to this problem. Since An Bai was out ¡­ he would just tell Qiang Wei so!


    He wanted to sit down on An Bai''s chair but froze. Wait! If he stayed here, then whoever Jin Ling had sent to spy on him would also stay here! Ah, but he also couldn''t go. Even if he left a message, who knew if the spy wouldn''t come and search for it, thus exposing his great plan? No, he couldn''t let that happen!


    Ah, but even if he didn''t let that happen and stayed and somehow made Qiang Wei read the message he had left, then there was still nobody who could divert the spy''s attention!


    Mn? Qiu Ling tilted his head. Wait! Wasn''t there still him? Why couldn''t he just stay here, leave a message for Qiang Wei, send him away and then follow him and the spy and then kill the spy while they were on the way? Ah, but what if the spy followed him instead of Qiang Wei? After all, he was much more important and way more handsome than Qiang Wei. If he had to decide, he''d also rather follow himself than that guy. Mn, he needed someone who could follow him to make sure no spy followed him!


    Qiu Ling whipped out a transmission stone and imbued his spiritual energy.


    Not far from the Nine Heavens, Xiang Yong stopped mid-flight and took out the transmission stone his king had given him, looking at it in confusion. Could it be his king had forgotten some instructions? He imbued his own energy and the image of Qiu Ling was projected above the stone. "Your Maje¡ª"


    "After you''ve given the messages to Qiang Wei, you have to wait a while and then follow him to the dragon realm, alright?"


    "Ah ¡­ Sure?"


    "Mn, and then you''ll follow me! Make sure nobody else is following me. If somebody does, just kill them. No need for any questions."


    "Alright."


    "That''s all. Continue then."


    The connection was cut just like that, leaving Xiang Yong wondering just what had happened. Whatever his king was planning, it seemed to get more mysterious by the second. In the end, he shrugged his shoulders and continued on toward the Nine Heavens.


    Contrary to the way his king normally entered, Xiang Yong stopped at the gates and told the guards his reason for coming over before proceeding to the crown prince''s palace. He even took the time to greet the two heavenly guards standing in front of the door before going in.


    He nodded at Yi Zan and Qiang Wei and took out the first note. "His Majesty sent me to deliver this." He handed it to Qiang Wei and stepped back to let him read it alone. With how secretive His Majesty had behaved, this probably wasn''t something he should know about.


    Qiang Wei raised his brows and unfurled the note. The message ¡­ made him frown. He turned to Yi Zan. "I''m supposed to go to the dragon realm to meet up with An Bai while Xiang Yong takes up my position here. Why didn''t he just use the transmission stone?"


    Yi Zan shook his head. He had no idea either.


    Xiang Yong frowned. "That doesn''t make sense. He just contacted me to give me another assignment after I delivered the message."


    "Ah, right!" Qiang Wei waved the message. "Do you have another one? He wrote I''m supposed to deliver it."


    Xiang Yong nodded and took out the other message. "He said not to read it."


    "Mn. Alright." Qiang Wei took the note and put it into his sleeve. "Then ¡­ I should go to the dragon realm now?"


    "Wait!" Xiang Yong took out his transmission stone. "Let me try and reach His Majesty first. I want to know what I''m supposed to do. That other order seemed rather important as well."


    Qiang Wei nodded and the three dragons waited until the displeased image of Qiu Ling was projected above the transmission stone.


    "What? Don''t tell me you didn''t understand what I said before."


    Xiang Yong didn''t react to the accusation in Qiu Ling''s voice and concentrated on the facts. "That''s not it, Your Majesty. Qiang Wei just told me that I''m supposed to guard His Highness in his place. Are you sure it''s alright to have only Yi Zan stay with him?"


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened. Shit! He had completely forgotten about that!

 Chapter 598 - It’s Safer

    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. It was all that An Bai''s fault! Just why was he coveting his beloved? Couldn''t he go find somebody else? Hmph. But this wouldn''t stump him! He would find a way to solve this problem too!


    "Just call somebody else over!"


    "Who?"


    "That ¡­" Qiu Ling blanked. Yi Zan was already there, Qiang Wei was supposed to get the note from An Bai who wasn''t there. That only left Fu Heng and Fu Min but those two were needed for the last part of his plan. Ah, so difficult! Maybe he could do without either Fu Min or Fu Heng? Or ¡­ Qiu Ling straightened up. "You call Fu Min over!"


    "To ¡­ guard His Highness?" Xiang Yong couldn''t help but want to make sure. His king was just too strange today.


    "Of ¡­" Qiu Ling stopped and tightened his lips. He couldn''t do this, could he? Fu Min was obviously not paying enough attention to be entrusted with this kind of task! No, he couldn''t neglect the protection of his beloved''s immortal body! "Then ¡­ have Fu Min come over there and do Qiang Wei''s task!"


    Qiang Wei blinked and looked over Xiang Yong''s shoulder. "Does this mean I''m not doing anything?"


    "Yes! Don''t you listen at all? You just guard my beloved! Now tell Fu Min to come over!"


    "Of course." Xiang Yong hurriedly intervened before Qiang Wei could respond. It was best to resolve this quickly whatever ''this'' actually was. "Then I''ll contact Fu Min right now."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling didn''t mind and very helpfully cut the connection with Xiang Yong on his own. Mn, while the others were organizing things on their end, he should make sure everything here was prepared.


    He took one of the brushes An Bai had neatly arranged on his brush holder, not really caring what kind of brush he had picked up, and dipped it into the ink. He picked up a paper scroll next only to find out that there was something written on it already. Hm ¡­ This shouldn''t be too important, should it? He flipped the scroll and smeared his message on the back before throwing the brush down next to it.


    Great! This should be enough. He put the message he had prepared for Qiang Wei next to it and looked around. Now, he only needed a place where he could hide so Fu Min and the spy wouldn''t see him. He pondered and finally still jumped onto one of the beams above his head. Ah, this was a good place! Nobody would find him here! Now, he could only wait.


    Back in the Nine Heavens, Xiang Yong tried to establish a connection with Fu Min while Yi Zan and Qiang Wei glanced at each other. It hadn''t been that long in the immortal realms since they tried the same even though a lot of time had passed in the mortal realm already.


    This time Fu Min didn''t need long to answer though. The previous experience with their king had been a good reminder to him and Fu Heng that they couldn''t just ignore it if someone tried to contact them. Not as long as the crown prince was in the mortal realm, at least. He really was too easy to target as long as he was a mortal!


    "Fu Min?"


    "Ye¡ª" Fu Min awkwardly stopped when he realized who the person that had tried to reach him was. Oh no. Suddenly, he regretted hanging around Xiang Yong all those years to get Fu Heng to pay him attention. Wouldn''t his husband get jealous now? He glanced at him but Fu Heng didn''t pay the other person any heed. Obviously, he didn''t mind Xiang Yong even half as much as he minded Xin Lan.


    Well, it wasn''t strange. Xiang Yong had obviously just been someone that was being used as a shield while Xin Lan was someone Fu Min honestly admired. Naturally, he''d be more worried about the latter.


    Seeing that his husband didn''t mind, Fu Min cleared his throat and turned back to the transmission stone. "What is it? Fu Heng and I are still in the mortal realm."


    "Mn, come over to the Nine Heavens. His Majesty gave us some tasks."


    "Oh. We''ll be there in a bit."


    "Ah ¡­ His Majesty was only talking about you. I don''t think you''re supposed to bring Fu Heng."


    "Hah?" Fu Min looked at Fu Heng who finally lifted his head. Why weren''t they supposed to go together? They were always together! They were a married couple, dammit!


    Fu Heng walked over and wrapped his arms around his husband. "Is that really alright? It seems His Highness was kidnapped. The demons are certainly out to do something big. Should we really travel alone?"


    Xiang Yong pondered. What Fu Heng said wasn''t without cause. The demons had done something big like that. His Highness was imprisoned as was An Bai. This was the perfect chance to take some of them down too. They shouldn''t take any chances.


    Then again, their king seemed to have a plan and who knew if they wouldn''t jeopardize this plan if they arbitrarily decided to change a part of it? Maybe Fu Heng would be needed somewhere else. Furthermore ¡­ "I also came to the Nine Heavens just now and I didn''t encounter any demons. I don''t think it''s that dangerous."


    Fu Heng frowned and tightened his hold around Fu Min''s waist. Ah, he didn''t want to let him go but ¡­ he also hadn''t wanted to react to the transmission stones before and look at what had happened! They hadn''t been there when their king needed them the most. He couldn''t be willful. As long as there was no definite danger to Fu Min''s life, he couldn''t hold him back. Furthermore, it wasn''t like Fu Min didn''t know how to fight. There was a reason why they were their king''s aides, after all.


    He finally nodded and let go of Fu Min. "Alright, then I''ll wait here."


    Fu Min also nodded. "Then I''ll be there soon, Xiang Yong." He cut the connection and turned to his husband, tiptoeing to kiss him. "Don''t worry about me. Nothing will happen. Even if some demon comes along, I''ll just scratch out his eyes or knee him in the nuts."


    Fu Heng leaned down and kissed his cheek before letting go. "Do the latter. It''s safer."


    "Mn!" With that, Fu Min took off to the Nine Heavens.

 Chapter 599 - What to Do?

    Fu Min hurried as fast as he could. Even though Xiang Yong had said that he hadn''t seen any demons, he didn''t want to take any chances. He was married now! He couldn''t be careless and make Fu Heng and widower. Ah, no, Fu Heng had bound his soul to him so he would die with him. He definitely couldn''t take any chances.


    In the end, Fu Min made it to Jing He''s palace without encountering a single demon. He hadn''t even seen a single trace of a demon. Hm, very strange. Could it be they were all lying in wait around the palace? He looked around but still couldn''t detect anyone. With a strange feeling in his heart, he entered and found himself faces with Qiang Wei, Yi Zan, and Xiang Yong.


    Fu Min stopped. Uh, it seemed those three didn''t know about Fu Heng and him yet? Would they find it strange when they found out? Ah, but even if they wouldn''t know if he didn''t tell them, right? Right? He wasn''t acting weird, was he? He definitely didn''t want them to find out while Fu Heng wasn''t around! At least then, he could still hide behind his husband.


    Xiang Yong indeed thought that Fu min was acting strangely but then again, this person always acted completely different toward him depending on whether Fu Heng was around or not. Thus he didn''t think anything more about it. "His Majesty wants you to deliver a message to the dragon realm." He motioned for Qiang Wei to take over.


    The other dragon nodded and took out the message. "It''s this one. You''re supposed to bring it to An Bai."


    Xiang Yong frowned. Wait! This didn''t make sense either. Hadn''t An Bai be imprisoned in the demon realm? Don''t tell him His Majesty had already gotten him out of there? It couldn''t be that His Majesty forgot about that too, could it?! He wanted to speak up but seeing the message change hands, he kept quiet. They had already contacted His Majesty because of this task before. After pointing out to him that he had given out two tasks to the same person, he should have noticed that something was off. If delivering this message to An Bai was impossible, he should have noticed and amended his plan again. Since he hadn''t done so, there had to be something he didn''t know. An Bai had probably returned already. He shouldn''t question his king like this. Thus Xiang Yong kept quiet while Fu Min took the message with a bewildered gaze and went back outside.


    Why did he have to deliver a message? Weren''t there transmission stones for this? Well, if his king insisted on it, then there should be some kind of reason. He shouldn''t think too much about it. Especially since he was already here and couldn''t change it anymore. He should just hurry up. The sooner he finished with this task, the sooner he could reunite with his husband! With that thought in mind, Fu Min sped off to the dragon realm and soon arrived in An Bai''s study. To his surprise ¡­ it was empty.


    Fu Min looked around in a daze. Why wasn''t An Bai here? No, even more important: How was he supposed to deliver His Majesty''s secret message if An Bai wasn''t here? He couldn''t just leave and search all over the palace for him, could he?


    Fu Min furrowed his brows. What should he do? He walked in a circle, not noticing the person crouching on the beam above his heads whose expression worsened with every second.


    "Ah!" Fu Min finally came up with an idea. He took out a transmission stone and a moment later the voice of his husband sounded.


    "Are you finished yet?"


    On top of the beam, Qiu Ling''s expression turned as black as the bottom of a pot. This bastard! He not only dared to delay with picking up the message with the note he had prepared for him, but he also contacted his husband to sweet talk while his king was still not married and had even lost his beloved to a fallen god temporarily!


    While Qiu Ling raged at him in his mind, Fu Min happily talked to his husband. "No! You won''t believe this but when I arrived in the dragon realm just now An Bai wasn''t in his study! What am I supposed to do now?!"


    Qiu Ling searched through his spatial ring and took out a gem that he had picked up for Jing He but never gifted him because, well, his beloved didn''t need any gems. He was perfect without them. Mn, something ordinary-looking might suit him much better. Nobody should be able to dispute his beauty then. Not even that stupid demon king!


    Anyway, since this gem didn''t have any more use to him in regard to his beloved, he might as well use it now. Thus a gem dropped onto Fu Min''s head.


    "Ah!" Fu Min crouched down and rubbed his head with tears in his eyes. What had happened?


    "Fu Min! Are you alright? Did something happen to you?! Wait, I''ll come over!"


    "No ¡­" Fu Min picked up the thing that had rolled in front of his feet. "Something dropped onto my head. It''s ¡­ a gem?" He furrowed his brows and then looked up to see where the thing had come from.


    The room turned quiet and the connection with Fu Heng was cut off. Fu Min couldn''t keep up his spiritual energy. Just what ¡­ was happening here? Why was His Majesty crouching on a beam above his head?! How had he missed this before?!


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips and glared at him. "Still not picking up An Bai''s message?"


    "Hah?"


    Qiu Ling pointed at the table where he had put the message An Bai had been supposed to give Qiang Wei, as well as the note saying that An Bai was out.


    Fu Min looked over and picked the note up. His expression derailed. The note said ''I''m out. This is the message I''m supposed to leave for you.'' But the squiggly handwriting obviously had nothing in common with the elegant strokes of An Bai. Fu Min looked up at the ceiling again. He really wanted to ask his king just what he was playing at but Qiu Ling''s dark look made him flinch. Uh, it was probably better to pick up the message that ''An Bai'' had left for him before something else than a gem would hit his head.

 Chapter 600 - Had He Found Him?

    Back in the demon realm, Jin Ling stared intently at the mirror in his hands, waiting for Qiguan Cheng Da to speak even though he could hardly concentrate. Jinde! This guy might have seen his Jinde! If it was true ¡­ If it was true, then they could finally reunite!


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to concentrate. He couldn''t miss even the smallest detail. This concerned Jinde, after all. Everything he could find out about him was valuable. He had to know all about his situation to leave a good first impression on him when they finally reunited. The mistakes of the past ¡­ he had to make Jinde forget about them.


    Jin Ling opened his eyes and smiled. "So? What about that person?"


    "The person I saw had indeed golden hair. He came to the Yun Zou Sect several years ago and has stayed there most of the time since then."


    Jin Ling''s breath caught in his throat. "Is he there right now?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da pondered. "I''m not sure. He hasn''t been going out much lately."


    Jin Ling straightened up. Naturally, he''s hiding from me! This fit. This fit Jinde! He didn''t know where Jinde could have been before but ''coming to the Yun Zou Sect'' might also mean that this Qiguan Cheng Da had only seen him for the first time several years ago. And hadn''t it been quite a while since he happened upon the special dimension in the Yun Zou Sect? Most likely, Jinde had been hiding in that special dimension before that but because he went there, Jinde hadn''t dared to return so he had tried to hide away somewhere else in the sect. Fortunately, there were no other places in the sect that allowed him to stay so completely hidden like before and thus, some of the disciples had seen him. It truly was his luck to happen upon that special dimension!


    "I see. Tell me more! How did he seem to you? Was he happy?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da snorted. "Naturally, he was. Who wouldn''t if they were a talent like him? Ah, I''d really like to know what it is with the people around that Zhong Jing Yi. All of them are talents. Is his face really that useful?"


    Jin Ling''s grip around the mirror tightened. What was this shameless human insinuating? That his beloved Jinde would fall in love with a filthy human?! His Jinde would never be interested in someone like that! No, Jinde wasn''t like that. Jinde was someone who loved with his whole heart. Just thinking back to how gentle his gaze would turn when he thought about that man or that deeply hurt smile ¡­ He wouldn''t casually hook up with someone he didn''t love. He''d need to have a very, very good reason to betray that person. It had been liked that back then and it would be the same now.


    Qiguan Cheng Da had no idea that he had touched the reverse scale of the person on the other side of the mirror and just went on. "Well, this might not actually be about that Zhong Jing Yi. That guy shouldn''t be as strong as Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple so maybe he hoped to get some benefits from sharing that person with him."


    Jin Ling snorted. "Not as strong? I doubt you''re seeing the situation as clearly as you think you are."


    Qiguan Cheng Da gave a ridiculing smile. "What do you know? If he was indeed as strong, then he wouldn''t have become the disciple of some normal Elder. He should have at least been taken in by the Sect Master. Since that wasn''t the case ¡­"


    "Taken in as a disciple?" Jin Ling frowned. Why would Jinde do that? He couldn''t feel the need to hide away that well. Completely impossible. Even though he might not regard him as his lover yet, he should at least still see him as his child, shouldn''t he?


    Sure, he had exiled him from the dragon realm after what had happened back then but ¡­ it had been so long. Jinde certainly wouldn''t hold a grudge against him any longer. No, not his Jinde. His Jinde was forgiving. He had never been able to be angry at him for long. If he just tugged at his sleeve and looked at him pitifully, Jinde would give in. It had always been like that. It would still be the same. He just had to find him.


    "Where exactly is he now?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da pursed his lips. "Where should he be? He''s living in the inner sect together with one of the other disciples of Elder Nong."


    "Living ¡­ together?" Jin Ling''s expression blanked. How could that be?! Why would his Jinde be living together with another man? No ¡­ This couldn''t be! This had to be some kind of misunderstanding! "Are you sure he is living with somebody else?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da nodded. "Yes, some boy called Shao Hai. He is also a friend of Zhong Jing Yi''s."


    "And that person and this Shao Hai ¡­"


    "Well, they''re really close. One really has to wonder what is going on between them."


    Jin Ling''s hands shook. Could it be ¡­ Could it be Xin Lan had lied to him? Was this Shao Hai that man''s reincarnation? Had the two of them reunited? "Are they really that close?"


    "Mn. They already arrived together at the Yun Zou Sect. They both stayed at the same place in the outer sect and then they were taken in by the same Master when they became inner sect disciples. I don''t think they could be any closer than that. At least not outside of their own rooms." He smirked. Who knew what was going on behind closed doors? He really didn''t want to think about it.


    Jin Ling furrowed his brows. They arrived together at the Yun Zou Sect? But how should that Qiguan Cheng Da know about that? It made no sense for Jinde to come to the sect late on. Most likely, he should have gone there right after he left the dragon realm and since then hundreds of thousands of years had passed in the mortal realm. "When did they come to the sect?"


    "Hm ¡­ About ten years ago?"


    Jin Ling laughed. "Ten years?" Then that person ¡­ "Besides the golden hair, is there any other distinctive feature about that person?"


    "Mn, he has a pair of bright blue eyes."


    "Blue eyes ¡­" Jin Ling leaned back and closed his eyes, a resigned sigh escaping his lips. Blue eyes, not golden eyes. So in the end, he still hadn''t found Jinde. It was as if his most beloved person didn''t want to be found.

 Chapter 601 - The One Crying Wolf

    At the same time, Fu Min left the dragon realm in a daze. He couldn''t help but wonder about the message that ''An Bai'' had left him. Never mind that that had obviously been His Majesty''s handwriting too, why had he needed to travel to the Nine Heavens and then the dragon realm for this kind of simple instruction? In fact, his king only wanted him to go to the Yun Zou Sect and tell the person from the gods that he should go and see him.


    Uhm ¡­ Excuse him? His Majesty could have gone there by himself and just talked to him directly. Even if he felt that this was beneath his dignity as the king of the dragon race ¡ª which he certainly didn''t, considering his usual behavior ¡ª he could have just contacted one of them with the transmission stone and told him to go over there instead of leaving messages like that.


    Fu Min shook his head. Well, he shouldn''t think too much about it. His Majesty wasn''t someone he could understand. Anyway, it was good that the task had turned out to be so simple. He could just go and inform that guy and then return to Fu Heng''s side. Ah, hopefully, the crown prince would pass his trial soon. After that, His Majesty certainly wouldn''t bother them as often.


    With that thought in mind, Fu Min finally arrived at the Yun Zou Sect. Thankfully, he already knew who that person from the gods was. He hurried over to the house he had visited together with Fu Heng the last time and knocked on the door.


    Right now, it was in the middle of the day. Even though Jinde loved to cling to his husband to make up for all the years they had missed out on in his previous life, he still knew that Leng Jin Yu wasn''t too thrilled about rolling around in bed all day. Thus he kept the rolling around to the nights but made sure that he could monopolize his husband in another way in daytime. At the moment, Leng Jin Yu was busy combing his hair and braiding part of it because ''It bothers me if it keeps getting in my face''.


    Leng Jin Yu looked up when it knocked and glanced at Jinde''s hair uneasily. He was only halfway through this braid but he couldn''t make that person wait until he finished, could he? If he didn''t do it right, Jinde would certainly demand him to do it again. "My dear ¡­"


    "Mn?" Jinde''s golden brows raised. "Is something the matter, husband?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. Don''t kid him. Jinde had definitely heard that knock. "I should go and see who it is. How about ¡­"


    "Doing my hair again when you get back? Don''t worry. I can use the time to unravel that braid."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed but still got up. "I thought so. Then take your time." He leaned down and kissed his cheek before hurrying to the door. Ah, hopefully, this wouldn''t take too much time. He opened the door and raised his brows when he saw the same blond dragon in front of it as the last time.


    Fu Min glanced at Leng Jin Yu''s clothes before looking up at his face. This time, he didn''t seem to have disturbed the two of them. "His Majesty sent me! I''m supposed to tell you that he wants you to come to the dragon realm to discuss something with him."


    "Come to the dragon realm?" Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. He could imagine what Jinde would have to say to that.


    Indeed. In the house, Jinde straightened up and stopped undoing his hair. What was his stepson thinking, suggesting something like that? He definitely wouldn''t allow Leng Jin Yu to leave just like that!


    Fu Min had no idea that his king''s suggestion was even worse than his interruption the last time and happily nodded. "Mn. It seems to be very important so you should hurry. Why don''t you go right now?" Then his mission could be counted as accomplished and he could return to his husband!


    Before Leng Jin Yu could say anything, Jinde stepped in. "Husband!"


    Leng Jin Yu coughed. "I''m sorry. You also heard, I ¡­ can''t hurry over right now. Please Longjun that I''ll come when I find the time."


    "Ah? But ¡ª"


    The door was shut in his face and Fu Min could only stare dumbly. Shit! What now? He should probably inform His Majesty, shouldn''t he? He winced but still took out a transmission stone.


    Qiu Ling didn''t look pleased at all when the connection was established. "What? Why did he close the door in your face? What did you say to him?!"


    Fu Min blinked. Uh? "Your Majesty ¡­ How do you know he shut the door?"


    "I have eyes!"


    Fu Min flinched and dropped the stone but he had no trouble hearing his king''s angry roar. His gaze slipped toward a tree not far from the house and he grimaced. Why was his king squatting on a branch and observing him when he had sent him here himself? Don''t tell him this wasn''t an actual mission but instead a hidden test to make sure he was still dependable after marrying Fu Heng? The hadn''t he failed the test now?! Damn this! Why had that guy from the gods have to close the door in front of him?!


    Fu Min looked back in anger but what could he do? Before he had the chance to think about it, Qiu Ling already appeared next to him and knocked himself.


    "Open the door! It''s really important! How can you just ignore me like this?! Don''t you have any love for your family?!"


    In the house, Leng Jin Yu who had just wanted to appease his husband stumbled. Come again? Who was the one making trouble for him even though he knew damn well that he had married not long ago?! If anyone was making trouble for his family members here, then it was the one crying wolf outside of his door!

 Chapter 602 - I’ll Call You Mother

    Jinde wasn''t happy with his stepson''s behavior either. "Qiu Ling! What are you doing here? Don''t tell me you ran over from the dragon realm this fast! Could it be you just wanted to lure my husband away from here and were lying in ambush?!"


    Qiu Ling stopped clamoring. Shit! He had completely forgotten that the old geezer was also here! He hurriedly looked around and finally pushed Fu Min away. "You go and make sure that no spy comes close!" Then he pushed the door open and hurried in, slamming it shut behind him.


    "Old geezer, I''m sorry! I forgot about you!"


    Jinde''s brows twitched and he hurled the comb Leng Jin Yu had just used to do his hair at Qiu Ling. "Stop calling me old already! I''m your stepfather!"


    Qiu Ling caught the comb, hurried to Jinde''s side and gently placed it down again, nodding as earnestly as he could. "I know, I know. If you want, I''ll even call you mother!"


    "Who wants to be your mother?" Jinde kicked the child away and looked at his husband, demanding an explanation. "Just what is going on here?"


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his brow. "I''d like to know that as well." But this certainly wasn''t just a courtesy call of his previous life''s son. "Longjun, why don''t you sit down and tell us slowly what happened?" He motioned at a chair and sat down next to Jinde himself, gently taking his hand to make sure he wouldn''t get angry. Ah, this wasn''t how he had imagined this day at all.


    Qiu Ling didn''t need to be told twice. He sat down and looked at the two of them with sparkling eyes. "I need your help!"


    "I figured."


    Qiu Ling ignored the ill-tempered person and focused on his father instead. Don''t kid him. The old geezer obviously didn''t even want to listen to him anymore now that he had his father back. Being his stepfather or what not was just empty talk. In fact, he just wanted to look good in front of his father.


    But since that was the case, why shouldn''t he make use of it? His old man still owed him from his previous life anyway! He should better listen attentively and help him out.


    "It''s really very important. You know that the demon king kidnapped my Jing He, don''t you?"


    Leng Jin Yu did him the favor and nodded.


    "I tried to get him back but that despicable bastard used Jing He to threaten me. And it''s even worse! He didn''t pay enough attention and there''s a fallen god in his palace and now my beloved got kidnapped again!"


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brow. "You want to say ¡­ the Son of Heaven is currently in the hand of a fallen god?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Yes! So you have to help me free him!"


    Jinde put a hand to his forehead. "Qiu Ling, you do realize that Jin Yu is a mortal, don''t you? How is he supposed to deal with a fallen god?"


    "Actually, I''m an ascended deity. Not that I think that would be enough to deal with a fallen god." He sighed. He didn''t know too much about the fallen gods but he had at least the vague notion that they were something even the trueborn gods thought of as terrifying. An ascended deity like him who didn''t know much about the races would be even worse off than them.


    "It truly doesn''t change anything. And you promised not to go to the demon realm anyway."


    "Nobody wants him to go to the demon realm! Can''t you two just listen to me?" Qiu Ling looked from his father''s reincarnation to his so-called stepfather and frowned. "I just want you to contact Xin Lan. He has been in the demon realm for so long, he should know where to find that fallen god."


    Jinde heaved a relieved sigh. "That''s right. There''s still Xin Lan. If anyone has even a slight chance to contend against a fallen god, then that would be him."


    Leng Jin Yu looked away. Ah, it seemed he should celebrate that Jinde had fallen in love with his past life''s identity before meeting Xin Lan, otherwise things might not have turned out the way they were now. This guy was too formidable a rival. Well, there was no need to think about it. Jinde had already married him. "Longjun certainly hasn''t come here without reason. Could it be that you want us to contact him?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. Uh ¡­ Actually, he had planned all of this differently but, well, that also wasn''t bad. "Mn. That would be great."


    Jinde sighed and took out the pendant that Xin Lan had given him, handing it to Qiu Ling.


    "Huh? Why are you giving it to me?" Qiu Ling took the pendant but only looked at it in confusion.


    "What? You think I''ll use the bit of spiritual energy I still have to do that for you? Forget it! It''s nice enough of me to even give you the pendant."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "I thought you were my stepfather. Shouldn''t you treat me like family then?"


    "You mean you want me to educate you? I''m not sure you''d like that. Now stop griping and contact Xin Lan. I don''t have the whole day." He decisively turned to Leng Jin Yu and moved closer. "You didn''t finish before."


    "Well, it seems that you didn''t like the way I was doing it anyway." He reached over and ran his fingers through the hair that he had braided the whole morning. Somehow, Jinde had managed to disentangle the strands in the few minutes he had talked to the blond dragon.


    "Ah, that''s not it. Quite the contrary. I liked it so much that I wanted you to do it again." He leaned closer and pursed his lips.


    "Heh!" Qiu Ling kicked Leng Jin Yu''s leg. "What are you trying to do? I''m still here! That kind of thing shouldn''t be done in front of your children! I''ll be traumatized if you have me watch!"


    Jinde glared at him. "Turn around for me and go call Xin Lan. Your father and I are obviously busy." With that, he ignored the child and cupped his husband''s cheeks, leaning in to finally get that kiss.

 Chapter 603 - Making up for Past Mistakes

    Qiu Ling pursed his lips and indeed turned away. These guys! How could they do this to him? They pretended to be his family but they actually dared to show him their affection while his beloved had been separated from him and needed to fear for his life in the hands of some despicable fallen god! They were so cruel! Hmph. He''d just ignore them. Contacting Xin Lan to get his beloved back was much, much more important. Thus he imbued his spiritual energy into the pendant and waited.


    Naturally, he didn''t need to wait long. The pendant had only lit up and managed to pulse once when Xin Lan''s face was projected above it. "Ma¡ª" He frowned. "Why do you have His Majesty''s pendant?"


    "He lent it to me." Qiu Ling lifted the pendant a little, letting Xin Lan see the scene behind him. By now, Jinde had managed to climb onto his husband''s lap and had burrowed his fingers into his black hair, smiling happily while they kissed.


    Xin Lan stopped frowning and instead put on a neutral expression. Where Qiu Ling couldn''t see it, he clenched his hand into a fist though. Just why did he have to see this? He was already in the demon realm, far away from his Master. Why could he still not escape this sight?


    He closed his eyes and gulped, before looking at Qiu Ling again, shoving the thought aside. "I''ve seen. So what do you want?"


    "Tell me how to find that fallen god."


    Xin Lan raised his brows. "That fallen god?"


    "The one from the bastard''s palace, of course! He stole my beloved!"


    This time Xin Lan was stumped for words. That fallen god? And he had taken the Son of Heaven? But hadn''t he still been in Jin Ling''s hands a short while ago? "That can''t be. I talked to Jin Ling just a while ago and he was the one who took the Son of Heaven."


    "Well, he lost him! Now, where can I find that fallen god?"


    Behind Qiu Ling, Jinde stopped and glanced over. Had he heard right? Qiu Ling didn''t want Xin Lan to confront the fallen god but instead intended to go himself? He looked at his stepson''s back and couldn''t help but feel conflicted.


    Despite the story behind Qiu Ling''s birth, he had always thought of him as part of his family. This child should have been raised by him and the issues Qiu Ling now had were his fault to a large degree. After all, he hadn''t been at his side when Qiu Ling needed him. Seeing this child in such a situation now ¡­


    He couldn''t let this happen, could he? But sending Xin Lan wouldn''t be much better. He didn''t doubt that Xin Lan would do so if he asked him but there was no guarantee that he could win against a fallen god. And even if he did, the price would still be too high to imagine. That wasn''t anything he could demand. He didn''t mind to ask for Xin Lan''s help but not in this situation. It would be for the best if they could find another way out of this.


    He got up from Leng Jin Yu''s lap and walked over, peering intently at Xin Lan''s face. "Xin Lan ¡­ Do you know where that fallen god is? And do you think there is any way to save the Son of Heaven without confronting him?"


    Xin Lan''s heart calmed down seeing Jinde''s worried gaze. Ah, even though this person couldn''t love him, he still worried about him. He couldn''t disappoint his expectations. "I don''t know where he is. Normally, he turns up at random. You''ve also seen that the last time."


    "Ah. Right." Jinde''s eyes widened. He hadn''t thought of it anymore but the last time he contacted Xin Lan, he had actually seen that fallen god. "But since you''re alright ¡­"


    "He isn''t as deranged as the rumors say. He''s a bit ¡­ strange but not hostile in general. He can turn hostile if he is upset though. I hope the Son of Heaven knows how to deal with such a person." He glanced at Qiu Ling before turning back to Jinde. "I could try and talk to him should I see him but as for anything else ¡­ I''m afraid I can''t be of much help."


    "I see."


    "Don''t think I''d fall for that!" Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes at the projection. "If it wasn''t me asking but him, then you would find a way. Isn''t that right?"


    Xin Lan didn''t answer. It wasn''t completely wrong. If his Master was the one asking, then he would put more effort into finding a way. Still ¡­ "There is no way to predict a fallen god''s behavior if you didn''t know them before their fall. You should at least know that much, shouldn''t you?"


    "I''m sorry, my father never told me."


    Leng Jin Yu looked up at the ceiling. Ah, he''d never live the mistakes of his previous life down. Well, if he wanted to do that, then he''d need to make up for what his past self had done.


    He cleared his throat and also went over, conveniently hugging Jinde''s waist. "How about asking someone in the Nine Heavens? Maybe there is someone who indeed knew this person before their fall and could give us an idea of where to search for him."


    Qiu Ling looked up with wide eyes, making Leng Jin Yu shift on the spot. Just what was his so-called son thinking right now?


    "Not bad! I can ask my mother-in-law!"


    Xin Lan snorted. "Then what do you want to ask her? ''Mother-in-law, do you coincidentally know who that fallen god from the demon realm is?'' I''m sure the Heavenly Empress will be thrilled to tell you everything about him."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. Was there a need to ridicule him like this? "It doesn''t have to be my mother-in-law. There are a lot of people in the Nine Heavens."


    "Yes, so many that you''ll need several years to find one who coincidentally knows someone that became a fallen god. I''d love to watch how you search for that person."

 Chapter 604 - A Method to Keep that Bastard away

    Qiu Ling gritted his teeth. Unfortunately, Xin Lan was right. He couldn''t deny that. "Then do you have a better plan?"


    Xin Lan snorted. "As long as you don''t know anything about that fallen god, it''s futile to try to find something out in the Nine Heavens. And searching for him in the demon realm is just as impossible. He''s a fallen god. If he doesn''t want to be found, he won''t be found. Or do you think you''re better than Tian himself?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. He had never met this Tian so how would he know which one of them was better? Anyway, this guy still hadn''t answered his question! "So what is your plan?"


    "I don''t have one. There is nothing you can do besides hoping that that fallen god will show mercy."


    Qiu Ling looked at the projection and his lips slowly curved up in a smile. Thankfully, he had thought of a countermeasure before in case this guy was uncooperative. "Are you sure you can''t come up with a plan?"


    "I said so more than once, didn''t I?"


    "And you''ll stand by that even if I could help you ¡­" He leaned closer to Jinde and his lips curved even further. "Keep that bastard Jin Ling away from the old geezer?"


    Xin Lan froze before pressing his lips together. "What are you even talking about? I''m already in the demon realm. That is more than enough protection for His Majesty."


    "Are you sure? But I might have an even better way. A way that can ensure that Jin Ling won''t even have a chance to see him if he somehow slips through your grasp. How does that sound? Interested?"


    Xin Lan''s lips opened but he didn''t know how to retort. Before Qiu Ling had the chance to gloat, he was rapped on the head.


    "Brat! Is that how you treat your elders?"


    Qiu Ling looked up wronged. "What are you even saying? I''m helping you!"


    "Helping me? As far as I can see you''re trying to coerce Xin Lan into doing something dangerous!"


    Qiu Ling pouted. "It''s not like I told him to go fight against that guy. It''s alright as long as he finds out where that guy stays or maybe something that I can use to find out more about him in the Nine Heavens. Something like where he came from or who''s part of his family or something like that. Is that really so difficult?"


    "Hmph." Jinde looked away and crossed his arms. This brat! If he had a way to keep Jin Ling away from him, then he should offer it up now! Waiting for so long, just what was his purpose? His marriage was suffering because of this kind of selfishness!


    Jinde shook his head and sighed before turning back to Xin Lan. "Xin Lan, is there any way for you to get this kind of information without endangering yourself?"


    Xin Lan lowered his gaze, not daring to look into his Master''s eyes for fear of having him realize just how much his worry made him happy. "If it is just gathering some information ¡­ I might be able to do that. I can''t promise anything though." He looked up again, his gaze holding Jinde''s for a moment.


    "Alright. Then try to find something. But if it''s too dangerous, then don''t force yourself."


    Qiu Ling turned toward him. "On whose side are you?"


    "My own."


    Beside them, Leng Jin Yu sighed. He could probably be happy that this so-called son of his wasn''t living with them. Well, he could understand his frustration a little. Seeing Jinde worry about Xin Lan that much ¡­ He looked at Jinde and his gaze softened.


    He also knew he was stupid, worrying about this but he wasn''t a dragon anymore. He couldn''t help being afraid of somebody taking the love of his life away. Especially if it was someone Jinde had been so close to for so long. It made him feel that he had to do something. But even in this situation, he had barely been helpful. In fact, the one suggestion he had made had been denied by Xin Lan and in a rigorous manner at that. It had seemingly been directed at Qiu Ling but it had still been his idea in the beginning. Was there really nothing he could do to help?


    Jinde glanced over when he felt his husband''s gaze. Seeing Leng Jin Yu''s pensive and somewhat lost look, his brows furrowed slightly. Just what was he thinking? Not being able to guess it irked him. This was his husband. He should know what was going through his head. He reached out just when Qiu Ling turned around to them.


    "The two of you, could you stop flirting already? This is a serious matter!"


    Xin Lan cleared his throat. "I''ll ¡­ go and investigate then." With that, he cut the connection.


    Qiu Ling ignored him and frowned at Leng Jin Yu instead. "You''re really not taking me seriously."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "I was trying to come up with something to solve this situation."


    "Then what did you think of?"


    "That ¡­"


    Jinde harrumphed. "Didn''t you hear him say he was trying? He didn''t finish thinking things through yet! Why are you disturbing him? You should go out and walk a lap around the sect grounds or something. Maybe go see your Master. When you come back we can talk slowly about everything."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling got up indeed but didn''t leave the house. Instead, he looked at the two of them, his gaze thoughtful. "You know ¡­ it''s good you found each other again." With that, he tightened his lips and turned away, leaving them alone.


    Leng Jin Yu blinked. "What was that just now?"


    "Your son giving us his blessing, I guess." He sighed. "It''s probably because the Son of Heaven was taken away. Right now he can imagine a little how it was for us to separate back then."


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu didn''t respond. Back then ¡­ That was a time he didn''t know about just like he didn''t know about a lot of things. As Jinde''s husband ¡­ he truly was lacking.

 Chapter 605 - Did I Fail as Your Husband?

    Jinde observed Leng Jin Yu''s expression and frowned. "Just what are you thinking about? You''re looking so ¡­ unhappy."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "I guess I can''t hide anything from you." He got up and walked over to the window, sighing. "It''s just ¡­ I feel inadequate. I didn''t notice before while we were staying here without any worries, just spending our days leisurely, maybe being interrupted by my Master every now and then and some tasks cropping up in the sect that I needed to attend to. But today ¡­" He sighed again and turned back to look at Jinde. "If it concerns the gods, I know a little. If it concerns the dragons, then I know almost nothing. If it''s about a matter like this, involving so many people and all the different races, then I''m helpless. There is nothing I can do for you while ¡­" He stopped. Bringing up Xin Lan certainly wasn''t the way to go. This person meant a lot to Jinde and he didn''t want to get between them. Being jealous wasn''t what he should do.


    Jinde smiled. "I''m not feeling much different."


    "Mn?"


    "Back then ¡­" He took a deep breath and got up, walking over to Leng Jin Yu and cupping his cheeks. "When Chun Yin and I were young I often imagined how life might be when we finally got together. The things I thought of weren''t much different from the way we already lived. Just that ¡­ I thought we might be even closer."


    "Your meaning is ¡­?"


    "We spent our youth training our magic and our sword arts, running around outside, hunting and doing some miscellaneous tasks. There was never a long stretch of time that we spent quietly at our Master''s palace. And then ¡­ things happened and the following years were spent being king. Every day was me committing myself to my duty. I had almost no time to myself, not to speak of caring for someone close to me. Not that ¡­ It''s as if I had a lover back then so it''s not that strange."


    Jinde tiptoed and kissed his husband. "It''s different now. And sometimes I wonder if this is what you desire. This kind of life ¡­ am I doing it right?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips parted but he didn''t know what to say. Jinde''s requests each day were often ridiculous but he had never loathed even a single moment. Even if Jinde asked him to braid his hair a hundred times a day, he wouldn''t deny him. He didn''t mind what he did as long as it was with the person he loved. To think Jinde was unsure about this ¡­


    "I''m sorry. Not noticing you felt like this ¡­ I''m a bad husband."


    Jinde smiled and wrapped his arms around Leng Jin Yu''s neck. "Maybe I''m just a good liar. You know I''m afraid. Even Chun Yin left me, despite being a dragon and binding his soul to me. Now, you''re a human. You can fall in love more than once. Maybe if I do things wrong, you''ll grow tired of me one day and then leave me for somebody else."


    "I wouldn''t."


    "You can''t know that. But that''s why I don''t want to do anything wrong. I want to be with you. Not just today or tomorrow but forever. The longer I stay with you, the surer I am. So that''s why ¡­ seeing you deep in thought but not understanding what it is that you think ¡­ It makes me uncomfortable. I can''t help but worry in such moments."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and hugged Jinde''s waist. "I''m jealous."


    "Ah?"


    "Jealous of Xin Lan. Because he spent so much time with you. Because he knows you so well. Because you worry about him. And ¡­ because he can do things for you that I can''t. I want to be the person that can provide you all the answers, the one that can go out to inquire whatever you need to know, the one that can defeat whatever enemy you have. But I''m just an ascended deity, a young god. How could I compare?"


    Jinde chuckled. "So you were moping before? Because I paid attention to another man?"


    "It''s not just any. It''s someone ¡­ someone that might fit with you very well." He sighed. "I''m not a dragon. It''s hard for me to understand how you''re unable to fall in love again. Even though ¡­ I feel like I''m the same."


    "I''m afraid there is nothing we can do but continue on. Just maybe ¡­ be a little more open? If there''s something on your mind, you can tell me. Regardless of how ridiculous you feel it is. I don''t mind."


    "Mn."


    "It''s a pity I can''t go out. Traveling through the human realms with you would have been fun. We could have experienced so many things."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and lifted one hand to brush Jinde''s hair. "It''s not said that we won''t be able to do so later on. Maybe there''ll be a day when you can go out again without worry."


    "Mn. Maybe. If I can heal my soul." He looked at the pendant that Qiu Ling had put down and sighed. Xin Lan had said that he would find a way for him to heal his soul but Xin Lan also got burdened by other tasks again and again. Just finding out about that fallen god wouldn''t be easy.


    "It''ll happen one day."


    "Mn." Jinde nodded and leaned against Leng Jin Yu''s chest, listening to his heartbeat. "One day ¡­ Until then, you''ll have to cope with me trying to hold your favor."


    Leng Jin Yu laughed. "You make it sound as if there were many people vying with you for it."


    "Oh, I''m sure there are. My husband is so excellent. There should be a long queue of men and women alike who want to get into your bed."


    "Even if they want, there''s already someone lying in there." Leng Jin Yu leaned down and kissed Jinde''s cheek. "Alright, should we go talk to Longjun? I''m afraid he''ll go crazy if we still don''t speak about his matters."


    "My dear husband, I''m afraid your son has long been crazy. So there''s no need to worry about that." He tiptoed and their lips met once again. Unfortunately, Jinde also understood that they wouldn''t have much more time before Qiu Ling would demand their attention. Rather than being interrupted when it got to the good part, he''d rather talk to the troublesome child now and do everything else later.

 Chapter 606 - Have Fun with Your Son

    When Leng Jin Yu opened the door, he found the dragon king squatting right in front of it, holding a twig and drawing ¡­ something that looked like a surprisingly life-like person. He couldn''t help but tilt his head and look a while longer. This was probably the true appearance of the Son of Heaven? Otherwise, the dragon king certainly wouldn''t have spent that much effort on this.


    Seeing his husband halt in the doorway Jinde couldn''t help but glance over his shoulder to find out what was going on. Ah, so it turned out it was that bear child again.


    Jinde pondered and glanced at Leng Jin Yu who still looked at the drawing. Considering what he had said before he still had trouble coping with his identity from his past life. Accepting a lover already brought some problems with it and it should be even worse for this troublesome son. In that case ¡­ as a responsible husband, he should help Leng Jin Yu connect with his son.


    Jinde took a step back, measured the distance and pushed his husband out of the house. "Have fun with your son!" With that, he slammed the door shut.


    Leng Jin Yu barely managed to catch himself before colliding with Qiu Ling. He looked back and grimaced but naturally, Jinde couldn''t see it. Leng Jin Yu sighed and turned back, squatting down beside Qiu Ling and looking at his drawing again. "Is that His Highness?"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling nodded. He wanted to reach out and touch that face but he held back. This was just a drawing in the sand. If he dared to touch it, it would vanish. Just like his beloved.


    "He''s very beautiful."


    Qiu Ling glanced at him. "Don''t get any ideas. That''s your future son-in-law. And you already have the old geezer."


    "I know. And I''m very happy with Jinde."


    "Mn." Qiu Ling looked back at the drawing. "He''s alone now. He must be really scared. He''s probably wondering where I am and longing for me to come and save him. But here I am, waiting for that bastard to get me some information. My beloved would be so disappointed if he knew."


    "I''m sure he would understand."


    Qiu Ling didn''t answer. He moved the twig and added a lotus flower. Mn, his beloved was so beautiful, so pure. But such a person had to suffer now. In the future, when he had freed him and they married, he had to try harder! He definitely couldn''t allow his Jing He to suffer at his side!


    Leng Jin Yu watched him and sighed. The dragon king obviously worried about the Son of Heaven very much. "You know even though I don''t like that Xin Lan very much, he is dependable. He will definitely find something out about that fallen god."


    Qiu Ling paused in his movement and glanced over. "You also don''t like him?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly in response. This was what he cared about?


    "Oh. So you''re jealous."


    Leng Jin Yu stared back at him. How had he figured that out so fast? Not even Jinde had been able to understand it just like this. "How ¡­"


    "I''m also in love. Isn''t it normal to get jealous? Seeing Jing He getting along with somebody else ¡­ it pains me a bit. Especially since we''re not yet married." He fell silent for a moment before sighing. "Actually, you don''t have a reason to be like this. The old geezer loves you very much."


    "I know that. It''s just hard to accept that there is a story behind all this that I should know of but can''t remember." He hesitated before he gave a sigh. "I''m sorry about what happened to you. You ¡­ had a hard life because of the decisions I made."


    Qiu Ling took his stick and added some details to Jing He''s robe. "It''s nice to hear you say that. It would be even nicer if you could remember. Then you could pretend like my father was sorry for me."


    "He certainly was."


    "I wouldn''t be so sure about that. You know ¡­ he never wanted me." He shook his head when Leng Jin Yu wanted to speak up and motioned at him with the twig. "Don''t pretend. The old geezer certainly told you enough. My father ¡­ He was driven into that relationship with her against his will. And I was the reason he stayed with her in the end. Because between someone he loved but that could take care of himself and a woman he felt he had taken advantage of while being drunk and who was now expecting his child, he had to decide on the latter. He was an idiot."


    Leng Jin Yu frowned. He couldn''t quite understand why his past self had made this decision. Even though he might have felt like he had taken advantage of that woman, what about Jinde? He had slept with him too. If he felt like he should take responsibility because of what he did with her, then why didn''t he do the same when it was about Jinde? Was it really just because of the difference in strength he thought them to have?


    "I guess he was also quite upright to decide on this regardless of what he felt. Even though ¡­ for everyone involved, it was the stupidest decision he could have made."


    "You still resent him for it?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "I did. For a long time even. Up until the day I met Jing He and figured out that ¡­ if not for my position, I wouldn''t be able to stand beside him."


    "Don''t you think you could have also have had that if Chun Yin decided on Jinde?"


    Qiu Ling turned around and looked at him incredulously. "Are you stupid? I only became the dragon king because Jinde wanted me to."


    "What does that have to do with it? Wouldn''t Jinde have wanted you to become his successor even more if he had married Chun Yin?"


    The disdain in Qiu Ling''s gaze grew. "As if! If those two married, they certainly would have gotten a child. Then where would that put me, the illegitimate one?"


    ~~~***~~~***~~~


    Author''s Note:


    Apparently, the author''s notes are currently malfunctioning on the website so here''s some in-chapter announcement: I have good news and bad news for you. I''ll try to keep this short though ;) If you want to know some more details, just leave a comment!


    1. I''ve decided to publish OMF''s prequel "Romancing the Son of Heaven" for everyone. You can find it on my website (www.yansusustories.com), on Tapas (https://tapas.io/series/Romancing-the-Son-of-Heaven) or on Scribble Hub (https://www.scribblehub.com/series/21241/). Updates will be each Sunday.


    I won''t be uploading this on webnovel or wattpad. If you want to know why, you can read the following post on my website: https://yansusustories.com/2019/04/19/why-i-wont-post-rsh-on-wattpad-and-webnovel/ In case you''re using the app and can''t copy the link, I''ll leave the post stickied to the top of the page.


    2. I''ll be taking the Easter weekend off so the next OMF update will be on Tuesday, April 23rd.


    3. I need to free up some time in my schedule so I''ll be changing my release schedule starting from next week. This means I''ll be posting one chapter of OMF and two chapters of LWS daily until the end of LWS. Since I''m already about halfway through the last volume of LWS this shouldn''t be longer than a month.

 Chapter 607 - The Second Part of His Plan

    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. "I don''t think it works that way ¡­"


    Qiu Ling snorted. "What are you trying to say? That you wouldn''t have given the child you have with Jinde preferential treatment? You have to be kidding me! I am the proof of you cheating on him! You probably would have wanted to abandon me as soon as the two of you got married."


    "That''s not what I meant."


    Qiu Ling blinked. "You really think you could have treated us equally?"


    "No ¡­ I mean, yes. But that''s not what I was talking about."


    Qiu Ling looked at him skeptically. This guy actually dared to pretend he wouldn''t have preferred his love child with Jinde over him! How dishonest could one get?


    Leng Jin Yu felt like this conversation was draining his energy faster than any fight ever could. Just why was it so hard to communicate with this person? "I was talking about the possibility of having a child with him. We''re both men. How should that work out?"


    Qiu Ling harrumphed. "Don''t take me for a fool! What does that have to do with being a man or not? If anything, your chances should be higher because of that. If a frail woman can give birth to a child, then why shouldn''t the old geezer be able to do so?" He paused and tilted his head. "Well, his age might be a problem now. Then again you''re quite young now ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his brow. Right. He had forgotten that this person hadn''t grown up in a normal family. He probably didn''t know too much about either marriage or children. Ah, somebody should advise him before he married the Son of Heaven.


    Qiu Ling didn''t notice Leng Jin Yu''s reaction. Instead, he furrowed his brows. "Actually, even though that''s the case, I can''t deny that it still might have been better if you stayed with him. At the very least, it''s unlikely that you would have died. And then I wouldn''t have had to kill my mother and grow up on my own. And all the rest also wouldn''t have happened." He shook his head. "Anyway, it''s already in the past now. Let''s not think about it any further. You know originally I planned all of this differently."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. Planned? What was he talking about?


    "Actually, I wanted to send Fu Min and Fu Heng here so they could inform you that I want you to inform Xin Lan that he should contact me. We definitely can''t expose the old geezer''s whereabouts to that bastard!"


    Leng Jin Yu went back to rubbing his forehead. That ''bastard'' should be the demon king, shouldn''t it?


    "Now everything turned out differently. But I think it should still work so don''t worry too much. Seeing that you''re quite alright and that I can''t do anything about that fallen god either while we don''t know who he is, how about we already work on that other part of my plan?"


    "There is another plan?"


    "Of course! Didn''t I say I had an idea how to help the old geezer hide from that bastard for the rest of his life?"


    "I suppose you did."


    "Mn. So we should start with that."


    "I thought you would only tell us about that after Xin Lan found out what you want."


    Qiu Ling looked at him as if he was an idiot. "Even if you were stupid and died early, you''re still my family. And the old geezer wasn''t bad to me. Since you''re married to him now, I should also help you out. Especially since Jin Ling will be really mad." He grinned just thinking of it. Ah, he''d love to go and tell him what he had done afterward!


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. He had almost thought that Qiu Ling''s thoughts were rather touching but it turned out he just wanted to get back at the demon king. Well, he probably had still meant what he said before. "So what''s the plan?"


    "Do you remember that secret realm you were imprisoned in with Jing He?"


    "Mn." How could he not? That was the place where Jing Yi had remembered parts of his past life because he hadn''t paid enough attention. He had also almost lost his life in there before he was able to meet Jinde. "What about it?"


    "Well, it wasn''t possible to get out of there without the blood of the person who made the array, was it? So I thought why shouldn''t we make the exact opposite? We can just make an array where people can''t get in without the right blood! What do you think?"


    Leng Jin Yu pondered. "That does sound like a good idea. But I couldn''t figure the array out. And inverting it would be even more difficult. Are you sure we can do this?"


    Qiu Ling grinned and threw the twig aside. "We can''t but I know who can."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. "Who?"


    "My cousin-in-law! After all, he could also open the array for me and I''m sure he''ll help me to make a new one too. Then the old geezer can just hide in there and that bastard will never be able to get in."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded slowly. That made sense. He couldn''t help but wonder if it would be so easy though. "Are you sure he will help us?"


    Qiu Ling snorted. "Please! That guy is my cousin-in-law. Naturally, he will help us. So how about it? We could go and ask him right now. Then you''ll know that I''m right."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and nodded. "Alright. Let me tell Jinde though. He certainly wouldn''t like it if I left without a word."


    "Mn. Go, go. Don''t mind me." Qiu Ling turned away and picked up his twig again, preparing for another long session of drawing his beloved''s portrait. Mn, it really was a pity that he couldn''t pick this drawing up and take it with him. His beloved looked too great even if he was just drawn into the sand.

 Chapter 608 - Waiting for Him to Die

    While Qiu Ling prepared to set his plan in motion, Jing Yi looked at the black eyes of the person in front of him in bewilderment. "This ¡­ Where is this?" This certainly wasn''t outside of the demon king''s palace! No, this rather seemed to be deeper inside. Had he been tricked?


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. Ah, why had he trusted this man so easily? He hadn''t even said that he knew Qiu Ling! But then again, he had immediately asked whether he was his lover when he brought up his name. Didn''t this mean that he knew him after all?


    The fallen god didn''t answer and just continued to examine Jing Yi''s face.


    "You ¡­ Just what do you want to do?" This didn''t make any sense! If he was on their side, then he should have brought him back to Qiu Ling. If he was on the demon king''s side, then why had he brought him to another place? Or was there somebody else involved in this? Somebody he didn''t know of yet?


    The fallen god blinked. "Didn''t I tell you yet? Your soul is cracked. We have to heal it."


    "That ¡­" Jing Yi closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. "Thank you for worrying about me but you don''t need to. Qiu Ling already noticed and he knows someone that can help me. We were going to take care of that when the demon king appeared. So ¡­ how about you bring me back to Qiu Ling? Then he can help me repair my soul."


    The fallen god shook his head. "No."


    "Why?"


    "It''ll get worse."


    "Worse? You mean my soul?"


    The fallen god nodded. "It cracked because of him. So the cracks are likely to get bigger when you''re with him. We should heal it before you go back."


    Jing Yi stared at the fallen god, unable to believe what he heard. "That can''t be. I ¡­ I did this myself. I don''t really remember but wasn''t it that I took some kind of weapon and engraved my soul? And then it cracked because of that?"


    The fallen god nodded. "That''s true. But why did you take that weapon? Wasn''t it because of him?"


    "It was because I wanted to be with him."


    Once again, the fallen god nodded. "That''s true."


    "And now I am with him. Why should my soul crack further because of that?"


    The fallen god didn''t answer immediately. He looked at Jing Yi before finally turning away and walking further into the room. He stopped in front of the wall and looked at the weapon that was mounted on it. "Do you know about the trials of the gods?"


    "Not much." In fact, he had only recently heard about them.


    The fallen god''s lips lifted slightly but it didn''t seem like a smile. He reached up and gently stroked the blade of the weapon. "Three times. It''s three times on average that the gods descend to the mortal world and take on a trial. Their goal is to experience emotions.


    "It''s funny if you think about it. The dragons love deeply and hate deeply. The demons are shallow in everything they do. The gods ¡­ maybe they are mediocre. At the very least, that would explain why they would need to do a trial, wouldn''t it?"


    He looked over his shoulder but Jing Yi could only stare at him blankly. He didn''t understand anything.


    The fallen god turned back to the weapon and lowered his hand. "They are mediocre but they still think they are above everything. In the Nine Heavens, nobody will tell you what it means to love. And those trials ¡­ they will be seen as something they have to do but they don''t feel that they can learn anything. So they descend. And then ¡­ they pass their trials and continue their life just like before."


    He stepped back, his gaze still locked on that sword. "Do you know what the major trials are?"


    "No."


    "Decision. Trust. Regret." He turned around his lips falling back into a straight line. "Love."


    "So ¡­ love is very important. That ¡­ I think I understand."


    The fallen god shook his head. "You don''t. Or maybe you do. But he doesn''t."


    "He?"


    The fallen god walked back toward him and gently grabbed his shoulders. "Back then why did he engrave his soul?"


    "You mean my past self?" He lowered his gaze. "I don''t really know. But he loved Qiu Ling very much. It must have been because of that."


    "He did. He loved him. Loved him to obsession. And this engraving ¡­ he created it because he was afraid. Because ¡­ as much as he loves him, he can''t trust him."


    "That can''t be true." Jing Yi shook his head. "Qiu Ling ¡­ Qiu Ling was always there for me. And even though I don''t remember everything, I''m sure that it was the same back then. Why shouldn''t he have trusted him?"


    "Because his soul was fragile to begin with. This god ¡­ His soul was already worn thin before he descended for his trial. If nothing is done, even if you pass the trial and return to the Nine Heavens, your soul ¡­ it will still continue to crack."


    Jing Yi''s gaze flickered. Pass the trial. Didn''t this mean ¡­ "You mean to say that my previous self isn''t dead? I am merely ¡­ a trial? In fact, this human life ¡­ is nothing but a trial for somebody else?"


    The fallen god paused but finally nodded. What use was there in putting it in pretty words if the other had already found out?


    Jing Yi staggered back and sat down. "Then Qiu Ling ¡­ Qiu Ling is ¡­ waiting for me to ¡­" He stopped and closed his eyes, biting his lower lip. How could this be? Qiu Ling didn''t actually want to spend his entire life with him? He was actually just waiting for him to die so the person he had loved back then could return?


    Jing Yi covered his face and his shoulders trembled. Maybe ¡­ Maybe his past ¡­ no, his true self wasn''t wrong with not trusting him. It seemed nobody could be trusted easily, even if it was someone you loved this deeply.

 Chapter 609 - Trust Him

    The fallen god poked Jing Yi''s forehead. "See? That''s what I was talking about. You clearly love him but you don''t trust him."


    "Ah?"


    "You thought you couldn''t trust him. But you love him and he''s a dragon. He even bound his soul to yours. What more can you expect? If you can''t trust that person, then you can''t trust anyone. Not even yourself."


    Jing Yi just stared at him. So his thoughts had been this obvious ¡­


    "Dragons are good people. The only good people around. If they fall in love with someone, they will love them forever."


    "Qiu Ling ¡­ loved Jing He very much." Jing Yi couldn''t help but think back to those moments in Qiu Ling''s inner self. That square filled with people who he obviously couldn''t remember, their faces blurred, their voices a constant chattering without actual words ¡­ And that one person whose every detail was engraved in his mind. From the blue robe he wore, to the way his hair fell down his back, to the lights sparkling on it. Every last bit was as clear as day. Qiu Ling hadn''t forgotten about this moment even though a lot of time had to have passed since then.


    The fallen god poked his forehead again, pulling him out of his thoughts. "What are you thinking? What past self? What true self? This is still you."


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. "How could that be? I was born a human and while I live ¡­ Where is he now? What happens to him while I''m here?"


    The fallen god furrowed his brows. Why were people so stupid? Ah, there really was no way helping them. He turned away, not bothering to answer and left his chambers, leaving Jing Yi alone with his thoughts.


    For a while, Jing Yi didn''t know what to do. He just thought of that moment in Qiu Ling''s inner self and then remembered those times Qiu Ling had called him ''Jing He'' and looked at him that lovingly. In the end ¡­ How much of this was about him? And how much was about his previous self?


    He finally closed his eyes and rubbed his face. What was he even thinking about? That man just now was right in one point: If he loved Qiu Ling, he should trust him. Even though it seemed that Qiu Ling''s feelings really had a lot to do with his past life, he shouldn''t overthink until he was back at his side. At the end of the day, the only one who could tell him the whole story was Qiu Ling.


    Jing Yi lowered his hands and shook his head. His whole day seemed to be spent worrying over things he couldn''t figure out on his own. First, it was because of what the demon king had said, now, because of that man''s words. It seemed he really didn''t trust Qiu Ling enough.


    "This is the last time. I won''t question you again after this. After all, it was me who made so much trouble before."


    Jing Yi''s eyes opened but his expression was blank. Right. Now that he thought of it ¡­ If this was really just about his past self, then why would Qiu Ling keep following him like this? In the end, he would return to being Jing He after his death, wouldn''t he? So Qiu Ling could just wait. He didn''t have to be with him. So maybe ¡­ maybe there was more to Qiu Ling''s feelings for him than he had given him credit for just now.


    Jing Yi sighed. He really was too distrustful. In the future, he should think things through slowly and talk about it with his fiance. Otherwise, wouldn''t some grave misunderstanding occur again? He couldn''t let that happen. Regardless of how Qiu Ling felt, he couldn''t bear to see him suffer.


    With that thought in mind, Jing Yi closed his eyes again and went back to cultivation. Whatever the truth of the matter was, he should stand by his original decision. He had to become strong for Qiu Ling. Nothing had changed about that.


    While Jing Yi cultivated, the fallen god made his way through the dungeon. He glanced at An Bai but didn''t go over in the end. A lone dragon ¡­ how pitiful that was. And he didn''t even want to leave. How sad.


    He made his way up the stairs and roamed through the palace, just like on any other day. Following a corridor, taking another way so that he wouldn''t have to see the patrols ¡­ He stopped when steady steps sounded from the corridor in front.


    Fake dragon.


    How strange to see him here again. Hadn''t he left before? But it seemed he was in a hurry.


    The fallen god tilted his head and silently followed him.


    Xin Lan stopped in front of the door to Jin Ling''s chambers. Looking at it, he furrowed his brows. Jin Ling was his best choice if he wanted to find out about that fallen god. Unfortunately, this might put his Master at risk. Jin Ling wasn''t stupid, after all. With enough clues, he might be able to piece everything together. He couldn''t let that happen. Then again the information about the fallen god would lead him to the Son of Heaven and bringing the Son of Heaven back to that idiot would get him the information he needed to save his Master from his worry of being found by Jin Ling.


    Xin Lan took a deep breath and pushed the door open. He just had to take a gamble on this. If he found the fallen god and with him the Son of Heaven soon enough, then even if Jin Ling figured things out, his Master would be safe.


    "Your Highness." Xin Lan forced himself to smile and stepped closer. Taking a look at Jin Ling''s face, he couldn''t help but curse inwardly though. "You''re not looking too happy. Did something happen?"


    Jin Ling didn''t answer his question but he tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "Xin Lan, say ¡­ Do you think Jinde would like to see me again?"

 Chapter 610 - He Was Married?

    Xin Lan furrowed his brows and ignored the question. He really couldn''t make up a lie in response to that and the truth ¡­ Well, Jin Ling knew well enough. It wasn''t like his Master had minced his words when he exiled him, after all.


    Xin Lan cleared his throat. "Actually, I came to ask something."


    Jin Ling didn''t answer either. Ah, just what had he done to deserve this? Hadn''t he treated Jinde really well? Why couldn''t he love him back?


    "What do you know about that fallen god?"


    "Ah?" Jin Ling lifted his head and finally looked at the person that had come to see him. "You ¡­ want to know about Xiang Yu?"


    The fallen god in front of the door also tilted his head, peering at Xin Lan through the gap. The fake dragon wanted to know about him? Why?


    Xin Lan nodded.


    "Why?"


    "Why is he in the demon realm? And where did he come from originally?"


    Jin Ling sat up straight and crossed his legs, his lips curving up in a smile. "Why the sudden interest? It couldn''t be that you''re shifting your affections right? From one impossible target to the next?" He laughed. "Ah, this is great. Actually, I really want to see you go after him. I''m quite curious how long you''ll be able to live."


    Xin Lan''s brows furrowed further. "Don''t speak nonsense. I asked something. Why is he in the demon realm?"


    Jin Ling tsked. This guy was no fun at all! "What do you think why he lives here? Isn''t it all just because this is his husband''s home?"


    "Husband?" Xin Lan stared blankly. That guy ¡­ was married?


    He thought of those black eyes and the perpetual gloomy expression and blinked. There was actually someone who fell in love with that kind of person? No, wait. Never mind his personality. That guy was a fallen god! Who would marry a fallen god?


    He frowned and shook his head. "Don''t kid me! He isn''t married."


    Jin Ling continued to smile serenely. "Why? Would you be jealous if he was?"


    "Stop joking around. Why is he really here? And where did he come from?"


    "Always the same questions. How would I know where he came from? It should be somewhere in the Nine Heavens. Go ask there." Jin Ling shook his head as if he didn''t want to put up with this troublesome person any longer. His thoughts were churning though. Why was Xin Lan so adamant to find out more about Xiang Yu? He certainly hadn''t fallen in love. He knew himself that that idea was ridiculous. No, if Xin Lan was so intent on knowing about him, then there had to be a special reason.


    Ah, he really didn''t want to assume again that this had something to do with Jinde when there was still the possibility that he was, in fact, already dead. But seeing Xin Lan so serious, he couldn''t help but wonder. Was there any other reason for Xin Lan to be like this?


    Jin Ling narrowed his eyes and rubbed his earring. "Actually ¡­"


    Xin Lan looked at him and raised his brows.


    "You know if you have some problem, you can always come and find me. Our family''s dog, I certainly wouldn''t ignore his plight."


    Xin Lan turned away. "Good that you remember you''re family."


    Jin Ling smiled response.


    "Don''t bother. Even if there was a problem, you would be the last one I''d ask for help."


    "Then how will you find out about Xiang Yu?"


    "There are certainly others who know about him." With that, Xin Lan left the room.


    He stopped in the corridor outside and narrowed his eyes. What should he do now? He hadn''t expected much from Jin Ling but the only information he had gotten was the fallen god''s name. "Xiang Yu ¡­" Just how was he supposed to find out more with just that? He didn''t even know where from the Nine Heavens he was.


    Xin Lan walked down the corridor and pondered. There was no guarantee that ''Xiang Yu'' was a unique name. If he was unlucky, whatever Xiang Yu he found might not be the one he was searching for.


    Mn? Xin Lan stopped walking. Now that he thought of it ¡­ This wasn''t the only thing he knew about the fallen god. No, back when he came to the demon realm after Jinde''s supposed death that fallen god had already been there. In fact, he had met him for the first time shortly after he spoke to Jin Ling that day. In other words, that fallen god had been in the demon realm all that time and had fallen even before that. Furthermore, it was almost impossible for a fallen god to fall in love and get married. So if what Jin Ling had said was true, then this Xiang Yu should have come from the Nine Heavens and married before falling.


    Come to think of it, with how obsessed he had seemed with the bond of the dragons when he freed that Fu Min and his lover, he might have become a fallen god because of his own marriage. Maybe his husband had been killed or maybe he had betrayed him.


    Xin Lan smiled. It seemed he had found the clue he needed after all. In that case, he should go and make sure.


    With that, Xin Lan left the palace and his figure vanished in the distance. At one of the doors, the fallen god narrowed his eyes.


    "Just what does he want to do? Asking about me, then leaving like that. Shouldn''t he have searched for me instead?" He touched the spot between his brows before shaking his head and returning to his chambers.


    Never mind. That fake dragon could do whatever he wanted. He wouldn''t care about that. There was no need for him to get involved in this. No, in fact, he shouldn''t get involved. After all, there was no need to make somebody else fall. Each one of them was one too much.

 Chapter 611 - Just an Asshole Making Others Miserable

    While Xiang Yu returned to watch Jing Yi, Xin Lan made his way to the Nine Heavens. Entering the capital city, he went over to the God of Love''s palace. Ah, this really was a place he hated. He still vividly remembered the first time he had come here.


    Just like today, he had walked down the path to the palace. It was just that today everything around him stayed silent without a god in sight while back then their whispers had accompanied him with every step.


    "Look! Isn''t that him? The one that wasn''t cursed?"


    "Yes, yes, I''ve seen him before."


    "I''ve heard people call him Senior even if they were of the older generation. Is it really true that he isn''t affected by Tian''s curse at all?"


    Even now, thinking back to it Xin Lan couldn''t help but clench his hands. Three millennia hadn''t been enough for people to forget. Tian''s curse was still in everyone''s mind. Well, how couldn''t it? Those that had lived back then and those that had been born in the future, they were all affected by it, their lives changing forever. Only the handful of children that had been about to be born in the three immortal races when Tian spoke his curse had been spared from his curse. And in those three thousand years, half of them had already died.


    Now, all these years later, he was the only one left. The only one not inflicted with that damn curse.


    Xin Lan reached the gate and nodded at the guards. "Xin Lan from the dragon race has come to ask the God of Love for assistance."


    The two hurriedly nodded and one of them led him inside, announcing him to the God of Love. Xin Lan ignored him and just waited for the door to close behind him.


    Seeing the white-haired god standing up from his desk, his brows furrowed. Ah, back then, it had been another person occupying this position and now, this one had gotten old. It faintly made him aware of how old he himself had gotten.


    "Senior Xin Lan."


    "God of Love." Xin Lan pushed the thoughts aside and nodded at the old god. That time was long past. He already wasn''t the same person anymore. So what if there was nobody destined for him in the High Heavens? He had already found the person he cared for. Even if he was with somebody else, it wouldn''t change his feelings.


    The God of Love smiled and motioned at the chair at the other side of the table. "What brings Senior Xin Lan here?"


    Xin Lan went forward but didn''t sit down. "I''m searching for information on a person. Unfortunately, I don''t know much but I hope that the God of Love might be able to help me find out more."


    "I''ll try my best. What does Senior Xin Lan know about that person?"


    "His name is Xiang Yu and was originally a trueborn god but married into the demon realm some ten thousand years ago. I don''t know what happened but sometime after leaving the Nine Heavens, he became a fallen god."


    "That ¡­" The God of Love furrowed his brows. "I''m afraid I don''t know how I can help Senior Xin Lan with that. Our task is only to tie the red thread for the humans and the gods attempting their trials in the human realm."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Precisely. Since he was a trueborn god he has to have attempted a trial. He came to the demon realm to marry. I think the likeliest place to have met that demon would have been in his trial but then things might not have turned out the way he hoped, hence leading to him becoming a fallen god. Otherwise ¡­ maybe this person was his true love but then the God of Love should be able to make sure whether that Xiang Yu had a partner destined for him from the High Heavens."


    The God of War slowly nodded. "Alright. I can check for these things. Please follow me." He left the room, leading Xin Lan to the middle of the palace.


    Xin Lan''s brows drew together when they stepped into the courtyard. This was where he had gone before too. Just like on the way to the palace, everything was still the same.


    A tree towered above the building, the silver leaves rustling in the breeze, giving off the faint sound of bell chimes. They glowed faintly as if they were stars condensed into another form.


    At first glance, this tree was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on but his heart squeezed when he saw it. He couldn''t help but gulp. If he went forward and plucked one of those leaves off ¡­ it would still stay blank, wouldn''t it? In the three immortal realms, there was nobody destined for him. In the human realms, there was nobody to look for either.


    From the moment he had been born different from the other dragons, he had been destined to be alone and to remain alone for all eternity.


    Xin Lan''s curled up in ridicule and he looked at the sky above the tree. Tian ¡­ the three immortal races looked up at him but in the end, wasn''t that guy just an asshole that liked to torment others? He hadn''t been able to fulfill his own wishes so he wanted to see everyone just as miserable.


    Making the demons unable to love, forcing the dragons to remain attached to just one person for their entire lives without guaranteeing them to fall for each other, making the gods attempt trials that were nothing more than living a life full of misery ¡­ What was it for? Would it bring his lover back? Would it make that child come to life again? Could he turn back time by doing that?


    No. Nothing of this would help him. He really ¡­ was just making others as miserable as him. Well, at the very least, he was very good at doing this. One really couldn''t say he hadn''t put effort into this.

 Chapter 612 - A Pair Destined in the High Heavens

    The God of Love plucked one of the silver leaves while Xin Lan stared at the sky. He covered it with his hands, lowered his head and murmured a few words. The light the leaf gave off intensified, glowing even through his closed hands, before finally dissipating. The God of Love opened his hands and raised the leaf to read the words that seemed to be engraved there. His face blanked upon seeing them though.


    Xin Lan broke out of his thoughts and looked over. "What is it? Was that demon really his true love?" He really couldn''t imagine. As far as he knew, nobody other than him had escaped Tian''s curse in the three immortal races and lived until now. Thus there shouldn''t be any demon that could feel love. And a one-sided love shouldn''t be decreed by the High Heavens, should it?


    The God of Love looked at the leaf with a complicated gaze before turning to Xin Lan. "No ¡­" He cleared his throat. "No, that demon wasn''t his destined partner."


    "Then ¡­"


    The God of Love looked at the leaf again. "Senior Xin Lan was right about the trial. They met there and that Xiang Yu followed him to the demon realm after passing the trial. Other than that ¡­" He shook his head and looked up at Xin Lan. "I''m afraid I can''t tell Senior Xin Lan more. It is only mentioned that he was betrayed by that demon and thus stopped believing in love, never entering into another relationship again."


    Xin Lan nodded. It seemed he had really been right. That trial was the beginning and then the marriage with a demon was what made him become a fallen god. Unfortunately, this wasn''t news. It just confirmed what he had thought anyway.


    He furrowed his brows. Was there nothing he could use to find out more? But he didn''t have any details. He didn''t even know the name of that demon. The only thing he knew was that they had met while he attempted his trial.


    Xin Lan''s expression relaxed. Right. If there had been a trial, then the Fate''s Scribe should be able to help him with this.


    He turned to the God of Love and nodded. "Alright, I know now. Thank you for your help."


    The God of Love opened his mouth but finally just nodded.


    Xin Lan turned around and opened the door but halted on the doorstep. He inclined his head. "Right ¡­ There was something else that came up in my investigation. Could you tell me about a person called Leng Jin Yu? He should have been born human and then ascended."


    The God of Love blanked once again. "Leng Jin Yu?"


    Xin Lan glanced over his shoulder. "The God of Love knows that person?"


    "En, he was here a while ago ¡­ I do remember that name from before though."


    "Oh?"


    "Mn, back when he was born in the human world the god who was tasked with tying the red thread noticed that there was already a connection." The God of Love furrowed his brows and looked at the leaf in his hand again. Destined pairs ¡­ they were so rare, it was impossible not to be noticed. "I''m a little unsure about his love fate. Back when he came here he still wasn''t married despite having ascended. He spent a mortal lifetime without finding his destined one. I really wonder if he ever will."


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes. He wasn''t sure when Leng Jin Yu had spoken to the God of Love but it had probably been before he met Jinde? After all, the two of them hadn''t met too long ago. "His destined one ¡­ Does the God of Love know anything about him?"


    The God of Love shook his head. "No, I didn''t look into it too closely but it seems they were a pair destined in the High Heavens and already knew each other in a previous life but were forcibly separated."


    "I see." Xin Lan smiled and his gaze once again wandered to the sky. Destined in the High Heavens ¡­ It seemed he had thoroughly lost. "Then was it stated whether they would find happiness in this life?"


    The God of Love laughed. "Something like that should rather be asked of the Fate''s Scribe."


    "Mn, that''s true. Then I thank you again. I''ll take my leave now." Xin Lan stepped through the door and closed it behind him, a sigh escaping his lips. Maybe he should go and ask the Fate''s Scribe. If he could at least be certain that his Master would find happiness with that man in this life, maybe then he would be able to let go. Maybe then he would stop to foolishly hope.


    Xin Lan sighed again and finally made his way over to the palace of the Fate''s Scribe. Whether or not he would ask about Leng Jin Yu again, he still had to make sure about that Xiang Yu.


    Behind him, the God of Love continued to look at the leaf in his hands with a complicated expression. Maybe he should have said something? But he also didn''t want to interfere too much. Something like love had to be handled carefully. After all, too much interference could also cause negative effects and even a destined pair might be separated in the end.


    He sighed and put the silver leaf down at the root of the tree. It lit up once again and finally sank into the earth as if it had never existed, taking those faintly written words with it.

 Chapter 613 - Why Did He Have to Turn out This Way?

    Currently, the destined pair was facing off in the Yun Zou Sect.


    "Jinde ¡­" Leng Jin Yu sighed. "It''s not that I want to leave you. But you''re so worried about the demon king. If Longjun''s method really works, wouldn''t that take that burden from you?"


    Jinde harrumphed. "Can''t he go alone? Why do you need to follow him? It''s his cousin-in-law, not yours, isn''t it?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and gently held Jinde''s hand. "I know. But be honest, do you really want Longjun to take care of this alone? It''s important to you so naturally, I want to be there and help if things go awry. You also know how Longjun is. What if he messes things up?"


    Jinde tightened his lips. "That would be bad."


    "Indeed. So ¡­"


    Jinde sighed. "So my husband should go and accompany him to appeal to that cousin-in-law." Even though he didn''t like it, he also understood that it was better to send someone sensible with Qiu Ling. That troublesome child liked to refrain from using his head most of the time. So who knew how things would turn out if he was left alone with this? And, well, it wasn''t like Leng Jin Yu was completely unrelated to this. "Eh, come to think of it, Qiu Ling is your son. So if this is his cousin-in-law, then are we talking about your nephew-in-law?"


    "Even if we were, that is already something from my past life. Let''s concentrate on you and your problem. If Longjun''s method really works, you wouldn''t have to worry any longer."


    "Mn." Jinde nodded. "Well, Qiu Ling might not be very dependable most of the time but this concerns the Son of Heaven too. There shouldn''t be any issues."


    "What he said sounded rather sensible at least."


    Jinde leaned forward and encircled Leng Jin Yu''s neck. "That''s good then. You can discuss things further with that cousin-in-law then. If it''s something that needs time or more help, then don''t rush things though. I''ve escaped Jin Ling''s eyes for so long, I''ll be able to do so a while longer."


    "Mn. Then ¡­ I''ll be going now."


    "Give me a kiss first." Jinde leaned further forward and Leng Jin Yu met him halfway.


    "Alright. If something is the matter ¡­" Leng Jin Yu paused and shook his head. "What am I saying? If something is the matter, then contact Xin Lan. He''ll be here faster and is probably a better help than me."


    Jinde shook his head. "I''d be much rather saved by my husband."


    "I''d like it if you didn''t need saving at all." He got up, leaned down again and kissed Jinde''s cheek. "I''ll hurry."


    "Mn." Jinde watched him leave. When the door closed behind Leng Jin Yu, he couldn''t help but sigh.


    What Leng Jin Yu had said just now wasn''t wrong: He was an ascended deity. Even though they weren''t weak, there was still a slight gap between them and the people that were born immortal. Leng Jin Yu was stronger than most deities were when they ascended but still. Considering what people they had to deal with, he still lacked strength. Comparing him with Xin Lan would be mean but even if it was Qiu Ling or Jin Ling ¡­ He likely wouldn''t win, even if he gave it his all.


    Jinde got up and paced up and down. It seemed other than healing his own soul, they''d have to think about making Leng Jin Yu stronger too. If this thing Qiu Ling had come up with worked, it would be for the best and they wouldn''t need to worry about Jin Ling. But they couldn''t hide forever.


    And sometime in the future, his soul would be healed. Then he wouldn''t stay in hiding anymore. He wouldn''t need to fear to be able to protect himself against Jin Ling but ¡­ how would his husband take it if their strength was that far apart? It probably wouldn''t feel nice.


    He stopped in the door to the courtyard and looked at the plum tree. "If this was Chun Yin ¡­" He shook his head. Chun Yin had always reveled in being stronger. Protecting the one he loved, giving him a feeling of security, having him look up to him ¡­ He loved that feeling.


    Jinde smiled. Thinking back now how he had always catered to that wish and even pretended to be weak and frail in front of Chun Yin, even though he should have known better considering they had grown up together ¡­ Ah, he had really been young back then. And Chun Yin had too. Now with Leng Jin Yu, there was no need to pretend anymore. They had both grown up and become mature.


    Jinde leaned against the door frame and looked at the sky. Some things were lost, some things had been gained ¡­ Chun Yin couldn''t come back but there was Leng Jin Yu now. Despite the trouble he had gone through, he could still say his life had turned for the better.


    "Ah, if just Jin Ling could grow up too ¡­ Find someone else to love ¡­ Is there really nobody that attracts you?"


    He crossed his arms in front of his chest and frowned. Jin Ling had always had his own thoughts and he had kept to himself for too long. He had never liked to have anyone else but him around. Maybe ¡­ maybe he should have known that things were wrong. Maybe he should have noticed that things were changing in a wrong direction.


    He shook his head again and turned back into the house. It was much too late to regret now. Jin Ling had walked down that path and there was no way to bring that time back, even though he would have liked nothing more than to forget about it and start anew.


    This child ¡­ why did he have to turn out this way?

 Chapter 614 - The Tree of Love, the River of Forgetfulness

    At that time, Xin Lan had arrived in front of the palace of the Fate''s Scribe. He stared at the gate and furrowed his brow. Honestly, he never would have thought he''d be trying to find out more about a fallen god one day. But as long as this could save his Master from having to worry about Jin Ling ¡­


    He sighed and stepped up to the guards. "Xin Lan from the dragon race came to ask the Fate''s Scribe for assistance."


    Just like before, he was led inside and brought to the Fate''s Scribe''s study.


    Shun Tao hurriedly got up when he saw who his guest was. "Senior Xin Lan ¡­"


    Xin Lan nodded. "I''ve come to ask for the Fate''s Scribe''s help with a mission. It concerns the fate of someone from the Nine Heavens."


    Shun Tao motioned at the chair in front of his table. "Certainly. Please, have a seat."


    Xin Lan didn''t bother to sit down and instead walked to the door on the other side of the room, looking at the garden. What he wanted to know wasn''t anything the Fate''s Scribe would know just like that. He would need to consult the scrolls of fate or maybe even the river of forgetfulness. "The person I want to ask about was called Xiang Yu. He met a demon while on a trial in the mortal world and fell in love. After passing the trial, he followed him into the demon realm, they married but Xiang Yu finally fell. I want the Fate''s Scribe to tell me more about him. Where did he come from? Which family did he belong to? What kind of trials did he face? And what happened in the demon realm that made him fall?"


    Shun Tao didn''t answer. He just stared at Xin Lan''s back. This senior from the dragon race ¡­ He really was quite ambitious. Did he think finding out such things was easy?


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows and turned around. "What?"


    "That ¡­" Shun Tao cleared his throat. "I can have a look at his scroll of fate and tell Senior Xin Lan about his trial but as for everything else ¡­"


    "Isn''t the Fate''s Scribe able to have a look at the river of forgetfulness? If the stories aren''t wrong, you should be able to see a person''s whole life in there. Regardless of whether that person is a mortal or immortal."


    Shun Tao smiled wryly. "That''s ¡­ possible ¡­ in theory."


    "Oh? So you can''t do it?"


    The Fate''s Scribe gritted his teeth when he saw Xin Lan raise his brows. With half his face being hidden behind the mask, it truly seemed too taunting. "It''s not that I can''t at all. But it''s not such a simple thing."


    "I spoke to the God of Love just now. He didn''t mind taking a look at the leaves of the Tree of Love to help me ascertain the love fate of that fallen god."


    Shun Tao smiled wryly in response. Wasn''t this guy being unfair? "Senior Xin Lan, you wouldn''t want to compare the Tree of Love with the River of Forgetfulness, would you? You should know even better than me that the latter is much older than the former and has a much narrower function. How could using them be compared to each other?"


    Xin Lan harrumphed. "It''s just something that came from the High Heavens and has been here for a long time. It''s almost as if it was always just a part of the Nine Heavens. Is it really so hard just to take a look at the fate of one person? It''s not like I asked you to climb to the High Heavens and ask Tian personally about it."


    Shun Tao grimaced. Now he really felt like this person was taunting him. Unfortunately, he also seemed serious about wanting to know about that person''s fate. He wouldn''t get around this just by repeating how difficult it was. Maybe they could find some kind of compromise? He pondered and finally perked up. Right! Maybe it would be enough to find some kind of lead Xin Lan could use to investigate further? In that case, the scroll of fate might be enough!


    Shun Tao cleared his throat and stepped closer. "Senior Xin Lan, I do understand that this is important to you but it really isn''t as easy as you imagine. How about this? We can first look for that person''s scroll of fate. Maybe the information inside will be enough then we won''t have to use the River of Forgetfulness at all. If not ¡­ then we can still discuss this further."


    Xin Lan continued to look at the garden and narrowed his eyes. He doubted that the scroll of fate would be enough. Then again Xiang Yu had met his husband there. It could be that there was a special place that connected them where he might go regularly.


    He frowned. No. That wasn''t right either. He might not know Xiang Yu that well but he obviously stayed in the demon realm most of the time. Even Jin Ling had said that he remained there because his husband had lived there. So it was unlikely for the scroll of fate to provide any information.


    "I''m afraid ¡­ the scroll of fate will not contain what I need. It''s a beginning but the information about his life as a god is much more important. Furthermore ¡­" Xin Lan turned to the Fate''s Scribe. "That Xiang Yu has been in the demon realm for several ten thousand years already. Finding his scroll of fate from his last trial ¡­" He shook his head. "I''m afraid it won''t be easy. And it will take time. Consulting the River of Forgetfulness should be much faster."


    Shun Tao sighed. "I see there''s no way to convince you otherwise. I can''t decide this on my own though. You''ll have to see the Heavenly Emperor with me."


    Xin Lan nodded. "That''s a given but I doubt he''ll be against it." After all, this involved his son and even he had heard how much the Heavenly Emperor doted on him.


    Seeing that Xin Lan wouldn''t make things difficult in regards to asking the Heavenly Emperor''s consent, Shun Tao heaved a sigh of relief and motioned to the door. "Let''s go then. Senior Xin Lan seems to be in a hurry. We shouldn''t draw things out needlessly."

 Chapter 615 - The Outskirts of the Capital

    Seeing the Fate''s Scribe and Xin Lan walk into the hall, the Heavenly Emperor couldn''t help but frown. Don''t tell him something had happened again! Couldn''t there be even a week without trouble? It hadn''t even been a month since his son went on his trial and so many things had already gone wrong!


    Ah, just how much longer would this trial take? A human life shouldn''t be that long but his son had even started to cultivate. What if he actually cultivated until ascension? Something like that would take tens of thousands of years! Then he''d have to wait several years until his precious son would return home!


    "Your Majesty." The Fate''s Scribe nodded at the Heavenly Emperor and motioned to Xin Lan. "Senior Xin Lan came to ask for our assistance regarding a mission." Shun Tao glanced over at the person next to him. "Maybe Senior Xin Lan would like to tell the Heavenly Emperor about it himself?"


    Xin Lan nodded. He wasn''t worried that the Heavenly Emperor wouldn''t allow them to use the River of Forgetfulness to find out more about Xiang Yu. After all, he himself also had an interest in this. "Actually, this is about your son. His Majesty informed me that he was taken captive by a fallen god. I managed to find out some basic information about him but still lack more detailed knowledge about his life to ascertain where he currently is. I had thought of taking a look at the scroll of fate from his trial in the mortal world and find out more about his life here in the Nine Heavens by utilizing the River of Forgetfulness. The former will take a lot of time and will likely not yield as much information and possibly not the one we need. So I''d first like to see if we can gain the necessary information from the river."


    The Heavenly Emperor sighed. "So Longjun as informed Senior Xin Lan. That''s at least something."


    "Mn. So would Your Majesty allow that?"


    The Heavenly Emperor turned to the Fate''s Scribe. "Of course! Why didn''t you bring him there immediately?"


    Shun Tao wanted to cry. Why? Because this Senior Xin Lan hadn''t told him that this was about the Son of Heaven! Had he known that the fallen god he spoke about had kidnapped their crown prince, then naturally, he would have hurried over to the River of Forgetfulness immediately! Unfortunately, this detail hadn''t been mentioned somehow.


    He cleared his throat and forced himself to smile. "Using the River of Forgetfulness isn''t a small matter so I thought Your Majesty should know about it. Naturally, I''ll bring him there right away now that Your Majesty has been informed."


    Xin Lan turned around and walked to the door without waiting for the Heavenly Emperor''s answer. He shouldn''t waste time on useless things. The sooner he found out more about that Xiang Yu, the sooner he could tell Qiu Ling about it. And then ¡­ then he could find out how to free his Master from the worry about Jin Ling. His Master would finally be able to find happiness.


    Shun Tao stared at the back of the person that made him come here in the first place and now just left him in front of the Heavenly Emperor. He really wanted to curse him! Unfortunately, he also knew that the Heavenly Emperor was on that Senior Xin Lan''s side right now. He sighed and turned to the Heavenly Emperor again. "Then I''ll bring Senior Xin Lan over there. I''ll report as soon as we finish."


    "Mn. Hurry, don''t keep Senior Xin Lan waiting. This matter is important."


    Shun Tao nodded and hurried after Xin Lan who had already walked down the steps in front of the palace. "The River of Forgetfulness is in the outskirts of the capital."


    Xin Lan nodded. He knew. Whether it was the Tree of Love, the River of Forgetfulness or any of the other things coming from the High Heavens, he knew about them. And not just for the things in the Nine Heavens. The heritage of the dragon and demon realms weren''t unknown to him either. After all, he had seen a lot of these things before they started to change and the person who was responsible for the way his life developed was also up there. Naturally, he had paid more attention.


    Shun Tao and Xin Lan made their way over to the outskirts. The capital of the Nine Heavens wasn''t surrounded by a wall like most of the human capitals were. Instead, it naturally faded into the surroundings. In fact, it was hard to tell whether the houses that were furthest away from the heart of the capital were actually still part of the city or already little isles by themselves.


    Xin Lan glanced at them as they passed by. The ones living here were the trueborn gods that didn''t have a high position or had a family that had once held one like that of Yin Lin Lin. Instead, they were those with old families that didn''t have power but wealth. Their houses weren''t much smaller than some of the palaces in the middle of the capital and the gardens surrounding them could almost compare to those of Jing He even though they might lack in the diversity of plants. Ah, this was probably the part of the Nine Heavens that displayed the faults of the gods the best. This haughtiness was what had made Tian curse them back then. Well, it seemed they hadn''t learned their lesson yet. Maybe someday, there would be another curse awaiting them.


    Shun Tao cleared his throat and motioned ahead. "That is the valley where the River of Forgetfulness is closest to the capital. I suggest we go there."


    "Mn." Xin Lan nodded and followed him the last bit of the way. This was where it would be decided whether he could help his Master or not. If he couldn''t, then he could only hope he''d be lucky and run into that fallen god by chance. But sometimes there had been years between the times he saw them so he wouldn''t want to bet on it. No, it was still best if he managed to accomplish his task now.

 Chapter 616 - Distant Memories

    The two of them approached the river and only stopped right on the bank. Xin Lan stared down into the water. It was crystal clear, letting him see down to the river bed. A crimson line seemed to twirl between the rocks and sand but he didn''t pay any more attention to it. Instead, he turned to Shun Tao.


    "What now?"


    "Senior Xin Lan knows best what he needs to know so I suggest you take a look yourself. Just step inside and use your spiritual energy on the read thread in there. That''s the pulse of life."


    "Mn." Xin Lan nodded and stepped into the river. The water soaked his robe but he still walked forward until he reached the middle of the river. It wasn''t flowing fast. Quite the contrary, he almost didn''t feel the movement of the water. It was as if it only moved because of the twirling red thread down there.


    Imbuing his spiritual energy was it? He closed his eyes and concentrated his energy at his fingertips, slowly guiding it toward the pulse of life. The two of them touched and mist floated up from the thread, dyeing the water read for a moment before it returned to its clear state. The mist gathered around Xin Lan''s feet, clinging to the hem of his robe. Fine threads crept upward and finally peeled away from his body and reached toward his hands, wrapping around his fingertips.


    Xin Lan flinched. An image flashes through his mind. It was blurred and the light at the edges blinded him but he still made out a pair of beautifully sparkling eyes. They gazed at him questioningly and the golden brows above them raised.


    "Are you alright?" A soft voice entered his mind and Xin Lan took a trembling breath.


    This was obviously his Master. This was the day when they had met. He had been lying next to the road, too heavily injured to get up or even answer him. He had barely been able to crack his eyes open and glance at him. Back then he had wondered what this was. Such a pair of golden eyes, such perfect golden brows ¡­ He couldn''t believe this was real. But it was. He had still seen the same when he woke up in his Master''s palace later on.


    Xin Lan gritted his teeth. Just when he had thought of it, the image in front of his eyes changed to that of Jinde''s study. The smell of herbs lingered in the air and a faint hum could be heard. He opened his eyes and looked over, only to see the person who had saved him. He sat on the window sill on the other side of the room with a book in his hand, slowly leafing through it. The sun shone down on him, making his hair glow and his eyes sparkle. He turned another side and reached up, unconsciously brushing his hair back, making the satiny strands slide across his shoulder. He twirled it around his finger, quietly reading his book.


    He was ¡­ beautiful, perfect. He was the kind of person Xin Lan had always longed for. His heart beat faster and he turned onto his side despite the pain, immersing himself in that appearance. Regret welled up in his heart. Why had he stupidly fought like that? Now, he was injured and had given him such a bad impression. Could he fall in love with someone he perceived as strong? Ah, he needed a way to prove his true strength to him. He just needed to recuperate for a few more days ¡­


    Xin Lan''s hands twitched. As much as he loved to remember those old times, the few weeks he had had with Jinde when he still believed something could blossom between them, this wasn''t what he had come to do. No, right now, he had to find out about Xiang Yu.


    The mere thought of him conjured up the image of his gloomy visage, the dark eyes looking at him disinterested but still able to show their disdain toward him. The black hair framed his face, making his skin seem even paler than it was. He seemed to be shrouded in a cloud of darkness. It was one that couldn''t be seen but only felt. Something that made most people recoil immediately.


    Xin Lan''s lips curved up. A fallen god ¡­ He also knew he alone couldn''t win against one but he still wouldn''t retreat in front of them. This Xiang Yu, he could look at him as much as he wanted, he wouldn''t care. Anyway, he seemed to have found what he was looking for. He just needed to find out how to make Xiang Yu''s past appear.


    Up until now, the things he had seen were the things he had thought of. As for Xiang Yu ¡­ He remembered the day they had first met.


    This had been the day he had believed Jinde died. His thoughts still circled around his Master''s death. Over and over again he felt that pale hand clutching his and heard the faint voice that trembled more with each sentence. He had needed to lean down to understand him and the words he had spoken ¡­ "Burn me. Burn my body ¡­ so they won''t see. See if they can hold on. If they can''t ¡­ ask Qiu Ling. Chun Yin ¡­ he should have been ¡­ should have ¡­ been king. His son should take the throne."


    "Yes." He had believed this was all, that there was nothing more his Master could ask of him. Burning him, burning the person he loved to ashes. Was there anything more cruel? Asking him to put the son of the man who had occupied his beloved''s heart on the throne ¡­ could there be anything else that could make his heart squeeze painfully like this?


    But Jinde wasn''t finished. Whether he wanted to or not, he had always been able to make his heart beat faster with passion and make it squeeze in pain with just a few words.


    "Xin Lan, if ¡­ if it''s ¡­ not asking too much ¡­ go help Jin Ling. It''s not his fault. I''m ¡­ just afraid he won''t be ¡­ able to hold on. I ¡­" That hand tightened around his but the strength left it just as fast. "Don''t want to see my child ¡­ like that." He took a shaky breath, his face turning even paler. "Promise me."


    Xin Lan had closed his eyes, barely holding back a scream. This was the person he loved. Not only had he never been able to realize this love, he even had to let him die in his arms. How could fate be this cruel to him?


    "Xin ¡­ Lan ¡­" Jinde''s voice grew weaker and his hand trembled.


    "I promise. I''ll do everything you want."


    "Good. Then ¡­ carry me over. I ¡­ won''t be able to ¡­ on my own."


    "Mn." Xin Lan had stood up from the edge of the bed and then picked him up. He looked at Jinde''s pale face and gently dabbed off the cold sweat that covered it. Only then did he proceed to the graveyard outside of the capital where the previous kings had found their resting places.


    He looked at Jinde again and got a weak smile in response.


    "They must look down on me ¡­ for being trapped in this form."


    They both turned to look at the white bones towering in front of them, reaching high up. This was a graveyard that only held the skeletons of dragons. Being left there in his other form ¡­ it truly was a disgrace.


    Xin Lan closed his eyes and gulped before finally proceeding to the place Jinde had decided on several weeks back. He had them built a small house so Xin Lan brought him inside, putting him down onto the bed.


    Jinde looked up at him, his lips and his eyes curving. "Thank you."


    "It''s ¡­" Xin Lan took a breath to make sure his voice wouldn''t break. "It''s what I should do." He squeezed his Master''s hand and finally, left the house, closing the door behind him and leaving the graveyard to let him die alone as he had wanted.


    Only much much later did he return to burn the house with his Master''s body inside as he had instructed him and finally left for the demon realm.


    And then, just after having a not-so-pleasant conversation with Jin Ling who still hated him to the bones, he was faced with a Xiang Yu that didn''t like him either even though they had met for the first time.

 Chapter 617 - What Are You?

    Those dark eyes stared into his, the black symbol between them eye-catching on the pale skin. Xin Lan froze, his mind erupting with a hundred thoughts at the same time.


    A fallen god. This wasn''t his first time seeing one but he suddenly felt that this was a very good moment to do so again. His Master was already dead and an eternity of suffering through the tantrums of his child didn''t sound too enticing. Maybe trying how he would fare against a fallen god again might not be too bad.


    Xin Lan flexed his fingers and eyed the person in front of him. He had ¡­ too many weak points to count. Xin Lan furrowed his brows. The fallen god was just standing there, looking at him gloomily but without the slightest caution. Well, maybe a fallen god didn''t need to be cautious. Maybe he was sure he could win even without being prepared for a fight. Xin Lan continued to wait.


    The fallen god slowly tilted his head to the side. "Dragon?" He paused and finally furrowed his brows, the symbol between his brows creasing. "No, you''re not a dragon."


    Xin Lan''s hands twitched, his claws unconsciously extending. Not a dragon? He''d show him! He jumped forward and lashed out but the fallen god moved back, evading the strike. He didn''t try to attack him and just stood there again, looking at him as if nothing had changed.


    Xin Lan stared at him incredulously. What was this guy doing? "You are ¡­"


    The fallen god continued to stare, making him uncomfortable.


    Xin Lan cleared his throat. "What do you want?"


    This time the fallen god blinked as if this question surprised him. Xin Lan grimaced and when he looked closer, he felt that he must have imagined it. This person certainly hadn''t been surprised. Just look at those lips that were pressed in a tight line!


    "You''re not a demon either."


    Xin Lan frowned. "What are you even talking about? I''m of the dragon race."


    "No." The fallen god shook his head as if he was sure that this couldn''t be the case. He continued to stare at Xin Lan, trying to figure out what exactly he was.


    Xin Lan turned away. The gods often turned mad when they fell. He shouldn''t even try to hold a conversation with one of them. He stepped past him and continued down the corridor. Behind him, nothing could be heard.


    When he turned into the next corridor ¡­ he saw a shadow from the corner of his eye. Xin Lan lashed out again and once again the fallen god evaded him. He tsked. "What are you doing, following me?" And how come he hadn''t noticed? He stepped away and examined the person opposite him again. He still stood there like a normal person as if he had never fought a single fight. Just how had he sneaked up on him like that?


    "What are you?"


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched. Could this person get any blunter? "I already told you that I''m of the dragon race."


    The fallen god frowned and reached out.


    Xin Lan stepped further away. He might have thought about fighting and losing his life but in the end, he didn''t dare to do so either. He had only fulfilled one of the three promises he had given his Master. The throne of the dragon realm was still empty and as for his Master''s child ¡­ Hadn''t he failed to get a position in the demon realm even up until now? He had been exiled from the dragon realm for so long, how come he still remained without backing and perspective? Don''t tell him he had hoped that Jinde would take pity on him and ask him to come back if he pretended to struggle?


    The fallen god observed him and followed him. His steps made no sound, not even his robe did despite swaying around his legs. It was as if nothing dared to disturb his tranquility.


    "Just what do you want?"


    "What are you?" Once again, he just repeated that question as if there was nothing else in the world he had to do and he would spend all his time on inquiring this information.


    Xin Lan was already fed up. He snorted. "What? I thought that thing between your brows is the Mark of Wisdom? Can''t you find out with that?"


    "Wisdom?" The fallen god reached up, touching the black lines between his brows. His expression blanked and his gaze went right through Xin Lan. It was as if he couldn''t see him anymore.


    Xin Lan snorted again and shook his head, turning away and leaving. Every now and then, he looked over his shoulder to make sure that the fallen god wasn''t there anymore. He wasn''t and it took several months before he saw him again. From then on, it had always been like that. For a long time, the fallen god would vanish without a trace and then he''d suddenly appear in front of him, staring at him with those dark eyes, keeping quiet.


    With time, Xin Lan had learned to ignore him. Even if he was there, he hardly noticed him anymore. How ironic that this was the person he needed to find now.


    Xin Lan smiled wryly and remained focused on that first moment they had seen each other. He needed to go back from there but not in his own memories but in Xiang Yu''s. Just how ¡­ He frowned. This should have to do with the pulse of life. After all, he had touched it with his spiritual energy. Most likely, he could use it somehow.


    He raised his hands and tried to manipulate his spiritual energy. It didn''t move. Xin Lan paused. Just what was happening here? He raised his hands further and took a closer look, finally seeing the red threads that clung to his fingers.


    Ah, so this was what he had been searching for.


    He looked at them a moment longer before he lifted his gaze to Xiang Yu''s face. With a smile, he stepped closer, bridging the gap that he had maintained back then. He reached out, touched Xiang Yu''s arm and waited.


    The red threads remained on his fingertips but trembled just like the pulse of life had down on the ground of the river of forgetfulness. Finally, they crept down onto Xiang Yu''s sleeve and made their way toward his hands. And then ¡­ blood splashed onto the ground in front of Xin Lan''s feet.

 Chapter 618 - A Trail of Blood

    Xin Lan looked at the blood incredulously before raising his gaze to the person in front. The person was slim, his black hair barely reaching his waist. This was obviously a young god. Or rather ¡­ a young fallen god.


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. He had never thought about it before since nobody cared about the age of a fallen god but Xiang Yu couldn''t have been very old when he fell. Never mind that an older god might not have been taken in by a demon because they could see matters more clearly, he also hadn''t looked that way. And the way he had reacted to him mentioning the Mark of Wisdom ¡­ It was as if he had never heard of it. So most likely he had fallen in love on his first trial and then followed the demon immediately. Maybe even without telling anyone.


    Xin Lan sighed. He didn''t care too much about the gods or anyone besides his Master in general but he still had to admit that this was rather pitiful. Falling in love for the first time while still being naive ¡­ That demon should have used this until the very end. Who knew what he had suffered through?


    Well, right now, this fallen god didn''t look like he was suffering. He still had his back turned toward him but in his hand loosely hung a sword covered with blood. It ran down the blade and dripped onto the ground drop by drop, gathering into a red puddle. Xiang Yu didn''t seem to notice. He stood there rigidly, his whole body tense but his grip on the weapon still awkward.


    This person ¡­ had never held a sword before. That much was sure.


    Xin Lan knew he should go even further back in time to see how it had come to this but he couldn''t help but wonder just what Xiang Yu wanted to do with this sword. Judging from all the blood on the ground, he should have used it quite a bit already. But how? Who would lose against someone like him who didn''t know what he was doing at all?


    The fallen god finally moved. Up until now, they had been standing in a small chamber in the demon king''s palace. A trail of blood led from the door to where the fallen god stood. It seemed he had killed his way here?


    Xin Lan inclined his head in contemplation. Fallen gods weren''t known for being normal. Killing people left and right wasn''t unheard of but even though this specific fallen god could get violent if someone said the wrong thing, he was normally rather reserved. He wouldn''t even utter a word if he didn''t feel like it as if he didn''t notice the people around him. Why would he go out of his way to kill?


    The fallen god left the room and Xin Lan followed him. He knew these corridors. Nothing much had changed since that time just that the one they belonged to had changed once. But that wasn''t such a strange thing in the demon realm. Disregarding Jin Ling who had relied on his help for a lot of things and Jian Heng who had had a belly full of schemes, most demon kings hadn''t even enjoyed a thousand years on the throne.


    The fallen god walked down the corridor until the end and then turned into the next one, once again walking until he reached a corner. It seemed as if he had no goal at all and just walked randomly. Finally, someone appeared in front of them.


    The demon froze, his lips twitched and he retreated, not daring to confront a fallen god. The person in question didn''t chase him though. He just stood there and his head turned slightly, his gaze obviously following the person that ran away. He didn''t say anything and didn''t move until the demon couldn''t be seen anymore. Only then did he continue forward.


    Xin Lan frowned. Just what was he doing? Obviously, he wasn''t like the ones that had gone mad and killed everyone in sight but he had killed. So what was it? Did he have specific people in mind? But whom? Did he hold a grudge against someone?


    He continued to follow him and saw the same thing repeat several times. This fallen god didn''t seem like he wanted to kill anyone but he still left a trail of blood everywhere he went. Just who was he waiting for? It couldn''t be his husband. After all, he had to have killed at least two people. Otherwise, there wouldn''t have been a trail of blood leading into that room and blood splashing onto the ground in front of his feet as well. This just didn''t make sense! Xin Lan glared at the fallen god''s back. Couldn''t this guy hurry up? It wasn''t like time would stop just because he immersed himself in somebody''s memories.


    Finally, the fallen god stopped in front of a door. He looked at it as if he was trying to decide what to do. He didn''t reach out and open it, nor did he knock to draw the person inside over. He just ¡­ stood there and looked at it.


    Xin Lan massaged his forehead. This guy! What was he doing?! If things went on like this, he would never get done whatever he wanted to do. Xin Lan was of half a mind to go over and open the door himself but then again, he was just watching this memory. It wasn''t his own. Well, even if it was, there was no way to change it now that it was long past.


    Finally, the door opened. A man stood in the room. His brows raised when he saw the person outside but after the initial surprise, his lips curled into a smile. "Brother-in-law, did you miss me?" He licked his lips and looked down in a manner that made Xin Lan frown but the fallen god did nothing.


    The demon widened his eyes. "This ¡­ You ¡­ What did you do?!"


    The fallen god raised his hand in response and plunged it into the demon''s neck. The blade got stuck and he had to tug at it twice to get it back out, spraying the demon''s blood onto the door in the process.


    Xin Lan''s breath caught in his throat. He hadn''t hesitated at all and even though he couldn''t see his face, this fallen god didn''t seem to him as if he minded killing this person. Even though he didn''t kill indiscriminately, it might still not be wrong to call him deranged. Well, this was long past. He should ¡ª


    The fallen god whirled around and the sword accurately hit his chest, drilling into his flesh. Xin Lan reached up to stop it but it was already too late. He raised his gaze incredulously only to meet with a pair of dark eyes that definitely wasn''t just something from a memory.


    Xiang Yu opened his lips and his voice sounded even gloomier than normal. "You have no right to see my memories. If you wanted to know, you could have just asked." He pulled the sword out and vanished together with the corridor and the corpse of the demon. Xin Lan still managed to see the head he held in his arm and his eyes couldn''t help but widen when he saw the face.

 Chapter 619 - We’re Family

    Bai Mu gazed at one of the windows on the lower floor of the teahouse and sighed. Why did it have to be closed? Wasn''t he even allowed to take a single look at her? Did fate really have to be so cruel?


    Just when he wanted to turn around, a gust of wind pushed the window open. He blinked. Wasn''t this a little too coincidental?


    The person next to him also blinked. "Aren''t you a demon? Why don''t you open the window yourself if you want to see her?"


    Bai Mu turned to the side and came face to face with a person he had seen once before. Until the person had vanished just as fast again. "What are you doing here?"


    "Hehe." Qiu Ling grinned and pointed at the teahouse. "That''s my mother-in-law''s teahouse there."


    "Oh." But how did this concern him?


    "My mother-in-law and your fiancee are really close."


    Bai Mu raised his brows. "So ¡­"


    "I could help you!"


    "With what?"


    "Winning her back, obviously."


    Bai Mu turned back to the teahouse. Nie Huang was preparing a new cup of tea, each of her movements looking well-practiced. He sighed. "If this was just about winning her back, then I don''t think I couldn''t do it alone."


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Then why are you out here? If this was my beloved, I would already be in there, sharing my feelings with him."


    Bai Mu didn''t answer. "Why are you here? Certainly not to give me relationship advice?"


    "No, although I wouldn''t mind giving you some if you want it. You know my beloved and I are very happy."


    "Your beloved ¡­ You mean the person who told you your relationship was over and that they were sorry after you freed them from my mother''s array?"


    Qiu Ling coughed. "Uh ¡­ We made up after that. It was all a misunderstanding."


    "I see."


    "It really was a misunderstanding!"


    Bai Mu glanced at Qiu Ling who stared back indignantly. "Actually, you don''t have to defend your¡ª"


    "I''m not defending myself! He really loves me very much. He wouldn''t want to be separated from me."


    "Mn." Bai Mu nodded. "Then ¡ª"


    "So you have to help me!"


    Bai Mu''s lips twitched. Somehow he felt that this situation was rather similar to their last meeting. "You saved me from the Chun Feng Sect''s dungeon. I''m thankful for that. But I already freed your beloved, didn''t I? What else could there be?"


    "Well ¡­" Qiu Ling sighed. "You see there are a lot of bad people around. First, someone got my beloved trapped in that secret realm. Now, someone dared to kidnap him! And that guy didn''t even pay attention, so he was now kidnapped from the guy who kidnapped him first!"


    "Oh."


    "Yes, and that''s why I need your help."


    "I don''t think I''m obligated to help you."


    "Ah, don''t be like this. I''m still your cousin-in-law! We''re family. Family should help each other out."


    Bai Mu frowned. This guy had claimed the same thing back then too. He didn''t understand though. "How am I your cousin-in-law?"


    "Well, your father is my beloved''s maternal uncle. I mean alright, we''re not yet married but we''ll be soon. In fact, he already promised before that we''ll marry. It''s just that he was kidnapped before we could so ¡ª"


    "Wait. My father ¡­" Bai Mu turned back to Qiu Ling. "What do you know about my father?"


    "Eh? He''s my beloved''s maternal uncle? Didn''t I already say so?"


    Bai Mu furrowed his brows. This guy! Could he say something else? "My father has been dead since before I was born. I don''t know anything about his family. So why should I believe you that he is related to you?"


    "Eh? Dead? Isn''t your father the God of War, Qiang Yan? I saw him just ¡­" He pondered. "Yesterday? The day before that? Something like that."


    Bai Mu sighed and turned back to the teahouse. Well, he shouldn''t have gotten his hopes up. His father had never returned. There was no way he was still alive somewhere. Otherwise, he should have come to look for him and his mother much sooner.


    Leng Jin Yu who stood to the side and waited also sighed. "Longjun, even if the God of War is his father, that should have been while he was on a trial. He would have been called something else."


    Qiu Ling perked up. Right! Why hadn''t he thought of this? Mn, it seemed he had made the right call when he asked his old man to come with him. "Something else ¡­ Wasn''t it ¡­" He furrowed his brows. Heavens! It had been so long since then. Eh, but it seemed his human surname had somehow sounded like his mother-in-law''s name? "Fen ¡­ Feng ¡­ Feng Jia ¡­ Jia ¡­"


    Bai Mu tensed. It couldn''t be that this guy was indeed saying the truth? He carefully looked up and examined Qiu Ling''s face. It seemed like he was indeed trying to recall. And, well, he knew from his mother that there were indeed immortals in this world. Maybe ¡­ something like his father being a god and then turning into a mortal could be true.


    Qiu Ling finally gave up. "Anyway, he was called something like this but, in fact, he''s my uncle-in-law or at least he''ll be that soon. So don''t you think you should help me?"


    Bai Mu sobered up. Right. This guy wanted something from him. Maybe ¡­ maybe he had somehow heard his father''s name. After all, he had been one of the highest-ranking members of the Hei Dian Sect. It was possible. And now, he wanted to use this knowledge to get his help.


    Seeing Bai Mu''s expression shift, Leng Jin Yu gave another sigh and stepped forward, cupping his fists. "Greetings to Senior Bai Mu. My name is Leng Jin Yu and I was originally part of the Jian Yi Sect. I know this is all very sudden and you might have misgivings about what Longjun said but it''s the truth. Naturally, we don''t expect you to believe it just like that and we don''t expect you to give your help without receiving something in return. Maybe you could agree to sit down with us and let us tell you what it is we require your help with? You can see if it is something you would consider doing and then you can carefully think over what kind of compensation you''d like. Would that be acceptable?"

 Chapter 620 - He Liked Him?

    Below the dungeon of the demon king''s palace, Xiang Yu furrowed his brows and touched the mark between his brows. He didn''t understand. Why had that fake dragon done this? Why would he care about his past? First asking the demon king, then even going so far as to run to the River of Forgetfulness and take a look at the Pulse of Life. Just what was he trying to do? He just couldn''t understand.


    Xiang Yu lowered his hand and looked at it in a daze. He had ¡­ almost forgotten. But this was the hand that had held that head back then. This hand ¡­


    When Jing Yi opened his eyes an hour later and looked up, he was faced with an even paler fallen god. A fallen god whose cheeks were streaked with tears. Jing Yi''s eyes widened and he looked around to see if anything had happened. The room still looked the same though. Well, not that there had been much to look at in the first place. There was only a desk with a chair behind it and a bed. Nothing else. It really made him wonder how this man had lived until now.


    Jing Yi shook his head and concentrated on the issue at hand. This person had helped him get away from the demon king. He hadn''t brought him back to Qiu Ling but he had had a good reason for that. In that case, he should at least what was wrong, shouldn''t he?


    Jing Yi cleared his throat and waited for a reaction. He didn''t get one though. The man just continued to stare into space, his eyes betraying a loneliness Jing Yi had never seen before. Even Qiu Ling hadn''t seemed this lost when he spoke about his past.


    He considered and finally got up and walked over. He reached out but finally stopped just before he touched the man''s shoulder. Somehow, he felt as if he shouldn''t do this. He lowered his hand and took a deep breath. "Are you ¡­ alright?"


    Xiang Yu finally woke up from his daze. He blinked and turned to Jing Yi. "What are you doing here?"


    Jing Yi raised his brows. What did he mean? "Uh ¡­ I saw you ¡­ were looking a little sad so ¡­ I wanted to see if you were alright but ¡­ you didn''t react when I called out. Are you feeling alright?"


    Xiang Yu looked away. Alright ¡­ "I ¡­ had to remember something."


    He had to? Jing Yi didn''t know what to make of this either but he still nodded. "It was probably something unpleasant."


    Xiang Yu stared off into space again. "Something unpleasant ¡­"


    Jing Yi didn''t dare to ask further. Who knew what kind of answer he would get this time? Instead, he just continued to stand next to him and waited if the man would say anything else.


    Xiang Yu didn''t seem like it though. He couldn''t help but think back to that time. Unpleasant ¡­ It probably couldn''t be called that. But it was in the past. What use was there in thinking about it? He couldn''t bring back the good times and he couldn''t erase the bad times. Everything had happened, everything had passed. He could only concentrate on the present. Thinking of that ¡­


    Xiang Yu turned to Jing Yi and examined his face. This person was but a mortal in this lifetime but he could remember parts of his past life. He should be quite knowledgeable. "Say if someone wants to know a lot about your past and is persistent in that, then what does that mean?"


    Jing Yi blinked. If someone wanted to know about someones past? Well, he himself had wanted to know about his own past life after he knew that there was something like that and the same had been the case with senior martial brother Yu but this certainly wasn''t what he meant.


    As for another person ¡­ He had never asked anyone but Qiu Ling. And even with Qiu Ling, it had come up because he had been trapped in his inner self where his past was omnipresent. Not talking about would have been strange. But then again he was happy that Qiu Ling had him told more about himself. So most likely ¡­ "I guess you would do that if you like the other person very much?"


    Xiang Yu blanked. If you ¡­ liked the other person? That fake dragon ¡­ actually liked him? He blinked and walked over to his table in a daze. How could this be? Hadn''t he always scowled at him? Ah! Maybe this was wrong after all?


    He looked back at Jing Yi. "Do you think ¡­ somebody could like someone and still look at them with a dark expression?"


    "Uh ¡­ of course." Jing Yi thought back to his childhood. Hadn''t his mother also looked at his father darkly very often? She had even scolded him sometimes but Jing Yi still didn''t doubt that she had loved his father very much. "I think ¡­ an expression is just something you show based on the situation. Loving someone doesn''t. If you love them, then you will love them regardless of what happens."


    Xiang Yu sat down and pondered. So it was true? And that fake dragon had just always had a bad day when they met? Well, they hadn''t seen each other very often so it could be. But how had this happened? No, wait, this wasn''t what he should be thinking about!


    Xiang Yu shook his head. "He isn''t even a real dragon."


    Jing Yi raised his brows at him and walked over too. "Is it bad not to be a dragon?"


    "Mn. Other than dragons ¡­ they''re all worthless."


    Jing Yi opened his mouth but didn''t know what to say. He was also with a dragon but ¡­ he himself was human or, well, his other self was a god. Did they both count as worthless? "So ¡­ you''re a dragon too?" But he had thought he wasn''t one of Qiu Ling''s people?


    Xiang Yu blinked. "No."


    Jing Yi looked at him, unable to figure out what he meant. If everyone was worthless as long as they weren''t a dragon ¡­ hadn''t he just cursed himself then?

 Chapter 621 - It Didn’t Work That Way

    The person that had been suspected of having secret affections, doubled over in the River of Forgetfulness and clutched his chest. This Xiang Yu! Did he have to stab him with that sword? Couldn''t he have just thrown him out?


    Ugh. Well, he should have expected this. Even though that guy normally didn''t behave too crazily, he could be set off and react violently. Hadn''t he already experienced that once or twice? Looking at his memories ¡­ He should have known this would upset him. Then again, he had no other choice. What ''you could have asked''? He first needed to find him to be able to ask and wasn''t that what he had wanted to do in the first place?


    "Senior Xin Lan!" Shun Tao hurried over and grabbed his shoulder, trying to take a look at his face. Seeing it all scrunched up, he furrowed his brows. "What happened?" He grabbed the hand that Xin Lan had pressed against his chest but was thrown off.


    "It''s alright."


    "Are you ¡­ are you sure?" There was blood flowing out! Could you really call this ''alright''?


    Xin Lan nodded and got up again. This wasn''t the first time he had gotten injured. It wasn''t even the worst. He had just been surprised and, well, being injured while being connected to the Pulse of Life wasn''t a simple matter either. Naturally, there would be some backlash for using it and then losing control. "It''s nothing. I just forgot to consider that fallen gods carry the Mark of Wisdom. They''re tied to the High Heavens. Naturally, he would notice if I take a look at his memories." He motioned to the riverbank and stepped forward, still clutching his chest.


    Shun Tao blanked. There was such a thing? How come he had never heard of this? He followed Xin Lan out of the river and thought about it but couldn''t come up with anything. Well, it wasn''t like much about the fallen gods was known. Most likely, even Senior Xin Lan only knew about this because he had lived for so long. He might have come about this piece of information accidentally.


    The two of them reached the riverbank. Xin Lan lowered his hand and glanced at the wound on his chest. Ah, this would probably take a while to heal ¡­


    "Mn ¡­ Senior Xin Lan ¡­ About that fallen god ¡­" Shun Tao paused but didn''t get an answer. Ah, why did things always have to be so difficult? "Senior Xin Lan, since you had to stop, how will you find out about that fallen god now?"


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes and stared back into the direction of the capital. Indeed, how would he find him now? He certainly couldn''t ¡­ just go and look around? He put a hand to his forehead and shook his head. That Xiang Yu had often vanished for months and they had both lived in the palace for years. There was no place where he had seen him more often than others and he was positive that he knew every nook and cranny of that place. After all, he had often done things for Jin Ling there. In which case ¡­ he should have known if a fallen god lived in one of those rooms.


    But he had to be somewhere there. Wasn''t there any clue in those memories? But the only things he had seen were that trail of blood, that man that had addressed him as brother-in-law, and that head. Mn?


    Xin Lan straightened up. Right! He should start with that. After all, he did know one person that was likely related to this person. He gave a smile and turned to Shun Tao. "Don''t worry. I wasn''t able to see much of it but there is at least some. I''ll go and follow those clues for now. Thank you for your help." He turned away and wanted to leave but Shun Tao called out to him.


    "Senior Xin Lan! You''re still hurt. Shouldn''t you let that get treated?"


    Xin Lan stopped. Treated ¡­ "Yes, I ¡­ I should. Thank you for reminding me." With that, he left the Nine Heavens.


    The Fate''s Scribe looked at his leaving figure and frowned. What did he mean? He should and thank you? Then why was he leaving if he understood? He shook his head and hurried back to the Heavenly Emperor''s palace.


    Rong Su had been waiting for news. He stood up from his throne and stared at Shun Tao as soon as he stepped through the gate. "How is it? Did you find something? Do you know where Jing He is?"


    Shun Tao coughed, cupped his hands and bowed. "Not yet, Your Majesty, but Senior Xin Lan found some clues from that fallen god''s memories and went to follow them. We will likely receive news about His Highness soon."


    "Ah. Thankfully!" The Heavenly Emperor fall back down onto his thrown. So his son would be safe soon.


    Shun Tao nodded. "Mn, there''s just one thing ¡­"


    "What is it?"


    "That fallen god ¡­ noticed that Senior Xin Lan tried to find something out. I don''t know what exactly happened but Senior Xin Lan was injured."


    The Heavenly Emperor raised his brows. The fallen god had noticed what happened? But then ¡­ "Did Senior Xin Lan say anything about Jing He? Will he be in danger now?"


    "Uh ¡­ I don''t know. He didn''t mention anything."


    Rong Su leaped up again and paced up and down in front of his throne. Ah, how could this have happened! They finally had a lead to find his son but now something like this had happened! Would Jing He never be able to live in peace? He closed his eyes and sighed. "Alright, I know now. You can go back to your palace. Should Senior Xin Lan need your help again, you don''t need to come here. Just help him."


    Shun Tao nodded and left the throne room.


    The Heavenly Emperor continued to stand in front of his throne and looked up at the ceiling. "You really want to make his life miserable for what my family did, don''t you? But he''s innocent. All of that ¡­ was so long ago and Jing He already had it difficult growing up. Can''t you ¡­ just let him off already?"


    He continued to look up but there was no answer and naturally, he wouldn''t suddenly receive news that his son was saved. No, he couldn''t hope for a miracle. It just didn''t work that way.

 Chapter 622 - Not Everyone Can Be as Lucky

    Jinde glanced up from his table only to see Xin Lan standing in the doorway. "Xin Lan?" He took a closer look and got up. "What happened? You''re bleeding!" He hurried over and gently touched Xin Lan''s shoulder, trying to get a closer look at the wound. "You didn''t go up against that fallen god on your own, did you?"


    Xin Lan shook his head and watched those fair hands tug at his robe to examine the wound.


    "This doesn''t look good. The weapon barely missed your heart. How come?" He glanced up and met Xin Lan''s eyes.


    "I ¡­ was careless."


    "You?" Jinde smiled and patted his other shoulder. "I guess being too strong also comes with its own difficulties, hm? You should pay more attention to your safety."


    "Yes, Master."


    "Alright, come in then. We should treat that." He went to his own room and rummaged through his spatial ring. Mn, with Xin Lan''s constitution, this shouldn''t be too hard to take care of. He had been hurt much worse before. It was close to the heart though. He couldn''t take this lightly.


    Xin Lan slowly followed him but once again stepped in the doorway. What exactly was he doing here? This injury wasn''t that bad. He didn''t need to bother his Master with this. So why ¡­


    Jinde took out what he needed and put everything down next to the bed. Ah, it really was a pity that he didn''t have a room just for doing this kind of thing. He should talk with Jin Yu about this when he came back. Thinking of his husband, he smiled and turned to the door. "Xin Lan? Still not coming over?"


    Xin Lan nodded and walked toward him one step after the other, his breath caught in his throat. He didn''t take his eyes off Jinde when he sat down.


    "Your robe."


    Xin Lan undid his belt and let go, slowly opening his robe.


    "Aiya, are you really hurt so much that you need so long?" Jinde pushed the fabric off his shoulders and started to rinse the wound. "Mn, it''s a clean stab. With your constitution ¡­" He dried Xin Lan''s skin and took one of the vials, pouring the salve inside onto his hand. "It should be gone completely in two weeks'' time but you should be able to move normally in about three to four hours."


    "Ah."


    Jinde busied himself while Xin Lan''s gaze followed every movement of his.


    "Your husband ¡­" He took a shaky breath and calmed his madly beating heart. Jinde''s hands weren''t far from it. How could he let him feel his heartbeat? "He isn''t here today?"


    "Mn." Jinde placed some herbal leaves on top of the salve. "Say ¡­ that fallen god ¡­ did you find out anything?"


    "Not as much as I hoped to but there is a clue I intend to follow as soon as ¡­" He looked down at the hands still tending to his wound. For a moment, he indulged the idea of reaching up to them, of taking them into his and caressing the soft skin. He closed his eyes and suppressed the urge once again. Even if he held onto these hands, it would just force him to come up with an explanation because there was no way his feelings would be returned or even appreciated.


    Jinde glanced up and smiled when he saw Xin Lan''s eyes closed. Could it be this stoic person would finally relax a little? Mn, that was good then. He had made Xin Lan worry way too much over the years.


    He picked up a bandage and started to dress the wound. His fingers brushed Xin Lan''s skin every so often and he couldn''t help but look at the scars lining his body. A lot of those had been acquired in fights Xin Lan got into for him. He had never asked him to but he also hadn''t dissuaded him enough.


    "Xin Lan ¡­"


    "Mn?" Those eyes cracked open.


    "If Qiu Ling manages to do what he promised and ¡­ Jin Ling will be unable to find me, then ¡­ what do you want to do?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Jinde continued to dress the wound and pondered his following words. He didn''t want to make Xin Lan feel that he had been used and was thrown away now that he wasn''t needed anymore. With his personality, that kind of misunderstanding would be possible. "I mean ¡­ since the day I found you on that road, you stayed by my side. Over the years, you helped me so much. Sometimes I think that ¡­ if it hadn''t been for you, then I wouldn''t even be alive anymore. Even though I always held on for Chun Yin''s sake, one''s will can only support a person so far. If not for your presence, I might not have had the strength to really see it through."


    He sighed and finished with the wound. "You''ve done a lot for me."


    Xin Lan gulped. "I wanted to." He reached out and this time, he really took Jinde''s hand. He knew him too well. After all these years, if he didn''t understand that Jinde wanted to send him away, then he would have wasted his time at Jinde''s side. "It was my own wish. Not just to repay you but because I wanted to. Didn''t we already talk about this when I found out you were still alive? Master. That day ¡­ It was one of the best I had had in a long time. I don''t want to leave. I don''t want you to leave me again."


    Jinde sighed again and clasped Xin Lan''s hand. "It''s not that I want you to go. I enjoy having you by my side. But you''ve lived with me for a long time and you might be missing out on other things. You should ¡­ think a bit more about yourself. Is there nobody you like?"


    Xin Lan''s lips curved up. Somebody he liked ¡­ Wasn''t that person right in front of him? But he couldn''t reach out and pull him into his arms, he couldn''t even say so because ¡­ he already belonged to somebody else.


    Xin Lan glanced at the obvious mark on Jinde''s neck. "I''m afraid ¡­ not everyone can be as lucky as Master in that regard, finding your match that was made in the High Heavens."

 Chapter 623 - Wait a Few Hours

    Jinde gave a laugh. "That''s true. I''m indeed very lucky. Twice, even." He looked out the window and sighed. "I don''t remember much of my family but ¡­ I''m still thankful my mother brought me to the palace back then. Otherwise, I might never have met Chun Yin."


    Xin Lan forced himself to smile but the hand that Jinde wasn''t holding onto clenched into a fist. If he could, he would really love to change time so those two would never meet. Maybe then ¡­ He also sighed. Never mind. Hadn''t the God of Love said that Leng Jin Yu was part of a pair destined to be in the High Heavens? This other part was obviously Jinde so even if he had somehow managed to prevent them to meet back then, he still would have lost to that person.


    "Master is truly very lucky. Now, all you need to do is get rid of Jin Ling."


    Jinde tsked. "How can you say it like that?" He sat down next to Xin Lan and sighed once again. "It''s true though. Right now, the fear that Jin Ling might find out is what is making me worried. Even though I should enjoy my life with Jin Yu, I just can''t calm down. I feel like ¡­ something is going to go wrong soon."


    Xin Lan hesitated and finally patted that pair of hands Jinde had folded in his lap. "Even if something goes wrong, I''ll be there to help you set it right."


    "Mn, I know. You''re always there if I need you. But ¡­ you should truly think about your future. Even though you haven''t met the person you want to spend your life with yet, it won''t be like that forever. So ¡­ you should take better care of yourself and open your eyes wide when you go out. Maybe that person isn''t that far away."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Yes, maybe you''re right. Maybe that person is very close."


    "It''s good that you know. Now, you should lie down for a while. It''ll make your wound heal sooner."


    "The fallen god ¡ª"


    "He can wait a few hours longer." Jinde cupped Xin Lan''s cheeks and smiled. "I know you want to do this as fast as possible because you think that the sooner Qiu Ling gets to know where the Son of Heaven is, he''ll help me. But I''ve already waited for so long. Some more hours won''t hurt. Don''t force yourself."


    Xin Lan kept quiet. Just looking at those golden eyes ¡­ Even if he had to go up against a fallen god, so what? As long as it could bring him happiness ¡­ He wouldn''t mind throwing his life away for this person.


    "Aiya, stop looking at me like this. Didn''t you say you found a clue already?"


    "It''s faint though. Your husband was trapped in a secret realm before returning to the Yun Zou Sect that time. Qiu Ling and I went to find the person able to open it. This time when I tried to find out more about that fallen god to find the place where he stays I saw him carrying a severed head in his arms. The face ¡­ looked very similar to the person we found back then."


    "So it was like that." Jinde got up and paced up and down in front of Xin Lan. "What a coincidence."


    "Your meaning is ¡­?"


    "Qiu Ling took Jin Yu to see exactly that person."


    Xin Lan got up. "Then I''ll follow them. It is best to ask that person right now and ¡ª"


    "Xin Lan." Jinde turned to him and gently pushed him back down. "You''re still hurt. Take some time. This is the mortal world. A few more hours won''t make much of a difference."


    "But ¡­"


    Jinde shook his head. "You lie down and sleep." He moved to help Xin Lan lie down but he evaded him. "What?"


    "That ¡­" Xin Lan glanced at his Master, then at the bed. Even if he did what he wanted ¡­ "Isn''t this your bed?"


    "Mn. What about it? Just lie down already. You''re not helping if you move around so much."


    "But ¡­"


    Jinde tsked and finally grabbed onto his uninjured shoulder. "Do as you''re told." He pushed Xin Lan back and this time, the troublesome person finally listened.


    He lay down comfortably and watched Jinde put his things back into his spatial ring. Ah, his Master ¡­ he really knew how to handle him, didn''t he? Just a few words and he would do whatever his Master wanted.


    Jinde put the last vial into his spatial ring and went over to the bedside, sitting down beside Xin Lan. "Even if you don''t want to leave after this is over, you should still take better care of yourself. Running here and there and getting injured ¡­ that''s not good for you."


    "After this is done ¡­ I''ll find a way to cure your soul."


    "I''m sure you''d like to do that. Why don''t you be like Qiu Ling once and just blackmail someone into doing it for you? I''m sure that troublesome child would love to throw himself into such a task if you gave him a good enough reason."


    "Isn''t he your chosen successor? Why would you make things difficult for him?"


    "Ah, I''m not making things difficult for him. I''m just ¡­ giving him something to do. The crown prince still needs to finish his trial anyway. It''s better if Qiu Ling doesn''t interfere too much. So it wouldn''t be too bad to find a reason for him to do something else."


    "Mn. I''ll think of something."


    "Do so. After you''ve recovered." Jinde smiled and patted his arm. "I''ll leave you alone. Sleep for a while. After that ¡­ you can do what you want."


    "Mn." Xin Lan watched him leave and closed his eyes. Well, if his Master insisted ¡­ then naturally, that was what he would do. Mn, resting for a while wasn''t too bad, actually. He could gain back some strength and then, he''d go and find out more. If he couldn''t be the most important person in his Master''s life, he wanted to be the most useful at least.

 Chapter 624 - A Realm for His Lover

    In the capital of the Long kingdom, Qiu Ling had dragged Leng Jin Yu and Bai Mu to the only establishment he knew beside the teahouse: Zhong Gang''s restaurant. The person in front was still the man that had wanted to keep the Zhongs'' outside when they arrived in the capital and made trouble for Xiao Li. This time he didn''t dare to try the same thing. After all, one of the three men was dressed extravagantly while one of the others could at least be said to be dressed appropriately for the capital city. The third one ¡­ Uh, well, maybe he was the guard of the rich guy?


    The servant wanted to butter up to Qiu Ling but was ignored.


    Qiu Ling strode right inside, Bai Mu behind him. Only Leng Jin Yu took the time to nod at the man and give him a wry smile. Well, even though this son came from his past life, he still couldn''t help but feel embarrassed.


    "Be so kind and get us a room."


    The servant hurriedly nodded and ran to the front, leading the way to the second floor. Once again, he was ignored by the first two people as soon as he opened the door.


    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat. "Please bring us the specialty of the restaurant. Thank you."


    The man nodded and closed the door behind them. He couldn''t but sigh. Since he had almost made the owner''s daughter lose out on a good marriage, Mister Zhong hadn''t trusted him as much anymore. Tending to some important customers and making them say some good words about him could have restored his previous status. How come he was so unlucky that he met such unreasonable people? Well, that guy in the white robe might be worth a try ¡­


    While the servant went off with those ideas swirling in his head, the three men in the room sat down at the table and stared at each other.


    Bai Mu took the teapot and poured himself a cup. He couldn''t help but wonder how the tea Nie Huang brewed would taste but there was no way he could just go over there. It had been too long. Most likely, she didn''t even remember him anymore. No, she would remember him thanks to that guy who looked like him but the good memories they had shared might have faded and now, only bitter resentment would be left. "So ¡­ What was it that you wanted?"


    Qiu Ling wanted to explain but Leng Jin Yu hurried to speak up before him.


    "If I am correct, then it was thanks to you that the Son of Heaven and I could get out of that secret realm tied to the Leyuan region."


    "Mn, that''s true."


    "Thank you for that."


    Bai Mu smiled. "You wouldn''t have come all the way here just for a thanks. So what is it? There is no need to go the roundabout way. I''ve lived too long to care about such things."


    "There is someone that is very important to me. Unfortunately, that person is haunted by things from his past. Especially one person from his past." Leng Jin Yu took the teapot and refilled Bai Mu''s cup. "He doesn''t dare leave the house and I think he isn''t too happy with that. Unfortunately, even hiding in a special realm that was tied to our sect grounds didn''t help. That person still almost found him. So I thought ¡­ maybe you would know a way to erect a realm that can''t be entered by other people?"


    Bai Mu raised his brows. "You mean like that realm in the Leyuan region? I''m afraid I''m unable to do that. Creating a realm isn''t that easy. That one there is the work of my mother and father. And I ¡­" He sighed and picked up the teacup. "I''m not good enough for that. So I''ll have to disappoint you."


    "Not necessarily. Creating the realm isn''t the problem. I have already ascended so I am able to do that. What I need is someone who could help me craft an array that will keep those outside that shouldn''t see that special person."


    "I see." Bai Mu fell silent after that and stared at the cup of tea in his hand. To be honest, he had never attempted anything like this. He knew how his parents'' array worked though. Creating an opposite one that kept outside, instead of trapping inside had to be possible.


    "I know that this won''t be easy. I don''t expect you to promise anything you can''t possibly achieve. Even if you consent, this will likely take time. I''m willing to wait that time. And whatever you want in exchange, I''m willing to do it immediately as a show of good faith. I just ¡­ want him to have more than just that house. I want him to be able to walk under the sky whenever he wants and see more than just walls and maybe a garden. I want him to lead a life as normal as possible even if there will be nobody but us around. That''s still better than hearing other people outside without being able to join them because he has to stay inside."


    "That person is your lover?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "He is. So would you give it a try?"


    Bai Mu looked out of the window. If this was Nie Huang ¡­ he would do the same. Whatever he had to promise, he''d do it for her. "Yes."


    "Then what do I owe you in return?"


    Bai Mu sighed. "There isn''t much that I want. I''d be interested in hearing that story about my father though." He turned to Qiu Ling and smiled. "Would that be possible?"


    "Sure. You can even see him if you want. Should I call him out?"


    "Ah?" Bai Mu froze. What ¡­ had this person just said? He could call his father out? "But ¡­ isn''t he ¡­ dead?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "Not if he didn''t die in the last few days. So should I? Ah, never mind, I''ll just do it." With that, he took out a transmission stone and imbued his spiritual energy.

 Chapter 625 - He Was Very Proud

    Bai Mu stared at the transmission stone intently. Finally, an image appeared. It wasn''t the man he had expected. Instead, it was the face of a beautiful woman who frowned.


    "Qiu Ling, where are you? Have you found out where that fallen god is? Or do you at least know how Jing He is?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head and looked at her pitifully. "No, I have no idea, mother-in-law. I''m also missing him very much. But don''t worry!" He straightened up and broke into a brilliant smile. "I''m already working on it! You know that bastard Xin Lan?"


    Bai Fen''s lips twitched. "You mean Senior Xin Lan."


    "That guy. Anyway, he''s already finding out where that fallen god is. I just ¡­ need to do him a little favor in return."


    "What kind of favor?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "It''s nothing much. Actually, it''s really simple. I just ¡­ could use a little help. Can you get uncle-in-law for me? I need him here in the mortal realm for a while."


    Bai Fen wanted to ask what the matter was but Qiu Ling interrupted her before she could get the first word out.


    "Don''t worry! It''s not dangerous at all. I swear he''ll come back the same way he was before. Well, it could be that he''ll be really happy. You know this is also a great opportunity for him. Did you know that he actually fell in love when he was on one of his trials? He actually had a child with that woman. And now I''ve found his son for him. He just needs to come down and meet him."


    Bai Fen sighed. This child ¡­ He would never learn, would he? "Qiu Ling, that trial has ended thousands of years ago. That''s not important anymore."


    At the other side of the table, Bai Mu frowned and clenched his hands into fists. How could this be unimportant? His mother had always hoped that his father would return one day. That was the reason why she had never tried to ascend even after he had grown up. She had still waited and hoped that her husband would descend and take her with him. She had never believed that he had died. Unfortunately, she had waited all those years for nothing. Now, she was even seen as something ''unimportant'' that was from a time long past. Something that didn''t need to be considered anymore.


    Qiu Ling didn''t understand either. "Ah, what are you saying, mother-in-law? If this was me and Jing He, then I would definitely want to see our child even if it had been hundreds of thousands of years. Time has nothing to do with it."


    "I don''t think you can compare that."


    "But ¡ª"


    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat and stood up, moving behind Qiu Ling so the Heavenly Empress could see him. He cupped his fists and bowed. "Greetings, Your Majesty. If I may be so bold to say a few words?"


    Bai Fen looked at the young man. Wasn''t this the person that had helped her brother keep an eye on Jing He? If so, then it wouldn''t do any harm to listen to what he had to say. "Mn. Go ahead."


    "I do not know the God of War very good so I do not dare to assume whether or not he''d like to see the son he had in one of his trials. I am sure that he would meet him for the sake of his nephew though, regardless of what other thoughts he might have. Since that is the case, I believe that Your Majesty can''t go wrong with informing him. Then Longjun can explain to him and the God of War can decide for himself if he wants to descend and see his son."


    Bai Fen nodded. "That''s also true. Then wait for a while. I''ll go get Qiang Yan and tell him." She looked at Qiu Ling and smiled. Then the connection was cut off.


    Leng Jin Yu sat back down. He didn''t look at Bai Mu. Hearing something like this from his aunt certainly wasn''t nice. He should have some time to di¡ª


    "Eh, don''t worry about this!" Qiu Ling didn''t feel like Bai Mu needed any time and leaned over the table with sparkling eyes. "My uncle will certainly come and take a look and then you can have a nice reunion!"


    Bai Mu didn''t respond. Right now, he didn''t know anymore if he really wanted to meet this father of his. If he was like his sister ¡­ Maybe it was better if his mother didn''t meet him again. After waiting for so long, wouldn''t she be sorely disappointed if she knew that the person she had always longed for, didn''t mind being apart?


    Qiu Ling didn''t notice that the person he was talking to was preoccupied with his own thoughts. He smiled brilliantly, his eyes curving into crescents. "Ah, this is great. Soon, both our families will be whole again." He turned to Leng Jin Yu and grabbed his shoulder. "Thank you for your help earlier, father. I''m really honored that you''re thinking of me this much."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. "I''m not your father though."


    "Of course, you are! Don''t think you can fool me! And the old geezer already knows that you cheated on him with my mother so there''s no reason to pretend."


    Leng Jin Yu poured himself a cup of tea and turned away. "That wasn''t me. That was your father."


    "But you are my father ¡­" Qiu Ling blinked and turned back to Bai Mu. "You didn''t have time to get to know my beloved the last time. Since you''re his ¡­ uh ¡­ cousin? Yes, yes, you''re his cousin. You should visit us after I free Jing He. Actually, why don''t you come to our wedding? Jing He promised to marry me immediately after he comes back. Mn, if you want to, I can help you with ¡­ cousin-in-law? Ah, but that sounds so distant. I can help you with sister-in-law! Whatever happened before I''m sure we can set it right again. She''ll be so happy to have you with her again! I know Jing He would definitely be if I came back after vanishing for so long and ¡ª"


    "Longjun." Leng Jin Yu shot his so-called son a look and shook his head.


    Qiu Ling blinked and finally took a closer look at his cousin-in-law. Oh. It seemed the news that he would soon meet his father had made him worried. Qiu Ling smiled and reached over, patting his shoulder. "Don''t worry about it! Uncle-in-law is really nice. I''m sure he''ll be proud of you! You can take my word for it. My father was also very proud when we reunited after several ten thousand years."

 Chapter 626 - More Than a Decade

    Leng Jin Yu refrained from commenting. Whether he was proud or not of this son from his previous life ¡­ It really was hard to say. Suspecting him of seducing his lover. Almost killing him. Twice. And this ''father and son relationship'' was only ever brought up when he was in trouble or needed a favor. Well, the latter might have been rather typical in a relationship that involved someone as capricious as the dragon king.


    He sighed. Actually, this was something that didn''t even need to be considered. He didn''t remember his previous life and in this life, he wasn''t close enough to Longjun to actually regard him as his son.


    Ah, even thinking of having children ¡­ Although he wouldn''t mind it. Jinde liked children. If they were in the situation from back then with a child that one of them had with somebody else, then he wouldn''t mind raising it. He had lived so long in the mortal realm, he should be able to do this much, shouldn''t he?


    He couldn''t help but glance at Qiu Ling again. This person ¡­ had probably been a handful even when he was young. But maybe that had also been because of how he grew up. If Jinde had had the opportunity to take care of him, things might have turned out differently.


    "What?" Qiu Ling frowned when he saw Leng Jin Yu look at him. "You wouldn''t want to say that you aren''t proud of me, would you?"


    "I ¡­" Leng Jin Yu sighed again. "I was thinking of ¡ª" He stopped himself and glanced around. Who knew if there was someone from the dragon realm around? If Jinde''s name was heard by the wrong people and somehow reached the ears of the demon king, this would turn out badly.


    Ah! Right. Thinking of that person that had been raised by Jinde, he really had to question his previous assumption. Even though that Jin Ling had been raised by Jinde, he had still turned out weird. Mn, it really made him wonder what had happened back then but asking Jinde wouldn''t help. Whenever he brought up Jin Ling he would change the subject after just a few sentences. He obviously didn''t want to talk about him.


    Qiu Ling wasn''t too happy with Leng Jin Yu''s answer but he hadn''t expected anything else. His father had always cared more about the old geezer than him. Why did he expect anything different now?


    He harrumphed and turned back to Bai Mu. "Eh, why don''t we talk about your other problem now? Even if mother-in-law knows where her brother is, she''ll still need a few minutes to get there if he hasn''t walked into her palace right when she cut the connection. And since the time runs differently ¡­"


    Bai Mu nodded. He might never have been there but he also knew that there were differences between the realms. After all, his maternal grandmother had been part god. She had passed down some knowledge.


    "So what''s the problem with cousin-in-law?" Qiu Ling propped his chin up on his hands and looked at Bai Mu with sparkling eyes. "She has probably waited for you all this time. Why didn''t you go see her immediately after we freed you? Don''t you want to see her?"


    Bai Mu sighed. So that was the problem he had mentioned. He hadn''t really wanted to talk about it but since they didn''t have anything else to do he might as well. After all, there was nothing else he had to do. Returning to that spot from where he could see Nie Huang was depressing as well. "Is it that hard to imagine? I don''t know how long I was imprisoned exactly but looking at her, it was about a decade or maybe a little longer. Returning now might be worse than never returning."


    "Ah? But won''t she miss you if you don''t?"


    "Maybe she will." Bai Mu frowned. "Actually, I''m surprised she isn''t married yet. Her family didn''t like me very much. I thought they would have forced her by now."


    "Mn. But since they haven''t and she still isn''t married doesn''t this mean she''s still waiting?"


    "Maybe she is."


    "Then why don''t you go?"


    Bai Mu looked at the person opposite him. He really seemed just curious. And, well, he had saved him. "You also know I was imprisoned in the Chun Feng Sect. Part of my blood is demonic and to them, one part means you are a demon even though the demons wouldn''t acknowledge you as one of them. Back then they defeated me and took me with them. Nie Huang saw but that also means that they know about our relationship. If I go back and they search for me, wouldn''t they look here first? In the worst case, I''ll be killed this time or maybe they''ll be gracious and just imprison me again. In any case, she''d lose me a second time and this time it would likely be forever. Can I do that to her?"


    "Mn, but you don''t know if that will happen."


    "I don''t know but even if not ¡­ we might always live in fear that it could. That is the problem with being part demon. It won''t go away."


    "Oh."


    "Other than that ¡­" Bai Mu looked out of the window and at the people walking down below. Who knows what it is with this capital? But the woman who heads the teahouse has a niece that seems to have married a while ago. I saw her husband once since I came to look for Nie Huang and ¡­ he''s a demon. He will likely implicate me and it will bring trouble to Nie Huang and to that girl if people figure out what we are. So I feel that maybe ¡­ not going back will be better." He narrowed his eyes, thinking back to the person.


    All of what he said was true but he had left out what made him even more worried: This person was probably closer to him than he would have liked. There was no way they could avoid suspicion if he returned now. Unfortunately, that also meant that Nie Huang would have to see someone who looked similar to him every now and then while she could only accept that her own fiance might never return. It truly was too bad.

 Chapter 627 - Finally His

    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, Xin Lan found Jinde standing in the doorway. "Master ¡­" He wanted to get up but Jinde shook his head.


    He walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. "How are you?"


    Xin Lan nodded. "Better. How long did I sleep?"


    "Just a while." Jinde smiled and Xin Lan couldn''t help and smile back.


    His Master ¡­ truly was too beautiful. The afternoon sun was shining through the window, making his hair gleam as if it gave off light on his own. He really ¡­ wanted to reach out and bury his fingers in Jinde''s hair. Maybe his gaze had been too intense but Jinde smiled and leaned forward, shortening the distance between them.


    "Let me take a look at the injury." He reached out and his fingers curled around the edge of Xin Lan''s belt, opening it slowly.


    Xin Lan took a deep breath and gulped. Just why ¡­ was his Master this close today? This was too tempting. If he stayed like this, he didn''t know if he could hold back.


    Jinde pushed the robe out of the way and his fingers brushed across Xin Lan''s skin, making him shudder.


    "How ¡­ is it? Can I go now?"


    Jinde slowly took off the bandage and smiled. "You already want to go? Did I really lose my charm?"


    "That ¡­" Xin Lan closed his eyes and took another breath. "Master ¡­ you''re very beautiful. It''s just ¡­ my task ¡­"


    "Why would you think about that now?" Jinde let the bandage fall to the ground and his fingertips brushed the rim of the wound. "Don''t you want to spend some more time with me? You know taking some rest for your body and then letting your mind rest a bit, that''s all very important." He leaned even further down, his breath brushing Xin Lan''s chest and then his lips touched the skin below the injury.


    Xin Lan''s eyes flew open and widened. His heart leaped, his hands shot up and grabbed onto Jinde''s shoulders before his thoughts finally caught up to him. "Ah ¡­" He let go and wanted to take his hands back before his Master could notice what was wrong with him.


    Jinde didn''t seem to notice but he himself was also strange. He didn''t shy away. Instead, he lay down, his hair fanning out around him, part of it hugging his shoulder and spreading over the bed while the rest flowed down onto the ground. Inside that golden veil, his right hand rubbed Xin Lan''s abdomen, his nails scratching his skin.


    Xin Lan exhaled. "Master ¡­"


    "Still calling me that?" Jinde reached up and extended his claws, scratching Xin Lan''s chest this time. A drop of blood trickled down. Jinde smiled and his tongue flicked out, brushing against Xin Lan''s skin and taking the blood with it.


    "Master ¡­" Xin Lan gulped. "You ¡­ What about your ¡­ husband?"


    Jinde paused but finally smiled. "Why should we be limited by that curse? It''s not me who bound his soul. So let''s not think about it. Isn''t there something you''d rather do than worry?"


    Xin Lan sighed. Was this really what he thought it was? He smiled and reached out. For the first time since he met Jinde, he acted on his desire and his fingers slid into Jinde''s hair, wrapping around the golden strands he had always longed to touch this way. Xin Lan took a deep breath and grabbed Jinde''s shoulder with the other hand, pulling him up on his body and pressing his lips onto Jinde''s.


    The flowery scent tickled his senses and he turned them around, trapping Jinde below him. "Mn ¡­" He took a deep breath, taking as much of his scent in as he could. "I ¡­ waited for this a very long time."


    Jinde still smiled his usual smile. "There''s no need to wait any longer. Do what you want." He cupped his bare cheek while his other hand brushed his chest, tracing the faint line his claws had left before.


    Xin Lan nodded and their lips met once again. Yes, he wouldn''t wait. He wouldn''t hold back. Since he was offered what he desired, he would take all of it. He opened Jinde''s belt, grabbed the lapel off his robe and wrested it from his shoulders.


    This was actually the white robe he had worn the day when he saw his reincarnated husband again. The one that made his eyes and hair shine even brighter. Ah, back then, he had been the one to help Jinde put it on so that another man could take it off later on. Now, he was finally the one who had that pleasure.


    He hummed and moved to also remove the inner robe. The fine fabric ripped in the process but he didn''t care. He threw his own clothes off and pressed Jinde down. For a moment, he remained in that position and just looked at him. He cupped his face, followed the line of his neck and his chest down to the black scars crisscrossing his abdomen. This person ¡­ was finally his.


    Xin Lan smiled and hugged Jinde''s waist. "I promise you will like it."


    Jinde didn''t answer but he didn''t try to stop him when Xin Lan slid between his legs. Xin Lan gulped and pushed forward, finally entering the person of his dreams. He groaned, his eyes falling shut on their own and his body shuddering in ecstasy.


    "Ah."


    A sound from the door woke him from his reverie. His eyes flew open and he sat up abruptly. He saw something blue flash from the corner of his eye but when he looked over, nothing was there. He frowned and clenched his fists, falling down back onto the bed.


    Naturally ¡­ naturally, all of this had never happened. How could he have entertained the idea that Jinde would be attracted to him that way? Even in a dream, this was too much. He furrowed his brows and his gaze slipped to the door. A sound and something blue ¡­ It couldn''t be that his Master had already come by, could it? If so, then had he seen anything?


    Xin Lan listened but couldn''t pick up on anything. Mn, maybe he had still been trapped in his dreams and imagined this. But just because Jinde had not come to check on him for now, it didn''t mean that he wouldn''t do so later. Until then, he had to calm down. He definitely couldn''t let his Master see him like this or the trust they had established over the years might crumble.


    Xin Lan exhaled and reached down. When he closed his eyes he once again saw the beautiful person from his dreams.

 Chapter 628 - A Beautiful Dream

    In the corridor outside the room, Jinde leaned against the wall and touched his forehead. Ah, that was something he shouldn''t have seen. Thankfully, he had left before Xin Lan noticed him. If he did ¡­ they might not be able to go on like before. Wouldn''t that be a pity?


    He leaned his head against the wall and stared at the ceiling. What were the chances that Xin Lan hadn''t thought of him? That was his bed, after all. His scent was everywhere. Ah, maybe this wasn''t too strange. Xin Lan had been alone for a long time and he had never denied that he found him attractive. So maybe this was nothing more than that. A lonely man and the thought of a beauty. Yes, most likely, there was nothing more to it than that.


    Jinde closed his eyes and held back a curse. All these years he had depended on Xin Lan. There were even things he had only shared with nobody but him. If this kind of thing got between them, he wasn''t sure how he would take it.


    How had this suddenly happened? Hadn''t everything been alright before? There had never been anything between them other than trust and gratitude, a friendship that had slowly formed with the passing of time. And he had always believed that Xin Lan was alright with that. After all, he had known from the very beginning what his stance regarding this was.


    Jinde turned his head and stared at the door that still stood open. He couldn''t help but think back to the time when they had just met. Back then it hadn''t been long since he became king and it had been even less time since Chun Yin rejected him and made clear that he couldn''t have both the throne and the man he loved. His heart had been heavy and he had thrown himself into everything that needed to be done in the realm and everything else he could do just so he wouldn''t have to think of the future.


    Xin Lan ¡­ had originally been one of those things. Someone he picked up on the roadside and dragged back home to put his skills with medicine that he had learned for Chun Yin''s sake to good use. Stitching him back together, healing every scratch and stab on his body and easing his pain ¡­ for a long while, that had been what he spent his time with.


    And Xin Lan finally woke up ¡­ Who knew what had gotten into him not to tell him who he was? Who knew what had possessed Xin Lan not to divulge his own identity? One who had given his heart away forever but had it broken and didn''t think it could be mended. One who didn''t like his heart since it could be taken back at any moment unlike everyone else''s. Maybe that was what had made them circle each other round for round until it got too serious to continue.


    Even now, he felt like he could still feel Xin Lan''s breath brushing his cheek and his hand holding onto his wrist when he closed his eyes and thought back. His heart would still thump in excitement and guilt.


    "I ¡­ There''s someone I like," was what he said.


    "Like?" was the answer that he got and he had nodded in shame.


    Why had he pretended for that long? Because it felt good. For once, he wasn''t the one to chase after someone''s back. For once, he wasn''t left behind in the rain. For once, there was someone that looked at him with fiery eyes, making him feel that ¡­ he was beautiful. Desirable. Coveted. He had thrived in that feeling, reveled. And yes, for a while, he had led Xin Lan on like that. And only then had regret washed over him.


    His throat hurt when he gulped and he nodded again, his cheeks burning. "Yes."


    "Just like? Or do you love him?"


    "I ¡­ I love him. It''s just ¡­ he''s not my partner." In other words: He doesn''t love me back.


    "I wouldn''t mind." Xin Lan had still leaned closer but Jinde had pushed him away and shaken his head.


    "But I would."


    "That''s a pity." Xin Lan said so but he had straightened up at once and even though there was a hint of regret, he never brought it up again and it seemed that he had accepted it.


    Even when he saw him pine for the person that didn''t seem to reciprocate his feelings, even when he once again fell into that pit called love, Xin Lan had stood by and only helped him gather the pieces of his shattered heart the next morning. After those few weeks, there had never been any tension between them again. Not even when he made that unholy deal with Jian Heng.


    Xin Lan had always just supported him quietly. Without demanding something, without blaming him for the things he had done in the beginning, without taking a single wrong step. If Chun Yin had been the flame that drew him toward it until he got burned, then Xin Lan was the pillar that he could hold onto for strength when his battered body threatened to give out.


    He wouldn''t lose him because of some assumption. Even if it was true ¡­ Who could say if things would stay this way? Maybe meeting Chun Yin''s reincarnation had brought back memories and made him consider things for a bit. In a week or two things might look different. After all, rumor had it that Xin Lan hadn''t shied away from seeking sensual pleasure. But as easily as he was attracted to someone was also as fast as he lost interest in them. With a bit of time to cool his head and a few beauties crossing his way, this problem might resolve itself.


    Jinde took a deep breath and turned around, quietly returning to the room and leaning in the doorway. Nothing could be seen of Xin Lan''s arousal and when he looked up, his gaze was calm and unperturbed.


    Ah, maybe he had been thinking too much after all. Maybe he had just had a beautiful dream that had nothing to do with where he was.

 Chapter 629 - He Brought You Back

    "Master ¡­" Xin Lan interrupted himself when he noticed that this was exactly how he had greeted him in his dream. His gaze flickered and he purposefully stayed down. If he really tried to get up, his Master wouldn''t let him anyway.


    Jinde nodded and came over, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "How are you?"


    Xin Lan nodded with a bad feeling. "Better ¡­"


    Jinde couldn''t help but smile. Xin Lan was probably worrying whether he had been here before and seen his arousal. Most likely, it would be even more embarrassing for Xin Lan to be seen that way than it had been for him to see it. If he wasn''t afraid what it might entail, he would have made fun of him. Now, he could only pretend not to know what this was about and direct the attention elsewhere. "Don''t worry. You only slept for a while. Should I take a look at your injury to see if it''s safe to go?"


    Xin Lan sighed. "No need. I can already feel that I''m better. After being in your care, there wouldn''t be any problems."


    "Alright. But don''t force yourself, yes?"


    "I wouldn''t." Xin Lan finally sat up and turned to the side. He stared off into space for a moment. Fate truly was a strange thing. Meeting his Master back then when he had been on the verge of dying, following him all those years and even considering to take his own life after his Master had supposedly died ¡­ And now they had reunited. Things were almost like in the past. His Master waited for his lover to return while he hurried around to do whatever for him.


    "Xin Lan?" Jinde reached out and gently tapped his arm. "Are you really alright?"


    "Mn. I ¡­ couldn''t help but think of the past."


    "Ah." Jinde nodded. So it was that. He had just ¡­ dreamed of the past. It had to be that. "That''s also good, isn''t it? Without that past, we wouldn''t be where we are today. It made us into the people we are."


    "Don''t you wish sometimes that things could have been different? Maybe things could have worked out between you and that man. Maybe ¡­ Maybe I didn''t do enough for you back then. Had I taken care of Jian Heng ¡­"


    Jinde shook his head. "I didn''t know his plan. You didn''t know either. Nobody but Jian Heng knew. That was why ¡­ there was no way to stop him. The only thing you might have been able to stop was that ¡­ bargain we made. But then again, you did advise me not to believe in him."


    "You weren''t in your right mind at that time. It hadn''t been that long since that man left you and ¡­ that child ¡­"


    "Still. A demon child isn''t anything to take lightly. I should have known. But I ¡­ I''d rather believe in the beautiful lies he told me than in the truth the person I trusted most told me. That truly was the gravest mistake I ever committed."


    "I thought so too. But I don''t anymore."


    Jinde raised his brows. "What do you mean? You were always against this. Wasn''t that why you disliked Jin Ling?"


    Xin Lan snorted. "There''s so much to dislike about him. I don''t need to hold his father''s decisions against him."


    "Then ¡­"


    "Even if I don''t like to admit it, you needed him. I already said that you weren''t in your right mind. And honestly, I don''t know if you would have been able to turn back. A dragon losing their other half is bitter ¡­ I heard."


    Jinde smiled. Yes, losing your other half was bitter. Even now that he had Leng Jin Yu, he couldn''t help but think of his days with Chun Yin every now and then. The love he had found had never vanished and even after Chun Yin''s reincarnation, it stayed with him and accompanied him every day. However happy he was right now, he would never be able to forget the pain that losing him had caused.


    "You were half-mad back then and only one step away from losing yourself completely. Jian Heng knew and he took advantage of that. And while I hated him for it and couldn''t understand why you would accept his proposal, I was still happy that you did in the end. Because when you looked at that child you seemed a lot better. You could finally smile again and even though there was still that pain in your gaze, it lessened with every day."


    "That''s true. Jin Ling ¡­ he was ¡­" He sighed. "Let''s not talk about that anymore. I exiled him and I can never see him again. What use is there being glad that he brought my happiness back for a short while?"


    Xin Lan nodded and turned to the door. "At the very least, that was also something that made you hold on until now. If not because of him, you might not even be alive anymore. Then what about your husband?"


    "Mn. That''s true."


    "I should go now. I''ll find out about that fallen god and get that brat his lover back. Then we''ll find a way to treat your soul."


    "Alright." Jinde nodded and watched Xin Lan leave with a smile. Mn, those plans sounded quite nice. He was only afraid that things would go wrong somewhere. Right now, every step they took could either set things right or take them one step closer to the abyss. He didn''t know why he felt so. Jian Heng was already dead. Even if he hid from Jin Ling, he didn''t believe for even a moment that Jin Ling would do anything to him if he found him by some stroke of luck. No, with how Jin Ling was, he would demand the impossible but he wouldn''t hurt him. In fact, he would treasure him just as much as Leng Jin Yu treasured him.


    "Ah, that child ¡­" Jinde shook his head. "Can''t you fall in love normally like everyone else? Why does it have to be me? Just find someone nice you can love for the rest of your life. Maybe then ¡­ I''d let you come back home."

 Chapter 630 - The Time Is Long Past

    In Zhong Gang''s restaurant, Qiu Ling had propped his head up on his hands and stared at Bai Mu with pursed lips. This was such a sad story! He fell in love with a woman but then he was imprisoned because of who some ancestor was and even now that he had been freed, he still couldn''t be with her! Ah, so sad ¡­


    If this was him and Jing He, then he would be desperate! Distraught! It would be a disaster! Ah, without his beloved, he was nothing. He needed Jing He like others needed the air to breathe. How fishes needed water to swim and ¡­ Qiu Ling blinked.


    Anyway! "We should do something."


    Leng Jin Yu put down the teapot and glanced at him. Bai Mu didn''t even look up.


    Hmph. Qiu Ling raised his chin. Those two might not think much of him but he wasn''t the dragon king for nothing! The old geezer wouldn''t have left his throne to him if he wasn''t sure that he could handle it. He definitely had the qualifications. Solving this small problem for his cousin-in-law was a simple matter!


    "Since you can''t be together with her here you should go somewhere else with her."


    Bai Mu sighed. "It''s not that easy. The Chun Feng Sect has a lot of disciples and they''re not just on the sect grounds. A lot of them roam the land. If we ever met them ¡­" He shook his head. "And now that I escaped, they will have given my portrait to all of them. As soon as one of them sees me, it''ll be over. And who knows if Nie Huang wouldn''t be implicated if she''s with me at that time? My strength hasn''t be restored completely. I can''t be sure that I''ll be able to protect her. If she was to die because she was involved with me ¡­ I couldn''t forgive myself. That wouldn''t be love. That would be selfishness."


    "So you''ll live on without her?"


    Bai Mu looked out of the window. "What else can I do? In fact, I shouldn''t even be here anymore. I should ¡­ go back to my mother''s realm and let Nie Huang live her life."


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "How could you do that! She had to wait for you for so long. You should take responsibility and find a way to spend the rest of your life with her."


    "Didn''t you listen just now? It''s not that easy."


    "But ¡­ there''s not just the human realm!"


    "So you want me to take her to the demon realm?" Bai Mu snorted. "That''s even worse. The demon realm is a lawless place. There is only one rule that everyone follows: If you''re weak, then you have no right to complain. I would need to stay at her side every second to make sure nothing will happen. How could that work? She''s human. She''ll need to eat and be kept warm. How will I take care of that while protecting her at the same time?"


    "At the fringe ¡ª"


    "Is where the Chun Feng Sect disciples go train. Along with a lot of other ''righteous'' sects. We would be hunted down in no time. There is ¡­ simply no way for us." He shook his head. "Actually, even if there was, it wouldn''t be for long. Nie Huang is human, mortal. Sooner or later she will die while I ¡­ will continue to live on if I don''t decide to follow her. Our time together would have ended anyway. I never wanted it to be this soon but ¡­ Maybe that''ll make it easier for her. Maybe she will forget me and marry, have children ¡­"


    "She should marry you. And have your children."


    Bai Mu turned to look at Leng Jin Yu. He didn''t say anything but it was obvious that he wanted help.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "Longjun ¡ª"


    "No! You stop it! You''re the last person that can say anything about this. Didn''t the old geezer also wait for you? If you had known that he was there in the Yun Zou Sect, waiting every day, every month, every year, a hundred years after a hundred years ¡­ would you really have walked away? I bet you wouldn''t. No, you would have searched for a way to be with him. I know you would. Because I would do the same."


    Leng Jin Yu lowered his head. Yes, he was right. Ever since remembering that courtyard, he had searched his mind for more information. He had longed to see Jinde and that even before he ever met him just based on the faint imprint left on his soul from his past life. If they had seen each other before ¡­ would he really be able to put it down? No. And Jinde wouldn''t have been able to either. This Nie Huang ¡­ had to be the same.


    Qiu Ling turned back to Bai Mu. "What about the Nine Heavens?"


    Bai Mu shook his head. "We would need to ascend for that. It''s impossible."


    "Why? Didn''t you cultivate before?"


    "I did and considering my heritage I would be able to do so. But Nie Huang won''t."


    "But she can try!"


    "She doesn''t have spirit veins."


    "Aren''t there pills for that kind of thing?" Qiu Ling got up from his chair and patted his chest. "I know, I know. I got the ingredients for one of them for my own beloved. I know where to find them. I can go and do it again. Since you''re my cousin-in-law I''ll do it. I won''t even ask anything in return."


    Bai Mu shook his head. "Even if she had spirit veins, she is already too old. It''s harder to cultivate at an older age even if you have heavenly spirit veins. And she would need to reach the third stage before she would stop aging. I''m afraid ¡­ she would already be long dead by then."


    "Ah? But my beloved barely needed ten years!"


    "Then he''s a prodigy that is seldom seen in the mortal world. Longjun, thank you very much. It''s moving to see someone try so hard but ¡­ the time for Nie Huang and me ¡­ is long past. No matter how much I or she wish for it, nothing will change about that."

 Chapter 631 - Why Hadn’t He Thought of That Sooner?

    Qiu Ling deflated. Unfortunately, everything he brought up was rejected right away. Was this guy even giving him a chance?! He harrumphed but still continued to ponder. This was his cousin-in-law, the prized son of Jing He''s one and only uncle. He couldn''t let him be unhappy! Jing He''s family was his family. And naturally, he would take good care of his family.


    He pursed his lips. He did understand that they couldn''t stay in the human realm and that the demon realm was too dangerous. But what was the problem with the Nine Heavens? There should be some way around ascending. After all, Bai Mu''s father was the God of War! Couldn''t he just allow them?


    Qiu Ling glanced at Leng Jin Yu but his father wasn''t helpful. Hmph. Why had he even brought him? Anyway, the Nine Heavens till seemed like the best bet. After all, those cultivators wouldn''t be able to find them there and the gods wouldn''t make trouble for them if they knew that Bai Mu was the God of War''s son. Well, all that would only work if the two of them could indeed enter and stay there without ascend¡ª


    Eh? Qiu Ling eyes widened and he slapped the table. "Why didn''t I think of that sooner?! You can just come to the dragon realm! You don''t need to ascend for that and the dragons won''t harm you either. Honestly, they won''t even be able to tell whether you''re demon or dragon." After all, wasn''t this how he had managed to slip by all these years? He had much more demon blood in him than Bai Mu and he was even the dragon king!


    Bai Mu looked at him and this time there was nothing he brought up against it. Instead, a faint trace of hope flickered in his eyes. The dragon realm? He had never thought of going there but, yes, that might be an idea. Just like the demon realm, it could be entered by everyone without the need to ascend and as far as he knew, the dragons weren''t as hostile as the demons. They might indeed be able to carve out a living for themselves there.


    He finally nodded. "Yes, that could work."


    "Mn!" Qiu Ling broke out into a smile. "See? I told you I''d find a way!"


    Next to him, Leng Jin Yu put down the teacup. "There is something else."


    "Ah? Don''t tell me this doesn''t work either?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "Not that. I''ve never been to the dragon realm before but if it doesn''t differ too much from the Nine Heavens and the demon realm ¡ª"


    "We can''t be compared with those guys! They''re much worse! And much uglier!"


    "Yes, but their realm is filled with spiritual energy just like the Nine Heavens. The dragon realm shouldn''t be different in that regard, should it?"


    "Uh ¡­ that''s right." Well, it seemed there was indeed that one thing they had in common.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Other than the natural talent that is higher in the immortal races compared to humans, this is another reason why someone who grew up there would have a very high cultivation base. What I''m saying is: If we indeed collected the materials for a pill that can carve out spirit veins in Miss Nie''s body, then she might have the chance to reach the third stage before her death if she settles down in the dragon realm and concentrates on nothing else. Maybe those ten years the Son of Heaven''s reincarnation needed might be enough so she wouldn''t be that old either."


    Bai Mu nodded. "That''s true. And I could teach her about cultivation ¡­ With my help ¡­" He nodded again. This could work!


    Bai Mu got up and bowed. "Thank you, Longjun. Thank you, Grandmaster Leng. I should go and see Nie Huang then. The sooner we depart the better." He wanted to leave but Leng Jin Yu raised his hand.


    "Don''t be too hasty. You''ll need to explain to Miss Nie properly and Longjun has to inform someone to find a place for you to stay. If she is supposed to focus on cultivation, she can''t be disturbed at all."


    "Mn, that''s true."


    "Then I''ll contact Xiang Yong and tell him to arrange things. And then I can go and search for the ingredients."


    "Contact him, yes but I''m afraid gathering the ingredients won''t be as easy."


    "Why? I already did once. It shouldn''t be hard to do so again."


    "Yes but the Amethyst Lightning Pill you gave your lover is used to change spirit veins, not to create them out of nothing. You''ll need something else for that."


    "Then ¡­ does Grandmaster Leng know what kind of pill that would be?"


    "I don''t but my lover should. How about this? I''ll go and speak to him. Meanwhile, Longjun can contact that Xiang Yong. After that, he can go to the teahouse and ask Miss Nie over. Considering that we don''t know if someone from the Chun Feng Sect is in the capital, it''s better not to risk anything. We wouldn''t want things to go awry now that we figured out a way for you to be together." He smiled at Bai Mu and got up. "Explain to her in detail. She will have to leave her family and friends behind if she wants to be with you. There''s also no guarantee that she will gain immortality and even if she does, she might be old by then while you ¡­" He tightened his lips but didn''t speak further. This was something only the two of them could decide. Anyway, asking Jinde wouldn''t cost anything. It would be another thing altogether when the pill had to be refined. That was also something he should discuss with him.


    Bai Mu bowed again. "Thank you, Grandmaster Leng."


    "There''s no need to thank me. You agreed to help me and my lover. It''s only natural that I''m doing this bit when it could allow you and your lover to stay together. Grandmaster Bai." He also bowed, nodded at Qiu Ling and left the teahouse. Now, he had to hurry over to Jinde. It wasn''t like every second in the mortal world would count but it was still better not to waste time. Who knew what else would happen, after all?


    Just when he left the street with the restaurant he came face to face with a familiar person. Seeing that mask his brows unwittingly twitched. Ah, it seemed the sentiments from his past life had truly carried over.

 Chapter 632 - A Present for a Friend

    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Did you come to talk to Longjun?"


    "I came to find that Bai Mu who saved you from the secret realm."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. How come Xin Lan was also looking for Bai Mu? "He is in the restaurant down the road. Longjun is also there but he should leave soon."


    "Meaning I should hurry up because you''re worried I would do something unforgivable?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked up at the sky. Ah, the resentment from his previous life ¡­ it seemed it hadn''t carried on only on his side. He turned back to Xin Lan and forced himself to smile. "Not that. But Bai Mu is being pursued by the Chun Feng Sect. He is very careful."


    "I freed him together with Qiu Ling so that shouldn''t be a problem."


    "Ah. Right." Leng Jin Yu rubbed his forehead. "I''m sorry. It''s been a while and that was the first time we saw each other so ¡­ I didn''t think of it."


    "Hmph." Xin Lan wanted to pass by him but finally stopped. What was he getting angry for? It wouldn''t change anything. In the worst case, he might alienate his Master. That couldn''t happen!


    Xin Lan cleared his throat and turned back to him. "It''s alright. I ¡­ just found a clue and think he might be connected."


    "Ah. I see. Then ¡­ I hope you''re right with that." He parted his lips, considering whether or not he should tell Xin Lan what had happened before. He didn''t like him but in the end, they both wanted Jinde to be safe and happy.


    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat. "Actually, Qiu Ling''s plan has to do with Bai Mu. We came here to ask him."


    "Mn."


    "So ¡­ whether or not you succeed with that clue, Jinde has a good chance to escape his situation. It would still be very nice of you to continue to help Longjun."


    "I promised so I will do it."


    "That''s good."


    "You ¡­ You have to take good care of him."


    Mn? Leng Jin Yu inclined his head. Obviously, this had nothing to do with Bai Mu anymore. "I ¡­ will do that. He is the most important person in my life after all. But ¡­ you''re also important to him. So don''t be reckless. He would be sad if anything happened to you."


    Xin Lan didn''t respond. He just turned away and toward the entrance of the restaurant.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed, shook his head and left the capital to return to Jinde''s side. This guy ¡­ His past self might have been unjustly jealous considering that Jinde had only ever had eyes for him but at least he had been right that Xin Lan obviously felt more for Jinde than he was able to return. Well, that was long past. He didn''t have to care about that anymore.


    He hurried back to the Yun Zou Sect but before he could land he noticed a person in a white robe standing not far from the house. Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows and turned around, landing a few feet away from him. "Grandmaster Zhangsun."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked at the person that greeted him with a complicated expression. In the end, he clasped his hands and bowed his head.


    Leng Jin Yu was taken aback. "This ¡­ Grandmaster Zhangsun, what happened?"


    "There is something I''d like to know."


    "Alright?" That didn''t explain why he was behaving so strangely. "Then would you like to come in?" He motioned at the house where Jinde was waiting but Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head.


    "I''m not sure if you would be able to answer honestly in front of somebody else, so let''s stay here if it is alright with you."


    "I ¡­ I would naturally do as the Grandmaster requests. There is no need to be polite." Especially not like this.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi turned to look at the house. "A while back I visited together with the Sect Master."


    He paused, making Leng Jin Yu nod his head. "I remember.


    "That day you offered us teacups that were your private possession because the ones from the sect were with that person. You said they were a present from a friend of yours."


    Leng Jin Yu''s expression tensed. Ah. It seemed he hadn''t been careful enough. Somehow, Zhangsun Xun Yi must have figured him out. For a moment, he considered to play dumb but he let go of that notion just as fast. Zhangsun Xun Yi wasn''t an idiot. He had lived a long life and seen a lot. He wouldn''t have approached him if he wasn''t sure about his guess. It seemed the time to lay everything out in the open had come. "Grandmaster Zhangsun wants to say?"


    "I saw those teacups once before. Back then I was still a young cultivator. In fact, I had only attained the second stage and becoming the Yun Zou Sect''s Grandmaster one day wasn''t even a daring dream. I would never have thought of it. Back then, I had a friend that I used to visit often. Today, he is known as Alliance Head Hua from the Liu He Alliance but back then he was also just a nameless cultivator."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked up at the sky. "We couldn''t even be called prodigies but our Masters doted very much on us so we were lucky to receive a good treatment that someday enabled us to go farther than even those with better talent might have had the chance. But even outside cultivation, our Masters were very amicable.


    "I remember one day when Hua Min''s Master came back to the sect with a bright smile. He had just come back from his travels and had furthered his cultivation. Surprisingly, it wasn''t this breakthrough that had made him that happy. Rather he had found a present for a good friend."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi smiled. "We were naive back then and young. We couldn''t imagine how a simple present could be worth more to him than a breakthrough. We asked him to show us that present and he did. Needless to say, I was quite surprised to see that the same tea set he showed us back then was in your hands. But then again it''s not much of a wonder. That friendship must have run deep, so naturally, you would have held onto that present, Grandmaster Leng."

 Chapter 633 - Oblivious to the Fate of the Worlds

    Leng Jin Yu only smiled. "So you''ve known since then. I thought it was strange how you looked at the teacup."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "I had my doubts. Although I do have to say that I never suspected anything until that day. It''s just that ¡­ that tea set was much too distinct and the memory too clear to miss this. I wrote a message to the Liu He Alliance afterward, asking whether there was still one of those paintings around."


    "Ah." Leng Jin Yu nodded. "That''s right. He loved to paint. And as strange as I thought it was, he always loved to paint me. I guess he kept them."


    "Mn, and since Hua Min knew how much his Master was attached to those paintings he kept him after his death. I feel honored that he would let a disciple bring one of them over here."


    "He probably knew that you wouldn''t ask for one if it wasn''t important. Since we''ve established how this conversation came about why don''t you tell me what it is you wanted to ask?"


    "That person ¡­ does he know?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "We''re married. Naturally, he knows."


    "Then ¡­ your ¡ª" He stopped himself and shook his head. "Sect Master Yuchi, does he know?"


    "No."


    "Do you intend to tell him?"


    "No, I don''t. And ¡­ I''d appreciate it if you didn''t either."


    "So your goal for coming here ¡­"


    "It''s not the sect. It wasn''t, originally. It''s just that ¡­ things happened." He turned away and walked to the edge of the path, reaching up to the lowest branch hanging from the fringe tree. He rubbed the leave and sighed. "Your disciple ¡­ You know who he is, don''t you?"


    "Mn. He is of the dragon race."


    "He isn''t just any dragon though. He is ¡­ the dragon king. And the person he fell in love with is none other than the Son of Heaven, the Nine Heavens'' crown prince." He turned back to Zhang Xun Yi and smiled. "You can imagine what it means for such a person to descend to the mortal realm. That kind of trial, it''s necessary but dangerous. So after some things happened that put the Heavenly Emperor ill at ease, I was sent to look over him since I would know better about the mortal world than a trueborn god."


    Leng Jin Yu retracted his hand and the two of them fell silent.


    "I didn''t think much of it. Being called Leng Jin Yu or Yu Jin ¡­ What does it matter? Pretending to cultivate under a Master ¡­" He shook his head. "I wouldn''t have thought things would turn out this way. I just thought that showing a bit of talent would allow me a position in the sect that would make certain things easier. I never intended to be treated this well by the Sect Master and I certainly wouldn''t have thought about inheriting his position. Now that it''s come to this there isn''t much I can do anyway. I could reject the offer but the Yun Zou Sect has lost a lot. If I leave, then it''s likely that the sect will face its demise."


    "There is still the Sect Master and me."


    "Mn. But you have remained here for so long. Don''t you want to ascend and see for yourself what the Nine Heavens are like? And to be honest, I doubt the Yun Zou Sect can rely on just one person''s strength forever. What the sect needs are young talents. People that will ¡­ grow in this sect and become its new pillars of strength. Otherwise, there is no future ahead."


    "Yuchi Bing Xia knows that. That was the reason why he was so happy to have found you."


    "Yes, and because of his sincerity, I have decided to stay. I will help him with my strength to turn the sect into the one he imagines. It''s just that ¡­ there are some things that need to be done."


    "If there is something I can help with ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "There are many things that remained unresolved. Not here in the Yun Zou Sect but outside. I''m afraid there isn''t much you could do. If you ¡­ could lend a helping hand to the Sect Master in the time I am still occupied with other things, I would appreciate it though."


    "Naturally. Then ¡­ what are your plans now?"


    "Jinde is still hurt and there is somebody searching for him that can''t be allowed to find him. We''re working on that. Other than that, we need to find a way to strengthen the Yun Zou Sect."


    "That is easier said than done."


    "If we remain as we were before, yes. But maybe it''s time to go new ways. Maybe ¡­ we just need to be more daring."


    "Grandmaster Leng has an idea?"


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu nodded. "There is one thing I have learned while I cultivated myself and in my time since I became an ascended deity. There are things holding each of us back and the potential lying in someone often can''t be seen. If that is so, then why do we rely on these old hierarchies?"


    "Your meaning is ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu turned back and smiled. "The Yun Zou Sect took in the Son of Heaven''s reincarnation. He had full spirit veins and was put into the outer sect where nobody paid attention to him. Since then it''s hardly been ten years and he reached the third stage even though he was never guided properly. How many prodigies would be able to do the same? I was the same. A lot of the strongest individuals in the cultivation world are the same. We ¡­ presume to know everything. We dare to claim to know what will happen, who will have a bright future ahead of them and who won''t. But deep down we have to acknowledge that that isn''t true. We are lost in this world and we will remain lost until the day we die or ascend to another place. And even then ¡­ we will still not understand the will of the Heavens above those Heavens. We will ¡­ remain oblivious to the true fate of the worlds."

 Chapter 634 - Save a Tragic Couple with Me

    Zhangsun Xun Yi gazed at the person opposite him. He didn''t know what to say. No cultivator would randomly propose such a thing. But this person was Grandmaster Leng the one who paved his way from a prodigy with the sword to a cultivator that was far out of the reach of all those countless talents the sects had heralded in his youth. Many people had gnashed their teeth in anger at the mere thought of his name and nobody had been able not to envy him.


    Ah, he still remembered how Hua Min and he had looked at Hua Min''s Master with sparkling eyes when they were young after they found out that he was friends with that legendary figure.


    This kind of person wouldn''t carelessly say anything. And what he had said made sense. Maybe they had been too rigid in their thinking.


    He finally nodded. "Should this be implemented in the future when you take over the sect or ¡­"


    "No, I think it would be better to set things in motion now."


    "Then I will talk to Sect Master Yuchi. This is a decision he has to make and it will take time to convince the Elders."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "That is true. We should first work on convincing Elders that took in disciples from the outer sect."


    "There shouldn''t be too many."


    "What about the one that took in Xiao Dong and Shao Hai? They were originally in the outer sect but then rose after some years and are now direct disciples. I also heard that Elder Geng''s disciple was part of the outer sect first."


    "Mn, that''s true. I''ll bring that up with the Sect Master."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Then ¡­ was there something else? Otherwise ¡­" He looked at the house. He didn''t have to hurry that much but it was still better to make sure if Jinde knew a way how to help Nie Huang gain spirit veins. After all, they would need to search for another way if he didn''t and that might take more time than they had.


    "Oh. No. Then I won''t keep you any longer." Zhangsun Xun Yi clasped his hands and bowed before hurrying away to the Sect Master''s peak.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. He really wasn''t used to this. Back in the Jian Yi Sect, he might have had a high status but after reaching that far he had seldom shown himself. And afterward, in the Nine Heavens, he hadn''t been more than an idle ascended deity. That was higher than a servant but it still wasn''t much of a status. The only ones who would have treated him this way might have been the guards and the servants and since he mostly stayed inside the courtyard of the idle gods ¡­


    He shook his head and returned to his own house. Grandmaster Zhangsun was somebody who knew how to behave. He would treat him like this based on seniority alone but he wouldn''t dare to do so in front of others. After all, he had to keep his identity hidden. Just imagining what might happen if somebody got behind this ¡­ He rubbed his brow and sighed.


    "My dear husband." Jinde came out of the study, his golden brows raised. "What happened to make you look like this?" He grabbed Leng Jin Yu''s shoulders and then rubbed his chest.


    "The Grandmaster got behind my identity. But seeing you I already feel much better." He leaned forward and kissed him.


    "Mn. Does this mean you''ve finished that business with Qiu Ling? Good that you left the bear child behind."


    "Not yet."


    "Hmph." Jinde let go and wanted to leave but Leng Jin Yu reached out and pulled him back into his arms.


    "Would you want to save a tragic couple with me?"


    Jinde chuckled in response. "If you''re asking like that, I guess there''s no way to say no. Come on in then, let''s talk about everything slowly." He went forward into the study and sat down behind the desk.


    Leng Jin Yu hesitated what to do and finally knelt down beside Jinde. Ah, he had never fallen in love before this and had often frowned at those couples but now, he was just like them. It hadn''t even been a day since he left but he already felt that they had been apart for too long. If he could, he would spend every moment of his life with Jinde from now on.


    Jinde looked at him and put a finger under his chin, lifting it with a smile. "What is my dear husband thinking about?"


    "I was thinking just how lucky I am. Without you ¡­"


    Jinde leaned down and kissed him again, his arms circling Leng Jin Yu''s neck. "But you met me. You met me twice. I guess we''re destined to be."


    "Mn. And the timing was quite lucky. If I imagine I might not have been immortal at that time ¡­ We could have been separated once again."


    "That didn''t happen. And now tell me about those star-crossed lovers."


    "One of them is that Bai Mu who freed me from the secret realm. The one we wanted to ¡­" Leng Jin Yu stopped. "That ¡­ Was Xin Lan here?"


    Jinde''s lips parted but he didn''t speak. Instead, he turned his face away.


    "I ¡­ met him in the capital. He said he wanted to speak to Bai Mu too. I was surprised."


    Jinde nodded. "He was hurt and came here to be treated."


    "Then why are you facing away?"


    "Because I ¡­ finally realized that I might have lived for a long time but I still have the same flaws I had when I was young."


    "You''re meaning is ¡­"


    Jinde sighed. "I fell in love with Chun Yin. You might call it fate but it was because of the things he did for me when we were children. I ¡­ grew dependent on him and felt secure. That feeling of security, it somehow blossomed into love and regardless of how I was treated, I couldn''t stop loving him. Maybe that was the curse but maybe it was my own stupidity too. Why would I have kept hoping after only receiving empty words all the time?


    "Other than him, there was Jian Heng. I ¡­ I knew he was a demon but for a time, I trusted him. I should have known it was wrong. What good could come out of that? But I honestly believed that ¡­ he meant whatever he said. I truly believed it and then I paid the price.


    "As for Xin Lan ¡­ I saw how jealous Chun Yin was when Xin Lan was around and I saw how Jian Heng regarded him warily. I also ¡­ knew that Xin Lan was someone who appreciated beauty and didn''t mind to have shallow relationships for a while. I saw and I knew and I still believed it was just out of his wish of repaying my kindness. That and the friendship that had slowly formed between us."


    Leng Jin Yu reached out and took his husband''s hand. "So you don''t believe that anymore? Do you think he fell in love with you?"


    "I don''t dare to consider whether it''s love or something else but ¡­ there is something and I don''t know what to do about it."

 Chapter 635 - It Would Have Felt Like Cheating

    Leng Jin Yu sighed. No wonder Xin Lan had been so strange when they met in the capital. He patted Jinde''s back and hugged him, considering what to say in this kind of situation.


    He didn''t like Xin Lan very much but he knew how important he was to Jinde. Of course, Jinde would be unsettled if something changed between them. Especially if it was because of something he couldn''t change.


    "You know ¡­ even if Xin Lan has feelings for you, I doubt he is expecting anything from you. He knows you''re already taken."


    Jinde nodded. "I know that. It''s just ¡­ how does he feel? Falling in love with somebody without a chance to be with them ¡­ I know that feeling. It''s not a pleasant one. Quite the contrary. If we could fall like the gods, then who knows if the two of us wouldn''t have ended up as fallen dragons, huh?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "I doubt it''s as bad for him. He''s very strong and didn''t he know about your relationship with Chun Yin from the very beginning? It''s not like you led him on."


    Jinde''s hands clenched around Leng Jin Yu''s robe. "I''m not so sure about that. I didn''t tell him at first. Maybe ¡­"


    "Maybe he fell in love with you then and kept it a secret until now? Don''t you think he would have approached you if that was the case? Chun Yin died. After that, couldn''t he have made a move? Even if you couldn''t fall in love with him because of the curse, having a relationship based on truth would have been possible, don''t you think? But he didn''t so I doubt he wants to change anything."


    Jinde furrowed his brows. Right. If Xin Lan had wanted to ¡­ Ah, but then again when would have been a good time for that? First, he had been heartbroken about Chun Yin''s marriage. Then, he had fallen into Jian Heng''s trap. There hadn''t been much time between these two events and afterward ¡­ The war had come too soon and he had been hurt with the soul-devouring dagger, his life slowly draining. When would Xin Lan have had the time to make advances on him?


    "Jinde. Whatever the reason he didn''t bring it up this isn''t your fault. You can''t change something if you don''t know about it."


    "But that''s it. How come I didn''t know? Xin Lan ¡­ he''s a sly fox but we''ve spent a lot of time together. Shouldn''t I have been able to see that something was wrong? Even Chun Yin could. Why did it ¡­ completely escape my perception?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "Isn''t that because Chun Yin was jealous? There were things holding him back from being with you but, on the other hand, there was a man who could stand by your side and support you like he wanted to. With the personality you described to me, it would have been a miracle if he didn''t hate Xin Lan. And that is regardless of whether Xin Lan had feelings for you or not. He would have rejected him anyway."


    "So you think it''s not that I was blind but that Chun Yin was seeing more than there is?" Jinde furrowed his brows. In hindsight, it wasn''t just the beginning. Hadn''t there also been that evening before he spent his final night with Chun Yin? He had been the one to consider Xin Lan. It had been him who moved to kiss him. But Xin Lan hadn''t rejected him. He might not have approached him either but he had waited silently as if he wanted to make sure. Was it that? Had Xin Lan hoped for him to move just like he had hoped for Chun Yin to do so?


    That kiss ¡­ Thinking back now, he could imagine what would have happened if his lips touched Xin Lan''s. Xin Lan wasn''t a man who needed to take the initiative. Even if he showed just a mild interest, most people would take him up on what they perceived as an offer. His status in the dragon race and among all the immortals guaranteed as much. He wasn''t used to pursuing although he might have enjoyed if he did. But no, to him it was expected that the other person made the first move. And in his case ¡­


    Jinde sighed and leaned his forehead against his husband''s shoulder. He had been in love with Chun Yin for so long that he never took note of the other men in his surroundings. Allowing Xin Lan so close in the beginning had been because he was injured and while taking care of him, he had felt for the first time just how pleasant it could feel to hold someone''s attention. That gaze ¡­ the fire in those eyes that told him: Yes, you are beautiful. You are worth my time.


    But after that, he had ignored any possibility of a romantic relationship between them just like with everyone else. Even when his Master brought up marriage and every attempt at finding a woman he could like had failed and he turned to look for a husband instead of a wife, Xin Lan had never come to mind. Only when there was nobody left did he finally remember that yes, there was that person. The one he trusted the most in his life. Why had he never thought of him?


    Had Xin Lan considered the possibility of becoming his husband? He didn''t know. And honestly, he didn''t want to know because if he ever found out, he might feel even worse. What had he thought when he approached Xin Lan after not even thinking of him once while he searched for a suitable partner? Shouldn''t this person have come to mind first? But maybe he had unconsciously rejected him because he had felt his admiration in the beginning. Maybe ¡­ being with Xin Lan would have felt more like cheating on Chun Yin than being with somebody else would have. Because deep down he had known that even though he would never be able to love Xin Lan, he would be able to enjoy a marriage with him. After all, Xin Lan knew him well, maybe better than he knew himself and certainly a lot better than Chun Yin even though Chun Yin had known him much longer.


    This kind of person ¡­ was very dangerous to allow at his side.

 Chapter 636 - He’ll Fall in Love Again

    "Jinde ¡­"


    Jinde sighed and lifted his head. "I''m sorry. This isn''t what you came here for. Let''s talk about that couple you mentioned."


    "No." Leng Jin Yu grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back into his embrace. "I can see you''re not alright. We should ¡­ at least talk this through. We have that much time."


    Jinde sighed again. "What is there to talk about? I''m feeling ¡­ a little regretful about some things I did in the past. I can''t even pretend that I was too young and inexperienced to understand. Maybe I was in the beginning but I wasn''t later on. Even though I never intended to do so, I might have led him on or at the very least I never did anything to dissuade his thoughts. I didn''t even consider whether there were feelings or not. And now that I have ¡­ it''s too late to talk about it."


    He got up from the chair and fell into Leng Jin Yu''s embrace. "It''s embarrassing just to think about it. It would be even more embarrassing if we talked about it. We''ll just ¡­ pretend nothing happened."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. "So what happened?"


    Jinde froze. Uh ¡­ He probably shouldn''t have said that. "That ¡­"


    "You know you can tell me. I won''t mind."


    "Ah ¡­" Jinde encircled his neck and smiled. "You know I can even believe that. You''re ¡­ much more stable than Chun Yin."


    "I have the honor to be with you."


    "He could have had that too. He just didn''t take me up on the offer."


    "Are you trying to change the subject?"


    Jinde craned his neck and his lips touched Leng Jin Yu''s. "How could that be? I''m just ¡­ very, very happy that my husband is at my side, paying me this much attention and taking care of me so well. I''m truly the luckiest person in the world." His fingers slipped into Leng Jin Yu''s hair and he kissed him again, pushing the thought of Xin Lan away. He couldn''t change it so why should he dwell on it?


    Leng Jin Yu kissed him back and brushed his hair to the side. It seemed Jinde really didn''t want to talk about it. In that case ¡­ He pulled back and took a deep breath. "We really are such a happy couple. So we should enjoy it."


    "Oh? You''re meaning is ¡­" Jinde rubbed his husband''s shoulders and smiled.


    "That means ¡­ we should share our happiness with others. Do you know of a medicinal pill that can create spirit veins?"


    Jinde froze just when he wanted to lean closer for another kiss. Ah? "What are you talking about?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and hugged his husband''s waist. "The couple I told you about. He is immortal with a bit of demon blood while his lover is a mortal without spirit veins. Longjun offered to let them live in the dragon realm so they won''t be hunted down by the Chun Feng Sect. She won''t live long though. The only way to change that would be to provide her with a medicinal pill that can give her spirit veins so that she can cultivate to immortality."


    Jinde sighed. It seems there was no way to seduce his husband right now. Well, this was still better than having to talk about Xin Lan. "There are a few. Depending on how good you want the results to be ¡­"


    "She is already approaching thirty and she''ll need to reach the third stage to stop aging."


    "So you want the most powerful pill I can refine."


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows. "It would be great if it could be the most powerful pill the Grandelder can refine."


    "Oh? You don''t want me to do it?"


    Leng Jin Yu hesitated but finally nodded. "Your soul ¡­ you''re still injured. And refining such a pill would take a massive amount of spiritual energy. I don''t want you to take such a risk."


    "Mn ¡­" Jinde picked up one of the strands hanging from Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder and twirled it between his fingers. "I''m afraid you won''t be able to do both. That Grandelder is merely human. His spiritual energy is lacking. His knowledge too. If he can create such a pill, then it will be one of the worst quality."


    "Then is there somebody you know that could do this? Someone in the dragon realm?"


    Jinde sighed. "A lot of them fell in the war against Jian Heng. I don''t know who is still alive and it''s not like I can go and take a look."


    "Then how about writing down the names and having Qiu Ling take a look?"


    "And where would he have gotten that list?"


    "Xin Lan?"


    Jinde took in a deep breath. "How come we''re talking about him again?"


    "I meant nothing more than that he''d be able to stand in as an explanation. Mn, actually, we could ask him about those people. He probably knows."


    "That ¡­ I don''t know."


    "You wouldn''t want to evade him from now on, would you? Jinde ¡­ I know whatever happened has confused you but Xin Lan is strong. And he''s different from other dragons, isn''t he? Even if he fell in love with you now, it doesn''t have to stay like that. He might fall in love with somebody else soon."


    Jinde furrowed his brows. He doubted it. If what he thought was true and Xin Lan had already wanted him back then, then how could he suddenly fall in love with somebody while ¡­


    Jinde''s brows rose. Wait! Since his death, Xin Lan had lived in the demon realm to take care of Jin Ling. And now that he had returned, Xin Lan would have left if not for him. He was afraid Jin Ling might find out that he wasn''t dead so he had stuck around. But how could he fall in love in the demon realm? There were only demons around! And just because Xin Lan wasn''t like other dragons and could fall in love more than once, there was no way he would allow himself to fall in love with somebody who couldn''t love at all.


    Jinde smiled. "You know what? We should help those two as fast as possible. The sooner we do ¡­ the sooner all of our troubles will be resolved. Give me a while to think of all the pills that could be used. I''ll see what kind of person would be able to refine them."


    "Alright. But don''t work too hard. You should also rest for a while. I don''t want you to overwork yourself."


    "Ah, don''t worry. This much is doable. As for everything else ¡­ with enough time and nurturing, I''ll return to my peak condition sooner or later."

 Chapter 637 - How Many More Years?

    In the capital of the Long kingdom, Xin Lan entered Zhong Gang''s restaurant. He ignored the servant at the door and just walked up to the second floor on his own, pushing the door to the room where Qiu Ling was currently talking to Xiang Yong.


    Bai Mu leaped to his feet when the door opened and raised his hands, prepared to defend himself if this was someone from the Chun Feng Sect or one of those countless other ''righteous'' places.


    Xin Lan raised his brows and silently walked over to the table, sitting down as if this was the normal thing to do. He looked at the dishes on the table and picked up the pair of chopsticks that Leng Jin Yu hadn''t used, helping himself to a part of the duck that was the specialty of the restaurant. He tsked after just the first bite. He hadn''t eaten in a long time. How come now that he had the chance to do so the food in front of him was cold?


    Xin Lan put the chopsticks down with a sigh and looked up at Bai Mu. "Do you know somebody called Xiang Yu?"


    "Xiang Yu?" Bai Mu frowned. "No, why ¡ª"


    "A fallen god living in the demon realm."


    "The demon ¡ª"


    "He was affiliated with someone who looked quite similar to you."


    This time Bai Mu didn''t try to speak up. Looking at the person in front of him more closely, this obviously wasn''t someone from a righteous sect. He gave off a dangerous feeling. In fact, this feeling was very familiar. He seemed to be the one who had helped to save him from the Chun Feng Sect''s dungeon. Back then, he had still been weak from his time under the influence of those stones. He hadn''t paid too much attention to the people that helped him. The only reason he had recognized Qiu Ling that fast was that he had been surprised that somebody who obviously wasn''t immune to the traps in that dungeon either would force himself so much just to save him. It had made quite an impression on him despite his own condition.


    Xin Lan didn''t bother with Bai Mu''s strange expression and just went on to explain. "I can''t be sure about their exact relationship but it''s likely they were close, maybe married."


    Qiu Ling popped up next to him. "That fallen god if married?"


    "His husband was likely a demon and had a brother that also looked similar to him even though the similarity would only be obvious at second glance."


    Bai Mu chuckled. "Big families aren''t strange in the demon realm. You could even say that everyone is related."


    "I know that but unions with a god should be something that''s seldom seen. Even more so if that god fell later on."


    "That''s true. There aren''t many gods that would enter the demon realm. It would be stupid."


    "Then who was that stupid fallen god married to? You should know. It has to be someone from your family."


    Bai Mu sighed. "That person might be related to my family but I myself haven''t spent much time in the demon realm. I don''t know much about them."


    "Then what do you know?"


    Bai Mu sighed. "I only know that my demon blood came from my mother''s father. Her mother was part god, part human and he had affairs with all kinds of people. I wouldn''t be surprised if there was a trueborn god among them."


    "Is there any way to find out?"


    Bai Mu raised his brows and looked at the person that had sat down next to Xin Lan. "He said he''d let me meet my father. He might know more."


    "The God of War?"


    "I don''t know about any God of War but my father, Feng Jian Hao, would have known more about my mother''s family than I. You can ask him if he contacts us."


    Xin Lan nodded. "When will that be?"


    "I wouldn''t know."


    Xin Lan turned to Qiu Ling and raised his brows.


    "What are you looking at me for? I don''t know either! Mother-in-law already went to contact him but you also know about the time difference. It''s only been a few ¡­ minutes in the Nine Heavens. Who knows? Uncle-in-law might con¡ª"


    Qiu Ling stopped. Eh? He pulled his transmission stone out of his spatial ring and grinned. The stone was pulsing with white light. "See this? That has to be him!" He imbued his own spiritual energy and wanted to greet him but the person looking back at him wasn''t Qiang Yan. "Eh? Old geezer, why are you ¡ª"


    "Ma¡ª!" Xin Lan gulped. "Your Majesty, why ¡­ Your soul!"


    Jinde laughed. "Don''t worry about it, Xin Lan. Leng Jin Yu is the one who is using his energy."


    "Ah. So it was like that." Xin Lan calmed down and nodded. "Then what did you want?"


    "Oh, it''s nothing much. Just that I wrote down every pill that might be able to achieve what you want. Unfortunately ¡­ I might not be able to refine them as I am now."


    Bai Mu furrowed his brows. He couldn''t see the person''s face from his side of the table but his voice was clear enough. Did this mean ¡­ they knew a way to save Nie Huang but couldn''t follow it? How could fate be this cruel? Giving him hope for a moment only to smash it to pieces the very next. This truly ¡­


    "Eh, then we should see that we can heal your soul as soon as possible."


    Jinde furrowed his brows. "Brat, do you think I would still be like this if it was that easy? I''ve found out all I can about souls and there are ways to restore it but ¡­ not many. At least there are almost none that would allow me to do so right away. I''ve spent several tenths of thousands of year at the bottom of a lake to restore it far enough to live without the threat of facing death every single day. What do you think how many more years I''d need to spend there to heal fully?"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. "Quite a few?"


    "You don''t say."

 Chapter 638 - You Can’t Have Both of Them

    Qiu Ling pouted. "Then what about my cousin-in-law and Nie Huang? Don''t tell me they''ll have to separate after all."


    "Aiya, don''t be so hasty. It''s not like I''m the only person in the world. Other than the possible pills, I also wrote down the names of a few people who would be able to refine a good one. I mean I could also refine one that''s a little worse but from what Jin Yu just said I reckoned you''d like to have the best one."


    "That ¡­" Bai Mu leaned forward. "I wouldn''t mind if it''s not the best. With the spiritual energy in the dragon realm, it shouldn''t be a problem for Nie Huang to cultivate quickly. And she only needs to get to the third stage in a short time. That shouldn''t be impossible even with a pill that isn''t the best."


    Jinde raised his brows. "Qiu Ling, don''t you think you should let me see the one speaking?"


    "Ah? But aren''t you in the Yun Zou Sect?"


    Xin Lan grabbed his arm and forced it around, giving Jinde the chance to take a look at Bai Mu.


    Jinde smiled. "Greetings. You should be Qiu Ling''s cousin-in-law. He might have mentioned me. My name is Jinde."


    "Ah, your ¡­ lover mentioned you before. It''s a pleasure to meet you and I''m very grateful that you''re willing to take the trouble to try and help Xiao Huang and me even though you''re hurt this badly. Sorry for making you spent this much effort."


    "It''s alright. Aren''t you also helping Jin Yu and me?"


    "That ¡­ Qiu Ling already promised me something in return. I feel bad about asking even more of you now."


    "Qiu Ling is my stepson so if you''re his cousin-in-law, you''re ¡­ something like my nephew-in-law?"


    Bai Mu raised his brows. This was ¡­ Qiu Ling''s stepfather? Then his lover ¡­ Ah? But wasn''t he human? Bai Mu rubbed his forehead and stopped thinking about it. "In that case, is there anything I can do?"


    "Not from my side. As I said there might be some people who could refine the pill in my stead. I''d like to ask Xin Lan over to get the list and tell me if they are still alive. Ah, right, it''s because ¡­ Jin Yu might have told you but I couldn''t go out for a long time already. I don''t know what happened in the dragon realm these last few thousand years. They might not be there anymore. If they really aren''t, then we''ll try to think of something else."


    "Alright. Thank you for the effort."


    "No problem. I''d suggest that Qiu Ling goes to search for the ingredients already. They''re mostly the same or at least they''re of the same type. And having a bit more can''t hurt. Qiu Ling can give everything that''s over to the sect if he wants."


    Qiu Ling wrested his arm out of Xin Lan''s control and smiled at Jinde. "I know. It''s alright. I''ll find everything. Uh ¡­ what do I need to find?"


    Jinde sighed and turned to look at Leng Jin Yu. "You tell him. Talking to your son always makes me tired."


    "Hmph."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly and slid closer to Jinde. "We can give the list to Xin Lan when he comes here. If you want to do anything before that, just gather the same materials you gathered for the Amethyst Lightning Pill. They can all be used for one or two of these pills so they might come in handy."


    "What if they don''t?"


    Jinde sighed and hugged his husband, leaning his head against his shoulder. "Wouldn''t you have done merit for the sect of your beloved then?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "But Jing He won''t return there, will he? I thought I''d take him back to the Nine Heavens after we get him back. It''s much safer there."


    Jinde frowned and straightened up. "What do you mean, you want to take him back to the Nine Heavens? Don''t you want him to finish his trial?"


    "Sure. But can''t he do that in the Nine Heavens? He''s always being kidnapped or imprisoned somewhere and I can hardly see him. I want to spend time with him again."


    Jinde sighed. "Qiu Ling. I don''t even know where to begin with educating you. Don''t you know what happens if the reincarnation of a trueborn god ascends?"


    Qiu Ling pondered. "Uh ¡­ They wake up in their real body?"


    "No. They don''t."


    "They don''t? But ¡­ What about Jing He then?"


    "That''s precisely it. There''s nothing ''about Jing He'' then."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Zhong Jing Yi is a mortal body formed for the trial that carries the crown prince''s soul. If Zhong Jing Yi ascends now, then the soul will stay in that body which means His Highness won''t wake up."


    "Ah?"


    "There is only one soul. You can''t have both of them."


    "But ¡­ but they''re the same person! And why won''t Jing He wake up? I ¡­" He had already imagined it! His beloved would finally open his eyes and they could get married and have a child or two and ¡ª


    Jinde snorted. "Well, he will. After the gods kill the mortal reincarnation."


    "What do you mean ''kill''? Jing Yi is the Heavenly Emperor''s son. Who would dare kill him? And never mind that old man, there''s still me! I won''t let anyone kill Jing Yi!"


    "Then you won''t get your real lover back. It''s as simple as that. And the worst thing is that an ascended deity is especially strong right after their ascension. Fighting them will result in heavy losses on the side of the gods. But since they can''t risk that they get away and never return they have to make sure they are dead."


    Qiu Ling looked up at Xin Lan to see if he also thought the same. Unfortunately, that guy nodded. Qiu Ling gulped. So this meant ¡­ the things he had believed weren''t true at all? Jing Yi ascending sooner wouldn''t make Jing He return to his side faster? Instead, he would ¡­ Yes, what would happen to Jing He?


    Qiu Ling prepared to speak up but finally stopped. Whatever it was, it wouldn''t change anything, would it? He couldn''t kill Jing Yi. And he couldn''t let anyone else kill him either. This was his beloved. The fact that he had been reincarnated as a mortal didn''t change that.

 Chapter 639 - Just as Lonely

    Qiu Ling took a deep breath and his gaze cleared from the confusion that had been written there just a moment ago.


    Jinde raised his brows but didn''t comment. Even he forgot sometimes but this child wasn''t as innocent and stupid as he wanted others to think. He had such a streak, yes, but it was hardly his whole personality. No, under that part of himself that he showed to the world, there was still the dark one that the troubles of the previous generation had created.


    Qiu Ling forced himself to smile. "Well ¡­ That''s something we can discuss when Jing''er gets back. For now, we should solve this problem with cousin-in-law first."


    Jinde nodded. "As I said you could go and gather some materials, Xin Lan can come and get these lists. As for Bai Mu ¡­ you probably have speaks to talk to your lover about."


    "Mn." Bai Mu nodded. Even if they weren''t able to stay together forever in the end, they could still have many precious years in the dragon realm if Nie Huang wanted to.


    "Then I''ll go ask her over." Qiu Ling got up but still took another look at Jinde. Thinking of what might happen to Jing He ¡­ "Uh ¡­ Old geezer, if those people on your list aren''t alive anymore and you really don''t feel up to it, then don''t do it. We can find another way."


    Jinde nodded. "Of course. You ¡­ you''ve managed to live through a lot and solve any problem you were confronted with. So with you around, how could my soul just give out?"


    "Mn." Qiu Ling cut the connection but kept the transmission stone in his hand. Mn, solving any problem ¡­ that sounded nice. But how come he still had a demonic side then and wasn''t married to Jing He yet? However much he tried, it seemed that something would always go wrong on the last step. Could he really trust that everything would go well in the end?


    Behind him, Xin Lan cleared his throat. "If you want to go and notify that woman, then you should do so. Don''t just stand there."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling wanted to put the transmission stone away but Bai Mu leaped to his feet. "Wait! What ¡­ what about my father then?"


    "Uh ¡­" Qiu Ling took the stone back out and threw it to Bai Mu. "Then you keep it."


    "But ¡­ but he doesn''t even know me."


    "That''s also true." Qiu Ling took the stone back and looked it over. What to do with it? He couldn''t leave it with Bai Mu but he couldn''t take Bai Mu with him either. In the end, he could only turn to Xin Lan. "Why don''t you go and tell her to come over?"


    "Because I don''t know her. Furthermore ¡­ Didn''t you hear His Majesty just now? I should go and get the lists. And then there''s still that fallen god you made me find. Do you think all of that will get itself done?"


    "No."


    Xin Lan didn''t bother to answer. Instead, he turned back to Bai Mu. "Are you sure you don''t know anything else?"


    "About my mother''s family and a fallen god? No. Not in the least."


    "Then I guess I''ll also have to ask the God of¡ª"


    A transmission stone was thrust at him, interrupting what he had wanted to say.


    He furrowed his brows and looked at Qiu Ling incredulously. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    "Well, since you need to wait anyway you might as well help out here. If uncle-in-law tries to contact me, you can just explain to him and ask your questions as well. In the meantime, I''ll go and tell sister Nie that she should come here. And after that, I''ll go find the ingredients for that pill. When you''re finished and have to go to the old geezer you can just leave the stone with cousin-in-law. Now, everything should work out, shouldn''t it?"


    Xin Lan looked from Qiu Ling to the stone in his hands and finally nodded. "Alright then. I only hope the God of War will ¡ª"


    Qiu Ling didn''t listen and just left. He also didn''t want to wait. The sooner he managed to deal with all these things, the sooner he could go and find out if what Jinde had said was true.


    Well, why was he kidding himself? The old geezer had lived a very long time. He might have hidden in the human realm for many years but that didn''t render his previous knowledge invalid. If he said that that was what would happen when a god''s reincarnation ascended, then it would be this way.


    Right now, he could only hope that there was some kind of exception that none other than the gods or maybe even just the Heavenly Emperor knew of. Otherwise ¡­ he really didn''t know what to do. He would have to kill Jing Yi to get Jing He back but he would have to condemn Jing He if he wanted to let Jing Yi live. Both choices were equally unacceptable. He loved Jing He but ¡­ he had spent so many years with Jing Yi already and he had always regarded him as his lover too. It was just that ¡­


    Qiu Ling stopped in front of the restaurant and looked up at the sky. His life hadn''t been good. In fact, it had been awful most of the time. Even after taking place on the dragon realm''s throne and even with his predecessor''s consent, he had never been truly at ease.


    He was part demon. It wasn''t his fault but it was also part of his nature. He might be more like a dragon thanks to a stroke of luck but that didn''t negate his demon blood. Nothing could. So each day on that throne was another day he needed to deceive the people around him.


    What if someone found out? Should he do what he had done when he was young? Should he kill that person how he had killed that woman? Should he dirty his hands with blood once again just to keep his secret? But then what right did he have to condemn the demons and claim to be a dragon? Everything he did to keep his heritage under wraps brought him one step closer to losing his way. Wasn''t that why he had always avoided everyone else?


    He had thrown his work at his advisers and locked himself up in his chambers or somewhere else if people came to bother him too much. He had hardly ever seen someone and kept away from any event he could. He had ¡­ been as lonely in the capital as he had been in that cursed hut.

 Chapter 640 - Someone You’d Want to Meet

    Qiu Ling sighed and shook his head. Why did he bother thinking about these things? It wouldn''t bring him even a single step further. Jing He had pulled him out of that darkness, yes. That gentle smile, that soothing voice, that perfectness that would make people never dare to question him and ¡­ the utter fakeness they both showed the world.


    They had been similar and at the same time, completely different. His own life had been in shambles early on and to be honest, there had been cracks from the beginning. After all, what else was supposed to happen when both of his parents were in love with somebody else? And if one of those somebodies was hellbent on having his father killed?


    On the other hand, Jing He had had everything: A comfortable life in the Nine Heavens and a pair of parents that loved each other and loved him. And still, he was unhappy. Maybe he was unhappy exactly because of those things. That love smothered him. And that security made sure he couldn''t grow.


    He hadn''t seen it immediately. Only after knowing Jing He for a while did he realize that, yes, they had more in common than he thought. He didn''t know whether Jing He had realized the same or if he believed that it was his pristine image that had bound them together. Sometimes it was hard to say what Jing He thought.


    He sighed again and continued to the teahouse. He wouldn''t sacrifice Jing He. Of course, he wouldn''t. Jing He was his life. But that didn''t mean that he had to sacrifice Jing Yi either. Now wasn''t the time to think about that anyway. He could see what to do after he freed Jing Yi. Yes. Yes, that was what he should do. Now wasn''t the time.


    He reminded himself again and again until he finally stood in front of the door to the teahouse. Seeing the bustling street where he had stood and watched Jing Yi talk to the people on the street so often in those first days after the teahouse was opened, he couldn''t help but smile. When he went in there ¡­


    He unconsciously took a step forward and walked into the room. As always it was filled to the brim with women and half of them turned around to see who the new guest was. Some of them blushed and hushed whispers sounded, finally drawing Madam Zhong out.


    "You ¡­ Qiu Ling?" Madam Zhong hurried over and clasped his hands. "What are you doing here? Is Jing''er alright?"


    Qiu Ling smiled wryly. How was he supposed to answer that? "Actually ¡­ I''m not here because of that. I have to talk to sister Nie." He pointed at the door to the preparation room. "Is it alright if I took her away for a while?"


    "Oh, but of course. Just ¡­ Jing''er is alright, isn''t he? You''re not just keeping quiet because you''re afraid I won''t be able to take it, are you?"


    "Ah?" Qiu Ling shook his head. "No, it''s ¡­ Actually, it''s not that easy to explain but you don''t have to worry. Even though I''m currently not with him, I''ll go over there soon! Nothing will happen to him." After all, Xin Lan should find out about the fallen god from Qiang Yan, shouldn''t he? Then it was only a question of time until he could rescue his beloved from the clutches of that fallen god!


    Madam Zhong observed Qiu Ling''s expression. She wasn''t too sure what was wrong with her son this time. After all, she hadn''t heard any news for a while. But since Qiu Ling said that she didn''t need to worry, then she wouldn''t do so. This man wouldn''t let anything happen to her son. "Alright, come on in then." She led him to the preparation room and motioned over to where Nie Huang was brewing the tea.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes sparkled when he saw her. He had never really paid attention to it but for a human, she was really pretty. His cousin-in-law could count himself happy that he would get to marry such a pretty woman!


    He dashed over and sat down at the table, staring at her intently. "Sister Nie!"


    "Uh ¡­" Nie Huang raised her brows. This person was ¡­ Madam Zhong''s son-in-law? The one who had come here with Jing Yi before? "Hello."


    Qiu Ling prepared to speak up but froze. Uh ¡­ What was he supposed to say now? ''Do you know someone by the name of Bai Mu? I freed him from a righteous sect''s dungeon and he''d like to meet you.''? ''You probably thought you were already a widow but I actually found the guy you longed for''? ''I found your fiance''? Somehow, none of that seemed appropriate. And he didn''t want to say too much either. The one to explain this should be Bai Mu himself.


    Qiu Ling sighed and got up again. "You know that restaurant that mother-in-law''s cousin has, right?"


    Nie Huang wasn''t so sure and looked at Madam Zhong for help who had waited close by.


    "Could you mean Zhong Gang''s restaurant? The place where we went when we just arrived in the capital?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "That one!"


    "Ah." Nie Huang nodded. "I do. Is something the matter there? Do they need a tea master?"


    "No. But ¡­ there''s someone waiting there that would like to meet you. It''s ¡­ it''s important and I promise you won''t regret it. So ¡­ you should hurry over now."


    "But I''m still working."


    "Ah, forget about that. I''m sure things will work out even without you." After all, the teahouse would need to do without her anyway if she followed Bai Mu to the dragon realm.


    "I''m sorry but this is a teahouse. How could I, as the tea master, just leave?"


    Madam Zhong looked at Nie Huang''s face that was filled with determination before she glanced at Qiu Ling. She had always known that the position of tea master was very important to Nie Huang. The relationship with her family had become better but she still hadn''t given up on this work or agreed to marry. Letting her go might feel like an insult to her. On the other hand, she didn''t believe Qiu Ling would ask this kind of thing just like that.


    "Qiu Ling, this doesn''t have a little more time? Until we close in the evening, maybe?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head like a rattle-drum. "No! And I promise she''ll say the same once she sees him."


    "See him?" Nie Huang''s heart unwittingly beat faster. It couldn''t be ¡­ Ah, no, what was she thinking? Bai Mu hadn''t returned all these years. He wouldn''t suddenly turn up here and even if he did, he wouldn''t send someone she barely knew to deliver a message. He was the only one she''d pause her work for though. "I''m afraid you''ll have to tell that person I can''t. My work ¡ª"


    Qiu Ling didn''t listen and instead turned to tug at Madam Zhong''s sleeve, looking pitiful.


    Madam Zhong sighed. "Why don''t you go see if it''s important? It''s only a few minutes until there. I can tell the guests to wait a bit if they want to order. If it''s nothing important, you can return immediately. If it is, tell Zhong Gang to send someone to take over for the rest of the day. You''ve never taken even half an hour off in all these years. This bit of time will be alright."


    "Thank you, Madam Zhong. I''m sorry for making so much trouble." Nie Huang nodded at her and finally left for the restaurant.

 Chapter 641 - Destined to Fail

    Meanwhile, Jing Yi opened his eyes in the demon realm. He couldn''t help but feel strange. Back then, he had been trapped in the secret realm in the Leyuan region and reached the third stage of cultivation that had seemed unattainable for so long. Now, he had been kidnapped to the demon realm and for the first time since returning from the secret realm, he felt his cultivation budge. If he stayed here for longer ¡­ would he reach the fourth stage? It seemed possible.


    He didn''t want to try though. As much as he wanted to reach a higher stage so that he would be able to ascend and stay with Qiu Ling for the rest of his life, it wasn''t worth it if they had to stay apart all the time to achieve that. He''d much rather take it slowly but spent his time at Qiu Ling''s side while he cultivated. That way, wouldn''t Qiu Ling worry less?


    Ah, he could only imagine how Qiu Ling had to be feeling right now. He didn''t know that he was alright, did he? He should better try to return soon. Speaking of which ¡­


    Jing Yi glanced over at the lonely figure of Xiang Yu. By now, he had started to pace up and down, his head lifted slightly as if he was intently watching the ceiling.


    Jing Yi lightly cleared his throat but Xiang Yu didn''t even notice. He was too absorbed in his own thoughts. Jing Yi tried again and this time, he even got up and walked over. He reached out to tap his shoulder but Xiang Yu leaped to the side, evading the touch with wide eyes. He stared back at Jing Yi, his fingers bend like claws as if he would attack him every single moment.


    Jing Yi froze and finally lifted his hands. "I ¡­ I didn''t want to do anything. Just ¡­ I just wanted to ask ¡­ when I could return to Qiu Ling. That thing with my soul ¡­ how long will that take?"


    Xiang Yu continued to stare at him but his hands slowly relaxed and he straightened up again. "Your soul ¡­" He turned away and resumed his pacing. "It''ll take a long time. You know the kind of injury it has will only go away if the obsession that caused it is solved."


    "Then how can I do that?"


    "Wait."


    "Ah?" Jing Yi frowned. "How could I just wait? Qiu Ling ¡ª"


    Xiang Yu shook his head. "That''s exactly it. The moment your soul can put down that thought and not only worry about that person, that''s the moment when your soul will start to heal. If you stayed with him, then it would just continue to crack until it breaks down."


    "So I''ll have to spend a really long time here?"


    Xiang Yu nodded but then paused in his steps. "Of course, there''s also another way."


    "What way?"


    "The High Heavens. Have you ever heard of them?"


    Jing Yi hesitated. He was from the Heavens but ¡­ Were those the High Heavens? "Is that where ¡­ my soul came from?"


    Xiang Yu nodded. "That''s where all souls come from. Then they''ll be born into the other realms."


    "So the place I lived before ¡­"


    "Were the Nine Heavens."


    "I see." So that was something different, after all.


    Xiang Yu looked up at the ceiling once again. "Anyway, the High Heavens are the place where Tian lives."


    "Tian?" Jing Yi tightened his lips. That was a name he really didn''t like to hear. Because of that person and his own stupidity, he had almost lost Qiu Ling. So there was really a person like that? He wasn''t just someone from an old story? "That Tian ¡­ How do you know about him?"


    Xiang Yu''s lips curled into something that could have been a smile if his eyes didn''t stay as gloomy as usual at the same time. "I saw him. After I fell, he came to see me. He''s the only one in the world that would never shun the fallen gods."


    Fallen gods? Jing Yi furrowed his brows. He didn''t know about this either. It seemed he still had to learn a lot about the gods too if he wanted to be with Qiu Ling.


    "The gods are very afraid of him. They think he''s someone really powerful who wants to hurt them. But Tian is actually very gentle. He''s the only one worth loving other than a dragon."


    "Worth loving?" Jing Yi raised his brows. And what was this about the dragons again?


    "Mn. Although a dragon is still better. But Tian is also very loyal." That strange curve to his lips vanished. "His lover left him behind though. I really don''t understand. That kind of man ¡­ why would he leave him?"


    "Uh ¡­ Maybe there were reasons?"


    Xiang Yu frowned. "What reason could there be? If you love someone, then you should do so forever with everything you have. You don''t just leave them. You ¡­ have to stay with them." He lowered his gaze to his hand.


    Jing Yi leaned to the side and also looked. There was a shimmering silver ring on his finger that had a faint trace of spiritual energy on it. He had seen something like this before. Qiu Ling was wearing a similar one. This should be a spatial ring? Why was he looking at it like that?


    Xiang Yu rubbed the smooth surface, his fingernail tracing the line of the engraving. Back then ¡­ he would have followed him everywhere just like what he had said just now. How come he had been disappointed like that? Damned to be alone forever? Who would fall in love with a fallen god?


    He tilted his head, thinking of that face that was always covered halfway by that mask. Mn, not even showing his face but daring to have feelings for him, this guy was too irresponsible! He couldn''t be trusted. He couldn''t be trusted either. Thankfully, he already knew this time. That kind of love was destined to fail.

 Chapter 642 - The Life of a Fallen God

    Jing Yi had no idea what this person was going on about. He was sure that staying with Qiu Ling was the right decision. So he should do everything he could to make sure he would be able to do just that. "So that Tian lives in the High Heavens. What does that have to do with my soul?"


    Xiang Yu looked back up and examined Jing Yi''s face. How come he didn''t understand? "The souls come from there."


    "So ¡­" He waited but Xiang Yu didn''t explain. Jing Yi felt as if he was getting a headache. "Look, I don''t know much about either these places or about souls. Just how does it help with the injury to my soul that it comes from the High Heavens?"


    Xiang Yu sighed. "Souls are created there. Naturally, it''s beneficial to them to rest there. You can just go to the High Heavens and nurture your soul."


    "Oh." So it was that simple. "Then ¡­ where exactly are they? How would I get there?"


    Xiang Yu stared at him. Mortals ¡­ were really stupid. How could he not know where the High Heavens were? That was the place where all life was born, the source of the river of forgetfulness, the eternal resting place of Tian''s lover! How could anybody not know about this?


    "It''s ¡­ not something I can go just like that?"


    Xiang Yu turned away and waved. The air in front of him rippled and finally ripped open, exposing a dark place.


    Jing Yi instinctively recoiled. This was ¡­ the High Heavens? What an ominous place! "Is that really ¡­ a place where a soul can be healed?"


    Xiang Yu nodded and stepped through the fissure, turning back to glance at Jing Yi.


    "Can''t we wait for Qiu Ling to accompany us?" He didn''t feel like this was a good idea. At the end of the day, he didn''t even know this person. In fact, he had even felt that he was dangerous before. Just because he didn''t seem dangerous right now, he shouldn''t trust him just like this.


    Xiang Yu frowned. He didn''t understand why Jing Yi hesitated but it was obvious that he wouldn''t follow him. "Mn, then you wait there. Since I''ve already opened a door I might as well go and see Tian." With that, he turned around and walked away.


    Jing Yi stared at his back that slowly disappeared in the distance and the ominous gate right in front of him. If that place could really heal his soul ¡­ He gulped and stepped forward, slowly reaching toward the fissure. His fingertips touched the border and as if sinking through an invisible material, he found himself on the other side.


    Jing Yi turned around himself but there was nothing much to see. These so-called High Heavens were nothing but flat land shrouded in mist and endless darkness above it. The only bright thing here were the millions of stars above his head.


    Jing Yi had no idea what they meant and why souls would come from this kind of place out of all the others out there but if this could really help to heal his soul, then he''d have to stay here for a while. He sighed and sat down, trying to find out if anything was indeed happening to his soul. Unfortunately, he wasn''t a dragon and he didn''t know how to even sense his soul. Wanting to check whether the cracks were being repaired was too ambitious.


    In the end, he closed his eyes and started to cultivate. At the very least, this place had a special kind of energy that made it even easier to take in. Just a bit of time had passed and he could already feel his stage rise slightly. If he cultivated here for a month ¡­ he might reach the next stage.


    Not that he intended to do that. He just wanted to heal his soul and then leave. He could only hope that that kind of thing wouldn''t take long. With that thought, Jing Yi concentrated on his cultivation again. Even if he didn''t want to stay long, this was still an opportunity he shouldn''t take lightly. A bit of time should be alright and his soul should need time too. In the worst case, he''d just wait for Xiang Yu to get back and follow him out again. After all, this place didn''t seem too bad in the end. It might truly be beneficial. So maybe ¡­ he could trust him.


    The person in question wasn''t hurrying back. In fact, he wasn''t even hurrying forward. He quietly glided through the darkness below those cold stars, his gaze empty. This was the only place that welcomed the fallen gods. Unfortunately, it wasn''t the real High Heavens but only an image of the thing Tian''s lover had once loved the most: The night sky above the capital of the Nine Heavens.


    After Xing fell, Tian changed his own home to make sure his lover would feel comfortable when he brought him here. He had probably hoped to comfort him, to let him forget about the pain and the suffering. Unfortunately, there were injuries that couldn''t be healed that easily. And the injury to Xing''s heart had been too severe to be forgotten just like that.


    Xiang Yu finally arrived in front of something that looked remarkably like a city gate. He had never been to the capital of the Nine Heavens but with what he knew, he was sure that this was precisely what the one there looked like. From those stars to the gate and all the palaces inside, the High Heavens looked like the capital of the Nine Heavens and beyond that ¡­ was only everlasting darkness. Because that was all that Xing had seen out there: Darkness after darkness, shadow upon shadow. From the moment he became a fallen god, he had never seen any light again because even if they walked around at the brightest time of the day, their hearts would stay cold and in their minds would be night. That was the truth about life as a fallen god.

 Chapter 643 - My Word Is Law

    Xiang Yu passed through the gate and walked through the empty streets. This place might look like the capital of the Nine Heavens but nobody was living here. Even if a fallen god came here to stay for a while, they would leave after a while and find a place of their own. A small hut somewhere in the wilderness, a cave in the mountains, a spot of soft grass ¡­ Everything was better than living in a ghost town like this that would remind you with every step that you were different from anyone else, alone in the whole world.


    Xiang Yu found his way to the middle of the city where the palaces of the most important gods stood. He passed by most of them and finally came to a halt in front of a smaller palace far from the others.


    Looking at this building, he couldn''t help but feel that it was oddly fitting. This was how the home of a fallen god should look like: A small cage far from anyone else where they could pace up and down and obsess over what had driven them until their fall. The gods ¡­ really knew how to make somebody suffer.


    Ah. But the demons weren''t better. No, they were ¡­ far ¡­ far crueler.


    Tears gathered in his eyes and he finally called out. "Tian. Tian!"


    The door of that palace opened and a man appeared in the entrance. In another life, Xiang Yu might have said he was handsome. In this life, he didn''t care about that anymore. He only looked at that expressionless face that showed neither joy nor sadness and lacked the fear and disgust the gods would feel for someone like him. His heart ¡­ it slowly calmed down but the tears still gathered and finally trickled down his cheeks.


    A sigh escaped Tian''s lips and with two steps, he arrived in front of Xiang Yu. He didn''t reach out and he didn''t say anything. He only looked at him and let him cry.


    Xiang Yu finally reached out himself and his fingers curled around the black robe in front of him. The soft sensation didn''t calm him down though. Instead, his tears only intensified and his shoulders shook with his sobs.


    This ¡­ this should have been his husband. The one to watch over him when he was depressed, the one to spend him company, to calm him down and dry his tears. How beautiful would that be to be able to rely on someone like that? Someone that would be his alone? Someone that would never feel bothered and always show him consideration? Someone who wouldn''t return to his true lover after giving him his attention for a while?


    He wanted ¡­ he wanted to be loved. He wanted it so desperately. So why ¡­ Why had things turned out like this? Why was he a fallen god now? Was he not allowed to love?!


    He leaned forward his forehead finally touching Tian''s chest. Why couldn''t he be like Xing? A lover that accompanied him through life even when everyone else was against him, someone that would even follow him after he fell and wanted to spend this endless darkness together, a man that guarded him even in his eternal sleep.


    If he had such a person, then he wouldn''t feel this sad. Who needed to live in the capital or at some sunny place? Who needed to be among the gods? He only wanted one person that would stand by him and love him and ¡­ care for him.


    Xiang Yu looked up at Tian that kind of person and his tears just continued to stream down his cheeks. "Someone fell in love with me."


    Tian looked at those pretty eyes that had already turned red from crying. "You don''t like that person?"


    Xiang Yu shook his head wildly, making a few of those tears fly. "No!"


    "Is he from the demon race again?"


    This time, Xiang Yu shook his head more carefully. "It''s not much better though. It''s that fake dragon."


    Tian sighed and raised his face to the night sky. "That one. He''s indeed no good."


    "Mn." Xiang Yu nodded and stared at his hands that were still clutching Tian''s robe. They trembled a bit and he trembled just the same. Carefully, he raised his gaze to Tian''s face. "Tian."


    "Mn?"


    "Can''t you curse him too?"


    Tian glanced down to him and for a moment, it seemed as if he wanted to raise his brows in question. In the end, his face stayed as expressionless as before though.


    "If ¡­ If you curse him too, then I could consider it."


    "Even if I cursed him, he still wouldn''t be a better person. And you deserve that kind of person. Someone ¡­ who will treat you the best way."


    "But I''m a fallen god. Who would love me?"


    Tian eyed that gloomy expression and finally patted Xiang Yu''s back. "Somebody will. You just need to wait and see what happens. Sooner or later you will meet the person that is destined for you."


    "Are you sure? Maybe there''s no one destined for me? Maybe I''m destined to stay alone forever."


    Tian leaned down, his face coming close to Xiang Yu''s. "What nonsense are you saying? Did you forget who I am? I am Tian, I am Heaven, I am the Lord of the High Heavens and everything below them. I am the true sovereign of all worlds and my word is law. So if I say that you have a destined other half, then you have that destined other half. If I say you will irrevocably fall in love in the future, then you will. And nothing will be able to change that."

 Chapter 644 - Too Heartless!

    Xiang Yu stared into that pair of dark eyes and nodded in a daze. Right. If Tian said so, then it had to be true. "Then ¡­ then what am I supposed to do now? Really just wait?"


    Tian straightened up again and finally freed his robe from Xiang Yu''s grip, smoothing out the fabric. "What else do you want to do?"


    "But ¡­ what if that fake dragon ¡­ What if he ruins things for me?"


    "Ruin?"


    "Mn. What if the love of my life sees him pursuing me and gives up? Then I''d have to wait even longer!"


    "Then ¡­" Tian thought back to that face with the insufferable arrogant look and tsked. "That would be a shame."


    "It would be a disaster!"


    "In that case, you should go and make it clear to him that you won''t be with him no matter what."


    Xiang Yu nodded. Right. What Tian said was right. He should do that! He turned around to go and tell him outright when he remembered that he had originally come here for another matter. He faced Tian again and pursed his lips. "There''s someone else."


    "Someone else that fell in love with you? I didn''t know you were so popular. Congratulations."


    "No. He''s somebody else''s lover."


    "Then why do you care?"


    Xiang Yu blinked his eyes and turned to look at where he had come from. Why did he care? "His lover is from the dragon race."


    "I see. And what''s the problem with him?"


    "His soul has cracked. He ¡­ might fall if nothing is done."


    "So you brought him here."


    Xiang Yu nodded. "That should heal his soul, right?"


    Tian sighed. "It can, for now. Whether that kind of repair will be permanent is hard to say though. There has to be a reason for his soul starting to fracture. Repairing the soul is easy but ¡­ As long as the reason it fractured in the first place isn''t taken care of, things might return to how they have been before."


    Xiang Yu nodded. "But after it''s repaired, there wouldn''t be any problems for now. And I already told him what the problem is so he should be safe."


    "Mn. Then don''t worry about it anymore. Just take care of yourself."


    Xiang Yu nodded. "Alright. Then I''ll go and tell that fake dragon off first."


    "Mn." Tian watched him turn around and leave. His lips couldn''t help but twitch. He really wanted to see that guy''s face when he got rejected. Mn, how had he fallen in love with Xiang Yu in the first place?


    Tian sighed and shook his head, returning to the palace. It wasn''t his problem. He would help Xiang Yu if he needed help but he couldn''t live his life for him. He already knew how that would turn out. No, this was something Xiang Yu had to get through by himself.


    At this time, Xiang Yu had already arrived in the capital of the Long kingdom. Finding out where Xin Lan was hadn''t been difficult. But now, standing on the streets, he felt a little lost. There were ¡­ so many people all of a sudden. Well, not that there weren''t many demons in the demon king''s palace too. But these were ¡­ all humans.


    Everyone who passed by him started to exchange hushed whispers but naturally, he could hear them. Who is that? Why is there a mark on his brow? Look at that black robe! He ¡ª


    Xiang Yu furrowed his brows and tried to blend those voices out. He took a step in the direction where he had felt Xin Lan.


    The whispers turned louder. Did you see? You can''t even hear him walk! Is that a demon?!


    Xiang Yu''s hands clenched into fists. Why were they whispering so much? Nobody had the right to whisper about him! He reached up and touched the mark between his brows again, trying to get a better feel for where Xin Lan was. It shouldn''t be far, just down the street.


    He cracked his eyes open and looked over. There. That house. A ¡­ restaurant or something of the like. He should be there. He should ¡ª


    Somebody crashed into his back. Xiang Yu whirled around to defend himself but the other person had already fallen to the ground. She looked up, flustered.


    "Ah ¡­ I''m sorry! I was in a hurry and ¡­" She stopped when Xiang Yu only looked at her blankly. "Uh ¡­ Are you alright?"


    Xiang Yu blinked and turned around. He didn''t help her up or say anything in return. He just walked away toward that restaurant. How strange. That woman seemed not to have feared him but she was clearly just a mortal. Very strange ¡­


    He reached the door of the restaurant only to notice that the woman was still behind him. Xiang Yu turned around with an incredulous look. Why was she following him? "You ¡­"


    "Ah. I ¡­ I''m supposed to meet somebody here."


    "Somebody?"


    "Mn." Nie Huang nodded with a wry smile. "To be honest, I also don''t know who exactly that is supposed to be. But it sounded very important when I was called over so ¡­ that was why I hurried. I should actually be working right now so ¡­ I should really go." She nodded and hurried past him into the restaurant. She had been here more than once so the servants knew her and only smiled when she walked in.


    Nie Huang didn''t know who the person she should meet was and where exactly she was supposed to find them but since it had been Madam Zhong''s son-in-law who brought the message, the person should be important. That type of person should be in one of the private rooms on the upper floor. She turned to the staircase and walked up, not noticing at all that somebody was behind her.


    Xiang Yu couldn''t help but furrow his brows. Going up ¡­ That was where that fake dragon was. It couldn''t be ¡­ she wanted to meet him too? So he was ¡­ two-timing on him before he had had the opportunity to reject him? He truly was too heartless!

 Chapter 645 - You’re Not Allowed to Love Me

    Xiang Yu followed Nie Huang to the second floor in a bad mood. Even seeing that she didn''t know which room to turn too couldn''t cheer him up. He only walked up to her with a gloomy expression and extended his hand, pointing at the door to the room where Xin Lan was waiting. He didn''t even bother to explain. Hmph. He''d like to see that fake dragon explain.


    Nie Huang looked at Xiang Yu in a daze. How come this person knew where she was supposed to go? He wouldn''t be here to meet this person she was supposed to come to see too, would he? She wanted to speak up but looking at his expression she felt that it was better not to say anything at all. In the end, she nodded and gave him a smile before hurrying away.


    Xiang Yu pursed his lips. How stupid! Did she believe she was anything special to him? She wasn''t, obviously. This guy would change his mind about who he loved like he changed his robes. If he tired of wearing one, he''d slip out of it and put on another. If there was a dirty spot or maybe even a hole somewhere in the fabric, he might even burn the robe to ashes! He was that type of guy! It really was too stupid to hope for anything from him.


    Xiang Yu silently followed Nie Huang to the door. That fake dragon ¡­ he was a horrible person. Tian was right. He was no good. He wasn''t worthy. He could find somebody much better than him.


    It was just ¡­ since the day he was born this was the second person that had that type of feelings for him. No, actually, he was the only one. His husband ¡­ his husband had never loved him, after all. He had only been ¡­


    He watched through a veil of tears how Nie Huang knocked on the door and opened it, stepping in with a pleasant smile.


    "I was told to ¡ª" Her voice stopped and she froze before she had stepped completely inside. "Bai ¡­ Bai Mu?"


    Xiang Yu tilted his head. Bai Mu? Had he not even told her his real name? How pitiful ¡­ How ¡­ eye-opening. Maybe there was no man in all three thousand lower, middle, and higher realms that could be trusted. Maybe ¡­ that thing called ''love'' didn''t exist at all. Maybe ¡­ Tian was wrong for once and only blinded by his own illusion.


    "Bai Mu."


    "Nie Huang."


    Steps sounded and finally, a strong pair of arms pulled Nie Huang against an equally broad chest.


    Xiang Yu wanted to turn away when he glanced at the face of the man. Eh? No mask? That wasn''t ¡­


    Bai Mu looked up when he felt someone staring at him. He froze when he saw those black eyes and the equally black mark between those brows. That was ¡­ "Fallen ¡­ fallen god."


    "Fallen god?" Another voice sounded from the room and Xin Lan rushed to the door, looking at Xiang Yu incredulously. The fallen god he had searched for ¡­ had shown up on his doorstep on his own accord? "You ¡ª"


    Xiang Yu furrowed his brows and pointed at Xin Lan''s nose. "You''re not allowed to love me!"


    "Ah?"


    "You''re ¡­ not allowed to love me." He wouldn''t let him. This guy had waited here where two lovers were supposed to reunite. He was intruding on somebody else''s heartfelt reunion and had even let him believe that he was meeting a woman! Someone like that really was no good!


    "I ¡­" Xin Lan shook his head. What was this lunatic talking about? Ah, never mind that. "We need to talk."


    "No! You can keep your confession to yourself! I don''t need to hear it!" Xiang Yu turned around and reached out, his nails ripping space apart once again.


    Xin Lan jumped forward and tried to grab Xiang Yu''s shoulder but those nails aimed for his arm next. He pulled back but didn''t stop his pursuit. He finally had him. He couldn''t let him leap through the gate and vanish.


    "You stay where you are!"


    When Xiang Yu turned to step through the gate, he lunged at him, grabbed onto his waist and tackled him to the ground. Xin Lan smirked. This guy might be a fallen god but he had been born long after Tian''s curse was spoken. To him, he was but a child. And this particular child had obviously never learned how to fight.


    Xin Lan watched with satisfaction as the gate to the High Heavens closed. Only when the spatial tumult had died down did he lift his torso. "Have you ¡­" He stopped and raised his brows. The fallen god below him had frozen stiff. Don''t tell him he had smashed into the ground that hard? But that was absurd. He was a fallen god. If something like that could hurt them, then nobody would fear them. No, hurting a fallen god was much more difficult. "You ¡ª"


    "Ah!" Xiang Yu''s spiritual energy burst forth and threw the person on his back off, catapulting him through the window and right across the street. The rooms next to them weren''t spared either, the doors ripped to shreds and the furniture inside overturned.


    Xin Lan didn''t have time to worry about the person that was supposed to help his Master at this moment. He couldn''t even stop his own flight. He crashed into a stall on the other side on the street and groaned.


    Ah, he should have known this would happen. Pinning a fallen god that had lost his sanity over a failed love trial to the ground in such an ambiguous posture ¡­ What was that if not asking for death? He could be happy that he was strong. Anyone else might have been worse off.


    In the destroyed upper floor of the restaurant, Xiang Yu finally leaped to his feet. He pointed across the street at Xin Lan''s sorry figure, his whole body trembling. "You can''t love me!"


    Xin Lan sighed and closed his eyes. Could somebody tell him how he was supposed to calm down a crazy fallen god? Especially if that fallen god was under the impression that he had somehow shifted his affections to him since they last saw each other? Ah, he really ¡­ really wished life could be easier at least once.

 Chapter 646 - He Didn’t Need That

    Xin Lan took a deep breath and fought himself back to his feet. He swayed slightly but after taking another deep breath, he had already stabilized himself. He jumped upward and back into the restaurant before Xiang Yu could open another gate and vanish. "Can we talk about it?"


    Xiang Yu raised his chin. "No."


    "Why?"


    "Tian was right. You''re no good. I don''t want anything to do with you."


    Xin Lan''s lips twitched. "I''m no good?"


    "No. You didn''t even pay."


    "What?"


    Xiang Yu pointed to the other side of the road again. A woman was kneeling next to the broken stall, covering her face with her hands and crying.


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched. "Who was the one who threw me over there?"


    Xiang Yu didn''t look like he felt any guilt. He only stared at Xin Lan, his expression getting gloomier by the second. He couldn''t believe that the man that finally fell in love with him was this kind of person. Doing something wrong and still not owning up to his faults. Despicable!


    Xin Lan ground his teeth. He didn''t need to be a mind-reader to feel the utter contempt Xiang Yu had for him. The last time somebody directed this type of gaze at him ¡­ hadn''t it be when he challenged that asshole Tian? And now even a fallen god hated him because of something that guy had said. Splendid!


    He turned around, jumped back onto the street and threw several pieces of silver onto the ground. "Will that suffice?" He bit out the question, scaring the crying woman even more.


    Xin Lan tsked. Humans. First, she cried because her stall was demolished. Now, she still cried even though she received money. And this should have been enough to get an even better stall. He took out a whole bag of silver and threw it in front of her. "Stop crying already."


    He didn''t wait for her to actually finish and leaped back up, staring at Xiang Yu. "Are you happy now?"


    "You have no empathy at all!"


    Xin Lan took a deep breath. "I don''t think I want to hear that from a fallen god."


    "You shouldn''t talk like that to the person you like."


    "Right. But that person isn''t you so why do you care?"


    Xiang Yu froze. "What ¡­ What do you mean?"


    "I said you''re not the person I like so don''t bother with how I talk. Now, let''s ¡ª"


    "Liar! You obviously like me!"


    Xin Lan touched his forehead, feeling the beginning of a headache. This guy! Why was he being so difficult? He had already said that he didn''t like him. So why was he still insisting? "How did you even come up with the idea that I like you?"


    "It''s obvious." Xiang Yu lowered his gaze and smoothed out his sleeves. How had they gotten this crumpled? And why did this have to happen in front of the person that liked him? Not that he would like him back ¡­ So he didn''t have to care anyway but still. Since someone had taken the trouble to start liking him he should look presentable. He wanted to reject him, after all! He couldn''t risk that this fake dragon fell out of love with him before that!


    Xin Lan leaned against the intact part of the wall and observed Xiang Yu. This fallen god ¡­ wasn''t behaving normally at all. "I''m afraid I lack the knowledge you possess. Just how is it ''obvious'' to you that I like you?"


    "You went to the big river and looked at my life. Obviously, it must be because you like me."


    "You didn''t consider that there could be another explanation?"


    "No. And I''m not the only person who thinks so! The reincarnation of that crown prince said the same!" He stared at Xin Lan, making sure that he knew he was right. It was obvious to two different people. He couldn''t argue with that.


    Xin Lan sighed. "The reincarnation of the crown prince ¡­ So you took the relationship advice of somebody who is currently mortal, has barely come of age and doesn''t even know whether he loves his fiance or not?"


    Xiang Yu pondered. Somehow ¡­ this sounded very insulting. In the end, he decided not to answer.


    Xin Lan sighed again. "He was wrong, alright? I was looking into your life to figure out where you were."


    "Then ¡­ if you don''t like me, why would you want to know where I am?"


    "To get the reincarnation of the crown prince back that gave you such ridiculous advice."


    "That can''t be. He ¡­ He''s the lover of a dragon. His lover even joined his soul with his. It can''t be you!"


    Xin Lan clenched his fists. "Thank you for pointing out the obvious!" Did he need to let a fallen god insult him? Well, he still needed something from this fallen god. So the answer was probably yes.


    He took a deep breath and pushed his own feelings aside. So what if he couldn''t join his soul with somebody? He was the strongest warrior of the dragon race thanks to that. He didn''t have any weakness. He held absolute strength among the three immortal races. Everyone respected him and a lot of people wouldn''t care whether he could join his soul with theirs or not. How many women and men had there been in his life? Even one short night with him was an honor to them. He didn''t need anything else. And even if he did ¡­ a fallen god was certainly not the person to tell him so.


    He forced himself to smile. "So since we''ve established that I don''t like you, why don''t you let me take the crown prince''s reincarnation with me? I''m sure he''s nothing but a bother to you and you''d love to get rid of him. I can bring him back to his lover and everyone can go back to their normal lives, yes?"


    Xiang Yu shook his head. "No."


    "Come on. Don''t make things difficult for me. He''s in the demon realm, isn''t he? Just bring me there and I''ll take him away. As simple as that."


    "No. I can''t. He isn''t there anyway. I brought him to heal his soul. You know it''s cracked. It should be repaired before he goes back to his lover."


    Xin Lan wanted to argue back when the true meaning of Xiang Yu''s words finally registered. "Wait. You ¡­ Know how to heal an injured soul?"

 Chapter 647 - Finally Their Time

    In the room behind them, Bai Mu groaned. He had pulled Nie Huang away from the door as soon as he saw that the other person was a fallen god and had backed up from the door as far as he could as a precaution. Now, he was grateful he had been this careful. Otherwise, things might have turned out differently.


    He pushed the table away that had been thrown toward them and brushed his hair back, smiling at Nie Huang. "Are you alright?"


    Nie Chang looked at him in a daze. Just a moment ago, she had been standing in the doorway in a daze, suddenly finding herself in her fiance''s arms again after so many years of waiting for him to return. Now they were lying on the ground and the world around them had been blasted into smithereens. Just what was happening here? "Bai Mu, what ¡­ Is it ¡­ Is it those people again? And when did you come back? How do you know Madam Zhong''s son-in-law?"


    She couldn''t understand. How come ¡­ he had suddenly stood in front of her again and held her in his arms as if they had never been separated? She really ¡­ couldn''t understand.


    Bai Mu pulled her into a sitting position. "I wanted to explain slowly but it seems things turned out differently than I expected." He smiled and brushed back her hair. "Let me first say how sorry I am. I ¡­ I intended to come back but ¡­ I couldn''t defeat them. They imprisoned me in the Chun Feng Sect and if it wasn''t for ¡­ some people coming to rescue me, I would still be there."


    Nie Huang reached over and cupped his cheeks. "It''s alright. It''s only important that you''re back."


    Bai Mu nodded and pulled her closer, once again hugging her to his chest. He brushed through her hair and closed his eyes, finally exhaling the breath he had been holding. "I''m relieved that you don''t hold it against me. I''ve let you wait way too long. The years we could have had ¡­" He pulled back and shook his head. "Let''s not talk about that. Ah Huang, I already came back a while ago. I saw that you have a new life and I don''t know if you''d be willing to give up on that life to be with me."


    "Give up on it?" Nie Huang furrowed her brows. Could it be that ¡­ "You don''t want me to work in the teahouse?"


    Bai Mu sighed and took her hands into his. "It''s not that I don''t want you to work there. If I was human like you and we could live a normal life, then I would join you there and do everything to protect your dream. Unfortunately, I didn''t have the luck to be born purely human. And because of that, I will never be free to do whatever I want. The same goes for you if you want to be with me. I''m afraid ¡­ you can only decide on one: The life you have made for yourself here in the capital or ¡­ me." He smiled wryly. "I know this is sudden. I also know that you might not be able to decide immediately. It''s not a problem. Just ¡­ let me explain it to you and then take some time to think it through. Whatever your decision is, I will respect it."


    Nie Huang shook her head. "What are you even saying?" Back then, I was barely sixteen. I couldn''t imagine anything better than marrying you, living at your side, giving birth to your child ¡­ It''s been more than ten years. I ¡­ I''m a tea master now. The teahouse where I work is even one where people like to come. Nobody questions me anymore."


    "So you ¡­ don''t want to give up on that. I understand." Bai Mu lowered his gaze and nodded. He had expected it. Ten years ¡­ it wasn''t long if you were immortal but it was too much for a human. Of course, her affections might wane while the other parts of her life got more important.


    He had thought that this might happen but it still stung now that it happened. Especially if he thought about the fact that things could have turned out differently if he hadn''t been imprisoned by the Chun Feng Sect. Ah, that life Nie Huang had described just now ¡­ he could imagine it all too well. It was the life he had dreamed of too despite being much older than her.


    A pair of delicate hands cupped his cheeks and lifted his head so that he looked at her smiling face. "Silly, what are you brooding over? Just tell me where we''ll go and I''ll naturally follow along. You are my fiance. I have waited for ten years. Don''t tantalize me now."


    "You ¡­ You mean ¡­"


    Nie Huang laughed. She laughed the same way she had laughed back then when they met, making his heart fill with an indescribable sweetness. "I''ll come with you. Being a tea master ¡­ I did that because my family would have made me marry if I didn''t and because it was the only skill I had that was enough to support myself. It wasn''t easy either and yes, I am a little reluctant to leave that life behind. But you are more important. The dreams I had back then ¡­ don''t tell me you think I''m too old now to realize them?"


    Bai Mu shook his head. "You ¡­ You''re not too old. In fact, you look ¡­ you look very well. Like ¡­ we were meant to be like this." His cheeks burned when he said that but he couldn''t help but feel that he was right. From his earliest days, he remembered hearing those stories from his mother about how she and his father had fought their way through the whole world and finally established the Dark Temple. They had been of the same age, the same cultivation realm, the same mind. He had wanted to find a partner like that too and when he fell in love with Nie Huang who was but a young girl, he had wondered just how that could have happened. Who would have known ¡­ fate had determined their time wasn''t right yet?


    Yes, back then, their time hadn''t come yet but now that ten years had gone by it was. Fate had brought them back together and now, nothing would be able to separate them again. This ¡­ was finally their time.

 Chapter 648 - What Will You Do for Me?

    Nie Huang''s cheeks flushed pink and she lowered her head. This man ¡­ she had always known he was sweet but how come his sweet-talking skills were still this good after so many years of not seeing each other?


    Bai Mu laughed at her expression. "Never mind that. Listen now, Ah Huang, we won''t just have to leave the capital. We''ll have to leave the human realm."


    "Oh. Then ¡­ where will we go?"


    Bai Mu sighed. "We can go to the dragon realm. We''ll be safe there and ¡­ it''s good for cultivation." He hesitated but finally grabbed her shoulders. "Ah Huang, could you imagine becoming a cultivator?"


    "Of course I could. But didn''t you say back then that I didn''t have the ¡­"


    "Spirit veins, yes. But there is a possibility to gain them. It won''t be easy but it''s possible and somebody could help us with this. It ¡­ would enable you to cultivate. And ¡­ if you manage to reach the third stage, you won''t age anymore. You might even be able to become a true immortal at a higher stage. Then the two of us could stay together forever. Would you like to try?"


    Nie Huang smiled and rubbed his cheek. "You''re still so silly. Why wouldn''t I? If I could have done so before, I would have long started. Just tell me what to do and I''ll do it."


    "Mn. Somebody will come by soon and bring us to the dragon realm. We can settle down there first and then we''ll just have to wait until they finish with refining the pill that will create spirit veins for you. Ah Huang, there''s one thing I should stress: Creating something that wasn''t there before won''t be easy. Even with a high-grade pill, it might hurt a lot. Are you sure you are up to this?"


    Nie Huang nodded. "If it means being together with you, I can take everything. And ¡­ you''ll be there, won''t you? Then there''s nothing for me to worry about."


    "Alright. I guess I was thinking too much." He took a deep breath and nodded. "Let''s stay here for the time being. Those two out there are dangerous. I''m not entirely sure if I could protect you if we get in the way of their fight."


    Nie Huang nodded even though she couldn''t see how that young man in the dark robe was supposed to be dangerous. He had seemed ¡­ scared when she ran into him and rather lost when he noticed her in front of the restaurant again. Was that really somebody dangerous? But if Bai Mu said so, then that had to be true. Who knew? Just because he was young and maybe somewhat inexperienced, that didn''t mean he couldn''t be a strong cultivator either.


    As for that other man ¡­ she had been preoccupied with her own thoughts at seeing Bai Mu again. How could she have had the time to spare to take a look at him? She was sure that he had to be the one responsible for this attack just now though. That child out there certainly wouldn''t have done that.


    Xiang Yu would have been thrilled to know that Nie Huang thought so well about him. Right now, he only stared at Xin Lan with a gloomy expression, feeling that life wasn''t good. Why was this fake dragon watching him like that? Did he want to do something bad to him?


    "What are you asking for? Such a simple thing, of course, I can do it!"


    Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed and he took a step closer.


    Xiang Yu raised his hands in defense. He wouldn''t let this guy jump him again! "You stay away! I don''t like you and I will never like you, regardless of what you do. You''re no real dragon and not a good person either. You have no chance to win my heart."


    Xin Lan wanted to yell at him to forget about this already and that he wasn''t even interested in the first place. He gulped his complaints down though. This situation was just too favorable to him!


    He smirked and rubbed his fingers together, eying Xiang Yu from the side. "Well ¡­ If you''re that much against me liking you, then I might do you the favor to stop doing so."


    Xiang Yu blinked and lowered his hands. "Really?"


    "Mn. I''m not a bad person, am I?"


    Xiang Yu pursed his lips. "Tian said you''re no good."


    Xin Lan''s hand shook but he forced himself to calm down. "Tian doesn''t know me that well, does he?"


    Xiang Yu didn''t buy that argument. "Tian is the supreme lord of all realms. He doesn''t need to know you personally to know everything about you."


    Xin Lan gritted his teeth. Was this guy trying to insult him even more? "He might know a lot but he doesn''t know our thoughts either. You know I''m actually a very ¡­ emotional person. My feelings are running very, very deep. When I fall in love once it''ll need a lot to make me give up on a person."


    "What do you mean?"


    Xin Lan lowered his hand and his lips curled up further. "I mean what will you do to make it easier for me to forget about you?"


    "Ah?"


    Xin Lan coughed at the fallen god''s expression. Why was he looking so surprised? Wasn''t it to be expected that he would want to get something out of this? "I mean if you don''t want me to like you, then you should do something to make me forget about you."


    "Like what?"


    "For example, you could help somebody that is very important to me. If you did that ¡­" He stepped closer and leaned over, his breath brushing Xiang Yu''s face. "Then this ¡­ very ambiguous feeling I hold for you ¡­ might just turn into eternal gratitude."

 Chapter 649 - Let’s Call Him a Former Lover

    Xiang Yu leaned back as far as Xin Lan leaned forward, his eyes widening. What was this guy trying to do?


    "Alternatively ¡­" Xin Lan reached out as if he wanted to touch him.


    Xiang Yu jumped away and hid behind the corner. "No."


    "No to turning my feelings into eternal gratitude? Or ¡­ to the alternative?" Xin Lan approached the corner with a smile. He didn''t even need to act. He really felt that ¡­ this was quite fun. Just look at his expression! When had he ever seen a fallen god look like this? And he hadn''t even threatened him. He was just talking about feelings.


    "I ¡­" Xiang Yu''s lips moved but he finally stopped talking and hid further behind the corner. Only a pair of widened eyes peeked out behind it while his long hair fell to the side like a black veil.


    Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed. If this had been before he met Jinde ¡­ this might actually have tempted him. He wasn''t that much into the innocent type but he did enjoy to hunt. And this person ¡­ with how he retreated two steps as soon as he took one toward him, he did entice him. Maybe it wouldn''t be too bad to play a bit with him. Xin Lan''s lips curved further and he leaned against the wall again, waiting for Xiang Yu''s reaction.


    The fallen god didn''t budge. He stayed behind the corner and stared at Xin Lan, looking out for any movement.


    The two of them reached an impasse.


    Xin Lan crossed his arms in front of his chest and raised his chin. Mn. How curious. It seemed that despite his erroneous belief that he was into him, this fallen god didn''t think much of him in return. If anything, he saw him as a danger he should evade. Well, with how he had fallen because of a love trial, that wasn''t too surprising.


    "Do you detest the thought of me being in love with you that much?"


    Xiang Yu''s head bobbed up and down. He didn''t want this guy to like him! That wasn''t a real dragon! He couldn''t love. It would just end in disaster again. And anyway, Tian had said that he would find somebody to love in the future. Why should he waste himself on this bad person?


    "Then you want me gone."


    Xiang Yu nodded again but still didn''t speak. The less he said the better. That fake dragon should leave soon if he kept mum, shouldn''t he?


    "But ¡­ I think I like what I see more and more." He pushed himself off the wall and took a step to the corner. "Ah, the way you try to hide from me, covering your slender body and exposing your beautiful eyes that sparkle in the dark ¡­"


    Xiang Yu''s eyes widened.


    "You really know how to make a man lose his mind, don''t you?"


    Xiang Yu shook his head and hid even further behind the corner.


    "Mn, that''s what you say but ¡­ Why do I feel that it''s not the truth? I really can''t imagine that this is only my one-sided affection. Are you sure you do not want to accept my feelings?" He took another step toward the corner only to find the fallen god retreat further.


    Only one of those black eyes was exposed now and not even the black mark between his brows could be seen. Xin Lan raised his brows. Mn ¡­ Not too bad. He had probably been very pretty before his fall. No wonder a demon had found him to be enough to his liking to marry him. The demons might not be able to feel but they appreciated beauty. A pretty thing like him should be able to strike a nerve with some of them. Especially paired with that innocent retreat.


    Xin Lan looked at the fingers that had curled around the wall until his joints turned white. He smiled and raised his hands in defense. "Alright, you do not want me. I''ll have to accept that. But I really can''t promise that I''ll be able to stop myself from loving you. You''re ¡­ so enticing."


    "No!"


    "No?" His eyes narrowed. "I think you are."


    Xiang Yu pursed his lips. Why was this guy so persistent? Hadn''t he already said that he didn''t like him? "What do you want?"


    "Didn''t I say that already? I want you to ¡­ help me. There''s this friend I have ¡­"


    "You don''t have friends!"


    "Alright. Then let''s call him a former lover."


    Xiang Yu blinked and exposed his second eye again. He didn''t question that explanation at all. This guy certainly had a lot of former lovers.


    Xin Lan''s lips twitched but he forced himself to continue. "He got into an accident and his soul was badly hurt. As you said I''m not like the other dragons. I can''t stay true to anyone. But that doesn''t mean that I''ll forget about my former partners just like that. Since we separated on good terms and he also has a new lover now who he is happily married with, I feel that I should help those two out a bit."


    Xiang Yu nodded. That was actually quite decent of him. Maybe he wasn''t that bad after all.


    "So ¡­ since you know how to heal a soul could you maybe help me out a little?"


    "These two ¡­ are they dragons?"


    Xin Lan looked to the destroyed window and sighed. "My former lover is. As for his husband, he was a dragon in his past life and back then, he joined his soul with him. When he was reincarnated as a human, they met again and finally got together again. The only thing keeping them from finding true happiness is my lover''s injured soul. He is weakened very much. His husband ¡­ worries about him day and night. Such a beautiful pair, just a single look tells you how much they love each other."


    Xiang Yu tilted his head. That did sound like a couple that should receive help. "Then ¡­ I could take a look."


    "That would be great. Come then." He reached out but Xiang Yu ignored his hand.


    "Where do they live? I''ll go there on my own."


    "I doubt I can send a fallen god over there just like that. Won''t they be scared? Don''t worry, I''ll lead you there." He turned away and left the teahouse, not caring at all that he was supposed to wait for Qiang Yan to contact them. Why should he? A secret realm for his Master to hide in would only be necessary if he wasn''t healed. But if his soul was returned to its original state ¡­ What would he care about Jin Ling? A child such as him wouldn''t be able to hurt the previous dragon king. Not in his dreams.

 Chapter 650 - In the Name of Education

    While Xin Lan brought Xiang Yu to the Yun Zou Sect, Qiu Ling had already started to gather the ingredients for another Amethyst Lightning Pill. He couldn''t help but hesitate after he found all the herbs though. This was just something he was supposed to do because some of the ingredients could be used for the pills on the old geezer''s list. He didn''t know which though and some of them would require him to hunt down beasts again that would then lose their lives if he couldn''t exchange them again. That wasn''t too good. If he could avoid harming them, he would do so. But if he only gathered the other materials ¡­


    Qiu Ling turned to where the Glowing Sea was. He really ¡­ didn''t want to dive in there again. Never mind that his beloved already knew about his heritage, he still didn''t want to take on that form. It was better if it stayed hidden just in case.


    But then ¡­ He pursed his lips and finally turned around, hurrying back to the Yun Zou Sect. Why should he wait for that Xin Lan to go and fetch the lists? Never mind the one with the people but he could at least get the one with the ingredients himself, couldn''t he? Then he would already be able to go and gather some of them. Wasn''t that much better? Then whoever would refine that pill would already have the ingredients! Even if a few were still missing, finding those couldn''t be that difficult.


    He finally reached the familiar sect grounds. Seeing the place where Jing Yi had lived before and the small house where he had just moved in, he couldn''t help but feel dejected. How come he and Jing He always had to separate? First Jing He had to go on that trial just when they had decided to get married, then even in the trial, Jing Yi would first leave for the Yun Zou Sect, then he was imprisoned in some secret realm, and now he was even kidnapped and held hostage by some fallen god. Was this that stupid Fate''s Scribe? He''d pay that guy back after Jing He returned!


    Qiu Ling hovered in the air with a sad expression. Ah, but by then ¡­ Jing Yi would be gone. It would also be a little sad. Jing Yi was ¡­ He tilted his head and pondered. Jing Yi was Jing He''s mortal reincarnation and that was what had made him love him in the first place. But that didn''t mean that Jing Yi wasn''t lovely on his own. He was ¡­ he was very lovely. Just very different from Jing He too.


    In the ten years he had tried to woo Jing He, he had seldom seen him smile a genuine smile or cry tears of sadness. Jing He had always kept all that to himself as if he didn''t dare to confide in him. That was ¡­ quite sad. He wanted Jing He to trust him enough to do these things! But, well, it seemed it wasn''t that easy. Not for his immortal self, at least.


    With Jing Yi, it had always been different. He had seen him grow up. Other than the times they had been separated, he had accompanied every one of his steps. There was nothing holding them back in showing everything of themselves to the other. And that was ¡­ a beautiful feeling.


    Imagining that this wouldn''t be possible anymore after Jing He returned ¡­ it did make him sad somehow even though he longed to see Jing He at the same time. He really didn''t understand.


    Ah, Jing He ¡­ His Jing He, why couldn''t he be a little more open with him? Wasn''t he his fiance? There was no need to hold anything back, was there?


    Qiu Ling sighed and shook his head. Whatever. It was still quite a bit of time until then. Jing Yi would still live a while longer. He didn''t need to think about it right now. He could ¡­ still wait for a few more years before he started to worry. Until then, he should make sure that everything else was in order again.


    He rushed to the house where Leng Jin Yu and Jinde were living and barged right in. There shouldn''t be anything those two didn''t want him to know, right? And it was the middle of the day. They shouldn''t be ¡­


    "Mn, my dear husband ¡­" Jinde''s cloyingly sweet voice came from one of the rooms in the back.


    "Don''t be like this. Didn''t you tell Xin Lan to come over? What if he ¡ª"


    "Aiya, don''t be like this. Xin Lan knows about us. Why would he care? Come on now ¡­"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. How mean! Half of this was his father''s fault but here he was enjoying himself with his lover. That guy wasn''t taking responsibility at all! He should go and remind him that there was something like that.


    Qiu Ling marched over to the door and crossed his arms over his chest. Hmph. Look at this! Those two were really lying in bed together!


    Leng Jin Yu had the decency to look up and look sheepish when he heard somebody come in. He reached for the blanket to cover Jinde''s body further but his lover didn''t seem to mind showing skin. He very naturally sprawled on the bed, his slender fingers reaching out to touch his lover''s naked chest.


    "Jinde ¡­" Leng Jin Yu motioned to the door but Jinde didn''t care.


    Wasn''t it just that bear child? He also knew that they were married. What was so bad about letting him see a bit? He should also know about that kind of thing. Otherwise, what would that poor crown prince do in the future? Mn, in the name of education ¡­ he should give him a demonstration with his dear husband ¡­

 Chapter 651 - Two Halves … Solely for Him

    Jinde reached out for his husband''s neck, his body wriggling closer bit by bit. Before he managed to climb onto his body, something was thrown at him though. Uh? He raised his head and blinked. This was ¡­ a towel? A wet towel? He blinked again and finally turned around to his stepson.


    "What''s the meaning of this?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "You actually dare to ignore me!"


    Jinde sighed and threw the towel back. "I''m just your stepfather. Go complain to your real father."


    "But he''s lying in bed with you!"


    "So true ¡­" Jinde''s hands reached out again, completely with the intention to get naughty.


    Leng Jin Yu hurriedly caught them before anything could happen. "I know you don''t want to hear this but it''s still better to hear what he has to say, isn''t it?"


    Jinde pursed his lips in response. "So you''d rather listen to your son now? You''re making me feel dejected." He took his hands back and sat up, not caring at all that he still wasn''t wearing anything.


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his forehead. The dragons might not think much of it but he had been born and raised human in this life! He couldn''t get used to the idea of his husband displaying his naked skin in front of other men just like that. Even if the person in question right now called him father whenever he felt like it.


    He turned on the bed and picked up his inner robe that had been thrown aside before, hurriedly putting it on. It wasn''t enough to call himself decently dressed but it was much better than being naked. He heaved a sigh of relief and looked around for Jinde''s clothes. Unfortunately ¡­ they couldn''t be seen. Wherever they were, it wasn''t on his side of the bed.


    He sighed again and picked up his outer robe that was hanging over the edge of the bed. He loosely hung it over his shoulders and got up. "Longjun, you probably didn''t come without reason. Is there something you''d like to discuss? Why don''t we go to the study for that?"


    "No." Qiu Ling raised his chin. "I know exactly what you''re trying to do."


    "Uh ¡­" Trying to make this less embarrassing? By putting on his clothes and finding the ones Jinde had worn before?


    His husband chuckled at his expression and stretched a fair leg toward him. "My dear, do you really want to go to the study? Could it be you''ve forgotten what''s in the study?"


    Leng Jin Yu turned back and raised his brows. In the study? Wasn''t it just ¡ª


    Leng Jin Yu''s face flushed red. Shit. He had forgotten for the moment but ¡­ the study had been where all this had started. Well, that explained why he couldn''t see Jinde''s clothes anywhere. They should still be lying in the study.


    He hurriedly cleared his throat and turned back to Qiu Ling. "Longjun ¡­ the weather is so nice today. Why don''t you go and take a look at the courtyard? We''ll be there in a minute."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. "A minute? Don''t tell me that''s the longest you can last."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. Ah ¡­ How come this was his family now? Were these two never thinking of anything else?


    Qiu Ling harrumphed when he didn''t get a response. To think his old man had degenerated to this degree after being reincarnated! No wonder the old geezer always tried to drag him into bed if each time only lasted for a short moment. He was probably very dissatisfied!


    Mn, after he married Jing He, he would make sure that he was always thoroughly satisfied. He couldn''t let his beloved hunger for more like this. What kind of husband would he be if he did?


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his forehead at the pitying look he got from his so-called son. "Longjun ¡­ will you wait in the courtyard now?"


    "No. I''m just here to get the list so I can go and gather the ingredients."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed again. Why hadn''t he said so sooner? "Then let me go and get it."


    "No, no, no need!" Qiu Ling waved his hands with a bright smile. "Just tell me where it is. I wouldn''t want to keep the two of you from doing your important things." He pursed his lips. "Even though I think it''s a little mean to get another child before you even put in some effort to catch up with me. It''s as if I''m not important anymore now that you got your true love back. Well, it figures. I''m still the proof of you cheating on him."


    Leng Jin Yu sat down at the edge of the bed and sighed more deeply. Screw this! Why was he even trying? One of them would try to pull him into bed with any means necessary and the other would play the family card whenever he felt like it while he forgot about him the rest of the time and only worked on starting his own family.


    Jinde chuckled at his helpless look. "Ah, my dear husband, don''t take your son''s criticism too hard. You''re doing what you can. It''s only a pity you can''t split yourself in two so you won''t be able to do everything at once. And with your son gone most of the time ¡­" He sat up and inched closer to Leng Jin Yu, finally putting his hands on his back and rubbing it through the fabric of his robes. Mn ¡­ his husband was very warm. He totally wouldn''t mind if that bear child took the list and went on his way, giving him the opportunity to enjoy himself a while longer in that warm embrace.


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. Something told him that even if he could split himself into two, Jinde would still demand both his halves to pay attention only to him. Well, he had waited long enough and suffered way too much before they met. It was understandable that he wanted to make up for that. It was just that ¡­ Qiu Ling also had to have regrets. Shouldn''t they be addressed too? Because at the end of the day, even though they weren''t very familiar, this person had still been his son in his past life.

 Chapter 652 - We Would Have Gone Extinct Long Ago

    "Longjun ¡­" Leng Jin Yu looked up at this person that seemed to care about him being his father at one time and then completely forgetting about the fact for the rest of the time. "How about ¡­ I accompany you to gather the ingredients?"


    "Ah?" Qiu Ling raised his brows and touched his ear. Had he misheard?


    Jinde scratched his husband''s back in response. "What are you saying? You want to accompany him? What about me then? Do you want to leave me at home alone? You just came back from your trip to the capital. Have some basic human decency!"


    Leng Jin Yu glanced over his shoulder and raised his brows. ''Human decency''? And that from a dragon? He couldn''t help but grin. "Jinde ¡­ It''s not like I won''t come back."


    Jinde pursed his lips and harrumphed but he still understood that this was something Leng Jin Yu had to do. He just was that type of person. It was a miracle he hadn''t started with getting to know this son of his long ago.


    He sighed and patted Leng Jin Yu''s back. "You go and enjoy yourself then. I''ll try to think of some other people that could refine the pill just in case."


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu tightened his lips and leaned over for a kiss. "I wish you could accompany us."


    "What? To witness that bonding time between father and son? Thank you but I doubt I want to see that."


    "That''s ¡ª"


    "Don''t worry about it, old geezer. You can have a lot of bonding time with your own child in the future. When I get my Jing He back, I won''t mind. It''s only logical for you to want another child after the first one leaves the house."


    Jinde smiled wryly. "Well, wouldn''t that be nice."


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his cheek. "I''m sorry. Don''t think too much about it."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "What''s there to think about anyway? Jing He and I won''t be living with you and even though the old geezer is, well, old already it doesn''t mean you can''t have another ¡ª"


    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat and got up. He grabbed Qiu Ling by the shoulder and pushed him to the door. "Alright, alright, I think we understood. Now, how about we go outside and let Jinde get dressed?"


    "Why do we have to leave for that? Can''t he get dressed if someone''s there?"


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t bother to answer. He pushed Qiu Ling out of the room and dragged him to the courtyard. His expression was grave when he looked at Qiu Ling.


    "What?"


    "Don''t bring up children in front of Jinde."


    "Why? Don''t tell me he''s really still hurt that you had a child with somebody else. What about me?"


    "What about you? How would I know? I only know that Jinde always wanted a child but your father ¡ª"


    "You''re my father."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "Chun Yin decided to stay with his wife and took his child with him. Jinde wouldn''t have minded raising you but this way, he lost his lover and the child. It''s really not a subject that''s suitable for you to bring up."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "What are you even talking about? I was talking about the two of you having another one. That shouldn''t be a problem."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed again. Ah, just how was he supposed to get this into his head? Well, never mind. "Let me go and explain to Jinde. After that, I''ll accompany you around to gather the ingredients. I''ve lived in the human realm for a long time. I had a look at the list Jinde wrote. I know where most of the ingredients can be found."


    "Oh. That''s neat. Then I''ll wait here. Don''t take too long."


    "Mn." Leng Jin Yu nodded and hurried back in.


    His husband that was supposed to get dressed ¡­ was still sitting on the bed naked.


    Leng Jin Yu sat down next to him and reached out, gently cupping his cheeks. "I''m sorry." He leaned over and kissed him. That subject ¡­ it shouldn''t be raised in front of Jinde.


    Jinde smiled though. "What are you being so moody for?" He encircled his neck and melted into his husband''s embrace. Mn, it really was a pity that Leng Jin Yu needed to go now ¡­


    "He shouldn''t have said that. Not him. Not to you."


    "How so? He''s right, isn''t he?"


    "Right?"


    Jinde chuckled and intimately rubbed Leng Jin Yu''s cheek. "Or could it be you don''t want a child with me? Qiu Ling isn''t even from your current life. Are you really satisfied with staying without offspring this time around?"


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but raise his brows. What was Jinde saying there? "I''m happy as long as I have you."


    "So you don''t want a child?"


    "What kind of question is that? We''re both men. Even if we wanted to ¡­"


    Jinde tsked. "Humans. Even Tian married a man and they would have had a child if the gods weren''t so stupidly jealous of their own people. Do you really think it''s impossible?"


    "You ¡­" Leng Jin Yu''s brows twitched. Jinde knew very well that he needed to say his farewell and go. Why was he bringing something like that up now? "Jinde ¡­ Are you trying to say that the two of us could have a child together if we wanted to?"


    Jinde chuckled and his hand that had still been caressing Leng Jin Yu''s cheek traveled down to do mischief. "Have you forgotten about the curse of the dragons? The love we feel isn''t anything superficial. It''s not about appearance or whether somebody is a man or a woman. There are so many marriages between two men or two women ¡­ If all those couples couldn''t have children, our race would have gone extinct long ago."


    "So we ¡­ we can have a child."


    "Mn." Jinde didn''t seem to think much of it.


    "Then ¡­ how ¡­?" Leng Jin Yu''s face flushed red. He really ¡­ had no idea how to do this with another man.


    Jinde laughed and moved to sit on Leng Jin Yu''s lap. "Well ¡­ I could tell you but ¡­ what will I get in return?"


    When Leng Jin Yu awkwardly looked up, he met with a pair of sparkling golden eyes. "That ¡­ depends on what you want?"


    "How about ¡­ you carry the child."


    Leng Jin Yu doubled over coughing only to be greeted by Jinde''s laughter. This ¡­ wouldn''t have all been a hoax, would it? Was Jinde serious or not? Could they actually have a child? He really didn''t know anymore!

 Chapter 653 - Your New Lover?

    While Leng Jin Yu tried to figure out just what this was supposed to mean, Xin Lan and Xiang Yu finally arrived at the Yun Zou Sect. Xin Lan landed in front of his Master''s house and turned to look at the fallen god. "I''ll go in and explain. You wait here until I call you in."


    Xiang Yu blinked and watched as Xin Lan turned away and entered the house. He tilted his head. Hadn''t he said that this was his previous lover? And that he was happily married now? How could he just intrude? This guy was too much!


    Xiang Yu stood in front of the house and looked around. He deeply felt that ¡­ he couldn''t let things go on this way! It was bad enough that this fake dragon had dared to pretend to be in love with him. He definitely couldn''t let him try and separate a loving couple!


    Xiang Yu slipped through the door and followed Xin Lan down the corridor.


    Right now, Xin Lan was standing in front of the open door, his gaze lowered to the ground and his hands clenched into fists. Even though Leng Jin Yu had already put on his clothes again and his body was covering Jinde for the most part, those slender legs and arms could still be seen and even his bare shoulder was exposed thanks to the way he had planted himself on his husband''s lap.


    Was it really necessary to greet him like this? Xin Lan took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "Your Majesty ¡­"


    Jinde only glanced over when Xin Lan spoke up. His thoughts couldn''t help but flow to what he had seen before but he pushed the memory aside. Leng Jin Yu was right. Whatever had been in the past, Xin Lan would know about his feelings. And he would soon have the chance to find somebody he liked. Somebody who was free to love him back.


    "Xin Lan." Jinde smiled brightly and clung tighter to his husband, making sure nothing that shouldn''t peek out could be seen from the door.


    Even though he didn''t mind letting Xin Lan see, with how Leng Jin Yu regarded this kind of thing, it was better not to let anything happen. After all, this man wasn''t his son but somebody who was likely interested in his lover and Leng Jin Yu hadn''t even liked the idea of Qiu Ling seeing him naked.


    Xin Lan nodded. "I ¡­" He cleared his throat awkwardly, shifting to the side. Sometimes he really wished his Master would be a little less daring. But as a married dragon who had already found his other half, there was no need for him to consider anything else. Naturally, he wouldn''t mind being seen by anybody else. In fact, he probably rejoiced every time somebody saw the marks left on his body.


    Jinde motioned to the corridor behind him. "You came to pick up the list. I should have left it in the study. Why don''t you get it yourself? I was just ¡­ bidding farewell to Jin Yu. You know he promised to accompany Qiu Ling for a while."


    Xin Lan glanced up, his gaze brushing those naked legs again. Mn, bidding farewell ¡­ His eyes narrowed and he propped himself up on the doorway. "To be honest, that''s not why I''m here. I might have found a way to heal your soul."


    Jinde tensed and finally forgot about the bit of modesty he had left. He scrambled to get up from Leng Jin Yu''s lap and wanted to hurry over to Xin Lan''s side to demand more information.


    Leng Jin Yu hurriedly caught his waist and pulled him back. He definitely wouldn''t let Jinde go over there! Never mind the dragon king who was in something like a happy relationship already, there really had to be a limit to showing off his skin. Did it really need to be in front of a single man who might like him?


    Jinde grumbled but finally stayed put on Leng Jin Yu''s lap. Well, he had already slit halfway down, exposing more than he had wanted originally.


    Xin Lan gulped and looked back at the floor, nodding curtly. "Yes, it''s just that the person who ¡ª"


    A head peeked out behind him, taking in the scene on the bed.


    Jinde''s golden brows shot up. "Oh, wow. I''ve never been surprised by a fallen god while naked in bed." His fingers curled into his husband''s black hair, making sure he wouldn''t turn around. This situation ¡­ it wasn''t too good. Just what had Xin Lan thought? "Xin Lan, why don''t you tell me why you brought this person over here?"


    Xin Lan turned to Xiang Yu with an angry expression, ready to scold him. Hadn''t he told him to wait outside until he explained? Why had he rushed in here already?


    Before he had time for even a single word, Xiang Yu''s eyes widened and he hurried behind Xin Lan''s back, even going so far as to grab onto his robe. "Why is he naked?!"


    Xin Lan harrumphed. What was he getting upset for? "Didn''t I tell you to wait outside?"


    Xiang Yu leaned to the side, peeking at the bed. That couple was still sitting there. Why was that man still not getting dressed?


    Jinde watched with interest how the fallen god retreated behind Xin Lan''s back again almost as if he was taking shelter. What was this child hiding from? Although it was rather curious that he hid behind Xin Lan of all people ¡­ Come to think of it ¡­ "Xin Lan, this person ¡­ wouldn''t be your new lover, would it?"


    "What?" Xin Lan forgot about the person sticking to his back and stared at his Master. What was he saying there? Even if he didn''t reciprocate his feelings, did he have to pair him up with a fallen god of all people?!


    Xiang Yu peeked out behind Xin Lan''s arm and furrowed his brows. "No!"


    "No?" Jinde smiled. That had sounded rather certain. But why did this fallen god still stick to Xin Lan this closely? Was there really nothing more to this?

 Chapter 654 - Your Husband Is Really Very Nice

    Jinde''s interest was already piqued. He looked at the fallen god''s face and couldn''t but feel ¡­ that this one was rather adorable. Never mind the intricate mark between his brows, if you didn''t pay attention to that, then he was totally the type of beauty anybody would like. He had a pair of big black eyes, a small nose, and a pair of pouty lips. There was a hint of maturity in the way his dark brows arched above his eyes and if you looked closely enough at his eyes, then you could see that there was something beneath that innocence.


    Jinde watched him and his heart couldn''t help but squeeze. He knew that kind of gaze. He himself had often had had it in the past. This was a deep sadness, something born out of regret, out of helplessness. Whatever this fallen god had gone through, it had hurt him deeply. No wonder ¡­ that he had reacted instantly when he asked whether he was Xin Lan''s lover.


    Jinde lowered his gaze, not in the mood to tease the child any longer. He did feel that this type of person might be a good match for Xin Lan considering that he was special in all the immortal races but a couple could only work if both partners were open to it. And Xin Lan ¡­ He obviously wasn''t open to even considering this fallen god.


    As for this person himself ¡­ He didn''t look like he thought too much of Xin Lan but that was good. Xin Lan hated how everyone deemed him special just because he was the only one who wasn''t afflicted by Tian''s curse. Having somebody treat him as if he was a normal person would be a nice change of pace for him. Maybe ¡­ that could even help him fall in love.


    Jinde''s smile returned at the thought. He should keep an eye on this. If things turned out nicely, this might just be the opportunity he had looked for. He prepared to get serious when his husband pulled him up against his chest and started to wriggle out of his outer robe.


    "What are you doing?"


    "What is he doing?" Xiang Yu also didn''t like what was going on. He hid behind Xin Lan again and tugged at his robe, demanding an explanation.


    Xin Lan harrumphed. Why did he have to explain these lovers'' actions?


    Leng Jin Yu took off his outer robe and wrapped Jinde into it. "We should get you your clothes before we talk about this any further. Put this on first. I''ll get you one of your robes."


    "Of course, my dear." Jinde very obediently put on the outer robe and slipped from Leng Jin Yu''s lap to let him go search for something to wear. He rubbed the sleeves of the robe and lowered his head. Mn, the robe actually smelled of his husband.


    Xin Lan tightened his lips at this sight. Those two ¡­ were really very happy. He should be overjoyed for his Master but instead, his heart squeezed painfully. Did he really have to see this? He would really love to get this done and leave. As much as he loved to spend time with his Master, he didn''t want to have to see too much of this.


    Xiang Yu peeked out from behind him again and blinked at the person that was now sitting on the bed covered in his husband''s robe while the said husband had knelt down in front of a chest and was searching for a robe his lover would like. Xiang Yu couldn''t help but purse his lips at the sight. These two ¡­ They were exactly how he imagined a good couple to be. Taking care of each other, cherishing each other ¡­ This was how a relationship should be.


    He looked up at Xin Lan''s face that barely hid his displeasure. "It''s no wonder he left you. His husband is very nice. Much better than you."


    Xin Lan glared at him. Never mind the comparison, just why did he have to say that in front of his Master?! Wouldn''t he ¡ª


    "Oh?" Jinde stopped harassing his husband and turned to Xiang Yu and Xin Lan. "I wonder what he could mean by that?"


    "It''s nothing!" Xin Lan tensed and whirled to Xiang Yu, trying to prevent him from saying anything else. Unfortunately, he had forgotten that this fallen god didn''t like it when he came too close.


    Xiang Yu hissed at him and lashed out, his hands drawing black lines in the air and finally ripping into his sleeves. Xin Lan tsked but still reached out and tried to grab onto his arms.


    "What do you think you''re doing?! Leave me alone! I don''t even like you!"


    "Fuck! Will you shut up?!" Xin Lan finally grabbed his shoulder but Xiang Yu squirmed free.


    "Fake! Fake dragon! You better forget about me!"


    "You!" Xin Lan reached out again but this time, Xiang Yu didn''t fight back.


    Xiang Yu sidestepped his attack and then dashed to the bed, finally hiding behind Jinde. Peeking out behind his veil of golden hair, he glared at Xin Lan. This fake dragon! He''d like to see if he dared to come over!


    "You!" Xin Lan gnashed his teeth. How dare this guy get so close to his Master?!


    Jinde couldn''t help but laugh when he saw the two of them like this. He ignored Xin Lan and instead turned to the fallen god who looked up at him with watery eyes. "Aiya, poor child. Did my family''s Xin Lan bully you? Tell me all about it."


    Xiang Yu pursed his lips. "I really don''t understand. How could you have been with someone like him?"


    "Oh? Did Xin Lan say we were a couple before?"


    Xiang Yu nodded, looking at Jinde in contemplation. "He''s no good. Even Tian said so. And you can obviously do much better." He glanced at Leng Jin Yu who finally found the robe he had been looking for.


    He straightened up and showed it to Jinde. "Is this one alright?"


    "Ah, but it''s so blue ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "Didn''t you say yesterday that you''d like to wear the blue one today?"


    "But that was yesterday, my dear. How about a green one instead? I like wearing green. That always reminds me of ¡ª"


    "Yes, yes, I know. I''ll ¡­ I''ll find you a green one." He awkwardly cleared his throat and put the blue robe aside just in case Jinde would change his mind again when he found a green one. Then he went back to searching for the right clothes.


    Jinde smiled and turned back to Xiang Yu. "You were saying?"


    "Your husband is really very nice." He was ¡­ a bit envious. If it was that kind of person who had fallen in love with him, he might not even insist on him being a dragon. He might ¡­ just fall in love like that.

 Chapter 655 - They’d Make a Nice Couple

    Jinde watched the fallen god next to him look at his husband with starry eyes and raised his brows. That ¡­ was absolutely not what he had had in mind. He reached out and gently ruffled his hair. "Aiya, you have good eyesight. My husband really is very good. But you know what? Even though our Xin Lan over there can be a bit grumpy, he''s also very nice. He cares deeply about the people that are important to him. He''s just very bad at showing his feelings."


    Xiang Yu glanced over and harrumphed. That fake dragon''s previous lover was too nice of a person. Even though he had found a much better match, he still talked about him this nicely. That fake dragon should feel blessed that he had been able to spend even a single day with a person such as this!


    Leng Jin Yu finally found one of Jinde''s green robes and heaved a sigh of relief. He didn''t think it was that important which color Jinde wore considering that he looked great in all of them but since his husband insisted ¡­ He got up and showed the robe to him. "Is this one alright?"


    "Mn ¡­ I guess it''ll suffice for now." Jinde got up and reached up to push Leng Jin Yu''s outer robe from his shoulders.


    His husband hurriedly leaped forward and caught his waist. "Then let''s go change behind the folding screen, alright? I''m sure Xin Lan can take care of our guest for a moment."


    Xiang Yu pursed his lips. Ah, this man was so enviable! His husband took such good care of him! Just where did these two meet?


    Xiang Yu watched on as Leng Jin Yu gently pulled Jinde behind the folding screen. He had never seen such a great couple before! This man was so gentle, so caring, so ¡­


    "Heh!" Xin Lan grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him around. "Those two are married already. Don''t get any idea."


    "I''m not!" Xiang Yu lashed out again, his nails scratching Xin Lan''s arm, making him curse.


    "Why are you being so difficult?"


    "I''m not."


    Behind the folding screen, Jinde raised his brows at his husband who was busy putting him into the robe. "Don''t you think those two are a lovely couple?"


    Leng Jin Yu glanced at those golden eyes before getting back to smoothing out the inner robe. "I don''t think you can call them a couple."


    "Aiya, not yet but ¡­ maybe they could become one."


    "Are you sure both of them will survive that?" He couldn''t help but think back to how the two of them had just gotten into conflict after not even spending ten minutes here. And if this fallen god hadn''t hidden behind Jinde out of all people, things might have escalated further.


    "Aiya, Xin Lan is strong and that boy is a fallen god. What could happen?"


    "Well ¡­"


    "See? It''s a very safe combination. And that child is really pretty too. I think Xin Lan would appreciate it."


    On the other side of the folding screen, two people exchanged a glance before looking away.


    Xin Lan couldn''t help but clench his fists. His Master had never concerned himself with whether he had a partner or not. Maybe he''d casually ask sometimes but that was only something he would have done at the side and not anything he regarded to be of importance. But now ¡­ he was actually considering whether he and this fallen god ¡­ Could it be that he had seen something before?


    Xin Lan''s gaze slid to the bed where he had rested before. With Jinde''s fragrance all around him, it wasn''t surprising that he had been aroused. Honestly, he had guessed that something like that might happen even before he lay down. But his Master had been adamant about having him rest for a while so he gave in. Now ¡­ it seemed that this short episode where he lost control hadn''t been without consequences.


    The sound he had heard should have been his Master and even though Jinde''s perception might not be as sharp anymore since he was injured, his eyesight was still very good. He probably hadn''t had any trouble to spot the telltale signs of his arousal. And Jinde ¡­ even though he had never talked about it and might not have noticed for the most part, he wasn''t stupid. He could put two and two together. Especially since he knew about everything that had or ¡­ hadn''t been between them.


    Xin Lan stared at that folding screen, his heart squeezing painfully. His Master knew. He knew and he tried to set him up with somebody else first thing after he found out. This was ¡­ rather cruel. It wasn''t like he had tried to force himself onto him, was it? No, he had just ¡­ loved him from afar. Was that really asking too much?


    He took a shaky breath and turned away. "I''ll wait outside."


    Xiang Yu was pulled out of his own thoughts and turned back to the door. He only managed to catch a glimpse of Xin Lan''s dark robe and light-colored hair vanishing behind the door. He tilted his head and pondered. Finally, he leaped from the bed. "I ¡­ I''ll also let you have some privacy." Then he hurried after Xin Lan. Even though he wouldn''t consider this fake dragon ¡­ he didn''t have to be too mean either. He should go and keep him company.


    He reached the corridor just in time to see Xin Lan step into the courtyard. With silent steps, he followed him but when Xin Lan stopped right behind the door, he also paused. What was going on?


    In front of him, Xin Lan furrowed his brows, asking himself the same question. He had wanted to be alone for a moment to calm down. So how come there was already somebody else waiting here?


    Qiu Ling turned around with a flower in his hand and blinked. "Why are you here?"


    "That''s what I''d like to ask you. Didn''t you want to go and gather those ingredients?"


    "Ah? Sure. I already did. So I came to see my father and the old geezer. They first wanted to say their farewell though so I had to wait outside. Did they finish yet? Great! Then we can finally leave!"


    Qiu Ling wanted to go back inside to get Leng Jin Yu but Xin Lan reached out and barred his way.


    "You''d better stay here." Not that he wanted to spend time with him but knowing his Master, he still hadn''t managed to get dressed yet. And while he could accept that man seeing his Master naked, he definitely wouldn''t allow anyone else to do so.

 Chapter 656 - How Is This a Fallen God?

    Qiu Ling raised his brows. "They ¡­ haven''t finished yet? Oh. And here I thought my old man didn''t have the stamina anymore after being reincarnated. Turns out he could hold on longer than expected."


    Xin Lan frowned. That really wasn''t anything he wanted to think about. "That''s nothing you should worry about."


    "Oh, well, I don''t care anyway." Qiu Ling turned away and went back onto the courtyard, slowly ripping the petals from the flower.


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched. "What are you doing there?"


    "Oh, it''s about my beloved." Qiu Ling turned back to him and showed him the flower that had already lost a third of its petals. "See this?" He ripped out another. "It means I''ll get him back." He held the petal and finally out it into his storage ring, then he ripped out the next one. "This one means I''ll get him back soon." He put the petal into his spatial ring too and ripped out the next one. "I''ll get him back." Another petal found its way into the spatial ring. "I''ll get him back soon."


    "This is ridiculous."


    "Hmph." Qiu Ling ignored the person that didn''t get his brilliance and continued to pick the petals of the flower.


    In the corridor, Xiang Yu stared at the flower and how Qiu Ling silently repeated his words. He couldn''t help but think back to his own past.


    That day the sun had shone brightly, making the water in the river sparkle so much that it blinded them every now and then. A soft breeze had rustled the grass and their hair, gently brushing their skin. Sitting there on the hill, looking over the familiar place where he had grown up, he had felt so comfortable as if life had shown him what perfection was for just a short moment.


    Yan Xia had reached over, his elegant fingers closing around the stem of a flower right next to him.


    "What are you doing?" He had leaned over, his hands clasping Yan Xia''s shoulder and his chin put on top.


    Yan Xia hadn''t said anything. He had quietly raised the flower and picked one of the petals, looking at him while he let it fall to the ground. "He loves me."


    "I do."


    Yan Xia picked another petal. "He loves me not." Once again, it was thrown to the ground.


    He had laughed in embarrassment. "What are you doing? Of course, I love you."


    Yan Xia hadn''t stopped though. "He loves me. He loves me not." One after the other, those petals were picked and let go off, falling to the ground silently. Just as silently as his tears had fallen later on when he finally realized that this man wasn''t what he had believed him to be.


    Just why hadn''t he been able to understand it that day already? Why had he ¡­ silently felt pleased watching him like that? Why had he thought it was romantic to sit there like that and watch his lover pick those petals? Why had he looked up to his face, feeling as if he was falling for him all over again? The gentle kiss they shared that day, the careful embrace ¡­ Why had he not looked closer? Why had he not been able to judge people better?


    Maybe then ¡­ Maybe then instead of a man that would pretentiously rip apart a flower in front of him just like he had ripped his heart and body apart later on, he could have found a man that would silently treasure him and hope for his swift return like this one. Wouldn''t that have been much better?


    Xiang Yu watched those petals vanishing in the spatial ring one after the other, unable to extricate himself. Was this how it was supposed to be done? Weren''t they normally ¡­ thrown away? He blinked his tears away and finally called out. "You ¡­ Why are you putting the petals into your spatial ring? Shouldn''t you throw them away when you have your answer?"


    Qiu Ling didn''t even bother to turn around. "Hmph. Every one of those petals symbolizes that my beloved will return soon. How could I just throw them away? That''s like throwing my beloved''s promise away." Qiu Ling paused. Eh? Come to think of it ¡­ He turned to Xin Lan. "What about that fallen god? Did you find out anything from my uncle-in-law? Do you know where he is? Have you found Jing He?" He dashed over and reached out to grab onto Xin Lan''s robe but the other dragon stepped out of his reach.


    "Why don''t you ask him yourself?"


    "Ah? How could I ask him myself? Jing He ¡ª"


    "Not him. The fallen god. Didn''t you just talk to him?" Xin Lan motioned to the house with a smirk. Just great! With this, he could get rid of two annoyances at the same time. This was perfect.


    Qiu Ling blinked and turned to look at the door. A head was peeking out from the doorway. A pair of big black eyes blinked back at him and just when he wanted to tilt his head, the person in the door already did so.


    Qiu Ling turned to Xin Lan and frowned. "Bastard! What are you even saying? How is that a fallen god?!"


    Both Xin Lan and Xiang Yu stared at him but Qiu Ling didn''t care.


    He turned back to his flower, hurriedly picking the last petals. In the end, it turned out ¡­ "Ah ¡­" Qiu Ling sighed. "So my beloved will return to me very soon. That''s great." He stored the last petal as well as the stem of the flower in his spatial ring and turned back to the door. The strange person was still standing there. "So who is he?"


    "The fallen god that kidnapped the Son of Heaven."


    Qiu Ling frowned and went over to the doorway. He ignored Xiang Yu''s protest grabbed his arm and pulled him in front of Xin Lan. Then he pinched his cheeks. "Are you kidding me? Just look at him! He looks like a stupid child! How is this a fallen god?"


    Xin Lan watched in horror how Qiu Ling dared to knead the cheeks of a certain fallen god. This ¡­ His Master wouldn''t hold him responsible if Xiang Yu killed Qiu Ling in a bout of madness, would he? Because, honestly, he didn''t know what to do right now.

 Chapter 657 - His Soul Was about to Crack

    Xiang Yu furrowed his brows in discomfort but contrary to Xin Lan''s expectations, he didn''t erupt. He didn''t even try to shake Qiu Ling off and just let him continue with a bitter expression.


    Xin Lan''s brows rose in surprise. Had somebody exchanged this fallen god for another person? Was this really the same person that hissed and lashed out at him as soon as he got too close or at least went into hiding? How come this Qiu Ling was suddenly allowed to touch him?


    He reached out to see whether something was indeed wrong but Xiang Yu''s nails sunk into his arm before he even had the opportunity to brush his skin.


    "What do you think you''re doing?"


    "I ¡­" Xin Lan frowned. How come the result was still the same? Why was Qiu Ling getting preferential treatment? Don''t tell him this guy really thought he was such a bad person? He scowled and tried to reach out again only to be met with the same reaction. "What are you doing? How come it''s alright if he touches you but you''ll get angry if I try?!"


    Qiu Ling harrumphed. "What are you even talking about? That''s a completely different thing!"


    "How is that different?" Xin Lan stared at the two people in front of him. Hadn''t those two only met just now? How come they were suddenly of the same opinion? Was this a conspiracy?


    Xiang Yu didn''t bother to explain his actions but finally moved out of Qiu Ling''s grasp and turned to look at him, examining his face.


    Qiu Ling didn''t feel that there was anything wrong with being looked at like this. He knew he was very handsome. It was only right for people to look at him like this! Mn, it was just a pity that his beloved wasn''t here to look at him. Jing He''s gentle gaze was the most welcome to him.


    He tilted his head. Eh, come to think of it ¡­ He should remind this guy. "You do you know that I''m engaged, right? There''s no chance for you to get together with me. I''m very happy with my beloved."


    Xiang Yu didn''t bother to tell him that that wasn''t what he had thought about. He just continued to look at him. This person ¡­ seemed like a good lover to have. Such a nice person! He even made sure that nobody would get any thoughts about him while his beloved wasn''t there. He deserved to be with that boy from the demon realm. "I really saw your beloved."


    Qiu Ling blinked. "Really?"


    Xiang Yu nodded.


    "Are you sure? You have to know that my beloved isn''t just anyone. He''s Jing He, the crown prince of the Nine Heavens, the most beautiful person in all the three thousand lower, middle, and higher realms. He has black eyes that look just as beautiful as the night sky, inky black hair that runs down his shoulders like a satiny waterfall, his waist is willowy and his limbs slender. Well, I think saying that he is the most beautiful person ever is enough to give you an impression. So did you see somebody like that?"


    Xiang Yu tilted his head and pondered. In the end, he shook his head. "No, but I think the person I saw said that he''s called Jing Yi anyway, not Jing He."


    "Ah. That doesn''t matter. You know my ¡ª"


    "The two of you, could you stop the chitchat already? You know where the reincarnation of the Son of Heaven is. Great. Then tell him so he can go and get him back. And you can focus on healing His Majesty''s soul in the meantime."


    Xiang Yu pursed his lips. "How could that be? His soul is still injured. If they meet now, then what if it shatters completely?"


    "Ah?" Qiu Ling grabbed Xiang Yu by the shoulders and pulled him back to face him. "What do you mean his soul could crack if we meet each other?"


    Xiang Yu tilted his head. "Isn''t your beloved''s soul cracked?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Yes, it''s because he used the soul-engraving dagger to cut into it."


    "No." Xiang Yu shook his head. "His soul was about to crack anyway. Using that dagger just made it ¡­ happen a little faster."


    "How could that be?!" Qiu Ling let go of Xiang Yu and turned away, his gaze flickering. This couldn''t be! Why would Jing He''s soul ¡­ He whirled back around. "Are you sure about this?"


    "Mn."


    "But why?" He didn''t understand. A soul didn''t crack just like that! There had to be a reason. So why? It couldn''t be ¡­ He furrowed his brows. "Could it be somebody attacked him? Could it have been some demon? Is that what happened?"


    Xiang Yu shook his head again. "No. I mean something like that can happen but most of the time, things like that happen because a soul is unstable. It often occurs if a trial is happening in the Nine Heavens where it affects them directly."


    "Ah? But ¡­ but Jing He reincarnated for his trial. How could that be the reason? No, you have to be wrong! Maybe he''s actually alright. I mean sure, there were some cracks but those can be healed, no? It doesn''t necessarily have to do with ¡­ anything else, right? It could just be ¡­ because of the dagger. It doesn''t have to be anything else." He furrowed his brows and lowered his gaze. No, this was probably nothing but the result of using the soul-engraving dagger. It had to be! Because otherwise ¡­ something would have to be wrong with Jing He and if they didn''t know what that was ¡­ then Jing He would continue to be in danger until they could find out the reason.

 Chapter 658 - A Trial of Decision

    Qiu Ling walked to the other side of the courtyard and leaned his head against the wall. He had done everything he could to make sure that Jing He fell in love with him back in the Nine Heavens. Then he had followed him down to the mortal world and once again fought to win and hold onto his heart. All this time, he had worried that things would go wrong but only because of his heritage. Only because he knew that part of his blood was demonic and that things would get ugly if the gods ever found out. Never once had he imagined that things might turn out like this, that something would go wrong on Jing He''s side. That he ¡­ his soul would actually get damaged.


    Qiu Ling glanced back at Xiang Yu. He might not know this guy very well but he didn''t seem like a bad person. He was likely saying the truth. Furthermore, he had also known that something was wrong with Jing He''s soul. It was just that he had thought it was because of the soul-engraving dagger. Now, it had turned out that he was wrong.


    "When you said that ¡­ it was because of a trial happening in the Nine Heavens, what did you mean? What kind of trial could have made his soul crack?" Jing He was someone who kept to himself, who didn''t like it if there were too many people around him, and certainly somebody who disliked conflict but that didn''t mean he was weak. He just ¡­ couldn''t believe that Jing He''s soul would crack easily. That couldn''t be. So what kind of torturous trial had his beloved undergone in the Nine Heavens? Without him knowing nonetheless?


    Xiang Yu tilted his head. "Wasn''t it a trial of decision?"


    "Trial of decision?" Qiu Ling frowned. "What is that?"


    Xin Lan tsked. "What? You can''t infer that from the name?"


    Qiu Ling''s brows drew together. "But ¡­ what would Jing He have to decide? What kind of decision could make his soul almost crack?"


    Xiang Yu wanted to explain but finally kept quiet. What he had seen about that soul ¡­ it was too similar to how his own soul had looked after his trial of love went so terribly wrong. This was the appearance somebody''s soul had after irrevocably falling in love ¡­ and then tumbling into darkness. Just that ¡­ the Son of Heaven seemed to have been a little luckier.


    Back then he had been alone in the demon realm, with nobody to depend on. Yan Xia''s betrayal had been too much for him to handle and he had fallen instantly with no way of turning back.


    The crown prince seemed to have been hovering at the edge. He should have fallen in love but there was still something else, something important to him and something that stopped him from pursuing this love. Who knew how long that had gone on for his soul to finally show the first signs of cracking? It was a wonder that he hadn''t fallen yet. Maybe it was because there had still been something that kept him grounded or maybe this trial had come at the right time and barely prevented his soul from collapsing. Drinking the water of the River of Forgetfulness, his troubles sinking into oblivion even if it was only for a short while ¡­ maybe that had saved him.


    Xiang Yu looked up at the sky. If only ¡­ he had been given that chance back then. But instead, it had been his trial that ruined him. Was there really still a person out there he could fall in love with? Someone who could make him forget what had happened back then? Trusting somebody enough for that ¡­ seemed impossible.


    "What is it?" Qiu Ling pulled Xiang Yu out of his thoughts again. "Just what was that trial? What can I do to help him?"


    Xiang Yu sighed and looked back at him. He hadn''t felt anything when he told Jing Yi about it but looking at the confused and frantic gaze of this man, he didn''t know if he should tell him the truth. "Who knows what the reason was? Maybe even he himself doesn''t know. For now, I''ve brought him to the High Heavens. It''s a good place for healing a soul. When he comes back, the cracks might already be healed."


    "And then ¡­ he won''t be in danger anymore? His soul won''t crack in the future? He''ll ¡­ he''ll have passed that trial?" Qiu Ling''s fingers dug into the wall. He wanted to believe this. He really wanted to. But this wasn''t the first time that he had almost lost his beloved because of one of these trials. How could he still believe it was that easy? Even if he did, he had to make sure that things were the way he believed them to be! He couldn''t risk that Jing He''s soul was damaged. After all ¡­ this was his soul.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and sighed. It hadn''t been long since he found out that Jing Yi would have to die for Jing He to come back. He had barely come to terms with it and now he had to find out that even Jing He''s soul was in danger. Why? Just why was Heaven so harsh on him? Why did his beloved have to suffer so much?


    Xiang Yu hesitated but finally nodded. "He might have passed that trial. It''s ¡­ It''s not sure though. Things could happen. It''s best to wait until he returned to the Nine Heavens and then talk to him about it. He''ll know best what his problem was so maybe ¡­ you can find a way around it." After all, this man obviously loved him very much. There was no way they wouldn''t be able to figure something out. They could work on it together, hand in hand.


    It wasn''t ¡­ like back when he fell. This was another time, another couple. A true couple, this time. Not just a demon''s curiosity and a god''s naivety. This here was a true love that just needed to pass a time of trial before it would finally blossom.

 Chapter 659 - Remaining Unanswered

    Qiu Ling nodded with some hesitation. He didn''t know when Jing He would return. Until then ¡­ nothing would happen to his soul, would it? "When can Jing He return from the High Heavens? Does he ¡­ need to stay there for a long time?"


    Xiang Yu tightened his lips and shook his head. "I don''t know. Time moves differently here and there. Not much time will have passed in the High Heavens since I left. It shouldn''t be enough."


    Qiu Ling took a shaky breath. Right. Even if many days passed in the mortal realm, it didn''t mean that Jing He would have spent a lot of time in the Nine Heavens. His soul hadn''t been cracked too badly but repairing that ¡­ How long would it take? He couldn''t just wait here for him to return, could he? "Then ¡­ can I go there and wait with him until his soul is healed?"


    Seeing Qiu Ling''s pleading look, Xiang Yu wanted to nod. He really wanted to. This man desired to meet his lover just how his lover longed to see him. Keeping them apart ¡­ how could that be done? But he also knew that Jing He''s soul had cracked because of this deep love. Seeing him right now before his soul had had time to heal, it might just deepen the injury to his soul.


    Then again, he wasn''t Jing He right now. He was Jing Yi, a mortal reincarnation. What had held him back before didn''t influence him right now. He couldn''t even remember all of it. So maybe ¡­ it would be alright.


    Before Xiang Yu could decide on what to do, Xin Lan stepped in front of him, covering Qiu Ling from his view.


    "Qiu Ling, have you forgotten about everything else? His Majesty''s soul? Your so-called cousin-in-law''s plight with that mortal woman? Shouldn''t you take care of that before you worry about seeing your beloved?"


    "I haven''t."


    "Then why are you here? Didn''t you want to go and search for those ingredients with your father? Why are you still here wasting time? He should be finished saying his farewell by now."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Then I''ll ¡­" He stopped talking and passed by Xin Lan, halting next to Xiang Yu. "When I come back ¡­ Will you tell me then? What I can do? How long I''ll have to wait? Whether I can go and see him?" He furrowed his brows. "You know, Jing He is the most important person in my life. I wouldn''t be able to go on without him. I ¡­ I don''t want to be separated from him for so long but ¡­ it''s still better to be separated for a while now than to be separated forever. So ¡­ I just hope that you can tell me what to expect. I don''t want to do anything that''s wrong for him."


    Xiang Yu nodded. "I''ll go and watch over him in the High Heavens for the time being."


    "Mn. Thank you." Qiu Ling didn''t bother to take another look. He went back to the room and walked over to the folding screen, peeking behind it.


    Seeing the two people on the other side ¡­ He didn''t ask why they were lying on the ground even though Jinde was already dressed. He didn''t comment either on why their positions seemed to be reversed. He just looked at them. "Are you finished yet?" Then he turned away and left the house.


    Jinde slowly sat up and watched him leave, his golden eyes narrowing. "It seems I''ll have to let you go, my dear husband. At least for now. When you return ¡­ let''s talk a while longer." He bent down, gave him a fleeting kiss and finally stood up from his body with a teasing smile.


    Leng Jin Yu wanted to say some more but finally sighed and nodded. It seemed Longjun had been in a bad mood. It was better to follow him and see just what had happened. "Then we''ll see each other again soon."


    "Mn. Take your time. But not too much." Jinde pushed him out of the door and watched as his husband left the house. He couldn''t help but sigh. It really was a pity that they had to separate again. If his soul was healed, then he could follow them.


    Jinde shook his head and went to the door to the courtyard. Never mind. If he followed along, those two might not be able to talk openly. At the very least, Leng Jin Yu wouldn''t be able to do so. He would always waste part of his thoughts on whether it would hurt him. But that wouldn''t help Qiu Ling. If they ever wanted him to get over this, then they had to let him be open about this. Otherwise, he would just keep all those feelings and all that pain bottled up. Maybe he would be able to go on living like that, especially if there was the Son of Heaven around that gave him a sense of security and belonging. But it wouldn''t solve the original problem. No, that could only be solved by Leng Jin Yu.


    Ah, it was a pity his husband didn''t remember his past life. If he did, then Qiu Ling would likely feel even better. Telling Chun Yin''s reincarnation how he felt would be a relief to him but that couldn''t compare to letting all that out in the face of a reincarnation that had Chun Yin''s intact memories because in that case ¡­ he might be able to find some of the answers he was seeking.


    Jinde sighed and looked at the plum tree in the courtyard. This longing for the truth ¡­ he could understand it only too well. Because he, too, had questions he would have liked to ask Chun Yin but that needed to be left buried in his heart now, unable to be answered forever.

 Chapter 660 - Selfish Motives

    Jinde blinked and pushed those thoughts aside, turning to where Xin Lan stood. This follower of his had already noticed him and was looking over.


    Jinde smiled and turned to Xiang Yu. "Leng Jin Yu left with Qiu Ling. Would you mind waiting here for another moment? There''s something I''d like to discuss with Xin Lan."


    "Oh. Sure." Xiang Yu nodded and went to wait below the plum tree. He crouched down to pick one of the flowers Qiu Ling had used before and stared at the small petals. He reached out, grabbed one of them and pulled. The petal came off and Xiang Yu opened his mouth, only to close it again. What was he supposed to say now?


    There was nobody he''d like to see soon and as for somebody being in love with him ¡­ He tilted his head. That fake dragon was obviously in love with him. There was no reason to waste this flower on him. No, he should try to find something meaningful. Mn, maybe ¡­ He put the petal away and smiled.


    "I know him."


    He picked another petal but his smile dimmed. "I don''t know him yet."


    With a frown, he picked the third petal. "I won''t get to know him."


    He looked at the flower in his hand that had an obvious gap now. Ah, how sad it would be to never find the man that was supposed to be his other half. Hopefully ¡­ the flower wouldn''t want him to end up like this.


    He silently went on to pick the petals, his expression wavering between elation and depression. In the end, he picked the final petal with a bright smile. "I know him!" He leaped to his feet only to freeze with the petal still in his hand. "I know him but ¡­ Who is it?" He blinked his eyes and stared at the petal, finally touching the spot between his brows. Unfortunately, even though the Mark of Wisdom could tell him a lot, it couldn''t be used to see the future. He had no way to find out just who the man was that was destined for him.


    Ah, he should try and figure it out though. This was ¡­ very important. Mn, he should probably go through all the men he knew and see if there was somebody who wasn''t in a relationship yet. After all, he didn''t want to be that kind of person. No, he would find a respectable man that cared for him and cherished him and ¡­ He paused. He didn''t know that many men. Was there actually one that would care for him and cherish him and was respectable? It seemed like he was asking a little much. Maybe ¡­ he could do without him being respectable? He didn''t want to be with yet another man that couldn''t care less about his well-being.


    Xiang Yu sighed. Ah, he should have waited back then and not just followed Yan Xia. Then maybe he would know more men now and there would actually be a respectable among them. Now ¡­ things were looking bleak.


    While a certain fallen god wallowed in self-pity, Jinde led Xin Lan to the study. He knew that his clothes were still lying around there but it wasn''t like Xin Lan had never seen them before and it was much better than going to his bedroom. He sat down behind the table and looked at Xin Lan with a smile.


    Xin Lan looked around and finally started to pick up the clothes strewn over the ground. He folded them up and finally put them on the table, eying the mess that had been left behind there. Ah, he really ¡­ didn''t want to take care of this. But if he didn''t move, wouldn''t his Master think that something was wrong with him even more?


    He knelt down beside the table and picked up the brushes that had fallen to the ground. As for the paper still lying on the table ¡­ He sighed. There was no way it could be used anymore with these creases. He picked it up but then hesitated. What now? Throw it into a brazier. Unfortunately, there weren''t any.


    "Ah, just put it to the side." Jinde waved as if he didn''t care about this at all. Actually, he observed every one of Xin Lan''s steps. When Xin Lan went over to the shelf to drop the scrolls, he sighed. "I mentioned having a child to Jin Yu."


    Xin Lan froze. His hands trembled and he forced himself to calmly put the scrolls down before he turned back to face Jinde. "A child?"


    "Mn."


    "What did he say?"


    Jinde chuckled. "That we were both men."


    "Then you ¡­ you told him?" Xin Lan went back to the table and sat down next to Jinde. He didn''t bother to tidy up the rest. Talking about this was much more important. He couldn''t change his Master''s decision but ¡­ he at least wanted time to prepare.


    Jinde sighed. "Telling him ¡­ How could there have been enough time? First, that bear child barged in, then you brought a fallen god here."


    "I''m sorry. Had I known ¡­" Xin Lan inched closer and reached out, gently grabbing onto Jinde''s shoulders. "Well, he shouldn''t have anything against it. You can calmly talk it over with him after he returns. Until then ¡­ you should take good care of your body and ¡­ maybe your soul."


    "My soul ¡­ That''s still the biggest hindrance. I''ll need to recover some strength if I want to do this."


    "Mn." Xin Lan pressed against Jinde''s shoulders, carefully massaging him. "Master ¡­"


    Jinde raised his brows at him.


    "The reason I brought him here is that he said he could heal an injured soul. I don''t know how and if it''d be feasible even in your case but ¡­ I gathered it couldn''t hurt to try. Let''s talk to him and see if he can help. If he can ¡­ there would be no problem having that child."


    Jinde''s brows raised even higher. "You''re telling me? I would have thought ¡­ you wouldn''t like the idea of me having this child."


    Xin Lan''s hands didn''t pause but he did lean closer. "You mean because ¡­ I have some selfish motives?"


    "If you want to say it that way. Yes, I do assume there is something like that."

 Chapter 661 - The Person That Can Make Me Happy

    Xin Lan didn''t stop to massage Jinde''s shoulders but he did take a look at his face, holding his gaze for a moment. "I''m not sure what to do. Should I pretend I''m surprised and ask you just what kind of motive you think I have?"


    "Aren''t we too old for that already?"


    "I would have thought you were too old to get insecure around me either. Does it really bother you so much? To imagine I was ¡­ secretly thinking of you?"


    "So you were?" Jinde raised his chin, his golden brows arching above his eyes. He wouldn''t let Xin Lan get away with skirting around the subject like this. He had to get the truth.


    Xin Lan returned his gaze and sighed. "You know how I think about you. You''re beautiful. And I ¡­ You''ve said it yourself when you talked to your husband. I appreciate beauty. Naturally, I have always thought the same about yours." His fingers stopped moving and finally, he picked up one of the golden strands hanging down Jinde''s back. "You found me when I was at my lowest. I was prepared to die. I didn''t mind the thought of it. In fact, I thought it might be better. I had been alone for far too long, I was always different from them. Even leaving the capital and traveling around hadn''t changed any of that. Wherever I went, things were the same."


    "I know that."


    "You know but do you understand? It only changed when you picked me up that day. For a short while ¡­ I could feel like a normal man."


    Jinde nodded. "I know. It''s my fault."


    "Your fault?" Xin Lan chuckled. "It was what saved my life. More so than you patching me up. You ¡­" He reached up and cupped the beautiful face he had dreamed about so often. "You gave me hope. Hope and a task. I never minded that we couldn''t be together. I mean ¡­ I would have liked it if we could but you already told me back then, that you were in love already. I do understand that that makes it impossible. Since then I haven''t expected anything. I don''t expect anything now either. It''s just that ¡­" He sighed and let go, leaning back with a wistful smile. "You''re still as beautiful as back then. In fact, you''re even more gorgeous now than you were back then. And I ¡­ I''m a lonely man. Can''t I have my thoughts?"


    Jinde sighed. "Can''t you have your thoughts about somebody else? What about that ¡ª"


    "Don''t mention him. I don''t appreciate being lumped together with somebody just because it would be convenient."


    "I see. Then I won''t. Although I do think that things might work out between the two of you." His lips curved up and he leaned closer to Xin Lan, his golden eyes twinkling. "The only one who hasn''t been cursed and a fallen god. What a pair you''d make!"


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. He really wanted to get angry but looking into these eyes and seeing that smile, he couldn''t work up any anger. "Master ¡­"


    Jinde reached out and grabbed his arm. "I''m sorry. I know this isn''t easy for you either but ¡­ I don''t think you''ll be happy if you always think about something you can''t have. Wouldn''t it be better to find somebody you can be happy with? And I think somebody who isn''t of our race would be nice for you."


    "Didn''t we talk about this already?"


    "We did. And more than once. But I haven''t seen you trying to fall in love yet so I don''t think I should stop mentioning it."


    "I might not be cursed but I can''t fall in love just like that either. Do you really have to be like this? I never stood in your way, did I? I didn''t prevent you from getting together with Chun Yin''s reincarnation, I even went to get him out of that secret realm when I found out he was trapped there. I don''t oppose you having a child with him either. I know you ¡­" He sighed. "I know you love children. Having one with your husband ¡­ Naturally, that is something that you want." Xin Lan lowered his gaze and looked at the hand holding onto his arm. Physically, they were so close. But why did it seem as if they were currently growing further apart from each other? "Master ¡­ What do I need to do for you to believe me?"


    Jinde sighed.


    "Master! I don''t expect anything. I really don''t. I just ¡­ I don''t want to lose you. You''re the most important person in my life."


    Jinde sighed again. "Xin Lan, you misunderstood me. I don''t mind. Well, I guess I can''t say that I don''t mind. But I don''t think that you''d ever do something to compromise my relationship with Jin Yu. I trust you. I still do and I will always trust you. I will never forget that it was you who was there for me when ¡­ when I was at my lowest.


    "But that is the reason why I''m saying this. I know how it is to desire something you can''t have. You might not be cursed but that doesn''t mean that you don''t feel as deeply as any of us. Looking at somebody, loving them from afar, seeing them be happy with somebody else ¡­ I myself have experienced just how much that hurts." Jinde leaned closer, finally cupping Xin Lan''s face, his fingers trailing the mask that covered half his face. "You don''t deserve to go through that. You deserve to have somebody you can love and who will love you back. That is all I want."


    "So you want me to leave?"


    "No!" Jinde frowned. "Why are you being like this? I don''t want to throw you out. I want you to be happy! Just as happy as I am now."


    Xin Lan sighed and got up, pulling out of Jinde''s grasp even though he would have liked to feel his gentle touch for a while longer. "Unfortunately, it''s not that easy. I can''t just stop loving you and find somebody else. That ¡­ isn''t how it works. If it was, then wouldn''t things be different?" He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. "If not for the curse, if not for Chun Yin, then maybe I would already have the person that can make me happy at my side."

 Chapter 662 - Just Wounded Pride?

    Jinde also got up and went over to him, gently grabbing his arm. "So now we''ve come from admiring my beauty to the person that can make you happy?"


    Xin Lan tensed. Ah ¡­ "You trapped me."


    Jinde chuckled in response and rubbed his arm. "I know you too well. Xin Lan, why can''t you be honest with me?"


    "Do you really want me to be honest?"


    "Yes. If you aren''t, then how will we find a solution?"


    Xin Lan turned back around, his gaze slipping over the person in front of him. "I meant what I said before. I was in bad shape back then. You patched me up, body and mind. I admired your beauty, I delighted in your innocence. If not for the curse, I would have given it a try. But I found out about Chun Yin soon. It was merely a few weeks. Do you really think that would have been enough? I stayed at your side because of what you did for me. And then I stayed on because I felt that you were the right person to lead our race. I sincerely admired you. After that ¡­ I stayed because you needed me and because I thought of you as a friend.


    "Who knows when things started to change? When did friendship turn into love? I don''t know. I only know that it wasn''t my only reason to be at your side. It wasn''t back then and it isn''t now. So don''t try to think on my behalf. Guessing and guessing what I want, what I''ll feel ¡­ You won''t figure it out anyway."


    "Xin Lan ¡­"


    "No." Xin Lan shook his head but he didn''t step back again. Instead, he stepped closer. "I didn''t mind that you rejected me. Between Chun Yin and me, there was never a choice for you. You had to do so. You had to wait for him. You had to accept him when he was reborn. I understand, I accept. It is your fate. It is how things should be.


    "If there is one thing ¡­ one thing I couldn''t accept, then ¡­ it was never about Chun Yin. No, what hurt me, that was that unholy pact you made with Jian Heng."


    Jinde closed his eyes and this time, it was he who wanted to step back. Xin Lan didn''t let him though. He grabbed him by the arms and pulled him back, peering at his face.


    "I understand. I do. I wasn''t an option because you knew how much Chun Yin hated me, hated the thought of anything ever developing between us. It would have been like cheating on him. And there was nobody else suitable in the dragon race either because you couldn''t gauge the consequences. They would expect you to marry them, expect to stand at your side. And you ¡­ were still afraid that Chun Yin might hear. Even though he was married, even though he had a child with somebody else, you still feared his thoughts, his hate. That was always your reason.


    "What other way was there but to accept Jian Heng''s proposal and take his child? But you should have known that a demon can''t be trusted. You should have known it would end like this. So why ¡­ Why did you still accept? Why did you try so much with Jin Ling? It ¡­ it could have been me." He reached up and brushed Jinde''s hair back. "I didn''t expect anything from you. I just ¡­ hoped for ¡­"


    Jinde opened his eyes and stared at him. "What? For what, Xin Lan?" He gave a dry laugh and pulled out of his grasp. "You say you understand. So how can you still ask?"


    "Because I feel that ¡­ even with our story, I should have been a better choice than a demon. We could have kept it secret. Just like ¡­"


    Jinde walked back to the desk and sat down, shaking his head incessantly. "So is this merely about your ego? Because I decided not to ask you? But instead went along with what Jian Heng promised and asked in return?"


    Xin Lan didn''t dare to answer. It was nice to say he wouldn''t have had expectations and that this was really just his wounded pride. But he wasn''t too sure if it was the truth. He had already loved Jinde at that point. And if they really joined for the ritual and he saw his child with the person he loved everyday ¡­ His pride might not have allowed him to keep quiet forever. And even if ¡­ his appearance was too distinct, wasn''t it?


    Jinde smiled when he saw his expression. "You finally understand? It''s not that I never thought about it. It''s just that ¡­ there were too many things speaking against it. Jian Heng ¡­ He was a demon. It''s known they don''t love. Whether it''s their partners or their families ¡­" He laughed. "They don''t even have a concept of that. With all the children he had ¡­ which of them wasn''t used to stay in power? To secure his position? Or killed if he deemed them a hindrance? Giving up one of them and leaving him with me ¡­ of course, he wouldn''t mind. That child ¡­ it was the only one in the world, that I could have completely to me."


    "But was it worth it?"


    Jinde got up and sighed, slowly getting back. "It didn''t turn out well. Having to exile Jin Ling ¡­ was the hardest decision I ever made. And I would give everything to turn back time, to make sure that Jian Heng can''t mess with him again, to let him stay that sweet and innocent child he was forever so that I can keep him by my side. But it''s too late. Now, I can only come to terms with the past, put those things behind me and look ahead. And I ¡­ hope you can do so too."


    He stopped in front of Xin Lan and his lips curved into a smile. He reached up and his fingers curled around his lapel while he slowly stood on tiptoes. Their lips brushed, their breaths mixed before he finally let go and turned away.


    "Let''s go see that fallen god. I want to heal my soul ¡­ and have that child with Jin Yu."


    Xin Lan reached up and touched his lips. That ¡­ "What was that?"


    Jinde didn''t even look back. "A turn-off."

 Chapter 663 - Taking a Break

    Xin Lan stared after him his hand still hovering in the air. That was supposed to be a turn-off? Then why did he feel like ¡­ he hadn''t gotten nearly enough? Just brushing against his lips like this ¡­ Couldn''t he have given him a real kiss if he decided to do this? One he could savor until he was satisfied?


    Xin Lan sighed and shook his head. This was as much as he could ever hope for. And, well, now, he wouldn''t have to continue asking himself what would have happened if Chun Yin hadn''t barged in back then or at least had taken a bit longer.


    This was probably the kind of kiss they would have shared. Something ¡­ fleeting without much substance. A kiss given out of sheer hopelessness because there was no other alternative anymore.


    He sighed again, finally lowering his hand. His Master truly knew him too well. This kind of kiss was probably the only thing that could make him give up. It really ¡­ was a kind of turn-off.


    Maybe being with Jinde could make him happy but on the other hand ¡­ If Jinde had gotten together with him, he would have been hurt. Because other than the madness Jian Heng drove him to that finally ended in one big disaster that almost cost his life, a relationship with him would have made him die a little bit each day until he would have closed his eyes forever out of depression. That wasn''t the kind of end he wanted for the person he loved.


    Xin Lan''s lips curved in a rare smile and he followed Jinde out of the room, finding him in the doorway to the courtyard. He went over, stopping two steps behind him like he had always done but this time, he didn''t feel bitter about it. At least not as much as he had before. No, it was time to accept this. Just because he thought Jinde was good for him, it didn''t mean that he was good for Jinde. And if he truly loved him ¡­ he wouldn''t think about this any longer. He would let go and do what his Master had said: Live his life and be open just in case something new happened. Maybe there really was somebody out there he could fall in love with.


    Jinde turned back and raised his brows.


    "It''s alright. I understand now."


    "That''s not even what I wanted to say."


    Xin Lan also raised his brows. He didn''t understand. If that wasn''t what he wanted, then ¡­


    "We have a problem." Jinde motioned outside and stepped to the side to make way for Xin Lan.


    "Did that guy make a mess out of the courtyard?" Xin Lan frowned and passed by his Master. When he looked into the courtyard ¡­ "Where is he?"


    "That''s what I''m talking about."


    "Fuck!" Xin Lan hit the wall next to him. Unfortunately, that didn''t bring the fallen god back either. He took a deep breath before finally turning back to Jinde. "I''m sorry. We should have taken care of your soul first. Now ¡­ you''ll need to wait. I didn''t want that."


    Jinde merely nodded. "I know. I was the one who asked to talk with you first anyway. There''s no way I''d have you take any responsibility for this. Don''t worry about it. He''ll come back."


    Xin Lan grumbled. "I doubt it. I coincidentally ran into him in the capital. Or, well, it seems he was searching for me to ¡­" He furrowed his brows. "I have no idea how he came up with that idea but it seems that he thinks I''m in love with him. He came to tell me off."


    Jinde chuckled and turned back inside. "It must have been a shock. After so many years of beauties getting weak knees in front of you, there is actually one that doesn''t feel flattered when you make eyes at them."


    "I wasn''t ¡ª" Xin Lan shut up when Jinde glanced back at him with a smile. Ah, alright, he had fallen for it again. He took a deep breath and followed Jinde inside. "Anyway, he already delivered the message. Who knows where he went to now? How am I supposed to find him?"


    "I don''t think you have to. He seemed ¡­ rather attached to you. Maybe he''ll come to find you instead?"


    "Is this an effort to set me up again? Because I''d rather decline if it is. There are some things that aren''t worth to be pursued. I only want him to heal your soul and afterward, he can vanish for all I care."


    "Mn, well, whatever the reason I don''t think you need to worry. Even if it takes some time, it''s not like my soul is about to dissipate anymore. And Jin Yu and Qiu Ling are already on their way to gather the ingredients. So for the time being, we can just work on that." He stopped in the doorway to his bedroom and turned back around, his lips curving into a beautiful smile. "Actually, leave the work to my husband and that bear child. I''ll take a break from all this excitement and as for you ¡­" He reached over and patted Xin Lan''s chest. "Maybe you should go and take a break too. Have some fun. Open your eyes wide and take a good look at the beauties around you."


    Xin Lan raised his brows. "I guess I''ll return to the dragon realm for a while then. Are you sure you''ll be alright on your own?"


    Jinde chuckled. "Are you seriously asking me that? I''ve lived alone for so long. I''ll be able to survive these few days. Ah, it''ll be hard without Jin Yu though. I already miss him." He turned away and stepped into the room, leaving Xin Lan alone on the corridor. "Take your time with your break! No need to worry about anything else!"


    Xin Lan sighed. His Master really had a unique way of pushing somebody politely out of the door. "I''ll go then. See you soon." Well, it wasn''t too bad either. Taking a break ¡­ it was something he hadn''t done in a long time. Maybe ¡­ this was a good moment to make up for it.

 Chapter 664 - Don’t Mention Anything Else

    Back in the capital of the Long kingdom, Xiang Yong finally arrived to escort this important guest of his king to the dragon realm. Seeing the restaurant with the second floor demolished, he winced. This wouldn''t have been their king, right? No, with how this was ''the very important restaurant of his beloved''s mortal father''s cousin'' there was no way he''d let anything happen to this restaurant much less inflict such damage himself. So ¡­ what had happened?


    He made his way inside and climbed the stairs. There were already several servants gathered and judging from the clothing, the owner of the restaurant had turned up as well.


    Xiang Yong sighed. He had taken the time to give some commands before he rushed over to the mortal realm. After all, with a king that didn''t bother reigning and An Bai gone now, he was the only one holding things together in the capital. He should be allowed the time to take care of these things, right? But now it seemed he had taken too much.


    He pushed to the front and cleared his throat. "I''m sorry. I was supposed to fetch two people from this restaurant. May I ask what happened here?"


    Zhong Gang turned around with furrowed brows. He really didn''t want to explain anything now! Who needed to ask anyway? Wasn''t it obvious?! Seeing the person behind him though he couldn''t help but gulp down his anger.


    The man was wearing a three-layered robe embroidered with silver threads and a silver ring inlaid with violet gems on his left hand. He was ¡­ obviously very wealthy. That kind of customer couldn''t be snubbed. Wait! Hadn''t he just said he was here to escort somebody? Who could be escorted by somebody like this?


    Zhong Gang cleared his throat and put on a flattering smile. "Your Excellency, I''m sorry you had to see something like this. We are also unsure of what exactly happened here but it seems that two people got into a fight."


    Xiang Yong''s brows twitched. One of them wouldn''t be His Majesty, would it? "Is anything known about these people?"


    Zhong Gang shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. We only know that they were looking quite ¡­ eccentric."


    "Oh? How so?"


    "One of them is said to have snow-white hair and wear a silver mask while the other one had black hair and eyes and was wearing a black robe."


    Xiang Yong''s brows twitched again. The former should have been Senior Xin Lan while the latter ¡­ That could be His Majesty. And those two didn''t seem to see eye to eye. "Was there anything else notable about the second person?"


    Zhong Gang raised his eyes and turned to the servant next to him. "Did you notice anything else about him?"


    "Uh ¡­" Ma Tao glanced at the man and smiled flatteringly. "I didn''t pay too much attention, Your Excellency, I would never infringe on the privacy of our guests. But I did notice that there was a weird symbol between his eyebrows. It was also black. He looked quite gloomy overall."


    Xiang Yong heaved a sigh of relief but to the people around him, it seemed as if he felt a heavy burden.


    "Uh ¡­ Your Excellency." Zhong Gang couldn''t help but leaned closer to him and lower his voice. "Is this ¡­ an incident concerning the safety of the capital? Could it be some demonic sect that is planning to attack our Long kingdom? Did His Majesty sent you as an expert to investigate this?"


    Xiang Yong smoothed out his brows. Ah, it seemed these humans had already made up a story for him. In that case, he wouldn''t need to worry about covering anyone''s tracks. Well, as long as Senior Xin Lan had managed to drive that fallen god away, that was. He should investigate this after he got the two people. "You certainly understand that I can''t tell you more about this. But you provided us with valuable information. I''ll be sure to mention your contribution. Right." He glanced at the street that could be seen through the hole in the wall. There were already soldiers moving the masses back that had gathered to spectate in case something else happened. "Other people will come and ask questions. It''ll be enough to tell them that you saw two cultivators fighting. Don''t mention anything else. It would inconvenience His Majesty greatly if the wrong people found out about the true meaning behind all this."


    "Oh! Of course, of course! We''ll keep everything a secret." Zhong Gang nodded eagerly and turned to glare at his servants. "Nobody speaks a word about this!"


    The servants bowed and kept quiet.


    Xiang Yong nodded in satisfaction. That way, whatever had transpired here shouldn''t bring trouble to them later on. He turned to the door and made his way through the crowd of servants. The door and the wall next to it had collapsed but the dust in the room had already settled. It seemed ¡­ the people were still there?


    He stepped over the debris and inclined his head. How should he call this person? His Majesty had dubbed him his ''cousin-in-law'' but ¡­ was there one? His Highness didn''t have any relatives other than his parents and uncle, did he? As far as he knew, the God of War wasn''t married either. Could this be ¡­ an illegitimate child? But, well, he was in the human realm. Maybe he didn''t care about etiquette too much.


    Xiang Yong cleared his throat. "Young Master?" He stopped talking and just waited for the person to respond. What should he say anyway? His Majesty hadn''t bothered to tell him this person''s name, after all.


    Bai Mu got up and pulled Nie Huang to her feet. Seeing the person in front of them, he raised his brows. The humans might not be able to see it but he could clearly perceive that this person had adjusted his appearance with spiritual energy. The hair that seemed black to those humans was actually dark gray and the supposedly brown eyes were violet. This person ¡­ was absolutely not human. In fact, he looked a lot like a demon.

 Chapter 665 - Leaving the Capital

    Bai Mu took a deep breath. "You are ¡­"


    "Ah. I''m sorry. My name is Xiang Yong. His Majesty sent me to escort you and your wife."


    "Wi ¡­ Wife?" Nie Huang blushed and hurriedly took a step away from Bai Mu. They weren''t married yet. How could she ¡ª


    Bai Mu reached over and pulled her back with a smile. "We''re about to leave together. Do you really mind being called my wife?"


    "That ¡­" Nie Huang smiled back at him and nodded. "You''re right. Then ¡­ can I tell Mister Zhong?"


    "Of course." He let go of her hand and waited for her to go over.


    Nie Huang looked at the person that had given her the chance to work in his teahouse back then, taking a gamble that could have had ruined his opening. "Mister Zhong ¡­"


    "Miss Nie, you ¡­ you know that person?"


    Nie Huang''s cheeks flushed again and she nodded. "Yes, that ¡­ is Bai Mu. My fiance. We''ll be getting married soon."


    "Oh."


    "I ¡­ I know I''m making trouble for you, Mister Zhong, leaving this suddenly but ¡ª"


    "Ah, don''t worry about it! Don''t worry about it!" Zhong Gang waved his hands and shook his head. He didn''t know who exactly Nie Huang''s fiance was but if he was being escorted by a person His Majesty personally sent, then he had to be somebody important. He had no idea how the tea master he found for his teahouse knew such a person and was even engaged with him but ¡­ it would certainly be to his advantage that things were like this. How could he make trouble for her? "Getting married is a joyous occasion. You should have told me sooner. We could have held a small celebration."


    "Ah, that''s not important. I''m just ¡­ very happy that Bai Mu came back." She turned around and Bai Mu walked over, nodding at Zhong Gang.


    "Thank you for taking care of Ah Huang all this time."


    "No need to thank me. It''s what I should have done. It was my honor to have her brew the tea in the teahouse. Without her, it certainly wouldn''t have been as successful."


    "Ah, right!" Nie Huang bit her lower lip. "Then Madam Zhong ¡­ will she be alright in the teahouse if I ¡ª"


    "Don''t worry about that!" Zhong Gang straightened up and patted his chest. "I''ve managed this restaurant for a long time and the teahouse has always been doing well. It won''t be a problem to find somebody to fill in for the time being." He coughed. "Naturally, it''ll be difficult to find somebody who''ll be as good as you ¡­"


    "Thank you, Mister Zhong." Nie Huang nodded and turned to Bai Mu. "Then we ¡­"


    "Yes, let''s go." He faced Xiang Yong again, his previous doubts forgotten. His family hadn''t had to do with the dragons so he didn''t know much about them but it wasn''t unlikely that they might share a few characteristics with the demons. That Xin Lan from before had also sported a head full of white hair despite looking young otherwise. It might have been his natural hair color from the beginning so why shouldn''t this person have gray hair and violet eyes? It didn''t mean anything. Well, even if he was a demon, if it was just one, then he could still win over him. He would be able to take care of Nie Huang at least to this degree.


    The three of them left the restaurant and Xiang Yong took them to an alley behind the building. He made sure that nobody was around before he turned around and let go of the spiritual energy, revealing his true appearance.


    Nie Huang gave a surprised gasp and grabbed Bai Mu''s arm. This man ¡­ How come ¡­


    "Don''t worry." He patted her hand and nodded at Xiang Yong. "He was just hiding his true appearance so the other people wouldn''t ask too many questions."


    "Indeed. I''m sorry for startling you. I should have taken into consideration that you''re human."


    "Ah, it''s ¡­ it''s alright. I should probably get used to things like that."


    Xiang Yong smiled. "In the dragon realm, people won''t need to hide their appearances so ¡­ I doubt it''ll be a common thing you''ll see. Anyway, His Majesty didn''t tell me much so I prepared a room in the palace. I hope this is alright with you."


    "Yes, of course. I ¡­ I''m very grateful to him for giving us this opportunity."


    "Mn. You ¡­ can fly, right?" Xiang Yong''s gaze slid to Nie Huang. This woman didn''t even have a shred of spiritual energy around her.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll take her."


    "Well, can you shield her from view?"


    "Uh ¡­" Bai Mu cleared his throat. "We might need to leave through the gates before we do that."


    "Alright. Then I''ll meet you outside of the city." He nodded at them and his figure vanished, making Nie Huang look around in a daze.


    "This ¡­ Where ¡­"


    "He''s still there. He just ¡­ hid his body from mortal eyes. It''s something immortals can do."


    "Oh." Nie Huang lowered her gaze to the ground. It seemed she''d have a lot to learn if she wanted to live in the dragon realm with Bai Mu. She reached out to take his hand and smiled. "Then let''s go to the gates."


    "Mn." He nodded and led her forward, making sure that they didn''t bump into anyone that shouldn''t see them. Ah, soon, they would leave the mortal world behind them forever and then, a new chapter of their life would begin. A few weeks ago, he never would have thought this possible but now, it was about to happen. And maybe ¡­ just maybe he would even find out what had happened to his father. Ah, if only ¡­ his mother could also know. Well, not that he knew yet what had happened but he somehow felt that this person couldn''t be too bad. After all, Qiu Ling seemed to have had a high opinion of him and Qiu Ling was the one helping them. That should mean that his father too was somebody he could trust. Well, that was still a question for later.

 Chapter 666 - The Dragon King’s Palace

    Leaving the capital didn''t prove difficult. The people knew Nie Huang from the teahouse and with how similar Bai Mu and Xiao Li looked, people simply mistook them for each other. Soon enough the gates were left behind them and they found themselves on a small hill. Just when Nie Huang wanted to ask how they would find the person they were supposed to follow, Xiang Yong appeared a few steps away from them and nodded.


    "Thank you for your cooperation. Let''s leave for the dragon realm then."


    Bai Mu nodded, pulled Nie Huang into his arms and pushed off the ground, following Xiang Yong up into the air. His spiritual energy shielded both of them from the glaring sun and the wind, making Nie Huang feel as if they were merely standing on the ground and not moving forward at all. The rapidly changing landscape below them was the only thing that let her understand just how far they were truly traveling.


    Looking back toward the capital that got smaller and smaller in the distance, she felt a little regret. Maybe she should have taken some time to say her farewells. There was Madam Zhong whom she had worked with for so many years and some of the guests that returned to the teahouse almost every single day because of her tea. And ¡­ of course, there were also her parents. They had only managed to get a little closer after that whirlwind almost hit the capital. Now, she just left them behind.


    Bai Mu sighed when he saw Nie Huang look back the whole time. He reached up and brushed through her hair with his fingers. "Do you want to go back?"


    Nie Huang shook her head. "No. No, that''s not it. I just ¡­ wondered what my family will think. Maybe I should have told them that I''m going to start a new life with you somewhere far away."


    "Well, it''s not too late yet. The dragon realm isn''t that close but it''s not like you can''t visit them in the future. I''ll take you there first and we can settle down. Afterward, I''ll take you for a visit or ¡­ maybe I''ll go and explain first?" After all, she was still mortal. He wasn''t too sure if it would be a good idea to bring her back there so soon.


    Nie Huang nodded. "That''s a lovely idea. For now ¡­ let''s concentrate on ourselves though. There''ll be many new things to see in the dragon realm."


    The capital had already disappeared from sight so Nie Huang turned back to the front and looked at Xiang Yong''s figure in the front. This person looked different from the people she had seen so far but only in terms of his eye- and hair-color and he was the only one she had ever seen that came from the dragon realm as far as she knew. Did all dragons look like this? Then the capital of the dragon realm might not be too different from the capital of their Long country. Maybe just ¡­ a little more colorful. Who knew?


    Just when she tried to imagine the place where their life would take place in the future, Xiang Yong''s figure vanished.


    "Ah!" Nie Huang clasped Bai Mu''s hand and looked up at his face in surprise. "What just happened? He ¡­ he just ¡­"


    "Don''t worry. I guess this is where we''ll enter the dragon realm." Contrary to her he could see the air rippling with spiritual energy where Xiang Yong had just vanished. This should be some kind of portal even though he couldn''t see an array.


    He didn''t hesitate and just rushed toward the same place, breaking through a layer of spiritual energy just as expected. He shot into the air on the other side and finally stopped, hovering in the air for a moment. His gaze flashed over the surrounding. It seemed they were ¡­ in a garden?


    He brought Nie Huang back to the ground and put her on her feet, looking to Xiang Yong who nodded at them in return.


    "This is one of the courtyards in the dragon king''s palace. I thought it might be better to bring you here directly so you can get used to everything before you start to explore your surroundings."


    "Ah, yes, that ¡­ might be a good idea." Bai Mu glanced at Nie Huang who curiously looked around. He had never been here but he had at least seen a lot of the human realm and even visited the demon realm before. However the dragon realm was like, he didn''t question whether he would be able to adapt. As for Nie Huang though ¡­ It was hard to say.


    She had spent her whole life in the human realm, surrounded only by other mortals. In fact, she hadn''t even left the capital for any other place and only came out every now and then to enjoy the surroundings for a while. Another realm had to be shocking to her. So starting in a garden, such an enclosed space that would have lots of similarities to those in the human realm, might make things easier.


    Nie Huang finally turned back to Xiang Yong with a troubled expression. The garden was beautiful and not at all as strangely colored as she had expected. In fact, it looked just like the gardens she had seen in the capital. Something was bugging her though. "You''ve said that ¡­ this is inside the dragon king''s palace and also said that we would ¡­ be accommodated there for now. I just ¡­ I can''t help but wonder if that is really alright. Shouldn''t the dragon king''s palace only be for, well, the dragon king?"


    Xiang Yong smiled. "I''m afraid things are a little different in the dragon realm than you know them from where you come from. Our king ¡­ even though he rules over our whole race, his position isn''t handed down in the same family as the humans tend to do it. Instead, our king is chosen after a trial. As for his palace ¡­ It is the place where he lives but he only occupies a few chambers. The other rooms are there for other important people of our race like his family or his advisers. Since your husband is His Majesty''s cousin-in-law, it''s only right to have him live here if that is what he wants. So there is no need to be overly concerned with things like that. Etiquette isn''t our strong suit either so ¡­ just go with the flow." He smiled and motioned to a door leading inside. Yes, with their current king ¡­ even if things had been handled differently before, there would be no problem.

 Chapter 667 - I’d Like to See Him

    Nie Chang held onto Bai Mu''s arm when they made their way through the corridor. Even if Xiang Yong had said that things were different in the dragon realm and that the palace wasn''t exclusively for the king, it was still a place meant for important people. Bai Mu might count as one of those if he really had a relationship with the dragon king but ¡­ what about her? There was no way she could justify being here.


    Xiang Yong finally stopped in front of a door and turned back to face them. "Here. If there is anything you need, don''t hesitate to ask for it. You can find me in the room at the end of the corridor. Should I not be there ¡­ just ask somebody where I am or tell your request to somebody else. I''ll inform the people here that you''ll be living here from now on."


    "Thank you." Bai Mu hesitated but finally took out a stone from his spatial ring. "There is one thing ¡­"


    "His Majesty''s transmission stone?" Xiang Yong raised his brows. The king wasn''t too reliable but it wasn''t like he''d leave something important behind just like this.


    Bai Mu nodded. "My ¡­" He gulped. "The God of War was supposed to contact us but Qiu Ling wanted to explain matters to him first. Unfortunately, he had to leave and ¡­ that man with the mask ¡­"


    "I see. Do you want me to explain to the God of War? I do not know about the situation though."


    "Well, Qiu Ling talked to his sister if I understood it correctly. She might have told him already. It''s just ¡­ I wouldn''t want to make matters difficult. If the God of War is suddenly faced with somebody unfamiliar, would he still listen?"


    Xiang Yong looked at the transmission stone and then at Bai Mu''s face. "I guess you haven''t met him. As far as I know, the God of War is rather amicable. His Majesty handed the stone to you. He''ll be able to understand that so he would also listen to your explanation."


    Bai Mu furrowed his brows in confusion. "The God of War ¡­ is rather amicable?"


    Xiang Yong inclined his head. "Isn''t it just that he has gotten himself a position that requires him to be good at fighting? It shouldn''t have to do with his personality too much, should it?"


    Bai Mu nodded. "Yes, that ¡­ is probably right. I just ¡­" He shook his head and sighed. "Thank you again then. I''ll explain to him."


    "Mn." Xiang Yong nodded, turned to Nie Huang and also nodded at her. Then he turned around and left, getting back to work. Ah, not much time had passed in the dragon realm but it was still best to get back to it as soon as possible. He couldn''t afford to let anything happen just because he was negligent.


    In the corridor, Nie Huang turned to her fiance. They might not have seen each other for a long time but it was obvious that something was bothering him. Most likely, it was something about that God of War.


    Bai Mu took her hand and smiled. "Let''s go in then. Toward a new life."


    "Mn." Nie Huang followed him inside, her gaze traveling through the room. It didn''t look that different from the capital where she had grown up. The only difference was that the room was bigger and looked more elegant than her family''s home but that was probably to be expected considering that this was a palace.


    Bai Mu brushed her hair back and his smile widened. "Do you like it?"


    "Mn. It''s beautiful. But the most important is that we''re together anyway. Even if this was just a crooked hut somewhere in a desert, I''d still be happy."


    Nie Huang laughed, tiptoed and kissed him. "Then will you tell me what is bothering you? Who is that God of War?"


    Bai Mu sighed. He hugged her around the waist and leaned forward, their foreheads touching. "Where to start?"


    "Right at the beginning. Or is it something you can''t tell me?"


    "Mn ¡­" Bai Mu closed his eyes. "That''s not it. It''s just that ¡­ I never would have thought I''d ever ¡­ have to face this person. Or get to face him. Ah Huang." He opened his eyes and leaned back, cupping her cheeks. "You know about my family. Back then, I told you that my father tried to ascend and ¡­ likely didn''t make it, didn''t I?"


    "You did. Your mother was heartbroken and had to raise you on her own."


    "Mn. I found out today that ¡­ things might be different. In fact, I heard about it a while back right after I was freed but ¡­ that person was being so vague and ¡­ he didn''t explain properly so I didn''t give much about it. But today, he finally told me. My father wasn''t who I thought him to be. He''s likely someone from the gods."


    "The God of War?"


    "Mn. But ¡­ he never came back. I don''t understand. There were always ¡­ only two possibilities." He let go of Nie Huang and wandered to the window, looking out onto yet another courtyard. "He either died trying to ascend and my mother couldn''t bring herself to tell me. Or he ascended but never looked back, leaving us behind. Now, it seems the latter was true. This isn''t the truth I wanted to hear. I''d like to see my father, see who he really is, but at the same time ¡­"


    Nie Huang approached him and gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Don''t worry too much. I''m sure that there is an explanation. And even if there isn''t ¡­ you''re not letting your mother down just because you talk to him. You''re just ¡­ making sure. For yourself. For her. There is nothing bad about that. Even if you find out that he isn''t the hero you thought he was, you will at least know. That''s also good."


    Bai Mu nodded. "Yes, you ¡ª"


    Just then the transmission stone in his hand started to pulse with white light. It seemed ¡­ the person he had waited for had finally reached out to him.

 Chapter 668 - Keeping Silent

    Bai Mu took a deep breath, lifted the transmission stone and imbued his spiritual energy. The apparition of a smiling man appeared.


    "Qiu Ling, you ¡ª" Qiang Yan stopped right after the greeting and his eyes widened. "Huan ¡­ Yin?" He shook his head. No, that ¡­ Obviously, that wasn''t the case. This person wasn''t even a woman. Instead ¡­ He took a deep breath and had another try. "Bai Mu?"


    Bai Mu''s lips opened but he didn''t know what to say. Never mind that this man really fit what Xiang Yong had said before and looked especially amicable, the way he had reacted just now ¡­ His first thought had been his mother and there had been a glint of hope in his eyes as if he truly wanted to see her again. It was rather difficult to hate such a person.


    In the end, Bai Mu nodded but he couldn''t get any words out. What should he say to this man after all these years? He had never met him. Even though his mother had talked about him a lot, he was still a stranger to him. Especially now that he wasn''t the practitioner Feng Jian Hao anymore but the God of War instead.


    Qiang Yan also had trouble to find the right words. He brushed through his hair with his fingers and shook his head. "That guy ¡­ he couldn''t have given me a warning, could he?" He gave a dry laugh and cleared his throat. "Uh ¡­ You ¡­ Where are you now?"


    "The ¡­ dragon realm."


    "I ¡­ I see." Qiang Yan''s gaze flitted about. What now? He wanted to ask so many things, to explain so much but ¡­ How?


    Nie Huang watched the two of them keep silent and evade each other''s gaze. She couldn''t help but smile. Well, it wasn''t too strange that her husband was feeling awkward and his father probably didn''t feel better after never seeing this son of his. These two needed something they could use to break the ice.


    She went over and gently touched Bai Mu''s arm. "Bai Mu, how about you introduce us?"


    "Ah?" Both men looked at her.


    Bai Mu finally pulled himself out of his thoughts and cleared his throat. He glanced at Qiang Yan and then turned to Nie Huang, his gaze softening. "This is Nie Huang, my fiancee."


    "She''s beautiful." Qiang Yan smiled even though it seemed sad. It seemed this son of his whom he had only found out about recently, had already grown up and even started his own family. Ah, he truly had missed out on too much. "I ¡­" Qiang Yan sighed and looked at his sister who was waiting nearby. "Would you mind if I ¡­ came by? Then we can talk about everything ¡­ slowly. There''s ¡­ a lot I have to say. And many things I''d like to ask. Would you mind?"


    Bai Mu shook his head. "It''s alright. If you want to come, then come."


    Nie Huang smiled at Qiang Yan''s apparition. "We''d be delighted if you did. We''re in the palace but we don''t know where exactly. A person called Xiang Yong brought us here if that helps. Ah, would it really be alright if you came? You probably ¡­ have a lot to do." After all, being the God of War sounded quite important.


    Qiang Yan glanced at Bai Fen. He knew that neither she nor her husband thought of this as a good idea but he had truly loved Huan Yin. Even after he woke up in the Nine Heavens, he had still thought of her every now and then, regretting that he hadn''t been there to help her, regretting that he hadn''t waited longer with ascending. Maybe then ¡­ she could have followed him. Now, there was the chance that she was alive and even if she wasn''t, there was their son. How could he stay in the Nine Heavens if he knew that Bai Mu wasn''t far away? He had to go.


    "Nothing is more important than this. Please wait a while. I''ll take care of things on this side and then come over."


    "Mn." Bai Mu nodded and pulled his spiritual energy back, cutting the connection. With a sigh, he turned away from the window and went to sit down. His father ¡­ He had actually seen his father. It was ¡­ hard to believe.


    Nie Huang went and sat down beside him, taking his hand. "It''s alright. He seemed to be a nice person."


    "Yes. So ¡­ why did he never come back?"


    "He might have had his reasons. Just ask him when he comes by later on."


    "He will come by, won''t he? He wouldn''t ¡­ vanish once again, would he?"


    Nie Huang shook her head. "Even if he did, you know where to search for him now, don''t you?"


    Bai Mu nodded and rolled the transmission stone between his fingers. "Yes, I ¡­ know where to find him now. It''s a pity my mother doesn''t. She ¡­ definitely would have liked to see him again."


    "Let''s talk to him first and see what happened. Everything else ¡­ just leave it for later."


    Bai Mu nodded and leaned over, pulling Nie Huang into his arms. "Thank you. Thank you for waiting for me and not giving up hope. I''ve ¡­ I''ve been gone for so long and still ¡­"


    "Of course. I love you. If I was just a little bit stronger, I might have gone to that sect that took you away and demanded that they imprison us together. Then we wouldn''t have needed to be apart for so long. Unfortunately ¡­ I didn''t even know where to search for them."


    "It''s alright." Bai Mu kissed her cheek. "I''m happy that you''re safe. That''s the most important."


    Nie Huang shook her head. "No, the most important is that we''re together again. And maybe soon ¡­ you''ll have even more family. Just ¡­ be open with your father about everything. You''re both adults. What''s there to worry about?"


    Bai Mu nodded. "Yes. What''s there to worry about?" After all, even if things didn''t turn out the way he had hoped, it wouldn''t change anything about his life with Nie Huang and at the very least, he would be able to let go of those worries about his father then. At the very least, he would know.

 Chapter 669 - It Was Nonsense

    At the same time, a certain fallen god had returned to the demon king''s palace. He stood in the shadows of the throne room and examined the man sitting on the throne.


    Jin Ling had crossed his legs and propped one elbow up on the armrest, his knuckles supporting his head. His copper-colored hair fell down in wide waves that weren''t visible at first glance and the light from the braziers glinted on the gem embedded in his earlobe and softened his features.


    "Mn ¡­" Xiang Yu tilted his head.


    He couldn''t deny that the demon king was handsome. The most important was that he was part dragon though. In fact, his blood was made up of equal parts of dragon and demon blood. That was much better than a demon but also much worse than a real dragon. In fact, this was a lot like throwing a coin.


    Somebody with equal parts demon and dragon blood might have a dragon form or he might not. He could also be afflicted with either the dragons'' or the demons'' curse, either loving one person or none. It was hard to tell.


    Unfortunately, this was already the best person in the demon realm. After all, fate couldn''t be so cruel as to make a demon his lover, could it? No, that couldn''t be it. So ¡­ it was either the demon king ¡­ or that fake dragon. There wasn''t anybody else he knew in the demon realm that would fit the bill.


    Mn ¡­ It couldn''t be anyone from before, could it? Somebody from the Nine Heavens? Xiang Yu tilted his head. No, that ¡­ was unlikely. It had been so long. The people he once knew ¡­ And which god would accept somebody like him? Somebody fallen, somebody ¡­ impure. The gods paid so much attention to their image. After running away and marrying into the demon realm, after experiencing all that, how could he just return? No, it was impossible. The one destined for him ¡­ had to be either of these two men.


    Xiang Yu pursed his lips. He didn''t like that fake dragon. He didn''t truly love. He couldn''t. But ¡­ that was still better than being with somebody who was more or less a demon. At the very least, there was a small chance of that dragon feeling at least something. That ¡­ was better than nothing, right?


    Xiang Yu turned away and returned to his chambers below the palace, sitting down silently. Ah, he didn''t want to be alone anymore.


    He thought back to that couple he had just seen. How gentle that man had been with his lover, how he had patiently taken care of him, giving in to all of his whims without getting angry ¡­ He also wanted that.


    Xiang Yu hugged his knees to his chest and stared off into space. Once again being held in somebody''s arms, sharing their warmth, taking in the smell of their body, feeling how close they were ¡­


    Tears gathered in his eyes and finally overflowed, streaming down his cheeks and dripping from his jaw. He remembered ¡­ He still remembered those days in the mortal realm. Lying in Yan Xia''s arms ¡­ The way he dug his fingers into his robe, how their lips met, their breath mixed ¡­ All of it was edged into his memory, unable to be forgotten forever.


    Xiang Yu sighed. Why? Just why had he fallen? If he was still a normal god, then he could at least drink the water of the River of Forgetfulness, detach his soul from his body and take another trial. One human life ¡­ it wouldn''t be enough to erase those memories but maybe it would be enough to make them less painful. Maybe ¡­ he could find a little bit of happiness and pretend that such a life was really waiting for him sometime in the future.


    Xiang Yu took out the petals of the flower he had picked before. He looked at them through a veil of tears and finally let go. Why should he hold onto them? He knew ¡­ Deep down, he also knew it was nonsense. There was no fate to be found in this, no answer to his questions. What Yan Xia had wanted to do, he had done it too thoroughly. In this life, there was no way to escape from his clutches.


    Xiang Yu stood up and brushed the petals off his clothes, walking over to the shelf at the side. He picked up the skull that still rested there and stared at the empty eye-sockets.


    "You''ve won. What you wanted ¡­ it''s been achieved. Are you happy now?"


    He didn''t get an answer and even if he got one, it certainly wouldn''t be what he wanted to hear.


    Xiang Yu gently caressed the skull, his thoughts once again traveling back to those days in the mortal realm. How he clung to this man, relished in his company, how he cried when he had to leave him behind, how he was happy when he woke up in the Nine Heavens and found out that not everything was lost. They could still reunite. They could still spend their time together. Yan Xia wouldn''t need to stay alone and mourn him.


    He hadn''t heeded his mother''s advice. Ah, how he had cried when she slandered the man he loved, how he shook his head and threw a tantrum, how he finally ran away to be with him, to marry him and live with him until the end of time.


    Who could have known she was right? He sighed and put the skull back down, looking at it for a moment longer. Yan Xia ¡­ The only man he had ever loved. The one who destroyed his soul. After his time with him, he wasn''t even sure if he would ever be able to love somebody else. Maybe ¡­ this cruel man was the only one for him.


    Xiang Yu turned his back to the skull and stepped through the gate to the High Heavens that he had left open. He looked at Jing Yi who was quietly cultivating while his soul was being repaired. He didn''t speak to him. Instead, he walked past him, once again to that fake capital that had been built as a symbol of love.

 Chapter 670 - Selfish for Once

    Xiang Yu once again stopped in front of that palace that he had visited so often after he had fallen and figured out how to enter the High Heavens. Since then Tian had been his only haven but that haven already belonged to somebody else. It was ¡­ truly a pity.


    "Tian!" He called out, his voice still hoarse from his tears.


    Fabric rustled and steps sounded and the door was pushed open from inside. That handsome man looked at him expressionlessly. "You''re back already? I guess you haven''t come to collect the person you left behind here?"


    Xiang Yu shook his head and waited for Tian to come over. He couldn''t help but step closer when Tian had almost reached him. He leaned against him, put his cheek against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. Ah, at the very least, there was still this person that didn''t mind him coming close.


    Xiang Yu''s eyes that had involuntarily closed opened again and he looked up at Tian in confusion. "Tian ¡­ somebody ¡­ touched me today."


    "Oh?"


    "Mn. Actually, there were two people. One of them patted my head and the other one ¡­ he pinched my cheeks."


    Tian''s usually expressionless face finally showed a hint of surprise and his brows raised. Somebody would pat a fallen god''s head and even dare to pinch his cheeks? "You must have met some exceptional people today then. Did you leave the demon realm?"


    Xiang Yu nodded. "Yes. I ¡­ went to find that fake dragon. He was in the human capital. He ¡­ he asked me to help somebody he knew and brought me over. That person ¡­ patted my head. He was very gentle. He''s very beautiful too!"


    "That''s nice."


    "Mn. I think so too."


    "Then why didn''t you stay there?"


    "They ¡­ they''re both ¡­ taken already. That man who patted my head is married and the other one ¡­ his lover is the one I brought here."


    "I see." Tian waited but Xiang Yu didn''t speak up again. He sighed. "Xiang Yu, why have you come?"


    "I ¡­ I thought about what you said before. That there would be ¡­ somebody I could love. But the only person I''ve ever loved is Yan Xia. So ¡­ could it be Yan Xia was already reincarnated? You know, don''t you?"


    "Naturally, I know."


    "Then ¡­ can you tell me?"


    Tian looked at him and then turned to the palace behind him. "Do you really want to know?"


    "What kind of life does he have? Is he a demon again? If he isn''t ¡­" Xiang Yu looked down and his cheeks flushed. Maybe they had another chance? Maybe ¡­ things didn''t need to end like that.


    Tian glanced at him and sighed. "Wasn''t it enough? He used you. From the moment he first saw you, he used you. Do you really want to go through that again?"


    "So he''s a demon once more?" Xiang Yu''s expression dimmed, his black eyes turning dull. Ah, why had he hoped? Wasn''t it obvious ¡­ that he wouldn''t have that much luck?


    Tian shook his head. "He isn''t. He''s living in the mortal realm but he already has a lover. They''re separated right now but they are very much in love. There ¡­ is no place for you in his heart."


    Xiang Yu turned away and took a few, unsteady steps. "No place ¡­ for me ¡­" Well ¡­ Why had he expected anything else? Yan Xia hadn''t loved him back then. Why would he suddenly fall for him in another life?


    "Xiang Yu."


    Xiang Yu turned around at that voice, his expression still crestfallen.


    Tian sighed. "Some things just aren''t meant to be. Why yearn for a man that shouldn''t be with you? He made you unhappy. He turned you into a fallen god. Why can''t you let go?"


    "How could I let go?" Xiang Yu looked at the sky above them and his lips curved up in something like a twisted smile. "Because everything ¡­ reminds me of him. We watched those stars together, we felt that breeze together, we ¡­ lived and died together. Why ¡­ couldn''t he be my other half? The person ¡­ destined for me?"


    Tian didn''t answer. Who knew why fate was so strange? Even he as the supreme ruler of all the realms couldn''t do anything about it.


    "Tian?"


    "What is it?"


    "Can I ¡­ do another trial?"


    "If that is what you want, then I''ll make it possible."


    Xiang Yu nodded. "I ¡­ want to forget for a while. I ¡­ want to feel love and ¡­ happiness. I want a normal life."


    "Then you will get that." Tian turned to the side and his steps took him out of the capital to where the source of the big river lay. He took out a vial and gathered some of the water before he returned to the spot where Xiang Yu was waiting. He added some of his magic, closed the vial and handed it to Xiang Yu. "Just drink this and it''ll be like the trial of any god. Make sure your body is safe though."


    "Mn, I''ll leave it here when the time comes." Xiang Yu put the vial away and looked up at Tian again. "Then ¡­ there''s this dragon. His soul is badly injured and I''d like to help him. You wouldn''t mind if I ¡­"


    "No, take whatever you need."


    "Mn." Xiang Yu nodded and gave a slight smile. "Then ¡­ I''ll leave you to Xing again. That ¡­ that person over there ¡­ I''ll let him stay here for a while longer, yes?"


    "Yes. It''s not a problem. He won''t bother us."


    "Mn, that''s good then." Xiang Yu nodded again and finally stepped back. He took a last look at Tian and then left the capital, going to the source of the big river where Tian had just been.


    He took some of the water, dug up a few handfuls of the earth from the riverbed and got up again. With this, he should have enough to heal that dragon. Now, only one thing remained for him to do.


    He sighed and put the jar with the earth away. "You''ll have to forgive me. Both of you. It ¡­ might be selfish but I want to be selfish for once. Can''t I be?"

 Chapter 671 - What Was He Doing There?

    Xiang Yu touched the mark between his brows and closed his eyes. Here in the High Heavens, his perception was much clearer. He only took a moment before he opened his eyes again and ripped another gate open. This time what lay behind was the capital of the dragon realm.


    Xiang Yu didn''t hesitate. He stepped through the opening, letting it close behind him. His gaze traveled around, taking in the buildings to both sides of the street and the people walking around. Mn, the dragons weren''t that different from the other races it seemed. They looked just as colorful as the demons but they treated each other more like the gods. Well, they seemed to be closer physically. In the Nine Heavens, who didn''t keep a distance of one or two steps even as a married couple? The dragons didn''t seem to mind closeness in the least. Just casually glancing at the people, he already saw three couples that seemed to be glued together. There was a woman hanging onto her husband''s arm, her fingers incessantly teasing him. Two women walked at the side of the street, one of them with her arm around the other''s waist, while another couple had stopped to talk with somebody, the smaller person hugged to their partner''s chest. Nothing could be seen of any timidity or pudency. What a refreshing sight.


    Xiang Yu continued to look, his goal forgotten for the moment. This ¡­ was exactly what he wanted. It was a pity he hadn''t been born a dragon. If not for the way he grew up, for the ideals he had been taught since young, then maybe he wouldn''t have ended up like this.


    Xiang Yu sighed and turned away, slowly making his way to a house in the outskirts of the capital. He hid from the dragons just how he had always done it in the demon realm. Wouldn''t they react just like the humans in their capital had? He didn''t want to experience that once again. Once was more than enough.


    Finally, he found himself in front of a door. Originally, it had to have been painted red but now, most of the color had come undone, leaving only some scraps on there while the pale wood was laid bare everywhere else.


    Xiang Yu tilted his head. What was that fake dragon doing here? This couldn''t be the place where he lived, could it? Even though he didn''t know him well, he felt that that man attached great importance to appearances. His house ¡­ it should be something akin to a palace, shouldn''t it? Or even if it wasn''t a palace, it should be something big and flashy.


    Maybe a two-story building with two ferocious-looking statues next to the gate and a wall surrounding the house that featured carvings of even more creatures. There could even be figures on the curved roof that looked down at all the guests condescendingly. There would probably be red-lacquered beams holding up the roof and a lavishly decorated door leading into the house. Maybe it wouldn''t be just one house and instead, he''d have a main house and several other buildings with a big courtyard being part of every one of them and a garden in the rear.


    Yes, that kind of estate would fit him much better than this run-down building. So ¡­ why was he here?


    Xiang Yu tilted his head and pushed the door open, peeking into the room behind. Actually, the house comprised of only this room. The first thing he saw was a stove with a bamboo steamer waiting to the side.


    Xiang Yu sniffed hopefully but the only thing he smelled was sweat. He scrunched up his face and turned away. What came into view ¡­


    His eyes widened and he stared in a daze, not even comprehending what he saw.


    On the bed, Xin Lan tensed and straightened up, turning to the door. "What ¡­" He furrowed his brows and stared at the person that stood there with a pale face.


    "Senior Xin Lan ¡­" The woman below him reached up, her hands brushing up his chest, followed by her lips.


    Xiang Yu''s eyes widened even further. What were they doing?!


    Xin Lan frowned and gnashed his teeth. This guy! First, he vanished from the Yun Zou Sect without a word. Now, he suddenly barged in while he was trying to enjoy his break!


    The woman still hadn''t noticed the person in the door. Her hands found their way onto his back and her nails scratched his skin. "Senior Xin Lan, what''s the problem? You don''t want to continue? Am I not doing it right?" Her lips brushed his chest again, trying to regain his attention.


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched. That fallen god was still staring at him as if he was the most offensive thing he had ever seen. How was he supposed to continue like this?!


    Xiang Yu watched in horror as the woman''s lips move upward to Xin Lan''s jaw, her voluptuous body twisting and pressing up against him. Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed in response, his grab on her hips tightening. He turned back to her as if he wanted to ignore him and just continue.


    Xiang Yu pointed at him, his arm trembling. "What do you think you''re doing?!"


    The woman finally noticed him. She looked over and gave a yelp, scrambling to get away as far as possible. She lost her grab on Xin Lan''s body and fell from his lap, exposing the rest of his body.


    Xin Lan took a deep breath to calm down while he cursed incessantly in his head. He got up, picked his robe from the ground and threw it over his shoulders before he approached Xiang Yu. He stopped right in front of the spot where Xiang Yu was pointing and raised his brows. "That''s not the question. The question is: What do you think you''re doing here?"

 Chapter 672 - I Want Something in Return

    Xiang Yu stared incredulously at the dragon that was still half-naked. The rebuttal hadn''t registered at all and he didn''t know what else to say either. He only ¡­ continued to stare with wide eyes, his thoughts already come to a stop a long time ago.


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched. Dragons weren''t shy about exposing their naked skin and he wasn''t an exception to that. In fact, he liked to show off his body. Why shouldn''t he? He had always had a good physique and the scars lining his body spoke of the fights he had experienced and how he always returned victoriously. It was worth admiring.


    So why ¡­ did this fallen god look like he didn''t think so at all? He rather seemed ¡­ put off. As if he thought that something was wrong about his body.


    Xin Lan looked down at himself and raised his brows. He really couldn''t see how anything was bad about him. He had clearly visible muscles in all the right places, a faint tan that made his scars shimmer enticingly and his size wasn''t to be scoffed at either.


    Xiang Yu reached out and grabbed the sides of the robe before Xin Lan could ask. He tried to pull it close but in his rush, he tugged too hard. His nails ripped the fabric apart, making it awkwardly fall back into place, now revealing even more.


    Xiang Yu covered his face and turned away. "What are you doing?!"


    "That''s what I was asking you." Xin Lan went to pick up his belt in a bad mood and secured his robe again. It hadn''t been that easy for him to follow his Master''s advice and take a break. When he came to the capital and looked around ¡­ he was suddenly faced with a lot of happy couples. And even if somebody wasn''t in a relationship yet, the person didn''t meet his eye. He wanted someone beautiful, someone alluring, someone who could make him forget about his unrequited years of millennia and just make him indulge in pleasure. And when he finally found a woman that fit the bill and followed her home to go through with it ¡­ this stupid fallen god interrupted them halfway.


    He was frustrated, to say the least. And now this guy dared to act coyly with him as if he was a despicable ruffian violating moral conduct.


    Xin Lan pushed Xiang Yu out of the door, not even bothering to check if the woman had recovered from the fright of seeing a fallen god. Why should he? It had been fun while it lasted but he wasn''t going to cry for this kind of lost opportunity. He just had to look again a little later and he might actually find something even better. He would need to get rid of this person first though.


    Xin Lan kicked the door shut and pulled Xiang Yu around the corner. The fallen god didn''t raise a fuss this time, making him take another glance. It seemed he was still in a daze? Xin Lan raised his brows but didn''t say anything. There was no need to bother with what this guy thought. He only needed to find out if he had come back to finally help his Master.


    He stopped when they were out of sight from the street and took two steps back as a precaution. This guy would certainly attack him as soon as his thoughts caught up with him. He crossed his arms and waited.


    Xiang Yu didn''t seem as if he would snap out of his daze anytime though. In his head, the scene of Xin Lan with that woman replayed again and again. Just what ¡­ had he seen there?


    Xin Lan finally couldn''t take it any longer. He scowled and reached out, grabbing Xiang Yu''s arm and shaking him. "Heh! Wake up already! I don''t have the whole day."


    Xiang Yu shuddered.


    Xin Lan used the moment to back off and waited once again.


    Xiang Yu''s eyes cleared and he looked at Xin Lan accusingly. "What were you doing?"


    "Did you just come here to interrogate me about my private matters? Nobody asked you to step in just like that."


    "Didn''t you pretend to like that golden-haired man? Why would you ¡­"


    Xin Lan snorted. "In case you didn''t notice, he''s already married. There is no use in me yearning for him if it''s that obvious that he will never requite my feelings. So what did you come here for originally?"


    Xiang Yu pursed his lips. Maybe he had hoped for too much again. This man ¡­ obviously didn''t take feelings seriously at all. Could he really give him what he wanted? But if it wasn''t him ¡­ who else was there that he could ask? Xiang Yu sighed. "I got the things I need to help that man recover his soul."


    "Great. Then let''s return to the Yun Zou Sect." Xin Lan wanted to push off the ground and leave but Xiang Yu still remained at the same spot, not looking as if he was ready yet. Xin Lan frowned. "What is it?"


    "I ¡­" He hesitated but still cleared his throat in the end. "This is very important to you. I''m doing you a large favor."


    "Yes." He didn''t see why they weren''t leaving already though.


    "I ¡­ I want something in return."


    "Come again?"


    "I want something in return." Xiang Yu repeated his words with more fervor this time. Right, he wanted something in return. He deserved it. He deserved it as much as everyone else. "That person is nice. He deserves to have his soul healed but I''m doing this for you. It''s not wrong to request you to do something for me in return."


    "Alright." Xin Lan didn''t think twice about it. Whatever this fallen god would think of, it couldn''t be too difficult. "Did you decide what you want already?"


    Xiang Yu nodded. "Yes. I want to do another trial in the human realm. And you''ll accompany me."

 Chapter 673 - Getting on in Years

    Zhangsun Xun Yi left the Sect Master''s palace with a sigh and turned to the peak where Elder Wang lived. He had used the last few days to prepare and was now on his way to implement the plan that Leng Jin Yu had come up with. Yuchi Bing Xia was already privy to the general gist of how they wanted to restructure the sect and with the state the Yun Zou Sect was in, he was willing to give it try. He couldn''t help but worry about the Elders'' opinion though.


    The Yun Zou Sect had always been operated the same way. Would the Elders, who had entered as a simple disciple in the beginning and then slowly made their way up through hard work, really be willing to open the gates of the inner sect for disciples with a low aptitude just like that? Making it easier for them to climb toward Heaven than it had been for them back in the day? And would those Elders, who had been geniuses with heavenly or paired spirit veins and always enjoyed special privileges, allow those they felt to be beneath them to enjoy the same benefits without having the same talent now?


    Even if the Elders could disregard the old memories of their time as disciples, they would certainly make trouble when they thought of what this meant for their own disciples. After all, they would have more people to vie for resources with if a large batch of outer sect disciples was admitted to the inner sect. And it would get even worse when a larger part of the new recruits every year would be admitted to the inner sect. It would need a lot of good arguments or an overwhelming majority of other Elders to be in favor of this to make any of them reconsider their position. It really was crucial with whom the Grandmaster talked first.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi approached Elder Wang''s Palace and called out. "Elder Wang, I came to discuss some matters. Would you have the time to receive me now?"


    Inside the Palace, Elder Wang jerked out of his meditation and almost fell to the ground. Had he really heard that just now? Grandmaster Zhangsun was standing in front of his door and wanted to talk? About official matters no less?


    He jumped up and ran to the door, stumbling over his feet in the process. He yanked the door open and hastily adjusted his robe, giving an awkward smile. "Grandmaster Zhangsun, what a surprise! Naturally, we can talk about this matter now. Why don''t you come inside first?" He motioned at the room behind him and stepped to the side to make way for the Grandmaster.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded wordlessly and entered, walking up to one of the chairs and sitting down. He waited for Elder Wang to close the door and got right to the point. "Our Yun Zou Sect isn''t in a favorable position right now and I''m also getting advanced in years."


    Elder Wang''s brows twitched. Even though it was true that the Grandmaster wasn''t young anymore, he didn''t look that way at all. If he put on the robe of an inner sect disciple and followed them to one of the Gatherings of the Practitioners, he would likely be mistaken for a disciple himself. The Elder didn''t dare to speak his true thoughts though. Instead, he cleared his throat and motioned at the tea set standing to the side. "Would the Grandmaster like a cup of tea?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. Even though Elder Wang had two disciples that had been taken in from the outer sect, he wouldn''t be in favor of the idea immediately. Who knew how long it would take to convince him?


    Elder Wang poured two cups of tea before he leaned back and looked up at the Grandmaster again. "What the Grandmaster said before ¡­ Your meaning is ¡­?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi picked up his teacup as if what he had to say was nothing out of the ordinary. "I won''t be able to stay in the human realm indefinitely. The time for my ascension is drawing near. Unfortunately, the Yun Zou Sect is in no shape for me to leave." He stopped talking and sipped his tea to give the Elder some time to digest the information.


    Elder Wang couldn''t help but stare at him in a daze. The Grandmaster had always been the backbone of the Yun Zou Sect. Without him, the sect would never have been able to rank among the first-tier sects. And now when they had trouble keeping their spot even with him still there, he decided that he wanted to leave? This would be a disaster for the Yun Zou Sect!


    Elder Wang cleared his throat. "Is it really necessary to leave now?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi put down the cup. "If I don''t leave now, then when will I leave? There is no guarantee that our situation will turn around anytime soon. Maybe it never will. The only thing I can do for the Yun Zou Sect is to help it get as strong as it possibly can be without me. I am hoping for the Elder''s cooperation in this."


    Elder Wang sighed. He also knew that the Grandmaster was right. They couldn''t expect him to postpone his ascension forever and hold a protecting hand over them. "Grandmaster Zhangsun has done a lot for our Yun Zou Sect. Everyone appreciates your effort. Without you, our future might have looked bleak long ago. Whatever it is the Grandmaster wants to do you have my full cooperation."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded curtly. "I thank Elder Wang for your trust. You should still listen to my ideas first. This is something I have discussed was the Sect Master at length but we wouldn''t be comfortable with making a final decision without taking the Elders'' thoughts into consideration."


    Elder Wang nodded solemnly. It seemed whatever the Grandmaster and Sect Master had come up with, it would have far-reaching consequences for their Yun Zou Sect.

 Chapter 674 - Let’s Take a Rest

    In another part of the mortal realm, Leng Jin Yu watched Qiu Ling hack away at the trunk of a tree with his bare claws. This was as much gathering materials for one of the spirit vein creation pills as it was venting his frustration.


    Leng Jin Yu just stood to the side and let him do as he liked. Since the moment they had left the Yun Zou Sect the dragon king hadn''t said a single word. Who knew what it was that had originally upset him? It seemed like he didn''t want to talk about it and Leng Jin Yu didn''t feel that he was the right person to prompt him to start speaking.


    Qiu Ling exhaled sharply when a large gash finally appeared in the bark and uncovered the wood beneath it. He took out a vial from his spatial ring and held it below the opening he had just created, waiting for some of the resin to collect.


    A few minutes passed and he stared at the vial darkly. Why was this taking so long? Then again even if it went faster, it wouldn''t change anything. He still wouldn''t be able to return to his beloved''s side. Maybe he should be happy that the list was so long. At the very least, he had something to do while he waited for his beloved''s soul to heal. Unfortunately, he had no idea just how much time he''d need to tide over. Qiu Ling turned to Leng Jin Yu, urging him to prepare for getting the next ingredient.


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the vial, then at the list in his hand, and finally up at the sky. They hadn''t slept much the last few days and the sky was already turning dark again. In the end, he couldn''t help but speak up after all. "Longjun, don''t you think it would be better to rest here for the night? I don''t think we have enough of the resin yet and we''ve been moving almost without pause for the last five days. It''s time for us to take a break." He waited for the dragon king to refuse but he didn''t get an answer at all.


    Qiu Ling had narrowed his eyes at the vial. Only the ground had barely been covered with the resin. They would indeed need to wait a while longer to get enough for the pill refinement. And looking back at Leng Jin Yu he also knew that it was time to take a break.


    Even he himself couldn''t go on without sleep for days. But he had forced himself to stay awake for as long as possible and use the better part of his time to search for at least one more material. He knew it wouldn''t bring him closer to Jing Yi but at least, he had something he could work forward to. Wasn''t that better than just sitting somewhere, twiddling his thumbs, and waiting for a chance to see his beloved again? And when his mind finally got as tired as his body then maybe it wouldn''t hurt as much. Maybe he could pretend to be alright then. Maybe ¡­ he would truly be alright even if it was just for one moment or for one night when he finally collapsed.


    Well, he couldn''t expect Leng Jin Yu to do the same. That guy still had his lover waiting for him. Why would he force himself to go to the extreme? And without him, there was no way to just move from one spot to another, always finding the ingredients in just a matter of minutes.


    Qiu Ling sighed and nodded. He pressed the vial against the tree trunk and knelt down beside it, staring at it with a blank look. Ah, who knew how long it''d take to collect enough resin for the pill?


    Next to him, Leng Jin Yu sighed just the same. He opened his spatial ring and took out a ribbon, tying it around the tree to secure the vial in place.


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. This was ¡­?


    Leng Jin Yu smiled lightly. "This way, you won''t have to worry about it and can rest easy. We can also make another opening on one of the other trees and collect some more from there. That way we definitely should have enough when we get up tomorrow."


    Qiu Ling nodded wordlessly and went to the next tree, repeating the same process. Once again, his thoughts traveled to Jing Yi. Ah, if only he could use his claws to solve this issue. Was there nobody he could go and beat up for his beloved''s soul to heal faster?


    "Longjun." Leng Jin Yu reached out and grabbed his arm when he saw that Qiu Ling still didn''t stop to hack at the tree even though the bark had already been opened. "That should be enough."


    Qiu Ling stopped moving and just scowled at the opening in the tree. This thing ¡­ it really ¡­


    "Longjun?" Leng Jin Yu carefully slipped closer. Never mind that he still hadn''t gotten even a single word out of him, the dragon king looked rather pale right now. Was he really alright? "Longjun, you ¡ª"


    Before he finished, the person in question dropped down like a felled tree. Leng Jin Yu rushed to catch him and carefully lowered him onto the ground before checking his condition. Sure enough, the dragon king was out cold. He sighed, not sure whether he should be relieved or worried. Qiu Ling would finally get some rest this way but ¡­ it probably wasn''t normal for the dragon king to collapse this way, was it?


    He gave another sigh and took a vial out of his spatial ring, securing it below the opening Qiu Ling had made just like the other one. If the dragon king woke up and found out that they still needed to wait, he might go crazy. That wasn''t something he wanted to deal with.


    Leng Jin Yu sat down next to him and looked up at the sky. Ah, he really would have liked to be with Jinde right now. They didn''t even know each other that long but after being separated for several days, he missed him terribly. No wonder the dragon king was like this. For the second time, his beloved had vanished and it wasn''t sure when they would see each other again. How was he supposed to take that?

 Chapter 675 - Never Going to Rest

    The first thing Qiu Ling saw when he came to was a row of vials filled with resin. He closed his eyes again and tried to open them once more but the vials were still there. Qiu Ling stared at them some more before he finally sat up. Leng Jin Yu wasn''t sitting far away from him. He had his eyes closed but his sword was in his hands as if he was prepared to draw it at a moment''s notice.


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows, got up and walked over. "I''m awake." He waited for Leng Jin Yu to open his eyes and get up but contrary to his expectations nothing of like that happened.


    Instead, Leng Jin Yu nodded and put his sword down beside him. "That''s good. You can continue to rest some more or go train your sword arts or something." His breath evened out afterward as if he had fallen asleep.


    Qiu Ling blinked and stared at his so-called father in a daze. What was this guy doing? Hadn''t he heard him? He reached out and poked Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder. "Heh, I said I''m awake. We can leave now and search for the next ingredient. Didn''t we get enough of the resin already?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed in resignation and cracked his eyes open. "Longjun. You might be awake now but you were out for three whole days. Who do you think was keeping watch the whole time?"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows and pointed at the person in front of him. Who else could it have been? He didn''t feel that that should make any difference though. "What were you keeping watch for? I was merely sleeping for a while. What could have happened?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed once again. "What about the demons? Considering your position I''m sure they''d love to take the chance to kill you while you were unguarded."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "But nothing happened, did it?"


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his face, giving yet another sigh. "No, and it''s your luck that nothing happened. Even though I''ve ascended, it hasn''t been long since then. I might be able to win against some of them but those with a higher standing in the demon realm would definitely be above my ability to take care of." It didn''t help that he had spent most of his time since his ascension back in the mortal realm. How was he supposed to grow stronger in this environment? His body needed the nurturing of the Nine Heavens'' thick spiritual energy.


    Qiu Ling merely waved his concerns away. "Then you could have just woken me up."


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t bother to reply to that. It wasn''t that he hadn''t tried to wake Qiu Ling up. After the dragon king didn''t wake up after a whole day, he did try. It hadn''t worked though. Qiu Ling had just swatted away his hand and turned to the other side, mumbling something about his beloved with a silly grin on his lips. He had probably had sweet dreams.


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes again. "Maybe I was wrong then. I still stayed up all the time and only rested a bit. I need at least a few hours of sleep before we can continue."


    Qiu Ling grumbled in dissatisfaction but still sat down next to Leng Jin Yu. He pulled his knees to his chest and stared into the distance as well as he could in the forest. Unfortunately, there wasn''t much to see. There were only trees and then more trees behind them. When he was lucky he could see a shrub or two between them. At the roots of one of the trees a small flower was growing, the bright yellow petals like patches of light.


    Qiu Ling sighed and picked up the sword that Leng Jin Yu had put down. This ¡­ It didn''t seem to be from the mortal realm. Instead, it showed the typical craft of the dragon realm. In that case, the sword should have been given by the old geezer. Mn, he really treated his new old lover well.


    Qiu Ling took the sword out of the scabbard and brushed over the blade with his fingers. This was indeed a good weapon. For somebody like Leng Jin Yu who had only recently ascended and still needed to learn to match up with the people born into the immortal races, this type of weapon could make the difference between life and death. "Eh." Qiu Ling nudged Leng Jin Yu with his elbow. "When did the old geezer give this to you? Did you guys have some kind of anniversary?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s eyes cracked open once again. There was no way he would be able to sleep for even an hour with this person beside him, was there? He turned toward him and once again rubbed his face. "Longjun, is that really what you want to ask? If not, then I advise you to pose your real question now."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "I was merely asking."


    Leng Jin Yu narrowed his eyes. "Then you wouldn''t mind if I don''t answer, would you?"


    Next to him, Qiu Ling went rigid. This certainly wasn''t the answer he had expected. Since when would this guy merely brush off what he said? "I''m your son. Can''t I ask about your matters? I''ve never held back from telling you about how Jing He and I were doing either."


    Leng Jin Yu snorted. "You''ve never held back from telling anybody how you and the Son of Heaven are doing. And you have never asked about the matters between Jinde and me. So why don''t you drop the act and tell me what you really want?"


    Qiu Ling put the sword back into the scabbard and handed it over to Leng Jin Yu. "What I want ¡­ I''m afraid there''s no way for you to give that to me. So why waste time talking?"

 Chapter 676 - I Wouldn’t Be Able to Take That

    Leng Jin Yu looked at the dragon king''s wistful expression and smiled. "Try me." He also knew that this might not work out. Too much time had passed since his last life and he couldn''t even remember. Whatever troubles Qiu Ling had, it was likely that he indeed wouldn''t be able to help. But he should at least try. This much he owed him.


    Qiu Ling snorted. "What''s there to try? You can''t give Jing He back to me with an uninjured soul and as for the rest ¡­" He sighed and looked up at the small patch of sky he could see between the treetops. "The answers I want ¡­ you can''t give them to me either." He sighed yet again and shook his head. "I bet if you''ve remembered anything, it would only be about the old geezer." He chuckled without even the slightest trace of humor. Maybe someday he would be exactly like this. Living together with his Jing He, spending every waking minute at his side and holding him in his arms while they slept, only thinking about him, remembering him, reveling in his company ¡­ There would be no time for anyone else.


    Beside him, Leng Jin Yu grimaced. There was indeed nothing he could say about this. The few things he had remembered were indeed all about Jinde. And even that bit only amounted to a few detached pictures. A smile that Jinde had given him, the way those slender hands held a sword, some droplets of water sparkling in that golden hair ¡­ He could hardly talk about that with Qiu Ling, could he?


    Leng Jin Yu could only sigh. Having this talk would be even more difficult than he had thought. He had been way too optimistic when he prompted him to try him. Still, this wasn''t the moment to give up. No, he had to at least try. "There''s indeed not much that I can remember. But maybe you''d still like to give it a try."


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "What use is there? You don''t remember her, do you?" He turned to look at Leng Jin Yu and raised his brows.


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. No, he indeed couldn''t remember that wife of his. There was only Jinde left in his mind. It really made him wonder just what had driven Chun Yin to marry her in the first place. Wasn''t it painfully obvious that all his thoughts had been with Jinde? "I don''t." He didn''t add anything else. They both knew the truth so why should he try to make excuses?


    Qiu Ling nodded. "I expected as much. You don''t remember me either, do you?"


    This time Leng Jin Yu didn''t know how to react anymore. He indeed couldn''t remember the dragon king but saying so would certainly hurt him. He couldn''t pretend that things were different though. After all, what should he say if Qiu Ling wanted to hear about his memories? He couldn''t just bring up one of the things Jinde had told him, could he?


    Qiu Ling smiled. "I expected as much. To you, we were never important. All your thoughts, all your energy was always spent on him. There was no place for us."


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head in an attempt to make this less unbearable. "I remember almost nothing. It has nothing to do with whatever I thought in my past life. It''s just that I''m not strong enough to break through the barrier separating those memories from me. It''s hard to gather that strength in the mortal realm too so it''ll likely take some time until I will be able to see them."


    Qiu Ling merely glanced at him. "Do you really believe that?"


    Leng Jin Yu wanted to answer but Qiu Ling already interrupted him.


    "He was the love of your life, the person destined for you. It''s not something I can fault you for. If this was me ¡­ I would do exactly the same thing. Between Jing He and you, he would always come first. He would come first in front of everyone, including myself. That''s the way we are. Maybe this is proof that I am indeed a dragon. Despite my mother''s blood I still love like a dragon. I can also bind my soul. That does make me a dragon, doesn''t it?"


    Leng Jin Yu examined the handsome profile of the person next to him. It seemed that this was what really bothered him? Well, considering who he had fallen in love with that worry wasn''t without reason. "You wouldn''t mind as much if your mother had been a full-blooded dragon, would you?"


    Qiu Ling snorted and turned to pick up the vials with the resin. Other than one he put all of them into his spatial ring. As for the last one, he twirled it between his fingers, staring at the liquid inside that seemed to be almost frozen, the surface barely stirring at the movement. "Neither a demon nor a dragon. That was her heritage and now it is mine too. Three-quarters of my blood is that of a dragon, everything about me is just like a dragon. But that one-quarter of blood she passed on to me has the power to ruin my life. Can''t I hate that fact?"


    "You can. Unfortunately, it won''t change a thing. When you''re finished with hating it, nothing will have changed. You''ll still have that quarter of demon blood that can destroy your life. Nothing you do can change that."


    Qiu Ling threw the final vial into his spatial ring and got up, walking a few steps away. "Since it can''t be changed what do you expect me to do? Nothing?" He harrumphed. "Then what? If somebody finds out ¡­ And that bastard Jin Ling knows. He''s just waiting for the moment when it''d hurt the most to expose me. That''s the way he is and the direction my life is going in."


    "Then you should expose it before he can do so."


    Qiu Ling sighed. "But then ¡­ Wouldn''t I have lost even the last opportunity to be with Jing He? Right now, I can still hope. Maybe he''ll forget about it, maybe we''ll already be married when it comes to light. There are so many ways this could play out, maybe I''ll get lucky just this once. But if I tell anyone about this, then they''ll forbid me from seeing Jing He forever. I wouldn''t be able to take that."

 Chapter 677 - A Happy Little Family of Three

    Leng Jin Yu had expected as much. Everything in Qiu Ling''s life revolved around the Son of Heaven. Naturally, he wouldn''t be able to live with it if something kept them apart. Jinde had already said as much and it was obvious from the way Qiu Ling behaved. His mixed blood really was troublesome in that regard. Still, it wouldn''t help to cover up the truth. "What about the Son of Heaven himself? Do you believe he would leave you if he found out about your mother?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. He had feared that once upon a time but after what he experienced with Jing Yi in the mortal realm and how well he had taken the news about his mixed heritage, his fear had already reduced by half. And now that he knew that Jing He had even gone so far as to engrave his own soul so as to make sure he wouldn''t fall in love with somebody else in the mortal realm, there wasn''t the slightest doubt left. For as long as Jing He lived, he would only love him.


    "In that case, have you told him?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head again. "I didn''t. At the end of the day, we only knew each other for ten years. That isn''t too much. Neither compared to how long I''ve lived nor compared to how long Jing He has lived. And before he went for his trial we were occupied with thinking about our wedding. There never was the right opportunity even if I had wanted to tell him."


    Qiu Ling fell silent but his thoughts still circled around telling Jing He the truth. Somehow, he still couldn''t imagine that situation. "I''ve told Jing Yi. It wasn''t as difficult as I would''ve imagined but then again he is vastly different from Jing He in some regards." He sighed and rubbed his brow, seeming uncharacteristically serious. "Jing He always cared about his appearance very much. I don''t doubt that he loves me but I''m not too sure how well he would take it that he''s about to marry somebody with demon blood."


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t answer immediately. He had never met the Son of Heaven. By the time he got involved in the whole mess regarding his fate, His Highness had long left for the mortal realm. He had only heard rumors about him and according to those Qiu Ling might not be wrong to worry. But since he couldn''t change who his mother was he could only work on how to tell the crown prince. And since there were mutual feelings involved there should be a way to let him come to terms with this. "You know His Highness best. Since you think he won''t leave you just because he finds out the truth, then there is nothing that will change the outcome. He will stay with you anyway. The only thing that will change is how easy or how hard it will be for him to come to terms with this news. I don''t know him so I can only guess but I could imagine that it might be easier for him to accept if he heard it from you directly and without you being forced by the circumstances."


    Qiu Ling glanced at him and smiled. "Is this some type of fatherly advice?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips parted but he didn''t know what to say in the end. He didn''t know Qiu Ling well and considering the bit he had heard before he wasn''t even sure if Qiu Ling''s relationship with his actual father had been good. In that case, would he even want something like fatherly advice? Not that he thought he could give it. He wasn''t like Jinde. He knew nothing about children and he had never thought about having a child either. Especially not one that was already fully grown.


    He still felt that Qiu Ling had some expectations of him though. He didn''t need to be a father to figure that out. Unfortunately, he had no idea what it was that Qiu Ling expected and it didn''t seem like the dragon king wanted to mention it on his own. It seemed he''d slowly have to figure it out.


    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat. "Do you want some fatherly advice?"


    Qiu Ling''s lips twitched. "Even if I wanted some, I''d go and ask the old geezer instead. You always sucked at giving advice." He didn''t look apologetic at all when he said so. It seemed his relationship with his father really hadn''t been the best.


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his eyes. He still felt dead tired but if he missed this opportunity, he might never get a chance to talk things through with Qiu Ling. He couldn''t risk that so even though it was hard, he had to stay awake for a while longer. If this could help Qiu Ling overcome his issues and maybe make up for some regret from his past life, it was worth it.


    "Your relationship with Jinde ¡­"


    "Oh, it''s very bad."


    Leng Jin Yu squinted at the dragon king, trying to figure out if he was saying the truth or just purposefully making trouble. After all, he always ran to Jinde when there was a problem and he had even said himself that he''d rather ask Jinde for fatherly advice just now. So what was his actual stance on the matter?


    Qiu Ling smiled in response. "What? You don''t believe me? Naturally, it''s very bad. I despise him. He was the one who ruined our happy little family of three, after all."


    This time Leng Jin Yu was sure that the dragon king was just making trouble. "You don''t really believe that, do you?"


    Qiu Ling''s lips curved up further. "You mean that we were a happy little family of three?" He shook his head. "No, I don''t believe that. And if anyone destroyed what we could have had, then that would have been you."

 Chapter 678 - What Was Your Opinion?

    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but feel uncomfortable at hearing that. He might not be Chun Yin but Qiu Ling obviously regarded them as the same person. So this accusation was indeed directed at him. He cleared his throat and tried to push his own feelings back. This wasn''t about him, it was about Qiu Ling. Feeling hurt by his words would make things just more difficult. "How so?"


    Qiu Ling''s eyes narrowed in response. "How so?" Where should he even begin with this? "Well, maybe it''s because of how you were taken in by her, by a demon of all people. And as if getting married to her and having a child with her wasn''t enough, you even stayed with her and abandoned the old geezer."


    "I thought your relationship with Jinde was bad? Why would you care if I left him?"


    Qiu Ling sighed. "Yes, why would I?"


    Leng Jin Yu waited but Qiu Ling didn''t speak up again. It was as if he had suddenly lost interest in the conversation. Leng Jin Yu glanced up at the sky. This was probably the moment where he could close his eyes and finally drift off into sleep. Unfortunately, that would mean he''d have lost what might be his only chance to ever talk things through with Qiu Ling.


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his forehead. He wasn''t doing a good job here. This wasn''t the first time the dragon king had suddenly changed the direction of the conversation or stopped talking altogether. He probably wasn''t satisfied with how things were going. But why? Just what did he want to hear from him? Did he want him to say that he was sorry? Was he supposed to apologize? But he wasn''t even the one who had done all that, whatever that was.


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brow. Maybe he should start with that. As long as he didn''t know what exactly had happened, he couldn''t talk about it with him. And the things that Jinde had been able to tell him might not necessarily be the things the dragon king deemed important. "So ¡­ What actually happened? I only know what Jinde told me about the situation back then. That your father was drunk when he married her and that he wanted to separate but then stayed with her when he found out that she was pregnant. He also mentioned that the relationship between your father and him soured over time until your father left the capital with you and your mother. Other than that, he said almost nothing about her or how life was for you after leaving the capital."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "I thought as much. The old geezer ¡­ He didn''t try to contact my father again. I think ¡­ There was only one time when somebody from the capital came looking for us. My father didn''t listen to him though. That guy didn''t even get to say what he wanted before he was driven out."


    "And you ¡­ How did you feel about that?"


    Qiu Ling glanced at him, his expression curious. "He never asked me that. In all those years, he never asked me how I felt."


    Leng Jin Yu examined his expression. If there was any emotion, then it was only confusion. He wasn''t used to anyone caring about his opinion it seemed. "Then if he had asked you, what would you have said?"


    Qiu Ling didn''t answer but this time it was obvious that he was at least thinking about the question. That should count as progress, shouldn''t it?


    A few minutes went by with neither of them saying a word. There was only the breeze rustling in the treetops and the movements of some small animals in the underbrush. Leng Jin Yu didn''t dare to listen too closely for fear of being lulled to sleep by the gentle noises.


    Finally, Qiu Ling spoke up again. "If he had asked my opinion ¡­ It''s not that easy to say. A lot changed with the years. I don''t know in how much detail the old geezer told you about that time but we stayed in the capital for many years.


    "At first, I was very happy there. I couldn''t even have imagined to leave. But with the years, things got more and more unbearable and finally, I couldn''t imagine to leave nor could I imagine to stay. It was the place where I had grown up, the place where I had my friends. That wasn''t something you just gave up. Unfortunately, it was also the place that made my mother miserable. And even though we didn''t have a close relationship, she was still my mother in the end. I loved her. Which child doesn''t love its mother?"


    "So you accepted that you had to leave the capital because of her."


    Qiu Ling nodded even though Leng Jin Yu hadn''t made it sound like a question. "Precisely. And I thought that it was Jinde''s fault. Or at the very least, that was what I convinced myself to believe."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. This didn''t sound like the bad relationship he would have imagined after what Qiu Ling said before. No, it sounded more like what he had observed between them: A good relationship that was even better than what a lot of blood-related relatives had.


    He really wanted to ask about it but wouldn''t he just be reaffirming what Qiu Ling already thought? That he only cared about Jinde? He didn''t want to give him that impression right when he opened up a bit.


    Qiu Ling looked back at him and smiled. "You want to ask about the old geezer, don''t you?"


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t know how to react. He wanted to deny it but in the end, he could only sigh. "You said your relationship was bad but now you''re saying that you had to convince yourself. It just ¡­ doesn''t fit together well for me."


    Qiu Ling continued to smile. "It''s because it was good at first. In fact, I liked him more than my own mother."

 Chapter 679 - The One to Take His Side

    Qiu Ling''s expression softened when he thought back to that time. Yes, at first, he had really liked Jinde. While his mother ¡­ He sighed. "My mother always cared most about my father''s opinion. I guess it''s no wonder. After all, it was her mission to seduce him away from the old geezer. Naturally, she would pay most attention to him. Why would she disagree with him just for the sake of a child and risk offending him, maybe even failing her mission because of that?


    "Jinde was different. He cared about my old man ¡ª even more than she did ¡ª but he wouldn''t blindly echo him. When he didn''t like what he saw he would always speak out about it. And I think he did have a soft spot for me.


    "I remember one time ¡­ I had beat up the son of one of his advisers. Nobody had bothered him with it but that guy''s father had run to complain to my old man. Naturally, my father was furious. He chased me through the palace and threatened that he would teach me a lesson that I wouldn''t forget this time."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. "This time?" So that hadn''t been the only one. Well, it figured. This trouble-making personality of his probably wasn''t anything new. He should have been the same when he was a child. Maybe it had just gotten worse with time.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "That''s about the same as what he said when the old geezer stopped him." Qiu Ling sighed. "Whenever my old man was trying to get me for something I had done, I ran away and hid somewhere in the palace. I don''t know if you remember that place but it''s huge. And there are so many spots where a child can hide that my old man always had trouble finding me. Then again he didn''t have that much else to do so he had the patience to search for several hours while I didn''t necessarily have the patience to hide for that long.


    "That day I ventured out of my hiding place after five hours. I was sure that he would have given up by then. After all, it wasn''t like I had seriously injured that boy. He had just taken a little beating and maybe his ego was slightly bruised after being beaten up by someone who was younger than him. But I mean, he could still walk and his magic also worked, so it wasn''t really like I deserved to be scolded that much, was it?" He blinked at Leng Jin Yu as if he wanted to hear his opinion on the matter.


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. What was he supposed to say now? It wasn''t as if he really knew the situation from back then. But if Qiu Ling was saying the truth and the other child hadn''t been hurt too much, then maybe it really hadn''t been that serious? "Well, I guess your father overreacted a bit."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. Was the reincarnation of his father really this easy-going? It was hard to believe! He shook his head and didn''t dwell on the issue any longer. This wasn''t important at all! The important thing was that his father hadn''t been like that. "Anyway, that bastard was laying in wait for me. He actually caught me just a few minutes after I crawled out of my hiding place. Naturally, I wouldn''t let things go just like that. I very seriously informed him that I was not alright with this kind of treatment. He didn''t want to listen but thankfully, our voices had already managed to draw the old geezer over."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. What were the chances that this ''very seriously discussing'' had been them yelling at each other? It certainly sounded that way if Jinde had appeared even though the palace was big.


    Qiu Ling didn''t notice Leng Jin Yu''s queer expression and just continued with his story. "He managed to save me from my old man''s clutches and scolded him severely. Naturally, there was nothing my father could do against him. He had always been powerless against him. He could only stand there and try to argue." Qiu Ling couldn''t help but grin at the thought. His father had always been bad at arguing. Especially so if the person he had to argue with was the old geezer. "He told him how the child''s father had come to complain at his door and that I deserved to be taught a lesson. But Jinde only glared at him.


    "My father was anxious. Even though he had married my mother and pretended not to care about Jinde''s opinion on it, that still wasn''t the truth. Nothing was more important to him. Seeing Jinde not agree with him and even fiercely protect me in his arms, he couldn''t help but grow flustered. He begged him to see his side, that he couldn''t always be lenient ¡­ Jinde didn''t buy it though. He only hugged me tighter and scolded my father for trusting an outsider more than his own child.


    "I have to say he knew him really well. My father had never even asked me what had happened. He just accepted what the other side said and accepted that it was my fault. Being faced with Jinde''s accusations, my father had nothing to say in his defense. In the end, he even had to apologize to me before Jinde was willing to hand me back over." Qiu Ling sighed. That hadn''t been the only time the old geezer stood up for him. No, more often than not, it had been him who helped him out, while his parents didn''t seem to care or were just of another opinion. Naturally, he had taken a liking to Jinde this way. When he found out that Jinde had almost been his father''s partner, he hadn''t been able to suppress the faint feeling of excitement. Unfortunately, that woman had still been his biological mother. If not for that ¡­ Things might have turned out differently.

 Chapter 680 - Two of Him at the Same Time

    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but smile. It seemed Jinde had a knack for taking care of children. Even though both the demon and the dragon king had turned out slightly strange, they both seemed to have liked him very much when they were young.


    Qiu Ling looked at him and smirked. "I know what you''re thinking. You''re praising the old geezer in your head." He shook his head and turned back to the front. "I guess you can. He did a good job. Much better than my old man, at the very least.


    "You know I never would have guessed there was something between them. Sure, there was the special way my father used to look at him but I didn''t think it was strange. Jinde was our king, after all. My father made sure I knew so I just figured he had a special type of respect for him that nobody else deserved. And to be honest, I always thought Jinde was nice to my father because of me." He grinned. Thinking about it now, he naturally understood how ridiculous that thought was. Sure, Jinde had always loved children and tended to treat every child he saw in a special way. But he himself had clearly profited from who his father was.


    Jinde might have never said it out loud but he could imagine. Disregarding who his mother was, there was still Chun Yin''s blood flowing through his veins. Naturally, Jinde couldn''t help but feel a special affection for him too. That was the nature of being a dragon. Once you fell in love, you couldn''t escape those feelings anymore and even if you hated the fact that your loved one had a child with somebody else while you thought about it calmly, your heart still couldn''t help but melt when the one sharing your beloved''s blood stood in front of you.


    Ah, just imagining if this was his Jing He ¡­ He would also have been devastated if he had had a child with somebody before him. But he only would have gone to kill the guy who dared to make that child with him. How could he bear to kill Jing He''s flesh and blood?!


    Qiu Ling''s expression changed several times in a short amount of time, making Leng Jin Yu''s brows raise. He wanted to ask just what was going through his head but he wasn''t sure if he really wanted to hear the answer. In the end, he merely waited for Qiu Ling to gather his thoughts again.


    Unfortunately, the dragon king wasn''t very good at this. His expression grew wistful and he sighed. Ah, his Jing He! His immortal body was in the Nine Heavens, waiting to be woken up again, while his mortal body had been taken to the High Heavens so as to nurture his immortal soul. What a difficult situation! If only the gods didn''t need to do those trials ¡­


    Qiu Ling blinked and scuttled back to Leng Jin Yu''s side, sitting down next to him like a well-behaved child. "Old ¡ª" He coughed. "Father, say, what do you think I should do about the matter with Jing He?"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. "Which matter are we talking about?"


    "His soul! His return!"


    "Return?" Leng Jin Yu rubbed his forehead. He wasn''t sure if it was because the dragon king sucked at communication or because he was tired but he had no idea what they were talking about.


    Qiu Ling tsked. Was his old man listening at all? "If Jing Yi ascends, Jing He won''t wake up. What should I do about that? I can''t kill Jing Yi and I can''t watch him be killed by somebody else either. I thought ¡­ I should maybe just wait and see how things go but ¡­ Don''t you have a better idea? Is there nothing I can do?"


    "Ah." Leng Jin Yu lowered his hand and nodded. "So that was what you were talking about."


    "Yes. So what can I do?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "I''m not too knowledgeable about this but I doubt there is anything you can do. There can only be one of them so for the original to wake up, the reincarnation needs to disappear. That is only natural. Or would you like to have both of them at your side?"


    Qiu Ling froze. Uh? Both? That ¡­ He blinked. Was something like this really possible? Then ¡­ What should he do then? He would need to split his attention between them! But his beloved deserved to have his whole attention ¡­ No, wait, his beloved would have his whole attention. After all, both of them were his beloved ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu smiled when he saw the dragon king like this. It seemed this situation was really giving him trouble. "Longjun."


    "Mn?" Qiu Ling looked up and furrowed his brows. "Why are you still calling me that? I''ve never liked that title."


    "Oh?"


    "It''s the old geezer''s." Qiu Ling didn''t bother to explain further and continued to ponder his problem. He could take one of their hands each ¡­ But listening to both of them speak would get difficult. Looking at both of them at the same time could work if they stood next to each other though.


    "Qiu Ling." Leng Jin Yu only hesitated a moment before he tried to call him by his name. Never mind that he didn''t regard himself as Qiu Ling''s father, he was still Jinde''s husband and Jinde''s relationship with Qiu Ling was close. On account of that ¡­ he should be able to use that name, shouldn''t he?


    "What?"


    "Weren''t you talking about your family just now? You said you liked Jinde and that your relationship with your mother wasn''t too good. Did that stay the same when you left the capital?"


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Who cares about her?! What about my beloved? How am I going to deal with it if there are two of him at the same time?!"

 Chapter 681 - It’ll Have Consequences

    Leng Jin Yu sighed. Alright, he shouldn''t have said something like that. It was his own fault. "Qiu Ling. It''s absolutely impossible to have both the crown prince and his mortal reincarnation with you. I merely asked because ¡­" He shook his head. "You''ll have to decide."


    "Then why did you mention having both of them?"


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t take his grumpy tone personally. This was obviously not a simple question to answer. If somebody asked Jinde whether he''d like to be with the original Chun Yin more or with him who was also his mortal reincarnation ¡­ Even though they were happy, he was sure that Jinde would have trouble to choose. After all, he shared years of memories with Chun Yin. That was the person he had originally fallen in love with. It was also somebody who understood him much better just based on the fact that they were of the same race, of the same time. How could he as a human that was born several hundreds of thousands of years later compare? He only had the luck that he carried Chun Yin''s soul and that the original wasn''t there anymore. If that was different, then he would lose.


    Qiu Ling was in a similarly difficult situation now just that in his case, both people were still there. He could decide actively. He had to. And exactly that made it so troublesome for him. After all, he had to condemn one and lift the other above him. That couldn''t be easy.


    Leng Jin Yu leaned back against the tree trunk and sighed. "When you thought that both of them might be at your side, what went through your head?"


    "That it''s great that I have two hands but that it''d be difficult to talk to both of them at the same time."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. Alright, maybe he had been thinking too much. He still felt that this thought was worth following. "Then how do you think their reaction would be?"


    "Huh?" Qiu Ling blinked at him. What did he mean with that?


    "Your beloved. Both of them. If they could truly exist together and you would have to split your attention and ¡­ more importantly, your affection between them. What would they think? How would they react?"


    "Split my ¡­ affection?" Qiu Ling stared ahead in a daze. He hadn''t thought about this before but now that he did, he couldn''t help but be anxious.


    Back when he had just convinced Jing Yi to be with him in the mortal world, he had gotten trapped in his inner self. Jing Yi had followed him to save him and on that occasion, he had seen Jing He. Back then ¡­ he had cried.


    Qiu Ling''s face twitched when he thought back. He had thought his heart would be torn apart when he saw Jing Yi like this. He had never wanted him to be like this again. If he had to share him with Jing He, with the person who had first managed to win his heart ¡­ wouldn''t he be just as sad again?


    On the other hand ¡­ Qiu Ling thought back to the ten years of wooing Jing He. His beloved had been reserved in the beginning and only slowly opened up to him. He hadn''t dared to get too close for fear of what might happen but in the end, he had still given in. Jing He trusted him and he obviously loved him more than anything else in his life. Otherwise, he never would have picked up the soul-engraving dagger and hurt himself like that.


    Now, if Jing He had to share him ¡­ would he be able to take it? He was so serious, he might misunderstand. He might feel that his love for him had diminished, that his feelings weren''t reciprocated anymore. It was entirely possible.


    Qiu Ling took a shaky breath and turned back to Leng Jin Yu. "Neither of them would be able to take it."


    "Then don''t you have your answer?"


    Qiu Ling frowned. "Why? You said ¡­ they can''t be there at the same time."


    "No. But they''ll think about it. If you choose Jing He, then Jing Yi will have to die but before that, you''ll have to deal with him feeling betrayed. If you don''t and instead decide on Jing Yi, then should he die someday and the Son of Heaven wakes up again, then he will wonder why you didn''t want him to return. It will be the same as if you had both of them live side by side. It''s something that isn''t easy to decide and it''ll have consequences. You have to keep that in mind."


    "I see." Qiu Ling nodded and turned away again. He had feared as much. This issue ¡­ as much as he wanted to, he couldn''t just ignore it. He would have to think about it.


    Qiu Ling took another deep breath and reached over, patting Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder. "Didn''t you want to sleep, old man? Why don''t you do so now? I ¡­ I''ll wait here and ¡­ pay attention that nothing happens."


    "Ah. That''s ¡­ reassuring." Leng Jin Yu smiled and shook his head. Honestly, if he was worried about that, he definitely wouldn''t trust Qiu Ling while he was in the state of mind he was now. Well, that was his own fault. Maybe he shouldn''t have said things this clearly. Then again ¡­ this was what he thought and it was something Qiu Ling should probably think through too. It was just a pity that it meant they hadn''t been able to finish everything else.


    Leng Jin Yu glanced at Qiu Ling again. "Qiu Ling?"


    "Mn?"


    "When you''ve thought things through ¡­ let''s talk about your family another time. There are ¡­ still a lot of things I''d like to know."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling nodded but it wasn''t sure if he had really listened or not.


    Well, maybe the next time, he would be the one to bring the subject up.

 Chapter 682 - Their Child Would Be the Same

    Leng Jin Yu''s breath soon evened out while Qiu Ling still sat next to him, unmoving. His thoughts couldn''t keep to one place though. His beloved, his childhood, the future, the fights between his mother and Jinde ¡­ All of that flashes before his eyes, making his head hurt.


    He had thought ¡­ he had already forgotten. Honestly, how old was he now? A hundred thousand years? Older than that? He didn''t even know anymore and it didn''t play much of a role either. Anyway, he was much too old to still be hung up over the things that had happened while he was a child. He was in the age when he should finally get married and have children of his own, when he should prove that he could do a better job than his parents.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes, holding back a sigh so as to not wake Leng Jin Yu up. Everything could have been so perfect. Jing He and he could have been married already. Not much time would have passed in the immortal realms since then so they probably have been exploring the dragon realm together right now. He would have shown him his favorite places in the palace, in the city, maybe even outside.


    Maybe ¡­ maybe he would have shared some stories from his life. How he had lived in the capital, how he had had to leave ¡­ Maybe they would have made plans then.


    ''Look at this, my love, it''s a place where I liked to play when I was young,'' was what he''d say.


    And then Jing He would glance at him with a warm smile on his lips and a gentle expression in his eyes and take his hand. ''Then we should come here often in the future so our child can play here.''


    Qiu Ling really wanted to smile happily at that thought but he couldn''t bring himself to raise the corners of his mouth. Their child ¡­ His child ¡­ Just like his, part of its blood would be demonic. It would be less and with part of its blood coming from the god race it would probably be even less conspicuous but it would be there. The blood, the chance to turn out like them ¡­


    Thinking of it like this, he didn''t even know whether he wanted a child or not. Then again ¡­ why shouldn''t he? He hadn''t been allowed to have a normal family while he grew up. Shouldn''t he at least be allowed to start a family now that he was old enough and had fallen in love? Where was justice if he still couldn''t have a family because of the mistakes that were made in the previous generation? It wasn''t him. He wasn''t the one who had gotten drunk and knocked up the wrong person. No, he ¡­ he had always stayed true to Jing He. Wasn''t that enough?


    Qiu Ling shook his head and got up, quietly pacing up and down. Staying true to Jing He ¡­ It meant he had to forsake Jing Yi, didn''t it? But just the thought of it ¡­ hurt so terribly.


    He reached up and touched his chest. Jing Yi carried Jing He''s soul. Seeing him die ¡­ To him or maybe to any dragon, it would feel like losing his beloved even though he would come back. Don''t tell him anyone actually expected him to be able to decide for that? Maybe even ¡­ get himself to kill Jing Yi himself?


    Qiu Ling fell back down to the ground and covered his face with his hands. "Jing Yi ¡­" How was he supposed to give up on him after ten years yet again? And he felt even closer to Jing Yi than he felt to Jing He because he had seen him grow up in that time. He knew where all those fears came from but he had also seen where all that happiness had originated. It was a pity that he had missed a few years in between.


    With Jing He ¡­ those two thousand years when Jing He had grown up were completely lost on him. He hadn''t been with him yet and Jing He had almost never talked about it. He had merely been able to glimpse a few things from how Jing He behaved and the instances when he unwittingly let something slip. That was how he knew that Jing He had always loved the story about Xing and Tian, how he knew that Jing He''s love for plants came from his mother, how he disliked crowds because he had gotten lost once as a child.


    Ten years for just this bit. But he treasured each of these bits of knowledge like his most important treasures. Losing Jing He ¡­ never seeing him wake up again ¡­


    Before Qiu Ling could find words to describe his feelings, tears were already streaming down his face. No. It couldn''t happen. Jing He had to open his eyes again. He still wanted to see him smile, still wanted to see him laugh, still wanted him to share his secrets and share his own secrets with him in return. That was how their life was supposed to be.


    But then ¡­ He lowered his hands with a sigh. He had reached an impasse. He couldn''t have both so he had to decide. But neither choice was one he wanted to make. So what should he do? Just what?


    Qiu Ling turned to look at Leng Jin Yu and smiled wryly. "Old man, you sure are troublesome. Back then you never would have given me advice. Didn''t you secretly resent me because I was the reason you finally had to give up on the old geezer? Is this your revenge now? Finally giving me advice when I need it and then ¡­ letting me face such a huge decision alone again?"


    Leng Jin Yu was already deeply asleep and didn''t hear a word. Qiu Ling could only sigh and turn back to the front, wiping the tears from his cheeks. Ah, how pathetic. He should probably be happy that his beloved wasn''t here to see him like this.

 Chapter 683 - He Had Failed as a Father

    While Qiu Ling could do nothing more than to be depressed about the regrets of his past and the trouble they might bring for the future, another person was well on his way to finally get to the bottom of one of the things from his past that still haunted him.


    Qiang Yan had rushed to the dragon realm and into its capital without stopping for anyone. By now, he had reached the gates of the palace and finally needed to slow down. He nodded at the guards, inwardly resenting the fact that he couldn''t just magically sense where his son was so that he could hurry over immediately. "I''d like to meet with the dragon realm''s Xiang Yong." He didn''t wait for the guards to greet him nor did he bother letting them answer. He just waved at them, indicating that he was in a rush and needed to meet Xiang Yong as soon as possible.


    Being faced with such a God of War the guards didn''t dare to dawdle. One of them nodded and rushed inside, Qiang Yan directly following behind. They reached Xiang Yong''s study in a matter of mere minutes and the guard pounded on the door as if life depended on it. In his eyes, maybe it did. Who knew if the God of War had come to announce that the demons were attacking?


    Inside the study, Xiang Yong tensed. How come somebody was knocking at his door this urgently almost right after he returned from the human realm and settled His Majesty''s cousin-in-law and his wife? Please, don''t let this be something major! "Yes?"


    The guard opened the door in a rush, almost stumbling over his feet when he stepped in, his face pale.


    Xiang Yong took a deep breath. Oh no. What had happened now?


    "The God of War came!"


    "The ¡­" Xiang Yong raised his brows and glanced at the doorway where Qiang Yan stood with an impatient expression. "I see. You may go now."


    The guard nodded and rushed back out so as to not disturb these two great personages. He didn''t want to be the one who was responsible if they reacted a second too late to whatever the demons had done!


    Inside the study, Xiang Yong got to his feet. "I gather the God of War has come to see His Majesty''s cousin-in-law?" He walked over to the door without waiting for him to confirm. He didn''t know the inside story of this matter but His Majesty''s cousin-in-law had said that the God of War was supposed to contact him. Now, it seemed that this contact wouldn''t only be established through the transmission stone. It might be unexpected but not overly so.


    Qiang Yan nodded but didn''t say anything. To be honest, he didn''t trust his voice too much right now. His heart was beating madly and his throat had constricted with fear. Bai Mu had sounded normal when they used the transmission stone but who knew if that would still be the case when they stood in front of each other? He might just have held back or ¡­ maybe it was just because he hadn''t known what to say. Much like himself.


    Qiang Yan silently followed behind Xiang Yong until they arrived in front of a door. His heart beat even faster and cold sweat coated his back. He clenched his hands into fists, his nails digging into his skin. The slight pain made his head feel clearer but he still couldn''t shake this fear completely. This person was his son. He had missed out on so much time, he didn''t know how to face him. He wanted to leave a good first impression but ¡­ maybe it was too late for that.


    Xiang Yong raised his brows at Qiang Yan''s expression but refrained from commenting. "It''s here. I''ll leave you alone then." He turned to go but Qiang Yan called him back.


    "Wait!" He grimaced. He had only called out on reflex because he felt that he wasn''t ready to face Bai Mu yet but ¡­ what was he supposed to say? Even if he had something to say, he couldn''t push meeting his son back forever. Actually, hadn''t he rushed over here because he wanted to see him soon?


    Qiang Yan took a deep breath and motioned at the door. "How did you look when you saw him? Was he ¡­ calm?"


    Xiang Yong gave a curt nod. "Yes. Very much so."


    "Mn. I see. Thank you."


    Xiang Yong nodded again and turned away again, leaving Qiang Yan alone. Now, there was no reason not to knock anymore. He ¡­ He should just do so.


    Qiang Yan raised his hand but couldn''t bring himself to take the last step. What if his son hated him? After all, he had never come to look for him and his mother. He had left them alone. All these years, they had had to fend for themselves. If his son was even remotely similar to his own mortal self from back then, then he would look down on him with contempt and feel that he didn''t need such a person in his life. So maybe ¡­ he had already failed as a father in his son''s eyes.


    No, actually, not only in his son''s eyes. Even in his own eyes, he had failed. Missing every single day of his child''s life, only finding out that it existed when it had long gone through any tribulations in the mortal world, through all kinds of pain and pleasure that life had in store for him ¡­ Did he really have the right to call himself this child''s father?


    The door opened from the inside and revealed the slender figure of a man. His face was partly shrouded in the shadows but Qiang Yan didn''t need to see him. This was Bai Mu, this was the son he had failed so spectacularly.


    "I''m sorry." He didn''t know what else to say at this moment. He already knew, he had already accepted that he was a failure as a parent. What else was there to say?


    His gaze roamed over Bai Mu''s figure and finally, he pulled him into his arms. Forgive him for being selfish but at least once, he wanted to hold this person close to him. Even if Bai Mu pushed him away afterward and told him that he never wanted to see him again, he would at least have this short moment he could remember forever. More than that ¡­ would be shameless to demand.

 Chapter 684 - A Good Wife

    Bai Mu froze. He had thought up many ways how his first real meeting with his father might pass off. He had thought that maybe he would blame him or maybe his father would immediately explain why he had never come to look for them so that he didn''t even have the chance to blame him before he had to reluctantly forgive him.


    This ¡­ had never been part of what he imagined.


    From what his mother had told him about his father, he was a strong man that wasn''t prone to feelings. It had taken time until they fell in love but then, he had been very affectionate. So even though he was his son, Bai Mu had always expected that his father would need some time to warm up to him. So how come he was suddenly hugging him like this, his body even trembling slightly as if this was almost too much for him to take? He really couldn''t align the image he had had of his father and the man in front of him.


    Bai Mu didn''t know what to think. He didn''t know what to do either. Push this person away? But that was his father! Did he deserve to be treated like that? He didn''t know. He didn''t know enough by far to judge this matter. The same went for the other direction though. He couldn''t just hug him back. Who knew what had transpired back then? Who knew why this man had never come to look for him or his mother? Without answers to these questions, how could he pretend that everything was well between them and hug him back?


    In the end, Bai Mu just stiffly remained in that embrace. The moments went by and he couldn''t help but notice the warmth emanating from that man''s body, the strength in those arms, and the gentleness in the hand that held onto his neck. Was this what it felt like to have a father?


    Bai Mu slowly closed his eyes. His body unwittingly relaxed and his hands raised as if on their own. He held back in the last moment though, clenching them into fists and finally stepping out of that embrace. His eyes flew open and he looked at the man in front of him.


    He had ¡­ no similarity in appearance either. His face was different, even his physique wasn''t the same. This man in front of him seemed much more elegant than his father who had the reputation of his only plan ever being to brute-force his way in regardless of circumstances or consequences. This man ¡­ He gave him the feeling that one could sit down and talk everything through with him. Was this really his father? He couldn''t help but feel a sense of alienation.


    Bai Mu stared at Qiang Yan, making the God of War that had just calmed down nervous again. Just like before when they had seen each other for the first time through the transmission stone, the two of them looked at each other and kept quiet.


    Behind them, Nie Huang sighed. She might not have seen Bai Mu in a long time but she knew him well enough to be able to see that he didn''t know how to treat his father. Unfortunately, with this kind of behavior, it wouldn''t get easier to interact with him. After all, his father also hadn''t seen him all these years. He probably didn''t know how to treat him either.


    In that case, wouldn''t he feel that Bai Mu didn''t have a good impression of him and maybe didn''t even want to see him if he kept quiet like this and pushed him away? She definitely couldn''t let that happen! Even though Bai Mu might not be able to show it, she knew that he had always longed to see his father. If this aspiration couldn''t be fulfilled just because of some misunderstanding, it would be too sad. It would certainly turn into an endless regret.


    She hurried toward the two of them and hugged Bai Mu''s arm, giving Qiang Yan a warm smile. "We already saw each other before in that ¡­" She fell silent when she didn''t know how to call the apparition shown by the transmission stone.


    Qiang Yan understood what she was talking about though. "The transmission stone, yes." He nodded gratefully and took a closer look at her. The girl before him was pretty, even though she couldn''t be called gorgeous. She had a nice smile and clear eyes. With that heart-shaped face, it was hard not to have good feelings for her when one saw her.


    And not even considering her appearance, just based on the fact that she had intervened twice when things got awkward between Bai Mu and him, he felt that she was a good woman. His son could count himself lucky that he had found somebody like her.


    To be honest, she did remind him of Huan Yin a little. They had nothing in common appearance-wise and Huan Yin had been much more forceful in her behavior too but the way she cared for the person at her side and how she was able to see with just one glance what was going through his mind was the same. It was the kind of trust that was hard to find in another person but too precious to ever give up again.


    He really ¡­ was happy for Bai Mu to have found somebody like this. It seemed that he had been able to achieve what they hadn''t. It couldn''t change the fact that he and Huan Yin hadn''t been able to make matters work out but at the very least, the problems had come to an end with the next generation. His son had found a good wife and they had settled down together. There wasn''t a need to ascend either. Now, everyone should be able to live happily, right?

 Chapter 685 - The Question He Had Wanted to Ask

    Seeing Nie Huang step in, Bai Mu also calmed down. Right, he shouldn''t think about unnecessary things now. At the moment, this person was still a stranger but it didn''t need to stay this way forever. He just had to take some time and get to know him. He could find out what had happened back then and when he had, there would still be time to judge how he felt about this.


    With that thought, Bai Mu motioned into the room. "Why ¡­ don''t you have seat?"


    Qiang Yan looked at him. His son''s voice still sounded stiff but just the fact that he had invited him to sit down and thus wanted him to stay made him happy. He nodded with a smile and went inside, glancing around the room.


    Even though the dragons had been the gods'' allies for a long time already, he had seldom been in the dragon realm. And the few times that he had been there had always been on official business, hardly giving him the time to look around. This room ¡­ He didn''t know if it was of a good standard in the dragon realm but it didn''t look bad and knowing the dragon king, he wouldn''t treat anyway that was even remotely connected to Jing He badly.


    It was a pity though that the room had nothing personal in it. He really would have liked to see how his son preferred to live. Well, there was nothing he could do about that. Maybe things would be different in the future. This room might become his son''s real home and maybe by then, their relationship would be good enough to visit him every now and then. At the very least, that was what he hoped for.


    Qiang Yan cleared his throat, searching for something he could say. Praising how Bai Mu and his wife lived didn''t seem right considering that this wasn''t their real home. Unfortunately, there was nothing else he knew about them. So what was he supposed to say?


    In the end, he turned to look at Nie Huang. Talking to her seemed easier since they weren''t related, after all, and she made a very approachable impression. He gave her a smile and awkwardly cleared his throat again. "Uh ¡­ You''re ¡­ cultivating?"


    Nie Huang couldn''t help but smile back at him when she heard is awkwardness. Obviously, he didn''t know how to behave but he still tried and that was much more than Bai Mu had hoped for. Seeing that his father had turned out to be such a person really made her happy. She gently shook her head. "No, I would''ve liked to but ¡­ When Bai Mu test me back then, it turned out I didn''t have spirit veins. So there''s no way I could cultivate."


    Qiang Yan''s expression changed. She couldn''t cultivate? But then ¡­ He glanced at his son and noticed that his expression had also darkened. It seemed he knew. If she couldn''t cultivate, even if they stayed in the dragon realm, she would age and someday, he would be left alone. Qiang Yan furrowed his brows. "There are ¡­ I know I shouldn''t butt in. We don''t really know each other and you probably don''t have a reason to trust me. But there are some ways to enable her to cultivate. Maybe ¡­"


    Bai Mu''s expression smoothed out when Qiang Yan started with that suggestion. It seemed this father of his wasn''t against him being with a mortal woman. Well, that was at least something. He wouldn''t oppose them just based on something like Nie Huang''s origin. "You don''t need to worry about that. We''re already working on it."


    "Ah." Qiang Yan nodded and the three of them fell silent again, the atmosphere turning awkward once more. Qiang Yan couldn''t help but wonder if his son really had an idea how to go about this or if he just didn''t want his help in particular. If it was the latter ¡­ he couldn''t really fault him either. After all, what he had said was true: They barely knew each other. Other than the blood ties from his trial, they had no relation with each other.


    Nie Huang looked from one man to the other and got up. "I guess I''ll have a look around to see if there''s any tea."


    Bai Mu nodded with a smile. Nie Huang had always loved tea. When he came back from his imprisonment in the Chun Feng Sect, he hadn''t been surprised to see that she was working as a tea master in a teahouse. Actually, if he had known that she had been able to start this occupation, he might not have been as worried while he was in the dungeon. At the very least, she would''ve been able to lead a good life, doing something she loved every day. That was already something, wasn''t it?


    Nie Huang went to look through the room, leaving the two men to themselves. Thanks to her injection, the awkwardness had reduced slightly. And now, without somebody else around, the two of them both felt that this would be the right moment to talk about the one thing they really needed to clean up.


    Bai Mu licked his lips and clenched his hands before he looked up at Qiang Yan. "Why did you never come and look for us?"


    This was the question he had always asked himself. Why? Just why had this man never returned? If he had ascended, then couldn''t he come down at least for a visit? Had he really had the heart to leave his mother and him alone for all these years?


    Qiang Yan''s expression shifted slightly. There was some guilt but even more so there was pain. It made Bai Mu wonder just what had happened to his father in all these years. Could it be ¡­ He had wanted to see them? But something had held him back? He really hoped that this would be the case but he didn''t dare to presume. This hope, even though he wanted to hold onto it, he didn''t have any reason to do so. After all, there hadn''t even been a sign of life from his father and millennia had gone by since he ascended. Could there really be a simple explanation?


    Qiang Yan took a deep breath. "To be honest, I don''t know where I should begin talking about this." He brushed his hair back and closed his eyes, taking yet another deep breath before he looked at Bai Mu again. "Qiu Ling ¡­ Did he tell you who I am?"


    Bai Mu nodded. "The God of War, Qiang Yan." He didn''t understand what this had to do with him and his mother though.

 Chapter 686 - All These Years

    Qiang Yan nodded when Bai Mu answered his question without hesitation. It seemed his son knew who he was. Well, considering that he himself hadn''t known back when he did his trial, there was no way that Huan Yin could''ve told him. So it should be Qiu Ling who mentioned it. So this information should be something that Bai Mu had only acquired recently.


    Qiang Yan didn''t mind too much. He himself had only found out about this child not too long ago. He couldn''t expect that Bai Mu knew more about him than he knew about his son. But the fact that Bai Mu had any idea at all would already be helpful in explaining things. Qiang Yan took another deep breath. "Then what do you know about the trueborn gods?"


    Bai Mu furrowed his brows. "Trueborn gods?" He had heard of the gods but he hadn''t known that there was something called the trueborn gods. But ¡­ it should be the same, shouldn''t it? In that case ¡­ "My mother only told me that her mother was half-god and half-human and her father was a full-blooded demon. That is all I know."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Right. Even being half-god, half-human won''t be enough to ascend to the Nine Heavens just like that so she shouldn''t have known much about them." He looked down at his hands and his brows drew together. He had never thought much about the rules of the Nine Heavens. But right now, he couldn''t help but wonder if maybe they were unfair. "The Nine Heavens is a place where only the trueborn gods and those that have ascended live.


    "Even being the offspring of a trueborn god won''t allow anyone who isn''t a trueborn god themselves to live there. They can only live wherever their other parent comes from and then hope that they''ll someday be able to ascend. That was the reason your grandmother couldn''t live in the Nine Heavens and also the reason why your mother couldn''t follow me when I ascended."


    Bai Mu furrowed his brows in response. "My mother never wanted to ascend just because part of her blood was that of a god. She worked hard for her ascension."


    Qiang Yan nodded once again. "She did. I know that she did. When I met her, she had already cultivated for a long time. There is no way to deny that she was talented and hard-working. The problem is ¨C" He interrupted himself and looked at Bai Mu. He couldn''t really tell his son that he was the reason his mother hadn''t been able to ascend back then, could he?


    Bai Mu stared at his father, wondering just why he had stopped talking. Was it something he felt he couldn''t tell him?


    Qiang Yan sighed and leaned back. "What use is there in holding anything back now? I''m sorry for having to say this. The thing is ¡­ while your mother would have been able to ascend, there was still you."


    Bai Mu tilted his head to the side. Him? What did this have to do with him? Back then, he hadn''t even been born yet.


    Qiang Yan could imagine what went through Bai Mu''s head. He gave a wry smile before he explained what he himself had only found out when he heard about Bai Mu the first time. "I didn''t know either. Back then, Huan Yin was pregnant with you. And even though you hadn''t been born yet, you also counted as a person that would need to ascend to go to the Nine Heavens.


    "Back then ¡­ I don''t know if Huan Yin knew. Even if she knew that she was carrying a child, she certainly never would have expected that that would keep her from ascending. After all, we both knew almost nothing about the Nine Heavens. We only knew it was a place where we would go after the ascension. But other than that ¡­" He shook his head and sighed. "How should we have known?" He observed his son''s expression.


    Bai Mu took the information in stride. He didn''t seem to question it or seemed reluctant to accept it but he didn''t seem to really care either. Well, it was to be expected. His mother hadn''t ascended, that much he already knew. The question was rather why had his father who had accomplished his wish and gone to the Nine Heavens never come back to see them?


    "You must be wondering why I''m talking about this. The thing is ¡­ I didn''t know about this either. I always thought that Huan Yin hadn''t managed to ascend. I always thought that she had died trying. After all, I didn''t know that she was pregnant. I would never have guessed that. So I never even thought of going back and searching for. But I should have. I certainly should have then things wouldn''t have turned out this way." Qiang Yan sighed. Yes, he regretted it. He should have gone and taken a look. And be it only to see what had become of her mortal body. The woman he had once called his wife, how had he been able to ignore what had become of her? But unfortunately, things weren''t that easy. Not between the mortal world and the Nine Heavens.


    "I loved her. You don''t have to believe anything else but this. I really loved Huan Yin and if I had known, then I would have stayed with her. Unfortunately, I didn''t and by the time I found out, it had been too long already.


    "You know, about us having a child ¡­ I only heard about it recently. In fact, it was only this week." He gave a wry smile. "Maybe Qiu Ling told you but the person that got trapped in the dimension your mother and I created that was my nephew''s mortal reincarnation. Right now, he''s going through the same thing that I went back through back then. It''s a trial."


    Bai Mu''s gaze flickered. This week? His father had only found out about him this week? Well, he had never expected that his father knew about him, not when he really thought about it, at the very least. After all, he had never come to look for them. Who should have told him that he had a son when he didn''t go to see the mother?


    But still, it somehow hurt now that the person himself admitted that he had only heard about him this week. All these years that he had longed to see this person, all these years his father had spent without knowing that he even existed. It really was hard to bear.

 Chapter 687 - Dying with Regret

    Qiang Yan waited for a moment to give him some the time to digest this information. There was a lot Bai Mu would have to take in now. He couldn''t expect him to do all that at once. Still, he felt better now that he had told him that he hadn''t known. He didn''t want him to feel that his father hadn''t cared about him. He wanted him to know that he really hadn''t known. That he would have come to look for them if he knew that they were still there.


    Qiang Yan finally cleared his throat. "I guess you haven''t heard about the trials of the gods either. It''s hard to explain in short without going into too much detail but the gist of it is that a trueborn god will have to be reborn as a human at some time in his life. They are supposed to undergo some trials, learn things that they might not be able to do in the Nine Heavens, and after that, after they die in the mortal realm, their souls will find their way back to the Nine Heavens where they''ll awake as the person they were before."


    Bai Mu nodded. He really hadn''t heard of that and to be honest, it was hard to imagine. A life lived in another life? Just how what that was that supposed to work? Would it be ¡­ like a dream? A very long dream of many years that they just woke up from?


    Qiang Yan didn''t wait for him to ask. Even though he couldn''t go into detail, he felt that he should at least give him some more information. "The trials are important to us trueborn gods. If we don''t do them, we will die. There are some prerequisites tied to them like the time when we have to undertake them and the things we''ll have to do in these trials. For the most part, somebody will write down what we''re supposed to experience in these trials so we aren''t completely free either." He took a deep breath and his expression turned nostalgic. "Back then, I wasn''t a completely young god anymore. I had passed two of my trials and with a bit of luck, there was only a third one that I needed to accomplish. My fate wasn''t pre-written. I was allowed to go and explore on my own, experiencing whatever would happen to me. There was nothing anybody forced me to do.


    "I was reborn as Feng Jian Hao, your father. The life I chose ¡­ I guess I was giving the people in the Nine Heavens a headache. For the gods that reincarnate to pass their trials, there is one thing that they can''t do. And that is to cultivate. Because if they ascend, then they would turn into an ascended deity and that deity will live on instead of their real self, the trueborn god.


    "It''s ¡­ I guess you can''t say that the trueborn god dies but it is still more or less the same. As long as somebody lives in place of your original person, then that is almost just like dying, isn''t it?" He still smiled but this time, it was mostly sad. Maybe it was also mixed with regret.


    Bai Mu''s eyes narrowed. This at least explained why his father, who his mother had always believed to be only human, had turned out to be the God of War. Well, at least it explained the relationship between the two. It didn''t explain why the one in front of him was the God of War now. "If what you said is true, then what happened to my father? Why is the one here now ¡­?"


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Yes, I thought you''d like to ask that. Originally, I turned into an ascended deity. And yes, I would have lived on as that person. But there is another rule in the Nine Heavens. If a trueborn god reincarnates and then ascends, then the person they have turned into would be killed upon sight when they returned."


    Bai Mu furrowed his brows. "So they attacked you and killed you as soon as you ascended? Without you knowing what was going on? Did you know about these things when you entered the Nine Heavens?"


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "How could I have known? I was still just Feng Jian Hao. I didn''t have the memories of my previous life. Seeing that they were ruthlessly attacking me, obviously intent on killing me, I even thought for a moment that it was good that your mother wasn''t there yet.


    "I still had the slight hope that maybe I would be able to kill off as many of them as I could. So that when she came, she would be able to escape. Maybe he would even be able to escape together, however much injured I was. Hiding somewhere where nobody could find us, staying there until the danger was over ¡­ How often had he done that in the mortal realm? It had always worked out. So I thought ¡­ I thought it might work.


    "Who knew that she wouldn''t come? And that I would die in that place alone? Back then ¡­ In the last moment of that life, I felt unwilling. I didn''t want to die, I didn''t want to let them live and maybe endanger your mother''s life when her ascension was completed. I was even more unwilling to die without seeing her for one last time. But however much reluctance I felt, there was no way for me to hold on any longer. In the end, I was defeated like that and died with these regrets."

 Chapter 688 - If Only He Had Known

    Bai Mu stared at Qiang Yan, not knowing what to think or feel. Even though he had started out telling that story as if it wasn''t about him but about another person, his voice had trembled when he reached the end. Obviously, these memories were real. That regret and reluctance he had felt at the end of his life, there were too. He had missed his mother, he hadn''t wanted to part with her. But especially then ¡­ "Why didn''t you go look for her? Considering what you said before, he should have woken up as ¡­ yourself. Then why didn''t you go and look for her?"


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Yes, I should have done that. It''s just that ¡­ We don''t remember our trial immediately after waking up. I can''t go into the details but it wouldn''t be good for the gods to have all those memories of a whole life rushing into their mind immediately.


    "Thus for the first few days, they are just waking up and getting used to their normal life again. The memories will only slowly resurface. When I remembered your mother ¡­ several days had already passed. And that was only when I remembered part of our life. Remembering our whole life took several weeks. And one day in the Nine Heavens will take as much time as one year in the mortal realm.


    "So by the time that I knew everything that had happened and known just how much Huan Yin had meant to me, so much time had passed that even if she had perished when she ascended, even her mortal body wouldn''t have been able to be found anymore.


    "I ¡­ I didn''t dare to go and search for it. I was afraid of what I might find. Finding merely a pile of bones of finding the places that had meant so much to us left empty ¡­ I don''t know if I would have been able to take that." He shook his head. Even just thinking back to the time, he felt the same unwillingness well up inside himself. No, hadn''t wanted to let go. But what could he do? He had thought Huan Yin was dead. He had thought he wouldn''t find her anymore. He had thought there would be no use in going to search for her.


    Who could have known that if he had really done so, he might have found her again? And all these years of missing her and wondering how things could have turned out if they hadn''t tried to ascend that day ¡­ All those years could have been spent in happiness instead.


    "I''m sorry. I''m really sorry." Qiang Yan shook his head at himself. The regret he had felt when his mortal self died and the same regret that he had felt when he found out that Huan Yin had still been alive all these years and that they had even had a son, welled up in him once again, even stronger than before.


    "I''m sorry. If I hadn''t thought so much ¡­ If I just trusted my instincts and gone to look for her even once, I might have noticed. I might have found out that the two of you were still alive and we could have still been a family. It''s entirely my fault that we didn''t have that chance." His voice finally broke at the last two words and tears glistened in his eyes."


    Bai Mu was taken aback. Never mind that he had never imagined his father to be like this, it was hard to bear to look at him in any way when he was this emotional. He just didn''t know how to handle the emotions in his eyes. All the thoughts he had had about his father in the many years of his life, he didn''t know what to do with them anymore. This man hadn''t abandoned them. Not willingly, not knowingly at least. Yes, he should have come and checked if what he thought was really true. But who could fault him? Especially if he looked this desolate?


    Bai Mu gulped. "You ¡­ You don''t have a family in the Nine Heavens, do you?"


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "No, there''s only my sister and her family. I could never bring myself to ¡­" He shook his head. How could he have married? Even though he had never talked about it, there had only ever been Huan Yin in his heart. She was the woman he had fallen in love with. And he couldn''t imagine that there would ever be anyone like her.


    Thinking of her, he couldn''t help but look at Bai Mu questioningly. He knew he had no right to ask but ¡­ His heart wouldn''t be able to calm down again if he didn''t find out. "Bai Mu, your mother ¡­ Do you know what happened to her? When I found out that there was you, I also heard that she had lived for a long time after that. It''s just that ¡­ I couldn''t find out if she still ¡­" He stopped himself, unable to speak any further. He didn''t know what would be worse. Finding out that she was still alive even after all this time? Finding out that they had missed out on all those years that they could have been happy with each other? Or maybe it would be to find out that she had lived for a long time after that but had recently died, robbing them of the chance to find happiness even now?


    Bai Mu looked at this father of his. Before he met him, when he only imagined how it would be to see him again, he had often wondered what he should do should this happen. What if he met this man while his mother hadn''t seen him again yet? Should he tell him? Would this man even care?


    But now that he was in the situation, there was no question about it anymore. This man ¡­ He loved her. He had really loved his mother. He still did. It was obvious from the way he looked. There was hope in his eyes, hope but also great fear.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing certain he could tell him. "I haven''t seen her in many years. I was caught by the Chun Feng Sect and imprisoned. In that time, I had no contact with her. And even before that, she preferred to journey around. Whether she''s alive or not ¡­ I truly don''t know."

 Chapter 689 - His Father’s Family

    Qiang Yan had been unable to find out what he wanted to. For now, there was no way for him to see Huan Yin again. He had expected as much but the disappointment still hit him hard. Even now that he had finally found out about Bai Mu, now that he had even met their son, he still couldn''t be allowed to know about his wife. It seemed they were really a pair of star-crossed lovers.


    Or maybe that was what happened if one fell in love while doing their trial. Maybe that was why it was called a trial in the first place or maybe he just hadn''t had enough strength to overcome this. After all, wasn''t that why the trials were established in the first place? To teach the gods about the things they might encounter in their long lives? So that they would learn all the things they needed to know? The feeling of humility, the deep love two people could hold for each other, the decisions that might affect them until the end of their lives, the feeling of regret should they ever find their end. For a trueborn god, it wasn''t too easy to experience these in their immortal lives.


    Maybe living forever as they could if nothing untoward happened, made them careless and, yes, just as Tian had said when he cursed the three immortal races, they had grown conceited because of that. Now, there was no conceit anymore. What was there to be arrogant about in a life where they obvious lacked something? Well, this was not for him to judge. He should just concentrate on his own matters.


    Qiang Yan took a deep breath and turned his attention back to Bai Mu. Even though he had been unable to find out about Huan Yin, there was still this son of theirs. "I''ve already said it but I think it can''t be repeated often enough. I''m sorry. I know regardless of how often I say it, it won''t change anything about the fact that you and your mother had to go through all these years alone. I can''t undo that. It''s impossible for me to change the past. The only thing I can offer is to be there for you should you ever need me in the future. So ¡­ If you need help with anything, be it your wife''s cultivation or, well, lack thereof, or maybe some trouble you encounter in the dragon realm, you can always contact me.


    Bai Mu picked up the transmission stone that Qiu Ling had given him and rolled it between his fingers. Having a way to contact his father whenever he wanted to didn''t sound too bad. Maybe he would never need it but just having the opportunity was already very good. He raised the stone and looked at Qiang Yan questioningly. Even though he had lived for a long time in the human realm, he had never used something like this before today.


    Qiang Yan gave a wry smile. Right, his son had grown up in the mortal realm. There was no way he would have a transmission stone of his own. Well, even if he had it would probably be of the lower tiers, not enabling him to reach him whenever he liked. He took a stone out of his own spatial ring and handed it over. He hesitated and finally took out a smaller one, putting it next to it. "You probably don''t know too much about transmission stones."


    Bai Mu shook his head. There was nothing embarrassing about admitting this. On the contrary, if he didn''t ask because of false pride and then couldn''t use the stone, wouldn''t that be much worse?


    Qiang Yan motioned at the smallest. "There are different levels of transmission stones. A lower one will only be able to be used to contact somebody with a stone that was taken out of the same vein and connected to the stone you yourself use." He motioned at the bigger stone next to it. "The middle-grade ones will allow you to contact anyone with a stone of the same vein regardless of whether they were connected before or not."


    Bai Mu nodded. "So the higher the level, the more people can be contacted with this?"


    Qiang Yan hummed an agreement. "There are a few high-grade stones that will allow you to contact any transmission mission stone you want but those are exceedingly rare. There are only a few in each of the immortal realms so ¡­" He glanced at the stone Bai Mu held in his hands and his lips twitched. "You should probably give that back to the dragon king." Never mind what Qiu Ling thought but if his aides found out that he had carelessly given out something this precious, they might have something to say to the gods. He''d rather avoid that. There really was no need to aggravate the relationship with their allies. There had been enough things going wrong over the few years that the dragon king went after his nephew.


    Thinking of that, Qiang Yan looked back at his son. He motioned at the stones again before he leaned back. "These stones were connected to each other. You can give the smaller one to your wife, so she will be able to reach you if anything happens. She will also be able to reach me in case she isn''t able to contact you because of whatever reason. As for your stone, other than contacting me, you''ll also be able to ¡­" He hesitated for a moment but finally still said what he had thought at the beginning. "You can reach the rest of my family with that. That is my sister, her husband, and their son."


    Bai Mu picked the stone up and looked at it contemplatively. His father''s family ¡­ He had never thought of it. The Feng Jian Hao he had heard of hadn''t had a family. Well, at least no family besides his mother. Now, it seemed he had ¡­ An aunt? An uncle? A cousin? Oh, and then there should be that cousin-in-law. He couldn''t help but raise his brows at Qiang Yan when he thought of that. "The dragon king¡­"


    Qiang Yan''s lips twitched. "You won''t be able to reach him with this. But I''m sure that if he ever remembers you are here, then you can just ask him and he''ll happily throw several of them at you."

 Chapter 690 - Getting Ahead of Himself?

    Bai Mu couldn''t help but raise his brows. If he ever remembered that they were here? "Qiu Ling promised that he would help Nie Huang find a way to acquire spirit veins. You wouldn''t want to say that he isn''t dependable, would you?" If that was the truth, then things were troublesome. As grateful as he was for Qiu Ling to give them a place to stay where they wouldn''t need to worry about the demon hunters of the Chun Feng Sect, the most important was still to enable Nie Huang to cultivate. If she couldn''t do that ¡­


    Qiang Yan winced. Great. He had actually managed to dig up such a sensitive matter and make his son worry. He rubbed his brow and sighed. "Well, it''s not that easy to say. Qiu Ling is ¡­" He shook his head, not knowing what exactly to say to describe this person. "On one hand, he just does whatever he wants to. He doesn''t really care for rules or customs or anything like that. Sometimes I''m honestly considering whether he''s really sane or not. But then again ¡­" He couldn''t help but think of the way Jing He had looked when he talked about him or, well, maybe not talked about him but at least thought of him. "I guess he does have a dependable side too. He can make somebody feel secure I guess. It''s just a question of who does he show that side to."


    Bai Mu still furrowed his brows. He didn''t know what his father was trying to say. Could he trust Qiu Ling with Nie Huang''s matter or couldn''t he? What his father had said didn''t answer his worries at all! It seemed he could only ask directly. "Then does this mean we can trust him with Nie Huang? She''s human. With each passing day, she''ll get older. If there''s only a limited time we still have, then I''d like to know now."


    Qiang Yan nodded. He could understand this sentiment. Unfortunately, it really wasn''t that easy to say whether this nephew-in-law of his could be trusted with his matter or not. It might depend on what else was going on around. "I can''t promise you anything. It''s might actually be good to check on him in between. Who knows what he''ll get himself into otherwise? But generally, I''d say that if he promises to do something, then he will do so. Especially if it''s something like this."


    Bai Mu raised his eyebrows, his worry not dissipating by much. Instead, he just felt that some confusion was added to it. "Something like this?" He didn''t know what to make of the sentence at all.


    Qiang Yan awkwardly rubbed his brow. Well, he probably hadn''t phrased that too well. It was hard to talk about this issue though with Bai Mu not knowing much about the people they were talking about. After all, he didn''t really know the dragon king, did he? "How to say this? In short, the dragon king is rather crazy about my nephew. He went after him for ten years, believing all the time that they were definitely meant to be, regardless of what happened around them and what other people thought. So I guess it''s not wrong to say that as long as it has to do with love and a couple that wants to be together but encounters hardships, he would be thrilled to help." Yes, he could imagine it all too well. If Jing He was currently awake, he might even go and brag about how he had done something great in the name of true love. And his nephew ¡­ that child might even be impressed. Ah, Jing He really was smitten with that guy.


    Bai Mu''s brows raised even higher, his confusion growing. "Your nephew ¡­" His father''s nephew should refer to the one that was on his trial right now and the person that Qiu Ling seemed to be in love with ¡­ "You mean that child that was trapped in mother''s secret realm?" How had those two fallen in love? He had seemed to be only in his twenties so if Qiu Ling went after him for so long ¡­ What kind of taste did the dragon king have?


    Qiang Yan''s lips twitched. He could imagine what Bai Mu was thinking right now. "As I said he''s on his trial right now. The person you saw in the human realm is his mortal reincarnation. As for his real self ¡­" He sighed. With everything that was going wrong with his trial, it really wasn''t too sure when Jing He would wake up again. He also didn''t know how well his nephew would be able to take the things that had happened. Considering how he normally was ¡­ It might be hard for him. He would probably take all that too serious, maybe even blaming himself for making trouble for the dragon king. He could only hope that Jing He would be able to find a way to live with all this. Well, as long as Qiu Ling stayed around, it might work out. Since the two of them had gotten closer, the dragon king had always been what Jing He''s life revolved around. As long as he was there, Jing He would be able to stop worrying so much. Well, it would be great if he could do so even without Qiu Ling around. Was it really alright for his nephew to depend so much on the dragon king?


    Bai Mu''s brows furrowed once more when he saw Qiang Yan''s taut expression. "Is something wrong?"


    Qiang Yan sighed. Worrying about Jing He''s situation wouldn''t change anything. He loved Qiu Ling and nothing would ever change about that. As long as those two were together, it wasn''t a problem anyway and if things went according to the dragon king''s wishes, then they wouldn''t separate even for a second as soon as this trial ended.


    Qiang Yan pushed the thought away and gave a smile. "When he comes back from his trial, I''d like you to meet him." He stopped when the words were out, feeling ill at ease. Maybe he had gotten ahead of himself with this? After all, even their own relationship wasn''t too clear at the moment. Asking him to meet the rest of his family ¡­ Maybe that was too much already.

 Chapter 691 - Willing to Forgive

    Bai Mu looked at Qiang Yan''s face, searching for a hint of what he really thought. The only thing he found was a trace of awkwardness that seemed to grow more obvious the longer he waited with his answer. Bai Mu barely held back a laugh. It seemed this father of his was rather worried that he wouldn''t take the suggestion well. Mn, that wasn''t too unexpected with how they had only met for the first time today. He should probably release him from his worry. "I guess I''m rather curious to see what kind of person is able to make the dragon king go crazy for him like this."


    Qiang Yan heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed he had thought too much. Bai Mu didn''t mind at all. "That''s good then. If you want to meet my sister ¡­" He stopped and once again looked at Bai Mu with a mixture of anticipation and awkwardness. Heavens, this whole conversation required more of his energy than fighting for three days! Being a father really wasn''t easy.


    Bai Mu wanted to nod but then he hesitated. "Your sister should be in the Nine Heavens, shouldn''t she? Then Nie Huang ¡­"


    Qiang Yan nodded. "That''s true. I don''t think it should be a problem to visit though."


    Bai Mu raised his brows. "I thought those who haven''t cultivated to the status of a deity can''t enter the Nine Heavens?"


    "They can''t enter to live there but they can enter for a visit if they are brought over. It''s not as easy from the mortal realm but definitely possible from the dragon realm. There shouldn''t be a problem. Just tell me if you want to and I''ll take care of everything."


    Bai Mu nodded but didn''t decide immediately. Even if they could enter the Nine Heavens for a visit, there were still some other things to consider. Right now, he didn''t even know his father very well. Even though he was slightly curious about the family his father had in the Nine Heavens, he still felt that it would be better to wait a while longer. It would be best if he took the chance and got to know his father better first and only then got to know the people around him. That way it would be less awkward too.


    Furthermore, there was still Nie Huang''s situation. Right now, she was only a mortal. Each day they spend here would be a day for her that she grew older. If too many of those days passed ¡­ That wouldn''t be good. Thus it was better to invest everything they had into making her acquire spirit veins and then start to cultivate.


    Right, speaking of that ¡­ "There is one thing." He wasn''t too sure about how to bring this up but his father had said that he could ask him for help. This shouldn''t be too much, should it? After all, they were still family even though they hadn''t seen each other in all these years.


    Qiang Yan straightened up. He didn''t know what it was that Bai Mu was going to say but he had the faint feeling that it was important. The way Bai Mu looked at him right now said as much. "Just tell me what it is. If it''s anything I can help with, I''ll definitely do it."


    Bai Mu nodded. "Qiu Ling promised to help find a way for Nie Huang to cultivate but it seems that there is one problem. Even though he can gather the ingredients for the pill that''s needed for that and he also has the necessary recipe, we''re still lacking somebody who can refine that pill. But without it ¡­"


    Qiang Yan furrowed his brows. Yes, without it, there was no way for Bai Mu and Nie Huang to be together in the long run. He couldn''t let that happen! He got up and gave him a smile. "I can''t promise anything but if there''s any god in the Nine Heavens that can refine such a pill, then I''ll definitely find that person and ask them to help. I''ll go ask right now."


    Bai Mu blinked his eyes. He had expected that his father would accept but not that he would go and take care of the matter right now. "There''s no need to hurry ¡ª"


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "Of course, there is. The sooner she gets this pill, the better. If I can do anything to help with that, then I should do it. The time flows differently in the human and the immortal realms. Longjun might already have gathered all the materials. The sooner we find somebody who can use them, the better for your wife. We shouldn''t lose any time. I ¡­" He took a long look at Bai Mu and his gaze softened. His son asking him to help with this probably meant that he was giving him a chance. He certainly wouldn''t hold anything back now. "If I find something, I''ll inform you immediately. You have the transmission stone now, after all. And ¡­ I hope you wouldn''t mind seeing me again in the future."


    Bai Mu also got up and looked at this person he had wondered about for so many years. This father of his was definitely different from what he had imagined but the difference wasn''t a bad one. Being this approachable ¡­ It would make things easier in the future. He nodded and then slowly walked him to the door. "If you want to come by, you can always do so. Nie Huang and I would be happy to see you again."


    Qiang Yan smiled back at him and finally turned to leave. It seemed his son was willing to forgive him for all the years he had missed out on. In that case, he should help Bai Mu so that he wouldn''t need to miss out on the years with his wife. This new generation, it shouldn''t need to suffer through the same problems as they had back then.

 Chapter 692 - Do You Want Me to Swear an Oath?

    Qiang Yan left the dragon king''s palace and rushed to the edge of the capital, preparing to return to the Nine Heavens. Halfway out of the city, he couldn''t help but notice two figures standing in an alley. He wanted to hurry past at first. This was the dragon realm, after all, why should he care what happened? This was nothing he should get involved in. Then, he noticed the silvery-white hair and a mask on one of the men''s face though. He slowed down and took another look. Sure enough, that was Senior Xin Lan. What was he doing here?


    Qiang Yan shook his head. No, this wasn''t strange at all. Senior Xin Lan was a dragon, after all. Even though it was said that he liked to stay by himself, that didn''t mean that he couldn''t be in the dragon realm. Actually, it was to be expected that he would be here every now and then. Qiang Yan finally turned away and continued on his way, not caring any further what was happening below.


    As for the two people in that alley ¡­ Their conversation wasn''t that harmonious.


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. "What do you mean going on another trial and wanting me to accompany you? Why would I do that?"


    Xiang Yu looked at the fake dragon in front of him with displeasure. "What do you mean? Don''t you want me to do something for you? Then you should also give me something in return. This is what I want. So what is the problem with it?"


    "My problem is that this isn''t what we agreed on. Didn''t you say you would be helping? And I said I would stop loving you in return." Never mind that he had no feelings for this guy. Since this fallen god was willing to believe he did, why shouldn''t he take advantage of that? He certainly didn''t want to accompany him on some stupid trial. Why should he do that?


    Xiang Yu wasn''t willing to step back though. "You say you will stop loving me so you''ll do? How will I know that you keep your word? Furthermore, if you really love me, then you shouldn''t have anything against accompanying me on my trial. This is important to me. You should feel honored that you are allowed to be with me for at least that time."


    Xin Lan felt like coughing up blood. What did this guy mean he should feel honored? As if he wanted to spend his time with a fallen god! Unfortunately, this guy seemed to be serious. Xin Lan turned to the side and rubbed the uncovered side of his face. What to do now? Promise him? But he really didn''t want to waste any time. Then again, if his Master''s soul could finally be healed ¡­ That was worth it, wasn''t it? He sighed and turned back to Xiang Yu. "Alright, if it''s so important to you, then considering my feelings, I''ll do as you say and accompany you. But ¡­"


    Xiang Yu who had just wanted to heave a sigh of relief tensed. This guy wanted to raise terms with him? But wasn''t he the one who made the rules right now? He wouldn''t agree to this! "No!"


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. "Can you at least listen to what I want to say? Don''t refute me just to refute me."


    Xiang Yu didn''t answer but looked away. He didn''t seem as if we wanted to hear another word.


    Xin Lan also faced the other direction. "I''ll do as you say but I expect you to heal him before we go on the trial."


    Xiang Yu shook his head. "Never! You say now that you''re going to accompany me but you won''t. You''ll just back out of it after he''s healed."


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched. He couldn''t deny that he had thought of that but ¡­ This person was a fallen god. Would he really dare to do something like this? Promising him not to love him in return for his help was nothing. He could just leave the demon realm after his Master was healed and would never have to see this guy again. That should count as ''not loving him'', shouldn''t it? But accompanying him on a trial was different. If he promised to do it, then he would need to do it. Otherwise, this guy might just turn crazy and make his Master suffer for it. He wouldn''t risk that.


    Xin Lan leaned against the wall behind him. "I do understand that you''re doubtful. But you also know that this person is very important to me. I wouldn''t dare play with his life. It''s just that you''ve also seen how he''s doing. He''s already very weak. His soul might not be suffering anymore but he isn''t recuperating fast enough either. He needs your help. So ¡­ since you''re only willing to provide that if I do the trial with you, then I will do so. You can trust me with this."


    Xiang Yu narrowed his eyes. What this fake dragon said sounded quite good but ¡­ could he really trust him?


    Xin Lan raised a brow at him. "What? You need me to swear an oath?"


    Xiang Yu pondered and finally nodded. "I want you to swear that you''ll accompany me on my trial in exchange for my help with healing that person. If you don''t comply ¡­" He pondered and finally decided that there was only one person this fake dragon needed to be afraid of. "If you don''t comply, you''ll be struck down by Tian."


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched but he nodded. "Alright, I swear that in exchange for you to heal Jinde, I will accompany you on your trial. Should I fail to uphold my end of the bargain, then I will be struck down by Tian, the sovereign of all realms."

 Chapter 693 - The Secret Recipe for Healing His Soul?

    Xiang Yu nodded with satisfaction. Good. With this oath, that fake dragon wouldn''t be able to try anything funny. He was on the safe side now. "Then let''s go save that man." He turned around and wanted to go but Xin Lan grabbed him by the back of his robe and pulled him back. "Not so fast."


    Xiang Yu lashed out at him and jumped back when Xin Lan let go. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    Xin Lan smirked. "Actually, that''s what I''d like to ask you. Never mind that oath. I''ve sworn it and I will keep my word. If you managed to heal His Majesty, then I will accompany you on this trial. What I''d like to know though is what you expect me to do."


    Xiang Yu furrowed his brows, making the mark between his brows ripple as if it had a life of its own. "What do you mean? Didn''t I say to accompany me?"


    Xin Lan nodded. "You did and I accepted but what exactly do you understand as accompanying? Obviously, you don''t like me being in love with you, you don''t like me being close and you don''t like me touching you either. What kind of accompanying are you thinking of?"


    Xiang Yu fell quiet for a moment. Actually, he hadn''t thought too much about it. He only wanted to have another shot at being happy. He wanted to have a few precious memories. Whether that would work out or not ¡­ he had no idea. But would this guy understand if he told him? He really didn''t want to talk about it either. This fake dragon had no right to know about his life. He needed to explain though or things might go wrong on his trial.


    In the end, he decided to just state plainly what he expected. He raised his chin and looked at Xin Lan as if daring him to complain. "Naturally, you''ll be my lover. See it as me being nice to you. I''m actually giving you the chance to realize your feelings for a while."


    Xin Lan looked at the person in front of him and pondered. This definitely wasn''t a normal request. It wouldn''t be from any person and it certainly wasn''t from a fallen god that had become one exactly because of a love trial. "What happened on your last trial?"


    Xiang Yu turned away. "What''s it to you? You should just do your part and not care about anything else. Now, don''t you want to go and save that man? I don''t have that much time. We should hurry up." He raised a hand and the space in front of him ripped open. Without a look back, he stepped through it and reappeared in the Yun Zou Sect.


    Xin Lan looked at the gate that Xiang Yu had opened casually and clicked his tongue. This guy ¡­ He really made full use of the fact that he could do something that only he knew about. Well, it really wasn''t his problem. Whatever had happened on that guy''s first trial and why ever he was reacting like this every time they saw each other, he shouldn''t care. He had only promised to accompany him on his second trial, so he would do that. Everything else was of no importance.


    He also stepped through the gate and the crack slowly closed behind him as if Xiang Yu had left it open for him to follow.


    Xin Lan gazed at the fallen god and motioned for him to stay where he was. "I''ll go look for His Majesty. Wait here." With that, he went into the house and finally saw Jinde sitting in the study, a brush in hand and his gaze focused on the paper in front of him. As for the person he was painting ¡­ Xin Lan''s eyes flashed a trace of hurt but he forced himself to suppress it. It was normal for his Master to long for his family. There was nothing strange about that. There was no reason for him to feel like this at all.


    Xin Lan stopped in the door and smiled. "I''ve brought that fallen god back again. He said he''ll be able to heal you now."


    Jinde looked up and smiled, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "I see that." He got up and walked toward the door, stepping past Xin Lan and reaching out to pat the fallen god''s head. "So you''re here again. What made you leave so fast the last time? Xin Lan wouldn''t have bullied you, would he?"


    Xin Lan turned around and looked at the person behind him incredulously. Hadn''t he told him to wait? And, wait, why was he being so docile when his Master touched him? Don''t tell him that kind of feisty behavior was reserved for him?


    To Xin Lan''s dismay, Xiang Yu actually smiled at Jinde. He pulled out the jar where he had put in the earth from the Da He and showed it to him. "I brought you something from the High Heavens. It should help with your soul. Now, you only need a place where you can use it without being disturbed and I''m sure we can heal your soul."


    Jinde raised his brows and carefully took the jar, peeking inside. This ¡­ It seemed to be nothing more than mud and water? That was the secret recipe for healing his soul? He really wouldn''t have thought ¡­

 Chapter 694 - A Piece of the High Heavens

    Xin Lan wasn''t too happy with this revelation either. "Some mud from the Da He River? Are you being serious? That is all?" In this was what he had exchanged several years of his life for?


    Xiang Yu ignored the person next to him and instead focused on the one standing in front of him. Why would he care about the one that was scowling at him if there was a person smiling right there? He unwittingly inched a little closer to Jinde. "It''s not only that. Naturally, being in the High Heavens would be best for you but ¡­ I figured you wouldn''t want to go there if your partner has to stay here. So I brought you this from the High Heavens.


    "You should let the water flow into the pond or lake and bury the earth underground. With time, the energy from the High Heavens will seep into the place and change it. It''s better if the place isn''t too big though. Because that way it won''t be diluted as much. Then if you absorb the energy from there, your soul will slowly be healed."


    Jinde nodded. "So it''s like that. Well, I guess getting a piece of the High Heavens isn''t that easy either." He shot a warning glance at Xin Lan just in time to shut him up. Yes, this solution might not be as complicated as they had thought but they hadn''t been able to think of it, had they? No, it had needed this fallen god for this. So in the end, he still had to be thankful.


    Xin Lan didn''t complain out loud but he still shot an angry look at Xiang Yu. His Master didn''t know, but this fallen god had more or less tricked him into doing what he wanted with such a simple thing. As if he wouldn''t be able to go to the High Heavens himself to get some mud and water!


    Xiang Yu ignored him and stepped even closer to Jinde, looking up into his golden eyes with a smile. This person ¡­ He was so beautiful. It was no wonder that that fake dragon had liked him. Those eyes really made one want to get close.


    Jinde smiled at him and once again brushed through his hair. "So? What kind of place would be best for doing this?"


    "It doesn''t matter. As long as it has some spiritual energy and you won''t be disturbed while you recuperate, it will be alright."


    Jinde hummed. A place with spiritual energy wouldn''t be difficult to find. The whole Yun Zou Sect was full of that. Unfortunately, since the day Jin Ling had found out about him possibly still being alive, there was no way to guarantee that he wouldn''t be disturbed. He definitely couldn''t sit down in some pond and meditate for as long as he wanted. No, he''d have to find a better place.


    Well, he wouldn''t want to start before Leng Jin Yu was back anyway. He at least wanted to tell him that they had really found a way to heal him and that he didn''t need to worry anymore. Ah, just remembering the way Jin Yu had looked at him back when he found out about his injury ¡­ It really was time that he healed his soul.


    Xiang Yu blinked his eyes when he saw that Jinde didn''t react. "Is there no such place? I guess you could come with me to the demon realm." He definitely wouldn''t mind if this person accompanied him. He wouldn''t even mind showing him the place where he lived. This person was obviously very good. There was no harm in letting him see.


    Jinde smiled and once again petted Xiang Yu''s head. "That''s very nice of you but I''m afraid it would be impossible. There is somebody in the demon realm I can''t meet right now so ¡­ I''ll have to stay here. In fact, I''ll need a place where that person can''t find me. But don''t worry about it. We''ve already worked on that. There will be such a place soon."


    Xiang Yu didn''t really understand how such a place could suddenly come to exist but he didn''t mind. If this person said there would be one, then there would be one. He was much more interested in who this person was that wouldn''t allow him to go to the demon realm. "Who is the person that you don''t want to meet? Should I kill him for you?"


    Jinde awkwardly retracted his hand. "No, there really is no need for that. In fact, that person and I ¡­" He thought about how to say it and finally just smiled wryly. "It''s complicated." Actually, it wasn''t that complicated. Even though he had exiled Jin Ling and couldn''t see him, he still loved this child. If his soul was completely healed and he was back at the peak of his strength, then he wouldn''t mind seeing him at all. Well, it would help if Jin Yu was also able to get stronger too. After all, just because he was able to resist whatever Jin Ling tried to do, he wouldn''t put his husband into danger. And Heaven knew that Jin Ling would try to do something. No, for the time being there really was no way for him to meet with Jin Ling. That would have to wait until they were both strong enough to resist whatever he threw at them.


    Xiang Yu could only nod when Jinde rejected the offer. He felt it to be a pity though. If he had gone and killed that person, then Jinde could''ve come with him to the demon realm. He wouldn''t need to be alone then. Even though Jinde would be preoccupied with recuperating, it was still nice to have somebody close by. They didn''t even need to talk. They didn''t need to do anything. It would just be nice to have somebody there who wasn''t a demon.


    Xiang Yu couldn''t help but glance at the fake dragon. Maybe when they finally went to the trial things would be different. In the trial, there wouldn''t be any of his memories from this life or his past trial. Maybe then he wouldn''t need to be alone. He wouldn''t need to remember either. He might actually be happy.


    Xiang Yu turned away and paced through the study, his gaze finally falling on the painting on the desk. He picked it up and tilted his head. This ¡­ What was the meaning of this?


    Before he could try to figure it out, Xin Lan stalked over and took the painting from his hands. "Haven''t you already delivered what you wanted to deliver? Then didn''t you want to go on a trial?"


    Xiang Yu pulled his hands back and raised his chin. "What''s it to you? Furthermore, I might have given him that piece of the High Heavens and told him how to implement it but wouldn''t you want my help for the rest too?"


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. What rest? That guy hadn''t said anything about a rest! "Have you told us everything or haven''t you? Just make yourself clear!"


    Xiang Yu huffed and went back to Jinde, pulling at his sleeve. "What did you like about him? I really can''t understand. He isn''t nice at all."


    Behind him, Xin Lan clenched his hands into fists. How come the person that had asked him to be his lover in his trial was suddenly badmouthing him right in front of him? He''d really like to know what was going through this guy''s head!

 Chapter 695 - You Sure Move Fast

    Xiang Yu didn''t pay any attention to Xin Lan at all. He just ignored him and focused on Jinde instead.


    Jinde laughed. "I really don''t know what you misunderstood. I never was interested. There was only ever my husband for me."


    Xiang Yu pondered and finally nodded. That was much more reasonable. He had seen just how well his husband treated him. It was expected for him to fall in love with such a man and stay with him forever. Naturally, he wouldn''t want somebody like that fake dragon instead. "You''re really lucky to have found a husband like that."


    Jinde reached over and patted the fallen god''s head once again. He couldn''t help but think of a little animal when he saw him like this. Unfortunately, it was as if this little animal had been abandoned by its owner, making it look gloomy most of the time even though it was actually supposed to run around freely and happily bring its findings back to the person it liked to ask for praise. "I''m sure you will also find a good husband one day."


    Xiang Yu shook his head. "My husband wasn''t very good to me. He never liked me." He didn''t say more than that and Jinde didn''t dare to ask.


    Even though he wasn''t afraid of this person, he also knew that a fallen god wasn''t someone to mess with. Depending on what had happened with this husband of his, asking him to talk about it might trigger something he wouldn''t be able to cope with. He couldn''t risk that. Not when he was this close to healing his soul and having a normal life with Jin Yu. "Well, sometimes things don''t work out. But maybe there will be somebody in your future who will treat you much better. You certainly deserve such a person."


    Xiang Yu didn''t answer. He didn''t know if he deserved such a person but Tian had also said that there was someone like that in the future. If they both thought so, then there should be something to that, shouldn''t there? Anyway, he would first go on his trial and find out how it was to live a happy life. Come to think of it ¡­ Xiang Yu moved closer to Jinde and glanced at the fake dragon that wasn''t standing far from them. "I''m going on a second trial soon. He promised to accompany me. If he tries to back out or pretends to have forgotten, you have to remind him."


    Jinde raised his brows. He certainly wouldn''t have thought that even fallen gods were doing trials. The fact that Xin Lan had agreed to accompany him on this trial was even more shocking to him though. Hadn''t he still assured him a while ago that he wasn''t interested in this person? Don''t tell him something had changed this fast?


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows but didn''t speak up. His Master didn''t need to know that he had done this for him. He could believe whatever he wanted. Furthermore, hadn''t he been the one who told him to take a break? Going on the trial might as well be a break. Anyway, that wasn''t important now. "Your Majesty, since we know how to heal your soul now, we should make haste with everything else. How about I go and help your husband and that brat to find the ingredients for the pill? After all, you still need that closed realm to recuperate in there."


    Jinde sighed and went back to the desk, sitting down on the chair and stretching his long legs. "Didn''t I say you should take a break? Don''t worry about this. Since we already know how to heal my soul, it''s only a question of time. Since you want to accompany him on his trial, you shouldn''t lose any time with that. Just go and do the trial. It''ll do you good."


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. He certainly wasn''t eager to leave right now. "Your Majesty, I''ve been with you for all these years. Can''t I at least stay around to see if this works out?"


    Xiang Yu glared at the fake dragon. "Naturally it''ll work out. You don''t believe me? Or is it that you just want to get around accompanying me? You swore an oath! Don''t think you can get out of this."


    Xin Lan whirled around to him and pointed at his nose. "This isn''t just about you! I''ve spent many years with this person and I''ve seen him get hurt this much. Isn''t it normal for me to care and want to see that he''s doing good before I leave for an indefinite amount of time?"


    Xiang Yu blinked his eyes and looked from Xin Lan to Jinde. Even if those two hadn''t been lovers, it was obvious that Xin Lan did care about him. He pondered and finally raised his chin. "Well, I guess accompanying me can mean a lot. Since you want to see what will happen here, then I''ll just go and prepare everything.


    "I can''t just leave from here. My body needs to be in a safe place. That can''t be the demon realm either so I''ll have to find that safe spot first. After that, I''ll go and start the trial.


    "You can just come and look for me after a while. Since you agreed to be my lover, it should be alright if you do so after I''ve grown up. You can wait here for that time and see how things go." He didn''t wait for Xin Lan or Jinde to say anything and just ripped open another gate and stepped through. The gate closed right behind him, not leaving the other two men any chance to respond.


    The study fell silent. In fact, the silence was deep enough for the sounds of the birds tweeting outside to be heard loud and clear.


    In the end, Jinde raised his golden brows and gave Xin Lan a teasing smile. "So you''ve agreed to become his lover. You sure move fast."

 Chapter 696 - Treat Him Well

    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. This stupid fallen god! Did he have to word it like this? Did he have to say anything anyway? Couldn''t he have just kept silent? He wanted to explain to his Master so he wouldn''t get the wrong impression but stopped himself at the last moment. His lips curved into a slight smile. "Would you mind if I did?"


    Jinde smiled back at him. "What are you saying? Mind? I''d be very happy for you. He''s such an adorable child. Maybe the best person you can find."


    Xin Lan''s lips twitched. He had almost forgotten how cold his Master could be. Well, whatever. He went to sit down behind him and reached out to massage his shoulders. "He suddenly wanted to go on a second trial. I don''t know what gave him the idea. But he helped us a lot so ¡­ I''m going to do him a favor and play his lover for a while. He won''t remember his past there anyway. And when he comes back ¡­" He shook his head and didn''t say anything further. They both knew that he certainly wouldn''t change the target of his feelings this fast. Even though he was able to fall in love more than once contrary to the other dragons, that didn''t mean that he could fall in love at random. Time and the person still needed to be right.


    As for Xiang Yu ¡­ Well, he was pretty enough to get some of his attention but not really his type and he didn''t want to take the trouble of trying to figure out how to have a relationship with a fallen god either.


    And the time certainly wasn''t the best right now. He had only just found his Master again and cleared things up with him. Falling in love with somebody else right now was nigh impossible. No, if anything, then he would need some time. Get over his love for Jinde and then slowly look for somebody else that he might be able to love. If it happened, then it would happen. If it didn''t ¡­ Well, he had been alone for a long time already. Adding some more years wouldn''t be trouble. He was already used to it. Right now, he was still too hung up over his Master.


    Speaking of that ¡­ "Do you really just want to wait until your husband returns?"


    Jinde hummed. "What else should I do? Sure, I can try to contact him but if they haven''t found all the ingredients yet, then it won''t do to call them back either. No, I should just wait that bit. Jin Yu will return as soon as he''s finished. Everything else can be taken care of afterward."


    Xin Lan nodded. This might really be for the best. After all, the dimension still depended on that Bai Mu. Come to think of it ¡­ His brows furrowed and his hands stopped moving. That fallen god ¡­ Had he seen Bai Mu''s face? If he had, then he hadn''t had any reaction. Not that he had noticed at least. How strange. Could it be he had been wrong? Was there no connection between that Bai Mu and the fallen god''s husband?


    Jinde glanced over his shoulder and raised his brows. Whatever Xin Lan was thinking about, it seemed to be rather troubling. What a novel sight! He reached over and gently put his hand on Xin Lan''s arm. "What are you pondering?"


    Xin Lan glanced at him, his heart leaping when he met with those golden eyes. He didn''t want to say it but he couldn''t stay quiet either. "That fallen god ¡­ I think he fell because of a love trial."


    Jinde nodded. "That husband he mentioned?"


    Xin Lan raised his brows. Indeed. That Xiang Yu had mentioned his husband today. If he remembered correctly this should have been the first time he did that. "I don''t know anything about that. It''s just that ¡­ I think that his husband might be related to the person that is supposed to help with the realm where you''re supposed to stay. That Bai Mu."


    "Then it might be a good thing after all that he went on his trial already. If they met ¡­"


    Xin Lan nodded. "True. It''s just that I thought that they had already seen each other in the capital of the human country. I''m not sure though. Maybe he didn''t see him anyway. Or maybe I''m overthinking this. Maybe there was nothing with his husband other than him not being treated as well as he thought he deserved."


    Jinde leaned closer and reached up, his hand covering the masked part of Xin Lan''s face. "Xin Lan, when you go and accompany him on the trial, then try to remember that he deserves to be treated in the best possible way. Not because you promised anything or because he''s a fallen god. No, just imagine this was you. Wouldn''t you also want to be treated in the best way? So you should do the same for him. Who knows? Maybe it will work out."


    Xin Lan had held his breath at first, completely entranced by the earnest look in his Master''s eyes. When Jinde finished though, he pulled out of his grasp and shook his head, slightly irritated. "I do not like him." Was it really that hard to understand?


    Jinde just smiled. Sure, Xin Lan didn''t like him now but who knew how that would look after a trial spent together? Falling in love was something that could happen fast sometimes. If Xin Lan spent some time with somebody else while he was not around and even played that person''s lover, then who knew if he would really be able to still be this cold to that person in the end?


    Those pretend feelings might just become real over the course of time. And a fallen god ¡­ Even though it could be tricky, this was also a person that was strong enough to stand at Xin Lan''s side. Maybe he was even the only person that would be able to do so. Why shouldn''t he hope for that?

 Chapter 697 - Being Stupid Once or Twice

    Even though Jinde had that kind of thought, he didn''t say so out loud. He could get away with almost anything in front of Xin Lan just based on the other''s feelings for him but he knew not to go too far. Instead, he turned to his painting and sighed. "You''ve stayed with him for so long, what do you think? Will he be able to cope without you being around?"


    Xin Lan gave a dissatisfied harrumph. He could accept his Master paying attention to his husband but coping with this brat was more difficult.


    Jinde sighed again and folded the scroll up, making to get up to hide it away. If Jin Yu saw this painting, he''d have a lot to explain. He certainly didn''t want to open this can of worms.


    Xin Lan also sighed and took the scroll from him, getting up in his stead and putting the scroll below the others lying on the shelf. "Your soul isn''t healed yet. Even though it''s only a matter of time, you should still take the time and rest. The better your condition is, the faster you might recuperate."


    Jinde nodded even though he wasn''t too sure if that was true. "It''s my soul that needs to recuperate. Who knows if my body would really have an impact on that. But I guess it can''t hurt to try."


    Xin Lan nodded and returned to his side. He hesitated but still spoke up in the end. "I''m sure he''ll manage. Of course, me being there was of great help to him but he is strong by himself and with that harem of his ¡­" He shut up when Jinde gave him a peculiar look. "What?"


    Jinde shook his head. He really didn''t want to talk about this.


    "You mean the harem? Well, you can''t deny he''s a demon. And in their realm, there is no way for him to hold onto the throne alone. Only with the right people around him, he has a chance to survive and continue holding onto the reins. You shouldn''t be surprised by that, should you?"


    Jinde shook his head. "Obviously, I shouldn''t. Jian Heng was the same. His predecessors were the same, weren''t they? And his successor was the same too."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Jin Ling did a good job when choosing his people. If he manages to maintain order among them, then things will turn out well for him. If he doesn''t ¡­" He shook his head. There was no need to say anything more. There were no familial ties in the demon realm and even until this day, Jin Ling didn''t have a single child. So even if anyone cared about that kind of relationship there, he wouldn''t have any help.


    The only ones still around where Jiang Heng''s other relatives that had survived the fight for his succession. But their relationship with Jin Ling ¡­ To put it kindly, they were waiting for him to slip. To put it more bluntly, they were all sharpening their weapons, looking for an opportunity to drive in into his body, preferably puncturing his heart or otherwise giving him a lethal injury.


    "Then what is your impression? Is he able to maintain order?"


    Xin Lan wanted to nod but couldn''t bring himself to do so in the end. "Normally, there''d be no doubt about that. But even while I was still around there, he was a little distracted.


    "All these years, he''s been thinking about you. But with your supposed death and even your soul dissipated, that was nothing more than a fleeting thought. But he never gave up hope and with a few hints that there might be something more to this, I wouldn''t be so sure that he''ll ever give up. If he invests too much time and energy into this ¡­" He shook his head. Jin Ling''s infatuation with Jinde was too deep. It had been back then and it was still like that now. If they couldn''t prove to him that Jinde was truly dead, then he wouldn''t give up. He would continue to search for him. And while he did so, he might lose his grasp on the throne of the demon realm.


    Jinde sighed. "That child ¡­ He really doesn''t have it easy."


    Xin Lan harrumphed. For all he cared, this child could go and die. Unfortunately, his Master would be sad if that really happened. "If you want me to, I can go and have a look before accompanying that fallen god."


    Jinde shook said. "He''s been under your protection for so long. If I still don''t let him manage the demon realm on his own, that would be like not trusting him that he can do it. Furthermore, you won''t be able to stay around forever. Jin Ling ¡­ He needs to do this on his own. This is his inheritance, his task. We dragons shouldn''t get involved too much. Not forever."


    Xin Lan nodded. "In that case, I''ll just stay here with you. I''d really like to see if the way that fallen god proposed will really allow you to heal your soul."


    Jinde reached over and grabbed his hand. "You wouldn''t be feeling bad just because you didn''t think of it, would you?"


    "I''ve lived for so long. I even went and challenged Tian. Shouldn''t I have known?"


    "Even if you did, it wouldn''t change anything. It''s just a matter of when my soul was healed. It''s not like I''m dead, after all."


    Xin Lan gently turned that slender hand around and brushed the pale scar on Jinde''s wrist. "If I had known, then maybe you wouldn''t have needed to use the soul engraving dagger. It must have hurt."


    Jinde just gave a noncommittal smile. Saying that it hadn''t hurt would be a lie. To be honest, this type of pain was almost as bad as what he had felt when he found out that Chun Yin had passed away or when he had been rejected by him completely. He still felt that he wasn''t qualified to say anything about that though. "Even the sheltered Son of Heaven was able to engrave his soul. And he didn''t just cut it up. How could I, as a member of the dragon race, as the dragon race''s previous king, say that it hurt?"


    Xin Lan continued to look at that scar. The Son of Heaven ¡­ He also wouldn''t have thought that something like this was possible. He couldn''t help but wonder what had driven a child like that to do something this grave. "Isn''t he just an idiot? You did so to save your life, to save your soul. Why did he do so? He isn''t cursed like the dragons but he still insisted to engrave his soul to mimic the curse. It''s stupid."


    Jinde just smiled and turned to look out the window. Maybe it was stupid. No, it definitely was stupid. But that was what love made people do. They became stupid enough to do the strangest things, not caring about whatever it meant to themselves. They only had one thing they thought of and that was this other person. For them, they could do everything.


    He could only hope that Xin Lan would one day have the chance to experience this for himself. Being stupid once or twice ¡­ Maybe that wasn''t too bad.

 Chapter 698 - He Would Forgive Him

    As for the person they had talked about, he was currently reclining on a daybed in his personal chambers and frowning. The Son of Heaven''s reincarnation was gone from the room where he had left him. Xin Lan also wasn''t in the demon realm anymore. In other words ¡­ That guy had betrayed him and brought his only handle on Qiu Ling over to that guy. Now, his plan had failed. It had thoroughly failed.


    Jin Ling covered his eyes with a hand and continued to lie there motionlessly. What was he even doing here? If Jinde was really still alive ¡­ Actually, he was even more sure than he had been before. All these years, Xin Lan had been loyal to him. It wasn''t that that bastard really wanted to do what he said but he had done so because of Jinde''s words. Naturally, he wouldn''t dare to defy him.


    But since a while ago things had changed. Over and over again that guy did what he wanted. He brought up some excuses but obviously, none of that was the truth. So even though he couldn''t explain how it could be, he was only left with one possibility: Jinde was still alive.


    Jin Ling''s heart thumped faster but he quelled his excitement. Even if Jinde was alive, that wouldn''t change the current status quo. He didn''t know where he was and even if he found out, that didn''t have to mean anything. He was still exiled from the dragon realm. If Jinde went there, then there was nothing he could do.


    Sure, there were only a few people that were able to oust him if he forced his way in but Jinde would be even more unhappy with him if he tried to do that. He didn''t want that. He wanted his Jinde to be happy with him. He wanted Jinde to forgive him. He wanted to show him that he was worth his admiration, his love. Maybe now that that man was dead, they could have a shot at love ¡­


    "Jinde ¡­" His lips involuntarily curved at that name.


    Ah, his Jinde ¡­ They hadn''t seen each other for far too long. Even if they couldn''t become a couple, it would also be alright. As long as he could live at his side again, he wouldn''t ask for anything more. If Jinde wasn''t willing to give himself to him, then he could accept that. He just ¡­ wanted to see him. He wanted to see his smile, he wanted to see him work in the garden again. He wanted to be scolded and placated and maybe ¡­ Maybe, if Jinde was willing to forgive him, then he also wanted to be hugged by those slender arms and pressed up against that chest. Taking in the familiar smell of herbs, feeling his heartbeat, feeling that he was still alive, that he hadn''t left him alone ¡­ Was that really asking too much?


    Jin Ling lowered the hand covering his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. Those thoughts sure were nice but he also knew that it was nigh impossible. Jinde hadn''t been happy with him. Otherwise, he never would have thrown him out of the dragon realm and refused to see him afterward. Even when he died ¡­ Even then, he had still refused to see him one last time. He hadn''t asked for him.


    Jin Ling got up and paced around the room. It had been a long time. Back then, Jinde had never been able to be mad at him for long. Maybe his wrath had already subsided. Maybe now, he was willing to forgive him. After all, wasn''t that man already gone? There was no need to reject him any longer, was there? No, certainly, Jinde wouldn''t be like that anymore. They would be able to go back to how it had been before. He only needed to find him!


    From everything he knew, Xin Lan had returned to the Yun Zou Sect several times. Obviously, this had something to do with Jinde. He should be there. Or even if he wasn''t there, there had to be a place that would allow him to contact Jinde. Maybe there was a person or maybe there was some array like the one that could teleport one to the dimension with the lake where he had found that single golden hair. Maybe there was another one he hadn''t seen yet. One that could take him to the place where Jinde lived. Then he could go and ask for his forgiveness.


    He was sure that when Jinde looked into his eyes, when he was able to say the words had kept in his heart, his Jinde wouldn''t be able to cruelly push him away. Even if he still felt some anger about what had happened back then, he would certainly give in. His heart wouldn''t be able to keep cold in front of his eyes.


    No, Jinde wasn''t like that. He was a very affectionate person. If he came to him and showed him that he really regretted what he had done, Jinde would definitely forgive him. There was no doubt about that.


    Jin Ling didn''t wait any longer. His spiritual energy turned into the demons'' dark energy and his body disappeared from the room and reappeared just outside of the perimeters of the Yun Zou Sect.


    His eyes gleamed when he looked at the peaks surrounding the valley and the buildings dotting them. In one of them might be the person he was searching for. He only had to go and find him.


    Jin Ling landed on the ground and his appearance changed to that of a mortal wearing the white robe of a disciple.


    In the house on Yuchi Bing Xia''s peak, Xin Lan went rigid and turned to look out the window.


    Jinde raised his brows at him. "What''s the matter?"


    Xin Lan got up, his brows drawn together. "I''m afraid you jinxed it with that question, Master. That brat really ran here. I''m afraid he''s looking for you again."

 Chapter 699 - He’d Rather Give Him to Xin Lan

    In the High Heavens, Tian sighed and got up from his seat next to the jade coffin, walking to the entrance. He pushed the door open and found Xiang Yu standing on the square in front of the palace. The fallen god was looking up at him with an anxious expression.


    Tian''s eyes narrowed and he couldn''t help but curse in his mind. So many years had passed since the day Xiang Yu fell and he had actually thought that this young fallen god had come to terms with his past and his new status. But now, because these things had happened in the demon realm and that insufferable Xin Lan had turned up, Xiang Yu was once again reminded of the past, his thoughts circling around that wretched demon, his heart in an uproar, unable to calm down. It seemed somebody needed to be taught a lesson in humility. Once again.


    He walked over and came to stop a step away from Xiang Yu. He made sure to calm his thoughts before he spoke up as gently as possible. "What is the matter? Do you need something?"


    Xiang Yu looked at him and lowered his gaze. "My trial ¡­ I want to start it now."


    "Just drink the potion. No need for anything else."


    Xiang Yu nodded and looked around. "My body ¡­"


    Tian waved his hand. "You can choose one of the palaces. I''ll make sure that nobody hurts you." Not that anybody would dare to come and make trouble in the High Heavens.


    Xiang Yu nodded but didn''t go to search for a place where he could stay. His gaze darted about before he finally looked up at Tian again. "About Yan Xiang ¡­"


    Tian furrowed his brows. "There''s no need to speak any further. Whether he has been reincarnated or not has nothing to do with you. Don''t bother with him anymore."


    Xiang Yu didn''t answer. He merely continued to glance around, looking pitiful. "Can''t you just tell me? I won''t go to look for him. I only ¡­ want to know."


    Tian sighed. "What''s there to know? Yes, he was reincarnated. But what does it have to do with you?"


    Xiang Yu''s eyes glimmered with hope at these words. "But he isn''t a demon anymore?"


    Tian considered and finally nodded. "He isn''t but he already has another lover. You shouldn''t get involved."


    Xiang Yu lowered his gaze to the ground. Yan Xia ¡­ He already had another lover now. Why? Since he wasn''t a demon anymore and couldn''t even remember what had happened in his past life, couldn''t they have been happy now? Whether he was a mortal or part of any other race, he didn''t particularly care. If it was Yan Xia, then he didn''t have to be a dragon for them to be together. He just ¡­ just wanted another chance.


    Maybe everything had just been a misunderstanding. Maybe Yan Xia hadn''t really wanted all that to happen to him. There was no way all these feelings could have been an act, was there?


    Tian watched his expression and inwardly sighed. What was so good about that Yan Xia? If he had to choose, he would still rather give Xiang Yu to that insufferable Xin Lan than to that vile demon. Even though Yan Xia wasn''t a demon anymore, the things he had done in his past life couldn''t be undone anymore. What right did he have to spend another life with Xiang Yu? Unfortunately, this child couldn''t understand and still foolishly clung to his hopes even though he should have known better. "Alright, I will not interfere. You go and find a safe place and start on your trial. If it is willed by fate, then you will find him. And I will do nothing about it. If it is not your fate, then you will not meet but even if you meet, you might not get together. I''ll let these things just happen naturally."


    Xiang Yu inched closer, his dark eyes widening, the mark between his brows shimmering with a faint light. "Are you saying the truth? Then can you tell me more about him?"


    Tian reached over and touched the Mark of Wisdom. "Naturally, I am saying the truth. But why should I tell you any more than this? You will be a mortal and you won''t retain any memories. Even if you know now, it won''t change anything. So don''t burden yourself with these thoughts anymore. Just go and start the trial. Everything else can be figured out later."


    Xiang Yu nodded and turned away but then stopped in his tracks. He turned back to Tian and retraced his steps. "That fake dragon and I ¡­ we made a deal. He swore that if he didn''t comply, he would be struck down by you."


    Tian raised his brows and spread out his senses, taking a look at what had happened in the dragon realm. That bastard had actually sworn something like that? He certainly wouldn''t have thought.


    Xiang Yu wriggled on the spot, obviously wanting to say something but not daring to do so.


    "What is it?" Tian''s gaze turned even gentler at this sight.


    Xiang Yu finally reached out and his fingers tugged at Tian''s sleeve. "Don''t strike him down, please? You just ¡­ just push him to the mortal realm. I want him to accompany me. So if he doesn''t want to do it on his own, then you have to force him!"


    Tian''s lips curved into a sinister smile and he reached out and rubbed Xiang Yu''s cheek. "Don''t you worry about that. I''ll make sure he keeps his word." Oh, yes, he would certainly make sure that that bastard kept his word. If he didn''t want to do so, then it was even better. It would give him an excuse to teach him a lesson.


    Xiang Yu smiled gratefully and finally turned away, really leaving for one of the palaces this time. He found the bedroom and lay down on the bed, taking out the potion that Tian had given him before and drinking the liquid.


    The mark between his brows burned and a wave of dizziness hit him. His eyes closed as if on their own and the vial dropped to the ground. A last shallow breath escaped Xiang Yu''s lips and his soul left his body, hovering in the air before it finally left the High Heavens.

 Chapter 700 - Escaping from the Yun Zou Sect

    Leng Jin Yu was woken up by the gentle pulsing of the transmission stone he carried around. He blinked his eyes in a daze and rubbed his forehead, trying to shake off the beautiful image that he had just seen is the in his dreams. Ah, after finding Jinde, he didn''t even need to be close to him anymore to remember bits and pieces of his past life. It was as if the barrier separating him from his memories had grown thinner.


    He shook his head and pushed the thought aside, taking out the transmission stone and imbuing his spiritual energy. What appeared was the pale apparition of Jinde''s face. Leng Jin Yu''s gaze softened at the sight of his husband and his lips already curled into a smile. It had only been a few days since they last saw each other but he already missed him. Seeing him now ¡­ he felt like rushing back and pulling him into his arms. He wanted to greet him but Jinde interrupted him.


    "Is there any place close to the Yun Zou Sect that can''t be casually reached by others? Preferably something where I can go fast?"


    Leng Jin Yu tensed, his good mood shattered. Jinde didn''t sound outright panicked but there was a certain urgency to his words. And now that he took a closer look, he could also see that his brows were slightly drawn together. It seemed something had happened in the Yun Zou Sect. And if it was something that made him want to leave this place ¡­ He didn''t need to ask. "Are you able to leave the sect grounds?"


    Jinde nodded curtly.


    "Can you reach Zhangsun Xun Yi or somebody else in the sect that you know?"


    Jinde shook his head. "No, and I have to leave fast."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and glanced over at Qiu Ling who had already stood up from where he had been staring at the sword. "Alright, leave the sect grounds first. We will come to get you. We can go to the Liu He Alliance."


    Jinde furrowed his brows. "You will not reach in time." He couldn''t wait here until Leng Jin Yu and Qiu Ling came back. Even though these two were fast, Jin Ling was a demon. With their dark energy, he was able to disappear from one place and reappear at another in the blink of an eye. There was no way to outrun him. Furthermore, if Jin Ling caught even a glimpse of him, it would be too late. And if Leng Jin Yu and Qiu Ling came to the Yun Zou Sect, then they would only lure him over. Jin Ling wasn''t stupid, he would know that Jinde would try to meet up with somebody who could help him if he really was there.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and also furrowed his brows. He still felt that the Liu He Alliance was the best place for Jinde to go to for now. But how ¡­ "The tea set! Do you remember that painted tea set I have? It''s a present from an old friend and has some connection to the Liu He Alliance. You can take that to ask entry even though I''m not there. Ask to see Alliance Head Hua. He will certainly shelter you."


    Jinde got up without questioning further and hurried to get a cup of the tea set. He put it into a bag and tied it to his waist before he grabbed a veiled hat that was long enough to cover his hair and then went to the door. He glanced around, trying to see if Jin Ling was anywhere close by.


    With his soul still not healed, he was unable to perceive anybody around him if they didn''t release their energy on purpose. And Jin Ling wasn''t someone who would do this kind of thing. He was the kind of person that would stealthily sneak around and observe the situation before he made his move.


    Jinde''s eyes flashed with hurt when he thought back to their time together in the dragon realm. How often had that child sneaked up to him, ambushing him to get a hug and have him pat his head? When he had looked up at him, his eyes had sparkled happily, suffused with a warmth that he had never felt before. Even Chun Yin hadn''t been able to let him feel this type of warmth. He couldn''t believe that he was actually trying to hide from that cute child now.


    He clenched his hands into a fist but forced himself to calm down. He couldn''t change the past. He could only go with the flow now until his soul was healed. After that ¡­ maybe there would be a chance to make up.


    He took another glance but still didn''t see even a corner of Jin Ling''s robe. It seemed like he wasn''t there.


    Jinde raised the transmission stone again and looked at Leng Jin Yu with reluctance. "I''ll try to get out. Where do I have to go afterward?"


    "Northeast. If you fly for a few hundred Li, you should see a town there. Stop there and ask for directions. It''s better than me trying to explain."


    Jinde nodded and took a deep look at his husband''s face. If this went wrong ¡­ He smiled and finally cut the connection, putting the transmission stone away. He had to focus every bit of energy he still had to move now.


    He once again glanced around and rushed out. Ah, if only he wasn''t injured. Then this wouldn''t be a problem at all. Unfortunately ¡­ Things weren''t that easy. He approached the edge of the Yun Zou Sect''s sect grounds, his energy flickering dangerously. He could feel the drain on his soul and scrunched up his face. He could only hope that this Liu He Alliance wasn''t too far away. Otherwise ¡­


    He shook his head and didn''t think about it any longer. For now, he only had to reach that town. Everything else could wait.

 Chapter 701 - Making the Right Decision

    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but look at the transmission stone that had turned dull with worry. Had Jinde been found? Was that why he cut the connection? Or was he just trying to ration his strength? It wasn''t impossible. He was injured after all. Unfortunately, that also left the question if he would have enough strength to flee from the Yun Zou Sect. Well, even if he did manage to leave without being caught, would he have to pay a price for that? If this worsened the injury to his soul ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. He couldn''t think like that! This wasn''t the time to lose his head. No, he had to stay calm and think fast. Right now, they could only play for time. They needed to give Jinde the opportunity to flee so that he could take cover in the Liu He Alliance. If he managed to get there, then the danger should have been avoided. After all, the demon king didn''t know about him and his connections both with the Liu He Alliance and with Jinde, so he shouldn''t be able to figure out that Jinde went there. So Jinde would be safe as long as nobody but the two of them knew about this and he didn''t go to see Jinde.


    Thinking of that, Leng Jin Yu calmed down further. It was only the first step that was difficult. If he managed to get out of the Yun Zou Sect and then reached the Liu He Alliance, then nothing could happen anymore. He could even wait there until they finished gathering the ingredients and Bai Mu figured out a way to lock the dimension and only return to the Yun Zou Sect after they had prepared everything. That way, he could enter the new dimension immediately and the demon king wouldn''t be able to reach him even if he knew that he was there. Yes, that was definitely the best way to go about this.


    Leng Jin Yu turned to Qiu Ling, his gaze grave. "Qiu Ling, can you return to the Yun Zou Sect?"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows in response. "Alone? What about you then? You don''t want to make sure how the old geezer is?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. Naturally, he wanted to. But this wasn''t the best course of action. So as hard as it was to endure not knowing what exactly had happened, he wouldn''t be willful and rush over. No, he had to do what was best for Jinde. "There''s no chance I would be able to defeat the demon king. In fact, I might make things worse. It would be better if you went there and stalled him. Don''t let him discover Jinde. Would you do that?"


    Qiu Ling gazed at Leng Jin Yu with a peculiar look. His father ¡­ His real father had never asked him something like this. Would he do it? Did he want to? For Chun Yin, everything had been a given. Naturally, people would do as he said. Whether his son wanted to leave the capital, whether his lover was alright with him marrying that woman ¡­ he had never paused to ask after even a single thing.


    Qiu Ling sighed. If his father had only been a little more like Leng Jin Yu, everything might have been different. But now, it was too late. The regrets each of them had from that time couldn''t be made up for. He could only look ahead and make sure that their future didn''t look as bleak as their past.


    "I will. What about you?"


    Leng Jin Yu clenched his fists. He really wanted to go and see how Jinde was doing but he couldn''t as long as the realm wasn''t prepared. If he didn''t go over to the Liu He Alliance, it was much less likely that anything would be discovered. He''d have to live with being separated from Jinde for the time being. "I''ll continue to gather those ingredients. The sooner we have them, the sooner we can fulfill the promise to your cousin-in-law. And hopefully, he will also be able to find a way to heal Jinde soon."


    Qiu Ling nodded and didn''t waste any more time, pushing off the ground. "Alright, then you take care. I won''t let him down, don''t worry." With that, he rushed away, making his way back to the Yun Zou Sect to confront Jin Ling.


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and took a deep breath, pushing the thoughts at Jinde away. There was nothing he could do for him right now. He could only continue on the path he had already taken and see to it that he would be able to fulfill the part that he could do. Anything else ¡­ As much as he would like to do it, it would make no sense. This was the limit of his strength for the moment.


    Ah, in the future, he definitely had to grow stronger. At the very least, he had to grow strong enough that he would be able to do what Qiu Ling was doing right now and go to help his husband. Seriously, losing to the demon king ¡­ It didn''t feel good at all. And having to let Jinde flee in a panic ¡­ It felt even worse. With that thought, he continued to look for the last few ingredients on the list, hoping that he could return to his beloved''s side as soon as possible.

 Chapter 702 - Doing the Gods a Favor

    In the High Heavens, Tian watched Xiang Yu leave before he himself turned back to the palace behind him and went back to the entrance. He reached out to push the door open but stopped at the final moment. He looked in the other direction and finally sighed. "I guess it can''t hurt to take a look."


    He took his hand back and turned in the other direction, leaving this place that was formed after the capital of the Nine Heavens behind and walking into the empty plane past of the walls. Not long after, a person came into view. It was a young man about twenty years of age in a white robe who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, cultivating. Tian didn''t bother to take a closer look at his appearance and instead checked his soul. A glittering white haze appeared in front of his mind''s eye, that surrounded an equally light-colored core.


    Tian sighed. This wasn''t the soul he had been searching for but he hadn''t expected it to be anyway. No, if it was, then he would have known already. Although ¡­ This soul might be suitable to help him achieve his goal. Especially if he considered who this person was and what had caused the faint cracks in this soul.


    He looked a moment longer, clicking his tongue in dissatisfaction and shaking his head. Even if it was suitable in general, with the soul in this state, the risk really was too big.


    "I guess I should do the gods a favor then."


    He raised his hand and a silver light coalesced at his fingertips before rushing over to Jing Yi and sinking into his forehead. The cracks on his soul healed in a speed that was visible to the naked eye.


    Jing Yi''s eyelids fluttered and he finally opened his eyes. He had no idea what had just happened but his whole body suddenly felt warm as if engulfed by soft light or caught in a gentle embrace. He looked down at his hands but nothing could be seen. This ¡­ Just what had happened? Could it be that this was an after-effect from cultivating here in the High Heavens? It wouldn''t be anything harmful, would it?


    He shook his head to drive that fleeting thought off. This kind of soft feeling, he couldn''t imagine that it was anything harmful. No, if anything, then it should be something good. Maybe this was him nearing the next stage of his cultivation?


    Jing Yi hadn''t learned too much about the theory behind cultivation so he wasn''t sure how he would know that he was about to reach the next stage. He could only hope that he would be able to sense it when he really managed to do so. He already wanted to close his eyes again and continue when somebody cleared his throat behind.


    Jing Yi flinched and jumped to his feet, hurriedly turning around. The person behind him wasn''t Xiang Yu. Instead, it was a man with an expressionless face, that looked at him with neither good nor bad intentions. It rather seemed that in this man''s eyes, nothing was important. He was merely somebody he had seen and that was all. He wasn''t even sure if this man had really made a sound just now. He really didn''t seem as if he wanted to talk.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but back off a step before he tried to give the man a smile. "Oh, what might be the matter?"


    Tian looked at him and finally turned away, gazing back in the direction of the capital. "Entering my realm and still asking me what the matter may be. The crown prince of the Nine Heavens sure is daring now that he has been reincarnated as a mortal."


    Jing Yi blinked and needed a moment to figure out what this man meant. His realm? Then didn''t this mean ¡­


    Tian looked over his shoulder and nodded. "Indeed. I am Tian, sovereign of all realms, ruler of the High Heavens. Since it was Xiang Yu who brought you here, I won''t make things difficult for you. Your soul has already been healed. There''s no need for you to remain here. Tell me where you want to go and I''ll send you back there."


    Jing Yi gaped at him. This was Tian? The real Tian? The one that his former self had thought about so often? This kind of expressionless man ¡­


    He gulped and couldn''t help but congratulate himself that the previous misunderstanding had already been cleared up. If he had really come here, thinking that this was the lover from his past life, then he might have as well died of embarrassment. Obviously, this person felt nothing for him. If it wasn''t for his previous self''s status in the Nine Heavens, this person might not even know who he was.


    Tian''s brows furrowed slightly and he motioned ahead. "Now, where do you want to go?"


    Jing Yi reeled and finally shook his head. Right! How could he forget to answer this man''s question? He looked at the ground with a sheepish expression and cleared his throat. "The Yun Zou Sect in the mortal realm. Can you send me there?" After all, this should be where Qiu Ling would wait for him, shouldn''t it?


    Tian nodded. "Naturally, I can. Let me give you a word of advice though: Your soul has been healed but the problem that made it crack wasn''t resolved. In the future, when you encounter it again after your trial ends, you should be careful. Otherwise, the next time we see each other, you will be a fallen god just like Xiang Yu."


    He didn''t wait for Jing Yi to answer and merely lifted his finger. A bright light flashed and Jing Yi felt himself falling, finally dropping down to the ground after what felt like an eternity. When he opened his eyes, he saw a slightly familiar ceiling above him. It seemed ¡­ he had been transported to the small house in the bamboo forest in the Yun Zou Sect''s inner sect?

 Chapter 703 - A Trial for the Dragons?

    Just when Qiu Ling arrived at the Yun Zou Sect, he felt a familiar sensation from not far away. He stopped in midair and looked towards the bamboo forest in the inner sect incredulously. Wasn''t this the mark of the dragon that he had left on his beloved? How come he was suddenly feeling it in the Yun Zou Sect? Wasn''t his beloved in the High Heavens?


    Qiu Ling blinked. Wait! Then this could only mean ¨C


    He ignored the matter with the demon king and rushed over to the bamboo forest in the inner sect, not hesitating for even a moment before he barged into the house. His eyes went wide when he saw the youth lying on the bed and looking up at the ceiling with a dazed expression.


    "My love!" Qiu Ling rushed over and threw himself at Jing Yi, hugging him tightly to his chest and burying his face in Jing Yi''s neck. Ah, this time, he definitely wouldn''t let go for even a moment. That stupid bastard from the demon realm should just try to get his hands on his beloved one more time! He''d tear him limb from limb.


    "Qiu ¡­ Qiu Ling?" Jing Yi reached up and hesitatingly touched the person above him. It really was Qiu Ling. Ah, he truly was back in the Yun Zou Sect. That man had said the truth. He was able to send him right back.


    Jing Yi tightened his hold on Qiu Ling, pressing up against his body as if he never wanted to let go again. "Qiu Ling! I thought I might never see you again."


    Qiu Ling shook his head without letting go. If he could, he''d melt right into his beloved. Then that bastard should try to separate them again.


    The two of them continued to lie there, not knowing what to do or say for a moment. Actually, they hadn''t been separated for that long. But it sure had felt like an eternity. This kind of thing ¡­ They really didn''t want to experience it ever again.


    Jing Yi brushed through Qiu Ling''s hair with his fingers and made him lift his head. "What happened while I was away?"


    Qiu Ling looked at him pitifully. "My love, I really wanted to come and save you! It''s just that while I was still preparing to lure that bastard away so that I could come and rescue you, that stupid fallen god had already taken you away.


    "So then we had to find out where he was and I had to make a deal with some other bastard because he wouldn''t help otherwise. So since then, I''ve been running around, looking for things that he wanted to have. Who knew that you to come back here on your own? Tch, that guy was really taking advantage of my plight!" Not that he wouldn''t have helped the old geezer anyway but if he had known that his beloved would come back soon, then he wouldn''t have gone out to gather the materials now. What if he hadn''t been here when his beloved returned? Then maybe that bastard would''ve stolen him away again! He couldn''t let something like that happen again!


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. "It''s not so much returning on my own than being sent back. That Xiang Yu actually brought me to the High Heavens. I don''t know too much about that place but that Tian seems to be in charge there.


    "He suddenly appeared in front of me and told me that he''d sent me back. He even asked where I wanted to go. I thought that you might be in the Yun Zou Sect so I asked him to send me here. Who knew it would really happen like that?" He pushed Qiu Ling off and looked around. This place still looked the same as when he had come here for the first time back then after joining the inner sect.


    Come to think of it ¡­ After becoming a disciple of the inner sect, he hadn''t really had the time to stay here. It really was as if he had never been promoted to an inner sect disciple. He was still running around like back when he had been an outer sect disciple.


    Qiu Ling also sat up and took Jing Yi''s hand instead. "The only important thing is that you''re back here. Don''t worry. I won''t let anything happen to you ever again. I''ll definitely stay at your side all the time now. The bastard won''t be able to do anything."


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but smile. "What are you even saying? It wasn''t your fault. I was the one who went over to tell him that I wouldn''t go with him. Remember? Ah, I shouldn''t have done that. It was completely my fault to be taken away. I can''t believe he actually used me to threaten you." He squeezed Qiu Ling''s hand and looked down, furrowing his brows. Remembering how Qiu Ling had willingly knelt down and even sacrificed somebody from his own race to get him back, he couldn''t help but feel guilty. He really had made too much trouble. In the future, he couldn''t take such risks. Whatever turned up, he would just ignore it. From now on, there would only be Qiu Ling. He''d really stay at his side all the time.


    Jing Yi leaned forward and hugged Qiu Ling again. "Let''s not think about that any longer. I''m back. From now on, things will be different."


    Qiu Ling nodded and happily brushed through his beloved''s hair.


    Jing Yi reached up and cupped his cheeks, gently kissing his lips. "I think I promised you something before this whole ordeal happened. If you still want to ¡­ then I''m prepared to marry you now."


    Qiu Ling''s hand stilled and his lips curved into a nervous smile. Mary him ¡­ Yes, at that time, he had wanted nothing more than that. Now ¡­ He couldn''t help but wonder what it would mean for Jing He though. Only one of them ¡­ This truly was too cruel. Maybe Tian also wanted to let the dragons face a trial? He really couldn''t imagine why he would be faced with this kind of decision otherwise.

 Chapter 704 - An Infuriating Smile

    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling expectantly. After finally figuring out that regardless of what memories he still had from his previous life he wanted to be with Qiu Ling and then having to be separated from him and missing him continuously every hour of the day, he was sure now. Marrying this man was what he should do. There was no need to worry about anything and hesitate any longer.


    Who cared what had happened with his past self or whether or not he was currently a mortal? He loved this man and Qiu Ling also loved him. Why shouldn''t they get married? He certainly wouldn''t regret it. And whatever issues came up, they would be able to solve them somehow.


    Seeing his gaze, Qiu Ling couldn''t bring himself to say no or even ask him to wait a while. Wouldn''t his beloved be extremely disappointed then? He wanted to promise to marry him immediately but Jing He''s beautiful face flashed through his mind, making him pause.


    Ten years ¡­ Even though it had taken a long time and they had only slowly gotten closer, he cherished each and every day of these years. Jing He had always been and would always be the most important person in his life. To him, Jing Yi and Jing He had been the same person but maybe his beloved himself didn''t see it that way. In that case, wouldn''t he be hurting Jing He when he married Jing He? Ah, this was almost as difficult as deciding what to do about the trial!


    Getting married in the mortal realm, he had always thought it would be romantic and something Jing He would look back at as a fond memory. But who knew if that was really the case? Maybe things weren''t as easy as he had thought. In that case, he couldn''t do this. But then again, how could he say no to Jing Yi? And even if he did, maybe Jing He would also misunderstand? After all, this was his mortal reincarnation. Maybe rejecting him would feel to Jing He as if he himself had been rejected?


    Qiu Ling had no idea what to do. In the Nine Heavens, he had never hesitated. He loved this person and he had done everything he could to make him his. But now, things were suddenly different. The person he loved wasn''t exactly the person he loved anymore. Not that he loved him any less ¡­


    "Is it that you do not want anymore?" Jing Yi couldn''t help but grow anxious when he saw Qiu Ling''s lack of reaction.


    Qiu Ling was startled out of his thoughts and his instincts took over. This was the person he loved! It was the soul he had bound himself to. He pulled him back into his arms without any further thought and once again buried his head in Jing Yi''s neck. "I want to. I love you and nothing will ever change about that. It''s just that ¡­" Qiu Ling closed his eyes and gulped down the explanation that he had almost blurted out. He wanted Jing He to understand but he didn''t want to make Jing Yi worry either. For as long as his mortal life lasted, his beloved should also have good memories. He shouldn''t burden him with these worries about his reincarnation. He would just explain to Jing He when he woke up again. Things would work out somehow.


    Qiu Ling leaned back and gave a wry smile, brushing through Jing Yi''s hair. "That bastard actually came back to the Yun Zou Sect today. I guess I should go and deal with him first." He got up and squeezed Jing Yi''s hands before he turned away. Before he reached the door, he turned back though. He certainly couldn''t go just like that, could he? "Actually, it might be best if you came with me. Who knows what he''ll try to do if I leave you alone?" He went back over again and pulled Jing Yi to his feet and back into his arms. He didn''t wait to hear what Jing Yi had to say to this and rushed out of the bamboo house, pushing off the ground and flying over to where he could feel Xin Lan. Most likely, that guy would have engaged that stupid bastard in a long-winded discussion already to give the old geezer time to run away.


    Xin Lan had indeed worked on stalling Jin Ling. At first, he had waited in the house while Jinde left in the hope of misleading the demon king into going to look there instead of surveying the whole sect grounds. Only when Xin Lan had thought that Jinde was far enough away, did he come out and went to confront this annoying person. By now, the two of them were facing off in the area between the inner and outer sect grounds.


    Jin Ling couldn''t help but grin when he saw Xin Lan. "You''re here once again. It really makes me wonder just what is so special about the Yun Zou Sect." His gaze roamed about, taking in the buildings in the outer sect and the courtyard houses in the inner sect. Now that he had really seen Xin Lan int he Yun Zou Sect once again, he felt even more sure that Jinde had to be here. "Since I''ve already figured it out, you can make it easier for both of us. Just tell me where he is. I''ll go over and have a nice talk with him. That''s all I want. I''m sure Jinde wouldn''t mind."


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes. It probably wouldn''t help if he denied that Jinde was here. Jin Ling had always been sure that something fishy must have gone on with Jinde''s death. Well, he had been right, just that nobody other than Jinde himself had known about that. The only question was if his Master was already far enough away that he wouldn''t be caught by Jin Ling. After all, that ability of the demons to move instantly to another place was really troublesome. Even embroiling somebody like that in a fight wasn''t easy at all. In that case ¡­ He should probably continue to pretend even though it wouldn''t change Jin Ling''s mind at all.


    Xin Lan forced a smile and turned away. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. Somebody didn''t really want me in the demon realm and then I was told that it might be nice to take a break. Can''t I enjoy some free time in the human realm?"


    Jin Ling rubbed the gem embedded in his ear and nodded. "Sure you can enjoy it. It''s just that I coincidentally know that you enjoy your time the most when you''re with my Jinde. So where is he? I swear that if you tell me, I''ll just go and say hello. Nothing else. Otherwise ¡­" His lips curved up further into that infuriating charming smile that Xin Lan hated the most.


    Ah, in the current situation, his Master shouldn''t mind if he taught this brat a lesson for once, would he?

 Chapter 705 - Refusing to Meet

    Xin Lan gave a smile of his own but contrary to that of Jin Ling, his was cold. "Just say ''hello'' ¡­ You really want me to believe that? As if you were ever satisfied with what he was willing to give you! You weren''t back then and you certainly won''t be now that you''ve been starved of his affection for the last several thousand years."


    Jin Ling''s expression didn''t waver. He wouldn''t let this guy incite him. He was only one step away from finding Jinde. He couldn''t let anything happen now. Who knew if Jinde wasn''t watching right now? If he was able to show him that he had changed, that he wouldn''t go too far anymore, then maybe he would come out on his own. "Even though you might not believe me, I''m sure that Jinde will. Why don''t you go and tell him that I''m here? He can decide whether he wants to see me or not."


    Xin Lan chuckled. "Tell him? So you''re telling me to go and kill myself? Who knows if there''s a life after death? And with how long His Majesty has been dead, he might as well have reincarnated already. Ah, come to think about it, maybe you should just go to the Nine Heavens and ask the Fate''s Scribe about it." He paused and widened his eyes in mock surprise. "Oh, no, I forgot. That is impossible. He couldn''t have reincarnated. After all, your father cut him with the soul-devouring dagger. So his soul has completely dissolved. He won''t return, he won''t even be able to reincarnate as a little beast."


    This time, Jin Ling''s expression wavered. This was probably his deepest regret. Had he known that something like this might happen, then he would''ve made sure that his father wasn''t able to hold onto that weapon. He certainly could have found a way to steal it. After all, that had already been after his banishment and he had been living in the demon realm. Even if his status wasn''t high, he was still allowed to be close to Jian Heng. After all, that guy had still wanted to use him to get close to Jinde.


    Jin Ling took a deep breath and forced himself to continue. This time, he wouldn''t give up. He would continue until the end. "What are you saying? Didn''t you and Jinde find a way to stop that curse and heal him? I''m sure he''s doing well. So where is he?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "You''re delusional. And even if your guess wasn''t an illusion, you''d still be delusional. The things you want from him, he will never give them to you. So don''t try to talk me into this. I know you and I knew him well enough. Obviously, I knew him much better than you do. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have made such a grave mistake."


    Jin Ling''s copper-colored brows drew together. "It''s in the past. And I was young. Jinde also understands that. He won''t hold it against me. He''ll accept seeing me again. So let us talk. It''s just a ¡­ family meeting." His expression froze up, showing something that might have been called a smile but was actually gruesome to look at.


    Xin Lan smiled. "Yes, a family meeting. It doesn''t sound too bad. Mn, if His Majesty was still alive, he really would''ve liked to hear that. Now, while we''re at it, we should have invited that other brat. After all, he''s still that man''s child." He took in a breath and clicked his tongue. "That reminds me ¡­ Didn''t you kill that man''s reincarnation just a while back? Do you think His Majesty would have liked that if he was still alive? I''m sure that would have left him with a bad impression."


    Jin Ling''s expression blanked. That man ¡­ Yes, he had instigated that. Could it be ¡­ Had Jinde heard about it? Was he faulting him for that? Was that why he refused to see him even after all this time? Was it ¡­ Was that just because of that man? Had he lost to him once again? His hands trembled but he forced himself to take a deep breath and restored his smile. "What are you even saying? Wasn''t it that Qiguan Cheng Da who killed him? What do I have to do with that?"


    "Weren''t you the one who provided him with the means to kill that man? Ah, you might not have known but ¡­ if his Majesty really was still alive, I definitely wouldn''t tell him about that. Whether it''s killing the Son of Heaven to get back at that brat Qiu Ling, or killing the reincarnation of the person His Majesty loved ¡­ You still haven''t learned your lesson.


    "So why would His Majesty bother to see you? Actually, I can tell you. Yes, he did survive. The curse has been lifted, he won''t die. But ¡­ he doesn''t want to see you. In fact, he knew that you were searching for him. He knew that you were here several times. But he refused to meet you. Even now, he is still refusing to meet you. Why do you think that is?"


    Jin Ling''s body shook. Jinde ¡­ Jinde was really still alive. He hadn''t ¡­ He hadn''t imagined it. He was still alive! He hadn''t died that day. His father hadn''t been able to kill him. He tried but he hadn''t succeeded. No, Jinde was still there.


    Jin Ling took a deep breath and his previously strained smile turned into a genuine. "That''s good as well. As long as he''s alive, I can still try. He doesn''t need to accept me right now, I just want to have the opportunity to obtain him in the future."


    Xin Lan frowned. Obtain him in the future. Yes, this was exactly the way a demon would think. For all his pretense of loving Jinde, these had never been genuine feelings. There was no love. This brat, even though only half of his blood was that of a demon, his soul was still much more similar to them. The only thing he felt for Jinde was that cursed obsession.


    Well, by now, his Master should have escaped. And after that, Jin Ling wouldn''t be able to find him. So now, they would be able to prepare everything silently and when they had finished and his Master''s soul was healed, then there was no need to hide anymore. His Master would be able to proudly return to the dragon realm.


    How would Jin Ling still matter then? No, this person, he would soon be a negligible existence. As he should be. He would just be a mistake of the past, nothing to worry about anymore.

 Chapter 706 - Searching the Yun Zou Sect

    Before either of them had time to respond, another person arrived with an angry yell. "You bastard! You really dared to come here again and try to steal my beloved?!"


    Jin Ling blinked his eyes, awaking from the daze that this new information had brought about. He turned around and saw an angry Qiu Ling that was pressing a human youth to his chest.


    Jin Ling raised his brows. It seemed this was the Son of Heaven''s reincarnation that had disappeared from his palace? Well, never mind. He had already found out what he wanted. Xin Lan had finally admitted that Jinde was still alive. Everything else was unimportant. In fact, now that Jinde was alive, he might even spare this guy.


    What reason was there to make things difficult for Qiu Ling if Jinde was still alive and well and that person''s reincarnation already dead? Even though he still hated him, he would agree to let Qiu Ling live. After all, it was only natural that Jinde would want to hold onto that last bit of that man''s bloodline.


    Why shouldn''t he allow it? If Jinde was his, then there was no reason to feel insecure. After all, that man wasn''t there anymore. His father wasn''t anymore either. Xin Lan wouldn''t dare. There was only him. Sooner or later, Jinde would realize that he was his best choice. They would finally be able to realize their feelings. They could be together. Naturally, as a good lover, he should give in to all of Jinde''s whims. He would be the very best person for him that he could.


    Jin Ling gave Qiu Ling a smile. He didn''t even bother to tease him about their relationship and just nodded as a greeting. "So you have him back. That''s splendid. You should enjoy the time you have together. Now, excuse me, there''s something I have to do." He turned around and wanted to go and search for Jinde. Before he could go to check on the first building though, Xin Lan appeared in front of him.


    "You really think I''d let you go and search for him just like that? I already told you that he doesn''t want to see you!"


    Jin Ling continued to smile. "He''s just saying that. As soon as he sees me, he''ll think differently. Just wait for it." He shifted past Xin Lan but the dragon reached out to grab his shoulder. Jin Ling''s lips curved up into a smile. As if he would fall for that!


    His body disappeared from the place where it had just been and reappeared twenty feet closer to the building. "Even you can''t catch a demon." He didn''t give Xin Lan the opportunity to catch up to him and just reappeared in front of the building, looking into one of the windows. Unfortunately, Jinde couldn''t be seen inside.


    Jin Ling''s brows furrowed but he wasn''t in a hurry. He had waited for this long, he would be able to keep his patience for a few more minutes. It was just a question of time until he saw him again. Once again, he disappeared and then reappeared inside the house.


    Outside, Qiu Ling floated over to Xin Lan''s side and nudged his shoulder. "The old geezer ¡­"


    Xin Lan shot him a dark look, shutting him up. "Since you''ve come, then help me to try to hold him back. He definitely can''t find His Majesty!"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. So the old geezer had already escaped the sect grounds? And they were trying to buy him time? In that case, he should probably help him. Ah, his old man would be so proud of him. Well, it was probably alright to help him considering he was a much nicer person in his new life. And the old geezer had always been rather nice to him even though he pretended not to be since the day his father had decided to leave with his mother.


    Qiu Ling wasn''t in a hurry to move though. He turned to Jing Yi and gave him a smile. "There''s someone we have to save now. I''d leave you here but I''m afraid I can''t. You''ve also seen that guy. He might just snatch you away if I leave you out of my sight even for just a moment. You won''t mind, will you?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. He had already promised to be with this man forever. Why would he be afraid now?


    Qiu Ling nodded happily and also moved, trying or at least pretending to try to intercept Jin Ling in his search for Jinde. The four figures flashed around above the sect grounds of the Yun Zou Sect, checking one building in the inner sect, then another in the outer sect before moving back to the inner sect again, looking at each and every room until Jin Ling finally stopped with a blank expression.


    He had searched all the buildings. He had looked in every single room. So why ¡­ was Jinde not there? Why hadn''t he found him? He turned to look behind him where Qiu Ling and Xin Lan had already caught up and stared at them with his body trembling. "Why? Where is he?!"


    Qiu Ling didn''t bother about him and just looked at Jing Yi instead. Mn, actually, this wasn''t bad. Carrying him around and protecting him from the demon king shouldn''t be anything his beloved would mind, should it? No, he was pretty sure that Jing He would find it very romantic.


    Jin Ling frowned and turned to Xin Lan.


    With the silver mask obscuring half his face, Xin Lan''s expression was hard to read. Still, he felt that there was a mocking glint in his eyes. "Where is he?!"


    Xin Lan merely flashed him a smile. "Even if I knew, I wouldn''t tell you. You can be sure about that. So, I''m afraid, you''ll have to search forever if you really want to find him. Well, good luck with that. I guess I''ll go and enjoy my break then." With that, he turned around and left for the house where he had come from, pouring himself a cup of tea and sipping it with a faint smile.


    Ah, this truly was a day he had waited for for a long time. It really made him look forward to the future when his Master was finally healed.

 Chapter 707 - Could You Point Me in the Right Direction?

    At this moment, Jinde had long left the grounds of the Yun Zou Sect and arrived in the town that Leng Jin Yu had pointed out to him. This really was just a small town. The streets weren''t wide, barely allowing two horse-drawn carriages to pass by next to each other if no people were standing at the side. He had seen two inns next to the market square that barely held a dozen stalls. There were only about three or four dozen houses too and looking at the people that were moving about, most of them seemed to be locals. Other than him, there was only one other group of visitors.


    Jinde stopped next to a stall selling jewelry and pretended to look at the goods while he glanced at the group of foreigners. They were wearing dark green robes without any embellishments. Contrary to the currently popular style that featured wide sleeves, theirs were tight-fitting and even reinforced by a layer of soft leather. Each of them was also carrying a weapon. Apparently, they weren''t just normal cultivators, they were demon hunters.


    Jinde narrowed his eyes. Asking cultivators would be the best idea if he wanted to know about a cultivation sect. Then again, he was a dragon and with his appearance, he would get himself into trouble if one of these people saw. And who could say for sure that not a single strand of hair would peek out from below the veil? No, it was better not to risk it. At the very least, he should first try if he could achieve his goal another way.


    Jinde turned to the woman behind the stall and gave a smile before he remembered that the veil was covering his face. Right, he wouldn''t be able to charm his way through this. Ah, what a pity. He''d have to hope that his voice was magnetic enough then. "I''m sorry but there''s something I''d like to ask."


    The woman looked at him, her expression turning confused. She had certainly never seen a customer like this. Why was his whole body covered with a veil?


    "Have you ever heard of the ¡­ Liu He Alliance?"


    "Liu He Alliance? Never heard of them. What''s that supposed to be?"


    Jinde sighed. Well, it had probably been too much to expect the first person he asked to know about this. If the person hadn''t met someone from the alliance by chance or traveled around before, they would in most cases only know about the sect that was closest to them. At the very least, that was what Xin Lan had told him. "Thank you nonetheless. I''m sorry for taking up your time."


    The woman frowned. "Heh! You wouldn''t just go, would you?! What about my goods? You haven''t brought anything!" She had already feared that something like this might happen when she had seen this person''s get-up. But since he still dared to talk to her, she had thought he would at least buy something. Who could have known he would ask something strange? How should she know some alliance? But he couldn''t use that as an excuse not to buy anything! That wasn''t right!


    Not far from them, one of the demon hunters was already looking over.


    Jinde gave a sigh and nodded at her. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have disturbed your business." Unfortunately, he couldn''t buy the jewelry. Although he had some money in his spatial ring but after hurrying here this fast, the spiritual energy at his disposal was already very low. He couldn''t use that indiscriminately and even opening his spatial ring would consume some of it. If he wasn''t able to recover it soon, things wouldn''t look too good for him.


    He turned away and walked to one of the inns, trying not to listen to the woman''s scolding. Ah, did she really need to be like this? It wasn''t like he had stolen something!


    Just when he wanted to enter the inn, that group of demon hunters stepped into his path. The one in front smiled at him and cupped his fists. "This brother, may I ask where you''re going?"


    Jinde sighed inwardly. Ah, he had tried to avoid them but it seemed he hadn''t been successful. Maybe he had still acted too suspicious. Well, it was no wonder. The last time he had been in the mortal world ¡­


    Jinde grew dazed for a moment. His last time in the mortal world, it had been when he and Chun Yin had still been young. It had been Chun Yin who pulled him out of the dragon realm and down here, making him visit several cities, listening to stories in the teahouses, drinking in the inns, taking part in the festivals of the humans.


    Back then, it had still been as if they had all the time in the world, as if there was nothing that could ever separate them. Back then, who could have known that Chun Yin would someday die and that he would be left alone, waiting for Chun Yin''s reincarnation?


    And now, even he and Leng Jin Yu had been separated because of the mistakes he had made in the past. It seemed he truly was followed by bad luck. Well, whatever kind of bad luck was following him, he would make sure that reunite with Leng Jin Yu soon. He definitely wouldn''t allow fate to separate him from his lover for so many years ever again!


    Jinde cupped his fists to return the demon hunter''s greeting. "It''s a lucky coincidence to meet here. I was already wondering if it would be a bother if I approached you since you were still in conversation. Actually, I was sent to bring a message to the Liu He Alliance''s alliance head Hua. Unfortunately ¡­" He drawled and finally gave a sigh. "I''m ashamed to admit it but I''ve never been there so I got lost on my way. You wouldn''t be able to point me in the right direction?"


    Faced with this explanation, the group of demon hunters didn''t know what to say. It sounded logical but ¡­ Who would get lost on their way to such a prominent sect? Was there anything more to this story?

 Chapter 708 - Going to Hunt Demons

    The demon hunter in front of Jinde nodded and lowered his hands. "Naturally. The Liu He Alliance is prominent. Most people would know where it is situated."


    Jinde also lowered his hands and nodded. "Ah, I thought as much. Actually, this is entirely my own fault. You have to know that the person who gave me this task is very important to me. I didn''t want to look bad so I accepted the task even though ¡­" He didn''t speak further but the young men all nodded. So it was something a martial sister asked him to do. No wonder he had still accepted despite not knowing anything about the situation!


    The demon hunter in front of him didn''t indicate what he thought of his story but didn''t reject him either. "Well, actually, we were going in the same direction. There were some sightings of demons further up in the north so we were sent to eliminate them. Making a short detour to the Liu He Alliance shouldn''t be a problem."


    Jinde gave a grateful smile by reflex before he remembered the veil. He cupped his hands again and bowed instead. "Thank you very much. I''m deeply indebted to you." Honestly, if he still had enough strength, he wouldn''t even consider going with a group of demon hunters. But since things had already come to this point, there was no way for him to refuse. Now, if he was somehow able to save even a bit of spiritual energy, then he would do so. And with a group of several people, they would be likely to use a spiritual artifact to move instead of their own flying swords. At the very least, that had been how it was done when he came here with Chun Yin.


    "There are still some things we need to do here in town. I hope you don''t mind waiting a bit?"


    Jinde shook his head. "Of course not. It is already my good fortune that you''re willing to take me with you. How could I dare to interfere with your matters? In the end, I''ll still be there much earlier if I can follow your directions as if I try to make my way over by slowly asking around."


    The demon hunter nodded and then motioned to the inn. "Some of my brothers will wait here and eat. You can join in if you want to."


    Jinde nodded once again and said some words of thanks before he followed the other men in.


    The group went and sat down at a table. Jinde followed but still made sure to survey the surrounding on his own. These people had offered to take him along without knowing him. Maybe this was an act of kindness but maybe this was, in fact, just them having doubts about him. Who could know for sure? If they had, then he needed to find an opportunity to get away. It wouldn''t be easy with his spiritual energy running low but if he formed a plan early on, it wouldn''t be too bad. At the very least, it was possible.


    The demon hunters ordered some food and drink and started to talk as if he wasn''t there at all. It seemed what that man had said before was indeed true. They were going to eliminate demons. As for what type of demons it was ¡­ He didn''t care too much. As long as he wasn''t lumped together with them, it wasn''t his problem.


    Jinde instead looked around, trying to see just how much the human world had changed. Actually, the mortal realm wasn''t too different from the immortal realms if one didn''t consider that spiritual energy wasn''t as thick and thus didn''t allow for some materials to form and for cultivators to rise in the ranks faster. But over all, life had always been the same, especially in the bigger places.


    There were a lot of people, each with their own wishes and agendas, people that fell in love and broke up, that cried and laughed. Some people would be born and others would die. It was the same for the humans as it was for the dragons. Just that the dragons could live forever if nothing went wrong while the humans had short lifetimes. But the feelings and everything else was exactly the same.


    So the question was: The humans that had approached him ¡­ were they good people that only wanted to help because of the kindness in their heart? Or did they have some hidden motives? He didn''t know and it wasn''t like he could ask. For the time being, he could only hope that he had been lucky that things would go well, letting them arrive at the Liu He Alliance soon and maybe even meet Leng Jin Yu again.


    Just then, the door to the inn opened again. Jinde glanced over and saw the person that had talked with him before come in with the other demon hunters. They came over to the table and took up the left-over seats. The man sat down next to Jinde and nodded at him.


    "You''re still wearing the veil. I thought you would take it off at least inside."


    Jinde sighed. Yes, this was a problem. Unfortunately, he didn''t have the energy left to change his appearance. Well, at least this was something that could be easily explained. "Actually, this is a rather sensitive matter. I don''t really like to talk about it but ¡­ I get guess it would strike you strange and it is indeed rude on my behalf. The thing is that I had an accident a while ago. My face ¡­ I''m afraid it is disfigured. Taking off the hat ¡­ I''m afraid I would scare the common people."


    The demon hunter looked around but other than the boss of the inn and one waiter nobody was around. Well, in such a small town, it was a wonder that even one group of cultivators had made their way here. "It''s more or less just us here. You don''t have to worry too much."


    Jinde sighed again and raised his hand, lightly touching the veil. "I''m sorry but ¡­ I myself have just not gotten used to it. I''d feel better if I can leave it on. Would you mind?"


    Faced with this question, the demon hunter naturally couldn''t say that he would. In the end, he just smiled. "Well, if it is important to you, then you should do it."


    Jinde nodded and the two of them stared at each other, both trying to guess what the other was thinking.

 Chapter 709 - Solitary Peak

    In the end, neither of them could figure the other out and the group finally left in the afternoon with Jinde still covering his eyes and hair with the veiled hat. The group walked over to the edge of the town and the person that had talked to Jinde before took out something that looked like a dried leaf. When he imbued his spiritual energy, the shriveled up surface turned back to a brighter green color and grew until it was big enough to seat all of them. The man motioned at the leaf and gave Jinde a smile. "This is our sect''s spiritual artifact. Get on and have a look around. We won''t need long to get to the Liu He Alliance.


    Jinde nodded and followed the other men onto the leaf. He sat down cross-legged and indeed took a look around when the leaf rose into the air and departed from the town, traveling further to the north.


    Looking at the landscape, Jinde couldn''t help but feel lost. All of this ¡­ He had never seen it before. Either Chun Yin had taken him to a completely different place in the mortal realm back then or things had really changed a lot. If he had really needed to go there alone, it would have been difficult. In that regard, he could count himself lucky that he had met this group of demon hunters. Now, he only had to hope that nothing would happen that gave him away and ended up with getting him killed.


    The man from before sat down next to him and motioned to the ground below them. "Do you recognize anything?"


    Jinde shook his head. "I haven''t left the sect in a long time. Everything seems ¡­" He shook his head and didn''t speak any further. What he said wasn''t wrong so there shouldn''t be any way for these people to detect that his story was mostly made up.


    The man nodded but didn''t know what else to say. The two of them fell silent once again. The other disciples talked silently among themselves and the spiritual artifact continued to glide through the sky.


    Jinde closed his eyes and took in the spiritual energy from the air around them. His spiritual ability had always been high so he would be able to make up for the energy he had lost soon. Maybe he would even have recovered it by the time they arrived at the alliance. This was also good. Not spending his energy and even being able to restore it ¡­ If it really came to a fight, he wouldn''t be completely helpless.


    Jinde couldn''t help but sigh lightly. Ah, who would have thought that he would ever be in this kind of situation where he would need to be afraid of a few mortals? He had been born as a proud member of the dragon race, he had even been crowned their king but now he had fallen this deeply. It really was hard to stomach when he thought about it like this.


    Well, he couldn''t change it anymore. What was the use in worrying about it? And soon, it wouldn''t be important anymore. He would be able to heal his soul and then his strength would return bit by bit. Afterward, he would be the same as before. He just needed to hold on a little while longer.


    The man next to him looked over again and wanted to speak up but when he noticed the energy fluctuations around Jinde, he kept quiet. It seemed there was no way to converse with this person. Well, some cultivators were like that. They didn''t like to interact with others too much. He also couldn''t fault him. Making new friends was always a good thing but if the other person didn''t want to, there was nothing he could do. Anyway, he felt that it was the right thing to bring this person to the place he needed to be since it was on their way. Everything else, he''d see about that later.


    Soon enough the Long kingdom was left behind and they got closer to the territory of the Liu He Alliance. Compared to the Yun Zou Sect, this cultivation sect was ranked much higher. Actually, there was no way to compare the two sects. Originally, the Liu He Alliance had been made up of several cultivation sects that ranked among the first- and second-tier sects. Because one of the entrances to the demon realm wasn''t too far away and demonic beasts tended to invade this part of the land, the sects finally formed an alliance, catapulting them right up to those sects that weren''t even categorized in tiers.


    The disciples on the spiritual artifact couldn''t help but grow excited when they saw the sect appear in front of them. The sect grounds of the Liu He Alliance were different from any of the other sects. They weren''t concentrated in one spot but instead dotted the land like stones that had been casually thrown in a pond. It truly was a sight to behold! Ah, if not for the person they had picked up, they might never have seen this. In that regard, they were really happy that their senior martial brother had made them go over and do so in the town.


    The man next to Jinde finally spoke up again. "This is the territory of the Liu He Alliance. The person you want to see ¡­"


    Jinde opened his eyes and looked around. He didn''t know anything about the alliance other than the fact that it was prominent and that Jin Yu had some relationship with the person he had sent him to see. Looking at it now, it really was much bigger than the Yun Zou Sect. "That would be Alliance Head Hua."


    The man nodded and the leaf swerved to the right, approaching a mountain peak that stood out from the otherwise flat land like a finger pointing up at the sky. "I hope I''m not wrong but as far as I know, Alliance Head Hua is residing on the solitary peak. We should go and ask there. If I''m wrong and this actually isn''t the place, then we will bring you over to wherever they point us."


    Jinde nodded. "Thank you for your help once again. Without you, I''m afraid I really wouldn''t have made it." He couldn''t help but sigh again. Leng Jin Yu really thought too much of him in this regard. Even though he might not be helpless, the mortal realm really wasn''t a place he knew well. Asking him to find a person in such a place, it really was quite a daunting task.


    The man just smiled in response and the leaf finally landed not far from the towering mountain. The disciples got down, eagerly looking around. This might be the only chance to ever take a look at the Liu He Alliance with a valid explanation. They should treasure this opportunity well!


    The man turned to Jinde and cupped his fists. "I hope you don''t mind if we accompany you over to the entrance. Since we''ve come to their sect grounds with such a large group, I feel that we should explain to the people of the Liu He Alliance."


    Jinde nodded. Honestly, he didn''t care too much if these people followed him or not. They had really helped him to get here and hadn''t done anything suspicious. There was no need for him to be wary any longer now that he was here. Letting them accompany him for the last bit of the way certainly wasn''t too much.


    The group of people made their way over to the path leading up the mountain. A disciple in a blue robe with white lines decorating the hem and his lapel stood there and cupped his fists when they approached.


    "Greetings, fellow cultivators. My ask who you are and why you''ve come to our Liu He Alliance''s Solitary Peak?"


    Jinde stepped forward together with the other man and cupped his fists in response. "I''ve been sent by the Yun Zou Sect and am here to see Alliance Head Hua." He didn''t say his name. With Jin Ling still searching for him, it was better if he didn''t mention it. The only person that he might be able to tell was that Alliance Head if he could make sure that nobody else was around. Everything else was much too dangerous.


    Although Jinde had a good reason, the other two men couldn''t help but take a look at him. Wanting to see the Master governing one of the sections of the Liu He Alliance but not even saying his own name, that surely was something they had never seen before!

 Chapter 710 - Grandmaster Leng

    The disciple didn''t know what to say for a moment. Well, at the very least, this person had told him the name of their sect. If he remembered right, then Alliance Head Hua had sent somebody there a while ago. It wouldn''t be too strange for one of their disciples to come here. Maybe this had even been agreed upon previously. "So Alliance Head Hua is awaiting you?"


    Jinde sighed. Naturally, that Alliance Head had no idea that he would be coming. If this disciple sent a message saying that the person he wanted to see was here, then who knew if he would accept? Jinde untied the bag holding the teacup and handed it to the disciple. "He isn''t awaiting me but I''d ask you to show this to him and ask if he would be willing to see me." He stepped back, indicating that he would wait on the path for the time being.


    The disciple nodded and turned to the man that had come over with Jinde.


    The demon hunter cupped his fists as a greeting. "Greetings. I am Liu Cheng of the Chun Feng Sect. We were called to a city in the Northern Pastures where demon beasts were sighted and encountered this fellow cultivator on the way. When we heard that he wanted to go to the Liu He Alliance, we brought him here since it was on our way. We just wanted to notify the Liu He Alliance that we only entered the sect grounds for the matter of dropping this person off. I hope the alliance won''t take any offense."


    The disciple nodded. "Since this is about a person coming here to see Alliance Head Hua, then naturally, it isn''t a problem. Maybe you all would want to rest for a moment in the pavilion at the side of the road? I''ll go and notify my Master in the meantime."


    Jinde looked up at the peak of the mountain and couldn''t help but feel faint. This type of place ¡­ What were the chances that that Alliance Head was living right at the top of the mountain? Imagining that he would have to climb up until there just relying on his physical strength and the bit of spiritual energy he had restored on the flight here, really made him feel that life was too difficult. Ah, being injured really wasn''t acceptable. In the future, he would have to pay more attention.


    Meanwhile, Liu Cheng hesitated whether he should accept. Looking at his martial brothers, they were obviously very excited. If they could, they would naturally want to stay here even if it was only for a moment longer. Then again, they had no real business here. Wouldn''t they be overextending the Liu He Alliance''s hospitality if they just stayed? Then again ¡­ He glanced at Jinde and finally nodded. "Yes, maybe we should. After this fellow cultivator has finished his business with Alliance Head Hua, we could take you back after we''ve finished with our mission."


    Jinde nodded even though he knew that he wouldn''t return anytime soon. Obviously, the children were excited. He shouldn''t refuse to let them have fun just because he knew that he wouldn''t need the help. After all, they had helped him. He should show some appreciation. "Thank you very much. I''m indebted to you."


    The disciple of the Liu He Alliance nodded and then motioned for them to follow him. Liu Cheng waved at his martial brothers and the group went over to the pavilion the disciple of mentioned. Jinde quietly sat down and let the demon hunters keep to themselves. To him, it was only important to meet Alliance Head Hua and have a place to stay. These people, he would probably not see them ever again. And the fewer people knew that he had come here the better.


    Liu Cheng looked at him and pondered whether to come over but in the end, he decided against it and stayed with the others. Meanwhile, the disciple of the Liu He Alliance went to report their arrival.


    Alliance Head Hua, Hua Min, was currently behind his house, training his new technique. Ah, since he had sent his disciple over to the Yun Zou Sect, he couldn''t help but wonder just how long he would still need to advance to the same level as Zhangsun Xun. Hadn''t they both started cultivating together? How come that guy had already gotten the title of Grandmaster in his sect while he was still just regarded as one of the Alliance''s Heads even though he was in a better sect? Shouldn''t he have had better prospects?


    So since that day, he had worked on advancing his cultivation. Previously, he had almost given up but now, he felt that it still had to be possible. After all, he wasn''t that old yet.


    Just then, footsteps sounded from behind him and the disciple guarding the path at the foot of the mountain came rushing in. "Alliance Head Hua! There are people that want to see you. One of them told me to hand this over to you." He bowed and offered the bag with both hands.


    Hua Min sighed and turned around to the disciple, taking the bag with raised brows. He hadn''t been expecting anyone and he couldn''t imagine what anyone would bring over either. When he opened the bag, what he found was ¡­ a teacup?


    He tilted his head and took a closer look. His hands trembled when he saw the intricate painting on the side. Wasn''t this the teacup his master had gifted Grandmaster Leng? He looked at the disciple while putting the teacup into the bag again. "Did the person say who they were?"


    The disciple shook his head, cold sweat covering his forehead. Ah, he had thought that it was extremely discourteous but since the person hadn''t offered a name, he hadn''t wanted to ask either. "They only said they were from the Yun Zou Sect. I thought there would be no harm in giving this to Alliance Head Hua."


    Hua Min looked at the bag and pondered. If this was Zhangsun Xun Yi''s rumored new disciple, then there shouldn''t have been an issue with saying his name. Even if it was Zhangsun Xun Yi himself, he wouldn''t need to hide this matter. After all, it wasn''t like their friendship was a secret. There wouldn''t be a need not to announce himself. But then ¡­


    His eyes widened and he rushed through the building and to the foot of the mountain. He could only think of one person that wouldn''t want to announce their name. But this was impossible. How could it be that Grandmaster Leng would come here himself?! He had already ascended! Even if he returned to the mortal realm, why would he come here? And why would he announce himself as a person of the Yun Zou Sect? But then again, this would explain why Zhangsun Xun Yi had asked for that portray. It seemed things were starting to make sense.

 Chapter 711 - Grandmaster Leng Was Married?

    The disciples of the Chun Feng turned around when the Liu He Alliance''s disciple returned. When they saw the person that had actually entered the pavilion in front of him, they couldn''t help but gape. Was this really Alliance Head Hua? Just who had they picked up in that small town and delivered here?! An Alliance Head would actually come down to greet him on his own?


    Jinde couldn''t help but smile when he got up. It seemed his husband''s reputation had helped him quite a lot. There really wouldn''t be any questions asked just because he sent something over that had to do with this Alliance Head. Ah, who could have known that a single teacup would have such an effect? He stepped forward and cupped his fists, slightly bowing to the man. "Greetings, Alliance Head Hua. I''m grateful that you''re willing to receive me."


    Hua Min looked at this person and couldn''t help but worry. With this veiled hat, there really was no way to tell if this was the person he thought it was or not. Also, it had been ages since he had actually seen Grandmaster Leng and there was no way to recognize him just from his voice. He really had no clue if it was him or not.


    Jinde lowered his hands when the other person didn''t say anything. Even though his husband''s reputation had helped, it seemed it had also complicated things a bit. "Would Alliance Head Hua have the time to listen to me for a while?"


    When he was asked directly, Hua Ming woke from his stupor. "Yes, yes of course." He looked at the other people and then back at the veiled figure in front of him. Had they come together? He didn''t know and since he couldn''t see the other person''s face, there was no way for him to judge anything from his expression. He cleared his throat and then motioned at the group of people. "And these are ¡­?"


    "Ah, these fellow cultivators were so nice to bring me over."


    Hua Min nodded. Since he had said fellow cultivators, they shouldn''t be any people of the Yun Zou Sect. Well, now that he thought about it, there weren''t wearing the robes of the Yun Zou Sect anyway. He probably should have noticed before but who could fault him? The person in front of him might be a legendary figure! An ascended ancestor! It was good enough for him not to tremble in awe, wasn''t it?!


    Hua Min took a deep breath and nodded before he turned to their Liu He Alliance''s disciple. "Since they have helped our guest, we shouldn''t treat them poorly. Why don''t you invite them in and let them rest here for a while? It''s already this late. We shouldn''t be inhospitable."


    The disciple nodded and then motioned up the mountain.


    The aspiring demon hunters cupped their fists at Alliance Head Hua and followed the disciple, taking a last look at Jinde, still wondering just who he was.


    Hua Min also turned back to him and then motioned at the chairs in the pavilion. "You wanted to talk to me?"


    Jinde nodded and sat down again."That is indeed the case, Alliance Head Hua."


    Hua Min''s brows twitched. He was really still calling him Alliance Head Hua. If this truly was Grandmaster Leng, then he wouldn''t be able to live through this. He raised a hand before the person in question could say anything else. "I hope I''m not being indiscreet but ¡­ I''d really like to know just who the person I''m talking to is."


    Jinde looked around, making sure that nobody else was in the vicinity. "My name is Jinde."


    Hua Min raised his brows. Jinde? He had never heard that name! "Then ¡­ Who was Grandmaster Leng to you?"


    "Grandmaster Leng should refer to Leng Jin Yu?"


    Hua Min tensed. Just casually saying the Grandmaster''s name ¡­ This person really was daring! He still nodded in the end. "That seems to be his name."


    "In that case, Grandmaster Leng is my husband."


    Silence stretched between them before Hua Min finally scratched the back of his neck. "I''m sorry, it seems that the wind was blowing too strongly just now. Could you repeat what you said?"


    "We''re married. Actually, it was Jin Yu that sent me. As for the details of that ¡­" He looked around again. The disciple was already on his way back from settling the demon hunters. "I''m not sure if it would be too good to talk here. Alliance Head Hua has to know that I''m in a rather difficult situation right now. I can''t be found by anyone."


    Hua Min had no idea what this could be about. Actually, he deeply felt that he didn''t even want to know what this was about. Grandmaster Leng''s ¡­ Hua Min furrowed his brows. Grandmaster Leng was actually married? How come he had never heard of that?


    He tilted his head and couldn''t help but speak up. "Your marriage ¡­ Wen did it ¡­"


    "It was only recently. You also know that he had ascended. He returned a while ago which was when we met."


    Hua Min nodded. Well, that sounded about right. Anyway, he didn''t need to understand this. The teacup was obviously the one his Master had gifted Grandmaster Leng back then. And since there was almost nobody that knew about this, it couldn''t be a very well-made copy either. Ah, thinking of that ¡­ He handed the bag to Jinde and then motioned at the mountain. "Let''s go up. It''s already getting late anyway, so I guess it would be proper to prepare a room for you."


    Jinde got up and followed him to the path leading up the mountain. Stopping at its foot, he couldn''t help but sigh. "There wouldn''t be an array to get up there, would there?"


    Hua Min turned to look at him and raised his brows. "There is." He motioned to the side and led Jinde a few meters down a path that was branching off the main path. There were actually several arrays grouped together.


    Jinde gave an awkward smile. Right. He had forgotten that the Liu He Alliance was bigger than the Yun Zou Sect. Naturally, there would be several arrays to get around the sect grounds.


    The two of them stepped into the one closest to the path and reappeared next to the building on top of the mountain.


    Hua Min brought Jinde to his study and motioned at the seat in front of the table before he sat down on the other side. "Then may I know what the matter is now?"


    Jinde nodded his head and reached up, taking off the hat in a nonchalant manner, exposing his golden eyes and hair.


    Hua Min couldn''t help but stare in a daze. Alright, this person obviously wasn''t human. Somehow, he didn''t have trouble to understand just why Grandmaster Leng would want to marry him though. This man ¡­ truly was too beautiful.

 Chapter 712 - There Are Regulations

    At the same time, the God of War, Qiang Yan, reached the Temple of Medicine in the Nine Heavens. He stopped at the door and took a deep breath, straightening his robe that had become crinkled on the way over from the dragon realm. Only then did he go to the study of the God of Medicine that was facing the giant herb garden in the middle of the temple.


    Just like the God of Love, the God of Medicine was already fairly old. His hair had already turned gray and his face spotted several wrinkled lines. He also carried himself with an air that made other people instinctively think of an old scholar.


    When he heard steps by the door, the God of Medicine turned to look up and couldn''t help but raise his bushy brows. "The God of War? Now, this is a surprise! Come in, have a seat."


    Qiang Yan nodded with a smile and went over, sitting down even though he felt like bursting out with his problem immediately. "I''m sorry for disturbing you while you''re at work. But there is a problem that I need your help with."


    The God of Medicine put away the brush that he had just used and slowly got up to get a teapot standing to the side. He came back just as unhurriedly and poured both of them a cup of tea. "A problem that would make the God of War himself come over must surely be grave. I do hope that my Temple of Medicine can be of help. Tell me what this is about and we''ll see what can be done."


    Qiang Yan gave a wry smile. If he had been able to speak as he wanted, he already would''ve explained everything. "There is a medicine that can help somebody acquire spiritual veins, isn''t there?"


    The God of Medicine nodded and sat down, straightening his sleeves and smoothing down his beard. "There is indeed something like that. Although it isn''t anything we have here at the moment. That type of condition where one of the trueborn gods would lack all spiritual veins is rare. Some deformities might exist but normally, only one or two veins would be crippled, needing only some small intervention. Was somebody born with that type of condition recently? I didn''t hear anything like that."


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "Actually, this isn''t about our race at all. The person this is about is of the human race. It is just that this person is very important because ¡­ er ¡­ because of several reasons." He couldn''t help but shift his gaze away. Well, it wasn''t as if he had lied. Nie Huang really was important. She was important to Bai Mu because he loved her and she was important to him because she was his daughter-in-law and somehow, this also connected her to the Heavenly Emperor, didn''t it? Furthermore, Qiu Ling had taken them in in the dragon realm. With him being the dragon king, that should also make her an important person, shouldn''t it? Anyway, there was nothing wrong about asking for a way to help her.


    The God of Medicine put down the teacup that he had just picked up and leaned back, watching Qiang Yan''s expression. "God of War, this wouldn''t be about a woman you have fallen in love with, would it?"


    Qiang Yan was dumbfounded. Was this the impression he had made? He shook his head and gave another wry smile. "No, I''m afraid that''s not it. Although I can''t deny that I do have some relation to that person."


    The God of Medicine furrowed his brows and sighed. "Well, this is rather unfortunate. It''s not that the medicine can''t be refined but there are restrictions in place for this kind of thing. Refining it for a mortal ¡­ I''m afraid this will be impossible."


    Qiang Yan blinked. Not possible for a mortal? So if he hadn''t mentioned this, then he would have succeeded? He couldn''t help but regret that he had tried to explain so much. If he had known before, he certainly would''ve kept quiet! Well, on the other hand, he didn''t want to bring trouble to the God of Medicine either. "This is a regulation of the temple?"


    The God of Medicine nodded. "Indeed. The only ones such medicine could be refined for are members of our god race or our allies. In some special situations, there could be exceptions but those are exceedingly rare. I''m afraid I can''t help you.


    Qiang Yan nodded but he wasn''t willing to give up yet. "This regulation ¡­ I guess it is because this medicine is of a high grade?" Otherwise, there shouldn''t be any reason not to refine it for mortals.


    The God of Medicine nodded and picked up his teacup again, taking a sip. "Indeed. The materials are rare and the process of refining it isn''t easy either."


    Qiang Yan in contemplation. "The rare materials ¡­ If they were provided, would there be a way to refine this medicine even if it was for a mortal?"


    The God of Medicine couldn''t help but raise his brows. He certainly wouldn''t have expected that Qiang Yan would still try to make this work. It really made him wonder if the person this concerned really wasn''t his lover. After all, wasn''t it common knowledge that the God of War wasn''t married yet? Maybe he had finally found somebody but the person wasn''t able to cultivate in thus become an ascended deity? That would at least explain why he was trying so hard. "Well, if the ingredients were provided, that would indeed make things easier. The regulation is in place to make sure that this kind of medicine isn''t misappropriated. On the other hand, the members of the God race do have the right to seek out the Temple of Medicine to refine medicine for their own purposes. I had originally thought the God of War had come for official business so ¡­"


    Qiang Yan''s expression lit up. Right! One could ask the Temple of Medicine to refine something for them. There were no regulations attached other than that you had to provide the ingredients, offer compensation for their work and if it was a medicine not known to them previously, you would have to provide the recipe. "In that case, what would the compensation be?"


    The God of Medicine shook his head. "The compensation shouldn''t be the problem. It''s rather that we don''t have many recipes for medicine that is suitable to be used for humans. The God of War would need to provide the recipe for the medicine."


    Qiang Yan heaved a sigh of relief. If that was all, then the situation was indeed not as bad as he had thought. After all, hadn''t Bai Mu mentioned that they already had a recipe? It seemed he wouldn''t need to disappoint his son. He really had found an opportunity to help him at least a bit.

 Chapter 713 - How Did It Go?

    Qiang Yan waved. "There''s no need to worry about that. I do not have the recipe with me but I know somebody who has it. It''s just a matter of bringing it here."


    The God of Medicine raised his brows. It seemed the God of War had come prepared. "Well, then you should first organize the ingredients and the recipe. How much the compensation is will depend on how difficult that recipe is to follow. Anyway, I doubt you''ll have difficulties getting what the Temple of Medicine wants in return."


    Qiang Yan nodded. Indeed, this shouldn''t be a problem. As one of the major gods of the Nine Heavens, there weren''t many things he lacked. And even if it was something that needed to be organized first, it wouldn''t be too difficult. After all, this was only a pill for a mortal. The difficulty of refining it should be much lesser than that of refining a pill for a god. "Then I thank you for your help in advance. I will go and organize everything immediately."


    The God of Medicine got up and accompanied Qiang Yan to the door. "You know where to find me. You can also go and ask anybody else in the Temple to appraise the recipe for you."


    Qiang Yan gave another nod. "Then I won''t disturb you any longer and be on my way." He bowed and then left the Temple, returning to his own palace. He couldn''t help but tremble when he thought of what he had to do now. Ah, it hadn''t been a problem to talk with Bai Mu before. Well, at the very least, Nie Huang had been there when things got awkward. But now, he was still as nervous as he had been before. Most likely, he would need a long time to get rid of the feeling. Well, he couldn''t expect them to be familiar with each other right of the bat.


    He took out the transmission stone and looked at it blankly, trying to imagine how this conversation would go. Bai Mu should be happy that he had found someone to refine the pill, shouldn''t he? But ¡­ This type of happiness, would it hold? Or would this just make things even more awkward?


    He owed Bai mu a lot and it did make him feel somewhat strange to think about it. He didn''t want for Bai Mu to think that he also owed him something. But considering that they weren''t familiar yet and that Bai Mu probably didn''t see him as part of his family, he might indeed feel like that.


    Well, that was something they would need to figure out afterward. For now, it was more important to have the pill refined for Nie Huang. After all, the longer they waited the more pressing the matter would get. She would still need to learn how to cultivate and then reach a high enough stage, after all.


    Just when he wanted to imbue his spiritual energy to contact Bai Mu, a light knock sounded from the door. Qiang Yan lowered the stone and looked over, raising the brow at the person that had come over. "Bai Fen? What are you doing here?"


    The Heavenly Empress gave a smile and walked in, sitting down in front of his desk. "Can''t I come and visit my brother?"


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "You can but you were already here before. What made you come over again?"


    Bai Fen sighed and then nodded at the transmission stone. "You don''t want to tell me how it went? Does that mean it was too awful to speak about or did it go so well that you are still speechless at your luck?"


    Qiang Yan laughed. "Do I only have these two options?"


    "You also have the option to tell your sister what exactly transpired but you didn''t seem to want to get out with it."


    Qiang Yan sighed and raised the transmission stone. "Let''s say it was somewhere in-between. A bit awkward especially at first but then it got a little better. We talked about what happened back then but naturally, that type of thing can''t be cleared up in just a few minutes. We''ll need more time.


    "Anyway, he''s together with a mortal woman and I promised to help him find someone who could refine the pill that would enable her to acquire spirit veins so that she can cultivate and ascend. I talked to the God of Medicine already and I should contact him to tell him."


    Bai Fen got up and went over, giving him a quick hug. "Then you do that. If you want to talk about it, you know where to find me. It''s good that you at least started to get to know each other."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "I''ll come over when I''m done with everything. I''ll need to get the recipe and the ingredients after talking to him. As far as I know, he has already started to organize both. It shouldn''t take too long."


    Bai Fen waved and went back to the door. "Don''t think too much about it. It''s not like he can''t do without you. Just take your time and take care of this. Since you''ve decided that you want to accept him as your son in this life too, then you should also behave like a parent. I understand that. If this was about Jing He ¡­" She shook her head and left the palace. Jing He ¡­ She would also do everything for the child. Ah, she really wondered when he would finally come back from his trial in the mortal realm.

 Chapter 714 - Silently Staring

    While the Heavenly Empress wondered about her son''s well-being, Qiang Yan finally contacted his own son. The transmission stone showed Bai Mu''s apparition after only a moment. The two of them stared at each other, both hesitating for a spell.


    Qiang Yan cleared his throat and waved. "Uh, I went to the Temple of Medicine and asked about the pill. They said that they can refine it as long as we provide the ingredients and the recipe."


    Bai Mu just continued to stare at him.


    Qiang Yan couldn''t help but tense at this look. Cold sweat formed on his back and he awkwardly cleared his throat again. It couldn''t be that his son didn''t believe him, could it? Well, that might be true. After all, this kind of medicine was precious in the human realm and he had lived there for a long time. "Uh, actually, it''s nothing much. Refining a pill for a human isn''t that difficult for a trueborn god. It''s just that they don''t have all the recipes for mortal medicine so that''s why they require it. As for the ingredients ¡­ Well, there are some restrictions on what they can refine and what they can''t so basically, if somebody wants them to refine something for them, they''ll need to bring their own ingredients. It''s nothing much. It''s completely normal."


    Bai Mu still stared at him wordlessly.


    Qiang Yan''s gaze flitted about and he finally gave out the last bit of information that he had originally wanted to keep to himself to make sure that Bai Mu wouldn''t feel indebted to him. "Oh, well, there is a slight compensation to be paid for the service they provide but that''s also completely normal. They don''t know what it will be yet but uhm, it''s probably nothing much. They just ¡­ Well, they''ll tell us after they''ve seen the recipe. It will be appraised and then they''ll know the price. But I mean I''m not the God of War for nothing, am I?" He gave a hollow laugh and looked at Bai Mu, silently begging him to say something. He couldn''t take this silent stare any longer!


    Bai Mu closed his eyes and rubbed his brow. "That''s not it. I just ¡­ I was a little stunned just now. You weren''t even gone for an hour and you''ve already found someone?" He lowered his hand and looked at his father quizzically. He really wouldn''t have thought that things would be this easy. Considering that that man from before had already figured out which recipes could be used and since Qiu Ling had said that he''d go and get the ingredients, everything seemed to be prepared. So in other words, it might only take a few more days for them to get all these things together and have the pill refined so that Nie Huang could start cultivating? It seemed unbelievable.


    Bai Mu sighed. Having a family truly could make things easier, couldn''t it? His father could find somebody who could refine even such a difficult pill, his cousin-in-law could just casually head out to get the ingredients and he also knew somebody who knew this kind of recipe by heart. It truly was too astonishing. Of course, he''d need a moment to come to terms with this.


    Qiang Yan heaved a sigh of relief when his son explained. So it wasn''t that he had done anything wrong. "Alright, then I guess we should contact Qiu Ling to get the recipe and the ingredients? Do you know where he is right now?"


    Bai Mu furrowed his brows. "I''m not too sure. Since he is searching for the ingredients, he could be anywhere. It might be hard to pinpoint his location and ¡­" He looked at the stone in his hand with a complicated expression. This was the one that Qiu Ling had used before to contact all these people. In other words, there was no way for him to use it to contact Qiu Ling, was there? Ah, this really was too troublesome! Everything was already prepared but they couldn''t act on it because of such a simple reason!


    Qiang Yan straightened up and gave another awkward smile. "Don''t worry about that! I know somebody of the god race who is currently in the human realm. I''ll contact him and see if he knows something."


    Bai Mu looked at him skeptically. "Somebody of the god race? Wouldn''t it be better if I asked somebody in the dragon realm?" They should know where their king was, shouldn''t they?


    Qiang Yan rubbed his temple, not knowing what to say to this. If this was any other king, he certainly would have agreed but since it concerned Qiu Ling ¡­ He had experienced one time too often how somebody of the dragon race came running over and asked where Jing He was. After all, wherever the Son of Heaven was, was normally also the place where the dragon king was. If they used this kind of thinking to determine the location of their king all the time, then it really was difficult to assume that they would know where he was right now.


    Qiang Yan coughed. "Why don''t we try this? You can go and ask in the dragon realm and I''ll contact the person I know in the human realm. That way we should definitely find out something."


    Bai Mu nodded. "Let''s do that then."


    Qiang Yan also nodded. "Yes, let''s do that."


    Just like in the beginning, the two of them looked at each other silently, not knowing what to say.


    The quiet clinking of something being placed down on wood broke the silence and a pretty face popped up next to Bai Mu''s. Nie Huang gave Qiang Yan a happy smile. "Ah, father-in-law, how nice of you to contact Bai Mu again. It''s a pity you had to go so soon before. You didn''t even have time to stay around and eat with us. I hope you come by soon again."


    Qiang Yan nodded, involuntarily smiling back at her. "I''ll try. Anyway, there might be some good news for you soon, Nie Huang. I have to go and make sure now. Bai Mu can tell you everything." He took another look at the happy couple and finally cut the connection, instead imbuing his spiritual energy into the transmission stone to reach Leng Jin Yu.

 Chapter 715 - They’re with Me

    Leng Jin Yu stopped at once when his transmission stone started to pulse. He took it out with hasty movements and imbued his spiritual energy. Could it be that Jinde had already managed to reach the Liu He Alliance? Was he safe already?


    He looked at the transmission stone with anticipation but the face that finally greeted him was that of the God of War, Qiang Yan. Leng Jin Yu''s expression fell. So it wasn''t Jinde. Either he hadn''t managed to reach the Liu He Alliance at all or it wasn''t convenient for him to reach out to him. Either way, he''d need to continue to worry. Until he saw Jinde for himself and heard him say that everything had turned out well, he wouldn''t be able to rest his worries.


    "Leng Jin Yu?" Qiang Yan raised his brows. He hadn''t missed the disappointment in Leng Jin Yu''s eyes. Just what had happened? Looking at him closer, it also seemed as if something was wrong. His skin was pale and there were dark shadows under his eyes. "Did something happen?


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and shook his head. "Thank you for your concern but I''m afraid this matter isn''t too convenient to talk about."


    "Are you sure? Maybe there''s some way I can help?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head once again. "Actually, this is about my marriage. So ¡­"


    Qiang Yan''s brows raised. Oh. He certainly wouldn''t have expected this. Leng Jin Yu had always seemed amicable from the moment they first met. Who would''ve thought he''d have trouble in his marriage just shortly after the wedding? It really made him wonder just what kind of problem he had run into and if there really wasn''t anything he could do to help. "Oh, you might not know but I was also married once. It was while I was on a trial but it went quite well nonetheless. Maybe there are some tips I can give you?"


    Leng Jin Yu waved his hand. "Thank you for the offer but this is something we need to get through on our own. I guess the God of War didn''t contact me to ask about my well-being. So what is the matter?" Even though he appreciated the offer, this wasn''t anything he could tell somebody of the god race. After all, Jinde wasn''t healed yet. And even if he was, he might not like the idea that the gods or anyone would find out that he was still alive. It wouldn''t be a danger to him anymore by then but it could indeed prove difficult. And even if there wasn''t Jinde, there was still Qiu Ling.


    If Jinde reappeared, then his claim to the throne might actually weaken. And since that was one of the things that enabled him to marry the Son of Heaven, that was something he couldn''t let happen. He had already let this son of his down in his past life. He couldn''t commit the same mistakes a second time. Even though he wasn''t Chun Yin anymore and even though no one could expect of him to do this, it was still something he felt he should. After all, he had also gotten together with Jinde again and Jinde regarded Qiu Ling as his family. So even if he himself didn''t have any memories of his past life, Qiu Ling was his family.


    Qiang Yan also sighed. "Actually, I''m sorry for bothering you. I know that you have gotten married and that you didn''t want to have anything to do with these things anymore. You might be an ascended deity but you''re not even living in the Nine Heavens. You don''t have any position and I''m still always bothering you about things we require your help with. I''m truly sorry."


    Leng Jin Yu sat down at the edge of the river where he had previously been searching for a special type of fish whose scales were part of one of the recipes and gave a sigh. "It''s not a problem. Just tell me what it is that you need. If it''s something I cannot do, then I will tell you so. But if it''s something that can be done, then I''d gladly be of assistance." Actually, he would even try his best if it was something that was difficult. After all, Qiu Ling could more or less be counted as his son and the person he wanted to marry was the Son of Heaven. The God of War was the Son of Heaven''s uncle, so in that case, they were somehow related to each other too. Not very closely, but still. And the gods were paying more attention to this kind of relationship than humans. At the very least, that was what he had experienced in the short time he had spent in the Nine Heavens.


    Qiang Yan gave a relieved smile. "It''s not that difficult actually. You know I actually have a son from the trial I just mentioned. He is in love with a human woman and we were thinking of letting her become a cultivator so that she could reach immortality. The problem is that ¡ª"


    "Bai Mu and Nie Huang?"


    Qiang Yan stopped and his eyes widened. "You know?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "The dragon king dragged me along with him to search for the ingredients. Actually, if that was what you were searching for, then they''re with me. Longjun had something to do ¡­ somewhere else."


    Qiang Yan leaped to his feet. "Really? Then ¡­ what about the recipe?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "I have the list with the ingredients at the very least. Would that be enough? Otherwise, we could bring that over later. Qiu Ling should be able to bring them with him when he comes back."


    Qiang Yan sat down and rubbed his forehead. "The problem is that we didn''t know how to reach Qiu Ling. Otherwise, I would''ve asked him. He gave his transmission stone to Bai Mu before. He still hasn''t gotten it back."


    Leng Jin Yu narrowed his eyes and smiled. "I gathered almost all the materials. How about this? I''ll get the last few and then I''ll hurry over to the Nine Heavens and bring them with me. You can take a look at the list of ingredients and see if it would be enough to refine the pill. If it isn''t, then I can go and get the transmission stone and bring it back to Qiu Ling." That way, he would also have an excuse to go to the Yun Zou Sect and see what was going on there. After all, he was an ascended deity and the demon king should have heard that he had been working on the case of the Son of Heaven. So if he came and delivered something, then he shouldn''t be able to find any connection with Jinde. In that case, he could go and take a look at things right now. He wouldn''t need to worry anymore.

 Chapter 716 - Just a List of Ingredients

    Qiang Yan still felt a bit bad about making things difficult for Leng Jin Yu but since he himself had offered to do so and since this was only delivering something that he had already gathered anyway, he still nodded in the end. "Let''s do that then. Thank you very much. I''m indebted to you."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "There''s no need to thank me. This is something that I should do. Actually, after the time I spent here I can''t deny that I do have some good feelings for your nephew. Even though this is only his mortal reincarnation he does make one feel close. So helping your family is also something I want to do. It''s an honor for me." And really, if he could make up for at least a few of the things that Chun Yin had done in his past life, then it actually was he who was indebted to Qiang Yan for giving him this chance.


    "Whatever it is, it is still something I''m grateful for. Alright, I won''t bother you any longer. And if this is getting too much, then just reach out to me. I can come down and help with gathering the ingredients. You don''t have to do all this by yourself and if it is getting in the way of your marriage then ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "That wasn''t the problem."


    Qiang Yan nodded and the two said their farewell, each going their own way. Leng Jin Yu went to gather the last ingredients while Qiang Yan hurried back to the Temple of Medicine. He knew that they couldn''t do anything without the recipe and the ingredients but it would only be a matter of minutes or maybe hours until Leng Jin Yu would come over. Still, he couldn''t just continue to sit in his study and do nothing while he already had the information that Leng Jin Yu only had the list of the ingredients and not the real recipe. He just had to go and ask to make sure that that was enough. Then, he could also contact Bai Mu again and tell him the results.


    He rushed over and this time grabbed one of the Heavenly Physicians. "I''m sorry but there''s a question I have to ask. If someone wants you to refine medicine, then what type of recipe will be needed? Will it be alright if you only have a list of ingredients?"


    The physician''s eyes went wide. Was this the God of War? Why was he here? And why was he asking this insistently? Don''t tell him something bad had happened?!


    Qiang Yan couldn''t help but get restless when the physician didn''t answer. "Don''t tell me that is a problem?" Well, he probably shouldn''t have expected anything else. Didn''t all the recipes include steps how something was supposed to be done? If they didn''t have that, then naturally, it would be a problem.


    The Heavenly Physician finally shook himself out of his stupor and shook his head. "It''s not impossible. It''s just that the physician tending to the request needs to have a high level. Especially if the medicine that is to be refined is of a high-grade. For something of a lower grade, even a low-leveled physician should be able to refine it without having a complete recipe."


    Qiang Yan heaved a sigh of relief but couldn''t help but wonder. "And ¡­ what about medicine that originates from the human realm? Something that would be used to treat a human? Could that be regarded as high-leveled?"


    The physician raised his brows. "Something for humans? It shouldn''t be. At most, that should be a mid-level medicine. Naturally, there might be exceptions. It is hard to say without the list of ingredients. The God of War wouldn''t happen to have it with him?" He couldn''t help but look at him eagerly. Even though he had been surprised at first, he was a physician with all his heart. Seeing a new recipe and even one that came from another realm was certainly something he''d love. Even if he couldn''t refine it just from the list of ingredients, he might also learn something from it. Or maybe he could find somebody who had a high enough level to refine it and stay around to have a look. That would also be something new to learn.


    Qiang Yan shook his head, regretting that he couldn''t make time move faster. "No, not yet. But somebody will deliver it soon. I''ll ¡­" He pondered for a moment and then gave a smile. "I''ll go and tell one of the guards to inform the people at the gate that they should bring that person here immediately. I''ll just wait."


    The physician nodded in a daze and watched the God of War leave. He certainly wouldn''t have expected that something like this would happen. Just who was the one that needed medicine for a mortal? Normally, the Temple of Medicine wouldn''t refine something like that. There shouldn''t be any more guests right now, should there? He had no idea and in the end, he could only return to his work, keeping an eye out for the God of War in the hope that he would be the one to take a look at the list of ingredients to appraise it.


    Meanwhile, Qiang Yan went to instruct one of the guards. When the man nodded and left, he went to a corner and took out his transmission stone, imbuing his energy to contact Bai Mu again.


    When Bai Mu''s apparition appeared, he didn''t look too well. "Please tell me that you had more luck than me." He had gone to find Xiang Yong but unfortunately, the dragon didn''t have any idea where his king was. Qiu Ling had just given away the transmission stone that he normally used. He hadn''t thought of how people would reach him afterward at all.


    Qiang Yan smiled. "I was indeed lucky. I might not know where Qiu Ling is but it was actually the person I know in the human realm that has the ingredients. He also has the list with the ingredients on it even though it isn''t the full recipe. I went back to the Temple of Medicine just now and asked. It seems they might still be able to refine the pill even if they only have the list. It will depend on the grade of the medicine but since this is something from the mortal realm, then they might be able to do it. We''ll have to see when we get the list. Leng Jin Yu is going to bring it over in a bit."


    Bai Mu raised his brows. Leng Jin Yu? Wasn''t that the person that had accompanied the dragon king before? Well, it seemed even though there was one mortal and three immortal realms, the world was small. Anyway, it seemed Nie Huang wouldn''t need to wait too long until she managed to acquire spirit veins. That was good. "Thank you, father. Without you, things wouldn''t have gone this well."


    Qiang Yan beamed. "It''s nothing. I''m happy that I could help. Just wait a bit longer. We''ll make sure that Nie Huang will be alright. I''ll make sure that the two of you won''t have to separate like your mother and I had."


    Bai Mu nodded. He didn''t say anything more but in his heart, he swore that if he ever managed to find out what had become of his mother in the last years, then he would let her know what he had found out about his father and he would also give them the opportunity to meet each other again. This man, he deserved this chance.

 Chapter 717 - Delivering the Ingredients

    Leng Jin Yu hurried as much as he could with finding the last few ingredients. In the end, the day had almost gone by when he finally managed to get his hands on the last one. He heaved a sigh of relief and rubbed his forehead, sitting down for a moment and putting the ingredients from his spatial ring into a bag that he could hand over.


    He looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. He had only slept a few hours before the pulsing of the transmission stone had woken him up. He wasn''t rested at all and he could feel his energy draining but he didn''t dare to take a longer break than these few moments. He still didn''t know what had happened to Jinde. Maybe he had left the sect grounds of the Yun Zou Sect or maybe he had already reached the Liu He Alliance but maybe none of that had happened. Maybe he hadn''t managed to escape at all and had instead fallen into the hands of the demon king. There was no way for him to know.


    He sighed and then stood up again, pushing off the ground and rushing to the Nine Heavens.


    When he reached the gate, one of the guards standing next to it sized him up. "What is your name?"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. Either something had happened or the God of War was eager to get the ingredients and the list into his hands. Well, it wasn''t unexpected. This was about the fiancee of his son, after all. He cupped his fists and nodded at the guards. "I''m the ascended deity Leng Jin Yu. I''m here to meet with the God of War."


    The guard nodded and motioned inside. "So it was the ascended deity Leng Jin Yu. Follow me, please. The God of War is already waiting for you."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and followed the man over to the Temple of Medicine. His heart was beating crazily. He just had to give Qiang Yan the bag with the ingredients and the list and then he could go and get the transmission stone and use it as an excuse to go back to the Yun Zou Sect. He could find out what had happened to Jinde then. Really, this senseless waiting was truly giving him a headache.


    The Heavenly Guard stopped in front of the temple and motioned up the stairs. "It is here. The God of War should already be waiting inside."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and thanked him for his help before he scaled the steps. He looked around only for Qiang Yan to rush over to him on his own.


    "Leng Jin Yu!" Qiang Yan gave him a nervous smile and looked at the bag in Leng Jin Yu''s hands. His own hands couldn''t help but sweat. This was it. In just a few moments, he would be able to find out if he could give his son good news. He could only hope that this would work out.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and handed the bag over. "These are the ingredients and the list. I should go and get the transmission stone from Bai Mu then. It would be best if the Longjun got it back as soon as possible in case something else comes up."


    Qiang Yan took the bag but couldn''t help but hold Leng Jin Yu back. "How about waiting for the appraisal? If this is something that can indeed be refined with just the list, then maybe we could already bring the pill over."


    Leng Jin Yu tensed. This was definitely not what he wanted. He just wanted to leave here as soon as possible. "Well ¡­"


    Qiang Yan raised a hand to interrupt him. "If it isn''t enough, then wouldn''t it also be good if you knew? Then you could tell Qiu Ling when you bring the transmission stone over so that he can send the full recipe over."


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows. With the time in the Nine Heavens moving differently, a lot of time would pass in the mortal realm. Who knew what would happen to Jinde in the meantime? He really didn''t want to stay this long. "God of War, I''m sorry. I understand that this is very important to you and that you''d like me to help with the rest too but I think it would best be better if I go now. I can take the transmission stone on the way and then bring it back but everything else ¡­" He shook his head. "I should return now."


    Qiang Yan looked at him and hesitated for a moment longer, trying to think of something he could say to convince him. When he looked into Leng Jin Yu''s eyes, he couldn''t bring himself to do so though. Right, this person was a married man now. Naturally, he would want to return to his partner''s side. Especially if there were some problems between them. Qiang Yan sighed and waved. "Alright, go then. I shouldn''t hold you back any longer. Thank you very much for your help. It means a lot to me."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I hope that this will turn out well. I had a very good impression of Miss Nie." The two of them nodded at each other and Leng Jin Yu turned around and left.


    Now, he only needed to go and get the transmission stone and then he would be able to find out what had happened on Jinde''s side. Even if he couldn''t go to see him right now, it was still better to know something as if he knew nothing at all. Everything else would need some time to be cleared up. There was nothing he could do about that.

 Chapter 718 - Which Was More Bearable?

    Leng Jin Yu rushed over to the dragon realm as fast as he could. He couldn''t help but think of how the time was running differently in the realms. The longer he stayed here, the more time would pass in the mortal realm. If he wasn''t fast, then a few weeks would''ve already gone by then. If Jinde hadn''t managed to escape and had somehow fallen into the hands of the demon king, then who knew what might have happened in that amount of time?


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. He couldn''t think like that! If something like that really happened, then Xin Lan should have notified him. Even though they didn''t like each other, he wouldn''t keep something like this from him. After all, Jinde was important to both of them. If his safety was at risk, they would certainly be able to bury the hatchet and work together.


    He finally reached the gates of the capital city of the dragon race and cupped his fists toward the two dragons standing to the side. "This one is the ascended deity Leng Jin Yu. I''ve come on behalf of the God of War to see Bai Mu. He should be a guest of Longjun."


    The two dragons exchanged a glance. Their king had a guest like that? And was expecting visitors from the Nine Heavens? They had no idea. But in this kind of situation, there was only one thing they could do. "You wait here, we''ll go and ask." One of them turned away and went over to the palace, seeking out Xiang Yong.


    When somebody knocked on his door, Xiang Yong gave a sigh. Just what was it with today? First, he had to leave to get somebody from the human realm, then it turned out that His Majesty couldn''t be contacted because he had given his transmission stone away and now somebody else was coming to bother him? "Yes." He put the brush away and folded his hands on the desk, looking at the dragon poking his head into the room.


    "Adviser Xiang Yong, there''s some ascended deity from the Nine Heavens that said he was sent by the God of War and wants to see some Bai Mu guy? Is there somebody like that? Should we bring him in?"


    Xiang Yong raised his brows. An ascended deity coming to visit Bai Mu? Well, it wasn''t too unexpected. After all, that Bai Mu was connected to the God race. He couldn''t help but wonder just why somebody would come to see him after the God of War hadn''t left too long ago though. "I''ll come with you." He got up and followed the man to the gate.


    Seeing that somebody had come over, Leng Jin Yu once again cupped his fists. "I''m sorry for making trouble. I''m here to see Bai Mu."


    Xiang Yong nodded and motioned into the city. "Come along then." He turned around, clasping his hands behind his back. He couldn''t help but glance at Leng Jin Yu again. This person didn''t seem to mind being in the dragon realm at all. It certainly wasn''t something they saw often. The trueborn gods didn''t mind as much since they were used to them because of their alliance against the demons but the ascended deities still had the mindset of humans. They would often mistake a dragon for a demon. "We seldom have ascended deities here that stay so calm."


    Leng Jin Yu gave a wry smile. He could imagine what Xiang Yong was thinking. But nobody could expect him to freak out at seeing some dragons when he was actually married to their previous king, could they? Well, he couldn''t say that. Thankfully, he had another excuse at hand. "The God of War originally sent me to the human realm to help with the trial of His Highness. I had the chance to ¡­ interact with Longjun and some for his advisers at the Yun Zou Sect."


    Xiang Yong nodded. "So it was like that. Well, no wonder then. Then this matter of seeing Bai Mu, is there something we should know about that?"


    "You might be aware that this Bai Mu has some connections to His Highness'' family and thus to your king too. I just delivered something to the Nine Heavens for Longjun since he is occupied in the human realm. We had thought that it might be good to return the transmission stone to him when I go back."


    Xiang Yong looked at the person next to him, his mind churning. Their king certainly wasn''t very dependable. Giving away his transmission stone without notifying anyone before was just like him. Having an ascended deity come and pick it up and deliver something for him was a little out of the ordinary though. "You said you were tasked with helping in His Highness'' trial?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes. Although it probably won''t be as important anymore for the time being. He already passed a few trials. The dragons are certainly aware."


    Xiang Yong nodded. "We are. It is just ¡­ unexpected for His Majesty to trust a stranger with anything regarding His Highness."


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but sigh. Yes, he could imagine that. If he considered how unreasonable Longjun had been back when he had thought that Jing Yi might have fallen in love with him ¡­ There really was no way that kind of person would just trust anyone if his beloved was involved. "Well, maybe he doesn''t regard me as a stranger anymore after interacting with me for a while."


    Xiang Yong gave a smile, making his normally not so special features light up with a devilish charm. "That is certainly one way to put it. But my experience with His Majesty tells me that that is unlikely. He doesn''t trust anybody easily. It took even us as his advisers several years to gain enough of his trust."


    By now, they had reached the palace but Xiang Yong stopped in front of the gate, turning to look at Leng Jin Yu. Apparently, he wasn''t willing to lead him any further if he didn''t get an answer.


    Leng Jin Yu raised his head to the sky and sighed. Ah, Heavens, it felt as if somebody was playing a joke on him. The one time he really wasn''t able to wait, somebody was intent on finding something out from him. He really didn''t want to explain any of this! Especially not now. He just wanted to return and see how Jinde was doing.


    Unfortunately, the dragon''s stance told him that that was impossible. Either he gave up one of his secrets or he would lose time here. It was his decision which of the two things he found more bearable.

 Chapter 719 - He Shouldn’t Let His Husband Find out

    At the same time, Alliance Head Hua of the Liu He Alliance gulped and shifted his gaze away from Jinde''s face to the carved seal on his desk. He picked the thing up and twirled it in his hands, trying to gather his thoughts.


    Jinde merely gave a charming smile and threw the hat to the side. Finally being able to take this veil off felt good. He really wasn''t a person that liked hiding his appearance. Ah, he had probably been told a few times too often that he was a beauty when he was young. What could he do? He just liked to show off. He crossed his legs and leaned back. "I guess Alliance Head Hua has to be quite surprised."


    Hua Min raised his brows. "That''s ¡­ I guess it would sound insincere if I denied it, wouldn''t it?" He put the seal down with a thud and finally looked up again. It really was too shameful not to even be able to look at this person. This was a married man. The person he was married to was even an old friend of his Master. This was basically a member of an older generation! Mn, this definitely wasn''t a beautiful young man. He might look like it but he wasn''t.


    Jinde''s eyes curved into crescents when he saw the other man''s look. Ah, it truly was nice being able to finally show his face to somebody again. With Grandmaster Zhangsun and Sect Master Yuchi always treating him with reverence and Leng Jin Yu trying to keep his calm when they met, he really had worried if he had lost all his charm. Apparently, he had worried too much. He was still as beautiful as ever.


    Jinde chuckled in a good mood and got up, walking around the room, taking the opportunity to look around now that he was finally in another environment again and his gaze not obstructed by a veil anymore. "I''m currently on the run from somebody of the demon race. My husband suggested coming here so ¡­" He glanced over his shoulder, catching Hua Min absentminded. "I hope I''m not being a bother."


    Hua Min absentmindedly shook his head. Who would dare to say that it was a bother if a beauty came to visit? He just didn''t understand the situation too well. "If you are on the run from somebody of the demon race, then you ¡­"


    Jinde chuckled again and picked up a book lying on the shelf, sifting through the pages. "I''m of the dragon race. Well, it''s probably not too noticeable. I can''t show you either. I''ve been injured several years ago and since then I wasn''t able to take on my other form. That''s also something I have to thank the demon race for." He shut the book and put it back, instead picking up a jade scroll. Ah, if he had to stay here for a while, then maybe he could have this Alliance Head Hua give him some books to read. He would really like to see just how much had changed in regard to the humans'' refinement techniques since he had been here with Chun Yin back then.


    Hua Min''s brows raised. "The dragon race?" It wasn''t completely unheard of that dragons visited the human realm. Contrary to the demons, they weren''t regarded as anything bad either. Normally, they didn''t make any trouble. On the contrary, there had been instances where the dragons actually helped keep things in check. The Liu He Alliance might be further to the north but stories like the one about the dragon that helped establish the Long kingdom had circulated far and wide among the cultivation sects. While some of the common folk believed that these were merely rumors, he was well aware that this was indeed a true story. "Then what you need from the Liu He Alliance ¡­"


    Jinde sighed and put the scroll down, returning to the table and sitting down opposite of him again, making the other man tense. "Actually, it''s nothing much. It''s just that the demon is currently at the Yun Zou Sect. Because of my injuries, I won''t be able to defend myself and my husband isn''t there at the moment. So if I could just borrow a room of the Liu He Alliance for a while and spend some time here ¡­ I would certainly be eternally grateful."


    Hua Min gulped again, not sure what bothered him more: the idea of Grandmaster Leng owing him something or the eternal gratefulness of such a beautiful man. He felt that either of them would take at least a thousand years off his lifespan.


    Hua Min rubbed his forehead and reminded himself that this person was already married. "Of course, it won''t be a problem to let you stay here for a while. Never mind that Grandmaster Leng was a good friend of my Master, we also have close relations to the Yun Zou Sect. Naturally, we''ll lend a helping hand if one of their people is in trouble."


    Jinde smiled happily. "Thank you very much. It''s really helping me a lot. Then ¡­ Would you mind providing me with that room now? To be honest, the way here has sapped quite a bit of my strength. If I could, I''d prefer to rest now."


    Hua Min silently nodded and got up. "Then please wait here for a moment. I''ll take care of everything." He nodded at him again and then left the room, rushing out as if it was lit on fire.


    Jinde couldn''t help but chuckle. Ah, even as a married man, it was nice to see that he was still looked at like this. Mn, he just shouldn''t let Leng Jin Yu find out. Or maybe he should ¡­


    His lips curved up and he couldn''t help but wonder just what his husband was doing right now.

 Chapter 720 - A Troublesome Task

    Hua Min leaned against the door and took a deep breath. Ah, he was already this old but he still wasn''t immune to such charm. He shook his head and then went to see which room he could give this guest. Never mind that this man seemed amicable, that was still the person that had managed to marry Grandmaster Leng. Even if he himself wasn''t at the height of his power because of some previous injury, this was still a force to be reckoned with. He definitely couldn''t be slighted while he stayed at their Liu He Alliance.


    In the end, Hua Min remembered that there was a room intended for the Elders of other sects if they were invited over to work on a joint project. The room was much more spacious than that of a disciple and included everything that a person with a high cultivation stage might want: There were shelves with a wide variety of manuals, a room that could be used for the refinement of pills and a courtyard that was strengthened with several arrays so that even somebody of the fourth or fifth stage could train their cultivation or sword arts without having to worry about destroying anything. This kind of room should satisfy this guest, shouldn''t it?


    Hua Min went to take a look at the room but unfortunately had to find out that nobody had tended to it in a long time. Dust had already accumulated on the floor and furniture. This was definitely not a place where he could let somebody live. Hua Min sighed and turned around, waving at a few disciples not far away. "You, get a few of your martial brothers and clean up this room. An important guest is paying our Liu He Alliance a visit today unheralded so we need to prepare a room as fast as possible. I''ll give you two hours."


    "Yes, Alliance Head Hua." The disciples cupped their fists and then rushed to organize everything.


    Meanwhile, Hua Min pondered what to do to keep his guest occupied for these two hours. That man had already said that he''d like to rest. Asking him to wait until the room was prepared ¡­ He felt that he couldn''t do that. But what other possibility did he have? There was no room and he could hardly ask him to stay in the study to rest, could he? Bringing him to another room ¡­ If he did that, then that man would settle in one room just to have to relocate to another room a while later. That certainly wasn''t how a guest should be treated.


    So what now? Bring him some refreshments and snacks first? But ¡­ He was of the dragon race. Did they even eat? And the food that the sect would offer wasn''t all that good. After all, cultivators normally refrained from eating after they reached the third stage and the practitioners weren''t too particuliar about food. As long as it kept their bodies going it was enough.


    Hua Min sighed and finally just returned to the study. Since he didn''t know anything about this person and not much about his race, he would likely do something wrong if he just assumed anything. No, it was still much better to ask what his guest would prefer.


    Jinde looked up when the door opened. His face looked slightly pale, making Hua Min wince. Maybe he had been thinking too simple. Whatever injury he had suffered had obviously taken a toll. And with him having to travel over here, his condition might have worsened.


    Hua Min awkwardly cleared his throat. "Oh, I found a room where you could stay while you''re here. Unfortunately, we only use it for special occasions so it is not prepared yet. I was wondering if you''d like to wait and go there after the disciples had prepared everything or if you''d rather rest in another room first and move into the other one later?"


    Jinde looked at the Alliance head and pondered what to say. To be honest, he didn''t care too much about what kind of room he was staying in. But he also understood that this man wouldn''t want him to stay in just any room considering his relationship with Leng Jin Yu.


    "In that case, I would prefer to go somewhere else first. Actually, I wouldn''t mind staying in your study for the time being either. At least, if you don''t find it impolite of me to meditate for a while."


    Hua Min''s eyes widened and he hurriedly motioned for Jinde to do whatever he wanted. "Don''t mind me at all. Just do what you''d like to do. Actually, there''s a small side room with a meditation platform. You could sit down there if you want to. Maybe it would be a better place for meditation. It could always be that some disciple comes over to the study looking for me."


    Jinde nodded and got up. "Thank you very much, Alliance Head Hua. I do appreciate your concern."


    Hua Min nodded and showed Jinde the way over, watching him sit down on the meditation platform cross-legged and immediately closing his eyes. Come to think of it, he had come here with a bunch of demon hunters. Even though the hat had covered his face and hair, he had probably been tense the whole time. After all, with his appearance, it should be easy to be mistaken for a demon. If his figure had been exposed, something could have happened.


    Hua Min shuddered at the thought and made sure to close the windows and door when he left the room. He couldn''t risk for anybody to see this man by chance. If they did and somebody mentioned his appearance in front of these demon hunters, then who knew what would happen? And even if it wasn''t the demon hunters, if there was still somebody from the demon race who was after him, then that person also couldn''t know that he was here. And just a slight whisper of how their guest looked should be enough to identify him.


    Ah, as honored as he was to be able to help the partner of Grandmaster Leng, this task was troublesome. He couldn''t take even one wrong step. Otherwise, who knew what would happen?

 Chapter 721 - Even More Difficult Than the Dragon King

    In the dragon realm, Leng Jin Yu sighed deeply. "I never would have thought I''d say this but it seems there are actually people in the dragon realm that are harder to deal with than their king."


    Xiang Yong''s eyes narrowed. "Oh? It''s certainly the first time I''ve heard something like this. Even we dragons don''t always think that it is easy to get along with His Majesty."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "I never said it was easy. You''re just making things much more difficult for me. Is it really so important why your king trusts me?"


    Xiang Yong nodded. "Immensely so. After all, an ascended deity is not a trueborn god. Aren''t there demonic sects in the human realm? Who can say for sure that you haven''t been a disciple of one of them? They are also able to ascend, aren''t they? It''s just that rather than ascended deities that join the Nine Heavens, they''d be much more likely to join the demons. So maybe ¡­ you were sent over by them with some secret task I don''t know about. Wouldn''t it be careless of me to just let you pass?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. That was certainly true. Just being an ascended deity wasn''t really a reassurance for anything. And since the God of War hadn''t announced that he would be coming, this person would have to just believe his words. Or maybe ¡­ Leng Jin Yu nodded to the palace gates. "Why don''t you send somebody to ask Bai Mu? He has seen me before. He shouldn''t have any trouble identifying me. Wouldn''t you know then?"


    "I could do that. I''m rather curious to know just why you don''t want to say what your relationship with His Majesty is though."


    "Maybe there''s nothing special and I''m afraid you won''t believe me. Maybe it''s really just that we worked together for a rather long time in the human realm."


    "I don''t believe that."


    "Which is precisely why I''m asking you to call Bai Mu. Is that really a problem?"


    Xiang Yong shook his head. "It is not. But what if I don''t want to?"


    Leng Jin Yu narrowed his eyes. "As far as I know one cannot tell apart a demon from a dragon either just by looking at them. Maybe you''re not actually a dragon."


    Xiang Yong merely smiled. "Are you insinuating I''m pretending to be somebody I''m not? Wouldn''t the guards have noticed?"


    "I could imagine that Longjun''s advisers aren''t known to everybody. At least not to the point where everyone would be familiar with what they look like. Anyway, you''re making things needlessly difficult for me. If you have questions, you can ask your king. I will not divulge any secret."


    Xiang Yong took another look at the person in front of him. He couldn''t help but feel that something was odd about this person. There was something he wasn''t telling him and he didn''t like that feeling at all. Wasn''t this just too convenient? Telling him to contact His Majesty when the couldn''t contact him? Maybe all of this actually had to do with the demons. He hadn''t thought so before but with how this person was behaving, he felt that it was getting more likely by the minute. "Then what if I try to reach him but can''t? Wouldn''t that be in favor of what I said before?"


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and sighed. They were going in circles here. "Fine. There''s something your king knows about me that made him believe that I would never betray him. As for what exactly that is ¡­ I do not think I should tell anybody. That is something I''ll leave up to him." Yes, rather than saying anything that involved Jinde, it was still much better to bring up the issue with Qiu Ling. Him being part of the dragon race in his past life wasn''t completely impossible. It wasn''t anything this man could prove or disprove but it was something he would be able to ask Qiu Ling about later. And since it was the truth ¡­ Well, he could only hope that this man would let up if he said this much.


    "I cannot ask His Majesty now. Isn''t it utterly convenient to bring up something like this and saying that you will not tell me just what exactly the reason is?"


    "Even if I told you, you would have no way to make sure of it. Let me just say this: It has to do with my past life. Will this suffice now?"


    Xiang Yong continued to look at him for a moment before finally giving a sigh. "Well, I guess this is better than nothing. I''ll ask His Majesty about that later on." He turned around and walked into the palace, letting Leng Jin Yu trail behind him. He went directly to the room where Bai Mu was and knocked on the door. "Somebody came to see you. He said he was an ascended deity of the Nine Heavens. Would you mind having a look?"


    Bai Mu opened the door and looked at Leng Jin Yu.


    Xiang Yong motioned over. "How is it? Do you recognize him?"


    Bai Mu nodded. "Oh, sure, you were the one that accompanied Qiu Ling to the capital. This was about your ¡ª"


    Leng Jin Yu coughed, interrupting Bai Mu before he could mention Jinde. "Indeed. Qiu Ling should have given you his transmission stone, didn''t he? It is slightly inconvenient not to be able to contact him so your father sent me to get the stone and bring it back to the Yun Zou Sect."


    Bai Mu raised his brows but took out the stone and handed it over. "I was surprised when he said that he contacted you. But I guess I should''ve expected as much. You also knew about him being my father back then."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I have been in the Yun Zou Sect for quite a while. All of that was on your father''s orders. Well, that is actually everything. Since my task here is finished, I should also return."


    "Ah, wait!"


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and sighed. He just wanted to leave. He wanted to go and make sure that Jinde was alright. Why were people always holding him back? He still turned back and forced himself to smile. "What might be the matter?"


    Bai Mu gave a wry smile. "You''ve helped me so much with this. About the thing with your lover ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "I expected that this would take a while. Don''t worry about it. Although ¡­ I really should go now. He''s probably waiting already."


    Bai Mu nodded. "Alright, then you''d better go. If there''s anything I can help with ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. It was better not to get anyone else involved. Or well, to get others even further involved. "It''s alright. I just ¡­ I just want to hurry home."


    Bai Mu nodded and cupped his fists, bidding him farewell.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and then turned to Xiang Yong. "I hope your doubts have been cleared up now. Anyway, I really need to go now."


    Xiang Yong nodded and gave him a smile. "I''m sorry for making things difficult for you. But you can probably understand that as one of His Majesty''s advisers, I can''t be careless with this."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded, cupped his fists and turned away, leaving the palace.


    Xiang Yong watched him leave and bid his farewell from Bai Mu. He couldn''t help but think that something was still rather fishy about this. He took a look in both directions and finally followed Leng Jin Yu.

 Chapter 722 - I’ll Go and Take a Break

    Leng Jin Yu left the dragon realm and only stopped when he had reached the human realm. This place was still quite a bit off from the Yun Zou Sect but he didn''t continue. He furrowed his brows and his gaze slipped to the side.


    He might not be a trueborn god but he had lived for a long time in the human realm, experiencing the life in the cultivation world. Not trusting people blindly had been a habit he had formed over a long time. There were just too many instances where somebody you thought of as a friend would stab you in the back. Even if they didn''t, some secrets just couldn''t be divulged. And right now, even though he couldn''t see the person, he knew that somebody was following him. This certainly wasn''t the moment to hurry back to the Yun Zou Sect. Then now what?


    He glanced at the transmission stone that he was still holding in his hand and wondered if he should just contact Jinde to ask how he was doing. He didn''t entertain the idea for long though. Never mind that the person following him might see Jinde''s face if he did and thus give away that they knew each other, Jinde had also just used his energy to flee. Who knew how he was doing right now? Even though the amount needed to use the transmission stone he carried was minuscule, it was still an amount that couldn''t be lacked if he hadn''t made it to the Liu He Alliance yet. In that case ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows and finally imbued his spiritual energy into the stone. The person following him should be that Xiang Yong. Despite him saying that he had just been trying to be careful, he obviously still hadn''t let his guard down. So if he tried to contact somebody, it should be somebody that would reassure the guy. Then he might let go of his doubts and leave, giving him the opportunity to inquire about Jinde.


    The person whose apparition finally appeared was none other than Xin Lan. Seeing the person on the other end, Xin Lan''s brows furrowed. "What?" Qiu Ling hadn''t said anything when he arrived so he couldn''t help but feel that this person was even worse than Chun Yin had been. Hadn''t he heard that the demon king had come over? Why hadn''t he returned at once? Even if he couldn''t win against him, he should at least try to divert his attention from Jinde. That was much better than leaving his Master in this kind of situation alone.


    Leng Jin Yu had no trouble picking up on the other person''s dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, he couldn''t explain anything right now. "Senior Xin Lan, you wouldn''t happen to know if the dragon king is currently still in the Yun Zou Sect, would you?"


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. The dragon king? That should be referring to Qiu Ling but ¡­ "Is that really what you want to ask?"


    "Well, Longjun carelessly gave away his transmission stone. The God of War told me to get it from Bai Mu. I''m supposed to bring it back but it occurred to me that he might not be there anymore. Actually, it wasn''t that easy to get it. People in the dragon realm seem to be rather careful with regard to strangers." Once again, he glanced to the side, trying to signal Xin Lan that something was going on.


    Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed in response. He also knew about Bai Mu and the transmission stone but the way Leng Jin Yu said this and that look just now seemed to insinuate that there was something more going on. "So somebody is making things difficult for you? Well, never mind. That brat is still here. He has been making trouble for a while now. It seemed like he doesn''t want to leave anytime soon either."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. If Xin Lan had figured out what he meant, then the ''brat'' he was talking about wasn''t Qiu Ling. It seemed the demon king still hadn''t given up. But in that case ¡­ He looked questioningly at Xin Lan, not daring to ask what he really wanted to know. Even if that Xiang Yong was an adviser of Qiu Ling''s, it wasn''t safe to let anybody know about Jinde. At least not if that person was of the dragon race.


    Xin Lan sighed. "I''m thinking of taking a break. You know some things have come up and why shouldn''t I go and take care of that first? I''m pretty sure that brat will be able to amuse himself. So if you want to come by and return the transmission stone ¡­" His eyes narrowed. "Well, actually, the Son of Heaven returned. So I guess you might not be too welcome, right now. Why don''t you go and do something else first too? We can return afterward. Maybe he''ll be a less busy with this reunion then."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I guess I''ll do that then. Then ¡­ I hope you have a nice break."


    Xin Lan nodded and cut the connection, turning to the person standing in the doorway. "Seen enough yet?"


    Jin Ling shook his head. "Who cares about some ascended deity? I want to know where Jinde is. I want to see him. So why don''t you just tell me what I want to know? I''ll leave immediately then.


    Xin Lan smiled. "What makes you think that I would do what you tell me? Since His Majesty''s back my loyalty lies with him. I''ve taken care of you long enough. I''m sick of it and I certainly won''t stay a day longer in the demon realm. So shouldn''t you go and make sure that you don''t lose your throne? After all, you always wanted to hold onto it, didn''t you?"


    Jin Ling narrowed his eyes. "I held onto it for Jinde. So that we could reign over the demon and the dragon realm together. Is there really any use to it if he isn''t even at my side?"


    "Then what was the use in getting that throne in the first place? You always knew you wouldn''t be able to reign with him side-by-side anyway." He got up, stretched his body and went to the door. "Well, I think I have accompanied you long enough. I''ll do what I told him just now and really go and take a break. If you have your suspicions about whether or not I''ll go and meet with His Majesty, you may follow me. I don''t care. Just don''t get in the way of my business." With that, he left the house, rose into the air and left the grounds of the Yun Zou Sect, leaving for the clouds high above in the sky.

 Chapter 723 - Northward

    Jin Ling watched him, hesitating on what to do himself. Should he follow him? Maybe Xin Lan would go where Jinde was at the moment. But what if this was just a ploy? What if Jinde really was still in the Yun Zou Sect and was just waiting for the moment he followed Xin Lan to move to another place? So if he followed him, he might lose out on his only chance to find Jinde.


    He looked around, trying to find out where Qiu Ling was. If Jinde was here and wanted to leave, then he would likely use that bastard''s help, wouldn''t he? So where was Qiu Ling?


    He didn''t need to look around for long. Qiu Ling was sitting under a tree outside, his beloved next to him. Just now, he pulled him into his arms and happily hugged him.


    Jin Ling''s brows drew together. Maybe he should''ve killed the Son of Heaven when he had the chance, after all. That was just his mortal reincarnation. The gods wouldn''t have done anything to him just because of that. And he still could''ve enjoyed Qiu Ling''s tormented expression for a while until that guy understood that he hadn''t lost him. Now, he didn''t even have that little joy his life. He didn''t have Jinde either. Just where was he?


    In the end, Jin Ling pushed off the ground and followed Xin Lan. Even if his Jinde was still in the Yun Zou Sect, there would be some leads as to where he moved from here. After all, he couldn''t just vanish. If Qiu Ling was with him, then he could find out where Jinde had gone. It was possible.


    Jin Ling took out the black crystal mirror while he followed Xin Lan and imbued his spiritual energy. When the face of the other side appeared, he didn''t even wait for him to say a single word. "Keep an eye on Qiu Ling. I need to know where he goes if you leave the sect, understood?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da furrowed his brows. "I ¡ª"


    "It won''t be your loss. Now, go and do what I say." Jin Ling rolled his eyes and then cut the connection, putting the mirror away and putting his all into following Xin Lan. This guy wasn''t like the other dragons. Even with the benefits his father''s blood had brought him, it was hard to keep up with him. He flickered from one place to the other, keeping as close to Xin Lan as he could. Unfortunately, this guy was really fast. He almost lost him several times.


    Ah, running away from somebody was much easier than tailing them. Even if he could tail them openly. After all, he didn''t know where Xin Lan was heading to. There was no way for him to anticipate his next move so he could only follow behind. Unfortunately, using this technique also wasn''t a limitless ability. It used up his energy. And for a half-blood like him, the drain was even more noticeable. Considering that he had already used it for a long time in the Yun Zou Sect, it was hard to keep doing it now. He lagged behind several times and only caught up by alternating between using his ability and flying as a dragon would. Finally, he managed to follow Xin Lan right into the Nine Heavens.


    He looked around and couldn''t help but feel a bad premonition.


    This guy wouldn''t have led him here to let the gods catch him, would he? After what he had done with the Son of Heaven''s reincarnation, the gods certainly wouldn''t like to see him. If they could, they would put him behind bars.


    Jin Ling gritted his teeth but continued to follow. Hiding in the Nine Heavens instead of the dragon realm or the mortal realm would be a very smart move. So if Jinde was really here, then even if he did end up locked up somewhere, it would be worth it. He just wanted to see him. Nothing more! That should be possible, shouldn''t it?


    Xin Lan completely ignored the person following behind him and just continued on his way. He passed by the capital and crossed the River of Forgetfulness that was flowing close by and made his way further northward. The towns and cities that had still been frequent around the capital started to become less and less the further north he got and were finally all left behind until only the scant vegetation that somehow managed to cling to the bare ground that grew higher and higher could be seen.


    Behind him, Jin Ling got slower. It wasn''t just that he was lacking in energy, no, he was also slowly getting an idea of just where Xin Lan was hurrying. He blinked and finally couldn''t help but call out. "Xin Lan! Where do you think you''re going?! Don''t you know what there is?"


    Xin Lan glanced over his shoulder and smirked. "What were you thinking where I was going? It''s none of your business. You can go back if you don''t like it." He didn''t say anything more and just continued.


    However fast Jin Ling returned now, his Master had long left the Yun Zou Sect. They had already spent quite a bit of time here so several days should''ve gone by in the human realm. That was more than enough time to reach that Alliance. His Master ¡­ He was safe now. So for a while, he wouldn''t need to worry about him. He could go and take care of that other thing that still awaited him. Well, it wasn''t like he had a choice.

 Chapter 724 - Not the Same Kind of Person

    Xin Lan continued forward, flying further and further to the north, up the mountain, resisting the cold and icy wind, not caring about the fact that every bit of life was slowly left behind.


    Jin Ling tried to keep up with him for a while but finally couldn''t take it any longer when he had reached halfway up the mountain. He cursed and hovered there for a moment longer but in the end, he couldn''t go further. Ah, maybe this wouldn''t have been impossible if he hadn''t searched around in the Yun Zou Sect. Maybe, he could''ve gone just a little bit further. Maybe Jinde was up there somewhere, waiting to see him. Maybe right now, he was giving up his last chance to find him.


    He turned back, returning to the foot of the mountain and sat down. He closed his eyes and started to meditate. Never mind. Even if he couldn''t go up right now, he would do so later on. There was no way he would turn back when Jinde might be right in front of him. He would scale this mountain and he would enter the High Heavens, searching every last look and cranny of it if that was what it would take to find Jinde.


    Meanwhile, Xin Lan smiled with satisfaction. He had known that Jin Ling wouldn''t follow him forever. This was a place that almost nobody would ever enter. Not if they liked to keep their lives at least. He had come here already back when he was young, unafraid of everything.


    He still remembered that day. The way the dragons watched him leave the capital, everyone whispering around him, wondering if he would return after he had made his announcement. The way the gods looked at him when he passed through their territory, even those in the last few villages standing outside of their doors, pointing at the dragon flying through the air. Nobody had been able to believe it. Who would dare to challenge the ruler of the High Heavens, the sovereign of all realms? Who would have the guts to challenge him? Nobody. Nobody but him.


    Unfortunately, he hadn''t been able to win. He had managed to reach the top of the mountain and enter the High Heavens but he hadn''t been able to win over Tian. In fact, he had been pathetically defeated. He couldn''t even get up at the end anymore.


    Maybe this was the result of being spared from Tian''s curse. Maybe he was arrogant because of that, feeling that there was nobody else in the world that would be able to win over him. Or maybe this was his anger. Anger for this person taking the chance at a normal life from him. Who wanted to be special? Who wanted to be the only person in a whole race of cursed ones that would be able to freely fall in love? Who wanted that freedom? Surely not him.


    Xin Lan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. That time was long past. There was no need to think about it any longer. He should just concentrate on the issue at hand. He continued on, making it a point not to change into his other form even when he had to slow down when approaching the top of the mountain. He might not be as strong as Tian but at the very least, he was the strongest person in the dragon race. He didn''t have to use his other form just to scale this mountain. He wouldn''t let Tian see any kind of weakness in him.


    Finally, he reached the top and landed on the ground again, looking into the distance.


    The High Heavens were a strange place. This mountain would actually bring you to what could be called the center. In all directions, a plain spread out into the distance, the ground uneven and ragged this close to the mountain but the farther one came the more it looked like what one might see in the mortal realms.


    Back then, he hadn''t paid much attention to his surroundings but now, he took a closer look and couldn''t help but sigh. This place ¡­ It really made him realize just how badly he fit into all these places. He wasn''t like the other dragons, he wasn''t like the other immortals, he certainly wasn''t like a mortal. But even so, there was no place for him in the High Heavens either. This place was only for Tian, this place''s ruler. Even though they were both different from all the others, they weren''t the same kind of person either. They would never be. Somehow this was ironic.


    He shook his head and then crossed the bridge from the mountain to the plain, walking further toward the capital where Tian should be staying. He couldn''t help but think that this was a waste of time. This capital city of the High Heavens was exactly at the place where the capital city of the Nine Heavens was as well. In that case, why was the only place where somebody could enter the High Heavens this far away? Couldn''t he have made an opening at the River of Forgetfulness or something?


    Xin Lan continued to fly for what seemed to be a long time until he finally saw the gates in the distance. He sighed and landed in front of them, waiting for the person to appear. Back then, Tian had waited for him not far from the mountain. Now, he had actually let him walk right up to the gates of the capital. Don''t tell him that guy was suddenly getting amicable? Tsk. He certainly wouldn''t believe that.


    Nothing happened inside the city until Xin Lan finally didn''t feel like waiting anymore. "Tian!"


    Inside the city, Tian raised his head. That guy ¡­ He hadn''t gone to throw him right back out and now, he actually had the cheek to stand out there and call for him to come over? Did he need to? He was the owner of this place. Whether he wanted to go out or not wasn''t that his decision?


    Tian ignored the person outside and just continued to sit on his seat. If Xin Lan really cared, he would come over to see him. It was just a question of time. And he certainly had more than enough of that.

 Chapter 725 - You Don’t Know Their Heart

    Xin Lan stared at the gate and furrowed his brows. Was this guy mocking him? Why wasn''t he coming out? He thought about calling out to him once again but thinking of that stupid face he couldn''t bring himself to do so.


    Obviously, Tian was just playing with him. He didn''t intend to come out. He could but he didn''t want to. He was basically trying to say that he was the owner of this place and could do whatever he fucking wanted. And most likely, he was also trying to make the point that he didn''t welcome him as a guest.


    Xin Lan sighed. He didn''t have time to play with Tian. Even though he had only promised Xiang Yu to accompany him on the trial because of his Master, he would take this promise seriously now that he had made it. He was a man of his word. So he had to find out just where that fallen god had gone for his trial and he also had to make sure that he found out before Jin Ling noticed anything. He definitely didn''t want any demon to mess with that child.


    Xin Lan took a deep breath and decided not to give a damn about what Tian thought. He pushed open the gate and stepped into the capital, making his way over to the place where Tian lived.


    Inside of Xing''s palace, Tian furrowed his brows and got up. He hadn''t thought that Xin Lan would be so daring to really come in. At least not this fast. Well, he didn''t mind. He would see just what this guy wanted. He took a last look at the coffin in front of him and got up, stepping out of the palace.


    Xin Lan also reached the square in front of the building and looked at the sovereign of all realms. "You must not have heard me call from outside. Thankfully, I came over."


    Tian didn''t say anything. He certainly didn''t have anything to chat about with this person.


    Xin Lan took a look around before he turned back to Tian. "I swore that I would accompany a fallen god on his trial in the mortal realm. Otherwise, you''d be allowed to strike me down."


    "Is there anything holding me back from doing that right now?"


    Xin Lan smiled. "Well, I don''t think anyone believes you to be a just ruler so I guess not. It certainly wouldn''t be your moral compass."


    "Is that all you came here for? The pour out your heart? Complain about how unfair you were treated?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "I''m here because of that fallen god. Didn''t I say so?"


    "You wouldn''t be here to search for his immortal body, would you?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "Since you took the time to tell him about your opinion of me and you''re also the one that is part of our deal, I think you should help me out a bit. Where did he go? I mean where did his soul go? I don''t want to have to search through the whole mortal realm to find out and I''m pretty sure it would raise some eyebrows if I went to ask the fate''s scribe, wouldn''t it?"


    Tian gave a smile. "Look at this. You actually do have a heart. You don''t want to make trouble for him."


    "This doesn''t have anything to do with my heart. I merely am a man of my word. Since I promised him, I will do so. And I don''t like playing mind games. Doing what I promise and making trouble for him when he returns? That''s not my style. So where is he?"


    Tian clasped his hands behind his back and slowly walked over, stopping next to Xin Lan and looking past him. "Xiang Yu is young. He was when he fell and after his fall, his mind and body didn''t age. I do not need to tell you how to treat that kind of child, do I?"


    "So what do you expect me to do? He was the one who asked me to be his lover while he is on this trial. I certainly could''ve done without that."


    Tian slightly inclined his head. "Are these your true thoughts? Then maybe I shouldn''t tell you yet. You can come back here when you learned from your mistake. If I remember correctly, Xiang Yu also told you that there''s no need to follow him right now. You can go there after he''s grown up. If you don''t stay here, that will only be in several years. No need to rush."


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. "How come you''re being so amicable?"


    "Am I? I think I just told you that your behavior was wrong."


    "To you, everybody''s behavior is wrong. Everybody but you is wrong. They always are."


    "Is it my fault? They don''t learn. Neither the gods nor the dragons. They should know better by now but they''re still making almost all the same mistakes. And if they don''t do the same mistakes, then they do new ones. Who could have known they would still be like this after all this time? That certainly wasn''t what I expected."


    Xin Lan snorted. "Certainly not." He turned away and then motioned back from where he had come. "There''s a demon coming here. How about you at least open the gate back to the mortal realm for me?"


    Tian narrowed his eyes. "What''s so good about him? So many men falling in love with the same person ¡­ Don''t you feel it''s slightly ridiculous? Well, neither your feelings nor Jian Heng''s were ever true."


    Xin Lan clenched his hands into fists. "Do not dare to lump us together."


    Tian raised his hand and his fingertip lit up, a gate indeed opening in front of him. "Well, he was a demon so he never was capable of love. You''re a dragon and even though you''re not like the others and are still able to love freely, it doesn''t mean that you really ever loved. That kind of feeling ¡­ You still don''t know what it means."


    He motioned at the gate and turned away, walking back to the palace.


    Xin Lan watched him walk away and turned to the gate to the mortal realm. "You know a lot, Tian, you certainly know about the secrets of the universe. There is one thing you don''t know though. You don''t know the heart of the people. You never have. That is why your lover became a fallen god. It wasn''t the fault of the others. It was yours. So I don''t think that you have the right to judge me." He stepped through the gate, not even looking back to see whether Tian had stopped or not. He merely left those words behind as if he didn''t care about it at all.

 Chapter 726 - The One He Competed with

    Meanwhile, back in the dragon realm, Bai Mu sat down at the desk, a scroll of paper in front of him and a brush with its tip coated in ink in his hand.


    Nie Huang sat beside him, looking at him with worry. "Will this work?"


    Bai Mu took a deep deep breath. "To be honest, I don''t know. But there''s no way I can give up without even trying. They''ve already done so much for us. They prepared the recipe, they gathered the ingredients, now my father even found somebody who can refine the pill for you. I guess it won''t take too take long anymore until we''ll be hearing good news. I don''t want to sit here and just accept something from them while I haven''t done anything to keep my word. That''s just now not how it should be."


    Nie Huang nodded and fell silent. There was nothing she could do to help Bai Mu in figuring this out. No, this was something that her fiance had to do all on his own. She could merely sit next to him and maybe make him a cup of tea if he needed a break. Everything else would rely on him. She couldn''t help but sigh at that thought.


    These people had done so much for her. She was the one who didn''t have spiritual veins to cultivate. But now, the one who would repay them was Bai Mu. It wasn''t that she had a problem with him doing something for her but not being able to help out at all made her feel quite ill at ease. Helping each other and standing in for each other when you wanted to get married was normal. But if there was nothing from her side ¡­ That really was a little sad.


    Bai Mu knew that Nie Huang wasn''t feeling too well about this. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. She didn''t know about anything that had to do with cultivation. How would she be able to help? No, for the time being, he needed to do this alone. "Don''t worry about it. One day, you''ll also be able to play your part in this." He reached over and squeezed her hand before concentrating on the scroll again.


    He sketched the array that his parents had used back then to trap the people in their realm and stared at the fine lines. What Leng Jin Yu wanted wasn''t an array that could teleport them into the realm without trapping them but one that would keep people outside.


    If his mother was here, this wouldn''t be difficult at all. Among the people who had founded the Dark Temple back then, she had been the one who was most proficient in arrays. If he knew where she was, just casually asking would probably have given them ten different possibilities on how to do this. Unfortunately, even he didn''t know where she was. In that case, he had to try himself.


    Bai Mu closed his eyes and took another deep breath. Keep people out and only allow them in with the key. In that case, the inner and outer layer of the array would probably need to be subverted. He drew the new shape next to the old one and opened his eyes. In general, this had to be true. Unfortunately, making these two layers of the array fit together would be much more difficult.


    If an array consisted of several shapes, then these shapes had to be linked together so that their lines would be connected and could react to the key together. With the underlying frame being changed, the links would have to be changed as well. Otherwise, this array would collapse in itself as soon as he tried to set it up. If he was unlucky, it might even cause an energy distortion that would kill everyone nearby.


    He once again drew the shape, this time leaving out the links that had been connecting the two layers, leaving only the ones that were fundamental. Now, the array should be stable. The connection between the shapes was weak though and would likely impact its functionality.


    He furrowed his brows and continued to stare at the shape. Originally, the layers had been designed the other way around but subverting the links wouldn''t work either. He would need a completely new arrangement of them. He pondered the ones his mother had told him about and drew a few of them at the edge of the scroll. These ¡­ Somehow they should be able to connect these two layers.


    Bai Mu bit his lip. He had learned a lot from his mother but his understanding in arrays wasn''t good enough. He had always focused on his sword arts and mastery over other weapons more.


    He couldn''t help but give pause at that thought, his lips curving up in a small smile. That wish of being able to wield those weapons well ¡­ Hadn''t it been born out of the stories his mother had told him about his father and the legends about him that had been circulated in the Dark Temple?


    Feng Jian Hao, the first practitioner of the later demon faction ¡­ That person had been his idol for the first years of his life, even though he came to resent him later on for not returning to his mother''s side. Still, he had persevered in wanting to catch up to him, in wanting to surpass him. Even though he had never seen that person, his father had still been important to him. He was the one he subconsciously competed with all the time.


    And now, he had actually met that person and he turned out to be the God of War of the Nine Heavens. He really didn''t know what to think of that. Could he say that his father had had an unfair advantage all the time? Or maybe he had been delusional in wanting to measure up to him? Ah, but maybe he wasn''t that bad, actually. Maybe ¡­ his father would even be proud of him if he ever got to see him wield any of these weapons.

 Chapter 727 - The Base of the Array

    Bai Mu sighed and shook his head. Whatever. That wasn''t important now. He would have time to get to know his father better in the future, maybe even having that fight he had dreamed about. For now, he had to concentrate on the task at hand though and make sure that he didn''t make any mistake. After all, he had promised this and from what Leng Jin Yu had told him, this was extremely important to him and his lover. He couldn''t be careless.


    He looked back at the initial drawings on the scroll and couldn''t help but furrow his brows. This kind of array ¡­ It really was complicated to set up. Just how long would he need to come up with something that would be safe to use? And not just for a short amount of time? After all, he needed something that could support a gate between two equally strong dimensions, one that would be able to last for several thousand years in the best case. After all, who knew how long the two of them would want to stay in there?


    Binding the array to his blood just like how his parents had done back then might be possible to sustain it but there still couldn''t be any weak spot in the links between the layers or it would collapse sooner or later. What that would mean for the people inside ¡­ There really was no need to think about that. He definitely wouldn''t let that happen to people who had helped him before.


    Bai Mu focused on grouping the links together, silently muttering to himself. He tried a few possible connections but gave up on them just as fast. No, this didn''t fit. The shapes just didn''t fit. He needed something ¡­


    Bai Mu''s expression blanked. Right, the shapes didn''t fit. Even if he managed to connect the links, it still wouldn''t fit. He could account for some points, but not others. The shapes were just too different if they were ordered like this. And having too many different small clusters of links between them would also be a weakness in itself.


    One of the things about arrays he had learned in the early years of his life from his mother was that a simple construction would always be the strongest. The stableness of the shapes could be restored with links but the more links you connected, the weaker the whole cluster of links would be. In other words, one link was the best connection between two points of different layers. A connection made up of two links would be stronger than one made up of three and so on.


    Well, having similar link clusters could stabilize an array even if there were two or three links connected to each other. So the distance between two shapes should be as even as possible. This way, the same link clusters could be used, enabling the caster of the array to offset the weakness that the clusters would normally bring. In this case, it meant that he had to even out the longer distances between the two layers of the array before he could add in the links to make sure it wouldn''t become unstable.


    Bai Mu leaned over the paper scroll with furrowed brows. Right now, he really wished to have paid more attention to arrays back then. Honestly, even if he didn''t learn it back when he was young together with his mother, he could have at least spent more time on it while he was in the other sects. Just what had made him think that practicing weapons and finally cultivating his spiritual energy were more important? Such an array could have a big impact.


    He sighed and shook his head. Regretting it wouldn''t change anything. He could only try his best and if he really couldn''t make it, then he could still ask for help. He measured the distance between the lines of the two shapes. Right now, the inner one was a typical hexagon, the shape that would be able to bind all six sorts of spiritual energy in equal amounts. It was a very balanced form, one that could be used as the base for any kind of array. The outer layer though ¡­


    He didn''t know what exactly to call this shape. It was like a sphere that had been pulled outward, the original softly curved lines distorted beyond recognition, making it twist and turn into something that didn''t have a name anymore. It looked a bit like a snake that was trying to curl up in pain but was obstructed halfway and could only wriggle on the spot.


    When this shape was fit into the hexagon, it could be bent slightly, making the distance between the layers stay more or less constant. Outside of it though ¡­ The outermost corners really were too far away. Evening this out was impossible.


    He furrowed his brows further and waved the brush. Just what to do? Could he change the shape? But as far as he knew, they all had different advantages and disadvantages. There had to be a reason why his mother had decided on this one and he''d rather not experiment with this.


    Ah! Maybe it would work if he split the original hexagon? Having not one of them but three, one in the middle and two on the sides. And if the ones on the sides were half the size of the one in the middle, then that should also do its part to stabilize the areas as a whole.


    Bai Mu once again moved his brush and put his idea down. There still was no way to make up for all of the difference that changing the position of the two layers had caused but this was already much better. Now, he only needed to fit the links in there and then, he could start testing the every. Then he would see if he had been right or if he was creating a death trap right now.

 Chapter 728 - He Didn’t Want to Leave Her

    Bai Mu continued with the links. Once again, he tried to group them to make sure that they would fit into the shapes of the array with as few variations as possible. Unfortunately, there was still about a dozen of them when he had managed to connect all lines. He furrowed his brows and stared at the drawing.


    One dozen ¡­ That was way too much. If it was supposed to be stable, then half of that would be necessary. If he also wanted to have this work for a long time, then even less would be better. Three or maybe four combinations should be the most. And three would be much better for this kind of array. Would this really work? Right now, he saw no way to do so.


    He took a deep breath and once again drew the basic shape. If he couldn''t reduce the number of clusters he needed, then maybe simplifying them would help. Even though it wouldn''t make the every more durable in regard to time, it would, at the very least, make it less susceptible to attacks.


    Bai Mu continued to try, creating one cluster after the other, trying to simplify and cut down as much as he could but he only managed to reduce their number by one and simplify two. Looking at what he had managed to achieve, he could only give a sigh. This wasn''t enough. It wasn''t even close. This would never be able to sustain a gate leading from the human realm to another dimension. Not for a long time, not with the amount of spiritual energy that this place would likely have.


    He leaned back and stared into air. What should he do now? He wouldn''t be able to find his mother to ask for advice. Then what? Ask his father? After all, he should have been there when his mother created the array. He should know about it too. Maybe he would have some input that could help?


    Bai Mu shook his head at himself. Obviously, this array was supposed to be used so that that man couldn''t be found. Telling his father about this wouldn''t be a good idea. No, he had to somehow figure this out by himself. Unfortunately, it was obvious that he wouldn''t be able to do this anytime soon.


    Bai Mu turned to Nie Huang, examining the face that he hadn''t seen in such a long time. "Ah Huang, if I said that I need to leave for a while, would you be able to accept that?"


    Nie Huang smiled. Could she really say no if he asked like this? "It must be very important."


    Bai Mu sighed. "I am ¡­ I''m afraid I''m not good enough at this. I''ll need more time to figure this out. It''s just that ¡­ time moves differently here and in the mortal realm. I might need weeks or maybe months to figure this out. If I took this much time here in the dragon realm, that thousands of years would''ve gone by in the mortal realm when I''m finished. I''m afraid the person that needs this cannot wait that long."


    Nie Huang nodded. "Then ¡­ you''ll go to the mortal realm again? Nothing would happen to you, would it?"


    Bai Mu reached over and grabbed her hand. "Well, it''s not that I can promise anything but I do have an idea. It''s just that ¡­" He looked at her and sighed. He definitely didn''t want to leave her alone. They had only just found each other again. How could he just go? But this was the only way to figure this out soon. That or he needed to find his mother somehow. It was obvious which of the two was more likely.


    "Is there no way for me to come with you?"


    Bai Mu shook his head. "You need to take the pill and acquire spirit veins. Afterward, you''ll need to cultivate as fast as you can. I guess with the kind of pill that these people are able to make, your spirit veins should be heavenly spirit veins. So your progress in cultivation should also be high. And with the spiritual energy around here ¡­ You won''t need long. When you''ve managed to reach the third stage, then there won''t be any problems anymore. You could follow me to the mortal realm if you wanted. But for now, you''ll need to stay here."


    Nie Huang nodded. "Then when will you leave?"


    Bai Mu sighed. Most likely, it would be good if he could leave immediately. He didn''t want to leave her alone here though. They had just arrived and other than Xiang Yong, they didn''t know anyone here. With Nie Huang being a mortal, he didn''t feel that it was a good idea to leave her alone.


    No, he should at least wait until they had the pill. Then, he could show her how to cultivate and leave afterward. That should be for the best, shouldn''t it? Now, the only question was how long would it take until they got the pill? After all, the time in the mortal realm wouldn''t wait for them. As they were sitting here, years would pass over there, making the situation even worse.


    Seeing her fiance''s expression, Nie Huang reached over and patted his arm. "Don''t worry about me. You can go and take care of this. I''ll wait here. Don''t you have the stone now?" She pulled out the small transmission stone that Qiang Yan had given them and smiled. "If something happens, I can reach you and your father. You can also reach me if something happens. So there really is no need to worry.


    "Just go and do what you must. I always knew what kind of man I fell in love with. There are things that I might not understand and cannot help you with, I might also drag you down because I''m merely a mortal. I knew all that from the very beginning. So ¡­ you don''t have to take me into consideration.


    "If the situation calls for it, you''ll have to go. I will stay here and wait. I''m sure your father will soon bring the pill over. I''ll concentrate all my energy on that. And when you come back, then maybe I''ll already have reached that stage that you spoke of. Then we can stay together forever. Wouldn''t that be nice?"


    Bai Mu nodded and leaned over, kissing her temple. "You''re right. I''m sorry though. This shouldn''t have happened. I''ll contact my father before I go. He can answer all your questions if there''s something you don''t know how to do. Don''t hesitate to ask him."


    Nie Huang nodded and got up when Bai Mu made to stand. "Don''t worry about that. I feel that father-in-law and I are getting along very well.


    Bai Mu nodded and hugged her for the last time, taking in her scent before he turned around and left. He''d have to hurry even in the mortal realm. Because even though one year there might only be a day here, he didn''t want to leave her for too many days.

 Chapter 729 - A Promise to Fulfill

    Bai Mu took out his transmission stone when he left the room and imbued his spiritual energy, contacting Qiang Yan. His father immediately answered.


    "Bai Mu! I''m currently in the Temple of Medicine, having them evaluate the lists. I don''t know anything yet though."


    Bai Mu nodded. "That''s still good. It''ll probably not take that long anymore then. Father, there is one thing ¡­"


    Qiang Yan who had just been worrying about the lists, couldn''t help but turn away from the desk of the heavenly physician and look at the apparition of his son more closely. Bai Mu seemed a little ¡­ tense? "Did something happen?"


    Bai Mu sighed. "Not quite. It''s just that ¡­ there''s something I promised somebody. I''m afraid, I''ll have to make true on that right now. So I''m on my way to the human realm. When you do manage to have the pill refined, can you bring it over to Nie Huang and explain to her how cultivation works? You do remember everything about your past life, don''t you? You should know about cultivation."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "That''s not a problem but ¡­ Is it alright for you to leave her? That promise, can''t it wait?"


    Bai Mu shook his head. "If it was something that could wait, then I wouldn''t be on my way right now. But even though the person might not insist, I do have the feeling that they should need me to fulfill this promise as soon as possible."


    "Then it is something I can help with? Maybe if I could help, you could be done with it sooner. Then you could return and help her with the cultivation yourself. I''m sure Nie Huang would also be happy about that."


    Bai Mu nodded. "I''m sure she would. Unfortunately, I don''t think there''s anything you can do." He sighed when he said so. Who knew if he hadn''t been right and his father was actually good with arrays? He might really be giving a chance away.


    Bai Mu halted in the air and looked at the apparition of his father. Qiang Yan hadn''t asked what the promise was about or who he had promised something. He wasn''t somebody that pried into another person''s secrets. Maybe asking him wouldn''t be a problem after all? He hesitated but finally still spoke up. "You wouldn''t know ¡­ about arrays, would you?" Yes, he knew that this was dangerous but he trusted this person. Even though they had only met recently, he had a very good opinion of his father. And if he really knew, then maybe they would be able to solve this matter soon. Wouldn''t that also be good for that person? And when the array was constructed and that realm closed off with it, then even if his father knew about this person, nobody would be able to reach him anyway. So there wasn''t too much of a risk involved, was there?


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. "Arrays?" He pondered what to say and finally gave a wry smile. "As for the arrays of the human realm, that was always your mother''s specialty. I do know a bit about our arrays though."


    Bai Mu stopped completely, intensely looking at his father. "Our arrays? What do you mean?"


    Qiang Yan couldn''t help but feel a little awkward. His son ¡ª even though he actually had the blood of three races in him ¡ª he still felt more or less like a mortal. And the father that he had always been searching for had only been human too. Talking about this, wasn''t that making the problems in their relationship even more obvious? But, well, he didn''t want to keep quiet just because of that either. If it could help Bai Mu, then this was what he should do. "Well, just like the mortals have their arrays, the gods and dragons and even the demons do too. There are quite a few differences between them, mostly that those here in the Nine Heavens are a little more sophisticated."


    "More sophisticated ¡­ You mean ¡­" Bai Mu pondered and finally just cut to the chase. "I only know about that array that mother and you did in the Leyuan region. The one that you used to trap people in your realm if they could become troublesome. If you compared that, how would it hold up against the arrays of the Nine Heavens?"


    Qiang Yan scratched his head. "Well, that array was the specialty of your mother. The key to it was actually her blood, rather than her the way it was made up. Although ¡­ It can''t be said that it was bad. I guess what really made it a good array was the simplicity? At least that was what she always said."


    Bai Mu nodded. "Yes, she taught that to me too."


    Qiang Yan nodded. He hadn''t expected anything else. Naturally, Huan Yin would''ve taught their son everything she could. "Why the sudden interest? Do you ¡­ Need to help that person was some array?"


    Bai Mu smiled. Well, that probably had been easy to figure out. "Something like that. Actually, I''m trying to develop an array myself. It''s supposed to be a bit like the one mother set up. Just that ¡­ I''d like to modify it a bit."


    "Modify? How? I do know how she set it up. Maybe I could really help."


    Before Bai Mu could answer, a voice sounded from behind Qiang Yan. "God of War, I''m afraid I''m unable to judge even half of these. Maybe we should rather ask the God of Medicine for help? That would be safer."


    Qiang Yan sighed and turned around. "Let''s do that." He turned back to Bai Mu but didn''t cut him off. "You heard that. As I said they''re appraising the lists right now. It seems they''re of a higher-level than we originally thought. Let''s hope that they''ll be able to refine it without the recipe though."


    Bai Mu nodded, his stomach turning into a knot. Don''t tell him things on that end weren''t going as well as he had thought?


    Qiang Yan followed the heavenly physician to the study of the God of Medicine but continued to talk to Bai Mu. "Don''t worry too much. The God of Medicine is very skilled. I''m sure he''ll be able to figure this out. Isn''t there more than one list anyway? So even if he isn''t able to find the best one, he''ll still be able to refine at least one of them. I''m sure of that. So don''t worry, Nie Huang will soon be able to gain the spiritual veins."


    Bai Mu nodded. "Yes, you''re probably right. I shouldn''t worry too much."


    "Then about that array ¡­ What kind of modification did you want to make?"


    "Well, your array back then could basically be used by everyone to get into the realm on the other side, but afterward, they would be trapped inside without a way to get out if they didn''t have the key. I''d like to make an array that is the opposite. Something that will be able to keep people out as long as they don''t have the right key."


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. "Keep them out? That shouldn''t be too difficult, should it?"


    Bai Mu furrowed his brows. "I don''t see how it is easy. I change the two layers but the shapes don''t add up. Even if I add more basic shapes, I will have too many links between them. And even if you reduce the number of links, they would be too complicated. It just doesn''t work!"


    Qiang Yan chuckled. "Of course it doesn''t. You''re really trying to just take your mother''s array and make another one out of it? I''m afraid it doesn''t work that way. How about making a new one instead? I think I have an idea for that.


    "You might need to refine it to insert the key that you want but, in general, it shouldn''t be a problem. How about this? I''ll go in and talk to the God of Medicine first and then I''ll come over with the pill that he will have refined by then hopefully and draw the array for you. Can you wait that long?"


    Bai Mu smiled. It seemed it had been the right choice to ask his father after all. Things suddenly seemed much easier. "Alright, then I''ll wait here for you."


    Qiang Yan nodded and cut the connection, stepping into the study of the God of Medicine.

 Chapter 730 - A Person He Couldn’t Forget

    The heavenly physician handed the lists with the ingredients over to the God of Medicine and then stepped to the side.


    "These are the lists of ingredients?" The God of Medicine sifted through the pages and furrowed his bushy brows.


    Qiang Yan nodded and then patted the bag that he had tied to his belt. "Yes, I also have the ingredients here. There''s more than one recipe but I think that we have the ingredients for all of them here. So whatever the God of Medicine deems best, I''d be happy if you could refine that one." He didn''t care about the compensation he''d have to pay. If it would help Nie Huang acquire the spirit veins or make the process easier for her so that it wouldn''t hurt as much, then he would definitely pay a higher price. This was nothing to him.


    The God of Medicine nodded and continued to look through the lists. He didn''t say a single word and just looked through one after the other, his brows furrowing further and further together.


    Qiang Yan clenched his hands into fists and looked from the God of Medicine to the heavenly physician at the side. That guy hadn''t been able to figure most of these out. So most likely, the level should be higher than he had thought. Don''t tell him that it was too high that even the God of Medicine wouldn''t be able to refine even a single one of them without the real recipe? Weren''t these just pills used for human consumption? There shouldn''t be anything too sophisticated about that! Finally, he couldn''t take it any longer. He cleared his throat. "God of Medicine, these lists ¡­ Don''t tell me you don''t know how to refine them either?"


    The heavenly physician at the side raised his brows. His own level wasn''t too high so it was no wonder that he wasn''t able to refine these pills without the real recipe. After all, he was only somebody that greeted the people coming to the temple and helped them with initially appraising their recipes. That wasn''t anything that needed one to be too skillful.


    But the God of Medicine was an entirely different thing! He was the person in the Nine Heavens that was best at refining medicine. That was how he had gotten this position. And with him being so old, it really was hard for anybody to catch up. If even he couldn''t do this ¡­ Just what kind of recipe was this?


    The God of Medicine glanced up at Qiang Yan and motioned at the chair on the other side of the table. "God of War, you haven''t even sat down and are asking things like that? Why don''t you have a seat first? Ah, I should also make us a cup of tea." He got up and walked over to the tea set standing to the side. He started to pour two cups but where the other two couldn''t see it, his hands were actually trembling. "Xiao Lan, seeing that you''ve brought the God of War here, you can go back to your post. Who knows if other people won''t come in in the meantime? I''ll need some time to go through all these lists."


    The heavenly physician''s expression fell. Hadn''t he waited close by so that he could be there when the pill was refined? How come he had to go now when it finally got to the important stage? Well, this person was still the God of Medicine. He could hardly just stay if the person had already told him to go back. He hung his head and nodded. "Alright then, I''ll leave. God of Medicine, God of War." He bowed and then left the study with a dejected expression.


    The God of Medicine carried the cups back to the table and then sat down, taking a deep breath while he looked at the list of ingredients.


    Qiang Yan furrowed his brows. "Is something the matter with these lists?"


    The God of Medicine looked up and raised his bushy brows. "Why don''t you tell me what is up with them? Didn''t you say they were from the human realm?"


    Qiang Yan raised his hands. "For all I know, they are. Longjun is currently in the human realm and he was the one who provided them."


    The God of Medicine sighed. "So Longjun was the one who supplied these. No wonder then." He picked the list up again, his hand still trembling a bit.


    Qiang Yan couldn''t help but lean forward, trying to take a look at the lists. He had seen them before but he hadn''t noticed anything strange about them. Even now, the only thing he could see was beautiful handwriting. He wouldn''t have thought that Qiu Ling was able to write like that but then again, that guy was full of surprises. Hadn''t he seen enough of that in the ten years the dragon king spent to woo his nephew? The initial impression he made really wasn''t all that was to him. "Might I ask just what is the problem with these lists?"


    The God of Medicine put them down and hesitated for a moment. He really didn''t know how to say what was going through his head. "Well, you also know that I''m fairly old."


    Qiang Yan coughed but couldn''t help but nod in the end. "Among the important gods in the capital, you''re the one who is the oldest right after Yue Xia."


    The God of Medicine nodded. "I started to work in this temple when I was young. I''ve seen a lot in all these years. There is something that despite how many years go by I will never forget about it." He picked up a list and showed it to Qiang Yan. "Regardless of how far I''ve gotten in all these years, there was always one person that was much more knowledgeable in these matters than I. That person was the previous Longjun, Jinde. Whatever we refined here in our Temple of Medicine, he was able to do so in only half the time. The recipe we couldn''t figure out even after a week would only take him two or three days to make sense of.


    "I do remember that sometimes when the Temple of Medicine was really lost on a matter they turned to him. The instructions that came back, they were always written in this type of beautiful calligraphy. It really is a pity ¡­" He sighed and turned the scroll back around, looking at the pages with regret.


    Yes, he would never forget that person. This man ¡­ He had really reached the peak in the refinement of pills. Most likely, whether it was in the mortal or immortal realms there wouldn''t be anybody who could achieve more than he.


    Unfortunately, such a talent had passed away in the war. It really was a shame. Up until this day, he still hadn''t understood why the dragons would let this person go onto the battlefield. The hands that were able to write such beautiful characters and refine such excellent medicine, they shouldn''t have been forced to hold a sword. No, that kind of person would have deserved to dedicate all of his time to his studies. Why sent him to fight?


    The God of Medicine shook his head and sighed again. "Well, I do feel honored that the current Longjun would actually take out the list written by his predecessor to have these pills refined. I''m wondering ¡­ Would it be able to keep these lists? That alone would be more than enough compensation. In fact, we would likely owe even more."


    Qiang Yan clenched his hands into fists below his sleeves and forced himself to smile. "I don''t know but I can ask him. Let me step out and try if I can contact him. I''ll only need a few minutes." He got up, nodded at the God of Medicine and then went out, rushing to a corner as soon as the door fell shut behind him and once again imbuing his spiritual energy into his transmission stone to contact Bai Mu. Don''t kid him! As if this was a coincidence!

 Chapter 731 - The Person You Promised …

    Bai Mu raised his brows in surprise when his transmission stone pulsed again just after his father had cut the connection. He imbued his spiritual energy and Qiang Yan''s apparition appeared. Before he could even greet him, Qiang Yan already spoke up.


    "The person that needs you to create the array, have you seen them?"


    Bai Mu raised his brows. Just what was is about? "If this is important for how the array has to be?"


    Qiang Yan clicked his tongue. If this person wasn''t his son, he probably would have scolded him for evading to answer like that. "I''m being serious here, Bai Mu. Have you seen them?"


    Bai Mu''s gaze flickered but he nodded. If his father wanted to know more, then he could still bring out Leng Jin Yu. After all, he had been the one who had asked about the array.


    Qiang Yan took a deep breath. "How did they look like?"


    "What exactly is it that you want to know about their appearance? Actually, shouldn''t you know? The person who asked me for this was Leng Jin Yu. Didn''t you say you knew him?"


    Qiang Yan narrowed his eyes. Leng Jin Yu? This didn''t make any sense. Considering what he had said, Qiu Ling had dragged him along to gather the ingredients. He had also said that ¡­ Qiang Yan blinked. Wait. It couldn''t be that ¡­ His brows twitched. "This array it ¡­ it wouldn''t have anything to do with his partner, would it?"


    Bai Mu raised his brows. "His partner?" How did his father know about this? Wasn''t this supposed to be a secret?


    "He did tell me that he married a while ago. It was rather surprising back then. He hadn''t gone to the human realm for long and suddenly ¡­" He shook his head at himself. This couldn''t be, could it? Never mind how unlikely it was for that person to be still alive, the rest was even crazier! Meeting Leng Jin Yu, them falling in love with each other in a short amount of time, even getting married on a whim? This was nuts! Nobody could convince him that this was true. It couldn''t be.


    Bai Mu didn''t know how to react. Somehow, it seemed as if his father already knew what this was about. But ¡­ Could you really say anything? Leng Jin Yu hadn''t said outright that this was a secret but he hadn''t even mentioned his lover''s name and with what he had said about the person looking for him ¡­ It was obvious he''d like to keep as much as he could under wraps. After all, a secret was safer the fewer people knew about it and with every time that person and anything related to him was mentioned, the likelihood of him being found might get bigger. He didn''t want to be responsible for that. Well, on the other hand, he couldn''t tell that to his father, could he? No, he''d have to find a way to divert his attention. "Father, what exactly is it that you want to know?"


    Qiang Yan took another deep breath and looked at his son. "You don''t have to tell me. I guess this is a secret and, honestly, it should stay one. Just that ¡­" He looked around, making sure that nobody was close by. "Bai Mu, this person, I don''t know how much you know about them. But if his partner happens to have long golden hair and golden eyes and happens to be called Jinde, then you should forget about whatever you know. Don''t mention this to anybody ¡ª ever. Nobody can know that this person exists."


    Bai Mu raised his brows. Apparently, his father knew exactly who Leng Jin Yu''s partner was. Well, with that, he was actually a step ahead of him. He had no idea just who this person was. He had gathered that things couldn''t be easy when Leng Jin Yu asked for such an array but he wouldn''t have thought that it was this grave. He had just thought there were some troubles in his partner''s past. Who would have thought ¡­ And even his father somehow knew about this. Just how big was this issue? "Is there something I should know about him?"


    Qiang Yan sighed. "I don''t think it would be good to talk about this. Especially not with you being in the dragon realm right now. Just remember that this person can''t be brought up. If it''s not Qiu Ling or Leng Jin Yu or me, don''t ever mention him. Tell Nie Huang to keep silent about this too. It would cause a lot of trouble if this were to get out."


    Bai Mu nodded. He didn''t understand but he could hear from his father''s tone that this was indeed something major. Since he didn''t know about the immortal realms too well right now, he would just take it as his father giving him good advice. He could still ask about this again after the array was finished and that person was safe inside the realm tied to it. "Alright, I''ll do that."


    Qiang Yan heaved a sigh of relief and rubbed his brow. "Alright, I''ll try to contact Qiu Ling now. Let''s hope he already has the transmission stone back."


    "Do they need the full recipes?"


    Qiang Yan paused and smiled awkwardly. "Actually, I don''t know that yet. I guess they might but there''s something else I have to ask Qiu Ling about first. We''ll know in a bit." He gave an apologetic smile and cut the connection again, not giving Bai Mu the chance to say anything more. Even though he really wanted to help his son, he first had to make sure about this other matter.


    Once again, he imbued his spiritual energy into this transmission stone but the person he tried to contact wasn''t Qiu Ling. No, the person he really tried to contact was Leng Jin Yu.

 Chapter 732 - He Has Enough Appeal

    Leng Jin Yu answered his transmission stone without delay. He couldn''t help but raise his brows when he saw the face of the God of War though. "God of War, what a surprise."


    Qiang Yan grimaced. "Certainly not as big of a surprise as the one I just got. I hope you don''t mind me asking but who did you say your husband was again?"


    Leng Jin Yu kept his previous expression of surprise, not giving any other hint whatsoever. "I don''t think I mentioned anything other than getting married. The person is somebody I met in the human realm while on the mission. I''m afraid the God of War doesn''t know him."


    Qiang Yan nodded his head. "I might be a little too young to know him."


    This time, Leng Jin Yu had trouble holding his lips back from twitching. Thankfully, he wasn''t anywhere where Jinde could hear this conversation. Being called old by somebody like the God of War certainly would''ve made him upset. "I''m not sure what the God of War is trying to say. Not that I want to boast but the person I married is a beautiful young man."


    Qiang Yan clicked his tongue. "Sure enough, the dragons age differently from us. Even Qiu Ling doesn''t look old even though he''s pretty much of a more senior generation than me."


    Once again, Leng Jin Yu had to try hard to school his expression. Who would''ve thought even his son was this old? "I really don''t know what the God of War is talking about. The person I married ¡ª"


    "Leng Jin Yu, you can try to fool somebody else. The list of ingredients we got was written by that person. The God of Medicine recognized his handwriting. So you should better tell your husband not to casually write down anything that could be found by other people. This is dangerous."


    Leng Jin Yu''s carefully maintained smile finally collapsed. "So the God of Medicine knows?"


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "The God of Medicine is of the impression that this is something the current Longjun gave us because he had something to do with this. They think he gave us some old notes. But if more information comes up, this will be very difficult to deal with."


    "Thank you for telling me. I''ll tell him to be careful when I see him the next time."


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. Suddenly, he remembered what Leng Jin Yu had said before. "The problem in your marriage ¡­" His expression derailed. "Wait. Wasn''t he cut with the ¡ª"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "He was. So his condition isn''t too well."


    "Then the array ¡­?"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. "The God of War knows about that too?"


    Qiang Yan gave a wry smile. "The one you asked about it was my son. He had some trouble coming up with a suitable array and asked for my help. He didn''t say who this was for and what it was about. If not for the God of Medicine mentioning that person right afterward, I wouldn''t have figured it out. So you don''t have to worry about Bai Mu. He wouldn''t say anything. I also talked to him right now and told him that he definitely can''t mention this anymore."


    "Thank you."


    "What about Qiu Ling? Does he know?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "He does."


    "And you have nothing to say to that?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "What can I say? He knew about it before I did."


    Qiang Yan furrowed his brows. Qiu Ling had actually known about this? And for a long time? He wouldn''t have expected that. If that was the case ¡­ Ah, but what could he do? That person being alive was a fact now. They could only try to hide it to make sure that Qiu Ling wouldn''t lose the dragon race''s throne. They had to prevent that at all costs. After all, if he did, then there was no way the Heavenly Emperor would let him marry Jing He. And never mind that Qiu Ling wouldn''t accept that, when Jing He woke up he wouldn''t be able to accept it either. It had taken ten years for the two of them to get this close. But by now, Jing He was completely smitten by this man. Not being allowed to marry him after his trial had been finished, that would be like torture to him. He couldn''t let that happen.


    Qiang Yan took a deep breath. "My wife was the one who was really gifted with arrays. I do know a bit about how she came up with this one though and since I now have my memories from the trial, as well as the ones from my life in the Nine Heavens ¡­ I''m sure I''ll be able to set one up in the way that you need it. Don''t worry, I also have some interest in having that person stay in a place that nobody can enter."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "It''s a pity though. He doesn''t deserve to be trapped like that."


    Qiang Yan sighed. "Well, it''s only for the time being with regard to the issue I''m worried about. After Jing He and Qiu Ling have married, I don''t mind him walking around in broad daylight."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "He doesn''t intend to challenge Qiu Ling''s claim to the throne. He always wanted him to inherit."


    Qiang Yan sighed. "That might be the case but he was very beloved in the dragon realm. I can''t say for sure how true these things are considering it was such a long time ago but it''s likely that it is true. He was probably the king they loved the most. Letting Qiu Ling contend with that ¡­ I wouldn''t be too sure that he''ll be able to win."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "That might be true. Then again, he has reigned for a long time already. Things are different now. The dragons are satisfied with Qiu Ling as their king. Even if Jinde returned, it is not sure how many of them would actually want to follow him.


    "We also have to take into consideration that a lot of the old people are already dead. There are new generations by now. Dragons that were born and grew up under Qiu Ling''s reign. They only know now this king and they only follow him. The previous one ¡­ They might have heard stories but that''s it. I doubt they would really want to return to how things were before they were born. I do think Qiu Ling has enough appeal for that. There''s no reason to worry too much."

 Chapter 733 - Use the Time

    Qiang Yan nodded. "You might be right about that. Still, I''d like not to take any chances. So let''s just be careful about this, alright? I''ll work on that array as soon as I can."


    "I''m very much in favor of that. Could you bring it over here after you''re done? I wouldn''t presume to let you do this normally but ¡­ I think it might bring some difficulties if I were to leave here again. I''ve already run into some trouble in the dragon realm. I was able to throw the person off but ¡­" He sighed and shook his head. "Furthermore, the demon king went to the Yun Zou Sect recently. He''s onto something so it''s important that all of this is done as soon as possible and with involving as few people as possible."


    Qiang Yan furrowed his brows. The demon king was involved as well? This wasn''t good! The person that would get the most out of this was certainly that guy. From the very beginning, he had hated Qiu Ling. At the very least, that was what was being said. And preventing the marriage between Qiu Ling and Jing He would certainly bring trouble to both their races. That was something the demons would be able to take advantage of. That should be exactly what he was hoping for. He wanted to speak up again when he remembered something. "Wait, the current demon king ¡­ Wasn''t he raised by the previous Longjun?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "He was. Their relationship is ¡­ not very good. If the demon king manages to find him, that would be a big problem. We can''t risk that."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Well, I''m in the Temple of Medicine right now. The God of Medicine is currently appraising the lists with the ingredients. He''ll refine the pill for Nie Huang afterward. I''ll bring that over to Bai Mu and talk with him about that array. With two of us working on it together, we should be able to make sure that it is secure. Afterward, I''ll come over and help with setting up the array."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Then I''ll go and return to the Yun Zou Sect for now. There are some things I''ll need to prepare."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Yes, I should also get back into the temple." He already wanted to bid him farewell when he suddenly remembered what he had promised the God of Medicine to do. "Ah! Wait!"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows in response.


    Qiang Yan gave a wry smile. "Well, this is a bit awkward but there is a compensation to be paid for having the Temple of Medicine refine the pill. The God of Medicine asked if it would be alright to keep the lists. I know all of this has nothing to do with you but ¡­ Maybe you would be alright with it? And I would pay you back somehow."


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "It''s no problem. Aren''t Jinde and I benefiting from this as well? After all, you are also helping with the array that we need. So giving these lists in return is nothing much. They''re worthless to Jinde anyway since he knows them by heart."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Thank you then. I''ll go back inside and tell him. I''ll hurry with everything else so don''t worry. We''ll manage to finish that array soon. I do have a few ideas already. At most, it should take a few hours."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "A few hours, hm? That would still be a few months in the mortal realm. I guess I won''t be able to see Jinde for the time being."


    "Why that? Is he not in the Yun Zou Sect now? I thought you married and ¡­" He trailed off, not knowing what else to say. Honestly, he still felt that it was unbelievable that the person he had wanted to recruit into his palace of the God of War had now married the previous Longjun. Could somebody explain this to him?


    "Well, there''s still the demon king. There is no way for Jinde to stay around while he''s there. We have to be careful so ¡­ I sent him away. He will only be able to return when the array is set up and nobody can get inside."


    "Ah, that''s true. Well, I can only promise you that we will hurry up. There''s nothing else that can be done I''m afraid. It will take some time. Right, while we''re at that, you should consider what you want to use as a key for the array. It should be something that would only allow the two of you to get in there. So you should find something that only the two of you have and that can''t be taken from you easily."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I''ll try to find something. I''m not sure how easy that will be though."


    "Well, you have a few months. You can create the realm and tie it to a basic array first. We can add the key to that afterward when Bai Mu and I have come up with the final shape of the array. Now, I''d better get back inside. The less time I spend on something else now, the better."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and the two bid their farewell, finally cutting the connection. Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but sigh when he put the transmission stone away. Something that only the two of them had and that couldn''t be easily taken away from them ¡­ Was there something like that? He wasn''t too sure.


    Well, the God of War was indeed right that he didn''t need to decide on this right now. He still had time for that. So it wouldn''t be too late to think about this when he had returned to the Yun Zou Sect.


    With that thought, he pushed off the ground and finally made his way back. Even if he couldn''t see Jinde yet, he could at least prepare everything for his husband''s return. Just thinking of Jinde''s smile at that time ¡­ waiting for him was worth it.

 Chapter 734 - I Need You as a Cover-up

    When Leng Jin Yu finally arrived in the Yun Zou Sect, he directly flew to Grandmaster Zhangsun''s peak. Never mind the transmission stone for now. Qiu Ling didn''t care about it too much and most likely, nobody would want to contact him right now anyway. No, it was better to take care of the matter at hand first.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked up when he heard steps in the corridor outside of his study. He furrowed his brows and rose to his feet, his body tensed. When had been the last time that he hadn''t known as soon as somebody set foot on his peak? To actually manage to get to the corridor before he noticed them ¡­ This person had to be much stronger than him.


    The person that finally appeared made him relax and give a sigh. "Grandmaster Leng ¡ª"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head and cupped his fists. "Greetings, Grandmaster Zhangsun. This disciple came to ask for a favor."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi raised his brows but didn''t say anything. He motioned at the chair on the other side of the table instead. "Then why don''t you have a seat? Would you care for a cup of tea?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head, neither accepting the tea nor sitting down. "Actually, this matter won''t be a big effort on Grandmaster Zhangsun''s part. It is just ¡­ I''d need you to act as a cover-up for a bit."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi raised his brows and walked around the table, approaching Leng Jin Yu. "Act as what?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and motioned outside. "As a cover-up. You also know that Jinde can''t return to the dimension."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "So you''ve decided to create another dimension for him?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I thought that it would be convenient to have it be at the Sect Master''s peak, considering my current position. The realm I want to create is also a bit ¡­ less restrictive than the dimension where he was before."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi raised his brows but still nodded in the end. Creating a realm wasn''t easy. It required a tremendous amount of strength but then again, the way this person looked was rather deceitful. He shouldn''t forget that this person was much older than him and had already managed to ascend and just returned because of some private matters. "You want me to make an excuse in front of the Sect Master."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "That would be very much appreciated."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "Then I''ll go and explain to him. By the way the ¡­" He had already turned to the door but couldn''t help and turn back to Leng Jin Yu again. "You''ve been rather busy the last few days, haven''t you? You should check in on your ¡­ Master every now and then. He''s very attached to you."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. He also knew that Yuchi Bing Xia put a lot of hope in this youngest disciple of his and had always paid special attention to him since the day he took him in. He did feel a bit like was betraying him with this. Well, that was nothing he could change out right now. He would make sure that he organized the Yun Zou Sect and made sure that it was in a better state before he handed it back to him. By then, there would be some way to explain. He didn''t necessarily have to tell him the truth. No, maybe there would be another way to explain. He''d just have to see about it.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and finally turned to the door. "Maybe you should return with me to see him. I will propose that you should come and have a look. Seeing a realm being created would benefit you in your cultivation as well."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled awkwardly. "Shouldn''t you rather take my Master then?" He also knew that Yuchi Bing Xia had been stuck at his current cultivation stage for a long time. He had just lacked the time to focus on cultivation with everything that was going on in the sect. If he was actually able to observe the birth of a realm, then that might spark some inspiration that would let him advance to the next stage in a short amount of time. If things weren''t so complicated, then this really was an opportunity he would''ve liked to give him.


    Unfortunately, this realm couldn''t be crafted by Zhangsun Xun Yi and had to be crafted by himself instead. That way, there was no way to let Yuchi Bing Xia be there. Even if he wasn''t strong enough to see through his real cultivation stage, he would definitely notice that something was amiss when he was next to them when he created the realm. There was no way to cover something like that up.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "You don''t have to worry about that. I think I might be able to give a good excuse for that."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Then I''ll put that into your hands." He fell silent and followed the Grandmaster over to his Master''s peak, his thoughts once again returning to Jinde. Now, it really wouldn''t be much longer until they could finally see each other again. It would only depend on how fast the God of War was.

 Chapter 735 - A Second Dimension

    Zhangsun Xun Yi and Leng Jin Yu walked into the Sect Master''s study one after the other. Yuchi Bing Xia got up when he saw the Grandmaster and then broke into a happy smile when he saw his disciple. "Grandmaster Zhangsun. Yu Jin, are you also coming over to see your old Master again? I was really thinking you had all forgotten about me after moving in with a beauty."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. He already knew what his Master thought about Jinde but hearing it like this after they had married ¡­ It did feel a little strange. Well, not that he could deny it. A person that dared to say that Jinde wasn''t beautiful probably wouldn''t have any sense of aesthetics. "It''s all this disciple''s fault." He cupped his fists and bowed.


    Yuchi Bing Xia waved. "Well, you''re young. I''m just happy that he hasn''t driven you crazy yet."


    Leng Jin Yu gave another wry smile. His Master really made it sound as if Jinde would try to eat him raw. Well, that fear probably wasn''t without reason. After all, Jinde had done quite a lot to pull him into bed. Even though his Master hadn''t been right with his assumptions, he had been onto something when he warned him back then.


    Leng Jin Yu refused to answer Yuchi Bing Xia and Zhangsun Xun Yi cleared his throat to steer the conversation to serious matters.


    "Actually, the reason I came here has to do with that person. You also know of the plan to restructure the sect. We''ve managed to convince several of the Elders so things are bound to change in the future. Many new people will come and live in the inner sect. It won''t be safe for that person to stay in Yu Jin''s house forever."


    Leng Jin Yu glanced at the Grandmaster. That really was a dignified excuse. It seemed he didn''t need to worry that things would go wrong at this stage.


    Yuchi Bing Xia furrowed his brows. "That''s true. Do you think it would be safe for him to return to the dimension at the foot of your peak?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head. "I''m afraid not. That is why I came here. I thought about it and I think that it would be for the best if we created a new dimension. In fact, that isn''t bad either. We can bind it to your peak so that only you and one of your disciples would be able to enter." He glanced at Leng Jin Yu when he said so, making the Sect Master take a double look at his disciple.


    Yuchi Bing Xia couldn''t help but worry. It seemed these two were still as close as before. Would this really not have any negative effect on Yu Jin? Well, even though he didn''t like it, he would have to accept it and just wait what the future would bring. Maybe things would turn out well and he was worrying too much.


    He sighed. "I don''t see any problem with creating a new dimension. If you think it would be a good idea to do so, then we should. Are you sure you can handle the creation? Will I be needed for that?"


    The Grandmaster shook his head. "No, I''ll be able to handle it on my own. The only other question is what to do with the other dimension. I don''t know if you have any thoughts on that but I was thinking of using it for the disciples. We can make it a special privilege that will be given to both inner and outer sect disciples for achieving breakthroughs, winning competitions or finishing difficult missions."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. "The spiritual energy in there is denser than in the rest of the sect. It would surely be an incentive for the disciples to work hard."


    "Indeed. So are you alright with this? It would be bound to your peak after all."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. "Sure, this will only benefit the sect."


    "Then I''ll go and take care of it. "Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded at the Sect Master as a farewell and walked toward the door but he stopped just a few steps shy of it and turned to glance at Leng Jin Yu. Finally, he faced Yuchi Bing Xia again. "Right, this kind of thing, it''s something that doesn''t happen too often. Since you''ve decided that you want Yu Jin to take over your position later on, it would be good if he could learn some new things. Why don''t I take him along?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked from Zhangsun Xun Yi to Yu Jin and smiled. "That''s indeed a good idea. Then you go, Yu Jin. Take a good look. That''s something you can learn a lot from. With a bit of luck, you might be able to advance again."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and cupped his fists. "Thank you, Master. Thank you, Grandmaster Zhangsun, for giving me this opportunity."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and then stepped out of the door. Ah, he really felt that it wasn''t easy to accept these kinds of words from this person. Sometimes it truly was better not to know too much. Unfortunately, it couldn''t be changed anymore. He had already found out.


    The two men walked to the back of the palace and Zhangsun Xun Yi stepped aside, letting Leng Jin Yu decide how to continue from here.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t bother too much. He could already create the realm and since the array would be changed later on so that only those with the key would be able to enter it didn''t matter where he bound the array. Even if it was in plain sight, it wouldn''t make a difference.


    In fact, having it in plain sight might be a good idea. If the demon king returned in the next few days to take another look, then he would be able to search through this whole realm to make sure that Jinde wasn''t inside. That way, he wouldn''t bother them anymore in the future. Well, at the very least, that was what he hoped for. Who knew if that kind of person would really play by the rules? Considering what Jinde had told him about the demon king so far ¡­ He couldn''t be too sure about that.


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows but then took a deep breath to clear his head. Whatever. Soon, this wouldn''t be a problem anymore. For now, he just had to create this realm and then wait for the God of War to come over with the array.

 Chapter 736 - Make up for Sad Memories

    Leng Jin Yu knelt down on the ground and took out a few materials from his spatial ring. He had lived long enough to have accumulated quite a bit of them when compared with other people in the mortal realm. There had been a few things that he left behind for the Jian Yi Sect when he ascended but most of it had been taken with him to the Nine Heavens. After all, he hadn''t known what awaited him back then and he wanted to be prepared in case it was something bad. Thus there were still more than enough materials to set up a simple array.


    He took out some crystals containing spiritual energy that would have made any cultivator raise their brows. This kind of crystal wasn''t rare but the size of the ones in Leng Jin Yu''s hands ¡­ Such big crystals could only be found at the most primal of spots in the human realm. The fact that he could casually take out a handful of them showed just how strong he had been when he finally ascended.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t think anything about it. He formed a simple array that only consisted of the most basic shape to make sure that the God of War would be able to connect it with the more sophisticated array he had come up with.


    As soon as the array was finished, Leng Jin Yu stood up and stepped into the middle. He took a deep breath and calmed down, gathering his strength. Creating a realm wasn''t easy, even for somebody who had ascended. After all, he needed to cut through space, connect this place with another dimension and then fill the place that had been created with his spiritual energy. It would be a huge drain but it was worth it for Jinde.


    He slowly lifted his hands and the spiritual energy rose to his fingertips. He put his palms together, condensing the energy into a thin blade. He struck out, expelling a breath and cutting the space. It ripped open and faint energy could be seen swirling in the air. Leng Jin Yu reached out, his fingers touching the vortex. A blinding light erupted, hiding his figure from sight.


    Not far away, Zhangsun Xun Yi furrowed his brows. This person ¡­ As an ascended deity, he shouldn''t have any trouble doing this, should he? He certainly didn''t want to explain to that man that something had happened to his husband. If he did ¡­ even with how heavily injured that man was, the Yun Zou Sect might not be able to live through his wrath. He had shown more than once that the person he loved was the most important to him. He was even more important than his own life.


    Leng Jin Yu had no time to think about Zhangsun Xun Yi. Right now, he was at the most crucial stage. He couldn''t stop or slow down. Otherwise, not only would his attempt fail, but he himself would also be gravely injured.


    His hands moved, his spiritual energy widening the rip he had made in space. He stepped forward, his feet leaving the ground and stepping into the gap. His hands shot forward, rays of spiritual energy wrapping around him and stabilizing the opening of the realm. Looking from afar, it seemed as if a gigantic gate had appeared behind the Sect Master''s palace. The opening wasn''t wide but with the spiritual energy swirling around it, it seemed to glow like a star in the night sky, impossible to miss.


    Leng Jin Yu looked into the dark space behind the gate, his lips curving up imperceptibly. The realm was created, now ¡­ He glanced at the array behind him and nodded to himself. Very well. The realm was already tied to the array. For the time being, this would suffice. He could now go about finalizing his creation. After all, the realm might be created but it was still empty.


    He turned back again, using his spiritual energy to stabilize the realm further until it calmed down completely. The gate next to him seemed to solidify as if it was an actual gate to a building that somebody had constructed.


    Leng Jin Yu stepped further in, closing the gate behind him so it wouldn''t draw any more attention. Not that he held much hope. Something like this would alarm the whole cultivation world. Most likely, several delegations from other cultivation sects would be sent over soon. Well, this might help his Master with revitalizing the Yun Zou Sect so it might even be a blessing in disguise. They just had to tread carefully in the aftermath.


    After all, even though he was the one who had created the array, he had used only a simple one without any restrictions. Everybody would be able to open this realm as it was now. He didn''t believe that many people would dare to give this a try with the Sect Master and the Grandmaster around but it couldn''t hurt to be cautious.


    Well, that was something for later. Now, he first had to form this empty plain into something that Jinde would appreciate. He closed his eyes and his energy surged, changing the ground when he walked, raising it into the air to form mountains and lowering it down to form valleys. Rain formed of spiritual energy fell and created rivers and lakes before Leng Jin Yu finally stopped in the middle of the realm.


    His eyes opened and an image flashed in front of them. He hesitated but finally, a tall tree shot out of the ground, stone slabs appeared below his feet and a building rose behind him.


    Leng Jin Yu turned in a circle and his lips curved into a smile. Ah, this place, he wasn''t too sure if Jinde would like it or if seeing this would bring back unpleasant memories but it was a place that connected the two of them. After all, this was the place he had seen since the day he came to the Yun Zou Sect. This was the place that had led him to search for Jinde. So even though this was the place they had met at in his previous life when they didn''t manage to stay together in the end, it still had a special meaning to them now.


    Maybe they would be able to make up for a few of the things that had gone wrong in the past. Maybe the sad memories could be offset by the good ones they would make now. At the very least, that was what he wished for. He could only hope that Jinde would feel the same.

 Chapter 737 - The One Thing He Hated

    Xin Lan''s expression darkened as soon as he set foot in the mortal realm. Just a casual look around revealed that this was not the Yun Zou Sect nor was this the place where his Master had gone to. That bastard! Was it really asking too much to send him to a good spot? And Tian had opened the gate before he told him that his lover''s fate was his own fault so he couldn''t even pretend that it had been because of what he said. No, that bastard had intended to do this from the very beginning.


    Xin Lan hid his figure from the sight of mortals and looked around. He was standing in a beautiful room that seemed to be in the house of some rich family. The most surprising thing was the amount of spiritual energy in the place though. If compared with what he had felt in the Yun Zou Sect, he couldn''t help but regret that his Master had landed there. This looked like the home of a family but the surrounding was much better. If his Master had come here, he might have recuperated to a better degree already.


    Xin Lan sighed and shook his head, wanting to leave. He was lucky that nobody was around so he should better use the time. There was only some rustling from the next room as if somebody was looking through documents or reading a book but as long as the person wasn''t a strong cultivator, they wouldn''t notice him.


    He turned around but just before he stepped out, a sound came from behind him. Xin Lan couldn''t help but look back. The person wouldn''t have come over, would they? Was it indeed a strong cultivator? Well, nothing would change even then. He would be able to win against any human regardless of whether they had cultivated or not. It would just be bothersome to get rid of the person.


    In the end, it turned out that he didn''t need to worry about that. What he saw was definitely wasn''t a cultivator. It was nice enough of him to call it a human. Well, it was one but ¡­ it was an especially small one.


    Xin Lan grimaced. He didn''t care about humans too much. After all, he had also had quite a few human lovers but if there was one thing he hated, then it was children. Just thinking back to the way that bastard child had tried to monopolize his Master''s attention back then, he still wanted to strangle him.


    The child in front of him right now curiously looked in his direction as if it was able to see him. Xin Lan cocked his head and walked over, crouching down in front of the bed and looking at the baby. It had a round face that could only be called chubby, two little dimples adorned its cheeks, a tuft of black hair on its head and two equally black eyes that were big and round like plums.


    Xin Lan''s lips twitched. He had a nagging suspicion that Tian might not have sent him here without reason.


    The child once again gave a soft sound and stretched out its plump little hands.


    Xin Lan looked at the chubby fingers and then looked back at the face. "Too ugly." If this thing stayed ugly even in twenty years, then how was he supposed to pretend to be his lover? Even though he didn''t discriminate against humans, he did have an aesthetic sense. He didn''t want to demean himself.


    The child that had just wanted to reach out to him ¡ª even though it shouldn''t be able to see him by any right ¡ª suddenly stopped mid-motion and stared at him. The big eyes slowly filled with tears and it started to sniffle. Big tears rolled down its cheeks, the plump face reddened and the expression twisted into a wrinkled mess, the sniffles turning into sobs and finally into full-out bawling.


    Xin Lan stared at it and couldn''t help but think that it was even uglier this way.


    "Xiao Yu!" The rustling of paper in the room next door stopped and was replaced by that of fabric before somebody rushed over. A man burst into the room, picking the child up from the bed and pressing it against his chest. "Xiao Yu, what happened, ah? You don''t have to cry. Big brother is here!" He leaned down and kissed the fat baby cheek, making Xin Lan purse his lips in disgust.


    The dragon got up and walked to the door leading to the courtyard. He wanted to go out but held back at the last moment. Ah, right. Even though this mortal wasn''t able to see him, he would notice if the door opened. He sighed and leaned against the wall instead, observing the two of them. The fat baby still continued to cry as if it was inconsolable. The man tried to calm it down but got more and more flustered the longer the situation went on.


    Xin Lan gave a dry chuckle. Well, what did he expect from that fallen god? That guy was really too prone to making trouble. Even now that he had reincarnated for his trial, he was still making people unable to know what they should do.


    Xin Lan couldn''t help but worry at the same time. This child ¡­ By all means, he shouldn''t be able to see him. He shouldn''t be able to hear what he said either. So why had he suddenly reached out? And why had he started crying after he was called ugly? Was it just a coincidence? It was hard to believe so. After all, the timing was too coincidental. No, it seemed that this child had somehow really perceived that he was here and then reacted.


    How strange. Could it be that this was because he had been a fallen god? This type of person shouldn''t reincarnate for a trial under normal circumstances. Maybe even with Tian''s help, he wouldn''t be able to get rid of all his powers? That would at least be an explanation.


    Meanwhile, the man completely panicked and rushed past Xin Lan and out of the room, hurrying through the courtyard and into the front of the house. "Mother! Something is wrong with Xiao Yu!"


    Immediately, the whole house was in chaos. Xin Lan who was silently following behind, couldn''t help but be amazed. This person ¡­ Hadn''t he reincarnated a little too well? A wealthy family, a place this rich in spiritual energy, a big brother that cared about him as if he was the apple of his eye, a house full of family members and servants that would fuss over him?


    This wouldn''t happen to be Tian pulling some strings, would it? Normally, that bastard didn''t care about anyone but he did have a weak spot for fallen gods. It wouldn''t be impossible.


    Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed and he continued to follow behind. Right now, he didn''t know how much time had passed in the mortal realm since he left the Yun Zou Sect. That bastard Jin Ling should still be in the High Heavens trying to figure out whether Jinde was in there or not while his Master ¡­ Maybe he had already returned? Well, it was better not to find out. No, for now, he should hold back. And even though he had only promised that stupid child that he would accompany him when he became an adult, that didn''t mean that he couldn''t take a look before that.

 Chapter 738 - Maybe the Child Is Sick?

    Xin Lan stayed at the house and continued to watch as the humans tried to humor the child. Unfortunately, even after half an hour, the brat hadn''t calmed down. He wasn''t crying as hard anymore but he was still sobbing profusely, making especially his parents and older brother look as if the world was about to end. Just what had happened to their precious baby?


    Xin Lan felt helpless. He had a strange feeling that the child would probably calm down as soon as he took his previous words back. Unfortunately, he didn''t dare to go over. After all, while his brother was at a rather high stage already, the real powerhouses were their parents. He could even feel somebody in the house that was close to ascension. Even he wouldn''t dare to be too casual in such a case. It wasn''t that he was afraid of these humans. No, there was no way for them to beat him in a fight but it was entirely possible for them to notice that he was here. If they did and he was exposed ¡­ That might become troublesome in the future.


    Not only would he need to leave now without being able to find out anything, if they managed to see him, they might also raise their guard against him in the future when he was supposed to become this person''s lover. Ah, this stupid fallen god was really making nothing but trouble.


    The family deliberated what to do. With the child crying like this, this didn''t seem like a usual problem. Currently, the baby was being held by his mother while the two men of the family peered into his face.


    The father couldn''t help but speak up. "Maybe Xiao Yu is sick? We could get a physician."


    The child''s mother furrowed her brows. "What are you saying, Ning Shun? You think I wouldn''t have noticed if my child was sick?"


    The man furrowed his brows in return. Naturally, he didn''t think that. It was just that he had no idea what else could be the reason. Xiao Yu had never been like this. No, from the day he was born, this child had always been a lovely angel. Why was he suddenly being so difficult?


    "Then what do you think is the matter with him?" The person that couldn''t help but speak up this time was the child''s brother. His heart hurt seeing his little baby brother this inconsolable. If there was anything he could do, he would go and do it right now! It didn''t matter whether it was wading through a sea of flames or getting a priceless treasure from the demon realm, he would do everything!


    The child''s mother could only look at him with worry though. She also didn''t know what was wrong. Normally, shouldn''t he indicate just what was the matter? At the very least, he had always done that in the past. She furrowed her brows and finally turned to her husband. "Then you go and go and get the physician. Maybe it really is something I don''t know about." She couldn''t imagine though. After all, she was the one in the Hua family that knew the most about medicine. How could it be that she wouldn''t notice if her child was sick?


    Her husband nodded and rushed out. He didn''t even think of sending a servant. No, if his little darling son was like this, then he certainly couldn''t leave anything to chance. He had to go himself and make sure that he found the best physician!


    The mother and brother were left alone with the child. They didn''t know what to do though. The woman gently rocked the child in her arms while his brother tried to sweet-talk him.


    "Xiao Yu, ah, why are you still crying? Did brother leave you alone for too long? Wasn''t I only going to get your favorite blanket? Wasn''t it time to sleep? If you don''t want to, you don''t have to. We''ll do everything just like how Xiao Yu likes it, alright?"


    Xin Lan harrumphed. These people! Weren''t they spoiling that fat thing rotten? No wonder it was acting like this! Wasn''t this basically just a brat that wasn''t able to face the truth?


    "If you''re ugly, then you ugly. No matter what your family says, it won''t change anything about that."


    The child stopped crying. It stupidly stared into the air as if it didn''t know what to do.


    Xin Lan smirked. It couldn''t be that something had gone wrong with his reincarnation, could it? That fallen god wouldn''t be able to remember his past life, would he? And now he was angry because somebody had actually dared to call him ugly and thus he cried because that was the only method to utter his dissatisfaction? It wasn''t completely impossible. As far he had seen, that guy really thought he was a lovable person.


    The mother and brother looked at the child and exchanged a glance. Before they could heave a sigh of relief, the child started crying again though.


    Xin Lan blinked his eyes, dumbfounded. What was happening there? Hadn''t he just stopped crying? Then why was he suddenly being like this? This made no sense! He tsked and stepped through the door where the child''s father had just left. Thankfully he hadn''t closed it behind him or he would have had trouble leaving again.


    Ah, being in the mortal realm really was troublesome. He should probably make sure that he found himself a good identity when he came here again in a few years. He couldn''t always sneak in. Especially not if that brat could really see him.


    Xin Lan leaned against the wall outside and pondered. Could the child really see him? Or maybe all of this was just a coincidence? He really didn''t know. Ah, whether he knew or not, when he returned the next time, this child should be big enough to tell him. If the child remembered being that fallen god, he wouldn''t hold back with scolding him. If he didn''t ¡­ Well, then he would just do what he was supposed to do. As for this little episode ¡­ That child shouldn''t be able to remember him when he grew up. So there wouldn''t be any problem for fulfilling his promise.


    Inside the room, the crying child calmed down again. It blinked its big eyes and looked through the room, stretching out its hands.


    "Mother, what do you think is wrong with Xiao Yu? Is he really sick?"


    The woman couldn''t help but worry either. This behavior certainly wasn''t normal. "Maybe it''s really better if we let the physician take a look."


    Her older son furrowed his brows. "But you are the greatest pill refiner we ever had in our family. How could any normal physician know what you don''t know?"


    His mother gave a wry smile. "Refining pills and being the physician are still two different things. Who knows? Maybe your brother has some normal illness I don''t know about? After all, I''ve only ever learned about cultivators and practitioners. But Xiao Yu is still so young. He hasn''t even started cultivating. So if it''s a normal sickness ¡­"


    Her son nodded. "You''re right. Then let''s wait for father to bring the physician back. I only hope we can find out what''s wrong with him fast. He''s never been like this."


    His mother nodded. Indeed, the little one had never been like this. This really was too strange. Hopefully, her child wouldn''t suffer any harm.


    Meanwhile, the child in question looked at the door with pitiful eyes, silently sniffling in protest.

 Chapter 739 - He Had Never Cared about this Person

    While Xin Lan had already left the High Heavens, the demon king Jin Ling was still sitting at the foot of the mountain leading there from the Nine Heavens and meditating to get his strength back. He continued to do so until he felt that he had recovered just enough to get up there.


    Actually, he didn''t know just how high this mountain was and he had never experienced what it was like to go to the peak. Still, he didn''t want to wait any longer. If Jinde really was up there, then he couldn''t wait too long. What if Xin Lan knew about some other exit and led Jinde out there? Then he really wouldn''t be able to find him!


    He opened his eyes and got up, smoothing out his robe and looking up into the sky above him. Ah, if he really scaled this mountain and found Jinde up there in the High Heavens, then he should be happy, shouldn''t he? Maybe that would make Jinde forgive him? Well, he could at least hope for that.


    Jin Ling took a deep breath and expelled it, before pushing off the ground and rushing upward. Jinde. He could do this for Jinde. Nothing would be able to keep him down here. He would reach the peak, he would prove to Jinde that he deserved him. He would earn his happiness.


    He continued to move upward but the higher he got, the slower he became. The spiritual energy around him was getting denser but the place above him gave off an indescribable power that seemed as if it wanted to drive him off. He really felt that he would be pushed back down the very next moment.


    Jin Ling could only grit his teeth and forced himself to continue. He wouldn''t back down. He would reach the top to see Jinde. Whatever he had to do, he would do so. Someway along the road, the person he loved would finally realize that he wasn''t like his father. He would be able to see how sincere he was and his heart would be moved. Then, he wouldn''t push him away anymore. No, they would be able to realize their feelings. Why shouldn''t they? If they wanted to, then nobody could stop them.


    The peak of the mountain finally came into view and Jin Ling''s face lit up. There! He had almost arrived. Just a bit more and he would be there. If he was lucky, Jinde wouldn''t be too far from there. Well, even if he wasn''t, he wouldn''t give up. He would search all of the High Heavens if he had to. There was nothing that would make him give up on finding Jinde.


    Jin Ling finally arrived at the top of the mountain and landed in the center of the High Heavens. He looked around and couldn''t help but furrow his brows. Why was nothing around him? Even if the High Heavens were a place where no actual races lived, there should be something, shouldn''t it? At the very least, there should be some vegetation and maybe some other creatures, shouldn''t there? After all, even the demon realm had demonic beasts. Don''t tell him the High Heavens that was above all other realms even hadn''t something like that?


    Well, it didn''t matter. If there was nothing around, finding Jinde would be much easier. This was actually to his advantage. He started to walk in one direction at random. Since he didn''t have a clue where Jinde would be, there was nothing he could plan. He could only hope that he had good luck.


    In the capital of the High Heavens, Tian raised his head and narrowed his eyes. He had half expected Xin Lan to come here and even though he hadn''t liked it, he had accepted it. After all, Xin Lan had had a valid reason to be here. But this one ¡­ Why would a demon come to this realm? Why should he accept a demon coming here?


    He got to his feet and looked at the coffin in front of him, gently tracing the transparent lid. "I''ll be back soon. Don''t worry. I won''t let any demon come here."


    He turned around and left his palace, rushing to the area that Jin Ling was currently passing through.


    Jin Ling stopped when a man appeared several meters in front of him. He furrowed his brows and examined the person. He was tall and slender, clad in a dark robe just like the dragons preferred to. There was no expression on his face as if he didn''t care about seeing him here. If Xin Lan hadn''t brought anybody else other than Jinde here, then this person could only be Tian. Yes, this had to be the one ruling over the High Heavens, the sovereign of all realms. The one that had cursed the three immortal races.


    Jin Ling didn''t know much about this person. He had never cared about him. He had only ever cared about Jinde. So now, that he stood in front of him, he had no idea what this person might want from him. He wouldn''t be here to ¡­ Help him, would he?


    Well, there was no harm in asking. He nodded at him and gave the same charming smile that had often helped him in his endeavors. "Greetings, sovereign. I hope I am not bothering you. I came here in search of a person."


    Tian''s eyes narrowed further. Even though Xin Lan had been right when he said that he was unable to see into people''s hearts, he was still able to see what was going on in the immortal and mortals realms. He knew exactly who this person was and who he had come here for. "Turn back, demon. Your kind isn''t welcome here."


    Jin Ling furrowed his brows. "My kind isn''t welcome here? What do you mean? Xin Lan came here before me. He''s a dragon and weren''t the dragons demons once? And we were created by you, weren''t we? Why would you only ban the demons and not the other races then?"

 Chapter 740 - It’s Not about Fairness

    Tian merely looked at Jin Ling, his gaze not any different from usual. Yes, why would he only bar the demons? That was a good question. "Why would you think that I would answer you?" Nobody in the immortal races had ever dared to question him. Well, nobody other than that bastard Xin Lan. But that guy had always been arrogant so that was to be expected.


    Jin Ling furrowed his brows. "Aren''t you in favor of happy couples? After all, that''s what you are remembered for, isn''t it? You and your partner. A marriage against all odds, a love story many are still talking about even after such a long time? I''m here because of the person I love since I think that he might be here. So why don''t you tell me if that''s the case? Or where I can find him if he isn''t? I''ll leave immediately after that."


    Tian scoffed. "The person you love? I don''t know what''s more pitiful: The fact that that person has to put up with so many men pretending to love him even though they don''t or you actually thinking that you know what love is?"


    Jin Ling clenched his hands into fists. "What are you talking about? Of course, I love him! I''ve never loved anybody else."


    Tian merely looked at him. This person ¡­ Did he really think he was a dragon? "Even if you don''t like it, the fact who your father was won''t change. You will have to live with the fact that your blood is that of a demon. With that also comes the inability to truly love. I won''t deny that you desire him. Maybe you are different from your father and what you desire from him is not the same but still, it isn''t love what you feel. You''re obsessed. Just as obsessed as all the demons are."


    "No. No, that isn''t true. I might have the blood of a demon, yes. But I also have the blood of a dragon. Isn''t it that dragons can only love one person in their life? Then why would you say that I can''t love? Since I have the blood of a dragon, I should be the same. At the very least, I should be able to fall in love once."


    Tian shook his head. "You also understand what it means to be of mixed heritage. It should be fairly obvious to you that you have inherited more from your demon father. So why bother to pretend? If you really understood the dragon race, understood what it meant to love one person and one person only, then you wouldn''t be doing this anyway.


    "That person you desire, he already has somebody else in his heart. It was your father who ruined him. And you have seen just how devastated he was because of that. You tried to take that place but you also know how miserably you failed. There is no way for you to fill the void that was left behind by the man he loved. That is what it means to be able to only love once in your life. It is unique to the dragons and even if you''d like to be a dragon, you aren''t. No, you''re merely of mixed blood. Part of you might be that of a dragon but I''m afraid other than your magic ¡­"


    Jin Ling gritted his teeth. "I''m not a demon."


    "And still, you are sitting on the demon throne. Doesn''t that mean that you''ve already acknowledged it?"


    "I''m sitting on the throne for Jinde! It is so that there will be no more war. It is so that we can reign together over the demon and dragon realm, merging our races once again. That is what he wanted. I''m helping him fulfill his wishes!"


    Tian shook his head, his lips seeming as if they wanted to curve into a humorless smile. "His wish? That is what your father promised him. It is a dream he had. A dream where there would be no more war, where peace would be between the three immortal races. He had hoped for that, yes, but then, Jian Heng betrayed him. And you of all people should know that this whole deal that man thought he had agreed to was solidly orchestrated by your father from beginning to end. And even though you know that you still have the guts to say that you love this person? That you''re doing all of this for him?


    "You''re not. You''re being selfish. Just like all the demons are. You''re doing this because it fits what you want. If you are really having his best interest in mind, then you would''ve gone and searched for the reincarnation of the man that he loved. You would''ve brought them back together so that the person you claim to love can finally find the happiness he longs for ¡ª the happiness your father destroyed.


    "That is what you should have done if you love him. Because you know what they say, don''t you? Losing your other part, for a dragon it is like your soul being ripped apart, your body slowly being shredded to pieces. Is that what you want for the person you love? You really make me want to laugh."


    Jin Ling opened his mouth but didn''t know what to say. Was he truly that selfish? Was he hurting Jinde? But why? "I love him. Why shouldn''t it be possible? Merely because I''m younger? Just because that man had the opportunity to meet him before me? That isn''t fair!"


    Tian shook his head. "This isn''t about fairness. It never was. And you know very well that this has nothing to do with age or with who had the first opportunity. You know why he doesn''t want to be with you. Why do you still not understand? You will never be anything else but his child for him. How could you even think for a single moment that that would change? Whether that man is there not, your role in his life won''t be any different in the future. Even if you had been born before he met that man, it still wouldn''t be any different. Whether you like it or not, you will forever be his child."

 Chapter 741 - His One and Only Child

    Jin Ling stumbled backward. Jinde''s child ¡­ He closed his eyes and shook his head. No! No, he wasn''t his child. He wasn''t.


    Even though he told himself so, he couldn''t help but remember his childhood at Jinde''s side. Back then, he hadn''t really understood yet. He had only known that he liked this person very much. He didn''t want to be apart from Jinde, not even for a single second. In the whole world, this was the only person that loved him and cared for him. Others were nice too but nobody was like him.


    Those golden eyes and that golden hair that shimmered like the sun, that sweet smile that was only reserved for him, the soothing sound of his voice ¡­ He couldn''t get enough of any of that. And the most important was that Jinde was like that only for him.


    Even though he smiled at Xin Lan and some of the other people, it was never the same smile. With a lot of people, it was much more perfunctory. And even in front of Xin Lan, when it might have been an honest smile, it was still one that wasn''t as bright as the one Jinde gave him. And Jinde definitely never talked with anybody as gentle as he did with him. No, this kind of Jinde was only reserved for him.


    He hadn''t had expected anything at the very beginning. He had just slowly grown up at his side, relishing in that feeling of the care he got. He didn''t care what other people said. He didn''t think about anything. Just spending one day and another day and then yet another day was enough. He just wanted to be with Jinde.


    Things only started to become strange when he was able to understand just how the world worked. When he heard those people talk about him and his relationship with Jinde one day ¡­ Naturally, he had grown worried.


    "It doesn''t matter if he isn''t his child. Obviously, the king loves him very much. And it''s not like his own child would necessarily inherit the throne. So why shouldn''t he raise an adopted child? The boy was all alone. Isn''t it good that our king cares so much about his people that he''s even willing to raise an orphan?"


    That was the first time he ever heard somebody addressing his relationship with Jinde. The people talking had been some of his advisers. In front of him, they never would have dared to talk about that. His identity ¡­ It had never brought been brought up directly. They didn''t call him Jinde''s child, most of them just used his name. There were only a few that adopted the way that Xin Lan used to call him: Your Highness. After all, everybody had known that Xin Lan was Jinde''s most staunch follower. If he called the child the king had taken in that way, then, obviously, he was proclaiming the intentions of the king by doing so. Who were they to question it?


    Jin Ling had never thought about what this way of calling him meant. He hadn''t really cared either. After all, these were other people. They weren''t his Jinde, so why should he care about what they said? No, he didn''t care about anything. He only cared about his Jinde.


    But on that day when they talked about it directly, he hadn''t been able not to take note. ''His child'' ¡­ He knew what being somebody''s child meant. He had just never thought about whether or not he was Jinde''s child. Now that he did ¡­ He felt that that might be true. After all, they were always together. They lived in the same place and Jinde cared for him. That was what he had heard that the parents of other children did. So it seemed he was Jinde''s child. But as for the rest ¡­ He didn''t understand. So after he worried about it for a few days, he couldn''t help but run up to Jinde and ask him about it.


    "Jinde, am I your child? Did you adopt me? And what''s an orphan?" The questions came in quick succession while he blinked his eyes, looking at Jinde earnestly. If it had to do with them, then he wanted to know exactly.


    Jinde looked back at him. Thinking back now, he probably hadn''t known how to react at first. At that moment, they had been standing in the throne room, some of his advisers not far away. Hearing him ask this, quite a few of them turned rigid. They obviously hadn''t thought that he had heard them talk and would even bring this up in front of the king.


    Even though they had known Jinde for a long time and knew that he was a benevolent person and wouldn''t get angry over something like this, they should have been afraid. After all, this had resulted from something they had said and Jinde hadn''t intended to talk about that with him. Otherwise, why would he have raised him like his own son?


    Jinde looked at these people but finally just crouched down in front of Jin Ling. He had smiled just as beautifully as he ever did and reached out, brushing back Jin Ling''s hair. "An orphan is a child that lost its parents. Sometimes, the child will be taken in by a nice person and raised by them as their own child. Then it''s an adopted child. But you don''t need to worry about these things. You''re my child. That''s the only thing you need to know. You''re my child and you will always be my child. There''s nothing else to worry about." His golden eyes curved into little crescents and he leaned forward, gently kissing Jin Ling''s forehead and softly combing through his hair with his fingers.


    His child ¡­ Back then, he had felt that it was great. Being his child meant that he was special to Jinde. After all, he was his only child. There could be friends and there could be family but there was only one child. Wasn''t that great? He was this special to Jinde!


    Who could have known that being his child was actually that bad? The feelings he finally developed ¡­ they couldn''t be realized because he was his one and only child.

 Chapter 742 - Who Cares if You’re Related?

    Jin Ling took a shaky breath. Yes, he was his child. That couldn''t be changed. But so what? Even if he was, why shouldn''t it be possible for them to be together? Wasn''t it normal in the demon realm? That was what his father had told him.


    In the demon realm, it didn''t matter who was who. There was no status to be inherited. There were no familial ties. Yes, you might have parents or you might have a child and there might be brothers and sisters but it didn''t matter. If they weren''t worth anything to you, then they might as well not exist. But if they had something to give, then why shouldn''t you make a deal with them? It was like that with any person. Blood ties counted for nothing. And they weren''t considered when starting a relationship either.


    Even if you were related, why shouldn''t you indulge in what you wanted? That was what Jian Heng had always said. And he had believed him. Because if he did, if what the demons did was really right, then he would have a chance to be together with the person he loved, even if Jinde regarded him as his child.


    This was natural for the demons. And the dragons had once been demons too. It couldn''t be that they completely looked down on this. It just couldn''t be. It mustn''t be.


    Jin Ling gulped and shook his head, surfacing from his thoughts. "Regardless of what you say, I love him. I won''t give him up. Not without a fight. So tell me where he is. Tell me and I''ll go and talk to him. Let''s see what he thinks about this. If he doesn''t want to see me, then I''ll leave."


    Tian shook his head. "Obviously, he doesn''t want you to see him. Otherwise, why would you have landed here? He isn''t in the High Heavens. He never was. He didn''t set foot in my realm even once. As the previous Longjun, he knows better than to come and annoy me.


    "Now, you should turn back. I don''t have the patience to deal with you any longer. Just return to the demon realm and mind your own business. That man obviously doesn''t want to see you. If you won''t leave on your own ¡­ Don''t blame me for throwing you out."


    Jin Ling furrowed his brows. What did he mean? Jinde wasn''t in the High Heavens? But this was where Xin Lan and gone! "If he isn''t here, why did Xin Lan come here? What did he want from you?"


    Tian narrowed his eyes. "What he wanted here or not, how is that any of your business? Just turn back and I will forget that you were here."


    Jin Ling shook his head. No. No, he wouldn''t just give up. "You must have made a deal with him! He must''ve promised you something in return for you telling me that Jinde isn''t here! But he is. He is waiting here until I leave and then he''ll leave too. How will I be able to find him then?"


    Tian''s expressionless face darkened. He really didn''t have the patience to deal with this person. "Do you really think there''s anything that person could offer me that would make me do his bidding? I''m the sovereign of all realms, there is nothing anybody could offer me that would make me help them. Especially not that person." He took a step toward Jin Ling and raised his head. "Now, I believe I warned you often enough. You either turn back right now or I will make you do so."


    Jin Ling still wanted to retort but Tian didn''t want to hear any of it. He struck out and an invisible force hit Jin Ling square in the chest, making him fly back. A gate opened behind him and he was unable to stop, falling through it. He reached out, trying to get back somehow but the gate already closed again and he found himself back in the demon realm. In fact, he had quite awkwardly landed on his own throne. This was probably Tian''s reminder that he should care about his own business and not annoy other people.


    Jin Ling pressed his eyes shut and slammed his hand onto the armrest. Fuck this! Why hadn''t he reacted sooner? If he managed to evade that attack ¡­ Ah, but even if he did, that would have only gained him a bit of time. There was no way for him to outrun the owner of that place. Sooner or later, Tian would''ve caught him and thrown him out. There was no way to change that. Well, now, what should he do? He certainly couldn''t give up looking for Jinde. That just wasn''t possible.


    Back in the High Heavens, Tian shook his head and then returned to the capital, entering his palace and sitting back down. He gently traced the edge of the coffin with his fingers and gave a small smile. "I''m back. Sorry to let you wait so long. It was surprisingly hard to throw that demon out. He just didn''t want to listen. Well, they''re just the same today as they were back then. You probably wouldn''t be surprised at all." He sighed and then fell quiet. Even if he talked, it wasn''t like Xing would answer him. No, he still had to wait.


    "You''ll keep your promise, won''t you?" He couldn''t help but lower his head at that thought. Yes, Xing would certainly stay true to his promise. If he managed to fulfill his end of the bargain, then Xing would return to him. "Just a bit longer ¡­ I feel that maybe we won''t have to wait too long anymore." Yes, maybe the time was indeed imminent. Maybe they wouldn''t need to wait much longer. He couldn''t say for sure but at the very least, that was his hope. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do besides hoping. If he could, he would''ve felt much better.


    Ah, it truly was ironic that he who was almost omnipotent couldn''t make his beloved''s one wish come true just through his own power.

 Chapter 743 - Always Hurting One of Them

    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, Qiu Ling and Jing Yi had returned to the little bamboo house that had been given to Jing Yi when he became an inner sect disciple. Since the demon king had already left and the danger was over, Qiu Ling let go of Jing Yi and actually sat down at the table, merely looking at him.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but wonder if something was wrong. Since when did this person not want to stick to his side as if they were bound by a rope? He had never done that before. Don''t tell him something had changed in the time he had spent outside of the Yun Zou Sect? If he remembered correctly, then time flowed differently in different realms, so maybe several years had gone by for Qiu Ling while he was in the demon realm and in the High Heavens. It was entirely possible.


    In that amount of time ¡­ Could Qiu Ling really have had a change of heart? He wondered about that for a moment but finally shook his head at himself. What was he thinking about? This was the man that had followed him since he was a child. This person had actually lied to him just so he would stay away from other people because he wasn''t able to take his own jealousy even when the person he liked had still been a child. How could this man have a change of heart? It was entirely impossible. Maybe he was just ¡­ afraid?


    Jing Yi went over and sat down next to Qiu Ling, reaching out and taking his hand. "It''s alright. I''m already back. You don''t have to worry anymore."


    Qiu Ling looked at him and tightened his lips. He didn''t have to worry anymore ¡­ That was such a good thing to say. He really didn''t have to worry about Jing Yi anymore. But now, he couldn''t help but worry about Jing He. What if Jing Yi really ascended? And even if he didn''t ¡­ He had reached the third stage. By now, he didn''t age anymore. So even if he didn''t ascend, it would just mean that he would stay in the mortal realm forever. That also meant that Jing He would never wake up.


    Qiu Ling quietly interlaced his fingers with Jing Yi''s and looked at the small hand. Jing Yi was already more than twenty years old. That was the time when humans came of age. So in a sense, he was just as old as Jing He in the Nine Heavens even though Jing He had lived a lot longer when counting the years.


    So in regard to their age, they were more or less the same. But when he looked at this hand, it seemed completely different from Jing He''s. In comparison, it was smaller, it was also a very pretty hand but it lacked the elegance that Jing He''s hand exuded. The fingers weren''t quite as long, the fingernails not taken quite as good care of, the skin not quite as soft. This was ¡­ This was still another hand. It just wasn''t the same even if the body this hand was part of held the same soul.


    "Qiu Ling?"


    Qiu Ling looked up and stared at that face in a daze. Jing Yi ¡­


    This face ¡­ It wasn''t Jing He''s face either. His eyes weren''t as dark, his eyebrows not as long and not as slender. If you looked very closely, then the nose wasn''t as straight, there was a little notch in the middle and it had a more rounded tip. As for his lips ¡­ It was actually a very cute pair of lips. It was slightly rounder than Jing He''s but in comparison with the rest of his face, it actually looked a little ordinary.


    In comparison, Jing He had always had a very stunning face. It was beautiful. Each part taken for itself was beautiful, every part taken together was still as beautiful. Jing He had always been perfect all around.


    To think that he would never be able to see said that face again ¡­ No, he couldn''t imagine that. He wanted to see him again. Actually, he wanted to see him right now. He really wanted to go up to the Nine Heavens and hold his hand. Just hold his hands and look at him for a while. It would be best if Jing He was able to open his eyes while he did so.


    Was there really no easy way? Did Jing Yi really need to be killed so Jing He could wake up? He didn''t want that!


    "Qiu Ling." Jing Yi got up from his chair and took another step to bridge the distance between them. He hugged Qiu Ling''s shoulders, pressing his lover''s head against his chest. "It''s alright. I''m already back. He didn''t do anything to me. Actually, this might have been a blessing in disguise. You know, the spiritual energy in the demon realm is very dense. And there was that person that took me to a place called the High Heavens. It''s even denser there. I think I might have advanced to the next stage. So I''m one step closer to being able to ascend. Isn''t that great? I might be able to go with you to the dragon realm soon."


    Qiu Ling pressed his eyes shut and just hugged the person in front of him. No, this wasn''t good. This wasn''t good at all. Each step that Jing Yi''s took on this path was one step condemning Jing He even further.


    If he didn''t speak up now, his beloved would one day remember that he hadn''t done anything to get him back. Then Jing He ¡­ Wouldn''t his heart break? He didn''t want that. He didn''t want to hurt him. His beloved was supposed to always smile. He just wanted to make Jing He smile.


    He wanted to look up and tell Jing Yi but he didn''t know how to. If he did ¡­ Wouldn''t he hurt Jing Yi then? At this was also his beloved. Even if he was ¡­ just his reincarnation, he still carried the same soul. He shouldn''t suffer.


    But what could he do? Not speaking out would hurt one, speaking out would hurt the other. Was there nothing he could do? He really wanted to ask somebody but there was no way. It was just that nobody had ever been in this situation, was there?

 Chapter 744 - I’ve Let You down

    Jing Yi felt that Qiu Ling wasn''t quite acting like himself but he didn''t think any further about it. He just thought that it might be because he was still shaken up from how he had vanished right in front of his eyes and been held captive for such a long time. That was natural, wasn''t it? After all, Qiu Ling had always been very worried about him. Right, thinking of that ¡­


    Jing Yi grabbed Qiu Ling''s hand and gave him a wry smile. "Qiu Ling ¡­ Back then, we didn''t have much time. I still wanted to apologize to you. After I saw the things in the secret realm ¡­" He shook his head and sighed. "I made so much trouble for you. Just because I thought there was somebody else in my past life, I pushed you away. I even lied about it because I thought that the person I loved was a demon. And thinking about what you previously said about the family of your mother and what you think about the demons, I was afraid. I didn''t feel good about it but in comparison giving up on that person seemed even harder than giving up on you. So I did all that. I''m sorry. I''m afraid I acted very immature."


    Qiu Ling glanced at that face and immediately looked away again. What Jing Yi had seen before was his life as Jing He. That was the time when they had fallen in love. "It''s alright." He barely pressed these words out before he fell silent. He really didn''t want to talk right now. He just couldn''t take it. That time, this time ¡­ Why did it have to be so complicated? Why couldn''t there be just one person? One soul, one body, one experience? Why did there have to be two lives?


    He wondered if maybe he should speak up. Right now, Jing Yi had already brought it up. If he said it now, if he explained ¡­ Then maybe they could find a way to deal with this.


    In the end, he didn''t do it though. Even if he brought it up, what would that change? This person right here was Jing Yi. Naturally, he wouldn''t want to give up his life just for some life he barely remembered because of some herbs that he took. Who would want to die? So naturally, he would want to live.


    But then, he would be letting Jing He down. It was still the very same dilemma. If not for Jing Yi willingly giving up his life, there was no way to solve this. And he just couldn''t imagine that Jing Yi would do so. After all, he had already lived this life for quite some time. He had grown up and made friends in this life, found a home in the capital and then again later in the Yun Zou Sect. His mother was still around, as well as Shao Hai and Xiao Dong. He still wanted to cultivate too. That kind of life ¡­ How could it be casually given up?


    Jing Yi reached up and cupped his cheeks. "Are you mad at me?"


    With Jing Yi being this close, there was no way for Qiu Ling to ignore him. He had to look at him and answer. "I ¡­ Of course not." He still couldn''t tell them what was going through his head though.


    Ah, Jing He would never have been so direct. If it was him, then he probably would''ve stolen glances at him, not daring to look him straight in the eye or speak about it. If anything, he might try to carefully sound him out. He would think about what he might have done wrong and would bring these things up, testing the waters bit by bit, trying to see if there was some change in his expression or the way he talked. If he still didn''t have an answer in the end, he would worry and think that it must''ve been something major. He would only calm down when he explained to him.


    Looking at Jing Yi, it seemed his reincarnation was much more simple in that regard. Jing Yi was still smiling that cute smile of his. He didn''t ask any more and just leaned in, hugging him.


    "I missed you. I couldn''t help but think of you all the time. How much trouble I made for you, how much I regretted all these things. But also ¡­ I think I''ve learned some valuable things. From now on, I''ll do better. You''ll see, I''ll devote all my attention to cultivation. And when I''ve reached the highest level and ascend, then we can go to your realm. You don''t have to worry."


    Qiu Ling nodded and hugged Jing Yi back, lowering his head and burying it in the crook Jing Yi''s neck. He couldn''t decide for now. He didn''t know how to change that so he could only let things proceed. When Jing He asked in the future, he could explain to him. In the end, wasn''t that also for his trial? Maybe he wouldn''t mind. If he found the right words, then it might not be a problem.


    This was what he should do. He should just let things continue and go with the flow. That way, he shouldn''t go wrong, should he? No, it should be alright. It had to be. Because the decision he would have to make otherwise ¡­ It was possible to make.


    Qiu Ling forced himself to smile. "Well, it would probably still take some time for you to get far enough for ascension. You ¡­ Maybe you should really dedicate all your time to cultivation. I don''t know too much about that since it works differently for us dragons. I''ll just leave it to you."


    Jing Yi nodded. "I will. I''ll try to find a way to do this as fast as possible. Maybe I should ask around. That ¡­ Senior martial brother Yu isn''t really a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect, is he? Maybe he would be willing to help? He could give me some tips."


    Qiu Ling pressed his eyes closed and nodded. "You should ask him."


    "Then do you think we could go over right now? I''d like to start as early as possible. The sooner we get this done, the better."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Of course. Let''s go then." He let go of Jing Yi and stood up, taking his hand without looking and leaving the bamboo house. Ah, if Jing Yi was preoccupied with cultivation, then even if he wasn''t able to prevent him from ascending, it might make things a little easier. Because right now, he really couldn''t imagine interacting with him. Just looking into his eyes was impossible without thinking of Jing He.


    Ah, Jing He, my beloved, I''m sorry. Even though I didn''t mean to, I''ve let you down. I''m just not strong enough. Maybe even after spending ten years to woo you, I actually don''t deserve you at all. Otherwise, wouldn''t I be able to kill this person to make sure that you can come back to me?

 Chapter 745 - Old Friends

    The two of them went over to the Sect Master''s peak, going up to the house where Leng Jin Yu and Jinde lived.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but blush when they arrived at the door. The last time Qiu Ling had taken him here ¡­ It was kind of hard to forget what he had seen back then. He reached out and grabbed Qiu Ling''s arm when he just pushed the door open and wanted to go in. "Qiu Ling, maybe we should knock or call out first?"


    Qiu Ling tensed but didn''t look back at him. Right now, he just couldn''t look at him even though nothing had actually changed. "Why would you think so?"


    Jing Yi''s cheeks flushed even deeper and he looked away, not noticing that Qiu Ling was evading him. "Well, after the last time ¡­ We did disturb them, didn''t we? It wouldn''t be very nice to do so again, would it?"


    Qiu Ling stared at the door in front of him and thought back to the last time he had brought Jing Yi over. Back then, he had come here because he wanted the old geezer to help with healing Jing Yi''s soul. They had been caught in their playful banter, the old geezer actually being naked. He hadn''t minded but Jing Yi had. Naturally, he wouldn''t want to get into that kind of situation once again.


    Qiu Ling let go of his hand and looked at the ground, forcing yet another smile. "Well, I''ll go and take a look. You can wait here."


    "Then ¡­ Wouldn''t you still be disturbing them?"


    Qiu Ling already turned around and opened the door. "Who knows where in the house they are or what they are busy with? They might not hear if we knock on this door." He didn''t wait for a response and stepped right into the house, going forward while extending his senses. Naturally, he knew that the old geezer wasn''t here but his old man should be.


    Strangely enough, he couldn''t feel Leng Jin Yu''s energy though. He wouldn''t have hidden away, would he? Or maybe he had followed the old geezer? Ah, how lucky these two were! Even though one of them had died, they could still be together now that he had been reborn. There was no choosing involved. That certainly was easier, wasn''t it?


    He shook his head. No, he shouldn''t think like this. Even though the old geezer didn''t need to choose between his old man and his old man''s reincarnation, he had still lost his father. It hadn''t been easy for certain, especially not after his mother had stolen him away.


    Well, whatever, comparing his situation to their''s wouldn''t change anything. It wouldn''t free him of his current dilemma. Nothing could. And nobody but him could decide. Anyway, just where was his old man?


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and focused his senses. He actually wasn''t able to feel the old man anywhere in the Yun Zou Sect. Had he really followed the old geezer? In that case, where had he said they would go? Some alliance? Ah, but even if he remembered, he couldn''t just go over. Then what? Should he just return and tell Jing Yi to do whatever he thought was right? That shouldn''t be a good idea either.


    Qiu Ling sighed and still returned outside. At the very least, he should tell Jing Yi that the old man wasn''t in.


    Jing Yi looked up with a worried expression. He still wasn''t too sure if it was a good idea of Qiu Ling to go right in. Seeing his expression, he worried even more. "What is it? Did something go wrong?"


    Qiu Ling looked at the ground and shook his head. "Not like that. They''re just not in. We''ll have to wait."


    Jing Yi calmed down. "So it was like that." That wasn''t too bad. At the very least, they hadn''t disturbed them again. "Then ¡­ let''s go back to the house?"


    Qiu Ling nodded.


    Jing Yi gave him a smile and grabbed his hand, stepping closer to his side. "You should teach me how to fly. I''m still not able to do it. If I knew, then if something happens again, I might be able to get away."


    Qiu Ling mechanically nodded again. "I''ll do that."


    He didn''t say anything else and Jing Yi didn''t speak up either. The two of them just quietly walked down the peak and back toward the bamboo house.


    A while later, Jing Yi couldn''t help but sigh. "I feel like I''ve been gone for a very long time. It might not have been that long since that person took me away but I was also in that secret realm for a long time and didn''t stay in the Yun Zou Sect for long afterward. I haven''t even seen Shao Hai and Xiao Dong again. Do you think we should go and visit them? They are friends, after all."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Let''s do that then." Maybe this was actually a chance. He could leave Jing Yi with the two of them and maybe go off and find out what had happened with his old man or just quietly think about what to do now. At the very least, it would be good not to be right next to Jing Yi. He just couldn''t deal with that right now.


    Jing Yi still didn''t notice what was up. He just happily walked over to the house where Shao Hai and Xiao Dong were staying in the inner sect since they had been promoted here. He knocked on the door, feeling thrilled that he would finally see these friends again. Ah, it had been so long. Way too long! He couldn''t wait to see them again.


    He waited but nobody opened the door. Nothing could be heard from inside either. Jing Yi furrowed his brows and knocked again. Unfortunately, there still wasn''t any answer. He looked up at Qiu Ling and furrowed his brows. "It seems they''re not in. What do you think happened?"


    Qiu Ling could only shake his head. He had no idea and his mind was preoccupied anyway. "Let''s ask somebody, how about it?"


    Jing Yi nodded and turned to look for somebody close by. He didn''t need long to spot a person who actually knew. His eyes lit up and he let go of Qiu Ling''s hand, rushing over to the person. "Senior martial brother Wu!"


    The person in question turned around and raised his brows. "Jing Yi?" He hadn''t seen that person in a while but he was happy that Jing Yi seemed to be doing good. "What are you doing here?"


    Jing Yi gave a smile and motioned behind him. "I was searching for Shao Hai and Xiao Dong. You wouldn''t happen to know where they are?"


    Wu Min Huan looked at the house and gave an awkward smile. "They ¡­ They went on a mission."


    "A mission?" Well, that kind of thing probably shouldn''t be unexpected. Even he had been sent on a mission already even though he had only been an outer sect disciple. After all, missions were something very important to the sect. It was nothing unusual. "Ah, well, I won''t be able to see them then. Do you know when they''ll be back?"


    Wu Min Huan shook his head. "I''m sorry, I don''t know."


    Jing Yi nodded. "Well, thank you anyway, senior martial brother Wu. Then we won''t disturb you any longer." He gave him a bright smile and bid his farewell, not noticing the complicated gaze that Wu Min Huan had given him. As for Qiu Ling ¡­ His own mind was still preoccupied so he didn''t notice either.

 Chapter 746 - Not a Good Feeling

    Once again, the two of them silently walked through the Yun Zou Sect. Jing Yi looked around the place where he had spent several years of his life, feeling like he was home again. This was the place where he had met Qiu Ling and even though they hadn''t actually spent too much time here together, it was still a place that he cherished. After all, if he hadn''t come here, he wouldn''t have been able to become a cultivator either. And without becoming a cultivator, there was no way for him to be together with Qiu Ling. So in a way, them being able to be a couple was all thanks to the Yun Zou Sect.


    Jing Yi was submerged in sweet thoughts but Qiu Ling felt like he was being tortured. Even though Jing Yi wasn''t talking, even his silent presence reminded him of Jing He.


    How often had they spent time like this together? Quietly walking through Jing He''s garden or maybe through the capital city, Jing He not saying a word for several hours if he wasn''t prompted. In the beginning, Qiu Ling had often tried to fill the silence, hoping that it would bring them closer together. And when they had finally been close, he had found out that it wasn''t necessary to say anything. Just a gesture or a gaze was enough for them to know what the other was thinking. And quietly spending time like this satisfied both of them.


    Now, he was once again silently walking with somebody but it was the person that might replace Jing He. Thinking about it like that, his stomach churned and he felt his blood boil. If he could, he would''ve loved to just destroy something. Just let the frustration that he felt right now out in some way. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. Because if he did, then he''d have to explain to Jing Yi and he couldn''t do that.


    Qiu Ling stopped walking and turned to Jing Yi. Right now, there was only one thought in his mind. He had to get away. He had to leave at least for a while so he wouldn''t have to think about it any longer. "Let me bring you back to the hut. I''ll go and try to find out where Leng Jin Yu went. And if I can''t, I''ll just go and ask my Master. He''s also a cultivator so he should know, shouldn''t he?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Thank you." He reached up and cupped Qiu Ling''s cheeks, tiptoeing and kissing him on the lips. "I''m so happy that you''re with me."


    Jing Yi gave a bright smile but Qiu Ling only felt as if a knife had been rammed into his heart and twisted. This smile ¡­ It was too different from Jing He''s. Way too different. And when he looked at it right now, he really missed Jing He''s smile.


    Still, he couldn''t bring himself to show his reaction. He forced himself to smile back at Jing Yi and nodded, leaning forward and hugging Jing Yi, turning his head to the side to hide his expression. "I''m also happy." He didn''t manage to say more than that. He could only think of Jing He''s face, the way he smiled, the way he looked at him, the way he carefully reached out but didn''t really dare to touch him. This way of kissing him ¡­ never would have happened with Jing He. That made him feel even more as if he was betraying the person he loved. It wasn''t a good feeling.


    Qiu Ling stepped back and motioned over in the direction of the house. "Alright, let''s go then." He grabbed Jing Yi around the waist and pushed off the ground, flying over. Thinking about it now, just a while before he had been doing exactly the same thing. Flying around, making sure that Jin Ling wouldn''t have any opportunity to get close to Jing Yi. At that moment, he hadn''t been able to think of anything other than keeping him safe. Maybe not having anything to do was a problem for them. Maybe as long as there was something from outside, he would be able to forget about this.


    Qiu Ling brought Jing Yi over to the bamboo house and put him down gently, giving another smile even though it remained strained. "Then ¡­ I''ll go and look for my Master."


    Jing Yi nodded. "Thank you. Again." He wanted to hug him once more but when he reached out, Qiu Ling had already stepped back and pushed off the ground, flying up into the air and finally vanishing in the distance.


    Jing Yi slightly furrowed his brows. It seemed all of this had worried Qiu Ling much more than he was willing to say. In that case, he really had to try hard to make sure that he could ascend as soon as possible. He couldn''t let Qiu Ling worry any longer. No, this man had done so much for him, it was time for him to repay him. And even if there wasn''t much that he could do for him, he could at least make sure that he wouldn''t worry him as much anymore.


    Jing Yi went into the house and sat down on the bed in the Lotus position, starting to cultivate. Ah, it would be good if he knew which stage of cultivation he had managed to reach in the High Heavens. And how many stages were there anyway? He had never asked about that but right now, he was curious. He could only hope that Qiu Ling''s Master would be willing to offer some advice. That way, he might not need as long as he would if he was left to his own devices.

 Chapter 747 - He Needed Time

    Qiu Ling rushed over to his Master''s peak without really paying attention to anything around him. In his thoughts, he could only see Jing He''s face, the beautiful dark eyes looking at him sadly. Right now, he dreaded the moment they would see each other again. At that time, what would Jing He say? ''Why did you decide in his favor? Why didn''t you choose me? Don''t you love me?''


    If that was his reaction ¡­ No, he wouldn''t say that. Jing He would never say that. Qiu Ling couldn''t help but curse inwardly when he thought so. Yes, Jing He definitely wouldn''t say so. But just because he didn''t say so, didn''t mean that he wouldn''t think it. Knowing his beloved, that would be exactly what Jing He worried about but he would keep his thoughts to himself, quietly suffering the doubt and the feeling of rejection. If it came to that, he might have a hard time regaining his trust. He couldn''t let that happen.


    Qiu Ling stopped in front of the gate to Zhangsun Xun Yi''s palace and sighed. Should he go in? But if he asked his Master and he told him some advice for Jing Yi and Jing Yi really cultivated faster and then managed to ascend, then wouldn''t the problem get even bigger?


    It certainly wasn''t the right thing to do. But he needed some time. He needed to figure out a way how to deal with this. Unfortunately, there was nobody that could help him. Both Jinde and his father had made clear that this was his problem. And if he went to ask the Heavenly Empress or the Heavenly Emperor, then the answer was obvious. They had never seen Jing Yi, never interacted with him. To them, this was just Jing He''s trial, nobody whose feelings needed to be taken into consideration.


    To them, he was somebody that was born just to fulfill a task and because of that, he would be abandoned just as easily. Naturally, they would want Jing He back. Ah, it wasn''t that he himself didn''t want Jing He back it was just ¡­ How could he do that to Jing Yi?


    Qiu Ling leaned against the gate and stared up into the sky. It would be great if there was somebody who could help him. This time, he felt that he wasn''t able to solve this alone. Unfortunately, there was nobody. He didn''t have a single person in his life that he could talk to this about. Ah, it was quite sad.


    Qiu Ling shook his head at himself and finally went inside, going straight for Zhangsun Xun Yi''s study. When he entered ¡­ He found the room to be empty.


    Qiu Ling blinked and looked around as if his Master might suddenly jump out of the corner. Huh. How curious! His Master actually wasn''t here. Was this some kind of sign? First, he couldn''t find his father, then, he couldn''t find his Master either. Did this mean he wasn''t supposed to help Jing Yi with his cultivation? Ah, but Jing Yi had already stopped aging anyway so whether he got help or not wouldn''t change anything. No, it was just a question of how fast or how slow he would cultivate.


    Qiu Ling shook his head and focused his senses, trying to find out just where in the sect Zhangsun Xun Yi had gone. He finally found his presence on the Sect Master''s peak. Ah, it seemed his Master had gone over to discuss some things. Well, he shouldn''t mind if he went and disturbed them for a moment.


    Qiu Ling left the palace and flew over, casually trying to sense where his father was. He came up with a blank though. Just what had happened? Could it be that he had followed Jinde after all? Ah, no, maybe he still hadn''t returned from gathering those ingredients for the pill? But that couldn''t be either. There hadn''t been too many left on the list and his father wasn''t weak even though he wasn''t as strong anymore as he had been in his past life.


    Qiu Ling stopped halfway and furrowed his brows. Thinking of his father ¡­ He wondered if he had really been that strong. His mother being able to kill him, that wasn''t an easy feat. Was it just because she had caught him off-guard? Was it because he had been separated from Jinde too long? Apparently, that kind of thing could sap a dragon''s strength.


    Maybe he just hadn''t noticed that much of it because he had been young and not yet strong enough himself. Naturally, he had felt that his father was very strong. And that had also always been the impression he got from him back when they were still living in the palace. Honestly, there had to be a reason why his father was hailed as the strongest warrior of the dragon race. That shouldn''t have deteriorated this fast. Well, never mind. It wouldn''t change anything anyway.


    Qiu Ling shook his head and continued to the Sect Master''s peak, landing next to Zhangsun Xun Yi. His Master was currently looking at an array he had never seen before. Qiu Ling raised his brows. "What''s that?"


    "That man''s husband ¡­"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. That man should refer to Jinde so his husband was obviously his father. "What''s with him?"


    "He is currently creating a new realm for that person. The Sect Master can''t know that he is the one doing that so I''m staying here to cover it up."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Oh, so it''s like that. So did they finish the array?" He looked at the one in front of him but it seemed completely normal. There was nothing special about it at all. Actually, this thing was really ugly. Couldn''t his father do better?


    Zhangsun Xun Yi glanced at his so-called disciple and raised his brows. "He did create an array. He has to tie the realm to the sect after all."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. So he had created an array himself? How strange. Well, it was still good though. That meant he could go in and have a look. "Then I''ll be right back." Before his Master could say anything else, Qiu Ling slipped over, stepped into the array and was transported to the realm. He couldn''t help but gape when he saw the place though. This ¡­ How the fuck had he returned to his palace in the dragon realm?!

 Chapter 748 - Do Nothing

    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows and looked around. This place was one of the courtyards of the palace. In fact, it wasn''t far from the private chambers of the king. He might not have spent much time there since he became king but he remembered it pretty well. Back when he was a child, he had once run here after making trouble and his father got even angrier than usual when he caught him.


    Qiu Ling sighed at that thought. "Well, it figures the old man would pull out this one out of all the places, huh?"


    "Qiu Ling?" Leng Jin Yu leaned around the corner and raised his brows. He had heard a voice but hadn''t been too sure if it was the person he thought of. It was indeed ¡­ his son. "What are you doing here?"


    Qiu Ling turned around and furrowed his brows. "I should be the one asking that!" He motioned around in the courtyard in an agitated mood. "What is this?"


    "Well, your uncle-in-law told me that I could already craft the realm as long as I only tied it down with a basic array. So I did."


    "That''s not what I''m asking about! I want to know about ¡­ this." He once again motioned at the courtyard, his expression as if he couldn''t believe what he was saying.


    Leng Jin Yu walked over and took a look around. "Do you recognize this place?"


    "No shit! This is my palace! Naturally, I''d recognize it."


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows. "Your palace?" Why had he remembered the dragon king''s palace? Ah, wait! Hadn''t Jinde told him that the two of them had been the disciples of the previous dragon king? Well, the one who had been the king back when they had been young in his past life. So most likely, this was a place they had often gone to while growing up. He really wondered what it was about.


    Qiu Ling clicked his tongue when he saw Leng Jin Yu''s expression. "Could you not think of him while I''m here? It''s disgusting. You have no tact whatsoever! I''m suffering, alright?"


    Leng Jin Yu pulled himself out of his thoughts and turned back to his so-called child. "Suffering? What from?"


    "Heartbreak! Obviously, I''m heartbroken. Can''t you understand at all? I have to hurt my beloved. Naturally, I won''t be happy about it."


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his brow but didn''t know what to say. How had they even gotten to this point? "Qiu Ling, if there''s something you want, just say it. I''m not up for guessing what''s wrong."


    Qiu Ling harrumphed. "Well, it was to be expected. You never had much time for me."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed again. "Qiu Ling, you also know that I''m just your father''s reincarnation. He probably did lots and lots of things wrong. I''m sorry about that but you can''t really say that it''s my fault. So why don''t you just tell me what''s wrong and I see if there''s something I can do about it?"


    Qiu Ling turned around and walked away, finally sitting down under the tree.


    Leng Jin Yu stared at him, feeling that something was wrong with this picture. Ah, Qiu Ling was probably right. His father hadn''t paid enough attention to him. His mind had probably been filled too much with Jinde. Even after he had reincarnated, the only things he remembered were about Jinde. It even went so far that he felt that something wasn''t right if the person sitting at the spot where he remembered Jinde at wasn''t the person he loved.


    He pushed the thought away and follow Qiu Ling to the tree, sitting down next to him. "So?"


    Qiu Ling leaned against the trunk and sighed, staring at the leaves above them. "You won''t understand I guess. Back then and now, you''ve always had Jinde. You just ¡­ Well, you messed up. But I didn''t do anything like that. I was always faithful to him. I saw him and I knew immediately that he was the person I wanted. I''ve never regretted it since then. Never doubted anything. I was sure that this was the person I should spend my life with. But now ¡­ He''s in his trial and you said it yourself, I can''t have both. I don''t know what to do."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. So it was about that again. Well, he probably should have figured. It hadn''t been too long since they talked about it and this was very important for Qiu Ling. After all, his whole life revolved around the Son of Heaven. Unfortunately ¡­ "Didn''t I say the last time already that I couldn''t help you? This is something you''ll have to figure out yourself."


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "Then you tell me how to figure this out myself. I just ¡­ I don''t know what to do anymore. I don''t want to hurt either of them. Well, in the end, it''s for sure that Jing He will be the one who will live, isn''t it? The gods would never accept anything else and ¡­ that was originally his soul. But still, what am I supposed to do? I can''t just do nothing, can I?"


    Leng Jin Yu gave a smile. "Why can''t you? What else do you want to do? You could kill Jing Yi or you could decide that you want to give up on Jing He. We''ve already gone over this. If you do nothing, then things will turn out as they are supposed to be. From the very beginning, the problem was that you got involved in this trial. Otherwise, he never would have started to cultivate. That was because you got involved. I know it''s hard to hear that but that is the truth. Maybe things would return to normal if you stop doing anything."


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. That easy? He could hardly imagine that. And, well, how not to get involved? They were engaged. Jing He and he were and Jing Yi had also promised to marry him. In any way ¡­ "I''m afraid it''s too late. He said he wanted to focus on cultivating so that he could ascend soon and go with me to the dragon realm."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "I''m afraid it''s even more difficult then. I don''t think there''s anything you can do in that case. Well, maybe leaving wouldn''t be bad. Who knows what would happen if you''re not here?"


    Qiu Ling laughed. "You can''t imagine how much I''d like to do that. Looking at him ¡­ it''s surprisingly hard right now. I just can''t help but think of Jing He every time I do. I feel that I''ve let him down. This shouldn''t have happened. I''m his fiance. I should''ve done what''s the best for him but he has gotten into such a mess. It''s not even sure that he''ll be able to wake up. I''m an idiot."


    "I always thought that all people turned into idiots as soon as they fell in love. Well, I understand now. We might be idiots but it''s alright as long as it turns out well for that person. Look at me. I died but I came back and the person I love is still happy again. So whatever happens in your case, it will turn out well in the end too. Don''t think too much about it. Just continue what you are doing."


    Qiu Ling nodded even though he felt that his father''s case was much easier than his. After all, they had never needed to decide anything. All this time, it had only ever been them even though his father had reincarnated. From beginning to end, the two of them had loved each other and there was no need to choose between the past Chun Yin and the current Leng Jin Yu. Naturally, things had turned out well for them.

 Chapter 749 - Just an Idea

    The two of them kept quiet for a while before Leng Jin Yu turned to the side and raised his brows. "Was that what you came here for originally?"


    Qiu Ling didn''t know how to answer. "Originally ¡­ I think originally, I just wanted to flee. And I guess I promised him to ask you or my Master about cultivation. Since, well, he wants to hurry up. As I said."


    "I see. Well, if you really don''t want to get involved anymore, then it wouldn''t be a good idea to ask, would it?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "Then what? I can pretend not to have found either of you for a while but I can''t do so forever. And I can''t just vanish on him, can I? I''m afraid that might just motivate him to cultivate even faster so that he can go and look for me in the dragon realm. Ah, I did everything wrong."


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t say anything about that. Obviously, Qiu Ling was currently caught in a loop of his own thoughts. Whatever he said, it would go over Qiu Ling''s head. He wouldn''t listen at all. Instead, he looked at the courtyard from this perspective. To be honest, even though he had seen the image of this courtyard several times, it had always been from the same perspective. He had been the one leaning in the corridor, looking out at the courtyard and seeing the person below the tree. Because of that, he didn''t actually know how the corridor looked. When he crafted it just now, he had taken a lot of freedom with filling in the blanks.


    He glanced at Qiu Ling and then motioned over. "That corridor, did it look like that in reality too?"


    Qiu Ling glanced up and his thoughts slowly returned to the place at hand. "Well, not much has changed since back then. The palace is like that. They built it one time and then for the next few generations, it''ll just stay the same. It''s a little strange. It makes you feel like ¡­ you don''t have your own life. You''re just one king in a row of many. Kind of sad, don''t you think?"


    "I was there." Leng Jin Yu didn''t answer the question and instead took out the transmission stone that he had gotten from Bai Mu, handing it over to Qiu Ling. "Here. It''s yours. You left it with Bai Mu and never got it back. I went to get it for you. You should make sure that it doesn''t happen again. People won''t be able to contact you if something happens."


    "How much more can happen?" Even though he said so, Qiu Ling put the stone into his spatial ring. "Anyway, how much of the palace do you remember?"


    "Nothing but this. But even that is ¡­" He shook his head. "Not all of it was actually a memory. I only remembered one image and it wasn''t complete. I only guessed about how the rest might look. If you want to, you can help me craft it. Jinde would probably like it."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "Are you sure? That is the place where you left him alone after you took your wife and child away, isn''t it?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. Somehow, he felt that this person was trying to anger him on purpose. Was he trying to get back at him because he hadn''t been able to give him an answer? But that was crazy. He didn''t even know about his past life! Qiu Ling couldn''t really expect him to be able to answer that kind of question nonetheless, could he?


    Well, he was afraid that Qiu Ling expected exactly that. He was just that type of person. Well, it was also alright. Having him ask meant that they were getting slightly closer. Wasn''t that what he had wanted? Actually, it was a pity that he couldn''t help him more.


    Leng Jin Yu turned to look at the person next to him and wondered if there really was nothing he could do for him. His problem was that there was only one person he could keep but he didn''t dare to sacrifice either of them. It really would be best if he could keep out of that but it was hard to do at this point.


    "Well, if you find a good excuse, then you could leave. Maybe there could be something happening in your realm that would make it necessary for you to go for a while? Even if it only takes a few days in the dragon realm, it would still be a few years here. A lot of things can happen in that amount of time. Even to a cultivator. If you''d like me to ¡­" He gave a wry smile but still continued to speak.


    "I might even be able to help you. Jinde isn''t he anyway so I might as well use my time for something else. I could make my Master send Jing Yi on some mission. He might have managed to reach a higher level but his foundation in regards to actually using his cultivation is very shallow. If he was sent on a mission alone now without much help, it''s very likely that he wouldn''t come back."


    Qiu Ling looked over. "So you''re basically saying that I should abandon him and let you kill him?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "Not killing him. Just ¡­ creating favorable circumstances. You wouldn''t have to be there. And if his luck is good, he might even be able to get out safely. And however things go, he wouldn''t know that it had anything to do with you. That would solve one of your problems, wouldn''t it? Depending on the outcome, you can consider what to tell him. If Jing Yi lives, you''ve never done anything. If Jing He comes back, then it was your idea."


    Qiu Ling looked at the person next to him and shook his head. "Are you sure you were born human in this life? That sounds quite evil. It''s like what a demon would say. It couldn''t be that mother latched onto your soul, could it?"


    Leng Jin Yu clicked his tongue. "What are you even talking about? It was just an idea. You don''t have to do it. I just ¡­ wanted to help you. I''m sorry for what you''re going through. That shouldn''t have happened."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "It shouldn''t. But it''s too late now. Well, I''ll think about that idea of yours." He couldn''t help but feel empty when he said that though. Even if that wouldn''t mean that he''d have to kill Jing Yi with his own two hands, it would still mean that he was standing by while he knew that something happened to his beloved. He honestly didn''t think he would be able to do that.

 Chapter 750 - The Only Way

    Qiu Ling left the realm after helping Leng Jin Yu complete the palace. He had filled in what Leng Jin Yu couldn''t remember about it, trying to stay as true to the way it had been back when he had lived there with his parents, including some of the details that had been changed since then.


    He couldn''t help but be surprised just how clear those memories still were. It was as if it hadn''t been thousands of years since then but only a few days or weeks. It truly made him feel odd. He had always thought that ¡­ the past was long in the past and didn''t hold much for him anymore other than the danger of being outed as someone with mixed blood. To think he hadn''t already forgotten about it ¡­


    Qiu Ling sighed and returned to the bamboo hut in a complicated mood. He stopped right in the doorway, looking at Jing Yi who was sitting on the bed and cultivating. His beloved didn''t even look up. He was completely immersed in the task at hand as if he couldn''t wait to reach the next stage and the one after that until he could finally ascend.


    Qiu Ling barely held back another sigh. He should probably be touched that Jing Yi did so much just to be with him. That was ¡­ it wasn''t something everybody could say for their lovers, was it? After all, this was a decision for his whole life that Jing Yi made just for him. Thinking about it like that ¡­ He really would''ve liked to go back in time before he knew what all of this really meant. It had been so much easier to deal with the situation then. He had actually been really happy.


    Qiu Ling walked over and sat down next to Jing Yi, examining his face once again. He had done that a lot today. Maybe even more often than he had in the time before. And that even though he had accompanied Jing Yi for most of his life.


    He had probably only ever seen Jing He in him. His feelings ¡­ Could they even be called sincere? He did feel that he loved him but ¡­ that depended on Jing He. It was his soul. The person he had fallen in love with was Jing He and he had followed him because of Jing He.


    In a sense, it had nothing to do with Jing Yi if he really wanted to see them as separate people. Then again, they weren''t separate at all. This was still the same soul. Ah, this was really what made the matter so difficult. There was no real difference. There was only one created by the trial. But still, he couldn''t pretend that it wasn''t there either. Just thinking of the memories that he had with only Jing He or only with Jing Yi ¡­ Wasn''t it obvious that there was a difference? Two separate lives ¡­ In the end, that really was what they were. As much as he would have liked it to be different.


    All of this might not have been a problem if he was just able to go and talk to Jing He right now. If just for a few hours, they could change back and he could explain to Jing He, talk about this with him, then it would be alright. Unfortunately, that was impossible. Jing He would only open his eyes after Jing Yi''s death. And when that didn''t happen ¡­


    Qiu Ling sighed. Be that as it may, he just couldn''t bring himself to do it. No, it was indeed as he had thought before: He had to let matters go. He would just wait and see how things went. He would try not to get involved too much. There were hundreds of things that could go wrong in human life. When it happened, he would hold back. It would hurt but it would be much better than devising some plan to do anything by himself. No, he couldn''t plot against his beloved like that. He just couldn''t. He wasn''t that type of person.


    And Jing He should understand if he told him. After all, Jing He already knew him quite well, didn''t he? He would know that he would never be able to do anything to him. This was also proof of his love in a sense, wasn''t it?


    In that case, he had probably found his answer. He just had to stick to this decision now and see where it would lead them. Maybe something would happen on Jing Yi''s way to ascension, maybe nothing would happen but ascension itself wouldn''t go well. Or maybe he would be able to ascend but the gods would manage to surprise him afterward so he would be killed there. Whenever something came up, he would have to turn a blind eye. There was no other way to deal with this. At least not in a way that he could live with. This was the only way.


    Qiu Ling also sat down in the lotus position and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. Since his beloved was cultivating, then he could also meditate for a bit. It wouldn''t really help him with anything but maybe in that way, he would be able to shut out all these useless thoughts. That would certainly be better. He just shouldn''t think about it. He would pretend he didn''t know anything. Sooner or later, he might be able to convince himself. That was really everything he could hope for.

 Chapter 751 - Huge News

    In the Yun Zou Sect, Qiu Ling accompanied Jing Yi in his cultivation. Meanwhile, a certain someone in the Liu He Alliance had grown bored. Jinde sighed and looked out of the window, wondering just how many more days needed to go by until his husband would finally come and bring him the good news. Just how long could it take until the realm was ready for him to move in there? And was that child still there, making trouble?


    Ah, he should have educated him better when he was young. Now, it was already too late. His cute child had somehow turned into an adult demon that couldn''t be advised anymore. Even if they saw each other and he told Jin Ling to finally give it up and find somebody else to love, it still wouldn''t change anything. He knew that but he still hoped that there would be a way in the future to make matters work out. After all, this was still his child. He also didn''t want to be harsh on him. If they could find a way to deal with everything, then it would also make him happy.


    Jinde shook his head and sighed. Well, there was no use in thinking about it right now. First of all, he had to heal his own soul. After that, he could think about other things. When he was back to the peak of the strength or, well, at the very least, strong enough to deal with that bear child again, then he could go and confront Jin Ling. Before that, there was no way to do anything in that regard.


    He got up from the chair in front of the window and walked over to the bookshelf. A few weeks had already passed since he came here so he had read quite a few of the books and it probably wouldn''t be long until he finished the rest too. Ah, it was quite sad. There wasn''t too much to find out about the pill-refining in the human realm. There had been a few changes but nothing much. It still couldn''t compare to the techniques they used in the dragon realm. Well, it figured. A lot of time might go by in the human realm while only a year passed in the dragon realm but the dragons were still naturally more powerful than the humans and their race had existed for a longer time. With that kind of deep roots, it would be very hard to catch up to them.


    Jinde picked up one of the books that he hadn''t read yet at random and leafed through the pages, wondering if there was anything interesting in there. Unfortunately, he came up empty-handed when he reached the end of the book. Ah, still nothing. And really, where was Jin Yu? He wanted to see his husband already!


    Jinde paced up and down and finally couldn''t take it any longer. He picked up the veiled hat that he had ignored for the last few weeks and went out, striding right toward Alliance Head Hua''s study. He knocked on the door and a mumbled answer could be heard.


    Jinde stepped in, not thinking too much about it. Seeing a disciple sitting there opposite Hua Min made him pause in his steps. "Ah, it seems Alliance Head Hua currently has to deal with matters. Then I shouldn''t disturb you."


    He already wanted to leave when Hu Min jumped to his feet. "Ah, that ¡­" He shut up and looked at the disciple whose eyes had gotten big. Well, he couldn''t blame the child. Nobody had ever seen him like this. What could he do? He always got flustered when he saw this person. It wasn''t just that he couldn''t help but remember Jinde''s appearance, this was also the husband of Grandmaster Leng from the Jian Yi sect. Both reasons were enough to be a little scared, weren''t they? Nobody could fault him for this.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t tell either to the disciples and just let them come up with their own explanations for his weird behavior. Well, he didn''t need to worry about that at least, the disciples could get very creative as he had found out in the last few weeks. He didn''t know what the current story was but it sure couldn''t be any worse than the last one.


    He pushed the thought away and motioned at the disciple. "I think everything that needed to be said was already said. Why don''t you go and continue your training then?"


    The disciple nodded and got up, cupping his fists before striding out. He couldn''t help but try and take a look at Jinde''s appearance. Unfortunately for him, that veil was still covering Jinde''s appearance.


    The previous dragon king chuckled when the door closed behind him and then went up to the table, sitting down in the chair where the disciple had just sat. "It seems the disciples still haven''t gotten used to the fact that I''m here. I wonder what the latest rumors are regarding my identity?"


    Hua Min gave a wry smile. "I''m really sorry about this. I will ¡­ discipline them better in the future."


    Jinde couldn''t help but laugh even more. "Oh, don''t worry about it. I''ve never felt younger than when I was called your illegitimate son the other day. Actually, I feel like hearing it a few more times."


    He continued to laugh while the Alliance Head felt that it would be great if there was some rock lying around that he could crawl under. These disciples! They had really embarrassed him in front of this person. If Grandmaster Leng ever found out ¡­ He sighed. Ah, but speaking of that ¡­


    He sat back down and gave another wry smile. "I guess you''d like to hear news about the Yun Zou Sect?"


    Jinde took off the hat and his lips curled into a smile. "If there''s something new, then naturally, I''d like to hear it."


    Alliance Head Hua nodded. "In fact, there is huge news. Just a while ago, the Yun Zou Sect suddenly created a new realm on their sect grounds. The news has spread all over the cultivation world and many people have already gathered some presents to run over and have a look. I guess our Liu He Alliance will also send a delegation."


    Jinde''s eyes narrowed. "A new realm?" That could only be the realm that Jin Yu had wanted to create. If that was the case ¡­ Why hadn''t he been called over yet? Ah, and had he just said that there would be a delegation? Jinde''s expression returned to normal and there was even a charming smile on his lips. "Alliance Head Hua ¡­ Do you have any idea who will be part of the delegation? You wouldn''t happen to have another spot in there, would you?"

 Chapter 752 - Let’s Contact Him

    Hua Min gulped. "Please don''t joke with me."


    Jinde raised his brows. "Joke? I didn''t know I had made a joke."


    The Alliance Head felt cold sweat cover his brow. A few weeks had already gone by but he still didn''t know how to deal with this person. In fact, he wasn''t even sure how we should address him. Just being Grandmaster Leng''s partner meant that he had to be paid respect. But he couldn''t call him Grandmaster considering that he wasn''t in his peak condition. So what was he supposed to call him? Well, never mind that, even if he knew how to address him, it wouldn''t solve the issue at hand. "Didn''t you say you were here because you couldn''t be seen outside? What happened to that?"


    Jinde gave an exasperated sigh. "That''s true. But can''t you imagine that I''m missing my husband? I haven''t heard from him all this time! What am I supposed to do without him? I don''t even have a task here." Not that he had had a task in the Yun Zou Sect but Hua Min didn''t know that and it was better if he didn''t.


    Well, to be honest, it was also much more difficult to bear this state of infinite boredom since meeting Leng Jin Yu. He had finally felt what it was like to have a family again after a long time. Naturally, he didn''t want to give that up. Unfortunately ¡­ That stupid brat had ruined everything. Ah, Jin Ling ¡­ When they saw each other again, he really had to discipline him!


    "That ¡­" Hua Min gently massaged his temple. Honestly, he didn''t know what he should do about this. It wasn''t too strange that this guest was bored but going out because of that ¡­ Wasn''t that a little too willful? "Wouldn''t it be dangerous if you go back to the Yun Zou Sect? I''m sure your husband wouldn''t be happy seeing you in danger. Why don''t you wait until he contacts us before you go out again? I''m sure we can find something else for you to do."


    Jinde sighed once again. "If you don''t want to let me go out, why did you tell me about it in the first place?"


    "I ¡­ I thought you''d like to hear something about the sect? After all, your husband is currently there. Aren''t you interested at all?"


    Jinde pouted. "I''m very interested. Interested in seeing him! So why don''t you let me go? I''m sure we wouldn''t even be there for very long. And I can wear the hat." He motioned at the veiled hat lying next to him and raised his brows. "Nobody will notice."


    Hua Min''s lips twitched. "I don''t think that would really work. Wearing that kind of hat when everybody goes to the sect and shows their faces ¡­ wouldn''t people feel that it is suspicious?"


    Jinde looked at the hat and couldn''t help but think that yes, this was indeed a little suspicious. Still, he wanted to see Leng Jin Yu again. It had already been so long. And most likely, Jin Ling wasn''t there anymore, was he? No, he should have given up by now. And even if he couldn''t return to the Yun Zou Sect completely, this might be the only opportunity he had to go there for at least a while. So could he really let go of this opportunity? "Then how about finding an excuse for the hat? Maybe ¡­ there was an accident when we refined some pills? If two or three people have such hats, then giving an excuse to let them wear them should be acceptable. And if you are the one leading the delegation, then with your connection to the Yun Zou Sect nobody would dare to ask questions."


    Hua Min sighed. He really didn''t think that this was a good idea but it seemed this man was intent on staying persistent this time. Well, if he and Grandmaster Leng were married, then it was understandable that he wanted to see him again. "How about I contact your husband first? We can see what he thinks about it."


    "Ah, that reminds me ¡­" Jinde grabbed the necklace hanging around his neck and gave a smile. He had already recovered quite a bit of the strength so using it once should be alright. He already wanted to imbue his spiritual energy when he held back at the last moment. Right, even though he could imbue his spiritual energy, he couldn''t be sure that nobody would be around. No, he had to be more careful.


    Jinde glanced at Alliance Head Hua and smiled. "Well, if it''s asking my husband, then I might have a way to do that fast. I just need a little bit of assistance."


    Hua Min raised his brows. Somehow, he felt as if he had gotten in a situation that wasn''t too good. Still, he could hardly refuse if it was just contacting the Yun Zou Sect. Thus he could only sigh. "Alright, what is it?"


    Jinde smiled and took off the necklace, grabbing Hua Min''s hand and putting it inside. "Just imbue your spiritual energy for me and then ask him if somebody is around."


    Hua Min raised his brows but didn''t think any further about it and just did as he was told. He imbued his spiritual energy and a moment later, the necklace shone with a bright light and an image appeared as if out of thin air, showing the charming face of a young man.


    The person in question raised his brows. He hesitated a moment but finally spoke. "Alliance Head Hua?"


    Hua Min almost let go of the necklace but somebody grabbed his wrist. "Ask him if somebody is around!"


    Hua Min didn''t need to ask, Leng Jin Yu''s hearing was good enough to pick up on those words even though they had been whispered. And, well, who else would have contacted him? The Alliance Head certainly wouldn''t do so on his own. Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "Thank you for taking care of Jinde. I hope he didn''t give you any trouble."


    "I can hear!" Jinde scooted around to Hua Min''s side and peered at his husband''s face, his lips curving into a beautiful smile. "Jin Yu ¡­ Husband! I''ve missed you so much! Why didn''t you try to contact me all this time? I was really lonely."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched while Alliance Head Hua hurriedly looked in the other direction. Unfortunately, he couldn''t just give the necklace to the other person for fear of cutting the connection. Still ¡­ Why was he supposed to witness this? He was a single man, alright?!

 Chapter 753 - A Dangerous Situation

    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath and sighed. "It''s not that I didn''t want to see you. But I didn''t know what your situation was and I didn''t want to risk anything."


    Jinde pursed his lips. "Well, I went to the Liu He Alliance as you said and waited here for a long time. But you didn''t come to look, you didn''t even try to reach me once. Can''t you send a letter at least? I''m really bored. And lonely. Don''t you long to see me at all?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "I do. But I guess that''s not why you contacted me. So what is going on?"


    Jinde pursed his lips even further. Ah, his husband was way too smart. And he was much better at withstanding his charm than Chun Yin had been back then. If it was him, he would''ve just accepted whatever he said without thinking too much about it. It seemed that wasn''t possible with Leng Jin Yu. "Well, isn''t it because Alliance Head Hua told me you already created a realm? If you have, why haven''t you contacted me? Does this mean I can return to the Yun Zou Sect?"


    "So it was about that." Leng Jin Yu sighed. "I''m afraid it''s not that easy. I did indeed create that realm but I don''t have the array yet. I only tied it down with a basic one so everybody can enter right now. It''s actually a dangerous situation. Not just because of the demons but also because of the situation in the cultivation world.


    "The Yun Zou Sect was on the decline. They were never one of the strongest sects but they could at least be called first tier. But then that incident in the Leyuan region happened and things got worse. The most promising disciples died or were lost. It was a disaster.


    "And now, this type of sect that everyone had already stopped considering as a serious competitor has something happen to it. I don''t know whether everyone knows that a realm was created or if they only know that something happened and want to see for themselves just what this something is but in any case, it is something that makes a lot of people anxious.


    "All the first and second-tier sects sent messages, stating that they noticed something and want to help us out or come and congratulate us. They''re sounding us out right now, trying to find out what is going on here and whether there are other secrets they should guard against. So ¡­ This is actually the worst time to come back for you. At least until we have the array."


    Jinde furrowed his brows. He could understand what Leng Jin Yu said but that didn''t mean that he liked it. "Haven''t you heard anything yet? How long will it still take to create that array?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "I don''t know. I didn''t dare to contact them again after the last time. I ran into some trouble in the dragon realm and since Bai Mu is currently there ¡­ The God of War also wanted to go over there." He paused and narrowed his eyes.


    Right. There was still that conversation with the God of War from the last time that he hadn''t been able to talk about with Jinde. Since they had finally managed to contact each other and Jinde didn''t seem to be the one powering the connection right now, he should use the opportunity. "You should know that things got a little dangerous. Bai Mu talked with the God of War about the array. He didn''t mention any specifics but he was able to figure it out."


    Jinde''s golden brows raised. "Figure out what?"


    "Who the array is for. Or rather who the realm is for. You don''t have to worry too much about it though. He''s on our side in this case. I guess he is a little afraid what it would mean for Qiu Ling and his nephew if you came back."


    Jinde nodded. "Right, the Son of Heaven was his nephew. If Qiu Ling got into trouble because of my return, that might impact their marriage. That certainly wouldn''t be good. If the Son of Heaven was even willing to injure his own soul for that person, then there is no way for him to be willing to give up on marrying Qiu Ling."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes, precisely so. We were lucky that it was him though. If it was somebody else ¡­ Right, he also mentioned that if it was just for Bai Mu telling him about the realm, he wouldn''t have been able to guess it. The problem was the list with the ingredients that you gave us. We handed them over for the pill to be refined in the Temple of Medicine so that you won''t need to take charge of that. It seems the God of Medicine was able to recognize your handwriting. I''m sorry about that. I should''ve known. I just didn''t consider that there might be somebody who would know you."


    Jinde closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It seemed he had been just one step short of being discovered. Well, it was a wonder he was still able to keep the fact that he was still alive secret. After all, too many people knew already. There was Leng Jin Yu and Qiu Ling and Xin Lan ¡­ The secret that had originally only be known by him had slowly been found out by another three people. He certainly had never expected that. So having another person realize ¡­ maybe he shouldn''t be surprised.


    Jinde opened his eyes again, his golden pupils sparkling in the light falling in through the window. "I can''t blame you for that. I also hadn''t thought that there would be somebody old enough to still recognize my handwriting in the Temple of Medicine. I probably should have thought of that though. The Temple of Medicine never participated in the wars. They didn''t back then and I guess they don''t do now either. So the gods that are part of the temple tend to live longer."


    "He doesn''t know about you but it was dangerous. So should any other situation like this arise, then it would probably be better if you have somebody else write down everything."


    Jinde nodded. "I''ll remember it. Well, hopefully, it won''t be important anymore soon."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes, hopefully, it won''t be." Yes, he really couldn''t wait to see Jinde again. Being without him ¡­ It was hard even though they hadn''t known each other for long. At the very least, not in this life.

 Chapter 754 - He Wasn’t Playing Fair

    The two people smiled at each other, making the Alliance Head feel that he really was at the wrong place. If these people wanted to flirt, then did he really need to be here? He had thought this was about serious business! Well, having the honor of seeing Grandmaster Leng made up for it a bit. And if this could dissuade this man from going to the Yun Zou Sect, that would also be good. He just had to hold on a bit longer.


    Before Hua Min could sigh with relief though, Jinde''s smile broadened. "Since the God of Medicine doesn''t know and the God of War is on our side, there shouldn''t be a problem if I came over to the Yun Zou Sect with a delegation from the Liu He Alliance, would there?"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. "I could have sworn I had said that the situation in the sect was very dangerous."


    "You did? I can''t remember at all. Ah, this must be me getting old. My memory just isn''t that good anymore. Or maybe it''s my hearing that''s slowly getting worse."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled also widened. "That can''t be it. My husband is very beautiful, I can''t believe you''re any older than me. Since I don''t feel my hearing and my memory have gone bad, I must have forgotten to say it. Anyway, the situation isn''t well. I don''t think it would be good for you to come over."


    "So you don''t miss me at all?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. Jinde really wasn''t playing fair with him here. "My dear ¡­ Do you have to do this to me?"


    Jinde leaned closer, the apparition seemingly growing bigger. "Do what? Showing you my love? I really can''t understand you, Jin Yu. Shouldn''t every husband be thrilled to be shown this much affection?"


    Leng Jin Yu gave a wry smile. "I''m certainly very thrilled that you want to see me this badly. Unfortunately, I also know that things will get dangerous if you come here. And I don''t want to put you into danger. Can''t you wait just a bit longer? I''m sure the God of War will contact me soon. Then you can return and stay here. Wouldn''t that be much better? Just imagine you came here but could only stay for a day or two. Wouldn''t it be really hard to bid farewell once again?"


    "Well, since the God of War is contacting you soon, then if I return now, maybe I will even be able to stay already. Wouldn''t that be great?"


    "It certainly would. Unfortunately ¡­ We don''t know for sure. So let''s not take any chances."


    Jinde hummed. His husband was really being tricky today. How could he convince him? Yes, he also knew it was dangerous but he couldn''t take being locked up here any longer. He wanted to go back. He wanted to see him. He was ¡­ He was missing him too much. "Jin Yu, can''t you understand at all?" The previously frivolous smile turned into a look of longing that perfectly showcased just what Jinde had been saying previously.


    Leng Jin Yu looked at him, his heart hurting. He also didn''t want to be like this. He missed him just as much as Jinde missed him. If he could, he would go over right away but he knew that he couldn''t. "Jinde ¡­ I''m sure the God of War will contact me soon. Are you really unable to wait just that bit of time anymore?"


    "What if I can''t? Jin Yu, I''m not feeling too well. I was alone previously and I could take it because I was still waiting for you to return to me. But now ¡­ We''ve seen each other again and were still separated. Now that I know where you are, I just can''t feel at ease not being with you. It''s alright if I know that it''s only a day or two but ¡­ a few weeks have already gone by. Who knows how many more there will be? I don''t know if I''ll be able to take that."


    "Is there nothing I can do to convince you otherwise? Not even if I contact you every day?"


    Jinde shook his head. "I don''t want to be without you. I know I''m being willful and making trouble and I know that I should keep all this to myself and just wait but ¡­ I can''t help but feel this way."


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t answer immediately. He could also see what Jinde was feeling. He felt the same and maybe it was even worse for Jinde who had waited for so long. He really wanted to give in to him and let him return. He was still afraid that things might go wrong though. Was there nothing he could do to fulfill Jinde''s wish and still make sure that nothing would happen to him? "The delegation from the Liu He Alliance ¡­ When will they set off?"


    Jinde looked to the person sitting next to him who was pretending not to notice anything. When no answer came, Jinde reached out and tugged at his sleeve. "The delegation. When will it set off?"


    Hua Min turned back and looked from Jinde to Leng Jin Yu, feeling that he really shouldn''t be here. "In two days'' time, I guess?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I see." He turned back to Jinde and gave him a look. "Let me try and contact the God of War to see how they''re doing. Maybe he''ll be soon here anyway. If he is, then I won''t say anything and you can return but if he isn''t, then you have to promise me that you will stay there."


    Jinde pursed his lips but finally nodded. "Fair enough. Then you should go and contact him first. Reach out to me as soon as you know something, yes? Even if I can''t come over, I want to at least see you like this."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "Alright. I''ve also missed you. I won''t take long." With that said, he cut the connection.

 Chapter 755 - Nothing Would Stop Him

    In the Nine Heavens, the God of Medicine had already looked through the lists of ingredients and sorted them by grade. Finally, he picked the third-best and organized the materials that Qiang Yan had given him. Considering just from whom this recipe had come from, he didn''t dare to attempt refining the best one. Still, the effect the pill would have should be more than enough for a mortal. Ah, whoever that person was, was truly too lucky!


    While he went to refine the pill, Qiang Yan paced up and down in front of the chamber. He knew that refining a pill could take quite a bit of time. In fact, it wouldn''t be strange if several hours or even several days went by. Considering how the time flowed differently in the realms ¡­ he couldn''t help but grimace.


    He hadn''t actually known the previous Longjun. At the very least, he hadn''t known him well. He had only seen him when he had been young and his biggest impression had probably come from the time when that person had already been injured with the soul-devouring dagger. Back then, that person already hadn''t been in his peak state anymore and even though he was still quite a ways off from giving up on his throne and supposedly dying, it had been clearly visible that he had been gravely injured previously.


    But even though, Qiang Yan knew the stories that were being told about the previous dragon king and he could hardly imagine that Jinde would be very good at waiting. If they truly spend three days with refining the spill and three years went by in the mortal realm, who knew what that person would do? He didn''t want to know. Actually, he felt a little sorry toward Leng Jin Yu. Wouldn''t he be the one who would have to bear the brunt of that person''s anger then? That would certainly cause a lot of trouble in their relationship!


    Just then, his transmission stone lit up and pulsed. Qiang Yan closed his eyes and cursed under his breast. He somehow had a feeling that this would be exactly the person he didn''t want to see now. He still took out the stone and gave Leng Jin Yu a smile when his apparition appeared. "What a surprise."


    Leng Jin Yu gave a wry smile in response. "God of War, I''m sorry for disturbing you again. I just wanted to ask if there was anything new you could tell me about the array?"


    Qiang Yan glanced at the door next to him and cleared his throat. "Well, I''m still in the Temple of Medicine. The God of Medicine is currently refining the pill so I can''t really leave here."


    Leng Jin Yu kept quiet and narrowed his eyes in contemplation. The God of War couldn''t leave there but ¡­ the array didn''t depend on the pill. "Are you able to construct that array without Bai Mu''s help?"


    "I think so?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Then would you be able to create a model and could you teach me how to set it up?"


    Qiang Yan sighed. "Drawing it isn''t the problem. It is inserting the anchor that is. Have you come up with something already?"


    Leng Jin Yu slightly furrowed his brows. "I''m afraid I haven''t. I will talk to Jinde about this. We might be able to come up with something together. Still, as long as we know what the anchor is supposed to be, would you be able to teach me how to set it up?"


    "I guess that person doesn''t want to wait any longer?"


    Leng Jin Yu cleared his throat and looked away. "Would it be possible?"


    Well, I''m not sure. But I guess it might be possible to have Bai Mu go with you."


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows furrowed together even further. "To be honest, I don''t really want to involve him anymore. He is currently in the dragon realm and when I went there, I got into some trouble with a person called Xiang Yong. If I ran into him again, I''m afraid I might give things away."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "That is very ¡­ reasonable. But there might be a way to get around this. I have actually given him a transmission stone when I went there the last time. We could contact him from here so it wouldn''t require you to go to the dragon realm yourself." Although he did have to say it was quite funny that the person who had married the previous Longjun, didn''t dare to go to the dragon realm.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Alright, then I''d ask you to be so kind as to sketch out the array. I''ll come over and then we can contact Bai Mu, so he can come with me and teach me how to set up the array here in the Yun Zou Sect. How long do you think all this will take?"


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. "I do know how the array is supposed to look like. It is basically just drawing it down but, well, there might be some slight changes necessary depending on what anchor you''d like to use. You''ll have to decide on that first. It is only adjusting the array though, so it shouldn''t even take an hour."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded again. "Alright, then I''ll contact Jinde first. We''ll see what we can come up with and then I will hurry right over to the Temple of Medicine. Thank you for your help."


    Qiang Yan waved. "Once again: Don''t mention it. If not for your effort and that of your husband, then Nie Huang would never be able to get this pill this easily. In fact, I might never have seen my son. If anything, then I''m indebted to you. So let''s just say if this is over and we were able to help each other, then we are even and can regard each other as friends."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Alright, then I''ll see you soon." He cut the connection and then looked at the transmission stone for a while, wondering if things could really go this smoothly. Well, that still depended on whether they would be able to find a good anchor or not.


    Ah, just what was there that only connected them but nobody else? Even before he could imbue his spiritual energy again into the stone, something flashed through his mind. His face paled but soon, determination filled his eyes. No matter the cost, he would do this. As long as it meant that Jinde would be safe, then he would do so. Nothing would stop them from that.

 Chapter 756 - Half an Hour

    Leng Jin Yu imbued his spiritual energy into the transmission stone and contacted Jinde again. The one who answered was Alliance Head Hua though. Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. It seemed his husband wasn''t willing to waste even a bit of spiritual energy. He gave a smile and nodded. "Alliance Head Hua. Thank you for helping us out."


    Hua Min gave a wry smile in return. What choice did he have? Grandmaster Leng''s husband had continued to sit next to him, staring at him as if he was able to make his husband contact them again any sooner. "Well ¡­ You probably want to speak to your husband."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and the transmission stone was pushed to the side, making Jinde''s happy face appear.


    "My dear! I hope you''re having good news for me."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Indeed. The God of War is still occupied in the Nine Heavens but he is able to draw a model of the array for me and call Bai Mu over so I can set it up with his help. I don''t know how long exactly that will take but I don''t think it should be too long. I''ll try to return as soon as possible. So if you''re able to stall your departure for a while, that would be good. It is still safer if the realm is already closed off when you arrive. That way, you can flee there even if somebody spots you."


    Jinde nodded. "Alright, I can understand that. Then I''ll have to bother Alliance Head Hua with that. But don''t worry too much. We''ve already thought about a countermeasure. So it shouldn''t be too difficult even after we arrive at the sect."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "That''s good then. I''m sorry to have you wait this long. If I could, I really would''ve done all of this myself. I just don''t know ¡­ Ah, I''m afraid I should''ve paid more attention when learning how to construct arrays."


    Jinde shook his head. "The arrays of the human realm and those of the immortal realms are on completely different levels. And you can''t be great at everything, can you? I think my husband is already very great if he also knew how to set up excellent arrays, then I would probably feel that I didn''t fit with you."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "You''re trying to sweet-talk me again. Well, I don''t mind hearing more of that later when we see each other again. For now, I should go and take care of this matter. The sooner I''ll go there, the sooner I''ll be back and we can see each other again."


    Jinde nodded. "Very well. Then see you soon."


    "See you soon." Leng Jin Yu gave him another smile and then cut the connection. Even though Jinde wasn''t the one powering it, it really wasn''t good to lose any time here. No, he had to be fast. Everything had to be done until Jinde came over. A few days ¡­ It would only be a few minutes in the Nine Heavens. He was afraid he wouldn''t be able to do that. But at most, he could take half an hour. By then, one week would have gone by in the mortal realm. If Jinde stalled his departure, he might have only been at the Yun Zou Sect for a short moment so the danger wouldn''t be too big yet. Well, the less time he took the better.


    Leng Jin Yu put the transmission stone away and then rushed out of the realm, only taking a short look at Zhangsun Xun Yi who was standing at the side. "I''m sorry. The realm is erected but I''ll need to go and get something else to make sure that nobody will be able to get in there. I''ll try to return as soon as I can but it might take a few days. Jinde will return with a delegation from the Liu He Alliance so try to make sure that they don''t draw any attention."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "Very well. I''ll see to it."


    Leng Jin Yu cupped his fists and bowed. "Thank you."


    He didn''t wait any longer and rushed up into the air, making his way over to the Nine Heavens. As an ascended deity, he had no trouble passing the gates. He didn''t lose any time and rushed over to the Temple of Medicine. Even though he hadn''t had an official position yet when lived in the Nine Heavens, he had still made sure that he knew about the general layout of the capital city. So he knew exactly where the temple was located and didn''t need to search around.


    He rushed into the building and hurried to one of the heavenly physicians sitting at the desk not far from the entrance. "Excuse me, I''m searching for the God of War. He should currently be waiting somewhere in the temple for a pill to be refined for him."


    The physician raised his brows. Someone looking for the God of War? Well, that shouldn''t be a problem. He got up and motioned further into the temple. "Of course, I''ll lead you there. Please follow me."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and followed the man inside. When they came to the study of the God of Medicine, he couldn''t help but raise his brows. In front of the door wasn''t just Qiang Yan waiting. No, Bai Mu was already there. It seemed that while he had been contacting Jinde and hurrying over, the God of War hadn''t been idle and had instead already contacted Bai Mu and told him to come over.


    Leng Jin Yu gave a relieved smile and went over, greeting the two of them when the heavenly physician left. "Thank you for your help. I know this is sudden but there isn''t much time. I need to return in half an hour at the very latest. Have you prepared the array?"


    Qiang Yan nodded and took out the drawing. "I did. I also went over it with Bai Mu. There shouldn''t be anything wrong. Just draw it exactly like this and use the anchor that you''ve come up with. You did think of something, didn''t you?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and then looked around to check if nobody was there. "I did but it might be a little ¡­ difficult. I''m afraid I need your help once again with that."


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. "Oh? Then what did you think of?"


    Leng Jin Yu gave a wry smile. "There''s only one thing in this world that only connects Jinde and me and that is my soul."

 Chapter 757 - Making a Grave Mistake

    Qiang Yan looked at the person in front of him, wondering if he had misheard. Yes. Yes, that had to be it. He had definitely heard wrong. It couldn''t be that he had said that he would use his own soul as the anchor of the array. That was completely impossible. He shook his head and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He should really concentrate now or this would get embarrassing. "I''m sorry. I think I didn''t hear that right just now. What did you say you wanted to use?"


    "My soul. So I''ll have to ask for your help. I''m afraid the only way to make this possible would be using the soul-engraving dagger."


    This time, there was no way for Qiang Yan to convince himself that he had just misheard. No, it seemed Leng Jin Yu was serious about this. Which left one question: "Have you lost your mind?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head, smiling lightly. "I can understand that you would think so but that''s not the case. I''m just ¡­ I love him very much. Whatever it is that I have to do to keep him safe, I will do it."


    Qiang Yan rubbed his forehead and turned away, trying to wrap his head around this idea. He turned back and pointed at Leng Jin Yu''s nose. "You must have gone nuts! We''re not talking about taking out a sword and killing some demon or ¡­ I don''t know, even challenging the demon king would probably be acceptable. But this ¡­ This isn''t like that. You''re talking about cutting up your own soul! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Haven''t you heard what happened to my nephew?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I did. And I know full well just how dangerous it is. Still, there''s nothing else I can do. Jinde needs a safe place to recuperate. If I don''t use my soul for this, then there is no way to make sure the realm I''ve created for him will be safe. It is only my soul that connects the two of us and eliminates everybody else. Everything else ¡­ I''m afraid there will be people who would be able to get in." He had thought about this. Just what was it that could be used to anchor the array?


    They did have the same magic at their disposal since he had full spirit veins and Jinde was a full-blooded dragon that was able to use wind and water magic. Unfortunately, this was also true for a lot of other people. This was probably the option that was the least safe from everything they could do.


    As for their blood ¡­ Well, they weren''t like Bai Mu and his parents who shared some of that. So they would need to artificially create something they could carry around. But then what if they lost that thing? What if the current demon king ambushed him to take whatever they used as the anchor and then went to bother Jinde? Before he had healed, that kind of thing couldn''t be allowed. So this option wasn''t doable either. No, they needed something else.


    No matter how much he thought, the only thing he could think of was still only his soul. Even after his reincarnation, it had stayed the same. So his soul and the part that was joined with Jinde''s soul were the same. If he took a bit from what was left in his body, then that was an anchor that could be used. After all, it would be hard to detect just what this anchor was and taking his soul from him would also be very difficult.


    So this was the safest option they had and he naturally wouldn''t use anything else. As long as the God of War was able to let him use the soul-engraving dagger, he would do this. Otherwise ¡­ he really didn''t know what he should do.


    Qiang Yan sighed and shook his head. "You don''t know what you''re doing."


    Leng Jin Yu just continued to smile. "I know it must seem like that to you but I''m sure about this. I want to make sure that he is safe and this is the best option to do so. Even if I get injured while I do, I can just go in there and recuperate together with him. Whatever damage the soul-engraving dagger can do, it can''t be any worse than that of the soul-devouring dagger, can it? If Jinde was able to survive the wounds done by the latter for so long, then I will be able to hold on after injuring myself with the former. So please, don''t worry about it and just help me get the dagger. You know I don''t have much time."


    Qiang Yan cursed. "Do you think it''s so easy? The soul-engraving dagger was never under the jurisdiction of my palace. I can''t just go and take it out for you to use."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I know. I went with you to the Court of Justice previously. It should still be there, shouldn''t it?"


    Qiang Yan looked at him with reproach. "Why? You think you can just go there and ask for it? There are procedures to this and nobody would just hand out this kind of dagger. Especially not after what happened the last time."


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows. "I''m not asking to use the soul-devouring dagger. It is the soul-engraving dagger I want to use and if the God of Justice wants me to, then I can use it in front of him or any other witnesses right at that spot and give it back immediately. So please, don''t make this any more difficult for me. Just tell me what I have to do to get it. I have to use it. There is no other way so please."


    Qiang Yan closed his eyes and once again rubbed his forehead. He really didn''t know what was happening here. He had thought things were bizarre enough when the previous Longjun suddenly turned up but now this person actually wanted to use his soul as an anchor for the array. How absurd was that?


    Unfortunately, it seemed that nothing he said could change Leng Jin Yu''s mind. So before this person went and tried to do this secretly, it was probably better to just try to help him through this. That way, he might be able to have at least some influence. "Let me ask how long it will take to refine the pill and I''ll accompany you over there. I do know the God of Justice rather well so ¡­ maybe it will be a little easier if I talk to him."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and cupped his fists. "Thank you very much."


    Qiang Yan waved. "Don''t thank me for that. I think you''re making a grave mistake. But whatever, people in love are like that. They don''t think about tomorrow."

 Chapter 758 - Done in His Previous Life

    Bai Mu didn''t know about the soul-devouring or the soul-engraving dagger but judging from his father''s tone neither could be anything good. He looked at Leng Jin Yu with a complicated gaze. His father hadn''t managed to convince him so his own chance was slim but he felt that he should still give it a try. "Are you sure about this? I know you want to save him but if you were hurt because of that I''m sure he wouldn''t like that either. If I imagine this was Nie Huang and me ¡­" He shook his head. "The soul is different from the body or the blood. It should really be only a last resort. Furthermore, you would still need to have a part of both of your souls. After all, this array needs to accommodate both of you. And isn''t your lover already in a bad condition? Then if he also had to cut off some of his soul ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "No, that won''t be necessary. My own soul will be enough."


    Bai Mu shook his head. "I might not be as good with these arrays as my mother was but I don''t think it works that way. The key needs to be something that the two of you share. Just like how my mother and I shared the same kind of blood and my father was able to carry some of it around. It would have to be the same with your soul. Sure, you could also put your soul into something that your lover can carry around but is it really worth it? Wouldn''t it be better to just use your blood then?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "I''m thankful that you''re trying to dissuade me. It means that you don''t want me to come to harm. I do understand that. But I thought about this and it''s really the best choice in this situation."


    Qiang Yan slowed down his steps and waited for them to catch up. "What Bai Mu said just now has some merit though. Since it''s your soul you won''t have any trouble going in and getting out but what about your lover? And just how many parts do you want to split your soul into for this to work? You will need quite a bit that can be used as an anchor and then he would also need a part but you can''t take everything either. After all, without a soul ¡­ you wouldn''t live on. I hope you do realize that."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. He really hadn''t wanted to talk about it but it seemed he wouldn''t be able to get around it any longer. "The God of War need not worry. I know what I''m doing. In fact, Jinde is already carrying part of my soul. That is why I thought of this. It is something that we already share so taking a part to use it as the anchor is the best we can do. As long as nobody finds out about this and gets the rest of my soul, nothing will happen."


    Qiang Yan furrowed his brows. "He carries part of your soul? But ¡­" His brows knit together even more tightly. He couldn''t understand. "Was this done because of the injury caused by the soul-devouring dagger? Some kind of countermeasure to make sure he can live on?" He couldn''t imagine it. After all, it had been ages since Jinde had supposedly died. Back then, Leng Jin Yu shouldn''t have even been born yet. No, he did believe that Leng Jin Yu had really only met Jinde in the mortal realm when he went to accompany Jing Yi for his trial. But then ¡­ why was the previous dragon king carrying part of his soul?


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly and looked around to make sure that nobody was close by. "That part of my soul wasn''t given in this life. It is something that has already been done in my previous life. That was before Jinde was injured in the first place. This is a sensitive issue though. It would be better if we didn''t talk about it too much."


    Qiang Yan couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows. Even though Leng Jin Yu had said that it would be better not to talk about it, he couldn''t just pretend he hadn''t heard. "Your previous life? You mean to say that even in your previous life, you knew him? And there was a relationship between you that was close enough to warrant you to cut off part of your soul and give it to him? And how would you have even done that? Wouldn''t you need the soul-engraving dagger to cut it off? There aren''t that many other possibilities to do so. Shouldn''t I know about this?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "There might not be so many other possibilities to do this for the gods but there are for the dragons."


    "But you''re human. Why would this ¡­" Qiang Yan stopped when he saw Leng Jin Yu''s gaze. "You ¡­ You mean to say you were a dragon in your past life?" He turned back around and pondered. Just who ¡­ It would need to be somebody who had been close to that person. Otherwise, how could something like this have happened?


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and stepped closer. Before they talked about this any longer because the God of War wasn''t able to let it go, it was probably better if he just came out right now. "Chun Yin. In my previous life, I was the dragon race''s warrior Chun Yin."


    Qiang Yan stared at him in a daze. While the God of Medicine admired Jinde for his ability in pill refinement, there probably wasn''t any warrior in the dragon or the god race who didn''t admire the dragon race''s Chun Yin. And this person ¡­


    Qiang Yan stopped in his tracks and whirled around, staring at Leng Jin Yu and bewilderment. "Chun Yin?!"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows and nodded. "That was his name."


    "But ¡­" Qiang Yan''s gaze darted around and he tried to come to terms with what he had just thought. "But Chun Yin ¡­ He was Qiu Ling''s father!"


    Leng Jin Yu refrained from commenting on that.

 Chapter 759 - I’m Sure You Understand the Sentiment

    Qiang Yan stared at Leng Jin Yu, completely tongue-tied. This couldn''t be, could it? Leng Jin Yu had been Chun Yin, Qiu Ling''s father, in his past life? And now he was married to the previous Longjun, Qiu Ling''s predecessor? Just what was going on here?


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head and sighed, motioning down the road before Qiang Yan could say anything else. "I can imagine that this comes as a surprise to you but still, it''s not the issue right now. We still have to go to the Court of Justice and get the soul-engraving dagger. So?"


    Qiang Yan rubbed his forehead and shrugged his shoulders. "Alright. I guess I can''t get five minutes to get used to the thought."


    Leng Jin Yu continued walking, his lips curving into a smile. "You know just as well as me that time is running differently here and in the mortal realm. If you take five minutes to comprehend the situation, then wouldn''t Jinde be angry when I return home late?"


    Qiang Yan grumbled but still continued walking and even accelerated his steps. He definitely didn''t want that person to be angry. What if Leng Jin Yu said something and that person believed all of this was his fault? Then after he was healed, wouldn''t he come to get revenge? That would definitely be in line with the style in his early years. If he was still like this now, then even if a thousand years went by, this grudge wouldn''t be laid to rest until he had gotten his just desserts. No, that kind of thing couldn''t be risked.


    Thus the three men hurried to the Court of Justice. The guards over there already knew Qiang Yan thanks to his frequent visits so they didn''t ask any questions and just let him pass. He didn''t bother with niceties and barged right into Li Yin''s study.


    "Now, this is a surprise." Li Yin glanced up from his desk and shook his head before he turned back and just continued working on his documents. "I wouldn''t have thought the God of War was this rash."


    Qiang Yan''s lips twitched but he still went over and sat down in front of him. "There''s no time for this. I need your help."


    The brush was waved, making a few characters appear on the paper. "Saying it like this ¡­ This is probably calling on me for a favor, not something that has anything to do with regulations of the Court of Justice, isn''t it?"


    "I need the soul-engraving dagger."


    "Denied."


    Qiang Yan looked at the ceiling and gulped down a curse. "Li Yin, would it fucking kill you to look at me? This is important!"


    "As is safekeeping the soul-engraving dagger. You''ve seen what kind of mess was created the last time somebody managed to steal the soul-devouring dagger from your palace. I certainly won''t let the same thing happen in my Court of Justice."


    Qiang Yan''s brows twitched but now that his friend brought it up ¡­ "Mn, Li Yin, I do remember that the one who was on guard duty that day was your precious son. I let him get away lightly because I did you a favor. Don''t you think you should repay me at all?"


    This time, Li Yin''s hands stilled and he put down the brush, looking up at Qiang Yan. "Are you using my son to threaten me?"


    "I''m using your son to get your fucking attention. I really need the soul-engraving dagger. Look, it''s not as dangerous as the soul-devouring dagger. So what can happen? And it will be quick. You''ll get it back today. No, you''ll get it back in under an hour!"


    Li Yin stared at him for a moment and then turned to look at the two people that had followed Qiang Yan in and conscientiously closed the door. "And these two are ¡­?" Well, he did know one of them but as for the other ¡­


    Qiang Yan cleared his throat and motioned at Bai Mu first. "My son." He didn''t know what else to say but thankfully, Leng Jin Yu used that moment to step forward, cup his fists and bow.


    "Greetings to the God of Justice. You might remember me from the matter with crown prince Jing He and the idle goddess Yin Lin Lin. I am the ascended deity Leng Jin Yu."


    Li Yin nodded. "Right. So what is this about? Once again about crown prince Jing He? Then it shouldn''t be a problem to get the Heavenly Emperor''s permission to use the soul-engraving dagger, should it?"


    Qiang Yan had no idea how to answer this. He definitely couldn''t let his brother-in-law know about this. Even though it would be impossible to connect this with the previous Longjun, he would still start to ask questions and if he couldn''t provide him with an answer ¡­


    Before Qiang Yan could come was up with anything, Leng Jin Yu lowered his hands and gave a smile. "The God of Justice cherishes his son very much, isn''t that so?"


    "Will this be another threat?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "I''m not one to threaten people." Well, he definitely wasn''t one to threaten somebody he couldn''t see through and this person ¡­ He felt that there was something more to him. Anyway, there should be another way to get out of this. "That''s not it. But I do believe that the God of Justice would be willing to do anything for his son. Even if it was slightly disregarding some regulations."


    Li Yin unabashedly nodded. "I would. But what does this have to do with this you?"


    "Nothing but you are also friends with the God of War, aren''t you? He already told you that this person is his son. Likewise, he would also do everything for him. In fact, there is something he is trying to do for him. This matter is sensitive so not a lot can be said about it. But I believe that as a loving father, you can understand this sentiment behind that."


    Li Yin raised one eyebrow at him and leaned back, his fingers fiddling with the brush. "I sure can. Can you? You seem a little young."


    Leng Jin Yu gave a wry smile. "How could that be? I''ve lived a long time in the mortal realm already." He didn''t bother to add anything else. This person probably only believed half of what he said but maybe he wouldn''t inquire further.


    Li Yin pondered and finally sighed. "Alright, just tell me this one thing: The soul-engraving dagger, will it be used on either of these two people?" This time he looked back at Qiang Yan, his gaze not wavering from his eyes for even a moment.


    Qiang Yan nodded. "It will."


    Li Yin got up from his seat and straightened his robe. "I guess I will take the God of War and his two ¡­ associates to go on inspection then. After all, since that matter with the soul-devouring dagger, we certainly can''t let anything happen to the soul-engraving dagger and should take extra caution."


    Qiang Yan heaved a sigh of relief and also got up. "Thank you."


    Li Yin looked over and shook his head. "Don''t thank me for this. Using either of these daggers ¡­ It''s a pity I''m allowing this. Oh, and should your brother-in-law get wind of this, then I will have no idea what this is about. I would just direct him to your doorstep." With that, he walked out of the room, not bothering to check whether the people behind him were keeping up.

 Chapter 760 - A Suspicious Person

    While the group made their way over to the repository where the soul-engraving dagger was being kept, things were rapidly progressing in the mortal realm. The group of demon hunters that had traveled northward and taken Jinde with them, had already managed to eliminate the threat and returned to the Chun Feng Sect.


    Liu Cheng walked into his Master''s study, cupping his fists and bowing. "Master, we''ve returned. The mission has been accomplished and the populace has been saved from that evil scourge."


    Sect Master Xian nodded his head. "Very good. You''ve also come back in time. A delegation will head over to the Yun Zou Sect soon. Considering what happened the last time, I would like you and Hong Bao to go there in my stead."


    Liu Cheng raised his brows. "Is Master worrying about the Yun Zou Sect''s condition?"


    Xian Xun nodded. "Yes. Originally, whatever happened over there should have been good news but you can imagine how the other sects reacted. I''m afraid if there aren''t any alleys over there to showcase their strength, then things might turn ugly for them. Right, take a few of your junior martial brothers and sisters with you. It''s better if a group goes. That way, if somebody questions you for why you are there, you can tell those outsiders that you were on a mission and just stopping by because of the good relationship between our sects. Nobody will be able to say anything against that."


    Liu Cheng bowed again. "Yes, Master."


    "Very well. If there''s nothing else, then you should go and choose whom to take."


    Liu Cheng nodded and didn''t go yet. "Actually, there is indeed something else. While on our way to Bing Hai town, we met a suspicious person. They said they were from the Yun Zou Sect and wanted to go to the Liu He Alliance. It was quite curious because the person didn''t seem to know the way. They said they had been hadn''t left the sect in a long time but with the popularity of the Liu He Alliance and their long tradition that does seem a little strange."


    "Oh?" The Sect Master raised his brows and folded his hands, propping his elbows up on the table. "Was there anything you noticed about their appearance or behavior?"


    Liu Cheng shook his head. "No, they were wearing a veiled hat so their face was obstructed. There was no way to even glimpse their appearance and I couldn''t make out anything from the voice either. All I can say is that the person was probably a man, not too young, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties."


    "They wore that hat the whole time?"


    "Yes, they didn''t even take it down when we entered an inn. When asked, they said that they had encountered an accident and were disfigured which had shamed them greatly. It ¡­ might be true but it is impossible to say without taking a look.


    "Other than that, I also noticed that the fluctuations of their energy were rather weak which struck me as odd. If the Yun Zou Sect really sent somebody to the Liu He Alliance, then I would have expected that person to be of higher status. Even if it isn''t an Elder, they should have at least sent one of the head disciples. Especially since the one that person asked to meet was none other than Alliance Head Hua. He might not be the strongest of the Alliance Heads but his strength and reputation are still revered greatly. So how come the person sent to meet him was that weak?"


    "A demon impersonating somebody?"


    Liu Cheng sighed. "Unfortunately, I wasn''t able to verify it. The person didn''t give anything away and without sufficient cause to suspicion, I didn''t deem it wise to interfere since it was a matter of one of our allies. If this person was indeed sent by them, then that might have worsened the friendship between our sects. I didn''t want to risk it. But maybe we should inform the Yun Zou Sect."


    "Yes, that would be a good idea." Sect Master Xian narrowed his eyes and then motioned to the door. "Make sure you''re well-equipped when you go out. Since that person vanished from our dungeon, we can''t be careless. Who knows if the demon is concocting some plan? It is better to be safe than sorry. If the revenge is only targeted at us, then that is one thing. But should they target others too ¡­ The Chun Feng Sect can''t stand for that."


    Liu Cheng cupped his fists and bowed. "Naturally, Master. Junior martial sister Hong and I will take care of it."


    Xian Xun nodded and watched his disciple leave the room. He couldn''t help but wonder just what was going on. This mysterious person that had suddenly appeared ¡­ It wasn''t the first time something strange had happened around the Yun Zou Sect in the last few years either.


    It hadn''t been that long since they had somehow discovered that secret realm in the Leyuan region which had blown up on them when they tried to enter. They had lost so many of their talents.


    Now, things were going wrong once again it seemed. They had created another realm, possibly adding to the resources of the sect but the others wouldn''t let them be and now that mysterious person had appeared that was supposedly traveling in the name of the Yun Zou Sect but who knew for sure if that was true? Maybe there was more to this than they could see at the moment.


    Well, it couldn''t hurt to stay vigilant. Well, with Liu Cheng there he wasn''t too worried. Although ¡­ he could only pray to Heaven that that girl wouldn''t make trouble again.

 Chapter 761 - Good-Looking but Willful

    While Liu Cheng went and choose the disciples that should accompany him to go to the Yun Zou Sect, Alliance Head Hua was having a hard time choosing the disciples he wanted to take.


    His thoughts were similar to those of Sect Master Xian. He himself had a very good relationship with Zhangsun Xun Yi and even though the Liu He Alliance itself didn''t really care about the Yun Zou Sect, they did have an eye for talent and since one of their Alliance Heads was acquainted with the Grandmaster of the Yun Zou Sect, they wouldn''t make trouble for them either. If just appearing there could be regarded as lending a helping hand, then they would be happy to oblige. After all, who knew if that wouldn''t come in handy one day?


    Even though bad things had happened to the Yun Zou Sect, rumor had it that things had been going uphill for them again. It was better to be on the safe side than to be sorry if they really were to achieve greater heights and were able to threaten them in the future. No, raising an enemy was nothing they would do. But raising a potential ally ¡­ That did have its perks.


    Hua Min didn''t care about these mind games at all. He was completely occupied with worrying about the issue with his esteemed guest. Up until now, they hadn''t heard from Grandmaster Leng again which might mean that whatever he had to do hadn''t been taken care of yet. In that case, they might arrive at the Yun Zou Sect before he himself had returned. What then?


    As long as everything went well, it wouldn''t be a problem. But ¡­ Should this person somehow be seen by somebody who shouldn''t know he was there, then what would happen? He definitely didn''t want to have to explain to the Grandmaster that his husband had been hurt or kidnapped or whatever else might happen.


    And the kind of person that was able to threaten the Grandmaster''s husband ¡­ He was afraid he wouldn''t be able to beat that person. So even though he had decided that he would follow him to the Yun Zou Sect to give him an extra layer of protection, he was afraid that it wouldn''t change anything. No, if somebody saw him, then things would be troublesome.


    Just then, there was a knock on the door and Hua Min couldn''t help but rub his brow. If he wasn''t completely wrong, then this should be that person again. He sighed and called him in.


    Indeed. The person that walked in was none other than a happily smiling Jinde. "How is it going, Alliance Head Hua? Is everything prepared already? Ah, I can''t wait to set off. Maybe we should go a little sooner? Aren''t the Liu He Alliance and the Yun Zou Sect in a very good relationship? Otherwise, my husband certainly wouldn''t have sent me here."


    Hua Min''s lips twitched. The way this person tended to smile and sometimes wink at him still made his heart beat irregularly. He also knew that this was on purpose. He just wanted him to lose his bearing so he could talk him into setting off earlier but he couldn''t help his reaction.


    Hua Min took a deep breath and shook his head. "I''m sure Grandmaster Leng would be happy if you waited another day. Isn''t this about your safety? And if you wait a little longer here, then by the time we arrived at the Yun Zou Sect, your husband might have already returned there. Wouldn''t that be wonderful? You could fall into each other''s arms right away."


    Jinde sat down on the chair in front of the desk and slowly crossed his legs. "Well ¡­ If we went now and I arrived early at the Yun Zou Sect, then I could pretty myself up a little. Then when my husband comes, we can still embrace each other at first sight."


    Hua Min''s lips twitched. Why was he even trying to convince him? Obviously, both Grandmaster Leng and his husband weren''t rational when their relationship was concerned. They both knew that this man going to the Yun Zou Sect was dangerous but they still went through with it. This man refused to back down and Grandmaster Leng couldn''t bear to scold him for it.


    In that case ¡­ Why should he as an outsider care? He would just do whatever he could to keep this person safe and pray to the Heavens that nothing would happen. That was all he could do.


    "Anyway, we''ll go there in the end. Just let''s wait two days longer. Never mind that it''s better if you go there later, with the Liu He Alliance status, it also wouldn''t be good if we rushed over immediately. The sects that are close in territory to the Yun Zou Sect or have a closer relationship with them should do that. Otherwise, this would seem too deliberate which would make matters even worse."


    Jinde pursed his lips but he could hardly argue with this. Well, even if he hurried, it wouldn''t change anything. Leng Jin Yu currently wasn''t in the sect. So regardless of whether he himself was there, they still wouldn''t be able to see each other. It seemed he''d have to be patient for once even if he didn''t like that thought.


    In the end, Jinde gave a sigh and got up again. "Very well. Then I will leave Alliance Head Hua to himself for now. Tell me when we''re supposed to set off."


    Hua Min nodded and watched Jinde put on the veiled hat again. He couldn''t help but feel relieved when the person finally left his study.


    Ah, it was nice to look at a good-looking person but then again, if the person was married and willful it was really troublesome. No, he''d rather pass up on spending his time with a beauty if he could get around angering an ascended deity for that.


    Ah, he really hoped that Grandmaster Leng would already be back in the Yun Zou Sect by the time they arrived. He really didn''t want to be responsible for his husband even a second longer than he needed to be.

 Chapter 762 - Not Very Sincere

    While the people of the Liu He Alliance were still biding their time, the first sects were arriving at the sect grounds of the Yun Zou Sect.


    Yuchi Bing Xia gave a wry smile and rose from his chair, lamenting that Yu Jin had gone into closed-door cultivation. Looking at the red-clothed Elder in front of him, he felt that the task of greeting this person and suffering through those pleasantries would be much better with his disciple around.


    Even though Yu Jin had gotten warmer toward him in the last few years, he still kept up the same ice-cold facade in front of everybody else. With that, wouldn''t he be able to infuriate this person to death? That would really be something he''d like to see!


    Unfortunately, his disciple had gained sudden inspiration after he went with Grandmaster Zhangsun and saw him create that realm. Well, it was also good. If Yu Jin could reach the next level, then it would benefit the whole sect and, of course, he would also be happy to see his disciple get stronger. Especially if these vultures continued to cause trouble.


    Yuchi Bing Xia forced himself to curve his lips up a little further. "Elder Gongxi, I am greatly appreciating the thoughtfulness of the Yang Huo Sect."


    Elder Gongxi smiled back but it didn''t look any more sincere than Yuchi Bing Xia''s strained smile. "But that''s a given. Our sect noticed that something had happened in the Yun Zou Sect so, naturally, we had to hurry over."


    Yuchi Bing Xia also nodded and motioned at his desk. "Why don''t we sit down and have a chat?" He turned around and his smile collapsed. He hadn''t forgotten that this was the person that had gotten into trouble with Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple back at that Gathering of Practitioners several years ago shortly before the boy had proposed to the child from the outer sect.


    Knowing Elder Gongxi, he should still be holding a grudge because of that. If the Yang Huo Sect was really sincere in wanting to help some, they wouldn''t have sent this person. No, they were obviously just looking if they could find a way to get some benefits out of this or at least make sure that the Yun Zou Sect wouldn''t benefit from what had happened. But weren''t they being a little too obvious? He could see through the matter with one glance. It''s as if they were taking him for an idiot.


    When he turned around to sit down, he had managed to restore his smile but it still didn''t reach the bottom of his eyes. Once again, he motioned at the seat opposite him but he didn''t say anything more, waiting for the Elder to take the next step. He''d really like to see just how far that shamelessness could reach.


    Elder Gongxi continued to smile and then looked around. "I wouldn''t have thought that Sect Master Yuchi would be alone. What about your disciple? He wouldn''t have been hurt in that terrible accident the last time, would he?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s gaze chilled further. Obviously, this person was talking about Yu Jin. And it wasn''t really news that Yu Jin had vanished after that accident in the Leyuan region. At the very least, nobody had seen him since then so everybody had assumed that he had died. Bringing this matter up ¡­ Wasn''t it obvious that Elder Gongxi was trying to upset him?


    Yuchi Bing Xia lowered his gaze and then turned to the side, picking up the teapot standing there. "Oh? You mean Wu Min Huan? The child has already managed to reach the peak of the fourth stage. I really can''t expect him to accompany me all the time. Elder Gongxi surely understands."


    The Elder''s brows twitched. This guy! Was he trying to mock his disciple? Whose fault was it that he hadn''t managed to get to the next level yet? Wasn''t it all because of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple? If not for the way he had dealt with Zhou Wu back then, then he certainly wouldn''t have become so despondent, not being able to pick himself up even after several years. The Elder clenched his fists but still forced himself to continue to smile. "Ah, I remember Wu Min Huan. He was always very diligent. But I was thinking about your other disciple. What was his name again? The one that became a disciple after Wu Min Huan lost your favor."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes narrowed. What lost his favor? Was he hoping that Wu Min Huan was somewhere around to hear him? Tch. This guy was delusional! Wasn''t the relationship between Wu Min Huan and Yu Jin very good? Just some careless remarks wouldn''t be able to drive a wedge between them.


    Seeing that the Sect Master wasn''t answering, Elder Gongxi felt even more sure that he had struck a nerve with that. "I believe he was called ¡­ Yu Ji? Yu Jin? It has to be something like that."


    Yuchi Bing Xia tried to remind himself that this guy wasn''t worth it to start a war between two sects of the righteous faction and just carefully poured a cup of tea. "Elder Gongxi hasn''t seen him in a while but still remembers him so well. My Yu Jin must have made a very big impression on you. Now that I''m seeing this, I''m feeling really sorry that I can''t call him over. Unfortunately, when the good luck returned to our Yun Zou Sect, it really came in spades. My Yu Jin suddenly had some inspiration and went into closed-door cultivation. I think he''ll soon reach the fifth stage."


    Elder Gongxi tensed. The fifth stage? In many sects, that was already enough to be transferred the status of an Elder. And this brat ¡­ hadn''t he only been taken in several years ago? How could the Yun Zou Sect have this much luck?!


    He really wondered just what had happened here that something like this was actually possible. Well, he would stay a few days to find out. He''d really like to see how Yuchi Bing Xia wanted to drive him off and keep him from doing so.

 Chapter 763 - To No Avail

    Yuchi Bing Xia felt a headache incoming. Elder Gongxi might not have made any more trouble but under the excuse of ''wanting to help the Yun Zou Sect in their difficult time of need'', he got himself and his disciples a courtyard where they would stay for who knew how long.


    This wasn''t even the worst though. No, the biggest problem was that the Yang Huo Sect wasn''t the only one. One after the other, delegations of the other eight first-tier sects arrived at the gates of the Yun Zou Sect. All of them were headed by an Elder that would smile and then either want to speak to the Sect Master to voice his concerns for the Yun Zou Sect''s safety or smilingly wave at one of his disciples to follow him in and present a gift they had brought with them to congratulate the Yun Zou Sect on the lucky coincidence once again that the Yun Zou Sect had so suddenly encountered.


    What could Yuchi Bing Xia do? He had let those in that worried about them so he could hardly drive those away that pretended to be happy for them. No, after the first sect had managed to get a room, he had to give one to the others too. Everything else would''ve made even more trouble in the future even though he really would''ve liked to refuse all of them.


    Ah, he really would''ve liked Yu Jin to come out of his closed-door cultivation already but he knew that that wouldn''t be possible. Yu Jin was already in the fourth stage. Breakthroughs weren''t achieved that easily anymore at that point in time. In fact, it wouldn''t be strange if he didn''t emerge for several months or even years. It was a pity but he could only wait for now and deal with everything on his own.


    Yuchi Bing Xia stopped at that thought and blankly stared at the documents on his table. Actually ¡­ There was no need for him to deal with all of this on his own, was there? After all, even though he had designated Yu Jin as his successor, that didn''t mean that there weren''t other disciples. Hadn''t he given Wu Min Huan lots of missions in the past too?


    And the other Peak Masters had head disciples as well. Their Yun Zou Sect didn''t have that many Peak Masters but if each one of them sacrificed one disciple to take care of these so-called guests for the next few days, then they would be able to keep an eye on almost all of them.


    As for the others ¡­ Well, he probably couldn''t let the younger generation do everything so he would have to spend time with one of the sects every now and then too. If he took care of a different one every day, then there was only one other person missing. Mn, maybe he could just use the disciple of one of the normal Elders. Anyway, it wasn''t too important. He just needed somebody who would entertain them for a few days before he could ''reluctantly'' let them go.


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded to himself and got up, walking out of his study. He flew over to the next peak and made his way over to the stables behind the courtyard of Elder Geng. The Peak Master was indeed currently tending to the spiritual beasts that were being held there.


    "Elder ¡­" Yuchi Bing Xia gave a wry smile and walked over.


    Elder Geng looked up from his work and raised his brows. "Sect Master? Did something happen?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia shook his head. "Well, nothing unexpected. Those sects are slowly sending over some people now that they finished inquiring about our new realm. We''ll have to send somebody to accompany them so that they won''t have too much time to go and explore on their own. It wouldn''t be good if they found something they shouldn''t."


    Elder Geng nodded. He could imagine why the Sect Master had come. "Then should I go with one of them?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia shook his head. "You still have to teach your disciples and tend to the beasts. It wouldn''t be good if something went wrong with that. We definitely can''t forget about our usual obligations just because those sects have sent somebody here. No, I was actually thinking that it might be a good idea if our disciples take care of this. It would also be a valuable experience for them. After all, when they''re out on missions they might also run into people from other sects or some wandering cultivators that are of a higher level. They have to learn how to deal with them. What do you think?"


    Elder Geng''s gaze turned complicated. "Well ¡­ I''d like to do that but ¡­ This task is very important, isn''t it? We''d likely need somebody with a certain status to take care of them and you also know that Zhi Wu hasn''t returned yet."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s brows furrowed. Actually, he hadn''t paid too much attention to that. "You mean he hasn''t returned yet or he still hasn''t contacted you?"


    Elder Geng sighed. "Unfortunately, it''s the latter. I have no idea if he ever finished that mission or where he is now. Since he set off, I haven''t heard of him."


    Yuchi Bing Xia furrowed his brows. "Not even once? Then ¡­ what about the Grand Elder''s disciple? They were good friends, weren''t they? Maybe he heard something?"


    Elder Geng sighed again. "Don''t mention that. Hong Fang is even more anxious than me. He tried to contact him several times but to no avail. It''s as if ¡­ he just vanished."

 Chapter 764 - It Couldn’t Be That Hard

    Back in the Nine Heavens, the God of Justice finally stopped in front of the repository and nodded at the two guards. He then opened the door and turned to the God of War as if they had really just come for an inspection. "Well, you may go in and take a look yourself to make sure everything is alright. I guess you won''t be needing me here anymore then, will you?"


    Qiang Yan gave a wry smile. This guy ¡­ Would it kill him to wait just a moment longer? Well, then again, they really didn''t need him here and there was no reason to keep him in that case. Thus he nodded and stepped aside. "Of course. I wouldn''t want to keep the God of Justice from his own task longer than necessary. I gather your guards could lock the door to the repository after we''ve left."


    Li Yin nodded. "Naturally. Then I''ll take my leave." He nodded at him, ignored the other two and then walked back toward the main building.


    Qiang Yan waited a moment and then turned to Leng Jin Yu and Bai Mu. "Well, let''s go in and check." He didn''t wait for an answer and just turned around and walked into the repository.


    The other two followed and then closed the door behind them so the guards wouldn''t see what they did inside. Even though they were Li Yin''s people and would likely report to him if they thought something was amiss, it was better not to take the risk.


    Qiang Yan raised his hand and his fingertips lit up, brightening the dimly-lit room. He turned to the altar where the soul-engraving dagger was lying. This dagger ¡­ It shouldn''t be used. Not under any circumstances. But not only did Leng Jin Yu want to do so, his own nephew had also done the same just a while ago with none being the wiser. It really made him wonder if everybody had lost their minds. It seemed the warnings of their forefathers didn''t account for anything anymore.


    He stepped closer and then disabled the array surrounding the altar. The fine lines that had previously shone on the ground turned dull, leaving the light at Qiang Yan''s fingertips the only light source in the room. "Well, you can take it and use it now. I can only repeat what I said before though: This is dangerous. And not just a little. You''re essentially risking your life."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I know. But I have to do it." He stepped forward and stood in front of the altar, examining the weapon in front of him. Well, he had already gotten here. He only had to use it now and hope that nothing would go wrong. Then he could return to the Yun Zou Sect and tie the array down with a part of his soul so that Jinde could finally live in peace again.


    He took a deep breath and reached out, picking up the dagger. It was surprisingly light. It really made one wonder how this could be one of the most dangerous weapons in all the immortal realms.


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes but then hesitated. He turned to Bai Mu and furrowed his brows. "For the anchor ¡­ Do we need to transfer the part of my soul somewhere or should I just leave it where it is?"


    Bai Mu looked at the dagger in Leng Jin Yu''s hands, his gaze complicated. "Leave it where it is. I think it''s safer for you not to take it out immediately. In the worst case, we can transfer it over to another object when we''re back in the mortal realm."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Alright, let''s do that then."


    He turned away from the other two men and faced the altar once more. To think that he would come to the same place as the Son of Heaven and use the very same weapon to cut up his soul ¡­ It truly was quite strange. But, well, if even the Son of Heaven that wasn''t used to wielding a weapon could use the dagger to engrave his soul, even writing several delicate characters, then he who had lived a much rougher life in the cultivation world should be able to make one straight cut, right? It couldn''t be that hard.


    He took another deep breath, closed his eyes and raised the dagger. He calmed his mind and focused on his own body, sensing for his soul. He had never actively looked for it like this, not even after he had found out about being Chun Yin''s reincarnation, but he had no trouble to find it as if this skill from his last life still persisted.


    His soul''s core floated behind the spot between his brows, the nebulous outer layer of the soul spreading outward. Looking closer, he finally noticed what he should have realized much, much sooner: part of it was missing. The core seemed to have been a sphere once upon a time but it looked as if somebody had taken a bite out of it. This had to be the part that he had bound to Jinde''s soul in his past life.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t hesitate any longer. He pointed the tip of the dagger at his brow and then cut. A single drop of blood gathered and the blade lit up pale blue, seemingly becoming transparent. Finally, the blade glided into his body, not leaving any other traces than that small wound. Leng Jin Yu shook, his body doubling over until he had to reach out with the other hand and grab onto the altar.


    Leng Jin Yu forced himself to take a deep breath and continued to cut, the blade gliding through the outer layer of his soul and toward the core, finally scratching the surface.


    His fingers grabbed tighter onto the altar, his knuckles turning white and he finally fell down to his knees. He gritted his teeth and continued to plunge the weapon further, finally separating a thin layer of his soul''s core. His hand shook and the weapon fell down, his body following suit.

 Chapter 765 - The First Time

    He opened his eyes to the sight of luscious golden locks bathed in the light of the morning sun. Leng Jin Yu wanted to raise his brows but his body didn''t obey him. He just continued to look at that golden hair while happiness bubbled up in his chest, filling his entire body until he felt that he couldn''t contain it any longer. He wanted to hug this person and laugh out loud, sharing his own happiness with him.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed inwardly. Ah, it seemed using the soul-engraving dagger had triggered one of the memories from his past life. And this time, that memory was more vivid than the few images he had managed to glimpse in his time in the Yun Zou Sect. It wasn''t just something he saw. No, this time around, it actually seemed real as if he had returned back in time and was living through this again.


    He saw that golden hair and the light reflecting off it, he heard Jinde''s light breathing and smelled a faint flowery fragrance emitting from his body that covered the notion of their sweat. The light blanket rustled when he moved and slipped over his skin. Even the feelings inside his heart were clear as crystal as if they were his own and all of this was real.


    This kind of memory, it was welcome on one hand since it allowed him to grasp Jinde''s past life slightly better and understand his grievances but it was also terrifying. Lacking the ability to control his body ¡­ he would need some time to get used to that. Well, at the very least, he could still think normally.


    Leng Jin Yu concentrated on the situation at hand, making sure that he stayed calm. Even though the situation was strange, he didn''t want to miss out on anything. No, this might be important. He couldn''t risk it.


    Looking at the way they were lying together in bed, this should be ¡­ at a time before Jinde and Chun Yin drifted apart. They would have to be very good friends at the very least but more likely they would have to be considered lovers.


    Chun Yin propped himself up on his elbow, leaning his cheek against his hand and gave what could probably only be called a goofy smile. Leng Jin Yu had no idea how he really looked since there was no surface that could be used as a mirror but just from the way his muscles moved, he couldn''t help but be reminded of the grin that Qiu Ling always gave Jing Yi. Yes, most likely that stupidity had been inherited from his father.


    Chun Yin didn''t move even a single inch and just continued to look at Jinde''s back as if this was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen and as if didn''t have anything else to do either. Obviously, this was the most important person in his life and even if there was a reason to get up, Chun Yin wouldn''t care. He would just continue to lie there. If he could, maybe he would never get up from this spot.


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but wonder just how these two had drifted apart that much in the later years. It seemed that their relationship had originally been very good? At the very least, Chun Yin had obviously deeply loved Jinde. There was no falsehood to that, no deception. He had definitely adored him to a point that would have been unhealthy if he was human. For a dragon though ¡­ maybe this was what it felt like to find your soulmate.


    Just when he thought so, Chun Yin leaned forward and wrapped Jinde into his arms, very gently brushing a strand of that golden hair to the side and kissing the jade-white shoulder that was exposed below.


    His touch was so light that Jinde might not have even noticed if he was awake not to mention that he still hadn''t stirred at all. Obviously, Chun Yin didn''t want to wake him up just yet. No, he wanted to let him sleep, to rest a while longer in his arms.


    Chun Yin continued to look at him, his gaze traveling over his slender body, taking in the slight curve of his hips, the way he had bend his left leg and how the ball of his foot touched him. He smiled and reached over his beloved, grasping the fair hand that was lightly pressed against the bed. He intertwined his fingers before he finally looked up, this time focusing on Jinde''s face.


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but stare in a daze. This person ¡­ It was indisputably Jinde but ¡­ Well, he only looked half as old as the person that he had gotten to know. He had never cared much about Jinde''s age since he had already met him like that and didn''t know anymore how he had looked when he was younger but right now, he felt that he understood why Jinde was making such a fuss when his age was brought up. Even though he was beautiful as he was this younger self of his was stunning in another way.


    He had always known that dragons aged differently from gods or humans but he couldn''t help but wonder how young Jinde had been at this moment. He did seem as if he had already come of age but he lacked the maturity that he normally carried. Well, maybe the fact that he was sleeping right now did a lot to give that impression as well but he still couldn''t imagine that that was all. No, obviously, he hadn''t been that old at this moment. Maybe this was actually the first time he had spent the night with Chun Yin.


    This unguarded look coupled with that youthful face ¡­ it could truly give a man some forbidden thoughts.

 Chapter 766 - Running away?

    Chun Yin''s smile turned sweet and he brushed Jinde''s hair to the side, kissing his cheek before he finally sat up. He took a look at the room, satisfaction written on his face. His gaze couldn''t help but linger at the table for a moment though. Two cups were standing there, a few jars of wine lying around them.


    Chun Yin winced and got up, picking his robe off the ground. The gaze he gave Jinde this time around was a little complicated. The happiness he had felt before threatened to collapse as well as if he wasn''t sure if all of this could be trusted.


    Well, it figured. The two of them had probably gotten drunk and then this happened. It really made one wonder just what he would do now. Staying seemed like the honorable thing to do but ¡­ in that kind of situation, he probably couldn''t help but feel guilty for taking advantage of the person he loved. Naturally, he would feel like fleeing from those feelings.


    With everything Leng Jin Yu had already heard from Jinde, he knew that things wouldn''t turn out well but he couldn''t help but hope that Chun Yin would stay and talk things through with him. If he did, then wouldn''t everything turn out in the best possible way? Wouldn''t they realize that their feelings were mutual and that there was hope for them being a couple? If they did, then Jinde would never need to suffer as much as he had originally done. It would be a dream come true.


    Unfortunately, this wasn''t a dream. No, this was a memory from his past life. The things that happened here had already long passed in reality.


    Chun Yin made sure that he had put his robe on properly and glanced back at Jinde. There was some unwillingness but he finally opened the door and slipped out of the room, rushing down the corridor in front.


    Leng Jin Yu really wanted to close his eyes and walk away. He didn''t want to see this. Although it was his own memory and he wouldn''t have to see just how disappointed Jinde was, it still hurt just thinking about it.


    How could he have been so dumb? Even if they had gotten drunk and that was why things had happened, it wouldn''t change anything, would it? He obviously loved Jinde. So why hadn''t he just continued to lie there, maybe even pretending to still be asleep? He could have done that. Then he could have waited until Jinde woke up and then pretend to stir at the same moment, sharing the surprise with him. That way, he could to try to see how Jinde would react.


    Who knew? Maybe Jinde would have even indicated his happiness by snuggling up to him or something. That way, there wouldn''t have been any questions left open. They could''ve gotten together without any trouble. But now ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu helplessly witnessed how Chun Yin walked through the palace, his own heart feeling heavier with every step. Just where was he going? He couldn''t find it necessary to run away this far, could he?


    Just when he wanted to curse his own past self out, Chun Yin reached a door and slipped into what could only be called a kitchen. He glanced around as if making sure that nobody was around and then started to rummage through the shelves and cupboards.


    There was some dissatisfaction in the way he slammed the doors shut and treated the things he found but finally, he walked out of the room with a plate holding what could probably be called half a proper breakfast.


    Leng Jin Yu watched on in stunned silence. He didn''t know what to think any longer. Chun Yin hadn''t run away? He had actually come to get them some food? Was this ¡­ his way of caring for Jinde? Had he tried to make sure before that his lover hadn''t woken up yet and then just wanted to slip out for a moment and return before Jinde would even open his eyes, serving him food and enjoying the moment?


    That couldn''t be! If things had been like that, then the two of them would never have ended up like that. After all, sleeping with each other would equal marriage. If they were married and he went back there, then that was basically acknowledging it.


    There was no way the two of them would break up after that. Not with how Chun Yin had looked at Jinde before and how heartbroken Jinde had seemed even after several millennia had gone by when he talked about his lover.


    So what was happening here? Could it be that this wasn''t a memory after all? Had his thoughts somehow influenced this and shown him what he wanted to see most: an explanation for his past self''s behavior that wouldn''t mean that he had abandoned Jinde? Or could it be that this was indeed real but that there was something else that Jinde hadn''t known about?


    He couldn''t help but feel faint excitement. If this was his true memory and he could indeed remember, then he would be able to tell Jinde as soon as they saw each other again. He could tell him that things had actually been different, that Chun Yin had loved him just as much and that he had wanted to show him. Then maybe the hurt that Jinde had felt could lessen at least a little bit.


    Chun Yin turned the corner, his gaze fixed on the plate in his hands as if he wanted to make sure that he wouldn''t drop it.


    The shadow of a person fell over him and he raised his head but before he could see that person''s appearance, his body shook and a voice sounded to him as if from very far away, calling him back to where came from.

 Chapter 767 - Being the God of War Had Its Perks

    "Leng Jin Yu. Leng Jin Yu!" Qiang Yan once again shook his shoulder before he turned to Bai Mu. "What should we do now? We can''t just leave him here. With the time difference between the Nine Heavens and the mortal realm, by the time he wakes up, too much time will have passed there. He said he only had half an hour. If he doesn''t rush back, then it might be too late."


    Bai Mu nodded. "Let''s bring him to the mortal realm then?"


    Qiang Yan furrowed his brows. "We''ll have to do that. But there''s still the pill that''s being refined. It''ll likely take some time but I would still prefer if at least one of us stays here in case they need something or actually manage to refine it ahead of time. After all, Nie Huang is still waiting for it."


    Bai Mu shook his head. "You''re thinking too much. Nie Huang is in the dragon realm so she won''t be affected in the way that Leng Jin Yu and his partner will be. We should concentrate on this. Even if they don''t need several days to refine that pill, they''ll at least need some hours. It shouldn''t be a problem if we just bring him there and wait for him to wake up. As soon as we enter the mortal realm, not much time will pass here anyway."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "That''s also true. But what about those demon hunters in the mortal realm? Aren''t they still searching for you? What if ¡ª"


    "Then you''ll be there to drive them off, aren''t you?"


    Qiang Yan sighed and gave a nod. "Well, that''s also true. But don''t you think it might be better if I brought him back alone and you returned to Nie Huang''s side just in case? You shouldn''t give her reason to worry."


    Bai Mu smiled. "I thought she was my fiancee. How come you''re the one worrying even more about her?"


    Qiang Yan coughed. "What are you even saying? That''s still my daughter-in-law. Can''t I be worried about her?"


    "You certainly can but we should worry about the situation at hand first. We came here under the guise of doing some inspection. What will the guards in front of the door say when we carry Leng Jin Yu out like this? We''ll need an excuse or some plan to distract them."


    Qiang Yan nodded. That was also true. The guards wouldn''t have been a problem if Leng Jin Yu could at least walk out on his own two feet. Just getting a little paler after visiting the repository wasn''t anything strange. After all, the soul-engraving dagger was a dangerous weapon. There might be people that wouldn''t take it too well if they had to be in the same room with it. Just the knowledge would make some people jittery and others would be able to feel its power if they were sensitive enough. So it wouldn''t be too strange if somebody walked out looking a little pale the face. But actually getting such a scare that they would faint ¡­ That would be hard to explain.


    Qiang Yan rubbed the back of his head and wondered what to do. They certainly could cause a disturbance somewhere else but if they did, then his brother-in-law might notice. That wouldn''t do either. No, they had to come up with something else.


    He pondered and finally sighed. "Actually, let''s just carry him out. You can take him and I''ll grumble about new recruits these days or something. Maybe they''ll believe it."


    Bai Mu raised his brows. "Just like that?"


    Qiang Yan could only shrug his shoulders. "Well, I can''t think of any better solution off the top of my head. And since we''re pressed for time ¡­ The longer we discuss, the more days would pass in the mortal realm. I don''t want to get into trouble with his husband. So let''s return him as early as possible. Furthermore, his husband is rumored to be the best pill refiner around. If we bring Leng Jin Yu to him, he might be able to get him back onto his feet in just a moment."


    Bai Mu nodded. "Well, you do have a point." He put his arm under Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder and pulled him up. "The dagger ¡­"


    Qiang Yan grimaced and took the weapon from Leng Jin Yu''s hand, putting it back onto the altar. He stepped back and reactivated the array on the ground, making sure that nothing looked any different from before. Thankfully, Leng Jin Yu hadn''t taken long to cut his soul. This way, it would really just seem as if they had taken a look to check if everything was alright and maybe inspected the array to make double sure.


    Qiang Yan glanced at his son again to make sure that he was able to hold onto Leng Jin Yu without trouble and then nodded, walking over to the door and pushing it open. He forced himself to show a displeased look when he stepped out, turning back to Bai Mu. "You make sure you hold onto him tightly. That kind of delicate person, can''t have him fall to the ground. Hmph, who would''ve known that type of person somehow managed to get into my palace? Isn''t it just taking a look? It''s not like I asked him to use it!" He shook his head and then stalked off as if he didn''t care about what would happen to the people behind him at all.


    Bai Mu gave a wry smile. What was his father doing, mentioning using that weapon? Wasn''t he afraid he might give people ideas? He couldn''t do anything but shake his head though and dragged Leng Jin Yu out of the repository. He nodded at the guards and gave them an apologetic smile. "I''m sorry. May I trouble you to lock the doors now?"


    The guards nodded and closed them, not even bothering to take a look inside. Huh. It seemed he had thought too much. His father commended enough respect in the Nine Heavens, that people wouldn''t question his words. It seemed being the God of War had its perks.

 Chapter 768 - None of This Made Sense!

    Bai Mu dragged Leng Jin Yu away from the repository and finally met up with his father around the corner. "Where to now?"


    Qiang Yan motioned to a small path between two buildings leading away from the Court of Justice. "Let''s go that way. There aren''t too many buildings in that direction and it''s closer to the edge of the capital. We should take the shortest route possible to leave. The more people see us, the more people will wonder and ask questions. It wouldn''t be good if my brother-in-law heard about this."


    Bai Mu nodded and the two of them dragged Leng Jin Yu out of the capital together. They only heaved a sigh of relief though when they left the Nine Heavens altogether and reached the mortal realm. Now, it was unlikely for anybody of the immortal races to see them and the time was also flowing differently, allowing them more time to settle things.


    The two of them put Leng Jin Yu down on the ground and exchanged a glance. Well, that was done and they weren''t in a hurry anymore. They still had to wake him up though.


    Qiang Yan grimaced and then shook his shoulder again. "Leng Jin Yu. Leng Jin Yu! Wake up already! I don''t want to get in trouble with that husband of yours. Leng Jin Yu!"


    The person in question furrowed his brows and his eyes opened but his gaze wasn''t focused.


    Qiang Yan''s heart jumped into his throat and he gulped. Don''t tell him something had gone wrong? Never mind that he really didn''t want to have to go and tell something like that to Jinde, he also didn''t want anything to happen to Leng Jin Yu!


    From the moment they met, he had had a good impression of this person. Leng Jin Yu had also helped him with Bai Mu''s matter, essentially allowing him to meet up with his son again. And, well, considering what he had said before, there was now even the added layer of his connection with Qiu Ling. For all he knew, Qiu Ling should have been very young when his father died. Finding his reincarnation and then having to hear that something happened to him would be hard for him to accept now that they had finally gotten the chance to reunite. At the very least, he was sure that he would feel that way if this was about him and Bai Mu.


    Qiang Yan gritted his teeth and raised his hand, waving it in front of Leng Jin Yu''s eyes. "Leng Jin Yu, tell me that you''re alright. You haven''t injured your soul, have you? Well, other than you yourself cutting it, I mean."


    Leng Jin Yu blinked his eyes and then pushed himself off the ground, sitting up and putting a hand against his forehead. No, he very likely hadn''t injured his soul. At the very least, he didn''t feel that he had. But his head still hurt. That had more to do with what he had seen though.


    That scene ¡­ Who could explain it to him? He really wanted to drag his past self out and question him about this. How was he supposed to meet with Jinde now? He couldn''t not tell him about it. But then again, there was nothing to say either.


    Who had Chun Yin met back then? Why had that led to him not going back to Jinde''s side even though he had obviously wanted to do that in the beginning? For a man as proud as Chun Yin had been, what kind of person would be able to dissuade him from seeing Jinde?


    And who would have any reason to do so? After all, they had officially married considering the customs of the dragon realm. Who would separate a married couple? And why didn''t Jinde know? Shouldn''t Chun Yin have told him? If there was a reason, then why should he keep it to himself? None of this made any sense!


    "Leng Jin Yu!" Qiang Yan reached out to shake him again.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and lowered his hand, shaking his head. "I''m alright. I just ¡­" He shook his head again and then fought himself back to his feet. "Never mind. What exactly happened? I think I lost consciousness when cutting my soul."


    Qiang Yan and Bai Mu both heaved a sigh of relief and got up as well. "Well, that''s right. Bai Mu and I decided to bring you to the mortal realm first so not much time has passed yet. I''d suggest you return to your husband now or, well, maybe first finish setting up the array."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "What about you then? Didn''t you want to wait for the pill to be refined?"


    Qiang Yan shrugged his shoulders with a smile. "Originally, yes. But Bai Mu reminded me just how much time that will take and while we''re here, not much will pass in the Nine Heavens. It''s not a problem to come and help you out a bit. It might also be helpful if you have the two of us here. We can set up the array together and if anything else happens, you''ll have some more support."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Thank you. I guess we should leave then. Jinde has gone to the Liu He Alliance but he''ll return to the Yun Zou Sect soon. Who knows if he is already on his way there are maybe has even arrived? We shouldn''t lose any time."


    Thus the three men set off in the direction of the Yun Zou Sect.


    As for the place in question, things had already descended into chaos there. It wasn''t Jinde''s return that had caused this. No, instead, it was still the arrival of the other first-tier and some of the second-tier sects that was troubling the Yun Zou Sect. Well, along with the additional problem that apparently, one of their best disciples had just gone missing without the Sect Master knowing. Just when had this happened? And where was Ma Zhi Wu now?


    Yuchi Bing Xia was sure that something had to be wrong. Otherwise, that boy would have contacted his Master or the Grand Elder''s disciple long ago. Since he hadn''t, he must''ve run into some trouble. And if it was enough trouble to keep him from contacting them for several years, then that might mean that this promising seedling had long died with none being the wiser.

 Chapter 769 - Overkill

    Even though what had happened to Elder Geng''s disciple was long past, Yuchi Bing Xia felt that this issue was much more pressing than taking care of their guests. They had to find out just what was going on. Had Ma Zhi Wu run into demonic cultivators? A demonic beast? Or maybe disciples from another sect had ganged up on him and killed him?


    Everything was possible, making this even more infuriating. If they knew just who was responsible for this, they might find clues as to where they could look for him. But if they didn''t ¡­ And even if he was dead, they wouldn''t be able to bring his body back or seek revenge. It was maddening! It was a disgrace and one he wouldn''t allow continuing.


    He really wanted to get a team of disciples and maybe even involve the Elders and let everyone investigate this case until they found out exactly what had happened back then. Unfortunately, there were still the sects that needed to be taken care of and even though he didn''t feel that they were important, they were on the Yun Zou Sect''s territory and couldn''t just be left alone. That would only invite more trouble.


    Yuchi Bing Xia visited the other Elders in a sour mood and commanded everybody to send their head disciples to deal with the visitors. He only hesitated when it came to Grandmaster Zhangsun.


    By now, the Grandmaster also had a disciple that could be of help in this situation. But asking the Grandmaster for his assistance with such a minor task ¡­ That did seem to be a bit of an overkill.


    Furthermore, this person had the highest cultivation base in their sect. His disciple was also a rare genius with a divine constitution. Should that type of person really be used to humor a few people that had come uninvited? They weren''t any special guest!


    Actually, whether it was the first-tier sects the ranked below them or the first-tier sects ranking above them, none of them could pride themselves to have a similar disciple. In that regard, all of them could only look up to their Yun Zou Sect. They simply weren''t worthy to take up the time of such a disciple.


    Unfortunately, the Yun Zou Sect didn''t have too many disciples that would be able to keep all these people busy. With somebody like Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple around, those Elders wouldn''t dare to send one of their disciples to sniff around.


    Yuchi Bing Xia paced up and down inside his study and finally cursed. Well, this wasn''t an optimal situation but what could he do? He should just go and talk to the Grandmaster and see what he thought.


    He left his palace and flew over to the Grandmaster''s peak, walking to his study and greeting him with a wry smile. "Grandmaster Zhangsun."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked up and raised his brows. "Did something happen?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and stepped closer with a sigh. "Well, maybe saying something happened isn''t too accurate either. I''m still in the same dilemma. All those sects have come over and we''ll have to make sure that they don''t sniff around too much. I was thinking of having some of our higher-ranking disciples pay attention to them but you also know how the situation is. What do you think? Would it be too much to have your disciple help out as well?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi furrowed his brows in response. "Well, his status is indeed a little high. But considering what you want to achieve ¡­ I think it would be a good idea."


    Yuchi Bing Xia heaved a sigh of relief. Well, at the very least, the Grandmaster was of the same opinion as him.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi watched his expression and couldn''t help but smile. "Actually, making use of Qiu Ling might have some unforeseen benefits."


    Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows and sat down on the other side of the desk. "Additional benefits? How so?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi gave a rare smile in response. "Do you remember the Gathering of Practitioners back when my disciple appeared in front of the sect for the first time? Back then, didn''t that Elder Gongxi from the Yang Huo Sect accuse him of being a demon?"


    "Of course. Could I ever forget that? Elder Gongxi''s disciple had to take his place and battle your Qiu Ling. He lost miserably and as far as I know the fight left a shadow in his heart, making him unable to further his cultivation since then. He is still at the same level as he was back then."


    "Indeed, and Qiu Ling was less than happy about the whole incident as well. I could imagine that he is still bearing a grudge. Don''t you think it might be interesting to have him be responsible for the Yang Huo Sect?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows but his eyes glinted. "Well, that does sound quite tempting."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "I think it might also prove helpful for driving them off. Elder Gongxi doesn''t have a thick enough face to stay in the sect if he always has to see Qiu Ling. He might be able to take it for a day or two but he definitely won''t be able to do so any longer.


    "Actually, if you want to make even more sure that he''s driven off, then you should probably tell Qiu Ling to take that Jing Yi boy with him. I think back then, Qiu Ling was already planning to propose to him from the beginning of the Gathering. He wasn''t interested in the fights very much. So having that boy there with them and reminding him how Elder Gongxi almost ruined his proposal might prove even more successful."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded only to suddenly come to a halt. "Wait. Weren''t those two supposed to get the materials to repair our array? We took the materials from our own storage in the end, didn''t we? Have they supplied the replacements yet?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi could only smile wryly. To be honest, he wasn''t so sure what had happened either. But his disciple had gone out with Grandmaster Leng so he should have been helping that person. Compared to that, the matter of destroying their array wasn''t too important and they had already repaired it anyway. "Well, I guess they haven''t but let''s not dwell on that. He was taking care of some tasks for me that concern the new realm. So he didn''t really have time for anything else. Let''s just concentrate on the issue at hand. I''ll go and tell him and Jing Yi right now. The sooner they get to work, the better. The Yang Huo Sect is one of those we should get out as soon as possible. The others are somewhat easier to deal with."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and got up. "That is right. Then I''ll go and instruct the other disciples."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and the two of them left his palace together and then parted ways, one of them heading back to his own palace while the other went to the small bamboo hut where Qiu Ling and Jing Yi were currently cultivating together.

 Chapter 770 - He Deserved to Be Beaten up

    "Qiu Ling?" Zhangsun Xun Yi knocked on the door and waited for a response but nothing could be heard from inside the bamboo hut. He raised his brows but still waited in front of the door. He was sure that he wasn''t wrong. The spiritual energy of his disciple and that boy could be felt from inside so they were definitely in.


    Speaking of which ¡­ Zhangsun Xun Yi narrowed his eyes and focused on the spiritual energy emanating from Jing Yi. That was ¡­ the energy of somebody at the peak of the fourth stage?


    How could that be? Hadn''t the boy just advanced to the third stage when he was trapped in the secret realm in the Leyuan region? Only a few months had gone by since then. How come he had not only managed to ascend to the fourth stage but even almost reached the fifth stage in such a short amount of time?!


    It seemed that the disciple they had originally put in the outer sect had either heaven-defying luck or was a peerless genius that they hadn''t been able to detect. Whatever it was, the Yun Zou Sect could count itself lucky that this person was one of their people.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi gave a light sigh and then knocked again. "Zhong Jing Yi." This time, he didn''t bother to call out to his own disciple. Obviously, Qiu Ling wouldn''t react. If he wanted to, he would have long done that. There was no way a dragon wouldn''t be able to hear him in such proximity. No, his disciple very likely had no interest in responding to him.


    Inside the house, Jing Yi stopped taking in spiritual energy and blinked his eyes. He felt that he had heard the Grandmaster''s voice just now? He looked over at the person sitting next to him and wondered if he should reach out. But then again, Qiu Ling looked as if he was cultivating himself so maybe that wouldn''t be a good idea? He remembered hearing that that could have negative consequences.


    Just when he hesitated if he should get up himself and open the door, Qiu Ling''s eyes also cracked open.


    "I thought you wanted to cultivate until your ascension." Qiu Ling gave a smile that already seemed quite a bit lighter than before.


    Jing Yi almost heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed Qiu Ling''s previous strange behavior had really only been because of his fear of losing him. After he had calmed down, he was back to his usual self. "Maybe I would but I think your Master is in front of the door. So shouldn''t you go and open?"


    Qiu Ling glanced over. He didn''t really have any desire to see him but since his beloved already said so, he would do so. After all, he had decided not to do anything drastic and just let the situation with Jing Yi play out. That also meant he had to continue to treat Jing Yi just like he would treat Jing He. And if Jing He asked him to do something, then there was no way he would do something else.


    Thus Qiu Ling got up and walked over to the door, opening it with pursed lips. "Master, why did you come here?" He hadn''t done anything wrong, had he? Hadn''t they seen each other just shortly before when he went to see his old man? Nothing should have been able to happen in that short amount of time.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi furrowed his brows. Even though his disciple didn''t need him as his Master, was it really asking too much to be a little more accommodating? Well, there was no use in arguing with him. "There''s a mission for you and your fiance."


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes. "A mission for Jing Yi and me? What is it about?"


    Inside the bamboo hut, Jing Yi facepalmed. He hurriedly got off the bed and rushed over, tugging at Qiu Ling''s sleeve before he cupped his fists and bowed to Grandmaster Zhangsun. "Greetings, Grandmaster Zhangsun. Why don''t you come in first before you explain to us?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and then stepped in after Jing Yi pulled Qiu Ling aside. He could probably count himself lucky that his disciple had found a partner that was this sensible. He didn''t even want to imagine how things would have turned out if he had found somebody that was just as difficult to deal with as he himself.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi cleared his throat and then looked from one person to the other, finally stopping at Jing Yi. Obviously, it was much better to instruct his disciple''s fiance and let him keep an eye on things.


    He could definitely depend on his disciple to make the Yang Huo Sect return home, but he would still need this boy to make his disciple work in the first place. "I don''t know if you''ve noticed already but a few weeks ago, I created another dimension for our Yun Zou Sect. A lot of other sects have noticed this and have come over under the guise of different excuses. They want to use this opportunity to sniff around, finding out some secrets of our sect and gaining a hold on us that will allow them to overtake us in the ranking or make sure that they stay on the ranking of the first-tier sects above us. Naturally, the Yun Zou Sect can''t stand for that."


    Jing Yi nodded. He wasn''t sure if he had really understood since he didn''t know too much about the politics of the sects but at the very least, he could gather that this was very important.


    The Grandmaster was satisfied when he saw that Jing Yi understood. "Well, even though this matter is grave, the Sect Master has already come up with a solution. Each of the sects will be accompanied by one of our disciples over the next few days. That will enable us to keep an eye on them and make sure that they don''t find anything they shouldn''t find.


    "The two of you are also supposed to accompany one of them. We''ve decided that the Yang Huo Sect might be a good candidate for that. The Elder leading their disciples is Elder Gongxi. You might remember that you''ve already seen him back at the Gathering of Practitioners that Qiu Ling took part in after he entered the sect."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. He knew that person? He couldn''t remember anyone like that. He turned to look at his beloved, trying to see if he knew something. After all, the Gathering of Practitioners was where he had proposed to him. His beloved should remember very well, shouldn''t he? Well, then again, he might only remember his beautiful proposal ¡­


    Jing Yi also raised his brows. "Elder Gongxi from the Yang Huo Sect? Wasn''t that the person that ¡­" He glanced at Qiu Ling and fell quiet. There was no way he could say that.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi raised his brows. "The person that?" There was no way he would let this chance slip by.


    Jing Yi smiled wryly but there was no way he would dare not to answer when the Grandmaster asked directly. "I remember that that was the person who denounced Qiu Ling, saying that he was a demon."


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened. "That guy?!" He suddenly remembered. That guy, he had almost ruined his beautiful proposal! And now he was supposed to play the guide for him for a few days? Where did he take that sense of entitlement from?! That guy deserved to be beaten up, not treated like a guest!

 Chapter 771 - I’m Allowed to!

    Zhangsun Xun Yi watched his disciple''s angry expression and shook his head. Well, that was what he had expected. It seemed they could really leave this task to Qiu Ling. Even if he didn''t tell them outright, his disciple would certainly make sure that Elder Gongxi would take the disciples of the Yang Huo Sect and leave as soon as he could. Still, it was better to make sure that no accidents would up you.


    "Remember: You have to make sure that they won''t be able to sniff around too much. The Yun Zou Sect already isn''t in a very good position among the first-tier sects. We can''t let them find out anything they shouldn''t know about. Otherwise, it might have dire consequences. So it would be best if you were able to make them leave soon."


    Jing Yi raised his brows. "Make them leave?" He did understand that it wouldn''t be good if those other sects found out something they shouldn''t but driving them away? Was that really what Grandmaster Zhangsun meant?


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded in response. "I understand that that might come as a surprise to you. Normally, we wouldn''t treat them like this either but in the current situation ¡­" He shook his head again and sighed. "I don''t know how much Qiu Ling has told you but the secret expert normally residing in our sect has encountered some problems and needed to leave for a while. I do not know when he will return here. Furthermore, our Sect Master hasn''t had the time to focus on his cultivation so he hasn''t managed to reach the next stage even though it would be time for him. We''ve also lost many promising disciples in the disaster in the Leyuan region. So whether it''s the old guard or the new, there are problems that aren''t that easy to take care of.


    "The only things the Yun Zou Sect has currently going for them is my presence, Qiu Ling''s presence as a person with a divine constitution and now the second dimension that will allow our disciples to cultivate in a better environment and thus may speed up their cultivation."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi narrowed his eyes when he mentioned that. Come to think of it ¡­ The environment in this bamboo house was quite good but maybe it would also be a good idea to have this boy enter the special dimension. If it could speed up his cultivation ¡­ Who knew which realm he would reach?


    He definitely shouldn''t have a problem to advance to the fifth. In fact, considering what he had felt before, it might even be possible for him to do so in the next few months. Yes, maybe he should suggest to the Sect Master to have Jing Yi enter with the first batch of disciples. The progress he had made in the last two years was definitely enough to justify that.


    Jing Yi had no idea what the Grandmaster was thinking. He wouldn''t even have guessed that it might concern his own future. He just nodded to signal that he understood how grave the matter they were supposed to take care of was. "Of course, Grandmaster Zhangsun. Qiu Ling and I will do our best to make sure that the other sects won''t make trouble for our Yun Zou Sect."


    He wasn''t sure if he would be able to drive those people off but at the very least, he should be able to make sure that they wouldn''t be able to find out anything. After all, wouldn''t they just need to keep a close eye on them for that? These people were still of the righteous faction. They shouldn''t be so daring to sneak around and inquire if there were disciples of the Yun Zou Sect with them. Especially not if one of them was a disciple of the Grandmaster.


    Qiu Ling next to him pursed her lips. The guy that had only almost ruined his beautiful proposal ¡­ He certainly wouldn''t let him get away! Thankfully, his Master had given them a good task this time around. He would definitely show the sect what a good disciple he was and make sure that these guys from the Yang Huo Sect or whatever would leave and never dare to come back!


    Qiu Ling put an arm around Jing Yi''s waist and pulled him to his side, brightly smiling at his Master. "Master, is that all? Then Jing Yi and I will discuss our plan now. We''ll go over right afterward and then drive them off. You won''t even have to wait until tomorrow."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi raised his brows. Well, he had expected that his disciple would be willing to do this task. He hadn''t expected him to be this eager though. "Well, alright, just don''t be too obvious. We don''t want to ruin our reputation either. That wouldn''t benefit us in the long run."


    Qiu Ling nodded eagerly as if he had understood. Zhangsun Xun Yi wasn''t too sure but even if his disciple was trying to go overboard, there was still his fiance to smooth things over. Thus he nodded and then turned to leave.


    As for everything else ¡­ Well, that still had time until after those sects had been driven off and that person returned to the Yun Zou Sect. They wouldn''t be able to restructure the sect in one day anyway. No, it would take several months to even implement the initial changes. And after that, they would have to spend many years to follow up on those with small adjustments. So there was no need to decide everything right now.


    As soon as the door closed behind him, Qiu Ling turned to Jing Yi and gave a smile. "You heard what he said. I''m allowed to chase him off."


    Jing Yi nodded and then reached up, hugging Qiu Ling''s neck with a smile. "I heard that. I also heard him say that we shouldn''t go overboard. So let''s not chase them off today already. Let''s wait at least one more day, alright?"


    Qiu Ling looked into those eyes that were brighter than Jing He''s and also gave a smile. Yes, waiting a day more ¡­ He was able to do that. It couldn''t hurt to practice waiting for a while.


    He leaned down and then kissed him, pushing the thought at Jing He away. For now, there was only Jing Yi. This was the person he loved, the person he would spend his time with. And having a task that they could go about together was also very good. Yes, he would be able to do this.

 Chapter 772 - He’d Better Come out and Greet Me!

    Qiu Ling took the pain to calm himself down and gave his beloved a beautiful smile. "Alright, I already understand. Since you don''t want me to drive them off today, then I''ll definitely wait until tomorrow. But still, since they are our important guests, we should at least go and greet them, shouldn''t we?" He couldn''t help but grin at the thought of how that guy would look when he saw him. Reminding him of just who he was could be couldn''t be considered bullying him, could it? No, his beloved shouldn''t have a problem with that.


    Jing Yi took one look at Qiu Ling''s face and knew that he wasn''t planning anything good. He sighed. Well, in the end, he would still be there with him to calm the other side down if things got too heated, wouldn''t he? And the Yun Zou Sect could just reprimand Qiu Ling and pretend that it had just been he himself taking revenge for what had happened at the Gathering and not the Yun Zou Sect who wanted to slight them. The Yang Huo Sect shouldn''t be able to say anything against that, should they?


    "Alright, then let''s go over and greet them. Don''t go overboard though." He patted Qiu Ling''s chest and then turned around, walking to the door.


    Qiu Ling beamed. Thankfully, his beloved was so understanding! He really didn''t know if he would have been able to hold back from doing even the slightest thing. That guy just deserved to be tortured a little.


    He followed Jing Yi outside and then wanted to hug him to his chest to fly over. Just when he gripped onto him, Jing Yi grabbed his arm. Qiu Ling raised his brows. "Is something the matter?"


    Jing Yi gave a wry smile. "Well ¡­ I thought about it before and after we get back, would you mind trying to teach me how to fly on my own?"


    Qiu Ling blinked. "Ah?"


    Jing Yi sighed. "I know, you already tried once and I wasn''t doing too well. But I''ve cultivated some more now and always having to rely on you to bring me around even in the Yun Zou Sect, that wouldn''t be very good, would it? No, I think it would be better if I at least knew how to fly on my own. Don''t you think so?"


    Qiu Ling scratched his head. "Well, I guess it would. If you get kidnapped again, you could at least try to fly away."


    Jing Yi grimaced, not knowing what to say. Did Qiu Ling have to bring this up? "Alright, that was my fault. I shouldn''t have reacted like that. When that person turned up, I should''ve been more distrustful. Even if I thought that he might be Tian and that there might have been something between him and me in my past life, I shouldn''t have reacted like that. I should''ve stayed close to you since I already decided on you. Then nothing would have happened to me either. I just ¡­ I just wanted to make it clear to him on the off chance that ¡­ he was real."


    Qiu Ling smiled and finally hugged him to his chest. "It doesn''t matter. You''re here with me right now. That''s what''s important. What''s in the past ¡­" He took a shaky breath and had to force himself to keep up his smile. "What''s in the past, is in the past. The future is the future. Right now, there''s only the two of us. Let''s not think about anything else."


    Jing Yi blinked his eyes and examined Qiu Ling''s face. His voice ¡­ Why had it sounded just now as if he had had trouble saying that? Had he missed something? He wanted to ask but Qiu Ling already pushed off the ground and flew over to the courtyard where the sect Master had put the Yang Huo Sect, not giving him any time to sort out his thoughts.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but feel even more that something was wrong. He wanted to speak up when they landed to at least tell Qiu Ling that they should talk about it later but his lover had already walked up to the door of the house and knocked. Jing Yi sighed. Whatever it was that Qiu Ling had on his mind, it seemed they wouldn''t be able to talk about it anytime soon.


    From inside the house, steps sounded and finally, a disciple in a red robe opened the door and looked at them. The disciple gave them a once-over and furrowed his brows. "What do you want? We''re guests of the Yang Huo Sect. Don''t think you can make trouble."


    Jing Yi hurriedly grabbed Qiu Ling''s arm before his lover could say anything wrong and gave the disciple of the Yang Huo Sect a smile. "Please don''t worry, senior martial brother. The two of us have been sent over by the Sect Master to help out if there is something the Yang Huo Sect needs. So for the next few days, we will be taking care of you."


    The disciple looked from Jing Yi to Qiu Ling and back again. "Well, then you can go and thank the Sect Master. There really is no need to go to such trouble though."


    Jing Yi smiled. It seemed these people really intended to find out something about the Yun Zou Sect. The Sect Master and Grandmaster had been right to worry about this and send the two of them. "Ah, it''s no trouble at all. The Yang Huo Sect is a precious guest. Naturally, we can''t let you feel slighted. Maybe you could take us to Elder Gongxi? We would like to explain to him as well. After all, he is the representative of the Yang Huo Sect."


    The disciple huffed. "You want to meet Elder Gongxi? Who do you think you are? He''s an Elder. Even if he isn''t one of your sect, he is still of the senior generation. Do you think just anybody can meet with him?"


    Before Jing Yi could answer politely, Qiu Ling already scoffed at the other person. "Who does your Elder Gongxi think he is? Isn''t he just some Elder? I''m the direct disciple of Grandmaster Zhangsun. If I want to meet somebody, then that person better get out here himself and greet me. Otherwise, do you want me to go and complain to my Master?" He raised his chin, staring at the disciple arrogantly.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but stare. Who would''ve thought ¡­ His lover was surprisingly good at taking advantage of his relationship with the Grandmaster.

 Chapter 773 - Mixed Feelings

    The disciple of the Yang Huo Sect took another look at Qiu Ling. He hadn''t been at the Gathering of Practitioners back then so he had no idea what the Grandmaster''s disciple looked like. Was this really him? Damn. He looked nothing like it! This guy wasn''t even wearing the sect robes of the Yun Zou Sect!


    Wait. The disciple narrowed his eyes. Could it be that these two were trying to trick him? One of them was wearing the official robe of the Yun Zou Sect but maybe they were trying to get rid of their Yang Huo Sect so they had gotten somebody to pretend to be the Grandmaster''s disciple? Considering how daring these guys had been when they ganged up on their senior martial brother Zhou, it wouldn''t be strange at all!


    He scoffed and then motioned at Qiu Ling''s robe. "Who is supposed to believe that? You look nothing like a Yun Zou Sect disciple!"


    Qiu Ling frowned and looked down at himself. "How do I not look like one?"


    "Your robe!"


    "What''s with it?"


    "It''s not the official robe. It looks nothing like it. It''s not even white!" Actually, which righteous cultivator would demean themselves and wear a black robe? Shouldn''t these two try a little harder if they wanted to trick him?


    Qiu Ling looked at his robe. Indeed. It wasn''t white. But what was so bad about that? "What''s wrong with wearing a black robe? I look good in black." He turned to look at his beloved to make sure he thought so same. Wasn''t he more handsome in black?


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but smile. Was that what he was worried about the most? "Mn, you do look good in black. Anyway." He turned back to the disciple of the Yang Huo Sect. "Grandmaster Zhangsun isn''t too strict with his disciple on following the rules as long as it isn''t an official occasion. Now, if we could trouble you to inform Elder Gongxi that we''ve come here ¡­" He didn''t ask to be brought there anymore. He had already done that once and had been rejected and Qiu Ling hadn''t been wrong with what he said: Sure, these people were their guests but they were already giving them a lot of face by sending the Grandmaster''s disciple over to greet them despite their previous conflict. That was already giving them face. Nobody could expect the Yun Zou Sect to humble themselves further.


    The disciple pursed his lips. He was afraid that they were really trying to make fun of him and would have a good laugh if he went and told the Elder about them. But if this was indeed the Grandmaster''s disciple ¡­


    He looked from Jing Yi to Qiu Ling and back again. Rumor had it that the Grandmaster''s disciple had a lover in the sect ¡­ Maybe this really was him? He hesitated but finally nodded. "Very well. Then I''ll go and tell the Elder. I hope for you that you said the right thing!" He didn''t wait for their response and turned around with a huff.


    Jing Yi sighed. It seemed it wouldn''t be that easy to deal with the people of the Yang Huo Sect over the next few days. Maybe he should hope that Qiu Ling was indeed able to scare them off as early as possible so that they wouldn''t have to deal with them anymore?


    He glanced up at Qiu Ling and found him staring back. The two of them blinked their eyes and then looked in the other direction as if they had decided on it together.


    Qiu Ling clenched his hands. Why did he still feel so awkward? Hadn''t he already decided to let matters go and treat Jing Yi just as before? This was his Jing He''s reincarnation. It was an important part of his life. Even if ¡­ even if it might mean that he wouldn''t wake up anytime soon. He had to treat him just as well as Jing He.


    Jing Yi also felt strange. Since time moved differently in the High Heavens he didn''t feel like he had been separated from Qiu Ling for long. In fact, it could at most be a day or two even though it was difficult to say. There was no sun in the High Heavens so he had no idea how much time had actually passed but it didn''t feel like much.


    Thinking back ¡­ he remembered very clearly how he had promised Qiu Ling to marry him when they saw each other the last time. When this issue with the Yang Huo Sect was over ¡­ would it be time for him to make true on that promise?


    He didn''t know if he was afraid or looking forward to it. Maybe it was a bit of both? He didn''t mind marrying Qiu Ling, not in the least, in fact, he did want to do so. Afterward, he would really be Qiu Ling''s. Nothing would be able to change that anymore. That was good.


    But at the same time, he couldn''t help but worry as well. It was a new part of their lives. Wouldn''t things inevitably change afterward? Maybe not all those changes would be good. He just ¡­ didn''t know what to expect so it made him nervous.


    Just look at what was happening now: Qiu Ling had been strange since he came back. Maybe it was the fear because of what had happened or maybe there was something else but there definitely was something different about him. And he didn''t know what to do about it.


    Jing Yi peeked at the person next to him. Qiu Ling had furrowed his brows as if he was deep in thought as well. Ah, maybe they were both nervous because of the upcoming wedding? Then he should probably just bring it up after they had dealt with the Yang Huo Sect. There should be nothing they wouldn''t be able to talk through. They were a couple, after all. They should be able to confront these things together.


    He reached out to take Qiu Ling hand but just when his fingertips were about to touch his skin, an angry voice sounded from inside the house.


    "Who dares to disrespect my Yang Huo Sect''s disciples?!"

 Chapter 774 - They Were All True

    Jing Yi sighed and lowered his hand. Well, that would have been too nice. He forced himself to smile and turned back to the door. There was still time for other things later. Now, they had to deal with the Yang Huo Sect.


    Just then, an angry man walked toward the door with three disciples in red robes crowding behind him. He looked to be middle-aged with a short beard and dark-brown hair. His brows were tightly knit together as if the people in front of the door had gravely disrespected his sect.


    Seeing that expression, Jing Yi wanted to sigh again. He really didn''t want to deal with this person but what could he do? If he left this to Qiu Ling, then this Elder would probably puke blood in the next five minutes and the Yun Zou Sect''s reputation might indeed be tarnished. He couldn''t let that happen!


    Jing Yi hurriedly cupped his fists and bowed before the Elder could say another word. "Ah, Elder Gongxi, greetings. I am Jing Yi and this is Qiu Ling, Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple. The Sect Master ordered us to come here to make sure your Yang Huo Sect had everything they needed and would feel welcome for their stay in our Yun Zou Sect. I''m afraid we didn''t communicate the reason for our visit well enough to your disciple but it''s good if the misunderstanding was able to be cleared up."


    Elder Gongxi stopped in his tracks. Hearing that two disciples of the Yun Zou Sect had come, he had wanted to make them leave so that they wouldn''t be under their supervision but ¡­ with how this boy had worded it, there was nothing he could make a scene about. The identity of the Grandmaster''s disciple was more than enough to be responsible for this task and this boy had even taken the blame for what had happened just now and called it a ''misunderstanding''! What was he supposed to say now?


    If he said it wasn''t, then that''d be making trouble for himself. After all, the boy had already apologized and he didn''t have a valid reason to go and complain to Sect Master Yuchi. If he did say the boy was right and this was a misunderstanding ¡­ Then he wouldn''t be able to get rid of them and would need to find an opportunity to have one of his disciples sneak out so they could inquire about what had been going on in the Yun Zou Sect. That would be much more troublesome.


    As much as he loathed the idea, Elder Gongxi finally had to give a wry smile and nod. "But of course. A misunderstanding is always between two people at least so it''s partly my disciple''s fault. There''s no need to apologize."


    Jing Yi nodded and lowered his hands. This was already a very good outcome. Neither side would be at fault so this Elder wouldn''t have any reason to complain. The reputation of the Yun Zou Sect was safe. Jing Yi glanced at the person next to him at that thought.


    Qiu Ling had already pulled out his memories from the day of the Gathering of Practitioners and found out that this was indeed the person that had slandered him in front of his beloved. How audacious! Nobody but that stupid bastard from the demon realm dared to call him that! He certainly wouldn''t allow this guy to spread any rumors. His beloved might already know but still. That was their secret!


    Jing Yi tightened his lips and inconspicuously reached out, tugging at Qiu Ling and signaling him with his eyes.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips in response. Alright, alright, yes, he had promised not to do anything too drastic. He still hated this guy! He gnashed his teeth in secret before he forced himself to smile. Well, if he couldn''t do anything overboard today, then he should better prepare for tomorrow!


    Meanwhile, Jing Yi was relieved when he saw Qiu Ling give a somewhat decent smile. It seemed he could count on him for this mission. "Well ¡­ Is there something the Yang Huo Sect needs for now?"


    Elder Gongxi''s smile widened. "Oh, no, there''s nothing but we are glad that Sect Master Yuchi is having his disciples put in this much effort. The two of you have worked hard. Since there''s nothing on our side, why don''t you return first?"


    Jing Yi looked at the Elder, not knowing how to proceed. If they left now ¡­ wouldn''t the Yang Huo Sect be free to do whatever they wanted? Then they would have failed the Sect Master''s task already! But he didn''t know what to respond either. Since there was nothing the Yang Huo Sect needed and since Elder Gongxi had indicated that he was doing this for them ¡­


    He glanced at Qiu Ling, hoping that his lover would have an idea on what they could do.


    Qiu Ling smiled. Finally! Since his beloved was looking at him, that meant he could start to implement his plan. Hmph. As if he''d let this guy get away this easily! Want to talk in circles with him? Even though he didn''t like that kind of thing, he was still good at it! He had used it often enough to get around doing his work.


    Qiu Ling''s smile turned even brighter at that thought. "Many thanks, Elder Gongxi. You''re really such a courteous person. Who would have thought?"


    Elder Gongxi''s lips twitched. Excuse him? What did he want to say with that?


    Before he could retort, Qiu Ling already spoke up again. "Eh, speaking of which, I do remember you had another disciple with you the last time you came here. What was his name again?" He merely looked at Elder Gongxi, not offering any guesses as to what that disciple''s name might be. In all honesty, he couldn''t have offered anything anyway. After all, he really couldn''t remember!


    Elder Gongxi gnashed his teeth. This guy! Was he purposefully trying to make trouble?! Wasn''t he afraid that he''d go and complain to the Sect Master? Then where would their Yun Zou Sect put its face? He smiled coldly at that thought. This was his chance! "I really don''t know who you might be talking about. Could you perhaps elaborate?"


    Qiu Ling beamed at him. "But of course! You certainly remember our last encounter, right? It was at that Gathering of Practitioners and you slandered me without reason. Then your disciple stepped up and fought with me in your stead. That''s the one I''m talking about."


    Elder Gongxi opened his mouth but couldn''t get out a single sound. This ¡­ This guy''s tongue was too poisonous! He actually dared to say such words! The worst thing was ¡­ they were all true.

 Chapter 775 - Great Craftsmanship

    Jing Yi bit his lower lip and faced away. Ah, he shouldn''t have trusted Qiu Ling. There was no way he wouldn''t make trouble in this situation. Well, it was probably very good already that he hadn''t said worse things. Unfortunately, he couldn''t think of anything he could say to make the situation better ¡­


    Qiu Ling''s smile vanished and he put on a confused look. "What is it? You still can''t remember him?" He furrowed his brows. "That''s strange. He left me with quite a good impression with how he stood up for the older generation and all. Very noble of him. He certainly is a role model."


    He nodded as if to himself but spoke up as soon as Elder Gongxi wanted to respond. "Ah! I''m sorry. This might just be another misunderstanding. I remember now: You were only the one heading the delegation of your sect back then, right? I shouldn''t have assumed that he was your own disciple. He is probably somebody else''s disciple. Yes, that makes much more sense. Isn''t it said that a Master would always look for someone similar when taking in a disciple? Just look at my Master and me! You can see we''re very similar people."


    Elder Gongxi''s expression turned worse. What very similar? He had never heard that Grandmaster Zhangsun could say such shameless things! And what did this boy want to insinuate? He opened his mouth to shut this guy up and chastise him, regardless of who his Master was but ¡­ Qiu Ling was faster once again.


    "Eh, you don''t have to be angry. I''m really truly sorry for causing yet another misunderstanding. It''s all my fault today, really. I mean first, I wasn''t wearing the right robe so your real disciple mistook me even though my beloved said that we had been sent by the Sect Master and that I''m the disciple of Grandmaster Zhangsun. That is totally my fault. I mean our words don''t count for much. It''s much more important what I''m wearing.


    "And now, I even thought that the person you had brought along back then and that stepped out to make up for your mistakes would''ve been your own disciple. I shouldn''t have thought something like that. Since he''s a decent person he wouldn''t care whether you''re his Master or not. Just being of the same sect and the senior generation would be enough for him to step up and try to make the situation less awkward for you. I should have taken that into consideration. It''s really all my fault."


    Jing Yi very attentively watched the tips of his boots. Ah, he had never thought about it but the craftsmanship that had gone into them was really very good. He should really ask some time just who had made them so he could go and give that person his thanks. Just look at how even the stitches were!


    Elder Gongxi''s face turned red and he raised his finger and pointed at Qiu Ling''s face. He didn''t know what to say though. This definitely couldn''t be called appropriate behavior anymore but that didn''t change the fact that everything this boy said was true. It really was the fault of the disciple from the Yang Huo Sect that the misunderstanding today had happened and he hadn''t said anything wrong about Zhou Wu being his disciple either. Even if he went to make a fuss about this in front of Sect Master Yuchi, he would still have to slap his own face when he repeated all of this. This guy ¡­ He was definitely doing this on purpose!


    Elder Gongxi gnashed his teeth. Who would''ve thought that such a young man would be able to do something like this? Well, there had to be a reason why he was able to become Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple. And hadn''t Grandmaster Zhangsun only found out about his divine constitution on the day of the Gathering of Practitioners? Then that couldn''t be the reason for it. No, there had to be another reason why he had taken this boy in.


    The Grandmaster might have seen that he had talent or maybe he had seen that this person''s comprehension ability was high. That would explain his ability to deal with this situation. Just look at that other boy! After just a few sentences, he hadn''t been able to keep up. Obviously, he lacked in this department.


    Elder Gongxi tightened his lips. Even though he understood this, he had no way to deal with this person. Qiu Ling either didn''t let him speak up or he said something that he couldn''t respond to because of the content. It was maddening!


    He took a deep breath and made sure that Qiu Ling wouldn''t interrupt him again. Everything depended on his next words now. Even though he would have liked to use them to make trouble for this person, he also understood that it would be better to take a step back if that would allow him to get rid of this person.


    Thus Elder Gongxi could only force a smile. "Ah, how could that be? As I already said before, the previous misunderstanding was also because of my disciple. As for the person you''ve been talking about ¡­ I think I do remember now. He isn''t with us this time since he has been in closed-door cultivation for a long time. So I''m afraid there''s no way for you to meet with him." Elder Gongxi looked at Qiu Ling and gave a smile. He''d really like to see what he wanted to say now. Since the previous question had been answered, there shouldn''t be any chance for him to make more trouble.


    Qiu Ling just smiled. "That''s too bad. But I''m looking forward to meeting him again in the future then. I''m sure that after his closed-door cultivation, he should have become a lot stronger."


    Elder Gongxi only gave another strained smile. This guy was just as vicious as Sect Master Yuchi. As if they didn''t know that Zhou Wu had been ruined at the last Gathering of Practitioners! But they actually dared to bring that up not just once but twice.


    Qiu Ling happily smiled at his opponent''s murderous gaze and pulled out his trump card. "Ah, but never mind. He wasn''t even your real disciple but you have the right one here this time. That''s also good. How about we have a fight tomorrow? Actually, I''d like to have a fight with all of your disciples. I''m sure you wouldn''t mind if we exchanged some friendly pointers." He smiled happily, delighting in the worried look on Elder Gongxi''s face.

 Chapter 776 - Too Emotional

    He stared at the person in front of him and wondered just how this had happened. Hadn''t he just thought that he had managed to deal with the situation? How come the other person still had the upper hand?


    Well, this wasn''t too troublesome to deal with yet. They were guests, after all. He might be able to challenge them to fight but as long as they said no, there was nothing he could do. Everything else would be a risk to the Yun Zou Sect''s reputation. Thus Elder Gongxi gave a smile. "Well, normally, with be happy to oblige but ¡­"


    Qiu Ling''s eyes narrowed. "But you don''t have the right disciples with you? Ah, I should''ve known. Other than your own disciple, they probably can''t measure up to that person from the Gathering of Practitioners. They probably wouldn''t dare to accept the challenge of one of our disciples.


    "But they really don''t need to be afraid. After all, it''s just me they''d be fighting against. I mean how many disciples have you with you again? Five? Six? I mean six people against one ¡­ If they''re still scared of that, then maybe being a practitioner isn''t the right way for them." He glanced at the disciples that were crowding behind Elder Gongxi and gave them a pitying look.


    Elder Gongxi''s face drained of color. Oh no! He wanted to speak up but the disciples couldn''t take it. One of them pointed at Qiu Ling''s nose while his own face turned red. "What are you even saying?! Whether it''s six of us against you or six of you against one of us, we wouldn''t care either way! We''re just afraid that you''d run to complain to your Master after you lost, making trouble for our Yang Huo Sect."


    The other disciples nodded eagerly. "Yes! What''s so good about that Zhou Wu? We''re not able to compare to him? What nonsense! He''s just some trash that can''t cultivate any longer. There''s no reason to even bring him up."


    Qiu Ling gave a wry smile. "So as long as my Master won''t interfere, you don''t mind having that fight after all? Well, that''s alright with me. If you want me to, I''ll even sign some statement or something." He turned to Elder Gongxi, smiling brightly. "Did you hear that, Elder? You really don''t have to be afraid. It seems your disciples are really stroked to have that fight with me. You should really allow them.


    "So how about you draft that agreement and we''ll just all sign? We can have that fight right tomorrow morning. I mean there''s no need to wait any longer, is there? Your disciples won''t be able to train much until then anyway. Regardless of whether we do it tomorrow morning or evening. There''s no need to keep waiting."


    "Yes, let''s do it in the morning! I really can''t wait to have that fight with you!" The disciples glared at Qiu Ling, not noticing at all that they had been talked into doing something the Elder wanted to prevent at all costs.


    Unfortunately for Elder Gongxi, there was nothing he could do. He gave a deep sigh and nodded. Well, it was his own problem that their Yang Huo Sect''s disciples weren''t smart enough. When they got back, he had to make sure that other than training their sword arts, they would also train the ability to control their emotions and think things through before talking! This really was such a disgrace.


    "Well, then I''d better go and write that statement now. We wouldn''t want anybody to have any complaints tomorrow, would we? We''ll have to make sure that it really is just a friendly spar between disciples of two acquainted sects."


    Qiu Ling nodded and put on an earnest expression. "Sure, ah. I won''t hold it against you if any of you managed to injure me though. I mean swords don''t have eyes, do they? It wouldn''t be right to make trouble for somebody just because they weren''t able to hold back. That also wouldn''t be very honorable. A spar is supposed to be something we can learn from. So we should take it seriously."


    "You better remember those words tomorrow!" The Yang Huo Sect disciples were already mad with rage. They clenched their hands into fists to make sure they wouldn''t rush over and literally slap this person in the face. They couldn''t help but want to hurl verbal abuses at him though.


    How dare he compare them with Zhou Wu? How day he insinuate they were afraid of him? Even if he was the Grandmaster''s disciple, he was still only one person! If they couldn''t defeat him even with the six of them, where would they put their face? They may as well just get killed by him rather than returning to the Yang Huo Sect after such an embarrassment. Otherwise, wouldn''t they make themselves to be just as much of a laughingstock as Zhou Wu? They wouldn''t stand for that!


    Qiu Ling just smiled happily when he saw them react like that. Ah, he really wanted to say some more but if he did, his beloved might get angry. After all, he had promised that he wouldn''t go overboard today. Making the disciples angry was already the limit that his beloved would accept. But at the very least, he still hadn''t beaten him up. He would wait until tomorrow before he did that so he wouldn''t break his promise to his beloved. That should be alright, shouldn''t it?


    Meanwhile, Elder Gongxi furrowed his brows and turned to the disciples with a displeased look. "You still don''t have enough? Go back inside! What kind of behavior is that? Talking like that to the person you want to have a spar with tomorrow? You better go in and reflect!"


    The disciples grumbled but didn''t dare to defy Elder Gongxi. They threw Qiu Ling another vicious look and then trudged back inside.


    Elder Gongxi schooled his own expression and turned back to Qiu Ling and Jing Yi. "Well, I''m sorry you had to see something this embarrassing. These disciples haven''t gone out very often in the past. They are easily letting their emotions get over their heads. I''m afraid I''ll have to discipline them in the future so they won''t make an embarrassment out of themselves again. Thank you for your understanding."


    Qiu Ling very graciously forgave them. "Ah, they''re still young. There''s nothing wrong with being a little emotional at that age. And I''m very happy that they''re brave enough to have that fight. There''s really no need to apologize for that."


    Elder Gongxi gnashed his teeth but still nodded. "Very well, then I''ll go and draft that agreement now. How about this? I''ll send it over to your Master later. Then you don''t have to continue to stand here."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Mn, that sounds good to me. Let''s just do it that way. Then farewell. We''ll see each other tomorrow." He grabbed Jing Yi''s arm and pulled him away, not even waiting for Elder Gongxi to say anything.


    Elder Gongxi''s eyes narrowed when he watched the two of them leave. This guy ¡­ He shouldn''t think that he would let him get away with this that easily. No, he would make sure that he paid for this.

 Chapter 777 - That’s Enough

    Jing Yi pulled at Qiu Ling''s sleeve when they were out of sight and earshot. "Qiu Ling, what about the task the Sect Master gave us? Shouldn''t we keep an eye on them?"


    Qiu Ling also stopped and turned to his beloved, sweeping him up into his arms. "What about it? They''ll have their hands full with preparing for the fight tomorrow so they don''t lose too badly. They won''t have the time to think about sniffing around.


    "And anyway, what should we do? Stay with them in that courtyard? Even sleeping there? No way! I''m pretty sure nobody expects us to do that. This isn''t even the only sect that has come to visit. The Yun Zou Sect might be able to have some disciples guard them during the day but they''ll need to do something else for the night or it would be too obvious. I mean not that these sects wouldn''t be able to figure out what we''re doing but they still need to keep up the pretenses I guess."


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but furrow his brows. "Are you sure? This doesn''t sound too ¡­ logical to me."


    Qiu Ling smiled and leaned down, kissing his temple. "That''s because you''ve never had to deal with politics. It''s a messy thing. Normally, I''d also not want to get involved with it. But it''s actually easier here. It''s just that people want to get benefits but they don''t want to be too open about it. They don''t want others to have any benefits either. That''s all there is to it. Just keep that at the back of your head and you''ll be able to figure it out. It''s ¡­ much worse in the immortal realms."


    Jing Yi glanced at Qiu Ling''s expression that seemed somewhat lost. "Then how is the situation in the immortal realms?"


    Qiu Ling sighed. "Old. From a long time ago, there has been bad blood between the gods and the demons as well as between the dragons and the demons. The gods and the dragons do have an alliance that is almost as old but ¡­" He interrupted himself and shook his head. "Honestly, it might be better if you don''t know."


    Jing Yi reached up and grabbed onto Qiu Ling''s robe, nestling into his arms. "It is something that has been a part of you for many years. Of course, I should try to understand. Even if it''s hard, I''d still like to try."


    Qiu Ling looked at the person in front of him and gave a wry smile. If this was Jing He ¡­ He wouldn''t need to explain anything. Jing He knew. He knew very well. That was one of the reasons why it had taken them so long to get together.


    "The Heavenly Emperor doesn''t like me very much. Part of it might be because he doesn''t want to give his son to anybody but part of it might also be because he doesn''t actually think too favorable of the dragons.


    "Our race did originate from the demons. There is no way to explain that away. In the eyes of the gods, that has always made some slightly ¡­ uncomfortable when dealing with us. It''s not something you can overlook either. The gods look a lot like humans: Dark hair, dark eyes. The dragons though ¡­" He shook his head and sighed again.


    "The only thing I can be kind of thankful for to my father was probably that he looked a lot more like them." He reached up and brushed through the black strands of his hair. "Most dragons look much more like the demons. Having colorful hair or eyes is the norm, some even have parts of skin that aren''t quite like that of a human or god. If I looked like that, then there would have been no opportunity for me to be with Jing He ever in my life."


    Jing Yi tightened his lips at the mention of that person. Well, he should''ve expected it. Qiu Ling had said that Jing He was the most important person in his life and if what the demon king had said was true and Jing He was really still alive and he was just a reincarnation that somehow managed to live while he was ¡­ whatever, then it was no wonder what Qiu Ling would be like this.


    The pain in his voice hurt though. It really made him feel that he wasn''t that much of a special person to Qiu Ling after all. Well, he shouldn''t think about that. The person who had said that had been a demon. They couldn''t be trusted, could they? He probably just wanted to make them separate. But then again ¡­


    He sighed and reached up, cupping Qiu Ling''s cheeks. "I wouldn''t mind. I love you just the way you are. I don''t care if the dragons were demons once. I don''t care about who your mother was either. You''re ¡­ just you. Just Qiu Ling, the man I love. That''s enough."


    Qiu Ling nodded and gave a small smile. "Yes, I guess that''s true." He leaned down and pulled Jing Yi closer, burying his face in his hair. Yes, Jing Yi didn''t have the inhibitions that Jing He had had. He wasn''t a god, he wasn''t the one bound to inherit the throne to the realm of an entire race. He didn''t have to weigh anything more than who he liked. To him, it was enough that the person he liked was himself.


    As for himself ¡­ Was it enough? With all the doubts in his mind, Qiu Ling wasn''t too sure about that.

 Chapter 778 - The Question He Feared the Most

    The two of them returned to Jing Yi''s bamboo house, the mood between them still subtle. Qiu Ling couldn''t help but feel his guilty conscience raise its head. Despite what he had decided to do, he was unable to treat Jing Yi like before. The thought of Jing He was always lingering in the back of his head, reminding him over and over again that each friendly gesture he showed Jing Yi, might hurt Jing He in the future. But at the same time, he would hurt Jing Yi each time he held back.


    Qiu Ling stopped in front of the door and pulled Jing Yi back into his arms. "Didn''t you want me to teach you how to fly?"


    Jing Yi blinked and then glanced up. Qiu Ling still seemed ¡­ slightly awkward. "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    "Mn?"


    "You know you can tell me if something is bothering you."


    Qiu Ling nodded but didn''t speak up. How could he tell Jing Yi about this? It was bad enough as it was. There was no reason to make Jing Yi have the same doubts as him.


    Jing Yi watched his lover''s expression and sighed. "Qiu Ling, didn''t we want to get married before I ¡­ was taken away?"


    Qiu Ling returned him a questioning gaze but for a moment, there was a flicker in his eyes.


    Jing Yi sighed. "I still stand by what I said before: I love you. I''ve done a lot of things wrong in the past but I do love you and I''m still willing to marry you. But ¡­ you also have your considerations. I don''t understand them very well since I''ve never been to any of the immortal realms and don''t know much about them but I can understand that you know a life different from the one we''re leading here."


    Qiu Ling nodded. He didn''t really understand why Jing Yi was saying this though.


    "You ¡­" Jing Yi gulped and took a deep breath. He had to bring it up. Even though it might hurt, it was still better to bring it up. After all, back in the demon realm, he had sworn himself to talk things through with Qiu Ling in the future instead of assuming something based on the few things he knew. "What the demon king said ¡­ about Jing He waking up after I die, that is true, isn''t it?"


    Qiu Ling winced. Right. Jing Yi had already found out about that back in the demon realm. He had ¡­ almost forgotten with everything that had happened since then. "That isn''t ¡ª"


    "You don''t have to lie." Jing Yi put a hand against Qiu Ling''s lips and gave a smile. "It''s alright. I can take the truth. I''ve remembered some parts of that life and ¡­ I do know that we''re basically the same person. Originally, I thought he had died somehow and that his soul was reborn as me. But the demon king said those things and ¡­ his uncle also insinuated that something like that was going on. Furthermore, there was somebody in the demon realm that told me the same thing. So I ¡­ I know. I just want to make sure. I want to hear it from you."


    Qiu Ling''s lips tightened. He hadn''t wanted to speak about it. He had wanted to pretend that all this wasn''t true but ¡­ it seemed he wouldn''t get around it.


    He sighed and then pulled Jing Yi with him, sitting down in the grass a few steps away from the bamboo house. "Well, what can I say? Since you already know ¡­ It''s true. Jing He ¡­ he descended to do a trial in the mortal world. It means that ¡­ he''ll have to live through one human life and experience what the humans experience. I don''t understand it too well."


    Jing Yi nodded. He remembered how he had talked about that trial with Qiu Ling back in his past life. He had thought that he must have died on that trial but as it turned out, the trial was still ongoing. He was indeed this trial.


    He took a shaky breath and tried not to think too much. He had already known that this was the case. What was important was the rest. "So he will wake up after I die."


    Qiu Ling hesitated but finally nodded. "He will." His lips quivered and he closed his eyes. "You will."


    Jing Yi gave a smile. Yes, to Qiu Ling, they had probably been just one person from the very beginning. They had always been ''Jing He''. "Then if I ascend ¡­" Would that be the end of his life?


    Qiu Ling hesitated. He probably shouldn''t tell him too much, should he? In the beginning, that was what had almost cost Jing He''s life. His real life. He couldn''t risk that. But then again ¡­ Jing Yi already knew so much and a lot of that hadn''t been because of him. Even his own uncle had said these words to him so it shouldn''t be a problem?


    "If you ascend, then Jing He won''t wake up. It''ll still count as his trial I think. So he ¡­ he won''t wake up. He''ll just continue to sleep."


    Jing Yi nodded. "So it''s like that."


    Qiu Ling nodded as well. He had no idea what else to say. Honestly, what would his beloved think now? He didn''t even dare to ponder too deeply. This really ¡­ wasn''t a good situation. "I''m sorry."


    Jing Yi watched his expression that clearly showed his remorse and couldn''t help but smile. This was so typical of Qiu Ling. Whether it was his love or hate or any other emotion, he showed them so plainly. "What for?"


    "Mn?"


    "What are you sorry for? That trial ¡­ It wasn''t your idea, was it? I think I remember that you weren''t happy about it."


    "I wasn''t. I just ¡­ wanted to marry him so we could stay together forever."


    "But then I happened."


    "Mn."


    Jing Yi took a deep breath. "Then ¡­ do you want to have him back? Or ¡­"


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes. This was the question he feared the most. Unfortunately, he couldn''t evade it this time.

 Chapter 779 - A Different Kind of Beauty

    Qiu Ling didn''t answer immediately. Even if he wanted to blurt out an answer to reassure Jing Yi, he didn''t know how. He couldn''t say that he didn''t want Jing He back. After all, Jing He would remember everything after he woke up. Even though it would be a long time until then, he couldn''t risk making him miserable by then. At the same time, he couldn''t say that he wanted him back either. Because if he did, that would be the same as telling Jing Yi to go and die.


    It was the same problem that had already troubled him since the day he found out what Jing Yi''s ascension would mean for Jing He. Just that now, it was even more troublesome because one of the two people was in front of him.


    Jing Yi sighed when he didn''t get an answer. "It''s alright. I understand. He is ¡­ the real ''me''. It''s understandable that you''d rather have him back."


    Qiu Ling pressed his eyes shut and shook his head. "That''s not it."


    Jing Yi looked at his expression and forced himself to smile. "It''s really alright, Qiu Ling. You don''t have to explain. I ¡­ I can take it."


    Qiu Ling once again shook his head and then opened his eyes to look into the distance. "That''s really not it. I ¡­ I don''t know myself. That''s the problem. I don''t know what to do."


    Jing Yi also turned away. What was he supposed to say to this? "Is there anything I can do?" Like making you fall in love with only me? He smiled self-deprecatingly at that thought. He had made so much trouble for Qiu Ling since the day they had met. What gave him the right to try and monopolize his feelings now? Especially ¡­ since the person he wanted to win against was himself. Ah, this situation was a mess.


    Qiu Ling sighed. "No, you ¡­ You shouldn''t do anything. This is your life. Regardless of what happens to Jing He, you should live it the way you want it to be."


    "And you''re alright with that? You wouldn''t regret it? I mean ¡­ I''m not just a normal human anymore. I''ve cultivated to the third stage so I ¡­ won''t age and die. That essentially means that Jing He ¡­"


    Qiu Ling sighed again. "I know. But what do you want me to do? I couldn''t kill you. I couldn''t watch how anybody else does either. I just ¡­" He took a shaky breath. "You might not believe me but I love you. More than anything else."


    "Because of Jing He?"


    Qiu Ling looked over and his gaze flickered. "I don''t know how to answer that. Without Jing He ¡­ there wouldn''t be you. And even if he had reincarnated before I met him ¡­ I almost never went to the human realm. It''s unlikely we would have even met if not for me falling in love with him."


    "So I guess without him there wouldn''t be us?"


    "Yes. Also ¡­" Qiu Ling''s expression turned even more complex. "As much as I want to keep these things separate, the two of you are the same person to me. Dragons ¡­ are different in that regard. We are bound to the other person''s soul. Jing He ¡­ he already carried a part of my soul and when his soul descended for the trial, that part of my soul was also taken with it. So you as well ¡­"


    "You mean I never was anybody but Jing He in your mind."


    Qiu Ling looked over and finally reached out, taking Jing Yi''s hand. "You definitely were in the beginning and I will never be able to see you as two completely different people but I did realize along the way that you aren''t Jing He. A reincarnation, even though it carries the same soul, isn''t the same person anymore. You''ve ¡­ experienced different things from Jing He. You''ve grown up in a different environment with different people around you. There is ¡­ no comparing you."


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. Thinking back to the image of Jing He in Qiu Ling''s inner self and what he had seen of the Nine Heavens in his own memories, they probably couldn''t be compared indeed. "He ¡­ must have been very elegant, right?"


    Qiu Ling''s gaze unwittingly softened and he nodded.


    Jing Yi looked at his own hand in Qiu Ling''s and wondered how he compared to that. There was nothing elegant about him, was there? And compared with Jing He''s appearance ¡­ "He was also much more beautiful than me, wasn''t he?"


    Qiu Ling looked up, his gaze roaming over Jing Yi''s face. "If we''re talking elegance, then yes. Jing He was the embodiment of elegance. It was ingrained in his bones. But that was to be expected. He was ¡­ the highest royalty of the Nine Heavens, the one supposed to sit on the throne one day. He was prepared to take on that mantle any single day and he always lived with that possibility at the back of his head. He would never allow himself to be anything but perfect in the eyes of others."


    Jing Yi nodded. He had gleaned as much from Jing He''s memory.


    "As for beauty ¡­" Qiu Ling sighed. "It''s hard to compare. You''re ¡­ a different kind of beautiful."


    Jing Yi chuckled. "You''re charming. I can see why he fell for you. It''s puzzling he needed so long though."


    Qiu Ling smiled wryly. "It puzzled me for a long time as well. But I guess it was also because of his circumstances. As somebody who wanted to be perfect in everybody''s eyes, he had trouble imagining to marry a dragon. At the same time, marrying the king of a race was strangely fitting. And then there were his parents. His mother agreed that I would be an option while his father ¡­"


    "He didn''t like you. Yes, you mentioned that."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "There were things I had going for me and things that spoke against me as his husband. I guess he had a hard time making up his mind."


    Jing Yi looked away, his eyes burning with resentment, and he couldn''t help but take a jab at his past self. "I wouldn''t have thought loving somebody was about making up your mind. Shouldn''t he have just felt it if he loved you? What was he thinking so much for?"


    Qiu Ling looked at Jing Yi and smiled. "Didn''t you also have your reservations when you thought there was a prior agreement from your past life? It''s never as easy as it looks from outside. I can ¡­ also only suspect some things. He would never have uttered his thoughts that openly."

 Chapter 780 - He Reassured Me

    "He was ¡­ pretty withdrawn, wasn''t he?" Actually, he would''ve used another word to describe Jing He''s behavior but he felt that it wouldn''t be appropriate in front of Qiu Ling. He really didn''t want to make him think that there was another area where he was inferior to him.


    Qiu Ling nodded his head. "To a certain degree, yes. I guess it''s understandable from his situation. If you always need to show only your best side to the people around you, that must be exhausting. He was good at pretending but I guess even though he didn''t have the energy to pretend all the time. It would''ve tired him out."


    Jing Yi''s gaze flickered. Tired him out ¡­ Could that be the reason? Was that why his soul had started to become unstable? After all, that person in the demon realm had told him that this had started even before Jing He had engraved his soul. Was it really just because of his relationship with Qiu Ling or could it be that there was more to it?


    From his own memories, he knew that Qiu Ling should have made the most impact in Jing He''s life. For several years, all his thoughts had revolved around this person. It also seemed that there hadn''t been too many other people in his life. There were parents and his uncle but that was about it.


    There were some people he saw more often like the guards in front of his palace or some of the higher-ranking gods that would be able to see him every now and then but he hadn''t been close with any of these people.


    For the most part, Jing He had been alone. That kind of desolate life that would only be interrupted for a while and then had to be filled with lies ¡­ It should have impacted his soul, shouldn''t it?


    He glanced at Qiu Ling, wondering if he should say something about this. Obviously, the two of them also hadn''t talked too much about you Jing He''s matters. And with how much Qiu Ling cared about that person, he would probably like to know.


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip. Even though he knew that Qiu Ling might want to know, he still didn''t want to say it. Actually, he didn''t want to talk about this person at all. He would have much rather talked about their own relationship. But at the same time, he couldn''t help but be curious about Qiu Ling''s thoughts about Jing He. What did he think? What did he feel? What did Jing He mean to him? Was there ¡­ any way to replace him in his heart?


    While Jing Yi pondered these questions, Qiu Ling sighed. "It''s a little strange when thinking about it now but what drew me to him in the first place was the image that he had cultivated to show the world." He snorted and shook his head. "It was actually the fake front that captured my attention."


    Jing Yi''s heart thumped. What did he mean with that? He couldn''t mean that even though he had later come to love Jing He, his love hadn''t always been that all-encompassing? Then what had happened for it to become that way? Was there nothing he could do? He also ¡­ also wanted to have a chance to capture this person''s heart. Wasn''t he able to achieve that?


    Jing Yi grabbed Qiu Ling''s hand tighter and gave a smile. "Then what about afterward? It seems that that isn''t the only thing?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. Talking about his beloved, his mood that had fluctuated a lot over the last few days finally settled down. Ah, that just was the effect that Jing He had on him. "Afterward, we spent more time together. With time, I realized that there was more to him than could be seen at first glance."


    "Like what? I do remember a bit about him but nothing stood out to me as really special."


    Qiu Ling smiled and his gaze softened even further. "Everything about him is special. Maybe not in the eyes of others but it certainly is to me." He sighed and shook his head. "Maybe it has more to do with me than it actually has with him.


    "I was also always very conscious of the fact that I wasn''t pure-blooded. Since the day I found out that my mother was half-demon and that my own demon blood had awakened after killing her I could never rest easy. Even after I became the king of the dragon race, I didn''t feel secure. Not in the least. On the contrary, I was terribly afraid anybody might notice.


    "For the longest time, I tried to avoid people and put up a front just like Jing He. I pretend to be a person that I wasn''t because I felt that if I was the true me, then they would pick up on it. I was afraid that there would be something about me that was demon-like. Something that would be a telltale sign to any true dragon.


    "I didn''t want to expose that flaw because, in my heart, I always considered myself to be a dragon. That was what I grew up as, that was what I lived as. It was all I wanted to be.


    "I never wanted to be like my mother: Able to marry somebody she didn''t love, able to kill the father of her child." He took a shaky breath and looked at the ring on his finger. "Falling in love is important to the dragons. Finding that person that you will spend your life with, that you''re willing to share your own soul with ¡­ that is what really makes you a dragon.


    "Unfortunately for me, I didn''t find that person for the longest time. It really made me afraid that my demon blood might actually be stronger than my dragon blood. But then came Jing He and every doubt I ever had was blown away as if it had never existed. Seeing him, hearing his voice, smelling that light fragrance lingering in the air, feeling the warmth of his hands ¡­ All of that reassured me in who I was."

 Chapter 781 - Which One Was Real?

    Jing Yi couldn''t help but bite his lower lip again. He had thought that if Qiu Ling had been attracted to Jing He''s appearance only, that maybe his feelings hadn''t been all that deep in the beginning. He had hoped that that meant that his own chances were better than he had dared to believe previously. But now it turned out that their relationship had actually been that profound from the very beginning.


    Regardless of what attracted Qiu Ling, he had felt a deep connection with Jing He and it had meant even more to him. That was something he would never be able to best. Even if he was able to make Qiu Ling feel the same, he would still only ever be the second person. That first position had long been given to Jing He.


    Qiu Ling didn''t see the change in Jing Yi''s expression. He just thought back to the beginning of his relationship with Jing He and happiness filled him. "I didn''t think about it. I just acted on instinct that day, proposing to him on the spot. He wasn''t very happy about it. I think his first impression of me was bad.


    "Afterward, I went after him, trying to gain his attention, trying to acquire his affection, bit by bit taking over his heart. And while I did, I found out that there was much more to Jing He than I thought in the beginning. He wasn''t just what he showed the other gods. He was more than that. He was also somebody with his own secrets, his own fears. In a way, he was a lot like me. Maybe that was what made us perfect for each other. Even if I hadn''t known in the beginning, I might have subconsciously noticed and that was what made my soul stir at that moment."


    Jing Yi forced himself to nod. "It could very well be."


    Qiu Ling also nodded, squeezing Jing Yi''s hand with a smile as if he wasn''t just speaking of his love for somebody else.


    "What then?"


    "Then ¡­ Then I continued to try. For a whole ten years. Only then did he admit to his feelings and agreed to marry me. If not because I was a dragon and this was the person that I had already accepted as the one that was meant for me, I might have given up. But then again, the longer things went on, the less I was able to extricate myself.


    "With Jing He ¡­ While I found out more about him, while I tried to woo him, I realized that the mask that I had put on to deceive those around me and pretend that I had nothing to do with the demons, this mask made it impossible to have Jing He fall in love with me. It wasn''t what he wanted or what he needed. Not in that way.


    "I guess it wouldn''t be wrong if I said that Jing He was finally able to have me face myself. Bit by bit I had to tear down the mask and face my true self. It was difficult though. After all, there wasn''t just him and me in this world. While I tried to be more honest with him, I couldn''t suddenly start acting differently in front of everybody else.


    "And, well, I had already pretended for a long time. It had been too many years, it was hard enough for me to find out who I actually was because I could hardly remember. And even in front of Jing He, I also slipped back into the role I had created for myself every now and then."


    Jing Yi furrowed his brows. That mask Qiu Ling was talking about, that falling back into pretending to be somebody else, what did he mean? Which part of him was the true Qiu Ling? How often had he actually seen this person?


    When he thought about it, he did know that there were moments when Qiu Ling would be different. Most of the time, he was that clingy person that would never separate for more than three steps from him, crooning his name or ''my love'' all of the time, asking his opinion on every little matter, trying to take his hand and hug him or hive him a kiss whenever he got the opportunity.


    Then there would also be times when Qiu Ling was different. Right now was such a moment. He would be serious, the things he said spoke of his experience and the many years he had actually lived. He was able to think things through in a systematic way and come up with solutions for any problem.


    So which of these two parts was the real him? And which one was the personality he pretended to be? Just how much of his time with Qiu Ling had actually been living a lie? He dreaded the answer to that.


    Jing Yi raised his hand to his forehead. He was the one who had asked. He had been the one who wanted to know. He also had to live with the consequences. It was just ¡­ He had already fallen in love with this man. Even if he wasn''t able to take his response, he probably wouldn''t be able to walk away. He had already fallen too deep.


    He looked up and gave a wry smile. From the very beginning, there probably hadn''t been any way for him to get around this. When Jing He had engraved his own soul, he had done so to make sure that he would continue to be in love with Qiu Ling, hadn''t he? So naturally, he had inevitably fallen in love with his men.


    Now, he didn''t know what to do. On one hand, he was angry about this whole situation. He didn''t want his relationship to depend on what had happened in his previous life.


    When he had thought that there was Tian whom he had given that promise to, it had seemed romantic. But now that he knew that this past life wasn''t even over ¡ª really over ¡ª he felt that it wasn''t romantic at all. It was just ¡­ a huge hindrance for him to be with Qiu Ling. If he could, he would''ve preferred it if Jing He was dead.

 Chapter 782 - Maybe We Can Agree on Some Things

    Jing Yi bit his lower lip and chastised himself. What was he thinking? Never mind that this person was his previous life''s self, he was also the person that meant the most to Qiu Ling. Wishing for his death ¡­ That wasn''t what he should do. No, he should be able to take this. He should be able to take what had been between Qiu Ling and Jing He and move on from this. If he wasn''t ¡­ Didn''t that say more about him than Jing He?


    He peeked at Qiu Ling But his lover was still smiling, fondly remembering the times back then. Obviously, he had been very happy even though it had taken a lot of time to make Jing He give in to him.


    Jing Yi rubbed his brow. Come to think of it, he and Jing He had reacted pretty similarly. Jing He had taken ten years to accept Qiu Ling before he gave in and he had also taken his sweet time to accept his proposal.


    At first, he had wanted to try it out only to reject him harshly and afterward, he only gave in after they spent the year traveling together. But then things turned difficult when they went to the Hei Dian Sect and he remembered that scene from his past life. And it had only gotten worse after he was trapped in the secret realm at the Leyuan region and took in the energy from that herb he found. The following misunderstanding had almost separated them forever and even when he finally decided that whatever had happened in his past life wasn''t important, the demon king had kidnapped him and told him those things. Even though he was back now, the matter that the demon king had revealed stood between them right now.


    He would have loved to pretend it was different, but he also knew that they currently weren''t in a position to get married and spend the rest of their life happily. Obviously, Qiu Ling wasn''t able to deal with the fact that him being alive meant that Jing He couldn''t return. And he himself ¡­ Well, naturally, he wasn''t willing to give up his life for that person.


    He had his own life. Why would he throw it away? There was still his mother and didn''t he also have friends in the sect? He also wanted to cultivate to become immortal and spend the rest of his life with Qiu Ling. Why shouldn''t he be allowed to do that? If he wasn''t wrong, then Jing He had lived several hundred years. If he was given that much time, then he should also be given that much time. It would only be fair.


    Jing Yi glanced at Qiu Ling and squeezed his hand. "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    Qiu Ling turned to face him and smiled. "What is it, my love?" Now that he had managed to speak of what was bothering him, he felt slightly better. Yes, they were still in the same troublesome situation. But at the very least, Jing Yi knew. And because of that, Jing He would also remember. That was already very good, wasn''t it?


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. ''My love'', wasn''t that the way Qiu Ling had called him from the very beginning? Wasn''t that how he had called Jing He? He really didn''t like it very much.


    Jing Yi sighed and forced himself to push the thought away. "I understand that the situation is difficult for you. But maybe we can agree on some things?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Sure, whatever you want."


    Jing Yi also nodded and then raised a finger. "First of all, you can''t call me like that anymore. If you do, it''ll make me feel like I''m just his replacement. But I don''t want to be. For the time I have with you, I want to be just myself. Just Jing Yi. Your ¡­ Jing''er."


    Qiu Ling nodded in a daze. He certainly had no problem with calling Jing Yi that way. "If that''ll make you happier."


    "It will. I just ¡­ I want you to love me for myself. Not because I''m his reincarnation. I know," he interrupted Qiu Ling''s protest. "I understand that it''s not that easy for you. The two of us are tied together for you. But still. At least let me feel that it is just because of myself. That is all I ask of you."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Sure. I''ll ¡­ Try my best. I can''t promise though. It''s hard to separate even though I do have to admit that it has gotten better."


    Jing Yi nodded, feeling happy inside. If it had gotten easier, then maybe there was still a chance. "I know that it won''t be easy but you trying means already a lot to me."


    He fell quiet and pondered again, sorting his thoughts so he wouldn''t forget anything important. "I also understand that one day, he will have to return since he''s important to the Nine Heavens. But this is also my life. So I want some time. I can''t tell you right now how much I want. But at the very least, I still want to spend some time with my mother and my friends and I do want to see where my cultivation can take me. Can you accept that?"


    Qiu Ling nodded again. "It''s your life. The trial wasn''t meant to be this way but it turned out like that. So it is the time you have acquired. Even if it means that Jing He will have to wait, it is the time you deserve."


    Jing Yi nodded. "I think it''s alright. There''s nothing I can change about being his reincarnation or, well, his trial. I can only try to make the most out of it, isn''t that right?"


    Qiu Ling leaned over and hugged him to his chest. "Thank you. Thank you for being so understanding. Maybe we''ll be able to make it work out."


    Jing Yi snuggled up against his lover''s chest and stared at the bamboo that was gently swaying in the wind behind him. Yes, maybe hey would be able to make it work out. If Qiu Ling really fell in love with him and not as Jing He''s reincarnation but with him as a person, then maybe ¡­ he wouldn''t even have to give up his life.

 Chapter 783 - His Chance to Shine Brighter

    Jing Yi didn''t ask any further when Qiu Ling didn''t continue to explain either. The two of them sat in front of the bamboo hut for a while until Qiu Ling gave a smile and got up, pulling Jing Yi to his feet as well.


    "It''s getting late. Let''s go and sleep for now. I can still show you how to fly another day. Since you''re back and we won''t be leaving the Yun Zou Sect any time soon, we''re not in a hurry."


    Jing Yi nodded. "You''re right. Then let''s go to sleep." He stepped closer and held Qiu Ling''s hand, following him into the building like that. Ah, maybe they didn''t have as much of a history as Jing He and Qiu Ling had but right now, he was the one spending time with Qiu Ling. That gave him all the advantage he needed.


    Maybe he was egoistic for thinking like that but even if he wasn''t as important, as beautiful, understanding or knowledgeable as Jing He, he still didn''t want to give up on Qiu Ling. No, this person was his lover and this life was his life. He would try to keep both of them for as long as he could even if that was a problem for Jing He.


    Jing Yi waited for Qiu Ling to close the door behind them and then took off his outer robe, his gaze kept ahead as if he didn''t notice that Qiu Ling was looking at him. He folded the robe and hung it over the chair at the table, walking to the bed and sitting down at the edge before he turned to Qiu Ling. He smiled sweetly and then motioned at Qiu Ling''s robe. "Didn''t we want to go to sleep? Why aren''t you getting ready then?"


    Qiu Ling froze and his gaze darted about. This ¡­ Well, it wasn''t like he had never slept next to Jing Yi like this but right now, it seemed different. Maybe it was because they had just talked about Jing He or because he had thought about him so much in the last few days but it somehow felt strange to see Jing Yi take off his outer robe this readily. Jing He certainly never would''ve done that.


    Ah, just thinking back to the last night they had spent together in the Nine Heavens before Jing He descended for his trial, he felt that things were vastly different now. Back then, Jing He hadn''t been as open. Even though he had already promised to marry him as well and they had just waited for him to start on his trial and then return, he had obviously not been prepared to spend the night with Qiu Ling like this. No, he was still way too much bound by the customs of his race. A man that wasn''t his husband couldn''t be allowed to see him like this or sleep next to him like that. It would''ve been unthinkable.


    With Jing Yi though ¡­ It wasn''t too strange. Even before they became an official couple, they had traveled together for a year where they would often spend the night outside without any clearly defined spot to sleep on. Whether it was lying next to a campfire together or sleeping on a bed, they might be just as close. The only difference was in how they perceived the place. So this wasn''t too strange.


    Qiu Ling nodded ¡ª half to Jing Yi and half to himself ¡ª and took off his outer robe, folding it and putting it on the chair next to Jing Yi''s. Then he approached the bed and sat down next to him, his gaze moving to Jing Yi''s hands. "It feels as if it has been a long time since we were here even though not that much has actually passed."


    Jing Yi nodded. "That''s true. Well, even if not much time has passed, a lot has changed already. I''m glad we made up. Previously, it was all my fault. If I can make it up to you somehow ¡­"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "It was my fault as well. I didn''t explain previously. I also lied to you about a lot of things because of Jing He''s trial. If I told you truly who I am from the very beginning, then you wouldn''t have misunderstood those memories that much."


    Jing Yi nodded. "I''m still happy. If I had known from the beginning, I might have struggled more and we might not be together now. Even though we were separated for a long time, it is still much better to be together now. That''s the most important. That we''re together." He reached over and grabbed Qiu Ling''s hand, giving him a bright smile.


    Qiu Ling smiled in return, relief spreading through him. It seemed that Jing Yi had really taken it well. Ah, he had worried for nothing. Jing Yi was able to understand and that even though he was a mortal that didn''t know much about the gods and those trials.


    In that case, Jing He who had known from the very beginning that this trial would happen should have even less of an issue with whatever happened now. His letting Jing Yi live should be the right decision. Well, he couldn''t make any other anyway but now he was sure that Jing He would understand. He would realize it was so he could do the trial he was supposed to do.


    Qiu Ling squeezed Jing Yi''s hand and then motioned back at the bed. "Let''s lie down then."


    Jing Yi gave a murmur and lay down, shifting to the inner side of the bed to make space for Qiu Ling. He watched his lover lie down and then snuggled up against his chest. "I''m happy we''re together again."


    Qiu Ling rubbed his back in response, lowering his head until their foreheads touched. "I would never let you stay in the demon realm."


    Jing Yi''s lips curled up. "I know. I was sure that you would come and get me. I never doubted it. I trust you." He couldn''t help but think back to Xiang Yu''s words at that time. Hadn''t that guy said that Jing He had loved Qiu Ling but not trusted him? That maybe ¡­ maybe this was his chance to shine brighter than Jing He for once. He would certainly love it if that could be true.

 Chapter 784 - Good Morning

    Jing Yi snuggled up against Qiu Ling''s chest, letting his lover hug him. This was probably his best bet for surpassing Jing He. As far as he remembered, that person wasn''t willing to be too close to Qiu Ling physically. He would always keep a distance of at least one step between them, refuse to kiss him or even hold his hands. He would never show the slightest amount of skin either, always wrapping his body up in several layers of clothes, making sure that not even his wrists would be exposed by accident.


    Even if Jing He was perfect in all regards, this point had to have been a problem between him and Qiu Ling considering how direct his lover was. In that case, this was his chance. As long as he was able to use this one thing where he was better than him, then there was a chance to occupy Jing He''s spot in Qiu Ling''s heart. He just needed this chance. Everything else could be figured out afterward.


    Qiu Ling didn''t think much of it and just hugged his beloved to his chest. Now that he had talked things through with Jing Yi, he felt much more assured and the guilty conscience he had felt before was more or less gone.


    Yes, there was still some slight worry about how Jing He would react when he woke up but he also thought that it wouldn''t be too bad. After all, Jing He was a very understanding person and even Jing Yi had been able to accept the situation and he was the one who was really put at a disadvantage. After all, he would have to give up his own life for Jing He to wake up again. As for Jing He, he might have to wait longer until he woke up but it wasn''t like he would die.


    The two of them fell asleep like that, hugging each other until the sun rose the next day, the rays falling through the window, painting the room in a golden hue.


    Qiu Ling opened his eyes and his lips curled into a smile when he looked at the person in his arms. Ah, he had missed this. There was nothing better than hugging your beloved to sleep and waking up together with him.


    Actually, each day could be like this. Maybe after the trial was over and they had married and lived in the dragon realm, that would really come true. Then they could even sleep in and only rise after the sun climbed much higher, enjoying each other''s company for as long as possible.


    Qiu Ling reached up and stroked Jing Yi''s back, his fingers brushing through his hair. Mn, his beloved was really very cute when he was sleeping like this. It really made him want to snuggle for a while longer. Unfortunately, he had promised to have that fight with the people from the Yang Huo Sect today. Even though he hadn''t given them a time, he probably couldn''t wait too long or his beloved would be angry. After all, they still had to fulfill the task the Sect Master had given them.


    Qiu Ling sighed and rolled around, coming to lie on top of Jing Yi. Even if they couldn''t snuggle for much longer, he should at least be allowed to wake up his beloved with a good morning kiss, shouldn''t he?


    He smiled to himself, cradled his beloved''s waist with one arm and cupped his cheek with his other hand and then leaned down.


    Jing Yi''s eyelashes fluttered when his love lover''s warm breath touched his skin and he cracked his eyes open. Seeing Qiu Ling this close with his lips pursed for a kiss, he closed them again, pretending not to have woken up yet.


    Their lips touched, the light feeling making both of their hearts flutter.


    Qiu Ling sighed and continued, deepening their kiss instead of pulling back. Ah, his beloved wasn''t awake yet. He should really ¡­ make sure that he thoroughly woke him up. The soft lips parted and Qiu Ling''s gaze darted to Jing Yi''s eyes, meeting with his gaze. He pulled back slightly, gulping. His beloved wouldn''t be angry at him, would he?


    Jing Yi smiled and reached up, cupping Qiu Ling''s cheeks in return. "Is that all? I thought you were going to continue."


    Qiu Ling''s lips parted as if he wanted to say something but he didn''t know what. Was this really his beloved? Although Jing Yi had agreed to marry him before, other things had happened since then, driving them apart again. Even though they had talked things through, he wouldn''t have thought that that would be enough to get back to where they had stopped before. After all, before Jing Yi promised to marry him he had always seemed a little reluctant to go through with it. Could it really be that ¡­ he had reconsidered?


    Jing Yi smiled and then raised his head, pressing his lips against Qiu Ling''s. He pulled back after just a moment and smiled, his fingers brushing Qiu Ling''s cheek. "Good morning."


    Qiu Ling looked at in him a daze. Could somebody explain to him what was happening? He really didn''t understand. Was his beloved inviting him to continue? Or had he just accepted that kiss and kissed him back without meaning anything else? Was this really just a greeting or ¡­?


    Jing Yi smiled even brighter. "What''s with you today? Don''t tell me you stopped liking me."


    Qiu Ling shook his head and then leaned down, his lips returning to Jing Yi''s to prove to him that he definitely still liked him. Their skin touched and finally, Qiu Ling pulled himself out of his stupor and gave a smile himself. "Good morning."


    Yes, this really was a good morning. It felt like even though they had had to go through a lot, they had still managed to make the best of it and finally got together again. That had to mean that it was worth it.

 Chapter 785 - He Should Have That Much Insight

    The two of them continued to stay in bed, hugging and enjoying each other''s company. Qiu Ling didn''t waste even a single thought on the people of the Yang Huo Sect. What fight? What stupid task? It was much more important to spend time with his beloved!


    Jing Yi remembered that there was something they had to do today but he didn''t bother to remind Qiu Ling. Even though he knew that it was important to keep the disciples and Elder occupied, he couldn''t resist using this time that he finally had alone with Qiu Ling to further their feelings. And hadn''t Qiu Ling said yesterday that the Sect Master had to have another plan for the night? Maybe that plan could be used for another few hours ¡­


    In the end, unlike a certain someone Jing Yi still couldn''t put away his guilty conscience forever. He sighed and sat up, looking at the window with a wistful expression. Maybe it was because they just talked about it yesterday but he felt that it would be better if he spent more time with Qiu Ling right now. Showing him that he was here and that he was important to him, wouldn''t that strengthen their bond? He would''ve given a lot to be able to continue with that.


    Qiu Ling looked up at him, still holding his waist and finally buried his head at Jing Yi''s back. "My love ¡­ Do we really have to get up? I think it would be alright to continue to stay in bed for a while longer. It''s not like anybody''s waiting for us, is it?"


    Jing Yi glanced at the person that was still shamelessly clinging to him and spouting such nonsense. He knew he should probably scold him for behaving like this but in the end, he reached down, clasping the hand on his stomach. "What are you even saying? Didn''t you want to have a fight with those Yang Huo Sect disciples? How will you do that if you continue to stay in bed? Or do you want to beat them in being able to sleep longer?"


    Qiu Ling gave a hum. "Sounds like a good fight to me." Honestly, if he was able to have that type of fight, he would definitely engage in it. Forcing him to leave his beloved like this, that Yang Huo Sect was really trying to make trouble for him. Ah, he should pay them back later on when they really had that fight!


    Qiu Ling sighed and also sat up, pursing his lips. "Alright, let''s go and beat them up then. I''ll just hurry so we can return home." He leaned closer to Jing Yi, cupped his cheek and gave him another peck on the lips. Then he jumped out of the bed with a grin and picked up his outer robe. He looked at it and finally threw it into his spatial ring, taking out another one.


    Other than for the Gathering of Practitioners, nobody had ever complained that he wasn''t wearing the sect robes so it shouldn''t be a problem if he wore something else again. And since he would have the chance to fight today, he should dress well to impress his beloved a little more. Even though Jing Yi had promised to marry him, it couldn''t hurt to remind him every now and then just how handsome his husband-to-be was.


    Jing Yi watched Qiu Ling get dressed and smiled to himself. If he didn''t consider yesterday, then nothing seemed to have changed between them. Qiu Ling was still the same person he had been before all of this happened. Yes, his fiance wouldn''t suddenly stop being the person he knew. Whatever mask he had been wearing in the Nine Heavens when he met Jing He, he shouldn''t think about that too much. The person in front of him, right here, that was the person he loved. And nothing would change about him.


    Qiu Ling straightened his sleeves and then raised his brows at Jing Yi. "My love, could it be that you don''t want to get up after all? Would you rather stay in bed and cuddle with your future husband a while longer? You just have to say the word and I''ll get right back in." He moved to jump back onto the bed but Jing Yi already shook his head and stood up.


    "How could that be? As much as I''d like to spend the time with you, I still want to see you deal with those people from the Yang Huo Sect." He put on his outer robe and then stepped in front of Qiu Ling, grabbing his hands. "And didn''t you promise to show me how to fly today? We can''t do that while in bed, can we?"


    Qiu Ling''s gaze darted around. He actually had something to say to that but he didn''t dare to speak his thoughts out loud. What if his beloved grew angry? Anyway ¡­ "Of course. Since I''ve promised, I''ll do so. Let''s go deal with these bastards and then do our own thing. The Sect Master certainly wouldn''t assign us to some other sect after we''ve dealt with the first one, would he?"


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but laugh. Actually, if Qiu Ling really managed to get rid of the Yang Huo Sect after just two days, the Sect Master might do just that. After all, the goal was probably to make all the sects leave and not just the Yang Huo Sect. In that case, the sooner they got rid of them, the better for the Yun Zou Sect.


    With Qiu Ling''s talent at annoying people, he was probably predestined for this task. Still, even if they got that task, it wouldn''t be a bad thing either. Working on a task together was exciting to some degree and after the sects left, they would have time for each other again. So until then ¡­


    Jing Yi tiptoed and gave his lover another kiss. "If he does, then it''s only because he has acknowledged what great skills my fiance has. It just shows that his eyes are very good."


    Qiu Ling hummed. "Mn, he should have that much insight as the Sect Master." He beamed and then pulled his beloved with him out of the bamboo hut. Ah, he would show Jing Yi just how great his future husband was!

 Chapter 786 - He Asked the Right Person

    The two of them leisurely walked over to the courtyard where the Yang Huo Sect had been accommodated, only to be met with the not-so-happy face of the disciple that had greeted them yesterday.


    The young man fumed, even his shoulders shaking in anger while he tried to hide his clenched fists under his sleeves. "The Yun Zou Sect sure is sincere challenging us to a duel and then not turning up!"


    Jing Yi''s face showed a hint of embarrassment while Qiu Ling just lazily raised his brows at the other man. "What do you mean not showing up? Aren''t we here now? If I remember correctly, I just said tomorrow morning. Which is now. How can you say I didn''t show up for the duel?"


    The disciple gritted his teeth and seemed to be just one step away from pulling out his sword and attacking him right away without waiting for the duel to commence. He took a deep breath and remembered what Elder Gongxi had said. They couldn''t let their emotions get the better of them in front of these two. They had to keep calm so the Yun Zou Sect wouldn''t get any handle on them. Otherwise, they''d be jeopardizing their mission. No, they had to stall these two for as long as possible so they could find out more about that recent stroke of luck the Yun Zou Sect had had.


    The Yang Huo Sect''s disciple forced a smile and then motioned at the house behind him. "Well, as long as you''ve turned up, everything is alright. Why don''t we head in first?"


    Jing Yi already wanted to nod but Qiu Ling squeezed his hand, signaling him not to promise anything. He narrowed his eyes at the disciple and gave a cold smile. "Aiya, since the Yang Huo Sect already felt that we were late, we shouldn''t delay things even further. How about you call out the other disciples so we can start with the duels right now? I wouldn''t mind at all."


    The disciple froze, alerting Jing Yi to the fact that he had indeed missed something before. Ah, thankfully, Qiu Ling was with him! Otherwise, he really would''ve let Sect Master Yuchi down. Well, not that the Sect Master had given the task to him. Most likely, it was just Qiu Ling they wanted to do it. After all, what kind of status did he have in the sect? Even though he had become an inner sect disciple, that had mostly relied on Qiu Ling and he didn''t have a Master. With that being the case, he was just one among many. That was hardly the status needed to deal with important guests and even though the Yun Zou Sect wanted to make the Yang Huo Sect leave as soon as possible, they still counted as important guests for as long as they were here.


    The Yang Huo Sect''s disciple gave a strained smile. "Ah, don''t take my previous comment to heart. It''s just that ¡­ I was very eager to fight. But we should still sit down and discuss everything beforehand."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. "What''s there to discuss? Wasn''t there an agreement drafted? Since nobody will be held accountable for anything that happens, there is no need to wait any longer. Especially since you''re so eager to fight."


    The disciple''s lips parted but he didn''t know what to say. He wasn''t like Elder Gongxi who had years dealing with such matters. And even the Elder had had his fair share of trouble when dealing with Qiu Ling. It wasn''t strange that a young disciple would fare even worse.


    The disciple cleared his throat and gave a wry smile. "Then ¡­ I should go and tell the Elder."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Sure, go and tell the Elder. Don''t forget to call over the other disciples as well. I''m sure they are all inside, eagerly waiting for our duel."


    The disciple''s lips twitched. What was he supposed to say to that? ''Yes, sure they are?'' He was still trying to find a way to let one of them slip away! In the end, he could only try to skirt around the topic. "Don''t worry. I certainly won''t forget to call them out." That should be vague enough, shouldn''t it? He took a doubtful look at Qiu Ling and then went inside, silently cursing himself.


    Ah, he had stepped right into that guy''s trap, hadn''t he? But he really didn''t know what he should''ve done differently. It seemed that whatever he said, there would always be a way for that guy to somehow get the outcome he wanted. Ah, he should just tell the Elder about what had happened and hope that he would have an idea about what to do.


    Outside of the house, Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling and gave a bright smile. "The Sect Master really asked the right person it seems. You''ve dealt with that really well. Yesterday already and today as well. If it was just me, I wouldn''t have been able to do that."


    Qiu Ling hummed happily. Being praised by his beloved certainly was the best feeling in the world. Ah, he really wanted to experience this more often! Unfortunately, he couldn''t bask in the moment right now.


    He squeezed Jing Yi''s hand once again and smiled back at him. "Ah, I''m sure you''ll learn how to do that as well. You just haven''t had to deal with as many troublesome people as me. Wait a few years more and you''ll be able to take care of them even better."


    He really didn''t think that Jing Yi would have trouble with this. While he was able to annoy people to death with a few words, Jing He had been able to use the right words so that everyone would happen to agree with him whether they wanted to or not. And the best thing about it was that nobody was able to fault him for it. After all, he had been so thoughtful and considerate toward them that it really made them feel reluctant to blame him. Nobody would ever consider that he would deliberately do something against their interests. He just gave off that kind of feeling.

 Chapter 787 - Not Feeling Well

    Elder Gongxi wasn''t happy when the Yang Huo Sect''s disciple had finished reporting what happened outside. He tightened his lips and looked towards the front door. "The Yun Zou Sect sure is going all out to make us leave. They won''t get their way with this though. I hope you all remember your tasks for today."


    The disciples nodded, making the Elder break into a bright smile. "Well, then let''s go and give these two a surprise they won''t forget that fast. I''m really interested to see how that Qiu Ling''s face will look when he finds out that we''re a step ahead of him."


    The disciples exchanged glances and chuckled. With what the Elder was planning, they could imagine that that guy would be livid. But what could he do? They were still the honored guests of the Yun Zou Sect. Even if he wanted to complain, he would have nowhere to run to. After all, the Grandmaster might be able to show some favoritism to his disciple but he couldn''t be too blatant. Otherwise, the whole Yun Zou Sect would suffer from it. Especially now that all of the other first-tier sects and even some of the second-tier sects were here.


    Elder Gongxi led the disciples to the door and gave Qiu Ling and Jing Yi a smile. "I''m sorry you had to wait. The disciples are prepared now so we can commence with the duel."


    Qiu Ling smiled. "That would be great but ¡­" He glanced from Elder Gongxi''s face to the door behind him and narrowed his eyes. "Didn''t you forget one of your disciples inside?"


    Elder Gongxi froze slightly but his smile didn''t collapse. He had expected as much. As the Grandmaster''s disciple, this guy certainly had the skills to determine whether there was somebody left in the house or not. "Ah, yes, one of the disciples isn''t feeling well. I''m afraid he won''t be able to take part in the duel."


    Qiu Ling gave a hum. "So it''s like that. What a pity. I was really looking forward to dueling all of your disciples."


    Elder Gongxi put on a troubled expression. "You wouldn''t insist on having the duel with him today, would you?"


    "Ah, how could that be? Since your disciple isn''t well, there''s nothing we can do. A delicate person such as this shouldn''t be strained too much. That wouldn''t be good for their health."


    The disciples behind Elder Gongxi grabbed onto their swords, glaring daggers at Qiu Ling. What was this guy saying again?!


    Elder Gongxi shot them a warning glance. He definitely couldn''t let these guys make trouble again. He turned back to Qiu Ling and nodded. "Yes, we''ll have to pay some more attention to his training after we get back to the Yang Huo Sect. He hasn''t lived up to my expectations this time."


    Qiu Ling nodded as if he could understand very well. "You must be so disappointed."


    Elder Gongxi didn''t bother to say anything to that. With this guy, the less he said the better it was. Otherwise, he would twist words and logic and achieve his goal in that way.


    Qiu Ling wasn''t bothered by Elder Gongxi''s lack of reaction. He didn''t really need a second person to help his plan along. In fact, it might even be beneficial if the Elder didn''t bother to say anything. "Well, I guess your disciple will be even more disappointed. I mean he also looked forward to having this fight and now he can''t even take part. It''s really sad." He sighed and then looked at Jing Yi, taking his hand.


    "My love, do you think it would be alright if we invited the disciple along so he can at least watch the fight? I think that would be better than having to stay in the house and not being able to do anything. I remember that when the Gathering of Practitioners was held ten years ago, you also came to watch to learn about sword arts. I''m sure you''ve learned a lot on that day, haven''t you?"


    Jing Yi lowered his head but couldn''t help but smile. Ah, he understood what Qiu Ling meant this time! "That''s right. I didn''t know much yet but I felt that I understood a little better after watching. I''m sure that a disciple that had proper training before would be able to learn even more."


    "Ah, I guess we should really do that then." He turned back to Elder Gongxi and continued to smile. "Elder, why don''t you invite your disciple out? He can just sit to the side and watch the fights of his martial brothers. Even if he isn''t able to learn anything, I''m sure he''d like to be their moral support. After all, losing all the time will be difficult to bear for them as well."


    The Yang Huo Sect disciples stared at Qiu Ling speechlessly. Had this guy just said that they would lose all the time? Even if he was the Grandmaster''s disciple, he couldn''t be serious!


    None of them had been there back at the Gathering of Practitioners. When Zhou Wu described Qiu Ling''s fights after getting back to the Yang Huo Sect, everyone had just thought that he was exaggerating to save some face. The other disciples hadn''t bothered to correct everybody''s perception either. After all, with Zhou Wu out of the way, their own status in the Yang Huo Sect would be one step higher. Who knew? They might even become the next head disciple of Elder Gongxi.


    Thus none of the disciples that were visiting the Yun Zou Sect this time had any idea of what Qiu Ling was really capable of. There were sure that he was a talented genius but so were they. With him fighting against all of them, he was bound to lose sooner or later.


    Elder Gongxi also wasn''t happy with this. The last ten years had been spent training the disciples even harder, preparing them for such an occasion. Even if they had a fight now, he didn''t think that they would lose just as badly. No, this time, his disciples ¡ª even if they lost ¡ª they would still be able to save some face for their Yang Huo Sect.


    At the very least, that was what he thought.

 Chapter 788 - Still Underestimated Him

    Thinking of that, Elder Gongxi took a deep breath. "I''m sure that the situation of my Yang Huo Sect''s disciples wouldn''t be this disastrous. Why don''t we just go and see what the results will be?"


    Qiu Ling chuckled. "Sure. Should I have somebody bring over a chair for your sick disciple?"


    Elder Gongxi couldn''t help but take another deep breath. Was this guy still going on about that? Well, it seemed he wouldn''t easily get around this. "I''m not sure if that would be such a good idea. Suddenly falling this sick, there might be something up. It would be better if he rested a while longer."


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but look at Qiu Ling hurriedly. It was reasonable to let the disciple rest if he was seriously sick. How would they get around this?


    Qiu Ling brushed through his hair and gave him a reassuring smile. "My love, look at you! Are you this worried about him? Well, what Elder Gongxi just said does sound quite dangerous. Who knows if there won''t be some hidden problems that might impede his cultivation? Maybe it would be better if he had somebody take a look. What about the peak master ¡­" Qiu Ling pondered. Wasn''t there some peak master that was supposed to be good with pills and herbs and stuff? What was his name again?


    Jing Yi smiled. "Ah, you mean we could ask the Grandelder? Yes, that''s a good idea!"


    Elder Gongxi''s lips tightened. "The Yun Zou Sect sure is accommodating, even wanting to ask the Grandelder''s help on our disciple''s behalf. But the Grandelder must surely be very busy. We shouldn''t trouble him with this."


    This time, Jing Yi perked up and his eyes sparkled. He knew how to deal with this! "Elder Gongxi might be right. The Grandelder is a very busy person. Ah, but don''t you worry! I''ve actually had the luck to meet his head disciple, Nian Hong Fang, before. I''m sure senior martial brother Nian would be willing to lend a hand. Even though he can''t boast to be at the Grandelder''s level yet, he learned a lot from his Master and will certainly be able to help you disciple out."


    Qiu Ling nodded happily along. "Yes! My beloved is right. Maybe Nian ¡­ Hong Fang will be able to make sure that your disciple will get back onto his feet in just a moment. Then he can even join in on the duel." He turned to Jing Yi and smiled.


    Right now, he regretted a bit that he hadn''t taught Jing Yi how to fly yesterday. If he had, then he would be able to send him to get that Nian Hong Fang right now. Now though ¡­ He could hardly leave on his own and let Jing Yi remain here with these guys, could he? Even though Jing Yi had managed to react well just now, he still wasn''t that used to this kind of scheming. He might get caught in Elder Gongxi''s trap if he was alone. He couldn''t let that happen. In that case ¡­


    Qiu Ling wanted to take out his transmission stone and ask his father to help when he remembered that the person in question wasn''t even there. Ah, now of all times! And he couldn''t ask the old geezer to pass along a message to anybody either. After all, he himself wasn''t in the sect and who knew where that Xin Lan had vanished to? It seemed he''d have to think of something else.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. He didn''t know too many people in the Yun Zou Sect but it wasn''t like any of them would have a transmission stone that he could connect to. After all, these guys still used those super old-fashioned paper cranes that ¡ª


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened. Right! These guys still used paper cranes. Even though he didn''t have any himself, it wasn''t like it was difficult to make them. He could just take out a bit of paper and fold it the right away and then he could send it out.


    Qiu Ling raised his hand and looked at his spatial ring. Somewhere in there should be a scroll of paper. He rummaged about the room that was tied to it and finally, his face lit up in delight. There! He pulled out the scroll and handed it to Jing Yi before he also pulled out a brush and some ink. "Let''s just write him a message."


    He looked at the brush and the ink and then at the scroll and furrowed his brows. He couldn''t write like that! He once again looked at his ring and then pulled out a table and a chair, taking the scroll from his beloved and sitting down to write his letter.


    "What was his name again?"


    "Ah?" Jing Yi could only look at his lover uncomprehendingly.


    "The disciple of the Grandelder. What was he called?"


    "Nian ¡­ Nian Hong Fang." Jing Yi looked at the table doubtfully. He wouldn''t have thought that Qiu Ling was still able to surprise him after they had been together for that long but it seemed there were still things he didn''t know about him.


    How come he was casually bringing a desk and a chair around with him? Was this a normal thing to do in the dragon realm? Even though he knew that Qiu Ling had a spatial ring, he still couldn''t help but feel that it was strange. There couldn''t be that much space inside that ring, could there? So if there already was a desk ¡­ Wouldn''t he have much less space for the rest?


    And Qiu Ling didn''t seem so organized that he believed he would ever arrange everything on the table. No, he was pretty sure that everything in that space would be lying around higgledy-piggledy.


    Qiu Ling didn''t notice Jing Yi''s befuddlement. He just wrote a short notice to Nian Hong Fang where he should go, not even bothering to explain the situation. Then, he folded the paper crane, imbued some spiritual energy and sent it off before putting away the desk and chair.


    "Well, that is done. I guess now we only need to wait for him to come over. I hope your disciples won''t get too impatient, Elder Gongxi. If they are, then we could just have one duel here already so your sick disciple can watch from the window. I wouldn''t mind at all."


    Elder Gongxi gritted his teeth. Sure he wouldn''t! Looking at the spot where the table and chair had just appeared and then vanished again, he couldn''t help but be afraid that he had still underestimated this person.

 Chapter 789 - He Wanted to Know What Happened

    The paper crane left the valley where the Yang Huo Sect had been accommodated and then flew to the beast taming mountain, reaching the gate of Elder Geng''s palace. It fluttered around, finally slipping through a crack in the window.


    Inside, Nian Hong Fang was sitting at the table with Elder Geng, looking desolate. "You still haven''t heard from him?"


    Elder Geng sighed. Ah, if only his disciple would send at least a message. Always having to send Nian Hong Fang away without as much as a word from him really made his head hurt. That child always looked as if the world would collapse at any moment if he still couldn''t find out what happened to Zhi Wu.


    With a feeling of having to console his daughter-in-law after his son disappeared, he reached out and held Nian Hong Fang''s hand. "I haven''t heard from him yet. But I talked to the Sect Master about it recently. I''m sure that he will soon try to find out more about what happened. He might be able to ascertain his fate."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded but he couldn''t help but feel sour inwardly. Only now, the Sect Master had found out. If Wu Min Huan had done as he had promised and asked him earlier, then maybe they would already know what had happened to Zhi Wu. Maybe they could''ve even sent somebody to save him from whatever trouble he had gotten into. He might already be back at the sect, enjoying his life again. Now though ¡­


    Elder Geng tightened his lips. Ah, he really didn''t know what to do with Nian Hong Fang. Since he didn''t know what had happened to his disciple there was nothing worthwhile to say. He could only offer a few empty words but that would hardly help. In another one or two weeks'' time, Nian Hong Fang would just come back and look at him with sad eyes again, asking whether he had heard from Zhi Wu. Nothing would change.


    If only the Sect Master had already started to investigate this. Unfortunately, with the other sects around, he wouldn''t be able to do anything. They had already lost many talents so they didn''t have the manpower to keep these people busy and search for Zhi Wu.


    Elder Geng patted Nian Hong Fang''s hand. Even if he couldn''t offer a solution right now, he could at least give him a bit of hope. "Right now, those sects are still here so the Sect Master will have to pay attention to that but as soon as they leave, I''m sure he''ll take care of Zhi Wu''s issue. Just wait until then. I''m sure we''ll hear from him soon."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded but his hopes weren''t too high. If it was that easy to find out what had happened to Zhi Wu, they already would''ve brought him back. Since they hadn''t it meant that the situation was complicated and that Zhi Wu was likely at a place where he couldn''t be easily found or escape from himself. He also understood that. So even if the Sect Master finally paid attention to this case, that didn''t have to mean anything. In the end, Zhi Wu might still not return to him.


    Just when the two of them descended into awkward silence, the paper crane fluttered onto the table in-between them, turning to Nian Hong Fang before finally lying still.


    Nian Hong Fang raised his brows. His heart couldn''t help but thump. Despite better knowledge, whenever he saw a paper crane arriving like that, he would always wonder if just maybe this was a message from Zhi Wu. He just liked to imagine that wherever he was, Zhi Wu wouldn''t have forgotten about him and think of him just as much as he thought of Zhi Wu. Maybe he would hold out at that place, thinking of what he''d say when they saw each other again or even writing a letter every now and then so that he''d be able to send him one if there ever was an opportunity to at least get a message out.


    Even after almost five years, this hope hadn''t died. He knew that this paper crane probably wasn''t from him just like all the others that had reached him over these years but he just couldn''t help but hold onto this tiny hope.


    Nian Hong Fang let go of Elder Geng''s hand and reached out for the paper crane, his fingers slightly trembling when he unfolded it. The handwriting that finally greeted him dashed his hopes.


    Not his.


    Not his again.


    He had never seen this handwriting before. So once again, it wasn''t Zhi Wu reaching out to him. Once again, it was just a message somebody had sent him.


    Elder Geng sighed and took back his own hand, examining Nian Hong Fang''s expression. He could only hope that there would soon be good news about his disciple. He really didn''t know how long this boy would be able to take it. Five years were too long.


    Nian Hong Fang took a deep breath and read the message. A hint of surprise flashed through his eyes. How coincidental! Just when Elder Geng had told him that they would need to wait for the other sects to leave before the Sect Master would do anything about Zhi Wu''s situation, he actually got a letter asking him to help with getting rid of one of the sects.


    He smiled to himself and then got up, tugging the paper crane into his sleeve and bowing to Elder Geng. "Elder, there''s something I have to do. I''ll come back another day."


    Elder Geng nodded and also got up. "You do that then. Don''t worry too much about Zhi Wu. Who knows what happened? Anyway, he''s strong. I''m sure he''ll be alright."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded and then left the Elder''s house, flying over to the valley where Qiu Ling and Jing Yi were waiting. If there was something he could do to make any of these sects leave sooner and thus have somebody look into Zhi Wu''s case earlier, then he would do his best. If he could, he would even make all the sects leave today so that he would finally find out what had happened to that person. Even if he couldn''t get him back, he at least wanted to know what had happened.

 Chapter 790 - Another Guest

    At this point in time, a disciple rushed up the Sect Master''s peak and then tried to slow his steps when he approached the study. He hesitated before finally stepping in and cupping his fists, bowing to Yuchi Bing Xia. "Sect Master, there''s another group of people at the gate. They are from the Chun Feng Sect this time."


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked up from the stack of documents he had been halfheartedly dealing with and raised his brows. "The Chun Feng Sect? Who is leading them?"


    The disciple lowered his hands and straightened up again. "There isn''t any Elder with them. The one that spoke to us was the Sect Master''s head disciple, Liu Cheng."


    "Liu Cheng?" Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows and put down his brush. Since the person leading those disciples wasn''t an Elder and just a disciple, it wouldn''t do for him to go and greet him even if that person was Xian Xun''s head disciple. Yu Jin wasn''t there so maybe he should send Wu Min Huan to greet him instead?


    He slowly nodded to himself and then motioned at the disciple in the doorway. "You go and tell Wu Min Huan to take care of this. He should see what they want and if they''d like to stay, he should make preparations. Also, I''d like to meet with Liu Cheng so have Min Huan bring him over."


    The disciple nodded. "Yes, Sect Master." He left the study and then went to find Wu Min Huan.


    Yuchi Bing Xia narrowed his eyes and leaned back on his chair. The Chun Feng Sect ¡­ He and Sect Master Xian were on good terms and had helped each other out more than once. He didn''t want to believe that this person would send a few of his disciples here to spy on them like the others. No, if he sent them, there should be something else to this. He''d like to hear from Liu Cheng himself just what the Chun Feng Sect was planning.


    Meanwhile, Yuchi Bing Xia''s own disciple could hardly believe his ears. "The Sect Master wants me to greet the guests from the Chun Feng Sect?" His eyes went wide and his hands started sweating. Could it really be true? He felt that it had been ages since his Master had given him any tasks. Wasn''t it normally Yu Jin who would do everything? And the Chun Feng Sect had friendly relations with them so they were more important than the other sects. Not to mention their status as the most prominent demon-hunting sect that had given them a spot outside of the normal ranking. Being allowed to greet their delegation really made him feel that his Master valued him!


    He straightened his shoulders and smoothed out his sleeves, giving a bright smile. He had to show his Master that he was just as capable as Yu Jin in handling these matters! "Very well, then I''ll go and greet them. Thank you for coming over and telling me." He took out his sword and then flew to the gate of the Yun Zou Sect.


    Seeing Liu Cheng, Wu Min Huan''s smile brightened even further. They had already dealt with each other in the past so he was even surer that he would be able to complete this task to his Master''s satisfaction.


    He accelerated the speed of his flying sword and finally jumped down in front of Liu Cheng. "Liu Cheng!"


    The demon hunter nodded in return. "Wu Min Huan. It''s nice to see you."


    "Mn, I''m glad that you came by. Do you intend to stay?"


    Liu Cheng gave another curt nod. "Well, we do if it won''t make even more trouble for your Yun Zou Sect. We heard that the other first-tier and some of the second-tier sects had come by and were afraid you would have your hands full dealing with them. We were coming to see if there''s something we can help with."


    Wu Min Huan nodded. "It''s good to have friends like that. Well, then let''s find a place for your martial brothers and sisters to stay. I''ll bring you to my Master afterward."


    Liu Cheng cupped his fists and bowed. "Thank you very much."


    Wu Min Huan shook his head and helped him up. "Don''t mention it. We''re happy that we have a friend we can count on in this kind of situation." He motioned at the gate and stepped to the side. "Why don''t you follow me first?"


    Liu Cheng motioned at the disciples behind him, giving Hong Bao an extra glance to make sure she wouldn''t run around and cause trouble. They were here to help the Yun Zou Sect. Although he agreed that Hong Bao needed more experiences outside of the Chun Feng Sect, he couldn''t let her cause any chaos here that might burden the Yun Zou Sect even further.


    Hong Bao merely looked at him and gave a bright smile, shuffling closer and then reaching out to grab his sleeve. She had never been to this Yun Zou Sect before but she was happy that her senior martial brother Liu had taken her with him. They would certainly have a lot of fun on this mission!


    Seeing her gaze, Liu Cheng couldn''t help the sinking feeling in his chest. Ah, it seemed he would need to keep an eye on her or things might really get troublesome.


    Wu Min Huan didn''t notice the short exchange between them and brought them to a courtyard in the inner sect that stood in the area at the foot of the mountain peaks. He motioned at the door of the building and turned back to Liu Cheng. "This courtyard is currently empty but we had it prepared in case we''d get more visitors in the days to come. You can move right in if you want."


    "Thank you very much, Wu Min Huan." Liu Cheng nodded and turned to the others, motioning for them to get in.


    Wu Min Huan just smiled in return. "There''s no need to thank me. Then do you also want to move in first or do you want to talk to my Master first?"


    Liu Cheng looked at the others and wondered if he could really leave things to Hong Bao. He couldn''t help but fear how things would turn out if he left her alone with them. Still, he was here to offer the help of the Chun Feng Sect. He couldn''t do that if he didn''t talk to the Sect Master, could he? And maybe it would be better if he went there while the others were still moving in. After all, for the time being, it would mean that Hong Bao would be occupied. "Well, we''re guests so I guess it would be impolite not to go and see your Master."


    Wu Min Huan shook his head. "Nothing of the like. You can take your time if you want to."


    Liu Cheng shook his head again and motioned in the direction of the Sect Master''s peak. "Don''t worry about it. Just lead the way. I also have to relay my Master''s words."


    Wu Min Huan nodded and took a last look at the other disciples of the Chun Feng Sect before he led Liu Cheng over to his Master''s palace.

 Chapter 791 - There Was No Way of Knowing with Her

    Wu Min Huan entered Yuchi Bing Xia''s study and cupped his fists, bowing to his Master. "Master, I brought Liu Cheng of the Chun Feng Sect over."


    Liu Cheng stepped in behind him and also bowed. "Sect Master Yuchi, thank you for having me."


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked up from his documents and gave the two of them a smile. "Min Huan, thank you for your hard work. Liu Cheng, welcome in the Yun Zou Sect. I reckon your Master sent you?"


    Liu Cheng nodded. "Yes, we heard about the situation of the Yun Zou Sect. With all of the first-tier and even the second-tier sects coming here, we thought you might have trouble dealing with all of them. My Master had hoped that with us coming to show our support, you might be able to handle this better. If there''s anything our Chun Feng Sect can do to help you out in this situation, please don''t hesitate to use us."


    Yuchi Bing Xia almost heaved a sigh of relief. Ah, he should have expected this! Naturally, Xian Xun wouldn''t send his disciple over just to spy on them. If he wanted to know what was up, he would have asked. If he didn''t get an answer, he wouldn''t pry any longer and just let it rest. He wasn''t like the others who wanted to find out and use the knowledge for their own benefit or to make sure that nobody else would gain one.


    The Chun Feng Sect didn''t need to do that kind of thing. They already had a fixed status and they weren''t a normal cultivation sect anyway. So why should they contend with them for any benefit they had gained? For all they knew, they might not even be able to profit from it.


    "Tell your Master that I''m very grateful that he''s being this considerate. It means a lot to us that you''re willing to help us out in these times of need."


    "That''s a given."


    Yuchi Bing Xia motioned at the chair on the other side of the table. "Why don''t you have a seat first? Right now, there''s nothing you can help us with. Maybe if you kept an eye on the disciples of the other sects to make sure that they won''t sniff around too much, that''d be helpful but you don''t have to either. I already organized a few of our own disciples to do so. It''s just that they''ll have their hands full considering that there are so many people at once and they might not stay together."


    Liu Cheng nodded his head. "I see. I''ll tell my martial sisters and brothers. Even if they aren''t able to keep these people from looking around, it should at least make some less daring so they shouldn''t approach anything that is obviously off-limits."


    "That is more than enough."


    "Then I shouldn''t disturb the Sect Master any longer. You must be busy with everything happening."


    Yuchi Bing Xia shook his head. "There many things to do but after giving this task to the disciples, they are the ones bearing the brunt of everything. Since you''re already here tell me about how things are going on the Chun Feng Sect''s side. Is everything going well with your junior martial sister?"


    Liu Cheng nodded but he is lips couldn''t help but tighten. His junior martial sister ¡­ Hong Bao certainly wouldn''t need long to make herself comfortable in the courtyard. If she had already finished, who knew if she hadn''t gone off to make trouble?


    He didn''t want to be impolite but he didn''t want to talk to Sect Master Yuchi any longer. If he did, wasn''t it just inviting problems to himself? After all, as long as it was only the Yun Zou Sect disciples she got into trouble with, things might be able to be explained with just a few words considering their relationship. But if she antagonized the disciples of another sect ¡­ How would they get out of that?


    Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t notice how troubled Liu Cheng was though. Well, it was no wonder. Whether it was Xian Xun or Liu Cheng, neither of them were very talkative. Only getting one or two words in response to a question was nothing unusual. So he felt that Liu Cheng was just as always. "She wouldn''t have gotten into trouble because of that incident with the demonic sect, would she? I know your Master said that she returned without injury but I couldn''t help but be a little worried. If the Hei Dian Sect knows that she is actually from the Chun Feng Sect, they might target her in the future."


    "Mn." Liu Cheng''s gaze darted around. He had to get back to make sure that Hong Bao didn''t get into trouble. Maybe this was actually a good opportunity? He cleared his throat and then cupped his fists. "What Sect Master Yuchi said makes sense. Actually, she hasn''t left the sect very often in the last few years. And if she did, there was always somebody else around. I should probably go and check in on her now as well."


    Yuchi Bing Xia waved his hand. "Ah, Liu Cheng, don''t worry about it. Isn''t she in the Yun Zou Sect now? And you came with a lot of disciples from the Chun Feng Sect, as well? They will definitely be able to keep her safe. Furthermore, those other first- and second-tier sects certainly wouldn''t stand by if demonic practitioners broke in. If they did, they''d just be giving us an excuse to drive them away. They wouldn''t let that happen. So your junior martial sister is very safe here. You don''t have to worry."


    Liu Cheng''s lips twitched. Actually, he wasn''t worried about her safety. He somehow felt that there was no way anything would happen to Hong Bao. No, he was rather worried that she might do something that would make somebody else come to harm. There really was no way of knowing with her.

 Chapter 792 - It’s Nothing Much

    While Liu Cheng was still caught up in his conversation with the Sect Master, Hong Bao did indeed finish moving into the courtyard. Well, there was nothing much to do anyway. They hadn''t brought anything with them that didn''t fit into their bags so she merely went into the room, threw everything onto the table, took a look around and then left again. Nothing was interesting about a room but she hadn''t been to the Yun Zou Sect before so having a look around the premises would be much better.


    She wandered through the inner sect, looking at the disciples that were training outside and the buildings that were up on the peaks and down in the valley where the outer sect was. She didn''t really know where to go and could only walk around aimlessly, hoping that she would happen upon something interesting.


    Hong Bao didn''t need to look for long. She hadn''t gone far when a cultivator in a white robe flashed past her on a sword, making the scent of herbs linger in the air.


    Hong Bao''s eyes grew wide and she followed him with her gaze, sniffing the air. The demon hunters of the Chun Feng Sect also experimented a lot with herbs but for the most part, they used plants that would have adverse effects on demons or could be used in a fight. They seldom gave off such a nice scent.


    Hong Bao wanted to follow the person but with him flying in front at such a fast speed, she wouldn''t be able to catch up to him on foot. She stopped walking and pursed her lips. Somebody rushing around like that was probably in trouble. And considering what her senior martial brother Liu had said, they had come here to help the people of the Yun Zou Sect. Hence, she definitely had to catch up to this cultivator and help them out!


    After successfully convincing yourself that she had an excuse should Liu Cheng ask her later why she had done what she did, Hong Bao took out her flying sword, jumped onto it and rushed after the person in front of her.


    The person in question was none other than Nian Hong Fang who was on his way to meet Qiu Ling and Jing Yi at the courtyard where the Yang Huo Sect disciples were staying. He was concentrating that much on his hopes that he might be able to help the two of them drive away the Yang Huo Sect disciples and thus make the Sect Master pay attention to Zhi Wu''s case earlier that he didn''t even realize that someone was trailing him.


    Nian Hong Fang arrived at the building and leaped from his sword, keeping it in his bag. He nodded at Qiu Ling and Jing Yi and then at Elder Gongxi. "Senior martial brother Qiu, junior martial brother Jing. Elder Gongxi. I heard that there was something you need my help with?"


    Qiu Ling nodded and motioned at Elder Gongxi. "Yeah, ah, one of his disciples fell sick. But we agreed to have a duel today so ¡­ Is there something you can do? Like, get him back onto his feet in an instant? It would be such a pity if he wasn''t able to take part in our duel. Just imagine everybody else getting some experience and him having to stand to the side, only able to watch. That''d be so sad!"


    Nian Hong Fang didn''t know what happened previously but one look at Elder Gongxi''s face told him that he wasn''t happy at all. Well, it seemed that the Yang Huo Sect''s plans had already been countered quite well. If he could help Qiu Ling and Jing Yi deal with this last disciple, then they might indeed be able to drive them off. After all, would the Yang Huo Sect really have the face to stay at the Yun Zou Sect after they were that thoroughly defeated?


    Thinking of that, he gave a happy smile and nodded at Elder Gongxi. "So it''s like that. Then please let me take a look at your disciple. I''ll do my best to make sure he''ll get back on his feet in no time."


    Elder Gongxi gritted his teeth but still motioned inside. Since they had already brought out the disciple of the Grandelder, there was nothing he could do besides oblige.


    Nian Hong Fang followed him inside and gave the disciple a bright smile. Honestly, one didn''t need to have any skill in pill refinement or medicine to see that nothing was wrong with this person at all. Obviously, this had merely been a ploy to get out of the sight of Qiu Ling and Jing Yi to investigate their Yun Zou Sect.


    He didn''t mind. He just sat down and motioned at the table next to them. "May I take your pulse?"


    The disciple nodded and put his arm on the table, trying to make his spiritual energy seem chaotic so he could at least pretend that something was going on.


    Nian Hong Fang took his pulse, a slight smile still adorning his face. He had no reason to expose the Yang Huo Sect for what they had done. The only important thing was to pretend to get this disciple back onto his feet so he could take part in the duel and the other two would be able to continue with their plan.


    He took back his hand, his expression brightening even further. "Ah, it is nothing much. Some acupuncture will calm down your spiritual energy so you''ll be able to take part in the duel." He took out a set of silver needles from his bag and inserted them into the disciple''s forearm. After a moment, he pulled all of them out, put them back and then motioned to the door. "Alright, everything is finished. You may go and participate now. There shouldn''t be any further problems."


    The Yang Huo Sect disciple nodded with a strained smile and glanced at Elder Gongxi. He knew that his task for the day was to stay here and then find an opportunity to sneak out and explore but he could hardly pretend any longer, could he? Since they had already dragged over the Grandelder''s disciple, they might even drag over the Grandelder himself. If he couldn''t fake any disastrous condition then, the Yang Huo Sect would lose all face.


    Elder Gongxi nodded. He also understood that there was no way around that anymore. Well, as long as they were able to defeat the Grandmaster''s disciple soon, they could find another opportunity. That guy certainly wouldn''t dare to stay around when he finally lost. "Well, it''s good that you''re feeling better. Let''s go and have that duel then. I''m sure you have been looking forward to it."


    The disciple nodded and bowed in front of Nian Hong Fang. "Thank you very much. This means a lot to me."


    Nian Hong Fang smiled back and also got up from his chair. "There''s no reason to thank me. This is what I should do." Yes, this was what he should do. He should even stay around and make sure that he did some more if that would enable him to make Zhi Wu return even one day early.

 Chapter 793 - We’ll Be Able to Learn a Lot

    Just then, Hong Bao finally reached the spot where she had last felt Nian Hong Fang''s energy. Seeing the people standing in front of the house, Hong Bao raised her brows. "Senior martial brother Qiu? Senior martial brother Jing?"


    Both of them turned around, wondering just who this newcomer could be. When Jing Yi saw the person landing in front of them, his eyes widened. "Martial sister Hong Bao?" He never would have thought to see her again! Wasn''t she in the Hei Dian Sect?


    Hong Bao nodded excitedly. "Yeah! It''s me! My senior martial brother Liu took me here so we could help the Yun Zou Sect. It seems they are having trouble with some uninvited guests that they need to get rid of. He said that the guests aren''t demons though so I''m not sure how we''re supposed to help."


    Jing Yi''s cheeks flushed and he couldn''t help but glance at Elder Gongxi behind them whose face had darkened considerably. Jing Yi cleared his throat and turned back to Hong Bao. "Maybe this is a misunderstanding? We do have some guests here at the Yun Zou Sect currently and we have our hands full with making sure that all of them are alright and won''t lack anything. Maybe it''s rather that you are supposed to help us with caring for them instead of ¡­ getting rid of them as you do with demons?"


    Hong Bao looked from him to Qiu Ling and then back again. "I don''t think so."


    Behind them, Elder Gongxi''s lips curled into a smile. "Oh? So that is how the Yun Zou Sect actually sees us. Uninvited guests that can even be likened to demons. That is truly eye-opening!"


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling, silently asking for him to step in. He had no idea how to get out of this situation. He just knew that they definitely couldn''t let things stand like this or they would miserably fail the mission the Sect Master had given them. And, even worse, they might make a lot of trouble for the Yun Zou Sect.


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. This day had been going very well until this girl appeared just now. How come his plan was suddenly being jeopardized? Wouldn''t that Elder Gongxi claim that the duel was only to get rid of them? That way, he would be able to get out of it. But what about the mission then? What about his leisure time with his beloved?! This girl should better not say anything else to get them into trouble!


    He shot her a glare and then turned to Elder Gongxi, smiling brightly. "I really don''t know what Elder Gongxi is talking about. Whoever said that you were the uninvited visitors this girl just mentioned? Obviously, she doesn''t know too much about the situation if she doesn''t even know for sure whether they are demons or not. I mean you wouldn''t think that you might be somebody needing the attention of a demon hunter, would you?"


    Elder Gongxi clicked his tongue. "What are you trying to insinuate? That we''re the ones who made this up? I don''t think this is how the Yun Zou Sect should treat their guests." He shook his head and sighed. "Well, you can never know what people think of you. Maybe it would be better if we didn''t have that duel after all. We wouldn''t want even more hard feelings to emerge, would we?"


    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes but before he could say anything, Hong Bao already piped up.


    "A duel? What kind of duel?"


    Qiu Ling glanced at her and his lips curved into a smile. It seemed she was excited about this? Very well! He''d give her a reason to! "Oh, you know, yesterday, I asked the disciples of the Yang Huo Sect whether they''d like to have a friendly spar with me to exchange some pointers. You know we can never learn enough in regards to cultivation or sword arts, can we?"


    Hong Bao nodded. "That''s true. My senior martial brother Liu often says the same thing. Do you think I can watch the duel? Or would you mind if I also took part? My cultivation isn''t that good but senior martial brother Liu said my sword arts aren''t bad."


    Elder Gongxi gave a smile. "This wouldn''t be you trying to get rid of the uninvited guests of the Yun Zou Sect, would it?"


    Hong Bao blinked her eyes. "No. Why would it? I don''t even know who they are!"


    Qiu Ling barely held back a grin. This girl did nothing but causing trouble but as long as she made that trouble for the Yang Huo Sect instead of him, he wouldn''t mind. He turned around to Elder Gongxi again, striking while the iron was still hot. "Did you hear that? Just as I said. This must be about something completely different and definitely has nothing to do with the Yang Huo Sect. So there''s no reason to be angry. You wouldn''t be so petty just because of a simple misunderstanding, would you?"


    Elder Gongxi gritted his teeth. He had been so sure that he had finally found an opportunity to get out of this but this girl had completely defied his expectations. He had thought she didn''t know about the real situation and that she''d just admit to it when he asked. But it seemed he had been wrong.


    Maybe she hadn''t been that unintentional from the very beginning and this had been a ploy to cut off one of his opportunities to get away from this. After all, he wouldn''t be able to use such an opportunity later on again. If he did, he would really seem petty.


    Thus he could only nod at Qiu Ling with a grave expression. "Very well, let''s start with the duel then. My disciple should also have been healed by now." He turned to look behind him and indeed, just then, the Yang Huo Sect disciple and Nian Hong Fang returned.


    Hearing the Elder''s words, Nian Hong Fang''s expression lit up. Looking at the girl in the green robe that was now standing on the other side of Jing Yi and Qiu Ling, he couldn''t help but smile. "Oh? Is there yet another guest?"


    Qiu Ling glanced at him and his eyes glinted. Before Hong Bao had the time to speak up, he nodded at Nian Hong Fang. "Yes, this is one of the disciples from the Chun Feng Sect. They also came to visit our sect."


    Hong Bao nodded. "Yes! Since I''m also a guest, can I take part in the duel?"


    Qiu Ling wanted to reject her and make her leave but Nian Hong Fang already gave her a warm smile. "But of course! What do people say? The more the merrier? If the Yang Huo Sect has nothing against it, then this lady can certainly take part, can''t she?"


    Elder Gongxi wanted to shake his head but what explanation would he have for rejecting her? He glanced at Qiu Ling. "Well, he''s already fighting against all of our disciples. It wouldn''t be fair to have him fight against yet another person, would it?"


    Once again, Nian Hong Fang was faster than Qiu Ling. "Ah, then she can just fight against some of your disciples. Wouldn''t that be much fairer as well? Actually, young miss, do you think your martial brothers and sisters would be interested in taking part in the duel as well?"


    Hong Bao blinked her eyes. She had snuck out once again so she wasn''t sure if it would be a good idea to go and tell Liu Cheng about this. What if he became angry?


    Qiu Ling was happy with this suggestion though. He didn''t mind taking care of all of these disciples himself but who knew if what Jing Yi had said before wasn''t true and the Sect Master would indeed send him to take care of another sect later on? No, if they could take care of more than one sect with just this duel, then it would indeed be beneficial for them!


    He turned to Hong Bao and nodded. "I think that''s a splendid idea! Let''s go and ask your sect''s disciples if they want to join in. Actually, while we''re at it, let''s just ask all of the Yun Zou Sect''s guests if they''d like to take part. I''m sure we''ll all be able to learn a lot!"

 Chapter 794 - I Don’t Even Know Him

    Elder Gongxi stared at Qiu Ling in a daze. All the sects? That was indeed very daring! He wouldn''t have thought that he would be willing to go that far. It seemed he had really underestimated this person. Well, there was nothing he could do now besides hope that the other sects would raise a fuss about this. Then, there might be a way to get out of this agreement and still find a way to search around the Yun Zou Sect''s premises. If he couldn''t, then this mission would end as an utter failure.


    Qiu Ling turned to Jing Yi and patted his back reassuringly before you looked at Nian Hong Fang. "Junior martial brother Nian, why don''t you bring Elder Gongxi and his disciples to a place where we could hold such an event? Jing Yi and I will go with Hong Bao and see what the other sects think. Then as soon as everybody''s gathered, we can start with the duel."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded. "That''s a great idea, senior martial brother Qiu. We''ll do it that way then." He nodded and then turned to Elder Gongxi, cupping his fists and bowing. "Elder Gongxi, if you and your disciples would like to follow me."


    Elder Gongxi looked at his disciples and nodded. There was no way for him to get out of this now. "Of course. Lead the way then." Everybody took out their swords and hopped onto them, following Nian Hong Fang away.


    Qiu Ling turned to Hong Bao. "Alright, let''s go to that senior martial brother Liu of yours then. He shouldn''t have any problem with taking part if you are here to help us."


    Hong Bao pursed her lips. "Are you sure he won''t mind? Actually, he told us to get comfortable in the courtyard that we were shown. I don''t think he wanted me to go out and he might think I''m causing trouble if you tell him that I asked to take part in a duel."


    Jing Yi gave her a reassuring smile before Qiu Ling could answer. "Don''t worry about it! We can just not say that it was your idea. Or, well, we could tell him that it was an idea you suggested to help us since you saw that we wanted to have the duel. I''m sure he wouldn''t mind as long as it is something that can be used to help the Yun Zou Sect out."


    Hong Bao nodded and heaved a sigh of relief. "That''s good then. You know senior martial brother Liu still hasn''t asked me if I want to marry him. I don''t understand though. Do you think he doesn''t like me?"


    Jing Yi could only smile awkwardly. "Well, I''ve never met him ¡­"


    Hong Bao''s eyes sparkled at that. "Ah! That''s true! Then I''ll definitely have to introduce you to him when you see him later! I''m sure you also like him."


    Qiu Ling took out his sword and then pulled Jing Yi onto it. "Let''s stop talking about that. Where is that senior martial brother Liu of yours right now?"


    "Well, he went with that Wu Min Huan before. I think they wanted to go to meet the Sect Master?"


    Qiu Ling nodded, grabbed his beloved tighter and then sped off.


    Hong Bao stared at their receding figures and called out. "Hey! What about me?!" She took out her own flying sword again, jumped onto it and then rushed after them. She didn''t know where the Sect Master lived so she could only follow the two of them as fast as she could.


    A moment later, the three of them landed in front of the Sect Master''s palace. Qiu Ling kept his sword and walked right in, not caring whether he would disturb the Sect Master and his guest or not. Anyway, he felt that the Sect Master should be happy that he was showing so much initiative in throwing out these other sects. Since he was doing him a favor the Sect Master shouldn''t complain.


    At that moment, Liu Cheng had just finished telling the Sect Master about his other reason for coming to the Yun Zou Sect. Although he would''ve preferred to first go and check up on Hong Bao and make sure that the other sects left before he brought it up, now that he was caught up in a conversation was Yuchi Bing Xia anyway, he felt that he might as well tell him about the person he had seen.


    "So something like that actually happened ¡­" Yuchi Bing Xia furrowed his brows and wondered what that mysterious veiled person''s journey could be about.


    He didn''t see any reason why somebody would impersonate one of the disciples and go to the Liu He Alliance but he couldn''t exclude the possibility either. After all, what if it was true and something bad happened? Maybe the sect''s reputation would be damaged this way. Schemes like that wouldn''t be below some of the first- or second-tier sects. And with how the Yun Zou Sect had just had a stroke of luck, some competitor might feel the need to make trouble for them. Although ¡­ Antagonizing the Liu He Alliance wouldn''t be a good idea. If the plan was found out, they would get themselves into trouble.


    Well, it might also be that he was overthinking. "If I remember it right, then Grandmaster Zhangsun has some relationship with the Liu He Alliance. I don''t know whether he sent somebody over but it might very well be. I''ll go and ask him later on. Anyway, thank you for informing us. Regardless of what the reason was, it is still better to know about it before something happens."


    Liu Cheng nodded. "The relationship between our sects is very good. An ally should be assisted in times of need and warned of possible danger. The Yun Zou Sect would do the very same if somebody was trying to impersonate a disciple of our Chun Feng Sect."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. Before he could say something, steps sounded from outside though and three people rushed into his study.

 Chapter 795 - Embroil Them in a Big Brawl

    Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows. Normally, people didn''t just rush into his study like this if it wasn''t an emergency. Seeing the people that had come though ¡­ The Grandmaster''s disciple had only been a part of their sect for about a decade and he either didn''t show up at all or showed up to make trouble. The boy standing next to him with an embarrassed expression was his fiance who got involved in that trouble all the time. As for the girl behind them ¡­ Yeah, who was that?


    While Yuchi Bing Xia wondered what was going on with this newest addition to Qiu Ling''s group, Liu Cheng jumped to his feet. "Hong Bao!"


    Hong Bao winced and hid behind Jing Yi. "Senior martial brother Liu!"


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked from one person to the other. "Oh? So this is your junior martial sister? Why don''t you come in and have a seat?" He motioned at the other side of the table only to awkwardly look at Liu Cheng. Ah, right, he already had a guest occupying the seat. Now, where had Wu Min Huan gone? He needed another seat for this new guest! Actually, he might need three considering how the Grandmaster''s disciple normally behaved. If he only got one chair and let him and his fiance stand, wouldn''t that guy make trouble again?


    Qiu Ling ignored the Grandmaster''s gaze. If he wanted to, he could procure a seat for his beloved all on his own! And anyway, they had come here to ask that Liu Cheng or whatever to participate in the duel.


    With one person hiding behind him and one person glaring at the people at the table, Jing Yi could only cup his fists and bow to the Sect Master in embarrassment. "Greetings, Sect Master. Greetings, Martial brother Liu. Uh ¡­ We came to ask for some help regarding the mission of taking care of the Yang Huo Sect."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes went wide and he leaped to his feet. "Right! The Yang Huo Sect! Did you leave them alone?"


    Jing Yi rushed to shake his head.


    "But ¡­"


    "Ah, senior martial brother Nian is guarding them right now."


    "But ¡­" Yuchi Bing Xia furrowed his brows. "If Nian Hong Fang is taking care of the Yang Huo Sect, then who is taking care of the Qing Yu Sect?"


    Jing Yi glanced at Qiu Ling who only shrugged his shoulders in response.


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed and took out a paper crane, rushing to write a message and sending it off to the Grandelder. The ones taking care of the different sects were the head disciples of the peak masters and other Elders. Naturally, Nian Hong Fang should also be involved and he could have sworn that he and the Grandelder had agreed on him taking care of the Qing Yu Sect. So what was he doing with the Yang Huo Sect now? Who was responsible for the Qing Yu Sect if he wasn''t? Don''t tell him that nobody was keeping an eye on them and that they were free to explore the sect grounds?!


    Jing Yi cleared his throat when he saw the rapidly derailing expression of the Sect Master. "Uh ¡­ Qiu Ling asked the disciples of the Yang Huo Sect for a duel in the hope that they wouldn''t stay afterward if they lost and martial sister Hong had the idea that we could involve the other sects as well. If we call it a friendly spar to exchange some pointers, nobody should be able to say anything against it and we''d be able to keep all of the sects busy without having to expend too much effort."


    "Keep all the sects busy?" Yuchi Bing Xia straightened up and his eyes gleamed. "That''s right! You two go and tell all the sects to gather! Have some of the inner sect disciples act as guides to our training grounds! We definitely have to engage all the disciples of these sects in a big brawl! If any of them pretend to be injured, have the Grandelder''s disciples get them back onto their feet no matter the cost!"


    What Yang Huo Sect? What Qing Yu Sect? He would simply have all of them embroiled in a fight, then none of them would have the opportunity to spy on them!


    Hong Bao raised her brows. The Sect Master was ¡­ happy? Then senior martial brother Liu ¡­


    She looked over and saw Liu Cheng reveal a subtle expression. Obviously, he couldn''t quite believe yet that she hadn''t made trouble but what he saw indicated that it was indeed the case. It really was hard to make up his mind about what he should think.


    Yuchi Bing Xia turned to look at Qiu Ling and Jing Yi. "What is it? Why aren''t you going yet?"


    Jing Yi glanced at Qiu Ling. "I can''t fly."


    Yuchi Bing Xia stared at him. He ¡­ couldn''t fly? But wasn''t he an inner sect disciple already? How come he couldn''t fly? He looked at Qiu Ling who raised his brows in response.


    "I don''t know where they are."


    The Sect Master sighed. "I''ll send a message." He pulled out several paper cranes and send them to the peak masters. His heart hurt a bit using so many at once and for such a short distance but what could he do? He had to use the opportunity now that it had presented itself. He''d just have to ask Elder Si to enchant some new ones.


    Qiu Ling exchanged a glance with Jing Yi but he could only shrug his shoulders again. He also had no idea why the Sect Master was looking like that. Anyway, they had managed to achieve their objective. The duel would be held. So he only had to beat up the Yang Huo Sect disciples and then he could go and spend time with his beloved. Ah, life was wonderful!

 Chapter 796 - A Loving Couple

    The Elders were confused when they received Yuchi Bing Xia''s message but they still hurried to inform their disciples and the representatives of the visiting sects about the upcoming duel that everyone had supposedly already agreed to.


    The disciples that had been asked to deal with these guests all heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, they could let go of this burden! If they had to take part in that duel, then that was nothing. They could even call it furthering their knowledge of cultivation or sword arts. Anyway, it was a hundred times easier than keeping up with the mind of these wily old foxes from the visiting sects while also making sure that all of the disciples stayed together and were always in sight.


    They really weren''t able to deal with that as easily. Having a fair fight sounded much better. In fact, most disciples of the Yun Zou Sect were eager to take part in the duel. After all, these disciples had still laughed at them a moment ago behind their hands, relishing in their misfortune and trying to find ways to dupe them. They definitely deserved to be beaten up!


    In a matter of minutes, the Yun Zou Sect''s Elders together with their head disciples and the group of guests they were responsible for headed toward the training ground of the Yun Zou Sect. At the same time, Yuchi Bing Xia brought Liu Cheng, Hong Bao, Qiu Ling, and Jing Yi over as well, picking up the other disciples of the Chun Feng Sect on the way.


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked at the people that were slowly gathering and had trouble holding back a satisfied smile and keeping up the appearance of a dignified Sect Master. Ah, that truly worked out too well! Just looking at the faces of the Elders from all those first- and second-tier sects that were obviously not pleased with having to come here but still needed to play along because they thought that the other sects had agreed made him feel that everything was under his control again. These guys would need to have really thick faces to stay after the duel was over.


    He glanced at a few of them and narrowed his eyes. Alright, maybe he should say a few words in the beginning to make extra sure. It was always better to be safe than sorry with these guys.


    He turned to Qiu Ling and gave a smile. "Qiu Ling, what about your Master? Have you informed him?"


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes, not understanding what the Sect Master was talking about. "No. Why should I?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s lips twitched. The Grandmaster was the most important person in the Yun Zou Sect and his word would have even more weight than his own. If he was there when an announcement was made, it would reassure those other sects. Well, maybe reassuring was the wrong word. They would probably not be reassured at all and would instead fear for their own benefits and positions even more but at the very least, they wouldn''t dare to do anything against it. Thus it was better to bring him out for an occasion like this.


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed and took out yet another paper crane, looking at it with a wistful expression. Ah, he really needed to talk to Elder Si. Maybe they could implement some tests for the disciples where they would be forced to make those cranes? But then again, it wasn''t easy to make them and some of the materials for enchanting them were expensive. Ah, that idea probably wasn''t a good one. He sighed again and already wanted to write when Jing Yi spoke up.


    "Sect Master, should we go and inform the Grandmaster of something?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked up and blinked his eyes. Right, there was no reason why he shouldn''t send the Grandmaster''s disciple to take care of this personally. Was it really asking too much that the disciple went to inform their Master and escorted them to the venue? Probably not.


    Thus he turned to Qiu Ling and smiled. "That''s a lovely idea. Actually, it might be faster if you went there on your own. You can leave Jing Yi here with me."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips and looked at the Sect Master with accusing eyes. This guy was obviously trying to separate him from his beloved! And they had only just gotten together again! He had been so happy that they were able to spend time together!


    Yuchi Bing Xia couldn''t help but raise his brows at this gaze. Why did he suddenly feel like he was an unforgivable bastard? Had he done something wrong? He pondered what he had just said and then looked at Jing Yi for an explanation. He really couldn''t understand the Grandmaster''s disciple. He was even more enigmatic than his Master.


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. He could imagine what was going through Qiu Ling''s mind but there was no way he would admit to that in front of the Sect Master. If he had to explain ¡­ No, he probably wouldn''t be able to stand the embarrassment.


    Instead, he turned to Qiu Ling, gingerly reaching out and grabbing his sleeve. "Qiu Ling, why don''t you do what the Sect Master said? It''s only for a moment, isn''t it? You ¡­ certainly won''t miss out on the duel." He couldn''t help but feel slightly bad for bringing this excuse up but he couldn''t bring himself to say the truth either.


    Qiu Ling looked at him, feeling wronged. Who cared about that stupid duel? He grabbed Jing Yi''s hands and pulled him closer. "My love, I really don''t want to leave you alone! I know that you would miss me very, very, very much and that your heart would probably hurt seeing me leave even if it is only for a moment. How could I bear to just go and do something else while you have to wait here?"


    Jing Yi''s cheeks flushed and he glanced in Sect Master Yuchi''s direction.


    The Sect Master tensed and then mechanically turned his head in the other direction, pretending he hadn''t heard or seen any of this. Oh. So it was about that. Well, young love and all that ¡­


    Ah, if he hadn''t been the head disciple back then and become the Sect Master later on, he might have been just like that: telling his heartfelt thoughts to some pretty juniors sister when he was told to do something by one of his elders, unwilling to part from her.


    It really made him feel that he had done something wrong. He quietly wrote the message and sent that paper crane off. Anyway, the Grandmaster''s disciple was still spilling his heart out so if he sent the message now, the Grandmaster would probably arrive before he finished. Then he at least, he wouldn''t have separated such a loving couple.

 Chapter 797 - Obviously Planning Something

    "Qiu Ling¡­" Jing Yi looked at his lover with a complicated expression. He really wanted to tell him to cut it off and just go and do what the Sect Master said but then again, he also couldn''t bring himself to do so. Hearing these words after doubting himself so much because of Jing He made his heart beat faster. Obviously, Qiu Ling wasn''t indifferent to him. Maybe some of that was based on his history with Jing He but that couldn''t be everything. No, Qiu Ling would never say these words to him if it had nothing to do with him. He just couldn''t resist listening to him a little longer.


    Seeing that his beloved wasn''t rejecting his words, Qiu Ling felt encouraged. He inched closer, one of his arms finally snaking around Jing Yi''s waist, and lowered his head until their foreheads touched. "My love, it''s only understandable that you feel like this. We''ve been separated that often over the last few years. Naturally, you will doubt whether you''ll be able to see me again if I just leave now. This fear, I can understand very well. I also wouldn''t dare to let you go without fearing that somebody would try to separate us again. But do not worry too much! Even if some scoundrel took you away, I would come and save you. You''re the most important person in my life, the light brightening my darkest hours, the fire warming my heart, you are the air I breathe, everything making my life ¡­ livable."


    Jing Yi glanced up and found Qiu Ling furrowing his brows. "What is it? Did something happen?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "Enjoyable."


    "What?"


    Qiu Ling cleared his throat and pulled back, gifting Jing Yi a bright smile. "Enjoyable. You''re everything that makes my life enjoyable. It''s much more than just livable you know? It was livable before but it really was endless suffering to be without you. But now that I have you ¡­" He leaned down again, pursing his lips to get a kiss this time.


    Jing Yi glanced around them and couldn''t help but notice that the people next to them were very conscientiously looking away. Ah, it was probably too late not to embarrass themselves. In that case, he should just go through with it. What was the difference in embarrassing yourself a second time if you had already done it once?


    He raised his chin and their lips met halfway. Jing Yi closed his eyes and then wanted to pull back but a certain someone stuck to him, obviously not satisfied with just giving him a peck.


    Jing Yi cracked his eyes open just in time to see Qiu Ling tilt his head to deepen the kiss. His cheeks flushed and he wanted to push him off but his lover obviously just thought that he was trying to get even closer. The hand that he had just put onto Qiu Ling''s chest to push him off was covered with a larger hand and engulfed in Qiu Ling''s warmth.


    Jing Yi really couldn''t bring himself to push him back in that situation.


    Qiu Ling very happily cradled this person in his arms and considered whether they would have enough time to go somewhere else and ignore these people for a few hours. Just finding a place to sit down and get comfortable and kiss like this for a while sounded very, very tempting to him right now.


    He leaned back slightly, cracking his eyes open that had closed on their own. "My love, how about ditching these old people and find a secluded spot?"


    Just then, Grandmaster Zhangsun arrived. Hearing his disciple call the ones around him old, he almost stumbled when he landed. Old people? From a person that was obviously old enough to know that man from the special dimension? Had he missed something? What old people was he talking about?


    Jing Yi noticed a gaze that was targeted at them and finally pushed Qiu Ling off. "What are you even saying?" By now, not only his cheeks were red. His whole face had turned crimson and even his ears had started to change color.


    Qiu Ling looked at him and couldn''t help but feel that missing out on the sweet time spent alone wasn''t all that bad if it enabled him to see such a cute expression on Jing Yi''s face. Well, he still regretted it a bit but this made up for at least half of that feeling!


    "Ah, don''t be angry, my love! I was just very, very happy just now." He cozied up to him again, his arms slithering around his waist while he slipped behind him and finally put his chin on Jing Yi''s shoulder. "I love you so much!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi also turned away and went over to the Sect Master that had started to count the blades of grass to his feet. "Am I required to say something to the Elders?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia shook his head. "It would be great if you could say something to your disciple though." He lowered his voice, hoping that neither Jing Yi nor Qiu Ling would hear. Naturally, that didn''t work out.


    Though Jing Yi did indeed not hear what he was saying, Qiu Ling did. He glanced up and glared at the Sect Master. This guy! First, he wanted to send him off even though he had obviously sent a message to his Master and now, he even tried to get his Master to interfere when he was being happy with his beloved.


    He was really wondering if this guy might have his eyes on Jing Yi! If he wasn''t wrong, that guy wasn''t married yet. There was indeed such a possibility. He should keep his eyes on him!


    Yuchi Bing Xia had no idea what exactly had just gone wrong since Jing Yi had obviously not been able to hear what he said and the two of them hadn''t really been disturbed while doing anything important but he did understand that the Grandmaster''s disciple was anything but happy with him. He hurriedly turned around and forced a smile onto his lips, before he cleared his throat to get everyone''s attention.


    He had no idea that Qiu Ling''s gaze was darkening once again. This bastard! Now, he was even starting this duel just to separate him and Jing Yi. He was obviously planning something!

 Chapter 798 - I’ll Think of You

    Yuchi Bing Xia launched into the speech he had come up with in the hope of making Qiu Ling forget about whatever it was that had rained on his parade."Thank you, everyone, for paying us a visit. The Yun Zou Sect is honored to have friends that care so much about us that they''d hurry over on such short notice because they feared we might be in trouble. Everybody offering their help and congratulations has touched our hearts and we''re just as grateful for that as we are for our recent stroke of luck.


    "All the first-tier and even some of the second-tier sects have sent a delegation consisting of one of their Elders, as well as their best disciples. Since we don''t require your help we have been feeling that we''ve made you come all this way in vain, taking precious time from your disciples that they could''ve used to cultivate and train their sword arts.


    "Thankfully, Elder Gongxi from the Yang Huo Sect came up with a splendid idea." He glanced over at the Yang Huo Sect and gave a smile.


    The other sects'' Elders couldn''t help but look over as well, most of them with dark faces. So this was the person that was the reason they wouldn''t be able to finish their mission. Who knew what he had done that for? Maybe he had made some deal with the Yun Zou Sect and acquired benefits in exchange for this help? Then they''d have to keep an eye on the Yang Huo Sect in the near future!


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s smile got only brighter when he saw everyone''s expressions. Very well! It seemed he had successfully shifted everyone''s blame. Now, it was time to get rid of them for good. "We''ve already talked to everyone and I''m glad that the other sects also thought this was a good idea. Your disciples might not have heard yet since everything was organized on short notice so let me explain to them. Don''t worry! I won''t take much of your time!


    "Your Elders have agreed to have a small competition between everyone so the younger generation can give pointers to each other and maybe receive some from the older generation as well. I''m sure that this will be a valuable learning experience for everyone.


    "Since you all are the pride of your sects, you will be acquainted with the proceedings of the Gathering of Practitioners and the cultivators'' Crystal Tournament. We will proceed the same way for this competition that we normally use for these occasions." He motioned at one of the Yun Zou Sect''s Elders standing to the side.


    Jing Yi glanced over and found it to be the very same person that had headed the proceedings of the Gathering of Practitioners when he had seen Qiu Ling for the first time. Being reminded of that day, he smiled and gingerly gripped Qiu Ling''s hand.


    Qiu Ling looked over in surprise and his face lit up. When had his beloved ever taken the initiative to get close to him like this? Well, it wasn''t like it hadn''t happened but it was exceedingly rare. So this opportunity had to be cherished!


    He squeezed Jing Yi''s hand in return and inched closer. "I love you."


    Jing Yi''s smile widened. "I love you too."


    Meanwhile, the Elder and his disciples had taken out the cauldron and started to give out some of the same crystals that had been used in the Gathering of Practitioners back then to determine the people competing against each other. The disciples of the visiting sects reluctantly let a drop of blood fall on their orb before they gave it back. All of them were thrown into the cauldron and finally, they were ejected in pairs, signifying the people that would be competing against each other.


    Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling and gave a smile. "I guess you''ll have to go and fight in a bit."


    Qiu Ling harrumphed. "Don''t worry about that, my love! None of these guys can hold a candle to your future husband! I''ll just defeat them as fast as possible so we can spend some more time together." He leaned over and kissed Jing Yi''s cheek, smiling happily. Yes, he wouldn''t hold back today. Since his beloved already knew how handsome he was, he shouldn''t care about that and just use the fastest way possible to defeat these people: brute strength!


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched when he got that response. He didn''t doubt that what Qiu Ling said was the truth but ¡­ Wasn''t he afraid that somebody might hear? Looking around, it seemed that several people actually heard. And those people weren''t all from the Yun Zou Sect. No, at the very least, the Elders of the other sects had also heard. As for the disciples ¡­ It was hard to say. Most of them had concentrated on the crystals and their levels also weren''t as high as those of the Elders so not all of them were able to hear what was spoken from such a distance away. But if he hadn''t seen wrong, some of them had noticed after all. Now, they certainly wouldn''t give up easily.


    Qiu Ling could also see that some people had overheard their conversation but he didn''t think much of it. He was stronger than all of these people. Why should he pretend that it was any different? They''d find out anyway as soon as the fight started. This way, at least nobody could say that he hadn''t warned them. He had been honest from the very beginning. They just hadn''t wanted to believe him.


    Finally, an empty crystal orb of was ejected alongside a normal one from the cauldron, signifying Qiu Ling and the one he would fight against. Qiu Ling pursed her lips and stayed where he was though. He definitely wouldn''t go down there already if the fights weren''t about to start! Instead, he turned to his beloved and gave him a happy smile. "You really don''t have to worry!"


    Jing Yi nodded and patted his hand. "I know already. Don''t worry about it. You can go and finish the duel. You don''t need to think about me."


    Qiu Ling couldn''t help but happily pull him closer. "There''s no way I wouldn''t think of you! I''m thinking of you all the time!"


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched but what was he supposed to say? He motioned over to where the fights would be happening and then pulled his hands back. "I know already. You go and make our sect proud. As soon as the fights are over, we can just leave and spend our time with each other."


    Qiu Ling nodded happily. Ah, his beloved was right! He just had to finish this and then they''d be all alone together again. "Alright, but don''t miss me too much! I''ll hurry up!" He gave him another kiss before he finally went over to the stage, confronting his opponent. He didn''t bother to really take a close look at this person though. Anyway, it was good as long as he defeated that guy.


    The Elder in charge of the competition continued to pair up the disciples until the last crystal orb was ejected from the cauldron. Then he turned and nodded to the Sect Master.


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded as well and then turned to the disciples that were taking part in the duel. "Very well, everybody has been paired up. I wish everybody good luck and that you might benefit from receiving pointers from the disciples of the other sects."


    He wanted to sit down and then just watch the fights proceed but one of the Elders cleared his throat. When Yuchi Bing Xia looked over, his lips thinned. It was Elder Gongxi from the Yang Huo Sect of all people and his expression said that what he wanted to say was nothing good.

 Chapter 799 - A League of His Own

    Elder Gongxi gave a bright smile that didn''t seem to fit with how he had just been made the scapegoat for the Yun Zou Sect. Yuchi Bing Xia felt an even greater sense of danger but there was no way he could still prevent him from speaking up.


    Elder Gongxi nodded at him and then turned to the other Elders that were visiting with their disciples and did the same. The Yun Zou Sect wanted to play? Very well. He would play a round with them! Thankfully, he had had time to come up with a plan for this since yesterday. And being in this situation where it wasn''t just the duel between his disciple and the Grandmaster''s disciple made things even easier. This time, they were really playing into his hands. "Since I was the one who came up with this idea I feel the need to point something out. Would Sect Master Yuchi allow me to do so?" He turned back to Yuchi Bing Xia, still smiling brightly.


    The Sect Master could do nothing else but fake a smile and motion with his hand. "If there''s something you want to say, then please go ahead. I''m sure that all of us can only benefit from your insights."


    "Very well." Elder Gongxi nodded. "All of us have brought a delegation of our sect disciples. And since we were worried about the Yun Zou Sect''s situation, most of us have brought the best disciples over that we had at hand at the moment we heard about the things happening here. Nevertheless, there were several disciples we couldn''t bring. Some of our brightest cultivators were in closed-door cultivation while our best practitioners were on missions, gaining experience in using their sword arts. On the other hand, the Yun Zou Sect seems to have all their disciples at disposal. And while this competition is merely to have some friendly spars, I''m of the opinion that the disciples would learn the most if they were able to exchange pointers with somebody who was close in level to them. I do think that right now their levels aren''t balanced enough."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s brows furrowed slightly. They weren''t balanced enough? Looking at the disciples that the Elders had brought, most of them were participants of the Gathering of Practitioners or the Crystal Tournament. There were only one or two at most in each sect that hadn''t taken part in either of these fights and even those didn''t seem to be of a low level. "What is Elder Gongxi proposing?"


    Elder Gongxi glanced over to where Qiu Ling and his competitor stood. "Well, take for example the Grandmaster''s disciple. There is no need to doubt which status Grandmaster Zhangsun has among the cultivators and practitioners of the first- and second-tier sects. If somebody said that he wouldn''t be able to be counted among the top ten, that person would certainly make people doubt their ability to judge other''s strength.


    "As most of us were able to witness at the last Gathering of Practitioners his disciple has learned much from him. It isn''t a disgrace to admit that most of our disciples wouldn''t be able to contend against him. Having him take part in the fight would be taking opportunities from other disciples. Would the others agree with me?" He looked at the Elders from the other sects who slowly started to nod.


    Yes, looking at it that way, they would really be doing a disfavor to their disciples if they let them fight with him. Swords didn''t have eyes. If the disciples got injured in this competition by the disciple of the Grandmaster, then where would they go to cry? They would merely have to suck it up and return home, reporting to their own Sect Masters. If they could eliminate such a threat they would certainly do so.


    Yuchi Bing Xia glanced at Qiu Ling, wondering what he should do. It wasn''t like the Yun Zou Sect didn''t have other talents but he couldn''t deny that their situation wasn''t the best. Yu Jin was currently in closed-door cultivation, Ma Zhi Wu had vanished, Xiao Dong was on a mission, Nian Hong Fang wasn''t a good cultivator and more gifted in alchemy, and many other talents had been lost in the Leyuan region. If the Grandmaster''s disciple was taken out, it wasn''t bleak but it wasn''t looking good either.


    Unfortunately, since Elder Gongxi had brought it up this directly and the other Elders had agreed with him, there was no reason to reject the suggestion. After all, he had said that this was only to exchange pointers. It wasn''t a real competition. He didn''t believe for one moment though that these Elders wouldn''t use the chance to harm the Yun Zou Sect''s disciples. After all, with their recent stroke of luck, everyone would worry that they might be able to rise in the ranks and endanger the others'' position.


    He glanced at Grandmaster Zhangsun, looking for inspiration. Unfortunately, the Grandmaster stayed quiet and didn''t indicate what he thought about it. Well, they could hardly talk things through in front of everyone.


    Yuchi Bing Xia made a troubled expression. "I see Elder Gongxi''s point. It''s just ¡­ You also know that we have lost a lot of disciples in the incident five years ago. I''m afraid there aren''t too many disciples that would be able to compete with the ones you brought. I''m afraid we''d be putting them in danger even though this is only a friendly competition."


    Elder Gongxi still smiled brightly. He wouldn''t give up that easily. "Ah, that''s perfectly understandable. Naturally, we recognize that the Yun Zou Sect is in a bad spot. Still, you will have to agree that the Grandmaster''s disciple is in a league of his own. I guess he also isn''t that thrilled to have a fight with our disciples." He looked at Qiu Ling and gave a friendly smile as if he really only had his best interest in mind. "Isn''t that so?"


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes. Naturally, he indeed had no interest in fighting. But ¡­ This guy was obviously planning something bad. He probably shouldn''t let him get away with that, should he? Furthermore, his beloved had said that he was supposed to achieve honor for the Yun Zou Sect. In that case, he couldn''t just say yes, could he?


    Qiu Ling straightened up and tried to look at the Elder with righteous indignation. "Elder Gongxi, what are you even saying? It''s not that I''m itching for a fight. But this is a learning experience. And your disciple''s begged me to fight against them just yesterday. If I said now that I don''t want to do that, wouldn''t they be severely disappointed? Ah, but I can understand if you''re afraid. Thinking of that other disciple of yours ¡­" He shook his head. "Maybe I could give myself a handicap if you''re afraid that they''ll lose too badly. Like, how about just using one hand? Or maybe no hand? I think I can take them out with only my feet as well."


    Both Elder Gongxi and Sect Master Yuchi felt their lips twitching. This boy ¡­ Was he really trash-talking one of the Elders and his disciples in front of everyone?


    Yuchi Bing Xia was still wondering if he should try to scold him or if he should just leave that to Grandmaster Zhangsun when Elder Gongxi already stabilized his mood. "My disciples were a little brash yesterday. Restraining their desires and learning how to cope with a situation will also do them good. Since you just want to fight because of what they said, then I do think it shouldn''t be a problem if somebody else took your place." He glanced at Yuchi Bing Xia and raised his brows. "Would Sect Master Yuchi be alright with that?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia could only smile wryly. What could he say to that? "Well, if Qiu Ling doesn''t have a problem with it ¡­"


    Elder Gongxi nodded happily. "Well, then we should have somebody else take his place. How about his fiance? He was still rather young the last time at the Gathering of Practitioners but he seems to have matured quite a bit. I''m sure his level also shouldn''t be too low considering that he has received the care of the Yun Zou Sect and Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple. I''d be interested to see him fight."

 Chapter 800 - Never Touch a Dragon’s Reverse Scale

    All eyes turned to Jing Yi, making him tense up. Fight? He? But ¡­ he had never learned how to do that! He had managed to learn how to take in spiritual energy with Qiu Ling''s help but he couldn''t even use it to control a flying sword, never mind fighting. As for using a sword like a practitioner ¡­ The only moves he knew were the basic ones that Shao Hai had shown him and that had been half a decade ago and he hadn''t actually learned them.


    Sect Master Yuchi looked at Jing Yi before he glanced at Qiu Ling. The expression of the Grandmaster''s disciple had darkened so badly that he was afraid he might have a Qi deviation right then and there. Uh ¡­ It probably wouldn''t work to have Jing Yi take part?


    Yuchi Bing Xia cleared his throat to pull everyone''s expression back to himself. "Elder Gongxi is right that the Grandmaster''s disciple probably isn''t the best candidate for this. We''ll have a short discussion about who would be a better candidate. Mn, since this only concerns one of the fights, I''d suggest we already begin with the others."


    Elder Gongxi narrowed his eyes. Oh? So they didn''t want to let that boy fight? Then he''d have to insist! "Aiya, Sect Master, what need is there to have that discussion? Isn''t the fiance of the Grandmaster''s disciple already a good candidate? I doubt anybody has a problem with letting him fight. Isn''t that so?" He looked at the other Elders.


    Some didn''t seem too sure but others looked at Yuchi Bing Xia''s expression and felt that it had to be so ugly because the boy wasn''t a good fighter. He had probably relied on his good looks to get involved with the Grandmaster''s disciple and used that to raise his level. It wouldn''t be enough to last him through a competition like this. Thus they agreed with Elder Gongxi.


    Yuchi Bing Xia tightened his lips. If he wanted to make sure that Jing Yi wouldn''t have to fight, he needed to come up with a good excuse. "That ¡­ I''m afraid it won''t work out."


    "Oh?" Elder Gongxi raised his brows. "What might be the problem?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia glanced at the boy again, trying hard to come up with something. Even if it sounded whimsical, he could at least try to make it sound reasonable. Maybe the others would also be able to think of some arguments to support his excuse.


    The problem was that he didn''t know much about Jing Yi. The boy was the fiance of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple. He had somehow managed to advance to higher levels quickly because he had consecutively had strokes of luck or, well, got into a troublesome situation but managed to make the most out of it. Just like when he had been trapped in the secret realm of the Leyuan region and emerged being of a higher level.


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes widened imperceptibly. Right. "Well, although Jing Yi''s level isn''t too low, taking part in such a competition also isn''t a good idea for him. Elder Gongxi might remember that my disciple Yu Jin was trapped in the Leyuan region''s realm with another disciple before? Well, that other person was precisely Jing Yi. He has managed to cultivate while being in there and thus reached a higher level but he wasn''t able to consolidate it. I''m afraid fighting in that condition would put him in danger."


    Elder Gongxi smiled. Putting him in danger? This sounded like music to his ears! "Ah, it''s probably not my place to say this but Sect Master Yuchi seems to worry too much. There''s nothing better than putting your cultivation to use if you want to consolidate it. And it''s not like this is a matter of life and death. It''s merely a friendly competition. Isn''t that the perfect opportunity for him to exchange some pointers?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked for anything to retort with but he didn''t manage to get even one word out before he was interrupted.


    "You dare!"


    Needless to say, the one who had erupted was Qiu Ling. He hadn''t liked this stupid old man from the very beginning but now this guy was even targeting his beloved. If he still didn''t step up, could he still dare to call himself Jing He''s fiance?


    Elder Gongxi glanced at Qiu Ling but didn''t seem impressed. On the contrary, he just gave an infuriating smile. "I don''t understand what the Grandmaster''s disciple is angry about? Didn''t you say that you weren''t eager to take part in the competition?"


    "You''re targeting my beloved. Do you think I''ll stand back and watch?"


    "Targeting?" Elder Gongxi raised his brows in mock surprise. "I really don''t understand what you''re talking about. Didn''t I just explain how it is beneficial for him to take part in this fight?" He turned to Grandmaster Zhangsun. "Grandmaster, is there something wrong with what I said? Then please educate us. I''m sure even us old people could benefit from your insights."


    "Don''t try to play games with me!" Qiu Ling wasn''t going to give up this easily. Did this guy really think he could just casually threaten his beloved and then use his Master to get away with it? As if he''d let him!


    Elder Gongxi ignored him. Reason was on his side right now and there were many witnesses. The Yun Zou Sect couldn''t go overboard.


    Grandmaster Zhangsun looked from Elder Gongxi to his disciple and back again. Finally, he sighed. "Elder Gongxi should know the saying that one should never touch a dragon''s reverse scale. Some people, even if you might be right in theory, will be off-limits nonetheless."


    Elder Gongxi furrowed his brows. The Grandmaster would actually agree with his disciple? What was the meaning of this? Could it be there was more to the situation than it seemed? Then he couldn''t give up even more!


    Elder Gongxi raised his chin. "I know this person is your disciple but is it really alright for him to react like this when somebody just makes a harmless suggestion? Hasn''t he slandered me just now when he accused me of wanting to threaten his beloved? I demand an explanation for that!"


    Before the Grandmaster or Sect Master could answer, a low chuckle answered Elder Gongxi. "You want an explanation? You can have one! Since you say I slandered you then pick up your sword and have a duel with me!"

 Chapter 801 - He Had to Die

    Elder Gongxi glanced at Qiu Ling and couldn''t help but furrow his brows. Had he assessed him wrongly before? Was this guy actually stupid? What was he saying, challenging him to duel? He was playing into his hands!


    Elder Gongxi wanted to turn back to the Grandmaster but paused. Wait. Could it be he was missing something? Was that some elaborate plan that would make them turn a few circles and then end up with him losing the advantage he had just gained? He tried to find a loophole in the plan he had made since yesterday but he couldn''t find any. He glanced at Qiu Ling again but looking at his face, it seemed this disciple had finally lost his cool. He was probably thinking too much. No, this guy had just overreacted and blurted this out in the heat of the moment.


    Well, regardless of what was the truth, the other sects were on his side. As long as he managed to steer everything in the right direction, they would help him out to make sure that they could also benefit. And in the end, the Yun Zou Sect would have to give in to save some face.


    He turned back to the Grandmaster and wanted to speak up but once again, Qiu Ling interrupted him.


    "Old man! Didn''t you hear me?" There was a sharp edge to his voice that hadn''t been there before.


    Elder Gongxi''s brows twitched but he didn''t take it seriously. He had no idea that what Grandmaster Zhangsun had just said was the truth and that he had already crossed a line that shouldn''t be crossed.


    He once again tried to speak up but this time it wasn''t words of abuse that were hurled at him. No, this time, a burst of spiritual energy rushed at his face.


    Elder Gongxi barely managed to evade it but a strand of his hair was still caught in the attack and split off. If he hadn''t evaded just now ¡­ He stared at that strand of hair on the ground and then incredulously turned around to the direction the attack had come from. Needless to say, the one who had thrown it was Qiu Ling. And his expression didn''t show even the slightest hint of remorse.


    Elder Gongxi gaped at him, not even knowing what to say anymore. This disciple had just attacked him. He had never seen anything as shameless as this! "You ¡ª"


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows and raised his hand again. "Stop talking and draw your weapon or gather your spiritual energy. Whatever it is you normally use."


    Elder Gongxi stared at him before he turned back to Grandmaster Zhangsun. "Grandmaster, this ¡ª"


    Qiu Ling harrumphed and then threw another attack. Why should he wait for this guy to finish his drivel? If he did, wouldn''t they still stand here tomorrow? It was better to take care of this soon so he and his beloved could leave.


    Anyway, these guys had already said that they didn''t want him taken part in the duel and he certainly wouldn''t let his beloved do so. So after he took care of this old man, they could just go back to the bamboo hut and continue cuddling. Ah, getting up this morning had been such a waste. They should have just stayed in bed.


    Elder Gongxi once again barely managed to evade the attack. Well, this time, the hem of his robe ripped but he himself hadn''t been hurt once again. He stared at Qiu Ling and then up at the Grandmaster who pretended that everything was alright. "Grandmaster!"


    Another attack flew over but this time Elder Gongxi was prepared and leaped back in advance. "Are you alright with your disciple acting like this? First, he slanders me and now he even dares to attack me?! Is this the kind of example a disciple of a righteous sect should set?"


    Grandmaster Zhangsun''s brows slightly furrowed but he still didn''t answer. Anyway, this person was only his disciple in name. He had never taught him anything and he wasn''t able to control them either. Even if he told him to stop he didn''t believe for a single moment that Qiu Ling would indeed do as he said. No, if he tried, that would only make matters worse. It was better to bring up some excuse and hope that everybody else believed it. "Well, he did ask you for a duel. And this is the second time the two of you have gotten into this situation. Maybe it would be better to resolve things like this."


    Elder Gongxi stared at the Grandmaster in a daze. What was that supposed to mean? "But ¡­ He''s of the younger generation!"


    Qiu Ling snorted. He was certainly looking younger than this old guy with his wrinkled face and graying hair but as for his real age ¡­ This human probably couldn''t even imagine. Well, no need to bring that up in front of his beloved. "Don''t make up any excuses! If you''re scared, you''re scared. I still won''t spare you today!" His hands moved and a blade of wind shot over, this time cutting Elder Gongxi''s sleeve.


    Elder Gongxi stared at the rip and then looked at Qiu Ling. This guy was being serious. He really wanted to fight with him. Elder Gongxi glanced around and pursed his lips together to hide a smile. Well, that wouldn''t be too bad. "I feel that this is inappropriate but if the Grandmaster insists that we should have this fight, then I will comply. You shouldn''t blame me if your disciple gets hurt though. Everybody has seen that I have tried to calmly discuss matters. It was your disciple that refused to listen and attacked me first. So whatever follows next isn''t my fault."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi gave an uninterested nod. Elder Gongxi wasn''t even at his level. It would be a wonder if he was able to injure a dragon. Well, there was no need to tell him. If Qiu Ling got rid of this person, that would also be very good. "It''ll be as you say: Whatever happens next, neither side will pursue the matter." He glanced at the Elders of the other sects who nodded in return.


    "Yes, yes, neither side should hold the other accountable. Since there is bad blood between them, it''s better to solve it in this way." Even though they said so, they couldn''t understand what the Grandmaster was thinking. Wasn''t this person his prized disciple with a heavenly constitution? Why would he sacrifice him in such a way? Even though the boy had now spent some years in the Yun Zou Sect, that definitely wasn''t enough time to reach the strength an Elder had. After all, the Yang Huo Sect was also one of the first-tier sects. Their Elders weren''t weak.


    Qiu Ling didn''t care about any of that. He wasn''t human to begin with and didn''t care about the Yun Zou Sect other than that Jing Yi was part of it. So regardless of what happened in this fight, he couldn''t be bothered to think any further about it. This guy had dared to threaten his beloved''s safety. Thus he had to die.

 Chapter 802 - Making an Example out of Him

    Elder Gongxi leaped onto the stage where Qiu Ling stood and motioned at the other disciple to withdraw. He waited for the boy to jump down and pull away before he straightened up and leveled Qiu Ling with a dark stare. He had to pay the Grandmaster''s disciple back for the way he had treated him before! "You better not regret this!"


    Qiu Ling snorted. "I''d say the same to you but you won''t have time to regret." He raised his hand, the wind around them picking up.


    He could kill this guy in one move but people would believe it was a fluke. He couldn''t let that happen. Since somebody had dared to threaten his beloved once, he should make it clear to these mortals that they''d be up against him if they dared to try that again. And he had to make sure that they understood that that wasn''t a good idea for anyone. So this guy would have to be his example. He would make sure to edge his end into their minds.


    The wind changed direction and charged toward Elder Gongxi without hurting him yet. It only pressed against his skin and made his robe flutter.


    Elder Gongxi furrowed his brows. It didn''t hurt but he felt that something wasn''t right. Should this really happen? He had originally thought that this disciple was only a practitioner so the wind blades from before had already surprised him but this was different. To actually change the direction of the wind around them wasn''t something a disciple should be able to do. How high was his level already? It couldn''t be that in these few short years he had actually managed to reach a stage that would allow him to do something like this, could it?


    Elder Gongxi couldn''t help but become more careful. He raised his hands and flames flickered into life. Back in the day, he had also been one of the premier talents of the Yang Huo Sect. With his heavenly fire spirit veins, he had been the embodiment of what the sect stood for, making the Elders care a great deal about him. He had been undefeated for many years and he certainly wouldn''t lose to a disciple now, regardless of what kind of constitution that person had.


    He had to make sure that he showed the Yun Zou Sect their place before they grew cocky just because they had had one stroke of luck and took in one disciple with a good constitution. One man couldn''t hold up an entire sect. If that was possible, Grandmaster Zhangsun would have been enough and the Yun Zou Sect''s status wouldn''t have fallen so low.


    He''d really like to see how the Yun Zou Sect wanted to recover after their most prized disciple was hurt. Would they try to pour more energy into the Sect Master''s disciple? But that would never show the same result. Especially since no one knew how that one was doing. Maybe he also hadn''t been able to live through the time in the Leyuan region''s secret realm unharmed and the Yun Zou Sect was trying to cover that up. In that case, he''d force them to reveal the truth!


    The flames at his fingertips flared brighter and sparks flew into the air.


    Qiu Ling looked at the flames coldly and smirked. Fire? How cute! If that Elder couldn''t come up with a bigger one, he would be immune to any attacks thrown at him. Well, that wouldn''t be too bad for his little demonstration.


    Qiu Ling glanced up at the sky, not even bothering to move his hands again. The wind rolled over the sect''s premises and clouds gathered above them, encompassing not only the training grounds but all peaks.


    The Elders around them glanced up, while most disciples stayed focused on the fight. To them, this only seemed like the backdrop to an exciting showdown and they failed to realize that this phenomenon had been brought about by one of the competitors. The Elders shifted uneasily on their seats though.


    Sect Master Yuchi glanced over at Grandmaster Zhangsun. "Your disciple ¡­"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi held back a sigh. This boy was really going overboard. Couldn''t he just have taken out a sword and fought that way? Why was he insisting on making such a fuss? "A heavenly constitution will naturally be different and the dragon body was always associated with the water and air spiritual veins. He is gifted in that regard, maybe even more than he is as a practitioner."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and the Elders sitting around them slightly calmed down. Right. This disciple had a heavenly constitution. It wasn''t too strange that he was able to conjure up such a storm.


    Qiu Ling didn''t care about them. He merely stared at Elder Gongxi while the winds continued to pick up. The trees swayed dangerously as if they would fall over any moment now and the disciples had to use their spiritual energy to defend against the onslaught. The ones on the stages jumped down and everyone withdrew to the outer ring of the training grounds.


    The clouds above their heads rumbled and finally, the first raindrop fell. It sunk into the ground, the earth turning a darker shade. And second and third followed until a torrential rain poured down.


    The fire at Elder Gongxi''s fingers was extinguished despite being created by spiritual energy. He stared at his empty fingertips and looked up at Qiu Ling. He really had underestimated him. Even though this person was merely a disciple of the younger generation, his strength could rival that of an Elder. He couldn''t be careless.


    Among the audience, Liu Cheng furrowed his brows. This type of thing ¡­ It didn''t seem humanly possible. He reached for the sword at his waist, his fingers curling around the hilt. If he remembered correctly, then this was one of the people that had gone to find Hong Bao in the Hei Dian Sect. He was grateful for that but he wouldn''t spare any demon because of that. So if it turned out that his conjecture was right ¡­ But until then, he would first have to test things out.

 Chapter 803 - It’s My Turn Now

    Elder Gongxi channeled more of his spiritual energy, making the flames leap back into life. Qiu Ling smirked and his fingers twitched lightly. A gust of wind rushed into the direction of the Elder, making the light flicker.


    Since they were going to play, they should play for a while.


    Elder Gongxi smiled when he saw this. It seemed he had already discovered the extent of Qiu Ling''s abilities. Although this storm looked impressive, it was nothing more than that: A flashy move meant to intimidate his opponents and have them become overly cautious, urging them to take on a defensive position that would make it unlikely for them to gain an advantage in the fight. After all, being on the offensive would always be preferable. Acting instead of reacting was the way to go in every battle.


    Elder Gongxi raised his hand higher and the flames around his fingers grew until they formed several balls that floated up into the air. The Elder didn''t stop channeling his energy and the small spheres were soon joined by another row of ten flickering flames. The fires turned in the air as if they weren''t disturbed by the fierce winds at all and started to swirl on the spot, morphing into what looked like a blazing tornado.


    Elder Gongxi smiled at Qiu Ling. "Kid, if you want to stand a chance against me, you should attack now. Otherwise, I''m afraid it will be too late."


    Qiu Ling looked at the small tornado and almost burst out laughing. So that was what humans considered to be a strong attack? He wasn''t even a full-blooded demon but he would be able to work out something far more dangerous with just a snap of his fingers. What''s with that pretentious preparation? Couldn''t this guy do more? Or maybe he thought he was easy prey and was thus still going easy on him? Then he''d have to show him that he wasn''t that easy to mess with!


    Qiu Ling pushed off the ground and rose into the air, his black hair fluttering in the storm, lending him a wild and unruly air. "You want me to attack now? Fine with me!" He raised his hands and the clouds above them rumbled again. Lightning struck not far from Elder Gongxi''s feet. The rain formed a wave and crashed into the Elder''s blazing tornado, burying it below.


    Qiu Ling dispersed the wave, not bothering to attack Elder Gongxi any further. Ah, just looking at that guy''s face was already very good. That disbelieving stare, that utter astonishment that somebody would be able to counter his stupid move with just a wave of their fingers, that was so worth it. Although Qiu Ling was already enjoying the show, he couldn''t help but add insult to injury. "Well, I''ve made my attack. What about yours?"


    Elder Gongxi stared blankly at the ground where his flames had vanished. How? Just how had that happened? He raised his gaze back to Qiu Ling and saw the smile on his lips that he wasn''t trying to hide it all. Obviously, this guy was mocking him.


    He furrowed his brows and once again waved his hands, conjuring up several flames. Before he had time to throw them, another gush of water rushed at him and this time, it didn''t just take out the flames. The water crashed into his body and pushed him two steps back, soaking his robe and hair.


    The corner of Qiu Ling''s mouth raised even higher. He lifted a hand and wind danced around his fingertips. "Was that all, old man? It''s really disappointing, you know? I was actually looking forward to having a good fight. Who could have known you are this weak?" He didn''t wait for the Elder to get his bearing back and waved his hand, making the wind shoot out and smash into the ground right next to Elder Gongxi''s feet, making the earth spray into the air and stain his crimson robe.


    Elder Gongxi looked at his robe and then back at Qiu Ling. He had trouble forming even one coherent thought. He hadn''t expected this. Even after he had told himself that this guy had to be stronger than he had originally thought, he still hadn''t expected it to be to this ridiculous degree. What to do now? Would he have to go all out?


    He furrowed his brows but it seemed there was nothing else he could do. Having to use his strongest attacks against a mere disciple might make him lose face somewhat but that was still better than losing the fight and any dignity he had alongside it.


    This time, he raised his arms and his hands drew complicated runes into the air. The ground around him erupted in flames that shot toward the spot where Qiu Ling was hovering in the air. The flames rose, trying to engulf his whole body. This time, they raged more desperately. If a normal person got caught up in this, it might indeed be their end. For Qiu Ling though ¡­


    He snorted and glanced at the sky above them. Most likely, this guy should have realized that he was much stronger than him. The other Elders should be in the same situation. As for the disciples ¡­ He didn''t care if they knew how strong he was exactly. They should at least be able to see that he could deal with any of them that tried to make trouble for his beloved. So now, the only thing that was left was taking care of this guy once and for all.


    "Well, since you''ve made your attack, it should be my turn now."


    He didn''t bother holding back this time. The winds rose, gathering the rain and forming a tornado of their own around them, making it impossible for the disciples of the Yang Huo Sect or any of the other Elders to interfere. Right now, it was only this person and him. Nobody would hold him back!


    His eyes narrowed and he stared at the Elder as if he was a dead person already. The tornado whirled around them, the wind cutting into the Elder''s robe and skin. Faint traces of blood joined the raindrops, sinking into the ground without a trace.


    Qiu Ling''s lips curled up further. He merely watched on as the wind and rain battered the Elder''s body, observing as Elder Gongxi tried to protect himself with his spiritual energy but failed miserably. That was what anyone got for messing with his beloved. He wouldn''t spare anyone who tried that kind of thing!


    Not far from the Yun Zou Sect, seated on a boat made of white wood that gave it the appearance of a big feather, Jinde raised his head and cursed. "Not good. Alliance Head Hua, is there any chance we could hurry up a bit?"

 Chapter 804 - Stronger than Him

    Hua Min gave his guest a complicated look and shook his head. "We''ll be there in a bit. Please wait a while longer."


    Jinde''s lips twitched and he inched closer to the Alliance Head. "I''m being serious this time."


    Hua Min stared at the person that was now crouching next to him and couldn''t help but wonder. So the twenty times before, he hadn''t been serious?


    Jinde''s lips twitched again and he motioned to the front where storm clouds could be seen not too far away. "I was being serious before as well but that was just because I wanted to see my husband again as soon as possible. But right now, the Yun Zou Sect is in trouble so I''d suggest we hurry up if it is humanly possible."


    Hua Min looked into the distance and couldn''t help but furrow his brows. Even though he didn''t trust this person too much when it concerned their return to the Yun Zou Sect he also felt that this looked quite dangerous. What was happening there?


    Jinde sighed. "That''s very likely the handiwork of my stepson. He is very much able to flatten the whole sect and everybody who is currently there so we should really hurry up."


    Hua Min still looked at him with a complicated gaze. His stepson? So since he was married to Grandmaster Leng ¡­


    Jinde clicked his tongue. "Did you miss the moment where told you that the Yun Zou Sect might cease to exist if we take our sweet time getting there? Why are you still not hurrying up? Do you think I''m making empty threats?"


    Hua Min shook his head. "That''s not it." He closed his eyes and imbued more spiritual energy into the feathered boat, making it speed up. "I can''t help but wonder though. If this person is your stepson ¡­"


    Jinde raised his golden brows that were once again obscured behind the veiled hat. "What then? If there is something that Alliance Head Hua would like to know, then please go ahead and ask."


    Hua Min continued to look at this person with a complicated expression. If it was that easy, he wouldn''t have been so cautious with asking in the first place. Anyway, it seemed this was something he shouldn''t get involved with. He gave Jinde another probing glance before he turned back to the front. "Never mind. It''s not that important."


    Jinde hummed and didn''t bother to speak any further on the matter. It was better if nobody knew. There were already too many people that knew about his return and the more people found out, the less safe he and Jin Yu would be. As long as he wasn''t in the realm that Jin Yu had promised him, he couldn''t be careless and give anything away.


    The feathered boat rushed toward the Yun Zou Sect, the winds brushing against it as if they wanted to keep it from approaching any further. Jinde sighed. If he was still at his peak, it would be no problem for him to make sure that the boat didn''t have any trouble passing and he would probably also be able to cancel out the storm Qiu Ling had called up upon.


    Right now though ¡­ He had managed to make up for the energy he had lost while fleeing in the time that he had spent at the Liu He Alliance. The density of the spiritual energy over there was very good but considering the condition he had been in before, it didn''t help too much. He wasn''t in a state that would allow him to do anything against Qiu Ling''s raging. He could only hope that a few words would be enough to calm him down again.


    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, Qiu Ling was far from calming down. In fact, seeing this hateful person futilely struggle against the onslaught of the elements, he was smiling in a way that seemed cold enough to make the raindrops falling around him freeze in the air.


    Just thinking about how this person had targeted the one he loved, his rage threatened to boil over. If not for him pretending for all these years that his demonic side didn''t exist, he might have used that cursed blood and used fire against this person to whittle away at him. Wouldn''t that be fitting? First breaking that damned pride, then that body, and finally incarcerating even that soul.


    Those that threatened his beloved''s life couldn''t be left alone. They had to pay. Whoever dared to try and take this person from him had to die. And he wouldn''t mind making it the most horrible experience he could. He had no compassion. The only one he had left was Jing He. Since someone was trying to take him from him, he would make sure that couldn''t happen. Never. Never again. He would never let anybody take from him what should be his. No one.


    The winds picked up and the disciples outside started to scream, withdrawing even further from the fight. As much as they were impressed by this show of strength, they obviously weren''t strong enough to take it. Ah, who would have known that Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple was this strong?


    Most of the disciples weren''t even able to understand just how strong this person was. The Elders didn''t have trouble recognizing it though. This strength ¡­ It was above their own. Obviously, the Yun Zou Sect didn''t have to rely on only one person anymore to hold them up. The Grandmaster''s disciple had become just as strong as him. Or even if he hadn''t reached that height yet, there couldn''t be much missing anymore. At the very least, he was much stronger than a normal Elder. Even they had trouble to resist the coercion from the battlefield right now. Don''t think of helping Elder Gongxi, they first had to make sure that they were able to help themselves.


    Yuchi Bing Xia glanced at the Grandmaster sitting next to him with a worried expression. "Is it really alright to let this continue?"


    Grandmaster Zhangsun sighed. "I could go and try to stop him but I''m pretty sure that you would rather see that Elder Gongxi die than me."


    Yuchi Bing Xia stared at him but the Grandmaster refused to say anything else. Right now, no one was paying attention to them so he didn''t mind saying it. But he definitely couldn''t say any more or someone might notice. Anyway, the message should have been clear: Yes, this person wasn''t lacking compared to him. No, on the contrary, it was he who was lacking.


    This disciple of his ¡­ He was much stronger than he as his so-called Master was. There was no way for him to hold Qiu Ling back. And right now, the only people he could think of that might be able to do so weren''t in the sect. Ah, just where were they? Was there no way to call them back? Because otherwise, he was afraid that some kind of accident would happen and make matters even worse for their Yun Zou Sect.

 Chapter 805 - Only One Reason

    Yuchi Bing Xia and Zhangsun Xun Yi watched on as Qiu Ling fought with Elder Gongxi, their expressions getting more and more complicated. They knew there was nothing they could do but it wasn''t a nice feeling to only be able to watch. Should they try to call out? But then what if Qiu Ling still didn''t stop? That might make matters even worse.


    Finally, the white feathered boat appeared in the vicinity of the sect grounds. Zhangsun Xun Yi leaped to his feet, not sure if he should feel hope or get even more frustrated. He stared at what was obviously a magical artifact. If he wasn''t wrong, then this feathered boat should be the one Hua Min had always been using when he went somewhere with his disciples. So the Liu He Alliance had sent him over? His Master had been friends with Grandmaster Leng so maybe Hua Min would have a way to contact him?


    On one hand, that would help them immensely and might be able to save Elder Gongxi or at least everybody else from the storm Qiu Ling had created. On the other hand, that would also put Hua Min and his disciples in danger. After all, he knew that Hua Min wasn''t any stronger than he himself. There was no way he would be able to contend with Qiu Ling. The only way to put an end to this was Leng Jin Yu.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi glanced at Yuchi Bing Xia at that thought. It was troublesome though. If Leng Jin Yu came out as who he truly was, then the Sect Master would certainly be shocked. It was no wonder. Contrary to him who had found out that Qiu Ling was his disciple in name only early on, Yuchi Bing Xia had never wavered in the belief that Yu Jin was his disciple. On the contrary, he had even been happy that he had managed to pick up such a talent. If he found out this way now ¡­


    Yuchi Bing Xia got up from his seat when he noticed his gaze and motioned over. "What''s that?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi tightened his lips and shook his head. "A delegation from the Liu He Alliance. I''m just afraid ¡­ This won''t help much. If anything, it might just add to the chaos."


    Yuchi Bing Xia also furrowed his brows and looked at the middle of the training grounds where Elder Gongxi was still trying to somehow resist the onslaught of Qiu Ling''s attacks. It didn''t look good for him. If nothing was done ¡­


    The white feathered boat approached further and a person jumped into the air. Both Zhangsun Xun Yi and Yuchi Bing Xia narrowed their eyes and stared at that person through the raging storm. This was ¡­ Unfortunately, they couldn''t tell. The person wore the usual robes of the Liu He Alliance judging from the color and the embroidery at the hem but the rest of their body was hidden below a dark veil. The person didn''t bother to announce themselves either and just rushed at the storm, entering as if they were going on a walk.


    Needless to say, this person was Jinde. Even though he was unable to contend with Qiu Ling''s current strength, he was still able to enter the storm based on the fact that he was a dragon. As long as Qiu Ling didn''t try to attack him deliberately, the winds wouldn''t hurt him.


    Thus Jinde entered the training grounds and got closer to Qiu Ling. He wasn''t stupid enough to get too close though. Obviously, his stepson had lost quite a bit of his reason or otherwise, he would never do something like this.


    "Qiu Ling. Qiu Ling!"


    Jinde called out but Qiu Ling didn''t pay him any attention. His whole mind was focused on the fight.


    Jinde sighed and looked around. He didn''t know what had happened but normally, there was only one reason why a dragon would behave like this. Most likely, the idiot down there had threatened Qiu Ling''s lover or maybe even injured him. Otherwise, even someone as emotional as Qiu Ling wouldn''t go this overboard.


    Jinde continued to look around until he finally spotted the boy in the audience. It seemed he at least wasn''t hurt. The boy looked spooked though. Well, it wasn''t a wonder. He had probably never seen his lover like this.


    Jinde didn''t know too much about their relationship but considering Qiu Ling''s heritage and past, he would certainly try to hide that side of himself. He would never want anybody and especially not somebody he loved to equate him with a demon. So this kind of senseless killing was something he wouldn''t do with his lover around. Even if he could explain it later on, he still wouldn''t take the risk.


    Jinde inched closer to Qiu Ling. Since he knew more or less what had happened, he should try to work with that. "Qiu Ling. Do you really want him to see you like this? I''m afraid you''re scaring your beloved. Have a look at him."


    Qiu Ling''s gaze flickered. His beloved ¡­ He was scared? It had to be that stupid Elder''s fault! He had been scared because this person had threatened him. In that case ¡­ He raised his hand, the storm around them even intensifying.


    Jinde cursed under his breath and then looked back at the boy that was now crouching on the ground. The disciples of the Yun Zou Sect really couldn''t take it any longer and Jing Yi didn''t feel much better. His cultivation base might be high already but he had never learned to use it. He still kept his gaze trained on Qiu Ling as if that could change anything.


    Jinde narrowed his eyes and then waved at the boy. Apparently, he wasn''t able to make the bear child stop but somebody else could.


    Jing Yi looked at the veiled man that had appeared. Seeing him wave while he looked in his direction, his heart couldn''t help but thump. Did he mean for him to go over? But with that storm going on around them there was no way he would be able to do that.


    Jinde glanced at Qiu Ling again and then landed on the ground, walking over to Jing Yi''s side. "Child, stay calm now. You better talk him out of this or who knows what he''ll do in the end? Can you do that?"


    Jing Yi looked at him, feeling as if he had heard that voice before. Wasn''t this the person that was with senior martial brother Yu before? The man with the golden hair and eyes? That was somebody Qiu Ling seemed to know very well. In that case, he could trust what he said.


    Jing Yi motioned at the storm. "I do but ¡­"


    Jinde shook his head and reached over, grabbing his hand. "Don''t worry about that. I''ll make sure you''re not hurt and you make sure that the same applies to everyone else." Then he pulled him up into the air.

 Chapter 806 - I’ll Save You!

    Jing Yi wanted to warn him that he shouldn''t underestimate the storm but by then they had already entered and he found that the man had indeed been right. He was able to make sure nothing happened to him. In fact, if he hadn''t been able to see and hear that the storm was still raging around them, he would''ve believed it to only be an illusion. The wind didn''t touch them. The rain didn''t touch them either. It was as if the elements would deliberately skirt around them, making sure not to harm even a single hair on their body.


    Jinde smiled to himself when he saw the boy''s expression. It seemed that even though the two of them were a couple, the boy didn''t understand too much about the dragons yet. Well, there would be time in the future to slowly teach him. He should tell Jin Yu to bring him with him into that secret realm every now and then. He certainly couldn''t rely on Qiu Ling to do that type of thing.


    Jinde pushed the thought aside and then rushed over to where Qiu Ling was, stopping right opposite him while making sure that he was still far enough away that he wouldn''t be hurt should Qiu Ling somehow lash out at him with his claws.


    Qiu Ling had been focused on the person he wanted to kill but when his beloved got closer, his focus naturally shifted. The hand that had just been raised remained awkwardly in the air and the impending attack never came.


    His beloved ¡­ Why was his beloved in the way? And who was that strange person next to him? He furrowed his brows and stared at the dark veil, not really comprehending what he saw. It couldn''t be that somebody was trying to abduct his beloved again, could it? His eyes narrowed and the spiritual energy gathered around his fingertips again. He wouldn''t let anybody take his beloved away ever again!


    Jinde''s eyes widened and he pushed Jing Yi in front of him. "You talk to him!" In his current state, he definitely couldn''t withstand even a single hit from this bear child.


    Jing Yi flinched and looked at Qiu Ling warily. "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    Qiu Ling stared back at him, not knowing what to say.


    Being faced with his lost gaze, Jing Yi''s thoughts flickered back to the moment when he had found Qiu Ling in his inner self. Back then he had also looked at him like this. As if he didn''t know what was happening around him or how he should behave. "Qiu Ling, it''s alright. You''ve ¡­ You''ve already won. Why don''t you stop it now?"


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes in confusion. He had won? But the guy was still alive! And there was still that strange person standing behind his beloved! Thinking of that, the spiritual energy at his fingertips condensed even further. Most likely, that person was instructing his beloved to say that. He was threatening him just the same as that guy down below. He couldn''t let that happen. He should kill them one after the other.


    Jing Yi glanced at the person behind him but with the veil in front of his face, he couldn''t see his expression at all. There was no clue to be had there. He turned back to Qiu Ling, dearly wishing that he was able to fly on his own. That way, he could plunge right into his arms. After all these years, he knew Qiu Ling well enough to understand that that would probably calm him down. After all, it wasn''t too hard to figure out just what had upset Qiu Ling this much today: It was because somebody had threatened to have him fight and Qiu Ling had feared that he might get hurt while doing so. In that case, if he showed him that he was here and that he was alright, everything should go back to normal, right?


    Jing Yi looked at the man behind him, his gaze pleading. "Can you bring me closer to him?"


    Jinde looked from Jing Yi to Qiu Ling and furrowed his golden brows. "Are you sure that''s a good idea? He doesn''t really look like he''d appreciate me getting closer."


    Jing Yi anxiously looked at his lover. Unfortunately, that man was right. Even though Qiu Ling had focused on him, his hand was still raised as if he would attack any moment now. If that man didn''t want to get hurt himself, he definitely couldn''t approach him.


    Jing Yi bit his lower lip, wondering what he should do. He somehow had to calm him down. He had to get closer and reassure him. But talking alone didn''t seem to help. Or maybe it just needed more time? "Qiu Ling ¡­"


    Qiu Ling nodded immediately while his head trembled. "Don''t worry, my love. I''ll save you!"


    Jing Yi''s expression turned complicated. Obviously, his lover wasn''t able to understand the current situation. "Qiu Ling, it''s not that. Look, he''s helping me. You also know I can''t fly. Why ¡­ Why don''t you come over and carry me?" He reached out with one hand, hoping that it would somehow make Qiu Ling drop his threatening attitude.


    Qiu Ling looked at that hand and his own twitched. Yes, he also wanted to go over and take him into his arms. He also wanted to. He didn''t move though. What if that person used the opportunity to do something to his beloved? He couldn''t risk that!


    "Don''t worry. I''ll kill him and then ¡­ then you won''t need to be afraid."


    Jing Yi stared at the person opposite him, hardly believing what he heard. Had Qiu Ling really just said that he wanted to kill this man? But weren''t they familiar with each other? Just what was going on here?


    Jinde sighed. "Don''t take it to heart. It''s ¡­ Well, maybe you wouldn''t call it a normal thing but it''s not unheard of for dragons to react like this. He probably felt that you were threatened before and he can''t really make sense of the situation right now. He''s just too worried. He''ll return to normal as soon as he is assured in his mind that you''re safe. Until then though ¡­ And I''m afraid we don''t have much time anymore." He motioned at the Elder on the ground who had already failed to muster any spiritual energy to defend himself.


    Jing Yi''s eyes widened. This ¡­ This definitely wasn''t the Qiu Ling that he knew. Even if this man said that it wasn''t unusual for dragons to do something like this, he just couldn''t understand. It seemed that he had to do something and that he had to do it fast. Otherwise, there really would be deaths. And that ¡­ Neither would he be able to forgive himself, nor would Qiu Ling be able to do so after he came to.

 Chapter 807 - A Bigger Threat

    Jing Yi took a shaky breath and reached out further. "Qiu Ling, it''s really alright. Look, I''m not hurt. I''m not scared of him either. You already paid him back enough. Yes? Come here now. Just ¡­ Just come here and give me a hug, alright?" He looked at him urgently, hoping that his words could somehow get through to Qiu Ling.


    His lover looked back at him, his eyes uncomprehending. Obviously, he didn''t think that it was enough. But he at least didn''t throw another attack at Elder Gongxi and only let the storm around them rage on.


    Jinde narrowed his eyes. This wasn''t exactly what he had hoped for but it was already very good. This boy might be able to call Qiu Ling back. Right now, if somebody was able to get onto the training grounds and bring that Elder out, then that guy might still be saved.


    Jinde looked around, eying Yuchi Bing Xia and Zhangsun Xun Yi. These two ¡­ They were the strongest people around. But even they likely wouldn''t be able to stand the storm for a longer amount of time. Especially since it wasn''t completely sure whether Qiu Ling would attack again or not.


    So asking them to interfere would be nuts. That guy wasn''t even part of their sect judging from the tatters of the robe he was wearing and since Qiu Ling had felt him to be a threat to his lover, this guy had probably tried to make trouble for the Yun Zou Sect before. Nobody from the sect would risk their lives and cultivation for him. Especially not if it wasn''t sure yet that he would definitely and whether his death would even have any consequences.


    Jinde didn''t know what had happened before but he doubted that that bear child would be stupid enough to go into such a fight without making sure beforehand that that wouldn''t make any more trouble. Even though Qiu Ling might not know everything about the human realm and probably didn''t care for the most part, he should at least want to keep trouble to a minimum if his beloved was involved. And he had been the dragon king for long enough to judge accurately what would cause too much trouble and what was still an acceptable amount.


    While Jinde analyzed the situation, Jing Yi was still focused on his lover. He bit his lip when Qiu Ling still didn''t react. He needed an idea. Something that would be enough to shake him out of this loop of thoughts where he wanted to get revenge or protect him or whatever it was he thought he was doing right now.


    But what? What should he do? It couldn''t be anything that would stimulate Qiu Ling even more. Otherwise, who knew if he would erupt even further? But if it wasn''t shocking, then how would he be pulled out of that state? It didn''t seem possible with any normal means to manage that.


    What could shift Qiu Ling''s focus? Right now, he was acting like this because he wanted to protect him. Then maybe if he felt that there was some other threat, he would stop going after Elder Gongxi?


    Jing Yi glanced at the man behind him, considering to ask him to really stage an attack and bring him out of the Yun Zou Sect. In the end, he couldn''t go through with that though. Who knew if he would get hurt in the process? That also wasn''t what he wanted. But they somehow had to get Qiu Ling''s attention.


    Maybe just leaving would be enough? Qiu Ling may chase after him then. Then again, that also didn''t guarantee that he wouldn''t attack that man if he found any chance to do so. And then when his consciousness returned ¡­ He would still nor forgive himself for having done so.


    But what else? What else could he do? He himself didn''t have any strength, any talent. There was nothing he could do without relying on the person behind him. But if he did, then that person would inevitably be in danger. He didn''t want that. Just why couldn''t he be able to do anything? Unfortunately, he only had himself.


    Jing Yi tensed, making Qiu Ling on the other side perk up.


    What was happening? Was that strange person threatening his beloved? Then he had to finish them off now!


    Jing Yi watched Qiu Ling''s expression change and knew that the thought that had just flashed through his mind was right: He only had himself but that might be enough to solve this problem. Qiu Ling was worried about him. He wanted to make sure there wasn''t any danger around but more than that, he wanted to keep him safe. As long as any danger was eliminated, Qiu Ling would calm down. So if they didn''t want him to continue with taking care of the one he perceived to be in a right now, they had to give him something else to do. Some bigger threat to pull him out of his thoughts and reassure him there was no reason to fight anymore.


    Jing Yi turned his head and looked at the person behind him. "I think I found a way. It''s just ¡­ We''ll have to depend on your speed for that."


    Jinde raised his brows behind the veil. "Speed? I''m not bad at that. What should I do?"


    Jing Yi gave a wry smile. "Drop me. Drop me and then rush up as fast as you can. He won''t be able to catch me and injure you as well."


    Jinde stared at the boy that he was still holding and then glanced over at Qiu Ling. Well ¡­ That might indeed be a way. Between killing somebody and saving his beloved, there was no need to talk about what that child would choose.


    He nodded to himself, the movement almost invisible behind the veil and then let go. Without warning he shot up while Jing Yi plunged toward the ground, a scream escaping his lips.

 Chapter 808 - Not Taking a Risk

    Jing Yi pressed his eyes shut, not needing to act his fear at all. He fell toward the ground, the wind rushing past him, drowning out any other sound, the rain hitting his body once again now that Jinde wasn''t shielding him anymore.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened and his grasp on his spiritual energy slipped. The attack he had prepared collapsed, the storm raging on without his cue.


    He didn''t think. He rushed forward, extending his arms to grab Jing Yi before he could crash into the ground. Never mind the bastard who tried to kill him. Never mind the person that had been hiding behind him. He had to save his beloved before he dealt with any of that!


    He wrested control over his spiritual energy back again. The rain stopped, the wind turned and slowed down Jing Yi''s fall. Qiu Ling rushed forward, his fingers touched Jing Yi''s sleeve and he exhaled in relief. He stretched his arms further and finally pulled him into his arms.


    He held him close to his chest and then just stopped. The two of them hovered in the air, their bodies tightly pressed together as if Qiu Ling would never let go again. He didn''t want to. He didn''t want to move, didn''t want to let him go. He should just hug him for as long as he could.


    Jing Yi didn''t say anything. He just took one shaky breath after the other, his fingers tugging into Qiu Ling''s robe. Even though he had suggested this himself, it still wasn''t a good feeling to fall like that. If he could, he never wanted to experience this again.


    He took a deep breath to calm down and then hugged Qiu Ling''s neck, making sure that his attention wouldn''t be caught by anything else. By now, Qiu Ling should have woken up from his previous state, shouldn''t he? He would be normal again, right?


    Jing Yi opened his eyes and glanced up. The expression he saw on Qiu Ling''s face made his heart squeeze. Yes, his lover was obviously awake again. There was still that fear of losing him thought. In fact, it might even be worse.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes again and continued to hold onto him without saying anything. He just wanted to let him know that he was there and that he wouldn''t go anywhere. That should reassure Qiu Ling just as much as Qiu Ling''s presence reassured him, shouldn''t it?


    He had no idea whether his plan actually worked on not. His lover just continued to hug him, not saying a single word, not moving, neither bringing them back to the ground. His eyes seemed to have said that he was back but the longer he kept quiet, the more worried Jing Yi became.


    In the end, he couldn''t take it any longer. He had to say something. He had to see if his lover would react or not. "Qiu Ling, can we ¡­ Can you put me down? I don''t feel comfortable in the air like this."


    This time, Qiu Ling finally moved. He raised his head and looked at Jing Yi''s expression that really seemed uncomfortable. He nodded and then slowly descended to the ground. He didn''t let go though. He still held onto him and his grip even seemed to tighten.


    Jing Yi bit his lip and hugged him back as well. Alright, maybe he had gone too far just now? He wanted to say something and talk things through but he didn''t know where to start. He also didn''t feel that this was the right moment. There were too many people around and both of them hadn''t calmed down yet.


    No, for the time being, they''d have to push it off. It was much better to talk about this when they were back at the bamboo hut where they were alone and could take their time to talk about matters.


    Jing Yi looked around until he finally saw Elder Gongxi. Since the storm had already died down, the disciples of the Yang Huo Sect had gathered around him, fussing over his injuries. Jing Yi heaved a sigh of relief. He didn''t like this man but he also didn''t want him to die. It was good enough that he had managed to get out of this with those injuries. Maybe that would also mean their mission was finished now.


    He looked at Qiu Ling again and gently cupped his cheeks. "I guess that''s it for the competition now. Maybe we should ask your Master if we can return?" Grandmaster Zhangsun shouldn''t have anything against that, right? After all, his disciple was obviously not in the right state of mind. Things like that could be dangerous. He should want him to take a break, right?


    Qiu Ling stared at his beloved and then nodded slowly. He glanced at his Master but in the end, he didn''t go over. No, he didn''t want to let go of his beloved. He just ¡­ He wanted to keep on holding him. Only if he did so could he be sure that nothing would happen. Yes, it was much better to hold him in his arms. He should ¡­ never let go again. Not for a single moment. Then nothing could happen to Jing He. Wouldn''t that be great?


    He closed his eyes and that gentle smile flashed through his mind. The way the light sparkled in his eyes ¡­ he wouldn''t be able to go on if he couldn''t see it any longer. So why should he take a risk?


    Meanwhile, Jinde had rushed back to the white feathered boat, not even glancing behind him to see whether Qiu Ling had managed to catch Jing Yi or not. He also understood why the child had told him to fly in the other direction. So every bit of distance he could create between himself and Qiu Ling was good.


    As much as he wanted to stop this brat from killing an innocent person, he wouldn''t sacrifice his own well-being. Some years ago, he might not have cared as much but right now, he had reunited with his husband. His life was finally the way he had always wished it to be. He was with the man he loved, he was on the way to be healed and maybe, just maybe, there would even be a child in the future. He hadn''t given up hope yet. So he definitely wouldn''t let anything happen to himself.


    Between dying and having Qiu Ling kill someone, the latter was the smaller problem. After all, Qiu Ling wasn''t that weak. He might blame himself for a bit since this death wouldn''t have needed to happen but that didn''t mean that he wouldn''t be able to deal with it. He had lived with that kind of thing for long enough already, after all.

 Chapter 809 - One Problem Less

    Jinde landed on the deck of the white feathered boat and sighed. Behind him, the storm was calming down. In that case, it should have worked, right? He shook his head and went back to his seat next to Hua Min. "Alliance Head Hua, it seems the worst part is over. We should hurry and get back."


    Hua Min looked at Jinde with a complicated expression. This man had actually managed to solve such a situation. It wasn''t strange considering that he was married to Grandmaster Leng but it made him wonder why he would flee the Yun Zou Sect. Shouldn''t somebody this strong be able to deal with whoever dared to make trouble for him? Well, that wasn''t anything for him to worry about.


    He nodded and then imbued his spiritual energy into the artifact again, making it once again drift toward the Yun Zou Sect. When they arrived at the sect gates, the situation on the training grounds hadn''t been solved yet. On the contrary, further trouble was brewing.


    The disciples of the Yang Huo Sect had started to make a fuss until the Grandelder hurried over with Nian Hong Fan to take a look at Elder Gongxi''s injuries. As for the result ¡­ Well, the Elder had expended all of his spiritual energy to hold off the onslaught of Qiu Ling''s attack, damaging his spirit veins in the process. The rest of his body wasn''t doing much better: Not counting the cuts to his skin, he had several broken bones and inner injuries. It was nothing that a few pills couldn''t heal but considering that they had originally wanted to have a friendly competition between the disciples, it wasn''t a good result.


    The Grandelder glanced at the Sect Master but Yuchi Bing Xia could only smile wryly. What was he supposed to say? Elder Gongxi had agreed to that duel but these kinds of wounds shouldn''t have happened. Since it had happened in front of all the other sects he should probably let the Grandelder heal him but on the other hand, this fight had started because Elder Gongxi had tried to drag Qiu Ling''s fiance into a fight. If he had him healed now that he had lost, wouldn''t that send the wrong signal? Never mind what the other sects would make out of that, wouldn''t Qiu Ling be furious? After all, he obviously cherished that boy and wouldn''t stand for it if others dared to threaten him.


    Ah, this really wasn''t easy.


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked from the Grandelder and Elder Gongxi over to where Qiu ling was still hugging his fiance. Well, the Yang Huo Sect would make trouble anyway now that one of their people had been injured. Whether they raged a bit more or a bit less, they would get brazen anyway. So why should he accommodate them?


    Yuchi Bing Xia got up and gave what he hoped to be a compassionate smile. "Aiya, these disciples, it seems that Elder Gongxi has suffered quite a bit in that fight. Are you able to use your sect''s artifact to fly back or would you like one of our disciples to escort you? It wouldn''t be too much trouble for us so you don''t have to hold back just to be polite."


    The disciples stared at him, trembling with anger. The Yun Zou Sect''s disciple had injured their Elder and their Sect Master still dared to behave like this?! Unfortunately, they didn''t have the backing of an Elder anymore and they were of the younger generation. They couldn''t lose their temper at Yuchi Bing Xia.


    One of the disciples finally got up from the ground and cupped his fists in Yuchi Bing Xia''s direction. "Thank you for your generous offer, Sect Master Yuchi. We''ll be able to take him back on our own."


    "Mn, that''s good then." Yuchi Bing Xia nodded like a good-natured person. He knew that these disciples would go and tattle to the Yang Huo Sect''s Sect Master but they should just try to make trouble. Everyone had heard Elder Gongxi agree to the fight and after this show of strength, many of them likely wouldn''t dare to speak out against them anyway. Mn, it would be great if Yu Jin could come out of closed-door cultivation before they left. If he had managed to make a breakthrough, it''d certainly shock these guys silly!


    He really wanted to laugh but he had to control himself and continue to look on with a pitying gaze as if he truly cared about Elder Gongxi. He couldn''t let people say his Yun Zou Sect was inhumane.


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and then motioned at Wu Min Huan. "Min Huan, why don''t you help them to a place where they can set off? The training grounds might not be a good place for that."


    "Yes, Master." Wu Min Huan happily bowed and rushed over to them, leading them away.


    Yuchi Bing Xia heaved a sigh of relief. Well, the first one had been taken care of, now he only needed to take care of the other sects and then they could finally return to their everyday life. Or, well, at least they could return to taking care of their own matters. There was still the problem with Elder Geng''s disciple, after all, and they still needed to restructure the sect. That would take a lot of time.


    Yuchi Bing Xia straightened up and cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the other sects'' delegations again. After this had happened, it shouldn''t be too hard to drive them off. Just when he wanted to start speaking, a voice interrupted him.


    "Sect Master Yuchi."


    The one who stepped forward was Liu Cheng and his expression said that what he wanted to say wasn''t anything Yuchi Bing Xia would like to hear.


    The Sect Master gulped and gave a weak smile. Considering where Liu Cheng came from, he could already imagine what this would be about but he certainly didn''t want to hear that. After all, he had already seen at the Gathering of Practitioners how strongly Qiu Ling reacted to being called a demon and after what had just happened, they certainly couldn''t let another blunder happen.

 Chapter 810 - No Time to Digest

    Yuchi Bing Xia forced himself to calm down. Anyway, Liu Cheng had already spoken up. He had to acknowledge it but still somehow get around him saying things that would reflect on the Yun Zou Sect badly. "Liu Cheng, ah, let us clear up this up first. Such an incident, naturally, it can''t just be dismissed with taking Elder Gongxi away. I should at least say a few words."


    Liu Cheng''s gaze swept toward where Qiu Ling and Jing Yi were still standing huddled together and he nodded with a grim expression. Anyway, a moment more wouldn''t make a difference. That person ¡­ He probably hadn''t expended too much energy in that fight anyway. So one couldn''t really say that he would have time to restore it. After all, there was nothing to restore.


    Yuchi Bing Xia almost heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Liu Cheng''s nod but he held back just in time. He couldn''t let others see just how relieved he was or things would be troublesome.


    He turned back to the other Elders and gave what he hoped to be a rueful smile. "We had hoped that this competition could be used for our disciples to exchange some pointers and gain experience but, alas, things turned out this way. I have to apologize for what just happened.


    "Many of you might still remember that incident in the Leyuan region. As I said previously, the one who was imprisoned there was the fiance of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple. We all know that incidents like this can deeply influence someone. Although Jing Yi''s cultivation level has risen, it isn''t very stable and after almost losing him once, Qiu Ling just can''t help but fear that things might go wrong if his fiance had to fight in this kind of condition. He got too emotional about this and thus the fight got a little out of hand. I hope that everyone can understand now where we were coming from when we tried to dissuade Elder Gongxi from insisting on having Jing Yi take part in this competition."


    A few of the Elders murmured but who would dare to say out loud that Yuchi Bing Xia was twisting words and logic? Obviously, he did have a point somewhere in there but it was really putting it too simple.


    Yes, Elder Gongxi had insisted on having Jing Yi fight and yes, some excuses had been brought out as to why that wasn''t possible but in the end, it remained a fact that an Elder of another sect had been gravely injured in a fight with a disciple. That was what they cared about! Well, not that Elder Gongxi was injured. After all, that guy was insufferable. He could go and die for all they cared. No, the more important fact was that a disciple had been able to injure him to that extent. What did that say about that disciple? What did that say about the sect that the disciple was part of? That was what they wanted to know!


    Yuchi Bing Xia knew exactly what was going through their heads so he didn''t bother to say any empty words about it. "Well, Qiu Ling still seems a little out of sorts. I think we should let him and his fiance retreat first so they can spend some time alone." He saw Liu Cheng straighten up and rushed to continue speaking before the disciple had any chance to say something. "As we said before, we''re a little short on talented disciples but I''m sure that we can find a disciple that would be able to take the spot of Qiu Ling in the competition. I just don''t know if the Elders are willing to have it in the first place considering what just happened. It might be in poor taste to continue now that such an accident occurred."


    Liu Cheng wanted to speak up but the Elders had already started debating. On one hand, they wanted to report about the situation of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple but, on the other hand, they also wanted to stay and make sure that they would have a chance to find out more about that lucky coincidence that the Yun Zou Sect had encountered.


    Actually, could it be that both of them were connected? After all, it had only been about five years since the Gathering of Practitioners. Although Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple had been strong back then, it hadn''t been to this exaggerated point. So could it be that this lucky coincidence had actually managed to promote the strength of one of their disciples to this degree?


    Some of them couldn''t help but think of the rumor that they had heard: Apparently, the Sect Master''s head disciple Yu Jin was currently in closed-door cultivation. When that person emerged, would he also show such an exaggerated increase in strength? They were fearful of what the answer might be but they couldn''t help but want to inquire.


    With everybody speaking over each other, Liu Cheng had no chance to say what he wanted.


    At that moment, a disciple rushed onto the training grounds and hurried toward the seat of the Sect Master, cupping his fists and bowing. "Greetings, Sect Master. New guests have arrived at the gate."


    Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows. "Another guest?" Who could that be? All the first-tier sects were already there and the highest-ranked second-tier sects had also appeared. The ones lower on the ranking shouldn''t have any reason to come here. So who else would show up? He glanced at Grandmaster Zhangsun, hoping for him to dispel his confusion.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked in the direction of the gates but the white, feathered boat couldn''t be seen from their seats. Still, since the artifact had been heading in their direction, they should be the guests that had come over. "Is it the Liu He Alliance?"


    He only asked lightly but the three words ''Liu He Alliance'' managed to draw the attention of the bickering Elders.


    Come again? The Liu He Alliance? At the Yun Zou Sect? Was there something happening they didn''t know about?! This really was too much! They needed to be given a bit of time to digest the old news first, alright?!

 Chapter 811 - It’s Better Not to Know

    At that point in time, Qiang Yan and Bai Mu had brought Leng Jin Yu out of the Nine Heavens and were currently looking at him, unsure of how to proceed. They had chosen to leave the Nine Heavens at the closest spot possible and were thus quite far away from the Yun Zou Sect. In fact, Qiang Yan had no idea where the sect even was.


    "I don''t think he''s going to wake up anytime soon. An injury to the soul isn''t anything to scoff at. Honestly, I wasn''t there at the time but there are stories of the previous dragon king collapsing in the Nine Heavens. They only found out later that it was because his soul had been injured by the soul-devouring dagger. And he wasn''t weak."


    Bai Mu glanced at his father but didn''t speak up. The Nine Heavens, the dragon realm, the king of a race ¡­ All that was far from the life he had lived so far. In fact, he mostly thought of himself as human. Sure, he was immortal thanks to his mother''s blood but he also would have turned immortal after cultivating. And considering his father''s blood, he would''ve been a talent anyway.


    Qiang Yan couldn''t help but furrow his brows. "I don''t know too much about the previous Longjun but he was definitely a very strong person. He might not have been known as the strongest fighter like the current one is but that doesn''t mean that he was far off the mark. There was just somebody who was even better."


    He couldn''t help but wonder what the story behind all of this was. The strongest fighter of the dragon race ¡­ Before Qiu Ling, that had been his father. But even though the dragon race put a lot of emphasis on strength, that person hadn''t become their king. Instead, the greatest beauty of the dragon race had gotten a hold of that seat. It really made him wonder what was up with that.


    Still, just because he hadn''t held the title, it didn''t mean that he had been weak. Dragons were naturally stronger than any of the other races. For Longjun Jinde, the same was true. He just ¡­ He had happened to be so beautiful that that was what attracted everyone''s eyes even more. It was to the point that there had been some rumors even in the Nine Heavens that he hadn''t been elected for anything but that beauty.


    Needless to say, Qiang Yan didn''t believe that. This person ¡­ He wasn''t somebody he was willing to offend. His reign had been very peaceful and as the person that had finally managed to bring down the demon king Jian Heng who had ruled for the longest time that was recorded in the history of the three immortal races, he truly had to be exceptional. Where had Chun Yin been at that point in time?


    Looking at Leng Jin Yu, Qiang Yan had some doubts about that. He wasn''t willing to ask any of that though. Maybe it was better not to speak about these things. If he discovered some of these secret unintentionally, he really wasn''t sure if he would be able to go on calmly. There were some things he''d rather not get involved in. Especially since this also concerned his nephew.


    Had he found out about these things when Jing He had just met Qiu Ling, then maybe he would''ve done everything he could to investigate more and make sure the two of them wouldn''t be able to meet again. But when he did check Qiu Ling''s background back then, it hadn''t yielded any results and he hadn''t bothered to dig deeper since there hadn''t been any indicators that there might be something more to this than just a lucky case of an orphan being strong enough to gain everybody''s worship. And by now, even if he did find out, it wouldn''t change anything. Jing He had already fallen for this man. If he found out something that shouldn''t come to light, it would make matters worse. So for the sake of his nephew, it was better not to dwell on things and pretend he hadn''t found out about either Jinde being alive or Leng Jin Yu''s previous identity.


    Qiang Yan sighed and pulled Leng Jin Yu back up. "Well, he wanted to return as fast as possible. I guess they will be meeting up in the Yun Zou Sect. Do you know where it is?" He could imagine something better than bringing an unconscious husband back to that person but what else was he supposed to do? That array had to be finalized as soon as possible. The longer Longjun Jinde stayed outside, the likelier it was for somebody to find him, after all. He couldn''t risk that.


    So in the end, it was still better to bring him back. With the help of his husband, they might even be able to extricate the piece of his soul that Leng Jin Yu had cut off and finalize the array themselves. Then they could just let the couple go into the realm and everything would be alright.


    Anyway, with his husband unconscious, that person should worry about other things than wreaking his anger on the poor messengers, right? Right?


    Bai Mu didn''t catch his father''s worry and just nodded, motioning in the other direction. "I haven''t been imprisoned in the Chun Feng Sect for that long. It was only a few years, to be honest. Nothing much has changed since that time."


    "Let''s go then."

 Chapter 812 - A Bunch of Extremists

    The two of them set off once more, dragging the still unconscious Leng Jin Yu with them.


    The silence between them stretched until Qiang Yan couldn''t bear it anymore. "What I was wondering about ¡­"


    Bai Mu looked over, raising his brows in a questioning manner. He had no idea how he would be able to help his father solve any issues about these matters. He didn''t know much about the immortal races or their realms, not to speak of their history. He hardly understood what his father had talked about before even though he had met some of these people.


    Qiang Yan cleared his throat and uncomfortably shifted at his son''s gaze. "Maybe it''s insensitive to ask but ¡­ I was wondering what was up with that Chun Feng Sect. Back then, my blood was completely human. I''m sure of that. And even though your mother was of mixed descent, part of her blood was human as well and another part was that of a god. Why would any demon hunters be after you?"


    Bai Mu sighed. "The Chun Feng Sect ¡­ I guess you could say they''re a little special. All deity sects kill demons but it''s mostly for their disciples to gain experience. Actually, for the most part, the ones they''ll go after are rather demon beasts instead of actual demons.


    The Chun Feng Sect is different though. They have specialized in this sort of thing. They don''t care about demonic practitioners or spirit beasts and just care about actual demons. And in their eyes, whether you''re a full-blooded demon, a half-blooded one or even less than that, you''re still a demon. So if they find out, they''ll hunt you down without fail. Even running away won''t help. They''ll paint your face and distribute it to all their disciples along with any kind of information they can gain about you. They don''t mind using your loved ones against you either. It was that way for me." Bai Mu furrowed his brows when he thought back to that day. If it wasn''t for him falling in love with Nie Huang, he might have been able to escape. After all, there was still his mother''s realm that he could enter and leave at will and he had lived long enough to be able to alter his appearance so that the lower-leveled disciples wouldn''t be able to recognize him.


    But the Chun Feng Sect had hunted demons for a long time. They were especially proficient at sniffing out those who were partly of demonic blood, slowly casting a net, and finally catching them. It had been that way for him as well.


    He didn''t know if his meeting with Nie Huang had been orchestrated by them from the very beginning. It wasn''t that he suspected that Nie Huang had known anything about it but the Chun Feng Sect never did anything halfheartedly. And he had lived for a long time.


    He had been part of two of the highest-ranked sects back in the day and even after he was betrayed by the people from the righteous faction and then finally left the demonic faction, he still hadn''t insisted on keeping a low profile. It was probably the most accurate to call him a wandering cultivator. Helping when he saw people in trouble, exploring whatever ruins or realms he encountered, cultivating in solitude ¡­ He had never hidden away to escape trouble. He hadn''t felt it necessary. After all, the Da Dao Guang Sect had fallen and even the Shen Shen Yuan Order had become a thing of the past. Who would have any interest in pursuing him?


    He never would have thought that there actually was someone. By now, the Chun Feng Sect had been around for a long time and before them, there had been other sects that specialized in hunting demons. There was a very good chance that the original members of the Chun Feng Sect had been made up of people from these sects. So their knowledge of demons and those of demonic descent wasn''t shallow and maybe they had even inherited some tasks or rather information on some people that were suspected to be demons. It would have made sense.


    It could also be that he had one day been spotted by them while doing something that alerted them to his nature. Maybe they had been keeping an eye on him since that day. Anyway, them shadowing him and trying to find out more about him wouldn''t have been a thing of just some days. No, they would have inspected his habits and likes for a long time and they also would have known what kind of person he liked as his partner.


    It wasn''t unthinkable that they had waited until he once again encountered somebody or maybe fiddled with a few things to make sure that he would meet with Nie Huang back then. If it didn''t happen, they might have even sent one of their disciples to play the part. He could imagine that so in a way, he had been lucky that he met somebody who truly loved him and didn''t just fall into a trap set by the demon hunters.


    It changed the outcome though. Because after he found this woman and decided to spend the rest of her life with her, he had naturally been tied down. With her around, he didn''t dare to fight. Even with her out of the way, he didn''t dare to go overboard.


    Even if he would''ve been able to take out the members of the Chun Feng Sect that day, he wouldn''t have dared to do so. After all, they already knew about her. What if the ones at the site weren''t the only ones? What if she got into trouble because of what he had done? So with her life at risk and being unwilling to take her away and condemn her to be a fugitive for life, he had only been able to let himself be captured and hope that Nie Huang wouldn''t be in trouble.


    That had also been the reason why he didn''t dare to go back to her after leaving the Chun Feng Sect with Qiu Ling''s help. Because if the demon hunters found out that he went back to see her, then he would once again be in the very same situation: Nie Huang would be the one they followed around, hoping that she would enable them to catch him.


    And with how the Chun Feng Sect operated, they might even be alright with endangering her to draw him out. He wouldn''t believe for one moment that they were unwilling to do that. To this sect, sacrificing one human to be able to catch one of these dangerous demons as they thought of him was well worth it. After all, they were sure that with his demonic blood, he would be plunging many, many more humans into despair, maybe even killing them. So just sacrificing one was much better than letting something happen to a lot, wasn''t it?


    Thinking of that, Bai Mu could only shake his head. The Chun Feng Sect ¡ª even though they tried to portray themselves that the good guys ¡ª had no compassion and in the pursuit of eradicating the demons, they didn''t know any boundaries either. There was nothing holy to them, nothing forbidden. As long as their aim could be achieved, any way to do so would be alright with them.

 Chapter 813 - How to Distinguish a Demon

    Qiang Yan looked at his son worriedly. He wanted to know more but he didn''t dare to ask. Even if Bai Mu hadn''t been imprisoned for long, he had still been separated from Nie Huang and lost out on several years with her. In the end, if not for Qiu Ling and Leng Jin Yu helping him in return for his promise to help out Jinde, these ten years would have been a good amount of a human''s lifespan.


    This kind of thing ¡­ it couldn''t be made up for. Reminding him of that really wouldn''t be a good move. Not until the matter with Nie Huang had been sorted out and she acquired spirit veins to cultivate and become immortal herself. Only then, when they had gained more time with each other, would it be acceptable to talk about the time they had lost.


    Thus he could only nod thoughtfully and focus on something else. "How do they know who is a demon and who isn''t though? The demons'' dark energy is only something that they might give off when using their spiritual energy in a specific way. And they don''t have to. If I''m not wrong, they can just use their spiritual energy as is and even us gods wouldn''t be able to tell them apart from a dragon or a person with beast blood. Actually, they might even be mistaken for a god if they''re smart."


    Bai Mu glanced at his father and couldn''t help but be in a daze. The demons were actually that similar to the other races?


    Qiang Yan couldn''t help but smile at his confused expression. "Well, you''ve never been in the immortal realms, have you? Well, at least not deep inside them. The ones you''ve encountered there were probably those lower demons. The ones that are higher-ranked mostly look like the humans or the gods."


    Bai Mu nodded and couldn''t help but take a closer look at his father. Actually, there also wasn''t a way to tell a god apart from a cultivator. The spiritual energy around their body was dense but that was the same for a high-leveled cultivator. Their hair and eye color also wasn''t anything strange. So indeed, how would you tell them apart? "What about the dragons? When I went to the dragon realm ¡­" Bai Mu furrowed his brows, thinking of that person that had come to the teahouse. Thanks to his blood and the high level he had cultivated to, he had been able to see through his cover immediately. "Actually, even the person that escorted me and Nie Huang from the human realm didn''t look much like us. Their hair and eye color ¡­ It was obvious at a glance."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "That''s true. Among the races, the humans and the gods look the most similar. The dragons ¡­" He grimaced but there was no way to phrase it differently. The facts wouldn''t change. "They do look a lot like the demons. They don''t like to hear it but they do have the same ancestors. In fact, it isn''t completely wrong to say that the dragons are part of the demon race. They just have changed so much over the years that it isn''t too obvious anymore. You shouldn''t bring it up in front of any dragon though."


    Bai Mu gave a humorless laugh. He could imagine that that wouldn''t go over very well. "Don''t worry, I''ve learned a lot about these kinds of things in the human realm already."


    Qiang Yan''s expression was subtle. He could imagine what his son was speaking of. "I heard ¡­" He looked away and wondered if he should really say something but in the end, he was also curious about his son''s life. He turned back and gave an apologetic smile. "You don''t have to talk about it but when I finally found out about you and your mother, I was told that you encountered some troubles, like being expelled out of some sect because of your blood. Is that true?"


    Bai Mu nodded without the slightest hesitation. He didn''t see any problem with admitting to it. His blood wasn''t that of a normal human and this was something that had happened. Anyway, it was also nice to see that his father was curious about him. "That did happen. Actually, it wasn''t that much because of my blood.


    "My origin was just ¡­ something that gave them a chance. But they wanted to get rid of me anyway. It''s been a long time since then though so I don''t mind as much anymore."


    Qiang Yan''s gaze couldn''t help but become subtle. He had wanted to shift the topic into another direction so as to not remind his son of what had happened with Nie Huang but in the end, he had only managed to remind him of another unpleasant memory. It seemed his skills in making that kind of conversation weren''t very good. Well, at the very least, this was something that hadn''t happened as recently and it might not be affecting him anymore. It was different from the matter with the Chun Feng Sect.


    Bai Mu glanced at his father and smiled. "If there''s something you want to know, just ask. I don''t mind talking about it."


    Qiang Yan couldn''t really hide his embarrassment. "I don''t even know where to start. You''ve gone through all these things and they''re even long past for you and I ¡­ I''ve only found out about everything a few days ago. It is strange thinking about it."


    Bai Mu nodded. "In a way, I can understand what you mean. It''s also a bit hard to accept that my father is still alive." He gave a wry smile when he looked over at Qiang Yan again. "Well, you live in another body now but you still have your memories from that time so ¡­"


    Qiang Yan didn''t know what to say to that. Yes, for Bai Mu, the situation probably wasn''t any less strange than for him. These trials really had a way to screw the lives of the gods up. Who knew if Tian had intended this when he thought them up?

 Chapter 814 - Do It Inconspicuously!

    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, Yuchi Bing Xia had a hard time understanding the current situation. The Liu He Alliance had come to visit their Yun Zou Sect? Why? Was there something he didn''t know about?


    Well, even though he didn''t understand it, he was still happy about it. Hadn''t he just needed something to divert everyone''s attention from what Liu Cheng was probably trying to say? Well, here it was! And with the Liu He Alliance''s status, them paying a visit might also have some unexpected benefits. Even if it just made the other sects think that they had a very good relationship with the Liu He Alliance and were under their protection, that would enable them to get around a lot of trouble.


    Yuchi Bing Xia got to his feet, wanting to go over and greet the guests. Before he could take the first step, he stopped though. Well ¡­ Even though the people in question were from the Liu He Alliance, it still wouldn''t do for the Sect Master to go and greet them if they were only ordinary disciples, would it? He cleared his throat and turned to the disciple that had announced the guests. "The Liu He Alliance? Who is the one leading them?"


    The disciple''s gaze darted around as if he wasn''t sure if he should really say it out loud.


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s brows knitted together. "There''s no need not to say it." Anyway, they still were from the Liu He Alliance. The higher the position of the disciple they had sent, the better but that didn''t mean that it wouldn''t be an honor to receive an ordinary disciple either. In the end, this was still somebody from an unranked sect!


    The disciple nodded, reassured by Yuchi Bing Xia''s words. He had never had to deal with anything like this so he hadn''t been too sure if it was alright to announce this. Normally, wouldn''t they just go to the Sect Master''s palace and tell him who had arrived? But now, there were so many people around ¡­


    Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows when the disciple just absentmindedly looked around and couldn''t help but clear his throat again to prompt him. "So?"


    The disciple flinched and then cupped his fists, bowing once more as if he had just arrived. "It''s Alliance Head Hua."


    Yuchi Bing Xia staggered and almost fell back down if not for Zhangsun Xun Yi who had gotten to his feet and held him upright.


    The Grandmaster smiled lightly. "So it was Alliance Head Hua. In that case, we should go and greet him together." He didn''t wait for Yuchi Bing Xia to say anything else and just clasped his hands behind his back, walking to the gate of the Yun Zou Sect. Anyway, he didn''t like this sort of gathering where everybody would try to get benefits while simultaneously pushing everybody else down. It was much better to go and greet this old friend of his.


    Yuchi Bing Xia shook himself out of his daze and nodded. "Yes, if it is Alliance Head Hua, then we truly can''t let him wait ¡­" He already wanted to follow when he remembered that he still had other guests. He turned to the Elders and gave a wry smile. "I hope that the Elders won''t mind that we go and greet Alliance Head Hua for a moment. I''m sure we''ll be able to continue on afterward."


    The Elders started to murmur among themselves, wondering if it would be too much if they followed the Grandmaster and Sect Master over to get a look at Alliance Head Hua themselves. This was an excellent opportunity to form a relationship with the Liu He Alliance! When would they ever get such an opportunity again? Unfortunately, it would be rather rude to just invite themselves, wouldn''t it?


    While the Elders were still discussing among themselves, Yuchi Bing Xia hurried after the Grandmaster. He didn''t forget to grab the disciple that had just announced the new guests and pulled him closer. "You, go and tell the Grandmaster''s disciple and his fiance to return to their dwelling for the time being. Make sure that you do it as inconspicuously as you can."


    The disciple froze and nodded belatedly when the Sect Master had already left. He had no idea what happened on the training grounds and couldn''t understand why he should bring such a message to the two of them. Still, if the Sect Master wanted him to do so, then he certainly wouldn''t defy the order.


    The disciple stepped to the side, trying to merge with the crowd and looked around to find the Grandmaster''s disciple and his fiance among the crowd of people. Actually, he wasn''t too sure who the fiance was but he remembered Qiu Ling very well. After all, he had also been guarding the sect gates on the day when Qiu Ling arrived. After being treated like that, there was no way he''d forget that kind of face. And it wasn''t like Qiu Ling''s face had changed with the years. With his talent, he had already stopped aging so it shouldn''t be too hard to find the person.


    The disciple looked around and finally spotted the two of them in the middle of the training grounds. His lips twitched. Even if he wanted to be inconspicuous, that would hardly be possible with them standing in the middle of the clearing. Wasn''t the Sect Master expecting too much of him?


    He pursed his lips and wondered if there was anything else he could do. Going over would draw attention to them. If he went over to a few other people of the Yun Zou Sect, it might draw attention to him but not as much to them. Maybe that would be an idea? Otherwise, he could still try and ask if he could borrow a paper crane from somebody and then have the Sect Master make up for it. It shouldn''t be asking too much considering that the Sect Master had given him such a difficult task, should it?


    The disciple looked around and finally spotted Nian Hong Fang standing to the side. His face lit up and he hurried over. Nian Hong Fang had a much gentler temperament than a lot of their senior martial brothers. It was better to ask him than anyone else.


    Unfortunately for the disciple, as well as Yuchi Bing Xia, Liu Cheng was still paying attention to everything happening around him and he also noticed that the disciple that should be guarding the gate wasn''t following after the Grandmaster and Sect Master to get back to his post. His eyes narrowed and he continued to observe.

 Chapter 815 - Leta??s Have You Checked out

    Nian Hong Fang listened to what the disciple told him about the task the Sect Master had given him and slowly nodded. He understood very well why Yuchi Bing Xia had decided to do this. This fight just now, it had really attracted a little too much attention to Qiu Ling. It wasn''t wise to let him stay here or somebody might try to take advantage of his current state of mind. Who knew what would happen then? If another accident occurred, the Yun Zou Sect wouldn''t be able to talk away this easily. Elder Gongxi could still be explained away but anything else ¡­ The other sects wouldn''t let them have such luck.


    "You don''t worry about that. I''ll take care of it." He had some mixed feelings about what Qiu Ling had done since it had ruined his chance of getting rid of all the sect together and making the Sect Master focus on the task of finding Zhi Wu but he was also touched to see Qiu Ling go to such lengths to ensure Jing Yi''s safety. That kind of man ¡­ he found him admirable.


    His Zhi Wu was the same. He also wouldn''t let anybody come to harm that was important to him. Ah, he still remembered the days when they had gone on missions together when they were young. Back then, Zhi Wu had always saved him from danger, making sure that not even a hair was out of place when they returned to the Yun Zou Sect.


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head, not daring to think about it any longer. Right now, he had to make sure that Qiu Ling and Jing Yi wouldn''t get in further trouble. Anyway, the sects were still all gathered on the training grounds and now even the Liu He Alliance had arrived. Just because of what had happened with Elder Gongxi, they wouldn''t necessarily stop the competition. Maybe the Sect Master would be able to think of something when Qiu Ling and Jing Yi were out of everyone''s sight.


    He walked over, drawing the gazes of the Elders and the disciples on himself. Nian Hong Fang pretended that he didn''t notice at all and just continued to walk to the two people in the middle of the training grounds.


    He stopped right next to them, wondering if it would be alright if he reached out. In the end, he still felt that it was better to be careful and just cleared his throat. "Junior martial brother Jing, senior martial brother Qiu, how about following me to the side so we can take a look whether you''re hurt or not?"


    The bystanders couldn''t help but curse or cast a doubtful gaze on Nian Hong Fang. This person ¡­ Was he mocking the Yang Huo Sect? Obviously, that fight had been totally one-sided. Did he really need to check to see whether these two were alright?


    Nian Hong Fang still pretended that he had no idea why everybody was looking like that. "Even a small injury can lead to trouble in the future. It would really be better if you''d let me take a look."


    Qiu Ling didn''t care but Jing Yi couldn''t help but turn his head to Nian Hong Fang, worry creeping into his gaze. He looked up at his lover, gently cupping his cheek. "Qiu Ling, since senior martial brother Nian already said so, let''s follow him over, alright? I wouldn''t want you to get hurt." He didn''t think that Qiu Ling was hurt anywhere but it was still better to let somebody take a look at him. After all, other than the body, there was still the mind and his current condition didn''t seem to be too well.


    Even though his intentions were good, Qiu Ling didn''t seem to care. Or, no, he cared very much. His grasp around Jing Yi tightened and he refused to let go.


    Jing Yi lowered his head, his brow touching Qiu Ling''s shoulder, and rubbed his arm. "It''s alright. The fight is already over. Look, I''m just worried that you might be hurt. If it was the other way around, you''d also want me to have it checked out, wouldn''t you? So please, let''s just go. You can ¡­ hold my hand if you want to. You can even carry me if you feel better that way." He could imagine something better than being carried in front of all these people but right now, he could see that Qiu Ling wasn''t willing to let go of him. In that case ¡­ Wasn''t it better to sacrifice some face if it could ensure that his lover was alright?


    Qiu Ling still hesitated but his grasp around Jing Yi''s waist relaxed slightly, indicating that he was at least listening by now.


    Jing Yi heaved a relieved sigh and patted his lover''s arm. "Do it for me, alright?" His voice was just a whisper but the implication made Qiu Ling finally react.


    His beloved ¡­ would be worried if he didn''t do this. He might feel hurt. Then what kind of lover would he be?


    Qiu Ling pressed his eyes shut, trying to convince himself to do what Jing Yi said. Anyway, his beloved was supposed to be happy. Being safe was necessary but he being happy was also important. If he carried him and made sure that nobody could get close to them, it shouldn''t be a problem. He could protect him. He could protect him and still make sure that he would be happy. Yes, he could do that.


    Qiu Ling reluctantly let go of Jing Yi but still did as he had suggested and picked him up.


    Nian Hong Fang smiled and turned around, walking to the side of the training grounds where his Master and the other disciple stood. He motioned for Qiu Ling to put Jing Yi down so that he could take a look while simultaneously signaling to the disciples that he was supposed to wait.


    The disciple looked around anxiously, unable not to regret his previous decision when he saw everybody look in their direction. Ah, just why had he asked senior martial brother Nian for help? He didn''t need to have these disciples checked out. He just needed to get them away from here without anybody noticing! Just what was he thinking just going over to them like that? Wasn''t he drawing even more attention? But now, it was already too late. He could just wait for what Nian Hong Fang had planned.

 Chapter 816 - A Simple Plan

    Nian Hong Fang didn''t bother about the anxious disciple. His plan was very simple: He would create more favorable circumstances and then wait. When an opportunity came, he would let the disciple lead the two of them away or maybe let them go on their own.


    Right now, the chances were already much better. Previously, they had stood all alone in the middle of the training grounds where everybody was able to see them. Whether that disciple walked over to them or to several people and even if they sent a paper crane, the result would still be the same: Everybody would see.


    After that fight, there was no way they wouldn''t subconsciously pay attention to Qiu Ling. And as soon as this person moved, all eyes would be on him. So for the time being, there was no way to inconspicuously make him leave. No, they first needed to make sure that the others weren''t paying as much attention.


    Now, with Qiu Ling and Jing Yi standing at the side of the training grounds, people might still be looking over but there were others around. If somebody moved, it wouldn''t immediately draw attention. After everybody had calmed down and other things were happening, it wouldn''t be impossible to diverge everyone''s attention.


    Nian Hong Fang looked at Jing Yi for help when his fiance still didn''t let go of him.


    Jing Yi sighed and once again turned to face Qiu Ling. He forced himself to give a small smile and brushed his hair to the side. "Qiu Ling, didn''t you promise to let senior martial brother Nian take a look at you to make sure you''re alright? What about that?"


    Qiu Ling''s brows furrowed and he glanced at Jing Yi''s face before looking at Nian Hong Fang and the other disciple next to him. These people ¡­ They were of the Yun Zou Sect. They probably wouldn''t do anything to Jing Yi, would they?


    He tried to convince himself but it wasn''t easy at all. There was still a voice inside him that told him that this place wasn''t safe and that he definitely couldn''t let go or Jing Yi would be in trouble.


    Qiu Ling took a deep breath and finally put Jing Yi down. Anyway, as long as there was no demon around, it didn''t make a difference whether he carried him or not. He would be able to defend him against the attacks of all other races. Well, just in case, Qiu Ling stayed as close to Jing Yi as he could.


    Jing Yi glanced up and grabbed Qiu Ling''s hand to reassure him. "It''s alright."


    Qiu Ling nodded and let Nian Hong Fang inspect his spiritual energy even though he was sure that he wasn''t hurt and that it wouldn''t make a difference either if Nian Hong Fang checked him even if he was. After all, this person was a human while he was a dragon. If he actually got hurt, no human would be able to heal him. No, if something had really happened to him, then his best chance would be to run and find the old geezer or return to the dragon realm to find a healer there. Anyway, he was alright. His beloved was also alright so he didn''t need to think about it any longer. He was just doing this to give Jing Yi peace of mind.


    Nian Hong Fang lowered his gaze after a moment, a small smile lighting up his face. "Senior martial brother Qiu is alright. You don''t have to worry any longer, junior martial brother Jing."


    Jing Yi heaved a sigh of relief and encircled Qiu Ling''s arm. "That''s good. Thank you very much, senior martial brother Nian."


    Nian Hong Fang waved his hand, indicating that it was nothing much. Anyway, his task in the Yun Zou Sect was to deal with these kinds of things. He could even regard it as gaining experience.


    Thinking of that, Nian Hong Fang couldn''t help but glance at Qiu Ling again. He didn''t know if it was the effect of the heavenly constitution he had but ¡­ The energy inside of him hadn''t felt like what he normally felt from the other disciples. He should probably ask his Master about this later on. Anyway, right now, it was more important to further diverge everyone''s attention.


    Nian Hong Fang looked around and furrowed his brows. "Well, the people directly included in the fight have been taken care of but ¡­ It could be that some others were implicated because they stood too close. We should also take a look at them." He looked to his Master who nodded and then motioned at his other disciples. "You''ve heard what your senior martial brother said. Help him out and go check the people that have been injured."


    The disciples cupped their fists and bowed, acknowledging his order and then went out to do as they had been told.


    The attention paid to Qiu Ling and Jing Yi hadn''t completely vanished but by now, it had at least halved. If the two of them remained where they were and let some more time pass, they should be able to leave without anybody noticing.


    Nian Hong Fang was happy with what he had achieved. He stayed back and conversed with them for a while before he also followed his junior martial brothers to take care of the other disciples.


    Some time passed and the Elders and disciples of the other sects finally stopped paying attention to Qiu Ling and Jing Yi. The disciple that was supposed to lead them away turned to them and leaned over. "Sect Master Yuchi he said for you to retreat first. Now seems to be a good moment for that."


    Jing Yi didn''t know why the Sect Master would ask them to do something like that but he still nodded. "Yes." He glanced at Qiu Ling and tugged at his hand. By now, his lover seemed to be almost back to being himself.


    Qiu Ling nodded and followed him further away from the training grounds. Unfortunately, there still was one group of people that hadn''t stopped paying attention to them.

 Chapter 817 - Too Unreasonable

    Liu Cheng signaled at his martial brothers and sisters and the disciples of the Chun Feng Sect moved out as one. They didn''t mind at all that Qiu Ling was leaving the training grounds. In fact, they felt that this was a good chance for them to encounter him alone. This way, no innocent people would be caught up in it even if a fight broke out.


    They followed Qiu Ling and Jing Yi from the training grounds and then split up, some of them taking cover at strategic points while the rest continued to follow Liu Cheng to intercept Qiu Ling.


    Liu Cheng stepped in front of Qiu Ling and Jing Yi and gave a taut smile. He still had some doubts but the situation from before made him almost sure that Qiu Ling indeed wasn''t human. He just didn''t know if Jing Yi was aware or not. And what about Hong Bao? She knew these two, didn''t she? Had she noticed anything off about them? Then why hadn''t she notified him or their Master? It couldn''t be that she had been tricked by these people, could it?


    In the end, he could only push these thoughts aside. After he had made sure of Qiu Ling''s nature, he could still question them. "Martial brother Qiu, martial brother Jing."


    Qiu Ling looked at the people in front and his brows furrowed. Such a large group and with some of them even hiding ¡­ His grip around Jing Yi''s hand tightened. This wasn''t normal. They probably wanted to attack them.


    Jing Yi noticed that Qiu Ling was anxious again but he didn''t think much of it. Most likely, Qiu Ling hadn''t completely calmed down yet. "Martial brother Liu." Jing Yi nodded at him before he took the time to rub Qiu Ling''s arm. "It''s alright. Look, he''s Hong Bao''s senior martial brother. The one she told us about when we were on the mission? We saw him before in Sect Master Yuchi''s palace. There''s nothing to be worried about."


    Qiu Ling''s gaze swept over the path in front of them. The Chun Feng Sect had only brought two dozen disciples. Not even one dozen stood in front of them now while the others were hidden away close by, spread out in all directions. What was this if not preparation for an ambush? He didn''t like to think that he was paranoid but he really couldn''t find another explanation.


    Liu Cheng noticed Qiu Ling''s gaze and his own expression became graver. This person knew that they had prepared. It seemed it wouldn''t be easy to deal with him. Still, they had to try. "Martial brother Qiu, I watched your fight just now. It surprised me. I had heard that Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple was a practitioner but it seems you''re a dual-practitioner instead, also cultivating your spiritual energy."


    Qiu Ling merely nodded while still focusing on the people around them. They weren''t moving anymore so they should have finished preparing their ambush. Right now, he and Jing Yi were encircled and with some of them lying in wait at a higher vantage point, even escaping into the air might prove difficult.


    But why? Qiu Ling knitted his brows and looked from Liu Cheng to Hong Bao and back again. He had thought these guys were on their side. After all, they had been sent to find Hong Bao back when they went to the mission at the Hei Dian Sect. The relationship between their sects shouldn''t be bad. So why were they preparing to attack them? Had they had a falling out? Why had nobody told them?


    Qiu Ling let go of Jing Yi''s hand and hugged his waist instead. If these people could prepare, then he could as well! He''d bring his beloved out of here and make sure that he was safe.


    Liu Cheng watched Qiu Ling''s actions and his eyes narrowed. This person was too calm. They had to be careful. "I myself am not a cultivator but I''ve long heard about your mastery as a practitioner. If it isn''t asking too much, I''d like to have a fight with you." He took out his sword and cupped his fists, bowing.


    Jing Yi looked from Liu Cheng to his lover and then back. "Martial brother Liu, Qiu Ling isn''t in a good state of mind. Even if you want to have a fight, it''d be better to wait a few days until he''s better."


    "He does look better to me."


    Jing Yi looked up at his fiance, worry written in his eyes. Yes, Qiu Ling looked a bit better but he definitely wasn''t himself yet. His grab around his waist was still tighter than usual and he hadn''t said a word. That couldn''t be called normal.


    Jing Yi turned back to Liu Cheng and shook his head. "I''m sorry, martial brother Liu, but I don''t think this would be a good idea. Please wait until Qiu Ling is better."


    Liu Cheng brows furrowed. "What if I insist?"


    "This ¡­" Jing Yi looked at him with worry. Why would he be so unreasonable? "Martial brother Liu ¡­"


    Liu Cheng narrowed his eyes in return. "Is there a problem with that?"


    Jing Yi frowned. Hadn''t he just said that Qiu Ling wasn''t in a good condition and couldn''t fight? Why was this Liu Cheng ignoring his words? "I already told you that Qiu Ling can''t fight right now. He needs rest."


    "Why don''t you draw your sword?" Liu Cheng unsheathed his own weapon.


    Jing Yi''s eyes widened. This was the person that Hong Bao had always spoken so nicely about? He was completely unreasonable! "Hong Bao ¡ª"


    "This has nothing to do with my junior martial sister. Leave her out of this."


    Jing Yi clenched his fists. "So you can actually hear what I''m saying. That makes me happy. I was wondering if something was wrong with my voice. Martial brother Liu, I have already told you more than once that Qiu Ling isn''t in a condition to fight. So you will have to wait a few days. Please step back."


    "I won''t."


    "You ¡ª"


    "Don''t bother." Qiu Ling pulled Jing Yi closer and his eyes darkened. "There''s no use talking with him. The other disciples of their sect are already laying in ambush. Whether we agree or not doesn''t matter to them."

 Chapter 818 - Nobody Cares about Elder Gongxi

    Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling, not even knowing what to say. Laying in ambush? Why would they do that? "This ¡­" Jing Yi looked back at Liu Cheng, his gaze complicated. "Why are you doing this? We did nothing wrong! Even though ¡­ even though Qiu Ling injured that Elder Gongxi, it was only because he refused to step back. You can''t pin all of the responsibility on Qiu Ling!"


    Liu Cheng snorted. "Nobody cares about Elder Gongxi."


    Jing Yi stared at him in a daze. Nobody cared about Elder Gongxi? Well ¡­ it had indeed seemed that nobody but his own disciples were worried about his condition. The other Elders and disciples had seemed more interested in discussing Qiu Ling and even Sect Master Yuchi had been a bit perfunctory. But could you really say that out loud?


    Jing Yi shook his head. That wasn''t the point. "If this isn''t about Elder Gongxi, then I understand even less. Just why are you doing this? We have only met today! What kind of grievance do you have with Qiu Ling to force him to fight when he''s not in the condition to do so and you''ve even been told repeatedly?"


    Jing Yi reached over and grabbed Qiu Ling''s sleeve. He had been shocked previously when Qiu Ling lost his temper after Elder Gongxi''s suggestion but he suddenly understood why. This Liu Cheng was just as unreasonable as Elder Gongxi. You could tell him that the other person wasn''t able to fight but he''d just pretend to be deaf and continue to demand. It was maddening! If he was as strong as Qiu Ling, he might also conjure up a storm and attack. Maybe that way, this person would finally shut up.


    Qiu Ling raised his hand and brushed back Jing Yi''s hair. "Don''t worry. I''m alright."


    Jing Yi looked up and then closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Even if you''re alright, it''s not alright to force you like this. We''re fellow practitioners. We''re all on the same side. He shouldn''t be doing this!"


    Liu Cheng snorted. "We might all be practitioners but I''m afraid we''re not on the same side. We might not even be of the same race. Martial brother Qiu, you''re suspected to be of demonic origin, merely pretending to be human! You will either prove to us that you are human or the Chun Feng Sect will need to apprehend you for further investigation. Should you resist, we might be forced to kill you."


    Jing Yi''s eyes went wide. Of demonic origin? Proving to be human? But ¡­ but Qiu Ling wasn''t human! He was a dragon! And ¡­ and part of his blood was indeed that of a demon.


    Liu Cheng watched Jing Yi''s expression and a knowing look appeared in his eyes. "So you knew." He had been right. That Qiu Ling was indeed a demon who merely pretended to be human and his fiance wasn''t as innocent either. Well, that could be excused. Many humans had already been bewitched by demons and Jing Yi was young. Falling into the hands of one of these creatures wasn''t an unforgivable sin.


    "No, this ¡­" Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling. What should they do now? Even if they escaped the fight, would they need to leave the Yun Zou Sect? With how this Liu Cheng had behaved up until now, he definitely wouldn''t let go of this matter!


    Qiu Ling also thought of that. He didn''t care about the Yun Zou Sect but his beloved wanted to cultivate and had found his place here. If they left ¡­


    Qiu Ling''s brows furrowed. Ah, if only this could have happened a few years earlier. Then if they had fled, Jing Yi wouldn''t have been able to continue cultivating. He wouldn''t have reached that stage where he would stop aging and wouldn''t have been able to ascend. Then after fifty or sixty years, Jing He would have returned, his trial completed. But now ¡­ Jing Yi was already at that stage. There was no going back. These people from the Chun Feng Sect ¡­ they had come too late.


    Qiu Ling sighed. Now, that he had decided to just let matters go and wait for Jing Yi to reach a natural end so that Jing He could wake up again, people were suddenly putting his beloved in danger. Were they kidding him? First that Elder Gongxi, now this Chun Feng Sect that wanted to fight while his beloved was around. And even if he won, they still wouldn''t be able to get rid of them. It seemed the only way to get out of this situation without inconveniencing his beloved ¡­ was to prove that he was human.


    Qiu Ling looked at Liu Cheng with a complicated gaze. Since the day his parents had died he had tried hard to make everyone believe that he was a full-blooded dragon. He had even killed to keep that secret. And now, he needed to prove that he was not a dragon but a human instead? This was ¡­ Well, it was something new.


    "Then how do I ''prove'' that I am human?"


    Liu Cheng laughed. "You really want to play that game, demon?"


    Qiu Ling''s brows furrowed. "I''m not a demon!" He wasn''t human either but still. He wouldn''t let anybody call him a demon.


    Liu Cheng snorted and drew his weapon. "Let''s have that fight."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. "You want to have a fight to determine my blood? How does that work? If I win, I''m a demon because you wouldn''t lose against a human?"


    Liu Cheng''s lips curled into a ridiculing smile. "No, you''re a demon if you lose since none of you would be able to stand an attack from this sword."


    Qiu Ling looked at the weapon and had a bad hunch. This sword ¡­ was probably the same kind as the one Hong Bao''s sister Hong Ai had used? The one that would injure only demons? In that case ¡­ well, he was screwed.

 Chapter 819 - Hea??d Like Him to Dare

    At the gates of the Yun Zou Sect, Yuchi Bing Xia fidgeted, giddy with excitement. Ah, Alliance Head Hua from the Liu He Alliance had actually come to visit their humble Yun Zou Sect. That was one of the premier experts of the righteous faction! Only comparable to their own Grandmaster Zhangsun but considering the status of their sect, receiving him as a guest might be worth even more. This feeling¡­ It was probably on par with being fancied by a beautiful woman?


    Yuchi Bing Xia had no idea what the latter felt like but he was still more than happy to be in the current situation. He could hardly hold back an exaggerated smile and had to make sure that he spoke slowly, lest he stumbled over his words and made a fool out of himself. "Alliance Head Hua, welcome to our Yun Zou Sect."


    Hua Min nodded, not sure what to say. He glanced at Zhangsun Xun Yi, feeling a bit better that his friend was there. Anyway, visiting him wasn''t a problem but visiting him with that person in tow was something else entirely. "Thank you for receiving me. I ¡­ I heard that the Yun Zou Sect was having some trouble. Since I know Zhangsun, I felt that I should come and have a look. Anyway, it''s also good for my disciples to have some more opportunities to go out and see the world."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded wildly. "Of course, of course. Gaining experience is very important."


    While the two of them stumbled through their greetings, Jinde looked around. The only ones who had come over were the Sect Master and the Grandmaster. Not even a disciple could be seen not to mention his husband!


    Could it be that Jin Yu hadn''t come back yet? Ah, this was really too much! They already hadn''t seen each other for several weeks. He was missing him. He wanted to see him right this instance!


    As much as Jinde would''ve like that, he couldn''t make time to turn faster so he was bound to have to wait for Leng Jin Yu''s return. Mn, maybe he should use the opportunity to go and have a look at that realm his husband had created? Anyway, it was already there even though other people would still be able to enter. That didn''t mean that he couldn''t go and explore a bit, did it?


    He pursed his lips but finally rejected the idea. As curious as he was how that realm would look like, it would be much more romantic if he went with Jin Yu. Mn, while they were at it, they should make some nice memories ¡­


    At that time, Yuchi Bing Xia finally motioned at the gate. "Why don''t you follow us inside? We''ll arrange dwellings for you and your disciples right this instance."


    Alliance Head Hua didn''t know what to do. He glanced at the person standing behind him, wanting to know what he thought of it. Unfortunately, Jinde hadn''t paid attention and with the veil in front of his face, it was impossible to gauge anything from his expression.


    Seeing Hua Min turn away, Yuchi Bing Xia couldn''t help but also look over. When he saw the disciples ¡­ His expression turned blank. What was this? Why were all these people wearing veiled hats?


    He turned to the Grandmaster next to him, hoping that he would be able to explain. Zhangsun Xun Yi had no idea what was going on though.


    Hua Min gave an embarrassed smile when he saw their strange expressions. Hadn''t he said that this wasn''t a good idea? With that kind of appearance, they would draw even more attention. The only advantage was that nobody would be able to tell who was who so nobody should come after Grandmaster Leng''s husband.


    Hua Min awkwardly cleared his throat and gave the excuse Jinde had come up with back when he protested against this idea. "Uh ¡­ There was a slight accident when trying to refine pills. These young people, they don''t dare to show their faces now." Even his own brows twitched when he said so.


    Yuchi Bing Xia and the Grandmaster looked slightly surprised but Hua Min himself just couldn''t help but think of just how old Grandmaster Leng''s husband had to be. Could he really refer to him as a young person? Well, never mind. It was alright as long as nobody asked any further questions.


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked from the veiled people back to Hua Min and gave an equally awkward smile. "Oh, so it was like that. Well, we don''t mind. If your disciples feel better like this, then they are welcome to keep those hats on. Now ¡­" He motioned at the gate once again and Hua Min nodded, waving at the disciples behind him to follow.


    The group stepped through the gate and Zhangsun Xun Yi walked over to his old friend. "You''re looking a little ¡­ troubled. Is something the matter?"


    Before Hua Min could answer, one of the veiled people inched closer, inserting himself into the conversation. "I wonder if the Sect Master''s disciple is here?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi turned to the one who had spoken, his brows raising slightly. If he wasn''t completely wrong ¡­ this should be that person? But why would he ¡­


    Yuchi Bing Xia also turned around. "My disciple?"


    Jinde nodded happily. "Yes, ah, I heard a lot about Sect Master Yuchi''s head disciple. I wonder where he is? Or is that asking too much?"


    Hua Min looked at Jinde strangely, wondering what this was about. Wasn''t he just here to see his husband?


    Meanwhile, Yuchi Bing Xia was flattered that somebody from the Liu He Alliance actually deemed Yu Jin as important enough to ask what he was doing. "Well, it''s really unfortunate. He is currently in closed-door cultivation. If he knew that you had asked for him, he would certainly have met with you. He''ll be regretful when he finds out."


    Jinde just chuckled. If his husband didn''t meet with him when he asked him to, he''d get into trouble with him for sure and that was a reason to be regretful! Ah, but he''d certainly like him to dare and try. The outcome might be interesting.

 Chapter 820 - A Once-in-a-Lifetime Chance

    Yuchi Bing Xia led the new guests into the sect and toward one of the empty buildings on his own peak. An unranked sect, ah! This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for their Yun Zou Sect! If he didn''t use it to the fullest, he''d be an idiot. Mn, letting them stay on his peak where he could go and visit them and would always be available if they had any troubles was certainly for the best.


    If only Yu Jin would come out of closed-door cultivation already so that he could drag him over and let him befriend these disciples ¡­ Ah, advancing to the next stage was great but you could always advance with time. Being able to meet the disciples of an unranked sect was different. Things like that only happened once in a blue moon! And most of them were even very standoffish and would hardly look at you. Meeting someone who would give you face by at least talking to you was already an accomplishment. A disciple that knew who you were and even wanted to meet you? This was like ¡­ The odds were probably even lower than being struck by lightning. He definitely had to stall them for as long as he could to give Yu Jin an opportunity to meet them!


    As for those other Elders and their disciples that he had previously wanted to drive away? Yuchi Bing Xia had completely forgotten about them. Ah, how could they compare to even one person from the Liu He Alliance? Not to mention a whole group of them!


    Hua Min followed silently, feeling nervous. Would he actually get to see Grandmaster Leng? As in, from face to face? Not through some transmission? If he did ¡­ what should he say?! This was his Master''s good friend of many years but also a legendary figure, an ascended deity by now! You couldn''t just drop by and say ''hi'' could you?


    His heart beat madly and he had to take a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. Anyway, when he met him, he couldn''t make a fool out of himself. He had to show his best side. Otherwise, he''d be letting himself down. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, after all!


    Thus, two people thought exactly the same while the disciples of the Liu He Alliance filed into the courtyards they had been allocated. It was just that the object of their veneration was somebody else. If they found out that one was the disciple of the other ¡­ It really made one wonder how their faces would look like.


    With both people being awkward, Jinde could only sigh. "While we were on the way here, we saw a disturbance that seemed to come from the Yun Zou Sect. What might have been the matter? You wouldn''t have gotten into trouble again, would you?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia gave an awkward laugh. "Ah, that ¡­"


    Grandmaster Zhangsun furrowed his brows as usual. Obviously, the person who came over before had been Jinde. There was no way he wouldn''t know what was going on. So did he want to tell them something with this? He pondered. Maybe this was about Qiu Ling? He was worried so he''d like to take a look? That should be it. After all, they were of the same race.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi cleared his throat. "In fact, quite a few other sects came to visit as well and we decided to have a competition to let the disciples gain some more experience. My disciple ¡­ started with a demonstration just now but things got a little out of hand. Maybe you''d like to go and take a look?"


    Next to him, Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes widened. Shit! There were still the other sects! Never mind currying favor with the Liu He Alliance, he had completely forgotten about them. He probably should have sent a disciple or something to tell them that they didn''t need to wait.


    Jinde smiled happily. Ah, this Grandmaster Zhangsun really understood him. Now, if only Jin Yu would return as well ¡­ Anyway, he should first take care of that bear child. "That''s a lovely idea."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and motioned toward the training grounds. "Well, there shouldn''t be a problem with just watching. I''m just afraid that you won''t be able to take part or the other sects might say we''re bullying them."


    Jinde gave a clear laugh. Ah, he should see if the one that had made Qiu Ling mad enough to bring about such a storm was still around. If he was, he should ask that Alliance Head Hua for yet another favor. Having the disciples from that person''s sect beat up couldn''t be asking for too much, could it? With that thought, Jinde nodded happily. "Let''s go then, let''s go. I''m very interested in seeing that."


    Hua Min''s expression tensed. Dear ancestor! Could you not be like this?! He clearly felt that Jinde was having fun now that they were back. He wouldn''t want to throw himself into some fight, would he? No, that couldn''t happen! What if he got hurt and Grandmaster Leng found out? Then ¡­


    Unfortunately, nobody took note of Hua Min''s mood. Since Jinde had already spoken Zhangsun Xun Yi went ahead. With Jinde following right after, Yuchi Bing Xia rushed to the spot next to him. He might not know how to face Hua Min but this was the disciple that admired his disciple. There already was a connection that could be used. Ah, maybe this was the moment when luck would finally turn for their sect? Ah, he could only hope that this was true, then he wouldn''t have let his Master and the Sect Masters before him down.


    He wanted to speak up but Jinde stopped. He looked into the distance, his narrowing below the veil. "I''m afraid that ''competition'' is still going on."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi also furrowed his brows. Indeed. Somebody was fighting up ahead. It was just ¡­ that wasn''t on the training grounds. Obviously, that fight was happening a little further away from it. So what was going on there? Somehow, he had a bad feeling about this.

 Chapter 821 - A Good Person?

    Needless to say, the situation over there had already escalated beyond redemption. With the Chun Feng Sect already in place for attacking them, Qiu Ling didn''t see the need to stay civil after he was also being accused of being a demon.


    Looking at that sword, he gave a cold huff and then pulled Jing Yi into his arms, taking out a weapon from his spatial ring. "To see whether or not that thing would have any effect, you''ll first to scratch me with it. Don''t think I''ll make that easy for you. Though if you want to pretend to be an honorable human being, then you''d better fight me one-on-one and tell these other people to stay back."


    Jing Yi held onto Qiu Ling''s waist, his fingers tugging into the robe while he looked up at him with fear in his eyes. This ¡­ This wouldn''t be like before, right? It wasn''t that Qiu Ling was trying to go on a rampage again, right? He couldn''t imagine it. Qiu Ling ¡­ He already seemed to have calmed down by now. Anyway, he had been here and seen how everything started. It wasn''t Qiu Ling''s fault at all.


    Thus he could only look at Liu Cheng, trying to plead with him. "Martial brother Liu, please, stop this! I really don''t know why you''d think that you need to do this. Qiu Ling is my fiance. If there was something wrong with him and he was a problem in any way, I should be the first one to know, isn''t that so? I assure you that he''s a good person!"


    Liu Cheng harrumphed. "A good person? Well, I''m sure that is what he wanted you to believe. Demons are like that. They''re cunning and full of evil schemes. Marrying you might just be a plan of his as well." He didn''t wait for Jing Yi to say anything else and raised his weapon, rushing forward to attack Qiu Ling.


    Qiu Ling snorted, easily parrying the first strike while moving Jing Yi as far away from the blade as he could. This bastard! He was even worse than that Elder from before. He didn''t just talk about having his beloved injured, he was actually attacking while his beloved was this close by!


    If he didn''t end this here, he really wouldn''t be able to rest easy in the future. No, he had to make sure that there was no threat left open. If that meant killing these people and then making sure that news of that would never reach the Chun Feng Sect ¡­ Well, he was willing to do that.


    As much as Jing Yi thought of him as a good person, he was also a good person with a bottom line. And this bottom line had already been crossed twice this day. Why should he still hold back? Whether it was because of being human, dragon or even because of his demon blood, could anybody pretend that a good person wouldn''t try to protect those that were close to them? He really didn''t think so.


    Jing Yi clung to his lover, not knowing what to do. He wanted to help but he was helpless himself. He wasn''t able to fight together with Qiu Ling and he wasn''t able to plead with Liu Cheng either. The most he could do was try not to get in the way. If he couldn''t help, he at least had to make sure that he wasn''t a burden.


    The sound of metal clanging spread through the meadow, finally leading the Sect Master and the others over to the spot. Seeing Qiu Ling and Liu Cheng fight, Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes went wide and he looked at the scene incredulously. Don''t tell him the Grandmaster''s disciple had blown up again? Hadn''t things just calmed down when he left? How had this happened?!


    Jinde''s eyes narrowed. He looked at Qiu Ling, taking in the way he protected his beloved, moving in a way that would be able to ensure that nothing could happen to Jing Yi while calmly deflecting the strikes of his opponent. Right now, he didn''t even seem too serious and wasn''t trying to hurt Liu Cheng. There was something in his gaze that said that it wouldn''t stay this way for long though. Something had to be done before that. They couldn''t risk a bloodbath in the Yun Zou Sect.


    Jinde glanced at Yuchi Bing Xia, raising a brow. "Shouldn''t the Sect Master intervene? Obviously, somebody''s attacking a disciple of your sect."


    Yuchi Bing Xia was pulled out of his thoughts and looked at Jinde. "Well ¡­ We don''t really know what the situation is, do we?"


    Jinde looked around. Even though he might not be at the peak of his strength, he was still able to see how the other disciples that hadn''t hidden away yet had formed an encirclement. He nodded in their direction one after the other before he turned back to Yuchi Bing Xia. "We certainly don''t know how the situation came about but one of your disciples is being surrounded by several disciples of another sect, obviously trying to defend the person that is with him. Is it really something you shouldn''t get involved in?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia glanced over and his brows furrowed. It really was as he had feared. Liu Cheng must''ve felt that something was off about Qiu Ling and wanted to confront him. Because he hadn''t been allowed to speak before, he had used the opportunity when he and the Grandmaster left to go and confront Qiu Ling himself. Now, they were already locked in a fight and Qiu Ling''s fiance was even involved as well. If they didn''t do something, then this might indeed escalate.


    Having to deal with this kind of situation twice in a day, he really didn''t know how he should go about it. What would the other guests say when they left the Yun Zou Sect? He didn''t know for sure but he was sure that the rumors wouldn''t be pretty.


    He gritted his teeth but finally, he could only call out. "Liu Cheng, please stop this right. Whatever the problem is, I''m sure we can talk about it. There''s no reason to fight."


    Liu Cheng didn''t lower the sword though. "The Chun Feng Sect has sworn to eradicate all evil. Since this person might be a demon in disguise, we can''t step back. My conscience wouldn''t let me do so and neither will it let my junior martial brothers and sisters. I''m sorry I have to offend you, Sect Master Yuchi. Please don''t hold it against me or my Master."


    It seemed there was no way to make the two of them stop just with words.

 Chapter 822 - All the Important People

    Yuchi Bing Xia furrowed his brows. They had always shared a good relationship with the Chun Feng Sect. He didn''t want to put that at risk. Furthermore, the Yun Zou Sect wasn''t doing too well so they needed all the allies they could get. He didn''t know for sure yet what was up with the Liu He Alliance''s visit so the only ones he was able to depend on right now were the people of the Chun Feng Sect. Considering these things, it wouldn''t be a good idea to escalate the current situation further.


    On the other hand, the one who had been surrounded was a disciple of the sect. He was even the Grandmaster''s disciple, somebody who was very important to their sect. A current talent and maybe a future Elder or even the one who would follow in Zhangsun Xun Yi''s footsteps one day and become their next Grandmaster. They couldn''t let him get harmed because of a misunderstanding. In that case ¡­ What should he do?


    He really wanted to solve this situation peacefully but he was drawing a blank on how to do so. Obviously, Liu Cheng wasn''t willing to calmly talk about this. No, as soon as the Chun Feng Sect had some hunch that somebody might not be entirely human, they would do everything they felt necessary to either prove their suspicions or lay them to rest for good. In their defense, it had to be said that more often than not, they were right with what they were saying. The ones they caught really turned out not to be human in most cases.


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s gaze slid to Qiu Ling but he shook his head at himself. That couldn''t be. Qiu Ling was the Grandmaster''s disciple. If there was something wrong with him, then Zhangsun Xun Yi certainly would have noticed. There was no way he would''ve taught a disciple for so many years without noticing that he wasn''t human. After all, it wasn''t that easy to pretend to be of a different species.


    Yuchi Bing Xia finally turned to Zhangsun Xun. "He won''t listen to us. But we can''t antagonize him either. In our current situation ¡­" As much as he wanted to help Qiu Ling, he also had to think of the other disciples. Even if there wasn''t the Yun Zou Sect to help him, Qiu Ling would be able to defend himself and make progress. The other disciples were different. Many of them would be completely helpless if the Yun Zou Sect suddenly ceased to exist. As the Sect Master, he couldn''t let that happen.


    Next to him, Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "I''m not too worried about Qiu Ling''s well-being. I''m just afraid that the relationship between us and the Chun Feng Sect will go downhill after this anyway. There''s no way that they would just get give up if they feel that there''s a chance that he''s a demon. He''d have to hold still and let them use that weapon on him before they would relent."


    Jinde glanced at the two of them, furrowing his brows. "What about that weapon?" He might''ve spent a lot of time in the human realm but he had hardly been outside. He really didn''t know anything much about that Chun Feng Sect.


    Hua Min turned to him, using the opportunity to make sure that he still was on his good side before he met with Grandmaster Leng again. "The Chun Feng Sect has always been specialized in hunting demons. Quite a few of their weapons aren''t lethal to humans but will severely injure a demon even if they just cut them slightly."


    Thanks to the veil nobody saw but Jinde''s expression derailed. Severely hurting a demon? But that would mean that Qiu Ling was actually in danger there! After all, never mind the fact that his own mother had been a demon, the dragons had originated from the same roots as well. This kind of weapon was basically made to injure him!


    Jinde almost rushed out, getting involved in the fight as well to make sure nothing would happen. Just when he had taken two steps, he stopped though. He couldn''t do this. As a dragon, he would be affected by this weapon just as much. The fact that his soul was still injured, wouldn''t make it better. And even though he would soon be able to retreat into the new realm and heal himself, that would take a long time already as it was.


    If he was hurt and possibly injured his soul even further, then who knew just how many millennia he''d have to spend there in addition? Before, it wouldn''t have been a problem but ¡­ There was also Leng Jin Yu now. He couldn''t let him wait forever, could he? No, he had to heal himself and then finally live his life again, making up for everything that happened before.


    He turned to Yuchi Bing Xia, the veil almost being blown aside by the sudden movement, revealing a few strands of golden hair.


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes went wide and he stared at Jinde. This was ¡­


    Jinde didn''t bother about his stunned expression. "Sect Master, you have to do something. I can understand that you have some reservations and don''t want to antagonize the Chun Feng Sect. But believe me when I say that you will be in even deeper trouble if something happens to Qiu Ling and his lover."


    Yuchi Bing Xia might not have taken it this seriously if he hadn''t just come to a very unsettling insight: This person whom he had thought to be a disciple of the Liu He Alliance was actually their own sect''s hidden expert! Well, no wonder why he had asked about his head disciple the moment they met.


    Yuchi Bing Xia turned to look over at where Qiu Ling was still fighting with Liu Cheng, defending his beloved at the same time. He still didn''t want to make the situation escalate but with the current circumstances, what else could he do? Anyway, he also couldn''t let that happen.


    This person over there was the Grandmaster''s only disciple. The person he held in his arms was an inner sect disciple that had made tremendous progress over the last few years and could probably be called one of the premier talents of their sect as well. The person that had just pleaded for the two of them was none other than their hidden expert and he also happened to be in a relationship with his own head disciple.


    In other words, all the important people of the Yun Zou Sect were involved in this madness. Could he really still not make a move? No, naturally, he couldn''t. If it was just an ordinary disciple, then he might close his eyes and look the other way. His heart might hurt while doing so but it would be the safest choice for all the other disciples of the sect. Now though ¡­ If one person fell, the others might follow. What would be left of the Yun Zou Sect then?


    Yuchi Bing Xia closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. That kind of outcome ¡­ He didn''t want it.

 Chapter 823 - Waiting for My Husband

    He stepped forward, drawing his own weapon to step in but just then, another disciple of the Chun Feng Sect rushed over.


    "Sect Master Yuchi, we kindly ask you to stand back. This is a matter the Chun Feng Sect is doing on behalf of the human race. Interfering means that you will be helping an enemy of our own race. Is that what you want to do?"


    Jinde harrumphed. "This is what that means? Your Chun Feng Sect is rather fast with accusing people. You don''t even know whether he''s human or not. But you attacked him even with the person he is bound to protect in the same place. Now, when somebody else wants to interfere, you''re trying to use your advantage in numbers. Is that it?"


    The disciple furrowed his brows and raised his own weapon. "The Chun Feng Sect is doing this for a good cause. If you cannot see this point, then I''m afraid you might be a lost cause."


    Jinde gave a humorous laugh and eyed the weapon in the disciple''s hand. Was this also one of them? Otherwise, he might just give the Sect Master a hand and help him take care of these pests. Attacking his stepson right in front of him ¡­ These people were really looking for death! He might have lost a bit of his edge but he was still much better with the sword than these fledglings would ever be.


    Seeing that Grandmaster Leng''s husband was about to step in himself, Alliance Head Hua panicked. The Grandmaster still wasn''t here! If something happened to his husband, then wouldn''t he fault him? After all, he had entrusted his safety to him when he sent him to the Liu He Alliance to ask for refuge.


    Hua Min gritted his teeth and then waved at the disciples behind him. "What my disciple just said does have some truth to it. The Chun Feng Sect is accusing without evidence. Whether you intended to do this for a righteous cause or not, you''re going too far right now. The Liu He Alliance won''t stand back when encountering such a situation. That is also a righteous cause."


    A dozen swords were unsheathed that same moment, making the disciples of the Chun Feng Sect tense up.


    In the middle of the clearing, Liu Cheng furrowed his brows. He indeed hadn''t managed to injure Qiu Ling so far and it was looking as if he wouldn''t be able to do so anytime soon. In fact, he was afraid that this person was stronger than him. They might need the help of their Elders to subdue him.


    He still had somewhat paid attention to what was happening around him. After all, it was known to all the demon hunters that you could never neglect paying attention to your surroundings when fighting with a demon. These guys were full of schemes. The one in front of you might be playing around with you, leading you to fall into a trap.


    Things like that had happened way too often in the past and had even made some of the older sects collapse entirely. The Chun Feng Sect had looked at all the documents from these times to learn from them. He certainly wouldn''t make such a simple mistake.


    What he noticed happening made his expression turn even darker. "Don''t listen to this! The person who just spoke is the one who pretended to be a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect the last time around when asking for directions to the Liu He Alliance. How come he suddenly turned into the disciple of Alliance Head Hua? Obviously, he''s a demon as well! Just as we expected."


    Jinde''s lips twitched. So now he was a demon too? Well, what a surprise! This guy had actually managed to curse two dragon kings in one day. That really was a feat that nobody else had ever managed to accomplish. Should he go and congratulate him on that?


    Jinde wanted to take out his sword but paused. Ah ¡­ Once again, there was the problem that he didn''t know which of these weapons was dangerous to him. Furthermore, his own beloved sword had been given to his husband. In other words ¡­ He simply didn''t have a weapon at hand!


    Jinde raised his hand and sadly looked at his fingernails. Ah, he really couldn''t wait to have his soul healed. Then, he could just use his claws for something like this. What a disgrace! A dragon actually wasn''t able to fight just because he didn''t have a weapon.


    Jinde slunk back and leaned over to Yuchi Bing Xia. "Sect Master, there might be a little problem here."


    Yuchi Bing Xia glanced at him and furrowed his brows. He really wanted to curse him right now! Who was it that made things this difficult?


    Jinde pretended he hadn''t seen that gaze and just sighed. "You see, I''ve given my weapon away. You wouldn''t be able to lend me one, would you? It doesn''t have to be anything special. Just a simple sword will do."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s brows twitched. "Why would you give your weapon away?"


    Jinde shrugged his shoulders. "Is was a present for your disciple, ah. What can I do about it?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia shut up at that. He had already said what he thought of that relationship but only to Yu Jin. He wouldn''t dare to say any of that to the person in front of him.


    Jinde pursed his lips. "What is it? You don''t want to? But ¡­ You''re basically my father-in-law."


    Yuchi Bing Xia almost dropped his own weapon. "I''m what?!"


    Jinde once again shrugged his shoulders. "I''m married to your disciple, ah. And don''t you have a saying that if you''re a Master for a day, you''re a father for life? So that means that as Jin Yu''s Master, you basically count as his father. And since I''m married to him, you count as my father-in-law." He blinked his eyes behind the veil, his lips curling up into a brilliant smile. "Or could it be that you''d rather want me to call you ''father''? I wouldn''t mind ¡­ father."


    Yuchi Bing Xia shuddered, unable to give a comeback. Really, if he dared to have this beautiful god call him father, he felt like he wouldn''t be able to live long anymore.


    Hua Min looked back at the two of them, his expression disbelieving. "What are you doing?"


    Jinde smiled happily, a little miffed that nobody was able to see his charming appearance. "Waiting for my husband to return, ah. I''m sure Jin Yu will be able to get us out of this situation." After all, his husband was a sly one, sometimes even able to deal with him. With his knowledge of the situation in the human realm and that kind of intelligence, he would be able to take care of these people from that intolerable Chun Feng Sect in a matter of minutes.


    That was still the better call to make instead of fighting. Until then, they just had to stall the other disciples for a bit and let Qiu Ling take care of the one who was still trying to scratch him with that weapon.

 Chapter 824 - Soon Enough?

    Hua Min looked at Jinde with a complicated expression. What he said ¡­ It wasn''t wrong. He wasn''t too sure what to make of it though. They had the Sect Master of the Yun Zou Sect, the Grandmaster of the Yun Zou Sect, the most talented disciple of the Yun Zou Sect, and even him as an Alliance Head of the Liu He Alliance. Would they really not be able to make these few disciples of the Liu Cheng Sect submit to them without the help of Grandmaster Leng?


    Yuchi Bing Xia understood even less. "Yu Jin? Why would he be able to help?"


    Jinde smiled. "Well, I just trust my husband very much. Can''t I do that?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s lips twitched. "You can certainly do that just ¡­ I really doubt he''d be able to do anything. At the very least, I doubt he''d be able to do anything that we aren''t capable of doing."


    Jinde shrugged his shoulders. "Well, maybe I''m blind because of love and overestimating him. I guess we''ll have to see." He glanced at the weapon that Yuchi Bing Xia held and then stretched out his hand. "Didn''t you want to give me a weapon, father-in-law?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s lips twitched and he had a look at his spatial bag. He should have a weapon somewhere in there. Before he could find one, Zhangsun Xun Yi took one out of his own and handed it to Jinde. "You shouldn''t fight if it isn''t absolutely necessary."


    Jinde nodded. "I know that. It wouldn''t do to get injured at this point in time." He sighed. "It really makes me wonder just when Jin Yu will return."


    As for the person in question ¡­ He was currently waking up. His eyelids fluttered and he finally cracked his eyes open, slowly blinking at the environment that was flashing past him. He seemed to be moving at a fast pace?


    He wanted to raise his hand to rub his eyes only to find that he was held on both sides. Leng Jin Yu lifted his head and looked to his right side, seeing Bai Mu next to him.


    Bai Mu also looked over when he felt him move and then motioned for Qiang Yan to stop. The two of them landed on the ground and put Leng Jin Yu down. "How are you?"


    Leng Jin Yu touched his forehead. He was still feeling slightly dizzy but other than that, he didn''t feel any different from before. "I guess I''m alright. We''re ¡­" He looked around, feeling that this place looked familiar.


    "Not far from the Yun Zou Sect. We thought that since you needed to return soon, it would be best if we already brought you over. It''s good that you woke up beforehand though. I really wouldn''t want to explain this to your husband."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched at the thought of him being carried over and handed to Jinde while still being unconscious. If that happened, there would definitely be trouble. He could already imagine Jinde''s furious expression as soon as they were alone and how he''d chew him out for risking his life like that. Well, he wasn''t wrong. "I guess we should hurry then. I don''t know how much time has gone by in the mortal realm since I left but we should finish the array as soon as possible."


    Qiang Yan nodded and then motioned in the direction they had been going in. "Can you go alone or do you still need help?"


    Leng Jin Yu moved his arms and legs and inspected his spiritual veins but couldn''t find anything that was wrong. "I should be alright."


    Qiang Yan nodded once more and the three of them took to the air again, moving toward the Yun Zou Sect. When they got closer, Qiang Yan''s brows furrowed. Something was happening down there. He could hear the clanging of weapons and there was a distinct feeling of a fight happening close by. He glanced over to the other two people and noticed that their expressions also weren''t good. "What should we do?"


    Leng Jin Yu pondered and slowed down to make sure they wouldn''t reach the Yun Zou Sect before they hadn''t decided. "We don''t know who the ones fighting are. It might not have anything to do with Jinde. But just on the off-chance that it does, we need to finish the array first so that he can seek refuge there." He glanced at Bai Mu at that. "If I took out the part of my soul that I cut off, would you be able to take it to the array and finish it yourself?"


    Bai Mu shook his head. "I would advise against trying that. Souls are very fragile. Especially so after they are taken out of the body. It would be best to only do that when we are directly in front of the array and able to incorporate it as the anchor immediately."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. Well, that would have been a little too easy.


    Qiang Yan cleared his throat to get their attention and then motioned toward the fight. "How about I head over there while the two of you finish the array? Whatever is going on, with my skills, I should be able to stall whoever is attacking. I''ll try to let your husband know that he should head over to the array as soon as he can. Setting up the anchor shouldn''t take a long time so that should be our best guess."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "If you wouldn''t mind."


    Qiang Yan waved. "Don''t mention it. In the end, we are more or less family. It wouldn''t do to leave you hanging right now, would it? So just go. I''ll go ahead. Let''s hope that I''ll draw the attention of whoever is doing that."


    The other two nodded and then headed off in slightly different directions. Now, it wouldn''t be long anymore until the safe haven Leng Jin Yu had planned for his lover was finally finished so that he wouldn''t have to worry about the demon king any longer. The only question was: Would it be finished soon enough?

 Chapter 825 - Vent Some Anger

    Leng Jin Yu and Bai Mu hurried straight over to the array, making sure that nobody was around before they took out the sketch of the array''s last part that Bai Mu when Qiang Yan had come up with together.


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath and turned to Bai Mu. "Alright, what do I do now?"


    "It''s not too difficult and I can help so we''ll be faster. You just need to take out that part of your soul. I can do the rest."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and then closed his eyes. He had already cut that part off so it shouldn''t be a problem anymore. Most likely, it wouldn''t even have reconnected considering what he used to cut it.


    He reached up, spreading out his spiritual sense to take another look at his soul and then used his spiritual energy to guide it to the place where he cut himself with the soul-engraving dagger. He pulled the part of his soul out, opening his eyes and looking at it in a daze.


    He had never seen a soul in this way. Looking at it now ¡­ It wasn''t quite what he had expected. It was of a dark color, like anthracite, and the texture was surprisingly drawn out. It felt as if it could fray out any single moment.


    Bai Mu didn''t notice his strange gaze and just reached out, carefully wrapping the part of the soul with some of his own spiritual energy and then guiding it toward the array. He made his energy spread out, making the soul flow over the places where the lines of the array were supposed to be according to the model. Faint lines appeared and finally seeped into the earth, vanishing without a trace.


    Leng Jin Yu watched as the lines of the original array lit up for a moment before the whole set of faint lines appeared and finally vanished altogether. "Is that all?"


    Bai Mu nodded. "As I said, it''s not that difficult. You just need to know how to do it."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and then turned in the direction from where the fight could still be heard. "I guess I should go and have a look then."


    "Should I come with you?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "Don''t forget that this is the human realm. We don''t know what is happening over there. You''re not in a much better situation than Jinde is. If the Chun Feng Sect saw you, then that''d mean a lot of trouble. I just want to get Jinde and then go into the realm. Everybody else will be kept outside and then there won''t be a problem any longer. I wouldn''t want to add another one that we need to take care of before that. Jinde will need time to heal himself so he should be given that with peace of mind.


    "Furthermore, isn''t Nie Huang still waiting for you? You probably want to return to her side just as much as I want to see Jinde again. So you''d better go back as soon as possible. I''ll also tell your father to hurry up to get back to the Nine Heavens so that he''ll be there when the pill is finished."


    Bai Mu nodded and gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you for understanding. If you need help though ¡­ Just contact me."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and then pushed off the ground, rushing over in the direction of the fight while Bai Mu left the Yun Zou Sect in the other direction, returning to the dragon realm without hitch.


    On the other hand, Qiang Yan had already arrived at the scene of the fight a while before. He watched the fight going on and furrowed his brows. It wasn''t too hard to see what was going on and with Yuchi Bing Xia grumbling about Liu Cheng''s actions, it wasn''t hard to figure out just who the perpetrators were.


    Qiang Yan''s gaze darkened even further and he fixed his gaze on the disciples in the green robes. So these were the people of the Chun Feng Sect. The ones who had kidnapped his son and imprisoned him several years, making him lose out on being with the woman he loved, almost losing her forever. They really were ¡­ shameless bastards. And now they actually dared to fight with this nephew-in-law and his nephew''s reincarnation. They were looking for a beating!


    Qiang Yan wanted to take out his sword but then hesitated. How could he just get involved? He was a god. He shouldn''t meddle in the human realm. If things got out of hand ¡­ And anyway, what they were doing right now was actually good for the gods. If they somehow managed to bypass Qiu Ling and injure Jing Yi, even killing him, then Jing He would wake up and this horrible trial that seemed to go wrong at every point would finally be a thing of the past. That''s ¡­ That was something he should be looking forward to, wasn''t it?


    Qiang Yan glanced at the boy in Qiu Ling''s arms and furrowed his brows. Even though he knew that from a rational standpoint, this would be the best thing to do, he still couldn''t shake the feeling that he shouldn''t do it.


    He had already seen this boy once in the demon realm. Back then, Jing Yi had already known who he was and had reacted pretty calmly considering that he was in the hands of Jin Ling and could have died any moment. That kind of enduring behavior had reminded him a lot of his actual nephew, making it hard not to feel fond of his reincarnation as well. Furthermore ¡­ Qiang Yan glanced at Qiu Ling''s determined expression that said that he would never let anybody harm the person that he loved.


    Yeah, forget it. There was no way anything would happen to that mortal boy as long as Qiu Ling was around. He would never step aside and just watch what was going on with Jing Yi. In that case, he might as well go and help them beat the asses of these Chun Feng Sect people, venting some of the anger his son surely must have felt.

 Chapter 826 - Take Them with You

    Qiang Yan took out his sword and then wanted to rush over to where Qiu Ling was fighting but he stopped once again. Ah, his nephew-in-law was getting by quite well. He should rather take care of the other people to make sure they wouldn''t interfere with him and Jing He''s reincarnation.


    He turned around to see who was the most troublesome and saw the disciples that had meanwhile gathered in front of Jinde and Yuchi Bing Xia. He didn''t know any of these people but thanks to the different robes it was easy to see who was part of the Chun Feng Sect and who wasn''t.


    Qiang Yan moved in their direction only for one of the veiled people to look up at him. He stopped again, staring at the veil in the hope of seeing something from the person''s appearance to make sure whether he knew who the person. Unfortunately, the veil covered his face and most of the body, not letting him see even a single strand of hair. His lips twitched. He couldn''t be sure but there was only one person that would need to cover up this much, wasn''t there? "Longjun?"


    Jinde shook his head and motioned over at Qiu Ling. "That one''s over there."


    Qiang Yan stared at him, trying to figure out what he meant. Did that mean that he was the former dragon king or did he mean that he wasn''t? He rubbed his neck and finally stepped on the ground, cupping his fists just in case. "I''m Qiang Yan, the God of War. I came here with ¡­ the ascended deity Leng Jin Yu."


    Jinde''s expression lit up and he brushed the veil aside, revealing his face. "Where is he?"


    The disciples of the Chun Feng Sect raised their weapons at seeing Jinde''s hair and eye color. "Demon!"


    Jinde rolled his eyes and threw them a glare, absolutely not happy that they were hindering him from seeing his husband as soon as possible. And anyway, did these guys not know any other insults? He was getting tired of this.


    Yuchi Bing Xia and Hua Min also couldn''t help but give Jinde a confused look. "What are you doing?"


    Jinde blinked and then took a closer look at Qiang Yan, finally noticing the faint layer of spiritual energy that was shrouding his body. Ah, it seemed that the humans weren''t able to see him if their level wasn''t high enough. He looked over at Zhangsun Xun Yi who had furrowed his brows and was looking at the place where Qiang Yan stood. Well, he was probably able to perceive something even if he wasn''t able to see exactly who had come to pay them a visit.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi retracted his gaze and turned to the Sect Master and their guest. "Somebody came over. It seems that your head disciple came out of closed-door cultivation."


    Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows. "Why wouldn''t he come over himself if he came out?" And why couldn''t he see the person that had announced this? His level wasn''t low, ah ¡­


    Jinde tilted his head and finally took off the hat. Anyway, his husband was already back and the people of the Chun Feng Sect had already seen. Why should he still bother to wear this damn thing? "I''d like to know that as well. So where is my husband?"


    Qiang Yan''s lips twitched and he finally dropped the spell that was hiding him from mortal eyes. The disciples of the Chun Feng Sect tensed up, seeing that there was yet another opponent. The situation was really turning unfavorable for them.


    Qiang Yan vaguely motioned towards the Sect Master''s palace. "He''s finishing that thing up."


    Jinde nodded. "Does that mean that I can go over and see him now?"


    Qiang Yan nodded. "You should probably do that. What about ¡­" He motioned to where Qiu Ling and Liu Cheng were still fighting.


    Jinde looked over and shrugged his shoulders. "I''m wondering about that as well. These people think that everybody''s a demon and want to cut us up with these abominable things there." He motioned at Liu Cheng''s weapon just in case.


    Qiang Yan looked over but he couldn''t see anything special about the weapon. Well, that wasn''t a problem right now. "I can take care of them."


    Jinde raised his brows. "All of them? Because these people have a whole sect behind them that will likely try to hunt us down afterward."


    Qiang Yan looked over and furrowed his brows. Right, Bai Mu had insinuated that type of thing as well. There was no way the Chun Feng Sect would give up if they didn''t manage to either imprison or kill Qiu Ling and Jinde. Jinde wasn''t a problem since he could enter the realm as soon as the array was finished but Qiu Ling couldn''t do that ¡­


    Qiang Yan''s gaze darted around and he moved over to Jinde''s side. He leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Say ¡­ I can imagine that you''d want to spend as much time with your husband alone as you can but ¡­ Why don''t you take them with you? Even if the array only allows you and Leng Jin Yu to enter, you can get around that as long as one of you takes them in and out. They would just have to wait until the Chun Feng Sect left."


    Jinde glared at him. "Since you know that I want to be alone with my husband why do you even ask?"


    Qiang Yan glanced at him and gave an apologetic smile. "Well ¡­ You first need to heal anyway, don''t you? By the time that is finished, I''m pretty sure that the Chun Feng Sect would''ve given up on finding him. Then you can just kick the two of them out."


    Jinde''s brows twitched but he finally pushed off the ground, rushing over to Qiu Ling and grabbing his arm. "You''d better make up for that." With that, he pulled him along and rushed over to where Leng Jin Yu had just finished up tying the anchor to the array. "Open it!"


    Leng Jin Yu looked up and then stepped into the array, using his spiritual energy to stand there and hold the gate open so Jinde could pass through with the two people behind him. He had no idea what was going on and why his so-called son and his lover were suddenly accompanying them but he didn''t need to think much when he saw the people that were trying to rush after them.


    Qiang Yan might be able to fight all the disciples of the Chun Feng Sect but he wasn''t able to take them out in just a moment if they were trying to flee either. The worst thing was that this clamor had also drawn over everybody else. The guests that had paid the Yun Zou Sect a visit, as well as the other disciples of the Yun Zou Sect that hadn''t been there on the training grounds, had all come out to take a look at what this was about.


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched and Jinde used the spiritual energy that he had recovered in the Liu He Alliance to dash to the array without paying attention to anything around him, finally grabbing onto his husband''s shoulders and vanishing in the newly created realm together.


    Neither of them noticed the person that had taken out what looked like a mirror made of black glass, showing the current scene to the person on the other side.

 Chapter 827 - Let’s Discuss the Benefits

    "What is the meaning of this?" Yin Lin Lin furrowed her brows and stared at the demon in front of her. She could hardly believe what she was hearing.


    Yong Hai smiled. "Didn''t I make myself clear enough? Or is it that you fail to see where your benefit in this idea lies?"


    Yin Lin Lin''s gaze darkened even further. Did she need some common demon to tell her what would be beneficial to her? "I understood very well what you said. I''m just wondering what made you think that this idea of yours is in any way feasible. Between you and my husband, do I need to remind you who is stronger? Who has more people backing him? Just what talent of yours do you want to use to fight against him?"


    Yong Hai scoffed at her condescending look. "Are you so sure about that? Maybe you should reexamine your evaluation of me and your husband. You might not have been there when he took the throne but I can tell you for sure that it wasn''t just because he is strong. He might not be weak but he certainly isn''t as great as he made you think.


    "Back then, he was only able to have things go so smoothly in his favor because he took advantage of the time when that Longjun killed the previous king. Everybody had already been fighting over taking on his mantle. The strongest warriors had already died. It wasn''t like he had a lot of competitors anymore. And for the ones that he had ¡­ He didn''t deal with most of them in the direct way, instead using others to do his dirty work."


    Yin Lin Lin''s gaze flickered. In fact, she really didn''t know much about what had happened back then. She knew that Jin Ling was much older than her and that he had taken the throne sometime after the last war but that was the extent of her knowledge. And why should she have cared? Her father had already died in the war before that one so she hadn''t been tied to the God of War''s palace anymore. She also had nothing to do with the demons so she didn''t care. Now though, she wished that she had paid more attention to these matters. She couldn''t say for sure whether Jin Ling would be able to win against this Yong Hai or not.


    The demon smiled when he saw her waver and used the opportunity. "Let''s not speak about whether or not I''m able to personally kill him. Let''s talk about the benefits instead. You certainly can''t return to the Nine Heavens after what has happened. There''s no way the Heavenly Emperor would ever pardon you for marrying the demon king. So you can only rely on somebody in our realm. I''m sure that you still have use here so there will be people that''ll listen to you. Since that is the case, you can be sure that I won''t just let you fall once things are over."


    Yin Lin Lin''s fingers clutched the edge of her chair''s armrest and she gave a strained smile. "The word of a demon isn''t worth much."


    Yong Hai shrugged his shoulders. "It really isn''t. But what is the alternative? I bet His Majesty promised you a lot of things when you married him. But has he kept his promises? In fact, how much time have you spent with him in the last years?


    "Rumor has it that he seldom is in the palace, rather running around outside, doing whatever. Even when he is here, it is said that he has people outside keeping an eye on some matters in the human realm. That begs some questions, doesn''t it?


    "Why would he care about the humans? They''ve never been a problem for us. We should be focusing our efforts on destroying the dragons or make them bow down to us again. Our current king ¡­ I''m afraid he has forgotten that he is the demon. He is doing nothing for us. Maybe he has fallen in love with a human woman? That would be one explanation." He gave her a moment to digest that possibility before he continued. "Anyway, whatever his reason may be, sooner or later somebody will come and put him in his place, attempting to lead our race back to glory themselves. When that day comes, do you still want to be considered the past king''s wife? Or would you rather be in a good situation because you helped the new king ascend the throne? You decide."


    Yin Lin Lin looked at the demon in front of her and her fingers clenched around the armrest even tighter. She certainly didn''t want to go down together with Jin Ling. Back then, she might have believed what he told her. Getting away from the punishment she had to suffer in the mortal realm, getting back at the man who had broken their engagement for that slut Bai Fen, becoming one of the most important people in the demon realm, presiding over everybody else ¡­ Naturally, she had wanted that and taken the chance when Jin Lin offered it. But who could have known Jin Ling would turn out to just want to use her?


    Sure, she had escaped that punishment but now she was stranded in the demon realm without any way to return. She might have married the demon king and become his queen but she was merely one of many beauties in his harem and not even his favorite! Comparing that to Bai Fen who was the Heavenly Emperor''s sole wife ¡­ She hadn''t won at all.


    Maybe she should have expected it. Jin Ling was a demon, after all. Since when had any of them ever been trustworthy? But she had been blinded by that charming smile of his, that copper-colored hair and those caramel-colored eyes. She had felt that with him, she had struck a good deal. She had felt that being rejected by Rong Su had been worth it if it meant that she would end up with an even better man.


    Unfortunately, that man had never put her into his eyes. She could tell. He treated her the same way that Rong Su had treated her back then: She was an obligation he had but nothing more. He had never had any feelings for her. That was the truth she had to accept.


    Yin Lin Lin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Yong Hai had already approached her. There was no way for her to stay out of this matter and see how it unfolded. She could only decide to help him or to work against him. There was no guarantee that he would honor his promise afterward and let her have a favorable treatment but there wasn''t any security in continuing to follow Jin Ling either. After all, even if she told her husband, she couldn''t say for sure how he would react.


    Yin Lin Lin opened her eyes and sighed. "Very well. Then let me your plan."


    Yong Hai smiled happily. "I knew you would see it my way." Now, it was only a matter of time until he would be able to take down that weakling Jin Ling and take the demon throne.

 Chapter 828 - It’d Be Her Pleasure

    Yin Lin Lin motioned for Yong Hai to sit down. "Well, since we agreed now, I would like to hear a little bit more. Just what do you intend to do? I won''t take part in this if you can''t give me a satisfying answer to that question at least."


    Yong Hai nodded. "I know." He sat down and gave a sigh. "Let''s be honest, I wouldn''t have asked you to take part in this if I wasn''t convinced that you''re a smart enough woman to do so."


    Yin Lin Lin harrumphed. "Thank you very much but I don''t need your compliments, Yong Hai. Just get to the point or I will believe that you do not have one. Don''t forget that you''re not the only one who can turn against my husband. Since you''ve already brought it up, I might as well go and tell somebody else about it. What will stop me other than you having a good plan?"


    Yong Hai''s eyes narrowed. Indeed. That was still a problem. Thankfully, this woman wasn''t a demon and she hadn''t really made much of an attempt to build connections in the past, always thinking that it was good enough to be the wife of the demon king. Well, that was to his advantage now.


    "I don''t think you should do that. Sure, there might be other people willing to give this a try. But you wouldn''t know who, would you? If you accidentally told one of your husband''s secret allies, wouldn''t that be a very bad thing for you? If I was you, I wouldn''t try to do so. And even if you''re lucky and don''t make such a big blunder out of it, who can say for sure that you won''t encounter a demon that hates your race? There are a lot of them that aren''t as open-minded as our current king. Or I, for that matter. Since you already have a good candidate to overthrow your husband and guarantee a good future for yourself, why should you bother to look around? You can have that way easier."


    "Cut the chitchat. What''s your plan?"


    Yong Hai sighed. This woman wasn''t actually that smart but she was able to grab onto some important points at least. "For this to work out, we''ll need to whittle away at your husband''s support while at the same time, strengthening our own. In fact, it would be best if we were able to win some of his supporters over secretly, making him believe he still has their backing while they are actively working for us."


    Yin Lin Lin nodded. "That isn''t a bad place to start. Then how do you intend to do that?"


    "I know of some people who would be willing to follow anybody who intends to wage war against the dragons again. I''m able to pull them onto our side. They don''t necessarily care who is our king as long as it isn''t somebody like that Jin Ling. As for his actual backers ¡­ I want you to handle that."


    Yin Lin Lin''s eyes narrowed. "So you want to use me to gain advantages."


    Yong Hai chuckled. "You could say it like that. Or you could say that''s ¡­ you working for your future situation. If you are involved in this, then naturally, your position in the future will be better. Your own hard work will always pay off more than that of somebody else. Isn''t that right?"


    "Maybe you''re not wrong. But what guarantees can you give me?"


    Yong Hai tsked. "I thought we had already spoken about that. How come you bring it up again? Whether I can give you guarantees or not, your current husband can''t give them to you either. You can either take the leap or you don''t. As for my plan, well, you''ll have to admit that it is smarter for you to approach His Majesty''s other supporters. There are quite a few that are part of his harem or related to them. I could try it but it''d be much easier for you. Isn''t that so?"


    Yin Lin Lin furrowed her brows but still had to admit that he was right. "Very well, then I will do so. But I will also consider the matter of you giving me a guarantee. Just having your word won''t be enough for me. I''ll inform you of that soon." She certainly wouldn''t make the same mistake twice and just rely on the word of a demon in concern to the future. She had already bitterly paid for doing so with Jin Ling. If she trusted Yong Hai now, who could tell her that the outcome wouldn''t be the very same? It was better to be safe than sorry. She had to find a way to secure some benefits for herself. Only then could she do this without worry.


    Yong Hai''s brows furrowed. This woman wasn''t even a demon and she dared to talk to him like this? What would she have if she hadn''t managed to somehow marry the current king?


    That he had to rely on her to make this plan work was already insulting enough. But to actually be treated like this ¡­ He''d certainly pay her back for that when the time was ripe. Well, for now, he still needed to pretend. "Very well, then I''ll leave it to you to think matters through. It shouldn''t be a problem to contact me, considering that your husband doesn''t care." He turned on his heels and left, not looking back.


    Yin Lin Lin clenched her hands into fists and smashes them down on the armrest of her chair. This guy! Who did he think he was?! If not because Jin Ling always ignored her, she certainly wouldn''t be wavering what she should do. She would definitely stand on her husband''s side faithfully. After all, there was nobody in the demon realm that could compare to Jin Ling in her eyes. Whether it was his looks or strength or charm, he was the pinnacle of what a man could achieve.


    That Yong Hai with those scales disfiguring his face was just a sad excuse of a man. If it had been him back then, she certainly wouldn''t have had accepted that deal. And even now, if Jin Ling saw her worth now and decided to make up for what had happened before, she would be willing to overlook what had happened in the past and stand on his side, helping him out of his situation and beat back everybody else.


    She''d even personally punch this Yong Hai guy in the face. It''d be her pleasure.

 Chapter 829 - Not All Lost?

    Yin Lin Lin went to her husband''s quarters, finding Jin Ling standing in front of three pairs of robes with a thoughtful expression. Her gaze couldn''t help but linger on his face for a moment longer and she finally went over with a smile.


    "I think that dark green one would look very good on you."


    "Mn ¡­" Jin Ling gave a non-committal murmur and continued to look from one robe to the other. He also felt that he looked great in green but Jinde had always liked wearing green and it wouldn''t do for them to wear the same color. After all, Jinde had always prided himself on his looks. Trying to eclipse that beauty ¡­ Not that that would be possible. Nobody could come even close to Jinde''s beauty.


    Jin Ling''s gaze continued to a brown robe. If Jinde wore green and he wore brown, it would look great together. But a brown robe didn''t showcase his own handsomeness quite as well and he wanted to let Jinde see him in the best possible way.


    Then the violet robe ¡­ Jin Ling brushed over the embroidery with his fingertips, his brows furrowing. It was better. He would look handsome and still not clash with Jinde. They would complement each other. The perfect pair.


    Jin Ling closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Yes, this should work out well. He picked the robe up, nodding to himself before he put the others away and changed.


    Yin Lin Lin''s smile grew strained. Hadn''t she suggested the green one? Why did he take another one now? Well, that wasn''t too important. Jin Ling looked good in everything anyway. "Is there an occasion?"


    Jin Ling''s lips curled into a faint smile. "There is." He closed the belt and then conjured up a water mirror, checking his appearance. Mn, not bad. Jinde should be pleasantly surprised when he saw him like this. Was there anything else? Maybe he should take a present?


    Jin Ling looked around but there was nothing that he could imagine Jinde to like. Ah, maybe it wasn''t important. Just seeing each other again was already very good. And he could show him how much he loved him with his actions instead of something material. Jinde would certainly like that better.


    Jin Ling turned to leave, not acknowledging Yin Lin Lin''s presence in the least.


    The goddess stared after him in a daze before she rushed out of the room as well. "Jin Ling!"


    "What?" He didn''t bother to turn around and just continued to walk.


    Yin Lin Lin clenched her fists. "Yong Hai asked me to help him to overthrow you."


    Jin Ling stopped in his tracks. Overthrow him? This time he did glance over his shoulder at least. "So what did you say?"


    Yin Lin Lin slowly relaxed and gave a smile, walking over to him and reaching out. "I told him I''d do it but that I''d think a little longer on what I wanted in return. Of course, I just want to find out more for you. Why would I betray you?"


    "Mn." Jin Ling looked at her hands and frowned but he forced himself to stand on the spot and endure. He didn''t really want the demon throne and had only held onto it for Jinde all these years. Now that he had made sure that Jinde was indeed alive ¡­ He could go and talk to him. Maybe Jinde would want him to hold onto it? Then he could make use of this Yin Lin Lin to beat back that Yong Hai. If not ¡­ Well, no need to overthrow him. He''d leave on his own. Anyway, he would be happy as long as he could be with his Jinde.


    Thinking of the person in his heart, Jin Ling gave a rare, warm smile.


    When Yin Lin Lin looked up and saw this expression, her heart thumped heavily. Could it be that ¡­ Jin Ling wasn''t really as indifferent to her as he had seemed? Or could it be that because of how the demon realm was he had just feared that he would be betrayed one day and thus hadn''t dared to open his heart completely? And now that she had proven that she was on his side, that she was willing to think about what was the best for him and stand up for his interests ¡­ Was he now letting go of those last doubts, finally embracing his true feelings?


    A trace of disgust flashed through Jin Ling''s expression when he saw Yin Lin Lin''s hopeful eyes. What was this woman thinking? Hmph, good for her that he was in a hurry.


    He reached out and patted her shoulder. "I''ll trust you to keep an eye on the situation. Something important has happened outside that I need to take care of. I''ll try to return as soon as I can."


    "Yes, do that. I''ll try to find out who is still loyal to you in the meantime." She tiptoed and gave Jin Ling a kiss, hurrying off in a good mood. It seemed things weren''t over yet. There was still an opportunity to turn everything around.


    Jin Ling''s smile collapsed as soon as Yin Lin Lin turned her back to him. He stalked back into his room and pulled the robe off his body, stepping behind a folding screen and using his spiritual energy to pour some water into a tub. Ah, he couldn''t go and meet Jinde like that. It wouldn''t do. It just wouldn''t do. That would be ¡­ inappropriate. Yes, he couldn''t let Jinde down this way.


    Thus Jin Ling left later than he desired, not clad in that violet robe any longer, instead wearing a white one that made his copper-colored hair shimmer.

 Chapter 830 - Take a Peek

    At the same time, Jinde was grumbling in the Yun Zou Sect''s new special dimension. Four people had rushed through one small array all at the same time. ¡ª The result could be imagined. Especially since one person had been holding another in the arms while being gripped by the third person that then threw themselves at the last one. Disentangling their hair and sleeves and limbs took more time than any of them would''ve liked.


    Jinde threw his stepson an angry look before he turned to his husband with a pitiful expression. "I thought we could finally have some time for us alone. How come your son is suddenly with us?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. "You shouldn''t be asking me. I was just finishing up the anchor and then wanted to go and get you when you suddenly rushed over with him and Jing Yi in tow. So shouldn''t I be the one who asks this question instead?"


    Jinde huffed. "Isn''t it because he got into trouble again? If you want more details, you should ask that good son of yours. I also wasn''t there from the beginning."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and then freed himself from the heap of people that had fallen on top of him, trying to pull his husband to his feet as well.


    On the other side, Qiu Ling did the same, just that he didn''t need to pull. From beginning to end, he had never let go of his beloved. Ah, as a good lover, this was what he should do! Instead, he rolled onto his back and then sat up, letting Jing Yi get up first. "Are you alright?"


    Jing Yi nodded but still looked at the ground.


    Qiu Ling couldn''t help but worry. "Are you sure? You aren''t hurt? Maybe you hit your head?"


    Jing Yi shook his head, still not looking up. Qiu Ling couldn''t help but panic. He grabbed Jing Yi by the shoulders and then went ahead to check every inch of his body, trying to see if there was any wound while cursing the people of the Chun Feng Sect in his head. These bastards! It was all their fault! Now, his beloved was in such a dangerous condition! He wouldn''t be a man if he didn''t pay them back!


    Seeing that his stepson was fussing over his lover so much Jinde gave a sigh and came over, intending to check the boy himself. Anyway, he understood much more about these things than Qiu Ling. If they let this bear child handle things, the boy might be hurt even worse.


    When Jinde stepped closer, Jing Yi''s head sunk further down, making the dragon stop in his tracks. This ¡­ What was going on?


    Behind him, Leng Jin Yu had on a thoughtful expression. He looked at Jing Yi and then looked at Jinde who had thrown the hat away before, showing his face and hair. Even somebody who had only seen him shortly would certainly recognize him.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed as well and went to grab Jinde''s hand. "Let''s go. I don''t think you can do anything here."


    "Mn? I might not have much spiritual energy left but I''m still very well-versed in medicine." He said so but he still followed his husband, only glancing over his shoulder at Jing Yi. Anyway, his husband had been human once. Maybe he had been able to figure out what was wrong with the boy because of that already.


    Jinde waited until they were out of earshot before he stopped and pulled at Leng Jin Yu''s hand to make him turn around. "So? Don''t you want to tell me what the matter was just now?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "Do you remember meeting him before?"


    Jinde tilted his head and pondered. "I think I''ve seen him before, yes. Why do you ask?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s smile got even worse. "Then do you remember what you were doing back then?"


    Jinde brushed through his hair with his fingers, a playful smile curling up the corners of his lips. "No, but with the way you look right now, it must have been something naughty."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed, basically acknowledging his words. "You were sitting naked in a tub."


    Jinde broke out into laughter. "So he was embarrassed?"


    "Is that so weird?" Leng Jin Yu shook his head and turned away, intending to leave.


    Jinde pulled him back though, putting his arms around his shoulders. "Well, it is to a dragon. It''s not a problem to be seen naked. Well ¡­ Some partners might get jealous but it''s rare." He paused and his own smile turned a little strained as well. "As long as it''s a good relationship, that is."


    "You''re thinking of Chun Yin."


    Jinde gave a hum, not concealing anything. Anyway, Jinde already knew about that and it was obvious that he''d be thinking of him in this situation. "We were a special case. As I said, it''s rare."


    "Qiu Ling seems pretty jealous as well."


    This time, it was Jinde who turned away and pulled Leng Jin Yu with him. His husband followed along though, not making things difficult.


    "Is it a wonder? Never mind the shadow that his parents'' relationship left in his heart, he also hasn''t managed to take the last step with either the Son of Heaven or his reincarnation. They''re not married. As long as that doesn''t change, he''ll continue to be like this. That is a normal reaction for a dragon."


    "Mn. Humans are different, I guess. Being seen like that or ¡­ seeing somebody like that would make many of us embarrassed."


    "And that even though I''m such a beauty. Wouldn''t you like to take an extra peek?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled, intertwining his fingers with Jinde''s. "I don''t need to peek. I can just openly watch if I want to. That''s much better."


    "Mn. So do you want to go and take a look?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head with a laugh. Why wasn''t he surprised that things had ended up like this?

 Chapter 831 - Had He Understood Right?

    While Jinde and Leng Jin Yu had already gone back to being their normal selves, Qiu Ling was still fussing over his beloved. He patted down his body, trying to find any of the grievous wounds that he was imagining. To his surprise, he couldn''t find even a single one.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but become even more embarrassed by his lover''s worry. Ah, just what was he supposed to say? Explaining was embarrassing but not explaining was also embarrassing.


    In the end, he could only grab Qiu Ling''s hands and give him an awkward smile. "It''s alright. I''m ¡­ I''m alright. You don''t have to worry. Nothing is wrong."


    Qiu Ling looked at his beloved, not feeling too reassured. Who knew if his beloved was just saying this to make him feel better? It would certainly be in line with his personality. As a good lover, he shouldn''t be dissuaded from making sure that he was alright just because of what his beloved said. No, it was very important to continue to check.


    Jing Yi''s face turned even redder when Qiu Ling didn''t stop. "It''s really alright!" He tried to push Qiu Ling''s hands off but the dragon king wouldn''t have it.


    "If you''re hurt, you can say it. I''ll definitely try to help you as well as I can. If it''s really bad, I can just go and get the old geezer. He knows about medicine. He''ll be able to help you."


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. "That''s not it. I just ¡­" Well, it seemed he wouldn''t get around it. "I was just embarrassed."


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes. "Why though?"


    Jing Yi looked over to where Leng Jin Yu and Jinde had stood before and sighed. "Do you remember the last time I saw them?"


    Qiu Ling pondered and then straightforwardly shook his head. "No. What about it?"


    Jing Yi sighed. "That time ¡­" His cheeks and ears turned an even darker shade of red. "He wasn''t wearing clothes."


    Qiu Ling just looked at his beloved and couldn''t figure out what the problem was. "So?"


    Jing Yi looked at him, failing to understand why Qiu Ling didn''t mind at all. "That''s ¡­ You don''t mind?"


    Qiu Ling gave a goofy smile and pulled Jing Yi into his arms, happily brushing through his hair and rubbing his back. "Ah, so you were afraid I''d be angry? Don''t you worry! He''s together with my father anyway. I don''t think he''d be trying to make a move on you."


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. Who was afraid the other person would make a move on him? He hadn''t thought of that at all! He was just embarrassed that he had seen somebody naked! Was that so strange?


    He looked away, trying to calm his thoughts. Then, he blinked his eyes. "Wait, what? Your father?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Mn."


    "But ¡­" Jing Yi looked at where Jinde and Leng Jin Yu had vanished again and couldn''t understand what Qiu Ling meant. "I thought that your father was dead?" After all, wasn''t that what Qiu Ling had told him back then when he had been imprisoned in his inner self?


    Qiu Ling nodded his head. "I did."


    "Then how ¡­"


    "Ah." Qiu Ling finally understood what his beloved was talking about and then motioned over to where the two of them had disappeared. "Well, he got reincarnated. It''s been a while since then, after all. So now they''re together again."


    Jing Yi just stared at Qiu Ling. Had he ¡­ Had he just told him that Yu Jin, no, Leng Jin Yu was the reincarnation of his father? That ¡­ That didn''t make any sense? Especially ¡­


    Jing Yi''s face that had just started to return to its normal color turned red once again. So he had actually tried to tell Qiu Ling back then that the person he had fallen in love with was his father?!


    Jing Yi covered his face with his hands and turned away. He really didn''t want to continue this topic even though there were likely a lot of things that he should still ask about.


    Qiu Ling looked at him in confusion but then just shrugged his shoulders. "How about we go and take a look around? Actually, I can show you the place where I live." He put his chin on Jing Yi''s shoulder and happily brushed their heads against each other.


    Jing Yi glanced behind him, slowly lowering his hands. "The place where you live? This ¡­" He looked around, wondering if he had understood that right. "Aren''t we in the human realm anymore?"


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes. "No, we are. Why would you think we aren''t?"


    "Then ¡­ How do you want to show me where you live? Wouldn''t that be the dragon realm?"


    Qiu Ling nodded but then motioned over at the building in the middle of the realm not far from where they had landed. "True, but my father actually recreated the palace from the dragon realm. I guess he wanted to give the old geezer a surprise."


    Jing Yi nodded in a daze, looking around more closely. "Then ¡­ What about the rest? Is that also like in the dragon realm?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "No, he doesn''t remember that much. In fact, I don''t think he remembers more than just a few things. Actually, I don''t think he even remembers me. And I had to help him with the palace as well. But I think it turned out really well thanks to that. So do you want to see?"


    Jing Yi nodded slowly, feeling indeed a bit curious. He had never been to the dragon realm and Qiu Ling hadn''t talked about it too much. He really wanted to see just how his lover had lived before they met in this life.


    Naturally, Qiu Ling didn''t need to be told twice. He pushed off the ground and then flew right up to the entrance, only then putting Jing Yi down. "Let''s take our time. We''ll have to wait until those bastards from that sect will leave anyway. We might as well enjoy ourselves until then."


    Jing Yi nodded but couldn''t help but look in the direction they had come from. "The Sect Master and Grandmaster Zhangsun ¡­ Will they be alright?" After all, Liu Cheng and his martial brothers had seemed very determined.


    Qiu Ling shrugged his shoulders. "They should." In fact, he didn''t care too much though. He didn''t know the Sect Master at all, considering that he had only seen him a handful of times, and the Grandmaster was his Master in name only. They might as well fight their own battles. It had nothing to do with him. No, he''d much rather spend his time with his beloved.


    Thus Jing Yi was pulled into the building and soon forgot about what was going on outside, his whole attention on this new place.

 Chapter 832 - Not as Expected

    Jing Yi looked around, not sure what to say. The dragon realm''s palace was ¡­ huge. He had seen a few big houses in the Long kingdom''s capital city and had also been to the palace of the Yun Zou Sect''s Sect Master but this building was on another scale. After just a few turns, he had no idea where he was. There were several halls, corridors leading in all directions, doors leading outside to a plethora of courtyards and gardens, and hundreds of rooms. He had no idea what to compare this to or what to ask about this place and could only follow Qiu Ling in stunned silence.


    Qiu Ling, on the other hand, didn''t think much about it. He had grown up in this place and had returned here long after he turned an adult. Since he had spent most of that time evading people, he knew every nook and cranny of the dragon king''s palace like the back of his hand. He might even know some of the rooms better than the people actually living there.


    The two of them finally arrived in front of a door and Qiu Ling nonchalantly opened it, leading Jing Yi inside.


    Jing Yi looked around, not quite understanding what they were doing here. Up until now, they had just walked through the corridors, sometimes crossing through one of the courtyards or gardens or entering one of the halls just to end up in yet another corridor. This time, it was different though. There was another door leading to a garden outside but Qiu Ling ignored it and instead pulled him over to a table, making him sit down.


    Jing Yi glanced around, puzzled. "This is ¡­?"


    "My chambers." Qiu Ling looked at him expectantly. Wasn''t this the moment where his beloved should look around, get familiar with the place and then tell him how much he loved it and that he could imagine spending the rest of his life here?


    Jing Yi did indeed look around but he didn''t catch Qiu Ling''s drift. He just felt that ¡­ this place didn''t look very much like a place where he could imagine Qiu Ling living. "This room ¡­ did you ¡­ I mean did you live here for a long time?"


    Qiu Ling nodded with the same excitement. "Mn. Since I became king."


    "And it looked like this ¡­ from beginning to end?"


    Qiu Ling nodded again, making Jing Yi even more confused. If Qiu Ling had only just moved in, he could have understood but ¡­ "How long have you lived here then?"


    Qiu Ling pondered. "A few thousand years?" Alright, maybe it was rather a few ten thousand years but it wasn''t that important, was it? He didn''t want his beloved to think that he was old.


    Jing Yi felt startled. Several thousand years? Then why did this place look so ¡­ nondescript? If anyone had asked him how he imagined Qiu Ling''s place to look like, he would have answered ''total chaos'' without missing a beat. This was just the image Qiu Ling had in his mind: He did things his way, not bothering about what others thought, abandoning one thought for something better at the drop of a hat.


    He really would have thought that the place where Qiu Ling lived would be reflective of that with things lying around or having a hodgepodge of different decoration styles or furnishings in the same room.


    Strangely enough, this room was the complete opposite. From the carpet to the beams at the ceiling, everything looked as if it had been made all of a piece. There was nothing out of order either, with everything looking as if it had been put precisely in the place where it was supposed to be, following some unwritten rule.


    Jing Yi was in a daze, unable to ask any further questions. He really couldn''t understand. Well, maybe he had just misjudged Qiu Ling? Just because he behaved like this, it didn''t mean that his room definitely had to show that side of his. Maybe he had just encountered another side of his fiance. Wasn''t that also good?


    Jing Yi nodded to himself before he turned back to Qiu Ling, now slightly calmer already. "The place is nice. It''s rather empty though. I would have thought that there would be a lot of people around. I mean there must be a lot of things to do in a palace, right? And in a whole realm ¡­" To be honest, even though he knew that Qiu Ling was the dragon king, he still had some trouble imagining how that would look in everyday life. Would he finally be able to witness that now?


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes. "Uh ¡­ Well, it is. In the dragon realm."


    Jing Yi looked up in confusion. "What do you mean?"


    "I mean this ¡­ The two of us and the old geezer and my old man are the only people here, right? As I said, it''s not the real dragon realm."


    Jing Yi tensed up. Right. Qiu Ling had said that before. This was only ¡­ He shook his head. "I''m sorry. I just thought about how this was the place where you lived all the time so I ¡­ I somehow thought it''d have to be exactly the same as in the dragon realm."


    Qiu Ling didn''t mind at all. He inched closer and grabbed Jing Yi''s hands. "I don''t mind. I''m happy you''re so excited about seeing how I live. In the future, I''ll bring you to the dragon realm and let you see for yourself how it is there."


    Jing Yi nodded. "Alright. I''ll be waiting for that then." He glanced around and smiled to himself. Well, in that case, he probably shouldn''t think too much about this place. The nondescript way it looked might just be because Qiu Ling had created it in a way that resembled its original state. Who knew how his real chambers looked like? He might as well wait until he could set foot into the dragon realm for real in the future.

 Chapter 833 - Teach Me Everything

    Jing Yi kept quiet for a while, imagining how he''d someday get to see the real place. While he did so ¡­ his gaze grew complicated. He had promised Qiu Ling that he would let his other self take over after he had more time but if he was honest, then he didn''t want to do that. Anyway, he at least wanted to spend his life with Qiu Ling. Being allowed to see the dragon realm shouldn''t be too much, right? But for that, he would first need to ascend. And if he wanted to do that, then he needed to get stronger. He had already seen before what would happen if he wasn''t. He could never bring Qiu Ling into such a situation ever again.


    Thinking of that, Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling and determination entered his eyes. He took Qiu Ling''s hands and gave him a smile. "Qiu Ling, I thought about it. What happened before was my fault."


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes. "Your fault? It couldn''t be." He paused and furrowed his brows. "Actually, what are you talking about?"


    Jing Yi laughed and then leaned forward, kissing his lover''s brow. "You''d just say it''s not my fault regardless of what it is, won''t you?"


    "Nothing could ever be your fault."


    Jing Yi squeezed his hands and nodded. In Qiu Ling''s eyes, that was probably the truth. "Well, let''s say it''s not entirely my fault. But when that Elder Gongxi wanted me to fight, it wouldn''t have been a problem if I was strong enough to just do so But I''m not. I don''t know how to fly, I don''t know how to use a sword, and I can barely use my spiritual energy. Whether it''s being a cultivator or a practitioner, I''m a letdown. So ¡­ Would you teach me?"


    Qiu Ling pulled him into his arms and kissed his cheek. "Didn''t I promise to teach you how to fly before? Naturally, that still stands."


    "That too. But I meant would you mind to teach me not only how to fly but also the rest?" Jing Yi reached up and wrapped his arms around Qiu Ling''s neck. "I don''t want to be useless baggage. I want to stand at your side and at least be able to hold anyone off until you''re able to deal with them. So I need to be able to get away if something happens or defend myself. These kinds of things. I don''t expect to ever be as good as you but I just don''t want to be a burden."


    Qiu Ling looked at him, his gaze complicated. His beloved learning how to use a weapon ¡­ This wasn''t that easy to accept. Jing He had always kept away from anything that had to do with the war. As the Son of Heaven, he was precious. Qiu Ling didn''t know too much but as far as the rumors went, the Heavenly Emperor wouldn''t be able to have another child so Jing He was truly the only heir of the Nine Heavens. Naturally, the gods wouldn''t want him close to any weapons. And with Jing He''s personality, it wasn''t a wonder that he had obliged.


    Even if he was asked to, Qiu Ling wouldn''t be able to imagine Jing He holding a sword. It just ¡­ didn''t fit him. With everything else, he might believe that it was just because it was what was expected of him but he honestly believed that Jing He wasn''t one to get involved in any conflict. He wouldn''t want to fight. He would want to try and find another way to deal with things.


    So being asked to teach Jing Yi made him feel strange. After all, Jing He would also remember these things. Letting him more or less experience what it would be to hold a weapon and maybe even attack somebody in the future ¡­ He didn''t know if he wanted that.


    But then again, this was currently Jing Yi''s life. And he was right that there might be situations in the future where he would need this knowledge. What if he was alone and got attacked? What if they got into a situation where he wouldn''t be able to keep him safe? What then? He also didn''t want anything to happen to Jing Yi.


    Jing Yi saw Qiu Ling wavering and he couldn''t help but feel downcast. "You don''t want to?"


    Qiu Ling''s grip around his waist tightened and he looked into Jing Yi''s eyes, trying to decide what was right. "It''s not that I don''t want to. I just ¡­ I don''t know if it''s the right thing to do."


    Jing Yi nodded but he couldn''t help but question just what Qiu Ling''s reason to say that was, a spark of jealousy hitting him once again when he thought of how it was most likely because of his other self. He forcibly pushed the thought away. "Well, you don''t have to teach me everything at once. I mean we''ll have to wait in here for quite a while until we can be sure that the people from the Chun Feng Sect left, isn''t that so? In that case, just teach me how to fly first. You promised that already, didn''t you? So that shouldn''t be a problem."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Of course. Since I said that I''d do it, I will do it."


    "Then let''s just focus on that first. And when you feel that I''m good enough at it, then you can decide whether or not you want to teach me the rest. It''s alright. Before that, we don''t even have to talk about it."


    Qiu Ling still hesitated but finally nodded. "Alright. You won''t be angry because of that, will you?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "No. You will have your reasons. Maybe you''ll be able to explain it later on. Until then ¡­ Let''s just focus on one thing. Anyway, it''s something I wanted to learn for a while now. It''s good to start with that right?"


    Qiu Ling nodded and then motioned over to the door. "So do you want to go right now?"


    "If it''s not asking too much. I would love to."


    Qiu Ling nodded and got up, pulling Jing Yi to his feet as well. "Let''s go then. I''m sure you''ll pick up on it in no time."


    Jing Yi didn''t say anything and just squeezed Qiu Ling''s hand, following him into the courtyard.

 Chapter 834 - Practice

    The two of them stopped in the middle of the courtyard and Jing Yi took a look around. There wasn''t much to see other than a few plants and a big lake so he didn''t pay any more attention and instead turned to face Qiu Ling, ready to start his training.


    Qiu Ling smiled and grabbed his hands. "Do you remember what I told you the last time?"


    Jing Yi pondered and nodded slowly. "You said that I just had to learn how to control the air. That I had to make it into something that I could stand on and then make it move. But I barely managed to even do the first step."


    Qiu Ling nodded. He remembered as much. At first, Jing Yi hadn''t even understood what he meant. But, well, that wasn''t that important. They had time. So even if his beloved didn''t understand for now, they could just try and then try again. It wouldn''t be a problem. "I guess the most important is just to practice it. After a while, you''ll get better. Do you want me to show you once again before you try yourself?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "I think it might help."


    Qiu Ling let go of his hands and then waved them, making the air currents around them change direction and move toward them. They swirled around his hand as if that was how they had been supposed to move in the first place.


    Jing Yi stared at Qiu Ling''s hands, trying to sense the spiritual energy. Surprisingly, he felt that it was much easier now than it had been before. Could it be that this was the effect of having cultivated longer? Because his level was now higher, he could do these things that were easy for most people with much less difficulty than before? If that was the case, then it might really not be too hard to learn how to fly.


    "Alright, let me try it." He also raised his hand and then tried to move the air. He first felt for the spiritual energy of the right element and then did what he normally did to take it in but stopped before it reached him.


    Qiu Ling watched and nodded. "Not bad. Try to move more of it. It''s easier to control that way I guess. Well, when you stand on it at least."


    Jing Yi looked up and smiled, doing as he was told. The current gathered around his hand, making it feel as if he would even be able to touch it. Naturally, he knew that that was not the case. It was still just air, wasn''t it? But then again, this was probably what he was going for. Having as much of this energy at one place as he could and thus making the element dense enough for it to carry a whole person.


    Qiu Ling continued to observe and nodded again. Jing Yi was doing very well. If he practiced a while longer, it shouldn''t be a problem to learn how to fly. "Try to hold onto it as tightly as possible. It''s not very important right now but when you''re in the air and relying on only this to stay there, then you can''t have any lapse of attention. If it isn''t thick enough, you''d fall down and that wouldn''t end well."


    Jing Yi nodded and tried to gather some more energy but it finally exceeded the amount he was able to control. The element broke free and rushed outward, some of it even tearing his sleeve.


    Qiu Ling waved and the air current stayed away from Jing Yi, not hurting him in the least. "Are you alright?" He took Jing Yi''s arm and checked if his skin was scraped. Thankfully though, nothing had happened. Qiu Ling heaved a sigh of relief and then pulled him into his arms, resting his chin on his shoulder. "Maybe we shouldn''t do this with air for the time being."


    Jing Yi looked up. Originally, he wanted to protest but seeing Qiu Ling''s expression, he reconsidered. Qiu Ling was probably still reeling from what had happened before. He shouldn''t push it. "Is there another way?"


    Qiu Ling stayed silent for a moment, just continuing to hug him before he finally nodded. "Yes. In the end, it doesn''t matter which element you use. You can use all of them to train. I guess it might even be a little easier with some others."


    Jing Yi nodded. "If you say so, then it has to be that way. So what do we try?"


    Qiu Ling pondered and looked around, trying to decide. Other than air, the most useful would probably be water, earth, wood or metal. Needless to say, fire wasn''t an option. Looking at the courtyard, they didn''t have much metal around so that would be more difficult. Wood would be alright but it would be easier to use in a forest. So earth or water were probably the elements that would be the easiest to make use of in this situation. Both weren''t too hard to control but water was probably slightly more difficult.


    Qiu Ling took another look at Jing Yi and then motioned at the ground. "Try it with earth first. It''s hard on its own so stepping on it won''t be too difficult but you can get a feeling for how dense it has to be."


    Jing Yi nodded and also looked at the ground. "Can you show me?" He felt that he did understand how it worked but he would still like to see an example. That always made it easier to envision for him.


    Qiu Ling nodded and moved his hand, making the ground in front of their feet rupture and then pile up, building a small hill. "Like this. If the soil is loose, you will sink in. If it is dense enough, you won''t have any trouble to stand on it. So try to find the right amount first."


    Jing Yi nodded and then concentrated on the spot next to it, once again using his spiritual energy to move it.

 Chapter 835 - Two Thousand?!

    Needless to say, it didn''t work immediately. Jing Yi managed to form a small heap of soil just like Qiu Ling had shown him but when he stepped on it, it was too loose. Jing Yi lost his balance and fell forward, finally colliding with a firm chest.


    "Are you alright?"


    Jing Yi looked up, his heart thumping. "I ¡­" He looked down, his cheeks inexplicably heating up. Ah, when something happened, Qiu Ling would always be there for him, wouldn''t he? He looked up again, giving his lover a brilliant smile. "I''ll always be alright as long as you''re with me."


    Qiu Ling stared at him in a daze, not quite comprehending what was going on. The one who would normally say such things was him, wasn''t it? How come his beloved was suddenly so direct? He really wasn''t used to this. It actually made him speechless.


    Jing Yi laughed when he saw Qiu Ling''s expression and then reached up, interlacing his fingers behind his neck. "What''s this? Shouldn''t you tell me that I''m right?"


    Qiu Ling nodded, still a little stunned. "I ¡­ I''ll at least try."


    "I think you''ve done a wonderful job at that up until now. I don''t question at all that you''ll be able to do it."


    Qiu Ling nodded, not knowing what to say. This was just too unexpected. Even if he was a few thousand years older, he also wouldn''t be able to get used to it this fast.


    Jing Yi looked at him a moment longer and finally stepped back, turning around to continue practicing.


    Qiu Ling also stepped back but his thoughts couldn''t help but linger on what had just happened. It made him feel strange. First, asking him to teach him how to fight, now, doing something like this. It showed that despite sharing the same soul, Jing Yi wasn''t Jing He. They were still two different people. He didn''t know if he should be happy about this or unhappy. Anyway, it still wasn''t easy to get used to.


    The two of them continued in that manner with Jing Yi practicing to use his spiritual energy to form a small hill of soil and try to tighten it enough to be able to stand on top of it while Qiu Ling watched and rushed over to catch him in case it didn''t work out.


    Slowly, there was a bit of progress in the way Jing Yi formed the hill but he still hadn''t managed to make it dense enough. By now, he felt slightly frustrated, feeling that he wasn''t able to get it right at all.


    Qiu Ling finally reached out and grabbed his hand when he wanted to try again. "Let''s stop here for today. You''ve already been practicing for hours. It won''t get better if you continue now. You''ll just deplete your spiritual energy and tire yourself out. Let''s go back inside and rest a while. You can try again tomorrow."


    Jing Yi hesitated for a moment, looking at the small heaps of soil that were scattered around him. He really would''ve liked to make some more progress. He wanted to show Qiu Ling that he was good at this. Unfortunately, even though he had somehow managed to advance his level several times in only a few years, that didn''t make him a genius cultivator it seemed. Maybe he lacked the comprehension ability?


    Qiu Ling looked at him and finally rubbed his head. "You''re already doing very well. It takes a lot of time to learn this kind of thing if it''s not in your nature to fly."


    Jing Yi nodded but still couldn''t help but bite his lip. "Then ¡­ What about Jing He? How long did he need to learn this kind of thing?"


    Qiu Ling slightly tensed but then shook his head. "I don''t know. I wouldn''t know. We didn''t know each other when he was that young. I only met him after he had come of age. I guess he already knew this kind of thing by then."


    Jing Yi nodded. That was probably to be expected. "Then ¡­ He must''ve been pretty good though, right? After all, I''ve come of age a few years ago already and I can''t do it yet."


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes, not quite understanding what Jing Yi meant. "That''s ¡­ You''re human."


    Jing Yi, in turn, also didn''t know what Qiu Ling meant. "I know. What does that have to do with each other?"


    Qiu Ling casually waved to get rid of the small hills and then pulled Jing Yi back into the palace with him. "Well, gods and humans are different. Never mind that gods are born with a strong ability for magic, they also live much longer. They don''t come of age at the same time that humans do. When I met him, he was much older than you are now."


    "Older?" Jing Yi couldn''t help but stop in his tracks and look up at Qiu Ling in a daze. He still remembered the time in Qiu Ling''s inner self. What he had seen there had been the first time Qiu Ling and Jing He met. And he clearly remembered the way Jing He had looked on that day. There was no way he had been much older than twenty. In fact, if it wasn''t for his calm demeanor, he might''ve even thought that he was slightly younger. It was just that his bearing gave off a mature feeling.


    Qiu Ling nodded his head though. "He was. Well, the gods mature a lot slower. Back then, he should have been about two thousand years? That''s the time they come of age."


    Jing Yi couldn''t say anything. He just stared. Two thousand?! How could that beautiful person be already that old? That was completely impossible!


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. "What is it?"


    "That''s ¡­" Jing Yi shook his head and then looked up at Qiu Ling who also looked like he was in his mid- or maybe his late twenties. "What did you say how old you were?"


    Qiu Ling went rigid and then motioned at the door. "Didn''t we want to go inside?"


    Jing Yi watched his lover turn around and pull him back into the study. Well, it seemed that he had his answer. Jing He looking like that after two thousand years was probably very normal. Even Qiu Ling looked very young despite being much older than that, apparently. Well, it seemed he would have to shed his human understanding of matters.

 Chapter 836 - No Need for an Explanation

    While Qiu Ling and Jing Yi had trained without any worry and were preparing to turn in for the evening, things outside weren''t quite as harmonious.


    Liu Cheng and the other disciples of the Chun Feng Sect were trying to enter the realm as well but regardless of what they did, the array wouldn''t light up for them. Sect Master Yuchi and Alliance Head Hua who had first been almost frightened out of their minds finally calm down when they noticed that this was the case.


    Hua Min nodded to himself. Well, if he took a moment to think, then this was to be expected. The person that had originally been standing next to the array had obviously been Grandmaster Leng. So this should be an array that he had created. Naturally, if he didn''t want anybody to enter, then nobody would be able to do so. After all, he wasn''t just a high-leveled cultivator anymore. Instead, he was already the strongest person currently in the human realm considering that he had ascended.


    Yuchi Bing Xia also calmed down and looked at Grandmaster Zhangsun, feeling glad that he had been the one to create that array. Ah, it really was great to have such a Master on their side. The only question was how to get his disciple out of there again. He had only just managed to come out of his closed-door cultivation and now something like this happened. Although that did make him wonder why Yu Jin had gone over to the array. Well, maybe he wanted to consolidate his previous achievements and had thus gone to take yet another look at the place where he had gained his insights in the first place.


    While the two of them explained the situation to themselves in this manner, Zhangsun Xun Yi observed the people from the Chun Feng Sect and then looked at their guest. He had no idea who this man was but the gaze that he directed at the disciples of the Chun Feng Sect wasn''t very friendly. Since he had spoken to that person before, Zhangsun Xun Yi felt that this man should still be on their side. Maybe there was some private grievance with the Chun Feng Sect?


    That was the only explanation he could find but he wasn''t sure if he should pry any deeper. The Chun Feng Sect and the Yun Zou Sect were on friendly terms but just now, the Chun Feng Sect''s disciples had attacked his disciple without any warning and had refused to let him go even when asked by the Sect Master.


    That wasn''t what a friend should do. If they wanted to stand at their side, then they should do so even when they suspected that Qiu Ling might be a demon. At the very least, they should have the decency to tell the Sect Master or at least him as Qiu Ling''s Master about this matter first and then slowly investigate when they gained their approval. Otherwise, what did that say about their regard for the Yun Zou Sect? Obviously, they didn''t trust them to the point where they thought that the Yun Zou Sect would be willing to let go of a talented disciple if he turned out to be a demon.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi who had given his whole life to the Yun Zou Sect had some complaints in his heart but he didn''t voice them. Instead, he turned to Qiang Yan. Dealing with the Chun Feng Sect would have to wait until later but the still had to find out who this man was first. "I gather that you know Qiu Ling?" He didn''t dare to directly ask after Jinde but if this person knew one of them, he was likely to know the other as well.


    Qiang Yan looked over and then gave a curt nod. "He happens to be my nephew-in-law."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi raised his brows. So there was actually such a connection between them. "Then you came to ¡­?"


    Qiang Yan gave a wry smile and then motioned at the array. "I came to ¡­ deliver ¡­ some news." He wondered if it was alright to say so but in the end, he didn''t change the words. Anyway, he didn''t know what exactly his nephew-in-law''s relationship with these humans was and he didn''t want to meddle too much. "Who would''ve known that I would come to see some familiar people here?" Qiang Yan''s gaze slipped to the people of the Chun Feng Sect and his eyes narrowed, his hand slowly reaching for the sword hanging at his waist.


    Even though Qiu Ling and the previous dragon king had already managed to escape, he still felt like teaching these people a lesson. Maybe he should have himself a bit better under control but these were still the people that had hurt his son. As a father that had only recently discovered that he had a child and who had never had the chance to do much for this child, he was quite happy to be presented with such an opportunity. Anyway, they deserved this.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi''s gaze grew complicated. Obviously, this man wasn''t very friendly toward the Chun Feng Sect. "Might I ask if there''s some bad blood between you and the Chun Feng Sect?"


    At this point, Liu Cheng looked over, his brows furrowing when he heard Zhangsun Xun Yi''s words. Then he turned to Qiang Yan, sizing the other man up. He felt like he had never seen him before. There shouldn''t be any grievances between them.


    Qiang Yan finally drew his weapon. "That''s a good question. But I guess these gentlemen do not require any explanation."


    Liu Cheng furrowed his brows. "What''s the meaning of this?"


    Qiang Yan only huffed. "What is the meaning of your sect attacking people without even a shred of evidence for any wrongdoings? Just because you feel that somebody''s bloodline might not be pure, you feel that it is right to kill them or imprison them? You will not even give them the chance to prove whether or not they are a righteous person? Then, if that is the case, what reason do I have to explain myself? If you don''t need to do so, then neither do I." With that, he rushed over to Liu Cheng, brandishing the weapon.

 Chapter 837 - Courting Death

    Liu Cheng was surprised at both Qiang Yan''s passionate speech and the fact that he was suddenly attacked. Normally, the demon hunters of the Chun Feng Sect were highly valued wherever they went because of the fact that they were freeing the people of this demonic scourge. Well, he probably shouldn''t be surprised. Considering what he had just heard, this person was related to that Qiu Ling and didn''t seem to mind his possible heritage, still feel that he could be a ''good person''. He might even have known about Qiu Ling''s origins but refused to say anything, thus endangering the people around them.


    Liu Cheng unsheathed his own weapon and met Qiang Yan head-on, his gaze darkening when he thought about these things. "You do not seem to understand what kind of creature a demon is."


    "I''m sure that I understand them much better than you." After all, he had fought in several wars against them and watched the political games the current and past demon king liked to play. On the other hand, he also knew that a bit of demonic blood didn''t necessarily make you a bad person. Otherwise, he never would have married Huan Yin and stayed with her until the end. He wouldn''t still be missing her. No, even though he hadn''t known before, he was sure that Huan Yin had been a good person. He would never believe anything else.


    Liu Chen snorted. Demons were vile creatures by nature. It was unfortunate but true. From a certain perspective, they couldn''t even be faulted for that. The humans that refused to acknowledge this were much more problematic because they would often enable the demons to stay in this world. They would teach them about humans, help them to blend in and thus enable them to hurt others. They often only realized when it was much too late.


    "That is what they want you to believe." He sped up his attacks, hoping to finish this fight fast so that he could go back to finding a way into that realm.


    Just a moment later, Liu Cheng''s expression changed though. No matter how he attacked, his opponent didn''t have any trouble defending. No, on the contrary, he even slowly but surely pressured Liu Cheng into the defensive himself. It gave him the feeling of being played with.


    Just who was this person?! In all his years in the Chun Feng Sect, Liu Cheng had never experienced anything like this. Sure, there were fights where he was disadvantaged but he always managed to pull through. This time, there was no way to do that though. There was no weakness in his opponent''s fighting.


    Qiang Yan smirked. Looking at Liu Cheng''s expression, he could imagine what he was thinking. It really made him feel that it was quite funny. This guy was overestimating himself. He was just a human and not even one of their premier talents. Sure, as a demon hunter, his ability to wield a weapon wasn''t bad but it wasn''t outstanding either. If he thought back to how Leng Jin Yu fought instead ¡­ now that was what a prodigy looked like! And even for him, it had been impossible to win when they had a mock fight once. Somebody like this Liu Cheng couldn''t compare.


    Liu Cheng''s brows furrowed together and he finally glanced at the other disciples of the Chun Feng Sect. They drew their weapons and approached.


    Qiang Yan huffed. "I see now. Your Chun Feng Sect is really very righteous, actually ganging up on one person. Makes me wonder what your excuse is right now. Am I also considered a demon?"


    "No. But you are trying to obstruct us from entering this realm and taking care of the ones inside. So either you step back or we don''t have another choice but to take you out first."


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "You really believe that you can''t be wrong."


    "Naturally. Demons are vile creatures. They need to be eradicated."


    "Even if they aren''t full-blooded demons?"


    "In that case, we might be compassionate and let them live but they can''t be allowed to stay among humans."


    Qiang Yan''s brows furrowed. "So where do they stay? Locked up in your dungeons? What makes you think that that is a life worth living? They haven''t done anything but you insist on hunting them. Anyway, you won''t be able to win this time. Even if you managed to beat these two with some underhanded tricks, your Chun Feng Sect wouldn''t survive it if you actually locked them up." He couldn''t help but laugh at that thought. The Chun Feng Sect was really courting death.


    One of the people they were currently accusing of being a demon was the current dragon king. If they really locked him up, wouldn''t the dragons go nuts? The Chun Feng Sect probably would cease to exist if they tried.


    And even if they didn''t get Qiu Ling and instead caught the previous dragon king, they still wouldn''t meet a good end. After all, Leng Jin Yu wouldn''t let his husband come to harm and he was an ascended deity with several thousands of years of experience in the human realm after all. That kind of person was equally able to flatten one sect.


    Anyway, if the Chun Feng Sect insisted on going through with this and succeeded by some fluke, they''d regret it deeply. Beating them up so that they wouldn''t be able to endanger themselves further was actually really compassionate of him, wasn''t it?


    He chuckled to himself and then sped up, the weapons clanging while Liu Cheng was pushed back further and further. The other disciples finally jumped in but Qiang Yan didn''t break a sweat holding them back. Anyway, he was a god so the weapons made to suppress demons didn''t have any additional effects on him.


    Just when he wanted to give Liu Cheng one last push, somebody threw himself into his path and made him stop, looking at them unbelieving.


    "Hong Bao?" What was this woman doing here?!

 Chapter 838 - Shouldn’t You Explain First?

    Hong Bao blinked her eyes, clearly surprised that he knew her. She tilted her head and took a closer look at him. This man ¡­ She had obviously never seen him. If she did, she would definitely remember. He was handsome, after all! "You are?"


    Qiang Yan shut his mouth and gave an embarrassed smile. Right, she couldn''t remember him. Her memory of the time in the Nine Heavens had been erased after she was found guilty in the matter regarding his nephew. Well, even if that wasn''t the case, she might not remember him anyway considering that they had only met once and she had always been completely focused on the Fate''s Scribe.


    Hong Bao pursed her lips when he didn''t answer. "Don''t tell me we did and I did something bad so you don''t like me. Is that why you attacked senior martial brother Liu? You shouldn''t do that! It has nothing to do with him! You can fight with me instead."


    Qiang Yan glanced from her to the man behind her who had furrowed his brows and was staring at him with an even darker expression than before. He could imagine what was going through his mind: His opponent was not only stronger than him and had a completely different opinion about matters, he was also acquainted with one of his martial sisters. That couldn''t be good.


    Qiang Yan wasn''t too far off with that judgment. He wasn''t quite spot on though. Liu Cheng was especially troubled because the martial sister this was about was Hong Bao. After all, this was the woman he loved. Even though he still hadn''t managed to ask her if she wanted to marry him since his proposal went so horribly wrong six years ago, his feelings hadn''t changed. Her missing memories had always been a concern for him and their Master because they never knew if she had offended somebody or gotten herself into some other unsavory situation. It was worrying.


    Now, seeing that there was once again a situation where somebody turned up that knew her but that she couldn''t remember, he couldn''t help but become even more vigilant. Especially considering that this person had just spoken out in favor of the demons and attacked them while they were trying to apprehend two suspects. This kind of person shouldn''t have to do with Hong Bao but if they did ¡­ the implications of that weren''t good.


    Liu Cheng pulled Hong Bao behind him, facing Qiang Yan again. "How do you know her?"


    Qiang Yan glared at him. "I wouldn''t know how that concerns you."


    "I''m her senior martial brother, we study under the same Master. Naturally, I should take care of her. So what do you have to do with her? Did you come here because of her?"


    Qiang Yan glanced at Hong Bao again and sighed. This girl ¡­ After chasing Shun Tao with such fervor and being thrown out of the Nine Heavens, she had actually become a demon hunter and seemed to be embroiled with another man now. Ah, this was somewhat worrying.


    Qiang Yan sheathed his weapon and shook his head. "I have nothing to say to you about that. Some matters are better left untouched. Anyway, the two of you know each other, I''ll give you a word of advice: Stay away from the people inside that realm. Otherwise, you will come to bitterly regret it in the future."


    "Why?" Liu Cheng furrowed his brows, tensing up. Was this a threat?


    Qiang Yan didn''t pay him any attention though. He turned to the people of the Yun Zou Sect and nodded at them. "I''m sorry for the disturbance. This was a private matter I had to take care of. Anyway, since things have turned out slightly different from what I expected, I''ll let it end here and leave now."


    "Uh ¡­ Sure." Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t quite know what to say. He didn''t know this man and he couldn''t imagine what type of conflict he might have with the Chun Feng Sect.


    Qiang Yan pushed off the ground and rose into the air, disappearing toward the Nine Heavens.


    Behind him, Liu Cheng clenched his fingers around his sword and looked at Yuchi Bing Xia. "Sect Master, are you really just letting him get away like this? He is acquainted with those demons!"


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s brows furrowed at that and he glared at Liu Cheng. "You should better stay silent! I haven''t even asked you to give me an explanation for your previous behavior yet and you''re already making such demands? You still haven''t shown even the slightest proof that Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple is a demon! So stop making these baseless accusations!"


    Liu Cheng furrowed his brows as well. "They aren''t baseless. You know very well that the people of our sect have keen senses in regard to this. Somebody who isn''t human can be detected."


    "They can. But you can also err. Qiu Ling has always been special. In case you didn''t know, he has a special body constitution. Naturally, he would feel somewhat different from other people."


    Liu Cheng''s gaze became hesitant but he soon straightened up again. "Even if he isn''t, what about that other man? The one who first pretended to be a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect but then turned around and pretended to be a disciple of the Liu He Alliance instead? Not even mentioning his lies, just his appearance is obvious proof of his non-human heritage! Do you really want to ignore this?!"


    Yuchi Bing Xia had no idea how to deflect these words. Jinde''s appearance really wasn''t human.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi glanced at the Sect Master and shook his head. Then, he turned to Liu Cheng. "Whether he is or whether he isn''t shouldn''t be the issue here. Liu Cheng, our sects have been deeply entwined for several generations. When your junior sister got into trouble, we sent our disciples to investigate, putting them into danger on your behalf. We also helped with other missions in the past. This camaraderie ¡­ How come it is suddenly worth nothing? Shouldn''t you explain that before you demand explanations from us?"


    Liu Cheng''s lips parted but no sound came out and a trace of guilt flashed past his eyes. Still, he tightened his lips again and shook his head. "It isn''t that I don''t trust the Yun Zou Sect. It''s just that the demons can''t be trusted. I''ve seen enough of that happen over the years. I don''t want to see another person suffering from their schemes."

 Chapter 839 - Let’s Get Rid of Them

    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked at Liu Cheng''s dark expression and shook his head. It wasn''t that he couldn''t understand where Liu Cheng was coming from. From the very day it was founded, the Chun Feng Sect had been hunting demons. That was the one task they had in their life and with every place they went to eradicate one of them, they would see another tragedy that had occurred.


    Naturally, their feelings toward the demons weren''t good. And unfortunately, the demons weren''t all pure-blooded. Enough of them had only half of the blood of a demon or even less and still caused one of these things.


    Still, over the years, the Chun Feng Sect had gotten too extreme. They were willing to go much farther than necessary and they would condemn every single person that had some demonic ancestor somewhere down the line. They wouldn''t ask any questions and just regard them as the same kind of people that they had hunted for a long time.


    Most likely, a disciple like Liu Cheng wouldn''t be able to distinguish between right and wrong anymore. He had more or less grown up in the sect and who knew how his life had been before he went there? This feeling of every single bad thing being a demon''s fault was very much the default opinion that was installed in the Chun Feng Sect''s disciples'' mind.


    Unfortunately, there was hardly anybody that would be able to shake this mentality. And even fewer of those would be able to live well and spread another message. After all, there were only a few reasons a disciple of a demon hunting sect would change their mind about this kind of thing and how that would end didn''t need much imagination to come up with.


    Even though Zhangsun Xun Yi could understand where Liu Cheng was coming from, that didn''t mean that he would accept his behavior. "Be that as it may, the people you are accusing are people of our Yun Zou Sect. Considering the relationship of our sects, we won''t pursue the matter of you attacking somebody without the slightest evidence. But I do expect you to leave for now.


    "You can inform your Master and have him come over to discuss this matter with us if you still feel that you haven''t gotten things wrong. Now." He motioned towards the gates of the sect, his gaze not leaving Liu Cheng for even a moment. He was sure that if he gave him any opportunity, this demon hunter would make sure that he used the time to figure out some details that might enable his Master to get into this realm. That couldn''t happen.


    Liu Cheng likewise stared at Zhangsun Xun Yi and then turned his gaze to Yuchi Bing Xia. "Sect Master Yuchi is of the same opinion?


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s brows furrowed. Was this guy trying to sow discord between them now? Well, even if he wanted to, he wouldn''t be able to do that. Whether it was the Grandmaster''s disciple, his own disciple or that beautiful god, he trusted all of them. "Naturally. It is not a problem to calmly discuss this in the future but right now, it''s not the moment for that. And the way you have gone about this also wasn''t satisfactory. I think we''ve already established as much. I hope you won''t hold it against me but it would really be better if you and your martial brothers and sisters left now."


    Liu Cheng looked from one person to the other but finally had to admit to himself that there was no way around this. They were unwilling to listen to his warnings so he could only leave and hope that his Master would be able to talk some sense into them. "Very well. If both Grandmaster Zhangsun and Sect Master Yuchi are of the same opinion, then I naturally can''t say anything against that. We will take our leave then. I hope the Yun Zou Sect will be able to cope with the inquiries of the other sects." He cupped his fists, bowed, and then turned around, waving at the other disciples to follow him.


    Grandmaster Zhangsun and Sect Master Yuchi watched him leave, their gazes complicated. The Chun Feng Sect had always been on their side, helping them out when there was trouble and backing them when they needed help. They had done the same for the Chun Feng Sect and it had always been beneficial to both sides.


    Now, things might drastically change in the future. Normally, that kind of thing wouldn''t mean too much but right now, the Yun Zou Sect just wasn''t in a condition where they could take many more setbacks.


    Yuchi Bing Xia rubbed his brow and sighed. "Tell me that you have some kind of good news."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi could only shake his head. "I don''t. On the contrary, I''m afraid that this isn''t over. The Chun Feng Sect will never let anybody go if they suspect them to be a demon. Their Sect Master will soon come over and discuss this with us. We should see to it that we get rid of the other sects as soon as possible."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and then turned to Alliance Head Hua. "Alliance Head, I''m very sorry you had to see this. We''ve truly made a joke out of ourselves."


    Hua Min shook his head. "Nothing of the like. The situation wasn''t really favorable. Given the circumstances, I feel that you have done whatever you could." He glanced at the array on the ground, wondering if Grandmaster Leng and his spouse would come out anytime soon. He really wanted to pay his respects to Grandmaster Leng.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi noticed his expression and also glanced at the array. He didn''t know either when they would come back but considering that Hua Min and he were old friends, it wouldn''t be a problem to let him stay here with his disciples for a while. Anyway, that would also be beneficial for the Yun Zou Sect. "I guess we should go and deal with the other sects right now. Hua Min, would you like to accompany us? I''m sure that having somebody from the Liu He Alliance with us would help convince them that now is not a good time to be here."


    Hua Min nodded. If there was anything he could do to help in this situation, then he would do so. And just being there and showing his face wasn''t asking much of him. In fact, if he could, he might as well help them a little more.


    Thus he readily followed behind the people from the Yun Zou Sect, going back to the place where the other sects had gathered on the training grounds and were looking in the direction of the Sect Master''s palace with expressions burning for gossip.

 Chapter 840 - What Had Gotten into Them?

    Needless to say, the Elders and disciples of the other sects were more than just a little interested in finding out what had happened. They hadn''t dared to leave the training grounds considering that they were still on another sects'' territory and that the Liu He Alliance''s people had just come over but they had listened very intently when sounds of the fight had sounded and also watched closely when they saw some people rushing toward the Sect Master''s palace. For these cultivators, it wasn''t difficult at all to recognize Qiu Ling, Jing Yi, and the people of the Chun Feng Sect. They didn''t know who that person with the golden hair was but this combination of people sure gave food for thought.


    Seeing them looking at them curiously, Yuchi Bing Xia''s lips twitched. He could really imagine doing something better than explaining this kind of thing to these people. Well, in fact, he really shouldn''t explain anything. After all, regardless of which explanation he gave, it wouldn''t be favorable for the Yun Zou Sect.


    Unfortunately, Yuchi Bing Xia couldn''t keep quiet. He could at most try to talk in circles and not acknowledge what had just happened. "I''m sorry for letting everybody wait. The Liu He Alliance''s visit came truly too unexpected."


    The Elders glanced at Hua Min. The Liu He Alliance''s visit was certainly interesting but it was something that was positive for the Yun Zou Sect and not for them. They''d much rather hear about what had just happened with the Chun Feng Sect since that had seemed like it would mean trouble for the Yun Zou Sect.


    Hua Min could imagine what these people were thinking about. He sighed and turned to Sect Master Yuchi, giving a nod. "Thank you for having me, Sect Master Yuchi. I''m truly sorry for interrupting things here. And then my disciples even made such a ruckus ¡­ I''m deeply ashamed."


    All eyes seemed to be glued to Hua Min. His disciples? Why? Had the Liu He Alliance been involved in this matter just now?


    Yuchi Bing Xia also looked at his guest, a trace of astonishment flashing through his eyes. They could really use this help but he certainly hadn''t expected it. He hummed, giving Hua Min a grateful look. "Alliance Head Hua is taking all the blame, this is truly making me even more ashamed. After all, our disciples were also involved in this."


    Hua Min shook his head and sighed. "Sect Master Yuchi is truly being too nice. Ah, well, thankfully, nothing happened and these youngsters are all well. I guess this kind of thing is also to be expected. They''re all hot-blooded at that age. They can''t help but want to compete."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded as if he thought so as well. "That might be our fault as well. Alliance Head Hua doesn''t know yet but before, we were discussing having a competition among all the disciples that have gathered. This might have gone to our Yun Zou Sect disciples'' heads."


    "Oh?" Hua Min glanced at the disciples on the training grounds. "So it was like that. Ah, we''ve really come at a bad time. Why don''t you proceed with your original plan then? My disciples should go and cool off their heads and there are some things I''d like to discuss with Grandmaster Zhangsun. We won''t bother you any longer that way."


    Yuchi Bing Xia gave a hollow laugh. "Alliance Head Hua wasn''t bothering us. To be honest, there was a small incident previously so I''m not sure if the other disciples still want to have the competition. After everything that happened, they might want to return home instead."


    The Elders'' eyes narrowed. They would need to be fools not to understand what Yuchi Bing Xia was trying to do there. They looked around, hoping that somebody would step forward to tell him that he was thinking too much. Unfortunately, nobody was as stupid as Elder Gongxi and would go and court death. Never mind that the Yun Zou Sect obviously didn''t mind injuring somebody, there was also the Liu He Alliance right now and they seemed to be going along with what the Yun Zou Sect did. Ah, this truly made them wonder what was up with that ¡­


    Hua Min once again glanced at the others. "Mn, that could indeed be the case. Accidents often have that kind of effect. They really dampen the mood."


    The Elders'' brows twitched. What accident? That obviously hadn''t been an accident! That disciple had very openly beaten Elder Gongxi up!


    Unfortunately, Hua Min had no idea what exactly this ''incident'' Yuchi Bing Xia talked about was. He only wanted to help the Yun Zou Sect for the sake of his friend and Grandmaster Leng. Thinking of that, his mind churned. How to drive them off as fast as possible? Maybe ¡­


    He gave a sigh and turned back to Yuchi Bing Xia. "It truly is a pity though. This kind of competition can be a valuable opportunity to gain insights."


    The Sect Master nodded his head, even though he didn''t quite understand where the Alliance Head was going with this.


    Hua Min sighed again. "It''s truly a wasted chance." He glanced at Yuchi Bing Xia, waiting for him to catch on. Unfortunately, he only got a blank look in return. If it wouldn''t be too obvious, he''d like to sigh again. Well, in this case, he would just have to put on an act on his own. "That really makes me wonder if there isn''t anything we could do to make up for this. You know we have to help the young people forward. They''re our future."


    "¡­ yes." Yuchi Bing Xia still didn''t completely understand. Why should they give their competitors a chance to temper themselves?


    Hua Min pretended to deeply ponder this issue. Finally, his face seemed to light up. "Ah! I know now! Isn''t there the realm of a mighty ancestor opening up in the Leyuan region in a few days? Our Liu He Alliance wanted to send some people. Why don''t you go as well?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked at him in shock. The Liu He Alliance ¡­ just what had gotten into them to reveal this type of valuable information? Were they really so eager to help them out?

 Chapter 841 - This Old Friend

    "This ¡­" Yuchi Bing Xia''s expression was clearly embarrassed. Receiving the Liu He Alliance''s help was very good but receiving help to this degree ¡­ He really didn''t know where to put his face any longer.


    Hua Min raised his brows. "Could it be that you''re not sure if it''s worth it? Well, I wasn''t actually involved in the preparation for this and have only heard about it in passing but I think I''ve heard that this person was of the Jian Yi Sect previously. Considering their status whatever that person left behind should be very good."


    "The Jian Yi Sect?" Yuchi Bing Xia looked at him in a daze. That was one of the premier sects, ah!


    The Elders on the training grounds also couldn''t keep their thoughts to themselves any longer. "The Jian Yi Sect? Alliance Head Hua, even if that realm was going to open soon, would the Jian Yi Sect even let us in there?" It might not be too difficult for the Liu He Alliance but their sects were something else. They were just first- and second-tier sects after all. They couldn''t compare to these kinds of sects at all. Being able to borrow a bit of the Liu He Alliance''s glory would be great but they didn''t have very high hopes.


    Hua Min looked at the Elders as if he didn''t comprehend what they meant. "The realm is going to open anyway. What right does the Jian Yi Sect have to prevent anybody else from going inside? It''s not on their sect grounds, is it?" He huffed as if he really couldn''t imagine this kind of thing and then turned back to Yuchi Bing Xia. "Going over would probably require you to arrange a lot of things. Even if you leave now, I''m not sure you''d be able to get ready that fast since your disciples aren''t prepared to move out unlike the disciples of the other sects. Ah, maybe we should have come a bit sooner. It''s my fault for being shortsighted."


    Yuchi Bing Xia had no idea what to say any longer. While he could only stare at Hua Min in a daze, the Elders of the other sects rapidly thought things through. If there really was a realm opening in the Leyuan region, then that was a rare chance for them and their disciples. Considering that they had brought the best ones with them, they should hurry over as soon as possible. That way, they might be able to be the first to enter the realm and gain the greatest benefits.


    Who cared about whether the Yun Zou Sect was already prepared or not? In fact, they''d love it if the Yun Zou Sect''s people would just stay here and deal with whatever other matters they had! It would be great if somebody came over to make some more trouble for them.


    The Elders pondered and finally found an excuse one after the other why they definitely had to leave right now. Nobody said it outright but everyone knew that they would go to the Leyuan region straight away and then paint it as a coincidence.


    Yuchi Bing Xia stared at all of them in a daze, watching how they rushed off as if they had completely forgotten about why they had come to the Yun Zou Sect in the first place. Well, between finding out just what kind of good thing the Yun Zou Sect had met with and gaining more strength for themselves, they would definitely be more invested in finding opportunities to make their own disciples stronger. After all, knowing what the competitors were up to was important but not as important as increasing their own strength by far.


    In the end, the Sect Master could only sigh. He turned to Hua Min, cupped his fists and bowed. "We''ve truly inconvenienced the Liu He Alliance this time."


    Hua Min just waved. "Nothing of the like. It was merely just me saying a few words. It doesn''t matter much."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s expression became complicated. "How could it be a simple matter? You gave out such valuable information just to drive them off. I''m truly ashamed to have you do something like this for our benefit. I can only hope that you won''t be getting into trouble with the other Alliance Heads."


    Even though the different parts of the Liu He Alliance were rather independent, there were still some matters where even an Alliance Head would have to answer to the others. This kind of thing that concerned opportunities for all of the Alliance''s disciples were certainly something like that. In other words, this Alliance Head Hua might get into a lot of trouble because he had helped them out today. And there was no way for them to make it up to him.


    Hua Min looked at him, his gaze subtle. "Sect Master Yuchi, I''m honored that you think I''m such a good person."


    Yuchi Bing Xia could only look at him startled. "I don''t think I understand."


    Hua Min looked to where the Elders and disciples of the other sects had disappeared and shrugged his shoulders. "I''m not that nice. Even though I do want to help the Yun Zou Sect, I wouldn''t make trouble for our Liu He Alliance just for that."


    "But that information ¡­"


    Hua Min raised his brows. "That? Ah, I made that up. I guess they will go and wait for a while there and won''t come and bother you anymore. Anyway, if they want to, they can certainly come to the Liu He Alliance and ask about it. In the worst case, I''ll just have remembered it wrong."


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked at him in a daze, not knowing what to say.


    On the other hand, Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed. He probably shouldn''t have expected anything else. This person had also been like this when they were young. "Alright, we''ve taken care of this. I''m sure the Sect Master has some other things to do now. The two of us should go and have a talk. I''m sure that''s why you came."


    Hua Min nodded, the small smile that had been hanging on his lips before slowly disappearing. Indeed, there were some things he really wanted to know about. And since he didn''t know just who in the Yun Zou Sect was informed about this, he didn''t dare bring it up even in front of the Sect Master. No, first of all, he should only talk things through with his old friend of his.

 Chapter 842 - He Didn’t Know Either

    The three of them bid farewell and returned to their respective palaces. Zhangsun Xun Yi led Hua Min into his study and motioned for him to sit down before he went and poured both of them a cup of tea.


    "I can imagine that you might have some questions."


    Hua Min laughed and picked up the teacup. "It''s not only a few. Honestly, how did that person end up in your Yun Zou Sect? If he had some trouble, shouldn''t he have gone back to the Jian Yi Sect?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head. "This matter, I also can''t tell you. I only know that he came here without telling anybody his identity. He pretended to be a disciple and up until now, I seem to be the only one who noticed. In fact, if it wasn''t for the tea set that your Master gifted him, I still wouldn''t have seen through him and continued to believe that he was just an ordinary disciple."


    Hua Min nodded. "Well, that''s a given. If you were able to see through a genius like him, you probably would''ve ascended already."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded slowly, staring at his own cup of tea. In fact, if it wasn''t for the situation of the Yun Zou Sect that had been completely unpredictable for the last few years, he already might have attempted to ascend. But with everything that happened, he felt less and less sure about whether or not he should do it.


    If he succeeded or not wasn''t even that important. But as soon as he left, what would become of the sect? He had been raised here, the level he had attained had only been made possible because of the care he had received from the Yun Zou Sect. It truly wasn''t that easy for him to just let matters go and not care anymore.


    No, he still felt that he had some responsibility for this place. And considering that the successor that Yuchi Bing Xia had chosen wasn''t suitable as an actual successor after all, he was even less sure of what he should do.


    Sure, as long as Leng Jin Yu stayed in the Yun Zou Sect and maybe even that person recovered his former peak state with his help, then nothing could happen to the sect. But who knew if they would stay after that person was healed? It might still be a long time until then but that didn''t mean anything. The road of cultivation was a long one. A hundred years, a thousand, ten thousand ¡­ It was an insignificant amount of time for cultivators and practitioners, not even worth mentioning.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi sighed and pulled himself out of his thoughts. "Anyway, I don''t know exactly what is going on."


    "Then what is up with that spouse of his? They only got married after he ascended?"


    "Yes. Well, they actually married after he came to the Yun Zou Sect if I understood correctly. I also don''t know how that happened. Currently, Yuchi Bing Xia thinks that Grandmaster Leng is his disciple so he is understandably anxious. That person ¡­ Well, let''s call him our Yun Zou Sect''s hidden expert. If their prized disciple got enamored with that kind of person, it would naturally be a shock for every Master. There''s nothing Yuchi Bing Xia can do thought. And I don''t think that the two of them will split up again so I guess he can only deal with it."


    Hua Min nodded. "They truly didn''t seem as if they''d break up." On the contrary, the feelings between them seemed to have been very good. A single man like him couldn''t help but feel a bit envious. On the other hand, it made him expectant for the future. Maybe after he became as powerful as Grandmaster Leng, he would also be able to find the love of his life?


    Ah, never mind that. It would be a long way until then. Hua Min sighed, taking a few sips of the tea. "Well, there''s nothing we can do, is there? If I can, I''d like to see him. He was my Master''s friend after all. It wouldn''t do to just leave without going to greet him."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "Yes, you''re right about that. It''s just that I don''t know when they will come out of the realm. You and your disciples can naturally wait here but it might take quite some time. You should be prepared for that."


    Hua Min nodded. "That''s not a problem at all. It''s not like I have that much to do it the Liu He Alliance. There are people taking care of the things that need to be organized. They don''t need me there all the time. And if something comes up, they''ll naturally notify me."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "Then ¡­ Why don''t you tell me how you''re doing over there? We haven''t spoken in a long time."


    Hua Min laughed. "Isn''t that because you have never contacted me? It actually needed something like this for you to send me a paper crane. That truly makes me wonder what you actually think about our friendship."


    "It''s very important to me. It always was and it always will be." Zhangsun Xun Yi gave a rare smile and then motioned at the cup of tea. "Do you want another one or would you prefer to get a cup of wine?"


    Hua Min laughed again and pushed the teacup away. "Well, I guess if I''m already here, then I might as well deplete your wine storage. You don''t have any other reason to take one out, do you? I''m basically doing you a favor."


    In this manner, the two friends started to drink and reminisce about old times. They really couldn''t help but lament those days when they had been much more carefree. Well, at this moment, they seemed to have returned to them. If they could, they certainly would''ve liked to spend more days like these but it probably wouldn''t be so easy to come together again. In that case, they should use the opportunity and make the most out of it.

 Chapter 843 - Working Together Was Joyous

    At that time, Jin Ling finally reached the Yun Zou Sect. Since he had already lost time when he had to deal with Yin Lin Lin, he used his ability as a demon to move most of the way, only needing a few minutes to traverse half of the human realm. Standing in front of the gates of the Yun Zou Sect, his heart beat madly. Just a few more minutes. Just a few more minutes and he would finally see him again.


    He went to a spot not too far away from the gates that was hidden from view by the trees and didn''t need long to find Qiguan Cheng Da.


    The disciple looked at him with his brows raised. "The information I gave you this time should have been quite good, shouldn''t it?"


    Jin Ling nodded, this time indeed quite satisfied. It turned out that this human scum was much more useful than even that half-demon that he had sent to the capital city back then. He had actually managed to bring him a step closer to Jinde. "You did indeed very well. As promised, I won''t treat you badly in return." He opened the dimensional space tied to the gem embedded in his earlobe and rummaged around for a moment. He had accumulated quite a few things over the years and there was nothing he wouldn''t give away if it meant that he could see Jinde again but he still had to make sure that it was something that Qiguan Cheng Da would deem useful. After all, who knew if he wouldn''t need to use this person again? It was better to be prepared just in case it was necessary.


    In the end, he took out a spew spirit fruits from the demon realm and handed them to Qiguan Cheng Da. "This should help you advance to the next level."


    Qiguan Cheng Da looked at them, feeling for the spiritual energy inside. Seeing that the amount wasn''t low, he nodded with satisfaction. "Not bad. Then you probably want to know a bit more?"


    Jin Ling raised his brows. "Is there more to know?"


    "That depends. From what I could see, the people that went inside were the Sect Master''s disciple, the Grandmaster''s disciple and that Jing Yi who is the lover of the Grandmaster''s disciple. As for the other person ¡­"


    Jin Ling waved. "No need to say anything. I know who he is." He did wonder about that other person though. "The Sect Master''s disciple ¡­ He should have been the one who stood at that array?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da nodded. "His name is Yu Jin. The Sect Master took him in at about the same time when the Grandmaster''s disciple and his lover also entered the sect."


    Jin Ling''s eyes flashed. At the same time? That truly was quite an interesting coincidence. "Was he close to them?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da furrowed his brows, thinking back quietly. "Well, he was sent to get news from them when they were on a mission in the Hei Dian Sect. He also went out while they were traveling outside and I think they met up at that time as well. I''m not sure how close the relationship between them is though. That Yu Jin is a rather withdrawn person. He doesn''t talk much and doesn''t have too much contact with the other disciples. Ah, right!" His expression lit up when he remembered something else. "He was also the one I told you about that was trapped with Jing Yi in that realm in the Leyuan region."


    Jin Ling twirled a strand of his hair around his finger and narrowed his eyes. "The Leyuan region?" That should have been that realm where Qiu Ling''s lover had been able to retrieve some of his old memories. So this person ¡­ He couldn''t say for sure but considering that he had been there in several situations and had even entered that array together with them, he might be of either the dragon or the god race. That was quite peculiar. "Anything else you know about him?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da raised his brows. "Like what?"


    "Like ¡­ Does he have a family? A lover?" Qiu Ling and his lover entering that array together wasn''t anything surprising. But why had that person been there? Because he had been sent to watch over the Son of Heaven''s reincarnation? Or because Qiu Ling''s advisers deemed it necessary that somebody went to meet with him?


    Could it be that he was thinking too much and this person was just a mortal? Anyway, remembering how that person had been touched by Jinde at that fleeting moment when they entered the realm, he wasn''t happy at all.


    Qiguan Cheng Da pondered but finally could only shake his head. "All I know is that he seems to have been a wandering cultivator before he joined our sect. His previous Master was killed. Other than that ¡­ I don''t know."


    Jin Ling nodded. "Well, that''s already quite good. Help me keep an eye on things. About that person ¡­ You don''t have to inquire too deliberately but I''d like to know some more if you can find out at the side."


    Qiguan Cheng Da gave a smile. "But of course. There''s nothing I wouldn''t do to help you."


    Jin Ling looked at him and shook his head. This person ¡­ was almost as bad as a demon. Making a deal with him was truly joyous. "Alright, then let''s leave it at that. I''ll go over and take a look at that array." He once again nodded at Qiguan Cheng Da and then turned around, changing his appearance to fit in better with the humans before he went over to the Sect Master''s peak.


    He had been able to see everything clearly so he knew where this array was located. Stopping in front of it, his lips curled into a smile. In a moment ¡­ He would finally see him again. He would be able to tell him how much he loved him and how much he regretted being too forceful back then.


    He was sure that as soon as they saw each other, Jinde would forgive him. And then ¡­ There was no question that they would finally be able to become a couple. After all, there was nobody standing in his way anymore.

 Chapter 844 - Something Wrong with the Array

    Jin Ling stepped into the array and ¡­ continued to stand there. He blinked his eyes and then looked at the ground unbelieving. Why wasn''t anything happening? Shouldn''t he have been transported over? That was how these arrays worked, right?


    He hesitated and finally imbued some spiritual energy into the array, hoping that this might be what was missing. After all, the human realm was a place with much less spiritual energy than the demon realm. Some of their arrays might not be continuously powered and would instead only be activated when somebody poured energy into it.


    He waited but the array still stayed unresponsive, the lines remaining dull. What was the matter? Why wasn''t the array working?


    Jin Ling furrowed his brows and turned in a circle once, checking the lines of the array. It was a little different from the ones of the demon realm with a simpler shape. Nothing was amiss with it though. It didn''t seem to have been changed in the time he needed to come here.


    Jin Ling stared at the lines blankly, not knowing what to do. Jinde was on the other side. He couldn''t not enter this realm. That just wasn''t possible. No, he had to find a way. But how? What was wrong with this array? Why wouldn''t it transport him?


    He couldn''t figure it out but he was unwilling to give up. "Jinde." He whispered his name, hoping against better knowledge that he would turn up.


    Needless to say, there was no answer. Nobody appeared and everything stayed quiet. Just like before.


    Jin Ling closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had been so close. So close! He had finally seen with his own eyes that he had been right all along and that Jinde was indeed still alive. But now that he had come to meet with him ¡­ he was unable to do so. Would they really need any longer before they could reunite?


    He sighed and opened his eyes again. "Don''t worry, Jinde. I''ll find a way to open this array. I''ll come and get you. Don''t worry. Just give me a bit of time." He clenched his fists and then left with a last look at the array, determined to use the least possible amount of time to figure out just why it wouldn''t activate. Then ¡­ then they could finally meet again. Surely, Jinde was already waiting for him.


    At that time, the person in question was lying in bed, his fingers trailing over his husband''s naked chest. "I''ve missed you."


    Leng Jin Yu looked up into that pair of golden eyes and nodded. "I''ve missed you as well." Indeed. He never would have thought but just a few hours or days without Jinde felt lonely. In the short amount of time that they had known each other, he had gotten strangely used to being with him. It was to the point where the thought of having to separate was unbearable. It really made him realize just how difficult it must have been for Jinde to wait all these years for Chun Yin''s return.


    Jinde smiled, leaned forward and kissed Leng Jin Yu''s lips. "Well, I guess you managed to finish this quite fast if I consider that we didn''t have an idea of how to do this when we just met."


    "Mn. It''s all thanks to Qiu Ling''s uncle- and cousin-in-law. If it was just me, I wouldn''t have been able to set this up."


    "How honest." Jinde stretched, his skin rubbing against Leng Jin Yu''s, turning the atmosphere ambiguous.


    Leng Jin Yu took a deep breath and then reached up, grabbing Jinde''s hand. "Speaking of honest ¡­"


    "Your reaction is also very honest?" Jinde smiled and kissed his throat.


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. "You still don''t have enough? I''m being serious here."


    "I know. You''re always so serious ¡­" Those lips trailed down, lingering at his collarbone for a spell before going even further.


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. If he didn''t say it now, he wouldn''t get an opportunity anytime soon. "I ¡­" He gulped. "I re¡ª"


    He sat up, his eyes slightly widening.


    Jinde also stopped with his teasing, turning to the side and looking up at him questioningly. "What is it?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips moved and he finally sighed. "Somebody tried to use the array."


    "Grandmaster Zhangsun? Or your Master?" He couldn''t imagine that though. Never mind that they probably would have other things to do, his husband wouldn''t look like this if it was either of them.


    Leng Jin Yu indeed shook his head. "No. I don''t think so. I can''t say for sure since opening an array normally doesn''t require much energy but this person seems to be stronger."


    Jinde propped himself up on his elbow and watched Leng Jin Yu''s expression. "Do you have a suspect?"


    "There aren''t many people in the human realm that are stronger than Grandmaster Zhangsun. The only ones would be from the premier sects."


    "Like the Liu He Alliance?"


    "Mn."


    "But Alliance Head Hua knows that we''re here and don''t want to be disturbed. He probably wouldn''t try it, right?"


    "Yes."


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t say anything else and Jinde could only sigh. There weren''t many people stronger than the Grandmaster in the human realm but if compared to the people of the immortal realms, his strength was nothing much. And wasn''t there somebody who had been constantly looking for him since his supposed death?


    Jinde sighed again and lay down on his back. "I was careless before. When the God of War appeared and said that you were back and had finished the array ¡­ I was so happy at that moment, I didn''t think any longer. I took off the veil."


    "Do you think he would have found out in that short amount of time?"


    Jinde smiled wryly. "You don''t know him. Jin Ling is ¡­ he hasn''t become the demon king for nothing. Even though he isn''t the strongest among the demons, he is very charismatic. If there is something he wants to know, there would be people rushing out to do his bidding. And if he can''t find any of those, he would at least be intelligent enough to get help in another way. Furthermore, Qiu Ling is at this sect with the reincarnation of the Son of Heaven. He likely has somebody reporting about the situation regularly."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Makes sense. Well, he can''t get in here. As long as we don''t leave ¡­"


    "Mn ¡­" Jinde nodded but he didn''t feel like fooling around anymore. He sat up and gave his husband a small smile. "I guess I should prepare for my recuperation then."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows but then nodded. Together, the two of them got up and then left the room, going to the courtyard outside.

 Chapter 845 - Not a Good Idea

    Even though Leng Jin Yu was the one who had created the entire realm with some help from Qiu Ling, he hadn''t paid too much attention to the courtyards before since he didn''t know who had been living where. Thus he had only noticed that a lot of rooms had courtyards attached to them, some with an individual one while others shared one among them. Otherwise, he had only followed Qiu Ling''s instructions on how these courtyards were supposed to look as closely as possible to make it seem as real as possible for Jinde. After all, they would be staying here for a long time and he wanted to give him a bit of the feeling that he was home. Jinde hadn''t been in the dragon realm for way too long.


    Even though Leng Jin Yu didn''t care about anybody else''s courtyard since they were basically strangers to him save for some of Qiu Ling''s advisers that he had met once or some old friends of Jinde that he had at least heard about, he very much would have liked to know what Jinde''s place looked like. Unfortunately, Qiu Ling hadn''t been so nice to point out just which room was his. Thus Leng Jin Yu could only take a closer look around now.


    Just like a lot of the other courtyards, this one had a lake. In fact, the lake seemed to be the center of everything with the rest of the garden being built around it. Lotus flowers floated on the surface and a beautiful assortment of flowers surrounded the lake. The rest of the garden was a little less inspiring with only a few shrubs that might blossom in the spring growing next to the walls. Other than that, there was only a table with two chairs next to it.


    Leng Jin Yu wasn''t too surprised by this setup. Dragons were creatures of the water and air. Having a lake be the middle of the place where they lived was reasonable. Also, water should have the ability to heal them faster since they could absorb the spiritual energy around them faster if they were submerged in it. So for the dragons that prided themselves in their strength and would often be involved in fights, this was a good way to live.


    Leng Jin Yu felt he had gained enough of an understanding so he turned to his lover and grabbed his hands, looking into his eyes. "Even if we use what Xiang Yu brought us from the High Heavens, you''ll still have to spend several years in there. It''ll probably be a long time until we see each other again."


    Jinde smiled and leaned forward, pecking his lips. "You make it sound as if I was out of the world. I''ll just be down there. If I miss you, I can come out in just a moment. In fact, I think I''ll do just that. Even if it isn''t very often, I still don''t want to stay without you all the time. You can also call me if you want me to come out."


    Leng Jin Yu gave a wry smile. "To be honest, I would prefer it if you didn''t have to go in. Staying together all the time is pretty good to me."


    Jinde chuckled. "I was hoping for you to say that. Don''t worry though. This will be the last time. After we get through this, there won''t be a reason to separate anymore. We''ll be able to spend every day and night with each other. You might grow tired of me by then."


    Leng Jin Yu sized him up and shook his head. He knew that Jinde likely just wanted him to disagree but he still couldn''t help but to do just that. "There''s no way I would. Whatever happens, you will always be the most important, the most beautiful, the most interesting person to me."


    "That sounds as if somebody is looking for a reward." Jinde wrapped his arms around Leng Jin Yu''s neck and smiled. "You know I would be willing to give it."


    Leng Jin Yu hugged him but still shook his head. "Jin Ling is still looking for you. It''s better if you heal soon. Anyway, I can see that you''re not doing too well. Even though a lot of time has gone by, you still have problems gathering spiritual energy, don''t you? That makes it even more difficult to heal your soul. I don''t think it''s good for you to continue to live with that kind of condition."


    Jinde sighed and let go, stepping back. "Unfortunately, you''re right about that. The amount of energy needed to heal my soul is just too big. Regardless of how much I take in, it feels like it will be forever until I''ll manage to regenerate it. I really don''t want to wait much longer."


    "Then you should get in."


    Jinde nodded and wanted to go but Leng Jin Yu reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him back and hugging him once again. Jinde''s eyebrows rose but he didn''t say anything. This kind of behavior wasn''t quite like Leng Jin Yu. If he did, then it was either that this was one of those moments where some memory was too strong for him to pull himself out of it fast enough or this was bothering him more than he was willing to say. Either way, it was best to let it pass.


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and sighed. In fact, the problem was more the latter. It was just that there was the added problem of the last memory he had dug up when he was in the Nine Heavens.


    He had wanted to tell Jinde about it before but just then, Jin Ling had tried to get into the realm and he hadn''t been able to do what you wanted to. Now ¡­ He still felt that Jinde should know about it. He also felt that having some hope and knowing that there had been more to their story than he had known would be good for him. Maybe if he had that kind of reassurance, he would be able to heal a little faster.


    But he really didn''t know how to breach the subject. After all, he didn''t really want to tell Jinde that he had used a part of his own soul to create the array. That just didn''t feel like such a good idea.

 Chapter 846 - Then Why?

    Jinde waited for his lover to let go of him so he could get into the lake. When that didn''t happen, he glanced up only to find his expression to be not quite right. He continued to observe and finally raised his brows. "I wonder just what it is that''s bothering you."


    Leng Jin Yu glanced at him, his gaze flickering. "It''s ¡­" He sighed. Since he had already reached out and since Jinde had seen that something was up, he might as well spill the beans. "Before when I ¡­ worked on that array, I remembered something."


    "Oh." Jinde nodded. This wasn''t too surprising. The more time they spent together, the more often Leng Jin Yu was able to get a glimpse at his past life''s memories. After all, part of that soul was still with him in his original form. Things like this were bound to happen. The only astonishing thing in this case was that he had remembered something while they weren''t even together.


    Leng Jin Yu saw Jinde''s calm expression. If he wanted to, he could just pretend that this was everything. But he did not have the heart to keep this to himself. He sighed again and then carefully grabbed Jinde''s shoulders, looking into his eyes. "It was a bit different this time. The memory was ¡­" He narrowed his eyes, thinking back to that scene of waking up next to Jinde. "It wasn''t just a single image. It felt as if ¡­ as if I was there."


    "That must have been a huge shock."


    "Mn. It was at first. But luckily, I had heard from Jing Yi before when he remembered so I figured it out rather fast. Well, it''s not like I didn''t know that there were those memories."


    "So what exactly is it that has been bothering you?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked away, wondering how he should approach it. Directly tell him? But he didn''t even know when exactly this had happened. So maybe it would be better to make sure of that first? He nodded to himself and then looked at his lover again. "Do you remember a day when the two of you slept with each other?"


    Jinde''s golden brows raised. "How come you''re mostly remembering this kind of thing? We''ve only slept with each other three times but we''ve spent thousands of years together. I really wonder what your thoughts were on all the time back then."


    Leng Jin Yu flushed in shame even though the person being scolded wasn''t entirely him. "I ¡­" He awkwardly cleared his throat. "I guess you were just too beautiful for him to ever forget about it? And often, the memories I acquire are tied to what we are doing."


    "Mn, sure." Jinde''s gaze told him that he didn''t find this convincing one bit.


    Leng Jin Yu pretended to count the petals of the flowers next to the lake. "So do you remember?"


    "Of course, I do. Which one are you talking about though?"


    "That ¡­ How would you know which one it was?"


    "The place."


    "Oh." Leng Jin Yu looked at the door on the side of the courtyard and furrowed his brows. "Maybe his room? It wasn''t yours at least."


    Jinde shook his head. "No, that''s not it. Two of these three times were in my room. The other one ¡­" His expression blanked slightly and he tensed. In the end, he coughed. "Never mind. Part of the palace was destroyed in one of the wars, including my original chambers. I moved afterward. So if it wasn''t this room, then what you saw should have been our first night together."


    "When was that?"


    Jinde''s expression still didn''t seem quite right and this time, he couldn''t even look Leng Jin Yu in the eyes when he answered. "That was ¡­ before I became king."


    "I see." Leng Jin Yu nodded and gave him a moment to remember.


    "So how much did you remember?" Jinde tried to be nonchalant about it but, in fact, it hurt. It wasn''t as bad as their last night together but it had been the first time when his hopes were dashed and it hadn''t been able to get over it. His only solace had been that Chun Yin might still remember and that he might make true on his promise to make him his partner after he became king. Who could have known ¡­ the one to finally ascend the throne hadn''t been Chun Yin at all and the previous promise had been null and void.


    Leng Jin Yu cupped his cheek with his hand and leaned down, kissing his other cheek. "I''m sorry." He really was. Now more than ever.


    He straightened up again and furrowed his brows. "Actually, this memory was a little strange. I didn''t remember the actual night but instead how he woke up the next morning."


    Jinde smiled wryly. ''He''. Leng Jin Yu was really good at separating himself from his past life at this kind of moment. "You saw him leave?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes. But it was different from what I would have expected. In fact, he was ¡­ he was really affectionate. He was lying there for a while, hugging you and then just ¡­ looking at you. I could even feel how fast his heart beat. He was insanely happy."


    Jinde shook his head and pulled back, stepping out of his lover''s embrace. "You don''t have to make this kind of thing up. It''s been a long time."


    "I''m not making it up. In fact, I was wondering if I should bring it up precisely because it''s been a long time and I wouldn''t want to rip any wounds open but ¡­ You deserve to know the truth."


    Jinde gulped and closed his eyes. "In that case, why did he leave?"


    "He made a trip to the kitchens."


    Jinde''s eyes couldn''t help but open again. "The kitchens?" He only murmured, some doubt emerging in his gaze. That kind of thing wouldn''t be unimaginable. After all, their night together had been passionate and they had drunk a lot before. Eating something would have been a good idea so if Chun Yin woke up, he might have really gone and done something like that. After all, even though he had often been overbearing, he had been a conscientious lover if he wanted to. He had a sense of responsibility, after all. Otherwise, he never would have stayed with his wife.


    Jinde gulped again, his gaze full of hurt when he looked at Leng Jin Yu. "If what you say is true, then why didn''t he come back that day? Why did he evade me for a whole week?"

 Chapter 847 - His Biggest Regret

    Leng Jin Yu gazed at him, his own heart hurting as well when he saw him like this. He had imagined that this would be difficult but ¡­ he hadn''t thought that it would impact Jinde to this degree. It almost made him regret bringing it up. Especially since he couldn''t give him full closure. He could only assure him that originally, Chun Yin had been serious about him. He couldn''t say why that had changed though.


    Leng Jin Yu lowered his head and took a deep breath. "When he was on the way back, somebody stepped into his path. Unfortunately, I couldn''t see who it was. But this should''ve been the reason why he didn''t return that day. And if he truly didn''t come to see you for a whole week, then it might also be because of that person. Do you can you think of anybody in the Palace of would have an interest in making the two of you break up?"


    Jinde looked at him blankly. "No. I wouldn''t know why. I mean only somebody who also loved him should have wanted us to break us up, right? After all, there wouldn''t have been anything else speaking against us being together.


    "But even then, if he truly loved me, then he wouldn''t have taken that seriously. The reason why he didn''t deny marrying his wife was because he had a sense of honor and because he felt that there was no way for the two of us to be together. Before that ¡­ He never would have been driven away that easily. That''s just not him. Chun Yin always did as he wanted. Especially in this case. There is no way he would have given up."


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows. What Jinde said made sense but he couldn''t find any other explanation for that memory of his. "So you can''t think of anybody that might have had enough influence on him to make him reconsider?"


    Jinde shook his head. "No. The only one he ever listened to had been our Master and ¡ª" Jinde''s expression turned blank as if he had just remembered something.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t say anything and just gave him a moment to consider everything.


    In the end, Jinde''s hands clenched into fists and his body trembled slightly. "That ¡­ That can''t be. Master ¡­" He turned around, facing the lake. Even though he didn''t say it, it was obvious that he had already found the answer.


    "Why do you think he would''ve done this?" Leng Jin Yu didn''t know too much about the dragon realm. Jinde had told him a few things but it was by far not enough to call it a deep understanding. In the human realm, martial brothers engaging in such a relationship wasn''t a problem. Sometimes, people wouldn''t like to see it if you studied under the same Master but it wasn''t forbidden either. There would just be some more gossip. He wouldn''t have thought that the dragons that seemed to be more open-minded in a lot of regards would be more strict in this matter. So if Jinde''s Master had indeed been the one who made Chun Yin reconsider, then there should be another reason, shouldn''t there? Or maybe he had gotten it wrong?


    He didn''t ask and Jinde didn''t try to explain on his own accord either. He just stared at the lake for a while and then shook his head. "Thank you for telling me. I''ll ¡­ I''ll think about it for a while longer. Maybe I''ll be able to come up with an explanation. Now, I should get inside."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. He went forward and wanted to kiss Jinde''s cheek but before his lips could touch his skin, Jinde had already stepped forward and submerged himself in the water. He didn''t even look back when he walked further in and then sat down at the bottom of the lake, closing his eyes and starting to meditate.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and then sat down at the edge of the lake, trying to push away those thoughts and cultivate. He couldn''t leave here for the time being to do anything else and he felt that he should accompany his lover even if he couldn''t help him at all.


    After a while, Jinde''s eyes cracked open and he glanced up, looking at the person outside of the water. He didn''t know what to say. The thought that his Master had actually been the one to separate them the first time was unimaginable to him.


    Well, in fact, the worst thing was that it wasn''t actually unimaginable. If he was honest with himself, then maybe he should''ve known. His Master had made obvious more than once that he didn''t like for the two of them to get too close. Unfortunately, even though Jinde could figure as much, he had no idea why that was the case.


    Back then, the explanations he had gotten had been feeble at best but he had been too young to understand that. He had believed it and had felt bad. Because of that, he had refused to think about it any longer and just wanted to forget.


    But now, he had enough experience to realize that this was utter nonsense. What hindering Chun Yin? What problem with his appearance? The dragons loved beauty! It wasn''t like he had given the title of the greatest beauty of the dragon realm to himself. It had been his people who did so.


    And if Chun Yin had become king and married him, nobody would have said anything. On the contrary, they probably would''ve believed that their king was deserving of having this kind of person at his side. It might be a little shallow but that was the truth.


    So what exactly had his Master''s reason been? Why his interference? Why the lies? Regardless of how much he thought about it, he just couldn''t explain that to himself. But right now, he really wanted to know. Because even to this day, losing Chun Yin was still his biggest regret.

 Chapter 848 - Like Any Ordinary Couple

    Jinde finally retracted his gaze and just took out the jar that Xiang Yu had brought over, pouring the water out into the lake and burying the soil from the River of Forgetfulness at the bottom. He could feel the energy seeping into his surroundings, quietly turning this lake into something of an even purer quality. With this, healing his soul might indeed become much easier. He closed his eyes and then stayed in the lake meditating to heal his injuries while his lover sat at the edge and cultivated, quietly accompanying him.


    In another part of the palace, Qiu Ling and Jing Yi also passed their days peacefully training for a few hours every day. Jing Yi slowly made progress with learning how to fly, first practicing how to use his spiritual energy to form a small heap of soil that would be strong enough to carry his weight before he started to try his luck with water and finally air itself again.


    Seeing how he slowly got better at grasping the concept, Jing Yi couldn''t help but smile. He certainly couldn''t be compared to the other disciples that had trained to use their spiritual energy for years on end but it was still better than before. At the very least, he soon wouldn''t be a burden to Qiu Ling anymore.


    If he could, he would have liked for Qiu Ling to also show him how to fight but he could see that Qiu Ling wasn''t comfortable with that thought. Even though he said that he would think about it, he didn''t seem to actually do so. Instead, he tried to dodge the subject whenever it came up.


    Jing Yi didn''t know for sure why he was behaving like this but considering the way Qiu Ling looked at him at that moment, he could imagine that it must have something to do with Jing He. Maybe he was afraid because of what had happened with that soul-engraving dagger? Maybe he didn''t want to put him into danger? After all, fleeing from somebody or defending himself was different from actually fighting. A lot of things could happen if he tried to fight but wasn''t good enough to win. What then? It really wasn''t something he wanted to let Qiu Ling go through. He had already suffered quite a lot. No need to add to his burdens.


    Anyway, since Qiu Ling didn''t want to, there was nothing he could do besides waiting in the hope that he would change his mind about it. Well, that wasn''t completely right. There wasn''t anything he could do about learning how to fight if Qiu Ling didn''t want to teach him but he could still use the time in other manners.


    Thus Jing Yi pulled Qiu Ling into the study whenever they finished practicing how to fly in the courtyard, making him continue with teaching him how to read and write. They had originally started this on their mission back in the Hei Dian Sect but he had only learned a few dozen words, not even enough to call him literate, and it had been several years since then.


    Even though he had originally tried to keep up writing the words he had known back when he was imprisoned in the secret realm in the Leyuan region, there had been other things weighing on his mind and at the end of the five years, he hadn''t had the patience to keep up with something like this. Anyway, he had thought that his lover wouldn''t mind whether or not he could read or write. Since he loved him and was missing him he would have been happy if he put in more effort to escape from the realm and find him than learning something that he didn''t need right away.


    Now, the matters Jing Yi had misunderstood were long cleared up and they had to wait in this realm once again without knowing how long it would be. If he still didn''t try to learn how to write, he would never be able to do so for the rest of his life. That truly wasn''t something he was willing to accept. Not being a burden in a fight was good but there were also other things happening in their life. He should be prepared for everything.


    Thus the two of them first started with the words that Jing Yi could still more or less remember before they continued to add a few new ones every day. Slowly, Jing Yi felt that he was able to read some simpler texts so he took another few hours a day to try and read the cultivation manual that Grandmaster Zhangsun had given him once upon a time. He still couldn''t understand everything but he did understand enough to follow some of the easier instructions, slowly making him gain a deeper understanding of cultivation.


    This development made him feel that if they stayed in this realm for a few years, the things he could do might actually start to correspond to the level he had reached. Soon enough, he might be able to call himself a real cultivator and finally step on the path that he had wanted to walk on since coming to the Yun Zou Sect: Being strong enough to help the common people in times of need and making sure that a tragedy such as his father''s death would never happen again.


    With that goal in mind, Jing Yi worked as hard as he could, even forgetting about his intention of using this opportunity to get closer to Qiu Ling and make him give up on bringing Jing He back until his natural death.


    In short, the two of them started to live together like any ordinary couple of cultivators would. It was only a pity that with Jing Yi''s eagerness to practice, their wedding had once again been forgotten. But then again, life in the realm was still much better than outside where things weren''t going too well.

 Chapter 849 - Making up for His Negligence

    The Yun Zou Sect that had just had a joyous occasion with the addition of a new dimension in their sect grounds so that the old one could be used to train their disciples, now had to face the sad fact that they had also lost one of their most important backers.


    They had always stood back-to-back with the Chun Feng Sect but it was obvious that things would go downhill from the moment Liu Cheng drew his sword to attack Qiu Ling and Jing Yi.


    Sect Master Yuchi couldn''t help but sigh whenever he thought of it. Not only had they lost somebody who had been helping them for many years, but there was also the added trouble of guarding against any surprise attacks. After all, the Chun Feng Sect took these things very seriously. Liu Cheng wasn''t even the most extreme when it came to matters regarding the demons. His Master, Sect Master Xian, was even worse.


    Yuchi Bing Xia couldn''t hold it against him. Everybody knew that both his wife and daughter had been killed in an attack perpetrated by somebody who had pretended to be human but had then turned out to have demonic blood. Becoming a demon hunter had been to one day take his revenge, as well as to make sure that no other family would ever have to suffer through this again.


    Although Yuchi Bing Xia still felt that the Chun Feng Sect had gone too far with attacking a disciple of an ally, he couldn''t deny that the Chun Feng Sect had also done a lot of good over the years. There was a reason why the common people might know about the Chun Feng Sect and their disciples'' heroic deeds regardless of where they lived while they had no idea what the deity sect ten li away was even called. To them, the immortals were lofty figures that they might like to hear stories about but they had nothing to do with them. The Chun Feng Sect though ¡­ They were the ones they would call if they really needed help and didn''t know what to do anymore. They were the ones they truly admired.


    And now, the Yun Zou Sect had had a falling out with this most-admired sect. It really gave him a headache. The worst of all was that while he was trying to solve matters, he would be subjected to the accusing gaze of the Grandelder''s head disciple. It really made him want to enter closed-door cultivation and throw all matters to his own disciple! Unfortunately ¡­ Yu Jin was in that realm together with the other three. So if he wanted to throw this to a disciple, he could only choose Wu Min Huan. The child was obviously eager to help but ¡­ would he be able to shoulder this burden?


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed and then turned to this disciple that was once again standing close by, looking at him with an expectant gaze as if he wanted to be thrown some bread crumbs. It really made him feel that he might have neglected him too much in the past years.


    Yes, since the day he found Yu Jin, he hadn''t paid too much attention. Even the position of head disciple that Wu Min Huan had held for many years had been given to this small junior martial brother of his after a few years. Thinking about it this way, it truly was unfair to Wu Min Huan. Unfortunately ¡­ he just wasn''t as talented or perceptive as Yu Jin.


    Maybe this was the difference in their upbringing. Yu Jin had been traveling through the world with his previous Master, seeing much more of the things outside and learning in a different manner than Wu Min Huan who had basically grown up sheltered in the sect. Sure, he had had more resources to cultivate but his understanding was probably more shallow than Yu Jin''s because of that. He hadn''t been given enough opportunities to solve his own problems.


    Maybe ¡­ Just maybe it would be good to give him a few tasks and let him handle them without interfering. Even though he had decided to have Yu Jin follow him in the position as Sect Master, one person alone couldn''t hold up the sky for a whole sect. He had seen that more than clearly with himself and Grandmaster Zhangsun. Even the two of them hadn''t been enough to let the Yun Zou Sect keep its position, making it tumble further and further down the ranks. Even threatening to fall to the status of a second-tier sect despite its once lofty status.


    This kind of mistake couldn''t be repeated. No, they had to spend more time cultivating these young people. Letting them cultivate more, letting them experience more ¡­ this was imperative to the future growths of their Yun Zou Sect. He had taken too long to understand that but since he finally had, it was time to act on it.


    Thus the task of taking care of the younger generation while he himself tried to resolve matters with the Chun Feng Sect was thrown to Wu Min Huan. The disciple who finally wasn''t ignored by his Master any longer was more than happy and threw himself into work right away, devising a plan on who would be able to enter the realm when and how the others could make faster progress outside.


    In the end, both the Elders and their head disciples were dragged out and forced to teach the disciples at fixed intervals or take them on missions. Neither of them was happy but they couldn''t deny that the disciples that had the chance to take part in these measures were indeed making more rapid progress than before.


    The biggest surprise were probably the ones with mediocre talent in the outer sect who suddenly showed that they were able to reach the threshold of becoming inner sect disciples in much greater numbers and in a much faster amount of time than before when they were guided this way because they made up for their lack of talent with hard work and diligence, using the chance they had been given.


    Seeing this, the Elders really couldn''t complain anymore and the transformation of the Yun Zou Sect finally began.

 Chapter 850 - Your Lucky Day

    On the other hand, Liu Cheng''s Master, Xian Xun, was everything but happy when he saw his disciple return with obvious wounds. Liu Cheng was his best disciple. He had reached the highest level and had the most experience. For him to return like this ¡­ And especially since he had gone to the Yun Zou Sect with the others. What could have happened?


    Liu Cheng bowed to his Master and then sat down at his cue. "Things didn''t go quite as planned."


    "Did the Yun Zou Sect get into trouble?"


    "Not the kind of trouble we imagined." Liu Cheng sighed and then started to summarize what had happened while he and the other disciples were visiting.


    Xian Xun stayed silent for a while before he sighed. "So they are likely harboring two demons and are refusing to let us investigate."


    "Yes. And even the Liu He Alliance''s people interfered. I can''t understand what that is about. This doesn''t concern them."


    "Indeed. But you said that one of the demons was the same person that had traveled from the Yun Zou Sect to the Liu He Alliance previously. Maybe they made some kind of deal or that creature managed to bewitch Alliance Head Hua. It''s not impossible. Even a high level doesn''t make one immune to this kind of thing."


    "Well, that would be one possibility. But what should we do now? We have always had a good relationship with the Yun Zou Sect. I don''t think ¡­" He trailed off, looking at his Master with his brows furrowed.


    He didn''t want to have to fight against somebody who was their friend. Even if they had sheltered that demon, they might have done so unknowingly. And if somebody got caught in a demon''s lies, it was hard to get out of them again. So it was better to somehow get to these demons and take them away without implicating the Yun Zou Sect. Unfortunately, doing this kind of thing also wasn''t easy.


    Xian Xun leaned back and crossed his arms in front of his chest, silently pondering. Since Liu Cheng hadn''t been able to enter the array, there had to be some trick as to how to get in. But if Yuchi Bing Xia and Zhangsun Xun Yi weren''t willing to cooperate with them, there was no way for their people to got in and take care of this matter quietly. To do so, they would need to get some information about that array first.


    "I guess we''ll have to take a chance this time."


    Liu Cheng raised his brows. "What do you mean, Master?"


    "We will have to ask somebody about that array first but I''m afraid that the disciples of the Yun Zou Sect won''t be willing to tell us anything. Since the Sect Master and the Grandmaster have already been bewitched by these demons, they will have instructed them not to speak about it either. We can only use somebody who doesn''t know about the situation yet and might be willing to give up some information."


    "A disciple that was out on a mission? I''m sure there should be some but how will we know where they currently are and if they haven''t been contacted by their Masters?"


    Xian Xun shook his head. "There''s no way to know. But isn''t there still another person that might have some information?" He looked at his disciple intently but Liu Cheng''s gaze darkened.


    "But how can we be sure that he will tell us the truth? He also isn''t ¡­ completely human. Lying is second nature to them."


    His Master nodded but still got up. "Indeed but I''m sure there are some things that he wants. We will get the information from him in exchange and make sure that he has said the truth. If he hasn''t ¡­ Well, a liar shouldn''t be given any benefits, should he? Anyway, this is our best bet."


    Liu Cheng nodded and also got up, following his Master out of the study and over to the entrance of the dungeons. By now, they had strengthened the guard around the parameters. They still weren''t sure how that Bai Mu had been able to escape but they certainly wouldn''t allow another person to get out of here. Thus, there were more disciples standing guard now and some more things that could repel demons. They had even added some traps that only a few select people knew about to make sure that nobody would be able to go in or out if they didn''t know the way. In the worst case, even if somebody managed to get halfway, it was still likely for them to die. These demons couldn''t be let out ever again or it would be the innocent humans suffering again.


    The two of them made their way over to the place where Bai Mu had been imprisoned before. The demons looked up, their gazes not too happy to see these two people. Even if they didn''t know too much about the Chun Feng Sect, they still knew about these two. After all, Xian Xun and Liu Cheng would make sure that everything was in order in the dungeons every now and then. More than once the attempts of one of these demons to break out had been found by either one of them. Naturally, they weren''t happy to see them now.


    The Sect Master''s gaze swept over the demons before it fell on a man weakly leaning against the wall in the corner of the cell. "It''s probably your lucky day. There are some things we''ll have to talk about."


    The man didn''t react, very much like the time when Qiu Ling and the others had gone to get Bai Mu out. It was as if he couldn''t even hear what was going on around him.


    The demons next to him exchanged some glances as if trying to find out whether this ''lucky day'' was indeed something serious or if this was just that Sect Master being sarcastic. Unfortunately, they couldn''t really figure out what he meant so they didn''t know for sure whether it would be a good idea to try and make use of the situation.


    Liu Cheng took out a key and opened the door to the cell. He motioned at two disciples standing guard and had them drag the man out of the cell. The demons watched the process, exchanging glances once again. In the end, they quietly stayed where they were. Now that they were in this kind of place with their strength already waning, they definitely wouldn''t be able to get out with these people around. It seemed that they would need to wait even longer for their chance to come.


    Meanwhile, the two disciples dragged the other man out of the room and into a small chamber not far from them, trying him to a chair.


    Liu Cheng and the Sect Master sat down opposite him and gave him a look. Xian Xun even smiled. "I''m sure you will be happy to hear about what we''re going to talk about."


    The man still didn''t react as if he was already dead to the world.


    Xian Xun didn''t mind. He just continued to smile immediately. "What is it? You don''t want to hear about it? Ah, but this actually has to do with the Yun Zou Sect. Wouldn''t you like to hear about that, Zhi Wu?"

 Chapter 851 - Nothing to Say

    The man smiled. "What is Sect Master Xian''s meaning? You wouldn''t want to let me go home, would you? Otherwise, I really don''t have any need for these ''news''." His voice sounded hoarse from the years he had spent in the dungeons without uttering a word.


    Really, what was this man thinking? He wouldn''t be so dumb as to trust him after they had imprisoned him for so long. Where had his compassion been all these years? When he had asked for any news on the Yun Zou Sect in the beginning, when he had begged them to let him go or at least sent a message so Xiao Fang wouldn''t worry ¡­ He had only been met with silence. Now, he suddenly wanted to talk? This was ridiculous!


    Xian Xun still maintained his own smile, not in the least worried about Ma Zhi Wu''s rejection. There was something this creature wanted. As long as he was willing to negotiate it, he would definitely win this gamble. "Zhi Wu, aren''t you interested at all? This is about the people you claim to regard as your family, after all. Wouldn''t you like to know if they were in danger?"


    Ma Zhi Wu gritted his teeth. Danger ¡­ Naturally, he would want to know. But what could he do? Even if he knew, he could only stay here and worry. How would that help them? And if he gave in to Xian Xun ¡­ Who knew what would happen then? Most likely, one of his martial brothers or sisters was suspected to be a demon as well. If he answered any questions, he might condemn them to the same fate he was currently suffering. How could he let that happen?


    Seeing his expression, the Sect Master smiled and then glanced at his disciple.


    Liu Cheng nodded and leaned forward, giving Ma Zhi Wu a worried look. "Since we have gotten involved you can probably guess what has happened. It''s true: Two demons have surfaced in the Yun Zou Sect. We don''t know what their goal is yet but we certainly won''t let your martial brothers and sisters suffer. We only need a bit of information to make sure we can subdue them without anybody else getting hurt. I''m sure you would also want that."


    Ma Zhi Wu glanced at Liu Cheng with disdain. "Your dungeon might be corroding my strength but it hasn''t attacked my brain. Do you really think I''m an idiot? If you needed the information to quietly catch some demons, you would go to Sect Master Yuchi and ask him. Since you haven''t ¡­ you probably mean to say that you''re suspecting two of our disciples and don''t want to be caught yourself when you kidnap them."


    "We would never do something like that. We don''t hurt humans."


    "Unfortunately, your definition of who counts as human is rather strict." He shook his head and turned away, falling silent again. It was just as he had thought. In that case, it was better to keep quiet, lest he unwittingly gave out some information that could be used against the others.


    Xian Xun furrowed his brows at this. "I had actually thought you had learned your lesson and were willing to make amends."


    Ma Zhi Wu snorted. Make amends ¡­ What amends could he make for his blood? The Chun Feng Sect would never let him go. Not as long as he wasn''t able to change his race. This sly fox was just trying to make him give up what he wanted to know.


    Watching Ma Zhi Wu''s expression, it was obvious that he wasn''t willing to step into his trap. In that case, it seemed he could only lower himself to really make a deal with a demon. "Alright. If you aren''t willing to help just on account of that small human part of your heart, I guess we will have to deal with you like a demon."


    Ma Zhi Wu closed his eyes. He wasn''t a demon. His ancestors weren''t real demons either. And not cooperating with the people that had imprisoned him for so many years didn''t make him a demon either. He was still a human. He just wasn''t stupid.


    "I''m sure there is something that you want. Why don''t you tell me and I''ll see if I can make it possible? Then you will tell me what I want to know in exchange. Doesn''t that sound like a good deal?"


    Ma Zhi Wu''s eyes cracked open. "Tell you what I want?" He opened his eyes completely and looked from Xian Xun to Liu Cheng and back again. "How about letting me out? I feel like I''ve been in here for long enough."


    Xian Xun looked at him as if he was pained. "I''m sorry but that is something that I can''t do. You would just hurt another human."


    "I have never hurt a human. Well, at most some demonic practitioners but that is what happens in the fight between sects."


    Xian Xun ignored his words as if he hadn''t said anything at all. "Choose something else."


    "Then I want to see Nian Hong Fang."


    Xian Xun furrowed his brows. "You really haven''t learned anything. The Grandelder''s disciple is the last person I''d let you see." Wasn''t that what he had just talked about? As soon as he let this demon out of the dungeon, he would go and hurt somebody again. The Grandelder''s disciple could really count himself lucky that he had been spared from needing to deal with this demon any longer.


    "Then I don''t have anything to tell you." Ma Zhi Wu closed his eyes. No, he wouldn''t give in. If he couldn''t see Nian Hong Fang, he wouldn''t give in. This was the only thing ¡­ the only thing that might make him betray somebody else. Maybe that meant he was just like a demon, willing to do anything if the price was right. But what could he do? He missed him and he was worried about him. Who knew how Nian Hong Fang had held up over the years? If he couldn''t see with his own eyes ¡­ How could he ever let go?

 Chapter 852 - Take a Gamble

    Xian Xun gritted his teeth. Nian Hong Fang was the person he wanted to separate Ma Zhi Wu from the most. After all, hadn''t the disaster in his own family occurred because the person accompanying him all these years had made him believe that he was a true friend only to turn out to be a demon instead?


    Back then, he shouldn''t have been surprised at that. This was what they loved to do the most: pretending to care for somebody only to stab them in the back the next moment. Ma Zhi Wu would do the same to Nian Hong Fang as soon as he reached whatever goal he had. It was good that the Chun Feng Sect had managed to expose him for what he was before that and separate the two of them. Otherwise, who knew what might have happened? With Nian Hong Fang''s personality, he might not be able to take being played like that. Even if he wasn''t killed by that demon, he might not be able to live afterward.


    There had been way too many occurrences of this very same thing. If he casually picked out ten people of their Chun Feng Sect and asked them what they had experienced that made them become a demon hunter, at least eight of them would probably say that they had experienced or witnessed something like this. It was just one of the favorite pastimes these demons had.


    But even though he didn''t like it, Xian Xun had to give in to Ma Zhi Wu this time. Otherwise, they would never receive the information they needed to catch the other two demons. Letting him get into contact with Nian Hong Fang just once was still much better than letting two demons ran rampant.


    Especially since these two seemed to have already made trouble in the Yun Zou Sect. One of them even had a person that believed to be their beloved fiance while the other one ¡­ Well, he didn''t know what exactly he had been up to but it couldn''t be anything good. The fact that he had managed to even rope the Liu He Alliance into this showed that he definitely wasn''t an easy opponent. They had to be extremely cautious with him.


    Fulfilling Ma Zhi Wu''s demand was still the lesser of two evils. Still, he should try to negotiate to diminish the harm Nian Hong Fang would receive as much as possible.


    Xian Xun sighed. "It is absolutely impossible for you to meet Nian Hong Fang."


    "Then I have nothing to say."


    "Not even if I allowed you to send him a message?"


    This time Ma Zhi Wu hesitated. He didn''t necessarily have to see him. Well, he did want to but he had known from the very beginning that it was unlikely for the Chun Feng Sect to let that happen. In that case, wasn''t it better to take the little they offered him? Even letting Xiao Fang know that he was still alive and that he hadn''t just run away would already be very good. At the very least, his Xiao Fang wouldn''t need to worry about him any longer.


    Still, Ma Zhi Wu didn''t believe that Xian Xun would be so nice as to actually let him contact Nian Hong Fang. He just wasn''t the type of person to do this. He would try to get the information and then refuse to honor his part of the bargain on the ground that he was a ''demon''. In that case, he couldn''t give in easily. He had to secure his side of the deal first. "How would I know that he really receives my message?"


    Xian Xun''s gaze darkened. "You do not trust my word?"


    Ma Zhi Wu just gave a slight smile. "The person who had me kidnapped and imprisoned for five years isn''t somebody I''d ever trust."


    Xian Xun sighed once again. "You really still don''t understand. It''s a pity but, well, since this matter is urgent, I won''t try to make you understand now. You will have more time for that later. As for that message to Nian Hong Fang, you can write a letter. One of our disciples will deliver it and then bring back his answer. Will that be good enough?"


    Ma Zhi Wu nodded. "It will." Anyway, he didn''t have another chance. Just being able to let Nian Hong Fang know about his situation and being able to receive something from him ¡­ That was more than he had ever had in these years. It was enough for now. Until they one day saw each other again.


    "Very well." He motioned for Liu Cheng to go and tell the disciples to bring paper and brush and then turned back to Ma Zhi Wu. "Then shouldn''t you tell me something?"


    Ma Zhi Wu raised his brows. "What should I tell you? I haven''t even thought of what to write him."


    "You don''t expect me to trust you, do you?"


    "You wanted me to trust you a moment ago."


    "This is different and you know it. Your kind always lies. So you will have to tell me what I want to know before I am able to have our disciple deliver the message."


    Ma Zhi Wu lowered his gaze to his tied up hands. This was what he had expected. Now what? Would they enter a stalemate where one side refused to believe the other side until nobody got what they wanted? That ¡­ Normally, he wouldn''t care. But with the sweet promise of being able to contact Nian Hong Fang, he didn''t want to let the chance slip through his fingers. He had to find some compromise.


    He exhaled lightly and looked back up. "Well, I guess it is either that none of us can get what we want or we will have to find some way that both of us will be satisfied. Considering that you consider yourself to be righteous, I should probably soften my stance and believe that you would honor your word if you swore, right? And considering that most of my blood is human, you should also be able to believe that I''m not completely evil. So how about a compromise?"


    "What kind of?"


    "You tell me first what this is about. I''ll give up some information, then I will write to Nian Hong Fang. When I get the answer, I will tell you the rest of what I know." This was a gamble. He couldn''t be sure that he wouldn''t accidentally reveal exactly what Xian Xun wanted to know in the first half. Even if he was cautious, it could still happen, and he didn''t believe for even a moment that Xian Xun wouldn''t break his promises. But this was the only thing he could do. He either gambled on it and won or he wouldn''t receive anything. But if he didn''t try he had already lost anyway. "So? What do you say? Is the deal on?"


    Xian Xun took a deep breath. He didn''t want to make a deal with a demon but he also knew that there was no other way. "Very well. We''ll do it that way then."

 Chapter 853 - A Piece of Information

    Ma Zhi Wu almost heaved a sigh of relief but he held back at the last moment. He couldn''t let Xian Xun see just how important contacting Nian Hong Fang was to him or that bastard might go back on his word after all. He just was like that. "So what do you want to know?"


    Xian Xun observed Ma Zhi Wu''s expression. Seeing him stay calm, he leaned back as if not caring any longer. "There are two things I want to know first: Do you know the disciple of Grandmaster Zhangsun and do you know about an array of your Yun Zou Sect?"


    "I do." That alone shouldn''t give anything away, right?


    "Then what can you tell me about these two things?"


    Ma Zhi Wu''s eyes narrowed. This was the moment where he had to be careful not to say too much. Each sentence he uttered might determine his future. He couldn''t give away too much but he had to make Xian Xun believe that he knew enough to make this worthwhile for him.


    "I met the Grandmaster''s disciple shortly after the Gathering of Practitioners. As for the array, it leads to another dimension."


    "What kind of dimension?"


    Ma Zhi Wu just smiled. "I won''t say more than that until I have Nian Hong Fang''s answer."


    Xian Xun stared at him. "Don''t you feel that this is too little? What makes you think I would let you contact him if you are only willing to divulge this much?"


    "We agreed that I would give you a bit of information before writing my letter and then the rest of what I know after getting his response. Since I don''t know what it is that you want to know ¡­" And anyway, he didn''t know much. He had only met Qiu Ling once and the few things he had heard about him since then would be hardly enough to be worth Xian Xun''s time. If he let him find out about that, he wouldn''t have any chance to get away from here.


    The Sect Master drummed the table. "I''m sure you can imagine that this is a little too vague for me to trust in you."


    "Then how about asking another question? I''m sure you can think of something." Whatever it was the Chun Feng Sect was after this time, there couldn''t just be these two questions. After all, finding out about the Grandmaster''s disciple shouldn''t be too difficult considering his position. Even if nobody in the Yun Zou Sect was willing to talk about it, the other sects would definitely want to gossip if they felt that they could make trouble for them.


    That array might be more difficult but it was something they''d still need to investigate for themselves in the end. After all, none of the disciples had ever entered the dimension on the other side. Even he had only been told briefly by his Master and no further information had been given even when he asked.


    In that case, there had to be other things if Xian Xun and Liu Cheng lowered themselves to come and ask him specifically. If they could get the relevant information in another manner, they certainly would have done so.


    Xian Xun continued to tap the table. Liu Cheng would probably be able to ask more specific questions considering what he had seen so maybe he should let him handle this. But he also didn''t want to alarm Ma Zhi Wu to anything he might try to hide because of that. It was best if they could gain more information from him. Then there seemed to be only one thing he could ask. "Do you know about a person with golden hair that resides in the Yun Zou Sect?"


    Ma Zhi Wu raised his brows. "There is indeed such a person." And it seemed that person and Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple might be the ones they were going after this time? And maybe they had somehow managed to get into that dimension and thus slipped through the fingers of the Chun Feng Sect? Ah, no wonder Xian Xun actually came to find him. He must be furious to suffer such a setback. He never was one to take these things well. Being outsmarted by somebody he deemed to be a demon ¡­


    "What do you know about that person?"


    Ma Zhi Wu gave him a smile that seemed to say ''Do you really want to ask that?'' and remained silent. Hadn''t they already been at that point?


    "You say you know both of them but you''re not willing to divulge anything further. Why should I believe that you really do?"


    Ma Zhi Wu nodded to himself. This might indeed not be enough to reassure Xian Xun. "Well, I can tell you one more thing: That golden-haired person is often together with another one of the disciples."


    "Which one?"


    "I won''t tell before I see Nian Hong Fang''s answer."


    Xian Xun tightened his lips and got up, leaving the room to speak with Liu Cheng who was still waiting outside for the paper and ink.


    "Did he say anything useful?"


    Xian Xun shook his head. "He''s too cautious. I''m afraid we''ll really need to let him write that letter."


    "Then Nian Hong Fang ¡­"


    "Don''t worry. We''ll think of something."


    Liu Cheng nodded and the two of them waited in silence. Finally, the disciple returned and bowed to them. Liu Cheng nodded again and opened the door, motioning for him to place everything on the table. The disciple left afterward while Liu Cheng went inside. He untied one of Ma Zhi Wu''s hands and then leaned against the door with his back, one hand on the hilt of his sword.


    Ma Zhi Wu glanced at him and snorted. Did they really believe he would try to run away? There as no way he would be able to do that, was there? Not from these dungeons, at least. No, it was better to just use what he had gotten and at least contact Nian Hong Fang for once. It was not much but it could at least ease his longing for a bit.

 Chapter 854 - A Great Feeling

    Back in the Nine Heavens, Qiang Yan had just arrived outside of the Temple of Medicine to wait for the God of Medicine to refine the pill for Nie Huang. Even though he still had to wait, he felt great right now. Ah, venting at least a bit of the anger his son had to feel had truly been the right decision! It suddenly made him understand just why his brother-in-law always wanted to interfere when anything happened with Jing He. That feeling of doing something good for your child was just too good!


    Speaking of which ¡­ Qiang Yan looked around but Bai Mu wasn''t there. He sighed. His son had probably returned to the dragon realm first to see Nie Huang. After all, he had come over here because of Leng Jin Yu, hadn''t he? If he could, he would spend every minute with his fiance.


    Qiang Yan went to a quiet place and took out his transmission stone, contacting Bai Mu. When the pale apparition appeared, he gave a smile. "Did you go back? Then greet Nie Huang for me!"


    "Mn." Bai Mu gave a smile in return and then looked to the side, tilting the stone a little so that the person next to him could be seen. "You can greet her yourself though."


    "Nie Huang." Qiang Yan nodded.


    "Father-in-law."


    Qiang Yan chuckled and then turned back to his son. Before he could say anything, Bai Mu spoke up though.


    "I hope you didn''t mind that I went to the dragon realm first. I''m still not used to the difference in time between the realms so ¡­ I didn''t want to let Nie Huang wait for too long." He reached over and interlaced his fingers with her. Yes, he never wanted to let her have to wait for him again. She didn''t deserve that. Once had already been one time too many.


    Qiang Yan nodded. "No, you did the right thing. The pill won''t be refined sooner just because you''re here. Just accompany her and wait for my news. I''ll bring the pill over."


    "Thank you."


    "It''s nothing." Qiang Yan shook his head and then sighed. "There''s something I feel like I should mention but ¡­ I''m not sure you want to hear."


    Bai Mu furrowed his brows. "What is it?"


    "In the Yun Zou Sect just now, do you want to know who the attackers were?"


    Bai Mu''s expression turned subtle. In fact, he didn''t need his father to say anything. The way he looked and with how he had hesitated about whether or not he should say this, he could already imagine. "The Chun Feng Sect?"


    "Yes." Qiang Yan nodded and tightened his lips. "They accused Qiu Ling of being a demon. Well, him and ¡­ that other person as well. That was why they originally got into that fight."


    "Were they hurt?"


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "No, neither of them. The same can''t be said of the disciples of the Chun Feng Sect though. They were a little battered afterward." He grinned but then forced the corners of his mouth back down. This wasn''t the moment for that. "Anyway, the two of them managed to make it to the array and got in there in time. The Chun Feng Sect tried but they were unable to get in."


    "Well, I expected nothing less of the array we made together."


    Qiang Yan laughed lightly. "Indeed. Well, your mother really knew about these things. If it was her ¡­" He sighed and shook his head. There was no use thinking about that right now. "I just thought you should know. The Chun Feng Sect still seems to be very active in the human realm."


    Bai Mu nodded. "Yes, and I''m afraid this won''t be the end of it. If they have latched onto Qiu Ling and ¡­ the others, then they''ll continue. They won''t rest until they haven''t caught them and put them behind bars."


    "I''m sure they''d love that. But it''s not that easy. Qiu Ling is the dragon king. He can''t be that easily defeated."


    Bai Mu narrowed his eyes, thinking back to the day when he had met Qiu Ling for the first time. "I wouldn''t be so sure about that."


    "Mn?"


    "Qiu Ling got me out of that dungeon. When he and the others arrived, he seemed ¡­ quite bothered. The dungeon is made to counter the power of demons."


    "Ah." Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. "Right. Even though it''s faint, the dragons were part of the demon race once. And with his strength, he might even be more affected than other dragons. But it shouldn''t be a problem outside of the dungeon, right? As long as he doesn''t go in there, he should be fine."


    "They have weapons with the same characteristics. As long as he is injured slightly, that might be enough to bring him down. Furthermore, even though Qiu Ling might be a good fighter, what about his lover? As long as they''re in the realm, it won''t make a difference. But as soon as they get out ¡­"


    Qiang Yan nodded and couldn''t help but glance at Nie Huang. His son''s fiance had already lowered her head, not looking too well. She probably blamed herself. After all, back then, the same thing had happened.


    He sighed. "I''d like to do something but the gods aren''t supposed to interfere in the mortal realm. Especially not for selfish reasons. And since this doesn''t concern Jing He but only his reincarnation ¡­" His brother-in-law wouldn''t give any command to interfere either. It was a pity. Right now, he''d really like him to be willful.


    Bai Mu nodded. "I can imagine. Well, I''d like to help them but there''s nothing I can do. I''d be even condemning them more. The only thing you could do would be to try and get people from the mortal realm to keep them occupied."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "People from the mortal realm ¡­" He didn''t know about that too much but maybe there were others who would. Maybe he should go and check as soon as the pill was finished.

 Chapter 855 - Who to Ask?

    Qiang Yan finally said goodbye to Bai Mu to let him have more time with Nie Huang. Before the pill was finished, it wouldn''t be a good idea to bother them too much. No, they would certainly want to spend as much time with each other as possible considering that they had missed out on so much before and still couldn''t be sure that things would work out. Well, hopefully, they wouldn''t have to wait much longer until they would have certainty.


    Qiang Yan put the transmission stone away and then went back to the place in front of the God of Medicine''s study where he had waited before. Leaning against the wall, his thoughts couldn''t help but travel back to the issue with the Chun Feng Sect. A trueborn god might not be able to interfere or at least shouldn''t do so but an ascended deity wouldn''t have the same restrictions.


    Naturally, Leng Jin Yu couldn''t be asked to do this. He would have to stay with his husband, especially if the Chun Feng Sect wanted to drag him out and imprison him. But there were other people in the Nine Heavens. In fact, in a place like the capital, the ascended deities might even make up half of the population. He could casually point at somebody and the chances were high for them to have ascended.


    It would be best if he could find somebody who hadn''t ascended too long ago though. In that case ¡­ maybe he should go and have a look at the youngsters in the courtyard of the idle gods? If he remembered right, then Leng Jin Yu had been friendly with a few of them. Maybe they would like to help him and his lover out a bit?


    Qiang Yan pondered but finally sighed and shook his head at himself. It was a good idea but it would be bad to involve too many people. Sure, he could just make this a mission for them but then what? If they found out about Jinde ¡­ It might not be very likely but it was a possibility. He couldn''t let that happen. He had to make sure that his nephew''s interests wouldn''t be impaired.


    But then who? Qiang Yan faintly thought of the two guards that were normally responsible for guarding Jing He''s palace but both of them were trueborn gods. In fact, that had been one of the reasons why they had been chosen: The Heavenly Emperor had thrown a fit and demanded that the people staying in proximity to his previous son could only be of unquestionable heritage. If somebody went back in the lineage of Mu Kun and Huang Lan, there might not be an ascended deity for the last five to ten generations!


    Unfortunately, he really couldn''t think of anybody who could be trusted not to jeopardize Jing He''s interests and would know about the situation in the human world. Ah, this really was maddening! Was there nothing he could do?


    He continued to ponder but he couldn''t think of anybody. Most people he associated with were in high positions. Not only weren''t they trueborn gods but they also couldn''t be tasked with something like this. It wasn''t like any of them would do him a favor just because ¡­


    Qiang Yan paused. Well, there was one person who might do him a favor. But Li Yin probably wasn''t the right person for this job. He did have some people in the mortal realm that dealt with people who were warranted to ascend but he likely wouldn''t have any information on the people of the Chun Feng Sect if this wasn''t true for any of them. And, well, cultivators and practitioners were still slightly different from the other people that were allowed to ascend and wouldn''t be under strict surveillance. But thinking of that ¡­ there was somebody who might be able to help him out.


    Qiang Yan smiled and then looked around, finally going back to the entrance of the Temple of Medicine. Anyway, it would still take a lot of time until the pill for Nie Huang was refined. He might as well go and have a small chat first. Before he went out, he did notify one of the physicians though so that somebody would have an eye on the study of the God of Medicine and come notify him immediately when the pill had been refined. Then, he made his way over to the palace of the Fate''s Scribe.


    Seeing Qiang Yan walk in, Shun Tao''s expression was slightly strained. He didn''t know why the God of War had come by but he didn''t have a good feeling about this. Something about this guy''s expression was just off.


    Qiang Yan didn''t mind the cross look at all and just went over to Shun Tao''s desk and took a seat. "Fate''s Scribe. We haven''t seen each other in a while."


    "Mn." Shun Tao couldn''t bring himself to say anything else. Considering that he was still under house arrest because of the matter with the crown prince, he''d much rather not see anybody if he could prevent it somehow. Each person that walked through that door might just bring further trouble.


    Qiang Yan pretended that he didn''t know, leaned back and crossed his legs. "I''m sorry for bothering you but there''s something I''d like to know. Would you mind taking a look at some scrolls of fate for me?"


    Shun Tao forced himself to smile. He really wanted to ask of the God of War would leave immediately if he did that but he knew that it wouldn''t help. He could only deal with matters when they came. "Which ones?"


    "A few people of the Chun Feng Sect."


    Shun Tao''s brows twitched. "Why is it the Chun Feng Sect of all places? Don''t tell me Hong Bao has made trouble again?!"


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. So the Fate''s Scribe actually knew that she was in the Chun Feng Sect ¡­ "Eh, you wouldn''t actually have fallen in love with her, would you?" He couldn''t help but laugh at that notion. Ah, if that really happened ¡­ it would be way too amusing!

 Chapter 856 - The King of Our Allies

    Shun Tao''s lips twitched. Did this guy really think this was funny? "You''re thinking too much. Back then, it was me who got her involved in all of this so it was partly my fault that she was thrown out of the Nine Heavens as well. Naturally, I took a look at her scroll of fate to find out if she is doing well. If she wasn''t, I might have given her a hand. That''s all there is to this."


    Qiang Yan curbed his smile but the corners of his mouth were still faintly raised. "Well, it''s good if it''s like that. Just imagine you were in love with her but unable to see her because she was exiled." He gave a sigh and shook his head. "That would truly be too pitiful."


    "Yes, yes, enough of that. What do you want to know about the Chun Feng Sect?"


    "That''s a good question. In fact, I can''t answer it that well. You see the Chun Feng Sect currently has their eyes on the Yun Zou Sect."


    Shun Tao''s brows twitched. He hadn''t looked at the crown prince''s scroll of fate for a few minutes so he didn''t know what had happened in the last few days in the mortal realm. Don''t tell him ¡­ "Have they gotten involved in the crown prince''s fate?"


    Qiang Yan gave a wry smile. "Something like that. In fact, they are after the dragon king this time."


    "Then what does this have to do with us?"


    "Well, he is the king of our allies. It wouldn''t do to let this situation unfold."


    Shun Tao tightened his lips. He understood where the God of War was coming from but ¡­ "This still concerns the crown prince as well. I don''t mind helping out but I can''t decide on this alone. I''ll have to notify the Heavenly Emperor."


    Qiang Yan sighed. He had feared as much. Well, there was a slight chance that his brother-in-law wouldn''t let personal sensitivities cloud his judgment. "Alright, let''s go over then."


    Shun Tao raised his brows, got up and called one of the scribes over, asking him to go over to the Heavenly Emperor''s palace and ask whether or not he would be alright with receiving him.


    Qiang Yan awkwardly cleared his throat. Right. Shun Tao was still under arrest so he couldn''t just leave his palace whenever he wanted. Not even when it was to see the Heavenly Emperor himself. If he had already gone to see him today once, then he would have to ask whether he would be allowed to come over a second time.


    Shun Tao sat down again and the two of them waited for the scribe to return. The fate''s Scribe couldn''t help but ask a few more questions. "What exactly is the problem? Longjun should be able to deal with the people of the Chun Feng Sect himself. Why would he need our help?"


    Qiang Yan took a deep breath to calm himself. He was precisely afraid of people asking too many questions. "It''s not that he can''t necessarily. It''s just that I''d like to keep a situation from occurring. The Chun Feng Sect is specialized in hunting demons and as far as I know, the dragons would also be in danger when faced with this based on the fact that they originate from the demon realm. I don''t want any situation to arise.


    "The current Longjun has reigned for a very long time. He is very much beloved by his people so never mind the unrest that would arise if something happened to him, the relationship between the dragons and gods would also sour if they somehow find out that we had knowledge of him being in danger but stood by. If that happens, you can be sure that the demons will act."


    Shun Tao nodded slowly. That made sense. The only question was ¡­ "Will the Heavenly Emperor agree?"


    Qiang Yan smiled wryly. "Who knows? He''d probably like it if Longjun was imprisoned for a while but that''s something we can''t let happen. Whatever we do, we have to do something at least. Even if it''s just taking a look at a few scrolls of fate and providing the dragons with information they can use."


    Shun Tao nodded. That much should be alright even if the Heavenly Emperor was completely biased, right? If not ¡­ He sighed. "You shouldn''t have come to me. This makes the matter much too official."


    Qiang Yan gave another wry smile. "Believe me, I''d love to keep this under wraps as well. The more people know that there''s a situation again, the more dangerous it''ll be for both Longjun and our crown prince. I don''t want to see another situation of his reincarnation being taken hostage by the demons. It was our luck that Longjun managed to save him back then."


    "That''s true." Shun Tao furrowed his brows. What the God of War said made sense but who could say for sure what the Heavenly Emperor would do? His dislike for the dragon king was widely known. His temper was the same. When they went to tell him about this, he might just laugh and say that it served Longjun right. "Aren''t there two people of the dragon race stationed here? If the Heavenly Emperor doesn''t want to take care of the matter, maybe you should notify them."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Qiang Wei and Yi Zan, yes. That''s a good idea." These two were Qiu Ling''s advisers. They would definitely have his best interests in heart. The only problem was that they very likely didn''t know about the previous Longjun still being alive either. If they somehow found out ¡­


    Qiang Yan sighed and rubbed his face. Why was this matter so complicated? He just wanted to make some trouble for the Chun Feng Sect! Ah, was there nobody who knew about the situation with the previous Longjun and would be able to help him out? He pondered but before he could find an answer to that question, the scribe already came back, telling them that the Heavenly Emperor would receive them now.

 Chapter 857 - Where to Find Him?

    Shun Tao and Qiang Yan exchanged a glance and then went over to the Heavenly Emperor''s palace. Just as they had imagined, Rong Su was anything but thrilled when he heard about the situation.


    "Hmph. Why would I bother to help him? If he can''t even defend himself against a few humans, then the dragons should thank us for helping them to get rid of him."


    Qiang Yan repressed a sigh. "I don''t think that they''d appreciate that."


    "Well, then they should keep an eye on him themselves. Why should we do it?"


    "Because they are our allies." And he happens to be the fiance of your son ¡­ Qiang Yan kept the latter to himself and only gave a strained smile. He had feared that this might happen but he had hoped that his brother-in-law would be willing to work through matters on account of the relationship between their races.


    "Then tell them to pay attention to him. We''re not doing it for them!"


    Qiang Yan furrowed his brows. He really wanted to argue but he didn''t even know where to start. His brother-in-law obviously wasn''t willing to give in. "Well, if that''s your final decision."


    "It is! That guy can''t expect to rely on us all the time!"


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. When had Longjun ever relied on them? Normally, he was just doing whatever he wanted and didn''t even care about their opinion. Well, reminding his brother-in-law of that surely wouldn''t help the situation.


    He sighed and nodded. "Very well, then we''d better not disturb you any longer." With that, he turned and pulled Shun Tao out of the palace, slowly accompanying him back to where they had come from. "What now?"


    "Now, my hands are tied so you''ll have to figure out another way."


    Qiang Yan nodded slowly. "But what way?"


    "Well, you can still go and inform the dragons."


    "But what use will that be? They''d be in the same situation as him! And Longjun is the strongest fighter of his race. It''s not as if they could help him. They might drag him down instead."


    Shun Tao pursed his lips. "Not necessarily."


    "Mn?"


    "I mean if you go and notify the two that are currently guarding the crown prince''s body, yes, they wouldn''t be of much help. But doesn''t the dragon race still have a senior Xin Lan? Even though Longjun is officially considered their strongest fighter, I''m pretty sure he''d still lose out to him."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "That''s true." But to be honest, who wouldn''t? That Xin Lan was the only person alive who wasn''t affected by the curse so his strength was off the charts in comparison to others. He simply didn''t have a weakness like everyone else. Furthermore, he had lived for so long that the experience he had gained over time was probably more than all the Heavenly Guards together had. And even the current Longjun was a child to him.


    Speaking of which ¡­ Legend had it that he had been a staunch supporter of the past dragon king. From the beginning of his reign until the very end, he had always been there. It had probably been one of the reasons why Longjun Jinde had been able to reign for so long.


    Qiang Yan shook his head. No, what was he thinking? That man''s appearance belied his strength. Even without Xin Lan, he likely would have been able to rule the dragon realm for so long. Xin Lan had just been an added advantage. After all, that Senior Xin Lan certainly wouldn''t bow down to just anybody, would he? Since he had submitted to Longjun Jinde that was more than enough proof of how powerful Jinde actually was.


    Anyway, now that Shun Tao reminded him, there was indeed the option to contact Xin Lan. He had helped Qiu Ling previously and he had been close to the previous Longjun so would probably want to help him as well. In fact, he might even know about him being alive. Even if he didn''t ¡­ He might listen to him if Jinde told him not to interfere. It might still be a gamble overall but it was the one most likely to yield a satisfactory result. Since he didn''t have any alternatives ¡­ he should give it a try.


    That left only one question: Just where was Xin Lan right now? The last time he had seen him in the dragon realm. But who knew where he had gone by now? And with how elusive he was, he couldn''t be sure that anybody would be able to tell him. But maybe if ¡­


    Qiang Yan''s lips twitched and he turned back to Shun Tao, giving a nod. "Well, thank you for your help. I guess I''ll try to find out where Senior Xin Lan is then."


    "No problem. I wish you luck." Shun Tao nodded as well and then went alone back to his palace.


    Qiang Yan made sure that nobody was around before he took out his transmission stone. As for the person he contacted ¡­


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes. "Uncle-in-law, what is it?" He looked a little cross as if Qiang Yan had just disturbed him by something important.


    The God of War''s lips twitched. He could imagine just what kind of ''important thing'' that would be. "There isn''t much. I just have one question. If you can answer, I''ll immediately leave you alone again."


    "Then what is it?"


    "Do you know where Senior Xin Lan is? Or how to contact him?"


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes again. "How would I know?"


    "Then who does know?"


    "The old geezer maybe?"


    Qiang Yan sighed. "Then would you get him for me?"


    Qiu Ling glanced at the person in his arms. "Does that still count as part of the first question?"


    "You couldn''t answer it, could you?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "If you ask me, then ''I don''t know'' is also an answer." He still got up and kissed Jing Yi''s temple. "You ¡­ just train a bit on your own. I''ll be back in a minute."


    Qiang Yan tried to ignore these two lovers. He really didn''t have the patience for this!

 Chapter 858 - Longjun Jinde

    Qiu Ling went over to the rooms where Jinde and Leng Jin Yu were staying and opened the door without even knocking.


    On the other side of the transmission stone, Qiang Yan''s eyes bulged. This guy ¡­ he was really unafraid of everything, wasn''t he? Who would dare to barge into Jinde''s room like that? Actually, who would dare to barge into a married couple''s room? Who knew what they''d be doing?


    To both of their surprise, the room was empty though. Qiu Ling raised his brows and then went over to the door on the other side, stepping into the courtyard. Sure enough, Leng Jin Yu was sitting next to the lake.


    Qiu Ling went over and poked his shoulder. "My uncle-in-law wants to speak to the old geezer."


    Leng Jin Yu opened his eyes and looked at that so-called son of his with a complicated gaze. "He''s in there, healing. I don''t think you should disturb him."


    "I''m not the one disturbing him." Qiu Ling waved the transmission stone. "I''d much rather spend time with my beloved anyway."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I can imagine. Maybe I''d be able to help the God of War?" He didn''t know what this was about but he''d rather not disturb Jinde. It was important for him to finally heal his soul. If it could be achieved even a moment sooner, he would gladly make that happen.


    Qiu Ling stopped waving the stone and instead sat down next to Leng Jin Yu, turning it so that he could see it.


    Qiang Yan nodded at him. "Leng Jin Yu."


    "God of War. What might this be about?"


    "I only have a question. If you are able to answer it, I wouldn''t want to disturb Longjun Jinde."


    Leng Jin Yu''s smile grew a little strained. ''Longjun Jinde''. He had never heard anybody refer to him like that. It ¡­ felt strange. His gaze grew distant and he felt like he heard somebody calling from far away.


    "Longjun. Longjun!"


    "Mn ¡­" There was a hum that sounded very much like the teasing tone of Jinde. "Seems like work is calling again. What a pity."


    "Mn." He also hummed, a low tone that he couldn''t quite associate with himself but he had obviously been the one who issued the sound. Steps receded and finally, he sighed. "That robe looks good on you though." Most likely, the other person hadn''t heard it though.


    "Leng Jin Yu?"


    The call pulled Leng Jin Yu back out of his thoughts. He raised his brows and shook his head. "I''m sorry. What did you say?"


    Qiang Yan smiled wryly. He had never seen Leng Jin Yu like that. Was this what marriage did to a man? Had he also been like that back when ¡­ He cleared his throat and decisively pushed the thought aside. He still didn''t know what had happened to her. It was better not to dwell on it. "I was asking about Senior Xin Lan. Does he know about Longjun Jinde?"


    "That he''s alive? Yes."


    "Then do you know where he currently is?"


    "Not exactly but he''s somewhere in the mortal realm. He''s ¡­" He blanked and his expression turned awkward.


    "He''s what?" Qiang Yan raised his brows. How bad could it be?


    "He''s ¡­ romancing somebody." His lips twitched when he thought of how proudly Jinde had told him about this. He seemed convinced that things would work out very well between Xin Lan and that fallen god.


    "Ro¡­" Qiang Yan rubbed his brow. Alright, he could somewhat understand why Leng Jin Yu looked like that. "Well ¡­ He''s not married."


    Qiu Ling harrumphed. "No wonder. Who would want to marry him?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "Mn." To be honest, he didn''t doubt that Xin Lan would have several admirers that would be willing to marry him. He had some reservations against him but if he was honest, Xin Lan was a good-looking man. Even that half his face was habitually obscured by that mask didn''t change that. In fact, this look fit him quite well. It highlighted his mysterious side as one of the ancestors of the dragons. Some people would certainly like that type of look.


    The problem with Xin Lan was just that he was obviously uninterested. He only cared about Jinde. And winning against him ¡­ Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but smile at that thought. Maybe he was biased but he felt that it was almost impossible. Jinde was just ¡­ What wasn''t perfect about him?


    Ah, he already sounded like Qiu Ling.


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head at himself when he realized that and he got back to the topic at hand. "I don''t know too much about the situation, just that he promised that person something. It seems ¡­ he is attempting a trial as well." He kept the fact that the person in question was a fallen god to himself. Most likely, it would be troublesome if somebody found out. "I hope that''ll help you with finding him. I don''t know where exactly he is."


    Qiang Yan smiled wryly. "Well, I might be able to go and ask the Fate''s Scribe ¡­" But that would be a little embarrassing, right? Hadn''t he just said his goodbyes? "You wouldn''t be able to reach Senior Xin Lan somehow, would you?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. "Well, I guess I could. Wait a moment." He got up and looked at the lake. There was only one person that could contact Xin Lan at will.


    He jumped into the water and dived down, hovering in front of Jinde. When his lover cracked his eyes open, he motioned at the necklace he was wearing. Jinde glanced up at the edge of the lake where Qiu Ling and the transmission stone in his hand could be seen and nodded. He didn''t take the necklace off though. Instead, he hooked his finger at Leng Jin Yu.


    Leng Jin Yu tilted his head but still swam over and reached out to take it off himself. Jinde leaned forward and his lips brushed Leng Jin Yu''s cheek. He smiled, finally reaching up and taking off the necklace to hand it over to his husband.


    Leng Jin Yu took the necklace in a daze and looked at Jinde, wondering what this was about. Jinde reached out and touched his cheek before he closed his eyes again. Leng Jin Yu continued to float in the water for a moment longer before he pushed off the ground and broke through the lake''s surface. He took a moment before he went ashore, pondering by himself.


    Most likely ¡­ Jinde had wanted to apologize for how he had brushed him off before. Ah, there really was no need for that. It was obvious that he would be confused when he heard something about the time back then. There was nothing bad about that.

 Chapter 859 - He Would Be Disappointed He Hadn’t Seen

    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Even though he didn''t blame Jinde for his reaction and even felt that it was normal, he could understand why Jinde was worried. He had been through too many problems with Chun Yin. Becoming a little cautious wasn''t strange at all.


    Well, he could slowly make him realize that there was no reason to be so guarded. If he wanted to, Jinde could throw a tantrum every now and then. He wouldn''t mind. In fact, he would be happy if he did. When they were able to argue and then forgive each other, they were obviously at the point where nothing would be able to separate them anymore. But there was no use in worrying over that right now. That point would naturally come when they spend more time with each other and got as familiar with each other in this life as they had been in his past life.


    Leng Jin Yu raised the necklace and imbued his spiritual energy. As usual, the response was almost instantaneous. The stone lit up and Xin Lan''s face appeared, a light in his eyes that immediately dulled when he saw Leng Jin Yu.


    "Why do you have His Majesty''s necklace?"


    "I borrowed it for a moment."


    "Why?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at him, feeling a bit of unwillingness well up inside him. He pushed it back down, telling himself that they didn''t have any bad blood between them. Xin Lan might be hostile toward him but he loved Jinde just as much as he did. They were on the same side. And Xin Lan had never done anything to him. On the contrary, he had helped him back when Qiu Ling attacked him. So why should he respond with the some hostility? Maybe Chun Yin would have done that but not he. He had no reason.


    Leng Jin Yu held the stone to the side so that Xin Lan was able to see the situation behind him. "The God of War contacted Qiu Ling. It seems that he wants to talk to you."


    Xin Lan looked at Qiu Ling who was still holding the transmission stone with an annoyed expression. "What does he want?"


    "He didn''t say and I didn''t ask. Should I?"


    "Otherwise, I won''t know what is up, will I?" Xin Lan''s brows furrowed. Just when he wanted to scold the person on the other side further, there was a tug on his sleeve. He looked down and found himself faced by a pair of dark eyes.


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched. "What?"


    Leng Jin Yu glanced over but Xin Lan wasn''t even looking at him.


    The conversation on the other side continued. "Let go."


    The person in question didn''t even think of it. Xin Lan''s brows drew together once again and he tugged on his own sleeve to pull it out of Xiang Yu''s fingers. Unfortunately, it was to no avail. Who knew how the little one had done it but his fingers were tightly entwined with the fabric. Xin Lan also didn''t dare to use too much strength. If he did, wouldn''t the whole family come running again to see what had happened to their little darling? Then he''d have to hide again.


    Leng Jin Yu looked away and finally sat down next to Qiu Ling again, tilting the stone so that Xin Lan would be able to see the God of War as soon as he paid attention again.


    Qiu Ling also cooperated and tilted the stone in his hands. Then he stared at Xin Lan, blinking his eyes. He did want to return to his beloved as soon as possible but ¡­ this was quite intriguing. What was the guy doing?


    Qiang Yan also couldn''t make sense of what was going on on the third side of this conversation and could only hesitantly call out. "¡­ Senior Xin Lan?"


    "Mn?" Xin Lan looked up, finally ignoring the child that still clung to his sleeve. Anyway, it wasn''t a problem as long as the family didn''t come running. "What is it?"


    Qiang Yan cleared his throat. "Well, I was wondering if you would be willing to lend a helping hand in a slightly troublesome matter."


    Xin Lan tightened his lips and glanced at the child again. "I''m on vacation."


    Qiang Yan stared at him in a daze. Was it really alright to brush him off like this? "Don''t you even want to know what this is about?"


    Xin Lan sighed. "Then tell me already. I don''t have much time."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows and glanced at the lake. Jinde would probably be disappointed when he found out that he had missed out on this conversation.


    "Do you know about the realm where Longjun is staying?"


    This time, Xin Lan raised his gaze back to Qiang Yan and it stayed there. "What about it?"


    "The Chun Feng Sect is investigating. They have weapons that are specialized for the purpose of hunting demons. I''ve heard that they are also able to affect the dragons."


    "Mn." Xin Lan frowned. He couldn''t help but think of his Master. Right now, his soul wasn''t healed. If they somehow surprised him ¡­


    Leng Jin Yu looked from one person to the other and cleared his throat. "The demon king also should have found out that we''re here. He tried to open the array."


    Xin Lan stared at Leng Jin Yu. "He ¡­ He didn''t succeed, did he?"


    "Of course not. I also doubt he''ll manage to do it but it''s troublesome."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Especially with two sides trying to get in. I had hoped that Senior Xin Lan would lend a helping hand in giving the Chun Feng Sect something else to do to worry about. I''d do it myself but the gods aren''t supposed to interfere with mortal life outside of their trials. Since this also concerns Longjun I thought ¡­"


    "Mn. I know. I''ll take care of them." He definitely couldn''t let them continue. Even if they couldn''t get into that array, his Master might worry if he knew that somebody was trying. In that case, it was better to make these people disappear.


    Qiang Yan stared at him, unsure if he had understood right. "I ¡­ I thought it might be enough to investigate them and find some dirt on them. Then we could spread the information to the people it concerns and let them deal with it. It''s always better to let the mortals deal with these things alone. There''s no need to be radical."


    Xin Lan glanced at Qiang Yan and then at the person next to him. "Well ¡­ that''s also right. Alright, I''ll take care of it." He cut the connection of the transmission stone and then turned to the child. "Well, now you''ll really need to let go."


    In response, the child hugged his wrist and blinked his eyes, as if making fun of him.

 Chapter 860 - Not Letting Go

    Xin Lan and the child entered a staring contest. In the end, it was the dragon that looked away. This thing wasn''t playing fair. Those eyes weren''t anything such a small child should have. Instead, they looked a lot like the ones of the fallen god he had originally been.


    He sighed and patted the child''s head. "Don''t be like this. Didn''t you agree to let me do other things first and only accompany you when you became an adult? You''re still many years off so don''t complain now. Something has happened and my Master''s recluse is in danger. I''ll have to go and take care of the people bothering him."


    The child continued to stare.


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched. "A beauty shouldn''t be harassed." He glanced at the child. "Anyway, didn''t your brother come back from his mission yesterday? Why don''t you go and annoy him?"


    The child didn''t bother about answering him. Anyway, it couldn''t speak yet.


    Xin Lan sighed, got up and picked up the child. He hated children. This one ¡­ it wasn''t quite as bad but it was still annoying. Especially since it didn''t seem to be a normal child.


    Whatever Tian had done to have this fallen god experience his trial, Xin Lan felt that this so-called ''highest god'' had fucked up pretty bad this time. Obviously, this thing had retained some awareness from its previous life. By now, he was quite sure that no memories were left though. Otherwise, this guy would be behaving differently.


    Xin Lan carried him over to the chambers where the older brother lived and carefully looked around. When he first arrived, the people of this Hua family had been all over this child, their brain cells apparently reduced by half. By now ¡­ well, they were still all over the child but their heads were right again which made this whole thing troublesome.


    They would notice when he came too close. Being in the same room was completely impossible. Even being on the other side of the estate could prove difficult if he wasn''t extremely careful. In fact, when he had used that transmission stone just now, that had been dangerous. But he couldn''t care less. If his Master was in danger, he had to know immediately. Everything else was secondary.


    They reached the door to Hua Lin Rong''s chambers and Xin Lan bent down. He looked at the child that earnestly held onto his sleeve and pointed at the door. "Go and bother your brother. I''ll be back in a while."


    The child ¡­ continued to hold onto his sleeve.


    "Xiang Yu!" Xin Lan furrowed his brows and grabbed his sleeve, trying to wrest it out of the child''s hands. Just when he managed to pry one of his hands off, the little one pulled the sleeve closer with the other hand and bit down on the fabric. Then he blinked his eyes. Xin Lan looked at him in defeat. Sure enough, a shameless person couldn''t be beaten with ordinary means.


    He sighed, took out a dagger and then cut off the corner of his sleeve. "Take that and let me leave already! Your brother is inside. Go and bother him." With that, he got up and turned around while putting away the dagger. Then he left without a gaze back.


    The child reached out, trying to reach the hem of his robe but his arms were too short and he couldn''t grasp it. He held onto the piece of fabric in his hands and then his eyes welled up in tears. His face scrunched up, he sniffed and then wails sounded in the Hua household, alarming all the family members and servants.


    "Hua Lin Yu!" The first one to rush out was his older brother. He almost stumbled over the little one sitting in front of his door and just barely managed to hold onto the door frame. He looked at his little brother incredulously but then scooped down, pulling him into his arms. "Xiao Yu, what happened, huh? Why are you here? Who made you cry?" He peered into his face but the child just continued to cry while holding onto that piece of fabric.


    Hua Lin Rong furrowed his brows and then gently tried to pry the fabric away from his brother. Hua Lin Yu, in return, only started to cry louder. As if he had burned himself, Hua Lin Rong let go and patted his brother''s back. "Ah, I''m sorry, Xiao Yu! Don''t worry. I won''t take it away from you. Big brother just wanted to have a look at what you have there. It looked really pretty."


    The crying quieted down slightly but the child still didn''t stop. Hua Lin Rong felt distressed. His poor brother! Just what had happened to distress him so much?


    Finally, their parents also arrived, bending over their youngest child to see what was wrong. Seeing his lovely face all scrunched up, they looked at their older son with worry. "Just what happened?"


    "I don''t know. He''s been clinging to that piece of fabric the whole time and didn''t want to let go. Other than that ¡­" Hua Lin Rong could only shrug his shoulders.


    The parents shared a look but also couldn''t figure out what was happening. Since he was clinging to it, it should have something to do with that piece of fabric.


    Hua Ning Shun looked at his wife. "Don''t you think it looks as if it was cut off from something? It''s fraying at the side."


    Fa Min Juan nodded. "You''re right. And there seems to be an embroidery on the other edge?"


    The two men looked and couldn''t help but agree. It was a little hard to find out anything more though. After all, the little one still didn''t want to let go. Once again, the Hua family was faced with a mystery concerning their youngest child.

 Chapter 861 - Delivering a Letter

    At that time, a dark-clad messenger arrived at the gates of the Yun Zou Sect, cupped his fists and bowed to the disciples guarding the entrance. "Greetings. I came to deliver a letter to the disciple Nian Hong Fang." The messenger took out a letter and showed it to the disciples.


    The two of them exchanged a glance and then nodded. "Very well, I''ll bring you." The one on the left waved and the messenger followed him into the sect grounds and to the palace of the Grandelder.


    Nian Hong Fang was currently helping the Grandelder process some materials for a pill that he wanted to refine. Sorting the herbs, cutting off what they didn''t need, pressing the berries for their juice, ¡­ All these small tasks took a lot of time but were necessary to refine the pill. Very often, they would give them to the younger disciples for them to learn but this time, the Grandelder was attempting a new recipe so they couldn''t allow for any mistakes. That was why he let his own head disciple do this. He didn''t worry that Nian Hong Fang would have trouble doing this.


    Even though the Grandelder thought so, Nian Hong Fang''s thoughts weren''t as undisturbed as they probably should be. After the Sect Master promised to take care of the matter with Ma Zhi Wu but then didn''t deliver on that promise, he couldn''t help but think about his lover more often. Especially so when he did something that reminded him of Zhi Wu.


    Right now, his thoughts also couldn''t help but drift back to the time more than five years ago. Back then, he had also been doing these kinds of small tasks for his Master every day.


    Every other day, the door would open and Zhi Wu would step in with an embarrassed expression. He would rub his neck and then come over and lean against the table next to him. He would watch him for a few minutes before he leaned closer and peered into his face raising his brows. ''What are you doing?'' would he ask.


    Then Nian Hong Fang would smile and say, ''Just a few tasks for my Master.''


    Ma Zhi Wu would nod and fall silent once again. Then he would clear his throat. ''Is it very important? Like, something that can''t wait?''


    Nian Hong Fang would glance at him and then shake his head. ''If there''s something, just tell me. I''m just preparing some things. Helping somebody else is much more important than that, isn''t it?'' Then he would push away what he had been doing and turn around to Zhi Wu.


    Normally, Zhi Wu would show him some kind of injury that he had gotten and that needed to be treated. Well, at the very least, that was what he said. With all the experience Nian Hong Fang already had, he was able to see that most of this was just made up. The injuries were never too bad and with Ma Zhi Wu''s superior body constitution, he wouldn''t have any trouble continuing to train with these injuries. But he would still come over with every little thing for sure.


    He was ¡­ just searching for an excuse to come and see him. It was so painfully obvious that Nian Hong Fang had never been able to bring himself to tell him. He just let him go on and pretended to earnestly treat his so-called wounds.


    Nian Hong Fang sighed and shook his head. Zhi Wu had already been gone for so long. Why did he still insist on waiting for him and thinking of him whenever there was an opportunity? Wouldn''t it be better to let go and move on? It only hurt to think of this time when they had still been happy, seeing each other every day for such simple, made-up reasons. Now, he was all alone and could do nothing but wait. That truly was torturous. He really wanted to end it. But he couldn''t bring himself to do that.


    After waiting for five years, he felt that if he gave up now, he would''ve done all of that in vain. Each moment of heartbreak would just turn into him being a lovelorn idiot. So since he had already waited for five years, why not wait for another five? Surely, Zhi Wu would one day return to him. Hadn''t he always done so?


    Just when Nian Hong Fang grabbed a flower and wanted to pick the petals for the pill, the door was opened and a disciple walked in, clearing his throat. "Senior martial brother Nian, there is a messenger with a letter for you."


    Nian Hong Fang looked up in surprise, his heart giving the usual thump of hope. He knew it was futile but he still motioned inside. "Send him in then." Anyway, he had no reason to refuse the person entry. And maybe, just maybe his heart wasn''t thumping in vain this time. Maybe this would be what he had been waiting for.


    He sighed to himself at that thought and put away the flower, going to meet the person halfway. Anyway, he hadn''t been very focused. He might as well take a short break and see what this was about before he continued lest he made a mistake and cost his Master precious resources and time.


    A man in a dark robe walked in while the other disciple excused himself and left. The man handed the letter to Nian Hong Fang. "Your reply is expected."


    Nian Hong Fang took the letter while glancing at the man but the person''s expression stayed blank. There was no way to glean anything from it. Maybe he didn''t even know anything about the contents. Well, it seemed he would have to see what the letter was about for himself.


    Nian Hong Fang opened it and then stared at the paper in a daze when he saw the handwriting inside. The characters were big and a little unruly as if their creator couldn''t be bothered to properly write everything down. As if his hands weren''t made for this kind of delicate task and should instead be used for something that would need strength instead.


    This was precisely the handwriting he had waited to see for five years. This letter had been written by Ma Zhi Wu.

 Chapter 862 - Unable to Say

    Nian Hong Fang''s hands trembled. He gulped and rubbed at his eyes to wipe away the tears that threatened to spill over. Zhi Wu ¡­ After such a long time, there was finally a sign of life from him.


    Nian Hong Fang took a deep breath and raised the letter. He held it a little further away to make sure that his tears wouldn''t smudge the ink. He didn''t want to lose out on even a single character. He wanted to appreciate every single stroke of it. He finally wanted to feel just a little closer to Zhi Wu.


    Merely looking at the first few words tugged at his heartstrings, ripping open the wound that Zhi Wu''s disappearance had torn back then.


    ''Xiao Fang, I''m sorry for only writing to you now. I wish I was able to explain myself to you, to tell you about everything that has happened in this time, and show you just how much I love you. Unfortunately, my circumstances aren''t too well and my wishes can''t be fulfilled at this moment. I can only hope to one day have the chance to return to your side and tell you to your face.''


    Nian Hong Fang''s brows furrowed slightly. What did he mean? Which circumstances was he in? What had happened to him? And why couldn''t he return right now?


    He glanced at the messenger that was still standing to the side, waiting for his answer. The man was looking straight at him as if he was observing his every reaction. Nian Hong Fang shuddered but tried to keep the reaction hidden. He didn''t have a good feeling about this.


    He forced a smile and cleared his throat to make sure it wouldn''t sound hoarse because of his unshed tears. "You wouldn''t happen to know where this letter came from, would you?"


    "Have you finished reading it?"


    "No ¡­ not yet."


    "Then you should do that." The man didn''t even blink. He just continued to stare at Nian Hong Fang.


    Nian Hong Fang looked back at the letter with a complicated expression. The man hadn''t said that he didn''t know, he had just told him to get back to reading. This probably meant that he knew very well but didn''t want to tell. Could it be ¡­ was Zhi Wu in trouble? In even deeper trouble than he had thought?


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head and continued to read. If there were any hints, he would only be able to find them in these lines.


    ''I hope you are doing well and haven''t missed me too much. Well, actually, I sometimes selfishly hoped that maybe you missed me a lot after all. That way, things might be able to return to how they had been if I am able to return. I would like that very much.''


    Able to return ¡­ He had once again phrased it so strangely. Something definitely had to be wrong.


    ''Xiao Fang, I''m afraid there isn''t much else I can write right now. The things I''ve experienced, in fact, there isn''t a lot. Every day seems the same: Seeing the same things, hearing the same things, feeling the same things.


    It''s so monotonous I sometimes feel like it would be better to just end it altogether. The only thing making me hold on is the thought of you. Being able to write to you now is like taking a burden off my shoulders. At least now I don''t have to fear that you''ll think I might have forgotten all about you. Please never question this. You are on my mind every day.''


    Nian Hong Fang smiled lightly and brushed the words with his fingertips. On his mind every day ¡­ He could only return those words. For him, not a single day had gone by when he didn''t think of Zhi Wu either. He really would have liked to be able to see him in person today but, well, for the time being, this letter would have to be enough.


    ''What I have to write next might seem strange to you. Please don''t think too much. My life isn''t in jeopardy right now.''


    Nian Hong Fang shook. Not in jeopardy right now? Did that mean ¡­ he had been in that situation before? Or maybe he didn''t know if it wouldn''t happen in the near future?


    His hands tensed and he almost crinkled the paper. He had to take a deep breath to calm himself before he could continue to read.


    ''It''s just that there are some difficulties. Because of that, I am afraid they will exchange the letter I wrote for something else. To make sure that the words I wrote will really reach you, I ask you to write your reply on the backside of the scroll. That way, I will be able to check if they have changed anything. Naturally, I can''t be sure they won''t change your response either but I can only hope they will be honorable enough to not deprive me of this small happiness.''


    Nian Hong Fang''s brows drew together. They? Could it be that somebody was holding him captive? But who?


    He blankly stared at the letter and then glanced at the dark-clad messenger. This man knew something but wasn''t willing to say it. He was probably part of the people that were doing this. Now, what? This man certainly wasn''t here just to get his reply and deliver it back. No, if that was the case, he would have left the room and waited outside for him to read and reply so as to give him a bit of privacy. But he hadn''t so that could only mean that he was here to keep an eye on him.


    Just what had Zhi Wu gotten himself into?

 Chapter 863 - A Hidden Meaning

    Nian Hong Fang was unsure what to do. There was finally a sign of life from Zhi Wu but the things he wrote made him believe more and more that his situation was indeed bad. He couldn''t return, most likely because somebody was keeping him from doing so and not because he didn''t want to.


    Unfortunately, there was no clue in the letter as to where he was held and who the person or the people doing this to him were. The only chance to find out something would likely be though the man that had delivered the letter.


    But how should he go about this? He was aspiring to become an alchemist, not a full-fledged cultivator. He might be strong enough to follow this man but he wouldn''t be able to defend himself if he noticed him and they came to blows. He couldn''t risk that. Not only would Zhi Wu not want him to get hurt because of this, if something happened to him, it might also shatter the last hope Zhi Wu had of ever being set free. He couldn''t let that happen!


    Nian Hong Fang glanced at the man again. The guy had been closely watching him the whole time. Most likely, he wouldn''t let him go and tell his Master or anybody else about this and without the letter, he might miss out on some kind of clue. What to do about that?


    He would need to send the letter back as Zhi Wu had requested but he couldn''t follow the man himself if he didn''t want to make even more trouble. He also couldn''t notify anybody to follow him in his stead. It seemed that despite finally finding some information on what had happened to Zhi Wu, this would turn into a dead link in just a short amount of time.


    He couldn''t accept that. He definitely couldn''t let that happen! He needed to somehow find out where this man would go and also somehow preserve the information that Zhi Wu had given him.


    Nian Hong Fang stared at the letter, trying to come up with a way to achieve both purposes. Unfortunately, he could only think of gaining time by pretending to still be reading and then writing his response slowly. Maybe his Master or one of his martial brothers would walk in, then he could tell them about the letter. If the person in question was strong enough, then that messenger also might not be able to refuse to let them see the letter or have him explain. If not ¡­ well, he could at least try to signal them somehow that something was up. Hopefully, they would catch on and go and notify somebody.


    Nian Hong Fang sighed. Who would have thought he''d ever be in a situation where he would need to do something like this? He raised the letter again, once again glancing over the sentences he had read so far to make sure he hadn''t missed any clues. He couldn''t find anything though.


    As for the rest of the letter ¡­ It was basically Zhi Wu reminiscing and asking about the things going on in the sect. It made a smile return to Nian Hong Fang''s lips. Zhi Wu had always been like this: When outside, he would worry about the people left behind in the sect.


    On all his missions since they became a couple, he had always written back and asked about how things were going and when they were out together, they would talk about the others and he''d message his Master or one of their martial brothers. That had been one of the reasons why Nian Hong Fang had been so sure that something must have happened to him when he suddenly stopped writing five years ago.


    Nian Hong Fang lowered the letter and closed his eyes. Whatever had happened, Zhi Wu was still the same as before. When he found a way to return, things would go back to normal.


    Nian Hong Fang took a deep breath again and opened his eyes. He picked up a brush, ground the ink and turned the letter. Just before the tip touched the paper, he hesitated though. He had to write on the back of the letter but ¡­ that way, he wouldn''t be able to keep Zhi Wu''s letter. Up until now, he had kept all of them though. Zhi Wu also knew.


    Nian Hong Fang''s eyes widened imperceptibly. Could it be that this was a hidden message after all? Did Zhi Wu want to tell him something? He put the brush back down. He had to comply with Zhi Wu''s plea even if it was only to fool the people holding him captive. But ¡­ who said that he couldn''t also keep it?


    Nian Hong Fang smiled to himself and took out another paper scroll. He picked up the brush again and started to write his letter, seemingly casually glancing at the messenger. The man was still observing him, his brows lightly furrowed. He probably knew that he was supposed to write his response on the back of the letter. So that was why Zhi Wu had been worried. He had already anticipated that these people would read the letter and maybe change it.


    Nian Hong Fang retracted his gaze and added another sentence. Then he glanced at Zhi Wu''s letter and copied the first line. He returned to writing his own response afterward, only adding in another one of Zhi Wu''s lines after a few sentences. Only when he had finished copying all the lines from Zhi Wu''s letter, did he take another paper scroll.


    He glanced at the man again that was furrowing his brows further but still continued to write. Anyway, after five years, there were a lot of things he wanted to tell his lover. Only after another two filled pages did he put down the brush. He sorted the scrolls and then read through everything again. Unfortunately, even until now, nobody had come by. But, well, at the very least, he had managed to copy the letter and he could still make one last attempt on buying time.


    Nian Hong Fang picked the brush up again, turned around Zhi Wu''s letter and started to copy his own response. The disciple from the Chun Feng Sect frowned but there was hardly anything he could do. They needed the response on the backside of the letter or that demon in the dungeon wouldn''t accept it. He would need to wait until then, at the very least before he confronted Nian Hong Fang.

 Chapter 864 - A Harmless Beauty’s Plea

    Nian Hong Fang reached the end of the letter but still, nobody had come by. He couldn''t help but sigh. His luck really was too bad today. If he tried to buy even more time, that man would certainly try to keep him from doing so. Things might get ugly then and he wasn''t sure if he would be able to manage. If he couldn''t he might make matters worse, so it would be better to finish up with the letter to make sure things wouldn''t escalate and then take the next step from there.


    He folded the letter and put it back into the envelope, before getting up and walking over to the messenger. "Here. I''m sorry it took so long."


    The man looked at him and then glanced at the table. "What about that?"


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head. "I can''t send that. You see I haven''t seen him or heard of him for five years. Now, he finally wrote to me. I ¡­ I just want my response to him to be memorable. I don''t want to do anything wrong. I hope you can understand." He first lowered his gaze and then glanced up through his lashes, making the man in front of him tense up.


    Even though the disciples of the Chun Feng Sect hated demons and those that willingly associated with them, they were very apologetic to those that had been tricked. Looking at Nian Hong Fang with his small frame and that innocent smile, the disciple just couldn''t believe that this was a person that knew they were involved with a demon. Even if he knew, who could say how many lies he had been fed so that he would accept these circumstances?


    His icy expression thawed a little when he thought of that and he gave a curt nod to acknowledge what Nian Hong Fang had said. "That''s understandable." He looked at the letter in his hands, feeling regretful that it had to be delivered. Wouldn''t it be better if this person didn''t need to concern himself with that demon any longer? He waved the letter in the air, trying to come up with the right words but in the end, he still put the letter away and turned to leave.


    Nian Hong Fang reached out and grabbed his sleeve. "Ah, please wait!"


    The disciple turned back around and looked at him questioningly.


    Nian Hong Fang gave an embarrassed smile. He didn''t know if this man had felt touched because of what he said or if using his harmless appearance had indeed worked but he wouldn''t let an opportunity to get even a little closer to Zhi Wu slip through his fingers. "That ¡­ You''re going to deliver that letter to him, right?"


    "Mn."


    "Then you should know where he is."


    The man didn''t say anything and even wanted to turn away again.


    "I guess you can''t tell me." Nian Hong Fang let go of his sleeve and lowered his head. "That ¡­ That''s to be expected. I shouldn''t have expected too much. It''s good that I was even able to write to him once. I''m happy to hear that he''s alive and well."


    The demon hunter furrowed his brows. "You ¡­ You shouldn''t continue to wait for somebody who didn''t bother to contact you for five years. He''s not worth it."


    Nian Hong Fang lowered his head even further, afraid that his resistance would show on his face. "I love him. I always have and I can''t imagine to ever stop loving him. So even if he didn''t contact me for ten years or maybe even fifty years, my feelings still wouldn''t change."


    The disciple pressed his lips together. He couldn''t say that he was surprised. He had hoped that this person would see reason but most of the time, these people didn''t. They often believed that the so-called ''person'' they loved would be different, that they wouldn''t be like other demons, that they could and would change for them. But they were wrong. They always were.


    The disciple exhaled lightly. "Do you know what he is?"


    Nian Hong Fang looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"


    The demon hunter gave a wry smile. "So you don''t." He pondered if he should tell him but he didn''t have much of a hope that he would be able to wake this person up from his dreams. He was clearly too deeply involved already if he still hadn''t been able to forget that man even after five years. "Never mind." He turned around and wanted to stride out of the palace but once again, his sleeve was grabbed by Nian Hong Fang. When he glanced back, the other man was looking at him with eyes glimmering. He shifted uncomfortably and wanted to step back but Nian Hong Fang continued to hold onto his sleeve.


    "Can you really not tell me anything? What did you mean just now? Where is Zhi Wu? He ¡­ he indicated he was having some trouble. I''m worried about him."


    "You''re a good person." The disciple reached up and gently brushed Nian Hong Fang''s hand off his sleeve. "It''s still better if you don''t ask. If you can, stop thinking about him. He isn''t worthy of you. Not worthy of anyone. And even if you were willing to look past his sins, he can''t return."


    "What sins?"


    The man shook his head.


    "Then ¡­ Then can you do me another favor?"


    A beauty''s plea was always dangerous. The demon hunter sighed and tilted his head, at least agreeing to listen to the request.


    "Can you ¡­" Nian Hong Fang took something out of his bag and held it out to the man. "Can you bring this along with the letter and give it to Zhi Wu?"


    The man reached out and took the item, putting it into his robe without taking another look. "Mn. I''ll have to go now."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded and watched him leave. Then he rushed out himself, trying to tail the man from the distance while praying to the Heavens that nothing would go wrong and that he wouldn''t be discovered.


    It seemed that Heaven heard his pleas because Nian Hong Fang found some unexpected help just a few li away from the Yun Zou Sect.

 Chapter 865 - Rekindling the Old Flames?

    Back in the demon realm, Jin Ling was sifting through a few jade scrolls, his copper-colored brows scrunched up tightly. He had always paid more attention to things related to Alchemy than to setting up arrays so he could someday make Jinde proud. Thus he could only do a few basic arrays but that was it. Now ¡­ he had no idea what could be the issue with the one in the Yun Zou Sect.


    He threw the scroll aside and rubbed his forehead. Just what could the matter be? The array hadn''t reacted at all as if it wasn''t working in the first place. But he had seen how Jinde had vanished through it so that wasn''t possible. Maybe it was only supposed to work once? Maybe there was another array for exiting or another place from where that realm on the other side could be entered?


    He came up with more ideas the longer he thought about it. Unfortunately, none of them brought him any closer to Jinde. If there was another array, he would still need to find it. But back when he checked the Yun Zou Sect the last time, he hadn''t even found this array. And who knew if it actually was on the sect grounds? It might as well be somewhere else in the mortal realm. In fact, that was quite likely.


    But then what should he do?


    Jin Ling got up and walked over to the window, looking out at the sky. He just wanted to see him again. Nothing else. He would be happy as long as he could see him and have a chat. But he couldn''t find him. He just couldn''t find him. Even now that he had managed to find out where he was, they were still separated by one dimension. It was as if somebody was playing a colossal joke on him.


    Jin Ling continued to ponder but his thoughts still remained without success. It seemed that he wouldn''t be able to solve this crisis on his own. In that case, he could only rely on somebody else''s help. His thoughts churned again but this time he wasn''t pondering the array directly anymore. Instead, he thought about who would be able to find out more for him or maybe find a way to get into the realm. The person he thought of ¡­


    Jin Ling''s copper-colored brows twitched. There was indeed such a person in the demon realm. It was even somebody he knew quite well. Unfortunately, he didn''t know if this person would be willing to lend him a helping hand. After all, the matters between them ¡­ Well, he could hardly call them complicated but they weren''t too good.


    He hesitated for a while but thinking of how he might be able to reunite with Jinde if he did this, he just gave a sigh and then forced himself to leave his room and go to search for that man. Anyway, there was nothing he wouldn''t be willing to sacrifice to attain his goal. And as long as he was able to give that person what he wanted, there would certainly be a way to make this work out. He just had to coax him for a while to comfort his ego.


    Thus, in the end, Jin Ling found himself in front of a door in another part of the palace and knocked with a charming smile.


    Inside the room, the inhabitant''s gaze flickered and he stared at the door in confusion. He could clearly feel the energy emanating from the person on the other side of the door and he had no trouble recognizing just who this was. That begged the question of why he had come here? Could it have to do with what was happening in the demon realm recently?


    The demon finally walked over to the door and opened, leaning into the doorway and crossing his arms. "What a surprise. His Majesty actually comes to see me on his own volition. I truly wonder what circumstances I owe this honor to."


    Jin Ling''s smile brightened and he stepped closer, reaching out and putting a hand against the man''s chest. "Do I need a reason to come by?"


    The demon looked down at that hand and raised an eyebrow but didn''t do anything else. "I would almost believe this if you had done so back after I helped you ascend the throne. But coincidentally ¡­ you seemed to have almost forgotten about me for all these years. So you can''t say that it''s strange that I would be a bit baffled that something suddenly awakened these old memories."


    Jin Ling took another step, almost plastering himself to the other man. "I wouldn''t mind telling you. But why don''t you invite me inside for that? You wouldn''t want to talk about such things on your doorstep, would you?"


    The demon looked the corridor up and down and clicked his tongue. "Maybe that would be worth a try."


    Jin Ling gave a smile in response and then nudged the man''s chest. "Maybe it is but not now."


    "I guess you first want to talk proper business?" The man grinned and then motioned inside. "Well, luckily for you I''m not the resentful kind." He stepped out of the doorway and let Jin Ling into the room, closing the door behind.


    He couldn''t help but glance at him and size him up from behind. As for what he saw ¡­ He really liked it. Mn ¡­ although he was feeling a bit resentful over the fact that he had been pushed out of bed almost right after helping Jin Ling onto the throne, he still wouldn''t mind rekindling the old flames in exchange for helping him again.


    The two of them sat down and the demon gave a smile. "So, what is it that you want this time? Should I eliminate Yong Hai for you? That''s rather easy. I have some difficulty believing that you can''t deal with him yourself."


    Jin Ling blinked his eyes. Yong Hai? He tried to remember who that was and then gave a look of surprise. Ah, wasn''t this the guy who wanted to snatch his throne? He had already forgotten that there had been such a matter ¡­

 Chapter 866 - A New Deal

    Seeing the surprise on Jin Ling''s face the demon laughed. "Obviously, that''s not it." He leaned back and crossed his legs, admiring Jin Ling''s face for a while. "What''s the real reason then?"


    "Mn ¡­" Jin Ling leaned forward and propped up his elbows on the table, interlaced his fingers and rested his chin on top.


    The other man''s eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to seduce me right now?"


    Jin Ling smiled. "If I was trying, would it work?" He didn''t get an answer and could only sigh. It seemed there were still some hard feelings because he had ignored him for so long. "There''s indeed some matter I need your help with. It''s about an array."


    "Something you can''t solve yourself?"


    "Otherwise, would I be here? So how about it? Will you help me with this?"


    "What kind of help do you need? Creating one? Disabling one? Actually, what kind of array is it?"


    "One that is the opening to a realm tied to the human realm. Unfortunately, that array doesn''t quite seem to work. I need to get into that realm but ¡­ it doesn''t react even if I imbue my spiritual energy. What do you think could be the matter?"


    The man closed his eyes and pondered. "An array in the human realm ¡­ made by humans?"


    "I can''t say for sure. It might have been created by a dragon as well."


    The demon''s eyes cracked open. "By a dragon?" That really made him wonder what all this was about. What was in that realm for Jin Ling to actually come and see him just to get in there? It had to be important to him. But it shouldn''t be related to the throne. After all, he had been surprised when he mentioned Yong Hai. What then? As far as he knew, there was nothing Jin Ling was passionate about. He had only ever wanted to get that throne and hold onto it. So what could it be?


    Jin Ling smiled at that gaze. He lowered his hands and then got up, bridging the few steps that separated them, and clasping the demon''s shoulders. "Don''t think too much. Does it really matter what is inside? You just need to know that I want to get in and ¡­ that I would be willing to do anything for the person enabling me to do so." His lips curved up again and he leaned forward, their lips touching.


    The demon stayed quiet for a moment before he gave a hum. "I can take a look and try to find out what the matter is but I can''t promise anything."


    "That is already worth a lot." Jin Ling''s eyes narrowed. "I guess you won''t trust me and go to investigate first?"


    "Well, I don''t think we need to pretend that there was any deeper meaning to things back then. There was something you wanted and there was something I wanted. I helped you achieve your wish and you gave me what I asked for. I would have hoped for more but that wasn''t what we agreed on, was it? I can only blame my own lacking charms." He reached up and cupped Jin Ling''s cheek. "Anyway, this is a new deal. I don''t mind going to make some inquiries first."


    Jin Ling smiled happily and gave him another kiss. "You''re too good to me."


    The demon smiled back at him. "What can I say? I am a slave to beauty." He stroked his cheek and then brushed through his hair, admiring the way the fire made it glow. "And to me, you''re the most beautiful person I''ve ever seen. I''m willing to do quite a lot for you. Never mention something this simple."


    "Mn ¡­ That''s good then."


    "Then what if I can''t find anything?"


    "You''ll have tried. Actually ¡­" Jin Ling wrapped his arms around the demon''s neck and leaned closer, his lips brushing his ear. "Let me fulfill my part of the deal first."


    "Oh? How do I deserve that much goodwill?"


    "Well, let''s call it my show of good faith." He lightly bit the man''s earlobe, making him give a low laugh.


    "Alright. I like how that sounds." He got up and pulled Jin Ling into his arms. "Then ¡­ let''s go."


    Jin Ling narrowed his eyes and tugged at the man''s lapel, pulling it apart. His lips touched the tanned skin below while his hands roamed further down, opening the thin belt. He threw it to the side but before he could continue, he was picked up and carried further into the room.


    The man put him down on the bed and knelt above him with a smile. "I really can''t help but wonder what could be important enough for you to agree to this."


    Jin Ling grasped his neck and pulled him down. "I didn''t remember you being so talkative."


    "I''m not. Just curious. If I find out how to open that array ¡­ Would you mind if I took a look?"


    Before the man could ask any further, his lips were sealed by a smoldering kiss. He grunted and the two of them rolled to the side, changing positions.


    "I would. My matters, you shouldn''t interfere with them."


    The man looked up and nodded. "Very well. I''m not that curious that I wouldn''t be able to hold back. If you want to, you can tell me sometime after it''s done." With that, he pulled Jin Ling closer again, wresting the robe from his shoulders before they rolled around the bed once more, touching in a frenzy, their naked skin rubbing together and generating a heat that gave the illusion of warming the coldness that the demon king''s palace embodied.

 Chapter 867 - Indifferent to Everybody

    The demon looked up at the ceiling, arms crossed behind his head. He couldn''t help but feel dejected. It wasn''t that his expectations hadn''t been fulfilled. Jin Ling was as beautiful as ever and he was experienced enough to make this exchange worthwhile, now even more so than back then. In that regard, he couldn''t complain. Unfortunately, Jin Ling was also still as cold as ever.


    His gaze would be blazing when he looked directly at you, giving you the illusion that he was very much into this. But if he felt that you weren''t looking, his fervor would die down immediately and be replaced by difference. In fact, even though he still looked at you, it felt more like he was looking through you. Nobody was able to enter his eyes.


    It had always been like this. And now it seemed that there was no way that anything would change about that. Since he was still the same now that so much time had passed since he ascended the throne of the demon realm, this obviously wasn''t something that happened just because he had a lot on his mind. No, he just held no interest at all. He was only doing this as part of an exchange that seemed worth it to him.


    This truly was vexing.


    He didn''t expect a demon to fall in love with him or anything but he had at least expected him to have some admiration or a bit of infatuation for him. Otherwise, it really made him feel that any man with his knowledge would do. This wasn''t about him. And that thought was one that he didn''t like at all.


    He glanced at Jin Ling and reached out, twirling one of the copper-colored strands of hair around his finger. If it was anybody else, he might not care. But with Jin Ling ¡­ He wanted to make matters with him different. He wanted to see the same infatuation that he had observed on so many other faces in his eyes just for once. That was all. For once, he wanted to make this kind of deal with him and see that it actually meant something to him other than achieving his goal. He wanted to see that he was able to make Jin Ling enjoy himself. Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case.


    He was sure that between today and back then, he had gained a lot of experience. There was no way that Jin Ling''s indifference was because his technique hadn''t been up to par. No, it very likely had to do with Jin Ling himself. So there was nothing he could do about that. He still couldn''t help but question it again and again just like back then when Jin Ling resolutely turned his back on him after he had ascended the throne.


    Was it the same for those beauties in his harem? Did he feel as indifferent to them as he felt to him and only fulfilled their desires when he got something in return? Or did they suit his tastes better and were able to elicit a different response?


    He sighed and brushed through his hair before he sat up. Anyway, he had gotten what he wanted. If he did well, he might be able to get another ''show of goodwill'' out of this as well. It would all depend on how happy he was able to make Jin Ling. It was worth a try.


    He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and reached out for the robes that had been thrown onto the ground.


    Behind him, Jin Ling stirred and opened his eyes. He raised his head and blinked, his caramel-colored eyes seeming especially warm in the dimmed light of the room. "What are you doing?"


    The other man glanced back with a complicated look. Right now, Jin Ling''s gaze really gave the illusion of being warm and gentle as if he had enjoyed himself just as much as he had and would''ve liked to spend some more time in this moment of sharing some good feelings with each other.


    Unfortunately, he knew him well enough to know that Jin Ling didn''t care at all. He was just afraid that he would renege on his promise. "Relax. I''ll go and take care of my part of the deal. Where did you say that array was?"


    "Wait for me to put on clothes and I''ll bring you there." Jin Ling wanted to get up but the other man reached over and grabbed his shoulder, pressing him back down.


    "No need. Just tell me where it is. I''ll go and find out for you and then hurry back. If you want to do something for me, you can stay here and wait for me to come back. I''m pretty sure that would be a nice sight to behold." He leaned down and kissed Jin Ling''s lips before he got up and looked at him expectantly. "So? Where is it now?"


    Jin Ling propped his head up on his arm and gave a lazy smile. "The mortal world''s Long kingdom, in the Yun Zou Sect. It is right behind the palace of the Sect Master. There are some other people sniffing around there if I''m not wrong, so make sure you don''t get into trouble. We wouldn''t want to let anybody find out."


    The demon nodded again and then, his body dissolved into a black mist that vanished out of the room, traveling to the mortal world.


    Jin Ling sighed and laid back down, staring up at the ceiling. "Being a full-blooded demon sure is nice. He probably won''t need long to get there." Well, it was good for him though. He really hoped that Ye Yang would be able to finish this matter soon.


    He didn''t want to wait any longer until he finally saw Jinde again. He just ¡­ couldn''t take it any longer. He needed to see him, needed him to forgive him. That was his sole wish. After that ¡­ he didn''t care about what happened then. For all he cared, the rest of the world could go to hell.

 Chapter 868 - Why Here?

    At that time, Nian Hong Fang had pulled over the two people he had met to ask them for help. "Junior martial brother Xiao, junior martial brother Shao, you have to help me!"


    Yes, the two people Nian Hong Fang had found were precisely Xiao Dong and Shao Hai who had just returned from the mission their Master had given them.


    The two of them exchanged a glance and raised their brows in surprise. They had become acquainted with both Wu Min Huan and Nian Hong Fang back when they entered the inner sect. Most of the people there had thought that they had a poor foundation and wouldn''t amount to much since they had come from the outer sect. In their eyes, Xiao Dong and Shao Hai obviously weren''t talented geniuses but only someone who had worked hard and thus somehow managed to squeeze in. Because of that, they looked down on them and tried to reduce the time they had to spend with them.


    Among the few exceptions were these two people. Wu Min Huan had been down on his luck since his Master had taken in Yu Jin so he actually felt quite close to these people that had been ''abandoned'' in the same way he had. On the other hand, Nian Hong Fang had always had a gentle temperament and was easy to get along with. As somebody who had achieved his status not by cultivating or practicing sword arts but by relying on his achievements with alchemy, he also had a different perspective on lots of matters.


    Now that they saw this person so distressed, Xiao Dong and Shao Hai were naturally much more concerned than they would have been if it had been somebody else.


    "Senior martial brother Nian, what might be the matter?"


    Nian Hong Fang glanced at the dark-clad person that was getting further and further away and waved at the two of them to follow him. "I''m afraid I won''t be able to explain everything right now. You see that person up front? I think that he might have some information regarding Zhi Wu."


    Xiao Dong raised his golden brows. "Your ¡­ vanished lover?" He couldn''t help but feel astonished. As far as he was concerned, humans were fickle creatures that would just leave each other if their feelings faded. They weren''t like dragons who would be faithful even past their death. Thus he had honestly thought that that Ma Zhi Wu had just left Nian Hong Fang and didn''t want to return. As harsh as it sounded, that did seem like the most plausible explanation to him.


    Nian Hong Fang nodded widely, his eyes tearing up. "Yes, he actually wrote me a letter, indicating that he wasn''t doing very well. I don''t know what exactly happened but it seems that he is imprisoned somewhere and in big trouble. We have to find out where he is!"


    Xiao Dong and Shao Hai once again exchanged a glance. This time, it was Shao Hai who took the lead.


    "Don''t worry about it, senior martial brother Nian. We will definitely help you out. What can we do?"


    "Well, I made a copy of that letter in the hope that it will give us some clues but I''m not sure if it will be enough. I thought about following that man but my fighting abilities aren''t very high. I''m also not too good at tracking somebody. Maybe you two could ¡­?" He gave the two a glance, feeling a bit of a guilty conscience.


    Not even the Sect Master had wanted to help him or he would have sent somebody out to investigate long ago. Could he really expect two junior martial brothers to do something like this? Especially since this was dangerous. It wasn''t just investigating some clues. They would directly go to the place where Ma Zhi Wu was being held if things were as he thought.


    Since these people had already dared to imprison Zhi Wu, there was no saying how they would treat the other disciples of the Yun Zou Sect. After all, they obviously didn''t care about who was behind him. Otherwise, they already would''ve set Zhi Wu free. But now that nothing had happened to them for five years in way of retaliation, they should be even more arrogant and look down on the Yun Zou Sect. They probably wouldn''t expect to run into any trouble regardless of what they did.


    Shao Hai shook his head. "Don''t worry about it. We''re all part of the same sect. Naturally, we should help out one of our senior martial brothers if he gets into trouble. And anyway, if it''s a pair of lovers that''s being torn apart, then we should lend a helping hand even more so. Isn''t that right?" He looked at Xiao Dong who begrudgingly nodded his head.


    Well, he didn''t mind helping. Anyway, his king and his king''s beloved weren''t there so this was another good opportunity to spend more time with Shao Hai and cultivate some feelings between them. After all, he still hadn''t forgotten the task he had been assigned. It was a pity that he hadn''t made any progress in the last years.


    The two of them bid goodbye to Nian Hong Fang, telling him to go back to the sect while they would follow that other man to wherever Ma Zhi Wu was being held.


    When the person in front finally slowed down, Xiao Dong and Shao Hai couldn''t help but blink their eyes. In the last few years, they had traveled around quite a bit and naturally come to know disciples from several other sects. Seeing the place where this man was headed to, they had a very bad feeling.


    "That''s ¡­ Isn''t that the Chun Feng Sect?" Xiao Dong raised a brow and turned to his friend, his lips twitching. If he remembered correctly, then this sect had a very good relationship with the Yun Zou Sect. Why would the person that knew something about this Ma Zhi Wu''s disappearance go to the Chun Feng Sect? This was unscientific!


    If one of their allies knew about a missing disciple of theirs, wouldn''t that person tell the Yun Zou Sect about it? But if that was the case, then this Ma Zhi Wu wouldn''t have been gone for five years without a word. Then what was going on here?


    Shao Hai''s thoughts were about the same so he could only shake his head. "It is but I don''t understand either. What should we do now?"


    "I don''t know. Follow him further in?"


    Shao Hai nodded. "We probably should but what if they see us? We can hardly say that we followed somebody over to find our missing disciple here, can we?"


    "No but I guess we don''t have any other choice, do we? We can''t just return and say that the guy went to the Chun Feng Sect. Wouldn''t that sound as if we were purposefully making trouble? After all, our sects have a good relationship with each other. They shouldn''t have anything to do with our missing disciple."


    Shao Hai pursed his lips and nodded. "They really shouldn''t. I do wonder why that guy came here though."


    Xiao Dong shrugged his shoulders and then inched closer to the Chun Feng Sect, keeping his eyes trained on the disciple that was bringing the letter back. "Who knows? Maybe it''s some kind of diversion tactic or something. We don''t even have to understand. We just need to follow him and see what he does. If he leaves again and goes somewhere else, then we''ll follow along. If he stays here ¡­ Well, I guess we''ll take a look around and see if that Ma Zhi Wu is indeed here. Then we''ll know and can go and report back."


    Shao Hai nodded. Well, that really seemed like the best thing to do. He could only hope that they wouldn''t get into trouble.

 Chapter 869 - A Chance

    Xiao Dong and Shao Hai sneaked onto the Chun Feng Sect''s sect grounds, glancing around to make sure they wouldn''t be seen while also trying to keep an eye on the disciple that was delivering the letter.


    The disciple went to the dungeon, entering without a look back. He hadn''t noticed the people following him. For the most part, his thoughts had still been occupied by his meeting with Nian Hong Fang. He never would have imagined that this kind of gentle person that had begged him to deliver his token of love with tears in his eyes would even consider following him. Not to mention that he couldn''t believe anybody would be able to infiltrate their Chun Feng Sect.


    He took a deep breath when he entered the dungeon and pushed the thoughts about Nian Hong Fang away. His steps sped up and he went over to where the Sect Master and Liu Cheng were waiting, cupping his fists and bowing.


    "Shen Qiang."


    "Sect Master. I got the response." He took out the letter and handed it over.


    Xian Xun furrowed his brows. "Why did this take so long?"


    Shen Qiang lowered his head. "I took his sweet-time writing it but I didn''t dare to hurry him."


    "Mn." The Sect Master nodded and then took out the letter, his brows furrowing even further together when he read over it. He had already taken a look at the letter that Ma Zhi Wu had written to make sure that there was nothing in there that shouldn''t be in there. The demon held back in that regard but he had still insisted to include the usual lies he had probably fed the Grandelder''s disciple over the years.


    Naturally, the response reflected that. Reminiscing about the past, recounting a lot of things that had happened over the past five years, confessing his feelings ¡­ This letter was so emotional it might bring tears to his lover''s eyes ¡­ if he was human.


    Xian Xun shook his head and put the letter back. "Well, let''s give it to him to read. After that, we should continue with the interrogation."


    Liu Cheng nodded and the two of them turned to the door of the chamber where Ma Zhi Wu was still waiting.


    As for Shen Qiang ¡­ He tilted his head and glanced at the man in the room. That person had broad shoulders and even though he had been imprisoned in a dungeon that sucked the strength of demons, one could still see the remnants of the power his body had once held. Before he had been imprisoned, he had probably seemed like a very dependable man.


    It made Shen Qiang that it wasn''t a wonder that Nian Hong Fang had fallen in love with him. If they stood next to each other, they would probably make for a beautiful couple.


    Unfortunately, this person wasn''t human. Regardless of how he seemed, that wasn''t his true face. He was merely trying to use that appearance to make Nian Hong Fang less suspicious about him and use him for his own gains. Wasn''t that what all the demons did? It truly was a pity that such a person had fallen for this play.


    It also made him wonder why the Sect Master was willing to have a letter this demon wrote delivered to Nian Hong Fang. Wouldn''t that make it even more difficult for him to extricate himself out of this matter? How was that fair? Nian Hong Fang might not have known about this Ma Zhi Wu''s origin. Thus he had fallen for him and probably fallen so deeply that he was unable to let go of him and find another man to love. How could they as demon hunters encourage this kind of thing? Wasn''t that against everything they stood for?


    Shen Qiang sighed to himself and shook his head before he went back. He couldn''t help but reach into his robe and pull out the item that Nian Hong Fang had given him. It turned out to be a scented satchel.


    He raised it and took a whiff, nodding to himself. It wasn''t the type of flowery scent that a lot of women used but instead some herbs that had an actual benefit. Some of them were used to calm the mind and enhance one''s concentration. For somebody that could be out fighting, this truly was something that might benefit them.


    As expected of somebody who was studying alchemy. He would naturally know how to use the ingredients for the pills in other ways as well. Also, this work was a very thoughtful gift. Whatever situation his lover was in, he would have something given by his beloved that would also benefit him. Maybe it could even be used to find a way to get out of the situation he was in. Nian Hong Fang was clearly very much in love with this Ma Zhi Wu.


    Shen Qiang turned the satchel in his hand and admired the embroidery that showed just as much how much effort had gone into making this. It wasn''t anything corny like Mandarin ducks or any flowers but instead just an elegant pattern. He might have felt that it would be embarrassing for a man to give anything else to his male lover. It still showed his love. That could truly make one feel a little ¡­ jealous.


    Shen Qiang closed his eyes, weighed the satchel in his hand and then put it back into his sleeve. Anyway, he certainly wouldn''t give this to that demon. If the Sect Master somehow decided that he would let him write another letter, it would be best if it wasn''t anything heartfelt.


    He couldn''t let Nian Hong Fang keep holding onto his hope. Their ties had to be severed once and for all. Otherwise, how could Nian Hong Fang ever look ahead and plan his own future? This type of thing ¡­ he didn''t want to see it happen. This person needed to be given a chance.


    And yes, if he was honest with himself, then maybe he also wanted to be given a chance.

 Chapter 870 - Please, Return to Me

    Inside the room, Sect Master Xian handed the letter to Ma Zhi Wu. The disciple fingered the letter out of the envelope and unfolded it with trembling hands. Seeing the familiar handwriting, tears gathered in his eyes. Five years ¡­ Five years had gone by until he was finally able to contact Nian Hong Fang. Now, he had even gotten his response. He didn''t just need to dream about him any longer and could look at the actual words he had pinned down on paper for him.


    Ma Zhi Wu closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he started to read.


    ''Zhi Wu, it''s already been such a long time. I was afraid that something had happened to you and I would never be able to see you again. Thinking of that, my heart hurt but I never dared to give up hope. Even if it took a long time, I was sure that you would find a way to return to me. You wouldn''t just leave me alone.


    ''Thankfully, you''ve managed to write to me now. It''s not quite as good as seeing you in person but this is already soothing my mind. The worries I''ve previously held ¡ª that I might just be delusional in holding onto my hope ¡ª they are now gone.


    ''Even if you''re not doing too well, at the very least, you''re alive. You are and I am as well. One day, we''ll be able to spend our lives together again. I don''t doubt that for even a single moment.''


    Ma Zhi Wu gulped, trying to swallow the bitter feeling in his throat. He could imagine how Nian Hong Fang had looked when he wrote these lines. Obviously, these past five years had meant just as much suffering to him as he himself had experienced. They just weren''t meant to be apart from each other for very long. It made both their hearts hurt.


    Still, it was good that Nian Hong Fang had been able to hold onto his hope and not give up. That meant that if he someday found a way to flee from this dungeon, he might be able to see him again and return to how things had been. He wouldn''t have to return just to see the person he loved with another man. That was already very good.


    Ma Zhi Wu smiled slightly when he thought of that and continued to read.


    ''I would tell you about what happened to me in these five years but to be honest, it wasn''t very exciting. I didn''t leave the sect even for once in the hope that I would be able to see you just a second sooner when you returned. I always hoped that if you set foot on the sect grounds again, the first thing you''d do would be to rush over here to take me into your arms. It hasn''t happened yet but since I already admitted that this is what I wish for, you can just do so when you come back.


    ''Other than that, you likely want to know how the others are doing. You don''t have to worry in that regard. Your Master is doing very well. He has managed to find some spiritual beasts for his peak that he slowly managed to tame. He said that he was missing your help though and that some things were much more difficult now that you weren''t there.


    ''I know exactly what he means. I also feel like I haven''t been able to make as much progress with my alchemy anymore since you''ve left. But maybe it''s just because my heart isn''t calm. It''s difficult to concentrate in that state.


    ''Sometimes, I make really stupid mistakes. I''m feeling sorry to my Master for that but there''s nothing I can do. Every so often, my thoughts would just drift to you. What can I do?


    ''So you see, you''ll have to return to me as soon as possible. Otherwise, my Master will get really angry. With how old he already is, who knows if his heart will be able to take it? You wouldn''t want to be at fault if something happened to my Master, would you?


    ''So please return to me soon. Anyway, my own heart is also pained if you''re not here. I would feel so much better if you could be at my side. Taking care of you when you''re hurt, chatting with you when we don''t have anything else to do, coming over to see you at Elder Geng''s peak and watching you work with the spiritual beasts ¡­ I miss all these things. You can''t imagine how much I miss them.''


    Ma Zhi Wu looked at these words with a pained expression. Oh, he could imagine. He could imagine it very well. He also wanted to return and do all these things that had once been normal for them every day. Wouldn''t that be great?


    Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do right now. Writing this letter and receiving Nian Hong Fang''s response had only been possible because there was something that the people of the Chun Feng Sect wanted from him. It was unlikely that he would get such a good chance again in the future. And even if he did, it wouldn''t be anytime soon.


    Unfortunately, he also didn''t know what else he could do to get out of here. The dungeon was made to restrain people like him. It wasn''t as bad for him as it was for a lot of the other prisoners but he still noticed how it sapped his strength. In this environment, it really wasn''t easy to find a chance to escape.


    And even if these things weren''t there, there were still the disciples of the Chun Feng Sect and whatever traps they had laid in the dungeon. Getting out of the cell was only the very first step. And while he might be able to somehow take this step, he was afraid he wouldn''t be able to take the following ones.


    Thus he could only wait for some kind of opportunity. If only there would be something occupying the attention of the Chun Feng Sect''s people. Maybe then he would be able to use the chance and slip away. Even then it wasn''t for sure but there was at least that opportunity.


    Unfortunately, he also knew how unlikely it was for something like that to happen. Even if he prayed to the Heavens every day, he probably wouldn''t get such a chance even in a hundred years.

 Chapter 871 - What Do You Know about Them?

    Ma Zhi Wu sighed and folded the letter back together, putting it into the envelope again and then hiding it in his clothes. He could imagine that the Chun Feng Sect would love to take it from him but there was no way he would hand over the only thing he had from Nian Hong Fang. They really couldn''t expect that of him. It was more than enough that he was helping them.


    He took a deep breath and then leaned back. "So you wanted to know about that array, the Grandmaster''s disciple and the golden-haired person, didn''t you?"


    Xian Xun nodded his head. "Yes. Let''s start with the two people. What can you tell us about them?"


    "I''m not sure if there is a lot that you don''t know about yet. The Grandmaster''s disciple was taken in about ten years ago. He didn''t have any relations to anyone for the first five years and only appeared in front of others at the Gathering of Practitioners.


    "Most people thought that that was only true for outsiders but actually, he also didn''t have any contact with the people in the sect. Everyone was surprised at his appearance. In fact, I think that even the Sect Master didn''t know about him before the Gathering."


    Xian Xun and his disciple raised their brows and exchanged a glance. They hadn''t known that this was the case but it was very much in line with the behavior of a demon. It was easy for them to worm their way into the good graces of one person. After all, they had a natural talent for that. It was more difficult to do so with a group of people and especially so if the group was as big as a whole sect. If they tried to, it was much more likely for somebody to pick up on the fact that they weren''t human.


    Thus the demons would often start by enticing one person ¡ª preferably somebody who had some difficulties and would be susceptible to their charm ¡ª and then slowly learn from them what they could and couldn''t do in front of this person.


    When they were comfortable enough with that, they would broaden their scope of action and approach others as well, finally leaving the person they had originally used for a more useful target.


    It was a little strange that the person this particular demon had chosen was the Grandmaster of all people but then again, the Grandmaster had probably been searching for a disciple for a long time but hadn''t been able to be satisfied with anybody because of his high standards. And as shameful as it was, they couldn''t deny that the demons did have a lot of talent in regards to cultivation.


    So maybe this demon had been able to get close to the Grandmaster based on that and had somehow managed to cover up his origin. Maybe he also wasn''t a full-blooded demon. This type often was able to fool anybody who wasn''t a demon hunter.


    Thinking of these possibilities, Xian Xun''s brows furrowed together tightly. This wasn''t nearly enough information to make sure they could win but it was a good place to start their further investigation. "What else?"


    "I don''t think there''s anything I can tell you about the time after that. He left the sect for a while as far as I''m aware, traveling through the world with his beloved. They then came back shortly to go on some mission and were finally caught up in that accident in the Leyuan region as soon as they were called back."


    Xian Xun nodded, feeling that things were starting to make sense. That accident ¡­ Maybe it hadn''t been an accident at all. Maybe it had actually happened because of the machinations of one of these demons. It wasn''t impossible.


    And if it was the truth, then it was very likely that this person had some kind of plan in store. Maybe not only for the Yun Zou Sect but also for others. Anyway, they had to guard against them tightly or a lot of lives would be in danger. "Then what do you know about him personally?"


    Ma Zhi Wu lowered his gaze, wondering just what he should say. In fact, he had only met Qiu Ling once. He really couldn''t say that he knew him very well. This was something he had kept to himself when he made the deal with the Sect Master so he couldn''t very well admit to it now.


    If he did ¡­ the likelihood of ever being able to do something like this again and contact Nian Hong Fang would be even slimmer. He didn''t want to risk that. Even if he couldn''t say much, he had to at least give a plausible reason for that and try to give them a bit of what they wanted to hear.


    Anyway, Grandmaster Zhangsun certainly kept an eye on his disciple and would save him if things got too troublesome. And considering the state the Yun Zou Sect had been in when he was kidnapped back then, the Sect Master and the Grandmaster certainly wouldn''t rest until they had found Qiu Ling again if something really happened to him.


    In that case, some simple information shouldn''t hurt him. It might actually help with getting him out of the dungeon himself. Because if Qiu Ling somehow ended up here and the Yun Zou Sect tried to find him, then they would be freed together. Heavens, maybe he would even be able to team up with Qiu Ling and get out of here themselves.


    The thought gave him a bit of hope even though he didn''t want Qiu Ling to get into trouble. Still, if he could get out ¡­ Maybe it truly was worth it.


    Ma Zhi Wu took a deep breath and just tried to present the little bit he knew well. "As I said just now, he has mostly kept to himself so there isn''t much I can say about him. From what I know, he cares very much about his fiance. There were some troubles at first but they seem to have gotten rather close later on.


    "Other than that, I know that he is very strong. If I had to compare him to the other disciples, I would think that he was probably the strongest among all the inner sect disciples."


    Xian Xun nodded his head. This much was almost a given. Demons did have an innate advantage so they normally towered over humans in terms of strength and spiritual power. If one didn''t use special weapons or a good tactic, it was almost impossible to catch one of them. "What else do you know?"


    Ma Zhi Wu pondered but couldn''t find anything to say. "It''s been a long time since I last saw him. It''s a little difficult to go into more detail about his personality like this. For all I know, he could''ve already changed a lot by now."


    Xian Xun tightened his lips. Qiu Ling''s strength wasn''t surprising, the fact that he was supposed to care about that other boy from the Yun Zou Sect also wasn''t any news. The only valuable information they had gotten out of Ma Zhi Wu just now had been this matter about him joining the Yun Zou Sect. That really wasn''t much.


    Liu Cheng glanced at his Master''s expression and turned to interrogate Ma Zhi Wu in his stead. "Well, if you can''t say anything more about him, then what can you tell us about that golden-haired person? Who is he?"


    "An inner sect disciple of our Yun Zou Sect. His name is Xiao Dong."

 Chapter 872 - The Usual Way of the Demons

    "Xiao Dong ¡­" Liu Cheng pondered but he didn''t feel like he had heard anything about him. "Who is he?"


    Ma Zhi Wu lowered his gaze. He didn''t mind telling them about Qiu Ling since there wasn''t much to say that they didn''t know yet and he was sure that Qiu Ling would be saved if something happened to him. With Xiao Dong, things were a little different. He was only a simple disciple of the inner sect, not even a head disciple like himself. Who would go and look for him if he was kidnapped by the Chun Feng Sect? This was much more dangerous than giving out information about Qiu Ling. Unfortunately, he couldn''t stay quiet.


    "He was originally a disciple of the outer sect. If I''m not wrong, he was taking in with that other disciple I already told you about. Later on, the two of them were brought to the inner sect by Elder Wang."


    "Who is the other disciple?"


    Ma Zhi Wu shook his head. "You can try to find out on your own. I will accept that you try to go against these so-called ''demons'' since that''s what you do but I won''t help you involve others."


    Liu Cheng scoffed. "What a bold thing to say after you had us involve Nian Hong Fang."


    Ma Zhi Wu''s eyes narrowed. "I don''t think you can compare that at all. Xiao Fang and I ¡ª"


    "There is no Nian Hong Fang and you. You''ve just used him so don''t try to use that as an excuse."


    Ma Zhi Wu harrumphed and turned his face away. There was no use in talking with these people. They wouldn''t understand. They were too insistent on their own perception of everyone with demonic blood being evil. Regardless of what he said or did, he wouldn''t be able to convince them. He was already prejudged, unable to influence the final verdict they would give. It had been like that five years ago and it was still that way now. Nothing would change about this.


    Liu Cheng furrowed his brows when Ma Zhi Wu stopped talking. "What? Do you want to go back on your word now? We should have expected that I guess."


    Ma Zhi Wu sighed and looked up at the ceiling, feeling defeated. There was nothing he could do. This kind of helplessness ¡­ it didn''t suit him at all but he didn''t know how to change his situation. "I''m not going back on my word. I just don''t want you to hurt somebody else."


    "We''re not hurting anybody. So what do you know?"


    "That Xiao Dong is a practitioner, very talented with the sword. There''s something strange about him though. Since the day he entered the sect, he hasn''t aged at all. He still looks just like when he became an outer sect disciple."


    Liu Cheng looked at his Master. This was also something that was typical for demons. They didn''t age like humans. So even before they reached a certain stage it would look like they didn''t age for several years before slight signs of change could be perceived. It seemed they already had the confirmation that this golden-haired person was a demon. Not that they had ever doubted this result.


    Liu Cheng turned back to Ma Zhi Wu. "What else can you tell us about him?"


    Ma Zhi Wu shrugged his shoulders. "Not much. Five years have gone by. I took care of them a bit when they entered the inner sect since I am friends with one of Elder Wang''s other disciples but that was it. I wouldn''t know what progress they''ve made in the meantime or what they''re doing right now."


    Liu Cheng exhaled, his hands clenching on top of the table. This guy was trying to play them! He had promised them information but he was always pretending he didn''t know anything else other than some basic information. He hadn''t expected anything else from a demon but it was still frustrating to suffer such a setback after giving in to his demand. With that, hadn''t they inconvenienced Nian Hong Fang without reason?


    Xian Xun also wasn''t happy but he hid his contempt slightly better. "It''s to be expected that you don''t know about recent information but what about before that? What were their strengths and weaknesses? What about that Xiao Dong''s relationship to that other disciple? Are they ''lovers''? ''Friends''? Or something else?"


    "As I said, Xiao Dong seemed to be well-versed with the sword. His movements were like right out of the textbook. I''m not sure about it but it might be that he had been trained before entering the sect or received training from somebody while in the outer sect. It could have been Elder Wang if he saw his talent but I can''t say that for sure. It also could have been somebody else. Anyway, the way he used the weapon wasn''t like somebody who learned without guidance."


    Xian Xun nodded. He didn''t believe that it had been Elder Wang. Instead, it was likely that it had been another demon. With more than one being there, it was likely that this was a plot they were in together. One of them might be the mastermind that trained the others so that they could also get into the inner sect and help him accomplish his goals.


    Ma Zhi Wu had been in the Yun Zou Sect for a long time already so it could have been him but even after five years in their dungeon, nobody had come out to save him. Then again, that didn''t have to mean anything. Demons were selfish creatures by nature. Naturally, they wouldn''t put themselves in danger for somebody else. In fact, they might welcome that the one controlling them had disappeared and try to put themselves into his previous position, gaining control over the whole situation and broadening their influence. It would fit with their style of doing things.


    But if it wasn''t Ma Zhi Wu, then Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple would be the most likely suspect. He also had the most favorable position in the sect to implement any plans. In that case, they had to find out more about him and make sure that they apprehended him as fast as possible. They just had to make plans ¡­

 Chapter 873 - Poisoned His Mind

    Xian Xun and Liu Cheng fell quiet for a while, both pondering how to go about this in the best way. Considering the strength they had witnessed him display against Elder Gongxi, they would need to prepare an ambush with their best disciples, maybe even with their Elders.


    Their chances would be even better if they were able to get a hold of that so-called fiance of his. Those demons never liked when their mask was pulled down so they sometimes hesitated when faced with such a situation. This small time frame might be enough to catch him. After all, they had special weapons. It would still be better if they had more information.


    He looked at Ma Zhi Wu again and leaned over the table. "Alright, so this is all you can tell us about these two. Then what about that array?"


    Ma Zhi Wu sighed. They probably wouldn''t like his response to that question either. "That array is off-limits for the disciples and even for the Elders of the sect. The only two people allowed to enter it are Sect Master Yuchi and Grandmaster Zhangsun."


    "Nobody?" Liu Cheng scoffed. "Then how come that Qiu Ling was able to enter? And not just him. His lover, that Xiao Dong you mentioned, as well as your sect''s Yu Jin, went in there as well."


    Ma Zhi Wu raised his brows. He had never heard of anything like this. "That is the information given to me by my Master. Qiu Ling and Yu Jin might have been allowed or even tasked by their Masters. I''m not sure why Xiao Dong should go in there though. That is a question you''ll have to find the answer to yourself."


    Liu Cheng scoffed again. This demon was really making it easy for himself. He had had them deliver the letter after giving out some useless pieces of information and now that he had gotten the response that he wanted, he didn''t bother playing nice anymore but instead tried to get around this deal by always referring to the fact that he had been in the dungeon several years and couldn''t say for sure. Who would believe that?


    Obviously, this plan had to have been set in motion a long time ago. Even if he wasn''t sure about the latest developments, he should at least be able to tell them about what had been planned in the beginning and who else was left. Was it really just him and these two people? Or were there even more demons? If yes, just where and who were they?


    But he probably shouldn''t expect Ma Zhi Wu to reveal anything about that. After all, he was a demon through and through. Despite all this bullshit about a part of his blood being human and his heart and mind working just like theirs, he still wouldn''t help out the human race and would instead keep silent. And it wasn''t even as if he would have any advantage if he did so. He was just doing this out of spite because he had been discovered.


    Xian Xun glanced at his disciple and shook his head. He could understand what he was feeling but this wouldn''t get them any further. He turned back to Ma Zhi Wu and gave him a small smile. "Very well, I could imagine that you truly don''t know why that Xiao Dong would be able to enter. But you should at least know what this array was meant for, shouldn''t you?"


    Ma Zhi Wu kept quiet for a moment, considering his options. He hadn''t been able to tell them much and it was obvious that their patience was running out. They wouldn''t let him continue like this much further. It wasn''t like he definitely had to tell them something but if he did ¡­ It was to his benefit.


    He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. He was actually giving out information to somebody who wanted to hurt his fellow martial brothers. Had he truly become this kind of person? That really was a bit like demons were. But he would never do this if he was in another situation. If he was still in the Yun Zou Sect, still free, still with Nian Hong Fang, then he definitely wouldn''t do it. But after five years, just couldn''t hold on it.


    He had constantly hoped, constantly tried to stay optimistic so that he would one day find a chance and get out of here, running back to the Yun Zou Sect and reunite with Nian Hong Fang.


    But hope could only sustain you that long. And now that there was that little bit of contact, he really had a hard time getting that idea out of his head. He wanted to see him again. He wanted to hear his voice instead of just seeing those characters on a piece of paper. He wanted to pull him into his arms, hug him, and tell him about everything that had happened. He wanted to smell that fragrance of fresh herbs and flowers once again that always enveloped Nian Hong Fang. He wanted to hear him laugh, and the relief in his voice when he realized that all of this was finally over.


    Even though he didn''t want to admit it, maybe these kinds of thoughts had truly poisoned his mind. By now, he might be willing to do anything. He really didn''t know where his bottom line was. At the very least, it was not in giving out information.


    He sighed and looked at Xian Xun and Liu Cheng, these two people who had brought him to this point, with a wry smile. "That is supposed to be the place where the hidden expert of our Yun Zou Sect lives. Naturally, that kind of grand person can''t be disturbed by just anyone. That is why most people aren''t allowed in there. I guess it also means that attacking somebody that did go in there will be difficult. Supposedly, that expert is stronger than Sect Master Yuchi and Grandmaster Zhangsun combined. If it was me, I definitely couldn''t risk it."

 Chapter 874 - A Trap of Their Own Making

    Sect Master Xian and his head disciple didn''t react immediately. This information was quite important. Even if Xian Xun fought against Yuchi Bing Xia, it wasn''t completely certain how things would turn out in the end. He might win but it wouldn''t be a fight in which he wouldn''t suffer losses. If he had to fight against Grandmaster Zhangsun ¡­ the likelihood of winning was so low, that he didn''t even need to think about trying. If he had to confront someone that was stronger than both of them together, he might not even have the chance to attack the person before he was defeated.


    Even though he didn''t like it, he had to admit that there was no way to get to these demons if these three people were around them. So even if they managed to somehow get into that array, if Sect Master Yuchi and the Grandmaster and maybe even that hidden expert got serious in protecting them, they would still lose.


    Liu Cheng looked at his Master with worry. "It couldn''t be that we have to let them get away?"


    Xian Xun shook his head. "Don''t worry about that. Have we ever given up? They might be in that realm, hiding behind that array right now but they''ll have to come out sooner or later. Until then ¡­"


    Liu Cheng nodded. "Master is right. I was too impatient. Then ¡­" He looked at Ma Zhi Wu and got up. "I guess we should bring you back."


    Ma Zhi Wu lowered his gaze but still got up. Well, he hadn''t expected to be set free by them. So it was obvious that he''d be put back into that cell. But at least, he was one step further. He had managed to tell Nian Hong Fang what was going on.


    He barely refrained from touching his chest where the letter was secured so as to not remind them that he still had it. He could imagine that these two might actually take it away if he did.


    While Ma Zhi Wu was brought back to the cell where he had spent the past five years, Xiao Dong and Shao Hai were sneaking through the dungeon. So far, they had managed to evade all the guards but, unfortunately, the had also lost the man they had originally been following.


    Shao Hai couldn''t help but curse. "What''s the point looking any further if we can''t even find him? If he leaves through another exit, we won''t be able to follow him any longer. Then what about senior martial brother Nian''s lover?"


    Xiao Dong glanced over his shoulder and furrowed his brows. "Shut up. Do you want them to notice us? Anyway, what if senior martial brother Nian''s lover is here? This is a dungeon if you haven''t noticed. He might be imprisoned here. If we give up, we might miss out on an opportunity to get him out of here."


    Shao Hai pursed his lips but still had to quietly admit to himself that Xiao Dong wasn''t wrong. Nian Hong Fang hadn''t been able to tell them much but if his lover really hadn''t been able to return all this time and only sent one letter after five years, then it was totally possible that he had somehow been imprisoned.


    Even if they weren''t able to get him out of here just with their own strength, it would still be for the best if they were able to find out where exactly he was. Then, they could return to the Yun Zou Sect and tell senior martial brother Nian and the Elders. Afterward, they could go and fetch Ma Zhi Wu. That seemed to be the best course of action.


    Meanwhile, Xiao Dong pondered another problem once again: Why would one of their disciples end up in the dungeon of the Chun Feng Sect? Weren''t they allies? This scenario was as if the gods would take him hostage even though he was the nephew of one of His Majesty''s advisers. That would definitely go against their alliance! If the dragons found out about it, they might sever the relationship.


    Xiao Dong paused and shook his head. Never mind that. They definitely wouldn''t. After all, his king still had to rely on the gods to give the Son of Heaven to him. Before that happened, he probably wouldn''t care about him at all. That was the sad truth.


    Xiao Dong sighed and then motioned for Shao Hai to go slower. He could hear a pair of guards walking along the corridor in front of them. They had to be careful or things may turn out badly.


    The two of them pressed themselves against the wall and waited with bated breath until the steps faded in the distance.


    They exchanged a glance and then stepped out again, silently going further. It truly was a pity that they weren''t able to go faster. But they didn''t have such an option. After all, they would need to pretend to be disciples of the Chun Feng Sect for that and that was impossible.


    Not only did they lack the green robes these guys wore, but Xiao Dong''s appearance was also a dead giveaway that he was, in fact, not part of the sect. And his magic wasn''t reliable enough to fool everybody. He might be able to get away with it in front of some of the disciples but considering that they were demons hunters that specialized in things that differed from humans, the more advanced ones might be able to tell that something was off about him. If that happened, they''d be sitting in a trap of their own making. Thus they could only continue cautiously.


    They stepped around the corner only for Xiao Dong to pull Shao Hai back into the previous corridor again.


    "What?" Shao Hai whispered but Xiao Dong still shot him an angry look.


    This idiot! Couldn''t he imagine that there were guards nearby? Did he think these guys were deaf? He grabbed Shao Hai by the shoulder and then pulled him further back the corridor and into an indentation in the wall.


    As soon as they stepped in, the ground below their feet lit up, and the light was reflected by a row of gemstones in the ceiling, alarming the guards that Xiao Dong had just wanted to escape from.

 Chapter 875 - Some Insights

    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, Ye Yang was leaning against the back of Yuchi Bing Xia''s palace and looking at the array with a thoughtful expression. This ¡­ sucked. As it turned out, after already collecting his reward, he couldn''t keep his part of the bargain. He honestly had no idea how to open this array for Jin Ling.


    He scratched his neck, narrowing his eyes in annoyance and finally gave a sigh. He definitely couldn''t return just like this. Even as a demon, he still had his honor! Even if he wasn''t able to open the array, he at least had to find some options for Jin Ling as to how he could proceed, preferably some options where he could get involved to make up for this blunder.


    Unfortunately, this kind of thing was easier said than done. Just like Jin Ling, the array hadn''t reacted to anything he did either. Imbuing spiritual energy didn''t work, adjusting the flow of spiritual energy didn''t work either. Adding some components wasn''t possible either. In fact, the latter had even given him an adverse reaction, sending out a wave of spiritual energy that pushed him back.


    Ye Yang had lived a long life, for the most part, because he wasn''t one of these rash idiots who would jump into an unknown situation head-first. He knew that to advance, one had to retreat some times. In the same vein, even if the other side was likely weaker than you, it was still better to gather more information first.


    That wave of energy might not have been strong but he had also just tested the array. It was possible that the backlash would be stronger the stronger the attack directed at the array. At the very least, he couldn''t currently dismiss that option. Thus, he first needed to investigate more before he could make sure about this kind of thing. Anyway, even if he wasn''t able to supply Jin Ling with everything he wanted to know, it was still better the more he was able to tell him about the array.


    With that thought, Ye Yang stepped back and raised his hands once again, attacking the array once more. He only used a small amount of spiritual energy once again, trying to test the waters. As a result ¡­ the backlash was once again minuscule.


    Ye Yang nodded to himself and this time, he used more energy. Just as he had feared, the backlash also intensified. He furrowed his brows and tried again only for the same thing to occur. That meant that he could now safely conclude that the backlash would indeed be stronger the stronger the attack one used was. He wasn''t sure just yet just how much energy the array was able to throw back though. That should be the next thing he tried to find out.


    Ye Yang continued to test several features of the array before he finally pulled back with a smile. He leaned against the wall of the Sect Master''s palace once again and took out a transmission stone, imbuing some spiritual energy to contact Jin Ling.


    As soon as the apparition leaped up, Jin Ling''s voice sounded out. "Did you find a way in?"


    Ye Yang''s smile grew even more pronounced. "Whatever is in there must be mighty important to you if you raise such a fuss."


    Jin Ling furrowed his brow but more in annoyance of themselves than in response to Ye Yang. Anyway, he still had to rely on this guy to get into that realm so he couldn''t trouble him too much right now. And it had been his own fault that he didn''t have his emotions under control. Who knew? This might be his dragon side speaking. "Anyway, what did you find?"


    "I can''t get in yet. But I was able to determine some things about it."


    "And what would that be? Tell me everything you know. I''ll try to see how to go forward from there. Or could it be that you still have another idea?"


    Ye Yang nodded his head. "But nothing I can try. Didn''t you say that the array might be connected to the dragons? If that is true, then it would be good if I could have a talk with one of them. That would help me to get a clearer picture of some features of the array."


    Jin Ling nodded his head. "One of my wives?" Anyway, he had a lot of them. And even though some people were currently trying to rebel, he didn''t believe that there wouldn''t be at least a few of each race that were still on his side. After all, he was pretty sure that his charm was great and for a dragon, that was what counted most of the time.


    Ye Yang gave a wry smile. In principle, there was nothing wrong with working together with one of Jin Ling''s wives. He didn''t feel that good about that though. Maybe it was jealousy because even though there were a lot of beauties in Jin Ling''s harem, he had never made the cut and been officially considered his spouse or maybe it was just that he didn''t want anyone else who was close to Jin Ling to be involved in this. If this could stay between them that would be very good. "Well, I would need somebody who is ¡­ knowledgeable in this regard. Can you think of someone?"


    "Somebody would know about arrays ¡­"


    "What about the dragon in your dungeon? Isn''t he some type of scholar in the dragon race?"


    Jin Ling stared at him for a moment, being in a daze.


    Ye Yang raised his brows. "Don''t tell me you forgot about that as well? First, the person who wants to overthrow you and now the hostage you''ve taken? What is your mind occupied with these days?"


    Jin Ling rubbed his forehead and shook his head. "There''s nothing. It''s just that ¡­ I didn''t consider him important enough. He really can''t compare to the Son of Heaven, can he?"


    Ye Yang shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe not for threatening the dragons and the gods but he''ll be more important for what we''re about to do now. Alright, wait for me to come back. We can go and visit him together." He didn''t wait for Jin Ling''s answer and just cut the connection, rushing back to the demon realm as fast as he could.

 Chapter 876 - Those Fickle Demons

    When Ye Yang arrived back in the demon realm, Jin Ling was already waiting at the entrance to the dungeon. "You couldn''t wait any longer?" Ye Yang stepped closer, smiling brightly. Seeing Jin Ling always elevated his mood. Who wouldn''t be happy when they saw a beauty? "I even hurried up just for you."


    Jin Ling gave a small smile but didn''t acknowledge him otherwise. "Let''s go in then?"


    Ye Yang leaned back and gave a sigh. "I guess we should do that then." He probably shouldn''t have expected anything else. Jin Ling had already fulfilled his part of the deal so there wasn''t anything else to be expected. At the very least, not if he wasn''t able to fulfill his request. If he did indeed managed to open the array ¡­ Well, there was at least a possibility.


    The two of them went down into the dungeons and walked over to the cell holding the dragon. Ye Yang sized the person up, his smile broadening. That one was also very pretty. In that case, he wouldn''t mind spending some more time to find out what he needed to do. Although ¡­ in comparison, he still preferred Jin Ling''s looks. This dragon seemed a little too tame for his liking.


    An Bai raised his gaze from the book he was reading, looking at the two demons outside of the cell. Quite a bit of time had already passed since he had been imprisoned here and nobody had really cared about him since the day he saw that fallen god. He had actually started to ask himself whether or not his king still remembered that he existed. Funnily enough, the one that came to see him first wasn''t his own king but the demon king instead. He really didn''t know what he should say about that.


    Jin Ling only glanced at him before he turned to Ye Yang. "Alright. This is him. Ask him what you need to."


    Ye Yang nodded and stepped forward, pulling out a piece of paper and holding it so that An Bai would be able to see. "Does this look familiar to you?"


    An Bai didn''t really want to converse with the demons but he still felt that it would be better if he knew what was up. Maybe that information could somehow be delivered back to his king later on. He didn''t hold much hope for that but ¡­ if what the demon king wanted to know was related to the Son of Heaven again, his king would start to pay attention sooner or later.


    He looked at the piece of paper and found a drawing on it. Judging from the looks of it, it should ¡­ be some kind of array? At the very least, it had a shape that might be used for one although it was slightly more complicated than usual. The symbols that were drawn next to it also corresponded to some of those he had seen used for arrays. They were a surprisingly simple version though.


    It wasn''t anything that would be used in the dragon realm or the Nine Heavens. He''d rather expect to see it in the mortal realm. So most likely, this array was indeed somehow related to the Son of Heaven since he should still be on his trial in the mortal realm right now. Naturally, he wouldn''t tell anything he noticed to his enemies.


    An Bai raised his gaze to the demon''s face again and just looked at him. He neither admitted to it nor did he deny anything. Each word he said might be used against the Son of Heaven and thus his king. That couldn''t be allowed.


    Ye Yang gave a hum. "You''re a difficult one, I see." Well, he hadn''t expected this to work immediately. This kind of thing would need time. Thankfully, the dragons had one fatal weakness.


    He turned to Jin Ling and leaned close enough for his breath to tickle his ear. "Why don''t you let me in there? After spending some time together, he might change his opinion."


    Jin Ling glanced at him and then waved at one of the guards, motioning for him to open the cell. As soon as Ye Yang stepped inside, he had it closed and then turned away, leaving the dungeons. He didn''t want to see this. The fickle ways of the demons disgusted him. One day, Ye Yang could roll around in the sheets with him and then just a few hours later he would go and seduce somebody else. And they didn''t even think that anything was wrong with that.


    Jin ling scoffed and then went to find Yin Lin Lin. Since he hadn''t found out how to open the array yet and get into that realm, he''d have to hold onto his throne for a while longer. Thus, he had to make sure that that woman wouldn''t betray him.


    Well, dealing with that Yong Hai shouldn''t be a big problem. With Yin Lin Lin''s intel and his own connections, this would be like a walk in the park. Even for those who wanted to turn against him, there would be ways to deal with them. He had managed to pull people onto his side once. He could do it again.


    Everybody had their price. Hadn''t he just used that same principle with Ye Yang and managed to gain information? Just a bit more and that goal would be reached even though it had looked impossible at first. Meanwhile, continuing to sit on the throne was much easier to achieve. He just had to go and make some promises. Mn, he was really curious how far along Yin Lin Lin had gotten with her investigation. Depending on what she got, he could plan his next steps.

 Chapter 877 - Whittle Down His Resistance

    While Jin Ling went to take care of matters on that side, Ye Yang sat down next to An Bai and took a closer look. The dragon had white hair and a pair of blue eyes. Coupled with the light blue robe and the book that was still lying between the palms of his hands, it gave him a reclusive look.


    This was probably the type of scholar that would spend most of his time glued to the pages of a book or the slips of a scroll, trying to gain more knowledge while he ignored the real world out there. It didn''t quite fit his taste but it was still quite enticing.


    He reached out and lightly brushed back one of the white strands of hair. "You''ve been in this cell for quite some time. Aren''t you getting bored?"


    An Bai still didn''t react but a trace of seriousness flashed through his eyes. Looking at how close this demon had gotten, he could imagine what he was trying to do. Even though it wasn''t universally known to everyone just what the curses were that Tian had put on the races, higher-ranking people would normally have some more insight into this.


    There was a good chance this demon was privy to some details. Even if he didn''t know the whole extent of the curse the dragons had suffered, he would at least know that feelings were their weak point. Thus he tried to capitalize on this point.


    After all, what else was there to make him speak? He certainly wouldn''t betray his king''s trust. But if he did indeed fall in love, who knew what would happen? He might not be able to stay clearheaded. In a moment of weakness, it could indeed be that he would give out information that shouldn''t be given.


    And even if he could hold back, what would become of him if he really fell in love with a demon? That was the worst thing that could happen to a dragon. Loving somebody who wouldn''t love you back regardless of what you tried ¡­ That was indeed the most vicious part of the curse.


    An Bai raised his chin and closed his eyes, making up his mind to ignore whatever this guy said. Ye Yang wasn''t discouraged though. On the contrary, he felt even more eager to try his luck when he saw him like this. He might not be as beautiful as Jin Ling but chasing somebody who was reluctant also had its appeal. He did enjoy that kind of game.


    He hummed and leaned back against the wall. "It''s really a pity to be imprisoned here. You seem like a very curious person. Like somebody who would like to see whatever he can." He looked around the cell. It wasn''t too small since a lot of lower-ranked demons had big figures but there was nothing in there. Only the faint traces of the array that made it impossible to break out. "You know ¡­ my relationship with the demon king isn''t bad. I might be able to get you out of here."


    Ye Yang turned to look at An Bai again but the dragon still had his eyes closed and was seemingly resting, not a ripple in his expression. Mn, it seemed this one wasn''t that easily won over. Well, it would have been boring if he was.


    "I probably can''t take you out of the realm or even the palace but I might at least let you enjoy a little more freedom. It''s just that ¡­ you seem like somebody who isn''t easily swayed since he is cautious by nature. I guess you must think I have hidden motives."


    An Bai still didn''t acknowledge him as if he wasn''t even there.


    "You''re right. I do indeed have my motives for this. But ¡­ I don''t think I need to hide them. It''s nothing shameful. Originally, the demon king wanted me to ask about that thing. It''s nothing much. I don''t hold any interest in that matter. But seeing you ¡­ I do have some interest in getting to know you better. Why don''t we give it a try?"


    There was no response but Ye Yang hadn''t expected any either. For this kind of person, you needed to slowly whittle away at their resistance. Be upfront with them so they would put their guard up to the highest point first, then be relentless and show them goodwill. Since there was no way for them to put their guard up any higher, it could only go down in the future. And then, when it was low enough ¡­ there would come a time when the results could be reaped.


    "Well, you know my intentions now. I can see that you''re not willing to give it a try right now but I''m not one who''s easily discouraged. I''ll just wait for you to change your mind. Until you do ¡­ I''ll just try my best." He gave a low laugh. "I guess you''d like some time to think it over by yourself first. Who knows? Maybe by the next time I come here, you''ll have reconsidered already?" He stood up but his fingers once again brushed along one of the white strands of An Bai''s hair.


    Mn ¡­ this was actually nice. His hair should look very good on a dark background. Actually, he himself would probably look very good if he wore darker robes to highlight his hair. Maybe he should gift him one the next time he came.


    Ye Yang entertained the thought for a moment but then let go of the strand of hair and stepped back with a smile. No, right now, it was still too early. Dragons were emotional creatures. Even though they also put a lot of emphasis on physical things, the emotions normally came first. He couldn''t come on too strong. Instead ¡­


    His gaze lowered to the book in An Bai''s hands before he turned around and left the dungeon. Yes, that was probably the better approach. Even if he got it wrong the first few times, he''d get it right if he kept trying and reaching this person would be easier with something he liked. After all, in this cell where there was nothing else for him to do, he would sooner or later be unable to reject his gifts and when he started to accept those, it would only be a matter of time until he also accepted the one giving them to him.

 Chapter 878 - Too Much of a Risk

    The next day arrived soon in the demon realm and An Bai was once again faced with the smiling face of Ye Yang. The demon really seemed as if he didn''t want to give up. Well, one day was nothing. He''d like to see how long he''d keep this up for.


    This time, An Bai didn''t even lower his book. He just continued to quietly turn the pages as if he hadn''t noticed this visitor of his at all.


    Ye Yang waved for the guard to let him in and then sat down next to An Bai again. He didn''t say anything and just watched him read. His gaze brushed over An Bai''s tranquil face and then wandered down to the blue robe, over the long sleeves and finally stopped at those elegant fingers. Mn ¡­


    Another page was turned and not a single word was uttered in the cell. From outside, the steps of the guards patrolling the dungeon could be heard, mixed with some cursing from demons that were thrown into a cell as well or dragged out in a rough manner.


    "That looks interesting. What is it about?" Ye Yang raised his gaze to An Bai''s face again but there wasn''t a single ripple in his eyes. Ah, it seemed Jin Ling wasn''t the only one who was immune to his charms.


    He fell quiet again and continued to read a bit of the book in An Bai''s hands. His brows couldn''t help but twitch. The flora of the Nine Heavens?! Why the fuck would a dragon read that? He hurriedly schooled his expression again and earnestly continued. Even if this wasn''t interesting for him, it might still be beneficial to know. After all, having a subject they could talk about would make things easier later on.


    An Bai noticed that the person next to him had started to earnestly focus on the book as well and almost lowered his speed of reading so the demon would be able to keep up. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, An Bai gave a pause. What was he even thinking? He was a prisoner in this dungeon and not studying together with this man! If that demon wanted to learn, he could go and get his own book.


    An Bai abandoned his previous thought and continued to read. He was only there with half his mind though. The other half was preoccupied with pondering what he should do.


    His current situation was dangerous. Dragons were susceptible to seduction. The likelihood of falling in love at first sight was actually low for most of them. The only exception was pairs of fated lovers like His Majesty and the crown prince probably were.


    If that kind of pair met, they would more often than not immediately feel a connection. Even if they didn''t recognize it as love first, they would come to figure out these feelings after some time. By then, the connection already would have been made though. It was only a question of whether they understood or not. The time they needed for that would often depend on their age and their experiences prior to that.


    For other dragons, it was different. Most of them would spend some time together, slowly get to know each other, and finally, fall in love. Often enough, one of them would fall first and then start a time of intense courting to both make their feelings known and to convince the other person that they were the right partner and thus move their heart.


    Normally, that approach worked quite well. It was something that most dragons longed for but some also feared. Receiving such care was a great honor but also a great risk. And this risk was much higher when the person courting them was not a dragon that would unconditionally love their partner until the very end but a demon that was unable to give the care they pretended to lavish on their other half.


    With a demon, the words they spoke were empty and the gestures of gentleness they showed were like the cut of a poisoned blade. No dragon in their right mind would allow them to get close.


    Unfortunately, even though he was in his right mind, he was not in the right situation. Even if he wanted to, he could not refuse. So what else could he do? The only option should be to finally get out of here. Since the demon king wanted to know something from him, it should also be safe. Otherwise, why would the demon king come and ask him about this? He would only do that if he assumed that this array had to do with the dragons. And if that was the case ¡­ it should be tied to His Majesty and the Son of Heaven''s reincarnation. Which meant ¡­ that the demon king would need his answer to be able to do anything to them.


    He couldn''t imagine what exactly the matter was with that but this alone was enough to let him know that he could leave. He just needed a way to get out of this cell. If he could do that, then the rest wouldn''t be too difficult. Even if he wasn''t able to fight his way out of the palace, he would at least be able to contact Xiang Yong. If he could help him from outside, then it would be possible to escape. The question was how to get out of the cell ¡­


    Next to him, Ye Yang raised his gaze and narrowed his eyes. This dragon ¡­ he obviously wasn''t focusing on this book anymore. He''d like to think it was because his charming behavior had already worked but most likely, that wasn''t the case. No, this guy was planning something.


    Mn ¡­ Ye Yang got up and took out the book he had brought with him, waving it in front of An Bai''s face. "I don''t know how many you brought with you but I guess one more can''t be wrong. I''ll leave this here. Don''t miss me too much. I''ll be back tomorrow." With that, he put the book down where he had just sat and then left the cell. Naturally, he didn''t forget to get the guards afterward and warn them that the dragon over there was likely going to try something funny soon.

 Chapter 879 - Guilty Conscience

    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, Nian Hong Fang was pacing up and down. The more days went by, the more nervous he got. Why hadn''t Xiao Dong and Shao Hai not come back yet? Why hadn''t they sent a message? Just what had happened to them?!


    He couldn''t, no, he didn''t dare to understand. Because if he did, then the consequences of what he had done might be unimaginable. Unfortunately, he could only try to convince himself that nothing bad had happened for a while. In the end, he still had to admit the bitter reality: In his desire to make Zhi Wu return home, he had endangered the lives of two of their junior martial brothers. He hadn''t intended to do so but it had still happened. And the worst thing was that he didn''t know where the two of them had gone. So now, three of their disciples had vanished without a trace.


    When the Grandelder returned that day, he found his disciple sitting by the window, looking especially desolate. He sighed and went over, lightly patting his back. "Don''t worry about him. Ma Zhi Wu is strong. He''ll be able to prevail regardless of what he got himself into."


    "Master ¡­" Nian Hong Fang turned around, his gaze complicated. "I''m afraid ¡­ I''m afraid I did something wrong."


    The Grandelder sat down and patted his disciple''s hands. "Whatever it is, it can''t be that bad, can it? Just tell me. I''m sure we''ll find a way to deal with it." The Grandelder wasn''t worried. What kind of thing could his head disciple do wrong? At worst, he would have spoiled a rare ingredient because he hadn''t been concentrated enough.


    It was a pity but nothing too bad. Nian Hong Fang had always been sentimental. With Ma Zhi Wu gone for so long, it was a given that his thoughts would be somewhere else every now and then. Until they got any information on what had happened to Ma Zhi Wu, things would likely continue like this. His disciple just needed closure for this. Even if ¡­ even if Ma Zhi Wu didn''t come back, it would still be alright as long as he knew.


    Nian Hong Fang lowered his gaze, his brows tightly furrowed. He couldn''t help but feel guilty. Even until now, he still hadn''t told his Master. But now, there was no way to keep quiet any longer. "A few weeks ago, somebody delivered a letter from Zhi Wu."


    The Grandelder''s bushy brows raised. "That ¡­ should be good?" Although he didn''t quite understand why his disciple would only say this now.


    "Yes. I ¡­ I was very happy. But in the letter, Zhi Wu wrote that he wasn''t doing too well. I couldn''t be too direct but he indicated he was being held captive. I was worried so I wanted to follow the messenger back to see where he was so that ¡­ that maybe the Yun Zou Sect could do something."


    The Grandelder nodded. "But things didn''t go well?" He also knew the strengths and weaknesses of his disciple. Nian Hong Fang was an excellent alchemist. On the other hand, he wasn''t a good fighter. He was able to use his spiritual energy to fly and use some attacks but he wasn''t cut out for this kind of life. "Did that person notice you?"


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head. "I also know I''m not good at that. While I followed him, I saw junior martial brother Xiao and junior martial brother Shao return. I asked them to help out and ¡­ they followed him in my stead while I returned to the sect. But up until now, they still haven''t contacted me. There''s not a word from them. I''m afraid that ¡­ they suffered the same fate as Zhi Wu." He looked up, the worry in his gaze evident. "It''s my fault. But I don''t know what to do. The Sect Master never had anybody search for Zhi Wu. At first, he didn''t even want to believe when I said something had to have gone wrong. And even when he finally believed it, as soon as something else happened, he once again pushed the search back. Until now, nothing had happened at all! I thought that if I didn''t do anything, then nobody would ever search for him!"


    The Grandelder sighed and closed his eyes. He could understand where Nian Hong Fang was coming from. Sect Master Yuchi had indeed not handled this well. On the other hand, he had hardly had another choice. Ma Zhi Wu had disappeared on the training''s mission the Sect Master had their disciples do after the accident in the Leyuan region. By then, they had already lost the larger part of their most talented disciples. If even Ma Zhi Wu couldn''t handle whatever had happened, then who could? Sending somebody after him likely would have been a suicide mission. But nobody had dared to tell Nian Hong Fang about that.


    And now that they had reacquired some strength and the search had been supposed to start, they had just antagonized the Yang Huo Sect and the relationship with the Chun Feng Sect had cracked. Maybe it could even be considered a falling-out. So what were they supposed to do? The Sect Master could hardly risk sacrificing several disciples just to get one back.


    The Grandelder sighed again and patted his disciple''s hands. "You did what you thought was right. Anyway, if Ma Zhi Wu wrote you a letter, it means he isn''t dead. Since he wasn''t killed and is only being held captive, there should be a reason for it. So there''s hope that even if these two were also captured, they won''t be harmed and just held captive like him. It''s not ideal but it''s not the end of the world either."


    "But what should we do?"


    The Grandelder gazed out of the window. In the end, this situation was also his fault. He should have shown more support for Nian Hong Fang. Maybe then, he wouldn''t have done something in secret. If he wanted to make sure that things didn''t go further downhill, then he had to support him now.


    He pulled out of his thoughts and gave his disciple a smile. "Well, first of all, we should gather everyone who is involved. You go and get that letter and I''ll ask Elder Geng, Elder Wang, and Wu Min Huan to meet. Then we can discuss our next steps."


    Nian Hong Fang got up and bowed. "Thank you, Master!"


    "Mn, that''s what I should do. Now, go. We shouldn''t lose any more time."

 Chapter 880 - Hoping for too much?

    Elder Wang had no idea what was going on when the Grandelder came and asked him for a meeting. On the other hand, Elder Geng could already imagine what this was about.


    When the five people finally got together in one of the rooms in the Sect Master''s palace, the one who looked the most nervous was Wu Min Huan though. Since the day his Master had gone into closed-door cultivation, things had been a little rough for him. Continuing with the restructuring of the Yun Zou Sect hadn''t been too hard because there had been things he could work with. But this time, there was nothing to fall back on.


    Feeling helpless at this actually made him wonder if he was really would have been able to take on his Master''s position in the future if he was still his head disciple. Maybe that was why his Master decided to put more effort into teaching Yu Jin. Maybe he was really more suited to inherit his position and lead the sect in the future.


    Even though he came to that conclusion, he couldn''t just give up right now. No, he had to continue to do this as well as he could. Never mind that three Elders were involved in this, he also felt that he still owed Nian Hong Fang. After all, he hadn''t managed to help him inquire about Ma Zhi Wu back then. And with both Elder Geng and the Grandelder being here, he was afraid that this might actually have to do with him and that whatever news they had acquired wouldn''t be anything good.


    He cleared his throat and then looked at the Grandelder, afraid to face Nian Hong Fang. "Grandelder, what might be the matter?"


    The Grandelder glanced at his disciple and then gave a sigh. "There''s something that we have to report. This concerns both Elder Geng''s head disciple, Ma Zhi Wu, and Elder Wang''s disciples Xiao Dong and Shao Hai. With three of our disciples being involved, I would also say that maybe somebody is going against our Yun Zou Sect. So I felt that the Sect Master should be involved. Since he is currently still in closed-door cultivation, you will have to act on his behalf, Wu Min Huan."


    Wu Min Huan tensed when he heard how serious the matter was but he still nodded. Anyway, he had no other way. His Master couldn''t be disturbed and he didn''t know how to contact Yu Jin. Even if he wanted to push this to him, there was no way to do so. "Then just report. We''ll see what we can do about it."


    The Grandelder looked at Nian Hong Fang who, in turn, took out the copies of the letter that he had made. He handed one to his Master, the two Elders, and Wu Min Huan each before he started to explain. "A few weeks ago, a messenger brought a letter from Ma Zhi Wu to me. Back then, I didn''t tell anybody because I wasn''t sure how you''d react.


    "I had hoped that with this, I might be able to find out about what had happened to him. Unfortunately, there weren''t any meaningful clues to be had in the letter. I could only guess that he must''ve been imprisoned by somebody.


    "As for that messenger, he didn''t wear robes that would''ve allowed me to say whether or not he was part of any organization that we know about. It was something that maybe a wandering cultivator or practitioner would wear but even that isn''t for sure. Anyway, he also could''ve put those clothes on to make sure that I would be unable to tell.


    "I sent him my response with that man and then tried to follow him. On the way, I met Xiao Dong and Shao Hai who had just returned from a mission. I asked them to follow him in my stead since I was afraid that I would be more likely to be discovered than them. But since then, I haven''t heard from them."


    Elder Wang furrowed his brows. He had already thought that his disciples should have returned by now but he wouldn''t have thought that it was actually not because they hadn''t finished their previous mission but because they had gone on another errand for somebody else and that something might have happened to them. "So to speak, now not only Ma Zhi Wu is being held captive, but it could also be that Xiao Dong and Shao Hai are in the same situation?"


    Nian Hong Fang nodded his head. "That is very likely. I''m sorry."


    Elder Wang sighed. "It is not your fault. You were worried about Ma Zhi Wu and wanted to use this opportunity to find out what happened. Who could have known that even the two of them together wouldn''t be able to make it through this?" He looked at the other two Elders and then turned to Wu Min Huan.


    "If this was just Shao Hai, I might not be too surprised. He is ¡­ a good practitioner. His comprehension ability and talent aren''t high but he has always been hard-working. Among my disciples, I would dare to say that he is ranked somewhere along the upper-middle.


    "But there was also Xiao Dong and among all the disciples I''ve ever taught, he is definitely the most talented. If I could have, I would''ve taken him into the inner sect much earlier but he had always refused because of Shao Hai. If he was also captured, then whoever has been holding Ma Zhi Wu captive has to be formidable."


    Wu Min Huan nodded. "So whoever it is, they won''t be easy to find and take care of. Was there anything else you noticed, Xiao Fang?"


    Nian Hong Fang pondered. "Well, I wouldn''t say that there''s any hint about who they are but I would say that that messenger was a little strange. He was very serious and seemed as if he wouldn''t allow me to give information to anybody else. He did seem to be a little more gentle when I showed my feelings for Ma Zhi Wu though as if he took pity on me. I don''t know if that will help though."


    Wu Min Huan furrowed his brows. He had no idea what he should do with just that information. The messenger had long left. How could they ask him?


    Elder Geng''s expression turned subtle though. "That messenger ¡­ You wouldn''t have seen him since then, would you?"


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head. "No. That day was the only time I saw him."


    Elder Geng nodded but he seemed to be deep in thought.


    Wu Min Huan couldn''t help but notice. And since there was nothing else they seemed to be able to do, he couldn''t help but ask. "Elder, is there anything you thought of?"


    Elder Geng sighed. "I''m not quite sure how to say this but I feel that should this messenger return, then we might be able to make use of that. But ¡­ This still does rely on him to come back here at least once and I don''t know how likely that is if things are really being kept under wraps. Maybe I''m hoping for too much."

 Chapter 881 - A Plan Not without Risk

    Even though Elder Geng thought that the likelihood of that ever happening was very slim, the things happening in the Chun Feng Sect spoke another language.


    Currently, Liu Cheng was standing next to his Master, watching some of the other disciples on the training field. "They still haven''t said a single word. I don''t know if it''s that they don''t have anything to say or if they are just too deeply involved in this. Anyway, at least that Shao Hai doesn''t seem to be a demon. Should we let him go?"


    Xian Xun sighed. "I''m afraid it won''t be that easy. Normally, if the person just randomly said that the Chun Feng Sect had kidnapped somebody and imprisoned them, nobody would listen to them. Even if it was another sect, that likely wouldn''t say anything as soon as we explained that this was to catch one of those vile demons. But with the situation in the Yun Zou Sect right now ¡­


    "I''m afraid this will only aggravate things further. After all, there is Ma Zhi Wu on one hand and that Xiao Dong on the other hand. From everything we know, the Grandmaster''s disciple and another person from the sect whose identity we don''t even know are also demons. These are four people alone and we have no idea how many demons there actually are. It could be much more and they might be deeply involved in the sect''s structure.


    "In this case, it will be almost impossible to convince Yuchi Bing Xia. I''m afraid that he will already be deaf to all warnings by now. We''ve come too late." He sighed. "Anyway, I''m afraid there''s no way to inquire for any more information. In the worst case, we''ll need to take everybody and just try to get to these demons in one strike. Even if it doesn''t work out, at least we won''t have failed our mission and tried our utmost. We will only need to make sure that the mission lives on."


    Liu Cheng nodded, looking deeply troubled.


    Not far from them, Shen Qiang glanced at his sleeve where he had still secured the scented satchel that Nian Hong Fang had given him. Thinking of him, his heart couldn''t help but beat faster. He also didn''t know what it was, but just remembering the way he had looked at him when he had given him the scented satchel, made happiness bubble up in him that he was unable to ignore. He ¡­ he wanted to see him again. Unfortunately, there was no way to just go and make it happen. But maybe ¡­


    He hesitated for a moment longer and then stepped out of the lines of the disciple and walked forward, cupping his fists and bowing in front of the two of them. "Sect Master, senior martial brother Liu. I couldn''t help but overhear what you were saying just now. I might have an idea on how to help."


    Xian Xun scrunched up his brows and motioned for him to get up and explain.


    Shen Qiang lowered his hands and straightened up. "When I delivered that letter to the Yun Zou Sect, I met Nian Hong Fang who should be that demon''s lover. He has been living in the Yun Zou Sect all this time so he should be having information that we could use."


    Liu Cheng nodded. "He should. But why should he tell us? He is involved with a demon."


    Shen Qiang shook his head. "He was involved with a demon. But that was five years ago. Even though he still seems to love him, that might be more because of the sentimental value this person holds to him.


    "Furthermore, he might''ve never known that this Ma Zhi Wu was a demon in the first place. I felt that he was a very emotional person. I''m sure that if we managed to show him that Ma Zhi Wu has only ever used him and thus betrayed his trust, he would be willing to help us out. Especially so if we can make sure he understands that this would save a lot of other lives."


    Liu Cheng glanced at his Master. He didn''t mind using Nian Hong Fang but he wasn''t sure if it was really doable.


    Xian Xun also had his doubts. "Convincing him should be difficult though. What are your thoughts on that?"


    Shen Qiang lowered his gaze. His thoughts on that ¡­ He hadn''t thought any further. "Well, I have interacted with him once. Maybe I ¡­ Maybe I could go back and ¡­ talk to him?"


    Xian Xun looked at this disciple. Shen Qiang was the disciples of one of their sect''s Elders. He wasn''t his head disciple and even though he was a decent demon hunter, he couldn''t be called one of their best disciples. Obviously, he also was a little too emotional judging from the way he behaved right now. And this wasn''t just about the demons but also about that Nian Hong Fang.


    Well, in this situation, that might actually be good. Honest feelings would always be able to move a person more than a fake act. The demons were good with putting on a play but if that Nian Hong Fang was introduced to somebody that truly valued him, he might be able to understand that there was a better future for him.


    In that case, not only would they be able to save this person from the clutches of a demon, they would also be able to acquire the information they needed at the same time. That way, they would be able to get to the other demons in the Yun Zou Sect without endangering too many of their disciples. This would simply be too much in their favor!


    "Well, since we do not have another option right now, it would still be best to at least give it a try."


    Shen Qiang''s expression lit up, giving away his true thoughts immediately. Even Liu Cheng was able to see at once what was going through his head.


    "Master, this ¡­" He couldn''t help but feel that there was also a certain risk to this. After all, Nian Hong Fang falling in love with Shen Qiang and telling him what they needed to know was a good thing. But if Shen Qiang was the one who wouldn''t be able to keep a clear head in front of a beauty, then who was to say that it wouldn''t lead to disaster instead?


    Xian Xun shook his head. "Naturally, there is a certain risk involved. For the time being, you will not be able to return to the Chun Feng Sect. We will find a safe place for you to stay from where you can go to the Yun Zou Sect to see him every now and then. Don''t go too often and make sure that you don''t try to contact anyone from our sect. We can''t risk him finding out anything about our plan. Is that clear?"


    Shen Qiang once again cupped his fists and bowed. "Yes, Sect Master! Then I will go and inform my Master."


    Xian Xun nodded and waved for him to go before he turned to Liu Cheng. "Well, that is at least one way that we can try. Nothing stops us from trying to find another opportunity in the meantime as well. Anyway, the demons haven''t done anything large yet so we should still be able to prevent it even if we take a bit more time. And there is another one in our dungeon now so they are down one of them anyway. That is to our benefit."


    Liu Cheng nodded. "You''re naturally right, Master. We shouldn''t be rash in this situation and plan carefully. I was getting ahead of myself."


    The Sect Master just smiled and patted his disciple''s shoulder. He could understand. When dealing with these demons, it was often hard to keep a calm mind. After all, most of them had had experiences that showed just how vicious these creatures were. That kind of knowledge couldn''t be ignored just like that.

 Chapter 882 - Where There’s One, There’s Another

    Not far from the training field, Xin Lan scoffed. These people really thought they were all that. To think they would dare to want to make a move on the place where his Master stayed ¡­ That was simply delusional! He would never let that happen. The question was how to prevent that though.


    Xin Lan''s gaze flickered to the dungeon. He had arrived quite some time ago and watched how things proceeded in the Chun Feng Sect. By now, he had already found out about Ma Zhi Wu and had witnessed how Xiao Dong and Shao Hai had been captured. He also knew that there were quite a few demons, as well as some humans of mixed blood in the dungeons alongside them.


    If he were to set some or maybe even all of them free, that would definitely make trouble for the Chun Feng Sect. The only problem was that this kind of approach might not yield the result that he wanted. If he set the demons free, the Chun Feng Sect would need some time to catch them or kill them but afterward, they may instead double their efforts to capture his Master and that brat in the Yun Zou Sect since they would certainly think that they were behind this incident.


    In that case, his actions wouldn''t have benefited his Master at all and instead made matters worse. He couldn''t let that happen. No, he had to make sure that they were too busy to care about his Master''s matters. At least for as long as his Master was still healing his soul. Afterward ¡­ What were some puny mortals in front of Jinde? Even though his Master wasn''t as strong as himself, he was more than enough to deal with one Chun Feng Sect.


    Unfortunately, it would likely be a long time until then. And he couldn''t always stay here to keep on eye on things since he had promised that fallen god to accompany him on his trial. Right now, he might still be a little thing but in fifteen or twenty years ¡­ And his Master would likely need much longer to be back to his peak state.


    Xin Lan sighed thinking of that. So what should he do? Naturally, he could go and tell the Yun Zou Sect about the fact that three of their disciples were currently locked up in their so-called ally''s dungeon. The Yun Zou Sect would definitely go and make trouble for the Chun Feng Sect afterward.


    But that would implicate his Master as well. After all, the Yun Zou Sect was where he currently resided. If the Yun Zou Sect managed to free their people and maybe even beat down the Chun Feng Sect, then that would be good. But if they lost and got even weaker, then his Master would be in bigger trouble. So this also wasn''t a good method.


    Right now, it might be for the best not to do anything that had to do with the Yun Zou Sect. On the contrary, with that person wanting to seduce the Grandelder''s disciple, this might actually be beneficial for them. After all, that Shen Qiang would need time for his plan to come to fruition. And while he was still trying, the Chun Feng Sect likely wouldn''t attack the Yun Zou Sect outright.


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes, continuing to ponder. The problem was that this Sect Master Xian was way too fanatical. If he could, he would kill every demon he was able to get into his hands. So even if there was the plan that Shen Qiang had proposed, it wasn''t a given that Xian Xun and his head disciple Liu Cheng would keep their feet still and not launch an attack while the mission was still underway. So he would need some diversion to keep the two of them busy just in case.


    Well, where there was one, there would likely be another. These people had imprisoned disciples of the Yun Zou Sect. They would likely have done the same to disciples of other sects. After all, real high-ranking demons were rare in the mortal realm but people with a mixed heritage weren''t.


    Especially since what the Chun Feng Sect deemed to be demons weren''t necessarily the offspring of actual demons. Just thinking of that Ma Zhi Wu as an example, his ancestors obviously hadn''t been actual demons but demonic beasts instead.


    Anyway, since the Chun Feng Sect caught people indiscriminately without looking at the portion of demon blood they had, there had to be many people that had been prized disciples of their sects. If he could expose them one after each other ¡­


    Xin Lan smiled to himself. Yes, that would be the best course of action. Now, he only needed to find out who the people in the dungeon were. The only question was how to go about this. The sect wouldn''t happen to have some kind of register for the people they kidnapped, would it?


    He looked around and finally sighed. Even though he would''ve liked to get over with this as fast as possible just to make sure that that Xian Xun couldn''t try anything, he wouldn''t be able to get it done immediately. No, he could only take his time and slowly investigate.


    If there was some information about these people, that would make matters easier for him but if there wasn''t, then he would even need to go and investigate on his own. That would take even longer. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to change that. He could only hope that he''d be lucky.


    Xin Lan sighed again and flew over to the Sect Master''s dwelling, starting his search for information over there. Anyway, he still had some time so he might try as well. And most likely, if this kind of information was available, it would all be at the same place. Most likely somewhere that was inaccessible for any visitors. After all, the Chun Feng Sect wouldn''t want anybody to know about their secret kidnappings. Well, as soon as he found what he needed, he''d make sure that everybody got to know that should know.

 Chapter 883 - An Unassuming Miracle

    While the people in the mortal realm prepared for their own plans, one of the rooms in a palace in the Nine Heavens lit up and a medicinal scent drifted into the adjacent courtyard and the corridor in front of the door.


    The God of War, Qiang Yan, had been pacing up and down in that corridor, stopped in his tracks and straightened up, turning to face the door with a tensed expression.


    This medicinal scent should mean that it had been a success, shouldn''t it? So the pill for Nie Huang should be ready to be brought over so that she would be able to start cultivating and hopefully become immortal soon so she could accompany Bai Mu for the rest of his life.


    He stared at the door, waiting for the God of Medicine to finally come out. He really wished that he could just barge right in but he didn''t know if there were any last steps that needed to be taken care of before things were indeed done so he didn''t dare to do anything.


    They might have another few sets of ingredients that could be used but that didn''t mean that he wanted to make using them necessary. One could never know what would happen in the future. Each day that went by was one day more that Nie Huang couldn''t cultivate. Who knew if that one day might be important later on? Or who knew if the God of Medicine would indeed be able to refine the pill a second time? No, it was better to give him the time to do it right the first time around instead of relying on the future.


    Qiang Yan took a deep breath to calm down and then once again paced up and down, listening for the sound of footsteps ¡ª or anything else really ¡ª from inside.


    Another hour went by until finally a sound could be heard from the other side of the door. There was the rattling of metal and then a high sound like the whistle of a teapot that was about to finish boiling. Then, footsteps finally approached the door.


    Qiang Yan stopped in his tracks once more and turned around, just in time to look into the fatigued face of the God of Medicine.


    The God of Medicine gave a tired smile and then reached out, offering the pill to Qiang Yan. "I guess you''ve waited long enough. You should bring it over to whoever it is that needs this."


    Qiang Yan hesitated, looking at the pill in the God of Medicine''s hand. It was looking quite ¡­ unspectacular. It was not even as big as the nail of his little finger and the color was a dull brown. If somebody other than the God of Medicine had told him that this pill was the result of the Nine Heavens'' best alchemist following a miraculous recipe unearthed from a person that had been thought to be long dead, he would''ve laughed and asked for the real pill. Now, it seemed that this unassuming thing was indeed exactly what he had been waiting for for so long.


    Well, it wasn''t like the way it looked was the important thing. No, the spiritual energy and the other properties the thing had were much more important. And even though he couldn''t say how this pill had been created, he could at least say that the spiritual energy the pill emanated was rather strong. It wasn''t obvious when he didn''t pay attention since the whole palace was always brimming with spiritual energy but when he focused, he could feel that there was a tremendous amount of power inside the thing.


    Qiang Yan took a deep breath and then gingerly reached out, taking the pill from the God of Medicine as carefully as he could. "Should I put this in some vial or something?"


    The God of Medicine laughed and waved his hand. "There''s no need for that. Although it looks small, it is really robust so there is no need to fear for anythin to happen. Just take it and bring it over."


    Qiang Yan nodded and looked at the pill again. "Thank you."


    "There''s no need to thank me at all. As I''ve said before, I feel like I was the one who struck a good deal with this. These recipes that the dragons were willing to give up are worth much more than even ten of these pills would amount to. So if anything, I''d have to thank you. Now go. Weren''t you anxious to get this delivered?"


    Qiang Yan gave another nod and then hurried away, rushing out of the palace and over to the dragon realm. Thinking of his son and his daughter-in-law, he really was eager to deliver the pill.


    As soon as he reached the door of the dragon king''s palace, the gate opened itself and a familiar person appeared on the other side. "God of War."


    Qiang Yan''s brows twitched. This guy was really well-informed. "Adviser Xiang Yong."


    "I heard that you were coming for a visit so I felt I should come and greet you."


    Qiang Yan nodded. "Actually, I came to see my son."


    "I see. Well, let me bring you over. We wouldn''t want to let the Nine Heavens say that we''re a bad host."


    Qiang Yan only laughed and followed him. The Nine Heavens, or rather their Heavenly Emperor, would certainly have a lot to say about the dragons but them being bad hosts wasn''t very high up on that list. Then again, this kind of insult might actually be better to hear than what his brother-in-law would actually want to say. Well, that wasn''t his problem right now.


    The two of them reached the door and Xiang Yong bid his farewell, walking back to his own study. Anyway, the God of War would be able to find his way around the palace himself if he needed to. As for everything else ¡­ It was alright as long as they knew just who was coming to visit. After all, they didn''t want to get any nasty surprises.


    Thinking of that, he really couldn''t help but think of that person that had come over the other day to see Bai Mu. Even though there had been a good explanation, he couldn''t help but have the nagging feeling that something would go wrong. It really made him feel ill at ease.

 Chapter 884 - Becoming a Cultivator

    While Xiang Yong worried about the future, Qiang Yan went in to greet his son and future daughter-in-law. Looking at the two of them together, he couldn''t help but think back to the time when he had still been with Huan Yin. Most likely, the two of them had made a couple such as this. Although ¡­ He felt that Nie Huang wasn''t as outspoken as his wife had been back then. Well, a human woman would naturally grow up differently from somebody like Huan Yin who had the blood of three races. There were different expectations for both women so naturally, they would also turn out differently.


    Qiang Yan shook his head at himself for getting lost in thoughts at this kind of moment and then took out the pill again, giving it to Nie Huang. "This is the pill we talked about. The God of Medicine just finished refining it."


    Nie Huang examined the unassuming pill and then first glanced at Qiang Yan before she looked at her husband. This was what they had been waiting for. With this pill, she would be able to become immortal. Well, at the very least, she would have the opportunity to become an immortal like her husband. From everything that he had told her, she would still need to put in a lot of work before she was at the point where she could indeed be considered a mortal. But she was up for that challenge. If it meant being able to stay together with Bai Mu for a lifetime, she was ready to try everything.


    Bai Mu requited her gaze and took her hands, squeezing them lightly. "It''s alright. We''ve talked about this before. You can definitely do it."


    Nie Huang nodded and then turned back to Qiang Yan. "Thank you, father-in-law."


    Qiang Yan shook his head and patted both their shoulders. "I''m just happy that the two of you will have a future together. Then I shouldn''t disturb you any longer. It''s better you start soon so we will know if it worked or if we need to try something else." He already wanted to turn away and go back to the Nine Heavens when Bai Mu called out to him.


    "Wait. That ¡­ Would you mind staying for a while longer?"


    Qiang Yan raised his brows. Naturally, he wouldn''t mind. He just wasn''t quite sure why his son was asking him to do so.


    Bai Mu smiled wryly at the unspoken question. "I''ve never done something like this. I guess you haven''t either but I think I''d feel better with the two of us here just in case something unforeseen happens."


    Qiang Yan smiled. "Nie Huang can be happy to have a husband like you. Of course, I''ll stay if it''s like this."


    Bai Mu heaved a sigh of relief and then guided Nie Huang to sit down before he knelt down in front of her. Qiang Yan sat down to the side, giving the two of them a bit of space while being close enough that he would be able to get involved if something did indeed go wrong.


    Not that he expected that to happen. Considering who that recipe had come from and who had refined the pill, nothing should be wrong with that part. And from how he had to gotten to know Bai Mu so far, he certainly would''ve talked things through with Nie Huang prior to getting the pill so she should also know what to do.


    Since they were both with her right now and could give some advice on the side, he really couldn''t imagine how something should go wrong. So it was just a question of how fast she would be able to grasp the concept of using the spiritual energy she acquired and start to cultivate.


    Nie Huang looked at her fiance nervously. "If this doesn''t work out ¡­"


    "Don''t think of that. It definitely will. Now, just take the pill. Afterward, remember what I said: You have to be prepared for this to hurt. The pill is a very good one so it should be over fast but that doesn''t mean that you''ll get around it completely. I''ll try to help out as much as I can but this still won''t be easy. When you feel the energy, try to guide it through your body. That is the only thing you will be able to do for the time being to alleviate the pain. Alright?"


    Nie Huang nodded and looked at the pill again. She only hesitated for a moment longer before she finally gulped it down. Just as Bai Mu had explained to her, she closed her eyes and tried to focus on what was happening inside her body. She could feel the pill going down and slowly dissolve, spreading throughout her body.


    It was a strange feeling but not painful yet. She tried to feel that energy that Bai Mu had mentioned but there didn''t seem to be anything there. She couldn''t help but panic for a moment but Bai Mu squeezed her hands again to reassure her.


    "Everything is alright. There''s no need to worry. It needs a bit of time to work."


    Nie Huang nodded and squeezed his hands back, focusing on what was left from the pill again. For a while, nothing happened but then, she felt a sharp pang from her abdomen.


    She furrowed her brows and tried to endure. The pang turned into a dull ache that spread out while the center of the pain seemed to intensify. Soon enough, she felt as if her abdomen was lit on fire while the rest of her body was wracked by waves of pain.


    Bai Mu looked at her with his brows similarly drawn tightly together. He knew that this was the forming of her spiritual veins and that this was a necessary step if they wanted her to become a cultivator as well. But he still didn''t like to see this.


    If he could, he would''ve liked to take this pain from her and taken it upon himself while she just gained the benefits. Unfortunately, that kind of thing was impossible. Now that she had taken the pill, the only way to go was forward. She would have to live through this and then emerge as a cultivator. There was no way back anymore.


    Nie Huang doubled over in pain, falling into her fiance''s arms. Bai Mu held her tightly, rubbing her back while he was still holding one of her hands. When he was sure that the spiritual veins had started to form everywhere, he gently tried to help her guide the spiritual energy from the pill through them to make things easier for her. He didn''t dare to do too much though. After all, he didn''t want for anything to go wrong just because he had been too anxious.


    In the end, the pain subsided after an hour. Compared to how long this process usually took, this could be considered more than good. And when Bai Mu helped Nie Huang to guide the spiritual energy from the pill through the newly-formed spiritual veins, nothing unexpected happened.


    From a mortal without an ability to cultivate, she had gone to be a talent with heavenly spirit veins. Thanks to being in the dragon realm that was filled with abundant spiritual energy and the guidance of her fiance, Nie Huang managed to advance rapidly, getting closer and closer to the third level that would allow her to become a true immortal.


    Unfortunately, while things were going well for her, others didn''t have as much luck.

 Chapter 885 - Looks Like a Demon

    Shao Hai stared at Xiao Dong who had curled up against the wall. "Heh. Are you sure you''re not a demon?"


    Xiao Dong cracked his eyes open, the blue iris glittering dangerously. "What''s that supposed to mean?! I already told you I''m not! Stop asking already!"


    Next to them, Ma Zhi Wu sighed. "Some of us don''t even know ourselves. It''s not your fault. Don''t think about it too much."


    "I''m not!" Xiao Dong opened his eyes completely and furrowed his brows. How could they just say he was a demon? Obviously, he was a proud person of the dragon race! Unfortunately, he couldn''t very well say that ¡­ Otherwise, wouldn''t that put his king''s plan at risk? He couldn''t let that happen. His Majesty was counting on him!


    Shao Hai pursed his lips and glanced at the disciples that were guarding the room. "How long do you think they''ll let us stay in here? It''s already been a few weeks."


    Ma Zhi Wu also leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. "It''s better if you don''t think about it."


    Shao Hai didn''t quite know what to make of that so he just continued to look around. "Anyway, I still don''t think this is right. Aren''t the Chun Feng Sect and the Yun Zou Sect allies? How can they do this to us? Even if they think that we''re demons, shouldn''t they at least talk about this with the Yun Zou Sect? I''m sure they would be able to tell them that we aren''t."


    Ma Zhi Wu opened an eyelid and glanced at Shao Hai. In the end, this guy was still too young. He obviously hadn''t seen enough of the world yet. "Shao Hai, do you think they believe that you are a demon?"


    Shao Hai blinked his eyes. "Well, I''m not. That''s why I said they should have asked the Yun Zou Sect. My Master could certainly tell them."


    Xiao Dong harrumphed. "Then what about me? Is Master going to tell them that I''m not a demon either? Do you think they''d believe that?"


    Shao Hai only continued to purse his lips. "Well, it''s much harder to believe if it''s about you. Just look at your hair. You look like a demon!"


    The disciples guarding outside couldn''t help but look over. Indeed. Among the three of them, Xiao Dong was indeed the person that looked the most like a demon. Even that Ma Zhi Wu that had spent five years in their dungeon couldn''t be identified as a demon at one glance. The only thing that might tip anyone off had been the talent he had displayed. It wasn''t impossible for a human to be that talented but there was only one person in a ten thousand so each of them deserved to be examined more closely to make sure they were indeed human. As it had turned out, this one wasn''t. It had actually come as a surprise to them.


    This Xiao Dong was different. Whether it was his hair or his eye color, they were both far from anything a human should ever show so there hadn''t been the slightest doubt when they found him sneaking through their dungeon. It was strange that he had shown a delayed reaction to the blood gems but who knew what the demons had come up with to make that happen?


    Anyway, they couldn''t help but wonder how the Yun Zou Sect had been able to make such a mistake. Ma Zhi Wu could be excused but this Xiao Dong ¡­ There was no way they could have taken him in without noticing that something was off about him. It made them suspect what was going on in the head of Sect Master Yuchi. Did he have some plan that involved these demons? Unfortunately, no matter how hard they thought, they couldn''t come up with any explanation.


    Meanwhile, Xiao Dong only scoffed and turned away. How did he look like a demon? He even had the same hair color as the previous king! If that didn''t show that he was a dragon instead of a demon, then he also didn''t know what would. That Shao Hai didn''t know anything at all. He just shouldn''t talk to him.


    With Xiao Dong not bothering to answer, Shao Hai didn''t know how to proceed. He looked at the disciples guarding them once again and couldn''t help but wonder what would happen to them. Would they really continue to be imprisoned here? How could the Chun Feng Sect do that? But right now, everything looked as if this was indeed the case. He couldn''t understand but that wouldn''t change anything. At the moment, he could only hope that they''d be let out soon. Or ¡­ He turned back to Xiao Dong and inched closer, lowering his voice. "Do you think we should try to break out?"


    Xiao Dong who had just closed his eyes to try and rest cracked them open again and looked at Shao Hai as if he was an idiot. "Even if you tried, do you really think you''d be able to get out of here? We didn''t even manage to get inside without them noticing. How do you want to get out without being seen? Don''t you think they''d be looking around here every now and then? If three people suddenly vanished from a cell, they would certainly know that something was up. How do you want to get back to the Yun Zou Sect in that short amount of time?"


    Shao Hai went back to his previous place and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I was only asking. No need to be like that."


    Xiao Dong shook his head and refused to answer. He understood very well that Shao Hai wanted to do something to get out of here. If he could, he would also like to do the same. Unfortunately, there was no way to do that. Obviously, Ma Zhi Wu was more than just a little affected by the dungeon and the same was already true for him even though it had taken quite a bit longer than it should usually be the case. Well, being young also had its perks.


    Anyway, there was no way to get out. They could only endure for now and hope that somebody would realize soon that they had imprisoned by the same guys as Ma Zhi Wu. Ah, he could only hope this matter would be investigated more closely this time around.

 Chapter 886 - Seeing Each Other Again

    While the three people in the dungeon could only wait, Shen Qiang had been busy preparing for the implementation of the Chun Feng Sect''s plan. By now, he had moved into a small hut that was far enough away from the Chun Feng Sect so as to not draw attention to them.


    It felt strange not being in the sect where he had lived for so many years but thinking of how he would soon be able to see Nian Hong Fang again, he still felt happy. He took out the scented satchel, his fingers brushing the embroidery. "Nian Hong Fang ¡­"


    Maybe he was thinking too much and Nian Hong Dang wouldn''t be able to let go of the memory of that demon but he really hoped that things would work out. Even if it wasn''t with him but with somebody else, that was still good. As long as he could forget about that Ma Zhi Wu, everything was well. Naturally, that didn''t mean that he didn''t have any hopes.


    Shen Qiang sighed and put the satchel away, looking out of the window. He was settled in and any traces back to the Chun Feng Sect should already be cold. There was nothing holding him back anymore. So now would be the right moment to go. He couldn''t help but hesitate though.


    Yes, he wanted to make this work. Yes, he wanted to find out what he could for the Chun Feng Sect to stop those demons. But ¡­ he also felt sorry for Nian Hong Fang and didn''t quite know how to face him. Waiting five years for the man he loved and finally having to realize that he was not a man but a demon instead ¡­ It would certainly hurt him. If he could, he would have liked to make this easier for him. Maybe there was an explanation that wouldn''t hurt as much.


    He pondered but in the end, he shook his head at himself and left the house, flying toward the Yun Zou Sect. Even if he could find another explanation, it would have been too late after that letter. Nian Hong Fang would suspect anything he said about Ma Zhi Wu now. So the best thing to do would be to not bring him up at all. Even though that might make it more difficult, his chances would be higher in the end.


    Shen Qiang reached the gates of the Yun Zou Sect and stopped, cupping his fists and bowing to the two disciples on guard duty. "Greetings. I came to visit the disciple Nian Hong Fang."


    The disciples exchanged a glance and nodded, one of them motioning inside. "Let me bring you over."


    Shen Qiang straightened up and gave an earnest smile. "Thank you." He looked at the mountains and his heart couldn''t help but leap. In a few moments, he would finally see him again. After these few weeks, he couldn''t help but look forward to that.


    The two of them reached the Grandelder''s palace and the disciple knocked on the door before stepping in. "Senior martial brother Nian, somebody came to visit."


    Nian Hong Fang turned around, his heart leaping as well. It couldn''t be that ¡­ His gaze was hopeful while waiting but when Shen Qiang stepped into the room, it turned cold.


    Shen Qiang smiled and nodded. "Cultivator Nian, I hope I''m not disturbing your work."


    Nian Hong Fang looked at the herbs lying next to him and weakly shook his head. "No ¡­ nothing of the like." He took a deep breath before he turned back to Shen Qiang, reminding him of what Elder Geng had said.


    This man was their only chance to ever find out what had happened to Ma Zhi Wu and the other two. And the only one who could bring him to divulge that secret was him. He couldn''t show his disappointment and rejection. If he did ¡­ this man might not return anymore. What then?


    Nian Hong Fang forced himself to give a small smile. "You wouldn''t have brought me another letter, would you?"


    Shen Qiang awkwardly shifted on the spot. "That ¡­ I''m sorry. No. I just ¡­"


    Nian Hong Fang faced the other way and then motioned at the other side of the table. "Why don''t you have a seat?"


    "Ah." Shen Qiang nodded and went over. The other disciple had already left after announcing him and nobody else was in the room. Right now, they were alone. He couldn''t help but feel nervous. "You ¡­ were refining something?" He motioned at the herbs on the table.


    Nian Hong Fang looked at them, his gaze growing distant. Ma Zhi Wu had never quite understood alchemy. Regardless of how often he told him about it, he would just look blankly and tell him that it was good as long as it worked in the end. Sometimes, he would even disturb him while at work, hugging him from behind, and quietly whispering to him until he was utterly distracted.


    Shen Qiang attentively watched Nian Hong Fang''s face. Seeing his expression, his heart fell. Apparently, this would be even more difficult than he had thought. He lightly cleared his throat. "I''m sorry. I didn''t want to bring up anything that would make you sad."


    Nian Hong Fang was pulled out of his thoughts. He looked up and shook his head with a small smile. "There''s nothing to apologize about. That was my fault just now. Actually, I haven''t refined anything in a long time. To be an alchemist, you always need to be concentrated and these years, I haven''t been able to do that very well. I just ¡­ I can''t stop thinking of him." He glanced at Shen Qiang, his gaze subtle. "You ¡­ You wouldn''t know anything, would you? How he is doing? Or where he is?"


    Shen Qiang lowered his gaze, his lips tightening for a moment. "No. No, I''m afraid ¡­ there is nothing I can tell you. I was just ¡­ just delivering that letter."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded to himself. "So it''s like that." Then, it seemed he really wouldn''t get around what he had feared. Well, as long as he was able to get Ma Zhi Wu back, he would be able to live with it even if he hoped that it wouldn''t need to come to this.

 Chapter 887 - How to Please a Man?

    Shen Qiang couldn''t help but feel guilty when he saw Nian Hong Fang''s expression. This person didn''t know that Ma Zhi Wu was a demon. Naturally, he would feel hurt when the man he loved didn''t return to his side. And if he was of the impression that it was not Ma Zhi Wu''s own fault, then he would be worried. He just was that type of person. If he wanted him to feel any better, he would need to make him give up on ever being with Ma Zhi Wu again and instead fall in love with somebody else. But doing that was easier said than done.


    Shen Qiang looked at the herbs again, glancing at Nian Hong Fang every now and then. "Maybe ¡­ I could help you?"


    Nian Hong Fang looked up with some surprise. He felt even more surprised when he saw Shen Qiang''s expression. He had already noticed the last time that Shen Qiang''s attitude toward him had softened when they talked after he had finished writing the letter. He hadn''t been quite sure what this was about until Elder Geng told him that this person might have some good feelings toward him.


    Seeing the way he behaved right now, he started to believe that the Elder was right. He didn''t know how this could have happened though. Love at first sight? Somebody he reminded him of? Maybe he had just struck a fancy there and was exactly the type this man liked.


    It was a little strange to imagine. But this was also good. If this man liked him, then maybe they could really go through with Elder Geng''s plan and thus find out where Ma Zhi Wu and the others were. It would rely on how well he was able to play his part.


    Nian Hong Fang looked at the herbs but then shook his head. "I''m afraid if you have never worked with any herbs, then that would be difficult. I guess you don''t happen to be an alchemist?"


    Shen Qiang shook his head as well. "I''m not." But he was happy that Nian Hong Fang was even willing to talk to him. He had feared that because he was involved in that matter with the demon, that Nian Hong Fang would immediately shoot him down. But now it seemed that he wasn''t that vigilant in regard to him.


    Nian Hong Fang finally pushed the herbs aside and gave Shen Qiang a smile. "I''m sorry. I guess I''m a bad host. It''s just that I really can''t stop thinking about him. Would you like to have a cup of tea?"


    Shen Qiang shook his head again. "Don''t worry about it. I can understand that you''re feeling anxious. It says a lot about your character. Obviously, you''re a very good person." He looked away, feeling that he had maybe already said too much.


    "Then what about the tea? We have some teas that are good for cultivation."


    Shen Qiang looked up again and gave a relieved smile. "Do you also have normal tea? I''m just a practitioner, not a cultivator."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded and then went to get some normal tea, feeling a little giddy with excitement. A practitioner ¡­ That wasn''t much to go by but if he was from some kind of organization that was trying to harm the Yun Zou Sect, then this at least meant that they could eliminate all the ones that only had cultivators as their members.


    Now, he only had to find out a little more about him so that they would be able to eliminate even more possible culprits. Then, it was only a question of time until they found Ma Zhi Wu. He couldn''t be too obvious though.


    Nian Hong Fang brewed the tea and then carried a cup over, putting it down in front of the man. He gave a small smile and then went to get a cup for himself before he sat down opposite of him. He gave him a long look before he lowered his gaze back to the cup. "I''m afraid I didn''t quite catch your name the last time."


    Shen Qiang''s heart leaped in his chest. "That ¡­ I''m afraid I didn''t tell you because I was preoccupied with my task. I''m called Shen Qiang."


    "Shen Qiang ¡­" Nian Hong Fang repeated the name but it didn''t sound familiar. Then again, most people that he knew outside of the Yun Zou Sect were alchemists like him so that didn''t come as a surprise. But it could be that Wu Min Huan or one of the Elders would be able to remember some people of that name.


    It wasn''t for sure though. Maybe this person wasn''t anyone famous. Actually, that was rather likely. A task such as delivering a letter was nothing that needed a person to be very good. So maybe he had actually been tasked with that because he wasn''t famous and didn''t have a high status wherever he was from.


    For a moment, Nian Hong Fang was tempted to bring it up directly and ask him which organization he was from. He forcibly held back though. Most likely, even if this Shen Qiang didn''t know the whole story behind Ma Zhi Wu''s disappearance, he should at least have some kind of a clue what was going on so that he didn''t reveal anything important. He might become more cautious when interacting with him if he was too hasty.


    Nian Hong Fang lightly blew his tea, thinking of something to say. To be honest, he felt that he wasn''t very good with men. Back then, falling in love with Ma Zhi Wu had been an accident. And one that he had tried to escape with everything he got. The one who pursued the other had been Ma Zhi Wu. So there had been no effort expended on his part. How to please a man ¡­ He had no idea.


    But this Shen Qiang seemed to have a good opinion of him. So maybe just being himself was enough? It seemed he could only give that a try.


    Nian Hong Fang looked up again and observed Shen Qiang''s expression, bringing up his true feelings. "I''m quite happy that you came by again. Previously, Ma Zhi Wu would come by all the time. But now ¡­ He''s been gone for five years. And with all the blunders I have made I didn''t dare to spend too much time under the eyes of my Master. I''m afraid he''ll get fed up with me being this unfocused all the time. As for the others ¡­ There are mostly just the other disciples of our peak here. They all have their own friends and I don''t want to intrude. I guess I''m not very good company right now."


    Pity flashed through Shen Qiang''s eyes and got more pronounced the longer he talked. Nian Hong Fang hurriedly looked away. It seemed that he was on the right way to uncover something. Maybe it wouldn''t take too long to find out what had happened to his lover.

 Chapter 888 - Good Feelings, Different Sides

    Nian Hong Fang wasn''t wrong with the things he thought. Shen Qiang was indeed not very valued in the Chun Feng Sect. The reason for that was that he was too emotional. For a demon hunter, it was important that they were able to ignore their own feelings in any given situation to make the best decision for all of mankind. If that meant to sacrifice a few lives, then that was what had to be done. It was a pity but couldn''t be changed.


    Unfortunately, Shen Qiang was unable to do that. In fact, he had been in a situation where he would have needed to make such a decision several times but had failed to do so every single one. It had made him question whether he was made for this life or should have rather joined a normal sect. Unfortunately, it was too late now so he could only go forward and try his best.


    It was hard though. Right now, he was once again in a situation he''d rather have avoided. Being faced with a person that he had good feelings for and that showed him his vulnerable side, he just couldn''t help but feel compassionate. There was also a pang of guilt mixed in. After all, he knew very well where the person was that Nian Hong Fang dearly missed. He also knew the exact reason why this person hadn''t returned in five years. Knowing but not telling ¡­ He had a hard time telling himself that this was the right thing to do.


    If not because he had lived most of his life in the Chun Feng Sect and always been told that the people that got involved with demons could never be allowed to get close to them ever again, he already might have caved and told Nian Hong Fang the whole truth. But as things stood, he gulped and buried the truth inside.


    He couldn''t betray the Chun Feng Sect and their teachings. He had to find out about the plan of the demons to save more lives. Afterward ¡­ Afterward, he would still be able to tell Nian Hong Fang. He would be able to clear everything up and make sure that he wouldn''t be hurt too much. Yes, it was just a matter of time.


    Shen Qiang calmed himself down and gave Nian Hong Fang a small smile. "That must''ve been very hard. I''m afraid I can''t help you much but if it makes you feel better, then I can come by more often in the future. Then you''ll have at least one person you can share your thoughts with."


    Nian Hong Fang felt helpless at that response. On the one hand, it didn''t answer anything. On the other hand, this was in line with what they had planned. It was just that ¡­ With the information he needed so close at hand, he felt quite impatient. "Thank you. It means a lot to me that you''re willing to do this for me. I really don''t know how I deserve such goodwill."


    "Ah, that ¡­" Shen Qiang didn''t know how to explain this. He could hardly say the truth, could he? He looked away, taking another deep breath to calm down before he looked back at him. "I guess you just left me with a very good expression when I came here the last time."


    Nian Hong Fang smiled as if he accepted that explanation and continued to sip his tea. "Then I can only sincerely thank you ¡­ and my lucky stars. It''s good that the one who came by was you. Somebody else might not think the same."


    "I''m sure that you would have left everyone with that kind of impression." Shen Qiang looked at him, keeping his hands busy with the cup. Why was it that the longer he looked at him, the less he knew what to say? If only there was something to do in this place ¡­ Ah, come to think of it ¡­


    Shen Qiang lowered his head, clearing his throat. "I haven''t been to the Yun Zou Sect in the past. Maybe you''d like to show me around a bit? Always being cooped up inside probably also isn''t very nice for you."


    Nian Hong Fang''s gaze turned subtle but he still nodded and got up. "Of course. If you''d like to have a look around, then I don''t see any reason not to show you. Is there anything special you''d like to see?"


    Shen Qiang shook his head. He didn''t know what exactly his senior martial brother Liu and the Sect Master had found out so far so he didn''t know what to look out for. Anyway, even if he knew, it might be a problem if he said it directly. So it was still much better if he just pretended to be casual. "Anywhere is fine. I''d just like to spend some time with you and take your mind off things. That''s enough."


    Nian Hong Fang gave him a deep look and then smiled, motioning at the door. "Let''s go then." Inwardly, he couldn''t help but think that if this person wasn''t involved in this matter with Ma Zhi Wu and if he could be sure that he wasn''t doing all this for some other motif, then he might be quite nice to have around. It was a pity ¡­ Things weren''t very good. So all he could do was lie to this person and pretend to be on his side outwardly while he thought different inwardly. It was not that easy but it also wasn''t like he had never done that before.


    Stepping outside, Nian Hong Fang couldn''t help but think back to the time when he had met Ma Zhi Wu in quite a similar situation. Unfortunately, while things had cleared themselves up after a while back then, there was no way for that to happen now.


    No, this time, he and this person were indeed on different sides. Regardless of what kind of feelings they privately held, there was no way to part on amicable terms in the end. That just wasn''t possible.

 Chapter 889 - Almost Like Back Then

    Nian Hong Fang and Shen Qiang indeed met up several times afterward. They strolled around the Grandelder''s peak together and even took a look at the rest of the inner sect. Sometimes, Shen Qiang would just watch Nian Hong Fang process some ingredients for his Master, messing up every now and then.


    The more he saw, the more compassionate he felt for this person. Unfortunately, he knew that he couldn''t give in to these emotions. He had a task. And as much as it hurt ¡ª both him and Nian Hong Fang ¡ª he had to accomplish this task. It was the lesser of two evil.


    It was a pity that Shen Qiang didn''t feel like he was making much progress. Although Nian Hong Fang seemed to have opened up to him, they were hardly talking about Ma Zhi Wu or anything related to him so the matter with the demons never came up.


    On the other hand, Nian Hong Fang managed to find out some things about Shen Qiang''s life. He still didn''t have a good enough grasp on it to find out which organization he was from though. But it was obvious by now, that he wasn''t working alone. There had to be somebody behind him. And after knowing Shen Qiang for a while, Nian Hong Fang was convinced that this somebody was someone that Shen Qiang looked up to.


    If it wasn''t and if this had just been an order given by somebody who paid him, he didn''t doubt that Shen Qiang would have caved already. After all, Elder Geng''s plan seemed to work. The closer they got, the easier it was to make Shen Qiang give up some kind of information. It was just a pity that he always tried to change the subject whenever Ma Zhi Wu and the matter with the letter came up. It really was a pity.


    While the two of them danced around the subject, both trying to get closer to the other one, their hearts hiding some of their true thoughts, the other disciples also couldn''t help but notice what was going on.


    Everybody knew that Nian Hong Fang had been involved with Ma Zhi Wu previously. So suddenly seeing him stroll around with another man raised several eyebrows and made a lot of people gossip. They were wondering if he had finally forgotten about the person he had once promised himself to and was willing to move on now.


    Well, it had been five years. To mortals, that was a long time. To an immortal cultivator, it might not necessarily be. No, in fact, it was a short amount of time to them but it was still enough to break somebody''s heart. And with how distraught Nian Hong Fang had been before, they couldn''t bring themselves to fault him for finally abandoning his hope and putting his heart on somebody else.


    Only the ones who were in the know couldn''t help but sigh.


    Elder Geng shook his head while he watched the two people in the Grandelder''s herbal garden, seemingly talking with each other amicably. "It''s actually a pity. I think that if something really had happened to Zhi Wu and he wasn''t able to come back, he would have wanted Nian Hong Fang to find somebody else he could be happy with. He wouldn''t want him to remain like this, always waiting and wasting away his life.


    "Most likely, Zhi Wu would have liked this guy. He does seem quite good. He treats Xiao Fang well, talks to him and takes his mind off things. It''s just ¡­ I''m afraid Xiao Fang isn''t open to that. And even if he was, he certainly wouldn''t choose him."


    The Grandelder sighed as well. "You don''t have to tell me. Seeing him like this, I really can''t help but think back. Didn''t your Zhi Wu do the same thing? I remember how he shamelessly ran after Xiao Fang every day, watching him from dusk to dawn. He would even hurt himself on purpose and then come running, asking for Nian Hong Fang to treat him. When he wasn''t in, he''d kick some stones and leave again, never bothering to get his wounds treated as if he was hoping they might get worse until he came back so that Xiao Fang would need more time to treat him." The Grandelder shook his head and laughed. "Xiao Fang knew all the time."


    "Of course, he did. He isn''t stupid. Never was."


    "Yes, that''s true. He was even considering to go into closed-door cultivation back then to get away from everything. He was just afraid of having his heart broken."


    Behind them, Wu Min Huan looked from one person to the other and kept quiet. He had also known Nian Hong Fang and Ma Zhi Wu back then so he knew some of what had transpired. Unfortunately, he had been too occupied with his own matters to get involved. Otherwise, things might have been resolved much sooner. Well, that wasn''t the question right now.


    "Grandelder, Elder Geng, do you think that Nian Hong Fang will be able to find out more? It has already been several weeks again. I don''t know if this will really work. If this guy doesn''t say something soon that enables us to find out where they could be or at least lets us narrow the options down to a few places, then I''m afraid it might be too late. What if they''re hurt?"


    Elder Geng sighed and patted Wu Min Huan''s shoulder. "Then I''m afraid we have no way to do anything about that. I know it''s hard but we''ll have to accept reality, Min Huan. That''s something you''ll have to learn."


    Wu Min Huan furrowed his brows but still nodded. Yes, that was right. Since they didn''t know, they could only continue to try. If Nian Hong Fang didn''t manage to find out anything from this Shen Qiang, then what other way was there? If there was any, then his Master would have dealt with this already. "Then we can only hope that he''ll give up some information soon. I really don''t want to drag this out any longer."


    The two Elders nodded and turned back to the window, continuing to watch how Nian Hong Fang tried his best to follow the plan. Unfortunately, it was way too obvious that he was still hung up about Ma Zhi Wu and hadn''t really opened his heart to that man out there. If they were able to see it, that man should also be able to see. In that case ¡­ Would he really tell Nian Hong Fang? After all, if he did, then his own chances would be even slimmer. Most likely, he wouldn''t be that good of a person.

 Chapter 890 - More Than Enough of Them

    The people of the Yun Zou Sect were not the only ones who were worried about how their plan was proceeding. In fact, the Chun Feng Sect was even more worried than them. Not only had they not heard back from Shen Qiang''s side yet, meaning that he hadn''t been able to uncover anything substantial, no, things were even turning for the worse on their own side.


    Not long ago, one of the smaller sects had contacted them, asking about one of their disciples that had gone missing several months ago. Coincidentally, this disciple was precisely one of the demons that were currently in the Chun Feng Sect''s dungeon.


    Sect Master Xian Xun had still thought that it was a coincidence and that somebody had witnessed what had happened when his disciples took the demon away so he merely admitted to it and informed the sect about their disciple''s true face. When they heard that the person they had always cherished was, in fact, a demon, that sect''s Master soon let the matter go.


    Xian Xun had been sure that this would be the end of it and had continued as before. Soon enough, he found out that things weren''t that simple though. A week after the first sect contacted them, another sect sent a message over. This messenger also brought a name with him that corresponded to one of the disciples that they had imprisoned.


    This time, Xian Xun couldn''t very well tell himself that it was just a coincidence. Once was already an oversight that was unlikely to happen. But twice was downright impossible. He didn''t believe that his disciples would overlook somebody spying on them twice in a row. This meant that somehow, some information must''ve been leaked.


    Thankfully, it had been small sects both times so he was still able to deal with it. If the one that found out had been one of the higher-ranked sects ¡­ Things might have gotten troublesome. After all, even though it was their task to eliminate demons, these demons were still the prized disciples of the sect. They might not be the one succeeding the Sect Masters but at the very least, they would have been the head disciples of one of the Elders. The demons were naturally more talented than humans, after all. It was a given that they would be able to get a high position for themselves if they infiltrated a sect.


    Xian Xun furrowed his brows. Who could have leaked the information? They had to find out and stop that person before things could get even worse.


    Liu Cheng was sitting next to him, also furrowing his brows. "Could it have been Shen Qiang? He seemed quite smitten with that Nian Hong Fang when he made that suggestion. And it would fit in with the timeline. This only happened after he went to the Yun Zou Sect to meet up with him. If he got weak and exposed us ¡­"


    Xian Xun nodded slowly. "That could be. I''m not sure if he knows the names of all those disciples and the exact sects they were from though. And whoever the culprit is would have to know to inform them so precisely."


    Liu Cheng nodded. "How about we check if he was part of the missions when they were caught? If he was, then it would be very likely for him to be the one behind this."


    "Indeed but if he wasn''t, it doesn''t rule his involvement out. It will just be less likely. We should also see if there is a disciple that was involved in all of this. If that is the case, then we have to check more closely. If there''s a black sheep among us, we definitely can''t let this go on. You also know how these demons are. They''re too crafty to be taken lightly. If they put some dangerous thoughts into the head of one of our disciples, we have to act soon."


    "Of course, Master. I''ll go and take care of it immediately."


    Xian Xun nodded and watched his disciple leave. He still pondered further. Something didn''t quite add up. He wasn''t sure what it was but he did have a distinct feeling. Maybe it was in the way how the sects that had approached them were small. If this was somebody who really betrayed them, wouldn''t he have informed the more powerful sects so this would cause bigger waves?


    If the culprit behind this was Shen Qiang though, that might be a sign of his guilty conscience. He couldn''t help himself but expose something in front of the beauty he fancied but he also couldn''t bring himself to make too much trouble for the sect so he wouldn''t talk about any of the important demons in the dungeon and just pulled out a few that he deemed to be nonthreatening.


    If that was the case, then there wouldn''t be too much to worry about. If it wasn''t ¡­ He didn''t even want to think about it. If this became any bigger, they would be in trouble. They couldn''t let that happen. They had to find out who it was and make sure that that person wouldn''t talk any longer. Otherwise, this issue would become troublesome.


    Unfortunately for Sect Master Xian Xun, this matter was far from over and the row of sects knocking on the Chun Feng Sect''s doors didn''t get any shorter. The worst of it all was that with more and more cases appearing, their investigation got more complicated as well. And while Liu Cheng was still busy with finding out who might be behind this, somebody was watching them from close by.


    Seeing the continued effort of the Chun Feng Sect, Xin Lan crossed his arms and smiled to himself. These people really thought it would be easy to undo what he had started. As if he''d let them walk away that easily after they had tried to make trouble for his Master. No, he would use this opportunity to vent some anger and slowly but surely make their whole house of cards collapse.


    Speaking of which ¡­


    He took out a paper crane just like the humans used it, imbued some spiritual energy and sent it off to the next sect. After all, now, that the smaller sects had been informed and the Chun Feng Sect was getting more nervous by the day, it was time to escalate things a little more and make this more urgent for them. What better way was there than to expose a few more scandals? After all, they had more than enough of them.

 Chapter 891 - Shattering Their Dreams

    Xin Lan slowly sifted through the list of sects with disciples who were imprisoned by the Chun Feng Sect. He had contacted them one after the other over the past few months. The smaller ones hadn''t thought much and just reached out to the Chun Feng Sect to make sure that this information was correct. The Chun Feng Sect also hadn''t hidden anything since they felt that they could deal with this best by just admitting to it.


    After a while, he had also messaged those middle-tier sects but those were more careful. One disciple might not mean much to a small sect but this kind of growing sect could change its fortune based on a single person.


    One just had to take a look at the Yun Zou Sect to understand that. Once, they had taken in a disciple like Zhangsun Xun Yi. Nobody had thought much but this person had risen to the top, rivaling the people from even those sects that weren''t ranked anymore. With that, the Yun Zou Sect had managed to become a first-tier sect. And with that change, there had also been other people with high potential joining the sect, thus cementing the position they had achieved. It was all thanks to one person of high potential that made the most out of it.


    Needless to say, all middle-tier sects dreamed of the very same thing happening to them. So if a good disciple suddenly vanished, it was akin to shattering that dream. Of course, they wouldn''t just let that go.


    No, these sects would investigate and find out the whole truth. And if there was any chance at all to get their disciple back, then they would use it. This was precisely what the Chun Feng Sect was currently fearing.


    They might be able to deal with one sect but if several of them started to make trouble for them, it could soon lead to bigger problems. Especially if some sects that were on more familiar terms with each other talked about this matter and somehow found out that not only one disciple but several were involved in this. Because then, they might team up against their Chun Feng Sect to set them free.


    After all, gaining power was good but that might be impossible if they were alone. Their chances to achieve something would be better if they worked together. And even if a sect couldn''t free their own disciple, the role they had played in setting the other sect''s disciple free wouldn''t go unnoticed. So if that disciple turned out to be the next Zhangsun Xun Yi, their former ally would never ignore their plight and let them reap some benefits. That was better than nothing.


    In other words, something was bound to happen. But who knew if the Chun Feng Sect wouldn''t find some way to deal with it? Xin Lan wouldn''t let that happen. They had dared to threaten his Master. He would make sure that they were pressured until they didn''t have a way out. And to do so ¡­ he would borrow somebody else''s sword.


    Xin Lan stopped on one of the last pages and smiled to himself. He took out another piece of paper and sat down, slowly writing the information he had acquired down. When he finished, he hesitated for a moment before he added a few lines.


    "Well, since he wants to be with him, he shouldn''t have anything against this."


    He folded the paper up and sent it off like the messages before, watching as it vanished in the distance. He sighed to himself and then glanced at the Chun Feng Sect again. His task here was done. He had found out what needed to be found out, he had contacted who needed to be contacted, and as for these people in the dungeon ¡­ Their sects would take care of that. He didn''t need to care. In that case ¡­


    Xin Lan once again hesitated but finally leaped into the air, turned into his dragon form, and then rushed toward that city where he had stayed before. He hovered in the air not far from the Hua family''s estate.


    That fallen god''s mortal reincarnation was still somewhere in there. Since he last saw him, only a few weeks had gone by so there was no way that he would have grown much. He would still be the same, annoying little brat that he had been the last time. When he went over, he would cling to him and blink his eyes, trying to act cute. And as soon as he showed even the slightest hint of wanting to abandon him, he would start to throw a tantrum, luring those family members or servants over that hardly left him out of their eyes anyway.


    Following him around really was a hassle.


    Well, he should still check up on him. Just a moment. Afterward, he could leave and wait for him to grow up. That should be alright, shouldn''t it?


    Xin Lan nodded to himself and wanted to fly over but a person rose into the air from the estate. It was an old man with graying hair and a short beard. Xin Lan had never seen him before but he had seen Xiang Yu''s new family members often enough to guess that they were related. Maybe this would be the brat''s grandfather?


    The man furrowed his brows at the sight of Xin Lan but he didn''t step back and instead continued to hover in the air. "What is a dragon doing in this city?"


    Xin Lan tilted his head, wondering if he should just leave. Well, he had already been seen and the family had noticed before that something was up around their child. Since he had to become his lover later on, he might as well work on his relationship with them from early on.


    Xin Lan sighed to himself, wondering how he had sunk so low that he would try to please a human family, but in the end, he still changed into his human form.

 Chapter 892 - A Place to Settle Down

    Seeing Xin Lan in his human form, the man slightly furrowed his brows. He couldn''t help it think of what his son had told him a few months ago about that fabric that had suddenly appeared, as well as the presence that seemed to linger around the estate. It couldn''t be that this person was the culprit behind these incidents, could it?


    Even though he had that kind of suspicion, he still didn''t dare to show any hostility to the person in front of him. One glance was enough to let him know that he would be hard-pressed to win against this person if they were to engage in a fight. "Greetings." He cupped his fists and nodded. "I am Hua Ming Jun, the patriarch of the Hua family. Might I ask who you are?"


    Xin Lan forced himself to give the man half a smile. "My name Xin Lan. I was ¡­ passing by."


    Hua Ming Jun looked at him, trying to figure out if he was saying the truth or not. If he didn''t have any bad intentions, then there was no reason to lie. If he had ¡­ Well, there was nothing he could do if he didn''t want to have a falling out, was there?


    He also gave a slight smile in response. "Then I hope I haven''t alarmed you. It is just that somebody was lingering around here a while ago, startling the younger generation. So I couldn''t help but be a little wary when I felt somebody close to our estate once again."


    "Oh?" Xin Lan raised an eyebrow. It seemed that this ''younger generation'' had run to inform the most powerful existence in their Hua family. Well, he could imagine. Whether it was the brother or the father of Xiang Yu''s mortal reincarnation, they both doted on that brat quite a lot. Naturally, they would be worried if they thought that somebody might be out to hurt him. "Well, I''m not very familiar with the region. But if I do see something suspicious, I could tell you about it."


    Hua Ming Jun raised his brows in surprise. He had expected a lot of responses but not something like this. "Your help would be very much appreciated."


    Xin Lan nodded and then glanced around, finally giving a hum. "To be honest, I have been wandering around aimlessly for a while but have been searching for a place to settle down. There wouldn''t be a suitable place around here that you could recommend?" If he had to stay with that brat after he grew up, he might as well get a little familiar with the place first. With how the child was treated, it was likely he would stay here for the rest of his life, never leaving for even a step. So he should carve out a place for himself to make it logical for them to meet and fall in love later on. Otherwise, things might get awkward.


    Hua Ming Jun did not know how to respond for a moment. What kind of place should he recommend to this person? This wasn''t a human, after all. And he also couldn''t help but wonder if he really didn''t have anything to do with the person that had been lingering around before. After all, that fabric had turned out to be part of a man''s robe. Maybe this man and that person were the same after all and he had just not admitted to it and was now searching for a legitimate reason to stay?


    Unfortunately, even if he could find out what the truth was, he would still be in the very same situation where he wouldn''t know what to do about this. So in the end, he could only pretend that he had no concerns whatsoever and try to help this person. If he had had any bad intentions, maybe being friendly would change his mind. And if he hadn''t ¡­ it would also be beneficial to their Hua family to have helped him out. If this could give his family some more security, he wouldn''t reject it. "That depends. Do you have any requirements?"


    Xin Lan continued to look around as if he had all the time in the world. "Not many. It would be nice if it had a water source though." After all, he was still a dragon. Even though he wasn''t as fragile as the later generations, he still liked to be around water.


    "There is a river not far from here."


    "That sounds good. Which direction?"


    Hua Ming Jun motioned over to a place that was indeed not too far from the city. In fact, Xin Lan was able to see it from where he stood.


    "Mn, that doesn''t look bad. I guess I should go and take a closer look."


    Hua Ming Jun nodded. "Should I accompany you?"


    Xin Lan looked at him but finally shook his head. "No, just pointing me in the right direction is enough. I''ll go and have a look around myself."


    "Very well. If there''s anything else ¡­ You do know where to find me."


    Xin Lan nodded and then headed over to the river, not staying to converse with that old man any longer. Anyway, he had already made his first impression. That would be enough to use later on. So anything else ¡­ He could still take care of that later.


    While Xin Lan went to find a place where he could settle down for his supposed future lover, Hua Ming Jun descended back to the ground with a grave expression, scaring the people inside.


    "Father, just what happened?" Hua Ning Shun couldn''t help but step forward, grabbing his father''s arm.


    Hua Ming Jun sighed and shook his head. "I hope that the person I saw was not the one little Yu attracted. If he is ¡­" He sighed again and shook his head. "I''m afraid there''s nothing I could do."


    The other family members exchanged glances. Not even the patriarch was able to do something? Just what kind of person was it that their Xiao Yu had lured over? And was this person friend or foe?

 Chapter 893 - Tell Him the Truth

    Back in the demon realm, Jin Ling narrowed his eyes and looked at Yin Lin Lin. "That is to say about half of my followers are willing to betray me just for the promise of going to war with the dragons again?"


    Yin Lin Lin nodded her head in agony. This absolutely wasn''t what she had imagined when she married Jin Ling. She had wanted to be the queen of the demon realm, the person above everyone but her husband. How come her husband was now in danger of losing his position?


    If he really did, what would become of them? With how ruthless the demons were, it could very well be that that Yong Hai would kill Jin Ling to make sure he couldn''t become dangerous to him. And then she would have nowhere to go.


    "Do you have any idea what to do? We have to stop this. Otherwise, the two of us will ¡­" She furrowed her brows and looked at him worriedly.


    Jin Ling rubbed his fingers against each other and gave a hum. "That Yong Hai is ambitious but a weakling. The only thing he currently has going for him is his willingness to march to war. If I allowed them to do the same or gave them something else to do that would make them happy, I''m sure that most of them would still be willing to follow me. It''s just a matter of how to use the situation to our advantage."


    Yin Lin Lin nodded even though she wasn''t quite sure what she should think about this. Back in the Nine Heavens, even though she hadn''t had a title and officially only been an idle goddess, she had never needed to think about anything like this. If she wanted something, she only had to yell at one of her servants and it would get done. The only thing she couldn''t have was the man she wanted to marry and the position she had had her eyes on.


    Now, she even had to fear for her life and that of her husband. She started to feel that ¡­ She hadn''t done the right thing back when she followed him from the mortal realm over to the demon realm. That had been a folly.


    If her father was still alive, he would certainly scold her. Unfortunately ¡­ That wasn''t the case. Nobody had been here to warn her. The only person that might''ve warned her had also turned against her because of that matter with the crown prince. So in the end, she was left all alone. She could only rely on Jin Ling now.


    The demon king continued to ponder. He really didn''t think much of this. Back then, he had managed to snatch back the throne for himself by using the situation. He had waited for the best possible moment by pretending not to be a danger to the previous king. And then, he had made the most beneficial alliances and struck when nobody expected it.


    This kind of deceit ¡­ His father had been a master at it. Obviously, he had inherited quite a bit of him. As much as he disliked to say that, this time it would come in handy.


    "You don''t have to worry. I do have an idea of what we can do. We only need to make sure about some small details. Then, it won''t be difficult at all. I will need your help though. In fact, you might be the one playing the most vital part of this. Do you think you can do that for me?"


    Yin Lin Lin nodded. Anyway, what choice did she have? She could try to help Jin Ling and secure the position that she currently had or she could put her hope into being treated well by Yong Hai later on.


    From everything that had happened so far, she couldn''t be sure that Jin Ling loved her but she at least could be sure that he wouldn''t break off the relationship with her. She didn''t know enough about Yong Hai to guess how it would end with him though. So for her, it was much better to trust in Jin Ling. In that case, she had to do her best to help him out.


    Jin Ling smiled with satisfaction. "Very well. Then here is what we''ll do: You will go and tell Yong Hai exactly who is willing to work with him."


    Yin Lin Lin raised her brows. "I''m supposed to tell him? Wouldn''t it be better not to let him know? Or to give him fake names?"


    Jin Ling shook his head and laughed. "You''re thinking too simply. Yong Hai might be an idiot but he''s not that much of an idiot. Whether or not you''re able to tell him anything worthwhile will determine if he wants to work with you any further. And he needs to be thinking that he can trust you. Otherwise, how are we going to get any information on his future plans?"


    Yin Lin Lin nodded with some realization. What Jin Ling said was true. She still felt that it was too much of a risk though. "How about I tell him just a few of the names?"


    "A few? Well, we can leave out a few but you can''t tell him just a bit. Otherwise, he will feel that you aren''t useful enough. Actually, you might make him suspicious that way." He tapped the armrest of his chair and narrowed his eyes. "No, just write a list with all the names. Tell him that most of those are definitely on his side while some say they would be but you''re not quite sure if they weren''t just acting. That would be a response he anticipates. It should allow you to gain his trust most easily."


    "If you say so."


    Jin Ling nodded. "Trust me, that''s the best way. In the meantime ¡­ I''ll make sure to consolidate the relationship with the ones who are still on my side and offer the others something they won''t be able to refuse. Just keep Yong Hai busy and tell me if there are any new developments. Knowing what he is up to is the most important step in this so you can''t mess this up."


    Yin Lin Lin straightened up. "Don''t worry about that. I''m able to deal with that much. You can count on me."


    Jin Ling nodded. "That''s good then. I guess we should get started then." With that, he got up again, preparing to head out to make a few more deals.

 Chapter 894 - A New Ally

    Jin Ling was willing to do anything to hold onto the throne. If he had already managed to get Jinde back, he might not care but as long as he hadn''t, he needed to hold onto his current position. Otherwise, he might lose out on some opportunities. Both to find Jinde and to make him forgive him.


    After all, he didn''t yet know how Jinde would react when they saw each other once again. Would he be happy? Would he still be angry? It could be both. He just didn''t know. So he definitely couldn''t give up something that might be a bargaining chip in that situation.


    Jinde had always wished for peace among the immortal races. And the demons wanted to have the dragons be part of their own race again. Being able to make them submit because they defeated them in the war was one option but they would naturally also be open to other options.


    After all, the demons weren''t particular about the means they used to achieve something. The only thing that counted was the end result. And the end result in their opinion had to be that there was one strong demon race once again that incorporated everything and that stood against the gods.


    This was their pride and they were not willing to abandon this pride. Having to deal with two demon kings that would ask this of them had made quite a few of them unwilling to bow their heads any longer.


    Jian Heng had been able to keep them under control because he was strong and an old fox that knew how to deal with everyone and everything. Jin Ling had had much more trouble than his father. He had still been able to deal with it for a long time because he knew how to use people and also use himself. He had no bottom line when it came to this. After all, he had always wanted to achieve Jinde''s wish.


    Now, he once again entered the same mode of dealing with people. Threatening who he had to threaten, flattering who he had to flatter, coercing who he had to coerce.


    The means didn''t matter. What he had to give up for that didn''t matter either. Whether it was selling himself, selling a wife, or selling out an ally. He was willing to do anything. Now more than ever before. After all, he was just a step short of achieving his goal. He would not give up now. He would persist and he would get what he wanted.


    This was a foregone conclusion. After everything he had given to achieve his goal, there was no chance that he wouldn''t be able to get it. Heaven couldn''t be that unfair.


    At the same time, Yin Lin Lin went to talk to Yong Hai. Inwardly, she couldn''t help but be nervous. She trusted in Jin Ling''s ability to judge the situation but that didn''t mean that she was confident that she would be able to pull this off.


    Yes, she had originally thought of first checking with Jin Ling to see how he thought and then maybe help him against Yong Hai but seeing just how many people were willing to betray her husband, she finally understood just how grave the situation was. If she didn''t manage to pull this off, she would die.


    She took a deep breath and then knocked on Yong Hai''s door.


    There was a slight pause on the other end before the demon called out. "Who is it?"


    "It''s me, Yin Lin Lin. Didn''t you want to know information?"


    Steps sounded from the other side and finally, a servant opened the door. Obviously, Yong Hai''s current position wasn''t too bad. He had managed to get people who were willing to serve him, probably thinking that he would be the next demon king and could offer them some benefits when it was time.


    Unfortunately, with every person on his side, his chances against Jin Ling would grow. She had to tell Jin Ling about this when she got back. He had to be prepared to have to fight against this kind of thing. Appearance could mean a lot. If others thought that Yong Hai seemed to be growing in power because there were many people next to him that would be able to help him, then that might also convince them to join his side instead of Jin Ling''s. She couldn''t let that happen.


    Yin Lin Lin walked past the servant into the room, not bothering to acknowledge him. Anyway, even in the Nine Heavens, she had been a high-ranking person. Why would she waste even a second thought on a lowly servant?


    She went over to where Yong Hai was reclining with two beauties next to him and sat down opposite him. "So? Didn''t I say I would find out?"


    Yong Hai nodded and waved for her to go on, not bothering to send the others out.


    Yin Lin Lin furrowed her brows. "What about them? Do you really want them to hear?"


    Yong Hai shrugged his shoulders and pulled the two of them closer to his side. "I wouldn''t know why they shouldn''t. These two are loyal to me. You don''t have to worry about them. Anyway, what have you found out?" Right now, he was still testing whether or not he could use Yin Lin Lin. Whatever information she could bring him, it wasn''t something that he wouldn''t be able to get on his own either. So even if these two heard and weren''t on his side, he also wouldn''t lose too much. There were probably quite a lot of people with the very same information as Yin Lin Lin.


    Yin Lin Lin wasn''t happy with how he treated her but considering the current situation, she just huffed and then took out the list she had written. "This is a list of people that are willing to cooperate with you. I wrote down all of the names but you should know yourself that not everybody is as trustworthy as they want you to believe.


    "We might need to talk to them a few more times and keep an eye on what they''re doing to make sure that they are not pretending to be on your side just to make a deal with somebody else, whether that might be my husband or another party. I marked those that I thought might have second thoughts about this."


    Yong Hai had one of the beauties reach over and take the list, handing it over to him. When he unfolded it, he couldn''t help but raise his brows. It seemed that Yin Lin Lin had kept her word and really done some good research.


    A few of the people on this list were actually ones that he had talked to already. It seemed that she wasn''t trying to betray him and instead wanted to get into his good graces. Well, that meant that he had another ally. With that, Jin Ling''s chances against him were even smaller.

 Chapter 895 - Hardly Worth His Time

    Yong Hai chuckled and folded the list, putting it into his clothes. "Not bad. You actually found out more than I expected. I guess that means we can indeed work together."


    Yin Lin Lin scoffed. "Don''t forget that it was you who asked me for this."


    "Yes, yes, of course. No need to be like this." He turned to the side and grabbed the chin of the young man next to him. "Darling, why don''t you go and get us some wine? I''d like to drink a bit to celebrate my success. I''m sure the ¡­ ''Goddess of Love'' thinks the same." He grinned, not bothering to hide his derision at all.


    Yin Lin Lin wanted to erupt but then reconsidered. Anyway, she still had to work with him. Even though she disliked him, she would have to put up with it for now.


    Yong Hai observed her from the corner of his eyes and his smile became even more pronounced when she didn''t dare to do anything. As expected, these gods were all fundamentally weak. That was why they relied on the dragons to shield them and hoped that the dragons and demons would remain as two races. But he would change that. He would make sure that the dragons returned to being a part of the proud demon race and afterward, he would conquer the gods. He would wipe out those that refused to bend their knees for them and enslave those that were too weak to resist. This was how the immortal realms should be. Only their race deserved to be at the top.


    The young man twisted out of Yong Hai''s arms and went to do as he had told him. When he returned with the flask, he sat down on Yong Hai''s lap, filling the cup and handing it over to him.


    Yong Hai looked at him and took the cup with a smile. Since he started to amass some power, this kind of thing was a normal appearance. These beauties would always gravitate to those who were powerful and could give them what they wanted. Naturally, they would want to develop a good relationship with him before he became king in the hope that he would still remember them when the time came.


    Hmph. As if. These people were indeed not bad but he had higher aspirations. He had seen the beauties in Jin Ling''s harem. He definitely wouldn''t allow himself to be any worse off than that guy who had only ever bowed down to the gods. No, he would have a harem that was filled with beauties equal or even better than the ones Jin Ling possessed. This youth was good but just not up to par.


    He sipped the wine and watched as the beauty took the other cup, filled it and raised it to his own lips, ignoring Yin Lin Lin to the side. Yong Hai laughed and pulled the youth closer. This wasn''t bad. Temperament was also important. Maybe ¡­ he would reconsider this if he continued to surprise him. A king could certainly have a varied taste.


    Opposite them, Yin Lin Lin clenched her hands, her body almost trembling with rage. A lowly servant dared to slight her! Who did he think he was?! She wanted to scold him but ¡­ then she remembered her situation. Who was he? A nobody. But then who was she? She wasn''t any better off.


    Her father was dead and a god no less. The people she had been able to rely on previously weren''t on her side anymore. Her husband was the one standing against Yong Hai and obviously, this servant was currently pleasing to Yong Hai''s eyes. Naturally, he would rather give in to this boy''s whims than to favor her as the one who had brought him information.


    But this also meant that she had her answer now as to what would happen if Jin Ling lost against Yong Hai: She would go down with him. There was no way Yong Hai would let her have a good life. He would use her for all that she was worth and then forget about her in the best case or get her killed in the worst. She had to make sure that Jin Ling won this fight.


    She once again glanced at the two servants. She had seen this type of person more than once. They would go wherever they saw an advantage for themselves. Establishing connections with who might be the future demon king seemed very beneficial to them right now but ¡­ if the current demon king knocked on their doors and showed that he still had the same power as before and was willing to take them in, they would jump ships immediately. So if she told Jin Ling about them ¡­


    Yin Lin Lin raised her chin and gritted her teeth. She disliked this way of having more than one spouse that the demons practiced. But this was how things went here. What could she do about it? And obviously, it was beneficial to them. Jin Ling had told her about this before but she had foolishly thought that she might be able to make him change his mind.


    Well, she hadn''t. In fact, since she came here, they had spent less and less time with each other while she still had to put up with the other beauties that would come and vie for his attention. Now, she finally understood why.


    She pushed the thought away and glared at Yong Hai. "I brought you the information you wanted. You should be convinced that this is beneficial for both of us now, shouldn''t you? So what is the next step? I don''t want to have to see this even a minute longer than I have to."


    Yong Hai didn''t take her complaints seriously at all. In fact, he even pulled the beauty next to him closer, kissing the corner of his lips. "Well, next would be devising the plan as to how to take down your husband. I''m sure you''ll know just what he has been up to over the past weeks. When we use that to our advantage, it''ll be an easy feat. Hardly worth my time."

 Chapter 896 - True or Not?

    In a palace somewhere in the mortal realm, a woman was holding a letter, her brows slightly furrowed. The paper of the letter was slightly crumpled as if it had been taken out and unfolded several times already and maybe changed hands more than once or twice.


    The other people in the room exchanged glances, some of them looking as if they wanted to speak up but in the end, all of them stayed silent and looked away. Nobody wanted to be the first to bring the matter up that was going through all of their heads.


    In the end, the woman sighed and folded the letter up again, putting it onto the table next to her. "As you might have heard already, I have had this matter investigated thoroughly. As far as we were able to find out, everything written here is true. The Chun Feng Sect has indeed been abducting disciples on the mere chance of them being of demonic descent.


    "After speaking with the other demon-hunting sects, it has become apparent that there is a very high chance that the majority of these disciples isn''t actually of the demonic tribe though and instead shares the blood of the spirit tribe. Even those that do have some demon blood will likely be in a generation further down the line where they haven''t inherited much from these ancestors of theirs.


    "This poses the question of how we should deal with this. In any way, since this letter was addressed to us we can not stay out of this. As the Jian Yi Sect, it is our responsibility to discuss this matter and form a plan of action."


    Yes, this woman was none other than Fei Bai Mu, the Sect Master of the Jian Yi Sect, one of the few unranked sects of the mortal realm. She was precisely one of the people that Xin Lan had addressed his letters regarding the Chun Feng Sect''s activities to and with everything he had mentioned in that letter, she wasn''t happy at all.


    Her words once again caused the Elders of the sect to exchange glances. It took a moment for one of them to dare to step forward though.


    When Fei Bai Mu already raised her brows, about to question these people again, one of the men finally cleared his throat and cautiously stepped forward.


    "Sect Master, other than that, were we able to ascertain whether or not that claim about Grandmaster Leng was true?"


    Fei Bai Mu slammed her hand down on the table next to her, accurately hitting the letter while her brows knit together tightly. "We''ve been notified that disciples of several sects have been kidnapped, imprisoned, and maybe even tortured over a time span of several decades with none being the wiser and all you care about is the claim that Grandmaster Leng might have maybe, possibly been married to a spouse that is accused of being a demon as well now? Don''t you feel that you don''t have your priorities straight, Elder Shuang?!"


    The Elder flinched and would have loved to run away but there was no way to escape the Sect Master''s ire. He could only keep a strained smile on his lips and slowly slink back with an awkward expression, nodding profusely as if he had understood.


    Inside, Elder Shuang wasn''t quite reconciled. Anyway, wasn''t this what everybody had been thinking about these weeks? Who could fault them for wanting to know the truth? This news was too shocking! Grandmaster Leng was everybody''s idol, after all.


    Fei Bai Mu scoffed when the person who dared to question this detail didn''t dare to stand up to her. If he had at least given some bullshit excuse like the person hadn''t been caught yet and might need their protection, she would have just gone along. It wasn''t like she liked to make them suffer. Anyway, as for the answer to that question ¡­


    "To answer your question, there is no way to ascertain this. We have only been able to gain a few clues but they are not enough. So far, we know that Alliance Head Hua from the Liu He Alliance has been traveling from his own sect to the Yun Zou Sect several times over the past years.


    "It is likely that this does indeed have to do with Grandmaster Leng but we can hardly ask about that. If Grandmaster Leng has indeed returned, then there will be a reason both for his return and the fact that he did not come to us and instead settled down in the Yun Zou Sect.


    "If we asked about this in a direct manner, we might risk whatever he is doing and thus bring trouble to him. I''m sure that the Elders will agree that there is no reason for us to do so. If Grandmaster Leng needs the Jian Yi Sect''s help, he will ask for it.


    "As for that spouse of his ¡­ I''ve never been informed that there was anybody in his life. I can hardly imagine it either. After all, when had he ever left the sect grounds after he became our Grandmaster? It is hard to imagine that there could be a spouse in this situation. If there is, it should be somebody he met before becoming our Grandmaster and I am sure that he would have mentioned it.


    "Anyway, even if it kills you not to know, we can''t ask about that either. So you will have to decide what you want to believe on your own. I won''t be able to answer the question for you.


    "Nonetheless, this shouldn''t be the issue that you are worried about the most. We have to decide what to do about the imprisoned disciples. I hope that is clear to everyone now." Her gaze skimmed past all the Elders in front of her again, making quite a few of them lower their heads in shame.


    Whoever said that having a woman as the Sect Master would be a good thing should come and talk with them about life! The only person who could take on this fierce lady had been Grandmaster Leng who had the patience of a saint and the skill to get along with every single person on the planet. They as mere mortals certainly weren''t able to achieve such heroic feats!

 Chapter 897 - Objectionable Practices

    The Elders stayed silent for a while, shifting uncomfortably. It wasn''t that they didn''t have ideas but this matter was too big to make casual remarks. Eventually, one of the Elders that had been standing in the back stepped forward and cupped his fists.


    "This matter involves tenths of sects ranking from the lowest tier to even first-tier sects like the Yun Zou Sect. In my opinion, we can''t make a decision that is merely based on just one incident or two. We will need one that will be valid for all cases. A general consensus on what to do for all these imprisoned disciples and for in the case such a matter happens again in the future."


    Another Elder stepped forward and cupped his fists as well, bowing to the Sect Master. "I agree with this. This matter is of great importance to the future of all the sects. One of the things that worries me most is that we only found out because of this letter. We don''t know how long this has been happening and if the scale might be larger than we are currently informed of. Sect Master Fei may correct me if I am wrong but just because only the Chun Feng Sect was mentioned in the letter, we can''t necessarily conclude that other demon-hunting sects weren''t in the know or even practiced similar things."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. "Correct. We currently have no information on the other sects. We will continue to investigate in that direction but that will take time. More than I am comfortable giving the Chun Feng Sect before we come to a decision."


    The Elders nodded gravely and a third one stepped out. "I feel that there are several parts to this problem that will need to be considered. The general practice of imprisoning all these disciples will certainly need more discussion. But other than that, I think that we also shouldn''t forget about the fact that these disciples were imprisoned ¡ª or should I say abducted ¡ª without their sects being informed that it would happen or about the reasons behind this.


    "Sure, a disciple having demonic blood is indeed a reason to be worried. But this concerns not just their own lives, this also concerns their sects. Even if the demon-hunting sects have to investigate the disciples, they should at least be required to inform the sect the disciple is part of."


    Another Elder chimed in at that. "Yes, informing the corresponding sect should be the bare minimum of what is done. But I don''t think this is enough. We should also think about just what kind of suspicion is enough to investigate a disciple in the first place.


    "Demon blood is not always obvious and doesn''t manifest in the same ways for everyone. Especially if it is far back in somebody''s lineage. I think it is impossible for all these cases to be of the same severity. We can''t deal with all of them in the same matter. So if a disciple only has a minuscule amount of this type of blood, should they really be put under suspicion in the first place? Or is that already going too far? I think this is the question that needs the most discussion."


    A few other Elders nodded their agreement while others weren''t that easily convinced.


    "Although there might not be much demon blood in their veins, we also know that just a small amount can be enough to change their perception of life completely. We shouldn''t take this less seriously just because their blood is more similar to that of a human. We ¡ª and especially the demon-hunting sects that deal with them on a regular basis ¡ª have seen what demons are able to do. That is why the demon-hunting sects were established in the first place.


    "Rather than saying that these disciples shouldn''t be put under suspicion, I think that it would be a better option to investigate them but have a requirement that not only one sect will investigate. There should at least be two demon-hunting sects working together on each case or maybe it would be even better to have somebody attend the investigation that is not a demon hunter. After all, it is a known fact that these people can be a little ¡­ insistent on their views."


    The Elder that had spoken before nodded at that. "I think this suggestion is very good. The case of the Chun Feng Sect shows that they can''t be left to their own devices. I don''t want to say that they aren''t doing a good job. I''m sure that we all owe the demon-hunting sects quite a bit. But there also have to be boundaries. And this time, they clearly overstepped.


    "Anyway, even though we can discuss this more ourselves, I think that we should also hear some other voices. How about communicating with the other non-ranked sects? If we are of one opinion, then it will be easier to convince others. Just with us, anything we come up with might be difficult to achieve and the other non-ranked sects might feel ignored if we make any decisions on our own."


    The Sect Master tapped the armrest of her chair and slowly nodded. "That is indeed a valid objection. Very well, then I will first notify the other Sect Masters. Until then, the few of you can think about this matter further. Note down every possible solution and objection you can think of. The better we are prepared for meeting with the other sects, the easier it will be to find a solution together with everyone."


    The Elders obliged and went to ponder the matter on their own while the Sect Master of the Jian Yi Sect reached out to the others. After thinking about it for a moment, she didn''t just notify the other unranked sects so but also invited some of the more powerful families to have a discussion. Anyway, the more people got involved in this, the better. That way, the Chun Feng Sect and maybe even the other demon-hunting sect that had indulged in similar practices wouldn''t be able to worm their way out of this as easily.

 Chapter 898 - Leave or Not?

    One of the families that Sect Master Fei notified was the Hua family that Xin Lan was currently keeping an eye on.


    Hua Ning Shun looked at the message that had been sent over and rubbed his forehead. Normally, he wouldn''t hesitate for even a single moment to participate in something like this. After all, the matter that Sect Master Fei described in the letter was very serious. He naturally felt that their Hua family should take part in this. But then again ¡­


    He glanced at his youngest son that was currently clinging to his older brother and couldn''t help but sigh again. Recently, they hadn''t felt the presence that had lingered around Lin Yu anymore. It was as if whatever it was had vanished. Naturally, they were happy about that since they hadn''t known just who or what that presence had been. But not knowing it had been there in the first place and why it had suddenly vanished left him with quite some worries.


    Would it come back? Would it put his youngest son in danger? Or was it on their side and was actually keeping Lin Yu safe from something else out there?


    There were too many questions and he couldn''t even begin to fathom the answer to even a single one of them. It was driving him crazy. And now, he was supposed to leave their estate, making his son even more vulnerable since there would be one less person around him? He really couldn''t bring himself to do so.


    Hua Ning Shun finally went and patted his youngest son''s head while he looked at his older brother. "I''ll have to discuss this message with your grandfather. Take care of Xiao Yu for that time, yes?"


    Hua Lin Rong smiled and turned to his younger brother. "Let''s wait together for father to come back, alright?"


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes at him, grasping onto the figure that Hua Lin Rong had wanted to use to nudge his nose.


    His brother laughed and then turned back to their father, nodding. "You see, Xiao Yu is alright with it. Don''t bother coming back too fast."


    Hua Ning Shun also laughed and shook his head at them. "I see I don''t need to worry about you. You two brothers are getting along just fine. Alright then, I''ll be back in while." He took a last look at them and then went to find his father.


    Hua Ming Jun was currently cultivating in his own quarters. After he had left his closed-door cultivation when Xin Lan entered the area, he hadn''t returned again. Right now, he just didn''t feel that his family was safe enough to do so. No, it would be better to stay out here for a while longer and make sure that nothing was going to happen to either his son or his grandsons. Even if he would neither be able to win against that dragon nor be able to do anything against that presence that his son had felt before, he would at least try if somebody dared to attack his family.


    "Father."


    Hua Ming Jun stopped cultivating and opened his eyes, looking at his son. "Something happened?"


    Hua Ning Shun went over and handed him the letter. "Nothing in our family but the Jian Yi Sect''s Sect Master Fei sent us a message. Apparently, something happened with the demon-hunting sects that they want to discuss."


    The patriarch read over the letter and nodded slowly. "I can see why she would want everyone there. This kind of thing can''t be taken lightly if it has indeed happened in so many cases." He folded the letter again and handed it back to his son. "You wouldn''t want your old man to go, would you?"


    Even though he was the Hua family''s patriarch, he normally held back with these kinds of things. He had handed over over most of his responsibilities to his son long ago. Right now, he was just focusing on cultivating and spending time with his family. So Fei Bai Mu had addressed the letter at Hua Ning Shun immediately and not bothered to involve him. He wasn''t quite sure why his son would come to talk to him about this.


    Hua Ning Shun sighed and sat down opposite his father. "Normally, there wouldn''t be a problem with this at all. I''m just worried because of Xiao Yu. With what has happened before and that person in our neighborhood now ¡­" He shook his head and sighed again.


    Hua Ming Jun nodded. "I see. Yes, those are indeed concerns that you should have. I''m just afraid that there is no good way to deal with this. This meeting is one that we have to attend. And anyway, we can''t always stay cooped up in here because of what happened. That wouldn''t be good."


    "So should I just go? What if something happens?"


    "Then what about me and your other son? And what about the branch families? Anyway, we''re not helpless just because you aren''t here. And Xiao Yu should learn to live a normal life, don''t you think so? If we always stay around, protecting him that much, he will never be able to become a good cultivator.


    "He has to learn that there are dangers out there. And that sometimes, these dangers are beyond what we can take or even anticipate. I think that is also a valuable lesson for him."


    Hua Ning Shun nodded with a heavy heart. "I understand that. I just can''t help but worry. He''s still so young. I just don''t understand this thing."


    "Neither do I. But what can we do about it? Just ask Ah Rong to pay a bit more attention. I''ll also keep an eye on Xiao Yu while you''re gone. I''m sure nothing bad will happen. Now, you should really set off. Sect Master Fei hates it if you let her wait."

 Chapter 899 - Too Old to Understand?

    Hua Ning Shun nodded and bid farewell to his father before he went to say goodbye to his two sons and his wife. Afterward, he immediately set out for the Jian Yi Sect.


    The other sects and cultivation families would all need a different amount of time to arrive but it was better if he didn''t delay too much. After all, getting there early and inquiring for some more details also wouldn''t be bad. That way, he could already think some more about what his opinion on the matter was and would be able to present his stance better when the actual gathering happened.


    When he left, the people in the Hua family''s estate couldn''t help but be a little worried. One person less would indeed not make much of a difference but sometimes, just this bit of a difference could already change the outcome of a fight.


    Hua Lin Rong turned to his grandfather, furrowing his brows. "Do you think something will happen now that father''s gone? If that presence is indeed after Xiao Yu, having to deal with one person less would be a good opportunity, wouldn''t it?


    His grandfather nodded. "Well, if it happens, don''t concern yourself with what happens here. Just take your brother and bring him somewhere safe. I will try and keep whoever it is that is targeting Xiao Yu occupied."


    Hua Lin Rong observed his grandfather''s face. His brows had been drawn taut and there was a graveness about the way he looked out of the door that made him realize just how small his grandfather thought the chances of him winning actually were. If the presence indeed attacked them, his grandfather might not make it. And if Xiao Yu was gone, who knew what would happen to the rest of the family? If that ¡­ thing wasn''t able to find them, maybe it would grow angry and attack everybody else to vent its anger? If that was the case ¡­


    He looked at his little brother and couldn''t help but sigh. He wanted to protect him at all costs. If it was his own life, that could gladly be given. But sacrificing everybody from the Hua family for one person might be too much. Was there nothing else they could do?


    He pondered and finally, his expression lit up. He turned to his grandfather with a sly smile. "Say, don''t you think that this would be a good opportunity to ask for help?"


    Hua Ming Jun looked at his oldest grandson and raised his brows. "Who do you know that you could ask for help that is stronger than your grandfather?"


    Huan Lin Rong''s smile got even brighter. "It''s nobody that I know. But didn''t grandfather get to meet our friendly neighborhood dragon a while ago? And didn''t he offer his help? Well, now that father is out of the estate, why don''t we invite him and let him make true on that promise?"


    Hua Ming Jun''s brows rose even further. "You want to ask him if he could come over to guard Xiao Yu?"


    Hua Lin Rong shrugged his shoulders. "We don''t have to phrase it that way. We could just ¡­ invite him. As his neighbors. I mean he has been living here for quite a while now. Shouldn''t we do something like that once in a while?


    "And then we could casually mention how we''re afraid that somebody might be after our Xiao Yu''s life. Since we were so nice to him, don''t you think he would feel obligated to help us out?"


    Hua Ming Jun looked at his oldest grandson and shook his head. "That''s the stupidest plan I''ve ever heard. It could work though. Well, whether it does or not, it shouldn''t hurt to ask him. Actually, we might as well tell him the truth about what is going on. I already mentioned the matter when we met that day and just didn''t give any details.


    "If we asked for his help now, he probably wouldn''t take offense. In any case, isn''t this just admitting that he is stronger than us? I heard that the dragons are very proud creatures. He might actually be flattered that we would ask for his help."


    Hua Lin Rong narrowed his eyes. "If that in that case, maybe we should even be a bit more obvious. Just tell him that you''d like him to take a look to see if he can find out more than us since he is so much stronger. Wouldn''t he like that even more?"


    Hua Ming Jun rubbed his chin and nodded. "That does indeed sound quite good. Yes, let''s give that a try. Anyway, if he says no, then we can still fall back on the original plan. It''s not like we have many other choices."


    "Then you better hurry up. Father hasn''t left for long. Maybe whatever that presence is won''t attack too soon."


    "Mn. I''ll do that then. Let''s hope that this works out and won''t bring about even more trouble." After all, if dragons were proud, then even though he might be flattered at being seen as strong, he might also get angry at being asked to do such a simple task.


    Hua Lin Rong shook his head though. "I wouldn''t know how anything could bring even more trouble than this."


    His grandfather gave another nod and then left, rushing to the estate that Xin Lan had occupied since the came over to this region.


    Looking at this building, Hua Ming Jun''s lips twitched. This dragon ¡­ He sure was leading a good life. Hopefully, he would still remember what he said the last time and was a good enough person that he would be willing to leave this place for a while and help them with this matter. Unfortunately, he wouldn''t even be able to tell him just how long that would take. It really was a pity. Well, there was nothing he could do about that.


    He landed in front of the estate and knocked on the door. There weren''t any servants around as if this person was living on their own. Well, the only people he could find here to serve him would be humans and most of them would likely not take well to it if they discovered that their Master wasn''t human at all. In fact, somebody who wasn''t affiliated with the world of cultivation might even think of him as a demon as long as he didn''t take on his dragon form. That would truly be too awkward.


    Just when he thought so, the gate opened and a woman rushed out, stopping in her tracks when she saw him.


    Hua Ming Jun looked at her, his eyes bulging. This ¡­ Why wasn''t she wearing her clothes properly? Could somebody give him an explanation for this that did not involve the dragon living in the state?!


    Unfortunately, precisely that dragon stepped out, giving the woman a lazy glance before he turned to him. "Is there something I can do for you?"


    Hua Ming Jun''s lips twitched. Wasn''t he a little too nonchalant about this? There was an almost naked woman standing right next to them! Could it be that he was too old to understand how this was normal?!

 Chapter 900 - Strictly Monogamous

    Originally, Xin Lan wasn''t thinking much of the situation. Some time had passed but right now, Xiang Yu hadn''t grown up yet and it would be almost another two decades until he did. So what was wrong with enjoying himself for a bit? He didn''t have anything else to do.


    But when he saw Hua Ming Jun''s shocked expression as if he couldn''t wrap his head around this, his own expression grew subtle. Damn. Even though he didn''t doubt that he had enough charm to make that fallen god''s mortal reincarnation fall for him, it would still be bothersome if his mortal family was against this. After all, their influence on him might be huge. No, he had to make sure that their impression of him didn''t plummet too far!


    He furrowed his brows and glared at the woman. "Still not leaving?"


    She pouted but then straightened out her clothes and left.


    Xin Lan watched her and then turned back to Hua Ming Jun, putting on an aggravated expression. "I really don''t know what it is with these mortal women throwing themselves at me. That behavior couldn''t be called normal, could it?"


    Hua Ming Jun looked back at Xin Lan, his expression awkward. "No ¡­" Although he couldn''t help but wonder just what had really gone on. That woman had come out of the estate, after all. She wouldn''t have gotten in there if he didn''t let her in, right? But then again, why would he lie about something like this? They were more or less strangers so it was of no consequence to him what this dragon did or didn''t do. Although ¡­


    Hua Ming Jun couldn''t help but clear his throat. He didn''t know too many details about the dragons but some information had trickled through over the years. He was indeed a little curious if it was true. "That has to be a futile attempt. I heard that dragons were strictly monogamous and would themselves to one partner for life. Is that true?"


    Xin Lan looked away. "As soon as we find the right partner, yes." There was no need to mention that he was the only exception to that rule, was there?


    "Ah, I see. That is beautiful to think about."


    "Mn." Not so beautiful to live as a reality though. Even though he was the exception, he had still fallen in love with somebody he couldn''t have and had suffered through too many years. How much worse would it have to be for somebody who could never shift his affections to somebody else? He didn''t even want to imagine that.


    Xin Lan sighed and shook his head to get rid of these useless thoughts. Anyway, it wasn''t his problem. Even though it was hard to give up on Jinde and even though he couldn''t imagine ever finding somebody more perfect than him, there was still a small chance. Anyway, he had an eternity to figure it out.


    He turned back to Hua Ming Jun and smiled. "I''m sure you didn''t just come here to ask about that. What may I do for you?"


    Hua Ming Jun startled awake but his expression got even more awkward. "Well ¡­ I was wondering if you could do me and my family a favor."


    Xin Lan raised his uncovered brow. "A favor?"


    "Yes. You see, I mentioned the last time that someone or ¡­ something was lingering around our estate previously. We haven''t noticed that person anymore recently but we''re still worried. Especially about my youngest grandson. Now, my son left the estate for an important matter so there are fewer people around that could protect the child in case something happened and even with him, I am unsure if we would be able to win against whoever it was that had an eye on the child. So I was wondering if you would be willing to take a look, maybe, and see if you could find more than us since ¡­ well, you''re obviously more powerful than us."


    "Sure." Xin Lan didn''t think about the hidden flattery. Anyway, he wanted to leave a good impression on the family to make matters easier in the future. If they invited him themselves, he would have less trouble to go over to meet that brat and make sure he''d fall in love with him so he could make true on his promise.


    Mn, today was the perfect day as well. He had already gotten bored with waiting and that child should have grown a bit. He''d really like to see if he was still as ugly as before or if he had become a bit prettier.


    Xin Lan didn''t hesitate and stepped out of the estate, closing the gate behind him. Hua Ming Jin was so surprised that he even missed the right moment to push off the ground and follow him. He only woke up when Xin Lan turned back and hovered in the air with a questioning expression.


    He awkwardly cleared his throat. "Eh ¡­ I was ¡­ very surprised. This really is too nice of you. You''re doing us a huge favor with this. I really don''t know how to repay you."


    Xin Lan turned back to the front and flew over to the Hua family''s estate with him. "No need to pay me back." Anyway, he''d take his grandson home in the future. That was probably more than he''d be willing to pay. "We''re neighbors. So this is what I should do. I also wouldn''t want anybody to make trouble around here."


    Hua Ming Jun heaved a sigh of relief. If he thought about it like this, then that was good for them. Even though he wanted his help, it might be troublesome if they had to give something in return. After all, the kind of thing a dragon might need ¡­ He wasn''t sure if they''d be able to fulfill these demands. Anyway, if there was something they could do to make up for it, then they would do it. He''d just keep an eye out for an opportunity.

 Chapter 901 - A Good-Looking Man

    The two of them arrived at the gates of the Hua family''s estate. Hua Lin Rong was already waiting in the hall, brushing his brother''s hair and straightening out his robe to make sure he looked his best.


    "With how cute you are, there is no way our friendly neighborhood dragon wouldn''t help out, isn''t that so? When he comes over later, just give him a smile, will you? I''m sure he''ll be won over right away."


    Hua Lin Yu smiled at his big brother and grabbed his hair.


    Hua Lin Rong could only sigh. "How old are you, huh? Why do you still like to grab my hair so much?" He couldn''t bring himself to pull the strands back though. Anyway, his little darling brother could do whatever he wanted.


    Just then, steps sounded from outside and then his grandfather appeared in the door. Hua Lin Rong turned around. He himself was curious about how that dragon looked. When he appeared ¡­ Hua Lin Rong''s brows twitched. How come this so-called ''friendly neighborhood dragon'' was such a good-looking guy?! He glanced at his little brother and suddenly regretted his previous actions. He should have messed up his hair to ruin the first impression.


    Xin Lan ignored the elder Hua brother and just looked at the child in his arms. Xiang Yu''s mortal reincarnation had turned from a baby into a toddler by now. Although, looking at his current action of holding his brother''s hair like reins and staring at Xin Lan wide-eyed ¡­ he still seemed like the crying brat he had been before.


    Hua Ming Jun''s eyes lit up when he saw his two grandsons. He rushed over and took Lin Yu from his brother, before turning back to Xin Lan. "This is my youngest grandson that I talked about. He''s called Lin Yu."


    "I see." Xin Lan took a closer look and nodded. Well, even though his behavior was still as infuriating as before, at least his face looked a bit better. It was still hard to say but he might just turn into a pretty child if he was given a few more years.


    Very good. Even though he would still keep his promise if he was ugly, he would really prefer it if a longtime lover was pretty. He didn''t expect him to be as beautiful as Jinde or even reaching half of that but being somewhat pretty shouldn''t be asking too much, right?


    Xin Lan wasn''t standing too far away and Lin Yu was fixating him with his gaze. Eventually, he reached out, trying to grab onto him.


    His grandfather chuckled but didn''t hand him over. Even though he wanted Xin Lan to have a good impression of his grandson and help him out, he felt that it would be too much to hand the child to him. Never mind that he wasn''t sure if this man would be able to take care of him, he also thought that it might be more than that man was willing to do.


    So in the end, he only teased his grandson. "Oh, look at that! Our little Xiao Yu really likes being fawned over by everyone, doesn''t he? I''m afraid you can''t ask this person though."


    The child didn''t even look at him. He still continued to stare at Xin Lan, stretching his little arms even further. He wanted to be hugged by that person!


    Xin Lan stared back at the child and eventually reached over, taking him from Hua Ming Jun. Anyway, this child might not be quite normal. Maybe he remembered his past as Xiang Yu or maybe his perception just differed from that of normal children and he knew that there was some type of connection between them. Anyway, it would be best if he could form a good relationship with him early on as well.


    Hua Ming Jun and Hua Lin Rong both unbelievingly stared at the dragon that was holding their family''s youngest. Their expressions turned from surprise to panic when Lin Yu did the same as always: He reached out and grabbed onto Xin Lan''s silver hair. In his defense, it had to be said that he at least gave him a brilliant smile as thanks just as his brother had told him.


    Hua Lin Rong didn''t know whether he should facepalm or laugh. Anyway, this wasn''t quite what he had expected. Luckily, that dragon didn''t seem to mind.


    Indeed. Xin Lan didn''t mind too much. Anyway, as long as that brat didn''t start to tug, he was alright with it. And he had already expected him to be annoying anyway so what reason was there to complain?


    He only looked at Lin Yu for a moment longer and then turned back to Hua Ming Jun. "Alright, what should I look at?"


    The cultivator was startled out of his daze and nodded hurriedly. "Yes, yes, right. I''m sorry for wasting your time. Please, follow me." He went ahead to the places where they had previously felt that presence and let Xin Lan take a look around, patiently waiting for the results.


    Naturally, Xin Lan wouldn''t find anything. He himself had been that presence so even if there was something, he wouldn''t say anything and would just quietly destroy the traces. But most likely, there was nothing around. After all, it had already been a lot of time since he came here the last time. Unfortunately, he also couldn''t say that he hadn''t found anything and call it quits. How would that ingratiate him with this family then?


    In the end, he turned back to the two men following him and sighed. "I''m afraid there isn''t much I can do. Whatever that presence was that you felt previously, it isn''t here right now. At the very least, I can''t feel it at all."


    Hua Ming Jun nodded. "Yes, we haven''t been able to feel it for a while either."


    "Mn. In this case, it''s difficult to do anything. The only thing I could offer would be for you to call me over if you notice it again."


    Hua Ming Jun and his older grandson exchanged a glance. This was already much more than they had hoped for.


    "That would be great, thank you. Then, we probably shouldn''t bother you any longer." He reached out and wanted to take Lin Yu from him but the child was still holding onto Xin Lan''s hair and refused to let go.


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched. This brat ¡­ He wouldn''t have figured out that fabric could be cut off while hair would be left alone, could he?!

 Chapter 902 - Too Chatty

    Xin Lan gave him a stern look but Lin Yu didn''t seem to care at all. The child held onto his strand of hair and even happily shook his little fist, giggling while he was at it.


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows and tried to pry the child''s hand off him. Unfortunately, he knew very well that he couldn''t be too heavy-handed or that little thing might be injured. Then, what would the Hua family think of him? They might not let him into Xiang Yu''s vicinity ever again. And in that case ¡­ He would be hard-pressed to fulfill his promise.


    Who knew what Tian would do then? With how much that asshole hated him, he might just tell him that it was his own fault and that he deserved to be punished. Even though that wasn''t the truth at all, Tian still had the ability to take away his life so he couldn''t give him any reason to do so. He had to make sure that everything worked well.


    Xin Lan gave up when Xiang Yu didn''t budge and turned to look at the child''s grandfather and big brother.


    The two men of the Hua family exchanged a glance, seeing panic in each other''s eyes. They really didn''t know what to do. The person they had invited over to provide Lin Yu with another layer of protection was now literally in the hands of their little one. What were they supposed to say now?


    Hua Ming Jun was too embarrassed to say anything at all. He really wished that the ground could open up to swallow him.


    Meanwhile, a sneaky glint appeared in Hua Lin Rong''s eyes. He gave Xin Lan what could''ve been an awkward smile but seemed a little too calculating when looking closer and then went over to pat his little brother''s head. "I''m really sorry. Our Xiao Yu especially loves handsome people. I''m afraid he''s taken a liking to you. He probably won''t be letting go anytime soon. Why don''t you stay here for a while longer? Would you like a cup of tea?"


    Xin Lan looked at him with a deadpan expression, ready to shoot the idea down. Just then, the little one in his arms tugged at his hair again, giving enough another happy laugh.


    Xin Lan stopped himself from uttering the words he had already prepared and sighed in resignation. Anyway, he was supposed to become this person''s lover when he grew up. He might as well spend some more time at the Hua family''s house so they could get used to him. As for the child ¡­ Well, it might also be beneficial to spend more time with him.


    Contrary to Qiu Ling who had been scared witless that his beloved would think of him as old when he grew up, Xin Lan had no such inhibitions. He was old. Even the dragons would probably call him ancient if they dared to be as disrespectful as their current king. So there was no way denying his age. Since that was the case, why should he pretend that it was different?


    He might as well go along with what happened and hope that the child started to like him. Anyway, he was a handsome man, he could also be charming if he wanted so it shouldn''t be difficult to slowly make him fall in love. This could only be to his advantage.


    And cultivation family''s normally didn''t care about age. After all, they could all live forever if they weren''t killed. What seemed like a large age gap right now would be next to nothing in just a few years. Well, at least that was what he''d say if they asked. There was no need to dive into details until he had fulfilled his promise.


    With that thought, Xin Lan finally nodded. "Very well. Then I''ll have to bother you to accommodate me."


    Hua Lin Rong raised his brows, almost unable to believe that this had really worked. How could he just say yes to this? Shouldn''t he have tried to make him take back the child? Shouldn''t he resist a bit longer?


    Seeing that his older grandson was too stunned to react, Hua Ming Jun hurriedly jumped in. "But of course! Follow me, please." He went ahead and led Xin Lan into the dining room. He then called for a servant and told them to serve both tea and some pastries for their guest. Then, he sat down next to him and waved for his grandson to do the same.


    Xin Lan looked from one man to the other and then glanced at the child that was still in his arms. He really wondered if he didn''t want to let go at all. If things continued like this, would he have to hug him to sleep? Certainly, his family wouldn''t be alright with that.


    Hua Ming Jun cleared his throat and tried to bring up something else to divert Xin Lan''s attention. "By the way, the reason why my son left the estate was because of a meeting with some of the other important cultivation families and several sects. Apparently, there is a problem with some demon-hunting sects."


    The corners of Xin Lan''s lips turned upward. "Oh? Was there such a thing?"


    Hua Ming Jun wasn''t sure why his guest looked like that but he still nodded. "Yes. They seem to have imprisoned some people that they thought to be of demonic descent. From what has been found out, it seems that the suspicion isn''t true for all of them though. Still, the demon-hunting sects didn''t let them go.


    "The worst thing is that the people they imprisoned were part of some cultivation sects but the demon hunters never contacted these sects to allow them to fight against these charges. So these disciples were considered missing with nobody knowing where they went."


    "That sounds tragic. A lot of people must have been worried. How was it finally discovered?"


    "The one who informed everyone of this behavior was the Jian Yi Sect. I don''t know if you''ve heard of them?"


    Xin Lan looked at the child in his arms and tousled his hair. "I think it was mentioned once or twice while I was around."


    Hua Lin Rong couldn''t help but pipe up at that. "It''s no wonder. Their previous Grandmaster, Grandmaster Leng Jin Yu, was a hero. He has done a lot for the cultivation world. There really is nobody who isn''t indebted to him."


    Xin Lan forced a smile. "That sounds like a really great guy." Inwardly, he couldn''t help but think that his older brother of the Hua family really talked too much.


    So everybody was indebted to him? Should he be happy that that guy had stolen away the person he loved? Anyway, there was nothing he could change about that anymore. He could only finish up his task here in the mortal realm and then try to find somebody else to spend his life with. Until then ¡­


    Hopefully, this Hua Lin Rong wouldn''t be as chatty when his brother had grown up. Otherwise, he would really need to bring this brat away from here and live somewhere else with him.


    Otherwise, even he wouldn''t be able to put up with it.

 Chapter 903 - A Better Home?

    While Xin Lan was trying to give the Hua grandfather and grandsons a good impression, Hua Ming Shun eventually arrived at the Jian Yi Sect. He stopped in front of the gates where a group of outer sect disciples was guarding both on the inside and outside. There were also arrays on the ground that would stop most intruders. Well, not that there were many in the first place. Who would dare to try and break into this place?


    Hua Ming Shun walked up to the disciples and nodded. "I came because of Sect Master Fei''s summons." He pulled out the letter that had Fei Bai Mu''s handwriting on it.


    The disciple in charge just waved. "We were already informed of the people that would be coming. Please follow me inside, cultivator Hua."


    Hua Ming Shun nodded and did as he was told. He had been to the Jian Yi Sect a few times in the past and with his status, he didn''t feel intimidated at all. Seeing the disciples and the level even those of the outer sect had, he couldn''t help but sigh in admiration though. The Jian Yi Sect was really something different.


    The disciple led him to a guest house and then bowed. "This place has been prepared for you. The meeting is supposed to be held one day after the last person arrives. A disciple will notify you at that time and bring you over. Should you have any wishes until then, you can call for any disciple and they will assist you. If there is anything you are in need of right now, please tell me and I will organize everything right away."


    Hua Ming Shun nodded. "Thank you but that won''t be necessary. Should I go see Sect Master Fei?"


    "As far as I am aware, the Sect Master intends to let you settle down first and will have you contacted after a while to make sure everything is to your satisfaction. If you would like to meet her, I am sure you will be able to do so then. Should there be a pressing matter, I will gladly go and have her be notified."


    Hua Ming Shun shook his head at that. "No need. Later will be fine. I just don''t want the Sect Master to think of me as rude."


    "I am sure she would never think that." The disciple bowed and clasped his hands, taking his leave.


    Hua Ming Shun took a last look around before he went into the house. The Jian Yi Sect''s sect grounds were vast. While most of the disciples were living together in the buildings, these guest houses were used for one person at a time in many circumstances or maybe one family with a few members or a small delegation. Naturally, lots of small houses would still take quite a lot of space so the Jian Yi Sect didn''t leave them unused when no guests were around which was most of the time, actually.


    Hua Ming Shun walked inside and sighed when he saw the lines of the arrays on the ground. He shook his head and casually sat down at the side, closing his eyes and cultivating for a moment.


    Even though his Hua family wasn''t small and had accumulated quite a bit of wealth and resources, it could never compare with a behemoth such as the Jian Yi Sect. Especially not after the huge growth it had experienced after Leng Jin Yu''s meteoric rise to the peak of cultivation. Casually putting down all sorts of arrays down at these houses and powering them the whole year for decades upon decades ¡­ Some would call that squandering.


    In a way, this was also what let the Jian Yi Sect acquire its current position though. They weren''t afraid to spend on their disciples. All of their disciples. While other sects ¡ª especially those that were ranked ¡ª played favorites and thus raised a few prodigies while the rest could only fend for themselves and hope to stumble upon some lucky coincidences, the Jian Yi Sect gave the same chances to everybody.


    All of them could gain resources. All of them could have a chance to spend some time in these houses. It didn''t depend solely on talent. No, talent might be able to give you a head start but the most important thing was to put in work, to be daring and courageous, to never shrink back because of fear or doubts and move forward with a clear goal in mind.


    This was what made their disciples grow.


    This was what made them an excellent sect.


    This was why they had become the number one sect of their times.


    It wasn''t just the luck of acquiring some genius. It was the attitude they held toward life and toward progress. It was because they had been blessed by generations of very wise Sect Masters that were able to keep down the infighting that destroyed lots of other sects and raise their disciples'' spirits so they would walk this stony path of cultivation with single-minded determination.


    If he was honest, he admired this. It was a good place. Which made him think ¡­ Maybe it wouldn''t be too bad to make use of his connection to this place?


    His heart thumped at that thought and he opened his eyes, getting back to his feet and pacing around. It hadn''t been that long since Lin Yu had been born but they had felt that presence several times. There had also been a strong person moving in close to them that they would never be able to handle.


    Maybe ¡­ maybe it would be for the best if he let his youngest son leave the Hua family and grow up at another place, far away from the dangers that might befall him otherwise.


    Yes, maybe the Jian Yi Sect would actually be the better home for his little Xiao Yu.

 Chapter 904 - How Could I Have the Heart?

    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, or more precisely in the newly created realm of the Yun Zou Sect, Jinde opened his eyes. He glanced up at the edge of the lake and his lips curved into a smile when he saw the indistinct figure of his husband waiting there for him.


    How much time had passed? He couldn''t help but wonder about that. He hoped that it wouldn''t have been too much. Even though Leng Jin Yu knew that it would take quite a bit of time until he recovered, that didn''t mean that he should have to wait too long. Not seeing each other for several thousand years ¡­ What kind of life was that for a married couple? No, he refused to accept that.


    Jinde got up from where he was seated and pushed off the ground, breaking through the surface of the lake after only a heartbeat. He swam over to the edge and propped his arms up on the stone plates, giving his husband a smile.


    "I finally come out after so long and you refuse to even stop your cultivation for me? I''m shocked, my dear. It couldn''t be that after such a long separation, your heart went cold, could it?"


    Leng Jin Yu cracked his eyes open and looked at his husband, his eyes twinkling with delight at finally being able to see him again. "I''m more than excited to see you less than an arm''s length away from me but I was thinking that it would take a lot longer until that happened. Don''t tell me you''ve already recovered completely?"


    Jinde shook his head and pulled himself out of the water, sitting down on the stone slabs, and letting his legs hang into the water. "No. I also think it''ll take a lot of time. This kind of treatment is rather effective though. Who would''ve thought that getting a small part of the High Heavens would actually make such a difference? It''s such a simple solution but surprisingly genius."


    Leng Jin Yu changed from the Lotus position to sitting next to his partner and gripped his hand. "It''s good as long as it works. Anyway, if you had healed before this, then maybe you wouldn''t have been in the Yun Zou Sect anymore when I came here. What then? We might''ve never met."


    Jinde leaned to the side and kissed his cheek. "We would. It''s our fate to meet. Whether it''s in this life or any other, I''m sure that we''re destined to always find a way to each other. Don''t tell me that you think of this any different."


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head and leaned closer. "I never would. Something like this ¡­ It has to be fate." He gave him a lingering kiss, his lips curving into a smile afterward. "So how long do you intend to stay outside?"


    Jinde stretched and then hugged his husband''s neck. "How long can you keep me occupied?"


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but chuckle. He grabbed Jinde''s waist and pulled him closer, his lips hovering just a hair''s breadth away from Jinde''s. "Knowing you and knowing me I''m pretty sure that I could keep you occupied forever. Are sure you want that?"


    "Actually, that sounds pretty fantastic. For now, I might be happy with just a few hours or days maybe though. Anyway, did something happen while I was down there? How is that bear child behaving? Did he leave you alone or did you come to bother you? Right, what about that matter with the necklace?"


    "Ah, right." Leng Jin Yu took the necklace out of his spatial ring and put it back around Jinde''s neck. Even though he did feel a little awkward thinking about the fact that his husband was wearing another man''s jewelry, this was a means for Jinde to contact Xin Lan. If he ever got into trouble, it would be best if he was able to do that.


    Anyway, they were already married. Jinde was even a dragon so there was no way he would ever have feelings for somebody else. What should he feel insecure about? It was just that ¡­ This necklace always reminded him of the long stretch of Jinde''s life that he hadn''t been a part of. He couldn''t remember it. And even if he could, would that truly be him? He wasn''t Chun Yin. He never would be. And every once in a while he couldn''t help but worry because of that.


    Jinde watched his husband''s expression and then reached up, cupping his cheek. "Whatever you''re thinking, stop it. Your thoughts ¡­ should only be with me right now. You should only have me in your eyes or your heart or anywhere."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled at that. "Even if I wanted to, it would be impossible to see anything but you. You''re just ¡­ too bright, too beautiful, too charming, too lovable. How could I ever have the heart to look at somebody else?"


    "Ah, that''s more like it."


    Jinde craned his neck and wanted to kiss his husband again but Leng Jin Yu stopped him.


    "Before that ¡­ Be honest with me. How useful is that part of the High Heavens really? How long will you need to heal? Can you say anything more specific about that yet?"


    Jinde sighed and then turned around, leaning against Leng Jin Yu''s chest with his back and looking up at the sky. "It''s really as I said: It''s surprising how well it''s going. In fact, the longer I was submerged in the water, the better it got. It seems that the properties that Xiang Yu''s little gift had are slowly dissolving in the original water of the lake and turning it into something like a part of the High Heavens that isn''t actually in the High Heavens. Well, I guess that was what he expected but it was hard to believe until now.


    "But I think that from here on out, I''ll only start to heal faster. By now, I''m actually not feeling as weak anymore. I''m not nearly as strong as I was back at my peak but it''s a start. If I had to guess, I''d say that we''re not talking about thousands of years anymore but that it''s probably more like a few hundred years. That sounds better, doesn''t it?" He reached up and once again and cupped Leng Jin Yu''s cheek.


    His husband leaned down and kissed his head. "Much better."

 Chapter 905 - He Owed Him That Much

    Jinde couldn''t help but chuckle. His husband really was a sweet-talker. He stayed in his arms and sighed. He knew that sooner or later he would have to return into the lake and continue healing. But for the time being, he just wanted to spend a bit more time with his husband. That was not asking too much, was it?


    He interlaced his fingers with Leng Jin Yu''s, enjoying the warmth of his skin and the steady heartbeat at his back. "After I''m healed ¡­ Let''s spend every day like this."


    Leng Jin Yu brushed through Jinde''s golden hair with the fingers of his free hand and smiled. "Exactly like this? I would''ve thought you''d be up for some adventures instead. After all, you''ve been cooked up in here for so long. I bet you''re dying to be able to do something else again."


    Jinde sighed. "You just had to remind me, didn''t you? I was very happy not thinking about it for just a moment. First, it was that the dimension the Yun Zou Sect originally had, then it was a palace in the Liu He Alliance, now it''s here. It makes me feel as if I''m always imprisoned. Well, I do have to say that your taste is obviously the best. The dimension is lovely."


    Leng Jin Yu looked around the courtyard and nodded. "Well, Qiu Ling helped me. He filled in some details about this place."


    Jinde nodded. "Mn, I guess he did a good job. You know, back when we were young, it looked different though. The palace or, well, part of it was destroyed in one of the wars. That included where we lived before. It''s a bit strange thinking that those places are a thing of the past now."


    Leng Jin Yu kept quiet. The place where they had grown up ¡­ Obviously, that was the place where Jinde and Chun Yin had grown up. It had nothing to do with him. "I don''t remember any of that."


    Jinde looked up and gently brushed his index finger with his thumb. "You wouldn''t be jealous of your self now, would you?"


    "How could that be?"


    "Well, that''s good then. You know, after I''ve healed completely, I thought that maybe it would be a good idea to give you back a part of his soul."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. "Give it back? Isn''t that dangerous? I thought that the curse of the dragons was precisely that they could only fall in love once and if they did join their soul, it was something that couldn''t be taken back anymore."


    Jinde nodded. "That''s true. But a dragon''s soul is meant to be split. How you do it is completely up to yourself. So as long as I don''t try to separate all of your soul from mine and just split a bit of your soul, then it can be given back. But ¡­ that was just a thought I had. What do you think?"


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows. "That soul fragment ¡­ It''s a part of Chun Yin''s soul, not mine, isn''t it?"


    "Well, you are his reincarnation so you do share the same soul. But, yes, looking at it from your perspective, there really is a difference. The soul you''re currently using has gone through reincarnation once. You''ve lost your memories. Or, well, it''s not that they''re not they''re gone completely. In fact, they are still there. That is why you''ve been remembering some things.


    "The memories from a past life are just inaccessible for the most part. Some people are able to get access to them on their own because they have some special ability that they were born with. Others will be able to unearth some of them with the help of herbs, pills, artifacts or special techniques. So there are ways to access these memories."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I knew about that. Back when ¡­ Well, before we met again, I was thinking of doing exactly that. I had researched which things could help me access the memories from past lives because I was sure that that courtyard I always saw had to be a memory. Unfortunately, even though I searched, I wasn''t lucky enough to find anything."


    Jinde nodded. Leng Jin Yu had told him about how Jing Yi found that plant instead of him. He hadn''t even been looking for it but had just stumbled upon it. And with that, he had ruined Jin Yu''s chance to retrieve his own memories. "Well, in a sense, it might not be too bad. The memories you can get back by using that kind of thing aren''t too stable. You might not remember everything. It also could''ve fallen into the same predicament as the Son of Heaven''s reincarnation and remember everything in the wrong sequence, making you believe things that never happened just because it seemed that way when you tried to figure out what was going on. Anyway, if I gave you a part of Chun Yin''s soul back, it would be different."


    "It still has all the memories from his past life, doesn''t it? So if I got that part, I would be able to remember everything. From the very beginning to the very end."


    Jinde hesitated and then shook his head. "Not quite. From the beginning ¡­ Yes. But as for the end ¡­" He shook his head again and sighed. "To be honest, I''m not sure. That fragment of Chun Yin''s soul was with me when he died. It had been for a long time. I''m not quite sure if the memories after that point would still be there.


    "So it could be that you might only retrieve memories up to the point where he bound that fragment to my soul. I can''t say for sure but that is a possibility."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. The possibility seemed quite high. And even if that wasn''t the case and he would be able to remember everything ¡­ He wasn''t quite sure if he wanted that. After all, the consequences were hard to predict.


    On the other hand, he knew that Jinde wanted answers. He wanted to know why the man that had courageously joined his soul with his had left him like that. He wanted these answers, he needed them.


    So even if it might be painful for him to remember, how could he not give in to that? He had to fulfill this wish of Jinde''s. He had to answer the questions that he had asked himself all these millennia.


    He owed him that much.


    Chun Yin owed him that much.

 Chapter 906 - Occupied by Their Own Tasks

    After discussing things with Leng Jin Yu, Jinde spent a few more days outside before he returned to the lake to continue nourishing his soul. Even though it pained him to be separated from his husband for so long, it was still better to dedicate more time to his recuperation right now so that he would be able to return to his peak state sooner. Then, he would really be able to do as he had said and show Leng Jin Yu their past life together. And after that ¡­ Well, it would still be a long time until then.


    Jinde was not the only one who was continuously occupied with his own matter. Whether it was the mortal or immortal realms, everybody was going about their own tasks, time passing imperceptibly.


    Days went by in the immortal realms, making the fight between Jin Ling and Yong Hai escalate further while other demons joined in the fray, vying for the demon realm''s throne themselves. On the other hand, it also gave Nie Huang in the dragon realm time to reach the first stage of cultivation and continue toward the second stage under her fiance''s guidance, getting closer and closer to the day when she would finally become immortal just like him.


    In the mortal realm, years passed. Shen Qiang was still trying to figure the situation in the Yun Zou Sect out, while Nian Hong Fang was searching for clues regarding Ma Zhi Wu''s whereabouts. But with both of them hiding a part of their true thoughts and lives, neither of them was able to get what they wished for. Although ¡­ After so much time spent together, they couldn''t help but admit that the good feelings between them had grown. Even though Nian Hong Fang would never be able to consider this person as a potential lover, he sometimes had a hard time reminding himself that he wasn''t even a friend and instead somebody that was embroiled in his lover''s kidnapping.


    Meanwhile, the Chun Feng Sect that had brought this awkward situation about was hard-pressed to deal with the lower and middle-tier sects that had somehow all found out about the disciples in their dungeon. They had been able to send most of the smaller ones away but the bigger the sects got, the more difficult it was to deal with them.


    Now, more often than not, the Chun Feng Sect''s disciples that went out came back notifying their Masters or one of the Elders that there had been more people paying attention to their whereabouts and actions than usual. And some of these people did not seem to hold any goodwill toward them. It was making quite a few of the disciples that were not as steadfast as Sect Master Xian would have liked wonder if there was something amiss about their sect that they should know about, adding to the trouble that was already brewing.


    While the situation worsened, the discussions the Jian Yi Sect had organized took place. Because of the sensitive matter and the consequences the decision made in the discussion would have, they didn''t hurry. Instead, they took their time having different meetings for different aspects of the situation, letting the participants return home to their families or sects to have more discussions among themselves before they convened again.


    With time, they put down rules that they felt should be observed in the future. But even then, their task was not yet done. After all, the ones involved in the discussion had only been the unranked sects and most influential cultivation families. After they were able to reach a consensus, it was still required to inform the first-, second- and lower-tier sects. And then, when those agreed as well, they still had to confront the demon-hunting sects.


    Nobody believed that that would be easy. Even though the investigations over the past few years had shown that there were only one or two other demon-hunting sects that had engaged in similar practices as the Chun Feng Sect while the majority was hunting demons exclusively outside of the cultivation sects or at least informed the sects of their suspicions, this matter would still pertain to all of them. They probably wouldn''t like it if somebody from outside tried to limit their potential actions and tell them what to do.


    Still, Sect Master Fei of the Jian Yi Sect didn''t waver at all. Since the day she had been informed of the actions of the Chun Feng Sect, she had always known that the day would come when they had to confront them. It was what the Jian Yi Sect was bound to do by their moral code and it was also what they owed to their sect''s Leng Jin Yu if the talk about him returning and marrying somebody who was suspected and hunted by the Chun Feng Sect as well was true. Thus she would never give up and pursue this matter until the end regardless of what happened.


    Soon, it would be time to put that determination to the test but before that, she was curious to see what would happen when they would inform the Yun Zou Sect of what they had found out and decided. Because then, they might finally be able to find out just what was going on with that Grandmaster Leng of theirs. And if it was indeed true ¡­ she was even more curious to hear the excuse that guy wanted to bring up for not contacting them even a single time since his return.


    It was in this tense situation, that Jing Yi and Qiu Ling emerged from the Yun Zou Sect''s secret realm.

 Chapter 907 - His Original Aspirations

    By now, Jing Yi had made some progress with the tasks he had given himself. He had first learned how to read and write, giving Qiu Ling an excuse to leave the most nauseating messages around the room at all times of the day. After some more time, he had also managed to learn how to use his spiritual energy to use the flying sword so he didn''t need Qiu Ling''s help anymore to get around.


    With that newfound ability, they had explored the whole realm, leisurely spending their time together. Thankfully, this realm had been artificially crafted. There was nothing dangerous around so it was mostly sightseeing and sharing memories in this place that resembled the dragon realm.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but ask Qiu Ling for comparisons over and over again. If he could, he really would''ve liked to ascend right away and go with Qiu Ling to visit his real home. He wanted to know what it looked like. He wanted to know how life in the dragon realm was. He wanted to have something with him Jing He had never been able to achieve. Leaving the realm where he was born, getting to know this place that Qiu Ling seemed to cherish, that would be something that connected the two of them. Just them. It would have nothing to do with his old life.


    Unfortunately, he wasn''t able to do that just yet. While he had made indeed progress with his cultivation after training these past few years, it wasn''t enough to ascend. By now, he was at the peak of the fifth stage but one needed to reach the seventh stage to be able to ascend.


    And unfortunately, even though the spiritual energy in this realm was richer than that outside in the Yun Zou Sect, it still couldn''t compare to that in the demon realm or the High Heavens. So even though he had spent every single minute that he could on cultivating and training, the progress he could make in this place wasn''t as much as he would''ve liked to.


    It didn''t help that Qiu Ling was hesitant to teach him further. He hadn''t had a problem showing him how to fly or even teaching him a few techniques to defend himself to make sure he wouldn''t get into trouble but as soon as it got to the point where he would need to teach him how to use his spiritual energy to fight, he would suddenly think of something else that needed to be done immediately and slink off.


    After trying to convince him a few times, Jing Yi could only sigh and admit to himself that nothing would change. Qiu Ling wasn''t ready yet to teach him any of this. He still had some second thoughts because Jing He would remember all of this when he got his soul back. It was a pity but he knew that he couldn''t change Qiu Ling''s mind easily regarding this matter. If nothing happened to convince him to do otherwise, he would insist on not teaching him how to fight. There was nothing he could do about that.


    Thus for a while, Jing Yi had continued just as he had before: Cultivating at night to make the most of his time, training the few things he had learned in the day and spending some hours with Qiu Ling so their relationship wouldn''t suffer.


    He had also finally gotten around to perusing the cultivation manual that Grandmaster Zhangsun had given him. He had nothing to compare it to but using it seemed to help with the problem of not being fast enough at least a little. Before he started to use his manual, he felt that things had become slower. Now, even though his speed couldn''t be called heaven-defying, it was at least a little faster than before. That was already very good.


    For a while, Jing Yi thought that he was on the right way and that the only thing he needed now was time. He didn''t think he would run into any problems since he had more than enough of that. After all, since reaching the third stage, he wasn''t aging anymore. So even if he took longer to reach the seventh stage, it should not be a problem.


    Unfortunately, things weren''t as simple as that. While he did make some progress in the beginning, he eventually reached a point where even that turned impossible. For the first time in his life, Jing Yi had encountered what was known as a bottleneck and there was no way to overcome this in the realm.


    Thus after trying to sit the problem out without success, Jing Yi and Qiu Ling had finally decided to leave the realm. What Jing Yi needed now was experience and that was something he could not get in the realm. He needed to venture outside and take part in the life that cultivators normally led.


    In a way, he was looking forward to that. Back in the beginning, he had joined the Yun Zou Sect to become a hero but things had turned out differently when he got older and met Qiu Ling. In fact, they had changed so much that Jing Yi had never had time to pursue his original goal and had instead decided to cultivate so he could ascend. Now, he was given the chance to follow his original aspirations. It would have been a lie to say that he did not want to see how that would turn out.


    Thus, he didn''t need to consider for long what he wanted to do.


    "Qiu Ling ¡­ How about seeing if there''s a mission available that we could do together? Before I knew you, Shao Hai and Xiao Dong once showed me that there were missions available for the disciples. Unfortunately, I hadn''t been able to cultivate yet so I could never try it out. I think it would be fun to do it together. What do you think?"


    Qiu Ling looked at his beloved, his gaze turning softer. Ah, if that was what his beloved wanted, then naturally, that was what he wanted to! Thus he didn''t even think about it for a moment before he eagerly nodded his head. Anyway, if they could travel together again with just the two of them, they were bound to spend lots of time together without being disturbed!

 Chapter 908 - Training What?

    When Jing Yi and Qiu Ling reached the building ¡­ they found themselves in front of a locked door. They looked at it in confusion and then exchanged a glance.


    "What do you think happened?"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows and then pulled his beloved closer, giving him a peck on the lips. "Who knows? Maybe they changed the opening hours. Let''s just come back sometime later. It''s not like doing a mission will run away."


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. Wasn''t Qiu Ling making things a little too easy? It wasn''t like they had come over late in the evening or before dawn. It was currently early afternoon. Why wouldn''t the building be open? As far as he knew, it had always been open the whole day. Why should that have changed in the last few years?


    Unfortunately, a certain dragon king didn''t seem interested in the least. To him, it was probably not important what exactly they did. Even if they just traveled around, he would also be happy. But that was not what Jing Yi needed right now. It also wasn''t what he wanted to do. No, with the opportunity right in front of him, he really wanted to live up to the goal he had given himself.


    "Let''s go and ask somebody." He grabbed Qiu Ling''s hand and pulled him along.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips but still followed him. Even though he would have preferred it if no third person disturbed their time together, he could live with it for the moment. After all, they had already spent the last few years with just the two of them. He could take it for a few minutes.


    Jing Yi randomly walked up to one of the martial sisters that was walking by and gave her a smile. "Excuse me ¡­"


    The woman stopped and turned to face them, raising her brows. Jing Yi felt that she looked vaguely familiar but he wasn''t too sure who she was. Maybe he had met her once when he entered the Yun Zou Sect back then.


    "I''m sorry. We were actually looking to take on a mission but the building is closed. You wouldn''t happen to know what is going on, would you?"


    The martial sister looked from him to Qiu Ling and back again, her gaze doubtful. "Where have you been for the last few years?"


    Jing Yi froze and then turned to Qiu Ling with some worry. Would it be alright to tell her? He didn''t want to lie to somebody they were asking for help but ¡­


    Qiu Ling didn''t bother to wonder what was the right thing to do. Anyway, it wasn''t important as long as they had a good reason. Thus he put his arm around Jing Yi''s shoulders and gave the other disciple a wide grin. "My fiance and I weren''t here. We were ¡­ training together. Mn. That''s what we did." He nodded as if to reassure her that that was indeed what they had done.


    Needless to say, his attitude was what made her wonder in the first place if they had really been training. Or, well, if they had trained, just what had they been training? She eventually shook her head. Why was she even wondering about that? Since these two were engaged whatever they did was a matter between them. She didn''t need to worry about that. Anyway, that wasn''t why they had stopped her.


    She turned back to Jing Yi since she felt that it was easier to talk with him. "Three of our disciples went missing and all on a mission they took on. So senior martial brother Wu and the Elders felt that it was too dangerous to let us take on more missions by ourselves and closed the building."


    Jing Yi stared at her in a daze. There was too much information in these few sentences and he didn''t even understand half of it. "Why ¡­ I mean, senior martial brother Wu?" Why wasn''t the one deciding on this the Sect Master or Grandmaster? How come a normal disciple would make such important decisions? Was he the one in charge of the building?


    The woman wanted to ask what was wrong with him when she reconsidered. Right, if they hadn''t been in the sect for a few years, they likely didn''t know about that either. "Senior martial brother Wu, Wu Min Huan, the Sect Master''s disciple. Since the Sect Master is in closed-door cultivation and his head disciple, senior martial brother Yu, also isn''t available, he is the one to decide in this matter. Anyway, the Elders were of the same opinion."


    "I see." Jing Yi furrowed his brows and turned to look at Qiu Ling. "I guess we can''t take a mission then if it''s so dangerous ¡­"


    Qiu Ling beamed at him in return. "Don''t worry about it, my love! I''ll keep you safe!"


    The woman rolled her eyes. "If you want to take on a mission, you still can. It''s just that you''ll have to talk to your Master for that. They''ll see which missions are available and won''t pose too much of a danger. I''ll have to warn you though: If you two are trying to go on a mission ¡­ just for two you''ll have trouble getting one. Most missions they give out nowadays are group missions and there will at least be one of the head disciples of the Elders leading the group if it''s not an Elder themselves."


    Qiu Ling''s expression fell while Jing Yi shook his head.


    "That''s not a problem. I just want to gain some experience to further my cultivation. Although ¡­ I don''t have a Master. Who would I need to ask instead?" After all, he really didn''t feel right asking Grandmaster Zhangsun for such a seemingly simple matter. That ¡­ would truly be like taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

 Chapter 909 - Let’s Go Catch up

    The female disciple once again looked at him strangely. "It''s not really advised for somebody without a Master to go on a mission right now. You should ask yourself if you really want to do this."


    Jing Yi furrowed his brows. He had been looking forward to doing this but if it was such a serious matter, then he also wouldn''t insist on it. It would be a pity though.


    Seeing his beloved''s expression, Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "Why don''t you just ask my Master? Anyway, we''re going to be married soon so what''s mine is yours as well. There''s no need to be particular about it."


    Jing Yi almost wanted to laugh but he held back when he remembered that there was still the female disciples present. He cleared his throat and gave her an apologetic smile. She had to be weirded out by Qiu Ling''s behavior. "Well, I guess there''s nothing we can do then. I''m sorry that we took up so much of your time for nothing."


    "It''s no problem. Anyway, if you really want to go on a mission, you could go to the Elder that is in charge of you." She looked at the sleeves of Jing Yi''s robe to see whether he was an inner or outer sect disciple. Seeing the cloud pattern on there, she raised her gaze back to his eyes. "You''re a cultivator, right? Then that would be Elder Liao."


    Jing Yi nodded. "Thank you!"


    The three of them bid farewell and the martial sister continued down the path while Jing Yi turned to Qiu Ling.


    "So do you think we should go and talk to that Elder?"


    Qiu Ling pouted. "Why would you want to go to some random Elder when we could go to my Master?" After all, hadn''t he explained that that guy was his Master and thus was Jing Yi''s Master as well? Why wasn''t his beloved appreciating that at all?


    Jing Yi sighed and tugged at Qiu Ling''s hand to make him move back into the inner sect grounds. "I understand what you mean. But he is still the Grandmaster of the sect. I feel that bothering him about something like this would be a little too much. Don''t you think so?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "He''s my Master. And he hasn''t really done anything for me so I think that having him do at least a little something for me wouldn''t be too much. In fact, I think he owes me!"


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. He wasn''t surprised at all that this was how Qiu Ling saw the situation. Anyway, he still didn''t want to go and bother the Grandmaster. "Let''s just go and ask that Elder Liao. Or maybe ¡­ Maybe it would be better if we really didn''t go outside. If there are disciples vanishing ¡­"


    Qiu Ling inched closer and pecked his cheek. "As I said: You don''t have to worry about that at all. I''ll definitely keep you safe. Whatever scoundrel tries to kidnap you, I''ll beat them up!"


    "I don''t think anybody would try that. I wonder what happened to those disciples though."


    Qiu Ling just shrugged shoulders, not in the least concerned. He didn''t know that many people in the Yun Zou Sect anyway. As long as the person involved wasn''t his beloved, he wouldn''t care. "Do you know where that Elder Liao is? Or is there anything else you''d like to do if you really don''t want to go on that mission?" Anyway, he didn''t mind either way as long as they spent time together.


    Jing Yi pondered and then, his expression lit up. "Actually, why don''t we go and visit Shao Hai and Xiao Dong? I haven''t seen the two of them for a long time. It would be nice to catch up, don''t you think so?"


    "No." He hadn''t forgotten how that stupid brat had dared to kiss his beloved before he could. He would never forget about that! So if he didn''t have to see him, that would be for the best. He definitely didn''t want to see him. Especially not when his beloved was around. In fact, it might be best if his beloved never saw that guy again. Seriously, Yi Zan''s nephew had done a very poor job. Hadn''t he called him over so he could take care of that problem? How come things had gone so wrong?


    Jing Yi raised his brows but didn''t take it quite seriously. "Actually, I don''t even know where they live since they became inner sect disciples. Do you know any of the other practitioners? I think they should know, shouldn''t they?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "I don''t know any of that. Why don''t we go on a mission after all?"


    Jing Yi ignored the latter part and just continued to ponder. "Then how will we find out where they live? Should we just ask somebody randomly?" He wasn''t too eager to try that. It would be awkward if the person didn''t know after all. If he could, he''d rather ask somebody that he was sure would know.


    Qiu Ling wasn''t happy with this but it seemed he wouldn''t get around seeing that brat. In that case, it was better to make his beloved happy first so he wouldn''t be too impressed by whatever that brat did. "Well, is there nobody that you know in the inner sect?"


    Jing Yi''s face lit up. "Right! There''s senior martial brother Wu Min Huan and also senior martial brother Nian. We could ask one of the two of them."


    Qiu Ling nodded, not as bothered this time around. Anyway, if he remembered correctly, that Nian Hong Fang already was in a relationship and that Wu Min Huan hadn''t seemed interested at all. That was definitely a show of his lack of taste but it was still much better to meet up with a tasteless person than meeting with that Shao Hai brat who would ogle his beloved all the time.


    "Senior martial brother Nian is the disciple of the Grandelder. I think he resides in the palace over there?" Jing Yi motioned in a direction and Qiu Ling looked over.


    "That''s true. I went there to get a cauldron for the old geezer once."


    Jing Yi raised his brows but didn''t ask any further. Anyway, this was a good opportunity to test his flying skills outside of the realm for the first time. Even though it wasn''t the same as taking on a mission, it was also very exciting.


    Come to think about it, there seemed to be a lot of other things that he could do for the time being. Who knew? Maybe by the time he had met with everybody he knew and tried some other things, the missions would once again be available to all the disciples.

 Chapter 910 - Just Like Him

    When the two of them reached the top of the mountain, Jing Yi gave a happy smile before he put his sword away. He had already tried inside the realm but with that not being the real world, he still felt that he would need to make sure outside that he was able to do these things for real. Now, he had been able to do just that for the first time. It was a good feeling.


    Qiu Ling went over and wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him closer. "You did really well. Just as expected of my beloved! So, do you want to go inside?"


    Jing Yi nodded. He hurriedly caught onto Qiu Ling''s arm to make sure that he couldn''t rush ahead and barge into the palace as he liked to do. Instead, he knocked on the door for him and then slowly opened. Going further inside, he called out lightly and looked around, trying to see where Nian Hong Fang currently was.


    The two of them didn''t need long to find him. He was in the preparation room of the Grandelder, dealing with some ingredients. Another man was standing next to him that Jing Yi had need never seen before. But looking at how close they were standing next to each other ¡­ This should be his lover?


    Jing Yi cleared his throat to get their attention and gave Nian Hong Fang a bright smile when he turned around. "Senior martial brother Nian, I hope we aren''t disturbing you."


    Nian Hong Fang put down the herb he had just picked up and also gave a smile. "Jing Yi, you''re back. How are you doing? Ah!" He turned to Qiu Ling when he remembered that the last time they had seen each other had been when Elder Gongxi from the Yang Huo Sect had antagonized Qiu Ling. After that fight, Qiu Ling hadn''t been doing too well. "And what about you, senior martial brother Qiu?" Looking him over now, he seemed better but one couldn''t know for sure. At the very least, he was calm and seemed collected even though he was hanging onto Jing Yi very closely. But maybe that was just the way things were with them. They were a couple, after all.


    When Nian Hong Fang asked about that, Jing Yi also remembered when they had seen each other the last time. He looked at Qiu Ling with some distress when he thought of those hours back then. Things were different now but it really could have ended badly that day.


    Qiu Ling just blinked his eyes in confusion. "I''m great. My beloved is also great. We''re great."


    Nian Hong Fang looked at him just as confused. What was the meaning of that? He turned to Jing Yi in the hope of getting an explanation.


    Jing Yi laughed and patted Qiu Ling''s arm, pulling him further inside. "We just came back. Originally, we wanted to go on a mission but it seems like that isn''t advisable right now so we thought that maybe we could go and visit everybody we knew instead. How are you? It seems that senior martial brother Ma is back?" He looked over at the person that was still standing next to Nian Hong Fang. He had never seen him before but that should probably be Ma Zhi Wu, shouldn''t it?


    The expressions of the two people in front of them turned awkward. Jing Yi looked from one to the other but didn''t get a response so he turned to Qiu Ling for help. He really didn''t know what to do. Had he said something wrong? Could it be that this person wasn''t senior martial brother Ma? But even then, couldn''t they just correct him? It wasn''t that awkward, was it?


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows when he saw that his beloved didn''t know how to continue. "If you aren''t, then why don''t you tell us who you are?"


    The man tensed up under Qiu Ling''s glare. "I''m Shen Qiang, a disciple of ¡ª" he glanced at Nian Hong Fang next to him and shook his head. "Anyway, I''m not a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect. I just came to visit Nian Hong Fang."


    Nian Hong Fang lowered his head. Just now, he had almost blurted something out. Just why couldn''t it have worked out? Why had he stopped himself right before giving another hint? Just how far would he need to go to finally find out where his lover had gone?


    He sighed and then turned to look at Jing Yi again. "Unfortunately, we still don''t know where Ma Zhi Wu is. I''ve only heard of him once a few years ago. That was all."


    Jing Yi bit his lip. Why had he just blurted that out? "I''m sorry."


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head. "You couldn''t have known. Anyway, I probably should have given up hope by now. It''s my own fault for being so stubborn. Right, didn''t you say that you wanted to go visit the people you knew? Who did you go to visit? I''m sure there''s a lot to catch up on."


    Jing Yi felt even more awkward when Nian Hong Fang showed such interest in his matters. "Actually, you''re the first one we came to visit. We were thinking of going to see Shao Hai and Xiao Dong afterward. I''m just not quite sure where they live right now."


    Once again, the situation turned tense.


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. "So, what is going on this time? Is it really so difficult to just say a sentence when something comes up?" These people were just uselessly taking up their time! They could''ve already returned back to that realm or maybe to his beloved''s bamboo hut and snuggled up. But instead, they were wasting their time with such things. It was maddening!


    Nian Hong Fang sighed in response. "You might not have heard yet but three disciples of our Yun Zou Sect are missing. One of them is Ma Zhi Wu while the other two are precisely Shao Hai and Xiao Dong. They went missing on a mission a few years ago. Just like my lover before."

 Chapter 911 - Connected

    Jing Yi stared at Nian Hong Fang in a daze. "That ¡­ What do you mean? Shao Hai and Xiao Dong ¡­"


    Nian Hong Fang sighed. He knew that those three were friends so he wished he could tell Jing Yi everything about the current situation. In fact, it might be good if he knew. Maybe his fiance would be able to help them out somehow. But unfortunately, Shen Qiang was currently there so he could only pretend to know nothing.


    "Their Master sent them on a mission. They were long scheduled to return but ¡­ there was not a word from them. At first, Elder Wu just thought that maybe they had run into some difficulties and would need some more time but when there was still nothing after a few weeks, he realized that they might have run into the same situation as Zhi Wu ¡ª whatever that situation might be."


    Jing Yi turned to Qiu Ling in a panic. He had felt pity when he heard what had happened to Nian Hong Fang''s fiance but it hadn''t been something that had to do with himself so he hadn''t felt any more than that. Now, the people that had vanished were his best friends from his childhood days though. In fact, they were his first friends after being alone safe for his family for the first few years of his life. He would be lying if he said that they didn''t have a very special place in his heart. To think that something had happened to these two people ¡­ Naturally, that worried him.


    Nian Hong Fang was happy when he saw this reaction. Even though he didn''t want anybody else to have to go through what he had needed to go through, he still wanted more people to be concerned about this. That way, more would be done to find Ma Zhi Wu.


    Well, right now, he couldn''t complain. Since Shao Hai and Xiao Dong had gone missing as well, they had been doing something. It was already much better than the situation had been back when it had only been Ma Zhi Wu. And if he really thought about it, then he also knew that they couldn''t have done much before that anyway. After all, they had not had the slightest clue back then.


    Now, things were different though. At the very least, there was Shen Qiang. It was just a pity that he still hadn''t opened up even after so much time. Whoever he was working for, they must have a good grasp on him. Either they had somehow ascertained his loyalty by pressuring him or had some kind of cause he truly believed in. Whatever it was, it would be hard to get around that.


    With Jing Yi being distraught by the fact that his friends had gone missing, Qiu Ling was also very concerned about this. Even though he wanted that brat Shao Hai to stay far away from his beloved at least until they were married, that didn''t mean that he wanted him to get into trouble at some unknown place either. No, it was still much better to have him be at a place where he wouldn''t bother them but was also safe and sound. That way, his beloved would be relaxed and could focus on his future husband.


    Thinking that way, Qiu Ling was eager to solve this mystery. "So is there anything we know about? I mean any clue as to where they could be?"


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head. "Nothing. Well, nothing that I would know of. Maybe Wu Min Huan could know something. I don''t know if you heard but the Sect Master is currently in closed-door cultivation, as is senior martial brother Yu. So Wu Min Huan is taking care of everything. If there is any news, he should be the one to know. You could go and ask." He gave Qiu Ling a look, hoping that he would understand.


    Qiu Ling tilted his head and then glanced at the person next to Nian Hong Fang. It seemed things weren''t as simple as he had thought. "Well, I guess you two were busy anyway." He looked back at Nian Hong Fang and then turned to Jing Yi as if he hadn''t noticed anything at all. "You know that Wu Min Huan anyway, don''t you? So we might as well go and see how he''s doing and ask about it while we''re at it."


    Jing Yi nodded. "Yes, that might be for the best. If we can help somehow ¡­" He turned to Nian Hong Fang and nodded. "I''m sorry. I said I wanted to catch up but now we''re already leaving again. I hope you''re not angry."


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head with a wry smile. "One of the people that went missing is my own lover. How could I be angry if somebody wants to find out? In fact, if you''re really able to find out something, I would probably be the happiest. After all, Zhi Wu has already been missing for a few years longer than Shao Hai and Xiao Dong. Who knows how he is doing right now?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "If we find out anything, I''ll come and tell you immediately. Don''t worry. I''m sure he''s alright. I''m sure all three of them are alright."


    "Let''s hope so." Nian Hong Fang turned back to the table and picked up the herb again, indicating to them that it would be better to go.


    Jing Yi wanted to say some more but Qiu Ling gripped his arm and lightly shook his head, pulling him to the door. Jing Yi didn''t quite understand but he kept quiet and just followed Qiu Ling outside. As soon as they were through the door, he couldn''t help but turn around to him and tug at his arm to make him stop though. "What''s going on?"


    Qiu Ling looked behind them and shook his head. He grabbed Jing Yi around the waist and pushed off the ground, rushing over to the Sect Master''s peak where Wu Min Huan was living. When they were out of earshot, he turned to explain. "That Shen Qiang that was with him just now, probably has something to do with their disappearance. Maybe Nian Hong Fang investigated on his own and found out something or maybe Wu Min Huan is also in on it and it''s a mission that the Yun Zou Sect is currently attempting. We''ll have to ask him about that when we get there."


    Jing Yi stared at him in stunned silence. That Shen Qiang was actually connected to this matter? And then he had still gone and asked if this was Ma Zhi Wu who had returned. He really had managed to say the worst thing possible, hadn''t he?

 Chapter 912 - Pretty Awesome

    Wu Min Huan was surprised when he suddenly saw the two people standing in front of him. He had relocated to his Master''s study to handle all official matters and just like his Master, he didn''t prevent anyone from entering the place.


    If there was something a disciple wanted, they could come in whenever they felt like it. Most of them would inform the disciples at the door and let them announce them but naturally, Qiu Ling didn''t bother about niceties like that. Since there was something he and his beloved wanted to know, they would naturally go and inquire themselves. Why would they take any extra steps if it could be so easy? It was much faster this way and they''d be able to spend their time alone together soon!


    Wu Min Huan raised his brows and then got up, finally showing a smile. "Junior martial brother Zhong, senior martial brother Qiu, you''re back!" Actually, he didn''t know Qiu Ling too well but he still had a very good impression of Jing Yi from back when he had entered the Yun Zou Sect. Even several years later, this impression hadn''t worn off.


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows when he saw Wu Min Huan''s reaction. This person ¡­ It couldn''t be that he was in love with his beloved, could it?!


    Jing Yi smiled wryly when he noticed the way Qiu Ling looked from Wu Min Huan to him and back again. He reached over and patted his arm while he nodded at Wu Min Huan. "Senior martial brother Wu, greetings. I hope we''re not disturbing you."


    Wu Min Huan excitedly shook his head. "But of course not! I''m actually happy that I''m able to take a break. Why don''t you sit down? Do you want some tea?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. Normally, he would gladly say yes but he was too worried to be able to calmly enjoy a cup. "Actually, there''s something we''d like to talk about with you."


    Wu Min Huan raised his brows. "What is it about?" He still motioned for them to sit down though. Anyway, there was no need to stand around talking. "If there''s some way I can help you, I''d be happy to do so. Just tell me about it."


    Jing Yi glanced at Qiu Ling and sighed. "Well, we just returned and then found out that Shao Hai and Xiao Dong have also gone missing just like senior martial brother Nian''s lover. And senior martial brother Nian hinted that the person that was currently visiting him had something to do with it. Can you tell us more about that?"


    Wu Min Huan also sighed when he heard what this was about. "Right, the three of you were friends, weren''t you? What did Nian Hong Fang tell you exactly?"


    "There wasn''t much he could say since that Shen Qiang was standing right next to him. He only said that they didn''t return from a mission."


    Wu Min Huan nodded. "Well, it''s slightly more complicated than that. A while back, Nian Hong Fang got a letter from Wu Min Huan. That Shen Qiang was the one who delivered it here. Just when he left to bring Nian Hong Fang''s response back, Shao Hai and Xiao Dong were returning to the sect from the mission they had been doing on their Master''s order. Nian Hong Fang asked them to follow Shen Qiang to find out where Ma Zhi Wu was being held. He didn''t tell anybody about it since, well, we didn''t do a lot to find out about the situation before that. I guess he was afraid that it would be prevented again."


    "And then they didn''t return?"


    Wu Min Huan nodded. "Exactly. Nian Hong Fang only told us when a few weeks had gone by and he was afraid that the situation was dire. Naturally, all traces that we could have found were already gone. So there wasn''t anything we could do in that situation. Surprisingly, that Shen Qiang came back here after a while."


    "Another letter?" Jing Yi couldn''t help but be hopeful. If there was some kind of clue somewhere in there, then not all hope was lost.


    Unfortunately, Wu Min Huan shook his head. "No. From what Elder Geng thinks, that Shen Qiang has taken a fancy to Nian Hong Fang. That''s all there is to it. Since then, he has been coming here regularly. Nian Hong Fang is trying to find out something about what happened from him but so far, he hadn''t had any luck. The guy is keeping silent about everything regarding Ma Zhi Wu''s situation and Nian Hong Fang is pretending that he doesn''t know about Shao Hai and Xiao Dong. After all, if that Shen Qiang finds out that Nian Hong Fang was the one to send them to follow him, who knows if he''d leave? Then we might never find out what''s going on."


    Jing Yi furrowed his brows. He could understand where Wu Min Huan was coming from but he was also afraid that nothing would happen if they continued like this. If that Shen Qiang hadn''t said anything in several years, then why would he do so now? That was very unlikely.


    Qiu Ling glanced at his beloved and narrowed his eyes. "If he doesn''t want to say it with the soft approach, maybe we should try to use force on him."


    Wu Min Huan raised his brows in surprise. "That ¡­ We''re a righteous sect. How could we do that?"


    Qiu Ling shrugged his shoulders. Righteous sect or not, that didn''t hold any meaning to him. He just wanted his beloved to be happy. Anyway ¡­ "He''s in league with the people who likely abducted three of your disciples. Why shouldn''t you do something about it? It''s not like you initiated it."


    Wu Min Huan stared at him in a daze. Looking at that way ¡­ It was true. But then again ¡­ "I don''t think we can do that. Torturing somebody ¡­"


    "Then don''t torture him. Just grab him and imprison him. If he wants to get out, he''ll have to tell you something in return. Otherwise, well, maybe the people behind him will try to get him out. After all, he knows something. They should be worried he would cave under the pressure, shouldn''t they?"


    Wu Min Huan gaped. That ¡­ That was actually pretty good. Just imprisoning him was something that they could stomach. It wasn''t like they''d hurt him for no reason. And if it could really lure out the people behind him ¡­ Then wouldn''t their problems be gone? That was worth a try.


    "Well, I guess I should talk to the Elders about this. If they agree, then I don''t see any reason not to try it." He got up and wanted to leave to call Elder Geng and the Grandelder over but then stopped and turned back. "Anyway, regardless of what they say, thank you, senior martial brother Qiu. It really shows that you are Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple."


    Qiu Ling just blinked his eyes at him. He had no idea what this had to do with Grandmaster Zhangsun but he had to agree that he was a pretty awesome person. There was no denying that.

 Chapter 913 - Please, Tell Me!

    While the three of them went to talk to the Elders, Nian Hong Fang stared at the herb in his hands in a daze. Several years ¡­ Several years had once again gone by. A bit more and Ma Zhi Wu would''ve been gone for a whole decade.


    Would he ever see him again? Even if the Grandmaster''s disciple took an interest in this now, there was no guarantee that anything would change. It could be that nothing would happen once again.


    Shen Qiang looked at him, his heart hurting. He reached out, his lips parting to comfort him but in the end, his hands fell down once again and he looked at the ground with a pained expression.


    He wanted to tell him. For at least the last two years, he had thought about it more and more often. He couldn''t watch him suffer like this. He wanted to make him happy. Obviously, he wasn''t able to do that by himself.


    Originally, he had thought that maybe if his lover was gone long enough and if Nian Hong Fang had somebody else that showered him with affection, then his heart would be moved sooner or later. But he had been wrong. He had been completely wrong.


    Nian Hong Fang was unwavering in his love for Ma Zhi Wu. Regardless of what happened, he would never give up. Not if he knew that his lover was still alive somewhere. And even though Shen Qiang was of the opinion that a demon had to be kept away from humans to make sure that they couldn''t hurt them, he didn''t think that somebody with mixed blood should just be killed.


    It might be in their nature to do misdeeds but they were still living creatures. They didn''t deserve to be slaughtered just like that. If the Chun Feng Sect started to do that, then that would be the difference between them and the demons they were hunting? That was something he wouldn''t be able to condone.


    Nian Hong Fang finally put down the herb and turned to Shen Qiang. "Do you really not know anything? Shen Qiang, we''ve known each other for so long now. Can''t you tell me already?"


    Shen Qiang looked up, feeling torn once more. If he just told him a bit ¡­ But then again, the Sect Master had said that there were several demons in the Yun Zou Sect. If he told Nian Hong Fang, they might find out. And what then? The Chun Feng Sect might be in danger. Nian Hong Fang himself might be in danger. After all, he had spent a lot of time with him. The demons might think that he had tried to do something about them.


    Shen Qiang sighed and shook his head. "Don''t ask me that, please. Even if I want to tell you, I can''t."


    Nian Hong Fang''s expression that hadn''t held much hope in the first place fell further. This kind of desperation ¡­ Shen Qiang had trouble watching it.


    "I don''t want to hurt you."


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head. "You don''t want to hurt me? But I''m already hurting. I ¡­ I miss him. Shen Qiang, I miss him so much, my heart hurts every day. If you don''t do anything, nothing changes about that. Can''t you tell me anything? Just a bit so I don''t feel as horrible?" Tears gathered in his eyes, making Shen Qiang awkwardly avert his gaze.


    He could not watch this. Nian Hong Fang knew that he was well aware of where his lover was or even if he didn''t know for sure, he at least had a hunch. But even so, he hadn''t said anything. All these years, he just let Nian Hong Fang suffer. And a part of this was because of his own selfish desire. He couldn''t say with a good conscience that all of it was just because he wanted to find out about the demons in the Yun Zou Sect.


    He shook his head and then reached out, grabbing Nian Hong Fang by the shoulders and pulling him up against his chest. He brushed through his hair, closing his eyes. "If this was just ¡­ Just about me, then I might tell you." He couldn''t say for sure but he believed that he would. After all, he long understood that he had no chance at ever being with him. "Unfortunately, this doesn''t just concern you and me. The consequences it might have if I told you ¡­ I don''t think that either you or I would want to bear them."


    Nian Hong Fang gave pause at these words. This was the most Shen Qiang had ever told him about the situation. If he wanted to find out, then he couldn''t give in now. He had to press on and find out as much as he could. Even if he wasn''t able to understand, maybe the others would.


    He reached up, covering Shen Qiang''s hands with his. "So you say but you don''t give me the option to choose for myself. You''ve kept this from me for so long, Shen Qiang. What am I supposed to do?


    "I know that you''re in the know. It hurts thinking about it. As long as that is the case, will I ever be able to treat you completely openly? Will you be able to treat me that way? I''m afraid not. So is this really worth it for us?


    "And if there would be consequences for telling me, then at least tell me what these consequences would be. That way, I can decide for myself if I would be willing to bear them. Maybe I will decide that you''re right and give up. Have you never thought about that?"


    Shen Qiang looked at him, the indecision in his eyes growing. "I''m just afraid that you''ll get into trouble. Also ¡­ Maybe this isn''t as simple as it seems. I''m not even sure that you would be able to decide for yourself if I told you. I still think it would be best if you just forgot about it."


    "I cannot forget about my lover. Isn''t that what you always liked about me?"


    Shen Qiang closed his eyes. Naturally, Nian Hong Fang had long seen through him. He hadn''t thought that he would be able to keep it unknown for several years either. Nian Hong Fang really would''ve needed to be blind if he did not notice. Anyway, he still felt that he shouldn''t say anything.


    Thus he could only shake his head. "Don''t do this to me. I would tell you. I would really tell you if things were different. But I just don''t think it''s a good idea." He sighed, leaned forward and then kissed Nian Hong Fang''s cheek. "I''m sorry. I would like to help you but I can''t. I''m afraid that''s the way it is. I do understand if you don''t want to see me anymore. So I shouldn''t come by anymore." He stepped back and took a last look at Nian Hong Fang before he turned around. He couldn''t find out what the Chun Feng Sect wanted and he couldn''t give Nian Hong Fang what he wanted either. In the end, it would be for the best if he just pulled back. Then he wouldn''t stand between these two sides anymore.


    Nian Hong Fang shook and then rushed after him. "Shen Qiang! Don''t do this!" If Shen Qiang left now, then everything would be too late. He couldn''t lose that last opportunity to find out more about Ma Zhi Wu''s situation. What he had said before simply wasn''t enough. He needed to know. "Shen Qiang ¡­"


    Even though he heard him, Shen Qiang just gritted his teeth and continued to walk away. When he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of the person that had left just prior to their conversation. He raised his brows and wanted to ask why he had already come back so soon when he was suddenly grabbed by the shoulder.


    "I''m afraid you''ll have to come with me."


    With that, Shen Qiang was hurled off his feet and flown over to the Grandmaster''s palace. Before he understood what was going on, he found himself in a small room that was locked down with an array and the door shut behind him. He blinked his eyes and stared at the wood, still unable to comprehend his current situation.


    This ¡­ It couldn''t be that he had just been imprisoned?

 Chapter 914 - The Dragon King

    The people outside looked at each other. "What now?" Wu Min Huan turned to Qiu Ling. He was the one who had had the idea so he felt that Qiu Ling should also be the one to decide how they would continue. Anyway, they couldn''t just wait, could they?


    Qiu Ling looked at him and raised his brows. "Why are you asking me?" This wasn''t his problem, was it? He was only doing this because his beloved was sad.


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched and he turned to Qiu Ling, tugging at his sleeve. "Qiu Ling, there are three people missing. And you also know Shao Hai and Xiao Dong, don''t you? Don''t you think you should help?"


    Qiu Ling looked at Jing Yi and pursed his lips. "Do you think I should help?" If his beloved that yes, then he would probably do so. Otherwise ¡­


    Jing Yi had no trouble at all seeing what was going through his fiance''s mind. He sighed and looked at the people next to them. Even though he hadn''t spent much time in the Yun Zou Sect, he still thought of this as his home. And the people here were his friends. More importantly, Shao Hai and Xiao Dong were even closer to him. And he could see how much senior martial brother Nian loved Ma Zhi Wu. How could they not get involved in this?


    "I think so, yes. So do you have an idea?"


    Qiu Ling pondered and then turned to Nian Hong Fang. "Let him stay in there for a week or two, then go and visit him. Tell him that you have no idea what is going on but that you bothered us for so long that we let you in there."


    Nian Hong Fang''s eyes widened. "That''s all? Do you really think that this will work?"


    Qiu Ling very nonchalantly pulled his beloved into his arms and then rested his chin on top of his head. "Why not? Wasn''t he just telling you about how there would be grave consequences if he told you? Well, he''s already landed himself in another grave situation. He might as well tell you now. Furthermore, he will need to do that so you can figure out what is going on and find a way to get him out. If he doesn''t want to tell you, just use that as a means of convincing him. Believe me, he''ll talk."


    Nian Hong Fang and the others still looked somewhat doubtful. Jing Yi just looked up at Qiu Ling with a thoughtful expression. He didn''t think about it very often but Qiu Ling was not just a dragon but even the dragon king. This kind of thing probably wouldn''t be too hard for him to figure out? It was a strange thought to have but it wasn''t unbelievable. The things a king would need to deal with were certainly many.


    Jing Yi wanted to ask but with so many people around he could hardly bring it up.


    In fact, Jing Yi wouldn''t need to wait for long. Qiu Ling was already getting impatient. There was nothing they could do about the situation of Shao Hai and Xiao Dong right now other than wait and then use the time to their advantage. Anyway, since they had been gone for a few years already, would a few days more actually matter? He didn''t feel that it was all that urgent. Thus, he felt that returning to the bamboo house and spending time with his beloved alone would be for the best.


    He flashed everyone a smile and then just pushed off the ground with Jing Yi still in his arms. "Don''t worry. Just wait. You''ll see that I''m right." With that, he vanished.


    The other two disciples and the Elders were dumbfounded.


    "That ¡­ The Grandmaster''s disciple is really something else." Elder Geng scratched his head and watched the two people disappear in the distance. He wouldn''t have thought that he''d ever be treated like this by a disciple. He had hardly been able to exchange a few words with him previously.


    Wu Min Huan sighed as well. "Well, if he''s right, then that will be for the best. What should we do if he isn''t though?"


    Elder Geng furrowed his brows. "I still agree with the original decision that we can''t torture Shen Qiang. We''re a righteous sect. If we allow ourselves to sink to that level ¡­" He didn''t speak any further but the other three people nodded.


    Yes, that really wasn''t anything they could do. Even if they wanted to know, there had to be boundaries. If they went past those, then they really would have no right to judge.


    The Grandelder sighed and patted his disciple''s back. "Anyway, not all hope is lost yet. Even if Shen Qiang won''t answer, there is still the possibility that whoever he is working for will come to either save him or dispose of him. It''s not impossible. Let''s wait for either of these two things to happen."


    Nian Hong Fang was a bit unwilling to just leave. If he could, he wanted to try immediately. But he also knew that he shouldn''t rush in though. He wasn''t that clearheaded where Ma Zhi Wu was concerned. It would be for the best to listen to what Qiu Ling had said.


    He sighed and then bowed to Elder Geng and nodded at Wu Min Huan, following his Master back to his palace. His thoughts couldn''t help but return back to the possibility of finally finding out what had happened to his lover though. Maybe in a week or two, he would finally have his answer. He could see him again and then, they could pick up where they left off. He was waiting for that day to finally come.

 Chapter 915 - He Should Do It Himself

    Jing Yi didn''t say anything until they reached the bamboo hut. When Qiu Ling dropped to the ground and put him back onto his own two feet to open the door, he turned to him and raised his brows. "Do you really just want to leave them alone with this?"


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes as if he had no idea what his beloved was talking about. "But I did tell them what to do, didn''t I? And there''s nothing they can do for the next few days. They can only wait and then go talk to him a while later. If they do it now, it won''t work out. So what do you want me to do? Wait with him? I''d much rather spend my time with you." He pulled Jing Yi back into his arms and pecked his lips. "Don''t tell me you think any different."


    Jing Yi sighed and let Qiu Ling pull him into the house. "I didn''t keep track of the time we spent in that realm but it should have been several years. Can you really not bear to do something else for even a few hours? You could''ve at least explained in some more detail to them. Senior martial brother Nian is very worried about his lover''s situation. Wouldn''t you be the same if this was about me?"


    Qiu Ling stopped and turned back around, his expression turning solemn. "Of course, I would. In fact, isn''t this almost like when you were trapped in that realm in the Leyuan region? I was very worried about you. But I did everything I could to get you out of there. I still knew that it would take time though. That Nian Hong Fang ¡­ He can''t expect everybody else to do this for him. He''ll have to do something himself if he wants to get his lover back."


    Jing Yi bit his lip. He really hadn''t thought this through. To him, while he had missed Qiu Ling just after he entered the secret realm, it hadn''t been too bad. He had focused on cultivating and trying to gather his memories. But Qiu Ling on the outside ¡­ He had had no idea how he was doing. Naturally, that was a very similar situation to the one of Nian Hong Fang and Ma Zhi Wu just that Qiu Ling had always known where he was and how it had happened.


    Most likely, it wasn''t too good to talk about this situation with Qiu Ling in detail. But on the other hand, he also felt that this comparison was a bit mean-spirited. "Senior martial brother Nian didn''t know anything. He only knew that his lover never came back. He didn''t know where he disappeared. He didn''t know what happened. How could he have done anything? He tried to get help but nobody ever listened. Isn''t that already doing what he could?"


    "He didn''t know these things, right. But he didn''t try to find out either, did he? Just finding out where he had gone on that mission might have been enough to find some clues. But he never did so. He asked Wu Min Huan but didn''t go to the Sect Master himself. He also didn''t ask his lover''s Master, did he? If he had, then maybe things would be different now. Maybe Xiao Dong and Shao Hai wouldn''t have disappeared either. After all, he once again asked them to do it in his stead, didn''t he? And he didn''t bother to tell anyone else."


    Jing Yi shook his head, unable to believe what was happening right now. "While that is true, he did so because he thought that they were more suitable for the task, didn''t he? And he didn''t tell anybody because the things he had said before had never been taken seriously. And I mean it''s been years. He was trying to get somebody to listen to him for five years. But nobody did. Can''t you understand that he had some doubts?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Still. Even if they were more suitable, this is his lover we''re talking about, isn''t it? It is the person he wants to find. Nobody else owes him anything. But he still went and asked somebody else to do it. If he had gone himself, even he had been caught, he might''ve been able to reunite with him. But he wasn''t willing to take that risk."


    "So what do you want to say? That he''s too weak? That he doesn''t deserve to get his lover back?" Jing Yi couldn''t help but feel upset at that. Even though back then, the person that had vanished was him and the one who had been searching was Qiu Ling, it did remind him of all the things that had gone wrong between them. If he had been stronger, then things might be different now.


    Wasn''t that the same what Qiu Ling was saying about Nian Hong Fang right now? It made him feel ¡­ inadequate. If Nian Hong Fang didn''t deserve to be with Ma Zhi Wu, then how did he deserve to be with Qiu Ling? Most likely, his past self had been better in that aspect. That was the thought that really hurt him.


    Qiu Ling looked at him and then sighed, pulling him back into his arms. "That''s not what I''m trying to say. I just think that ¡­ It''s not our problem. Why should we do everything? The last time he involved somebody like this, it ended with the two people vanishing as well. And now he once again expects others to do something.


    "I already told him what to do. I think that this is as far as we should get involved. Now, it''s on him to go and talk to Shen Qiang. If that doesn''t yield any results, then we could talk about it again. But he hasn''t even tried and already expects more. I just think that for the time being, we should let him do what he can instead."


    Jing Yi still wasn''t quite happy with that but he didn''t have anything to retort either. So in the end, he could only nod and give in. Anyway, maybe Nian Hong Fang would be able to make this work just as Qiu Ling had said. Then there wouldn''t be any reason to speak about this any longer anyway. Although he couldn''t help but wonder just why Qiu Ling was so passionate about this. He couldn''t help but feel that there was more to this and he didn''t think that it would be good to ignore the reason for long. Otherwise, new problems might surface.

 Chapter 916 - Care to Explain?

    Jing Yi sat down at the table and watched Qiu Ling do the same. The more closely he looked, the more he felt that Qiu Ling seemed depressed. Alright, something was obviously wrong.


    He sighed and reached over, grabbing Qiu Ling''s hand. "So what is the matter? You''re obviously not being your normal self."


    Qiu Ling looked up and shook his head. "Everything''s alright. I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    Jing Yi didn''t respond and just continued to look at Qiu Ling. If he still couldn''t tell whether or not something was up with him even after living together for several years, then he would need to be the most useless person to ever live in the mortal realm.


    Qiu Ling tensed up and finally had to look away. Jing He had never looked at him like this. If he didn''t want to talk about something, Jing He would instead help him change the subject. But Jing Yi had the bad habit of wanting to get behind things and would continue to ask. That was ¡­ hard to deal with. "It''s really nothing."


    "If it''s nothing, then why are you making such a huge deal about it? It''s not like you. Qiu Ling, just tell me the truth. How bad can it be?"


    Qiu Ling sighed and closed his eyes. "I don''t even know what to say. You probably think that it''s stupid."


    "Even if I would think that, it''s also lovable to be a fool sometimes. So just go ahead." He squeezed Qiu Ling''s hand and gave a smile. Anyway, he just wanted to know what was wrong. It was nothing more than that. And with everything they had been through already, he didn''t think that it was asking too much. Qiu Ling should trust him that much.


    Qiu Ling opened his eyes again and looked at him with a pained expression. "I just feel like things will go wrong."


    "Go wrong?" Did he mean that he didn''t believe that senior martial brother Nian would be able to pull things off with Shen Qiang? Then why had he even suggested doing this?


    Qiu Ling shook his head as if he could imagine what Jing Yi was thinking. "I mean with us. Just think about it: How often did something happen here and we were the ones who had to suffer from it? We couldn''t get married because of some task the Yun Zou Sect gave us, we were separated when they called us over to that Leyuan region, then you were kidnapped on these very sect grounds, and we were attacked almost as soon as we came back. And now something like this happened.


    "If we get involved again, won''t we be the ones to get into trouble this time as well? I don''t want that. I don''t want you to be in danger." He turned his hand around, interlacing his fingers with Jing Yi''s. "I want you to be safe and sound and preferably in eyeshot where I can make sure that that is the case. That is all I want. Nothing more, nothing less. Is that really asking too much?"


    Jing Yi''s gaze softened. So it was not that Qiu Ling didn''t want to help but that he was afraid. That was something he could understand very well. After everything that had happened, it would be strange if he wasn''t the least bit wary. "It''s not. I also don''t think that it''s silly. You''re just worried about me, about us. That''s nothing bad."


    Qiu Ling nodded. He also felt that it wasn''t wrong for him to be like this. But he hadn''t been sure that Jing Yi would think the same. And he really didn''t want to have any argument with him because of something like this. That wasn''t worth it. "So what do we do now? Do you still want to go and help?"


    Jing Yi shook his head. "You said that there was nothing we could do right now and that we could only wait for now and then strike when the time is right. I believe that you wouldn''t have said that if you didn''t think so. That was your way of helping them. But you just didn''t want to get involved any further because of us. I understand that. So let''s just go with that."


    Qiu Ling nodded and looked at their hands, feeling that things weren''t too bad. This was a good compromise.


    "Even though that''s the case, when this happens the next time, just tell me. We''re a couple. There''s no need to keep anything from me. Alright?"


    Qiu Ling looked up and nodded but he didn''t seem too happy when he did so.


    "You''re nodding as if you agree but you''re looking as if you disagree. Would you care to explain that?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "Won''t you want to get involved? I mean if this doesn''t work out, then you''ll tell me again that this is also about your friends and then you''ll want to do something. Isn''t that so?"


    Jing Yi just smiled. "Isn''t that why I learned how to use my spiritual energy and fly? I''d be able to get away now if something happened."


    Qiu Ling nodded but didn''t say anything further. Inwardly, he couldn''t help but continue to worry though. Yes, Jing Yi was now able to fly and use his spiritual energy. He would be able to get away. But only if the ones following him were of a lower level than him and didn''t try to attack him while hunting him.


    With everything that had happened until now, Qiu Ling wasn''t too sure if both of these requirements would be fulfilled. In fact, he felt that it was much more likely that they wouldn''t. And what was he supposed to do then?


    He could shield Jing Yi from many things but he couldn''t be everywhere at once. If he was supposed to do something to help that Nian Hong Fang and it endangered Jing Yi''s life in the end, then he didn''t know what he would do.


    So he would much rather see that things worked out by themselves than that they needed to get involved. That way, he was pretty sure that he would be able to keep Jing Yi out of harm''s way. That was the only thing he wanted.

 Chapter 917 - Somewhere They Wouldn’t Search for Them

    With this question out of the way, Qiu Ling and Jing Yi went about their day almost as usual. Or in other words, Jing Yi cultivated for some time while Qiu Ling waited next to him, wondering if it had really been a good idea to leave that realm.


    Unfortunately, there was no way to return back there as long as Jinde or Leng Jin Yu didn''t open it for them. They hadn''t told him just what it was that opened the realm but it was obvious that he wouldn''t be able to get inside without their help. Well, originally, it had only been for these two anyway.


    The longer he thought about it, the more worried Qiu Ling grew though. Back then, they had fled into the realm because those people from the Chun Feng Sect had been after them and trying to hurt his beloved. Now, when they had gotten out, he hadn''t seen anything of them and most likely, they weren''t there either but that didn''t mean that they had given up yet.


    It might very well be that they had just left because the Sect Master and had thrown them out. But as far as he had understood, the Sect Master was now in closed-door cultivation. That only left his own Master to deal with these matters.


    Maybe the Chun Feng Sect would use that as an excuse to come knocking on their doors again? He couldn''t let that happen! Although he didn''t mind fighting against them, they were well-equipped to deal with people like him. And if Jing Yi somehow got separated from him ¡­ No, he didn''t even want to imagine that. It was much better if they never had another run-in with them.


    Qiu Ling couldn''t help but dwell on that idea for a moment longer. Not running into them ¡­ If the Chun Feng Sect were to go after them, they would certainly do so at the Yun Zou Sect. So it would be for the best if they left. It would be even better if they left for someplace where the Chun Feng Sect would never search for them. Some place they would stay far away from.


    Qiu Ling looked at Jing Yi who was currently seated in the lotus position and had his eyes closed. This focused, his beloved looked especially cute. There wasn''t any difference to his face compared to a few years ago since he had stopped aging but he seemed a little more mature. The contrast between these things seemed to add something more to him.


    He knew that Jing Yi was eager to make more experiences. Maybe that would be a good reason to take him away from here and do something else? He was sure that Jing Yi wouldn''t refuse that. It was just that they had already been discouraged from doing so. He would need to give him some good excuse or Jing Yi would immediately pick up on the fact that he was just doing this because he didn''t want to get involved with these matters. Or ¡­


    Qiu Ling looked away, a hint of a guilty conscience emerging. He couldn''t help but be torn. He wanted Jing Yi to be happy but he also wanted him to be safe. He wanted to be a good lover but he also couldn''t help but feel that he was right this time.


    While Qiu Ling continued to worry about it by himself, Jing Yi stopped cultivating and opened his eyes. He took a moment to find back to himself and then turned to the person next to him, wanting to tell him that he had finished. When he saw Qiu Ling''s expression ¡­ He couldn''t help but sigh to himself. Hadn''t they just talked about this? Why was he still not talking to him and instead keeping things to himself?


    Jing Yi tried to give Qiu Ling the benefit of the doubt and just assumed that he hadn''t said anything because he didn''t want to disturb him while he was cultivating. Now, he had finished though so if he prompted him, Qiu Ling should tell him.


    He cleared his throat and then gave Qiu Ling a smile when he looked over. "I think I should stop cultivating for today. It also wouldn''t be nice to have you keep to yourself all the time." He looked at him intently, waiting for him to bring it up.


    Qiu Ling nodded slowly in response. "Right. It wouldn''t be good to ¡­ just cultivate all the time." Unfortunately, he still couldn''t make up his mind if he should bring up his idea or not. This would''ve been a very good opportunity though. Actually, he felt a bit reluctant to let go of it.


    Jing Yi continued to look at him questioningly. "You look like you want to say something."


    Qiu Ling''s gaze shifted around but he finally reached out and grabbed Jing Yi''s hands, looking at him intently. "My love, how about going to visit mother-in-law again?"


    Jing Yi stared at him dumbfounded. This was what had made Qiu Ling look that worried? Was there any problem with visiting his mother? "Just that?"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows, trying not to look suspicious. "What else could it be?"


    "Then why did you look as if you had done something wrong?"


    Qiu Ling''s mind churned and he finally gave a wry smile. "Well, they said that they didn''t want us to go on missions. But I mean you wouldn''t really be in danger with me there and it''s just going to visit your mother, isn''t it? I was just not sure if you would like the idea."


    Jing Yi heaved a sigh of relief. So it had just been that. In that case, he didn''t have to worry. He squeezed Qiu Ling''s hand and gave him a smile to reassure him. "I think that''s a wonderful idea. My mother would certainly be very happy to see us again. It''s been quite some time since we were there the last time. So why not? Anyway, it''s better than just staying in this house, isn''t it?"


    Qiu Ling nodded eagerly, inwardly congratulating himself. It seemed that his little ploy hadn''t been discovered at all.

 Chapter 918 - It Left Traces

    Considering the situation the Yun Zou Sect was currently in, Jing Yi insisted to first inform the Elder that was in charge of them before they left. Qiu Ling didn''t mind at all. That guy was probably not even involved in the matter with the Chun Feng Sect so he wouldn''t say anything to hold his beloved back.


    Thus the two of them went and said their goodbyes before they eventually left the Yun Zou Sect once again the following morning. Jing Yi made it a point to use his own spiritual energy to fly much to Qiu Ling''s dismay. Well, this was still the lesser of two evils so he only grumbled a bit and then let Jing Yi do as he wanted to. Anyway, when they were back in the capital city, there would be other chances to cuddle him.


    Soon enough, the city appeared on the horizon and the two of them slowed down.


    "It would probably be better to walk inside. Or what do you think?" Jing Yi looked over at Qiu Ling and regretted it as soon as he saw his expression. "Never mind. Let''s land a bit away and walk inside. Even though they have some relations with the Yun Zou Sect, it''ll still be better." He really didn''t want to make any trouble for the sect. And with how Qiu Ling often behaved, he wasn''t too sure if they wouldn''t cause that trouble just by accident.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips but on second thought, this was also to his advantage. After all, this meant that there wouldn''t be much information being spread about them. That way, the Chun Feng Sect would be less likely to discover them. Speaking of which ¡­ "Maybe we should also change our clothes to something different. You know, just in case."


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling warily. Was this really the person that normally didn''t care about any of these things? He couldn''t help but feel that it was odd but he didn''t say anything about it and just nodded. This was what he had wanted, after all. Maybe Qiu Ling was just being a bit more considerate than usual.


    The two of them landed and changed their clothes before walking the rest of the distance to the capital city. Looking around the familiar streets, Jing Yi couldn''t help but feel melancholic. "Back then, I only lived here for about a year. I spent most of my time together with Shao Hai and a bit of it also with Xiao Dong toward the end. Now that I''ve returned while the two of them are at some unknown place ¡­ I can''t help but feel a bit strange."


    Qiu Ling gave a hum and pulled his beloved closer. "Anyway, I''m sure that Nian Hong Fang will be able to find something out by next week. Then, you only need to wait for his good news."


    Jing Yi wasn''t completely convinced but he still nodded. Anyway, in regard to that, they could only wait for now. There was no other way. He took a deep breath and then smiled, nodding further down the street. "Alright, let''s go to the teahouse then. For the time being, there''s no need to think about any of that."


    Qiu Ling nodded and the two of them went to that familiar place. Upon entering the door, they were once again treated to the sight of the first floor being completely filled with customers.


    Jing Yi''s smile unwittingly turned brighter. It seemed that the teahouse was doing well. And with it, his mother and his father''s family should also be doing well. That was very good.


    He glanced at Qiu Ling and then stepped inside with him. He couldn''t see his mother but there was another person that he felt to be vaguely familiar standing behind the counter. It was a young woman that looked a little older than him but only by a few years. The more closely looked, the more he felt that she had some resemblance to his uncle and aunt.


    He furrowed his brows and then stepped closer to the counter, slightly inclining his head. "Guanyu?" It couldn''t be anybody else. With how similar she looked, this could only be his cousin. In fact, it made sense. While he had gone and become a cultivator that had finally stopped aging, his cousin was a normal person. Of course, the past few years would''ve left traces on her so it was no wonder that she looked older than him now.


    Zhong Guanyu looked up in surprise and then stared at Jing Yi in a daze. Considering that he hadn''t aged for a few years, he resembled his past self much more than she did. Furthermore, he did look quite a bit like his mother whom she was seeing every day. "Brother Jing Yi?"


    Jing Yi nodded and then turned to motion at Qiu Ling. "Yes, Qiu Ling and I came to visit. How are you doing?"


    Zhong Guanyu turned to the person next to him and her expression turned subtle. Back then, she had also liked this man but there hadn''t been any way for her to marry him since he had been so fixated on her cousin. She had thought that it wouldn''t matter anymore since he wouldn''t come back so she had married Xiao Li but seeing him again now, she couldn''t help but regret a bit. What if she hadn''t married already? Maybe she would''ve had a chance now?


    Qiu Ling looked at her and didn''t feel that he liked that gaze at all. Thankfully, she wasn''t using it to look at his beloved. That would have been much more unforgivable. Anyway, he still didn''t like to be looked at like that. "So, where is mother-in-law?"


    Guanyu was startled awake by the question. "Mother-in-law?" She turned to look at Jing Yi, unable to believe what she had just heard. Did that mean that the two of them ¡­ had already married? So there was no way at all? She couldn''t help but be a little disappointed. Well, it didn''t matter anyway since she was married herself.


    Reminding herself of that fact again, she motioned toward the kitchen. "She''s helping with preparing everything. You can go over if you want to. Anyway, I need to get back to work." With that, she grabbed herself an empty tray and then rushed away as if she couldn''t be bothered to talk to them even a second longer.

 Chapter 919 - That Thought Was Hard to Bear

    Jing Yi blinked his eyes in confusion but then didn''t bother about it any longer. He hadn''t been very close to Guanyu and several years had gone by so it was no wonder that nothing had changed about that. Anyway, he''d much rather go and see his mother. After all, he hadn''t come here after he was able to leave the secret realm in the Leyuan region so it had almost been a decade since he last saw her. It was time to meet again.


    He hurried over to the kitchen, eager to see her again. When he stepped in, his mother had just turned around with a tray in her hand, apparently about to go out and serve some of the customers.


    Jing Yi stopped in his tracks and stared at her, unable to say anything or even form a coherent thought. His mother ¡­ She didn''t look quite like how she was in his memories. The black hair he remembered had mostly turned gray and even though she hadn''t looked that young anymore when he saw her the last time, he couldn''t remember even half of those wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. She had turned older in these few years.


    He probably should''ve expected as much but suddenly seeing her like this when he had always remembered the young woman she had been back when he left for the Yun Zou Sect and then came to visit her once in between, it still hit him unprepared.


    Madam Zhong also looked at her son, unable to comprehend what exactly was happening. The last time she had heard something specific about Jing Yi''s situation had been when Xiao Li came to the capital several years ago. After that, Qiu Ling had come by once but he had refused to tell her much about her son so she hadn''t been able to help herself and worried that something grievous must have happened.


    Seeing him again alive and well ¡­ She couldn''t even feel relief. She just had a very hard time to convince herself that this wasn''t just her starting to hallucinate because she missed him so much.


    Madam Zhong gulped and put the tray down behind her, gingerly reaching out to her son. "Jing''er, is that you?"


    Jing Yi''s eyes turned red when he heard her ask that question. He hadn''t come back in so long, that even his own mother needed to make sure it was truly him. What kind of son was he?


    He lunged forward and pulled her into his arms, his tears falling freely. "I''m sorry I didn''t come back sooner!" Why hadn''t he insisted to come back after he returned from the secret realm? He should''ve done that. It had been way too long since they saw each other.


    Madam Zhong still had a hard time believing what was happening but seeing him react like this, she felt that this indeed had to be a child. Jing Yi had always been like this. Relying on her and easily getting emotional when he was standing in front of her. She reached up and patted his head before gently brushing his back. "What are you crying for? You finally found the time to come see me again. Isn''t that a reason to be happy?"


    Jing Yi nodded but the tears were still falling down. "I should''ve come back sooner."


    Madam Zhong leaned back and cupped his cheeks, looking into his eyes earnestly. "What are you even talking about? You''re an adult now. It is normal for you to leave the house and have a good life somewhere else. I''m happy if you doing well in the Yun Zou Sect. That is all I want for you." Anyway, she had long known that she wouldn''t be able to keep her son at her side forever. As long as Jing Yi was doing well and there was Qiu Ling to take care of him, she wasn''t worried. Of course, she would''ve liked to have him around some more but it couldn''t be helped. He had already grown up.


    She looked behind him, finally seeing Qiu Ling standing next to the door. He hadn''t followed Jing Yi in, probably to give the two of them a moment together. "You''ve also come back."


    Qiu Ling smiled. "I''ll always be where your son is. Don''t you know that already, mother-in-law?"


    Madam Zhong nodded and then patted her son''s cheek. "Look at that. You found yourself a good fiance. Anyway, wait a bit. I''ll bring this out and then we can take some time to catch up."


    Jing Yi nodded but then hesitated when he looked at her again. "Why don''t you let me do this?" Obviously, his mother wasn''t young anymore. She shouldn''t have to work so hard anymore.


    Madam Zhong laughed, leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "You know, even though you haven''t returned in a while, I still know what you''re thinking even if you don''t say it. Your mother isn''t that old yet. I''ll still be able to carry a tray of food." She gave him a look that seemed to be scolding him but was actually full of love and then picked up the tray, bringing it outside to the guests.


    Jing Yi looked to the ground and then turned to Qiu Ling. "Was it that obvious?"


    Qiu Ling went over and pulled him into his arms, giving him a gentle smile. "Even if it was, she won''t love you any less because of that. She can also see that you''re worried about her. Anyway, she''s right. Even if you do it today for her, what about tomorrow? Or do you want to stay here for the rest of her life?"


    Jing Yi froze and his gaze grew distant. The rest of her life ¡­ He had never thought about it but while he had become immortal, his mother was a normal human. She still had some years but her days were still numbered. She would not always be there. One day, he would have to say goodbye to her, regardless of how much that pained him. That thought was hard to bear.

 Chapter 920 - Nothing He Could Do

    Jing Yi gulped. He probably should''ve thought of this much sooner but it had never occurred to him in all these years. It made him wonder if he shouldn''t have spent more time at home. Maybe after he reached the third stage and didn''t need to worry about aging anymore, he should have come back here with Qiu Ling and spent more time with her. It probably would''ve been better. Now, the time they could have together was already shortened by several years.


    Qiu Ling looked at Jing Yi and reached out, rubbing his shoulder. "What''s the matter?"


    Jing Yi hesitated and finally shook his head. He didn''t mind talking about it with Qiu Ling but it was probably neither the time nor the place for that. It would be better if he waited until later. Anyway, it wasn''t like they could change anything about this, was it? At most, Qiu Ling would just be able to comfort him a bit. But that was all. He would need to accept that.


    Qiu Ling couldn''t help but furrow his brows when he saw Jing Yi like that. Seeing that something was the matter with him and that he still refused to talk about it made him feel that he wasn''t trying hard enough. He should encourage his beloved to confine in him some more.


    Before he could try to do just that, Madam Zhong already returned. "Alright, I finished. I told your cousin to take over for today so we can go home and catch up."


    Jing Yi nodded and then went over, grabbing her arm with a worried expression.


    Madam Zhong sighed and patted his hand before she walked out of the teahouse together with him. Even though they hadn''t seen each other for several years, this was still her child and this child had often communicated quietly with her in his early years, not speaking much and just using his eyes to say what he wanted. Thus she had no trouble at all to read in his eyes what was going on now as well.


    When they stepped out of the teahouse and had walked down the road for a bit, she turned to glance at him and considered to say something.


    Jing Yi looked at her, his expression still just as worried. It was as if he feared she would collapse on him right the next minute.


    Madam Zhong sighed again. "Jing''er, your mother isn''t that fragile. You don''t have to worry about me."


    Jing Yi lowered his gaze but couldn''t say anything. Even though she said so, it was hard to believe after seeing her after so many years.


    Hearing what Madam Zhong said, Qiu Ling finally realized what the problem was. He looked from Madam Zhong to Jing Yi and pondered if there was anything he could do. Back then, he hadn''t managed to save Mister Zhong. Now, Jing Yi was worried that he would also lose his mother. If he could, he''d like to help somehow. Unfortunately, he couldn''t think of something.


    Compared to Nie Huang Madam Zhong was already quite old. There was no way to let her cultivate. Anyway, she probably wouldn''t want to do that either. And even if she wanted to, it might not be a good idea to let her try. After all, what would the result of that be?


    Her husband was already dead and if she ever went to the Nine Heavens and got acquainted with Jing He''s family or anybody else that was in the know and found out that he hadn''t just died in the mortal realm but that even his immortal soul had been affected ¡­ That really wouldn''t be good. Also, Jing Yi was just Jing He''s reincarnation. Who knew if she would be able to take that well? No, for her, it was probably better to stay a mortal.


    And in that case ¡­ At most, he could give the two of them some more time. If he returned to the Yun Zou Sect and asked the old geezer for help, there would be a chance to get some pill that would let her live for a little longer.


    But then again, that probably wouldn''t turn out well either considering they were in the mortal realm. Wouldn''t people find it strange if she continued to live for a long time despite getting old? They might think she was a demon or something and turn hostile, making her life worse.


    No, he couldn''t risk that. There was just nothing he could do for Jing Yi this time around as much as e wanted to.


    Qiu Ling reached out and grabbed Jing Yi''s hand, trying to reassure him. Even if this wasn''t an option, she might still live for a long time. After all, she didn''t have to worry about him anymore, did she? Maybe that would make her life easier. He could only hope so.


    The three of them went home to Zhong Gang''s house. Madam Zhong was still living there just as before. Right now, neither Zhong Gang nor his wife Mi Fan was home. Zhong Guanyu was still in the teahouse and who knew where her fiance had vanished to? At this moment, Madam Zhong wasn''t even thinking of mentioning him to her son and Qiu Ling. She was only thinking of her son and what he had experienced these past few years so she was happy that nobody was around to bother them.


    The three of them sat down and Madam Zhong took her son''s hands. "Well, how about you tell me about everything now? The last thing I heard was that something bad had happened to you. You were caught in some kind of accident?"


    Jing Yi turned to Qiu Ling and then nodded. "That''s true. We went on a mission together with some other martial brothers and sisters of our sect. Back then, something went wrong so I ¡­ had to enter another realm." He gave a strained smile, unable to tell her the truth. He really did not want to worry her. He had already done so way too much over the years.

 Chapter 921 - A Weird Family Tree

    Madam Zhong furrowed her brows. She didn''t quite understand what that meant.


    Jing Yi could also see that she was having trouble but he didn''t know how to explain. In the end, he turned to Qiu Ling, hoping that he would have a way.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips and pondered. He understood what Jing Yi was trying to do so he only tried to find an explanation for what it meant to enter a different realm. "Well, imagine it like this: At first, everyone is outside playing on the streets but then there''s some lunatic riding down the street in a fast tempo. Everybody gets afraid that the guy will injure them so they leap to the side. But unfortunately, the street isn''t big enough so Jing''er can only try to get into one of the houses to escape the lunatic. Thankfully, the door opens and he can get to safety."


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling in a daze. How ¡­ how did this explain the matter with the different realm at all? Well, granted, he had only been saved because he entered the realm but was this really enough? He glanced at his mother who still seemed confused but continued to listen to Qiu Ling. Well, maybe he should just follow her example and wait.


    With both his beloved''s and his mother-in-law''s full attention on him, Qiu Ling felt as if he had a natural talent in finding such comparisons. He couldn''t help but try even harder. "While Jing Yi was safe now, the situation hadn''t completely passed yet. After all, the lunatic was still coming down the rode. When he dashed past on his horse, there was a gale and then the door fell shut." He looked at Jing Yi and Madam Zhong with sparkling eyes, waiting for their reaction.


    Madam Zhong cleared her throat. "So what happened then?" She had the vague feeling that this son-in-law of hers had completely forgotten that he was only trying to explain something and wasn''t actually telling a story. But, well, it was hard not to indulge him a little when he looked so happy.


    "It''s good that you ask!" Qiu Ling smiled brightly. "You know this is the most important part. Because the door fell shut so suddenly, the key that had been lodged in the keyhole fell out. Who knows where it went? Anyway, Jing Yi was inside but now the house was locked. Neither could anybody get in nor could he get out. And the worst was that even though all of us searched for the key, we couldn''t find it anywhere!"


    "Oh. So what did you do?"


    "Well, it took quite a bit of effort to come up with this but ¡­ We made a new key."


    Qiu Ling looked extremely proud of himself, prompting Jing Yi and his mother to exchange a glance. Jing Yi couldn''t help but ask with his eyes whether she had understood what they had originally been talking about.


    Madam Zhong nodded and turned back to Qiu Ling, humoring him further. "I imagine that must have been very difficult. I mean how would you make a key without knowing what the key is supposed to look like?"


    Qiu Ling''s eyes lit up. As expected, his mother-in-law was smart as usual. She immediately caught onto the key issue. "That''s precisely it. I went to see a lot of people to ask them for help but apparently, there aren''t many that know about keys. In the end, I was lucky though. As it turns out, my uncle-in-law actually has a son who happens to be a key-making-master!"


    Madam Zhong''s lips twitched. Alright, this was getting ridiculous. Maybe she shouldn''t have indulged him after all?


    Thankfully, Qiu Ling had almost reached the end of the story. "Anyway, my cousin-in-law never saw me before so he didn''t just want to agree. That''s where Nie Huang comes into play."


    "Nie Huang?" Madam Zhong raised her brows, suddenly getting interested in this story again. "You mean when you came by the last time, the reason you were asking to see Nie Huang was because of that? She was somehow able to help convince your cousin-in-law?" This was simply too coincidental! What could Nie Huang have to offer to somebody who ¡­ well, he was probably like Qiu Ling if he was his cousin-in-law?


    Qiu Ling leaned over the table and gave her a deep look. "You don''t know this, mother-in-law, but actually, my cousin-in-law is Nie Huang''s fiance. We''re basically one big family!"


    "You''re kidding me."


    Qiu Ling pulled back and gave her a miffed look. "Would I ever do that?"


    Well, to be honest, she wasn''t quite sure how to answer that. But ¡­ probably not? "Aiya, don''t take it to heart. This is just so unexpected. I can hardly believe it."


    "It''s all the truth though!" Qiu Ling hesitated. "Well ¡­ other than the house and the guy on the horse. But you knew that."


    "¡­ yes." Madam Zhong gave a wry smile. Qiu Ling really was full of surprises. "Anyway, if Nie Huang is your cousin-in-law''s fiance, then you should have heard from her, shouldn''t you? How is she doing?"


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes. Uh ¡­ To be honest, he had never even thought about that? His gaze darted around before his expression finally lit up. "Actually, let''s ask her ourselves!" He pulled out a transmission stone and then went to sit between Jing Yi and Madam Zhong, imbuing his spiritual energy.


    A moment later, the face of a young man appeared. He raised his brows when he saw Qiu Ling and the two people crowded next to him. "Uh ¡­ Qiu Ling?" The boy next to him should be his lover. He had already seen him before when they saved him from the realm in the Leyuan region and he subsequently broke up with Qiu Ling. As for the woman on the other side ¡­ That was the one Nie Huang had worked with in the teahouse.


    Before his father brought the pill over, Nie Huang had told him a lot about her life in the capital city so he felt grateful to Madam Zhong. He gave her a smile and nodded.


    Madam Zhong only looked startled though. Her lips parted and she hesitated for a moment before she called out. "Xiao Li?"


    All three people looked at her.


    "Who''s Xiao Li?" Qiu Ling blinked his eyes.


    Madam Zhong smiled wryly. Obviously, it couldn''t be him but ¡­ "Xiao Li is ¡­ Jing''er''s cousin-in-law." She suddenly felt that their family tree was getting weirder and weirder.

 Chapter 922 - Sleepless Nights

    In another place in the mortal realm, a human and a dragon were locked in a silent staring match. One of them was blinking his big eyes every now and then while the other''s eyelids were lowered halfway, hiding the slightly reddened eyes.


    "You can look all you want. You still have to go back in the end."


    The child blinked his eyes again and then shook his head. "No."


    Xin Lan rubbed his eyes and sighed. Whether it was in the mortal or the immortal realms, he was able to beat up everyone but Tian. Who would''ve thought that his downfall would actually come in the body of a four-year-old mortal child? If this got out, his reputation in the dragon realm would be destroyed.


    He lowered his hand again and sat up, staring at the child blankly. He really didn''t know what to do anymore. "Xiao Yu, will you go back now?"


    "No." The child tightened his grab on Xin Lan''s air and looked at him defiantly. He definitely wouldn''t leave. His father had already threatened that he would send him away. If he didn''t cling to his uncle Xin Lan, they would definitely be separated!


    Xin Lan stared at him and contemplated not for the first time in all these years if cutting his hair would really be such a big problem. Anyway, he had never cared about his parents so who cared if it was given by them or not?


    On the other hand, he felt that he looked better with his hair long. How was he supposed to find a real lover if he had to change his appearance just to make this child give up? A strong and confident man might be good but being handsome was also a requirement if you wanted to find somebody exquisite.


    Seeing that he didn''t answer, the child once again tried to climb onto the bed in the hope that Xin Lan had changed his mind. Unfortunately for him, he was picked up by the scruff of his neck and put down on the floor again.


    "Don''t even try it. You''ll have to go to the Jian Yi Sect soon. If you can''t sleep on your own, how will you fare over there?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him with pitiful eyes and pursed his lips. He lightly tugged at Xin Lan''s hair and once again tried to appeal to him. "Then come with me? If the Jian Yi Sect is as great as father said, you''ll like it."


    Xin Lan reached out and nudged the child''s forehead. "What do you not understand? I''m not human. I have no business being in a human sect at all. Now, let go. You''re almost five. It''s time to grow up."


    Needless to say, Hua Lin Yu absolutely wasn''t happy with that. He tightened his grasp on Xin Lan''s hair even more to make sure that he wouldn''t be thrown off when he wasn''t paying attention. After all, he had already experienced that both his uncle Xin Lan, as well as his family, would use lots of devious methods to separate them if he wasn''t careful.


    Xin Lan looked at him, almost giving up. He had already suffered through several sleepless nights because of this little brat and it was slowly taking a toll on him. He just wanted to have a few hours of uninterrupted sleep again!


    The worst thing was, that this brat never got tired of making a fuss whenever he was told to go to bed and would refuse to let go, coming up with new ways to ensure he wouldn''t be sent away every day.


    The worst thing was that he couldn''t just wait for him to fall asleep either because this evil thing stayed up the whole night only to cling to him in the day and fall asleep in his arms to make up for the hours lost.


    But in whose arms was he supposed to sleep? Xin Lan had already wanted to go back to his own dwelling several times but for one, there was still the promise he had given the Xiang Yu in the High Heavens, and then there was also this brat who would be clinging to him and throwing a tantrum, causing the Hua family to beg him to stay a little longer every single time.


    So even though that ''mysterious presence'' had never turned up again, he was still stuck in the Hua family''s home even after several years. It was great for his task but not so much for his own life until Xiang Yu grew up. Ah, he missed the times when he could go out and look for a beautiful man or woman to spend a few hours with. Well, right now, he would prefer being alone for a few hours and sleep but still.


    Anyway, it hadn''t helped that Hua Ning Shun had recently opened up about the fact that he had long made a secret deal with the Jian Yi Sect''s Sect Master Fei Bai Mu. As soon as Hua Lin Yu turned five, he was supposed to be brought over and stay in the Jian Yi Sect until he at least came of age, possibly even longer.


    Since the day his father had tried to explain this, the child had refused to leave Xin Lan''s side for even a single second because he was always afraid that he would be taken away and carted off to the Jian Yi Sect the next moment.


    Well, nothing would change about that just because he was being difficult.


    Xin Lan rubbed his eyes again. He really didn''t know how he deserved this. If his Master saw ¡­ he would probably laugh at him. Well, he probably deserved that. He couldn''t even deal with a child.


    Xin Lan sighed and picked the child up. "Fine. But you better sleep." He lay down and hugged Xiang Yu''s reincarnation, closing his eyes without another word. He really hoped that this approach would work better. Anyway, the family would need to get him out of the house and over to the sect. That wasn''t his problem.


    Or so he thought.

 Chapter 923 - Panic at the Hua Family

    The next morning, the whole Hua family went crazy. Apparently, the main family''s youngest child had disappeared. Never mind his parents and big brother, even the branch families and all the servants were mobilized to search for Hua Lin Yu.


    The Elders couldn''t help but worry that this might have been the doing of that presence they had noticed before. Maybe whoever it was had been lying low after they noticed them and then attacked as soon as their attention was somewhere else?


    It seemed entirely possible. But if it was the truth, then that meant that the other side was not only insanely strong but also very sly. To find this perfect opportunity and act in a heartbeat was no easy feat at all. And then that person had also managed to do all this without them noticing. Who knew when they had kidnapped their Xiao Yu and where they had taken him?


    The family had already searched the whole estate and even combed through the streets of the city but their youngest child was still lost. They were slowly running out of options.


    Hua Lin Rong finally couldn''t take it on any longer and went to the room that Xin Lan occupied. Anyway, this person had been staying with them for several years so he didn''t feel too awkward about it. Especially since his younger brother was really close to him. He shouldn''t mind helping them out, right?


    He knocked on the door and then went in, not even waiting for an answer. Even though he knew that this person couldn''t be antagonized, he just didn''t have the patience to wait any longer while his dear younger brother was missing. Now, every second counted!


    As a result, he stopped right in his tracks when he stepped inside. Quite uncharacteristically for him, Xin Lan hadn''t woken up when he came close. In fact, even now that Hua Lin Rong had stepped inside, he wasn''t awake. It probably wasn''t a wonder after he had had the bad fortune of making Hua Lin Yu keep him awake at night for several days straight. What actually shocked Hua Lin Rong was the fact that his little baby brother that everybody had been searching for like crazy was in the room as well, happily sleeping in Xin Lan''s arms like this guy was his actual family!


    Hua Lin Rong stared at the two of them together for a moment and then backed out of the room, quietly closing the door. It seemed that even a dragon wouldn''t be able to hold on forever if he was bothered long enough by a toddler.


    He went back to where his family was currently wondering what else they should do and waved. "Don''t bother about it. I already found him."


    His parents and grandparents leaped to their feet and rushed over, crowding around him.


    "What do you mean? Where is he?"


    "Then why didn''t you bring them with you?"


    "Is he alright? He wouldn''t be hurt, would he?!"


    "Was it that presence? Were you able to find out what it is?"


    Hua Lin Rong sighed. "You should all calm down. It has nothing to do with that presence at all. It''s just that Xiao Yu was being willful again. He''s currently with Xin Lan."


    His family fell quiet. Oh. They ¡­ they really should have thought of that.


    Hua Lin Rong''s parents finally exchanged a glance and his father awkwardly cleared his throat. "Well ¡­ I guess we should have checked that as soon as we found out that Xiao Yu wasn''t there. Hasn''t he been hanging around him all the time? It''s no wonder he''d be there even early in the morning. He probably woke up really early and then rushed over."


    Hua Lin Rong had a grieving expression on his face but he kept quiet. He might be a little frustrated that his baby brother would actually prefer a stranger over him but it was still good that nothing had happened to him. And Xin Lan wasn''t a bad person. He had taken care of Xiao Yu very well these years. And it was not his fault either that the child liked him so much.


    His grandfather also had an embarrassed expression. "Well, I guess we should tell everybody then that they can stop searching for him." He looked at his wife who nodded.


    "Let''s just say Xin Lan found him."


    The other four mumbled in agreement and then went off to take care of their own matters. Anyway, it would really be too embarrassing to admit that they had created such a panic in the whole city just because their child had once again been harassing their family''s guest.


    This incident made Hua Ning Shun sink into deep thought when he walked away. Obviously, the child had run over on his own. Otherwise, somebody would have known what was happening. He had been like this all the time since he was able to walk. And even before that, he would stretch out his arms to Xin Lan, asking whoever was holding him at that time to hand him over already. Somehow, this child had fixated on Xin Lan.


    Considering that, it wouldn''t be easy to make him give up on sticking to Xin Lan anytime soon. That made matters difficult though. How was he supposed to get the child to the Jian Yi Sect like this? Xiao Yu probably wouldn''t accept it when he tried to take him there. It seemed that he would need to ask Xin Lan for help to achieve that. It was just ¡­ The dragon was rather grumpy on most days. He couldn''t even imagine having that conversation with him.


    And then there was also the problem that Xiao Yu might not be even less willing to stay at the Jian Yi Sect if Xin Lan accompanied them to bring him over. This really was a tricky situation. Well, for now, he could only give it try. Maybe he would be lucky and Xiao Yu would behave well. It certainly would take some pressure off him.

 Chapter 924 - Worse Than a Child

    At that time, the child in question was just waking up. Contrary to Xin Lan, he had been able to sleep at least a few hours every day before this night and hadn''t actually been tired yesterday.


    Today, he had only woken up late because he had been trying to stay up for as long as yesterday. After all, he had to make sure that his uncle Xin Lan wouldn''t just carry him outside again after he fell asleep like he had done it in the beginning. Thus Hua Lin Yu had made sure that Xin Lan fell asleep before him.


    Now that he woke up and found out that he was still in the very same spot where he had fallen asleep yesterday, he was happy that his plan had worked. From now on, he should just do the same. If he clung to him, there was nothing Xin Lan could do, was there? He just needed to make sure that he was holding onto him very, very tightly and didn''t fall asleep earlier.


    Hua Lin Yu smiled brightly and very happily stared at Xin Lan''s face, watching him sleep. It was rare for them to have a moment like this so he didn''t want to waste it by sleeping any longer. He didn''t try to wake Xin Lan either. After all, it was nice to just watch him, wasn''t it?


    Another few hours went by until Xin Lan''s eyelids trembled slightly. After staying up for several days and then sleeping for so long, he felt a bit disoriented but his instincts kicked in before he opened his eyes. He felt somebody staring at him and immediately pretended to still be asleep.


    He hadn''t lived this long just thanks to the fact that he hadn''t been cursed by Tian. No, that had only been the cause for the way he picked his direction in life. He had wanted to prove his worth so he had forced himself to become the best of the dragon race. He had hoped to gain acknowledgment for his hard work and the results he got. Who could have known ¡­


    Anyway, he had also made some enemies with time and not every one of them was honorable. He had learned that the hard way. After one too many attempts on his life, he had started to become more vigilant, to trust nobody, and never let down his guard.


    He could pretend to be asleep or to be unguarded. He could act as if he didn''t have a care in the world and was completely absorbed in whatever he was doing at the time. But in actual fact, he was reading his magic or extending his claws, finally lashing out before the other side could.


    Even though those people had now long been dead and there was nobody other than Tian that was a threat to him, these actions had already become a part of him. Thus, when Xin Lan found himself in this situation, he could not help but turn vigilant.


    Listening for the sounds around him, inconspicuously trying to find any familiar or unfamiliar smell in the air, sensing the spiritual energy around him ¡­


    His brows twitched and he opened his eyes, finding the same brat in front of his face that had shamelessly clung to him yesterday night. "What are you doing here?"


    The child''s smile got even bigger. "Uncle Xin Lan woke up!" He tilted his head and grabbed tighter onto his robe, making sure to clasp some of that silvery hair as well.


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched once again. This brat! He was obviously doing that on purpose. "Yeah, I''m awake. So let go now." He wanted to pry those hands off but the child clung to him tightly.


    Xin Lan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This child was still too small to do anything harsher than telling him off and lightly tugging at his hands. It was a pity. If he was already grown up and a cultivator, he wouldn''t need to hold back.


    Hua Lin Yu had no idea what Xin Lan was thinking and was still basking in his happiness. He curled one of the silvery strands around his fingers and looked at him with big eyes. "If uncle is tired, you can still sleep some more."


    "No need." And why was this fucking brat suddenly trying to be nice? Had he done anything bad?


    He pondered what exactly the child could have done and glanced around to see if anything was different than yesterday but he couldn''t see anything. Finally, he raised a hand, conjured up a water mirror and checked his face and mask. Hm, nothing there either. It was as if the little devil hadn''t done anything.


    He glanced at him again and raised a brow. "Did you pull any tricks while I was asleep?"


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head widely. "I wouldn''t!"


    "Sure, you wouldn''t." Xin Lan dispersed his magic and sat up.


    A certain child was pulled along with his movement, now hanging off his neck. Xin Lan stared at this unusual accessory and raised his brows.


    "Still haven''t had enough?"


    Once again, he got an eager shaking of the little head as his response.


    "Well, you should better. You''re going to the Jian Yi Sect soon. Don''t think you''ll be able to cling to people there like this." Xin Lan got up and tried to put the little devil down but the child''s face scrunched up and tears gathered in his eyes.


    Xin Lan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Great, just great. If there was one thing he hated more than children, then that was definitely crying children. The more fussy they were, the worse it was.


    "You stop already. I''m not going to comfort you."


    Unfortunately, his words made it even worse. Xin Lan gritted his teeth, straightened out his robes and then marched out of the room. Time to find that useless older brother. He could do the comforting. There was no way in hell he''d sink to that level himself!

 Chapter 925 - Comforting the Child

    Hua Lin Rong who had gone back to his room to cultivate after solving the trouble of his missing younger brother was interrupted by the opening of the door. Before he could even get up from the meditation platform, the steps of a person arrived in front of him, and the crying of his dear baby brother shocked his ears.


    Hua Lin Rong shot to his feet and rushed over, trying to take his brother from Xin Lan to see what was wrong. Unfortunately, the child wasn''t even thinking of letting go of his favorite uncle. He still hugged his neck, his little hands curled into the silver strands of Xin Lan''s hair.


    Hua Lin Rong felt distressed. "What happened to him?!"


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows when the older brother also started to make a fuss and tried to take the child off again without success. "How would I know? He suddenly started crying and didn''t want to let go."


    "But wasn''t he still alright a few hours ago?!" This couldn''t be right. He had checked on them before and they had both been sleeping soundly. Most likely, it hadn''t even been long since they woke up. He didn''t believe that his little brother would just start crying like this without reason. No, there had to be more to this! "Did you say something? Or maybe you did something that could have upset him?"


    Xin Lan pursed his lips in a straight line and refused to talk. Anyway, wasn''t it obvious what had gone wrong with this brat again? Obviously, he was unwilling to go to that damned Jian Yi Sect. It had been like this since the day his father mentioned it.


    Hua Lin Rong naturally wasn''t convinced by this silent rebuttal. "How could that be? Xiao Yu was never like this. He wouldn''t throw a tantrum out of nowhere." He had already completely forgotten about how his brother would habitually start to cry when he had been little without them being able to ever find the reason for that. Anyway, by now, his little brother was an angel. Obviously, Xin Lan must''ve done something wrong for him to react like this.


    "Xiao Yu, ah. Why don''t you tell big brother what is wrong? Big brother try to help you!"


    Hua Lin Yu stopped crying as loudly and only sniffled a bit, turning to glance at his brother.


    Hua Lin Rong immediately became hopeful. As expected, his little brother would still rely on him! "What is it, ah? Just tell big brother!"


    Hua Lin Yu''s face was still scrunched up and he turned to Xin Lan again, rubbing his head on his shoulder. After a moment, he sniffed again, glancing at his face.


    Xin Lan blankly stared ahead, trying not to acknowledge this child at all. If he gave in again and again, he would never get rid of this brat! If he had already turned into a young man and preferably beauty, it wouldn''t be as bad. But he really didn''t want to deal with a child right now.


    He really, really hated whining children. Weren''t they just behaving like this to get attention? Well, then that attention definitely shouldn''t be given. That would teach them not to try it again.


    He couldn''t help but remember the way his Master always acted when Jin Ling threw a tantrum while he was still young. That pained gaze he used to look at him and the way he would stoop down and pull him into his arms, giving him a hug and then talking and talking until his mouth was dry so that this little darling of his would not be sad anymore.


    Jinde had been beautiful when doing so. Well, he had always been beautiful in everything he did but there was a special beauty to watching this scene. The endless love that he felt from him in these moments was just too captivating.


    Even when he talked about Chun Yin, there had never been that kind of gentleness in his gaze. Between the love he felt for that man and the love he felt for this child, there was still a huge difference. It made him feel that he had once again lost him to somebody else.


    Hua Lin Yu started to whine again when he noticed that while his brother was trying to calm him down, Xin Lan still hadn''t given him any attention. In fact, this favorite uncle of his wasn''t even looking in his direction! He once again started sobbing and rubbing his head against Xin Lan''s shoulder, hoping that he would get his attention somehow. Unfortunately, Xin Lan stayed unconcerned as if he couldn''t hear him.


    Meanwhile, Hua Lin Rong grew even more distressed. If his little brother still cried, something had to be wrong! "I guess we should get my parents to help out." He unceremoniously grabbed Xin Lan''s arm and then pulled him out of the room and towards the courtyard where his mother was currently training her sword arts. "Mother! Xiao Yu ¡­" He didn''t say anything else and just turned to look at his little brother.


    Fa Min Juan stopped what she was doing, put the sword away and then hurried over, also trying to take the child from Xin Lan. Unfortunately, her son refused to let go of their guest. "Xiao Yu, what are you doing? What happened? Did somebody bully you?"


    Hua Lin Yu stop crying for a moment and glanced up at Xin Lan''s face. Had somebody bullied him? Well, at the very least, his uncle wasn''t paying any attention. He felt very wronged!


    With the child still feeling betrayed by his most important person, even Madam Hua''s intervention couldn''t help. The same was true for Hua Ning Shun who was pulled over next. In the end, the whole Hua family with both Elders, parents, and the big brother was standing around Xin Lan and the child, fussing over him without changing a thing about his behavior. He just wouldn''t calm down.


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched and he was just one step short of ripping the child off his neck regardless of what that would mean. Anyway, if he didn''t know how to behave, then that was his own problem.


    When Xin Lan grabbed the brat, Hua Lin Yu felt hopeful. He looked up at his favorite uncle with shimmering eyes, making even Xin Lan feel reluctant to let go. Uh ¡­ It probably wouldn''t look good to his future in-laws if he treated the child badly?


    He awkwardly remained with the child in his arms, finally just patting his shoulder. "Alright, you''ve made a fuss for long enough. Stop now."


    The Hua family gave Xin Lan a pitying look. This guy really believed that this problem would be solved just like this. He was too naive! If it was so easy, wouldn''t they have been able to calm the child down already?


    But under the astonished gazes of the whole family, Hua Lin Yu did indeed not cry as much anymore. Instead, he looked at Xin Lan expectantly, clearly waiting for him to try and comfort him some more.


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows but he couldn''t take the crying any longer. So in the end, he still gave in. Anyway, his ego wasn''t so fragile that he couldn''t survive doing this once.

 Chapter 926 - Isn’t It Better This Way?

    Xin Lan finally managed to calm the child down after half an hour. Hua Lin Yu still wouldn''t let go though. The dragon sighed and then just sat down with the child still clinging to his neck. Anyway, he would leave for the Jian Yi Sect soon.


    Meanwhile, the Hua family watched the interaction between the two of them with curiosity. Just how had he done that? It didn''t seem normal. Neither of them had ever managed to pacify the child like this when he was fussy. Just what was the secret?


    Madam Hua couldn''t help but inch closer and tried to get a look if there was something special about the way he was holding him or something. Unfortunately, that didn''t seem to be the case.


    Xin Lan looked at her and raised his brows. "What''s the matter?"


    "That ¡­ How did you do that?"


    Xin Lan looked at the child that was also looking up at him with bright eyes and inwardly sighed. "I also don''t know." Well, at the very least, he couldn''t tell the family that most likely it was because he had been the one who upset the little brat so he was also the one who managed to calm him down. That probably wouldn''t be too good to convince them later on that he was a qualified son-in-law.


    Madam Hua Couldn''t help but feel disappointed. Well, it probably didn''t matter anyway. After all, hadn''t her irresponsible husband promised that Jian Yi Sect that he would bring their son over soon? Then she wouldn''t be able to try out her newfound knowledge anyway.


    Thinking of that, she sighed and reached out, patting the child''s head. "Your father really doesn''t know what he''s doing. I''m sure he''ll regret this soon."


    Xin Lan glanced at her and pondered silently. It seemed that this Madam Hua wasn''t quite satisfied with what her husband had done. Maybe he should use that to stop Xiang Yu''s reincarnation from going over to the Jian Yi Sect?


    But then again, he didn''t know if he would be able to deal with it if he still had to take care of a child for the next few years. Furthermore ¡­ If that brat regarded him as family, then how would he become his lover?


    He didn''t think that his looks or talent were a problem but one could never know what would happen in the future. It might very well be that being too close in the beginning would be detrimental to their future relationship. Naturally, he couldn''t risk that.


    So maybe spending a few years apart would actually do them good. After all, when that little one came back, he would already be an adult and able to enter a relationship. That would be the best moment for him to make his move. Additionally, the previous affection would likely still be there. Thus he would have an advantage over other men that were trying to get into Hua Lin Yu''s good graces.


    Thinking like that, Xin Lan finally didn''t speak up. He did look over at Mister Hua though. "Well, while your husband might have acted prematurely, it isn''t all bad, is it? The Hua family is strong but the Jian Yi Sect is even stronger. Considering that there already was a problem with your son, wouldn''t it be better to get somebody else to help you out?"


    Fa Min Juan glanced at him. "Isn''t that why we asked you to help us out?"


    "I''m but one person. If whoever was endangering your son''s safety was one person as well, it wouldn''t be a problem. But what if it''s more than that? What if there''s a whole organization of them? What do you want to do then?


    "I can take on whoever is the strongest and you can also take care of some of them. But what if it''s not enough? What if your younger son still comes to harm? Wouldn''t you rather have the Jian Yi Sect to rely on in that case? Rather than tying him to your side and hovering over him, hoping that nothing will happen and still risking that it might, isn''t it better to let him go and have a carefree life somewhere else where the strongest existence in this realm will be able to keep him safe?"


    Fa Min Juan fell into deep thought at that. Xin Lan wasn''t wrong. This situation wasn''t ideal. She couldn''t explain that away. No, she had to deal with the fact that their little darling might get preyed on until he was strong enough to take care of himself.


    She couldn''t expect Xin Lan or anyone else for that matter to always be at his side. Lin Yu would also need to have some time of his own. He would need to grow on his own or he would never be able to become strong. If there was always somebody protecting him at the side, then how would he learn? So it might indeed be better to let him go to the Jian Yi Sect where he could strive together with the other disciples, maybe not even knowing about that particular danger outside.


    She sighed and then nodded. "Well, I guess you are able to look at this clearer than me. In this case, we should indeed do as you said. It''s better if he is in good hands and has somebody to take care of him instead of getting into a situation where he might die." She rubbed her son''s head again and then turned away. It was better to get used to the thought now before it actually happened than to wait until the last minute until she confronted these feelings of her.


    Xin Lan could see that Madam Hua had finally come to terms with it. "I guess you should talk to your husband about how you want to go about this. Obviously, Xiao Yu isn''t very happy with having to leave. You''ll have to do some convincing."


    Fa Min Juan nodded. "You''re right. I''ll talk it through with my husband." With that, she left the two of them alone to do as she had promised.

 Chapter 927 - He Never Got the Chance to Thank Them

    Back in the Long kingdom''s capital city, Jing Yi didn''t quite know what to say. "My ¡­ cousin-in-law?" He furrowed his brows and pondered. The only cousin he knew was Guanyu. So this Xiao Li should be her husband? Well, it was no wonder that he wouldn''t know about this. After all, they hadn''t seen each other for several years.


    To be honest, he was still ¡­ quite surprised. Or maybe he should say that he was entirely dumbfounded? If he had ever stopped to think about Guanyu and her future prospects, he wouldn''t have seen any husband in it. After all, she fell in love so easily and it only ever lasted until somebody better came by. Well, it was probably getting more difficult to find somebody acceptable with her requirements becoming higher and higher.


    Just thinking back to the bit he knew ¡­ Originally, she seemed to have been in love with Shao Hai and then with him. Even though they had later started to become a practitioner and a cultivator respectively, they were still quite the normal people. But after that, she had fallen for Xiao Dong and, finally, Qiu Ling. These two weren''t even human! Even though that in itself wasn''t a problem, it would become troublesome if she judged every other man based on them. After all, who could compare?


    Jing Yi glanced at Qiu Ling before turning away just as fast. Well, he might be a bit biased about this issue as well. But he really felt that no one could deny that Qiu Ling was a good catch. He was handsome and strong and caring and while they had their troubles, he was also open to working on them. Could you find a better man than that?


    Qiu Ling noticed Jing Yi''s gaze and also looked over but his beloved had already looked away. Well, the issue was another one right now. "How did that girl get herself a husband? And if he is anything like my cousin-in-law, he should be a good catch."


    The other three people couldn''t help but look at him.


    Qiu Ling just shrugged. "What? He''s related to my mother-in-law''s side. Naturally, he should be awesome!"


    Madam Zhong stared at Qiu Ling for a few seconds before she turned to look at Jing Yi. There was a trace of hurt in her son''s eyes that made her heart fall. So he knew. And it seemed this was a problem. Well, now was not the time to talk about that.


    She turned back to the transmission and gave Bai Mu a smile. "Well, Nie Huang talked a lot about you while she was working here. You must indeed be a very good person from what she told me."


    Bai Mu couldn''t help but smile back. "Thank you for your kind words. Nie Huang has also told me a lot about her time with you in the teahouse. You can not even start to imagine how grateful I am to you and your family for taking care of her. She ¡­ she has not had it easy." He lowered his gaze, his brows furrowing slightly. "Much of that is my fault. Some of it might be her own fault for being too obstinate. If she had done what her parents expected her to do, she would have had an easier life." He looked back up and forced himself to smile. "Still, thank you. I am glad that ¡­ when I finally returned, she was still there, waiting for me. I will never forget this."


    Yes, this woman and her family were the ones who had helped Nie Huang through the darkest days of her life when he had not been able to be at her side. He felt apologetic that he had not been able to extend his thanks so far. If he could, he would go over and do so right now. But unfortunately, the Chun Feng Sect was still out there and he also had to take care of Nie Huang right now. Before she didn''t reach the third stage, he didn''t think it was safe to leave. After all, what if she ran into a bottleneck? He couldn''t risk that. After all the trouble they had gone through to finally get together, he would never risk their happy end. But he did feel happy that he at least got the chance to thank this Madam Zhong. It seemed he once again owed Qiu Ling a thank you for his help.


    He glanced over at him but before he could say anything, Qiu Ling already spoke up.


    "Anyway, we were actually just talking about you and Nie Huang and just contacted you to hear how you are doing."


    Bai Mu''s expression eased up and a smile lit up his face, making Madam Zhong feel that she could see why Nie Huang had fallen for this man so hard that she couldn''t get over him despite all the years he had disappeared for.


    "We''re doing very well. Much better than I even hoped we would. How much do your fiance and mother-in-law know?" He glanced at Jing Yi and Madam Zhong who only looked confused. Bai Mu nodded. "I see. Well, Nie Huang is human while I ¡­" He pondered what to say but he felt that going into the details of his backstory wouldn''t be too good. It would probably be better to keep it to the bare minimum for now. "I was born immortal. That does bring some trouble. Qiu Ling and ¡­ some other people helped us so Nie Huang would be able to become a cultivator. That way, we''ll be able to stay together. Right now, she has already started to cultivate. I don''t know how long it''ll take her to become a true immortal but I''m optimistic. Originally, I never thought this was possible and already wanted to give up. Now ¡­ I am so happy there was somebody there to convince me otherwise."


    He looked at Qiu Ling and nodded again. Yes, it had been the best decision he ever made in his life to agree to that deal back then. Otherwise ¡­ how would his life be now, having to watch her from a distance without any chance to remedy the situation? Watching her die slowly where he couldn''t reach her ¡­ The regrets the two of them would have had, would have been endless.

 Chapter 928 - Meeting Again

    The four of them spoke for a while longer. Unfortunately, Nie Huang was currently cultivating so she couldn''t come over to join in their chat. After all, each moment counted for her. Even though her cultivation speed would be much faster since she was in the dragon realm, she wouldn''t take any chances.


    After his own experience of how hard it could be to cultivate and how things could come to a standstill even in a good environment, Jing Yi could understand very well why she was focusing on it so much.


    When Qiu Ling eventually cut the connection, it was already late and Zhong Gang was already returning home as well.


    Madam Zhong glanced at her son but didn''t say anything. She really would''ve liked to talk to Jing Yi about what she had found out before but now probably wasn''t the right time for that. She should wait until they were alone.


    Zhong Gang didn''t know yet that Qiu Ling and Jing Yi had returned so he was surprised when he stepped into the room and saw the two of them sitting at the table.


    Jing Yi got up and nodded. "Uncle."


    Qiu Ling glanced at his beloved and then also stood up, nodding at Zhong Gang as well. "Uncle-in-law."


    "Jing Yi, Qiu Ling, you''re back!"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Yes, we just arrived today. There isn''t much to do in the sect right now so we thought that it would be nice to come to visit again for some time."


    Zhong Gang nodded eagerly. It was indeed good if they stayed for a while. Having more family members around was always nice. And anyway, now that his daughter was already married, there also shouldn''t be any trouble in the family anymore. "It''s good that you''re back. You should accompany your mother for a while. By the way, have you seen Guanyu and her husband already?"


    "We did see Guanyu when we went to the teahouse before. But I don''t think her husband was there at that time." At the very least, he hadn''t seen any person that looked like that Bai Mu. Even though he wouldn''t necessarily have noticed considering that the last time he and Bai Mu met, his thoughts had been occupied by something else, but Qiu Ling should have seen him. Since that hadn''t been the case, that Xiao Li probably hadn''t been there in the first place.


    "Ah, so it was like that." Zhong Gang sat down next to them and leaned forward, seemingly not interested in discussing the topic any further. Anyway, they''d get to meet him sooner or later. "So how is life in the Yun Zou Sect? Are you still doing well?"


    Jing Yi gave another nod. "Very well." He pondered for a moment, wondering what it had been that he had said the last time. It had already been such a long time so he wasn''t quite sure just how up-to-date his family was. Back then ¡­ That should have been when he and Qiu Ling had been traveling outside for a year. At that moment, he hadn''t even managed to take in spiritual energy and had scrambled to try and learn to become a practitioner with Shao Hai''s help instead. His life had been completely different compared to now.


    Unfortunately, his uncle didn''t know too much about cultivation and even though they had tried to explain to him, who knew if he could still remember? After all, it had nothing to do with his own life and several years had passed since then.


    Jing Yi pondered again and finally decided that he should use the easiest example. "You know, I''ve even become an inner sect disciple by now just like Qiu Ling."


    Zhong Gang raised his brows. He didn''t know too much but with how Jing Yi said that, it sounded like something very good. And hadn''t his fiance already been pretty impressive back then? "My congratulations! Well, I always knew that you would manage to make something out of your life."


    "Uncle is too nice." Actually, he wasn''t quite sure if his uncle had indeed thought like that before but thinking back to their last visit, he hadn''t said anything contrary either. To him, just getting into the Yun Zou Sect was probably very good already. Well, in a sense, that was also right. After all, not everybody was able to get into a cultivation sect and the Yun Zou Sect was a very good one.


    Before they had time to reminisce further, the door opened and Mi Fang came in together with her daughter. Jing Yi couldn''t help but turn vigilant. Before, Guanyu hadn''t been too welcoming. Maybe she wouldn''t be happy to see him now either. If that was the case ¡­ Wouldn''t he have to leave soon? After all, it had been like that the last time as well.


    To him, this time was different though. He had seen that his mother wasn''t doing as well as he had hoped. He just couldn''t bring himself to leave so soon. Since there was nothing they could do in the Yun Zou Sect for now and also nothing that could be done outside since they weren''t supposed to go on missions, he felt that they should stay here for a while longer and take care of her. Wasn''t that the least he could do after once again vanishing for so many years?


    He turned to Qiu Ling who reached over and grasped his hand. "It''s alright. Isn''t she married now? If that guy is really related to Bai Mu, he should be a good guy and she should be satisfied. So there''s nothing for us to worry about. Let''s just wait."


    Jing Yi nodded. That was also right. He should probably just trust that everything would turn out well.


    Mi Fan was just as pleasantly surprised to see the two of them return as her husband. She greeted them happily and then turned to her daughter to remind her to do the same.


    Guanyu pursed her lips though. She really couldn''t understand why her mother was reacting like this. What was so good about Jing Yi and that man? She wouldn''t mind if they just stayed at that whatever sect all the time! They didn''t need to be here. Wasn''t it enough when her parents had her and Xiao Li?


    She could hardly say that though. Otherwise, her parents would probably scold her. "We already saw each other before in the teahouse." With that, she went upstairs to change her clothes. There was no way she would sit through this dinner before her husband had returned. Anyway, just because Jing Yi had found a good man, it didn''t mean that she didn''t have one either. She''d let him see later on. Then, he might very well regret not having yielded to her back then.


    She never would have thought that things would turn out completely differently from her imagination.

 Chapter 929 - Not That Easy to Answer

    For the moment, nothing happened though. Guanyu ignored them, leaving Zhong Gang and Mi Fang in the awkward spot of having to find some kind of excuse for her behavior.


    Mi Fang smiled wryly and then waved her hand. "Ah, don''t take this to heart. You don''t know but even though Guanyu and Xiao Li have been married for a good five years, she still hasn''t gotten pregnant. It''s really taking a toll on her so she is sometimes in a very bad mood and will take it out on others. It has nothing to do with the two of you. She probably just remembered because she saw how well you are doing." She glanced at her husband, hoping for him to help out a bit.


    Zhong Gang nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes. That''s what this is all about. It''s not that she isn''t happy to see you again. Of course, she''d also like to have as much of the family here as possible. I''m sure she''ll be better behaved as soon as Xiao Li gets home. When he is there, she has something to focus on." Even though he said so, he was inwardly scolding her for that behavior.


    Of course, he also knew that he wasn''t completely free of guilt for the way she was. If he and Mi Fang hadn''t spoiled her so much when she was young, she would probably be better behaved right now.


    But he had really hoped that she would change for the better after her wedding. Who could have known that things would get even worse afterward? In fact, he also couldn''t understand why she was treating her cousin and his fiance like this.


    Anyway, what his wife had said wasn''t wrong. She probably was suffering because she hadn''t been able to give birth to a child yet but it wasn''t like Jing Yi could do any better, was it? After all, the two of them were men. How were they supposed to do that? Well, come to think of it, who knew if things were the same for cultivators?


    Zhong Gang gave the two of them a curious look but didn''t dare to ask in the end. Anyway, that would be a little awkward if it was impossible, wouldn''t it? No, it was better to just keep quiet about this sort of thing. His daughter''s behavior had made this embarrassing enough. He really didn''t need to add to that.


    He cleared his throat and then waved at his wife to come over. "Mi Fang, you come here and sit down. You also haven''t seen Jing Yi and Qiu Ling for a long time. I''m sure you''re also curious about what they''ve experienced all these years."


    Mi Fang was more than happy for her husband to react like this. She nodded eagerly and then came to sit down next to him, looking from Jing Yi to Qiu Ling and nodded. "The two of you really look good. I guess that life in the deity sect is going really well?"


    Jing Yi nodded and once again told his aunt what he had already told his uncle before. Thankfully, they didn''t have many more relatives or he might be caught in a circle where he had to tell over and over again just how they were doing in the Yun Zou Sect. Thankfully, Mi Fang didn''t ask too many questions and just relied on her husband to lead the conversation.


    As for Zhong Gang ¡­ Since he didn''t know much about deity sects, he was also somewhat lost. After having pondered for a while, he finally cleared his throat and brought the only thing up that he definitely knew about that sect. "So ¡­ How is that boy Shao Hai doing?"


    Jing Yi tensed and then gave Qiu Ling a worried look. They knew very well what had happened to Shao Hai but he couldn''t very well say that, could he? Wouldn''t his uncle feel troubled then? After all, Shao Hai was the son of his very good friend. If he found out, then he would definitely need to go and tell Mister Shao about it.


    But then, Shao Chen would be worried as well and there would be nothing he could do about it. He would be in an even worse situation than Jing Yi and Qiu Ling were currently.


    Jing Yi couldn''t believe that that would be good. Mister Shao had so much to do, it would be a problem for him if he couldn''t concentrate on any of that. After all, he still needed to take care of the rest of his family. There wasn''t just Shao Hai after all.


    Qiu Ling also thought of these things and then gave a smile. "Well, he naturally can''t be considered as awesome as us but it''s not wrong to say that he is doing quite well himself. At the very least, he and Xiao Dong managed to become inner sect disciples as well. I don''t have that much to do with then since I''m learning under a different Master but from what I''ve gathered, their Master seems to trust them very much. Last I heard, they had been sent on some important mission. They''ll likely be out for quite a while so we didn''t manage to see them recently."


    Jing Yi lowered his gaze and just nodded along. Before they had returned to the Yun Zou Sect the last time, that had indeed been true. It was a pity that things had changed so fast.


    But there was nothing they could do about that right now, was there? Anyway, things might already have changed again in another week. He should probably ask Qiu Ling if they could return at that time and see how things were going. Since they were able to fly, it wouldn''t be a problem to go over in the morning and then return in the afternoon so they could bring the latest news to Shao Chen.


    Maybe he could even tell Shao Hai that he should go home and visit his father soon. After all, Mister Shao was probably worried about him as well. It wouldn''t be nice to always stay in the sect and never see his family. Otherwise, who knew if he would regret it later on?

 Chapter 930 - Never Met Him

    Zhong Gang laughed happily when he heard that. "I knew it! Shao Chen will be delighted when he hears that. You know, even though he was very angry when his son ran away back then, he was also very proud that he managed to get into a deity sect on his own accord. I guess he really made the right choice back then to go there.


    "Naturally, it''s a pity for his father that he doesn''t have them with him but it''s still better than nothing, isn''t it? Anyway, as long as he''s doing well, Shao Chen will be happy. The two of you should definitely go over and tell him one of these days. I''m sure he''d like to hear about it."


    Mi Fang used the opportunity to chip in as well. "Your uncle is right. You should definitely go over and have a chat with Mister Shao. He has been missing his son very much. His mother as well. She wouldn''t dare to say it so as to not upset her husband but it''s definitely taking a toll on her that she isn''t able to reach him at all. Those deity sects are really cut off from the rest of the world. I''m actually very happy that Guanyu didn''t want to do something like that when the two of you joined that sect."


    Zhong Gang nodded at that, his expression turning grave. "Yes, I was worried she would be throwing a tantrum that she wanted to go as well. Especially after that Xiao Dong boy she liked back then vanished because he had followed Shao Hai over. Ah, children these days can be really capricious. If Guanyu manages to have one in the future, I really hope it will not be like that. Even though knowing a cultivator isn''t anything bad but it''s still not that easy to accept for a parent. I''d much rather have a child that is here at home and helps out with everything. At the very least, if the child got into trouble, we can at least try to help. What could we do for a cultivator?"


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling and smiled wryly. Somehow, they''d once again returned to talk about children. He really hadn''t expected that. And how come it was always about Guanyu? If she came down unannounced without her parents noticing, wouldn''t she throw another tantrum because she was treated like this? He could already imagine how that would turn out. He''d much rather not be involved in any of that.


    Qiu Ling could imagine what his beloved was thinking but there was nothing he could do, was there? So he only continued to put on an expression that could have been anywhere between listening without any opinion or just plain not caring. Anyway, they couldn''t really expect much more from him, could they? After all, he wasn''t trying to marry their daughter but their nephew.


    Unfortunately for them, Zhong Gang and Mi Fang didn''t seem to get the hint. On the contrary, now that they had started to talk about the subject, it seemed that they were not going to stop anytime soon.


    "Actually, I''m very worried because of that. You have to know that her husband, Xiao Li, is also a disciple of a deity sect. So what if he insists on his child becoming a cultivator as well? Then what are we supposed to do? I mean I can see the benefits in that but wouldn''t you say that everything speaking against that outweighs the advantages?" Zhong Gang looked at his nephew and his nephew''s fiance, waiting for their opinion.


    Unfortunately, Jing Yi had no idea how to answer this question. "Well, I guess as a parent, you would have a more ¡­ differentiated perspective on this." He felt that this was a very good way to tell him that in the end, it was his own decision how to think about this anyway. There was nothing he or Qiu Ling could say to change anything about that.


    Zhong Gang nodded. "Yes, that is true. Ah, being a parent can be very hard. Anyway, I''m very happy that Guanyu got married to somebody this dependable. Just wait until you see Xiao Li. I''m sure you''ll like him. The three of you will have lots to talk about."


    "Yes, yes. In fact, didn''t Xiao Li say he was from the Yun Zou Sect as well?" Mi Fang looked at Madam Zhong, waiting for her to agree. After all, he only had come to the capital back then in search of her to inform her about Jing Yi''s situation. Marrying Guanyu had only been something that happened because ¡­ of everything else. Ah, she really didn''t want to think about it.


    Madam Zhong nodded indeed. "That''s true. He came here back then when something had happened to you, Jing''er. He told me everything he knew."


    Jing Yi raised his brows and looked at Qiu Ling. If something like that happened, it could only be because Qiu Ling had sent somebody. But he certainly wouldn''t tell one of his subjects to get together with his cousin. So ¡­ what had actually happened?


    Unfortunately, his fiance shook his head. He had no idea what this was about either! In fact, he could remember nobody with the name Xiao Li that he should know. Well, that part wasn''t really surprising. He never bothered to learn anybody''s name if he didn''t have to. Just for delivering one message he definitely wouldn''t have kept that in mind.


    Madam Zhong could see that her son and son-in-law had no idea what this was even about. She gave a wry smile, not without having some second thoughts about the situation but then shrugged her shoulders. "Well, the Yun Zou Sect should be very big. It''s normal that you wouldn''t know immediately who he is. Maybe you''ll figure it out when you meet later on."


    Zhong Gang and Mi Fang nodded eagerly. "Yes, I''m sure you will. Just wait until you see him. I''m sure he''ll seem familiar."


    Jing Yi nodded even though he knew that that wouldn''t happen. They had more or less already seen how that Xiao Li looked. After all, he did resemble that cousin-in-law of Qiu Ling. Even if there was some difference between them, he should be looking enough like him that Qiu Ling should have noted this before. Since he hadn''t, they had probably never met.


    But, well, that wasn''t too astonishing either. Just as his mother had said: The Yun Zou Sect was very big. There were probably disciples that had never seen each other even after years. Especially if they were in the inner and outer sect respectively.


    Who knew? Maybe that Xiao Li was an inner sect disciple so he had never met him when he was in the outer sect? And after he became an inner sect disciple, he had hardly spent any time in the Yun Zou Sect. So this wasn''t a surprise. And since Qiu Ling was normally following him around, it wasn''t too astonishing that he hadn''t met Xiao Li either. They would probably only be able to figure this out after they met him.


    As it turned out, they didn''t need to wait long for that. Just a few minutes after they had talked about it, steps sounded from the entrance and a man that looked remarkably like Bai Mu stepped into the room, awkwardly freezing up when he saw the two of them sitting at the table.

 Chapter 931 - Not Suspicious on Its Own

    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes when he saw Xiao Li''s reaction. There was nothing suspicious about looking like Bai Mu in itself. After all, Bai Mu had lived for a long time.


    It could be that he had some child with another woman than Nie Huang that he had met a long time ago but hadn''t talked about yet since they didn''t know each other too well.


    It could also be that somebody in his family looked a lot like him. After all, both his mother and father would''ve needed to have some kind of family in this mortal realm. And since they had both been cultivators, they should have had other relatives that were in the same position. At least that would make sense.


    But ¡­ What were the chances that this person looked so much like Bai Mu and then had such a strange reaction to them? He didn''t need to use even his little finger to figure out that this was highly unlikely.


    In fact, this Xiao Li shouldn''t have much of a reaction to them at all if he didn''t know who they were. After all, who would freeze up just because his family had guests over? Especially if his family had somebody like Zhong Gang who certainly invited business partners over on a regular basis. Furthermore, just one look at Jing Yi should be enough to see that he was related to Madam Zhong. So what was this Xiao Li doing looking at them like this?


    Jing Yi wasn''t able to see anything from Xiao Li''s reaction. He was only stunned because this person looked indeed a lot like the one he had seen in the transmission before. If he hadn''t been prepared that something like this would happen, he might''ve believed that this was the very same Bai Mu that he had seen earlier.


    Mi Fang''s expression lit up when she saw her son-in-law. "Xiao Li! You''re back. Come in and have a seat. See, your cousin-in-law, Jing Yi, and his fiance have come to visit from the Yun Zou Sect. You probably know the two of them?" She got up and rushed over, taking his arm. Anyway, she was still very satisfied with this husband of her daughter. Even though the two of them still didn''t have any children, she felt that Guanyu could''ve made so much worse of a deal. He was handsome, he was smart, and he was also able to work hard if need be. Naturally, he shouldn''t have to do any manual labor considering that he was a mighty cultivator and part of their family but it was still good to know that he would be able to body-wise if something ever happened to their family.


    Xiao Li finally woke up when his so-called mother-in-law touched his arm. Naturally, he knew exactly who these two were: the dragon king and the reincarnation of his lover.


    Unfortunately, that was likely not the identity that this woman knew them as. And he definitely couldn''t allow the dragon king to latch onto the fact that he knew who they really were. Thus he forced a smile onto his lips, cupped his fists and then bowed. "But of course. Isn''t that senior martial brother Qiu and junior martial brother Zhong? We''re all disciples of the Yun Zou Sect. Naturally, we know each other."


    Qiu Ling just continued to look at him with narrowed eyes while Jing Yi felt embarrassed. So the other person actually knew them. But ¡­ He had no idea who he was! He definitely didn''t have the guts to say that though. Thus he only smiled and nodded back. "Senior martial brother Xiao. It''s been a while." Anyway, this should be how other people reacted when they saw somebody they couldn''t remember, right?


    Xiao Li almost wanted to laugh when he heard that reaction. So this person that had never met him before was fooled just like this? Maybe he had thought too much. The dragon king might be a different matter but his lover wasn''t too bright. He should be able to bluff his way through if it was just him. He just needed to make sure that he didn''t give the dragon king any reason to suspect him. After all, he couldn''t easily leave the capital right now. Things were too troublesome for that.


    Before Qiu Ling could react any further, Mi Fang was already pulling Xiao Li over to the table. "Xiao Li, why don''t you sit down? I''ll go and get Guanyu. She''s already back and went up to change her clothes. I''m sure she''ll be happy to hear that you''re back!"


    Xiao Li nodded but then put a hand on her arm. "Thank you, mother-in-law. But there''s no reason for you to go to such lengths. Since I''m of the younger generation I should be the one who goes to retrieve Guanyu. Anyway, she''s my wife. Wouldn''t it be better to surprise her myself?"


    "Aiya! Well, if you insist, then we''ll wait here for you. As soon as you come down, we''ll start eating. Hurry up!"


    Xiao Li nodded like a good son-in-law and then went up, still staying alert. He just couldn''t help the bad feeling that something would happen otherwise. What if that guy attacked him from behind? Even though he loathed this life as a human, he didn''t want to lose it either. Because if he did, then he would never be able to get a better one in the future.


    When he reached the staircase, he only lightly glanced in the direction of the table. He noticed that Qiu Ling''s gaze was still on him and couldn''t help but gulp. He almost hastened his steps but held back at the last possible moment.


    The more suspicious he behaved, the worse the reaction he got might be. Maybe he would be able to fool him until tomorrow. Or maybe the dragon king wouldn''t be willing to risk anything while his beloved and his family were there? Anyway, he just needed to get some more time and maybe things would get resolved on their own. He just couldn''t mess up right now.


    He finally reached the end of the staircase, stepped through the door and heaved a sigh of relief. He didn''t know how but he had managed to make it to the other side. That had to mean that he was safe for the time being. Now, he only needed a good opportunity to leave. Then, he would be able to find a way to live. As for what happened to that woman ¡­ Why would he care?

 Chapter 932 - A Family to Provide for Him

    Zhong Guanyu was in an even for her uncharacteristically bad mood when her husband stepped into the room. Normally, she always loved to pull out Xiao Li and brag to everybody what a good husband she had. But today, she had once again been reminded that her cousin had somehow managed to land an even better relationship.


    She knew this for a fact since Xiao Li had never gotten tired to proclaim just how well-respected Qiu Ling was in the Yun Zou Sect back when Madam Zhong or Zhong Gang asked after he had married Guanyu.


    And naturally, he had. After all, he had needed to find out as much as he could about Jing Yi and Qiu Ling. So naturally, he first needed to brush up the good feelings the family held for him so that he would then be able to slowly gather information from them.


    Unfortunately, his plan hadn''t worked too well. Guanyu had never provided him with much information. The things she knew about her cousin weren''t even enough to fill one page. Her mother and father weren''t much better and while Madam Zhong had quite a few things she could say about Jing Yi''s childhood both in the village and then that year in the capital city, she didn''t talk about it very often.


    It was almost as if she had realized that something was off about his story. Xiao Li didn''t believe that but he had still grown a little more cautious because of that and only then let up with talking about the two of them on a regular basis.


    Even though he had stopped doing so, Guanyu still very much remembered that time. And while her parents had been happy that he had a good relationship with their nephew and his fiance, she hadn''t been all too happy to always hear about just how great Jing Yi''s partner was.


    If the two of them had stayed away, she might have been able to bear it but now that they were back ¡­ She just unwittingly remembered all of that and felt even worse. She wanted to be the one with the best spouse possible! Anyway, she had always been the most important person in this family. Why should she share anything with somebody else?


    Xiao Li watched her expression. He had no trouble at all seeing the kind of mood she was in. He still pretended not to notice and to just be happy that he saw her again. "Guanyu, I''m back." He closed the door behind him and then walked over, leaning down to give her a hug and kiss her cheek.


    Guanyu just pursed her lips. Right now, this otherwise handsome and perfect husband had suddenly turned into someone she almost held in contempt. How had she ever been able to fall in love with him? Obviously, he was lacking compared to that Qiu Ling!


    Xiao Li pretended not to notice the lack of reaction and sat down next to her. "I saw that your cousin and his fiance came by. You must be very happy to see the two of them again after so much time."


    This time, Guanyu scoffed. As if she was happy to see them again!


    Xiao Li glanced up as if he had just noticed what kind of mood she was in. "Is something the matter? You wouldn''t have gotten into trouble with them, would you?" He reached up and brushed back her hair, the perfect image of a caring husband.


    Guanyu only pursed her lips further. What use was there even if he was even more caring? He was still worse than Jing Yi''s fiance! He had even said before that he looked up to him. How could that be?! She was older than Jing Yi, she was the daughter of her father while he was just a nephew that had come from some rural village. She should be more important!


    Xiao Li tilted his head and then gently took her hand. "Guanyu, my dear, what is the matter? Did they really do something to displease you? Then just tell me! I''ll make sure to solve everything for you."


    Guanyu scoffed at that. "What do you want to solve? Didn''t you say very often that that Qiu Ling is above you in the sect?"


    Xiao Li nodded. "Yes. But that is in the sect. We''re not there right now, are we? And anyway, there are certainly different ways to solve this. Just tell me what they did to displease you."


    "Isn''t it enough that they''re here?!" Guanyu turned around to him and furrowed her brows. "Aren''t you worried at all? My father put years of his life into that restaurant and teahouse. What if he gives it to Jing Yi instead of us?"


    Xiao Li really wanted to sigh. What did he care about something like this? Well, then again ¡­ The situation in the demon realm was unpredictable last that he had heard. If the current king was really pushed off the throne ¡­


    He looked down and gulped. Jin Ling had never cared about somebody''s blood as long as the person was useful and willing to work for him. But other demons were different. A lot of them didn''t look too kindly upon half-bloods like him. So if Jin Ling lost the fight, he would need to stay in the mortal realm until things were better in the demon realm. Having a family that provided for him wouldn''t be too bad in that case. So maybe it would be stupid of him to burn this bridge now that he had already crossed?


    It was just that there was still the dragon king here and he was tied to this family because of his fiance. But then again, that fiance would likely leave soon. After all, he did indeed live in that Yun Zou Sect.


    Xiao Li narrowed his eyes before he restored his smile and cupped Guanyu''s eyes. "Is it that they''re just displeasing to your eyes? Then how about we leave for a while? Hm? Just you and me? And at the end of our little journey, we can bring something back that will make father-in-law not even think about that cousin of yours again."

 Chapter 933 - A Good Life

    Back in the room below, Qiu Ling glanced at the ceiling, his gaze growing pensive. That guy ¡­ Obviously, there really was something fishy about him. Otherwise, why would he try to leave so sneakily?


    While Qiu Ling was able to figure out what was going on just from the fact that Xiao Li had been using his spiritual energy to bring Guanyu outside from the window, he still didn''t bother to say anything. He had never liked that girl anyway and he wouldn''t mind if she wasn''t there to eat with his beloved''s family. In fact, he felt that it was quite good if she wasn''t there.


    Anyway, most likely, that guy wouldn''t do anything to her, would he? After all, if he really knew who they were, he wouldn''t dare to make too much trouble. That Guanyu was worth more if she was alive. After all, she was Jing Yi''s family. It was likely that he wouldn''t want anything to happen to her and would try to keep her life. Thus, taking her as a hostage would be much better than killing her and dumping her body somewhere. Thus Qiu Ling wasn''t concerned at all.


    Zhong Gang and Mi Fang couldn''t help but glance at the staircase every now and then as well, their expressions getting exceedingly embarrassed.


    "Aiya, that girl! I can''t believe it. She''s probably throwing another tantrum and Xiao Li doesn''t dare to scold her." Mi Fang turned to Jing Yi and Qiu Ling to explain, hoping that they wouldn''t get a bad impression. "He really adores her. I''m happy she got such a husband but sometimes I also wish he was a bit more stern with her. What if she does this kind of thing in front of somebody one day who won''t forgive her that easily?"


    Jing Yi nodded hurriedly and then glanced at Qiu Ling in the hope of help.


    Qiu Ling pondered and then nodded along. "Ah, I understand what you mean. A good husband should be caring to the extreme but he must also be able to protect his spouse if they make trouble. So being strong is almost as important."


    Mi Fang stared at him in a daze, not quite sure what to say. Actually, she had meant that Xiao Li should try to rein her in but ¡­ well, this probably worked as well? After all, he was a cultivator and his Master was very important, right? Most people would probably think twice before they crossed him?


    Thinking like that, she nodded to herself. "You''re right. I was thinking too much just now. Anyway, she''ll likely take her sweet time before she calms down and joins us. Why don''t we start eating already? The two of you must be hungry."


    Zhong Gang nodded along. "Yes, yes, Xiao Fang is right. "It''ll take too long if we wait for them. The food will probably be cold by then. So let''s just start."


    "Mn, of course, uncle-in-law!" Qiu Ling smiled happily and then picked up some food, putting it in Jing Yi''s bowl. Ah, eating together with his beloved and his family was so nice!


    Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling and couldn''t help but reciprocate his smile. The atmosphere was very nice like this. Why should he bother about whether or not Guanyu was there? As long as she wasn''t making any trouble, he didn''t mind too much. Anyway, he had mostly come to visit his mother.


    Thus the five people ate together in harmony, only one of them privy to the fact that Zhong Guanyu had long vanished. By the time Zhong Gang and Mi Fang noticed, it was already too late and no trace could be found of her or her husband. Neither in their house nor anywhere else in the capital city that they knew of. It was as if the ground had suddenly opened up and swallowed them whole.


    As for where the two of them had gone ¡­ Xiao Li hadn''t had much of a plan in mind when he made the offer in the first place. Anyway, he had just wanted to leave and taking her with him had seemed beneficial since he could use her in case the dragon king went after him. Anyway, it was good that they had managed to leave the city without anything like that happening.


    Xiao Li aimlessly wandered around for a while, trying to make up his mind as to where to go from here. He couldn''t be short-sighted at this moment. His future depended on this. After all, he didn''t know what would happen in the demon realm so it was best to find a place in the human realm.


    The capital city wasn''t safe as long as the dragon king could come by any time so he had to go somewhere else in the meantime. The capital of another kingdom? Another city in the Long kingdom? Some small town? None of that seemed very attractive to him. After all, in the capital city, he had been able to rely on the Zhong family and have their servants work while he just needed to appear, say some words and check their work from time to time.


    But in another place, he would need to work himself. He would need to pretend to be a human and live a life that was just as pitiful as theirs. He didn''t want that! Even though he wasn''t a full-blooded demon, he still had half their blood running through his veins!


    No, if he had to pretend to be human, he at least wanted a good life. A life where he could do what he wanted, where he wouldn''t need to work in the fields or in some dusty old store. He wanted to have status and money and a good place to live.


    All things considered ¡­ he should probably return to where he had already created that type of life for himself once.

 Chapter 934 - To The Jian Yi Sect

    While the Zhong family in the Long kingdom''s capital city was worried about their daughter, Hua Lin Yu''s fifth birthday finally arrived. Unfortunately, things in the household weren''t as happy as they should be. Instead, the child had been making trouble since the moment he woke up, either giving the grown-ups the silent treatment or crying bitterly regardless of what they did.


    Hua Ning Shun looked at his son awkwardly, wondering what he should do. Obviously, there was no way to just grab the child and bring him to the Jian Yi Sect. After all, he still very much refused to let go off their family''s guest for even a single moment.


    Madam Hua had turned to look at Xin Lan with a complicated gaze. Even though she had originally not been happy, he had convinced her that sending their son to the Jian Yi Sect might be for the best. Thus she was also in favor of this now. Unfortunately, while she had been convinced, her little son hadn''t.


    What were they to do now? While Mister Hua was still confused, Madam Hua had already thought it through. In her opinion, that was only one way to achieve this.


    "Xin Lan, since he likes you so much, why don''t you bring him over? I''m sure Xiao Yu would like that." And even if he didn''t, at the very least, they would be a little further.


    Xin Lan already had his brows furrowed tightly. For the past few weeks, he hadn''t been able to take this child off for even a moment. By now, he should probably be afraid that this little thing would morph into a part of his own body. It certainly seemed like it wanted to do so. "Even if I bring him over, are you sure he''ll let go when we reach the gates?"


    Unfortunately, Madam Hua couldn''t say in good conscience that that would be the case. On the contrary, she seriously doubted that that would happen. After all, if it was so easy to make their Xiao Yu let go of Xin Lan, they would''ve long separated the two of them. But with how things had been going so far, there was no way that would happen.


    She cleared her throat and then leaned down to look at her son''s face. "Xiao Yu, how about all of us go and take a look at the Jian Yi Sect? Maybe you''ll like it there."


    The boy pursed his lips and then shook his head. He wouldn''t! He definitely wouldn''t.


    Xin Lan took a deep breath and then turned around, marching right out of the Hua family''s house. This brat wanted to cling to him? Fine with him. He''d just go over to the Jian Yi Sect himself. Then he''d see if one of those human cultivators would be able to get him off.


    Anyway, it made no difference whether there was a child clinging to him here or there. And ¡­ to be perfectly honest, he also wanted to finally make sure just what had been going on in the Jian Yi Sect. Had these guys finally made a move with the information he had given him?


    He hadn''t been able to check in a while so he was a little anxious how things stood outside. Was his Master still safe and well? Had those bastards from the Chun Feng Sect that had targeted him been taken care of? It would be good to go over and take a look at how things stood.


    The members of the Hua family exchanged glances and then rushed after him. Even though they weren''t sure if they would be able to do anything when they arrived at the Jian Yi Sect, it was still much better to be there and lend a helping hand than to stay at the estate and not know what was going on.


    Anyway, they also felt that it wouldn''t be very safe to let Xiao Yu be all alone out there with just one person guarding him. After all, they didn''t know if that presence would return to take him away. So it was much better if there were a few more people there to pay attention. Just in case.


    Thus, a while later, a group of six adults and one small child arrived at the gates of the Jian Yi Sect, startling the disciples that were currently guarding the entrance.


    The two of them exchanged glances before one of them stepped forward, cupping his fists. "Greetings. May I ask why you have come to the Jian Yi Sect?"


    Hua Ning Shun glanced at his father who didn''t bother to say anything and just looked at his youngest grandchild. With a sigh, he stepped forward and cupped his fists as well. "Greetings. I am Hua Ning Shun and I came to see Sect Master Fei. My family ¡­ accompanied me."


    "I see. Then please follow me." The disciple motioned inside and sent somebody to notify the Sect Master of their arrival.


    Hua Ning Shun motioned at his family and then followed the disciple, feeling a little embarrassed. He had already made a deal with Sect Master Fei but now, he actually brought over his whole family plus their family''s guest just to deliver Xiao Yu. And whether or not his youngest would agree to be left here ¡­ He didn''t even want to think about it. Wouldn''t the Sect Master feel slighted when she saw such a scene?


    The group finally arrived in front of the Sect Master''s palace. The disciple stopped in front of the door and exchanged some words with the disciple waiting there. Then, he turned back to the Hua family and bowed before leaving.


    Hua Ning Shun nodded and then also turned to the other disciple.


    "Sect Master Fei is expecting you." The disciple motioned inside and then opened the door for them.


    Hua Ning Shun took a deep breath and stepped in, his gaze automatically coming to rest on the serious face of the woman on the other side of the hall.

 Chapter 935 - Grow up First

    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows when she saw the people entering behind Hua Ning Shun. Save for the young man with the mask, she had seen all of them before so she knew that the whole core of the Hua family had come. It wasn''t too surprising. After all, this was their youngest child they were leaving. And she had understood from her conversation with Hua Ning Shun back then that this was only done because they were afraid he was in danger. If not for that ¡­ there was no way the Hua family would give him away.


    She glanced at the child that was clinging tightly to the young man with the mask. His aptitude for cultivation seemed great just as expected of a descendant of the Hua family. His expression was a bit worrisome though.


    And ¡­ who was the man holding him? He bore no resemblance to the members of the Hua family and his strength was far above even that of Hua Ming Jun. Was he some hidden expert they had found to protect him?


    She looked at him for a moment longer and then turned to Hua Ning Shun. "You''ve come."


    "Mn. As we agreed. I ¡­ am sorry for making such a fuss."


    "It''s no problem. He is your youngest child, after all." Fei Bai Mu got up from her seat and walked over to Xin Lan, taking a closer look at the child. Seeing his face, she couldn''t help but smile. Ah, the child was cute as well. The other disciples would be ecstatic to have him with them.


    She looked up at the man holding him but the gaze she met with wasn''t friendly at all. It was almost as if she had killed this guy''s father. "You are ¡­"


    Xin Lan didn''t bother to answer and instead looked at the child, trying to hand him over to her. Naturally, Hua Lin Yu wouldn''t let him. He scrunched up his face and tried to hug him more closely.


    Hua Ning Shun closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This probably couldn''t get any more embarrassing? He opened his eyes again and stepped over, giving his youngest son a smile. "Xiao Yu, we''ve arrived at the Jian Yi Sect, ah. This is Sect Master Fei. Don''t you want to greet her?"


    Xiao Yu''s only answer was to cry even more heartrendingly. And why shouldn''t he? His father was trying to trick him! This was the woman that wanted to separate him from his uncle Xin Lan!


    Thinking of that, he grabbed onto Xin Lan''s hair more tightly and buried his face in his shoulder.


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched. This wasn''t how he had imagined things! They were already here, shouldn''t somebody take the child away now? He might not be able to do anything to him because he still needed to become his lover in a few years but others didn''t have that problem!


    Fei Bai Mu didn''t follow his wishes though. She just looked on with interest. It had been a while since she took in a disciple. Especially such a young one. Seeing how dependent he was on this person, she couldn''t help but wonder how things would turn out. When this person left ¡­ would the child still be alright?


    Hua Ning Shun felt even more awkward when he saw Fei Bai Mu look at his son and Xin Lan this way. Ah, if he had known things would turn out like this, he would have made sure Xin Lan didn''t stay with them for this long. Then maybe things would be different now.


    The people in the hall fell quiet, leaving only Hua Lin Yu''s sobs.


    Xin Lan''s expression turned worse the longer he listened. Why was this child always crying? He had done almost nothing else for the past few weeks! Wouldn''t he ever get tired of this? "Alright, enough yet. You''ll have to stay here anyway. So stop crying already."


    Both the Hua family and Fei Bai Mu turned to stare at Xin Lan, the former with some grievance for treating the child so harshly while the latter was just surprised. How come the child was so attached to the person that would treat him like this while he didn''t even bother about his family that obviously loved him to pieces?


    Hua Lin Yu cried even harder at Xin Lan''s words. He did not want to stay! Why would Xin Lan leave him here?!


    "What? Not satisfied? That''s the way it is. Your father already made a promise with Sect Master Fei. Do you really want him to go back on his word?"


    "Yes!" The child didn''t bother about his father''s at all and just clung to Xin Lan. "Don''t leave!" Actually, he didn''t mind staying at the Jian Yi Sect as long as Xin Lan stayed with him.


    "Why wouldn''t I leave? We''re not even family. What reason do I have to stay with you?"


    Hua Lin Yu stopped crying at once and stared at Xin Lan with teary eyes. Not family? That was why Xin Lan wanted to leave him? His head swiveled around to his father, full of reproach. "Why?"


    Hua Ning Shun''s lips twitched. What did his son mean, ''why''? How was he supposed to make Xin Lan his family? Become sworn brothers with him?


    Xin Lan stared at the face of the stupid brat and almost wanted to laugh. "En. We''re not. So stop clinging to me already."


    "Then ¡­ then let''s become family!"


    Xin Lan scoffed. "Oh? How do you want to do that? You haven''t even grown up. If you had, we could at least get married."


    The eyes of the Hua family members grew wide. Marry?!


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes in curiosity. "Marry? Would we be a family then?"


    "Mn. So go with Sect Master Fei and grow up first. I''ll come and get you when you''re an adult." With that, he pushed the stunned child into Sect Master Fei''s arms and turned away, walking out of the hall as if nothing had happened at all.

 Chapter 936 - Very Good-Looking

    Fei Bai Mu gazed at the closed gates for a moment, her expression subtle. If you were strong enough, then you could do almost anything in the world of cultivation. This man obviously had earned that privilege if he dared to treat the youngest child of the Hua family like this. His blatant disregard for the implications of what he had said was interesting as well. Also, she herself hadn''t been treated like this for a long time. It really made her wonder just who this person was.


    She hesitated for a moment but then turned to Hua Ning Shun. "The person just now ¡­"


    Hua Ning Shun sighed. "I hope Sect Master Fei doesn''t take offense. He has always been a bit ¡­ standoffish."


    "And still, he was the one holding your son. It seems that the Hua family trusts him greatly."


    Before Hua Ning Shun could say anything, the Hua family''s elder stepped forward. "Sect Master Fei is right. This person''s name is Xin Lan and he is of the dragon race. He moved into our area a while ago. Since the situation with Xiao Yu was like that, we asked him for help."


    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows. The dragon race? That sure was unexpected. Although ¡­ thinking back to that silvery-white hair it also wasn''t that strange. Obviously, he couldn''t have been of completely human descent. No wonder that person was so strong. "The Hua family can count itself lucky to have somebody like that to depend on. Especially if his relationship with your son is that good." She looked at the child that was still lying in her arms, dazedly looking at the gate where Xin Lan had just disappeared from. It seemed that despite attracting some evil force, this child was also very blessed. Maybe this was the way of the universe to balance things out.


    Hua Ming Jun nodded. "It was indeed our luck. With him around, I felt a lot better. But it''s still good that you have allowed Xiao Yu to stay here. Being in the Jian Yi Sect will do him good. Having more people to rely on is for the best in his situation. Furthermore, I also think that having some other children around him will be quite good. He has been relying a bit too much on Xin Lan in the past years."


    Fei Bai Mu gave a slight smile and then reached up to ruffle the child''s hair. "I''ve seen that. You seem to like that person very much, right, Xiao Yu?"


    Hua Lin Yu finally turned to his new Master and blinked his eyes at her. He looked at her face and decided that she wasn''t that bad. She wasn''t as good as Xin Lan but still alright. He hesitated for a moment longer and then finally grabbed a strand of her black hair, holding onto it tightly. Somehow, Xin Lan had managed to slip away when he had let go for just a moment. He had to make sure that this person wouldn''t run away just like that.


    Fei Bai Mu''s lips curled up even further. "I think the two of us will be having a lot of fun." She turned back to the Hua family members and motioned at the child. "You can come and visit him anytime. In fact, I think it would be good if he was in contact with you regularly. Just because he is a member of our Jian Yi Sect now, doesn''t mean that he isn''t a member of the Hua family anymore. He is both and he will continue to be both for the rest of his life."


    Hua Ning Shun nodded gravely. "Thank you very much, Sect Master Fei. Our Hua family is indebted to you."


    Fei Bai Mu shook her head. "I already said it back then: This is also good for our Jian Yi Sect. After all, your Hua family''s members are all very talented. It won''t be a loss to me to have him as my disciple. Furthermore, with him here, you''ll certainly come running as soon as something happens. Having another backer for my sect, I don''t think that is something to mourn."


    Hua Ning Shun laughed. "I doubt the Jian Yi Sect will need that. Anyway, we shouldn''t take up too much of your time. What about the ceremony to take him in as your disciple? Do you want to hold it today already?"


    Fei Bai Mu looked at the child and then nodded. "Yes, let''s do that. There''s no reason to wait any longer. Maybe you should stay here for a few more days. Xiao Yu is still young. It will be nice for him to have his family around while he gets used to everything." Especially since the person he most wanted to stay with him wasn''t there. It would be good if at least the others didn''t leave him alone right away. That way, he wouldn''t feel like he had been abandoned by everyone. "I''ll tell the disciples to prepare a guest house for you."


    "Many thanks."


    Fei Bai Mu waved and the door opened.


    One of the disciples stepped inside, cupped his fists and bowed. "What are the Sect Master''s orders?"


    "The Hua family will stay here for a while. Prepare a dwelling for them."


    "Yes." The disciple left, conscientiously closing the door behind him.


    Fei Bai Mu once again looked at the child in her arms. "What about you, huh, Xiao Yu? Do you want to take a look at our Jian Yi Sect?"


    Hua Lin Yu pursed his lips, not that thrilled about the idea. If he could, he just wanted to go back to Xin Lan. What was so good about the Jian Yi Sect anyway? It wasn''t even a place where his uncle Xin Lan could stay.


    Fei Bai Mu really wanted to sigh when she saw that expression. Normally, everyone would be thrilled to hear that they could become a disciple of her Jian Yi Sect. But this little one didn''t feel like it was a good thing at all. Instead, he looked very much as if he was being punished by being sent here. It really made her wonder what kind of charm the dragon race had. "Xiao Yu, say, what is it that you like about that Xin Lan?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at her with bright eyes at that question. "He is good-looking."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded and waited for him to elaborate but that was it. She raised her brows in a questioning manner. "Is that all? You just like him because he is handsome?"


    Hua Lin Yu pondered and then nodded.


    The Hua family members at the side felt the need to facepalm. So that was the reason? They really wondered why they had never bothered to ask him what it was about Xin Lan that he liked so much. If they had known, they just would''ve found an equally good-looking person to bring him over here. Wouldn''t everything have been resolved much more easily then?


    Fei Bai Mu could see the humor in the situation though. She even laughed. "Oh? Then what about me? Am I also good-looking?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at her and then nodded. "Yes. But not as much is Xin Lan."


    Fei Bai Mu wasn''t bothered by that reaction. "Well, luckily for you, when you become my disciple, you''ll gain lots of very good-looking senior martial brothers and sisters. You must be looking forward to it."


    Hua Lin Yu''s eyes lit up. "Really?" Why had nobody told him about this?!


    "Really." Fei Bai Mu patted his head and motioned outside. "I''m sure some of them will be even more handsome than that Xin Lan. Why don''t we go and take a look?"


    The child eagerly nodded and then had the Sect Master carry him outside, almost forgetting about the person he had just sent away with a tearful gaze.

 Chapter 937 - I Just Want the Truth

    Hua Lin Yu became Sect Master Fei''s youngest disciple without a problem and got to know his senior martial brothers and sisters while the rest of the Hua family stayed with him for a few more days. Where Xin Lan had gone? Who knew. It was as if after he had walked out of the palace, he left for another place without even looking back.


    When things were slowly falling into place in the Jian Yi Sect, things were also progressing over at the Yun Zou Sect. A week had already passed by and the time that Qiu Ling had mentioned had finally arrived.


    Nian Hong Fang was standing in front of the building where Shen Qiang was currently being detained, his expression one of nervousness and worry.


    His Master put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "Don''t worry. Just try what you can. If he doesn''t answer ¡­ We will just come up with something else. There will be a way to find out what has happened with Ma Zhi Wu."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded and looked back at the door. Even though he knew that his Master was right, he couldn''t help but be anxious. Ten years. He had waited ten years to find out just where his lover had disappeared to. He longed to find out the truth. If he still couldn''t do so today, he didn''t know if he would be able to live with it.


    He took a deep breath and picked up the basket that was standing next to the door, quietly making his way inside.


    The Yun Zou Sect wasn''t like the demon-hunting sects and didn''t have an actual dungeon. If there was a need to detain somebody, it was usually just a disciple that had made trouble and needed to be taught a lesson. That type of person would just be put into a house that was protected by an array, making sure that they couldn''t run away and had to stay inside and reflect on themselves.


    Even though the matter was different with Shen Qiang, there was nothing the Yun Zou Sect could do about it. They couldn''t build a dungeon just for him, could they? Thus, he had also been put into one of these houses.


    When Nian Hong Fang closed the door behind him, he couldn''t help but stand in a daze. This place ¡­ It didn''t look much different from the houses where the other disciples lived. There were windows that let light into the room, the usual furniture that the usual single rooms had and somebody had even brought food to him before. He was nothing like a prisoner.


    Was it the same for Ma Zhi Wu? Had the people who had held him captive treated him just as well? He couldn''t help but wonder.


    Shen Qiang looked up when the person that had just come in stopped behind the door instead of coming in further like the others had done before. Seeing Nian Hong Fang, his expression changed somewhat. "Xiao Fang." He got up from where he had been sitting on the ground but didn''t dare to step forward.


    He still very much remembered their last conversation. He also still remembered Nian Hong Fang''s gaze at the time. Obviously, there had never been a chance for him and Nian Hong Fang was still waiting for his lover to return. He always would. Nothing could ever change that.


    Since he was affiliated with the people that had kidnapped and held Ma Zhi Wu captive, he didn''t need to pretend that they could ever be anything but enemies as long as his lover was gone. It just wasn''t possible. So since they stood on opposing sides, what was there to say? Everything he could bring up would sound like ridicule in Nian Hong Fang''s ears. Wasn''t that so?


    Nian Hong Fang slightly furrowed his brows and looked at the ground. He knew he should say something but he didn''t even know where to begin. With everything that had happened, things were too strange. There was hate between them because of what had happened with Ma Zhi Wu, but there was also the friendship between them that had formed over the past five years. It was a shaky one but it was there. He couldn''t deny those good feelings he had.


    Nian Hong Fang glanced up, his expression torn. "You ¡­ How are you holding up?"


    Shen Qiang''s gaze softened at that question. So it turned out that Nian Hong Fang didn''t hate him completely. That ¡­ was already much more than he had expected. "I''m good. Don''t mention it. What about you?"


    Nian Hong Fang finally went forward and put the basket down on the table, sitting down on one side while he looked up at Shen Qiang. "How should I be doing? I am ¡­ waiting. I have done nothing but that for the past years. Will anything really change about that?"


    Shen Qiang frowned and then went over to sit down at the table as well, studying Nian Hong Fang''s expression. "I''m sorry."


    "If you are sorry, then tell me the truth. Tell me where he is. That is all that I want to know. Is it really that hard? Don''t you think I should be the one making the decision?"


    Shen Qiang shook his head. "I''m afraid it would hurt you even further. And then there are the other things that might happen ¡­ I can''t do that."


    "Even after you''re already in here? They won''t just let you go. They know that you have something to do with this. I''m sorry, I couldn''t keep it to myself. After all, this isn''t just about Zhi Wu. There are another two of our disciples as well. Of course, the sect wants to know what happened to them. And I ¡­ I just want to see him again. I want to know that he''s doing well. So why won''t you tell me? We can end this after that. They''ll let you go. There''s nothing the Yun Zou Sect has against you personally. And I ¡­ I won''t hold it against you either."


    Shen Qiang closed his eyes and sighed. He did want to tell him. He had wanted to tell him more than once in these five years. But what could he do? "Even if it''s you, I can''t just betray my sect. I am not that kind of person. I do believe in what they believe in. It wouldn''t be good if you knew."


    Nian Hong Fang looked at him, patiently waiting. Just now, Shen Qiang had already given him a hint. He probably hadn''t done so knowingly but he still had. A sect. So he was part of a sect. That wasn''t a lot but it was better than nothing. After all, it could have been that there was another kind of organization behind him. Going from there, they might be able to slowly figure it out.


    Nian Hong Fang watched his expression and then carefully tried to pry further. "Your sect ¡­ You wouldn''t be part of a demonic sect, would you?"


    Shen Qiang opened his eyes and shook his head. "Quite the contrary. Although it doesn''t really play a role. This isn''t about the conflict between the righteous or the evil side."


    "But it has to be about something. Can you at least tell me what that is?"


    Shen Qiang looked at him, battling with himself. That conflict ¡­ If he told him, then Nian Hong Fang would know. But then again, there were a lot of demon hunting sects. The Yun Zou Sect probably wouldn''t suspect the Chun Feng Sect among all of them. After all, they were allies. And even then ¡­ maybe it would be good if Nian Hong Fang actually knew.


    He sighed and then leaned forward, gently taking Nian Hong Fang''s hand. "I will tell you something. But you should be prepared that this isn''t something you want to hear. In fact, hearing this might make you question the time you spend with him. It might make you question everything you thought you knew about your life this far. Are you really prepared for that?"


    Nian Hong Fang had no idea what he was speaking about but there was no hesitation whatsoever when he nodded. "I''m prepared for everything. I just want the truth. I want to know what happened. I want to know why the two of us were separated. That is all I want. I do not mind any sacrifice I need to make for that. So please, tell me."

 Chapter 938 - Not Human

    Shen Qiang took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. "Your lover ¡­ He isn''t human." He left it at that for a moment, giving Nian Hong Fang time to sort out his thoughts. He could imagine just how difficult this was to understand. He had probably never even thought of such a possibility. Naturally, he would be shocked.


    Nian Hong Fang furrowed his brows in response. "Not human? What exactly do you mean with that? And is that why he was captured and imprisoned all this time?"


    Shen Qiang nodded. "That''s precisely the reason. Your lover is actually part demon. I know that this must be hard for you to take. You probably always assumed him to be just like you, human. But now it turns out that that was never the case. You probably feel that he betrayed your trust."


    Nian Hong Fang leaned back, his expression complicated. "So the sect you spoke of ¡­ is a demon-hunting sect?"


    Shen Qiang looked at him with some surprise that this was the first thing he asked but still nodded. Since he had already started he would answer all of Nian Hong Fang''s questions. "Yes, it''s one of the demon-hunting sects. They found out about his true nature and then used the opportunity when he was out on a mission to alone to get him."


    Nian Hong Fang didn''t know what to say. He reached up and put a hand over his face, trying to wrap his head around all of this. A demon-hunting sect. Why had he never thought of this? A whole decade had gone by but the thought had never even crossed his mind.


    Shen Qiang looked down, his expression one of guilt and worry. "You must feel devastated. I''m sorry. Originally, I never wanted to tell you. I always thought that you would be better off thinking that it was something different, that there was no fault of his own. Knowing that he wasn''t honest with you ¡ª"


    "No." Nian Hong Fang shook his head.


    Shen Qiang looked up, his expression still very much torn. "Xiao Fang, I know that you don''t want to believe this but it''s true. He really isn''t human."


    Nian Hong Fang lowered his hand and shook his head again. "No, you misunderstood. I knew that Ma Zhi Wu wasn''t completely human. I have known for a long time. He already told me himself."


    Shen Qiang stared at him, unable to believe what he had heard just now. "You ¡­ You knew that he is a demon? And you still stayed with him?" That couldn''t be possible. Nian Hong Fang ¡­ He wasn''t that type of person. He wouldn''t condone any evil. He didn''t believe that.


    Nian Hong Fang sighed. It wasn''t difficult to understand why Shen Qiang would react like this if he was from a demon-hunting sect. But he really was thinking a little too simple, wasn''t he? "Ma Zhi Wu isn''t a demon."


    "But ¡ª"


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head again, cutting Shen Qiang right off. "Part of his bloodline is that of a demonic beast. That isn''t the same as that of a demon. They share the same roots but that is so far in the past that you really can''t say they''re the same race anymore.


    "Furthermore, it has been several generations since that person became a part of Zhi Wu''s family. All his other relatives are human. He himself can hardly be counted as more than a human. There''s only a very slight influence. Big enough to be noticeable in some areas but he hardly differs from us. A random person meeting him would never guess. And even if he was different, what is so bad about that?"


    Shen Qiang furrowed his brows. "Demons are evil creatures."


    "I''m sure that some of them are. Maybe it''s even most of them. But it''s certainly not each and every one of them. And especially not the ones born from a union between humans and demons or demonic beasts.


    "They aren''t pure-blooded, after all. They don''t share all their characteristics. How can you condemn them because of something they might or might not have? And even if they did, they wouldn''t have any control over it since it''s their nature. Wouldn''t it be better to just exile them to the demon realm?


    "Anyway, Zhi Wu has never harmed anyone. You tell me: Should he really be imprisoned just because of something that happened several generations in the past? Shen Qiang, I know that the demon-hunting sects can be very clear cut in their decisions regarding this kind of thing. But I''m sure that you''re different. You wouldn''t judge somebody just because of who his parents were, would you? I''m sure that you would look deeper into this. I can''t have been that mistaken about you."


    Shen Qiang looked at him with an unsure expression. Yes, he didn''t want to condemn somebody just because of who they were born to. He didn''t feel that that was fair. But for demons, it was something different. After all, they were evil creatures. At the very least, that was what he had always believed. Even though he wasn''t quite as harsh as other members of the Chun Feng Sect, he wouldn''t let go of that belief just like that. "He probably manipulated you into thinking like that. It''s what they do."


    Nian Hong Fang sighed when Shen Qiang didn''t show any intention of even thinking about it. "How about I tell you a story?"


    Shen Qiang glanced at him, unsure what to think. "What kind of story?"


    "The story of how Zhi Wu and I met. I feel that you should know. After all, you don''t really know him, do you? Maybe you''ve met him but have you ever had the chance to sit down and talk with him? I bet you haven''t." Because he didn''t believe that there was anybody who could spend time with his lover and still say that he was an evil creature just because of the bit of demonic beast blood that he carried. That just wasn''t possible.

 Chapter 939 - I Already Lost My Heart

    Nian Hong Fang didn''t wait for Shen Qiang''s reply and just started. "I was pretty young when I was taken in by my Master. He always said it was because I have coordinated assorted spirit veins with wood, water, and earth spirit veins but, frankly, I think he pitied me a bit. So from the moment he took me in, he cared for me as if I was his family. He taught me everything he knew whether it was about cultivating herbs, refining pills or whatever he felt I needed in life.


    "Unfortunately, my Master has only ever lived for pill refinement. Some parts of life weren''t important to him at all. So when I was sent to a mission in a demonic sect, I was not prepared for what was to come."


    Nian Hong Fang smiled when he thought back to those days. His Master had sat him down, showing him all those poisonous plants that he seldom let him experiment with and urged him to learn as much as possible. He had thought that it was better he learned it from him than letting somebody from the demonic side teach him and maybe make him stray. It was a bit cute. Unfortunately, that hadn''t been what made him stray at all.


    He sighed and looked back at Shen Qiang while reaching over to open the basket and take out the food that he had come to deliver. "I managed to infiltrate the sect just as I was supposed to. I pretended to have been a disciple of a righteous sect but because I asked some uncomfortable questions, they deemed me unworthy of teaching me any further and threw me out, thinking that I wouldn''t be able to continue with learning how to refine pills as a wandering cultivator. I guess they found it funny that the righteous sects would throw somebody like me out who was perfectly equipped to become a pill refiner."


    He shook his head with a smile and pushed the food over to Shen Qiang. "I managed to make a bit of a name for myself as a conscientious and hard-working person. The Elder that was in charge of me was very happy with me and tried to guide me more, hoping that he could cultivate me into a valuable asset of their sect.


    "I was terrified half the time, always afraid that I would slip up. It really wasn''t easy pretending to be interested in harmful potions and pills. It was something I had never even dared to think of before. The only thing keeping me going was the thought that I did not want to disappoint my Master and that maybe if I studied this, I might be able to help come up with remedies for these things.


    "Slowly, but surely, I managed to fit into my role better and better. That was when we met."


    His smile grew lighter but then he sighed. "Zhi Wu was ¡­" He shook his head. "I can''t even describe it. There was a light to him that was hard to resist. He would laugh boisterously and when there was something he liked, he would go after it."


    Shen Qiang''s expression changed. "Your lover ¡­ was a demonic practitioner?" How could Nian Hong Fang say with a straight face that he was a good person then?


    Nian Hong Fang gave him an enigmatic smile. "That''s what I thought, yes. Back then, I was scared even more. Because somehow, Ma Zhi Wu had decided that of all the people there, he liked me." He closed his eyes, once again feeling the pain that had accompanied him back then. "At first, it was easy. How could I ever fall in love with a demonic practitioner? But then, he started to follow me around. When I went to gather herbs, he would be hanging around, keeping the beasts in the vicinity away, scaring off whichever person dared to try and disturb me.


    "I had no valid reason to push him away since he was doing me a favor. So with time, we grew a little closer. And the closer we got, the more I felt that my heart was not as unperturbed as I had thought.


    "I liked how daring he was, challenging whoever dared to oppose him. I liked how openly he spoke about things, not too afraid to throw around words of love and hate at a heartbeat. I liked how ¡­ caring he could be if he wanted to. I also liked it when I slowly unraveled that beneath that appearance of a muscular guy that would only care about fights and power, he was actually quite smart. I also can''t deny that his handsomeness was seductive."


    Shen Qiang lightly furrowed his brows. Even he wasn''t quite sure if it was because that was something demons often used to make somebody fall for them or if it simply was because his crush was currently praising another man. He just felt unwell hearing these words.


    Nian Hong Fang ignored his expression and sighed. "We both fell in love, slowly but surely. For a while, I thought I could enter this relationship and use it for my mission but then walk away. Unfortunately, I was wrong.


    "The longer I stayed, the more I noticed that I already lost my heart to Zhi Wu. When I woke up, I would first check if he was still lying next to me. When I went out to the herb gardens, I would look around for him and my heart would only settle down when I saw him nearby. And in the evening, my feet would take me over to him before I had even consciously thought about it.


    "His love ¡­ was too passionate to pull myself out of it and I felt like I was slowly drowning, unable to form a clear thought or concentrate on my mission. At that time, I was even wondering if ¡­ if for this man, I might leave the Yun Zou Sect behind and truly become a demonic sect member."

 Chapter 940 - He Had Been a Coward

    Shen Qiang stared at Nian Hong Fang in a daze. He couldn''t believe what he had just heard. In his eyes, Nian Hong Fang had always been perfect. He was kind and gentle and loving, a person that would trust others easily. He cherished emotions and once he gave his heart to somebody, it would be difficult to retrieve it.


    That was why it was so difficult for him to let go of his lover. Not even in his most daring dreams, could Shen Qiang have ever imagined that there had been a time when Nian Hong Fang was actually thinking about becoming a part of the demonic faction. That just didn''t sound like him.


    On second thought, this also fit his character quite well. He did indeed cherish feelings and so, when he had fallen in love with Ma Zhi Wu, it was difficult for him to extricate himself again. Even to the point where he almost betrayed his true beliefs. "Then what did you do? Did you speak to him about it? Did he agree to become a member of the Yun Zou Sect instead?"


    Nian Hong Fang smiled and got up to take the teapot that was standing on the cupboard on the other side of the room. He went to fill it with water to brew a cup of tea. "What did I do?" He smiled, his back still facing Shen Qiang. "That''s a good question. I would like to say I was as daring as he was. Telling him the truth, confronting him about this honestly, enabling us to live the life we led in the years after that ¡­ It sure would be good if that was true. Unfortunately, I did quite the contrary.


    "I suffered for a while in silence, thinking about what to do. On the one hand, there was the man I had fallen in love with. I didn''t want to leave him. But on the other hand, there was my Master who had raised me as if I was his own child. I didn''t want to lose him either. In the end ¡­ Well, while I loved Zhi Wu passionately, my feelings for my Master had been steady for all those years. In the end, I couldn''t abandon them. So I fled like a coward."


    He came back to the table and sat down with a cup in his hands and sighed. "I would like to say it was different. But it wasn''t. I couldn''t even say goodbye to Zhi Wu. I just looked at him one last time one night, got up and ran away. I didn''t look back. I didn''t dare to. In fact, I didn''t even dare to tell my Master about what had happened when I arrived at the Yun Zou Sect again. I couldn''t explain why I hadn''t managed to finish my mission.


    "I was ¡­ embarrassed. And to be honest, I was also scared. There had been moments when I almost gave in to temptation. For Zhi Wu, I could have done that. If not for my feelings for my Master binding me to this place ¡­ Things definitely would have turned out differently.


    "When I finally confessed everything to my Master, he only sighed. I guess he knew that I was never prepared to face something like that. And maybe I was also too young to do so. It wasn''t that easy to deal with."


    Shen Qiang watched his expression and then lowered his gaze. In the past five years, he had figured out that there was no way for him to insert himself between Nian Hong Fang and Ma Zhi Wu even though the two of them had been separated for so long. Nian Hong Fang''s feelings were too deep for that.


    Now, he could see that even more clearly. From the very beginning, there had never been a possibility for anybody to come between them. That man had been Nian Hong Fang''s first love. And he would be his last as well.


    "I guess if you didn''t become a demonic practitioner, he would''ve needed to become a righteous cultivator then. How did he find out that you weren''t actually from his side if you never told him?"


    Nian Hong Fang smiled sweetly. "It''s not quite like that. In fact, we both found out two years later that we had been wrong from the very beginning. Neither of us was a demonic practitioner. Zhi Wu ¡­ He was a spy there just as much as I had been. From the very beginning, he had been a disciple of our Yun Zou Sect.


    "I just ¡­ I hadn''t known. Most of my time had been spent at the side of my Master. I would be helping him in the herb garden or sitting in his study, reading up on herbs or pill forging. I seldom left the palace and it was even more seldom that I left the peak. There were a lot of disciples that I didn''t know. As it turns out, even the disciples of the other Peak Masters were not all known to me."


    "I see. So out of all the people there, two righteous cultivators fell in love in a demonic sect. I guess it''s fate."


    Nian Hong Fang smiled. "Yes, for a moment, I thought that as well. And then I ¡­ I grew afraid. Or maybe it would be better to say that I had never gotten over that fright.


    "Zhi Wu had almost driven me to madness in the demonic sect. Even though he wasn''t a demonic practitioner, I understood that he was still dangerous to me. I didn''t dare to get too close to him. So when he tried to continue where we had left off, I foolishly refused. I pretended to be angry for him never telling me that he was a spy and I ran away again. I tried to hide behind my Master and my tasks and just tried to wait until he gave up."


    He sighed again and shook his head at himself. Looking back now that he had been separated from him for ten years, he regretted his decisions. They could''ve had so much more time together if he hadn''t been such a coward back then. If he had been as bold as Ma Zhi Wu and just embraced those feelings, it would have been much better for them. Ah, he really had been an idiot.


    "Well, thankfully, while I was like that, Ma Zhi Wu didn''t just give up. He did everything he could to convince me to give him another chance.


    "That kind of man ¡­ Do you really think he is a bad person? Do you really think that he never loved me just because of some kind of nonhuman blood that runs in his veins?" Nian Hong Fang looked up at Shen Qiang, his gaze intent. "I know what they teach you in so demon-hunting sects. But I beseech you to think on your own. Will a person simply be bad because of who their ancestors are? Or do you believe that everybody has a choice?"

 Chapter 941 - This Narrows It Down a Lot

    Shen Qiang furrowed his brows. If it was about a human, then he would be able to decide at once. Yes, he did indeed believe that somebody''s circumstances didn''t make the person.


    You could be born in a demonic sect and still walk a righteous path in the future. At the same time, just because you grew up among righteous people, it didn''t mean that you yourself would also be righteous. There was no guarantee. Your personality, your experiences, all the people that you met ¡­ There were many things that would influence your future. Even if you originally walked in one path, you could change.


    But that was because a human wasn''t necessarily bad. They had good and bad in them and it was on them to make their decisions and live with the consequences. That was part of being human.


    But what about the demons? The pure-blooded ones and also the ones who had only inherited a little demon blood. Was it the same for them? Or were all of them indeed evil creatures upon birth as he had been taught?


    From what Nian Hong Fang had just told him, it was the former but he couldn''t bring himself to believe so just like that. What about the awful things he had heard before then? Was all of that not true? Was he supposed to believe that there was a reason for those massacres he had seen?


    Nian Hong Fang could see that he was still struggling with it. He sighed and pushed the cup away before he stood up. "Well, I''ve told you what I wanted to say. You think it through. I''ll come back and see you again later."


    "Ah ¡­" Shen Qiang also wanted to get up and hold him back but then he dropped his hand again. Honestly, what was even thinking? Nian Hong Fang didn''t feel for him like that. And right now, his thoughts were probably filled with his lover. That really wasn''t a moment they should spend together. He sat back down and nodded. "Alright, then I''ll see you again. I''m sorry for everything that happened."


    Nian Hong Fang looked at him for a moment longer and then just nodded before he left the room. What else should he say? He knew what Shen Qiang wanted but it wasn''t something he could give him. So it was better not to say anything.


    He closed the door behind him and then leaned against it, looking at his Master who was still waiting outside.


    "Did he tell you anything?" The Grandelder couldn''t help but show is worry on his face. He knew how important this was to Nian Hong Fang. He really didn''t want him to suffer any more setbacks.


    "He is from one of the demon-hunting sects. They believe that Ma Zhi Wu is a demon so they caught him."


    The Grandelder furrowed his brows. "Demon-hunting sect?" This ¡­ He didn''t like the sound of that. Normally, they could have just gone to the Chun Feng Sect to help them inquire about this matter. But with how things stood, that wasn''t possible. No, quite on the contrary, it might even be that the perpetrator in this case was the Chun Feng Sect. He didn''t dare to make any assumptions in this case.


    In the end, the Grandelder sighed and patted his disciple''s shoulder. "This definitely narrows down the places where he could be. We should go and tell Min Huan. After that, we can make a plan."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded and then followed his Master over to the Sect Master''s palace.


    Currently, Wu Min Huan was once again sitting in his Master''s study, trying to deal with the documents that were piling up on the desk. When he heard steps from outside, he almost wanted to heave a sigh of relief. Even though he knew that this needed to be done, he couldn''t help but feel like taking a break. He leaned back and looked up but his hope was instantly smashed when he saw just who had come. "Did something happen with that Shen Qiang?"


    Nian Hong Fang gave him a smile to calm him down but let his Master talk.


    The Grandelder sat down opposite Wu Min Huan and nodded. "It seems like the Grandmaster''s disciple was right. Xiao Fang went to speak with him today and he revealed that the one behind him was one of the demon-hunting sects."


    Wu Min Huan nodded slowly. "That narrows the possible places they could be held at down a lot. Considering Zhi Wu''s strength, it''s probably not one of the very small sects. They also wouldn''t dare to outright capture one of the Yun Zou Sect''s disciples even if they thought that he was a demon. They''d notify us first and ask for our opinion."


    The Grandelder nodded. "That''s what I think as well. So it should be one of the more prestigious sects. Or maybe one of the more scrupulous sects if you want to see it that way. There aren''t many that would be so daring."


    "Well, we could send somebody to inquire."


    The Grandelder shook his head. "He''s vanished a decade ago. And they had never bothered to inform us. I''m afraid they won''t tell us even if we asked. The problem is that the kind of sect that will be daring enough to do this, will be hard to confront even for us. We might need to find somebody to help us with this."


    Wu Min Huan nodded slowly. What the Grandelder was saying made sense as well. "What do you think about involving the Liu He Alliance? Alliance Head Hua stayed here for quite some time, didn''t he? His relationship with Grandmaster Zhangsun seems to be quite good as well. Maybe he would help us?"


    The Grandelder nodded. "That is a very good idea. Maybe we could also ask Grandmaster Zhangsun if he would send him a letter asking for help."


    "Yes ¡­" Wu Min Huan glanced around and then looked up at the Grandelder with some embarrassment. "Would you mind asking the Grandmaster? I feel like as a disciple, I''m not really in a position to ask him for a favor."


    The Grandelder chuckled but still nodded and then got up. "Of course. This is also for my own disciple. I''ll do everything that I can. The two of you should go and tell Elder Geng about this in the meantime."


    Wu Min Huan and Nian Hong Fang both nodded and then sent the Grandelder off before they exchanged a glance and left as well.

 Chapter 942 - Who Can Lend a Helping Hand?

    The Grandelder stopped in front of Grandmaster Zhangsun''s palace and bowed. "Grandmaster, may I have a moment of your time?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi stopped with his meditation and called out. "Certainly. Please come on in."


    The Grandelder went over to the room where the Grandmaster had just gotten up from the meditation platform and followed him to sit down at a table when he motioned over.


    "What may be the matter?"


    The Grandelder sighed. "I am afraid this isn''t anything good. You know about how my disciple''s lover and two of Elder Wang''s disciples vanished, don''t you?"


    The Grandmaster nodded. "If I''m not wrong, then you were investigating this recently, weren''t you?"


    "Indeed. And we found out that the one who is behind these disappearances is one of the demon-hunting sects. We don''t know anything more specific and since our relationship with the Chun Feng Sect is rather strained right now, I don''t think it would be a wise idea to involve them. But considering that we were never contacted about that demon-hunting sect''s suspicions, I''m afraid that''s they have the strength to not need to care about us at all. I''m afraid we won''t be able to deal with this without outside help. We were thinking maybe the Liu He Alliance would be willing to lend a helping hand?"


    "You want me to contact Alliance Head Hua?"


    The Grandelder gave a smile and nodded. "If there''s nothing that speaks against this from your side, then I would be very grateful for you to do so. My disciple''s lover has already been missing for ten years. He is also Elder Geng''s direct disciple, even his head disciple. I think it''s not wrong to call him one of the pillars of our sect. As for the other two ¡­ while they are young, they''ve also been on several missions, doing a good job so far. I think we should do everything we can to get them back."


    Grandmaster Zhangsun nodded. "Even if they weren''t, asking Alliance Head Hua for help is nothing. He isn''t the kind of person that would ignore this matter. I will write him a letter, asking him for his help and how he thinks we should proceed with this. After all, we still don''t know which sect exactly it is. We first have to find out about that."


    The Grandelder nodded. "That would be very much appreciated. Then I should not bother you any longer. Maybe we''ll be able to find out some more details until the time when we hear back from Alliance Head Hua."


    "That would be preferable but even if we don''t, I''m sure we can find a way."


    The Grandelder nodded once more and the two of them bid farewell.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi went over to his study, sitting down at the desk there and preparing the letter. He felt a little apologetic toward Hua Min. The last time he had come over, he had stayed several weeks but that person hadn''t come out of the realm even once. Well, it was to be expected. For one, he couldn''t have been sure that the Chun Feng Sect would''ve been gone already and second, there was still that person with him. Naturally, he would want to take care of his husband first. The two of them seemed very close.


    Hua Min had said that he understood but the regret on his face had been clearly visible. Well, that person had been a close friend of his Master''s. Naturally, he would''ve liked to meet him once again. Maybe this time, they would have more luck. Anyway, they still needed to try and save the disciples.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi only pondered for a moment before he wrote down his message, turned it into a paper crane and sent it off. He watched it leave the palace and then sighed to himself. After not seeing each other for such a long time, they suddenly had so much to do with each other again. He didn''t know if he should be happy about that or worried.


    At the same time, Wu Min Huan and Nian Hong Fang had already reached Elder Geng''s palace and told him what they had found out. The Elder furrowed his brows, his expression grave.


    Just like Nian Hong Fang, he also knew about his disciple''s heritage. The fact that this had come back to bite him now ¡­ It was something he did not want to think too deeply about. If he could, he would have liked to keep it a secret. After all, it had already come out now and when they saved him, that knowledge about him might become even more widespread.


    Alas, it couldn''t be changed. In fact, he blamed himself a little for not thinking of this sooner. After all, he had known that Zhi Wu might be hunted because of this. But just like Nian Hong Fang, it hadn''t even crossed his mind that this might have been the reason for his disappearance.


    Maybe that wasn''t strange. After all, other than the time they had talked about it back then, Ma Zhi Wu''s origin had never played a role for him. But it probably should have. Well, there was nothing he could do.


    "I hope the Grandmaster is able to convince Alliance Head Hua to help us out in this matter. It''s a pity that the Chun Feng Sect has decided to stand on opposing sides with us. Well, but I guess even if they hadn''t before, they definitely wouldn''t help us with somebody who was deemed a demon by another demon-hunting sect."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded. "I think so as well. At this time, we can only rely on ourselves. In the worst case, we''ll just have to investigate the demon-hunting sects without anybody else getting involved."


    Elder Geng looked at him and patted his hand. "Zhi Wu would not want you to get into trouble because of him. If we have to investigate, we should send somebody else."


    Nian Hong Fang gave him a smile but didn''t say anything. They both knew that it would be best if they didn''t involve anybody else. As for whether or not he would be able to find anything out, that was a different matter altogether.

 Chapter 943 - Nothing More Important

    It didn''t take long for the Grandmaster''s message to reach the Liu He Alliance and needless to say, Hua Min didn''t hesitate at all to respond to this call for help. He rushed over to the Yun Zou Sect after informing the other Alliance Heads, taking a few disciples with him once again in case they needed help for their investigation as well and not just for confronting the culprit.


    When he arrived, he had one of the disciples guarding the Yun Zou Sect''s gates bring him right over and didn''t even settle down his disciples first. The letter hadn''t detailed what exactly was going on just that some of their disciples were in trouble and that they were likely confronted with somebody so powerful that they couldn''t face them alone.


    That did worry him a lot. After all, even though the Yun Zou Sect had declined over the years, they still qualified as a first-tier sect, albeit barely. How many organizations were there that could make their Grandmaster say something like this?


    Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t look too worried when Min Huan in arrived. He nodded at him and then motioned at the disciple that had brought him over. "Please go and ask the Grandelder, Elder Geng, as well as Nian Hong Fang and Wu Min Huan over."


    The disciple cupped his fists and bowed. "Certainly." With that, he turned around and left to do what he had been told.


    Only when the disciple was gone, did Zhangsun Xun Yi motion at the seat across from him. "Why don''t you have a seat? Do you want some tea?"


    The Alliance Head went over and sat down but shook his head. "Don''t bother about that. Just what happened? It seems like things have to be really rough if you''re asking for my help again." After all, Zhangsun Xun Yi had never been like that. Even though the Yun Zou Sect hadn''t always been in a good position, he had always insisted to do things himself. He wouldn''t just ask somebody''s help for matters if he could solve them on his own.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi still picked up the teapot and poured him a cup. "I wasn''t originally involved in this matter. So I think it would be better to let the people have dealt with this so far tell you. I wouldn''t want to say anything wrong that would make things worse in the long run."


    Hua Min sighed but still picked up the teacup and nodded. "Thank you. If that''s the case, then I can understand. Anyway, they should be here soon." He glanced back at the door, making sure that nobody had come yet before he leaned over the table and lowered his voice. "What about that person? Has he ¡­"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head. "He hasn''t. My disciple and his fiance have left though. So maybe it won''t take much longer. I''m not sure about that though. To be honest, I don''t know what exactly his intentions are."


    Hua Min nodded. "Well, I guess that person wouldn''t share his thoughts with just anyone." He looked at Zhangsun Xun Yi in a daze and then gave an embarrassed smile. "Not to say that you''re just anyone. You''re obviously very important to the Yun Zou Sect and I''m sure that he values you. But ¡­ I guess in his eyes ¡­"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi gave a rare smile in return. "Don''t be so serious. We''ve been friends for so long. Do you really think I wouldn''t know your mind? Anyway, he''s taking care of his husband. In his mind, there is probably nothing more important than that."


    Hua Min sighed again when he thought of that husband. "I guess when you''re married to such a beauty, then there couldn''t be anything more important. Ah, for single people, it''s really a bit painful to watch them like this, isn''t it? To not only have such talent, but to also be able to find such a good spouse. Sometimes, I feel that the world is unfair."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi raised his brows. "You''re saying that now but back then, weren''t you making fun of him for never finding himself a partner? I remember how you were gloating when your Master married before him."


    Hua Min froze in embarrassment but just then, steps sounded from outside and the Grandelder and Nian Hong Fang walked in one after the other, saving him from having to refute those words.


    "Grandmaster Zhangsun, Alliance Head Hua, please excuse us for letting you wait."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi smiled and shook his head. "I only sent somebody over after Alliance Head Hua arrived. There really is no fault on your side."


    Hua Min nodded and affirmed his words before he waved at his own disciples. "The Grandelder just arrived, don''t you feel like you should get him a chair or something?"


    The Grandelder wanted to reject the offer but one of the disciples from the Liu He Alliance had already cupped his fists and bowed.


    "Our apologies, Grandelder. It was us who weren''t considerate enough." He glanced at Zhangsun Xun Yi who motioned to the room on the other side of the corridor and then went to get a chair. Considering that Elder Geng would also be coming over, he took a second one just in case and put both of them down in front of the table, so the two of them could sit next to their Alliance Head. Only then did he step back and stayed at the side of the room with the other disciples.


    Soon enough, Elder Geng and Wu Min Huan also arrived and greeted everyone before the Elder sat down. Grandmaster Zhangsun looked at all of them one after the other and then turned to Nian Hong Fang. "I called Alliance Head Hua over to help us out in this matter with Ma Zhi Wu and the other two. I haven''t told him too much about the situation since I''m not privy to all the details. Why don''t you explain again to make sure we''re all on the same page?"


    Nian Hong Fang nodded and turned to Hua Min, explaining the matter from the beginning to end, not leaving out any detail. Anyway, Ma Zhi Wu''s origin would soon be exposed anyway. Since this person was on their side, he might as well tell him.

 Chapter 944 - Why Were They Excluded?

    Hua Min looked at Nian Hong Fang in a daze when he had finished. "That''s ¡­" He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to sort his thoughts. Only then did he look up again and spoke up to make sure he had understood everything right. "Your lover has the blood of the demon beast tribe running in his veins and was captured by the disciples of a demon-hunting sect?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked at him with some interest and then couldn''t help but chime in. "As for the other two disciples, I do think that one of them might have some relations with the dragon race. That golden hair color is ¡­ quite distinctive. It isn''t something that would appear in humans. So it is not much of a wonder that a demon-hunting sect would mistake him for a demon." Anyway, he wasn''t too sure if it was true but considering where his own disciple came from and that person in the secret realm, it was logical to assume that there would be others from their race around.


    Nian Hong Fang nodded. "That is indeed right. Xiao Dong''s appearance is ¡­ Well, let''s just say that compared to Ma Zhi Wu, I''m not really surprised he was suspected. I don''t know for sure which race he is related to though. We''re not that close even though we''ve met a few times."


    The more he heard, the more bewildered Hua Min felt. He turned to Zhangsun Xun Yi and raised his brows. "This ¡­ Did the Jian Yi Sect not contact you?"


    "The Jian Yi Sect?" He didn''t know what they had to do with this but it seemed that there was something that Hua Min knew that was not yet known to them.


    Hua Min hesitated for a moment. The Liu He Alliance had been part of the conversations between the Jian Yi Sect and the other high-ranking sects and families had. So he was privy to the details of what had happened.


    From what he knew, all the other sects whose disciples had been captured had received an anonymous letter telling them where their disciples were and just what had happened to them. The Jian Yi Sect had also been given a list with all the names of the disciples and their sects but he hadn''t seen that one so he wasn''t sure if the Yun Zou Sect had been included in that one.


    Anyway, why wasn''t the Yun Zou Sect the same? He couldn''t imagine that this was a decision made by the Jian Yi Sect and rather suspected that whoever had tipped off everyone else had decided on excluding them, maybe not even mentioning them in the list. But why the Yun Zou Sect alone? That matter was actually quite worrying.


    Hua Min furrowed his brows but he couldn''t think of any reason on the spot. If he wanted to find out, then it would be best to talk it over with the people from the Yun Zou Sect that were involved in this and then ask the Jian Yi Sect for their opinion.


    Hua Min turned back to Zhangsun Xun Yi, his expression still grave. "The sect who did this is very likely the Chun Feng Sect. In fact, the Jian Yi Sect received information a while ago that they had abducted several disciples from other righteous sects on the grounds of suspecting them to be demons. They never notified any of the sects and kept quiet about the matter.


    "Most of ¡­ or, no, I should say all of the sects that were involved received a letter telling them about it. I''m quite surprised that you didn''t. Anyway, the Jian Yi Sect has been discussing with several of the high-ranking sects and cultivation families so they should come to a conclusion on how to deal with it soon. I don''t know if you would like to wait until then and let them sort this out. Either way, the Chun Feng Sect will definitely be confronted about this sooner or later and the disciples will likely be freed and probably tested to see if they are indeed demons or just have some non-human blood."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi''s expression turned subtle. The Chun Feng Sect? They had been on good terms with them for so many years. They had helped each other out as if they had an actual cooperation even though nothing had been written down. It was just a feeling of being able to mutually trust each other.


    But now, this was the sect that had taken three of their disciples prisoner and not even announced that to them? What more, they had wanted to take more of their disciples. After all, they had tried to go after Qiu Ling and that person the last time. This really put matters in a completely new light.


    "I guess there''s no doubt that it''s them in this case. And yes, I think it would be best to talk things over with the Jian Yi Sect. But since we weren''t involved by them previously, it would be difficult to reach out to them. Would you mind ¡­?"


    Hua Min shook his head. "That isn''t a problem, of course. I''ll write a letter right now and send it over. I and my disciples can also stay here until things have been sorted out. That is, if you don''t mind."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi once again smiled. "That is a generous offer on your part. It would be us who are being ungrateful if we rejected it." He turned to Wu Min Huan, raising his brows.


    The disciple straightened up and nodded in Hua Min''s direction. "Alliance Head Hua doesn''t need to worry. I will tell somebody to prepare lodgings for you. If there''s anything else you need ¡­"


    Hua Min waved. "Just a place to stay will be enough." He didn''t say anything more and instead turned back to Zhangsun Xun Yi. "Let me borrow a brush and paper from you then."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and pushed the things over, watching his friend write down the message. Inwardly, he couldn''t help but wonder just what was going on. All the things that happened ¡­


    The last few years had been much more filled with surprises ¡ª both of the good and the bad kind ¡ª than all the years before. When had that started? And was it a good or bad thing for the Yun Zou Sect? He didn''t know and he didn''t dare to assume either. This matter ¡­ He could only wait and see how it played out.

 Chapter 945 - Doesn’t Sound Very Impressive

    When the paper crane fluttered into the palace of the Jian Yi Sect''s Sect Master, Fei Bai Mu was currently playing with her new disciple. By now, the members of the Hua family had already left with heavy hearts, leaving Hua Lin Yu behind with his Master and his martial sisters and brothers.


    Needless to say, Hua Lin Yu did not have any trouble winning these people in the Jian Yi Sect over. From the first day he arrived, the Sect Master''s other disciples had been fussing over him, competing over who would be allowed to hold him or play with him, making the Sect Master wonder if she had really made the right decision.


    Today, she had finally managed to shoo her other disciples away, giving her the opportunity to spend some time with her little disciple herself.


    Hua Lin Yu was currently clinging to her neck, refusing to let go. Apparently, this was something he just liked to do. It gave her a bit of a headache and made her realize just why that Xin Lan from the dragon race had reacted like that before. Needing to carry a child around like this all the time really wasn''t easy. Thankfully, she had been right that most of her disciples had outstanding looks so having somebody take him over for a while every now and then wouldn''t be a problem at all. And, well, when he got older, he probably would stop behaving like this, wouldn''t he?


    Just when she wanted to start teaching Hua Lin Yu a little bit about cultivation, proving with her actions just how useful their Master and disciple relationship would be, the paper crane fluttered into the hall and landed on the armrest of her chair.


    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows and then looked at her little disciple. "Look at that. Your Master is extremely important. Somebody would actually send a paper crane with a message to me right now. It must be really urgent. Do you think we should have a look?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at the paper crane and then back at his Master and finally nodded. "If it''s so important, then we should definitely look." What if it was his family? He reached out and took the paper crane, handing it over to Fei Bai Mu.


    The Sect Master laughed and took the message from him, slowly unfolding it and taking a look. Seeing that it had come from Alliance Head Hua, she couldn''t help but raise her brows. "It''s actually from the Liu He Alliance. You do know the Liu He Alliance, don''t you?" She looked at her youngest disciple, trying to use this as an opportunity to make up for not being able to teach him anything else right now.


    Much to her dismay, Hua Lin Yu nodded his head though. "Big brother told me about them."


    Hua Lin Rong had made it a point to teach his younger brother about all these things. He felt that he definitely needed to know who the important cultivation families and righteous sects were so that he wouldn''t get into trouble. Even though the Hua family had a lofty position, that didn''t mean that they could afford to offend just anybody. So his younger brother definitely needed to know about these things.


    Fei Bai Mu sighed but nodded and patted his head. "Your big brother did very well in teaching you." She hoped that there would be things she would be able to teach him as well though. "Let''s see what he wants ¡­" She looked over the message and then started to furrow her brows. "That''s quite interesting. Have you heard of the Yun Zou Sect?"


    This time, Hua Lin Yu shook his head. While his brother had told him a lot, the Yun Zou Sect wasn''t prestigious enough to enter his eyes. Naturally, he wouldn''t bother mentioning it to his little brother.


    "Well, I guess then I should tell you." Fei Bai Mu folded the paper crane back up and stuffed it into her spatial back before she turned to her disciple again. "The Yun Zou Sect is one of the so-called first-tier sects. They are a righteous sect just like us but much smaller. Actually, they were quite a bit bigger in the past but they declined over the last few thousand years. Right now, the only ones that are noticeable members are their Sect Master Yuchi Bing Xia and their Grandmaster Zhangsun Xun Yi. As for their Elders ¡­ Well, they do have a Grandelder that is proficient in refining pills but that''s about it."


    "That doesn''t sound too great." Hua Lin Yu really didn''t feel very awed when he heard that. Even in his own family, there were enough people that were able to say the same about themselves. In fact, his mother was probably a better pill refiner than the Grandelder of the Yun Zou Sect and with his older brother, his father, and his grandfather, they definitely didn''t lack any strong cultivators.


    And that was just the direct line of the Hua family. If they counted the branch families as well, then the Yun Zou Sect definitely couldn''t compare. There was a reason why this kind of family had been invited when the Jian Yi Sect wanted to discuss the matter with the demon-hunting sects.


    Fei Bai Mu nodded her head. "I guess you can say that. Just don''t say to their face when you see them. Anyway, this sect seems to be entangled in a matter that we have been investigating for a while now. Alliance Head Hua from the Liu He Alliance has promised to help them and is now asking for our opinion. What do you think we should do?"


    Hua Lin Yu pondered this question deeply. "They won''t be able to help themselves?"


    Fei Bai Mu shook her head. "I''m afraid they won''t."


    Hua Lin Yu pondered some more and then nodded. "Then we should probably help them too." Anyway, his family had told him that it was important to help people out when they were in need. Especially so if they were weak and you were strong and it didn''t require much effort. It was always better to be nice to people than to offend them.


    Fei Bai Mu nodded her head again and ruffled Hua Lin Yu''s hair. "It''s a very good decision. I guess the two of us should just go over then and ask them for some more details." With that, she got up from her chair and carried her little disciple outside.


    In fact, she very much wanted to go to the Yun Zou Sect and have a look around. After all, their own elusive Grandmaster was rumored to have settled down with his spouse there. She''d really didn''t like to get a glimpse at them and see if it was true.

 Chapter 946 - Whose Descendant?

    Fei Bai Mu directly left her palace and only waved over a disciple so they could relay a message for her. After all, she at least needed to tell somebody that she would be going out and maybe only return after a few days. If something came up, somebody else would also need to take care of matters.


    As soon as that was done, she left the sect grounds and flew over to the Yun Zou Sect. She didn''t even bother sending a message first. Anyway, these people had asked for help, hadn''t they? Then they should be happy that she was able to come over this soon. She would make sure of what was going on, sniff around a bit to find out if their own Grandmaster was there and then solve the issue that they had been confronted with as thanks. That should be the best for everyone, shouldn''t it?


    When Fei Bai Mu appeared in front of the disciples guarding the gate of the Yun Zou Sect, the two of them had no idea who she was. They looked at her and the child in her arms, wondering to themselves just what was going on. It couldn''t be that ¡­ this woman was trying to make somebody recognize a child as their own even though it wasn''t?!


    The two of them exchanged a glance and then looked back at Fei Bai Mu. "This ¡­ I wonder what you might''ve come here to do?"


    Fei Bai Mu gave the two of them a look. "I was asked over by your Grandmaster. I''m from the Jian Yi Sect. I''m sure he will know who I am when he is told." Well, the one who had messaged her was that Hua Min from the Liu He Alliance but he was friends with Zhangsun Xun Yi as far as she knew and anyway, it would be strange telling the disciples in the Yun Zou Sect that somebody from another sect had asked her to come here. That would just be asking for trouble.


    The disciples once again exchanged a glance. The Grandmaster ¡­ She wouldn''t be trying to make him the father of the child, would she? One of the disciples wanted to speak up but Fei Bai Mu just raised the jade that was hanging from her waist and held it in front of his face. "Are you going to bring me over now or not?"


    The disciple''s eyes widened when he took a closer look at the jade. This ¡­ This really seemed to be the jade of the Jian Yi Sect. They actually had a guest of the Jian Yi Sect?! This was big news! He couldn''t help but want to go and spread the rumor but naturally, the guest first had to be escorted over. Thus he hurriedly nodded and then motioned in the direction of the Grandmaster''s palace. "Of course. Follow me, please."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded with satisfaction and then followed the disciple. The other one stayed at the gate, watching the two of them leave. He really wanted to go and tell somebody but, unfortunately, he had to continue to stand here and wait until the others came to start their shift. Only then would he be able to tell everyone else. It really was a pity.


    Fei Bai Mu soon arrived at the Grandmaster''s palace. The disciple cupped his fists and bowed, announcing her to the people inside before he left with a heavy heart when the Grandmaster asked her to enter.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t go inside with her. He really would''ve liked to know what this visit was about. And who was the child? Even if the woman was from the Jian Yi Sect, who was to say that this was actually the Grandmaster''s child? Maybe there was something that they didn''t know about.


    Thankfully, Fei Bai Mu had no idea what the disciple was thinking about. She stepped inside and walked straight to the Grandmaster''s study. When she arrived, not only Zhangsun Xun Yi but Hua Min was also there. She raised her brows and nodded at the two of them. "It seems that I went to the right place."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi actually got up this time and lightly bowed. "Many thanks to Sect Master Fei for coming here on such short notice."


    Fei Bai Mu went over and sat down, giving the two men a long look. "This concerns a matter that the Jian Yi Sect was dealing with. Naturally, I will be taking care of it."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi sat down again but kept quiet. Even though she said so, it was hardly such a simple matter. While the Jian Yi Sect had indeed dealt with this matter before, it was hardly normal for the Sect Master herself to go and take care of something like this. Normally, she should have at most sent one of her own disciples. But since she hadn''t, there was likely more to this than met the eye.


    Hua Min also nodded at her but then couldn''t help but look at the child in her arms. "I see that Sect Master Fei didn''t come alone. Who might this be?"


    Fei Bai Mu gave a smile and then intimately rubbed Xiao Yu''s head. "This one is my little disciple, Xiao Yu. Alliance Head Hua should take a good look at him. In the future, the disciples of your Liu He Alliance better shouldn''t pick a fight with. This little one is not only my disciple but also one of the descendants of the Hua family."


    Hua Min raised his brows. "The Hua family would actually let one of their children become a disciple of the Jian Yi Sect?" He could hardly believe it. Even though they shared the same name, they weren''t related but he was still very much acquainted with them. After all, the Liu He Alliance was on par with this kind of cultivation family. They had naturally met rather often in the past. And from what he remembered from those instances, the Hua family was fiercely protective of their members. They wouldn''t just let one of their children go to another place like that. He just couldn''t imagine it.


    Fei Bai Mu smiled and once again rubbed the child''s head. "What''s so bad about that? Our Jian Yi Sect is a very great place. Naturally, there will only be advantages to him staying with us. Anyway, why don''t you explain this matter about the Yun Zou Sect to me?" She turned back to Grandmaster Zhangsun and then leaned back, clearly not intending to speak about her disciple any further.

 Chapter 947 - A Secretive Person

    Fei Bai Mu listened quietly, her brows furrowing further the longer the Grandmaster talked. Zhangsun Xun Yi did not only tell her about the matter with Ma Zhi Wu and the other two disciples but also explained what had transpired at the last meeting with the Chun Feng Sect. After all, the suspicion toward his own disciple was the very same as that against the other three.


    "There aren''t any more disciples missing?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head. "Not that I know of. I can ask our Sect Master''s disciple to take a look at that though."


    She nodded. "That would be good. In most of the other sects, there are also one or two disciples missing but considering that the Chun Feng Sect already has three of your disciples imprisoned and still wanted to go after more of them, I''m wondering if there might be more to this. Especially since you''re the only ones who weren''t notified of this. I guess that Alliance Head Hua will have explained the matter of the letters to you?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "He mentioned it. I am not quite sure why we weren''t informed either. But I guess this might depend on who the person doing the informing is." He gave Fei Bai Mu a deep look but she just gave a noncommittal smile in return.


    "If I knew, I still wouldn''t tell you. Who knows if the person isn''t a disciple of the Chun Feng Sect? The more people that know of their identity, the worse this would be for them. I can''t let that happen."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "That is understandable. I''m just worried that it might be a person that has a personal vendetta against the Yun Zou Sect since we were the only ones left out. In the end, what if this means that all the disciples would be freed save for ours?"


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. "That is indeed a concern you should have."


    The three fell quiet and Sect Master Fei looked from one of the men to the other. "Speaking of a deeply hidden person that would inform somebody of some secrets ¡­ Is there nobody that Grandmaster Zhangsun can think of?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi raised his brows and then glanced at Hua Min. There was indeed a person he could think of. And he could also imagine that the Jian Yi Sect would have a special interest in finding out about that person. But he couldn''t speak of his whereabouts or anything else regarding him. "Why? Could it be that the mysterious person that knew about what the Chun Feng Sect was doing mentioned something of the like? Then it is even stranger that they wouldn''t notify us. You wouldn''t think that it could be one of our disciples, would you?"


    Fei Bai Mu shook her head. She didn''t know if Zhangsun Xun Yi was just playing stupid or if he really didn''t know anything but if Grandmaster Leng was indeed in the Yun Zou Sect, somebody had to know. And it should be either their Sect Master or their Grandmaster. Anyway, she would get behind what was happening. "It''s not that I suspect one of your disciples. It''s just that I heard some rumors and am currently trying to verify them."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked at her deeply, his thoughts churning. From what she had said, he was almost sure that she already had a hunch that Leng Jin Yu had returned. That ¡­ Could he just admit to that? After all, that person hadn''t opened up about his identity until the moment he couldn''t deny it any longer. Would he really want the Jian Yi Sect to find out? Anyway, it wasn''t like he could ask him.


    Seeing that Zhangsun Xun Yi kept quiet but still looked at her like this, Fei Bai Mu felt that there had to be more to this. She also hesitated for a moment but finally sighed and just said the truth. "Actually, the person that told us about the matter of the Chun Feng Sect mentioned that there was a certain someone at the Yun Zou Sect."


    This time, Zhangsun Xun Yi''s brows raised. As for the people who knew that the person was in the Yun Zou Sect ¡­ There should only be him and maybe his disciple and his disciple''s lover. Nobody else was aware of his identity. Not even the Sect Master. "Oh? Did that person mention anything else?"


    "Apparently, that somebody got married."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi and Hua Min once again exchanged a glance.


    In the end, it was Hua Min who cleared his throat. "That ¡­ I can imagine who Sect Master Fei is talking about. I''m just afraid ¡­ You won''t be able to see that person. Originally, I also came here because I wanted to extend my greetings when I found out. It''s just that ¡­ he is currently unavailable."


    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows. So it turned out that he was indeed here. It really made her wonder what was going on though. "Would Alliance Head Hua be so kind as to explain?"


    Hua Min gave an embarrassed smile and then motioned at Zhangsun Xun Yi. "I think that he would be able to explain better. I was only made aware of this a while ago as well."


    The two of them turned back to the Grandmaster and he sighed. "In fact, there''s not much to say about this. After this matter with the Chun Feng Sect, he and ¡­ his husband secluded themselves. I guess you could say that they don''t want to deal with this matter. Unfortunately, we are unable to reach them at the place where they are currently."


    Fei Bai Mu pondered and then looked at her small disciple. There was no way she would return after she had found out that he was here. "Let me see where he is currently at. I want to take a look at least."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi hesitated but finally nodded and brought her to the area behind the Sect Master''s palace.


    Looking at the array on the ground, Fei Bai Mu furrowed her brows. She stepped forward, extended a hand and then sent a sliver of spiritual energy into it.


    Inside the secret realm, Leng Jin Yu opened his eyes in his spot next to the lake and looked blankly ahead. That spiritual energy ¡­ If he wasn''t wrong, then he knew who this person was. And this time, it was actually somebody who was on his side. Well, more or less. Who knew how things had changed after all these years?

 Chapter 948 - The Pot and the Kettle

    Fei Bai Mu was not the only person coming over to the Yun Zou Sect. Back in the capital city of the Long kingdom, Jing Yi was looking at his mother with the apologetic expression.


    "We really won''t be gone for long. We''re just going to check on some things in the sect and then return as soon as we can. We definitely won''t leave uncle and aunt alone with this matter with Guanyu."


    Madam Zhong sighed and patted her son''s hand. "That girl has always been willful. Don''t you know that already? And it''s not like she ran away on her own. Her husband is with her and he''s a cultivator himself. She won''t be in any danger. It''s just a matter of time until she comes back together with Xiao Li. There''s no need for you to worry about her. Just go and do what you have to do." She turned to Qiu Ling next, reaching up and patting his cheek. "I guess I don''t have to tell you. Take care of Jing Yi when you''re out there. Even though you don''t have to care about Guanyu, I''d also be happy if you came to visit again sometime."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Of course, mother-in-law. I''ll definitely bring Jing''er over some more in the future." Don''t joke with him, he had already seen that his beloved was anxious about how his mother was doing. Naturally, he would let him spend some more time in the capital city from now on. Even if he had to live with that stupid girl hanging around all the time, he could also deal with it. Anyway, if he and his beloved were there, she wouldn''t need to help out in the teahouse. The two of them could do that while she went to help her father or something. Wouldn''t that be much better?


    With that thought, Qiu Ling wasn''t too worried. He gave Madam Zhong a smile and then turned to his beloved, tugging at his hand. "Well, I guess we should go then. Anyway, if you don''t want to, we also don''t have to return to the Yun Zou Sect. I''m pretty sure they are able to handle everything on their own."


    Jing Yi smiled wryly. He also knew that Qiu Ling didn''t want to but he still felt that it was better to go there. "It''s just for checking out how things are. If there''s nothing else to consider, then we can return right away. We''ll just go and take a look."


    Qiu Ling nodded and the two of them finally left the teahouse and then flew over to the Yun Zou Sect.


    Considering that all of this had started with Ma Zhi Wu, they first went to the Grandelder''s palace. If somebody was sure to be up-to-date with what had happened in the last week and a half, then it would be Nian Hong Fang.


    The person in question was currently pacing up and down in his Master''s study. They already knew where Ma Zhi Wu was but now, they had to wait for the Jian Yi Sect''s Sect Master to answer Alliance Head Hua''s message. Once again, they had to wait. It was starting to drive him crazy.


    When he heard steps behind him, he whirled around, a hopeful expression on his face. Seeing that it was Jing Yi and Qiu Ling who came in, his expression dimmed somewhat.


    Jing Yi raised his brows. "Senior martial brother Nian ¡­ What''s the matter?"


    Next to him, Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes. It seemed that this Nian Hong Fang had been waiting for somebody else. "You probably found out where he is?" And maybe he was even waiting for him to appear in front of him again? Then these guys had been even faster than he thought!


    Nian Hong Fang sighed and schooled his expression. "I''m sorry. It''s true, we found out where he is. Right now, we''re waiting for the help of another sect to figure out how to go from here. In fact, this isn''t as easy as we thought it''d be." He motioned at the table and then sat down with the two of them, explaining just what had happened.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but stare at him in a daze when Nian Hong Fang finally finished. "It actually was the Chun Feng Sect? I can''t believe it." Even though there had been a confrontation between them the last time, he had been sure that that had just been a misunderstanding.


    They knew Hong Bao so he had always felt that that matter would be cleared up in the future as soon as they had the chance to sit down and talk about it. To think that things had actually escalated further and that even before that last meeting ¡­ This really made him wonder what it meant.


    Nian Hong Fang sighed. "I also wouldn''t have thought that. But it''s definitely the truth. I don''t think there can be any doubt about that if there are other sects who suffered the same fate. Their morals are really ¡­" He shook his head. "To be honest, it makes me wonder if the demon-hunting sects might not be worth than the demons. How can they say the demons are evil creatures but then stab their own partners in the back like this? It''s not right. It absolutely isn''t right."


    Jing Yi nodded while Qiu Ling didn''t bother to say anything. He actually felt that demons were indeed evil but those demon-hunting sects weren''t any better. Weren''t they all on the same level? What reason did they have to talk badly about each other? It was just the pot calling the kettle black.


    Anyway, this time, they had captured somebody from his own race, as well as a friend of his beloved. He shouldn''t just let them get away with it. Unfortunately, the dragons were still related to the demons so the demon hunters would be able to injure them quite easily. It really made him wonder what he should do about that.


    Anyway, as the king of the dragon race, he felt that it was time to show his might. He definitely couldn''t let them get away with this.

 Chapter 949 - It’s Not What You Think It Is

    Qiu Ling listened to the conversation between Jing Yi and Nian Hong Fang for a moment before he leaned over to his beloved. "My love, let me go check out something for a moment. I''ll be back in a minute." He kissed Jing Yi''s cheek and then got up, leaving the Grandelder''s palace.


    Jing Yi raised his brows but then just shrugged his shoulders. It was rare for Qiu Ling to actually leave him alone for a moment, much more so of his own volition. He really wondered what it was that he wanted to do. Well, maybe this was also because Qiu Ling finally trusted that he would be able to get away on his own if something bad happened. It was a good thing that he had trained so much in that realm.


    Meanwhile, Qiu Ling went over to the array that led to exactly that realm, only to meet with his Master and Fei Bai Mu there. Seeing a woman with a child in her arms, he couldn''t help but furrow his brows and point at her nose. "Whose child is that?!" It couldn''t be that his father had once again been a fool and been led astray, could it?! He really wouldn''t forgive him this time around! Shouldn''t you get a bit smarter after your reincarnation?


    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows and then looked at Zhangsun Xun Yi. "This person is ¡­?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi coughed. "This ¡­ is my disciple." He turned to Qiu Ling and gave him a deep look. "Qiu Ling, this is Sect Master Fei from the Jian Yi Sect. Don''t be rude to her."


    Qiu Ling was having none of that though. "Who cares who she is? I want to know whose child that is."


    Fei Bai Mu looked at this young man with some more interest when she saw that he was making such a fuss over the child. This ¡­ wouldn''t be the rumored husband of their own Grandmaster, would he? She looked him up and down, feeling that he was quite handsome.


    In fact, she was not the only one who thought so. Seeing Qiu Ling, Hua Lin Yu''s eyes lit up and he stretched out his little arms, wanting to be held by him.


    Qiu Ling''s expression darkened even further when he saw that. What did this child want from him? He definitely wouldn''t accept it! It was bad enough that his father had cheated on his so-called true love once but it would be even worse if he did do so a second time. If the old geezer wanted to castrate him after this, he definitely wouldn''t interfere. In fact, he might lend a helping hand and hold him down. His father was totally throwing away the face of the dragon race!


    Hua Lin Yu scrunched up his face when he didn''t get his wish and stretched out his hands even further. "Hug!"


    "Who''s going to hug you?! If you dare to call me brother, see if I won''t abandon you somewhere in the wilderness!"


    Hua Lin Yu froze and then blinked his eyes. "Uncle?"


    This time, it was Qiu Ling who froze. "Uncle?" But ¡­ "I don''t have any siblings! I''m obviously an only child! Where did a nephew pop out from?" Don''t tell him his father had actually had another wife in his past life? Or was it one from this life? No way! He had to get behind this matter!


    Qiu Ling turned around and threw an attack at the array, calling out. "Old man! You better let me in right now! I have some questions to ask you!"


    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows but before she could ask, the array finally lit up and the three adults with the child were transported over into the realm on the other side.


    Fei Bai Mu couldn''t help but feel astonished. So when she carefully asked if she could enter, she was ignored but as soon as this person came and started scolding him, he opened up? Could somebody explain this to her?


    She side-eyed Qiu Ling and couldn''t help but wonder. Their Grandmaster actually had a secret husband. So considering what he just said ¡­ Maybe he also had a secret son?


    The notion was ridiculous but she couldn''t help but feel that there had to be something to this. After all, this young man had immediately asked about the child in her arms and had been scolding the person inside this realm as an old man. Most likely, that meant that either their Grandmaster or their Grandmaster''s husband should be his father? It did make some sense.


    At that moment, Leng Jin Yu already appeared at the entrance to the palace in front of them. "Could you make less of a ruckus? You''re going to disturb Jinde''s meditation." He didn''t know what was going on but he definitely couldn''t let him disturb Jinde. His lover was still far from being healed even though things were going better. He couldn''t let him miss out on valuable time.


    Qiu Ling didn''t care about that at all. He once again pointed at Fei Bai Mu and the child in her arms and looked at Leng Jin Yu with a stormy expression. "Who''s the child? And who is that woman?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at her and then raised his brows. "That''s ¡­ Sect Master Fei of the Jian Yi Sect and ¡­ I have no idea who the child is." He looked at her, feeling a bit puzzled himself. Fei Bai Mu ¡­ She definitely wasn''t the type of woman he ever expected to become a mother.


    Fei Bai Mu smiled in return. "I somehow feel that your gaze is a little offensive, Grandmaster Leng. But then again, maybe it is more offensive that you''re hiding in the Yun Zou Sect instead of coming to our Jian Yi Sect. Why don''t you explain that to me before I tell you who this child is?"


    "I asked first!"


    While the adults were arguing, Hua Lin Yu was still stretching out his hands, asking for that hug he still hadn''t gotten.


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his forehead seeing the scene and motioned at the palace behind him. "I have no idea what you''re thinking about, Qiu Ling, but this is definitely not what was going on in your head. How about this? We can all go in and sit down to discuss this. I can explain matters to Sect Master Fei and she can clear this matter up."


    Fei Bai Mu gave a hum and then went over, not even waiting for the two men behind her to catch up. "That sounds good to me. Anyway, I feel that this will be a long story."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. Unfortunately, she might be right about that. He definitely didn''t believe that she would let him off with just half of the truth. No, this woman would definitely ask for every last detail.

 Chapter 950 - More and More People Like That

    Qiu Ling was fuming but he still went after them, sitting down in the chamber that Leng Jin Yu brought them to. Grandmaster Zhangsun only sighed and also followed them, feeling that he should''ve tried to stay outside when the array lit up and gone back to spend the time with Hua Min. This definitely wasn''t a matter he wanted to get involved in.


    Fei Bai Mu looked around, feeling a bit astonished when she saw the place. "I wouldn''t have thought that this was the kind of place that Grandmaster Leng would like to live at after his ascension. He always struck me as a little more ¡­ plain."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. In fact, he didn''t care about how the place where he stayed at looked at all. Whether it was a palace or a hut, he could still cultivate. But he had made this place look like this for Jinde and from what he had seen so far, his lover seemed to like it. Anyway, he did not really want to discuss that with Fei Bai Mu. "Well, some things are different now. Anyway, who is that child?"


    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows. "That''s what you want to know after all this? I thought you were going to explain what happened."


    "I am going to explain what happened. I''d just like to get this matter out of the way. I''m pretty sure the answer to that will be shorter than my explanation." And he really couldn''t take Qiu Ling''s accusing glare any longer.


    Fei Bai Mu looked at the young man that was sitting next to her who was still looking furious. "Relax, he''s my youngest disciple. He has nothing to do with our Grandmaster."


    Qiu Ling glanced at his father and gave him a long look. "Good for you. I totally would''ve told the old geezer."


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched but he didn''t say anything to that and just turned back to Fei Bai Mu. "As for your question ¡­ Originally, I did not intend for things to go like this. I was staying in the Nine Heavens after my ascension when some incident happened that required me to come back to the mortal realm. I was ¡­ Well, putting it simply, I had to investigate something that was taking place at the Yun Zou Sect. That was when I came here. In the end, even though that matter had been cleared up later on, I still stayed here because I met the person I wanted to spend my life with."


    "Even though you claimed that this matter was difficult to explain, you''ve finished quite fast." It really made her wonder if he had just been saying that and hurriedly made something up.


    Leng Jin Yu had no trouble seeing her doubt but he gently shook his head. "That is what happened. I just think that you won''t accept this bare-bones explanation, will you? So, what else do you want to know?"


    Fei Bai Mu looked at him for a moment and then glanced at her disciple that was still trying to be picked up by Qiu Ling. She sighed and then tried to hand him over.


    Even though Qiu Ling was finally convinced that this child was not his father''s illegitimate child, he didn''t look like he was planning on doing her the favor. "What?"


    "He likes to be carried around by handsome people. So just pick him up for a while."


    Hearing that, Qiu Ling didn''t hesitate any longer and just took the child. Obviously, he was the most handsome person in the room. Naturally, the child would want to stay with him. "Your disciple has such good taste."


    Fei Bai Mu stared at him until she was pulled back to reality by Leng Jin Yu''s sigh.


    "You were saying?"


    Fei Bai Mu shook her head and turned back to him, giving a smile. "The person you wanted to spend your life with ¡­ where are they now?"


    "Meditating. I''m also afraid you won''t be able to see him. He is ¡­ not quite in the condition to meet anyone right now." His gaze dimmed a little, making Fei Bai Mu furrow her brows.


    "Might I ask what the matter is? Even though you''ve already left, I still see you as a member of our Jian Yi Sect. Anyway, since you''re back, we should help you out if we can."


    Leng Jin Yu just smiled. "If it was that easy, he would''ve long been healed." After all, he would have been able to go out and get some resources for him and there was also Xin Lan who would never give up any opportunity to show his usefulness in front of Jinde.


    Sure, the Jian Yi Sect had more people but they wouldn''t be able to compare with either of them. Anyway, he also didn''t want to inconvenience them. And what would they get from helping Jinde? The two of them weren''t even residing in the Jian Yi Sect.


    Fei Bai Mu watched his expression, wondering what exactly this was about. She didn''t really mind helping the spouse of their Grandmaster. Anyway, if he had only stayed here because of that person and that person had to stay here because they were hurt, then it would be beneficial to them if they helped to heal them. After all, wouldn''t they be able to go to the Jian Yi Sect afterward?


    If she was able to get an ascended deity and his spouse to stay at the sect, there would be no way anybody would ever dare to make a move on the Jian Yi Sect. This was definitely beneficial to them.


    Qiu Ling looked from one person to the other and wasn''t quite sure what was going on. These matters of the mortal realm ¡­ He didn''t really care for them. Anyway, he hadn''t come here because of that. "If that were all the questions you had, can I ask one of my own? Old man, what do you know about the demon-hunting sects? I feel like teaching them a lesson but it''s a little troublesome for our race. Any ideas?"


    Hearing him mention that, Fei Bai Mu turned to get another look at him. This person ¡­ was not human either? It seemed she was meeting more and more people like that these days.

 Chapter 951 - A Bit Too Spoiled

    Leng Jin Yu didn''t answer immediately. Even though he had already learned quite a bit more about the dragon race than he had known the beginning, he still couldn''t say that he was as knowledgeable about it as he should be. Giving one of them advice about how to go about this wasn''t that easy. "Don''t you think it would be better to ask somebody of your own race about that? What about Xin Lan?"


    Fei Bai Mu''s brows raised higher and her little disciple also turned around to Leng Jin Yu, blinking his eyes.


    "What about uncle Xin Lan?"


    Leng Jin Yu lowered his gaze to him and then raised his brows. This child ¡­ knew Xin Lan? That didn''t seem like something very likely to happen. Could it be another person of the same name?


    Qiu Ling also looked at the child, raised him into the air and then unceremoniously handed him back to Fei Bai Mu. "You hold that brat yourself." He didn''t like that bastard. If this child had anything to do with him, then he didn''t want to hold him any longer. Even though he did have to admit that this child really had good taste.


    Hua Lin Yu looked at Qiu Ling in a daze. How come he was once again thrown off to his Master? His uncle Xin Lan had also done the same. It made him feel that things were really unfair.


    After pondering for a moment, Hua Lin Yu finally resolved to use the same tactic he had already used on the Hua family. He scrunched up his face and started to sniffle, looking at Qiu Ling expectantly.


    Unfortunately, the dragon king wasn''t interested in that at all. This was neither his beloved nor his own child. Why should he care if he cried? He just continued to look at his so-called father and raised his brows. "I have no idea where he went. Anyway, I don''t like talking to him."


    Despite her crying disciple, Fei Bai Mu couldn''t help but chip in. "Xin Lan? It wouldn''t be somebody of the dragon race, right? Silver hair? A mask covering half his face?" Actually, the more she listened, the more she felt it was possible. That person definitely didn''t seem like he was good to talk to.


    Leng Jin Yu looked at her in astonishment. So she had really met that Xin Lan somehow.


    Before he could answer, Qiu Ling demanded his attention back though. "What do you think? If you can''t think of something, can''t you call the old geezer over? A few minutes wouldn''t make a difference."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and shook his head. "Don''t you have your own advisers? What do you need Jinde for?" He turned back to Fei Bai Mu. "And it''s really that Xin Lan. How do you know him?"


    Feeling ignored, Hua Lin Yu slowly started to sob harder. He''d like to see how long they would be able to ignore him!


    Fei Bai Mu couldn''t help but feel a little helpless. From what she had seen for the last few days since Hua Lin Yu Yu had come to the Jian Yi Sect, he would do this all the time when he didn''t get his will. Apparently, he had been spoiled a bit too much by his family. This child really knew how to make others succumb to his wishes.


    She had hoped that things would get easier after he was in the sect for a while and learned to get along with everyone but looking at him right now, she wasn''t sure. Anyway, she didn''t quite know what to do. Should she try to comfort him? Or should she ignore it until he gave up on his own to show him that things couldn''t go on like they always had in his family? What was the right decision?


    While she was still hesitating over how to react, Hua Lin Yu continued to cry, making even more of a ruckus.


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows twitched and he looked at Qiu Ling. "Why don''t you just take him back?" He really didn''t want to disturb Jinde. And it certainly couldn''t be that much of a problem to Qiu Ling, could it?


    The dragon king crossed his arms in front of his chest though and raised his chin. "No." He refused to have anything to do with that bastard Xin Lan. Anyway, that wasn''t what he had come here for and he needed to go back to his beloved as soon as possible. Jing Yi was certainly missing him terribly.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and then flashed Hua Lin Yu a smile. "Qiu Ling isn''t always very nice. You don''t have to take it to heart."


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him, cutting a little back on his crying and then stretched out his arms. This big brother was also very handsome. He would reluctantly let him carry him around as well.


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows but thinking of Jinde, he stepped forward and picked the child up, pulling him into his arms. Anyway, as long as he didn''t cry anymore, it wasn''t a problem.


    Hua Lin Yu settled down and looked at him more closely.


    Just then, the sound of water could be heard and steps rushed toward the room, the door at the side that had been closed halfway opening completely.


    All eyes went to the person that had just stepped in. While Leng Jin Yu gave him a gentle smile, Fei Bai Mu''s eyes widened. This person ¡­ even though she had joked that all her disciples were good-looking, she suddenly felt that she had never before seen actual beauty.


    Jinde ignored her. In fact, he even ignored his own husband at this moment. Instead, he only looked at the small child in his arms and his eyes lit up in joy. He crouched down next to Leng Jin Yu and gave Hua Lin Yu a smile. "Well, hello, little one. What were you crying about right now?"


    Hua Lin Yu stared at him with wide eyes and then mechanically stretched out his arms. "Hug!"


    Jinde hummed happily and took the child out of his husband''s arms. "Oh? Do you feel better now?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and gingerly took one of the golden strands of hair into his hands. He looked at it in a daze, not quite sure if he should actually hold onto it. This hair seemed like it shouldn''t just be touched.


    Before he could bring himself to let go, Jinde laughed though. "Ah. Do you like it? It''s very pretty, right? When Jin Ling was young, he also liked to cling to it the whole day. It''s especially nice in the sunlight. Let me take you outside and show you."


    With that, the child was taken outside unceremoniously as if the other people didn''t even exist. Well, in Jinde''s mind, there wasn''t anyone but this child at the moment.

 Chapter 952 - Not Easy to Heal

    The four people left in the room looked at each other in silence. In the end, Fei Bai Mu cleared her throat and looked at Leng Jin Yu. "That ¡­ Will I get my disciple back?" This had gone a little too fast for her to react. Well, maybe it would have been a little easier if she hadn''t been so surprised when she saw that person. Anyway, she felt like she could see just why their Grandmaster had chosen to stay here. That probably was the type of person a man would go to extreme lengths for.


    Leng Jin Yu looked through the door that Jinde hadn''t close behind him and watched how he sat down at the edge of the lake with Hua Lin Yu, giving the boy a brilliant smile and talking to him softly. Jinde ¡­ looked extremely happy.


    After they met again in this life and finally got together again, Jinde''s mood had become much better already. But the things that happened before had done some damage and those scars weren''t easy to heal. Losing Chun Yin had been one thing. The matter with the demon king was another.


    He had already guessed that this might have hurt him even more deeply when Jinde had talked about having another child in the future. After all, he wouldn''t have brought it up otherwise. And ¡­ even though it had seemed as if he had joked back then, there had also been a certain seriousness to his gaze. It was something he dearly wished for, something that he wanted at all costs but didn''t quite dare to ask for. And now, seeing this child, all the thoughts seemed to come up again. It made him realize just how much Jinde really wanted this.


    He gave a hum and then turned back to Fei Bai Mu with a smile. "Jinde loves children. Just give him a bit of time. I''m sure he''ll let him go afterward." Although ¡­ it could be that Jinde''s heart would be really heavy when he had to do so.


    Before the Sect Master could say anything, Qiu Ling already huffed. "Just make one of your own. Why would you want to keep a child that has anything to do with that bastard?"


    Leng Jin Yu refrained from responding to that. He also had his troubles with Xin Lan but he wouldn''t take it out on an unrelated child. Although ¡­ He looked at Fei Bai Mu and raised his brows. "Actually, what does this all have to do with Xin Lan?" Before, they hadn''t been able to finish that line of thought because Jinde suddenly appeared but he was still curious.


    Fei Bai Mu leaned forward and tried to glance outside but there wasn''t much to see. Jinde was sitting with his back to them so the only thing they saw was that golden hair flowing down his back and gathering on the ground and that pair of slender shoulders clad in a white robe. "I guess your husband is also of the dragon race?"


    "He is. Actually, he and Xin Lan know each other quite well."


    "Mn." Fei Bai Mu nodded. "The child is the descendant of the Hua family. I don''t know how but they somehow got acquainted with that Xin Lan. He stayed with them for a few years, and that child took a shine to him. I''m not quite sure what exactly transpired there either. He only came to our sect about a week ago."


    "I see." Jing Leng Jin Yu lightly furrowed his brows and then looked outside again. If it had to do with Xin Lan ¡­ Normally, he would only ever do something for Jinde. But he really couldn''t see any reason for taking care of this child. Sure, Jinde loved children but it wasn''t like Xin Lan had brought him here.


    And anyway, the child was human. Wouldn''t a dragon child be better for Jinde? At the very least, it would grow up more slowly, giving him more time to make up for the things he had missed out on before.


    Leng Jin Yu pulled himself out of his thoughts and turned back to Fei Bai Mu with an apologetic smile. "Well, you certainly hadn''t come here because of that."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. "Not quite no. But then again, it seems that what I came here for isn''t that different either. The Yun Zou Sect asked for our help because of the disciples that went missing. The one behind that is the Chun Feng Sect. The person who informed us of this matter never mentioned the Yun Zou Sect but was able to give a detailed list of other sects'' disciples that had been taken captive. That person also mentioned that among the people that had been suspected to be demons was your husband.


    "Originally, I didn''t want to meddle in your matters. But when the Yun Zou Sect asked me for help, I thought it would be a good opportunity to come here without alarming anybody. Do you have any idea who that person could be?"


    Leng Jin Yu quietly pondered and then looked out of the door once again. "All things considered ¡­ I actually think it might be Xin Lan. There aren''t many people that know that I and Jinde are here. And I guess he would have an interest in making sure that the Chun Feng Sect wouldn''t come to bother us.


    "So in that case, I do think it''s likely for him to try to intervene. He probably mentioned me because he felt that it would make you get involved in this matter even if you didn''t care about the other disciples. And he probably didn''t say anything about the Yun Zou Sect and their disciples because he didn''t want to draw even more attention to the sect. He probably wanted to make it look like they had only suspected people from here but not actually taken them captive. That would have made you stay away from the Yun Zou Sect."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded but wasn''t quite sure what to think of this. She had only seen that Xin Lan person for a short moment when he had pushed the child to her. The impression she had of him ¡­ It wasn''t too deep. She had only realized that he had to be very strong. To think that he was actually involved with their Grandmaster and his husband ¡­ "Your relationship with that Xin Lan ¡­ How is it?"


    Qiu Ling looked from one person to the other and couldn''t help but grin. "I really wonder how you''re going to dress that up."


    Leng Jin Yu shot him a look but didn''t bother to say anything else. "Well ¡­ He is very important to Jinde. Naturally, it does sting a bit to see my husband be so close to another man. But it is nothing to worry about. The two of them have a strong bond. I''m not going to try and sabotage that. Anyway, he has done a lot for us. I think he is somebody that can be trusted."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded and didn''t ask any further. Anyway, as long as the person was on their side, she didn''t need to know anymore. The private matters of their Grandmaster ¡­ they could stay private for all she cared.

 Chapter 953 - An Old Friendship

    Zhangsun Xun Yi finally cleared his throat to pull the attention to himself. "Alliance Head Hua from the Liu He Alliance is here as well and would like to meet you. I didn''t bring him over this time since I wasn''t sure if you would be alright with that."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I don''t mind. I was friends with his Master back then." His gaze couldn''t help but turn downcast when he thought of it. They had only come to know each other when they had already been past their youth and both talents recognized by the cultivation world. There had been some rivalry at first but after going through some rough times together, it had turned into a deep friendship that lasted for many years.


    Unfortunately, his friend finally hadn''t been able to hold on and perished. It had been one of the reasons Leng Jin Yu finally decided to ascend. After all, he hadn''t had many good friends in the first place. After less and less of them were left, there was nothing holding him in the mortal realm anymore.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and got up. "Then I will leave for now. When should I bring him over?"


    Leng Jin Yu once again glanced at his husband that was still lavishing his affection on that child. "Actually ¡­ you might as well bring him over now."


    "Very well."


    When Zhangsun Xun Yi had left, Leng Jin Yu turned back to Fei Bai Mu. "How are things in the Jian Yi Sect?"


    "We''re doing well, don''t worry. Naturally, it wouldn''t be bad to have more help."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and once again glanced outside. "I guess I''ll be staying in the mortal realm for a while but ¡­ I''m afraid I can''t return."


    Fei Bai Mu also glanced outside, once again taking in the way Jinde''s hair shimmered in the sun and the way he held himself straight. He didn''t look hurt at all when seeing him this way. "What exactly is wrong with him?"


    Leng Jin Yu hesitated. This was a very private matter, wasn''t it? He felt like he shouldn''t talk about it.


    Qiu Ling huffed. "What are you doing? If the old geezer didn''t want you to share it, he would have pulled you out there already. Just because he''s injured doesn''t mean he can''t do anything anymore. He''s still able to hear everything."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed. Right. Jinde wasn''t the shy type. He would just come and interrupt him if he didn''t like where things were going. Still, he wouldn''t share the more intimate details in this with somebody else. Even if it was somebody like Fei Bai Mu that he knew well. "It''s an old injury, actually. And what is affected is not his body but his soul. It''s not easily healed. We found a way but ¡­" He sighed. "It''ll take time."


    Fei Bai Mu continued to look at that person and furrowed her brows. "If he was healed ¡­ would you consider returning then?"


    Leng Jin Yu also looked at Jinde, feeling torn. He had spent most of his mortal life in the Jian Yi Sect. To say that there were no feelings of belonging would be wrong. Then again, there was a certain sense of alienation as well caused by the long time he had spent there alone. Returning there would be bittersweet. Just like returning home only to find that your beloved family had already moved away.


    Furthermore, there was the Yun Zou Sect. He owed Sect Master Yuchi. So for the time being, he felt that he had to remain in the Yun Zou Sect. At the very least, until he managed to have somebody else take his place.


    And then, there was also Jinde. He had been cooped up in one place for so long. When he had finally healed, he would want to go outside again. But he had also said that he wanted to have a child. Did he intend to have one and travel around with it? Or ¡­ could he imagine settling down when there was a child? Looking at the way he was fawning over Hua Lin Yu, it seemed quite possible.


    "I ¡­ can''t decide that just like that. There are many things to consider. Anyway, he''ll need several thousand years to heal completely. I don''t think there is any reason to talk about it now."


    Fei Bai Mu kept quiet. Several thousand years ¡­ That was a long time. This injury should be very grave in that case. "I think ¡­ we still have some items that could be used to aid in his recovery."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled lightly. "They are the Jian Yi Sect''s possessions. How could I take any of that?"


    "Even if you pretend that it''s not that way, you are our Jian Yi Sect''s Grandmaster. And anyway, some of these items aren''t just for a single use. You can just borrow it for a while. As long as he takes even one year less, wouldn''t it be good?"


    This time, Leng Jin Yu hesitated. He understood Fei Bai Mu''s expectations clearly. He also knew she wouldn''t force him to do anything but how could he accept her good intentions and then not repay her? His pride wouldn''t allow him to do so.


    Outside in the courtyard, Jinde sighed. He knew clearly how inflexible his husband was in this regard. After all, he had been the same way when he brought up leaving the Yun Zou Sect before.


    "Eh, Xiao Yu, let''s go help out your uncle, yes?"


    "Which uncle?"


    Jinde pointed at the room. "That handsome one over there. You know what? His given name is Jin Yu. Isn''t that awesome?"


    Hua Lin Yu obediently nodded his head. "That sounds like a good name! He''s also very handsome. We should definitely help him."


    "Mn." Jinde got up and carried the child inside. He didn''t let go of him when he turned to Fei Bai Mu. "Sect Master Fei, I''m honored that you''re thinking on our behalf so much. Unfortunately, there really are some things to consider. And anyway, I''m afraid that the things you''re able to get in the mortal realm won''t help me much." He turned to shoot a look at Qiu Ling and nudged his knee with the tip of his feet. "It''s strange how a friend of my husband would offer her help while my own stepson still hasn''t bothered to take anything out to help me. Is your treasury running so low these days?"


    Qiu Ling only blinked his eyes. It seemed ¡­ he really should have done that?

 Chapter 954 - A Special Kind of Talent

    "Well ¡­" Qiu Ling finally pulled out a transmission stone and imbued some energy without thinking about it further.


    Jinde jumped behind the door at once, scolding him fiercely. "What are you doing, brat?!"


    Qiu Ling once again blinked his eyes but he had already started to contact the other person so it would be weird to stop. He merely turned around as if that would help somehow.


    Jinde facepalmed. That bear child! If he turned around, he''d be even easier to spot in the background! He stepped away even further and quietly complained about him to the child in his arms. "See that big brother over there? He''s handsome but stupid. In the future, when you''ve become bigger, you definitely have to make sure that you don''t just look for a pretty face. Make sure the person you marry also has the brains to match their good looks."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded earnestly. Afterward, his expression impression turned thoughtful though. "I''m going to marry uncle Xin Lan in the future. Then we''re going to be family."


    Jinde stared at him in a daze. "Xin Lan?" He had overheard before that this child had some kind of relationship with him but he was really wondering how things had developed to this degree. "Does Xin Lan know that you intend to marry him?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded hurriedly. "He said I should grow up and then marry him!"


    Jinde felt dumbstruck. This Xin Lan ¡­ How could he trick an adorable child like this just like that? Did he feel no shame at all?! Well, this one was still very small. Until he grew up, he might''ve already forgotten about it.


    With that thought, Jinde rubbed his head and smiled. "Well, if you want to marry him, then you should marry him. If you feel different about it until then, you also don''t have to. I''m sure Xin Lan would understand."


    Inside the room, Leng Jin Yu glanced at Jinde, his expression a little complicated. Shouldn''t Jinde be happy if Xin Lan found somebody else? Then at the very least, he wouldn''t need to worry Xin Lan would continue to be hung up over him. Leng Jin Yu didn''t say that out loud though and just kept the thought to himself. Anyway, they couldn''t force Xin Lan to fall in love with somebody else either. And it would be strange if he found somebody this fast after being in love with Jinde for such a long time.


    In the meantime, the person who Qiu Ling had tried to contact answered his call. "Your Majesty." Xiang Yong had furrowed his brows and his expression didn''t get any happier when he saw Qiu Ling and the room behind him. That place ¡­ I did look like it was in the dragon realm but obviously, the king hadn''t returned yet. More importantly, there was that ascended deity in the background that had come by the other day to meet Bai Mu. It made him a little worried. That relationship with His Majesty he had spoken of ¡­ Just what was it about? He wanted to know but he didn''t dare to ask. After all, the king had always kept to himself. Even if he asked him, he likely wouldn''t get an explanation.


    Qiu Ling just gave a curt nod. "Xiang Yong, I need you to help me with something."


    "I''m at your service, Your Majesty. Just say the word."


    Next to Qiu Ling, Fei Bai Mu''s brows rose. This person ¡­ He wasn''t just of the dragon race, he also ¡­ happened to be the dragon race''s king? Just what kind of freak coincidence was this? She really wanted to ask but now was hardly the time.


    Qiu Ling gave a happy hum when Zhong Yong was so quick on the uptake. "I need you to take a look at the treasury and take everything out that can help to nourish a soul."


    Xiang Yong''s gaze once again swept to the person behind his king and he couldn''t help but question his king this time. "Your Majesty, this wouldn''t have anything to do with that ascended deity Leng behind you, would it?"


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes and looked over his shoulder. "Him? Why?"


    Xiang Yong hesitated considering that this person was able to hear him but then gave a wry smile. "Well, he came by the palace a while ago. I found it quite coincidental that Your Majesty would meet up with him once again like this. I was just curious." Anyway, the king should know who he could trust and who he couldn''t trust. In that case, how could he interfere?


    Qiu Ling once again looked at Leng Jin Yu before he turned back to Xiang Yong. "Wasn''t he there to help my cousin-in-law? Anyway, this is important so check it right now."


    Xiang Yong nodded. "Of course. Then I''ll contact you again ¡ª"


    "No need. You just go look now and tell me what you find while you look for it. I don''t want to wait that long."


    Xiang Yong''s lips twitched but he still nodded and made his way over to the treasury at once. Anyway, this was very much like their king. It actually put him at ease to see his usual unreasonable behavior.


    He entered the room and then went to pick up a book that was displayed not far from the entrance, flipping through the pages. "Let me see ¡­" He finally found a treasure that fit what their king wanted and went to the shelf. When he looked at the place where the item should be placed ¡­ he was only faced with a gap though.


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. "What''s the matter?"


    Xiang Yong looked in the other parts of the shelf before he furrowed his brows. "Your Majesty ¡­ There seems to be something missing from the treasury."


    Outside of the courtyard, Jinde couldn''t help but look over. He couldn''t say that he was surprised that something like this would happen under Qiu Ling''s reign considering how his stepson behaved normally. It wasn''t a good thing though.


    Qiu Ling also turned serious when he heard that. "Just one thing? Check if there''s anything more. I''m pretty sure we should have several items that fit the bill. Wasn''t there a phoenix feather or something?"


    Xiang Yong''s expression turned subtle when he heard that. "There was one. But ¡­"


    "But?"


    "Your Majesty might remember that we had to offer that as tribute to the gods after that encounter with His Highness."


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes in confusion. "What are you talking about?" He had encountered his beloved many times. In fact, he had seen him almost daily for ten years and every single one of these encounters was engraved in his mind but he really couldn''t remember any time there had been something with a phoenix feather.


    Xiang Yong cleared his throat, feeling embarrassed to bring these old matters up. "The Heavenly Emperor accused you of having indecently assaulted his son and banned you from entering the Nine Heavens."


    Qiu Ling pondered and finally, his expression lit up. "Right! Wasn''t that after his birthday banquet?"


    Xiang Yong rubbed his forehead and nodded. Why was his king sounding so happy to have remembered this embarrassing story? "Yes, shortly after that." In fact, he still felt astonished that his king had actually managed to achieve that kind of thing just a day after meeting the person he had fallen in love with. Their king ¡­ truly had a special kind of talent.

 Chapter 955 - Maybe It Was Xin Lan?

    Qiu Ling put on a pensive expression. "I guess there''s no way that old bastard would give it back."


    Xiang Yong refrained from saying anything but his expression turned a little more strained. Wasn''t the person behind the king right now an ascended deity? Regardless of how you looked at it, that was still a god! What if he told the Heavenly Emperor about this? Or maybe the God of War? After all, Leng Jin Yu seemed to have to do with him.


    Qiu Ling didn''t care about that at all. He had been badmouthing the Heavenly Emperor for a long time already. He had even dared to do so in front of the Heavenly Empress. Why wouldn''t he dare to do so in front of a person that he felt to be on his own side?


    Thus he just continued to think about the matter at hand. "Well, even if the phoenix feather isn''t there, there should be other things." He was pretty sure of that. After all, prior to meeting Jing He, he had spent quite a bit of his time hunting for stuff so he wouldn''t need to stay in the dragon king''s palace. And bringing something back always gave him a good excuse for why he had been gone for so long. It was much preferable compared to just vanishing without a good excuse because this way, nobody would be there to nag him.


    Xiang Yong nodded and looked through the book, going to the next shelf to check on that item. As a result, he once again found himself in front of a gap. He furrowed his brows and looked back at the transmission stone. "Your Majesty, I''m afraid this is even more serious than I thought. This item is gone as well."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows in response. "That one too?" It wouldn''t have been him who took it without notifying anybody, would it? He tried to remember but couldn''t come up with when he had gone to the treasury the last time.


    If he took something, it should have been for Jing He. And he really couldn''t remember that he had given him anything that would be beneficial for nourishing the soul. And why should he? Back then, he hadn''t known that Jing He''s soul was injured as well. In fact, at that time, it hadn''t yet been injured, had it?


    Thinking of that, Qiu Ling couldn''t help but feel that this was a bit serious. It was one thing if he as the king just went to take some stuff but it was a different thing if somebody else went there without anybody noticing. "We should see if there''s anything else missing. Contact me when you find out."


    "Yes, your Majesty." Xiang Yong nodded but before he could say anything else, Qiu Ling had already cut the connection. Xiang Yong sighed, shook his head and then went through the book, checking one item after the other.


    Meanwhile, Qiu Ling lowered the transmission stone and pondered for a moment before he looked up at Leng Jin Yu. "Do you think it was Xin Lan?" This was the only person he could think of. Since there was the matter with Jinde, he would have a reason to search for items that were able to heal one''s soul.


    On the other hand, he was also in a position where people wouldn''t dare to ask after his matters. If he said he needed something from the treasury, he could even go up and ask someone to retrieve it for him. People would expect that he had been given his consent. And even if Xin Lan didn''t do that, he had the strength to get into the treasury and out of it without being noticed. That did make him the most likely suspect.


    Leng Jin Yu slowly nodded. "That might be. It''s hard to say though. He has known that Jinde is alive for quite some time by now. I think that if he intended to take anything from the dragon realm''s treasury, he would''ve done so quite some time ago already. But so far, he hasn''t come here to give anything to Jinde. That makes it unlikely for it to be him, doesn''t it?"


    "Well, he couldn''t get into this realm, could he?"


    Before Leng Jin Yu could say anything, Jinde already piped up. "He can''t get in without being let in but he can contact me. Since he knows that, why wouldn''t he have told me? Anyway, I think Xin Lan would be too proud to just take things from the treasury. He would go out and hunt for them himself if he intended to do this."


    "That''s also true. Well, I guess I''ll just leave that matter to Xiang Yong then."


    The four of them fell quiet and Jinde finally turned to Fei Bai Mu. "That matter with the demon-hunting sects ¡­ Does your Jian Yi Sect intend to do anything about it?"


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. "We have been discussing with some of the other sects for quite some time. In fact, he would have informed the other sects of our decisions very soon. I''m just afraid that the confrontation with the Chun Feng Sect afterward will be the toughest part."


    Jinde nodded. "In that case, I guess it would be best to leave things to you. It would indeed be difficult for the dragons to get involved."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "You''re just afraid they would spill the beans that you''re here. But you won''t be able to make me give up so easily. They hurt my beloved."


    Jinde raised his brows. "They hurt him? Why don''t I remember seeing that?"


    "He was scared. That''s almost the same as being hurt."


    "Almost." Jinde went back to Leng Jin Yu and sat down next to him. "Anyway, you''d put them at risk if you send them over there. It''s not something you''d want to see, is it?"


    The look Qiu Ling gave him wasn''t very reassuring. It really made Jinde wonder just why he had insisted that this person should follow onto his throne.

 Chapter 956 - I Need Him Now

    Fei Bai Mu cleared her throat to disperse the awkward atmosphere. "To be honest, it might be better to have some more people involved. As far as we know, the only sect that has indulged in such practices is the Chun Feng Sect but there will be a few others that will be of a similar opinion as them and I''d say it''s very likely that they won''t give up on the disciples they have imprisoned willingly either. While we can force them to speak with us, it will be more difficult to make them release the disciples. After all, they are also part of the righteous side. We can''t have a total fallout with them."


    Qiu Ling gave Jinde a triumphant look. "That sounds as if we should get involved after all."


    Fei Bai Mu gave a wry smile. "I''m just saying that it is difficult for us to force them to release anybody. But whether you should get involved or shouldn''t ¡­ I really wouldn''t dare to say so. You know better how much you and your people would be affected."


    Qiu Ling nodded and pondered. There was no denying that the weapons of the Chun Feng Sect had an adverse effect on dragons. And it would be even worse for somebody who had demon blood flowing through their veins like him. That did make it difficult.


    Nonetheless, he still felt that they should get involved in this. The question was how to do that without being hurt. After all, while it was reasonable for him to ask his people to get involved in this matter since one of the imprisoned people was of their own race, it would not be reasonable to do so at the price of somebody else losing their life. Getting some of them killed just to save one person ¡­ That wasn''t really worth it.


    If he send somebody, then he definitely had to make sure that they didn''t have any kind of demon blood. But even a pure-blooded dragon would be at risk. Maybe there was a way to counter those weapons? Some special kind of armor maybe? That would make his people less endangered by the attacks. Together with their own abilities, it wouldn''t be impossible to break those disciples out and teach those guys a lesson.


    He turned to Fei Bai Mu, his expression serious this time. "Those weapons of the Chun Feng Sect ¡­ Was there anything developed that is able to counter them?"


    Fei Bai Mu shook her head. "If it was that easy, the demon-hunting sects wouldn''t exist anymore. They''ve been hunting demons for several thousand years. Even if there had been a way to counter their weapons originally, I doubt it still exists. They''ve perfected their methods over time.


    "Anyway, the materials that are used for these weapons are already harmful to demons even when just growing in nature. They only become more deadly after being processed by the demon-hunting sects. So the most you could do would be to somehow reduce these additional effects if you found out how they forge their weapons. But even then, the original effects would remain.


    "I''m sorry I can''t tell you anything better but I''m afraid it won''t be easy. If you don''t come up with a plan ¡­"


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. This wasn''t a good thing for him. "Well, then what about the gods?" He didn''t have much hope that they would help them but they were allies. Maybe they would send a few people at least. His uncle-in-law should still be pretty grateful for what he had done regarding Bai Mu as well.


    "What do you mean?" Fei Bai Mu looked at him in confusion.


    Meanwhile, Leng Jin Yu nodded, already having understood what Qiu Ling was talking about. "The weapons are only harmful to those of demonic descent. Whether that''s the demons, the dragons or the demonic beasts. The gods or spiritual beasts, on the other hand, wouldn''t be harmed. Just like the humans don''t feel any special effect. To them, they are just normal weapons that can cause injuries if they are struck by them."


    Qiu Ling nodded slowly. That meant that the gods would be in a much better position to deal with this. He should indeed ask his uncle-in-law what he thought about this.


    Qiu Ling already wanted to take the transmission stone back out when he thought of something else. He narrowed his eyes and then got up, stepping outside so Jinde wouldn''t be in sight. He raised the transmission stone after all but the one he contacted wasn''t Qiang Yan. Instead, he tried to reach An Bai.


    The stone lit up but went dull immediately. Afterward, nothing happened. Qiu Ling furrowed his brows and imbued his spiritual energy again but the result was still the same. It seemed something was wrong on the other side.


    He pondered and then contacted Xiang Yong again.


    "What might be the matter, Your Majesty? I haven''t finished your task yet."


    "Where''s An Bai? Why isn''t he reacting?"


    Xiang Yong gave him a deep look and hesitated to speak up.


    "What?"


    Xiang Yong cleared his throat and put down the book that he had still been perusing. "Your Majesty, you do remember that the demon king took your beloved''s reincarnation hostage a while back, yes? And that he then demanded one of our people to be exchanged for him? An Bai was the one who offered to take that place and was then taken away. He should still be in the demon realm''s dungeon right now."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling blinked his eyes. Right, there had been something like that. "Well, I need him now. We should probably go and break him out."


    In the room behind him, Fei Bai Mu raised her brows, not quite sure what to think about everything she was hearing today. It seemed that life in the immortal realms was quite exciting.

 Chapter 957 - He Didn’t Believe It

    As for An Bai, he was currently standing not far from the bars of his cell in the demon king''s dungeon, flashing one of the guards what he deemed to be a flirty smile. Even though it had been several years in the mortal realm since he was imprisoned, to him in the demon realm, only a couple of days had passed. The only reason his heart was restless was because of the danger Ye Yang posed to him.


    Anyway, he was already slowly implementing his plan. Today, he might be able to finalize it if things went alright. It was just ¡­ there was a certain risk to it. Thinking about it made his scalp go numb but what could he do? He had to give it a try or things might go even worse. Thus, he forced himself to continue smiling despite the fact that his heart sank further and further.


    The guard couldn''t help but take another glance, feeling a bit complacent in his heart. It had been so many days since Ye Yang came to the dungeon daily, bringing presents with him and sweet-talking this guy but he hadn''t reacted at all. On the other hand, he hadn''t done anything but his job and the guy was trying to flirt with him. Obviously, he felt glee about that.


    Who was Ye Yang? Just because he was older and had a great deal of power didn''t mean that he was invincible in everything he did. Obviously, his personal charm fell flat.


    An Bai looked at the guard, his smile almost collapsing. He could see that this guy was rather happy about his seeming advances but why wasn''t he acting on it then? Weren''t demons supposed to be even more straightforward in these matters than the dragons were? And he had seen a lot of dragons leap at the very first opportunity to become involved with somebody. So what was it with this demon? It couldn''t be that everything he had learned so far was wrong, could it?


    He almost wanted to go back to the bench and sit down again, abandoning the idea of seducing a guard to get free when the guard finally slightly smiled back.


    An Bai almost heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed that this was just taking a bit more time than he had expected. There was no reason to give up yet. He could still give it a try and maybe his plan would actually work.


    He lowered his gaze, pretending to be a little shy. That actually did manage to draw the guard over.


    "Little beauty, you''ve been standing right behind the bars for quite a while now. What might be the matter with you?"


    An Bai looked at the guard deeply and slowly blinked his eyes. His fingers brushed through his white hair as if on coincidence while he turned his smile up a notch. "This big brother ¡­ Can I ask you something?"


    The demon gave a hum and leaned against the bars from the other side, his gaze wandering up and down. "Sure you can. I can''t promise that I''ll answer though."


    An Bai nodded obediently. "Very well. I guess I can''t expect anything more."


    The guard reached inside and picked up a strand of his hair, giving him a mischievous look. "I think I can imagine what you want to ask me."


    "Oh? Then what do you think it is?"


    The demon wrapped the hair around his finger and then motioned to the door. "I bet you want me to open that."


    An Bai''s smile grew a little strained. He ¡­ had probably been a little obvious?


    The guard grinned at his obvious discomfort. Even though he took pleasure in seeing Ye Yang fail to seduce this guy, he wasn''t an idiot. Naturally, he could see that there was a reason behind this dragon''s behavior. That didn''t mean that he couldn''t allow himself to have some fun though.


    On the other hand, An Bai didn''t know what to say for a moment. He had never been interested in anybody and he felt himself to be a rather serious person. So he had never really tried to flirt with anyone. Suddenly needing to do so wasn''t that easy for him. Naturally, even just going through the motions would seem ridiculous in the eyes of somebody knowledgeable in this regard.


    He lowered his gaze and then sighed. "Actually, it''s not quite that." Even if he couldn''t flirt, he still had his head. He believed that if it was about that, then among the advisers of His Majesty, only Xiang Yong would be able to compete with him. Dealing with an insignificant guard shouldn''t be a problem.


    "Is that so?" The guard grinned. He didn''t believe for even a single moment that this wasn''t what An Bai had in mind. But anyway, he was interested to hear what this guy would be able to come up with.


    An Bai nodded meekly. "Yes. You see ¡­ You''ve been here for quite some time so you''ve also seen that person come here every day, don''t you?"


    "Ye Yang?" The guard scoffed. "Naturally, I know." He didn''t like the direction this conversation was suddenly taking. Why was he talking about this? Shouldn''t he try to please him?


    An Bai could see that the demon wasn''t happy but he still went on. "That one, right. I believe that was his name. You see ¡­ Each day, he comes here, forcing me to spend time with him, delivering some ¡­ gifts as if that would definitely make me fall for him. I really can''t take it any longer. Can''t you do something about it?" He looked at the guard carefully, trying to look as if he really needed his help in this matter.


    The guard that had just gotten angry because An Bai was talking about Ye Yang instantly felt better. "So you want me to get rid of him for you?" That did insinuate that this guy thought him to be powerful enough to do that, didn''t it?


    An Bai gave a wry smile. He didn''t believe for a moment that a simple guard in the dungeon would be able to deal with a man like Ye Yang. "Well, you don''t have to go that far. Just ¡­ Not opening the door for him would already be quite good for me. Or maybe you could put me somewhere else so he doesn''t know where I am?" He reached up as if to brush through his own hair again but there was still the hand of the guard holding onto it. Their skin brushed against each other and the guard gave a low hum.


    "Let me think about that for a while." With that, he let go of An Bai''s hair and stepped back, his gaze unreadable.


    An Bai could only nod, retreating to the bench, unsure if he had achieved his goal. Anyway, he did not have another chance. He could only make this work somehow or he would be doomed.

 Chapter 958 - The One Thing He Couldn’t Resist

    Shortly after An Bai had sat down again, steps sounded from the corridor and soon, Ye Yang arrived in front of the cell, giving a faint smile. An Bai almost tensed up when he saw him but he forced himself to calm down. Ye Yang shouldn''t have been in time to hear his conversation with the guard. He just had to be as always and Ye Yang wouldn''t become suspicious.


    Actually, this might even be an opportunity for him. When that guard saw him interact as usual with Ye Yang, he might use the time to think about what he had said. Maybe he would be more inclined to make a favorable decision then. In that case, it might not need much more time until he could get out of here.


    Thinking like that, An Bai looked at the book in his hands as usual, not bothering to pay Ye Yang any more attention.


    The demon, on the other hand, sat down next to him with a smile. "Scholar An Bai, I''ve come to see you again. I also brought you another book." He took something out of his spatial ring and waved it in the air.


    When An Bai didn''t pay him any attention, Ye Yang leaned back and opened the book on his own. "I think you might find this one interesting. It''s actually a compendium of beasts. Or maybe that''s not the right way to put it." He fell silent and flipped through the pages. "Take a look at this. I think it explains the essence of this book very well. It''s an account of the features of the Winged Crystal Serpent. Scholar An Bai certainly knows that this beast is already extinct."


    Next to him, An Bai had trouble focusing on his book. While he knew that he had to ignore Ye Yang, he had to give it to him that this guy had managed to judge him quite well. Knowledge was the one thing he had trouble resisting. Being faced with all these rare books that contained information he would have liked to know ¡­ it sure was hard not to get entranced and just listen on.


    Still, he couldn''t let his curiosity get the better of him. With that thought, he turned the page of his own book, once again getting engrossed in reading.


    Ye Yang side-eyed him and tightened his lips for a moment. Just as he had thought this An Bai was indeed a tough nut to crack. So far, he hadn''t even been able to get his attention long enough to hold a conversation. It seemed he''d have to try harder.


    He looked back at the page and gave a low hum. "This book states that the relation between the Winged Crystal Serpent and the dragon race is quite close." He sighed. "Ah, I''ve always wondered just how the separation of the dragon race from the demon race came about."


    An Bai continued to read silently.


    "Don''t you think it''s interesting? Once upon a time, there must have been a group of demons that intermingled with others in a way so that the properties of their group changed completely. I guess it should have needed several generations for that to happen. After all, there are quite a few differences between us.


    "For one, there is the different magic. Let''s not even talk about the fact that the dragon race isn''t able to change spiritual energy into dark energy anymore, even the spiritual energy they can use is different. From earth and fire to water and air ¡­ How do you think that happened?"


    An Bai stiffened, his thoughts involuntarily drifting to the accounts on that matter he had read back in the dragon realm. This was a matter that most dragons didn''t like to discuss but it was indeed a fascinating subject for a scholar. After all, this was the foundation of their dragon race.


    Without that, they wouldn''t exist today. There would also be a difference in the way the immortal realms operated overall. With no dragons around, it would just be demons against gods, nothing more. There would be no alliance, maybe not even a war. After all, who knew if one side wouldn''t have won already? After all, the gods and demons differed quite a lot as well. Maybe ¡­ maybe even Tian''s curse wouldn''t have happened.


    Ye Yang smiled lightly when he saw An Bai''s small reaction. Mn, as expected, this was working after all. It was harder than expected but not impossible. He just needed time.


    As if he hadn''t noticed, he looked back at the book and turned the page. "You know what else I''m wondering about? The Winged Crystal Serpent might very well be the species that gave the dragon race its overall appearance. The shape, the scales, the eyes ¡­ all of these are similar between the two.


    "But what I''m wondering about is the specifics. While all dragons share the same appearance in general, they are quite the colorful race. How come there are so many variations? Does Scholar An Bai have an explanation for that?"


    An Bai turned the page of his own book in response, pretending to read. But his thoughts were once again somewhere else. This question was once again a good one. Especially since the fact that a dragon had mixed blood often showed precisely in the color of their scales and eyes.


    "Well ¡­" Ye Yang closed the book and put it down on the heap on the edge of the bench where he had placed all the previous books. "I guess Scholar An Bai isn''t as interested in this as I am. But that doesn''t matter. Maybe one day, Scholar An Bai will find the time to explain to me. I''d also like to hear some questions of your own then. But there''s no need to rush. I''m not a man that recklessly charges ahead. No, instead, I feel that some things ¡­ need some time." He glanced at An Bai and his smile got even wider. "In a way, is falling in love not just like researching an interesting question? Right now, I certainly feel that way."

 Chapter 959 - It’s Good Progress

    An Bai lightly furrowed his brows. Wasn''t this guy a bit too open with his plan? Wasn''t he worried at all that with giving it away, he would doom himself to fail?


    Well, most likely, Ye Yang wasn''t thinking about any of that. He was probably very assured that he would be able to make him fall in love so he didn''t mind the process too much.


    Anyway, he would let him have his way. He would make sure that his own plan came to fruition as soon as possible and then get out of here. Everything else would be too dangerous.


    Since he was sitting next to him Ye Yang wasn''t able to see his expression too well. He only noticed that he hadn''t turned the page in a while so he assumed that An Bai was definitely listening to him. A slight smile tugged at his lips. This was already good progress considering where they had been a few days ago.


    He sighed, closed the books that he was holding and then put it down on the heap next to him."Ah, you''re probably not interested in the subject. It''s alright. I''m sure I''ll be able to find something that is more to you liking very soon. Just give me a bit of time. I''ll definitely figure something out for you." With that, Ye Yang got up and then walked out of the cell, giving him a look over his shoulder on the way out and flashing him another smile. Only then did he leave the dungeon.


    An Bai heaved a sigh of relief. Whenever Ye Yang was there, he couldn''t help but worry about the future. It would be good if he finally managed to get out. Thinking of that, he turned to look at the guard that he had spoken to before.


    The man gave him a light smile and then looked down the corridor as if to make sure that Ye Yang had really left. Only then did he slowly come over. "Little beauty, it seems like you''re really not too fond of Ye Yang."


    An Bai got up from the bench and walked over to the bars of the cell. "I''m not. So ¡­ Have you thought about it?"


    The demon continued to smile, a deeper meaning hidden in his expression. "I guess it''s not a problem to do you a little favor. But ¡­ You see, I''m not a good person. Why would I help you without getting anything in return?"


    An Bai tried to look stunned for a moment before he lowered his gaze and pondered. "Well, I guess it is true. How could I expect your help for nothing else in return?"


    "Precisely. So what can you offer me?"


    An Bai looked up at him and gave a wry smile. "How could I have anything to offer? I''m currently imprisoned in this dungeon. There is nothing I have or that I can do that would be of any value to you."


    The demon gave a hum but didn''t seem discouraged at all. Instead, there was a certain intent to his gaze. "I''m not quite sure that that is indeed the case. I think that you have something that is of a lot of value to me."


    An Bai pretended not to get his drift and tilted his head, making his white hair slip down from his shoulder. "I''m afraid I can''t follow. What kind of thing might that be?"


    The demon reached out, grasping An Bai''s chin and pulling his face closer to the bars. "You really don''t get it?"


    An Bai glanced at those hands, before looking back up at the demons. "You mean ¡­"


    The demon''s smile widened in return. "But yes. Have you never heard that our demon race is a very passionate race? Naturally, a beautiful person has a lot of value for us."


    An Bai almost wanted to scoff. He really wasn''t sure if he would describe the demon race as a passionate race. In fact, it could even be said they were the opposite. The demons were cold. Cold to the point where it was hard to imagine that they had been different once upon a time and were actually related to the dragon race. The passion they felt ¡­ Wasn''t it coldly calculated? They only showed it when there was some kind of benefit for them, wasn''t that so?


    Regardless of what the truth was, he currently wasn''t in a position to judge anything. He had to go along with this guy. "Well, if I do count as a beautiful person in your mind ¡­"


    "You certainly do. In fact, I''ve never seen a more beautiful person. So I would be willing to do quite a lot for you, not to speak of something minor as telling Ye Yang to stay away from you."


    An Bai nodded. "Then I''ll have to give you my thanks."


    The demon let go of his chin and opened the door to the cell, stepping inside. He didn''t forget to close it behind him though, making sure that it was locked securely. He approached An Bai and pulled him into his arms, giving him a deep look. "I''m glad to hear that you''re corporative. It really would''ve been a pity if you couldn''t see it my way."


    An Bai gave a wry smile in return. If he could, he''d really like to use his claws right now. Unfortunately, he couldn''t. Even if he had been able to do so, he knew what was appropriate and in this situation that wasn''t. He forced himself to make sure that his smile looked at least a little sweet and then put his hands on the demon''s chest. "Well ¡­ There''s just one thing."


    "What? You wouldn''t want to pull back now, would you? I don''t think I could let that happen. Even if you say you want to."


    An Bai shook his head and then glanced around sneakily. "It''s not that. It''s just that ¡­ there are so many people around."


    "I don''t mind. If you ask me, they can know what is going on. I don''t have a reason to hide anything."


    "You certainly don''t. But ¡­ I can''t help but feel a little shy." He lowered his gaze, his fingers brushing the lapel of the demon''s robe. "You wouldn''t be able to have them leave, would you? Or maybe we could go somewhere else? Anyway, didn''t you want to bring me to another cell anyway?" He looked up, slowly blinking his eyes.


    The demon looked at him and then looked around the cell, finally giving a smile. "Alright. Wait here for a moment." With that, he let go of An Bai and stepped out of the cell once again, still making sure to lock the door securely.


    It seemed that he wasn''t yet letting down his guard.

 Chapter 960 - He Wouldn’t Try Anything

    An Bai didn''t need to wait long for the demon to return.


    When he stepped back into the cell, he held something in front of his face. "You wouldn''t mind, would you?" There was a clear tone in his voice, telling him that this couldn''t be anything good.


    An Bai looked at it more closely and realized that it was a silver bracelet with inscriptions on the inside. His lips curved up in a smile and he calmed down. He had expected that this would happen so he wasn''t too worried. As long as this guy didn''t do anything that he couldn''t anticipate, his plan would indeed work.


    "A bracelet to make sure I won''t be able to use my spiritual power even outside the cell? I don''t think it''s necessary but if you feel better this way, then I certainly won''t mind." To make sure that he seemed sincere, he even raised his arm for the demon to put the bracelet on.


    The guard looked at him, trying to see whether this was a trick or not. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could read from An Bai''s face. "Huh. You don''t want to try to argue?"


    An Bai raised his brows, seeming surprised. "Why would I argue with you? You''re doing me a favor, aren''t you? In that case, isn''t it only to be expected that I do what you tell me? And don''t forget that I was willingly imprisoned in exchange for my king''s beloved. Naturally, I know how to behave in this situation."


    The guard still had some reservations but thinking of it that way, he didn''t expect any hidden reason anymore. Anyway, the dragons were like this. They would do much more for their king than the demons would. Even if there was nothing to be had in return. "Well, if you really don''t mind, then that''s good. It would pain me if you were uncomfortable with this."


    Despite saying so, the demon didn''t look concerned at all. He grabbed An Bai''s arm and then slid the bracelet over his hand, fastening it around his wrist. He imbued some of his spiritual energy and An Bai could feel the inscriptions lighting up.


    He turned his hand and looked at the bracelet, his lips still curved into a gentle smile. "It looks quite good on me, doesn''t it?"


    The demon smiled and cupped his cheek. "There''s always a special kind of beauty to a bound person." His gaze swept over An Bai''s body as if he was thinking of tying him further up but in the end, he still stepped back. "Anyway, I''ve made sure that you won''t try anything funny. So I guess we should go now. I''ll make true on my promise."


    An Bai nodded and waited for the demon to open the door. He tried not to look around too much and just followed him outside, down the corridor and out of the dungeon. It seemed that this guy wasn''t just bringing him to another cell as he had asked for. Instead, he was indeed bringing him somewhere more ¡­ private.


    An Bai wasn''t surprised at all when he found himself in front of the door to a regular room. He gave a wry smile and then followed the demon inside, taking a look around. The room wasn''t big, obviously not that of an important person. He was happy to see that there was still a door on the other side leading to another room.


    The demon closed the door behind them and then inched closer to An Bai, pulling him back into his arms. "So what do you say? Is this private enough for you?" He swept An Bai''s hair over his shoulder and brushed his cheek with his lips.


    An Bai tensed up involuntarily but had to force himself to relax. "It''s exactly what I had in mind. Thank you for being so considerate with me." He turned around in the demon''s arms and gave him a smile.


    "Then I guess I deserve a reward for this."


    The demon grabbed onto An Bai''s hair, pulling his face up to him. Their lips met. An Bai furrowed his brows at the force that was used but he didn''t dare to push him away. He still needed this to work. Thus he could only endure for now and pretend to be breathless with passion when the demon finally pulled back on his own.


    The guard looked at him, a satisfied smile on his lips. "I guess you weren''t just playing around after all." Even up until now, he had still been sure that An Bai was just doing this to somehow escape. But now, he hadn''t used the opportunity he had just gotten. It was probably safe to say that even if he wanted to leave, he wouldn''t do so right now.


    An Bai chuckled. "Didn''t I already say that I stood in for our king''s beloved on my own accord? I won''t flee. That would just put His Majesty in a bad spot." In fact, this wasn''t wrong. Since a dragon''s lover was even more important than their own life to them, he would never endanger the Son of Heaven. Because if something happened to him, it wouldn''t just be a loss to the Nine Heavens and the gods but to the dragon race as well. After all, he didn''t believe that their king would be able to hold on after the crown prince died.


    Thus, he would do nothing to compromise him. But ¡­ he also didn''t want to sacrifice himself. Thus he wouldn''t just sit back and instead try to save his own life while not bringing about any negative consequences for their king.


    The demon didn''t really care what An Bai''s reasoning was. He was just satisfied that this person really wouldn''t try anything. Thus he went ahead with what he had intended to do: He pushed him toward the bed, rubbing his hands. He had to make sure that he had a thorough taste and enjoyed every moment.

 Chapter 961 - Heat It Up a Bit

    An Bai lost his footing and fell down, coming to sit at the edge of the bed. He looked at the demon warily, realizing that he needed to do something now or he wouldn''t be able to get out of this.


    When the guard inched closer, leaning down to press him below his body, he reached up and put a hand against his chest, pushing him back.


    The demon''s brows furrowed. "What''s the meaning of this?" Hadn''t he just said that he didn''t want to try anything?


    An Bai gave a strained smile. "Well, you see, I''ve been in the dungeon for a few days. You ¡­ wouldn''t mind if I freshened up a bit first, would you?"


    The guard was dumbfounded. Even though it was a dungeon, it wasn''t like the place was filthy. Then again, the prisoners couldn''t use their spiritual energy so there was no way to use their magic to clean themselves. For this kind of scholar, it was probably unbearable. He really couldn''t say anything nasty about that. And ¡­ embracing a fragrant beauty also wouldn''t be to his disadvantage.


    He grumbled a bit but finally motioned at the door that An Bai had noticed before. "Then you go and do that but don''t take too much time. If you aren''t back in a few minutes, I''ll go in there and drag you back. And if I notice that you are doing anything you shouldn''t ¡­" He gave him a pointed look and then stood back up, folding his arms in front of his chest and just watching the dragon.


    An Bai nodded and then got up, hurrying into the room. Anyway, he hadn''t expected much. It was already very good that it had worked this well. Having only a bit of time for this was to be expected.


    He closed the door behind him and then went over to the tub that was filled with water, reaching inside. As expected, the water was ice cold. Glancing at the door, he went back and leaned against the doorframe, giving the demon a smile. "That ¡­ You wouldn''t mind heating up the water for me a bit, would you?"


    The demon''s lips curled up when he heard that. It seemed that this little beauty hadn''t lied after all. He hadn''t tried anything funny and just walked over to the bathtub it seemed, noticing immediately that the water inside wasn''t hot.


    He walked over and pulled An Bai into his arms once again. "I can. I could also come in and take a bath with you if you want to."


    An Bai glanced over at the tub as if he was seriously pondering the question but then shook his head. "I''m afraid that isn''t big enough for the two of us."


    The demon looked over and sadly had to agree with him. "Well, I guess I''ll just heat it up for you then." He walked over, moved his hand and steam started to waft into the air. He looked at An Bai and then beckoned him to come over.


    An Bai would''ve preferred it if he went out but he still walked over, coming to stand in front of the demon. The guard reached out and then slowly untied his belt, throwing it to the side. "Well, you should hurry up. I really don''t like to be left waiting."


    An Bai nodded and pushed his robe off his shoulders, getting into the water before the demon could get the bright idea to do anything else. "Then I''ll rush it."


    The demon continued to look at him, seeming not at all as if he wanted to get out. Only when An Bai gave him a seemingly embarrassed look did he finally move. "There''s no need to be like that. It''s not like I won''t see and touch all of that in a moment."


    An Bai looked away, hiding his disgusted expression. "How is that the same?"


    The demon chuckled and then closed the door behind him, not bothering about him any further. Anyway, he just had to wait a moment. And what was there that the dragon could do without his spiritual energy? He really didn''t need to worry.


    As soon as the door closed, An Bai looked at the bracelet on his arm and his lips curled into a smile. Honestly, this was such a cheap trick. He used his nails to scratch the surface, grimacing.


    Without spiritual energy, he couldn''t use his claws so this wasn''t as easy as it could be. But he didn''t have enough time to search for something else that he could use and it might also make this guy suspicious if you heard him rummaging around.


    Anyway, a dragon''s nails were still quite hard so it was possible. And even if he had to bloody his own hands, he would still do this. There was no way in hell he would actually sleep with a demon.


    A few moments later, a row of pale signs was scratched in the surface of the bracelet and the light that was still glimmering on the inside diminished. An Bai sighed with relief. He didn''t try to take it off or storm out of the room to fight his way out of the palace though.


    There was no way he could do that. For one, there was still the situation with His Majesty and second, he wouldn''t be able to get outside just based on his own strength. No, it was better to play this safe.


    Thus, An Bai hurriedly used a few drops of water to draw a few symbols on the ground and imbued it with a bit of spiritual energy that would make sure no sounds could leak outside. Then, he took out a transmission stone and infused his spiritual energy.

 Chapter 962 - He Could Trick Some Petty Demons

    In a place near the border of the dragon realm, Xiang Yong furrowed his brows. Since His Majesty had finally remembered An Bai and commanded him to get him out, he was now already on his way to the demon realm to do so. But at this moment, one of his transmission stones lit up.


    At first, he wanted to ignore it and just continued to rush over. After all, he didn''t feel that it was wise to leave An Bai even a second longer in the demon realm''s dungeon if it wasn''t necessary. But then again, His Majesty had already contacted him twice today so it was probably better to make sure this wasn''t another instruction he had. Thus he took out the transmission stone but continued to rush forward, only being there with half his mind when he answered.


    "Xiang Yong!"


    An Bai''s voice startled him out of his thoughts and made him stop, taking a double look at the apparition of his friend''s face. "An Bai? Did you manage to break out?"


    An Bai glanced over his shoulder and then shook his head. "No, but I need to get out of here. Fast."


    "Are you still in the dungeon?" Xiang Yong asked that question but already continued to rush forward, now at an even faster pace.


    An Bai shook his head. "I ¡­ Well, I did manage to get out for the moment to contact you but I am not in a good situation." Even though he had created an array outside, he still lowered his voice, afraid that the demon would notice that something was going on. "How fast can you be here?"


    "Well, I''m already on the way. Just before, His Majesty told me to come and get you. I''ll be there in a bit."


    "Please, hurry up. I''m afraid ¡­" He finally just shook his head, giving an embarrassed smile. Who would''ve thought he''d ever get into a situation like this?


    Xiang Yong glanced at him and noticed that there was something off about the image that was being projected. "You ¡­" The apparition only showed An Bai''s head and shoulders, the latter being covered by his white hair. It took a moment for him to realize that he could clearly see his clavicle. His hair also seemed slightly damp. "Are you taking a bath?"


    An Bai''s expression turned even worse. "I am. And I''m afraid that if you don''t hurry up, I might end up getting married today."


    Xiang Yong''s expression that had been hovering between confusion and worry turned into one of horror. "Can you tell me where exactly you are?"


    "One of the guard''s quarters. I don''t know any more than that. The person was guarding at the dungeon before. Maybe you can investigate from there."


    "I will. Try to hold on for as long as you can. I''ll hurry up." He didn''t wait for An Bai to answer and just cut the connection, putting the transmission stone away. He turned into his other form in the blink of an eye and then rushed to the demon realm at the fastest speed possible.


    He only changed back when he was close enough to the palace to be seen. He made use of the terrain to make those that might be following off his tracks and then rushed toward the palace again, breaking in through a window without alerting anybody.


    He glanced around and then slipped through the corridors, trying to find the way to the dungeon. He couldn''t lose even a single second. Every moment that passed was another moment that An Bai might get hurt. And the kind of pain it would cause him to lose what should only be given to the person he wanted to spend his life with ¡­ There was no way he would let anybody afflict that on his friend.


    Xiang Yong finally made his way over to the dungeons. He looked for a hiding place and then kept out of sight while he surveyed the situation. There were still several guards standing around, glancing at the cells or down the corridor every once in a while but otherwise, they didn''t move or talk, seemingly taking their job at least halfway serious.


    He pondered for a moment, his eyes narrowed. There were only two ways to go about this: He could either force one of these guys to spill the beans or he could make them willingly tell him what he wanted to know.


    The former might create a ruckus that he wouldn''t be able to keep down. Then, not only might he need to fight with them, losing valuable time, no, he might also lose this chance to find out about where An Bai had gone. Thus, it was much better to use the second way.


    Xiang Yong looked up and down the corridor and his lips slowly turned into a smile. This couldn''t be too hard. He had convinced people for years that his own king was a hard-working and conscientious person without anyone in the dragon race save for his own advisers ever doubting it. He should be able to trick a few petty demons.


    He looked at the robe that he was wearing and then changed into something that looked a little more official like what he would be wearing if he was doing some business in the dragon king''s palace.


    He also changed the way he had done up his hair, and then made a few of his scales show on his face. Even though the dragons had long split from the demons, there were still other races with scales in their true form or some that only had one form but had retained some traces of the past. This should probably make him look more or less like a convincing demon, shouldn''t it?


    He smiled to himself and then retracted that smile completely, his expression turning blank. He walked down the corridor, his steps making crisp sounds on the floor.


    The guards couldn''t help but look up when they heard two steps. Somehow, that gait made them feel tense. They immediately straightened up and furrowed their brows, trying to get a look at who the one coming over was.


    Xiang Yong finally came into sight. He stopped a few steps into the dungeon and nodded at one of the guards with his chin. "You, get me the prisoner from the dragon realm."


    The guard tensed up and already wanted to rush over to An Bai''s cell to open it when he noticed that the cell was empty. He stared at it in a daze for a moment and then turned around to Xiang Yong with an embarrassed expression. "That''s ¡ª"


    Xiang Yong furrowed his gray brows, his gaze darkening. "What are you waiting for?"


    The demon started to stutter, pointing at the cell with a worried expression.


    Xiang Yong looked over, his gaze seemingly going blank for a moment as well. Then, he turned back to the demon, his expression turning more ferocious. "What''s the meaning of this? You want to tell me that the prisoner escaped?! What is the lot of you standing here for?!"


    The demon instinctively took a step back before he remembered that this wasn''t true at all. "That''s not it!" He hurriedly brought out that sentence, hoping that the other person wouldn''t attack before listening to any explanation. Right now, he certainly looked like it.


    Xiang Yong''s gaze was indeed blazing and he raised his hand as if to attack him the next moment. Naturally, he wouldn''t really do that. After all, he was a dragon. He didn''t have the same magic as the demons so as soon as he did, it would be obvious what was going on. How could he let that happen? "Speak! Where is he?"


    The guard hurriedly lowered his head. "One of the other guards took him away to have some fun. I don''t know any more than that."


    Xiang Yong didn''t grow angry since he had already known that this was what had happened but he still scoffed. "So? Where are they now? Or do you want His Majesty to wait?"


    The demon flinched and then rushed over to Xiang Yong, motioning down the corridor. "I can bring you there."


    Xiang Yong kicked him down the corridor, his expression getting even more dangerous. "Don''t talk. Just go!"


    The demon rushed not to fall and then scrambled away, running down the corridor at the fastest speed. If he could bring this person over to that room, he might be able to slink away and get out of this unharmed. Then the one who would have to suffer wouldn''t be him any longer.

 Chapter 963 - Maybe You’ll Enjoy It

    Back in the room, the demon was pacing up and down, his gaze wandering over to the door every now and then. Ye Yang had already come over to the cell once today so he didn''t have to worry about him coming by and finding out that he had taken this person away. So he didn''t actually have a reason not to wait any longer.


    It was just ¡­ Why would he be willing to wait? There was a beauty in his bath and even one that needed him to do him a favor. So whatever he demanded later on, the beauty would never dare to say no. In other words, he would be able to enjoy this dragon however long and in whatever way he wanted.


    Wasn''t this simply a dream come true? Since he had that chance, he wanted to make use of every single moment. After all, tomorrow, he definitely had to bring this dragon back to the cell so Ye Yang wouldn''t notice what was up.


    Thinking of that, he walked over to the door, leaning his head against the wood and listening for the sounds inside to find out if the little beauty had already gotten further. When he did, his expression turned confused though. Nothing could be heard.


    He paused and then closed his eyes, focusing some more. But the result still stayed the same: Nothing could be heard from inside. The little beauty definitely wasn''t using that bath in any way. He ¡­ might have used this chance to escape after all!


    The demon''s face changed and he pushed the door open, rushing into the bath.


    An Bai ¡ª who had just been staring at the water in a daze, wondering when he would be able to leave this damned place ¡ª flinched and looked back. Seeing the demon''s livid face, he gulped.


    It couldn''t be that Xiang Yong had come over but somehow made his presence known, could it? No, that was impossible. He trusted Xiang Yong. Among all of their king''s advisers, he was surest about Xiang Yong''s ability to conduct this kind of mission stealthily. There had to be some kind of other explanation for this.


    Convincing himself of this, An Bai leaned back and gave the demon a confused look. "What might be the matter? Did something happen?"


    The demon looked around, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He tried to find if anything had changed since he came in the last time but he couldn''t find anything. An Bai''s clothes were still lying on the floor where he had thrown them and nothing about the furniture had been changed either. Everything was just as before.


    Maybe he had thought too much? Maybe this guy really just wasn''t willing to submit to Ye Yang and was trying to get away from him? He couldn''t quite understand that but who knew what was going on in a dragon''s head? Anyway, he didn''t care about that either. As long as this person didn''t make any trouble for him, everything was alright.


    He finally relaxed and then gave An Bai a smile. "No, nothing happened. Actually, that''s precisely the problem." He slowly went over to the bathtub and propped his hands up on the rim, leaning closer to An Bai. "You''ve taken quite some time in here."


    An Bai gave a careful smile in return. "Well, I was in the dungeon for quite some time as well. I can''t help but feel filthy."


    The demon just smiled in return and glanced at An Bai''s exposed chest. Never mind whether this dragon truly felt that way or not, this obviously wasn''t any reason for him to worry. "I don''t think it''s a problem if this kind of thing gets a bit filthy. In fact, maybe you''ll enjoy it that way."


    An Bai''s smile became strained. He knew that Xiang Yong was on the way but he had no idea where exactly he was right now and how much time he would need to find out what was going on. He couldn''t make any mistake now. He had to stall this guy for as long as he could. If not ¡­ He didn''t even want to think about that possibility.


    He looked away as if he was embarrassed by what the demon had said. "How could that be? I''m sure ¡ª"


    The demon didn''t let him finish. He reached out and grabbed An Bai''s chin, making him look up. "Oh, I assure you that I''m saying the truth. I have a ton of filthy thoughts about you. You wouldn''t want to say that that is a problem, would you?"


    An Bai had a few words of choice to say to that but, unfortunately, he wasn''t in the right position to utter even a single one of them. Thus, he could only continue to play meek. "How could that be? Naturally, I should be honored that you think so highly of me."


    The demon smiled and leaned closer, his lips only a hair''s breadth separated from An Bai''s. "It''s good that you know. Then ¡­ I think it''s time to make these thoughts into reality."


    Their lips met, hindering An Bai from uttering another word. An Bai furrowed his brows but what could he do? As long as he didn''t know that Xiang Yong was close by, he couldn''t risk anything. He had to hold on for a bit longer.


    He closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down. He could do this. What was one kiss? Even if he had to give two, he could still deal with that.

 Chapter 964 - A Bath Scene

    At this time, Xiang Yong finally arrived in front of the door to the guard''s room. The other demon hurriedly stepped aside and motioned at the door. "It''s here."


    Xiang Yong gave him a deep look and huffed. "That better be the case." He didn''t bother knocking on the door and just opened it, going inside. Nothing could be seen of the person living here or An Bai though, making him turn back to the demon with a stormy expression. This guy had actually dared to lie to him! If anything happened to An Bai because of that ¡­


    The demon visibly paled and stared at the room in shock. He was sure that this was the room of the other guard. They should be here! Could it be that they had gone somewhere else? He looked around in a panic and then finally spotted the door to the bathroom. His expression lit up and he pointed over. "I''m sure they''re inside there." He didn''t wait for Xiang Yong''s response and rushed over, pulling the door open.


    Xiang Yong narrowed his eyes and followed behind him, peering into the bath himself.


    The whole room was shrouded in steam that made everything seem blurred. He could still see the bathtub in the middle of the room and the fair shoulders above the rim that were slightly hunched up, showing how uncomfortable the person inside was.


    A man was standing next to him, one arm around An Bai''s slender waist, pulling him up against his body. His other hand was curled around An Bai''s white hair, forcing him to face up and surrender his lips to the demon.


    Xiang Yong''s expression turned even worse but he knew that he couldn''t act rashly. If he said or did the wrong thing, then these demons would notice what was up. He first had to get rid of the person next to him and then deal with this other one.


    The movement at the door alerted the demon inside the bath and he looked up. Seeing one of the other guards, as well as somebody he didn''t know, he let go of An Bai and furrowed his brows. "What''s going on here?" He looked at the other guard, wanting to get an explanation from him.


    The other guard tensed and turned to Xiang Yong instead, afraid that he would get pulled into this if the other guy made it seem as if he was somehow involved. "See? It''s just as I said. He''s indeed here. Now, I should get back to the dungeon to do my own job. I''m sure your Excellency will be able to deal with this yourself." He didn''t even wait for Xiang Yong''s response and just bowed, rushing out of the room as if it was on fire. He even smashed the door shut on the way out as if not being subjected to Xiang Yong''s gaze could save him somehow.


    At that time, the demon in the bath figured out that something had to be wrong. He took another look at Xiang Yong but couldn''t recognize him.


    An Bai also turned around and a faint smile lit up his face when he saw Xiang Yong. He got up, his gaze cooling when he turned to the demon. He extended his claws and before the demon could question any further, a red streak appeared on his neck.


    He reached up and touched his skin where he felt a sting, his brows furrowed. When he took it back it came back red with his own blood. He stared at it in a daze and then turned to An Bai, his eyes widened in surprise.


    From the very beginning, he had thought that An Bai would try to escape somehow. But with everything going so smoothly, he had forgotten about that at this moment. And he certainly had never thought that An Bai would actually dare to attack them. He had thought this dragon was utterly helpless and would need to accept whatever he wanted to do to him. Now, he paid the price.


    With his eyes still opened widely, the demon fell over, finally lying still on the ground.


    An Bai shook his hand, getting rid of the blood on his claws before retracting them without taking another look at the demon. Then, he turned to Xiang Yong. "You were just in time."


    Xiang Yong nodded and then picked up the robe on the ground, giving it a look. "Do you have anything else to wear?"


    An Bai nodded and took out a robe from his spatial ring, stepping out of the bathtub and putting it on. He glanced at the bracelet that was still on his wrist but didn''t take it of. Doing so would still require a bit of time and it was best if they left immediately.


    "What about the other demon just now?"


    "He should''ve returned to the dungeon. They might figure out later on what happened but we''ll be back in the dragon realm by then. Let''s just go." He turned around and An Bai followed him out of the room and through the corridors of the demon king''s palace.


    With Xiang Yong still in the same get-up as before, he just seemed like somebody escorting a prisoner. Especially since An Bai made it a point to flash the bracelet on his wrist every now and then. As it turned out, the thing could actually come in so handy. It seemed he had made the right call before when he left it on.


    Soon enough, the two of them had left the palace. They exchanged a glance and Xiang Yong changed into his other form, picked An Bai up in one hand and then flew off, leaving the demon realm behind.


    He didn''t care at all about the demons that might see them and just sped up as much as he could, making sure that they would be far away when anybody found out what happened. Soon enough, they reached the dragon king''s palace.


    An Bai looked up at the familiar walls and heaved a sigh of relief. "It''s good to finally be back. Thank you for your help. I''m really not sure if I would have been able to get out this easily on my own."


    "Don''t mention it. It''s what I should do." Xiang Yong motioned inside and the two of them went back to Xiang Yong''s study, sitting down to contact their king. It was as if the time in the dungeon had merely been a trifle.

 Chapter 965 - Something in Their Genes

    At that time, the king they wanted to contact had long become bored. Qiu Ling had been looking at his transmission stone in annoyance for a long time. In fact, even after a few hours it had felt like days to him.


    How long could it take to break somebody out of the demon king''s dungeon? Was that really such a hard task? Actually, why had he still been in there? Shouldn''t he have broken out on his own long ago? Since when were the people of his dragon race so useless?


    Leng Jin Yu sighed at the incessant drumming of Qiu Ling''s fingers on the table. He was pretty sure he had seen Jinde''s brows twitch more than once. If he didn''t interfere, these two would probably start to bicker again in a while.


    Feeling that he should try to mediate since he was married to one and more or less related to the other, he cleared his throat. "I''m sure they''ll contact you soon. Just wait a bit more. After all, the time in the mortal realm flows differently. While it''s only been a few minutes there, hours will pass here. You''ll have to give them a bit of time."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. He didn''t have time though! His beloved was waiting for him outside and was probably very worried already. After all, hadn''t he promised that he would only go and do something for a short moment? His Jing''er must be worried sick!


    Outside, Jinde sighed and looked through the door, giving Qiu Ling an annoyed look, indeed not far from starting to give him a piece of his mind. "Why are you more of a child than Xiao Yu? If you''re so eager to go and get back to your fiance, then just leave here for now and wait for them to contact you outside. It''s not like you need to stay here all the time."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips even further, looking at the child in Jinde''s arms with the same annoyance he had felt before. It was a bit of a different flavor though. "No idea what you''re talking about. Anyway, I''ve also asked him something for your sake. It''s not like you won''t get anything out of this."


    "You did but it still won''t change anything about the fact that you''re still here without knowing what to do. You can just go back to your fiance and wait there. As soon as you know something, you can just come back and tell me. I''ll still be here at that time."


    Qiu Ling huffed but still got up and left the secret realm after giving the two of them a dirty look. One of them was his actual father''s reincarnation while the other was something like his stepfather. How could they throw him out like this? Shouldn''t they have invited Jing Yi to come over instead? They were so irresponsible!


    It was probably just because they were planning to have another child. He had known that he wouldn''t count for anything anymore when that time came. Hmph. He''d show them! When he and Jing He got a child, it would be a thousand times more beautiful than theirs!


    Back inside the realm, Jinde shook his head and then went to sit down next to Leng Jin Yu again, handing him the child in his arms.


    Hua Lin Yu looked at Jinde blankly. He stretched out his arms, wanting to be held by him again.


    Jinde reached out and nudged his nose in return. "You stay with my husband for a moment. I''m still trying to get him to have a child with me in a while. Help me to show him that it''s very nice to have a little one like you."


    Leng Jin Yu side-eyed his husband and then patted the child''s head. "Don''t worry, it''s nothing against you. He''s just a bit willful sometimes and does as he wants. Nobody can change his mind."


    Hua Lin Yu turned to look at him and even though he felt that this man couldn''t compare with the other''s beauty, he was still really handsome. In the end, he hugged Leng Jin Yu''s neck and obliged.


    Jinde smiled happily and looked at his husband carrying the child. Mn, this was very good. When they had one of their own, the scene would be just as beautiful. No, it would be even better because then, it would be their own child. He could hardly wait for that day.


    Fei Bai Mu looked from one person to the other and really wanted to clear her throat to remind them that she was still there. In fact, she really would''ve liked to get up and leave just like Zhangsun Xun Yi had before but unfortunately, the child the two of them were playing with was her small disciple. She couldn''t leave him here. If she did, the Hua family would have a few things to say about that.


    Since there was no way to leave, she felt that she should at least make herself useful. "Grandmaster Leng, you wouldn''t happen to have a study here, would you? I''d like to write back to the Jian Yi Sect."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows but then nodded. "Of course. Do you want to stay here for a while or ¡­?"


    Fei Bai Mu looked at the child that he was still holding and then to the Grandmaster''s husband. "I guess I will have no other choice."


    Jinde beamed at her and then got up. "Since Jin Yu is busy right now, I can bring you over. Actually, you can choose a room. We have a lot of them here." He went out of the room, waiting for her to follow.


    Fei Bai Mu glanced at the Grandmaster and her little disciple and then sighed, nodding at Leng Jin Yu. "Then I''ll go and take care of some things first."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and just continued to sit where he was. Obviously, there were some things that Jinde and Fei Bai Mu wanted to talk about. He turned to Hua Lin Yu and gave him a smile. "So, you haven''t been long in the Jian Yi Sect, have you?"


    The boy shook his head. "I haven''t. My family only brought me there a week ago. But everyone is really nice." He pondered for a moment and then looked at the door where Jinde had just vanished. "My Master lied though. Her other disciples aren''t that good-looking after all."


    He looked very disappointed when he said that, making Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "Did she say her disciples were all very good-looking?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded. "I also thought they were good-looking at first. But now I think she was exaggerating. They''re not that good-looking."


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but pity the disciples of the Jian Yi Sect. Most likely, this child had ridiculously high standards after seeing people like Jinde and Qiu Ling. And, even if he didn''t like to admit it, having contact with Xin Lan probably hadn''t helped either.


    Somehow, the dragon race had ridiculously many good-looking people. There had to be something in their genes that caused this. It was a pity for the other races but they just couldn''t keep up.

 Chapter 966 - Do You Want Me to Find One?

    Outside, Jinde led Fei Bai Mu to one of the many rooms in the palace. He did make it a point to choose one that was a little further away just in case he wouldn''t return to the lake immediately and stay outside with his husband for some more time.


    Anyway, it would be strange if somebody from his sect was right in the next room if they got up to something, wasn''t it? Not that he would mind having an audience but Leng Jin Yu probably wouldn''t be happy about it. Since his husband was shy like that, he should indulge him a bit.


    At the door, he turned to Fei Bai Mu, giving her a smile. "It''s nice to hear of the Jian Yi Sect. I''m sure it means a lot to him to know that you have his back. It is just ¡­ He also feels indebted to the Yun Zou Sect. He likely won''t leave just like that, even if I am healed."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. "I appreciate you telling me this. Since the Yun Zou Sect is important to him, our Jian Yi Sect will naturally take good care of them. It''s just ¡­ He is our Grandmaster. Since he has returned to the mortal realm, it would be strange for him to be anywhere else but in his own palace. We have been keeping the place up and nobody else has moved in. If you ever feel like it ¡­ You can return at any time."


    Jinde nodded. "Well, then I guess after I''m healed, you''ll have to figure out how to go about this. If you really want him to return, then you''ll have to make sure that the Yun Zou Sect is in a situation where he can leave.


    "Other than this problem with the vanished disciples, there is probably just the issue of who is going to succeed Sect Master Yuchi. He was pretty adamant about it being my husband but that won''t work because of obvious reasons. Jin Yu also knows that. It is something he has been agonizing over for a while. I guess if it hadn''t been for me, he just would have taken over that spot for a while and then made sure to give up the position to somebody else soon after. Anyway, it''s come to this now. There will need to be another approach."


    "Then I will inquire some more and think about it. The Yun Zou Sect probably has several excellent disciples. It''s just a matter of doing the right thing to make one of them eligible for the position. I''ll figure something out."


    Jinde just smiled and didn''t say anything else. He still looked at her though, waiting for her to speak up. Obviously, there would be another few things that she would want to say.


    Fei Bai Mu smiled wryly. It had been a while since she was seen through like that. Talking with somebody of the immortal races was indeed a different matter compared to interacting with human cultivators. Normally, there weren''t too many that were this sharp even if there was still a handful of them. Anyway, since their Grandmaster had left, she hadn''t had this feeling in a long time. "Before, you said that you wanted a child. Was that the truth?"


    Jinde gave a hum, not feeling that that was anything he needed to hide. "This matter between your Grandmaster and I isn''t that simple. In any case, I''ve always loved children and I do want to have one. I also think that Leng Jin Yu supports this. So you don''t have to worry that your disciple will be used to convince him of something he isn''t up to. He can do this. I''m sure that Jin Yu will be a great father."


    Fei Bai Mu thought back to how the Grandmaster had just looked at the child in his husband''s arms. Even if she wasn''t sure if he would be a great father, he was obviously a good husband. His feelings for this person were very deep. There was just one thing that was a little difficult. "Well, the two of you are both men. So for a child ¡­ Since you can''t leave, do you want me to be on the lookout for one that you could adopt? It might be difficult to find one that looked similar to you but we could find one that has at least a bit of a resemblance with the Grandmaster. That shouldn''t be completely out of the question."


    Jinde chuckled. "Thank you for the offer but I don''t think that will be necessary. As far as children go ¡­ While I wouldn''t mind adopting one, I do want one of my own."


    "But ¡­"


    Jinde gave her another smile. This was very much like the moment when he had brought it up for the first time with Leng Jin Yu. He wondered if she would also believe him when he said that he would carry it on his own.


    In the end, he felt like he shouldn''t joke around too much though. If his husband really thought that things were like that, it might just cause further trouble in the future. "Don''t worry. The dragons do have a way of accomplishing this. It''s just that ¡­ I shouldn''t do this while I''m still in this state.


    "It''s not that it''s completely impossible but the process is quite draining and I honestly don''t know if I would be able to take it right now. Even if I could, I wouldn''t be a good parent. I should first make sure that I''m in a good place and then I''ll be able to focus on this child. It would be better for everyone involved."


    Fei Bai Mu looked at him searchingly. "In that case, you should let us help you. Even if there isn''t much that the Jian Yi Sect can do, at the very least, if we can help you out a bit, that''s already very good. What do you think of that?"


    "Once again, I do appreciate the offer. But I think Jin Yu wasn''t quite fond of the idea. And anyway, I really don''t know if it would help much."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded but inwardly, she didn''t take it to heart. Their Grandmaster naturally wouldn''t want them to use their precious materials to help them out if there was another way to do this.


    He just was that kind of person. Despite his high position, he had never asked anything of the sect. He was a bit withdrawn, especially towards the end. But he had given the Jian Yi Sect a lot. And if he returned, he would give even more in the future.


    That was something she couldn''t deny. And to be honest, she could also feel his sincerity in treating them. This kind of person should be treated with sincerity in return. Thus, she would do anything she could to help his husband. Even if there was not much she could do, she would still do the little bit that could be done.

 Chapter 967 - It Had Shaken His Relationship

    In the end, Fei Bai Mu nodded at him and bid him goodbye, going inside. While she sat down to write to the Jian Yi Sect, Jinde continued to look at the door for a moment and then touched his stomach.


    Carrying Jin Yu''s child ¡­ Even though he had said that there were other ways to do it and tried to seem nonchalant about it, he also couldn''t deny that he would give a lot to be able to do that.


    Back then with Chun Yin, he hadn''t been able to while he had needed to watch that woman do exactly that. Now, that woman wasn''t in the picture anymore but he still couldn''t do the same for Jin Yu. It would be a lie if he said that this didn''t bother him at all. Naturally, He wanted to be able to do this for his husband and also for himself as well. It was a pity that this would never be possible between a dragon and an ascended deity.


    Jinde closed his eyes and tried hard to rein in the wistful expression on his face. He definitely couldn''t go back looking like this.


    He shook his head at himself and then went to their chamber. Seeing Leng Jin Yu with that black-haired child in his arms, he stopped right in the doorway though. As much as he didn''t want to, he couldn''t help but think of his past.


    He had seen Chun Yin with Qiu Ling on his arms like this way too many times. In the beginning, when Qiu Ling had only just been born and things hadn''t been irreparable between them, Chun Yin would sometimes come over, asking him for help. He would hand Qiu Ling over to him and let him take care of the child, making him feel that maybe there was a chance for the two of them to work things out.


    Unfortunately, things had gotten worse and worse after that. And there had been too many instances where he had had to watch that woman pretending to happily take care of her son when Chun Yin was around only to change her tune completely as soon as he was out of sight. Seeing this child that he had come to love so much being treated like this made him beyond furious.


    But what could he do? She was Qiu Ling''s mother and even though he didn''t like to admit it, she was also Chun Yin''s lawfully wedded wife. So naturally, when he went off on her and she had shown nothing but her sweet side in front of Chun Yin, he was the one who seemed to be in the wrong.


    That was probably what finally shook his relationship with Chun Yin to the core. There was no way to change things anymore. They hadn''t been able to go back. They just couldn''t. So in the end, he lost the love of his life and the child he had adored in such a matter. Of course, his heart still bled thinking about it.


    Leng Jin Yu looked up and saw Jinde standing in the doorway, his gaze not quite right. He looked down at the child and could imagine what was going through his head. He didn''t know exactly what happened back then but he definitely understood what kind of sensitive matter having children was to Jinde. It seemed that while Xiao Yu was here, he would have to be very careful. Otherwise, he really would hurt Jinde way too much.


    He continued to hold Xiao Yu for the moment and finally, Jinde shook himself out of his thoughts and came over, sitting down next to him and even starting to play with the child.


    It was only in the evening that Jinde finally proposed to bring the child over to his Master again.


    Hua Lin Yu pursed his lips and looked at them accusingly for bringing up this idea. "I want to stay!"


    Leng Jin Yu just smiled, feeling that Jinde was right in that sending him back would be for the best right now. Considering how this child behaved, they would have to do some explaining though. "Don''t you think your Master will be worried if you don''t go back to her?"


    "She lied to me. Why should I want to go back to her? It''s not my problem if she''s worried."


    Jinde looked at him, not at all minding the small tantrum. Jin ling had been much worse when he tried to separate from him for a while. He definitely wouldn''t have trouble calming down such a little angel as Xiao Yu. "Ah, who could lie to a cute child like you? Even if your Master didn''t say quite the truth, I''m pretty sure she just did so because she was worried she might disappoint you. That must be it, don''t you think so?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him with his big eyes and then nodded. "That could be possible."


    "Well, she was doing it for your sake, so maybe you should forgive her just this once. If you want to, I can bring you over. And then you can tell her that she can''t lie to you again. How about that? I''m sure that now she knows that she was wrong so she won''t do it again."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded eagerly and clung to Jinde''s neck, letting him carry him over to Fei Bai Mu''s room.


    When Jinde knocked, the door was opened immediately. Fei Bai Mu couldn''t help but look a little surprised when she saw who was standing in front of her though. She was even more surprised when she saw her disciple and how he actually turned around in Jinde''s arms and then stretched out his arms toward her. Still in a daze, she reached out and took him.


    Jinde gave her a smile and waved and then closed the door in her face, going back to his own room. Anyway, this was a good time to be alone with his husband. Even though he had only been inside the lake for a few days since coming out the last time, he couldn''t help but miss Jin Yu every single one of them.

 Chapter 968 - How Is It Done?

    Leng Jin Yu looked up from where he had been reading a book and raised his brows. "Back so soon? I thought you''d be having trouble letting go of Xiao Yu."


    Jinde laughed and went over, kneeling down next to him. "What are you even saying? Wasn''t it my idea to send him back?"


    "It was but ¡­ I still thought you''d have a harder time with it. You seemed to like him very much."


    Jinde smiled and snuggled up to his husband, casually closing the book in his hands and throwing it onto the table. "I like all children. I was even able to love one as unruly as your son back then. How could I not love one that is as sensible as this Hua Lin Yu? It really is a pity to have to give him back to the Jian Yi Sect''s Sect Master but I think that at night, it''s also nice not to have a child around." He reached up and encircled Leng Jin Yu''s neck, his lips twitching when he thought of how Xiao Yu had basically been doing the same just a while before.


    Leng Jin Yu looked at him with his eyes rippling with love and he leaned down and kissed his lips. "Is must''ve been hard on you."


    "Having to come out and play with a child for a full day? Actually, I feel like this was the easiest I have done in a long time."


    "I guess it''s difficult in another way though. You don''t have to pretend in front of me, Jinde. I''m your husband."


    Jinde sighed and finally gave a nod. "Well, I guess you''re right. It''s just that ¡­ It brings back memories. And maybe they''re not the good kind. I mean there are quite a few happy memories from that time but the awful ones are far more."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and then hugged his waist, pulling him closer. "I''m sorry. All of that is because of me."


    "Well, it''s been a long time. I also don''t think that I can put all the blame on your head. Maybe it''s also that I was too stupid. Anyway, that was your past life. Now, this is your new one. And I''m still alive so ¡­ Let''s just ¡­ enjoy this to the fullest, what do you think?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded again. "I guess that''s the sensible thing to do. Speaking of which ¡­" His gaze turned serious and even Jinde couldn''t help but sober up when he was subjected to it.


    "What is it?"


    "You''ve said several times that you would like to have a child with me. I guess that it''s indeed possible. But even up until now, you have never explained it. How is it done?"


    Jinde sat up straight but a light smile still lit up his features. "So it''s about that. Well, I guess it was about time that you asked. To be honest, I thought that it might be for the best if we waited with it until everything else is done. After I''m healed and when I''ve given you back part of Chun Yin''s soul so you can find out what happened in the past. I feel like we shouldn''t get into this without you knowing these things. That would feel ¡­ a little unfair."


    "That''s alright with me. I''m just ¡­" He looked down, rubbing Jinde''s stomach with his fingertips. Back then, when Jinde had brought this up for the first time and joked around about how he would carry the child, there had been a fleeting moment where he wondered if it might not indeed be possible for a dragon. After all, there were some scars crisscrossing his body. Maybe it was just different for the immortal races. That was what he had thought.


    But later on, he had realized that that wasn''t the case and that Jinde had really just been joking. So now he couldn''t help but wonder what the actual truth was. "I would just like to prepare myself, you know? I mean I was born human in this life. Things are bound to be different and if there is something I''d need to wrap my head around, I''d rather have some more time to do that."


    "You''re probably getting bored with me staying in the lake all the time, aren''t you?"


    "It''s not that. Just ¡­" Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but show a complicated expression. "I know how important this is to you. You have waited for this opportunity for a long time. I ¡­ I don''t want to mess it up."


    Jinde couldn''t help but smile and reached up to cup Leng Jin Yu''s cheeks. "You won''t. No, back then, even though Chun Yin had a lot of faults and even though he was way too impatient with Qiu Ling and would lose his temper on him for things that the child wasn''t able to help, I think he was still a great father. Even though Qiu Ling never talks about it, after they left the capital and left me behind, they got closer. So if even Chun Yin could do it and make his son miss him like this, then I''m sure you can definitely do it. In a lot of ways, you''re better than him."


    "I''m happy you think that way. But ¡­ I''d still like to know."


    Jinde laughed and leaned forward, kissing his cheek. "And this is why I''m saying that you''re better. We don''t even have a child yet and you are already putting so much thought into it. I''m very happy about that."


    Leng Jin Yu gave him a look, feeling that he shouldn''t indulge him any longer or Jinde would never tell him.

 Chapter 969 - How to Make a Child?

    Jinde laughed again and then switched over to sitting on his lap, his arms still resting on Leng Jin Yu''s shoulders. "Actually, it''s quite simple. Since the child can''t be carried inside the body, something else has to be used instead. It could be anything but considering the dragons'' affinity to water, it''ll normally be a sea shell. A couple would dive down to the ground of the sea together and pick one out. It''s something you don''t hold back on. You''d want the biggest and most beautiful shell possible, something to brag about.


    "Afterward, you bring it up and look for a secure place. That could be where you live but it could also be at another place. Anyway, it needs to be one you can reach regularly and you might want to settle down close to it.


    "To create the child, you drop a bit of blood into the shell and then both douse it in their spiritual energy. You close up the shell and then return regularly to supplement it with more spiritual energy."


    "That is why you want to heal first."


    Jinde nodded. "Yes. It wouldn''t be impossible as I am now but ¡­ it''s better to wait. We wouldn''t want any accidents to happen."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded quietly, his gaze thoughtful. He had never really thought about it but it didn''t seem that strange now that he thought about it. He had been able to create a whole realm. Why wouldn''t they be able to create a child together? It was just ¡­


    He looked a bit embarrassed but finally couldn''t help but ask about what had been bothering him. "Creating something with your spiritual energy is something I can relate to. It''s just ¡­ How come it''s alive?"


    "Silly. What are you thinking of?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s face changed color at Jinde''s teasing expression. "I just ¡­ I just want to make sure. I''ve never created a living thing. It seems so ¡­" He shrugged his shoulders, unable to even articulate his thoughts on this.


    Jinde looked at him for a moment, his expression not as teasing anymore even though there was still a slight glimmer in his eyes. "Let me ask you something: How long did you take to create this realm?"


    "A few hours, probably? Qiu Ling helped me."


    "Mn. And have you ever forged a weapon?"


    "A few, actually. Why do you ask?"


    Jinde nodded, not surprised at all. While he hadn''t talked about it with Leng Jin Yu before, Chun Yin had also been good at this. Somehow, he had always imagined it would be the same in this life. "Was there ever one with a spiritual consciousness among them?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s eyes widened slightly. A weapon with a spiritual consciousness? "That ¡­ There was one. It''s been a long time but I think it''s still in the Jian Yi Sect."


    "Then what was different between that one and the others you forged?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. He could see where this was going. "It took me much longer. Several years to be honest. It also took a lot of precious materials and boundless spiritual energy. More so than the others did."


    Jinde blinked his golden eyes at him, a brilliant smile on his lips.


    "Yes, yes, I see. It''s the time and ¡­" Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows. Could he call their blood ''materials''? But in a sense, it was true. It was something from their body that was used to make sure this child would have a bit of both of them, just like a child that was born by a traditional couple. In a way, this was mimicking nature. "I guess I do understand now." Leng Jin Yu looked up and gave his husband a smile as well. "Then I guess now we only have to wait for you to heal."


    Jinde nodded. "Mn. Well, considering that Qiu Ling is getting involved as well, this might be happening sooner than we imagined."


    "You mean those items? What do you think the chances are he''ll really go through with this?"


    Jinde smiled and inched closer to Leng Jin Yu, his breath brushing his face. "You''re thinking too much, my dear. Your son might be irresponsible whenever it doesn''t concern the Son of Heaven and egoistical at times but he likes me. And even if he would never say so, he likes you as well. Since he has the opportunity to help us and at no real cost to himself, he will naturally do so."


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows. "How can you say there''s no real cost? A material like a phoenix feather ¡­" He couldn''t even begin to imagine how valuable that was. How could Jinde minimize it like this?


    Jinde just laughed though. "You''re looking at this from a human perspective. In the immortal realms, creatures like phoenixes aren''t as rare. You can just walk by a lair and pick some feathers up. It''s not a big deal. Especially not for Qiu Ling with his heightened magical abilities."


    Leng Jin Yu still didn''t look convinced.


    Jinde sighed. "Would you rather he didn''t help us?"


    "No, of course not. I just ¡­" Leng Jin Yu didn''t know how to explain himself.


    Jinde watched his expression and his own softened. "You''re afraid of accepting any favor from him, aren''t you? Because you feel like you owe him enough already."


    Leng Jin Yu closed his eyes. Yes, if he was honest, then he was indeed worried about that. Even though Qiu Ling hardly talked about it, he had seen how he reacted toward him. The way he looked at him, those little quips at what he had done in his past life ¡­


    Regardless of what he said, that was obviously the result of the hurt he had felt because of what had happened back then. And why shouldn''t he? His father hadn''t wanted him and probably resented him for driving the final wedge between him and the love of his life.


    Jinde might say that Chun Yin had been a decent father but Leng Jin Yu couldn''t believe it. It didn''t really fit. And even if Chun Yin had tried, every child would have been able to pick up on the fact that he had just resigned himself to fate, reluctantly accepting that he had lost Jinde forever and needed to take care of this child now. That still wasn''t the kind of childhood Qiu Ling deserved.

 Chapter 970 - A Leap of Faith

    Outside of the realm, Qiu Ling had already rushed back to the Grandelder''s palace at that time. Unfortunately, when he arrived, nothing could be seen of Jing Yi. He stared at Nian Hong Fang suspiciously. "Where is Jing''er?"


    "Uh ¡­ Junior martial brother Zhong went back to his own house a while ago." After all, his fiance had stayed away for several hours and it had gotten late. Outside, the sun had even gone down by now.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips and ran out, not even bothering to say goodbye to Nian Hong Fang. Ah! How could his beloved have left without waiting for him? Well, he must have been very, very reluctant to do so. He should go and wrap him in his arms to comfort him.


    With that thought, Qiu Ling rushed back to the bamboo hut and stormed inside, fully prepared to show his beloved just how much he loved him. As a result, he froze right in the doorway when he saw Jing Yi sit on the bed in the lotus position, his eyes closed gently and his expression one of concentration.


    Qiu Ling couldn''t help but feel betrayed. How could his beloved just return home and cultivate as if nothing had happened? Hadn''t he missed him at all? He pursed his lips and got a chair, sitting down in front of him so the first thing his beloved would see when he opened his eyes was his disappointed face. If he couldn''t come and console him, then Jing Yi should better console him after he finished!


    Thus, Jing Yi was finally faced with his fiance''s gloomy face when he stopped cultivating several hours later. He blinked his eyes and then rubbed them in confusion. "Qiu Ling?"


    His fiance pursed his lips even further. How could his beloved still ask so cluelessly? Of course, it was him! Wasn''t it obvious?!


    Jing Yi gave an embarrassed smile when he saw Qiu Ling like this. "So you''re back. I wasn''t sure how long you''d take so I went back home and cultivated for a bit."


    "I''ve seen." Qiu Ling still sulked. His beloved had finally noticed him but he wasn''t even giving him a kiss. This was so wrong!


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched when he noticed where Qiu Ling was looking. It seemed his fiance was once again trying to take advantage of the situation? He smiled and then leaned forward, finally giving Qiu Ling the kiss he had been waiting for.


    Needless to say, Qiu Ling''s expression lit up. "Ah, it''s not a problem at all. You should make use of all the time that you have. That way, we''ll be able to go to the Nine Heavens sooner."


    Jing Yi tensed when he heard that. Going to the Nine Heavens sooner ¡­ didn''t this mean that he would also have to give up on his life sooner? This was ridiculous! He was hardly twenty-five years of age. If he continued to cultivate like this, he would ascend when he was fifty at the very latest. Maybe it would even be sooner if he had another stroke of luck until then. That was no age for a cultivator to die. Even a hundred years wouldn''t be.


    Could Qiu Ling really expect him to just give up on his life at that time? He knew he had promised it but still. Deep inside, he still hoped that Qiu Ling would change his mind, that he would come to love him more than he loved Jing He and not force him to end his own life just so Jing He could come back.


    He knew that it was a vain hope and that it didn''t look good for him right now despite spending several years alone with him but he was far from giving up. He still had the rest of his mortal life and he might even have a bit of his life as an ascended deity to achieve this. It wasn''t too late yet.


    Thinking of that, Jing Yi gave him a sweet smile and leaned in again, giving him another kiss. "You''re right. But anyway, you''re back now so I''d much rather spend time with you."


    Qiu Ling felt even happier when he heard that. He leaped onto the bed and pulled his beloved into his arms. "Don''t worry about that! I''ll spend as much time with you as possible."


    Jing Yi smiled and cupped his cheeks. "So ¡­ What were you up to today?"


    "Mn, I went to ask somebody for help to get these people out of that Chun Feng Sect."


    "Really?" Jing Yi''s eyes sparkled when he heard that. They had been talking about the matter with Shao Hai and Xiao Dong but Qiu Ling had left so abruptly that he hadn''t been sure if it had been about that. Hearing now that he had been gone because of that, he couldn''t help but feel sweet. "Thank you, Qiu Ling. It means a lot to me that you''re helping my friends."


    "Isn''t that a given?" Qiu Ling reached out and brushed back his hair, leaning closer to give him a kiss.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes and then wrapped his arms around Qiu Ling''s neck, pulling him even closer and finally falling backward onto the bed. They had known each other for slightly more than a decade now. Even though they hadn''t spent all of that time together, at least more than half of that had been spent with just the two of them.


    From the beginning when he had had nothing but doubts, they had come a long way. By now, there was no way for him to imagine ever being with somebody else. There was at most a bit of fear about their future. But he was willing to just take a leap of faith and hope that he would be rewarded for it.

 Chapter 971 - Unwilling to Accept

    Qiu Ling froze and looked at Jing Yi in a daze, getting merely a smile in return. This ¡­ Was he imagining things? Could it be that he had missed his beloved a little too much while he had been gone to ask the old geezer for advice?


    Jing Yi could see that Qiu Ling''s thoughts were going somewhere unexpected and almost wanted to laugh. After so much time of Qiu Ling always trying to get closer to him, they were suddenly in a situation where he was the one taking the first step for once, making Qiu Ling doubt himself. Previously, he wouldn''t have been able to even imagine such a day.


    Jing Yi smiled to himself. Well, he couldn''t just give up because of a little setback. He had to give it a try. In the end, Qiu Ling wanted this, didn''t he? He was just confused because he hadn''t expected him to take the initiative. As soon as he got over that shock ¡­


    Jing Yi continued to hold onto Qiu Ling but still craned his neck, giving him another kiss. He closed his eyes, not bothering to watch Qiu Ling''s expression any longer. Anyway, it was just important to get back into the mood. Everything else would fit into place by itself.


    Unfortunately for Jing Yi, Qiu Ling was indeed mulling things over a little too deeply. He also couldn''t help but think of how often he had tried to do exactly this. Lying in bed with him, kiss him gently, showing just how much he cared about him and then, finally, making all of this official.


    He had longed for that. He had imagined that scene over and over again but now that the time had come, he could hardly focus on what was happening. His heart was beating madly but it was not the excitement he had hoped for. Instead, he felt a guilty conscience.


    He closed his eyes in the hope of somehow getting these feelings under control but all he could see was Jing He''s sweet smile. The graceful arc of his lips that could only barely hide his fear while his sparkling eyes betrayed his hopes ¡­ Just imagining it filled him with a bittersweet feeling, making his guilty conscience grow.


    On that last day before Jing He had left, they had made all those promises. Never leaving each other, returning to each other''s side, finally getting married when they saw each other again ¡­


    It had sounded like a matter of course. And to him, it had been one all along. Jing Yi was Jing He. They shared the same soul despite having a different body. It made no difference to him. And for the longest time, he had even thought that it would make a difference to his beloved either. He had thought that Jing He would feel even sweeter when he woke up and remembered what had happened in his mortal life. That he would be happy to know that his lover loved him so much that he couldn''t bear to be without him even for these two months.


    In fact, Qiu Ling had still believed this until a short while ago. But when he saw that Jing Yi was jealous of Jing He ¡­ He couldn''t help but wonder if it wouldn''t be the very same the other way around. And what if it was? What if Jing He wouldn''t be able to see Jing Yi as himself? What if he felt that Jing Yi was a different person just like Jing Yi thought of Jing He? What if instead of being happy when remembering this, he instead felt like the love of his life had cheated on him?


    That would break his heart.


    Qiu Ling opened his eyes and pulled back with a heavy heart. He gave Jing Yi a smile that he hoped wouldn''t look too forced and then brushed back his hair. "I guess it''s pretty late. We should probably go to sleep." He didn''t wait for Jing Yi''s answer and just pulled him onto his side, covering them with the blanket. He extinguished the candle burning on the table with his spiritual energy and then closed his eyes, pretending to fall asleep in record time.


    Jing Yi''s expression fell. He had known that Qiu Ling was still unsure of how to deal with some things even though he had accepted to first spend some time with him. He hadn''t thought that it would be to this degree though. Something that he had always wanted ¡­ Was it suddenly not true anymore now that he had realized that he and Jing He could never exist together? If that was the case ¡­


    He clenched his hands into fists and couldn''t help but resent his past self up in the Nine Heavens. Why did that person have to exist? Why couldn''t he just be a past life that had already ended? Why did he still need to be able to wake up later on? Would he take everything from him? Not only his life but even those experiences he wanted to make? Did he really want to keep him from marrying Qiu Ling?


    He tried to see Qiu Ling''s expression but it was already too dark. Jing Yi turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling, the resentment in him not subsiding at all. He wouldn''t let him do this. He wouldn''t just accept this outcome. No, he''d stubbornly fight on!


    Even if Qiu Ling didn''t agree right now, there were still many days and nights ahead. In one of them, he would not say no. In one of them, he would agree to what he had originally wanted. He just had to wait for that moment.


    It would need a lot of patience but he could do it. He could definitely do it. He had to. Otherwise, he would really lose this person. And he was not willing to accept that outcome.

 Chapter 972 - Who’d Be Taking Care of Them?

    Unbeknownst to Jing Yi, Qiu Ling was able to see his face very well in the dark. He could see that resentment, that helplessness, that hope of things maybe changing the future. It made him feel even worse.


    Yes, he wanted to make sure that Jing He wouldn''t suffer because of him. He wanted to decide in a way that wouldn''t put him in a spot where he had to be jealous of himself. But it had made him forget that Jing Yi was in a very similar situation.


    It was just that while when Jing He woke up, things with Jing Yi would already be in the past and never be able to be brought back. On the contrary, Jing Yi was in a situation where Jing He was the inevitable future. Wouldn''t he feel even worse? But what could he do about that? He loved Jing He. He also loved Jing Yi. Regardless of what he did, one of them would be hurt.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes, sighing to himself. He had thought that his worries would be over after having that talk with Jing Yi before they even entered his father''s realm. And for the past few years, it hadn''t been brought up again. In fact, life with Jing Yi had been especially sweet this time. But now that they were outside, something like this happened again. It really made him wonder if there was no way to get around this.


    Qiu Ling agonized over this for a while and finally couldn''t take it any longer. He sat up and stared into the dark, getting up in the end and leaving the house. He needed a second opinion on this. He couldn''t let things go on like this.


    He rushed over to the array leading to the secret realm and stepped into it, half expecting to be transported over. Unfortunately, nothing happened. He stared at those thin lines on the ground with fury and then threw an attack at it, trying to make the person inside let him.


    Inside the realm, Leng Jin Yu opened his eyes and sighed. "Qiu Ling is trying to get back into the realm. Do you think he was contacted again by his people?"


    Jinde didn''t even bother to raise his head from his chest. "Just ignore him. Even if he was, we can still come back tomorrow morning. He knows that I''m outside right now. Is he really not able to leave us alone for just one night? Heavens, I''m slowly starting to feel that it was good that we weren''t together while he was a child. He probably would''ve interrupted us in every possible moment."


    "I hope you do realize that this won''t necessarily be different when we have a child together."


    Jinde chuckled and scratched his husband''s chest. "Ah? Are you worried? Don''t be. I''m sure that my child will be really lovable and not do something like that. Anyway, won''t they have a big brother and a brother-in-law as well? We can just send our child over for them to take care of while we have a moment to ourselves. Don''t you think that''s a good idea?"


    Leng Jin Yu brushed through Jinde''s hair, a thoughtful expression on his face. "The idea is good but are you sure that this will work out? You want a child, but to be honest, I think Qiu Ling might want one as well."


    This time, Jinde raised his head after all and peered into his husband''s face. "What do you mean?"


    Leng Jin Yu hesitated for a moment but then sighed and turned to Jinde, pulling him back into his arms. "Think about it. Why do you want a child so much? Isn''t that because you didn''t have a family of your own? You want to make up for what was lost. You also want to feel closer to me and you probably feel that the child will help with that. Also, you love children but I think that the previous two reasons are playing a very big role.


    "Isn''t Qiu Ling the same? He grew up in a way that ¡­ I don''t even want to imagine it. He was alone for most of his life. And I think the only semblance of a family that he got was after he met the Son of Heaven. Don''t you think that he would also want to start his own family?"


    Jinde kept quiet for a while but then nodded. "I think you''re not that far off. I guess it''s true. Well, if we time it right, we could have a child at the same time as them. Wouldn''t that also be nice?"


    "It would. But knowing Qiu Ling, I''m rather afraid the two of us would be the ones taking care of both children in that case instead of handing ours over to them for a moment?"


    Jinde laughed. "You forgot that there is still the Son of Heaven. Even if Qiu Ling doesn''t want to, from everything I''ve heard so far, the Son of Heaven would never be like that."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "That could be. I''ve never met him so I''m not quite sure what to expect. He is probably quite different from Zhong Jing Yi."


    "Probably. Anyway, has he left already?"


    Leng Jin Yu frowned and tried to sense what was going on at the array. Surprisingly enough, although Qiu Ling was still standing there, he had actually stopped attacking the array. It seemed that whatever was the matter wasn''t that urgent after all.


    "He''s still there but I guess we should just go back to sleep." He turned to the side and kissed Jinde''s forehead, giving him a smile in the dark. "To be honest, I never really thought about children before you brought it up. But thinking about it now ¡­ I actually feel that it''d be quite nice. You''ll definitely make a great parent and I''ll do my best."


    "Then I guess I should do my utmost to heal as fast as possible."


    "Mn, you should. So for now, we should go back to sleep. It''s healthy as well."


    Jinde laughed but still did as Leng Jin Yu had said. Yes, he should do what he could to make this dream come true.

 Chapter 973 - Asking for Advice

    Back outside, Qiu Ling finally gave up with a huff. He was sure that these two had definitely noticed that he was there and just didn''t want to open up the realm. Hmph. Well, he didn''t need them. He might as well go and ask somebody else.


    He turned away but then didn''t really know who to go to. In the mortal realm, there was still that so-called Master of his but he had no idea about the trials or Tian''s curse that made the dragons unable to love more than one person. It seemed that there was nobody he could go to. In that case, he would only be able to go to the immortal realms but that would take a lot of time.


    He glanced in the direction of the bamboo hut and furrowed his brows. Originally, he had only gone out to ask these two a few questions. He would have been back soon enough that his beloved might not even notice. But if he went to the immortal realms ¡­ With the difference in time, it might even be a few days until he returned if he wasn''t careful and then his beloved would definitely wonder what was going on. And he certainly couldn''t leave without saying anything.


    He hesitated and finally went back to the bamboo hut. He lay down next to Jing Yi again, closing his eyes and trying to fall asleep again.


    Two hours later, Qiu Ling still hadn''t managed to do so. It was one thing if this only happened once and he rejected Jing Yi but it would be a completely different thing if this happened again. He couldn''t just ignore what had happened. He needed to find a solution.


    Qiu Ling got up once again and this time, he took out a scroll of paper from his spatial ring, as well as the ink and brush, and then wrote a short message for Jing Yi, putting it down on the table. He sighed and took a last look at his beloved and then left the hut and rushed toward the Nine Heavens.


    He went straight for the palace of the Heavenly Empress. After all, who would be able to give him better advice than his mother-in-law? Well, his father and the old geezer probably would''ve been a better alternative but since these two didn''t want to help him, she was still the best person to go to. At the very least, his mother-in-law would never shut him out. He was sure of that!


    When Qiu Ling peeked through the window into her room, he unfortunately had to realize that Bai Fen wasn''t in though.


    He sighed. "She''s probably at her husband''s palace at this time, wouldn''t she? Does that mean I would have to see that bastard as well? But he''d probably just disturb us and then Jing Yi will have to wait even longer for me to return."


    Qiu Ling pondered for a moment and then decided not to go to the Heavenly Emperor''s palace. Anyway, he didn''t trust Jing He''s father. So it might be better to look for another alternative.


    Qiu Ling continued to ponder for a while and then his expression lit up. He rushed over to another palace and went to look for the owner''s personal rooms. He hadn''t been here very often so he wasn''t quite sure where to look but after searching around for a while, he finally stumbled upon the right one. He rushed in and wanted to shake the person awake only to be met with the sharp end of a sword.


    Qiu Ling jumped back, extending his claws to defend himself. "Uncle-in-law, what are you doing?!"


    Qiang Yan stared at Qiu Ling in a daze and then rubbed his eyes, before looking again. "Qiu Ling?"


    Qiu Ling lowered his hands and harrumphed. "Of course it''s me. Were you expecting somebody else?"


    "That ¡­ I wasn''t expecting anybody this late at night." He sat up and grabbed his outer robe, pulling it over his shoulders. "Did something happen?" He really couldn''t imagine what kind of other reason there could be. It certainly wasn''t like Qiu Ling to suddenly barge into his palace and come to see him in the middle of the night.


    Qiu Ling pulled over a chair and sat down in front of him, giving him a serious look. "Uncle-in-law, do you think it would be wrong of me to marry Jing Yi?"


    Qiang Yan was once again speechless. "Is this what you came here to discuss with me?"


    Qiu Ling was taken aback. "What do you mean? Of course, that is what I came here to discuss. Why would I bring it up otherwise?"


    Qiang Yan sighed. Right, why else would he bring it up? And why was he even surprised? This was very much like Qiu Ling. He rubbed his face and then tried to think about the question in earnest. "Well, why exactly are you asking?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "Isn''t that obvious? Originally, I wanted to marry Jing Yi. But then I realized that maybe Jing He wouldn''t like it if he remembered that. So now I can''t help but worry that I might do the wrong thing. But then again, Jing Yi would also be devastated if I didn''t marry him, wouldn''t he?"


    Qiang Yan nodded slowly. "I see. Well, I guess in the end, it should be more important what this would mean to Jing He, shouldn''t it? After all, he''ll return sooner or later. As for his reincarnation ¡­ Even though it might hurt him a little, he should be able to understand, don''t you think so?"


    Qiu Ling didn''t seem very convinced. Even though it was true that Jing He would return and that by then, Jing Yi''s feelings wouldn''t play any role anymore, it didn''t mean that they didn''t right now. And at this moment, he was obviously very sad about this. Could he really just ignore this?

 Chapter 974 - My Fault

    Thinking of Jing Yi''s sad face, Qiu Ling couldn''t help but glance at Qiang Yan. "You''re biased in Jing He''s favor."


    The God of War only shrugged his shoulders in response. "What do you want me to say? Jing He is my nephew. Jing Yi is ¡­" He shook his head. "I get that he is also somebody special to you since you''ve spent a lot of time with him. But I''ve only met him once. And while he seemed to recognize me, if I haven''t been told that this was Jing He''s reincarnation, I wouldn''t even know. That isn''t something you can see, after all.


    "No, without being told, he would just be a regular human boy to me, nothing more. The only reason I felt a bit bad about it back then was because I knew that Jing He would remember. But I was worried about Jing He himself, not his reincarnation. Naturally, my nephew''s feelings will be in first place for me."


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows at that. Even though it was logical, that didn''t help him at all. He wanted the opinion of somebody who wouldn''t be biased. Otherwise, how would that person be able to give him any good advice? They would just say whatever fit the person they liked better. That wasn''t actual help!


    Qiang Yan could only sigh when he saw Qiu Ling''s expression. "I get that this is difficult for you. But I guess you''ll have to make a decision on your own. Who is more important to you? That''s the only question you need to answer."


    "But what if I can''t answer it?"


    Qiang Yan gave Qiu Ling a pointed look but stayed quiet. Obviously, whether he could or couldn''t, a decision needed to be made. Otherwise, he would only hurt both. "If you drag it out ¡­ It won''t help. You either decide on doing it or you decide against it but tell him so. You can''t just make the decision for yourself and keep quiet about it. That wouldn''t be a decision at all. Since he already knows about the trial and everything, you might as well be open with him."


    Qiu Ling nodded but to be honest, this didn''t bring him any closer to making a decision at all. He should probably say that it had been a waste of time to come here.


    He sighed and then got up, putting the chair back in place. "Well, thanks for trying. I''ll go and figure something out." He didn''t wait for Qiang Yan''s answer and just left his palace again.


    Qiang Yan sighed and shook his head, taking off his outer robe again and going back to bed. He couldn''t immediately fall asleep though. If he could, he really would like to help. But everything he said would naturally be in Jing He''s favor. And even though he felt that Qiu Ling should definitely choose Jing He, it wasn''t that easy to convince him.


    Even if he told him all his reasons, Qiu Ling might not decide that way. And if that was the case, then maybe it was better to let him come to terms with this on his own. That way, he at least wouldn''t have to deal with it if Qiu Ling decided against Jing He and he was the one who finally had to console his nephew.


    Outside, Qiu Ling was standing on the road, wondering whether he should go back or not. As much as he wanted to, he also couldn''t help but look in the direction of Jing He''s palace. He hesitated but finally sighed to himself and went over. Anyway, he was here already. He might as well go and have a look to see if everything was alright and if these two guys inside weren''t slacking off.


    When Qiu Ling sneaked into the palace, Qiang Wei and Yi Zan immediately drew their weapons and wanted to confront the person that would dare to invade the crown prince''s palace. Seeing that it was their King, they stepped aside.


    "Your Majesty."


    Qiu Ling gave them a nod and then waved for them to step away. Anyway, since he had come here, he wanted to spend a moment with Jing He alone.


    Only when the two of them had left did he sit down at the edge of the bed and looked at Jing He''s figure. He was still lying there the same way he had been lying there the last time, his face peaceful while his lips were raised in a gentle smile as if he was just sleeping and having a nice dream.


    Qiu Ling took his hand and gently interlaced their fingers, smiling back at him. "Did you miss me?" He watched his expression that didn''t change at all and sighed to himself.


    "I guess I''m an idiot. Seeing you, I feel bad. I want nothing more than for you to wake up again and continue to spend your life with me. But when I leave and am in front of him, I also can''t bring myself to end it. Even though it would be so easy.


    "Killing him, getting you back ¡­ Maybe that is what you would want. But how could I do that? Never mind what it would mean to Jing Yi, I also can''t take the thought that you would remember being killed by me. Even if it is your reincarnation and not the real you. I don''t want you to have any such thoughts."


    He caressed Jing He''s hand and lightly kissed his knuckles, before giving another sigh. "I left him a message saying that I was going to take care of some matters and would return soon. So I''m afraid I can''t stay here for long."


    He reached out and wanted to brush through Jing He''s hair but a light hiss sounded as soon as he stretched out his hand. Qiu Ling raised his brows and then looked over, finally noticing that small beast he had brought back for Jing He.


    "Oh. So you''re still here. I hope you''ve been doing a good job." Well, considering that the thing had actually dared to hiss at him, it should be taking this seriously.


    The beast gave him a dark look and then curled its body in the other direction, nestling in Jing He''s hair again.


    Qiu Ling sighed. "You haven''t even been able to look at that little one. I wonder if you''ll like it. I also wonder what you''ll have to say about all of this. You know, now that I think about it, it''s my own fault. I ¡­ I wanted to surprise you so I kept quiet about what I was about to do and just followed you silently without you ever knowing.


    "To think I was so proud back then. Now, I realize that I actually made a huge mistake. I should''ve told you. I should have made sure that we would be prepared. Then maybe, we could have talked about such things. Maybe I would know how to deal with this situation then. It''s really ¡­ all my fault."

 Chapter 975 - A Final Decision

    Qiu Ling bent over until his forehead touched Jing He''s shoulder. Yes, now that he truly thought about it, he could see that things would have been much easier if he had reacted differently.


    Certainly, he couldn''t have known that things would turn out like this but he at least should''ve thought of the possibility. But he had willfully ignored it because he was preoccupied with something else. Now, he would have to pay the price. No, not even just him. There was him and Jing He and Jing Yi. All three of them had to suffer because of this. And it would continue to be like this if he wasn''t able to make up his mind.


    His uncle-in-law was right about this. He needed to decide what he wanted to do or it would get even worse. And if he decided, he had to make that decision obvious. He had tried to do so before and had thought that it worked out but obviously, it hadn''t. Jing Yi still had some thoughts about this situation even if he didn''t say them out loud. And obviously, he himself also wasn''t quite on board with his own decision if he wasn''t able to stand by it in the situation.


    He glanced to the side, his gaze brushing past Jing He''s throat. "Whenever I think about you, I can''t help but feel that you''re incredibly frail. I already thought so before this. I felt that I had to take care of you, protect you. When I think about it now, those feelings are even stronger.


    "You ¡­ injured your own soul for me. I know just how that kind of thing could play out. I''ve seen it in the old geezer. It''s nothing to joke about and now you''re in that situation as well. It might not be as bad since it''s only cracked and not annihilated but still. You did it all for me even though you wouldn''t have to. I''m touched and afraid. You have no idea how incredibly scared I am."


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Obviously, Jing He''s love for him was even deeper than he had assumed. Going so far as somebody who wasn''t of the dragon race ¡­ What more could he ask as proof of Jing He''s love? If he didn''t honor this ¡­ Would he really deserve to marry him?


    Qiu Ling sighed and sat up again, taking another look at Jing He''s face. "Well, I guess that is my answer then. I can''t help but feel that it''s a little unfair for Jing Yi since he never even had the opportunity to do something like this but ¡­ Well, it was originally your soul. It''s what I should do."


    He cupped his cheeks and leaned down, pecking his lips. "Just wait for me. I ¡­ I promise I won''t marry him. It''s not an easy thing for me to do so I hope you''ll be able to accept that. As for everything else ¡­ Let him live a little longer in exchange for this. I think that is something he wants and also something he deserves. He has put in a lot of effort to reach this point. I would feel like an asshole for not allowing him to live any longer. I want him to see the Nine Heavens and also the dragon realm. I hope you won''t be angry about it."


    He brushed his cheek with his thumb and then closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself. "Alright. Time for me to return." He let go of Jing He and stood up even though he would have liked nothing more than to remain at his side.


    Maybe from the very beginning, he should''ve done that. Maybe he really should''ve done as he had insinuated and guarded his immortal body. At the very least, they wouldn''t be in the same situation then. Maybe, Jing Yi would''ve led his predestined life and already died by now. It hurt to think about it since he knew the boy but in the overall scheme of things it might have been better.


    Qiu Ling stepped further back, looking at Jing He from a slight distance. "We''ll see each other again soon. By that time, you''ll probably have woken up. I don''t think I can sneak over here very often for us to have a bit of time with each other. Especially since you can''t even answer me."


    He sighed and then turned around, still feeling a little guilty. Maybe he would never be able to get over this for as long as Jing Yi lived. When he wasn''t there anymore and it was only Jing He who could be at his side, maybe then things would have changed. He would have to see about it.


    He took another deep breath and straightened up, making sure that he didn''t look just as worried as he was. Then, he stepped out of the palace, nodding at Qiang Wei and Yi Zan. "The two of you continue. If there''s anything ¡­"


    "Yes, Your Majesty." The two of them bowed and then went back inside, taking up their positions next to Jing He''s bed again.


    Qiu Ling looked up at the sky that was full of twinkling stars and couldn''t help but smile lightly. There had been a few nights like this that he spent with Jing He. All these times ¡­ It made him feel that it should always be like that.


    That quiet happiness of just spending time together, not even talking ¡­ It was something that he missed very much. Well, there would be time for that again when things returned to being like before. He just had to wait.


    With that thought, Qiu Ling left Jing He''s palace behind him, exited the Nine Heavens and returned to the mortal realm. He quietly snuck into that little bamboo hut in the Yun Zou Sect and lay down next to Jing Yi, pulling him into his arms.


    Jing Yi opened his eyes and glanced at the arms around his waist, lightly furrowing his brows. Qiu Ling hadn''t returned the whole night. It really made him wonder just where he had gone.

 Chapter 976 - A Little More

    Jing Yi had woken up when Qiu Ling had left but soon fallen asleep again. When Qiu Ling returned, he had once again been pulled out of his dreams but this time, he was unable to find back. He quietly lay beside him, deeply worried about what was going on.


    It wasn''t like Qiu Ling to suddenly vanish and he had even done it twice on the same day. Once could definitely be explained but the second time was strange especially considering that it had been in the middle of the night. The longer he thought about it, the more he felt that there was only one possibility: Qiu Ling had once again gone to see that person.


    He felt that this was the likeliest possibility. After all, Qiu Ling had done this before. And there was no question about whether or not he missed Jing He. Even though Jing Yi didn''t want to admit it, he knew deep inside that this was true. If he couldn''t guess at least that much after gaining so many of Jing He''s memories of the time with Qiu Ling, then he really would have to be stupid.


    After a while, Jing Yi couldn''t take it anymore. He sat up, very much like what Qiu Ling had done at the beginning of the night and then climbed over his body, wanting to leave. He noticed the strip of paper on the table and picked it up, looking at the few words that Qiu Ling had left behind.


    Originally, he hadn''t noticed him writing anything and had only woken up when he closed the door. Now, it turned out that Qiu Ling had at least made sure that he would know what was going on if he woke up in the morning and he still wasn''t there.


    Seeing the message though Qiu Ling hadn''t specifically told him where he went. If he had wanted to see him, it would''ve been impossible to find him. Well, if it was outside of the mortal realm, he wouldn''t have been able to go there anyway.


    But this ¡­ It just made it more likely that he had really gone to see that person, didn''t it?


    Jing Yi left the hut and paced up and down in front of it. He would''ve liked to do something worthwhile like cultivating or practicing but he just couldn''t focus. His thoughts couldn''t help but circle around Qiu Ling leaving him to go and see Jing He.


    He just couldn''t understand. Yes, Qiu Ling loved Jing He but ¡­ He wasn''t even awake! Right now, it should be as if he was asleep without any possibility of him waking up. Why would he even go there? Why would he do that instead of spending time with him?


    He shook his head, trying not to think about it any further. Qiu Ling had already done so. He couldn''t change that anymore. He could only try to make Qiu Ling spend more time with him going forward.


    Maybe he could ask him if they could return to the capital city or maybe even that other realm. When they had been in there, they had spent every waking moment together. He really wanted to go back to that. Well, they had also promised that they would return to the capital city and Guanyu was still missing. So they should probably focus on that.


    He sighed and sat down in front of the hut, looking up at the sky that was slowly getting brighter. Maybe there was no way for him to win over Jing He. Maybe he just wasn''t as good as him. It could be. But he had thought that since he was here and Jing He wasn''t, he would have a chance. It was hard to admit that maybe he had been wrong about that.


    Anyway, he wouldn''t stop trying. But he also couldn''t only focus on that. There were other things as well. Never mind the matter with Guanyu that was mostly her own fault, there were also Xiao Dong and Shao Hai and senior martial brother Nian''s lover. They had promised to help with that. They definitely couldn''t go back on that. He should ask Qiu Ling tomorrow what exactly it had been that he had thought of.


    In the end, Jing Yi continued to sit in front of so hut until Qiu Ling woke up.


    Noticing that his beloved was not with him, Qiu Ling leaped out of the bed and rushed outside, his eyes wide open and panic written inside them.


    Jing Yi looked up at him with surprise and then couldn''t help but laugh. "What happened? You wouldn''t have gotten scared because I wasn''t there, would you?" Actually, he couldn''t help but be feel a little schadenfreude. Qiu Ling had left him to go and see Jing He without bothering to wonder how he would feel when he woke up and couldn''t find him anywhere. Now, he had gotten a taste of his own medicine and woken up without him at his side. And he had at least been nice enough to stay in front of the hut.


    Qiu Ling heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Jing Yi. "So you''re here." He went over and then sat down next to him, pulling him into his arms. Maybe it was because he had seen Jing He last night but when Jing Yi hadn''t been at his side when he woke up, he panicked. He probably still feared to lose him.


    Jing Yi carefully hugged him back but his thoughts couldn''t help but return to the same problem as before. "You went out last night, didn''t you?"


    Qiu Ling nodded without reservation. "I did."


    "Why?"


    Qiu Ling tensed when he heard that question. Why? How was he supposed to explain? He glanced at Jing Yi''s expression and saw that it wasn''t quite right. Most likely, his beloved could already imagine.


    He sighed and leaned back against the hut. "I ¡­ You know I love you, don''t you?"


    "But you love him a little more, don''t you?"


    Qiu Ling glanced at him and then shook his head. "That''s not it. To me, you''re both the same person. But I''ve come to realize that it''s different for you and yesterday, I couldn''t help but think that most likely, it will also be different for Jing He. He''ll likely have the same opinion as you. And that ¡­ makes things a little difficult.

 Chapter 977 - Which Promise to Honor?

    Jing Yi gave a humorless laugh. "So we''re actually similar in one point? I wouldn''t have expected that."


    Qiu Ling lowered his head, unsure what he should say. He could understand why Jing Yi was feeling this way. The situation wasn''t fair to anyone. But he couldn''t change it. Things were as they were. "I said before this that I wouldn''t forcefully bring him back. I will let you live. I will take you to the Nine Heavens and also the dragon realm. I will give you time. But there are some things that I can''t give you."


    Jing Yi looked at him, slightly confused. He had been able to imagine where Qiu Ling went but he didn''t quite understand why. "What are you talking about? Did I do anything wrong?" He couldn''t explain it otherwise. Just why would Qiu Ling suddenly think of this? Or could it be that Jing He might actually have been on his mind all the time? Well, it might actually be the latter but he''d much rather it was the other way around.


    Qiu Ling sighed and shook his head. "You didn''t do anything wrong. It''s not about doing something wrong. It''s ¡­ It''s not that easy. You see, yesterday ¡­" He turned to Jing Yi and lightly gripped his hand. "I know it was me who wanted to pressure you into marrying me before. But that was before everything happened. Things have come to light and I''ve come to some realizations. If anything, then it''s my fault for only seeing it now. But anyway, I can''t marry you."


    Jing Yi stared at him in a daze. So that was why he had reacted like that yesterday? He had actually reconsidered marrying him? Jing Yi finally shook his head, unable to believe what was happening. "How could that be? You want to be with me but you don''t want to marry me? But this was always what you wanted! Don''t you remember that? From the moment we first met, that was what you asked of me: to marry you. How can you say that you don''t want to do that anymore?"


    Qiu Ling squeezed his hand but stayed quiet. What was he supposed to say? Naturally, Jing Yi would feel hurt that he said something like this. He definitely wouldn''t take that well. And if he told him just why he had proposed at first sight, he would feel even worse about it. That was something he wasn''t willing to do to him. The situation was more than cruel enough already.


    Qiu Ling sighed and could only give him a reassuring look. "It doesn''t mean that anything has changed about my feelings for you. I still love you. I always will. You don''t have to doubt that."


    Jing Yi gave a cold laugh and pulled his hands back. "Yes, you already said that. And I said that you still love him more. You don''t want to say it but that is what it is, isn''t it? You love Jing He more than me. Because he was there first. But how is that fair to me? I should also be allowed to have a life."


    "I promised you that you will."


    Jing Yi shook his head and got up, walking a few steps away. "No. No, that''s not the same! What you promised me is time. I can live for a while longer because you say so. But I don''t get a life. I don''t get to decide on things simply because I want to. I can''t even marry the man that I love! How is that fair? Why does he get to have these things while I don''t?"


    Qiu Ling looked at him and couldn''t offer any kind of comfort. He was suffering because of this just as much as Jing Yi was. He also dearly wished that things could be different.


    But saying this wouldn''t help his beloved at all. Instead, he might be even more furious. After all, while he would still be able to have these things with Jing He, Jing Yi really had nothing. He would miss out on a lot of things because of his situation. That was indeed not fair.


    With Qiu Ling keeping quiet, Jing Yi felt even more aggrieved. "Why aren''t you saying anything? Am I wrong? Speak with me!"


    There was a hint of tears in his voice and Qiu Ling had to close his eyes and pretend he didn''t notice to keep a calm mind. He had thought about this. He had already made his decision. He couldn''t go back on it now. That would help nobody. It would only drag things out and made it hurt even worse later on.


    He took a deep breath and then shook his head. "You''re not wrong. But this isn''t fair to anyone. Not to you, not to me, not to Jing He. I will do anything that I can to make you happy in the time that we have with each other. But it won''t change the fact that I did promise Jing He something and that I want to honor that promise."


    "And what about the promises that you made to me? Aren''t they worth anything?!"


    Qiu Ling looked at him, his expression subtle. "Then tell me one thing: Back when you were imprisoned in that secret realm in the Leyuan region, when you remembered the time in the Nine Heavens and thought that you had a lover named Tian ¡­ Back then, which promise was it that you wanted to honor? Was it the promise that you made to me here in the mortal realm or was it the promises we made in the Nine Heavens?"

 Chapter 978 - The Final Decision

Jing Yi was stunned into speechlessness. He wanted to argue but he couldn''t. Even if he said something, Qiu Ling was sure to see through him. Unfortunately, he was right. Back then, he had really thought the very same way. And contrary to Qiu Ling, he hadn''t even remembered everything.

 Chapter 979 - Something to Test the Theory

    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. Well, it would''ve been too easy if this was any different. He probably should''ve known this already. After all, it was the same for him. It was his luck that he had inherited so much from his father and much less from his mother. Otherwise, he never would have been able to live as a dragon all these years.

 Chapter 980 - Worth a Try

At that time, Hong Ai and Shen An De were sitting in the courtyard of his palace, playing a game and drinking tea while chatting casually. Coincidentally, the subject of their talk was actually Hong Bao.

 Chapter 981 - Spoken Like the True Descendant of a Demon

Just when Shen An De wanted to ask how she wanted to get Hong Bao and that man to meet again, there was a commotion not too far away. "That is ¡­" He narrowed his eyes and tried to see if he could make out what was going on on the other side of the palace.

 Chapter 982 - A Small Favor

    The Fate''s Scribe Shun Tao had been sitting in his study, reading the crown prince''s scroll of fate with a complicated expression. The things going on right now ¡­ Could this be called another trial of love? Could there be two trials of the same kind? At the very least, that was more than rare. Or could it be that this wasn''t actually the same kind?

 Chapter 983 - He Had Come a Long Way

Having cut off the connection, Qiu Ling gave the other three a bright smile. "Alright, everything is taken care of. He will be here in a bit."

 Chapter 984 - Not an Alchemist

    Qiu Ling felt indignant but considering everything that was going on, he didn''t make a big deal of it. Instead, he just pretended not to have heard anything and continued to answer Jing Yi''s question. "Disregarding his father, his mother is much nicer. I think she genuinely wants what is best for Jing He and she was able to see that he was unhappy with how things were before. She offered me help back then and I think that it made a big difference in how Jing He and I got along."

 Chapter 985 - Not too Late Yet

    Qiu Ling brushed through his hair, his expression turning gentler. "Well, it''s not too late yet, is it? After we''ve managed to fulfill that task for Hong Ai and Shen An De, we can go and rescue the others and after that, we can ask in the Yun Zou Sect if they could teach you further. One of the people imprisoned there is Nian Hong Fang''s lover. And he is the disciple of the Grandelder. I''m pretty sure that he would be able to teach you a lot and he would definitely be willing to do so after everything you''ve helped him with."

 Chapter 986 - One Step at a Time

Qiu Ling looked at him deeply. "Is this really what you want?"

 Chapter 987 - A Person in Power

The two of them went to the complex that housed the alchemy division. Looking around, it seemed that not much had changed in the past few years.

 Chapter 988 - Leave It to Me

    Seeing the expressions of both Jing Yi and Qiu Ling change, Yue Lin couldn''t help but tense. Had he remembered it wrong? "This ¡­ wasn''t it Jing He?" It was pretty sure that it was.


    Jing Yi was too embarrassed to say anything. He definitely wouldn''t be able to take it if everybody suddenly started to call him Jing He but he also didn''t know what he should say.


    Qiu Ling glanced at him and then sighed. Anyway, he also wouldn''t want to hear Jing He''s name all the time when it wasn''t used to speak about the actual person but his reincarnation instead. "Actually, it''s Jing Yi. I also don''t know who got that wrong." He reached over to Jing Yi and brushed his fingers through his hair, giving him an indulgent smile. "I know you feel like you shouldn''t contradict your senior martial brothers but honestly, this is your name. Your parents put a lot of thought into giving you this one, so you should insist on people using the right one."


    Jing Yi almost wanted to heave a sigh of relief. Right, this was one way to explain it. It had just been a mixup and he hadn''t wanted to make trouble so he hadn''t corrected anyone back then. Now, about a decade had passed so they might as well clear it up. This should be a believable story, shouldn''t it?


    Yue Lin heaved a sigh of relief as well when he heard that explanation. So it had been like this! He turned to Jing Yi and gave him a smile. "You should''ve said something back then. I bet it was that Niu Hai who got it wrong. Honestly, it''s more embarrassing for us to have never noticed that we got it wrong than for you to tell us. We should be ashamed of ourselves."


    Jing Yi hurriedly shook his head. These two hadn''t gotten anything wrong at all. "No, senior martial brother Yue is too nice. It''s really my problem. I guess it happened because I didn''t know how to write back then and so I told senior martial brother Niu something wrong. He couldn''t have known."


    Yue Lin smiled when he heard that and just waved as if it was nothing much. "Well, it''s good that I know now. You should also tell Niu Hai when you see him or I can do that as well if you don''t feel like it."


    Jing Yi''s cheeks flushed red when You Lin offered this. This person actually was so nice to help him despite the fact that he was lying to him. Well, lying was definitely the only thing he could do. In fact, he had done nothing but that since coming here. After all, to him, this had originally just been a mission. Looking at it from a personal standpoint, he felt a little guilty about that though.


    Well, he couldn''t change that anymore. Especially not since he was still a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect. Nothing had changed about that. He and the people of the Hei Dian Sect were actually on different sides. If there ever was a conflict between the Yun Zou Sect and the Hei Dian Sect, he knew where he had to stand. But at the very least, he could now give his real name to them. It wasn''t much but considering what little he could do, he felt that this little bit of honesty was good to give.


    Qiu Ling glanced at Jing Yi and then motioned over to the desk. "Actually, the two of us came here to ask you something."


    Yue Lin nodded and went back to his seat, motioning for them to sit down on the other side. He brushed over the papers that had flown all around thanks to Qiu Ling''s not so gentle approach but then just sighed and left them alone. He''d need more time to deal with this. He might as well wait to do so until his guests had left. "Well, what can I do for you?"


    Qiu Ling looked at Jing Yi, trying to find out if he would rather talk about this.


    Jing Yi pondered for a moment but finally decided that he should do it. Anyway, he knew Yue Lin slightly better than Qiu Ling did. "For the past few years, we''ve been outside on a mission. We only just returned today. Because of that, I wasn''t really able to keep up with my alchemy studies. I still have the manual but it''s a little difficult. Would you have any advice for me, senior martial brother Yue? I didn''t know who else to ask. We weren''t here for long in the beginning so I don''t know many people."


    Yue Lin nodded slowly. It had indeed been a long time since Jing He, no, Jing Yi had been here. Back then, he had only just started out and hadn''t had any prior knowledge. He naturally wouldn''t be very practiced. "Well, it would probably be easiest for you to make up for the time you''ve lost if somebody was to teach you." But Jing Yi had only been a fringe disciple if he remembered correctly so that was almost out of the question. The kind of teaching that would be necessary to learn something like alchemy definitely wouldn''t be lavished on a person like this. Although ¡­


    He glanced at Qiu Ling, his gaze turning thoughtful. If he remembered correctly, then this man had some kind of relationship with the Grandmaster. That had only come out after the duel with Niu Hai and they had vanished soon after so he wasn''t quite sure what was going on. But, in that case, he could probably make an exception and make it possible for Jing Yi.


    He turned back and then gave a nod. "Very well. Give me some time to prepare for this and then I''ll let you know. I''m sure I''ll be able to find somebody who would be willing to teach you. Just leave it to me."

 Chapter 989 - Maybe Not a Good Decision

    Jing Yi left the house in a much better mood. Right now, even though he couldn''t start really learning alchemy or brushing up his skills immediately, he was at least one step closer to being able to do so. Right now, he just needed to wait a bit longer and then, he would be able to start.


    Seeing his beloved happy, Qiu Ling was happy as well. It seemed that coming here to ask for help had been the right decision after all. Regardless of what happened with that matter about the Chun Feng Sect, this trip definitely hadn''t been wasted. "So ¡­ he might need some time until he has managed to take care of all that. What do you want to do until then? Just read over the manual on your own?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "I think it can''t hurt to do that. At the very least, it might jog my memory a little. Before that though ¡­ Maybe we should take a look around the sect and maybe meet with Niu Hai?"


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "We just arrived here and one of the first things you request to do is meeting up with another man. I really don''t know what to think about that."


    Jing Yi laughed. "If it makes you feel better, I didn''t even think of that before. But since Yue Lin already mentioned him, I think we should go and have a look. After all, he was the person that helped me get settled in the Hei Dian Sect back then and explained a lot of things to me. Also, I don''t really think he would still want to go against you. Didn''t you beat him pretty bad back then?"


    Qiu Ling thought back and remembered that he had indeed taught this person a lesson. "Well, I guess it''s alright. But when we get there, you definitely have to get close to me!" He reached out and grabbed Jing Yi''s hand, interlacing his fingers with his. "It really can''t hurt to show him just how much of a happy couple we are. Don''t you think so?"


    Jing Yi scoffed but still stood on his tiptoes and gave Qiu Ling a kiss. "You''re certainly right with that. We''re so happy and so close that not even a piece of paper would fit between us. Not to mention a big person like Niu Hai."


    Qiu Ling beamed and then followed him over to Niu Hai''s division. Anyway, if this person really hadn''t given up, then he didn''t mind teaching him another lesson. There was no reason to go easy on him by then. Those who didn''t learn their lesson the first time around should definitely be educated twice.


    Jing Yi had no idea what Qiu Ling was thinking and was sure that the matter was off the table and they would just go to meet an old friend. When they arrived, quite a few people were looking over to find out who the newcomers were. Judging from the unembroidered robes they wore, these disciples were just fringe disciples and Jing Yi couldn''t remember seeing any of them ever before. They might have joined the sect in the past decade since they left.


    Jing Yi gave them a smile. Anyway, just because he didn''t know them, there was no reason to be worried. "Excuse me, I am searching for senior martial brother Niu. You wouldn''t happen to know where he is, would you?"


    The disciples continued to look at him but then, their gazes drifted to his hand that was still being held by Qiu Ling and finally up to Qiu Ling''s face and back again. "Who is he?"


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. This ¡­ was exactly how he remembered the blade division to be. Niu Hai had been this happy to meet him for the first time and just as hostile to Qiu Ling as well. His other martial brothers hadn''t been any better. How come nothing about that had changed in ten years?


    "He''s my f¡ª" Jing Yi suddenly stopped and then awkwardly turned to glance at Qiu Ling. He had wanted to say that he was his fiance but ¡­ The wedding was off the table. Could they really be called each other''s fiances?


    Qiu Ling tensed at Jing Yi''s gaze, the same implication coming to his mind as well. Right, if they didn''t get married, there was no kind of official relationship between them. They weren''t each other''s anything anymore. They were ¡­ two strangers who happened to spend time together.


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, wondering if his decision had really been the right one. But imagining Jing He''s face when he found out that he had married somebody else, imagining the hurt in his eyes, maybe even tears ¡­ He couldn''t bring himself to insist on calling Jing Yi his fiance after all. He couldn''t do that.


    He opened his eyes and cleared his throat. "I''m his lover. Do you have a problem with that?"


    The disciple looked a little unwilling and glanced from Jing Yi to Qiu Ling and back again once more. They didn''t get cute juniors very often and if they did, they were normally grabbed and hidden away by one of the seniors in the blink of an eye. Now, that finally another one had come by without any of their seniors being around, they were a bit unwilling to give up.


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. "Will you get that Niu Hai here for us or not? Anyway, I don''t mind teaching you lot a lesson as well!"


    Seeing his reaction, the disciples mumbled some curses but one of them finally spoke up. "Well, I''ll go and get him. No need to be like that."


    Qiu Ling scoffed and turned away from him, looking at Jing Yi instead. His beloved ¡­ seemed a bit sad. Well, it probably wasn''t a wonder. Even though they had just made up, he was always reminded of what he had just lost through no fault of his own. Maybe coming here hadn''t been such a good decision after all.

 Chapter 990 - How about a Rematch?

    The other disciple was still in a foul mood when he found Niu Hai. "Senior martial brother Niu!"


    Niu Hai who had just been practicing lowered his Dao and turned around, raising his brows. "What''s the matter? Did something happen?"


    The other disciple pouted. "Some rude guy came by and asked to see you."


    "A rude guy? Did he say what his name was?"


    "No. His lover is cute though."


    Niu Hai''s brows climbed up even higher. Did he know any rude person that had a cute lover? At the very least, he couldn''t remember anything like that at the moment. "Then did he say what he wanted?"


    The disciple shook his head. "Only that he wanted to speak to you. Ah, well, actually, it was the cute one that wanted to speak to you. He was just being rude."


    Niu Hai was even more confused but hearing that a cute person wanted to see him did make him feel that he should at least go and check it out. It was a pity that this person was already in a relationship but it was still nice to see someone pretty. "Well, lead the way then. Maybe it''s something important."


    The disciple nodded and led him over to the entrance of the blade division where the other disciples were still facing off against Jing Yi and Qiu Ling who in turn ignored them.


    Niu Hai had on a wry smile when he saw the other disciples acting like that but his expression changed drastically when he saw the two people on the other side. "Jing He?!"


    Jing Yi''s brows twitched and he turned toward Niu Hai with a slightly strained expression. "Senior martial brother Niu. I hope we didn''t bother you while you were doing anything important."


    Niu Hai hurriedly shook his head. "Of course not! Even if, I definitely don''t mind putting that off if it''s for you." He might have lost against Qiu Ling back then but that didn''t mean that he didn''t still have some kind of hope. Anyway, he had worked very hard in the past years. Who knew if he wouldn''t be able to win if they had a rematch now?


    Qiu Ling glanced at him, narrowing his eyes as if he could guess just what Niu Hai was thinking there. He''d give him some time to get rid of that ridiculous thought himself. If he still didn''t do it by then, he''d straighten him out a bit and make him forget.


    While Qiu Ling was already considering something like this, Niu Hai leaned closer and gave Jing Yi a bright smile. "When did you come back? You left without saying anything back then. I was worried about you."


    Jing Yi held back from getting too close considering the kind of relationship Niu Hai and Qiu Ling had had back then and just kept to the facts or, well, at the very least to what they had established as facts with Yue Lin before. "You might remember that Qiu Ling talked to the Grandmaster back then. He actually gave us a mission later on. That was why we had to leave so suddenly. Unfortunately, some things went wrong so it took a longer time than expected and we could only return now."


    Niu Hai nodded, his expression grave. "I hope you''re alright."


    Jing Yi wanted to answer but Qiu Ling already jumped at the opportunity to insert himself into the conversation.


    He pulled Jing Yi into his arms and gave Niu Hai a bright smile. "But of course! You can be sure that I would definitely protect him well regardless of what happens. Even if something happened to him while I wasn''t around, I would have definitely made sure that he got back to full health. There''s really no need for an outsider like you to worry."


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched. Did he really have to be like this? He glanced at Qiu Ling but seeing his expression, he also couldn''t bring himself to say anything. Anyway, Qiu Ling had always been like this. He could hardly expect of him to suddenly change. And, actually, it was quite nice to see him behave like he usually had without even a single thought of Jing He. If it could always be like this ¡­ He would definitely prefer that.


    He turned back to Niu Hai and nodded. "Qiu Ling is right. He helped me out of some difficult situations. Anyway, we''re back now for the time being. But I guess we''ll have to leave very soon though. I just thought that it would be nice to come and see you again. After all, we really did leave a little surprisingly back then. I hope you didn''t mind too much."


    Niu Hai shook his head. In fact, thinking back to how he had lost to Qiu Ling back then, he actually felt that it was better they had left. He really wouldn''t have had any face to see Jing Yi again after losing so badly.


    But still, he wasn''t willing to give up this time around so easily. "Well, since you''ll be staying for some days, how about your lover and I have a rematch? I feel like I''ve learned quite a lot in the past years. Who knows if it will be different this time around?"


    "That''s ¡­" Jing Yi really wanted to reject this. After all, he knew that there was no way Niu Hai would ever be able to beat Qiu Ling. After all, Qiu Ling wasn''t even human. The kind of strength he had ¡­ There was no way somebody like Niu Hai would ever be able to make up for that.


    Before Jing Yi could say anything, Qiu Ling''s eyes were already sparkling with happiness though. "But of course! If it''s so important to you, then I totally don''t mind giving you the opportunity. You just can''t be sad and play the victim when you''ve lost again. After all, you were the one who proposed it."


    Niu Hai clenched his fists when he heard Qiu Ling taunt him like that. If there had been any chance for Jing Yi to talk him out of this, it was definitely gone by now.

 Chapter 991 - A Big Audience

    The younger disciples standing around them were thrilled as well. They did make sure to lower their voices though when they talked about it for fear of antagonizing either of the two. After all, they were aware that they wouldn''t be able to win against either Niu Hai or Qiu Ling. They couldn''t hold back from making some remarks among themselves though.


    "This is great! I can''t wait for senior martial brother Niu Hai to beat that guy up. He certainly deserves to be taught a lesson."


    "Mn, I''m with you on that. I certainly didn''t like the way he looked at us before. Just because we''re younger doesn''t mean just anybody can treat us like that, does it?"


    "Yeah! Who does he think he is?"


    One of them gave the others a worried look. "Guys ¡­ You do realize that even if senior martial brother Niu Hai wins, neither of you will get that cutie, right?"


    The others paused for a moment, obviously not having thought of that before, and then cursed under their breaths.


    One of them crossed his arms in front of his chest and raised his chin with a huff. "Who cares? Anyway, it''s alright as long as the person who gets him is somebody of our division. Who knows where that guy crawled out from?"


    "Right, right! It''s just like that. It''s not that we had any designs on him or something. We would never have impure thoughts about the person that senior martial brother Niu likes."


    The other disciple sighed and shook his head. There was nothing he could do. These guys were just doing whatever they wanted. Well, he wasn''t the one who would get into trouble for running his mouth. That was their own problem.


    Meanwhile, Qiu Ling and Niu Hai were still facing off.


    Qiu Ling had put on a happy expression, not in the least bit worried about the upcoming fight. "So, since you''re the one who needs a rematch, I guess I should give you some advantages. You can decide on the time and place. I don''t mind if you need another month or a year to prepare either. I''m a very open-minded person."


    Niu Hai clenched his teeth, wondering just how Jing Yi was able to stay with this person. "There''s no need to wait for that long! Let''s just have it tomorrow."


    "Tomorrow? So I guess you don''t want to have a public fight then, do you?"


    Niu Hai already wanted to reject that idea but the disciples behind him were immediately fired up when they heard that. "Yes! You should go for it, senior martial brother Niu. Wouldn''t it be much better to beat this bastard in front of everyone else?!"


    The disciple that had reminded the others of the harsh reality before took some steps away from the disciples next to him and pretended he had nothing to do with them.


    Meanwhile, Niu Hai turned around and gave them an exasperated look. Were these guys trying to make trouble for him? It would be alright if he was indeed able to win against Qiu Ling this time around but it would be another matter altogether if he lost again. After all, while these few were too young to know about it, there were other disciples who had seen the fight between him and Qiu Ling back then. He definitely didn''t want everybody to see him lose that badly once again. That would just be inviting humiliation onto himself.


    Qiu Ling could see what was going through his head but since he had already been given the chance, there was no way he would let it run through his fingers. "Great! Then we should have a public fight. I don''t know if it''d be possible to have one tomorrow though. Maybe let''s say we''ll have the fight in three days? That should be enough time to inform everybody but still not too much so it''d get dragged out unnecessarily. If you feel like you can prepare until then, that would work for me."


    Niu Hai wanted to backpedal but the disciple from just now spoke up once again. "Ha! See that? I bet he''s scared now so he is trying to push it back to get in some emergency training!"


    Both Niu Hai and Qiu Ling looked at the disciple as if he was an idiot.


    The disciple shut up, and slunk behind one of the others, trying to minimize his presence. Had he said something wrong?


    At that time, Jing Yi really couldn''t take it anymore. He tugged at Qiu Ling''s sleeve and gave a wry smile. "Say ¡­ How about not making it a fight in front of the whole sect again? If you want to have an audience, let''s just make it the blade division or something, alright?"


    Qiu Ling pouted but since it was something that his beloved wanted, he naturally nodded his head. "Well, if you would prefer that, then we''ll do that." He glanced at Niu Hai and his eyes glittered with evilness. Then he looked back at Jing Yi, trying to seem completely innocent. "Well, how about having his division and our division there? That should be a good compromise, don''t you think so?"


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling and slowly raised his brows. "Our division? Last time I checked I was the only one in a division here. Or did you join one since the last time?"


    Qiu Ling tensed up and then looked in the direction of the alchemy division. Indeed ¡­ His name hadn''t been written down there. "Well, I could still join it ¡­"


    "Last time I checked you weren''t interested in learning alchemy either."


    Qiu Ling deflated but didn''t argue anymore. "Then just this division?"


    Jing Yi looked at Niu Hai and gave him a small smile. "Senior martial brother Niu, will this be alright with you?"


    Niu Hai looked from Jing Yi to Qiu Ling and then back again. He had an increasingly bad feeling about this. Even if he was able to win, the chances might only be slim. At the very least, Jing Yi didn''t believe in him at all. Well, it was no wonder after what had happened the last time. But he had learned a lot since that time. Maybe he would be able to do it. Then he would be able to convince him thoroughly of his newfound strength. But it might still be better to do that in front of not too many people just in case.


    Thus, Niu Hai nodded in the end. "That''s a very sensible suggestion, Jing He. I''m glad that you are here." He gave him a smile, making Qiu Ling clench his hands into fists.


    The two of them were definitely stoked for that fight.

 Chapter 992 - A Middle-Aged Uncle

    The message that there was going to be a fight three days later spread like wildfire. Even though it was officially supposed to only include disciples of the division of blades, there was no way to contain this information in just one division.


    For one, the disciples that had been there when Niu Hai challenged Qiu Ling to the rematch just couldn''t keep their mouth shut, and then, there were also other disciples that later heard about it and wanted to share the information with their friends who happened to be of other divisions every so often. And needless to say, those friends once again talked with others, making this latest gossip spread through the whole Hei Dian Sect.


    Even though there hadn''t been an official announcement and not everybody had gotten all the details, it stood to reason that the audience the fight between Qiu Ling and Niu Hai would gather would not be much smaller than the last time around. After all, the older disciples had seen their last fight and wanted to see this rematch to find out if the outcome would change while the younger disciples were excited about any fight and especially so for one that involved one of the most prominent disciples of the blade division.


    While all of this was going on, Qiu Ling and Jing Yi had long returned to the hut and were spending their time leisurely. Or, well, one of them was spending it leisurely. Jing Yi was reading in the manual to refresh his knowledge of the basics of refinement while Qiu Ling was sitting at the side, watching him intently.


    Jing Yi didn''t bother about him and just continued to read on. Anyway, he''d like to see just how long Qiu Ling would be able to keep this up. To his surprise, Qiu Ling didn''t seem to have any limit on how long he was able to stare at somebody.


    It seemed that from morning till evening, he would be content doing nothing but this. As long as he focused on reading, Qiu Ling would start staring at him. Only when he put the manual down, would Qiu Ling rush over and pull him into his arms, insisting on at least holding his hands or better hugging his whole person to his chest.


    While he could probably count himself lucky that Qiu Ling had resolved to not disturb him while he was working, Jing Yi felt that he was slowly but surely driven to madness. If he could, he would turn back time and tell Qiu Ling that he should indeed become part of a division. At the very least, he would''ve had something to do with himself then and wouldn''t need to bother him. Now, it was too late though. He could only grit his teeth and continue reading. Anyway, the fight would be very soon, giving him a break, and then that person from the Nine Heavens should arrive as well. Afterward, everything would once again change anyway. He just had to wait until then.


    When there were only a few hours left until the time for the duel, something happened in Grandmaster Shen''s palace.


    One of the servants rushed into the inner chambers, looking for Shen An De. Unfortunately, nothing could be seen of the Grandmaster. The servant didn''t quite know what to do for a moment. Neither the Grandmaster nor his wife was in and nobody was around to tell him where they went. He thought and finally, his expression lit up. He didn''t know where the Grandmaster might be but his wife often trained in the adjacent courtyard. He just had to go look for her!


    The servant ran outside and indeed, Hong Ai was currently practicing her swordsmanship not far from the door.


    "Madam! Please excuse the disturbance but there''s a person at the door, saying that he wants to see some Longjun? I wanted to send him away but he insisted that this person was staying in the Grandmaster''s palace. We couldn''t find anyone though. Should we send the person away after all?"


    Hong Ai sheathed the sword, wondering for a moment what this could be about. Then, it dawned on her: This should be the person from the Nine Heavens that had come to help them out! The one that her sister had originally fallen in love with. "No, I know what this is about. Send the person in and treat him like a guest."


    "Yes, Madam!" When the servant rushed away, Hong Ai turned around and went over to the pavilion that was standing not far away.


    Her husband was sitting at the table, drinking a cup of tea. He raised his gaze to her and smiled. "Seems like he''s finally here."


    "Mn." Hong Ai sat down next to him, taking the teacup that he pushed over. She was curious to see just who this person was that her sister had fallen so deeply in love with that she would even kill somebody for him. Thus, the two of them sat with their gazes trained on the door, waiting anxiously for Shun Tao''s entrance.


    A moment later, Shun Tao walked in behind the servant, his brows furrowing when he saw the two people in the pavilion but no trace of Qiu Ling. This ¡­ certainly wasn''t what he had expected.


    The servant bowed and then pulled back, leaving the three people alone.


    Shun Tao looked from Shen An De to Hong Ai, his brows furrowing even further when he saw her. Somehow, he felt that this woman looked slightly familiar. He couldn''t quite remember where he might have seen her though. Anyway, it was better to be straightforward with matters in this situation. Most likely, he wouldn''t have been called to this place if these two didn''t have anything to do with this. "Please excuse me but I am looking for Longjun."


    Hong Ai looked back at him, her eyes widening slightly. This ¡­ How come the incredibly handsome man her sister had fallen for so deeply that she was willing to kill somebody turned out to be a middle-aged uncle?!

 Chapter 993 - The Imperative He Followed

    Hong Ai was stunned speechless when she saw the type of person Shun Tao actually was. Shen An De wasn''t faring much better even though he at least didn''t stare at him unabashedly and managed to lower his gaze and pick up his cup of tea in an attempt to dispel the awkwardness.


    Well, he had always known that his sister-in-law was ¡­ unconventional. This was just once again proof of how special she actually was. They probably shouldn''t have expected anything else. Well, not that it wasn''t still a bit surprising considering that she had also fallen in love with Liu Cheng who was not that much older than her and could probably be described as handsome. Although ¡­ this man wasn''t ugly either. Just ¡­ twice her age.


    Shun Tao looked at the two people whose expression had turned somewhat queer, his brows furrowing slightly. Don''t tell him that they might not know who he was talking about? But this was obviously the Grandmaster''s palace that the Heavenly Empress had mentioned. Could it be that he had come to the wrong sect?


    He looked around but he wasn''t that clear about how the Hei Dian Sect was supposed to look. In the end, he could only speak up again. "Excuse me, but this is the Hei Dian Sect, isn''t it? And this is the Grandmaster''s palace?"


    Shen An De pulled himself out of his musings when he heard Shun Tao''s further questions. He finally motioned at the seat opposite them and gave a nod. "It is. I am Shen An De, the Grandmaster of the Hei Dian Sect. Why don''t you have a seat first?"


    Shun Tao wasn''t quite sure what to make of this but he still went over and sat down. At the very least, this was better than awkwardly standing there at the door and waiting for them to explain everything.


    Hong Ai also pulled herself out of her thoughts when Shun Tao sat down in front of them. Yes, this man was definitely not what she had expected but that was no reason to be rude. Anyway, they wanted his help. "Thank you for making the way here, Fate''s Scribe."


    Shun Tao raised his brows, surprised that this woman knew who he actually was. Could it be that they had something to do with this whole matter and Longjun wasn''t just coincidentally staying here? Well, it would make sense. After all, there was no reason for Zhong Jing Yi to be in the Hei Dian Sect right now. "I was ordered by the Heavenly Empress to come and see Longjun. Might I ask where he is right now?"


    Hong Ai and Shen An De exchanged a glance.


    "He should be somewhere with his lover. Should we call them right now?" They could probably explain to him themselves but they weren''t quite sure if it would go over that well. After all, they didn''t know what exactly had happened between Hong Bao and this man. If they said the wrong thing ¡­ Who knew if he would still be willing to help? Maybe he would just leave before Hong Bao had seen him? Then all this trouble would have been for nothing.


    Shun Tao nodded. "That would be for the best. I can''t stay here for long." Even though the Heavenly Empress had told him to descend and do whatever it was that Longjun wanted from him, that didn''t mean that the Heavenly Emperor would be understanding even a bit. He didn''t have any illusions about that. Thus, he had to make sure that he was down here for the least possible amount of time. Waiting for Longjun definitely wasn''t high on his priority list.


    Hong Ai got up and gave the two of them a smile. "Very well. Since it''s important, I''ll go and look for him myself. If we sent one of the servants, who knew how long it would take until they managed to find him?"


    Shen An De nodded, agreeing with his wife. "Very well, then I will entertain our guest for the time being."


    He turned to Shun Tao when Hong Ai left, giving him another look. Anyway, regardless of what had happened in the Nine Heavens, Hong Bao had forgotten about it already, with the memories unable to be recovered forever as far as he knew. This man also didn''t know why he was here so the matter probably wouldn''t come up until Qiu Ling was back. As for anything else they should talk about ¡­


    "I hope this isn''t making too much trouble for you. We couldn''t help but overhear that you are actually not allowed to come to the mortal realm when Longjun contacted you."


    Shun Tao gave a wry smile. So his ignoble situation was now actually known to several other people as well. Great. He already knew why he disliked Longjun so much. This guy was nothing but trouble for him! "Well, since this is an important matter that Longjun needs me for there was no other way than to make an exception."


    Shen An De poured both of them a cup of tea, refraining from saying anything else. He knew very well just how much of an ''important matter'' this was. He probably would''ve been able to help Qiu Ling in another way than lending out his wife''s sword and had only made this kind of deal because of his selfish wishes of keeping Hong Ai happy.


    He didn''t care about somebody in the Nine Heavens or even the greater good. Maybe this was his demonic heritage speaking but he just was that type of person. Anyway, who could expect anything different from the Grandmaster of the greatest demonic sect currently in the mortal realm?


    Whoever did should really check their understanding of the world. He could be nice if he wanted to but if it was against his own interests, why should he bother? That was just the imperative he followed.

 Chapter 994 - Ally with the Other Sects

    At the same time, Hong Ai finally managed to find out where Qiu Ling and Jing Yi were staying. She knocked on the door of the hut and stepped inside when Jing Yi responded. "That person from the Nine Heavens arrived."


    Qiu Ling who had still been staring at Jing Yi gave her a dubious look. "Then what are you doing here?"


    "Uh ¡­ He asked to see you."


    Qiu Ling cocked an eyebrow but didn''t seem as if he wanted to get up at all. "And? He isn''t here to see me, is he? He is here to see your sister. So you should run and grab her instead of wasting your time disturbing us."


    Next to him, Jing Yi rubbed his forehead. Couldn''t Qiu Ling say things a little more nicely? Even though he wasn''t wrong, this wasn''t a good way to put it. "Hong Ai, I''m sorry. Qiu Ling just means to say that it could be that this person doesn''t really want to see your sister. So maybe it would be better to get her and just bring her there so she can meet him instead of just letting him see Qiu Ling. If he asked him directly, he might refuse."


    Qiu Ling nodded. This wasn''t really what he had thought but it was a very good excuse for getting rid of her.


    Hong Ai put on a pensive expression and then nodded slowly. "You might be right about that. I actually thought that you could explain to him before but I guess it''s really better to just bring her over. Now, I only need an excuse to get Hong Bao to come here. If something else is up in the Chun Feng Sect ¡ª which is likely with everything else going on ¡ª she might not be willing to come here."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows and took some time to ponder the issue. Anyway, that servant girl seeing the Fate''s Scribe was a prerequisite for him getting the sword and being able to try his theory. And that, in turn, was necessary to teach the Chun Feng Sect a lesson and get these people out of there.


    "Well, I''m having a fight with some guy from your sect tomorrow. Just tell her that it might be exciting to watch. Considering how much she loves chaos, she should probably be willing to come here and have a look."


    Hong Ai raised her brows but finally nodded. Indeed, there was a good chance that Hong Bao would be interested in that. "Very well. Then I''ll go bring her back. Would it be alright to bring her here first and then go over together? I mean the plan is to have that man see her but it might be a little too obvious if I don''t even bring you back when you''re the person he asked for."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips and already wanted to disagree when Jing Yi responded.


    "But of course! We wouldn''t want to make any more trouble for you. You''re doing us a favor, after all."


    Qiu Ling gave Jing Yi a doubtful look, wondering just what kind of favor it was that they were getting. Anyway, he was just borrowing a weapon. They, on the other hand, wanted to borrow a person! He didn''t feel like this was an equivalent exchange at all. But if his beloved said so, then he would accept it. He could only hope that it wouldn''t take too much time.


    Hong Ai bid the two of them farewell and then left the Hei Dian Sect, rushing over to the Chun Feng Sect as fast as she could.


    She hovered in the air a small distance away and looked at the sect grounds with furrowed brows. She didn''t know where exactly her sister was but she didn''t dare to search around for her either.


    Considering that Hong Bao was a disciple of the Chun Feng Sect and even a disciple of the Sect Master Xian Xun, they probably knew why she had disappeared back then and where she was living right now. And there was no doubt that the Chun Feng Sect would at least suspect that her husband was of demonic parentage as well. With everything that had come to light recently, she had to be afraid that they might try to capture her as well and use her to get to her husband. She definitely wouldn''t believe that this was below the Chun Feng Sect.


    As for Hong Bao ¡­ She was currently sitting in her Master''s study, staring at Liu Cheng''s side profile with dreamy eyes. Ah, to think what a handsome senior martial brother she had! She could hardly believe it herself. Even after so many years of staying in the sect, nothing had changed about just how handsome Liu Cheng was.


    On the other side of the table, the Sect Master had deeply furrowed his brows. It wasn''t his youngest disciple''s behavior that made him so worried but instead the things recently happening. "From what we know, the Jian Yi Sect''s Sect Master Fei Bai Mu has recently visited the Yun Zou Sect. It is very likely that she has informed them about what has happened to their disciples as well. I guess the following falling out with them is inevitable now."


    Liu Cheng nodded, his expression just as serious as the Sect Master''s. "Master is certainly right. On the other hand, this at least explains how things came to light. It has to be the Jian Yi Sect''s doing."


    Xian Xun nodded, feeling that what his disciple said was sensible. The Jian Yi Sect would not stay out of something just because a lot of people were involved in it. They also didn''t mind antagonizing one of the demon-hunting sects. They were strong enough to not care about that. In fact, if they wanted to, they could probably establish a demon-hunting division or something in their sect as well. It wouldn''t be unthinkable. That posed another problem though: What if they actually wanted to destroy the Chun Feng Sect?


    Xian Xun tapped the table with his fingers, trying to think of a solution. "The situation is dire. We definitely can''t just wait until they decide to take the next step. We have to prepare and make sure that we won''t be had unaware."


    "Could we ally with the other demon-hunting sects? Back then, the sects of the Liu He Alliance also did the same. That was what made them become a premier sect in the first place. Even though we don''t necessarily always agree with the other sects, it would give us more strength. If we were able to do this fast enough, then we might be able to contend against the Jian Yi Sect."


    Xian Xun nodded. "At the very least, that is probably the best option that we have. I''m not sure if it would enable us to actually contend against them but it is still worth a try. Without it, I''m afraid there is no way for us to resist. We might just get wiped out."

 Chapter 995 - Important Letters

    Sect Master Xian looked at his two disciples and finally made up his mind. "Well, if it is the only way, then we shouldn''t hesitate to follow it. As demon hunters, it is imperative that we are courageous and dare to do something even if we aren''t sure about the outcome when the moment calls for it. We will message the other sects and have some discussions with them. We''ll see how they think about it and if they are willing to join us.


    "Considering that the Jian Yi Sect and some of the other sects are likely going to attack us soon, they might also be paying attention to what we are doing. If we just send paper cranes, I''m afraid that they will intercept the messages and make sure that they never reach their goal.


    "Thus, the two of you and some of our most trusted disciples will have to do this. You have to hurry though. It could very well be that the other sects will use the moment when you''re out and our strength is reduced for an attack. After all, we can''t forget that they are in league with the demons. Most likely, they won''t follow the honorable way any longer. We can''t lose any time."


    Liu Cheng nodded and cupped his fists, giving his Master a serious look. "Don''t worry, Master! I promise we will be able to fulfill this task just as required. We''ll return in no time and I''m sure that we will be able to bring back good news."


    Xian Xun nodded, satisfied with that response. He turned to look at Hong Bao next, but seeing that she was gazing at Liu Cheng and apparently not even paying attention to him, he could only sigh. Well, he definitely had to choose wisely which sect he sent her to. There was no way it could be one of the most important ones. Otherwise, who knew what kind of thing she would tell them? They couldn''t risk any mishaps that resulted from their carelessness.


    While Xian Xun pondered this issue, Liu Cheng was thinking about what his Master had said just now. "Master, about their possible attack ¡­ Maybe you should call back all the disciples that are currently outside. It is normally our duty and first priority to hunt the demons but right now, we have to fear that they will attack our base. I''m afraid that we will have to forsake the current missions and make sure that we are able to deal with the trouble that will be brought to our own doorstep. Otherwise, if the Chun Feng Sect ceases to exist, the other demon sects might soon follow and then, nobody would be there anymore to help out the common people. I believe that this isn''t something we can condone."


    "You''re right. Calling them home and having them postpone their missions until things have stabilized is certainly the lesser of two evils. But now, our options are limited. We have to do what we can to survive. After we''ve managed to get through this, we will be able to continue with our missions with full strength again. We might even be able to make up for what we can''t do right now with the help of the other sects. It is just a matter of good organization."


    He glanced at Hong Bao again and then took out a few paper scrolls and ground the ink. "Well, let me write the letters first. Afterward, you should set out immediately. We can''t lose any time."


    Liu Cheng nodded and the room fell quiet, only the light scratching of the brush on the paper sounding.


    Soon enough, Xian Xun had finished the first two letters and handed one to each of his disciples. "These are the first two. Liu Cheng, I want you to go to the Tao Huai Sect. You know their status and their stance. If we can secure their help, it''ll prove helpful in getting the other sects on board as well but it won''t be an easy feat."


    Liu Cheng nodded and stuffed the letter he was supposed to bring out into his robe. "I know. Rest assured, Master, I will try my best."


    Xian Xun nodded and then turned to Hong Bao. He really wasn''t sure if he could entrust this issue to her but ¡­ she was his disciple. "Hong Bao ¡­ Please bring this to the Ye Zhong Order. They only have female disciples so it wouldn''t do for any of your martial brothers to take on this task."


    Hong Bao ¡­ was still looking at Liu Cheng. When he turned to Hong Bao to see what was going on, he raised his brows. "Junior martial sister, what about your letter?"


    Hong Bao was finally pulled out of her thoughts and looked at the letter that her Master was still holding in front of her with an impatient expression. She gave a bright smile and took the letter, also stuffing it into her robe. "I''ve got it! Don''t worry about it, Master. I will definitely deliver it safely."


    Xian Xun wasn''t too sure if this was true but he definitely couldn''t refuse to send out his own disciple. That wouldn''t make a good impression on the other sects. In fact, it was bad enough that he couldn''t send her to one of the more important sects. While the Ye Zhong Order wasn''t bad per se, their results and methods ¡­ He did not agree with them. Anyway, it couldn''t be changed.


    "Don''t forget: It''s supposed to be delivered to the Ye Zhong Order. Furthermore ¡­" He turned back to Liu Cheng, feeling that he shouldn''t give Hong Bao too many orders at once. "Please send in one of the other disciples while you''re on your way out." He waved for the two of them to leave and then continued to write the letters to the other sect.


    Meanwhile, Liu Cheng did as he had been told and sent one of the other disciples in before he left to deliver his letter to the Tao Huai Sect. As for Hong Bao ¡­ While she did leave the Chun Feng Sect to do what the Sect Master expected her to, she was soon enough intercepted. It was not somebody of the Jian Yi Sect as her Master had feared though but instead, it was her own sister who approached her.

 Chapter 996 - Where Have They Gone?

    Where Have They Gone?


    Hong Bao widened her eyes in surprise and then flew over at once. "Hong Ai, what are you doing here?"


    Hong Ai smiled wryly when she saw her sister behave like this. Considering how purposefully Hong Bao had just left the sect grounds, it was likely she had originally been given a task to accomplish. Should she really just abandon it like this and come over here? Well, in this case, it was to her advantage. "What about you? I actually came to look for you to invite you over to the Hei Dian Sect."


    "Oh?" Hong Bao was immediately all ears but then she deflated almost as fast as well. "Ah, that''s not possible. My Master gave me an important task." She took out the letter and showed it to Hong Ai. "I have to deliver this to another demon-hunting sect. So I''m afraid I can''t come with you."


    Hong Ai couldn''t help but smile. It was great her sister was finally mature enough to care about her tasks but right now, she couldn''t let her do this. "Well, can it wait for a few hours? Qiu Ling and Jing Yi came over and there''s going to be a fight."


    "Ah?!" Hong Bao''s eyes went wide and she put the letter back into her robe. "But didn''t they want to get married? Why are they fighting all of a sudden?"


    Hong Ai fell silent. She didn''t even know what to say to that. Was it that she had said something ambiguous or was it that her sister was able to misunderstand everything? "Well ¡­" She wanted to explain but then reconsidered. Anyway, she just had to bring her back so she could take a quick glance at that man from the Nine Heavens. "I don''t know either. Why don''t you come back with me and see for yourself? Anyway, you know them better than I do. Maybe there is something you can do about it."


    Hong Bao looked at the letter in her hand with her conviction already wavering. "But ¡­ what about the important task my Master gave me then? I can''t just not do it, can I?"


    Hong Ai once again didn''t know if she should be happy or sad that her sister was so easily deterred from doing this task and was already wondering if she could abandon it or not. Anyway, right now, this wasn''t what was important. "Well, it probably shouldn''t be much of a problem if it took slightly longer, right? Anyway, you can just come over and see what''s going on and after that, you can go and deliver the letter right away. And if you need a longer time in the Hei Dian Sect, then you can just have one of our people bring that letter to where it is supposed to go."


    Hong Bao thought about it for a moment and then nodded. Anyway, she shouldn''t abandon her friends when they were in need just because there was some other task to take care of as well. Saving a relationship was definitely just as important as delivering a letter. In fact, it might be even more important!


    Thus, she nodded and then cheerfully followed her sister away from the Chun Feng Sect and toward the Hei Dian Sect.


    Soon enough, the two of them arrived at the entrance. The disciples guarding the gate greeted Hong Ai and took a short look at Hong Bao, before greeting her as well. Anyway, even if they hadn''t known who she was, the two of them looked slightly similar so it was easy to figure out just who she was when she stood next to her sister.


    Hong Ai nodded at them and then led Hong Bao into the sect grounds, making her way over to the hut where Qiu Ling and Jing Yi were currently staying. She wasn''t quite sure how to explain to Hong Bao when they found the two of them being just as happy as they usually were but she would cross that bridge when they reached it. Anyway, she couldn''t take her previous words back. In the worst case, she''d just have to pretend that she misunderstood something and then drag her sister and the two of them over to her husband''s palace.


    When they arrived in front of the door, Hong Ai once again knocked, waiting for the answer from inside. Surprisingly enough, no answer was to be had.


    She furrowed her brows and knocked again but once again, there was no response from inside. It seemed as if the two of them had left? Could it be that they had already gone over to Shen An De''s place to meet with the Fate''s Scribe? But that didn''t seem likely either. After all, she had directly told them that she wanted them to accompany her when she brought back Hong Bao to make it seem less planned when they met with Shun Tao later on. Now, those two were supposed to have gone over to that place by themselves already? She really couldn''t believe that. Even if Qiu Ling didn''t care, Jing Yi didn''t seem to be that kind of person who would do something so thoughtless. No, there needed to be some other explanation.


    Behind her, Hong Bao was looking around in a puzzled manner. From the time she had spent in the Hei Dian Sect back then, she still knew that this was the place where Jing Yi and Qiu Ling had lived. She wasn''t quite sure why the two of them had come back here after they had originally returned to the Yun Zou Sect but right now, she was rather wondering what the problem between them might be. Anyway, they had seemed rather happy before. Seeing that nobody answered when her sister knocked, she felt even stranger. "Could it be that they''re not in?"


    Hong Ai didn''t know either. "Well, they still were when I came here previously. I don''t know where they might''ve gone either." She looked around and then spotted two disciples hurrying down the road close by. Furrowing her brows, she rushed over and stopped the two of them, beckoning them closer. "Where are the two of you headed?"


    The disciples exchanged a glance and then greeted her. "There is a fight going on right now in the division of blades. It''s between senior martial brother Niu and some other guy. I''m not quite sure what his name is." The disciple looked at the one beside him who could also only shrug his shoulders.


    Hong Ai could imagine what was going on though. Her brows twitched and she waved for the disciples to just carry on before she turned to Hong Bao. "Let''s go and take a look. Maybe they went there to do so as well." In fact, she was sure that this ''other guy'' was none other than Qiu Ling.


    Hong Bao didn''t think about it any further and just nodded, following behind her sister. Anyway, since she had already come over, she might as well have a look around. It probably wouldn''t be that bad if the letter didn''t reach that sect immediately just as Hong Ai has said. Otherwise, her Master probably would''ve specifically told her not to take any break or something on the road, right?

 Chapter 997 - How Stupid!

    When the two of them arrived at the division of blades, Qiu Ling and Niu Hai had just started to face off. While Niu Hai seemed quite tense, Qiu Ling sported an unhurried expression and even took the time to glance back at Jing Yi who was among the audience. Unfortunately, his beloved was currently looking through that alchemy manual again and not paying him attention.


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips before he turned back to Niu Hai. This was all this guy''s fault! He had made him agree to the fight and now, he couldn''t even enjoy being alone with his beloved. He shouldn''t have agreed to this rematch or whatever in the first place. He definitely had to beat him fast or he would lose out on precious time together with Jing Yi. Especially in the current situation that would be a grave mistake.


    Qiu Ling finally took out his sword and then motioned at Niu Hai. "Very well. Since you''re already here, let''s do this fast. Since you asked for the rematch, you might as well begin. Just give it your best shot. You won''t be able to hurt me anyway."


    Niu Hai furrowed his brows and some of the disciples from the blade division booed while the disciples from the other divisions that had come to spectate laughed out loud, not feeling bothered about it at all. Anyway, this wasn''t somebody from their division that had just been disrespected. Why should they care about it?


    Niu Hai gave Qiu Ling a dark look and then brandished his own dao. "Very well. You better not regret this!" With that, he rushed forward, striking at one of Qiu Ling''s legs. He didn''t think that this alone would be enough to make him lose but he hoped that at the very least, it would take him by surprise that he wasn''t attacking one of his vital points, making him lose his bearing. That way, he would have a much better chance of winning the fight.


    An opponent with a disturbed mind was almost like an opponent that was several times weaker than oneself. You would be able to take them by surprise at the right moment and might even be able to win if they were actually stronger than you.


    Niu Hai''s idea was very good in general. Unfortunately, the person he was up against was none other than Qiu Ling. If the dragon king was actually flustered by something simple like this, he really should be ashamed of himself and give up on the title of the greatest warrior of the dragon race.


    Thus, Qiu Ling unhurriedly deflected the strike and then glanced over his shoulder, checking whether Jing Yi was finally paying attention to him. Seeing that Jing Yi had actually lowered the manual for once, his expression lit up and he decided to give Niu Hai a chance and just defend himself for a bit.


    He slowed down and exchanged a few attacks, checking over his shoulder every now and then whether Jing Yi was still looking. Unfortunately, whenever he looked, while his beloved was indeed paying attention, he didn''t look as impressed as he had hoped he would. It seemed that Jing Yi didn''t care about this at all.


    Qiu Ling pursed her lips and then sped up his attacks, finally making the sword in Niu Hai''s hand fly away in a big arc. He himself pulled back and then returned to Jing Yi''s side. "My beloved, don''t you think that I was very handsome?"


    Jing Yi looked up at him, feeling a little exasperated. Was this really the thing he should care about right now? Well, while he found Qiu Ling''s focus to be quite a bit off just as usual, he could at least understand where he was coming from. And since both this fight and the one ten years ago had been because of him, he felt that he should give him some praise at least. "No, of course, you were very handsome. Just as you always are."


    Qiu Ling who had been in a sour mood originally, instantly cheered up. "So it''s like that!" He inched closer and then pulled Jing Yi into his arms. "Well ¡­ Since it''s like that, can we go back now? I really don''t want to have to stay here any longer." He gave Jing Yi a pitiful look, making his beloved sigh.


    "I guess so?" He glanced at Niu Hai who was looking quite defeated and pondered whether he should go over and say something or not. In the end, he decided against it. He wasn''t actually that close to Niu Hai and he couldn''t imagine that Niu Hai would actually feel that comforted if he went to tell him that it wasn''t too much of a problem losing against Qiu Ling. Anyway, it might be better in this case to just leave it be and leave.


    Thus, he turned to Qiu Ling, gave him a smile, and then took his hand to go back to the hut.


    At that moment, two women made their way over to the field, one of them charging straight at Qiu Ling and Jing Yi. Qiu Ling immediately took his sword back out, wanting to repel whoever it was that dared to attack his beloved. Seeing that it was none other than Hong Bao, he relaxed though.


    Anyway, this girl shouldn''t have any reason to attack his beloved anymore right? She had already tried that and found out that it wouldn''t have accomplished anything so she shouldn''t try this twice, right? He put the sword away but while Hong Bao wasn''t trying to attack Jing Yi, she still charged at them right away.


    "What happened? Didn''t the two of you want to get married? Why are you fighting now?!" She looked at them with confused eyes, obviously not understanding at all how something like this could''ve happened.


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes and then turned to look at Hong Ai who was following behind her sister. Then, it dawned on him. It seemed that this woman had used a rather strange explanation for why her sister needed to come over. Well, as long as he managed to get that sword to take care of things, he wouldn''t mind. He really couldn''t believe just how stupid Hong Bao was to just believe this kind of nonsense though. As if he''d ever fight with his beloved!


    Qiu Ling definitely had completely forgotten at this moment that he had done exactly that just a while ago because of the matter with Jing He. Or, well, maybe it would be better to say that he hadn''t forgotten but just preferred not to acknowledge it.

 Chapter 998 - At Least Say Hello!

    Qiu Ling gave a huff and pulled Jing Yi into his arms to demonstrate just how well they were getting along. "I have no idea what that sister of yours heard but Jing Yi and I are very well. The one I fought with was him!" He nonchalantly motioned at Niu Hai, not caring at all that this movement caused the others to once again scrutinize the one who had lost in this match.


    Hong Bao also looked over and couldn''t help but feel that this guy was a little familiar. "That is ¡­"


    Qiu Ling didn''t bother about it and just turned around. "I wouldn''t know either. Anyway, since you''re here, why don''t we go and visit your brother-in-law?" After that, he would get the sword, could go to the dragon realm to test it, and then get those people out of the Chun Feng Sect. After that, his beloved should be especially happy and reward him for, right?


    To his surprise, Hong Bao wasn''t up for that though. "I can''t. My Master gave me a very important task to accomplish. Since everything is alright with the two of you, I might as well go and do it right now."


    Qiu Ling swiveled back around, staring at her unbelieving. She couldn''t be serious, could she? What about meeting the Fate''s Scribe and him getting the sword of her sister? He definitely couldn''t let that happen!


    Qiu Ling let go of Jing Yi and rushed over to Hong Bao''s side, grabbing her by the shoulders. Now was the perfect time to bring out his ultimate talent! "Why? It couldn''t be that you had some kind of trouble with your brother-in-law, could it? Did he do something? Just tell me about it! I''ll help you get everything back in order. You''ll be a happy family again in no time."


    Behind him, Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling with a complicated gaze. Somehow, he doubted that Qiu Ling of all people was the one who should be talking about happy families. From everything he knew, his own growing up had been a mess and right now, he was also in a situation with him and Jing He that was hard to navigate, once again resulting in him not having a happy family of his own. He probably shouldn''t give any advice on this.


    Naturally, Jing Yi didn''t say any of that and just ran forward to support Qiu Ling. Anyway, they only needed Hong Bao to come by the Grandmaster''s palace for a short moment to figure everything out. "Hong Bao, I don''t know what exactly that important task is that your Master gave you but I also think that your brother-in-law might feel slighted if you didn''t come by even to say hello after you saw both your sister and us. Why don''t you come over and at least greet him? You can still go and do your task right after that. It won''t even be half an hour."


    Hearing Jing Yi say the same thing as Qiu Ling, Hong Bao indeed started to wonder if maybe she was thinking of this too lightly. "Do you really think he''d take it so hard?"


    Hong Ai also went over, patting her sister''s back. "It''s great that you''re doing so much for your Master put Shen An De will definitely hear from his people that you''ve come by. I also think he might wonder just why you didn''t want to see him. And he might not believe me if I tell him that it was because of a task. After all, I''m your sister. He might think that I''m just saying this because I''m on your side. Then maybe we''d actually have an argument. You wouldn''t want to let that happen, right?"


    Hong Bao hurriedly nodded her head. "Of course not! Alright, then I''ll come over for a bit. But just for a bit! After that, I''ll have to go and deliver the letter."


    Hong Ai almost heaved a sigh of relief. "Of course, of course! You can do that. Just go in and say hello. Oh, right." She turned to Qiu Ling as if she had just remembered. "Somebody came by who said that he wanted to see you. You should also come over to meet that person. Would that be alright with you?"


    Qiu Ling nodded and then grabbed Jing Yi by the hand again, pulling him along. "As long as my beloved is with me, I don''t mind anything." He gave Jing Yi a bright smile and then, the four of them left the division of blades, going to the Grandmaster''s palace.


    As for the disciples that had been left back in the division of them witnessing the side ¡­ They could only wonder on their own just what had been going on.


    The younger ones felt that this fight had been a bit anticlimactic. Even though the winner had been a surprise to them, since it was somebody they hadn''t even heard of before, it was still way too short to enjoy it.


    The older disciples couldn''t help but shake their heads. Even though Niu Hai had managed to last a little longer against this person, the manner in which that guy had fought showed them once again that the disparity between their strength was not just a little. Anyway, that guy had only been paying attention to Niu Hai half the time and had flirted with his lover for the rest of the time. And up until the moment when he sped up later on, he hadn''t even bothered to use his full strength. That showed very much just how inferior Niu Hai was to him. This could hardly be called a fight at all. It also made them wonder just where Niu Hai had taken his confidence from to actually challenge this guy to a rematch. Didn''t have any self-awareness at all?


    Well, these complaints thankfully didn''t reach Niu Hai''s ears.

 Chapter 999 - I’m Going to Marry Him!

    When Qiu Ling and the others reached the Grandmaster''s palace, Hong Ai went inside first, loudly announcing their arrival. "I''m sorry it took so long! Something else came up in between and it also took me some time to find him. I hope you didn''t have to wait too long." She stepped into the courtyard, giving the two men sitting in the pavilion a bright smile. Then, she rushed back to her seat, giving Shen An De a kiss on the cheek before she looked back to see just what Hong Bao''s reaction at seeing Shun Tao would be.


    Next, Qiu Ling leisurely strolled inside with Jing Yi, giving Shun Tao a bright smile. "So you''re finally here. I already thought that you didn''t want to come at all. It''s really a bother having to ask somebody else to ask you just so you would come over. If I didn''t know any better, I would really think that you had something against me."


    Shun Tao''s brows twitched but he didn''t dare to talk back at the dragon king just like that. He still wanted to give him a piece of his mind when he noticed the person that came in behind Qiu Ling out of the corner of his eye. He felt startled and took another look, making sure his mind hadn''t played tricks on him. Seeing it really was her, he immediately leaped to his feet and wanted to hide behind one of the pillars of the pavilion.


    Immediately, all eyes went toward him.


    Shun Tao awkwardly stood there in a fleeing pose, looking at every one of the people gathered there before his gaze darted back to Hong Bao. This girl ¡­ He suddenly had figured out why this other woman had seemed familiar. She looked a bit like Hong Bao, just that she seemed slightly older and much more mature. This should be her older sister, Hong Ai, who had been supposed to go to the Nine Heavens in the first place and had been substituted by her Hong Bao because she wanted to stay with her newfound lover.


    As for why Hong Bao was here in the Hei Dian Sect ¡­ He had a very bad intuition about that but he didn''t dare to think too deeply. Right now, he only wanted to make sure that nothing bad would happen because of him meeting her. Anyway, she wouldn''t fall in love with him again, would she?


    He carefully looked at her, wondering if there was anything strange about her expression like back in the day that he hadn''t originally noticed. To his surprise, there was nothing like that.


    Hong Bao narrowed her eyes though and fixed Shun Tao with a gaze. "You ¡­" She pondered for a moment and then motioned at his nose. "You could have position nine!"


    Shun Tao was weirded out even more. "Position nine?" What position nine? Was this some weird code for something that he didn''t understand? Did she mean that she was in love with him after all?


    Hong Bao smiled happily and walked over, sitting down next to where Shun Tao had just sat and cheerfully explained: "Well, that is the ninth position on the list of handsome men that I''m keeping. As easy as that."


    She looked especially proud when she said that, making her sister and brother-in-law pick up their teacups simultaneously and hiding whatever reaction they might have had behind them.


    Qiu Ling and Jing Yi didn''t look bothered at all. Well, they had already found out about this list a decade ago. Naturally, they weren''t astonished that she was still keeping it. At most, Qiu Ling was astonished that this servant girl had only eight positions filled so far. He would have expected her to have gotten to a hundred already. Maybe she was actually more selective than he gave her credit for?


    Meanwhile, Shun Tao glanced at the people to both sides of him, wondering just how he was the only person who thought this was strange. Could it be that having this type of list was actually normal?


    He turned back to Hong Bao, a questioning look in his eyes. "This ¡­ list. Who are the other eight people on it? And are there others after the ninth position?"


    Hong Bao gave him a happy smile when she noticed that he was actually interested in knowing more about this list. She held a finger up in the air, her expression getting even happier. "Naturally, the most handsome man in the world is Liu Cheng. Do you know who Liu Cheng is?"


    Shun Tao furrowed his brows. He had seen that name several times in both Zhong Jing Yi''s and Hong Bao''s scroll of fate. "The demon hunter?"


    "Oh, wow! You actually know him. Well, I guess it''s no wonder. Liu Cheng is really great. It''s expected that he is famous and lots of people know him. Want to know something else?"


    Shun Tao really wasn''t sure if he wanted to but Hong Bao wasn''t giving him any chance. Before he could answer or even shake his head, she was already continuing to chatter.


    "Actually, Liu Cheng is my senior martial brother! We''re both disciples of the Chun Feng Sect. In fact, we even have the same Master. It''s Sect Master Xian. Did you hear of him?"


    Shun Tao nodded in a daze. Yes, he had also seen that name in Hong Bao''s scroll of fate back then. He didn''t quite understand where she was going with this though.


    "Well, now you see just how close we are. Actually, I''ll let you in on a secret."


    Hong Bao leaned over the table, making Shun Tao lean back in a hurry. He really didn''t want to get close to this girl! She always spelled trouble. If he could, he''d love to be somewhere far, far away!


    Hong Bao didn''t pick up on his discomfort though and just continued chattering happily. "Actually, I''m going to marry Liu Cheng!"

 Chapter 1000 - You Have a Lot of Questions to Answer!

    Shun Tao unwittingly heaved a sigh of relief. So seeing him again had not made her go crazy again. Well, not crazy over him, at least. She was still just as crazily in love as she had been in the Nine Heavens, just that the victim of her adoration was another man now.


    Having realized this, Shun Tao sat down and gave her a smile. "Congratulations! It sounds like you''re really happy."


    "I am very happy. You have no idea how great my senior martial brother Liu Cheng is. Should I tell a few things about him?"


    Shun Tao''s lips twitched. He really had no idea how things had suddenly turned out like this. "Uh ¡­ I don''t think that''s necessary. I wouldn''t want to take up that much of your time either. I''m sure you have many important things to do."


    Hearing that, Hong Bao''s eyes suddenly went wide. "You''re right! Actually, our Master instructed me to bring a letter to another sect. It seems to be super important so maybe I should hurry up."


    Hong Ai and Shen An De exchanged a glance, seeing a bit of worry in each other''s eyes. They had originally asked Qiu Ling to bring Shun Tao here in the hope that Hong Bao would get over Liu Cheng and stay away from the Chun Feng Sect. But now, she had seen him and not had any unusual reaction so it seemed that their plan had failed spectacularly. Now, they would need another approach to make sure that she didn''t spend any time in the Chun Feng Sect before all of this was over. After things had been cleared up and there wouldn''t be any fights anymore, it didn''t matter to them much but Hong Ai just didn''t want her little sister to be in danger.


    Qiu Ling noticed the gaze that the two of them exchanged and then lazily glanced at Hong Bao. Well, he could probably be a little nice. "Uh, after you''re done with delivering that important letter, you should come back here. There''s something I want to talk to you about."


    Hong Bao turned around to him, her attention already recaptured. "What could that be?"


    Qiu Ling just raised his brows. "Didn''t you have some letter to deliver? Why don''t you go and do that first? You can still come back afterward and then I''ll tell you all about it. I really wouldn''t want to hold you back here."


    Hong Bao pursed her lips, not quite happy with this. She really wanted to know what was going on. But whether it was Qiu Ling, Jing Yi, or even her own sister and brother-in-law, they didn''t seem to have any thoughts of telling her about it. In the end, she could only turn to look at Shun Tao, hoping that this man would answer this pressing question for her.


    Shun Tao went rigid and smiled with a tensed expression. "I don''t know what it''s about. Anyway, you''ll probably be very fast with delivering that letter, right? Isn''t it just flying there and handing it over to somebody?"


    Hong Bao perked up when she heard that and nodded hurriedly. "You''re right! Thanks for reminding me. Actually, looking at you that way, you might actually get the eighth position."


    "Uh ¡­ Thank you?" Shun Tao really didn''t know what else to say.


    Hong Bao smiled at him brightly and then turned around, hurrying out of the palace and going on her so-called important mission.


    The other five people stayed back, lapsing into a short silence.


    In the end, it was Shun Tao who heaved a sigh of relief before he turned to Qiu Ling, his expression grave. "Longjun, since you were the one who called me here, I would''ve expected you to actually be here when I arrived. This situation just now should''ve never happened."


    Qiu Ling just blinked his eyes as if he had no idea what was going on. "Why? Didn''t everything go really well? I have no idea what your problem is."


    Shun Tao furrowed his brows and wanted to continue arguing but then remembered just how shameless this person could be. He probably wouldn''t be able to make him admit his mistake anyway. He should just focus on the issue at hand and make sure that he got over with it. "Anyway, why did you want me to come here?"


    Qiu Ling glanced at him and gave a hum. Actually, he had never thought about how to explain this to the Fate''s Scribe. Well, a little lie should be alright. "It''s because of her." He motioned at Hong Ai.


    Shun Tao looked over, wondering what this might be about. "I''m afraid I don''t quite understand."


    Qiu Ling sighed as if it was really troublesome for him to have to explain everything. "You remember what that Hong Bao just said about the Chun Feng Sect?"


    "Of course. But what about it?"


    "They also captured one of our people. As the dragon king, it is naturally my duty to get the person out of there. Unfortunately, I need that Hong Ai''s sword for it. But she just won''t give it to me. She''s making useless demands. I told her that I definitely couldn''t do this but she insisted. Well, since this is about a life, I figured that I might as well give in and thus, asked you to come here."


    Shun Tao didn''t understand any better after this explanation but he wasn''t sure if asking again would help with that. He turned to Hong Ai but she only tensed up and looked away, refusing to speak. In the end, he turned back to the other side.


    Qiu Ling sighed. "Isn''t that all because you seduced her sister and had her thrown out of the Nine Heavens? Naturally, as her only family, she could never accept that! You have a lot of questions to answer there, Fate''s Scribe!" He got up and furrowed his brows, fixing Shun Tao with a dark look. Before anybody else could say something, he reached over the table, grabbed Hong Ai''s sword, then leaned back and took Jing Yi''s hand. "Anyway, you should clear those things up among yourselves. My beloved and I have better things to do."


    With that, Qiu Ling and Jing Yi left the courtyard, leaving the three totally stunned people behind.

 Chapter 1001 - Maybe It Wouldn’t Be the Same Anymore

    Shun Tao watched the two of them leave in a daze. In the end, he raised his brows and then turned to Hong Ai. There definitely was no way to get anything sensible out of Longjun even if he was there. So it would make more sense to ask this woman herself. "Might I ask what this was about?"


    Hong Ai couldn''t help but feel embarrassed. She reached for her husband''s hand below the table and gave a wry smile. "Qiu Ling makes it sound so serious. Actually, it is just that since getting to know him, we found out that quite a few things seem to have happened in the Nine Heavens. But my sister can''t remember anything at all.


    "It is quite strange for us considering that a thousand years have gone by in the mortal realm. We were merely curious or, should I say, worried about what that might mean. And while Longjun doesn''t mind telling us some things, he isn''t quite the person you can get the whole story out of. So I asked him if it would be possible to meet you.


    "At that time, I didn''t know that you were forbidden from leaving the Nine Heavens. I just wanted to make sure that my sister is alright and that nothing will happen to her in the future because of whatever made her come back here. That is all. I''m very sorry that I have caused trouble for you with this. If you can''t tell me, then I would understand that. It''s just that I didn''t think it would be too much to ask. She''s my younger sister, after all."


    Shun Tao almost wanted to heave a sigh of relief when he heard that. This woman was much much more sensible than Hong Bao. It seemed that her trait for causing chaos and misunderstanding things weren''t running in the family. Well, there was a reason why Hong Ai had been the one who had originally been chosen to ascend to the Nine Heavens.


    In the end, Shun Tao could only sigh though. "I''m afraid I will be of little help to you. There''s a reason that she can''t remember. It is to protect both the people of the Nine Heavens and her as well. But you can believe me on this: Her not remembering anything is for the better.


    "I can only inquire that you do not try to find out more. Anyway, what has happened back then is already in the past now. She has made it out alive and well safe for the fact that she has lost her memory of that time. There won''t be any troubles coming her way because of what happened back then either. I can assure you of at least that much. I hope that this will be enough."


    Hong Ai took a moment to mull it over and finally nodded. "I guess there is nothing I can do anyway. Thank you for telling me this much. It does put my mind at ease to know that there won''t be any future difficulties because of whatever happened. I hope she hasn''t made too much trouble for the people in the Nine Heavens. I know she can be a bit ¡­ immature and impulsive."


    Shun Tao''s lips twitched when he heard that. Framing this as being ''a bit immature and impulsive'' sure was a nice thing. There really was no way to quantify it like this if you weren''t part of the family he was afraid. Well, it wasn''t his problem any longer. "If there''s nothing else, then I would like to return. As you know, I shouldn''t even be here. Since whatever problem Longjun had doesn''t seem to actually require my help, I think it would be better if I returned now."


    Hong Ai nodded and got up, cupping her fists and bowing. "Thank you again for your help. If there''s anything we can do to help ¡­"


    Shun Tao shook his head. "I appreciate the sentiment but I don''t think that will be necessary. I should just get back now. Farewell." He turned around and then pushed off the ground, leaving for the Nine Heavens. Honestly, even if there was something he could use their help with, he would not be able to accept it. As mature as she might seem, she was still Hong Bao''s sister. Who knew how things would turn out if he somehow got involved with this family?


    Hong Ai sighed and sat down next to her husband again, leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder. "You have no idea how happy I am that this is over. We might not have been able to find out what exactly happened to Hong Bao but I guess it was better than nothing. Anyway, as long as she won''t be in danger because of any of this, it''s alright."


    Shen An De nodded and patted her hand. "Then there''s only the matter with the Chun Feng Sect that we need to worry about. Do you think she''ll come back here after she has delivered that letter?"


    Hong Ai sighed. "Honestly, there''s no way to tell with Hong Bao. I guess we can only wait and see. In the worst case, we''ll have to ask Qiu Ling to make sure that she isn''t hurt. He should be able to do that, right?"


    Shen An De nodded. "Anyway, depending on how long he needs, it could be that the Jian Yi Sect will make their move first. Maybe then everything will be solved without violence." He wasn''t too sure of that though. After all, if Sect Master Xian had sent Hong Bao and Liu Cheng out to deliver some letters to the other demon-hunting sects, then it seemed that he would escalate the conflict from his side.


    It really was hard to say what would happen then. Maybe the cultivation world wouldn''t be the same anymore after this had happened. It certainly was a possibility.

 Chapter 1002 - Fishing for Compliments

    At another place in the Hei Dian Sect ¡ª namely the hut where Qiu Ling and Jing Yi were living together ¡ª another conversation was currently taking place.


    Qiu Ling was holding onto Jing Yi''s hands, looking at him with an expression as if he loathed to separate from him. Well, actually, he did loath to separate from him but there was no way around it. He had to do it as much as he disliked the thought. "Don''t worry, my love. I''ll soon be back to reunite with you. You won''t be alone for long. I promise I will hurry as fast as I can. I might be back before you can even notice that I''ve left."


    Jing Yi nodded along, not worrying too much. It wasn''t as if he hadn''t lived without Qiu Ling before. They had spent quite some time without each other as well. He would be able to take it for a few hours or maybe some days. That wasn''t too much to bear. And anyway, now that they had made things clear regarding the matter with Jing He, he also wasn''t afraid what separating would mean. "Don''t worry. I''ll just continue to read in the manual and spend my time that way. I''ll hardly notice that you''re gone."


    Qiu Ling pouted when he heard that. To you think he was this easily replaceable! It broke his heart thinking about it. "Well, thankfully, I''ve already beaten up the person who wouldn''t leave you alone. Now, you won''t have to worry that somebody will come and bother you while you''re busy. You''re probably really happy with me, aren''t you?"


    Jing Yi reached up and cupped Qiu Ling''s cheeks, giving him a bright smile. "I feel like you''re fishing for compliments. But you really did well. I''m especially happy that you held back a bit. There''s no need to be too horrible to somebody we know."


    Qiu Ling didn''t care too much what exactly it was his beloved was happy about. Anyway, he was happy about something he had done for him. So he definitely made the right call. Just as expected!


    He pulled Jing Yi closer, his eyes curving up into little crescents. "You know, I''m pretty sure that I could stay here for a little while longer. Then we could spend the day together and maybe I could just go over to the dragon realm tomorrow morning. Doesn''t that sound like a fantastic idea?"


    Jing Yi smiled back at him but finally shook his head and stepped back. "I think it would be better if you left right now."


    Qiu Ling deflated, trying to grab Jing Yi but his beloved was once again stepping back. "My love! What did I do for you to treat me like this?"


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but laugh at his exaggerated expression. "The sooner you leave, the sooner you''ll be back. Don''t push it off forever. Anyway, don''t you want to go to the Chun Feng Sect to free the others? It won''t get done if you don''t go to the dragon realm."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips but finally had to nod. "Alright. Then I''ll do that. But after I come back ¡­"


    Jing Yi nodded and this time, he really took Qiu Ling''s hand. "After you come back, we''ll spend every minute of the day together. Is that alright with you?"


    Qiu Ling nodded and pulled him into his arms for the last time, pecking his lips. "Then I''ll be going now! Don''t miss me too much, my love!" He let go of him, flashed him another smile, and then took off to the dragon realm.


    Jing Yi shook his head at his behavior and then went to sit down at the table, pulling out the manual of alchemy once again, and continued to eat. By now, he had already finished the part that he had worked on back then. It wasn''t much of a surprise considering that he had only started out learning alchemy back then and had needed to rely on Qiu Ling to read him the manual.


    So far, he had only managed to read up on it though and hadn''t been able to test whether he was still able to use the knowledge. It was probably time that he tested it out. Unfortunately, he didn''t have any herbs.


    He wondered if he would be able to get some from Yue Lin or maybe there was a place he could turn to for this. Unfortunately, he didn''t know. It had been so long since all the rules of the Hei Dian Sect had been explained to him. He could hardly remember anything. He would probably only be able to go and ask about it.


    Ah, he should really think things through this time. If there were some other questions that he remembered shortly after this, then he would be running over to Yue Ling way more often than he should. After all, senior martial brother Yue also had his own tasks. He couldn''t always take care of him. And he had also promised already to help him find somebody who could teach him. That was more than enough already.


    Speaking of which ¡­ Maybe he should just wait until Yue Lin had sound found that person. After all, a person who taught him would likely also be able to tell him where he would get something in the sect. He could just ask that person for details and wouldn''t need to bother Yue Lin again. Yes, that would probably be for the best.


    Jing Yi nodded to himself and then turned back to the manual. He should just give it some more time and continue to read on in the meantime. Even though he couldn''t try it, it probably couldn''t hurt to read a bit further and try to remember things. That way, he wouldn''t have to start at the very beginning and waste the time of the person who had agreed to teach him. That would certainly be for the best.

 Chapter 1003 - Cursed Blood

    At the same time, Qiu Ling had already returned to the dragon realm. He made his way over to the palace as soon as he could to make sure that not too much time would pass while he was here. It was always dangerous to be in the dragon realm while the person he loved was in the mortal realm. Who knew how much time would pass over there while he was just delivering the sword and checking up on things? His beloved might miss him a lot. How could he let that happen?


    Qiu Ling entered the palace and then went right toward Xiang Yong''s chambers. A few steps away from it, he halted though.


    He stared ahead and then ducked behind a corner, taking out Hong Ai''s sword. He unsheathed the weapon and stared at the silvery blade. A weapon made for hunting demons, made especially to hurt those who had that cursed blood.


    He raised his hand, looking at it with some uncertainty. He knew it was futile but he finally ran the blade across his palm, wincing at the sharp pain that coursed through his body. He clenched his hand into a fist, pressing it up against his chest while he fell down on his knees, sheathing the weapon again.


    As expected. Nothing had changed. Well, how should it? He had to be a fool to believe that something would ever change. He could not change who he was, he couldn''t change who he had been born to, he could not change this cursed blood.


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, fighting against the pain he had inflicted on himself. He pushed himself back up onto his feet and rounded the corner again, walking over to the door to Xiang Yong''s chamber.


    He couldn''t change who he was. But ¡­ sooner or later, it wouldn''t play a role anymore. He had managed to deceive these people for so long. And the only one whom he hadn''t deceived, who he had actually told the truth to, had been able to accept it. He did not know for sure whether Jing He would be able to do the same or not. But he held some hope that he would. After all, Jing He obviously loved him just as madly as he loved him. Surely, he wouldn''t despise him just because of this, would he?


    He paused for a moment and then finally knocked on the door, trying to push the thought away.


    Unfortunately, nobody answered him. Qiu Ling cursed and then took out a transmission stone, contacting Xiang Yong. "Where are you right now?" He asked immediately when Xiang Yong''s apparition appeared, not even giving him the chance to greet him.


    Xiang Yong also didn''t bother to talk in circles. Somehow, his king didn''t look too well. "Your Majesty, I am at the back of the palace. I''ve managed to gather some people. Have you been able to come up with a way to test them?"


    Qiu Ling gave a hum and then started rushing over. "I''ll be there in a bit. Let''s get this over with as soon as possible. I need to return." He cut the connection and then already reached the door, stepping outside. He glanced over the people of the dragon race that had gathered and almost wanted to laugh.


    The dragon race''s people were quite colorful. Looking at their eyes and hair, he often felt like an outsider. He sometimes thought that maybe this was part of why he had felt so drawn to Jing He: For the gods, it was normal to have black eyes and hair. For the dragons, it was a bit of an anomaly. A desirable one but still strange for sure.


    Now, the people that Xiang Yong had rounded up were quite a bit like this though. More than half of them sported black hair and most of them had dark eyes as well, even though it could hardly be said that all were pitch black. It seemed that the blood of your parents made quite the difference indeed.


    Xiang Yong stepped toward him when he appeared, bowing. "Your Majesty."


    Qiu Ling nodded and then handed him the sword, not wanting to have any more contact with it.


    Xiang Yong reached out, pausing for just the slightest bit before he took the sword out of his hand. His gaze swept up to Qiu Ling''s eyes for a moment but then he bowed again. "Then I will be conducting the test now, Your Majesty. Please give me a moment."


    He stepped away, turning back to the people that had been waiting and were currently trying to look at Qiu Ling in a not too obvious way so as to not give away their excitement at personally meeting the king.


    "As I have explained previously, His Majesty needs people to go on a mission in the mortal realm that requires the participants to not be too influenced by things that are reacting to blood related to the dragons'' ancestry. There''s a good chance that because of the blood of the gods that is flowing through your veins, this will be the case for some of you. This weapon can be used to determine as such. Place hold out your hands, so I can test you."


    The dragons moved at once, all of them extending their hands. Even if it turned out that they weren''t eligible for this, they did not shy away. Anyway, they could be of use to their king. What honor that was!


    Xiang Yong nodded and then unsheathed the weapon, flicking it once before he stepped in front of the first person and slashed their hand. Seeing the dragon wince, he lightly furrowed his brows.


    It seemed that the weapons of those demon hunters were indeed quite potent. He could only hope that some of these people would be less sensitive to it than others. But anyway, those people would be more than enough to take out one puny mortal sect. They first needed to find that handful though.

 Chapter 1004 - Proud of Their Blood

    In the end, finding a handful of people turned out not to be difficult at all. From the about four dozen people he had rounded up on short notice, half of them were mostly unaffected by the sword. While they weren''t completely immune, they at least didn''t feel the same debilitating pain that Qiu Ling had had to endure when he cut himself with it. They hardly even blinked their eyes when they made contact with the blade.


    Xiang Yong nodded with satisfaction and waited for the others to leave while he turned back to Qiu Ling, sheathed the weapon and handed it back. "That would be all, Your Majesty. Will these people suffice?"


    Qiu Ling glanced at them, feeling a little jealous in his heart that they were actually able to stand the weapon. "Yes, they will be more than enough. It''s just one mortal sect. I guess we should go over right now then." He wanted to turn away but Xiang Yong called out once again.


    "Your Majesty!"


    Qiu Ling glanced over his shoulder, raising his brows. He really wanted to go back to the mortal realm now. Even though Xiang Yong had hurried up, a few minutes here were still a few days in the mortal realm. He didn''t want his beloved to have to wait for so long.


    Xiang Yong gave a wry smile but still spoke up in the end. "Your Majesty, maybe it would be better if somebody else led the group. After all, you will likely be much more susceptible to these weapons'' powers than others. It wouldn''t do for you to get hurt."


    Qiu Ling gave Xiang Yong a deep look, trying to figure out what he meant. It couldn''t be that he had figured out what he was, could it?


    Noticing Qiu Ling''s silence, Xiang Yong lowered his gaze. "Your Majesty, I don''t mean to insult you. It is unlikely that anyone would be able to attack you but you are still our king. It would be a dereliction of my duty not to at least give that advice. If you insist on still going there, then I will naturally not hinder you in any way. But I will ask to accompany you. In the worst case, I do not mind giving my life for you."


    Qiu Ling gave a hum and then glanced at the people that were watching this exchange seemingly just waiting for what the result would be. Nobody seemed to suspect anything. But thinking back to what happened the last time he was in the Chun Feng Sect, he finally couldn''t help but furrow his brows.


    Right, those weapons were one thing but they would have to go into the dungeon to free those people. And as for how strong the effect the dungeon had on him was, he knew it very well. The last time, he probably wouldn''t even have been able to get out of there if not for the help of the others. He definitely couldn''t let anyone of the dragon race see that or his secret would really be out in the open.


    In the end, he nodded. "Very well. Then I will return first. You can tell me when it''s over."


    Xiang Yong nodded. "Then I will go and lead them there myself."


    Qiu Ling hesitated for a moment and then shook his head. "To be honest, it would be better if you let one of them take charge." He motioned at the half-bloods that were waiting to the side, his expression still a little unnatural. If he let Xiang Yong go there and he noticed that he might not be as affected as his own king, who knew what kind of thought he''d have? Xiang Yong was too intelligent to take a gamble on this.


    Xiang Yong gave a curt nod. "You''re right, Your Majesty. Then I will arrange everything."


    He saw Qiu Ling off and then turned to the dragons that were still left, wondering just who he should appoint. Most of them were actually guards so he wasn''t worried about them not being able to follow orders. Even the ones who weren''t should be able to do so at least for the moment. After all, this was a mission their king had chosen them for specifically. Needless to say, this should feel honored that they had this opportunity. Especially since this time around, their king had actually behaved quite normally for a change.


    Thinking of it like this, he finally decided to just go about this in the easiest way. "Which one of you has the highest position among the guards?"


    The dragons looked around and then one of them stepped forward, bowing. "That should be me, adviser Xiang Yong. My name is Hao Zan."


    Xiang Yong nodded. "Very well, then you will lead the others. Please don''t forget: Even though you also have the blood of the gods, you''re still part dragon. While you were not affected by this weapon very much just now, it is very possible that things might be different in that mortal sect. The stronger the dragon blood in your veins, the more affected you will be.


    "While you are the ones who have the best chances of fulfilling this mission, there''s still some risk involved in it. Should one of you not be able to take it, then please do not charge into the deepest parts of the sect.


    "His Majesty would not want any casualties among you. We merely want to save the person of our race that was imprisoned there and teach those mortals a lesson for what they''ve done. Now, I''ll bring you over to that sect. Afterward, I will have to stand back. I''m afraid I''d only be a burden to you in this scenario."


    "Yes, adviser Xiang Yong." The dragons nodded and then followed him out of the dragon realm and over to the Chun Feng Sect, thrilled to have the opportunity to show their king just how valuable they could be.


    Some of them were even proud of not having pure dragon blood for the first time in their life. Who would''ve thought that what often enough had been deemed a blemish was now what made them the best choice for a task given by their own king? They just couldn''t help but feel proud of that.

 Chapter 1005 - Attacking the Chun Feng Sect

    While Qiu Ling went to give Hong Ai''s weapon back and then returned to the hut where Jing Yi was staying, Xiang Yong led the other dragons over to the Chun Feng Sect.


    Hovering in the air not far from it, he motioned over, especially pointing out what seemed like a normal hill. "That over there is the Chun Feng Sect. That hill you can see over there is actually part of the dungeons. Going a little to the side, you''ll find the entrance to a kind of maze leading to the cells inside.


    "As far as I was able to gather, there are several levels in this dungeon. The further inside you get, the more the dungeon will be fortified with materials that are able to deter demons and dragons. You should try to save as many people as you can from inside but as I said previously, please also take care of yourself. If any of you feel that you can''t go on, then be honest and return. It wouldn''t do for any of you to get caught or maybe even killed trying to save others."


    The dragons nodded and Xiang Yong stepped back, motioning for them to leave.


    "I will be waiting here. Since the people residing in that sect are demon hunters, they will likely be able to spot you even if you shroud yourself in spiritual energy. So don''t bother with it. If they attack you, take them out but don''t necessarily kill them. If somebody accidentally dies, it won''t be a problem though."


    With that last reminder, the dragons finally set off. They didn''t hold back at all. Under Hao Zan''s lead, they rushed over, some of them drawing their weapons while others just used their claws and own bodies to take down the people in their way.


    At this moment, Liu Cheng, Hong Bao, and several of the other more important disciples were gone to deliver the letters to the other sects. At the same time, several of the other disciples that had been out on missions hadn''t returned yet. Thus, the fighting prowess of the Chun Feng Sect was greatly diminished in the first place. With a formidable enemy like these half-bloods, the chances of them defending against this onslaught were basically nil.


    One after the other, disciples dropped to the ground, unconscious. The others couldn''t help but panic and made mistakes in their fights, resulting in them also being defeated.


    Sect Master Xian was drawn out by the ruckus. Stepping out of his house, the first thing he saw was some familiar people attacking his disciples. For a moment, he didn''t know what to think. Had the Jian Yi Sect actually sent people already? Did they not even want to try and talk things through and were actually attacking outright without even a warning?


    But then, he noticed that these people gave off a different feeling. It was the kind of intuition he had developed after years and years of demon-hunting. Now, this feeling told him that while he didn''t have any evidence, he was sure that these people weren''t human. They were of demonic origin. As it turned out, while the righteous sects hadn''t moved yet, the demons had finally decided to retaliate against them to make sure they wouldn''t further disrupt their plans.


    Thinking of that, Xian Xun tightly furrowed his brows, drew his weapon, and then launched into the fight himself.


    Not far from the sect, Xiang Yong furrowed his brows as well. Thanks to the investigations of the human realm he had done before for His Majesty, he was pretty sure that he knew who this person was. In that case, somebody had to hold him back. The others were supposed to free the imprisoned disciples. They shouldn''t be weighed down by something else.


    Thinking like that, he drew his own weapon and rushed over, stepping into Xian Xun''s path. "Your opponent will be me." He motioned for Hao Zan to continue toward the dungeon with the others and then ignored everything else around him.


    He didn''t doubt that he would be able to win against this person. After all, as a dragon, he did have a natural advantage. But then again, this person was a demon hunter who was trained to fight against people like him. He also had the advantage that the sword he used and maybe even other things he wore on his body would have a detrimental effect on any opponent of demonic origin. So he couldn''t look down on him and had to take this seriously.


    Soon enough, the swords clashed and Xiang Yong pursed his lips together when he noticed that his original thoughts had been quite spot-on: This fight would not be as easy as it should be. Well, it was alright. He didn''t even need to win this fight. He just needed to keep this person occupied for as long as he could. When the half-bloods returned, things would already turn for the better. They only had to retreat then.


    Like that, he just focused on the next strike, the next maneuver to evade, and the next faint to confuse Xian Xun.


    Meanwhile, the others defeated the last disciples in their way and then charged into the dungeon.


    Glancing around in the dim light, Hao Zan furrowed his brows. "Be careful. Adviser Xiang Yong did not sound as if he was a hundred percent sure about what we could expect here. There might be some kind of traps and further materials keeping us at bay. We have to stay vigilant."


    The others acknowledged and then, the group moved ahead.


    Soon enough, one of them suddenly called out, hurriedly pulling Hao Zan back and motioning at a few faint lines on the ground. "That seems like some kind of array."


    Hao Zan looked down and indeed saw something there. The lines had been drawn with some strange ink that was almost the same color as the ground so he hadn''t noticed them.


    He gritted his teeth, looking around gravely. It seemed that despite his own warning, just staying vigilant wasn''t enough. They would need to make sure to check with every step whether or not there was something around them that could harm them. Otherwise, they might indeed not be able to return unscathed.

 Chapter 1006 - His Hope Wasn’t High

    The dragons slowly inched forward, making sure that they surveyed the dungeon in all directions. Even if one of them didn''t notice something, the others would alert them in time to prevent whatever disaster it might have caused.


    In that way, they made it halfway through the first level of the dungeon before they heard the sounds of disciples in front.


    After the Chun Feng Sect had restructured the dungeons after Qiu Ling and the others had broken Bai Mu out, there weren''t any prisoners on that level anymore. Instead, it was only full of traps and guarded by another group of disciples at the end of the level.


    The dragons exchanged a glance and then, Hao Zan leaped forward, striking the two of them down before they even knew what was going on.


    The dragon stepped back, looking at the two unconscious disciples before he turned back to the others. "We don''t have any information on what is going on inside there. We''ll still have to be careful on the next level. In fact, since it is deeper inside, it might be even more fortified. Does anybody need to turn back?" He surveyed the others but everybody shook their heads.


    Thanks to their blood, they really weren''t too influenced by the preparation the Chun Feng Sect had made. And even if they were, as long as he felt that it was bearable, none of them would turn back. After all, this was their chance to prove to their king that they were valuable members of the dragon race as well. They definitely didn''t want to let him down.


    The group took the stairs down to the next level, still keeping a wary eye on the walls, floor, and ceiling. Thankfully, there were no further traps on the way down. Things once again changed though when they reached the second level.


    Hao Zan''s expression grew heavier when he noticed that this layer of the dungeon had been more fortified than the previous one. He took a glance at the dragons behind him but just like before, they didn''t seem to be affected very much. He nodded and then they continued on.


    From this level forward, there were disciples patrolling the dungeon. They stopped for a moment when they ran into the first ones, wondering if they should try to evade them or just take them out. In the end, Hao Zan motioned for another dragon to help take them out. Even though they didn''t need to engage in a fight, he still felt that it might be better to do so. After all, they didn''t want to get a nasty surprise and be attacked from the back.


    In this way, the group made its way through the dungeon, getting through one level after the other. Starting from the second level, they slowly found prisoners as well. There weren''t too many at first as this level still wasn''t very secure so only the weaker people could be held here.


    When they came further down, they saw more of them though. Hao Zan and the others went and freed all of them. Even though the dragons and demons weren''t on good terms, they didn''t bother and still freed everybody. Well, anyway, there was no way to make completely sure which of these people were demons and which weren''t. Before they freed some and left people who actually weren''t in this dungeon, they would rather free everybody and see what happened. Anyway, these demons might''ve learned their lesson and would return to the demon realm. And if not, then some of the other demon-hunting sects would likely take care of the matter. For them, it was only important that they managed to free their own people.


    Coming further and further, they still didn''t see the person they had originally been sent to free though. Hao Zan furrowed his brows and turned to face the woman next to him. As far as he knew, this person was working together with Lei Jiang, Xiao Dong''s father. "You do know how he looks, don''t you?"


    The woman nodded. "Yes, don''t worry. We can''t really miss him. He has blond hair."


    Hao Zan nodded and the group went on.


    On the lower floors, the ruckus from above could finally be heard. This had originally been a safety measure the Chun Feng Sect implemented. The disciples guarding the demons down there that were assumed to be the worst kind, could thus take the chance to prepare and in the worst case, kill those demons off. After all, they could never allow them to bring harm to the humans outside. While they hadn''t killed them yet because they were of mixed blood, that still didn''t mean that they ever intended to set them free. If worst came to worse, they would end their lives without a second thought.


    In one of the cells, the prisoners glanced up at the ceiling.


    "What''s that?" Shao Hai glanced at Ma Zhi Wu, furrowing his brows.


    "It sounds like somebody broke into the dungeon."


    "So we''ll be saved?" Shao Hai''s expression lit up but Ma Zhi Wu already shook his head.


    "Don''t be too happy yet. They still haven''t made it down here. From what I heard, the Chun Feng Sect has recently made the dungeons more secure. It''s already a wonder that they made it down until there. I really doubt that they''ll be able to come even closer. And if they do, then that might be even worse for us. Maybe they''ll kill us just to make sure we can''t flee."


    Shao Hai stared at him in a daze and then turned to Xiao Dong. Unfortunately, his friend wasn''t doing too well. His face was pale and there was cold sweat on his forehead. Seeing him like this, Shao Hai couldn''t help but worry.


    "These people of the Chun Feng Sect are really too much. I hope that whoever is up there will at least be able to get a look at how they imprison people and then leave from here and tell somebody about it. I''m sure the Yun Zou Sect will come to free us."


    Ma Zhi Wu just sighed. While he was pretty sure that the sect wouldn''t abandon them, they would first need to find out just where they were. And that ¡­ wasn''t very likely after Shao Hai and Xiao Dong had also been imprisoned here, right? After all, it had already been quite a bit of time since then. His hope really wasn''t high.

 Chapter 1010 - Not a Dragon

    The dragon considered it for a moment but then just sighed and got up again, not paying any attention to Ma Zhi Wu for now. Before taking care of that, they should see if there were other survivors. Especially people they might still be able to save.


    Inside the cell, Shao Hai who had still been standing, ready to defend Xiao Dong, collapsed onto the ground. He had seen how that man had looked at Ma Zhi Wu and then just got up and walked away. This ¡­ This had to mean that there was no way to save him anymore, right? That he was actually already ¡­


    He closed his eyes again, cursing himself for being useless. If only he had taken that key and then closed the door from outside, throwing it back inside to Xiao Dong so he could get out himself later on. Then he could have helped Ma Zhi Wu against these disciples. If he had been able to hold back at least one of them, then maybe this wouldn''t have happened. Maybe he would still be ¡­


    The dragon turned toward him at that sound and then glanced at the person behind him. His eyes widened and he rushed over to the door, not even bothering to say anything or look for the key. He extended his claws and then cut down the bars, only wincing at the pain that followed from touching the material the Chun Feng Sect had used.


    He shook his hand but then threw the bars away, rushing inside. He ignored Shao Hai for the moment and knelt down in front of Xiao Dong, cupping his cheeks. "Hey! Are you alright?"


    Xiao Dong blinked his eyes, trying to focus his gaze on the person in front of him. "You ¡­" He narrowed his eyes, feeling that this person looked slightly familiar.


    Hearing that Xiao Dong was still able to answer and at least seemed conscious enough to realize that somebody was talking to him, the dragon gave a relieved smile. "His Majesty sent us to break you out of here. We''ll bring you back home." He helped Xiao Dong onto his feet but seeing how he swayed from side to side, he just picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. Before he left the cell, he turned back to Shao Hai. "You can also leave here, boy. Be careful when you go out though. There are traps outside. If you can''t find the way on your own, then follow one of our people."


    Shao Hai still looked at Ma Zhi Wu in a daze before he looked up at the man in front of them that was trying to take away Xiao Dong. He didn''t quite understand what was happening but at least he felt that this person wasn''t trying to hurt them. "What ¡­ What about Ma Zhi Wu?"


    The dragon raised his brows. "I''m afraid I don''t know who you are talking about."


    Shao Hai raised his hand, pointing at Ma Zhi Wu shakily.


    The dragon glanced over, giving yet another sigh. "I''m afraid there''s nothing we can do anymore. He was already pretty weakened and they got him quite badly."


    "That can''t be. We have to do something to help him!"


    "We could at most put him out of his misery." The dragon shook his head and then glanced at the person lying on his shoulder. "Anyway, we only came to get him. What everybody else does is none of our concern." And they didn''t even know if that person over there was a demon.


    "But ¡­ He helped us! If not for him, then Xiao Dong and I would already be ¡­"


    The dragon looked back over, reconsidering things. While they didn''t have any duty to save others, it still would be wrong to leave somebody behind who had protected one of their own. Especially since without his help, they might not have been able to save Xiao Dong and fulfill the task given by their king.


    One of the other dragons came over, taking a look at Ma Zhi Wu and sighing as well. "I doubt it''s going to help him anyway but we might as well bring him out of here. At the very least, he can be brought back to his people."


    The first one nodded and then finally, they picked him up and left the room, making their way back, now once again evading the traps.


    Shao Hai needed a moment longer but finally leaped to his feet and rushed after them. There was nothing much he could do but maybe these people could help him bring Ma Zhi Wu and Xiao Dong back to the Yun Zou Sect. Then the Grandelder could take a look at them and maybe he would be able to save Ma Zhi Wu. It was still worth a try, wasn''t it?


    Soon enough, they reconvened with Hao Zan and the others. The dragons looked at Xiao Dong who was carried by one of them and then at Ma Zhi Wu that was still being carried by the other one.


    Hao Zan furrowed his brows. "What happened?" Behind these three, the only one he saw was one child. Nobody else was following them. He couldn''t help but have a bad feeling about that.


    The dragon in the front gave a wry smile. "Those disciples in the back started to kill everybody as soon as they heard us. These three are the only ones who are alive. And that is mostly because that one protected them. Unfortunately ¡­" He shook his head, not saying anything else. The condition Ma Zhi Wu was in was pretty obvious at a glance.


    Hao Zan sighed. "I see. Well, let''s get going then. We should bring them out of here as soon as possible." He took another glance at Xiao Dong but didn''t say anything and just turned around, leading them back toward the surface.


    The dragon carrying Ma Zhi Wu furrowed his brows further and further the closer they came to the entrance of the dungeon though. "I''m afraid he is not going to make it out of here." He glanced at the people behind him before looking back at Hao Zan in the front, wondering what he should do.


    Hao Zan glanced at Ma Zhi Wu''s face and couldn''t help but come to the same conclusion. It really was unlikely, wasn''t it?


    He glanced at Shao Hai who was walking in the back when motioning for the others to continue walking. "Hey, child, this person ¡­ Do you know if he''s human?" At the very least, he did not seem to be a dragon. Most of them would revert back to their other form when dying after all.


    Shao Hai looked at them with a strange expression. "Of course he is! It''s just those people of the Chun Feng Sect saying that he''s a demon. I''m sure it''s not true! They''re all mad."


    Hao Zan sighed. It seemed that this child didn''t know anything. Well, they could only hope that they would make it out of here before that person really took his last breath.

 Chapter 1011 - It Would Be a Miracle

    The group finally made it back to the entrance. The disciples they had passed on their way down were still unconscious so they weren''t hindered at all and only had to pay attention to the traps they hadn''t disarmed on their way down. Thankfully, they at least knew where they were now so they could evade them more easily.


    Hao Zan glanced over to where Xiang Yong was still fighting with Sect Master Xian and then waved for the others to leave the dungeon. He turned to the one who was carrying Xiao Dong. "Bring him back to the dragon realm as fast as possible. We have to see if he was hurt or will have any lasting damage from whatever happened. The others will also return with you. As for that person ¡­" He turned to the dragon who was still carrying Ma Zhi Wu and frowned. Since this person had helped one of their people and was the only reason that Xiao Dong was still alive, he didn''t feel like abandoning him. But what were they supposed to do with him?


    Once again, he turned to Shao Hai. "Child, do you know where his family lives or ¡­?"


    Shao Hai immediately perked up when he heard that question. It seemed that these people weren''t going to abandon them! "He''s also from the Yun Zou Sect. Just like Xiao Dong and I. I can lead you there!"


    Hao Zan pondered for a moment and then nodded. "Very well. Then we will bring him there."


    Shao Hai''s eyes lit up and he rushed over to Ma Zhi Wu''s side. He carefully reached out and took his hand. "Senior martial brother Ma, did you hear that? They''ll bring us back to the Yun Zou Sect. You''ll be able to see senior martial brother Nian again soon! You have to hold on until then, alright?"


    Ma Zhi Wu lightly cracked open his eyes as if he had heard him but they fell shut just as fast.


    Shao Hai bit his lip, not sure what else he could do. He had hoped that the hope of finally seeing Nian Hong Fang again would help him hang on a little longer. But maybe that wasn''t enough anymore.


    Hao Zan was also worried. He waved at the other dragons to leave immediately and then turned to glance at Xiang Yong.


    Qiu Ling''s adviser sped up his efforts in dealing with Xian Xun and motioned for Hao Zan to leave already. Anyway, he would be able to flee as soon as he could turn into his other form. He''d really like to see how this person would be able to fly faster than a dragon. Furthermore ¡­ while the demon hunters despised demons, their thoughts on dragons were mostly different. After all, most people thought of dragons as sacred animals or maybe even as descendants of the gods. He couldn''t be quite sure about this Sect Master Xian but it was a possibility at least.


    Hao Zan nodded, picked up Shao Hai, and motioned for the other person to follow him. He changed into his other form and the other half-blood climbed onto his back. Unfortunately, he himself didn''t have such a form so he wouldn''t be able to keep up if he didn''t.


    With Shao Hai giving the directions, they finally sped toward the Yun Zou Sect.


    Meanwhile, Xiang Yong finally shook off Xian Xun and also changed his form, rushing after them. He did not bother to glance behind him to check if that guy was really letting him get away or if he just couldn''t catch up. Anyway, time was of the essence. Since their king and his beloved''s reincarnation were staying in that Yun Zou Sect right now, he felt that it was only right to help those people out a bit.


    Xiang Yong caught up to the others just as the group arrived at the Yun Zou Sect''s gates.


    Seeing two huge dragons flying toward them, the disciples guarding it stared up with wide eyes and their mouths gaping open. They didn''t know what to do. Was this the moment where they should run to inform one of the Elders? Or maybe they should go to the Sect Master directly? Maybe it would even be better to notify the Grandmaster. After all, who knew if he wouldn''t be the only one who could stop a dragon. Or, well, two.


    The disciples didn''t need to make any kind of decision. As soon as the dragons appeared in the vicinity of the sect, all the Elders, as well as Grandmaster Zhangsun, rushed out and looked at the two of them.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi narrowed his eyes and then went ahead to greet them. Anyway, his disciple was one of them and there was also that person in the dimension. He could imagine that these dragons didn''t have any bad intentions. "Greetings. May I ask what the two of you came here to do?"


    The dragons came to a halt and Xiang Yong turned back, motioning over to Shao Hai was who was still sitting on the back of Hao Zan. "We''ve brought your disciples back. Well, two of them. Unfortunately, one of them was rather severely injured. I suggest you bring him somewhere where he can be treated."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi turned toward the dragon and then flew over, taking a look at Ma Zhi Wu. Seeing the battered state he was in, he furrowed his brows. "Thank you for bringing him back. Might I be so presumptuous to ask you to bring him inside? I don''t think transferring him from one person to the other would be a good idea with his wounds."


    The dragon nodded and then got off Hao Zan''s back, flying after Zhangsun Xun Yi, and toward the palace of the Grandelder, Shao Hai, as well as Xiang Yong and Hao Zan, trailing behind.


    The Grandelder who had also come out rushed after them, immediately preparing everything he had in place to treat the disciple in question. Stepping up to the table, he fell into a daze though. He hadn''t seen who this person was before but ¡­ It turned that this was ¡­ his disciple''s lover?


    He gulped and then turned to Zhangsun Xun Yi. "Grandmaster, I''m sorry for asking, but could you send somebody to inform my disciple?" He glanced at Ma Zhi Wu once again, surveying his wounds. His face scrunched up and he closed his eyes for a moment. "I will do my best but ¡­ Honestly, I don''t know if I will be able to save him. If I can''t, then I want Xiao Fang to at least have had the opportunity to say goodbye to him."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and then went to inform one of the disciples. In fact, he had also feared as much. The injuries this person had sustained were just too severe. It would be a miracle if he was able to recover from that.

 Chapter 1012 - The Worst Circumstances Possible

    Ma Zhi Wu cracked his eyes open with a conscious effort when he heard that name. "Xiao Fang ¡­" His eyes rolled around as if he was trying to see the person he was thinking of.


    The Grandelder grabbed his hand and lightly squeezed it. "He will be here in a bit, Zhi Wu. Just hold on a bit longer. I''ll do what I can to save you."


    Ma Zhi Wu didn''t seem as if he was still able to hear that. He just continued to look upward, his gaze distant.


    The Grandelder furrowed his brow and let go of Ma Zhi Wu''s hand, starting to cut up his robe bit by bit to expose the wounds beneath. Seeing the full extent of them, his heart sank even further. No, looking at him like this, was sure that it was already too late.


    If he had been in his peak condition when getting these, then maybe there would have been a chance to survive these stab wounds. But unfortunately, he hadn''t. His body had already been weakened. He hadn''t exercised at all for the past years and even to a practitioner, that kind of thing took a huge toll on the body. Furthermore, whatever had been done to him in the dungeon of the Chun Feng Sect seemed to have left him in intense pain and suffering, possibly shaking the very foundation of his body. It did not look good for him.


    Right now, his skin was deathly pale and damp from cold sweat, his breath not even any longer but coming in rough puffs. Not much could be seen of the originally impressive muscles anymore and the Grandelder was afraid that if he checked his body more closely, even the bones might have been impacted. Ma Zhi Wu seemed like a completely different person. A person that was already marked for death.


    In another house in the Yun Zou Sect, Nian Hong Fang was currently conversing with Shen Qiang. He didn''t know yet that his lover had already been rescued but was on the brink of death. So instead of hurrying over to see him, he was still trying to get some more information out of Shen Qiang. "Do you really not know anything else?"


    Shen Qiang sighed but then gave a wry smile, his gaze a little indulgent. "Nian Hong Fang, didn''t I already tell you everything? If there was something else, I would have long told you. Why would I hold back any more details after I''ve already told you where he is? I just have no further information for you. Anyway, even if I originally did, they did change things there a while ago after there was some accident and one of the prisoners was able to get away. So whatever was true before might not be today. With how the Sect Master is, he will be overly cautious for quite some time. And since I haven''t contacted them yet ¡­ They might have used that as a reason to once again fortify the dungeon. There is no telling how it looks right now."


    Nian Hong Fang lowered his gaze. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure that what Shen Qiang was saying was indeed the truth. After all, since the day he had finally confessed that he was a disciple of the Chun Feng Sect and that Ma Zhi Wu had been held in the dungeon for the past years, he had been pretty forthcoming with giving him the information he wanted. He really hadn''t held anything back. But even though, it didn''t help at all.


    Shen Qiang watched him and then sighed once again. "I really can''t help you anymore. Have you told your Master already? Or your Sect Master? He could have a talk with our Sect Master. Maybe there''s something the two of them can work out."


    Nian Hong Fang looked at him, not sure what to say. "You also know that that is very unlikely. A lot of the people in the demon-hunting sects have had bad experiences with those of demonic heritage. It is unlikely Sect Master Xian would agree to anything." And unfortunately, it didn''t seem like the Yun Zou Sect would do anything soon. Even though they knew that Ma Zhi Wu and the other two were in the Chun Feng Sect, they wouldn''t go to speak with them, nor would they go to break them out. Wu Min Huan and Grandmaster Zhangsun had made that pretty clear. Knowing that, Nian Hong Fang couldn''t help but feel devastated. How much longer until he would finally be able to see Ma Zhi Wu again?


    "It''s been a decade. A full decade. I just ¡­ I just want to see him. Is that really asking too much?"


    Shen Qiang''s gaze softened and he almost wanted to reach out and take his hand, trying to console him. In the end, he held back though, and even looked down. He was definitely the last person who should try to comfort him. "I''m sure that in due time, you ¡ª"


    Frantic knocking sounded from the door and the anxious voice of a disciple could be heard from outside. "Senior martial brother Nian! Senior martial brother, you have to come out immediately. They''ve brought senior martial brother Ma back. He''s heavily injured."


    Inside the house, Nian Hong Fang shot to his feet. He didn''t bother about anything else and rushed out, not even closing the door behind him. He grabbed the disciple by the shoulders and shook him. "Where? Where is he?!"


    The disciple felt dizzy but still pointed over to the Grandelder''s palace. "He''s with your Master right now. They say they don''t know if he''ll make it through. You have to hurry!"


    Nian Hong Fang gave a choked gasp and then rushed over. He barged through the door of his Master''s palace, ignoring everybody in his way and just rushing over to the table where his lover was lying. Seeing the state he was in with his whole body covered in blood and several holes puncturing his skin and flesh, he couldn''t help but tear up.


    "Zhi Wu. Zhi Wu!" He grabbed his lover''s hand, the tears running down his cheeks and dripping onto Ma Zhi Wu''s skin. Finally. Finally, his dream had come true.


    Unfortunately, it had happened under the worst circumstances possible.

 Chapter 1013 - Not a Possibility

    Despite his injuries, Ma Zhi Wu seemed to hear Nian Hong Fang''s voice. His eyelids fluttered and he finally cracked his eyes open again, looking at him in a daze.


    Nian Hong Fang reached out, cupping his cheek. "Zhi Wu ¡­"


    Ma Zhi Wu continued to look at him, only slowly seeming to understand what was going on. "Xiao Fang." He wanted to raise his hand and also touch his face but he didn''t have any strength left. He could only look at him, trying to make sure that he was alright. Seeing the tears streaming down his lover''s cheeks, felt useless. He wasn''t even able to comfort him. "I''m sorry." His voice had sunken to a whisper, almost inaudible in the room.


    Nian Hong Fang kissed his forehead, his lips lingering on his skin for a moment, and shook his head. "No, don''t say that. It wasn''t your fault. I''m just glad that you''re back. Let''s ¡­ Let''s stitch you back together, alright? Just like always!"


    Ma Zhi Wu hummed weakly and then closed his eyes. In the end, it had worked out. He had been able to return, to see him one last time. Just as he had wanted to. At least that wish had been granted.


    Nian Hong Fang clung to him for a moment longer before he took a shaky breath and wiped the tears from his cheeks. Then he turned to his Master. "Master, tell me what I can do to help."


    The Grandelder looked from his disciple''s distraught expression to his lover lying on the table and almost wanted to sigh. What he could do to help ¡­ There really wasn''t anything. And if he did go to do something, then he might lose out on the last precious hours he would have with Ma Zhi Wu. He didn''t want that for him.


    He reached out and patted Nian Hong Fang''s shoulder, giving him a small smile. "Right now, the best you can do for him is to stay at his side. Don''t worry about anything else. Your martial brothers and sisters and I will take care of everything else."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded and then grabbed a chair, pulling it over to sit down next to Ma Zhi Wu. He continued to hold his hand, leaned down to him, and quietly whispered, promising him about all the things they would do as soon as he got better.


    There was a faint smile on Ma Zhi Wu''s lips as if he was still able to hear him.


    The Grandelder watched them for a moment and then ordered the other disciples standing around to go and prepare more pills and potions. He did not know if it would be enough as all of them would need some time to get done and he wasn''t quite sure if the ones they had at hand would be enough to save him until then. Anyway, his injuries were grave. Much graver than any he had ever seen that did not result in death. He would still try though.


    Soon enough, Ma Zhi Wu''s wounds had been cleaned, covered with a thick ointment and bandage. Unfortunately, he still looked pale and his skin was still just as sweaty as before. It was as if none of this had changed anything.


    The Grandelder furrowed his brows and then looked through the pills in his cabinet. There were a few that were able to boost the self-healing abilities of a person''s body, combat fever, and alleviate their pain. Those should be able to maybe stabilize his condition for later.


    He took them out and his gaze rested on the pills that would be able to re-energize somebody. Just giving him one of those would allow him to regain consciousness and stay awake for a few hours without a doubt. Unfortunately, that would also drain his already impacted strength further.


    If he only had a few hours more left, then it might be for the best to use it so that he still had a bit more time with Nian Hong Fang and let them say their farewells. But if they wanted to save him, then it probably would be best to put him to sleep. That way, he could save some energy that might help him recover at least slightly.


    The Grandelder sighed and finally didn''t take any of those pills. Instead, he went to put the pills he had already picked out into a mortar and ground them into a fine powder. Right now, Ma Zhi Wu wouldn??t be able to take any pills so making them into a makeshift-potion would be for the best.


    If he could, he would have used only potions on him but those weren''t as durable and right now, they didn''t have enough to achieve all the desired effects. He''d only use them on him after giving him this makeshift-potion to make sure they''d have the maximum effect.


    Pouring water onto the powder and stirring the mixture lightly, the Grandelder nodded to himself. This should be alright. He went back to the table and then handed the potion over to Nian Hong Fang. "Make him drink this. I will get the healing potions we made a few days ago."


    His disciple nodded and then moved closer to his lover, gently cradling his head and tilting it up so he''d have an easier time drinking. "You''ll have to drink this. It''ll make you feel better."


    Ma Zhi Wu was hardly conscious but he still parted his lips when he heard his lover''s request. Nian Hong Fang tilted the bowl and then carefully tipped it, making sure that none of the potion was wasted. His lover needed every single drop to make sure that he would have a better chance at a full recovery.


    Nian Hong Fang did not even think of the possibility that Ma Zhi Wu might not recover and that he might, in actual fact, not even see the next day. Deep inside, he knew that it was possible but he refused to think of that. Between his Master and him and all his martial brothers and sisters, they should be able to save him, right?

 Chapter 1014 - Looking out for a Friend

    After drinking the makeshift potion, Ma Zhi Wu''s brows that had been locked in a tight frown eased slightly. It seemed that at the very least, he wasn''t in as much pain anymore. As for whether he was starting to heal ¡­ That was hard to say. His skin was still just as damp and cold to the touch and even though the Grandelder had bandaged and partly treated his wounds, there was still blood seeping out. If they really wanted to save him, it seemed that they would need to make some more effort.


    Not far from them, Xiang Yong tightly furrowed his brows. This person did indeed seem to be human or maybe he was of mixed parentage. If the latter was true, then his chances at survival might be slightly better but with the skill these humans had, it might still be difficult.


    Normally, he wouldn''t care about the problems in the mortal realm. They had nothing to do with him, their king, or the dragon race as a whole. It might be sad but it was something they should stay out of. Everything else would only make trouble.


    But in this case, he just couldn''t help but feel that it wouldn''t be the right thing to do. This person had been so gravely injured because he tried to save one of their people. Thus, they owed him.


    Just bringing him back here if they had the ability to do more for him would be dishonest. And he was pretty sure that there was more they could do. In fact, just calling An Bai and having him come over here might already solve the problem. He would probably have some idea of what could be done. After all, while he was a scholar in general, he also had a bit of attainment in regard to refinement. He might have some pill or potion that could be used in this situation that would allow this person to make a full recovery.


    Unfortunately, An Bai had only just gotten back from the demon realm. He was exhausted and honestly, Xiang Yong wouldn''t like to have him deal with anything right now. After all, only a few minutes had gone by in the dragon realm. That definitely wasn''t enough to get over everything. If it had been at least a few days ¡­ But that wasn''t the case. And nothing could be changed about that. Still, he had to do something.


    Xiang Yong finally stepped out of the room and took out a transmission stone. He did not contact An Bai but instead went for their king. Normally, he wouldn''t bother with this but this person was also related to the task that His Majesty had given him. Thus, he might as well ask for his opinion. Furthermore, His Majesty had gotten to know a few people in the mortal realm. Those might know a bit more about humans and thus have a better chance at saving this person as well. It was worth a try.


    Qiu Ling who had run back to the Hei Dian Sect just a short while ago and was finally able to hold his beloved in his arms again, gushing to him about how much he loved and had missed him and how happy he was that they were finally reunited, naturally wasn''t happy at all when his transmission stone suddenly lit up. If he could, he would just ignore it. Unfortunately, it might be important.


    With a deep sigh, he took the stone out and answered it, his expression showing exactly what he thought of this interruption. "What is it?"


    Xiang Yong still kept up with manners and at least slightly bowed his head. "My king, I wanted to report that we finished our mission. Xiao Dong has been freed from the dungeon. In fact, we have let all the people imprisoned by the Chun Feng Sect go. Unfortunately, those demon hunters weren''t quite willing to accept the loss. Some of their prisoners were killed before we could reach them and one of the people was gravely injured. This person also happens to be somebody of the Yun Zou Sect."


    Before Qiu Ling could say something, Jing Yi hung over his shoulder, staring at Xiang Yong with worry in his eyes. "Somebody of the Yun Zou Sect? Who?" Other than Xiao Dong, there had still been Shao Hai and Nian Hong Fang''s lover been in there and those were only the people they knew of! Maybe there were even more.


    Xiang Yong glanced to the side before he looked back at Jing Yi. Even though this person was just a mortal, he was still the person his king was currently in love with and also the reincarnation of the Son of Heaven. Thus, he wouldn''t slight him. "I believe that person is called Ma Zhi Wu, Your Highness. Currently, he''s being treated by the Grandelder of the Yun Zou Sect and his disciples. Unfortunately, it is unclear whether he will be able to survive. In my opinion, it doesn''t seem that way."


    Jing Yi''s expression sank. While he had known that it was likely either Shao Hai or Ma Zhi Wu, he had still hoped that it would turn out to be a misunderstanding. Even now that he heard it, he just couldn''t believe that this person that senior martial brother Nian had waited for, for so long had just returned but might not even be able to stay with him.


    He gulped, almost unable to form a coherent thought. He hadn''t even noticed that Xiang Yong had addressed him like he would Jing He. "That ¡­ Does senior martial brother Nian know about that?"


    Xiang Yong lightly raised his brows. "Would you be talking about a person called Nian Hong Fang? The disciple of the Grandelder?"


    Jing Yi nodded. "Yes, does he know?"


    Xiang Yong nodded. "He does. In fact, he is currently with him. I''m afraid that the truth hasn''t really hit him just yet. He will need some more time to come to terms with this." Xiang Yong once again glanced at Qiu Ling, waiting for him to make a judgment.


    "What about An Bai? Could he help them?"


    Xiang Yong lowered his gaze, keeping silent for a short moment before he looked up again. "That might be possible, Your Majesty. But I''d like to remind you that An Bai just returned from the demon realm. Back in the dragon realm, not even an hour has passed since that time. I believe that he would need some rest.


    "Furthermore, it is not a certainty that he will be able to heal him. Having him go there, entrusting this mission to him, and then maybe making him fail because he is neither aware of all the restrictions concerning the humans nor in a good position himself might put a lot of stress on him. Thus, I do not recommend using him for this. I was rather wondering if maybe Your Majesty knew somebody in the mortal realm who might be better equipped to handle this."


    Qiu Ling lightly furrowed his brows. A person in the mortal realm that was better equipped to handle this? He didn''t even need to think for a moment to realize who that might be. There was indeed a person that wouldn''t have any trouble dealing with this. But ¡­ It wasn''t that easy. "Then that Ma Zhi Wu, can he be transferred to another place?"


    Xiang Yong once again glanced into the room behind him. Judging from the way that Nian Hong Fang was clinging to Ma Zhi Wu''s hand, his lips faintly trembling, it sure didn''t look as if the treatment was working. "I''m afraid that might worsen his condition."


    Qiu Ling frowned but finally sighed deeply. "I understand. Well, give me a bit of time. I will try to find a way."


    Xiang Yong nodded just before the connection was cut. He wasn''t quite sure what his king had thought of but judging from his expression, it didn''t seem as if this was something he would like to do. He really wondered if he had done the right thing insisting that An Bai was not a good choice in this case. But then again, he also wanted to look out for his friend.

 Chapter 1015 - Make Sure You Wear a Hat

    In the Hei Dian Sect, Qiu Ling turned to Jing Yi, grabbing him by the shoulders. "I know you want to save him and I also think that we should do this. I don''t know the whole story but if Xiang Yong even asked for this, then there should be something more to this. We can''t just look the other way. As for what to do ¡­ I do have an idea but I''m not sure if it will work."


    "Then what can we do?"


    "The Grandelder is the most talented Alchemist in the Yun Zou Sect. If he isn''t able to save Ma Zhi Wu, then they won''t have anybody else. I don''t know about the other sects but we don''t have any contact with them that we could use. So right now, there''s only the Hei Dian Sect. You go to Grandmaster Shen and ask him if there''s somebody in their sect that might be more talented than the Grandelder and willing to help us out even though that person is from the Yun Zou Sect."


    Jing Yi nodded. He wasn''t quite sure if they would lend a helping hand in that situation but it was still worth a try, wasn''t it? "Then what about you?"


    "I will go and try what I''ve thought of. We will be able to save some time if we go our separate ways for this. I''ll be back as soon as this is cleared up. Maybe by then, he will already have been saved. Don''t worry about it too much."


    Jing Yi nodded. "Then you''d better go fast." He stepped back and then left the hut, rushing over towards the Grandmaster''s palace again. Time was of the essence right now. He couldn''t lose even a single second.


    Qiu Ling looked at his receding figure for just a short moment and then closed his eyes. Ah, he really felt quite apologetic right now. Somehow, he always had to involve him.


    Well, there was nothing he could do right now. He shook his head at himself and then left the Hei Dian Sect, returning to the Yun Zou Sect. He didn''t head over to the palace of the Grandelder though and instead went to the Sect Master''s palace or rather to the array behind it.


    Not bothering to say anything, he fired a shot of spiritual energy at it as a sign that he had come here to speak.


    Inside, Leng Jin Yu''s brows twitched. This guy ¡­ He really had a strange way of announcing his presence. Well, he didn''t believe that he had come here for nothing. He opened the array and just a blink later, Qiu Ling already stood in front of him.


    "That person from your previous sect, is she still here?"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows but nodded. "Of course, let me bring you there." He didn''t know what exactly had happened but Qiu Ling''s expression told him that this was serious. He had never seen him like this before.


    Without any other words, he got up and then rushed toward Fei Bai Mu''s rooms. Knocking on the door, he already called out. "Sect Master Fei, there seems to be some trouble that we''d like to talk to you about."


    Fei Bai Mu who had been sitting inside, trying to teach her disciple a little while they were waiting here, furrowed her brows and then went over to the door, opening it only to see not just her sect''s Grandmaster but also that person from the dragon race in front of her. She wanted to ask what was going on but Qiu Ling already interrupted her.


    "Does the Jian Yi Sect have somebody who is more skilled in refinement than the Grandelder of the Yun Zou Sect? If yes, how fast can you get them here?"


    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows. "There is. As for how fast we can get them here, it would take a few days. After all, we would first need to send a message and then ¡ª"


    "That''s too slow. How long if we rushed over there and brought them back ourselves?" He had no idea where exactly that Jian Yi Sect was. And he also didn''t know just how much time that Ma Zhi Wu had left. Anyway, it probably wasn''t much.


    Fei Bai Mu nodded, her expression turning grave. "Of course. It might still take some hours though. May I ask what happened?"


    "One of the disciples of the Yun Zou Sect was gravely injured. We''d like to request some help with healing him."


    "How bad is it?" This time, the person asking wasn''t Fei Bai Mu though but instead Jinde who had come over as well when he heard the ruckus.


    Qiu Ling turned around, a bit of a guilty expression on his face. In fact, the person he had thought of first when thinking about people he knew in the mortal realm that were skilled in alchemy, Jinde had come to his mind first.


    But Jinde had only just managed to get to a safe place where he couldn''t be found. Stepping outside now ¡­ He wasn''t quite sure if that would be alright. And he also had the problem that he wasn''t healed yet. If he was able to save Ma Zhi Wu really would be difficult to say. Thus, he had transferred his hopes onto the people of the Jian Yi Sect. After all, the sect was supposed to be pretty good, right? They should have somebody who was better than the Grandelder.


    Now that Jinde himself was asking, he still spoke up. "As far as I''m aware, he''s pretty much at death''s door."


    Jinde nodded, a torn expression on his face.


    Leng Jin Yu looked at him, wanting to remind him of his situation and asking him not to do anything he hadn''t thought through. But in the end, he just sighed. "You should deal with it."


    Jinde glanced up, slightly raising his golden brows. He hadn''t imagined that this would be Leng Jin Yu''s reaction. In fact, he had thought that he might make a fuss about it. After all, this was pretty serious.


    Leng Jin Yu smiled. "Even though I would love to tell you that you shouldn''t, I know that you want to do it. Qiu Ling doesn''t ask for something very often. Getting a chance to help ¡­ You probably want to take it. Anyway, if there''s one person who is able to lead somebody back from the verge of death, then I''m sure that person will be you. Just make sure you wear a hat. And don''t take it off like the last time."

 Chapter 1016 - Who Was This Person?

    Jinde walked over, cupping his husband''s cheeks, and then leaned forward, giving him a kiss. "Thank you."


    Leng Jin Yu just nodded and then motioned over to the entrance. "You should go." If there was anything they had to say, there would still be time for that later on after he returned.


    Jinde nodded and then took the hat that Leng Jin Yu took out of his spatial ring for him, putting it on his head and making sure that the veil was tightly closed. "I won''t take long."


    Leng Jin Yu squeezed his hand in return. "Take as much time as you need. You don''t have to rush anything."


    Jinde nodded once again and then, he turned around and left.


    Qiu Ling glanced at Leng Jin Yu and Fei Bai Mu and then followed him outside, leading him over to the Grandelder''s palace.


    Xiang Yong was already waiting at the door, just in case his king would send somebody over soon. Seeing that Qiu Ling was actually personally bringing over whoever he had found to help, he stepped forward and lowered his head. "Your Majesty."


    Qiu Ling nodded and then motioned inside. "Let''s not lose any time. Since he saved one of our people, we owe him."


    Xiang Yong nodded and then led them inside. The people gathered there glanced over save for Nian Hong Fang who was still focusing all his attention on Ma Zhi Wu and the Grandelder who was trying to make things work.


    Qiu Ling didn''t say anything and just glanced at Jinde, quietly asking him to do what he had to.


    Jinde didn''t lose any time either. He stepped forward, standing on the other side of the table for a moment before he reached out to take Ma Zhi Wu''s pulse. He nodded to himself before taking back his hand. Glancing around, he finally motioned at Qiu Ling. "Get me somebody who knows his way around here. Also, I will need some herbs that can''t be found here. If you have some, that would be for the best. Otherwise, I''ll have to send you on an errand."


    Xiang Yong slightly raised his brows but didn''t speak up. It seemed that whoever this person was, he was quite close to their king. That wasn''t necessarily bad. Although he could not help but be a little worried as well.


    He took a closer look at the person but because of that veil, there wasn''t much to say about him other than that he seemed to have a slender figure and that the skin of his hands was especially light, maybe even pale to a degree that could only be called sickly. His nails were of a pale golden color, a rather rare one among the dragons but still something that could be found every now and then.


    This person might be of the dragon race but it really was hard to imagine that anybody of their own people would dare to speak to their king like this. Well, maybe this was because of how things currently were though. He shouldn''t interpret too much into this.


    Qiu Ling just nodded as well and then went to catch one of the disciples of the Grandelder''s palace. Dragging the person over despite his protests, he pushed him in front of Jinde. "This person should be from this place so he''ll definitely be able to answer all the questions you have. Now, what herbs do you need?"


    Jinde waved at the disciple. "Get me something to write." Before the disciple could say anything, Qiu Ling had already taken out a brush from his spatial ring and then handed over some ink and a paper scroll as well.


    Jinde glanced at him but didn''t say anything and just took everything, sitting down and writing down the names of the herbs that he needed.


    Qiu Ling glanced over his shoulder, furrowing his brows. "I don''t know how half of those look."


    Jinde furrowed his brows and then motioned over to Xiang Yong. "Then ask him or whichever of your advisers is able to answer the question. You could also take out whatever you have and I''ll look through them. That might be faster."


    Qiu Ling nodded, and then just emptied his spatial ring of all the herbs that he had gathered over the past few years for Jing Yi''s use. Thankfully, he had done so. If at least a few of the herbs they needed were among them, they would be able to save time. And apparently, time was of the essence if he looked at Jinde''s attitude.


    Jinde looked at the herbs, picking a few out of them immediately and then mumbling to himself while he looked at the others. They weren''t exactly what he needed but some of them at least had similar properties. Pondering for a while longer, he finally picked out some more and then crossed a few of the names on the list out. "Alright, that''s it. We''ll still need these few. I won''t be able to start refining anything before I don''t have them. So you''ll have to find them for me."


    Xiang Yong stepped over, taking a look to see if he would know any of the herbs that were unfamiliar to his king. Unfortunately, he had only heard of two of them and they were a dozen different ones. Apparently, this prescription was quite a high-level one. It made him even more curious about just who this person was. "It could be difficult to find these many in a short amount of time. Especially with the difference in time between the realms."


    Jinde nodded. "That''s true. Well, only nine of them should require a visit to the dragon realm and three of those should still be in the treasury." He glanced up at Qiu Ling at that. "Have somebody take a look at that. As for the other six ¡­" He narrowed his eyes behind the veil and then started to make some notes, finally motioning at the two of them each. "Make contact with somebody in the dragon realm who can search for them. These are the places where they will likely be. Have one person look for one herb each. It will save us some time."


    Qiu Ling and Xiang Yong nodded and then took out their transmission stones, not bothering about the humans around them that were looking on with wide eyes.


    Jinde looked around as well and then took off the necklace around his neck and contacted Xin Lan. Even though he didn''t know what he was currently doing, they did need some help now. And Xin Lan had often gotten some herbs for him. He would likely know better than any other person what the herbs were. It was at least worth a try.

 Chapter 1017 - Why Had He Come?

    Needless to say, Xin Lan''s reaction was instant. As soon as he noticed that the necklace he had made for Jinde was used to contact him, he answered it. While he feared that maybe Leng Jin Yu was using it to reach out to him again, he still had the faint hope that that might not be the case and that it was Jinde who wanted to talk to him.


    Whatever it was that he wanted to say, it was still great. He just ¡­ wanted to see him and hear his voice. That was all he wanted. As for anything else ¡­ he knew that he had to give up on that. It was a pipe dream.


    Xin Lan already wanted to greet him just like usual when Jinde already spoke up.


    "Xin Lan, there''s been a problem in the Yun Zou Sect that I could use your help with. It is nothing much. Just that somebody is injured and I need somebody to find a few herbs for me. There are a few that aren''t easily found so I was wondering if you would be willing to do me the favor?"


    Xin Lan took the veil in that covered Jinde''s face and then glanced over his shoulder where he could vaguely make out the figures of several other people. Ah, so Jinde wasn''t alone. "If that is what you want me to do, then I will naturally do so. What do you need?"


    Jinde gave a smile, glad that Xin Lan was still willing to do him a small favor despite what had happened the last few times. "I need some snow-covered seagrass. Likely a dozen strings of it. Do you know where to find them?"


    Xin Lan nodded. "I think I saw them in one of your books once. They should be a pale green on one side with the other side being white, right? They should grow in small clusters as well if I recall correctly."


    Jinde heaved a sigh of relief. "That''s them! Can you go and get them right now?"


    Xin Lan glanced over his own shoulder and then nodded. "Of course. I was up to a little something but I guess that can wait. Anyway, I wanted to come and visit you one of these days anyway. I guess now is as good a time as ever to do that. Just wait for me. I''ll hurry up."


    He cut the call, his lips involuntarily curving into a smile. Even though he knew that he had to give up all hope, he just couldn''t help but feel a certain satisfaction from being able to do something for Jinde. Especially so if it was something that his husband wouldn''t be able to do for him. That likely wasn''t the type of behavior that Jinde wanted to see from him but he just couldn''t help it.


    He sighed, turned around, and glanced at the beast cowering on the ground. "I guess today is your lucky day. Better hide away before I am able to return." With that, he turned away and rushed to the dragon realm, going to search for the herb his Master wanted.


    Back in the mortal realm, Qiu Ling and Xiang Yong contacted a few people as well before they left themselves to go and find some of these herbs.


    Jinde looked at what he already had and then turned to the disciple that had brought over the ones that the Yun Zou Sect was currently in possession of. Together with the ones from the dragon realm that the others would bring soon, he had almost everything ready. "There are three more herbs that I will need. Two of them grow in the mortal realm so that shouldn''t be a problem. But the last one of them is normally only found in the demon realm. It might be difficult to get it." He knew that he could send one of the dragons but it was never really a good thing to involve Qiu Ling in that.


    The disciple was at a loss. Zhangsun Xun Yi furrowed his brows and glanced at Ma Zhi Wu. Seeing that he still wasn''t doing too well even after the Grandelder treated him for a while, he stepped forward. "Maybe I could go and get it."


    Jinde looked at him, feeling a little uncertain. "Are you sure about this? It might be quite dangerous. Even though your cultivation realm is high, you aren''t used to dealing with demons, are you?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "I won''t deny that. But we don''t have much time. And what alternative is there?"


    Jinde sighed. "That is true as well. I guess that is the only chance we have then."


    At that, Nian Hong Fang raised his head. "You said it''s only found in the demon realm?"


    Jinde turned around and nodded. "Yes. Not quite at the border either. I do know of a specific location where it grows but getting there might be difficult because of the demons and demonic beasts around there. I guess that is to be expected of the demon realm." Actually, he would have sent Xin Lan there but the snow-covered seagrass was much more difficult to find and since time was of the essence ¡­


    Nian Hong Fang looked at Ma Zhi Wu with an uncertain expression and then got up. "Please give me a moment. I might have an idea."


    Jinde raised his brows. "There isn''t much time. I hope you do realize that the time flows differently in the mortal realm and the demon realm. If the person in question doesn''t go soon, help might come too late for him."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded. "I know that. But ¡­ It still wouldn''t be right to endanger another person''s life for that, right?" Even though he would''ve loved to forget about everything else and just think of Ma Zhi Wu, he couldn''t do that.


    These people ¡­ They were also important. And what use would be in saving Ma Zhi Wu if others would lose their loved ones? He couldn''t be so selfish. If Ma Zhi Wu recovered and then found out that it had been possible only because somebody else sacrificed themselves for him, then that wouldn''t be alright. He would feel guilty. And that was the last thing he wanted for him after suffering through this whole ordeal.


    Seeing that Nian Hong Fang was serious about this, Jinde nodded. "Then you should go and take care of it. Don''t take too much time though."


    "I won''t." Nian Hong Fang turned to leave but stopped after only taking a few steps. He looked at the person standing in the doorway with a strange expression and then furrowed his brows. "What are you doing here, Shen Qiang?"


    It seemed that when he had rushed over because of what the disciple had said about Ma Zhi Wu, he had forgotten to reactivate the array, enabling Shen Qiang to get out. Well, maybe now, it didn''t matter anyway. After all, Ma Zhi Wu and the others had been saved. Even if Shen Qiang went back to the Chun Feng Sect, it wouldn''t change a thing. It was just ¡­ Why had he come here instead of doing that?

 Chapter 1018 - An Ancient Tomb

    Shen Qiang looked past Nian Hong Fang at the figure of Ma Zhi Wu lying on the table. He examined him for a moment, his gaze unreadable. "I guess ¡­ Those wounds are courtesy of the disciples of our sect, right?"


    Nian Hong Fang didn''t answer so he turned to look at the other people. Finally, it was Zhangsun Xun Yi who nodded.


    "That is what the ones who brought him back told us, yes. When they went into the dungeon, the Chun Feng Sect''s disciples started to kill the prisoners on the lowest level because they didn''t want them to escape. Apparently, they deemed it better to end their lives. Ma Zhi Wu tried to protect his two junior martial brothers that had been imprisoned together with him. That is why he got so seriously injured. The other two were able to leave unharmed afterward thanks to his sacrifice."


    Shen Qiang furrowed his brows and lowered his head. He was at a loss. He should have expected this and maybe he should even be alright with this but ¡­ He wasn''t. Even before all this, he had always believed that letting those with some demon blood live but restrict them so that they couldn''t hurt others would be the right thing to do. Killing them had seemed excessive since they weren''t full demons and still retained some humanity. And now, after all the time he had spent here in the Yun Zou Sect with Nian Hong Fang''s gentle influence ¡­


    "I didn''t want to believe it." He shook his head. "After everything Nian Hong Fang told me, I still didn''t want to believe that the demons might not be as bad as we made them out to be. That somebody who is mixed-blood, can indeed be not much different from a human.


    "But I guess I was too prejudiced. Maybe you were right. Maybe the real demons weren''t them but us all along." He shook his head, trying to push the thought away. There was no way to change it anymore. He had realized too late.


    Instead, he turned to look at Jinde. "I came over because I wanted to know what has happened. Seeing him, knowing that it was my sect that did this to him, knowing that I was complicit in this plan and actually helped them imprisoned some of these people, this is also my fault.


    "You just said that the herb you need is in the demon realm, right? Tell me where. I will go there. Since I''m a demon hunter, I should be able to deal with the demons. And if I do get injured, then that will only be the retribution I get for my past bad deeds."


    Jinde looked at him and finally nodded. "Do you know anything about herbs?" Even while he asked that, he picked up a brush and hurriedly did a quick sketch of a flower with ten petals and a stamp with four corners. The leaves were strangely shaped, and thus easily recognizable. "This is a herb that is only native to the demon realm. They call it the red star flower because of the bright red color of its petals and the form it has. You should have no trouble at all recognizing it when you see it. As for the place where it grows ¡­ I''m afraid you will not like it."


    Shen Qiang went forward and took the sketch from him, shaking his head. "Whatever it is, I will go there."


    Jinde nodded. "There''s an old tomb in the demon realm. You might''ve heard of the place. Back in ancient times, when the society of the demons was still a different one, their royalty and several high-ranking dignitaries were buried there. You can find the flower on top of a hill that is among those tombs. You should be clear that nothing attracts some of the demon beasts like the deceased bodies of those ancient demons."


    Shen Qiang furrowed his brows but finally nodded. "That is certainly not a place that I would like to go if I had the choice but ¡­ I will do this. I''ll bring it back as fast as I can." He turned to Nian Hong Fang, his gaze complicated. "I''m sorry. I''m sorry for everything. There''s nothing I can do to make up for it.


    "Even this ¡­ It is what I should do but I know that it won''t change anything. The pain I and the people of my sect inflicted on you and your lover ¡­ There''s nothing that will be able to change that." He reached into his sleeve and then took out a scented satchel. "I know I said otherwise but I never gave this to him. You should do so yourself after he''s healed." He pushed it into Nian Hong Fang''s hands, not daring to look into his eyes any longer and then turned around under Nian Hong Fang''s stunned gaze.


    He walked out with that sketch in his hand, not looking back a single time. He had made all the wrong choices up until now. Well, maybe finally telling Nian Hong Fang about it had been the first right choice he made in a row of wrong ones. Maybe from there, he had managed to find back to his path.


    In the future ¡­ If he did manage to get out of there, then he would be able to slowly figure out where to go from here on out. One thing was for sure: He never wanted to be a demon hunter again.


    The last few weeks had made him realize just how stupid the believes he had held were. There was no honor as he had believed, there was no helping people. Instead, he had only helped to make them miserable. How could he have ever been so blind? Maybe he would never be able to answer that question.

 Chapter 1019 - You Have to Convince Him

    While Jinde had been organizing everything, Jing Yi had done as Qiu Ling had asked him to and gone to Grandmaster Shen''s palace. While he was led inside by one of the servants, he couldn''t help but worry.


    Even though they had come to know Shen An De because of the matter with Hong Bao and had gotten along quite well so far, it was still the truth that the Hei Dian Sect was a sect of demonic practitioners while the Yun Zou Sect was a righteous sect. Normally, the rift between these two sides was unable to be bridged.


    He wasn''t too sure if there was a chance that Shen An De would really agree to this. And, unfortunately, Qiu Ling hadn''t sounded too sure about whatever he was planning to do. Thus, the chance of Ma Zhi Wu recovering might not be too high.


    He couldn''t help but think of Nian Hong Fang when he came to that realization. Right now, that senior martial brother of his had to feel horrible. He really hoped that he would be able to convince the Grandmaster to help them.


    Shen An De was once again sitting in the courtyard, sipping a cup of tea while he watched his wife practice with the sword. Hearing the footsteps approach, he put down the cup and raised his brows when he saw that it was Jing Yi. "Did something go wrong with what Longjun was trying to do?"


    Jing Yi shook his head while Hong Ai stopped her practice and came over as well, motioning at the table.


    "Why don''t you come over and sit down? Tell us slowly what''s going on."


    Shen An De nodded, seemingly not concerned at all with their frequent visits. Considering the fact that he definitely knew that they had actually come here as spies previously, he really was quite relaxed.


    Jing Yi gave an embarrassed smile at that but then still went over. "I''m really sorry about this. Actually, there''s a rather presumptuous request I''d like to make."


    Shen An De raised his brows. "What kind of thing might that be?" Even when it had been about his wife''s sword, he had only taken advantage of that because he knew that there was something she wanted. If it was a small matter, he might''ve just let it go since the other person was the head of the dragon race. Jing Yi was a bit more concerned about these kinds of things than his fiance so he couldn''t help but wonder what it might be if he himself called it presumptuous.


    Jing Yi furrowed his brows and looked down, not quite sure how to say this. "You do know that I''m actually of the Yun Zou Sect, right?"


    Shen An De nodded. "Of course. It''s not that hard to figure out."


    Jing Yi nodded. "Well, originally, we were only trying to find out about what happened to Hong Bao. Later, we came back here because Qiu Ling wanted to ask you for the sword. Now, something has happened in the Yun Zou Sect and they aren''t able to handle it. I was wondering if you might be able to help out. And ¡­ well, if you would be willing."


    Shen An De gave him a long look. "The relationship between the demonic sects and the righteous sects aren''t necessarily great. I do hope that you understand what you are asking for there."


    Jing Yi nodded. "That is why I called it presumptuous. Actually, the matter might not be that huge. It is nothing that would involve your whole sect. It''s that one of our martial brothers was taken captive by the Chun Feng Sect and injured severely when Qiu Ling''s people went to get them out of there. Now, he isn''t a good situation but the Yun Zou Sect''s Grandelder isn''t able to do anything for him. We were wondering if maybe somebody in your sect might be." He looked at Shen An De, clearly troubled.


    The Grandmaster picked up his cup again, looking at the liquid inside while he pondered. Actually, this was not too much of a problem. Just sending one person instead of doing anything large-scale might not even be discovered after all.


    Still, this might be more difficult than Jing Yi assumed it to be. "I hope you do realize that for the first-tier righteous sects and the premier sects hat aren''t ranked, as well as the most important demonic sects, there are spies everywhere.


    "Even if I agree to send somebody over to help that senior martial brother of yours, this might not have the desired effect. While that martial brother of yours might be saved, it could bring trouble to the whole Yun Zou Sect.


    "That matter with the Chun Feng Sect might blow up even more. After all, if what you said is true, the Chun Feng Sect was attacked to get these people out of there. And if now a demonic sect steps out to help one of the people that was freed from that prison, then the accusation that he is a demon might become more than it is right now. From just an unfounded rumor that most people believe to be untrue because there are so many people involved and nobody would want to have their disciples targeted, it might become that everybody else was just very unfortunate but the Yun Zou Sect has harbored demons all along. There are way too many people who want to pull them down. You should know that."


    Jing Yi nodded despite not actually knowing too much about the situation of the Yun Zou Sect. Still, he could imagine that things weren''t that easy. After all, he had seen back at the Gathering of Practitioners how some of the other sects had reacted to Qiu Ling. It seemed that the relationship between the first-tier sects wasn''t too good. In that case, this really might do more harm than good. But ¡­ "If you don''t help us, it could be that he will die though."


    "So you''re willing to risk the whole sect for the life of one person?"


    Jing Yi kept quiet for a moment but then nodded. "That the sect might get into trouble is just a possibility right now. But senior martial brother Mu dying, that is a certainty. So I would rather help him first and then maybe try to figure out a way to help the Yun Zou Sect later. Maybe that isn''t right. But ¡­ I still wouldn''t want somebody to just die."


    Shen An De looked at his wife, giving her a questioning look.


    "I don''t see a problem. If anything, then only the Yun Zou Sect would suffer from this, not us. But ¡­ it is difficult to say if somebody would be willing to do this. After all, that is a righteous sect. Some of the disciples don''t have a very good relationship with them. And the ones who are even better than the Grandelder of the Yun Zou Sect ¡­ I''m afraid there aren''t many. Jing Yi won''t have much of a choice in whom to take. If that person decided to do anything to actually harm that person of the Yun Zou Sect in revenge for something, there would be nothing he can do. It might actually make matters worse."


    Shen An De nodded and then turned back to Jing Yi. "We have a disciple that might be able to do this. But as you heard Hong Ai say, just me ordering them might still not be enough to hold them back from doing something.


    "I would suggest that I tell you who it is and that you ask them yourself. I will allow them to go but not order them. If you can convince the person, then he is yours to take. If you can''t ¡­" He didn''t say anything more, leaving the decision up to Jing Yi.


    Jing Yi just smiled brightly. In this situation, did he really have a choice?

 Chapter 1020 - Easily Approachable?

    Seeing that Jing Yi was still intent on giving it a try, Shen An De just nodded and then called for one of the servants to come over. "Bring this person over to meet Zheng Yin."


    The servant acknowledged the command and then turned to Jing Yi, motioning back to the door. "Please follow me."


    Jing Yi got up, nodded at Shen An De and Hong Ai, and then followed the servant out. He had no idea who this Zheng Yin was. At the time when he had been at the Hei Dian Sect, he had never heard of him. But if the Grandmaster was able to come up with his name immediately, then most likely, he should be somebody important. Maybe he was one of the Elders?"


    Seeing that he would have to convince this person, he felt that it might be better if he knew who he actually was. Thus, he turned to the servant and gave him a smile. "I''m sorry but ¡­ Who exactly is this Zheng Yin?"


    The servant looked back at him as if he was an idiot. "You don''t know who Zheng Yin is?" Why was the Grandmaster sending this person over to him then?


    Jing Yi gave an embarrassed smile and coughed, pulling out the only excuse he had. "I ¡­ was outside for quite a long time and only just returned." He sure hoped that whoever this Zheng Yin was hadn''t been here before that. But maybe ¡­ He already wanted to amend his statement a little but the servant already showed a knowing expression.


    "So it was because of that. Well, you''ve really missed out on something. That Zheng Yin joined the sect some years ago. Actually, it''s also been quite a while but I guess if you were out for a really long time, it isn''t too surprising that you don''t know him yet."


    Jing Yi nodded, not giving any more information. The more he said, the more unbelievable his story would likely become. It was better to keep quiet about this.


    Seeing that he didn''t intend to say anything else, the servant was a little miffed but still wouldn''t dare to say anything bad. After all, this was still the person that the Grandmaster had told him to bring over there. He might be very important. "Well, he is insanely talented at alchemy. The Elders in charge of the division have all been fighting over him since he came here. There are some rumors that he''s of mixed heritage so that might explain his level of attainment. Why are you going to see him? Isn''t it about alchemy?"


    "There is a favor have to ask. It is about something with alchemy, yes. Say, is he easy to get along with?"


    "Actually, looking at how much of a genius is, it''s surprising that he''s rather easy to get along with."


    Jing Yi heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that. If this person was somebody who would refuse no matter what even when it was about the Hei Dian Sect itself, then he definitely wouldn''t have any chance to convince them. If things were like this, that would make it much easier. While it still wasn''t a guarantee, at least it wasn''t impossible.


    The servant gave him another look when he saw his expression and couldn''t help but wonder what all of this was about. Since the Grandmaster had sent him, there was no way that Zheng Yin would make any trouble, was there? After all, even a genius would have some trouble when the sect''s Grandmaster felt slighted. After all, Grandmaster Shen wasn''t necessarily known to be a reasonable person if you somehow offended him.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have the time to ask because by now, they had arrived in front of a small house.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but take a closer look when the servant motioned at the door. Although the size wasn''t big, the spiritual energy in the surroundings was rather dense. There was no doubt that this was a very good dwelling. It could be easily seen how much importance the Hei Dian Sect attached to this person.


    Jing Yi took a deep breath and then nodded at the servant to give his thanks. "Thank you. I won''t take up any more of your time then."


    The servant gave him an annoyed look but still nodded and then left. Anyway, if these people didn''t want him here, then there was nothing he could do about it. It was a pity though. He really would have liked to get some more information. Who knew if he wouldn''t be able to use that later on?


    Jing Yi waited for a moment longer and then knocked on the door. Faint voices could be heard from inside and the refreshing scent of herbs could be smelled. It somehow calmed him down even though he knew that a lot was depending on this.


    Inside, things got quiet. Then, steps approached the door and finally, it was opened, revealing a man that looked even younger than Jing Yi himself. He raised his brows taking a slightly longer look at Jing Yi''s face and then gave a smile. "How may I help you?"


    Jing Yi felt even less worried when he heard that question. Apparently, this Zheng Yin person really wasn''t difficult to approach. That servant had been completely right. He gave a smile of his own and nodded. "I''m sorry for disturbing you. I was wondering if you would have time to listen to me for a moment? There is a request I have but it might be a little presumptuous."


    Zheng Yin looked surprised but not completely unwilling. Before he could answer though, a voice sounded from the room behind him. "Why does that sound so much like Jing Yi? You don''t think he actually would''ve found us, do you?"


    While there was no answer to be heard, Jing Yi didn''t need it to figure out just who this person was. The voice was more than enough to do that. "Guanyu?!"


    Zheng Yin raised his brows at that. "The two of you know each other?"


    Jing Yi gave a wry smile at that. "Yes ¡­ She''s my cousin." And he really hadn''t expected to meet her here. It did make him wonder just who this Zheng Yin was and how he knew Guanyu. After all, from everything that he had heard, his cousin had never ever left the capital city of the Long kingdom.

 Chapter 1021 - Part of the Hei Dian Sect

    Before Zheng Yin had the chance to ask anything more, another person stepped up to the door, giving Jing Yi a not so friendly look. "That is precisely the person I told you about. I''m afraid we''re in deep trouble now that he has turned up at the door."


    Jing Yi stared at this person in a daze. "Xiao Li?" Even though he had heard Guanyu''s voice just now he still had trouble believing that he would just stumble upon his cousin and her husband like that after the two had disappeared for so long without any trace of where they might have gone. That just didn''t seem possible.


    Xiao Li raised his brows. Somehow, this wasn''t quite the reaction had expected. Shouldn''t this person accuse him of being a demon and maybe attack? Or call his fiance for help? Why was he so calm and only seemed surprised to see him here? Well, it seemed he''d first need to get some more information. "What are you doing here?"


    Jing Yi wanted to answer but at that moment, Guanyu already came storming outside, huffing loudly. "If you came to take us back home, then you''d better forget about it! My husband is a very important person here. Why would we go back to the capital city in that case? You and your fiance probably can''t understand that at all!"


    Jing Yi looked at her, not quite sure if he understood this correctly. What did she mean he was an important person in the Hei Dian Sect? Regardless of how he thought about it, he could finally only come up with one explanation.


    He turned to Xiao Li, his gaze complicated. "Cousin-in-law ¡­ Don''t tell me that you and Guanyu ran away because you always told her parents that you were from the Yun Zou Sect and were afraid that Qiu Ling and I would realize you weren''t and out you to them? Was that really the case?" He lightly furrowed his brows when he said so. It was the most logical explanation. It would also explain why he couldn''t remember him from the Yun Zou Sect at all: He had just never been there! In fact, Xiao Li might have seen them in the Hei Dian Sect before.


    Xiao Li raised his brows, not quite able to believe what was going on. Could it be that the dragon king actually hadn''t told him that he was a demon? Or could it be that the dragon king somehow hadn''t even realized himself? Well, he was indeed only a half-demon. So maybe it hadn''t been so obvious to him? That might explain why he hadn''t done anything previously and just ignored him.


    In that case, it really was a nice surprise. He wouldn''t have to worry that anything would happen. And, well, maybe it wasn''t too bad that this Zhong Jing Yi was here without his fiance in tow this time. He might be able to profit from the situation.


    Thinking about it like this, Xiao Li finally gave a smile. "You''re right. I''m sorry. Both for lying and for how much Guanyu and I must have worried you and the rest of her family. But I really didn''t see any other way to deal with the situation at that time. I hope you can forgive me for that. You can rest assured that your cousin wasn''t in any danger at any time. I would always make sure that she''s doing well." In actual fact, he couldn''t care less about her but he didn''t have to tell her cousin that. For the time being, this girl still had some worth.


    Jing Yi just nodded, not doubting that for even a moment. While he felt that Xiao Li hadn''t dealt with the situation very well, he could understand panicking a bit in such a situation. After all, never mind what Guanyu herself might think with how prejudiced she was about some things, there was also no telling how her father and mother might have reacted.


    If Xiao Li really loved Guanyu so much, then that thought must''ve been hard to bear for him. No wonder he had panicked and done something like this. Running away might have seemed like the only way to keep being with the woman he loved. Could he really fault him for that? "Well, don''t worry about it. I know that not all people of the Hei Dian Sect are bad and probably not all people of the righteous sects are good. Even if uncle can''t understand that, I''m sure that is the truth. So don''t worry about it. I for one won''t say anything."


    Xiao Li nodded seemingly happily while Guanyu just gave Jing Yi a not so friendly smile. Anyway, what did they need his pity for? It was another sect, so what? Anyway, Xiao Li''s situation here was pretty good. She had even finally met his Master. Who knew if Jing Yi actually had a Master in the Yun Zou Sect? She was sure he didn''t!


    Seeing that the tension between Xiao Li and Jing Yi had dissolved while Guanyu seemed to be about to throw a tantrum, Zheng Yin just gave a smile and then motioned inside. "Why don''t we go inside? Since you said that there is a request you have, let''s hear it. And you can also use the time to catch up with Xiao Li and his wife."


    Jing Yi gave a relieved smile and then followed him inside. He had worried even though that servant had told him that Zheng Yin was somebody one could get along with easily. But now seeing that he seemed to be friends with Guanyu Xiao Li, he calmed down even further. Since there was some connection between them, he might really be willing to help him. After all, it was always more likely to do something for somebody you knew than for a total stranger.

 Chapter 1022 - The Work of Fate

    Sitting down inside, Jing Yi really would have liked to ask Guanyu and Xiao Li just what exactly had happened that led to all of this. But he was clear on the fact that this wasn''t the most important issue at hand. Whatever the issue with the two of them was, it would still be able to be solved later on. On the other hand, it was a different matter with Ma Zhi Wu altogether. Thus, he turned to Zheng Yin, once again giving him an apologetic smile. "I know that this is very sudden. Actually, I''m not a disciple of the Hei Dian Sect. I''m from the Yun Zou Sect."


    Zheng Yin raised his brows but didn''t interrupt him and just let him continue. Anyway, he had almost expected something like this after the short exchange between Jing Yi and Xiao Li just now.


    "I ¡­ and my lover have some ties to the Hei Dian Sect because of a mission we had a few years ago that made us look for a person who later turned out to be the sister of Grandmaster Shen. Right now, one of my senior martial brothers is gravely injured. Unfortunately, nobody in the Yun Zou Sect is able to help him. Since there is nobody else that I know, I could only be shameless and ask Grandmaster Shen and his wife for help. They told me that you might be able to help me. I just don''t know if you would be willing?"


    Zheng Yin lightly furrowed his brows. He didn''t outright reject him but he didn''t seem to be too interested in helping either.


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but panic a little. He didn''t know if whatever Qiu Ling had planned was any more fruitful than this but Qiu Ling hadn''t seemed as if that was very likely. Thus, it would be for the best if he managed to convince Zheng Yin.


    Zheng Yin lowered his gaze, seeming to ponder something.


    Jing Yi waited but he couldn''t help but feel more worried the longer the silence stretched on. Thinking of what had happened the last time with Hong Ai and Shen An De, he made another attempt. "I know this is asking for a lot. I don''t expect you to just help because I ask either. If there is something you''d like me to do in return, then please say so. If it is something that I can achieve, then I will do it for you. If I can''t ¡­" He furrowed his brows. He didn''t want to give up on Nian Hong Fang''s lover. While he didn''t know him, he just couldn''t take the thought of senior martial brother Nian having to suffer through losing him. "If I can''t, then I''ll still try to find a way to make it work."


    Zheng Yin looked at him but shook his head. "That''s not it."


    Jing Yi looked at him in confusion. There was nothing he wanted in return? "Then ¡­ is it because the Yun Zou Sect is a righteous sect?"


    Zheng Yin hesitated but finally nodded. "My relationship with them is rather strained."


    Jing Yi nodded at that. "I can imagine. The righteous and demonic sects have never gotten along well."


    Zheng Yin gave a faint smile but kept quiet.


    Jing Yi sighed. He had feared as much. This was precisely why the Grandmaster hadn''t just commanded Zheng Yin to do this. "Is there any way for me to convince you?"


    Zheng Yin looked down, his brows still furrowed slightly. "You really want to save him."


    "Well ¡­" Jing Yi first wanted to mention again that he was his senior martial brother but finally decided against it. His own relationship with Ma Zhi Wu could be called shallow at best. How would that convince Zheng Yin? But maybe he could relate if he told him how important he was to others? Maybe then he could find it in his heart to get involved?


    He looked up, resolving not to hide anything. "To be honest, I don''t know him very well. But I have gotten to know his fiance. He is the disciple of the Yun Zou Sect''s Grandelder, studying to become an alchemist, but even his Master can''t help his lover. I can only imagine how hard it has to be for him."


    Zheng Yin''s expression slightly wavered as if he wasn''t quite sure in his decision anymore.


    Jing Yi did not wait for him to think it through and continued. "I feel like I can empathize with him because I would feel just as devastated if something would happen to my lover. The worst thing is that they haven''t seen each other for a long time. They only saw each other again when he was brought back to the sect gravely wounded. They shouldn''t have just a few hours together. They should be able to spend the rest of their life together.


    "Other than that ¡­" He lowered his head, his brows drawing together. "I feel like I owe him. You have to know that he was captured by the Chun Feng Sect because they assumed he had some demon blood. The sect only found out after a long time when two friends of mine went to investigate a clue and failed to return. They were also imprisoned.


    "Now, when people came to save them, the Chun Feng Sect decided to kill them and that senior martial brother of ours saved them. Otherwise, he might not be in this condition. They are my friends and he saved their lives. How can I just watch as he dies because of that? I have to do anything I can to make sure he will survive this."


    Zheng Yin nodded. "It''s alright. Don''t say anymore."


    Jing Yi looked up at him. Seeing that his expression had changed, hope ignited in his heart. Could it be that he had managed to convince him? "You ¡­ you are willing to give it a try?"


    Zheng Yin nodded. "Yes. I guess ¡­ it''s the work of fate that led the two of us to meet. I would really like to see that senior of yours."


    Jing Yi wasn''t quite sure why Zheng Yin would say something like this but it seemed that he was serious so he nodded and got up. "Then we shouldn''t lose any time. I really don''t know how long he has left."


    Zheng Yin gave a hum and then followed him out of the house after saying his farewell to Xiao Li and Guanyu.

 Chapter 1023 - Not a Normal Reaction

    Jing Yi didn''t bother to go and inform Grandmaster Shen that he had been able to convince Zheng Yin. Shen An De would definitely hear about it on his own. After all, his people were everywhere in the Hei Dian Sect and he had sent him over in the first place. And right now, time was of the essence.


    The two of them returned to the Yun Zou Sect on the fastest way possible, speeding up as much as they could. Even though Zheng Yin had promised to help, Jing Yi still had had some doubts just how serious he was with that. Seeing that he was willing to speed up like this, he felt a little better. This had to mean that he would really go all out with helping Ma Zhi Wu, right? At the very least, he hoped so.


    When the two of them arrived, the people of the Yun Zou Sect had already managed to find the herbs that were growing in the mortal realm while one of the dragons had returned with one of the herbs from the immortal realms as well. Unfortunately, that still didn''t allow Jinde to do anything. Thus, he was merely standing by, watching Ma Zhi Wu''s condition. He would only interfere when he definitely had to.


    The potion that he wanted to refine would definitely allow Ma Zhi Wu to not only recover from his wounds so that his life wouldn''t be threatened anymore but might even be able to recover quite a bit of the strength that he had lost over the past few years.


    Up until then, Ma Zhi Wu would need to hold on though. But considering that he was human, Jinde didn''t want to get involved too much. After all, the tolerance humans had and what the dragons were able to take was different. It definitely wouldn''t be good if he tried to help and then accidentally killed the person because of that.


    Since he had nothing else to do, Jinde was the first to look up when the steps of Jing Yi and Zheng Yin sounded outside. Seeing that one of them was Qiu Ling''s fiance, he gave a faint smile and strolled over to tell him that Qiu Ling wasn''t there. After all, that was likely why he had come here.


    Thanks to the veil, Jing Yi had no idea who the person coming over was but he at least nodded and gave a smile in greeting. Behind him, Zheng Yin stopped dead in his tracks, staring at Jinde''s figure wide-eyed.


    Jinde also stopped but he just curiously tilted his head. He didn''t seem to know this person? Well, even if he did, he himself was wearing a veil. Nobody should be able to recognize him.


    The person in question hurriedly lowered his head but he seemed incredibly nervous.


    Jinde couldn''t help but feel intrigued. Just what was it with this person? He strolled over, stopping in front of the two of them. He ignored the other one for now and spoke to Jing Yi instead. "Qiu Ling went to get some herbs for me. He should return soon."


    "Ah, thank you for letting me know." Jing Yi couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief when he heard the voice. Even though he hadn''t met Jinde many times, it still was enough to recognize him.


    Jinde smiled in response even though Jing Yi couldn''t see it. "Don''t mention it." Then he turned to the person next to Jing Yi. "This is ¡­?"


    Zheng Yin immediately lowered his head further. "This one''s name is Zheng Yin."


    Jinde''s brows rose further. That wasn''t quite the normal reaction? He turned to Jing Yi for some answers but was only met with a blank look. Apparently, his future son-in-law didn''t understand either. Well, he would figure it out sooner or later. "I guess you came because of that person over there?" He nodded to the table behind him.


    Jing Yi glanced over and his expression turned grave. Nian Hong Fang was tightly holding onto Ma Zhi Wu''s hand, talking to him in a low voice while tears had gathered in the corners of his eyes, a drop falling down every now and then.


    Jing Yi turned to Zheng Yin when he saw that. "Martial brother Zheng, that is the person I told you about. Could you take a look at him now?"


    Zheng Yin glanced at Jing Yi but then just lowered his head, seemingly unwilling to do it.


    Jing Yi stared at him in a daze. What was going on? Hadn''t Zheng Yin agreed just a while ago? Why was he suddenly behaving like this? "Martial brother Zheng ¡­" Jing Yi felt anxious. He didn''t know if Zheng Yin really was more capable than the Grandelder but he at least wanted him to give it a try. Otherwise, what if because of this, Ma Zhi Wu lost his life after all? With one more person taking a look at him, there was one more chance to save him. He didn''t want to give up on that. "Please, just take a look at him. If you can''t help him, then nobody will fault you. Just please give it a try."


    Zheng Yin still didn''t move and looked visibly uncomfortable.


    Jinde gave him a long look, pondering for a moment. This child seemed to have promised Jing Yi that he would take care of the matter but now, he had changed his tune. Considering the way he acted right now, that might be because of his presence? In that case ¡­ "Spiritual beast clan?"


    Zheng Yin raised his head and then nodded.


    Jinde gave a sigh. He should''ve expected that. "Child, if you promised him to take a look, then just go and do that. Nobody will blame you. I certainly won''t." With that, he turned around, and stepped away from them, leaving the path to the table where Ma Zhi Wu was lying empty.


    Zheng Yin hesitated only a moment longer before he walked over and then took Ma Zhi Wu''s pulse, checking his condition. Apparently, things were settled for him with that. Jinde couldn''t help but chuckle to himself when he noticed. Sure enough, the child had been afraid because he saw a dragon. Well, he really couldn''t fault him.

 Chapter 1024 - Distant Relatives

    Back at the time when he had still been reigning over the dragon race, he had had to do with the spiritual beast clan more than once. The relationship between both of their races ¡­ It was a little complicated if not to say strained.


    By virtue of how they had come to be and the intentions Tian had had with them, the spiritual beast clan was below the station of the dragon race. As the dragon king, while he did rule over the dragons, he also had the right to demand the allegiance of the spiritual beast clan. And even the lowest-ranked dragon would still have to be treated with courtesy by the highest-ranked spiritual beast. It was a little ¡­ unfair.


    Following that, for the spiritual beast people, it meant that they mostly feared the dragons. After all, what were they supposed to do if they offended them? A lot of them believed that going to the dragon king to ask for help wouldn''t yield a result at all and maybe even get them and their kind into more trouble. After all, wouldn''t the dragon king side with his own people?


    Their fear was, of course, more than understandable. As was the resentment that quite a few of them certainly harbored. And why shouldn''t they? Just because of a circumstance they had no control over whatsoever, they were forced to bend their knee for the dragons. Who wouldn''t resent the other race that could make them do so?


    But the dragons also hadn''t chosen this. That was the reason why quite a few of the dragon kings had chosen to just stay away and regard the spirit beast tribe as distant relatives that one would only see at a gathering every few years if there was a big event. At the very least, that was what he had always done.


    While Jinde was musing to himself, Zheng Yin continued to look over Ma Zhi Wu, checking every single wound and scratch as if this task was the most important he would ever get. He only turned around when he was sure that he hadn''t overlooked anything. He looked at Jing Yi but then couldn''t help but give Jinde another glance.


    Jinde sighed to himself, wondering if maybe he should just go back to his dimension and wait for news there. Anyway, the people of the spiritual beast clan were normally quite well-versed in alchemy. Even though this child seemed to be young, it was likely that his attainment in refining was quite high. He might be able to take care of this matter on his own.


    But then again, he had promised Qiu Ling that he would heal this person. He didn''t feel like it would be a good idea to just leave because somebody else was here now who might have the ability to take over the task. Anyway, since he had already come out, he might as well stay and see things through to the end. Since the Chun Feng Sect was out of the picture for the moment, this shouldn''t be a problem.


    Jinde got up from where he had been sitting and strolled over, stopping right next to Zheng Yin. He nodded at Ma Zhi Wu with his chin and then gave Zheng Yin a questioning look. "What do you think?"


    Zheng Yin immediately lowered his head and took a step back. "I''m not very learned."


    "And what do you really think?" Jinde really would''ve liked to take off the veil to show this child that he really meant no harm and was, in fact, a very patient person that was easy to talk to but considering that there were still other people around, he didn''t dare to do so. Anyway, even if the Chun Feng Sect wasn''t a problem anymore, he still wasn''t healed enough to say that it wouldn''t be a problem if Jin Ling somehow caught wind of this and rushed over.


    In fact, he was quite surprised that that child of his had willingly left from outside the array and not returned until now. Even though he had apparently sent somebody to investigate it, it still wasn''t like him to give up so easily. It made him wonder if something was going on in the demon realm that occupied Jin Ling to this degree. If that was the case, maybe he should be a bit more worried.


    Jinde shook his head at himself and focused on Zheng Yin again. "I understand that you might have some ¡­ reservations about speaking in front of me. But I don''t mind. Actually, while I do know a thing or two about alchemy, I''m not that knowledgeable about humans. I might be able to help him somewhat but you might have a better idea about it. So why don''t you let me hear it? This person saved somebody of my race so I do owe him. I would be very happy if we could make the best effort to help him."


    Zheng Yin was still somewhat hesitant but he finally nodded. If this was what the person of the dragon race wanted, then he naturally had to do so. "His injuries are grave. If he isn''t treated soon, then I am afraid he will not be able to survive. I would estimate that he has eight hours at most."


    The Grandelder that had been working silently at the side, glanced up at that. "Eight hours? We have treated him quite a bit already."


    Zheng Yin nodded. "And if he was human, then maybe it would work. The problem is that this person ¡­ I''m afraid he isn''t quite human."

 Chapter 1025 - The Beast People’s Core

    The people in the room all stared at Zheng Yin as if he had lost his mind. The only one who didn''t show any surprise was Nian Hong Fang.


    Instead, he looked up and nodded to admit to what Zheng Yin had said. "He''s right. Zhi Wu once told me that he had some relation with the demonic beast people. I think it''s only faint but I think it isn''t wrong to say that he isn''t completely human. I think that was what got him in trouble with the Chun Feng Sect in the first place."


    Zheng Yin nodded. "Yes, the demon-hunting sects have gone overboard in the past few years. They have been hunting both our people and those of the demonic beast clan. Many of us have died, some just vanished. We mostly haven''t even dared to enter the human realm because of that but there were still people vanishing close to the border."


    Jinde gave him a look, silently pondering. Normally, that kind of thing shouldn''t be a big issue. The spirit beasts, as well as the demonic beasts, were strong. They definitely didn''t have a problem handling a normal human and even most cultivators or practitioners would have a hard time dealing with them.


    But just like with the dragons, they were also susceptible to some materials that could be found in the mortal world. So subduing them like that wasn''t much of a problem anymore. The only ones who would be able to take it would be those who only had faint traces of beast blood running through their veins and those might not even be found in the first place. Although ¡­ the demon-hunting sects were pretty good at distinguishing the other races from humans. He had to give them that.


    Anyway, what made him worry much more was that this issue hadn''t been brought up before. Xin Lan had told him a lot about recent changes in the immortal realms after they reconnected and he hadn''t heard even a single word about this. Thus, it stood to reason that even Xin Lan had no idea.


    Considering the situation between the spirit beast people and the dragons, they likely hadn''t dared to bring it to the dragon king''s attention and had instead suffered on their own, just hoping that it would stop someday. Unfortunately, it hadn''t.


    Well, now that he knew, he could mention this matter to his stepson. Even if Qiu Ling could be pretty flippant, he did take his task as the dragon king seriously if he needed to. And since the crown prince''s reincarnation would stay in the human realm for some time, he might as well use that time to take care of it. It was just a matter of bringing it to his attention.


    Jinde didn''t say any of these thoughts out loud though. That was something that could only be spoken about when Qiu Ling had really returned with those herbs and this Ma Zhi Wu was healed. For now, they had to focus on the matter at hand. "Well, since he isn''t completely human, that does change things. What do you think is the main problem?"


    Zheng Yin couldn''t help but be a little disappointed that this person didn''t care at all about what he had said about the demon-hunting sects being after the spirit beasts. But then again, the dragons didn''t really care about them, did they?


    He pushed the thought away and just focused on the issue at hand. If he offended one of them, things would be even worse, after all. "The beast clans have slightly different bodies from that of the other races. The most noticeable is that their cultivation relies on the core in their bodies. If that core is damaged, then not only will they lose all the cultivation acquired so far, some might not even be able to hold up the form they currently have."


    Nian Hong Fang slightly furrowed his brows. "I don''t think Ma Zhi Wu has any other form though."


    Zheng Yin nodded. "I thought so. Which is precisely the problem: Normally, after losing all the cultivation they had, they will regress to the original form they were born in. Contrary to other races, that is not a humanoid form.


    "Reverting back will save them some energy and might allow them to save their lives. In his case though, there is no other form. So he won''t even be able to do that. Unfortunately, that also means that he needs to use more energy to maintain this only body of his.


    "That is precisely why I think that he does not have much time left." He turned to the Grandelder that had spoken up before, slightly lowering his head to show his respect to this Elder. Even though he wasn''t of his race, he was still somebody who had learned for much longer than him. He deserved his respect. "The treatment you gave him was effective. It is just that it can''t undo what a damaged core does to a spirit or demonic beast. So right now, this has only allowed him to have slightly more time. But with the energy he needs to expand, it won''t be enough to save him."


    The Grandelder looked at the potion that he was currently refining and couldn''t help but feel that there was no use at all. If it was like this ¡­ He was unable to save Ma Zhi Wu.


    Jinde slowly nodded. "What you say makes sense. In that case, we would have to supply him with enough energy until we are able to treat his wounds. The problem will be that healing his core should be difficult."


    Zheng Yin nodded. "That is true. In most cases, there''s no way to do that. A beast that loses their humanoid form will seldom be able to get it back. In his case, I''m afraid that means he will die."

 Chapter 1026 - The Other Person

    Nian Hong Fang clutched Ma Zhi Wu''s hand tighter, unable to believe it. "No ¡­ It can''t be! I''m sure there''s something we can do." He turned to Jinde. "What about the thing you wanted to refine? Wouldn''t that be able to help him recover his core?"


    Jinde showed a complicated expression. For a human, it would be more than enough to get him back on his feet. He wasn''t quite sure if it would be able to help somebody with the blood of the demonic beasts in restoring their core though.


    He turned away, looking for Qiu Ling to hand him another paper scroll but his stepson still hadn''t returned. He sighed and then turned to the Grandelder. "You wouldn''t be able to give me brush and paper, would you?"


    The Grandelder immediately motioned at one of his disciples that had brought to Jinde what he needed in just a few moments.


    Jinde sat down and unfurled the prescription he had thought of. He looked up and motioned for Zheng Yin to take a look at it. "This is the potion I want to prepare. We have most of these herbs already here and I have sent people to gather the missing ones. The potion should be able to let him recover physically and maybe even restore some energy. Would this be able to heal his core as well?" In fact, he felt that there might be a chance but it wasn''t a certainty. But a person of the beast clan might be able to tell them more about the chances of that.


    Zheng Yin slowly looked it over, feeling more and more astonished the more he read. "This ¡­ This is ingenious." He stared at the beautiful handwritten words with wide eyes, clear excitement visible in them.


    Jinde gave a smile behind the veil, feeling a bit pleased with himself. This was actually a prescription he had come up with on his own when he had been younger. "I created something similar for a friend and slightly adapted it to human needs by changing some of the herbs that are to be used. Considering that the demonic beasts'' physique is better than that of the humans, it should be even better for him. But I do not know if his core can be healed."


    Zheng Yin pondered for a moment longer and then nodded. "It should be possible. Although ¡­ a full recovery might be difficult. There is a herb in the land of our people that might be able to improve the chances of that though. It is just ¡­ It is difficult to procure. So I''m not quite sure if it would be possible to get it and it such a short amount of time no less."


    Jinde pondered for a moment and then his face lit up. "You''re talking about the mountain peak cloud?"


    Zheng Yin looked at him in a daze. "You know ¡­" He shut up, hurriedly lowering his head and putting the prescription down. Why was he even surprised? Somebody who was able to write something like this would naturally know a lot about alchemy and herbs. What was so special about knowing a herb of their realm? Especially so if the person wasn''t human but a dragon instead.


    Jinde didn''t bother about Zheng Yin??s surprised expression and just pondered the issue at hand. If a person of the beast clan said that this herb might help, then they should definitely try to get it and use it on Ma Zhi Wu. If he had decided to help somebody, then he wouldn''t just go halfway. No, he would definitely go the whole way. It was just ¡­ "Well, it''s difficult for the beast people to get it. I''m afraid I''m also not in the shape to do it myself. The others are busy ¡­" It seemed that they were running out of options.


    Once again, Zhangsun Xun Yi stepped forward. "Maybe I could go and do this?"


    Jinde looked at him, wondering if it really was a good idea. Zhangsun Xun Yi definitely was of a high enough cultivation realm that he would be able to contend against most of the spirit beast. But ¡­ That specific herb was still difficult to get.


    Seeing that Jinde didn''t answer, the Grandmaster sighed. "I see. Then is there nobody else we can ask?"


    Jinde continued to ponder but he really wasn''t sure who would fit the bill.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi kept quiet for a moment longer and then stepped closer, lowering his head. "What about ¡­ that person?"


    Jinde gave him a puzzled look. "That person?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked around, obviously not quite happy with having to say it here. "In the dimension."


    Jinde blinked his eyes. "That Sect Master of the Jian Yi Sect? I guess that might work." Thinking back to his first impression of her, he did feel that she was quite strong. Compared to Zhangsun Xun Yi, she should be a bit stronger. It wasn''t that much though.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi gave him a strange look. "Actually, that wasn''t the one I was referring to."


    Jinde was still puzzled. Another person? But other than that ¡­


    His expression changed and he felt like face-palming. Right. There was one other person in his dimension that he had almost forgotten about.


    He could just ask his husband. To think that he hadn''t thought of that ¡­ He should really be ashamed of himself. Then again, he just was so used to the fact that Leng Jin Yu stayed at his side all the time that it was difficult to think of sending him somewhere. Yes, that was definitely the reason for this.


    He cleared his throat and then got up. "Well, I guess I''ll go and ask then." He wanted to leave but then turned to Zheng Yin. "You ¡­"


    Zheng Yin tensed, not quite sure what this person might want from him.


    Jinde hesitated for a moment longer and then sighed. "Why don''t you stay here for the moment while I go and ask? After that, I might need your help with something."


    Zheng Yin lowered his head. "Naturally."


    Jinde nodded and then left, returning to the array. His husband probably wouldn''t have a problem with this. And knowing him, he might even be fast in solving the issue. Ah, it still was bittersweet having to let him go ¡­

 Chapter 1027 - No Need to Play Tricks

    Jinde returned to the dimension behind the Sect Master''s palace and called out to his husband as soon as he stepped a foot inside. "My dear! You come over here. There''s something I need your help with."


    Even though he had called Leng Jin Yu, his husband wasn''t the only person that came over. Just a few short moments after Leng Jin Yu appeared in front of him, Fei Bai Mu also left the palace with her little disciple on her arms.


    Leng Jin Yu pretended not to notice her and came over to Jinde''s side, giving him a once over. Seeing that nothing seemed to have happened to Jinde, he felt slightly relieved. "What happened?"


    Jinde sighed and grabbed Leng Jin Yu''s hands, pulling him closer. "As it turns out, that Ma Zhi Wu isn''t human. At least not entirely. He has some demonic beast blood and it seems like his core is damaged. While I''m able to heal the rest of his injuries, that one might be tricky. Thankfully, our future son-in-law managed to bring somebody from the spirit beast tribe over. He had an idea of how to deal with this. It''s just that I need somebody to go to their territory and get me an herb."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. "And it looks like I''m supposed to be that person?"


    Jinde nodded and gave him a smile. "Yes. Or don''t you want to?" He reached up and brushed back Leng Jin Yu''s hair, his fingertips lingering on his skin for a moment longer.


    "If I can help you, then I will naturally do so. No need to try to play any tricks with me." Leng Jin Yu leaned down and pecked his cheek before striding over to the entrance of the dimension, pulling Jinde with him. He turned back to Fei Bai Mu before he stepped out there. "Sect Master Fei, you might have realized already but this dimension can''t be entered arbitrarily. So I suggest you don''t leave your disciple here if you have to leave while we''re gone. Nobody would be able to get to him."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded and then carried Hua Lin Yu over. "I''ll just come out with you. Anyway, a guest shouldn''t stay while the Master is out of the house."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and together, the group returned to the Grandelder''s peak.


    Jinde waved Zheng Yin over and then motioned at Leng Jin Yu. "This is my husband. He has agreed to go and find that herb. Could you tell him where exactly he can find it?"


    Zheng Yin nodded and led him over to the table, picking up the brush and paper to draw it for him. "I''m sorry. This will not be very detailed but I hope you will be able to use it."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Don''t worry about it. Actually, I have been to the territory of the spirit beast people before. I''m not too familiar with their territory but I do think that I will be able to find my way around it if I have a few landmarks to keep track of where I am."


    Zheng Yin was slightly surprised when he heard that but in the end, he just nodded. For the husband of someone of the dragon race, it probably wasn''t surprising. Well, he did have to say that it was surprising that a dragon would marry somebody outside of their own race. He had always thought that they were too proud to do that. Frankly, his impression of the dragon race wasn''t too good.


    Leng Jin Yu studied the map for a moment and then put it in his spatial ring, nodding at Zheng Yin. "Thank you very much. I will leave immediately then." He glanced at Ma Zhi Wu and Nian Hong Fang, his expression subtle. He couldn''t help but think of all Jinde must have gone through back when Chun Yin had died. Losing your lover ¡­ That had to be one of the hardest things to live through.


    He turned around and headed towards the door, stopping in front of Jinde. With the veil still covering his head, he couldn''t see his face but he still reached out and took his hands. "I''ll make sure to come back as soon as possible. Don''t worry."


    Jinde squeezed his hands and stepped closer, pulling him into a hug. "Make sure you don''t get hurt. I don''t mind patching you back up but I would prefer if I didn''t have to."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded, silently reached below the veil, and rubbed Jinde''s back. "I''ll do my best." With another smile, he stepped back and then left the palace.


    When he stepped through the door, he came face-to-face with Xin Lan. They both froze for a moment until Leng Jin Yu stepped aside. "I guess you also went out to gather some herbs."


    Xin Lan gave a hum and then ignored him, stepping inside. He ignored everybody else and just headed directly to Jinde, taking out the herb. He had to put it in a small jade box like Jinde had told him back then to make sure that the herbs were still kept fresh. "This should be what you wanted."


    Jinde accepted the box, undid the seal on top, and checked the herbs inside. "That is the right one indeed. Thank you."


    Xin Lan nodded and then gave Jinde a once over, trying to see how he was doing. "It seems that the method that fallen god spoke of is really working well. You seem to have made almost as much progress in these few years as you did in half the time you spent before in that other dimension."


    Jinde nodded while he resealed the box and put it on the table to use later on when the other herbs arrived as well. "It really does. When everything is over, I really have to thank Xiang Yu. If not for him, it would take way too long."


    Xin Lan nodded and then glanced around, trying to see if he could bring up the thing he had come to see Jinde for. As a result, he came face to face with a child that was staring at him from a pair of big black eyes.

 Chapter 1028 - A Change of Topic

    Xin Lan stared dumbfounded at the child that was extending his arms in his direction. What was that fallen god''s reincarnation doing here?! Even though his Master had just said that he wanted to thank him when all of this was over, that didn''t mean that he actually needed to be here. Especially since his Master didn''t know just who he was. Well, even if he did, it wouldn''t matter since Xiang Yu couldn''t remember his actual life. He was just a mortal boy right now.


    Xin Lan held his forehead, regretting that he hadn''t been more careful when he came in. Now, this kind of thing would actually be exposed in front of his Master.


    Next to him, Jinde already chuckled. "No need to be shy. I already heard before that you promised to marry him. I really wonder how you came up with that." There was an amused smile playing around his lips while he looked at Xin Lan. Obviously, he enjoyed his plight thoroughly.


    Xin Lan pressed his lips together tightly, refusing to say anything. Whatever he said right now, he would be on the losing end anyway. He might as well keep quiet and leave his Master his own imagination.


    Meanwhile, Sect Master Fei came over, looking at Xin Lan with a thoughtful expression. She knew pretty well that he probably had no intention at all to marry her disciple when he had grown up. He had only said that at that moment so he could get rid of the child.


    It was a pity for Hua Lin Yu but she couldn''t say that it was much of a surprise. After all, this man was a dragon and probably not just anybody when he was acquainted with this person that their Jian Yi Sect''s Grandmaster had married. After all, that person in turn had some dealings with the dragon king. It stood to reason that other people he was acquainted with might be of similarly special status.


    "So we meet again."


    Xin Lan ignored the child on her arms and nodded. He didn''t bother to say anything though and instead turned back to his Master. Even though he would have liked this to happen more privately, it was still best to turn his Master''s attention to something else. "I brought something for you." He once again took out something from his spatial ring and handed it over to Jinde.


    It was a small bag with a seal on top that would allow people to store something inside. Contrary to a spatial ring, it wouldn''t require any spiritual energy to open it though. For somebody like Jinde who needed to make sure that he used every last bit of spiritual energy that he recovered to heal his own soul, this definitely was something good.


    "Oh? Was this bag the reason you wanted to come over?" He didn''t really think so. After all, while it was useful, these bags weren''t anything special. Even the humans had things like this.


    Xin Lan shook his head and lightly squeezed Jinde''s hand. "It''s not about the bag but about what is inside. I''m pretty sure that you will like this."


    Fei Bai Mu looked from one person to the other and then to the way Xin Lan was holding Jinde''s hand. Well, she suddenly understood very well just what their Grandmaster had meant when he said that his partner and this Xin Lan were very close. Apparently, they weren''t just close. Instead, it seemed that there were some special feelings involved. At least from this Xin Lan''s side.


    While Fei Bai Mu could plainly see what was going on, she didn''t mention any of her thoughts. From what she had seen in the last few weeks, their Grandmaster and his husband seemed to be very much in love. Even if there was another man that had feelings for their Grandmaster''s husband, it wouldn''t change anything about their relationship. And even if that was the case, she was certainly one of the last people that should worry about it. Their Grandmaster would sort things out himself.


    Thinking of that, Fei Bai Mu turned to her disciple instead. "I''m afraid your uncle Xin Lan is currently busy. We should give him some time to sort things out."


    Hua Lin Yu scrunched up his face, obviously prepared to throw a tantrum if Xin Lan wasn''t going to pay him attention.


    Jinde laughed when he saw that and walked over to the two of them, picking Hua Lin Yu up. "Your uncle Xin Lan might not have time for you but it''s a different matter if it''s about me. I always have time for you."


    Hua Lin Yu''s expression immediately lit up. He clung to Jinde''s neck, not bothering about the bad person who wouldn''t hold him any longer. Anyway, this person was still the best.


    Jinde laughed and then went over to the table, sitting down with the boy in his arms and opening the bag that Xin Lan had given him. He took out what was inside, one item after the other, his expression slowly turning into one of stunned silence. "This is ¡­"


    Xin Lan walked over, stopping next to him and giving him a long look. "If I had known that you were still alive, I would''ve started gathering things much earlier. But since I know now, I have been using a bit of my time to go and gather things for you. I hope that this will help you recover soon."


    Jinde looked up, a complicated feeling in his chest. He had wanted that Xin Lan went to live his own life. Because even though he understood that Xin Lan had feelings for him, they both knew that his own feelings for him would never change. There was nothing he could do so he could only hope that Xin Lan would be able to fall in love with somebody else sometime down the line. But ¡­ Even after leaving, he was still mostly doing things for him. How could that be good?


    "You shouldn''t put yourself out on my account this much. Just taking some time will be enough for me."


    "I know. But it is something that I want to do. Even if you don''t want to take anything else into consideration, you saved my life. I should repay you." Xin Lan didn''t give him any time to answer and just turned away, searching for something else to change the subject. When he did, his gaze fell on a person that stood not far from them, his expression a little timid and wary of the two of them. Seeing him, Xin Lan''s eyes lit up slightly. Well, this certainly was a welcome change of topic.

 Chapter 1029 - Only if It’s Mutual

    The youth had a small waist and slender limbs while still being quite tall, precisely the type that he liked. He also seemed fairly young which was not necessarily a good point but didn''t have to be bad either. Anyway, this would definitely be worth a try.


    Xin Lan wanted to walk over but a hand shot out and gripped his arm. He turned back, raising his brows at Jinde. "What''s the matter?"


    "That boy is from spirit beast tribe. I don''t think I need to tell you what that means."


    Xin Lan glanced over, giving another hum. Asking him, that didn''t need to be a hindrance. "I know what you mean. But you don''t have to worry. I don''t force anybody. I do think I have enough personal charm to make somebody fall for me."


    Jinde gave him a pointed look. "I certainly don''t doubt that you have that charm. I just doubt that that youth will be able to make a decision just based on that. You also know how the relationship between our races is. I would like it if you would not make things more complicated."


    Xin Lan sighed at that. "One day, you tell me that you want me to go out and have some fun, and then you tell me that I should stay away from somebody that I think I might like. Don''t you think you''re being a little contradictory here? If I didn''t know any better, I''d think you are jealous and want to keep me all to yourself."


    Jinde smiled. "Believe me, if this wasn''t the first time you had seen that boy, I wouldn''t even say anything. But I don''t think it would be good for you to go and start something just because you can without thinking of what comes after that. He deserves that you take at least a moment to consider that."


    Xin Lan sighed again but finally nodded. "Very well. If that''s what you want, then that''s what I''ll do." Anyway, even if his Master didn''t expect him to, he would still always put his wishes first. He just felt that it was the right thing to do for the person he loved.


    Jinde couldn''t help but wonder if he had really done the right thing when he saw Xin Lan''s gaze. In a way, it was true: He should not get involved if he would always contradict what Xin Lan was doing. He couldn''t on one hand tell him to have his own life and then get involved as soon as he saw something that he didn''t like.


    But then again, he still felt responsible for his people. And even though the spirit beast tribe wasn''t exactly part of the dragon race, they were still very closely related. He wouldn''t let one of them suffer just because Xin Lan took a fancy to him.


    "I''m sure there are other people that wouldn''t bring such complications into a relationship. Maybe you can find somebody like that."


    Xin Lan made a vague gesture with his hand, not quite sure what else to say. "If I do, I''ll introduce you."


    Jinde kept quiet. Honestly, he should probably really keep out of this. Thinking about it like this, he finally tugged at Xin Lan''s sleeve, making him turn back around. "I can???t expect you to listen to me. I just want you to understand the situation. If you really like him, then I won''t say no. I just want you to spend some time thinking about it and maybe getting to know him. If it''s mutual, really mutual, then go for it. I''m the last person who could deny you your happiness."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Of course, I know that. Well, now is not the time to worry about that. How are your preparations coming along? I guess it is to save the person over there, isn''t it?"


    Jinde nodded. "There''s still a few other herbs that we need. But people have been sent to get them. I think that we should hear back from them very soon. As soon as that happens, I''ll start to refine the potion. We can only hope that everything will be in time. Right now, it really is troublesome that time flows differently in the mortal and immortal realms. Even if they don''t need long over there, it might still be too long here. Especially since not all of them are knowledgeable about herbs. They''ll have to search for them after reaching the place where they grow. Days might go by here while they do."


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. That was indeed true. Time was running out. "Is there anything else that I can do?"


    Jinde shook his head. "I could send you to get those ingredients but it wouldn''t accomplish much. Anyway, people are already looking for them. I just hope that they will be fast."


    Xin Lan nodded, feeling a certain sense of urgency. He didn''t care for that person but he knew that it might weigh on his Master if he wasn''t able to heal him despite being here in time. Not being able to do anything ¡­ That certainly wouldn''t be a good feeling.


    He looked at Ma Zhi Wu, silently pondering. "Can we do anything to stall for time?"


    Jinde looked over and sighed. "The Yun Zou Sect''s Grandelder has already done that. The only other thing we could do would be to provide him with more energy. I''m a bit worried though. He has some demonic beast blood. Who knows how he would react to one of us supplying him with it?"


    Xin Lan nodded. That was indeed a valid question. Well, there was a person to ask about that though, wasn''t there?


    His gaze returned to that youth from the spirit beast tribe and he finally walked over, only stopping directly in front of him. "Let me ask you some questions."


    Zheng Yin looked up, and an unprecedented sense of danger assaulted his nerves. If he could, he would run away. Unfortunately, this person was blocking his way out. It seemed he could only succumb to fate.

 Chapter 1030 - An Ancient Royal Family?

    While this discussion was going on in the Yun Zou Sect, Shen Qiang had made his way over to the demon realm and the ancient tombs that Jinde had mentioned. He knew of this place even though he had never been here in the past. It was a burial ground for the royal family that had supposedly reigned over the demons in ancient times.


    To be honest, the demon hunters of the Chun Feng Sect had never really had any evidence that they had actually existed. From what they knew, the demons didn''t give a fuck about family. Why would they have had a royal family then? A ruler? Yes, certainly. Whoever was the strongest would definitely be able to keep the others under their thumb. But that person likely wouldn''t have a family. Demons just weren''t like that. At most, they would have some shallow relationships for their own amusement that could be discarded just as fast as they had begun.


    Well, after everything that had happened so far, Shen Qiang couldn''t help but wonder. Maybe the demons were different from what he had thought. Maybe it wasn''t just the human or beast blood in their veins that had made those half-bloods less bad. Maybe even the demons were different.


    He didn''t know. Right now, that also was the question he should ponder. No, he had to focus on this task alone to make sure that nothing would go wrong. After all, while this was a burial ground for demons, it had also become the final resting place for quite a few demon hunters. He didn''t want to end up among them.


    Shen Qiang looked around, feeling a shudder down his back. The whole place seemed shrouded in a gloomy aura, completely forsaken. From the originally proud buildings, only a few were left untouched. The majestic columns had collapsed in large parts, the doors of some mausoleums were unhinged, the vibrant colors flaking off the paintings, and the tiles fallen to the ground and shattered into hundreds of pieces. Among the rubble, creatures could be seen squirming around, hiding and laying low to finally make a move on something weaker than them.


    This really was a place that crawled with demonic beasts and demons of the lowest kind. Whoever came here was basically offering themselves as food. But he didn''t have a choice. This was what he had to do. There was no way back.


    Shen Qiang unsheathed his weapon and then slowly walked forward, looking for the hill that Jinde had described. From the way he had spoken about it, it should be pretty obvious. But from where he stood, he couldn''t see it. So most likely, that hill would be further inside. He could only slowly inch forward and hope that he wouldn''t be attacked before that. Or that if he was, he would be able to fight them off.


    His boots made crunching noises on the ground while his gaze continued to scan the area around him. So far, none of the beasts had come closer but that could happen at any moment. He made his way toward one of the buildings, seeing a path leading around it. He stopped at the spot, turning in all directions once before he continued. Behind him, the same crunching noises could be heard but they were much quieter. It seemed that something was already sneaking up on him.


    He continued to walk at the same pace but gripped his weapon tighter, as well as reaching out for the dagger that was secured at his waist in case he needed another weapon. Thankfully, the people of the Yun Zou Sect hadn''t taken anything from him before he left. Instead, they had allowed him to take everything with him that he would need to defend himself. Well, they did need him to return if they wanted to save their disciple.


    When he turned around the corner of the building, something jumped at him from behind. He whirled around, the blade flashing through the air and striking down the beast. Shen Qiang took a step back when he had made sure that he had hit it squarely in the chest and killed with one strike. He took a closer look, making it out to be a demonic beast about half his size. It had some semblance with bears but was more slender, giving it even more agility. If he hadn''t noticed it before it leaped, this would have been difficult to get away from. He would indeed need to pay attention to every small detail.


    He narrowed his eyes, glanced around, and then turned back, continuing on his path. When he reached the next corner, he once again stopped. Ahead of him, there was another row of buildings and he was still not able to see the hill that Jinde had mentioned.


    He furrowed his brows and then jumped up on the balustrade surrounding the building next to him. With another leap, he made it onto the edge of one of the overhanging roofs and then crawled up to the highest point. From this high vantage point, he was able to look over the other buildings and finally spotted the hill two rows behind them. It seemed that he would still need to cover quite some distance.


    He continued to crouch on the roof, taking the time to study the path he would need to take to get there. It would be enough to just go in a straight line but judging from what he could see from here, there would be quite a few places where demons and beasts would be able to hide to attack him.


    If you really wanted to make it over and then back out of here, he would need to be extremely careful or come up with a plan. He definitely couldn''t just charge over. That would be more than dumb.

 Chapter 1031 - No Risk Allowed

    Shen Qiang took an extra minute to survey his surroundings. He knew that time flowed differently in the realms and that it was currently tight. But on the other hand, he had hurried up on the way he here so he felt that he could take a moment longer at this junction. Furthermore, this would likely make the difference between dying here trying and getting out with the herb and being able to bring it back.


    After all, if he didn''t manage to get to the herb in the first place and then bring it back safely afterward, it would help no one. In fact, he had to make sure that he made it out alive. Otherwise, he really wouldn''t have paid off any debt and just added insult to injury by not enabling Nian Hong Fang''s lover to make a recovery. He would not stand for that.


    Shen Qiang finally took out a rope and hook, tied it together, and then started to swing it through the air, finally throwing it to the roof on the building on the other side of the path.


    On the ground, there were many places to hide for beasts and demons. He would put himself in more danger if he went there. On the other hand, if he traveled on the roofs, it would be much more difficult to sneak-attack him. Even though he didn''t doubt that there would be some creatures willing to give it a try, at the very least, he might be able to notice them sooner and thus defend himself better.


    Knowledge was always power in this kind of situation. At the very least, that much was true of the teachings of the demon-hunting sects. Even if he could trust nothing else that they had said, this was a universal truth that he would never doubt.


    Thanks to the years of training, Shen Qiang had made a rather accurate guess of how much strength it would need to make the hook reach the other side. It scraped over the roof of the building but in the end, it still fell down, unable to be actually hooked in.


    Shen Qiang clicked his tongue but wasn''t too disturbed by this. Going wrong once wasn''t too much of a problem. He just had to try again. Having a better feeling for what he needed to do now, he once again threw out the rope and this time, things worked out better. The hook scraped over the tiles and finally got wedged.


    Even though he had been sure that he would be able to make it work, Shen Qiang still gave a small smile before he turned around and bound the end of the rope around the edge of the roof he was standing on.


    Giving a nod to himself, Shen Qiang crouched down, slipped down over the edge of the roof, and then grabbed the rope to crawl over. He made sure to keep his mind focused on everything going on around him.


    He could hear crunching steps on the ground close by, telling him that something was once again edging closer toward him. Right now, while he was saver him from sneak-attacks, he was also in a vulnerable position. Crawling over was the fastest way and the one making it less likely to fall down than balancing on top of the rope would be. But at the same time, it also made him show his back to whatever was down there.


    He gritted his teeth, tensed his muscles, and crawled faster. When he had reached halfway across the path, a screech sounded below him and something leaped at him.


    Shen Qiang clammed his legs shut around the rope but let go with his hands, taking out a weapon, and slashing at the beast that was coming at him. The blade and a pair of claws met in the air, making the rope sway from side to side dangerously.


    Shen Qiang gritted his teeth, and hacked out once again, making the beast growl and crouch down on the ground, eying him warily.


    Shen Qiang furrowed his brows and put the dagger away, once again reaching out for the rope. He took a deep breath and then continued to clamber over, his ears trying to pick up on anything going on down there.


    Nothing happened though. He was almost in reach of the other side but that beast was still crouching down there as if it had completely given up. He was sure that that wasn''t the case though. These things might look like simple-minded beasts only but they were still intelligent creatures. They knew how to be patient and wait for opportunities. He had to make sure that he didn''t give them any.


    By now, he was only two arms'' reach from the edge of the other roof. His most vulnerable position would be when he transferred over from the rope to the roof. That would likely be when he would be attacked.


    He tensed his muscles, reached down to grab his dagger, and then held it against his arm to hide it from the view of the beast. He continued to climb, his whole body filled with tension. When he got to the roof, a slight sound could be heard from down there, as if the heels of that beast had dug into the ground, causing the stones on the road to rub against each other.


    Shen Qiang narrowed his eyes, his fingers tightening around the hilt of the dagger while he continued to crawl a little further forward.


    The beast jumped and Shen Qiang once again let his torso fall, meeting the attack halfway. This time, he plunged the dagger right into the beast''s neck, taking it out once and for all.


    One of the claws scratched his shoulder but he just gritted his teeth, pulled out the dagger, and then himself onto the roof. Anyway, it was still better to make sure there was one less risk when he came back. He just couldn''t take any at this point in time.

 Chapter 1032 - The Hill Among the Ruins

    Shen Qiang heaved a sigh of relief when he made it onto the roof. He didn''t dare take a break though. After tying the other end of the rope to one of the carvings and taking back the hook, he rushed over to the other side of the roof, took out another rope and secured it again.


    He made it over to the next building in the same way, and finally got through all the obstacles on the way to the hill. Seeing the end that the other beasts had suffered, the attacks grew sneakier, including one beast that clambered up the wall and tried to attack him on the roof itself. Thankfully, he hadn''t let his guard down even once in this time. Otherwise, he really would have had a problem keeping his life.


    Taking another deep breath, Shen Qiang looked from the roof of the last palace over to the hill. A tree was growing on top, the dark red leaves rustling in the wind. At its roots, the herb that he was supposed to gather was growing. He took out the drawing even though he was pretty sure that he had the right one and nodded to himself.


    "I guess that is the last hurdle I have to take then." He stood back up, looked around, and then jumped down from the roof, rolling to the side to evade yet another attack. He drew his sword, lashed out and the beast jumped back with a growl.


    Shen Qiang narrowed his eyes, daring the beast to attack him again. When it didn''t, he didn''t lose any time. He turned around and rushed over the hill, ignoring the beasts close by. With everything so far, the weaker ones would think twice before attacking. As for the strong ones ¡­ He''d have to hope or otherwise fight his way through.


    He only stopped when he reached the foot of the hill. Instead of going directly to dig out the herbs, he whirled around, daring the demonic beasts to step closer. None of them did but quite a few had come close enough that he would have to watch his back closely.


    Right now, he really regretted coming alone. With a second person, this kind of thing would''ve been much easier. Maybe he should''ve asked for Grandmaster Zhangsun to accompany him. Between his knowledge about demonic beasts and demons and Grandmaster Zhangsun''s cultivation level, there likely wouldn''t have been anything that could be dangerous to them. But then again, this was his own fight.


    Seeing that for now, there was no immediate danger, Shen Qiang turned around and marched up the hill. He glanced at the tree, making sure that nothing was leering at him out of the branches before he crouched down to take a closer look at the herb. He didn''t put his sword down to make sure that he wouldn''t be vulnerable though.


    From up close, he could finally say for sure that he had found the right plant. Now, the only question was how to get it out of the ground without damaging it. He didn''t know much about herbs other than the general ones that the demon hunters used to treat themselves when they were outside and unable to get any potions. This one ¡­ He definitely didn''t know anything about it. Still, if there was something specific he should have taken note of, he was pretty sure that that man with the veil covering his face would''ve told him.


    Thinking of that, he rammed his sword into the ground, and took out a dagger, using it to loosen the soil before he swept a glance over his shoulders in both directions and then continued to dig with one hand while clasping the dagger in the other so he would be able to fight anything that came at him from behind.


    It turned out that his caution had been right. Even though the attack didn''t come from behind as he had expected it would. After he managed to dig out the first herb, and then started to work on a second one to make sure that there would be a replacement in case something didn''t work out, the leaves above his head rustled in a regular manner that wasn''t like what had happened before when it had just been the wind moving them.


    Shen Qiang almost froze for a moment but then made sure that he continued digging. If he gave any indication that he had already found out what was happening, then the next try would be more covert, making it more difficult for him to defend against it. He couldn''t let that happen.


    When he had almost managed to dig out the plant, the leaves rustled right above his head. He narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip around the dagger while pretending to continue to dig. The movements of his left hand slowed down though.


    Finally, the beast leaped.


    Shen Qiang also attacked, his feet flitting over the grass on the hill while he lashed out with the dagger. This time, he didn''t manage to hit though. The beast in question was only about as thick as his arm, looking a bit like a weasel. It was just that its fur seemed to be injected with small needles and its eyes were glowing dangerously, not to mention the glinting teeth. This thing might not be able to flatten him but it would definitely be able to tear off his skin.


    Shen Qiang pulled out his sword from the ground, once again lashing out. The blade collided with the body of the beast but got stuck in-between the needles.


    Shen Qiang furrowed his brows and tried to wrest back his weapon but it didn''t help. The beast hissed and then tried to turn around to bite his leg.


    Shen Qiang sidestepped and then brought down the dagger, cleanly slicing the head off.


    The beast''s final cry brought out some other creatures from the surroundings, making him curse. It seemed he would have to hurry up or this place might turn into his grave as well.


    He sheathed his dagger, finally freed his sword from the beast''s body, and then continued to dig out of the herb with the renewed vigor. Hastily putting them away, he rushed down from the hill, and back toward the buildings.


    Now, he had to get out as fast as possible and return to the Yun Zou Sect. Then, he really would''ve managed to at least make up for a bit of his wrongdoings from before.

 Chapter 1033 - Unrest in the Demon Realm

    Shen Qiang made his way back to the building closest to the hill without a hitch. He climbed up to the roof after taking a look around and then heaved a sigh of relief. Now, he only needed to get to the other side and then, he could already leave the demon realm and return. Save for the one wound on his shoulder, he hadn''t even been hurt. It seemed that this was really going well. Still, he couldn''t become negligent because of that. In fact, now, he needed to be more cautious than ever.


    He once again took a moment to look around when he crouched on top of the building to make sure that there were no beasts around that would surprise him suddenly. He couldn''t see anything as if the few fights he had had before had been warning enough to those beasts. He nodded to himself and then rushed over to the other side of the old palace, checking the ground below before he reached out to the rope. Just when he wanted to climb over, he heard voices drifting over from not too far away.


    Shen Qiang froze. Human voices in this place meant that these were either demonic beasts that had attained a high enough level to change into a humanoid form or that they were high-leveled demons in the first place who were born with them. Whatever it was, it wasn''t good news to him.


    If he got into conflict with them, it would be difficult to keep his life. Especially since this wasn''t just one. With only one of them attacking, he might still have a chance to at least leave with his life intact even if he would be gravely injured doing so but with two of them, the matter was a different thing altogether.


    In the human world, the people of the demon-hunting sects would never engage this kind of foe on their own. They would always make sure that there were more of them so they would be able to deal with them. After all, demons were tricky to deal with.


    He refrained from climbing over and exposing himself in a vulnerable position. Instead, he lay down flat on the roof, hoping that they wouldn''t take note of him.


    Soon enough, the demons were close enough for him to hear what they were talking about and even make out their forms behind one of the buildings.


    "I can''t believe Yong Hai really thought he can just send us here." The demon that spoke seemed everything but happy about whatever it was that was going on. Apparently, they weren''t here of their own free will.


    Shen Qiang wasn''t too happy discovering that either. A demon in a bad mood would be even more likely to attack him. Well, there was nothing he could do other than hope for the best.


    The other demon gave a grunt. "Well, we''re here, so obviously he can. Anyway, if it helps to get rid of that Jin Ling, then I''ll be happy we could be part of it. I''m just afraid we won''t really get a thank you for this."


    The first demon laughed. "Jin Ling is a coward who relies on his good looks and Yong Hai is an asshole who relies on our wish to fight. Don''t know who of them is actually better. Ah, I wish somebody like Ye Yang would be vying for the throne. He is definitely strong enough to lead us. And I don''t think he would shy away from fighting the dragons either."


    The other one nodded at that. "True. If it was him, I''d follow him willingly. But I doubt it''s going to happen. Last I heard, he fucking that Jin Ling. Well, can''t blame him. He does have a pretty face."


    The two of them sighed and finally walked up the steps to one of the palaces.


    "This should be it, right?"


    "Damned if I know. These palaces all look the same to me. Honestly, it''s creepy."


    Shen Qiang raised his brows. Who would''ve thought that even the demons found one of their own cemeteries to be an uncomfortable place? Well, he shouldn''t judge them for that.


    "Never mind. Creepy is alright as long as it isn''t dangerous. I wonder if those ancient royals bothered to put some guards here or something like that. Maybe there are traps inside?"


    The other demon gave him a look. "What? You think Yong Hai would send us here if it was that easy? He is just us as bait. If we don''t make it back, he''ll send somebody else tomorrow. But what can we do? If we don''t accept this task, then we''ll just be suffering when Yong Hai ascends the throne. He might not be the grateful kind but he certainly is the spiteful kind."


    The other demon grunted and they finally opened the door and stepped inside.


    Shen Qiang sighed in relief. He would wait for a moment longer and then leave. It was best if he was out of here before those two could get back.


    Lying atop the roof, his thoughts couldn''t help but wander though. While they hadn''t said much, it had been enough to understand that there seemed to be some unrest among the high-ranking demons. Maybe there would be a change of who was ruling them.


    While he didn''t understand much about the things happening in the actual demon realm, he doubted that this was good. Especially considering how these two demons had just characterized the two people involved.


    He didn''t know how true this was but a coward was still better for them than somebody who was willing to fight. After all, while it had sounded like they were out to fight with one of the other immortal races, who knew if the humans wouldn''t be the next target if they managed to win? It would be best for them if that didn''t happen. So maybe it would also be for the best if these two didn''t make it out of this place.


    Shen Qiang finally got up again and crawled over to the other roof before continuing forward. Whatever it was, he didn''t have time to deal with it now. He first needed to bring back the herbs. After that, he could think about everything else.

 Chapter 1034 - Mountain Peak Cloud

    While Shen Qiang made his way out of the demon realm, Leng Jin Yu had already arrived in the territory of the spirit beast clan. This place was different from both the immortal realms and the human realm. For example, the difference in time between the two of them wasn''t as big and how the spiritual energy was higher than in the mortal realm even at the places where it was the faintest while the places with the most energy were still lacking compared to the immortal realms.


    In a sense, it was just like how the beast people themselves were also somewhere between the mortal and immortal races: While they weren''t born immortal, their aptitude was much higher than that of the humans and closer to that of the immortal races. If they just cultivated hard enough, it was a foregone conclusion that they would reach immortality. Also, contrary to the humans where only one in a thousand might have even the lowest grade of spirit veins, all the beast people were able to cultivate.


    Yes, whether it was the people or the land, it was somewhere between the mortals and immortals. It was a bit odd and it was also a reason to be cautious. After all, what he had learned in either of the realms might not be applicable here and the time he had spent in this realm before had been too short to make any assumptions.


    Thus, Leng Jin Yu was careful when he entered the place. Legend had it that it bordered on both the mortal and immortal realms even though he had never found this remote entrance to the immortal realms when he came here the past. But who knew? Maybe it was just that back then, he hadn''t known enough. By now, things might be different. After all, not only had he ascended to the status of a deity, he had also learned a lot from the time he spent with Jinde in the Yun Zou Sect.


    Looking around, Leng Jin Yu finally turned toward the western regions and rushed over as fast as he could. While the difference in time wasn''t that big, it couldn''t hurt to be more careful and save time when he was able to. Finding the actual herb might take more than he imagined after all. And he didn''t want to put Jinde in a position where he might be able to save the person but couldn''t because he lacked the materials to do so.


    After getting to know him well, he was pretty sure that it would hurt Jinde deeply if that happened. He was the type of person that would at least want to give it a try. To not have that opportunity just because he couldn''t go and get everything himself despite knowing where to look would make him feel even weaker than he probably felt already.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed when he thought of that possibility and sped up further. Soon enough, he entered a valley that he remembered from the time when he had been wandering all the realms he could back in the day. Behind the valley lay a mountain range that towered far above every other place in this realm. The mountain peak cloud herb that Jinde wanted could only be found there.


    Leng Jin Yu stopped for a moment, his gaze brushing over the mountain tops, trying to discern where he would have the best chance to find. Finally, he rushed forward, soon reaching the foot of the mountains. Not bothering with anything else, he continued to fly upward, following the path that had been created over the years, getting closer and closer to the highest peaks.


    Time passed and he couldn''t help but feel a sense of urgency. He didn''t speed up though. Even though he had been here before and even though the spirit beast people wouldn''t necessarily attack him if they found him, there were still the beasts living in this place and the mountains themselves were difficult to navigate if one didn''t pay enough attention.


    It would be in his best interest to make sure he didn''t make a dumb mistake that would lose him the opportunity to find the herb or even get injured himself. If he came back in a bad condition, there was no saying if Jinde would be able to focus on refining whatever potion he had come up with.


    With that in mind, Leng Jin Yu continued onward. His entering this place hadn''t stayed completely unnoticed but so far, nobody had come to stop him so he didn''t change his path either and just continued on.


    His gaze brushed over the ground, checking every bit of the way for the mountain peak cloud herb. From what he had understood, this one would most likely only grow on the highest peaks but he wouldn''t ignore the chance that he might get lucky and find it on one of the slightly lower ones. After all, there were always some surprises that nature might hold.


    Unfortunately for him, things didn''t seem to be in his favor. While he had looked pretty closely, he couldn''t find a single stalk of the herb Jinde wanted. He sighed to himself and then continued to fly upward, soon reaching the peaks behind the ones he had already searched.


    Flying close to the ground, Leng Jin Yu''s eyes finally lit up. He rushed over to the edge of the peak and landed next to a patch of spiritual herbs. Crouching down next to them, he took a close look at the one in the middle and then nodded to himself. Yes, this should be the mountain peak cloud Jinde had been looking for.


    He reached out, wanting to dig it out of the ground when a tail swished past him, hitting his hand so that he missed.

 Chapter 1035 - What Can I Do for You?

    Leng Jin Yu turned around and raised his brows. Unsurprisingly, the person standing behind him was of the spirit beast clan.


    Without waiting for him to say anything, the man already spoke up. "You have no use for that."


    Leng Jin Yu gave a faint smile. "I don''t. But a person I know does."


    The beast person scoffed. "Do you even know what this is?"


    "Mountain peak cloud. My husband happens to be an alchemist."


    The other man continued to look at him, his gaze not quite friendly. He didn''t seem to know what else to say though and thus kept quiet.


    Leng Jin Yu waited for a moment, giving him the opportunity to think things through and then sighed. "I know that this herb is important for the beast people. As it so happens, the person I know in the human realm has some blood of the demonic beast tribe. He was recently hurt and his core was injured. Without this herb, I''m afraid he won''t make it through."


    That beast person continued to look at him, obviously still not happy.


    Leng Jin Yu could only sigh again. It wasn''t that unbelievable that the beast people wouldn''t want him to come and pluck a herb like this just like that. In fact, he had expected that. "What do I need to do for you to let me take it?" He might be able to fight this person but if he did, getting out of the territory of the beast clan would be much more difficult. Thus, it was better to negotiate and hope for the best. Maybe there was something he could do for them that was worth just as much as a stalk of this herb in their eyes.


    Unfortunately, the beast person just scoffed. "You? You''re just a human. What could you do for us that would be as valuable as something that could save our people''s lives? Since you know that it can be used to heal a broken core, you shouldn''t even ask about this."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I do understand where you''re coming from. This herb is precious to your people. Giving it up ¡­ Naturally, you''re not willing to do it just like that. But as for whether or not I can do something for you or your people, that still remains to be seen. Just tell me what I would need to do. If I can find a way, then it wouldn''t hurt to give it a try, would it? In the end, you might also get an advantage out of this."


    The other man crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking from Leng Jin Yu to the herb and back again. "Why do I feel like you are just trying to stall for time? Is another one of you here, trying to find this herb in another place? Don''t even try that! I''m not the only one living here. We would notice."


    Leng Jin Yu just smiled at that accusation. "Don''t worry about that. I don''t intend to play any tricks on you. I''m just positive that I will be able to do something to earn this herb. I know that you don''t agree but what is wrong with giving it a try?"


    The man scoffed again. "You say that as if it was a small thing. Since this herb can be used to save our people''s lives, you would have to save the life of at least one of our people, right? In fact, this one herb can be used to grow several more in the future, so you would have to save several of us. How are you going to do that?"


    Leng Jin Yu watched his triumphant expression and couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. This person ¡­ He was just trying to make things difficult for him. He probably couldn''t care less about the herb but he just didn''t want to give it to somebody else. He felt that it was their tribe''s procession and really wanted to fight tooth and nail to keep it. Well, he wouldn''t let him. "What kind of problem do you have that would endanger several of your people? Tell me and I''ll find a solution to it."


    The beast person laughed in return. "Oh? Aren''t you a little full of yourself?"


    Leng Jin Yu just continued to smile. "Maybe I am. Or maybe I''m resourceful. So what problem do you have?"


    The beast person started to wander around him, eying him suspiciously. "Well, since you''re a human, I should be accommodating and give you a task that you can do in your realm. That way, you have a bit of an advantage, don''t you think so?"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. "Oh? Is there a problem for the spirit beast people in the human realm?"


    "But of course! You probably don''t know but some of your people are behaving rather crudely. Our people have been imprisoned. If you''re able to save them out of there, then I would consider letting you have the mountain peak cloud."


    Leng Jin Yu turned to look at him and smiled. "I''m afraid that''s not good enough. If I do manage to save those people, then you can''t just consider it. You will have to give me the herb. Otherwise, wouldn''t that be going back on your word?"


    The beast person stopped in his wandering and gave him a closer look. Apparently, that human wasn''t that stupid. "Quite a good catch! Well, alright, then you have my word: If you do manage to set our people free, then I''ll give you the herb."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "These people ¡­ I guess they have been imprisoned by the demon-hunting sects?"


    The beast person narrowed his eyes and stepped closer. "Do you ¡­" He stopped a step away from Leng Jin Yu and gave him a once over, his eyes narrowing and brows furrowing.


    Leng Jin Yu had no idea what had just happened and raised his brows. "What is it? Am I wrong?" He felt that it made sense though. Ma Zhi Wu had the blood of the demonic beast tribe and had been imprisoned by the Chun Feng Sect. It stood to reason that the same might have happened to people of the spirit beast tribe.


    The other man stepped away though, giving him a cautious look. "You ¡­ have some affiliation with the dragon race?"


    Leng Jin Yu needed a moment to figure out what was going on. Then, it dawned on him: This person was likely able to notice Jinde''s smell on him. "My husband happens to be of the dragon race."


    The beast person took another step back and gave him an even more cautious look, making Leng Jin Yu wonder what was going on.

 Chapter 1036 - Why Would They Do So?

    While he had lived with Jinde for quite some time already, he was still born a human. The time it would need to understand the other races to the degree that Jinde did would be much longer.


    For now, he had mostly tried to understand his own part as an ascended deity among the gods and the dragons for Jinde''s sake. After that, he likely would have tried to find out more about the demons considering that Jinde had some ties with them thanks to raising the current demon king.


    So to say, the spirit beast people hadn''t even factored into what he wanted to know for the time being. It wasn''t that he looked down on them but that he just didn''t feel like they would play a big role for him and Jinde in the near future.


    Now, it seemed that this might not be true. But he couldn''t change it anymore. Thus, he could only wonder just why him mentioning Jinde''s race would make this person this cautious. If he couldn''t get an answer right now, this might be a matter worth bringing up with Jinde himself later on.


    Leng Jin Yu took a moment before he cleared his throat. "So, are we talking about the demon-hunting sects? Because if that is the case, then I will definitely keep my promise. In fact, you might want to know that the person I''m trying to get the mountain peak cloud for was also captured by one of them. He got injured when some people of the dragon race went to free the ones imprisoned there. I''m pretty sure that some of your people will also return in due time."


    The spirit beast person furrowed his brows. "Why would the dragon race go and free our people?"


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t quite know how to answer. He didn''t know what the relationship between the dragons and the spirit beast people was and he was afraid that whatever he said would aggravate this person in front of him. Unfortunately, he couldn''t just keep quiet. "Well, I don''t know that much about the situation. I think the dragon race wasn''t really aware of what was happening until a short while ago. They only found out because one of their own people was captured and held prisoner as well. Thus, they sent people to deal with this.


    "I think most of the prisoners escaped unharmed but some that were being kept on the lowest levels didn''t. I''m not quite sure which people this concerns though. You would likely be able to get more details out of your own people."


    The spirit beast person gave him a long look as if trying to see if he was lying.


    Leng Jin Yu raised his hands. "You can go and verify it. In fact, I can accompany you. I just ask that we hurry up a bit. That person I''m trying to get this herb for won''t have much more time left. I''m afraid it might only be a few hours back in the mortal realm. You know what that means. It would do him no good if the herb was brought back later than that."


    The spirit beast person finally clicked his tongue. "Well, let''s grab it then. I''ll give it to you if it turns out that you were saying the truth. Then you can return at once."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and crouched down, finally taking out the herb. He took out the small jade box Jinde had given him, only to once again have a tail swish in and grab the box from his hands. Leng Jin Yu looked up, feeling a bit annoyed this time. "Didn''t we agree that we would take the herb with us for now? I will have to put it in the box so as to keep it fresh. If it wilts until I arrive back in the mortal realm, it won''t help him at all."


    The spirit beast person gave him a strange look and then turned the box in his hands as if looking for something. "Where did you get this?"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows and wanted to say that it was from his husband but then, he kept quiet. Somehow, this wasn''t quite right. "Is it important? Anyway, it is used to store the herb. So please give it back." He reached out, quietly urging the person to hand over the box.


    The spirit beast person hesitated for a moment longer but then handed it over. "I''ll keep the box after that. If you really said the truth, then you get it back."


    Leng Jin Yu sighed, undid the seal, and put the herb inside before handing it back. "Wasn''t that what we agreed on? Now, let''s go back to where you expect your people to go. As I said, there isn''t much time."


    The beast person continued to look at him, as if unsure about something. In the end, he nodded and then turned around, pushing off the ground and rushing toward someplace further to the center of the territory.


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t hesitate and followed immediately. As far as he knew, the spirit beast people weren''t malicious. He hadn''t done anything to harm them and had even promised to help in exchange for the herb. They would have no reason to lie to him.


    Even if he was affiliated with the dragon race and there was some trouble between the two, he didn''t think that that alone would be grounds for them to try and hurt him. From what he knew from his visits back then, they were the kind of people that distinguished kindness and grudges very clearly. He didn''t believe that anything had changed about that just because some millennia had passed. He refused to believe it.

 Chapter 1037 - A Human in the Hall

    The two of them soon arrived at the gates of a large city. Leng Jin Yu hadn''t been here before but just judging from the place where it was situated and its expanse, he was pretty sure that this should be the capital city of the beast tribe''s territory. It seemed that the person he had met out there wasn''t just anybody in the clan. In that case, how he handled this might have a bigger influence than he would''ve have assumed before. He definitely had to be careful with how he behaved and what he said.


    The beast person led him into the city, taking another glance at Leng Jin Yu when they crossed through the gate but he didn''t say anything. Leng Jin Yu also didn''t speak up and just followed him, waiting to see where he would lead him.


    In the end, he found himself in front of the palace. Leng Jin Yu slightly raised his brows when he looked at it. This place ¡­ It looked quite a bit like the palace of the dragon realm, didn''t it? Maybe these two races were closer than he would''ve assumed in the beginning.


    It seemed he still had quite a lot to learn if he wanted to be with Jinde. He definitely couldn''t let him get into trouble because he didn''t know about the relationships between the different races. He should really ask him about the spirit beast people as soon as he got back.


    The beast person turned back to him, once again watching his expression. "I''m going to have you meet with our king. If they really return, then this is the place where they would go. I assume you don''t have a problem with that?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "No, that will be alright." He just hoped that the spirit beast people would be fast with getting back home.


    The two of them entered the building and went into the hall behind the gate. A throne could be seen on the other side of the room but it was currently empty.


    Leng Jin Yu glanced around a little more, trying to see where the similarities with the dragon race stopped. From what Jinde had told him, that palace of the dragon race had undergone several changes because it was demolished in the war. The one he had lived and grown up in together with Chun Yin was not the same one that Qiu Ling was currently ruling from.


    In general, the way they were built should have stayed the same though. For example, the hall where the king would receive visitors was not right at the front. There were several other rooms before it that visitors would have to pass before they could to see the king. In a way, it seemed that the spirit beast people were a bit more open than the dragons in that regard.


    "You wait here for me." The beast person clutched the box with the herb inside and then left the hall, not bothering to explain to Leng Jin Yu where he intended to go.


    Leng Jin Yu stayed back and sighed. He really hoped that this would be over fast. He''d like to return soon so Jinde wouldn''t have to worry.


    Meanwhile, the beast person crossed the next room and then went to knock on a door further inside the palace. "Your Majesty."


    The person inside looked up, raising his brows. "Oh? You''ve come back, Wu Ya? Come on in then. I guess something happened?"


    Wu Ya stepped into the room, lightly bowing to the person sitting at a table. "Something did indeed happen. Some person from the human realm came to the mountains, and tried to take one of the peak climbing herbs."


    The king raised his brows but didn''t seem too concerned. "Well, I guess you didn''t let him. I can''t quite see how this made you want to come here though."


    Wu Ya went over and sat down on the other side of the table, crossing his arms. "He was arguing with me. In the end, he told me that some of our people were freed from one of those human sects. He said that they would likely return here soon. I came to see if it''s true. I told him that if it was, and if he was willing to help us free the others, then I would give the herb to him."


    The king continued to look at him with his brows raised. "Does this sound credible to you?"


    Wu Ya raised the box in his hands. "I''m the one with the herb right now. So I guess he couldn''t just lie his way through. Anyway, he''s currently in our territory. If he was trying to play some tricks on us, he wouldn''t be able to get out of here. I guess he should also be able to understand that. So yes, most likely, what he said was true."


    The king nodded at that, his brows furrowing again. "Well, it would be good if they really came back. I guess we can call Zheng Yin back as well then. He wasn''t too thrilled about going in the first place."


    Wu Ya nodded. "I thought so too. Furthermore ¡­" He looked at the box in his hands, his fingers brushing over the seal on top. "He didn''t say much about this box but I assume that it comes from his husband who is apparently of the dragon race. The seal on top doesn''t seem to be commonly used even there though and it reminds me of an old friend. I was wondering if you would allow me to follow him to the human realm and figure out what is going on."


    The king looked at the box and then up at Wu Ya and finally nodded. "I don''t see why not. You can go and tell Zheng Yin to come back then. Return together when you have made sure of whatever it is you want to find."


    Wu Ya nodded. Before he could say anything else, hurried steps sounded from outside and somebody banged on the door. "Your Majesty! Some of our people returned from the human realm. And also ¡­ There''s a human in your hall."

 Chapter 1038 - It’s You who Insists

    Wu Ya and the king exchanged a glance and then both left the room, following the guard to the hall. There were indeed several people waiting there, looking a little anxious at the sight of Leng Jin Yu.


    The king of the beast tribe looked at all of them, his expression grave when he saw that they all showed clear signs of the suffering in the past years. "You came back. I already heard that somebody had gone to set you free. Why don''t you tell me in detail?" He sat down on his throne, motioning for them to come closer and also waved at one of the servants to bring chairs for them so they could sit and rest.


    One of the people stepped forward after exchanging glances with the others and bowed his head. "To be honest, we don''t know exactly what happened. Some people of the dragon race suddenly appeared and swept through the dungeon. They didn''t talk much, just told us to get out and return where we came from. They didn''t stay around to explain anything and just continued through the dungeon. We don''t know if everybody got out and why they were there. We just hurried outside as they had told us and then came back here as soon as we could."


    The king nodded. This was indeed the same as what Wu Ya had said the other person had told him. Thinking of that, he turned to Leng Jin Yu. "Wu Ya told me that you had some information as to what happened."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Somebody of the dragon race was caught and imprisoned in the Chun Feng Sect as well. That was how they came to know of the issue. The dragon king searched for a way to free them and finally sent some people over today." He stopped at that, not revealing any more details.


    Anyway, he didn''t know too much about the rest of what had happened so for some things, he would only be able to make some guesses which wouldn''t help at all. And, with still not knowing the relationship between the two races, he also shouldn''t take any chances of doing a disservice to the dragons.


    The king of the spirit beast tribe looked at him thoughtfully. "Were they aware that there were people of our race imprisoned there?"


    Leng Jin Yu hesitated for a moment but then shook his head. "Not as far as I am aware." This much shouldn''t bring any trouble, should it?


    The king furrowed his brows and then turned to look at Wu Ya. "Our people have returned. I believe that means you will have to act on your promise."


    Wu Ya nodded and then walked over to Leng Jin Yu, stopping in front of him. "It turns out that you said the truth. I''ll come back with you to the human realm to see if the rest of what you told me is true as well. Then, I''ll give you the herb."


    Leng Jin Yu looked from him to the king and then to the other people before he nodded. "Very well. Then we should hurry up." Anyway, it was best to return a little earlier. After all, this herb might likely be the most important if it was able to solve the matter with Ma Zhi Wu''s beast core. That way, his condition wouldn''t deteriorate further and Jinde would have more time until he needed to refine that other potion. That way, he wouldn''t be pressed for time as much and the chances of successfully refining it on the first try should be higher. That was definitely a good thing.


    Wu Ya once again bowed to his king and then, the two of them left the palace. Leng Jin Yu didn''t say anything and just pushed off the ground, flying to the place that connected this realm with the human one.


    Wu Ya watched him and then sped up as well, not lagging behind. Anyway, it seemed that this person was pretty anxious. And to him, this also wasn''t bad. He didn''t want to stay in the human realm for too long. He also wanted to know about the jade box he was currently holding onto.


    Soon enough, the two of them left the territory of the beast tribe. Wu Ya turned to give Leng Jin Yu a questioning look. "So, where to now?"


    "The Yun Zou Sect."


    Wu Ya stopped in his tracks when he heard that, giving Leng Jin Yu a thoughtful look.


    Leng Jin Yu turned around, feeling somewhat impatient. "What''s the matter?"


    "Is that one of the sects that have been hunting our people?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "Don''t worry about that. There are different kinds of sects in the mortal realm. The one you''re referring to are the demon-hunting sects. The Yun Zou Sect isn''t one of them. In fact, it was only because of the Yun Zou Sect that the dragon race found out about what happened. So I guess in a sense, you should be grateful to them. Now, can we go? Anyway, your people know where we''re going. If you suddenly vanished, I''m sure that they would notice."


    "They don''t know the specific place though."


    "Then I suggest you send them a message. Unless you are afraid that I''m not even telling you the right place. But then again, you wouldn''t have to come with me if you just gave me the herb. It is you that insists on coming along."


    Wu Ya pressed his lips together but finally nodded. "Very well. Then you lead the way." In the worst case, he would fight tooth and nail with him to get out of there. After all, he would have to warn his people if there was something shady going on. He definitely wouldn''t let any of them be imprisoned again.

 Chapter 1039 - Restoring Energy

    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, Xin Lan was smiling at Zheng Yin, the expression in his eyes subtle. The longer he looked at him, the more satisfied he was with this person. "Did you hear what I just said?"


    Zheng Yin clenched his hands into fists and then nodded. Naturally, he would pay attention to what the dragons around him were saying. After all, he was at their mercy. And from what he had heard just now, while his impression of that veiled person had gone up slightly, his impression of this one wasn''t good at all. This was precisely the type of attitude that made him hate the dragon race.


    Xin Lan nodded and then walked around him, taking a closer look. "So, what do you think? How should we transfer some energy to him?"


    Zheng Yin raised his chin, trying to keep at least a little dignity under this kind of scrutinizing gaze. "There would be no problem for somebody of the dragon race to do it." Not that he believed that any of them would actually do that. They were all selfish, weren''t they?


    Xin Lan indeed only gave a hum. Anyway, his Master wasn''t in the condition to do it so he would never allow that to happen. As for himself ¡­ Well, he certainly didn''t want to do it. But maybe he would if that was what his Master wanted.


    Before he decided to do so, he would look for other ways though. "Other suggestions? Some herbs maybe?"


    Zheng Yin refused to look at him, his impression of Xin Lan hitting rock bottom. "Well, anything nourishing would do. But you probably don''t need me to tell you that."


    Xin Lan stopped in front of him and tilted his head. This spirit the beast person was quite the wild one, wasn''t he? Well, he happened to like that as well. The kind of meek one that would just go along with whatever he said just wasn''t to his taste. "Oh? Well, I happen to like hearing it from you."


    Not far from them, Jinde sighed. Even if he had been blind, he would''ve been able to see that Zheng Yin wasn''t at all impressed by Xin Lan and instead seemed to want to get rid of him as fast as he could. He went over and lightly touched Xin Lan''s shoulder. "Xin Lan, since you have your answer, why don''t you step back now?" He didn''t wait for his answer and instead turned to Zheng Yin. "I already thought of some herbs but it would likely be better to just directly transfer energy to him, right?"


    Zheng Yin''s expression eased a little when Jinde spoke to him. At the very least, this person was making an effort. "That''s true. If you want to do so, you''ll have to take note of his core though. Since it is already damaged, arbitrarily infusing him with energy directly might cause more harm than good."


    Jinde turned to Ma Zhi Wu, his gaze complicated. He had never done this before. In any way ¡­ While he had recovered quite a bit, it would also set him back. But if it could save a life, then it would likely be for the best to do it. He closed his eyes and wanted to reach out bit Xin Lan already grabbed his wrist.


    "You''re hurt. If you transfer your energy, it would do more harm than good for you. Are you really willing to risk that? What about your husband?"


    Jinde sighed. "I''m already better. Wouldn''t it be best to first imbue him with some spiritual energy so he will be able to hold on until the herbs arrive? I won''t die but he might. It''s just a matter of priority."


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows but still refused to let Jinde step up closer to Ma Zhi Wu. "If you really insist on doing this, then let me take your place. Anyway, I can spare it."


    Jinde gave him a look. "You don''t have to."


    Nian Hong Fang who was still sitting next to Ma Zhi Wu and holding his hand looked up at the people around them, unsure of what to say. "This ¡­ How about me? I''m just human but maybe I could also do it?" He didn''t know what exactly the differences were between the races but anyway, his lover was half-human as well, wasn''t he? Maybe it would be possible?


    Jinde didn''t know the answer to that so he could only defer to Zheng Yin. If it was a dragon, he wouldn''t have worried. The spiritual energy that humans and the immortal races used wasn''t any different. It was just a matter of how much they were able to give.


    Humans normally had a rather low capacity. But in this case, where every drop of spiritual energy counted, even that little bit might be helpful. And if Nian Hong Fang was willing to give his energy, then maybe others would be as well.


    Zheng Yin didn''t look too convinced though. "In general, it shouldn''t be a problem. But ¡­ as I said, his core was already damaged, and whoever gives him energy would have to be immensely careful. I don''t really recommend trying anything right now. If you''ve never given him energy before and don''t know anything about his beast core, then I wouldn''t advise you to do so."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded gravely, looking back at his lover and brushing back his hair. "We''ll find a way, won''t we?"


    Ma Zhi Wu had long lost consciousness and was unable to give any indication of what he thought about any of this.


    Seeing his disciple like this, the Grandelder came over and turned to Zheng Yin. "We do have energy restoration pills. It can be made into a makeshift potion. I didn''t want to give it to him because I was worried this might drain him even more later on. But if it is energy that he needs to hold on until the others are here, maybe we could give him one?"


    Zheng Yin pondered for a moment. The idea was pretty good but also very risky. If the others didn''t arrive until the moment the pill''s effect wore off, Ma Zhi Wu would be in an even worse situation.


    Jinde turned to him, pondering himself. "It should work out. Even if the others won''t bring back the herbs until then, at the very least, my husband should return with the heaven peak herb. With that, we could already repair his core, couldn''t we? And if we do need to cover some time, then it should be enough to give him some of our energy."


    Zheng Yin only hesitated a moment longer before he nodded. "I can process the heaven peak herb to heal his core, yes. As long as you can take care of everything else, that will be enough."


    Jinde nodded. "Then let''s do it that way." Anyway, they were running out of options.

 Chapter 1040 - Not the Kind of Person He Was

    Getting the go-ahead from both Jinde and Zheng Yin, the Grandelder didn''t lose any time. He rushed over to the shelf where the pill was lying and took it out of its vial, returning back to the table. He ground it into dust, mixed it with some water and a few fresh herbs to heighten the effect it would have, and then imbued everything with his spiritual energy.


    The whole process took about half an hour. Considering just how little time Ma Zhi Wu had left by now, he couldn''t help but feel anxious about even that. But when he returned to the table where his disciple''s lover was lying, his condition was still pretty much the same. Maybe he looked a little paler but that was all. Considering the overall situation, that was already pretty good. He could have been dead by now. Thankfully, he had given him those makeshift potions before. Otherwise ¡­


    The Grandelder pushed the thought away and focused on what was ahead of him. "I finished. I can''t promise how much time this will buy him though. I''ve added some fresh herbs so it should be a little more. But considering his condition right now and that his core still remains broken, I guess it won''t be more than a few hours."


    Jinde nodded. "That is already more than enough. I''m sure that my husband will return soon." He motioned at Nian Hong Fang who took the makeshift potion from his Master and then gently gave it to Ma Zhi Wu.


    Ingesting the potion, Ma Zhi Wu''s eyelids fluttered but he didn''t wake up. Everyone around could feel the energy dispersing throughout his body though. It wasn''t much but it seemed that he wasn''t doing quite as badly as before. At the very least, it didn''t seem like his life would give out at any moment now.


    They all heaved a sigh of relief. Nian Hong Fang teared up and leaned down while still clutching Ma Zhi Wu''s hand, kissing his forehead. "You''ll pull through. I''m sure that you''ll pull through!"


    Jinde smiled when he saw the two of them but finally had to turn away and walk to the other side of the room. This kind of moment ¡­ He would''ve given a lot if he had been able to have it with Chun Yin back then. Not being allowed that and only finding out that he had died years after it had become a fact was one of his greatest regrets.


    Watching something like this was a little hard for him. If he could, he would''ve gone and thrown himself into his husband''s arms. Unfortunately, Leng Jin Yu wasn''t back yet. He would have to wait until he was before he could do so.


    Xin Lan watched his Master and almost wanted to go over but in the end, he reconsidered. He likely wasn''t the person his Master currently wanted to see most. He would only disappoint himself if he went there to try and comfort him. After all, he wouldn''t be able to do it. He would only be able to distract him a little until his Master''s husband returned and did what he couldn''t. That really wasn''t something he wanted to do to himself.


    Thinking of that, he turned back to Zheng Yin, feeling the need to distract himself as well. "So ¡­ When have you come to the human realm?"


    Zheng Yin gave him a look and also stepped away from the table where Ma Zhi Wu was lying to give the pair of lovers some space. "Some years ago." He kept it short in hope that the dragon would leave him alone.


    Unfortunately, the wants of the two of them were completely opposite. And Xin Lan had never bothered thinking about what other people wanted. Since he didn''t really care about this person, why should he?


    Thus, he followed him. "Then what made you come here?"


    Zheng Yin glanced at him, feeling frustrated that there was nothing he could do. He glanced in the direction of Jinde but it seemed that this person was somehow distracted right now and wouldn''t come to help him. "I''m looking for something."


    "What is it? I do know my way around the human realm a bit. Maybe I could help you out."


    Zheng Yin gave him a look. "There''s no need. I can do it myself."


    "I always treat my lovers well." Xin Lan crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at this spirit beast person with a question in his gaze. Honestly, he normally wasn''t with somebody for a long time but since this one kind of fit his taste, he might make an exception.


    Anyway, he had some years to pass until Xiang Yu grew up. Until then, he might as well find somebody he could stay with. It might alleviate his boredom and he wouldn''t mind doing something for that person in return either.


    Zheng Yin tightened his lips. "I''m sure they are very grateful for that. Now, if you would excuse me. I''ll see what else I can do." He turned around, not waiting for Xin Lan to say anything else, and then rushed over to where the disciples of the Grandelder''s peak were working. He looked over what they were doing in general, then just sat down next to them, starting to refine some potions as well.


    Xin Lan sighed. It seemed that somehow, he had just been rejected. Well, it didn''t matter. There was certainly somebody else he could find. He turned around, half wondering if he should go to search for somebody immediately when he saw that fallen god''s reincarnation look at him angrily over Jinde''s shoulder.


    Xin Lan stared back at him for a moment and then just turned around. Whatever. The child wasn''t old enough to remember things like this when he had grown up. Even if he did, he would certainly be able to get out of this. He definitely wouldn''t keep to himself all these years just because somebody might be butthurt. That just wasn''t the kind of person he was.

 Chapter 1041 - Plunge into His Husband’s Arms

    Everybody continued to work until finally, steps sounded from outside. Jinde''s expression lit up and he rushed to the door, intending to throw himself into Leng Jin Yu''s arms. As a consequence, he came face-to-face with Qiu Ling who looked at him with a weird expression.


    "What are you trying to do?"


    Jinde''s lips twitched and he leaned out of the door, looking in both directions. "I thought your father was coming back. How come he''s still not here? He only went to the spirit beast people''s territory. The time difference isn''t as bad there. He should have returned before you."


    Qiu Ling continued to look at him weirdly and then moved past him while pushing a box into his hand. "How would I know? Anyway, he is the herb that you wanted. Now, do you need anything else?"


    Jinde held onto the box and gave a sigh. "No, there''s nothing else. Just sit down somewhere and wait. We still need the other herbs." He returned into the palace himself and went to put down the herb next to the one that Xin Lan had brought back. Unfortunately, the still wasn''t enough to start the refining process.


    Qiu Ling decided not to bother with him any longer and just shook his head, looking around for Jing Yi. Seeing his beloved stand to the side with a helpless expression, his own face lit up and he finally went over, pulling him into his arms. "My love ¡­"


    Jing Yi also felt relieved when he saw Qiu Ling again. "You''re back." He hugged him back and smiled to himself. While he hadn''t had to worry about Qiu Ling too much since Jinde had mentioned that he wasn''t doing anything dangerous, it was still nice to have him back. At the very least, he wouldn''t just uselessly stand at the side now.


    Not far from them, Shao Hai turned around, slightly furrowing his brows. So far, he hadn''t dared to say anything to Jing Yi because he was still worried about Ma Zhi Wu and didn''t want to disturb anyone. But seeing how the Grandmaster''s disciple just came back and behaved so casually, he regretted it a bit. Anyway, while it had been some years, he still wasn''t quite reconciled with the fact that Jing Yi had chosen this person over him despite the fact that they knew each other longer.


    Qiu Ling glanced over his shoulder when he noticed that somebody was watching them and then raised his brows at Shao Hai. Thinking back to everything that had happened previously when Jing Yi was young, he hugged him even tighter and gave the boy a triumphant look.


    To him, what happened to that Ma Zhi Wu wasn''t really important. He was mostly doing this because that guy knew his beloved and that Nian Hong Fang had helped them before. Otherwise, he didn''t care about that person though.


    Jing Yi looked up questioningly when he noticed that Qiu Ling seemed to be somewhere else with his thoughts. "What''s the matter?"


    Qiu Ling looked back and cupped Jing Yi''s cheeks, leaning down to give him a kiss. "It''s nothing, my love. I''m just making sure that everything is alright so you won''t have to worry."


    Jing Yi wasn''t too sure if he could trust this and wanted to take a look but at that moment, they could once again hear footsteps from outside.


    Everybody turned to the entrance. Jinde perked up again but considering what had happened just now, he didn''t rush over immediately. Anyway, he would first see if the person coming over was his husband or not. If it was, he could still go and plunge into his arms. It wouldn''t be too late by then.


    This time, Jinde was indeed in luck. Leng Jin Yu stepped inside with Wu Ya following in his wake and his expression lit up when he saw Jinde. He walked over and pulled him into his arms, kissing his cheek through the veil. "I''m back."


    "And are you hurt?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "Not even a scratch. I just had to convince them to leave the herb to me." He let go of Jinde and motioned over to where Wu Ya was awkwardly holding the box in his hands. "He''s holding onto it for me. He said he wanted to make sure of what exactly was going on first."


    Jinde raised his brows and then looked over, his expression behind the veil immediately derailing. How come ¡­ This actually turned out to be a person he knew? Just what were the chances?


    He turned around and reached up, rubbing his brow.


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows but he felt that it might be best not to say anything. He turned around to Wu Yan, then motioned over to the table where Ma Zhi Wu was still lying. "Well, please go and take a look."


    Wu Ya looked at Jinde''s figure for a moment longer but since he couldn''t see his face, he let it go for the moment and walked over to the table. Looking at the person on it, he reached out for his wrist and took his pulse. Noticing that it was indeed different from humans, he nodded and put the box with the herb down. "Very well. It seems that you''ve said the truth. In that case, I''ll leave the herb to you."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and went to pick it up, handing it over to Jinde afterward. "I''ll leave it to you then. As for this person ¡­" He once again looked at Wu Ya. "I believe that you were searching for somebody."


    Wu Ya nodded. "Yes, somebody of our tribe. I''ll go and take care of that right now."


    Before he could turn around though, Zheng Yin got up from where he was sitting between the human disciples and came over. "Wu Ya. I think the one you''re looking for might be me?"


    Wu Ya looked over and his expression lit up. "Zheng Yin. So you''re here. It seems that I won''t have to go and search for you then."


    The two of them smiled at each other, making Xin Lan who was standing at the side raise his brows. This sure was interesting.

 Chapter 1042 - What If He Made It Worse?

    The two of them looked at each other for a moment and Wu Ya finally motioned to the gates. "Some of our people came back so I guess you won''t have to stay here. You can return with me later on."


    A trace of delight flashed across Zheng Yin''s face. He had already known that quite a few of their people had been saved after Jing Yi told him what happened at the Chun Feng Sect. But it was still much better hearing this from one of their own people. After all, you could never know if somebody else would lie to you for their own gain. With Wu Ya, it was completely different.


    He already wanted to agree when he looked over to where Jinde stood. He did want to return but ¡­ he also couldn''t help but feel a little reluctant. His race had quite a few manuals on refinement but he felt like none of them would be able to compare to what this man would be able to show him.


    But then again, this person was of the dragon race. He couldn''t just ask him to teach them, could he? Well, even if he was shameless enough to give it a try, it likely wouldn''t work out. No, he might just laugh at him. That wasn''t worth it.


    Thinking of that, he retracted his gaze and turned back to Wu Ya, nodding. "Of course. I did promise to help out with healing this person though. Can you wait until then?"


    Wu Ya rubbed his shoulder. "But of course. Anyway, there was something I wanted to do here as well."


    Zheng Yin''s eyes widened in surprise. Wu Ya normally didn''t leave the territory of the spirit beast clan''s people. In fact, he normally wouldn''t even leave that mountain range. He had trouble imagining any reason for him to do so and even stay in the human realm for a while longer.


    Wu Ya didn''t explain though. Instead, he also turned to Jinde and walked up to him, giving his figure a discerning look. Unfortunately, the only thing he could say for sure was that this person was of the dragon race. He slightly furrowed his brows but still spoke up. "You should be his husband, right?" He motioned at Leng Jin Yu when he said so but didn''t take his eyes off Jinde at all. He wanted to make sure that he wouldn''t miss even the slightest sign of his reaction.


    "Mn." Jinde gave a hum. He didn''t say anything else though.


    Wu Ya continued to look at him, his eyes narrowing. "Then ¡­ Was it you who gave him that box to seal the mountain peak cloud her inside?"


    Jinde felt increasingly awkward. "It was."


    He said so but his voice sounded unnatural, making Leng Jin Yu look at him. In fact, it had very much sounded as if he was trying to alter his voice. That really made him have a few thoughts. He couldn''t guess the reason but with his husband clearly uncomfortable, he couldn''t help but step up. "If there''s a question that you have, just ask. If we know the answer, we will tell you. If it is something that we don''t know, then I''m afraid you''ll have to search for it somewhere else. Anyway, you''ve helped us with allowing me to take the herb. If we can use this opportunity to repay you, we would naturally do so."


    Jinde glanced at his husband, slightly raising his brows. Obviously, Leng Jin Yu should have been able to see that he wasn''t quite happy to talk with Wu Ya. Why was he still saying such nonsense?"


    Leng Jin Yu reached out and interlaced his fingers with his. He even gave a happy smile as if there was nothing to worry about.


    Wu Ya felt slightly reassured after he had heard that. "What I am wondering about is the origin of the box. The seal used on it doesn''t seem to be quite common."


    Jinde''s expression became even more strained. Yes, of course, that seal wasn''t common. It was one that he had invented himself to keep the herbs fresh that he had gathered in his youth. But how was he supposed to say that?


    Leng Jin Yu faintly glanced at his husband and understanding dawned on him. Obviously, this person somehow must recognize that this was something that came from Jinde. So now, his identity was once again at stake. Thinking of that, he gave Wu Ya a smile. "So that was the reason why you actually wanted to accompany me? You could have just asked me."


    Wu Ya''s gaze flitted toward him before it returned to Jinde. "Is that so?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Of course. That box was given by the dragon king."


    Jinde glanced at him, startled for a moment before he eased up. Right. That was actually a very good explanation. After all, not only was Qiu Ling the person who had inherited his throne, as Chun Yin''s son, it wouldn''t be strange to have received some gifts from his father''s good friend. Wu Ya shouldn''t find this too strange when he discovered these things.


    He already wanted to echo Leng Jin Yu''s words when his eyes suddenly widened. No. This wasn''t good at all! When Wu Ya knew, that this might''ve come from Qiu Ling, and he was intent on finding out, then he would go and try to meet with Qiu Ling. And with the way that the spirit beast people were able to sense the presence of the dragon race, who could say for sure if he wouldn''t detect that Qiu Ling wasn''t a full-blooded dragon?!


    His hands tightened around Leng Jin Yu''s, alerting him to the fact that something wasn''t right.


    He turned to look at him but in this situation, he couldn''t ask. Unfortunately, Wu Ya had already taken an interest in this matter. "Why would the dragon king give this box to you?"


    Leng Jin Yu felt queasy with how Jinde was tightly grabbing onto him while somebody still had to answer this question. What if he made things even worse?

 Chapter 1043 - Are You …?

    Wu Ya furrowed his brows when he suddenly didn''t get an answer. This question wasn''t any more invasive than the previous ones, was it? Why were these two making such a big deal about it? "What? You don''t want to tell me?"


    Before Leng Jin Yu could say anything, a voice sounded from a few steps away. "Shouldn''t the question rather be how it concerns you what the dragon king does or doesn''t?"


    Wu Ya turned around, furious that somebody was interrupting his interrogation just when he felt that he was close to finding the answer he wanted. The angry words at the tip of his tongue dispersed though when he saw the person in question. He stared at Qiu Ling, his expression blank.


    Qiu Ling tensed up, the hand he was holding behind his back tensing and his claws extending. He knew what this person was. He also knew that there was a certain chance that he might be exposed.


    But ¡­ With what seemed to be going on with the spirit beast people, he wouldn''t be able to run away forever. Now that he was aware, he would have to engage with this matter and have the spirit beast people that were still imprisoned somewhere in the human realm freed.


    Sure, he would send other people to deal with it and he might even be able to send one of his advisers to the spirit beast tribe to deal with it but ¡­ Sooner or later, he would encounter these people. He had to find out before that if they were able to realize the difference between him and other dragons.


    If they did ¡­ One person could be killed, then for other people, he might be able to come up with a plan. Other than that ¡­ He couldn''t help but have a faint hope that maybe things would be different. Maybe his father''s blood was enough to make these people take him as one of the dragon race. Maybe he would be safe. Maybe he could go on pretending to be what he wasn''t. He certainly wished for that outcome.


    Wu Ya continued to stare at him, scaring not only Qiu Ling but also Jinde whose grip on Leng Jin Yu''s hand turned tighter and tighter. He knew what Qiu Ling was thinking. But this confrontation ¡­ He didn''t want to see it. Naturally, he didn''t want that stepson of his to be exposed. He also didn''t want to have an old friend die. Especially not in front of his eyes. It seemed that he could only try to ease the situation on his own.


    He cleared his throat and wanted to speak up when Wu Ya already did so.


    "Are you ¡­"


    Qiu Ling''s eyes narrowed and even the last muscles in his body tensed, ready to pounce on this person as soon as he uttered the first wrong syllable. "What?"


    "Are you ¡­ related to a person by the name of Chun Yin?"


    Qiu Ling who had just wanted to attack almost fell to the ground before he looked at the person as if he had lost his mind. "What kind of question is that?!" This guy had made him panic for nothing!


    Wu Ya was a little taken aback by that response. On the other hand, it made his lips twitched though. "Well, disregarding the fact that you look a lot like him, your temperament is also remarkably similar. So are you or are you not?"


    Qiu Ling continued to stare at this person for a moment longer before he finally raised his chin. "He is my father. So what?" Now, if this person didn''t ask about his mother, that would really be good.


    Wu Ya was slightly taken aback. He had thought that the two of them might be related but he wouldn''t have thought that they were actually that closely related. Although he had to admit that they did look very much alike. "His son, so ¡­" He furrowed his brows and looked at the ground as if pondering something deeply. "Then ¡­" Looking up again, he seemed to be searching for something in his features. "What about somebody by the name of Jinde? He wouldn''t happen to be your other parent, right?"


    Qiu Ling stared at him in a daze. Jinde? His other parent? For a moment, he was spellbound. It certainly would be nice if that was the case. After all, the old geezer had always treated him better than his actual parents. Unfortunately ¡­


    Next to them, Jinde''s grasp on Leng Jin Yu''s hand loosened and he raised his other hand below the veil and touched his forehead. This Wu Ya ¡­ Was something wrong with his head?


    Leng Jin Yu just raised his brows and looked from one person to the other, trying to silently fill in the gaps. This story certainly seemed like an interesting one.


    Meanwhile, Wu Ya furrowed his brows. "Boy, is something wrong with you? Why aren''t you answering?"


    Qiu Ling tsked at that. "Why would he be my parent? We''re not blood-related at all." While he said so, his expression was pretty smug. Anyway, he felt that he was allowed to look like this. Obviously, this person wouldn''t ask this if he was able to sense that he was part demon.


    In that case, it was probably safe to assume that nobody of the spirit beast tribe could. So he wouldn''t have to worry. In the future, he could just behave normally in front of these people. They wouldn''t be any easier or more difficult to trick than his own. That certainly was a nice surprise.

 Chapter 1044 - He Couldn’t Understand These Dragons

    Qiu Ling almost beamed when he thought about that. On the other hand, Wu Ya was startled.


    "He isn''t?" He mumbled more to himself than that he really asked about it but he couldn''t help and take a few more looks at Qiu Ling. "If Jinde isn''t your other parent, then who is?"


    Qiu Ling pushed away the happiness in his heart and crossed his arms. His stance seemed to be a little more amicable though. "Anyway, you haven''t even introduced yourself. Why should I tell you about who my parents are?"


    Wu Ya also raised his chin at that. "Is that a way to speak to your elders, boy?"


    Qiu Ling shot a smug look back. "Is that a way to speak to your king, old man?"


    Wu Ya wanted to quip but the words that Qiu Ling had just uttered took a moment to sink in. "Wait. What?"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows at him. "What? Didn''t you ask why the dragon king would give them that box? Well, why would I get involved if this didn''t have anything to do with me? You really think I''m so idle?"


    Next to them, Jinde lowered his hand to his mouth, stifling a laugh. Yes, this was certainly the way his stepson normally behaved. It seemed that he had gotten over that scare quite easily. Well, it was a relief and maybe he should have expected this. After all, Wu Ya and Chun Yin had gotten along in a similar fashion. In the end, Qiu Ling was very much like his father in some aspects.


    Wu Ya continued to look at Qiu Ling, his mouth opening and closing several times without him being able to utter a single word. This person ¡­ Not only was he Chun Yin''s son, but he was even the current dragon king? That ¡­ He just couldn''t understand! "Then what about your father?" He would''ve thought that Chun Yin should be the dragon king right now. After all, hadn''t those two said that they were the dragon king''s disciples? That meant that the chances that succeeding their Master were quite high, right?


    Qiu Ling''s expression turned a little soberer at that. "He''s dead. He has been for a long time." While he said so in a rather nonchalant way, there was still a trace of hurt flashing past his eyes.


    He couldn''t help it. Whenever he thought back to that day, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of loss and betrayal. Not only had he lost his family, but he had even lost half of his identity. That kind of feeling ¡­ It was the worst.


    Wu Ya had a difficult time answering him after that. Chun Yin was dead ¡­ That, too, was hard to believe. And it was especially hard coming up with some words to say to the son that he had left behind. "Well ¡­ I''m sorry. Must have been hard for you."


    Qiu Ling didn''t answer and turned to look at the person that his father had already become. Well, anyway, he had his family back. And these two were more of a family to him than his original parents had ever been. He didn''t know if that was grounds to be happy or sad.


    At that moment, Qiu Ling''s figure exuded a kind of loneliness that was hard to miss. It made Wu Ya feel even more awkward and finally drew Jing Yi over. He had wanted to stay out of this since it didn''t concern him but when he noticed how Qiu Ling looked, he just couldn''t help but walk over and grab his hand.


    While he hadn''t seen what exactly had happened, Qiu Ling had told him all about it and he had also seen that place in his inner self. Clearly, that memory haunted Qiu Ling until this day. What kind of lover would he be if he didn''t go to comfort him even in this situation?


    Qiu Ling turned to look at him, his expression lighting up a little. He reached out and pulled him into his arms, his fingers brushing through his hair. Yes, not only did he have a new set of parents, but he also had a lover now. Sometime in the future, the two of them would even get married. And then, sometime even further down the line, Jing He and he might even have a child together. They would be a real family. And he would make sure to protect that family. Nobody would be able to take that from him.


    He put his chin on top of Jing Yi''s head, imagining the future. He longed to settle down in that way. It was a bit of a pity that he still needed to wait for Jing He''s trial to be over before they could do that. But, well, he had waited ten years for him to fall in love. He could wait some more decades before finally having his wish fulfilled.


    Wu Ya looked from one person to the other, clearly wanting to ask just who this person was. Judging from the way they behaved, they were pretty close. He even would have suspected that this person might be Qiu Ling''s spouse but thinking of the fact that Chun Yin and Jinde had pretty much acted the same way back then only for Chun Yin''s son to now tell him that his other parent wasn''t Jinde, he wasn''t sure of that conjecture anymore.


    Maybe he didn''t know enough about the dragon race and this was the way that friends treated each other? It seemed a little strange but how would he know what the dragons thought? Thus, he finally motioned at Jing Yi. "So, who is that friend of yours?"


    In return, Qiu Ling furrowed his brows and shot him an angry glare. "Obviously, that''s my lover! You''d better not get any ideas!"


    Wu Ya was taken aback. It seemed that this wasn''t the way to treat a friend after all. He really couldn''t understand these dragons.

 Chapter 1045 - An Old Friend

    Wu Ya quietly stared at the two of them for a while, trying to wrap his head around all of this new information. In the end, he cleared his throat and continued to ask. "Well, if your father is dead, then what about Jinde? Is he ¡­"


    Qiu Ling stared at him in silence for a moment, his expression strange. What was he supposed to say to that? Obviously, the old geezer was standing only five steps away but if he wanted this person to know that he was alive, then he already would''ve said something. Anyway, it would be best if nobody else found out that he was still alive so it was obvious what he was supposed to say, right? "He''s dead as well."


    Wu Ya sighed when he heard that. "Well, that was to be expected. The two of them probably perished together."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows at that. "What are you talking about? The two of them didn''t even talk in the last few years of their lives."


    This time, Wu Ya was completely dumbfounded. Originally, he had thought that the two of them were a couple. Now, then it had turned out that they weren''t and could at most be considered friends, and now it looked like they were even less than that. The dragons really were strange. "But ¡­ They seemed so close when I met them."


    Next to them, Jinde finally turned away, unable to listen to this any further. When they had met Wu Ya, they hadn''t even come of age yet. They had still been traveling the realms, amusing themselves wherever they went. It had been a good time. Unfortunately, it was long past.


    He walked over to Zheng Yin''s side and then motioned at Ma Zhi Wu and the small box standing next to him. "We already have the heaven peak cloud. I guess it will take quite a bit of time until the other herbs will be delivered. Would it be possible to already heal his core before we take care of the rest? I''m not quite sure if everybody else will make it in time."


    Zheng Yin nodded. "Do you want me to do so?"


    Jinde nodded. "If you wouldn''t mind that would be very much appreciated. Anyway, I think that Wu Ya will still take some time until he''s willing to leave."


    Zheng Yin glanced over, his expression complicated. He hadn''t known that Wu Ya had a close relationship with anybody in the dragon race. It made him feel ¡­ unaccustomed. He would''ve thought that he would think just like him.


    Jinde sighed and patted his shoulder. "If there are questions that you have, you can still ask him later on. The two of you seem to have a good relationship. I''m sure he will answer."


    Zheng Yin nodded and gave a small smile before he turned around to pick up the box and opened the lid to take out the herb. Carrying it over to one of the tables, he took out a knife and started to process it. The smell of the herb lingered in the whole room, making the others look over.


    Jinde used the opportunity to walk back to Leng Jin Yu''s side and gently took his hand. "I''ll go back to the dimension first. When the other herbs have arrived, can you come and tell me?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded but didn''t let go of his hand. "Let me walk you over then."


    Jinde nodded and the two of them quietly left the room, not bothering about the others anymore.


    When they were out of earshot, Leng Jin Yu turned to look at his husband. "So ¡­ That Wu Ya, who is he?"


    Jinde sighed. "An old friend if you want to say it like that. In fact, it has been a long time. We''ve only had to do with him for a short time. After I became king, I haven''t seen him even once. Even a long time before that, we didn''t have any contact anymore. I''m quite surprised that he would actually want to know about me and Chun Yin."


    Leng Jin Yu wasn''t quite sure what to make of this. He really would''ve liked to know more but it would be difficult for Jinde to explain everything to him considering how many years he couldn''t remember. A dragon''s life was long after all. Maybe one day, he would be able to remember everything. It really would be nice.


    Jinde looked around, making sure that nobody was inside before he pulled the veil to the side and then tiptoed, giving his husband a kiss. "Don''t think too much. All of that ¡­ It''s in the past. No need for you to bother about it."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and pulled the veil back in place to make sure that something like what happened the last time with the Chun Feng Sect couldn''t happen again. "You don''t have to worry about that. Actually, it''s not that I''m jealous. It is just that I feel I would be able to be there for you more if I could remember. I feel a bit useless if I''m being honest."


    Jinde sighed. "Well, that does depend on when I will be able to heal far enough. So in a way, I''m the one who is useless, am I not?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "I definitely don''t think so."


    Jinde smiled as well but then, his expression slowly became thoughtful. "After you left, Xin Lan came by."


    "I know. I saw him when I left the palace. He just came in at that moment."


    Jinde nodded. "Well, other than that herb that I had asked for, he also gave me a bag with some materials that can be used to heal a soul. I guess I could heal quite a bit if I used all of that."


    Leng Jin Yu slightly tilted his head. "But you''re unsure if you should accept it because you''re afraid that I won''t be happy with it?"


    Jinde stared at his husband, not sure what to say for a moment. "And would you?" He knew he probably shouldn''t think like this but he just couldn''t help it. He knew that the relationship between these two men was tense and it had been his fault. The way he had treated Xin Lan ¡­ Naturally, it could be misunderstood on both sides. So he would rather talk about it with Leng Jin Yu before he did anything.


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head and squeezed Jinde''s hands. "Don''t think too much. You''re with me. We''ve already married. There''s no need to worry about anything else. If it can help you recover, then you should use it. Don''t put yourself at a disadvantage just because of me. I would be a horrible husband if I let that happen. And you wouldn''t want to say that you think of me like that, right?" He smiled and then pulled the veil to the side again, giving him a short peck. "Anyway, you should get back in. Go soak in the lake for a while longer. I would be the happiest if you came back out in a few hours and had already recovered some more."


    Jinde gave a hum and then slowly let go of Leng Jin Yu''s hands before returning to the dimension. Yes, his husband probably really thought so. He had just worried too much. As an apology, he probably should make sure that he was able to recover.

 Chapter 1046 - An Effortless Way of Healing

    Jinde went right back to their chambers just as he had promised and then indeed stepped out and walked over to the lake. He sat down at the edge, letting his legs soak in the water while he pulled out the bag that Xin Lan had given him, and opened it.


    He took out the first item, turning it over in his hands. It was a small hair ornament the didn''t look very valuable but when taking a closer look, he could see a few inscriptions on it. Jinde took down the veiled hat and put it down on the ground, instead inserting the ornament into his hair.


    A gentle energy flowed out of it, making him close his eyes and hum in contentment. Whether it was the material that had been used or the inscription, both seemed to be nourishing for the soul. And the best thing about it was that it would work without him doing anything at all. That was different from using the spiritual energy around him, slowly guide it into his body, and then use it to repair his soul himself. This was much more comfortable. It seemed that Xin Lan had really been able to find some helpful things.


    Looking further, there were a few ingredients in the bag that he put aside first since he would need to prepare them before using them. Some objects could be used just like that hair ornament though. There were a jade ring and a small bracelet. Looking at them, Jinde''s lips twitched.


    With his hair and eye color, he had always been pretty eye-catching. Thus, from a young age, he hadn''t liked jewelry very much. If he could, he would always keep it to a minimum. At most, he''d usually wear a hairpin to keep his hair in place and one spatial ring on his hand. As for anything else ¡­ He''d gladly do without it.


    Strangely enough, he felt like Xin Lan had always liked seeing him adorned with jewelry. This certainly wasn''t the first time he had brought something like this back. Normally, Jinde would just say his thanks and then ignore the matter, maybe wearing it for a few days so Xin Lan wouldn''t feel that his presents weren''t valued.


    Well, this time around, he really couldn''t complain. While he still didn''t like the look of the jewelry on his body, the comfort it gave him was very much appreciated. If he kept this on, then even when he left the lake, he would be able to heal a bit all the time. Maybe he would even be able to leave this dimension after a while and go travel with Leng Jin Yu. He would definitely like that very much.


    Happy with this part, he continued to take out the rest of the things that Xin Lan had brought with him. Most of it was herbs like the ones that he had already put aside but there were also some other materials.


    Jinde looked at one of the stones for a while longer, weighing it in his hand. For one, he could throw this in the lake and it would likely help with recovering while he soaked in it. But maybe it would also be a good idea to use this around the house. That way, he would be able to take some breaks and spend more time with his husband. He could maybe soak in the lake for just the day and then get out at night. It would certainly be very nice.


    Thinking about it, he pulled his legs out of the lake and stepped back into the chamber, observing it. The best effect would be had if he kept it close at hand. So if they went to sleep at night together, then having it around the bed would be for the best.


    Jinde went over but hesitated at the last moment. While it was true that this would allow them to spend more time together while still not impacting his healing process too much, it might still be a bit strange to have something that another man had given him this close by while they slept with each other. Leng Jin Yu hadn''t had anything against taking Xin Lan''s gift but this might be different.


    Jinde sighed and finally went to put the stone on the table. Anyway, he could ask Leng Jin Yu when that thing with Ma Zhi Wu was over. Then they could decide together. Maybe he was thinking too much again. That would definitely be for the best.


    Jinde went back and outside, sorted through everything, and then stuffed the herbs back inside the bag while everything that he might want to keep in the room was put on the table. Afterward, he went back to the lake to soak in the water for some more time.


    The things Xin Lan had brought him were quite good. He could feel the difference to how it was before when he had to use spiritual energy to repair his own soul. It was effortless but compared to soaking in the lake it was also just a trickle of energy. He definitely would have the best effect while he was in the water. Something that had been brought for the High Heavens just was that awesome. Well, he probably shouldn''t have expected anything else.


    Thinking of the High Heavens, Jinde couldn''t help but think of Xiang Yu as well. He hadn''t seen that fallen god in quite a while. And Xin Lan''s reaction to that had also been a little strange. He wondered if something had happened between the two of them.


    He really would''ve liked to go and ask Xin Lan but he also knew that he should keep out of things. Just what he had said about Zheng Yin before had already been overstepping some boundaries. He needed to start to let go just as much as he had wanted Xin Lan to let go of him. Otherwise, the two of them would just keep being entangled. That wouldn''t be fair to anyone.

 Chapter 1047 - Indebted

    Back in the Grandelder''s palace, Fei Bai Mu was watching the things going on around her, holding on to her little disciple that hadn''t been happy since the moment Jinde had handed him off to her again.


    She paid special attention to what Xin Lan was doing and couldn''t help but notice that even though he wasn''t looking the whole time, his gaze would always return to Zheng Yin sooner or later. It seemed that this person had some fatal attraction to him.


    She lightly sighed and then pushed her disciple higher up on her arms before she went to write a short message, folded it into a paper crane, and applied the formation that would allow it to cover the distance to the Jian Yi Sect.


    She had seen how that dragon had handed their Grandmaster''s husband some materials to heal his soul. While it didn''t seem that their Grandmaster was worried and his husband also didn''t seem to mind too much, she still felt that they should make some more effort.


    She had originally told the people in the sect that they should be on the lookout for some treasures that would allow to heal a soul but now, she had to make sure that they put more effort into that. The sooner the person was healed, the better for their Grandmaster and also the better for the Jian Yi Sect if he did indeed return.


    At the same time, after everything that Leng Jin Yu had done for the Jian Yi Sect and her, she still felt that she owed him as much. This was the right decision as the Sect Master and also the right decision as a person in his debt.


    She watched the paper crane fly off and then glanced at her own disciple. Letting their Grandmaster''s husband and that Xin Lan disentangle would be good for him. It was just ¡­ She was afraid that even if that person wasn''t there, that Xin Lan also didn''t seem to mind getting entangled with somebody else.


    Who knew if her disciple would stand a chance after he grew up? And even if he did ¡­ She wasn''t quite sure if a marriage between the two of them would be such a good idea. Maybe it would be for the best if those two didn''t have anything to do with each other after Hua Lin Yu grew up.


    The longer she thought about it, the more she felt that it definitely wouldn''t be good. Thus, she decided to not only help their Grandmaster''s husband to heal sooner so he wouldn''t have to rely on this man but to also keep her disciple away from that Xin Lan if she could. Should things still develop in that direction later on, she wouldn''t oppose it but she definitely wouldn''t help this man to involve her disciple if he wasn''t there with his whole heart.


    She looked at Hua Lin Yu and reached out, patting his head. "Xiao Yu, I''m afraid after a few days, we''ll have to go back to the Jian Yi Sect. Then, I''ll slowly start to teach you about cultivation. In the future, you''ll certainly become a mighty cultivator."


    Hua Lin Yu looked up at her and blinked his eyes. Since he had grown up in the Hua family, he already knew what cultivation was. He also knew that whether it was his brother, his parents, or his grandparents, they were all very strong cultivators. So becoming the same as well sounded very good to him. He still couldn''t help but turn back to the room and the Grandelder''s palace, his gaze a little disturbed. Rather than learning cultivation, he''d much rather spend his time with Xin Lan. But it seemed that he really needed to grow up first.


    Fei Bai Mu sighed when she saw her disciple''s gaze and then went back inside to stand next to their Grandmaster. "I sent another message to the Jian Yi Sect to bring over some materials for your husband. It might be a few more days until they arrive. After that, I''ll take Hua Lin Yu back there. I don''t think it would be good for him to stay here for too long. Furthermore, I also shouldn''t be away from the Jian Yi Sect for too long."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I understand. Thank you for your help."


    Fei Bai Mu shook her head. "If not for you, then I likely wouldn''t have been able to become the Sect Master back then. Who knows what would have happened to the Jian Yi Sect then? I owe you. This much ¡­ I can''t even pay off my debt."


    Leng Jin Yu just smiled. Even though she said that it was she who owed him, he wasn''t too sure about that. The Jian Yi Sect probably meant just as much to him as it did to her.


    He had more or less grown up there. He had made friends in that very same sect, as well as foes. For the better part of his life, the Jian Yi Sect with the Sect Master, the Elders, and the other disciples had been there. Even when he went into seclusion for the last several hundred years before his ascension, it had still been at that place and he had still been able to notice some of the things going on outside.


    He never could''ve allowed somebody to take the sect over who wouldn''t treat it well. Since that was the case, it had been a matter of course to help Fei Bai Mu to become the sect''s next Sect Master after her Master died. And anyway, he hadn''t done much. He had only uttered his opinion and pointed out some of the good things she had done. What kind of help was that? In the end, she had done everything on her own.


    He had only been the one who mentioned it to the others.

 Chapter 1048 - He Had Cried Enough

    In the meantime, Zheng Yin finished dealing with the mountain peak cloud. Pouring the liquid into a small vial, he heaved a sigh of relief. The process itself wasn''t difficult but if you didn''t focus enough, you might not be able to generate enough of the potion to heal the full core. And with how badly this Ma Zhi Wu was injured, he needed as much of the potion as he could get.


    He got up and then walked over to the other table, handing the vial to Nian Hong Fang. "This is the potion made from the mountain peak cloud. Just give that to him and his core should slowly start to heal. It''ll likely take a few hours until his core is regenerated and it could be that it''ll still be quite fragile in the time to come. It will heal on its own after his other injuries to heal though."


    Nian Hong Fang took the vial with both hands and nodded hurriedly. "Thank you very much. I ¡­ I really wouldn''t know what to do without your help."


    Zheng Yin gave a small smile. "The demonic beast tribe is very similar to my spirit beast tribe. I feel that this what I should do. Anyway, I didn''t do much." He motioned at Ma Zhi Wu again and then stepped back. "You shouldn''t lose any more time."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded again and then gently wrapped an arm around Ma Zhi Wu''s shoulders, tilting his head up so he would be able to drink the potion. He gently brushed over his forehead once and then opened the vial, holding it against his lips. The liquid passed his lips and Ma Zhi Wu''s eyes fluttered as if he was able to feel that this would be helping him.


    "Just drink this. It''ll allow you to get back to health. In a while, you''ll feel better."


    He had Ma Zhi Wu drink and then put the vial down, brushing over his cheek and then gently placing his hand on his chest. He closed his own eyes and then leaned down, keeping as close to his lover as possible.


    Just a few more hours. Just a few more hours and he would finally have him back. They would be able to see each other again every day, just like it had been back then. He wouldn''t have to worry about where Ma Zhi Wu was and how he was doing. He would be able to just get up and walk out of the palace and over to the beast taming peak and could see him. Just a mere five minutes until he would be able to look into his lover''s eyes and lie in his arms. Wasn''t that great? He could hardly wait for it.


    Tears of happiness filled his eyes and Nian Hong Fang wiped them away, raising his head and once again taking Ma Zhi Wu''s hand.


    He did not want for the first thing that Ma Zhi Wu saw to be his tears. No, instead, he should give him a brilliant smile to welcome him back. He should tell him that he loved him and that he never wanted to be apart again. As for his tears ¡­ He had cried enough of them. Now, he would only look forward to their future together.


    He quietly sat next to him, watching as his tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed. The sweat that he had wiped from his face every now and then didn''t return and his breathing seemed to ease at least lightly.


    He was far from being healed but at the very least, he wasn''t on the verge of death anymore. No, he was really making a recovery.


    Nian Hong Fang held his hand, a natural smile on his lips. He felt as if he was bursting with joy. "Zhi Wu ¡­" He brushed back his hair, leaned down, and kissed his cheek. If only those people delivering the other herbs had already returned. He didn''t want to wait much longer. How stupid to think that after waiting so many years, he was hardly able to take the last few hours.


    Well, at the very least, it wouldn''t be that long anymore.


    Nian Hong Fang focused on doing the few things that he could for Ma Zhi Wu while waiting for the dragons to return from their realm with the herbs.


    The first to come back was Xiang Yong. Walking into the room, the first thing he noticed was his king with his beloved in his arms and a strange man in front of him. He slightly raised his brows and then walked over, stopping a few steps away and bowing his head. "Your Majesty. I have returned."


    Qiu Ling nodded and then motioned behind him. "Well, just give him the herb then. It''s not like I could do anything with it."


    Xiang Yong turned around but couldn''t see anyone. He raised his brows but looking back at his king, he didn''t feel like he would get an answer.


    Not far from them, Leng Jin Yu sighed and then went over, waving Xiang Yong with him. "Adviser Xiang Yong, you can just put it down on the table. Some of the other herbs are already there. We still need to wait for the others before it can be refined so it''s better to just have them all in the same place."


    Xiang Yong nodded and followed him over, putting the box down next to the others. He glanced over the materials and then looked up at Leng Jin Yu. "What else is missing?"


    "Other than what you brought just now, as well as the herbs that Qiu Ling and Xin Lan brought over, all the other herbs from the dragon realm are still missing. Also, there is one herb from the demon realm that somebody is currently trying to procure. I''m afraid it will take some time though."


    Xiang Yong nodded, feeling a bit unaccustomed to the way that Leng Jin Yu just called their king by his name though. He gave him another look but didn''t say anything. Anyway, his king hadn''t complained. Why would he get angry over that? "Then, is there anything else that I can do?" He looked around for the person wearing the veil but couldn''t see him. "What about the person who wanted to refine this potion?"


    "He has gone to rest so he will be able to refine the potion without a hitch. I''ll go and get him as soon as the last herb is brought over."


    Xiang Yong nodded again, not saying anything else. Instead, he just stood back and watched how his king was facing off against that other person. The atmosphere between the two of them was ¡­ strange. He really was wondering what was going on there.

 Chapter 1049 - I Wouldn’t Be a Good Husband

    The other dragons started to arrive shortly after. They bowed to Qiu Ling but didn''t dare to approach him further and instead went to Xiang Yong, handing the herbs to him with a nod.


    Xiang Yong thanked all of them and then told them to return to the dragon realm. He didn''t forget to say some words of thanks in Qiu Ling''s name as well. Anyway, he had done this often enough to be able to do this while he was asleep. It wasn''t a problem anymore to make up something even if Qiu Ling only stood five steps away from him.


    All the dragons were beaming when they left the Grandelder''s palace and returned to the dragon realm.


    Xiang Yong put all the herbs on the table and then turned to Leng Jin Yu. "There shouldn''t be anything else missing, right?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked over and nodded. "Other than that one from the demon realm, we have everything. I guess I should go and tell ¡ª" he stopped himself from blurting out Jinde''s name and gave a faint smile. "My husband that he can get ready. The demon hunter will certainly return soon."


    Xiang Yong nodded and then thoughtfully watched as Leng Jin Yu left the Grandelder''s palace. Just what had that person wanted to say? That really was a question worth pondering.


    Leng Jin Yu went over to the dimension, stepped into the array, and then walked over to their rooms. Seeing the things on the table, he raised his brows but didn''t take a closer look and instead went over to the lake in the garden.


    Stopping next to the water, he looked down at Jinde''s figure and his face lit up with a smile. Regardless of how long they were together, whenever they didn''t see each other for a while, he couldn''t help but feel happiness bubble up in his heart as soon as they met again. A few weeks, a few days, even a few hours was enough to let him miss him. He really had no idea how he had been able to live without Jinde all these years before. Thinking back now, he imagined it to be quite painful.


    At the ground of the lake, Jinde opened his eyes, looking up and smiling as well. He pushed off the ground, broke through the surface, and gave Leng Jin Yu a mischievous smile. "It would be nice if you had just come to see me but I guess this means that I should come out, right?"


    Leng Jin Yu sat down in front of him and shook his head. "Shen Qiang still needs to return. But the dragons have brought over all the herbs from their realm so it is alright to get ready I guess."


    Jinde nodded but didn''t come out of the water yet. Anyway, even staying submerged in it halfway was still better for healing than just standing next to it, and relying on the jewelry Xin Lan had gotten him.


    Speaking of which ¡­ He looked over to their rooms and then back up at his husband. He reached out, taking his hand. "About the things that Xin Lan brought with him ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. Not mentioning whether or not they still had some time, he wasn''t sure if they should really have a discussion about anything important right now. Still, since Jinde had brought it up already, he also couldn''t bring himself to say so outright. "Is there a problem with it?"


    "No, in fact, they are working quite well. I''ll need to refine the herbs before I can use them but as for the other things, they''re already being helpful." He motioned at his head and then showed the bracelet to Leng Jin Yu. "They both have nourishing abilities. Even when I leave the lake in the future, I''ll be able to at least restore some of my soul. It''ll just take slightly longer than when I''m submerged in the water."


    Leng Jin Yu held his hand and nodded. "It''s good though. Whatever helps you to heal sooner is good."


    Jinde hesitated and then still motioned inside. "He also brought some other things with him. I should probably chuck them in the lake to help with healing there but I was thinking of putting them in our room so we could make use of them there. I was just wondering ¡­" He looked at Leng Jin Yu questioningly, waiting for him to answer this unasked question.


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and then reached out, cupping his cheeks. "Didn''t I say before? I don''t care if it comes from Xin Lan or any other person. As long as it can help you heal, it''s a good thing. Do whatever you have to do to heal your soul. No need to bother about me. Anyway, if I was making a fuss about this, I wouldn''t deserve being your husband."


    Jinde smiled and then pulled himself out of the water completely, sitting down next to his husband. He reached out, hugged his waist, and then stretched his neck, giving him a kiss on the lips. "Thank you. I sometimes wonder how I deserve you."


    Leng Jin Yu lightly brushed his cheek and tilted his head to the side, a faint smile audible in his voice. "You know what? I''m sometimes wondering about the very same thing."


    Jinde chuckled and then pulled back. "Alright. We can continue with that later on. For now ¡­" He brushed Leng Jin Yu''s chest with his fingertips and then motioned over. "I guess we should get going. I''d like to prepare everything and then start as soon as Shen Qiang returns.


    "That Ma Zhi Wu is in bad condition. Even with his core repaired and some of his energy having been restored by the potion the Grandelder made, it still is dangerous to leave him like this for long. His wounds are pretty bad after all. It''s better to make my potion as soon as I can."

 Chapter 1050 - Acting Shamelessly

    The two of them went over to the Grandelder''s palace after Jinde put the veiled hat back on. Jinde glanced both at Wu Ya who was still facing off with Qiu Ling even though both of them seemed to have run out of things to say and then at Xiang Yong who was looking at Leng Jin Yu and him thoughtfully. Well, it seemed he''d have to remind that good stepson of his that it might not be such a good idea to have anyone from the dragon race be around him.


    Leng Jin Yu tugged at his hand and pulled him over to the table, making him sit down. "These are all the herbs that have been brought over from the dragon realm, as well as the ones that we already had. Do you need any more help?"


    Jinde shook his head. "No. This should be alright." He started to go through the boxes, sorting them in the order that he needed before looking over at the disciples that were still preparing some simpler healing potions for Ma Zhi Wu to treat some of his light injuries. Their equipment ¡­ It wasn''t quite satisfactory. While he would be able to refine something with it, it wasn''t quite at the standard that would be needed for the potion he had in mind.


    Thinking of that, he turned back to Qiu Ling. "Brat! Where did you get that cauldron from you gave me the last time? It would be nice to have that again for this potion. Also, I''ll need some equipment for preparing the materials."


    Qiu Ling turned around and then pulled Jing Yi over, looking from Jinde to Leng Jin Yu. "Alright. I''ll get you that cauldron. I don''t know anything about the equipment though."


    Jinde sighed as if this really was making trouble for him. "Find somebody who does then."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips and then turned to Xiang Yong. "You find somebody who knows about equipment." With that, he just turned around and went to find the Grandelder''s cauldron again.


    Xiang Yong watched his king leave with a neutral expression. He had experienced this kind of thing way too often to be surprised but sometimes he wished that his king would behave differently at least in front of other people. But, well, that was a useless hope. He also knew as much.


    Sighing to himself, he nodded at the others, and then went out of the palace, taking out his transmission stone and contacting An Bai. He hadn''t wanted to disturb his rest but seeing how this was something specific to refinement, he just couldn''t think of anybody else that could tell him. And, well, An Bai had at least had some time by now even if it wasn''t much.


    At that moment, An Bai had returned to his chambers and was sleeping. Feeling the faint pulsing of the transmission stone, he was startled awake and sat up, taking the stone out in a rush. Contrary to Fu Min who might just ignore something like this, he was a lot more conscientious. Since this stone was only used by the other advisers, it wouldn''t do to ignore it. After all, what if something had happened to their king? No matter how much rest he needed, he would definitely make sure that he did his part in whatever was needed.


    Seeing that it was Xiang Yong on the other side, An Bai felt slightly worried. "Did something happen?"


    Xiang Yong gave a faint hum. "Nothing major. His Majesty is alright. But ¡­ when I went to the human realm with some of our people to save Xiao Dong and the others from the demon-hunting sect''s dungeon, one of those people got injured. His Majesty has somebody here who is able to heal him but that person needs some equipment. I think he knows where to get a cauldron but anything else to prepare the ingredients is still needed. His Majesty told me to take care of it but I don''t know much about refinement. You wouldn''t have any idea ¡­?"


    An Bai heaved a sigh of relief. That didn''t sound too bad. "Don''t worry. I can bring some of my equipment over. What kind of recipe is it?"


    Xiang Yong wasn''t quite sure how to answer that for the moment. "Well ¡­ It does seem to have healing properties. The person that it is supposed to be used for was close to death. They''ve managed to stabilize his condition for the time being but I think that it should be something very powerful since it is supposed to bring him back to full health."


    An Bai nodded. "The level of that healing potion should be very high then. The better the equipment, the better. Although ¡­ The cauldron should be the most important. Are you sure that whatever they have in the human realm will be good enough?"


    Xiang Yong glanced back and sighed. "That person said himself that His Majesty was supposed to get a certain cauldron so I guess it should. Anyway, if you have one, you can also bring it over. I really doubt that the mortal realm will have anything better than what we have in the dragon realm."


    An Bai nodded and then went off to get everything as soon as Xiang Yong cut the connection. Since he didn''t know what kind of recipe that person was going to attempt exactly, he felt that it would be better to be on the safe side so he selected his best set of equipment before rushing over to the mortal realm.


    Xiang Yong had returned back into the Grandelder''s palace in the meantime and was just in time to see his king once again acting shamelessly.


    Qiu Ling had just walked back into the room as well and took something out of his spatial ring when he arrived in front of Jinde. "Here is the cauldron."


    The Grandelder flicked a glance over in his direction to see if he had really gotten a good one and offer his help if it wasn''t like that. When he saw the cauldron in Qiu Ling''s hands, his eyes widened though. "Wait. Isn''t that my cauldron?"


    Xiang Yong''s hand twitched but he barely managed to hold back from facepalming.

 Chapter 1051 - A Little Too Worried

    Qiu Ling looked at him and then slowly blinked his eyes. "Grandelder, this isn''t right. The person we''re trying to save is your disciple''s lover. Do you really need to be so hung up over the fact that this is your cauldron? It couldn''t be that you actually don''t want to save him, could it?"


    On the other side of the room, Nian Hong Fang raised his head, looking at his Master in a panic. As an alchemist himself, he did somewhat understand that equipment could be something very personal and that maybe he wouldn''t want to lend it to somebody else. But on the other hand, he was his Master''s head disciple and Ma Zhi Wu had been his lover for many years already. After finally getting him back after a decade, his Master wouldn''t want to let him die just because of this, would he?!


    The Grandelder was startled when he was suddenly faced with such a question. He looked from Qiu Ling to Nian Hong Fang and shook his head in a daze. "Of course not!" He didn''t know how else to react to that. Anyway, he did not mind lending somebody his cauldron but he couldn''t help but remember how that other person had said that he had already used this cauldron once. Unfortunately, he couldn''t remember at all when that was supposed to have been. Wasn''t he allowed to worry about that a bit?


    Before he could say anything else, Qiu Ling had already turned away. Seeing Xiang Yong in the door, he raised his brows at him. "So, have you found some equipment for ¡­ him?"


    "I contacted An Bai. He will be here soon."


    Qiu Ling nodded and then sat down at the table, reaching out to signal Jing Yi to come over.


    Jing Yi''s lips twitched but he still did Qiu Ling the favor and walked over, hugging his shoulders. Anyway, he was happy that Qiu Ling had helped out so much to make sure that Nian Hong Fang''s lover wouldn''t have to die.


    Thinking of that, he leaned down and kissed his temple, making Qiu Ling give a happy hum before pulling him closer.


    "My love, you should do this a few more times. How about on the lips?"


    Jing Yi laughed and then cupped his cheeks, indeed giving him a peck. "Thank you for helping."


    Qiu Ling gave another hum, his gaze not moving from Jing Yi''s face for a single moment. "Of course, I''d always help your friends."


    Jing Yi smiled and just continued to hug him, not saying anything more.


    The room fell quiet, only the sounds of the disciples working on the simple healing potions being able to be heard.


    Time slowly passed and finally, hurried steps sounded from outside, and Shen Qiang rushed into the hall.


    There was a tear in his sleeve, some blood clinging to the rough edges but otherwise, he looked fine.


    Nian Hong Fang slightly straightened up when he saw him, a bit of worry showing on his face while he looked at him. The Chun Feng Sect might be responsible for what had happened to Ma Zhi Wu but Shen Qiang was different from them. After spending so much time to find out about him, he knew that. He hadn''t done everything right but at the very least, he was trying. That was already worth a lot. He just couldn''t bring himself to blame him completely.


    Shen Qiang''s gaze also flashed over to Nian Hong Fang for a moment and he nodded, giving him a faint smile. He didn''t say anything though and instead turned to Jinde, hurrying over to give the box to him. "I got a few more to make sure that you had some spares in case something went wrong."


    Jinde nodded. "You did very well. Thank you. Have the disciples have you treated."


    Shen Qiang shook his head at that. "I''m afraid I can''t stay. I''ve heard some things when I was in the demon realm. I''ll have to go report them." He already wanted to turn away but his expression turned slightly lost. He wasn''t quite sure who to report to. The Chun Feng Sect ¡­ He felt that it wouldn''t be a good idea to talk with them. For one, they would likely feel that he was a traitor and thus not welcome him back. On the other hand, he wasn''t too sure if whatever they would decide based on his information would be good.


    He hesitated for a moment and then turned back to the others. "You ¡­ I''m sorry but might I talk to the one in charge of the Yun Zou Sect at the moment? I am afraid I can''t really talk to my own sect anymore."


    Jinde slightly furrowed his brows. "What happened in the demon realm?"


    Shen Qiang looked a little uncomfortable but since these people were working on saving Ma Zhi Wu, he finally still spoke up. "I don''t know any details but there seems to be some unrest. Apparently, they are contending for the throne again."


    Jinde lost his grip on the jade box in his hands, almost making it fall to the ground. Leng Jin Yu barely reacted in time and caught it, flicking his husband a glance. He knew that there was some relationship between him and the current demon king. It was normal to have a bit of a strange reaction but he couldn''t help but feel that Jinde was really a bit too worried about him.


    Jinde also realized that he had overreacted. Thankfully, nobody was able to see his expression at the moment. "That ¡­ I''m sorry, I was just very surprised."


    Qiu Ling also gave him a thoughtful look but didn''t say anything and instead turned to Shen Qiang. "I think I heard that Sect Master is in secluded cultivation. I guess you should go to one of the other Elders or maybe one of his disciples."


    Leng Jin Yu put the box on the table and turned to Shen Qiang as well. "There is a disciple by the name of Wu Min Huan who is dealing with everything until Sect Master Yuchi comes back out of seclusion. You should go and ask him about what to do. He should be in the Sect Master''s palace right now." He would''ve brought him over but glancing at Jinde, he felt that it wouldn''t be a good idea. In fact, he couldn''t help but be a little worried. He would have given a lot to be able to talk to him in private for a moment. Unfortunately ¡­ It didn''t seem possible right now.

 Chapter 1052 - Only Two Possible Outcomes

    Before Leng Jin Yu could worry any further, Shao Hai stepped forward. "I can bring you there." Anyway, there was nothing he could do to help with Ma Zhi Wu''s situation. And there wasn''t a chance to talk with Jing Yi right now either. He might as well make sure that the others weren''t distracted and help this Shen Qiang out.


    Shen Qiang nodded. "Thank you very much." He nodded at the others and then followed Shao Hai out of the palace and over to the Sect Master''s peak.


    At the same time, Jinde was anxiously twisting his hands. Unrest in the demon realm ¡­ It wasn''t anything good. To be honest, it wasn''t that he was worried about the dragon race though. No, he just couldn''t help but think about what this would mean for Jin Ling.


    He didn''t know the exact details of how Jin Ling had finally managed to become the demon king but he knew that the fight for the throne was never a pretty one. When it was about that, the demons didn''t know any mercy. Back in his days, he had seen Jian Heng beat down some delusional competition several times so he knew what it entailed: If you didn''t become the winner, then you could only lose your life.


    No new ruler would want to have somebody contending against them right at their side the whole time. So there were only two possible outcomes in this situation: Either Jin Ling would continue to be the demon king after winning a bloody fight or he would be the one to lose and lose completely at that.


    Even though Jin Ling had almost found him and even though the relationship between them wasn''t the best, he still didn''t want the latter to happen. No, in his mind, Jin Ling was his precious, beloved child regardless of what happened. How could he want to see him suffer? Actually, he just hoped that Jin Ling was living a good life in the demon realm. If that was the case, he would be happy for him as well. Unfortunately, currently, it didn''t look like it.


    "Senior ¡­" Nian Hong Fang couldn''t help but be anxious either when he saw that Jinde hadn''t started yet despite having gathered the final herb. This person was nice enough to have offered his help. He couldn''t expect anything. But after having hope for so long now, he couldn''t help but panic when the person didn''t start immediately. Even if he might not have a right to expect him to do it, he still couldn''t help but tentatively ask. "Can ¡­ Can you start refining the potion now?"


    Jinde was startled out of his thoughts and gave a short nod. "Of course." He once again looked over the herbs, making sure that he had everything in place. Then, he took out one of the herbs that he needed each, pushing the spares away in case he would need them later on.


    When he was halfway through, steps sounded from the door and An Bai rushed in, nodding at Qiu Ling and then Xiang Yong before he handed over his refinement equipment.


    Jinde took it and then went back to sit down, taking a deep breath to gather his thoughts. He couldn''t be distracted while doing this. If his mind wasn''t completely there, then it was too likely that things would go wrong. He had to focus.


    He closed his eyes for a moment, and then picked up one of the knives, slowly starting to prepare one of the herbs with practiced moves.


    An Bai and Zheng Yin looked for a moment and then motioned for the other people to leave the room. This kind of potion was obviously difficult to refine. People who didn''t need to be there shouldn''t be there in case they did anything that would pull the alchemist out of his thoughts.


    Even Qiu Ling finally left the room after pursing his lips. The only ones left were Ma Zhi Wu and Nian Hong Fang who was still sitting at his side, holding his hand, as well as Leng Jin Yu who stayed a few steps away from Jinde, his brows furrowed.


    He knew that Jinde had been a renowned alchemist back in the dragon realm. He didn''t doubt that his skills were very good either. What he did worry about though was the fact that Jinde had reacted quite strangely to what had happened just now. He wasn''t too sure if he was currently in the right mindset to refine anything, not to speak of a potion of this level. He didn''t dare to speak up though and thus just stood to the side, watching him work.


    One herb after the other was prepared, making a fresh smell spread throughout the Grandelder''s palace. Soon, Jinde got up and turned to the cauldron, starting to heat the fire and then slowly adding in one herb after the other.


    The smell in the room intensified, making Nian Hong Fang almost heave a sigh of relief but he held back. Every small noise would be a possible distraction. He didn''t want to risk that.


    Jinde didn''t seem to notice any of what was going on and just continued. It had been a long time since he refined something. The last thing should have been ¡­ That Amethyst Lightning pill that Qiu Ling had asked him for. And before that, it had been even longer. He couldn''t help but feel a little unaccustomed suddenly doing this task. Still, he tried his best.


    Adding in the last few herbs, the cauldron slightly rumbled and mist thick with spiritual energy escaped it, diffusing in the room.


    Nian Hong Fang glanced at it, feeling a bit regretful that he wouldn''t be able to use it to continue healing Ma Zhi Wu''s wounds. But waiting a bit longer was worth it if the potion succeeded. In case he distracted that person by giving it a try, that would be a much more terrible result. He just had to wait a few more minutes.


    Jinde continued to use his own spiritual energy to stir the potion in the cauldron and finally exhaled, pulling it back to extinguish the fire.


    He waited for a moment and then opened the cauldron, using his spiritual energy to guide the potion inside out and into a vial. The liquid was of a dark blue color that sparkled in the sunlight coming through the windows.


    Jinde looked at it, his golden brows furrowing tightly behind the veil. This ¡­ wasn''t quite the desired result. It seemed that his mind really hadn''t been quite there.

 Chapter 1053 - Every Single Day

    Nian Hong Fang panicked when he saw Jinde just holding the vial in front of his face without saying anything. "Senior ¡­ Did it not work out?" He squeezed Ma Zhi Wu''s hand tighter, feeling even more anxious than before.


    While they did have some spares for the herbs, nobody could guarantee that the refinement process would succeed the second time around. And with each failed attempt, failing would be more likely since the alchemist doing the process might feel pressured by the fact that there would soon not be enough materials to have another try. Thus, not succeeding the first time was bad news in any case.


    Jinde pulled himself out of his thoughts and put the vial down. "Well ¡­ It''s not that it failed. This is the potion that I wanted to make. It is just ¡­ The grade isn''t as high as I hoped it would be. Normally, the color of this potion should be a much lighter blue, more like turquoise. This ¡­" He once again looked at the vial with a dark blue liquid inside. "I guess we can use it but the effect might not be as good as it could be. I''m sorry. I''m afraid I wasn''t quite there with my mind. Or maybe it''s that I have gotten rusty."


    Nian Hong Fang heaved a sigh of relief. A lower grade than expected wasn''t too bad. At the very least, it could still be used. "Senior, do you think that the potion with this grade would still be able to heal most of Zhi Wu''s injuries? If that is the case, then please let''s just use this.


    "If I understood correctly, then you''re hurt as well. Not being able to attain the usual grade is to be expected in this case. And if you had another try, you would also exhaust yourself. If it''s not absolutely necessary, then I think it would be better to use this one."


    Jinde nodded and then motioned for Leng Jin Yu to take the vial over. He himself sat down at the table again, closing his eyes for a moment. Ah, only now that he had at least succeeded in making some potion even if it wasn''t to his actual standard, he noticed just how tensed he had been. He felt like it would be a good idea to go and rest. It was just ¡­ He still couldn''t put down the thought of what was happening with Jin Ling.


    Leng Jin Yu flicked a glance at him but didn''t say anything for the time being and instead brought the vial over to Nian Hong Fang. "Here. I really hope it''ll work."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded and then once again helped Ma Zhi Wu drink the potion.


    Spiritual energy enveloped his whole body, making Nian Hong Fang worry if maybe this was a little too much to take in his condition. But the energy was surprisingly gentle, even to him who was only sitting next to Ma Zhi Wu, he could feel its soothing property. It seemed that this recipe was even more ingenious then he had realized before. Happy, he clutched Ma Zhi Wu''s hand again, waiting for the potion to continue to help him with bated breath.


    The potion swept through his body, the energy coalescing right at the place where the weapons had been plunged into his chest. Below the bandages, the flesh healed and the wounds finally closed up. As for those smaller injuries he had all over his body ¡­ They closed up as well, leaving nothing but smooth skin behind.


    Nian Hong Fang''s eyes teared up and he leaned down, clutching Ma Zhi Wu''s hand in his and burying his face at his shoulder. "Zhi Wu ¡­" He could hardly believe it. A decade after having lost him, after having to worry for almost a day after getting him back, his lover was finally healed.


    Even if he was not back to full health, at the very least, he wasn''t injured any longer. From now on, he would only need to care for him so that he could slowly gain back the rest of his strength and soon enough, he might be able to live just as before, the time in the dungeon of the Chun Feng Sect only a dark memory that they would put behind themselves.


    Nian Hong Fang''s tears soaked the fabric of Ma Zhi Wu''s robe, finally making him crack his eyes open. His breathing had gotten easier and while he still felt weak, there was at least enough energy in his body right now to slightly turn his head and see the person next to him.


    His lips curved up in a weak smile. "Xiao Fang, I finally get back and what are you doing? How can you cry like this? You''re going to make my heart hurt."


    Nian Hong Fang raised his head, even more unable to hold back his tears at hearing his lover''s rough voice. "Zhi Wu. I ¡­" He didn''t know what to say and could only shake his head, continuing to hold his hand. "I''m happy you''re back."


    Ma Zhi Wu nodded faintly. "I am as well." He tried to turn his hand, brushing Nian Hong Fang''s cheek. He still wasn''t completely back to health but just being able to look at him and even holding his hand already gave him some more strength. "Just wait a bit. All those years that you had to wait ¡­ I''ll make them up to you. From now on, I''ll be at your side every single day."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded, gently kissing his lover''s hand. "I won''t leave your side either. I''m so glad that you''re back." His tears continued to fall but this time, it was not out of sadness. This moment ¡­ he had waited way too long for it. Right now, despite the pain he had felt before, nothing but gratitude remained.

 Chapter 1054 - Jealous?

    While the two of them looked at each other, Jinde finally got up and took his husband''s hand, pulling him out of the hall. He felt that they really shouldn''t disturb the reunion of these two lovers. Right now, those two deserved some time to themselves.


    Seeing the two of them step out of the palace, the Grandelder rushed over anxiously. "How is he?" Even though Ma Zhi Wu wasn''t his own disciple, he still cared about the boy very much. After all, he was a good person and also happened to be his disciple''s lover. Naturally, he wouldn''t want to see his life be lost.


    Jinde nodded vaguely. "He''s awake now. He will still need quite a bit of time to get back his strength but he''s out of danger. We just thought we should give the two of them some time with each other."


    The Grandelder nodded, clearly relieved. "Yes, that''s true, that''s true. They waited for so long to see each other again. It wouldn''t do to go and disturb them right now." He turned to his other disciples and motioned for them to return back to their own dwellings. "All of you have worked very hard today. You should go and take a few days for yourself."


    The disciples acquiesced and then left, making the top of the peak feel much less crowded.


    Seeing that things were over now, Qiu Ling reached out and hugged Jing Yi''s waist. "Well, it seems like your friend is safe now. So how about we just return to our own place?"


    Jing Yi turned to look at him, slowly raising his brows. "Well ¡­ While senior martial brother Ma is safe now, I still haven''t even seen Xiao Dong. And I wasn''t able to talk with Shao Hai either."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips, bummed out that his beloved would actually be thinking about other men when he was directly beside him. It was as if he wasn''t loved at all! The longer he dwelt on the matter, the more he felt that this wasn''t right. His beloved should be thinking of him, right? After all, he had even left for some time to get those stupid herbs. Shouldn''t he want to make up for that?


    Unhappy, he gave Jing Yi a disappointed look. "My love ¡­"


    Jing Yi looked up and raised his brows at him again. "What''s the matter?" Somehow, Qiu Ling looked a bit down. He had no idea what this might be about though. Hadn''t they just been able to do something great? They had saved a life! That was a reason to be happy, wasn''t it?


    Qiu Ling continued to look at him unhappily, waiting for his beloved to realize it himself.


    Meanwhile, Wu Ya looked from one person to the other, wondering if he was really witnessing this or if he was having some elaborate hallucination. He was actually thinking that it had to be the latter. After all, never mind that this person was the dragon king who would likely show much more mature behavior, this was also Chun Yin''s son. Since his looks and his temperament quite aligned with his father''s, he felt that the rest should also be close enough. And this definitely wasn''t how he could ever imagine Chun Yin to behave.


    He rubbed his eyes but things were still the same. Huh. This surely was strange.


    Jinde looked at the scene as well and then went over with a sigh, patting Qiu Ling''s shoulder. "If you''re jealous, then just say so. Your lover isn''t able to read your mind." With that, he let go and then turned back toward his dimension, Leng Jin Yu following behind.


    Jing Yi followed their departing figures with his gaze, not quite sure what to make of this. Jealous? Why would Qiu Ling ¡­ His lips twitched when he realized what he had said before. "You wouldn''t be jealous because I mentioned Shao Hai and Xiao Dong, would you?"


    Instead of giving him an answer, Qiu Ling pursed his lips. Why wouldn''t he be jealous because of that? His beloved made it sound as if that was such a strange thing. He really couldn''t understand!


    Jing Yi gave him a long look and finally craned his neck, pecking his lips.


    Qiu Ling who had just wanted to complain again, immediately kept those words to himself, looking at Jing Yi happily. He wanted to pull him closer but Jing Yi already took his hand.


    "Well, I guess the two of them will want to take a short rest as well. We might as well go back to our place first as you suggested."


    Qiu Ling nodded eagerly and wanted to leave when Wu Ya stepped into their path.


    "What?"


    Wu Ya wasn''t quite sure how to say what was on his mind but he finally just went ahead with it. "Well, you haven''t really told me anything about your father yet. Shouldn''t you invite me over?"


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows and then pulled Jing Yi with him to the side and around Wu Ya. "Why would I do that? I don''t even know you. Anyway, can''t you see that I''m busy with my beloved? Obviously, you''re disturbing us." With that, he ushered Jing Yi toward the bamboo hut, not bothering about Wu Ya any longer.


    Wu Ya stayed back and just watched him leave, not sure what exactly had just happened. Finally, he turned to Zheng Yin and who was waiting next to him and raised his brows. "What just happened?"


    Zheng Yin just shook his head. "Isn''t it you who knows his family? I wouldn''t be able to tell you."


    Wu Ya sighed. Unfortunately, that was true. Well, for the time being, he would just let these two enjoy themselves. After all, a lot seemed to have happened here. They might really need some time to calm down. After that, he could still go there and ask for some more details. He just wanted to know what exactly had happened to Chun Yin and Jinde. He couldn''t believe at all that that proud man had already died.

 Chapter 1055 - The Grandmaster’s Disciple?

    Wu Ya had decided like that but on second thought, this left him with one problem: Where should he go now? Of course, he could return to the spirit beast tribes'' territory and his own place in the mountains but who knew if the dragon king would still be here when he returned? No, it would be better to stay close by so he could find a good moment to talk with Qiu Ling.


    He turned to Zheng Yin, raising his brows. "Where are you staying?"


    Zheng Yin was slightly taken aback. He had thought that now that Ma Zhi Wu was healed, they would return home immediately. But judging from this question, Wu Ya had other plans. Well, to be honest, he was a bit happy about that. After all, he really would like to learn a bit more about alchemy outside of their own realm. Maybe if they were here, he''d be able to ask that man for some guidance. While even those Elders in the Hei Dian Sect hadn''t been able to do that, this person was different. Not only because he was of the dragon race but also because he was obviously very knowledgeable in terms of alchemy. Just the potion that he had refined was proof of that.


    "I''m staying at another sect in the human realm. I was only called over because of that injured person."


    Wu Ya nodded, furrowing his brows. "Is that sect far from here? I still want to talk with the dragon king. Going too far wouldn''t be good. After all, who knows when he''d have time? I need to be able to get to him quickly."


    Zheng Yin shook his head. "I''m afraid that my sect wouldn''t be an option then. Maybe we could ask if we can stay here?" He turned to the Grandelder and Grandmaster Zhangsun who weren''t standing too far away. He wasn''t quite sure who exactly Zhangsun Xun Yi was but since the Grandelder was Nian Hong Fang''s Master, he should at least be an Elder of the sect. "I''m sorry but ¡­ would it be possible for us to stay here for a few days?"


    The Grandelder didn''t even wait for the Grandmaster to say anything. "But of course! You''ve also helped to save my disciple''s lover, one of the disciples of our sect. How could we just throw you out afterward? Give me a moment to find a place for you to stay. You can stay there for as long as you want."


    Only when he turned around to go and inquire which lodgings were free, did he notice the Grandmaster only standing a few steps away. Seeing that, he couldn''t help but be taken aback. How could he dare to just answer when the Grandmaster was right there? "That ¡­ Grandmaster Zhangsun, do you see this any differently?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head. "You''ve helped our sect and if I have understood this right, then you are also acquainted with my disciple. I don''t know the details of that situation but it would be impolite to ask you to leave." Although ¡­ his disciple''s true identity definitely wouldn''t be a secret much longer with how openly these people had spoken about him being the dragon king. So far, nobody had dared to say anything but when Sect Master Yuchi came out of seclusion, he''d have some explaining to do. Well, that was a worry for later.


    Wu Ya and Zheng Yin exchanged a glance. They didn''t know who Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple was but they figured that it must either be that Ma Zhi Wu or maybe Jing Yi. They certainly wouldn''t have thought that it was the person they had come to know as the dragon king. Just the image of that would be unbelievable for the spirit beast tribe.


    The Grandelder finally left to find a place for the two of them to stay. Meanwhile, Xin Lan went over, giving Zheng Yin another smile. "You know, you could also stay with me."


    Zheng Yin lightly furrowed his brows but didn''t say anything of what was actually going through his mind. "Thank you very much for the offer but since the people of the Yun Zou Sect are already preparing, there''s no need to bother you."


    Xin Lan hadn''t expected anything else. In fact, this wasn''t what he wanted to talk about anyway. Instead, he turned to look at Wu Ya. "This friend of yours is ¡­?"


    Zheng Yin raised his brows, not quite understanding what he meant.


    Xin Lan looked from one person to the other, trying to guess what the relationship between them was. They had seemed incredibly close. Maybe they were lovers? But it also didn''t seem that way. Then they could be friends? Or family? He wasn''t sure but it wasn''t that important either. The most important question was how did this person know Jinde?


    Since Zheng Yin wasn''t helpful, Xin Lan turned to Wu Ya. Anyway, he might as well just us directly. "If I understood correctly before, then you happen to know Chun Yin. Might I ask what your relationship was?"


    Wu Ya raised his brows. "Did you know him as well?"


    Xin Lan gave a curt nod. He certainly didn''t like admitting it but yes, he had naturally known him. "So, were you close to him?"


    Wu Ya sighed at that question. "Close ¡­ Well, we did meet when he and Jinde were traveling through the realms. I would say we were friends back then. It is just that with him returning to the dragon realm and me being in the spirit beast tribe''s territory, we hadn''t really seen each other after that. I wouldn''t have thought that he was actually dead already. You wouldn''t happen to know how he died, would you?" He looked at Xin Lan, a faint hope igniting in his eyes.


    Xin Lan sighed and nodded. "Let''s wait until the Grandelder returns. I can come with you and then tell you everything slowly." Anyway, if that would make this guy leave faster, it would be for the best. After all, he was a threat to Jinde.

 Chapter 1056 - He Saw It Clearly

    It didn''t take long for the Grandelder to return and lead the three of them to one of the free houses that were standing in the general area of the inner sect. He had originally thought of having them stay on his own peak but after thinking it over again, he realized that they actually didn''t care about either his disciple or Ma Zhi Wu. Obviously, they were here because of other things. Thus, it was just as well to have them stay here where they would be able to go to all parts of the sect without trouble.


    "I hope this house is acceptable to you. Thank you again for helping us out. If you need anything, you can ask any of the disciples. I''m sure that they will be able to help you out. If they can''t, then please just come up my peak and speak to either my direct disciple, Nian Hong Fang, or me personally. I''m sure we''ll be able to figure something out."


    Wu Ya nodded and thanked him before he turned back to Xin Lan. "Then let''s go in and talk."


    Xin Lan didn''t bother saying anything and just motioned at the door for him to lead the way. Anyway, he just wanted him to leave. As for anything else ¡­ He didn''t care about that.


    Wu Ya didn''t bother about that too much. To him, this wasn''t surprising at all. The dragons were often rather standoffish.


    Zheng Yin closed the door behind the three of them and then everybody sat down at the table. Zheng Yin didn''t really know who the person was that Wu Ya wanted to know about but he felt that he might be able to figure it out if he heard the story behind this. Even if not, he would still like to know so he could be there for Wu Ya if he took this information badly.


    Wu Ya directly got to the point. "So, what happened? How did he suddenly die? And why wasn''t he talking with Jinde anymore? Did something happen between the two of them?"


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes, wondering how to give enough information for this guy to leave while still not exposing anything that shouldn''t be exposed. "Back then, the two of them were both competing for who would become the next king. In the end, Jinde was the one who won despite most people thinking that it would happen the other way around. That did cause a crack in their relationship."


    Wu Ya stared at him wide-eyed, quite reluctant to believe this. "Something like that happened?"


    Xin Lan scoffed at that. "If you''re not willing to believe what I say, then maybe I shouldn''t say anything at all and leave."


    Wu Ya hurriedly waved his hands in his defense. "That''s not it. I''m just ¡­ I''m surprised. Chun Yin seemed to be the one who always dictated what they would do while Jinde would just agree with whatever he said and follow him. If somebody told me that those two competed for anything, I would be surprised. Even more so if it''s about who is supposed to reign over the dragon realm. I could''ve imagined Chun Yin as king but Jinde?" He raised his brows, clearly having a difficult time understanding this.


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. Maybe he was biased because of his own personal history with the two of them but he had always felt that Jinde was the better person to rule the dragon race.


    While Chun Yin might have been physically stronger, Jinde was able to make up for that through his magical abilities and he was also the best refiner of that generation. Even until now, nobody had been able to surpass him. And other than that, a king needed to have many more features. Jinde was bright, but also emphatic, able to listen to people, and find the best compromise.


    Xin Lan wasn''t sure if he would be able to believe that Chun Yin could have done the same had somebody told him. He just felt that that man was too impulsive to make the right decisions. No, in his eyes, Jinde had been perfect as the dragon king.


    Wu Ya still had a hard time wrapping his head around this but he still wanted to know more. "So, they didn''t get along as well anymore because of that. But it certainly wouldn''t have been to the point that they suddenly stopped talking with each other, would it?"


    Xin Lan kept quiet for a moment but finally gave a hum. "Chun Yin soon met somebody and fell in love, getting married rather quickly. Jinde and that woman ¡­ They never saw eye to eye."


    Wu Ya leaned back and gave a knowing nod. "I see. Jinde ¡­ He was in love with Chun Yin, wasn''t he? It must have hurt to see him with somebody else."


    Xin Lan glanced at him, feeling a bit strange now that somebody else pointed it out clearly. He had come to the dragon realm shortly after Jinde had been enthroned. He had lived there for quite a while and had been able to see how everybody treated him. While some people might have seen that there was more to the relationship between him and Chun Yin, there had never been anyone who made it this clear. In fact, it had seemed as if most of them had been unable to tell that Jinde had such feelings. Even though it had been pretty obvious. To suddenly have somebody that had known the two of them before Jinde became the king and stated it as if it was something obvious ¡­ that sure was strange.


    He sighed and shook his head. "Whatever his feelings were, the conflict between the two of them only escalated further. A short while after Qiu Ling was born, Chun Yin and that woman left the dragon realm''s capital."


    "And then they lost their lives out there?"


    Xin Lan nodded. "They did. I can''t tell you what exactly went down but I can say that their son saw what happened. It would be wise if you didn''t bring it up in front of him again."

 Chapter 1057 - There Wasn’t Anyone for Him

    Once again, Wu Ya was at a loss for words. He had expected quite a few things, mostly that maybe they had fallen in the war against the demons but as it turned out, there had been such a story behind it. He definitely hadn''t expected that. And to think he had so casually asked Qiu Ling about it ¡­ He really felt bad now. "I should probably go and apologize to him."


    Xin Lan looked away, feeling a bit like just keeping his mouth shut so Qiu Ling would have to deal with that. But then again, he really wanted this guy to leave and he didn''t trust that Qiu Ling wouldn''t maybe blurt something out that he shouldn''t. "To be honest, I wouldn''t do that. Just bringing it up once has probably already made him remember quite a few things that he''d rather forget about. If you continue to harp on it, that wouldn''t be good. So I suggest you don''t even try it. It is better to just leave him be. Anyway, there isn''t anything more to know about this."


    "But ¡­ then who killed them?"


    Xin Lan sighed. "Who could it have been? Naturally, it was somebody of the demon realm."


    "Who? Since the two of them were my friends, I should go and avenge them."


    "You honestly think that Qiu Ling wouldn''t have done that himself? He is the dragon king. I think that speaks enough about his strength. Naturally, he is able to kill the person who has done this to his parents."


    Wu Ya kept quiet at that but he still furrowed his brows, obviously having a very hard time dealing with this.


    Xin Lan sighed. "I''m sure that this is hard to take in. Especially since you haven''t seen the two of them for a long time and didn''t expect that this would be the outcome. But still, this is just how matters are right now. You will have to learn to deal with it. Just like Qiu Ling also needed to learn to deal with it."


    Wu Ya nodded. "Yes, I know. It''s just ¡­ I feel a little bitter knowing that something happened to them and I wasn''t there. If I had known that Chun Yin had a son and he was in trouble, then I definitely would have helped him."


    Speaking of which ¡­ "What became of Qiu Ling after that? Die he return to the capital city and then stayed with Jinde?" He certainly hoped that that was it. After all, Chun Yin and Jinde had been close originally. Whatever had happened because of the dragon realm''s throne or that woman, it shouldn''t have shaken their deep friendship this badly, right? No, he didn''t believe that Jinde would actually refuse to continue to raise Chun Yin''s son after he wasn''t able to do it himself anymore. That just wasn''t the type of behavior a person like him would show.


    Xin Lan sighed again. This person was really troublesome. Why was he asking so many questions? "He didn''t. Qiu Ling didn''t return to the dragon realm''s capital for a long time. In fact, nobody knew what had happened to Chun Yin and his family until he died. It was only when Jinde died that he asked me to go and check to make sure of it because there had been some rumors.


    "He told me that he wanted Qiu Ling to follow him onto the throne. So I went and found out about everything. Unfortunately, it was quite a bit of time until Qiu Ling really became the dragon king. But anyway, since then, it has once again been a long time. Things are over now. There''s no need to open old wounds." That was true whether it was Qiu Ling or Jinde. It was best to not speak about this matter in front of either of them. It had been bad enough.


    Wu Ya sighed but still nodded. "I see. It''s really a tragic story. I wish I had known."


    "Nobody did so there''s no reason to blame yourself. Anyway, that should be everything you want to know, right?"


    Wu Ya wasn''t too sure if that was really everything he wanted to know but he could see that Xin Lan was slowly getting impatient. Obviously, this person didn''t want to tell him anything more. He shouldn''t try his patience any longer. "Well, I guess so. Anyway, you''re probably staying in the Yun Zou Sect as well, aren''t you?"


    "I was only here to deliver something. After this, I''ll leave."


    "Oh." Wu Ya wasn''t too sure what to make of that. He really would have liked to ask some more things. Even though his friends were already gone, it would''ve been nice to hear a little more about how their life had been in these last years. But if that was impossible, then he couldn''t change it. Well, maybe there was at least something he would be able to do for Chun Yin''s son. Speaking of which ¡­ "Did Jinde have children?"


    Xin Lan''s expression froze but he finally shook his head. "He didn''t."


    "Really? That''s strange. He really was such a beauty. I would''ve thought he''d have married pretty early and have lots of beautiful children."


    "Well, maybe he would have if a certain somebody didn''t marry someone else." Xin Lan got up, not bothering to say anything more about the matter. Anyway, it was bad enough. Just thinking back to the time when Jinde had raised Jin Ling ¡­ No, he didn''t want to.


    What he wanted to remember ¡­ It was mostly the short time before he had actually known who Jinde was and before he had realized that there was somebody else in his life. It would have been great if things could''ve gone on like that.


    Unfortunately, it had been impossible from the very beginning. But he couldn''t say that he was surprised. That asshole from the High Heavens had always had fun f.u.c.k.i.n.g around with his life like that. In a world where he was the only one of his kind, there just wasn''t anybody for him.

 Chapter 1058 - I Can’t Help It

    While Xin Lan wasn''t happy with being reminded of how his life had turned out in regards to his love life, he still wouldn''t just ignore the matters at hand. He had told Wu Ya what he needed to know so he''d hopefully leave as soon as possible so that issue was taken care of.


    There was another thing that worried him though: Back when that demon hunter returned, he had spoken about the possible problem in the demon realm. Even though Jinde had been wearing a veil and his expression hadn''t been in the open, Xin Lan didn''t even need to use his little finger to figure out in what kind of mood he currently was.


    As much as he loathed to admit it, Jin Ling was the most important person to him right after Chun Yin and his reincarnation. In fact, it might even be difficult to say which of them was more important to him. Maybe if he had to decide, he would actually decide on Jin Ling. It definitely was an option.


    Now being forced to stay in the Yun Zou Sect while that child of his might be in danger obviously wouldn''t let Jinde rest easily. No, he would definitely be worried to death.


    Xin Lan went over to the array and fired a shot at it, not bothering at all about how strong it was. That Leng Jin Yu should be able to take it. If he wasn''t ¡­ Well, he should allow him to vent a bit of his anger, shouldn''t he?


    Inside the realm, Leng Jin Yu''s lips twitched. The array reflected whatever attack was thrown at it but it seemed that this guy didn''t care about that at all. He could imagine that he had hoped that he would also receive some kind of backlash from it. Well, it might not be wrong. If he used his full strength, that might still be the case. But whatever, Xin Lan probably wouldn''t have come over if it wasn''t important so he still opened the array at once and let him in.


    Maybe it was once again owing to his past life or maybe he was just a little petty as well but the short moment that Xin Lan needed to come over was used to pull Jinde into his arms and gently hug him, his lips brushing his cheek while his fingers were gently brushing over his body.


    Jinde gave a satisfied hum and turned in his husband''s arms, embracing his neck. "I guess the matters we need to take care of immediately are dealt with now. So that means we should have some time for ourselves, right?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded, slightly tilting his head for another kiss.


    Before their lips could touch, Xin Lan cleared his throat behind them.


    Jinde blinked his eyes and looked up, before glancing at his husband who pretended not to have heard anything. He really didn''t know what to say to that. If it had been Chun Yin back then, he wouldn''t have expected anything less. Leng Jin Yu ¡­ Normally, he really wasn''t like that. Don''t tell him that Xin Lan bringing over those items had been making him feel insecure after all? That wouldn''t be good. Well, he couldn''t take care of that right now anyway.


    He gently held onto Leng Jin Yu but still turned to Xin Lan, giving him a smile. "Xin Lan, how nice of you to drop by."


    Xin Lan smiled back at him and then motioned toward the arms that were lying across Leng Jin Yu''s shoulders. "You look especially beautiful with that bracelet on your wrist."


    Jinde gave him a sweet smile in return. These men, one was worse than the other. But, well, this had been going on for quite some time. He shouldn''t be surprised that things were escalating every now and then. Still, he definitely couldn''t let it go on just like that. And since one of them was his husband ¡­ It was a matter of course who he would support, right?


    With that sweet smile still on his lips, he nuzzled Leng Jin Yu''s head. "It''s funny that you say that. Jin you actually said the very same thing a while ago. That really made me feel happy that I put it on. I always want to look my best for my husband."


    Leng Jin Yu glanced at him, not quite sure what to say to that. Obviously, he had said no such thing. It did make him wonder what Jinde was going on about.


    Xin Lan looked at the two of them embracing so tightly and gave a strained smile as well. "Well, your husband has very good taste then. Anyway, I''m not here because of that." While he was happy to see Jinde and indulge in his beauty for a moment, he also knew that it wouldn''t change anything about his situation. So he should better get to the point directly.


    He turned to the side so he wouldn''t need to see the two lovebirds this closely and got to the matters that had originally brought him here. "About what that Shen Qiang said ¡­ You''re probably worried."


    Jinde stopped playing around when he heard that. "Have you heard anything about the demon realm recently?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "I didn''t really bother with that since the time I left. But I know how you feel. I''ll go and check it out immediately. I''ll come back as soon as I know some more details about what is going on.


    "Anyway, you shouldn''t be too worried. Jin Ling isn??t an idiot. He has reigned all this time and has been able to deal with all the things that were thrown at him. He will be able to deal with this as well."


    Jinde nodded. "I know that. Thinking about it relationally, I really do know that. It''s just ¡­ I can''t help but still think of him as a child. Clinging to me like that all day ¡­ It is hard to shake the feeling that I should be there for him and help him out, fearing that he wouldn''t be able to take it. It is ¡­ nonsense. I know that. But my heart still hurts thinking of him like that. I just can''t help that."

 Chapter 1059 - Don’t Go Overboard

    Xin Lan didn''t know what to say so he just kept quiet and slowly nodded. "I will go and find out what is going on then. I''ll tell you the details as soon as I find out. I shouldn''t linger then." He nodded at the two of them and then turned around and left, not looking back a single time. He didn''t want to see. And he also wanted to find out what was going on in the demon realm. Normally, he wouldn''t care. But ¡­ He also understood what this meant to Jinde. He had to find out for him. He just couldn''t help himself with that.


    Back in the dimension, Leng Jin Yu reached up and cupped Jinde''s cheek. "Xin Lan is right that it is unlikely that something will happen to him. Anyway ¡­ You''ve slowly started to heal. When you''re back to full health ¡­ Do you want to go and see him?"


    Jinde was completely stunned when he heard that. He knew that Leng Jin Yu was pretty understanding of his matters despite the fact that he couldn''t remember. Or maybe it was that he was understanding precisely because he couldn''t remember. Whatever the case ¡­ It was nice of him to suggest this.


    In the end, Jinde still sighed. "I would like to. If I could, I would go immediately to see him. But ¡­ This issue with Jin Ling is not that easy. If it''s not absolutely necessary, then I should try not to cross paths with him. That would be what''s best for Jin Ling. Seeing me ¡­ I''m afraid that would just open old wounds."


    Leng Jin Yu kept quiet for a moment but then nodded. Anyway, Jinde knew the demon king much better than he did. If he said it would be best if they didn''t see each other again even if he had the strength to deal with him on his own, then it really was for the best. That was his own decision and one that only he could make. While he would''ve loved to give Jinde this opportunity, it was nothing he could actually do. He just had to accept it. "I guess you should get back into the lake then and continue repairing your soul. I hope that you''ll be better soon."


    Jinde smiled but didn''t move to return to the lake. Instead, he just looked at Leng Jin Yu deeply as if waiting for something.


    Leng Jin Yu waited for a while, wondering what it could be but finally couldn''t help but ask when Jinde didn''t speak up. "Is something the matter?"


    "Isn''t that what I should ask you? You said you had no problem with me accepting Xin Lan''s gift. So what was that about before?"


    Leng Jin Yu turned his head to the side and looked at the door to their rooms, seemingly lost in thought. He could probably push the responsibility to the remnants of Chun Yin''s soul, couldn''t he? But then again, what would that accomplish?


    In the end, he just sighed. "Your husband is foolish. I meant what I said before: I want you to use what he gave you. I want you to heal as fast as you can. But that doesn''t mean that I will be happy when seeing him. I guess it''s not that easy to put down."


    "And that is all?"


    Leng Jin Yu didn''t hesitate at all before he nodded. "That is all. There''s no reason for anything else, is there?" Anyway, he knew the situation. This feeling ¡­ It was just ¡­ It came from deep inside and he was pretty sure that it more to do with his past life than he would like to admit. Despite being reborn, there were still some things from back then that influenced him despite him not even being able to remember. That was just the way it was. He would have to live with that. And so would Jinde. "He will be able to take it. Anyway, at most, I''d be a bit petty. It''s not like he could actually come to harm."


    Jinde nodded. There was indeed no way for Leng Jin Yu to do anything that would actually hurt Xin Lan. At the very least, not physically. "Don''t go overboard, alright? I don''t mind a jab here and there and if the two of you feel like giving me some compliments, then I won''t complain either. But it should better stay that way. If you make some comments that will really hurt him, then I won''t take it so nicely. You might be my husband but he is still my friend."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I''ll hold back next time around."


    Jinde scoffed and shook his head. "You can''t do that either. You honestly think Xin Lan cares about your feelings? He''ll just take advantage of it. No, it''s alright to remind him every now and then that you are my husband. Anyway, it''s the truth. He can''t change that. But ¡­ Let''s keep it at that, yes? There''s no reason to do anything else."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and then kissed Jinde''s temple. "I promise."


    "Very well. Then I guess I should really go and continue with my treatment then. If you need anything ¡­"


    "I know the way to find you. Don''t worry. I''ll be right outside, waiting for you to emerge again."


    Jinde laughed and gave him a quick kiss before he turned around and jumped into the water, sinking down to the ground and sitting down in the Lotus position. He could hardly wait to heal completely. The two of them ¡­ They would have a lot of fun when that time came.

 Chapter 1060 - Could It Be So Simple?

    After Xin Lan left and Jinde went back to healing himself, the dimension fell quiet. And even outside, there was a rare moment of peace to be had. The matter of Wu Ya''s inquiries into the past ended just like that. With Ma Zhi Wu starting to heal and the Chun Feng Sect defeated by Xiang Yong and the other dragons for the time being, things were looking up for the people of the Yun Zou Sect. In fact, for a short while, it looked as if the people in the human realm altogether had managed to enter a short time of peace where everything seemed quiet as if the pain and suffering from before had only been an illusion.


    On the other hand, things were looking different in the other realms and Xin Lan had managed to snatch a front-row seat to one of them.


    Jin Ling impatiently tapped the armrest of his throne, his gaze wandering from one person to the other. He knew that he should focus completely on what was happening in the demon realm right now if he cared about his throne at all. Unfortunately, he actually didn''t. If he could, he would''ve left right way. He also knew that he couldn''t do that but inwardly, he still couldn''t help but think about it and hope that he would get the opportunity to do so.


    The person he loved was still out there, not dead as he had feared for so many years. Not being able to see him was truly torture. Unfortunately, he still hadn''t gotten the time to move forward in that direction. And even now, when Ye Yang was once again in front of him, he couldn''t ask him because there were still other people around. Forcefully pushing the thought aside, Jin Ling turned to Yin Lin Lin. "What did you find out?"


    "Yong Hai has sent some people away to search for some type of weapon. In fact, there were several teams sent out. I don''t know the specifics but whatever they are searching for seems to be located in some kind of burial ground."


    Jin Ling slowly raised his brows. "Burial ground?" He frowned, wondering what this might be about.


    Even though Jin Ling was the demon king and his blood, unfortunately, dictated that he was more of a demon than a dragon, he himself had always refused to see himself as somebody of the demon realm. To him, he was still a person of the dragon realm and he would be until the very last moment. That was the place where he had grown up. It was the place that Jinde belonged to. Naturally, it should also be the place that he belonged to. Thus, he had never really cared about the history of the demon realm or the demon race. He knew what he had to know to be king but he didn''t care for anything else.


    Ye Yang glanced at him, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "I guess this will be the burial ground of the ancient royal family. Apparently, they were buried with quite a few of their possessions back then. There should be quite a few strong weapons among them."


    Jin Ling''s fingers stilled and he narrowed his eyes. "Yong Hai would never be able to beat me in a fight. He might be attempting to close the gap between us by acquiring that kind of weapon."


    Ye Yang nodded. "That is a possibility. Then again, I doubt that he is the kind of person that would be so aboveboard to actually challenge you."


    Jin Ling''s lips curled up and he gave Ye Yang a lazy look. "You do have of an understanding of his character, Ye Yang. Unfortunately, you don''t seem to have been able to see through what he is fueled by.


    "Yong Hai has always felt inferior. Or, no, it would probably be more precise to say that he has always felt superior to me but suffers from the fact that he knows that he can''t back up that claim. With me having ruled for so long and quite a few people standing on my side, he naturally has quite a few issues on his hands.


    "He won''t be able to take it to have somebody else eliminate me. He will want to do it himself. And he will definitely want to show the world that he is better than me. He wants to make that clear once and for all. So he will definitely challenge me.


    "But of course, he will not be aboveboard. He will use quite a few dirty tricks in that fight for as long as he can make sure that nobody will be able to discern that. Getting a powerful weapon is precisely that kind of petty little trick. Nobody can say that it is wrong for him to use a weapon in a fight, right? So he will take that one out and hopes to have an advantage."


    Ye Yang scoffed. "Isn''t that too easy? If he challenges you, then it will be your opportunity to choose the weapons used. You just need to find out what kind of weapon he has and then request something different."


    Jin Ling nodded. "That is true. The question is: Could it really be that he hasn''t thought that far ahead? It does seem a little strange." Once again, he started to tap the armrest of his throne, pondering deeply.


    Yong Hai might be a pretentious prick but he wasn''t an idiot either. There was no way he would make such a simple mistake. So either he had a way to get around this or they had misunderstood what his plan was. Whatever it was, they would need some more information to counter it.


    Thinking of that, Jin Ling turned to Yin Lin Lin, making sure to soften his gaze a little to show her just how much he appreciated her help. "I''m afraid we don''t know enough yet to come to a conclusion on this. Yin Lin Lin, I''m afraid I''ll have to rely on you once again. Do you think you can find out what exactly he is planning?"


    Yin Lin Lin nodded, feeling excited when she saw Jin Ling''s gaze. Could it be that because of this disaster, he finally realized what he had in her? Then this really was a blessing in disguise!


    Seeing her reaction, Jin Ling really had to hold back from laughing out loud. Well, he still had to be careful. Speaking of which ¡­ "Please make sure that you take care of yourself. You can''t let him find out what you are doing. Not just for my sake but especially for your own sake. I wouldn''t want you to be in danger just because you''re trying to help me."


    Yin Lin Lin nodded happily and hurriedly promised. Naturally, she wouldn''t want to make trouble for her own husband.

 Chapter 1061 - He Could Trust Him

    After Yin Lin Lin left, Jin Ling turned to the people that were still in the room. These were the ones that were currently on his side. Naturally, they couldn''t be trusted either but for the time being, he could only work together with them. Among them, Ye Yang was the only one he had at least a sliver of trust in. This person didn''t need to be convinced to help him further. That deal had already been sealed. And knowing him, he wouldn''t back out after collecting his reward. He didn''t need to worry about it. As for the others ¡­


    Jin Ling''s gaze slipped to the other man that was sitting not far from Ye Yang. This person was unfortunately not very interested in beauty. In fact, being able to wage war with the dragons might actually be of more interest to him. But now, Yong Hai had given him quite the good opportunity to deal with this person. "A weapon that would actually be buried with somebody of the ancient royal family should be quite good, wouldn''t you say so?"


    The man gave him a calculating look and then the corners of his mouth hooked up. "Your Majesty is certainly right about that. It sure is the kind of weapon I would love to set eyes on at least once in my life."


    Jin Ling gave him a smile as well, feeling quite pleased with how straightforward he was. "Just looking wouldn''t be that good, would it? How about holding it in your hands for a while?"


    The other demon bowed his head, that smile still on his lips. "Your Majesty sure would be gracious if you let me do that."


    "Oh, I''m not particular about my possessions. If I was able to get my hands on that weapon, I certainly wouldn''t mind giving it to somebody on my side."


    "Maybe you would want somebody else than that goddess to look into it? While she might be able to get some information out of Yong Hai, I doubt she knows much about weapons."


    Jin Ling leaned to the side, his fingers brushing through his copper-colored hair. "I do see what you mean. Trusting somebody of the gods too much wouldn''t be good. But ¡­ It could be difficult for you to gain Yong Hai''s trust, don''t you think so? I certainly wouldn''t mind if you held contact with Yin Lin Lin though and got the information from her. Whatever you need ¡­ just tell her. Also ¡­ there aren''t that many ways back from that ancient burial ground, are there? Maybe we should just ¡­ send somebody to intercept them."


    The other demon smiled even more brightly. "Would you allow me to do that, Your Majesty?"


    "Well, if you are so eager to take a look at that weapon, then I feel like I shouldn''t keep you from that."


    The demon nodded and then turned around and left as well. It always was nice making deals with Jin Ling. This man understood very well what others wanted and he wasn''t stingy with giving out rewards as long as you were able to provide him with what he wanted. Also, contrary to that Yong Hai, he could be trusted not to turn his back on you immediately after matters were over. He might just be able to keep that weapon himself after Jin Ling had secured his throne.


    Back in the hall, Jin Ling turned to look at the others and gave a faint smile. "As for you ¡­ Just continue with the task you were assigned before this. If you can, find out more about this matter with the burial ground."


    The demons exchanged glances and then nodded, leaving the hall. The only one who remained was Ye Yang who looked at Jin Ling thoughtfully.


    Jin Ling turned to him, his copper-colored hair falling over his shoulder. "What''s the matter, Ye Yang?"


    "Aren''t you afraid that they will betray you?"


    Jin Ling continued to look at him for a moment longer before his lips curved up in a beautiful arch and he finally got to his feet, slowly walking over. He stopped directly in front of Ye Yang and then reached out, hugging his neck. "All of them would betray me. You are ¡­ the only exception." He leaned down further and their lips met for just a moment.


    Ye Yang closed his eyes and reached out, holding Jin Ling''s waist. "You''ve already kept your promise to me. So there''s no need to be like this. I''ll definitely uphold my end of the bargain."


    Jin Ling laughed and brushed through Ye Yang''s hair with his fingers. "I know. But this ¡­ See it as a bit of motivation." He tilted his head and his lips brushed over Ye Yang''s cheek. "How far along have you gotten? Is there any news?"


    Ye Yang gave a hum, his hands slowly slipping down. "No news yet. But I''m sure I''ll be able to take care of it soon. I feel like that little dragon is slowly getting soft. He''s trying quite hard not to fall for me but ¡­ I do have quite a bit of charm, don''t I?" He opened his eyes and glanced at Jin Ling, his eyes glittering with some unspoken questions.


    Jin Ling chuckled in response. "You sure do." His fingers brushed over Ye Yang''s chest and he looked into his eyes. He knew full well that Ye Yang was his most valuable partner right now. This person ¡­ He really wouldn''t betray him. That much was for sure. As for the others ¡­ He had some checks and balances in place but there was no guarantee. So he would always have to keep an eye on things.


    It was different with Ye Yang. He could ¡­ actually trust him. It was rare for something like that to happen in the demon realm. But right now, he definitely wouldn''t complain. Anyway, there were worse options. While he didn''t like it, it was still tolerable if it was him.


    And anyway, this wouldn''t go on forever. He only needed a bit more time. As soon as he was able to see Jinde again ¡­ things would certainly work out on their own. He had no doubts about this.

 Chapter 1062 - Tell Him the Truth?

    Xin Lan coldly watched the two of them from the shadows. He could imagine just what type of deal Jin Ling had made with that guy. Well, if it was just that he was supposed to help Jin Ling stay on the throne, then it wasn''t a problem. In fact, he would be happy if that was the case. After all, this Ye Yang definitely was a strong backer. It was precisely the type of thing that Jin Ling would need to stay in his position and not risk any harm. Just alone with this, he would be able to return to Jinde and put his mind at ease.


    Unfortunately, it didn''t seem as if that was what Jin Ling was really interested in. No, his mind was obviously somewhere completely different. Despite what was going on in the demon realm, Jin Ling still only cared about what was going on with Jinde. It really was maddening.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. There wasn''t any chance to ever make Jin Ling change his stance on this matter. He could only hope that he wouldn''t be able to find a way to get to Jinde until he was fully healed. Afterward, Jinde would be able to deal with him on his own even though he wouldn''t like that confrontation.


    Thinking of that, Xin Lan finally sighed and then left without the two demons in the hall ever noticing him. Then, he returned to the Yun Zou Sect to report what he had found out to his Master, finally letting Jinde calm down and focus on his recovery again.


    Meanwhile, things weren''t over in the demon realm yet. After assuring Jin Ling that he would definitely be able to fulfill his part of the deal, Ye Yang went down to the dungeon in a good mood.


    He still believed what he had told Jin Ling: He definitely felt that An Bai was slowly getting softer toward him. That hard stance he had shown in the beginning ¡­ It definitely couldn''t be kept up for long anymore. Just a few more days and they would at least be able to hold a first conversation instead of just him doing all the talking.


    In a happy mood, Ye Yang walked down the corridor and then went down the staircase and into the dungeon. For today, he had brought another special book with him that he believed would make this dragon reconsider his previous choice some more. He already reached for his spatial ring when he turned around the corner only to find the cell were An Bai had been imprisoned until now empty.


    Ye Yang stopped in his tracks and stared at the empty cell blankly. This ¡­ What had happened? Jin Ling certainly wouldn''t have asked to have him brought somewhere else before he managed to get anything out of him. So just why wasn''t this dragon where he should be? He turned to one of the guards at the side and raised his brows.


    The man tensed and then stiffly bowed to Ye Yang, his back covered in cold sweat. "Somebody came and took him away earlier."


    Ye Yang raised his brows further. "Somebody came? Who?"


    The guard didn''t quite know how to answer that. Anyway, things had been complicated and if he told the truth, he''d be implicated as well. He could only twist things around a bit. "That ¡­ I didn''t know the person but he said that His Majesty had asked for the dragon to be brought over."


    Ye Yang stared at him, his mind churning. No, even if he said that, he didn''t believe that Jin Ling would have done that. Even if he had, he would''ve told him so. "What did the person say was their name?"


    The guard''s expression turned blank when he tried to remember. He couldn''t come up with anything though and had to turn to the person that was standing a few steps away. "What did that person who came here on His Majesty''s order say they were called?"


    The other guard frowned as if trying to remember but also couldn''t come up with anything.


    Ye Yang narrowed his eyes at the two of them. "So you want to tell me that somebody came and told you that the demon king asked to see the dragon he had imprisoned here and you just let the person go with them? Even though you didn''t know who the person was, even though they never introduced themselves, and even though you knew that I was coming here every day on the order of our king to see the dragon?"


    The guards gulped and then lowered their heads. At that moment, they had simply acted and given information because the person asked. They hadn''t thought so much. Since His Majesty had asked, they thought it was the right thing to do. But now that Ye Yang said it, they also realized that this didn''t make any sense. It seemed that they had done something really wrong.


    While they did realize that, they still felt bad inside. It was one thing to anger Ye Yang. While he wouldn''t be happy about what they had done, they would at most have them beaten up or ¡ª if he was anxious enough about this matter with the dragon ¡ª he might even just scold them and then forget about it. On the other hand, the person who had come to retrieve the dragon had seemed much more violent. If they hadn''t done as they had been asked to, they might be dead by now.


    Speaking of which ¡­ One of the guards turned back to Ye Yang, a light glinting in his eyes. "Two of the guards haven''t returned for today''s shift. I think that they might''ve come to a bad end at the hands of that person. They were the ones who took the dragon away."


    Ye Yang furrowed his brows. He could imagine that this was the case. Whoever it was that had taken An Bai, they definitely hadn''t had any good intentions with this. Naturally, they wouldn''t want somebody who knew had found out that they weren''t going to bring him to Jin Ling to stay around. Well, at least that left him with a clue. "Alright, I will investigate that."


    The guards nodded and told him the names of the two demons that hadn''t returned. When he left, one of them couldn''t help but turn to the other.


    "Why haven''t you told him the whole truth?"


    The first guard raised his brows. "Tell him the whole truth? Are you nuts? If he finds out what really happened, do you honestly believe that we would be left alive? After all, we all turned a blind eye to the situation and let him take the dragon way. Isn''t it better to say that it was the person who pretended to be sent by His Majesty? Anyway, you should stop thinking about it. It''s good that we go away this lightly. Let''s hope he forgets about us while he investigates."


    The other guard nodded slowly, feeling that that really was true. Anyway, it was good that things hadn''t turned too ugly just now. He should probably just follow this guy''s lead and then, nothing would happen to him.

 Chapter 1063 - Handsome Enough to Be His Partner

    Ye Yang didn''t lose any time and went to investigate the two guards that had been involved in the matter. He needed to find out if An Bai was still somewhere in the palace or if he had actually managed to leave somehow. If it was the former, then the situation could still be salvaged. If it was the latter ¡­ He''d really have a hard time making this work.


    Having a high-ranking dragon in the dungeon had been the easiest way to find out what Jin Ling wanted to know. But with him gone ¡­ It wouldn''t be that easy to find somebody else who could take over that position. Just any dragon wouldn''t do. It needed to be somebody who had the knowledge about formations and also some insight into what the dragon king was up to. How many of them actually fulfilled these requirements?


    In other words: He needed to get An Bai back.


    Since he didn''t know where exactly they had gone, he first went to their quarters. Asking around the first guard''s chambers through, the demons living close by could only shake their heads. Nobody had seen him since yesterday morning when he had gone to the dungeon for his shift.


    Ye Yang furrowed his brows and pondered what to do. Should he go check out the other guard''s place first? But it could still be that he''d have just missed him when he returned.


    After a moment of hesitation, Ye Yang decided against it and finally forced the door to the first guard''s chambers open. When he did, he was greeted by an empty room. Continuing to furrow his brows, he stepped further inside, looking around for any signs as to what he could''ve gone. After just a few steps, he noticed that the door to the bath hadn''t been closed completely. There were some traces on the ground as if there had been vapor clinging to the walls and ground that finally dried off after some time.


    Ye Yang went over and pushed the door open, his brows raising when he saw the scene inside. "I guess that explains a lot." Walking over to the bathtub in the middle of the room, that was still filled halfway with now completely cold water, he shook his head. Then, he turned to the guard that looked as if he had been completely taken by surprise when he died.


    Ye Yang took a moment to inspect the wounds and finally shook his head with a smile. "You looked so refined but I guess that''s no guarantee. I probably shouldn''t have judged a dragon like that." He shook his head and got up, not bothering to investigate the second guard. While he didn''t have the full story, he was already very clear that this person wasn''t in the palace anymore. No, most likely, he wasn''t even in the demon realm anymore.


    Now, that did leave the question as to what he should do. As he had already realized, another dragon wouldn''t do. Even if there was one, finding that kind of dragon would be difficult. So what to do?


    Thinking for a while, Ye Yang''s lips finally hooked up in a captivating smile. Well ¡­ Thinking of An Bai''s gentle features and that white hair, he felt that it really would be a pity to just give up on this even if it wasn''t because of what Jin Ling had asked him to do. And anyway, there hadn''t been any bigger fights with the dragons recently. The worst thing had been the time when their king had abducted the dragon king''s fiance but ¡­ That kind of small matter probably shouldn''t be too much of a problem, right? His advisers shouldn''t be trying to keep a loving couple apart just because of that, right?


    He chuckled to himself and then left the demon realm, going right over to the dragon realm''s capital city.


    The guards in front of the palace eyed him warily but there was no way to tell that he was a demon at first sight.


    Ye Yang gifted the two of them a smile and then nodded his head. "Greetings. My name is Ye Yang and I''m here to see An Bai."


    The two of them exchanged a glance. "An Bai?"


    Ye Yang showed them a slightly embarrassed expression. "My partner. I guess it should be adviser An Bai. I''m just not used to calling him that way."


    The two guards exchanged yet another glance, feeling a bit unaccustomed to this. They had never seen this guy. And save for the other advisers, they had also never seen anybody who would dare to call that person by just his name. Even if you weren''t calling him adviser An Bai, at least Scholar An Bai should be a given. Just using his name ¡­ That did seem a bit rude. But maybe ¡­


    They gave Ye Yang a once over and couldn''t deny that he was a handsome man. It absolutely wasn''t impossible that one would fall for him just based on his looks. As for his personality ¡­ If they really were a couple, then using his name wouldn''t be rude so they didn''t dare to comment on that.


    Anyway, even if they were a couple, they didn''t know that for sure. There was no way they would just let this person in without making sure that he was welcome. "Please wait for a moment. We will inform adviser An Bai that you''ve come here."


    Ye Yang nodded and patiently waited in front of the gates. He wasn''t worried at all. While he was of the demon race, he didn''t feel like he had given this person any reason to make trouble for him. And anyway, with how his position in the demon realm was, he really doubted that An Bai would dare to do anything to him. Especially not with the current situation. It seemed that this strife for the throne was really a heaven-sent blessing in regard to the task that Jin Ling had given him.

 Chapter 1064 - I’d Call Myself His Suitor

    The guard that went to inform An Bai came up empty-handed. After all, An Bai had gone to the mortal realm to bring Jinde the refinement equipment and still hadn''t returned since he had wanted to wait for things to be over and also wanted to speak with Xiang Yong to be filled in about the things that had happened while he had been imprisoned.


    Standing in front of the door without receiving any kind of response, the guard felt a bit troubled. If the person outside really was adviser An Bai''s lover, then sending him away wouldn''t be a good idea. But they couldn''t just let him in either. In that case ¡­


    He turned to the next door and knocked there only to once again be left outside without being acknowledged. Naturally, that was no wonder either. After all, this door was the one to Xiang Yong''s study. And he had also left the dragon realm quite some time ago.


    The guard raked a hand through his hair, feeling vexed. What else could he do now? Just try all the doors one by one? He also felt bad about bothering these people like that. Maybe something important was going on since the two of them weren''t in the rooms.


    Before he could come to a decision, one of the doors on the other side of the corridor opened. Fu Heng stepped into the doorway, leaned against the frame, and crossed his arms. "Did something happen?" Anyway, that guy had knocked on both doors, and from the way he had stood there for quite some time, it seemed that he really didn''t know how to proceed now.


    The guard turned around, looking at Fu Heng as if he had spotted his savior. "Adviser Fu Heng! Actually, it might be nothing but there is a man at the gates, asking to see adviser An Bai. It is just ¡­ Well, he doesn''t seem to be in."


    Fu Heng furrowed his red brows, not quite sure what the fuss was about. "Why don''t you tell him to just come back later?"


    The guard looked away, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Well ¡­ He might have insinuated that he was adviser An Bai''s lover. I didn''t know him but that is clearly his private matter. So ¡­ I just wasn''t sure if it would be a good idea to turn him away."


    Before Fu Heng could say anything, a head popped up behind his shoulder, staring at the guard intently. "An Bai''s lover? What did he look like? Was he handsome?"


    The guard stared at him in a daze before finally being able to collect his thoughts. "That ¡­ adviser Fu Min, I''m afraid I''m not quite sure how to answer that. He could probably be counted as good-looking?" Anyway, he was already with somebody else if that guy had said the truth so it wasn''t important what he thought, right? It would be best if he didn''t think of him as beautiful.


    Fu Min''s eyes were glittering with a thirst for gossip. He tucked at his husband''s sleeve, giving him a bright smile. "Did you hear that? How about the two of us go and take a look?"


    Fu Heng nodded immediately when he was subjected to that gaze. While it couldn''t be seen on his face, he at least gave a curt nod and then moved to close the door behind Fu Min.


    The two of them followed the guard back to the gate, eager to see just what this supposed lover really looked like.


    Stepping through the door, Fu Min''s gaze zeroed in on Ye Yang and he raised his brows. That guard hadn''t been wrong when he said that he could probably be counted as good-looking. In fact, Fu Min would leave out the probably. This guy definitely was good-looking. He wasn''t quite his type but there was no way anybody could deny his handsomeness.


    Ye Yang raised his brows and looked from one dragon to the other. "Neither of you is the person I expected. Can I take that as An Bai not being available right now?"


    Fu Min was even more intrigued when he heard him call An Bai so casually. He went over and then circled the man, giving him a once over. "So ¡­ You are An Bai''s lover?"


    Ye Yang gave a smile at that. "I wouldn''t say it like that. That might be a bit ¡­ too early. I should probably call myself his suitor."


    Fu Min''s curiosity didn''t die down with that. Anyway, a lover would have been even more interesting but a suitor still made him quite curious. Anyway, An Bai definitely had a lot of admirers with how he looked but it definitely couldn''t be said that many of them were daring enough to turn up on the doorstep of the dragon king''s palace and demand to see him like this. That definitely was something that spoke in favor of this guy.


    "How long have the two of you known each other?"


    Ye Yang slightly raised his brows at his questions but still answered. "To be honest, it hasn''t been that long yet. Which is precisely the reason I came here. I wanted to spend some time with him to deepen the feelings between us."


    The two guards had gone back to guarding the door but they couldn''t help but look from the two advisers to this person who so openly admitted to be going after adviser An Bai. It really made them feel a bit reluctant. Who could have known that it would be alright to be so forthright? They had always thought that adviser An Bai would prefer a more subtle approach. Now, they regretted a bit to have never tried their luck themselves.


    Fu Min happily nodded and then motioned inside. "So it was like that. Why don''t you come in then? You can wait with us until An Bai comes back."


    Ye Yang gave a satisfied nod. "That works for me." With that, he made his way into the dragon king''s palace.

 Chapter 1065 - Should We Intervene?

    As for the person that Ye Yang had come to see ¡­ He was currently sitting at one of the lakes in the Yun Zou Sect next to Xiang Yong, looking over the surface of the water while his friend thoroughly explained everything that had happened while he had been away.


    "So that happened." An Bai''s gaze was complicated. Judging from everything that Xiang Yong had just told him, their king definitely hadn''t thought of freeing him from the demon king''s dungeon up until the moment when he had become useful again for him. Thinking of that, he sighed.


    Xiang Yong looked over and gave a faint smile. "You know how he is. It''s not that he doesn''t think of you as important. It''s just that ¡­ He probably didn''t even think about it."


    An Bai smiled as well but there was a bit of melancholy in there. "I sometimes wonder if I should feel gratified that he thinks we are able to do all of this on our own or if I should be worried because he doesn''t take responsibility."


    "It''s easier to tell ourselves that it''s the former. Anyway, it''s better now than it was before. We''ve grown with the tasks we''ve taken up over time. In a sense, this also works, doesn''t it? He doesn''t need to do everything by himself."


    "Sure." An Bai sighed again when he said so. "I guess it is just that when you think about it, then it is quite strange. Before him ¡­ Which of our kings ever behaved like this?"


    Xiang Yong shook his head. "To be honest, you would know more about that than me. And it''s not like any of us actively experienced that time. Most likely, only His Majesty himself knows what it was like living under the previous king. And even then ¡­" He shook his head. "Speaking of which, I was a bit surprised. That person from the spirit beast tribe asked him about his father and the previous king. I knew that His Majesty''s father was close to him but I had no idea that His Majesty must''ve known him as well."


    An Bai turned to look at him, his expression subtle. "Well, the things that happened back then ¡­ We don''t know very much for sure. It also wouldn''t be good to pry too much."


    "You don''t need to tell me. I already know."


    The two of them fell quiet and just continued to look at the lake in front of them.


    After a while, Xiang Yong turned back to face An Bai. "The person of the spirit beast tribe ¡­ Do you think we should do something? It wouldn''t be good to let him ask any further questions."


    An Bai furrowed his brows, worried about the same thing. "I do agree that it would be better to stop him but ¡­ What can we do? Ask him to leave? Without an explanation, it wouldn''t help at all. And we can''t give one."


    Xiang Yong agreed with that. "I''m afraid you''re right with that. But what else can we do?"


    "Maybe we''re thinking too much. I''m sure that His Majesty will be able to deal with that on his own."


    Xiang Yong gave a hum, feeling that that was also true. As his advisers, they knew better than anyone else that there was no way to force their king into anything. If he didn''t want to speak about something, then you could ask however much you wanted, you wouldn''t get even a single syllable out of him.


    In fact, it might even be that you wouldn''t be able to see him anymore if you tried too hard. Somehow, he was a master at being able to hide somewhere. Not that they would ever say that aloud. It was just something that they couldn''t deny to themselves.


    "So we will just let things be?"


    An Bai kept quiet for a moment but finally nodded. "Yes. I do think that would be for the best. We can stay here for a few days and keep an eye on what else is happening if you''re worried but other than that, I don''t think that we should get involved. Anyway, His Majesty probably wouldn''t like it either."


    Xiang Yong gave a hum and then left it at that. After a moment, he glanced at An Bai once more. "What about you? I''m sorry I had to call you over here."


    An Bai shook his head, not taking it seriously. "Didn''t I already say that it wasn''t a problem? Anyway, since His Majesty wanted to save that person and the equipment was needed for refining the potion, it''s alright. Anyway, I only regret that I wasn''t able to take a look at the refining process."


    Xiang Yong gave a light laugh and shook his head. "Don''t tell me you also picked up refinement?" He knew that An Bai had dabbled in it a bit but that had been all. He had always believed that it was only because of a theoretical interest. But now, it sounded as if that hadn''t been the case.


    An Bai shook his head though. "You''re thinking too much. I really was just interested in having a look. Reading about it and understanding guiding principles is one thing but being able to see it for myself ¡­ That is a different thing altogether. It would''ve been interesting. But I do understand enough about refinement that I know that it wouldn''t have been possible. It''s just a pity."


    "I see. Well, I guess you might have an opportunity in the future. If I understand correctly, then that Ma Zhi Wu person isn''t completely healed yet. There might still be some potions needed later on."


    An Bai nodded but he didn''t seem too thrilled about the idea. "I do know that. It''s just ¡­ there is still a difference between refining just any potion to help somebody and refining this kind of potion. Obviously, whatever recipe that person followed was a very high-level one. This kind of thing is something that can''t be seen often. That''s just why I''m a bit sad that I missed out on the opportunity."


    Xiang Yong nodded. "Well, you probably won''t have as much luck then. But who knows? Maybe there''ll be one in the future. You never know."


    An Bai chuckled lightly. "True."


    With that, the two of them went back to looking over the lake in front, keeping quiet.

 Chapter 1066 - Can I See Him?

    While the two dragons waited to see how things would unfold, the Yun Zou Sect ushered in a new guest. Elder Tang stood in front of the gates with two dozen disciples behind him, his expression unusually excited.


    The Yun Zou Sect disciples guarding the door exchanged a glance, unsure how to react. "This ¡­"


    "I''m Elder Tang from the Jian Yi Sect. Our Sect Master is currently staying in your sect. Bring us over immediately! I have important matters to discuss with her."


    The disciples exchanged another glance but they had indeed heard that the Jian Yi Sect''s Sect Master Fei Bai Mu was currently residing in their sect so they didn''t have any doubt that the story was true. Anyway, who would dare to pretend that they were a member of the Jian Yi Sect if they weren''t? That would get them in major trouble.


    "Welcome to the Yun Zou Sect. Please let me bring you over." One of the disciples motioned inside and then led them through the gate and toward the Sect Master''s peak where Fei Bai Mu and her disciple were still staying.


    The closer they got to the house, the more excited Elder Tang became. He hurriedly brushed over his clothes to get rid of any wrinkles and then even smoothed out his hair and patted his cheeks, making both the Yun Zou Sect''s disciple in the front as well as the Jian Yi Sect disciples in the back look at him strangely.


    Back in the Jian Yi Sect, only the Elders had been informed of the rumors regarding their ascended Grandmaster. Thus, the disciples had no idea just why the Elder was this excited. In fact, they felt that it was a little strange. After all, the last news that they had heard was about the actions of the demon-hunting sects. That certainly wasn''t any reason to be excited. Feeling righteous indignation would be what they''d rather expect of their Elder.


    The group soon arrived in front of the house and the disciple of the Yun Zou Sect called out. "Sect Master Fei, people of the Jian Yi Sect have come to see you."


    Fei Bai Mu looked up from where she was sitting and teaching her disciple the theory of cultivation. "Thank you for informing me. Send them in then."


    Elder Tang happily rushed over and opened the door, barging into the room and looking around wildly. When he couldn''t see anybody but the Sect Master and her youngest disciple, his face fell though. "Where is ¡­"


    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows at him and then turned to look at the disciples behind him. This really was nothing she would want them to find out. "Elder Tang. It is great that you were able to come here so fast. Have you been able to bring over what I wanted?"


    Elder Tang realized that he had made a mistake and gave an embarrassed nod. "Of course, Sect Master. It''s all here." He took out a spiritual bag and offered it to her.


    Fei Bai Mu took it from his hands and glanced over what was inside. She nodded with satisfaction when she saw that the disciples had been able to gather quite a few things additionally to what the sect had already had in the storage house. "I guess this will suffice." She didn''t know what exactly that Xin Lan had brought with him but regardless, it was still good as long as they were able to support their Grandmaster''s husband as well.


    Elder Tang twisted his hands and then gave a soft laugh. "Sect Master, about ¡­" He raised his brows suggestively, wanting her to tell him just where the Grandmaster was. Naturally, he wanted to see him. Wasn''t that why he had volunteered to come here? But now he wasn''t even able to get a glimpse of him! He really felt disappointed at that.


    Fei Bai Mu smiled wryly and then looked at the disciples. "I see that you have brought quite a few people with you. Why don''t you go and organize their lodgings for the time being? Anyway, we probably won''t be staying here much longer. There are just some organizational matters for the trial of the demon-hunting sects to be made."


    "Sect Master!" Elder Tang wailed, absolutely not happy with that.


    Fei Bai Mu just gave a lazy glance though and then turned back to her own disciple. Anyway, she would bring him over later on. It would be best if there was somebody else who could talk to the Grandmaster. For one, it would help the other Elders in keeping a level head, and second, reminding the Grandmaster of the good times back in the Jian Yi Sect might also help in convincing him to come back after his husband was healed.


    Elder Tang finally still had to go and grabbed one of the disciples of the Yun Zou Sect to organize a place for their disciples to stay for the time being. As soon as the disciples had moved in, he rushed back to Fei Bai Mu''s side though, looking at her with sparkling eyes. "Now, what about the Grandmaster? Is he really here? Can I see him?"


    Fei Bai Mu sighed and shook her head before she got up, giving her disciple a smile. "Xiao Yu, how about going and seeing that pretty man again?"


    Hua Lin Yu''s face lit up and he nodded obediently. He didn''t mind learning about cultivation but he wouldn''t mind it even less if he was able to cling to a pretty person while he did so. And Jinde had been especially nice to him. He was almost as good as his own family.


    Fei Bai Mu smiled when she saw his reaction and then motioned for Elder Tang to follow her, walking up the Sect Master''s peak and toward the array behind the palace. Before she could say or do anything, the array already lit up, allowing them to enter the dimension behind.

 Chapter 1067 - Just a Salty Bastard

    Elder Tang looked around in a hurry when they arrived in the dimension. Seeing how spacious it was, he couldn''t help but feel even more excited. This dimension had probably been created by their Grandmaster! At the very least, he was pretty sure that he did have the strength to do so.


    Back in the Jian Yi Sect, he had also created a dimension even though it had been on a smaller scale than this one. But since then, he had already ascended. Naturally, he should be able to do more now that he had gotten stronger.


    While the Elder was lost in thought, Leng Jin Yu already stepped out of the palace. "Sect Master. Elder Tang."


    The Elder was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts and his eyes lit up when he saw Leng Jin Yu. "Grandmaster Leng!" He rushed over, obviously happy to see him again.


    Leng Jin Yu gave a smile and motioned toward the building behind him. "Why don''t you come in?"


    Elder Tang hurried to nod. "Of course, of course! Will we be able to see the Grandmaster''s partner?" While seeing the Grandmaster was his first priority, he couldn''t deny that he was also quite curious about what kind of person had been able to win him over. After all, since the time he himself had been a disciple, he had never seen their Grandmaster get involved with any person. That had made him wonder if there was actually nobody who was able to move his heart.


    Now, it seemed that he had thought too much though. Obviously, the Grandmaster just waited for that one special person to appear in front of him. This truly showed just what kind of great man he was. He wouldn''t settle for second best as so many others did. His partner should be exceptional in all regards!


    Leng Jin Yu smiled noncommittally. "If he feels like it." Anyway, he didn''t mind letting Elder Tang meet Jinde but Jinde had just needed to expend quite a bit of strength to refine the potion. He had also been disturbed several times in the last few days. If he needed to rest some more, then he should do that. It wouldn''t be too late to let him meet the Elder later on.


    Elder Tang couldn''t help but be a little disappointed when he heard that answer but he still understood that he could hardly request it. If the Grandmaster''s partner wasn''t up to meeting him, then that was the case. There was nothing he could do about it.


    Fei Bai Mu who followed behind the two of them gave a smile and looked at her small disciple, patting his head. "Xiao Yu, how about doing Elder Tang a favor later on and luring that pretty man out again?"


    Xiao Yu looked up at her, seeming to not quite understand what was going on. "Didn''t we come to see him?"


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. "Sure we did." At the very least, that was why her disciple had come here.


    The four of them went to the room where Leng Jin Yu and Jinde were living. Naturally, nothing could be seen of Jinde at the moment since he was still submerged in the lake outside. Leng Jin Yu sat down and motioned for the other two to sit at the table as well.


    Before either of them could say anything, Hua Lin Yu already got impatient on Fei Bai Mu''s arms and wriggled around, trying to get out of her embrace.


    Fei Bai Mu sighed and put him down on the ground, letting him run around. "Make sure you don''t make any trouble."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and then rushed outside, looking around to find Jinde. Just a moment later, there was the sound of water splashing and a gentle voice could be heard from outside.


    "Ah, look at this. You actually came back to see me?" Well, he just couldn''t resist the allure of spending some time caring for a cute child.


    Elder Tang inside tensed up when he heard that and his eyes darted to the door. This ¡­ It couldn''t be that it was actually the person he had wanted to meet, could it?!


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and gave Fei Bai Mu a look. She wasn''t playing fair. She had absolutely known that this would happen. "Well, it seems that my husband has come out. We might as well go over so you can get to know him, Elder Tang."


    The Elder jumped to his feet before he hastily nodded his head. "What a splendid idea, Grandmaster! Let''s go immediately!"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed and got up as well, going over to the door and taking a look at Jinde who was still halfway submerged in the lake while amusing the child next to him.


    Before he could say anything, the Elder rushed past him, looking around with wide eyes. When he saw Jinde over there, he gaped at him. Not quite able to believe what he saw, he pointed right at him and then turned to Leng Jin Yu, his mouth still hanging open. "That ¡­" He looked back, finally forcefully closing his mouth.


    He had imagined that the Grandmaster must''ve met a very special person if he finally got together with somebody but ¡­ This was really surpassing everything he ever could have imagined.


    Jinde turned to the side and flicked a lazy glance at them before raising his golden brows. "It sure is getting crowded in this place. How come so many people want to have a look at me?" He brushed through his hair, making the Elder tense.


    Before he realized what he was doing, he had clasped a hand over his eyes and turned away. He definitely hadn''t been ogling the Grandmaster''s husband! Definitely not! Whoever said anything like that was just an envious bastard who was salty because they hadn''t been able to see him and wanted to drag him down now!

 Chapter 1068 - A Thousand Years Might Be Enough

    The other people all looked at the Elder but kept their thoughts to themselves. Jinde did raise his brows though. He couldn''t help but wonder if he had said too much just now. He had actually scared this man into trying to hide like a child. It absolutely hadn''t been his intention to do that. Just when he wondered if he should try to clear up the misunderstanding, Elder Tang suddenly gasped and turned back around.


    "This ¡­ It''s not that Grandmaster Leng had that idea. In fact, it''s all my fault! I begged him to take me here and let me take a look. You definitely can''t blame him!"


    Jinde''s golden brows rose even higher. "Elder Tang was the name?"


    The Elder was scared when he heard that question but still nodded hurriedly. "Yes. That is me."


    Jinde nodded slowly and looked at the Elder with a peculiar expression. "Elder Tang ¡­ Please explain to me why you think that I would blame my own husband instead of a random stranger barging into my house."


    Elder Tang''s eyes went wide and he looked from Jinde to Leng Jin Yu and then back again, trying to figure out what he was supposed to say to that. He ¡­ He had just wanted to help the Grandmaster! How come he was suddenly asked such a question? This seemed a little unfair?


    Even though he thought so, he naturally wouldn''t dare to say that out loud in front of the Grandmaster and his husband. Thus, he could only clear his throat and take all the blame. "Yes, yes it''s all my fault. I ¡­ I was assuming too much."


    Jinde smiled mischievously and then pulled himself out of the lake, picked up Hua Lin Yu, and then went over to his husband, lightly leaning against him. "My dear, people from your sect really like to joke. You didn''t tell me that your life was like this before. I sure hope you''re not getting bored with me."


    Elder Tang once again became anxious when he heard that but before he could make even more trouble, Leng Jin Yu already interrupted him.


    "How could that be? My life will always be the most fulfilled with you at my side." He leaned down and kissed Jinde''s cheek to make sure that his words had the right effect.


    His husband hummed happily and then patted his chest, before motioning inside. "Alright, I think I''ve teased him enough. Since the three of you have something to do, I shouldn''t disturb you any longer. I''ll just play around with the child for a while." When he said so, he turned to Fei Bai Mu, giving her a smile. "Unless Sect Master Fei has a problem with that?"


    Fei Bai Mu shook her head with a smile as well. "How could I? In fact, I promised Xiao Yu that he would be able to see you again. Thank you for taking care of him for a while."


    Jinde gave another hum, not bothered at all. "Actually, it''s me who should thank you. Having the opportunity to play with such a cute child, I''m truly blessed." He smiled at Hua Lin Yu and then turned around, bringing him back to the lake. Sitting down at the edge and submerging his legs in the water again, he didn''t even bother about the people behind them anymore.


    Leng Jin Yu slightly shook his head, feeling that he would likely get to see this scene some more in the future when they really had a child of their own. Anyway, he didn''t mind too much. Seeing Jinde this happy ¡­ Naturally, it made him happy as well.


    Not wanting to bother him any longer, he turned to Fei Bai Mu and Elder Tang and then motioned back into the palace. "I imagine that there really are some things you want to talk about. Why don''t we go back inside?"


    Elder Tang nodded eagerly even though he couldn''t help but give Jinde another look. Well, nobody could blame him, right? The Grandmaster''s husband was just too beautiful to not take at least one look more.


    The others noticed his gaze but pretended not to. Anyway, there was nothing wrong with letting him take a peek.


    Leng Jin Yu and the other two sat down at the table, getting serious again.


    Elder Tang looked at Leng Jin Yu, unable to hold back the question any longer that had been bothering him the whole time since getting the Sect Master''s message. "Grandmaster, does this mean that you will return to the Jian Yi Sect?"


    Leng Jin Yu gave a faint smile. "Sect Master Fei asked me the same thing. Right now, I can''t say for sure. It is not that I don''t want to return but there are just too many things to take into consideration. For the time being, I definitely have to wait until Jinde is fully healed. After that, we can talk about it again."


    The Elder nodded and then looked to Fei Bai Mu who handed the materials over that he had brought.


    "This is what the sect gathered to contribute. I hope that this will speed the process up a bit."


    Leng Jin Yu took the spiritual bag from her and slowly looked through it. The Jian Yi Sect had gone all out as it seemed. While it wouldn''t be able to heal Jinde completely either, together with the things Xin Lan had brought, it should help him a great deal. It seemed that the time when Jinde would finally be healed wasn''t as far off anymore as they had thought. It wouldn''t take thousands of years anymore. If they were lucky, then just a thousand might be enough or maybe ¡­ just maybe a couple hundred years might also be enough.

 Chapter 1069 - Let’s Put an End to It

    Seeing that their Grandmaster was satisfied with the work they had done, Elder Tang couldn''t help but use the opportunity to ask some questions. Anyway, he wouldn''t deny it, he was a gossipy person. Who could fault him? Life as a cultivator was very long and taking in spiritual energy all day long for years on end was pretty boring. If not for those competitions that were held every few years and teaching some disciples at the side, he really wouldn''t have anything else to do.


    So sometime down the road, he had started to meet up with some other Elders ¡ª regardless of they were from their own Jian Yi Sect or from other sects ¡ª for a cup of tea or a game of weiqi and would ¡­ exchange some information.


    Yes, that was what it was. They weren''t merely gossiping, they were making sure that they were up to date with the things happening out in the world! That was important business.


    And right now, what was happening out here was that the Grandmaster who had supposedly stayed a bachelor from the time he entered their sect to the day when he ascended to heaven had actually gotten married without them knowing and even found himself such a beauty. How could he not try to gather some information for his friends?!


    Thus, now that the opportunity arose, Elder Tang couldn''t help but lean over the table and lower his voice so as to not disturb the beauty outside. "Grandmaster, there''s something I''d like to ask."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows and glanced at Elder Tang, already feeling that there was something strange up with the way he approached this. "If there''s something that Elder Tang would like to know, then please just go ahead and ask. Anyway, we''re from the same sect. Naturally, I will do my best to answer your questions."


    Elder Tang glanced at the door to make sure that Jinde wasn''t in sight. "How did you meet your husband?"


    Leng Jin Yu was taken aback. This was the question that Elder Tang had? He really wouldn''t have expected that. Well, it wasn''t difficult to answer though. And he also didn''t believe that it would be a problem to answer it. "Well, I''ve been staying in the Yun Zou Sect pretending to be a disciple. When I came back from a mission, he had occupied my house." Well, it had been slightly more complicated than that but those gritty details probably weren''t important to the Elder. The gist of the matter was just as he had said right now.


    Elder Tang looked at him in a daze though. "Ah? He occupied your house?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "That is precisely what happened."


    Elder Tang looked at the door as if he would be able to see Jinde that way and furrowed his brows. He really wouldn''t have thought that the Grandmaster''s husband was like that. "But why would he do that?"


    Leng Jin Yu just gave a smile. "Well, he could not stay any longer at the place where had he had been before so he needed to relocate. Since I wasn''t in at that moment, he just chose my house. Afterward, he stayed."


    Elder Tang still had trouble wrapping his head around this. "And you just allowed him to do that?"


    Leng Jin Yu sighed at that. "This matter is a bit more complicated than it sounds. There are some ties from a previous time between us. Anyway, you do not need to worry about Jinde. There''s nothing wrong with him. Our relationship is also going very well. I''m happy with him as is and I could never be with another person. So there really is no need to worry, Elder Tang. I do appreciate that you''re thinking about my well-being though. It just goes to show that in the Jian Yi Sect is still like a family."


    Elder Tang put some of his worries to rest when Leng Jin Yu was so straightforward about things. He didn''t quite understand but as long as the Grandmaster said that there was no need to worry, then there was no need to worry.


    Well, he wouldn''t have needed to worry before that either considering that the Grandmaster would certainly know what to do. Although ¡­ Considering that he hadn''t had a relationship before, it was still a bit worrisome. After all, what if a beauty turned his head and made use of his innocence? That would definitely lead to trouble!


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. He had a shrewd idea of what was going on in Elder Tang''s head but he didn''t dare to acknowledge it. If he did, wouldn''t things become even more absurd? No, it was much better to just leave it at that. He cleared his throat and then turned to Fei Bai Mu. "I think you mentioned that you would return to the Jian Yi Sect after this was done?"


    Fei Bai Mu gave a nod. "I will. Anyway, there''s nothing else we can do to help you and your husband and that matter with the Chun Feng Sect needs to be finally dealt with. I think we have prepared long enough. And with those disciples rescued from there, they can also give their accounts when we invite them. With that, there really won''t be any chance for the Chun Feng Sect to try and invert black and white. Also, we won''t have to fear that anything will happen to the imprisoned disciples anymore. That does make matters much easier."


    Leng Jin Yu was satisfied with that. "You''re definitely right. What happened with the Chun Feng Sect ¡­ It does need to stop. Something like this can''t be condoned to happen any longer. Otherwise, there will be many more innocent people suffering in the future. You should deal with it soon as you can."


    Fei Bai Mu gave another nod and then stood up. "That is what I will do. Speaking of which, I''ll leave right now. I only have to have a talk with the person currently in charge of the Yun Zou Sect to invite them over. After all, this trial concerns the Yun Zou Sect as well. Don''t worry, I won''t mention our relationship. Speaking of which ¡­ Will you be there when we put them on trial?"


    Leng Jin Yu glanced toward the door to the garden before he answered. "I can imagine that you would like me there but I''m not sure if I will be able to. It''s not that Jinde can''t be left alone but I still feel better being with him. We will see if it is possible. If it is, then I''ll come with the people of the Yun Zou Sect."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded and then waved at Elder Tang before leaving the dimension. It was true, they could not let this go on any longer. No, instead, they had to finally put an end to this. After that, they could focus on other things again.

 Chapter 1070 - Any Other Assistance

    When one of the disciples of the Jian Yi Sect went to the Sect Master''s palace and told Wu Min Huan that Fei Bai Mu wanted to speak with them, he almost felt as if he would faint from nervousness.


    Ah, just why did his Master have to be in closed-door cultivation right now? And why was that senior martial brother Yu of his nowhere to be seen when this kind of task needed to be taken care of? Hadn''t his Master made him the head disciple? Then he should also deal with these things!


    But regardless of how much he worried, it didn''t change anything. He would still need to welcome the Jian Yi Sect''s Sect Master even if he was frozen stiff in shock. Ah, just how had his Master done this kind of thing back then? He tried to think back but it had been so many years and even when they had to greet an important guest, it had never been one of this caliber. The Jian Yi Sect''s Sect Master could hardly be compared to anyone. Well, at most, he might be able to compare it to that time the Liu He Alliance''s Alliance Head Hua had come by to visit their Grandmaster.


    Wu Min Huan blanked and then slapped his forehead. Right! Why hadn''t he thought of this sooner? He could invite the Grandmaster over. For one, he wouldn''t have to face Sect Master Fei on his own, and second, Grandmaster Zhangsun had the highest status in their sect. It was more than appropriate to have him receive Sect Master Fei. In fact, it might be the only appropriate approach. After all, he himself was only a disciple, not even their own Sect Master''s head disciple anymore. How could he take charge of matters that were important enough to warrant Sect Master Fei to come herself? No, that was absolutely impossible.


    Thus, when Fei Bai Mu went to the Sect Master''s palace a little later, she was greeted again by Zhangsun Xun Yi. As for Wu Min Huan, he was standing to the side as if he was just a disciple that was still there to do some miscellaneous tasks instead of the person who had taken over the Sect Master''s duties for the time being.


    Fei Bai Mu slightly raised her brows but didn''t say anything and just went to sit down, giving Zhangsun Xun Yi a poignant look. "I guess you can imagine why I have come here."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded slightly. "The Jian Yi Sect was investigating this matter with the Chun Feng Sect, wasn''t it? Now, the disciples have been freed and one of ours has returned as well. I guess you are prepared to finally put them to trial now that the danger for the disciples is over."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. "Those are my thoughts, indeed. The Grandmaster also agreed that it would be for the best to deal with this fast. Since the Yun Zou Sect was involved in this matter, I would like to invite you over. As for who you send ¡­ I do not care much about that. I guess the disciple that was injured won''t be able to attend though but it would be good if you could make him give you an account of what exactly happened, and then have him sign it. This way, we can at least use that as evidence."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "We will do that. What about the other sects?"


    "Well, I will ask them to send the disciples in question over if they aren''t injured as much. Otherwise, we''ll have to be satisfied with just a written account as well. Considering all the other evidence we received beforehand that should be enough to convince everyone."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi gave a hum. Pondering the issue, he couldn''t think of anything else at the moment. "Is there any other way for us to support you?"


    Fei Bai Mu kept quiet for a moment. In fact, she also couldn''t really think of anything. They had prepared well even before the disciples had been freed so they were able to start as soon as everybody had been invited. Speaking of which ¡­ She looked around and raised her brows. "What about Alliance Head Hua from the Liu He Alliance? Wasn''t he with you?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi gave a faint smile at that. "He certainly was. But I guess he isn''t too happy that he still hasn''t seen the person he wanted to see and whom he came here for originally. Right now, he is still waiting in my palace to finally get an opportunity to do so."


    Fei Bai Mu couldn''t help but laugh at that. "I''m afraid that person won''t be too happy considering that I and Elder Tang already went and disturbed them. Several times at that as well."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi couldn''t help but smile as well. That friend of his ¡­ He naturally knew how much he adored Grandmaster Leng but what was he supposed to do? That person was likely busy. Even if Hua Min waited even longer, there was no way to say when he would actually be able to see him. But he probably had known that since long ago himself.


    Fei Bai Mu sighed. "Well, if it''s not asking too much, I would like to speak with him as well. The Liu He Alliance doesn''t necessarily have to do anything to help but it would be good if we could coordinate a bit beforehand. Making sure that the demon hunters won''t try anything could get difficult with just our sect."


    "Let''s go see him then. Right, speaking of which ¡­ have you spoken with the people of the dragon race yet?"


    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows at that before slowly shaking her head. "No, but now that you mention it, maybe we should go and do that first."

 Chapter 1071 - How Can We Be of Help?

    With both their levels being high and Xiang Yong and An Bai having seen them before, they didn''t need long to find the two dragons at the side of the lake. When they did, they both cupped their fists and lightly inclined their heads in greeting.


    "I''m sorry for disturbing you. There''s a matter we would like to consult you on about concerning what happened previously." Zhangsun Xun Yi looked at the two of them, his expression serious.


    An Bai and Xiang Yong exchanged a glance and then nodded. "Should we talk here?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked around, making sure that nobody else was there. "This might not take much time. If you don''t mind the place, then I won''t disagree. Otherwise, we might as well go over to my palace."


    Looking around, Xiang Yong came to the same conclusion and just nodded. "I think here is fine. So, what is this about?"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi turned to look at Fei Bai Mu, indicating for her to explain himself.


    The Sect Master nodded and then turned to the two dragons. "You certainly know that we''ve been investigating this matter with the demon-hunting sects. You freeing the disciples has helped us very much. First of all, I would like to thank you for that."


    Xiang Yong nodded but his expression still stayed fairly neutral. "To be honest, there''s no need for any gratitude. We did so because our king ordered us to. That is all. It did involve our race after all."


    Fei Bai Mu gave a nod and then pondered for a moment, not quite sure how to phrase what she had in mind. Most likely, the people of the dragon race didn''t really care about what would happen afterward now that their own people had been freed. But still, it was worth a try.


    "This matter has a very large impact on the human cultivation realm. As such, we intend to put the demon-hunting sects to trial. They will be confronted with any evidence we managed to gather and have the opportunity to explain themselves. After that, we intend to put down some rules for the demon-hunting sects to comply with in the future to make sure that something like this can''t happen again.


    "The evidence will include the statements of the imprisoned disciples, as well as some information that was given to us beforehand, and some results of our own investigations.


    "From what I gathered, some of these disciples are part of the dragon race or at least tied to it in some ways. Thus, I was wondering if you would like to take part in this trial." She didn''t say anything else and just looked at the two dragons one after the other, waiting for their decision.


    This matter ¡­ She couldn''t force it. The ties between the people in the mortal realm and in the immortal realms weren''t very close. In might be slightly closer with those of the Nine Heavens since the ascended deities living there had been human once after all but that the same definitely couldn''t be said about the people of the dragon race.


    There were no ties there. If the dragons chose to help them, that would only be because they had their own interests in mind. And, quite frankly, she didn''t know if those would be strong enough for them to want to take part in this trial. After all, their people were freed, and they had made their stance clear with that attack. What else would they need to do? Anything from here on out might just be helping the human race. Who could say if they would want to do that?


    Xiang Yong and An Bai exchanged a glance. Contrary to what Fei Bai Mu thought, they did have some stakes in the human realm. After all, their king''s lover was currently residing here. Naturally, they would like to make sure that no accidents would happen if they could.


    Also, this matter had apparently involved the spirit beast tribe. Since they were also the subjects of the dragon king, they definitely couldn''t just turn a blind eye to the situation. In fact, going to the trial and even taking somebody of the spirit beast tribe like that Wu Ya would be helpful in making them feel appreciated. That way, they could deal with some of the resentment that had definitely built between the two races after this latest incident. There were only advantages and no disadvantages to this for them. Thus, it wasn''t difficult to make a decision.


    Turning back to Fei Bai Mu, Xiang Yong nodded. "You''re right. Since this involves us as well, it wouldn''t do for us to step back now. Furthermore, this is a huge matter. If we can be of help, then we naturally won''t ignore the problem."


    An Bai nodded as well. "Right, just tell us what it is that you need our help with. We will definitely comply."


    Fei Bai Mu couldn''t help but feel some relief when she heard that response. This was definitely much better than what she had hoped for. It seemed that the dragons weren''t just perfunctorily agreeing either. "To be honest, I don''t think there''s much that you need to do. It would be more than enough to just appear and make the stance of the dragon race in this clear. The dragons aren''t regarded as demons so showing the demon-hunting sects that they have gotten something wrong in the past and even angered your race would definitely make them think twice in the future about acting without any proof. Even if that can''t convince all of them, a lot of them will start to reflect on themselves which I think will be the most important to truly solving this matter."


    Xiang Yong narrowed his eyes at that, nodding slowly. "Leave that to us. Just tell us when to be there and where to go and we will show up. I''ll make sure that they will never forget this trial."

 Chapter 1072 - Arrival of a Behemoth

    With the word of the dragons to reassure her, Fei Bai Mu didn''t linger in the Yun Zou Sect for much longer. She only went to see Hua Min for a moment, making him promise to take part in the trial as well and then left.


    As soon as she reached the grounds of the Jian Yi Sect together with Elder Tang and the disciples they had brought over, she issued the task to invite all other sects to appear with a few representatives at the Jian Yi Sect''s grounds in three weeks'' time.


    She mentioned the reason for the invitation to those who already knew and gave a slightly longer explanation to those who weren''t in the know yet. Then, she sent the disciples out to bring these letters to the other unranked sects so they could sign the letters as well, indicating that all of them were on the same page in regard to this.


    Soon enough, the invitations were sent out and the demon-hunting sects were also issued a summons. While Fei Bai Mu stayed vague in what she told them, she did make clear that this was a matter that concerned all of them, and not attending would mean to stand against the other sects on the righteous side from now on.


    Some of the demon-hunting sects that hadn''t been informed by the Chun Feng Sect about their doubts in regards to the Yun Zou Sect were completely caught unawares and couldn''t understand what was going on. In a panic, they hurriedly sent out a group consisting of whoever was highest in ranking after their Sect Master, as well as another few Elders and disciples. The Sect Master''s were anxious though, wishing that they themselves would be able to go there. Unfortunately, most sects weren''t able to organize that in a short time.


    The demon-hunting sects that did know what had happened with the Chun Feng Sect before this were slightly calmer. Most of them hadn''t engaged in the same tactics so they felt that they shouldn''t be in trouble when going there and would only be there to bear witness. While they could understand the behavior of the Chun Feng Sect, and might not even be completely against going about things this way, they didn''t mind agreeing to never do so in the future. After all, nothing would be lost for them if there were a few more restrictions.


    It was only those sects that had done similar things in the past that couldn''t help but worry as well. They could only hope that with the scale in which the Chun Feng Sect had gone about this, they would get away with a light slap on their wrists.


    After the announcement, it didn''t take long for the first sects to arrive. The ones who were from close by or had organized themselves in a rush reached the Jian Yi Sect''s sect grounds after just a few days. Their nervousness could be seen directly and the disciples at the gate couldn''t help but wonder if maybe they had done something they needed to feel guilty for. But, well, this had nothing to do with them. Thus, they merely greeted them, invited them inside, and then made sure that they got to the right dwellings. Naturally, Fei Bai Mu was also informed about the arrival of the sects.


    Seeing that things were being put in motion, she nodded to herself and started to sight the materials again, making sure that there wouldn''t be any hiccups while the trial was ongoing.


    After a few more days, the next sects'' envoys arrived and even a group of the Liu He Alliance made their way over. Hua Min was the one heading the group since he had already been in contact with Fei Bai Mu before.


    Upon their arrival, they were immediately brought over to Fei Bai Mu''s palace. Contrary to the small sects that had arrived before, the standing of the Liu He Alliance in the cultivation world was a completely different thing altogether.


    While the Jian Yi Sect was probably the sect at the very top, there wasn''t much of a difference between their status and that of the Liu He Alliance. In fact, there wasn''t much of a difference between any of the sects outside of the ranking. Each of them was a behemoth in their own right. With long-standing traditions, secret arts that were not shared outside of the sects, and an influx of especially talented disciples to boot that had a natural knack for cultivation, it wasn''t a wonder that this was the case. As such, the respect they were shown by others and also the respect that they were showing to each other was never lacking.


    Although, it did need to be said that the unranked sects did make it a point that their disciples treated the disciples of other sects with the same respect they expected to get from them. If a disciple was found to violate that rule, then the consequences normally wouldn''t be pretty. And that was the same for the direct disciples of the Sect Master and the Elders, as well as for the smaller disciples that couldn''t boast of the same status.


    It could be said that the unranked sects were much better than the first-tier sects in that regard as well. The Elders took this matter very seriously. They didn''t allow for any transgressions. This had, over time, made it so that the reputation of the sects were all especially good. Naturally, even if it wasn''t, the other sects likely wouldn''t have dared to say anything for fear of angering them.


    Anyways, when the people of two of these major sects met, they first exchanged quite a few pleasantries. Fei Bai Mu introduced her disciple to her guests while Hua Ming inquired about the situation and how things had been going for her since she had this additional burden of needing to prepare for the trial. It was only after almost an hour that they got to the actual point of the visit.

 Chapter 1073 - The Last Preparations

    Fei Bai Mu handed Xiao Yu over to one of her older disciples who then went outside with the disciples of the Liu He Alliance, leaving Fei Bai Mu, Hua Min, and the two Elders of the Liu He Alliance alone.


    Fei Bai Mu waited for the door to close behind them before she nodded. "Very well, let''s get straight to the point then. As I mentioned to Alliance Head Hua before, people of the dragon race will come over to take part in the trial.


    "You can imagine that this means that nothing can go wrong. I really doubt that the demon-hunting sects will dare to do anything in front of them but we still need to ensure that we keep a close eye on all of them. And I really mean all of them. While we only have concrete evidence on the wrongdoings of the Chun Feng Sect for the most part, I think it is a given to all of us that quite a few of the others aren''t innocent either. We can''t very well predict what is going to happen."


    Hua Min nodded at that. "There aren''t too many demon-hunting sects though. If each of us watches two or three of them, we should be able to deal with it easily. Especially since they also only come over with a small group. Also, not all of them are equally worrisome. We should probably talk with the others about which one to look out for the most."


    One of the Elders couldn''t help but chime in at that moment. "Is it clear yet when the people of the dragon race will appear? The sects are arriving one after the other. Who knows when the demon-hunting sects will come here? If they are here when there aren''t enough people on our side, then that could be troublesome."


    Fei Bai Mu gave a hum at that. "That is indeed true. I will have some disciples keep an eye on them for the time being. As for the question of when the dragon race will arrive ¡­ To be honest, I''m not quite sure.


    "It is different than with the sects. Asking a sect to come isn''t much of a problem, especially since most of them were already in the know about the situation. Ordering the people of the demon-hunting sects to come here is also not a difficult matter since this pertains to them directly. Not coming ¡­ They would stand against the entire, righteous cultivation world from now on.


    "But the dragon race is different. We can invite them to come but we can''t order them. In fact, I feel that it is already very lucky that they agreed to our request. They wouldn''t have needed to do it."


    The people from the Liu He Alliance nodded, all feeling that this really was very good. Things would be much easier with people from the dragon race around. The only worry was that these people might be angered by whatever the demon-hunting sects would say and do.


    Hua Min couldn''t help but give Fei Bai Mu a thoughtful look. "The one who will come ¡­"


    Fei Bai Mu shook her head in answer to what he actually wanted to know before she gave an answer for the Elders. "I do not know. From what I gathered, the two people that I spoke to that day were directly associated with the dragon king. I don''t know if they will take the pains to come here themselves but it might be."


    While this information wasn''t supposed to be as shocking as the return of the Jian Yi Sect''s Grandmaster, one of the Elders leaped to his feet and the other stared at Fei Bai Mu with wide eyes, his hands trembling faintly. "The ¡­ The dragon king?!"


    Fei Bai Mu gave them an embarrassed look and finally a short nod. "Yes, although I don''t know how closely they are affiliated with him. Anyway, their status should be pretty high."


    The Elder slowly sat down, still a stunned expression on his face. The other one put down his cup of tea, also needing a moment to calm down. Obviously, this had gone far beyond their expectations. Now, they really couldn''t help but worry about what the demon-hunting sects might want to do. If it was just any dragon, that would be bad enough. But if they somehow managed to aggravate somebody who was connected to the dragon king ¡­ Who knew what the dragon race would do? Anyway, they had no desire to find out.


    Exchanging a glance, the two of them turned back to Fei Bai Mu. "Rest assured, Sect Master Fei, that we will do everything we can to ensure that nothing bad will happen. We''ll keep a very close eye on those demon-hunting sects."


    Fei Bai Mu gave a faint smile at that. "Thank you very much. From my side, that''s everything. I don''t know if there''s something that you would like to discuss beforehand?" She turned to look at Hua Min who shook his head in return.


    "No, I don''t think so. I guess we shouldn''t disturb Sect Master Fei any longer then."


    Fei Bai Mu smiled didn''t change in the least. "Naturally, Alliance Head Hua and the Elders of the Liu He Alliance could never be a disturbance. I''m glad that you are at our side at this time."


    They exchanged a few more pleasantries before Hua Min and the Elders finally left. Fei Bai Mu sighed and went back into her palace, wondering how things would turn out. She didn''t know what exactly the dragons were planning to do and she wasn''t too sure if the demon-hunting sects would all behave. At the very least, there were a few of them that she wasn''t too sure she could trust.


    If something did indeed happen, it could become very dangerous. After all, there would be many guests at that time and if somebody got injured, then she felt that that would be her fault for not being prepared well enough. Well, she could only ensure that her own people were prepared to take action immediately.


    Thus, Fei Bai Mu went to make the last preparations over the next days until finally, the deadline had come and all the sects had gathered at the Jian Yi Sect, ready to start the trial.

 Chapter 1074 - It’s All a Set-up

    Fei Bai Mu arrived at the square that they were using for the trial before any of the envoys from the other sects did. Normally, this wouldn''t be the case if it was only the smaller sects that came but considering that the other unranked sects were taking part as well, she could hardly make them wait. Thus, she made her way over as soon as she sent her disciples to tell the other envoys.


    It didn''t take long for the others to arrive and the group exchanged some pleasantries. Fei Bai Mu showed them to their seats that were right next to hers to make sure that it was obvious to all of the sects that they were of one opinion in this matter. Their disciples took up posts behind them, keeping their eyes to the front. Later on, it would also be their task to keep an eye on the demon-hunting sects.


    Only after that was done, did the other sects arrive one after the other. The first ones were the other righteous sects starting from the first-tier sects to the lower-tiered once with the Yun Zou Sect being one of the first. Only after that were the demon-hunting sects called over. The last one to arrive was the Chun Feng Sect itself.


    The one in the lead this time was actually their Sect Master Xian Xun. His expression wasn''t a good one, making some of the other participants whisper among themselves. It really made them wonder if maybe something big would happen. But surely, the Chun Feng Sect couldn''t be so bold as to stage an attack while on the grounds of the Jian Yi Sect, right?


    Fei Bai Mu didn''t address either side. She merely motioned to the seats that had been prepared for the Chun Feng Sect before she got up and addressed everyone. "I''m sure that I do not need to explain much anymore.


    "A while ago, our Jian Yi Sect was anonymously informed about something happening that was causing trouble among our righteous cultivation sects. The Chun Feng Sect that is present here today was accused of having imprisoned disciples of the righteous sects because of the assumption that they were related to the demon race.


    "In several cases, there was circ.u.mstantial evidence at best and in most cases, there was none at all. Furthermore, none of the sects whose disciples had been imprisoned were informed of what had happened. Many of the sects searched for their missing disciples for a long time before they had to give up. They lost a valuable member of their sect and, unfortunately, it seems to be the case that at least one disciple was gravely injured while one died and all the other disciples suffered from the long imprisonment, making unsure when each of them will recover.


    "What most of you might not know yet is that the disciples were recently freed which is the only reason we even know how exactly they are doing. Today, what we are here to do is, for one, to deal with these accusations against the Chun Feng Sect and, second, agree on some rules regarding what we expect the demon-hunting sects to do in the future to avoid such a case ever happening again."


    Fei Bai Mu looked over all the people present. The expressions they had after hearing this news were very different. Naturally, the Chun Feng Sect wasn''t happy at all while the sects whose disciples had been imprisoned before had mixed expressions. On the one hand, they were enraged about what had happened, on the other hand, they were glad that they had their disciples back even if they weren''t at their peak anymore. Still, they refrained from saying anything to make sure that the trial would run smoothly. They wanted justice for their people after all.


    Seeing that things were going quite well considering the circ.u.mstances, Fei Bai Mu nodded. Her gaze swept to the horizon for a moment, trying to see if anybody of the dragon race had appeared yet but there was no one. It seemed that they would still have to wait for them to arrive. Anyway, it would be good if she continued to explain first. The dragons probably wouldn''t care about the long-winded process in the beginning.


    "For today, I want to let those who don''t know the specifics of the situation yet gain an understanding first. After that, the Chun Feng Sect may try to justify itself." She turned to look at Sect Master Xian while waving at the disciple standing next to her to pass out the jade slips where they had prepared the information for the visitors.


    Each sect was handed one of the slips and then hurriedly retrieved the information. The sects that had already known most of it weren''t surprised at all and at most furrowed their brows at some of the finer details that to the Jian Yi Sect hadn''t mentioned in the previous meetings.


    The other sects had a hard time controlling their expressions though. The original short information of what the Chun Feng Sect had done had surprised them a lot already. But this ¡­ They really had a hard time understanding how they could''ve dared to do something like this. Weren''t they afraid of losing everyone''s trust?


    When Fei Bai Mu was sure that everybody had finished perusing the information, she once again turned to Sect Master Xian. "Now, Sect Master Xian, why don''t you explain to us what you were thinking when you ordered your disciples to do this? I''m quite interested in hearing your justifications." Honestly, she didn''t believe that there was anything worthwhile he could say, but she would still allow him to speak. She did not want anybody to say that the Jian Yi Sect was bullying anyone. They really didn''t need to do something like that.


    Xian Xun gave a scoff. Defend himself? She really made it sound as if this was a trial where he had any chance to get off if he was able to defend himself. "Sect Master Fei is saying that what I say today will actually be able to change the outcome?"


    Fei Bai Mu furrowed her brows. Considering all the evidence that they had, that was more than unlikely. In fact, even if the Chun Feng Sect had imprisoned demons instead of those who weren''t for the most part and there had only been a handful of mix-ups, it didn''t change the fact that there should be rules for imprisoning people. "What is Sect Master Xian''s meaning?"


    "My meaning is that I suspect that ¡­ some people are in cahoots with the demons and this is all a set-up!"

 Chapter 1075 - Two Different Matters

    Fei Bai Mu''s brows slightly drew together. She didn''t believe a single word of what Xian Xun had just said but since she had said he could justify himself ¡­ "Oh? Then please tell us more about your assumption, Sect Master Xian. Should they turn out to be true, then naturally, we would investigate that matter as well."


    Xian Xun harrumphed. "As well? Sect Master Fei sure is amusing. Aren''t you insinuating that regardless of what I say today, your decision already stands?"


    Fei Bai Mu gave a faint smile at that. "Now, I feel like Sect Master Xian is confusing two matters and taking them for the same. The matter I called everyone here to discuss today was the wrongful imprisonment of disciples. That is something our Jian Yi Sect has taken a lot of pains to gather the stance of the other sects on. Even if it turned out that your Chun Feng Sect has not engaged in such despicable actions, it doesn''t mean we can''t lay some ground-rules to ensure that such occurrences won''t happen in the future or does it, Sect Master Xian?"


    Xian Xun tightened his lips. Asking him like this ¡­ Saying that he didn''t agree was to say that he felt disciples should be imprisoned wrongfully. But they hadn''t done anything wrong! "These disciples had ties with the demon race. As demon hunters, it is our duty to make sure they can''t harm others."


    Fei Bai Mu narrowed her eyes. "What Sect Master Xian says isn''t an answer to my question. I asked whether you were of the opinion that there should be rules to prevent disciples from being imprisoned wrongfully. Naturally, a disciple that indeed turned out to be a demon would not fall under these rules."


    Xian Xun raised his chin, not willing to agree with her. "What makes or doesn''t make a demon is certainly answered best by us demon-hunting sects. Wouldn''t you agree to that, Sect Master Fei?"


    One of the Elders of another demon-hunting sect turned to look at Xian Xun with displeasure. "Sect Master Xian, don''t pull us into this. Our Ye Zhong Order was appalled when we heard what you had done. I honestly doubt that you will be able to give any kind of justification that would excuse the damage you caused."


    Xian Xun glared at her. "Well, I can''t say I''m surprised you would say that. When our Chun Feng Sect was attacked by demons recently, your Ye Zhong Order very coincidentally stayed back and did nothing. You did not even bother to reply. I''m sure you have long chosen your allegiance and it is not with the wellbeing of the human race!"


    The Elder stared at him, stunned. "What demon attack? I''ve never heard anything about that! If you really were attacked and asked for help, then naturally, we would have provided it! Don''t think you can make things up just for your own convenience, Sect Master Xian!"


    Xian Xun scoffed but didn''t bother to answer her. Obviously, these people had all banded together and were long under the control of the demons. Whatever he said wouldn''t make a difference.


    The Elder shook her head at him, muttering something about stubbornness below her breath before she turned to Fei Bai Mu again. "Sect Master Fei, rest assured that at least the Ye Zhong Order is of the opinion that there should be rules in place. Originally, we would have thought that some things were just common sense but ¡­" She glanced at Xian Xun again and left the rest unsaid.


    Before Fei Bai Mu could answer, another Elder of a demon-hunting sect spoke up.


    "While Elder Gou is right in that rules regarding wrongful imprisonment might be necessary, it is not that Sect Master Xian made anything up. There was indeed an attack that he needed help to quell. We went there right before the invitation of the Jian Yi Sect arrived but it was already too late. I have Sect Master Xian''s letter here." He pulled out a letter from his spiritual bag, holding it in the air.


    Fei Bai Mu frowned at that before glancing at the horizon again. Unfortunately, she still couldn''t see anyone of the dragon race. Well, it seemed she could only wait. Trying to explain wouldn''t work. The Chun Feng Sect would definitely not believe her. The only way to make them realize that what they had considered being demons were actually members of another race was to show them so that there would be no room for mistakes. That was something she could only depend on the dragon race for.


    Thus, Fei Bai Mu stayed silent for the time being. She would let the demon-hunting sects debate this matter of the attack among themselves and then hope that the arrival of the dragons would end the discussion once and for all. That way, nobody could say she was trying to trick them or forbidding them from speaking their mind.


    Fei Bai Mu''s silence was indeed taken as approval and the Elder handed the letter out so others could have a look. Some of the other demon-hunting sects that had also received a letter passed out theirs as well so it wouldn''t take as long for everyone to have a look.


    Soon enough, people''s expressions slightly changed and they couldn''t help but glance over to where the people of the Yun Zou Sect stood. Zhangsun Xun Yi who was heading the envoy of their sect gave a small smile. It seemed the Chun Feng Sect that they had always considered an ally had painted them as the bad guy in these letters. He''d really like to see what exactly they had written there.

 Chapter 1076 - Too Sure of His Conjectures

    When Zhangsun Xun Yi was finally handed one of the letters and read through the ''information'' that the Chun Feng Sect had sent the other demon-hunting sects, he had the urge to laugh out loud.


    Sect Master Xian had actually written how their sect had colluded with demons and taken in ''several disciples'' that were affiliated with the demon race who were now influencing things behind the scenes. He was very much insinuating that the ones actually making decisions seemed to only be these demons and not Sect Master Yuchi anymore.


    He went on to describe how they had investigated and managed to catch two of the demons and imprisoned them. One of these people had been a high-ranking disciple while the other one had been slightly lower-ranked but still an inner sect disciple. It was pretty obvious that the ones he had meant were Ma Zhi Wu and Xiao Dong.


    Sect Master Xian further explained that they knew of at least one more demon in the Yun Zou Sect but that the sect had hindered them in apprehending it even after they explained the situation. Instead, the Yun Zou Sect had cut the long-standing friendship between their sects and shut them out, refusing to listen to any well-meaning words.


    Now, the Chun Feng Sect had been in a bad spot since they didn''t want to endanger their friends and had their pride as demon-hunters. They couldn''t leave the matter be but also couldn''t just charge in. Thus, they painstakingly investigated but things got worse because the Yun Zou Sect sought out new allies and lied to other sects to make them band together against the Chun Feng Sect.


    This brought the Chun Feng Sect to the final conclusion of the letter: They were afraid that they would soon be attacked under the command of the demons and thus asked the other demon-hunting sects for their help. They hoped that by uniting against this common foe of theirs, they would be able to weather the tides and hold on until the Yun Zou Sect finally regained their senses and the previous lies could be uncovered.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi slowly folded the letter back up and handed it back to the disciple that was watching him with some suspicion. He didn''t wait for anyone else to speak up and turned to the people of the Chun Feng Sect. Anyway, their Yun Zou Sect had been one of the last ones to get one of the letters to read. Most likely, the demon-hunting sects had been afraid that there might be some truth to the content of these letters and that they would destroy the evidence if they got them into their hands first.


    "Sect Master Xian, I''m afraid our Sect Master will be very disappointed when he hears that his friend of many years is actually vilifying him like this."


    Xian Xun just shook his head at this as if he was the one that was disappointed. "I am appalled that my friend of many years would be willing to side with the demons. I never thought that Yuchi Bing Xia was that kind of person! Was the situation of the Yun Zou Sect really that bad? Then why did you not ask us for help since you considered us as friends?" He looked at Zhangsun Xun Yi with righteous indignation as if he really believed what he was saying there.


    The Yun Zou Sect''s Grandmaster just gave a snort though. "You are basing all of this on mere assumptions. How do you know ¡ª for a fact ¡ª that we colluded with demons? What grand master-plan do you think we are working toward? What did we even do? The Yun Zou Sect never launched an attack against you."


    Before Sect Master Xian could say anything, Liu Cheng who was standing next to him already spoke up. "I''m sorry to butt into a conversation between the older generation but what you just said simply isn''t true, Grandmaster Zhangsun. Please, don''t make it sound as if we were making things up. Our Chun Feng Sect was attacked just when I and some of the other disciples delivered these letters to the other demon-hunting sects."


    "The Chun Feng Sect might have been attacked but you wouldn''t want to say that it was us who attacked you, would you?"


    "It was the demons you allied yourself with."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi gave a faint smile at that, feeling that the situation was getting more ridiculous with the minute. "You''re pretty sure of your conjecture both in regards to us and our so-called alliance with the demons and in regards to this attack. But let me ask you this: The demons that attacked you, what exactly did they do?"


    Liu Cheng could only turn to his Master at that question. After all, he had only returned when it was already too late.


    Xian Xun furrowed his brows. "What kind of question is that? Naturally, they broke into our sect grounds and fought with us to then free the ones we had already imprisoned. Now, all of them are gone. Those were years of our work that were destroyed in one day!"


    Zhangsun Xun Yi just looked at him. "So all that those ''demons'' did was to free the people imprisoned?"


    Xian Xun furrowed his brows. "Grandmaster Zhangsun, just what do you want to say?"


    The people looking on at the sides also couldn''t help but look at him for clarification.


    "Did any of your disciples get hurt?"


    Xian Xun tensed up when he heard that. To be honest ¡­ No. Save for the disciples on the last floor of the dungeon, the others had only been struck unconscious. "That wasn''t their intent. They wanted to free their people. That was their main goal."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi shook his head and sighed. "Sect Master Xian, you tell us that we are evil people colluding with demons and attacked your sect but then there weren''t even any injuries on your part. On the other hand, the wrongfully-imprisoned disciples of the other sects could finally return home with some of them injured.


    "I''m sorry but to me, it looks as if the truth of the matter is rather that some helpful soul went to free those that you and your sect wronged before. I guess I have nothing else to say about this."


    He turned back to the front and looked at Fei Bai Mu to pick up where he had left off. There really was nothing else his sect could do other than handing over their account of things later on.

 Chapter 1077 - Demons Everywhere

    Fei Bai Mu didn''t even need to say anything. The other sects whose disciples had been imprisoned already started to whisper in agreement with Zhangsun Xun Yi. Yes, from their perspective, things looked pretty much the same.


    One of the Elders stepped out and raised his chin toward Xian Xun. "Sect Master Xian, what Grandmaster Zhangsun is saying rings true. If it was only the Yun Zou Sect, then I could understand where you are coming from. But let''s not forget that this isn''t just a single incident. You suspect several disciples of the Yun Zou Sect to be affiliated with the demon race. Not just that, you also suspect that several disciples of other sects of the same thing. According to you, it seems that all of the righteous cultivation world is infiltrated by demons!"


    Xian Xun furrowed his brows. "What are you trying to say? Just by looking at them, it is often hard to tell the difference for those who aren''t used to dealing with them. Naturally, you wouldn''t always be able to tell if the ones you took in were actually demons or not. Especially if they weren''t full-blooded demons. We are merely trying to help you. Why is it that everybody is trying to paint us in a bad light now? Are you sure that you have nothing to hide?"


    Fei Bai Mu sighed. Honestly, she hadn''t expected the Chun Feng Sect to see reason anytime soon. The sect had always been slightly extreme and it hadn''t gotten better when Xian Xun took the Sect Master position over from his late Master. As somebody who had suffered quite a lot at the hands of the demons, he naturally hated them to the core. Of course, he would try everything he could to make sure that they were completely eradicated. Unfortunately, he had completely lost sight of reality while pursuing that goal.


    Just when she wanted to speak up, the Elder of the Jing Sheng Temple next to her jumped to his feet and stared at the distant sky. "It''s the dragons!"


    Fei Bai Mu looked over and also got up, waiting for them to come closer. Save for Hua Min who knew some of the backstory to this whole matter and of course, Zhangsun Xun Yi who had been involved in almost everything that had happened in the Yun Zou Sect over the past years and thus knew anyway, she hadn''t told anyone about the involvement of the dragons. Even the other unranked sects had only been told that she was afraid that the demon-hunting sects would be making trouble and should thus keep a close eye on them.


    But she hadn''t said anything more than that for fear of giving the wrong impression. While she had asked the dragons if they would be willing to come, them actually appearing very much depended on whether they wanted to or not. Naturally, this should be treated as such. It was good if they could come and give their account of things but if they reconsidered, then she also had no right to complain. So, it was better to let them come as a surprise.


    Everyone attending forgot about the conflict for a short moment and focused on the two figures that had almost arrived at the grounds of the Jian Yi Sect. Even though they were all cultivators with great strength, they could not compare to those who had been born immortal. Feeling awed at seeing this kind of creature probably was to be expected. Especially since it was rare to actually dragons in the mortal realm.


    One of the most excited people was probably Xian Xun. Seeing the dragons, his eyes lit up, and he turned back to Zhangsun Xun Yi, a trace of gloating in his eyes. "The people of the dragon race must''ve come here to save our Chun Feng Sect from being falsely accused by you people! Everybody knows that they are in conflict with the demon race. Naturally, they would be on our side."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi slightly raised his brows but didn''t bother to contradict him. Anyway, the dragon race was able to say their piece on their own.


    At that moment, the two dragons had already arrived. One of them had gray scales and a pair of piercing, violet eyes, giving him a mystical appeal, while the other was a white dragon with both blue eyes and claws, a beautiful and elegant creature.


    The people of the mortal realm didn''t know too much about the dragons and they definitely wouldn''t have been able to recognize any individuals among them. In the dragon realm, this kind of sight probably would''ve caused a bit of a stir. After all, these two were none other than two of the dragon king''s advisers, Xiang Yong and An Bai.


    The two dragons changed into their human form and Xiang Yong''s gaze zeroed in on Xian Xun immediately, seeming everything but friendly. "Your side? There must be something wrong with your head, human. You should be happy that I didn''t take it the last time we saw each other for disrespecting our king."


    The people gathered at the Jian Yi Sect that had originally been bubbling with excitement at the sight of actual, living dragons suddenly turned eerily quiet.


    As for Xian Xun, his face drained of all color. He very much remembered who this man in front of him was. The last time, they had fought for quite some time before the person rushed away, leaving him behind in fury. He had felt distinctly not human to him and judging from his looks, he had been sure that he had to be a demon. But now ¡­


    Xian Xun looked back up at the sky as if he would see another pair of dragons there and those two could indeed still turn out to be just a pair of demons that were trying to play tricks on their minds. Unfortunately, the sky was empty.


    Xiang Yong scoffed and turned away, looking at Fei Bai Mu instead. "Sect Master Fei, as promised, we came here to say our piece."


    Fei Bai Mu gave a faint smile. "I''m glad that you were willing to come. How''s that person of your race that you rescued the other time?"


    Xiang Yong slightly furrowed his brows at that and once again glanced at Xian Xun. "Well, considering the circ.u.mstances I would say he is doing quite well. Naturally not to the point a healthy child of the dragon race should be. I guess that Chun Feng Sect of your mortal realm has quite a few questions to answer."

 Chapter 1078 - Sending the Right Signal

    The envoys of the other sects that had originally fallen silent started to whisper once again. Nobody could believe that the Chun Feng Sect would actually be daring enough to imprison somebody of the dragon race as well. Most likely, everything else was also true then. Who knew what had been going on in their heads that they would actually think about doing something like this?


    While everybody else already believed what Xiang Yong had said without any reservations, the people of the Chun Feng Sect were a different matter altogether. Liu Cheng stared at Xiang Yong with his brows furrowed. "This can''t be! You must''ve gotten it wrong."


    Xiang Yong turned around and raised a brow. "I must''ve gotten it wrong? What would make you say so?"


    "The people we imprison are all of demonic descend. We wouldn''t imprison a dragon."


    Xiang Yong looked him up and down and then slowly walked over, folding his hands behind his back.


    Liu Cheng tensed up, unsure what this man wanted to do. He was just saying the truth!


    "You''re just imprisoning people of the demon race, yes? Then answer me this: How do you know that somebody is a demon?" He stopped a few steps away from Liu Cheng and lightly tilted his head.


    "Well, it is often obvious at first glance."


    "Oh?" Xiang Yong reached up, his fingers brushing through his gray hair. "You mean that looking at me, you also feel that I deserve to be thrown into your dungeon?"


    Liu Cheng drew his brows together and couldn''t help but take a closer look at this man. Yes, looking at him, he indeed seemed distinctly nonhuman. That definitely couldn''t be denied. But he was obviously of the dragon race. They had seen him shift into this appearance from that of a dragon, after all. "While it is true that you can see at one glance that somebody isn''t human, determining whether that person is actually related to the demon race naturally has a few more steps. If there was a suspicion, then we would do a test."


    Xiang Yong still didn''t seem convinced that the Chun Feng Sect was actually able to do what they said. "A test? Then what kind of test might that be?"


    Liu Cheng''s expression eased slightly at that question. As expected, the people of the dragon race weren''t like those of the other cultivation sects. While there had been a misunderstanding previously that made them unhappy, they were still willing to talk it out for the sake of getting rid of all those demons.


    "Well, as you certainly know, the bodies of demons are different from ours. Because they are a great evil, even the world itself has brought something into existence that can help with eradicating them. The demon-hunting sects of the mortal world have managed to refine these materials into weapons and items that can be used to either kill the demons directly or imprison them somewhere and slowly sap them of their strength.


    "When our Chun Feng Sect suspects somebody of being a demon, then that kind of item can be used to determine whether we were right or wrong. Thus, there really can''t be any mix-ups. The people we imprisoned must''ve all had some demon blood. I''m afraid that ¡­ somehow, a demon child mixed into the people of your race."


    Xiang Yong looked at Liu Cheng, a hint of ridicule in his eyes. This person ¡­ Was he even listening to himself? "You really said some interesting things." He turned back and walked over to where An Bai stood. Leaning toward him, he lowered his voice, whispering a few words into his ear.


    An Bai''s lips twitched when he heard what Xiang Yong said but he still nodded and then pushed off the ground, disappearing back into the sky before landing somewhere in the nearby forest.


    Xiang Yong didn''t explain and just continued to stand there, waiting for his friend to return. If this had been about just anyone, he would''ve let it go. But the Chun Feng Sect just had to have targeted their king as well. And considering the effort they had needed to make to find somebody who wouldn''t be affected by those items, he really couldn''t let things slide.


    No, he had to beat them down completely. Not with force this time but instead with arguments. And for that, he might also need to shake their beliefs and those of everybody around. Thankfully, this Liu Cheng person had given him the perfect opportunity to do that. All he needed to do was to follow up on that and then, he might be able to accomplish this task with minimal effort. Well, it did depend on whether or not An Bai was successful.


    Xiang Yong wasn''t worried about waiting for a while until An Bai returned. The people around him were different though. Seeing somebody of the dragon race was an event that might only happen once in their lifetime. If he wasn''t going to talk with the Chun Feng Sect, they would really love to ask him a few questions of their own!


    At first, they also didn''t dare to do so. After all, they were also curious about what would happen with the Chun Feng Sect. While it did not seem as if the dragons were definitely on their side as Xian Xun had claimed before, they also didn''t seem to be completely against what they were saying.


    Especially considering the fact that they had just managed to get their disciples back, those sects'' envoys were anxious to find out what the dragon race actually thought. If their disciples were taken away again and this time maybe even killed ¡­ they wouldn''t know what they should do.


    One of the Elders of those sects finally plucked up his courage and tried to speak up.


    Xiang Yong noticed and turned to the Yun Zou Sect instead. "That reminds me ¡­ How about that disciple of yours? He seemed to have gotten pretty heavily injured. Has he recovered by now?"


    The other Elder deflated, not daring to even lift his head anymore. Xiang Yong just ignored him. He wasn''t here to make small talk with any of these people. And this group of the Yun Zou Sect was pretty good to divert the attention for the time being.


    Anyway, they had some relations with their king so it might be a good idea to cultivate good feelings between them too. And that person he had asked about was also of the spirit beast tribe so inquiring after him could also be seen as their king''s intentions towards his other subjects. Signaling that would be beneficial. After all, it was pretty obvious that His Majesty himself already wasn''t thinking about that anymore.

 Chapter 1079 - The Perfect Solution to Love Rivals

    Speaking of Qiu Ling ¡­ Xiang Yong was spot on with his assumptions. The dragon king couldn''t have cared less about what was happening with either the Yun Zou Sect or the demon-hunting sects so he hadn''t bothered about this trial. On the other hand, he also didn''t care too much about the spirit beast tribe. In his opinion, they might as well keep to themselves. Why should he have to reign over yet another group of people when he already hadn''t wanted to do so for the first one? That didn''t strike him as a very good idea.


    Anyway, he wasn''t thinking about that at the moment. No, Qiu Ling, the mighty dragon king, was currently sulking. Unfortunately, nobody was paying attention to him so he could only sulk alone.


    Jing Yi was currently sitting next to Shao Hai, listening to his recount of what had happened when he and Xiao Dong had been imprisoned by the Chun Feng Sect, as well as how they had been doing in the years before that when Jing Yi hadn''t been in the Yun Zou Sect so that they hadn''t been able to see each other. In fact, some time ago, Shao Hai had even reached over and taken Jing Yi''s hand for support.


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows and looked at that offensive hand, picturing in his mind how he would go over and pluck it off. He might even say some mean words while he did so to drive home the point that this was his lover and that this stupid child should keep his hands off!


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t do that and he knew that full well. His beloved was very much focused on Shao Hai and didn''t seem to feel like he should pay him any attention. This was really maddening!


    Pursing his lips, Qiu Ling looked around for something he could do. He definitely couldn''t let this go on any longer. Maybe he could make that Shao Hai have an accident or something? That would solve this problem for quite some time!


    He pondered the feasibility of this option but finally had to let go of that plan. If that Shao Hai actually got hurt, then his beloved might just run to take care of him while he couldn''t do it on his own. Then he wouldn''t have solved the problem at all and even made it worse. After all, that guy would definitely try to take advantage of the situation! No, he wouldn''t give him the opportunity to do so.


    With that not being an option, Qiu Ling just sat down next to Jing Yi, taking his other hand. Hmph. This guy thought he could get close to his beloved and replace him? Not on his watch! He would make sure that his beloved always remembered that he was here. Thinking like that, Qiu Ling interlaced his fingers with Jing Yi''s and then gave him a hopeful look.


    Jing Yi let his lover play around with his fingers but didn''t even glance over to see what was going on. Instead, he was still focused on Shao Hai. "Then what about Xiao Dong now? Even if he wasn''t directly hurt, that does sound as if he had a really rough time in there."


    Shao Hai nodded, his gaze only slipping to Qiu Ling for a moment before he reached out with his other hand, holding onto Jing Yi tightly. "I have no idea. The people who freed us took him away afterward. I didn''t know what I should do. Honestly, I''m a bit worried about him. But since they saved us, I guess they shouldn''t want to harm him? They also mentioned that they would bring him back home. So I guess ¡­ We don''t need to worry about him?" He did seem a bit unsure about that, making Jing Yi worried as well.


    "That really doesn''t sound good." He slightly furrowed his brows, wondering if there was anything they could do. Shao Hai and Xiao Dong were his only friends from childhood days. Even though they hadn''t seen each other in a long time, he still felt close to them. If something happened to one of them ¡­


    Qiu Ling''s expression lit up when he saw Jing Yi''s expression and he hurriedly hugged his beloved from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder. "No need to worry, my love. He was just brought back to the dragon realm. He''ll be with his parents right now. If you want me to, then I can contact them to see how he''s doing." He nuzzled Jing Yi''s head, trying to pull him back at the same time so that stupid child would let go of him.


    Jing Yi turned to look at Qiu Ling, raising his brows. "You can do that?"


    Qiu Ling gave a bright smile and then kissed his cheek, feeling happy for once about the fact that he was the dragon king. "But of course! Do you want me to do it right now?"


    Jing Yi looked at Qiu Ling''s ingratiating smile and then turned back to look at Shao Hai. Ah, he could see what was going on here. Well, he did want to know what was up with Xiao Dong though. And anyway, Qiu Ling was his lover. Reassuring him a bit really wasn''t a problem. "It would be great if you could do that for me." He took his hand back from Shao Hai, turned to Qiu Ling, and cupped his cheeks, pecking his lips. "Thank you."


    Qiu Ling beamed and happily took out his transmission stone, only hesitating for a moment before he contacted Yi Zan.


    Ah, it couldn''t be helped. While he wanted to contact Xiao Dong''s family directly, he wasn''t able to do so. After all, while he had the kind of the transmission stone that could be used to contact almost everybody, that still required knowing the person and the type of transmission stone they had. As for Ai Hua ¡­ Yeah, he had no idea.


    Thus, he could only go the roundabout way and contact her brother to ask about his nephew. Anyway, this should also work out. And his beloved would still be happy and ignore that other child. This really seemed like the perfect solution to him.

 Chapter 1080 - You Should Be Worried About Him

    After having experienced this novel occurrence of their king actually reaching out to them, Yi Zan answered immediately. Before he could say anything, His Majesty was already talking though.


    "Yi Zan, about that nephew of yours ¡­ Did he get home safely? How is he doing? He''ll get back to full health in no time, right?"


    Yi Zan slightly raised his brows. Judging from the fact that he called him ''that nephew of yours'', His Majesty likely couldn''t even remember Xiao Dong''s name. There was no way he was actually concerned about how he was doing. "I don''t know, Your Majesty. I haven''t been over there yet."


    "Ah?" Qiu Ling stared at him in a daze. "Why didn''t you go over immediately? Isn''t that your beloved nephew? Shouldn''t you be worried about him?!"


    Yi Zan glanced over to Qiang Wei who pretended not to be there. Then, he looked at the person quietly lying on the bed behind them. Turning back to his king, he once again raised his brows. "But what about His Highness?"


    Qiu Ling tensed and mechanically turned his head to the side, looking at Jing Yi. That ¡­ was something he had failed to take into consideration. Yes, since Yi Zan was guarding Jing He''s immortal body, it would naturally come up when he asked him to do something else. But his beloved ¡­


    Jing Yi stared at Qiu Ling meaningfully. He wasn''t really angry. After all, he had known about this matter with Jing He for a long time now. He couldn''t deny that there was some heartache involved when he now had to hear that Qiu Ling had actually had somebody protect him all this time. After all, this just went to show how much he cared for Jing He. If their positions were reversed ¡­ Would Qiu Ling do the same for him? It was a question he just couldn''t help himself from pondering.


    Qiu Ling gulped and turned back to Yi Zan, somewhat at a loss. He could see how Jing Yi felt at a glance, making him want to give Yi Zan a flippant answer so it wouldn''t seem as if he cared too much. But then again ¡­ he was also afraid that something might happen to Jing He. "Uh ¡­ You ¡­ just ask Xiang Yong to come over then and take over for a while."


    Yi Zan wasn''t quite sure what to make of that but he still nodded. "Very well."


    "Mn. Then ¡­ you take care of that. When you''ve made it over to the dragon realm and seen your nephew, don''t forget to tell me how he''s doing."


    "Of course ¡­" Yi Zan gave a nod and then the connection was cut already. He stared at the transmission stone in silence, taking a moment to digest what had just happened. After a while, his brows furrowed slightly. "Somehow I feel like His Majesty is becoming stranger and stranger these days."


    Qiang Wei glanced at the bed behind them. "I guess that''s because His Highness isn''t there to keep him in check. Thinking back now, I actually feel like the past ten years were the easiest with him. At the very least, we always knew where to find him if something really happened, even if he would roll his eyes at us for bringing it up and scold us the whole time while solving it.


    "That''s much better than before where we would have to search for him for hours with no result at all and then he''d suddenly appear and just look at us as if we were the idiots and he had been there the whole time. Honestly, that time was maddening."


    Yi Zan nodded while imbuing his transmission stone with energy again. "His Majesty certainly is peculiar. Well, the trial has already been going on for more than three weeks. It shouldn''t be that much longer until His Highness wakes up. I''m sure things will get better by then."


    "Yeah. Especially after they''re married. His Majesty will definitely drag him to the dragon realm and insist they live there so Tianjun won''t be able to bother them."


    Yi Zan couldn''t help but chuckle at that. Yes, that was definitely what His Majesty would do, and knowing His Highness, he would likely agree as well. He probably was of the opinion that a married couple should live together.


    At the same time, Xiang Yong took out his transmission stone in front of the people gathered at the Jian Yi Sect. He felt that now really wasn''t a good time to answer but ¡­ if this was His Majesty, it might be important.


    He continued to look at the pulsing, white light, and felt like shaking his head at himself. Yeah, sure. His first impulse was that it might be important if it was their king but thinking about it, it likely wouldn''t be. No, instead, he should be worried that the dragon race would lose face if this really was their king.

 Chapter 1081 - A Bigshot!

    He gulped but finally still answered. To his pleasant surprise, it was Yi Zan''s face that appeared. "Yi Zan."


    "Xiang Yong." Yi Zan inclined his head before getting to the point. "I hope I''m not bothering you. His Majesty just contacted me about Xiao Dong, asking whether I went over yet."


    Xiang Yong slightly raised his brows. Normally, he would ask if there was some connection to His Highness but ¡­ He glanced at the people around him before turning back to the transmission stone. "I reckon you need somebody to take over your post. An Bai and I are currently in the mortal realm taking care of this matter with those demon-hunting sects. I don''t know if Fu Heng and Fu Min ¡­?"


    Yi Zan''s brows rose. "So you were in the mortal realm." Well, it figured. Their king had likely forgotten about that.


    Xiang Yong gave a strained smile. He could imagine why Yi Zan was saying this. "I''m afraid that''s the case. Don''t worry about Xiao Dong too much. I saw him before we sent him back. He is quite weakened and his abilities will likely be set back by some time but with some rest and care, he should be able to get through this without permanent damage."


    "That''s good then." Yi Zan kept quiet for a moment. "How long will you be busy over in the mortal realm?"


    Xiang Yong once again glanced at the people around him, his thoughts churning. Honestly, they had only arrived a short while ago so it was hard to say how long this would take. On the other hand, with the difference in time between the realms ¡­ "It shouldn''t be long. Anyway, I will hurry over as soon as I''m finished. Naturally, we can''t leave the safety of His Majesty''s fiance to just anybody." He tried to look as serious as he could in front of those mortals even though he actually felt that His Majesty was being too much. He had blacklisted Fu Min because of one mistake and An Bai just for getting along with His Highness too well. Considering that the Son of Heaven currently wasn''t even conscious right now, that was even more idiotic. Well, their king was just like that. Wherever the Son of Heaven was concerned, he would become unreasonable ¡­ even more than usual.


    Yi Zan slightly hesitated at those words but finally figured out that most likely, Xiang Yong wasn''t alone. It seemed they couldn''t be completely open then. "Thank you very much. I''ll wait here then and just contact my sister for now to get some more details."


    "That would be good. Until later then."


    The two of them said their goodbyes and Xiang Yong put the transmission stone away before looking up at the sky. He could understand that Yi Zan wanted to go over and have a look. Seriously, he shouldn''t have to guard His Highness all the time. But then again, this was the person their king had fallen in love with. The fact that he cared so much about him was something he was thankful for. In fact, he wished this trial would be over soon. It was time that the Son of Heaven woke up again.


    The envoys of the sects around them were exchanging meaningful glances. They didn''t dare to discuss the matters of the dragon race in front of one of them but, Heavens, they were curious! What had they heard just now? The king of the dragon race was engaged? And he was so much in love with that fiance of his that he had people protect them and was very particular about who could and couldn''t do so? And then there was also the fact that the person who was currently guarding that fiance had contacted the one in front of them which ¡­ could only mean this dragon was very, very close to the dragon king! To imagine they actually had the honor to meet a bigshot like this ¡­


    The only ones who weren''t excited were Zhangsun Xun Yi and Fei Bai Mu who knew pretty well just who that dragon king was. Even though they had a feeling of awe toward the dragon race, it wasn''t to this point of blind worship. Especially Zhangsun Xun Yi had long been disillusioned. It probably would have been a different matter if Jinde was the current dragon king but Qiu Ling ¡­


    While that disciple of his was strong, he did seem a bit scatterbrained and his thoughts weren''t even on cultivating but only on that boy. It was as if nothing else existed in his mind. It was understandable when looking at what he knew about the dragon race but still. His expectations had been a little higher.


    Anyway, that wasn''t the problem right now. Seeing as the other dragon still hadn''t returned, Zhangsun Xun Yi spoke up. "Do you need to return to the dragon realm? I''m sure we could handle this on our own ¡­"


    Xiang Yong flashed the Grandmaster a smile, thankful that he was making his task here easier. "Thank you for the offer but this is something that concerns our race as well. The Chun Feng Sect imprisoned not just one of our people but a row of people of the spirit beast tribe as well which is also under our king''s rule. How could we just look past that and let you humans deal with everything? Our king is intent on getting to the bottom of this and giving the spirit beast tribe an explanation. That is the least we can do for them. So I am more than willing to take the time to see this to the end."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi didn''t feel that Qiu Ling had looked particularly interested in the spirit beast tribe but ¡­ well, this was helpful to them as well. "Then tell us if there is a way for us to speed up the process. We wouldn''t want to take up more of your time than necessary."


    "No worries. We can continue as soon as my friend finds what he was looking for and brings it back here. I think it shouldn''t take long anymore."


    He looked up, as did the people of the gathered sects, and indeed, just a few short moments later, the figure of a man with white hair appeared over the nearby forest and rushed over to the square in the Jian Yi Sect again.

 Chapter 1082 - Evil Creatures That Need to Be Eradicated

    Everybody fell silent and watched as An Bai landed back on the square with a smile. He handed something over to Xiang Yong, that smile never leaving his lips. "It was a bit more difficult to find this than I thought it would but it should do the trick."


    Xiang Yong nodded, a smile on his lips as well. Obviously, these two dragons had something planned.


    "Sure enough. Thank you very much." Xiang Yong turned towards the people of the Chun Feng Sect and his smile became even more pronounced. "You said something very interesting just now. It really made me think."


    Xian Xun and Liu Cheng''s faces lit up when they heard him say that. Could it be that they had managed to move the person from the dragon race? That would be great! If they managed to convince them that they were right, that would solve the problems with the other sects as well. Maybe the sects would be able to see the truth and even if not, they would at least not dare to do anything if they knew that the dragons were on their side. This would definitely be very beneficial to them. The Chun Feng Sect might be saved!


    Xiang Yong smiled even further when he saw how the Chun Feng Sect was reacting and then once again went over, stretching out his hand this time and showing what he was holding in his palm. It was actually a small twig with light green leaves and a couple of bright blue berries. "I don''t know if you could help me identify these."


    The demon hunters glanced at the plant and couldn''t help but furrow their brows. That plant ¡­


    Eventually, Liu Cheng answered the question. "That seems to be a twig of the Giant Horn Tree. You probably shouldn''t touch that. It''s poisonous."


    Xiang Yong raised his brows as if that was completely new to him. "Is it really?"


    Liu Cheng looked at him, feeling that something wasn''t quite right. The two of them had talked and then that other dragon had gone over to get the twig. Why did he feel that if he said something now, he would be stepping in some kind of trap?


    Seeing his hesitation, Xiang Yong just smiled more brightly and picked one of the berries. Looking at it, he seemed to ponder something before casually rubbing it at his sleeve and then popping it into his mouth. Bitting down once and then swallowing it, he gave the people of the Chun Feng Sect a strange look. "Are you sure it''s poisonous? Seems quite tasty to me."


    The demon hunters stared at him as if they couldn''t believe what was happening. Some of them took another look at what he had in his hands but sure enough, it was still the same twig of the Giant Horn Tree they had recognized before. This was definitely a highly poisonous plant. Normally, just this one fruit should be able to kill him. But somehow, this person was completely fine.


    Seeing their reaction, Xiang Yong lightly waved the twig in the air and then turned to An Bai. "An Bai, it seems I got a bit off-topic. Remind me again. What was it they just said?"


    An Bai gave a faint smile. "I think they said that demons were such evil creatures that even the world itself couldn''t tolerate their being and had thus created something that was effective in killing them."


    Xiang Yong''s movement stopped and he looked as if he had just had a revelation. "True! Now that you mention it, it seems that they said something like this."


    The expressions of quite a few people around them grew subtle and they couldn''t help but look at that twig in Xiang Yong''s hands again. Who would''ve thought that the dragon race would actually like to play this kind of act?


    Xiang Yong also raised the twig so everyone could see it well and stared at it for a moment. "It''s quite curious, don''t you think so? There is actually such a thing in the world that wouldn''t hurt a dragon at all. In fact, this wouldn''t hurt a demon either. But it seems that humans aren''t able to eat it. I wonder if there is some deeper meeting behind this."


    Lowering his hand with the plant, Xiang Yong turned to look at the Chun Feng Sect''s people. "Believe me, I do not like the demons either. But it is like that because they are mostly arrogant bastards that think they are entitled to our land and our throne and won''t accept the fact that they will get neither of those. Also, their king happens to be especially rude.


    "If I saw someone of the demon race, I would fight with them if they aggravated me. But I would never go so far as to say that the demons themselves ought to be eradicated." Well, from the dragons'' perspective, there was surely a bit more to this than what the humans might be able to see. Once upon a time, they had been the same race. To say that the demons were something that the world itself couldn''t tolerate ¡­ Wasn''t that saying that the same was true for the dragons?


    Xiang Yong''s gaze swept to the sword that the demon hunters were wearing and gave a faint smile. "You might not have known before but those weapons of yours? Those items in your dungeons? They are not just effective on the demons. They can be just as deadly to us dragons, as well as the beast tribes. The only ones you won''t be able to hurt as much are the humans and the gods. I bet you didn''t see that coming."


    The expressions of the envoys from the other sects turned slightly strange. All these years, the demon-hunting sects had always talked about how it was their duty to wipe out the demons in their lands and how over the course of hundreds of thousands of years, their ancestors had managed to perfect these weapons. Now, it turned out that those demon hunters'' ancestors had known jack shit. Who knew how often they had gotten it wrong and imprisoned the wrong person?


    Even the disciples of the Chun Feng Sect and the other demon-hunting sects had on some weird expressions. They just didn''t know what to believe. Growing up, they had listened to the information given by their Masters and Elders every single day. The demons being evil creatures that needed to be eradicated was a core belief of theirs. How could they suddenly accept that that might not be the case?


    Expecting that of them ¡­ It really was a little too much.

 Chapter 1083 - The One to Decide

    Xian Xun was the first person to catch himself. "Even if saying so might have been going too far, it doesn''t change how the demons are! They have attacked so many of our people. Do you even know how many deaths were caused by them? Do you really want to tell me that the demons aren''t at fault for that?!"


    Xiang Yong slightly furrowed his brows. Well, he hadn''t expected that things would work out in their favor that easily but he had also hoped that they would think a little longer about what he had said. "Maybe it is less about their race than it is about the ones you have seen. I''m sure that there are also demons out there who have a bottom line and wouldn''t indiscriminately kill."


    In fact, Xiang Yong was sure about this. While the demons did have different values from them, a lot of that was caused by Tian''s curse. Not being able to feel love ¡­ That curse was even worse than that of the dragons.


    Being forced to love one person for your whole life ¡­ It just made the relationship with that person stronger. Of course, if something happened to that person, then your own life would also feel worthless. It was harsh. And it was even more so if you happened to fall in love with the wrong person who did not requite your feelings. But that was still just one aspect of their lives that was influenced.


    As for the demons ¡­ The love that they couldn''t feel encompassed everything. There simply was no such feeling as love. It didn''t matter to them whether it was romantic or familial love. There was nothing of the like in their lives.


    How were they supposed to be able to form relationsh.i.p.s like that? If you couldn''t love, then where was the reason to bind yourself to somebody? Of course, it could only be done by relying on the benefits that you would get from that person. This kind of bond was shallow and easily broken. Naturally, that had consequences for the way they lived together.


    But on the other hand, it did not mean that they didn''t have a moral compass at all. There were things they realized they shouldn''t do. Senseless killing was one of those things. After all, while they could not feel love, they could feel hate.


    Killing somebody who might''ve been a chess piece of another demon or destroying something that they were attached to ¡­ Naturally, that could draw a lot of hate. The demons were not any less passionate than the dragons in that regard and would retaliate in like. Thus, most of them would refrain from aggravating others in the first place if they weren''t very sure that they could take the other side''s vengeance. It was as if it was a natural check to the curse that Tian had placed. Otherwise, their society would''ve long been a thing of the past.


    Unfortunately, Xian Xun still refused to see that. "Why would I believe you? You might be of the dragon race but who knows if you''re really that knowledgeable? Maybe you simply do not know enough about the demons to be able to judge that. Anyway, it might be a different thing if the dragon king himself had appeared here but why should I believe just any random dragon?"


    Quite a few of the people present were in shock. How was he able to say something like this? They really felt that the Chun Feng Sect was too daring.


    The twig in Xiang Yong''s hand snapped apart. If there was one thing he hated, then it was people disrespecting his king. "You honestly think that His Majesty should take some time out of his day to come and entertain you?"


    Xian Xun couldn''t help but tense up at the gaze that he was given but he still stood his ground. "Yes, I do believe that we are owed a better explanation. Anyway, who knows if you are really close to the dragon king? Maybe all of this is just an act!"


    The disciples behind him furrowed their brows and then started to nod, some of them mumbling to express their agreement. This was right! Since they hadn''t seen the dragon king, why should they just blindly believe that? They shouldn''t just blindly listen to what these men were saying.


    Xiang Yong turned to look at An Bai. They could definitely call Qiu Ling over but considering that the Chun Feng Sect had already accused him of being a demon once and that he would definitely refuse to take on his dragon form in front of them, they really didn''t know if this would be a good idea or even make matters worse.


    An Bai also didn''t know what to do. They had thought that if they were able to shake the beliefs of the demon-hunting sects, then they would be able to accomplish more than just punishing them for what they had done this time. They might be able to solve this problem once and for all and make things easier for the spirit beast tribe that was living much closer to the human realm.


    That was their ultimate goal. But now, it seemed that they failed to take some things into consideration. What were they supposed to do now?


    Seeing that the two of them hesitated, Xian Xun scoffed. "So it''s like this. You really aren''t able to make the dragon king come here. It seems that I was right and you''re just two frauds!"


    Before either of them had the chance to answer, there was a low laugh from behind the audience. "Who is a fraud and who isn''t ¡­ I guess the one to decide that will be you, won''t it?"


    The gathered sects turned around only to see another man with silvery-white hair standing behind them. Half of his face was covered by a silver mask but the other half was more than enough to see that he wore a sardonic smile, clearly mocking the people of the Chun Feng Sect.

 Chapter 1084 - A Generational Thing

    Both Xiang Yong and An Bai''s faces lit up when they saw the person that had arrived. They hurriedly nodded in his direction to greet him. "Senior Xin Lan."


    Xin Lan just glanced at them but wasn''t very interested in holding a conversation. Anyway, he wasn''t doing this for them or for the brat currently sitting on the throne. No, he had his own personal motives for coming here.


    For one, he really disliked the guts of those people of the Chun Feng Sect. They had actually dared to make trouble for Jinde. Not only that, they had even compared him to one of those demons. How could he stand for that?


    And other than that, helping in this matter would be helping the spirit beast tribe. While he normally wouldn''t care for that either, there was still the little beauty currently residing in the Yun Zou Sect. Since he liked him, he should show him a bit of sincerity. Who knew if he wouldn''t throw himself into his arms out of gratefulness? Then, he wouldn''t have to be so bored until that fallen god finally grew up in the mortal realm.


    Speaking of Xiang Yu, his mortal reincarnation, Hua Lin Yu, was currently being held by one of Fei Bai Mu''s disciples. The two of them stood at the other side of the square to watch a bit of the excitement without getting in the way or being anywhere it could get dangerous.


    As soon as Hua Lin Yu heard the voice and saw the person stepping up, his whole face lit up and he stretched out his arms, wanting to switch people. In his eyes, while his Master''s other disciples weren''t bad, they still weren''t as good as Xin Lan. Nobody was as good as Xin Lan. Even when having to decide between Xin Lan and the pretty man, he would choose Xin Lan even if he might have some trouble deciding between those two. That was how important Xin Lan was in his heart.


    Unfortunately for the boy, Xin Lan didn''t pay him any attention and instead focused on the Chun Feng Sect. He had narrowed his eyes and slowly walked through the people of the cultivation sects that hurriedly made way when he approached. Something told them that they definitely shouldn''t get in the way of this person. If they did ¡­ Who knew what kind of ending they would have? Anyway, it seemed as if even those two other dragons were looking up to this person. He was probably very strong.


    Needless to say, if the other sects were able to perceive that, the demon-hunting sects had even less trouble to do so. The rest of them couldn''t help but shoot a few glances at the Chun Feng Sect, wondering how they had managed to piss off yet another person of the dragon race. Apparently, they shouldn''t follow this sect''s lead if they wanted to keep their little lives.


    They all tried to inconspicuously take a few steps away, distancing themselves from them. Originally, that kind of move wouldn''t have drawn any attention but with several sects doing so, nobody had any trouble seeing it.


    Xian Xun furrowed his brows, anger welling up inside of him. "You are all a bunch of cowards! Do we even know if he is of the dragon race?"


    Before the others had time to think about it, Xin Lan already laughed. "You mean I could also be a demon? Well, have any of you thought about this: Maybe this person who is accusing everybody else is doing so to divert attention from himself. Maybe he is actually a spy sent from the demon realm to fool all of you? He wants to ruin the relationship between the humans and the dragons so we would start attacking each other. Whatever remains in the end will be easy pickings for his race."


    "You!"


    Xin Lan''s words were so shameless that Xian Xun didn''t even know how to refute them. Obviously, he wasn''t a demon. Just one look at him and you would know that he was human, alright?!


    Xin Lan just smiled at his reaction. "What? You don''t like what I''m saying? It''s true though, isn''t it? Or how are you going to prove that you aren''t?"


    Xian Xun''s brows furrowed even further. "How do you want me to prove it? The weapons intended for hunting demons can''t hurt me." He raised his chin, feeling that this person wouldn''t have anything more to say now.


    Needless to say, Xin Lan wasn''t bothered at all. "I thought we had already established that your weapons are faulty?" He turned to one of the members of another demon-hunting sect and waved. "Give me one of yours."


    The Elder in question tensed but still handed out the weapon in the end.


    Xin Lan didn''t even bother thanking him and brandished the weapon, slashing over his hand once. A few sparks could be seen and he huffed, his brows furrowing. "Your weapons aren''t just faulty, they are weak as well. What is this? A sword? Or a toothpick?" He threw the sword back at the Elder who caught it in a fl.u.s.ter only for the blade to crumble a moment later.


    Xiang Yong and An Bai both turned to look in another direction, not wanting to acknowledge that the respectable senior of their race would actually do something like this.


    Xiang Yong couldn''t help but slightly lowered his voice and whisper to An Bai though. "You know what? I actually think this might be a generational thing."


    An Bai glanced at him, his blue eyes showing a trace of confusion. "What do you mean?"


    "I mean who knew that Senior Xin Lan was actually so shameless? He even beats His Majesty when you think about it like this. And they''re both much older than us. So maybe it''s just that we can''t understand yet. We might be juveniles in their eyes."


    An Bai couldn''t help but feel that there was actually some merit to that. He glanced at Xin Lan and his expression grew complicated. "Actually ¡­ While we might be juveniles in His Majesty''s eyes, I''m afraid we''re nothing but toddlers in the eyes of Senior Xin Lan. We really shouldn''t delude ourselves in thinking he would give us any more credit than that."


    Xiang Yong couldn''t help but laugh at that. Indeed. He had really been thinking too much of himself.

 Chapter 1085 - Just a Speculation

    While the two dragons were half-serious and half-joking, the gathered sects didn''t feel like it was funny at all. They had known that dragons were powerful but seeing how easily that weapon of the demon-hunting sects was reduced to pieces, they got a new understanding of just how ferocious this race really was. They didn''t want to end up on their bad side.


    Meanwhile, Xin Lan just waved at another person, taking their weapon from them when they didn''t react fast enough. He unsheathed that sword as well and then ran it over his hand, this time making sure that he was careful. Thus, there were no sparks and instead, a faint line appeared on his skin, a few drops of blood showing at the side.


    Xin Lan slightly furrowed his brows but otherwise didn''t indicate that he was uncomfortable anywhere. "So, either, I''m not a demon as you seem to want people to believe. I guess you can''t say that this is all just a conspiracy now, can you?"


    Xian Xun tightened his lips but his gaze was roaming about and finally swept back to the two dragons that were standing not too far away. "You might not be a demon but then you can''t be a dragon either. These two said that the dragons would also be affected by our weapons. So either they are lying or you aren''t what you pretend to be."


    Xin Lan had the weapon back and gave Xian Xun a smile. "Or maybe your weapons are even worse than we already established. Anyway, you really think I''m not a dragon?" He fell quiet for a moment, pondering his next step.


    To be honest, the other sects seemed quite receptive so what was being said so it would probably be easiest to just wipe out the Chun Feng Sect. They had dared to make trouble for his Master, so he also didn''t think that it would be a problem. But then again, Jinde wouldn''t like to hear that so many people had been killed for his sake. It seemed that he could only give these humans a show then.


    His smile suddenly turned amicable, making some of the people gathered shutter. "Well, if it''s like this, then I guess I will have to prove it to you. We likely won''t get anywhere if I don''t, right?"


    Xian Xun just raised his chin, trying to seem a little more imposing. He wasn''t willing to back down on this. He knew that everyone wanted to limit their ability to hunt demons but he was sure that none of them actually understood what the result of that would be. If they constricted the demon-hunting sects, then the demons would be running rampant soon. By then, the number of deaths in the human realm would go up further and further, and the people would have to live in terror. All the tragedies that would occur ¡­ He was not willing to let that happen.


    Xin Lan didn''t care about what he thought. He stepped a little away from the people of the gathered sects, still smiling as if he wasn''t worried at all. Anyway, there wasn''t any reason to be worried at all. Those humans definitely couldn''t accuse him of not being a dragon for long.


    Taking a moment to let the tension build up, Xin Lan raised his hand. Xiang Yong and An Bai exchanged a glance, feeling a bit surprised. They had thought that he would just change his form to prove that he was a dragon but apparently, that was not what he intended to do.


    Xiang Yong slightly raised his brows. "Do you know anything?"


    An Bai smiled faintly in response. "You seem to think that I know everything." He shook his head, turning back to watch what Xin Lan was doing. "I have no idea why he wouldn''t just change his form. It seems easier. And it is definitely the best proof that he is indeed a dragon. Not doing it ¡­ Well, there might be some personal reasons behind this."


    Xiang Yong raised his brows, a shocking thought in his mind. "You can''t mean ¡­"


    An Bai shook his head. "No, he is definitely full-blooded. But ¡­ Well, have you ever seen him without that mask?"


    Xiang Yong looked over to where Xin Lan stood, spiritual energy coiling around his body. The silver mask that covered half of his face was very eye-catching even now that the light of the sun was not shimmering on it. "I haven''t."


    An Bai nodded. "I haven''t either and I haven''t heard from anyone that has. Wearing a mask like that ¡­ I''m pretty sure that there will be a reason behind that. Most likely, there is something wrong with his face.


    "Whatever it is, he can hide it in this form but not in his dragon form. I guess he wouldn''t want to showcase that in front of everyone. It''s one thing if it would be just the humans but with the two of us here ¡­" He shook his head. "If I had to guess, I''d say he is too proud to do that. Considering his special status in our race, showing any bit of imperfection would be hard for him.


    "Right now, nobody actually knows why he wears that mask. It''s just some gossip and speculation. It adds to the mystery around him and nobody would be willing to discuss it too openly. That is likely still acceptable to him."


    Xiang Yong gave a hum and then continued to watch on in silence as the sky above them darkened, the clouds growling with thunder while the wind picked up.


    He had never thought too much about it. Even though most people of the dragon race were awed Xin Lan, there was only one hero of their race to him and that would always be their king.


    Even if there was some ancestor that had somehow gotten around the curse, that was at most an interesting tidbit of information. But other than that, he was pretty neutral about this person.


    Maybe he would feel slightly better about him if he had sworn allegiance to their king. But instead, this person still seemed to be hung up about the last one. How could he accept that?

 Chapter 1086 - An Unexpected Savior

    Despite the huge spectacle that was happening in front of him, Xiang Yong''s thoughts couldn''t help but drift away to his childhood. Back then, the war that had made Qiu Ling into the dragon king had long been over. But there had been attacks every now and then, where the demons tested their luck. It was never anything big since the demon king didn''t agree to the war but it was still bad enough to terrorize the people that were living closer to the borders. His family had been one of them.


    He still remembered that day as if it had just been yesterday despite the tens of thousands of years that had already gone by: The bloodcurdling screams in the distance, the roaring of the fire that lit up the night, the maniacal laughter of the demons that finally rushed into their village as well ¡­ He had been so afraid.


    At that time, he had only been a small child. He didn''t know what to do and there was no way for him to help his family. His older sister grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pulled him away, trying to flee into the night.


    He still remembered how her anthracite hair billowed in the wind, a hint of red in there from the glow of the fire, the smell of the oil that she used on it almost smothered by the thick smoke.


    Her brows had been tightly furrowed but she hadn''t been panicked. She had never been. In all these years at the border, he had never seen her lose her calm. Once, she had told him that this was the secret to staying alive: If you did not panic, if you kept a calm mind and slowly analyzed the situation you were in, then you would be able to make the best decision and thus have a chance of survival that others lacked.


    That day, his sister who had always been a brave warrior as well, finally decided that it was too much for her to bear as well. Thus, a tactical retreat was her only choice.


    It was a pity that sometimes, even giving your best was not enough.


    Soon enough, the sounds from the village behind them were reduced to the crackling of the fire and the sobbing of those that were still barely alive. The demons had gone further in another direction, leaving behind nothing but ruins.


    Xiang Yong had thought that they were saved. But just then, another group approached from the other direction. His sister had cursed and finally, tried to flee. But with a roaring blaze on one side and two groups of demons on the others, there really wasn''t much of a place where they could flee to.


    And thus, by just being half a beat too slow, they had finally found themselves in front of those very demons they had tried to avoid. His sister had tensed, her nails elongating into sharp claws while she whispered to him to hold onto her back tightly.


    A dragon child was not able to change its forms. Even when they started to learn, it wouldn''t always succeed. And the him on that day still hadn''t been able to do so. He was a liability. He was what dragged her down. Fighting while still protecting him ¡­ that was much too hard.


    It was at that time that the figure of a man clad in black swept in. His robe and his dark hair seemed if they were a part of the night themselves. He whirled around, a sword in his hand, not even bothering to take on his other form as if those demons were nothing in his eyes.


    Well, watching him, it was obvious that he indeed did not need to worry about them: One by one, the demons fell below his blade, most of them not even having the chance to retaliate. And this man did not seem as if he had any trouble fighting like this. There was no trace of exhaustion, no sign of strain. It was as if this was second nature to him.


    When the last demon fell to the ground, the man merely shook his weapon, making the blood clinging to his blade drop to the ground. Then, he dashed away. He didn''t even so much as glanced in the direction where Xiang Yong and his sister stood as if he hadn''t noticed them at all.


    The two of them only stared at his receding back in a daze. Their savior ¡­ had just left like that? It seemed impossible but there was no other explanation to be found. It made them reel with shock.


    They only came back to themselves when a man with flaming red hair appeared in front of them, his fiery brows furrowed together. "The man just now, where did he go?"


    They turned to him in puzzlement. Xiang Yong''s sister who had always been strong only weakly raised her hand to point in the direction. When the man turned to leave, she couldn''t help but call out to him. "Who ¡­ Who was he?"


    Even though she asked, she didn''t get an answer from the man with the red hair. He just sped off, leaving them in confusion. Thankfully, he was not the only one rushing over there. One of the others waved, pointing in the same direction. "Hurry up! His Majesty went in that direction. We have to catch up with him!"


    That was how they found out that the person who finally saved them had actually been their king. Knowing that, they were even more puzzled why he wouldn''t at least have mentioned his name.

 Chapter 1087 - He Had Achieved His Dream

    Xiang Yong sighed lightly when he thought back to that night. Their king had never been good at putting himself in the right light. Normally, it would be expected for a person in his position to do this kind of heroic deed and then have others talk about it so everyone would know just how strong he was. He should also stop and take care of the people that he had just saved so they would praise his benevolence, making him even more well-liked by the populace. Unfortunately, he had never been that type of king.


    In that night, Xiang Yong had admired him for that. He had thought that this man who was so strong and self-assured didn''t need to do something so pointless. He would save who he could save and then he would continue to do so, not bothering to stay back when he had already eliminated the immediate danger.


    The image of the dragon king that grew in his mind from that day forth was definitely one of a mighty and awe-inspiring man, that was deserving of his admiration. It was this what had finally led him to go to the capital city and try to become his adviser. He had wanted to pay him back for his help that day. He had also wanted to do good at his side and ensure together with him that such tragedies would not need to happen anymore in the future.


    Well, while he did manage to achieve the dream of working at his king''s side, he had unfortunately also come to know that things were a bit different than he imagined. But truth be told, he did not admire him any less.


    Their king was ¡­ special in his own right but he was still admirable. He would indeed save people. Xiang Yong did not know whether it was because he genuinely cared about his people or if it was just because he was bored out of his mind and liked fighting the demons.


    He just couldn''t say. But he didn''t care either. The only important thing was that their king would always be there when there were fights. He would put himself and his life on the line to save others. Whether it was intentional or unintentional ¡­ Who cared if those precious lives could be preserved?


    And his strength could not be denied. Also, His Majesty had lived a lot longer than he had. It was safe to say that with everything he had gone through, his perspective on things would be a different one from the one others held. Maybe living for so long had just changed him. Or maybe there was something more. It was something that he did not dare to dwell on for too long.


    Anyway, he had achieved his dream and he would continue to follow this path. Nothing would ever change about that. He did not think that his king would ever change either. He would continue to be that man who inadvertently did the right thing even if sometimes, he really made his advisers'' job needlessly difficult.


    Xiang Yong smiled slightly when he thought of that. Whatever the case, he didn''t regret any of it. But it was true that their king had gotten slightly better since meeting the Son of Heaven. It would be interesting to see just how far he could go when this trial was finally over and he had his partner at his side all the time. Maybe that would bring out the best in him and make him into the king that he had always wanted to serve.


    Anyway, until then, it would still be a lot of time. Thus, Xiang Yong pushed the thought away and focused on what was going on in front of them.


    By now, the whole of the Jian Yi Sect was enveloped by the energy that Xin Lan had gathered. The wind was roaring and a sudden downpour drenched the people of the righteous sects while only the lightning strikes from above lit this place up every now and then.


    Glancing over to where the Chun Feng Sect stood, they had pretty ugly expressions. Their Sect Master looked as if he wanted to say something but with the madness around them, he was completely unable to have his words heard.


    Xin Lan just laughed. "What? You want to tell me to my face that I''m a demon now? Then you should tell me why your weapons aren''t working on me. Honestly, you can''t have it both ways." With a smile still on his face, Xin Lan lightly waved and with a last gust of wind, everything suddenly died down.


    The clouds above their heads dispersed and it was suddenly all clear skies. In fact, there was even a gentle breeze caressing the faces of the envoys from the sects that were looking quite disheveled by now.


    Xiang Yong might have laughed if it wasn''t so serious. As things stood, he was slightly worried though. This level of using his abilities wouldn''t be a problem in the dragon realm at all but it might be over here in the human realm. After all, humans were quite a bit weaker than them. So far, Xin Lan seemed to have himself under control but if the Chun Feng Sect got on his nerves, who was to say that he wouldn''t snap and just attack them directly? This kind of ancient dragon probably didn''t have a lot of patience left.


    Xiang Yong glanced at An Bai, trying to communicate his doubt. An Bai shook his head though.


    "Don''t worry about it. I don''t know Senior Xin Lan very well but I do think he has a sense of propriety. He wouldn''t do anything too drastic in this case. Otherwise, he probably wouldn''t have come over here."


    Hearing that, Xiang Yong felt slightly relieved. Right. They hadn''t even asked him over. He had come on his own accord. That was bound to mean that he had his own interest in solving this issue. He didn''t know what that might be but it was still good that it was the case. That way, the chances of solving this issue should be higher.


    At the very least, that was what he thought.

 Chapter 1088 - We Owe You an Apology

    As soon as the people of the Chun Feng Sect had time to take a single breath, Xian Xun was already pulling out his weapon. "This is precisely what happened in the Yun Zou Sect the other day! And you really want to tell us that you aren''t a demon?!"


    Xin Lan raised an eyebrow, giving Xian Xun a lazy look. To be quite honest, he really was wondering if it would be too much to snap this guy''s neck. Just killing one person shouldn''t be that much of a problem.


    He still held back though but his gaze was chilling further. "You saw me cut myself with that weapon and hardly react. And now, you''re still trying to tell me that you think I''m a demon? I feel like you''re going to say whatever fits your narrative."


    Xin Lan turned away, not bothering to entertain Xian Xun any longer. Instead, he faced Fei Bai Mu. Thanks to the investigation he had made for Jinde back when they reunited, he knew the rankings of the sects in the human realm pretty well.


    While it wasn''t like Fei Bai Mu could be called their de facto leader, she was still one of the people with the highest status. And the ones who were almost on par with her were standing right next to her. So even if he addressed her, they would probably feel like they were included as well.


    "I''ve said what I wanted to say. I think that other than that lunatic over there, the other sects should already be convinced. Those weapons ¡­ they can''t be used to actually determine whether somebody is a demon or not. There are too many things that will play a part in that.


    "The dragons, the spirit beast tribe, the demonic beast tribe ¡­ They are all likely to be influenced by those materials. On the other hand, not all of them will definitely be influenced. If you have the right kind of person, even a demon might not be susceptible. There are way too many factors involved in this. It is very much like trying to poison a human. You might just find somebody who is immune to the one you try out on them."


    Save for Fei Bai Mu, the envoys from the other unranked sects looked a little uncomfortable at the mention of poisoning humans. They did agree with what he otherwise said though.


    Fei Bai Mu took the lead and nodded. "I do think that we agree on that. Anyway, I think the Chun Feng Sect has failed to explain itself despite us giving them the opportunity to do so. So, since Sect Master Xian is unable to provide anything else, then I think we should talk about our expectations for the future." She glanced at the other demon-hunting sects that nodded one after the other.


    These people might have had some reservations before coming here but after hearing what the three dragons said, they slowly felt like changing that view. Apparently, they had relied too much on what their ancestors had passed down and never really bothered to check whether it was actually true. That kind of thing ¡­ It was negligent of them.


    Right now, what had happened couldn''t be changed anymore but they could change how they behaved in the future. They were willing to make some concessions and reevaluate their behavior. Doing that was a good compromise between all sides. They would still be able to hunt demons if they made trouble but the ones who were also affected by their weapons but were not actually of the demon tribe would not have to fear for their lives.


    Seeing that the other demon-hunting sects were actually willing to give in, Xian Xun''s expression sank. He could hardly believe it. These demons had actually managed to pull even the other demon-hunting sects over to their side. This was really hard for him to watch. "Are you really going to do this? You''re betraying everything our sects'' stand for. We''re supposed to fight against evil not support it!"


    The Elder from the Ye Zhong Order sighed. "Sect Master Xian, don''t you think it''s enough now? Clearly, there are some things we''ve misunderstood, as well as some things that we''ve done wrong over the years. Don''t you think that it would be better to reflect on this rather than to just blindly follow through with what we did before?


    "Anyway, our Ye Zhong Order is willing to turn over a new leaf. I don''t know what the others think?" She turned to look at the envoys of the other demon-hunting sects and slightly raised her brows.


    Without exception, all of them nodded. One of the demon-hunting sects'' people even stepped out and nodded toward the three dragons. "Not just that. I feel that we owe the dragon race an apology. It seems that we have made quite some trouble for you. It might not have been on purpose but that doesn''t excuse it."


    Originally, it had been Xiang Yong and An Bai who came to deal with this matter but since Xin Lan was now here, they didn''t feel quite comfortable with speaking up without giving him the chance to reply first. After all, he was the senior of their race.


    Xin Lan, on the other hand, wasn''t really interested in seeing anything. He turned to look at the two of them and raised his brows. "What? Didn''t you get any instructions on how to deal with apologies?" Normally, he would probably not even hold back from cursing Qiu Ling in such a situation but seeing that there were humans around and even some that doubted whether he was a dragon or not, he finally went with a more neutral statement.


    An Bai and Xiang Yong nodded and then turned to the demon hunter. "Thank you for acknowledging that fact. The ones you should really apologize to are the people of the spirit beast tribe though. They were the ones who suffered the most from what you did."


    The Elder nodded. "I understand. We will go and apologize to them as soon as everything is cleared up here."


    Hearing that, Xin Lan couldn''t help but pipe up. "When you do, don''t forget to mention that I was here to help." Anyway, he still needed to brush up that little beauty''s good feelings for him if he wanted to spend the next few years with them. This was a very good opportunity.

 Chapter 1089 - A Famous Scholar

    The Elder looked at him with some confusion, not quite understanding why he would say something like this. He didn''t refuse though and merely nodded. "Of course. I will mention that this was thanks to this senior''s help as well."


    Xin Lan smiled with satisfaction and then turned to the people of the Yun Zou Sect. "Speaking of the spirit beast tribe ¡­ are they still staying at your sect?" He hadn''t heard that they had left but he had left before the envoy of the Yun Zou Sect did so he couldn''t be completely sure.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi had watched what happened between Xin Lan and Zheng Yin before so he could imagine what was going through Xin Lan''s mind. He was also pretty sure that Zheng Yin wouldn''t be as happy as Xin Lan hoped he would. Obviously, he hadn''t reacted very well before either. Still, since the question had been asked and the content was innocuous enough, he still answered. "They are. From what I heard, they intend to stay until Elder Geng''s disciple is completely healed."


    Xin Lan nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on his face. That meant that he probably didn''t have much time unless he followed them over to the spirit beast tribe''s territory. That was something he would actually like to prevent.


    While it wasn''t a problem going there, he would like to be a little closer to his Master in case something happened and he needed to rush over. Also, there was still the matter was that fallen god. It would be best if he could appear in front of him every now and then to make sure that he wouldn''t forget about him. Then he would likely be more susceptible to starting a relationship with him as soon as he came of age.


    Having gotten the response that he wanted, Xin Lan nodded. "Then I will leave for now. I guess my presence isn''t needed any longer for this discussion anyway." He glanced at Fei Bai Mu again, wondering if he should say something about Xiang Yu''s mortal reincarnation. In the end, he just sighed and then turned away, leaving without even having seen Hua Lin Yu. Anyway, the child was still too young.


    The young boy immediately deflated in the arms of his senior martial brother. He had been so happy to see Xin Lan but now, he hadn''t even been held by him for a single moment. He wanted to go back to that other sect! At the very least, there was somebody pretty to hold onto him every now and then!


    Fei Bai Mu''s bigger disciple got fl.u.s.tered when he saw his junior behave like this. He hadn''t seen Xin Lan before so he had no idea what it was that his little junior wanted. He could only try to coax him but the success was not very good. This child ¡­ It really made him feel helpless on a regular basis.


    With Xin Lan having left, the people of the sects turned to glance at the other two dragons again, waiting for what they would do next.


    An Bai turned to look at Xiang Yong as well and raised his brows. "I think we''ve said what we had to say as well, everything else is a matter of the human race. We should probably follow Senior Xin Lan''s example and leave."


    Xiang Yong slightly furrowed his brows. "This will affect the spirit beast tribe though. I think we should at least stay and listen to what is going to happen so we can inform them of this."


    An Bai fell quiet for a moment before he nodded. "You''re right. You should go and speak to Yi Zan though. I can stay here and listen. That really isn''t something two people need to do."


    The idea wasn''t bad but Xiang Yong still hesitated though. "What about you? You didn''t have much time to rest after ¡­ you know."


    An Bai merely smiled. "It''s not like I was tortured. And I don''t think any of the people gathered here could be dangerous to me. I''ll just stay back and listen in. After that, I''ll return to the dragon realm immediately. You don''t have to worry about me."


    Xiang Yong examined his expression and seeing that his complexion actually wasn''t as bad as before, he finally gave a nod. "Very well. Since you insist, then we''ll do it that way. If you really can''t hold on, then you should call one of the others over so you can hurry back home. It''s not worth it for you to tire yourself out."


    An Bai shook his head. "Alright, I already know. You should hurry up now."


    "It''s not like much time will have passed in the Nine Heavens. I''m sure Yi Zan can wait one moment longer."


    An Bai sighed. Indeed. Over there, not even a few minutes would''ve gone by when Xiang Yong returned. Still, Yi Zan had already needed to wait there for a while since the time his nephew had returned. They shouldn''t make him wait any longer even if it was just for such a short moment. "Just do it."


    Hearing that, Xiang Yong sighed and then turned to Fei Bai Mu, nodding his head. "I will take my leave as well. An Bai will stay here and give his input if there is something you need our race''s perspective on. He is a famous scholar of our race so I am sure that he will be able to answer any questions you have much better than me or anyone else could. Farewell."


    He waited for Fei Bai Mu to say a few more words before he also left.


    The people of the cultivation sects were quite awed though. So this person was actually a famous scholar of the dragon race. Who would''ve thought! The gazes they used to look at him became even more respectful.


    An Bai could only smile wryly, trying not to stand out too much.

 Chapter 1090 - An Event of the Past

    While the cultivation sects were indeed awed by this information, that only lasted for a short while. Anyway, the person in question was a dragon. Being a famous scholar on top of it actually wasn''t that much more interesting after you got over the initial shock. Thus, they soon paid their full attention to Fei Bai Mu again.


    Thanks to the fact that there had been several debates before even inviting everyone for this trial about what should and what shouldn''t be done in the future regarding the matter of hunting demons, it didn''t take long to come to a conclusion.


    After all, the unranked sects were all on the same page already and most of the sects that had their disciples imprisoned before had been involved in the previous discussions as well so they readily agreed with what was brought up.


    In a way, it could be said that the meeting was actually more of a formality to make the lowest-ranked sect, as well as the demon-hunting sects themselves, feel as if they actually had the chance to influence the outcome. To be honest, Fei Bai Mu wouldn''t have minded adding or cutting any points to what had been agreed on previously if there were any good arguments made either way but no surprises occurred.


    When everything had been discussed in full, Fei Bai Mu had one of her disciples write up a contract that the envoys of the sects all had to sign. From the other unranked sects to the lower-tiered sect, nobody had a problem with it. Even the demon-hunting sects signed one after the other. The only ones who still weren''t satisfied were ¡ª rather unsurprisingly ¡ª the Chun Feng Sect.


    Even with the contract right in front of him, Xian Xun furrowed his brows and refused to pick up the brush. "I will not sign it. You are just opening the gates for an invasion of the demons."


    Fei Bai Mu looked at him, the disappointment evident in her eyes. She had known that it would be difficult to convince Xian Xun to be a part of this. She wouldn''t have thought that he would be this stubborn though. Well, there was nothing she could do to change his mind if even the people of the dragon race hadn''t been able to do that.


    "If Sect Master Xian Xun is of that opinion, then I''m afraid we''ll have to live with that." She waved at her disciple to bring back the contract and then rolled it up, sealing it with her spiritual energy. "Nonetheless, I think that this meeting has been a success.


    "From now on, all the sects gathered here ¡ª save for the Chun Feng Sect of course ¡ª will regard this contract as binding. This will give our disciples and also the people living among humans that are of non-human origin peace of mind. They will not be put in needless danger anymore.


    "As for the Chun Feng Sect ¡­ Well, I cannot force you." She could, however, tell people to keep an eye on them. And the other sects were completely able to do so as well. Even if the Chun Feng Sect refused to sign, that didn''t mean that they would have an easy time hunting demons in the future.


    It was to be expected that over time, the Chun Feng Sect would slowly dissolve. After all, when their reputation hit rock bottom and they were unable to do what they were supposed to do, then how were they supposed to survive? No sect was able to exist in a vacuum.


    It might feel cruel but it was even crueler to let them hunt people that had ever done anything wrong in their life and were only shunned for who their parents were. From now on, something like this was not supposed to occur anymore and she wouldn''t let the Chun Feng Sect change that. No, from now on, things would be fair.


    This contract stated that even if there were suspicions regarding a person''s heritage, they could not just be killed and couldn''t be imprisoned either as long as there was no evidence that they had committed any crimes.


    If they did, however, then they would have to face the consequences and they would naturally be treated somewhat differently from others. After all, while having the blood of a nonhuman race didn''t necessarily make them into worse people, it did give them abilities that needed to be accounted for.


    This meant that while the demon-hunting sects would have to be more careful in what they did in the future, it also meant that they weren''t unneeded. No, they still had their task. They would just need to adhere to some new rules from now on. It seemed to be the best compromise for everyone.


    What had originally started as a huge conspiracy that might have caused several dozens of people to lose their lives, had finally been resolved in an almost peaceful manner with hardly any casualties.


    Thinking about it like this, quite a few of the people gathered at the Jian Yi Sect couldn''t help but heave a sigh of relief. Even though it had been the dragons'' work to a large degree and not something they could pride themselves on, it was still a good thing no matter how this result had come about. From now on, things would be better and they would make sure to react sooner if something like this was going to happen again.


    In this way, the trial of the demon hunters finally came to an end and the sects could return to their own places, informing their Sect Masters and Elders of what exactly had gone down there.


    Soon enough, things were back to everyday life with the Sect Masters worrying about how to keep the sects afloat, the Elders fretting over how to teach their disciples, and those disciples focusing on cultivation.


    This trial was now nothing more than an event of the past and the cultivation world seemed to have become peaceful again with nobody needing to worry anymore. But amidst those following, peaceful years, the greatest worry of one person eventually came true.

 Chapter 1091 - She Could Stop Worrying Now

    Zhong Jing Yi held his mother''s hand, both of their faces pale. He had always known that this day would come but he had also felt that he still had a lot of time until then. But now, ten years had gone by seemingly in a flash and the thought that suddenly, there wasn''t any time left, made him look at her blankly. He did not know how to handle it.


    Madam Zhong smiled faintly at her son''s expression and then patted his hand, sighing. "There''s a day like this for everyone. There was one for your father, there is one for me, and even for you, there will be such a day in the future even though it will hopefully be a long, long time until then."


    Her voice was slightly hoarse and there clearly wasn''t any strength in that frail hand, making Jing Yi lower his head. He really wished he could see it like that and just accept the fact that soon enough, he wouldn''t have his mother with him any longer. But the truth was, he just couldn''t.


    It had been hard enough accepting his father''s early demise even though they hadn''t spent nearly as much time with each other as he had spent with his mother and even though he had still had his mother left at that time to get him through those difficult moments. Now, his father was gone, and he would still be there when his mother left as well. He didn''t know. He just didn''t know how he was supposed to go on after this.


    Madam Zhong looked from her son to the person standing at the side of the room, looking very much just as down as Jing Yi. She held out her hand toward him, wriggling his fingers. "You come over here, Qiu Ling."


    Qiu Ling nodded and came over, taking her hand as well and sitting down on the other side of the bed. "Mother-in-law ¡­" He glanced at Jing Yi, his heart hurting at seeing him so pained.


    Madam Zhong gave him a long look, thinking back to the time when they had just arrived in the capital city. "Do you still remember what you promised me?"


    Qiu Ling looked back at her, keeping quiet for a moment. The things he had promised her ¡­ Yes, naturally, he remembered all of them. Anyway, there had only ever been one thing she asked of him. "I''ll stay at Jing''er''s side. I will always be there for him regardless of what happens. Don''t worry about it. I''ll make sure that he doesn''t come to harm for as long as he lives."


    Madam Zhong nodded, satisfied with his answer. It seemed that she didn''t need to worry about her son''s future. Even though he couldn''t have his family with him any longer, he would not be alone. There would still be this person at his side.


    She sighed deeply, looking up at the ceiling. She didn''t know just how much time she had left. It couldn''t be much. Previously, her condition had already been getting worse and in the last few months, it had deteriorated further and further. What could she do? She was getting old. Maybe it really was just her time.


    Looking at her son again that didn''t look any older than twenty, she still couldn''t help but feel that she was abandoning a helpless child. Well, maybe that just was how it felt when you had to leave a loved one behind. "You should return to the sect. I''m sure there are many things to do. And aren''t Shao Hai and Xiao Dong also there? You''ll feel better with your friends around you. Don''t force yourself to stay here and do anything that isn''t your path."


    Jing Yi nodded but he still couldn''t say anything. His throat had constricted long ago and it took everything in him not to cry. He really didn''t want her to have that as her last memory of him. He wanted her to be able to go in peace. If there was nothing else he could do for her, then it should be at least this.


    Even though Jing Yi might think so, his mother was still the person that knew him best. Just one look at him was enough to realize how he was actually feeling. She gave a faint smile and patted his hand again. "Child, don''t try to pretend in front of your own mother. I know that this is hard for you but I don''t regret anything.


    "Looking back ¡­ I''ve had a long enough life and it was a fulfilling one. I''ve had a loving family growing up, I had a great husband accompany me through my best years, and I have raised a good son that is now all grown up. What I wanted to do in this life has already been achieved. I shouldn''t force myself to hang on any longer.


    "No, now, it''s time for me to join your father. I''m sure he''s been missing me terribly wherever he is. In my next life, I''d want to be his wife again and I would want you to be our son again as well. We''ll wait for you over there."


    Qiu Ling looked away, keeping the fact that Mister Zhong would indeed not be waiting anywhere for her to himself. She deserved to pass without that knowledge.


    Meanwhile, Jing Yi finally couldn''t hold back his tears. They just spilled over and he reached up, trying to wipe them off before his mother could notice. "I would also want to be your son again." Unfortunately, he knew that that wouldn''t happen regardless of how much he wished for it. After his death, he wouldn''t go wherever his parents were. He would wake up as who he had originally been. That ¡­ made it even worse.


    Madam Zhong looked at him and then pulled Qiu Ling''s hand over, putting Jing Yi''s into it. "The two of you have to stay together. Be there for each other. There''s nothing you can''t do if you have each other. With somebody at your side that you trust and love, no hindrance is insurmountable. That is something that life has taught me."


    Jing Yi grabbed onto Qiu Ling as if he was his lifeline. "I''ll remember it. I''ll remember everything you''ve taught me. I''ll do exactly as you say."


    Madam Zhong nodded and patted his hand again. "Also, I know I should not ask this of you but your father''s family has helped us when we needed help. You should also keep an eye on them. If they are in trouble, then try to help out and repay them.


    "If you can, also tell Guanyu that she should come to visit more often. Even though she is staying in Xiao Li''s sect and probably has a good life there, she should still try to see her parents at least every now and then.


    "Other than that, just focus on your own life. I''m sure life in the sect will be good for you. Anyway, you stayed here for ten years. I''m grateful that you took the time to accompany your old mother for such a long time but it''s time for you to return and pick up where you left off now. You have to live your own life. Don''t put that on hold for me any longer."


    "I''ll do that." Jing Yi barely got the words out but he knew he had to promise her at least this. It was what she would want to hear most right now.


    Madam Zhong nodded and then fell quiet. She held Jing Yi''s hand on one side and Qiu Ling''s on the other, looking at these two people that had been helping her for the past decade.


    Her son had grown up. She didn''t need to worry anymore. He had become strong and smart and he had found a good partner. He had found his own place in life. What more could she wish for?


    Looking at the two of them, she finally let go of her last apprehensions, closed her eyes, and drifted off into sleep.

 Chapter 1092 - She’s Not Coming Back

    Jing Yi had been watching his mother''s face the whole time. Seeing her eyes fall shut, he closed his own eyes with a pained expression and pressed his lips together to keep himself from crying out. His grip on Qiu Ling''s hand tightened.


    Qiu Ling glanced at Madam Zhong''s face and then let go of her hand, instead leaning over to Jing Yi, and pulling him into his arms. He didn''t say anything. Just holding him close and trying to comfort him as well as he could.


    Anyway, even if he wanted to, what could he say? The bond that Jing Yi had had with his mother was something he had never experienced. Even though it had been hard losing his parents back then, that had mostly been because of other reasons. It had not been like this. He felt like he was completely incompetent when it came to finding any words in this situation.


    Jing Yi fell into Qiu Ling''s embrace and held onto him, his tears falling silently. He still couldn''t believe it. Even though he had watched her grow older for the past ten years and even though he had seen in the last few months that she wasn''t doing as well anymore, he just hadn''t realized what exactly that would mean. And even now, that they had said their goodbyes, it was hard to fathom that things were really over.


    He forced himself to let go of her hand and instead clung to Qiu Ling''s robe, trying to hold onto him as if for dear life. "She''s really gone, isn''t she?"


    Qiu Ling kept quiet for a moment, once again glancing at Madam Zhong''s face. Finally, he reached up and stroked Jing Yi''s back. "She''s gone, yes. She ¡­ is probably reuniting with your father right now." He felt terrible lying to Jing Yi but on the other hand, he knew full well that this was the only thing that would give him at least a little bit of closure. How could he not say it?


    Jing Yi did indeed nod. "All these years, she missed him terribly. I guess it would be selfish to expect her to stay any longer with me. She should be allowed to be with him again."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "She was very happy while being with you. She will also be very happy when being with him. It''s understandable that you miss her though." He turned his head and kissed Jing Yi''s cheek, pulling him closer. He really didn''t know what to do for him. This situation ¡­ it would be hard no matter how you looked at it.


    Jing Yi raised his head, looking at Qiu Ling with red-rimmed eyes. "Thank you."


    Qiu Ling just looked at him, unable to figure out what to say. He felt as if he was only doing the bare minimum and not helping at all. He couldn''t bring her back. He couldn''t shoulder Jing Yi''s pain either. He could only be there for him and hold him while he cried.


    Jing Yi took a deep breath and then sighed. He pulled out of Qiu Ling''s arms and turned back to look at his mother. "She''s gone. She won''t be coming back. Regardless of how hard it is, I will have to accept that. We ¡­ we should bury her and make a memorial tablet. I can put it next to my father''s."


    Qiu Ling nodded and got up with him, trying to find something, anything that he could do for him. Thinking it over for a while, there actually wasn''t much that could be done. "I will send somebody to inform your cousin to come back home."


    Jing Yi turned to look at him, not quite sure what to think of this. Naturally, his mother should be sent off by the whole family. So Guanyu returning should really be expected.


    Thinking of how his cousin was, he couldn''t help but be a little apprehensive though. Who knew what would happen when she returned? Anyway, it was still the right thing to do. "Thank you. I ¡­ I''ll go and organize everything else then."


    Qiu Ling nodded, pulled him into his arms for a short hug, and then stepped back. "I''ll be back in a minute." Even though Jing Yi spoke of taking care of things, he also knew that it wasn''t that easy. He was obviously suffering inside but forcing himself to take care of matters. Who knew when his mother''s death would really hit him?


    Still, he couldn''t stay at his side the whole time. There were a few things that just couldn''t be delayed. If Zhong Guanyu was supposed to get back in time for the funeral procession, then they would need to inform her soon enough.


    Qiu Ling didn''t go far. He only stepped out of the room and went to the other side of the courtyard, before taking out his transmission stone and contacting Fu Min. From what he knew, Yi Zan had already returned to guarding Jing He''s body after visiting his nephew for a while and Xiang Yong and An Bai seemed to be involved in some other kind of conflict so there really were only Fu Min and Fu Heng left to do this kind of job.


    Well, that pair of husbands should be quite well-suited for it. Fu Min could use that poisonous tongue of his to make Guanyu see the light and if that didn''t help, then Fu Heng could just beat her unconscious and carry her over. Anyway, he didn''t care too much about the means as long as that girl appeared to take part in the ceremony. He definitely wouldn''t allow her to disrespect his mother-in-law.


    Meanwhile, Jing Yi also got busy. He changed into mourning clothes, had the servants put up a white band above the door to show that a death had occurred, and went to tell his uncle and aunt that his mother''s time had come after all.


    With the help of the two of them, everything else was soon prepared and the funeral rites were about to start.


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 Chapter 1093 - Resentful of Beautiful People

    Even though Fu Min had been instructed almost immediately, it took him some time to actually find the respective sect and the person his king had spoken of. While he had seen Zhong Guanyu before, that had been when Jing Yi''s family had just come to the Long kingdom''s capital. Back then, both children had still been fairly small. Right now, there really wasn''t any resemblance between the Guanyu from back then and the woman she had grown into. In fact, upon finally finding out who this person was, Fu Min could only stare at her dumbfounded.


    After a moment of silence, he blinked his eyes and turned to his husband who was standing next to him. "Do you really think that''s her? Isn''t she supposed to be the cousin of His Majesty''s beloved? Aren''t they the same age?"


    Fu Heng requited the gaze of his husband and then gave a short nod. Yeah, that was what he had understood as well.


    Fu Min tilted his head and continued to stare. "But ¡­ why does she look like this?"


    When thinking of His Majesty''s beloved, he would immediately think of the Son of Heaven. Even when not thinking of the Son of Heaven, he was at least thinking of a graceful youth that would be able to make people look at him with fondness because of his bearing and looks. Anyway, even if he hadn''t grown up to be graceful by some stroke of extremely bad luck, he should at least look youthful. But this woman ¡­ she did make him wonder if maybe had gotten something wrong.


    "She''s at least in her forties."


    Fu Heng nodded along. "She''s mortal."


    Fu Min pondered and finally nodded. "Well, I guess you''re right with that. Anyway, let''s go talk to her."


    He didn''t wait for Fu Heng''s answer and just strode over, stopping in front of Zhong Guanyu.


    She looked up, looking from Fu Min and Fu Heng and then back again, her brows furrowing together. Save for the fact that she had gotten quite a bit older, she was actually a good-looking woman. Mo Fang''s good genes had definitely done wonders in that regard.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t much to be proud of in a cultivation sect. Most people here were looking very youthful, and those that didn''t were normally the venerated Elders of the Hei Dian Sect. They were immensely powerful so even if they didn''t look like they were very young, nobody would dare to look down on them.


    But as for her ¡­ She was just a mortal without any spiritual energy at all but was still looking like this. She had definitely gotten quite a few looks and the only reason people weren''t mocking her openly was because she was still living with Xiao Li who was a direct disciple of one of the Elders. Nobody really understood why he would be living with a woman like this but anyway, that was his own problem.


    "What do you want?" Seeing another couple of beautiful people in front of her, Guanyu''s temper immediately flared up. She always felt resentful when seeing someone like this.


    Originally, Xiao Li had promised her that she could always stay young and beautiful after taking the pill he had gifted her for the wedding. She hadn''t taken it immediately since she seemed several years younger than Xiao Li. She had thought that she might as well wait a few more years before taking it. The gap between them would be smaller and if the pill only worked for a certain time and not forever, she would have longer before she needed another one.


    But then, even after taking the pill, nothing had changed. After a while, she noticed that she had still grown older and it showed. Soon enough, she seemed just as old as Xiao Li and then, she looked even older.


    She had finally confronted him about it but her husband had pretended to be oblivious at first and had then blamed her that it was because she had waited for too long so that the pill had become spoiled.


    Just thinking of it, Zhong Guanyu wanted to slap him. He had never told her that something like that could happen! If he did, why would she have waited at all?! Now, she was growing old and ugly while her husband still looked exactly the same as before. And he had said that it was hard to find another pill like this so there wasn''t a chance to change the situation. But if that was the truth, then sooner or later, wouldn''t he find somebody else? Then what was she supposed to do?! And even after so many years, she still didn''t have a child that she could use as leverage!


    Fu Min raised his brows at her attitude and then actually felt relieved. From what he had heard, the cousin of their king''s beloved was a downright brat. Even though she was way too old to be called a brat now ¡­ she still behaved like one.


    Anyway, since he was sure that she was the right person now, he cleared his throat. "I assume you are Madam Xiao, Zhong Guanyu?"


    "Yes, that''s me!" She actually puffed up her chest when she was addressed like this. Anyway, her husband was the only one guaranteeing her good life here. It was best if everyone knew just who she was to him!


    "I''m afraid I have to tell you that your aunt has passed away. Your family expects you to return home for the funeral."


    Zhong Guanyu stared at him blankly. "My aunt?" She thought back to Jing Yi''s mother and then scoffed. "She? Why would I return for her funeral? That woman has nothing to do with me!" Anyway, she had never liked her and she liked Jing Yi even less. Wouldn''t he be there if his mother died? She really didn''t want to see him and that husband of his.


    Fu Min and Fu Heng exchanged a glance at her reaction. It seemed ¡­ they could only go with plan B.


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 Chapter 1094 - The Same Approach

    Fu Min nodded at his husband who immediately dashed out to strike down the person they were supposed to take back home. Zhong Guanyu only had time to call out to the person that had just turned into the path leading up to the hut before she already fell to the ground, unconscious.


    The two dragons exchanged another glance. What had they just heard? ''Husband''? So that person was more or less a member of the Zhong family as well? In that case ¡­


    Fu Heng didn''t need to be prompted and rushed over on his own, trying to strike that person down as well. Unfortunately, this time, he didn''t have as much luck.


    When Xiao Li saw two dragons appear and strike that so-called wife of his unconscious, he panicked. It got even worse when one of the dragons glanced up and charged at him. Without thinking, he converted his spiritual energy into the dark one of the demons, dissolved his body into a dark mist, and changed positions.


    Fu Min''s and Fu Heng''s eyes widened and they both attacked at the same time as soon as Xiao Li reappeared a few steps away. In his panic, he didn''t manage to get away in time and was struck unconscious as well.


    The two dragons stood next to him, looking at his unconscious form in a daze.


    "This ¡­ is the husband of the cousin of His Majesty''s beloved?"


    Fu Heng furrowed his brows. "She called him that way."


    Fu Min also nodded. He had heard that as well and it certainly hadn''t been a coincidence. "He seems to be a demon though. Does His Majesty know?"


    The pair of husbands looked at each other and then simultaneously shook their heads. There was no way that His Majesty actually knew about this. If he did ¡­ Well, they had no idea what he actually would''ve done about it but they were pretty sure that he should''ve mentioned it if he was aware of it.


    "Then what do we do now? He''s a member of the Zhong family. But he is also a demon so we can''t really just bring him around His Majesty and his beloved, can we?"


    Fu Heng rubbed his chin and slowly nodded. "Let''s tie him up."


    Fu Min pondered and then nodded, helping his husband to do so. "Then about that girl ¡­ She''s really rude. Do you think we should also take some precautions so she won''t bother His Majesty''s beloved? It''s a funeral after all. I don''t think it would be good to just let her run rampant there."


    Fu Heng nodded. "How about stuffing her mouth?"


    Fu Min considered the option for a moment and looked over at where Zhong Guanyu was lying but then shook his head. "Too obvious. But we could probably strike an acupoint so she won''t be able to talk."


    Fu Heng stared at his husband, his gaze meaningful.


    "What?"


    "Do you know which acupoint to strike?"


    Fu Min stared back at him, slowly tensing up. "Technicalities! Anyway, if you''re so smart, then why don''t you do it?!"


    Fu Heng also turned to look over and then took out a transmission stone, imbuing some spiritual energy.


    The picture that appeared showed the slightly tired face of An Bai. "Fu Heng, what''s the matter?"


    "Which acupoint do you have to strike so somebody will be able to move but unable to speak?"


    An Bai''s gaze slid to the side and he gave a low hum. "That''s an interesting question. I feel like I should give that a try first."


    Fu Min rushed behind his husband and then tiptoed, resting his chin on his shoulder. "To think that there was something you would actually need to try first instead of knowing the answer immediately ¡­ I''m honestly a bit scared. This isn''t like you."


    An Bai looked back, slightly raising his white brows. "No? Isn''t that because of what the two of you did? Anyway, let me show you a chart. I''m afraid you wouldn''t know what I''m talking about otherwise."


    Before An Bai could turn to find one, a hand already handed him a book. He stared at it but then still took the book, opening one of the pages before he turned it around. "It''s this one." Pointing at the acupoint, he raised his brows at Fu Min and Fu Heng. "Do you understand?"


    Fu Heng stared at the drawing and then nodded. "I''ll go and do it. Thank you very much and I''m sorry for bothering you."


    An Bai just gave a hum and the two of them cut the connection.


    An Bai turned to the person next to him and slowly closed the book. "What are you still doing here? I think I have made it abundantly clear that you aren''t welcome."


    Ye Yang just smiled and took the book from his hand. "My dear An Bai, the two of us are soulmates. I can feel that in my heart. Just give it a bit of time and you''ll see that I''m right." With that, he turned around and went to return the book to the shelf at the side, seemingly not feeling out of place at all.


    An Bai watched his back, keeping quiet. This guy ¡­ He had thought he would never have to see him again but after returning from that meeting in the Jian Yi Sect almost two weeks ago, he had suddenly been confronted with his smiling face as soon as he stepped into the palace again.


    Originally, he had driven him away but somehow, this guy was much more resilient than he had expected him to be. The next day, he had already come back again, once again trying to worm himself into his good graces.


    It was honestly quite annoying. It was also very much the same approach that His Majesty had taken with the Son of Heaven. Thinking about that, it did worry him quite a bit. Unfortunately, Ye Yang''s explanation for why he was being here and why he couldn''t just ignore him was pretty good.


    Judging from what was currently going on in the demon realm, they could only work together with him if they wanted to prevent things from going awry even further. After all, while neither of them liked the current demon king, it was true that things had been rather calm since he acceded to the throne. A new king ¡­


    No, he wasn''t thrilled at the option of that happening. Another great war would break out again for sure if that happened. Thus, he could only swallow his pride and allow Ye Yang to come by. He only hoped that there wouldn''t be any consequences for himself.


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 Chapter 1095 - Don’t Wait for Me

    Back in the Hei Dian Sect, Fu Heng struck the acupoint that An Bai had just shown him on the chart and then stared at Zhong Guanyu with thoughtful eyes.


    Fu Min raised his brows at his husband. "What''s the matter?"


    Fu Heng frowned and then looked up. "Well ¡­ Do you think that it is right? He showed me and I think I hit the right point but she''s unconscious. How do we know that she really can''t talk?"


    The two of them looked at each other and then looked at Zhong Guanyu.


    "Well ¡­ How about striking it again just to make sure?"


    "But what if that undoes it?"


    Once again, the two of them lapsed into silence. This really was such a difficult task! It had sounded so simple in the beginning when His Majesty contacted them but as it turned out, this was really much more difficult than it had looked at first glance.


    Fu Min sighed. "How about we just bring them over first and then we can ask His Majesty. He should have an opinion on this, shouldn''t he?"


    Fu Heng didn''t dare to give an honest answer to that. Anyway, you should not disagree with your spouse too much. That was the secret to a happy marriage! At the very least, that was what his mother had drilled into him from his early childhood whenever she had been nagging his father about something without success. Thus, Fu Heng just looked at his husband, waiting for him to figure it out by himself.


    Fu Min pursed his lips at that. "Can''t you at least pretend to agree with me? Anyway, we should still bring them over first. Leaving them here also wouldn''t be good and the funeral won''t wait for us."


    This time, Fu Heng did indeed nod. Anyway, it really was better to bring them over soon. He went to pick up the demon and then looked at the woman, wondering if he should let his husband carry her. In the end, he threw one person over one shoulder and the other person over the other shoulder and then nodded at Fu Min.


    His husband looked at him, looked at the two people on his shoulders, and then raised his hands to clap. "My husband is so strong. I''m awed!"


    Fu Heng couldn''t help but give a happy smile at that. His husband was praising him. What better feeling could there be in the world? He gave a faint hum and really wanted to lean forward to give him a kiss but with two people on his shoulders, it also wasn''t easy to do so. In the end, he could only give up with an unhappy huff.


    Fu Min laughed and then turned around, waving for him to follow. "You better hurry up. The sooner we are there, the sooner you can get rid of that useless baggage."


    Fu Heng gave another hum and nodded and then pushed off the ground, following behind Fu Min. The two of them directly rushed to the Long kingdom''s capital, not bothering to check their surroundings. As a result, neither of them noticed the person that was currently resting in one of the trees in the Hei Dian Sect, watching the whole scene with slight interest.


    Xin Lan held the half of his face that wasn''t covered by the mask and narrowed his eyes in thought. "Aren''t those two advisers of that brat? What''s going on?" Normally, he wouldn''t care what happened with Qiu Ling and his people but considering that he hadn''t seen Jinde at all in the past ten years, he couldn''t help but be a little worried. If something had happened on that end, Qiu Ling should know about it.


    He finally jumped down from the branches of the tree and went over to the person working on the field a few steps away. "I''m going to head out for a while."


    Zheng Yin turned around and raised his brows. Normally, this man was incredibly sticky physically while being emotionally distant. Actually being told that he would leave was strange in more than one regard and made him feel alarmed. "Did something happen?"


    Xin Lan pondered for a moment, originally not intending to explain himself, but then still nodded. "Mn. I saw two people of the dragon race ¡­ commit a crime. I''m going to check it out." He already wanted to turn around and leave when his gaze brushed over Zheng Yin''s body again. In the end, he stepped forward, pulled him into his arms, and gave him a deep kiss, his hands brushing over his waist.


    Mn, never mind. He had spent a lot of time wooing him, he might as well give him a bit more attention for as long as this lasted. Anyway, this would be over soon. With ten years having passed, that fallen god''s reincarnation should already be old enough to get into a relationship by now. In other words, this might be goodbye for him and Zheng Yin.


    He stopped and pulled back, giving him a satisfied look. "Don''t wait for me."


    Zheng Yin slightly tensed up but before he could say anything, Xin Lan had already let go of him and left. He stared at the spot where he had just stood and slowly balled his hands into fists. He had never intended to let this man into his life. The dragons were arrogant and demanding and a relationship with one of them was the last thing that had ever been on his mind. But ¡­ after some time, he still could not resist that fatal attraction.


    Like a moth being drawn to the flame, he finally still gave in even though he could clearly see that Xin Lan hadn''t committed to him at all. There was some attraction from his side, yes, but it was only ever physically. In his heart, Xin Lan didn''t care about him in the slightest. But even though he had known, it still hurt every single time he was confronted with the truth this blatantly.


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 Chapter 1096 - Prepare for Death!

    Xin Lan followed the two dragons up until they reached the courtyard house of the Zhong family in the Long kingdom''s capital. Looking at the white cloth over the doorstep, he narrowed his eyes. It seemed that a death had occurred in this house?


    He didn''t know which family was living here but if two dragons made their way over, there definitely had to be something more to this. Since he had already come here, Xin Lan felt that it would be idiotic to just leave again. Thus, he jumped over the wall, watching things proceed from inside the house.


    A short while after he left, a commotion happened at the gate of the capital city.


    The guards were going about their day as usual, taking the identity tokens of the people that were queuing to go inside, as well as their luggage before deciding whether they would let them in or not.


    Among the many simple towns and village folk that came by as usual, there was one party that seemed quite conspicuous: Two men standing in front, both of them wrapped in white robes that seemed to glow slightly in the sun. A sword was strapped to their bodies while an elegant, carved jade was hanging from their belts. Behind them came a magnificent carriage drawn by four horses that made people wonder just who the person in there was that they deserved this kind of comfort and such an entourage.


    When it was time for the group to enter, the two men in front handed over their identity tokens and nodded at the guards. "Huo Cheng and Huo Hai of the Jian Yi Sect. We are on a mission with our junior martial brother."


    The guards looked their identity tokens over and then glanced at the simple sword that was embroidered on the lapel of their ropes, nodding to themselves. It seemed that they really were of some cultivation sect. Unfortunately, they didn''t quite know which sect it was.


    To be honest, it wasn''t too strange. While the Jian Yi Sect was definitely well-known in the cultivation world, the common people didn''t know much about the hierarchy of the righteous sects. The sects that didn''t have their disciples regularly show their faces around a place pretty often weren''t a well-known sect to the people of that place.


    In the Long kingdom, the ones they would recognize were the people of the Yun Zou Sect since it was close by and previously, they had also been able to recognize the people of the Chun Feng Sect since the demon hunters traveled regularly and would show up in many different countries over time. With how open the Chun Feng Sect had been about their dislike for the demons and how they would help people in eradicating, they had naturally become famous for that very fast.


    Now, the Chun Feng Sect''s people hadn''t shown up for a good decade though, making people slowly forget about them. Thus, if the disciples approaching the gate of the city weren''t of the Yun Zou Sect, chances were that they wouldn''t be recognized.


    Even though the guards had no idea who exactly these people were, they still respectfully handed their identity tokens back. These were disciples of a cultivation sect, after all, offending them wouldn''t do them any good.


    Even though they thought like this, they didn''t ask them to come in immediately. "Your junior martial brother ¡­" The guard looked from one person to the other and then glanced at the carriage behind them. Obviously, this junior martial brother should be the person inside there. "I''m sorry but we will have to take a look at his identity token as well and also search the carriage." This was the same for everyone, no matter which family or sect they belonged to. Especially if they didn''t know the people.


    In other towns, the guards always just waved them through based on their own identity tokens so Huo Cheng and Huo Hai were surprised. The two of them exchanged a glance but since these were the rules, they didn''t make any trouble. Huo Cheng went to the back and lightly knocked on the door. "Xiao Yu, the guards need to check your identity token and search the carriage. Do you mind?"


    The guards'' lips twitched. What ''do you mind''? Anyway, if they didn''t let them check, then they wouldn''t get into the city! And if they didn''t want to enter, they wouldn''t have come here in the first place. Thus, witnessing this scene, the two guards looked at each other, feeling a bit dismayed. They didn''t have all day and somebody that put on such an act might actually have bad intentions. They had to stay vigilant!


    The guards already wanted to speak up but they immediately changed their tune when a delicate voice sounded from inside.


    "Senior martial brother Huo, you''re thinking too much. Since they need to check it, then naturally they should. How could I make trouble for them?" And then, a fair hand emerged from the window of the carriage, extending the same carved jade that his senior martial brothers wore.


    Whether it was those guards or the onlookers in the line behind the party, they all held their breath, looking at that fair hand unblinkingly.


    Huo Cheng nodded and lightly took the jade pendant, carrying it over to the guards as if it was a treasure. This time, he didn''t hand it over and just let them take a look, turning it over once when he was sure that they had seen enough.


    Don''t kid him! This was the jade of their little junior, Xiao Yu. How could they let just anyone touch it with their filthy hands?! Just thinking of the possibility made the two of them want to draw their swords and cut off some limbs.


    Yes, in merely a decade of being in the Jian Yi Sect, Hua Lin Yu had managed to conquer the hearts of all his seniors. Anyone who dared to try and bully him ¡­ they should prepare for death!


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 Chapter 1097 - An Ethereal Youth

    The guards looked the jade pendant over and then nodded. Yes, this looked very much like the jade pendant that those two senior martial brothers were wearing. It seemed that they didn''t need to worry about that.


    The two of them exchanged a glance and the one on the left cleared his throat. "Well, there''s no problem with the identity token. I''m afraid we will still have to check the carriage though." After all, who knew if there was really just a beauty in there or if that was just a ploy to make them less likely to check? That beauty might as well be sitting on a trove of weapons!


    The two Huo brothers looked a little indignant but they also weren''t about to make a fuss about it. Anyway, their junior martial brother had already said that it was alright. "Well, if you have to, then please go ahead." Even though he said so, Huo Cheng still followed the guard over to the door of the carriage and watched every one of his moves suspiciously as if he was afraid the guy would jump at his little junior the next moment.


    Anyway, even if that wasn''t the case, Huo Cheng had seen people stare at his beloved junior martial brother often enough in the past to know that it was always better to keep an eye on these people. In the worst case, they could just fight their way out of here.


    The guard was a little freaked out but it wasn''t like he had never seen a family be overly protective of a younger family member. When thinking back to the dainty hand he had just seen, he could understand it a little.


    Clearing his throat, he leaned towards the door of the carriage. "This Young Master, may I trouble you to open the door?"


    From inside the carriage, the same melodious voice as before was heard, a hint of laughter hidden in the words. "But of course. Do you require me to get off?"


    The guard''s ears couldn''t help but redden and he involuntarily lowered his eyes. "That ¡­ I wouldn''t want to trouble you."


    This time, there really was a peal of bright laughter coming from inside, making the people around them stare in a daze. "How could that be troubling me?"


    That same hand as before reached out but before it could touch the door, Huo Cheng had already stepped forward and opened it for him. "Junior martial brother Hua, if you don''t want to, you don''t have to get off."


    Hua Lin Yu just gave him a look and then got off the carriage. Honestly, he didn''t mind it. If people wanted to stare, they might as well do so. Anyway, weren''t they also staring at his senior martial brothers and sisters when they went somewhere? That was just the kind of effect that cultivators had on the common people.


    The guard''s eyes widened when he looked at Hua Lin Yu and he had trouble even remembering what he had originally intended to do. This youth in front of him was way too beautiful. He had translucent skin, a pair of big black eyes that seemed to be able to directly look into your heart and soul, and a smile that would be able to make many people lose their mind upon seeing it. His black hair fluttered in the breeze, making him look even more ethereal in combination with wearing that white robe.


    If he had ever needed inspiration on how to imagine a cultivator to look, then this would be it. This youth really looked immortal, as if he was not from this world but from some higher realm that a mere human like him would never be able to catch a glimpse of.


    Huo Cheng and Huo Hai furrowed their brows, looking at the guard with displeasure. Yes, they also knew their little junior was beautiful. But why did people keep staring at him? Didn''t they know they were being rude?!


    Huo Hai also rushed over and the two of them flanked Hua Lin Yu, making obvious that anybody who wanted to mess with him would have to get past them first.


    Seeing their behavior, the guard finally shook himself out of his reverie and turned to the carriage, starting to search it as he normally would. While doing so, he couldn''t help but be a little excited though. Ah, a real immortal had sat in this carriage. His skin had touched that window when he handed over the carved jade and his hair had brushed over the back while rested there. To think that now, he had the honor to search this carriage ¡­ It really made him feel as if he was walking on clouds.


    The longer he searched, the redder his ears became and he finally didn''t even dare to lift his head when he stepped back to nod at the cultivators. "Everything is alright. You may enter the city."


    Huo Cheng and Huo Hai scoffed but their expressions changed immediately when they turned to their little junior. "Xiao Yu, you can get back inside now. Don''t tire yourself out by walking around so much."


    Hua Lin Yu flicked a glance at them and then went back inside, letting them close the door behind him. While he definitely wouldn''t mind walking around outside considering that he was also a cultivator and that his level wasn''t too low, he also didn''t mind being spoiled by his senior martial brothers. And he could still look out through the window to see the city so he wouldn''t miss out on anything. And anyway, he could still take a tour through the streets later on when they had found a guesthouse.


    Thus, the small party was once again on its way, entering the capital city of the Long kingdom, not expecting in the least just what kind of trouble this would bring about.


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 Chapter 1098 - She Had Taken Her as a Sister

    Back in the house of the Zhong family, the preparations for the funeral were in full swing. Jing Yi had been holding vigil next to the casket for the past days, his face was slightly pale but he refused to get up. He was quietly burning incense for her, hoping that it would somehow help her find peace wherever her spirit had gone.


    Qiu Ling was kneeling next to him. Considering that they had never gotten married, he wasn''t officially considered a part of this family but he didn''t care. This was his beloved''s mortal mother and she had also welcomed him with open arms. Not only had she agreed to their relationship, but she had even helped take care of him back when he had been imprisoned in his inner self. If there was one mortal that he owed, it would be her.


    And even disregarding that, he just couldn''t bring himself to leave Jing Yi alone with this. His beloved was very obviously suffering. The least he could do was to stay at his side. Thus, he quietly burned incense with him, hoping that Jing Yi would pull through this and not get consumed by this sorrow.


    While Qiu Ling was immersed in his thoughts, his transmission stone suddenly started to pulse, alerting him to the fact that somebody wanted to talk to him. He tightened his lips but thinking of how Fu Min and Fu Heng still hadn''t arrived, he also didn''t think he should ignore it.


    He turned to Jing Yi and lightly grabbed his shoulder. "I''ll step out for a moment to check if there is news about your cousin. I''ll be back immediately."


    "Mn." Jing Yi nodded weakly but didn''t even look up at him.


    Qiu Ling continued to look at him for a moment before he got up and walked outside. He didn''t even need to take out his transmission stone though. Fu Min and Fu Heng were standing on the other side of the courtyard, the unconscious Guanyu half-hidden behind them.


    Qiu Ling raised his brows, turned to glance over his shoulder, and then walked over. "What happened?"


    The pair of husbands exchanged a glance and finally, Fu Min cleared his throat. "We found her but she wasn''t very accommodating. Anyway, we managed to get her here. Fu Heng pressed an acupoint so she shouldn''t be able to say anything wrong."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "You did well."


    The two dragons stared at him in a daze. Had their king just praised them? And even in such a serious tone? This sure was new ¡­


    Fu Min hurriedly shook himself out of his reverie when he saw that Qiu Ling was about to turn away again. "Your Majesty, there''s one more thing."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. He just wanted to return back inside to accompany his beloved. What else could there be?


    Fu Min smiled wryly. "It turns out that her husband is a demon."


    Qiu Ling slowly blinked his eyes. A demon? It had been years since he saw Xiao Li but he distinctly remembered that that guy had behaved strangely when they appeared. He had thought it was just because he was afraid that his lies would be uncovered but it seemed there had been more to it. No wonder he had run away so soon. "How have you dealt with him?"


    Fu Min and Fu Heng exchanged another glance. "Uh, we hit him unconscious, tied him up, and locked him into a utility room."


    Qiu Ling blinked again. His gaze roamed over the courtyard before he finally turned back. "Make sure none of the servants can enter the room. We wouldn''t want anybody to find the family''s son-in-law in that kind of compromising situation until the funeral is over."


    Fu Min and Fu Heng nodded seriously. "Don''t worry, Your Majesty. We''ll ensure that he stays hidden until you give the word."


    Qiu Ling nodded and then turned to glance at Guanyu. "You should hand her over to her mother so she can help her prepare for the procession. It''s only a few more days until then. She shouldn''t miss those."


    Once again, the two dragons nodded and this time, they didn''t try to hold Qiu Ling back when he turned and went back into the hall.


    As soon as he had left, Fu Min turned to Fu Heng though. "How to tell her mother to help? Her daughter is currently unconscious."


    Fu Heng glanced at Guanyu and furrowed his brows. "Hm ¡­ Let''s take on another appearance first. After that ¡­ let''s just say a mortal wasn''t able to take the rushed journey so she fainted from exhaustion?"


    Fu Min''s lips curved into a smile. "How sneaky!" He leaned forward and grabbed his husband''s lapel, pecking his lips. "I like it!"


    Fu Heng smiled as well and then picked up Guanyu, following Fu Min through the estate until they found a servant that could guide them to Mi Fang. As for their explanation ¡­ it was surprisingly well accepted.


    Mi Fang nodded with tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much for making haste! I''m sure Guanyu would have been devastated if she had missed her aunt''s funeral. Ah, I still can''t believe that Ru Chen won''t be around anymore." She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, seeming to be more distressed over Madam Zhong''s death than about her own daughter''s unconsciousness.


    The two dragons exchanged another glance but couldn''t really figure it out. In the end, they ignored the matter and just nodded politely.


    Mi Fang was indeed desolate after Ru Chen''s death. While she had originally been unhappy when her husband called his family from the countryside over, she had soon let go of her prejudice. The two women had bonded over having children of the same age and when she saw Ru Chen suffer after her husband''s death, she really hadn''t been able to hold onto any negative feelings she might have still had. By now, she had long taken her as a sister. To think that she would now never be able to see this sister ¡­ She really didn''t know how to feel about that.


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 Chapter 1099 - What’s Important

    Without Zhong Guanyu even knowing what was going on, she was dressed in mourning clothes by a servant so she would be able to hurry over to the hall to help Jing Yi holding the vigil as soon as she woke up.


    When she finally did ¡­ she had no idea what was going on. Looking around, she realized that she was back home. How was that possible?! These people! She really wanted to get her hands on them and then have her husband teach them a lesson. They deserved to suffer for treating her like this!


    She already wanted to call out to get an explanation from the servants of her family''s estate but no sound came out. Guanyu stared dumbly for a moment and then raised her hands to her throat when still nothing came out after trying for a second time.


    In her panic, Guanyu shot to her feet and then stumbled out of bed. The sound startled Mi Fang who was in the room next door and made her rush over.


    "Guanyu! What''s the matter?"


    Zhong Guanyu tightly furrowed her brows at her mother''s sight. She hadn''t returned home at all after leaving the capital city with Xiao Li that day. Now, the impact of seeing her own mother who had originally been a very well-maintained lady seemingly suddenly aged by more than a decade was quite heavy. Was this the fate she herself had to expect? She didn''t want to!


    Mi Fang''s gaze softened when she saw her daughter like this. "Ah, Xiao Yu, you must also be inconsolable now that you''ve heard what happened to your auntie. It''s alright to be fl.u.s.tered. Just make sure you calm down before going over to the hall to pay your respects." She patted her daughter''s shoulder, feeling that even though she hadn''t seen her for a long time, her little girl had unexpectedly grown up.


    Before this, Guanyu had always been willful and mostly thought of herself, ignoring other''s feelings. Now, though, she was actually this distraught over her aunt''s death. Seeing that really made Mi Fan happy. Well, of course, she wasn''t happy that her daughter was distraught but she was happy that she had matured so much over the past decade. It would have been great if they had seen each other more often but seeing that being married and living on her own had helped her this much, she was feeling a bit better. Maybe the separation had been worth it.


    "Alright, let me bring you over to the hall. I''m sure you don''t want to waste any more time just waiting. Jing Yi is already over there. Ah, the poor boy! He already lost his father so early and now, his mother also left. It must be really difficult for him."


    Guanyu furrowed her brows at that. Jing Yi was only a year younger than she was. At this age, was he really not able to take it that his mother wasn''t with him anymore? Anyway, wasn''t he already married as well? He should just focus on his husband if that was the case. What was the use of staying with his mother all the time? Unfortunately ¡ª or maybe it was actually a fortunate thing ¡ª she wasn''t able to say any of that and could only silently follow her mother to the hall.


    When the two of them arrived, Guanyu stopped in her tracks as if she had been struck by lightning. Living in the Hei Dian Sect and being married to Xiao Li, she had also seen what it meant to be a cultivator. Not aging at all ¡­ She had thought that that would be in her future as well. But as a mortal, it hadn''t worked out.


    Now, she had thought that her cousin wouldn''t be any different. After all, she couldn''t believe that he was just like her husband. After all, hadn''t he been a normal child when he originally came to the capital city? But now, the person that was kneeling in front of the casket looked like he was in his early twenties at most. And the man that was sitting next to him only seemed to be a few years older, still being just as handsome as he had been back then when she saw him for the first time.


    This ¡­ it was too unfair.


    She shot Jing Yi a dark look but he was completely absorbed in his sorrow and didn''t even notice. Qiu Ling realized that somebody had come in though and glanced over his shoulder to take a look at who it was. Seeing that Zhong Guanyu had finally woken up and that her mother had brought her over, his eyes narrowed slightly.


    That girl ¡­ He was afraid he''d have to keep a close eye on her or she might ruin this last farewell from his mother for his beloved. Jing Yi still had a hard time accepting his mother''s death even though it had already been a few days since it had happened. Naturally, he couldn''t let this girl make things even more difficult for him. What kind of lover would he be in that case?


    Mi Fang didn''t notice what was going on and just patted her daughter''s shoulder. "You should kneel down and properly pay respects to your aunt. I will go and tend to other matters."


    Zhong Guanyu watched her mother leave the room and then once again turned to Jing Yi. She opened her mouth to give him the greeting he deserved but, still, no sound came out.


    Seeing her like this, Qiu Ling''s lips curved up. It looked like Fu Min and Fu Heng had done really well. He should praise the two of them when this was over.


    Having made sure that she couldn''t bother Jing Yi, he turned back to the front, joining his beloved in holding the vigil again. Anyway, other people weren''t important right now. The only important ones were his beloved and his mother-in-law.

 Chapter 1100 - All Ties Were Gone

    Guanyu wasn''t happy with being ignored so she only stayed for some time so people wouldn''t talk about her and then already left. Jing Yi didn''t even notice. He just continued holding the vigil, not speaking for a long time.


    In this manner, several days passed. Soon, it was time for the funeral procession.


    Jing Yi actually didn''t remember too much about how things had been when his father died since his mother had mostly handled things on her own and only made him join in for the things she deemed he needed to be a part of. And after that, he had left the capital city and only returned there a long time later.


    Since then, he had hardly paid his respects at his father''s actual grave and rather done so in front of the memorial tablet his mother kept at home. In fact, he had only visited that grave for the first time after the funeral when he came back to the capital with Qiu Ling a decade ago. Still, now that his mother had to be buried, he had decided that she would be happiest if she could be buried next to his father.


    That spot was quite a bit outside of the capital city because his mother had felt that his father wouldn''t be comfortable in a place that didn''t remind him of his true home. She wanted him to be somewhere that would remind him of his own village. With the trees nearby and maybe some fields, just things that had meant a lot to him when they were younger.


    Jing Yi was sure that his mother held exactly the same sentiments. Even though she had always stayed in the city for him, he was sure that she very much would''ve liked to return to the village after she already lost his father.


    He hadn''t been able to give her that but he could make sure that the two of them would be together at a place they would like at least in death. That was the least he should do.


    He had already prepared everything for that so now, only the procession and the actual burial needed to take place. When it was about time, Jing Yi closed his eyes for a while and took a few deep breaths. Qiu Ling stood next to him waiting for when he was ready. Finally, the two of them stepped outside and the procession left from the house.


    The Zhong family wasn''t big and even though Madam Zhong had worked in the teahouse for many years and gotten to know quite a few people, most of those had a status that made it impossible for them to join in. Thus, in the end, it was only Jing Yi and Qiu Ling, as well as Jing Yi''s uncle and aunt with Guanyu, and a few servants from his uncle''s house and the teahouse that followed in the wake of her coffin.


    The procession left the capital city, some quiet sobs being able to be heard every now and then. On foot and with the coffin being carried in the front, it took them more than an hour to reach the place where his father was buried.


    Jing Yi looked at the grave and the plaque behind it that were already erected there, feeling a pang of grief. He had really lost them both. Only now did it truly hit him.


    He took a shaky breath. Just then, his hand was suddenly grasped from the side. He turned around and found Qiu Ling smiling at him slightly.


    "It''s alright. I know you miss her."


    Jing Yi''s eyes unwittingly teared up and he nodded. Yes, he missed her. He missed her terribly. He couldn''t help but wish that they could have had just a year more or maybe even a day so he would be able to spend just a bit more time with her. But he also knew that it wouldn''t change anything. He would still be just as heartbroken over losing her like this.


    Qiu Ling didn''t say anything else and the two of them just watched as the attendants put the coffin on the ground.


    The servants that had followed them as guests paid their respects and then left to leave the family alone. Jing Yi took a deep breath. Now, it was time to lower the coffin into the ground. He stood next to the grave pit and watched the attendants loop the ropes around the lower side of the casket, finally lifting it up, carrying it over to the pit, and slowly lowering it down.


    When he heard the coffin''s impact on the ground of the pit, he couldn''t help but feel faint. He leaned against Qiu Ling, closing his eyes for yet another moment. Jing Yi pulled himself together and then went up to present the two pieces of cloth as gifts. Taking another deep breath, he stepped back, once again holding onto Qiu Ling''s hand while he watched as the grave was slowly filled.


    Seeing the coffin slowly fade from sight, there was once again that oppressive feeling in his chest. He could barely keep calm when it came time to worship the gods and store the grave goods. Tears gathered in his eyes when the inscription stones were lowered afterward and the grave finally filled completely.


    It was done. She had really been buried. From now on, he could only visit her grave if he ever missed her.


    Jing Yi turned to the side and burrowed into Qiu Ling''s arms, unable to take it any longer. He knew he shouldn''t be like this. As the presiding mourner, he should keep his bearing. But ¡­ he just couldn??t do it. He missed her too much.


    Although he also loved his aunt and uncle, he was still quite distant from them. Losing his mother made him feel as if all ties he had had to this world were suddenly gone.


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 Chapter 1101 - His Fate Had Been Fulfilled

    A while later, Zhong Gang and Mi Fang took Guanyu back home, leaving Jing Yi and Qiu Ling alone at the gravesite. The two of them quietly knelt there, Jing Yi looking at the two plagues where his parents'' names were inscribed.


    "Does it actually make a difference?"


    Qiu Ling turned to face him, slightly raising his brows. "What do you mean?"


    "I mean the worshiping of the gods, presenting them with gifts, and burying them with the grave goods ¡­ Does that actually make their lives after death any better? Or is it just to put the minds of those left behind at ease?" He turned to look at Qiu Ling, seemingly lost. The pain he had felt before had left him a while ago and he just felt numb right now.


    Qiu Ling pondered, not quite sure how to answer that question. "Well, I guess that question should better be asked to one of the gods. But seeing that there is a Fate''s Scribe that takes care of the life of the mortals, there should be a god that will take care of their lives after death, right?" To be honest, he really didn''t know. He didn''t even know if there was a life after death. If there was ¡­ It would make even himself question a few things.


    Jing Yi didn''t think so deeply. What Qiu Ling said did make sense so he would take it as the truth for now. Maybe one day when he was strong enough to ascend, he would be able to find out whether that was right. And if by then, there was something else that he could do that make things easier for his mother and father in the afterlife, then he would do so. His parents certainly deserved so.


    He sighed and turned back to the graves. "Would you mind if we stayed here for a while longer? I mean it''s probably not that she would even know but I don''t really feel comfortable just leaving like this."


    Qiu Ling reached out and patted his back, feeling a bit distraught himself at seeing his beloved like this. "Don''t worry. We can stay here for as long as you want to. Anyway, even if your mother isn''t around anymore, your aunt and uncle still are. You might not be as close to the two of them but they are still part of your family. Are you sure you would be comfortable with leaving as long as they are still alive?"


    Jing Yi sighed at that. "You''re right. It''s something I''ll have to think about. Right now, I just don''t know. But I''d definitely like to stay here for a while if you don''t mind. At least until the mourning period is over. Is that all right?"


    Qiu Ling nodded, not even taking a moment to consider it. If that was what his beloved needed to feel better, then naturally, they would do so. They probably wouldn''t be required to be here but if that helped him, why shouldn''t they? "We will stay here for as long as you want to. After that, we will also do what you want to. Whatever you need, I''ll always be at your side."


    Jing Yi looked at him, his lips curving into a slight smile. "Thank you. To be honest, I wouldn''t know what to do without you. Whatever happened in my life, you have always been there for me."


    "That''s what I should do. It''s also what I want to do. So don''t think too much."


    Jing Yi nodded and turned back to the graves. "She hadn''t been able to work for quite some time. Things are probably difficult in the teahouse right now. We should help out. My uncle took care of quite a lot of things. If not for him, I guess it would have just been us who would''ve been here, even without any attendants to take care of the matters that needed to be prepared. If anything, then I owe him at least this. And he also let us stay there after my father''s death so ¡­"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "We will repay him and your aunt and ¡­ even that cousin of yours."


    Jing Yi smiled a little. He knew that Qiu Ling didn''t like Guanyu but it was nice to see that he was willing to do even this if it meant helping him. "Don''t worry, I don''t think Guanyu will ever want our help."


    Qiu Ling sighed and looked over at the graves as well. "In her last moments, your mother asked me to take care of you. I think that is the way a good parent is. Your aunt and uncle are also good people so ¡­ when it''s time for them to leave, they''ll also want somebody to look after that daughter of theirs. That husband of hers ¡­ I don''t think he can be trusted. So in the end, we should look after her for them. At least that''s what I think."


    Jing Yi nodded. "That''s true. Even if she doesn''t want us to, it''s what we should do. After that ¡­" He shook his head. "To be honest, even now, I feel like the mortal realm has nothing for me anymore. Do you think that''s strange?"


    The two of them looked at each other and Qiu Ling didn''t know how to answer. He could imagine what this was about: Jing Yi''s life had originally just been intended as a trial for Jing He. Losing everything he had until he felt that life was unbearable ¡­ That had originally been a part of it.


    Now, a big part of this suffering had been fulfilled: He had lost his parents, and even though the two of them were still together, there was also some betrayal since, in the end, he had still decided on Jing He when he refused to marry Jing Yi.


    Of the things that should have happened in his life, the biggest ones had actually come true. What he felt right now was probably that fate of his fulfilling itself. His soul might feel like it was being called back to the Nine Heavens.


    That kind of thing ¡­ How could he tell him?


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 Chapter 1102 - As If!

    Having decided to stay in the capital city for another three years, Jing Yi and Qiu Ling finally went home. Their life seemed to not have changed much if one didn''t consider that Jing Yi''s mother wasn''t around anymore: They still stayed at his uncle''s house, helping out wherever their help was needed, and also went to work in the teahouse each day just like before to make sure that this place that Jing Yi''s parents had helped to make into what it was today wouldn''t decline.


    At the back of his head, Jing Yi couldn''t help but wonder why they were doing this on some days. Whether it was his or his uncle''s side of the family, they would all come to an end in this current generation. He, for one, was with Qiu Ling so children were out of the question. On the other hand, while Guanyu was married to her husband, she still hadn''t become pregnant and with each year, it became more unlikely that she ever would.


    So even if the teahouse continued to do well, what was the use in that? His aunt and uncle wouldn''t be able to take any riches with them, neither would Guanyu when her time came, and he himself was cultivating to ascend one day so what use was money to him?


    If Sect Master Yuchi had heard that kind of irresponsible remark, he probably would have fainted from anger. Even though the trouble with the demon-hunting sects was over and things in the Yun Zou Sect and other righteous sects had stabilized in the past decade, the mundane troubles that the Sect Masters had to deal with were still very much real. Having a little more money definitely would''ve made each and every one of them laugh in their sleep.


    Well, right now, the one who needed to plague himself with this kind of thing was Wu Min Huan anyway. His Master was still in closed-door cultivation after all. And while Wu Min Huan did feel how much of a trouble it was to need to deal with all the little daily matters of the sect, he had only done so for a few short years they didn''t feel burned. Instead, he was intent on proving to his Master that he was just as good as that senior martial brother Yu of his. When his Master emerged from his closed-door cultivation, he wanted to show him that he had managed to do everything without a single fault.


    Anyway, he would''ve been happy if he knew that there was the opportunity of getting a business outside of the sect that would bring in some money but, unfortunately, there was no way to for him to find out for the time being and Jing Yi didn''t even think of anyone outside of the family when it came to the matters in the capital. Anyway, these were all just fleeting thoughts at the side. Most of his daily life was spent working and coming to terms with his mother''s death.


    While his life continued just as before, the people of the Jian Yi Sect that had also arrived in the capital city were about to be confronted with a big change. They had stopped at one of the best guesthouses in the city to make sure that their little junior would be comfortable.


    This whole journey was just so that Hua Lin Yu would be able to see a little more of the world. Unfortunately, he really was too eye-catching. His senior martial brothers felt that there was no way to let him go outside without accompanying him. And even when they were there, they still felt that it would be better to take some precautions lest some scoundrel tried to take advantage of him.


    It didn''t help that their Master had told them before leaving that they definitely had to keep a close eye on him because there had been somebody after him when he originally came to their sect.


    Finding out about this, Hua Lin Yu''s seniors were distraught. How old had their little junior been when he came to them? Five years? Which lunatic would go after a five-year-old child? And now, even though he had gotten older, whatever grudge had prompted that person probably hadn''t been resolved. Thus, their little junior was still in danger. Now, maybe even more than before. They had to do everything they could to make sure that nothing would happen to him!


    In their attempt to keep him from harm, they might''ve been a little overzealous. And that was precisely what prompted the following problems to happen.


    Feeling stifled being so closely guarded all day, Hua Lin Yu snuck out. Anyway, he just wanted to go and have a look. He would only go and walk through the streets for a while before going back. At the very least, that was what he thought.


    Thus, Hua Lin Yu stroll through the capital city of the Long kingdom, looking everywhere. While they had already stopped in a few cities, none of them had been as big as this one. It was quite interesting for him to see. He couldn''t help but stop at every single stall, look into every single store, and watch the people around him closely.


    With a happy smile on his face, he finally went back to the guesthouse after a few hours when the two Huo brothers were already freaking out because they had noticed that their little junior had disappeared a long time ago. Just when he walked down the road, he suddenly noticed a burning gaze in his back.


    Hua Lin Yu stopped in his tracks and then looked around, trying to figure out where it was coming from. In the end, his gaze landed on the roof of a nearby house.


    A man with long silvery-white hair and a mask covering half his face was crouching there. Hua Lin Yu''s eyes lit up when seeing him and his lips wanted to curve up in a sweet smile. At the last moment, he held himself back though.


    This man hadn''t bothered to come to see him even once in the past years and had also ignored him back in the Jian Yi Sect when they last saw each other. As if he would just happily greet him and let him back into his life. As if! Hmph!

 Chapter 1103 - Meeting Again

    Xin Lan looked at the person on the street in a subtle mood. Just looking at his appearance, this was precisely the type that he liked: tall and slender with a small waist, and a beautiful face with expressive eyes. Looking at the way how his eyes first lit up but then started to blaze with fury, he felt that his personality might also be suitable. He didn''t like that type of meek beauty that would just do whatever he wanted them to do. No, being able to win the person over was half the fun. So this reaction was very much in line with what he would like to see in a potential lover. This certainly did make things easier for him in terms of feeling comfortable with having to seduce this person.


    On the other hand, it would be slightly more difficult to actually win this person over. Considering what was at stake here, that also might not be too good. Not that he doubted that he would be able to do it in the end. He was good-looking and strong and could be charming if he wanted to. Hadn''t he proven that just recently when he made Zheng Yin reconsider?


    Anyway, right now, he didn''t have to worry about that yet. There was more than enough time to convince this person of his qualities and he certainly wouldn''t fail. It was just a question of time. Still, starting early had its advantages so he wouldn''t waste any time now that this brat had grown up.


    Xin Lan got up and jumped down from the roof, appearing in front of Hua Lin Yu after just a moment. His lips curved up into a faint smile and he reached out, grabbing the youth''s chin. "So we''re meeting again."


    Hua Lin Yu had wanted to continue being angry but he had a hard time actually doing so in front of Xin Lan. From his words, it was obvious that Xin Lan had recognized him at a glance. That had to mean that he did care about him despite not coming to see him.


    Realizing that, Hua Lin Yu just couldn''t bring himself to continue to be angry. He reached out, clutching Xin Lan''s robe. Actually, he had really missed him. Thinking about it, he still was a little angry that he hadn''t come to see him but ¡­ he could only be angry at the fact and not at Xin Lan himself.


    Xin Lan slightly raised his brows when the little beauty in front of him latched onto him this quickly. He definitely hadn''t expected this. Anyway, it was a bit of a bummer. But, well, it was also good that he would have less trouble. Thinking of that, he leaned down, intending to kiss him.


    Just then, the door of the guesthouse was opened and the two Huo brothers stepped out. They had originally wanted to go and search the city for their little junior. Seeing the scene in front of them, their eyes widened and the rushed over, pulling their junior martial brother away from that person while drawing their swords simultaneously.


    "Scoundrel! What do you think you''re doing?!"


    Xin Lan glanced at them, slightly raising his brows. "What do you think you''re doing?" Naturally, he wasn''t worried. These mortals absolutely weren''t able to make trouble for him. The only problem was that they were Hua Lin Yu''s senior brothers. If he got into a fight with them and injured them, it might have negative consequences for the relationship. It was pretty much the same with the Hua family. So even though he didn''t like it, he would have to play nice with them.


    Seeing that he couldn''t attack, he instead turned to Hua Lin Yu to solve the problem. "Xiao Yu, don''t you want to introduce us?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked down, seeming a little shy. "This is ¡­ my uncle."


    Xin Lan''s brows twitched. What was with that explanation?


    The two Huo brothers exchanged a glance. "Your uncle?" What kind of uncle approached his nephew like this? It seemed like they would need to have a long talk with Hua Lin Yu about this. Things definitely couldn''t be allowed to go on like this!


    Hua Cheng straightened up at that thought and gave Xin Lan a strained smile. "Nice to meet you. I''m afraid we will have to leave now though. Xiao Yu has been out half the day so he should go back to rest now. I hope you don''t mind."


    He lightly gripped Hua Lin Yu''s shoulder and wanted to pull him inside but Xin Lan reached out and grabbed the boy''s other shoulder.


    "To be honest, I do have a bit of a problem with that. You see, I would like to talk to my ¡­ nephew for a moment. I''m sure you won''t have a problem with that, would you?"


    Huo Cheng stared at him, absolutely not happy with his behavior. "Well, as I said, Xiao Yu is tired right now. You could always talk to him at a later time, couldn''t you?"


    Xin Lan''s lips quirked up. It seemed that winning this little beauty over was less of a problem that had to do with himself and more one that was dependent on the people around him. They really were making things difficult for him! "I''m sure that Xiao Yu doesn''t mind. Anyway, I can just accompany him."


    Huo Chen and Huo Hai furrowed their brows at that. What did he mean accompany their little junior? What did he want to accompany him for, huh?!


    The two of them wanted to erupt but Xin Lan had already stepped closer and slightly leaned down to be on eye-level with Hua Lin Yu. "You wouldn''t mind, little beauty, would you?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him, somewhat feeling pleased with being called a ''little beauty'' by him. He couldn''t remember how Xin Lan had called him ugly before so this wasn''t even the satisfaction of proving him wrong. No, he was merely happy that a person he liked complimented him. Especially after not seeing that person for such a long time.


    To him, it felt as if it meant that Xin Lan still cared about him after all. And maybe ¡­ maybe there had been a good reason for him not to come over in all this time. He should at least give him time to explain himself. That was what Hua Lin Yu thought.

 Chapter 1104 - The Best Possible Outcome

    Hua Lin Yu was happy. But in his happiness, he also forgot that he still needed to give an answer.


    The two Huo brothers were immediately incensed, interpreting his silence as a clear no. "I see now! So you''re actually trying to convince Xiao Yu of something that isn''t even true. Don''t you know any shame at all?!"


    Xin Lan only gave the two of them a lazy look before he turned back to Hua Lin Yu, putting his arm around both his shoulders while not at all coincidentally pushing Huo Cheng out of the way and pulling the boy he into his arms. "Xiao Yu, what''s with that lukewarm reaction? Do you seriously not remember how you were hugging me to sleep back then? Or could it be that now that you''re a grown-up, you don''t like me anymore? Do you want me to leave?"


    Xin Lan wasn''t quite sure how deep Hua Lin Yu''s impression of him was but he felt that it was worth making a gamble on. If he did remember him fondly, then he could make use of that immediately. If not, then he could at least pretend to be hurt before pulling back and then making use of that later on. Anyway, he felt that his chances of making this beauty fall for him in no time weren''t too bad.


    Unfortunately, there were still two giant lightbulbs around that didn''t know what was good for them. Hearing what Xin Lan said, they immediately were angry and seemed to want to wave their swords around. "You! How shameless can you be?!"


    Xin Lan still ignored them and just pulled Hua Lin Yu closer, lowering his voice. "What is it, little beauty? Do you really not remember me? That''s hurting my heart."


    Hua Lin Yu looked up at him, giving him a brilliant smile. His original thought of teaching this person a lesson ¡­ he had already forgotten about it. "Of course, I can remember you!"


    Xin Lan gave a satisfied smile and even reached up, rubbing his head fondly. "Then let''s go inside and talk. I think there a few things we should have a conversation about now that you??re an a.d.u.l.t."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded happily but the two Huo brothers watched in horror. They had taken so many precautions to make sure that no sc.u.mbag would be able to take their little junior away but now, some strange uncle appeared and actually managed to abduct the person right in front of their eyes. They weren''t even able to do anything!


    Hua Lin Yu and Xin Lan went into the guesthouse, the two of them following behind while grumbling unhappily. They felt like they had to come up with a plan to separate these two as soon as they could. It was just that they could hardly tell their junior while this uncle of his was still around. Ah, they could only hope that he would leave soon. Maybe they could distract him somehow?


    The two of them exchanged a glance and then turned to look around, trying to find something that they could do or say that would make him lose his focus for a while. Then they could grab their junior and rush away. They would definitely get a chance to explain things to him so he wouldn''t be led astray!


    Xin Lan glanced at the two men and scoffed. Before they had the chance to do anything, he stooped down, picked Hua Lin Yu up, and gave a smile. "Your senior martial brothers seemed very worried about you. Since you''ve been running around all day, you should be pretty tired. Let me carry you so you don''t have to expend any more energy. No need to thank me. For you, I naturally don''t mind doing something like this."


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes and then smiled happily, holding onto Xin Lan''s neck. He did remember that he had been lying in his arms just like this back then as well. It was just ¡­ he was a bit taller now. It was still just as nice as he remembered.


    Burying his head at Xin Lan''s shoulder, he just let him carry him away, not even bothering to say goodbye to his senior martial brothers. He had always instinctively liked this person. He didn''t know what exactly it was but he just felt especially calm when Xin Lan was at his side. It had been that way when he had only been a child and it was still the very same now that he had mostly grown up. Because of that, he wasn''t worried at all. He just felt that this person would never do anything bad to him. He could trust him. He just knew that.


    Xin Lan left the two Huo brothers behind and then motioned forward. "Alright, where''s your room?" He had only coincidentally spotted Hua Lin Yu when he was wandering around the city before. So he didn''t know yet where exactly to bring him.


    Hua Lin Yu motioned forward and the two of them soon reached the door.


    Xin Lan didn''t even stop in front of it and used his spiritual energy to open it, carrying Hua Lin Yu directly inside. Not losing any time, he kicked it close, and then carried the youth over to the bed, putting him down.


    His gaze traveled over his body and he gave a faint smile. Actually, he liked his partners better when they were a bit more experience but in this case, he could make an exception. Anyway, it was just for the trial. And experience was also something that was gained over time. The sooner they started, the sooner Hua Lin Yu would be able to give him what he wanted. Then, this wouldn''t be completely one-sided. That seemed like the best outcome possible in this situation.

 Chapter 1105 - What Were the Odds He’d Change His Mind?

    Hua Lin Yu looked up at this person and smiled happily. He still hadn''t completely forgotten that he was actually supposed to hold a grudge though. Seeing that they were alone now, he finally felt like it was time to voice his displeasure. "Why didn''t you come to see me earlier?"


    Xin Lan was pulled out of his thoughts on how to teach this person. He sat up again, giving him a long look. "Did you want me to come to see you?"


    Hua Lin Yu also sat up, pursing his lips. "Of course I did! How could you not know?" He looked down, obviously unhappy.


    Xin Lan took a deep breath. It seemed that this might not be as easy as he had thought. At the very least, it seemed he''d have to coax this little beauty first so he''d forgive him.


    He pondered for a moment and then inched closer, taking Hua Lin Yu''s hand. "Try to look at it from my perspective: You were still a child. If I came to visit you just to realize that it would still be such a long time until I could make true on my promise, don''t you think it would have hurt me?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him, his expression hovering somewhere between happiness and confusion.


    Xin Lan struck while the iron was hot. "I understand that you suffered. You wanted to see me but could not. I apologize for that. I should have taken your feelings into consideration. It was selfish of me."


    Hua Lin Yu already seemed a lot more forgiving when he heard that. He squeezed Xin Lan''s hand and his lips curved up in a sweet smile. "It''s alright. I''ll forgive you. Anyway, you had your reasons."


    Xin Lan reached out and brushed the youth''s hair back, feeling quite happy with the sensation of the satiny strands. Obviously, the Jian Yi Sect had taken care of him quite well. "It''s an explanation but not an excuse. But anyway, you''ve grown up now. Whatever reservations I had, they aren''t relevant anymore. From now on, I''ll be there for you. I''ll hardly leave your side. If there''s anything you want or need, you just need to tell me. I swear we will make up for everything that we have lost out on in the last years. How does that sound?"


    Hua Lin Yu''s expression lit up and he nodded happily. "Let''s do that!"


    Xin Lan nodded and then motioned at the bed. "If you''re tired, you should lie down. I''ll stay at your side and make sure that nothing will happen. When you''ve woken up, we can talk about our wedding."


    Hua Lin Yu seemed even happier when he brought that up. Back when he had been a child, he might not have actually understood what Xin Lan was talking about when he spoke of becoming a family and holding a wedding but he wasn''t that clueless child anymore. He knew very well now just how big of a step marrying Xin Lan would be.


    Thus, hearing him say that they would definitely talk about it made him very happy. In fact, it made him so happy that even though he did as Xin Lan had told him and lay down, he was unable to calm down and actually sleep. After a while, he turned to the other side, peering at Xin Lan''s face. "Say, about our wedding ¡­ How long will it take until then?"


    Xin Lan who had also closed his eyes, opened them again, looking at this boy with some contemplation. Wasn''t he a little too eager? Anyway, it was good if he was. "There are a few things we will have to organize first. But we can cut that as short as possible. A few weeks should be enough in that case."


    "Then what is there that we need to do?"


    "First of all, we should speak to your family. As you elders, they will be the ones who will decide whether or not they accept this. And they will also be the ones I have to talk about organizational matters like the gifts with."


    "Then what do you think my family will say?"


    Xin Lan looked at him, wondering what to say to that. "Well ¡­ They''ve known me for quite some time. So most likely, it shouldn''t be a problem?" To be honest, he wasn''t really sure about that. While the Hua family had never said anything negative, that had also been because of the circ.u.mstances.


    They had believed that their youngest child was in trouble and anyway, they would have had a problem actually getting rid of him if he didn''t want to leave. So in the end, they wouldn''t have had any way to actually drive him away even if they wanted to. It was something that they necessarily had to accept.


    As for now ¡­ They still hadn''t figured out what the problem had been originally so they should still be worried about Hua Lin Yu and even if they had gotten stronger in the last few years, it wouldn''t be to the degree where he would have to worry.


    So in a sense, he was pretty sure that they wouldn''t make things difficult for him. But then again, staying around and actually marrying Hua Lin Yu were two different things. Naturally, they wouldn''t want to give their child to just anyone. So they might try to get around it carefully. He had to prevent that.


    "Your family loves you a lot. I guess that they would make their decision dependent on what you think to a large degree. That might not be all but I do think that you would be able to convince them that I''m a good partner. So as long as you want to marry me, it should be possible."


    Hua Lin Yu beamed and inched closer, grabbing onto the lapel of Xin Lan''s robe. "I definitely want to. You don''t have to worry about that."


    Xin Lan smiled himself but didn''t say anything. Yes, he really wasn''t worried about that. Anyway, this child had latched onto him even shortly after he had been born. What were the odds that he would change his mind now?

 Chapter 1106 - The Life He Had Been Cursed with

    Feeling reassured by Xin Lan''s words, Hua Lin Yu finally calmed down. Lying in the arms of this person that he had longed for, he felt especially comfortable. Before drifting off to sleep, he couldn''t help but think that it must be supposed to be this way. The two of them ¡­ maybe they were destined for each other. That thought really made him happy.


    Meanwhile, Xin Lan was lying next to him, wondering about Hua Lin Yu''s attitude in general. Back as a fallen god, he had always been a little strange. On one hand, he would go on and on about how he disliked him and didn''t want to see him on the grounds of him being a ''fake'' dragon but, on the other hand, he would come to look for him and annoy him to death. It was so inconsistent, he just couldn''t wrap his head around it.


    If he hadn''t been a fallen god of all things, he might have thought that Xiang Yu was interested in him but playing hard to get to entice him. It wouldn''t have been the first time that that kind of thing happened. But fallen gods naturally couldn''t be regarded like normal people. They were completely obsessed with one thing and from what he had seen of Xiang Yu so far, that should either be finding the perfect partner or something that had to do with his husband.


    Anyway, since Xiang Yu became a mortal, his behavior had changed quite a bit. He was suddenly so clingy and seemed to be really focused on him. Why was that?


    Originally, he had believed that maybe this Hua Lin Yu remembered some of the things that had happened to him as Xiang Yu. Maybe he knew that there was an agreement between them and that was why he actually demanded to stay with him. Or maybe he remembered whatever Xiang Yu''s wish had been and wanted to fulfill it through him.


    By now, Xin Lan doubted that this was the case though. While this boy was still just as clingy, that only seemed to be because of his memories from his childhood. If he could remember his days in the High Heavens or the demon realm, he likely would have told him. Even if he didn''t say directly, there should have been some kind of indication that he was aware. After all, there still was that wish of his, right?


    But there hadn''t been anything for his childhood and even now that they had seen each other again after he grew up, there had been nothing. Maybe it was too early to conclude anything but he felt that there had to be another explanation for why that child had gotten so attached to him in the beginning.


    Xin Lan crossed his arms behind his head, staring up at the ceiling while he remembered those early days with Hua Lin Yu. To be honest, he had always kind of disliked children. Back when he was born, his race had gone nuts about them because they felt that they carried hope for them to maybe lift Tian''s curse in the future. And when it became apparent that not all of them were unaffected by the curse and that only a select few were in that position, they had completely stopped treating them like normal people.


    It sounded good on paper to be worshiped like that but the memories he had of that time really weren''t nice. Even to this day, he''d rather be cursed together with the other than to suffer this fate of being an outsider always damned to be on his own. Unfortunately, he had never been able to overcome that.


    Thinking back now, his envy of other children felt ridiculous. Even after becoming an a.d.u.l.t, he had still been just as much of an outsider. The simple truth was that no matter what he did, he would never be able to escape this identity.


    The chosen one ¡­ how laughable.


    Anyway, complaining about it wouldn''t get him anywhere. He had been born into this role and he couldn''t change it. That was impossible. He could only take life as it was and inch forward step by step. Right now, that meant to fulfill the promise of being this youth''s lover.


    He turned to glance at him, sighing to himself. Anyway, he had grown up and wasn''t that infuriating child anymore. Becoming his lover was something he could do. In fact, it would be ridiculously easy to please him for a few years. After all, hadn''t he done that hundreds of times already? He might not have the same special status in the mortal world that he could enjoy in the immortal realms but just being himself should be enough for that. Especially with how attached this little beauty already was.


    Yes, he wouldn''t have any trouble fulfilling that oath. And after that ¡­ after that ¡­ he could go back to his original life.


    Xin Lan continued to stare at Hua Lin Yu''s face for a moment and then gave a sigh, closing his eyes for a moment before he pulled Hua Lin Yu into his arms.


    Returning to his usual life ¡­ That should be something happy but he could only feel emptiness. Seriously, what was there in his life to look forward to?


    He had never had any hopes that Jinde would change his mind about being with him but since he had gotten together with his husband, he felt even worse. It would be better if he was able to have that type of love as well but he knew that it was idiotic to even think about.


    He wouldn''t have that kind of luck. Not him. That was, unfortunately, a foregone conclusion. He could only try to live in the present and enjoy the small pleasures that might bring. There was no other choice. That was the life that he had unwittingly been cursed with.

 Chapter 1107 - A Little Brother Couldn’t Be Kept Forever

    Xin Lan continued to lie next to Hua Lin Yu, unable to fall asleep. He looked at the youth in his arms for a while before turning onto his back again and staring up at the ceiling. Ah, he kind of missed Zheng Yin right now.


    He and Hua Lin Yu were actually similar types in terms of appearance just that Zheng Yin''s features showed a little more maturity. The good thing was that there wasn''t anything forced about their relationship though. With Hua Lin Yu, he had to do this or the consequences for himself would be bad. With Zheng Yin, it had just been a way to kill some time.


    Well, it couldn''t be changed anymore. He turned onto his side once again, pulling Hua Lin Yu closer. After a while, he would probably get used to this person as well. It had always been like this and he didn''t think that there was any reason for that to suddenly change.


    No matter what he told himself, Xin Lan still wasn''t calm enough and finally, Hua Lin Yu woke up from his nap before Xin Lan had a chance to sleep for even a minute.


    The youth stretched and then looked up at Xin Lan with his eyes sparkling happily, a beautiful smile lighting up his features. "You''re already awake."


    Xin Lan gave an unenthusiastic hum but Hua Lin Yu didn''t seem to register the change in his mood. He was just happy that his favorite person was there when he woke up, unlike all the previous years. It seemed that getting married would be very nice. Then they could spend every day together just like his parents had done when he was young.


    He sat up and smiled at Xin Lan. "I should probably go and see my senior martial brothers now." He hadn''t thought about it before but now, he felt that those two should be pretty anxious. It would be better to go and explain to them.


    Xin Lan turned around and watched him, seemingly not wanting to move at all.


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes in return. "What''s the matter? Don''t you want to come with me?"


    Xin Lan barely held back a sigh and finally propped himself up on an elbow, resting his chin on his hand. "It''s not that I don''t want to. Rather than that, I think that your senior martial brothers would probably like to talk to you in private. I''ll just wait here until you''ve finished so as to not interfere." Anyway, while he did want a few moments to himself, he also knew that he shouldn''t say that kind of thing out loud anymore. Not until the two of them had become lovers.


    Hua Lin Yu was a little disappointed but considering how his two senior martial brothers had behaved before, he really couldn''t fault Xin Lan for this. He just sighed and then nodded. "Alright, then I''ll go to see them on my own. I''ll make sure to come back soon."


    Xin Lan nodded and then waited for him to leave the room before he lay down again. Once again staring up at the ceiling, he sighed to himself. Who knew how things would really be in the future? Somehow, he wasn''t too eager to find out even though he knew that the sooner they got into that relationship, the faster it would also be over.


    While Xin Lan continued to pity himself, Hua Lin Yu went outside only to come face-to-face with the two Huo brothers. Innocently blinking his eyes, he looked at the two of them in confusion. "Senior martial brothers, what are you doing here?"


    Both Huo Cheng and Huo Hai looked at him aggrieved. They had waited outside because they had wanted to make sure that he was alright, wasn''t that obvious? Oh well, actually, they had wanted to follow him inside but somehow, they had been kept outside by that guy''s spiritual energy. So they hadn''t been able to do anything but stand outside. And they really didn''t dare to leave in case something bad happened and they needed to charge inside and rescue him.


    Huo Cheng swallowed his complaints and then looked Hua Lin Yu over from head to toe before finally grabbing his shoulder. "Xiao Yu, be honest, are you alright?" Since they hadn''t been able to go in, they could only go by what they had heard. But then again, who knew how accurate that would be? While it had sounded as if there had only been a conversation going on, that didn''t have to be accurate. And who knew what exactly had been said even if it was nothing more than a conversation?


    Hua Lin Yu still didn''t quite understand what he was talking about. "Of course, I''m alright. Why shouldn''t I? Are you still worried that I''m tired? You don''t have to. It wasn''t that bad in the first place. I just took a nap and now I''m completely energized again!"


    The two Huo brothers exchanged a glance, feeling happy that their little junior seemed to be doing well while also being worried that things might not stay like this.


    Finally, it was Huo Hai who cleared his throat. "Anyway, let''s go and get something to eat. You''re probably hungry."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and then wanted to turn back to the room but the two Huo brothers hurriedly stepped in front of his path.


    "Xiao Yu, where do you want to go? The dining room is downstairs."


    Hua Lin Yu looked from one to the other and then at the door behind them. "But ¡­ shouldn''t I tell Xin Lan if we are going to eat? He might also want something."


    His two seniors smiled wryly. "Well, I''m sure that he doesn''t want anything. Anyway, there are a few things we want to talk about. In the worst case, we can just bring something to eat back for him. How about that?" His heart bled a little that he had to think on the behalf of another man for his little junior but for the time being, it was alright as long as they managed to say to Hua Lin Yu need to be said. It still was hard seeing his little junior''s happy expression though. Ah, it seemed that a little brother couldn''t be kept forever.

 Chapter 1108 - As Long As His Feelings Remained The Same

    The three martial brothers finally went down to the dining hall without Xin Lan. Huo Cheng and Huo Hai weren''t completely happy though. Unfortunately, their little junior made it a point to immediately order some food for that person as well when it was time for them to tell the waiter what they would like. They held back from commenting on it though and just let him do as he liked. Anyway, they''d like to see if he would still think the same after they were done speaking with him about this.


    Hua Lin Yu, on the other hand, was in an especially bright mood. Just thinking of how he would be able to see Xin Lan again later on, his heart seemed to be overflowing with sweetness. He had waited for so long and now, he finally wouldn''t need to be separated from him all the time. Wasn''t that great?


    Thus, when he turned to his two senior martial brothers, there was a beautiful smile on his lips. "Senior martial brothers, what was it that you wanted to say?"


    Huo Cheng and Huo Hai smiled back at him as if on instinct. "Xiao Yu, say, that uncle of yours ¡­ Why haven''t we seen him around before this?" While the two of them really wanted to tell him not to see that guy again outright, they felt that they should probably be a little more careful. After all, it seemed that that guy was able to manipulate their little junior very well. How could they ruin their chances of making Hua Lin Yu see the light by being too rash? Then the intended effect wouldn''t happen and they would have an even harder time making him reject that guy. Thus, they had to carefully get closer to the truth bit by bit.


    Hua Lin Yu looked a little sad when his senior martial brothers brought it up. "Well, it''s not that I didn''t want to see him but when I asked him before, he said that he would have missed me too much if he came to see me but couldn''t stay with me."


    The two Huo brothers exchanged a glance, seeing a bit of worry in each other''s eyes. This guy ¡­ He was really good at manipulating their little junior! It seemed they would have to be really careful with what they said or they might drive Xiao Yu even closer into this person''s arms.


    Pondering for a moment, Huo Cheng finally spoke up. "Xiao Yu, say, the relationship between you and that uncle of yours ¡­ it seems very close."


    Hua Lin Yu gave them a happy smile and nodded. "Of course it is! After all, we are going to get married soon. We just have to talk to my family first." Thinking of that, his expression became thoughtful. "Well, speaking of that, I''m afraid I won''t be able to stay in the capital city with you for long. You could come with us to my family though." He felt that this suggestion was pretty good.


    His seniors'' reaction was a bit weird though. They stared at him as if they couldn''t believe what they had just heard.


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes in confusion. "What''s the matter? You don''t want to come with us?" He looked a little sad when he asked about that but then just sighed. "Well, I guess it''s also alright. But it''s a bit of a pity. I''m sure my brother would like to see you again."


    Hua Cheng and Huo Hai exchanged a glance, completely alarmed at what they had just heard. They forced themselves to calm down and Huo Hai cleared his throat "Xiao Yu ¡­ Do you think your family would agree to let you marry him?"


    Hua Lin Yu still looked a little confused. "Why wouldn''t they? Xin Lan said that they will probably take my feelings into consideration so I don''t think there would be any problem. Do you think they won''t agree?" Thinking of that, he couldn''t help but be a little worried.


    Maybe Xin Lan had just said that to make him less worried and actually, he also didn''t know if his family would agree? That wasn''t good! But he also didn''t believe that his brother and parents would be so mean to refuse to let them marry. After all, they knew how much he liked Xin Lan. Why would they do that to them? It made no sense.


    The two Huo brothers were at a loss for words. "Well ¡­ He''s your uncle, right?" Which family would want their child to marry his own uncle? They would need to be in very dire straits to even consider something like this. And if there was one family that wasn''t in dire straits, then it was definitely the Hua family. Among the cultivation families that weren''t part of any sect, they were definitely one of the most prosperous, with a high status in the righteous cultivation world. There was no way that they would need to do something like this.


    Hua Lin Yu looked from Huo Cheng to Huo Hai and back again before he finally broke out in laughter. "Is that what this is about? You don''t have to worry! Xin Lan isn''t my uncle. He''s just ¡­ an uncle."


    "Huh?" The two of them looked at him, unable to understand. "An uncle?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded. "Yeah, we''re not related at all. I guess you could call him a ¡­ friend of my family?" He pondered but wasn''t quite sure that was right. He didn''t know how things had been in the last few years but thinking back, he felt that the relationship between Xin Lan and his family was a little weird.


    While it wasn''t close, he was still pretty much always around. His parents were pretty polite to him while his brother seemed to have some grievances with him. But maybe that was normal for someone like this. He wasn''t quite sure. Anyway, he still thought that his family loved him enough to allow this. He really couldn''t imagine that there would be anything standing in his way of marrying Xin Lan. As long as his own feelings remained the same, they would definitely get married soon.

 Chapter 1109 - It Could Have Been Worse

    While Hua Lin Yu was acting shy, Huo Cheng and Huo Hai were once again at a loss of words. Their whole idea of the situation had been based on the fact that they thought Xin Lan was actually their little junior''s uncle. Now, it turned out that all of this had just been a misunderstanding.


    They ¡­ should probably accept him now? Both of them pondered that conjecture and their expressions worsened. No, they still felt uncomfortable with the situation. They might not have a reason yet but there definitely was one! They just refused to believe that that wild man was good enough for their little junior.


    "So you''re not blood-related."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded happily. "Not at all! He''s not even human."


    The two Huo brothers stared at him, unable to understand what was going on for a moment. He ¡­ "What do you mean? He isn''t human?"


    "Well, he''s of the dragon race. Isn''t that obvious?" He had known even back then that Xin Lan wasn''t human since he had never made a secret out of that and his family had also been pretty open. But even if he hadn''t, he had lived in the Jian Yi Sect for the past decade. He had learned a lot not only about cultivation but also about the different immortal and semi-immortal races.


    The kind of appearance that Xin Lan had was obviously not that of a human. Even if cultivators would look young even at a higher age as long as they had reached the corresponding stage early on in life or used some pills and potions to revert some aging if that wasn''t the case, there was still a difference between them and the other races.


    Humans just ¡­ looked decidedly human. Xin Lan though ¡­ He obviously didn''t. That kind of silvery-white hair just didn''t appear in the human race. Not to mention that he often didn''t bother hiding his claws. Even today, he hadn''t actually retracted them when they met. To him, that was only a bother and he might even feel like it was beneath him to hide his race''s features around humans.


    Hua Lin Yu really couldn''t understand why his senior martial brothers were so surprised. Shouldn''t they have noticed as well?


    Huo Cheng and Huo Hai exchanged a glance, feeling somewhat torn when they heard that. Not being human might generally be a problem but from what their Master told them, dragons tended to be monogamous just like humans and their moral compass was pretty similar as well.


    That kind of person would probably be a good fit. But ¡­ how could they just give their little junior away? There had to be something wrong with that guy!


    Huo Cheng cleared his throat again, trying to find something else that might be a hindrance. "Then how does your family know that ¡­ friend? You don''t just meet somebody from the dragon race, do you?"


    Hua Lin Yu could only shake his head at that. "I don''t know. You could ask my brother when we reach my home. You are coming along, aren''t you?" Since they knew now that he wasn''t his actual uncle, they shouldn''t have a problem with that, right?


    The two of them sighed but finally nodded. Well, they''d first have to see what the Hua family''s attitude toward this was. Anyway, even though they were his senior martial brothers, it wasn''t like they could decide for Xiao Yu. He and his family and maybe his Master would have to decide that. The two of them could only watch from the side. And, well, maybe try to influence some decisions. They still needed to be there to do that though.


    Huo Cheng sighed again when he realized this. "Well, this seems to be very important to you so naturally, we''ll be at your side for it. And anyway, Master told us to make sure you were doing alright while we were out. How could we just abandon you halfway? Who knows if that friend of your family would be able to protect you adequately?"


    Hua Lin Yu gave a happy smile and nodded. He didn''t doubt that Xin Lan would be able to save him if something happened but it was still nice to see that his senior martial brothers were willing to take a step back and accept him. To be honest, he had thought that they would need a lot longer to do that considering how they had reacted before.


    Thinking of this, Hua Lin Yu felt like he should help them along a bit. "Well, it''ll take a few days to get there so we''ll have to leave soon. Before that, how about we go out together later on and continue to look at the city? I''ve been walking around a bit close by but I really haven''t seen much yet. It would be much nicer if my senior martial brothers were with me anyway."


    Having their little junior suggest something like this, made both Huo Cheng and Huo Hai be in a better mood. "Of course! If that''s what you want to do, then naturally we will do so. Just tell us what you want to see and we''ll definitely take you there!"


    Hua Lin Yu continued to smile and then picked up his chopsticks to eat. "That''s good then. You can also use the opportunity to get to know Xin Lan better."


    Needless to say, the expressions of his two senior martial brothers fell when they realized that this invitation was not exclusively for them. So it turned out that that family friend was also invited. They should''ve known! There really was no way to keep a junior when a handsome man appeared.


    The two could only sigh and then lower their heads to weep into their food. Anyway, at least they weren''t completely forgotten and at least allowed to tag along. It probably could''ve been worse.

 Chapter 1110 - You Won’t Be Happy

    At the same time, things were about to turn interesting at the house of the Zhong family. Jing Yi and Qiu Ling were working in the teahouse at the moment while Zhong Gang was in his restaurant. Only Mi Fang and Guanyu were at home, the latter being in a bad mood.


    She still remembered that her husband had been there when she had suddenly been kidnapped by these people. It was bad enough that he hadn''t been able to help her at that moment but even after such a long time, he hadn''t come to help her. That really made her angry. Unfortunately, she didn''t know how to get back to the Hei Dian Sect or how to reach him so she could only continue being angry and hope for him to come to her.


    Needless to say, that wasn''t going to happen.


    Xiao Li was still tied up in the very same room Fu Min and Fu Heng had thrown him in, unable to get out on his own thanks to the formation. Thankfully for him, the two dragons had already left though since the funeral was over and their king didn''t seem to need them anymore. Being already engrossed in their world of two, they had completely forgotten about bringing Guanyu back and weren''t thinking about anyone else. Thus, it happened that the formation they had originally placed around the room was disturbed by one of the Zhong family''s servants.


    This person was none other than Ma Tao whom Jing Yi''s family had originally met when coming to the capital city and finally finding Zhong Gang''s restaurant. Ma Tao had been working for Zhong Gang''s family his whole life. Originally, it had been his older brother who held this position but after an accident, he had needed to return home to their own family to recuperate. At that time, Ma Tao had taken over his position.


    Originally, he had only been intended as a substitute until his brother was better and could pick up where he had left off. Ma Tao had different thoughts though. He was younger than his brother and thus not that much older than Zhong Gang''s daughter. Thus, from the day he started working there as a servant and saw her for the first time, he had had the idea of marrying her when she grew up.


    Unfortunately, things had gone wrong wherever they could. First, the Zhong family from the countryside came, adding more people to the equation that might result in a different outcome. After all, he had found out rather fast that Madam Zhong wanted her daughter to marry her cousin. Naturally, he hadn''t been happy about that.


    He had tried to discredit the Zhongs in front of Zhong Gang but he didn''t even want to hear about it. He had trusted his cousin so much that no matter what anybody said, he wouldn''t believe it. Then, when that cousin had thankfully died and Ma Tao thought that things might take a turn for the better for him, that stupid girl had actually fallen in love with somebody else. She had been throwing one tantrum after the other, not accepting that she wouldn''t get her way. And it got even worse when that Zhong Jing Yi brought his own fiance over.


    Just when he thought that things would get better because her parents might finally lose their temper, that Xiao Li suddenly appeared in the teahouse and then came to marry her. He had originally thought that he would manage to drive him off but his little scheme back then had actually not worked out in the end and he had even gotten reprimanded. He had long managed to regain Zhong Gang''s trust since then but the only daughter was already married off. Which chance did he still have?


    By now, Ma Tao himself was married but he wasn''t happy. The grand plans he had had for his future just hadn''t come to fruition. How could he be content with that? Thus, when he opened the door and found Xiao Li tied up inside, his first reaction was to just close the door again and pretend he hadn''t seen anything.


    He stood in front of the door with his heart beating fast, unsure of what he should do. Obviously, that was Zhong Guanyu''s husband. Saving him might help him secure an even better position under Zhong Gang. After all, helping his son-in-law would be a great service.


    But in the end, what would he gain from that? He couldn''t go much further anyway. The restaurant or the teahouse wouldn''t be left to him in any case. He would be lucky if he got a single reward for this. No, there had to be a better way to make use of this!


    Ma Tao sneakily glanced in all directions to make sure that nobody had noticed what he was doing. Then, he slowly opened the door again, his lips curving up in a smile. This guy ¡­ he was actually half of what was standing between him and still achieving his goal.


    As long as he managed to make him disappear, there was still a chance at marrying Guanyu. Even though she had gotten older and definitely wasn''t as beautiful anymore as she had been in her youth, it was worth it. Especially since she didn''t have a child with this Xiao Li anyway. If that first husband vanished and she married him instead and they had children, it would still be his child that would inherit everything that the Zhong family had managed to achieve. Wouldn''t that be great?


    Ma Tao stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, his smile turning taunting. "Mister Xiao, what a coincidence to meet you here. I''m just afraid ¡­ you won''t be too happy about it."


    Against his expectations, Xiao Li actually smiled. "I wouldn''t be too sure about that." With that, the ropes that had originally bound him fell to the ground, and he leaped at the person in front of him, twisting his neck in a swift motion.

 Chapter 1111 - Not Even a Second Glance

    Xiao Li looked at the person on the ground and chuckled. "I guess the one who won''t be happy now is you, huh?" He bent down and picked Ma Tao up, pulling him back to where he had been forced to sit before. He tied him up in the same way that Fu Min and Fu Heng had tied him up before and then stepped back, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.


    "Thankfully, that formation was deactivated in time. This is the perfect chance to escape this situation." Not that he couldn''t without but it was still better to tie up all loose ends before disappearing. That way, there wouldn''t be any bothersome person trying to find him later on. Although ¡­ it was difficult to escape from those dragons. He definitely couldn''t return to the Hei Dian Sect after this.


    Xiao Li''s brows furrowed together when he thought of that. His standing in the Hei Dian Sect hadn''t been bad. With some more time, he could have even become one of the Elders. Then, he really wouldn''t need to worry about living in the mortal realm. But anyway, those demon-hunting sects had been restricted so as long as he didn''t go and make trouble in the following years, nobody would blink an eye at his parentage. He just had to stay away from the demon realm in case Jin Ling really lost the throne.


    Thinking of that, Xiao Li was in a complicated mood. He still remembered the way Jin Ling had looked at him. That smile, those caramel-colored eyes ¡­ It really was hard to forget.


    He wildly shook his head to get rid of these thoughts and then raised his hands, wrapping Ma Tao in his spiritual energy. Bit by bit, an illusion was added to his figure and he stopped looking like himself at all. Instead, it looked as if Xiao Li himself was still sitting there on the ground.


    Xiao Li smiled at that and then used the same technique on himself. Now, looking like Ma Tao, he took a deep breath before rushing out of the room with a yelp. He left the door wide open so everybody would be able to see the body, and then ran out of the house and down the street toward Zhong Gang''s restaurant. He would make this into the biggest, possible mess he could.


    Just when he turned into the street, the door of one of the guesthouses opened. He cursed under his breath but was too late to sidestep and thus collided with the person stepping out.


    Hua Lin Yu gave a yelp, instinctively holding onto the person that had rammed into him so he wouldn''t fall. His hair fanned out behind him, making a sweet fragrance scatter in the wind.


    The passers-by couldn''t help but glance over but Xiao Li didn''t even take a second glance. "I''m sorry." He let go of him in the blink of an eye, turned around, he continued to rush down the street.


    Hua Lin Yu was left standing there awkwardly, his puzzled gaze not straying from the back of that man. With his cultivation level, he had managed to see through the illusion at one glance. He couldn''t understand though. A handsome and well-dressed man ¡­ why would he pretend to look like that?


    Behind him, Huo Cheng and Huo Hai rushed over, taking his arms. "Xiao Yu, are you alright?"


    "Were you hurt?"


    "I can''t believe the guts of that guy! Casually touching you ¡­"


    "Right. Let''s see if he can keep his hands if we see him again!"


    Xin Lan walked out behind the two of them and casually pushed them away. "What are you even saying? Xiao Yu is a cultivator as well. Colliding with some mortal once, do you really think he wouldn''t be able to take it?" He gave them a disdainful look before turning to Hua Lin Yu. "Didn''t you want to see the city? Let''s go then."


    Hua Lin Yu looked up at him, his gaze still puzzled.


    Xin Lan frowned. "What''s the matter? You look as if you lost your soul. Don''t tell me it really was that bad?" He pondered for a moment and finally decided that this should be a good opportunity to cultivate some good feelings.


    He reached out and brushed through Hua Lin Yu''s hair, putting on a slightly awkward smile that might have turned out gentle. "If you''re really angry, I''ll hunt that guy down for you. It just depends on what you want."


    Before Hua Lin Yu could answer, his two senior martial brothers were already huffing. "Why would he need you for that? Doesn''t he have us?"


    Xin Lan just glanced at them lazily. "Oh? Then you''d better go and try to find that guy. Otherwise, he''ll get away." He didn''t bother about them any longer after that and just put an arm around Hua Lin Yu''s waist, pulling him down the street in the other direction. "Anyway, where do you want to go? We can do whatever you want."


    Hua Lin Yu finally pulled himself out of his reverie and gave Xin Lan a smile. "It doesn''t matter. Anywhere is fine."


    "Hm." Xin Lan gave a hum and then just continued to pull him along. Anywhere ¡­ Dealing with beauties really was hard. You would not even get a good direction. But then again, maybe this Hua Lin Yu really didn''t care.


    Thinking of that, Xin Lan really just took him to stroll around, only stopping when he felt that Hua Lin Yu might like something along the way. Actually, the atmosphere was quite harmonious. It was just a pity that there were two men with dark faces following behind them.

 Chapter 1112 - Yet Another Death

    Meanwhile, Xiao Li finally reached the restaurant. Thanks to his status, the servants currently standing at the door just greeted him with a friendly smile and didn''t make him wait.


    Xiao Li ignored them and rushed in, calling out as soon as he was through the door. "Master, Master! Bad news!"


    The people currently dining in the hall looked over, whispering among themselves. To them, it looked very much as if a madman had just come to disturb them. Who would rush into a restaurant and yell like this? Anyway, what had even happened? They couldn''t help but be a little curious as well.


    Xiao Li ignored them though and ran up the staircase to where Zhong Gang''s study was located. Thankfully, Zhong Guanyu and that so-called father-in-law of his had dragged him over here more than once so he knew just where he had to look.


    He continued to call out all the way up, already alarming Zhong Gang long before he reached the door.


    With his brows tightly furrowed, Zhong Gang got up from his seat and went toward the door to see what the fuss was about. This really wasn''t like any of his servants. Especially not like Ma Tao. Normally, he was really level-headed. That was why he had given him such a high position. He couldn''t help but have a bad feeling about this.


    Just when Zhong Gang opened the door, Xiao Li arrived in front of it, almost colliding with him. Zhong Gang hastily stepped back, giving him a doubtful look. "Xiao Tao, just what happened?" Looking him up and down, Zhong Gang felt even more weirded out.


    This person who normally made sure to look impeccable and even make sure the other servants followed his example so as to not give their guests the wrong impression of the restaurant, looked nothing like his usual self. His hair was disheveled, his robe crumpled and dirt-stained as if he had fallen to the ground. The most notable was his face though: All color had drained from it and his eyes were widened further than it even seemed possible. He looked as if he was possessed or had maybe seen a ghost.


    Zhong Gang shuddered at the thought. It hadn''t been that long since Ru Chen passed away. Something like this would really be too unlucky. No, he didn''t even want to think about it.


    He forcibly pushed the thought away and gulped. "Xiao Tao, just what happened?"


    Xiao Li pointed outside. "Master, Mister Xiao ¡­ Mister Xiao, he ¡­ he''s dead!" He made sure to screech the last part so the other people in the restaurant would be able to hear it as well.


    Zhong Gang staggered and had to reach out for the doorframe. "What? Xiao Li? How? How could that be?" He straightened up again and stepped closer, grabbing Xiao Li by the lapel. "Xiao Tao, you answer me! Just what happened to my son-in-law? How could he suddenly be dead?!"


    Xiao Li almost smiled at Zhong Gang''s freaked out face but he forced himself to subdue his actual feelings and just squirmed in his grasp. "I also don''t know, Master! I went to your house as you told me but when I opened the door to one of the storage rooms, he was suddenly there. He just ¡­ he just sat there, tied up like a dumpling with his head hanging down at a weird angle. I ¡­ I just didn''t know what to do!"


    A few of the other servants had been lured over by Xiao Li''s screeching. They raised their hands when they heard what had happened, clasping them over their mouths. Most of the younger ones didn''t even know this son-in-law of their Master''s since he hadn''t returned for more than a decade. But just imagining that he had died just like that in the house of their Master ¡­ And being tied up spoke leagues about what kind of death that had been. They just couldn''t help but worry what kind of unspeakable secret might be behind that.


    Who had killed him? A member of their Master''s house? But why that? Had he cheated on their Master''s daughter? Had he stolen something? And what would happen now that things were coming to light?


    The longer they thought about it, the more their desire for gossip was ignited. It was only a matter of time until half the capital city would know about this.


    Zhong Gang''s face fell when he realized that this sensitive matter wouldn''t stay in the family for long. He cursed inwardly but there was nothing he could do to change it anymore. He could only make sure to react appropriately now.


    He took a deep breath and then lowered his hands, restoring his expression. "Are you sure that it was Xiao Li? And are you sure that he was dead?"


    Xiao Li nodded heavily. "I''m completely sure, Master! There''s no doubt about it!"


    Zhong Gang sighed and his shoulders slumped. "Oh, my poor Guanyu. She loved him so much ¡­" He shook his head and then motioned for Xiao Li to follow him. "Let''s go home. I''m sure the yamen runners will have some questions for you. Right, somebody first has to call them." He turned to the bystanders and nodded at one of the servants. "You, go and inform the authorities that a death has occurred in the house and that they''ll need to investigate it. Xiao Tao and I will go over and wait there for them."


    The servant hurriedly nodded and then rushed out as fast as he could. If there really was somebody in his Master''s family that was capable of even killing the family''s son-in-law, then he definitely didn''t want to get on their bad side.

 Chapter 1113 - A First Examination

    By the time Zhong Gang arrived at his house, his wife and daughter had already found out what happened. They had sunken down in front of the door to the storage room, both wailing loudly. Zhong Gang rushed over and looked into the room as well, staggering when he saw whom he supposed to be his son-in-law.


    Xiao Li followed him over, barely holding back a smile. This really was great. Now, he could get rid of this woman and also find a new place in life that would allow him to vanish from under the watchful eyes of the people in the demon realm. After all, he didn''t want to get caught in any of the troubles from there. He just had to make sure that the people of the dragon race didn''t find out and everything would be perfect.


    Thinking of that, Xiao Li looked around but couldn''t see Qiu Ling and Jing Yi anywhere. Since the formation had been deactivated already, he reckoned that the other two had also left by now. In this case, he just needed to get rid of the body before the dragon king could take a look at it. Then, any further trouble would have been prevented.


    Should they ever see him again, he could just pretend to be somebody else. After all, with how relationsh.i.p.s worked in the demon realm, there were bound to be people that looked like him. Hadn''t there even one in the capital before? That fiance of the tea master? At the very least, that seemed to have been the reason for her strange reaction.


    Xiao Li kept in the background and soon enough, the yamen runners arrived, so Zhong Gang and his family, as well as all the other servants focused on the issue at hand.


    The yamen runners examined the storage room and the ropes that were tied around the body, as well as the actual injury.


    Zhong Gang couldn''t help but pipe up when the leader turned around. "This ¡­ What exactly has happened? Do you have any idea who it could have been?"


    The man flicked a glance at him and shook his head. "For now, we can only say for sure that somebody broke his neck. As for anything else ¡­" The man shook his head again and then waved at the others. "We will take the body with us to examine it more closely. We will also have to interrogate all the people from your house."


    Zhong Gang nodded. "Of course, of course! Just tell us what you need. We will do everything we can to make sure that this is cleared up." He looked at how Xiao Li''s body was put on a stretcher and then sighed. "I still can''t believe that my son-in-law died just like that. He was a cultivator. I really can''t imagine that a normal person would be able to do this."


    The yamen runner raised his brows and then looked at the body in question. Looking at the robe he wore, it seemed that he might indeed be the disciple of some sect. As for which one it was ¡­ A black robe normally didn''t mean anything good. For the time being, he didn''t ask about that though. This was something that should be left for the investigation or at least for later when the victim''s crying family wasn''t sitting right next to them. "Well, we will certainly take note of that. Thank you for your cooperation. We will bring him away now."


    The actual Xiao Li stepped forward and motioned toward the door. "Let me show you the way out. You can also tell me how you would like to proceed with interrogating everyone. I can take care of that. Master and his family will probably have other things to deal with."


    Zhong Gang nodded at him, feeling glad that Ma Tao wasn''t abandoning them in their time of need. "Yes, you take care of that, Xiao Tao. Make sure that the yamen runners have all the information that they need."


    Xiao Li nodded and then followed the man to the entrance, listening closely to what he said. He still needed to find an opportunity to let that body vanish after all.


    "For now, we merely need a list with all the names of the people that are working in your master''s house. Also, everyone from outside that has been in contact with the victim over the last few days preceding his death."


    "I can compile the former immediately but as for the latter ¡­" Xiao Li put on a troubled expression.


    The other man raised his brows. "What about that?"


    "Well, as my master said, his son-in-law is part of a cultivation sect. From what I know, he was still staying there and only his wife came here to send off her aunt that died recently. I wasn''t aware that he had even arrived here and I''m afraid neither was his family or they would have mentioned it at least once in these days."


    The yamen runner furrowed his brows at that. "He wasn''t here?" He didn''t believe that but there wasn''t much he could do. It seemed he''d have to take note of that for the investigation. "Well, then just make sure to note down all the people of the household. Right, which cultivation sect did you say he was part of?"


    Xiao Li glanced at the body that seemed to be dressed in a black robe. He hadn''t remembered to change it to the Yun Zou Sect''s robe even though he had originally pretended to be a disciple from there. Did his so-called father-in-law even know about which sect''s disciple he really was? Probably not. And even if he did, he likely wouldn''t have told that Ma Tao. Not that it mattered much. "I think he should have been a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect but I''m not completely sure. It has been very long that he didn''t return home."


    The yamen runner nodded slowly, not believing anything of what Xiao Li said anymore. No matter how he looked at it, things were suspicious.

 Chapter 1114 - Not a Simple Situation

    The body was brought back to the yamen. Under the supervision of the judicial subprefect, the yamen runners went directly to work, examining the body more closely this time and doc.u.menting everything they found.


    "Judging from the state of the clothes, as well as the ropes, he didn''t even try to free himself. If somebody actually managed to capture him and intended to kill him, that is quite strange." The leader of the yamen runners had thought so already when taking a first look at the body at the house of the Zhongs but hadn''t dared to say that outright. Now that they were back at the yamen, he reported his suspicion though.


    The judicial subprefect showed a thoughtful expression. "You said he was a cultivator?"


    "That''s right. At the very least, his father-in-law and the servant who found him both said that. They were unsure which sect he was from though. The servant said it might''ve been the Yun Zou Sect but ¡­" He looked back at the body and shook his head. "Those, for sure, Aren''t the robes of the Yun Zou Sect. I''ve seen them before when they came to test for disciples and their robes were always white. Whatever sect this man was from, it was not the Yun Zou Sect."


    The subprefect nodded, not believing it either. "The question is whether they are lying or whether they really didn''t know any better."


    The yamen runner slightly furrowed his brows. "If I might give my opinion on that: I don''t think that they lied deliberately. If they wanted to conceal which sect he was from, they would just need to say that they don''t have any knowledge of that and we might have trouble finding out with how many sects there are likely out there.


    "Telling us that he is of the Yun Zou Sect when he is obviously not is just way too obvious. They are making themselves suspicious by doing this. I don''t think that in this kind of situation, anybody would do that willingly. If the servant didn''t just speak thoughtlessly, then I believe that he really must have thought this was the case."


    The judicial subprefect nodded slowly. "What you say makes sense. In that case, there seems to be more to the story than meets the eye. Maybe the son-in-law lied to them himself but they didn''t know enough about cultivators to catch him in the lie. What do we know about his wife?"


    The yamen runner shook his head. "Nothing so far from the investigation. What I know about the family from before is that the father-in-law has a restaurant and a teahouse that are both doing very well. If it is a family matter, then it should be something private and not related to money."


    "Are there any other family members?"


    This time, the yamen runner was even less sure. "I asked that servant to compile a list with names of all the people in the household. We can check by then."


    The judicial subprefect once again nodded. "Let''s do that. Anyway, we should check the body for drugs. No matter what the reason is behind this crime, it would be one that is difficult to perpetrate. A cultivator can''t be that easily killed by a normal person. The only way to do that would be to drug him. Unfortunately, that kind of thing could be done by anybody in the house so our list of suspects isn''t too small."


    The yamen runner nodded and then motioned at one of the others to do the tests.


    At that time, another one of them came inside, bowing to the subprefect. "One of the servants of the Zhong family sent over this doc.u.ment." He handed it over with both hands, before leaving again.


    The subprefect looked through what turned out to be the list of the members of Zhong Gang''s household and nodded slowly. "There are quite a few people. Apparently, there is a nephew as well. Have you seen him when you were there?"


    The yamen runner shook his head. "Only the father-in-law and two women of the family were present when we arrived."


    "I see." The subprefect rolled up the list before turning away. "Tell me when we know if any poison was administered or if you find any other traces that might explain why he wasn''t able to react to the attack.


    "Also, send somebody to investigate the relationsh.i.p.s of the Zhong family members. I want to know how everybody gets along and if there was any bad blood between them. Don''t exclude the servants or any so-called family friends either. Who knows if somebody was trying to harm the whole family and even wants to push the blame on them? It wouldn''t be the first time something like that happens."


    Anyway, this was the capital city. That type of thing wasn''t unheard of in this place. In fact, it happened much too often and even in the cases where it was plainly obvious that somebody had engineered the whole thing, it couldn''t always be proven and innocent people would be dragged down.


    So far, the judicial subprefect couldn''t tell which one it was in this situation but there was enough time to clear that up. For now, they only needed to gather more information so they would be able to get a better picture of what was going on. In any case, the situation wasn''t a simple one. That much was for sure.

 Chapter 1115 - Destroying Evidence

    While the people of the yamen investigated the case, Xiao Li was hiding on one of the roofs, watching how things proceeded. He didn''t mind that they were gathering information. He just couldn''t let anybody from the dragon race get close before the actual evidence was destroyed. Thankfully, while the yamen runners did inquire about Jing Yi and Qiu Ling, they didn''t ask either of them to come over.


    When evening fell, the yamen runners stopped their investigation for the time being and returned home while the subprefect also returned to his rooms in the yamen after reading their report of what had been found so far.


    Right now, there were only a few guards on patrol but Xiao Li wasn''t worried about them. He turned his spiritual energy into dark one and then dissolved his body, disappearing from the roof and reappearing right in the room where the body was being kept. He glanced out of the window, making sure that nobody had noticed anything and then smiled to himself. Really, being a demon was so nice.


    He raised a hand, bringing sparks to life that turned into a small flame. Once again, Xiao Li glanced toward the window to make sure that nobody had seen him and then, he bent down to ignite the floor right below the body.


    He didn''t stop there though. He had to make sure that the fire wouldn''t be visible immediately but would definitely destroy the body until it was completely impossible for anyone to tell who this person had been. Only that way could he get the dragon race off his tracks completely.


    Xiao Li set the tables that the body was lying on aflame, as well as Ma Tao''s clothes and hair. Then, he walked through the room, leaving a trail of fire behind. Soon enough, all the small fires grew in size and congregated, turning the room into a blazing inferno.


    Xiao Li once again used his ability to leave the room, starting to set the rest of the building on fire as well.


    By now, the flames could be seen from outside. At first, the yamen runners on patrol had thought that somebody had gone to the room to check on something but then, they realized that the light wasn''t disappearing. When somebody went to check, the paper windows had already caught on fire, making them recoil.


    "Fire! There''s a fire!" The yamen runner went to sound the alarm and soon, everybody was running to get water to try and expunge the flames. Unfortunately, they had no luck. While they were able to make sure that the fire didn''t reach the other buildings, the one that had started burning first was destroyed in large parts, the room with the body burned down to its foundation. Ma Tao''s body itself ¡­ there was nothing left of it save for some charred bones.


    Xiao Li smiled when he saw the result of this night''s work. Thankfully, everything had worked out. Now, he wouldn''t need to worry anymore. He could leave and finally be free.


    He got up from where he had once again been crouching on a roof and then just turned around and left not just the yamen but the capital city of the Long kingdom as a whole. In fact, he traveled up north, until even the border of the kingdom itself was left behind. He had no goal in mind and just followed the wind, intending to never return.


    At the same time, the capital was still in an uproar, most of the citizens and visitors getting up to take a look out of their windows to find out what was happening outside.


    Hua Lin Yu was one of them. He rubbed his eyes and turned around in Xin Lan''s arms, glancing at the patch of the night sky that could be seen outside. "Why is it so bright? Is it already time to get up?" Today was the day they were supposed to leave the capital city. They had been sightseeing the whole day yesterday after sending a message to his family so there was no reason to stay here any longer. Thinking about it, he felt a bit at a loss.


    Xin Lan glanced over as well but shook his head. "No, there seems to be a fire. You can still sleep for a while." He tightened his grasp around Hua Lin Yu''s waist and pulled him closer, his lips brushing over the youth''s temple.


    Hua Lin Yu nodded but he couldn''t help but continue to stare at the window. "Where do you think the fire is?"


    Xin Lan raised his brows. "Is it important? It''s not that close by so you don''t have to be afraid."


    Hua Lin Yu glanced at him and smiled faintly before pursing his lips as if put off by what he had said. "I''m not afraid. Why would I be? I''m a cultivator!"


    Xin Lan looked at him but only gave a hum. "It''s good if you aren''t. Now, do you really not want to sleep? We could leave early."


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head, not happy at all with that suggestion. "No, I want to stay for a while longer."


    Xin Lan''s brows rose even higher. "Why? Do you like it here?"


    Hua Lin Yu hurriedly turned in his arms, facing the wall again. He clung to the edge of the blanket and hurriedly shook his head. "No, not at all."


    Xin Lan slightly furrowed his brows but didn''t say anything. Whatever. If the boy wanted to stay longer, then they could do that as well. It wasn''t like taking a few more days would change anything. And anyway, he wasn''t in a hurry to get married.

 Chapter 1116 - To Heal a Crumbled Soul

    Xin Lan looked at the back of Hua Lin Yu''s head, his gaze tracing the black strands of hair. Imagining him in a red wedding gown as it was customary for the humans, he couldn''t help but feel weird.


    He had been in love with Jinde for millennia. He couldn''t imagine to ever get over him and settle down with somebody else. All this time, he had quietly imagined how it would be if Jinde ever decided that Chun Yin was not worth it. If he would just see that Chun Yin was not willing to put him first and take him as his most important person. If he only he could do so ¡­ With time, wouldn''t he have seen that there was somebody much more dedicated to him close by?


    In fact, he wouldn''t have cared that Jinde could never fall in love with him. Just being able to spend every day at his side with the title of his husband, caring for him, loving him ¡­ Wouldn''t that have been great?


    He had imagined such days to come. He had envisioned how they would get close for the first time, how he would gently take him into his arms, kiss him, and then marry him the dragon way. The way his robes would glide over his smooth skin, the way his golden hair would soon be slick with sweat ¡­


    Xin Lan closed his eyes, his mind very unhelpfully conjuring up the image of how exactly Jinde looked in that state. Unfortunately, he knew. Unfortunately, he had seen him exactly like that. Unfortunately, the one that had made him look like that had been another man and it would be another man for all eternity.


    He knew that. He knew that there was no way to change the state of things between them. But still ¡­ finally abandoning that idea and marrying somebody else ¡­ Even though this marriage was just to make true on his promise to Xiang Yu and save his soul from being torn asunder, it hurt a little to think that the one that would finally lie at his side would be another person.


    Xin Lan sighed and tried to push the thought away. It was not a real wedding, not a real marriage. This youth was even just that fallen god''s trial. It had no meaning, much like those people that were a fleeting visitor in his life. A moment of enjoyment, nothing more. This Hua Lin Yu ¡­ he would be just like that.


    Xin Lan turned onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. He would indeed just be a fleeting moment for him but he wondered what it would mean for that fallen god. Suddenly going on a trial like this ¡­ this kind of impulsive decision was probably not strange for a fallen god but who knew what the effects would be?


    Obviously, that Xiang Yu had fallen because of a trial of love. Now, he wanted to live a life where he would have a lover. Was he trying to make up for his past? Then what would happen after he woke up?


    Xin Lan glanced at the person next to him again, feeling slightly intrigued. He had hooked up with a few people of the god race before and over time, he had gotten at least a rudimentary understanding of their trials. Usually, each of them would bring about a change in the god''s life. They would help them make decisions, find the right path for themselves, and make them steer clear of some mistakes. That was what the intention behind them was.


    But for a fallen god? If a trial was the cause of their fall, then it had already gone as wrong as it could. What use was there in taking another one? Or could it be that this would stabilize his soul somewhat?


    Xin Lan felt intrigued by that thought. What made a fallen god into what it was, was the instability of their soul. The soul would crack and finally crumble and then they would transform, their soul taking another shape and the mark of wisdom form as a visible sign that they were no trueborn gods anymore.


    From that moment on, they were damned to forever remain in that state. They would not age, not physically, and in most cases not even mentally because despite the new knowledge they could gain, their soul, their innermost core, was not working as intended anymore. Whatever trauma they had suffered, it would forever stay present in their mind, shackling them down.


    That kind of person ¡­ were they able to overcome this problem if they went on a trial? Was that why Tian had allowed Xiang Yu to come here? Was there a real chance to heal a soul even after it had been so badly damaged?


    Xin Lan turned back onto his side, pulling Hua Lin Yu up against his chest again. Maybe it was because Jinde had also injured his soul but thinking of this possibility, he felt that he should take this a little more seriously.


    Even if the chance was small, as long as it was there, he couldn''t disregard it. Even if he couldn''t truly love Xiang Yu''s reincarnation, he should do his best to act as his lover. So whatever he had previously imagined doing for Jinde, he would do for this person instead. Maybe ¡­ just maybe, he would truly be able to change his life. Wouldn''t that be nice?


    Imagining that brought a small smile to Xin Lan''s lips and he finally closed his eyes and fell asleep with the fallen god''s reincarnation in his arms. Unbeknown to him, Hua Lin Yu was still awake, his thoughts having wandered off to a completely different place.

 Chapter 1117 - Treat Him as Well as He Could

    When the next morning came, Hua Lin Yu hadn''t slept much. He quietly rubbed his eyes before he sat up and looked to the other side for Xin Lan. To his surprise, the person in question wasn''t lying next to him.


    His eyes widened and he stumbled out of bed, rushing over to the door to see if he had just left maybe. As a result, he almost collided with him when the door was opened from the other side.


    Xin Lan reached out and casually wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him up against his chest. "Where are we rushing off to that early in the morning, little beauty?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked up at him, his eyes still wide. "You ¡­" He finally noticed the tray with food in Xin Lan''s other hand and raised his brows. "Did you go to get food?"


    Xin Lan gave a hum and pulled him into the room, closing the door behind them. "I know you don''t need to eat anymore but since you went to eat with your senior martial brothers yesterday I guess you still enjoy it. I thought it would be nice to wake you up with breakfast." He leaned down and kissed the corner of Hua Lin Yu''s mouth, giving him an almost genuine smile.


    Since he had decided to truly treat this person as his lover for the time being, he would go all out. Even if he couldn''t give this person his heart, he could at least do this much. There had never been any lover of his that complained about not being treated well enough. As long as they did not expect him to stay around in the long term, it would always be beneficial to be with him.


    He would make sure that it was exactly like that was Hua Lin Yu. In fact, he would even put in some additional effort just for him. He felt that it would be for the best.


    Hua Lin Yu did indeed feel sweet when he heard Xin Lan''s words. He smiled and then lowered his gaze, actually seeming a little shy. "Thank you. I guess I should''ve slept a little longer then. I just woke up and got fl.u.s.tered because you weren''t there anymore."


    Xin Lan pulled him to the table and put the tray down before reaching up and brushing through Hua Lin Yu''s hair. "It doesn''t matter. I''m already back. Although ¡­ You really don''t need to worry in the future. Even if I leave for a moment, I will definitely come back to you." He leaned over and kissed his lips before sitting down on the other side.


    Putting half the dishes in front of Hua Lin Yu and the other half in front of himself, he picked up his chopsticks. "I''m not quite sure what you like. I remember some things from your childhood but there wasn''t really any of that available and I guess after so many years, your taste might have changed a little. I didn''t want to presume anything. If there''s something that you like, you can just tell me in the future."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded, picked up his chopsticks as well, and then started to eat. Thanks to the fact that his senior martial brothers always chose the best guesthouse they could find for him, the food actually wasn''t bad. The fact that it was Xin Lan that had gotten it and that he had even done so specifically for him made Hua Lin Yu feel as if it was even better. Ah, it would be nice if it was always like this!


    The two of them quietly ate until there was a knock on the door.


    They both looked over and Hua Lin Yu lightly called out. "Yes?"


    Immediately, the door was opened and the two Huo brothers barged in, only stopping when they saw Xin Lan sit at the table. Their expressions immediately fell and say grumbled under their breath.


    Hua Lin Yu just smiled brightly. "Senior martial brothers! How nice of you to come over! Did you eat yet?"


    Huo Cheng and Huo Hai pursed their lips. Actually, they had come over because they wanted to ask Hua Lin Yu to come down and eat with them. But now, it seemed that this bastard had actually gotten ahead of them. That was truly maddening!


    Huo Cheng was the first of the two to catch himself. He forced his lips back into an upward curve and then went over, patting Hua Lin Yu''s head. "It''s nice to see that Xiao Yu cares about us so much. Actually, the two of us didn''t. We wanted to wait for you but who could have known you were already awake? You should have told us! We could''ve gone and eaten with you."


    Hua Lin Yu smiled brightly, happy that his senior martial brothers cared so much about him. "Thank you! Actually, Xin Lan went to get me something to eat before I was even awake." He turned to look at Xin Lan, his gaze looking extremely gentle.


    The two Huo brothers felt even worse after seeing this. This guy ¡­ He really was being too much! Using such disgusting tactics to get into their junior''s good graces!


    Xin Lan ignored the two of them and requited Hua Lin Yu''s smile. "Right, what do you want to do today, little beauty? Do you still want to go and check out that fire?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded, happy that Xin Lan was already thinking about what to do.


    The Huo brothers couldn''t help but look from one person to the other though. "Didn''t we want to leave the city today?"


    Xin Lan gave a hum and gave the two of them a sideways glance. "Xiao Yu said that he''d like to stay here and explore for a while longer. I don''t see any problem with that. His family probably wouldn''t mind a few days."


    The Huo brothers who naturally wouldn''t want to be outdone by Xin Lan hastily agreed. "Right, right. If it''s what Xiao Yu wants, then it''s definitely not a problem. We will take you wherever you want!"


    Hua Lin Yu''s smile got even brighter. "Great! Then let''s go and see what happened. I''m really curious!"

 Chapter 1118 - A Family He Knew

    Since the opportunity to eat with their junior had been lost, Huo Cheng and Huo Hai didn''t bother to eat themselves. Instead, the four people left the guesthouse as soon as Hua Lin Yu and Xin Lan were finished eating and then went through the streets, in the direction of where they had seen the fire last night.


    Arriving in front of the yamen, Hua Lin Yu curiously looked on while the yamen runners were investigating what had happened while also cleaning up the place.


    There was a row of onlookers already gathered outside, spiritedly discussing what was going on. Xin Lan glanced at them, finally pulling Hua Lin Yu slightly closer to himself. There was no way these humans could do anything to him but he still didn''t want to get separated. Anyway, it should be a nice feeling to be cared for by your lover. At the very least, his previous lovers had always appreciated this kind of thing.


    Hua Lin Yu did indeed look up and gave a smile, snuggling up to his side. "What do you think happened?"


    Before Xin Lan had the chance to make any guesses, a middle-aged man looked over to them, raising his brows. "Haven''t you heard yet?"


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes and shook his head. "No, do you know what happened?"


    The man nodded as if it was a matter of course. "You don''t know but this is actually a big issue. You know how yesterday, there was a murder committed in one of the houses in the capital city?"


    Hua Lin Yu once again shook his head, having never heard of that even though they had been outside yesterday.


    Seeing that he had no idea what was going on, the man was happy to supply him with some more information. "Well, the family in question is quite well-off and actually owns two businesses here in the capital. The victim is their son-in-law. From what I''ve heard, he hadn''t been living in the capital city for some time but recently returned for the funeral of his wife''s aunt.


    "Somehow, he never made his way over to the procession and was found dead yesterday. The yamen runners brought him here and started to investigate but come night, the building where the body was kept suddenly caught on fire. They haven''t said so yet but it''s pretty obvious that this wasn''t just some mere coincidence but arson instead. Somebody must have been trying to tamper with the evidence!"


    Hua Lin Yu''s eyes widened, almost unable to believe that something like this could happen in the capital city. "Such a thing happened?"


    "Yes, of course!" The man''s gaze darkened a little and he furrowed his brows. "Don''t you believe me?"


    The Huo brothers already wanted to jump out to defend their junior but Hua Lin Yu just smiled, his eyes turning into little crescents. His cute face made the man stop even though he had wanted to scold him for having no eyes. It really was difficult to scold somebody this young ¡­


    Hua Lin Yu immediately continued to reassure the man. "How could that be? If you say that is what happened, then that must have happened. I just feel that ¡­" He pondered for a moment and glanced at the yamen, trying to find the right expression. "It''s hard to believe that people would actually do something like this. Who would go so far?"


    The man felt even better when he heard that it wasn''t his words that were doubted but just people''s morality these days. "Mn! People these days ¡­ I could hardly believe it either when I heard what happened. But it''s all the truth.


    "Anyway, they have no idea yet who might''ve done it. If you ask me, then that would either have to be somebody in the family itself or maybe a competitor. You see, the family isn''t very big and the family head is also getting old. They only have one daughter so who will inherit things if there''s no son-in-law anymore? I think there''s a nephew around or something. So either it''s him who was trying to make sure that everything would go to him or somebody else hoped that nobody would inherit and he would be able to get some well-running businesses at a low price."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded slowly but since he didn''t know any of these people, he didn''t really have an opinion on this. He turned to Xin Lan only to find him with a thoughtful expression on his face. "What''s the matter?"


    Xin Lan gave a low hum. "I feel like I have a faint idea who he is talking about." Two well-going businesses? Only one daughter and a nephew? A family member had recently died? That sounded like the family that the Son of Heaven had reincarnated into. What was this about a dead son-in-law though?


    Hua Lin Yu wasn''t quite sure what to make of that. "You know them? Then ¡­ do you want to go there?" If he was close with them, he would probably want to help out, right?


    Xin Lan shook his head though. "It''s a family matter. Not something that I should get involved in. Anyway, it''s just some distant acquaintance. I think it would be better to leave this kind of thing to the authorities. They''ll surely figure it out." He leaned down and gave Hua Lin Yu a kiss, feeling that this chapter could be closed.


    Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but look at the destroyed building in front of them though. He didn''t know why but he had a strange feeling about this. Maybe that was because he had grown up in the Jian Yi Sect. Nobody there would ever do something like this. Killing somebody, destroying the evidence, trying to profit off another''s death ¡­ This really was difficult for him to imagine.

 Chapter 1119 - Nothing to Do with Him

    The investigation was still ongoing so there wasn''t really much more that they could find out. Thus, the four of them soon left and instead started to stroll through the city.


    Hua Lin Yu was having a great time but he also couldn''t help and think about that fire and the circ.u.mstances surrounding it every now and then. It really was such a strange thing to happen. But anyway, he didn''t even know the people involved so he pushed the thought away, feeling that it had nothing to do with him.


    A few days went by, in which they strolled through the streets of the Long kingdom''s capital, visiting some of the shops that Hua Lin Yu didn''t know yet and talking with the servants or even the owners to get a better picture of it.


    Huo Cheng and Huo Hai were happy that they hadn''t left for the Hua family''s estate yet which might make Hua Lin Yu''s wedding into a reality but they also felt strange that their junior wasn''t willing to leave yet and they were especially unhappy that Xin Lan was hanging around him all the time.


    One of these days, just when they left yet another store, they saw a painting being posted to a wall on the other side. Hua Lin Yu looked up at Xin Lan, quietly asking him to go and take a look.


    Xin Lan rubbed his back and brushed through Hua Lin Yu''s hair to show his affection before taking him over there.


    When they stood in front of it, they saw that it was actually a painting of a person. Hua Lin Yu''s eyes widened slightly when he saw it and he couldn''t help but turn to the yamen runner that had just posted it. "Excuse me but ¡­ what is this about?"


    The yamen runner didn''t really have much time but when he turned around and saw Hua Lin Yu, he also didn''t feel right to just not answer. The person opposite him was obviously very young. Thus, he at least gave a bare-bones explanation. "There was a murder in the city recently and this person is the most likely suspect. I''m afraid I can''t answer more questions since I still need to go and hang up the other paintings bu there''s some more information in the accompanying text."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and thanked him and turned to the information when the yamen runner had left. The text did indeed give a few more details: Apparently, the person in the picture was called Ma Tao and was a servant of the Zhong family. He was suspected to have killed the son-in-law of the family and then broken into the yamen and set fire to a building to escape responsibility. Afterward, he had either fled or was hiding somewhere in the capital city. The yamen was asking people to report if they saw him somewhere.


    Xin Lan was reading the text as well and slightly raised his brows. "It seems this has to do with that case we heard about a few days ago."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded. "So it was their servant?" He slightly furrowed his brows, wondering how all of this had to do with each other. He remembered that face. But the person he had seen hadn''t actually been that Ma Tao. Instead, that face had only been a projection made with spiritual energy. The real person below that had been a handsome young man and the clothes he had worn had suggested that he actually wasn''t a servant either.


    But why would he take on that appearance? And that had even been the day before the fire. Hua Lin Yu didn''t think that it was a coincidence but he just didn''t understand what it meant. He pondered for a while longer and then turned to Xin Lan. "Didn''t you say you were acquainted with that family?"


    Xin Lan nodded faintly. "A little. Why?"


    "Well, I was just wondering. Have you ever seen that son-in-law?"


    Xin Lan pondered. He hadn''t really hung around the Zhong family that often since he was only concerned with Qiu Ling if it had to do with Jinde. Thus, he wasn''t really sure who their son-in-law was. But ¡­ if he had to guess, then it would likely be the guy that the two dragons had dragged over there the other day. "I think I did."


    "Then how does he look?"


    Xin Lan was stunned at that question and looked at Hua Lin Yu, trying to figure out why he would be asking something like this.


    Hua Lin Yu tensed and then reached out, grabbing onto his robe and brushing the seam of the lapel with his fingers. "I ¡­ I''m just wondering. This all seems very mysterious."


    Xin Lan raised his brows. "Oh? So my little beauty is chasing adventures?" He leaned closer, his lips curving up into a smile. "You just have to say so. I''m not against taking you somewhere you can have that."


    Xin Lan''s breath brushed his cheek and ear, making Hua Lin Yu flush red. His fingers curled around the rim of the lapel and he lowered his head, not sure how to answer. He also didn''t understand why he was so interested in this. It was just that somehow, he couldn''t forget that moment when he had collided with that man, and now, this story surrounding him came up over and over again. He just couldn''t help but wonder.


    Xin Lan chuckled and then kissed his cheek before straightening up again. He had probably teased him enough. "It''s alright. If you''re that curious, how about we go over and see what''s going on?"


    Hua Lin Yu felt a little conflicted at that. "Are you sure? That ¡­ that seems a little too much?"


    "While I don''t know the family itself very well, I''m somewhat better acquainted with their other son-in-law. It wouldn''t be over the top to go and speak with him and his lover. We can just say we''re there to support them."


    Hua Lin Yu still hesitated for a moment but, finally, his curiosity won. "Alright, then let''s do that."


    "Mn." Xin Lan smiled, satisfied that there was something he could do for Hua Lin Yu. He turned around to take him over, only to stop at the sight of the Huo brothers. Those ¡­ might be a bit too much to take along.

 Chapter 1120 - You Can’t Tag Along

    Xin Lan continued to look at them and then slowly raised his brows. "What are the two of you going to do in the meantime?"


    Huo Cheng and Huo Hai stared back at him and then exchanged a glance, trying to see if the other one had heard the same. When they saw the same incredulity in each other''s eyes, they turned back to Xin Lan, frowning. "What do you mean what are we going to do in the meantime?" Huo Cheng asked. "Of course, we''re going to come with you."


    Xin Lan raised his brows even further, seeming as if he was completely surprised at getting that answer. "You want to come along? I''m afraid that won''t be possible. Look, we will be going over to offer our condolences and our help. It is one thing to bring my fiance since I know the family but bringing two unrelated martial brothers of my fiance along as well might be a little too much. You can''t forget that the family is certainly still grieving."


    "Then ¡­ Then you should better go alone!" No way in hell would they let him take their little junior along if they couldn''t be there to have an eye on things. What if he took advantage of him?!


    Xin Lan shook his head at them and pulled Hua Lin Yu closer, leaning over to kiss his temple. "You two, what are you even saying? Xiao Yu wants to go. Naturally, I won''t tell him no. There really is no reason to be like this. Don''t you trust me?"


    The two of them really wanted to give him a piece of their minds but seeing Hua Lin Yu''s gaze, they couldn''t bring themselves to do so. "Well ¡­ Frankly, we don''t know you very well." That should be alright as an excuse, right?


    Hua Lin Yu wasn''t happy with that though. "Senior martial brothers, what are you even saying? Xin Lan is my fiance. And he''s a friend of my family. Is there really any reason to be like this? Also, I asked him for this, didn''t I?"


    The two of them really couldn''t argue that. Still, they weren''t reconciled. They didn''t want their little junior to be completely out of reach. "Well, what if something happens? You might need more than one person to keep you safe."


    Xin Lan sighed at their more than obvious try to worm their way into this visit after all. "If that is the case, then you don''t need to worry. The other son-in-law of that family is of my race. There''s nothing that the two of you could do that either him or I wouldn''t be able to do. In fact, Xiao Yu will be much safer with us than he could ever be with you."


    Huo Hai furrowed his brows and tried another approach. "Well, what if that other son-in-law was the one who committed the crime? Then he might be the one to attack you."


    "I''m stronger than him so that wouldn''t be a problem either. In fact, having two more people there would make this even worse because then I would have to protect not only Xiao Yu but also the two of you. That would definitely put much more pressure on me. Give me a break!" He turned to Hua Lin Yu and gently grabbed his shoulders, giving him a smile. "Xiao Yu, don''t let your senior martial brothers convince you of anything.


    "I''m sure that it wasn''t him. He really has no need at all to kill a mortal for two businesses. He ¡­ is fairly wealthy himself and he and his lover will likely leave the capital soon anyway. This is just some added problem for them that they would likely have liked to avoid. Anyway, he is definitely a good person." A good person that he didn''t like but that really wasn''t helping right now so he kept that to himself.


    Hua Lin Yu didn''t seem worried though. "Don''t worry, I''m sure that you wouldn''t have proposed going there if you thought he was any danger to me. I trust you!" He lightly craned his neck and pecked Xin Lan''s lips before stepping back with a chuckle. "Alright, since we cleared that up, we should go. If we want to help, we should do so early rather than late. Maybe we will really be able to help them solve this."


    Xin Lan nodded and then led him in the direction of the house of the Zhongs. Huo Cheng and Huo Hai were alarmed and hurriedly rushed after them.


    Xin Lan stopped in his tracks and then turned around, raising his brows at them again. "Didn''t I make myself clear? You can''t come with us. Why are you still following along?"


    Huo Hai pressed his lips together and gnashed his teeth before answering. "Anyway, we can at least follow you until we reach the building, right? We''ll just stay close by in case something happens after all. We can just ¡­" He didn''t know what they could do but his brother came to his rescue just in time.


    "We can ask the people around there if they have noticed anything. And if something does happen, we will rush over and help out."


    Xin Lan smiled slightly and then gave a nod so Xiao Yu wouldn''t think of him as the bad person. "Just make sure that you don''t suddenly imagine hearing your junior martial brother cry out for help or something. It would be really awkward to tell the grieving family who the two madmen are that broke into their house."


    With that, he turned away and pulled Hua Lin Yu along, finally reaching the house of the Zhongs and having one of the servants show them inside. He really didn''t think that the two Huo brothers would dare to do anything after that warning. Not if they didn''t want to risk making Hua Lin Yu angry.

 Chapter 1121 - She Deserved an Answer

    Qiu Ling stared at Xin Lan with an unhappy expression. In fact, he would have liked to give this guy a piece of his mind. Unfortunately, he currently couldn''t do so. After all, this guy had come with a darn good explanation for why he was here. With Jing Yi right next to him, he really couldn''t turn his so-called help down when he offered it.


    Thus, he could only force a smile and pretend to be grateful. "It''s so nice of you to come over and try to help us figure this out. It was really such a tragedy for my beloved''s family." He was holding Jing Yi''s hand, slightly turning toward him and giving a faint smile. Even though he didn''t like Xin Lan and would love it if he could leave, it would still be good if somehow this guy did indeed help them out. Jing Yi would definitely be happy with that.


    Xin Lan gave a low hum. "Why don''t you first tell me what you know already?"


    "I''m afraid there isn''t much to tell. When the body was found, the two of us were in the teahouse. We only heard of what had happened when we came back in the evening."


    Xin Lan raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, you might not have known that he was dead but you certainly know why he was tied up in a storage room, don''t you?"


    Qiu Ling turned back and blinked his eyes at him as if he had no idea at all what Xin Lan was talking about. "No? Why would I know about that?"


    Xin Lan just continued to look at him, not saying anything.


    Hua Lin Yu was confused though. "Why do you think he would know?"


    Since it was his own lover that asked, Xin Lan naturally wouldn''t ignore it. He turned to him, brushing through his hair while his lips curved up in a gentle smile.


    On the other side of the table, Qiu Ling shivered. This really ¡­ wasn''t nice to watch. It was bad enough to see this guy salivate over the old geezer but this was even more concerning. Why was his guy pretending to be gentle?


    Xin Lan continued to ignore him and focused on Hua Lin Yu instead. "Well, as I mentioned before, Qiu Ling is actually of the dragon race as well and a few days ago, I coincidentally saw two other people of the dragon race carry a tied up man over to this house. I''m pretty sure that this guy happened to be that son-in-law of the Zhong family."


    Both Hua Lin Yu and Jing Yi turned to look at Qiu Ling with surprise and some doubt. Hua Lin Yu didn''t really know anything about the family so he didn''t dare to speak up but Jing Yi slightly furrowed his brows.


    "Is this true? Why would you do something like this?" Even though Xin Lan hadn''t said it outright, he could imagine that Qiu Ling had given the order. After all, he knew that his lover happened to be the dragon king.


    Qiu Ling really wanted to curse. This damned old fogey! Why did he have to get involved in something that had nothing to do with him? He sighed and then turned to Jing Yi, taking his other hand as well and looking at him apologetically. "It''s really the truth. I???m sorry. I would''ve told you but ¡­ this was just after mother-in-law ¡­"


    Jing Yi looked away, his mood dropping when he was reminded of his mother''s death. "What does that have to do with anything so?"


    "I asked Fu Min and Fu Heng to bring your cousin over when she was still in the Hei Dian Sect because I didn''t want to waste any time waiting for her to come over in the usual way. When they went there, they also found her husband. As it turns out, he is at least partly demon. I was afraid that he would disrupt things so we threw him in that storage room."


    Xin Lan wasn''t surprised at all. This was definitely Qiu Ling''s way of dealing with things. He just got rid of the problem in the simplest way. "So, did your people kill him as well, or was that just a coincidence?"


    Qiu Ling shot him an angry look. "Of course, they didn''t kill him! In fact, I was thinking that he would be released as soon as the procession was over. I never even wasted another thought on him because that guy certainly would''ve run away as soon as he got the chance. He definitely wouldn''t have stuck around if he knew he was running the risk of meeting me. After all, by that time, he could be pretty sure that I knew what he was."


    Xin Lan slightly leaned back, his arm snaking around Hua Lin Yu''s shoulders and he brushed his arm with his fingertips, making Hua Lin Yu lean closer to him. "Well, I guess it''s true. In that case, maybe that servant found him there and since he was tied up, used the opportunity to kill him. That would make sense."


    Qiu Ling scoffed. "You really think so? Even if he wasn''t a half-demon, he was at least a cultivator as well. What was that servant? Just a common mortal. He wouldn''t be able to kill him at all. I don''t believe this."


    Jing Yi felt lost, having no idea what was up with the story. He didn''t dare to make any assumptions either so he could only look at Qiu Ling, hoping that he would be able to figure it out. Anyway, while he didn''t like Guanyu too much, she was still his cousin. He wanted her to at least get an answer for what happened. She deserved as much.

 Chapter 1122 - Life Had to Go On

    Hua Lin Yu''s expression was thoughtful hearing this exchange. Even though he had been pretty young back then, he had still been present when the trial of the demon-hunting sects had been held. Thus, he knew just how much prejudice there was in this world regarding people of mixed blood. He could understand why a person with the blood of the demon race would be afraid in this kind of situation and might rather run away than to confront the people in question.


    Thinking about it now, that man had looked quite panicked. Maybe ¡­ he had indeed been locked up there and then that servant came. When the man tried to kill him, he managed to free himself somehow and had instead killed the servant. Not knowing what to do and afraid that he might be hunted down because of this even though he had just defended himself, he used his spiritual energy to masked his appearance and switch it for that of the servant and then ran away. It would make sense.


    In fact, Hua Lin Yu was pretty sure that he had found out what was going on. There just was no other explanation. He wondered if he should tell the others but finally kept quiet. From what he knew, the dragon and the demon race didn''t get along too well. And that Qiu Ling seemed to have been the one responsible for having that man locked up. It probably wouldn''t be good if he knew that he was still alive.


    Even though he trusted Xin Lan and his opinion that this was likely a good person, who knew if the conflict between their races would make this escalate? No, he didn''t want to risk that. Since everybody believed that he was dead, it might be better if they continued to believe that. Anyway, these people obviously didn''t miss him so it wasn''t like he made anyone grieve needlessly.


    Xin Lan noticed that Hua Lin Yu''s expression was a little absentminded so he leaned over and brushed through his hair, trying to get his attention. "What''s the matter, little beauty? Not happy?"


    Hua Lin Yu was startled out of his thoughts and looked up at his lover, not quite sure how to react for a moment. "I ¡­" He gave a smile and then snuggled up to Xin Lan, closing his eyes for a moment. "I''m glad to hear that there is such a story behind this. That''s much better than somebody murdering him for their own benefit. It''s not ideal but it''s better than what we thought. And anyway, it doesn''t sound like he''ll be missed much."


    Xin Lan reached out, grabbing Hua Lin Yu''s chin and then tilted his head, giving him a kiss. "You''re so cute."


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him, not quite understanding what Xin Lan meant.


    On the other side of the table, Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. "If the two of you just want to flirt, you can do so somewhere else, no need to do it in the house of my lover''s family.


    "Anyway, you really don''t need to worry about him. I think it might actually be for the best like this. He definitely didn''t have any good intentions. In fact, I am pretty sure he only married my lover''s cousin to get close to us and gather some information. Sure, I can''t prove it but that was my impression."


    Xin Lan nodded at that and got up. "Then we won''t disturb you any longer. If you do need help with this, just tell me. We might still be in town for a few days, right?" He turned to Hua Lin Yu, wanting to pull him up as well but his little beauty was currently shaking his head. "No?"


    Hua Lin Yu smiled, looking a little embarrassed. "Well, I was curious what all of this was about but I guess we should still go to my family now. If we don''t, we will never manage to get married."


    Xin Lan gave a low hum, not quite sure why Hua Lin Yu had suddenly changed his mind but he definitely wasn''t against it. It really was time that they got married. That way, he wouldn''t have to worry about fulfilling his promise anymore. "Then let''s go collect your senior martial brothers and then leave right away. What do you think?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and got up as well, hugging Xin Lan''s waist. "That''s a good idea." He turned to Qiu Ling and Jing Yi and inclined his head. "It was nice to meet you. Maybe we''ll see each other again in the future."


    Jing Yi forced himself to nod while Qiu Ling only gave him a bland look, not thinking that it was very likely. Anyway, he knew Xin Lan. There was no way he was really interested in this guy. He just didn''t believe it.


    Xin Lan noticed Qiu Ling''s stare but he wasn''t about to justify his own love life against whatever this guy thought. Thus, he just urged Hua Lin Yu to leave, making Qiu Ling and Jing Yi remain alone in the room.


    The two of them kept quiet for a moment until Jing Yi turned to look at Qiu Ling. "This matter with Xiao Li ¡­ What do you think really happened?"


    Qiu Ling gave a hum, pondering it for a moment. "It''s true that he is partly of the demon race. Even though that doesn''t necessarily have to say anything, I still think that he was likely after something specific. Maybe he found what he was looking for so he left. That body ¡­ since we didn''t see it, I can''t say for sure but it might have just been some trick. Who knows if there is an actual body?"


    "Then what about Ma Tao''s disappearance?"


    "Who knows? He looked like an unhappy guy nine out of ten days. Maybe he ran off with some woman."


    Jing Yi thought back to the long face of that servant and finally nodded. He wasn''t too sure if it was likely but it might very well be. Anyway, they couldn''t do anything about it so there was no use in thinking about it. Life had to go on. It just was like that.

 Chapter 1123 - They Weren’t Against the Relationship

    While Jing Yi and Qiu Ling went back to their usual routine of getting up in the morning, eating, and then going to work in the teahouse before returning in the evening, Hua Lin Yu and the other three men finally left the Long kingdom''s capital city for the estate of the Hua family.


    Hua Lin Yu was actually looking forward to it. While he had been curious about what had been going on in the capital city these days, he also missed his family very much. Finally being able to meet with them again was definitely something he wanted to do. After all, while the members of the Hua family had come to visit him in the Jian Yi Sect every now and then, they couldn''t stay there all the time. Thus, he had only seen each of them a handful of times over the years, making him miss them very much. Now, he would finally be able to go home and see the place where he had originally grown up and spend time with all the members of his family at once. It really made him happy.


    Xin Lan glanced at his lover''s expression and couldn''t help but smile as well. "You must''ve missed your family."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded immediately, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "I did. I wonder if they are looking forward to seeing me too."


    Xin Lan slightly raised his brows when thinking back to the members of the Hua family and couldn''t help but chuckle. "I''m afraid they are looking forward to this way too much. You probably won''t have a single moment to yourself after we arrive and I will hardly get to see you. Especially if that older brother of yours is at home."


    Hua Lin Yu laughed at that, feeling that Xin Lan was probably right. Even though everybody had visited him now and then, the one who had always been the most excited to see him had definitely been that older brother of his. He definitely had a special spot in Hua Lin Yu''s heart.


    In fact, the Hua family wasn''t just looking forward to Hua Lin Yu''s visit, they were already quite a bit worried because their youngest family member was taking so long to actually arrive.


    Hua Lin Rong was pacing up and down in the front hall, his hands folded behind his back one moment and then wringing them in front of his body the next while his brows were tightly furrowed the whole time. "This wasn''t right. He should have arrived already. Since he hasn''t, I''m afraid something has happened to him."


    Hua Ning Shun looked at his oldest son, a hint of indulgence in his eyes. "Ah Rong, you are worrying needlessly. Isn''t Xin Lan with him? And also some seniors of the Jian Yi Sect? He won''t be in any danger."


    Hua Lin Rong nodded and stopped where he was but his expression still didn''t lighten up. After some time, he sighed and then resumed his pacing. "I still think we should be worried. Anyway, Xiao Yu might call them seniors but they''re still really young. They probably aren''t even of my level. It would be much better if I went to meet him halfway. It would be much safer that way."


    Both his parents shook their heads seeing him like this. "Then where do you want to meet halfway? You don''t even know which route they are taking."


    Hua Lin Rong once again nodded and fell quiet only to continue worrying just a moment later. He couldn''t help it. That was his precious baby brother that they were talking about there! How could he just ignore the danger that he was in? His Xiao Yu needed to be protected at all costs. They couldn''t let even a single hair on his head be harmed. "If nothing happened to him, then why do you think he is late? There has to be a reason behind this!"


    Before his family had time to say anything else, a voice sounded from the entrance. "Your brother wanted to play around in the capital city a little longer. Alright, go and calm down your brother before he rushes out and misses us on the way to the door."


    "Big brother!"


    Before Hua Lin Rong really understood what was going on, there was suddenly a flash of color and then his arms suddenly weren''t empty anymore. His little brother''s brilliant smile appeared directly in front of his face.


    All the worry immediately melted from Hua Lin Rong''s expression and he hugged Hua Lin Yu closer to his chest, not wanting to let go. "Xiao Yu, you''re finally here! Big brother was worried that something might have happened to you." He kissed his cheeks and then rubbed his head, wishing that he could shrink him and put him in his pocket so he could carry him around everywhere and wouldn''t need to worry anymore.


    Hua Lin Yu just laughed and hugged his brother back, happy that he was finally with his family again. "I missed you too!"


    While the two brothers were happily reuniting, Xin Lan lightly shook his head, and then went over to greet their parents and grandparents. "Greetings. I''m sorry it took a little longer. Something happened in the capital city and we first went to check it out. So in the end, we took some more days. I probably should''ve sent another message."


    Fa Min Juan couldn''t help but smile when she saw him and patted his shoulder. "It''s alright. Xiao Yu is still young. Naturally, he will be a little curious when he comes about unfamiliar things in the world out there. It''s definitely not your fault."


    Xin Lan slightly inclined his head, satisfied that his future mother-in-law was taking his side in this. That had to mean that the Hua family wasn''t against this relationship between them. That would definitely make his task easier.

 Chapter 1124 - He Had Misread Things

    Xin Lan turned back to where Hua Lin Rong was currently whirling his younger brother through the air, laughing boisterously at finally having him back. Well, that person might be a bit of a problem. Obviously, his older brother loved Hua Lin Yu quite a bit. Who knew if he would be able to accept another man at his side? Anyway, he still had some time to find out and as long as Hua Lin Yu was willing, there shouldn''t be any problem. A few tears would convince every member of the Hua family.


    Hua Lin Rong finally put his brother down but still refused to let go of him. "Xiao Yu, I really thought you wouldn''t come because something bad had happened to you. I should''ve come to the capital city to escort you."


    Hua Lin Yu just laughed and finally freed himself from his brother''s arms. "There''s no need to worry. Anyway, wasn''t Xin Lan with me?" He laughed again and then rushed over to Xin Lan''s side, wrapping his arms around his waist, and looking up at him with sparkling eyes.


    Xin Lan looked at him and then reached up, brushing through his ink-black hair. "Of course. I would never let anything happen to you." He leaned down and lightly kissed him on the lips.


    Suddenly, the room fell awfully quiet.


    Hua Lin Yu didn''t seem to notice that all eyes were on them but Xin Lan was very much aware of it. Ah, it seemed he had misread things. It wasn''t that the Hua family was actually alright with their relationship, they just hadn''t thought that there was any relationship of that nature.


    Really, thinking about it now, it was no wonder. He hadn''t actually mentioned the wedding in his message to them and only told them that they had met up and would come over to see them soon. Most likely, they had thought that that wedding-talk was something of the past and that Hua Lin Yu had actually grown out of that idea. Now, they had to be surprised that he hadn''t. And this type of public display of affection probably didn''t help the first impression.


    Well, there was nothing the Hua family could do to change what was in front of them. While they were all taken a little aback, Hua Lin Yu''s parents and grandparents managed to restore their expressions after just a moment even though their thoughts were still in turmoil. Hua Lin Yu''s brother was a different matter altogether though.


    He stared at Hua Lin Yu in Xin Lan''s arms, his mouth opening and closing while there was a pang of pain in his heart. His darling little brother ¡­ Not only had he rather been carried by Xin Lan when he was young, now that he had grown up, but he had actually pulled out of his arms to throw himself at that man. Just what was it with Xin Lan that he had such a fatal attraction to his younger brother?!


    Xin Lan gave a hum and then leaned slightly back before overtaxing the Hua family completely. "I definitely wouldn''t let anything happen to you. But it''s still better to be back with your family where there are even more people taking care of you." He gently kissed his temple and then let go, motioning over to Hua Lin Yu''s parents. "Since you''ve already greeted your brother, you shouldn''t ignore the rest of your family, should you?"


    Hua Lin Yu requited his gaze with a smile and then did indeed go over to his parents, letting them hug him as well.


    "Mom, dad, I''m back home!" He smiled brightly, making the two of them feel that even though it seemed that things might be more serious with Xin Lan than they had thought, they were still happy that he was back and doing so well. That was the only thing they wanted for him: That he was safe and happy. Everything else ¡­ well, that could be seen about. Anyway, Xin Lan was at least strong enough to protect him.


    When Hua Lin Yu stepped back from his parents, his grandparents came forward, pulling him into their arms as well. Xin Lan gave the two of them a slightly longer look.


    Back when he had met the Hua family, he hadn''t seen much of these two. Hua Lin Yu''s grandmother, Helian Nuan, had been in closed-door cultivation back then and only emerged after Hua Lin Yu had been brought to the Jian Yi Sect. As for his grandfather, Hua Ming Jun, he had also spent most of his time cultivating so there hadn''t been much to see of him either and he only got involved in things when there wasn''t any other choice.


    Xin Lan was sure that these two knew pretty well who he was even if they hadn''t really had any dealings with each other before. As for their thoughts on his relationship with Hua Lin Yu ¡­ It remained to be seen. But anyway, he felt that his chances of convincing the older generation might be better than with the younger one. And Hua Lin Yu''s parents and grandparents were definitely the ones that needed to be persuaded the most. After all, they would be the ones who gave their blessing to the wedding and helped prepare everything.


    When Hua Lin Yu finally stepped back, Xin Lan cleared his throat, making all of the people present turn to look at him, feeling a sense of either dread or anticipation for what he was about to say.


    He gave a faint smile, his gaze resting on Hua Lin Yu. "I guess you will want to spend some time with your family first. I should also go and look at how things are at home. I guess we''ll only see each other tomorrow again."


    Hua Lin Yu''s expression fell. "You want to leave?" He rushed over, grabbing onto Xin Lan''s sleeve very much like he had done when he was young. He really didn''t want him to go!


    Xin Lan leaned down, kissing the corner of his mouth, and hugged him to his chest. "I''m not far away and I''ll be back soon anyway. Just use the time to tell your family about how things have been. Aren''t you happy to see them again?"


    Hua Lin Yu slightly furrowed his brows. "Can''t I be happy to see them while you''re with me?"


    Xin Lan chuckled, feeling it to be quite amusing that his little lover was making such problems suddenly. He kissed his cheek and then lowered his voice even though he knew that the Hua family definitely would be able to hear him considering their levels. "Be good. Even if you don''t mind me being here, your family will want to talk about some things with you that I might not be supposed to hear. Give them some time for that."


    Hua Lin Yu still wasn''t happy but he finally nodded. "Alright, then we''ll see each other tomorrow."


    Xin Lan gave him another peck on the lips and then nodded at the Hua family before turning around and leaving without a look back.


    Hua Lin Yu ¡­ he felt a little lost seeing that back.

 Chapter 1125 - We Should Celebrate It

    Hua Lin Rong immediately rushed to Hua Lin Yu''s side when Xin Lan was through the door, still not even acknowledging the two senior martial brothers from the Jian Yi Sect. "Xiao Yu, isn''t it great to be back at home? You must''ve missed us a lot. Now, we finally get to make up for the time we missed out on before."


    Hua Lin Yu looked up at him, still in a bit of a daze. "Then, when is Xin Lan coming back?"


    Hua Lin Rong put a hand on his chest, feeling deeply hurt. He was just welcoming his younger brother back but all he did was talk about another man. This wasn''t right! "Xiao Yu ¡­"


    Their father cleared his throat, trying to get the attention of the two of them. "Xiao you, I think you have forgotten to introduce your senior martial brothers to us among all this excitement. Do you want to do so now?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked over and finally realized that his two senior martial brothers were still there as well. The two of them seemed just as aggrieved as his older brother, unhappy that not only Xin Lan but even Hua Lin Yu''s family were taking all the attention away from them. Well, at the very least, they could understand when it was Hua Lin Yu''s family.


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes and then motioned at the two of them before turning back to his father. "Ah, these two are Huo Cheng and Huo Hai, my senior martial brothers." Then, he turned back to the two of them, tilting his head. "Do you know already where you will stay?"


    Huo Cheng and Huo Hai who had just wanted to greet the Hua family members were startled and looked at their junior martial brother with some doubt. "Little junior ¡­ what do you mean?" Wouldn''t they stay at the Hua family''s estate?


    "Well, Xin Lan just left so I would have some time with my family. Where are you going to go?" He said it matter-of-factly as if this was a no-brainer.


    His two senior martial brothers were startled though. This ¡­ Did this mean they only had the same status as that Xin Lan even though they had spent several years with their little junior, even watching over him while he grew up? This ¡­ This was unbelievable!


    Hua Ning Shun hurriedly coughed. It was somewhat funny to see his younger son behave like this but he also didn''t want to anger the people of the Jian Yi Sect. "Xiao Yu, Xin Lan just left because he is living nearby anyway. It''s only half an hour to go there if you want to see him.


    "As for your senior martial brothers, naturally, they can stay with us." He turned to the two of them and gave them an amicable smile. "Xiao Yu hasn''t been at home for a long time. He probably doesn''t quite know whether we have enough space here to put the two of you up or not. I hope you don''t mind. He didn''t mean anything by it. I''ll have one of our servants prepare rooms for you."


    The two Huo Brothers weren''t too sure if it really was that their little junior didn''t mean anything by it. Anyway, they wouldn''t confront his father about it. Thus, the two of them cupped their fists and bowed. "Thank you very much, Mister Hua. We appreciate this very much."


    Hua Ning Shun just nodded and then waved at one of the servants, having them go and prepare the rooms just as he had said. After that, he turned to his own father, still giving him the same smile. "Now that Xiao Yu is back, I think we have reason to celebrate. How about a small banquet tonight?"


    Hua Ming Jun rubbed his chin, looking at that youngest grandson of his and then at the two senior martial brothers that were still standing not far from the door. Actually, a banquet didn''t sound too bad. It was just ¡­ since his son had said this while there were still outsiders there, it would be impolite not to invite them. Which was a pity because he''d much rather spend some alone time with his grandson.


    Anyway, there was also still that person from the dragon race. "Celebrating my grandson''s return is definitely a must. I''d suggest doing so tomorrow though. Xiao Yu is probably tired and Xin Lan also sounded as if he would be busy today. How about having that banquet tomorrow night? That way, the servants would also have some additional time to prepare."


    Hua Ning Shun nodded, feeling that his father was right. "Very well, then we should do it that way." He turned back to Xiao Yu, his smile getting brighter. "What do you think, Xiao Yu? Do you like it?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked from his father to his grandfather and smiled at them sweetly. "Does that mean Xin Lan will also be there?"


    The men around him all felt their brows twitch but his father still answered honestly. "Yes, that means he will also be there."


    Xiao Yu''s smile became brighter as soon as he heard that. "Then I''m very happy!"


    His mother and grandmother exchanged a glance, feeling that they should have a talk with their husbands. There definitely were some things they would need to discuss with that Xin Lan after the banquet was over. For now, though, it was still a bit of time until then.

 Chapter 1126 - Not a Helpless Child Anymore

    As soon as the servants finished preparing the rooms for the two Huo brothers, they brought them over to have a rest while the Hua family used the opportunity to start interrogating their younger child about how things had been for him since they last saw him.


    Hua Lin Yu smiled happily, clinging to his brother who refused to let go of him and had started to hug him again. "You really don''t need to worry. Everyone in the Jian Yi Sect is very nice to me. Master and my senior martial brothers and sisters have taught me a lot. Actually, I don''t even know why you are so scared that something might happen to me. I''m not of a low level anymore."


    He gave a smile that looked a little complacent but his family only laughed. Anyway, as a member of their family, he could be a bit proud of himself. And it was true that he had managed to achieve a rather high level.


    By this point in time, Hua Lin Yu was already on the fifth level. For the Jian Yi Sect, this was a good result, especially considering his age. He was not even twenty years old yet but had long reached the stage where he wouldn''t age any longer and could sustain himself just based on spiritual energy.


    Among the human race, he could definitely be considered a strong person. Not as strong as the older generations of the Hua family or the Elders of the Jian Yi Sect but if compared to people of, for example, the Yun Zou Sect, he definitely wouldn''t need to be afraid.


    This kind of level at his age was the mark of a genius or somebody especially lucky like Jing Yi who had been able to reach this level just being a few years older than Hua Lin Yu because he had been thrown into the secret realm in the Leyuan region and later on spent some time in both the demon realm and the High Heavens. Otherwise, he really wouldn''t have been able to do it.


    But Hua Lin Yu had managed to reach this stage just by relying on his own understanding and the spiritual energy in the Jian Yi Sect. It was obvious that his affinity for cultivation was rather high.


    It wasn''t a wonder considering that he was a member of the Hua family. There was a reason why they were one of the big cultivation families. That kind of status was something that could only be developed over many generations that showed exceptional talent and didn''t even need the help of a sect to reach the greatest heights. His talent in cultivation was once again proof of just why the Hua family had this status.


    Well, regardless of how high Hua Lin Yu''s level was, the Hua family wasn''t about to stop worrying about their youngest member. Maybe it was also because all their levels were high so that they felt that their Xiao Yu was especially vulnerable. Or maybe it had to do with the strange occurrences in the first few years after his birth. Anyway, they felt that they couldn''t be careful enough about guarding him.


    While his parents were mostly worried about the actual real fear of whoever it was that had managed to break into their estate back then, his brother was a different matter altogether. He would be worried about his little brother regardless of what was actually going on.


    He rubbed his head fiercely, hugging him even tighter. "You, ah! You have no idea how scary the world can be. You should better stay with us from now on, so we can make sure that nothing happens to you. Other people just aren''t trustworthy enough."


    Hua Lin Yu laughed and nuzzled his brother''s head, feeling that his big brother was way too funny. "What are you even saying? Isn''t Xin Lan a friend of the family? He is definitely trustworthy. And didn''t you bring me to study under Master yourself? She''s also trustworthy. And if she''s trustworthy, then her other disciples are too. So I think other people should be quite trustworthy, right?"


    Hua Lin Rong looked at his little brother that was suddenly so good at arguing and couldn''t help but sigh. Ah, it really was a pity that he had missed so many years of his brother''s life. How would he ever make up for that?


    Thinking of that, he pulled him tighter into his arms and rested his chin on Hua Lin Yu''s shoulder. "You should still stay with us even if you trust them. Isn''t it better to be with your family?"


    Looking at the two of them, Hua Ning Shun shook his head. "Ah Rong, ah, make sure you don''t suffocate your younger brother to death now that we finally have him back."


    Hua Lin Rong raised his head, feeling a little aggrieved. Just what was his father saying there? As if he would ever do something that would hurt his little darling brother!


    Hua Ning Shun couldn''t help but laugh at his eldest son but decided not to tease him any longer and instead turned to Hua Lin Yu. "I think there isn''t much reason to worry but it still can''t hurt to be careful either. Just in case."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded at that, not feeling that this was as excessive as what his brother had said. Anyway, it really was good if you were prepared in case something happened. He wouldn''t argue that. Still, he felt that with his own level and Xin Lan being at his side, there really wasn''t much to worry about. But, well, he could give his family some time to get used to that thought. Anyway, he hadn''t seen them in a long time so they might think that he was still the helpless child that they had sent off back then. That really wasn''t their fault.

 Chapter 1127 - No Family Name

    With the Hua family asking questions and Hua Lin Yu happily recounting everything that happened in the past few years that his family hadn''t been able to be part of, the day was soon over and the next morning arrived. With it, the Hua family once again welcomed Xin Lan.


    Originally, he had been thinking about staying away for longer but then again, he also wanted to leave Hua Lin Yu and his family with a good impression so there wouldn''t be too much backlash when he brought up the wedding.


    As soon as the servant announced that he had arrived, Hua Lin Yu leaped from where he had been sitting next to his big brother and eating breakfast over to the door toward Xin Lan as if he didn''t want to miss a single second with him.


    Xin Lan couldn''t help but smile. Even though this whole situation had come about because of that irresponsible fallen god, there was something about a beauty throwing himself into your arms that made the situation almost worth it.


    He hugged him back and leaned down, kissing his cheek. "Don''t tell me you missed me this much?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked up, his eyes curving into little crescents. "I missed you a lot!"


    Xin Lan chuckled and then led him back inside, greeting the members of the Hua family.


    The expressions of Hua Ning Shun and Hua Ming Jun were quite subtle while Hua Lin Rong was looking at him aggrieved. Only the women showed a faint smile, obviously happy that their son ¡ª or grandson respectively ¡ª was happy no matter with whom it was.


    Xin Lan pretended not to see any of that but he did take note of it inwardly, slowly formulating a plan. Looking at how things were, it would be easiest if he started with Hua Lin Yu''s mother, maybe asking her for advice on how to go about this since he had noticed that his father and grandfather weren''t quite on board with that. Then, the two women might team up to convince their husbands, making it easier for him when he actually started discussing his wedding to Hua Lin Yu with them.


    As for his brother ¡­ Well, he wasn''t quite sure if that person could be convinced but even if he couldn''t, that didn''t necessarily mean that the wedding wouldn''t happen. No, it was better to focus on the others and just leave what might happen with Hua Lin Rong to fate.


    Maybe they wouldn''t be a problem at all and he would come around in the future after interacting a little more with him. Right now, that guy was probably just salty that his younger brother liked him more. Sooner or later, he was bound to get past this kind of childish notion, wasn''t he?


    Seeing that the men didn''t intend to do anything but greet him, Helian Nuan finally spoke up. "Mister Xin, why don''t you have a seat? We were just eating."


    Xin Lan glanced at the seats that were all taken and gave a slight smile. "I would love to." When he said so, he brushed through Hua Lin Yu''s hair, making him give a happy smile and sidle up even closer to him.


    The matriarch smiled as well seeing that and then waved at the servants to add another seat. Much to the dismay of both Hua Lin Rong and the two Huo brothers, the seat was added right next to that of Hua Lin Yu, meaning that one of them wouldn''t be able to sit next to him anymore.


    Xin Lan tried hard to hold back a more meaningful smile and then led Hua Lin Yu over to his seat, sitting down next to Huo Cheng. He wasn''t stupid enough to antagonize Hua Lin Rong. Since he would marry somebody of his family it was better to offend these two senior martial brothers.


    Sitting down, he looked at Helian Nuan and inclined his head. "Thank you very much for the offer. I really hope I''m not making trouble for you."


    Hua Lin Yu''s grandmother smiled back at him, feeling that this person wasn''t too bad. They could really get a worse son-in-law for their Hua family. "Ah, don''t worry about it, Mister Xin. Xiao Yu seems to really like you and you''ve helped us a lot in the past from what I''ve heard from my husband. Naturally, you will always be more than welcome at our house."


    Xin Lan gave a hum and then kept quiet for a moment before finally speaking up again. "Just Xin Lan is alright, by the way. The dragon race doesn''t have family names." It really was grating to his ears to be addressed like this even though he had experienced this several times in the human realm. Anyway, he didn''t quite want to get used to this. If he had to spend some more time here because of Hua Lin Yu, then it was best to get at least his family used to this.


    This time, he didn''t get a reaction from just Helian Nuan. What she acknowledged the fact, Hua Ning Shun couldn''t help but question a little further.


    "I never knew that was the case. Is it the same for all of the dragon race, no matter the generation or the place one comes from?"


    Xin Lan nodded. "Yes, it is the same for everyone. It was back when ¡­" He trailed off, wondering how to explain to the humans what kind of time he was talking about. They didn??t know about Tian''s curse. It was something they would usually only find out if they became an ascended deity and even then, they needed to have close relations to somebody of the immortal races to find out. After all, that wasn''t usually the type of subject that would easily come up.

 Chapter 1128 - Not That Old

    Seeing his expression, Hua Ning Shun wondered if he had asked about something that shouldn''t have been mentioned. Just when he wondered how to backpedal, Xin Lan already sighed.


    "I''m sorry, I''m not quite sure how to say it. Anyway, as long as I remember, there has never been a time when it was different. From what I know of the younger generation, there hasn''t been a change either. It''s not just the dragons either. The gods and demons are very much the same."


    Hua Ning Shun was relieved but still raised his brows in surprise. "Oh, I heard that there were differences in the Nine Heavens from the people of our families that ascended before. But the contact with them isn''t very frequent so I wasn''t sure about the particularities. It does seem like a few of them do have a family name?"


    Xin Lan inclined his head. "That is true but it has to do with the unique situation of the god race. The trueborn gods don''t have them. But the ascended deities bring their names from the human realm so the situation is different with them. If they get involved with a trueborn god, then it is up to them how to name a child. Thus, there are a few that will have family names. Normally, children will be named like it is usual in the Nine Heavens though unless both parents are ascended deities. It helps them blend in."


    "So it was like that." Hua Ning Shun nodded slowly, feeling that he understood somewhat better what he had heard of the Nine Heavens before.


    Hua Ming Jun couldn''t help but look at Xin Lan with some profoundness in his eyes. "You know quite a lot about the other races."


    Xin Lan smiled, not quite sure if he should say that this was a compliment or rather the beginning of some interrogation. Anyway, neither would be a problem. If it helped convince the family of his qualities, he would gladly let himself be interrogated. "In fact, I do. I guess it is not a secret that I am ¡­ of a slightly older generation of my race. With that kind of time, there are many things one will encounter. I''m sure that you know that yourself. Compared to when you were young, there are probably a lot of things that you are only now aware of whether that be in your own race or in others."


    Hua Ming Jun nodded, unable to refute that. It was indeed true. With just enough time, you would naturally learn more about the things around you if you went through the world with open eyes. That was likely even more so true for the dragon race. From what he knew, they aged slowly so a man like Xin Lan that looked to be in his thirties was probably much older than he could even imagine.


    The Hua brothers were also thinking about what Xin Lan had just said. Huo Hai couldn''t help himself and tried to make a jab at him. "So you were actually that old. Aren''t you ashamed to go after Xiao Yu at that age?"


    Hua Lin Yu himself slightly frowned when his senior martial brother dared to say something like this but Xin Lan just laughed.


    "I see what you mean. But the dragons are an immortal race. What generation somebody is, is hardly relevant to us. I can imagine that it is somewhat different for humans. If Xiao Yu was uncomfortable with my advances, I would naturally stop at once." He turned to the side, lightly grabbing Hua Lin Yu''s chin and giving him a smile. "It''s the truth. If you are, you can tell me. I would understand."


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head and inched closer, grabbing Xin Lan''s hands. "I don''t mind your age. Anyway, you don''t look that old."


    Xin Lan looked at him, not quite sure what to make of that second sentence. "Not that old, huh?" Even though it sounded like he was chastising him, there was still a smile on his lips.


    Anyway, a beauty could be forgiven quite a few things. And contrary to most of the other people of the dragon race, age wasn''t really something he was sensitive to. After a certain time, it wasn''t playing a role anymore. He had lived for so long that he didn''t even want to count the years anymore.


    There were quite a few people like him but as the oldest person of the dragon race still alive, it was probably the worst with him. The only reason he was able to tell even roughly how old he was, was because he had been born just a few months after Tian''s curse took effect. Others could only remember which king''s reign they had been born under. That was the only thing they could go by.


    The Hua family looked slightly embarrassed at what their youngest son had said. Well, save for Hua Lin Rong who had a hard time keeping the corners of his mouth from rising in a complacent smile.


    Hua Lin Yu just laughed though. He really didn''t care about Xin Lan''s age. Even though this kind of relationship between people of different generations was frowned upon even in the cultivation world, he didn''t think it was a problem. Anyway, Xin Lan wasn''t even human. What did a mere number matter in that case? Him being a dragon might be more of a hindrance between them. Speaking of which ¡­ "What about marriage with your people?"


    Xin Lan slightly raised his brows. "What do you mean?"


    Hua Lin Yu didn''t quite know how to answer that. "I mean everything. How is it done?" After all, he wanted to marry Xin Lan soon. He should know about these things, right?


    Even though he thought so, the rest of his family was mortified. Was that really the type of thing you should ask over breakfast? And in front of other guests as well? And Xin Lan hadn''t even formally asked to marry him. This really ¡­ wasn''t a good situation.

 Chapter 1129 - Nothing to Lose

    Hua Lin Yu''s father scrambled to find something he could say to get his son out of the situation so he wouldn''t embarrass himself. "Oh, I bet that the dragons have a lot of interesting customs!"


    Unfortunately for him, Xin Lan wasn''t on the same page as him when it came to the subject. To him, it was a foregone conclusion that he and Hua Lin Yu would get married soon. Thus, he had no problem at all to answer any questions about the topic. In fact, he was happy that he got the chance to provide some information. That way, there was no way his family wouldn''t know that Hua Lin Yu was also interested in having the wedding. "To be honest, there aren''t many customs surrounding our weddings. The dragons are straightforward in this kind of matter."


    Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but feel intrigued. "What does that mean? So how exactly does a dragon wedding look like?"


    Xin Lan glanced at him, a slightly teasing smile on his lips. "Basically, we jump straight to the wedding night."


    Hua Lin Rong and the two Huo brothers looked quite piqued while the other family members seemed embarrassed by how direct that was.


    Xin Lan didn''t mind. Anyway, they could ask any dragon and would get the same answer so it wouldn''t do to tell them anything else. And also, with his past, there really was no reason to lie. Contrary to others of his race, he didn''t have the same hangups since he wasn''t affected by Tian''s curse, thus, he had had that kind of night with more than just one person. It was just that it didn''t quite count. After all, even if you slept with somebody, there was still the aspect of having somebody to vouch for what had happened. And even then ¡­


    He couldn''t help but think of what had happened between his Master and Chun Yin and narrowed his eyes in response. Yes, even if you did everything according to customs, it might still go wrong. So what was the use in following everything to a T?


    Hua Lin Yu originally hadn''t thought too much about what Xin Lan had said but seeing his expression change, he couldn''t help but feel a little strange. "What''s the matter?"


    Xin Lan was pulled out of his thoughts by Hua Lin Yu''s voice and turned to him, slightly raising his brows. "What? Oh, it''s nothing. I was just remembering something."


    Hua Lin Yu continued to look at him and then took one of his hands into his, giving him a gentle smile to try and cheer him up. "It looks like it wasn''t a happy memory."


    Xin Lan continued to look at him, his heart stirring faintly. For all these years, he had always been hung up on Jinde. He had been sleeping with a few people to try to get him off his mind but that had never worked for long.


    And other than that, he had never let anybody get close enough to him to actually get an understanding of him or touch his heart. He just ¡­ Wasn''t ready for that. His love for Jinde hadn''t worked out after all. And deep down, he couldn''t help but worry that even if he managed to forget about him and fell for somebody else, it would still be the same in the end.


    If was a dragon, that person might fall in love with somebody else, and then it would be too late for him. If it wasn''t ¡­ Well, who was he kidding? If it wasn''t a dragon, then there were no guarantees either.


    Furthermore, while the demons were out of the question anyway since they couldn''t love anyone, he didn''t quite like the way the gods behaved. There were a few that were a little more outgoing but still, they weren''t quite to his taste. Too complicated. As for humans ¡­ too fragile. Even if they managed to ascend, they would be in a difficult position having to find their place in the Nine Heavens.


    The spirit beasts like Zheng Yin were quite good though. With the innate talent to become immortal, they were probably the best mix of all the races. Furthermore, they weren''t impacted by Tian''s curse. If he had to find somebody, he would likely go for one of them. But, truth be told, there was a certain element of pride that held him back. He wanted his partner to be a dragon. He truly wanted that. That would make him feel a little more normal. A pity that it didn''t work out.


    Xin Lan felt like sighing. After all these years, he just felt weary. Living a long life and being all alone through most of it, having others treat you as if you were completely different from them, a kind of existence that was supposed to be revered and looked up to ¡­ despite what people thought, it wasn''t a good kind of life.


    It would be nice to have an actual lover for a while, somebody he could just be himself with, somebody that he could spend his time with, just leisurely going about his days, going to sleep together at night and rising together in the morning.


    He didn''t have any big expectations. He just wanted that person to be at his side, to actually care about how he felt and what he wanted. Somebody that looked at him and put him first when he was not doing too well. Just sometimes, just ¡­ caring for him. That was all that he wanted.


    But he knew that this was something that nobody in the dragon race would ever be able to give to him. And even among the spiritual beasts, it would be quite unlikely. A human though ¡­


    He looked at Hua Lin Yu, his previous impression changing a little. This was something he had originally just started because that fallen god had basically blackmailed him into it with helping his Master. But maybe ¡­ maybe he could also get something out of this. Maybe however long this human reincarnation of his lived, could also be a type of break for him. It was worth a try, wasn''t it?


    Anyway, he had nothing else to lose.

 Chapter 1130 - An Imbalance Between Lovers

    Xin Lan kept quiet for a moment and then reached out, putting his other hand over Hua Lin Yu''s, his lips curving up into a smile. "That time is long past. It doesn''t matter anymore. Now, things have turned for the better."


    Come to think of it, they had. Even though he hadn''t gotten what he wanted, at least things weren''t as bad as they could have been. His Master hadn''t managed to stay with Chun Yin and have the happy life that he wished for but at least he hadn''t died. And by now, he was pretty happy with that bastard''s reincarnation. So the person he cared most about was happy. What more could he want?


    Now, it was time to think of himself. He should also find at least a bit of happiness in this life. He couldn''t rely on his Master for that any longer. Any sense of purpose, any hopes for the future ¡­ He had to stop pinning them on Jinde. He had to find something else. A new goal, a new purpose.


    Even if he had no idea yet what that could be, following through on his promise to that fallen god was a good first step. He would take this time to heal from what had happened in the past. He would use it to think over what he wanted from life from now on. And certainly, with some time, he would be able to figure it out.


    Xin Lan faintly smiled back at Hua Lin Yu, this time actually feeling some sort of happiness. He might not be in the greatest situation right now but at the very least, he could look forward to the future. That was already much better than what had happened in the past.


    He leaned forward, free his hands of Hua Lin Yu''s, and then reached out, pulling him into his arms. "You know, I''m really happy that I found you." In fact, it wasn''t wrong. While he had thought that this fallen god was a little annoying, he brought about quite a bit of change. Without him, his Master would never get healed this fast and he himself wouldn''t have this opportunity now. That was something he could be grateful for, wasn''t it?


    Hua Lin Yu hugged him back, quite happy. "I love you too."


    Xin Lan''s lips slightly twitched. So him saying that he was happy was actually taken as a love confession? Well, there was no need to deny it. For him, this was probably already quite good. It could be worse.


    He reached up and rubbed Hua Lin Yu''s back, the black strands of the youth''s hair caressing his hands while he could feel the faint echo of Hua Lin Yu''s heartbeat. It made him feel especially close to him.


    Xin Lan gave a low hum and then leaned back, looking at the youth''s face. He still hadn''t asked his family about the wedding. Most likely, it should be done first. And then ¡­ then, he would see where things led.


    He sighed and turned back to the front, trying not to think too much. Anyway, there was no reason to rush anything. A day or two more or even a few weeks wouldn''t make a difference. He had all the time in the world to do this.


    The older generations of the Hua family watched the exchange between the two of them with mixed feelings and a bit of apprehension. In general, they wouldn''t mind either of their children marrying another man. After all, while they were a cultivation family that relied on blood relatives, for cultivators, having children was more of an optional thing since they wouldn''t grow old and need a family to rely on. Other family members were merely a safety net in terms of resources and support. Thus, this really wasn''t a problem.


    What was a problem or at least might turn into one was Xin Lan himself. Being of the dragon race was already a difficulty in and of itself but it was one that could still be overcome with enough time and effort. His age and all the experiences that came with it though ¡­ That kind of thing couldn''t be changed. And from what had happened just now, there seemed to be quite a lot in Xin Lan''s past.


    While it didn''t necessarily mean that things would go wrong between him and Xiao Yu, it would cause a lot of imbalance between them. That might be problematic. Especially since their Xiao Yu was really very young. He had barely come of age. His experiences were only limited to the scope of the Jian Yi Sect, their own family''s estate, and just a handful of places outside. That really wasn''t much to speak of even at his age.


    It would take a lot of time to make up for that and since he seemed close to Xin Lan, these experiences would likely all been made together with him. Whether that was helping or not ¡­ Who could say for sure? It might be for the best if he spent at least a few years traveling to see the world and meet new people but judging from how close Xiao Yu and Xin Lan already were, it might be difficult to make them consider that.


    Yes, even if they were worried about this, it was already too late. Xiao Yu had gotten attached to Xin Lan early on and what happened now was only the result of that. They could only hope that there wouldn''t be any negative consequences.

 Chapter 1131 - Work a Little Harder

    Anyway, even though the Hua family had some worries, it didn''t change anything since it was plain to see that Hua Lin Yu had already decided on Xin Lan. Those two likely couldn''t be separated anymore. Thus, they could only try to deal with problems if they came up and otherwise hope for the best.


    On the bright side, their impression of Xin Lan wasn''t bad so far so they also felt that they could''ve had it worse. At the very least, he seemed to care about Hua Lin Yu and he wasn''t completely unfamiliar with their family. Still, they should''ve at least have a talk with him about this. It was just a question of when to do that.


    Hua Ning Shun pondered that question for a while but still couldn''t decide on anything. Anyway, his son had only returned yesterday so he felt that he shouldn''t be too rash. It would be best if Xiao Yu had the chance to first get used to living at home again and then they could still talk about such details.


    Still, it would be best if they could also spend some time with Xin Lan so that everybody could get to know each other better. After all, back when Xiao Yu had been small, while Xin Lan had spent quite a bit of time with them, he hadn''t been too forthcoming with information about his own life. Maybe by now, things would be different.


    Thinking of that, he gave Xin Lan a warm smile in the hopes of fostering a good relationship. "Xin Lan, we were talking about having a little banquet to welcome Xiao Yu back this evening. I don''t know if you would be interested in participating?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked up at his father with sparkling eyes, feeling very happy that he brought it up.


    Xin Lan smiled as well and gave a nod. "Of course. I''m honored to be invited." Also, this might be a good chance to bring up the wedding? While it might already be implicit, he still had to state his wish outright. Otherwise, he would seem too indecisive.


    Hua Ning Shun was glad that he had accepted this easily. "Really, it''s our honor. I''m sure that Xiao Yu will also be glad, right?" He turned to his son, not quite sure what answer he actually wanted to hear.


    Naturally, Hua Lin Yu used the opportunity to make obvious just how happy he was to have Xin Lan with him. "That''s great! You definitely have to sit next to me at that time as well."


    Xin Lan gave a hum and brushed back his hair, quite happy with how things were proceeding.


    Next to him, the two Huo brothers finally couldn''t take it any longer though. "Little junior, don''t you feel like you are too biased? He''s been sitting next to you the whole morning already. What about the two of us?"


    Hua Lin Yu leaned forward, looking at them with some doubt. "Senior martial brothers, what are you even talking about? Xin Lan just came. You were sitting next to me the whole time before that."


    Huo Cheng was taken aback while his brother felt like crying. He hadn''t sat next to his little junior at all, alright? He had been sitting next to his biological brother this whole time. How could that compare?!


    Hua Lin Yu didn''t have any pity for them though. Anyway, in his eyes, he had already spent many years with them while he hadn''t seen his family often and had spent almost no time at all with Xin Lan. Naturally, he needed to make up for that first. After that, he could still spend some more time with his senior martial brothers again.


    And anyway, it wasn''t like they weren''t together at all. It was just a question of who was slightly closer to him and who wasn''t. And, looking at his parents and grandparents, wasn''t it obvious that couples would always sit together? Since he was going to marry Xin Lan soon, they should behave like a couple as well. That seemed to be the most logical to him.


    Xin Lan happily ignored the complaints of the people next to him. Come to think of it, it really was a nice feeling to be the person somebody paid the most attention to. He could actually get used to this.


    Naturally, he wouldn''t say so out loud. In fact, he didn''t even let that attitude show. Otherwise, it might not be good for him and his relationship with Hua Lin Yu and his family. No, he had to be careful for the time being.


    Breakfast was soon finished and Hua Lin Yu immediately got to his feet, grabbing Xin Lan''s hand and pulling him to his feet. "Let''s go. I''ll show you around the house!"


    Xin Lan gave a hum and then followed him, letting him explain everything even though he still pretty much remembered the Hua family''s estate.


    Hua Lin Rong and the two Huo brothers actually followed along, shooting Xin Lan some dark looks.


    Xin Lan lightly shook his head at them but still leaned down to Hua Lin Yu. "Little beauty, I''m more than happy that I''m so important to you but ¡­ you just returned home. After this, let''s do something together with your big brother, alright? I reckon he missed you very much and might actually resent me for taking away all of your attention."


    Hua Lin Yu raised his brows and then glanced over his shoulder, seeing that Hua Lin Rong was indeed unhappy, pouting quite a bit. He couldn''t help but secretly laugh at him but still nodded at Xin Lan. "Alright, I can see that it''s true. What do you suggest? Actually, I really would''ve liked to see the place where you live."


    "Mn ¡­ Actually, it''s not that interesting and it''s not a place where I''ve spent much time either. I originally intended to move there but then most of my time was spent with your family and after that, I was taking care of some tasks. It barely feels like home."


    Hua Lin Yu raised his brows in surprise. He had thought that Xin Lan would''ve lived there all the time and had actually known his family for several years at least. As it turned out now, that wasn''t even the case. It really made him wonder just how close the relationship between Xin Lan and his family actually was. In that case, it seemed that they might need to work a little harder to convince his family of letting them get married.


    Well, maybe right now was the perfect opportunity for that.

 Chapter 1132 - Big Brother Knows Best

    Hua Lin Yu only pondered for a moment before he turned around and then skipped over to his brother. "Big brother, there is still quite a bit of time until the banquet. I originally wanted to see Xin Lan''s home but he said that he hadn''t actually lived there for long. Now, I don''t know what to do. Do you have a suggestion?"


    Needless to say, Hua Lin Rong was ecstatic that his little brother would ask him of all people what to do and not that dragon. He gave Xin Lan a triumphant look, only to get a faint smile back in return as if the dragon wasn''t bothered at all. He was a bit put out but thinking of how it didn''t actually matter what Xin Lan thought as long as he was able to spend time with his little brother, he cheered up again.


    Turning back to Hua Lin Yu, he pulled him into his arms and rubbed his head, slightly messing up his hair. "I''m sure that big brother will be able to find something fun for you to do! How about I give you some ideas and you decide what you like to do the most?


    Hua Lin Yu nodded sweetly but then glanced over his shoulder to Xin Lan, his eyes turning into little crescents. "You were right, my brother really knows best!"


    Hua Lin Rong was petrified when he heard that and couldn''t help but glance at Xin Lan as well.


    The dragon was smiling slightly but didn''t bother to talk to him and instead just nodded at Hua Lin Yu. "Mn, you should listen to him well."


    Hua Lin Rong was a little taken aback, not quite understanding what was going on. Hadn''t this guy been hogging his little brother all to himself before? Why was he suddenly doing this? He couldn''t quite understand but also didn''t want to bother thinking about it. Anyway, he finally had Xiao Yu to himself again so he should make use of this opportunity.


    He rubbed his brother''s cheeks and then pondered what people his age might want to do. "Well, there is a slightly bigger town close by that we could visit if you want to. Or, I could show you around a little. You probably don''t remember the region very well. I''m pretty sure that if you still want to, we could even fly past the house of that dragon." He glanced at Xin Lan, begrudgingly mentioning him since his little brother had said that he wanted to do that.


    Hua Lin Yu''s expression indeed lit up. "Then can you show me around the region first and then we''ll still go to the town in the end? We have the whole day ahead of us after all. We should have the time, right?"


    Hua Lin Rong glanced up at the sky and squinted. Actually, it was already midday so they hardly had a whole day ahead of them but then again, it likely wouldn''t take that long. And anyway, he didn''t have the heart to say no to his little brother no matter what it was that he wanted to do. "If that is what you want, then that is naturally what we will do."


    Hua Lin Yu gave him yet another smile and then took his arm. "Let''s go then!"


    "Of course!" Hua Lin Rong turned around but then reconsidered. "Wait! You should put on some more clothes first." Before Hua Lin Yu could decline, he had already dashed back into the house and then returned with a coat and a cloak, trying to help Hua Lin Yu into them.


    His little brother''s brows twitched. "Big brother, I''m also a cultivator. I''m not going to get cold."


    "It can''t hurt to be prepared though."


    Hua Lin Yu gave his brother an indulgent look. Whether it was him or his senior martial brothers, they just couldn''t help but think of him as a weak and helpless child that needed to be protected against everything and everyone in this world. He knew that they only did so because they loved him so he wasn''t really angry. It was just that sometimes, he wished they would believe in him a little more.


    He glanced over his shoulder, looking at Xin Lan again. To be honest, the two of them hadn''t spent too much time together yet. So far, Xin Lan had been different though. He didn''t mind if he went outside and he wouldn''t glare at every person that came close because he thought they had bad intentions. Maybe it was just because he was so assured that he was strong enough to win against everyone that he didn''t feel a need to instead of actually believing in him. But still, it was nice to experience something like this every now and then no matter what the reason was.


    Xin Lan didn''t know what was going through Hua Lin Yu''s head but it was at least good that the youth was still paying attention to him no matter what was going on. It did give him hope for the future.


    Hua Lin Rong tied the cloak and then made sure that it was closed completely in the front before he stepped back, nodding to himself. "Alright, we can go!"


    Hua Lin Yu gave a hum and then reached out a hand, waiting for Xin Lan to come over.


    Hua Lin Rong''s expression immediately fell. "Little brother, are we taking him along?"


    Hua Lin Yu just blinked his eyes at him as if he couldn''t understand what was going on. "But big brother, weren''t you worried that it is dangerous outside? Having one more person to protect me should be what you want, right? And Xin Lan is really strong."


    Xin Lan went over and took Hua Lin Yu''s hand, not trying to deny anything of what Hua Lin Yu had said. Anyway, the two brothers should clear that up between themselves.


    Hua Lin Rong wasn''t happy but, in the end, there was nothing he could do. Thus, he could only nod and then turn around to leave to actually show Hua Lin Yu around. He wasn''t completely happy anymore but still, at least he would get to spend time with his little brother. Even if an unrelated person was there, that was still better than just trailing behind and having to watch him laugh with another man.

 Chapter 1133 - A Story about the Dragon King

    Since that was what Hua Lin Yu wanted, the five of them first flew toward Xin Lan''s house, taking a look at it. Seeing that there wasn''t much inside, Hua Lin Yu indeed wasn''t interested anymore since he could see that what Xin Lan had said was indeed right: This wasn''t an actual home but just an empty place that he hadn''t even gotten the time to set up in a way that he liked.


    Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but think about that for some more time though. Whether it was back at the Hua family''s estate or in the Jian Yi Sect, he had always had a place that he could call home. He couldn''t even imagine how it would be like to travel around so much that you wouldn''t even have a place to return to.


    Or, could it be that there was such a place for Xin Lan but it just wasn''t this one and he hadn''t returned to it in the same way that he hadn''t returned to the Hua family''s estate in a long time? Hua Lin Yu turned to Xin Lan, giving him a curious look. "Say, how were you living in the dragon realm? Do you have a home there?"


    Xin Lan''s expression was thoughtful. Home ¡­ "Originally, I guess there was something like this?"


    Hua Lin Yu raised his brows at him. "That doesn''t sound very sure."


    "Ah ¡­" Xin Lan wasn''t too sure how Hua Lin Yu''s brother would take this interruption of their outing but looking over his shoulder, it turned out that whether it was Hua Lin Rong or the two Huo brothers, they were actually looking at him with some curiosity. Well, at the very least, they did so until they noticed that he had been looking at them. Then, they pretended to be angry and not interested in what he had to say at all.


    Xin Lan turned back to the front, wondering to himself. From the looks of it, they really wanted to know what he had to say. That definitely wasn''t because they thought his life was super interesting or that he was a person worth getting to know but likely because they were interested in the immortal realms.


    Well, it wasn''t a wonder. All cultivators aspired to ascend to the Nine Heavens one day. Naturally, they were quite interested in hearing what the immortal realms were like. They wanted to know what would expect them when they reached that fabled realm. Just getting a glimpse of it through somebody''s words was definitely a good thing to them.


    Well, since the opportunity had already presented itself, Xin Lan didn''t hold back. While he didn''t necessarily like to share his personal story, he could definitely give a few bits of information if it changed their perception of him.


    "Well, it''s a bit difficult to say. As I mentioned before, I''ve been living for a rather long time. I was originally born in one of the larger cities of the dragon realm. There had been a rather big change in our realm shortly before that so times were a little difficult.


    "I guess I didn''t quite have the usual upbringing because of that and my relationship with my parents wasn''t too close either as a result of that. I moved out pretty quickly after reaching the age of maturity and then went on to find a place of my own.


    "I traveled our realm and the other immortal realms for quite some time and didn''t really settle down in one place for all that time. It was several millennia before I actually bought an estate of my own. It was in one of the more remote areas of the dragon realm though, far away from anyone else. I just didn''t really like being around so many people."


    The other four people were all staring at him, interested to hear more of his story. While Hua Lin Yu just wanted to know what else had happened in Xin Lan''s life, especially that it made him refuse to be around others, the other three wished he wouldn''t just give such bare-bones explanations and instead give some more details on how it was to live in the dragon realm. Actually, what else could he tell them about the dragons? Wasn''t there something he wanted to add?


    The only one who actually dared to speak his thoughts was Hua Lin Yu though. "But you still wouldn''t say that that place is your home?"


    Xin Lan gave a hum. "I guess you could probably call it my home. At the very least, I''ve spent quite a bit of time there and when I return to the dragon realm these days, that is normally where I would stay.


    "Through the years though, there have been times when I had to leave for extended periods of time. I was serving the past king for several millennia and thus, spent most of my time in the dragon king''s palace at that time."


    This time, Hua Lin Rong couldn''t help himself and rushed up to Xin Lan''s other side, staring at his face. "You actually served the dragon king? What was he like?"


    Xin Lan was a little taken aback but he could understand it. The dragon king was probably even more interesting to him than just some general information on the dragon realm.


    "What was he like? Ah, I''m afraid I won''t be able to tell that story in just a few words."


    Hua Lin Yu Hua Lin Rong bit his lip and then glanced at his brother. "Xiao Yu, aren''t you tired from flying around so much? Maybe we should go to the city right now and sit down in a teahouse for a while?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at his brother and couldn''t help but laugh. "But sure! Actually, I''m really tired. We should hurry up to get to the city." Naturally, he wasn''t but if his big brother was finally interested in something that Xin Lan was sharing, then he naturally couldn''t get in the way of that. It was good if the two of them could get a little closer. In fact, if they could become friends, then that would be great. He really wanted his family and friends to get along.


    With Hua Lin Yu saying so, the group sped up and directly went to the city, not looking at the region around the estate any longer.


    Since Hua Lin Rong had been living here his whole life, he didn''t have any trouble picking out the best teahouse and get a room for the whole group. He rushed to sit down at the table, shooting off a list of dishes and drinks that he would like the servants to bring before he stared at Xin Lan again. "So, what was that story about the dragon king?"

 Chapter 1134 - I Believed in Him

    Xin Lan thought back to the day he had opened his eyes in the dragon king''s palace, his expression hovering between pensive and a little entranced. The other men couldn''t help but feel even more eager to know the story behind this. Just what kind of man was the dragon king to inspire such a look in someone?


    Finally, Xin Lan pulled himself out of his reverie, remembering that he couldn''t let them find out about his feelings for Jinde even if he told them everything else. "Back when I met him, he was pretty young, both as a person and as a king. To be honest, it had only been a few months since he acceded the throne.


    "At that time, the dragon realm wasn''t doing too badly. The old king had abdicated of his own free will and actually chosen a successor or maybe it should rather be said that he had had two candidates in mind with a clear favorite among them."


    Hua Lin Rong''s eyes were sparkling when he heard that. "The dragon king must''ve been really great if his predecessor was so convinced of him."


    Xin Lan gave a faint smile. "Oh, he definitely was great but the clear favorite of his predecessor wasn''t him but the other candidate. In the end, he was still the one who did a better job at the tests that were conducted beforehand.


    "Anyway, I felt that he was a good king. He cared about his people and he was willing to listen to advice and learn. Something that the other one might not have done to the same degree. But with a fight happening before his enthronement, some people were split on whether to accept him or not. The first few months had been very hard for him."


    Xin Lan fell quiet for a moment, thinking back to the way Jinde had looked back then. That lost expression in his eyes, the happiness at actually being given attention for once ¡­ After he found out everything else, it had been so clear that he had just been basking in that and never really been interested in him as a person.


    Anyway, the personal story between them didn''t really matter at this moment. "It would be hard to tell you about everything that happened but in the end, he did manage to convince everyone that he was the best candidate as the dragon king. From the day I met him, I stood at his side, convinced that that was the case."


    Hua Lin Rong leaned over the table, his eyes inquisitive. "So, in other words, it could be said that you actually helped him be accepted by the others?"


    The Huo brothers didn''t look happy about that but Xin Lan still gave a slight smile and inclined his head. "I did play part in this. I think much more important was that he was just very well-suited for being the king though.


    "After that problematic time, he reigned for many, many millennia. And he managed to prove over and over just why he had gotten that position. In one of the worst wars in the history of the immortal realms, he was even the one who finally managed to kill the demon king that had been raining terror upon our people."


    "That must have been awesome!"


    This time, Xin Lan wasn''t able to just go on as he had before. Instead, he gave a sigh. "I guess you could say so. Unfortunately, he was injured pretty heavily in that fight as well and finally lost his life only a short while later." He didn''t mention that Jinde was actually still alive. Anyway, these people had no business knowing and Jinde''s secret still needed to be kept no matter what. After all, he wasn''t completely healed yet. Even though it wouldn''t take as much time anymore as it would have originally, that didn''t mean that he was out of danger already. There were still way too many things that could happen. Thus, he didn''t want to take the risk.


    Hua Lin Rong furrowed his brows. "That must''ve been really difficult for the dragon race."


    Xin Lan nodded. "It was. Especially since the war wasn''t even over yet. The demons had less trouble getting a new king onto the throne."


    Hua Lin Rong nodded slowly. "I guess if the dragon king died that suddenly, he didn''t have much time to find a successor."


    While Xin Lan wouldn''t expose his Master, he had no problem at all throwing shad at Qiu Ling. "To be honest, he did have somebody in mind but it wasn''t that easy to actually get that person onto the throne. It took some time."


    Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but wonder. "That new king ¡­ is that the current dragon king?"


    Xin Lan nodded once again. "Precisely. It''s been a long time since then but he is actually still on the throne. I guess it just speaks to the fact that the previous king knew what he did even when choosing his successor.


    "Truth be told, I wasn''t too sure back then if that decision was such a good one but I guess he knew him better than I did. Anyway, I left the palace after that. I served that one king and I don''t think I want to serve another. Anyway, he did have another task for me in mind so that wasn''t even a question."


    Hua Lin Rong was quite interested in hearing that. "So you were actually still doing tasks for him even after he died? You must be really dedicated."


    Xin Lan smiled faintly. Was that actually the first compliment he had gotten from his future brother-in-law? How nice. It seemed that things were going in the right direction.


    He didn''t tease him for it and just nodded. "I believed in him. If I didn''t, I wouldn''t have stayed at his side for so long. Thus, I would of course do what he wanted me to." Turning back to Hua Lin Yu, he brushed through his hair, giving a smile. "For that, I had to go to the demon realm for quite some time. So I was actually living there until just a short while ago. I haven''t really been to my home in the dragon realm in a long time either."

 Chapter 1135 - Why Don’t You Bring Us There?

    Hua Lin Yu felt bad for Xin Lan and wanted to comfort him but his older brother was faster than him in speaking up.


    "You were in the demon realm? I always thought that the immortal races were actually against each other. Just like our righteous cultivators in the human realm are against the demonic practitioners."


    Xin Lan smiled faintly. It seemed that his chances of getting along with his little beauty''s brother were getting much higher. He should definitely continue with this. He also noticed that Hua Lin Yu was a little upset though so he first reached out and rubbed his neck to reassure him. Only then did he address what Hua Lin Rong had said. "It is true to a certain degree. Originally, the dragons and demons hailed from the same race. But that was even long before I was born and is something that has only been passed down in some ancient doc.u.ments. While we know of it, it is honestly very difficult to say just when the split between our races happened and the dragons became a thing of their own.


    "Since that time the demons refuse to accept that we are independent though. Thus, they have actually been frequently starting wars with us in an effort to conquer our people. But by now, we really are quite different. Thus, while there remains some link between us, the dragons naturally won''t let them succeed. So it is indeed true that there are tense relations between us."


    Hua Lin Rong''s eyes went wide and he leaned over the table as if he wanted to snatch the space next to Xin Lan from his younger brother. "Then it must''ve been really dangerous to actually go there. Where in the demon realm were you? And what did you do?"


    This time, Xin Lan took a moment to answer. The matter of Jin Ling''s relationship with Jinde was hardly known to anyone. As for his mission in the demon realm, while a few more people knew of that, nobody had found out about any details either.


    He wasn''t about to change that. "Unfortunately, I''m not at liberty to tell you too much about that. While my king isn''t alive anymore, the task he gave me is a very important one. In fact, this is something that might very well guarantee that relations between our race and that of the demons might be slightly better for the foreseeable future. It has worked so far and reduced the number of attacks but I guess if more information came out, that might jeopardize it. I really hope that you understand."


    Hua Lin Rong more than understood. In fact, he really was intrigued. "That does sound like it is very important. I wouldn''t want to compromise that. Naturally, the peace of the dragon race is much more important than satisfying my curiosity."


    Xin Lan smiled faintly and inclined his head. "Thank you very much. I imagine that as human cultivators you are quite curious about the immortal realms. If you want me to, I can tell you a little in the future. While there are some things that I can''t say, there are many things that I can share without worry. I''m sure that Xiao Yu would also like to know some information, right?" He turned to his little lover, brushing through his hair with an appreciative look on his face.


    Hua Lin Yu glanced up at him, smiling back, happy that he was finally being remembered by these two men. "I think it would be nice to know a little more. Also ¡­ Talking is a bit cheap. Why don''t you take as along and bring us over to the dragon realm once?"


    Xin Lan slowly raised his brows. "You are astonishingly daring." He honestly hadn''t expected this reaction. While it wasn''t forbidden to bring mortals to the dragon realm, it certainly wasn''t the case that many of them would ask for such a favor.


    Although ¡­ he did have to admit that he liked it. He had believed that with how fast Hua Lin Yu had gotten attached to him both back when he was a child and this time around when he had grown up, that he would actually be far more docile and maybe shy. While he was alright with having a lover like that for some time, it definitely wasn''t his preference. That was precisely why he had originally gone after Zheng Yin to pass the time until Hua Lin Yu grew up. To see that Hua Lin Yu was now actually displaying this kind of temperament ¡­ It was a huge surprise but a welcome one. He really would''ve liked to see a little more of that.


    Thinking of that, Xin Lan''s expression showed a hint of interest and a bit of indulgence. "Well, if that is something that you want, then I will do so. Tell me what you want to see and I''ll bring you there."


    Hua Lin Yu''s eyes sparkled and his brother wasn''t looking much different. The only ones who had a hard time accepting this were the two Huo brothers.


    "I don''t think this is a good idea. Xiao Yu should better stay in the human realm."


    The other three people turned around to them, Xin Lan raising his brows while Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong narrowed their eyes to glare at them.


    Hua Lin Yu was the one who asked. "Why so? If Xin Lan says it isn''t a problem, then it shouldn''t be one. He knows more about the immortal realms than you do. So why do you think you would know better?"


    The two Hup brothers wanted to say that it absolutely wasn''t about that but they also didn''t dare to bring it up. While their Master had told them that there was somebody after Hua Lin Yu, she didn''t seem to have told him clearly about that and they didn''t know if he had actually found out when he was young. Thus, they really didn''t want to scare him in case he didn''t know.


    It seemed they could only bring it up with his family later on and just leave it be for now. They were still unhappy with Xin Lan though for bringing this situation about in the first place. After Hua Lin Yu found out that he couldn''t go because of something they had said, wouldn''t he be angry at them? It really was such a mess!

 Chapter 1136 - They Met Him As Well

    The group continued to sit in the teahouse for a while longer, starting on the dishes as soon as they were brought over. Hua Lin Rong already seemed to have gotten over his previous hangups regarding Xin Lan completely.


    Even though he was still fussing over Hua Lin Yu half the time, adding some food to his bowl, making sure that he had enough to drink and that there wasn''t even the slightest bit that annoyed him, he had stopped glaring at Xin Lan when he dared to touch his little brother or talk to him and was instead eagerly listening to him. Well, it wasn''t a wonder. More than half the questions that Xin Lan had to answer were coming from him in the first place.


    "So, even if you aren''t working for him, have you ever seen the current dragon king? What is he like?"


    Xin Lan nodded. "To be honest, I probably have a different perspective on him than other people."


    "Why''s that?"


    Xin Lan didn''t mind giving away any secrets of Qiu Ling at all so he answered truthfully. "Back when the king I served was still ruling, the current king grew up in the palace. I guess it wouldn''t be wrong to say that his father was serving my king."


    This time, Hua Lin Rong was even more surprised. "Serving the king? But shouldn''t he have been the king''s son?" That was how royal or imperial families chose their successors after all, wasn''t it? It couldn''t be that just anyone had been tested, right?


    Xin Lan shook his head though. "That isn''t how it works in our realm. We decide just based on skill. His father was a skilled fighter, I''ll let him have that." He didn''t bother to mention that Chun Yin had actually been the one who had been contending for the throne with Jinde. There really was no reason to say any other good words about that bastard. Saying that he was a good fighter was already quite nice and he only did so because he knew that back in his generation, Chun Yin had really been the strongest warrior of the dragon race just like Qiu Ling was right now.


    Hua Lin Rong was already intrigued by just that fact anyway. "Then is his son just as skilled?"


    Xin Lan nodded faintly. "Yes, he is quite good as well. And fighting is a highly valued skill in the dragon race so that is something he definitely has going for him. Other than that, it is a little difficult for me to say. I still remember how he was like as a child."


    Actually, Hua Lin Rong did have a heart for gossip and the two Huo brothers weren''t different at all. Even though the Jian Yi Sect prided itself in upholding righteousness and the disciples indeed tried to follow these teachings in their everyday lives, being cultivators wasn''t always interesting and with many people converging at the same place, there were just many things happening between them that could be talked about. So as long as it didn''t devolve into bullying, nobody minded if these young people gossiped a bit.


    Thus, Huo Cheng finally couldn''t hold back and asked a question of his own. "Why? Could it be that his behavior as a child was really shameful?"


    Xin Lan smiled faintly, enjoying this conversation more and more. "Well, I guess you could say that. He was a bit of a brat back then. Actually, I think you could say that he still is. It''s just that nobody would dare to think of him like that since he''s the king now."


    Huo Hai had been just as curious as his brother but hearing this response, he wasn''t happy. "I bet you''re just making all of this up. You''ve probably never even met the dragon king. Whether it''s this one or the one before that. You''re just telling lies to make yourself look more interesting!"


    Hua Lin Yu furrowed his brows when his senior martial brother said that, now really angry at him. "How can you say something like this?" Anyway, had Xin Lan ever given them a reason to be like this? He hadn''t done anything to them!


    Hua Lin Rong also wasn''t happy. While Xin Lan wasn''t necessarily forthcoming with details, he still felt that nobody would dare to make a story like this up. Also, this was something that they would likely be able to make sure on either when they ascended themselves or if they contacted somebody from their family that had already ascended before. So it wasn''t like Xin Lan would achieve anything by lying to them.


    Xin Lan just gave a breezy smile as well. "Well, you don''t have to believe me. Anyway, if you want to make sure, you could just ask your Master. If I remember correctly, then she has met him."


    The other four all widened their eyes and stared at Xin Lan questioningly.


    "Master met the dragon king?"


    Xin Lan reached out and nudged Hua Lin Yu''s forehead. "You also met the dragon king. He is currently in the human realm. It''s that man we met in the capital city."


    This time, none of the others knew what to say about this.


    The one who first found his voice back was Hua Lin Rong. "The dragon king ¡­ is in the mortal realm? And my brother and his Master both met him?"


    "Yes, that''s the case." Xin Lan said so very nonchalantly as if it wasn''t a big deal at all. Well, to him, it really wasn''t. "He came to the mortal realm because of his beloved. You do know how dragons are monogamous. Also, some of them have some trouble separating after they have found their partner. Thus, he''s been staying around.


    "Xiao Yu and I went to see him just before we came home to your family since something had happened in his beloved''s family and we wanted to make sure whether we could help. As for your Master, she should have met him back when the matter with the demon-hunting sects happened. I''m sure that you can go and ask her if you don''t trust me."

 Chapter 1137 - The Offer Stands

    While Hua Lin Rong had stayed at home back when the trial against the demon-hunting sects was held and only his father had gone to the Jian Yi Sect to support their side, the two Huo brothers had been there that day and helped guard against the Chun Feng Sect. Thus, they did know that Xin Lan had been there. And now that he reminded them of it, they also remembered how their Master hadn''t said anything when he spoke of knowing the dragon king. In fact, she hadn''t even seemed surprised. Most likely, there was really some truth in his words. The two of them weren''t happy but there was nothing they could do other than pursing their lips and glaring at him.


    Xin Lan didn''t think about it any further and just turned back to Hua Lin Yu and his older brother. "Well, the offer still stands. If the two of you want to go to the dragon realm, then I will bring you there. I do think that it would be a good idea to talk with your parents first though. Time in the dragon realm and the mortal realm is flowing differently. Even if we went there for only a day, a year would go by over here. That is something you can''t just decide on your own."


    The two of them nodded, not too anxious to go immediately. Anyway, Xin Lan would likely stay around for a while so there was no reason to hurry. They could just take it slowly and go when they had prepared enough. Anyway, when they went, they wanted to make the most of this trip.


    While they didn''t want to rush, Hua Lin Rong still couldn''t help but at least inquire a little further. "Well, if we go to the dragon realm, then where can you bring us?"


    Xin Lan smiled, a hint of satisfaction showing on his face. "Wherever you want to go. I don''t think there''s any place I couldn''t bring you to. As I said, my status isn''t low. Even if you want to see the dragon king''s palace, it wouldn''t be a problem to bring you there."


    He didn''t even need to hear Hua Lin Rong''s answer to know that he was completely on board with that idea. His eyes were sparkling and he looked very much like he wanted to become sworn brothers with him right the next moment.


    On the other hand, Hua Lin Yu was having different thoughts. "To be honest, while it would nice to see the palace, I would like to visit your place much more." He reached out and grabbed Xin Lan''s arm, giving him a pleading look. The dragon king''s palace was definitely something very interesting. And if they had some time to travel around and see different things, then he would want to go there. But, to him, it was the most important to use this trip to get closer to Xin Lan. Thus, he wanted to see where he had lived before. Or maybe even the city where he had originally been born. That would be much more interesting.


    Xin Lan brushed through his hair, giving him a faint smile. "We can go and look at everything that you want. I don''t mind if we just stay for a few hours or a few days but I''d also be up to remaining in the dragon realm even for a few weeks or months. It will depend on how long the two of you want it to be."


    Hua Lin Yu smiled happily and nodded his head. "Alright, then we can visit both."


    Hua Lin Rong was also fired up and got to his feet. "Alright, then we should go home and speak about it with our parents. We''ll see what they think about it. Then we can start planning."


    Xin Lan nodded, pulling Hua Lin Yu to his feet. "Alright, then let''s go. Anyway, we''ve already spent quite some time here. When we''re back, your family will likely soon start with that banquet."


    With that, the group left the teahouse and returned to the Hua family''s estate. When they were back, it wasn''t quite time for the banquet yet but that wasn''t a problem. Hua Lin Yu and Xin Lan went to sit down in the courtyard next to Hua Lin Yu''s rooms while Hua Lin Rong looked at them, wondering if he would miss out on anything if he left. Actually, he really wanted to go and ask his father about going to the dragon realm immediately but he was also worried that Xin Lan would tell anything that he would miss out on.


    Seeing his expression, Xin Lan gave a smile. "You can ask anything you want later on. It''s not like I''m going anywhere soon. Anyway, I don''t think it would be a good idea to spring this matter with the dragon realm on your father while the banquet is ongoing. Just inform him that it is an option and then let him think about it. After that, you can just come here and sit with us."


    Hua Lin Rong nodded, feeling a bit better after hearing that. Thus, he went to see his father first.


    The two Huo brothers stood to the side, looking at their interaction quite unhappily. They had originally thought that Hua Lin Yu''s older brother would be on their side but somehow, he had actually defected to the enemy this fast. This was really unacceptable! They could only hope that Hua Lin Yu''s father would have more of a backbone and refuse.


    Well, the two brothers were hoping for too much.


    When Hua Lin Rong found his father, Hua Ning Shun was currently sitting together with Hua Ming Jun, looking forward to the banquet. The two of them greeted him happily and waved for him to come and sit with them at the table already.


    Hua Lin Rong rushed over, sitting down, and excitedly told them about what Xin Lan had suggested.


    The two of them were a little taken aback at first but their expressions soon became thoughtful.


    Hua Ming Jun sighed lightly. "Well, that boy just came back but it seems we can''t hold him here for very long. Well, from the looks of it, that Xin Lan has serious intentions. Taking him to the dragon realm to let him experience it would probably be good."


    Hua Ning Shun nodded as well. "I''m pretty sure that a day or two after the banquet is over, Xin Lan will ask to marry him. I really would''ve liked to talk with Xiao Yu before this but I guess there won''t be any chance. Anyway, I''m pretty sure he will say yes anyway."

 Chapter 1138 - It’s Good to Be Close

    Hua Lin Rong looked from his father to his grandfather and back again, wondering why they were suddenly talking about his younger brother''s marriage. "Isn''t he a little too young for that?" Anyway, just because he thought that Xin Lan wasn''t as bad as he had thought in the beginning, that didn''t mean that he wanted him to marry his younger brother immediately.


    Hua Ning Shun smiled slightly. "To be honest, that is what I''m worried about. But especially because of that, it might be good to let the two of you go to the dragon realm with him. Xiao Yu will have to make up for a big difference in knowledge and experience with Xin Lan. The more he sees and experiences in the next few years, the better it would be for their marriage. So, I think this idea is rather good. In fact, if you can, travel around a little more. It doesn''t necessarily need to be with Xin Lan but he would definitely be the best protection you could get."


    Hua Lin Rong slightly furrowed his brows at that. He did know about the safety concerns they had about his younger brother. That was why he had originally been worried when Hua Lin Yu and the others were running late. He hadn''t thought of that when the idea of going to the dragon realm had come up though. Now, he couldn''t help but panic.


    Yes, what if something did indeed happen while they were away? Was this really safe for his brother? While he did want to see the dragon realm very much, it would be alright not to do so if it meant keeping his little brother safe. That was much more important.


    Hua Ning Shun looked at his oldest son and raised his brows. "What''s the matter?"


    "Maybe we shouldn''t do it after all. Even if Xin Lan is strong and I''m there as well, we can''t call in any help over there. Whether it''s our own family or the Jian Yi Sect, they would be unreachable. So if Xiao Yu was targeted, we''d be completely helpless."


    Hua Ming Jun gave a hum. "That is something to think about it. But I feel like you are missing an important point: While our family isn''t there to help, we also have some relatives that have ascended already and should be somewhere in the immortal realms. You might be able to contact them.


    "Furthermore, if you go to the dragon realm, then Xin Lan will know people there. He would be able to call for help if you needed him to. And if he really cares about Xiao Yu, then he definitely won''t take this lightly and will make sure that your brother stays safe. After all, he also knows about our concerns."


    Hua Ning Shun nodded slowly. "Right, and I''m sure that we will also have some discussions prior to you going. So we can bring this up and come up with a plan on what to do."


    Hua Lin Rong felt a little better when he heard that. "Right. Maybe we could even take a few more people with us?"


    His grandfather shook his head at that though. "I would advise against it. It is nice enough of Xin Lan to take the two of you there. To bring even more people ¡­" He shook his head again, sighing. "Believe me, I would like to see the dragon realm just as much as you do. But it is better if only the two of you accompany him.


    "Anyway, Xiao Yu should spend some more time with him without having to worry about his parents or grandparents watching if they are to get married. That way, they can get to know each other better and will have an easier start in life together. That is more important.


    "As for you ¡­ We''re all getting older. One day, your parents and your grandmother and I will all ascend and you two will be the last ones left here. At that time, you will be the only one who will be at Xiao Yu''s side. It''s best if the two of you continue being as close as you are now. Knowing Xin Lan well will definitely be beneficial in that case as well."


    Hua Lin Rong nodded, feeling that he had a big responsibility that he needed to take seriously. Right, he would be his little brother''s sole support. He definitely couldn''t let anything happen to him. He needed to be at his side as much as possible to prevent that from happening.


    Hua Ning Shun nodded at him and then motioned to the door. "Alright, you''ve mentioned it, now you should go and stay a little longer with the two of them. It''s best to get to know him better before you leave so there won''t be any bad surprises."


    "Rest assured, father. I will definitely make sure that he won''t bully Xiao Yu!"


    Hua Ning Shun''s lips twitched. "Actually, I wasn''t worried about that." Although, maybe he should. While Xin Lan seemed like a decent person, their understanding of him wasn''t deep enough. It would be best to watch him for a while longer.


    Returning back to the courtyard, Hua Lin Rong found the two of them sitting at the table, Xin Lan having put an arm around his little brother''s shoulders. They weren''t actually doing anything other than idly spending their time together. They didn''t even seem to have talked much since he had left.


    Hua Lin Rong quietly slipped on the other seat and then looked from one person to the other, trying to figure out if something had happened. He couldn''t see anything from their faces so finally, he couldn''t help but ask. "Is everything alright?"


    Xin Lan smiled and reached up, rubbing Hua Lin Yu''s head. "It is. We were just taking a break. Nothing much."


    Hua Lin Yu looked up at him, smiling sweetly. Somehow, Hua Lin Rong couldn''t help but feel that something was going on but he couldn''t put his finger on it. Apparently, he could only let it go for now.

 Chapter 1139 - Already Planning Their Life

    As for what had actually happened ¡­ Maybe it could indeed be said that it was nothing much. After all, it was merely putting into words what had already been a matter of course to them.


    As soon as Hua Lin Rong had left and been out of earshot, Xin Lan had turned to Hua Lin Yu and grabbed his chin, making the youth look at him. "After the banquet today, I will talk to your parents about letting me marry you."


    Even though Hua Lin Yu had expected that the subject would come up soon, he still felt happy that it would be this soon. "Do you think they''ll say yes?"


    Xin Lan pondered the question for a moment and finally nodded. "Judging from this morning, they probably already expect it and had some time to think about it. But it could be that they won''t say yes immediately and will instead ask for a bit of time to talk things through among themselves and also speak to you. But I do think that if you say that you want to marry me and they don''t find anything that worries them, then there should be nothing keeping us back."


    Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but worry a little though. "What do you think could be an issue?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "I''m not sure. I think there are quite a few possibilities. First and foremost probably that I''m not human. It might be better if I was of the god race since they have more of an understanding of them but this isn''t something that can''t be overcome. It''s merely a matter of getting to know each other better before the wedding.


    "Anyway, that is also why I agreed to take you and your brother over there. When you are able to visit the dragon realm before actually getting married, they can be sure that you will know what will be lying ahead of you. It won''t be a decision you make blindly. So, I think you can expect that even if they say yes immediately, they will first want us to make the journey before the actual wedding."


    Hearing that, Hua Lin Yu inched closer, and leaned his head against Xin Lan''s shoulder, happily hugging his waist. "That''s alright. Anyway, I really wanted to see the dragon realm and the places you''ve been before. And as long as we can spend time together, it doesn''t really matter if it''s while you''re my husband or my fiance."


    Xin Lan nodded and brushed through Hua Lin Yu''s hair. "Yes, I think so too. Anyway, taking things slowly at first isn''t a bad thing. This is your first relationship after all."


    Hua Lin Yu lifted his head and raised his brows when he heard that comment. "My first relationship? Does that mean that it isn''t yours?"


    Xin Lan clicked his tongue, a little angry at himself for spilling the beans like that. But then again, it also wouldn''t do to lie all the time. Who knew how long Hua Lin Yu would live after all? It would be so taxing to have to make up things all the time. No, it might be better to clear this up now. "Well, I''m quite a bit older than you. Naturally, there were some things in the past. It''s all over though. There is only you now." He leaned closer and then pecked the youth on the lips, giving him a smile. "You don''t mind, do you?"


    Hua Lin Yu reached up and interlaced his fingers behind his neck, looking at him with his eyes sparkling with amus.e.m.e.nt. "Even if I had a problem with that, I wouldn''t be able to change it, would I? Anyway, that was before I was even born I guess. So there''s no reason to worry."


    Xin Lan gave a hum, not mentioning that there had actually been something rather recent that was happening while he definitely had been born and that promise to marry him had already been given. Anyway, Hua Lin Yu would never meet Zheng Yin so it wouldn''t be a problem.


    "Well, it''s good that you are able to see it like this. I don''t want to upset you." He leaned down and kissed him again, glad that the topic was off the table now. "Anyway, about your family ¡­ Your brother seems to have come around a little today. I think it will help to travel to the dragon realm together with him. I hope you won''t mind that we''re not alone."


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head. "No, I''m actually happy that he''ll be with us. You know, while I''m looking forward to marrying you, I have also missed my family a lot. It''s nice that we will be able to spend time with him as well. Actually, it''s a bit of a pity that the rest of my family can''t be there but I guess it would be too much to take them along as well."


    Xin Lan chuckled lightly and then raised Hua Lin Yu''s chin, lowering his voice. "If that is what you want, then that is what would happen. It''s not like I can''t take a few more humans with me."


    Hua Lin Yu laughed but shook his head. "We can just invite them later on when we''re living in the dragon realm."


    Xin Lan raised his brows, once again a little amazed at Hua Lin Yu''s reaction. This fallen god''s little reincarnation was really full of surprises. "Oh? Are you already planning how we''re going to live after we''re married?"


    "Am I wrong? You likely wouldn''t want to live in the human realm all the time, would you?"


    Xin Lan kept quiet for a moment, his thoughts traveling to the person that was still staying in the Yun Zou Sect. "I guess ¡­ I wouldn''t necessarily mind staying here. I mean all your family and friends are here as well. On the other hand, there aren''t too many people in the dragon realm that I am close to. It would be alright for me. We''ll just do what you prefer."


    Hua Lin Yu just gave a hum, not wanting to argue. Inwardly, he decided that he would bring this up again later though. He somehow felt that it wasn''t good for Xin Lan to always be alone. He had to have his own contacts. And they also couldn''t just always go with what he wanted. That wasn''t the way a relationship should work. At the very least, it wasn''t in his eyes.

 Chapter 1140 - Anything We Should Definitely Know?

    The two of them didn''t dwell on it and were soon distracted when Hua Lin Rong came back. Anyway, before they could really get married, they still needed to convince the Hua family so it was a moot point to discuss that already. After all, while his older brother didn''t seem quite as reluctant anymore, they couldn''t be sure that he would really be alright with them actually marrying. Thus, they felt that they should still work on this little longer.


    Unfortunately, right now, there wasn''t much time anymore before the banquet would start so they couldn''t really do anything. Their best bet was to slowly make him get used to Xin Lan in the following period and then use the time that they would spend at the dragon realm.


    Thankfully, Hua Lin Rong was normally somebody who got along with others easily. He had only been annoyed because he hadn''t been able to see Hua Lin Yu all this time and now that his beloved younger brother was finally back, he had had to share his time with somebody else.


    As soon as he got over that and realized that he was able to spend time with his younger brother with or without Xin Lan around, he naturally wouldn''t have any reason anymore to treat him unfriendly.


    The Huo brothers might be a bit more of a problem but they weren''t members of the Hua family so that wasn''t as much of a problem. Anyway, Hua Lin Yu likely wouldn''t return to the Jian Yi Sect too soon. While he would forever be a disciple of the sect, this didn''t mean that he definitely had to stay around there all the time. Especially with his own family being a well-known cultivation family, it was likely that he would also spend a lot of time at their place.


    In regards to the Jian Yi Sect, convincing Fei Bai Mu would be much more important since she would also have to be part of the decision of his marriage considering she was his Master. But as for that ¡­ Xin Lan wasn''t worried.


    Fei Bai Mu wasn''t the type of person to get involved in this kind of thing from how he had gotten to know her and even if she wanted, he didn''t believe that she would actually have anything against them getting together. After all, she also hadn''t had a problem with Leng Jin Yu being together with Jinde. And with Xin Lan''s relationship with Jinde, it was unlikely that she would have anything against him.


    Xin Lan was quietly thinking things through, not being as talkative as he had been before. Hua Lin Rong couldn''t help but pout a bit, feeling that these two must have spoken about the upcoming journey while he was away. This meant that now, he wouldn''t have a chance to actually ask any questions.


    It really was a pity. If he could, he wanted to learn more about the dragon realm. Even though as a human cultivator, he would ascend to the Nine Heavens, he couldn''t deny that the dragon realm actually sounded much more interesting than the Nine Heavens. He also didn''t know why but maybe it was just that dragons were such mystical creatures that were completely different from humans in his mind. Although ¡­


    He glanced at Xin Lan, trying to figure out where exactly he was different from them. If he ignored his hair color that was an obvious deviation, then he felt that there actually wasn''t much of a difference. Maybe it could be said that his fingernails looked a little different, more like claws than actual fingernails, but that was this was it. There wasn''t anything really special about it.


    Xin Lan raised his brows when he noticed that Hua Lin Yu''s brother was staring at him and finally couldn''t help but speak up. "Is something the matter?" He didn''t necessarily mind people looking at him since he was used to it from back in the dragon realm but he still couldn''t help but wonder what the reason for this was in Hua Lin Rong''s case.


    Hua Lin Yu also looked at his brother, wondering what was going on.


    Hua Lin Rong couldn''t help but be embarrassed when he noticed that his staring hadn''t gone unnoticed. "I ¡­" He looked for something to say but had trouble coming up with a good excuse. In the end, he could only deflect. "I think it won''t be much longer anymore until the banquet."


    Xin Lan glanced up at the sky and then nodded. "True." He didn''t say anything else though, not quite sure how else to react.


    Hua Lin Rong nodded widely, wondering what he was supposed to do now.


    In the end, Hua Lin Yu looked from one person to the other, finally giving a sigh and getting up. "Well, I guess we might as well get ready then. It doesn''t matter if we go over a little early either."


    Hua Lin Rong felt as if he had been saved when he heard that. "Right, father and grandfather are already over there. We can just go and chat a little with the two of them."


    Speaking of that, Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but raise his brows. "Right, what did they say about going to the dragon realm? Did they seem as if they would be alright with it?


    Hua Lin Rong nodded without thinking too much. "Yes, they actually seem to think that it is a really good idea. I don''t think we need to worry about them not agreeing. We should probably talk a bit more about it in the future though. They likely want to know a few more details like where we''ll go and how we want to prepare. Going to the dragon realm also isn''t something that can be done just like that."


    Xin Lan nodded at that, agreeing wholeheartedly. "The dragon realm isn''t as different from the human realm as you might think. Also, traveling there doesn''t actually take that much time. Still, it also wouldn''t be good to go there unprepared. After all, it is a different place. Knowing a little about the place definitely can''t hurt."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and then grabbed Xin Lan''s arm, giving a smile. "Then what do you think we should know? Anything we definitely need to keep in mind all the time?"


    Xin Lan pondered for a moment and then couldn''t help but give Hua Lin Rong a smile. "Well, I don''t think you will have a problem but your brother should definitely make sure not to get too close to anyone."

 Chapter 1141 - Accidents Might Occur

    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes in confusion. "What do you mean?"


    Hua Lin Rong also looked at him with a puzzled expression but there was a hint of worry mixed in. He really hoped this didn''t mean that he''d have to stay home ¡­


    Xin Lan continued to smile with a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt in his eyes. "As I said this morning, dragons are rather straightforward. If you sleep with somebody and someone observes, you''ll count as married in our people''s eyes. So, you should be rather careful over there or you might come back with a spouse." Naturally, there were ways to get around this but he wouldn''t tell him. Putting it this clear-cut would be beneficial in making him understand how serious this could be.


    Hua Lin Rong gave a wry smile, unable to see any kind of humor in that. "Is it really that strict? Also, normally, we wouldn''t do that in the human realm either." He really wondered just what Xin Lan thought of him to actually give this kind of advice. Did he think it would be normal in the human realm to just go around and sleep with people? That couldn''t be, right?


    He didn''t think so but from what Xin Lan had said, it did suggest that. So he couldn''t help but be a little unsure. In the end, he couldn''t help but ask. "Say, that kind of behavior ¡­ It isn''t normal in the dragon realm, is it? You don''t just meet somebody and then you''ll get married just like that, right?" It was rather hard for him to imagine that.


    Xin Lan chuckled and shook his head. "No, normally, it isn''t like that. Although I can''t deny that there will be some people out there that are rather fast in deciding on their partner and will really get married almost immediately. The current dragon king is said to have proposed to his fiance upon first sight, for example. A pity for him that the gods don''t operate like that."


    He shook his head, not actually pitying Qiu Ling. "Well, that isn''t a concern for you. If somebody propositions you, just a no will be enough. But there are some accidents as well."


    Hua Lin Rong didn''t quite understand. "What kind of accident?"


    "The kind where you will get drunk and then wake up the next morning with a wife. This is precisely why I am warning you. I naturally don''t think that you would go around and try this kind of thing but you can''t forget that this is a different realm.


    "If they give you any food or drink, it can be that it will be quite a bit more potent than that in the human realm even if it looks remarkably similar to something that you know. So, you should always be careful. If we split up at one point, you definitely have to make sure that you keep track of that. I really don''t want to be responsible if we have an additional person with us when we return."


    This time, Hua Lin Rong nodded solemnly. It might not sound like something that was likely to happen but this really was something that couldn''t be taken lightly for the off-chance that those circ.u.mstances might come about. After all, since he didn''t know much about the immortal realms, it would be easy to get something wrong if he couldn''t rely on Xin Lan or anybody else for guidance.


    What if he met somebody with bad intentions? What if somebody played a cruel joke on him? What if he just got extremely unlucky? If that happened, he would have nobody to cry to!


    Thinking of that, Hua Ling Rong couldn''t help but worry for his future self. No, he definitely needed to be careful and make sure that something like that couldn''t happen in the first place. He couldn''t take any chances.


    After all, he really didn''t want to get involved in this kind of accident. He still believed that he would be able to find love one day. Whether that was in the mortal realm or in one of the immortal realms, he didn''t really care. But he definitely didn''t want that to be cheapened by some short moment of inattention. No, he couldn''t put his future marital bliss in jeopardy!


    Ah, but then again, he might also get lucky and fall in love with a beauty in the dragon realm. Just thinking about how they would meet and exchange a glance, feeling the connection between them in their souls, and then think of each other for the days to come ¡­


    Mn, he couldn''t wait to go there. Getting married immediately wasn''t necessary but falling in love sure would be nice. And the dragon realm probably was full of beauties. Maybe there would really be one for him there?


    Xin Lan slightly raised his brows when he saw Hua Lin Rong become absentminded but he didn''t say anything. Anyway, he didn''t look unhappy. That was the most important. In fact, surprisingly, he looked as if he didn''t mind his warning at all and was even thinking about something positive. It really made him wonder what exactly was going on in his mind ¡­


    Well, Xin Lan wasn''t about to find out. The three of them arrived at the hall where the banquet would be held and Hua Lin Rong was pulled out of his thoughts, putting off finding a spouse for later. Anyway, this evening was about his precious little brother. He couldn''t be distracted!


    Thus, the three of them started to accompany Hua Ning Shun and Hua Ming Jun, not saying a single word more about the journey to the dragon realm. Soon enough, Fa Min Juan and Helian Nuan also arrived and even the two Huo brothers made their way over, prompting the servants to bring in the dishes so the banquet could start.

 Chapter 1142 - I Want to Make True on My Promise

    Xin Lan held back the whole evening, making sure that he didn''t take any of the limelight away from Hua Lin Yu. This evening was to welcome him back. Nobody else should be the focus of attention unless it was Hua Lin Yu himself who asked something.


    The Hua family hadn''t seen their younger son in a long time though so there was an almost endless stream of questions, making sure the youth had to use the whole evening to recount his experiences in the Jian Yi Sect down to the smallest of incidents. The hall was filled with laughter, making the gathering feel very intimate despite the fact that there were actually three strangers present.


    Huo Cheng and Huo Hai helped out with recounting some tales from when Hua Lin Yu had been younger that he didn''t quite remember and they also shared some anecdotes from their own view.


    It was quite a few hours past midnight when Helian Nuan motioned to the windows to remind everyone of how late it had gotten. "I think we should stop here for today. Anyway, Xiao Yu is back now and he will stay here for quite some time I presume. We will have many more chances to ask him about his experiences outside. But today, we should give it a rest and go to sleep."


    The others all agreed even though Hua Ning Shun and Hua Ming Jun hesitated for a while, not quite sure if they should bring the idea of a journey to the dragon realm up at this moment. In the end, they shared a glance but decided against it.


    Anyway, Helian Nuan was right in that it was already very late. It wouldn''t do to bring this up now and have everybody overthink. No, it would be best to let everybody go to sleep first and then talk about this another day. Anyway, the children likely wouldn''t want to leave immediately. So they could still talk about it later on.


    Thus, the Hua family got up, ready to retire for the night. Xin Lan got up as well but this time, he didn''t stand back. He had kept quiet for most of the night and just spent his time at Hua Lin Yu''s side, keeping close to him to show him his support. Now, it was time to make his move though. He could probably wait for a while longer or at least until the next day but he still felt that it was best to get things out with immediately. That way, there could be no misunderstandings.


    He went forward to where Hua Ning Shun and Fa Min Juan were standing and inclined his head. "I know it is late and you probably want to go and rest but there''s something I feel the need to say."


    Hua Ning Shun gave a strained smile. He could imagine what this was about. He wasn''t quite sure if he was really ready to give an answer to that though. While he knew that his son would probably end up being married to Xin Lan, he had hoped that it wouldn''t be this soon. They had just gotten Xiao Yu back. To actually have him leave again now to live with his husband ¡­ it was a pity. But, well, fate couldn''t be changed. "Please go ahead then."


    Xin Lan kept quiet at first and glanced at Hua Lin Yu, making sure to hold his gaze for a moment before he turned back to his parents. "You do know what I said to your son when we brought him over to the Jian Yi Sect. I haven''t forgotten my words. I want to make true on my promise and marry him now that he''s come of age. I''m asking for your blessing."


    Hua Ning Shun barely held back a sigh while his wife raised her brows, not actually having expected this that fast.


    "Do you expect us to give an answer immediately?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "A wedding is something that will decide the rest of one''s life in the best case. Naturally, I won''t mind if you take some time to think this through. Anyway, I know that this is rather sudden. I just wanted to make my intentions clear."


    Hua Ning Shun nodded. "Then we will discuss it tomorrow and give your answer by then."


    Xin Lan inclined his head before he turned around and then walked back to Hua Lin Yu. He reached out and lightly brushed his cheek with his fingers, giving him a smile. "If your family allows it, I will definitely keep true to my words. Just have some patience."


    Hua Lin Yu smiled and nodded, feeling that this was already very good. "I will." Anyway, he didn''t think that his family would say no. So now, they only needed to wait another day to get the final decision. It seemed like a beautiful dream.


    Xin Lan leaned closer as if he wanted to kiss him but finally stopped a hair''s breadth away from him before he pulled back. "Then I will return home for tonight. I''ll see you tomorrow morning."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and then watched him leave, only pulling out of his thoughts when his brother tugged at his sleeve.


    All eyes were on him. The Huo brothers looked as if they wanted to complain but didn''t dare to in the presence of the other members of the Hua family. In the end, they could only mumble that they would retire for the night as well and then leave, unhappy that they wouldn''t be able to stay there to find out what was going on.


    As for the members of the Hua family ¡­ They immediately sat back down, motioning for the two children to do the same. Well, sharing some memories could be put off but discussing a wedding couldn''t. They would use the rest of the night for this if they had to.

 Chapter 1143 - Two Conditions

    "Xiao Yu ¡­" Hua Ning Shun slightly frowned, not quite sure what to say. This son of his ¡­ His reaction to Xin Lan getting close to him just now had been pretty obvious. There probably wasn''t any point in even asking him.


    Hua Lin Yu gave him a sweet smile as if he had no idea what was going through his father''s head. "What''s the matter, father?"


    Hua Ning Shun sighed and then leaned back, folding his hands in his lap. "What Xin Lan said just now ¡­ What are your thoughts on it?" Anyway, this was the most important. They should just get that out of the way immediately.


    Hua Lin Yu lowered his head for a moment, smiling to himself. "Well, I would be lying if I said that I wasn''t looking forward to it. You''re going to say yes, aren''t you?"


    His father sighed once again but then nodded. "Because of the things that happened when you were young, you didn''t even grow up with our family. Most of your time was spent in the Jian Yi Sect with your Master and senior martial brothers and sisters. I think telling you now that you can''t marry the man you love would be wrong of me. From my side, there is no objection. There are just a few concerns that I hope you won''t mind if I address."


    Hua Lin Yu looked at the others who slowly nodded as well. His father and grandfather had already spoken about everything so they weren''t surprised while his mother and grandmother had a good opinion of Xin Lan from before so even though they hadn''t expected this, they could see this working out. At the very least, it looked like Xin Lan cared about their youngest family member quite a lot while Hua Lin Yu seemed to like him as well.


    Seeing that nobody seemed to be opposed directly, Hua Lin Yu sat down in front of his parents with his brother, holding Hua Lin Rong''s hand before giving a nod. "I would like to hear your thoughts on this, father."


    Hua Ning Shun took a moment to gather his thoughts and then went to explain his worries. "Ah Rong mentioned that the three of you want to go and travel the dragon realm. And as you can probably already imagine I would want you to do that before you get married.


    "While Xin Lan''s promise was given a long time ago already, you haven''t seen each other much. I think it would do you good to spend some more time together before you finally tie the knot. If you feel that after this journey, you still get along well or maybe even better than before, then that would be a good time to actually hold the wedding.


    "Other than that, it is customary that your Master would also have a say in your marriage. Normally, that would be somebody of our family so it was never an issue but this time, Sect Master Fei should be included in this decision as well. So before you leave, I''d suggest that you should go to the Jian Yi Sect again to ask for her blessing as well. Depending on what she says to this, you can proceed."


    Hua Lin Yu waited but there wasn''t anything else. It seemed that his father only had these two concerns. "I think those are some very good points, father. Then I will tell Xin Lan tomorrow? Or do you want to tell him?"


    Hua Ning Shun sighed again and looked from his one son to the other and then back again. "Well, I guess you''re going to see him before me. You can tell him about this already but I would still like to speak to him. After all, there are a few details that he and I will have to discuss."


    Hua Lin Yu wasn''t quite sure what exactly would need to be discussed but he would just leave that to his father and Xin Lan. Anyway, he didn''t think that there would be any problem.


    What had seemed like a daunting task turned out to be quite easily settled. Hua Ning Shun once again sighed and then reached over to wrap an arm around his wife''s shoulders, turning to face her. "Our younger son is actually going to get married soon after we''ve just gotten him back. I guess we''ll just have to spoil him while he is still here."


    Fa Min Juan gave a hum and then looked back at her son. "Xiao Yu, ah, you should ask Xin Lan what he thinks about becoming a live-in son-in-law. Even if it isn''t forever, at least for a few years, wouldn''t that be good? You can still go and travel beforehand but after that, you can just return here. Wouldn''t that be nice? I''m sure you also want to spend some more time with your family."


    Hua Lin Yu laughed and nodded hurriedly. "Of course, mother. Don''t worry about it. I''ll bring it up to him." Anyway, Xin Lan had already mentioned that he would be alright with that. He didn''t even need to ask him about it. And as long as it was only for a limited time, he himself also wouldn''t mind. He just wanted to make sure that Xin Lan wouldn''t have to stay in the human realm forever just for his sake.


    No, it would be best if they just stayed here for some time so his family would feel better about this and then they could go to the dragon realm. Anyway, whether it was his grandparents, his parents, or his older brother, they would ascend one day. At that time, they would also spend their time in the immortal realms. By then, it wouldn''t be a problem anymore.


    Being reassured like that, Fa Min Juan was happy as well and the Hua family did go to retire after all. Anyway, as for the details of this wedding, there was still quite some time to decide on that. After all, several other things needed to happen before that.

 Chapter 1007 - Hold Them Off

    At the same time, Hao Zan and the others arrived at the end of the floor right above the one where the three of them were held. They rushed at the disciples, once again taking them out before they could sound any further alarm. Unfortunately, they didn''t know just what was going on down there.The disciples on the last floor gripped their weapons, half of them going to defend the entrance while the others turned to the cells, unsheathing the blades.Ma Zhi Wu closed his eyes, only one step away from cursing. He had hoped. He had really hoped when he got the opportunity to write that letter. Just once he wanted to see him again. Just one more time. That was all. But now, it seemed that he wouldn''t even get that.He glanced at the two boys next to him and then reached out to pull at Shao Hai''s shoulder. "You take care of Xiao Dong. I''ll try to resist for as long as I can. Maybe these people will really make it in time and get you out of here."Shao Hai stared at him with wide eyes but looking at Xiao Dong, he also knew that there wasn''t much they could do. He grabbed his friend and pulled him further to the back of the cell, as far away from the door as he could. There wasn''t much space to move but every second they could gain was one that might save their lives. Having made sure that Xiao Dong was as far out of harm''s way as he could, Shao Hai stood in front of him, fixing the disciples outside with his gaze that were opening the first cell on the other side of the room.There wasn''t much he would be able to do. He wasn''t a cultivator after all but a practitioner instead. He would only be useful if he somehow got his hands on a weapon and that would be more than difficult. He could only try to hold them off with his bare hands. He didn''t think that that would be very useful though.The disciples of the Chun Feng Sect finally arrived in front of their cell. It was one of the lost ones and the three of them had had enough time to watch the horrible things occurring outside. Blood was flowing out of those other cells, gathering in a puddle in the middle of the room and shimmering in the faint light. The prisoners that had been silently suffering for years were now not making a single sound. An eerie silence enveloped the room, creating a stark contrast with the clanging of weapons outside.Ma Zhi Wu glanced at the door and clenched his hands into fists. The fights from the other end of the floor had gotten closer but were still too far away. They would definitely have to defend themselves first. If they managed to hold on for long enough ¡­ But that was an extravagant hope he couldn''t think about now. He had to focus on what was right in front of him.Ma Zhi Wu gave a faint smile and slowly fought himself onto his feet, raising his hands. "The Chun Feng Sect is really at its lowest, isn''t it? You would actually attack defenseless, unarmed prisoners. It truly makes me wonder who is the real demon here."The eyes of the disciple that had come over grew cold and he opened the door, raising his weapons. "A demon like you has no right to speak." He charged at Ma Zhi Wu but only for his strike to be parried with an arm. The weapon drew some blood and Ma Zhi Wu winced but he still forced himself to reach out, grabbing the disciple by the wrist. "You will only hurt my junior''s over my dead body."The Chun Feng Sect disciple gave a scoff. "That is precisely what I want." He tried to yank back his sword but Ma Zhi Wu held his wrist in a death grip and grabbed onto the blade as well. Pain shot through his fingers and up his arm but he couldn''t stand back now. He had to hold on. Just a few more minutes. Even if he himself couldn''t make it out of here, he at least wanted Shao Hai and Xiao Dong to have a chance.He glanced over his shoulder, flashing Shao Hai a smile. "If we don''t make it out of here together, tell Nian Hong Fang that I love him."Shao Hai wanted to retort but Ma Zhi Wu had already turned around, narrowing his eyes.He wasn''t as strong anymore as he had originally been. This dungeon had sapped most of his strength. In fact, just getting to his feet had already required a lot of strength from him. Contending with a disciple of the Chun Feng Sect was not something he would be able to do for long. In fact, he could already feel the muscles in his arms cramp. It didn''t help that the weapon he had been injured with just now and was currently holding onto was designed to hurt people like him.He couldn''t fight for long. And judging from the sounds outside, while those people who had broken into the dungeon were coming closer, they were still much too far away to rely on them. He had to be smart about this.His gaze flitted over the disciple''s body and finally stopped at the key. To make sure that the so-called demons in this prison couldn''t take advantage, there was only one set of them.He smiled faintly and then let go of the sword, ramming his body into that of the disciple. The two of them stumbled, staggering through the door of the cell. The other two disciples came running over from the other cells, wanting to help out.Ma Zhi Wu gritted his teeth from the impact and grabbed the keys, throwing them behind him. "Close the door!"He once again fought himself to his feet, intercepting one of the disciples that had come running over.Shao Hai lunged forward and grabbed the keys, staring at Ma Zhi Wu. He wanted to tell him to get back inside but Ma Zhi Wu already glared at him."Close the f.u.c.k.i.n.g door!"The first disciple had managed to get back onto his feet and turned back to Ma Zhi Wu, lashing out with his weapon. The sword struck his shoulder, making Ma Zhi Wu groan and almost buckle at his knees.Shao Hai trembled but still went and pulled the door of the cell shut, ramming the key into the lock and turning it around. Now, Xiao Dong and he were safe. Unfortunately, the same couldn''t be said about Ma Zhi Wu.

 Chapter 1008 - He Would Honor What He Had Done for Them

    Shao Hai closed his eyes, unable to watch any longer. If not for Ma Zhi Wu, he probably wouldn''t have been able to take all the weeks they had had to spend in this dungeon. He probably would''ve gone crazy with worry about Xiao Dong and fear of what the future would hold for them. It had been this senior martial brother of theirs that gave him the strength to hold onto his sanity. Now, this person was actually sacrificing himself for them.He would''ve loved to be out there with him and help him but there was nothing he could do. He could only stand back and hope for help to arrive. That was all. And that help might not come in time.Taking a shaky breath, he forced himself to open his eyes. Even if it was hard to watch, he had to. Maybe he would find an opportunity to help. Or maybe he wouldn''t. But at the very least, he would not disrespect Ma Zhi Wu this way. He would honor what he had done for them.Outside of the cell, Ma Zhi Wu still tried to hold on. He didn''t know who the people were that had broken into the dungeon. He didn''t know how long they would need to get here. He only knew that this would be his only chance to ever get out of this place. If he wanted to see Nian Hong Fang again, then he needed to stay life until these people arrived. His chances might be slim but he was unwilling to give up until he exhausted the last bit of his strength.He gritted his teeth and once again lunged at one of the disciples, barely evading the strike that might have torn off his arm. He clung to him, making it as difficult as possible for him to strike at him and used him as a shield against the disciple at the side. Unfortunately, there was still a third one in the other direction. If no miracle happened, he wouldn''t even have five more minutes to live. He could not defend against all sides. Not in the state he was in.He yanked at the disciple''s arm, propelling him around while once again evading the brunt of an attack but the other disciple''s blade still scratched his arm, making him flinch and the strength drain out of him even faster.The disciple managed to push him off at that moment, his eyes glinting viciously. Ma Zhi Wu stared at him with horror and then barely dodged to the back. Another strike drove him further back, making him desperately look for an opportunity. Just anything he could use to his advantage.The next strike came and Ma Zhi Wu ducked below the weapon, going for the disciple''s arm. He had no weapons of his own, he only had his haggard body. With no other choice, he gave a yelp and bit into the disciple''s arm, making him jolt and loosen the grip on his weapon.Ma Zhi Wu grabbed onto it, swinging it at the other disciple just in time to deflect yet another strike. He exhaled in relief but his breathing was already becoming labored. He glanced at the door, wondering just how long these people could take. It seemed as if the fight had stopped coming in their direction, as if they were held up somewhere in the middle of the floor, far away from them and unable to help.His gut sank.The Chun Feng Sect disciple cursed and his eyes blazed with fury. "You!"He struck again. Ma Zhi Wu tried to repel the attack with the sword now in his hand but he had underestimated just how badly the years in the dungeon had weakened him. He buckled under the strength, almost coming to kneel on the ground.The other disciple''s eyes lit up, seeming to think that he would be able to chop off his head with the next strike. Ma Zhi Wu gritted his teeth and swung his own weapon at him, striking his hand.The disciple pulled back with a scream, clutching his hand that was dripping with blood.Before Ma Zhi Wu had time to celebrate, a blade embedded itself into his shoulder.He gave a groan and the weapon slipped out of his hands, dropping to the ground with a clattering sound. He glanced over his shoulder at the disciple that had attacked him from behind with a dagger that he must have had concealed somewhere on his body.Ah, he should have expected that. Demon hunters were never only equipped with one weapon."Kill him off!" The disciple still cradling his hand stared at Ma Zhi Wu viciously. If he could, he would definitely pay him back tenfold for what he had done but they didn''t have time. Now, the only thing he wanted to see was for this guy to die.The other disciple gave Ma Zhi Wu kick, pulling back his dagger to prepare for the last strike.Ma Zhi Wu was already dizzy from the blood loss and the indescribable pain of the demon hunters weapon. He tried to move out of the way but there was nowhere to go and he also didn''t have the strength anymore. He looked at that incoming blade and closed his eyes. If only he had been able to see Nian Hong Fang for one last time. If only ¡­Now, all he could do was imagine his sweet smile and hope that maybe in his next life, he would have more luck.

 Chapter 1009 - A Precious Opportunity

    In the middle of this floor, some of the dragons raised their heads, exchanging glances. While they didn''t know much about the situation in this dungeon, they were still able to use their senses to find out at least some information.That was why they knew that they were already on the last level and that the person they were looking for definitely had to be here. They had also been able to hear the Chun Feng Sect disciple''s bloodcurdling scream before and that angry yell asking to kill off somebody.Unfortunately, they didn''t know who that somebody was. All of their minds rang with alarm bells though. What if this was the person they had been sent to free? Could it be that they were too late?Originally, they had made good progress but at this lowest level, even they who had a certain immunity to the materials used by the Chun Feng Sect could feel the drain on them. Thus, fighting with the disciples that were guarding this place had become much more difficult. At the same time, there were more traps here as well, slowing them down even further. Right now, they had only reached the middle of the floor and they had been stuck here for several minutes.Hao Zan furrowed his brows. He couldn''t let whatever was going on back there continue. He waved at three of the dragons from his group that looked as if they were coping quite well with the environment but still looked slightly pale. "Just charge through! We''ll hold him back. We definitely can''t let them kill anybody."The three nodded and then really just rushed ahead, ignoring the disciples of the Chun Feng Sect. If they were attacked, they evaded and then rushed onward. With that, they also triggered quite a few of the traps around them.Beautiful lights erupted in the dungeon, illuminating the sight of fresh blood and the twisted expressions of the dragons, turning this into a messy scene of pain and anguish.The dragons gritted their teeth, rushing onward. With their bodies, they naturally weren''t as easily harmed as humans and would not die from this kind of thing. Unfortunately, all of them were part god and among the immortal races, the gods were the ones that had the weakest bodies.That was why Hao Zan had chosen these three despite them not being completely unaffected by the materials around them. He had hoped that their stronger bodies would allow them not to sustain grievous injuries. While he had been right, they weren''t able to escape unharmed either.They still charge ahead blankly, ignoring all danger to themselves. They had been sent here for one specific mission: To save the person of their race that had been imprisoned here. For once, they could show their worth to their king. They definitely wouldn''t let go of this opportunity.Even though they had been exhorted to take care of themselves and put their own well-being first, it didn''t count for anything at this point in time. If the person they had come to save was killed before they even reached him, then they would have lost this precious opportunity and disappointed their king''s trust in them. They would never let that happen! This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It was their one and only chance, their hope for the future. They wouldn''t let these demon hunters take that from them!The three of them charged through the last trap, gritting their teeth at the scalding hot sensation gnawing at their skin. They barged into the last room, just in time to see one of the people clad in the Chun Feng Sect''s robe plunge a blade into the body of a person kneeling in front of him.The person''s mouth lightly opened and a groan sounded before he fell to the ground, his hand clenching into a fist as if he was battling the pain from the wound and still stubbornly clinging onto life.With a scream, the other disciple of the Chun Feng Sect picked up the weapon that was lying on the ground and rammed it into his body as well. He huffed before he let go of the weapon''s handle and straightened up again, giving a snort."That''s what you get for daring to injure me, demon!"The dragons had no idea if this person was indeed a demon. They didn''t have the time or patience to check anything either. The two in the front leaped at the disciples without the slightest hesitation. This time, the disciples weren''t just struck unconscious. This time, blood flowed to the ground and the cracking of bones could be heard.The last dragon rushed toward the person on the ground, kneeling down next to him and checking the wounds on his body. He grimaced as soon as he saw their real extent. There were not just the two stab wounds from just now. There were several cuts and bruises all over him, visible under the tears in his robe that was rapidly stained with blood.The dragon sighed deeply. It seemed that they had come too late. Even though he was still alive right now, his condition was anything but good. Even just considering the blood he was currently losing ¡­ There was no way they would be able to save this person. At most, they would be able to kill him off immediately instead of letting him slowly bleed to death. That might count as a kind act in this case.

 Chapter 1144 - Anyone But Him

    Early the next morning, Hua Lin Yu already got up again and rushed to the gate of his family''s estate to wait for Xin Lan. He just couldn''t wait to share what his father had said last night and to take him there so they could make sure of the last few details. He was looking forward to marrying him. He had waited for this since he had been a little child. Now, his dream would finally come true.


    Unfortunately for him, it seemed that he would still need to wait for some time until his dream actually came true. Because no matter how long he stood there and waited, nothing could be seen of Xin Lan.


    The person in question was still at his own estate, looking at a necklace with an embedded transmission stone. This was the other half to the one that he had given to Jinde. He stared at it, wondering if maybe he should contact him.


    Who knew what his Master was doing right now? Maybe he was soaking in the lake in that dimension his husband had created or maybe he was actually waking up in bed next to him. He didn''t know. He also didn''t know what Jinde would say if he actually contacted him and told him that he was about to get married. He could imagine it though.


    ''Oh, really? I''m happy for you! Is it somebody that I know? Someone of our race? Or could it be that little fallen god I said might be a good match for you?''


    Yes, it would be something along those lines that he said. And he would have a charming smile on his lips while he said so, his hands maybe playing with a few strands of his hair or reaching out for the man that was certainly busying around beside him.


    There would be no regrets, no worry about the future, or the fact that they might not have as much time with each other anymore. Well, obviously. Jinde hadn''t even minded pretending to be dead for all those years instead of letting him know the truth. Why would he mind if he married now? To him, it was probably one worry less. He wouldn''t need to take his feelings into consideration anymore. How nice that would be for him! He would probably even offer to be the one to witness just like he had been for him and Chun Yin''s reincarnation.


    Well, that was the last thing he wanted. Everybody could be a witness to this wedding but never him, never Jinde. Even though he knew that it wouldn''t change anything, he just didn''t want that. A small part of him just wanted to preserve a bit of the relationship they had had before. It was stupid and he knew that it was but that didn''t change anything. He just couldn''t change his feelings.


    He sighed and lowered the necklace, giving a hum to himself. Well, nobody said that he needed to inform Jinde. In fact, getting married was also just something he did for convenience''s sake right now. It wasn''t any different from the flings he had had in the past. So why should he tell Jinde?


    No, it was much better to keep it to himself. As long as it wasn''t somebody he could imagine actually spending the rest of his life with, he wouldn''t say it. And he really didn''t know when that kind of person might cross his path. Right now ¡­ he definitely didn''t see it.


    Yes, Xiang Yu''s reincarnation wasn''t bad. His looks were top-notch, his temperament also not too bad from what he had seen in the last few days, and as for everything else ¡­ Well, that could be worked on.


    But still, this was merely a reincarnation. While he didn''t have the same problem that Qiu Ling had with the difficulties it would bring if his lover ascended in his reincarnation, this still wasn''t something for eternity. If you knew that your lover was just a trial for somebody and that he would one day return to being that other person, then it was idiotic to think that you could have more with them. No, this would only end with problems. He didn''t need to do that to himself. It would be much better to find somebody else.


    He got up, still looking at the necklace though. Someone like Jinde ¡­ was probably impossible to find. If he wanted a long-term lover, he would need to adjust his expectations. How to do that though ¡­ it was hard to say. If it was that easy, he would''ve long done that.


    He sighed once again and then turned around, only to find Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong standing at the gate of his estate.


    Hua Lin Yu slightly raised his brows and then looked at the object in Xin Lan''s hands. His lips curved up in a smile and he pointed at it. "That wouldn''t be a present you got for me, would it?"


    Xin Lan was once again amazed at how demanding this fallen god''s little reincarnation actually was. "This? No, this is actually quite old. I think if your father''s decision is a positive one, we should go out and find something special for you though." He hurriedly made the necklace disappear in his spatial ring and then went over, pulling Hua Lin Yu into his arms. "Judging from your smile, it seems that there might indeed be good news to share?"


    Hua Lin Yu''s thoughts stayed with that necklace for a moment longer but being reminded of the fact that the actually had something nice to share, he finally reached up and wrapped his arms around Xin Lan''s neck. "I do. My father agreed. There were only two ¡­" He wondered how to phrase it and finally decided to make it sound a little more important. "Requirements. Let me tell you about them on the way over. After that, my father still wants to talk to you about some details. I don''t know what those are supposed to be though."


    Xin Lan nodded, leaned down, and kissed Hua Lin Yu on the lips. "Very well, let''s go then." He nodded at Hua Lin Rong as a greeting and then followed the two brothers out of his estate and over to that of the Hua family. Now, the wedding seemed to be coming even closer.

 Chapter 1145 - No Preparation Required

    Walking into the study of Hua Ning Shun, Xin Lan gave a faint smile and inclined his head. "Greetings. I hope I am not disturbing you."


    Hua Ning Shun got up from his seat and motioned at the chair opposite his table. "No, I''m happy that you were able to come by. Please have a seat."


    Xin Lan didn''t make any more smalltalk and just sat down, looking at Hua Lin Yu''s father expectantly. Anyway, he had already made his intentions clear. Now, it was the other side''s turn to say what they wanted.


    Hua Ning Shun sat back down himself and looked at Xin Lan for a moment, trying to figure out how to start. "I guess Xiao Yu has already told you my decision?"


    Xin Lan nodded once again. "He did. As well as your requirements. I agree with both. If there is nothing else you want me to do before that, I would take him to the Jian Yi Sect immediately and then start to prepare to go to the dragon realm."


    Hua Ning Shun nodded. "I don''t have any problems with that. In fact, I merely want to have a word with you so we can better understand each other. You see, I only have two sons. I wasn''t able to do much for Xiao Yu over the years but it doesn''t change that I love my child. I only want for him what is best.


    "Now, there''s no doubt that he wants to marry you. But at the same time, he is young. I can''t help but think that maybe marrying isn''t something that should be done immediately. Because of that, I think it is good if you go to travel a bit first. If the two of you still think the same after that, then I don''t see any problem with getting married at that time."


    Xin Lan nodded, feeling that this wasn''t asking too much. Anyway, Xiang Yu had asked him to become his lover back then, not even necessarily his husband. So even if they didn''t get married immediately, it should count. "It is good to see that you are looking out for him this much. I don''t mind it. In fact, I think that this will benefit him. If you have any other ideas, then please tell me. I will try to make all of that possible."


    Hua Ning Shun hesitated for a moment and then awkwardly cleared his throat. "Well, there is something we have been thinking about. Xiao Yu hasn''t lived with us for long. Now, you''re going to the dragon realm to travel and after that, the wedding might be imminent. Have you thought about where you are going to live after that? Will you stay in the dragon realm or come back here?"


    Xin Lan gave a faint smile. So the Hua family was apparently worried that he would take their youngest family member away completely. Well, that was to be expected. "To be honest, that will depend on what Xiao Yu wants. I''ve lived for a long time and in many different places. I don''t care much if I''m in the dragon realm or in the human realm. So if Xiao Yu wants to stay in the dragon realm, then that is what we will do. If he''d like to return here and be with his family, then I will naturally follow him. So you''ll have to ask your son about that when the time comes."


    Hua Ning Shun nodded with some relief and leaned back in his chair. "I see." In that case, they likely wouldn''t need to worry much. Most likely, Xiao Yu would also want to spend some more time with them.


    Xin Lan hummed and then raised his brows slightly. "Is there anything else you would like to talk about? Otherwise, I would take Xiao Yu over to the Jian Yi Sect now."


    Hua Ning Shun wasn''t quite sure what to say to that. "Well, you will be returning here to talk about going to the dragon realm afterward, right? Anyway, you probably need to prepare quite a few things."


    Xin Lan gave another hum and leaned back, giving the head of the Hua family a long look. "Actually, what do you want to prepare? Most things that we will need will be available in the dragon realm itself. I could imagine giving Xiao Yu some items to protect himself but he likely won''t even need them. After all, both his older brother and I will likely be at his side at all times. But I can understand if you''re worried and want to do that. How about preparing that while we are at the Jian Yi Sect? We can come and get everything afterward and then go there."


    "Do you mean to say you want to start your travels immediately?"


    The corners of Xin Lan''s mouth slightly quirked up. "I wouldn''t see why not. Anyway, the dragon realm is my home. Going back there doesn''t seem like something that needs much preparation. I don''t know what exactly Xiao Yu will want to see but he did mention wanting to visit my place of birth, my home, and the dragon king''s palace. None of that will require any preparation as far as I''m concerned."


    "Then ¡­" Hua Ning Shun couldn''t help and get nervous now that he realized that his son''s departure was actually this close by. "How long will you stay there?"


    "I will leave that up to Hua Lin Yu and his older brother. But just as a reminder, the time flows differently between our realms. So the longer they want to stay, the more time will go by here.


    "But anyway, it isn''t as if he couldn''t come and visit for all this time. I''m pretty sure that Xiao Yu is happy to have his family back as well. He likely wouldn''t want to be separated from you all the time. Maybe we''ll just take a short trip for now, then return for a while before we come back there. Nobody says that we have to travel continuously."


    Hearing that, Hua Ning Shun heaved another sigh of relief. "That is true as well. Well, then I guess I shouldn''t keep you any longer. You can take him to the Jian Yi Sect and then we will see each other again as soon as you finish there."


    Xin Lan nodded and then got up, inclining his head before he left the room and went to pick up Hua Lin Yu. Naturally, the youth''s older brother and the two Huo brothers followed as well when they left the Hua family''s estate to go to the Jian Yi Sect.


    Ah, looking at this, he felt like the two of them wouldn''t have much time with just each other until the day they actually got married. He could just hope that this could already be called being his lover or he would really be in a bind in regard to his promise to Xiang Yu.

 Chapter 1146 - A Foreboding Feeling

    Hua Lin Yu, as well as his big brother and his two senior martial brothers, were all cultivators of a high level, and Xin Lan as a dragon had a natural aptitude for all things regarding spiritual energy, so the group of five didn''t need long to reach the Jian Yi sect.


    They stopped at the large square right behind the entrance, not even needing to wait for the disciples at the gate to check them considering the status of both Hua Lin Yu and the two Huo brothers. Afterward, they directly went to Fei Bai Mu''s palace.


    At that time, the Sect Master was currently having a discussion with some of the Elders. Seeing the people that walked in, she slightly raised her brows. "Huo Cheng, Huo Hai, Xiao Yu, you''re back. And it seems you''ve brought some visitors with you." She gave Xin Lan and Hua Lin Rong a nod and then turned to the Elders opposite her. "There are a few more details we will need to discuss. Since we have visitors, I would like to do that another time though."


    The Elders immediately got up, muttering that it definitely wasn''t a problem and then filed out of the room but not without taking a good long look at the people that had come.


    Seeing Hua Lin Rong wasn''t unexpected since he had visited his younger brother several times in the past. Seeing the dragon that had appeared the other time when they had held the trial against the demon-hunting sects was a different matter altogether though. Why was he here? And why did he come with the three disciples of the Sect Master? How did he know the Hua family? There were a lot of questions that were worth pondering. They couldn''t wait to discuss this but also hoped they would be able to glean even a small piece of information if they lingered a little longer.


    Fei Bai Mu could imagine that the old people of the sect would have something to gossip about in the next few hours but she didn''t say anything regarding that and just turned to the people that had arrived. "Take a seat. It does seem like you have a few more things to say."


    Hua Lin Yu immediately scooted over to the seat next to her and excitedly grabbed her sleeve. "Master, aren''t you happy that we are back?"


    Fei Bai Mu couldn''t help but smile a bit. This disciple of hers ¡­ she might have spoiled him a little too much over the years. Was this really how you should behave toward your Master when others were around?


    But, well, she couldn''t help herself. A child with this kind of tragic story that needed to be separated from his family at a young age because somebody had their eyes on them and might mean them harm was truly too sad to not want to make up for it.


    Also, just like the rest of his family, Hua Lin Yu had a very high aptitude for cultivation. This kind of disciple was naturally a good one to have. He wasn''t any worse than her other disciples so it wasn''t like she was just doing the Hua family a favor. She could definitely say that she had also gained something from this.


    "Naturally, your Master is happy to see you. I just can''t help but wonder about the others." She turned to Hua Lin Rong first, giving a faint smile. "Young Master Hua, I''m surprised to see you. Your younger brother went out with his senior martial brothers to get to know the world out there. I thought that they might go and visit the Hua family but I did not expect you to come back here with him. Did something happen?"


    Hua Lin Rong shook his head, not quite sure how to answer that. "Actually, I''m just here to accompany him because I''m worried about him. I''m not really the person that wanted to talk to you." He glanced at Xin Lan, clearly expecting him to explain himself before he was further put on the spot.


    Fei Bai Mu turned to the dragon, a foreboding feeling in her chest. Back then, she had also heard the words that Xin Lan had said but she hadn''t believed even a single one of them. After all, she had also seen how he treated that person from the spiritual beast tribe back in the Yun Zou Sect. That was not quite the kind of person she wanted her disciple to be with.


    Unfortunately, Hua Lin Yu had believed all these years that he would really marry Xin Lan when he grew up. It had even been one of the things that he used as motivation for his cultivation. Whenever he worked extra hard, it wasn''t necessarily because he wanted to get stronger for himself but because he felt that if he were to be with Xin Lan in the future, he should be strong enough to stand at his side.


    It was good to see that he was working hard but she was afraid that he was in for some inevitable heartbreak if he hung his heart on this person. Thus, she was everything but happy now that this person turned up at the Jian Yi Sect with the others in tow. Most likely, the moment she had dreaded had come. "I see. Then what might it be that led you here, Senior Xin Lan?"


    Xin Lan gave a faint smile and inclined his head, feeling that he should just be straightforward since she had already asked. "Sect Master Fei certainly remembers what I said back then: I promised to marry Xiao Yu. I already asked his family for their blessing. The only thing that is left would be to acquire yours. Might I ask what your answer is, Sect Master Fei?"

 Chapter 1147 - He Wouldn’t Let Go of Him

    Fei Bai Mu found herself to be in a bit of the pinch. Truth be told, she did not want to give her blessing to this relationship. While she could see that Xin Lan was strong and that his status in the dragon race wasn''t low, that alone didn''t make a good partner. In fact, for cultivators like them, it might be one of the least important things.


    The most important thing about a person that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with was that they were true to you. And, unfortunately, she did not believe that Xin Lan would be able to do that for Hua Lin Yu. So if she was honest with herself, then she wanted to say no.


    Looking at her two older disciples, they obviously shared that sentiment even though she suspected that the reasons for doing so were quite different from hers. On the other hand, Hua Lin Yu was beaming at her, obviously expecting a yes. And, well, what could she say? If she told him what she had seen back then, he would be heartbroken. And if he wasn''t, then that would be because he didn''t believe her. What would her words change then? He would only be unhappy with her but still pine for Xin Lan.


    Fei Bai Mu took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. "That is quite unexpected."


    Xin Lan continued to look at her but there were some hidden undercurrents in his gaze. Quite frankly, if she wanted to say yes, she could have done so immediately. This hesitation and the words she said just now ¡­ they both indicated that she was not about to do so. Naturally, he wasn''t happy with that. "Is it though? I said that if he wanted to be my family, then we would need to get married. Since he has come of age now, this is the time to make true on that promise."


    Fei Bai Mu looked at him, not backing down. "I''m sure that Senior Xin Lan understands what I mean. You did not visit the Jian Yi Sect even once in all these years. We did not even know where you were. I just did not expect that you would appear just like this. I probably guessed that ¡­ you would make an appearance a little sooner and maybe more frequently as well before asking me this question."


    Xin Lan gave a hum but didn''t say anything else. He had already given an excuse to Hua Lin Yu who had believed him at once. Most likely, Fei Bai Mu wouldn''t so there was no need to say anything. "Is that a no then?"


    Fei Bai Mu looked at her youngest disciple''s expression that was slowly turning devastated and also couldn''t bring herself to do so. "That''s not what I said. I merely think that this kind of decision requires a bit more time. Senior Xin Lan, why don''t we take a walk? Xiao Yu, you can show your brother around a bit. Have you already shown him how far you''ve gotten in the last few years since he''s seen you? You should give him a demonstration."


    Hua Lin Yu wanted to refute but Xin Lan reached over and took his hand. "Just do as your Master told you. It''s not wrong that there are certainly some things that need to be discussed. I will just do so and then see at which decision we arrive. Isn''t that also good? Your father did the same, didn''t he? It''s nothing to worry over."


    Hua Lin Yu furrowed his brows but still nodded. "Alright then." He got up, his head hanging low, and then grabbed his brother''s sleeve. "Come on then, big brother. I''ll show you."


    Hua Lin Rong''s heart hurt seeing his little brother like this and he got up immediately, following him outside with the intention to cheer him up somehow. "Don''t worry, I''m sure she just wants to talk some things over with him before she makes a decision. Certainly, Sect Master Fei wouldn''t say no just like that. She just wants to make an informed decision. And Xin Lan is right. Wasn''t dad the same?"


    Hua Lin Yu furrowed his brows. "But that''s different. He didn''t see me in a long time and he also didn''t know how I felt about Xin Lan. Master is different. She knows exactly that I want to marry him. Why wouldn''t she say yes immediately?"


    Hua Lin Rong was a little lost at that. "Well ¡­ she might know you but she doesn''t know him. She probably just wants to make sure he won''t bully you."


    "Why would he do that in the first place?"


    Hua Lin Rong really didn''t know what to say. "Well, he definitely wouldn''t. But ¡­ isn''t it still nice that she wants to keep you safe? Just give her a moment with him and I''m sure she''ll say yes afterward. Just wait it out, alright?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked up at him, his expression unhappy. "But what if she says no?"


    Hua Lin Rong pulled him into his arms and hugged him, rubbing his back to calm him down. "Then I''m sure that we''ll still find another way to make this work. Anyway, in the worst case, you can just elope. What can she say if you get married in the dragon realm?"


    At that, Hua Lin Yu''s lips curved back up. "Right. We can just do what we want." Yes, he definitely wouldn''t let anyone get between him and Xin Lan. Not even his own Master! He had waited way too long for that to happen. No, the time of waiting was over. He definitely wouldn''t let go of Xin Lan no matter what happened.

 Chapter 1148 - You Would Make Him Unhappy

    Back in the palace, Fei Bai Mu raised her brows at her two other disciples. "What about the two of you? Do you not have anything better to do than to sit around here?"


    Huo Cheng and Huo Hai who had just been happy that their Master might actually be nice to deny Xin Lan the opportunity to marry their little junior were taken aback. Why was their Master throwing them out?


    They exchanged a glance but there was nothing they could do for the moment other than nod and then roll out. Now, they could only hope that whatever their Master and Xin Lan talked about would not convince Fei Bai Mu so that their little junior wouldn''t get married.


    Fei Bai Mu waited until they were gone before she got up and waved for Xin Lan to follow her. She left her palace through a door at the back and then strolled through the stone garden at the backside.


    Xin Lan glanced at her but she refused to say anything for the moment so he could only follow along.


    After a while, Fei Bai Mu stopped next to one of the stones that were about their own height. "Why do you insist to get married to my disciple?"


    Xin Lan gave her a curious look. "Why? Of course, it is because I love him."


    Fei Bai Mu looked at the garden instead. "You see, the problem with this is that I do not believe it."


    "Then what do I need to do to make you believe me?"


    Fei Bai Mu lightly shook her head. "I cannot tell you. If I did tell you, you would go and do exactly what I asked of you. But does that really mean that you love him? I don''t think so. I think it would mean that you want me to believe that you love him so that you can marry him out of whatever reason you might actually have. But you still wouldn''t hold any feelings for Xiao Yu."


    Xin Lan stopped next to her and flicked a glance at the garden as well before turning back to Fei Bai Mu. "In other words, no matter what I do, I''ve already lost. Since you don''t believe me now, you will never believe me. What am I to do about that?"


    Fei Bai Mu sighed. This was indeed a conundrum. She couldn''t simply ask for proof because it wouldn''t prove anything. But at the same time, she couldn''t just say no. "You see, I don''t know you very well. In fact, we have only met a few times before. But the thing is that in these few times, I was able to observe a few things.


    "For one, I''ve seen you flirt quite openly with that person from the spirit beast tribe. That tells me that you definitely don''t subscribe to the belief of monogamous relationsh.i.p.s the dragon race usually holds.


    "This is a problem because I am pretty sure that Xiao Yu does believe in that and so do the Hua family and me as well. This is a difference in beliefs that I think would doom any relationship you could ever have."


    Xin Lan gave a hum. "I will not argue that I do differ from the people of my race quite a bit. It is the truth. Currently, I''m probably the oldest person of my race still alive. I''ve seen quite a bit more than others have. I was also born at a different time and there are some things where I am actually quite different from the people of the new generations.


    "I won''t deny that. I also won''t deny that there have been different relationsh.i.p.s in the past. But the thing is, I do believe that if you love somebody, you should only be with that person. If I was to marry Hua Lin Yu, I would stay true to him until the day he dies."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded, somewhat believing what he said. He could probably argue against it. He could''ve said that while he did go after that person, he was rejected and thus moved on. She would have had to believe it. After all, she didn''t know where that person was currently and she wouldn''t make such a fuss about it and go to ask anyway. But he did give an explanation that sounded quite logical. It told her that there was some reliability in those words.


    "Very well. I think the bigger problem is the other thing that I have observed: You did flirt with that person but it was obviously just something on the surface. You felt attracted to him at that moment but there were no deeper feelings involved. Because of that, I also believe that it wouldn''t be a problem for you to move on fast if you need to.


    "The problem is, it isn''t the same for Xiao Yu. This disciple of mine ¡­ He does like you or maybe he just likes some idea of you, I do not know. But you definitely do not love him. And the worst is that I know that there is another person that you actually do hold special feelings for."


    This time, Xin Lan''s gaze cooled quite a bit. "I have no idea what Sect Master Fei is talking about."


    Fei Bai Mu closed her eyes and thought back to what she had observed at the Yun Zou Sect. "I cannot fault you. Even with a long life, there are few very special people you would meet. And I do believe that our Jian Yi Sect''s Grandmaster''s husband is quite a special person. Very suitable to fall in love with. You''re probably not the only one who had his heart broken by their marriage.


    "Still, others will move on but you probably haven''t. You definitely hadn''t at the time when you were at the Yun Zou Sect. So why should I believe that in the past couple of years, anything has changed about that?


    "I simply cannot. And that is why I don''t want to give my blessing to you marrying Xiao Yu. You would just make my disciple unhappy."

 Chapter 1149 - He Strikes My Fancy

    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. He really wanted to deny what she said about this but she was more or less right. What she had seen was the truth and even though it wasn''t necessarily the case that he would make Hua Lin Yu unhappy, there also wasn''t any guarantee that he would make him happy. After all, if you didn''t love someone, then how much effort would you put in?


    Especially in this case where Fei Bai Mu didn''t know the whole story behind this, it would be hard for her to imagine that he would actually put in enough effort all the time. And since Hua Lin Yu was a cultivator, there was no saying how much time it actually would be.


    If Hua Lin Yu made it until his ascension ¡ª which was more than likely considering his current level and age ¡ª then there was a good chance that he would live for several hundreds of thousands of years. How long could he pretend for? If he didn''t end up developing some kind of feelings for Hua Lin Yu, things would get difficult in the long-term. And when everything broke down ¡­ the boy really would be unhappy if he was the one who held some feelings.


    Xin Lan didn''t quite know what to do for the time being. He actually had no choice. His promise to Xiang Yu meant that he couldn''t turn back. Otherwise, he would lose his life. No, more than that. There wouldn''t even be a chance to be reborn. That was how vicious the oath he had given had been. The little fallen god had really made things difficult for him.


    After a while, he sighed, clasping his hands behind his back. "If I gave you a good enough reason, would you reconsider those words?"


    Fei Bai Mu turned to face him, watching his expression. "It is hard to say without knowing what that explanation would be. I do not want to see my disciple be heartbroken in the future. That''s the only thing I want. I''m not quite sure if you can give any explanation that would take that worry from me."


    Xin Lan didn''t answer immediately. Instead, he started walking around the stone garden, looking at the sculptures. "Things can seem really simple at first but when taking a closer look, you will realize that there is a hidden meaning behind them. There''s more to them than meets the eye."


    Fei Bai Mu slightly raised her brows and followed him, also looking at the stone garden. "This is actually the place where one of the arrays keeping the Jian Yi Sect safe is located."


    "I can see that." He stopped on the other side and then motioned to one of the stones. "You could probably do without any but this one."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. "That is the anchor of the array. You''re not wrong. In regards to Xiao Yu ¡­ what do you think it is that he can''t do without?"


    Xin Lan turned to look at her, his gaze grave. "It''s a person at his side that won''t betray him. But the person this concerns is not Hua Lin Yu but the one he has originally been."


    This time, Fei Bai Mu''s gaze changed. "Your meaning is ¡­"


    "You really think I would have bothered to spend time with a child of some human family and even give a promise such as that?"


    "To be honest, I would not call your words back then a promise. You might as well have had been joking. If you didn''t return now, Hua Lin Yu wouldn''t have had a chance to track you down, would he?"


    "That is true. But I did promise somebody else something. And that is why I''m afraid that whether you give your blessing or not, I will not be able to stay away from Hua Lin Yu."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded slowly. "I think I''m beginning to understand where this is going. Asking for a blessing was a mere formality."


    "Asking for your blessing was something that Hua Lin Yu''s father suggested. Asking him for his blessing was indeed just a mere formality though. I wouldn''t mind just marrying the boy like that. I have never cared about what anybody else said. Well, maybe there is one person whose opinion I would consider. But even then, I don???t think there''s a way around this.


    "Still, what you''re worried about won''t happen. As long as Hua Lin Yu lives and wants me to be at his side, I will be. Even if he doesn''t want me to be at his side, I will still cling to him. In this life of his, no matter what happens, the two of us will not be separable."


    "So if he didn''t love you ¡­"


    "Then I would have to expend some more effort to make him fall in love. But since he is, why not just say yes? Don''t you think it would make him happy? And I do promise you that I treat my lovers very well.


    "Maybe my feelings for him aren''t very deep. Maybe to me, this just to pass my time. But it doesn''t mean that he will be unhappy with me. And who knows? Even a human can have a long life as a cultivator. With his aptitude, it is quite possible that he will be able to hold on for several tens or even hundreds of thousands of years. Maybe even longer. Who says that feelings couldn''t develop in that time? To be fair, he does strike my fancy."


    Fei Bai Mu gave him a look that was hovering somewhere between disbelief and a bit of reproach. This was definitely not what she wanted to hear. "You know, this would have sounded quite nice if you left out the last sentence."


    Xin Lan smiled. "I do not want to lie though. Whether it is his looks or the temperament he has shown so far, I do like it. As for anything else ¡­ we don''t know each other very well. Maybe with some time, that will change. Maybe my heart will also change. Believe me, I''m the person that would welcome that the most."

 Chapter 1150 - I Can’t Do These Things for You

    Fei Bai Mu continued to observe his expression for a while longer until she finally nodded. "Very well." She didn''t say what exactly she had decided on and just turned away and walked into the palace, calling Hua Lin Yu back.


    When he walked in with a worried expression, she didn''t reassure him immediately, making him think even more that she was against it. He rushed to Xin Lan''s side and grabbed his hand, looking at him with some panic. He had never thought that there would be this kind of problem after they had already found each other again and even convinced his family. He already wanted to question his Master why she wouldn''t agree when Fei Bai Mu finally spoke up.


    "I had a talk with Xin Lan just now and I agree to the two of you marrying. I do think that considering your circ.u.mstances, it would be better for your family to handle all the formalities. If you do need my help, then I will provide it but otherwise, I will stay out of the matter."


    This was the best compromise that she could give. She did understand that there was no way to prevent these two from actually getting married. Xin Lan wouldn''t let that happen. So it was better she agreed and thus preserved her own relationship with Hua Lin Yu so that if things really went south one day, he would be able to come back here and count on her. It wasn''t much but it was better than nothing.


    Hua Lin Yu''s expression lit up and he turned from his Master to Xin Lan and hugged his neck. "Master agreed!"


    Xin Lan had almost expected her to do this but he still felt a bit of relief. This made things much easier for him. And since she had already agreed, she likely wouldn''t tell Hua Lin Yu about her true thoughts either.


    He reached up and patted Hua Lin Yu''s back. "Now, didn''t you already think that she would? Anyway, your Master just wanted to speak with me for a bit to make sure that I''ll treat you well. That is what a good Master should do. Also, don''t forget that we promised your father we wouldn''t get married before we didn''t travel around for a bit. We should focus on that for the time being."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded but he was still especially happy. He let go of Xin Lan and then rushed over to his Master''s side, sitting down next to her, and grabbing her arm. "Master, I''m so happy! Thank you. Really."


    Fei Bai Mu smiled wryly. She had imagined that things would go like this. Well, it would''ve been better if he didn''t marry Xin Lan but since nothing could be done about it, it was still for the best like this. "Of course I did. Since that is what you want, then I as your Master shouldn''t try to keep you from it. You need to make your own decisions for your life and make your own experiences. That is a part of growing up. Even if I am your Master, I can''t do these things for you."


    Hua Lin Yu smiled brightly and nodded as if he really understood what she meant. "I know. I''ll definitely make sure that I think very well before I decide on things in the future. And if I don''t know any further, then I''ll come and ask you."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. "Do that. I''ll always be here to support you no matter what happens. Try to see it this way: With this wedding, you''ll gain an additional family member but it doesn''t mean that you will lose the ones you already had. Between the Hua family, the Jian Yi Sect, and Xin Lan, I''m sure that you will be well taken care of. You will never be alone."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded eagerly and then got up, walking back to Xin Lan''s side. "Alright, then let''s prepare for going to the dragon realm."


    Xin Lan nodded. He gave Fei Bai Mu another look, inclined his head, and then took Hua Lin Yu out of the palace. His older brother was waiting outside and the three of them finally left.


    They didn''t bother to inform the Huo brothers considering that Xin Lan didn''t intend to take them along to the dragon realm. While he could definitely do so, he didn''t want to have to bother with them all the time. Hua Lin Yu''s brother was one thing but his senior martial brothers who weren''t seeing eye-to-eye with him were a different matter altogether. They would only try to talk Hua Lin Yu out of marrying him while they were gone. There was no reason to invite trouble like that.


    Once again, the time needed to get to the estate of the Hua family wasn''t long. When they arrived, everything had been prepared though.


    As soon as they stepped through the gate, the whole Hua family came together, making sure to give Hua Lin Yu as much advice as they could. His spiritual bag was soon stuffed with defensive talismans and weapons to make sure that he wouldn''t be hurt when he was out there. But even with that both his parents and grandparents seemed to be worried things would go awry out there.


    Xin Lan stayed at the side, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and lightly smiled to himself. It was nice that Hua Lin Yu had such a close relationship with his family. It could probably be said that in this life, he would be able to get everything that he couldn''t have as a fallen god.


    Even though Xin Lan loathed Tian and what he had done to him, he couldn''t deny that he treated this fallen god quite well. Who knew? Xiang Yu might actually remind him of his own lover. After all, he had also fallen because his experiences in his original life as a trueborn god had been too much to bear. Most likely, he would also want for him to have a chance to get a do-over.


    A pity for him that it wouldn''t be as easy in that case.

 Chapter 1151 - A Sign of Loneliness

    When Hua Lin Yu and his older brother had reassured their family for about the hundredth time that they would be careful and not take any unnecessary risks while they were in the dragon realm, the three people finally set off.


    The journey to the dragon realm actually wasn''t long. The immortal realms could be entered from anywhere as long as a gate was opened. To do so, you just needed to be of the immortal races or have a high enough amount of spiritual energy if you weren''t. That was precisely what separated a cultivator of a lower-level from those that had reached a high enough level to be able to become an ascended deity. It was nothing more than that.


    Even though Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong weren''t at that level yet, there naturally wasn''t any problem with Xin Lan in the lead. He simply opened the gate and then let the two of them through.


    The place they arrived at wasn''t part of the dragon realm or any of the three big realms for that matter. Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong still looked around with wide eyes as if they had couldn''t believe that what they were seeing.


    Hua Lin Rong spoke up in wonder after a moment. "The spiritual energy over here is really dense."


    Xin Lan looked over his shoulder at that and gave a faint smile. "It is everywhere in the immortal realms. Even the places with the least spiritual energy here are probably still better suited for cultivation than even the best places in the mortal realm. Just wait until we are in the actual dragon realm. If you do want to take some time there to dedicate to your cultivation, we can do so."


    The two of them looked at him in astonishment. "That''s allowed?" Hua Lin Yu felt that Xin Lan wasn''t necessarily the type of person that would keep to the rules so he couldn''t help but ask.


    Xin Lan waved for them to follow him first and led them in the direction of the dragon realm. He made sure to fly right next to Hua Lin Yu though, even reaching out to gently brush through his hair. "Would I lie to you? Anyway, it''s really not a problem. The dragon realm doesn''t have any laws in place against bringing humans over. It might be a different thing in the Nine Heavens where there are some more restrictions in place, there really is nothing to worry about. You can just do whatever you want."


    Hua Lin Yu was still a little skeptical but his older brother was already completely sold on the idea. "That''s great! I''m pretty sure that with just a few weeks of cultivation here, I would be able to promote to the next level!"


    In fact, he originally hadn''t been too far from promoting, and if not for Hua Lin Yu''s message that he would return home, he probably would''ve gone into closed-door cultivation and focused on that. But the temptation of seeing his little brother again and then even going to the dragon realm had just been too big. It was much more important to him than cultivating. To find out now that he would be able to still achieve the same result with less work was naturally a good thing.


    Xin Lan smiled at his happy expression and felt that things were going really well. "Well, this is still quite far outside. We should decide where to go and then you can give it a try there. There will be places with even denser spiritual energy around. He should make use of one of these."


    The two brothers nodded and then exchanged a glance, wondering where they should go first.


    "Well, I''m just accompanying you. While there are a few things that I would really like to see, I think you should decide, Xiao Yu."


    Hua Lin Yu naturally wanted that his brother would also be happy with this journey but he was quite curious to learn more about Xin Lan. Thus, he just couldn''t help himself but want to visit one of the places that had more to do with him first. "Can we go to your place first? I would really like to see how you are living here."


    Xin Lan shrugged his shoulders. "If that is what you want, then that is naturally what we''ll do. I already promised you that we can do anything that you want. Just say the words and I will make it possible for you."


    Hua Lin Yu smiled and then craned his neck, giving him a kiss. "Thank you. Then let''s go there. I''m really curious."


    Xin Lan nodded and the three of them went their way over to the place he called his home in the dragon realm.


    Returning there ¡­ it made him feel a little strange. This was the place he had settled down in when he had enough of being around people that were of his own race but still completely different from him. It was also the place that he had always returned to between his travels before he met Jinde.


    It was supposed to be his home but it actually wasn''t. To him, his actual home had always been the place beside Jinde. The palace where he had seen him grow from that young king without any support that needed to convince people of his ability to the one who was beloved by his people and bem.o.a.ned with a sea of tears after his apparent passing.


    That was the place he would always fondly remember. This though ¡­ it was just a sign of that loneliness he could never get rid of.

 Chapter 1152 - Just Dependent on Talent

    When looking at what was happening back in the dragon realm, it didn''t seem like things were working out as well as Jinde and Fei Bai Mu hoped. The change in Xin Lan''s mood after being called special by Xiang Yu was subtle and with the two Hua brothers curious about this new place they had arrived at, neither of them noticed what was going on at first.


    At first, Hua Lin Yu looked around with sparkling eyes, trying to take in everything up until the last nook and cranny as if he could make up for the years that he hadn''t spent with Xin Lan in this way.


    The place that the building stood at was indeed quite far away from any other people of the dragon race. In fact, on the way there, they had stopped seeing any kind of dwelling several hours ago. It seemed a little desolate at first glance but there was also a certain comfortable quietness. That made this a good place to retreat to if one didn''t want to be caught up in all the troubles of the world outside.


    The building stood in the middle of a meadow, with a small grove not far from it and the gurgling of a small stream could be heard from nearby. As for the building itself, it didn''t seem that different from what he had seen it the human realm. In fact, there seemed to be only a few details that separated the looks of buildings in the realms.


    The overall layout of the site was pretty much the same: There was the main building with some smaller side buildings grouped around it while a garden with a small pavilion enclosed the whole complex. The buildings shared several elements with those in the human realm like the gates with window lattices, the stone beast atop the ridge of the roof, or the beams supporting the eaves.


    It was just that the shapes and forms varied slightly starting from the carvings on the doors to the kind of beast on top of the roof and ending with the fact that the beams had a natural finish instead of the red paint that was so popular in the human realm. Combined with the fact that the wood used was of a darker shade than what would be used in the human realm, the building looked more imposing, making him feel even more awed.


    Hua Lin Yu turned to Xin Lan and gave a bright smile. "It''s a really nice place. I could imagine living here."


    Xin Lan slightly raised his brows and then pulled Hua Lin Yu into his arms, kissing his temple, his lips lingering on its skin for a moment. Over and over again, there were some small surprises, making him feel that maybe this wouldn''t be too bad. And maybe, even though this wasn''t the person he was really in love with, it would indeed be nice to have somebody else live here with him. To spend their days just with the two of them together, that wouldn''t be too bad, would it? At the very least, he likely wouldn''t be so lonely anymore.


    Hua Lin Yu chuckled and rubbed Xin Lan''s chest, finally turning his face and giving him a peck on the lips. He didn''t say anything but motioned over in the direction of the main house, clearly requesting Xin Lan to show him around.


    Xin Lan smiled and then took his hand, pulling him along. "I don''t know what to tell the two of you. I haven''t been here in quite some time. Originally, I just wanted a place to myself where I could spend my time without somebody turning up on my doorstep all the time. This place has quite the dense spiritual energy and it''s quiet. So it seemed like the perfect spot."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded, trying to look around but still glancing at Xin Lan''s face every now and then while Hua Lin Rong mostly looked around and tried to get a feel for the place.


    "The spiritual energy here is really very dense." He had already been surprised when he came to the immortal realms in the first place but Xin Lan''s home was even more astonishing in that regard. "No wonder dragons are of such a high level. If I cultivated here, I could probably promote to the next level in no time."


    Xin Lan smiled faintly at that. "To be honest, while it does have to do with that, that''s not all. Contrary to humans, the people of the immortal races are all born with the ability to cultivate. Or rather than calling it cultivation, it might be better to say that we have innate abilities.


    "From the moment we are born, dragons can command the air and water. It is just that a small child will not be able to do much since they haven''t figured their abilities out yet. When they get older, that changes. By the time we reach a.d.u.l.thood, we are normally all able to do so to a large degree. There''s no painstaking cultivation involved actually. We normally don''t even have to take in spiritual energy."


    Hua Lin Rong turned to him, raising his brows. "How so?"


    "Rather than using spiritual energy that is stored in our body as cultivators do, we use what is around us." Xin Lan raised his hand and the winds around them started to move but looking closely, it obviously wasn''t that he actually used any energy of his own but he was just commanding the energy around them.


    Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong couldn''t help but be intrigued. Hua Lin Yu grabbed Xin Lan''s hand, turning it around as if he could find out how things were working this way. "But how do you do it?"


    Xin Lan laughed at that and put an arm around his waist. "As I said, it''s just an innate ability of ours. On the other hand, the demons are normally able to do the same with fire and earth while the gods are able to control all the elements. Normally, it''s not even something that requires conscious thought. It just comes naturally to us."


    The two humans weren''t quite satisfied with that answer yet but they weren''t sure if Xin Lan would explain any further than that. Obviously, it was a little difficult for him to explain something that was just second nature to him. If they wanted to know, they would have to ask some more pointed questions.


    Hua Lin Rong also stared at his hand before finally looking back up at his face. "Then ¡­ do you really never take in spiritual energy?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "Not normally. We would only do so to actually make use of it. For example, if one of us gets hurt, then spiritual energy can be used to help with that. To us, it is really just that: energy. We can take it in to replenish our own whether it''s because we''re tired or hungry or injured. It isn''t really needed for using our magical abilities though. That is really just dependent on talent."

 Chapter 1153 - An Adorable Child

    Hua Lin Rong''s face suggested that he had about a thousand questions more but he didn''t dare to bring them up. While Xin Lan was able to see that, he wasn''t about to do him the favor of just explaining everything at once. Anyway, they would be staying in the dragon realm for quite some time. There was no need to talk about everything immediately.


    Instead, it would be better to let him ask by himself after some time so that they wouldn''t run out of things to say halfway through this journey. Also, answering a question that he was being asked instead of volunteering all the information would probably make Hua Lin Rong appreciate him more. That was definitely what he wanted to achieve.


    With that in mind, he turned back to Hua Lin Yu, lightly brushing through his hair. "Do you want to go inside?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded excitedly and the three of them finally entered the estate. While Hua Lin Yu eagerly looked around, Hua Lin Rong''s gaze grew subtle. Xin Lan had always carried himself with an air that suggested he had a high status in the dragon realm but guessing that and finally seeing proof of that conjecture were two different things altogether.


    Everything in this estate was of high quality: From the flooring to the ceiling to each and every one of the decorations that lined the walls, there was nothing that couldn''t be called superb. Obviously, this was not the kind of place that just anyone would have. No, his status was indeed just as high as he had always assumed.


    Pondering about it for a while, Hua Lin Rong actually felt that it was quite good. While it might mean that Xin Lan would have some expectations about their life, he clearly had the means to provide for that himself and wouldn''t require them to take care of that even in the mortal realm. He wouldn''t be trying to just freeload off of them which their family had always feared in terms of human cultivators that wanted to use them for their resources. Now, this wouldn''t be a problem at all and it would instead be Xin Lan that would be able to provide more for Xiao Yu.


    Also, if they really went to live in the dragon realm in the future, this was reassuring in so far that most likely, nobody would dare to make trouble for Xin Lan''s beloved spouse. This meant that his younger brother would be very safe here. He really couldn''t wish for more.


    The three of them went through the whole building. Finally, Xin Lan showed Hua Lin Rong a room that he could stay in while he led Hua Lin Yu to his own. "I''m going to assume that you won''t mind sharing a room with me, right?"


    Hua Lin Yu smiled, clearly not minding in the least. "Didn''t we already share a room back in the mortal realm? Why would I suddenly mind that now? I''m happy if the two of us can spend some more time together."


    He craned his neck and kissed him on the lips, before slipping out of his arms and taking a closer look around the room. "It''s really nice. The place, the house, and this room is as well. I think living here wouldn''t be bad."


    Xin Lan smiled and then followed him, brushing through Hua Lin Yu''s hair and curling one of the black strands around his finger. "If there''s anything you want to have changed, you can just tell me."


    Hua Lin Yu looked over his shoulder, his lips curving up in a smile. "You''re really spoiling me."


    Xin Lan pulled him back up against his chest and leaned down, his lips brushing over Hua Lin Yu''s ear. "I have the feeling that whether it''s in the Hua family or in the Jian Yi Sect, you have been spoiled your whole life. I certainly wouldn''t want to lick behind."


    Hua Lin Yu laughed and leaned back, resting his head on Xin Lan''s shoulder. "I guess it''s true. What can I do? I was such an adorable child. Naturally, people couldn''t help but spoil me."


    Xin Lan laughed as well and wrapped his arms around him, gently kissing his neck. "You really were adorable as a child."


    Hua Lin Yu glanced at his expression and then reached up, grabbing his chin. "Xin Lan, why do I feel like you actually didn''t think so when I was a child?"


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes and gave a smile, not quite sure if he should admit it or not. "What do you mean?"


    "When I was trying to hold on to you, you always tried to make my brother or my parents carry me instead. And then, when you brought me to the Jian Yi Sect, you also did your best to leave me there, never once returning for even the shortest visit. Do you really want to pretend that you thought I was an adorable child?"


    Xin Lan gave a hum, feeling that there really was no use in pretending. "Children can be adorable ¡­ if looked at from the distance. I do have to admit that I don''t quite like them though."


    Hua Lin Yu turned in his arms and then hugged his neck, giving him a long look. "Then why promise to marry me?" It wasn''t that he regretted that promise or didn''t want to marry him anymore but he couldn''t help but be curious about what Xin Lan''s thoughts on the matter were. If he hadn''t liked him as a child, then why would he do something like this and then actually come back to marry him? It seemed completely illogical to him.

 Chapter 1154 - A Special Person?

    Xin Lan grabbed his waist, his fingers brushing over the robe that couldn''t quite conceal the heat of his skin and his expression turned a little subtle. "Back then ¡­ What did you expect me to do?


    "You were but a child. As I said, I don''t like children. Even if I did, I certainly wouldn''t like them that way. Promising to marry you ¡­ To be honest, I really wanted to get rid of you. As for why I came back ¡­" He kept quiet for a moment but then looked up into Hua Lin Yu''s eyes. "Maybe I felt that there is some kind of fate between us.


    "That might not be the explanation you want to hear but still, it''s the truth. There''s something between us that seems predestined." He smiled faintly at that, thinking how it was funny just how true this was. Anyway, it wasn''t a bad thing to say, most likely.


    He reached up, one hand grabbing Hua Lin Yu''s chin, and then leaned in to give him a kiss. He pondered for a moment, wondering how to explain it any better since Hua Lin Yu had no idea about what he had sworn back in the High Heavens. He couldn''t tell him the truth either or he might get into the kind of stupid situation Qiu Ling had found himself in. Thus, the only thing he had to argue with were the things that had happened in the mortal realm.


    "You see, you were definitely a child that liked to cling to other people. But you especially liked to cling to me even though I wasn''t part of your family. It might not seem like much but when thinking about it a little further, then don''t you feel that there might be something more to that? Just what was it that drew you to me like that?


    "I don''t think that I fully understand but the longer I thought about it, the more I felt that there might be a deeper meaning behind that. Maybe that was wrong. Maybe this between us will not even work out but I actually feel that we are quite compatible." He leaned closer again, his lips brushing Hua Lin Yu''s skin.


    He might''ve promised to wait until they returned from the dragon realm but if an opportunity presented itself to get a little closer, he definitely wouldn''t say no. Anyway, as long as there wasn''t a witness, they couldn''t be called married yet. They could just have some fun before that.


    Unfortunately for him, Hua Lin Yu leaned away after a moment, giving him a scrutinizing look. "Are you telling the truth?"


    Xin Lan gave another hum, his hands brushing over Hua Lin Yu''s back. "But of course. Why would I lie to you? Anyway, you''ve noticed that promising you just like that would be strange. And do you see any other explanation?"


    Hua Lin Yu slightly furrowed his brows. Indeed. He couldn''t think of anything else. And there was some merit to what Xin Lan was saying. Maybe ¡­ this really was the truth. Anyway, Xin Lan had no reason to lie to him. And actually, he liked this explanation quite a lot. If there really was some predestined fate between them, then wouldn''t that be great? It had to mean that they would be happy forever with each other.


    He hugged Xin Lan, feeling for a moment that it was really asking quite a lot to wait until they came back from the dragon realm before they got married. "Well, I''m really glad that you came back for me. I wouldn''t have known where to search for you."


    "Well, you don''t need to worry about that anymore." Xin Lan cupped his cheeks and then leaned down, kissing him again. Anyway, Hua Lin Rong should be busy for some time looking around his own room and might even start trying to cultivate. They would have quite some time to themselves.


    His thoughts were beautiful but Hua Lin Yu had other ideas. After a moment, he pulled back, giving him a brilliant smile. "Do you know, I always felt that there was something special about you. Something ¡­ that wasn''t quite like what I felt with my family even if it was a bit similar."


    Xin Lan nodded and then leaned in again but at that moment, Hua Lin Yu had already wriggled out of his arms. Xin Lan stood there with his hands awkwardly raised and looked at the youth. Was he being serious? Why was he walking away?


    Hua Lin Yu went over to the window, opening it to take a look at the courtyard outside. "I really don''t know what it is but with my family, I felt really close with them from the very beginning. The earliest memories I have are all like that. I just felt some kind of connection with them. But with you ¡­" He looked over his shoulder, prompting Xin Lan to come over and pull him back into his arms.


    "Well, I''m not your family. It''s normal to feel different." He leaned down and kissed his shoulder, reaching for his belt to try and take it off.


    Hua Lin Yu grabbed his hand, giving him a happy smile while still thwarting his plans. "I guess that''s true but I still felt the need to get close to you." There were confusion and wonder in his eyes but also a hint of longing.


    Yes, he didn''t know how but from the moment he had first seen this person or, well, from the first time he remembered seeing this person, he had always felt the need to get close to him, to just be at his side, and lend himself to the security that Xin Lan made him feel.


    Even now, lying in his arms gave him this kind of feeling. He didn''t know why. He just knew that he felt warm and so protected with him at his side. There was no place he would rather be at. Naturally, he wanted to stay with this person.


    "I love you." He didn''t feel that it was wrong to say these words even though they had only recently met again. Maybe he didn''t understand but he did indeed like this person. He was sure about it. What was love if not this feeling?


    Xin Lan looked at him, his hand slowly squeezing Hua Lin Yu''s in return. He wasn''t quite sure what to say or do. Naturally, a confession should always be met with one of yours. It would make the other person definitely feel good if nothing else. And that was probably the step that needed to be taken to take things further.


    But ¡­ he felt a bit unwilling. He didn''t like this talk about some special feelings towards him. He had heard it way too often in the past. The people of the dragon race had idolized him. Consciously or unconsciously, they all felt that he was a special kind of person because he was the only one unaffected by Tian''s curse.


    Naturally, Hua Lin Yu knew nothing of that and it wasn''t his fault to have chosen these kinds of words. He also didn''t know that it would hurt the person he was talking to. But still, it put Xin Lan in a bad mood.


    It seemed that the two of them would need quite some more time to get to know each other if they ever wanted to have an actual relationship.

 Chapter 1155 - He Is Somebody That keeps His Promises

    Jinde''s golden brows very slowly climbed up higher and he finally turned to his husband to see if he had heard the very same thing he had.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and then turned back to Fei Bai Mu. "May I ask what this matter is about?" He didn''t believe that she would just ask out of the blue. No, there had to be a reason for this.


    Anyway, it would probably put Jinde on the spot if he wasn''t given a reason for this. After all, he and Xin Lan were very close. He naturally wouldn''t just offer information about him if there wasn''t a reason to. Everything else would be misusing the trust that Xin Lan put in him. After all, he also wouldn''t want him to do the same. Some general information might still be alright but who knew what exactly it was that Fei Bai Mu wanted to know?


    Fei Bai Mu sighed and leaned back, rubbing her forehead. "I really don''t know how to put this but ¡­ he has proposed to my youngest disciple."


    The eyes of the two people sitting across from her widened and they shared yet another glance, the surprise in their gazes even more pronounced than before.


    Jinde turned back to her, the shock still visible on his face. "Come again? He proposed to ¡­" He hesitated for a moment but finally couldn''t help himself. "To marry him?" This was probably the most unexpected thing he could imagine. "Are we really talking about marriage here or is it a proposal to ¡­ a fight or something?"


    Fei Bai Mu smiled wryly. "It really is a proposal for marriage. In fact, he has mentioned this once when Xiao Yu was still young. I wasn''t quite sure if he was being serious but the two of them came back yesterday and made it official.


    "This matter seems to be not quite as simple as I thought at first either. He did mention that he made a promise to somebody who my disciple originally was. I''m not quite sure what exactly that means but I guess there has to be some kind of fate between them."


    Jinde slightly narrowed his eyes. "Somebody he originally was? Someone he promised something to?" Thinking about it, there weren''t many options. It could''ve been somebody who died and was reborn but then, Xin Lan normally wouldn''t know who they were now. After all, reincarnation took quite some time and it wasn''t like anybody but the supreme ruler actually knew who was reincarnated as who. In other words ¡­ "That person should be a trueborn god then. Somebody currently going through their trial."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows at that, feeling that it was quite remarkable. "That is basically the same situation that Qiu Ling is in right now, isn''t it?"


    Jinde flicked a glance at him but shook his head. "Not quite. Qiu Ling and Jing He were already engaged from what I know. And he didn''t actually promise him anything in regard to the trial but just followed him on his own accord because he didn''t want to leave him alone. It is quite the normal thing to do for a dragon that bound his soul. Xin Lan though ¡­" He shook his head once more. "Never mind binding his soul, I haven''t even known that he had a lover in the Nine Heavens. This is quite strange."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded at that. "This is what I thought as well. Back then, when we were holding the trial of the demon-hunting sects, he was still going after some person from the spirit beast tribe. I don''t believe that he suddenly fell in love with somebody. And if this was a promise he gave to somebody even before that, then Hua Lin Yu was already born at the time. I just can''t understand it. Obviously, there are no feelings involved. So why marry? I''m really worried about my disciple."


    Leng Jin Yu slightly furrowed his brows. He could only imagine one reason for this. He turned to Jinde and gave him a long look, making his husband slightly raise his brows.


    "What''s the matter?"


    "Do you think that maybe Xin Lan did this for you?"


    Jinde had no idea what his husband was even talking about. "But nobody even knows that I''m alive. I really don''t see how this could have anything to do with me."


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows drew further together. This was true but ¡­ he still didn''t think that Xin Lan would take this much initiative for anything but Jinde. "Well, the person doesn''t need to know you necessarily.


    "Remember how he brought the things over to help you heal your soul? Maybe one of those was traded for that promise. The trueborn gods have trials they need to finish and maybe some of them are just as worried as Jing He was for his. Maybe in this case, it is somebody that isn''t his necessarily hung up on his own lover but that doesn''t just want to get involved anybody either. I think it would be possible. And maybe that person somehow had one of the things that Xin Lan later gave you. He could have done something like that. It would be a lot like him."


    Jinde nodded slowly. "Maybe you''re right. It would make sense."


    Fei Bai Mu wasn''t quite sure she understood what was going on. She looked from one person to the other and finally couldn''t help but ask. "What does that mean for Xiao Yu?"


    Jinde sighed and folded his hands on the table, his fingers drumming against the top. "We can''t be sure about this matter. But it really is likely. In this case, your disciple is the trial of a trueborn god.


    "They will be reborn as a human, live their life like this, and when they die one day, they will awaken again in the Nine Heavens. It is a usual occurrence. And I think it is not quite often that somebody will make such a deal before it but it could happen.


    "In any case, this is what the trueborn god must have wanted. So I think there is not necessarily a reason to go against this. Anyway, Xin Lan''s status in the dragon race is quite high. If the person knew who he was ¡­ maybe they have been idolizing him. It could be important to them that it is him specifically."


    Fei Bai Mu slightly furrowed her brows but nodded. "I think I do understand that. It is just that I''m worried about Hua Lin Yu. Right now, he is a mortal. Whatever was in his original life doesn''t have much bearing on this one. And I''m only worried about the human he currently is, not whatever god he was before and will be in the future."


    Jinde sighed. "I do understand that. But I''m afraid there isn''t much that you can do. I''m not quite sure why Xin Lan is doing this but I think can assure you that he is somebody that will keep his promises. At the very least, he has always done so when it concerned me. I don''t think he would be different with anybody else."


    Leng Jin Yu gave him a slightly doubtful gaze but didn''t say anything else to it. Anyway, there really was nothing they could do. Why should he worry Fei Bai Mu even more?

 Chapter 1155 - Getting Help

    Back in the mortal realm, Fei Bai Mu was sitting in her study, a few doc.u.ments in front of her that she was supposed to work on. She was holding a brush in one hand, the tip having been dipped in ink, but she didn''t move it even a hair''s breadth. Instead, she was looking to the front, seemingly deep in thought.


    She had agreed to Hua Lin Yu marrying Xin Lan but she was still not quite at ease with this. Yes, she did understand that there was something more to this that she couldn''t quite understand yet but that didn''t mean that she wasn''t worried about her youngest disciple.


    She didn''t want anything to happen to Hua Lin Yu. She didn''t want him to be unhappy. This child had already suffered quite a bit despite being so young. He lost his family and even if it hadn''t been forever, it had at least been for a few years. A small child would surely have trouble dealing with that.


    Now, if things didn''t work out, he would also lose the man he supposed to be the love of his life. She didn''t want to let that happen. If only there was something she could do ¡­


    She furrowed her brows and looked at the brush that had actually dripped a little bit of ink on the paper and then put it away. "If it is something I can''t solve on my own, then I can only try and get some help."


    She got up and walked out of the palace, sending a message to one of the Elders before she left the sect. At the fastest speed possible, she rushed toward the Yun Zou Sect and stopped in front of the gate.


    The two disciples there had already seen her before and even if they hadn''t, the robe of the Jian Yi Sect coupled with the jade tablet at her waist was a dead giveaway as to who she might be. They hurriedly straightened up and clapped their hands, not even daring to ask what she wanted. "Sect Master Fei, please let us show you inside. Should we notify somebody specific about your arrival?"


    Fei Bai Mu pondered for a moment and then nodded. "I would like to see Grandmaster Zhangsun." Actually, she wasn''t here to see him but she could hardly ask for the person she really came to see.


    The disciples nodded and one of them rushed ahead to inform the Grandmaster while the other one showed her inside, having someone else temporarily take over their spots at the gate.


    Soon enough, Fei Bai Mu stood in front of Zhangsun Xun Yi while the disciples left to go back to their post.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi looked at her, his gaze questioning. "Did something happen?"


    Fei Bai Mu kept quiet for a moment, not quite sure how to answer that question. "Something did indeed happen but it is nothing that Grandmaster Zhangsun will need to worry about. In fact, this is more of a private matter. Or, maybe a matter of the Jian Yi Sect. Actually, I came to see that person. I just felt that it would be better to come and see you first so as to not cause any questions among your disciples."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded and didn''t ask any further. Instead, he just got up. "Very well. Please follow me over then."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded and the two of them went over to the Sect Master''s palace. They didn''t tell Wu Min Huan who was still taking care of the sect''s matters instead of his Master and went to the array right away. Zhangsun Xun Yi motioned at it and then stood at the side, not intending to go by himself. Whatever the matter was, it did nothing to do with him.


    Fei Bai Mu nodded once again and then stepped inside, waiting for the array to light up. Then, she found herself opposite the palace she had already seen the last time.


    Leng Jin Yu had just stepped outside and slightly raised his brows at her. "Did something happen?"


    Fei Bai Mu smiled faintly. "You are already the second person that has asked me this today. It seems that I can''t just come for a visit."


    Leng Jin Yu''s expression eased a little when he heard that. "It is not that you can''t come to just visit me, it is rather that it wouldn''t be like you to do that. You''re not one for mere courtesy calls."


    Fei Bai Mu chuckled lightly and then went over, motioning inside. "Truth be told, I''m not necessarily here for you. Instead, I would like to have a talk with your husband."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows at that but immediately motioned inside. "Let''s go then. I feel that Jinde is a little bored these days anyway so it''s good that something is happening so he can take his mind off things for a bit."


    The two of them went back to the room, stepping out into the courtyard, and looking at the lake.


    It didn''t take even a moment before Jinde''s head broke through the surface and he gave them a smile. "Oh? Did something happen?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and went over, reaching out, and taking his husband''s hand to pull him up to his feet. "Sect Master Fei came to talk to you about something. I don''t know yet either what the matter is."


    Jinde gave a hum and then turned to Fei Bai Mu, quite curious what this was about.


    Fei Bai Mu inclined her head and then followed the two of them inside, taking a seat at the table. "This might be a little ¡­ sudden but I would like to ask a bit about that person of your race, Xin Lan. Would you mind telling me about him?"

 Chapter 1157 - Friends?

    Fei Bai Mu wasn''t really satisfied with what she had found out but this was still better than nothing. Anyway, even if she had found more, she likely still couldn''t change her disciple''s feelings. In that case, it would be best not to worry about this needlessly. She should just do what she could to make sure that Hua Lin Yu wouldn''t suffer.


    Thinking it through like this, she turned back to Jinde. "This might be a little presumptuous but could I trouble you to maybe keep an eye on the situation to make sure things don''t turn south? I don''t want my disciple to be hurt."


    Jinde nodded. "I will. Although for the time being, I''d suggest just leaving things to the two of them. Xin Lan is ¡­" He frowned, wondering how to say it best. "There are some unresolved issues from his past but it''s not that there isn''t any chance at all that he will treat your disciple well. He might even develop feelings for him. To be honest, I would be very happy if he did."


    Fei Bai Mu gave a wry smile. "I can imagine. But as for whom he has feelings for ¡­ I guess you will know it better than me."


    There was a faint trace of pain in Jinde''s eyes but he still nodded. "I do. But I also think that compared to the past, he has taken some steps in the right direction. I''m sure that with some more time and maybe even with the right person at his side, he will put these feelings behind him and find somebody else.


    "Why shouldn''t that be your disciple? I reckon that it that child from back then? If he is even just half as adorable now as he was back then, then I''m sure that even Xin Lan won''t be able to resist for long."


    Fei Bai Mu smiled, clearly proud of Hua Lin Yu. "That is precisely the disciple I was talking about. Well, I am sure that you are right. Anyway, even if he can''t love him, I hope that he will be able to treat him as a friend. That would be better than nothing."


    Jinde wanted to reassure her but wasn''t too sure about that in the end either. Friends of Xin Lan ¡­ He didn''t remember him to have any. Even in the time when they had both lived in the dragon king''s palace, he didn''t seem to have been close to anyone but him. He was always rather distant.


    "That would be very good." He really didn''t dare to say anything more than that. After all, there really was no way to say if Xin Lan would be able to develop such feelings or not. It would be great if he could but for somebody who liked to keep his distance, that might not be possible. Well, he could only hope for the best.


    Fei Bai Mu did indeed feel a little reassured after this. With the topic at hand being solved, she put her attention on the two people opposite her. "Right, how are you doing? Is your recuperation going well?"


    Jinde nodded, giving a smile. "It is. I also have to thank you for that. The things you had brought over the other time have really helped a lot. With everything working together like this, it seems like I''ll be making a full recovery in barely a millennium."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. While a millennium sounded like a long time, it actually wasn''t for a cultivator. And she could imagine that it would feel even less so for a dragon. Especially one that was living with his husband in a realm that contained just the two of them. Even if it was slightly longer, these two probably wouldn''t get bored. "I''m glad that you say that. If there''s anything else we can do, you should tell me." She glanced at Leng Jin Yu while she said that as well, hoping that he would really speak up.


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head though. "Thank you but there''s no need to. Jinde is really on the way to getting better already. We do appreciate the offer though."


    "Very well. I won''t force you to accept my help. Anyway, you do know how to reach me."


    The three of them fell silent and finally, Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but ask.


    "About the Jian Yi Sect ¡­ How are things?"


    Fei Bai Mu sighed. "Same as usual. Honestly, there isn''t much news there. The last few years were a little exciting for me personally with having a new disciple again but other than that, it is just the same old thing all over again.


    "There were a few times when we had to deal with the demon-hunting sects but it wasn''t anything major. With everybody working together, the matter was solved very soon. By now, the Chun Feng Sect has more or less disbanded and the other demon-hunting sects are following the new rules. There are one or two that are a little more difficult to handle but most of them don''t seem to mind.


    "In fact, after everything that happened at the trial, they seem to have realized where their errors lay. The new understanding of the immortal races that everyone has gained from the two people that the dragon king sent over, as well as Senior Xin Lan''s appearance, has helped a lot with that."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded with relief. "That''s good to hear."


    Fei Bai Mu smiled. "You don''t have to worry. We''ve managed to do without you for quite a few years already. We will continue to do so. And if we don''t, then I do know where to find you as well. Now, I should probably get back. While they don''t need me to be there every single moment, I guess the two of you are busy with other things."


    Jinde laughed lightly while his husband gave him a look and then got up.


    "I''ll show you out."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded and the two of them walked out of the palace while Jinde returned to the lake. Standing outside of the gate, they looked out at the plain in front of the palace, keeping quiet for a moment.


    "Are there really no problems?"


    Fei Bai Mu looked at him, her eyes turning into crescents. "You can''t let go, can you? You should think about whether you want to return or not. I''m sure there will be a way to make things work in the Yun Zou Sect even without you."


    Leng Jin Yu slightly furrowed his brows but then nodded. "Yes, I guess you are right. But anyway, I''ll have to wait for Jinde to be healed first. After that, we can talk again."


    Fei Bai Mu inclined her head and then left. Anyway, this was enough of a promise for her that she could put her mind at ease for now.

 Chapter 1158 - I’m Angry

    Over in the dragon realm, Hua Lin Yu had no idea that he had done something wrong but he did notice that Xin Lan seemed a little more distant lately. He had trouble recalling from when this had started but even when he asked, there was nothing to get out of the dragon. It really wasn''t easy.


    For the next few days, they stayed at Xin Lan''s estate. While he was unhappy, he still hadn''t forgotten what his task was for now. Thus, he made an effort to get closer to Hua Lin Yu and cement their relationship. Unfortunately, this wasn''t an easy task either.


    After all, half of the time, Hua Lin Rong with them, making any attempts at making a move on his younger brother impossible, and the rest of the time, Hua Lin Yu would inadvertently ¡ª or maybe it was actually intentionally ¡ª move out of his grasp as soon as he started to try and take off his clothes. It really was maddening.


    At the end of the first week, Xin Lan''s mood had gotten so bad that the two humans had no trouble perceiving it.


    Hua Lin Rong turned to his younger brother and raised his brows, trying to get something out of him when they were alone for once. "Did something happen between the two of you? Or do you know why he is behaving like this?" He couldn''t explain it himself so he felt that the only reason could be something that had to do with his younger brother.


    Hua Lin Yu slightly raised his brows as well and looked out of the window to the small pavilion in the garden where Xin Lan sat, a jar of wine in his hand. "Who knows?" He turned away as if he didn''t care but he couldn''t help but think about the past few days.


    A week wasn''t much and definitely not enough time to get to know somebody. But it was enough to find out a few things. For one, he had noticed that Xin Lan didn''t seem to take his promises all that seriously. He was actually a bit miffed when he thought about it.


    The words he had spoken back when Hua Lin Yu was a child had obviously not been given much thought. In fact, he had even admitted to thinking about breaking them. Now, he had promised his father that he would only marry him when they returned from the dragon realm but here they were, not even a week into the journey and he was already trying to make a move on him.


    Considering what he had said about weddings in the dragon realm, it seemed that he was once again saying one thing but doing another. It was a little difficult to trust him like this.


    Hua Lin Rong looked at his younger brother who refused to explain and then scratched his head. This seemed to be a lover''s tiff? And even the first one these two had. It had to be difficult for Xiao Yu. Then as his older brother, he should probably help him out a bit. "You know, I would totally be up to give you some relationship advice."


    Hua Lin Yu looked over his shoulder and hooked up the corners of his mouth. "Big brother, I wonder where that relationship advice comes from? After all, as far as I know, there hasn''t been any relationship in your life. Actually, maybe you''d rather want me to give you some advice on how to find a good man?"


    Hua Lin Rong was taken aback and could only stutter. Had he just said something wrong? It seemed that both the people he was currently living with were somehow angry. This really wasn''t how he had imagined his journey to the dragon realm.


    He sighed and then waved at his brother. "Alright, alright, I understand already. You lovebirds don''t want somebody else to meddle in your affairs. Just clear it up among yourself then. I''ll just go and cultivate." He hurriedly left the room, not even giving Hua Lin Yu a chance to respond.


    His younger brother gazed after him and then sighed to himself, turning back to the window. "It looks like I was a little too harsh on him." He just couldn''t help it though. He was really angry. Why was Xin Lan doing this to him?


    He hesitated for a moment but then opened the door and went outside, slowly walking over to the pavilion and finally sitting down next to him. He didn''t give him the time of the day though and instead just sat next to him, looking out at the garden that was growing pretty freely. "We should get somebody to take care of this kind of thing."


    Xin Lan glanced at him, and then looked at the garden himself, finally nodding. "You''re right. I''ll do that."


    Hua Lin Yu''s gaze flitted toward him before moving back to the garden and couldn''t help but speak up. "Are you going to do that just as you were only going to marry me after we returned from our journey to the dragon realm?"


    Xin Lan raised a brow and put down the jar of wine, finally turning toward Hua Lin Yu. He rested one arm on top of the table while the other was kept on his leg, his fingers lightly drumming on his knee. "What do you mean?"


    Hua Lin Yu almost wanted to snort. This guy was really still pretending! But being passive-aggressive wouldn''t get them anywhere. And even though he was unhappy with how Xin Lan was behaving, it didn''t change the fact that he liked this person. "I''m angry, alright? You told my father that you would only marry me after we got back. You agreed to his conditions. But now ¡­ I feel like you don''t want to keep your word. I don''t like that."


    Xin Lan opened his mouth to deny it but then stopped himself at the last moment. Obviously, Hua Lin Yu had somehow caught onto what he was doing. Naturally, it wouldn''t help at all to just say it wasn''t the case. After all, then he would place him being a liar even higher on the list of things he disliked about him. So in the end, there was nothing he could do besides coming clean.


    "I did. It''s because I was angry as well. Which ¡­ was a stupid thing to do."


    Hua Lin Yu turned to him with some surprise, unsure how he should react. He had thought that he was the only one with a reason to be angry but it seemed that he had really missed something. "Then what''s the matter? You should just tell me. Then ¡­ we can work it out somehow."

 Chapter 1159 - I Can’t Change Who I Am

    Xin Lan kept quiet for a moment, picked up the flask of wine, and took another sip. "There''s something you don''t know. Something that ¡­ will change your perspective on things I''m afraid."


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him with curiosity, not really feeling any unease. He was sure that no matter what Xin Lan said, it wouldn''t change his feelings for him. He had loved this man for so long, naturally, it would stay like this. Thus, he wasn''t worried at all.


    Xin Lan put the flask down again, quietly turning it between his fingers. "This is something that no one of the dragon race will tell you about lightly. Maybe I shouldn''t either but I guess if I don''t, there won''t be a chance to make you understand."


    He looked down, his brows furrowing tightly. He hadn''t really talked about this. Even with Jinde, it had never really come up. Maybe it was that he didn''t want to seem vulnerable in front of the person he loved. But anyway, it was strange to finally give voice to these thoughts. "I told you and your family that the dragons are a monogamous race. It''s the truth. They really are. It isn''t quite a choice of their own though."


    Hua Lin Yu gave him a confused look. He didn''t dare to say anything though in fear of disturbing Xin Lan. The expression he currently wore ¡­ it suggested that this was something very important.


    Xin Lan narrowed his eyes and looked out of the pavilion, glancing toward the sky. "Once upon a time, the dragon race did something they shouldn''t have. They managed to upset the one that rules over all realms. In fact, they managed to piss him off so much that he decided to curse all of them."


    Hua Lin Yu''s eyes widened when he realized where this was going. He had to bight down on his lower lip to keep himself from saying anything.


    Xin Lan let go of the jar of wine and instead folded his hands in his lap, shaking his head. "They were cursed to be able to only fall in love once in their life. It didn''t matter what the circ.u.mstances were.


    "If the person you loved died, then you would be left with a lifetime of regret. If you fell in love with somebody but they didn''t love you back, then, well, that sucked for you but it wouldn''t change a thing. If two people fell in love with the same person, they could only try to fight it out and hope that the winner would actually manage to gain the other person''s heart in turn.


    "There''s never a guarantee. There were a lot of tragic love stories in our race I guess. And even for those who found their matches, life wasn''t always happy either. They normally never outlive each other for long. You could probably call that romantic but if you ask me, it''s just sad."


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him, a faint feeling of dread in his heart. Something told him that Xin Lan was not part of this curse. The way he spoke about it ¡­ it was like telling the story about others, not himself.


    He looked down, his own brows furrowing for a moment before he managed to smooth out his expression. He didn''t want to give Xin Lan any pressure. He wanted to know the truth. So he could only let him talk freely.


    "I know what you''re wondering. It''s true. Among the dragon race, I am the only person that is not affected by this curse. It is ¡­ f.u.c.k.i.e.d up in its own way. Originally, there were a few of us. All those children already conceived but not yet born when the curse struck.


    "We were the hope of our race when it became apparent that we hadn''t been affected. They thought that maybe it was only the ones that had lived at that time that was cursed. So we and the subsequent generations would not be affected by it if they showed that supreme ruler that we were worthy of not carrying the curse. But after more children were born, it became clear that we were different. It was just us. Just this handful of children.


    "You can probably not imagine how it is to live that kind of life. You''re different. The rules that apply to everyone, don''t apply to you. You know that there''s something fundamentally wrong with you.


    "At first, it seemed like such a good thing. People downward worshiped us. I guess deep down, they still carried that faint hope that we would be able to turn things around. That somehow, once we had been given a chance, we might be able to change how things were for them as well. That we able to break through this cycle and make things become different."


    This time, Hua Lin Yu couldn''t hold back. "But it didn''t work, did it? Despite living for so long, you never found a way."


    Xin Lan turned around to him, giving a faint smile. "Among all the people of the dragon race, I am probably the one that supreme ruler hates the most. I guess I can somewhat understand it looking at it from the outside. He gave me what he deems to be a gift. But he never stopped to think about how it actually influenced my life.


    "Among the children born along with me, I''m the only one that survived until now. The others ¡­" He shook his head. "Quite a few of them died rather early for our race. I guess being brought up with that kind of worship, they thought of themselves as more special than they actually were.


    "If you are just average but somebody is always there to prop you up, to tell you how awesome you are, it is really hard not to become conceited and think that you are able to do everything. Well, they weren''t able to do so. One after the other, they died. But that only put more pressure on the ones that were left.


    "From that time on, my name in the dragon race was something ¡­ special. You have no idea how much I hate that word."


    Xin Lan''s voice dropped low and Hua Lin Yu felt that he had figured out just what it was that had made Xin Lan angry. He had told him that he was special to him. It was probably the thing he loathed to hear the most. "You know I didn''t mean it like that. You are ¡­" He tried to find words that could convey what he meant without using the one that Xin Lan hated so much but it was difficult. "Anyway, I didn''t mean it like that."


    Xin Lan glanced at him and then reached out, cupping his cheek and brushing a strand of his hair behind his ear. "You know what? I believe that. I know that you didn''t know either. You have no idea what my status in the dragon race actually is. Naturally, whatever you say won''t have anything to do with it. It''s stupid to get angry at that.


    "But I can''t change who I am. That is something I have been grappling with my whole life. And I will do so for the rest that is left of it no matter how long that will actually be."

 Chapter 1160 - I Want to Wait

    Hua Lin Yu lowered his head, feeling a bit bad that he had made Xin Lan think of all of this. If he hadn''t said this the other day, then Xin Lan''s mood would be better now. Even though he hadn''t known, that didn''t change the outcome. "I''m sorry."


    Xin Lan shook his head and sighed. "There''s no need to. You didn''t know. Anyway, the way I reacted wasn''t alright. At that moment, I just thought that if things were going to be like that, I might as well go for it. That was stupid of me." He reached over and brushed through Hua Lin Yu''s hair, his expression pensive. "This doesn''t have to do with you. So I shouldn''t have done this either."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded but he didn''t blame him. Anyway, when he stopped Xin Lan, he had never persisted and just tried again later. It probably still couldn''t be called great but it did show that Xin Lan cared about his opinion and wouldn''t force him. They just had to work on their communication. Instead of just assuming things and basing their own decisions off that, it would definitely work better.


    He inched closer and then grabbed Xin Lan''s hands, giving him a smile. "In the future, promise me that you will just be open with me. There are so many things I don''t know about you yet and there is no way to learn them in a short time. So there will be problems every now and then just based on this alone. And our relationship will not work out if you aren''t honest with me and tell me such things."


    Xin Lan nodded and then pulled Hua Lin Yu into his arms. Holding him on his lap, there was once again a pensive expression on his face. "Actually, what you said before isn''t completely true. Because of this matter, I never thought that the customs of the dragon race applied to me.


    "I have been sleeping with some people without ever having to take responsibility for it. It''s not necessarily something I''m proud of but it just comes with the way my life has panned out. I''m not the same as them so the way I behave isn''t either.


    "I guess I just wanted to take it further. To me, doing this is the best way to get close to somebody." He brushed Hua Lin Yu''s cheek with his fingertips, giving him a deep look. "It''s not that I want to go back on my promise. I just ¡­ would like to take this further."


    Hua Lin Yu reached up and grabbed his shoulders, giving him a deep look as well. "I can understand that. But ¡­ this is something that I won''t budge on. It''s not necessarily because of the customs of your race. The humans also have their customs. And I do want to keep to them. When we get back to the human realm, we''ll have a real wedding ceremony just like it would be done in the human realm. And after that, we can do what the dragons do. Anyway, it would be our wedding night in the human realm. I want to wait until then. Can you do that?"


    Xin Lan gave an unenthusiastic hum. "It''s not like I can just say no, is it? If you don''t want to, then I can''t do it on my own. So since it''s that important to you, let''s wait. I promise I won''t try again."


    Hua Lin Yu gave a happy smile and leaned forward, kissing his lips. "Thank you. Anyway, there are other ways to get close to each other. And nobody says how long we have to travel. Anyway, I have already seen your place. Since you haven''t been in your hometown for a long while, I don''t necessarily need to see it now. You can show me later on as well. But I do think you won''t get around showing us the dragon king''s palace. Big brother seemed really interested in that."


    Xin Lan nodded slowly. "That''s true. In that case, do you want to continue on our journey? I can bring you right over. With my status, it is not a problem to get in."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and then reached up, brushing through Xin Lan''s hair with his fingers just as he had always done to him. It was actually a really nice feeling. He could understand why Xin Lan liked to do this. He smiled and then kissed his cheek, feeling that they had gotten quite a bit closer today already. "Thank you for explaining that to me. I was actually curious about your status here. Anyway, it makes me feel that we aren''t as distant anymore. If you continue like this, maybe you won''t need to wait for too long."


    Xin Lan gave a hum that already sounded quite a bit more pleased and then brushed Hua Lin Yu''s thighs With his hands. "Well, there are a lot of things one can do with each other besides that. I guess I''ll just have to see where the limits are, won''t I?" He leaned forward and kissed Hua Lin Yu''s cheeks, his voice dropping once again.


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head at him and then got up from his lap, walking toward the building with his hands folded behind his back. "I think you should cool off on your own for a while. I''ll go see how big brother is doing."


    Xin Lan watched him leave and picked up the jar of wine again, a smile in his eyes. Actually, this wasn''t too bad. He could get used to having somebody that he shared this kind of thing with. He knew it was a futile hope but just being able to indulge in it for a while would already be enough. At the very least, that was what he hoped for.

 Chapter 1161 - The Dragon Realm’s Capital City

    The next morning, the three of them gathered their things and then left Xin Lan''s estate to go to the capital instead. Xin Lan hadn''t explained too much about either the capital or the dragon king''s palace itself so far. This time, he didn''t wait for Hua Lin Yu or Hua Lin Rong to ask though. Since they would arrive soon, he felt that it was important to give at least some basic information. This would also make him seem more dependable.


    "As I promised, we''ll go to the dragon king''s palace next. It is located in the dragon realm''s capital city. It isn''t really closed off to the public but you do need a valid reason to get inside. If you want to see a person, you also have to tell the guards who you want to see and they will inform that person. So a commoner can''t actually just go inside just because they want to."


    Hua Lin Rong was slightly confused. "Will the guards allow us in then? I mean even though we''re there with you, we''re not even of the dragon race."


    "That''s true but, in a sense, it''s like you were my visitors. Also, your brother is my fiance. It won''t be a problem."


    Hua Lin Rong nodded but he still had a few questions. Like how did these guards even know how Xin Lan looked? Had he been there before? Or could it be that Xin Lan was really that famous in the dragon realm that people actually just knew how he looked? That was honestly a little worrying if they did. Well, then again, this would explain just why Xin Lan had settled down in a location like that. He probably had had enough of always being the center of attention.


    Since Xin Lan had only told Hua Lin Yu and it had been such a personal matter, Hua Lin Rong didn''t even know why exactly Xin Lan''s status in the dragon realm was like this. Thus, he was even more confused but he didn''t dare to ask about it. That really seemed a little impolite.


    Xin Lan could imagine was what was going through his head but didn''t say anything about that either. Anyway, there were other things that were more important. "Do you want to go to the dragon king''s palace directly or would you like to see the capital city first?"


    Both Xin Lan and Hua Lin Rong turned to Hua Lin Yu, once again leaving the decision up to him.


    "Mn ¡­ While I''m really curious about the capital city as well, I guess it would be best to go to the palace first. We can just take a quick look around I think and then we can go to the city. I guess we''ll stay there for a bit, right? So we''d need to find a place to stay at."


    Xin Lan wouldn''t mind either way but couldn''t help but point out that they might not necessarily need to do that. "I''m pretty sure that we could even stay in the palace if you wanted to. So it''s not like it''s going to be a problem if we take a bit more time. Just think about what you want. No need to take any logistics into consideration."


    Hua Lin Yu smiled and shook his head. "I guess it would be pretty awesome. But even if we do that, it would also be good to familiarize ourselves with the place where we would live for the time being, right? After all, you wouldn''t want us to get lost, right?"


    Xin Lan chuckled and then glanced at Hua Lin Rong again. "Remember what I said back in the mortal realm? I think that now, you should slowly start to keep that in mind again."


    Hua Lin Rong tensed, remembering very well just what Xin Lan had told him to be careful about. He nervously glanced around as if he already needed to be careful about the people around them.


    In actual fact, they were still quite a bit away from the capital city and while there were already cities around, they mostly didn''t even pass through them and just went around them so they wouldn''t lose any time there.


    Most likely, it would''ve been interesting to take a closer look at at least some of them but since they had a clear goal in mind, Xin Lan didn''t want to waste any time on other things right now. They could still go and take a tour of the dragon realm when they had seen the ones that Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong were itching to get a closer look at. By then, they could also take their time and wouldn''t need to rush anything just because they felt that they had more pressing matters.


    Soon enough, the three of them did arrive at the capital city though. Even with his status, Xin Lan took the two brothers to the gate first. "The capital city is protected by an array so the people can''t just go in there. It''s a different thing for residents but all visitors will need to come and go through the gate. It''s normally a quick matter though. We should be inside in a few minutes."


    The two of them nodded and then looked around curiously. The ones in front of them were likely all dragons. Just like Xin Lan, they looked mostly human save for the fact that their hair colors were quite different.


    Hua Lin Yu stared at a man with hair the color of cherry blossoms, wondering if there was any significance to what kind of color they showed. He really wanted to ask Xin Lan but he was afraid that this might be a rather sensitive matter that shouldn''t be discussed in public like this. Thus, he kept quiet instead but the question was still burning under his nails.


    Soon enough, the three of them reached the front of the line. The guard had barely looked at them when he wanted to start questioning who they were and what they had come to the capital city for when he suddenly realized who was standing in front of him. His eyes went wide and he suddenly straightened up, feeling like he had been discovered when slacking off at work even though he actually hadn''t been doing anything wrong.


    "Se¡ª Senior Xin Lan!"

 Chapter 1162 - Two Will Suffice

    The people around them turned to look, making Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong tense up a little themselves. Well, it seemed that Xin Lan''s status was even higher than they had assumed. He really was recognized at just one glance.


    Xin Lan''s expression didn''t show any difference from before as if this wasn''t anything strange. "Xin Lan. I have brought these two people over from the human realm. Their names are Hua Lin Rong and Hua Lin Yu. I intend to show them around a little."


    The guard hurriedly nodded and didn''t even dare to look at Hua Lin Yu or Hua Lin Rong for a moment longer and just motioned inside. "Please go on inside then. You shouldn''t have had to wait in line. I''m sorry."


    Xin Lan still didn''t say anything and just motioned for Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong to follow him inside. The two of them did as he asked, very pointedly feeling the gazes in their backs.


    As soon as they were out of earshot, Hua Lin Yu exhaled deeply. "Oh Heavens, I can''t believe this! Is it always like this when you appear somewhere? That must be so ¡­ troublesome."


    Xin Lan gave a faint smile. "Pretty much. Sometimes, people are wondering whether they got it right. In that case, they won''t dare to speak up. And if nobody goes first, then the others will just quietly wonder as well. They normally look over though."


    Hua Lin Rong shook his head, feeling a bit of pity for his future brother-in-law. "I always thought it was a nuisance already when people recognized us in the cultivation world. But that wasn''t even the common people. It was just the ones from the cultivation sects or other cultivation families. Normally, it''s only the lower-leveled ones that will make a big deal about it as well. The others don''t really see the need to since they are of a high-level themselves and don''t have much to gain. They actually still treat us like everybody else. This though ¡­" He shook his head again, unable to believe it. "Seriously, I''m feeling sorry for you."


    "I''m used to it, more or less, so there''s no reason to. Anyway, do you want to go to the dragon king''s palace now?"


    Hua Lin Yu reached out and interlaced his fingers with Xin Lan, giving him a gentle look. "What will be less stressful for you? In the dragon king''s palace, they might be a little more used to seeing you?"


    Xin Lan looked at him, an inexplicable feeling rising in his chest. When had been the last time that somebody had been so considerate of his feelings? Even Jinde hadn''t really done that. "It could be. Anyway, you really want to see it, right? So let''s go there. We''ll see how it goes."


    Hua Lin Yu hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "Very well. If you need a break or something, you can always tell me."


    Xin Lan nodded even though he felt that it was a little curious that Hua Lin Yu was suddenly the one to tell him how to go about this journey. He could have sworn that just a moment ago, he had still been the one in charge who made the decisions and only deferred to Hua Lin Yu because he wanted to make sure that nothing would go wrong with the oath that he had sworn.


    The three of them walked over to the palace, the brothers staring at it in a daze. The dragon king''s palace ¡­ it didn''t pale in comparison to the mortal realm''s emperor''s palace. In fact, the impression it made was even more majestic, quite a bit like how Xin Lan''s home had been reminiscent of those of the humans in their realm but also seemed like it was more solemn. In a sense, this was actually what they had expected.


    The guards looked up and while they obviously recognized Xin Lan, they still made sure to ask what he had come to do.


    Xin Lan nodded at them, actually feeling quite happy at being treated a little more normal. "I came to spend some time here and brought these two people from the human realm along to have a look."


    The guard looked at Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong, seemingly feeling a little conflicted about this matter. In the end, he stepped to the side though. "Please go on in. Should I ¡­ notify somebody about your arrival?"


    Xin Lan gave a hum after glancing at Hua Lin Rong. He didn''t mind getting a room for himself and Hua Lin Yu but Hua Lin Rong would still need another one. It would be best if somebody else took care of that since he didn''t know which rooms would be available right now. "Well, since we do intend to stay for a while, we will need rooms. I would very much welcome it if somebody could take care of that."


    The guard nodded. "Then I will see to it that it is done."


    Xin Lan nodded and then pulled Hua Lin Yu with him, already walking inside. "Let''s go and have a look first. I''m sure they''ll be able to find us to tell us whatever they came up with later on."


    Hua Lin Yu was slightly surprised at how easy it had really been but he didn''t say anything and just followed Xin Lan, just glancing at his brother for a moment to reassure himself.


    Xin Lan was right that it didn''t take long for people to find them. The one who came was actually Xiang Yong. He stopped not far away from them and nodded at Xin Lan, his gaze brushing over Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong. "Greetings. I heard that you came to spend some time in the palace together with two visitors from the mortal realm. I hope Senior Xin Lan will not deem this as rude but may I ask who the two of them are?"


    Xin Lan reached over and brushed through Hua Lin Yu''s hair, obviously displaying that there was something more between them. "They are from the human realm''s Hua cultivation family. Your king should know them as well."


    Xiang Yong glanced at the two of them again and his gaze zeroed in on Hua Lin Rong. While he hadn''t seen him personally, he had seen Hua Ning Shun at the trial of the demon-hunting sects and the two of them had more than just a passing resemblance. "I think that I do remember who the Hua family is. Very well. You are naturally guests. How many rooms will you need?" His gaze slipped to the hand in Hua Lin Yu''s hair for a moment before he turned back to face Xin Lan.


    "Two will suffice."


    Xiang Yong nodded and then started to turn away. "I will have it taken care of immediately. In fact, you can follow me right now to look at them and see if you are satisfied. I will have the rooms cleaned out before you move in but shouldn''t they be up to your standard, we can find something else."


    Xin Lan nodded and the three of them followed him to the rooms that were not too far away from the ones that were where Qiu Ling''s advisers also lived. If it hadn''t been for the constant absence of the dragon king, they might have even been able to run into him.

 Chapter 1163 - The Things You Did for Your Most Important Person

    There might be no chance to meet the dragon king in the dragon king''s palace but there was still the chance to meet quite a few other people. Originally, Xin Lan hadn''t thought about that much and would only scoff at the idea of seeing one of these idiots that would treat him like an idol but he soon realized that there might be a big issue ahead.


    Xiang Yong brought them over to the rooms and Hua Lin Rong and Hua Lin Yu went inside to explore already while he continued to stand there with the other dragon for a moment, exchanging some pleasantries before he sent him on his way.


    Having taken care of that, he turned around to go in and try to brush up Hua Lin Yu''s good feelings for him just when a door on the other side of the corridor opened. He didn''t care much but he still glanced in the direction.


    As soon as he did, he froze though. That person ¡­ He recognized him. That was Bai Mu, that son from the God of War''s trial that they had asked for help back when Qiu Ling''s lover and Chun Yin''s reincarnation had been trapped in the secret realm in the Leyuan region. Back then, he hadn''t actually cared too much about him but now that he saw his face, he suddenly had a very bad feeling.


    Bai Mu slightly tilted his head, not quite sure what was going on. He did recognize Xin Lan but he wasn''t quite sure about why he was looking at him like this. "Hello. I didn''t know you were here."


    Xin Lan gave a faint smile and then stepped into the doorway, making sure that he covered Hua Lin Yu''s sight of this person. "Yes, I am. I''m only going to stay for a bit though. I''m traveling with somebody right now. I''m sorry. I hope you''ll excuse me. There are some things I still need to talk with him about."


    Bai Mu nodded, not quite sure why he felt a hint of hostility from Xin Lan. But anyway, it didn''t matter as long as this didn''t put him and Nie Huang in any danger and he didn''t believe that that was the case. "Very well. Then I won''t keep you any longer. Maybe we''ll see each other around."


    Xin Lan nodded and then stepped into the room, closing the door behind him while he furrowed his brows. He really hoped that they wouldn''t. If they did, it wouldn''t be good. Not at all. Otherwise, he didn''t know what would happen.


    Hua Lin Yu had just taken a look at the courtyard, poked his head back into the room, and raised his brows. "Who was that?"


    "A nobody."


    Hua Lin Yu''s brows climbed higher up. "A nobody that you were casually talking to? That sounded like you knew each other."


    Xin Lan slightly regretted taking even a minute to talk with Bai Mu and went over to Hua Lin Yu to pull him into his arms. Brushing his fingers through his hair, and then leaning down to give him a kiss, he shook his head again. "Just a casual acquaintance from long ago. Not worth any more words."


    Unfortunately, Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but be intrigued. "Why do I feel that you don''t like that person very much? Why that? Did something happen between the two of you? He wouldn''t have ¡­ stolen your lover or something, would he?"


    Xin Lan unwittingly tensed up. While Bai Mu hadn''t stolen his lover, he was a little afraid that he would have some kind of influence on his lover just based on that face of his. "It''s really nothing. You shouldn''t think about him."


    Hua Lin Yu really would''ve liked to know more but he knew that there was no way to get this out of Xin Lan when he was already in this mood. It seemed that he could only wait some time and then ask again when Xin Lan had calmed down. Maybe then he would be willing to tell him at least a little bit more.


    "Alright, if you say so." He tiptoed and kissed Xin Lan''s cheek before turning around in his arms and motioning outside. "This is really nice. Do you think we got special treatment because you were the one asking for the room? Or are the rooms in the palace all like this?"


    Xin Lan glanced at the lake in the middle of the courtyard and couldn''t help but think of the past. Back then, Jinde''s room had also had this kind of set up with a small courtyard next to it that could be accessed at any time. To Jinde, it had been a matter of comfort. Being able to go out there, to just submerge himself in the water, and hide away from everything ¡­ He had done that quite a lot when things got too rough.


    "Yes, it''s actually not unusual. For an a.d.u.l.t dragon, always being cooped up in a small room can feel crowded. So if it''s possible, there will be spacier courtyards. Not every room has one of their own though. Sometimes there are several rooms sharing one between them."


    "I see." Hua Lin Yu continued to look around, quite fascinated by this. If he could, he really would''ve liked to explore the whole dragon king''s palace but even though they had gotten in easily, he didn''t want to make any trouble.


    Also, with how Xin Lan had just been, he wasn''t so sure if it would be good to go outside right now. He should probably give him some more time to calm down. Then, they would also have more fun when they did that. And while seeing new things was interesting, this was also about being with the person he loved. So naturally, he would make sure to take his feelings into consideration.


    That was what you did for your most important person.

 Chapter 1164 - To Be Loved with All They Had

    With that thought, Hua Lin Yu tugged at Xin Lan''s sleeve and then motioned outside. "How about going to sit down for a while? We''ve been traveling for quite a bit. It''s not like I''m tired but it can''t be wrong to preserve a bit of strength."


    Xin Lan glanced at him, wondering if there was some deeper meaning to it. The smile on Hua Lin Yu''s face suggested that this was indeed the case. While he wasn''t quite sure what he intended, he wouldn''t let go of an opportunity to spend time with him and also make sure that he wouldn''t be able to run into Bai Mu. He grabbed Hua Lin Yu''s hand and then walked outside with him, leading him over to the lake, and sitting down at the edge.


    This was also something that Jinde had liked to do. Most likely, he would be doing this with his husband now. Sitting there together, enjoying the light breeze in that dimension, the refreshing feeling of the water at his feet, leaning his head against his shoulder, and just enjoying the time spent together ¡­


    Xin Lan''s expression turned a little ugly when he thought of that. He really wished that he could just ignore this and focus on Hua Lin Yu next to him but this place brought back so many memories.


    For years, he had watched Jinde pine for Chun Yin. He had seen him take all the blame for those arguments with Chun Yin''s demon wife, hold out for the slightest sign of Chun Yin''s feelings for him, tormenting himself over and over again, until he was absorbed by that loneliness and he finally gave in to the temptation that Jian Heng had put in front of him.


    If only ¡­ If only he hadn''t been cursed. If only there had been a chance to fall in love with somebody else, then he wouldn''t have ended up like that. But most likely, if he went to ask him now, Jinde would say that it had been worth it. Sure, he probably still missed Chun Yin a little but he was happy with that husband of his. He was satisfied with the life he had gotten even if he had needed to sacrifice a lot and still couldn''t appear in public again yet.


    He was satisfied with so little after just gaining the reincarnation of the man he loved. And the worst thing was that this guy was even a human who might or might not stay at his side. Who could guarantee that in a few years, his heart wouldn''t have a change?


    Hua Lin Yu looked at Xin Lan''s expression that didn''t seem to get any better and wondered if he had committed another faux-pas. He hesitated for a moment but then reached out, putting his hand on Xin Lan''s arm. "You know, you can tell me if there''s something bothering you. I might not understand everything but I can at least try to do so."


    Xin Lan was pulled out of his thoughts and turned to Hua Lin Yu, his expression a little spooked. Yes, why was he still thinking about this? He should focus on what he had right now. No matter what happened was his Master, it wouldn''t have anything to do with him. He should just ¡­ look forward to his own future.


    He leaned closer to Hua Lin Yu until his breath brushed over his cheeks. "This place brings back quite a lot of memories. In the future, just stay close to me while we''re here. I feel better that way."


    Hua Lin Yu gave him a long look, trying to figure out whether Xin Lan was saying the truth or not. If he had lived here, it really wouldn''t be out of the ordinary if he had a lot of memories from this place. He wasn''t quite sure if his presence could really make such a big difference though. He felt a little doubtful of that. After all, they hadn''t been together for that long. But then again, maybe that was precisely it. Maybe having somebody at his side that didn''t have to do with all that had happened here really helped Xin Lan calm down and not get lost in his memories.


    "If it really makes you feel better, then I will definitely do so." He reached out and cupped Xin Lan''s cheeks, leaning forward to give him a kiss. "Just tell me if there''s anything else I can do for you. We''re a couple now. We should help each other when we can."


    Xin Lan gave a hum and looked at Hua Lin Yu more deeply. Right, they were a couple now. And just like with his previous lovers, he would definitely treat him well. He had always done that but never expected something in return. Maybe this time, that could be different. Just for once ¡­ How nice that would be.


    Hua Lin Yu''s smile became a little strained when he was stared at that way but Xin Lan didn''t talk at all. "Is ¡­ there something on your mind? I mean something specific you would like to talk about?"


    Xin Lan didn''t quite know how to give voice to what he wanted. He lowered his gaze and then reached up to rub Hua Lin Yu''s head. "Not getting married whether it is according to your people''s customs or my people''s customs for the time being doesn''t mean that we can''t get close at all, right?"


    Hua Lin Yu raised his brows, not quite sure what they had suddenly arrived at that question. "Of course not. There''s nothing bad about being close. In fact, it''s something I''d be happy about."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Very well. Let''s just ¡­ sit here for a while then." He put his arms around Hua Lin Yu, pulling him up against his chest and enveloping him in a tight hug. He really just wanted to be close to somebody for once. To be loved with all that person had until the dark day that person died.


    That kind of experience ¡­ It really was something he longed for. And he wouldn''t waste another day to get it.

 Chapter 1165 - You Can Change Anything You Want

    Hua Lin Yu didn''t know what was going through Xin Lan''s mind but he felt like the way that his lover was currently embracing him was different from before. It felt as if they were connected in a slightly deeper way as if they had gotten a new understanding of each other. Especially considering the argument they had had just a while before, he was really happy about this.


    He snuggled up in Xin Lan''s arms, looking out at the lake in front of them, with his eyes squinted into sparkling lines, enjoying the moment. If their stay in the dragon realm could always be like this ¡­ he didn''t think that he would ever want to leave.


    The two of them didn''t move until there was a knock on the door.


    Xin Lan glanced over his shoulder but was too lazy to call out and just pulled Hua Lin Yu closer, slightly tilting his head to kiss his cheek. "We should just ignore other people."


    Hua Lin Yu laughed and reached up, rubbing Xin Lan''s cheek. "You seem to forget that there aren''t many people that even know that we are staying here. This could only be my brother, the person that brought us here, or that acquaintance of yours. Don''t you think it would be the polite thing to at least let them know that we are in?"


    Xin Lan gave an unenthusiastic hum. "As I said, that person from before was nobody. That other guy ¡­ he''s just an adviser of the dragon king, nothing for us to take note of."


    Hua Lin Yu raised his brows. "That still leaves my brother. And you wouldn''t want him to go out and get into trouble on our first day here, would you?"


    Xin Lan sighed, a little unhappy with this. He really hoped that it would be Hua Lin Rong or he''d get angry at whoever dared to stand in front of his door. "Alright, I''ll be back in a minute." He let Hua Lin Yu out of his arms and then got up, going over to the door himself. Just on the off-chance that it was Bai Mu again, he didn''t want Hua Lin Yu to take a glance at him.


    Opening the door, the one he found in front of him was Hua Lin Rong. Xin Lan gave a hum and then stepped to the side, letting him in. He would''ve liked to spend some more alone time with Hua Lin Yu but it was true that he couldn''t leave his future brother-in-law out there just like that.


    Hua Lin Rong looked around, checking whether this room looked any different from his. In fact, the differences were only minimal though. "It''s really nice here. What is Xiao Yu saying?"


    Xin Lan motioned over to the courtyard. "You can go and ask him yourself." He walked back outside and then sat down next to Hua Lin Yu, pulling him back into his arms. Anyway, this was a conversation that the two of them should have with each other and not with him. Nothing of this surprised him after all.


    Hua Lin Rong followed him outside and then sat down on his brother''s other side. "I just said to Xin Lan that it''s really nice here. What do you think?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and his gaze wandered over the courtyard. "It really is. I think I especially like this courtyard. Xin Lan said that there are courtyards for almost every room. So do you have one as well?"


    Hua Lin Rong nodded. "I do. It''s pretty similar in the layout actually." He leaned forward and glanced at Xin Lan on the other side. "The people that actually live here and aren''t just guests ¡­ do they get to decide how their courtyards look?"


    Xin Lan nodded. "Of course. Depending on which room you get, it could also be that they are already different when you move in because the one living there before had a different taste." He thought back to Jinde''s courtyard that had housed quite a few rare herbs that he liked to use for refining pills and his expression turned a little blank. That courtyard ¡­ most likely, nothing was left of it anymore.


    Hua Lin Yu glanced at him and then reached out, taking his hand again and interlacing their fingers. "Well, I guess we won''t be here long enough to do something like this. But the garden around your house is also very nice." He leaned over and pecked his lips, managing to make Xin Lan forget about what he just thought about.


    "Well, if you want to change anything, you can do so. I don''t really care about the garden too much. It was just something that I felt should be there." That had been his original thought when he had that place built. He had only put some more effort into it later on after he met Jinde. He probably had the thought that should Jinde ever realize that Chun Yin wouldn''t be a viable option and adjusted his expectations and actually decided on him, then he would like him to feel at home in his house. Well, it had been an idiotic idea. He should''ve known that it would never happen.


    Xin Lan gave a wry smile and then leaned closer to Hua Lin Yu, brushing through his hair. Looking at the black strands helped a little with not thinking of Jinde. The contrast between the two of them was just too big. Especially since he had seen Jinde mature a lot over the years.


    Now, when he thought of him, he would usually remember more or less the face that he had right now and not the one of the youth that he had originally met. While he would never forget that first moment when he opened his eyes in Jinde''s study, he had lived at his side for too long to only fixate on that. And the growing maturity had definitely been one of the things he loved the most about Jinde.


    Well, maybe Hua Lin Yu would show him such an interesting change sometime in the future as well. He really hoped so. That would make living together that much easier.

 Chapter 1166 - Going to Bed Early

    The three of them continued to sit in the courtyard, talking about some things Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong had noticed on their way through the dragon king''s palace. Xin Lan patiently answered their questions, every now and then injecting some comparison to the time when he had been living here.


    Finally, Hua Lin Rong left in the evening with the feeling that the dragon king''s palace was even more awesome than he had originally assumed. He would have loved to hear more but considering that his brother and Xin Lan were engaged, he felt that it would be wrong to bother them any further. They should have some time to themselves to get to know each other better.


    Back in the room, Xin Lan turned to Hua Lin Yu, gently brushing through his hair. "So, what do you think of the dragon realm so far?"


    "Mn ¡­ It''s a bit hard to say." Hua Lin Yu leaned back into Xin Lan''s arms and looked up at the sky that was turning darker, with a few stars even starting to glitter here and there. "It isn''t as different as I had thought it might be. But it is a beautiful place. It feels ¡­ much grander than the mortal realm somehow. Maybe it''s because the spiritual energy is so dense here or maybe it''s just the way everything comes together. Anyway, it''s something I''d like to see more of."


    Xin Lan nodded. The immortal realms were what those cultivators back in the mortal realm were working toward. Naturally, they would be rarely disappointed when they came here. After all, this was their dream. And with Hua Lin Yu ¡­ He didn''t know if there was anything left over from Xiang Yu''s memories and his life before the trial but maybe he also felt a little at home here because he had grown up in the Nine Heavens originally. Things might be different if the one descending was a fallen god after all.


    Hua Lin Yu sighed and straightened up. "Alright, it''s getting late. I guess the two of us should go to sleep now."


    Xin Lan raised his brows and wrapped a few strands of Hua Lin Yu''s hair around his finger, pulling him back. "Already? I feel like it is still early. It''s not even completely dark outside yet."


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head and laughed. "What? Can you only sleep when it''s completely dark?"


    Xin Lan gave a hum. "No, but ¡­ you asking me to go to bed earlier makes me wonder if you have any hidden thoughts about what to do there." He leaned closer, his lips almost brushing Hua Lin Yu''s neck.


    Hua Lin Yu evaded his touch though, a teasing smile on his lips. "Actually, I indeed have a special reason to ask this."


    "Oh?" Xin Lan raised his brows, not quite sure if he should get his hopes up.


    "Mn, it''s true. You know, I was wondering ¡­ Isn''t it better to go to sleep early today? After all, I''m sure that we''re going to get up early tomorrow so we can explore the palace a bit, right? And I''m really looking forward to meeting a few more people. You have to introduce everyone you know to us!"


    Xin Lan only gave a grunt at that. He should have expected that it would be something like this. Anyway, he didn''t know too many people here, and even if he did, he wasn''t too sure if he really wanted to introduce them to Hua Lin Yu. After all, he felt that this would make matters much more complicated.


    But if Hua Lin Yu was this excited about it, then he didn''t have to rain on his parade immediately. He should just wait until it came up again and then try to explain. Anyway, it had been a long time since he lived here so it really wasn''t that surprising that he didn''t have many contacts, right? But he could probably at least introduce him to Qiu Ling''s advisers if they coincidentally happened upon them. That should be enough, right?


    With Hua Lin Yu trying to convince him, the two of them finally did indeed go inside and went to bed. Hua Lin Yu snuggled up against Xin Lan''s chest and fell asleep in no time while Xin Lan lay on his back and looked up at the ceiling, feeling a little restless.


    He couldn''t help it. It was just this place that held too many memories. Once upon a time, this had been something of a home to him. Now, it was just an empty building without anyone he knew while the person that he longed for wasn''t even in this realm anymore. But, no matter, at the very least, Jinde was still alive. That was much better than he had dared to hope for the longest time.


    His brows slightly furrowed when he thought back to that day. The way that Jinde had looked at him, his skin paper-white and the originally bright eyes a little turbid. ''Burn it. It''s better if nobody ever sees me like this. Right now, this is the last thing that I can do for the dragon race.''


    Xin Lan pressed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath. Certainly, setting the coffin on fire had been the hardest thing he had ever done in his life.


    Even though he knew now that Jinde was still alive, he would never be able to get rid of these pictures. They were edged into his memory, more painful even than the memories he had of his youth. It made him feel as if he had single-handedly killed the person that he loved the most.

 Chapter 1167 - He Knew Nothing at All

    With his memories keeping him awake, Xin Lan only fell asleep in the early hours of the morning. Soon after, Hua Lin Yu actually opened his eyes. He gave a hum, stretched and snuggled up back against Xin Lan.


    This way of waking up really seemed too beautiful. When he thought back to how he had always woken up alone back at the Jian Yi Sect, he could hardly believe that he had such luck. Actually, he wondered just how long they would have to travel before his father would allow them to get married. Right now, looking at Xin Lan''s sleeping face, he felt that he would be prepared to do it right now.


    Hua Lin Yu propped himself up on his elbows and then rested his chin on his hands, peering at Xin Lan''s face. His lover seemed a little tired. But thinking about it, it probably wasn''t strange either. He was the one with the responsibility for the two of them so he might be worried a little. Even if he didn''t show it too openly, Hua Lin Yu was sure that Xin Lan cared about him.


    He leaned forward and then gently kissed Xin Lan''s forehead before he scrambled over him as carefully as he could and picked up his outer robe, putting it on. He went outside to not disturb Xin Lan and went to the next room to get his older brother.


    Anyway, people had seen them come together with Xin Lan yesterday so most likely, nobody would have a problem with it if they went to scout out the palace a bit on their own. And even if someone didn''t know them, he didn''t believe that the people of the dragon race would be so unreasonable to just take offense at their presence.


    He knocked on the door of Hua Lin Rong but there was no response. Hua Lin Yu sighed. So much for that. It seemed that if he wanted to explore, then he could only go out on his own. He turned in both directions, trying to figure out where to go. Unfortunately, he knew nobody else so ¡­


    Hua Lin Yu stopped at that thought and then glanced back at the room he had just come from, slowly raising his brows. Well, while he didn''t know anyone, he did know that there was somebody close by that Xin Lan knew at least.


    He turned back around and then looked at the doors around him, trying to figure out which one was the room that that so-called ''nobody'' had come from yesterday. It should have been on the other side of the corridor from the sounds of it. So that didn''t leave too many options. Most likely ¡­ it wouldn''t be a problem to just knock on all of them?


    Hua Lin Yu''s gaze slipped from one side to the other but he finally still went up to the door just right across the corridor and knocked. There was the sound of mumbled voices from the other side and then the rustling of clothes before the door was opened by a man with flaming red hair. Needless to say, that person was Fu Heng, one of Qiu Ling''s advisers. And in his typical fashion, he just looked at Hua Lin Yu, not even bothering to speak up.


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes at him, wondering what to say. "Uh ¡­ Hello there." Unfortunately, he really hadn''t thought this through. If he got the right person, it would be great but he didn''t even know how the person in question looked. He might recognize the voice but for that, the other person needed to speak up. Otherwise ¡­ Well, it wasn''t like he could of them if they were ''nobody'', right?


    Since all of that didn''t work, he could only start with the one thing he knew about the person: the fact that they knew Xin Lan. "I''m sorry for disturbing you. I''m Hua Lin Yu and I just arrived here yesterday with Xin Lan."


    Before he could say anything else, Fu Min appeared behind Fu Heng, his head popping out behind his shoulder. "Did you just say Xin Lan?"


    Fu Heng furrowed his brows and looked at his husband with some displeasure. Hadn''t they been over this already?


    Hua Lin Yu wasn''t quite sure what was going on since he had seen neither of these two before but he just nodded. "Yeah."


    Fu Min looked at him, slightly squinting his eyes. "Why did you come here with him?"


    "To see the dragon king''s palace of course, ah. We''re traveling through the dragon realm together."


    Fu Min squinted his eyes even further. "Traveling the dragon realm together? Why that? Who are you to him?"


    "His fiance."


    This time, Fu Min''s eyes widened and he turned to Fu Heng. "Did you have any idea that senior Xin Lan''s engaged?"


    Fu Heng shook his head in response. Well, even if he had known, he might not have brought it up. He really didn''t want his husband to think of that idol of his any longer than necessary. Bringing him up on his own accord ¡­ No, he likely wouldn''t do that.


    Fu Min hadn''t really expected anything else either so he just turned back to Hua Lin Yu, his expression intrigued. "I had no idea either. Since when have you been engaged? It can''t have been that long, right?"


    "Mn ¡­" Hua Lin Yu slightly furrowed his brows and pondered. "I''m not quite sure but it should have been a little more than ten years?"


    This time, Fu Min''s jaw dropped. "A little over ten years?! How didn''t I know anything about this?!" It seemed that he would have to work on his skills. Apparently, after getting married himself, they had become rusty.


    While Fu Min was worried about his performance, Fu Heng got back to the topic at hand. "So, why did you come to us?" He really didn''t think that Xin Lan would want anything from them.


    Hua Lin Yu turned back to him and gave an embarrassed smile. "Actually, there wasn''t really anything. I was looking for a person that is living on this corridor but I didn''t know which room exactly they were living in so I just knocked on one that I thought might be the right one."


    Hearing that, Fu Min was interested again. "Oh? Who do you want to see? I''m sure we can tell you which room they''re in."


    Hua Lin Yu''s expression became even more awkward. "The problem is, I don''t know their name. I only know that it??s somebody that knows Xin Lan. The two of them were talking yesterday."


    Fu Min and Fu Heng exchanged a glance, not quite sure what to say to that. A person who knew Xin Lan ¡­ Most likely, the whole dragon king''s palace could be counted into that group.


    Fu Min scratched his head. "Do you know anything else about him?"


    Hua Lin Yu could only continue to look at them embarrassedly. No, unfortunately, he knew nothing at all.

 Chapter 1168 - Fate at Play

    Without any information other than that the person was male, even Fu Min was not able to find out just who it might be. After all, there were just too many men around the dragon king to identify the person just based on that. Honestly, it would''ve been easier to find a woman in the dragon king''s palace. After all, there wasn''t a single one that was close to their king.


    He scratched his cheek and then looked around. "Well, if you say it was somebody who is living close by here, then there aren''t too many options." In fact, it was either one of the other advisers or one of the important guests. He motioned over to two of the rooms next to Xin Lan''s. "The two living in the rooms over there are currently in the Nine Heavens on a mission His Majesty gave them. So from his Majesty''s advisers, that leaves only Xiang Yong and An Bai. They are in these two rooms." He pointed over once again, looking at Hua Lin Yu to see what he thought.


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head though. If he remembered correctly ¡­ "I think I saw that Xiang Yong person yesterday so it''s not him. And the other one is living on the wrong side. It should be somebody on your side of the corridor."


    Fu Min nodded. "In that case, I think there''s only Bai Mu left, right?" He turned to look at Fu Heng who nodded wordlessly.


    Fu Min turned back to Hua Lin Yu, entering gossip mode. "He is His Majesty''s cousin-in-law."


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes trying to understand that relationship. The dragon king''s cousin-in-law ¡­ That should be the cousin of his lover, right? So the cousin of the person that he had seen in the mortal realm? But wasn''t that ¡­ He couldn''t help but think of the man he had collided with in front of the guest house, his expression turning a little more serious. It should be that man''s wife, right? But that didn''t make sense.


    He shook his head, trying to get rid of that thought. No, why should this have anything to do with him? Anyway, he was currently just looking for somebody who could show him around a bit. These two in front of him were really nice. In the worst case, he''d just ask them even though he couldn''t deny that he was really curious about this person that made Xin Lan evade his question like that.


    Fu Min wasn''t quite sure what Hua Lin Yu''s reaction meant but by now, he was intrigued enough to want to get to the bottom of this. He let go of his husband and then went over to Bai Mu''s door and knocked.


    A moment later, the door was opened. The one on the other side wasn''t Bai Mu though. Nie Huang raised her brows. "Adviser Fu Min, what may I do for you?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at Nie Huang curiously. This woman ¡­ He had no idea who she was but she seemed to be a human cultivator just like him. At the very least, he could make out that she was of a slightly lower level than himself. It wasn''t by much though. Well, that was to be expected if she lived in the dragon realm.


    Fu Min gave her a smile and motioned inside. "Sister Nie, is Bai Mu in?"


    Nie Huang nodded and then turned to the back, her expression brightening. "Ah Mu, adviser Fu Min wants to talk to you."


    "Is that so? Did something happen?" There was a smile in the voice that answered hers, even though the content was serious.


    Hua Lin Yu''s expression lit up when he heard that voice. That was definitely the person that he had heard talking with Xin Lan yesterday! It seemed that he had really made the right decision when he went to knock on the door.


    Steps sounded and then Bai Mu appeared next to Nie Huang, casually wrapping an arm around her waist while he turned to look at Fu Min and Fu Heng. "Adviser Fu Min, adviser Fu Heng, what may I do for you?"


    Fu Min just motioned at the youth that was standing next to him. "Actually, it''s not me. We were looking for a person for this young man here." He turned to look at Hua Lin Yu, wanting to ask if this was the one he had been looking for but he stopped himself when he saw Hua Lin Yu''s expression. Somehow ¡­ it seemed as if this youth was a little mesmerized by Bai Mu?


    In fact, Fu Min wasn''t wrong with that. Hua Lin Yu couldn''t explain it to himself but seeing this man, his heart suddenly beat faster. He stared at him, trying to make sense of what was going on. No matter how he looked at him, he was sure that this was definitely the very same person that he had seen in the Long kingdom''s capital city. And even back then, he had somehow thought about this man more than once. Now, seeing him again, there was something at the back of his head that seemed to whisper that this was fate at work.


    Yes, there had to be a reason for them to meet twice. Two times, the stars had aligned in some way so that they could meet. Once, he had almost missed him because Xin Lan didn''t want to tell him the truth. Now, he had found him again though. This ¡­ There had to be more to it, wasn''t that right?

 Chapter 1169 - Do You Remember Me?

    Bai Mu looked at Hua Lin Yu and was a little startled as well when he saw his expression. Still, since that person was looking for somebody, he also didn''t feel like he should refuse to help out just because he felt that he was looking at him a little strangely. Who knew what the reason was for that? Thus, he tried to not let him see that he felt uncomfortable. "So, who are you looking for? Is it somebody that I know?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded hurriedly and then lightly cleared his throat to find his voice again. "Sure. Actually, I was looking for you. Don''t you remember me?" He couldn''t help himself. Anyway, they had seen each other in the Long kingdom already, right? Did this man really not have any impression of him at all? How could that be? They had run right into each other and he remembered him as well. Also, contrary to him, he hadn''t pretended to be somebody else at that time.


    Bai Mu was startled though. Remember him? "I''m sorry but ¡­ did we meet before?" He really couldn''t remember him. Actually, he didn''t feel as if he had ever seen him prior to this day.


    Hua Lin Yu deflated slightly and gave a sad smile. "Well, I guess you wouldn''t remember anymore. Anyway, we only met once. It was in the Long kingdom''s capital city in the mortal realm." He looked at him hopefully, just in case that the mention of the place would jog his memory and make him come up with something related to him after all.


    Unfortunately, Bai Mu''s expression was still blank. "No, I''m sorry. I really don''t remember." He actually felt a little better. No wonder this boy had been looking at him like this. So it was because they were actually acquaintances of some sort. It was a pity though. Back when he had been in the capital city, he had only been there to look at Nie Huang. Most likely, he wouldn''t have remembered anyone that he met there.


    "Oh." Hua Lin Yu lowered his head, feeling disappointed. But, anyway, there was nothing he could do about it. He kept quiet for a moment but then glanced up at Bai Mu again. "That ¡­ you do know Xin Lan, right? I heard the two of you talk yesterday."


    Bai Mu nodded, not quite sure where this was going. "I do. We ran into each other in the human realm before." He didn''t quite understand what this had to do with this person though.


    "Oh, well, I''m accompanying him to the dragon realm just now. And since I didn''t know anybody else here and Xin Lan is currently busy, I was wondering if you could show me around a bit maybe?"


    Fu Min looked from one person to the other, trying to figure out why he got a slightly weird vibe from this interaction. This Hua Lin Yu was Xin Lan''s fiance. Even if Xin Lan was busy, shouldn''t he make sure that his fiance actually found the right person to show him around? Why did he have to go around and knock on doors to find the person he was looking for? And why did he then go to a person that he didn''t even know and that Xin Lan had obviously never talked about this with? This whole thing was very mysterious and he couldn''t help but feel that something was wrong with it.


    Bai Mu also wasn''t quite sure what all of this was about but Xin Lan and he had indeed just met yesterday again and in a sense, he could probably say that he owed it to Xin Lan that he was now reunited with Nie Huang. After all, without Xin Lan''s help, he likely never would have been freed from the Chun Feng Sect''s dungeon. So doing the person traveling with him a favor definitely wasn''t asking too much.


    "Well, if it''s like this, then I naturally wouldn''t say no. Just give me a moment." He turned to Nie Huang and stepped back into the room, closing the door. Anyway, they should have at least a little bit of privacy, right? "I think you remember who Xin Lan is, right?"


    Nie Huang nodded. Bai Mu had told her everything about how he had been finally freed from the Chun Feng Sect and managed to find her and bring her to the dragon realm. Since Xin Lan''s name had been mentioned several times in that story, she remembered it well. "I do. So you should definitely go and help out. I''ll just get back to cultivating. Even though we don''t need to worry anymore that my time will be running out, it can''t be wrong to try and get a little further. If I can really become one of those ascended deities, it''ll be easier to travel around in the immortal realms as well. Then you won''t have to be worried about me anymore." She tiptoed and cupped his cheeks, giving him a short kiss on the lips. "Alright, go. I can be a few hours without my husband-to-be."


    Bai Mu nodded but still leaned down once and kissed her cheek before he left. Closing the door behind him, he nodded at Hua Lin Yu and then turned to Fu Min and Fu Heng. "Will the two advisers accompany us as well?" He wasn''t quite sure why but he did feel that it might be better if they did. After all, he didn''t know this boy at all.


    Fu Min and Fu Heng exchanged a glance. Fu Heng actually didn''t care but Fu Min was quite curious. He just wasn''t sure if he would find anything out by following them openly. After all, who would make it obvious if something was going on that shouldn''t be shown publicly? Still, Bai Mu was likely too sharp not to figure out if they tried to covertly follow behind so he happily nodded. "Sure. Why not? Anyway, Fu Heng and I weren''t busy." He stepped out of the room, pulling his husband along who probably could''ve imagined something better to do.


    But anyway, Fu Heng would always go along with whatever his husband wanted.

 Chapter 1170 - The Same Roots

    Hua Lin Yu wasn''t bothered by two additional people tagging along. Anyway, these two seemed to be quite nice and if he understood right, then they were actually the dragon king''s advisers so they should also know a lot about the dragon king''s palace and the dragon realm. They could probably answer many questions that Bai Mu might have trouble with. And with how chatty at least that Fu Min was, he didn''t doubt that he would get a lot of information by the time he got back. Then he could surprise Xin Lan with what he had learned.


    With that thought, Hua Lin Yu looked from Bai Mu to Fu Min and back again. "So, where do we start?"


    Bai Mu slightly raised his brows, not quite sure how to answer that. "Well, what exactly do you want to do?" He wasn''t quite sure if he had really understood the situation yet so he didn''t know what else to say.


    Hua Lin Yu pondered for a moment, being unsure himself. "Well, I''ve never been to the dragon realm before. We just arrived about a week ago. So far, I''ve only seen Xin Lan''s place. And then we''ve traveled here. We didn''t have time to go through the capital city either. So I guess showing me anything is alright. Whatever you are most familiar with."


    Behind them, Fu Min pursed lips. How boring! He had thought he would get some gossip but this Hua Lin Yu really just seemed to be interested in being shown around. In that case, he should probably step out and help though. "Then, do you want to see the throne room?"


    Hua Lin Yu''s expression lit up at that suggestion. "Can I?"


    Fu Min shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn''t see why not." Anyway, it wasn''t like the throne room was a restricted place. And His Majesty currently wasn''t there either so they wouldn''t even bother anyone.


    Seeing that the boy liked the idea, he waved for him to follow and then grabbed his husband''s hand, pulling him along and leading the other two over to the throne room.


    Behind them, Hua Lin Yu turned to glance at Bai Mu a few times. He still couldn''t help but be surprised that they would meet here. That definitely was such a strange coincidence.


    Bai Mu noticed that he was being watched and raised his brows at Hua Lin Yu. "Is something the matter?"


    Hua Lin Yu really wasn''t sure how to say what was going through his mind. "Well, I was just wondering why you came to the dragon realm." In a sense, that was exactly it. After everything that had happened in the human realm, why did he come here? And what had actually happened?


    Bai Mu felt slightly uncomfortable with that question. He really didn''t remember this boy so this was basically a stranger asking a question about his life. Maybe it was because he had been hunted down by the demon-hunting sects before but this really didn''t make him feel good. Not answering would be strange though since this boy seemed to know him. "Well ¡­ My cousin-in-law offered for us to stay here." He really didn''t want to say anything more than that. He turned to glance to the front, hoping that they would reach the throne room to divert that boy''s attention.


    Bai Mu actually got lucky. Just then, Fu Heng opened the door in front of them and they were already standing in the throne room.


    Hua Lin Yu''s attention was indeed drawn to the place in front of them and he didn''t ask him anything further. "So this is the throne room?" He curiously looked around, a little surprised.


    The place wasn''t quite what he had expected. He had never been to the throne room in the mortal realm but this actually looked a bit like the big hall in his Master''s palace over at the Jian Yi Sect: There was a seat like that of his Master where the king would probably sit and some decorations around the room that likely had to do with the history of the dragon race and their realm. That was it. Other than that, it really was just a big hall.


    Actually, this was a little underwhelming. He had thought that it would be much more different. But then again, he probably should''ve expected this. Whether it was the dragons themselves, the realm they lived in, or the buildings, they weren''t too different from what he had seen in the mortal realm.


    Thinking about it like this, he couldn''t help but turn back to Fu Min. "Adviser Fu Min, can I ask you something?"


    Fu Min raised his brows and puffed up his chest. "But of course! I''m sure I''ll be able to tell you."


    "Have you ever been to the realm of the gods?"


    This time, Fu Min already looked a little less thrilled. He had thought that this would be a question about the dragon realm but it turned out that it actually wasn''t. "Well, I have." Naturally, he had. "Why are you asking?"


    Hua Lin Yu pondered for a moment how to say this and looked around the hall again. "Well, I was wondering if it looks similar there. Like, if you compared the dragon realm, the place of the gods, and the mortal realm, are the things there similar?"


    Fu Min didn''t quite know how to answer that question. "Uh ¡­ I guess so?" Anyway, things did look a bit similar in the three realms.


    Even though he wasn''t quite sure what to make of this young man, Bai Mu still spoke up now that there was a question like this being asked. "The three realms are indeed quite similar. Even the demon realm is. That is because they all have the same roots. It''s just that over time, some slight differences started to show.


    "It is not as obvious in the immortal realms but if you travel through the mortal realm, you will likely notice it more. Some places have already divulged from the original style completely. That kind of thing has happened far less over here. It''s because so much more time has passed in the mortal realm already. One day, the immortal realms will likely be the same though."

 Chapter 1171 - Some Superficial Knowledge?

    Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but feel intrigued. "Really? But how come they were so similar in the first place?" He could somewhat understand it if it was just the immortal realms that were similar but they were separated from the mortal realm, so how come there was a similarity there as well?


    After all, he didn''t think that the immortal realms would try to model their own place after how the mortal realm looked. The other way around it would''ve made sense but there was no way to do that since the mortals couldn''t just enter the immortal realms.


    "Well, no matter which race it is, they have their roots in the same place."


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes, not quite sure if he understood. "What do you mean? Don''t the mortals come from the mortal realm and all the immortal races from somewhere in the immortal realms?" Once again, he felt that it didn''t make sense.


    Bai Mu nodded though. "You aren''t wrong. From the very beginning, that is how it was. But have you ever wondered where these races came from? How did they originally come to be?"


    Hua Lin Yu stared at him and then slowly shook his head. "No, never." That question hadn''t even occurred to him.


    Bai Mo Fang smiled faintly, feeling that this reaction was a little cute. Well, the boy in front of him looked quite young. Most likely, he had really never bothered to think about something like this. And if this was his first time in the dragon realm ¡ª and thus likely in the immortal realms overall ¡ª it wasn''t a wonder. After all, how could he have noticed the similarities otherwise? And without knowing anything about the immortal races, it was difficult to question their roots. It was nice to see that he was willing to learn so Bai Mu took some extra care in explaining to him.


    "Well, no matter which race it is, they all have the same creator. So I guess he left them with some kind of inspiration in regard to how he imagined their realms to be. And that was what they were then modeled after. But because they all had a different interpretation of what they saw, a few details turned out different, giving the realms their own reaction. Over time, the original inspiration might have been completely lost and the races developed new forms on their own."


    "Oh, I see." Hua Lin Yu did indeed feel like he understood better now. This creator should probably be the person that Xin Lan had talked about just the day before. The person that had cursed the dragon race. He would''ve liked to ask but he felt that it probably wouldn''t be to be too good to do that in front of people of the dragon race. He didn''t know how others that were suffering from the curse would react to that after all. He''d just go and ask Xin Lan about it later. Instead, he used this moment to ask about some other things. "So, then is it just how the realms look, or does that mean that everything else is also very similar?"


    Bai Mu pondered for a moment but finally could only shake his head. "I''m sorry but I''m afraid I don''t really know about that. I grew up in the human realm as well and haven''t stayed here for too long yet. My knowledge is still superficial." Even this bit of information had only been gathered from what his mother had told him back when he was young. He didn''t know anything specific about the dragon race or the dragon realm at all. "Maybe adviser Fu Min and adviser Fu Heng would know more about that?" He turned to look at the two of them but only got a blank look in response.


    Fu Min actually felt a little stupid at the moment. This kind of thing ¡­ How come somebody from the human realm knew more about it than them? He hadn''t even thought about this previously. "Uh ¡­ I think An Bai might know more about that. He knows quite a lot actually." He turned to Hua Lin Yu and gave a smile, hoping to distract his attention from the fact that he had no idea. "You see, An Bai is actually a renowned scholar in our dragon realm. In fact, even the gods have heard of him. Even His Highness, the Son of Heaven, asked him questions before. That''s how renowned he is!"


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes in confusion. "The Son of Heaven? Isn''t that ¡­ the emperor?" That was what the emperor was called in the human realm at least. Was it the same in the immortal realms?


    Fu Min shook his head. "No, he is the Heavenly Emperor''s son. It''s actually pretty straightforward. I don''t know why they would call the human emperor something like that." He shrugged his shoulders and then motioned to the next door. "How about we just show you around the rest of the palace? You can ask questions and we can tell you about the people that we meet along the way. I definitely am the person that knows the most about the people living here!"


    Hua Lin Yu smiled happily and nodded. "Alright, let''s do that!" He definitely wanted to know more about this place and its people. As for anything else ¡­ he could still ask Xin Lan later on.


    Thus, the group of three went to stroll through the dragon king''s palace, stopping every now and then to talk about one of the places they saw or speak for a while with the people they met.


    When Xin Lan woke up later on and couldn''t find Hua Lin Yu either in the room, the courtyard, or in the room next door with his brother, he couldn''t help but worry. Unfortunately, Hua Lin Yu hadn''t thought of leaving him a message and he hadn''t given him a transmission stone yet so there was no way to reach him.

 Chapter 1172 - I’m Back!

    Hua Lin Yu only returned to the room around midday when he had gotten a full tour of the dragon king''s palace and managed to meet all of the advisers that were currently living there.


    When he went back inside, he immediately rushed over to Xin Lan''s side when he saw that he was awake now and jumped into his arms. "I''m back!"


    Xin Lan gave him a dissatisfied look. "Back from where I wonder?"


    Hua Lin Yu pulled back, a little surprised at Xin Lan''s reaction. "What''s the matter? I just went to take a look around. You weren''t awake yet so I didn''t want to bother you." He actually hadn''t felt that he had done anything wrong but Xin Lan''s mood made him second-guess himself.


    Xin Lan sighed and rubbed his forehead, not quite sure where to even begin. In the end, he lowered his head and gave Hua Lin Yu a long look. "While I said that it was mostly your brother that needs to be on his guard around here, that was also under the assumption that you would be at my side and that people would know that you''re my fiance. If you go out the day right after we arrived here without me at your side, then nobody will know. Do you really think that you can run into trouble?"


    Hua Lin Yu lowered his head when Xin Lan said so. While back at the Jian Yi Sect or in his family, nobody had ever had the heart to scold him, he was able to understand when he did something wrong. And now that Xin Lan put it this way, he could see that this could have ended a lot worse than it had. He probably had just gotten lucky that he met the right people first.


    He sighed and then looked back up at Xin Lan. "I''m sorry. You''re right. I didn''t think it through. But you don''t have to worry. Nothing happened to me. I knocked on one of the other doors and asked for some help. I told them that you are my fiance. And they were really nice and took me to look around."


    Xin Lan''s expression didn''t ease at all when he heard that. "You went to knock on one of the doors?" He couldn''t help but wonder just which door he had chosen. It wouldn''t coincidentally be that of that Bai Mu, would it? Had he seen him? If yes ¡­ had remembered anything?


    While this normally wouldn''t happen was a trueborn god, who knew if a fallen god wouldn''t be different? He just didn''t want to take any chances. But most likely, that would be impossible if they were in the palace. Each day, there would be a chance that they would run into Bai Mu. Even if he tried to prevent it, it would happen sooner or later. That was just the way it was.


    Hua Lin Yu still smiled brightly though. "Ah, it was the door right across the corridor. Actually, it''s two advisers of the dragon king living there. I think their names are Fu Min and Fu Heng." His expression became a little subtle when he thought about it. "Actually, who would''ve thought that I would ever be able to meet an adviser of the dragon king? And then even two at once? And you know what? They even took me to meet some of the others! You could say that I know almost all the advisers of the dragon king now. When I''m going to tell big brother later on, he''ll be so jealous."


    Hua Lin Yu laughed but Xin Lan was still worried. "Were those the only people that you met? Or did you have any other encounters?"


    Hua Lin Yu hugged his neck and pondered. "They definitely weren''t the only ones. I feel like I''ve met half the dragon king''s palace by now. There were a ton of guards and their families that are living with them here. Oh, and I also met that ''nobody'' that you told me about yesterday." He slapped Xin Lan''s chest in mock anger and furrowed his brows at him. "I actually found out that he is the dragon king''s cousin-in-law! How can you just say that he is nobody?"


    Xin Lan didn''t know how to answer that. Naturally, looking at it that way, Bai Mu wasn''t a nobody at all. Even if you took the dragon king out of the equation, he was still the son of the God of War, the cousin of the Son of Heaven, and the nephew-in-law of the Heavenly Emperor. That kind of family ¡­ Yes, even he couldn''t deny that his status was actually quite high. Well, he didn''t care about that at all.


    He took a closer look at Hua Lin Yu''s expression. There didn''t seem to be anything strange about it. He just seemed a little curious about the way he had told him about Bai Mu. Seeing that, Xin Lan calmed down a little. It seemed he had worried too much.


    Yes, Tian definitely wouldn''t have done things halfheartedly for this fallen god. Since he had sent him on a trial, he would let him experience it just like it would be for any other trueborn god. He wouldn''t remember anything about being Xiang Yu. He also wouldn''t feel any kind of connection just because of that previous husband of his.


    Realizing this, Xin Lan finally relaxed and then hugged Hua Lin Yu''s waist, pulling him closer. "I''m sorry. I guess I deflected yesterday because I wasn''t in a great mood. Coming back to this place ¡­ I do have to admit that was quite difficult. Even more so in the dragon king''s palace than it was at my own place.


    "This building ¡­ it just holds way too many memories. There are a lot of good ones but even more bad ones. And I can''t help but really feel here just how much time has actually passed. The people I knew ¡­ most of them are dead now.


    "Meeting somebody that is a rather recent acquaintance reminded me of that even more. So I didn''t really want to talk about it. I probably should''ve though. There''s no reason not to tell you, is there?" He brushed through Hua Lin Yu''s hair, holding onto one of the black strands with a pensive expression.


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head. "It''s not a problem. I can imagine that this is rather difficult for you. Anyway, you can answer a lot of other questions for me. I have about a million after seeing so much." He kissed Xin Lan''s cheek and then leaned back, looking at him excitedly.


    Xin Lan gave a smile and then pushed Bai Mu out of his thoughts completely. Anyway, he didn''t need to worry. So for now, he should focus on this relationship completely. "Alright then. Go ahead and ask. I''ll explain anything I can."

 Chapter 1173 - Why Is It Like That?

    "Yes, thank you!" Hua Lin Yu kissed Xin Lan on the lips, his expression obviously overjoyed. There really were quite a lot of questions he had. In fact, he didn''t even know where to start. "Then ¡­ about the dragon king''s advisers, what do you know? From what I understood, there are six of them, right? Is that normal?"


    Xin Lan gave a hum. "It''s not unusual. There is no definitive number that they have to reach or should have though. It''s just a matter of whom they trust and who has the skills to help them.


    "An adviser''s job is not necessarily just giving advice but helping the dragon king with accomplishing tasks. Normally, he would have at least one person that is good at getting information, one that will be able to devise strategies for battle if the demons attack, people that are knowledgeable in other fields, some skilled fighters, somebody who is able to take care of the treasury, someone who is well-versed in history, all such things.


    "Basically, he should have advisers that know all the things that will be needed to run a kingdom. The dragon king should never be just left alone with all of that. In case he gets sick or is injured, his advisers would temporarily take over." Well, in Qiu Ling''s case, it was pretty much the case that his advisers were running the realm all of the time while he swooped in every now and then to show his face.


    Hua Lin Yu had no idea what Xin Lan was thinking. He was just awed at what this new information entailed. "Then the current king''s advisers must be very good if he only needs six to accomplish all that."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Actually, they aren''t bad. Most of them have their own specialties. But I can''t deny that he has some real talents there. That An Bai is a renowned scholar of this generation. That is something that is invaluable to a king. Then there''s one called Fu Min who is quite apt at gathering information. This is also necessary to make all the other parts easier since you need information before you can make decisions. That Fu Heng is one of the best fighters of our dragon race after the current king. And the one called Xiang Yong is quite well-rounded in regard to any governmental tasks. I think he takes care of most of the day-to-day problems that crop up in the palace. The only two that don''t have that much of a specialty are Qiang Wei and Yi Zan. It isn''t that they aren''t valuable members of his team but I think that compared to the others, they might be slightly lacking."


    "These are the two that I didn''t get to see. Do you think he should have somebody else on his team then?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "No, it''s not that serious. Naturally, if there was somebody coming along and he wanted to switch someone out, they would likely be the ones who would have to go first. But more than just having your area of expertise, the most important thing is that the dragon king can trust them unconditionally. And I think that these two have managed to gain his trust. So compared to anyone else, they are still the most suited to do this task."


    "I see." It actually made a lot of sense when Xin Lan explained it like that.


    "What else do you want to know?"


    Hua Lin Yu pondered what he wanted to know the most. Thinking back now, the first question he had had was probably ¡­ "What about the hair? I''ve seen that the dragons have quite the unusual hair colors. What''s the matter with that?"


    Xin Lan wrapped a strand of his own hair around his finger, looking at the white strands that shimmered with a silver light. "It is normal for the dragon race. What exactly is the question?"


    Hua Lin Yu also picked up a few strands of Xin Lan''s hair, running his fingertips over it. "Yes, I can see that it''s normal. But I wonder why it is like this. I mean what is the reason for somebody to have a certain color?"


    Xin Lan looked at him, not quite sure what to say to that. "Why do humans have dark hair? And why do they have a certain shade of black or brown?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him uncomprehendingly. "Well, that''s just like they are. And I think they have a certain shade because their parents have the same or something similar, is it not like that?"


    Xin Lan shrugged his shoulders. "There you have your answer. My father had snow-white hair. My mother had something of a light blue. This is what finally came out of it. Originally, I had a younger sister. She also had a similar shade of hair color but it looked a little bluer. A little lighter than my mother''s probably."


    "You had a sister? Then she ¡­"


    "Is dead. As my parents are. As I said, I''m probably the oldest person of the dragon race alive. The people I grew up with, my family ¡­ none of them have survived until now."


    Hua Lin Yu''s expression turned a little gloomy and he hugged Xin Lan more tightly. "I''m sorry. I didn''t want to bring something like that up."


    "It''s alright. Anyway, we weren''t very close. And it''s not like I''m that young anymore. I hardly remember them." Yes, if he was honest, then the only person he had really missed was Jinde. And even he ¡­ Well, he was still alive so that wasn''t something he needed to think about.


    Hua Lin Yu wasn''t quite sure what to make of that but he just took Xin Lan''s answer for it. Anyway, he really couldn''t imagine that amount of time. Maybe it really wouldn''t hurt anymore if you had so much time to get over it. Anyway, he trusted him. Xin Lan wouldn''t just lie to him.

 Chapter 1174 - Be a Sponge a Little Later

    Having cleared that up, Hua Lin Yu immediately went on to the next question. "Bai Mu said that all the races were originally created by the same person and that they all head some similarities because of that. What do you know about that?"


    Xin Lan gave an unenthusiastic grunt in response. "It''s true. Remember the person I told you about that cursed the dragon race? Well, he''s also the one who created it in the first place."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded. "I already thought so. In that case, there must be a lot of similarities between the races, right?"


    Xin Lan pondered and finally nodded. "Yes, they''re not that different actually. In fact, the differences that they do have, have in part developed over time and weren''t created originally. Just like the dragon race didn''t exist originally. To say that he created us ¡­ It is not wrong in the sense that he created our ancestors. But it is wrong in so far that he did not actually create a dragon."


    Hua Lin Yu didn''t quite know what to make of that. "So, what did he create then?"


    Xin Lan leaned back, pensively brushing through Hua Lin Yu''s hair. "What did he create? That''s a good question. To be honest, I can''t say for sure either. I might be the oldest person of my race that is alive but even I haven''t lived at that time. There were many generations before mine.


    "From what I know, the dragons were originally part of the demon race. Only with time, some differences in that race became more pronounced which finally caused the different groups to split. As a result, some characteristics stood out even more over time and are still left even today. That is what has created the ability to shift into two forms: one that is reminiscent of the humans or gods and the one that we call the dragon form which is closer to what a spiritual beast would look like.


    "Originally, there were quite a few groups in the demon race that were able to shift like this. But that ability hasn''t survived in all of them. Right now, there are probably only a select few that are able to do so. In fact, maybe it isn''t even all the members of these groups that have this ability."


    "Then the demon race must''ve been really different in the past."


    Xin Lan nodded without hesitation. "Yes, that is true. I think that the curse hit them even harder than it did us. At the end of the day, while we were restricted in how we could live our lives, it still didn''t change the whole of our society. With the demons, it was different.


    "Back then, there had actually been a royal family. They were ruled pretty similarly to the dragon race. In fact, from what I know, the relationship between our races wasn''t that bad at that point. But with the curse, the royal family soon fell. And after that, things spiraled down further. There was a lot of unrest in the realm and finally, the only way to unite them was to go against the dragons. That conflict has lasted up until today."


    Hua Lin Yu''s eyes glittered with excitement when he heard that. He only had some very vague knowledge of the three immortal races. To hear something like this ¡­ He could really call himself lucky.


    Xin Lan smiled slightly when he saw Hua Lin Yu''s expression and pulled him closer. "That''s the truth behind it. I''m afraid that I can''t tell you much more though."


    "Why? Is it a secret?"


    Xin Lan''s lips twitched and he was actually tempted to say yes. In the end, he still went with the truth again. "No, it''s not. I simply do not know."


    Hua Lin Yu blinked his eyes, not having expected that answer. "You really don''t know anything more?"


    "No. As I said, that time was long over when I was born. And the dragon race had to grapple with their own curse and the newly issued war so there wasn''t really much time to put into making sure the memory of these things stayed alive. So save for some dedicated scholars, I''m afraid nobody in the dragon race would be able to tell you about it. The ancient times ¡­" He shook his head. "No, they are mostly a mystery to us."


    Hua Lin Yu gave a hum and then tilted his head. "Didn''t you say that that adviser An Bai was a renowned scholar? Maybe I should go and ask him."


    Xin Lan craned his neck and kissed him on the lips, giving him a smile. "If you are so curious, we can go and ask him. Anyway, I doubt he would have a problem with that."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded happily and then got up from Xin Lan''s lap. "Let''s do that!" He pulled at his hand, wanting to go over immediately.


    Xin Lan stayed where he was though.


    "What''s the matter? Didn''t we want to go and ask?"


    "You really want to leave again already? You only came back just now. I thought that the two of us ¡­ would spend some time alone first." He reached out, grabbed him by the waist, and pulled him back onto his lap, his gaze tempting. "Or could it be that you don''t want to spend some alone time with your fiance?"


    Hua Lin Yu chuckled and then cupped his cheeks, giving him a kiss. "I definitely do. Although I can''t deny that I''m really curious about your race. There are so many things that I don''t know yet. I wish I could soak all of that up like a sponge."


    Xin Lan gave a hum and kissed his cheek, his hands brushing over his back. "You can still be a sponge a little later. Right now, how about just being my lover? I''ve been missing you all morning since I woke up."


    Hua Lin Yu laughed and then nestled into his embrace. Yes, he should probably spend some time with him. He really shouldn''t have left for so long.

 Chapter 1175 - No Doubt at All

    The two of them stayed inside for a while longer and finally went out with Hua Lin Rong in tow to look at everything else in the palace that Hua Lin Yu hadn''t seen yet.


    The next few days were spent pretty much in the same way: Hua Lin Yu and Xin Lan would wake up together and this time, Hua Lin Yu would actually stay even if Xin Lan was still asleep. They would get ready together and then get his brother to go out and explore both the palace and finally the capital city as well.


    It was kind of strange getting used to walking around with Xin Lan like that. Even though people seemed to be getting more used to seeing Xin Lan and even seeing him with another person at his side, it still didn''t change the fact that everybody seemed to be watching what he did when he was close by. The attitude that people showed him really was quite strange.


    Hua Lin Rong looked around when they were sitting in a teahouse one day, raising his brows. "Honestly, if you suddenly told me you were the dragon king, I also wouldn''t be surprised. They are really treating you quite strangely. Isn''t this getting on your nerves at all?"


    His future brother-in-law actually still looked quite relaxed despite everything going on. If it was him ¡­ No, he really couldn''t imagine it.


    Xin Lan just sighed. "I assure you I''m not. But anyway, what can I do? It''s best to just ignore them. Anyway, no matter what else I do, they wouldn''t suddenly start behaving differently. Since I can''t control that, I can only make sure that my own reaction to it is appropriate."


    Hua Lin Rong nodded but he still admired Xin Lan''s mental fortitude. Well, this was also a good thing. By now, he was completely convinced that Xin Lan was the right person for his little brother.


    In the beginning, he had had some doubts and had only warmed up to him when he saw that he really treated Hua Lin Yu well and also wasn''t trying to take him away from their family. But now that he saw how he was able to deal with everything here, he felt that Xin Lan had a lot of good sides actually.


    Just then, the tea was brought over with some snacks, the man putting them down giving Xin Lan a lingering look. "Senior Xin Lan, if there''s anything else that you want ¡­" His gaze turned a little suggestive, making both the Hua brothers looking at him with doubt.


    Xin Lan looked up, noticing that this was actually the type of beauty he liked. If it hadn''t been for Hua Lin Yu, he actually might have taken him up on that offer. But with how things stood, he could only shake his head. "That will be all."


    The waiter looked at him and gave a smile. "What a pity. Well, if you do happen to change your mind, you know where to find me." He walked away but not without giving him a look over his shoulder.


    Hua Lin Rong sat there with his mouth agape and couldn''t help but point in the direction the waiter had left in, speaking up when he felt that he had to be out of earshot. "Did you just see him flirt with you? With my brother sitting next to you?" He was honestly appalled just thinking about it.


    Xin Lan just gave a smile. "Seems like it."


    To him, it really wasn''t anything strange. It had been a normal occurrence for him to be approached by beauties left and right when he was in the dragon realm before. He had often taken them up on the offer save for the time when he had hoped that something more would become of him and Jinde. After all, at that time, he had wanted to make a better impression on Jinde so that his chances would be higher.


    With Jinde who believed in loyalty, it definitely wouldn''t have gone over well if he had any s.e.x.u.a.l relations with other people at the time he pursued him. Now, seeing the gazes that the two Hua brothers directed at him, he realized that he was once again in the same situation.


    Xin Lan put down the teacup that he had just picked up and then turned to Hua Lin Yu. "They would definitely stop as soon as the two of us are married. Before that though ¡­ Well, I''m not sure if you would be comfortable with having it announced?"


    Hua Lin Yu raised his brows at that. "Why would I have anything against that?"


    Xin Lan gave him a slightly longer look as if he had to wisely choose his words. "Well, this is still pretty new after all. We''ve only met each other again a few weeks ago. Even if you feel that it is a certain thing for the future, you might not be happy with announcing it in the dragon realm if that means you can''t change your mind as easily."


    Hua Lin Yu reached out and took Xin Lan''s hand, giving him a smile. "Why would I change my mind about that? I''ve already decided on you."


    Xin Lan leaned closer, giving a smile of his own that was actually slightly complacent. "Well, just on the off-chance that you do, I don''t want you to feel pressured. If you want to change your mind one day, then you still can. With you being so young, it is your prerogative. As for me ¡­ I''ll continue to pursue you until the end." He leaned forward and kissed him, his hands snaking into that long black hair.


    If not for Hua Lin Rong on the other side of the table, he actually would have gone a little further than that. But with this audience, Xin Lan finally pulled back after a minute, just lightly holding Hua Lin Yu''s chin. "Since you say that you have nothing against it, I''ll make sure to mention it the next time as soon as somebody makes any advances on me. You have to realize though was that this means that the whole capital city will learn about this very soon. If it makes you uncomfortable, tell me. We can leave here anytime."


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head. "No, no need. I don''t mind anybody knowing that I''m yours. And anyway, I think I like it here. It''s an interesting place. So let''s stay here for a bit longer." He interlaced his fingers behind Xin Lan''s neck, looking into his eyes with happiness showing in his own. Yes, everything was perfect, wasn''t it? Xin Lan was definitely the right man for him. There was no doubt about that. Absolutely none at all.

 Chapter 1176 - He Was Ready to Get Married

    Sometimes, the things one is most convinced of are the ones that will not hold true.


    At first, everything seemed to be perfect. Xin Lan did indeed not make a secret out of his engagement with Hua Lin Yu anymore. If somebody came onto him, he would either pull the youth to his side and introduce him, showing off just how happy he was with him, or, if Hua Lin Yu wasn''t at his side for once, he would just tell them about it.


    In his eyes, there was no need not to do this. After all, Hua Lin Yu was at least a human cultivator. With his aptitude and the time he had now spent in the dragon realm, having access to even purer spiritual energy, it was only a question of time until he would be able to ascend to the status of a deity. In fact, with just a few years of living here, there was no doubt he would manage to do so.


    Then, the two of them would be able to live together in the long term. By now, he was quite happy about that. Even though he had cursed his bad luck at first, his opinion had already changed completely.


    It was nice not to be alone. It was nice to be able to hug somebody to sleep when it got dark and feel their warmth throughout the night. It was especially nice to be able to share your worries with somebody, to pour out your heart to them when you didn''t feel well, and get some comfort in return. He also enjoyed taking care of Hua Lin Yu when there was something he needed.


    The longer things went on like this, the more he understood that he had actually been craving this. Yes, this was the life he wanted. Since he would never be able to have it with Jinde, it was time to let go.


    And ¡­ as strange as it was, he felt that maybe, he could have this life with Hua Lin Yu. They were already sworn together by an oath. This little human was also head over heels for him so he felt that maybe they could indeed stay together until the day Hua Lin Yu died. After that ¡­ well, he did not want to think about that. If he took care of him well, there really wasn''t any reason Hua Lin Yu should die, right? Yes, he would just make sure that this lover of his had a long life that they could enjoy together.


    Just thinking about the future they would have put a smile on Xin Lan''s lips. In fact, since the first year of staying together in the dragon realm had passed, he had been slowly starting to plan how their life would be.


    He tried to come up with a timeline of when to return to the human realm to talk with Hua Lin Yu''s parents and see if they were now willing to let them get married and what they would do afterward.


    He would not mind just going to his estate at that time and living there with him. In fact, it would be nice being just with each other, without anybody else around. Here in the dragon king''s palace, Hua Lin Yu would always be with other people.


    He had seen him gossip with Fu Min for hours, and even accompany him to watch Fu Heng work out, go to visit An Bai and have him explain things to him whenever that demon wasn''t around, and exchanging cultivation tips with Nie Huang.


    Sometimes, he felt that his fiance was actually spending more time with other people than he was spending with him. It made him pretty jealous and he couldn''t wait for this period to finally be over. Since he had found somebody that he liked and could imagine spending the next part of his life with, he wanted that person to himself.


    That thought had festered since the first year passed. Thus, when three years had already gone by in the dragon realm, Xin Lan finally decided to take the next step. There was no special occasion, no lead-up, he just woke up one morning and felt that it was time.


    Yes, he did not want to wait any longer. He finally wanted to be alone with him and not be bothered by others. He wanted to spend his time with just him, to really get to know him, and explore the world. He was ready. It had taken him some time but now, he really was ready.


    Thinking about it, it was quite curious. Hua Lin Yu''s father had asked them to go and travel first so they could get to know each other. He had wanted to make sure that his son didn''t rush anything that he''d regret later on.


    Now, a few years had passed and Xin Lan had to realize that it wasn''t just Hua Lin Yu that had needed some time. He, too, hadn''t been ready to get married back then. Now, he was though. After taking these three years, he was sure that he would not regret it. He wanted to marry him so he would do so.


    Xin Lan got up from where he had been reclining in the courtyard and actually took the time to brush over his sleeves to make sure he looked presentable. He even opened his spatial ring, looked through everything in there, and then took out a piece of jewelry that he had prepared some time ago.


    He smiled to himself and then left the room, going over to where Hua Lin Yu was currently chatting with Nie Huang, pondering some issue regarding the bottle-neck she had recently reached. He went over, leaned down, and swooped Hua Lin Yu up into his arms. "You''re still here, happily chatting. Didn???t you miss your fiance at all?"


    Hua Lin Yu smiled and then turned around, hugging Xin Lan''s neck. "What are you even saying? I was just discussing some things so it took a while longer. Anyway, you weren''t far away."


    Xin Lan gave a hum and pulled back. "Then, are you ready to come back over there? There''s something I want to talk about."


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him, his expression turning a little lost when he saw how serious Xin Lan was. He turned to Nie Huang, wondering what he should say but she just waved.


    "It''s alright, just go. You''ve already helped me a lot. I''m sure I''ll be able to figure the rest out on my own."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded but he was suddenly nervous and wished she would have reacted differently. Still, since she had already told him that he should go and since Xin Lan was the one asking he had no reason to refuse. Thus, he got up and followed him back to their own rooms, a sinking feeling in his stomach.

 Chapter 1177 - Why Was That?

    Xin Lan closed the door behind them and then pulled Hua Lin Yu back into his arms, hugging him tightly. He leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I missed you terribly today."


    Hua Lin Yu gave a faint smile but inside, he was still an anxious mess. "I ¡­ missed you too."


    Xin Lan gave a hum, continued to embrace him for a while longer, and then slowly loosened his grip. He did not let go completely though. Instead, he kept one arm around his waist and then turned him around, making Hua Lin Yu face him. "Do you remember how back when we were still in the mortal realm, you came over the morning after I asked your father to allow me to marry you? You and your brother came in and you saw me look at something. It was an old necklace and you asked whether it was a present for you."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded, completely confused as to what Xin Lan was trying to get at. "I do remember that day."


    "That necklace wasn''t for you. I said it was just something old and that I would get you something else, something especially for you." He kept quiet for a moment and then raised his hand, showing Hua Lin Yu what he was holding. "Back then, I never followed up on it but I feel like it is time now.


    "This is something that I''ve put together in the last three years. It was made with you in mind. From the materials that are used, to actually creating it, everything was done by my hands."


    Hua Lin Yu looked at the piece of jewelry. It was not a necklace like the one he had seen back then. Instead, it was an earring, one that looked like it might be able to fit him exactly. It was beautiful, silver with a row of dark blue gems at the edge and a single white stone at the position of his earlobe. The silvery base was formed a little bit like the claws of a dragon and reminded him of Xin Lan. This definitely was a very beautiful piece and he could see just how much effort had gone into it, even more so the longer he looked at it.


    Xin Lan grabbed his hand when he didn''t react any further and put the earring on his palm, closing his fingers around it. "We spent three years here now. While we did not travel as much as we originally intended to do, we have been living together for these three years.


    "I feel that in all of this time, the two of us have gotten closer. By now, I feel that we understand each other much better. We know how to behave around each other, how to make this work between us. I think that it might be time to return to the mortal realm and ask your family for their blessing again."


    Hua Lin Yu looked from up from where he had still been staring at the earring, the shock evident in his eyes. "Return? Now?"


    Xin Lan nodded, looking at him with anticipation. "Yes, don''t you think it has been enough time? In the dragon realm, three years have gone by. It might not seem like a lot but I''m sure that it is enough for us to get to know each other well enough. And, on the other hand, it has already been a thousand years in the mortal realm. Your family is probably already going crazy at not having both you and your brother there all this time. I''m sure that they really want us to go back now."


    While he would like to only be with Hua Lin Yu and not have anyone else around, he also understood that first of all, they should spend some time with his family. He should probably give them a year or two for that. Then after that, returning to his estate was how he saw their future, at least for some time.


    After being together for some time and enjoying themselves as a newly-wedded couple, they could go and spend time in the human realm again and then travel the immortal realms. By that time, Hua Lin Yu would probably be of a high enough level that there wasn''t much he would need to be worried about either even if he left his side for a moment. It sounded like the perfect plan.


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him, not sure what to say. His thoughts were racing. This was what he wanted, right? This was what he had been working toward, right? He wanted to marry him, didn''t he?


    He looked at his fiance''s face and then at the earring in his hand, feeling a sense of dread rise up in him. Yes, this was the man he had promised his future to. But why was it that when he thought of leaving the dragon realm, of leaving the dragon king''s palace, and maybe not returning here for who knew however long, that he didn''t feel happy at all? Why was it that he wasn''t actually looking forward to that wedding as much anymore? It felt almost as if ¡­ he was making a mistake here.


    He looked back up, his face a little pale. He didn''t know what to say under Xin Lan''s anticipating gaze though. If he told him, he would break his heart. But if he didn''t tell him, he''d break his own heart.


    Xin Lan pulled him closer, his smile becoming more pronounced. "What is it? Don''t tell me you''re speechless? Did you think I would forget about it? I promised to marry you. And now ¡­ I really don''t want to wait much longer. If I could, I''d marry you right this instance." He leaned closer but before he could actually kiss him, Hua Lin Yu suddenly twisted out of his grab, the earring he had given him falling to the ground.


    Xin Lan stared at him in a daze, not understanding what was going on.


    Hua Lin Yu looked back, his gaze flitting about. "I ¡­ I''m sorry." He couldn''t explain, he just dashed past him, out of the room, and run away. He didn''t know where to go. He didn''t know what to do. He just knew that he could not stay there for even a single moment longer. If he did ¡­ he really didn''t know what would happen.

 Chapter 1178 - He Was Finally Free

    At the ground of the lake in their dimension, Jinde opened his eyes, a smile contained in his gaze. He glanced up to the surface, pushed off the ground, and then broke through, his gaze accurately landing on the man that was sitting barely half a step away from the edge of the lake.


    He swam over, pulled himself up on the ground, and then sprawled across Leng Jin Yu''s lap. "Ah, my dear, what a beautiful day it is today!" He reached up, took the book out of Leng Jin Yu''s hands, and then flung it away.


    Leng Jin Yu slightly raised his brows but didn''t even bother to look where it landed. Instead, he just looked at Jinde, reaching down and brushing through that golden hair of his. "Are you done?"


    Jinde''s smile widened and he reached up to cup his husband''s cheeks. "I am. Do you know what that means?"


    Leng Jin Yu leaned down and wrapped his arms around Jinde''s waist, pulling him a little high up to give him a kiss. "It means that the two of us will be able to spend the rest of our lives together without having to worry."


    Jinde smiled and wrapped his arms around Leng Jin Yu''s neck in return. "That too. That wasn''t what I was thinking of though ¡­" He reached out, his fingertips brushing from Leng Jin Yu''s lips down to his jaw and finally further down until they reached his heart. "I think somebody owes me a child."


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but chuckle in response. "Oh? I really wonder who that might be."


    Jinde gave a hum. "Well, did you know that I was married? I guess that person should be my husband then."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows in mock surprise. "Really? I didn''t know you were married. I always thought I still had a chance with you. Looks like I came too late then."


    Jinde laughed before finally turning serious again. He intimately rubbed the lapel of Leng Jin Yu''s robe and gazed into his eyes. "Seriously though, we should start thinking about it."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and reached up, covering Jinde''s hand with his own. "We will definitely think about it. But ¡­ you just healed your soul completely. Let''s give it at least a few days, alright? I know that you want to have a child but it''s not like it''s running away."


    "Well ¡­ you can never know with these things. There are so many things that could happen. I think that having one a little sooner wouldn''t be too bad." He leaned forward and kissed his husband''s cheek before her turning around and leaning in his arms. "Before that though, I think that I promised to give part of Chun Yin''s soul back to you so that you can finally remember everything."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "You did. But I think that too has time for at least a few days. Don''t you want to take advantage of being healed at all? I thought you would be going wild as soon as you had your full strength back?"


    Jinde turned his head and gave his husband a long look. "Turn wild? Actually, I like that idea too. You know, there is one thing I really want to give a try."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows, not quite sure why he suddenly had a bad feeling about this. He wouldn''t have given Jinde a bad idea, would he? "Do I want to know what it is?"


    Jinde smiled and got up, folding his hands behind his back and slowly walking toward the room. "No. I don''t think you would be interested at all. Most likely, you''d think it was pretty boring."


    Leng Jin Yu wasn''t reassured at all. If Jinde said something like this, he should probably worry even more. He got up as well and then followed after him, making sure that he didn''t leave him out of his eyes.


    Jinde did not only leave the room. Instead, he actually left the palace and then went to the place where the array was. Leng Jin Yu''s brows immediately raised higher and he hurriedly grabbed him by the arm. "What are you doing?"


    "Well, didn''t you say that I should go wild? I figured that since I''m healed now, we might as well go outside for a bit."


    Leng Jin Yu wanted to retort but finally kept quiet and forced himself to nod. Yes, he should not say no to this. Jinde had been cooped up for far too long. First, he had stayed in the other dimension of the Yun Zou Sect for several tens of thousands of years, and then, he had been waiting in his house, and finally, he had relocated to their own dimension but once again had been unable to leave. He certainly deserved to go out now. It would be cruel to make him wait any longer. "Very well. I''ll be at your side."


    Jinde turned around, leaned forward, and pecked his lips. "I know. Let''s see ¡­ if you''ll still be able to keep up with me now that I have my full speed back." He stepped into the array with a laugh, his golden eyes sparkling brightly.


    Leng Jin Yu immediately followed him. Getting out on the other side, Jinde already pushed off the ground, soaring into the air. Before Leng Jin Yu could follow, there was a rush of spiritual energy and Jinde transformed right in front of his eyes. His once human form turned into that of a dragon, the scales shimmering just as golden as his hair previously had.


    It was a beautiful sight to behold, especially when Jinde twirled on the spot, rushed further into the air, and then turned a few circles as if to announce that now, he was finally free.

 Chapter 1179 - A Privileged Situation

    Leng Jin Yu continued to stand behind the Sect Master''s palace and watched Jinde fly circles around the sect grounds with a smile. The past one thousand years ¡­ they were definitely worth it. This was the kind of thing he wanted to see every day from now on if he could.


    Finally, Jinde was saved. There was no risk of his soul just giving out any more, no pain any longer. Finally, he was completely healed. He could be the person that he ought to be, not needing to hide, not needing to reserve his strength for anything. Now, he was finally that full-blooded dragon again that was just as strong as he had grown to be.


    It was a beautiful sight to behold.


    Before Leng Jin Yu had time to admire him any longer, a person came rushing over from the palace behind him. "Heavens! What is he doing?!"


    Leng Jin Yu glanced over. "Sect ¡­ Master." He hurriedly adjusted his spiritual energy, projecting a value of one level higher than he did before while not giving away his true level.


    Yuchi Bing Xia turned to look at his disciple, his lips twitching. Had he just tried to call him Sect Master? It seemed he had been in closed-door cultivation for too long and Yu Jin had been hiding in that dimension together with the beautiful person for way too long as well. He couldn''t even recognize him and remember what relationship they had at first sight.


    He gave him a slightly disappointed look but then reached out and patted his shoulder. "I see you''ve made some progress in the last few years. That''s good. Anyway, what is this about? Wasn''t he supposed to be in hiding?"


    Leng Jin Yu gave a wry smile, feeling that he really shouldn''t be here. Originally, he had only thought to come here for some time to assist the crown prince''s reincarnation in his trial. Now though, things had gotten incredibly complicated. Well, there was nothing he could do to change that. "He ¡­ has been healed. So there''s no reason for him to hide any longer. If somebody comes to bother him, he''d probably smack them to death himself."


    Yuchi Bing Xia heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that. "So it''s like that. Well, you should be careful then. Even though he was hurt, he was still very strong. If it is somebody that he needs to be wary of in that state, then you still need to be wary of these people. Make sure that you don''t get hurt."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled at that and nodded. While this person that the Sect Master knew him as had never existed, these words were still true for the actual Leng Jin Yu. Even as an ascended deity, he was unable to cope with everyone. Now, Jinde was probably quite a bit stronger than him. Ah, maybe he should be embarrassed by this. In the future, he would hold Jinde back. It was time that he caught up to make sure his husband wouldn''t need to be worried about him.


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked at that disciple of his and finally sighed. Ah, he was a little too calm for his liking. Couldn''t he show a different expression? It was nice that he had smiled before but as his Master, he felt that there really wasn''t much that he could do for him. Pondering for a bit, he finally pointed at his nose. "Ah Jin, guess what level your Master is at now."


    Leng Jin Yu looked at him, his gaze softening when he saw the eager expression in his eyes. "Mn ¡­ Master must''ve made a lot of progress in these years. You are probably just one step away from ascending."


    Yuchi Bing Xia beamed at him and then even laughed out loud. "Just right, just right. If your Master wanted to with just a few more years of training, I could definitely ascend to Heaven! So, if there''s anything that''s bothering you, you can bring it up at any time. Your Master will definitely help you out."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled at that. Truth be told, he was afraid that Yuchi Bing Xia was bragging a little too much. If it was Zhangsun Xun Yi, then he could definitely ascend if he put his mind to it. As for Yuchi Bing Xia ¡­ While he was an awesome cultivator, he had spent way too much energy on taking care of the Yun Zou Sect over the years. Because of that, his cultivation had stagnated for quite some time and only his recent closed-door cultivation had finally allowed him to make a breakthrough.


    Now, he was definitely back on the path to ascension, but it wasn''t something that could be achieved in a few years. A few hundred years ¡­ maybe. In fact, he was afraid that a few thousand would be more likely though. After all, it was unlikely that he would have the leisure to just go back into closed-door cultivation for several hundred years again. And even then, practical experience was still needed.


    Naturally, he wouldn''t say that to his face. Never mind that he would have a hard time explaining how a disciple of a lower cultivation level would be able to tell him things like that, he also wouldn''t needlessly put a damper on Yuchi Bing Xia''s good mood. He didn''t want that. Thus, he just continued to smile. "Master''s really awesome. Thank you then. If something happens, I will definitely bring it up."


    "My good disciple, I knew you would understand what kind of privileged situation you are in." He smiled but then couldn''t help but give Yu Jin a complicated look. "About your position ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled lightly. "Master intends to make senior martial brother Wu the next Sect Master, isn''t that right?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s expression turned awkward. Originally, he really hadn''t intended to do so. But a millennium had gone by and whether it was him or Wu Min Huan, they had both grown. By now, he believed that that first disciple of his would be able to fill that role. It was just ¡­ he had originally promised Yu Jin to inherit his title.


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "Don''t worry about it. Anyway, I originally didn''t want that position. In fact, I only said yes because you asked me to. If senior martial brother Wu can take it, I am actually happy.


    "Anyway, I''m a married man now. I think that first and foremost, my priority will always be my family. The sect would only come after that. And that ¡­ I''m afraid that this is not the kind of stance a Sect Master should have. Senior martial brother Wu is more suitable for this than me."


    Yuchi Bing Xia heaved a sigh of relief. "I''m glad you see it that way. Anyway, I''m sorry. I put a burden on you back then that you didn''t want. Now, I''m taking something from you that should have been yours. That was my fault. But ¡­ I''m happy that you can see it this way."


    Leng Jin Yu looked at Jinde''s figure that was still circling over the Yun Zou Sect and smiled. Anyway, being the Sect Master would be bothersome. Just living his life with Jinde as his spouse, discovering his past, and having a child, would be much better. Why would he throw it away?

 Chapter 1180 - He Was Curious

    In the bamboo hut in the inner sect of the Yun Zou Sect, Qiu Ling raised his head and got up from where he was sitting next to Jing Yi. The two of them had recently returned after touring the mortal realm once again and Jing Yi was now putting his whole focus on cultivating again. With just a bit more time, he would definitely be able to ascend to the Nine Heavens.


    Qiu Ling walked over to the window and then looked up at the sky, his lips curling into a smile. "Looks like the old geezer finally managed to heal his soul."


    Jing Yi stopped cultivating and opened his eyes, looking at Qiu Ling''s satisfied expression. While Qiu Ling normally didn''t like talking about his relationship with Jinde or his parents, it was obvious that he cared for this person very much. "That''s great."


    Qiu Ling heaved a sigh of relief and then went back to Jing Yi''s side, reaching out and taking his hand. "I feel better knowing that he won''t be in danger even if we leave here."


    "Doesn''t he have a husband to take care of him anyway?" From what he understood, Leng Jin Yu wasn''t weak at all. He should be able to ensure his husband''s safety, shouldn''t he?


    Qiu Ling shook his head though. "I don''t want to say that his husband isn''t strong but ¡­ at the end of the day, he still is a rather recently ascended deity. Compared to the people in the immortal realms, he is likely still lacking." At the very least, Leng Jin Yu had stood no chance when he attacked him back then. But, among the people of his generation, he was definitely one of the strongest whether that was among the dragons or more the other two races. So maybe he wasn''t giving him enough credit.


    Jing Yi nodded, not trying to discuss it any further. Anyway, Qiu Ling knew better about that than him. It did make him wonder what that would mean for himself though.


    If his own ascension wasn''t far off anymore, then he would have hoped that he would be strong enough to contend with people in the Nine Heavens. But it seemed that once again, he would be one of the weakest people around. It really wasn''t fair. After putting in so much hard work, he would still be at a disadvantage there.


    He sighed and then leaned his head against Qiu Ling''s shoulder, trying not to think too much about it. "When I ascend, you can''t go back on your promise. You have to show me everything, the Nine Heavens, the dragon realm ¡­ I want to see everything."


    Qiu Ling hesitated a moment but then nodded. "Since I promised it, I''ll do so." He was still a little unsure if this would be a good idea but anyway, he couldn''t bring himself to do anything else. So it was still best to go along with this. He could still explain it to Jing He later on. Anyway, there would be quite a bit to explain.


    He sighed and then squeezed Jing Yi''s hand. "Anyway, it will likely still be a few years, won''t it?" He didn''t know too much but he did realize that ascending wasn''t that easy. For a human to manage to do so, they needed to reach a very high level and amass a lot of spiritual energy. It wasn''t something an ordinary person could do.


    Jing Yi didn''t seem to think so though. "I don''t think that that is necessarily true. I guess if we were just talking about my personal aptitude, you would be right. But with spending time in the immortal realms and even the High Heavens for a short period, I''ve really advanced by leaps and bounds. With recovering some of my old memories, my understanding is also much deeper. I think that it shouldn''t take much longer. Actually, I might be able to do it by the end of this year."


    Qiu Ling blinked his eyes in surprise. While he knew that his beloved had advanced quite a bit over the years, he hadn''t thought that it had been to this point. Just one more year ¡­ He really didn''t know how to feel about this.


    On the one hand, he was a bit excited because it meant that they would start a new chapter in their journey together. On the other hand, mixed into this excitement was some worry. After all, while they stayed in the human realm, there wasn''t really much of a conflict in regards to Jing Yi''s identity. But as soon as he ascended, that would be different.


    He did not believe that the Heavenly Emperor would take kindly to Jing Yi becoming an ascended deity and actually strolling around the immortal realms. Who knew what would happen when he arrived in the Nine Heavens?


    Jing Yi slightly raised his brows. "What''s the matter?"


    "Well, I couldn''t help but think of the Nine Heavens. I don''t know how Jing He''s family will react."


    Jing Yi''s gaze became a little absent-minded. After retrieving some of Jing He''s memories, he also knew about his family. To be honest, he was quite curious about them. From what he had gleaned from his past, it seemed that Jing He''s attitude toward them had actually been rather lukewarm.


    While it all seemed magnificent at first, it was really just at the surface level. If he compared it with his own life, then his relationship with his parents had been much closer. And even though he had never had many friends either, there had at least been some, unlike Jing He who always stayed alone until the time Qiu Ling barged into his life.


    Jing Yi forced himself to keep a neutral expression but inwardly, he couldn''t help but think that while he might lose out in terms of looks and appeal toward Qiu Ling, this was definitely the one part when he was outdoing Jing He by far.


    Jing He ¡­ He was actually quite curious about seeing the place where this person had lived and he did not mind at all that he would likely bring trouble to that place.

 Chapter 1181 - He Could Not Put That Worry Down

    Speaking of which ¡­ Jing Yi turned to look at Qiu Ling, a faint smile on his lips. "I''m actually really curious. Do you think I could go and see him?"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows, not quite understanding what he meant. "Him? Who?"


    "Jing He, of course. I mean I do remember some things but it''s a little strange. I would like to go to his place and have a look at him. That should be possible, right?"


    Qiu Ling actually wasn''t quite sure of that. In fact, thinking about it made him feel anxious. Something told him that it really wouldn''t be good to have Jing Yi get too close to Jing He. He also didn''t know why.


    At the end of the day, the two of them were the same person. There shouldn''t be any problem, right? But still, somehow, he felt like Jing He would be disturbed if that happened.


    He didn''t want that. His beloved ¡­ he should be able to sleep peacefully until his trial was over. Only then ¡­ But on the other hand, he also felt incredibly guilty toward Jing Yi because he had refused to marry him. He couldn''t always choose Jing He over him, could he? And this wish was innocent enough. He had no real reason to refuse him, just this vague feeling that he couldn''t rationalize. After all, Jing He''s body was without a soul right now. He wouldn''t notice anything happening around him.


    Qiu Ling gulped, and could finally only push the blame to somebody else. "Well, I don''t know. I guess we''ll have to see what Jing He''s family thinks of that."


    Jing Yi wasn''t that easily deterred though. "But aren''t you his fiance? You should have a say in that, right?"


    Qiu Ling cleared his throat and leaned back, hoping that he could somehow change the subject. Unfortunately, it wasn''t that easy. "Well, he did promise to marry me. But it isn''t as if he had had a talk with his father yet. So, officially, the two of us aren''t really engaged."


    Jing Yi gave a hum, clearly not quite satisfied. "But you also just went to visit him when you felt like it, didn''t you? And I''m sure that Jing He''s mother wouldn''t mind."


    "Probably. Well, anyway, it''s not time yet. Let''s just ¡­ give it time. I mean you haven''t even ascended yet. We''ll see about it when you have."


    Jing Yi gave him a long look, clearly feeling that Qiu Ling just wasn''t willing to say yes. He couldn''t help but be unhappy with that. But it wasn''t like they hadn''t had such situations before already.


    When it came to choosing between him and Jing He ¡­ Qiu Ling would always choose Jing He. Whether it was about marrying him or about whether he would be allowed to learn how to use a sword, or going to see Jing He, he would always pick Jing He''s side. There was just no way around it.


    But the more Qiu Ling was like this, the more he felt that he didn''t want to give in this time. The marriage, he could understand. Not learning how to use a sword, he could still somewhat understand. But this? He should at least be able to go and have a look at the person who had stolen his lover from him, shouldn''t he? At least this much should be allowed. He would not always accept a no. His wishes were just as valid as Jing He''s.


    Jing Yi''s gaze darkened slightly when he thought about it but he forced himself to restore his previous expression again and then leaned closer to Qiu Ling, resting his cheek on his chest. "You''re right. It''s too early to talk about it. I''ll just focus on cultivating more and then when I ascend, we can revisit the question." And he certainly would. He definitely wouldn''t let Qiu Ling keep finding excuses.


    Qiu Ling gave a hum and nodded and then reached up to brush through Jing Yi''s hair. Speaking of visiting Jing He ¡­ Ah, Heaven, he also felt like doing it. It had been so, so, so many years since he last saw him. He really missed him. Just being able to take a look at him ¡­ It would already be worth a lot.


    Noticing that his thoughts were drifting into that direction again, Qiu Ling hurriedly shook his head and then slightly turned, pulling Jing Yi into his arms. For as long as Jing Yi was alive, he could not allow himself to be like this. It was bad enough that he didn''t marry him. He couldn''t think of Jing He all the time while he was with him. He just couldn''t. That would be needlessly hurting him.


    Jing Yi smiled when Qiu Ling hugged him, feeling happy that his lover was still paying attention to him. To be honest, it was actually his greatest fear that Qiu Ling would stop caring about him when he finally ascended.


    While he was looking forward to it, and while he had tirelessly worked toward that goal, he still was unsure about how everything would pan out. What if after he arrived there, after he became an ascended deity, Qiu Ling would finally realize that he did not want to wait any longer for Jing He to wake up?


    Until he arrived in the Nine Heavens and actually saw Qiu Ling defending him against Jing He''s family or whoever else wanted to make trouble, he would likely not be able to put that worry down. But being hugged by him after having this conversation already made him feel at least a little better. He wished that every day could be like this. And that soon, he would not need to worry anymore.

 Chapter 1182 - She Casually Invited Us

    While Qiu Ling and Jing Yi only looked outside at the beginning and then didn''t care about the dragon that had been circling around the Yun Zou Sect any longer, the same couldn''t be said for others.


    The first person to appear on the Sect Master''s peak was Zhangsun Xun Yi. Seeing both Yuchi Bing Xia, as well as the couple next to him, there was a faint smile on his lips for once, and the perpetual frown that he normally sported actually receded. "Do I take it that this means that you are healed?"


    Jinde continued to hug his husband but still turned to Zhangsun Xun Yi and gave a smile in return. "You''re right. I did indeed succeed in healing my soul after all this time. Now, while I might not be back to my full strength, I''m not as weak anymore. And with a bit more time, it can be said that I will be as good as new."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi heaved a sigh of relief on behalf of Jinde but also couldn''t help but be a little worried about what this would mean for the Yun Zou Sect. He turned to look at Yuchi Bing Xia, wondering what he thought about this matter.


    Jinde laughed quietly. "You don''t have to worry. Just because I am healed, I won''t just up and leave. You have allowed me to stay in the Yun Zou Sect for quite some time, so I will continue to stay for some time longer. Even after this ¡­" He brushed Leng Jin Yu''s chest and looked up into his eyes, smiling faintly.


    His husband had already indicated that he wanted to go to the Jian Yi Sect. This was something that he was actually in favor of. It would still allow him to help the Yun Zou Sect if needed but at the same time, Leng Jin Yu wouldn''t feel as trapped anymore. "Anyway, even if we leave, we will be reachable for you. So should there be a problem in the future, there''s no need to worry. You can just reach out to us and we will come back here."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "Thank you." He knew that Jinde did not need to do this. Originally, he had given him a place to stay in the hope that his presence would deter others from making trouble for them.


    There had always been quite some risk for Jinde in case that the ones noticing his presence would be the ones that were trying to hurt him but at that time, Jinde hadn''t really had any other choice. Now that he was healed, he did not need the place at the Yun Zou Sect so it was entirely up to him what he wanted to do.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi understood that. He also felt that it would be right for him to leave considering how much time he had spent here. The Yun Zou Sect had really benefited a lot from this. There was nothing left to ask for.


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked from one side to the other and then couldn''t help but turn to his disciple. "You ¡­ You do intend to stay here, don''t you?" Something told him that this actually didn''t seem to be the case but he was still holding onto this hope. Even if he felt by now that maybe it would be better to have Wu Min Huan be the next Sect Master, that didn''t mean that he didn''t cherish Yu Jin. This was the disciple he had taken in after all. Naturally, he cared about him.


    Leng Jin Yu looked slightly awkward. In fact, he hadn''t necessarily promised Fei Bai Mu that he would return anytime soon. But he had said that they would revisit this issue after Jinde was healed.


    Now that that was the case ¡­ He knew he couldn''t get around this for much longer. But at the same time, he didn''t feel comfortable telling this to Yuchi Bing Xia. Even if everything was fake, this person treated him as his disciple. He would likely be heartbroken if he told him the truth.


    Jinde looked at his husband and then at his husband''s so-called Master and gave a wry smile. Leng Jin Yu really was too sentimental in this regard. It seemed that he would have to help him out a bit. "Sect Master Yuchi, it is not that Ah Yu wants to leave. It is just ¡­ You do remember when the Jian Yi Sect''s Sect Master came here, right?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded, not quite sure what this had to do with anything.


    "Well, as luck would have it, she has invited the two of us to come over there. It is not like she''s trying to take away your disciple or anything but ¡­ she seems to have taken a liking to him. So ¡­ there is a possibility that Ah Yu and I will go over there. I mean, you would also want him to learn whatever he can, right?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia stood there, dumbstruck. "Fei ¡­ Fei Bai Mu asked him to come to the Jian Yi Sect?!" Was he hearing this right?


    Jinde nodded as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Yes, she casually mentioned it the last time. But it did sound quite honest. I think she really meant it."


    Yuchi Bing Xia had trouble understanding what was going on but after a few minutes, he finally closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled. He stepped toward the two of them and then reached out, putting a hand on Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder. "Yu Jin, as your Master, I''m telling you not to waste any time. If Sect Master Fei has invited you, you have to go over.


    "The Yun Zou Sect and the Jian Yi Sect ¡­ They aren''t places you can compare. You will be able to learn so much more there. I know that you are talented. Probably quite a bit more than most of our other disciples. And exactly because of that I can''t keep you here.


    "You are bound to be able to achieve more than this. So, don''t feel bad about it. I understand. You''re young, you want to learn, and you should. With your aptitude, you might even be able to make it far in the Jian Yi Sect. Maybe not to the top like here but ¡­ well, even the worst disciples in the Jian Yi Sect can compare with our best ones. This is not a shame. Just do your best when you are over there."


    Leng Jin Yu felt a little bad when he saw his Master''s emotional gaze but he realized that this was the best way to get out of this. He let go of Jinde for a moment and then cupped his fists, bowing his head. "I will. And should you ever need me ¡­"


    "Don''t worry. I know where the Jian Yi Sect is. I''ll reach out to you then. Just promise me that you will make the best out of your life." He gave him a long look and then turned away. Anyway, he really couldn''t stand to look at his disciple for a moment longer. If he did, he would lose all dignity as his Master.

 Chapter 1183 - Time for a Reenactment

    Leng Jin Yu smiled lightly while he watched him leave. Yuchi Bing Xia was a very emotional person. The people he was close to ¡­ he would always try to keep an eye on them to make sure that they were alright To actually let his disciple go, that wasn''t something he could easily do. But on the other hand, he always wanted the best for these people as well. That was also why the Chun Feng Sect''s betrayal had hit him so hard back then. He just never would''ve been able to imagine that a friend would be able to do something like this.


    With Yuchi Bing Xia gone, Leng Jin Yu turned to Zhangsun Xun Yi. "We will stay here for some more time but it is inevitable to go back to the Jian Yi Sect. When we decide that it is time, I will inform you beforehand though."


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded. "Thank you for that. Anyway ¡­" He looked from one person to the other and then back again. "Do you intend to stay here directly for the time being or will you go out and travel?" He could imagine that Jinde might like to do the latter. After all, he had been imprisoned for a long time.


    Leng Jin Yu had similar thoughts so he turned to his husband, slightly raising his brows. He would go with whatever Jinde wanted.


    Jinde shook his head though. "We''ll stay here. While I would love to go out, there are a few things we still need to do. No need to do that anywhere out there where we have to take so many more things into consideration. The Yun Zou Sect is pretty good for that." He turned to look at his husband, his gaze becoming a little complicated.


    What he had said before was true. He really wanted a child with Leng Jin Yu. He had always wanted one and now that his husband was actually at his side, it was the perfect opportunity. At the same time, they needed to wait until Leng Jin Yu had completely restored his memories of his previous life.


    While they could raise a child without doing so, it was still better to regain them. After all, it would allow him to put some of the previous worries to rest and finally find the answers to the questions that had been haunting him. He longed to do this and he knew that Leng Jin Yu also wanted to find out.


    Also, doing it in one fell swoop was better than having the memories slowly trickle out as they did before. Just a few images that had made their way through every now and then couldn''t compare with restoring his whole memory.


    Jinde interlaced his fingers with Leng Jin Yu''s and turned to look into his eyes. "The thing we planned ¡­ actually, I don''t think we need to wait for too long."


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but turn serious. He nodded and then motioned over to the array. "In that case, should we go back now?"


    Jinde hesitated for a moment but then nodded. The two of them said their farewell to Zhangsun Xun Yi and then stepped into the array again, returning to their own dimension. Now, it really was time. Nothing was holding them back anymore.


    They went back to their room and Jinde pulled Leng Jin Yu over to the bed, sitting down. Looking at him, his lips curved up into a sweet smile. "My husband."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled back and reached out with his other hand, lightly tracing Jinde''s cheek. "My husband."


    Jinde laughed and then leaned forward, meeting Leng Jin Yu''s lips. "Mn. Today, tomorrow, and each and every day after that."


    Leng Jin Yu tilted his head, giving him another kiss. "I think it''s been a while longer than just a day."


    "Quite some time longer indeed." Jinde let go of his hand and then wrapped his arms around his neck, inching closer until he was almost sticking to Leng Jin Yu''s body.


    His husband opened his eyes that had just fallen shut and glanced at him. "Is this part of giving back a soul?"


    "Now, this is part of spending time with my husband." Jinde''s fingers slipped into Leng Jin Yu''s hair, lightly scratching his skin before he opened it and made it cascade down Leng Jin Yu''s back.


    Leng Jin Yu slightly raised his brows. He knew that Jinde had always been looking forward to giving him back his memories and having a child. While his husband definitely wasn''t shy when it came to spending time in bed, he wouldn''t have thought that he would use this moment to do so. Instead, he would''ve expected that he would jump on the opportunity to make his dream come true.


    Jinde didn''t even think of doing that though. Instead, he inched even closer, finally toppling Leng Jin Yu to the bed. His hands were brushing his chest and his lips were gently sucking his husband''s. It seemed as if he couldn''t get enough at all.


    Leng Jin Yu gently wrapped his arms around Jinde''s waist and then just looked at him, his gaze softening further the longer he did so. "I love you."


    Jinde stopped for a moment and raised his head, looking into his husband''s eyes. His lips parted but finally, he just sighed and then gave a smile. "I love you too. And in case you were wondering ??? I am finally healed. So since the day we''ve gotten married, this is really the first time that we are together without me suffering from those old injuries.


    "I know that I could probably wait until your memories have been restored but I think that it won''t be the same. When you remember everything from your past life, your perspective on things will change a bit. So before that ¡­ I just want to have that one time with you. That one time where it is just the two of us like back at the beginning, just without the added complications."


    Leng Jin Yu''s smile deepened. He had known that there had to be some kind of reason for it. That it was this ¡­ He probably should''ve thought of that. "Well, I guess you should take out that green robe then. Didn''t we say back then that there should be a reenactment?"


    Jinde laughed and lowered his head to his husband''s chest to stifle it. "Yes, maybe we should just do that now. Are you going to help me out of this robe first before you are going to help me into the other one?"


    He gave him a suggestive look that made Leng Jin Yu ponder what the right answer might be. In any case, it might be difficult to get Jinde into the other robe after this one was taken off. But if it made his husband happy, he would certainly give it a try.

 Chapter 1184 - He Wouldn’t Just Throw Things Away

    While one couple was happy, another one wasn''t. Xin Lan was still standing in his room in the dragon king''s palace, blankly staring ahead.


    If you told your fiance that it was time to visit their family and get married and, as a result, said fiance let go of your present, apologized, and then ran away, what did that mean? Generally, it could be presumed that it would mean that they did not think it was the right time to get married. Or, worse than that, they were of the opinion that marrying you was out of the question in general.


    Xin Lan took a shaky breath, bent down, and picked up the earring. Holding it in his hand, he closed his eyes. He had actually put in quite a lot of effort for this boy if he may say so himself. Even though he always treated his lovers nicely, none of it could ever compare to what he had done for Hua Lin Yu. He had actually really been looking forward to their life together as well. And now ¡­ Now, Hua Lin Yu did not want to marry him at all.


    He opened his eyes once again and looked at the earring, thinking of all the time he had spent on just this alone. First, coming up with an idea of what to do without making it seem as if he was just replicating what he had done for Jinde, deciding on a design that would fit Hua Lin Yu and that he felt he might like, secretly gathering the ingredients, and then slowly, bit by bit, forging the item itself.


    It had been supposed to be a symbol of their love. He had held onto it until he felt the time was right, until he thought they were about to become a real couple. But now ¡­ He exhaled and put it into his spatial ring.


    Maybe it was stupid to hold onto it but he still hoped that Hua Lin Yu would change his mind. Maybe then, he could forget about this initial reaction and give it to him again. It wouldn''t be as special as he had hoped for but there were other memories they could make.


    Yes, he just had to somehow make things work out between them and get past this. Xin Lan pondered for a moment and then turned around, walking out of the room and going to the one next door. He knocked on the wood, his expression still blank.


    Hua Lin Rong was currently sitting inside and meditating. When he heard a knock, he stopped though, opened his eyes, and then went over to open. Seeing Xin Lan on the other side, he raised his brows. "Xin Lan. Were you going somewhere?"


    Xin Lan glanced at the room behind him. "Did Xiao Yu not come by here?" He actually didn''t need to ask. He could already see that he wasn''t here. And most likely, he wouldn''t just come here either. After all, that would be the first place he would look for him.


    Hua Lin Rong was a little startled. "No, why? Did something happen?"


    Xin Lan gave a faint hum that could have meant anything and then turned away. "If he comes here, tell me." He went back to his own room, stepped into the garden, and sat down at the side of the lake. Staring at the water, he couldn''t help but clench his fists.


    Three years. He had spent three years with him to fulfill the promise he had given Hua Lin Yu''s father. And just when he had thought that things were looking up, something like this happened.


    What now? Never mind his own feelings, if he wasn''t Hua Lin Yu''s lover, then what would become of him? Would he really die? Would his soul really be obliterated? That was what he had sworn after all. And Tian definitely wouldn''t let him off lightly. That guy hated him.


    Xin Lan took a deep breath, forced himself to relax his hands, and then rubbed his face. No, it wasn''t over yet. There were still some possibilities. For one, he didn''t know if the engagement was really off the table completely. Maybe Hua Lin Yu had just gotten cold feet because this came so suddenly. Maybe he just needed a bit of time.


    And if that wasn''t the case ¡­ Well, either he would win him back and make him reconsider or he''d have to try and see how far the oath could be bent. After all, he had been his lover for a while. They might not have gotten married and they might not even have spent a night together but that didn''t change that they had officially been engaged. Maybe that would already be enough?


    Well, it was worth a try to go and ask Tian about it. But first, he would try to get Hua Lin Yu back. After all, this wasn''t only about that oath anymore. No, this was more than that. He wanted him back. That was what he himself wanted.


    Xin Lan took another deep breath and then tried to think through what he should do. First of all, he should probably give Hua Lin Yu some time to calm down. After that, he needed to have a talk with him. Maybe there was a simple explanation for what had happened. He could only find out if he talked with him.


    And anyway, since quite some time ago they had agreed that they needed to speak about things if there was a problem. He should just do the same this time. It would make Hua Lin Yu feel more secure. And with that, it would also remind him of how they had grown together as a couple. He definitely wouldn''t just throw things away.

 Chapter 1185 - It Was for the Best

    At this moment, Hua Lin Yu didn''t even know where he was. After being confronted with reality, he had rushed out of not only Xin Lan''s room and the palace but even the capital city like a headless fly. He had no idea where to go. He just knew that he couldn''t look Xin Lan in the eye after what he had just done. Even more so, after the scene of Xin Lan handing him that gift and saying those words replayed in his head over and over again, and each time it did, his guilty conscience became even worse, make him run away further.


    By now, even when turning back, he couldn''t see the capital. He had no idea where he was. And even if he knew, he likely wouldn''t have dared to go back. How could he do that? When Xin Lan saw him, wouldn''t he be angry? Wouldn''t he lash out at him? He would certainly deserve to be treated like that. After three years of living together ¡­ how could he have suddenly done something like this after Xin Lan told him to get married already?


    Hua Lin Yu stopped where he was and raised his hands, covering his face. He was such an idiot. But the worst thing was that even though he felt horrible for treating Xin Lan like that, at the thought of going back and telling him that he just panicked at the moment and actually really wanted to marry him, he also didn''t feel well.


    He liked him. He really did. Xin Lan gave him a sense of security and warmth that he would definitely miss if it wasn''t in his life. But if he was honest, when he closed his eyes and thought of calling him husband, getting close to him not only when talking but also in a manner that only married couples would so, he just couldn''t imagine it. Instead, there was another man he could imagine these things with very well. And that made everything even worse.


    Hua Lin Yu lowered his hands, and then walked up to the small grove in front of him, sitting down at the root of one of the trees. He pulled his legs up to his chest, and then rested his chin on top, his expression lost.


    When had this happened? When had he actually fallen in love with another man while living at Xin Lan''s side? How could he have let something like this happen?


    He closed his eyes, his brows drawing together. To be honest, he should''ve known. From the first day he saw Bai Mu, he had somehow felt attracted to that man. He didn''t know why but somehow, he just hadn''t been able to help himself. And from then on, consciously or unconsciously he would go and try to get close to him.


    He hadn''t thought any deeper about it. He had never stopped to wonder if what he was doing was right or not. It was only that sometimes, he would get a stuffy feeling in his chest when he saw Bai Mu hold Nie Huang or gently kiss her.


    Looking back now, he had obviously been jealous. But how could he do that? Never mind that there was Xin Lan in his life and that they were supposed to get married soon, Bai Mu was also engaged to Nie Huang. And these two obviously loved each other very much. So even if he rejected Xin Lan, nothing would change between him and Bai Mu. It was just completely impossible.


    Hua Lin Yu''s eyes actually teared up when he thought of that. Just why were things so complicated? Maybe it would have been better if he didn''t go to travel with Xin Lan. Maybe if they had stayed in the mortal realm or if they had stayed at Xin Lan''s estate, then things wouldn''t be like this.


    He never would have met Bai Mu. He wouldn''t have caused such chaos. He wouldn''t have needed to reject Xin Lan when he brought up their marriage again. If only ¡­ But now, it was too late.


    Hua Lin Yu buried his face in his arms, crying to himself. Right now, if it was about anything else, he would''ve gone to Xin Lan. He would always feel better when he was comforted by him. But now, how could he do it? The one who really needed someone''s comfort was Xin Lan himself. As for him ¡­ he had no right to be upset. It was all his own doing.


    Somewhere in the distance, thunder growled, making Hua Lin Yu raise his head. His eyes were slightly reddened when he stared at the dark clouds. He knew he should probably go back but just the thought of maybe running into Xin Lan had him stay where he was.


    He was afraid to see him. He didn''t know how he should explain. And he would have to explain. No matter how understanding Xin Lan was, he would never accept this. After all, he had also been looking forward to it. And three years was a long time. He couldn''t be expected to wait even longer, could he?


    No, when he went back, then he would have to give him an answer. And telling him the truth ¡­ He really didn''t know how to do that. That would break Xin Lan''s heart.


    Hua Lin Yu closed his eyes again, sniffing faintly. He didn''t want this. He didn''t want any of this. He should probably try to secretly go and see his brother and then see if somebody could bring them back to the mortal realm.


    It might be cowardly but it was still better than going to see Xin Lan. He just couldn''t bring himself to do that. Yes, he''d do it like this. There was definitely a way to achieve that. Then he would never have to confess what he was secretly thinking.


    That was certainly for the best.

 Chapter 1186 - Where to Search?

    Back in the dragon king''s palace, Xin Lan looked up at the sky, his brows furrowing tightly. It was one thing to let Hua Lin Yu run around outside and calm down if nothing was going on but with the weather like this, he couldn''t help but be worried. To him, humans seemed like such fragile beings. Even though Hua Lin Yu was a cultivator, he couldn''t help but feel that this wouldn''t be good for him.


    He sighed, got up, and then went back to knock on Hua Lin Rong''s door.


    When Hua Lin Rong opened, he was clearly shocked to see Xin Lan in front of him once again. "Uh ¡­ Do you want to come in?"


    Xin Lan glanced behind him but once again couldn''t see Hua Lin Yu. His expression darkened. "Is your brother still not back?"


    Hua Lin Rong shook his head. "No. What happened?"


    Xin Lan tightly pursed his lips together and gave a hum, slightly turning away. He was of half a mind to just turn around and leave but then again, this person had originally been supposed to be his brother-in-law. Since their relationship had gotten much better, it would be best if he could leverage that relationship. With Hua Lin Rong''s help, it would be easier to get Hua Lin Yu back. Thus, he couldn''t just leave it at this. He turned back to him and then gave a deep sigh. "Lover''s tiff. He ran away and it''s starting to rain. I''m a bit worried."


    Hua Lin Rong raised his brows, not quite sure what to make of this. There was actually such a thing as a lover''s tiff between these two? He had never noticed something like this in the past three years. Well, he might not be privy to all the details of their relationship but he never noticed any strange behavior between them so he didn''t think that something like that would have happened. "What was it about?"


    Xin Lan gave a wry smile but shook his head. "Is that really what is important right now? We don''t know where your brother is. As a cultivator, he can probably stand the rain but I still don''t want him to be out there in case it gets worse. Also, who knows where he went? Most people do know that he is my fiance but what if he goes further away? It''s not like all people in the dragon race are good."


    Hua Lin Rong hurriedly nodded when he realized that. "Then we should go look for him. Do you have any idea where ¡­" He awkwardly stopped, realizing that if Xin Lan had any idea, he already would''ve gone to look himself.


    Xin Lan did him the favor of shaking his head though. "No. I guess we should ask the others for help and then all search for him. Just in case." Anyway, there was a small chance that Hua Lin Yu had just been overwhelmed when he suddenly brought up the marriage again.


    After all, he was a little bit older now and likely realized just how important something like marrying was. Maybe he had suddenly second-guessed himself at that moment. After calming down, it might be different. In any case, if he was just wavering, then showing him just how much he meant to him would make things better. So making a grand gesture might help.


    Xin Lan didn''t wait for Hua Lin Rong''s answer and went to the door on the other side of the corridor, knocking faintly.


    Tho one who answered was Bai Mu. He raised his brows, wondering what it might be.


    "Is Xiao Yu with you?"


    Bai Mu shook his head in a daze. He definitely hadn''t expected this. Hadn''t Xin Lan come to take him back just a while ago? "No, what happened?"


    "He vanished. Would you help look for him? Nie Huang as well?"


    Bai Mu looked back just as Nie Huang came over and the two of them nodded.


    At the same time, Hua Lin Rong had already gone and asked Fu Min and Fu Heng, making the two of them joined in as well.


    Soon enough, the group had gathered a few more helpers and they were looking all throughout the dragon king''s palace.


    Neither Xin Lan nor Hua Lin Rong had given away many details about what had happened and just mentioned that Hua Lin Yu had vanished several hours ago. Anyway, nobody needed to know about their private matters. As long as they were able to find him, that was enough. Everything else might just cause trouble later on.


    Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that Hua Lin Yu wasn''t in the palace.


    Xin Lan couldn''t help but become more worried. Was this matter really bad enough that Hua Lin Yu would run this far away? Was he really that opposed to marrying him? Well, never mind that for now. Who knew where exactly Hua Lin Yu had gone? How was he supposed to find him again? Even with so many helpers, it would be difficult to find him if they didn''t know where they were supposed to look.


    Hua Lin Rong, Bai Mu, Nie Huang, and the dragon couple looked at Xin Lan with a questioning gaze. "What to do now?"


    Xin Lan furrowed his silver brows. "Well, in that case, if you are willing to, I''d like to ask you to help me look for him in the city outside."


    The others exchanged a glance and then nodded. Anyway, they all knew Hua Lin Yu. They didn''t want anything to happen to him. And with the actual story behind his disappearance unknown, they couldn''t help but imagine the worst.

 Chapter 1187 - A Place That Reminds Me of You

    The people in question were all friends of Hua Lin Yu or at least casual acquaintances. Naturally, they wouldn''t just ignore the situation and move on. Thus, everyone soon moved out to look through the capital city while they informed the guards at the palace''s gate to look out for him in case he returned.


    Xin Lan flew through the streets, looking into every single alley he passed to make sure that he wasn''t missing any clue. Soon enough, the sky above the city had darkened completely and the rain fell heavily, becoming even stronger as it went on.


    Xin Lan furrowed his brows. If Hua Lin Yu was somewhere out there, he would be getting right into the storm. How could he left that happen? He pushed off the ground and into the air, using his magic to dispel the clouds above his head. He pushed them further away from the capital city, making sure that no matter where exactly Hua Lin Yu was right now, he wouldn''t get caught up in this. Only then did he drop to the ground again and continued his search.


    On the other hand, Hua Lin Yu was actually quite unlucky. With the rain just having been shifted away from the city instead of being dispelled completely, it actually got worse where he was.


    He pulled up his shoulders and held his head down, wishing that it would pass by soon. He knew he should probably return but he just couldn''t bring himself to get up. The thought of maybe running into Xin Lan kept him from doing so.


    No, it was best to wait a bit longer. Maybe when Xin Lan had gone to sleep or maybe the next morning. He didn''t know when but anyway, not right now. Unfortunately, he didn''t know where else to go so he could only stay where he currently was and hope that things would get better soon.


    Meanwhile, the others were still searching the city. Needless to say, they didn''t manage to find Hua Lin Yu anywhere. With time elapsing, they couldn''t help but become more worried.


    Bai Mu and Nie Huang were both combing through one of the biggest streets and the side streets next to it, going one down, and then meeting again in the middle, only to shake their heads when they came back.


    "I wonder where he has gone. Why did he suddenly vanish? Do you think something bad happened?" Nie Huang couldn''t help it look at Bai Mu worriedly. In the past three years, she had actually spent quite a lot of time with him since they were the only cultivators in the palace apart from Bai Mu. And contrary to Bai Mu, Hua Lin Yu was completely human just like her. Talking about these things with him was definitely different and had benefited her a lot. Also, this kind of adorable youth, how couldn''t she like him? To imagine that something might happen to him now ¡­ She was really worried.


    Bai Mu looked around and furrowed his brows. "I also don''t know. I can''t help but feel that it is quite strange though. Before, didn''t he go with Xin Lan? Why did he suddenly vanish after what? Do you think the two of them got into an argument?"


    Nie Huang couldn''t help but fall into a daze. Hua Lin Yu and Xin Lan definitely always seemed very close since she had met Hua Lin Yu for the first time. Today as well, there hadn''t seemed to be anything strange. She really didn''t know what to make of this.


    But what Bai Mu said didn''t seem wrong either. It had only been a few hours since Hua Lin Yu had left their room and went over to Xin Lan''s, so something must''ve happened in that time. What it was ¡­ she naturally couldn''t say. Xin Lan also hadn''t said anything but he had seemed astoundingly calm when he came to them for help.


    It could be that he was a calm person in general but if your partner suddenly vanished, shouldn''t you be a little more worried? After all, while he didn''t need to be scared for himself, it was different with Hua Lin Yu. In the dragon realm, he still couldn''t be considered very strong. The likelihood of something happening to him if he ran into the wrong people was very high.


    Nie Huang''s gaze became worried when she thought of that. "So the two of them likely argued, Xiao Yu ran away, and now he is somewhere out there without help. What should we do?"


    Bai Mu looked around, trying to think of something. "If we had a lover''s tiff, where would you go?"


    Nie Huang tried to imagine that. To be honest, it was a little difficult. Whether it was back then or now, they hadn''t really ever argued. At the very least, not to the point where she would ever consider just leaving. At most, they would go to another room to cool off for a moment but even that was rare. Unusually, they would make up almost immediately because they couldn''t stand to be apart anymore.


    But thinking back to the time when Bai Mu had been held captive in the Chun Feng Sect''s dungeon, there were a few places she would never go. "I think I would try to evade places that would always remind me of you."


    Bai Mu slowly nodded. "Yes, I could imagine something like that as well. In that case, he probably isn''t here. Think about it: He came here with Xin Lan three years ago. Now, it was Xin Lan who showed him around the most whether that was in the palace or in the capital city. Everything here is inevitably connected with Xin Lan to him. So I''m afraid that this whole place is currently not one where he would want to be."


    "You think he left the capital city?"


    Bai Mu nodded. "Yes, I could imagine that. Should we go and take a look?

 Chapter 1188 - Nothing Will Happen to Him

    Nie Huang only hesitated for a moment. "Yes, let''s do so. Anyway, there are a lot of people searching in the city. Even if we are wrong, it would still be best if somebody looked outside as well, just in case."


    Bai Mu nodded and the two of them left towards the gate, going outside. Bai Mu stopped for a moment and told the two guards about Hua Lin Yu''s disappearance, giving them his description. In case he came by, they could also alert somebody.


    After the guards promised, the two of them walked down the path, looking around.


    "Where do you think he would''ve gone?"


    "It''s hard to say. If he really argued with Xin Lan and it was bad enough for him to want to run away, he probably wasn''t in the right state of mind to even think about it. He probably didn''t make any conscious decisions and just went in a random direction. We can''t even be sure that he will have left in this direction."


    Nie Huang nodded and then motioned to the left. "How about this? You go there and I will go in the other direction. We''ll search the general vicinity and then we reconvene in the middle. If we haven''t found him, we''ll go in another direction. Anyway, he probably wouldn''t have gone too far. Even if he was upset, I don''t think he would be that upset."


    "Right. He probably just wanted to cool off a little and doesn''t realize how worried everyone is about him. Let''s just hope we will find him soon. If anything happens, use the transmission stone to contact me. I''ll come over right away."


    Nie Huang nodded and then tiptoed, kissing his cheek. "You be careful too." To be honest, the danger to her husband was much less than the danger to her considering he was much stronger. Still, one would always be worried about their lover, right?


    Bai Mu nodded and the two of them split up and then started to search. It really wasn''t easy looking for a person without any hints at all. They could only go forward and look in every place they flew past. Otherwise, what else could they do?


    Back in the city, none of the searchers had had any luck. They had already checked all the places Hua Lin Yu would usually frequent, as well as all the main streets. But so far, there wasn''t even the smallest hint that he had passed by.


    The whole city had already been alarmed and there were quite a lot of people on the outlook for him. But even with that, there were no clues to be had.


    Fu Min and Fu Heng met up with Xin Lan and Hua Lin Rong in the middle of the city, giving the two of them a pitying look. "There''s no news on our side. Anything on yours?"


    Hua Lin Rong and Xin Lan both shook their heads.


    "Nothing yet. Nobody has seen or heard anything of him in the past few hours. At most, they could tell us when they saw him the last time but that seems to have been quite some time ago."


    Hua Lin Rong couldn''t help but hang his head. "I hope nothing has happened to him."


    Fu Min reached out and awkwardly patted his shoulder. "I''m sure he''ll be alright. Anyway, Xiao Yu is such a cute youth. Nobody would dare to do anything to him. And we''re in the capital city here. Who would dare to do something outrageous? Furthermore, most people know that he is Xin Lan''s fiance. You honestly think they would have the guts to try anything?"


    Hua Lin Rong shook his head but he didn''t seem relieved at all. Anyway, while he didn''t think that somebody would attack Hua Lin Yu right in the middle of the city, there was still the problem of something else happening. There were many ways to get hurt, right?


    Xin Lan''s expression wasn''t any less dark. He had thought that it would be for the best to let Hua Lin Yu cool off first so that they could have a calm discussion when he returned later on and maybe mend things. But now ¡­ Things had actually gone awry even further. He definitely hadn''t imagined it to go like this. It made him feel ¡­ vexed. Also, couldn''t help but feel that he had done something wrong.


    If he had reacted immediately, if he had gone after him right at that moment ¡­ maybe it would have been better. In fact, don''t even mention that Hua Lin Yu was currently still missing, he also wondered what kind of impression that would leave him with.


    His fiance didn''t run after him after he rejected him. Didn''t that mean that he didn''t care enough? That really wasn''t the right attitude to have. It was just that after not really taking his relationship seriously, he hadn''t really thought about it from that perspective. Well, he could only hope that Hua Lin Yu would understand.


    "We can''t do anything but continue to search. Don''t give up. I''m sure we will be able to find him soon." He didn''t stay any longer and just went to search the other streets. Anyway, he had to be somewhere. If he couldn''t find him in this street or the next one, then it would be one of the others. He didn''t believe that he had vanished out of the immortal realms. For that, he would''ve needed somebody else''s help. And he really didn''t think that after the two of them had made their relationship known, there would be many people who would dare to do something like this.


    While the group was still searching aimlessly, Bai Mu arrived not far from the forest. Seeing the trees in the distance, he wondered if maybe Hua Lin Yu would''ve gone and tried to take shelter there. Anyway, even a cultivator likely wouldn''t want to stand in the rain. With no other hint as to where he might be at all, he went over, only to immediately spot him on the ground.


    Bai Mu actually stopped in his tracks, looking at Hua Lin Yu as if he had just seen a ghost. This ¡­ had actually been this easy? He couldn''t help but feel that it was a little strange.

 Chapter 1189 - If Only It Hadn’t Happened

    Bai Mu hesitated for a moment, not quite sure how to continue. Should he contact Xin Lan first to tell him that he had found him so the others wouldn''t need to search any longer? Should he tell Nie Huang that he had had luck so that they could meet up again?


    After a moment, he did neither of those and went over to where Hua Lin Yu was crouching on the ground. In any case, everyone had been searching for so long, they could likely wait one moment longer. Right now, it was more important to check that Hua Lin Yu was alright. Anyway, that would be the first question he was asked after saying that he had found him anyway. So why not find out first?


    He went over and then knelt down in front of him, trying to get a good look at him. Hua Lin Yu looked really miserable. He was drenched from the rain as if he hadn''t even thought of using his spiritual energy to keep it away, and he had pulled up his shoulders and hunched down as if he was cold.


    Bai Mu first used his spiritual energy to ward off the rain and make the temperature rise a little. This really wasn''t difficult but most likely, Hua Lin Yu just hadn''t thought when he came here.


    Hua Lin Yu raised his head when he noticed that the rain had suddenly stopped and came face to face with Bai Mu. He stared at him in a daze, unable to believe what was going on.


    Bai Mu gave him a faint smile. "Are you alright?"


    Hearing that gentle voice with a hint of worry in it, Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but tear up again. Yes, this was the person that he actually liked. It was a pity ¡­ he was already engaged to somebody else and very happily at that. So no matter how much he wished for it, he would never be able to get together with him.


    Seeing his reaction, Bai Mu sighed. It seemed he had been right. "I don''t know what happened but you should know that Xin Lan has been looking for you for quite some time. So whatever you were arguing about, I''m sure that it can be cleared up."


    Hua Lin Yu sniffed and lowered his head, feeling guilty when he heard that. Cleared up ¡­ He was afraid there was no such possibility. In his mind, he had already given up on being able to love Xin Lan.


    He had been wrong to agree back then. He really shouldn''t have done it. Why hadn''t he realized that when he saw Bai Mu in the Long kingdom''s capital city? Obviously, he had already felt different about him back then. He should have seen that as a sign and not stupidly insisted on wanting to be with Xin Lan. Then maybe ¡­ maybe he wouldn''t be in this situation. It might not have enabled him to become a couple with Bai Mu but at least he wouldn''t be hurting Xin Lan now. This was all just because of his own stupidity.


    Bai Mu couldn''t help but feel that Hua Lin Yu was really pitiful. He didn''t quite know what to do so. While he had met him several times over the past three years, Nie Huang was the one who was closer to him. And anyway, he had never gotten involved in his relationship. Now was definitely not the time to start with that.


    He awkwardly cleared his throat and tried to give him a reassuring smile. "You know, every couple will at some time in their relationship hit a rough patch. But the good couples are always the ones who are able to work through that. So no matter what happened, I''m sure that with some time and by talking with each other, the two of you will be able to make it work. Anyway, you don''t have to solve it immediately. It''s better to go home first and then see about it a little later."


    Hua Lin Yu didn''t believe that there was anything to solve but it probably was time to return. If people were already searching for him, then he couldn''t just stay. Even though he didn''t dare to meet Xin Lan, he also couldn''t let him worry all the time. "Then Xin Lan ¡­"


    Bai Mu raised his brows, not quite sure what he meant. "What about him? Do you want me to inform him?" He already took out his transmission stone but Hua Lin Yu shook his head.


    "No. No, I don''t want him to know. I ¡­ I can''t see him right now."


    Bai Mu lowered his hand again, feeling a bit conflicted. The one who had started and led the whole search was Xin Lan. He definitely couldn''t leave him out of the loop. But if he was informed, he would definitely go to see Hua Lin Yu immediately. He really didn''t know what to do. Obviously, Hua Lin Yu wasn''t in a good place right now.


    In the end, he gave a faint smile. "Well, alright. Then I''ll just tell Nie Huang for now. She''s close by. Then the two of us will bring you back and inform the others that you''ve returned. I''ll talk to your brother to have him stay with you. It''s better if you''re not alone right now."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and then lowered his head, burying it in his arms again. Nie Huang. Of course, she was the person he thought of first. He should''ve expected that. No matter what he did, for Bai Mu, Nie Huang would always come first. There was no chance for them.


    But ¡­ what then? Should he just ¡­ go along with what Xin Lan wanted? Should he just marry him even though he didn''t actually love him? He also couldn''t imagine that. But right now, he just didn''t know how to go forward. This kind of thing ¡­ he really wished it had never happened to him. If he hadn''t known either of these men, then he would not have this problem right now.

 Chapter 1190 - Just Once

    After telling Nie Huang that he had found Hua Lin Yu, Bai Mu wasn''t quite sure how to continue. Since he had already promised him, he definitely wouldn''t tell Xin Lan. But he still had to inform somebody. It wouldn''t be good if they continued to search needlessly. After pondering for a moment, he raised the transmission stone again and contacted Fu Min instead.


    The dragon answered almost immediately. "Any luck yet?"


    Bai Mu nodded, his expression a little awkward. "Yes, I found him. He was actually outside the city. Nie Huang and I will bring him back."


    Fu Min raised his brows, not having expected that. "He was actually outside of the city? Well, I guess we could have searched for him quite long then. Anyway, it''s good that we know where he is now. I''ll go and tell the others."


    "Thank you."


    Fu Min already wanted to cut the connection and go tell the others when he saw Xin Lan and Hua Lin Rong turn back into their street. "Which gate will you come back through? I''ll tell Xin Lan so he can go over and wait for you there."


    "Ah ¡­" Bai Mu had wanted to prevent this from happening. Now, he couldn''t just ignore it though. "That ¡­ Can you not tell him? Hua Lin Yu mentioned that he didn''t really want to see him right now."


    Fu Min froze and then glanced at the person that had already come closer. There was no way that Xin Lan hadn''t heard that just now. He really didn''t know what to say. This obviously wasn''t a good situation.


    "Fu Min?" Bai Mu called out, trying to get his attention back. He couldn''t see what was going on around Fu Min so he had no idea that his words had actually been overheard by the person in question. "Can you take care of this? I think that considering the current situation, it would really be best to just let Hua Lin Yu return first. We can still try to clear up anything else later on."


    Fu Min cleared his throat and then finally nodded. "Sure." Although he wasn''t sure what Xin Lan would have to say to that.


    He finally cut the connection, put the transmission stone back in his spatial ring, and then looked at Xin Lan wryly. "I ¡­ have no idea what is going on."


    Xin Lan looked at him for a moment longer before he turned away and just left. He really didn''t want to talk about it. For now, nobody needed to know.


    Hua Lin Rong watched his receding back and then glanced at Fu Min and Fu Heng, nodding before he left as well. At first, he wanted to rush after him but finally, he just went back to the palace on his own. Right now, he really didn''t know what to say to Xin Lan. This whole situation was so awkward.


    The two dragons stood on the road alone, keeping quiet for a moment. In the end, Fu Min heaved a sigh of relief. "That was probably the worst situation I''ve been in for a while. Anyway, since he has been found, we should also return."


    Fu Heng raised his brows and then reached out to grab Fu Min''s sleeve and pull him back. "Didn''t you forget something?"


    Fu Min blinked his eyes, having no idea what his husband was talking about. "No? What would I have forgotten?"


    "There are still other people searching. We have to tell them that they don''t need to anymore. I don''t think Xin Lan or Hua Lin Rong are going to do that."


    Fu Min''s eyes widened and he finally slapped his forehead. "Right. How could I forget about that! This was just too much of a shock just now. Anyway, let''s go and do that then. The sooner this is all over, the better."


    Fu Heng nodded and the two of them went to deal with it.


    Meanwhile, Bai Mu and Nie Huang had met up at the edge of the forest. Bai Mu explained the situation to her and then went back to Hua Lin Yu, crouching down in front of him once again. "Alright, I''ve told Fu Min that I''ve found you. He promised not to tell Xin Lan. So let''s go back."


    Hua Lin Yu raised his head and looked at him, feeling sad that now, things were already over again. He wished that he could''ve had at least a few moments more just with him and Bai Mu. Even though he knew that this could never lead to anything, he just wanted to have a few moments. He just wanted to ¡­ have the illusion that there was a chance. No matter how small. That if they had met at another time, in another place, where Bai Mu hadn''t already been engaged to Nie Huang, they maybe could''ve been a couple.


    Bai Mu had no idea what was going through Hua Lin Yu''s head. He just smiled faintly when he saw his expression and then motioned over in the direction of the city. "Let''s go?"


    Once again, he didn''t get an answer.


    Rubbing his neck, Bai Mu could only come up with one explanation. "Are you sure you''re not hurt? Can you walk?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him, his heart fluttering inadvertently. Of course, he could walk. He just didn''t want to get up. If he had Bai Mu''s attention for a few moments, that was good though. How could he give it up?


    He looked down and then couldn''t help but purse his lips. "I ¡­" He had a guilty conscience before the words were even out but still gulped and went ahead with it. "I feel a bit weak."


    Bai Mu nodded as if he had already thought of that and then reached over, putting an arm around Hua Lin Yu''s back and one arm under his legs and then picked him up. "It''s alright. I''ll carry you back."


    "Thank you." Hua Lin Yu nodded and then let Bai Mu pick him up, even wrapping his arms around his neck. He buried his face at Bai Mu''s shoulder and then just closed his eyes.


    Just once. He just wanted to lie in his arms once. He didn''t need more than that. Just a few moments being this close to him would be enough. After this, he would definitely give up. He didn''t know how he would do that but he knew that he would give up. He had to.

 Chapter 1191 - A Dark Place

    At the same time, Xin Lan made his way over to the nearest gate. He couldn''t be sure that they would come in there but it was at least worth a try. He definitely wouldn''t just stand back when he knew that Hua Lin Yu was returning.


    When Bai Mu and Nie Huang stepped through the gate and he saw Hua Lin Yu actually being carried, Xin Lan stopped in his tracks though. He had originally wanted to go over and see how Hua Lin Yu would react but he couldn''t bring himself to do that when he saw that Hua Lin Yu wasn''t even walking into the city on his own. Most likely, he had suffered quite a bit if things were like this. He hesitated and then stayed back, only watching from afar.


    Bai Mu nodded at the guards that had been looking out for Hua Lin Yu and then brought him back to the palace. Hesitated a bit when he got to the corridor where all of them were living but then went to Hua Lin Rong''s room. In any case, if Hua Lin Yu didn''t want to see Xin Lan it was probably best to have him stay with his brother. After all, he would likely need somebody to comfort him if he had argued with his fiance to this degree.


    Hua Lin Rong had no idea what to do when the two of them stepped in. He had Bai Mu carry Hua Lin Yu over to the bed but then didn''t know what he should do. Get a physician? There actually was one in the palace even though he hadn''t spoken to him much. Then again, maybe Hua Lin Yu just needed a bit of rest. He didn''t want to disturb him either.


    Bai Mu looked from Hua Lin Yu that had immediately curled up and pulled up the blanket to his older brother who was obviously too agitated to make any decision. He sighed. "Just let him sleep for a bit. I guess he got drenched in the rain and might''ve gotten a bit cold but that shouldn''t be anything that a cultivator can''t deal with. Right now, he''s probably just too agitated."


    Hua Lin Rong nodded hurriedly. "Sure, sure. Thank you for finding him and bringing him back."


    "It''s alright. Anyway, we were all looking for him. It''s good that we managed to find him."


    Hua Lin Rong nodded again and then stayed with Hua Lin Yu when Bai Mu and Nie Huang had left. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he sighed. Since Xin Lan told him, he knew what this was about in general. But that made him even more afraid. It was one thing to get into a bit of trouble but it was a different thing altogether to get into trouble with Xin Lan to the degree where his brother would run off. He was the one who had brought the two of them over here. He was the person that Hua Lin Yu was supposed to marry. What now? If these two didn''t make up again ¡­


    He hurriedly shook his head at himself. No. No, he shouldn''t even think about this. It was just a lovers'' tiff. Just a moment of confusion because his brother was too young and too hotheaded. After letting him cool off and sleep for a while, and maybe having a discussion, things would go back to normal. He refused to believe that it was any different.


    Meanwhile, Xin Lan slowly returned to the dragon king''s palace as well. He stared up at the gates, sighing to himself. He didn''t know if Bai Mu had brought Hua Lin Yu back to his room but he doubted it. Since Hua Lin Yu had asked not to see him, he had probably brought him somewhere else. Either to his brother so wouldn''t be alone or to the room he shared with Nie Huang. In any case, if he returned to his own room now, he would likely be alone.


    Who would''ve thought that that kind of thing would actually annoy him so much?


    He had lived alone for thousands of years. But after just three years of living in the same room with Hua Lin Yu and sleeping on the same bed, he felt completely unaccustomed to the idea of returning to an empty room. Returning to a quiet place where nobody was waiting for him and where he wouldn''t have anyone to talk to ¡­ He couldn''t do it.


    He closed his eyes but still went in the end. In any case, what else was he supposed to go? Entering the room, he stopped in the doorway, staring into the darkness. It had already become evening by now and there wasn''t much light falling in through the windows. It really made him feel that he had returned to a dark place. Not just literally but also figuratively.


    He just wished that there was Hua Lin Yu''s bright voice ringing out somewhere on the other side of the room, maybe coming from the courtyard where he was still sitting at the edge of the lake. He could go over, pull him into his arms, and just hug him for a while. It would have made him feel so much better.


    Xin Lan finally stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, leaning against the wood. What now? What should he do? How to win him back? And back from what?


    He took a deep breath and sighed and then went to sit on the bed. If he went over now, he didn''t know what he would find. Maybe Hua Lin Yu was having a heart-to-heart with his older brother right now. Maybe that would actually make him reconsider his response before. Maybe tomorrow, when he had calmed down, he would already tell him that he had just panicked at the moment and that yes, of course, he wanted to marry him.


    He should wait for that. Right?

 Chapter 1192 - There’s No Way You’ll Stay Alone Forever

    Xin Lan continued to sit there for quite some time until he finally took out the necklace with the transmission stone that he was carrying. He hesitated for a moment but then imbued his spiritual energy and contacted the person on the other side.


    Back in the secret dimension in the Yun Zou Sect, Jinde cracked his eyes open and reached for the necklace that was lying next to the bed. Picking it up, he glanced over his shoulder at his husband and then imbued his spiritual energy to answer. "Xin Lan, what''s ¡ª" Jinde didn''t even finish the sentence and just stared at him in a daze. After a moment, he opened his lips, trying a few times to say something before closing it again. No matter what he said right now, it wouldn''t be too flattering.


    "Master." Xin Lan looked at Jinde, feeling a bit at a loss. One look at him showed that Jinde had obviously just spent the night with his husband. Thinking about it, there was still a pang of pain in his heart but it wasn''t as bad as before. He just ¡­ continued to feel empty and desolate. Just as empty and desolate as he had felt since the moment that Hua Lin Yu had rejected his proposal.


    Jinde forced himself to smile. It still turned out wry though. "So, I guess that something is up on your side. What is it?" He sat up and pulled up the blanket but it didn''t help much. In the end, he leaned over the edge of the bed, picked up his inner robe, and dr.a.p.ed it over his shoulders. In any case, he knew how Xin Lan felt. He didn''t think that he should torture him more than necessary. He couldn''t change his feelings but he didn''t need to rub it in his face.


    Xin Lan watched him quietly and then snorted. Apparently, his Master was trying to take his feelings into consideration. Nice. In this situation, it actually felt a bit funny though. "You know, today, I asked somebody to marry me."


    Jinde raised his golden brows, his hands that had just tried to tie the knot around his inner robe so it wouldn''t open up again stopping awkwardly. Come again? "You proposed to somebody?" He frowned, immediately thinking of what Sect Master Fei had told him back then. He had tried to check in with Xin Lan every now and then but had never really gotten anything out of him. And considering their relationship, it always felt a bit disingenuous to pry too much.


    He had no right to do that. If he didn''t hear that Xin Lan was doing anything outrageous, or that this boy was suffering, he really didn''t think that he should do more than simply inquiring every now and then. Now though, it seemed that things had actually progressed in quite the ¡­ interesting direction. He wasn''t sure if it was one that he liked though. "I heard that you were quite interested in the disciple of Sect Master Fei from the Jian Yi Sect. It wouldn''t be him?"


    "Ah." Xin Lan raised a hand and brushed through his hair, feeling even more lost. The other side had actually informed his Master of this. Well, he probably should''ve expected that. With Jinde asking about his love life more than once in the past three years, it had seemed a little odd. But he had always figured that his Master might not keep track of the time in the dragon realm since so much more time had passed in the human realm. In any case, he never would have thought that he knew about Hua Lin Yu. But it seemed he had forgotten to take into consideration just which sect his Master''s husband came from. "Yes, it''s him. And I guess Sect Master Fei does not have to worry anymore. He rejected me."


    Jinde lightly bit his lip. Now, that explained a lot. Although ¡­ maybe it didn''t explain enough. Just what had the relationship between the two of them been? Just why was Xin Lan rejected? Why did he look so awful? Well, at the very least, the latter seemed to indicate that this hadn''t been just because he wanted to fool around. No, this time, Xin Lan had actually been serious. "Is that final?"


    Xin Lan kept quiet for a moment, unsure how to answer that. "Final ¡­ Well, it has been three years since it was brought up originally. His father wanted us to travel around a bit and I took him to the dragon realm. I felt that it actually wasn''t too bad. We had some time to get to know each other. Who knew that ¡­ while I actually liked the idea more and more, he seems to have reconsidered. When I asked him to return to the mortal realm today and make it final, he ran away."


    Jinde closed his eyes and sighed as well. "I see. Well, running away might also be because he is young and doesn''t quite understand what he wants? Maybe he has gotten cold feet?"


    "Believe me, that is what I''m praying for. It is just that I really don''t see that happening, you know? Maybe I thought too beautifully. Maybe this is meant to be." For a moment, he wondered if he should tell his Master about the oath he had sworn. But on second thought, he stayed silent about that.


    If he started the subject, he would have to tell him just how this had come about. And then, he would burden his Master with something that couldn''t be changed anymore anyway. And he knew Jinde. Even though he didn''t requite his feelings, he still had a close bond with him. He would have a guilty conscience if he knew that he had done this for him. "I guess things are a bit complicated. Maybe a dragon like me and a human like him are not the best fit. He would probably do better with somebody else."


    Jinde shook his head. "You''re a good person. No matter the race you were born into or the circ.u.mstances of your birth, you are a good person. I know that more than anyone else. And I''m sure that some way or another, you will be able to find the love you deserve. I don''t know whether that is with him or with somebody else but I believe that it will happen one day. There''s no way that you will stay alone forever."

 Chapter 1193 - Do You Have Advice?

    Xin Lan gave Jinde a long look and finally smiled. "It is a little strange to be told this by you of all people. Maybe in a few years, it will actually be Hua Lin Yu who tells me something like this. I seem to have the strange habit of getting interested in that type of person."


    Jinde sighed. "I''m sorry. The two of us ¡­ You know it never could have worked out." He turned to look at his husband who was lying next to him only to find out that Leng Jin Yu had woken up some time through the conversation. He gave him a faint smile and then reached out to hold his hand before turning back to Xin Lan.


    "My soul might not have been bound to Chun Yin back then but my heart was already his. That could not be changed anymore. But that boy is a mortal. Even if he had fallen in love with somebody else, that wouldn''t necessarily be the end of it. He could still fall in love with you."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Yes, I guess he could. Well, I''m not one to give up this easily. Since I have already spent three years with him, I am not just going to walk away now. I will try a bit longer. Right now, he''s with his brother. I guess I''ll just wait for tomorrow and then see how things are going. Maybe after having a talk, we will be able to make this work out somehow."


    Jinde nodded. "Yes, give it a try. And anyway, if you need my help, you can tell me as well. You''ve been helping me so much over these years, I will definitely support you as well. I can see that you genuinely like him. It would be great if this could work out."


    This time, Xin Lan''s smile became a little lighter. "Oh? So I actually have your blessing?"


    "Sure! Why wouldn''t you? I think that whoever is able to snatch you as their lover is a lucky person. And this Hua Lin Yu would have to be an idiot to pass it up."


    Xin Lan nodded and looked over to the wall that was separating him from the two brothers. "Yes, you''re probably right." Unfortunately, he was afraid that maybe Hua Lin Yu actually was that kind of idiot. In any case, what was the affection between them based on? Originally, there had been nothing but a fleeting feeling. Maybe that kind of thing would be broken easily. He didn''t know. But, well, he would find out soon. Xin Lan kept quiet for a moment but finally gave himself a push and still spoke up. "Any advice on how to go about this?"


    Jinde was a little surprised that he would bring that up. Usually, Xin Lan was somebody who would not mind lending a helping hand but would seldom accept help from others. He was a bit of a lone wolf actually. That he would actually ask for help ¡­ it spoke leagues about how important this Hua Lin Yu was to him.


    Seeing that this wasn''t just a passing thought but something that was really important to him, Jinde took a moment to seriously consider it. "Well, I don''t know him well. I only met him when he was very young so I can''t tell you anything specific I would take note of from that side. But as for you ¡­ While I do think that you can be a good partner, you can be a little ¡­ fierce sometimes. Just turn that down a bit, yes? Try to be gentle and patient and I''m sure that things will work out."


    Xin Lan thought about it and then nodded. Yes, that was probably the best advice in the situation. He was angry, of course, but he shouldn''t let Hua Lin Yu know that. He could tell him that he was a bit upset that he had to make it clear that he did not resent him for it but that he wouldn''t pressure him into anything. That way, he could show off his best side. "I''ll keep it in mind. Now, I guess I shouldn''t bother you and your husband any longer. You have enough things on your plate."


    Jinde hesitated for a moment but finally still gave a faint smile. "There isn''t much to worry about anymore. Actually, I''m healed. The last bit of my soul was restored today. I guess I still have to thank you for that. Without your help, things wouldn''t have turned out like this so fast."


    Xin Lan requited his smile but shook his head. "There is no need to thank me. You saved me, and I saved you. It''s as simple as that."


    "We both know that it isn''t as simple as that but, well, I think in the end everything is still turning out well. Now, I guess you were just trying to be polite and actually want to get back to your lover. I won''t disturb you. In any case, I''m preparing to give Jin Yu part of Chun Yin''s soul back so that he can regain his memories from his past life."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Well, it''s good if he knows. Do you need any help with that?"


    Jinde shook his head. "No, I don''t. So I''ll go back to my husband now and you go back to your little lover. I''m pretty sure that soon enough, you''ll be able to tell me about your own husband." He smiled and then cut the connection so Xin Lan couldn''t try to use him to waste any more time. After that, he turned around and hugged Leng Jin Yu, pondering for a moment. He really wasn''t too sure what to make of this. This matter with Xin Lan and Hua Lin Yu ¡­ it was quite confusing to him.

 Chapter 1194 - You Will Remember

    Leng Jin Yu watched his expression for some time and then turned onto his back, his fingers brushing through Jinde''s hair. "The two of you are close. Don''t you think that he would tell you in the future how things turn out?"


    Jinde shook his head. "You can only say so because you don''t know him as well as I do. He has been going after this boy for quite some time. But even though I have hinted and hinted, he has never spoken about him in front of me. I can''t be sure that he would actually bring it up."


    Leng Jin Yu kept quiet for a moment, finally silently brushing through Jinde''s hair. "Maybe he''s embarrassed to talk about it with the person he admired before this."


    Jinde laughed. "Well, maybe that''s it. In any case, I''m not sure if he will really speak up. Xin Lan is the type of person who will just keep his worries to himself. It''s troublesome. I sometimes wished he was more open. But he just never learned to accept help.


    "I guess he has already given up on the idea of anybody ever being able to help him. Being as strong as him and having as much experience as he does probably does that to a person. I think I can see the same tendency in myself every now and then."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. He would believe that at a word. Even he himself had noticed that he would do that back in the mortal realm after he had gotten to a higher cultivation level. It was just ¡­ when you became stronger, you felt that you had the strength to confront things on your own. Asking somebody else for help ¡­ it seemed a little stupid. Why would you bother somebody when you could do it on your own? That you were slowly pulling back from everyone that you knew was something you would only notice when you were suddenly all alone.


    And he had only done this in the mortal realm. He also hadn''t lived that long when compared to Jinde or Xin Lan. So for them, it should be even worse. "Well, since he asked this time, I''m sure he will pay attention to what you said. And even though my feelings toward him are a little complicated, I think that if he genuinely likes Hua Lin Yu, he will not take this lightly. I guess there''s a chance for them to get together."


    Jinde sighed. "I hope you''re right. I certainly wish it to him. He deserves to find love and be with the person he likes. If you asked me, it doesn''t necessarily have to be Hua Lin Yu. But since he seems to have caught some feelings for him, it would be nice if it worked out. After all, who knows how long it would take to find someone else? I don''t even want to think about it."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. He could imagine as much. After all, before this, it had been Jinde for a long time. Xin Lan hadn''t even looked at others. It definitely couldn''t be said that he wasn''t loyal.


    Jinde pushed himself up onto his elbows and then brushed his husband''s chest with his fingertips. "In any case, Xin Lan can surely turn things around. And if he can''t, he has the chance to reach out. Until then ¡­ we should not bother about this too much. There''s nothing we can do for him from here anyway. Instead, I think we should focus on our own matters."


    Leng Jin Yu looked at him, suddenly feeling a little apprehensive. He gulped and then reached up, capturing Jinde''s hand. "Giving back a part of Chun Yin''s soul to me wouldn''t hurt you, would it?"


    Jinde shook his head. "No, nothing of the like. If it is taking back your own soul that would be a problem. But that isn''t what was this is about. You have already reincarnated so even though that part of Chun Yin''s soul that is still with me and your soul are originally the same thing, there is a slight difference. So separating it from me and giving it back won''t be a problem.


    "Furthermore, I''m not giving you all of it. It''s just a part. There''s no problem with that. Even if this was still Chun Yin himself, it wouldn''t be a problem. In the past, let''s say I had originally bound my soul to Chun Yin''s and then gotten injured. If you gave part of the soul back to help me, it would''ve been alright. You just can''t separate the whole soul and give it back. That would lead to disaster."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. By now, he had a general understanding of how the soul binding of the dragons worked. So this much actually wasn''t new to him. It was just that he still couldn''t help but worry. Jinde had only just completely recovered. To suddenly do something to his soul or the soul that was bound to him ¡­ made him a bit nervous. And also ¡­ Well, if he was honest, he was nervous about regaining his memories. "Will this change anything between us?"


    Jinde looked at him, feeling as if he should shake his head to dispel his doubts but he finally couldn''t go through with it. "I know you want me to say no but I can''t promise you that. All this time, I''ve had my memories from my past. To me, it is a part of my own life. To you, it is something that happened in another life. Naturally, that will be different.


    "Hearing these things is for you is just like hearing stories about somebody else. If you didn''t know that you had been reborn and that you are still tied to me by Chun Yin''s soul, then it would just be as if I had a stupid ex-lover. Nothing to do with you. But that will change as soon as you get this part of his soul back.


    "You will remember. Not just like you''re being told what happened but as if you really experienced it. The things that happened ¡­ you will see, you will hear, you will smell, you will feel. Every single instance of Chun Yin''s life, from the first memories he has, to the last, you will remember all of it.


    "It is as if in just that instance, you were living a whole life. That will be a major change. And it might make you see some things differently. It could change your perception of the whole world. That is a risk that you''ll have to take if you really do this."


    Leng Jin Yu really couldn''t say that he was any calmer when he heard that. But anyway ¡­ "There''s no other choice, is there? If you want your answers, this is the only way."

 Chapter 1195 - Two Different Souls

    Jinde gave him a long look. He could imagine what was going through his husband''s mind. In a way, he felt comforted hearing that Leng Jin Yu was thinking about him so much. On the other hand, he felt a little guilty. "You do not have to do this. While I do want to know, I do not want to pressure you into anything.


    "What we are living like right now is our life. Chun Yin has been dead for a long time. And I have been living with the things that happened back then for a long time as well. While it hurts to think about it, it is in the past. What we have right now is our present and our future. I would rather never find out what Chun Yin''s reasons were for the things he did back then than to lose my future with you. I lost him back then. I don''t want to lose you. So it is up to you."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded, giving himself a moment to think things through. "Well, there is a chance. But there''s no certainty in what the outcome will be if we give it a try. It could go well but it could go just as badly at the same time. We do not know before we don''t try."


    Jinde nodded. "That is the situation we''re in, yes. And I''m sorry to put that burden on you."


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head and interlaced his fingers with Jinde''s. "You don''t have to apologize. That''s something that we''ve talked about. We both want to know. Even though I can''t remember everything, there''s a bit. And you bet that I''ve been thinking about it more than once.


    "I know that it will help you. It might not be as important anymore after your soul has been healed but there''s more to this. What happened with Chun Yin caused a different kind of injury to you. And if I can do anything to help you heal from that, then as your husband I should do that."


    "It will be at your risk though." Jinde couldn''t deny that he was hoping Leng Jin Yu would decide on doing it. But at the same time, he was also worried. If things went wrong ¡­ He would never be able to forgive himself. Originally, he hadn''t thought about that too much because it had been so far away but now that he was healed and this was a very real possibility right in front of him ¡­ He didn''t know anymore what was right or wrong.


    Leng Jin Yu sat up and pulled Jinde into a sitting position as well. He took his hands, tightly holding onto them, and looked into his eyes. "We''ve already talked about this. Why would we suddenly change our minds? In any case, I want to know and you want to know. Yes, things could go wrong but I think that we should give it try."


    Jinde nodded faintly but there was still a feeling of worry inside him. "And if it really goes wrong?"


    Leng Jin Yu reached up and gently caressed Jinde''s cheek. "You won''t lose me. We''ve already been together for more than a millennium by now. We know each other. If you notice that I''m behaving strangely, you can help me through it. Losing myself because of some new memories ¡­ I really don''t think it will happen. But if it does, then you can help me figure out again who I was before. I''m sure that it is possible."


    Jinde took a deep breath and then nodded. "Alright. Then ¡­ should we start now or ¡­ do you want to give it a bit more time?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled and leaned forward, giving him a kiss. "There''s no use stalling for time. There is no reason to wait. We waited long enough. Let''s just do it and then see what happens. Maybe we are actually worrying too much."


    Jinde nodded, and then inched closer, carefully reaching out. He tapped the spot between Leng Jin Yu''s eyebrows and watched his husband close his eyes. There was a faint scar at the spot from when he had used the soul engraving dagger to cut off a piece of his soul to use to create this realm. Thinking of it, Jinde put the worry in his heart to rest. This man ¡­ He was able to do something like this for him. No matter what happened, he wouldn''t lose himself. No, he didn''t believe that it was possible. Leng Jin Yu was too strong for that.


    He inched closer, his breath brushing over Leng Jin Yu''s face. Slowly, he closed his own eyes and then sensed for his own soul and the piece of Chun Yin''s soul that was attached to it. He touched his chest with the fingers of his left hand, slowly pulling.


    A dragon''s soul was made to be parted so taking out a piece wasn''t a problem at all. He grabbed onto it, not just that part of Chun Yin''s but also a bit of his own, and then pulled it out of his body. He could sense it even now that it was airborne. He took a moment to admire the last bit that was left of his previous life''s lover: the deep, translucent red, like gems, like the color of blood. It was beautiful, eye-catching, and breathtaking, just like Chun Yin had been.


    Thinking of how this was part of the soul of the man he had loved so deeply but who had already passed on, a few tears gathered in Jinde''s eyes. He would lie if he said that he did not miss him. A part of him had died with Chun Yin back then, a part that he would never regain. His life had turned for the better by now but that piece would still always be missing, leaving a hole behind.


    He exhaled faintly and then pushed the part of the two souls further until it made contact with his other hand. And finally, he guided it further along, making it enter Leng Jin Yu''s body and attach to the soul inside.


    He glanced at Leng Jin Yu''s soul and his lips curved up in a small smile. Looking at their bodies'' appearances, the difference between them was already obvious. Who would''ve thought that their souls were just the same? While Chun Yin''s was a dark red, Leng Jin Yu''s was actually a deep green. It wasn''t as bright and sparkling but instead seemed matte but smooth like something that would be soft to the touch, like velvet.


    Jinde really wanted to laugh. Yes, they were too different. Even though they had originally come from the same soul, they differed so much that they could hardly be called the same person anymore.


    Thinking about it for a moment longer, he finally took back his hands and grabbed Leng Jin Yu''s again, opening his eyes to look at him.


    As for his husband ¡­ He didn''t need much longer. As soon as Jinde grabbed his hands, he also opened his eyes, looking at him with a gaze that Jinde had never before seen in those eyes.


    Ah, maybe that wasn''t quite right. Maybe he had actually seen it once or twice. But it had been a long time since then. And having it happen now, at this time moment in time, actually frightened him silly.

 Chapter 1196 - Was It Him?

    Back in the dragon realm, Xin Lan got up from the bed and went over to the room next door. He only hesitated for a moment before he finally knocked.


    Inside, Hua Lin Yu flinched, fearing that it might be Xin Lan in front of the door. Hua Lin Rong who had been sitting next to him noticed his reaction and furrowed his brows. He really didn''t know what to do. He could imagine what his younger brother was thinking. So if he went over and opened and it was Xin Lan ¡­ what was he supposed to do? Let him in? Don''t let him in? But he also couldn''t pretend that he hadn''t heard it.


    He sighed, rubbed his face, and then went over to take a look first. Maybe he was lucky and it was actually Nie Huang or maybe Fu Min. He opened the door but, of course, the one he found outside was Xin Lan indeed. He looked at him, the guilty conscience obvious in his features.


    Xin Lan gave a faint smile. If he hadn''t spoken with Jinde just now, he might actually be a little angry. But with how things were, he was actually able to keep calm. He didn''t make any attempt to go inside and instead leaned against the door frame, nodding into the room. "How is he doing?" He lowered his voice, not wanting to disturb Hua Lin Yu in case he had fallen asleep.


    Hua Lin Rong still felt nervous. "That ¡­ Well, he''s laid down for now."


    Xin Lan nodded. "I guess he didn''t say anything?" Unbeknown to him, his gaze was actually a little hopeful.


    Hua Lin Rong felt the pain in his heart. He might not have been thrilled when he originally found out that there was a future brother-in-law now but in the past three years, he had actually grown to like Xin Lan quite a bit. To see him like this ¡­ he also felt bad about it. Still, there was nothing he could do. He shook his head, looking apologetic. "No, Bai Mu just put him down and then ¡­ Well, he hasn''t said anything."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Well, he was outside for quite some time. I guess it''s better if he rests for a while. I shouldn''t disturb you any longer then. If something happens, you know where to find me."


    Hua Lin Rong nodded awkwardly but he was pretty sure that he wouldn''t go over to Xin Lan even if something happened. Right now, he didn''t even dare to look him in the eye.


    Xin Lan turned away but stopped halfway into the room. He wondered if there was something else he should say, something else he should do. He couldn''t think of anything but, well, he had never been in such a situation. In the end, he just sighed, shook his head at himself, and then went inside.


    In the other room, Hua Lin Rong awkwardly stepped back and closed the door. He sighed as well, not sure what to do now.


    On the bed, Hua Lin Yu finally turned around. "Was that Xin Lan?" He was a little worried that it was him but he couldn''t imagine that it was the case. If it was Xin Lan, shouldn''t he have wanted to come in? Since he hadn''t, then it shouldn''t be him. He was probably thinking too much. Maybe it had just been one of the others who wanted to know how he was doing.


    Hua Lin Rong turned back around and rubbed the back of his head. "Xiao Yu, you''re awake?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded. "So was it Xin Lan?"


    His older brother came over and sat down at the edge of the bed, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "So what if he was? Do you want to see him or not?"


    Hua Lin Yu lowered his head, not quite sure how to answer that. To be honest, he didn''t know. He didn''t know at all what he wanted. He just ¡­ he felt so guilty. If he could, he would just like to vanish and not have to do with anyone ever again.


    Hua Lin Rong had no idea what his younger brother was thinking. He reached out and took his hand. "Actually, what happened between the two of you? How come you were suddenly arguing?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him, not quite sure how to answer that. "Did he say that we were arguing?"


    Hua Lin Rong was also at a loss for words for a moment. What did his younger brother mean? "Well ¡­ If you weren''t arguing, then why did you run away? You wouldn''t have done that just like that, would you?"


    Hua Lin Yu once again lowered his gaze, not quite sure what to say to that either. Of course, his older brother was right. If there was nothing that they argued about, then there was no reason to behave like this. He had just been unreasonable.


    He kept quiet for a moment and then bit his lower lip. He really didn''t know what he should do. He also wasn''t sure if his brother would be able to help him if he told him. On the contrary, he felt that if he told anyone, things would even get worse. After all, wouldn''t that make it real? Right now, all of this was just in his head. He could just pretend that it hadn''t happened. Maybe somehow, it would magically go away for real.


    Seeing his brother''s expression, Hua Lin Rong actually became even more worried. "Xiao Yu, you know that you can talk to me. No matter what happened, I''m sure that we can find a way to do to deal with it."


    Hua Lin Yu wasn''t sure what he should think of that. He was afraid that there were some things that couldn''t just be dealt with. "Xin Lan ¡­ He asked me to go back home and speak with father again to get married."


    Hua Lin Rong had a sinking feeling when he heard that. It couldn''t be ¡­ that his little brother regretted promising to marry Xin Lan? But then ¡­ what were they supposed to do now? Hua Lin Yu and he ¡­ they were both relying on Xin Lan. For the past three years, they had basically taken advantage of his hospitality. Whether it was going to the dragon realm or staying in the dragon king''s palace, it was all just thanks to him. For something like this to happen now ¡­ it made it seem as if they had just used him and were now throwing him away.

 Chapter 1197 - There Had to Be a Way

    The longer he thought about it, the more worried Hua Lin Rong became. They could only hope that he had misunderstood what his brother wanted to say. He took a deep breath and then tried to make sure. "So you''re saying that ¡­ Xin Lan asked you to return to the human realm because he wants to get married. And you ¡­"


    Hua Lin Yu lowered his head further, feeling guilty in front of his brother''s worried gaze. "I didn''t know what to say." While he really would''ve liked to pretend this wasn''t the case, it had already happened. And if he didn''t tell his brother, maybe Xin Lan would. He also didn''t want that. It was better to tell him himself.


    Hua Lin Rong closed his eyes, feeling that this was almost as bad as expected. The only good thing about it was probably that Hua Lin Yu at least hadn''t said no. That would''ve been even worse. "So you panicked and then you ran out. Well, it''s not a problem. This kind of thing can happen. You were just surprised. Why don''t you just rest today and then tomorrow, we''ll go over together and speak with him? You can tell him that you naturally want to return and marry him." He looked at his brother expectantly but Hua Lin Yu just evaded his gaze. Obviously, he had some other thoughts in mind.


    Hua Lin Rong couldn''t help but worry. He could guess what his gaze meant. His original thought had been right: His younger brother was really second-guessing his relationship with Xin Lan. This wasn''t good. It wasn''t good at all. "You''re not getting cold feet, are you?" While he was sure that this was precisely the case, he couldn''t help but hope that against all odds, he might''ve gotten it wrong. Maybe there really was some kind of other explanation for this. It would certainly be great if that was the case.


    Hua Lin Rong was bound to be disappointed. Hua Lin Yu couldn''t bring himself to say something but that was answer enough.


    Hua Lin Rong rubbed his face, mumbling to himself. "What should we do now?" They definitely couldn''t just leave things at that, could they?


    He finally dropped his hands again and then looked at his brother, trying to gain some kind of clue from his face. When he couldn''t do that, he leaned forward, grasping Hua Lin Yu''s hands again. "Xiao Yu, be honest with me. You don''t want to marry Xin Lan anymore? Why that?"


    Hua Lin Yu glanced at him but then lowered his gaze just as fast. He really didn''t want to say it. "I ¡­ I don''t know. It''s ¡­ It''s just too early. I am ¡­ I''m not even that old yet. Why should I marry immediately?"


    Hua Lin Rong looked at him, unable to understand. "But wasn''t this what you wanted? Three years ago, you were clamoring that you wanted to marry him. You felt that waiting even a single day longer was asking for too much. What made you change your mind?"


    "Well, I''m older now. I understand better. This type of thing ¡­ it should be well thought out. You can''t just rush into things."


    Hua Lin Rong slightly furrowed his brows. Well, his brother wasn''t wrong but ¡­ it also wasn''t quite right. After all, he had already spent three years with Xin Lan. Could that still be called rushing it? No, he felt that Hua Lin Yu wasn''t telling the truth. "What is really going on?"


    Being sternly questioned by his older brother who had only ever doted on him made tears gather in Hua Lin Yu''s eyes. Not only had he ruined his relationship with Xin Lan, now, he might even ruin his relationship with his older brother. He raised his hands, and buried his face in them, starting to cry. "I also didn''t want this to happen. But ¡­ I don''t know how but I fell in love with Bai Mu."


    Hua Lin Rong stared at him, unable to believe what he had just heard. "Bai ¡­ Bai Mu?" This couldn''t be! How had that happened? And what were they just supposed to do now?!


    He turned to look in the direction of Xin Lan''s room next to theirs and felt that things were really bad. If his younger brother had just gotten cold feet or really needed some more time because he felt that he was too young, then it was one thing. But falling in love with another man ¡­ No, they could never let Xin Lan know about that. But then again, how couldn''t they let him know about that? It would really be using him.


    Hua Lin Rong buried his face in his hands as well, shaking his head incessantly. "We''re doomed."


    Hua Lin Yu cried even harder. "I also didn''t want this to happen. I don''t know what it is but from the moment I saw him, I just felt that he was special. And then in these three years, he was always nice to me."


    Hua Lin Rong lowered his hands and stared at his brother with an unbelieving expression. "He was nice to you? Xiao Yu, then what was Xin Lan? In these three years, didn''t he do everything that you wanted? The two of you have never argued, he would always treat you well. How can you say that you fell in love with Bai Mu because he was nice and then say that you don''t love Xin Lan?" He furrowed his brows, feeling that maybe his brother really was too young. If this kind of thing could make him fall in love, then marriage really wasn''t what he should be thinking about.


    Hua Lin Yu cried even harder. "I''m sorry. I''m really sorry. I didn''t want this to happen."


    Hua Lin Rong shook his head and got up, raking his fingers through his hair. "Don''t tell me that. Tell that to Xin Lan!" He paced up and down, finally stopping again in front of the bed. "No, don''t tell him. Do you never dare to tell him! No matter how good Xin Lan''s temper is, he also won''t be able to stand it!"


    In any case, Xin Lan''s status in the dragon race was high. A man like him, how could he accept that his own fiance fell in love with somebody else shortly before their wedding? No, he definitely wouldn''t. If this really came out, then he wasn''t sure if Xin Lan would really still be as amicable as he had been before.


    Hua Lin Rong did not want to find out. He sat down at the edge of the bed again and took Hua Lin Yu''s hand. "Listen. I know that this is not easy for you. You also didn''t want this to happen. But in any case, you definitely can''t continue like this. You''re engaged to Xin Lan. You''ve already promised to marry him. The three years were so you could find out how you work as a couple. There''s really nothing about him that you have to complain about. So please, try to forget about Bai Mu. Whatever you saw in Xin Lan before, try to find it again. Because, really, we can''t deal with this now."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded but the tears continued to fall.


    Hua Lin Rong felt guilty for actually saying something like this to him but he also didn''t dare to take the words back. In any case, it was the truth. It really would be for the best if Hua Lin Yu forgot about this and just found his feelings for Xin Lan again. Could that really be too hard? In any case, he had loved Xin Lan once. Most likely, he would be able to do it again. Maybe not immediately but there should be some way to do it. There had to be.

 Chapter 1198 - I’ll Sound Him Out

    Hua Lin Yu nodded, quietly accepting his brother''s scolding. He didn''t know how he was supposed to fall in love with Xin Lan again but this was definitely what would be for the best so he would give it try. Maybe it would actually work. He could only hope so. "Then, what should I do now? I just ran out when he asked me. Wouldn''t he be angry?"


    Hua Lin Rong furrowed his brows. Yes, that was a valid concern. Xin Lan didn''t seem too angry back when he came to ask how Hua Lin Yu was doing and had instead seemed more worried about him but who knew how long it would stay that way? After all, he had basically been rejected by his own fiance. Who would be happy about that?


    So, it was likely that even if he was able to put his anger aside for a while, he would sooner or later think of it and then show how unhappy he really was with this. He wasn''t quite sure if his brother would be able to deal with that. After all, he had never seen Xin Lan''s unpleasant side. And he definitely had one. Everyone had.


    Pondering for a moment, Hua Lin Rong finally reached out and patted his brother''s shoulder. "I''d say don''t do anything for now. Let me talk with him first. I''ll try to sound him out and see how angry he really is. Then we can still decide what to do about it. In any case, he loves you. I''m sure that he''ll be willing to give it another try."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded but there was still some worry in his heart. He just didn''t know what would happen in the future if he went down this path. Marrying a man he didn''t love ¡­ it didn''t seem right. But at the same time, he also felt that he really couldn''t tell Xin Lan the truth. If he couldn''t tell him the truth, then how could he say no? It seemed impossible.


    Hua Lin Rong sighed and patted his head, finally motioning at the bed. "Alright. It was a long day. Just lie down and sleep for a while. Tomorrow morning, everyone might have calmed down a bit. Then, we can see how to continue."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and lay down, pulling the blanket up to his chin. He couldn''t fall asleep though. For the first time in three years, he was actually sleeping alone. He was ¡­ completely unaccustomed to it. Usually, there would be Xin Lan''s reassuring presence right behind him, his warmth slowly allowing him to fall asleep. If he was honest, he missed it.


    Thinking about it, remembering how they had sometimes talked until late at night, Hua Lin Yu was completely confused. He couldn''t imagine a future with Xin Lan right now. He could imagine one with Bai Mu. But at the same time, the memories he shared with Xin Lan ¡­ he also didn''t want to miss any of them. And he couldn''t imagine being without him in the future. Just what was he supposed to do?


    He thought and thought and finally fell asleep still just as confused as before.


    Hua Lin Rong continued to sit next to him, his elbows propped up on his knees, and stared into space. He was also unsure of how to go about things. There was only one thing that was clear and that was that they had gotten themselves into a really unfavorable situation. No matter where they went from here, things might not turn out well.


    He sighed, rubbed his face, and then took another look at his brother before he got up and silently left the room. He hesitated for a moment but then went to knock on Xin Lan''s door.


    The answer came immediately. Xin Lan opened the door and then slightly raised his brows when he saw him. "Xiao Yu ¡­?"


    Hua Lin Rong gave a wry smile. This man ¡­ his first thought was about how his brother was doing. It was obvious that he liked him very much. To think that his brother had actually spent time with him but still fallen in love with somebody else was completely incomprehensible to him.


    He hesitated outside but finally motioned into the room. "Would you mind if I came in?"


    Xin Lan stepped to the side and then closed the door behind Hua Lin Rong. He motioned over to the table and sat down opposite him, giving him a deep look. He could imagine that something had happened. And now, Hua Lin Rong had come to talk things out with him. "Is it that your brother doesn''t dare to come and speak to me himself?"


    Hua Lin Rong''s expression immediately turned into one of a guilty conscience. "No ¡­"


    "There is no reason to lie. In any case, I can imagine what it is. He probably told you what happened. Well, as his brother, how could you not want to help him out? So, what is it that he wants me to know but can''t tell me himself?"


    Hua Lin Rong''s expression turned even more awkward. Something Xin Lan should know but that Hua Lin Yu wouldn''t dare to tell him ¡­ He was afraid he wouldn''t dare to tell him either.


    He cleared his throat and then shook his head. "It''s not quite that. He is ¡­ he is still pretty anxious right now. I barely got the whole story out of him. I think that even though we originally just came here so the two of you could get to know each other better, he still wasn''t prepared for that talk." He awkwardly stopped and then lowered his gaze, folding his hands on top of the table.


    "You probably can''t even imagine that. Xiao Yu was so sure about marrying you but now that you asked him for real, he suddenly chickens out. That must feel like a slap to the face. I''m sorry about that." He glanced up but then looked away just as fast, not daring to look Xin Lan in the eye. In any case, he might call it chickening out but he knew the truth. How could he just shamelessly pretend this was any different?


    Xin Lan gave a hum and then propped his arms up on the table as well, leaning forward. "So, you came to talk to me in your brother''s stead on your own volition. I have no problem with that. Just ¡­ get it out with. We''ll see what we make of it after that." In any case, could it really get worse than it was right now? He sincerely doubted that.

 Chapter 1199 - A Little Optimistic

    Hua Lin Rong gulped. He definitely did not dare to tell Xin Lan the full truth. But he also knew that he couldn''t just leave things be. "Well, I guess you could say that back then, while he liked you quite a lot, he did not have a real understanding of what marriage should be like. I think that he just had an image in his mind that was beautiful to him so he wanted to pursue that. Now, after three years, he''s matured a bit. I do think he''s realized that maybe he was going too fast."


    Xin Lan slightly furrowed his brows. He had thought that something like this was the reason but he wasn''t quite sure. Something still felt wrong. "So he wants more time? Then why didn''t he say that?"


    Hua Lin Rong had a hard time continuing with this. Right now, he was actually lying to Xin Lan. And even though he loved his brother, he couldn''t help but feel bad about it. "I guess everything just came too suddenly. While it was always clear that one day, we would return home to the mortal realm, he was not quite sure about when that would be. He probably wasn''t thinking about it anymore and just lived his life one day to the other.


    "Now, when you asked him to return he realized what that would mean. And then he realized that if he said yes and went back with you, then he wouldn''t be able to say no even if he wanted more time. I guess he was just overly anxious at that moment."


    Xin Lan nodded even though he still wasn''t quite happy with that explanation. "I don''t mind giving him more time. But it sure felt like more of a rejection than just wanting some more time to think about it."


    "I can imagine that. But in any case, Xiao Yu is young. I''m sure that you understand that much. These things ¡­ I guess you are quite sure about them. Xiao Yu is different."


    Xin Lan nodded, feeling that this was indeed the case. "Well, maybe I was indeed a little too demanding in that regard. Then what now?"


    "The two of you will have to have a talk about this as well. Just that ¡­ I guess Xiao Yu is a little worried that you will be angry. So maybe if you go to talk with him, try to be gentle. I know after that reaction from him, you''re probably angry. But ¡ª"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "There''s no need to worry about that. In actual fact, I''m not angry. If anything, I would be disappointed. You might think that I''m older and don''t care much about these things but I have been looking forward to marrying your brother.


    "It''s been three years now. While I don''t mind waiting longer if it is what he needs, I won''t deny that I would''ve liked to do so immediately. In any case, I love him. Nothing will change about that. So it really would be great to clear this up. And I wish there was some kind of timeline but I guess I can''t expect that of him. Not for now, at least."


    Hua Lin Rong gave a wry smile. That really was something that could not be demanded. Because after all, this was even more difficult than Xin Lan thought. It wasn''t just that his younger brother had gotten cold feet after all. If he really liked Bai Mu ¡­ who knew if things would get better after they returned to the human realm?


    But anyway, they definitely needed to leave the dragon king''s palace. They could not stay here where Xiao Yu would always get to see Bai Mu. That would only make things worse. Thinking about that, he continued to smile wryly. "I still think that even if you didn''t want to get married immediately, it might be good to return to the mortal realm."


    Xin Lan raised his brows. "You don''t like it here anymore?"


    Hua Lin Rong shook his head. "That''s not it. But ¡­ we''ve been here for three years. It was great being able to get to know the people here and learn more about your race. I think it has benefited both Xiao Yu and me. We''ve come to know a lot and for your future together, I''m sure that this will be very important.


    "But maybe this isn''t what Xiao Yu needs right now. Maybe being back in a place where he feels a little more at home or going to a place that he is at least more used to would be better. I mean I can''t promise anything but I hope that if he is in a familiar environment, he won''t feel as anxious anymore. Then he might agree sooner." At least, he might have an easier time rediscovering his feelings for Xin Lan.


    Xin Lan showed a thoughtful expression. To be honest, he wasn''t quite sure why Hua Lin Yu had suddenly rejected him. But what his brother said actually made him think. It wasn''t completely unbelievable. Maybe here in the dragon realm, Hua Lin Yu had actually felt too dependent on him to actually feel like a relationship between them would work out.


    "I think I can see what you mean. I''ll keep that in mind when I talk to him. Don''t worry. Even though things are looking a little grim right now, I''m sure we will be able to work things out. In any case, I do love him. I''m willing to fight for him. I''m also willing to give him the time that he needs. So there''s no reason to worry. Anyway, if he doesn''t like me, I won''t force him. I can only try my best."


    He gave a faint smile, actually feeling a little optimistic again. Both the things that Jinde and now Hua Lin Rong had said had given him something to think about. Yes, maybe there was a logical explanation for everything.


    In any case, it wasn''t the end of the world. They were still a couple, they hadn''t really split up. They could get over this just how they had also gotten over the smaller arguments before. It was definitely possible.

 Chapter 1200 - Let’s Take It Slowly

    Hua Lin Rong was reassured after what Xin Lan had said so he finally left and went back to sit at Hua Lin Yu''s bedside. He couldn''t help but sigh every now and then though. Thinking about it, he never would have thought that things could turn out like this. Now, the future was uncertain. If his brother would still end up with him or not ¡­ he couldn''t say for sure. But in any case, it would be good as long as they left.


    He went to try and cultivate so that he did not have to bother about this any longer but he couldn''t focus. Finally, he just lay down and tried to sleep himself. He couldn''t help but continue to worry though.


    On the other hand, Hua Lin Yu had actually managed to fall asleep sometime in the night. He wasn''t sleeping well though. He just couldn''t help but remember the hurt gaze of Xin Lan at the moment when he ran away, the smile of Bai Mu when he found him in the forest and tried to reassure him, the worried expression of his brother when they talked about everything. The whole time, it felt as if he was being pulled in one direction after the other, with no option to rest for even a moment. He curled up, and pulled the blanket higher, feeling lost and scared even in his dreams.


    At that time, Xin Lan also got up in the room next door, not having slept much either. In any case, even though he was optimistic that they could make things work out in the future, it still wasn''t a good feeling to be rejected by your fiance like this. In fact, was Hua Lin Yu still his fiance if he rejected the second proposal? That really was a question worth pondering.


    He sighed, got dressed, and then went out into the courtyard, looking up at the sky. He really would''ve liked to go over and have that conversation immediately but most likely, Hua Lin Yu wasn''t even up yet. Waking him to do so probably wouldn''t be the best move.


    He stood there for a while but finally couldn''t take it any longer. He went out and lightly knocked on the door of the other room. There was no response though. Hua Lin Yu was still in a fitful sleep while Hua Lin Rong had just fallen asleep after being awake most of the night. Even though Xin Lan didn''t know, he just quietly opened the door and then slipped inside. Glancing around, he went over to the bed and sat down at the bedside.


    Seeing Hua Lin Yu in the state he was in actually tugged at his heartstrings. He closed his eyes and sighed faintly, reaching out to brush through his hair and hold his hand. He had done this before as well. At night, he would hold Hua Lin Yu in his arms, the youth''s back pressed up against his chest while his arms were wrapped around him, and those smaller hands held in his. He couldn''t remember a single night where Hua Lin Yu hadn''t slept well.


    It seemed that the memory of that seemed able to calm Hua Lin Yu down as well. After a moment, he actually fell into a more restful sleep and things stayed that way until he finally woke up a few hours later.


    He was in a bit of a daze at that moment. The things from yesterday ¡­ they seemed like just part of his bad dreams. Especially so when he noticed that Xin Lan was holding onto his hand just like every other day and that there was that strong hand stroking his back.


    He gave a faint hum and then turned around, looking at the man next to him. When he saw that Xin Lan wasn''t lying behind him but instead sitting at the bedside, he realized that things were true though.


    He looked away immediately, his guilty conscience acting up. Yes, how could he pretend it wasn''t true? Obviously, it had all happened just the way that he remembered it. He had betrayed Xin Lan. And he had done so for a man that he could never be with. He really was an idiot.


    Xin Lan saw how Hua Lin Yu''s expression changed as soon as he woke up and noticed that he was there. He couldn''t help but feel pained but forced himself not to show it. Instead, he gave him a faint smile. "How did you sleep?" He took back one hand but still held onto Hua Lin Yu''s with the other.


    "I ¡­" Hua Lin Yu really didn''t know what to say. Especially when Xin Lan was so gentle with him, he felt guilty. Wasn''t he angry at all? Didn''t he want to yell at him?


    Xin Lan''s smile eased a little when he saw him so anxious. "What are you so worried about? Have I ever given you a reason to suspect that I wouldn''t treat you well? I know ¡­ yesterday didn''t go as planned. I won''t deny that I''m a little hurt. But you don''t have to worry. Even if I was angry, II would never take that anger out on you."


    He reached out and took his other hand as well, squeezing them slightly. "Xiao Yu, I love you. I do want to get married. That means that even if things aren''t going so well sometimes, I''ll have to show some patience.


    "I''m willing to do that. If you''re not ready yet to marry me, then I will wait for as long as it takes you to be. It doesn''t matter if it''s just a few days, a year, or even longer than that. It''s alright. We have time. So don''t worry yourself sick over this. Sometime in the future, I''m sure we''ll get married. It doesn''t have to be immediately. So let''s just take it slowly."

 Chapter 1201 - He Wouldn’t Be Able to Forgive Himself

    Tears gathered in Hua Lin Yu''s eyes as soon as he heard those words. "Xin Lan!" He sat up and then wrapped his arms around his neck, sobbing silently. Even if he could love this man how he loved Bai Mu, he still felt fondly for him. If he could, he would''ve liked to split his heart in two, giving one part to Bai Mu and the other half to Xin Lan. That way, he wouldn''t leave this person that had treated him so well with nothing. Unfortunately, he couldn''t do that. Even if he wanted to, he would only destroy himself.


    Xin Lan wasn''t quite sure what to make of that reaction but he hugged Hua Lin Yu back, taking a deep breath before slowly exhaling. "It''s alright. No need to cry. You''re still young. I can''t expect you to know exactly what you want even if you were sure before.


    "In any case, didn''t I tell you before that you could always change your mind? If you do, it''s alright. Just tell me when it happens." He turned his head and kissed his cheek, his lips lingering on Hua Lin Yu''s skin for a moment longer. "I still believe that, in the end, the two of us will be together. But it''s up to you. So take the time that you need."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded even though he didn''t think that he would be able to change his feelings. In any case, he felt that this was fate at work. He didn''t know why but it seemed like this between Bai Mu and him was something more. How could he just ignore that feeling? Even if it couldn''t lead anywhere, he couldn''t pretend that it wasn''t there. He just couldn''t.


    Xin Lan just held him for a while, gently stroking his back to soothe him. It was only after quite some time that he finally spoke up again. "I spoke to your brother and he suggested we should probably still return to the human realm. It''s not that I want to force you to marry me. Don''t worry about that." He pulled back slightly so he could look into Hua Lin Yu''s face and then cupped his cheek. "It''s more that ¡­ he felt that maybe you would feel like you''re too dependent on me if we stay here.


    "I will leave it up to you. If you say that you would like to stay in the dragon realm, then I won''t say no. You can also rest assured that I won''t demand anything just because of that. I invited you here. Why would I take advantage of that? It definitely wouldn''t help our relationship if I did that. So you don''t have to worry.


    "But if you would feel better in the human realm then I will definitely be there to support that as well and follow you there. So, what do you think? If you can''t answer right now, that is also alright. You can take a few days to think it over."


    Hua Lin Yu felt a bit of panic rising in him when returning to the mortal realm was brought up again. If he went back, he wouldn''t be able to see Bai Mu again. Naturally, that pained him. But on the other hand, if he didn''t see Bai Mu any longer, maybe he could regain the feelings he had originally had for Xin Lan. If there was no comparison, then it wouldn''t be so bad, right?


    He reached up and clung to Xin Lan''s robe, giving a faint smile. "Actually, I think that might be a good idea. Yes, let''s return. We don''t have to go back to my family immediately. Maybe ¡­ maybe let''s just visit them for a bit and then go and travel around for a bit. In any case, wasn''t that what we originally wanted to do? Just travel around a bit? We''ve been at the same place for so long. I guess we missed our objective a bit."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Very well. That is what we''ll be doing then." He leaned forward and kissed his cheek, brushing back his hair. "When do you want to leave?"


    Hua Lin Yu bit his lower lip. Needless to say, he would like to push it off for as long as possible. But then, what would the use be in that? It wouldn''t change anything about his situation. So, it was better to take care of it as soon as possible.


    He only hesitated for a moment before he looked up into Xin Lan''s eyes and forced himself to smile. "Actually, since we''ve decided already w should just leave today. I would like to say goodbye to the others but then we can just return. In any case, there''s nothing we need to prepare, right?"


    Xin Lan nodded. He brushed back Hua Lin Yu''s hair and then pondered for a moment before he took out the earring he had made and put it into Hua Lin Yu''s hand once again. "Before we go, I want to give that back to you. Yesterday, you were so in panic that you didn''t take it."


    Hua Lin Yu already wanted to push it back to him but Xin Lan just closed his fingers around the earring and then held his hand in place.


    "I know what you''re thinking. Right now, it isn''t sure yet whether we''ll really get married soon or not. Maybe ¡­ it won''t work out at all. But I still want you to have this. In any case, I''ve made it for you. And also, it''s a practical gift. Take a look at the stones embedded in it."


    Hua Lin Yu was unsure but he still opened his hand and took a closer look. He wasn''t quite sure what Xin Lan meant though.


    Before he could ask, Xin Lan motioned at one of the bigger gems. "This is a spatial gem. You can use your spiritual energy to open it and store things inside. It''s quite useful when you are outside and need to take many things with you. I know a family like yours will likely have spatial bags but this kind of gem is usually better to carry around. Since fewer people in the mortal realm know about it, nobody will attack you to try and take something from you."


    Hua Lin Yu seemed to want to reject it when he found out how valuable it actually was but Xin Lan didn''t let him speak up. Instead, he motioned at one of the other bigger gems and explained that one as well. "This is what we call a transmission stone. You have probably seen some of the others in the dragon realm use some already. You can imbue some spiritual energy and then it will allow you to contact somebody. If something happens to you, you will always be able to reach me with this.


    "Maybe I would''ve held onto this for a while longer but after what happened yesterday ¡­ I was worried about you. So if you can''t accept it as a present for our engagement, then just accept it to put my mind at ease. I don''t ever want to have to worry whether you''re alright or not."


    Hua Lin Yu wasn''t sure what he should do but looking at Xin Lan, he finally nodded. "Alright. Then ¡­ I will keep it for now."


    Xin Lan noticed how he said ''for now'' but he didn''t comment on it. In any case, he had made him accept it, that was already very good. As for everything else ¡­ he could work on that later.


    On the other hand, Hua Lin Yu looked up at him, feeling even worse about himself. Xin Lan had put in so much thought for him but he ¡­ he didn''t even love him the way he should. He closed his hand around the earring again and then leaned forward, hugging Xin Lan. He didn''t know how but some way or another, he had to regain the feelings he had held for this man before. He would never be able to forgive himself if he didn''t.

 Chapter 1202 - The Person I Know Best

    Hua Lin Yu and Xin Lan went to bid their farewell to the others as soon as Hua Lin Rong got up and then immediately returned to the human realm. They didn''t explain what had happened, leaving the others to wonder about it by themselves, while they went to the Hua family''s estate just as they had planned.


    At the same time, in the secret realm in the Yun Zou Sect, Jinde stared at his husband, trying to figure out what was happening. Had something gone wrong? If yes, what exactly was it and what could he do to fix it?


    His heart was beating madly, and his hands holding Leng Jin Yu''s trembled a little. Right now, he regretted it. They probably shouldn''t have done this. Why had he cared if he found out why Chun Yin had done the things back then that he had? Having his husband at his side was much more important.


    "Leng Jin Yu ¡­" He slightly furrowed his golden brows and then waited with bated breath for his husband to speak. Nothing irreversible must happen.


    Leng Jin Yu continued to look at him and then slowly let go of his hand. Jinde panicked and wanted to reach out but before he could do anything, Leng Jin Yu had actually reached up and cupped his cheek.


    Jinde stated at him in a daze. He didn''t know what was happening right now. In any case, this didn''t seem too bad? Maybe he was just slightly confused? He couldn''t say for sure and the fact that Leng Jin Yu still hadn''t said anything was driving him nuts. Why was his husband taking so long? Couldn''t he just reassure him a bit?!


    Leng Jin Yu continued to look at him as if he was unable to believe what he was currently seeing. After a moment, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Jinde understood even less what was going on. What was wrong? He wanted to speak up again but Leng Jin Yu already opened his eyes again. Taking another long look at him, he leaned forward and then gently kissed him.


    Jinde couldn''t say what it was but this actually worried him even more. He pulled back and gave Leng Jin Yu a scrutinizing look. He definitely didn''t think that any of this was his normal behavior. So something had to have gone wrong. The question was ¡­ How much had it gone?


    He narrowed his eyes, slightly shifting away.


    Leng Jin Yu stared at him, his fingers slightly curling into his hair. "What''s the matter?"


    Jinde narrowed his eyes even further when he heard that question. There was no way Leng Jin Yu would ask him that in this type of situation. He knew how worried they had been before. So why would he ask him what the matter was? He wasn''t quite sure what to make of that though.


    Joining a part of a reincarnated soul with the other part that had already been reincarnated was probably complicated. He had never heard of such a case before so there was nothing he could refer to for ideas. He didn''t know what the consequences might be. At most, he could make an educated guess. "Who are you?"


    "Leng Jin Yu."


    There seemed to be a little bit of hesitation before the answer was given but Jinde wasn''t completely sure about that. In any case ¡­ He felt like slapping this person in the face. When he remembered that it was Leng Jin Yu''s face, he didn''t do so though. He did get up from the bed though and put on the rest of his clothes.


    Turning his back to him, he tried to sort his thoughts while tying his belt again. This was definitely not how his husband would answer. While the fact was right, it was just not the way that he behaved. If it really was Leng Jin Yu, he would have at the very latest at this point closed his eyes and shaken his head. He would have apologized and then told him that he was still in a bit of a daze so he had acted strangely. Then he would tell him that he didn''t need to worry.


    Maybe he would''ve gone on to say that everything was a little much so he needed some more time to digest the memories he had just received. He might''ve asked him to give him some time alone or to stay with him depending on how he was feeling with all this new information. Maybe he would''ve asked to talk things over that he had seen to find a way of how to make sense of this.


    But there was no way that Leng Jin Yu would have ever just stated his name and left it at that. It just wasn''t like him.


    Jinde turned back around and at the same time took a few steps back, putting more distance between him and the person on the bed. "You''re about as smooth as your son."


    There was a trace of hurt flashing through those dark eyes, confirming further what Jinde had already thought.


    "So it is really the case. How long will this last?" His voice broke at the last word, even though he tried hard to keep calm. But he couldn''t help himself. For one, he had not expected to ever see this person again. On the other hand, he was insanely worried about his husband and whether he would get him back at all.


    Instead of an answer, the other person only responded with a question of his own. "How did you figure it out?"


    Jinde gave a faint laugh. "I spent over a millennium with this person as my husband. You think I wouldn''t know him? And we ¡­ we grew up together. You''re probably the person I know best. Chun Yin."

 Chapter 1203 - The Decision Had Been Made

    Chun Yin lowered his gaze, unsure how to react to this. There were many things he wanted to say. Even if there had ever been time to think it through, he probably wouldn''t have known what to start with. At this moment ¡­ it was even worse.


    He had a vague notion of what had happened. How he had died, how he had been reborn as a human, and fought his way up to finally ascending to the Nine Heavens, returning to the human realm and running into Jinde again, even managing to reunite with his child. But none of that was too clear at the moment. He even felt like there were large parts missing completely while others were slowly getting more distinct.


    The last thing he could really remember though was how Biao Han had driven the blade into his chest and how he saw Qiu Ling approach, intently looking at him to signal him to run and save at least his own life. After all, he hadn''t known that she only wanted to kill him. Well, it seemed at least that had worked out. His son had survived.


    In the end, Chun Yin sighed. He really would''ve liked a moment to close his eyes and sort through the memories from this new life but he didn''t dare to. Back when he died, he had thought that he would never see Jinde again. To be gifted one last opportunity ¡­ He did not want to waste a single second of it.


    Unfortunately, Jinde didn''t seem happy to see him at all. Instead, his expression was vigilant and forbidding. There was even a hint of rage in his eyes.


    Chun Yin could only smile wryly. "You don''t need to worry. This isn''t permanent. It is only until the last remnant of my soul has been integrated into the reincarnated one. After that, I will completely cease to exist."


    Jinde didn''t know how to answer. He stared at him, unable to either get close or to pull away. He just didn''t know what to make of the situation. This person clearly looked like the one that he loved, his husband of a millennium. But at the same time, he knew that currently, it wasn''t him. Instead, the one he got back was somehow his lover from the far past, the one he had thought he lost forever.


    The strange thing was ¡­ he had always thought that if he ever got into a situation similar to Qiu Ling''s where he would have to choose between Leng Jin Yu and Chun Yin, he would have a hard time. He had thought that maybe because Chun Yin had been there first, he would be hung up over him and not be able to even consider the other person. After all, when thinking back, he still felt heartache over his loss and when he looked at one of the many paintings he had done of Chun Yin, his heart would squeeze painfully.


    But now that it seemed to have happened, the feeling of dread at the thought of never getting his current husband back was too strong. And the relief washing over him when Chun Yin told him that this was only temporary erased any last doubts that he would not be able to make the choice.


    No, to him, his husband, his lover, the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with was Leng Jin Yu. It was not Chun Yin anymore. While he had once loved this person, that was a thing of the past. Maybe at the time when Chun Yin decided to stay with his wife instead of divorcing her and getting together with him or maybe at the time when he decided to leave the capital city and take Qiu Ling along, he had already given up. Yes, between Leng Jin Yu and Chun Yin, he would always choose the former. Most likely, even if this was Chun Yin in his actual body, it wouldn''t change a thing. The decision had already been made deep down in his heart quite some time ago.


    He took a deep breath and then sat down at the table, closing his eyes for a moment.


    Chun Yin watched him, trying to engrave this moment in his memory. He knew that it was useless. After all, it wasn''t like he was given a second chance at life. In just a few hours, he would be a thing of the past. So what was he supposed to do with that memory?


    But even though he knew that, he couldn''t help himself. He felt as if he had woken from a long slumber after a dreadful nightmare. Naturally, he would want to look at the person he loved. It was a pity ¡­ he could only watch from afar now. That person didn''t even want to get close.


    Chun Yin gave a faint smile that showed at least part of the regret and pain he felt at this moment. Taking a shaky breath, he forced himself to speak up again. "Didn''t you want some answers? Since you have me back for a moment, you might as well ask me directly."


    Jinde opened his eyes and looked at him. It still felt wrong to see Chun Yin in that body but he couldn''t deny that he longed for those answers. And while Leng Jin Yu would clearly remember, it wasn''t quite the same to hear it from him. Thus, in the end, he nodded.

 Chapter 1204 - Nothing I Can Change

    Chun Yin nodded as well, picked up Leng Jin Yu''s robe, and put it on. "Alright. What do you want to know first?"


    "Why her? Why did you decide on her in the end even though you knew that I would have taken you back?"


    Chun Yin''s lips twitched. "You really like to go for the difficult ones first, don''t you?"


    Jinde couldn''t help but laugh. This was such a typical thing to say for Chun Yin. "Is it really that much more difficult to answer than the others?"


    Chun Yin gazed at him and finally shook his head. "I guess everything is right now. As for the answer to this question ¡­" He fell quiet for a moment and then sighed. "I guess I felt like I had to because of Qiu Ling. If not for him ¡­"


    Jinde closed his eyes again, his brows drawing together in obvious pain. "You''re basically repeating what you told me back then. It''s even starting to be the same words."


    "I''m sorry." He kept quiet for a moment, trying to think of something else to say. "I mean it. I''m sorry. For what I said just now, for what I said back then, for ¡­ what I did. For everything. I was wrong."


    "Of course, you were wrong! You should have known that I would have raised that child with you without complaining, without loving him any less than if he had been my own son. So why?"


    "It seemed wrong of me to get a woman pregnant and then take her child from her. It ¡­ might have reminded me of my own parents."


    Jinde looked up at the ceiling. To be honest, he hadn''t known Chun Yin''s parents well. Well, he hadn''t even known his own parents well. From the bit that he remembered though ¡­ he had liked both of them. One was a strong general that led the dragons into battle, never shying back no matter how strong the other side was and the other had been much more gentle, a caring person who could soothe anyone with just a few words. "I''m afraid I don''t understand." He could see no connection at all. It actually made him wonder if Chun Yin was saying the truth. Then again, what reason would he have to lie at this point in time? In fact, even if he lied now, Leng Jin Yu would just tell him the truth later on. Pretending made no sense at all.


    Chun Yin didn''t seem to mind to explain further. "You don''t know about this but Lin Cai was not my actual mother."


    Jinde raised his brows at that. He had at least seen her a few times and while Chun Yin hadn''t really resembled her much, he had figured that it wasn''t too strange to resemble one parent more than the other.


    "Yuan Yin was though. As for my father ¡­ I don''t know much about him. My mothers wanted to spare me the details I guess. I only know for sure that he can''t have been a good person. From the bit they told me, it seems my conception wasn''t quite voluntary on my mother''s part, and afterward, he did not care about me at all.


    "It was only several years later, after my mothers were long married, that he finally showed an interest in me. Who knows if it was Heavenly retribution but he and his official partner had struggled to conceive no matter what they tried. It was only at that time that he remembered there was still that child he forced on another woman."


    Chun Yin fell quiet for a moment before he sighed. "In fact, it was because he was harassing them that they finally decided to have me become Master''s disciple. Otherwise, I likely would have learned under my mother instead."


    "You never told me about that." Jinde couldn''t help but feel a little lost. He had met Chun Yin the day they were both taken in by their Master so this should have been a recent thing at that time. He would''ve thought that Chun Yin would have shared it with him since they had a good relationship but instead ¡­ he only heard of it now after Chun Yin had been dead for a longer time than he cared to calculate.


    Chun Yin smiled faintly. "In the beginning, I didn''t know the whole story. They only told me bits and pieces over time and when I finally had the full picture ¡­" He shook his head. "I guess I was embarrassed as well. In the end, I was not the son of a proud general but of a man whose name I didn''t even know. That''s not the type of thing I''d like to admit in the face of the person I love."


    Jinde couldn''t help but chuckle. Yes, this was very much like Chun Yin. He had always been proud. Something that marred his image ¡­ naturally, he would feel unhappy about it and might instead just pretend.


    Chun Yin couldn''t help but smile gently when he saw Jinde chuckle like that. It was the first time he saw a semblance of some kind of happiness since he had gotten this short chance of seeing him again. It ¡­ made him happy as well.


    He took a deep breath and forced the smile down, reminding himself that there was no time for this. "I''m sure you have other questions as well. Ask them. I don''t know how much time I''ll actually have. That husband of yours isn''t weak. I might not have all the time I thought I might have."


    Jinde''s smile faded and he couldn''t help but look at Chun Yin with some sadness. "You ¡­ Do you regret it?"


    "Not having more time?" He shook his head, only to shrug his shoulders afterward. "Well, who wouldn''t like an actual second chance? But it''s too late. I''ve made my decisions. They happened to be wrong but ¡­ that''s nothing I can change anymore."

 Chapter 1205 - What About the First Time?

    Needless to say, the short glimpse of a somewhat happy mood was gone. But Chun Yin was right: They did not have much time. If there was something they wanted to talk about, they had to hurry.


    Jinde took a deep breath and then nodded. He understood. As hard as it was, he understood. "Then ¡­ what about me? You said you didn''t want to put her in that situation. But what about me? Didn''t you put me in almost the same situation? You promised to ¡ª no, you did marry me but you never made true on your words or actions."


    Chun Yin nodded. "I know. And that is what I regret the most. I ¡­ I don''t have a good explanation for it. Just that back then, I didn''t know what else to do. There was you and there was her, both people that I should take responsibility for. I finally decided on her just because she was pregnant. If she hadn''t been, I would have decided on you in a heartbeat."


    Jinde lowered his head, unhappy with that explanation. He realized it was the truth. In fact, this was pretty much what he had already known but hearing it again still didn''t feel any better than back then. "Then why didn''t you make your promise true the first time around? Back when ¡­ back when we slept with each other the first time, why didn''t you stand by me then? Why did you not make it official back then? If you had, then none of this would have ever happened."


    This was the question that bugged him the most. Yes, after Biao Han had been in the picture, it wasn''t a surprise that Chun Yin would choose her. But before that? He could have been with him. And if they had been together and officially married already, then he never would''ve gotten involved with Biao Han.


    Chun Yin kept quiet at first. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to answer Jinde''s question, it was just that he noticed how slowly, the two souls in his body were merging. On the one hand, he could feel his time running out but, on the other hand, he also perceived Leng Jin Yu''s memories as something that was less vague than before. As such, he also found out that this reincarnation of his had actually remembered a thing or two. In fact, even from the day after that night, there was a faint memory.


    Well, this was good. In this case, he did not have to explain too much. Jinde probably had guessed it already.


    He sighed faintly, trying to find the best way to bring it up. In the end, he could only be straightforward. "I think you''ve already figured it out. It wasn''t that I didn''t want to. In fact, I was looking forward to being your husband. It''s just that the following day, I was stopped just when I was on the way back to you."


    Jinde nodded. Leng Jin Yu had insinuated as much from that snippet of information he had gleaned from his past. "Master."


    Chun Yin nodded. "Yes. If it had just been that he told me not to be with you, I likely would''ve ignored it. But that day, what he told me was that you had regretted it. In fact, he told me that because we were drunk, you couldn''t even remember that it was me but that you had at least some vague notion of it that allowed you to make that kind of judgment." He smiled wryly and shook his head at himself. "Most likely, I should''ve found it dubious. But I couldn''t see any reason for Master to lie to me. Especially since he didn''t seem to know yet that it was me.


    "Also, growing up, I always felt that he encouraged me to be with you. So this ¡­ I never would have expected. It actually made me believe that it had to be the truth no matter how unlikely that thought seemed."


    Jinde furrowed his brows as well. "He told me something very similar. In fact, he said that he had spoken to you and that you had said that you regretted sleeping with me and that if not for the fact that you had been drunk, it never would have happened."


    Chun Yin shook his head. "I said no such thing. I never would have. Drunk or not, I definitely never regretted that. Even now, that is one of the few very fond memories that I still hold dear."


    Jinde nodded. He had no trouble believing this. After all, Leng Jin Yu had remembered two parts of that night and the following day. And since the things that one remembered were usually the most emotional parts of one''s life, it had to mean that it had meant a lot to Chun Yin. Also, considering that he had only ever remembered being with him but never about Biao Han ¡­ had to mean something. "Why do you think Master did this? Telling both of us that the other regretted it ¡­ He was clearly trying to split us up. But why? Since he had encouraged it before, why did he suddenly change his mind?"


    Chun Yin leaned back on the bed and sighed. "Your guess is as good as mine. To be honest, there are a few decisions that Master made that I can''t understand. I have often thought about it.


    "Why try to split us up? Why tell me that I shouldn''t go along with it even after you were king and still showed interest? Why did he even make us compete for the throne in the first place?" He raised his brows and then scratched his neck. "I''m not saying that I''m angry about how it turned out. You were a good king. It''s just that ¡­ if he expected that it would be me, why put us through that? That kind of competition might''ve hurt our relationship. And you weren''t interested in the throne at the beginning anyway. He might as well have made one of us king and the other one an adviser. That also would''ve benefited us."


    Jinde slowly nodded. "I can''t disagree. In fact, at the end of the day, I''m sure that you wouldn''t have done a bad job as the dragon king. I mean even Qiu Ling was able to handle it and he wasn''t prepared his whole life for this. Why wouldn''t you have been able to cope with both Master and me at your side? And everyone was convinced that you would do a splendid job. I don''t think there was ever any chance that things would have gone wrong."


    "And yet ¡­ that''s not how things turned out." Chun Yin shook his head. "It doesn''t matter. I''m not sad about that. I''m just sad that this was what finally made us miss out. I really would have wanted it to be the other way around. Not being king is one thing, not being able to be with the person you love is another one altogether. I don''t think there''s any doubt which is worse."

 Chapter 1206 - I Messed Up

    The two of them looked at each other, a hint of regret in their gaze. If not for those things, they could have had the lives that they dreamed of. Speaking about it now, it would be a lie to say that there was no regret at all.


    "I only found out that you were dead a long time after it happened. I''m afraid that by that time, there was nothing left of you. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn''t have been able to find you."


    Chun Yin nodded. "I didn''t expect you to. At that time, you had your life and I had mine. To think that you would pay attention to me ¡­ I''m not vain enough for that. I guess at that time, you were just happy that I wasn''t a part of your life anymore. Honestly, I can understand it. There are just some things that once they are done, can never be forgotten and maybe not even forgiven. What I did ¡­ it was one of those things."


    Jinde nodded but lowered his gaze, lightly rubbing his hands against each other. "Still, I never wanted you to die. Say, that day ¡­ how did it happen? Leng Jin Yu didn''t remember and I never had the heart to ask Qiu Ling.


    "I just ¡­ I can''t imagine how she could have succeeded. You were the greatest warrior of our generation. How could you have ¡­ lost against her?" He looked back up, disbelief written in his eyes. Yes, he could never understand this. He might try to rationalize it but at the end of the day, he felt that it was impossible. The Chun Yin he knew, the man he had fallen in love with, would never go down without a fight. So how could it have been so easy?


    Chun Yin smiled wryly. The memory of that day was still crystal clear to him as if it had just happened. Well, to him, it had. It was as if he just lost consciousness and then woke up again in this room.


    How nice if that would really be the case! To find out that maybe, by some miracle that he didn''t deserve, Jinde had been paying attention to him after all and had somehow found out what Biao Han had planned. With his skills as a refiner, he could''ve saved him. It probably would''ve been easy for him. And then ¡­ they could have had the life that they always wanted. It would''ve been possible.


    A pity that this was an illusion that he could only give into for a short moment. He was no time to waste on it. "Ah, if the circ.u.mstances had been normal, you would definitely be right. But they weren''t. Even though I didn''t love her, she was still the mother of my child. I just never had my guard up against her.


    "And I guess I can''t deny that half of the time living there was actually spent with my thoughts still in the capital city. That day wasn''t any different. So she probably used a weak moment to achieve what she wanted." He smiled faintly, keeping the rest of the truth to himself. If he told him, Jinde would only blame himself. And that was nothing that he wanted. No, it was best if he just thought of this as something unfortunate that had happened but was long in the past. He really couldn''t hope for anything more.


    Jinde continued to look at him, his gaze sympathetic. "Did it take long?" This was something he had always feared. Obviously, that woman hadn''t loved Chun Yin. Most likely, she had even hated him. She had no reason to gift him a quick death. So when he thought about it, he had always feared that maybe Chun Yin would have suffered that day. That thought made it even more agonizing to think about.


    Chun Yin shook his head though. "No. She ¡­ made use of the situation. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been able to kill me. There was no time to try and torture me no matter how much she might''ve wanted to do that. Don''t worry about it."


    Jinde nodded, feeling at least a little bit better.


    Chun Yin couldn''t help but ask a question of his own. "That ¡­ There''s one thing I''d like to ask you. I don''t know if this is even something that you know but what about Qiu Ling? Currently, I don''t remember everything. Just that that husband of yours seems to have met him already. So I know that he definitely survived. What happened to him? The day ¡­ was he able to run away? Has she ever bothered him after that?"


    Jinde hesitated. He really didn''t know if he should tell Chun Yin about it. After all, this was something that certainly hadn''t heard turned out as he had thought. But then again, it was likely that in the few hours before his time was up, Chun Yin would remember everything anyway. As such, maybe it was better if he told him directly.


    He kept quiet for a moment and finally shook his head. "She didn''t bother him again. In fact, she couldn''t. That day ¡­ Qiu Ling killed her. He must have seen what had happened or at the very least he must''ve connected the dots. And then, he did the only thing he was able to do."


    Chun Yin stared at him, unable to believe what he heard. "He ¡­" His expression turned blank first and then complicated. He still didn''t seem to know what to say.


    Jinde looked at him, feeling a little compassionate. "It wasn''t easy, believe me. I guess he will have suffered a lot. But he has made it through. And now, he''s doing better."


    Chun Yin nodded and then couldn''t help but question further. "He''s together with somebody now, isn''t he?"


    Jinde nodded. "The Son of Heaven. He is currently on a trial so ¡­"


    Chun Yin nodded slowly. "Ah, it seems this is also something that I will never be able to be a part of. I''ve missed most of my son''s life. I really messed up both as a husband and a father."

 Chapter 1207 - I Want to Go and See Him

    Jinde couldn''t help but feel sympathetic. Even if he had realized that he would definitely take living with Leng Jin Yu over being with Chun Yin again by now, that didn''t mean that he didn''t have any feelings for his lover''s past life. To see him this way naturally hurt. "It wasn''t just you. And Qiu Ling knows that as well. There were ¡­ circ.u.mstances. And I make mistakes as well. There is no denying that."


    Chun Yin shook his head. "Even if you''ve made mistakes, I''m afraid it can''t be compared to the ones that I made. At the end of the day, it was my decisions that led to this outcome. You don''t have to try and take some of the responsibility. In any case, it can''t be changed anymore. Just let me bear it."


    Jinde shook his head. "What is that going to accomplish? Aren''t you just going to burden my current husband with that? It''s the truth. While your decision might''ve been what finally decided the outcome, I would''ve had chances in-between. If I spoke with you, if I wasn''t scared of being rejected, if I made my feelings completely clear instead of just hinting and hinting, maybe things would have been different."


    Chun Yin shook his head. "I doubt that would''ve been the case. There was another person in my ear telling me that it was wrong. I guess if we want to blame someone, we should blame our Master." He shook his head again. "To be honest, no matter how I think about it, I still don''t understand it. He shouldn''t have had a reason. We were ¡­ very close. And clearly, we were quite compatible as well. You being more gifted with your magic and refinement, I being better at fighting, we would''ve made a great team. I really can''t see a reason as for why he wouldn''t have wanted that to happen."


    Jinde sighed. "Well, we will never find out. While we have the chance to speak about it, Master has also long been dead. It seems that the answers I wanted ¡­ can''t be had after all." He sighed and then shook his head. "Well, whatever. What I wanted to know, you''ve told me now. What about you? You''ve asked about Qiu Ling. Do you want to know more about him?"


    Chun Yin gave Jinde a look. To be honest, there were many things that he wanted to know. It might not change anything anymore and in a few hours, everything might be over anyway but he just wanted to give it a try. "To be honest, since there are some hours left, I would like to go and see him later on. I don''t know if you''d mind."


    Jinde shook his head. "Why would I mind that? He is your son. Since you''re back for a short while, you should definitely spend some time with him. If he found out that you were here but hadn''t, I''m afraid he would feel betrayed."


    Chun Yin nodded. "I definitely owe him that much. Also ¡­ I do want to see how he has turned out. It''s a pity I won''t be able to meet his lover."


    Jinde couldn''t help but feel for him. Yes, there was no way to really catch up whether that was with him or with Qiu Ling. A few hours were just too short. There were too many things that he would miss out on. Even though he could go and see Qiu Ling at least, with the trial going on, there was no way to see his actual partner. Not even Jinde had met him so far. At most, they could meet the child that he had reincarnated into for the time being. Whether that would be a good thing or not ¡­ it was hard to say.


    "Well, do you want to go over immediately?" He could imagine that Chun Yin was looking forward to seeing his son. While meeting him was probably good, his child was probably the one he felt even more sorry toward. It wouldn''t be a wonder if he wanted some more time to make up for that.


    Chun Yin shook his head though. "There are a few hours left. I ¡­ I know there isn''t much time overall. I would like to spend a bit more time with just the two of us. If that''s alright I mean."


    Jinde nodded. "Of course." Even though he had some grievances, he also wasn''t the type of person that would refuse a dying man''s wishes. Especially not if that man happened to be his first love. If he could, he wanted Chun Yin to die without regret. Since he was unable to give him that, he would at least try to reduce the number of things that he regretted.


    The two of them looked at each other, being able to see the other''s thoughts plainly in their eyes.


    Chun Yin smiled faintly. "It must''ve been a long time but you actually hardly changed. I can''t say I''m not surprised."


    Jinde shook his head. "No, I have changed quite a lot. It is just that I''m still the same person. After knowing each other that well, I guess there isn''t much that could surprise us."


    Chun Yin nodded. "I guess that is true as well. Well, it''s not a bad thing. I guess if you keep on living, you will have to change sooner or later. Even if it isn''t by much, there''s still a few things that can''t stay the same."


    Jinde looked away, not quite sure what to say to that. These words just reminded him of the fact that Chun Yin naturally hadn''t changed because he hadn''t been in this world for all this time. It was an ugly reminder of the fact that he had long been dead.


    Chun Yin lightly shook his head. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have said that. You ¡­ Would you mind if I hug you?"


    When Jinde looked up, his gaze was a little pleading. For a moment, Jinde didn''t know what to do but finally, he got up and walked over, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to him.


    They looked at each other and Chun Yin finally reached out, pulling him into his arms, embracing him tightly.

 Chapter 1208 - A Secret Taken to the Grave

    Chun Yin held onto Jinde, even tightening his grasp on him. He reached up, his fingers grabbing onto the thick golden hair. He took a deep breath, tears gathering in his eyes. He would never tell Jinde but the last few years of his life had been miserable. He had missed him. He had missed him more than words could say. If he got the chance to do a once-over, he would take it in a heartbeat.


    This person ¡­ he loved him more than anything. Unfortunately, he couldn''t change anything. He had to make his peace with the fact that it was already over. This wasn''t a second chance for him, it was only a chance to say his goodbyes. A chance for a last farewell, for making up for a few of the things that he had put him through.


    He knew he couldn''t ask for more but, of course, he gladly would have taken some more time. He longed to finally be Jinde''s lover for once. The person at his side. It was a pity that he would never have that chance.


    He continued to hold onto Jinde, thinking back to all the times he had hugged him like this in the past.


    Jinde was a little stiff at first but finally hugged him back, closing his eyes. He didn''t know what to say at this moment. Once again, he felt deeply that this was actually his husband''s body and that only Chun Yin''s soul had currently taken over. Hugging him ¡­ didn''t give him the sense of actually holding Chun Yin. Instead, it made him think of his current husband instead. To him, even though Chun Yin was actually right in front of him, he was only someone from his past.


    He reached up, wrapping one arm around his neck, and secretly wiped his eyes.


    Chun Yin couldn''t help but chuckle. "You know, you can still cry after I''m gone."


    "And make my husband worry for me? I''d rather he not see this."


    Chun Yin interlaced his fingers behind Jinde''s back and smiled. "I wonder if I would have gotten the same consideration."


    Jinde smiled. "I don''t think so. In any case, what other lover would you be worried about? There was no one. Never."


    Chun Yin lightly tilted his head but only saw those waves of golden hair. Combing through them, he smiled to himself. "Are you sure about that? You know, you can tell that new husband of yours a lot. He isn''t of the immortal races, he doesn''t know that much yet. It''s not strange that there are some things that he wouldn''t be able to understand. Just getting back a few of his memories ¡­ I think I actually see a bit more than he does."


    Jinde stiffened and then leaned back. "You ¡­"


    Chun Yin looked at him, still smiling faintly. "He would be able to figure it out if he regained my memories anyway. Just tell me if I''m right."


    Jinde stared at him, not quite sure how to react. He knew that there was one lie he had been telling Leng Jin Yu all along. But he had hoped that he would be able to keep it a secret forever. But now it seemed that when he had made the decision that he wanted the answers to the questions that had been bothering him, he had finally made the truth come to light.


    He hesitated, still not sure what to do. But looking at him, Chun Yin''s gaze was quite open. He wasn''t judging him for what he had done. He just wanted to know the truth. In the end, Jinde sighed. "It is exactly how you think it was."


    Chun Yin nodded. "Well, it''s not like there would have been that many more explanations.


    Jinde slightly furrowed his brows at that. "What made you realize?"


    Chun Yin kept quiet, his gaze pensive. In fact, there were many things that had contributed to this. But one of the major ones was the one secret that he wanted to take to the grave. Naturally, he would not tell Jinde. "Well, the things you have told your husband ¡­ I guess there were a few loopholes in them. Further than that, aren''t there traces all over your body?" He reached out, tugging at Jinde''s robe where the fabric was hiding the black scars on his skin. "I do understand that the soul-devouring dagger is not what left those. As long as you are of the immortal races and from our generation, it doesn''t take a genius to figure that out."


    Jinde furrowed his brows. "So finally, I give myself away. Seems like there will be an argument incoming. I really shouldn''t have insisted on making him rediscover his memories."


    Chun Yin gave a hum, looking into those golden eyes. The memory of them had kept him awake countless nights since he had left the dragon realm''s capital city back then. He reached up and cupped Jinde''s cheek, caressing his skin with his thumb. "I guess that no matter how many arguments there are, he would never leave you. Especially not after regaining the memories from my life. He would have to be an even bigger idiot than me to do so."


    Jinde couldn''t help but smile at that. "I guess I''m safe then. Leng Jin Yu is actually really smart in comparison."


    Chun Yin loved and pulled him back into his arms, giving him another tight hug before he closed his eyes and forced himself to get up.

 Chapter 1209 - An Eerie Similarity

    "I will go and see Qiu Ling." He barely managed to get those words out. Looking at Jinde and knowing that his time was running out and that this was really the last time he would see him, he had a hard time moving his body. But he knew he had to go and see that son of his a last time as well. Otherwise, he would once again die with regrets.


    Jinde looked up and then stood up as well. He cupped Chun Yin''s cheeks and then leaned forward, giving him a kiss. "Farewell. I ¡­ I will not forget you. Never. I promise you that."


    Chun Yin pulled him into his arms again and then abruptly let go, turning on his heels and striding out of the room. He knew he couldn''t look at him for even a second longer or his resolve would crumble. He would''ve liked to be with him up until the last moment but he knew that he couldn''t. He had t do this. And he knew that he also wanted to. That son of his ¡­ He had made him suffer more than enough.


    Following the memory of Leng Jin Yu, he flew over to the bamboo house in the inner sect of the Yun Zou Sect. Looking at it from outside, he actually calmed down. That was where his son was currently living with the person he chose to spend his life with. Contrary to him, his son had not made the same mistakes. He had found the person he loved and had held onto him. Even though they weren''t officially married yet, he knew that it was only a question of time. Qiu Ling had managed to make out of his life what he would''ve loved to do for his own.


    Chun Yin unwittingly smiled when thinking of that.


    This son of his ¡­ he was proud of him. He actually felt sorry that he was not able to meet him in his own body. More so toward Qiu Ling than he had been toward Jinde. His lover might not mind since this new person was still his. As for his son, he probably had different thoughts about this matter. He felt that Qiu Ling really would''ve liked being able to look into his actual father''s eyes once more. Unfortunately, he couldn''t give him that.


    Chun Yin smiled wryly and then opened Leng Jin Yu''s spatial ring, taking out the sword that Jinde had given him.


    Originally, this had been a pair. He had forged them as two parts of a whole and as a sign of their special bond when they had been young. That had been shortly before Jinde even came of age.


    At that time, everything had still been alright between them. The swords had been supposed to be a promise of the future that would lie ahead of them. Now, the promise already had not been kept. One sword had been left behind for his son and the other had been kept by his lover and finally given to his reincarnation.


    This had not been his intention back then. But now, he actually felt that it was quite fitting. Even after he stopped existing in this world, this pair of swords would be with the two most important people in his life.


    He took a deep breath and then went over to the door to the bamboo hut, knocking.


    It was already late at night. At this moment, Jing Yi was still inside, cultivating so he would be able to ascend as soon as possible while Qiu Ling was accompanying him, feeling a little bored.


    Hearing the sound from the door, he sighed and then got up. "I''ll see who it is. I''ll be back in a bit." He went over and opened but before he could say anything, Chun Yin motioned over his shoulder.


    "Let''s have a fight."


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows, not quite sure what was up with that. That certainly wasn''t Leng Jin Yu''s usual behavior. Other than that, he also remembered how badly he had managed to beat Leng Jin Yu back then when he had thought that this guy had tried to take his lover from him. He really didn''t know why this person wanted to be beaten up once again.


    Still, since things inside were quite boring right now and this was his father''s reincarnation after all, he followed him over to a spot a little further away that gave them enough room to fight without bothering anyone else.


    He took out his sword without waiting for the other person to say anything and then gave him a look. "Don''t complain if I beat you too badly."


    Chun Yin smiled at that. At the very least, his son''s self-esteem wasn''t low. Well, if he was afraid of losing to an ascended deity, he really wouldn''t have raised him right. He didn''t say anything and then just attacked.


    Qiu Ling didn''t need long to figure out that something was wrong. Never mind that the other person''s strength seemed to have gone up a bit, his style was also different.


    The longer he fought, the stranger he felt though. While the style might be different from Leng Jin Yu''s previous tries of dodging and evading his attacks, it absolutely wasn''t a style that he was unfamiliar with. Instead, the sense of familiarity that he got from this was eerie. It was very similar to his own fighting style and there was an uncanny resemblance to the one he had originally learned from.


    The smile that had originally been on his lips faded away and he finally stepped back, just staring at the other person scrutinizingly.

 Chapter 1210 - Not Up to Par

    Chun Yin lowered his sword and looked at Qiu Ling as well. Before this, he hadn''t been able to take a good look at him. Now, that they were finally just standing opposite each other, he actually felt a bit nostalgic.


    When he died, Qiu Ling hadn''t yet come of age. He could at most have been called a youth. Now, he had not only become an a.d.u.l.t but even lived for tens of thousands of years. Even though this was obviously still his child, he wasn''t a child anymore. It was a bit hard to accept.


    The other thing he noticed was that Qiu Ling actually resembled him quite a lot. There were a few parts where he was closer in appearance to Biao Han but overall, it was more than obvious that this was his son. He had already expected this when Qiu Ling grew up but it was still nice to be able to see how he had turned out.


    Chun Yin finally smiled faintly. "You''ve grown up."


    Qiu Ling just continued to stare at him. Who knew what was going through his head? In any case, he kept silent.


    Chun Yin didn''t quite know how to continue. He had had the same problem with Jinde but it seemed a hundred times worse when it came to Qiu Ling. Yes, he had let Jinde down. But he had let his son down even more.


    When he was alive, he hadn''t been a good father. He had been too strict, not available enough, and maybe deep down, he had even resented him a bit because he subconsciously thought that if not for him, he might''ve been with Jinde. Sure, he had loved his son but he really hadn''t treated him well enough.


    He knew that he should probably tell him all of this but he didn''t know where to begin. He would''ve liked to apologize but he also would''ve liked to ask about his life right now. He wanted to hear from his own lips that he was doing well, that despite everything, he had managed to turn things around and create the life he wanted for himself. This was his greatest wish.


    Qiu Ling finally reacted after a long time. He furrowed his brows, looked from Leng Jin Yu''s face to the sword in his hand, and then to the one he himself was holding. Finally, he jumped off the ground, rushed at him, and once again waved his sword.


    Chun Yin was dumbfounded. To be honest, he really hadn''t expected that reaction. While it was true that he knew that he had quite a few shortcomings as a father, he wouldn''t have thought that his son would be so angry at him that he would attack him after getting over the initial shock. He couldn''t blame him though. He probably deserved this treatment.


    He parried Qiu Ling''s strikes, dodging a few of his attacks but didn''t really fight back. In any case, this was his own son. How could he do something like that? It was still alright to test him but he really didn''t want to do anything more than that.


    Qiu Ling finally stepped back, waving his sword a last time before he sheathed it and put it away. "You''re just so-so, old man."


    Chun Yin stared at him in a daze, not quite sure what to make of this. Was that really the only thing his son wanted to tell him? That his skills weren''t up to par? He actually felt a little incredulous when he thought about it.


    He tried to say something for a few times but finally just sheathed his sword as well and put it into Leng Jin Yu''s spatial ring again. "It''s all because this isn''t my actual body."


    Qiu Ling hooked up the corners of his mouth. "Being a sore loser, are we? I actually feel like you did better than the last few times before you died back then. I''m not a child anymore. There''s no need to try to hoodwink me."


    Chun Yin''s expression became a little subtle but he finally nodded. "Well, maybe that''s true." He went over and put a hand on his shoulder, looking at his face. "I don''t have much time. Actually, I just came to hear how you''re doing. We have to say farewell again soon."


    Qiu Ling nodded slowly. He couldn''t say that he hadn''t expected this. He didn''t know how this had happened but he didn''t think that Jinde would allow his father to just come back after he had already married his reincarnation. Also, how could that kind of thing happen? It would be a little too nice to be true. "How long?"


    Chun Yin gave a hum and looked up at the sky. "Until dawn, maybe."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "The old geezer ¡­"


    Chun Yin''s brows twitched. "You do realize he has a name, right?"


    "I guess he would say the same." But in any case, he never cared for that. He knew that it might be a bit petty but he just felt that if he started treating Jinde any differently, it would change something that he wasn''t sure he was ready to change. "Well, have you gone to see him?"


    Chun Yin nodded. "He was there when it happened."


    Qiu Ling nodded as if he hadn''t expected anything else. "Well, are you sure you want to be here then? There''s not much time left, you should probably spend it with him."


    Chun Yin stared at him, feeling even more guilty than before. Yes, all his life, he had probably given Qiu Ling the impression that he was less important. He had really done an awesome job as his father, hadn''t he?


    He sighed and then went a few steps, sitting down on the grass and looking up at the sky. "I already spent some time with him. Now, if you don''t mind, I would like to spend time with some time with my son. Is that asking too much?"


    Qiu Ling hesitated for a moment but then walked over. "I guess I''m not going to complain. In any case, it''s your decision." He couldn''t deny that inwardly, he felt a bit happy though. He actually wouldn''t have expected that his father would make this kind of decision if he ever got the chance. It was nice to see that had been wrong.

 Chapter 1211 - It’s in The Past

    Qiu Ling went over and sat down next to him, giving him a long look. It was a bit strange to know that this person was currently his father even though he didn''t look like him at all. Still, he''d take what he could get.


    "So ¡­" Chun Yin turned to look at him as well, wondering what he should start with. He didn''t know much about Qiu Ling''s life right now. The things that he had experienced in these years, the things that were important to him ¡­ it was hard to say what they were. There was only one thing that he knew for sure. "I heard that you seduced the Son of Heaven."


    Qiu Ling continued to gaze at him, staying serious for once. "After all these years, that is the kind of thing you want to start with?"


    Chun Yin could only smile awkwardly. "I had hoped that if I start with something nice, you would be a bit more open to talking with me. In any case, I hope you''re doing well."


    Qiu Ling continued to look at him for a moment but then blinked his eyes before he turned away. "I guess you could say that. It''s ¡­ not always been easy. I had a hard time in the beginning. But it''s better now. Hey, did you know that your son actually managed to snatch the throne that you couldn''t get?"


    Chun Yin''s gaze softened when he heard that. Who knew that there would be a day when Qiu Ling would say such a thing? He probably couldn''t get any closer to asking for acknowledgment. "You did very well."


    "Really? You don''t even know how I am governing. Maybe I''m doing a bad job at it."


    Chun Yin shook his head. "I guess there is a certain chance that that is true. But maybe I''m biased but I don''t believe it. I''m sure that my son must be pretty awesome. He''ll probably be doing better than Jinde ever did."


    Qiu Ling turned to him, raising his brows. "Are you trying to flatter me?"


    Chun Yin reached out and nudged Qiu Ling''s head. "Child, your father has been dead for so many years. Is there really still a need to flatter you? I honestly think that you will probably be doing a good job. Of course, I can''t say for sure but I believe in you.


    "You ¡­ had a hard time growing up. I''m sorry about that. I know it''s been mostly my fault. But I guess in a way, it will have made you grow. I don''t doubt that you''ve become a man that is able to lead our realm. Our homeland ¡­ is certainly in good hands with you. That is what I believe."


    Qiu Ling didn''t say anything for a moment but his expression looked a bit better. Finally, he shook his head. "To be honest, it wasn''t your fault."


    Chun Yin raised his brows. "You know, you don''t have to try to appease me. I''ve been dead for a long time. It''s alright to be honest."


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "No, I really believe that. I mean ¡­ you were kind of dumb to turn down Jinde for her but I can''t fault you for that. You tried your best. And even though Jinde is clearly better at raising children than you are, you really tried your best with that as well.


    "While you were alive, I wasn''t really in a bad place. If not for what she did ¡­" He shook his head. Yes, even though he would''ve preferred it if they had stayed in the capital city where he actually knew people and where he wasn''t alone, it still would''ve been alright. The only problem was that, in the end, even the bit of peace that he had had just spending time with his family had been taken away when his mother killed his father.


    Chun Yin reached out and patted his shoulder. "In any case, I''m glad you got away back then. I was really worried at that moment. I knew I wouldn''t be able to hold on. If she tried to kill you, I couldn''t have protected you."


    Qiu Ling tilted his head. "Wasn''t that why you wanted me to kill her?"


    Chun Yin furrowed his brows and also tilted his head to the side. "What are you talking about? I never wanted you to kill her."


    The two of them stared at each other and the silence stretched on. Finally, Qiu Ling couldn''t help but verify. "You did not want me to kill her?"


    Chun Yin shook his head. "She was your mother. How could I have expected you to do that? I just wanted you to run away because I wasn''t sure what her intentions were. Killing me ¡­ it was one thing. But you were my son. I wasn''t quite sure if ¡­" If she would want to kill you as well. He couldn''t bring himself to say that but even though the words were left unspoken, Qiu Ling understood all too well what he meant.


    "I thought you did. You looked at me so instantly. I couldn''t think of anything else. Also, you mouthed the word ''demon'' to me. Wasn''t that meant to say that she was an enemy?"


    "Well ¡­ it was. That was so you''d know that he couldn''t trust her any longer. I''m sorry for that too. That kind of thing ¡­" He shook his head. "You shouldn''t have needed to do that. I really failed you that day. In more than one regard."


    Qiu Ling gave a hum, feeling that he probably couldn''t deny that part. "Well, that''s long in the past. She''s dead. You ¡­ well, you''re dead too. But I''m still alive."


    Chun Yin nodded. "Yes, you''re still alive."

 Chapter 1212 - Was It Worth Something?

    Chun Yin looked at Qiu Ling, his mood complicated. This was his son. But just like with Jinde before, he didn''t really know what to say after the first few remarks. He would''ve liked to ask more about his life but he was afraid that there wasn''t enough time. In the end, he could only sigh. "Is there something you want to know?"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows at him, not quite sure what he meant. "About what?"


    Chun Yin shrugged his shoulders. "Anything. The time back then, my family, whatever else you want to know. There isn''t much time but I''ll try to answer whatever I can."


    Qiu Ling put on a pensive expression but finally shook his head. "I think I have actually understood more or less what happened back then. Now that I''m with Jing He, I think I can also understand a lot. As for your family ¡­ I admit I would''ve been curious back then but it doesn''t matter, does it? I''m pretty sure everyone is already dead. I am the only one that is still alive."


    Chun Yin stared at him but finally couldn''t help but nod. "That''s true. I''m pretty sure my family would have loved being able to meet you. You were exactly the type of child that my mothers liked."


    Qiu Ling scoffed at that. "You know, you could be telling me anything. It''s not like I can go and verify it. In any case, it''s alright. Even if you feel regretful, you don''t have to try and make it up to me. I''m not a child anymore.


    "Back then, I probably would''ve given a lot to hear this kind of thing. Especially in the time immediately after your death. It would have given me a lot. But now ¡­ everything has changed already. I''m not that youth anymore that is hiding away or traveling around aimlessly to evade others and find some place where I belong.


    "I am the dragon king. I have a lover now and a place I can call my own. Not everything is great even with that but I''m not the same anymore. And I think especially after the ten years that I spent with Jing He, I really am different. Jing He''s trial is actually helping as well. Nothing you are able to say to me in a few hours will change more than that has."


    Chun Yin could only smile wryly. "I guess there''s nothing I can do as a father."


    Qiu Ling stared at him, feeling that while Chun Yin definitely wanted to help him, this was at least in part also about helping himself. He had probably died with a lot of regrets. Now, he wished to make up for that. Giving him the opportunity to do so would probably help him to make this second passing easier for him.


    Pondering for a moment, Qiu Ling felt a sense of determination. While he had to admit that his favorite parent probably had been the one who wasn''t actually related to him, namely Jinde, his relationship with his father hadn''t been that bad. In fact, even in the time after they left the capital city, he knew that his father had always tried hard.


    It hadn''t always been easy for him and he definitely f.u.c.k.i.e.d up a lot but he had tried his best and Qiu Ling had noticed that. He really wanted to make this easier for him. "Since there is limited time, I''d rather ask your advice on some things if you wouldn''t mind."


    Chun Yin raised his brows, looking at him with some surprise. "My advice?" He certainly hadn''t expected this. Was his advice worth anything? "Well, what is it about? I''ll try my best." He couldn''t help but feel a little hopeful that he would be able to actually answer Qiu Ling''s questions.


    Qiu Ling pondered, thinking that maybe he should bring up the thing with Jing He. In the end, he shelved that for later though. In any case, right now, there wasn''t much that he could do about that. And there was another issue that he had been thinking about. An issue that had more to do with his father as well. "Well, you know about me being the dragon king. You can probably imagine that it is a little awkward when I think of my mother''s heritage. So I was wondering what your thoughts were on that?"


    Chun Yin''s expression immediately turned grave. "See that''s what you meant. It really isn''t easy. I think you don''t have to be worried in general. It''s not like you are a full-blooded demon. That would indeed be a problem. You can''t even be counted as a half-demon. It''s at most a quarter of your blood that is from their race. In fact, I don''t know who exactly your mother''s parents were so it could be even less than that."


    Qiu Ling slightly frowned but still nodded his head. "That''s good but ¡­ I''m afraid it''s still obvious. You can''t see it clearly when I''m like this but when I take on my other form, there are markings on my scales and claws and my eyes are different as well. It''s nothing that it could just be overlooked."


    Chun Yin nodded. Back when he died, Qiu Ling hadn''t been old enough to be able to really take on his other form yet. So he had never seen it. If he had, he probably wouldn''t even have died in the first place since that would have been a dead giveaway that something was wrong with his wife. After all, it definitely wasn''t his blood that had made Qiu Ling like this.


    Come to think of it, that might be the reason why Biao Han had done what she did at that time. She was probably worried that when Qiu Ling was finally able to take on that form, her plot would come to light. And then, she wouldn''t have been able to take his life. Even though he had that thought, Chun Yin hurriedly buried it at the bottom of his heart. He would never say that. And definitely not in front of Qiu Ling. Instead, he focused on the problem his son had right now.


    "I''m not a scholar. My knowledge is really limited in regard to these things but I believe that some dragons do have these markings even without direct demon blood in their veins. This could be a different explanation to use if you are accused. With both me and your mother dead, there is really nobody who can prove the difference.


    "If you''re really worried, I would urge you to look it up. Or have somebody that you trust look it up in your stead. Maybe one of your advisers would be able to do it?" He hadn''t remembered much yet so he didn''t know if there was someone like that at Qiu Ling''s side. He sure hoped so though.


    "Well, there is An Bai. He''s a scholar so maybe that would be a possibility."


    Chun Yin immediately nodded. "You should definitely make preparations for that. It doesn''t have to be immediately if you don''t feel up to it yet. But it is better to do it sooner rather than later. In case something happens, you want to be prepared to know what to say. Although ¡­ after reigning for a long time, maybe they wouldn''t even care."

 Chapter 1213 - Tian’s Curse Is Blind

    Qiu Ling gave him a doubtful look at that. "Our races hate each other."


    Chun Yin nodded. "They do. But it is also true that they were once one and the same race. Before there were dragons and demons, there was only one race. To have a bit of the blood of the other one isn''t necessarily a bad thing. And with the Son of Heaven, you''ve already found the love of your life. That is the best proof that you are indeed a dragon." His expression turned a little careful when he said so. "Say ¡­ have you bound your soul to him already?"


    Qiu Ling nodded without hesitation. "I did. I knew that he was the person I wanted to spend my life with. I didn''t think there was any problem in doing it."


    Chun Yin nodded but he felt a little worried. "He is of the god race though. I hope that this will turn out well. You don''t think he would leave you, do you?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "You know ¡­ Jing He actually used the soul-engraving dagger to make sure of that. It''s basically just as if I was together with another dragon who bound his soul." He furrowed his brows when he thought of it, once again feeling bad at the thought that maybe Jing He had really suffered for that. He didn''t want that for him. His beloved should never have to feel pain. "I never would''ve expected him to do that either. I guess he must love me even more than I realized."


    Chun Yin smiled at that. "No, it''s a good thing. Even if you originally think nothing would happen, I think it''s good that he did it. This way, the two of you will really always be joined together. No matter what happens in the future, you will be able to keep being together. Just always think of that when you encounter hardsh.i.p.s. With a partner like this, there is nothing you can''t solve."


    Qiu Ling looked at him, the question of why things hadn''t worked out with Chun Yin and Jinde then at the tip of his tongue. Finally, he swallowed it though. There was still a hint of resentment when thinking of the time back then. He knew it was irrational but it just happened from time to time. It probably wasn''t that strange either considering that it had really f.u.c.k.i.e.d him over. But in any case, his father also didn''t deserve to be asked that kind of question that he couldn''t answer.


    "I think you''re right. Jing He and I ¡­ we are made for each other. From the moment I saw him, I guess I already realized this even if it wasn''t a conscious thought. There are a lot of similarities." He fell silent, but there was a faint smile on his lips when he thought of Jing He.


    Chun Yin shook his head, smiling as well. "Well, looks like my son is all grown up now. He''s actually smitten to this degree. I wonder if I looked just as stupid when I was your age."


    Qiu Ling glared at him. "Who''s looking stupid? The kind of wonderful love that Jing He and I have, you can''t even begin to imagine."


    "Yes, yes, yes. Your father definitely can''t."


    Qiu Ling shook his head at him, feeling a bit of the frustration that his advisers probably always felt around him. Was he also this annoying? He hurriedly pushed the thought away as soon as it came up and turned serious again. "Speaking of Jing He though ¡­ You do know that he''s on his trial right now?"


    Chun Yin nodded. "Jinde mentioned as much when I asked him about you."


    "Well, then I guess I don''t have to explain much. You see, this has gotten a bit complicated. Originally, his reincarnation wasn''t supposed to find out about this. But he has. And now he''s jealous of Jing He and I''m not sure how Jing He will take it when he wakes up and remembers that I treated his reincarnation like this."


    Chun Yin raised his brows, actually not quite understanding what was going on. "Why''s that? Are you treating his reincarnation badly?" That really didn''t sound like a good idea.


    Qiu Ling frowned at his father in response. "Where did you get that idea?"


    "Was that not what you meant?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "Of course not! That is my beloved''s reincarnation. I naturally wouldn''t treat him badly. Instead, you could probably say that I treat him too well. We are also a couple but now that puts me in the situation where I don''t know who to put first. His reincarnation is a cultivator so when he ascends, my true lover will not be able to wake up. For that to happen, his reincarnation would have to die. So now, I don''t know what to do."


    Chun Yin stared at him, feeling that his son really had it rough. "Well ¡­ I guess there''s no easy way to deal with this."


    Qiu Ling gave him an unhappy look. "Tell me something new."


    Chun Yin pondered, trying to find the solution. It really wasn''t easy considering that he only had this bare-bones explanation of what was going on. He didn''t know the ins and outs of the whole story. "Well, I can see your dilemma. I think that you should put your actual lover first though."


    Qiu Ling gave him an uncertain look. "What makes you think so?"


    "I think it''s already obvious from the way you told me who they are. Your true lover and his reincarnation. The latter only exists in comparison with the former while the former one is the one you are really obligated to. The one you bound your soul to. Even if his reincarnation is currently carrying it, it will return to the original body soon or later."


    "But I can''t just kill him, can I? I won''t be able to bring myself to do that. I love him."


    Chun Yin shook his head. "Of course you can''t. You are an idiot for even thinking of that! You have bound your soul to him. Whether it''s currently his reincarnation or not, there is no chance for you to even try to kill him. You wouldn''t be able to do it. In fact, if you tried, you might be hurting yourself. Tian''s curse is blind. There''s no consideration for what the circ.u.mstances are. If you kill the person that you are bound to, that will have consequences."

 Chapter 1214 - The Person You’ll Spend Your Life With

    Qiu Ling''s expression changed. Right. He hadn''t thought about this before but it was true. As somebody who had already bound his soul, he was unable to hurt his beloved without hurting himself. There was no difference between hurting Jing He in his actual body or in the one of his reincarnation since the soul was still the same. And the soul was what counted in the soul-binding of the dragons. So naturally, it was the same with Jing He.


    He furrowed his brows, trying to wrap his head around what this meant. In any case, he had originally promised Jing Yi to give him some more time. Until his ascension, until he had had time to see the dragon realm ¡­ All of that hadn''t happened yet. So for now, there was no reason to think about it. There was still the question of what would be after that. "Even if I can''t, it''s not like I can''t let somebody else do it. Sooner or later, I''m afraid it will have to happen."


    Chun Yin nodded. "Indeed. And at that moment, you need to be decisive. Look at it this way: If he dies, then that''s the end for him. But your true lover will just return. That is the person that you will actually spend eternity with. That is the person that will be at your side until the day you die. Don''t you want that to be the real him?"


    Qiu Ling lowered his head, trying to figure out what he actually thought about that.


    Yes, he had always imagined it to be Jing He. The moment he first saw him at the banquet of the Heavenly Emperor, there had been such thoughts. He had imagined their wedding, how they would live their everyday life together, how they would have a child, and maybe even some thoughts of how they would grow old together.


    While he had had a few thoughts like that regarding Jing Yi, it had always been fleeting. Maybe that was because he had met Jing He earlier, he didn''t know. Maybe it was also because deep down, he realized that Jing Yi was just one step on Jing He''s path. He had to be born so Jing He could continue to live, he had to die so that Jing He could come back to life. That really was the only reason for him to have been born anyway. It was cruel to him but it was a necessity for Jing He.


    Qiu Ling rubbed his face. "I suddenly understand why the gods are born without memories from their previous life in their trials. It''s probably not just so they take the trial seriously, this also makes a lot of trouble."


    Chun Yin nodded. "It certainly seems that way. But ¡­ I think that what you need to keep in mind is that he is the person that you love. And you need to do what is best for him in the long run. So if that means that you have to let his reincarnation go, then that is a sacrifice you need to be willing to make. Take it from somebody who lost the love of his life: There is nothing too difficult to do for the person that you want to spend your life with."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "I understand. You know, I wouldn''t have a problem if it was anybody else. I can choose between anyone and Jing He, even between my own life and his. I would always put him first. It''s difficult in this kind of case because I''m unable to see the two of them as different people. I mean they obviously are. Even though they share his soul, they are not the same person. So how am I supposed to deal with this? It''s really making me worried."


    Chun Yin reached over and put his arm around Qiu Ling''s shoulders. "I don''t know either of them. I don''t know the whole situation. I guess you could say that I don''t even know you. I can only tell you that looking back on my own life, the only regret that I put a burden on the two people I cared most about.


    "Whether that is Jinde or you, I never wanted to hurt either. So I know that you are in a difficult position. Because to you, your lover and his reincarnation are these two most important people. But in your situation, you have to choose. You can''t have both. Only one of them. And as hard as it is, you know what you have to do. You see, maybe you should talk with Jinde about this."


    Qiu Ling pursed his lips. "I already did but he just said something similar. He wasn''t really much more of help than you were. He basically also just told me that I need to decide."


    Chun Yin nodded. "He might have a different perspective on things after today. You know, as much as it hurts to admit it, I''m afraid he would prefer his current husband over me. I would like to say it''s different but it''s the truth. So I guess for a short moment, Jinde was in the same situation as you today. You should go and ask him about it. He might have some insight that will help you."


    Qiu Ling turned to look at him, his gaze complex. "That is the most father-like thing you''ve ever told me in my life."


    Chun Yin laughed and took his arm back. "Is that so? Well, I''m glad that it''s something like this. Maybe after today, you will look back and say that at least in one situation in your life, your father was a guiding light for you."


    Qiu Ling smiled faintly. "Don''t worry too much about it. To be honest, you have been one several times already. You might not have been there but I do remember the things that you taught me when I was young and I also remember how your own life played out. Even if I couldn''t turn to you for advice and ask about anything specific, thinking of you was something that guided me over the years."


    Chun Yin smiled faintly at that. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that. I hope that in the future, you''ll have somebody else to turn to though. That reincarnation of mine actually isn''t bad. And well, he has lived two lives. Now that he''ll remember mine as well, his advice will probably be more profound than mine. It''s probably nice to have him around."


    Qiu Ling nodded but inwardly, he couldn''t help but think that he would rather have had his real father around even if he wasn''t as knowledgeable. He didn''t say that though. After all, he didn''t want his father to die with regrets again.

 Chapter 1215 - He Didn’t Want to Give Up on This

    The two of them fell quiet. Chun Yin looked up to the sky that seemed to slowly turn brighter. It was still a bit of time until dawn that it wasn''t much anymore. It seemed that soon, he would have to say his goodbyes.


    He turned to look at Qiu Ling, smiling faintly. It was a pity he couldn''t stay here longer but he was still happy. It had been good to see these two again. In fact, he was ready to leave. It would''ve been great if he had had this opportunity of saying his farewell back then but being able to see how his child had grown up and to know for sure that his lover had found somebody who he would spend the rest of his life with was also something that he was happy about.


    At the very least, he knew that even so many years after his death, these two were doing well. They weren''t alone, they hadn''t gotten themselves into a bad situation. Despite the circ.u.mstances, things had turned out well. To be able to see this ¡­ he really was lucky. It might not change anything for him but he was still happy about it.


    He reached out and put his hand on Qiu Ling''s shoulder. "I''m afraid there isn''t much time left. Is there anything else that you want to know?"


    Qiu Ling looked at him, his expression turning a little difficult. Saying goodbye ¡­ he wasn''t sure if he was ready yet. He would''ve liked to spend some more time with his father. If he had known that this would happen, he could have prepared. Maybe then, he would be able to think of something beforehand. He would know exactly what to say at this moment, to ask all the questions he might want his father''s answers to. Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case. He could only try to come up with something now in the short-term so he wouldn''t miss this opportunity. If he failed to think of something, he could only regret it later.


    He pondered but failed to come up with anything. "Well ¡­ It''s not that easy. I guess there are a lot of things I would like your opinion on. But I guess there won''t be enough time for it."


    Chun Yin smiled. "I''m afraid it might have to be one last question."


    Qiu Ling nodded. Furrowing his brows, he finally asked the one question that he felt his father''s perspective on would be the most important. "If ¡­ Jing He and I go on to have a child, what is the best advice you can give me?"


    Chun Yin gazed at him for a moment and then leaned over, pulling Qiu Ling closer and into a hug. His voice sounded a little choked when he finally spoke out. "Make sure that you show them just how much you love them. There''s nothing more important than that."


    Qiu Ling lowered his head and hugged him back. He understood very well what his father wanted to say. Yes, this really was the most important to know for a child. "I promise I won''t forget."


    Chun Yin nodded and patted his back. Glancing at the horizon where the sky was indeed starting to turn bright, he sighed. "I guess our time''s up."


    Qiu Ling pulled back and then also looked toward the horizon. Right now, he really wished that he could stop time. He didn''t know what to say and could only turn back to his father, looking at him. Unfortunately, this still wasn''t his actual father, not like he remembered at least. Now, that really would have meant a lot to him. To see him like back then one more time, just once. Unfortunately, it was impossible.


    There was a faint sound coming from the side and the two of them turned around at the same time, Chun Yin raising his brows.


    "Jinde?"


    Jinde looked a little sheepish. "I didn''t want to interrupt the two of you. I just figured it might be time for you to leave. I hope that you wouldn''t mind if I saw you off."


    Chun Yin smiled, secretly happy. Even though he had lost this person and was about to lose him again, the fact that Jinde came to see him off showed that he still cared about him after all.


    He already wanted to answer but then turned to Qiu Ling. He had given half his time to Jinde and half his time to Qiu Ling. While he would''ve liked to have both of them around when he left, he felt that this was also something he should let Qiu Ling have a say in. After all, Jinde had been there when he came back. Maybe Qiu Ling would like to be the only one to be there and share the moment with him when he left.


    Qiu Ling looked from one person to the other and scoffed. "What are the two of you looking at me for? If you want to be there, why don''t you come over? Is it going to do you any good to continue to stand there?"


    Chun Yin''s brows twitched and he almost wanted to scold him but Jinde just smiled and indeed came over.


    "Thank you." He knew that this moment meant just as much to Qiu Ling as it meant to him. To be able to share it was really the best outcome.


    Chun Yin got to his feet and Qiu Ling finally followed him, looking from one person to the other. He wasn''t quite sure if he should really disturb them right now. If he imagined that this was Jing he and him, he would probably want to be alone with him. But even though he thought that, he couldn''t help but want to be a little selfish.


    He did not want to miss the last moment he would ever be able to have with his father. He just couldn''t bring himself to give up on this.

 Chapter 1216 - A Last Farewell

    Chun Yin wasn''t even thinking of making Qiu Ling leave. Instead, he reached out and took both their hands, looking at Qiu Ling and Jinde in turn, smiling faintly. "I''m happy that I was able to see you again. Being able to answer your questions, seeing that you''re doing well, this is really fulfilling the last wishes."


    Jinde and Qiu Ling nodded gravely, knowing that this really was goodbye.


    Chun Yin wasn''t quite sure how to continue from here. He sighed, trying to put his thoughts in order. "This will be the last time we are able to see each other. I hope that just like in the years since back then, you will go on living well. I wish I could be there for you but there''s nothing I can do." He glanced at Jinde when he said so, his gaze turning a little subtle. "What we spoke about before ¡­ I will keep it to myself. I will seal that memory off. That is the last thing I can do for you."


    Jinde''s eyes widened slightly. He had thought that this time, he really wouldn''t be able to get around telling Leng Jin Yu the whole truth but now it turned out that he still didn''t have to. He knew he probably shouldn''t entertain the thought but deep inside, he was still relieved. The mistakes of the past ¡­ he just couldn''t face them yet. "Thank you."


    Chun Yin nodded and then turned to Qiu Ling. "I don''t know if you would mind but I will do the same for you. That bit of time we had together ¡­ I want it to be just between the two of us. If you want to share it with somebody else, you can. If you don''t, it''s also alright. Don''t think too much. Maybe it''s just that I''m a little selfish."


    Qiu Ling smiled, feeling that this really showed that they were actually quite similar. If it was him, he would do the same thing. "It''s alright."


    Chun Yin nodded and then just continued to look at them. There was nothing left to say. At the very least, nothing that he would be able to finish in the short amount of time that he still had. It hadn''t been much, barely enough, but that couldn''t be changed. He could only be thankful for the little that he had gotten.


    "Farewell."


    He closed his eyes and his lips actually curved up into a faint smile. This time, his final death was actually shared with his two most important people. And the last thing he saw and heard before his life really ran out were precisely the two of them. Even though it hurt a bit to leave them behind, to be unable to share their future, he felt content. This was the best way to leave this world.


    Qiu Ling and Jinde looked at him. Qiu Ling squeezed his hand, wanting to hold onto him even for just a second longer. Unfortunately, it didn''t work like this. Looking at him for me for a few more seconds, he realized that his father was already gone and in his stead, the person he had been reincarnated to had returned.


    He let go of his hand and stepped back, finally turning away and leaving. He didn''t go back to the bamboo hut. He didn''t know where to go or what to do. He only knew that he felt at a loss.


    He had been young when his father died for the first time. And although he would outwardly complain about him all the time, that didn''t change the fact that he had missed him terribly.


    To have him back for just a short time was a blessing he never would''ve hoped for. But now, it was gone. This last chance ¡­ it had gone by just like this and it would never come back.


    He didn''t know if he had used it enough. That short amount of time, how could it be sufficient to ask everything he wanted to? How could it allow him to say everything he wanted to say? It just wasn''t possible. And was he was afraid that if he looked back in a few years, he would come to regret the things he hadn''t been able to speak about. And he really didn''t know what to do about it because by then, who would he complain to? The person was already gone.

 Chapter 1217 - I Thought I Would Lose You

    Back in the Yun Zou Sect, Jinde glanced in the direction Qiu Ling had left in but finally decided not to do anything. He could imagine that he was feeling all kinds of things and known of them should be happy. This child ¡­ he would have to suffer once again. There was nothing he could do about that.


    Instead, Jinde turned back and then just lunged forward, wrapping his arms around his husband''s shoulders, hugging him tightly. "Jin Yu."


    Leng Jin Yu''s eyelids fluttered and he finally opened his eyes, slowly raising his hands to hug Jinde back. That part of Chun Yin''s soul ¡­ it had already assimilated into his own. He had received those memories and it had indeed been as if he had lived that whole life. He couldn''t help but still feel a bit dizzy because of it. Especially when he remembered how, at the last moment, the soul reactivated and Chun Yin was given a few more hours to live.


    He never would''ve thought that something like this was possible. Thinking about it actually scared him. He had thought that in the worst case, he would not be able to deal with what he saw. Maybe he would become insecure because he saw just how close Jinde and Chun Yin had actually been. But instead, he realized that if the part Chun Yin had bound to Jinde''s soul before had been any bigger, then maybe, he actually would have ceased to exist and Chun Yin would have returned. It really was his luck that that hadn''t happened.


    He hugged Jinde tighter, trying to calm down his heart that was suddenly beating madly. "I thought I would lose you."


    Jinde grabbed his neck with his hands trembling slightly and pressed his cheek up against Leng Jin Yu''s, shaking his head. "You think I didn''t? You were suddenly gone. No matter what I expected before, it wasn''t this. Next time ¡­ Let''s never take such a risk again."


    Leng Jin Yu actually laughed. "Why? Are there any more souls bound to you? Or why do you think there''ll be a next time?"


    Jinde laughed as well, relief flooding his body. "No, silly, of course not. Just that no matter what happens in the future, if it puts your life at risk, let''s not do it. No answer is worth losing my husband over it."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and then pulled back, cupping Jinde''s cheeks. Looking into his eyes, he smiled faintly. "I''m back. Don''t worry. I''m really back. I won''t leave again no matter what."


    Jinde nodded and reached up, grabbing his wrist. "Thank you. I know ¡­ this wasn''t what you planned either. I was just too shocked at that moment. And you weren''t there so I couldn''t even turn to you for support."


    "I can imagine how hard that must have been. Anyway, you at least got your answers, didn''t you?" He wasn''t quite sure, to be honest. That meeting between Chun Yin and Jinde was actually a bit fuzzy in his memory. He very vividly remembered how the two of them had hugged and how Jinde''s voice had sounded a little choked when saying his farewell to him. However, the rest of the conversation ¡­ he was afraid that he was unable to remember it. It was the same with whatever had happened outside. He knew that he must''ve met Qiu Ling but not a single second of that had stayed in his mind.


    In any case, he didn''t try to pry. He couldn''t help but be a bit little bit annoyed though that despite taking the risk, he didn''t know anything about what had happened, and obviously, his previous life''s self was a bit of an asshole for clearly showing him just how much he meant to Jinde while not giving him anything of substance. On the other hand, he could also understand it. In any case, this really was Chun Yin''s private matter. He would respect that last wish.


    Jinde looked into his eyes, trying to figure out if Chun Yin had said the truth and Leng Jin Yu really wouldn''t remember that part. Seeing that he only seemed a little confused, it seemed that his past lover had actually done as he had said.


    He almost heaved a sigh of relief and then motioned in the direction of their dimension. "Let''s go home. I can tell you what I found out. It isn''t much though."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows but then just took Jinde''s hand and followed him over. There really was no need to talk about this while standing here outside. It was better to be home and slowly talk about it. After all, the subject was a sensitive matter and they would likely feel more comfortable in their old walls.


    He did have to say though when he returned to the room he couldn''t help but take a look at the place where the two of them had stood before and hugged. He smiled wryly and told himself that his soul''s predecessor had really done great work. Now, he was basically jealous of his dead self. Was there really a need to be like this?


    He shook his head at himself and then went to sit down at the table, reaching over to take Jinde''s hand. "You don''t have to talk about this but if you want to, I''m here."


    Jinde smiled and came over, sitting down on his lap. "I do want to talk about it. In any case, there isn''t much to say."

 Chapter 1218 - It Gave Me a New Perspective

    Leng Jin Yu patiently listened to what Jinde had to say, his expression a little blank. He had almost lost himself but the answers were actually this simple. In fact, all that Chun Yin had said basically boiled down to one point: ''I don''t know.''


    Leng Jin Yu rubbed his face and shook his head. "I probably shouldn''t even be surprised. I mean I remember what happened in his life. I can tell you that he really didn''t know why your Master did what he did. Still, thinking that we did all of this only for this to be the answer ¡­ I''m really sorry."


    Jinde shook his head and put his arms on his shoulders, giving him a smile. "You don''t have to be. In any case, it was on Chun Yin not on you if anything. And to be honest, after what he told me, I feel like it wasn''t his fault either.


    "Yes, he probably should''ve asked. But then again, our Master lied to me as well and I never had the guts to speak up about it. The two of us knew each other so well. We probably should have realized that we were being lied to. We should have known that there was no way that the person we spent so much time with and had gotten so close to would ever treat us like this.


    "But somehow, we both fell for it. Most likely, we were too insecure and too much in love to give it a second thought. Just the idea that if we spoke up, the person we held so dear would tell us that there was no way to ever be together, the idea that we would have our hearts broken ¡­ it scared us so much that we rather kept quiet and finally lost that love that way."


    Leng Jin Yu lightly furrowed his brows and sighed. "To be honest, I''m a little surprised. I know you said you grew up with him but I didn''t realize that you were so close. The two of you were practically glued together as kids."


    Jinde laughed. "What can I say? I fell in love early. I don''t know about Chun Yin but he definitely had a soft spot for me. He might''ve just seen me as a junior brother but he never would have just ignored me. Seeing the other kids bully me, he also couldn''t help but be compassionate."


    Leng Jin Yu''s gaze turned soft at that. Maybe it was because he also had Chun Yin''s memories now but when Jinde spoke about that time, he couldn''t help but feel a special sense of warmth. Yes, it had really been like this. Originally, Chun Yin hadn''t been in love with Jinde. But he had liked him a lot. And he had regarded him as family. It had only been later that things changed.


    "Actually, he fell in love with you when you were already a youth. I''m not that surprised by that if I''m honest. It was in the early autumn. You were training your sword arts in the palace''s courtyard where you lived. He was walking by to call you over and seeing you there, he just suddenly realized."


    This was precisely the scene he had originally remembered. When he came to the Yun Zou Sect, this place had been what he saw. He hadn''t been able to remember Jinde''s face or figure but it had been this very moment that had been etched so deeply into Chun Yin''s mind that it came back to him as soon as he got close to Jinde even after he reincarnated.


    "Maybe those feelings were there all along but it was only at that moment that he realized. Or maybe he actually fell in love just like that. A love at second sight if you so will."


    Jinde chuckled. "Actually, it might be that you should call it love at a millionth sight. Spending every day together ¡­ I can''t believe he needed that long."


    Leng Jin Yu shrugged his shoulders. "What am I to say? But I guess I can''t judge. When I saw you for the first time, I already fell for you. But then again, his soul was bound to you and my soul originated from it. So no matter what, I guess I had an advantage."


    Jinde leaned down and pecked his lips, his fingers slipping into Leng Jin Yu''s black hair. "Well, no matter whether you had an advantage or not, contrary to him, you didn''t blow the chance."


    "If I''m being honest, then that was also because you were adamant in not letting me go. Otherwise, I might have done many more things wrong." He reached up to take Jinde''s hand, playing with his fingers. "I remember how afraid I was when I met you. I didn''t want to give you the wrong impression. I wanted to take it slowly. To get to know you, to start our life together in an honorable way. Well, things worked out quite differently from what I had expected."


    Jinde gave a hum. "They did. Which reminds me that while we got married following the customs of my people, we never did following yours. Have you ever thought about changing that?"


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows, not quite sure where this came from. "Are you trying to make up for Chun Yin''s return? You don''t have to."


    Jinde''s golden eyes narrowed and he continued to brush through Leng Jin Yu''s hair. "And this is why I am able to immediately tell the difference between you and him. That''s such a you thing to say. You are able to actually figure it out so fast."


    He leaned back a little and sighed. "I do feel a bit guilty, yes. But I guess it is not just paying you back. I guess I just ¡­ also gained a new perspective on things after seeing him like this.


    "Before this, I thought of things only from my point of view. I thought a lot about our past. But I failed to recognize that you aren''t a dragon anymore. You''re human. Well, an ascended deity but you were originally human. There will be things that are important to you that I can''t understand. And while I wanted you to understand that this path was important to me, I didn''t bother to actually take your people''s customs into consideration."


    "Chun Yin hurt you deeply with what happened. You wanted to make up for it. And you did. I''m not angry about it either. But ¡­ I would love to marry you following the customs of my people as well, yes. If you want to, we could marry following the customs of all the people in the three thousand lower, middle, and upper realms. I wouldn''t complain."


    Jinde laughed, cupped his cheeks again, and leaned down, kissing him more deeply this time. "It doesn''t have to be quite as much. But yes, let''s have a second wedding."

 Chapter 1219 - A Bit Tone-Deaf

    Needless to say, with the prospect of getting married once more and having a second wedding night as well, Jinde was immediately motivated. He got to his feet and pulled his husband up as well, trying to drag him out of the room.


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows, not quite sure what this was about. "You ¡­ What are you trying to do?"


    Jinde turned back, looking just as confused. "What do you mean? Aren''t human customs really complicated? We''ll need a lot of help, right? We should go and tell everyone about it so it can be set up fast."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "Aren''t you hurrying a bit too much?"


    Jinde furrowed his brows and let go of his hand. "What are you talking about? Is there ever a moment when you can get married to your husband too early?"


    Leng Jin Yu''s smile got even more strained. "That''s not it. It''s just ¡­ for a human wedding, you will have guests. As for the ones we would likely invite, I guess there won''t be many. And ¡­ today probably isn''t a good moment to invite at least two of them."


    Jinde tilted his head but then his expression froze. "You mean because Qiu Ling will still be worked up over Chun Yin''s short reappearance and ¡­ Xin Lan was just dumped by his fiance." Right. He had almost forgotten about that.


    Leng Jin Yu nodded with that same wry smile still hanging on his lips. His memories were very unhelpfully conjuring up a few instances of Jinde and Xin Lan being ¡­ quite a bit too close for his past life''s liking. And he couldn''t deny that he also felt a bit uncomfortable. It really was a different thing to be told that there had been something between those two and actually experiencing it.


    Leng Jin Yu counted to ten in his head and then forcefully pushed the thought away. In any case, it didn''t matter. This was his husband and they even wanted to marry a second time. Why would he dwell on things from the past? Thus, he just got back to the topic at hand. "Yes, exactly that. It would be a bit ¡­ tone-deaf to tell them our happy news in this kind of situation. So I would suggest we take it at least a bit slower. I''m sure there are other things we can do in that time."


    Jinde smiled at that and wrapped his arms around Leng Jin Yu''s neck again. "Oh? What kind of things?"


    Leng Jin Yu chuckled and pecked his lips. "Oh, not much. But for one, we can start to think about what kind of wedding you''d like. There are many customs that can be incorporated and we also need to decide who to invite. We could start preparing these things. Also ¡­ I remember talking about having a child after I have my memories back. Well, they''re back. What about the child now?"


    Jinde had originally smiled when Leng Jin Yu brought up the customs and wanted to tease him further but as soon as the child was mentioned, that smile faded away.


    Leng Jin Yu immediately realized that something was wrong. He hugged Jinde to his chest, his expression turning into one of concern. "What''s the matter?"


    Jinde kept quiet for a moment but then forced himself to smile. "Ah, it''s ¡­" He fell quiet and bit his lip. Most likely, he should tell him but he also couldn''t bring himself to do so. Thus, in the end, he just shook his head. "It''s nothing."


    "It doesn''t look like nothing."


    Jinde looked up and then sighed. "You mentioning a child just reminded me of the past. It''s probably because Chun Yin just ¡­ Well, it brought back a lot of memories for me too."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded slowly. "Seems like now, I was the one who was tone-deaf. Today wasn''t easy for you either." Yes, even though Jinde was joking around and even a bit excited about their upcoming second wedding, it didn''t mean that this hadn''t hit him hard either. He had loved Chun Yin after all. And he had lost him. Twice now. Not to mention that he had probably also been reminded of how Chun Yin left him because of his child.


    "No, it''s me. I ¡­ I shouldn''t suddenly be down because of it. It''s been a long time and I''ve managed to find you and marry you. Isn''t that great? It''s not like with Qiu Ling. He will only ever have Chun Yin as his father. Even with you in the picture, it''s not the same."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes. I wonder what he''s doing ¡­"


    Jinde fell quiet, pondering for a moment. "Knowing him, he might want to be alone for a while. In any case, where else would he go? There aren''t many people who know about Chun Yin and even fewer that know about you as well. At most, there would be the God of War but I doubt Qiu Ling is close enough to talk to him about this matter. No, he doesn''t have another choice than to come to terms with this on his own."


    "What about Zhong Jing Yi though?" Leng Jin Yu hadn''t actually seen where Qiu Ling went since he had had a hard time getting out of the memories but he would have assumed that he would go to his lover for comfort. It seemed like the logical choice.


    Jinde shook his head though. "No, that boy''s situation hits a little too close right now. Because just like you aren''t his real father, that Jing Yi isn''t his true lover. So this ¡­ likely brings up quite a few insecurities of his."

 Chapter 1220 - If Only He Opened His Eyes

    Jinde knew Qiu Ling quite well. He indeed didn''t return to the bamboo hut or the Yun Zou Sect and even left the mortal realm after a while. He didn''t really know what to do but somehow, his steps just led him into the immortal realm and over to the Nine Heavens. He wasn''t about to go and try to have a talk with Qiang Yan but instead, he went to Jing He''s palace. He knew that there was no way for his beloved to speak with him but just being close to his actual body would probably calm him down. At the very least, that was what he told himself.


    Stepping into the palace, he gave Qiang Wei and Yi Zan a bland look but didn''t bother to speak up. He just passed by them and walked through the array and the traps that he had laid down and then sat down at the edge of Jing He''s bed, looking at his seemingly sleeping figure.


    The other two dragons exchanged a glance and then quietly left, standing outside the door to the garden.


    Qiang Wei couldn''t help but glance inside. "His Majesty didn''t look good at all. What do you think is the matter?"


    Yi Zan just sighed. "No matter what it is he likely wouldn''t tell us even if we asked. Let''s just wait here. Spending some time with His Highness will likely help the most."


    Qiang Wei hesitated for a bit but finally nodded. Right, they couldn''t do anything. It was just a pity that His Highness currently wasn''t awake to be able to really have a chat with their king. If he could, this would probably work much better. Unfortunately ¡­ it didn''t seem like His Highness would return any time soon.


    Back inside, Qiu Ling just quietly looked at Jing He. He had probably subconsciously hoped that he would feel better when he was here. Now that he was ¡­ he couldn''t quite put his feelings into words. On the one hand, seeing Jing He did indeed calm him down a bit. But on the other hand, there was also a feeling of guilt. When he promised Jing Yi that he would take him to the Nine Heavens and the dragon realm, hadn''t he decided against Jing He with that? Thinking about it now, he wasn''t sure anymore if it had been the right decision.


    He reached out and gently took Jing He''s hand. "I''m sorry. I feel like I am doing everything wrong when it comes to the people that are important to me. Not just you but with my father as well."


    He fell quiet for a moment and shook his head. "You don''t know but my father came back for a few short hours. He''s been dead for so long, sometimes, I wasn''t even sure if I still remember him the right way. Maybe he was completely different from what I think? Maybe what is in my mind can''t even be trusted? I really didn''t know anymore. That kind of thought ¡­ it is unbearable. But what can I do? I can''t turn back time, I can''t bring him back. I can only try to remember as well as possible. There will be no guarantee. And today ¡­ I guess I remembered after all. I guess it was a little unexpected."


    He leaned down, his forehead finally touching the back of Jing He''s hand. "I wish you could have been there. It would''ve been so nice if you were able to meet him at least once. He''d probably like you a lot. I''m not quite sure what you would''ve thought of him though. My father ¡­ he was a little rough around the edges. Maybe he wouldn''t be refined enough for you. Then again, I think he was a bit of a charmer when he was alive. And maybe you already would''ve liked him just for the fact that without him, there wouldn''t be me." He fell silent again, not quite sure how to continue. The opportunity was already gone. The two of them hadn''t been able to meet. Now, they never would. It really was a pity.


    Qiu Ling sighed and then raised his head again, looking at Jing He''s face. "When he left again, I had no idea what to do. Then I came here. I guess this does tell me quite a bit. Jing He, I can''t live without you. But I''m still so worried. I just don''t know what to do. If only you could give me some kind of sign."


    He continued to look at his face, trying to see something from it but, of course, there was nothing there. It had already been several years since Jing He''s soul left his body for the trial. Now, there really was no chance that anything would change here. His beloved couldn''t let him know whatever it was that he thought of this. He would have to wait until his soul returned for that.


    Qiu Ling reached out, the thought that maybe it would be best to end it right now going through his mind. Maybe if he had somebody else go and make sure that Jing He could return immediately, this whole problem would be solved. Since he was here, he could pretend that he didn''t know. He would likely feel guilty about it forever but after Jing He returned, he could take that. At the very least, he wouldn''t have let him down. His true lover.


    Just when his fingers were about to touch his skin, a row of sharp teeth embedded itself into his finger. Qiu Ling raised his brows and then lifted his hand, staring at the thing that was hanging onto it.


    "Oh. I completely forgot about you." He grabbed the spiritual beast by the scruff of its neck and then held it in front of his face. "Where were you hiding, huh? Is my beloved''s hair nice?"


    The thing could only bare its teeth at him but then started to immediately whimper when Qiu Ling just continued to stare at it.


    He sighed and put it down again and, sure enough, the thing immediately went to take shelter at the crook of Jing He''s neck. Qiu Ling watched it but he didn''t bother to do anything. In any case, this should keep his beloved nice and warm.


    Turning back to him, he leaned down and kissed him on the other cheek. Ah, if only, he would finally open his eyes.

 Chapter 1221 - A Mother’s Instinct

    Qiu Ling knew that there was no chance for Jing He to actually wake up anytime soon. And even though he had had the thought of sending somebody to ascertain that he could, he finally couldn''t bring himself to give the command either. Well, it probably wasn''t unexpected.


    He sighed and then just continued to sit at Jing He''s bedside, thinking back to the few hours that he had managed to spend with his father. No matter how he thought about it, he still had this nagging feeling that he hadn''t done everything he could.


    Yes, it was nice to be able to say goodbye but what was the use of that? Losing him once, losing him a second time ¡­ he really wasn''t sure if it was that helpful. Well, at least this time, his father had made sure to be nice and show him that he really cared about him. That was already more than that what had happened back then. His father had always been quite strict. Now though, he was grown up, his father didn''t need to worry anymore, and everything was too late already anyway. Most likely, that had also been his father''s thought.


    The minutes slowly trickled by. Qiu Ling glanced at the window, his emotions tangled. He knew he should probably return to the mortal realm now. After all, Jing Yi was still there and with the difference in time, a few days might already have been gone by. He would likely be worried about him.


    But even though he thought so, Qiu Ling just continued to sit there, holding onto Jing He''s hand. To him, it had only been a few minutes, an hour at most. He wasn''t able to get over it so fast. He just lost his father for the second time. Even though he had only gotten him back for a short while, it still hurt. And maybe the fact that he would have to talk about it with Jing Yi if he went back made things worse.


    Being with Jing He who was unable to say something was better. And ¡­ he wasn''t quite sure why but he felt that when it came to comforting him, maybe Jing He would have done a better job at it. After all, contrary to Jing Yi, he might have a better concept of how long eternity could really be. Although ¡­


    Qiu Ling''s brows furrowed slightly. He was probably unfair to Jing Yi. By now, he had also lived for a millennium already. That might only be about half the time that Jing He had lived before he went on his trial but it still wasn''t just a short period. To say he didn''t understand ¡­ maybe that was wrong. But he couldn''t help but still have that feeling that Jing He would understand him better. He couldn''t explain it either.


    He continued to sit there until, finally, the sound of a conversation rang outside. Qiu Ling looked over only to finally see Bai Fen step around the screen behind the door.


    The Heavenly Empress raised her brows when she saw him, her gaze lingering on his face for a little longer. Somehow, she felt that Qiu Ling didn''t look too well. "Longjun, you came by again. It''s been some time." In the beginning, she had seen him more often. But now, it had actually been a few years and he hadn''t even checked in with Jing He. She wasn''t quite sure what to make of that.


    Qiu Ling nodded but he wasn''t sure what to say. "Yes, I ¡­ I didn''t really want to ¡­" He fell quiet again, unsure how to continue.


    Bai Fen came over, stopping a few steps away so she wouldn''t accidentally step somewhere she shouldn''t. She looked more closely at the array and then slowly made her way through, making sure that she didn''t set off any of his traps. Then, she sat down on the other side of the bed, continuing to look at him. "It seems like something happened. Something ¡­ that made you want to come and search for some comfort."


    Qiu Ling looked at her and smiled wryly. Was this some kind of mother''s instinct? Well, it was still nice that she was here. He had always liked Bai Fen. Maybe it was that she was like the mother he had always wanted or maybe they had just bonded over both loving Jing He more than their own life but he had always felt comfortable with her and would even go and ask her for advice.


    Thinking of all the instances when he had opened up to her regarding his feelings for Jing He and his frustration with not being able to make him either fall in love or commit to him, he felt that he could likely talk to her about what had happened either. "Mother-in-law, has there ever been a person that was incredibly important to you that finally ¡­ died?"


    Bai Fen''s expression turned somber. "Yes. There definitely was."


    "Then ¡­ afterward, have you ever wondered if you did something wrong? I mean, if you had a chance to say goodbye to them and maybe talk with them for a while, did you ever wonder if there was something else you should have done?"


    Bai Fen fell quiet, her expression a little tangled. "I guess in a sense, there was something like this."


    "In a sense?"


    Bai Fen took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. She didn''t really want to talk about it but Qiu Ling still seemed lost. And with what he had asked, she could imagine that something really bad must have happened. "You don''t know but ¡­ before Jing He, my husband and I had another child. It is just that it did not manage to live."

 Chapter 1222 - An Additional Curse

    Qiu Ling stared at her in a daze. "Jing He never mentioned that."


    Bai Fen lightly shook her head. "He doesn''t know about it. That was something we did not want to burden him with." She kept quiet for a moment and then reached out, taking Qiu Ling''s hand. "I know he is still on his trial but since we''re talking about it, I will tell you the whole truth. In any case, you''ll get married someday and might also have a child. You have to be prepared for what''s to come."


    Qiu Ling lightly furrowed his brows. Somehow, he didn''t like the way the sounded. "What whole truth?"


    "You are the dragon king so I don''t need to tell you about Tian''s curse. But one thing that you might not know is that additionally to the curse put on the three immortal races, he also cursed the Heavenly Emperor''s family line directly. After all, those were the people that hurt Xing the worst."


    Qiu Ling''s expression immediately turned grave. "Does this have to do with the other child and with Jing He? He wouldn''t be in danger, would he?"


    Bai Fen shook her head. "No, at least not anymore. But there was a time when things were different. That is also why his father clings to him so much. You have no idea how hard it is to actually get a child to a.d.u.l.thood as the Heavenly couple.


    "Back then, when Tian and Xing were living among the gods, our race was not monogamous. The Heavenly Emperor had many wives and many children so naturally, he did not care about all of them as much as he probably should have."


    Qiu Ling nodded. This also wasn''t new to him. While he hadn''t actually known the story of Tian and Xing thanks to his less than stellar upbringing, he had at least had a general understanding of the history of the dragon race. And with them, it had been the very same. In fact, outgoing as they were, the dragons had probably engaged in this type of practice even more. It had probably been a bit similar to how the demons still lived today just with a few more rules attached so that it didn''t end up in utter chaos. But a man or woman with several partners definitely wasn''t something that was only seldom seen. Big families were the norm instead. It seemed it hadn''t been that different with the gods.


    "Xing was one of the unfortunate children. His mother was not really loved and neither was he. His father more or less abandoned him and did not care about what happened to him. But his first wife, the Heavenly Empress from back then, did care quite a lot. She made his life hell, both before he met Tian and after.


    "It might have been meant as a reminder to never let something like this happen again but with this curse, the children of the subsequent generations were fraught with bad luck until the day they finally came of age."


    "But there''s only ever one child, isn''t there?" Qiu Ling had actually heard of that part. If anything, he would''ve thought that this was already the most that Tian would do but apparently, he had thought wrong.


    Bai Fen nodded. "Yes, there has only ever been one child at a time since then. But they tend to die so ¡­" She sighed and shook her head. "Even now, so many generations after that time, we are still suffering the consequences of what that generation did.


    "When Jing he was younger, there were several moments where we actually thought we would lose him. That is why we can''t help but be worried about him no matter what happens. And even now that he is an a.d.u.l.t and this particular curse will not affect him any longer, there is still always that worry in our hearts that maybe something will happen to him."


    She looked at her son that still seemed as if he was sleeping, a bit of fear in her eyes. "Truth be told, I don''t know if I could go through all of that again. There''s no chance that there will be a second child after Jing He for as long as he lives. But if something were to happen to him ¡­ I still don''t think I would want another one. I just couldn''t take that."


    Qiu Ling also looked at Jing He, fear gripping his heart as well. It was his luck that he had managed to meet Jing He after he had already become an a.d.u.l.t. Otherwise, he really wasn''t sure if he would be able to take it.


    The worst thing was that even if Jing He was out of the picture, they would indeed have children together later on. In fact, he would have liked to have more than one. But how could he put Jing He through such suffering? How could he himself watch his children die in front of his eyes?


    "Is there any way this cycle can be broken?" He knew that Tian was vindictive. He had taken revenge for his lover in a way that impacted all the immortal beings. Not a single soul ¡ª no matter how innocent in what had happened ¡ª had been able to get away. That kind of man ¡­ would he really ever leave a way out? But he still had to ask. If there was anything he could do, he would do it. He would not let his family suffer needlessly.


    Bai Fen lightly furrowed her brows. "That''s a good question. So far, nothing of the like has happened. But ¡­ there is at least a legend that has been passed down. It is said that what finally pushed Xing past what he could endure was the fact that the child he and Tian were awaiting was killed.


    "Legend has it that the child will one day be reincarnated in the family of the Heavenly Emperor. That is why the Heavenly Emperor''s sons, like Jing He, will be referred to as the Son of Heaven. Because one day, one of them might be the reincarnation of that actual child of Heaven''s.


    "So this title is a reminder for us that when that day arrives, we have to be prepared. At that time, the curse on our family might be lifted because Tian certainly wouldn''t put his own child through such suffering.


    "And maybe, just maybe, even the curse on the three races will be lifted. It is not for certain but there is such a chance."

 Chapter 1223 - He Worries Too Much

    Qiu Ling nodded slowly. He understood what Bai Fen was saying but he wasn''t necessarily happy about it. It was good if there was a chance to maybe lift the curse. He wasn''t even that interested in lifting the curse on the three immortal races but to lift the curse on Jing He''s family would definitely be a good thing. After all, this would be his own family as well and he didn''t want his beloved or the child that they would have to suffer someday in the future.


    The problem was that there wasn''t anything he could do. Waiting for whenever somebody''s reincarnation would be born ¡­ this all relied on luck. But if it hadn''t happened in all those generations, how likely would it be that their child would be the one? In that case, there was no hope at all.


    Thinking of that, Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. He didn''t necessarily need to have more than one child. Even being childless would be alright if there was Jing He at his side. It might not be what he would prefer but he could live with that. But putting their family through suffering ¡­ that was something that he really didn''t want to let happen. But even if he thought so, what was he supposed to do? The curse was like that. He couldn''t change it.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes, somewhat understanding the pain that Bai Fen felt. Just imagining being in that situation ¡­ it already hurt. To have actually gone through it ¡­ "It can''t have been easy."


    Bai Fen shook her head. "No, it most certainly wasn''t. To be honest, it was the hardest time I ever went through. Thinking back now, had I known about this beforehand, I might have never married my husband. I certainly do love Rong Su but this is probably more than I can take. I also would have loved to have more than one child. Unfortunately, I only found out when it was too late. Nobody bothered to tell me."


    Qiu Ling furrowed his brows. "Your husband just didn''t mention it beforehand? That seems quite cruel."


    "To be honest, I think he himself didn''t know until the time our first child died. And my in-laws never bothered to tell us. They were unhappy with our marriage anyway."


    Qiu Ling looked pensive. Actually, he somewhat remembered that there had been some trouble between them. Never mind that it had come up when Yin Lin Lin tried to get Hong Bao and the Fate''s Scribe Shun Tao into trouble at the beginning of Jing He''s trial, he had also been the dragon king back when Bai Fen and Rong Su had gotten married. Even though he hadn''t really cared, he had still heard through the gr.a.p.evine that things hadn''t been that straight forward with them. "He was engaged to somebody else before, wasn''t he?"


    Bai Fen nodded. "Right. A marriage arranged by his parents. When he refused, it caused a lot of issues. Especially since her father had just died. To suddenly renege on the promise his parents and hers had made ¡­ it certainly wasn''t a good look for them.


    "But he had also been saying that he didn''t want to marry her since quite some time before and he wasn''t about to change his mind on that. It was just that his parents hadn''t taken it seriously so when the situation finally was like that, it became even more awkward. Had they reacted earlier and tried to find a solution, maybe everything could''ve been solved by then."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "It couldn''t have been easy. But it was still quite cruel of your in-laws to just let you get into such a situation. Didn''t they know how it felt? Or were they lucky?"


    "They were indeed lucky. Rong Su was their first son. And while I believe that there were some problems, he did make it into a.d.u.l.thood. For us, things were a bit more difficult. I''m not sure why we deserved that kind of fate. But in any case, it''s not something to worry about anymore." She looked at Jing He, smiling faintly, and rubbing his arm. "I am glad that he has made it until now.


    "After his trial is over, I will be able to put my mind at ease. From what the fate''s scribe said when his punishment was reviewed after those one hundred days, he has actually managed to acc.u.mulate quite a few trials. It is definitely enough for now and it might even be enough so that he won''t need to attempt another trial ever again."


    Qiu Ling looked up at that, feeling a bit hopeful. "So after he ¡­ returns, that would be it? He won''t need to leave anymore?"


    Bai Fen nodded. "Yes, just like that. You don''t need to worry anymore. It is just that the trial still needs to end." She turned to face Qiu Ling again, her expression difficult. "He is going to ascend soon, isn''t he?"


    Qiu Ling hesitated but then nodded. "He is. And I don''t know what to do. I promised to take him around and show him the dragon realm. But the more time passes, the more I''m worried about what this will mean for Jing He. He has this bad habit of overthinking things. If I let Jing Yi live, won''t he feel that there is some more meaning to it than I originally thought? I really don''t want that to happen."


    "There''s indeed a certain chance that he will think like that. Jing He ¡­ even though he doesn''t know about this curse on our family yet, he has lived through what it entailed. I''m afraid that he will have quite a few worries. This might be why he turned out like this. He really worries too much. Even when there is no need to."

 Chapter 1224 - A Wasted Chance?

    Qiu Ling sighed. This was what he had feared all along. In fact, he wouldn''t even have needed Bai Fen''s affirmation. After ten years of trying to woo him, he knew Jing He more than well enough. That Jing He had that kind of tendency ¡­ it hadn''t been a secret for quite some time already. It was just that so far, it had never been a problem.


    Usually, he would always be around him. Each day was spent rushing to the Nine Heavens, trying to spend as much time with him as he possibly could. If he was unable to make it one day, he would just go over the next and apologize profusely. When had there ever been a chance for bigger misunderstandings?


    But the situation right now was a different one altogether. Now, there was a situation where he seemed to prioritize somebody else. Even if that person was actually Jing He''s reincarnation, he might feel insecure when he found out. After all, Jing Yi had had the same reaction.


    And even though Jing He certainly understood the curse on the three immortal races better than Jing Yi did, with the way his mind worked and his insecurity, there would be even more questions that he asked himself. First and foremost, he would probably wonder what would be if it was not for that curse. What if maybe his lover was able to fall in love more than once? Then over the course of the trial, would his feelings have waned? Yes, that was exactly the type of thing that Jing He would think.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes, sighing deeply. "Then what should I do?"


    Bai Fen could only smile wryly. "What am I supposed to say to that? You already made some promises. Knowing you, you won''t be able to ignore that. If you could, it would be best to just stay here for the time being. Accompany Jing He and let that boy ascend like any other cultivator from the human realm. When he arrives, there will be people there to deal with them. Then, Jing He could wake up immediately."


    Qiu Ling opened his eyes and looked at her with a faint smile. "You know that it''s impossible for me to do that. I just wouldn''t be able to bring myself to do so. In any case, I''ll stay here for a bit. I just ¡­ can''t bring myself to go back right now."


    Bai Fen lightly squeezed his hand. "Is it because of the question you asked?" She had given him an answer but somehow, they had started to talk about the curse that was on her husband''s family instead. She still hadn''t found out what it was that had made Qiu Ling come here in the first place.


    Qiu Ling also realized that he hadn''t really told her anything. Now that she brought it back up, he wasn''t quite sure what to say though.


    "Well, I would be willing to give some advice if I knew what it was."


    "The problem is that I''m not quite sure if you can give me advice. What you experienced was really bad. And I can imagine that if that happened without any forewarning, you had a very hard time. But I guess that is exactly what makes it so different. Basically, I met a person that was very important to me. I thought they were dead but I saw them again. Unfortunately, they only had a few more hours left to live."


    Bai Fen nodded slowly. "So you did have time to say your goodbyes but you are still worried about something?"


    Qiu Ling turned to look at Jing He instead, playing with his fingers. "I asked that person a few questions and we spoke for a while before we said our farewell. I can''t help but think now that maybe the things I asked were wrong. Maybe there were other things that I should''ve talked about instead.


    "And to think that I would never get the chance again ¡­ I just have a hard time with that thought. It wouldn''t be so bad if this had been the only time. But being able to see them again and then maybe still messing up is really hard. It makes me feel that this chance that I was given was completely wasted in my hands."


    Bai Fen didn''t speak up immediately. The situation that Qiu Ling described wasn''t usual even among the immortal races. If you died, you died. At most, the one thing you could compare this to was if two gods went on a trial in the mortal realm and somehow met and then ¡ª after they regained their memories in the Nine Heavens ¡ª reconnected by son amazing stroke of luck.


    That was not something that happened often but sometimes, it would. The only problem was that in these cases, those people usually had their whole life ahead of them. Whatever needed to be asked, whatever they wanted to talk about, there would be enough time.


    Qiu Ling''s situation ¡­ it was a different one. What was she supposed to say there? But then again, she also couldn''t keep quiet. After all, she had already said that she would try and give him some advice. So she could only try to make up her mind about what she thought of this.


    Thinking for a while, she finally spoke up. "I think that this chance wasn''t wasted. Yes, you might have different questions in the future and regret that you weren''t able to ask them. But those will be questions of the future. The questions you had right now are the ones that you need to ask right now.


    "What comes later ¡­ Nobody would be able to think of that. You can''t guess that much. Nobody can. You made the best of the precious situation that you got. And I think even if the things you spoke about weren''t everything you could have spoken about, the most important thing might be that you were able to say your farewells. At the very least, it means that you were able to send that person off. Don''t you think that that is already worth a lot?"

 Chapter 1225 - He Was Not Alone

    Qiu Ling needed a moment to think it through but finally nodded. "I guess for that person, that was really all they cared about."


    Bai Fen nodded. "So you have done the best for this person. Now, what about you? You might not be able to ask them anymore if there is a question but there are other people in your life, aren''t there? In the future, maybe you can talk with somebody else. I''m sure there is somebody else who knew that person. Maybe even somebody who might have a good guess about the things you want to ask?"


    Qiu Ling''s expression turned subtle at that. Right. Even though his father was gone, he had also found Jinde again. Considering how inseparable these two had been before, it was pretty clear that Jinde would always have a pretty good guess about anything he could ask.


    And then there was also his father''s reincarnation. While he wasn''t actually his father, he should still be able to tell him if there was something about his father''s life that he wanted to know. The questions about his family that he had refused to ask him before ¡­ Leng Jin Yu would know about this just as much as his father did.


    As for anything else ¡­ he could talk with his Jing He, with the Heavenly Empress, with both Jinde and Leng Jin Yu, maybe even with Jing He''s uncle. And then there were also his advisers.


    It was true. He wasn''t alone anymore. He wasn''t that boy that was left behind after what had happened with his parents. So much time had passed but he had always seen himself as the one who was left behind, the one who needed to stay outside of the actual dragon race to make sure that nobody ever discovered his secret.


    Maybe it was time to let go of that. Maybe it was time to prove to himself that all of this was his own misconception. Maybe he should do what his father had said and talk to one of his advisers. Find a way to counter any argument in the future that would say he was a demon and not a dragon.


    In any case, had to prepare at one point. And while he would''ve liked to wait until Jing He had woken up again and married him, it was probably better to do so right now. After all, Jing He would remember what he had told Jing Yi. And even if he didn''t, Qiu Ling also knew that one day, he would have to tell Jing He the truth about himself.


    They were a couple. He deserved to know. He deserved to know just as much as he had deserved to know about the curse that was put on the Heavenly Emperor''s bloodline. Because this was something that would influence the lives of both of them. The curse on Jing He would and him being part demon also would. It was something that he could not hide from him.


    So since he did not know how long it would take until Jing He woke up again, he should probably better start to prepare early. Who knew? Maybe something would go wrong when Jing Yi tried to ascend. Maybe then, his beloved would wake up sooner than he had originally assumed. He couldn''t become headless then. No, before that happened, he had to be prepared. He needed to find the answers until then. There was no other way.


    Determination entered Qiu Ling''s gaze. He got up and inclined his head toward Bai Fen. "Thank you, mother-in-law. I think I see clearer now."


    Bai Fen raised her brows. "Then are going to leave now?"


    Qiu Ling gave a hum and then leaned down to kiss Jing He''s forehead. Taking a look at him and lightly brushing his cheek, he finally straightened up again. "I realized that there is something I need to do. After that ¡­ Ah, I don''t know yet. Maybe I''ll come back here, maybe I''ll see how things are in the human realm. Maybe it will even take so long that I won''t have the time for that before Jing Yi starts his ascension. I''ll have to see."


    "Very well. Then you keep safe. I will accompany Jing He for a while longer. If there is something else that you need, you know how to reach me."


    Qiu Ling smiled and nodded before he finally left the palace.


    Qiang Wei and Yi Zan who were still waiting next to the door exchanged a glance and looked inside but finally kept standing outside when they saw the Heavenly Empress. In any case, she was His Highness''s mother. They shouldn''t disturb her at this moment. It would be better to just wait until she was done with her visit and return to their position then. As long as they stood at this door and the heavenly guards stood at the other, there was nothing that could happen anyway.


    Back inside, Bai Fen also glanced over at the door to see if the two dragons would come inside. Seeing that they didn''t, she turned to look at Jing He, took his hand, and sighed. "It''s time for you to wake up, child. Your fiance seems to be going through a rough time. He could really need you at his side now."


    Unfortunately, no matter what she said, Jing He wouldn''t wake up. His soul was still somewhere else. There was no way to get it back before that person died.


    She actually felt a bit distressed thinking of how Zhong Jing Yi would probably be killed as soon as he ascended. She didn''t want her son to remember a violent death. Not after everything that had happened in his life so far.


    No, it would''ve been best if he could have grown old and just peacefully passed away in his sleep. Unfortunately, the trials seldom were like this. How could she expect the fate of a cursed child like hers to be any different?

 Chapter 1226 - Take Fate Into His Own Hands

    Qiu Ling flew toward the dragon realm. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach and he almost wanted to turn around several times but he forced himself to continue forward.


    He could not run away any longer. He should have realized this the moment he told Jing Yi about his past back in his inner self. But even then, he still tried to push it off, always hoping that somehow, he would get around it. But the truth was, he couldn''t. There had never been a chance for this not to come to light. Because no matter what he did, his circ.u.mstances wouldn''t change. He was the child of a woman who was part of the demon race and had worked for one of the previous demon kings. That could not be changed. His blood could never be changed. Even though he had always wanted that, it was impossible. But what he could change was how he lived with this going forward.


    So far, he had never been aboveboard. In fact, he had made some of the worst decisions because of his own fear. But now, he couldn''t be like that anymore. He had to come to terms with this, he had to find a way to live without trying to hide anymore.


    There was no need to admit to it but he needed to have some kind of plan. Because soon enough, it wouldn''t only be him anymore. Jing He had already agreed to marry him. When that happened, he could not be indecisive anymore. He needed to be there for him, strong for him, dependable. Because that was the kind of person that Jing He needed at his side to get over what was bothering him. And that was what he wanted, wasn''t it? That Jing He was able to live his best life. So before his beloved woke up, he had to make sure that everything else was taken care of.


    Qiu Ling reached the capital city. Usually, he would sneak his way inside but this time, he just stood outside for a while, watching the people at the entrance.


    These were his people. The ones he was responsible for. He had always lied to them or, at the very least, he had never told them the full truth. Not even his own advisers that had been with him for so many years.


    Thinking of what his father had said, he hadn''t been that bad of a king. He probably wasn''t as good as his father had made him out to be but for the most part, he had tried his best.


    Yes, he had shirked some of his responsibilities after gaining those advisers because he felt that they were more than capable enough of doing it on their own. But when it really mattered, he had been there. When the demons attacked, he had always fought on the front lines. He had been the one who killed the last demon king. He had been the one who saved quite a few of the people in the border region in all those battles.


    And going forward, he would also have to be the one who actually led them in their day-to-day life. He couldn''t just rely on others anymore. Yes, they were there to advise him. But they were not there to do everything in his stead. It was time that he took his responsibilities to heart again and truly filled the position of the dragon king. It was what he owed to his people, to his father, to Jing He ¡­ and even to himself.


    Qiu Ling took a deep breath and then slowly made his way over, his gaze continuing to wander over these people. If he wanted to be a responsible king going forward, then he had to learn to deal with this. He could not shy away from his own people. He had to be able to face them and speak to them. Only that way would he be able to make things work. Because if they couldn''t come to him with what was bothering them, then where were they supposed to go? Why had he never seen that before?


    Qiu Ling actually stepped into the line of people, continuing to think about this problem. Only when he was at the front, was he finally noticed.


    The guard''s eyes went wide and he hurriedly bowed. "Your Majesty!"


    Immediately, all eyes fell onto him.


    Qiu Ling tensed slightly and almost wanted to make one of his quirky quips that he had always used to detract from whatever else might be noticed. He held back though. He couldn''t do this going forward. He had to make sure that he did not try to hide any further. Anyway, when he just walked among them, nobody had noticed, right? Yes, there was no reason to worry.


    Forcing himself to calm down, he just gave the guard a glance. "Oh, don''t bother about it. I''m just taking a look around, checking some things."


    The guard started to tremble, wondering just what the king was here to check. Had somebody complained about his work? Was it that he personally had done something wrong to the degree where the king himself would come and see? He hastily tried to think of something but couldn''t come up with anything.


    He hastily nodded and then stepped to the side, letting Qiu Ling pass. Only then did he remember that he was supposed to check the identity of the person in front of him. Not doing so for the king ¡­ this was what was to be expected, right? It wasn''t that he would get angry because he hadn''t done his job right, was it?


    He almost wanted to ask but at that time, Qiu Ling had already strolled down the street, leaving the guard to wonder by himself.


    Qiu Ling had no idea what his sudden appearance had caused. He just continued to stroll through the streets. By the time he finally arrived at the gates of the palace, had calmed down a little. Yes, he was still worried but at least felt that this wasn''t as bad anymore.


    When seeing him, even if he behaved normally, nobody was pointing fingers at him. They didn''t even seem to be able to imagine that he was anything but one of them. So it was unlikely that it would ever even come out that there was such a secret about his blood.


    In any case, it was still better to prepare. After all, he was not the only person that knew about this. Since Jin Ling was still around, there was a chance that that guy would one day blurt out the truth just to hurt him. At that time, he needed to be able to explain everything away or be ready to stand out and admit to it. He didn''t know what it would be but at least he knew that he had to prepare now.


    He stopped for a moment in front of the staircase and took a deep breath. Then, he went up one step at a time, faintly nodding at the two guards before he went inside. When the doors fell shut behind him, he exhaled.


    It was time to take his fate back into his own hands.

 Chapter 1227 - Time Sure Flies

    At this time, Xin Lan had made his way back to the mortal realm and to the Hua family''s estate with Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong. He greeted the Elders of the family and then went on to look for a different place to stay.


    It probably would''ve been smarter to stay close to Hua Lin Yu so he could use every moment available to try and get him back but it was also important to give him a bit of space. And he felt that it would be easier for himself as well if he didn''t have to see him all the time. Otherwise, if Hua Lin Yu started to behave strangely around him, who knew if he would be able to keep his temper? Thus, he could only go and find another place.


    The estate he had originally owned had already been lost in the one thousand years that had gone by in the mortal realm. Thus, there was no way to move back there. As for anything else ¡­ he really wanted to sigh. Usually, he would prefer a place that was close to the Hua family''s estate but not necessarily close to other people. It was just that when there was a big cultivation family or sect, normal mortals would usually start gathering around because they hoped for these practitioners'' protection. Some might even think that if they were to get close, they might be noticed and would be taken in as disciples or something of the like. That way, they would have a splendid future ahead of them. In most cases, this was simply delusional but it did help with founding cities. Looking around now, he also had to notice that there were several larger towns around and not many opportunities for him to find a place of his own.


    He sighed to himself again and then went to one of the cities, having a look at the courtyard houses that were for sale. He didn''t know how long they would stay in the mortal realm. Maybe he would once again do this for naught. But it was still better to have a place that he could return to whenever he wanted than to suddenly be without a place from one day to the other.


    Strolling through the streets of the city, Xin Lan felt the gazes of the humans that were following him and heard their whispers.


    "Who is that man? I''ve never seen him here before."


    "Looks of one like one of those cultivators. Do you think he is from the Hua family?"


    "Why is he wearing a mask?"


    Xin Lan tried to ignore them but he really wasn''t happy with this. He had never liked to hear people talk about him. Back in the immortal realms, he was already in the kind of position where they usually wouldn''t feel the need to do it in front of him. Most could recognize him at a glance.


    But here in the mortal realm, it was a different matter altogether. They had no idea who he was so, naturally, they felt the need to give it their best guess. And they also couldn''t help but question everything about him that was different from a normal person. Looking young but having white hair? That was odd! Wearing a mask in broad daylight? Odd as well! These people would always be able to find something what was different about him.


    Well, he probably shouldn''t be surprised at that. They weren''t even of the same race. How could they feel that they were the same? Naturally, there would be differences. But it did remind him of all those times when he felt like he didn''t belong in the dragon race either and this was something he did not like to be reminded of.


    Finally, Xin Lan stopped in front of one of the houses. It was a little rundown but quite spacious and the estates next to it were also quite big so he likely wouldn''t be bothered by anyone. Yes, this was probably the kind of dwelling he would like to live in. He should just buy it and then go from there.


    Having decided, Xin Lan didn''t bother about anything else anymore. He went to get the deed of the house, paid the money, and then returned. Stepping through the gate, and looking around, his expression was a little underwhelmed. Well, this could not compare to his place in the dragon realm of course. But for the time being, it would suffice. He went to hire a few servants to turn the house livable and then left the city to go back to the Hua family''s estate again.


    He had taken his time to look around so by now, Hua Lin Yu and Hua Lin Rong should have been able to tell their family about what had happened if they wanted to do so. If not ¡­ Well, maybe it would be better if their family didn''t actually know.


    After it was out that Hua Lin Yu had second guesses about getting married, who knew who would try to influence him? In fact, this was a bit of a problem now that they were in the mortal realm. The youngest son of the Hua family would definitely be coveted by many. If he wasn''t careful, then who knew if some love rival would try to sweep in now that his standing wasn''t as clear anymore? He definitely had to guard against that.


    When he reached the place, he found Hua Lin Rong sitting in the courtyard in a daze. He raised his brows and then went over, sitting down next to him without asking. In any case, no matter how his relationship with Hua Lin Yu was right now, he had also gotten close to the older brother. To keep his relationship amicable would definitely be in his favor. "What''s the matter? You look like you got quite the shock." Could it be that this was about his family''s reaction toward what had happened? There was a faint hope in Xin Lan''s heart but it was bound to be shattered.


    Hua Lin Rong sighed. "You said before that there was a time difference. I also knew that. But to think that so much has changed after we were only gone for three years ¡­" He shook his head, his expression still unbelieving. "There are a bunch of new children in our branch families. Some of the Elders and even some of our generation have died outside. There are some changes in the cultivation world as well. Nothing major but it still makes me feel that time sure flies. I really hope that our parents won''t ascend too soon. If they always live in the immortal realms, they probably wouldn''t even notice when all their offspring suddenly died off."


    Xin Lan raised his brows. "Your parents only have your two as their children. And do you really think that I would allow for anything to happen to you or your brother? In that regard, you really don''t need to worry."

 Chapter 1228 - Take Care of Some Matters

    Xin Lan''s words pulled Hua Lin Rong out of his shock. "You ¡­" He looked at him, his gaze complicated. Things were already like this between Xin Lan and his brother but this man still unwaveringly swore to protect them. Both of them even. "I''m sure he''ll come around."


    Xin Lan gave a faint smile but didn''t react otherwise. In any case, he did believe in himself. And if not ¡­ Well, he did not want to think about that.


    Hua Lin Rong felt awkward when he was ignored like that and looked for something else he could say. "We ¡­ didn''t tell our parents yet. So I guess they''re expecting you to actually get married pretty soon." It was awkward bringing this up of all things but it would be better if Xin Lan was prepared.


    In fact, it was probably better if he went to tell their parents but he also didn''t know how to start the subject. To bring it up just like this ¡­ He also couldn''t explain it. Not without admitting to what was really going on with Hua Lin Yu and that would make even more trouble. So right now, he was just trying to ignore it and hoping that the matter would solve itself. It wasn''t good and it put the strain on Xin Lan more than anyone but what else could he do? He really didn''t see any other way.


    Xin Lan sighed. "Well, looks like I will have to be the one to have that conversation then."


    "I''m sorry. I can try to speak to them."


    Xin Lan shook his head though. "You are his brother. I am ¡­ maybe I was his fiance. If anything, then I should probably bring it up myself."


    Hua Lin Rong nodded but didn''t want to leave it at that either. "Well, maybe after being back for a while, he''ll actually feel better about it. You know, I still think maybe he just got cold feet."


    Xin Lan gave a hum and then got up, clasping his hands behind his back while he looked up at the sky. "It doesn''t matter. In any case, I''m not going to give up too soon. But the situation is a bit difficult. We''ve just returned. I think I will give him a bit of time to spend with this family and calm down.


    "In the meantime, I''ll go and take care of some other matters. I bought a house in the next city and will return there when I''m finished. I''ll send a message by then. If he is up to it, we can slowly talk about everything. If not ¡­ well, we''ll see about that then."


    Hua Lin Rong stared at him in a daze. "You bought a house? Didn''t you already have ¡­"


    "A thousand years. A building that isn''t tended to won''t manage to survive that amount of time. Anyway, I don''t care much. Now, if you''ll excuse me. Tell your brother that I want to give him some space. If he wants to reach me, he knows how to do so. I will return here immediately if he asks me to." He nodded at Hua Lin Rong and then turned around, walking out again. He only hesitated for a moment before he pushed off the ground and then flew toward the Yun Zou Sect.


    Hovering in the air above the sect grounds, there was a strange feeling in his chest. Before this, he had always been eager to see Jinde. Just imagining the way he looked, the way he smiled, how he would probably tease him as soon as they saw each other, his heart would beat madly. He knew he had been obsessed with them. But he couldn''t do anything about it.


    Now though, there was nothing of the like. Thinking of him, he definitely held good feelings. But it wasn''t the same anymore. There was none of that frenzied craze. Just a warm feeling, like when going to meet an old friend.


    "Looks like I really fell in love with that fallen god''s little reincarnation. I actually managed to get over him just with something like this." He shook his head at himself, not quite sure how it had come to this.


    He had never been like this. But he also hadn''t wanted to fall in love again because he wanted to be like everyone else a bit more. Having just Jinde had been the perfect excuse for that. But now it turned out, after being rejected by him, and actually giving himself the opportunity, being able to fall in love again wasn''t that bad. It was only a pity that he somehow seemed to be drawn to men that didn''t care for him.


    Well, on the bright side, at least Hua Lin Yu didn''t have somebody else in his heart. If that had happened again ¡­ he really wasn''t sure if he would be able to take it. Xin Lan shook his head to get rid of the scattered thoughts and then made his way over to the array. He stepped inside, not bothering to inform anyone.


    Inside the dimension, Leng Jin Yu raised his head and stared off into space for a moment.


    Jinde turned toward him, raising his brows. "What''s the matter?"


    Leng Jin Yu gave a hum and opened the array at the same time. "Xin Lan came. Surprisingly enough, he very politely stepped into the array and then just waited. Before this, he would definitely launch an attack. It looks like it''s true that he is really invested in that Hua Lin Yu. He can''t even be bothered to try and make trouble for me anymore."


    Jinde laughed but still sat up and put away the fabric that they had been looking through. Even if Xin Lan had gotten over his feelings, there really was no reason to let him know that they were currently preparing for a second wedding when he hadn''t managed to make it to the first one yet. He pulled Leng Jin Yu over to the table, and then put pulled out a tea set, making it seem as if they had just been sitting there to chat.


    Just when they had managed to finish their preparation, Xin Lan stepped into the room, nodding at the two of them.


    "Xin Lan, you came to see us. Is something the matter?"


    Xin Lan shook his head stopped in the door. "No. We came back to the mortal realm and I thought my fiance might need some space to himself so I came here to see how you were doing instead."


    Jinde smiled and motioned at the chair next to them. "Everything is well on our side. Come here, sit down. We can talk things through if you want to." In any case, for all these years, it had always been Xin Lan who would do things for him. Now, it was time to turn things around and do something for him instead.

 Chapter 1229 - Was He Still The Same Person?

    Xin Lan hesitated for a moment but when Jinde motioned again for him to come over, he finally did. Sitting down between them, he actually felt quite awkward. But on the other hand, he did want Hua Lin Yu back. He could probably bear the embarrassment if it finally benefited him.


    "So, how far have you gotten?"


    Xin Lan showed a hint of fatigue when he leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment. "Not far." Opening his eyes again, he turned to Jinde, looking at him. There still wasn''t that feeling from before as if it had never existed. It did make him wonder if what Xiang Yu and Tian had said was right and he didn''t truly love Jinde and might, in fact, not be able to love at all.


    Well, that wasn''t the question right now. "I had a talk with him back in the dragon realm already, saying that I would give him time to think things through. We agreed to return here so he could be with his family, and then maybe travel around a bit. I''m just not sure if it will be enough. When I went to speak with his brother today, he told me that they hadn''t actually told their family. I think Hua Lin Yu doesn''t know himself what he wants right now. He seemed really lost."


    Jinde put on a pensive expression. "I guess it is somewhat normal to get cold feet before a wedding when you are that young. But this really sounds serious. Do you think just giving him more time would be enough?"


    "I have no idea. It might be but then again, this was completely unexpected. I thought that it would be a matter of course for us to get married. I thought that there wasn''t even any question about it.


    "You don''t know this but from the moment I saw him when he was still a child, he would always hang onto me. He was ¡­ attracted to me for whatever reason. As if his whole world might revolve around me. I didn''t go to see him for a few years and it was still very much the same when I came back. I didn''t even think that there was a reason to doubt we would get married.


    "And then after spending some time together, I developed feelings myself and wanted to go forward with it. But now ¡­" He shook his head and sighed. "It was completely unexpected. So I can''t guess what is going on in his head or why he suddenly did this. Maybe he really just panicked but then he would''ve told me, right" And when I spoke with him, it rather seemed that he really didn''t want to marry me. I can''t understand. When did this happen? We were spending every single day together."


    Jinde couldn''t help but feel that this was odd as well. "Nothing happened?"


    "Well, nothing I can think of. And I''m really not sure how to go about this other than trying to be patient, giving him a bit of time, and hoping that it works out somehow."


    Jinde nodded slowly. "If there''s anything I can do to help you, just tell me. If you want me to speak to him ¡­"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "I don''t think that that would work. You don??t know him that well and to be honest, he might feel even more pressured. I''m afraid that this might be a problem with this. Maybe he felt pressured to marry me. Maybe he feels like he''s missing out.


    "I don''t know. It would be easier if he talked honestly with me. But I feel like he isn''t in that place yet. I guess I can only see how things go." He dropped the subject and looked around, trying to find something else to talk about. "So, what do you intend to do after you''re healed now? I think you wanted a child? Have you already decided on when to start?"


    Jinde really wasn''t used to Xin Lan being so straightforward about these things. Before this, he rather never would have known and had never really asked for information. He hadn''t understood it back then but he suddenly realized this after he found out how Xin Lan felt about him. To ask him about this now ¡­ it had to mean that he really was over this.


    Jinde only hesitated for a moment before he reached out and took Leng Jin Yu''s hand. "To be honest, we were thinking of taking a bit of time first. We''ve missed out on quite a few things as a couple over the past years because I was always busy with healing myself. Now, we should just spend time on ourselves. So I guess it''ll be a few years before we attempt anything. I was also thinking that it would make sense to go back to the dragon realm for this."


    Leng Jin Yu looked over, raising his brows in surprise. He hadn''t heard of that particular information before. "The dragon realm? Are you sure that this is a good idea?" While he didn''t need to worry about Jin Ling anymore since he was healed, there were some other problems considering his identity.


    Jinde smiled, knowing what it was that Leng Jin Yu was worried about. "I know what you''re thinking. But honestly, it is our best bet. A child will need to be nourished with spiritual energy constantly. If something happens and one of us needs to leave, then it wouldn''t do to have the child be in the mortal realm.


    "And you know that this kind of thing can happen. We''ve had it happen before. Even though you told the God of War that you want to stay in the mortal realm, he might have a task for you later on and you might not be willing to say no at that moment. Or maybe Qiu Ling will need my help someday and then I won''t be able to stay here for as long as we need to for the child.


    "I just don''t think that it''s worth the risk. It''s better to relocate to the dragon realm for some time and wait there until the child is born. After that, we can return immediately. I''m not trying to force you to stay with me in the immortal realms."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded but it was obvious that he was still worried.


    Xin Lan looked from one person to the other and finally cleared his throat. "If you''re worried about other people, you could also stay at my place. It is so far out of reach that it is unlikely for anybody to come by. "You can nurse the child for as long as you need to without being distracted at all."


    Jinde''s gaze lit up while Leng Jin Yu stared at Xin Lan with some doubt. This person ¡­ was he still the Xin Lan that he had gotten to know?

 Chapter 1230 - A Very Good Idea

    Jinde didn''t share his husband''s confusion at all. In any case, to him, Xin Lan had always been like this. He would help him in his times of need, try to answer whatever it was that was worrying him, and would generally always be there for him.


    After once again being confronted with this fact, he couldn''t help but want to help him out a bit more in return. He knew that Xin Lan wouldn''t just easily let him do that though. So it seemed that he would have to do a kind of covert operation. How to go about this though ¡­


    He slightly narrowed his eyes. He didn''t know yet but he was sure he could come up with something. The most important would probably be to meet that Hua Lin Yu again so he would get an opportunity to intervene. For now, that wasn''t the topic to talk about though. "Thank you. I''ll definitely get back to you when it''s time. For now though ¡­ that''s not yet something we''re thinking about."


    Xin Lan nodded, not trying to argue. In any case, Jinde had indeed had to wait quite long before he was able to have his normal life back. It wasn''t strange that he wanted to enjoy it to the fullest with his husband for the time being. Since he could see this, Xin Lan definitely wouldn''t try to rush him into anything else. In fact, he also felt that Jinde should take his time with everything.


    Jinde leaned back now that they had solved this for the time being. "So ¡­ since you don''t know how to deal with your issue for the time being have you thought about what to do? Do you want to stay here for some time so your fiance can gather his thoughts alone?" He motioned at the palace and Xin Lan couldn''t help but hesitate for a moment.


    To be honest, he didn''t really know where else to go. He had that house in the city now but it had just been purchased so it might take some time before it was truly livable. After all, it hadn''t seemed as if anyone had put effort into it in the past few years. While he didn''t care too much about a temporary residence, he did have some standards that he wanted to see fulfilled. Also, if he was so close by, Hua Lin Yu might also feel pressured. It might be better for him to stay away a while longer.


    On the other hand, staying here ¡­ might not be good either. After all, there was some history between him and Jinde and this would likely make his husband unhappy or at least give him a reason to feel awkward. In the current situation, that really wasn''t something he wanted to happen anymore. If it had been three years ago, he might''ve jumped at the opportunity. Now though ¡­ No, he had no interest in that anymore.


    Not to mention that he still didn''t quite trust himself. No matter what others said, he had always seen his affection for Jinde as real. If he spent a lot of time in proximity to him again ¡­ he wasn''t too sure if this fire that had just been extinguished might not flare up again. Especially since it hadn''t been that long ago that he fell in love with Hua Lin Yu. No, it was better not to risk it.


    "Thank you for the offer but I think I shouldn''t do that. I''ll probably just take a look around and then return to his side. Anyway, maybe I''ll find some inspiration as to what I can do with him while traveling."


    Jinde nodded. "Alright. If you do need my help after all, you know how to find me."


    Xin Lan nodded, and then looked from Jinde to Leng Jin Yu and back again. He really didn''t know what else to say so finally, he just got up. "Well, I know now that you are doing well. In that case, I will leave. The two of you are probably busy."


    Jinde slightly raised his brows but didn''t try to keep him. In any case, if Xin Lan wanted to leave, he would do so. "Well, we might be for some time. I don''t think it''ll be that long though." Saying so, his expression actually turned subtle. In fact, he might just have had an idea. A very good idea. He should discuss it with Leng Jin Yu as soon as Xin Lan had left. Thinking of that, he didn''t try to keep Xin Lan any longer and instead said his goodbye in a hurry.


    As soon as Xin Lan was out of the dimension, Leng Jin Yu turned to look at this husband of his and raised his brows. "Alright, what kind of thing did you come up with?"


    Jinde smiled brightly and went to wrap his arms around his shoulders. "My dear, have you ever thought about playing the matchmaker for somebody?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head, an indulgent smile on his lips. "I haven''t but I guess Xin Lan will be able to count himself lucky that you have his back."


    Jinde''s lips curved up further. "Oh, yes. I''m sure he''ll thank me later. Now, let''s start planning that wedding. I don''t think we should wait too long anymore."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows. Somehow, he felt like his second wedding would be hijacked for somebody else''s engagement. Well, as long as Jinde was happy with it ¡­ he certainly wouldn''t refuse. He would do anything to make his lover happy.

 Chapter 1231 - I Hope for Your Blessing

    Jinde wasn''t the type of person to hesitate for long when he decided on something. Since he wanted to have a second wedding and also wanted to use it to extend a helping hand to Xin Lan for once, he would naturally just go for it. Thus, his husband was soon kicked out of the special dimension with the task to start organizing everything with his Master and Grandmaster Zhangsun, while he would stay behind and take care of some of the finer details that he felt were important. Like the very important question of which fabric he wanted their wedding robes to be made of or how their wedding chamber was supposed to be decorated.


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but oblige. In any case, if this was important to Jinde, he wouldn''t say no. It would''ve been nice if their second wedding was really just their wedding and not overshadowed by somebody else''s special occasion but he was willing to let that go as long as he had the chance to officially marry Jinde in the human realm. Thus, he went over to Sect Master Yuchi''s peak and had the disciples outside announce his presence.


    Yuchi Bing Xia looked up from the work he was currently doing, his expression a little surprised. "Yu Jin came over?" He came over and didn''t just come in himself but actually had somebody else come over and announce him? This disciple of his ¡­ he really was too polite!


    Wu Min Huan who was sitting to the side and helping his Master deal with things tensed up a little. Even though his Master had changed his mind and now wanted him to follow him onto the position of Sect Master again, he couldn''t forget how simply he had been tossed aside before. If Yu Jin tried to take the position back, he was pretty sure that his Master might waver again. He really wasn''t sure if he could deal with that.


    Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t notice what was going on and just waved. "Well, let him in then." After all, he definitely wouldn''t turn away his own disciple. When Leng Jin Yu walked in, he gave him a bright smile. "Yu Jin, come over and sit down. What is the matter?"


    Leng Jin Yu cupped his fists and bowed, greeting the two of them first. "Master. Senior martial brother." Only then did he go over and sat down on the other side of the table. In fact, he would''ve liked to just continue standing. No matter how much he tried to see himself as a person of the Yun Zou Sect, he knew that all of this was just a lie. He would forever be that Leng Jin Yu of the Jian Yi Sect. That wouldn''t change. But, well, this was a worry he wouldn''t have much longer. He had already thought so before but now, with their second wedding being imminent, the time really wasn''t long anymore.


    "Well, this is about ¡­" He fell silent again, not quite sure what to say. As far as he remembered, whether it was Yuchi Bing Xia or Zhangsun Xun Yi, neither of them had ever used Jinde''s name. They hadn''t even told him when they introduced him. To them, he had only ever been ''that person''. But he couldn''t very well call his husband that way, could he? Also, Wu Min Huan was present right now. He didn''t quite know how to address his lover in front of him since Wu Min Huan likely didn''t know about him and which significance he had for the Yun Zou Sect.


    Yuchi Bing Xia raised his brows. "This sounds quite serious. Is it something you can''t even tell your Master?"


    Leng Jin Yu gave him another look. "It is not that I can''t tell you, Master. Rather than that, I don''t quite know how to say this."


    Wu Min Huan looked from one person to the other, feeling a little left out. He really wondered if he should excuse himself and just go.


    Before he could do so, Leng Jin Yu spoke up again. "You know that I have been living with my lover for several years now. I in any case, in the eyes of his people, we would have long since been seen as a married couple. It is just that here, it is the other way around. So now that he has healed his injuries, we were thinking of holding a second wedding according to our customs."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s eyes widened and he stared at his disciple incredulously. Right. Now that he thought about it, his disciple had never really married that man. Although ¡­ to be honest, he still wasn''t quite sure what to think of this relationship. "Are you sure that you want to do this? Marrying him ¡­"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "Master is worrying too much. This wedding ¡­ it is a mere formality. It will not change anything between us. It is just that it is something the two of us would like to do. So I would be happy if Master was giving us his blessing and would maybe help me with organizing a few things."


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed and finally nodded. "Well, you said back then that you were not going to reconsider. It''s been a thousand years. I probably shouldn''t expect you to change your mind after all this time if you weren''t even willing to do so back then. Since it''s like this, then I won''t say anything. In any case, you are my disciple, I want you to be happy. Also, with your status in the sect, this should be a big thing. We should put some more thought into organizing it. Have you already thought about when you want to hold the ceremony?"


    Leng Jin Yu shook his head. "No. But as I know him, he would prefer it if he didn''t have to wait too long. So the sooner we are able to arrange everything, the better it would be. If he could, I''m pretty sure that he would like to marry tomorrow already."

 Chapter 1232 - Who to Invite?

    Yuchi Bing Xia''s lips twitched when he heard that. "No matter how much of a hurry you''re in, you also can''t organize a wedding in a day. Until then, we wouldn''t even be able to send out invitations."


    Leng Jin Yu laughed lightly. "I know. I think that using the next auspicious date we can find would be good."


    Wu Min Huan continued to look from one person to the other, not understanding at all. This junior martial brother Yu of his wanted to organize a wedding? He didn''t even know about any lover!


    Leng Jin Yu noticed that he seemed a little strange and looked over, giving him a smile. "I hope I wasn''t interrupting anything. Senior martial brother Wu might not know but my lover has been staying in the Yun Zou Sect for quite some time. In fact, he was here before I even joined the sect back then.


    "We met here and as such, I can''t help but feel that it would be good to also hold the wedding here. Other than that, I guess it should be customary for Master to give his blessing first before I can go ahead. In fact, I feel that it is a bit wrong that we had a wedding according to his people''s customs before this already." Well, not that Jinde would really bother about that. There wouldn''t have been any chance to make him wait. He himself also hadn''t wanted to wait. And considering that they had already been married in his past life, there really was no reason not to do this.


    Wu Min Huan was a little embarrassed when Leng Jin Yu spoke to him about it but he also felt a little better when he finally got an explanation. "So it is like this. Your lover ¡­ is it somebody that I know?" He had been in the sect much longer than Leng Jin Yu so he felt that it should definitely be the case.


    Leng Jin Yu turned to look at Yuchi Bing Xia. In any case, he didn''t think that Jinde had met anyone else but it could very well be that he just wasn''t aware of it yet.


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s expression turned a little awkward but he still shook his head. "No, to be honest, he isn''t really a disciple of our sect or anything. Let''s just call him ¡­ a guest. In actual fact, it was Grandmaster Zhangsun who invited him back then. He has been here for a long time." He sighed when he said so and shook his head. "Who knows what got into him that he actually wants to marry Yu Jin."


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. Somehow, he felt that this so-called Master of his really didn''t think much of him. Why shouldn''t he be able to marry Jinde? In any case, they were getting along really well.


    Wu Min Huan nodded but he couldn''t help but be a little curious. Just what kind of person was this that Grandmaster Zhangsun would actually invite him here? And why hadn''t he ever heard of this person?


    Well, this was nothing he could figure out right now and it also wasn''t his place to do so. Thus, he just nodded and then didn''t say anything more, just letting the two of them talk.


    With that being out of the way, Yuchi Bing Xia started to think about the really important points. "Well, when the wedding can be held depends on when there is an auspicious state. We should first check that. Other than that, it would be important that we know who to invite. There should definitely be people from our sect and some representatives from other sects but I guess you will also have some acquaintances from outside that you would likely want to invite, right? And what about him? I know things are a little difficult with him but maybe there''s also somebody he would like to have there?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "As for the auspicious date, the closest one will work out no matter what day it is. As for in the invitations ¡­ there are only a few people that we would like to have there and I would leave it to Master to decide who else to invite."


    "Of course. Who is it that you want to invite?" Yuchi Bing Xia picked up a scroll of paper to write down the names.


    "The first one would be Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple, Qiu Ling, as well as his lover Zhong Jing Yi. From outside of the sect, I would like to extend an invitation to the Hua family, especially their youngest son Hua Lin Yu. Other than that, there is a person from his people that we would like to invite but we''ll take care of that on our own. Other than that, we should probably also invite some people of the Jian Yi Sect."


    Yuchi Bing Xia hurriedly nodded. "Yes, of course!" If Sect Master Fei had invited his disciple to come and stay with their sect, then she definitely needed to be invited to his wedding. Otherwise, what would she think? "I guess we should send them the invitation first."


    Wu Min Huan wanted to hold back couldn''t help but look from one person to the other again, his gaze becoming a bit anxious. "Master, can we just write a letter to the Jian Yi Sect like that? For a private matter no less?" After taking care of the sect''s matters for several hundred years, he had a pretty good grasp on what the hierarchy of the different sects actually meant.


    The Jian Yi Sect was far above a sect like theirs that had had trouble to actually stay among the first-tier sects several times. This was definitely not a sect that he would dare to just invite to something like the wedding of the Sect Master''s disciple. While they had helped them back then when they had gotten into trouble with the Chun Feng Sect, that had also been because this was the matter that was involving the whole cultivation world and their future. It absolutely wasn''t the same as a private wedding.


    "Ah." Yuchi Bing Xia smiled wryly and then looked at Yu Jin, hoping to get some kind of clue from him whether he had a problem with talking about the invitation.


    Leng Jin Yu kept quiet. He really wondered just how his Master wanted to explain this. In any case, he would need some kind of explanation so that he could tell people when they asked what the Jian Yi Sect was doing at the wedding when the day arrived. After all, at that time, he definitely couldn''t take care of that.


    With his disciple not bothering to help him, Yuchi Bing Xia could only talk around it. "Well, back when that matter with the Chun Feng Sect happened, Yu Jin struck up a friendship with a few of their people. So it will just be like inviting some friends. Of course, it would be a bit strange to invite others that we don''t know. But we''ll see what they say. In any case, they can just reject it if they feel that it isn''t something they want to be involved in."

 Chapter 1233 - He Shouldn’t Judge

    Leng Jin Yu nodded even though he knew that there was no way the Jian Yi Sect would actually reject the invitation. In fact, he was afraid that Fei Bai Mu might have a bit of a problem to get those Elders to calm down after they heard that he was going to hold an official wedding. Well, that was a problem she was well-equipped to handle. He''d just wait for the results. In any case, seeing them again would also be nice. He was actually looking forward to it.


    Yuchi Bing Xia turned back to Leng Jin Yu, giving him a questioning look. "Are these all the people you personally want to invite?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "Yes. I''m sure that Master will have a few more candidates in mind that should be invited but those are the ones that are important to me and my lover. I would leave all the other guests to you." If it was just him, he wouldn''t mind having a small wedding. But he was officially Yuchi Bing Xia''s disciple right now. Thus, his wedding was actually a rather big occasion that would require to invite a few important people over.


    For one, there would definitely be invitations send out to the other first-tier sects. Second, there would also be invitations for the lower-tier sects so they could express their gratitude for the invitation and use the opportunity to try and further the good relationship between them. In other words, these people usually wouldn''t come for him but just for the fact that he was Yuchi Bing Xia''s disciple. It wasn''t necessarily a bad thing but it also wasn''t something he cared too much about.


    His wedding ¡­ it was his personal matter. Even though he didn''t mind that the Yun Zou Sect would benefit from it, he also couldn''t be bothered too much to think of these other people on his wedding day. His Master would need to have somebody else entertain them. But then again, that was probably good.


    Wu Min Huan was the one who was going to be the next Sect Master. If he could use this venue to strike up a friendship with some important people, it would definitely be a good thing both for him and the Yun Zou Sect. It could also count as an apology for the years when he had taken his title from him. He felt that he owed him at least this much.


    While Leng Jin Yu thought so, he didn''t bring it up immediately. This was something that should be discussed later. Right now, they hadn''t even started organizing or sending out the invitations. There was no reason to already make a big fuss about this kind of detail.


    He turned back to Yuchi Bing Xia, his expression a little pensive. "As for anything else, I guess he will want to have quite a bit of input there so I can''t say for sure yet."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded. "Of course, of course. There''s no reason to hurry. How about this? I will start with preparing the invitations and we''ll just fill out the last details afterward when you''ve decided on them. In the meantime, you can slowly talk things over with him. I will also try to find out which auspicious dates are close. Then, we can decide on which date we can still make without having to neglect anything. We also shouldn''t choose something that is too soon just so that you don''t have to wait if you are unable to actually prepare everything until then."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I''ll keep it in mind."


    The two of them looked at each other until Leng Jin Yu finally cleared his throat. "Well, I shouldn''t disturb you any longer then." He got up and inclined his head, saying his goodbye. "Master. Senior martial brother Wu." Then, he turned around and left.


    Wu Min Huan watched the door close behind him with mixed feelings. To be honest, he still felt a bit unhappy because of what had happened back then. Just the thought that his Master would actually abandon him just like that after somebody else came by still hurt. But on the other hand, when he really thought about it, he also knew that Yu Jin was not the one at fault there.


    It had been his Master who made the decision. Yu Jin hadn''t known what had happened before and he definitely wasn''t responsible. If he wanted to be angry at someone, he should be angry at his Master, not at this junior martial brother of his. But knowing that and actually being able to act on it was a different matter. He just couldn''t help but always feel a bit miffed when he saw him.


    On the other hand, Yuchi Bing Xia sighed. "Well, I guess with an official wedding coming up, things are really going to stay this way. I always held the thought that this wouldn''t work out between the two of them but it seems I really was too shallow."


    In any case, Yu Jin wasn''t bad. He might not have excellent aptitude in regard to his cultivation but he was a double practitioner which absolutely made up for that. And he had made great progress over the years when he had been living in the sect. Considering that he had been a wandering practitioner before, this really spoke of his talent.


    And who said that somebody like that person would just look at how much talent someone had? Since he was strong himself, he probably didn''t need a partner that was equally strong. For him, it might even be alright to marry somebody that wasn''t cultivating at all and just keep them alive by relying on some kind of pill or potion. Things like that were actually possible.


    In any case, he shouldn''t judge and should just try and help them out. As a Master, this was what he would do for all of his disciples.

 Chapter 1234 - Only One Reason

    While the preparation for the wedding was starting in the mortal realm, Qiu Ling was making his way through the dragon king''s palace back in the immortal realms. There was still a strange feeling in his stomach when he finally reached An Bai''s door.


    He stopped in front of it, looking at the wood with a blank expression. He had to do this. He knew that. It was just ¡­ he didn''t know if he could. He was still afraid no matter how much he told himself that he didn''t need to.


    After living several millennia while upholding a lie, the idea of maybe having the truth come out was just way too daunting. Who wanted to be put in this kind of situation? He certainly didn''t. But what could he do? He knew that this was the only way.


    Qiu Ling took a deep breath and then knocked on the door, still unsure if he wanted An Bai to answer or maybe to rather find out that his adviser wasn''t even in. At the very least, the latter would give him the option to turn around without having to blame himself. Yes, he could just say that this was fate at work, that because of some reason he himself couldn''t even see, it wasn''t time to do this yet. When the time would finally come? Oh, he didn''t know either.


    Well, Qiu Ling was out of luck. Fate wasn''t going to provide him with an excuse for delaying this issue any longer. An Bai was indeed in his study. He was currently standing in front of the shelf behind his desk, having taken out a book and looking for another one before he would return to his tasks. Hearing the knock, he glanced over his shoulder, a little surprised that somebody would come by at this time. He wasn''t expecting anyone. "Come on in."


    Qiu Ling clenched his hands and then opened the door, stepping into the room. When he saw An Bai, that sinking feeling in his stomach seemed to get even worse. Oh Heaven, just what was he doing here? It would probably be better if he just forgot about all of this, made up some excuse, and went back. He just didn''t know how to even start with this.


    "Your Majesty." An Bai couldn''t help but be surprised to see Qiu Ling. As far as he had known, the king was still in the mortal realm. To suddenly have him appear here was quite strange. To be honest, even stranger was the fact that he had politely knocked for once instead of just storming in regardless of what might be happening inside. He definitely couldn''t say that this was something he often experienced with him.


    After being greeted, Qiu Ling didn''t know how to continue. He closed the door, and then looked around, trying to get at least another moment to sort through his thoughts. He knew that this wouldn''t make a difference. He had already come here. He had taken the first step. Why shouldn''t he take the second one as well? It would definitely be for the best if he did.


    He gulped and then straightened up, giving An Bai a deep look. "I was wondering if you could look something up for me."


    An Bai''s expression showed some surprise but he still nodded. "But of course. What is it about?" In fact, he was quite happy that his king had actually come to him for once and asked for his help. This didn''t happen that often. Sometimes, he really wondered if the king was interested in anything. But now, there was actually such an opportunity. What more could he wish for?


    Qiu Ling didn''t speak up immediately. He still didn''t quite know how to say it. "Ah ¡­ I was wondering about some remnants of our roots. You know like, members of our race that would show some traits that you usually wouldn''t find in the dragons anymore but that are still present in the demons. Some explanation for that kind of thing."


    An Bai''s hands trembled and he looked away immediately, putting the book back into the shelf that he had just taken out before his king came in. "That kind of thing? Well, I should have some of that here." He turned to the side, reaching out to a handful of books that were stashed away to the side. He didn''t even seem to look at the titles and just pulled all of them out before turning back.


    Qiu Ling stared at him, his expression that had been tense from the very beginning turning into one of horror. "You ¡­"


    An Bai looked away again and then lightly cleared his throat, putting the books down on the desk. "Those ¡­ should be all that we have in regard to that question." He turned away once more and picked up the book that he had put away previously but didn''t really know what to do with it.


    Qiu Ling was still staring at him. This kind of question ¡­ it wasn''t one that would be asked often. Even though An Bai was a scholar, there was no reason at all for him to have books answering that question just casually lying around or rather all neatly stacked at the side. Unless ¡­ he had looked this up before. And how many reasons were there to do so if you were a full-blooded dragon serving the dragon king? Barring the possibility that the king in question had asked about it like he did today, he could, unfortunately, only think of one.

 Chapter 1235 - A Capable King

    Qiu Ling heavily leaned against the door. He stared ahead, unable to really wrap his head around what had just happened. On the other hand, An Bai kept quiet, trying to look away. He didn''t know how to deal with this situation either.


    Finally, Qiu Ling looked up at him, his expression still as unbelieving as before. "You know."


    An Bai''s throat seemed to constrict. No matter how he tried, he couldn''t say a single word at this moment. Thus, in the end, he merely nodded.


    "Since ¡­ since when?" Qiu Ling''s voice cracked halfway through the question. He had expected a lot when he came here. He had even half-expected that An Bai might understand what the truth of the matter was when he originally asked him for these books and that maybe this grand dream of somehow finding explanations and being able to live a normal life would all go up in smoke.


    He hadn''t dared to dwell on the thought. After all, he might not have a problem with it if he lost his throne by itself but it would also mean that he lost Jing He. This was the thing he feared most. But now, it actually turned out that not only did An Bai know exactly what he had meant, but he had even known the real truth before. How could he just accept that?


    An Bai had a hard time to explain himself. He kept quiet for a moment but still did not dare to look Qiu Ling in the eye and finally just shook his head. "Actually, I didn''t know for sure. It was just a conjecture."


    Qiu Ling wasn''t too interested in the difference between the two. "Since when?"


    "A few years ¡­ A few years after you met His Highness. He asked some questions and remarked on some things that made me a little doubtful."


    The last bit of color drained from Qiu Ling''s face. "Then Jing He ¡ª"


    An Bai shook his head and finally looked up at Qiu Ling. "No. You don''t have to worry, Your Majesty. His Highness doesn''t assume the same. At the very least, not that I know of. I helped you to explain back then so he shouldn''t. Of course, I can''t say for sure but it is very unlikely. Your Majesty doesn''t need to worry."


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and slowly exhaled. Well, that was at least something. He had really feared that maybe the secret had gotten out somehow. Although ¡­ thinking about it, that didn''t make any sense. If Jing He had really found out, he couldn''t have hidden that knowledge. After all, they had spent time together until the day that Jing He went for his trial.


    If Jing He had really figured it out before, there only would have been two possible paths forward: Either he had accepted the fact that the man he had fallen in love with was part demon which would mean that Qiu Ling didn''t need to worry about it anyway or he wouldn''t have been able to accept it but then he should have tried to distance himself. Since that hadn''t happened, it was likely that Jing He was still ignorant about this fact. Come to think of it, maybe it would''ve been good if he had really found out. Then he wouldn''t need to try and come up with a way to tell him.


    After a moment, Qiu Ling opened his eyes again and looked at An Bai. "Does anybody else know?"


    An Bai nodded. "Xiang Yong does."


    "Oh." Qiu Ling raised his brows and rubbed his forehead. "It seems I wasn''t as careful as I thought I was. How did he figure it out?"


    An Bai gave a wry smile at that. "I''m afraid that would have been my fault. That day, I really didn''t know what to do. So I went to talk with Xiang Yong. Don''t worry. We were careful. I made sure that we talked somewhere where nobody would be able to hear. So other than the two of us, nobody knows."


    Qiu Ling lowered his hand and stared at An Bai, trying to figure out his mind. "Why didn''t you say something?" He had chased Jing He for a decade. If An Bai had figured it out after a few years, it should''ve at least been a few years since then. Add to that the years since Jing He had gone on his trial ¡­ He had known for so long. Why had he never said anything?


    An Bai''s expression eased a little. "If Your Majesty would have wanted me to know, you would''ve told me. Figuring it out by myself ¡­ Ah, what else was I supposed to do?"


    "And you don''t have anything else to say to that?" The king he had served for several millennia turned out to not be a full-blooded dragon. Could he really just smile that away?


    An Bai lowered his head and fell silent. His expression was complicated but finally, he just sighed. Looking up again, there was not the slightest trace of distrust in his eyes. Completely not what Qiu Ling had expected. "I can imagine that this is hard to imagine for Your Majesty. You have probably worried about this quite a lot over the years. To be honest, maybe it would have been better if I told you after I found out so you would''ve known that there was somebody you could confide in.


    "Back then, the first thought I had wasn''t that there was a problem with your parentage. The first thought I had was that if people found out and this would make you resign from your position, the dragon race would be in a difficult position. I guess over the years, I might not have shown it very much but I do believe that Your Majesty is a cable king. The best king we could probably have right now. So no matter who your mother was, it won''t change anything for me. No matter what happens, I will stand at your side. You can always count on that."

 Chapter 1236 - It Can Be Explained

    Qiu Ling stared at him, not quite sure what to make of this. He had always thought that when somebody found out about his actual bloodline, that they would certainly forsake him. How come he now had to be told that two of his advisers had already known since long ago and that it hadn''t changed anything for them? If he could''ve made this kind of experience sooner, his life could''ve been so different.


    He didn''t know how to answer for a while and just stood there, looking at An Bai. "Just like this?"


    An Bai smiled and finally put down the books that he had been holding all the time, and then sat down at his desk. He pushed the scroll he had been writing on before away and tidied up his brushes. "Your Majesty might not be able to understand this but we all have our own reasons, don''t we?


    "I won''t deny that sometimes, I wished you would go about things differently. I sometimes wished you would pay more attention to the things we say and ask you to do. But I am still of the opinion that you are a good king. You are there for your people. The realm is currently very stable. If there needed to be another king chosen, it would likely lead to unrest. And I currently don''t know of anyone who would be able to calm that kind of unrest and lead us back to a good future."


    Qiu Ling finally left his place at the door and went over, sitting down opposite An Bai. His eyes were closed halfway when he looked at him. "And if there was such a person? Would you decide differently?" He could somewhat understand it. Right now, he might be the best candidate. If that changed, maybe An Bai would choose somebody else based on the blood. He wouldn''t be able to say that it was wrong.


    An Bai shook his head. "A different candidate would also mean that the throne would need to change hands. No matter how well it is done, that would cause some trouble. It would make the dragon race weaker for a moment at least. I don''t think we should risk something like that. In any case, your blood doesn''t make you a worse leader. And I actually don''t think that there is much demon blood in you. I don''t know the exact situation but I would assume that it was at most a quarter or maybe even less."


    Qiu Ling gave a faint hum. "To be honest, I don''t know either. I only know it came from my mother''s side. I don''t know who her parents were though." Now, he really wished he had asked his father a bit more. But who knew if Chun Yin had actually known anything about that? It could very well be that his mother had never told him or had fed him lies. Well, he could at least ask Leng Jin Yu. Not that it would make any difference to find out. It wouldn''t change his blood.


    An Bai nodded. "I thought as much. Well, no matter how much it really is, you are obviously not different from a full-blooded dragon to any significant degree. You are under Tian''s curse of our race, you are able to bind your soul, you are likely also able to take on your dragon form, aren''t you?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "I am."


    "Well, the amount of demon blood in you is definitely negligible then. And even if it wasn''t, you would still count as a full member of the dragon race. It isn''t measured by the actual makeup of the blood but rather by what you inherit. What about your magical abilities?"


    Qiu Ling''s expression turned a little difficult at that. "I didn''t inherit any dark energy but I am able to use four elements."


    An Bai nodded once again. "I see. Well, that is also something that can be explained with the old texts. Is your command about them as good as that of the wind and water energy?"


    Qiu Ling hesitated a bit. "I wouldn''t say it''s necessarily worse. It is just that I didn''t use them as much so I''m lacking a bit of experience." It was enough for everyday use though.


    "Well, it''s not necessarily bad in this situation since it''ll make people suspect your heritage less and rather assume it''s a remnant of old blood. It would be even better if you didn''t use them much. But then again, I still think that it would be better to let people find out than to risk your life. If you need to, don''t hold back. You should use everything you can to make sure that you survive. In a fight, there is no time for explanations no matter the outcome."


    Qiu Ling smiled at that. "You don''t need to tell me. When it comes to fighting, I''m not one to hold back."


    An Bai couldn''t help but laugh lightly. "I guess I should''ve expected that."


    The two of them fell quiet again, not quite sure how to continue. Both of them had things they wanted to say but it was still hard to broach the subject.


    Finally, An Bai couldn''t help but bring up the previous point again. "Your Majesty, this might be presumptuous but I know for a fact that your reign was always praised very much since the day you acceded to the throne. There was also a time when you did not have any advisers. Looking back at the years since I have come here, you have usually thrown your tasks to us. So I do wonder how things were before that. Can you explain that to me?"


    This was something he had thought about very often. But no matter how much he thought, he couldn''t understand. And that was something that really bugged him. Maybe it was because he was a scholar and intent on finding the answers to everything. But in any case, he really wanted to know. So if there was some kind of explanation, he was interested in hearing that from his king himself. He couldn''t imagine that there was another way to find out about it.

 Chapter 1237 - You Don’t Know

    Qiu Ling sighed at that. "I''m not quite sure what kind of answer to give to that. Maybe you have actually guessed part of it already. It is true. I would be able to do it on my own. In the first years, I did so. But I can''t deny that at the same time, it made me anxious."


    An Bai slightly furrowed his brows when he heard that. "Your Majesty''s meaning is ¡­ it is because of your bloodline?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Yes. Originally, I didn''t know about my demon blood. I found out in my youth long before I became king. But it was more kind of ¡­ an accident if you so want. And I didn''t really have the chance to come to terms with it. There was nobody to talk to about this, nobody that helped me through. In the end, I just tried my best to forget about it and hide from everyone. The problem is that no matter how much I deny it, I can''t change the fact that I do have this blood. And knowing this, it is difficult to be around other people.


    "Being with somebody else or having close relations to anyone always makes me worry that they might find out. I had a thousand ideas of what could happen once they did. None of them were good. I didn''t imagine that somebody would just nod their head and say ''oh, I already knew'' or ''well, I guessed that all along'' or maybe even ''I had no idea but it won''t change who I see you as''. Those weren''t the reactions I expected."


    An Bai smiled faintly but he did feel bad inside. It probably really would''ve been better if he had told the king that he knew. Then at least for the past few years, he would''ve had somebody at his side to talk things through with. Somebody that he didn''t need to hide from.


    "In any case, I never wanted to be king. I especially didn''t want to be king after I knew what I was. But things turned out like this. Originally, I only came back because there was a war, and, well, I did hate the demons. Probably more than any of the full-blooded dragons ever could have had. There was some personal desire for revenge because of how my life turned out because of this blood. Who knew that that would finally make me into the dragon king?


    "Truth be told, I didn''t quite know how to feel about it. On the one hand, I finally had a place in our realm, to actually have people look up to me and consider me as one of them felt good. This was what I always wanted. On the other hand, the longer it went on, the more I was afraid. Because if people got close to me, they might find out. So I didn''t really dare to get close to anyone.


    "My first advisers were chosen only sometime later and my relationship with them wasn''t very close either. I just didn''t dare to open up. Even those people that I should''ve trusted, I just couldn''t."


    "So you finally pushed your tasks on them when they were available so you wouldn''t have to deal with it and then deal with other people."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Precisely. I guess it wasn''t as smart as I thought it would be."


    An Bai gave a hum but he wasn''t quite sure. To be honest, this had made it difficult to find out anything. If not for the comment that the Son of Heaven had made, he never would have guessed it either. Most likely, their king would''ve been the last person he suspected to be part demon. But maybe that was also because he was the king.


    "I can understand that you are reluctant. But I think after all this time, you should trust us. Now, Xiang Yong and I already know the truth. As for the others, they probably haven''t seen through it but I''m sure that they will be on your side. The thing is just ¡­ you should probably tell them yourself.


    "It is one thing to find out but it will be easier for everyone if they are told directly. It will give them some time to come to terms with it. And after they do, all of us will be better equipped to handle it if the secret should ever get out. I mean it is probably unlikely but should it happen, then ¡­"


    Qiu Ling sighed when An Bai mentioned that. "There''s one thing that you don''t know but that you should be aware of: The demon king actually knows about this."


    An Bai''s eyes widened and he almost leaped up from his chair.


    Qiu Ling waved though. "He knew all along. And so far, he''s never brought it up. Either he is waiting for the right moment to make it public or he has no intention of doing so. It could actually be the latter."


    "I wouldn''t be so sure. The two of you have always been in some kind of rivalry." An Bai fell silent after saying so, his expression turning pensive. "Is there some kind of inside story?"


    Qiu Ling didn''t quite know what to say to that but finally sighed. "Well, my mother was his father''s ¡­ wife or whatever you call that in the demon realm." He cleared his throat and finally tagged on at least a small explanation. "Also, you don''t know this either but just like me, he isn''t full-blooded either. And from the bit that I know, he isn''t actually that happy with being on the demon side of things."


    He didn''t mention Jinde since he really didn''t want to bring that kind of secret into this but he felt that it would be best if An Bai knew at least this much. It wouldn''t be a danger to either him or Jinde but it was enough to make the people that should be aware come to know about it. This was probably the best he could do to show his trust. And he also knew that it would help him in the future.

 Chapter 1238 - The Reason I Joined You

    An Bai was indeed shocked by what he had just found out. On the other hand, he also felt a bit happy. "Thank you for trusting me with this information."


    Qiu Ling gave a faint smile. "Well, you figured out this thing and just kept it to yourself apart from going to talk about this with Xiang Yong. If I don''t trust you with this, who am I going to trust?"


    An Bai lowered his head but it was still obvious that his smile widened.


    Qiu Ling looked at him and slightly tilted his head. "Is that really worth so much?"


    An Bai looked back up, his blue eyes shimmering in the light. "It probably doesn''t seem like much in Your Majesty''s eyes. To me though ¡­ this is a lot, yes. I don''t know if you are aware of this but, to be honest, I''ve always felt like among your advisers, I am probably the most useless to you. The one you would trust the least."


    Qiu Ling''s expression turned solemn when he heard so. "Why that?" Honestly, he had never fully trusted any of his advisers but it wasn''t like he had singled any of them out. At the very least, that was what he believed.


    An Bai gave a hum, a little unsure of where to begin. "Well, I think there are several layers to this. For one, apart from Xiang Yong and me, the other advisers all grew up in the capital city. Some of them already did so when you finally acceded to the throne while others were born when you were already reining. In any case, they were close. So there was always this feeling that they probably knew Your Majesty better than we did.


    "On the other hand, I also felt that there was a stronger connection because of that. That their reasons were more valid.


    "Fu Heng, for example, always admired you personally as a warrior. And that was why he wanted to follow you. And Fu Min ¡­ I know that both he and Fu Heng were children when you became king. I remember that he mentioned once that he actually saw that fight in which you killed the late demon king. So I guess he will have admired you or maybe even idolized you since then.


    "On the other hand, while Yi Zan and Qiang Wei joined you later, their connection to the palace is closer. Yi Zan''s family has been one of soldiers and even palace guards for several generations so he wanted to follow in his forefathers'' footsteps. It doesn''t seem strange. Qiang Wei ¡­ I actually don''t quite know about him but from what I gathered, he was also very closely related to the dragon king''s palace from before becoming your adviser. I guess it might also be related to his family.


    "Then there is Xiang Yong. Just like me, he didn''t grow up here. But I know that you once saved his life when there were battles in the border region where he lived. He wanted to repay you for that, to be at your side as closely as a could, and help you with what you were doing.


    "Me, on the other hand, I don''t have that kind of personal history with you. I am from the eastern region, a small town close to Mu Shan. Your Majesty might have never been there. And I never had the chance to actually get to know you. The dragon king''s palace, the capital city ¡­ all of that was far away when I grew up." He looked a little lost when he fell quiet again.


    "When did you decide to come here then?" Actually, Qiu Ling felt guilty. The things that An Bai mentioned ¡­ he actually didn''t know about them. He didn''t know where An Bai came from, he couldn''t remember having saved Xiang Yong. He also didn''t know too much about the others although he could probably infer a bit about Yi Zan''s and Fu Heng''s circ.u.mstances just from the bit that he could see. After all, Yi Zan''s sister and brother-in-law were also living in the palace and that Fu Heng was interested in fighting was obvious at a glance.


    But he really didn''t know anything about the others. And that just went to show how shallow the connection between them actually was. These were his advisers, the men he should trust the most. But in the end, despite all these years together, he just couldn''t. And that was ¡­ very sad.


    An Bai was lost in thought for a moment when he heard his king''s question. "Well, why did I? I don''t even know how to explain this myself. If I am honest, I did not come here to become your adviser. I was always enamored with my studies. And I knew that the capital city would be the best place to further them. That was what I originally came here for. And finally, that was the reason why I entered the palace because I figured that this was the place that would allow me to do the most.


    "Becoming your adviser ¡­ I honestly don''t know if it wasn''t just a fluke. I don''t know why Your Majesty chose me back then. I actually was a little surprised. But it was something that I was willing to do when you asked me to. Because I felt that this was a worthy cause to use my knowledge for. And I did feel that you were a good king. I read up on your reign after all. Even though I didn''t know much about you as a person, I could see that you tried your best as the king. I do think that was enough for me to decide that I wanted to follow you."


    Qiu Ling nodded slowly while his thoughts traveled back. In fact, this didn''t seem to have been that long ago. Among those six followers of his, An Bai seemed to be the one who joined him the latest. As for the reason this had happened ¡­ it seemed that at the end of the day, he had once again been a bit difficult.

 Chapter 1239 - He Wanted Just One Promise

    At that time, he had been king for a long time. Even those other five advisers of his had been at his side for more than just a short amount of time. He did realize that there was a need for somebody else to join them though.


    Just as he had said to An Bai: Before he had his advisers, he had done the job of being king all by himself. He knew what was necessary. And he knew that those five weren''t yet able to do all of that. This was because they weren''t well rounded enough.


    Fu Heng was a warrior but other than that, he wasn''t too well-versed in the things that needed to be taken care of. It was great to have him when there were battles but otherwise, he could only be in charge of training the soldiers and making sure that they were ready for battle.


    Xiang Yong was the exact opposite. It wasn''t that he was weak but his strength lay definitely in all those administrative tasks. Whether it was taking care of the treasury, taking care of so relations with the gods, making sure that things in the palace and the capital went smoothly, and that none of the other regions were neglected, he was definitely the best person to deal with it.


    The problem was that there was only one Xiang Yong but there were many issues. He was unable to take care of all of them. Qiang Yan and Yi Zan didn''t really have a specialty in what to deal with but they were able to help out with some tasks. Yi Zan was usually in charge of the guards of the palace and the capital city while Qiang Wei would try and help out where we could which mostly ended up being some task that Xiang Yong needed to be taken care of.


    On the other, other hand, there was still Fu Min who was usually just tasked with getting information that Xiang Yong wanted and using the rest of his time to get information that nobody actually cared about but that he just shelved for later.


    In this way, things had more or less worked out but they weren''t going perfectly. In fact, they were far from perfect. He could see that Xiang Yong was constantly stressed and it would only be a matter of time until something would go wrong.


    Being able to see this issue, Qiu Ling had finally decided that he needed to add one more person to the mix. Somebody who was smart and could deal with this kind of problem. It also had to be somebody responsible. So finally, he went out to look for precisely that kind of person.


    As for how he had ended up with An Bai in that position ¡­ Well, there wasn''t much to say about this. He had looked around which people were available and finally noticed An Bai.


    Each day when he went to check on people, he could see him busy with his books somewhere, giving the impression that he was hard-working and dependable and would be able to take on this kind of a big responsibility. Thus, after making sure with Fu Min that there was no problem with An Bai, he had finally approached him and told him his decision. From the very beginning, he hadn''t really thought that An Bai would say no. In any case, who didn''t want to be the king???s adviser? He had never heard of that kind of person.


    Thinking back now, it seemed that An Bai had hesitated for a bit. But since he had finally agreed, there really was nothing to be said about this. Things had worked out well. It had also turned out that he had chosen the right person for this. So he could say that he had had some kind of intuition when he saw him but, actually, this would be praising himself too much. He had just been lucky. Like he had been with all his other advisers. There was no reason to pretend it was any different.


    Qiu Ling sighed when he thought about it. "I''m glad that you did. You might not think that I rely very much on you but I did have my reasons for choosing you back then."


    An Bai nodded. "Then in the future ¡­" He looked at his king, a faint hope in his heart. "I know that Your Majesty is probably still worried. But if I can promise you that Xiang Yong and I will be there to solve whatever problems might spring up because of your bloodline, are you willing to return to how things were before? I don''t expect Your Majesty to do everything by yourself. That is what we are there for as your advisers. But it would be nice not to have to do everything by ourselves. Just working together would be something nice to see."


    Qiu Ling got up and wandered to the other side of the room, looking out into An Bai''s courtyard. Contrary to the others that usually didn''t bother about it, he had used it to study some plants. It actually reminded him of Jinde a little. "After Jing He returns from his trial, things will change anyway. I don''t think that I could still be like this at that time." He turned around, giving An Bai another long look. "Can you keep going until then?"


    An Bai nodded. "However much time you need, Your Majesty." He really didn''t mind whether it was one more year or two or maybe even ten. As long as he had his king''s promise that he would try to change, to be open with them, to work together with them, he would be satisfied. He wanted nothing but this, just this one promise. If that wasn''t asking too much, then he would do everything he could to achieve this goal.

 Chapter 1240 - Better Hurry Over Right Away

    Before either of them could say another word, Qiu Ling''s transmission stone pulsed with white light. He raised his brows and took it out, not quite sure what to expect.


    An Bai hurriedly got up and inclined his head. "I won''t bother Your Majesty if there''s some pressing matter. I will go over and talk with Xiang Yong instead." In any case, since His Majesty had come clean with him, Xiang Yong who had already known the truth as well should be made aware of this as well.


    Qiu Ling nodded and then turned around while An Bai went on his way. He imbued some spiritual energy into the transmission stone only to be greeted by Jinde''s smiling face.


    "Bear child, I''m holding a second wedding. You should hurry over here so you won''t miss it."


    An Bai who had just stepped out of the door closed it with a strange expression. He didn''t know who the person on the other side was but he never would''ve thought that there was anybody who would dare to talk to the king like this. He really wondered what kind of person it was but he wouldn''t pry into his king''s matters. He just closed the door and then went over to the opposite room, knocking likely.


    Xiang Yong was currently working through some doc.u.ments and only glanced up faintly. "Come on in."


    An Bai entered and closed the door behind him before walking over to the desk, stopping right next to Xiang Yong.


    The other dragon looked up, raising his brows when he saw that it was An Bai. "Did something happen?"


    An Bai leaned closer and lowered his voice. "You can definitely say that. Remember what I told you back then about what I inferred from what His Highness told me? Well, His Majesty just came to me and admitted that it is true."


    Xiang Yong needed a moment to understand what An Bai was talking about. It had been a good ten years already since that happened. But there really was no other matter that would make An Bai behave this secretively. "His Majesty ¡­ Just like this?" He was actually surprised at that. Obviously, their king had been keeping it a secret. To now have him admit to it so openly ¡­ he really hadn''t expected that.


    An Bai smiled faintly. "I''m not quite sure if he originally intended to do so. He was asking for some information and probably saw that I had already figured it out. In any case, we had a short conversation about it. I think that things will change from now on. Well, it''s not a bad thing."


    Xiang Yong nodded faintly. "It really isn''t. Well, I can only hope there won''t be any problems because of this." His expression was a little tangled. He had always hoped that their king could be completely honest with them but he also knew that this kind of secret was one that should not be easily admitted to. The danger if the wrong person heard it ¡­ it was just too big.


    An Bai went to the other side of the table and sat down, sighing. "To be honest, even though I was fairly certain about it, it is still good that he admitted it. That means that we can truly prepare. And it also means that should something happen, he will know that he can rely on us. That adds a bit of safety, doesn''t it?"


    Xiang Yong nodded. "It does. Although I hope we will never need that safety."


    The two of them fell silent again, each wondering just what the future might bring.


    Back in An Bai''s study, Qiu Ling was still sitting at the table and chatting with Jinde. "What are you going to hold a second waiting for? In any case, it''s not like you''re not already each other''s spouse. Or don''t tell me you suddenly decided that you want to have a harem?" That would be really strange!


    Jinde snorted. "You! If somebody should have one, wouldn''t that be you as the current king? In any case, I wanted to have a ceremony like the humans do. There never really was a time for that but now that I''m healed and that the things of the past have been solved, it seems to be the right time. So, just come over."


    Qiu Ling gave a hum. "Actually, I''m currently in the dragon realm."


    Jinde raised his brows. He knew that Qiu Ling had run away after the matter with Chun Yin but he hadn''t expected that it would be like this. "Are you alright?" In a sense, seeing Chun Yin again might have hit Qiu Ling even harder than it had hit him. He probably should''ve tried to reach out to him sooner.


    Qiu Ling shook his head though. "No, it''s alright. Actually, it just made me think a lot. I went to the Nine Heavens first to see Jing He for a moment. It helped me calm down. And then ¡­" He fell silent for a while and looked over to the door where An Bai had just left. He could still hardly believe that two of his advisers knew and still accepted him. It was a good thing.


    He turned back to Jinde''s apparition and gave a faint smile. "I told one of them. About ¡­ my blood, I mean. He took it surprisingly well."


    Jinde raised his brows, a hint of panic in his heart. "Surprisingly well means ¡­ he is going to accept it?" If not, then Qiu Ling might be in danger. It was one thing to be a dragon with a bit of demon blood but it would be a different matter altogether if you were the dragon king. The amount of trouble that could bring ¡­ it was hard to say.


    Qiu Ling just waved though. "Don''t worry. Apparently, he had already guessed it. Well, there''s nothing I can do. So, when did you say the wedding was going to be held? I guess it would be in bad taste if I came late."


    Jinde was still worried but he figured that it might be better if Qiu Ling returned anyway. "You can come back right away. In any case, with the difference in time between the realms, you might just arrive at the right moment."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Very well. I''ll be there." He didn''t bother to say anything else and just cut the connection, getting to his feet at once. He hesitated for a moment, and then left the room, going over to the one on the other side. He only hesitated for a moment before he knocked and then went in. "Go prepare a gift. We''re going to a wedding."

 Chapter 1241 - A Fitting Gift

    An Bai and Xiang Yong exchanged a glance. Wedding? What wedding? Who was getting married? If their king actually wanted to go, it should be somebody important. But then why hadn''t they heard of this before?


    Unfortunately, their king had already turned around, looking a bit impatient. He definitely wasn''t in the mood to answer any questions right now.


    An Bai smiled wryly and then motioned toward Xiang Yong. "You go and get a gift. I will follow His Majesty already." Even though the king had just promised to work together with them in the future, it was likely that it would take some time until they were able to work together well. After all, they hadn''t really done so before. They had to adapt to each other''s way of doing things slowly until they were familiar.


    Also, it was quite possible that His Majesty was feeling a little awkward about all this since he had only just found out that he and Xiang Yong both already knew about his heritage. He probably still hadn''t quite come to terms with it. Before he did, they shouldn''t push him. It was good enough that he had finally admitted to it more or less on his own accord. Everything else would surely follow.


    Xiang Yong nodded at that suggestion and then rushed over to the treasury, hurriedly looking around. He really wished that he had gotten a heads up before this. Choosing a present for a wedding wasn''t a simple task. Especially when he had no idea who the people getting married were. After looking around for a moment, he finally cursed and took out his transmission stone, contacting Qiu Ling. There was no use in worrying any longer. It was better to get some more information first so he could hurry up. It had sounded as if the king wanted to leave immediately.


    Qiu Ling raised his brows when his transmission stone pulsed again but accepted immediately, worried that it might be Jinde again and that he had taken too long already.


    As a result, he actually saw Xiang Yong. His brows climbed even higher at that. "What''s the matter?" Hadn''t he just told them to follow him? While An Bai had arrived, this guy was sure taking his sweet time ¡­


    Xiang Yong smiled wryly. "Your Majesty ¡­ I''m looking for a gift in the treasury as you asked us to. Unfortunately, you didn''t even tell us who the people in question were. What kind of present should I look for?"


    Qiu Ling pondered for a moment. If it was anyone else, he would just say that he should just take whatever. A gift from the dragon king''s treasury was precious no matter what was chosen. But the people in question were Jinde and his father''s reincarnation. Even though he actually felt a little tangled about Leng Jin Yu''s identity, he had always seen Jinde as part of his family. That kind of person ¡­ he couldn''t treat him badly.


    As for what kind of present the two of them would like ¡­ Well, he only knew that this wasn''t their first wedding and that they had actually already lived together for quite some time even after his father???s reincarnation so it wasn''t like the customary gifts were applicable. "Just get them a shell necklace or something."


    Xiang Yong''s brows shot up. "A shell ¡ª"


    "You better hurry up! They''re in the mortal realm. If we wait too long, the wedding will already be over." He cut the connection, not wanting to speak about it any longer. He hastily put away the transmission stone, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and turned away.


    An Bai who had already arrived next to him some time ago smiled faintly. "Is there a reason for Your Majesty to speak like this with Xiang Yong?" He couldn''t help but feel that maybe this had to do with the fact that while he knew that Xiang Yong had known and while he was aware that An Bai had even told Xiang Yong that he had admitted the truth already, Qiu Ling hadn''t really spoken with him about it himself so maybe he felt awkward. It was certainly a possibility.


    Qiu Ling glanced at him but then looked away. In fact, while there was a slightly strange feeling, it wasn''t like he actually had a problem with this. It was more that he felt a bit awkward about the matter with Jinde and Leng Jin Yu. If he didn''t have to talk about it, he would definitely prefer that but saying so was even worse.


    An Bai didn''t try to force him. In any case, if the king didn''t want to, then what was the use in harping on it? It was better to give him some time to think things through and come to terms with it on his own. That way, the relationship between Xiang Yong and His Majesty would also be closer in the future.


    Back in the treasury, Xiang Yong shook his head. He had no idea if this gift was really a good idea but since the king had mentioned this specifically, he finally just went with it. In any case, it wasn''t the worst of gifts. For a couple that was getting married, it could also be seen as well-wishes for the marriage to work out.


    He looked around and did indeed find a shell necklace. It was beautifully crafted, each of those shells exquisite, and the links showing delicate craftsmanship. It had likely been forged by a master. This was definitely the kind of thing that could be gifted for a wedding.


    He nodded to himself, chose an engraved jade box, and put the necklace inside before he rushed out to meet with An Bai and Qiu Ling again.


    Then, the three of them set off toward the mortal realm, soon reaching the gates of the Yun Zou Sect under Qiu Ling''s lead.

 Chapter 1242 - The Old Palace

    Qiu Ling didn''t care about the guarding disciples at the gate. Even though he had promised An Bai that he would be more serious in the future, he was still the dragon king who had come to the mortal realm. Did he really need to behave like a common disciple of the sect? Of course not.


    An Bai and Xiang Yong also didn''t say anything. In any case, being a little eccentric was to be expected of somebody of his status. If their king suddenly turned normal, they would also feel unaccustomed. Instead, the two of them looked around.


    They did know that this was the Yun Zou Sect since they had both been here before and even though a lot of time had passed in the mortal realm since then not much had changed if they compared what they could currently see with their memories from the past. They were still surprised though.


    It seemed that this wedding they had gone to was a big occasion in the mortal realm. There were many more people in the sect right now than they had noticed here before and their robes suggested that they came from many different sects. It really made them wonder just who the two people getting married were.


    Qiu Ling had a quick look around, his gaze lingering on the bamboo hut where Jing Yi was probably still waiting for his return. After a moment, he turned away though and flew to the Sect Master''s palace. He circled around the building and then waved for An Bai and Xiang Yong to follow him. Most likely, Jinde and Leng Jin Yu would still be in there, preparing themselves for the ceremony. Considering their relationship, he should probably go to greet them personally.


    An Bai and Xiang Yong exchanged another glance and then followed him into the array, a little surprised when it didn''t react when they tried to imbue spiritual energy but then suddenly lit up without either of them doing anything a moment after they stopped.


    They were even more surprised when they arrived on the other side and saw a building in the distance that looked remarkably like the architecture of the dragon realm, with some hints of the past.


    Especially An Bai narrowed his eyes and took a closer look. "This looks like the previous dragon king''s palace." He had read about this in some ancient scrolls. The dragon king''s palace had changed throughout time. Because of the constant wars with the demons, the building had been severely damaged and sometimes even collapsed completely. Afterward, the kings had always rebuilt it to fir their own taste a little more and take any new requirements they might have into consideration. This palace ¡­ it looked exactly like the one the dragon king had reigned from before the current one was built.


    Qiu Ling glanced at him, smiling faintly. "It is that one. I grew up in there." Yes, this building had only been destroyed in the fight where Jinde had been injured with the soul-devouring dagger. He had still overseen the new palace being build. Qiu Ling had grown up in this building as well but Jinde was definitely more attached to it. Even Leng Jin Yu who couldn''t completely remember that palace preferred it over the current one that he hadn''t wasn''t familiar with since his father had never seen it. So of course, they would want to live in this one.


    Qiu Ling sighed lightly and then just went forward.


    When the three of them entered the palace, Leng Jin Yu stepped out of the room. He was already dressed in the bright red robes that the mortals wore for their weddings.


    Xiang Yong squinted when he recognized him. He didn''t know why but since the first time he had seen him, he had had a strange feeling about this person. While he had been able to explain why he had come to the dragon realm previously, he still felt a bit strange. To see him here now ¡­ it really didn''t help with that suspicion. In fact, it made him feel that all of this was even more mysterious, and worry crept up in his heart. It absolutely didn''t help that Qiu Ling tensed as soon as he saw this person. Just who was he? What exactly was their relationship? He just couldn''t figure it out.


    Leng Jin Yu smiled wryly. "You came back. I wasn''t sure if you would want to." He didn''t know what else to say. To be honest, this was strange for him as well. While the soul being active right now was his own and Chun Yin was really dead for real this time, he now had all of his memories. And they were his real memories of the past, not something he had just seen but something he felt he had lived through. His feelings for Qiu Ling were really complicated. On the one hand, he was family, on the other hand, he was an irresponsible, even kind of irritating person that he would rather not interact too much with. Even if he had never said this before, that had kind of been his idea of Qiu Ling. It probably wasn''t a wonder considering how they had met but it sure made things strange.


    Qiu Ling also wasn''t feeling too well with this either. He looked away, fixing his eyes on the door behind Leng Jin Yu. "I didn''t come for you."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and then stepped back, motioning to the door. "He is inside."


    Qiu Ling nodded and walked past him, stepping into the room.


    An Bai and Xiang Yong looked from one person to the other, exchanged a glance between themselves, and then quietly followed Qiu Ling. In any case, their king hadn''t told them to stay behind.


    As a result, the two of them once again suffered a shock.

 Chapter 1243 - Their Final Decision

    Xiang Yong and An Bai were the youngest of Qiu Ling''s advisers but even the oldest ones, Fu Heng and Fu Min, had only been children at the time when Qiu Ling ascended the throne which had been many years after Jinde''s supposed death.


    Nevertheless, stories about the previous dragon king had been passed down and were known by almost anyone in the dragon realm. So a person with Jinde''s appearance would garner gazes no matter where they went. An Bai, as somebody who had researched the history of the realm and race, was even clearer on what exactly the old records said. Also, one really didn''t need to be a genius to figure out who this person was if he dared to talk like that to Qiu Ling. But this kind of thing really changed everything they had believed to know about their race.


    Jinde smiled when the two people just stared at him with wide eyes, not knowing what to say. Ah, this was a different kind of astonishment than he was used to. But he really couldn''t say that he was surprised at their reaction. It probably wasn''t easy for them to learn the truth. He didn''t bother about them any longer though and instead turned to Qiu Ling. "I see you made it in time."


    Qiu Ling nodded and gave a hum before he motioned to Xiang Yong. "I brought a gift."


    Even though there were still a million thoughts in his head, Xiang Yong inclined his head and stepped forward, handing the box over to Jinde.


    Jinde took it with a smile and then flipped the lid open, his brows slightly rising. He took out the necklace and held it up with one finger, giving Qiu Ling a questioning look. "It seems somebody can hardly wait to get a few siblings."


    Qiu Ling''s lips twitched. "I don''t think what I want or don''t want is really of importance here, is it? I feel you''re just going to do whatever you want."


    Jinde laughed and then motioned over to Leng Jin Yu, putting the necklace back into the box and handing it over to his husband. "You''d better store that well for us. This kind of thoughtful gift, I''m sure we''ll be taking it back out sooner or later."


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the necklace with a complicated expression. Previously, he wouldn''t have understood. But now, with Chun Yin''s memories, he understood the general customs of the dragon race. And the shells ¡­ there was really only one way to interpret receiving them as a gift for your wedding. After all, a shell was what a couple like them would use to create their child. Being given a necklace of small ones ¡­ The intent was obvious.


    He finally closed the box with a wry smile and then put it into his spatial ring. Glancing at Qiu Ling, he wondered if he should say something but finally didn''t do so. If he said something about children, he was afraid it wouldn''t go over well. After all, Qiu Ling hadn''t been able to have a normal childhood and it was pretty clear that he still somewhat resented him for that no matter what he said.


    That hurt wouldn''t vanish just because he had been able to talk with Chun Yin for a bit. After all, way too many things had happened for that. Maybe he would be able to get over it in the future and they could have a somewhat normal relationship but it definitely wasn''t the time for that yet. No, there was still a lot of work ahead of them if they wanted something like that.


    Adding another child to the mix would definitely deepen Qiu Ling''s resentment because he would see somebody get what he hadn''t been able to have from the people that he had wanted it from. It might not be rational but this was after all the trauma from his childhood. Who could fault him for that?


    Jinde looked from one person to the other, his gaze deep. Finally, he showed a small smile and then motioned toward the door. "I believe it should be time for us to go over. The actual ceremony will be held outside. We didn''t think it would be a good idea to invite any guests here."


    Qiu Ling who had just taken a glance at Leng Jin Yu as well turned his back to him, still seeming a little awkward. "You''re not going to go out there looking like this, are you?"


    Jinde brushed through his golden hair and his smile deepened. "Why not? Do I not look nice? That''s not the right thing to say to somebody no matter the time. But especially not on their wedding day." Jinde walked past him and stopped in front of Leng Jin Yu, reaching out to put his hands on his husband''s chest. "I hope you have some better words to say to me, my dear."


    Leng Jin Yu put away his tangled emotions and leaned closer with a smile. "You are as beautiful as always but the thought of being able to marry you again makes you seem even more beautiful to me."


    Jinde chuckled and then leaned closer as well, pecking his cheek. "I like the way that sounded. Alright, let''s go over then. We can''t make them wait forever. And I also don''t want to wait any longer. We deserve this."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and then glanced at Qiu Ling and his two advisers again before he turned around and followed Jinde out of the room. In any case, the other three could leave whenever they wanted to since the array didn''t work in that direction.


    Back in the room, An Bai and Xiang Yong immediately stepped forward, their gazes worried. "Your Majesty ¡­ these two people ¡­" They didn''t quite dare to speak their mind on this but it was obvious that they had some thoughts on the matter.


    Qiu Ling glanced at An Bai and then at Xiang Yong before he sighed. "It''s exactly as you think it is. They are my predecessor and ¡­ my father''s reincarnation."


    While the latter was difficult for him to put into words, the former was surprisingly easy to admit to after he had already confessed to being part demon. In any case, they had been able to deal with that information. He was hoping that they would be able to deal with knowing this as well. And if they couldn''t ¡­ Well, at the very least, there would be a candidate that could take over ruling the realm if his people didn''t want him anymore.


    This was why he had brought these two here. He wanted them to make their final decision after all the cards had been revealed. Now, he only needed to wait for what they would say.

 Chapter 1244 - A Harsh Realization

    An Bai and Xiang Yong looked at each other, a hint of horror in their eyes. It had been a shock to find out that Qiu Ling might have some demon blood. But that was still something that could be dealt with as long as they found a logical explanation for all the differences he exhibited. With that, they could make sure that it wouldn''t have any lasting effects on their king''s reign. This though ¡­ they were both afraid that there was nothing they could do.


    An Bai gulped and then tried to go about this logically. "Your Majesty ¡­ That person, he wouldn''t be interested in the throne, would he?"


    Qiu Ling put on what he deemed to be a neutral expression. "I don''t know for sure. I haven''t asked him."


    The worry in An Bai''s gaze intensified. "We should make sure of that as fast as we can then." He drew his brows together, trying to think about what they could do. He raked a hand through his white hair, untypically stressed-out by what was happening. He definitely hadn''t been able to predict such a situation and now, he was kind of lost on how to proceed.


    Qiu Ling followed every movement of his with his gaze, trying to figure out what was going on in An Bai''s mind.


    Xiang Yong kept quiet for a moment and then spoke up himself. "Your Majesty, can you talk about this with him and make sure that he makes it apparent that he is not interested in retaking the throne should he ever be recognized by others and a situation arises where there might be some voices asking him to reclaim it?"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows and looked from Xiang Yong to An Bai. "Do you also think I should do that?"


    An Bai didn''t hesitate at all. "Of course! Your Majesty, I understand that this is his wedding but as soon as it is over, it would be good to have a talk with him. The current situation is dangerous. Originally, it was assumed that Longjun Jinde died. But now, it turns out that this isn''t the case. He has never abdicated though. If somebody wanted to make trouble, they could use this as a way to do so quite easily. He was pretty much as beloved as you are, after all, and without his death or his abdication, it is hard to say whose claim to the throne weighs more heavily. So it could be that two camps would form, one in favor of each of you. That is, unless he clarifies. If he does that, then we wouldn''t have to worry. After all, his word would clarify things immediately and not give others ammunition. In the worst case, we could make his abdication final now."


    Qiu Ling nodded slowly. "I see." He really saw now. He had been worrying too much. Whether it was him being a demon or Jinde still being alive and thus the better candidate for the throne, these two wouldn''t change their opinion. They really wanted him to be king. He probably shouldn''t have doubted it in the first place.


    "I can have a talk with him after the wedding has been over for a bit. You shouldn''t stress about it too much though. While it would be a possibility, I don''t think he really wants the throne back. He''s been here for so long already and has never said anything about that so it is quite unlikely. Also, he is currently getting married. Why would he want to sit on the throne? He''d probably think it''s a bother."


    An Bai still looked pretty alarmed. He wasn''t sure if their king wasn''t taking this too lightly. Maybe he couldn''t see at all how dangerous this was.


    For a moment, he considered whether he should go up to that person and ask about it himself just to give them some peace of mind. But then again, he also felt that it would be an impolite thing to do. This was his wedding after all and that person was still the late king. Ah, no, he wasn''t dead. So he was their previous king instead. But no matter what, that person needed to be respected as well. While their king would surely come first, it didn''t mean that he had to disrespect the other.


    Xiang Yong sighed, similar thoughts going through his mind. "Well, there''s nothing we can do right now. We should head over to the venue for the wedding. Afterward, we can still come up with something better depending on how things turn out." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-harsh-realization_50932550247438432 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling nodded and turned around, leading the way outside.


    Behind him, Xiang Yong couldn''t help but furrow his brows. Originally, he had felt that that Leng Jin Yu spelled trouble. Now, it turned out that he had actually been right. Where had that guy found the previous king? And did he really have to marry him in such a high-profile way? Wouldn''t the demons find out? This whole thing was so troublesome.


    After they exited the array, Qiu Ling couldn''t help but glance in the direction of the bamboo hut. For a moment, he considered whether he should go over and get Jing Yi to accompany him to the wedding ceremony but he couldn''t bring himself to do so.


    He knew that it was stupid but after talking with his father, he just had a hard time even thinking of Jing Yi. He felt guilty when he did so. Seeing Chun Yin again made him feel like at the times when he more or less got along with Leng Jin Yu, he had betrayed him. And now, he realized that it was pretty much the same with Jing Yi.


    Getting along with him, protecting him, sharing the bed with him, even talking about holding a wedding ¡­ all these things should''ve been done only with Jing He. Even if this was his reincarnation, it still wasn''t the same. His soul might be but it was still a different person. He realized that now. And that ¡­ was really a harsh realization. He didn''t know how to deal with it.

 Chapter 1245 - Completely Unrelated

    Qiu Ling felt even more conflicted now than he had when he found out about the dilemma that Jing Yi''s ascension would mean for Jing He. Back then, it had only been a theory. While he knew that it was true that Jing He wouldn''t wake up without Jing Yi actually dying, it had been a matter of just hearing of the effect and having to believe it. Now though, he had more or less seen something similar play out. As long as one person was there, the other couldn''t be. And the fact that a person would be different in another life was now deeply ingrained into his mind.


    If ¡­ something had really happened to Jing He and he had been reborn, then he definitely could have love Jing Yi with all his heart. It wouldn''t have been a problem. And he also wouldn''t feel guilty about it, very much like Jinde would never feel guilty about loving Leng Jin Yu.


    But this was different. Jing He was still very much alive. It was just that his body was currently without a soul, waiting for it to return to its original place so he could open his eyes once again. With that happening, how could he let Jing Yi stay alive? It was like refusing to let his true beloved live. He should have a guilty conscience because of that.


    Qiu Ling finally sighed. This was something he would have to deal with and he would have to do so soon. He understood that now. But, well, not today. He could still deal with it after the wedding was over. For now, he''d just give himself the luxury of ignoring his problems for one day longer.


    They flew over to the square where the sects liked to meet, silently landing close to the place where Jinde and Leng Jin Yu had walked over to Sect Master Yuchi.


    Even though they hadn''t said a single word, their arrival did not go unnoticed. An Bai and Xiang Yong had been the two dragons who came on behalf of Qiu Ling to deal with the matter with the demon-hunting sects a millennium ago. Even though that was a long time for normal people, for cultivators of high level, it amounted to next to nothing.


    Seeing them, the people that had gathered immediately realized who they were and also had some good guesses about the identity of the person next to them. After all, it was clear that An Bai and Xiang Yong were treating this person especially respectfully. To have an adviser of the king be like this toward him, it could only mean one thing: This person was at least a member of the dragons'' royal family if not the king himself." To think that they might get to see the dragon king in their lives ¡­ Naturally, they couldn''t help but discuss this great blessing.


    Well, everyone but one person did. Elder Gongxi from the Yang Huo Sect looked at the two Elders beside him, his expression turning stormy. "What are you talking about? What dragon king? That is clearly Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple!"


    The two Elders raised their brows and exchanged a glance before looking at Elder Gongxi. "Elder Gongxi, what are you saying? How could that be Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple? If he was, would the people of the dragon race treat him like this? You wouldn''t believe that, would you?"


    Elder Gongxi furrowed his brows. "Just take a look at him! That is clearly the very same person who attacked me back then! Do you really want to say that you can''t recognize him?"


    Qiu Ling and his two advisers glanced in the direction of the three people, the former slightly raising his brows. Ah, it seemed that his good deeds of the past had indeed not gone unnoticed. That Elder Gongxi actually remembered him! Well, that was a little inconvenient right now.


    An Bai and Xiang Yong had pretty often had to deal with situations like this in the past so they put on a neutral expression, seeming completely unfazed as if this had nothing to do with either them or their king.


    Seeing these gazes, Elder Gongxi blew his top. He rushed over, pointing at Qiu Ling''s nose. "You! Are you really going to pretend that you didn''t attack me the last time we saw each other?"


    By now, all eyes were drawn to this conflict. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/completely-unrelated_50955666315083527 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling looked around and then turned back to Elder Gongxi and raised his brows. "Excuse me? Have we met before?" Don''t kid him, he had perfected the art of being shameless for several millennia. He would be able to deal with one measly Elder.


    Elder Gongxi stared at him, his mouth hanging open.


    The two Elders next to him really wanted to facepalm. "See, Elder Gongxi? Didn''t we say it wasn''t him?"


    Elder Gongxi looked at the two of them, clearly vexed. "What are you saying? He looks exactly like Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple!"


    The other people turned to look at Qiu Ling and some sharp-eyed ones couldn''t help but admit that he did indeed look a lot like that disciple. Come to think of it, Grandmaster Zhangsun had already arrived but there was no disciple beside him. It seemed that it was becoming ever more likely that Elder Gongxi was actually right.


    Qiu Ling still kept a straight face though. "Oh? How miraculous! I''d really like to meet that person one day. In any case, I came to watch the wedding of one of our people today. I believe that whatever personal vendetta you have against that person who looks like me, you should at least wait one day before you make a fuss about it.


    "An Bai, Xiang Yong, let''s go." He turned away, not bothering to give Elder Gongxi another look, and then left, nodding at Jinde and Leng Jin Yu before he just stood to the side. At this moment, he really was that awe-inspiring king of the dragon race, making everyone who had just come around to believing Elder Gongxi doubt themselves again. How could this man be that shameless person who had actually attacked an Elder? No, that was completely impossible!


    As unlikely as the other option sounded, they would still rather believe that they were completely unrelated doppelg?ngers. Yes, that had to be the case.

 Chapter 1246 - Start the Ceremony

    Jinde slightly raised his brows at that stepson of his. Thankfully, Qiu Ling had managed to throw that guy off for now. He really didn''t want to have his second wedding ruined by some random passerby. Well, in any case, they should better hurry so nobody else would get the chance to make trouble.


    He turned to Yuchi Bing Xia as soon as he thought so, a beautiful smile lighting up his features. "Sect Master Yuchi, maybe we should start the ceremony then? I really can''t wait any longer." He reached out to the side, interlacing his fingers with Leng Jin Yu''s.


    The two of them looked at each other, smiling faintly. They really were of one mind in this regard. They had already waited for so long, it would be best if they could start immediately.


    Yuchi Bing Xia felt a bit fl.u.s.tered. From the moment he had first seen Jinde, he had always felt that this person was untouchable, that he was somebody far removed from the lives of mortals like them even though he was living so close by. That this person was now getting married to the disciple he had picked up in the wilderness ¡­ it really was a strange feeling. But, well, since this was what Jinde himself wanted, Yuchi Bing Xia naturally didn''t say anything to try and dissuade him. He merely nodded and then motioned for everyone to be quiet.


    "Let me thank everyone who has followed our invitation to my disciple''s wedding. We are honored to have you witness this ceremony. I do not want to lose many words but I do want to give the two people in question my blessings up-front.


    "Yu Jin has joined our Yun Zou Sect a long time ago and I have always been proud to be able to call him my disciple. I am also happy that ¡ª by giving him a place here ¡ª I was able to facilitate these two people meeting and thus finding their partner for life. I am glad that today, you can make this wish come true." He smiled at that, even though he also felt a little reluctant.


    This was a bit like sending off his own child. Well, in fact, that wasn''t that wrong. Yu Jin might have been a little older already when he took him in but he had always felt that it was fate that brought them together. Over the years though, he had seen less and less of this youngest disciple of his and he knew that after this wedding, it was only a question of time until Yu Jin and Jinde would pack their bags and go to the Jian Yi Sect. Then, he might not see him at all. Naturally, he would feel a bit sorry for himself.


    He sighed faintly and then turned to Zhangsun Xun Yi next to him. "Grandmaster Zhangsun, would you please preside over the ceremony?"


    Considering the identity of Jinde, Yuchi Bing Xia hadn''t really felt comfortable presiding over the ceremony himself so he had discussed with Zhangsun Xun Yi as soon as the process of the ceremony had been decided on.


    Naturally, Zhangsun Xun Yi hadn''t refused. While he felt a little strange thinking of how they were both of a much older generation, as well as of a much higher level than him. But it would be hard or probably even impossible to find anyone in the mortal realm who would be able to fill this role without being in this kind of awkward situation. Their identities were just too special for that. At the very least, him doing this would allow them to make sure that nobody else would find out about their true identities.


    The Grandmaster took a deep breath and then stepped forward, nodding at the two people in question. Even unrelated to their identities, he had never thought that he would ever be presiding over a wedding ceremony. The actual process wasn''t difficult so he didn''t think that it should be a problem though. He should manage to pull this off without a hitch.


    He looked at the two people and then at the few people among the audience that knew: Qiu Ling and his two advisers, Xin Lan who had brought Hua Lin Yu along, and Sect Master Fei from the Jian Yi Sect. Everyone else was just there for appearance''s sake because it was necessary for the sect. But these people were really here to witness a wedding and their expressions were solemn but happy.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi lightly cleared his throat and then turned back to Leng Jin Yu and Jinde. "I am not a man of many words and Sect Master Yuchi has already spoken a few words of greeting so I will not bother to repeat them. I also think that you will probably prefer me to not do anything unnecessary to delay your actual wedding." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/start-the-ceremony_50978858601610547 for visiting.


    Jinde lightly chuckled at that. "If you wouldn''t mind ¡­" He squeezed Leng Jin Yu''s hand at the side and glanced at him mischievously.


    Their big day had finally come. While there had been a wedding in the style of his race before, this somehow seemed to make it more official. Maybe it was because they were finally incorporating Leng Jin Yu''s heritage from this life or maybe it was because the matter with Chun Yin finally wasn''t standing between them anymore in any capacity. In any case, he was more than ready for this.


    Leng Jin Yu felt the same and faintly inclined his head. Neither of them wanted to wait.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi showed a rare curl of his lips and nodded. "Very well. Then let us start with the ceremony. To take your wedding vows, I ask you to bow to each other."

 Chapter 1247 - A Bow to Heaven

    Leng Jin Yu and Jinde turned to each other, gazing into each other''s eyes, a faint smile on their lips.


    Even though Jinde had originally wanted to incorporate as many customs of the mortal realm into their wedding as he could, they had finally decided to go with a rather simple ceremony. In the end, it was only important that the ceremony would signify their wedding among the humans. That was all they wanted. Why should they make it unnecessarily complicated?


    Still holding each other''s gaze, the two of them got down on their knees and bowed, their gazes meeting again as soon as they lifted their heads. It was plain to see for everyone just how close they were.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi waited for them to straighten up again before he continued. "In absence of any elders, I ask you to bow in the direction of the seats they would have taken."


    Originally, Leng Jin Yu should have been asked to bow to Yuchi Bing Xia as his so-called Master. But Zhangsun Xun Yi had finally convinced the Sect Master that this wasn''t a good idea because it would contrast too much with Jinde.


    At the very least, this was the explanation that he had given. In actual fact, he just felt a bit uncomfortable at the thought of Leng Jin Yu bowing to Yuchi Bing Xia. After all, that man was only playing a role here. He was already an ascended deity. How could he bow to a person that hadn''t really taught him and was even still a mortal? It just didn''t seem right.


    Neither Jinde nor Leng Jin Yu had a problem with this arrangement. The two of them bowed to the empty seats with a solemn expression, their thoughts wandering for a moment.


    Leng Jin Yu couldn''t help but think of his actual Master back then. That man had patiently guided him and even though they hadn''t always agreed on matters, he had still looked up to him. Unfortunately, contrary to him, his Master hadn''t managed to ascend. Things had gone wrong and he had lost his life.


    It was a pity. He really would have liked to see him again up in the Nine Heavens. But unfortunately, not everybody had the luck to actually make it there. It couldn''t be changed. Still, he felt like that man would''ve given his blessing for the wedding with Jinde in a heartbeat. He didn''t think that he would have had anything against it. When it came to his private matters, he had always said that he trusted him to make the right judgment himself.


    On the other hand, Jinde''s feelings were more complicated. The relationship with his parents ¡­ it had been a bit difficult. His father died when he was young and his mother had finally pushed him off to the king to be taken in as a disciple and basically raised in the palace. She might have thought that she did the right thing but being given away just shortly after losing his father had hurt him deeply. He rather would''ve stayed with her. And the fact that their relationship hadn''t gotten any closer even after he became older hadn''t made things easier.


    Not even mentioning them, there was also his Master. He had looked up to him originally but his feelings had become complicated when he got older. He had always known that their Master treated Chun Yin and him differently. Obviously, Chun Yin had been his chosen successor will he was ¡­ well, the one he just considered eye candy. And while he had always prided himself in being beautiful, it still hurt.


    It especially hurt that his Master finally insinuated that he wasn''t good enough for Chun Yin despite praising him for his beauty before. Now, he knew that things had gone even further than that. His Master had tried to keep the two of them apart and had even lied to make them give up on each other.


    This wedding now ¡­ it was completely against what his Master would have wanted. Should he be happy now that the person was long dead and could not deny them this opportunity? It seemed that maybe this was the case although he still couldn''t help but feel a little hurt when thinking back.


    In any case, it didn''t matter. Now, he was only his own and his husband''s person. Nobody could tell him that he was not able to marry this man. Nobody could demand that he stopped loving this person. They were one. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-bow-to-heaven_51002337560420480 for visiting.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi nodded when they finished the bow and motioned in the other direction. "Then, at last, bow to the Heavens."


    Jinde and Leng Jin Yu shared a glance and then made the third bow, their lips curved up in a faint smile. The Heavens ¡­ contrary to the mortals gathered around them, they knew quite a bit more about what exactly this meant.


    That person ¡­ they didn''t know what he had in store for them but they felt that since they had managed to meet each other in two lives, he had destined them for each other. Even if there were no elders to preside over this wedding, nobody else to give their approval, that person up in the High Heavens who ruled over all the realms would indeed consent to this marriage.


    And knowing this ¡­ it would naturally make their hearts beat faster. They were one, and they had been meant to be. If even that person thought so, then why did it matter what anyone else thought? Things were perfect as they were.


    Just as they got up to accept the congratulations for their finished wedding vows, a blinding light shot up in another part of the Yun Zou Sect and the sky above seemed to split open. Whether it was them or the guests having gathered around, they all couldn''t help but look over, their eyes widening at the sight.


    Leng Jin Yu''s brows slightly furrowed when he saw that spectacle. "Somebody is ascending to the Nine Heavens." And, unfortunately, he had a good guess just who that person was.

 Chapter 1248 - A Trueborn God’s Reincarnation

    One of the officials from the Court of Justice rushed into Li Yin''s office, panting heavily. The God of Justice glanced up from the doc.u.ments he had been approving and raised his brows.


    "A trueborn god''s reincarnation is ascending!"


    Li Yin''s expression changed immediately. "Who?" In fact, he already had a rough guess just which person it might be. After all, while a trueborn god''s reincarnation ascending was a problem, it needed a special type of trueborn god to elicit this kind of reaction.


    Naturally, the official''s response was exactly as he had expected. "It is the Son of Heaven, Jing He''s, reincarnation, Zhong Jing Yi."


    Li Yin sighed but he really wasn''t surprised at that. "Send somebody to the God of War''s Palace. Have them stand by at the ascension platform and deal with it immediately. Send another person to the Palace of Fate to have the Fate''s Scribe do his best averting this crisis. Then, send a third person to inform the Heavenly Emperor."


    The official nodded and then rushed out, following the God of Justice''s directions. Now, they couldn''t lose a single moment.


    Meanwhile, Li Yin leaned back and closed his eyes. From the very beginning, he had feared that something like this might happen. There had just been too many things going wrong since the day His Highness had descended to the mortal realm to do his trial.


    This kind of thing ¡­ if one thing went wrong, it could still be explained. If almost everything went wrong, there was definitely more to it. He did not believe for a single moment, that there wasn''t some type of deeper meaning to this specific trial. There were just too many things hinting at that. Well, even if he knew, it wouldn''t change anything.


    He got up and then made his way over to the ascension platform himself. While there wasn''t much that he could do, he still hoped that the Son of Heaven''s reincarnation would at least be willing to listen to him. If they were able to solve the situation without force, then he would naturally prefer that.


    Meanwhile, one of the Court of Justice''s officials arrived at the Palace of the God of War. He rushed past the guards, only yelling at them that he needed to see the God of War, and then ran straight to Qiang Yan''s study. He remembered that he needed to knock and smashed his hand against the door once before he rushed inside.


    Qiang Yan shot to his feet, his hand raised up in the air to attack if need be. Seeing that it was an official from the Court of Justice, he paused though. "What happened?"


    "Ascended deity. The Son of Heaven''s reincarnation."


    Qiang Yan didn''t need to be told twice. He rushed out of the study, starting to holler commands as soon as he was through the door. In just a minute, the whole Palace of War had been mobilized, and everybody rushed over to the ascension platform. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-trueborn-god%E2%80%99s-reincarnation_51025238342812184 for visiting.


    Naturally, not a single second could be lost. After all, while the ascension would take a bit of time in the mortal realm, with the difference in time between the realms, they had less than a minute after it started until they needed to be there. Thankfully, the ascension of a trueborn god''s reincarnation would already be indicated before it actually happened. That way, they had been warned slightly before the actual occurrence. This gave them at least a bit more time. But with everybody needing to be informed, it still took its time.


    When Qiang Yan and the Heavenly Guards arrived, the ascension platform had already lit up, the light filling the whole courtyard. Qiang Yan stepped next to Li Yin, grabbing his weapon tightly. He wasn''t looking forward to this. No matter what, this person was still his nephew''s reincarnation and his nephew would remember being killed by him. Even though it was for his own good, he could imagine that it would not be easy to accept. After his memories returned, there might be a period of needing to adjust.


    Li Yin gave him a sympathetic look. "Try not to think of it. He currently isn''t your nephew regardless of how they are connected. It would be wrong to think of it as anything else."


    Qiang Yan nodded. Yes, from a logical standpoint, he also understood as much. It was just that ¡­ things were a little different when it actually happened.


    The two of them fell quiet and looked at the array again, waiting for the person in question to appear.


    They didn''t need to wait for long. With a last spell of brightness, a figure appeared in the middle of the array, glancing around with his eyes narrowed. Then, the light faded away, and Zhong Jing Yi found himself surrounded from all sides.


    His expression turned grim and he clenched his fists. He had thought that since Qiu Ling suddenly vanished and then stayed away for several weeks, it could only mean one thing: He had returned to the immortal realms to be with Jing He''s body instead of him who was alive. Thus, in a fit of anger, he had focused his whole attention on cultivation and finally made it to the point where we could ascend. And since this had always been his goal, he finally just went ahead.


    But ¡­ he should''ve known that it wouldn''t be that easy. Even though Qiu Ling had agreed that they would first spend some time together in the immortal realms before he had to give up his life in favor of Jing He, that didn''t mean that anyone else would agree to that. And now, he had appeared here alone, without Qiu Ling''s protection. Considering that he had never really learned how to fight, he really was in a difficult position.

 Chapter 1249 - Have You Asked Their Opinion?

    Jing Yi stared at the people opposite him, gritting his teeth. Considering that more than half of them were wearing armor, it wasn''t hard to understand just what they were doing here. Other than Qiang Yan who was Jing He''s uncle, he also recognized Li Yin as the God of Justice. Seeing that these two were probably in charge, he turned to them, his expression still not a good one.


    "What is the meaning of this?" He didn''t have much hope to get out of this alive. But maybe there was still a chance if he either found out more and discovered a way to convince them to let him go for now or at least he got some more time.


    Right now, Qiu Ling should be here in the Nine Heavens. If he noticed that something big was going on, he might come to check it out. Even though he obviously preferred Jing He over him, he didn''t believe that Qiu Ling would stand aside when he had to actively watch him being killed. No, Qiu Ling was not that cold-hearted.


    Qiang Yan and Li Yin exchanged a glance. The God of Justice finally just motioned for Qiang Yan to try first. In any case, these two were nephew and uncle. Maybe Jing He''s reincarnation would react better to a conversation with somebody from his own family. It was at least worth a try.


    Qiang Yan was actually a bit reluctant. He still stepped forward though, and while his hand was still on his weapon, he didn''t attack immediately. "Jing ¡­ Jing Yi, I know you have just ascended and you might not have expected this but I''m afraid we can''t just let you leave here. You do know that you were reincarnated from my nephew''s soul. It''s time to return it to him."


    Jing Yi furrowed his brows. This was exactly what he had expected but he had still hoped that he would turn out to be wrong. "You are saying that as if it was such an easy thing. I can''t just take out my soul and give it back. We all know that it doesn''t work that way. So why don''t you speak clearly? You actually want me to die."


    Qiang Yan felt uncomfortable but, in the end, this was the truth so he could only nod with a heavy heart. "If there was a different way, believe me, I definitely wouldn''t ask this of you. But there isn''t only one soul but two of you. And Jing He ¡­ is important for the Nine Heavens."


    "While I am not. I do understand that. But Jing He is also just the crown prince. Whether you have him back immediately or not shouldn''t make too much of a difference. Also, even though we are no longer in different realms, one day here for me is still just one day for him as well. I don''t think you have any reason to be in a hurry right now."


    Qiang Yan couldn''t deny that this was somewhat true. There probably was some time at least before they definitely needed to get Jing He back. But even though Jing He was ''just'' the crown prince, that didn''t mean that he wasn''t important. "Even if the time is the same, each day you live is one more day that we don''t have him. And despite what you may think, Jing He''s role here isn''t just for decoration. Since he has already come of age he will be required to take part in ceremonies. And he will have to do so as himself, not as his reincarnation. It would not be the same. Right now, you''re just a reincarnation, an ascended deity, your standing here simply isn''t the same as Jing He''s."


    Jing Yi smiled at that. "It isn''t because we are different people. But is it really alright to just kill another person for your crown prince? You don''t feel guilty at all? I am also a person, you know."


    Qiang Yan sighed. "As I said, if there was another way, we would take that one. But there isn''t. Not for your situation, nor for that of others. This isn''t just because Jing He is the crown prince. It is the same for all of the gods that descend for their trials and then manage to ascend again. They''ve always been killed. It is the only way to go because after all, these trials are a different kind of life."


    Jing Yi''s smile turned slightly mocking when he heard that. "Oh, they sure are a different kind of life to you. But I wonder if you have ever asked those ascended deities you were ambushing about their opinion." He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at that uncle of his. He had some memories so there were some things he remembered. Who said that he couldn''t use that for his own gain? "Uncle, I do remember how you once told me about a trial of yours, the last one if I recall correctly. You were in the very same situation back then that I''m in right now. Tell me honestly: Did you not wish that you had been left alive back then?"


    Qiang Yan froze up when he heard that, his thoughts wandering back to that day. Yes, back when he had been Feng Jian Hao, he really would''ve preferred to stay alive. Even if he couldn''t be in the Nine Heavens, it would''ve been alright to return to the mortal realm and just spend his time with his family until his natural death.


    He didn''t need to be Qiang Yan, the God of War. Having his family would have been worth so much more to him. Unfortunately, the decision had been taken from him. It was probably the only regret he had in his life. If he could change the past, he would definitely do so. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/have-you-asked-their-opinion_51048550066351074 for visiting.

 Chapter 1250 - It Is Your Decision

    Li Yin looked from Jing He to Qiang Yan and back again, narrowing his eyes. This boy was surprisingly shrewd to bring up Qiang Yan''s own past in an attempt to convince them to let him go. It seemed that despite his good intentions, he couldn''t let Qiang Yan be the one to continue this. Otherwise, the crown prince''s reincarnation might really find an opportunity to get away.


    He lightly shook his head and then stepped forward, patting Qiang Yan''s arm to signal him to step back. Then, he turned to Jing Yi, his gaze without any emotion. "You''re wasting your time trying to appeal to His Highness''s uncle. The laws of the Nine Heavens are clear. A trueborn god''s reincarnation from one of their trials that ascends has to be killed for the trueborn god to return. It is part of the trial to go through this. Their feelings are only important in so far as that they have to live through them to gain an experience Tian wishes them to make. But the thoughts of the ascended deities that go further than that are not up for discussion.


    "Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. I will leave the decision up to you. You can take your own life, allow one of the Heavenly Guards to do so or you can try to fight your way out of here and cause casualties to your true life''s own people. What should it be?"


    Jing He looked from Li Yin to his uncle who was obviously still thinking about the question he had asked before. It seemed that while his plan had been a good one, it still wouldn''t work out because there was a second person here that could just take over. And from the bit that he remembered, Jing He hadn''t been close to the God of Justice. He knew almost nothing about him.


    In fact, this wasn''t a wonder. Li Yin was a very private person. He would not share anything about his life with people that had no business knowing it. Even Qiang Yan as his best friend had no idea about how he had come to have a son for example. Naturally, he wouldn''t be discussing his private issues with somebody of the younger generation like Jing He.


    The only kind of relationship he had had with the crown prince was one where they greeted each other when meeting and where he would politely answer any questions the crown prince might have for him. That was it. And usually, they wouldn''t even see each other much so this hardly actually happened. How would Jing Yi have remembered anything about this?


    Li Yin still continued to stare at him, his gaze not moving at all. "I said it is your decision. But I won''t give you long. If you don''t choose one of the former options, then I''m afraid we will have to start with the third."


    Jing Yi clenched his hands. He couldn''t play for much more time. And it seemed that Qiu Ling really wasn''t coming over to check this out. Then what was he supposed to do? He did not want to die. Even though he had promised to give his life for Jing He, he had seen that as a thing that would happen later. And, quite honestly, he hadn''t even been sure if it would really happen.


    If he spent more time with Qiu Ling, then one day, wouldn''t he be more important to him than Jing He? After all, those two had only had ten years together. But he had already spent a millennium with Qiu Ling. How come he still wasn''t the number one for him?


    He didn''t even want to think about it but he was sure that one day, the time would have been enough to overtake Jing He''s position in his lover''s heart. He didn''t know how much more would be necessary to make up for the difference in how much Qiu Ling loved the two of them but he was sure that that day would come somehow. At that time, there naturally wouldn''t be any talk of killing him anymore.


    But it seemed he had thought too beautifully. They had spent so much time in the mortal realm but nothing had changed it. He had thought that when they came to the immortal realm, things might be different, that the old memories would slowly be replaced.


    Now though, he had already ascended but was finding himself in a situation where he couldn''t escape without Qiu Ling''s help. There really was nothing he could do right now. So did he really have to choose how to die? He didn''t want that. Who wanted to lose their life anyway? If he could hold on, even if it was just for another year, then he would do so. "Is this really your last word? My fiance ¡ª"


    Li Yin narrowed his eyes at him. "Not only is the dragon king currently not here, but he also holds no sway over the laws of the Nine Heavens. You''d better not try to intimidate me with his name. The law is the law and as the God of Justice, I''ll make sure that it is upheld. No exceptions will be made for anyone."


    Yes, he could not be fainthearted. This position did not allow for that. And while he felt for the people that were in this situation, that just was the way it was. He couldn''t change it. The Heavenly Emperor couldn''t change it. Because the trials were asked for by Tian. And his word was what commanded all of them.


    The cruelty of the trials ¡­ who knew it better than him? If he could get rid of it, he would do so in a heartbeat. But there was no way and thus, the laws that had been laid down by their forefathers would continue to exist as well. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/it-is-your-decision_51073063055322692 for visiting.

 Chapter 1251 - No Further Doubt

    Back in the mortal realm, Qiu Ling stared at the sky with a blank expression but all around him, people were talking excitedly.


    Jinde sighed and squeezed his husband''s hand, leaning over slightly. "We found an auspicious date but now look at this. Our wedding was actually overshadowed by the younger generation. Who would have thought?" Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/no-further-doubt_51094790237898100 for visiting.


    Leng Jin Yu glanced at him but didn''t feel like joking at this moment. Instead, he turned to look at Qiu Ling with some worry. Now was the moment where he would have to decide what would happen going forward. He could go and save Jing Yi now or wait here until the problem was solved for him. It was his decision and it was probably hard making it when he had seen that Jing Yi had just ascended.


    Qiu Ling was indeed caught up in exactly that question. What to do? So far, it had only ever been theory. And while he had just thought that he would definitely put Jing He first, it was still a different matter altogether to make true on that thought when the situation arose.


    Jing Yi was up there. Most likely, at this very moment, he was being confronted by the Heavenly Guards and on the verge of being killed. Could he really just let this go? Could he just watch on from here and wait until that had happened?


    He didn''t know how exactly those ascended deities were killed but it couldn''t be a simple matter. Most likely, these people wouldn''t just give up their lives so there would be a fight instead. And rather than sustaining casualties themselves, the gods would definitely go all out to finish off the one who had ascended. There would be an onslaught of attacks, nowhere to go, no way to hide.


    Even though Jing Yi had some memories from the Nine Heavens, there also wasn''t much to remember about the place itself. After all, Jing He had mostly stayed inside. What did he know about the places either in the capital city or even outside? Jing Yi wouldn''t know any place he could go to without being caught again instantly.


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes, feeling uncomfortable all over. He did not want to betray Jing He. It sure felt as if he did for just thinking about it though. But he also couldn''t just let the person he had spent the last millennium with die.


    He took a deep breath and then exhaled, finally opening his eyes again. He wouldn''t be able to do it. He just couldn''t bring himself to do so. With the time flowing differently, how long would he need to wait to make sure that Jing Yi had really been killed? A day? A week? A month? Or maybe even longer? He couldn''t do that. His guilty conscience would kill me.


    He already knew he had to go over there. And if Jing Yi was still ¡­ No, he could never watch the scene of his beloved being killed. He just couldn''t. No dragon could. He shook his head at himself and then turned to Jinde and Leng Jin Yu. "Well, this is awkward. But since your ceremony is over anyway, I hope you won''t mind if I leave already."


    Jinde shook his head at him. "No. No matter what you decide to do, it will be alright."


    Qiu Ling nodded and then turned away, pushing off the ground and rushing toward the Nine Heavens.


    An Bai and Xiang Yong exchanged a glance and then followed behind. While their king hadn''t said anything it was likely that he would go and raise hell over there. He would try to save Zhong Jing Yi no matter what that meant for His Highness. It wasn''t a decision he had made easily and it might be one he would come to regret but as his advisers, they were there to stand by him. Especially in a situation like this. They couldn''t just let him leave alone. No, if he went to confront the gods from the Nine Heavens, then they''d better be there and help him deal with it. That was what they needed to do.


    When they reached the Nine Heavens, An Bai couldn''t help but try and remind the king. "He should have arrived at the ascension platform."


    Qiu Ling looked over his shoulder and nodded. He had gotten to know the capital city quite well after pursuing Jing He for so long. So he actually knew what the ascension platform was and where to find it. That ¡­ was probably some kind of sign, wasn''t it?


    He sighed to himself and then sped up, rushing over. He didn''t know if he was too late. If he was ¡­ maybe it would be better. But if he wasn''t, then he would save him. It might not be smart and it might cause a ton of trouble but he would still do it. He had to.


    While he thought so, the ascension platform already appeared in front of him and with it, the scene of Jing Yi being surrounded by those Heavenly Guards, with one of them having stepped forward with his weapon drawn and pointing at his chest, ready to kill him any second.


    Qiu Ling''s eyes widened and he didn''t think any further. He rushed over, blasted that guy away with his magic, and pulled Jing Yi up against his chest. He warily stared at the God of Justice and the God of War, trying to make sure that they wouldn''t dare to attack them.


    No, after seeing this, there was no doubt anymore: He would not be able to let this happen. Never. If Jing Yi was to die ¡­ it would have to be an actual accident. He could not let him be killed knowingly. He just couldn''t no matter what it meant for Jing He.

 Chapter 1252 - The Wrong Decision

    Li Yin furrowed his brows at that. He had feared this very thing happening. While he had said that the dragon king held no sway over the laws of the Nine Heavens and while he did indeed believe that this was true, it couldn''t be denied that this made everything more difficult.


    After all, it was clear that there was no way for the Heavenly Guards to defeat Longjun. They had already tried that back when he had been going after the crown prince. Now, they were once again in a situation where they would have to fight him to achieve their goal. How were they supposed to win now?


    Even if Qiang Yan had subjected the guards to more rigorous training in the years since then, it also couldn''t make up for the difference in strength that had been plain to see. The only chance would be to have Qiang Yan himself entangle with Qiu Ling while the guards tried to take care of Zhong Jing Yi. But there were still two of the dragon king''s advisers following him. They might be able to take him away before the Heavenly Guards could do anything, leaving them with the same outcome of the Son of Heaven still not waking up.


    Li Yin pressed his lips together and closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling unhappily. They needed a solution and they needed it fast. Opening his eyes again, he stared at the dragon king. "Longjun, you are aware of what this will mean for His Highness, aren''t you?"


    Qiu Ling looked hurt at that question but he still pulled Jing Yi closer. "I am."


    "And you''re willing to still go through with this? Despite the fact that His Highness will not wake up in this case?"


    There was a hint of hesitation but Qiu Ling still nodded in the end. "I''m willing, yes."


    Li Yin turned to Qiang Yan, wanting him to speak up. Unfortunately, it seemed that he couldn''t quite count on his friend at this moment. Qiang Yan was still shaken by Jing Yi''s previous question. That last trial of his was his only weak point. He was definitely no help right now.


    Li Yin rubbed his brow and then waved for one of the people from his Court of Justice. "Go and get the Heavenly Emperor and Heavenly Empress. I''m afraid this matter can''t be solved by me alone." He could try to talk sense into the dragon king but it was unlikely that he would succeed. He knew how unreasonable this person was after all. The Heavenly Emperor and Heavenly Empress might have more luck there considering their relationship with His Highness. In any case, this kind of matter, it was best to leave it up to the Heavenly Emperor anyway. He could just make a ruling while he was at it.


    The official inclined his head and then rushed off to inform the imperial couple.


    Meanwhile, Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling, surprise written in his eyes. He really hadn''t expected to see him here. He wanted to ask what he was doing here, why he wasn''t with Jing He instead of him, and why he was actually defending him even though this could bring Jing He back to him. But he knew that this wasn''t the right time or place. There were too many people around them and the situation hadn''t been solved yet.


    Well, no matter what the answer would be ¡­ he was happy. Because at this moment where it was about life and death, Qiu Ling had chosen him. He buried his face at Qiu Ling''s chest, making sure not to show his happiness even though it was hard.


    The man he loved had finally put him above that other person. He hadn''t expected that that would happen. He had thought that he would always be second place. But now, things were different. At the vital moment, Qiu Ling wasn''t indecisive. And the one he decided on was him. How could he not be elated? For once, he had actually won over that past life of his.


    Even if he was finally killed after all, he was happy with this. At the very least, he hadn''t lost this fight. He had won over Jing He. He had doubted for a while but in the end, he had still succeeded. It seemed that the millennium spent with Qiu Ling had been worth it after all.


    Qiu Ling glanced at Jing Yi and hugged him tighter. He still didn''t know if he was doing the right thing. In fact, when the God of Justice questioned him, he deeply felt that he was doing the wrong thing. But the problem was that he couldn''t change it. He just didn''t have the heart to let Jing Yi down.


    He knew that he was instead letting down Jing He now but at this very moment, it just felt like the better alternative. In any case, he could still explain to Jing He when the time came. But what about Jing Yi? His life would come to an end. That just couldn''t be compared. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/the-wrong-decision_51118038895876698 for visiting.


    While Qiu Ling still hoped that things could be solved like this, things were changing rapidly over at the Heavenly Emperor''s palace.


    Rong Su and Bai Fen had been sitting in his study when they had first been informed that Zhong Jing Yi had ascended. Both their faces had turned solemn at that news. They had always hoped that something would happen before Zhong Jing Yi got the chance but now, it was too late. Now, the Heavenly Guards could only take care of it.


    They knew it was necessary but they still couldn''t help but worry a bit. After all, at the end of the day, it meant that Zhong Jing Yi would be murdered and that Jing He would remember those feelings and experiences in the last moments of that life as well. While it was necessary for the trials, they also couldn''t deny that they wished that Jing He''s life in the mortal realm could be easier and that the memories he woke up with would not be that bad. But, unfortunately, it had turned out like this. It couldn''t be changed.


    Just when they had resigned themselves to accept that their son would have to live with the knowledge of such an end, another official from the Court of Justice ran in, his expression even worse than the one before.


    The two of them exchanged a glance, a sinking feeling in their stomachs. Rong Su gulped and then turned to the official, nodding for him to speak.


    "Longjun came and is refusing to let the Heavenly Guards do their duty. The reincarnation of the crown prince has not yet been killed. The God of Justice requests the imperial couple to come to the ascension platform and take charge of matters."

 Chapter 1253 - No Use Being Furious

    "That bastard!" Rong Su shot to his feet, his brows already tightly furrowed together. "Hasn''t he made enough trouble yet?!"


    Bai Fen closed her eyes and held her forehead. To be honest, she couldn''t say that she was that surprised. It hadn''t been long since she saw Qiu Ling. At that time, he had been in a strange mood anyway. And then he had hurried off to do whatever. She wasn''t quite sure what had happened but it had likely influenced him a lot.


    And then, they also couldn''t forget that contrary to them, Qiu Ling had spent a lot of time with Jing He''s reincarnation as well. To him, that boy was likely as much of a real person as their Jing He. He didn''t see him as just a means to a trial. The fact that these trials had been a completely new concept to him certainly hadn''t helped with that either. Naturally, something like this had happened.


    She lowered her hand and got to her feet as well, patting her husband''s arm. "There''s no use getting furious. Let''s just head over and see what we can do. Maybe we can talk some sense into him." Although, to be honest, she really doubted it.


    The Heavenly Emperor wasn''t any more hopeful than she was. "Talking sense into him? Has it ever helped before? He has already made so much trouble with Jing He''s trial. And now this? He''d better not try to really see it through to the end!" While he grumbled, he still rushed to the door, and the two of them hurried over to the ascension platform.


    Over there, things were still at a standstill. Qiang Yan had finally managed to push away the question that Jing Yi had thrown at him and was staring down Qiu Ling, also trying to make him give up. Unfortunately, Qiu Ling was still holding onto Jing Yi tightly, obviously not intending to let go.


    When the Heavenly Emperor saw this, he was enraged immediately. "Longjun! What is the meaning of this?!"


    Both Qiu Ling and Jing Yi looked over, their expressions quite a sight to behold. Qiu Ling mostly had a guilty conscience. He also knew what his current actions meant for Jing He. It was something he was already grappling with. To now have to confront Jing He''s parents ¡­ naturally, he rather wouldn''t have done that. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/no-use-being-furious_51141182864023988 for visiting.


    On the other hand, Jing Yi also felt strange. He remembered these two from the few memories he had inherited from Jing He. As for his feelings ¡­ he was a bit torn. On the one hand, there were the feelings from Jing He that he had experienced in those memories. And those feelings had been just as torn.


    Jing He''s relationship with his mother was actually quite good while ¡ª when he was truthful ¡ª he felt that his father was overbearing and smothering him. But that was something he never would have admitted out loud. And even though he was much more open with his mother, it still couldn''t be denied that he wouldn''t dare to open up about his innermost feelings and thoughts even toward her. Could it really be said that he had had a good relationship with these two? Jing Yi didn''t think so.


    If he compared Jing He''s relationship to his parents with the one that he had had with his own, then Jing Yi really didn''t think that his previous incarnation hadn''t had such a good life in that regard.


    Rong Su didn''t bother sparing Jing Yi a single thought. He didn''t even look at that boy and instead focused on Qiu Ling. "You will stop this madness at once. After claiming to love my son for so long, you''re really trying to do this now? Don''t you understand what this means for Jing He?!"


    Qiu Ling lowered his head and reached up, his fingers entangling in Jing Yi''s hair. "I know. But I can''t help it. I''m sorry, father-in-law. But ¡­ I''m afraid Jing He will have to wait a little longer before he can wake up."


    "You!" The Heavenly Emperor really didn''t know what else to say. He didn''t even have the words anymore to scold this guy. "Do you really think I would let you do this?! This is going to stop right this instant. I''m going to get my son back."


    While he was raging, Bai Fen was a lot calmer. She looked at Qiu Ling who didn''t seem as if he was happy about the current circ.u.mstances either and then turned to look at Jing Yi. That boy was clinging to Qiu Ling in a manner that her son never would have dared to do. She had seen him get close to Qiu Ling a few times but never like this. He would''ve been mortified even if Qiu Ling was the one initiating it.


    Most likely, in the years that these two had already spent together, this kind of thing had made Qiu Ling have a difficult time keeping his feelings about these two people separate. If one was the person he had spent ten years with but had still been physically distant with by the time they had actually gotten engaged, while the other one had had a millennium in the mortal realm where they could do whatever they wanted ¡­ was there really a chance for her son to still remain more important than this boy?


    Bai Fen quietly sighed to herself. When Qiu Ling and Jing He met back then and the dragon king showed interest, she had been happy but had also had some reservations. She had hoped that Jing He could fall in love. She had hoped that Qiu Ling could be worthy of him. That he could be a man that stayed true to his feelings after proclaiming them. And for those ten years, she had indeed believed that he would be that person.


    He had been in the Nine Heavens almost every single day. He had pursued Jing He relentlessly, not caring that he was rejected over and over again. He just continued trying. And bit by bit, little by little, Jing He''s heart had melted for him until finally, even he could not pretend that he was not in love with that man.


    It had been perfect. It should have been perfect. They should have gotten married and already lived together by now. In a few more years, she probably would''ve been able to hold her first grandchild.


    But then ¡­ Jing He''s trial had happened. And with that, everything had changed. Because for the first time since Qiu Ling had known Jing He, there was actually another person that his heart was beating for. These two might actually share the same soul so it wasn''t like he was betraying Jing He but ¡­ she was afraid that was still how her son would see it when he finally woke up. Considering how Jing He was, she wasn''t quite sure if he would be able to take that.

 Chapter 1254 - He Could Not Hate Her

    Bai Fen ignored her raging husband next to her and the soldiers around them and walked over. There was no way to force Qiu Ling into giving up. There was also hardly a chance to make the boy submit. After all, who would want to die? As a trueborn goddess, she also knew what a trial meant. She had been on her own ones after all. She had experienced how it was to die. If you could get around it ¡­ why wouldn''t you? But in this case, she also couldn''t just watch.


    She stopped in front of the two of them, looking from one to the other before finally stopping on Qiu Ling''s face. "Qiu Ling."


    The look of guilt in his eyes turned even more pronounced and he looked away, hugging Jing Yi tighter. "I''m sorry."


    Bai Fen shook her head at that. "You don''t have to tell me. I can see it plainly. In any case, if you went to tell somebody that you''re sorry, I''m not the one who will need to hear that."


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes at that and took a shaky breath. Yes, he knew exactly who he needed to apologize to. Maybe if he had really been here, things would have been different. But he wasn''t. Currently, there was only Jing Yi. How could he say no to him?


    Bai Fen turned her gaze from Qiu Ling to Jing Yi, looking a little distraught. That child ¡­ while not the one she had given birth to, he was still part of Jing He. He actually didn''t look like him in the slightest. They seemed to be about the same age and thanks to the fact that Jing Yi was a mortal, he also had dark eyes and hair like the gods even though his eyes seemed slightly lighter than Jing He''s. But that was about it with the similarities. This child was shorter than Jing He and while he looked cute, there was none of the refinement that her son had started to show early on in his life. Yes, clearly, this was still a different person despite sharing a soul with him.


    "I know the situation isn''t easy for you either."


    Jing Yi looked up for the first time, his gaze also complicated when he saw Bai Fen. He remembered her. And he also remembered that between the two parents of his, Jing He had always been a little closer to her.


    He didn''t know what to say though. This woman ¡­ his past life had called her mother. But it certainly didn''t seem like the right thing to do for him. She was the Heavenly Empress so maybe it would be best to just address her by that title. Or maybe it would be much wiser not to say anything. While she seemed much more amicable than the other people around, she was still Jing He''s mother. Naturally, she would want to get her son back rather than let him live.


    Bai Fen could see the hesitation in his eyes. She sighed that. Well, she hadn''t expected much else. She also didn''t need any kind of relationship with this boy. To her, Jing He was naturally the most important. That was the child she had managed to raise into a.d.u.l.thood. She would always want to keep him safe. Even if that was at the cost of another''s life. Maybe this was cruel but she was Jing He''s mother. For her, he came above everyone else even herself, much less a stranger that had only been born for a trial. "You do know what this means, don''t you? You have a few of Jing He''s memories."


    Jing Yi could understand that she was trying to convince him. He glanced up at Qiu Ling''s expression that was still tangled and his mood fell a bit. If she talked any longer, maybe Qiu Ling would regret his decision and reconsider. Thinking of that, he finally raised his gaze back to her. "I do have some memories and I do know what this means but I''m afraid I can''t do what you ask of me. Nobody wants to die. How can you expect me to die so casually?"


    Bai Fen sighed again. "It''s not that anybody wants you to die but we do want Jing He back. He''s my son. Of course, I do not want him to be like this, not dead but yet not living."


    Qiu Ling hugged Jing Yi tighter at her words, his guilt getting even worse. But it couldn''t change anything about his decision.


    Bai Fen also saw that there was no way to make either of them reconsider right now. At most, they might be able to find a compromise. "Is there anything that we can do to make you reconsider? I''m not asking you to give your life up just like that. But I do want my son back. And since you''re an ascended deity now, there is no saying how many millennia it would take for that to happen. You have the potential to live forever. That would mean that my son would essentially die. You can certainly understand that I''m not willing to take that risk."


    Jing Yi continued to look at her, this time actually feeling a bit bad. He had no good feelings for Jing He. Even though he knew that that person was his past life, he had come to hate him.


    It had been a mixture of anger and envy when he first saw the illusion of him in Qiu Ling''s inner self back then. After all, he had realized that there was such a person that left such a deep impression on Qiu Ling. And then it got worse from there on out. Hearing about that person, having to see how Qiu Ling''s gaze would soften whenever he spoke about him, he just couldn''t take it any longer. He would not be sorry if he never had to hear that name again. And now, he was supposed to lay down his life for him. How could he be willing to do that?


    But seeing Jing He''s mother like this, he had a hard time hating her. She reminded him of his own mother who probably would''ve done the same if she had been in the Heavenly Empress'' situation. Her child was the most important to her. If there was something that could be done to bring that child back after it almost passed away, naturally, she would do it no matter the cost that had to be paid. It was a pity ¡­ "I don''t think there is anything. My family is already dead. I''ve ascended which was my only wish. There is only Qiu Ling left and the life I want to have with him. There is nothing you could give me or do for me that would make me be willing to just give up on my own life. Especially not now that I have achieved everything I''ve always worked toward. I''m sure you can also understand." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/he-could-not-hate-her_51164395820085438 for visiting.


    Bai Fen nodded. She had expected nothing else. It had just been a last futile effort in trying to convince him. She fell quiet and then just turned around, returning to her husband''s side. She had tried but it hadn''t helped. Now, it seemed she could really only leave this to her brother and hope that somehow, they would be able to make it work.

 Chapter 1255 - Not the Only Ones Cursed

    Qiang Yan and Li Yin turned to look at the Heavenly Emperor. In general, they knew want to do. After all, it wasn''t like this was the first time that a trueborn god''s reincarnation ascended. But things had been complicated by Qiu Ling''s arrival.


    The Heavenly Emperor just looked at them fiercely. "What are you looking at me for? Shouldn''t it be clear what to do?" Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/not-the-only-ones-cursed_51187560977850391 for visiting.


    Li Yin nodded and stepped back, leaving the field to Qiang Yan.


    The God of War sighed and then stepped forward, giving a sigh. "I''m sorry. This isn''t anything personal but I can''t let this happen to my nephew. He raised his hand and the Heavenly Guards behind him drew their weapons, inching closer.


    Qiu Ling''s face and those of his two advisers immediately changed. Qiu Ling pushed Jing Yi behind him and raised his own hands, willing to fight against whoever would try and make trouble. An Bai and Xiang Yong also turned around, covering two of the other directions. They weren''t happy to have this fight considering what it might mean for the alliance of their races but this was the only thing they could do. The person behind them was their king''s partner after all. And from what they knew, Qiu Ling had already bound his soul to him. To have him die ¡­ they were afraid that the consequences of that might be dire. After all, the soul-binding of the dragons was something not that simple.


    Thinking of that, An Bai furrowed his white brows and glanced at the imperial couple. He hesitated for a moment but finally stepped out, and inclined his head toward the two of them, hoping that the Heavenly Guards wouldn''t use the opportunity to attack. "Tianjun, please don''t be hasty. I know that you just want to save your son''s life. But please keep the bigger picture in mind. There''s more to this than you can currently see. We would love to give you an explanation but I''m afraid that this here is not the right place for that."


    Qiu Ling glanced at him, not quite sure what to make of this either but right now, after confessing everything to An Bai and Xiang Yong, he trusted them more than he ever had. If An Bai was doing this, then he was sure that he had a method to solve this. Thus, he turned to look at the Heavenly Emperor as well.


    Unfortunately, Rong Su had always been just as difficult to deal with as Qiu Ling. Having one of the dragons tell him to keep the bigger picture in mind, he was immediately enraged. "What bigger picture? We''re talking about my son here, the crown prince of the Nine Heavens, the Son of Heaven! How much bigger do you want this picture to be?!"


    An Bai kept calm despite the Heavenly Emperor''s rage. "I''m afraid I''m not at liberty saying that right now."


    "Not at liberty? Are you sure you are not just trying to make us give up?"


    An Bai shook his head. "I am not. Let me just say this: Does Tianjun really believe that the gods are the only ones that were struck by Tian''s curse? Right now, we are in a situation where both very unfortunately stand against each other. I know that you want the crown prince back but we don''t want to lose our king either. So I beg Tianjun to reconsider this. Don''t do something that might have irrevocable consequences that you are unable to see yet."


    With that, the ascension platform fell quiet. Not even the Heavenly Emperor was able to say anything about that. Everyone''s gazes slid toward Qiu Ling, trying to ascertain whether this was true or not.


    Qiu Ling finally held Jing Yi''s hand behind his back and after a while, he finally nodded. "Tianjun certainly doesn''t want us to discuss this here. I''m willing to strike some kind of compromise. But I cannot let Jing Yi die. We should probably have the discussion somewhere else."


    This time, the gods didn''t really know how to go forward. They had tried to work something out but at the end of the day, whatever they worked out would still result in Zhong Jing Yi''s death. To them, it meant nothing. It wasn''t anything that they cared about or would have any trouble accepting. But now, as it turned out, things weren''t that simple on the other side. What were they supposed to do now?


    Bai Fen turned to glance at her husband and then her brother and finally turned to Li Yin. "God of Justice, usually, you would restrict a prisoner''s magical ability, wouldn''t you? Maybe we could restrict Zhong Jing Yi''s for now as well. Just as a reassurance to us that he won''t try to flee. Then, we can go and discuss everything in the Court of Justice if you wouldn''t mind." She looked from Li Yin to Qiu Ling and Jing Yi, trying to see if this was acceptable to them.


    An Bai stepped slightly closer. "Your Majesty, I would suggest accepting this deal. The restriction on his abilities would not be forever. It is just a temporary measure and we could also disable it later on ourselves in case the gods refuse. But for now, we have to discuss this. That is the biggest chance to actually get the boy out of here without him getting injured. The Heavenly Empress is definitely the one most on our site right now."


    Qiu Ling still hesitated for a moment but then nodded. In any case, restricting his ability wasn''t something dangerous. He was only afraid that the Heavenly Emperor would try to play some tricks on him. If he was unable to see it beforehand, would he not put Jing Yi in danger?


    An Bai could guess what was troubling his king. "Don''t worry. I will be able to tell."


    Qiu Ling nodded and then turned to look at the God of Justice. "Would that be an acceptable compromise for the time being?"


    Li Yin hesitated but finally nodded. "If the Heavenly Emperor is not against this, then I have nothing to say."


    All eyes turned to Rong Su. He really wasn''t in favor of this but since both his wife and the God of Justice had already agreed and the dragon king also seemed to be quite sensible right now, he couldn''t argue against it. Thus, he had to nod even though he was not actually involved in this. "Fine. Let''s do that then for now." He still hoped to find a chance to solve this problem once and for all.

 Chapter 1256 - He Wished Him Well

    Back in the mortal realm, the people that were visiting the Yun Zou Sect were still amazed at the ascension of somebody in the sect. After talking it over among themselves, all of them rushed to congratulate Sect Master Yuchi who couldn''t help but be a little embarrassed in turn.


    Truth be told, he had no idea just who it was that had ascended. Why hadn''t he known that they had such a genius in the sect? Thus, he could only lightly deflect the praise and hope that somebody would step out to enlighten him soon. At the very least, that would hopefully happen before somebody could ask for the identity of this genius cultivator directly.


    The only person other than the couple that had just gotten married who didn''t share the excitement was Xin Lan. He could imagine just who it was that had ascended based on the reaction of Qiu Ling and his two advisers. Thus, he didn''t think that it was too strange.


    While it was true that the reincarnations of the trueborn gods in the trials were not the same person anymore, for a person like Zhong Jing Yi who actually remembered part of his previous life, it would be strange if he wasn''t able to ascend. After all, the immortal realms were a place were with much more spiritual energy where cultivation was commonplace. In fact, the one who did not have any magical abilities would be the odd one out. So to have even some memory of a person from there would naturally give him an advantage as a cultivator. What was surprising about his ascension when it was viewed in this light?


    Because of that, Xin Lan''s focus was more on the couple that had just gotten married. He glanced at Hua Lin Yu next to him, put a hand on his back, and inched closer. "Would you like to go over and congratulate them?"


    Hua Lin Yu who had also been amazed at the person''s ascension looked up, not quite sure what Xin Lan was talking about. Then, he was startled when he saw just how close Xin Lan had gotten and immediately forgot what he had been thinking about. "Ah ¡­ Sure?"


    He had been happy when Xin Lan invited him along to that wedding but he also hadn''t been able to help but worry. After all, things were still very much awkward between them. And he was afraid that they would be until the moment when he finally told Xin Lan that he wanted to marry him after all. If that moment ever came. After all, even though he knew how things would turn out if he didn''t, he just couldn''t bring himself to do it. He still felt much more drawn to Bai Mu than he probably should. It was a pity that there was nothing he could do about that. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/oh.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/he-wished-him-well_51210764555452245 for visiting.


    Xin Lan didn''t think too much. He knew that it would take quite some time before Hua Lin Yu would be able to come to terms with whatever it was that was holding him back. He didn''t have the expectation that this day would change anything. He was just here because this was Jinde''s wedding after all. For his master, he would naturally come to visit. Taking Hua Lin Yu along was just an added bonus at the side.


    The two of them strolled over, finally stopping in front of Jinde and Leng Jin Yu. Jinde hadn''t bothered to cover up so his face and the golden hair were visible to everyone.


    Xin Lan looked at him appreciatively but once again, there was nothing to be felt of the previous feelings. He finally just smiled and inclined his head. "Congratulations. To me, the previous wedding is the one I think of as more binding but it is good to see that you were able to have another one according to human customs."


    Jinde chuckled at that. Considering that Xin Lan was the person who had been their witness the last time, he could imagine that he was having this kind of thought. "You do have to admit that the red robe fits me quite well though, right?"


    Xin Lan''s smile eased a lot at that. "It does. But then again, no matter what kind of robe was common for a human wedding, I would probably still say the same. You are gorgeous no matter what you wear."


    Hua Lin Yu who had been looking at Jinde, happy to see him again, turned to look at Xin Lan. He was used to getting compliments from Xin Lan but had never heard him compliment anyone else. No matter which person had tried to get close to him in the dragon realm, he told them off without a second thought after he realized that it made him unhappy. Now though, he was blatantly praising somebody in front of him. It ¡­ made him strangely uncomfortable.


    He couldn''t deny that Xin Lan''s words were true though. Jinde did indeed look stunning in the red robe. It made his golden hair look even more fascinating than usual. He looked ethereal, completely not like a human. Well, he obviously wasn''t human. But in any case, that didn''t change the fact that hearing those words from Xin Lan still hurt.


    Hua Lin Yu lowered his gaze, trying to make sense of this feeling. Clearly, his feelings for Xin Lan weren''t the same anymore as before. Clearly, he was more interested in being with Bai Mu than he was in being with Xin Lan. So why did this bother him so much? Shouldn''t he be happy that Xin Lan was also able to find somebody else? Or was it that he had a problem with this because this person had already gotten married to somebody else?


    Hua Lin Yu quietly nodded to himself. Yes. That had to be it. He was just worried because even if Xin Lan moved on, he should move on to somebody he could actually be with. Not a person that would inevitably be unreachable for him. Yes, that had to be it. It had nothing to do with any feelings he had for Xin Lan. This was just ¡­ because despite everything, he still wished him well.

 Chapter 1257 - Clinging to People

    Xin Lan didn''t seem to notice Hua Lin Yu''s gaze. He just continued to look at Jinde as if he was unable to tear away his gaze. "I guess you haven''t changed your mind about how to go forward from now, haven''t you?"


    Jinde shook his head. "Of course not. It''s only been a few days. Do you really think that I''m that fickle?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "Not fickle. Just ¡­ now that you finally have the chance to have a child, I thought you could want to have one soon as possible. I''m actually quite amazed that you are able to wait for so long."


    Jinde nodded and then inched closer to his husband, waiting for Leng Jin Yu to wrap him in his arms. "Well, you wouldn''t understand. I didn''t just wait to be able to have a child. I waited for being able to be with my husband as well. Now, I finally have that opportunity. We can finally spend every waking and every sleeping moment together. I just want to use that time for a bit. Afterward, there was still be more than enough time to have a child."


    Xin Lan nodded slowly. He could still understand that much. While he knew that Jinde had always wanted a child and had at times been longing for that even more than he had for being with Chun Yin, that had also been because Chun Yin had already been unreachable for him at that time. Now that his husband was back in the picture, things would naturally be different. "I''m sure you will be able to have both in due time. You deserve it."


    Jinde nodded but didn''t say anything else. Instead, he turned to Hua Lin Yu, his smile turning brighter. This kind of cute youth was definitely perfect for Xin Lan. He also seemed to have gotten quite far in his cultivation already so it was likely that he would manage to ascend in the future. Well, since Xin Lan had taken him to the dragon realm, he really wasn''t surprised at that. "You should be Hua Lin Yu, right? Xin Lan has told me a lot about you."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded, still feeling a bit conflicted inside. "I am. We actually know each other!" His eyes were slightly widened when he looked at Jinde, hoping that he would remember.


    Naturally, Jinde did. "I know. Back then, your Master came to visit us and brought you along. You were clinging to me and my stepson the whole time." He reached out and nudged his forehead, his smile turning even brighter. "You''ve grown quite a lot since then." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/clinging-to-people_51234000043303473 for visiting.


    Hua Lin Yu felt a little embarrassed when Jinde mentioned that. He had gotten over his habit of clinging to people quite a long time ago but every now and then, his senior martial brothers and sisters from the Jian Yi Sect would also bring it up again. Now, when he was reminded of it by this person of all people he couldn''t help but feel especially awkward.


    Jinde slightly raised his brows when he didn''t get a response to that. Had he been teasing him too much? Ah, it shouldn''t be. A child like this should be able to take a bit more. He glanced at Xin Lan and then looked back at Hua Lin Yu. This whole idea had been to make these two get closer together again. He wasn''t quite sure if he would be able to achieve that though. It seemed that things might be quite difficult, in fact. "Xin Lan told me that the two of you got engaged in the meantime?"


    "Ah." Hua Lin Yu looked even more put on the spot after he said so.


    Jinde wasn''t about to let him get away though. "Well, I''m glad. I don''t know you very well yet but you seem like somebody who would be able to make Xin Lan very happy."


    Xin Lan cleared his throat at that and gave Jinde a deep look. He hadn''t known that Jinde intended to do something like this but he probably should''ve figured. Jinde wouldn''t be able to leave this alone after he had finally gotten around to having the two of them here. After all, he had worried for far too long that he wouldn''t be able to find anyone else after falling in love with him. It was to be expected that he would want to make sure that things worked out between them. Unfortunately, Xin Lan didn''t think that that would help.


    "Xiao Yu still young. There really is no reason to rush anything." He reached out and faintly brushed through Hua Lin Yu''s hair, trying not to give him any pressure.


    Jinde pursed his lips, not quite happy with this. It wasn''t that he wanted to force him into anything but telling him just how great of a partner Xin Lan would be certainly couldn''t be a problem, right? Unfortunately, this follower of his didn''t seem to think the same.


    "Well, I guess it''s true. Old people like me wouldn''t understand. I couldn''t wait to get married at all." Saying so, he turned in Leng Jin Yu''s arms and smiled at him, his eyes lighting up. "I''m sure you are thinking the same, my dear."


    Leng Jin Yu turned to him, his gaze a little resigned. He knew exactly what Jinde was up to. Well, he wasn''t necessarily against it. In any case, while he also felt that Hua Lin Yu should make his own decisions, he definitely wouldn''t be sad if this so-called love rival of his got tied down with somebody. It would definitely put his mind at ease. "I thought we had counted as being married about a millennium ago already?"


    Jinde laughed at that and patted his husband''s chest. "Well, not according to your people." He leaned over and pecked his lips, before pulling back again. "Now, it''s really official though." His eyes turned into little crescents and his smile became more mischievous while he looked at his husband and then slightly tilted his head, whispering in his ear. "Well, after the wedding night, that is. I think you still owe me that part."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows but refrained from saying anything. In any case, the people around them had a high enough cultivation base to be able to hear every word they said. He definitely did not want to discuss his private life at length in front of them. He still pulled Jinde a little closer and the corners of his lips rose slightly. "Whatever makes you happy, I''ll be sure to do it."

 Chapter 1258 - Help Him Out

    After teasing his husband like this, Jinde was happy enough. He might not have been able to achieve his original goal but it seemed that Xin Lan wasn''t really appreciative of him trying either. Thus, after a while, he didn''t try to continue. Instead, he glanced over to Sect Master Yuchi who was sweating buckets. "My dear, it seems that your Master is having a bit of trouble over there. Don''t you think you should go and save him?"


    Leng Jin Yu also looked over and his expression turned a little resigned. "Well, I guess if we want to retire now, I should go and tell him anyway. Are you coming with me?"


    Jinde nodded and the two of them bid farewell to Xin Lan at Hua Lin Yu before going over to Yuchi Bing Xia''s side.


    "Master." Leng Jin Yu didn''t mind butting right in. In any case, this was his wedding and people had completely forgotten about him and his husband. Nobody could complain about him being rude in this situation, right?


    Yuchi Bing Xia turned to his disciple, feeling as if he had been saved. "Ah Yu, it seems that your wedding has been overshadowed a little. I''m sorry. I didn''t think that this would happen today." He looked embarrassed and actually did feel that way. He was the one who had said that this would be an auspicious date. And while it was true that it was one, that couldn''t change that there had been an even bigger event happening. That kind of thing ¡­ which couple would want to see that?


    Leng Jin Yu still shook his head good-naturedly though. "Don''t worry about it, Master. Junior martial brother Zhong has been advancing by leaps and bounds over the last years. It was only a question of time until he would ascend. I definitely don''t mind. In any case, it is also good that he was able to do this."


    Yuchi Bing Xia had hoped for somebody to enlighten him as to who the disciple was that had finally ascended but hearing the name ''Zhong'', he wasn''t any more in the know than before. Just who was this junior martial brother Zhong? Why couldn''t he remember him?


    Leng Jin Yu could imagine that the Sect Master had no idea who this person was he was talking about but he also didn''t know what else to say. He could only glance at Jinde, hoping that he would be able to provide the Sect Master with some more details.


    Jinde''s lips curved up. The situation really was too funny. "Well, with the guidance from Grandmaster Zhangsun''s disciple, I''m sure that it was only a question of time until he ascends. Actually, these two might even have ascended together. Was that why your disciple didn''t join us today, Grandmaster?" Jinde turned to Zhangsun Xun Yi, providing an excuse for Qiu Ling at the same time.


    Zhangsun Xun Yi who had been standing back and letting the Sect Master deal with everything looked up when his name was actually called out. He glanced at Jinde and Leng Jin Yu and then nodded. "That''s very likely. He has been making a lot of progress as well. And I guess it''s true that they wouldn''t want to be separated. They''ve always been so close. It was basically impossible to see them anywhere alone."


    Hearing that, the people that had come to visit for the ceremony were discussing even more spiritedly. So that was why the Grandmaster''s disciple hadn''t turned up today. He had actually ascended! Well, that did explain quite a few things. Also, it really made them wonder what Elder Gongxi from the Yang Huo Sect had been on about before. Obviously, the Grandmaster''s disciple and the dragon king were two completely different people. How could he make any kind of comparison between them? There had to be something wrong with his eyes!


    Jinde had a hard time holding back a smile when he heard what everyone was saying. These people were so easily hoodwinked, it really was quite laughable. It seemed that the title of dragon king was quite useful here.


    Well, with that, everything that they had to do here was already done. Now, it really was about time to go and just enjoy himself with his husband. He turned back to the Sect Master, his expression turning a little more serious. "Well, the ceremony is already done. And it seems that Sect Master Yuchi has quite a few more things to discuss with everyone. I guess my husband and I won''t be needed here any longer then." He hugged his waist and the people around them gave the two of them a knowing gaze.


    Leng Jin Yu just smiled noncommittally but he did take Jinde''s hand and nodded at his Master. "I hope it''s not a problem if we leave you with all of this Master. But I guess senior martial brother Wu will be able to handle most of it anyway." He turned to look at Wu Min Huan who was standing a few steps away and inclined his head.


    He had asked him to help out with the preparation which seemed to have done quite some good for their relationship. If he left things to him now directly in front of everyone, that might help even more. Later on, when they went on to join the Jian Yi Sect, there would probably not be any of the resentment from the past be left. That was something that he really wished for. He had originally long left the mortal realm behind. There was no reason to start any new troubles here.


    Wu Min Huan looked at him appreciatively and nodded. "Rest assured, I will certainly deal with it well!"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and turned back to Yuchi Bing Xia, waiting for his agreement.


    The Sect Master nodded as well and then reached out to pat Leng Jin Yu''s shoulder. "Of course. You just got married. I''m sure that you''d rather spend time with your husband than with us. You should go and enjoy yourself."


    The two of them nodded and then went toward the area behind the Sect Master''s palace once again, not bothering about the people out there any longer. Now, there were really just the two of them. It was time for them to catch up on what they had missed out on before. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/help-him-out_51257131143318809 for visiting.

 Chapter 1259 - Old Enough to Decide Himself

    Back outside, Xin Lan turned to Hua Lin Yu. "Do you want to leave as well?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked in the direction where Jinde and Leng Jin Yu had left in, still feeling troubled. When Xin Lan spoke up, he turned around, his expression complicated. "Well ¡­" They had come because they had been invited to the wedding so since the couple in question had already left, there wasn''t really a reason to stay around. He didn''t quite know what to do though. Looking around, he finally motioned over to Fei Bai Mu who was also standing in the crowd. "My Master is here. I think it would be nice to go and greet her first."


    Xin Lan looked over and then nodded. "Right. We should definitely do that. Let''s go over then." He turned around and walked over, only noticing after a few steps that Hua Lin Yu hadn''t followed him over. He raised his brows and called out to him. "What''s the matter?"


    Hua Lin Yu hurriedly shook his head and then rushed after him, glancing at him a few times.


    Xin Lan noticed and observed him from the corner of his eye but he didn''t say anything. He wasn''t quite sure what this was about. He had the silent hope that maybe this was Hua Lin Yu slowly warming up to him again. He wasn''t sure if it had anything to do with what Jinde had said before but it might be. Otherwise, he really didn''t know what might have made Hua Lin Yu reconsider.


    In any case, he was happy that it was happening. If they could go back to how they had been before, that would be for the best. He really did not want to continue like they were now where they had a hard time speaking about anything or getting close to each other. That just wasn''t the type of relationship he wanted.


    Previously, he might not have cared. Back when it was Jinde, he might not have cared. But he had come to enjoy Hua Lin Yu''s company especially because those were the things they could do. Just cuddling up after a long day outside, sharing his thoughts, listening to Hua Lin Yu''s thoughts ¡­ This was very much how he imagined his life to be. He did not want to give up on that. An awkward relationship where they just coexisted in the same space was not something he was looking forward to. No, a relationship that was supposed to be for eternity needed to be more.


    Xin Lan shelved the thought for later and just continued toward Sect Master Fei now that Hua Lin Yu had finally moved. He inclined his head to greet her but then just stood back, letting Hua Lin Yu talk instead.


    Hua Lin Yu glanced at him, not quite sure what to make of this but since Xin Lan hadn''t said anything, he finally just went ahead. "Master."


    Fei Bai Mu looked at him and raised her brows. Her small disciple seemed a little lost. "You were also invited, yes? It''s good to see you again."


    Hua Lin Yu''s nerves calmed a little after seeing her familiar smile and he hurriedly nodded. "Yes, I was. Anyway, I also met them before. It''s natural that they would invite me, isn''t it?" Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/old-enough-to-decide-himself_51280338462233583 for visiting.


    Fei Bai Mu glanced at Xin Lan, feeling that this probably had more to do with him but she didn''t say so out loud. "Well, that is certainly the truth. Now, why don''t you tell me about your situation? Are you only back to attend the ceremony or are you going to stay for a bit?"


    Hua Lin Yu fell quiet at that question. He really didn''t know what to say. "Well ¡­" He definitely wasn''t just here for the ceremony but to admit to that ¡­ he wasn''t sure if he could. It was bad enough that he had had to tell his older brother and have a talk with Xin Lan about wanting to wait for a bit before they made any lasting decisions. To also tell his Master ¡­ Even though he knew that it would probably be better to do so, he just couldn''t bring himself to do that.


    Xin Lan glanced at him and then stepped forward, putting his arm around Hua Lin Yu''s waist as if nothing had happened. "Well, Xiao Yu might be a little embarrassed to say it but I think he missed his family. We have actually returned a few days earlier already. Then, just when we arrived at the Hua family''s estate, I got the message from Jinde that he was about to marry.


    "We probably should''ve come to see you sooner but with everything else going on I thought it might be better to do so after the wedding. To see you here now ¡­ Well, I guess you should blame me if you want to blame somebody."


    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows while she looked at him, not quite sure what to make of this. This man ¡­ he was quite a bit closer to her disciple than when they had left all those years ago. "I did not intend to blame anyone. Xiao Yu is also old enough already to make his own decisions. If he wants to see his family, he can do so. When he starts to miss me, he also would''ve come by." She turned back to her disciple, trying to find from his gaze what exactly the matter was.


    Hua Lin Yu did indeed look a little embarrassed. Could that really be just it? Had he been worried that she would be angry.? Well, if that was the case, then it seemed she didn''t need to worry.


    She just hoped that there wasn''t some other underlying issue that he didn''t dare to tell her. But he really was old enough to make his own decisions. If he didn''t want to discuss with her, she couldn''t force him. She would just wait until he decided for himself if he wanted her opinion on whatever the problem was or not.

 Chapter 1260 - An Awkward Conversation

    Having decided on that, Fei Bai Mu didn''t push him any further and just nodded to show that she understood. "Well, the wedding was cut a little short because of this matter with the ascension. I didn''t even get the time to congratulate them personally. I''ll make a trip over later on."


    Xin Lan gave a hum at that. "I understand that you might want to make one but I''d suggest not going before tomorrow morning. These two will likely be busy." Even though this was their second wedding and none of this was really new for either Jinde or Leng Jin Yu, he knew his Master well enough to be quite sure that he would still treat this just like he treated their first wedding. These two were probably already starting to roll around in the sheets right about now. If somebody went to congratulate them, they might put on a smile but definitely wouldn''t be happy about being disturbed. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/an-awkward-conversation_51303545512721120 for visiting.


    Fei Bai Mu slightly raised her brows when he said so. On a logical level, she absolutely understood it when she heard him mention it. But when trying to think of it she really had a hard time picturing their sect''s Grandmaster like that.


    Originally, she had always known Leng Jin Yu is a taciturn person. While he wasn''t necessarily distant or aloof and instead very easy to get along with, he was still the kind of person that stood above everyone else in the human realm. Naturally, it would be difficult to see him as a normal person.


    Just them getting married was already quite the spectacle, not to mention what came afterward. She was afraid that if these two ever had a child, she and the other people from the Jian Yi Sect wouldn''t know what to do.


    In fact, glancing at the Elders behind her, she was afraid that they already had quite a bit of trouble keeping their calm now that the Grandmaster had gotten married. Looking at those old faces, it was clear as day that they wanted to go and gossip among themselves. They merely held back because they knew that the people from the other sects couldn''t be allowed to know that the person that had just gotten married under the name of Yu Jin was, in fact, their Jian Yi Sect''s Grandmaster Leng.


    If that came out ¡­ She didn''t know what would happen but it would definitely be troublesome. So for his and for their sake, the Elders had to hold back. It clearly wasn''t easy for them though.


    Thinking about the implications of Xin Lan''s words, Fei Bai Mu finally nodded. "You''re right. Today probably isn''t the right time to go and congratulate them. I will give it a bit more time then." In fact, tomorrow might not be the best time either. The Elders from the sect would definitely stay excited for a while longer. If she brought them over ¡ª and she was pretty sure that she would have to or these guys would throw a tantrum ¡ª who was to say that they wouldn''t annoy the Grandmaster and his partner to death? No, it was better to wait a bit more until they had managed to calm down. After that, there would still be enough time. In any case, she didn''t believe that the Yun Zou Sect would have trouble with them staying a bit longer.


    Xin Lan nodded but didn''t say anything else. In any case, he was just trying to help his Master with this. As for other things ¡­ he was pretty sure that she would be able to deal with those on her own.


    With that, Fei Bai Mu turned to focus on Hua Lin Yu again. "The Elders and I are likely going to stay here for a bit longer. What about you and Xin Lan? Also, I think I saw your brother before?" She looked around but couldn''t spot Hua Lin Rong at the moment.


    Hua Lin Yu also looked around. While Xin Lan had asked him to come along, the Hua family had also received an invitation so Hua Lin Rong had come over together with them. After arriving at the sect though, he had suddenly vanished to go and greet some people and still not returned yet. Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but wonder what was up with that. "Big brother came here with us but he went to talk to some other people. He hasn''t said whether he''d like to stay but I guess we would be imposing if we did."


    In any case, the Yun Zou Sect might be a first-tier sect but it would still be a strain on them to host all these people. If they stayed longer than necessary, it might make problems for them. Although he had to say that he would actually like to stay for a bit.


    Back at home, things were much more awkward with Xin Lan. Out here, he felt like they got along a little more easily. Naturally, he was reluctant to go back home where his family might notice that something was wrong between them or just ask any day now when they wanted to get married.


    Fei Bai Mu shook her head. "I wouldn''t worry too much about that. They are probably prepared for this and you are only three people anyway. In fact, our Jian Yi Sect might be the bigger problem." She sighed and glanced in the direction of the Elders again.


    The fight about who was allowed to come had been a big one. She had finally had had to put her foot down for them to limit their number but she had still ended up needing to take along a third of their Elders. Well, their number still wasn''t that high compared to the other sects since they had just left the disciples back at the sect but she had noticed quite a few strange looks. Most likely, they had made some sects worry whether they had breached etiquette by not sending a squadron of Elders themselves.


    Hua Lin Yu followed her gaze and was surprised as well. "Why are there only Elders present?"


    Fei Bai Mu could only smile wryly. "Well ¡­ the one getting married ¡­ he''s a true dragon after all. Who wouldn''t want to show their appreciation? Anyway, since we all want to stay, we should make sure that lodgings are prepared." With that, she turned around, evading the rest of this awkward conversation.

 Chapter 1261 - He Had Known

    Back in the Nine Heavens, the official from the Court of Justice returned with two bracelets, handing them to Li Yin. The God of Justice looked them over and then stepped forward, passing them to An Bai so he could make sure there was no problem with them as well.


    An Bai looked them over twice, making sure that there was nothing he missed. Only then did he incline his head toward Qiu Ling and handed the bracelets to him. "There''s no problem with them, Your Majesty. He will not be in any danger if they are put on. They will merely restrict his spiritual energy for the time being."


    Qiu Ling nodded, took the bracelets, and then turned to Jing Yi. "This is the only way. I hope you won''t mind." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/he-had-known_51326779121529854 for visiting.


    In fact, Jing Yi minded quite a lot. He should not need to be in this situation. He had cultivated for over a millennium to get to this place. Why was there suddenly talk of killing him? Even though he had known that this would happen, he still didn''t think it was fair. And he also wasn''t happy that even with this compromise, the cultivation he had worked hard for would be taken away just like that.


    But still, for the time being, this was the best he could hope for. And if he understood this right, then maybe Qiu Ling''s followers had an idea on what to do so he wouldn''t be killed. Maybe he could actually live out his life until the very end. A natural end. In that case, what was a small sacrifice.?


    With that thought, he held out his hands and smiled at Qiu Ling. "You don''t have to worry. In any case, I also know you are doing this for me. I trust you."


    Qiu Ling slightly furrowed his brows but still nodded and put the bracelets on Jing Yi''s wrist. Inside his heart, there was still a pang of guilt that flashed by. Doing this for him also meant he was doing this against Jing He. That was something he would have to live with for a long time now. He pushed the thought away forcefully and then turned to the gods again. "It''s done. Now, how shall we proceed?"


    Li Yin slightly raised his brows and motioned towards the main building. "Let''s go to my study. I don''t think it would be a good idea to go all the way to the Heavenly Emperor''s palace for this. It will be quicker here and there won''t be as many prying eyes."


    The dragons nodded and even the Heavenly Emperor didn''t have anything to say to that. Thus, the group finally walked over, the dragons staying close to Jing Yi to make sure that nobody would get any ideas. Even though the Heavenly Emperor and the God of Justice had agreed for now, who was to say that one of the others wouldn''t try to harm him? After all, it was clear that this agreement was only made so that there wouldn''t be a fight. They weren''t actually interested in letting Jing Yi live. Maybe some overzealous subordinate would like to impress somebody by taking matters into their own hands. That kind of thing still needed to be guarded against.


    Who knew if nobody had ever had that idea in the first place or if the dragons'' precautions had just deterred them but the group finally reached the God of Justice''s study without any incidents happening. Whether it was the soldiers of the Palace of War or the officials from the Court of Justice, they were all dismissed and the only ones staying behind were the three dragons with Zhong Jing Yi protected in their middle, and the four gods from the Nine Heavens. They each stayed together in their own group like this, looking at each other vigilantly.


    The Heavenly Emperor originally intended to sit down in Li Yin''s seat but seeing how the dragons were still standing, he felt like it wouldn''t be a good look and continued to stand as well, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Well, I''d like to hear your explanation now. Unless there wasn''t one in the first place and you''ve just been trying to stall for time."


    An Bai smiled faintly at that. "Tianjun is worrying too much. The dragons have no such intentions." For a moment, he considered tagging on that they considered His Highness to be their future consort but thinking of the Heavenly Emperor''s likely reaction, he let it be. "Now, if Your Majesty will allow me?" He glanced at Qiu Ling instead, making a show of getting his permission. In any case, they hadn''t talked about this beforehand so since it had been his idea, he was the one who needed to talk. But he still wanted to keep up appearances in front of the gods. Whether it was in the current situation or long-term, it would only be beneficial to them.


    Qiu Ling also understood and inclined his head. "Go ahead. In any case, three of them are my future in-laws and one is the person that will likely have to make a judgment on this. It''s not like we have to keep it from them at all costs."


    An Bai''s eyes sparkled with admiration at his king''s quick reaction. He had known. He had known that Qiu Ling could be this kind of king. And it filled him with joy to actually be able to see it happen so soon. If he had the chance to see his king like this more often in the future, then the past years of doubt upon seeing him shirk his responsibilities had been worth it.


    An Bai turned back to the gods, putting on a solemn expression before he started to explain.

 Chapter 1262 - Question Everything

    "The races have kept the details of Tian''s curse to themselves for the most part so others would not be able to take advantage that easily. Even those with the blood of more than one race would not easily speak about this or might not be in the know in the first place since it never had to do with them. Thus, it is no wonder that we have trouble understanding each other in this regard.


    "Back then, when His Highness descended to the mortal realm to start his trial, we did not know what it entailed so some mistakes were made. We are sorry for that and we have tried to remedy the situation as well as we could. Now, our understanding of the curse on the gods runs a little deeper.


    "We do know that not letting His Highness'' soul return is a problem. Usually, we would not get involved in this. If it is for His Highness'' benefit, it is naturally for the benefit of the dragons as well." This time, he did not mince his words. In any case, it was the truth and the relationship between their king and the Son of Heaven was necessary to understand what he was about to explain. Thus, he could only spare the Heavenly Emperor''s feelings by being not quite as explicit as he could have been.


    The Heavenly Emperor''s brows slightly furrowed at that thought. He had a few choice words to say in regard to that. What did his beloved son''s trial have to do with the dragons? They''d better shelve these dishonest thoughts!


    Bai Fen noticed that her husband was getting angry again and hurriedly reached out, lightly touching his arm. Right now was not the moment for that discussion. They had more important things to speak about. If he wanted to verbally abuse Qiu Ling, he could still do that after they had gotten their son back.


    The Heavenly Emperor''s mood still wasn''t good but he also realized what his wife meant. Seeing that this might bring him his beloved son back sooner, he kept quiet and just glared at Qiu Ling for a moment, even more unhappy with him than he had been before. This guy better shouldn''t expect that he''d ever entertain the idea of letting him marry Jing He after he had pulled a stunt like this!


    An Bai pretended not to see anything and continued to explain. "I believe that it is not known to the gods what our curse entails either. To put it simply: The dragons were cursed to only ever love one person in their life. This person is destined not by appearance but by the soul.


    "His Majesty has already been bound to His Highness and when his soul descended, he was still bound to the mortal Zhong Jing Yi. To kill the destined partner of a dragon might in the worst case result in that dragon''s death. I hope you understand why we are so worried now." He looked at the Heavenly Emperor directly, his blue eyes so earnest that it was hard to say anything in response.


    Meanwhile, Li Yin furrowed his brows. "In other words, if Zhong Jing Yi was killed to reawaken His Highness, the dragon king might come to harm. That''s what you want to say." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/question-everything_51326897501552879 for visiting.


    An Bai retracted his gaze and then turned to look at Li Yin, inclining his head. "That is precisely what we are worried about and why we have tried to stop you, yes."


    Li Yin wasn''t willing to accept it that easily though. He had worked with enough criminals to doubt everything he heard no matter who it came from. Mortals, ascended deities, trueborn gods, the people of lower standing, and even those in the highest positions who were responsible for thousands of lives were willing to lie and deceive.


    Even he himself as the God of Justice wasn''t an exception. As long as he was given the right incentive, he would make up the grandest tales. For him, his son''s well-being and happiness were that incentive and he would also be willing to do so to keep a few secrets of his.


    As for the dragons ¡­ naturally, he wouldn''t just believe them either. The dragon king might seem simple and easy to get along with at first glance but this guy was likely deeper than all of them taken together. Who knew what he was trying to hide or what he wanted to achieve? In any case, if they wanted his trust, they would need to answer quite a few questions first. And even then, he would still take the time to verify every single response they gave down to the last letter. That was what he was supposed to do after all.


    He narrowed his eyes, looking at each of the dragons one after the other, a faint light igniting his gaze. "If that is truly the case, then that would mean His Highness would never be allowed to return so that your king can be saved. That would put us in a difficult situation, wouldn''t it? Furthermore, you just said that what Longjun was bound to is not a certain incarnation of a person but their soul. But this soul would not perish. When Zhong Jing Yi is killed, the soul will merely return to the body it originally belonged to, that of our crown prince. So why is it that you seem adamant not to allow us to go forward in this endeavor? Surely, there should not be a problem with it?"

 Chapter 1263 - Bad Timing

    An Bai gave a faint hum. It was obvious that the God of Justice did not trust his words. Well, he couldn''t blame him. This was something too important to just go with the flow and believe everything he was told. It was a matter of course that he would want to make sure. Thus, An Bai patiently explained further. "What the God of Justice says is true. The soul does not perish by killing an incarnation and merely moves on. But you also know that Tian''s curse was never that simple.


    "I''ve put it in the easiest way to understand without giving away the details that bind us in fear of causing some consequences I cannot yet foresee. I do realize that this might make it difficult to understand though. In any case, what it boils down to is that His Majesty cannot stand by and watch his lover be killed, no matter the form the person currently takes. That alone would set off the curse''s consequences."


    Xiang Yong nodded as well, adding a few words to stress the point a little further. "Originally, we wanted to prevent this situation from occurring in the first place. The God of Justice can go and verify that His Majesty was in the dragon realm to deal with some internal issues. There should be people that saw him at that time. If we had been able to stay there, then His Highness''s reincarnation would have ascended without him ever knowing which would have prevented the current predicament.


    "Unfortunately, we finally received an invitation from the mortal realm to attend a wedding. Maybe the God of War has heard?" He turned to Qiang Yan and faintly raised his brows. "The person in question was that ascended deity, Leng Jin Yu. Since we had some dealings with him before and he helped us, we felt it would be rude not to go."


    Qiang Yan was startled. Leng Jin Yu''s wedding ¡­ he had thought it had long been held? But he knew who this person was so he didn''t bring that up and just confirmed Xiang Yong''s words. "Ah, yes, he had mentioned before that he had fallen in love back in the mortal realm after we sent him there. I guess it was only a matter of time before they would get married. He stayed there because of that after all."


    Xiang Yong nodded. "Well, the wedding was beautiful but who knew the timing would be this awkward? Just when the ceremony had ended, Zhong Jing Yi ascended. Thus, His Majesty was in the know about what was to happen." He sighed at that, looking like he really regretted how everything had turned out. "At such a time, a dragon can''t just stand back. That would trigger the curse. So the only open option for us was to follow His Highness''s reincarnation here and try to prevent the gods from killing him.


    "If the gods want to still go ahead, then I''m afraid His Majesty will have to fight no matter what the consequences are and we, as His Majesty''s advisers, will have to join in as well. Also, should His Majesty come to harm, then I think I do not need to tell you what it will mean for our alliance."


    An Bai nodded, echoing the thought. "Yes, I''m afraid that is the case. I''m sorry about that. I know that this is a problem for the gods. But as I see things, His Majesty coming to harm if you were to kill Zhong Jing Yi is already given. On the other hand, His Highness will not be directly harmed just because he wakes up late, or am I in the wrong there?" He turned to look at Li Yin, hoping for an honest answer. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/bad-timing_51349938390492541 for visiting.


    If the gods just said that he would come to harm, then things would be different. But even then, they were in a bad situation. What he said was true. They couldn''t just send His Majesty away and hope for the best. It didn''t work like that. The guilt gnawing at him would attack his soul because it was bound to the crown prince''s soul.


    So yes, he would be harmed. It was harm that could likely be repaired but then again, this kind of situation had never occurred before. It was hard to say if they would really have a chance to save their king. It might very well be that even if they repaired the damage, it would just come back because the underlying issue couldn''t be changed anymore. He would not risk that.


    Li Yin kept quiet for a moment and then finally rubbed his forehead. This was not what he had expected. "Well, for the time being, I guess we will have to let him live then." He turned to the Heavenly Emperor, his expression still worried. "Your Majesty, this matter is a little too big for me to handle. I would like you to also give your decision.


    "For the time being, my suggestion would be to let the boy live, and keep him under supervision here in the Nine Heavens. We can only look at this matter slowly and try to find a solution that will not harm either side. If we find one, then we can have a new discussion."


    Rong Su furrowed his brows. He definitely did not want this mortal to live if it meant that his son would not be able to come home. "Jing He''s trial has already been going on for way too long. It''s about time that he returns."


    Li Yin nodded. "That would be the best outcome of course. I''m just afraid that the dragons'' reasoning makes sense. We cannot risk the dragon king getting hurt. You also have to think of the war with the demons, Your Majesty."


    The Heavenly Emperor pressed his lips together but finally nodded. "Fine! Then we''ll do it that way. But you''d better find a solution soon!" He flung his sleeve and then walked out of the Court of Justice, leaving the others behind.

 Chapter 1264 - I Am Afraid

    Bai Fen sighed and stepped over to Qiu Ling and Jing Yi. "You never said anything. Had I known, I wouldn''t have needed to worry so much in the beginning."


    Qiu Ling just smiled faintly. "I was sure that I would be able to convince you of my feelings for him even without bringing up the curse. And I think that I have succeeded. So what use was there in mentioning somebody else''s actions? Mine alone will be enough to make this work."


    Bai Fen chuckled in return. "Your confidence is as astounding as ever. Well, for now, let''s find you someplace to stay. I don''t think you''ll be able to return to the dragon realm anytime soon. At least not with him." She turned to look at Jing Yi, her gaze still complicated. "I know this isn''t easy for you either and I''m sorry that you''ve been put in this situation.


    "I just hope you can hold on and not do something that could put either Jing He or Qiu Ling in danger. If you were trying to escape from here, you can be sure that the gods would not look kindly upon that. If you were spotted later on, there would definitely be a fight. And you would also be putting the alliance between our races at risk. I don''t think that you want that for Qiu Ling."


    Jing Yi stared at her, feeling that as kind as she had always been to Jing He, this woman wasn''t simple either. She clearly realized that the only person important to him in his life was Qiu Ling. So he was what she threatened him with. If he had to lay down his life later on, he would have no other choice because otherwise, he would inconvenience his own lover. This was quite shrewd actually. "Don''t worry. I have a few of Jing He''s memories. I know how much sacrifice is needed in that kind of position. I do see that it isn''t any different outside of it as long as the soul stays the same."


    Bai Fen''s gaze flickered a little. She didn''t say anything in the end though and just inclined her head. "It''s good that you know." She motioned at her brother and the two of them left together, leaving Li Yin to arrange everything.


    The God of Justice looked at the three dragons and the ascended deity, his gaze thoughtful. "I guess it would be best to assign you one of the palaces somewhere close by. Just give me a few minutes." He turned to the door and called one of the officials over, giving them instructions. Then, he waited by the door, not going back inside. He really didn''t have any intentions to engage in a talk with the dragons. The situation was bad enough as it was. He didn''t need to add to the trouble.


    At the same time, Bai Fen and Qiang Yan were slowly walking toward the Heavenly Empress''s palace.


    "What are your thoughts on this matter?" Bai Fen turned to look at her brother, not indicating what her own thoughts on it were.


    Qiang Yan gave a hum and squinted at the sky. "The situation isn''t easy. Both sides have valid worries. I''m afraid that adviser An Bai is right though in that theirs currently trump ours. So unless Li Yin is able to find a way to circ.u.mvent this problem, I''m afraid Jing He won''t be waking up anytime soon."


    "You know Li Yin quite well. How likely do you think it is?"


    Qiang Yan shook his head. "I don''t know. To be honest, he can be quite resourceful. But I don''t think the chances are very good. After all, this is a matter that concerns the dragons more than it concerns us. Every solution that he can find, can only be found from the perspective of the gods. Half of those will probably be impossible to implement without making trouble for the dragons. To find one that satisfies both sides ¡­ it might be nigh possible."


    Bai Fen nodded slowly. "That is what I fear as well. I''m afraid that this whole trial will continue to bring trouble until the very end. In fact, maybe even more than that."


    Qiang Yan turned back to her, his expression just as worried. "You mean when Jing He finally regains his memories?"


    "Yes. You know how he is. He constantly overthinks. And what happened today ¡­ I''m afraid that it will make him worry quite a lot."


    "You might be right with that. Not only did Qiu Ling choose somebody else but he also revealed Tian''s curse on the dragon race. It might make Jing He wonder if things would be different if it wasn''t for the curse. He is the type of person who would do that."


    "And that is what I''m worried about. Furthermore, we are working on resolving the situation in a way that lets Jing He return but we can''t forget that there is another side as well. That Zhong Jing Yi ¡­ I''m afraid he isn''t that simple."


    "He is an ascended deity. And looking at how long the trial has been going, he should have lived for at least a millennium. That kind of time ¡­ who really stays simpleminded after living for that long? Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/i-am-afraid_51373226256812066 for visiting.


    "Also, he has been embroiled in the conflict surrounding Qiu Ling as well. I don''t think that we can really just see him as a human boy. He is already much more than that. And with Jing He''s memories at his disposal, things might become even worse. What he said today ¡­ it was clearly meant to hurt you."


    Bai Fen nodded. This had also been the moment when she realized that she couldn''t underestimate this boy. "He''s going to use what he knows to his advantage. And I honestly can''t even blame him. This is about his life after all. We can''t just let him do this though. I''m afraid of what it would mean for Jing He if we don''t step up. And I can only hope that Qiu Ling will realize that as well and try to work with us. Curse or no curse, I hope he doesn''t forsake Jing He."

 Chapter 1265 - A Simple Solution

    The person in question was indeed still battling with his guilty conscience. But holding Jing Yi in his arms and thinking of how he had almost been killed when he arrived, he managed to fight down the feeling. He had done what he needed to do at the moment. Yes, it might be a problem for Jing He, but he could only deal with that in the future. For now, it was the right decision to just take some more time to think things through. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-simple-solution_51396451544137094 for visiting.


    Soon enough, the official from the Court of Justice returned, and bowed to them, leading them past Li Yin and to a palace not far from there. "This is the palace that was prepared for Longjun and his followers. If there''s anything you need, you can just tell the guards at the entrance."


    Qiu Ling smiled faintly. "So the king of your allies needs two guards at the entrance."


    The official just gave a noncommittal smile. "Naturally, the king of our allies is a valued guest and should get the best security. If you would excuse me now." The official inclined their head and then left, going back to the God of Justice''s study who had gone back to sitting at his table, staring off into the air. "The task has been done. Longjun, his two advisers, and the ascended deity in question have been given access to a palace with guards stationed around the parameters."


    Li Yin nodded slowly. "Well done. You can go back to your usual tasks then."


    The official nodded and then left, closing the door behind them.


    Li Yin listened for the steps outside to recede and then sighed. "Leng Lu, I''m sure that this is the kind of drama that you like. So you certainly have been watching." He fell quiet again, just silently waiting.


    For a moment, nothing happened. But when Li Yin neither spoke up again nor did anything else, the air in front of him finally split open, revealing the figure of a man clad in black and the sight of the interior of another palace behind him.


    The man stepped through the gate he had opened, a faint smile on his lips that did not reach his eyes. "It is indeed the kind of play that I like. It is really quite entertaining. Who loves whom? Who is willing to push the other into the abyss? Who the one to finally take the fall? Right now, it doesn''t look good for your crown prince."


    Li Yin glanced at the dark mark between Leng Lu''s eyebrows and gave a hum. He didn''t comment on his previous words and just got right to the matter he really wanted to know. "Is what the dragons said about Tian''s curse on their race true?" This was what everything else depended on. He might be able to find out in another way but it would take a long time. Asking Leng Lu was much faster and he trusted his words without a doubt. He was the only person he trusted like that.


    Leng Lu slowly walked toward the desk, his steps not making a single sound while the portal behind him closed again just as silently, leaving no trace where it had once been. "It is indeed. In fact, it might be worse than they let you know. You know, there''s a small fallen god over in the High Heavens that will go on and on about how only the dragons are worthy partners.


    "He isn''t completely wrong. Among all the three races, the dragons are certainly the ones you can depend on the most in that regard. But who is it for? Their lover? Or maybe this is also their sense of survival. Maybe because their own life has been tied to their lovers, they have a harder time betraying them."


    Li Yin glanced at him, keeping quiet. Clearly, this was what everything went back to when it came to Leng Lu. He should''ve known it would end like this today as well. Deep down, it hurt a bit being told by his very own lover that he was less worthy than a dragon would be but he could hardly blame him. He could only wait for Leng Lu to get past that thought.


    The fallen god sat down at the edge of the desk and stared at him, his gaze turning calm again after a moment. In the end, it even seemed to soften a bit. "What about Ru Zhen? I haven''t seen him for a while."


    Li Yin smiled faintly, his own mood lifting as well. "I can have him be called over."


    Leng Lu turned to look at the door but shook his head. "No, I don''t think it would be a good idea right now. It is dangerous enough to come here with only the gods around. Add the dragons into the fray and I''m afraid things might turn out even worse. I''m not tired of living yet. Not enough, that is. I''ll come back again another time when you''ve solved things here." He got up and raised his hand but Li Yin already stood up and grabbed his wrist.


    "Why not help me solve the matter then? Then you would also be able to see him sooner."


    Leng Lu slowly took back his hand and looked at him, a hint of ridicule evident in his eyes. "You actually need my help for this? I really wonder who made you the God of Justice. The solution is quite easy, isn''t it? I''ll give you some time to think it through." With that, another portal was opened, and Leng Lu stepped inside, his figure vanishing as soon as the gate closed behind him.

 Chapter 1266 - A Possibility

    Li Yin narrowed his eyes and pondered for a moment what kind of easy solution that might be. Leng Lu might be cynical but he wasn''t a liar. Since he said there was such a way, then there really was one. But he likely wouldn''t say it even if he asked him again so he could only try to come up with it on his own or at least get close enough that Leng Lu would deign to enlighten him.


    Unfortunately, no matter how much he thought, he couldn''t think of anything. Just trying to kill the boy would be one option but the dragons would already be on their guard. After all, they knew what their goal was. And if a dragon couldn''t let their partner die just like that, then that would mean that they had to protect them.


    This was probably what the curse actually meant: The dragon had to put the life of their lover first. So if they already had a hunch that somebody might try something, it would be against the curse to just let the person roam alone and run into danger. So whether it was the dragon king or his two advisers, somebody would always be around Zhong Jing Yi and be able to save him from any attempt on his life.


    And if an attempt happened even once, then the dragons would have grounds to take Zhong Jing Yi away to the dragon realm. After all, they were trying to find a compromise. If one side started to diverge from the agreement they had made so far, then that would change everything all over again.


    Finally, Li Yin could only sigh and ignore the matter for now. In any case, for now, nothing else would happen and a few days more or less wouldn''t make trouble for the crown prince.


    Over in the other palace, An Bai and Xiang Yong returned from looking through the building, inclining their heads toward Qiu Ling. "Everything is safe. We couldn''t find any traps either. The layout of the building is also so that we will have an easy time to defend if somebody attacks."


    Jing Yi looked from the two of them to Qiu Ling and couldn''t help but question the implications of what he had just heard. "You just made a deal with them. Do you think that they will really just ignore it?" If this was only about him, he wouldn''t have any doubt about that at all but the dragons had just mentioned this might concern Qiu Ling''s life and death. He couldn''t imagine that the gods would be so callous to just go ahead in that situation. But he also didn''t understand the situation that well. The few memories he had from Jing He weren''t enough for that.


    Qiu Ling''s expression turned thoughtful. "If it was just the God of Justice and the Heavenly Empress, I wouldn''t be worried. The main is with the Heavenly Emperor." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-possibility_51419527346444903 for visiting.


    "But he should also be able to understand the current situation."


    Qiu Ling sighed. "It is not that he doesn''t understand the situation. He does. He just cares much more about Jing He than he cares about me. In fact, his feelings for me have never been good. It could be that he would actually be quite happy if I were to disappear. After all, he never wanted me to go after his son.


    "And with the curse being out in the open now, the likelihood of me marrying Jing He has just risen considerably. The Heavenly Empress was already on my side and whether he likes to believe it or not, Jing He has feelings for me. If Jing He was to know that the curse existed ¡­" He fell silent for a moment, his gaze becoming complicated. He had never told Jing He about the curse. But he had sworn up and down that he would never love another person. That was true. The problem was just how Jing He would react after finding this out.


    There were two possibilities and while one was very sweet, the other wasn''t that much so. Jing He was somebody who endlessly doubted himself despite not needing to. So he probably would have some worry that maybe it wasn''t that he was lovable but that the curse had forced Qiu Ling to do so. That was entirely possible with him.


    Well, he couldn''t change that now. He could only hope for the best and that Jing He would instead feel reassured by the fact that his lover would indeed never be able to love somebody else and only ever be there for him. That was the kind of relationship he wanted anyway, wasn''t it?


    Qiu Ling lightly shook his head. "In any case, the Heavenly Emperor would do anything for Jing He. Even if he has to sacrifice the alliance between our races, it could be that he will actually do so." And honestly, he couldn''t fault him. He would do the same for Jing He.


    Jing Yi pursed his lips. "And that even though their relationship wasn''t that good."


    An Bai furrowed his brows when he heard that. "You shouldn''t say something like this. Especially not in the current situation. Things are bad enough as they are. You really do not need to give the gods another reason to hate you."


    Jing Yi''s brows also furrowed when he was admonished like that and he shrunk further into Qiu Ling''s arms, glancing up at him. Unfortunately, his lover still seemed to be somewhat lost in thought and didn''t say anything in regard to what had just happened.


    Xiang Yong lightly cleared his throat to diffuse the tension and turned to Qiu Ling as well. "Should we get some more people to guard this place?"


    Qiu Ling narrowed his eyes, pondering silently. He knew that there really was the possibility that the Heavenly Emperor would try something but if they ordered more people to come here, it would send a sign that both sides didn''t trust each other. While this might be true personally, they couldn''t officially do that.


    He had promised that he would think more as the king of the dragon race in the future and he hadn''t forgotten that. Now, this was one such moment where both identities were not that easily reconciled. "Don''t do so for now. If something happens, we can still call on them. Until then, we''ll treat it as if nothing will happen."

 Chapter 1267 - Help Them Find a Way

    The two dragons nodded and then left Qiu Ling and Jing Yi alone, retreating to their own rooms.


    Xiang Yong followed An Bai into his, giving him a long look. "You don''t seem happy."


    An Bai turned back to him and sighed. "Was it that obvious?" He shook his head and then sat down at the table, pulling over the teapot that was standing to the side. "I just can''t help myself. You know that I always got along very well with His Highness. He is ¡­" He fell quiet for a moment and started to brew the tea, not quite sure how to say what was going through his mind.


    Xiang Yong just smiled though and put a cup down in front of each of them. "He is the type of person that you like. Somebody quiet, educated, somebody who will listen to others, and speak his mind cautiously, making sure to never hurt anyone with either his words or actions. This Zhong Jing Yi is different in that. Clearly, what he said before in the Court of Justice was used to attack the Heavenly Empress, and what he just said about the Heavenly Emperor and His Highness''s relationship with him would''ve hurt just as much if it was being heard by the person in question. His Highness would never condone such behavior. He would''ve found it to be distasteful. As you do."


    An Bai nodded. "Yes, that''s precisely it. I''m just afraid that it won''t do me any favors. Things have just been cleared up with His Majesty and should be moving in a better direction now. But if his current partner is like this, won''t that make things troublesome between us again?"


    Xiang Yong gave a hum, pondering the same question. To be honest, he had never had much to do with the Son of Heaven. He was happy that their king had found somebody of such high status who would be able to behave in a way that would be acceptable to everyone in both their race and among the gods.


    But other than that, he couldn''t care less who exactly their king''s partner was. If he had fallen in love with a bagger on the streets, it also would''ve been alright. In any case, if there were some egregious faults, the person could still be taught. But he could understand why An Bai was feeling differently. For him, this was a much more personal thing than it was the Xiang Yong. "If the gods manage to find a way to deal with this, you won''t have that problem for long."


    "I''m just afraid that they won''t be able to do so. In any case, things are complicated. His Majesty can''t let Zhong Jing Yi come to harm knowingly. And right now, we are completely in the know. It would take a genuine accident for him to be killed and His Highness to wake up again. I really don''t know what we''re supposed to do with this."


    "Well, the God of Justice seems like a very conscientious person. He is somebody that doesn''t let go of a matter after he starts working on it. Even if it takes some time, I''m sure that he will find a solution to this. Also, the Heavenly Emperor has quite a big interest in solving this as well. I don''t think we need to fear that there won''t be enough people working on this. If you want to, you can even help."


    An Bai shook his head at that. He picked up the teapot, pouring both of them a cup. "You know, I would love to do that but I can''t go behind our king''s back like this. He has already made his decision. He wants Zhong Jing Yi to live. What can I do about it?"


    "Finding a solution could also mean that he doesn''t have to be killed. Maybe there is a way to satisfy both sides. In any case, you know the most about the gods and you are somebody that is able to work with almost anyone. I do believe that your temperament is also quite in line with what the gods like. So they will have an easier time accepting it if it is you. And they definitely won''t refuse any help if they can get it. Not if that means getting their crown prince back sooner. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/help-them-find-a-way_51442837207704768 for visiting.


    "And also ¡­" He picked up the cup, the steam rising from the top blurring the lines of his face. "His Majesty might have decided to save Zhong Jing Yi today but that doesn''t mean that he wouldn''t prefer having His Highness at his side.


    "If you can find a way to go about this that will not hurt the mortal reincarnation but give him back the Son of Heaven, he would choose that option without hesitation. We shouldn''t have any illusions about that. And neither should that boy. I''m afraid he also knows that which is why he''s been acting this way today."


    An Bai''s gaze turned thoughtful. "It probably isn''t a wonder. His situation ¡­ it is an uncommon one and one that has put him at a clear disadvantage in regard to every part of his life. Whether that is the person he loves or the place where he lives, even his own life is in danger. I probably shouldn''t expect him to keep calm in such a situation. There is only so much a person can bear."


    Xiang Yong nodded. "That is how I see it as well. So cut him some slack but don''t keep yourself from working on getting His Highness back. It would be doing all of us a favor. If the dragons were an active part of this and if you were even able to make it sound as if His Majesty is fully behind this or even suggested you helping the gods with this, that might pave the way for His Majesty and the Son of Heaven to get married as soon as the soul returns. We can''t forget that that is our end goal."


    An Bai nodded. "Then I will do so. There will have to be a way."

 Chapter 1268 - No Other Way

    Back in the main room, Qiu Ling was having similar thoughts as An Bai. "You should really pay attention to what you say here."


    Jing Yi slightly furrowed his brows when Qiu Ling actually dwelt on the matter but still nodded. "I know already. It''s just that I thought that in front of you and your people, I wouldn''t need to worry as much. In the future, I won''t speak my mind in that situation either."


    Qiu Ling gave him a long look, unsure of what to do. "It is not that I don''t want you to speak your mind. It is just that some things probably shouldn''t even cross your mind. We are currently in the Nine Heavens'' capital. And you shouldn''t think that just because I''m the dragon king, they won''t dare to make things difficult for you. Don''t give them any reasons."


    "I already said I wouldn''t do it." Jing Yi moved away, clearly unhappy with Qiu Ling''s repeated insistence.


    Qiu Ling just sighed and moved over to the window, staring outside in the direction of Jing He''s palace. This really hadn''t gone as it should have. He hadn''t actually thought of Jing Yi''s impending ascension but had only thought of wanting to see Jing He back when that matter with his father had happened. But it really would have worked out quite well if he actually stayed in the dragon realm for a bit longer. Unfortunately, fate was just like that: No matter what you planned, no matter what it was that you wanted, in front of whatever Heaven had destined for you, it was worth nothing.


    He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled. It was already like this. He couldn''t change it anymore. Now, he just needed to come to terms with it and then find a way to explain to Jing He at the time he finally woke up again. Whenever that would be.


    He opened his eyes again and there was a hint of longing when he looked in that direction. He might be bound to that soul and he might love Jing Yi as well but it was hard to forget about the person with whom he had originally fallen in love. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/no-other-way_51465894185988895 for visiting.


    If Jing He had been a mortal and there had never been a chance for him to live forever so that he would have needed to wait between reincarnations again and again, he felt that no matter how often he lived together with the him of a later life, that first person would always have a special place in his heart.


    It was just based on how it had been the first time those feelings arose. That first moment when he appeared in front of him. How could he ever forget? And the ten years spent wooing him afterward had only driven home the point. The small things he discovered, the bigger things that he slowly understood, the secrets he had yet to unravel, he loved all of it. And he wished that he would get the chance to continue where they had left off.


    He glanced over his shoulder at Jing Yi who didn''t look like he was happy at all even though he had finally arrived in the Nine Heavens where he had always wanted to go. To compare these two ¡­ it was a difficult matter.


    Just looking at the surface, trying to be objective, Jing He was the person that fit him better. From the reaction of An Bai and Xiang Yong, he had also been able to see that his followers would likely think the same. They preferred the Son of Heaven as his consort. But Jing Yi was here right now and even though there were many things about Jing He that he missed, there would also be things that he missed about Jing Yi after he was gone. In fact, being so frank with his words was something that he actually enjoyed.


    Qiu Ling walked over and pulled Jing Yi into his arms, gently brushing through his hair with his fingers and caressing his back. "It''s not that you''re wrong. It is just it''s a delicate situation and you can''t forget that Jing He is their son. This isn''t even just about him being the crown prince of the Nine Heavens. If it was your own parents, wouldn''t they also rather have you there than some other incarnation? It is just not the same for them. They know one person but not the other. Clearly, they will want that person at their side."


    Jing Yi glanced up at him and hugged his waist, his gaze difficult. "Well, you know both of us but you won''t be able to pretend that you''d rather have me here. If you could have, you wouldn''t even have been there for my ascension. You really planned for them to kill me, didn''t you?"


    Qiu Ling looked down, his heart hurting when he saw the accusation in Jing Yi''s eyes. Finally, he shook his head. "That''s not it. When I left ¡­" He trailed off and then shook his head again. "I don''t even know what to say about this. But that day, something happened. I really wasn''t myself at the time so I just ran away."


    "And where did you run to? I would bet my life on the fact that it was Jing He''s place. But he isn''t even there, Qiu Ling. Even if you go there, he won''t be able to answer you, He won''t be able to comfort you. So why choose him over me? Clearly, you feel more at ease with him than with me."


    Jing Yi''s eyes teared up and Qiu Ling felt even worse. He hadn''t wanted this. Not any of this. Originally, he had thought it would be a sweet gesture to descend to the mortal realm as well to accompany Jing He on his trial. He had thought that his beloved would be happy about it. He had failed to understand just how harsh the consequences would be.


    If only back then, he had spent the last week after Jing He told him that he needed to go on the trial to ask more about it, to understand it better. Then, nothing of this would have happened. Jing He''s trial wouldn''t have gone off course right in the beginning because he interfered. It could have followed the original path.


    Even though it would''ve been hard to bear for him, at least it wouldn''t have caused something like this. Jing Yi would have had a short life. Jing He would have woken up after less than two months probably. They would have been reunited already. And there wouldn''t have been this boy in front of him that would tear up because he did not feel loved enough.


    But this was clearly crying over spilled milk. Back then, he hadn''t asked. He hadn''t understood. He had just acted willfully and finally made something like this happen. It was guilt he would always carry. Especially because he did not know how Jing He would fare after he woke up again.


    Who knew much time would''ve passed? Who knew how much he would''ve missed out on in all these years? Who knew how their relationship would be after everything that happened with Jing Yi? He was unable to even make a guess. He could only hope for the best. And in the meantime, do what he figured would be right, even though he might be wrong at times and might even mess things up further. There just was no other way.

 Chapter 1269 - See Something Good in It

    As for the decisions he had to make ¡­ there was one that could not be pushed off any longer.


    "That isn''t true." His gaze turned serious and hugged Jing Yi tighter. "You might think that I love Jing He more than you but that isn''t the case. Between the two of you ¡­ I cannot say that either of you is more important to me. It''s just that it is a bit different.


    "My feelings for Jing He will always be special. He was the one I originally fell in love with. After being alone for a long time, I finally saw a chance for me to change that when I met him for the first time.


    "I told you back then: Jing He was the one who brought light back to my life. From the moment I first heard his voice and first saw him step onto that square at the Heavenly Emperor''s banquet, I knew that I wanted to spend my life with him. And in the ten years that followed, the two of us slowly grew closer.


    "I found out that we were actually incredibly similar in many ways. And I guess that is what made me cherish Jing He even more. I will not pretend for you that these feelings aren''t there. There''s not a day that I don''t think of him. That is the truth. And this is the truth that both you and I will have to live with.


    "But on the other hand, that does not mean that I don''t love you. There are things that connect the two of us in a way that I am not connected to Jing He with. I told you about my past which is something I never got around to doing with him. In fact, it might be something I never would have done with Jing He. I have likely been more honest with you than I have ever been with him.


    "Maybe that sounds to you like it is less important but for somebody that had to lie for thousands of years, being able to be honest with somebody else is precious to me. It is something that I would never want to give up again. If Jing He was back, if he did not remember what I told you, if I had to make things clear to him once again, I don''t know if I would be able to do so. So yes, you are just as important to me as he is. It''s just that the ways in which you are, are different."


    Jing Yi lowered his head, his brows furrowing tightly. "Why not come to me then? At that time, why did you come here instead of back to me when something happened? Since you can be honest with me, why go to him?" He looked back up, clearly confused.


    Qiu Ling sighed faintly. At that moment, his thoughts had been in disarray. And Jing He had always calmed him down. This was something that Jing Yi wasn''t able to do to the same degree. He couldn''t explain it either.


    It was probably just that the personality different enough to have such a different effect. If it was about cheering him up when he was sad or even anchoring him when he was angry, he wouldn''t hesitate to go to Jing Yi. But if he wanted to be comforted and his whole life seemed to crumble before his eyes, then the one he would think of would always be Jing He.


    He would''ve given a lot at that moment to be able to hug him, to bury his face in his hair or at his chest, to just silently sit with him. He wouldn''t have needed words, nothing. Just Jing He''s presence would''ve been enough.


    But he didn''t think that Jing Yi would understand that. In fact, it might just make him worry more. Despite his claims of honesty, he could only tell him half the truth. "That matter ¡­ it was a bit special. I guess you could say that it had a bit to do with him. So I felt like going there." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/see-something-good-in-it_51489150091721907 for visiting.


    Jing Yi still looked at him unhappily. "Has it so much to do with him that you can''t even tell me what it was about?"


    Qiu Ling requited his gaze, wondering if maybe he should tell him. But then again, he didn''t really feel like talking about it yet. "The time actually spent over there was very short. You know how the time runs differently between the realms. It hasn''t been that long yet. So ¡­ give me some time. I think even with Jing He, I wouldn''t have spoken about it immediately. It''s a bit too fresh for that."


    Jing Yi couldn''t pretend that it really put his mind at rest but at the very least, he knew that there was no use in continuing to try and push the matter. Qiu Ling was clearly not willing to speak about it with him. He didn''t know if what he said was true and he really just needed more time but in any case, what use would there be in trying to make him talk when he already said something like this? No, it would be better to just accept it for the time being and then bring it up at another time. In any case, he still had time.


    Finally, he just nodded and then put his head against Qiu Ling''s shoulder. "Well, you don''t have to. I''m sorry. I know I shouldn''t be like this but it hurts a bit. I will have to lay down my life for him if the gods find a way to do that without hurting you. I will lose everything. And I already lost most of what I had because of him, because of this trial. Can''t you understand that that hurts me?"


    Qiu Ling lightly rubbed his head and nodded. "Yes, I know it''s not easy. That is what those trials are for I guess. It''s also my fault for getting involved. All of this ¡­ it could have been over already if not for my involvement."


    Jing Yi reached up and cupped Qiu Ling''s cheek, smiling faintly. "Your involvement is what makes this bearable. So I''m happy that you did. This has made my life a lot better."


    Qiu Ling requited his smile, feeling a little better. At the very least, there was something like this. Maybe ¡­ Jing He would also be able to see something good in this. He just had to hope for that.

 Chapter 1270 - A Special Status

    Back in the mortal realm, Xin Lan looked at Hua Lin Yu and finally raised his brows. "Do you want to follow her and arrange accommodations for us as well?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him, a little unsure of what to do. "Well ¡­ Do you want to stay here?" In any case, the wedding was already done. There really was no reason to stay here, was there? Could it be that Xin Lan was staying for Jinde?


    The thought involuntarily crossed his mind, startling Hua Lin Yu. He really didn''t understand why he had suddenly questioned that. No matter why Xin Lan wanted to stay, it was alright. It didn''t matter. Also, didn''t he also want to stay? After all, his Master was here and he hadn''t seen her in three years. It would be nice to be able to catch up.


    He looked at the ground, puckering his lips, and finally nodded. "Well, I guess it would be better to stay. So yes, let''s follow her."


    Xin Lan nodded and the two of them trailed after Fei Bai Mu, soon catching up to her when she had almost reached Wu Min Huan.


    Fei Bai Mu glanced at them, a bit worried that they might bring up the previous question but seeing how her disciple was just looking around, she put her mind at ease. Apparently, there were some other thoughts on his mind.


    She turned back to the front and inclined her head toward Wu Min Huan. "Disciple Wu, the Elders of my sect and I, as well as my disciple, Hua Lin Yu, and his fiance would like to stay for a few days if it isn''t too much to ask of the Yun Zou Sect. Would you mind arranging some lodgings for us?"


    Wu Min Huan''s eyes immediately sparkled when he saw Fei Bai Mu in front of him. "Sect Master Fei, you absolutely do not need to worry. The Yun Zou Sect is honored to have you here. In fact, accommodations have already been prepared in case you would like to stay here. If you want to, I can bring you over there immediately."


    Fei Bai Mu smiled, happy that this disciple of Sect Master Yuchi''s was this thorough in his preparations and able to deal with matters well. He was definitely a good successor as the Yun Zou Sect''s Sect Master. In that case, their Grandmaster wouldn''t need to worry about staying here and could follow them whenever he and his husband had enjoyed themselves enough. "Thank you very much. It would be great if you could do so. If it is inconvenient, I don''t mind being led over by anyone else though. I''m pretty sure that you will have a lot to do as the Sect Master''s head disciple."


    Wu Min Huan felt as if he was walking on clouds. The Sect Master of the Jian Yi Sect had actually recognized him as their Sect Master''s head disciple! Who could say something like that of themselves? "Ah, it definitely isn''t a bother. Sect Master Fei doesn''t need to worry about it." He hurriedly motioned to the side, intending to lead them over himself.


    Fei Bai Mu didn''t try to argue. She also knew what kind of status she had in both the Jian Yi Sect and in the cultivation world. This definitely wasn''t the first time she was in the presence of an excited disciple. In fact, even the Elders and some of the Sect Masters would sometimes treat her like this. What more a young disciple.


    Xin Lan was also used to that kind of treatment so he didn''t even raise a brow when he saw Wu Min Huan behave like this. On the other hand, Hua Lin Yu looked at him curiously. He had grown up with Fei Bai Mu around so he never felt that she was somebody that special. She was just his Master who had always treated him kindly. He knew that she had the highest position in the Jian Yi Sect and he also understood that the sect was one of the most important ones in the cultivation world but he still couldn''t help but be amazed whenever he saw something like this happening. Even more so when it happened at the Yun Zou Sect he felt that people shouldn''t be that surprised since they had been working together before.


    After just a moment, they reached the houses that had been prepared. Considering the status of the Jian Yi Sect, Wu Min Huan had arranged for them to stay on the Sect Master''s peak.


    Xin Lan raised his brows when he saw that one of the houses they had been assigned was the one where Jinde and Leng Jin Yu had lived together at the very beginning after they finally met again in the mortal realm. This really was such a coincidence. He sighed to himself, and then pulled Hua Lin Yu over there, not explaining anything. In any case, maybe living in the house of a happy couple would bring them some luck as well.


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him slightly confused, trying to figure out what was going on. "Is there something special about this house?"


    Xin Lan glanced at him, originally wanting to pretend that nothing of the like was the case. Finally, he reconsidered though. To get Hua Lin Yu back, he had to try a bit harder. "I was staying in the Yun Zou Sect for a bit before. I happened to spend some time at this house so I just felt like taking it. If you have some other kind of preference, we can still change though." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_%!d(string=10609838905077905)/a-special-status_%!d(string=51512262921339410) for visiting.


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head. He actually didn''t care what kind of house they would be living in. In any case, it probably wouldn''t be for long, right? He looked around, and then couldn''t help but ask. "So, how long do you want to stay?"


    Xin Lan reached out, gently brushing through Hua Lin Yu''s hair, a smile on his lips. "However long you want." He raised a strand of his hair, silently pressing a kiss onto it. Here, away from the Hua family, things were a little easier. Maybe he would be able to make Hua Lin Yu decide already. It certainly would be great if he could do so.

 Chapter 1271 - Maybe He Should Remind Him

    Hua Lin Yu stared at Xin Lan, left speechless for a moment. Every now and then, Xin Lan would get so charming it was unbearable. Well, that was probably thanks to leading a long life. Xin Lan just knew how to interact with people. Who knew how many others he had already charmed?


    Thinking of that, Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but remember the way Xin Lan had talked to Jinde before. He had been so blatantly flirty that it was hard not to wonder what exactly the story behind that was. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_%!d(string=10609838905077905)/maybe-he-should-remind-him_%!d(string=51535548891841095) for visiting.


    He hesitated for a moment but finally couldn''t help but try and ask a bit. "Well, for me, it would only make sense to stay here for as long as my Master stays. So probably at most a few days. But you ¡­ you seem to know the couple a bit better. At least Jinde. So maybe you''d like to stay here for a bit longer?" He tried not to show anything but his expression actually looked a little tense.


    Xin Lan looked at him, wrapping the strand of his hair further around his fingers, and gave a low hum. "I do know him quite well. I don''t think he really wants to see me right now though. He has just gotten married again. I guess, he''d want to spend the time with his husband and not be bothered by other men."


    "Ah." Hua Lin Yun nodded slowly and then kept quiet. He couldn''t help but still wonder about it though. He really wanted to know what was going on. But he also didn''t know if he should ask.


    Xin Lan slightly narrowed his eyes, intrigued by Hua Lin Yu''s expression. He couldn''t help but feel that his Master''s idea might have worked after all. He wasn''t quite sure yet why but it seemed that Hua Lin Yu was indeed slowly warming up to him again. Well, he couldn''t rush that though. He needed for him to come back out of his shell on his own. Otherwise, it would just feel forced again.


    Having that thought, Xin Lan stayed silent and just watched Hua Lin Yu squirm. To be honest, deep down, it actually felt quite good seeing this. Being rejected after he was finally ready to actually get married to him had hurt. He couldn''t deny that. Now that Hua Lin Yu seemed to start to regret it a little, he felt a bit vindicated. It would good if he could regret it a little more and then they could make up emotionally. In any case, while he had time, he also didn''t know how long it would take until his patience ran thin. So he was very much in favor of this.


    Hua Lin Yu finally couldn''t take it anymore and turned back to Xin Lan, looking up at him with what he hoped to be a neutral expression. "Say, what about you and Jinde? How do you know each other?"


    Xin Lan raised his brows imperceptibly. How they knew each other? That was what he wanted to know? He needed a moment but it finally dawned on him: Back when Hua Lin Yu had met Jinde for the first time, he had still been a small child. He hadn''t thought about any complicated things and had just been happy to be close to him because he was this kind of bright person that could attract anyone.


    But now, he was an a.d.u.l.t. A young one maybe but still an a.d.u.l.t. He understood this kind of thing to a certain degree at least. So seeing Jinde and how the two of them had acted with each other, he had probably gotten a good idea that there might be something more to this. After all, Jinde''s beauty was obvious. Which man wouldn''t be attracted? And he had even praised this very beauty today in front of Hua Lin Yu.


    His little lover was probably feeling a bit unhappy. Hadn''t that also been the case in the dragon realm at the beginning before he made clear that he already had a fiance?


    Come to think of it, maybe Hua Lin Yu had felt a little too secure in their relationship. He had already promised to marry him when he was still young. And after he had grown up, Xin Lan had still gone and promised him again. They had waited because of what Hua Lin Yu''s family had said, not because they needed this time. And then, after the initial confusion in the dragon realm, he had made sure that nobody else approached him any longer.


    With that, maybe Hua Lin Yu had felt that there was nothing worth fighting for. Maybe he had become a bit bored because there was nobody being his rival. Maybe it would be good to remind him every now and then that he was actually somebody that was very much desired, especially in his own race. And maybe it also wouldn''t be bad to remind him that just like a human, he was able to change his mind.


    If there was an opportunity, he could fall in love with somebody else, be together with somebody else, and give up that spot that had originally been reserved for Hua Lin Yu. Even though he didn''t really intend to do that it couldn''t be bad to just let him realize that while he currently had his whole heart, things could also change in a heartbeat and that maybe it would be better if he thought things through sooner rather than later.


    Thinking of all that, Xin Lan happily obliged to answer Hua Lin Yu''s question. "Ah, we met quite a long time ago actually. You know that he was the previous dragon king, right?"


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him with wide eyes. He ¡­ Well, he felt like he had somewhat known but hadn''t been really that aware. "So you had to do with him because of that?"


    Xin Lan shook his head though. "Not at first, no. I just wanted to give you a timeline. When we met, he had just acceded to the throne."


    "That must''ve been a long time ago then if he isn''t even the king anymore. So, how did you meet?"


    For once, there was actually a faint smile on Xin Lan''s lips. "Well, he saved my life."

 Chapter 1272 - An Unbearable Thought

    "He saved your life? How come?" Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but feel a little strange. Xin Lan was obviously strong. Even if he hadn''t known about his position in the dragon race, he still would''ve been able to guess as much just from his own knowledge as a cultivator. So how come he needed somebody else to save his life? Even if it had been a long time ago, there shouldn''t have been a need for that. Especially since Jinde should be younger than him. He couldn''t really be more powerful than Xin Lan, could he?


    Xin Lan smiled faintly when he saw Hua Lin Yu''s confused gaze. He couldn''t say that he was surprised by that reaction. "Well, it was a different time."


    "But ¡­ Why? I mean from what I know, you''re pretty strong. How did he save you? He isn''t stronger than you, is he?" Even though he was a talent, he didn''t have an accurate grasp on the strength of either Jinde or Xin Lan. Clearly, the two of them were far above his own level. He didn''t know how Jinde compared to others in the dragon race but he was pretty sure that Xin Lan should be one of the strongest people there. After all, while it was true that he was mostly renowned for not being affected by the same curse as them, age usually translated to more strength. Even if it didn''t always translate one to one, it was still true most of the time. So he really had a hard time understanding this.


    Xin Lan smiled when Hua Lin Yu looked even more confused. "I think you are thinking in the completely wrong direction. It is not that Jinde is stronger than me. Even though he definitely is strong, it can''t quite be compared to my strength. But what is special about him is his ability as a refiner. When it comes to his medical skills, there really isn''t anyone that''s better out there."


    "Oh. So ¡­ you were injured and he helped you with that?" This was something that he could already imagine much better. Although he did wonder how exactly all of this had happened. After all, if Jinde had saved his life, then he would''ve needed to be injured very heavily. Just how had that happened? Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_%!d(string=10609838905077905)/an-unbearable-thought_%!d(string=51558662526782426) for visiting.


    Xin Lan gave a hum. "Back then, I wasn''t in a good state of mind. Every day was spent alone, even if I had relationsh.i.p.s, it always felt a bit ¡­ pointless. In any case, one day, they might fall in love with somebody else and things would be over for me or maybe I would lose interest, and then there would be no point in staying either.


    "In any case, I was tired. I was tired of everything. And I just didn''t have the strength anymore to go on. It''s not like I could just lie down and hibernate though. In any case, doing that also wouldn''t have changed anything. Even if I woke up a hundred or a thousand years later, I still would have been in the very same situation. As long as I was different from others, was there ever the chance to meet somebody that I was destined for? I didn''t think so."


    Hua Lin Yu unwittingly felt a pang of pain. He reached out and took Xin Lan''s arm, lightly rubbing it. He really wanted to say something but he felt that no matter what kind of words he used, he wouldn''t be able to help. In any case, all of that had been a long time ago. Clearly, Xin Lan thought differently now. Thus, he just stayed quiet.


    Xin Lan looked at those fair hands and reached out, covering them with his own and giving a sigh. "Well, so, I became reckless at the time. I thought that since things were like this, it wouldn''t matter if I wasn''t there anymore. I started to throw myself into fights that only got increasingly dangerous as time went on. You might not know but there are some creatures in the immortal realms that even a dragon can''t challenge recklessly."


    Hua Lin Yu slightly furrowed his brows. "Is that where all your injuries come from?" He might not have been married to Xin Lan but they had already lived together for quite some time and he had seen him take off his robe before. The skin below ¡­ it was marred with scars. Clearly, he had gotten injured quite a lot. He hadn''t really asked about it in fear that Xin Lan might not feel comfortable talking about it but since he brought up these fights, he couldn''t help but think of them and show a bit of curiosity.


    Xin Lan smiled faintly and gave a nod. "Yes. They are. Well, my behavior finally brought me to the brink of death. I really thought that that day, things would be over. I didn''t really mind either. In any case, I had been looking forward to that. If everything ended ¡­ that was a good thing, right?" He shook his head at himself and sighed.


    "Well, who could have known that Heaven had other plans for me? That day, Jinde passed by and found me at the side of the road. He picked me up, brought me back to the palace, and started to patch me up. When I woke up, I wasn''t in life-threatening danger anymore. I hadn''t been completely healed but he had done the best he could. It was astonishing just how much that was. Well, so much for my plan to get myself killed." He gave a hollow laugh and shook his head again as if this was truly just a funny episode of his long life.


    On the other hand, Hua Lin Yu was shocked silly. His fiance ¡­ had actually tried to kill himself and almost succeeded. Just the thought of that ¡­ was unbearable.

 Chapter 1273 - I’m Sure of It

    Hua Lin Yu just stared at him, not sure what to do. His expression was so shocked that Xin Lan couldn''t help but chuckle lightly. He reached over, and cupped his cheek, gently rubbing his skin with his thumb. "What are you doing, ah? It''s been a long time since then. Things are different now. You don''t have to worry."


    Hua Lin Yu woke up from his stupor but he still felt a little strange. "Still ¡­" Just knowing that there had been a time like that in Xin Lan''s life made him feel sad. He shouldn''t have needed to live through something like that. His life should have been better than that. But unfortunately, life wasn''t always fair. "You must be really close with Jinde. I mean that is the kind of debt that is difficult to pay back." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_%!d(string=10609838905077905)/i%E2%80%99m-sure-of-it_%!d(string=51582061256957197) for visiting.


    Xin Lan nodded, his expression turning serious again. "That is true. Back then, I promised that I would dedicate my life to him. Whatever it was he needed, he would just need to say the word and I would do it for him. He could''ve asked anything of me. With no exception."


    Hua Lin Yu''s heart thumped and he lowered his gaze, feeling a little strange inside. No matter what ¡­ it was probably good that Jinde had found somebody else to marry. To think that ¡­ He hurriedly shook his head at himself, wondering what exactly he was thinking here. Jinde had saved Xin Lan''s life. He had probably just done that because he was a nice person. He hadn''t had any other thoughts. And even if he had, a relationship formed on gratitude to be repaid wouldn''t be a good one anyway.


    Also, this really wasn''t the issue at hand. He should be more worried about Xin Lan''s condition. "Well, is it really alright again? Something like that ¡­ it sounds pretty serious."


    Xin Lan smiled and his fingers once again brushed Hua Lin Yu''s skin. "I''m not alone anymore, am I?"


    Hua Lin Yu''s ears turned red and he reached up, wanting to hide them only for his fingers to brush over the edge of the earrings that Xin Lan had made for him. He grabbed onto it, his heart only beating faster.


    How strange. Back in the dragon realm, he had hardly been able to think of anything else but Bai Mu. Now that they were back in the human realm, and he was getting so close to Xin Lan, he suddenly felt a bit like before. It wasn''t that he had forgotten Bai Mu but he could see again what he had been seeing in Xin Lan. He glanced at him only to look away after a moment, unsure of how to deal with this.


    Xin Lan laughed and leaned down, kissing his cheek. "Don''t overthink it. I said that I would give you time so I will be giving your time. To be honest, you''re just a part of this." He leaned back and went to sit down opposite his lover, not even looking at him. Instead, he looked out of the window in the direction of the dimension where Jinde was currently with his husband. "Back then, I felt like meeting Jinde at that juncture was a sign. I honestly believed that maybe the two of us were made for each other."


    Hua Lin Yu felt a sense of dread but he hurriedly fought it down. In any case, it had turned out differently and Xin Lan was also speaking of the past. This had also saved him. Naturally, he should be happy about it no matter how bad it sounded.


    "Well, as luck would have it, he had already fallen in love so that naturally was impossible." Xin Lan gave a wry smile that made Hua Lin Yu''s heart squeeze even more tightly.


    He had already fallen in love so the curse dictated that he couldn''t do so again. If that hadn''t been the case, Xin Lan would''ve tried his luck, wouldn''t he? He had really thought of Jinde like that. Well, that was a given. Jinde was really beautiful. And he was a nice person obviously. Who wouldn''t fall in love with him? Still, he was a little unhappy hearing that.


    Xin Lan pretended not to see just how distressed Hua Lin Yu was. "I felt down as soon as I found out. For the few weeks before I realized, I had thought that maybe this would be it. That maybe the two of us could really become a couple for eternity. In any case, he had saved my life. And I did like what I saw. To be honest, back then even more so than now, Jinde definitely struck my fancy."


    Hua Lin Yu''s face fell further. "Struck your fancy? You mean you ¡­ have a type?" Then was he also striking that fancy?


    Xin Lan glanced at him, giving what seemed to be a wry smile. Actually, he was smirking to himself. "Well, I can''t deny it. Since I''m not bound by the curse, there have been a few people over all this time. And I guess it would be a lie to say that there weren''t a few similarities between them." He shook his head as if it wasn''t much and then returned to the original subject.


    "Well, in any case, as it turned out, there was no use in trying to win Jinde''s heart. It had already been won over by somebody else. But my debt was still there and my wish to support him was as well. Because of that, I just stayed on as his follower.


    "And I guess that since I followed him for a long time, I got to know him closer than a lot of other people did. Save for his husband, I was probably the person closest to him." Well, he and that child. But that was really something he didn''t like to think of. Even though he wasn''t in love with Jinde anymore, he still loathed Jin Ling. In any case, the affection Jinde had held for the three of them had always been a different one.


    "In any case, I''m happy that he found what he wanted. As for me ¡­ he has helped me already to get over this. Gaining him and gaining a direction in life, a task that I could strive for, was something that was important to me. It was what I needed at the time and I think Jinde slowly realized that too. So he never really tried sending me away.


    "Now, there is also you. But ¡­ I don''t want you to think that you are responsible. I have my life and you have yours. If you don''t want to marry me after all, then you don''t have to worry that I will do anything stupid again. I''m not like that anymore. I''ve already realized that even though life might look dark sometimes, there''s always a way to carry on. So I will. One day, I''ll be able to have the one that I want. I''m sure of it."

 Chapter 1274 - Be Selfish with Me

    Hua Lin Yu looked at him for a moment and then suddenly got up, taking a step to bridge the gap between them. He reached out and then hugged him, making Xin Lan''s head come to rest against his chest.


    Xin Lan raised his brows and hesitated for a moment before he hugged him back. "How do I deserve this?"


    Hua Lin Yu lowered his head and just hugged him tighter. He couldn''t say it out loud for fear his voice might break if he did but right now, he just felt incredibly sorry. Xin Lan had told him quite a bit about his life over the years. And while they had learned to be more open with each other, he was only realizing today that despite the few dark things that he had heard, he actually didn''t know how difficult Xin Lan''s life had really been all this time.


    He was thinking of him as a strong, invincible person. But in fact, Xin Lan had also had times when he was weak and vulnerable, times where he would have to rely on others. And he had actually made him feel so bad as well. If Xin Lan hadn''t already found back into life, if this had really harmed him, he would never have forgiven himself. And just the thought that something like that could have happened made him anxious again.


    Xin Lan gave a faint hum and finally pulled Hua Lin Yu onto his lap. Gently holding him in his arms, he turned his head and kissed his shoulder. "You know, you don''t have to feel sad for me. Every life has a bit of happiness, a bit of sadness, a bit of anger, a bit of all the other emotions there are. It''s just that when you live this long, that bit becomes quite a lot. You could probably say that I also had many good memories. It''s just that when thinking back, it''s sometimes hard to recall them because the stretches of darkness in between them smother the light."


    Hua Lin Yu just hugged him tighter in response. Clearly, he wasn''t willing to just leave things at that.


    Xin Lan couldn''t help but actually feel a bit distressed. He really liked this boy. And while he was trying to win him over again, he also didn''t want to do so at every price. To hurt him this much with that kind of old story ¡­ he couldn''t help but feel a little ¡­ regretful.


    Especially since he had deliberately told him of it to make him become jealous of Jinde. Now, looking back, had it been worth it? Obviously not. But no matter what he knew in hindsight, it couldn''t change anymore what had already happened. Now, he could only try to calm Hua Lin Yu down.


    "Don''t worry so much." He kissed his cheek, trying to soothe him but Hua Lin Yu didn''t really seem to want to calm down. Or maybe he just couldn''t after getting those images in his head. In this regard, it really showed just how young he was.


    Xin Lan sighed and finally just hugged him. "You know, I do understand it." He paused for a moment, wondering if he should make clearer what he meant but finally, he didn''t bother. It should be obvious enough.


    "You are young. Sometimes, being young also means that you will have a different perspective on things than I do and that will show in both our words and actions. You were indecisive, you still are, because you don''t know what''s in front of you.


    "There are so many possible paths for you in the future. To bind yourself to me early on might be a bit irresponsible. I think this is what your family was afraid of. And you should also be afraid of that. Because otherwise, you might come to regret it one day and where would that bring us? We''d just start resenting each other which isn''t how I want to part. If we have to, it should be on amicable terms. That''s what I want, so I''m willing to wait for you and also to accept any decision you end up making. So I don''t mind it.


    "And even if you were to decide against me and for somebody else in the future, I would also be able to get over it. It''s not that I would like it and I would probably need some time to come to grips with it but I can take it. I''m not that fragile." He reached out and grabbed Hua Lin Yu''s chin, making him look at him. "So don''t blame yourself for anything. You haven''t done anything wrong. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_%!d(string=10609838905077905)/be-selfish-with-me_%!d(string=51605243326158618) for visiting.


    "That back then was my own fault. I was lucky to have met Jinde but that doesn''t mean that I wouldn''t have gotten out of it on my own. I should have made some decisions differently. Looking back, it''s easy to say so.


    "As for you ¡­ in regard to your marriage, you have to be selfish. There is no other way to happiness." He smiled, and then leaned closer, kissing Hua Lin Yu''s temple. "You can be selfish with me. I don''t mind at all."


    Hua Lin Yu still held onto him and slowly closed his eyes. Be selfish with him ¡­ He really didn''t know what to say to that. In fact, he already was. While he was spending time with Xin Lan, he had been thinking of somebody else but he hadn''t made it clear to either of them. That was as selfish as he could get, wasn''t it?

 Chapter 1275 - Parting a Bit Easier

    While Hua Lin Yu was grappling with his guilty conscience, Zhong Jing Yi didn''t feel like he was in the wrong at all. Instead, he was looking for a way to make the most out of this.


    Seeing that Qiu Ling seemed to be a little torn, he knew that his best chance to achieve something would be by utilizing that. He didn''t want to make Qiu Ling feel bad but this might be his own only chance to stay alive. Could he really be fainthearted in that case? He didn''t think so. Thus, after giving him a bit of time to calm down, he went to make up.


    Gently putting his hands on Qiu Ling''s shoulders from behind, he leaned down to hug him. "I''m sorry for making so much trouble. Without me, things would be so much easier for you."


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes, once again feeling guilty. His beloved shouldn''t have this kind of thought. He should be able to lead a happy life. But it had already come to this. He turned around and wrapped his arms around Jing Yi''s waist, leaning his forehead against his chest. "I''m the one who should be sorry."


    Jing Yi shook his head, seeming quite sensible. "Well, things will happen as they''re supposed to. The gods will probably figure something out. At that time, I won''t make trouble for you. I love you. No matter what they ask of me, I''m probably able to do it for you."


    Qiu Ling looked up, his gaze complicated. He didn''t want for this kind of thing to happen to Jing Yi either. To hear that he was willing to do this just made things worse. "You don''t ¡ª"


    Jing Yi put his fingers against Qiu Ling''s lips, hushing him. "Don''t. It''s alright. Just don''t think about it. Just ¡­ if you want to do something for me to make it a little easier, then promise me that I''ll have some nice last days. I ¡­ want to do as much as I still can. Just see a few places, even if it''s just in the capital of the Nine Heavens.


    "It might not be everything that I originally wished for but it''s better than nothing. I think that after that, it might be easier to let go." He forced a smile on his lips, feeling a bit proud of himself. Hadn''t Qiu Ling always loved Jing He for being a gentle, understanding beauty? Well, he could be just as gentle and understanding as him! He would show Qiu Ling that the difference between them wasn''t that big. That he could be happy with him just as well. Maybe then, his lover would be willing to not go through with this.


    Qiu Ling opened his mouth, the words failing him for a moment. This request ¡­ how could he have the heart to say no? Even if the gods wouldn''t like to see it, he would still do this. In any case, if this was the only thing that Jing Yi asked for, then he had no reason at all to refuse. After all, he would finally die. There was no way around that, so he should indeed do him this kind of small favor.


    Qiu Ling finally nodded. "Of course. I''ll do everything you want. I ¡­ I''ll just go and inform the God of Justice beforehand. That way, they''ll know what is up and not make this into more than it really is."


    Jing Yi was slightly unhappy with that, especially since it sounded like Qiu Ling would not take him along while he did so, but he still nodded. "Of course. It''s probably better that way. I''ll just wait until then." He continued to smile and stepped back, letting Qiu Ling go without making a fuss.


    Qiu Ling gazed at him for a moment and then finally got up. "Alright. Then I''ll go immediately. I won''t make you wait too long." He smiled faintly and then turned around, leaving in the direction of the Court of Justice.


    He could already imagine that the God of Justice would not be happy about this but he didn''t intend to ask for his approval either. He would just go there to tell him. In any case, they couldn''t just imprison Jing Yi all the time. After all, who knew how long it would really take to come up with an idea on how to deal with this? At the most, he would be willing to discuss some terms under which the gods would be comfortable with this. But that was all. He would not let them dictate the general way of how to go about this.


    When he arrived at the Court of Justice, one of the officials immediately brought him over. Just as he had expected, the God of Justice didn''t look too happy to see him.


    "Longjun, you just left. What do I owe your visit after such a short time again?"


    "Well, considering how long this will likely take, I came to inform you that I will show Jing Yi around the city a little."


    Li Yin''s expression stayed the same. "I was of the opinion that we had to put him under house arrest."


    "And I''m of the opinion that that is ridiculous considering that you don''t know how long you''ll need to come up with a way to deal with this mess. If it was just a day or maybe two, I could maybe be convinced. But right now, it could take much longer. But even if it wasn''t like that, he is supposed to lay down his life. You can''t expect him to not even take a look around after he has managed to ascend. It wouldn''t be fair."


    Li Yin just continued to stare at him, folding his hands on the table. "I was never under the impression that the situation is fair. But do you really think that he will have an easier time letting go after he has a better look around? Don''t you think this will make him even more reluctant to bid farewell to this life?"


    Qiu Ling rubbed his forehead. "I don''t really think he can be more reluctant to lay down his life than he already is. Who wants to die? In any case, since matters are already like this, I would suggest we try to make this work. If you need to send a few guards with us so you will be assured that he won''t try to run away, then that is alright. But I do want to show him around. This bit should be allowed." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_%!d(string=10609838905077905)/parting-a-bit-easier_%!d(string=51628255760928249) for visiting.


    Li Yin sighed and then got up from behind his desk. "Well, there''s nothing that much speaking against your request. But this is something I can''t just decide on my own. After all, we have already left the path that is laid out by the laws of the Nine Heavens. Let''s go ask the Heavenly Emperor."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows. "Any chance we could ask the Heavenly Empress instead?"


    The God of Justice looked at him condescendingly but, in the end, he actually did lead him over to the palace of the Heavenly Empress. After all, it was pretty clear how things would turn out if he went to bother the Heavenly Emperor about this. He also didn''t want to be subjected to that kind of verbal abuse.

 Chapter 1276 - I Want You to Understand

    Bai Fen looked at the two people in front of her with a complicated expression. She hadn''t expected anything else from Qiu Ling but she would''ve thought that the God of Justice was a little more professional. Well, then again, her husband''s reputation preceded him. After working with him for so long, she could understand that the God of Justice wouldn''t want to bother about that when Qiu Ling was already harping on the other side.


    She finally sighed and turned to Qiu Ling. "Do you really intend to do this?"


    Qiu Ling smiled faintly. "I think you already know the answer, mother-in-law."


    Bai Fen sighed again and then just leaned back. "Well, why are you even asking me then? You''ve already made up your mind. I think that actually, you''re not really waiting for my approval. Even if I said no, you would probably still go and do it."


    Qiu Ling smiled noncommittally, for once indeed seeming like the dragon king. "I was counting on you to say yes, mother-in-law."


    Bai Fen waved, wanting him to shut up. "Enough now. I can see you want to do this. Just make sure you don''t overdo it. And ¡­ as bad as it might sound to say that but I do hope to get my son back soon as possible. I hope you won''t mind me saying that."


    Qiu Ling lightly shook his head. How could he blame her for something that he had thought of himself? He was thankful that he hadn''t taken Jing Yi along when he went to the Court of Justice though. This was something that he really didn''t need to hear.


    Thinking of that, Qiu Ling couldn''t give help but give Bai Fen a complicated look. "I don''t blame you for thinking that or even telling me but it would be nice if you didn''t say that to Jing Yi''s face in the future."


    Bai Fen smiled wryly. Why did this sound as if she would have to see that mortal boy instead of her own son for quite some time? Still, she could understand where Qiu Ling was coming from. "I promise I will not say anything directly. But I can''t promise that he won''t notice that I miss my son." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_%!d(string=10609838905077905)/i-want-you-to-understand_%!d(string=51651429542197611) for visiting.


    "I don''t think anyone would be able to blame you for that. The two of you were quite close." He hesitated for a moment and looked at Li Yin.


    The God of Justice raised his brows and then cleared his throat. "Well, the question has been answered, I guess I will not be needed any longer. I will return to the Court of Justice then to resume my work. Should something be the matter, please send over a servant." He inclined his head toward the Heavenly Empress and Qiu Ling, and then turned around and left.


    Bai Fen turned to Qiu Ling when the door had closed behind him. "So, what did you want to say?"


    Qiu Ling smiled faintly and went to sit down opposite her. "I''m sorry for what Jing Yi said before as well. The situation isn''t easy for him. I guess he''s lashing out because of that. He isn''t like that usually."


    Bai Fen gave a hum even though her thoughts on the matter were a little more complicated. "The current situation is indeed not easy for anyone. I can understand why he would be like this. And to a certain degree, I guess he wasn''t completely wrong. There were often moments where Jing He felt like he couldn''t talk about certain things with us. Especially regarding the relationship with you."


    Qiu Ling slightly furrowed his brows. "I would want to argue that that was more in regard to his father than in regard to you. I know that there have been several occasions where you''ve helped us in the past. Without you ¡­ I''m afraid Jing He and I wouldn''t have gotten so far."


    Bai Fen''s expression brightened a little and she got up, going over to get the tea set standing to the side. She brought it back to the table, pouring a cup both for her and Qiu Ling. "I''m happy that you remember that. To be honest, I always did that because I felt you would be good for Jing He.


    "It was probably a selfish motive. Originally, he definitely did not requite your feelings. I might''ve pushed him a little too hard in that regard." Her expression dimmed again and she shook her head. "It is a bit difficult with him. I don''t know where we''ve gone wrong. I remember that originally, he was a bright child. Just that with time ¡­ he became more and more reclusive. And whether it was his father or me, I don''t think he really dares to open up his heart.


    "You''re the only one he was able to do that with." She looked into Qiu Ling''s eyes, her expression solemn. "Qiu Ling, I''m not trying to influence you. I understand why Jing He''s mortal reincarnation is important to you. Even past that matter with the curse. It is not that I can''t understand. After all, when you live together with somebody for a mortal lifetime, when you accompany them from a young age until their hair turns white or, in his case, until they manage to ascend, that will leave traces.


    "I just want you to understand how important you really are to Jing He and how much this will influence him. If you''re sure that you want to walk this path, then you have to make sure that you are prepared for that."


    Qiu Ling nodded. He was clear on that. The problem was ¡­ "I also don''t know what to do about it. The situation isn''t ideal. I do recognize that it is my fault. And if there was an easy way to get out of this, I would. But I''m afraid it might be too late for that."

 Chapter 1277 - How to Win Him Over?

    The Heavenly Empress nodded at that. "I know. I might have been skeptical at first but over the years, I''ve realized just how much you love Jing He. Naturally, you wouldn''t just abandon him. And as I said, I''m not trying to give you guilty conscience. I''m sure even without me saying anything, things aren''t easy for you.


    "I really just want you to prepare. It is unlikely he will be able to look at this and not worry. You also know how Jing He is. So, just keep this in mind while you do whatever it is you decide on in the meantime. That is all that I''m asking for."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "I know. The problem is that the more I do with Jing Yi, the more time I spent with him, the more difficult it will be for Jing He to deal with it. I understand that. It would be best to end the situation soon. I just don''t know how. So, I''ll keep it in mind, but I don''t think that the solution is to keep anything back right now.


    "Jing He will be troubled by this but I think the more important question is how to make him understand afterward. But then again, I think that I will be able to do that. In the ten years before his trial started, the two of us have gotten closer. I think I''m able to somewhat understand what Jing He thinks. I even think that this trial has helped me with that as well.


    "Even though Jing Yi is just his mortal reincarnation, spending time with him gave me a new perspective on some things. And maybe this trial will also be an opportunity for us to bond over. After all, while it might not have been him directly, it was still his reincarnation. He will have all those memories. So talking about it, sharing what we remember, and what his perspective on things is, might be an experience that helps us. And also, after he gets back, we will start preparing our wedding, won''t we?"


    Bai Fen chuckled at that. "Well, you have my blessing. I''m just not too sure what Rong Su will say about that. Especially after this matter just now."


    Qiu Ling nodded and picked up the teacup that she had put in front of him. "Well, I prefer not to think about what your husband wants. It''s enough for me to think about what my fiance wants. In the worst case, I''ll just run away with him."


    Bai Fen slowly shook her head. "You know, the worst thing about this is that I can actually imagine you doing that. In any case, I still think Jing He would like to have a real ceremony. You also know how he is. Traditions are quite important to him."


    "Indeed. He''d see it as the right thing to do. But maybe not following them would be especially good in that regard."


    "That might be but I don''t think you''ll get him to do that. Jing He would probably agree to quite a lot of things if the one asking is you but your wedding is probably not one of them. Also, an official wedding ceremony would signify that his father has finally accepted the relationship between the two of you. That is something that will be important for Jing He."


    Qiu Ling lowered his gaze at that, a little worried. The Heavenly Empress wasn''t a problem at all but even after the ten years he had known Jing He, he hadn''t made much progress with the Heavenly Emperor. And he even felt that his chances of changing that man''s opinion about him weren''t very good. "Back then ¡­ When I had just fallen in love with Jing He and we spoke for the first time, you said that if I was able to win Jing He''s heart, you would help me with your husband. Does that still count?"


    Bai Fen nodded, not hesitating in the least. "Jing He should be able to be with somebody he genuinely loves. That is something that I always wanted for my child. Since that person is you, I don''t think that as his parents, we should stand in his way. So, I will try and help you to convince Rong Su. I can''t promise anything but if it can help you at least a little bit, it would just benefit Jing He in the end."


    "Then ¡­ what do you think I should do for that? Especially with the situation right now, it will not be easy. I know that. But it is something that I must do. And I think this whole matter has also put things in perspective for me. I need to start planning better. I have managed to woo Jing He but even after he comes back from his trial, if his father isn''t on board at that point, then we''ll just get delayed again. I don''t want that. I had to wait for so long. It would be best if there was a chance to hold the wedding quite close to the end of his trial." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_%!d(string=10609838905077905)/how-to-win-him-over_%!d(string=51674647061649757) for visiting.


    Bai Fen nodded. "That is true. Although you do have to keep in mind that he will take some time to remember everything from his trial. So most likely, it would be for the best to wait until he has his memories again. Without knowing what was going on, marrying you in that state ¡­ I don''t think it would do him any good."


    Qiu Ling''s expression turned a little complicated. Right. He felt that Jing He had mentioned something like that. It had been the reason why he originally wanted to follow him to the mortal realm.


    He leaned back and rubbed his neck. "I guess that leaves me with the time until the God of Justice figures something out to get Jing He back and the time after Jing He has returned and regained all his memories to win over your husband. Well, I guess I have my work cut out for me." This ¡­ definitely wouldn''t be an easy task.

 Chapter 1278 - No Need to Insult Me

    Bai Fen felt quite sympathetic toward Qiu Ling. She knew that her husband wasn''t a simple character. To please him ¡­ it wasn''t something that could be easily achieved. And it would be even more difficult if you were trying to do something that he was so much against.


    If things went according to Rong Su, she was pretty sure that their son wouldn''t be marrying for another few thousand years at least. To him, he was still just a child, somebody that needed to be protected. And also, he wanted to keep him around. A person of the dragon race who would take Jing He with him to the dragon realm ¡­ this naturally wouldn''t fit well with what her husband wanted.


    "I will try to think of something. But don''t think that this will be easy. We will have to go step-by-step. The first thing would probably be to give him a better impression of you."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "I guess so too. He seemed to be against me from the very beginning. The problem is I''m not quite sure why. So it could be difficult to work out how to change it if I don''t even know the reason."


    Bai Fen sighed at that. "Yes, I can imagine. To be honest, I think he''s just a little prejudiced."


    "Is that against me personally or against the dragon race generally?" This was something that he actually hadn''t been able to figure out in the ten years that he already knew the Heavenly Emperor. Or, well, the ten years that he had known him when he actually cared about this guy''s opinion somewhat because he was pursuing his son. Before that, he might''ve known him but he couldn''t have cared less about what he thought. Come to think of it, this might be part of the reason why the Heavenly Emperor didn''t like him much.


    Bai Fen hesitated a bit when she was confronted with that question. "Well ¡­ it might be a bit of both, actually. You see, the dragon race is kind of known for being a bit ¡­ vain." She gave an apologetic smile and then motioned at Qiu Ling. "I guess he sees you in the same way and that is not what he wants in a son-in-law."


    Qiu Ling gave a hum. "Well, who could fault us? The last king was a beauty and the current one is such a handsome hunk. Naturally, my people would feel that appearances are quite important." He nodded, making Bai Fen rub her forehead.


    Wasn''t this exactly what she had been talking about? If Qiu Ling was able not to say things like ''I''m the most handsome man in the immortal realms'', her husband might actually look upon him more fondly. "In any case, this is something that he struggles with. I''m not sure how you could give him a different impression. By now, he probably thinks like that already. The other points ¡­ I''m afraid your past behavior doesn''t put you in a good light either. You seem reckless, thoughtless, immature, rude, ¡ª"


    Qiu Ling raised his hands and waved them. "Alright, mother-in-law, you don''t have to insult me any further. I''ve understood already."


    Bai Fen sighed. "Isn''t exactly what I mean? You are calling me your mother-in-law when you clearly aren''t married to Jing He. In fact, in the eyes of the public and in the eyes of Jing He''s father, the two of you aren''t even engaged. But you continuously ignore this type of thing, despite knowing that it is important to the gods. Naturally, my husband will be losing respect for you this way. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_%!d(string=10609838905077905)/no-need-to-insult-me_%!d(string=51697891407876405) for visiting.


    "If you want to convince him that you would make a good son-in-law for him, you will have to prove that you are able to not make trouble for Jing He. One of the most important things will be that you are able to present yourself and him even in the Nine Heavens. If there is a festival that will require the presence of both of you, you can''t make a scene. He needs to be able to trust that."


    Qiu Ling leaned back, sighing faintly. "It isn''t as if I hadn''t taken part in a festival here already. You''ve both seen that I can do it. But it hasn''t changed anything."


    "But how often has that happened, Qiu Ling? To show a glimpse of how you could be every now and then just isn''t enough. Not if you want him to accept that you will spend your life with Jing He. After marrying you ¡­ there will be no way back. Jing He would never consent to a divorce. After having the ceremony, he will feel forced to stay with you for all his life even if he was unhappy at your side. Thus, there can be no doubt at the time a wedding is started to be prepared. We all know that. So you have to prove to Rong Su that you are able to give him the life that is necessary for him before that point."


    Qiu Ling nodded slowly. Well, he had promised An Bai that he would behave more like the dragon king. In any case, even with Jing He, he had slowly let some of that shine through. He had reverted back to how he had been before when Jing He had been reborn for the trial and every now and then, he actually had trouble keeping up either way because he had been acting for so long. But he knew that he could do this. And right now might be a good opportunity to show the Heavenly Emperor.


    He looked back up at Bai Fen, his gaze serious. "I will show him. I will make sure that he understands that I''m the right one for Jing He. I''ll try everything I can. I promise you that. Jing He ¡­ will not lack for anything when he''s with me."


    Bai Fen nodded. "Very well. Go and work on that." She motioned to the door, indicating for him to leave.


    Qiu Ling nodded and got up, but continued to look at her for a moment. "Well, this is kind of awkward. But I guess I will have to bid you farewell then, Heavenly Empress."


    Bai Fen laughed and waved. "Don''t overdo it. Rong Su wouldn''t be happy then either. At first, you''ll probably be doing anything wrong in his eyes. Just give it a bit of time."


    Qiu Ling nodded at this reminder and then finally turned to leave.

 Chapter 1279 - A Difficult Decision

    Outside of the palace, Qiu Ling stopped in his steps and put a hand to his forehead. He sighed deeply, a bit angry at himself. Right now, he should go and return to Jing Yi. The problem was that he really didn''t feel like it. No, right now, he just ¡­ wanted to go and see Jing He.


    He mumbled to himself for a moment and forced himself to turn in the direction of the palace where Jing Yi and he had been put for the time being. He had promised him that he would be back soon. And thanks to the talk with the Heavenly Empress, he had already lost quite a bit of time. If he didn''t go back immediately ¡­ Well, Jing Yi wasn''t stupid. He would know what was up.


    He lifted his foot but then already stopped again, putting it down once more.


    Thinking of it like this, Jing Yi would still think that he had gone to Jing He if he returned now. After all, so much time had passed. Even if he said that this hadn''t been the case and that he had just gone to the God of Justice and then had needed the Heavenly Emperor''s okay, Jing Yi would still be skeptical and think that he was lying. In that case, he might as well make it into the truth, right?


    Qiu Ling closed his eyes and turned his face toward the sky, sighing to himself. It was really hard sometimes. The kind of decisions that needed to be made going forward ¡­ he wasn''t sure if he could.


    In the end, his heart still won over his head and he returned to the familiar garden of Jing He''s palace. He looked out at the flowers and the pavilion where they had sat before, his gaze softening. If only Jing He could wake up. If only they could be sitting over there again, playing a game of weiqi, drinking a cup of tea, having a lovely conversation. Certainly, it would be pure bliss.


    He shook his head and then turned around, slowly walking inside. Qiang Wei and Yi Zan looked up at him and then stepped outside without even needing him to say anything.


    Qiu Ling sat down at the edge of the bed, feeling unbearable in his skin. While he was at the ascension platform and had protected Jing Yi, it had still felt like the right decision. He had been able to convince himself that he had to do this. That there was no other way. That he could just explain to Jing He when he woke up in the future. But now, sitting next to his lifeless body, his guilty conscience became ten times as strong as it had been before.


    What had he done? How had he been able to do this to him? How had he been able to ¡ª for just one moment ¡ª ignore what would be best for him?


    Qiu Ling reached out and took Jing He''s hand, gently holding it. He closed his eyes and slightly lowered his head, his brows furrowing. "I''m sorry. This isn''t what I wanted. I just wanted you to return as soon as possible. I did not want to leave you alone. I wanted for us to never be apart. But now, look at what I''ve done. It''s all my fault."


    His voice sank to a whisper. Well, he had nothing else to say anyway. Hadn''t he already been at this point before? But no matter what, he always returned here. He would apologize to either the real Jing He or his mortal reincarnation. And he wouldn''t be able to decide at all because he didn''t want to hurt either of them. He suffered. But it probably couldn''t even be compared to the suffering that he subjected Jing Yi to and that Jing He would be subjected to in the future. He definitely had no right to complain.


    Qiu Ling sighed, opened his eyes, and looked up at the ceiling. If there was anything he could do, he would do so in a heartbeat. But since it was impossible, he could only continue to walk this path, hoping that somehow, he would find a way to deal with this better.


    He leaned closer to Jing He, his expression grim. "Please don''t ever doubt that I love you. You are the most important person in my life. No matter what I need to do for us to be able to be together in the end, I will do it. I love you." He kissed his forehead and then got up, slowly putting down his hand and looking at him for a last moment. Then, he turned around and left the same way he had come. For now, it was time to return to Jing He''s mortal reincarnation''s side.


    Yi Zan and Qiang Wei stepped back inside, getting into position next to the bed again.


    Qiang Wei couldn''t help but look at the door to the garden though. "His Majesty didn''t look good at all. Do you think something happened?"


    Yi Zan glanced at him, not quite sure what to say. "Hasn''t he been looking like this every time he came here since His Highness has gone for his trial in the mortal realm? It''s been so long, he probably didn''t expect things to turn out like this. He''s probably missing him a lot. Before this, they spent almost every day together."


    Qiang Wei nodded and glanced at the body of the crown prince behind them. "I hope he''s going to wake up again soon."


    "Me too. His Majesty ¡­ he has always been a lot more cheerful around him."


    Qiang Wei nodded again and the two of them fell silent. In any case, there was nothing that they could do. Other than continuing to stand there and keep guard, that was.


    Meanwhile, behind the screen on the other side of the palace, another person finally walked outside, motioning at the two Heavenly guards not to say anything. His expression was complicated and he finally moved in the direction of his own palace. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-difficult-decision_51721110537950784 for visiting.


    While he might dislike that damned dandy, it seemed that he honestly missed his son and hadn''t really wanted to replace him with that mortal reincarnation. That was at least something.

 Chapter 1280 - A Lucky Man

    Back in the mortal realm, Hua Lin Yu finally calmed down after quite some time. He couldn''t help but feel awkward at that moment. He was the one who had hurt Xin Lan. So why was he the one making a fuss? If anyone had a right to get emotional, then it should be Xin Lan. The fact that his fiance was just taking things in stride and even telling him that it would be alright to reject him completely made things even worse for him.


    He pulled back and sat down opposite Xin Lan once again. "I ¡­ I really just need a bit more time. I do want to marry you." He still hadn''t managed to really think through his feelings for Bai Mu but in any case, it was impossible to be with him. So wouldn''t it be better to just stay with Xin Lan? After all, this man was clearly important to him. He felt something for him. Maybe not as strongly as he did for Bai Mu but that didn''t mean that they couldn''t have a beautiful future together. And since Bai Mu was already about to marry Nie Huang, there really was no reason to put his hopes on ever being able to get together with him. So it would be best for everyone if he just rediscovered his feelings for Xin Lan and went with that. Right now, that also didn''t seem like such a bad choice.


    Hua Lin Yu''s smile eased up a little when he thought of this and he reached out to take Xin Lan''s hands. "Just a few years. I hope you won''t mind."


    Xin Lan squeezed his hands in return and smiled. "That''s why I said you can take as much time as you need. Whether it''s a few years or a few more, I can deal with it. I just want you to be happy." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-lucky-man_51744354917729694 for visiting.


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and then didn''t quite know what to say. Thinking for a moment, he finally motioned outside. "I haven''t been here for a long time. Why don''t we go out and take a stroll?"


    Xin Lan nodded and immediately got to his feet, pulling Hua Lin Yu up with him. "We''ll do anything you want. So if a stroll it is, let''s go do that."


    Hua Lin Yu smiled, a little embarrassed that Xin Lan was so straightforward. It really was as if whatever wish he had, Xin Lan would fulfill it. Seriously, what else did he expect? There was no better man out there than him.


    Two of them left the house and then went down the Sect Master''s peak, going in a random direction.


    Xin Lan held onto Hua Lin Yu''s hand, feeling like things were really going well for him. He didn''t quite know what was going on in the little Fallen God''s reincarnation''s head but it was obvious that he was slowly reconsidering things. A bit more time and they might indeed get married after all. Not only would his promise been fulfilled then and he wouldn''t need to worry anymore, but maybe he could also have the life that he wanted. To think that things could actually turn out this well ¡­ he really wouldn''t have thought so just a few years ago.


    He glanced at Hua Lin Yu, not sure what to say. Really, how had things come to this? Back when he met Xiang Yu for the first time in the demon realm, he had honestly just been an annoyance. Reminding him over and over again that he was different from the other dragons, looking down on him for not being affected by the curse ¡­ He was probably a person that he disliked even more than Jin Ling which was something he never would have thought was possible. Xiang Yu probably came second on the list of people that he hated. And the first one on that list was Tian who was responsible for all of this. That really was quite an achievement.


    Then later on, when that person of all people had been the only one who could help his Master ¡­ things had slowly spiraled out of control. He really didn''t know how it ended up like this but it seemed that he had to be thankful to Xiang Yu. He had actually given him such a huge gift by insisting on having the trial and making him give that oath. Otherwise, he never would have forced himself to spend time with Hua Lin Yu. And then, he never would have fallen in love again.


    Hua Lin Yu glanced up when he noticed his gaze on him and he slightly raised his brows. "What''s the matter?"


    Xin Lan let go of his hand and then reached up, gently grabbing his chin. "I was just thinking that ¡­ I''m one lucky man."


    Hua Lin Yu''s heart jumped in response. This ¡­ what was this supposed to mean? "Why that?" Xin Lan couldn''t mean what he thought that he meant, right? No, that was impossible. Why would Xin Lan say something like this after he had just told him that he still needed time? That didn''t make any sense.


    Xin Lan still looked at him thoughtfully though. "Originally, I only met Jinde because I became so reckless with my life. And then, it was also for him that I ¡­" He trailed off at the end, wondering how to say this without involving Hua Lin Yu''s real identity. In the end, he could only stay vague. "Well, I settled down here in the mortal realm so I would be able to be there for him in a more timely manner in case something happened. And that was why I finally met your family and you. If not for all these things leading to each other, we might''ve never met. So I guess if I look at it that way, I''m actually quite lucky."


    Hua Lin Yu lowered his head, really not sure how to deal with this. Lucky ¡­ Was he really that lucky? In any case, this clearly showed just how much he meant to Xin Lan. He really wouldn''t do to reject him. He gingerly reached out and tugged at his sleeve, inching a bit closer before he finally grabbed his arm. "Well, you''re here now. Why think about the past?"


    Xin Lan nodded and then reached out with his other hand, covering Hua Lin Yu''s. "Yes, there is no need to think about it anymore. Let''s just live in the moment." He turned around and then the two of them picked up their pace again, continuing to stroll up the peak in front of them, not talking for quite some time, and just enjoying each other''s silent company.

 Chapter 1281 - Completely Recovered

    Up the mountain, Ma Zhi Wu was leaning against the fence of the Grand Elder''s herb garden, watching Nian Hong Fang busy about. More than a thousand years had gone by since he had been rescued from the Chun Feng Sect''s dungeon and pulled back from the brink of death by Jinde. Even though he had still dealt badly with things at the beginning, it was different by now.


    He had recovered most of his strength and even though his future prospects were limited now, he was satisfied. He had his life back. More than that, he had not only managed to see Nian Hong Fang again as he had wished for, but he was even able to live at his side. What more could he wish for? After all, this was already much more than he had been able to hope for in the years that he had been imprisoned.


    Nian Hong Fang glanced up, smiling sweetly. "Ah Wu, you know you don''t have to watch all the time. You can just go inside. I''m sure there are things you need to deal with."


    Ma Zhi Wu shook his head though. "No, I''m good here. I just ¡­ like watching you."


    This was what he had always thought of in those long days in the darkness: A time where he would be able to stand at the side of a herb field, watching his love crouched down beside the uniform rows of plants, pulling out weeds, watering the herbs, tending to the earth, and finally filling that little basket he brought along when one of the herbs had ripened.


    It was an incredibly familiar sight, one he would never forget. When they had met in the demonic sect back then, this was how he had gotten to know him. And even though it had been for his mission at first, this was still what finally made him fall. And seeing the same things over at the Yun Zou Sect as well, knowing that they were actually standing on the same side had just comforted him so much. It was something that he would always associate with his lover. "Are you going through the whole field today?"


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head. "No, I''ll just finish this row." To be honest, he would actually finish the whole field if it was just him. But despite a millennium going by, he just couldn''t help himself and still worried about Ma Zhi Wu. He just didn''t want to take any chances. It was important to make sure that he didn''t strain himself too much. So one row it was.


    He smiled to himself, and then finished up, dusting off his hands and taking the basket with the leaves that he had just picked, hanging it over his arm,f and then leaving the field.


    Ma Zhi Wu had already come to the entrance and leaned down to give him a peck on the lips. "Ready?"


    "Yes, let''s bring this away."


    Just when they wanted to leave, Nian Hong Fang spotted the two people coming up the mountain. "Ah, that might be some official business. How about you bring this inside already so Master can use it and then wait for me in our room?" He kissed his lover on the lips again and unceremoniously handed him the basket. He didn''t know why somebody was coming up but if it was something that took a little longer, he definitely wouldn''t leave Ma Zhi Wu standing at the side. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/completely-recovered_51767430166406723 for visiting.


    Ma Zhi Wu chuckled, pretty sure that he knew exactly why his lover was saying this. Well, he could live with it. There were worse things than having somebody care so much about you. "Don''t take too long then. If it''s bothersome, just throw it to one of your junior martial brothers. Being the head disciple of the Grandelder has to have some benefits." He kissed his cheek and then waved, turning around to bring the herbs inside.


    Nian Hong Fang laughed as well and then turned to the front, folding his hands behind his back while he waited for the two people to come up the mountain.


    Xin Lan slightly raised his brows when he saw that somebody seemed to be waiting for them. After glancing at the person, he noticed that he had seen this person before. He needed a moment but then remembered just who he was.


    Nian Hong Fang also raised his brows when he saw Xin Lan. Contrary to the dragon who usually couldn''t be bothered to pay much attention to the humans, he remembered quite well who this person was. In any case, the dragons'' appearances were quite notable in the human realm. Xin Lan''s especially so thanks to the silver mask he always wore to cover one side of his face.


    His expression immediately turned more solemn. "Greetings." He inclined his head and then glanced at Hua Lin Yu but wasn''t quite sure who he was. He had seen him at Jinde and Leng Jin Yu''s wedding as well ¡ª just as quite a few of the higher-ranking disciples of the Yun Zou Sect had been ¡ª but most people hadn''t been directly introduced so he actually didn''t know who this person was. Seeing his hands on Xin Lan''s arm, he could figure out that there was a special relationship between them though.


    Xin Lan also nodded faintly and then felt that since his Master was in the sect, he should probably be a little nicer. "How is that lover of yours?"


    Nian Hong Fang was actually surprised that Xin Lan would remember. He smiled faintly, some of the happiness he had felt back then showing quite obviously on his face. "Thank you for asking. Ma Zhi Wu is completely back on his feet now. My Master said that there shouldn''t be any hidden dangers any longer and the person of your race also echoed his words. I guess there''s really nothing to worry about anymore. It could just be that his future prospects are limited now since his core was injured like this but it doesn''t matter. He is alive and well."


    Xin Lan nodded faintly, feeling that this was a bit too much information after he had just asked out of politeness.


    Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but blink his eyes at Nian Hong Fang. Back then, he had still only been a child so he didn''t quite remember what had been going on. "This is ¡­?" He looked at Xin Lan, wanting him to introduce the two of them to each other.


    Xin Lan could only smile wryly. Well, if his little lover wanted to know, then who was he to deny his wishes? Thus, he quickly sketched the situation from back then in a few words for Hua Lin Yu and then also introduced his fiance to the person of the Yun Zou Sect. Ah, in any case, it was nice to be able to say that he was his fiance. Just for that alone, he could consider this to not be a waste of time.

 Chapter 1282 - The Wrong Person to Thank

    Hua Lin Yu also looked happy when he was given the full account of things. "Ah, I think I remember a bit. My Master also came here back then and took me along. I was still really small at that time though so I didn''t really remember. It''s great that your lover is doing better now."


    Nian Hong Fang pondered for a moment and then realized who he had to be. "Ah, you are the disciple of Sect Master Fei from the Jian Yi Sect, right?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded. "Yes, exactly! That ¡­ that one disciple of your sect invited us to his wedding. That''s why Xin Lan and I came here. My Master is also here at the Yun Zou Sect at the moment."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded. "Yes, I saw her before. I was also at the ceremony." He couldn''t help but smile a little wryly when he thought back to that. "I am actually feeling a bit sorry for junior martial brother Yu. He held this kind of wedding and then it was still overshadowed. He and his lover must feel pretty annoyed by it. If I imagine that had been my wedding ¡­" He shook his head.


    Xin Lan gave a faint hum at that. "Well, to be honest, I think they held that kind of big ceremony because it was expected of them, not necessarily because they wanted to. In any case, it was just to comply with customs. They have been married according to the customs of our race for quite some time already so I guess this was more of a formality. They''ve been a couple and living together for more than a millennium already. I don''t think it changes much."


    Nian Hong Fang nodded at that. "Well, that''s true as well. At least they are together now. I guess that is the most important." To be honest, if it was him, he probably would''ve been alright with it as well. After all, after going through everything, what was a ceremony? Just being able to spend the rest of your lives together was good enough.


    Back when he watched that ceremony, he couldn''t help himself but wonder if maybe it would be time for him and Ma Zhi Wu to take the same step. They had been together for so long. The problems of the past were also behind them. Now, everyone also knew about his heritage and nobody was raising a fuss about it anymore. What exactly should they still wait for? It would be so great if they could just go forward with it now.


    He lost himself in his thoughts for a moment before he hurriedly shook himself out of it. "I''m sorry. I just got carried away a little. Say, did you come to the Grandelder''s peak for something specific? Maybe there is something I can do for you?" He looked from Xin Lan to Hua Lin Yu, not quite sure if his original thought had really been the right one. In any case, the dragon race clearly was superior to them in regard to the pills and potions they could refine. If these two needed something, they would probably go to that person of the dragon race. Well, unless it was that they didn''t want to bother him when he had just gotten married.


    Xin Lan turned to look at Hua Lin Yu. He had actually just followed him so he really wasn''t sure if Hua Lin Yu had taken this path on purpose and there was something special that he had wanted to do here.


    Hua Lin Yu felt put on this spot a little. "Uh ¡­" He reached up and rubbed his cheek, not quite sure how to explain. "Actually, I just wanted to have a look around. It''s been years since I was here so I wanted to take a look at everything. I hope we weren''t keeping you from anything."


    Nian Hong Fang laughed and shook his head. "You don''t have to worry. I was just taking care of the field and about to go in any way. Also, it was nice seeing you again. Back then, I was so worried about Ma Zhi Wu, I didn''t really get the chance to thank anyone despite so many people helping to make it possible to save him. I''m very glad that today, I had the chance to encounter you." He turned to Xin Lan and once again lowered his head. "I do remember that you went out to gather some of the ingredients back then. Without that, his life would have been lost for sure. I really can''t thank you enough."


    Xin Lan just waved, not feeling like it was anything much. "I''m definitely not the person you should be thanking. To me, I was doing somebody a favor that I knew. Also, getting these ingredients was quite easy for me. The one who really put himself through some suffering was probably that person of the demon-hunting sect."


    Nian Hong Fang''s expression turned a little subtle when he heard that. Right. Shen Qiang. After that day, he hadn''t seen him anymore. He wasn''t quite sure what he had been up to in the last millennium. And he couldn''t help but worry about it every now and then.


    Even though he knew that Shen Qiang had been part of the Chun Feng Sect and hadn''t told him about Ma Zhi Wu earlier despite being able to do so, that didn''t mean that he felt he was a bad person. When it really mattered, when he found out that what his sect was really doing, he had confessed. And without that confession, maybe things would have turned out differently. So even though he hated his original actions, he couldn''t help but also admire him for being honest when it counted.


    This person ¡­ he felt like he was still a good man deep down. He had just had the problem that he was in the wrong company for too long, clouding his judgment, and making him commit wrongs in the process. "I haven''t heard from him in all this time. Even if I wanted to thank him, I guess it would be difficult. Well, I hope he is leading a good life somewhere."


    Xin Lan gave a hum but actually didn''t care too much. He had just casually said that. What this Nian Hong Fang did or what that Shen Qiang was up to, why would he care? In any case, there was only one human that he cared about. He turned to Hua Lin Yu, raising his hand and gently brushing back his hair. "Well, since you were about to leave, we shouldn''t bother you any longer."


    Hua Lin Yu also hurriedly inclined his head, and then followed Xin Lan in the other direction, feeling that despite what Nian Hong Fang had said, they had probably kept him from something more important. Still, he couldn''t help but also be a little intrigued by the story he had just heard. He really wondered how these two originally ended up together and how despite everything that had happened, things had turned out so well.


    Hearing of such a story, he actually felt a little more reassured in regard to his own troubles recently. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/the-wrong-person-to-thank_51790653323011279 for visiting.

 Chapter 1283 - Wanting to Get Married?

    Nian Hong Fang continued to stand there for a moment, watching the two of them leave. Finally, he gave a sigh and then returned to his Master''s palace, going over to his own room.


    Ma Zhi Wu had naturally long arrived and was lying on the bed, with his arms crossed behind his head and one leg dr.a.p.ed over the other while his food was swaying from one side to the other. Clearly, he was impatient.


    When the door opened, he looked up, and his expression lit up immediately. "You''re finally back!" He sat up and stretched out his arms, pulling Nian Hong Fang into them when he sat down at the edge of the bed. "I was already considering to come out and try to chase off whoever it was." He leaned over and then kissed his cheek, pulling his lover a little closer in the process.


    Nian Hong Fang put his head on his shoulder and laughed. "You won''t talk like that as soon as I tell you who it was." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/wanting-to-get-married_51813839687180123 for visiting.


    Ma Zhi Wu raised his brows. "Why? Was it the Sect Master? I''m sure if I told him that I really needed you at my side, he would be able to understand."


    Nian Hong Fang shook his head. "The two that came up were the disciple of the Sect Master of the Jian Yi Sect and his fiance from the dragon race. If you remember, that guy was one of the people that helped gather the materials for the pill back then. They actually weren''t here for anything and only taking a look around. I haven''t seen him since then so I took the opportunity to thank him."


    Ma Zhi Wu clicked his tongue when he heard that. "Damn! Had I known that, I would''ve stayed outside. The person who should thank him most is definitely me. Are they still there? Maybe I should run after them to do so."


    "No. And to be honest, I don''t think he would appreciate it if you tried. As I said, the two are engaged. I don''t think he was even happy to see me. He sounded as if it was such a bother." He couldn''t help but laugh a little. He could understand why Xin Lan reacted like this if he was trying to spend a moment with his lover in peace but if somebody thanked you for saving their lover ¡­ couldn''t you at least pretend for a moment that you had done so gladly? Well, he seemed to be a bit of a grumpy guy. But in any case, he had still helped them tremendously. He''d never blame him for however he behaved.


    Ma Zhi Wu smiled wryly. "Right. That probably wouldn''t be the right moment."


    Nian Hong Fang reached out and interlaced his fingers with Ma Zhi Wu''s, giving him a faint smile. "Don''t worry about it. They will probably stay here for at least another day. You can still go over to Wu Min Huan tomorrow and ask him which house they are staying in. Then, we can go over to thank him again together."


    Ma Zhi Wu nodded and then leaned down, hugging Nian Hong Fang more tightly. "Ah, what would I do without you?" He kissed his cheek, and then buried his face in his hair, taking a deep breath.


    Nian Hong Fang hugged him back, closing his eyes. "You know ¡­ after watching the wedding today and then meeting these two lovebirds, I couldn''t help but think ¡­ how about us getting married as well?"


    Ma Zhi Wu pulled back and looked at him, slightly raising his brows. "You ¡­ you want to marry me?"


    Nian Hong Fang pulled back as well, looking at him strangely. "We''ve been together for so long. What makes you think that I wouldn''t want to?"


    Ma Zhi Wu scratched his head, not quite sure how to answer that. "Well ¡­ I mean, I might not be injured anymore, but I guess ascending will never be possible. You can''t achieve true immortality with me."


    Nian Hong Fang furrowed his brows. "Do I look like I care about that?"


    Ma Zhi Wu looked at him and realized that he really had been thinking too much. "Well, if you ask me like this, then you definitely don''t. I just ¡­ I guess I just can''t help but worry. But clearly, I don''t need to. So, yes, if you want to, let''s get married. Just ¡­ maybe let''s have a slightly smaller ceremony if you don''t mind."


    Nian Hong Fang laughed at that and turned around, leaning against Ma Zhi Wu''s chest with his back. "You know, I don''t care so much about the ceremony. If it was just us and our Masters, it would also be alright. I guess it would be good to invite everyone who helped us back then but it''s been so long, I guess most of them won''t care much. You probably also wouldn''t feel that it is right to invite the people of the Jian Yi Sect. They clearly didn''t help because of us. I don''t know how everything ties together but I guess we were just incredibly lucky that there was something in it for everyone else too. Otherwise, you might not have been saved."


    Ma Zhi Wu nodded. "Well, a fool''s luck is still luck. The most important thing is that I''m alive and we are together. The thought of having to leave you alone and not be able to answer any of your questions ¡­ that was always the worst. It wasn''t how I imagined things to end."


    Nian Hong Fang looked up and slightly shook his head. "Just don''t think about it. In any case, that is long in the past. We are both here, both safe and we just need to look into the future."


    Ma Zhi Wu nodded at that. "Right. Well, we should ask your Master what would be an auspicious date then. It doesn''t need to be immediately. But ¡­ I would really love to marry you."


    Nian Hong Fang smiled. "Yes, although I guess we also waited long enough. Now, even a martial brother several years our junior got married like this. We''re really slow when you think about it like this."


    Ma Zhi Wu leaned down and kissed his shoulder. "We''re not slow. We''re just taking our time. I guess it should be acceptable. What others do ¡­ it''s not really our problem, is it? Although I will wish them every bit of luck they can have."

 Chapter 1284 - Live Each Day to The Fullest

    At the same time, Hua Lin Yu and Xin Lan were already making their way down the mountain again. Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but continue thinking about what he had just heard. "There are a lot of things that can happen."


    Xin Lan glanced at him and raised his brows. "What do you mean?"


    "I mean ¡­" Hua Lin Yu glanced over his shoulder and up the mountain before turning back. "What you just told me. There were so many things that happened and he almost would have lost him. I couldn''t help but think that with the time we have, we should do as much as possible. Don''t you think so?"


    Xin Lan smiled faintly. "Living every day to the fullest ¡­ I don''t think it''s wrong. But I don''t think you should panic either. You see, the situation that the two of us are in is completely different from the one the two of them were in. Here in the mortal realm, there isn''t really anyone who could harm you. Not with me at your side."


    Hua Lin Yu smiled and actually hugged Xin Lan''s waist, looking up at him with glittering eyes. For a moment, it felt like everything was back to how it had been before he met Bai Mu. "You are always so confident in your skills. Aren''t you worried about what might happen when you''re not around me for once?"


    Xin Lan looked at him and seeing how the atmosphere was quite good, he once again grabbed his chin and slightly raised his head. "I guess then I won''t be able to leave you out of my sight for even a moment. But in any case, if somebody really did something to you, I wouldn''t just helplessly sit around. I don''t mind searching the whole world for you. If I have to turn everything over and even raze entire cities to the ground, I''d still do it."


    Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but shrink back a little under this burning gaze. "You ¡­ don''t say things like that. Isn''t that a bit too much?"


    Xin Lan wrapped a strand of Hua Lin Yu''s hair around his finger, admiring it for a moment. "You know, maybe it''s my age or the fact that I''m a dragon, but I don''t particularly care much for humans. You are important to me. And since your family and your sect are important to you, they are important to me by extension. Others though ¡­ I don''t care about them. So, if somebody dared to harm you, I would definitely not hesitate to do something drastic as long as it allowed me to get you back and make sure that nothing worse happens to you." He let go of his hair and instead cupped his cheeks. "You know, you will always be the most important to me."


    "Xin Lan ¡­" Hua Lin Yu didn''t know how to react to that. He couldn''t help but feel moved. But at the same time, he also felt a little awkward. What was he supposed to say now? Most likely, something like this would never happen. So he could probably just laugh it off. But on the other hand, they weren''t in a good overall situation. So maybe just accepting what Xin Lan said would be sending the wrong signal.


    Xin Lan picked up on how Hua Lin Yu felt. He lightly shook his head. "Don''t think too much. Even if the two of us don''t get married, we still have a bond. Naturally, I wouldn''t just watch on if something were to happen to you. Your decision will have no influence on that. So don''t think too much. I''m just saying that these two ¡­ maybe they were too passive. I couldn''t do that." He took back his hands and then turned to the side, lightly grabbing Hua Lin Yu''s hand and pulling him along again. "But in any case, if you want to live in the moment, just tell me what to do. I''ll do anything with you."


    Hua Lin Yu still didn''t quite know what to say. Xin Lan could actually be really harsh in his judgments. "These two are humans. Naturally, they will have a harder time dealing with things. And from what you said, Nian Hong Fang didn''t even know where his lover was. So what should he have done? Sometimes, we are also limited by who we are." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/live-each-day-to-the-fullest_51836997613971405 for visiting.


    Xin Lan gave a hum and reached up, rubbing Hua Lin Yu''s head. "You really said that well. Spoken like a person that has truly lived for a long time."


    Hua Lin Yu pursed his lips in response. "You''re making fun of me!"


    Xin Lan glanced at him and smiled. "Oh? Was I? In any case, if there''s something you want, you have to do something for it as well. You can''t just expect things to go your way. So if something happens, then you can only try to work with what you have. He asked for help. But it didn''t really change anything.


    "No matter what, he should''ve gone to investigate but from what I know, he didn''t even do that. So in the end, things went on like that. He was pretty much just lucky that his lover survived. If he wasn''t ¡­ I think he would''ve felt guilty himself for not doing more.


    "That is something that I would never accept for myself. So whatever can be done should be done. But, well, that is quite the depressing talk. Why don''t we speak about something a little more ¡­ happy? Is there nothing you want to do? You sounded like you had a purpose when you started."


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head at him. "Well, you''re not wrong. Originally, I wanted to say that maybe we should go and travel after we stayed here for a few days. In any case, wasn''t that what we originally wanted to do? I think it would be good. I can see more things and grow up a little. I''m sure you would also like that."


    "I do like you the way you are. But if that''s what you want, we''ll do it. I guess we''ll just wait until your Master decides to leave as well?"


    Hua Lin Yu nodded. "Unless you have something else to do?"


    "Nothing of the like. With Jinde being busy, there''s really nothing that would keep me busy. There''s just you now."

 Chapter 1285 - The Same Level

    Back in the Nine Heavens, Jing Yi only had to take one look at Qiu Ling''s expression to realize why had taken so long. His hands clenched into fists inside his sleeves but he forced himself to show a faint smile on his face as if he hadn''t understood. "Did the God of Justice agree?"


    Qiu Ling stopped in the doorway, not looking at Jing Yi directly. "Well, he didn''t want to agree outright so we had to go to the Heavenly Empress to ask for approval. She didn''t mind though. She just talked a little longer."


    Jing Yi nodded and went over, wrapping his arms around Qiu Ling''s waist. "So it was like this. I was already wondering what took you so long." He craned his neck and gave Qiu Ling a kiss, wondering if he would actually confess to going to see Jing He as well.


    Qiu Ling''s guilty conscience became heavier when Jing Yi said this. Clearly, he had been waiting. And while the conversation with the Heavenly Empress was something he couldn''t have gotten around, his visit to Jing He''s palace wasn''t. So once again, it had been his decisions that hurt him and this time, he really couldn''t say that he hadn''t known before.


    He hugged him back and closed his eyes, feeling like he should probably say the whole truth. He was afraid of hurting Jing Yi though. Then again, he honestly couldn''t guarantee that he wouldn''t go to see Jing He every now and then now that they were in the Nine Heavens. He just wouldn''t be able to bring himself to do so. After all, being so close, he just couldn''t stop thinking of him.


    It had still been a different matter when they had been in the mortal realm where the time was flowing differently but now that they were here, he felt that going there regularly was just a matter of course. If he was in this kind of situation, he would want to know that Jing He was sitting at the side of his bed every now and then as well. They were lovers, after all. What could be more soothing than having your lover with you?


    Thinking things through like this, he finally cleared his throat. "After seeing her ¡­ I went to Jing He''s palace for a moment. I just ¡­ I couldn''t help myself. You know, I have this worry that something might go wrong. It helps a bit to see him."


    There was still a faint smile on Jing Yi''s lips but it definitely didn''t reach his eyes. A worry that something might go wrong ¡­ in other words, a worry that he wouldn''t die and Jing He wouldn''t wake up. It really didn''t sound nice if you looked at it this way. But just like before, he couldn''t say that and had to pretend that things were alright. "Well, if it''s something that you need to do to feel calm, then what am I supposed to say? It''s okay. Just ¡­ tell me before the next time, yes? I''d rather know where you are than to wait here and wonder what is going on." He once again craned his neck, pecking Qiu Ling''s cheek this time as if this really wasn''t a problem for him at all. Inside, things were looking different and the longer this went on and the longer he stewed on his thoughts on the matter, the more he hated it.


    Even though Qiu Ling had said before that he loved both of them for different things, he still hated this situation. To be honest, if Qiu Ling wasn''t around, he would be seething inside. That Jing He ¡­ he wasn''t even awake! He didn''t even have a soul at the moment. He was just a ¡­ a dead body. What was so good about seeing him?


    Naturally, he couldn''t say that out loud. If Qiu Ling heard, then he could already imagine his reaction. It would just once again show that he was inferior. He didn''t want that. He wanted to at least be on the same level as his past self. Thus, Jing Yi pretended not to mind and that he understood the situation from Qiu Ling''s point of view. Just like Jing He probably would.


    "In any case, since you''ve made sure that he''s alright, can we go then? Since I don''t know how much time I''ll have, I would like to go out and see everything as soon as possible. That way, no matter whether they find a solution next week or tomorrow or maybe in just a few hours, I will already have gotten the chance to see what I wanted to see."


    Qiu Ling nodded, feeling a bit better now that Jing Yi wasn''t complaining about his decision. It seemed he had worried too much. "Alright, let''s do that then." He smiled and hugged Jing Yi once more before letting go and taking his hand. "Is there something that you would like to see first?" Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/the-same-level_51860176763928705 for visiting.


    Jing Yi pondered for a moment. "To be honest, there isn''t that much that I remember from the Nine Heavens. Just his palace and a few of the paths that he usually took. I guess that would be those leading to the palaces of his family members. He didn''t seem to be somebody who would leave his place too often."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Yes, Jing He has always been a little more reclusive. He likes it quiet."


    Jing Yi nodded. "Yes, that was the kind of impression I got of him from my memories. Well, I guess it wouldn''t do to go and visit these places again. His family probably wouldn''t take kindly to it." He still smiled as if he didn''t mind at all. "How about just taking a look around here? You can just tell me whatever you know about these places. Anything I see is already good."


    Qiu Ling nodded and the two of them left the palace and just walked down the road in front of it.

 Chapter 1286 - It Didn’t Work as Intended

    To be honest, Qiu Ling also hadn''t spent that much time at any places in the Nine Heavens that Jing He hadn''t often visited. Thus, his own knowledge was also more limited but he still had a good grasp on the general outlay of the place. "Well, the capital city of the Nine Heavens is actually quite big. We are currently in the northeastern part of it. I think originally, this was the center of the capital city. Later on, it developed more in the south and west. The most important palaces are all here though."


    Jing Yi nodded. "I don''t quite understand how this matter with the palaces works. From what I heard before, the place we arrived at seems to be the Court of Justice?"


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Yes, contrary to the dragon realm where everything is centralized under the power of the dragon king and I''m basically the person who could make all the decisions myself if I wanted to, the gods have title gods in place that will take care of specific tasks. For example, there''s the God of Justice who will deal with any crimes that are committed here and also with those that earn the status of a deity by ascending like you. So the Court of Justice also oversees the ascension of mortals."


    "It was like this." Jing Yi nodded, feeling that he understood it a bit better. "Then, what else is there? I remember that Jing He''s uncle was the God of War?" He had seen him before. Not only today but also back in the demon realm so he had a bit more of an impression of Qiang Yan than anyone else.


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Yes, he''s in charge of the Palace of War. He is ¡­ well, he is in charge of the guards of the capital city and also the other eight heavens. Basically, he has the supreme command over the Heavenly Army. From what I know, there are a couple of Heavenly Generals that support him but he is the one who makes the final decisions in major cases."


    He had actually worked together with both this God of War and the one before him several times since they were the ones who had most to do with the issues that pertained to the alliance between the dragons and gods. So Qiu Ling''s understanding of the Palace of War was slightly better than that of the other palaces. He didn''t think that it was necessary to go and get into too much detail with Jing Yi though. After all, it wasn''t like he wanted to live here. This was just so he could understand what exactly was going on around him. Thus, Qiu Ling just continued to tell him something else. "Then, another important one would be the Palace of Fate where the Fate''s Scribe has the say. That is the person that does the trials for the trueborn gods."


    Jing Yi turned to look at him, slowly raising his brows. "What do you mean?"


    Qiu Ling froze and then realized that Jing Yi actually didn''t seem to quite understand how those trials worked. He smiled wryly, feeling that this was something he probably shouldn''t have said. There were some things that people like Jing Yi probably better shouldn''t find out.


    This time, Jing Yi wasn''t willing to just let it go though. He continued to look at Qiu Ling, his gaze turning a little ugly. "Qiu Ling, what exactly is the matter with this? Don''t you think I have a right to know?"


    Qiu Ling sighed. In any case, he had already let this information slip so he might as well tell him. "I''m not privy to all of the details but from what I understand, the palace of the Fate''s Scribe is the one where the trials of the trueborn gods are written. They have some kind of scroll of fate where they write down what kind of trials the god is supposed to face while in the mortal realm. And that is what is going to happen then."


    Jing Yi''s expression didn''t turn better at that. "That is to say that everything that happened in my life was written down ¡­ or rather, made up by somebody?" Not only was he not his own person because he was always seen as Jing He but he was also not able to make his own decisions because some trueborn god in the Nine Heavens was just writing down what was supposed to happen to him? What was up with that? Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/it-didn%E2%80%99t-work-as-intended_51883576551066004 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling could see that Jing Yi wasn''t able to take this as well as he had been able to take the things before and he really regretted saying anything in the first place. Now, it was too late though. He could only sigh. "Well, things were a bit different in your case.


    "The scrolls of fate don''t work on immortals the same way that they do on mortals. So because I was there the whole time, the trial worked out quite differently. I mean you were never supposed to start cultivating, you weren''t supposed to ascend, you also weren''t supposed to remember anything about your soul''s reincarnation. That was all because of my interference. So whatever they wrote originally didn''t happen."


    Jing Yi still wasn''t quite sure if he was alright with this. Even if Qiu Ling said so, he just couldn''t shake the feeling that maybe he wasn''t telling him the whole truth. After all, this was clearly a big matter and Qiu Ling probably didn''t want to worsen the relationship between him and the gods. Naturally, he would try to make things sound this harmless as he could. "So, what kind of trials was Jing He supposed to have?"


    Qiu Ling glanced at him, wondering how to get around this. He knew some of what should have happened. After all, he had been there to prevent it himself. He didn''t think that it would be a smart decision to let Jing Yi know about this though. On the other hand, there was no way to just lie to him. He could at most skirt around the truth a little.


    He cleared his throat and then squinted in the direction of the Palace of Fate, motioning over. "It''s the palace over there. Let''s go and take a look. I''ll tell you on the way. How about that?"


    Seeing Qiu Ling''s expression while also hearing him suggest this, Jing Yi wasn''t quite sure what exactly Qiu Ling intended to do. Would he just tell him? He actually hadn''t expected that. But then again, there was no reason not to tell him, right? In any case, the trial was pretty much over. There was no reason to keep those things from him.


    In the end, Jing Yi nodded and the two of them slowly walked over.

 Chapter 1287 - Just a Tool

    Qiu Ling had had a moment to think things through so he had figured out how to deal with this. "Only the people from the Palace of Fate and the heavenly couple are able to read those scrolls of fate. Nobody else is able to do so since there''s a spell on them. Because of that, I don''t know what exactly was written in Jing He''s scroll of fate even though I''ve seen the Fate''s Scribe carry it around every now and then.


    "But from what I know about the trials in general, they are to let the gods experience things that can happen in life but that they are unlikely or even unable to experience. For example, how it is to become old and die one day. That is an experience that they can only make in the human realm. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/just-a-tool_51906531540659239 for visiting.


    "It can help them have a better understanding of the humans. Then since the immortals are a bit more resilient, sickness might also be one of the trials. Basically, everything that can happen in life can be a trial as far as I''m aware. I know there are some more rules on what the gods need to do and when but I''m not privy to that. That is something that only the gods would be able to tell you I guess."


    "I see." Jing Yi felt that what Qiu Ling said made sense. Most likely, this was indeed the truth. "So, nobody really wrote my life, yes? I was still able to make my own decisions, right?"


    Qiu Ling glanced at him and took a moment to think things through. "Well, somebody certainly wrote down your original fate but then things spiraled out of control because of my involvement and some other things that happened later on. Also, as soon as you started cultivating, things were getting less likely to actually happen as well. Apparently, by stepping onto the path to immortality yourself, whatever influence that scroll of fate would have lessened quite a lot."


    Jing Yi nodded at that. "I see." He couldn''t help but heave a sigh of relief. It really was good that back then, he had actually followed senior martial brother Wu back to the Yun Zou Sect and started to cultivate. That had probably been the best decision he had ever made. He didn''t regret it one bit. Even though it had gotten him to this point where people wanted him dead so his previous incarnation was able to wake up again, it had also given him an advantage while doing that trial, as it seemed. At the very least, not his whole life had been controlled by others.


    It was bad enough to always have to share his life with the person that had originally had a life before him. He didn''t also want to have to live out a fate where somebody else was dictating what he could do. Being locked down in the Nine Heavens now and not being able to leave as he had originally intended was already something that he didn''t like at all. To think that his whole life could have been like that ¡­ he didn''t even want to imagine.


    The more he thought about it, the unhappier he became. Really, what were the gods thinking? These trials, were they really fair? They were supposed to make them understand the mortals better but in the end, didn''t they just let some of them suffer more? He really couldn''t understand how they were able to justify that to themselves. But most likely, they weren''t even trying to. To them, the mortals born for these trials weren''t really people. To them, they were just ¡­ a kind of tool. Nothing that deserved their thoughts.


    And looking at it from the perspective of what Qiu Ling had just told him, it somewhat made sense. After all, why would you worry about something that you had created yourself and that you intended to die? They had written those fates, they had sent those souls down, naturally, they didn''t really care about the human life that resulted from that.


    He turned back to Qiu Ling, his expression a little strange. "So, what else is there? Is there really just the Palace of Fate involved in these trials? They sound like such a major issue. There should probably be something more to it, shouldn''t there?"


    Qiu Ling gave him a long look, trying to figure out just what it was that Jing Yi was thinking. But at this moment, he actually couldn''t. He just suspected that it wasn''t anything good. Still, considering everything else, he couldn''t bring himself to lie. "I think, for the most part, it is really just the Palace of Fate. But I think there''s also a God of Love that has something to do with it."


    "God of Love? That actually sounds nice. What does he do?"


    Qiu Ling still had a strange feeling about this so he tried to keep it short. "I think he is tying mortals together. Whether that is actual mortals over the reincarnations for the trials. It''s so they can have a blissful of life."


    Jing Yi raised his brows. "A blissful love life ¡­ Did the God of Love do anything regarding my trial?"


    Qiu Ling shook his head. "Not that I know of, no. In any case, it wouldn''t have changed anything even if he did. After all, Jing He ¡­" He trailed off and then looked into the distance, to the place where Jing He''s palace was.


    Even though he knew, even though he had seen the result, he still couldn''t believe that Jing He had actually engraved his own soul back then. That was one of the many things that he really would''ve liked to have a talk with him about.

 Chapter 1288 - The Most Special Person

    Seeing Qiu Ling''s gaze, Jing Yi had no trouble at all understanding what he was thinking about it. His expression fell and he hurriedly turned away so as to not show his true thoughts. Even though Qiu Ling had said that he loved the two of them the same but just in a different manner, he still knew that he couldn''t compare with Jing He in Qiu Ling''s eyes. That just wasn''t possible.


    To Qiu Ling, Jing He would always be the most special person. He couldn''t prove it but he just knew it in his heart. If both he and Jing He were alive at the same time instead of like right now where Jing He could only return after he died, then Qiu Ling would be with Jing He instead of with him. Even if there was a situation where they got into danger and he could only save one of them, he knew that Qiu Ling would always choose Jing He. He wouldn''t even hesitate at that moment and just rush to his side, doing everything he could before even thinking about the him that was left behind to die.


    There wasn''t any special reason. That was just how differently Qiu Ling felt about them. He might deny it but it was the truth, so much was obvious. And the worst thing was that no matter how long the two of them were together, no matter what he did, in Qiu Ling''s heart, there would always been a special spot for Jing He.


    Yes, he had long placed this person on a pedestal and built a shrine for him, making anyone else seem insignificant in comparison. Who knew what the reason was? Maybe it was the fact that Jing He was his first love. That he was the ''original''. Or maybe it was that Qiu Ling just regarded Jing He to be the same as himself. In any case, even if he figured it out, it wouldn''t change anything because he had no way to counter it.


    He couldn''t become more similar to Qiu Ling. He couldn''t become the original instead of Jing He. He also couldn''t take that spot of his first love. There was nothing he could do. If time was unable to change things, this was really a lost cause. As long as there was Jing He''s shadow around, he would never be able to step out of it.


    He had thought differently back in the mortal realm and had really tried his best while there but now that they had come to the Nine Heavens, he was slowly realizing how idiotic that had been. And that even though today was only his first day here. Who knew how much clearer things would become in the future? Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/the-most-special-person_51929785282124179 for visiting.


    Jing Yi closed his eyes, actually feeling like it would be best to return to the palace they had been given. In any case, while he had wanted to see the Nine Heavens'' capital city, he had especially wanted to cultivate good feelings between him and Qiu Ling. Now, that he realized that nothing would change even if he did that, he started to feel ridiculous.


    What was he doing competing with a basically dead person? Where was the sense in that? But the truth of the matter was that even if he tried to compete, he was the one who would lose. He would always be the one to lose. It wasn''t fair but he just couldn''t change it. As much as he hated to admit it but that was the truth.


    At that moment, Qiu Ling turned back to him. Seeing that Jing Yi was looking in the other direction, he also looked over, wondering what it was that he was looking at. Finally, the only thing that he could spot was a building that was several stories high, towering far above the other buildings. He felt that Jing Yi might want to know about that?


    Thinking of that, he almost wanted to heave a sigh of relief. Talking about something unrelated to Jing He and the trials would probably be much better. Thus, he casually stepped closer and tilted his head toward the building. "Oh, that is the Tower of Wisdom."


    Jing Yi was pulled out of his thoughts and didn''t know what Qiu Ling was talking about for a moment. He turned back and raised his brows but Qiu Ling continued to misunderstand and went on to explain.


    "Ah, it is one of the other important places in the capital. I think the Goddess of Wisdom is the one that takes care of it. Basically, it''s like a huge library. All stories are filled to the brim with books and scrolls, detailing all the knowledge of the Nine Heavens. I think there''s a copy of every book in there that has ever been written here."


    He didn''t dare to look at the place, a few memories unwittingly turning up in his mind. One day, he had been there with Jing He. Not inside but outside. He had held him in his arms and jumped up to the roof of the tower. That feeling of holding him in his arms, of being at a place where usually nobody would look, it was still etched into his mind. He just couldn''t help himself. Recalling it, his gaze unwittingly softened.


    Every memory with Jing He was precious to him. No matter what he did, he would always think of it. That was just how it was. Even though he wanted to focus on Jing Yi as well, this place was just brimming with memories of Jing He. Yes, as long as they were here, he probably wouldn''t be able to not think about this matter all the time.

 Chapter 1289 - A Bit of Knowledge

    Unfortunately, for Qiu Ling, Jing Yi was intrigued when he heard more about the Tower of Wisdom. "A copy of every single book?" It had to be a place that held a lot of knowledge then. If he had time, he really would''ve liked to go there and have a look. The things he would be able to learn there ¡­ he couldn''t even imagine it. Thinking about it, he couldn''t help but tilt his head. "Compared to humans, the gods must be quite a bit ahead in everything, right?"


    Qiu Ling turned back, the direct question finally managing to make him focus. "What exactly do you mean?"


    "Well, they have this kind of place, where they can just look at everything. I don''t think something like that exists anywhere in the mortal realm. So they have quite the advantage, wouldn''t you say so? I could imagine that over time, this kind of thing would lead to them being ahead in everything. Alchemy, formations, cultivation, just everything. Or is what I said wrong?"


    Qiu Ling glanced from Jing Yi to the tower and back again and finally nodded faintly. "I guess you could say that you''re right. The gods ¡­ or I guess you could say the immortal races in general are quite knowledgeable when it comes to a lot of things. It isn''t that different in the dragon realm. But to a large degree, things are just different from the mortal realm.


    "Cultivation plays a huge part in the mortal realm but for the immortal races, it actually isn''t that important. You know we are born with what you need to reach through cultivation. Among the immortal races, not having spirit veins isn''t the average but an anomaly. You will hardly find a handful of people in either of the realms that have this kind of condition. It would be regarded as some kind of illness. And quite a serious one at that.


    "Also, our aptitude is usually high. An ascended deity or somebody that is on the brink of ascending is an extremely powerful person in the mortal realm but they don''t count for much in the mortal realms."


    Jing Yi slightly furrowed his brows. Somebody that had just ascended ¡­ so basically like him, right? He was precisely in that kind of situation. "Then what could such a person be compared to in the mortal realms? I mean if I wanted to have a fight with somebody, then who could I go up against?"


    Qiu Ling''s gaze immediately became complicated again when Jing Yi mentioned fighting. Even now, after a thousand years had passed, he still staunchly refused to teach Jing Yi anything about fighting. He had shown him willingly how to defend himself but not a single attack. So what was Jing Yi supposed to fight with? In any case, he hadn''t learned that kind of knowledge from him. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-bit-of-knowledge_51952899202271516 for visiting.


    Jing Yi also realized his mistake and smiled wryly. "I''m not talking about me personally. I just mean a person like me. After all, I just ascended. And with how I was ambushed ¡­ I just wonder if there is ever somebody who would be able to get through that kind of situation. Was there ever somebody strong enough?"


    Qiu Ling could only look at him though. "That ¡­ that is a question only the gods would be able to answer. They are the ones who oversee the ascended deities and the trials. The dragons don''t really know much about it. The bit that I know about the trials and the inner workings of the Nine Heavens are all from the fact that I''ve long been the dragon king and have witnessed quite a few things over the course of time."


    Originally, he had wanted to say that this knowledge was from the ten years he had spent with Jing He when he really paid attention but finally, he changed his words like this. In any case, it wasn''t like he hadn''t learned quite a bit in his time on the throne. While he might not have interacted with the gods that much, it still couldn''t be said that he hadn''t known anything. At least the general things happening in the Nine Heavens had still been something he was aware of.


    Jing Yi gave him a smile, pretending that he didn''t know what was going through his head. "Well, you have been king for a long time. Of course, you would learn some things that others aren''t aware of. The gods must be happy that the alliance has been going on for so long. That certainly makes things easier on both sides, doesn''t it?"


    It sounded quite normal when he said it but inside, he was actually calculating. Qiu Ling might have never mentioned anything in particular but he knew exactly that he was smitten with Jing He because of the kind of person he was. He was definitely knowledgeable about both the gods and the dragons. So if he wanted to be better than him, then he needed to make up for that gap in knowledge. Only like that would he stand even the slightest chance.


    Thinking of that, Jing Yi couldn''t help but put on a pensive expression. "Say, can the Tower of Wisdom be used by just anyone? Or do only certain people have access to it?"


    Qiu Ling was confused at Jing Yi suddenly changing the subject but he was quite happy that he didn''t need to answer the previous question. "Well, from what I know, everyone should be able to use it. After all, these palaces are usually for governing everything in a certain department. Just like the Fate''s Scribe will write a fate for everyone who does a trial, and everybody is able to go to the Temple of Medicine to get help in case they were injured, everyone should also be able to go to the Tower of Wisdom to have a look at the books there.


    "If you want to, we could always go over." He smiled at that, hoping that Jing Yi would say yes. He didn''t mind showing him around but the more they walked, the more he remembered Jing He. If they could go to a specific place and spend more time there, he would really be happy. That way, he might think less of his beloved''s original self.

 Chapter 1290 - The Tower of Wisdom

    Jing Yi hesitated for a moment. He definitely wouldn''t mind going to take a look and finding out but he also didn''t want to miss out on being able to see more of the city. But then again, he would probably also be able to look around later on. Nobody said that they had to do it all immediately.


    Thinking of that, he finally nodded. "Yes, let''s do that. I guess in the end, we can just go and look around further when we have taken a look at the tower. There''s no need to do everything at once, is there? In any case, it''ll probably take a few days for them to come up with something, right?" Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/the-tower-of-wisdom_51976188930876930 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling felt complicated when Jing Yi said that. In any case, what this basically meant was ''they will need a few days before they decide how to kill me'', didn''t it? That was definitely something he didn''t want Jing Yi to think about it. But he was right. Sooner or later, the gods would come up with something. Thinking of that, he sighed and then nodded. "Yes, it probably will."


    Jing Yi smiled and grabbed his arm, forcing himself to show a smile. "Don''t look like that. You''ll make me feel guilty for saying it in the first place and making you unhappy. It''s okay. I know that this isn''t your fault. This is just how things are. I''m sure we''ll be able to deal with it somehow."


    Qiu Ling nodded but he didn''t really feel happy. If he could, he definitely wanted to make things easier for Jing Yi. "Well, let''s go then. If there''s something else you want to take a closer look at, just tell me. I''ll take you there."


    Jing Yi nodded and continued to hold onto his arm. "Yes, don''t worry. I''ll tell you if I think of something."


    The two of them went over to the Tower of Wisdom while Jing Yi pondered what he had found out so far. He was a little angry about the thing with the scroll of fate but that Fate''s Scribe had just done his job. He would like to go and find out what exactly his original fate said but he didn''t know if it was possible. That was something he would either have to ask Qiu Ling or he would have to find out here in the Tower of Wisdom. He didn''t really think that Qiu Ling would be able to give him an answer so it would likely be the latter.


    Then, he would also like to find out more about the people that were close to Jing He. He didn''t know what he could do with that kind of knowledge but just having it in the first place might be helpful later on. The easiest person to approach would probably be his uncle. They had already met once and back then, he hadn''t shown any bad attitude. Even today, he had seemed a little apologetic. He was definitely much better than Jing Yi''s parents, especially his father. So if he wanted to make some progress and could somehow use these people for that, then Jing He''s uncle would be the first he should start with. After that would come the Heavenly Empress, and then finally, the Heavenly Emperor, even though he didn''t hold much hope in regard to him.


    Finally, the two of them reached the steps to the door of the Tower of Wisdom.


    Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling, wanting him to take the lead.


    Qiu Ling looked at him and wasn''t quite sure how to proceed. "Well, let''s go in then?"


    Jing Yi nodded and continued to hold onto his arm, trying to put on a good expression. So far, most people wouldn''t know who he was. Aside from Jing He''s family and that God of Justice, there had only been the soldiers and officials at that moment. Nobody else should be aware of his identity. So leaving others with a good first impression would be for the best.


    The two of them stepped inside and Jing Yi''s gaze swept around. There weren''t many people. In fact, at first glance, this Tower of Wisdom seemed pretty much deserted. There was a counter not far from the door but other than that, there were just rows upon rows of shelves with books and scrolls, pretty much like what Qiu Ling had said. In between the shelves, he could not see a single person and only faintly heard somebody''s steps somewhere further away. At least on this first floor, there shouldn''t really be anyone other than them, that person, and the clerk at the counter.


    Speaking of that one, the clerk glanced up when he heard steps and then immediately sat up straighter when he realized who one of them was. "Longjun!"


    Qiu Ling looked over and then motioned for Jing Yi to go there, leading him over.


    The clerk seemed flattered that this bigshot would actually come over when he greeted him, and hurriedly stood up to show his appreciation. "Is there something specific that Longjun is looking for?"


    Qiu Ling looked at him, feeling a bit complicated. This guy looked a bit like he was stunned to see him but also happy. He really hadn''t known that there were gods that he had that kind of appeal to. Well, even if there were some, he would''ve thought that they would be in the palace of the God of War and not in the Tower of Wisdom. He definitely wasn''t known as the wise king of the dragon race after all. If anything, he was better known as a warrior.


    Nonetheless, Qiu Ling cleared his throat and tried to look serious, forcing himself not to revert back to how he had been behaving for the last millennia. "Well, I''m currently staying in the Nine Heavens. I also brought one of my advisers with me, An Bai. You probably know that he is a well-known scholar of my race. I wonder if it would be alright for him to just come over here and take a look around?"


    Jing Yi looked at him, feeling like his worldview was refreshed when he saw just how easily Qiu Ling was able to spout such a lie. He probably shouldn''t be surprised. After all, he had often heard him spout nonsense in the past as well. It was just that he would''ve thought things would be different in the immortal realms. But it seemed that some things just never changed.


    The clerk hurriedly nodded. "Of course, of course. It would be our honor to receive scholar An Bai. In any case, the Tower of Wisdom is open to anyone. All the books can be used inside the tower. If he wants to take one of them with them, he can do so for most and just needs to register them here at the counter. There are some restricted areas that books cannot be taken out of but they are clearly marked as such. When in doubt, he can always ask one of the clerks of our tower though."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "He will be happy to hear that. Thank you. Then, we will also go and take a look around. Or what do you think?" He turned to Jing Yi, pretending that this had just been a casual idea he had at the moment and not the reason they had come here in the first place.


    Jing Yi smiled, playing along. "Well, I do have to admit that I am quite curious myself. Let''s go and take a look."


    Qiu Ling nodded, then inclined his head toward the clerk in thanks and turned around to lead Jing Yi to one of the corridors between the shelves.

 Chapter 1291 - A Lovely Illusion

    "Are you looking for something specific?" Qiu Ling watched as Jing Yi walked down the row, his fingertips lightly trailing the spines of the books. Come to think of it, he had never seen Jing He in this kind of situation even though he could very well imagine it. After all, Jing He had often spent time in his studies and there had regularly been books lying around as well. Clearly, he had been coming to the Tower of Wisdom to get books every now and then.


    For a moment, Qiu Ling actually had the faint illusion of seeing Jing He in front of him: He was clad in a blue robe just like the scholars in the mortal realm often were, his black hair hanging down his back, shimmering in the dimmed lights of the tower and showing off the youthful charm beneath his serious demeanor. His slender fingers touched the spine of a book and gracefully brushed over the title before he pulled it out. He looked over his shoulder, his gaze soft and a faint smile on his lips while he opened the book and finally turned back to it.


    What would he say at that moment?


    ''I think that it doesn''t matter too much. All kind of knowledge is valuable. If Longjun wants to know what I''d be interested to know more about, then there would be a few questions. When it concerns the dragon race, I think I would prefer to ask Longjun himself though.''


    Qiu Ling hurriedly looked away, his heart beating irregularly. Yes, this was definitely the kind of thing Jing He would''ve said on the day when they had gone to the roof of the Tower of Wisdom. After the ten years had passed, or if Jing He woke up now and they came here, things might be a bit more intimate. The kind of thing that Jing He would want to look up right now ¡­ it might be the wedding customs of the dragon race.


    Thinking of that, Qiu Ling''s heart beat even faster. He remembered how when he came to see Jinde and Leng Jin Yu, there had been a book about the customs of the mortal realm on the table. Clearly, they had been preparing quite well for their wedding. When it was Jing He ¡­ he would definitely not be any less thorough. After all, he was also somebody who did not want to commit any mistakes. He would absolutely make sure to find out whatever he could.


    And when he did ¡­ Thinking of the scene where Jing He would finally stumble upon a book that detailed the process, Qiu Ling couldn''t help but gulp. Jing He would definitely be appalled when he saw how the dragons actually married. This kind of simple and crude process ¡­ he didn''t even want to mention it to him. When they really prepared to get married, he would have to think about that kind of problem.


    While he was lost in his thoughts, Jing Yi looked at him, his brows slowly wandering higher. Finally, he couldn''t help but tug at his sleeve. "Qiu Ling?"


    Qiu Ling was pulled out of his thoughts and hurriedly turned back to Jing Yi, raising his brows as well. "What''s the matter, my love?"


    Jing Yi stared at him, faintly realizing just what he had been thinking of. "Did you hear what I said?"


    Qiu Ling stared back at him, inwardly chastising himself. "You were saying ¡­ that you weren''t looking for anything specific." He tried to put some conviction behind it but unfortunately, he had gotten it wrong. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-lovely-illusion_51999302012160435 for visiting.


    "I said it would be nice if I could find books that introduce some of the things that are to know about the Nine Heavens in a manner that doesn''t require me to have a lot of background knowledge."


    Qiu Ling closed his mouth, feeling like slapping his own face. Yeah, why hadn''t he just said that he didn''t really register what he had said? Now, he had made himself look stupid. "Well, that''s a good idea."


    Jing Yi continued to look at him, trying not to be too disappointed. "Have you come here with Jing He before?"


    Qiu Ling continued to look at him, feeling like there was the knife being twisted in his gut. "No, I didn''t."


    Jing Yi nodded slowly. "I would''ve thought that was the case. With you being so easily distracted, I thought you would have recalled some memories. This place must be quite full of them. I mean, not necessarily just this tower but the capital of the Nine Heavens. After all, this is where you met and spent all your time with him. It''s quite logical that you would recall things every now and then. I''m not angry if you are worried about that."


    Qiu Ling looked at him for a moment, not sure how to answer. In the end, he reached out and took his hand, gently holding it. "I''m sorry." He sounded a little hoarse when he said so, his guilty conscience clearly audible.


    Back in the mortal realm, before he had known about Jing He, Jing Yi would have been distressed for his sake and immediately moved to comfort him. Right now though, he couldn''t help but feel that Qiu Ling had done this to himself. Nobody was forcing him to act like this. If he would just decide on one of them, this wouldn''t be happening. In any case, Qiu Ling could live his own life, nobody was threatening him for some other self of his. His troubles ¡­ he had created them on his own. It really was difficult to pity him considering his own situation.

 Chapter 1292 - He Had Been Wrong All Along

    Qiu Ling had no trouble seeing through Jing Yi''s thoughts at this moment. His expression and the way he had looked at him right now ¡­ it was obvious what was going through his mind. He would need to be an idiot not to see that.


    When he noticed, he smiled wryly. He definitely deserved this kind of treatment. After all, this whole situation was pretty much his fault. And also, he had to admit that he was a bit relieved seeing Jing Yi act like this. This whole day ¡ª since the moment An Bai and Xiang Yong had voiced their displeasure about his treatment of the Heavenly Empress that was ¡ª he had felt a bit unaccustomed to the way Jing Yi acted.


    Clearly, Jing Yi should be unhappy about what was happening to him. After all, no matter how you looked at it, it wasn''t fair for him to have to give up his life in exchange for Jing He''s. After all, while Jing He had more or less willingly gone on this trial, the same couldn''t be said for Jing Yi. He had been born without his knowledge and had only come to find out much later. Now, how could he be expected to just go along with it? That just didn''t seem right.


    So by all means, Jing Yi should be angry. He should be making a fuss about it and demanding that his life was also valued. To just casually accept and go along with everything, promising that he just wanted to see a few more things to have an easier time ¡­ that just wasn''t right. It wasn''t him. And this kind of deceptive lie was something that made things more difficult. It would be good if he was just honest about this. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/he-had-been-wrong-all-along_52022556055630535 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling finally sighed. Maybe it was his behavior that had made Jing Yi feel that he couldn''t say his true thoughts. After all, he had also echoed what An Bai and Xiang Yong had said. "It''s alright. You don''t just have to take everything in stride. You can be angry. I don''t think that anybody expects you not to be."


    Jing Yi slightly raised his brows but still pretended that nothing of the like was the case. "I''m not. I just expected that you would react like this. I was just making a statement." He turned away, seemingly looking at the books in front of him again.


    Qiu Ling didn''t let it fool him. He looked at Jing Yi, a hint of regret contained in his gaze. It was him who had made him become like this. Now, there was no way to change things anymore. This had been going on for far too long. No matter what he tried, it would be difficult to solve the situation.


    The resentment that Jing Yi already carried would likely not be cleared until the day he died. And then, Jing He would have to grapple with that as well on top of everything else he would suddenly be confronted with. In fact, treating Jing Yi well was also treating Jing He well. He might not know yet how he was going to explain to him but if he was cruel to Jing Yi, then Jing He would remember that and considering that he was his lover, that would make things even more difficult.


    Yes, looking at Jing Yi right now, and seeing what this whole situation was doing to him, that it would even drive him to lie to his face like this, he suddenly realized that maybe he had been wrong all along. Jing He had carved his soul because he was unwilling to be with anybody else. Jing Yi hadn''t had a choice. He had been bound to fall in love with him because that had been Jing He''s will. Even now, he couldn''t extricate himself unless he was willing to erase the engraving on his soul which would probably hurt him even more than it had Jing He to do the original coming. And what would the end result be? It was hard to say. So no matter what he wanted, he was stuck in the situation.


    At the same time, even if Jing He had originally thought that his mortal reincarnation would just never fall in love and stay alone, that already hadn''t happened. They had met and they had fallen in love. Jing He might not have ever thought about this but it was a logical consequence of his own actions. Maybe he should trust that Jing He would see this as a sign of his love instead of a betrayal. It might not be easy to make him see it that way but right now, Qiu Ling felt that there might indeed still be a way for that.


    Qiu Ling didn''t say anything about it though and just kept quiet, silently following Jing Yi through the rows of bookshelves. This was something that he had to slowly think through. In fact, getting a second opinion sounded like a good idea as well. After all, he had rushed headfirst into things way too often with terrible results. It was better to take it slow now and think of all the possible outcomes that this might bring. Then, he would feel a lot calmer and the chance of hurting neither Jing Yi nor Jing He would be higher as well.


    If he could truly achieve that, it would be for the best. And even if not ¡­ maybe there was some other way to deal with this. It would definitely be best to try finding one. For now, he just had to be patient.

 Chapter 1293 - Perish Together?

    Jing Yi continued to stroll around between the bookshelves, looking at the books inside randomly. To be honest, he didn''t really feel like doing this anymore. With Qiu Ling directly behind him, he wasn''t at ease looking up the things he wanted to know for fear of being discovered. And also, he couldn''t deny that he was in a bit of a bad mood. All of this just reminded him that he wasn''t that important to Qiu Ling.


    No matter what he said, that wouldn''t change. Qiu Ling could pretend however much he wanted but in his heart, there would only ever be Jing He. What did a small mortal like him count for? Jing Yi gave a self-deprecating smile and then turned to Qiu Ling, motioning outside. "I think I''ve seen enough. We can leave."


    Qiu Ling continued to look at him as if he was trying to make sure what exactly he meant. Finally, he raised his brows. "Weren''t you looking for something? If you don''t feel at ease doing so here, you can just take a few of the books with you. In any case, there isn''t much to do in the palace. You might become bored inside."


    Jing Yi couldn''t deny that what Qiu Ling was saying made sense. "Well, I guess I could choose something." He turned to the shelf next to him and just picked out a few books at random, not thinking about it too much. In any case, this was just so he could pass some time. It didn''t really matter what he took.


    "Finished?"


    Jing Yi nodded and the two of them went back to the clerk, letting him register the books before they indeed left the Tower of Wisdom. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/perish-together_52045738410042083 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling turned to glance at Jing Yi and raised his brows. "Do you want to go back to the palace directly?"


    Jing Yi nodded but didn''t say anything else. Clearly, he was still displeased.


    Qiu Ling kept quiet, not trying to pacify him for the time being. In any case, since it was his behavior that had pushed Jing Yi to this point, he couldn''t just casually ask for his forgiveness. First, he needed to make up his mind. Then, when he was really sure that he wouldn''t just backpedal again in a few hours, he could bring it up. Before that, it would just invite more disaster.


    Jing Yi actually felt unaccustomed to Qiu Ling being so quiet. Even though this matter with Jing He stood between them, he had never behaved like this before. Just what was different now? Had he caught onto something? Was he really angry? He couldn''t help but glance at Qiu Ling, the worry in his gaze evident.


    Seeing this, Qiu Ling actually felt his heart stir. He looked at him for a moment and then reached out, brushing through his hair. "Don''t think too much. This situation ¡­ well, even though we''ve known for quite some time that it would come, talking about it and actually living it are still two different things altogether. Let''s just give both of us a bit of time to learn how to deal with it. When we have, I''m sure things will get easier."


    Jing Yi lowered his gaze, not quite sure what to say to that. In the end, he could only shake his head. "You can give yourself as much time as you want to. I''m afraid that that is a luxury I can''t afford though. You also know how this will end for me. By the time I could come to terms with it, I might long be gone already."


    Qiu Ling wasn''t sure how to respond to that. Jing Yi''s words might sound harsh but they were the truth as well. He carefully considered his words for a moment, not wanting to either dismiss Jing Yi''s feelings or give him any undue hope. In the end, he just sighed. "I don''t know what to say to that. Even if the gods wouldn''t find a way to deal with this, at the end of the day, there will likely come a day where you will die. Even if that is because of a natural. And then, Jing He would return. If it isn''t that the two of us coincidentally perish together, then the result would always be that I will be with Jing He afterward." He knew Jing Yi wouldn''t like to hear it but he couldn''t deny it. As long as Jing Yi left before him, he would return to Jing He''s side. After all, he had promised him. How could he casually break his word?


    Jing Yi nodded. "And I guess I can''t expect to perish with somebody as high and mighty as the dragon king."


    Qiu Ling looked at him, not quite sure what to say. If it was Jing He ¡­ he probably wouldn''t have hesitated even a single moment to tell him that he would perish together with him. In any case, how many dragons that had bound their soul were able to outlive their partners? While it wasn''t completely impossible, it was very unlikely. Most would turn crazy on the very same day. Even if they didn''t take their own lives, they were likely to court death.


    But in this case ¡­ he knew that there was a Jing He where Jing Yi would cease to exist. So when he lost this one and got the other one back, he would likely stay sane, right?


    Qiu Ling sighed, not quite sure what to say. "Don''t tell me you want me to die with you?" He turned to look at Jing Yi, slightly raising his brows.


    This time, Jing Yi didn''t know what to say. "I don''t." No, it''s not you who I want to see dead. The thought unwittingly crossed his mind, making Jing Yi clench his fists. Deep down, he probably indeed wished for Jing He''s death. Because only in this way would he be free. But that was naturally something he could never say out loud. He didn''t need to be told. If he dared to follow along the line of that thought, he was afraid that the chasm between him and Qiu Ling would only grow further.

 Chapter 1294 - He Didn’t Know Enough

    The two of them fell silent afterward and made their way over to the palace without saying another word. Both were having their own thoughts in their mind, not quite sure what to say or do. It really seemed that right now, the situation between them was at an all-time low. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/he-didn%E2%80%99t-know-enough_52068883183489806 for visiting.


    When they arrived, Qiu Ling gave Jing Yi a careful look, still not quite sure how to deal with the situation. He felt even more that it would be best to find a way to deal with this soon. Thus, he gave a faint smile and then nodded to the books in Jing Yi''s hands. "Do you want to go and read them immediately?"


    Since Jing Yi was pretty much at a loss as well, he nodded his head and then just went to the table where they had been sitting before, putting the books down, and taking a seat.


    Qiu Ling glanced at him, feeling a little pained in his heart. Things really were difficult. It would be nice if they could find a way to deal with everything. Unfortunately, he didn''t think it would happen anytime soon. He looked at him for a moment longer and then motioned to one of the other rooms. "Then, I''ll go to speak with An Bai and Xiang Yong. If you need anything, you know how to find me."


    Jing Yi nodded without turning his head. He only looked up when Qiu Ling''s steps had receded outside the room. After being left alone, he couldn''t help but sigh. This situation ¡­ he really didn''t know what to do about it anymore. He wasn''t sure if he could live with it if it continued being like this.


    He just wanted to be special in Qiu Ling''s eyes too. To be loved by him, not because of the fact that he was Jing He''s reincarnation but because he was important all by himself. But no matter what he did, it just didn''t work out. He was never good enough. And most likely, even up until the moment when he breathed his last, he would never be. Because to Qiu Ling, nobody could ever beat Jing He who already had this special position in his heart.


    "You are too biased, do you realize that?" He shook his head and then turned back to the books in front of him. In any case, if there was nothing else he could do, then he might as well follow his original intention and read up a little bit on the matters of the immortal realms. He didn''t know what to use it for yet but maybe he would find a way. In any case, while the chances might be low, it could never hurt to try. A lot of times in his life, things had worked out that way.


    Looking at the books, it was hard to say if he had been lucky with what he grabbed or not. Some of these were rather narrow in their topics, one of them dealing with a specific kind of plant that could only be found in the immortal realms, another one being a book recounting the troubles of somebody who might''ve been a famous person in one of the three immortal realms, and yet another speaking about some form of arrays that he didn''t understand at all.


    On the other hand, there were also some that were more helpful. The one that he put the most hopes on was one that recounted the history of the Nine Heavens. He narrowed his eyes and pulled the book closer, slowly starting to skim through it. He actually didn''t know too much about the immortal realms.


    While Qiu Ling had told him a little bit in the time that they had been together, he naturally couldn''t compare with the type of knowledge that Jing He definitely had. Even the most basic questions about the realms ¡­ he wouldn''t be able to answer. He vaguely knew that the name of the Nine Heavens was pretty descriptive because there were eight states other than the capital, meaning that the whole realm was made up of nine parts ¡ª or, well, Heavens ¡ª under the rule of the Heavenly Emperor.


    He also knew that there were differences between the immortal and mortal realms in terms of the type of creatures and plants one could encounter and Qiu Ling had mentioned just today that the cultivation of the humans wasn''t important to any of the immortal races.


    But other than these few things, Jing Yi actually didn''t know what the realms and races were like. The differences between these places, how they had come to be, what exactly made a god a god and a dragon a dragon ¡­ He really had no idea. In this type of world, he was ignorant like a child. Starting from this kind of basic information was a bit embarrassing but it was the best he could do. Trying to look at the finer details would just make him confused.


    He sighed and then slowly started to read. In any case, every bit of information that he could get was good. Maybe he would unexpectedly have more time in the Nine Heavens than he expected right now. Then, he would be able to read up on quite a few things. Also, the history of the Nine Heavens would probably also include things like Tian''s curse, right? So there might also be some information about the trials that he could make use of.


    Telling himself this, he started to read more carefully, paying attention to anything that might be of help to him. Unfortunately, this kind of introduction to the topic really couldn''t amount to much. By the time he finished reading, he felt like while he had a bit more information in his hands, there was still not even a hint of a solution in there. He would definitely have to find out much more if he really wanted to make significant progress.


    It was just ¡­ he was afraid that it would take way too much time. After all, looking outside ¡­ His expression dimmed a little when he saw that the last light of the day had already faded and night had arrived. If he didn''t get more than just a few days, then there really was no way for him to save himself.

 Chapter 1295 - Insist on a Final Struggle

    From the bit that he understood right now, all the immortal realms had been created by Tian. The immortal races had also been crafted by him. Even the wisdom that had allowed them to shape their society was given by him. Only over time had things changed based on the races'' own perception of life.


    This had also caused some conflict. While originally, the immortal races had gotten along quite well, things started to become more difficult with time going on. When the dragons and demons became their own race, it was already apparent that things would likely not turn out well. And with time, the gods had also been pulled into that conflict, many wars arising over who was supposed to reign over whom.


    Thinking about it, this conflict originally hadn''t had anything to do with the gods but had been between the other two races instead. Still, in the end, neither of them could extricate themselves. The gods and dragons had allied together while the demons stood alone on the other side. Despite that, there had never been a clear-cut winner.


    It probably wasn''t surprising. After all, the gods were the gods, the dragons were the dragons, but there were actually several different tribes in the demon race. To call them just one race was actually a bit of an oversimplification. They came in all shapes and sizes. Their levels were also different in that to a degree that could not be compared to the difference in strength that differentiated the gods and dragons among each other.


    No, this wasn''t simply being a bit more gifted or a bit less. This was a completely different quality. The kind of bloodline that one was born into could change everything for these people. Those who were born in a tribe with low qualifications could never hope to achieve more in their life than what was the norm for their tribe. On the other hand, even those less gifted among a tribe with higher qualifications could still dominate over them just because of who they had been borne from. It was actually a bit infuriating when he thought about it. A person''s individual struggles couldn''t change anything. Clearly, it would make some of them upset.


    Jing Yi finally closed the book, sighing to himself. He didn''t quite know what to make of this. The impression that he had of the demons ¡ª or any of the other immortal races for that matter ¡ª wasn''t strong. He could only believe whatever it was this book said.


    To be honest, he was left with more questions than answers though. The thing he was most curious about was Tian. He had heard of him before and he did remember that his previous self had also been quite interested in him. But he didn''t really understand just who this person was other than that he had created different races and realms.


    From what Jing Yi understood, even an ascended deity or a strong cultivator could create another realm in the mortal realm. Creating living creatures though ¡­ that was something that couldn''t be done as simply as that. No, a special kind of power would be necessary for that. He wasn''t sure if the gods were able to do it. So, was Tian one of them? Was he a god? But that didn''t make sense if he had created them. Just like he likely wasn''t a dragon or demon either. He had to be something completely else. Something even more powerful than all of them combined. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/insist-on-a-final-struggle_52092590329226177 for visiting.


    Thinking about it, Jing Yi couldn''t help but be in a bit of a daze. Qiu Ling had said that an ascended deity like him that would be counted as being incredibly powerful in the mortal realm wouldn''t stand a chance against most of the gods in the Nine Heavens. And these gods that were powerful beyond belief to him were nothing in the eyes of Tian. It was quite strange. Depending on which perspective one took, things could change so easily. Who was strong and who wasn''t, who was important and who wasn''t ¡­ it all just depended on where you stood.


    Thinking back to his own encounter with Tian, Jing Yi actually felt a little puzzled. That man had helped him heal his fractured soul. And the things he had said back then indicated that he knew quite a bit about these things. That definitely fit with somebody who was knowledgeable about all the races and their features.


    At the same time, healing a soul seemed to be something that couldn''t just casually be done by people. Also, he had never seen anybody else save for Tian and that person he had met in the demon king''s palace open a portal that could transport you from one realm to the other. This also showed that he was definitely a special kind of person.


    How special he was though ¡­ Jing Yi had a hard time wrapping his head around that. Creating entire realms, or no, an entire world was already completely inexplicable to him. Creating people ¡­ that was even more astonishing. He was pretty sure that no cultivator would ever be able to do it. And while he knew that in the mortal realm, there were a few stories of how humans had come to be which was usually that the gods had had some kind of hand in it, he really didn''t think that this was the truth.


    The gods were ¡­ quite normal, actually. The bit that he had seen today and what he had gleaned from Jing He''s memory showed as much. He just didn''t think that they would be able to do what Tian did. Or maybe he was just telling himself that because he didn''t want to build Jing He up even more in his mind. After all, it was difficult enough to fall short everywhere else. If Jing He actually had this type of ability, he really wouldn''t know how to deal with it.


    Thinking about it for a moment, Jing Yi finally shook his head. This was something that he would either have to ask Qiu Ling about or look up in the Tower of Wisdom. The latter would be much more difficult but he would also be a little embarrassed if he went to ask Qiu Ling these kinds of questions. He really didn''t want to seem that uneducated. But then again, he hardly had another choice. There was only limited time and he had to use every moment.


    Thinking of that, Jing Yi finally shook his head, and pulled over the other books, starting to read. No matter what they were about, if he was able to learn even a single thing from them, then it already would''ve helped. Even if this was a fight he was destined to lose, he didn''t want to give up this easily. No, he would insist on this final struggle.

 Chapter 1296 - Not Easy to Answer

    At the same time, Qiu Ling had gone over to the room where An Bai was staying. Quite untypical for him, he knocked on the door and waited for An Bai''s response.


    At that moment, Xiang Yong had also been in the room, discussing with An Bai how they should act going forward. Seeing that their king actually behave normally, the two of them received a bit of a shock and exchanged a glance. It seemed that after he had confessed to them, he had indeed shed all pretenses and returned to behaving like a normal person. This was probably the real him.


    For a moment, the two of them had some trouble adapting. But at the same time, they couldn''t help but feel the awe that they had originally felt for him. This was indeed the king of the dragon race, the person who had ensured a low number of casualties despite the ongoing war with the demons, the one who had gone out to the battlefield himself to ensure the safety of his people and reigned alone for several hundred years before taking in his first adviser.


    Just thinking that this might be how Qiu Ling would be always in the future, An Bai couldn''t help but smile faintly. This was the king worthy to support. This was the man he had seen back then. He was happy to finally have the chance to serve him.


    He lowered his gaze, pushing the thought away. In any case, this was the new normal. The sooner he got used to it, the better. He inclined his head, motioning for Qiu Ling to take a seat. "What may I do for you, Your Majesty?" Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/not-easy-to-answer_52115349075713436 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling went over and sat down, waiting for the two of them to seat themselves as well. Only then did he start to explain slowly. "I ¡­ need some advice." He felt a little strange saying this, especially when he saw that the other two actually exchanged a glance afterward. His previous behavior really must''ve left them without any expectations of him. To think that he had let it go on for so long ¡­


    After a moment, An Bai and Xiang Yong turned back to him though. "I assume Your Majesty means the situation with His Highness and his reincarnation?"


    Qiu Ling hesitated for a moment and then gave a faint nod. "The general solution to the situation is probably something that we will have to rely on the gods for to a large degree. What I''m considering is what I should personally do." He fell silent for a moment and his brows furrowed. "In fact, what you told the gods makes sense. Since I am bound to Jing He''s soul, any injury to Jing Yi that I fail to prevent even though I know that they are out to kill him would probably come at a cost for me.


    "But that situation is taken care of more or less. Right now, we just have to wait and slowly figure it out. The problem is that for the time being, that also means that Jing Yi will continue to be at my side. Especially now that we are in the Nine Heavens, it is quite difficult, to be honest."


    An Bai gave a faint hum. "He carries His Highness''s soul but ¡­ Your Majesty is well aware of the fact that His Highness is not dead. He is just waiting for the soul to return to him so you feel conflicted. You feel drawn to both of them and you don''t want to hurt either side but in the process of trying to do that, you are currently hurting the crown prince''s mortal reincarnation."


    Qiu Ling nodded, actually feeling a bit relieved when An Bai managed to succinctly summarize his thoughts on the matter. "That, and I''m also a bit worried about what will happen after Jing He wakes up. The Heavenly Empress actually warned me about that today. She mentioned that considering his personality, it could be that Jing He will have trouble accepting how I retreated Jing Yi."


    An Bai narrowed his eyes, thinking of how he had gotten to know the crown prince. That person was definitely somebody who was gentle and refined. He definitely wasn''t one to throw a tantrum over anything but he might be prone to over-analyzing things. "So Your Majesty is now in the dilemma of how to treat Zhong Jing Yi. If you treat him well, you are afraid that His Highness could misunderstand. But not treating him well isn''t really an option because of your feelings for him."


    "Yes, and Jing He will also remember how I treated him. Treating his reincarnation badly despite the fact that I know that it''s him and he will remember ¡­ How does that look? I just feel that I''m damned if I do and damned if I don''t. No matter what decision I make, there will always be the possibility of hurting Jing He." He turned to An Bai, his gaze questioning. "You know Jing He a little. If I was to treat Jing Yi well, just like I would treat Jing He, and then there came the time when Jing He would wake up, do you think there''s a possibility to explain things to him? In a matter that will make it clear to him that he isn''t being replaced or less important to me now?"


    An Bai requited his king''s gaze for a moment, and seeing the hint of fear in there, he took a moment longer to consider things. A dragon''s partner was always something that had to be treated carefully. Even more so if it was somebody to who the dragon had bound their soul. And in this situation, things really weren''t simple. He did feel like the Son of Heaven would be willing to listen to any explanation that the dragon king gave but what exactly to say would be what decided whether or not that explanation would make him let go of any worries or not. Thus, the question really wasn''t easy to answer.

 Chapter 1297 - A Way to Make Him Suffer Less

    Not hearing an answer from An Bai, Qiu Ling couldn''t help but start to worry again. Could it be that An Bai felt that it was impossible to explain this matter to Jing He? What was he supposed to do then? He definitely couldn''t just let things continue like this. He had to make a decision. And he was afraid that the only decision he could make was to treat Jing Yi as well as possible and then explain to Jing He. He didn''t think that his heart would be able to take it if he did anything else. If there was no way to explain to Jing He though ¡­ then that completely changed everything. Not in a good way though.


    An Bai looked up and noticed his king''s expression. He gave a faint smile and shook his head. "Don''t think too much, Your Majesty. I think that in general, this matter should be doable. It is just that I also have a hard time coming up with a way to explain things on the spot. I guess I just need a bit more time to figure things out."


    Qiu Ling heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that. "So it was like this. Well, that shouldn''t be the problem. In any case, I don''t think that Jing He will be waking up that soon. The gods will have to consider all the options first and then have a talk with us to make sure that it will not cause more troubles on our end. Only after that would they be able to put into action whatever it is that they came up with. Even if they are fast, it should at least take a few days. A few weeks are even more likely."


    An Bai nodded at that. "That is what I think too. Speaking of which ¡­" He glanced at Xiang Yong when he remembered their conversation from before. "I hope I didn''t do the wrong thing but I volunteered to help the gods out."


    Qiu Ling raised his brows but he didn''t actually have anything against it. "Don''t think too much. The current situation isn''t easy. I''m afraid that without working together, this matter will only drag on further. And while I do feel sorry toward Jing Yi, at the heart of the matter, I think both of us also realize that things can''t just continue like this. We need some kind of conclusion. It''s just like this."


    An Bai nodded at that. "I''m afraid that Your Majesty is right in that regard. The longer this drags on, the more difficult it will be to solve. So it would be best if a solution was found soon. I''m just not sure ¡­" His expression became a little complicated, making Qiu Ling raise his brows.


    "Just go ahead. In any case, no matter what you say, I won''t get angry."


    An Bai wasn''t used to this side of his king either. He looked at him for a moment but finally nodded. He needed to learn to trust him. There really was no reason why he shouldn''t do so. "Well, His Highness''s mortal reincarnation likely won''t be happy no matter what kind of solution is found. Even if it is a nonviolent one, it still means that he has to give up his life. Whether one is a human or a god, no one wants to die. I think that much is unsurprising." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-way-to-make-him-suffer-less_52138496818737572 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling couldn''t help but sigh when An Bai mentioned that. "Of course. I never held any illusions that this would be easy on that side. But there''s nothing I can do, is there? We can find a way that will not implicate me and still allow Jing He to return but it still can''t change anything for Jing Yi. But what else am I supposed to do? We can''t let him live on either."


    An Bai nodded, not quite sure what else to say to that. In any case, the situation had always been like this. The two of them fell quiet, both considering the problem. Finally, it was Xiang Yong who spoke up.


    "There''s no way to change this fact but there might be a way to make this less difficult."


    Qiu Ling glanced over. "What do you mean?" If there was a way to make this any better for Jing Yi, even if it wasn''t much, he would definitely do it. No matter how hard it would be to implement whatever Xiang Yong had thought of, he would be willing to give it try.


    "Before the trials, the gods drink some of the water from the river of forgetfulness, don''t they?" He glanced at An Bai to make sure that he had gotten it right.


    The other dragon nodded. "Yes, this is to make them temporarily forget about their lives. It is the reason why they won''t be reborn in the mortal world with their memories intact."


    Xiang Yong nodded. This was pretty much what he had expected. "Well, in that case, maybe we could make use of that. Just give him some of the water and let him forget. Then after that, we could implement whatever it is the gods want. At that moment, he wouldn''t really feel much about it because he wouldn''t know what happened beforehand and might not even know enough to realize what is going on."


    Qiu Ling slightly furrowed his brows. To be honest, the idea was ingenious. It would allow them to reduce Jing Yi''s suffering and make things easier for them as well. It was just ¡­ he wasn''t quite sure if he could really do such a sneaky thing. Well, he was quite good at doing sneaky things in general but it just felt sc.u.mmy to do that to his own lover.


    Xiang Yong slightly raised his brows, somewhat being able to guess what Qiu Ling was thinking. "You don''t have to decide immediately, Your Majesty. Just keep this option at the back of your head. In any case, we still need to wait for the gods to decide on how they''re going to solve this matter. Only then would there be a need to make decisions on how exactly to implement it."


    Even though he didn''t feel good about it, Qiu Ling still nodded. "Let''s do it that way then." In any case, maybe they would be able to think of something else. After all, for now, there was still some time.

 Chapter 1298 - I Am Sorry

    After finishing his talk with An Bai and Xiang Yong, Qiu Ling returned to the room where Jing Yi was still sitting and reading the books. He stopped in the doorway and watched him for a moment, actually feeling a bit better than before. As it seemed, talking with somebody else about his problems was really helpful. He smiled faintly and then went over, reaching down and giving Jing Yi a hug from behind. "I''m sorry."


    Jing Yi hadn''t noticed that Qiu Ling came in and turned around with a surprised expression, not quite sure what to think of this. "What do you mean?" Even though their general situation was a little tense, it also couldn''t be called Qiu Ling''s fault. In any case, there was nothing he could do about it. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/i-am-sorry_52140044617571272 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling continued to hold onto him, his brows slightly furrowing. "These last few days ¡­ I was a bit muddleheaded. All the time, I was having a guilty conscience towards either Jing He or you. And because of that, I guess I wasn''t quite like usual and that probably made you feel neglected and maybe even scared because of the current situation. I''m sorry about that. It shouldn''t have happened."


    Jing Yi''s expression became difficult at that. He definitely wished that things could go back to how they had been before. That they could just spend every single day together, being the happy couple they had originally started out as. But he also knew that with the situation they were in that wouldn''t be possible. To have Qiu Ling say something like this now actually gave him a bit of hope but thinking about it further, he knew that it also wouldn''t change anything.


    "Even if you say so, it won''t change the heart of the matter. There''s still no way for Jing He and me to exist at the same time. There''s no way for him to wake up before I die. It''s not that I don''t understand that. So I know why you are feeling conflicted."


    Qiu Ling let go of him, pulled the other chair over, and then sat down in front of him. He reached out and took his hands, looking at them thoughtfully. "It can indeed not be changed. But even though that is the case, that still doesn''t excuse my behavior. You''re my lover. In the very same way that Jing He is my lover. Even if he can''t wake up while you are alive, that doesn''t mean that I can just be like this toward you. Since we''re a couple, I should treat you right."


    Jing Yi looked up at him, still not quite sure what to think about it. "And what about Jing He?" In any case, this was always what it boiled down to, wasn''t it?


    Qiu Ling smiled faintly. "Jing He ¡­ I will explain to him when he wakes up, no matter when that is. In any case, this is his trial, you are his reincarnation. I am sure that he will be able to understand."


    Jing Yi still didn''t quite dare to believe this. This had probably been going on for far too long so he didn''t believe that Qiu Ling would really be able to just come to terms with it like this. After all, even a millennium ago in the mortal realm, they had already been arguing about this. Because of Jing He, there were things that Qiu Ling refused to do. Marrying him had been the first one, teaching him how to fight the second one. There were quite a few things where Qiu Ling had decided against him. He really didn''t think that that would suddenly change. So why would he now suddenly change his behavior? He really couldn''t imagine that.


    Qiu Ling smiled faintly when he saw Jing Yi''s expression. "I know you can''t believe it right now. It''s no wonder after how I behaved. In any case, it''s alright. Just take your time. After all, I also took my sweet time coming to terms with this. Why shouldn''t you have the same right? But in any case, I will show you that I am serious about this. It might take a bit longer until the two of us manage to settle into a routine here in the Nine Heavens but I am sure that it is possible. I want to work on this together. As a couple, I''m sure that we can make this work together. That is what being a couple is all about, isn''t it?"


    Jing Yi gave a faint hum. What Qiu Ling was saying there did indeed sound quite good. He wasn''t sure if he could trust it yet but at the very least, it sounded a little better than before. He squeezed Qiu Ling''s hands and leaned forward, looking into his eyes. "If that is the case, then don''t keep anything else from me, alright? No matter what happens, I want to know. You don''t have to explain much but at least tell me if something happens."


    Qiu Ling was confused at first and needed a moment until he realized that Jing Yi was talking about this matter with his father. He didn''t want to be left out. Realizing this, Qiu Ling nodded. "I promise you. I''ll definitely do so. Although ¡­ are you sure that you really want to know everything? Here in the Nine Heavens, there are quite a few places that connect me with Jing He. Hearing that ¡­ might upset you."


    Jing Yi smiled, pulled his hands out of Qiu Ling''s, and then hugged him. "I''m not that fragile. In any case, telling me the truth is still the better option compared to me making up something on my own. I''d rather hear it from you."


    Qiu Ling nodded and hugged him back. "Alright. Then I will tell you in the future no matter what it is that I encounter. If you change your mind about it, you can always tell me though. I will not insist on anything."


    Jing Yi smiled. "Don''t worry. I definitely won''t." In any case, knowing was much better than not knowing. Because only if he knew could he decide how to deal with it. And that was what he needed to do right now.

 Chapter 1299 - What about Tian?

    Thinking about it for a moment, Jing Yi immediately decided to use the opportunity. In any case, Qiu Ling was currently trying to get closer to him again. That was good for him. Even though he didn''t quite trust things yet, showing that he was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt would also be good. Thus, he pulled out the history book that he had read and showed it to Qiu Ling. "I''ve been reading the books I took from the Tower of Wisdom. I chose them pretty randomly since I didn''t really know where to start. Basically, I want to know more about the immortal realms and the immortal races. This one here is the history of the Nine Heavens. It''s quite interesting to know more about but there''s something that I don''t quite understand."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "If I can help you, I''ll be happy to do so. But don''t expect too much. I didn''t have the kind of upbringing that would''ve made me an expert on anything regarding the other realms. I hardly know the full history of the dragon realm."


    In fact, the bit that he knew was all what he had learned back when his family had still lived in the capital city. After that, his education had mostly ground to a halt save for Chun Yin teaching him how to use a sword and how to read and write. It couldn''t be helped. Contrary to Jinde, Chun Yin had not really been somebody who was fond of learning. If it was a practical task, he wouldn''t mind it but sitting down to study several hours a day ¡­ he had rather relied on Jinde to fill him in on the details that he actually needed to know. It could be said that it had been a blessing in disguise for the dragon race that it had still been Jinde in the end who became their king. Who knew if Chun Yin would have been doing as good a job at it as he did?


    Jing Yi didn''t know exactly what the situation with Qiu Ling was but he figured that even if his lover didn''t know that much, he should at least know more than him. "Well, what I''m most curious about is actually Tian. I remember the name from Jing He''s memories but as you know I didn''t quite understand everything I saw. From what it says here, he is the one who created the immortal realms and all the races. Do you know anything more about him?"


    Qiu Ling was a little startled when he heard that question. He had expected that it would be something super complicated that he wouldn''t have any answer to but on second thought, this also made sense. Jing Yi was a mortal. He didn''t know much about either the gods or the Nine Heavens. He also didn''t know the most basic things about the immortal races in general. Naturally, he also wouldn''t really know about Tian. He should''ve expected this. "Tian ¡­ Yes, that is what is generally taught about him. What exactly do you not understand?"


    Jing Yi lightly furrowed his brows. It had seemed to be the best way to ask Qiu Ling about this but on second thought, he was actually a little embarrassed. These things should be pretty simple for Qiu Ling, right? Would he look down on him for this? But then again, there was no way for him to bridge the gap in knowledge between him and Jing He if you didn''t go on out on a limb and lowered his head for a bit to inquire some more.


    A person growing up for two thousand years in the Nine Heavens who had also been specifically taught to be the future ruler of these people would naturally know quite a lot. There was no way that he would be able to make up for that anytime soon. Not even if he read through all the books in the Tower of Wisdom from dusk until dawn. There just wasn''t enough time.


    Even though he wasn''t sure if it was the right decision, Jing Yi finally still posed his questions. On the other hand, Qiu Ling was even more surprised. To him, this bit about Tian and the trueborn gods was still common knowledge but after thinking about it for a moment, he realized why it wasn''t the same for Jing Yi. Thus, he patiently took the time to answer him to the best of his ability.


    "Tian is not part of any of the races. I can''t tell you what exactly he is though. I don''t think that anybody knows. Even the oldest person still alive in our race is only as old as Tian''s curse of the three immortal races. At that time, the races themselves were already old and Tian is even older than them. So there is nobody alive who would know about that. The only one who would be able to answer that kind of question would be Tian himself but it isn''t like we could just ask. In any case, he''s a special kind of existence, the only one no matter which realm you look at.


    "As for the trueborn gods, they differ from him just as much as the demons and dragons do. Creating realms is still something that is possible for us but not life. At the very least, not in the same manner as he does."


    "Not in the same manner?" Jing Yi was a little confused by that statement. "So there is a way to create life for the gods?"


    Qiu Ling smiled faintly. "Well, I''m not sure if you can even compare it. But all the immortal races have the ability to create offspring from the spiritual energy through some means. So it is possible to create a life. But we would never be able to create something entirely different from ourselves. It is really just another way to have a child." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/what-about-tian_52140048107232260 for visiting.


    Jing Yi was still a little stunned. "To create a child ¡­ why not just have one the normal way?"


    Qiu Ling smiled faintly at that. "Well ¡­ it isn''t always possible, is it?"


    Jing Yi looked at him, not comprehending what he meant for a moment but Qiu Ling didn''t explain any further. Instead, he just prompted him to ask his own questions. "Is there anything else? I think there isn''t that much more to say about Tian. He is definitely still worshiped by all three immortal races but it isn''t like he is taking on an active part. Since the time the curse was placed, nobody has seen him."


    Jing Yi nodded faintly but he couldn''t help and think of how he had actually seen this person. So ¡­ it wasn''t like he was completely out of the world.

 Chapter 1300 - He Didn’t Care about His Creations

    When he thought back to that moment, Jing Yi couldn''t help but ponder it for a moment longer. "Tian ¡­ Why didn''t he appear again?" Clearly, he had the ability to do so since he could casually open portals. With how he was still honored among all the immortal races, his reappearance would also be met with gratitude, wouldn''t it? So why did he stay away from the races that he himself had created?


    Qiu Ling looked at him, his gaze complicated. "Jing He was also always interested in Tian. It''s quite curious that you would ask about this of all things." Back in the mortal realm, he had sometimes considered that Jing Yi shared a few similarities with Jing He even if it weren''t many. Could this be one of them? Was some remnant of Jing He''s memories that hadn''t been washed away by the water from the River of Forgetfulness for the time being somehow interacted with Jing Yi? He didn''t know but it seemed quite likely.


    Jing Yi''s smile turned wry but he really couldn''t complain after he had just told Qiu Ling that he did want him to tell him everything, no matter what it was. "I guess it might be precisely because of this that I''m interested. Tian was mentioned in my memories. And then I saw his name again inside this book today. So I was a little curious about it."


    Qiu Ling nodded slowly and didn''t dwell on it any further, instead answering Jing Yi''s actual question. "Well, I would say that Tian''s interest in his creations is quite low. He probably wasn''t very involved with them to begin with. He only descended to the Nine Heavens when he fell in love with Xing. And after that failed ¡­ he probably returned to where he came from and treating his creations as if they didn''t have anything to do with him at all." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/he-didn%E2%80%99t-care-about-his-creations_52161681857501913 for visiting.


    He still remembered how Jing He had told him that there were rumors that Tian had gone to search for his lover. But there was no saying whether he had found him or what had happened then. Maybe he was still out there, looking for Xing and trying to get him back. In any case, Qiu Ling felt that that would be what he would do if it was him and Jing He. No matter what happened, he would never give up on being with the one he loved.


    He lightly cleared his throat when he thought of that, trying not to lose focus again. "In any case, even if he had been more involved earlier, I don''t think he would''ve wanted to do so after losing his lover. The curse he put on the immortal races was a punishment for us. Because we were not able to live up to his expectations.


    "I don''t know if he really cares about us or not. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn''t. If it was the latter, why would he want to see us? And even if he did, it might not be good to get involved. After all, even his own lover ¡­" He shook his head. "I mean, considering the curse placed on my race, I think I can somewhat understand. The dragons are often unable to go on living if their lovers are taken from them.


    "The curse was shaped after what the races did wrong in regard to Tian''s lover but I think maybe they were also crafted after what he himself felt. And his love for Xing is legendary. Naturally, he wouldn''t just give up. So maybe that was why he placed such a curse on us. Maybe he wants us to first experience all of this ourselves. Maybe he is also busy with other things. Who knows? I wouldn''t dare to presume what exactly the supreme ruler is thinking or not."


    Jing Yi nodded, his brows furrowed tightly. This Tian was indeed quite the mysterious person. He was a little curious about what exactly was going on but he also realized that Qiu Ling wouldn''t be able to tell him anything more. Thus, he could only leave it at that. "Well, since he isn''t here anymore, he probably isn''t as important to understand the situation of the Nine Heavens."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Probably not." While this had to do with their history and beliefs, it was something from the far past. Just knowing the general situation from back then should be enough to understand the current situation. The details ¡­ they might be able to help one shed more light on certain things but it wasn''t necessary. Especially not in Jing Yi''s case since he only wanted to get a general understanding.


    "Then what else? From what I read, the conflict that the demons have with the other immortal races was especially between the dragons and the demons, not exactly between the gods and the demons. So why are things like this now? Apparently, the gods seem to treat the alliance between your races as quite a big deal. Why is that?"


    Qiu Ling smiled faintly at that. This was a question that was quite a bit closer to his own experiences so it was probably easier to answer. On the other hand, this kind of political question was also something that was tied to many things. Answering it was probably not something that could be done in just a few words. Still, since Jing Yi wanted to know and since he had decided that he would treat him better from now on, there was no way for him to not tell him. Even if it was a bit difficult, he could only find the best way to tell him.

 Chapter 1301 - The War Between the Races

    "Originally, the conflict was indeed between the demons and the dragons. The first few battles were also still fought between us. At that time, the curse hadn''t been put in place yet. So whether it was the demons, the dragons, or the gods, our societies worked a little different from now.


    "At that time, there was actually a royal family among the demons that had the say over the whole demon realm very much as I do in the dragon realm right now. The difference was that contrary to how the dragon king is chosen only based on the merit of his own skills, the title in the demon realm was hereditary. It would never be given to somebody outside of their family."


    "Pretty much like the emperor in the mortal realm."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Precisely. Naturally, they weren''t happy to see some of their subjects rise in what they deemed a revolt and become their own race. So they always wanted to bring us back under their control or ¡ª in the worst case ¡ª completely eradicate us so others wouldn''t try to do the same.


    "That was the start of the conflict. But with time, things actually changed. There really was no way to debate anymore that the dragons weren''t like the other demons. We had lost the ability to use dark energy instead of just spiritual energy and even the elemental magic that we had was limited to water and air, contrary to the fire and earth magic of the demons. On the other hand, we had the ability to change from one form into the other, something that most demons are unable to do, although there are a few exceptions. In any case, we clearly weren''t the same anymore.


    "There are some groups among the demons that have also changed quite a bit but it is not as obvious or consistent as with the dragons where all of us have the same abilities and lack the others that are common for demons. Unless some demon blood is introduced into a dragon''s bloodline, nobody among us would suddenly awaken any other abilities. It''s different for those other groups in the demon race."


    "So what did the gods have to do with that?" While Jing Yi understood the general conflict, he still didn''t know what the gods had to do with that. This whole matter seemed to be completely unrelated to them.


    "The gods were organized in the same manner as the demons. They also had a bloodline that had to be kept alive, that of the Heavenly Emperor. So when they originally looked at the conflict between the demons and the dragons, there was some apprehension that part of the gods would also rise in revolt and try to change things.


    "If that happened, the Nine Heavens might have fractured and they could have lost their power. Naturally, they didn''t want to see that. So originally, there was even the intention to ally with the demons against the dragons and force us back into servitude in the hope to smash everyone else''s lofty aspirations at becoming their own lord." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/the-war-between-the-races_52185199219371165 for visiting.


    Jing Yi''s eyes widened when he heard that. He had expected quite a lot but definitely not this. But everything that Qiu Ling said made sense. If the demons actually let go of the dragons, it could''ve really resulted in something like this. "Why did they change their mind?"


    Qiu Ling leaned back and his lips quirked up in a smile. "Isn''t that because my race has always had outstanding kings? The official story is that the one who had assumed the role of the dragon king back then went to negotiate with the gods. He brought up some very convincing arguments. Such as that the gods had always been a more cohesive race than the demons had ever been.


    "No matter which of the Nine Heavens you look at, the gods are still the same: All of them use spiritual energy, all of them are able to use each of the six elements, and all of them only have that one form, and are at most able to use their spiritual energy to cover it and project a different appearance. They can''t actually change.


    "But in the demon race, things were different. From the very beginning, there were different tribes among them. The dragons were one of those that were a little more close-knit as I said before, making us develop in a specific direction. Others intermingled more but it still resulted in huge differences.


    "Thus, the situation of the demons and that of the gods really couldn''t actually be considered the same. Also, the dragon king proposed an alliance of his own. If the dragons were defeated, what did the gods have to gain? There didn''t seem to be anything. It was only that they wanted to make sure that nothing would happen to the inviolability of their sovereignty. But if that wasn''t a problem, there really was no reason to get involved.


    "Instead, the benefits might be bigger if they entered an alliance with the dragons. They could ally against the demons and thus weaken the one rival that they had. In any case, there had only been two immortal races. The dragons were still a young folk, not one with that many people. If not for the demons, the gods could have ruled much of the Nine Heavens but also the mortal realms."


    Jing Yi slightly furrowed his brows. From Qiu Ling''s gaze, he felt like there was something more in his words. "Rule the mortal realms ¡­ you mean to say that because of this alliance, the gods started governing the mortal realms?" He pondered and felt that it was quite likely. After all, the palaces like that of the Fate''s Scribe, or the ascensions that the Court of Justice had a hand over, were all tied to the mortal realm. Why was that? There had to be a reason for it.


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Indeed. You are exactly right. The dragon king back then painted a beautiful picture for them. One that he was indeed willing to help come true. After all, this alone would save the dragons from being defeated by the demons at this moment when they were still vulnerable.


    "As the current status shows, he was successful: The two races allied against the demons. It secured the survival of the dragons and changed the balance between the gods and the demons. With that, the relationship between those two races naturally worsened. And I guess that grudge has not been forgotten. Very much like the demons still haven''t forgotten that once upon a time, the dragons were part of their race.


    "Truth be told, nowadays, there isn''t really much of a danger to be brought back under the subjugation of the demons. In any case, the dragons have developed as a race. The features that we show have become even more stable than they had been back then and the number of people in our race has grown a lot. So the danger to us now is only minuscule. And with the continued alliance between the gods and the dragons, the gods are also in a stable position. For both of our races, this alliance was quite advantageous."


    Jing Yi nodded his head but his brows were still furrowed. So that was actually the story behind everything. And it was also the reason why the gods were now governing the mortal realm. It seemed that even though his questions had been quite random, he had actually managed to find out quite a few important things. He could really say that his first day in the Nine Heavens had had quite the gain.

 Chapter 1302 - An Exchange of Information

    Back in the mortal realm, Xin Lan and Hua Lin Yu had left the Grandelder''s peak and were now strolling through the inner sect. Xin Lan wasn''t in a hurry to go back. In any case, he felt like spending some time with Hua Lin Yu was the best thing he could do if he wanted to get closer to him again. After all, this would increase their familiarity and should remind Hua Lin Yu of the good times they had had in the dragon realm.


    Even without that, he felt like spending enough time together would make Hua Lin Yu feel that there was more to them. In any case, how much time could he really spend with somebody who was trying to woo him without feeling even the least bit affected by their feelings? He didn''t think it was too much.


    In the dragon realm, things might have been too monotonous for Hua Lin Yu to really care but now that they were in the mortal realm and going to see more interesting things, the excitement from that would definitely spill over into their relationship as well. If Hua Lin Yu''s heart was beating faster at the incredible sights and then he swooped him up into his arms ¡­ Just thinking of this, Xin Lan''s lips curved up in a smile. He didn''t think that there would be anything keeping Hua Lin Yu from being with him soon enough.


    Hua Lin Yu was still thinking about what he had heard from Nian Hong Fang and wasn''t really thinking about his own relationship. But still, at the very least, he didn''t feel strange when walking with Xin Lan like this. It was almost as if they were back to how things had been in the beginning when they just spent time with each other, not thinking of anything unrelated.


    The two of them passed by the buildings where the disciples without a Master were living, slowly walking toward the next peak. Just then, a flicker of light caught Xin Lan''s attention. He turned his head, faintly narrowing his eyes. If he hadn''t seen wrong just now, then this had reflected off a dark surface. It might be nothing but it somehow reminded him of the black crystal glass that was used in the demonic realm to communicate. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/an-exchange-of-information_52208069114911046 for visiting.


    "Wait here for a moment." He didn''t explain to Hua Lin Yu and just let go of him, silently making his way over in the direction where he had seen the light. Soon enough, he had found out what was going on. A disciple in the robes of the Yun Zou Sect was holding precisely the type of black crystal glass mirror that he had thought of. And he was currently conversing with the person on the other side or maybe it would be more accurate to say that they were arguing.


    "Do you think it was easy to contact you? The Sect Master invited basically everyone of importance in the mortal realm. There were the Sect Masters and Elders of even the unranked sect. Do you really think I can just contact you like that to tell you what is going on? And I only found out today. It''s not like I''m still close with him."


    Xin Lan''s eyes narrowed even further. To be honest, he could only imagine a single person that would have a lingering interest in what was going on in the Yun Zou Sect. After all, Qiu Ling had already left with his lover. So who else would care? The voice that answered this person showed that he was right.


    "The only thing I asked of you is that you pay attention to him. Now, he has actually gotten married and I only find out after the fact? Do you really want to tell me that there wasn''t a single spot inside the whole Yun Zou Sect that you could have retreated to, to contact me? I really have a hard time believing you."


    The disciple just gave a faint smile. "And now what? It isn''t really like there is anybody else you can ask to provide you with information, is there? In any case, it is good enough that I told you. I don''t think you should expect any more from me. I''ve already done the best that I could in the current circ.u.mstances."


    "Well, your best obviously isn''t good enough. These two, did they retreat into that array behind the Sect Master''s palace?"


    "Well, they left after the ceremony was finished. Where they went ¡­ it was indeed in the direction of the Sect Master''s palace but it isn''t like Yu Jin isn''t living there. I can''t really tell you if they went back to his place or some kind of array. It isn''t like I am able to follow them without being noticed."


    Jin Ling gave a huff, not buying what Qiguan Cheng Da was saying. Unfortunately, there really wasn''t anything he could do. "Very well, just keep an eye on the situation. If there''s anything new, make sure to contact me."


    "Of course. Don''t worry about it."


    "And make sure that you contact me before he vanishes the next time, alright?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da gave a faint smile. "I will certainly try my best but I can''t promise anything. You also know that I''m doing this at my own risk. If I''m being caught ¡­"


    Jin Ling gave a smile as well, feeling that he probably shouldn''t rely on Qiguan Cheng Da any longer. This matter ¡­ he would have to find somebody else to do it. Still, he didn''t say his thoughts out loud. In any case, having somebody at the place where Jinde was that would regularly provide him with information was quite good. Even if he couldn''t tell him everything, it was his least a start. He could work something out for the rest.


    Thus, he just inclined his head and then retracted his spiritual energy, cutting the connection. Putting away the black crystal glass mirror, he frowned. Now, what he needed was a person that could blend in with the humans, and was responsible with relaying information. Thankfully, he remembered that he had exactly such a person at his disposal.

 Chapter 1303 - Not as Gentle as Expected

    On the other hand, Xin Lan also had his own thoughts. He had seen how Jin Ling had contacted this disciple of the Yun Zou Sect and had also heard what this was about. Needless to say, he wouldn''t stand for it. His Master couldn''t be compromised. Right now, he was safe in the dimension and had just had a second wedding, leaving him in an especially happy mood. To think that this could be destroyed by another person ¡­ he naturally wouldn''t just ignore that. No, had to do something.


    Xin Lan tilted his head and then walked forward, grabbing Qiguan Cheng Da by the shoulder. "This disciple ¡­ you wouldn''t have been selling information to the demons, would you?"


    Qiguan Cheng Da jolted and turned around, staring at Xin Lan in a daze. He hadn''t heard anybody coming close, meaning that this person was probably far above them in terms of strength. Still, he could only hope that this was just some kind of conjecture, not something that he absolutely knew about. In any case, he could still somehow swindle his way out of this. He was sure of that. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/not-as-gentle-as-expected_52232208156512040 for visiting.


    "I''m sorry, do I know you, senior?" He felt that he had seen this person around before. In fact, he should have appeared in the vicinity of that golden-haired person that the demon king wanted him to pay attention to. This was quite an interesting development. Jin Ling might even be willing to pay quite a bit for this information. It was a pity that it really was too dangerous to contact him again right now.


    Xin Lan just smiled. "Does my identity change the fact that you sold information? In any case, I''m afraid I can''t let you do that anymore."


    Qiguan Cheng Da hastily raised his hands and waved them in defense. "I''m sorry, I''m sure you misunderstood. I''m doing no such thing. Actually, this is a task the Sect Master gave me. I am obtaining information, not selling it." This was something that should be able to at least buy him some time. He didn''t think that this guy would really go to try and find out if this was true. In any case, who would just go and casually ask the Sect Master to verify something like this? Certainly, nobody would expect a disciple to just make up a mission.


    Xin Lan just smiled and reached up, grabbing his neck. "I''m sorry, but I don''t believe a single word you say."


    Before Qiguan Cheng Da could say anything else, a set of claws had already embedded itself into his throat, making him unable to speak up.


    "I''m afraid you messed with the wrong person. If it had been anybody else you were spying on, I might''ve just faced the other side. Unfortunately ¡­" He pulled back his hand, and the other person dropped to the ground, their eyes wide open.


    Xin Lan gave a faint hum and shook his hand, getting rid of the blood. Now, what to do with the body? This was a bit of a hassle. Usually, he wouldn''t care but this was inside the Yun Zou Sect after all. With Qiu Ling gone, there was only one more dragon left here. And he definitely didn''t want to make trouble for his Master. So it would probably be best to get rid of this outside of the sect. But then again, his own fiance was still waiting for him to come back. It didn''t feel right to just leave like this.


    Just when Xin Lan found himself in a moral dilemma, he heard steps behind him. Turning around, he was faced with the pale face of Hua Lin Yu.


    The boy looked from him to the person on the ground and then back again. "He ¡­"


    Xin Lan didn''t miss a beat. "He was conspiring with the demons, selling them information about the people in the sect. I went ahead and got rid of the problem." He turned back to look at the disciple, somewhat unhappy that he had caused such a scene. Now, who knew what Hua Lin Yu would be thinking?


    He sighed and then went over to Hua Lin Yu, pulling him into his arms. "Do me a favor and go up to the Sect Master''s peak, yes? Tell him about what happened. I think it would be better to inform the people of the Yun Zou Sect about this. Ah, also, ask him to bring that Grandmaster along." From what he remembered, that Zhangsun Xun Yi should be in the know about the story behind his Master and his husband. So getting this person involved might help them out a bit.


    Hua Lin Yu was visibly shaken but he still nodded. "Of course. I''ll go do it right now." He dashed off, his thoughts in disarray.


    He had only ever known Xin Lan as a person that would do anything to help him. If he encountered troubles with his cultivation, Xin Lan would patiently try to guide him or find somebody else who could if he didn''t know the answer. If he wanted to see something or do something, Xin Lan would indulge him and do whatever it took to fulfill his wishes. He had also treated his family well all this time.


    Over time, he had come to believe that Xin Lan would always be this gentle. Even though he was a little gruff with other people when they approached him, he had never seemed dangerous. But clearly, he had been wrong thinking like this. Xin Lan ¡­ he was a dragon after all. He wasn''t human. And at his age, he probably had a different outlook on life.


    Killing somebody ¡­ it wasn''t something that he had a problem with. To him, it even seemed to be the first solution that would pop into his head when he was confronted with a problem like this. To Hua Lin Yu though ¡­ this was something he had trouble accepting. He really didn''t know what to think right now. But for now, pondering that question also wasn''t what he should do. No, there were more pressing issues going on. He first had to take care of those.

 Chapter 1304 - There Was a Tactful Way to Say Things

    Seeing the little disciple of Sect Master Fei storm into his study, Sect Master Yuchi was immediately alarmed. He jumped up from his seat and rushed around the table, going to meet Hua Lin Yu halfway. "What''s the matter? Did something happen?"


    Hua Lin Yu hurriedly nodded his head but really didn''t know where to start explaining. "That ¡­ Sect Master, I can''t quite explain. Could you get Grandmaster Zhangsun and just follow me?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia was even more alarmed when Hua Lin Yu decided that he wanted Grandmaster Zhangsun to follow as well. But seeing just whose disciples this boy was, he did what he asked for immediately. "Of course. Just wait a moment." He rushed to the door himself and ordered one of the disciples on guard duty to go and go get Zhangsun Xun Yi. Thinking for a moment, he finally sent the other one off to get Sect Master Fei. In any case, this had to do with her disciple. No matter what exactly the problem was, it would probably be better to inform her as well.


    Having taken care of that, he immediately returned inside, trying to calm down the boy that was quite distraught. Really, he couldn''t help but wonder what was going on but clearly, he wouldn''t say anything. Thus, he could only wait for the other two to arrive.


    Yuchi Bing Xia didn''t have to wait for long. Grandmaster Zhangsun had been at the wedding since he also knew that Leng Jin Yu and Jinde and had had a hand in everything that happened to the two here in the sect. Unfortunately for him, after appearing, it had been difficult for him to extricate himself.


    The other Sect Masters and Elders might not be brave enough to just approach the people that had been sent over from the Jian Yi Sect but in comparison, it seemed much easier for them to strike up a conversation with Zhangsun Xun Yi, despite the fact that he usually counted as unsociable. Thus, he hadn''t really had the opportunity to leave yet. When a disciple was sent over to call him, he immediately jumped at the opportunity and bid his farewell, leaving the Sect Masters and Elders in front of him with regret.


    On the other hand, Fei Bai Mu had already gone to the house she had been allocated and hadn''t been bothered even once. Being the Sect Master of the Jian Yi Sect really came with its own perks. Even when somebody came close, she could still push out the Elders to deal with it and wouldn''t need to bother herself with it. Thus, things had been quite calm for her.


    When she heard that this matter had to do with Hua Lin Yu, she immediately jumped to her feet and rushed over there. This little disciple of hers ¡­ to go to the Sect Master of the Yun Zou Sect, it had to be something grave. She naturally wouldn''t delay.


    Thus, Grandmaster Zhangsun and Fei Bai Mu both arrived at almost the same time, exchanging a glance that showed that both of them were worried, especially when they saw that the other one had been called as well. Going inside, they found Hua Lin Yu looking quite distraught with Sect Master Yuchi panicking beside him.


    As soon as Yuchi Bing Xia saw them, he straightened up and motioned for Hua Lin Yu to lead the way. Hua Lin Yu just nodded at the two of them and didn''t say anything else before he rushed out and to the place where Xin Lan was still waiting next to the body.


    When the three people saw Xin Lan, they were confused at first but spotting the person on the ground next to him, their expressions turned solemn. It was obvious that this was a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect. And the fact that he had been killed not too long ago was obvious as well. Just what had happened? Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/there-was-a-tactful-way-to-say-things_52255460857797600 for visiting.


    Yuchi Bing Xia was the first to land and take a closer look at the disciple. "This should be Qiguan Cheng Da. Ah Jin knows him." Originally, he had even believed that his disciple was friends with this person. As it had turned out, the relationship between them was pretty shallow though. Thus, he wasn''t distraught on a personal level but as the Sect Master, it still wasn''t a good feeling to see a disciple of his sect murdered. He glanced up at Xin Lan, feeling that he should be able to provide them with more details. "What happened?"


    Xin Lan glanced at the Sect Master, absolutely not seeming as if this had anything to do with him. "I caught him selling information to the demon king."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded slowly. If Xin Lan said that this was the case, then he did somewhat believe it. In any case, this person was a revered senior of the dragon race. What kind of reason would he have to lie about something like this? He couldn''t think of a single reason. "And then?"


    Xin Lan raised his brows in surprise, wondering what else he was supposed to say to that. "Then I confronted him, he lied, and I killed him." That much should have been obvious.


    Yuchi Bing Xia stared at him, not sure what to make of this. "You ¡­ you killed him?" And then he just admitted it this easily? This definitely wasn''t how a murder was usually committed.


    Fei Bai Mu closed her eyes, feeling like all of this was a bad joke. To be honest, she wasn''t surprised that Xin Lan would''ve done this. This guy ¡­ clearly, he wasn''t one for talk. If he found out that somebody was supplying the enemy with information, he would just deal with them, not caring about anything else.


    Still, there was a tactful way to tell somebody about this and then there was the way he had just gone about this. She really didn''t know what to make of that. Truly, Xin Lan had his own way of thinking about matters. Or maybe it was that he just didn''t care what some mortals thought about him.

 Chapter 1305 - An Explanation At Least

    Xin Lan did indeed not seem to be bothered in the slightest. Regarding Yuchi Bing Xia''s question, he admitted to it straightforwardly. "Yes. There''s no need to thank me though. I didn''t do it for you."


    Yuchi Bing Xia got up from where he had been crouching next to Qiguan Cheng Da and turned to glance at Grandmaster Zhangsun. This person ¡­ he was about as difficult to deal with as Zhangsun Xun Yi''s disciple back then. What no need to thank him? He had just killed a disciple of their sect!


    Zhangsun Xun Yi had similar thoughts but he didn''t give them away immediately. Instead, he also stepped closer, taking a look at Qiguan Cheng Da himself. This person had obviously been killed pretty fast. That was already a good sign. "What kind of information was he providing?" In any case, he didn''t think that Xin Lan would do this for just anything. Usually, this person probably wouldn''t care about what anyone else was doing.


    Xin Lan smiled faintly, feeling that at least one of these people was asking the right questions. "That''s the thing: The two getting married today? Well, they were his primary objective. So really, Sect Master Yuchi, you should be quite thankful to me. Because currently, that disciple of yours is probably on top of the list of people that the demon king wants to kill."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s expression blanked. "What? But Yu Jin ¡­ Why? He shouldn''t have any kind of grudge with the demon king. In these years, he has hardly left the sect. When would he have angered him?" He really couldn''t understand this!


    Xin Lan gave a hum and then moved next to Hua Lin Yu, putting an arm around his shoulders. "He doesn''t need to personally form a grudge. Just marrying the wrong person is enough. The demon king happens to have a crush on his husband." He smiled as if it was not a big deal but there was a glint in his eyes saying that he saw this as a personal slight. Clearly, he felt that the demon king had no right to these feelings.


    Hua Lin Yu looked at him in surprise, feeling that he suddenly understood what was going on. Xin Lan and the demon king ¡­ they both had feelings for this person. It was just that Xin Lan had gotten over them while the demon king still hadn''t given up despite the fact that Jinde had already married today.


    And now, somebody had been providing that person who wouldn''t give up with the information that Jinde had found somebody else to be with. That could really cause some troubles. Most likely, Xin Lan had acted in a heartbeat and killed the person informing the demon king so that Jinde and his husband wouldn''t be in danger going forward. Thinking of that, he actually relaxed and leaned closer to Xin Lan.


    At first, he had been shocked. He hadn''t believed that there was any reason to kill somebody even if they had relationsh.i.p.s with the demons. After all, hadn''t that been the trial regarding the demon-hunting sects been held precisely because it wasn''t right to just condemn somebody for their blood? But now, he realized that this was not the same thing. No, there was a personal problem behind this, one that he just hadn''t known about. He shouldn''t have drawn conclusions immediately and instead waited for Xin Lan to explain.


    Xin Lan realized that his little lover had calmed down. He leaned down, feeling satisfied, and kissed the top of his head. In any case, he didn''t mind being misunderstood. He could just explain it later on. Just like he had done just now.


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s expression and that of the other two people also eased a little. At the very least, there was an explanation.


    Yuchi Bing Xia took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. "Well, I do believe you. There is one problem though: This matter needs to be dealt with officially. That means we need some evidence. Can you prove that he was in contact with the demons?"


    Xin Lan smiled faintly, let go of Hua Lin Yu, and picked up the spatial bag that was tied to Qiguan Cheng Da''s belt. Back then, this disciple had hastily put away the mirror in an attempt to hide it. Now, he simply opened the bag up, pulled out the black crystal glass mirror, and handed it over to Yuchi Bing Xia. "You shouldn''t try it out but this will connect you with the demon king. It is something that is often used in the demon realm. If you want to know more, I''m sure that the remaining demon-hunting sects will be able to provide you with information." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/an-explanation-at-least_52278507903970682 for visiting.


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded, and then glanced at the spatial bag, finally picking it up. He looked through the things inside and then shook his head. "A disciple without a Master but he still has quite a few things of value. I will check the missions he did before. I''m afraid they won''t match this though. That should be another clue. He probably got a handsome reward for providing this kind of information."


    Xin Lan nodded. "Jin Ling has never been stingy. You should probably take these things to the demon-hunting sects as well. In any case, if at least some things among them are native to the demon realm, it can probably be used as evidence. Now, I guess you won''t need me any longer. I''m afraid I shocked my fiance a bit so I''d better bring him back to rest." Inclined his head and then turned toward Hua Lin Yu, pulling him into his arms. "I''m sorry about before. I didn''t want you to see something like this but ¡­ I was afraid that time was vital."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and hugged him back. "It''s alright. I don''t mind. You did what you had to. Anyway, let''s go back now. I''m sure Sect Master Yuchi will have quite a few other things to deal with." He also said his farewell but then turned to his own Master, not quite sure if he should say something more to her.


    Fei Bai Mu glanced at Yuchi Bing Xia and Zhangsun Xun Yi and finally also nodded at them. "I think I should accompany my disciple. If you do need our help, please tell me."


    Thus, the group finally bid farewell and Fei Bai Mu followed Xin Lan and Hua Lin Yu back to the house, intent on finding out more.

 Chapter 1306 - A Story from Long Ago

    Without needing to say a single word, the three of them sat down inside, looking at each other. Hua Lin Yu continued to stay close to Xin Lan, not minding what had happened as much anymore. In any case, while he had been shocked at how random Xin Lan''s outburst of violence had seemed, now that he knew the reason, he wasn''t as worried anymore.


    In any case, he had spent most of his life in the Jian Yi Sect. While the sect was pretty famous not only for their overall strength but also for the fact that the relationsh.i.p.s between the disciples and Elders were surprisingly good, he had also heard the stories of how things were in other sects. Scheming against each other, harming fellow disciples, even killing somebody was something that happened every now and then. And considering that there was always some tension between the righteous and the demonic cultivators, it also wasn''t strange that encountering death would be a common occurrence in the life of a cultivator. Thus, while he hadn''t seen it himself, he was able to deal with it well.


    Xin Lan was quite happy when he realized that his little lover wasn''t throwing a tantrum. Originally, he had only thought of eliminating the harm that Qiguan Cheng Da''s actions might mean to his Master. He hadn''t thought that Hua Lin Yu would just follow him after he had told him to stay where he was. But after Hua Lin Yu saw what he did ¡­ he had regretted it somewhat. After all, he was just trying to win him back. If he scared him and gave him the feeling that it wasn''t safe to stay with him, then what would that mean for his plans? He definitely would have regretted it a lot if this one instance of reacting hurriedly completely dashed his hopes of ever getting back together with Hua Lin Yu. Now that he saw that his worry hadn''t come true, he felt a lot better already.


    Fei Bai Mu looked from Xin Lan to the arm that he had put around Hua Lin Yu''s shoulders, and her disciple''s face, and finally back again. Clearly, she could see what was going through the two people''s minds. "You were careless."


    Xin Lan inclined his head, not trying to deny it. "Originally, that spot wasn''t easily seen. I was thinking of just getting rid of the evidence."


    Hua Lin Yu raised his head, looking at him dumbfounded. He truly hadn''t expected this and but when he heard Xin Lan say it, he immediately figured out what he meant. "I''m sorry. I forced you to do this, didn''t I?"


    Xin Lan glanced at him and raised the hand that was resting on his shoulder, lightly brushing his cheek with his fingertips. "You are thinking too much. Seeing your expression, I just felt that it was a better way to deal with it. It isn''t really forcing me to do anything, just that I don''t want you to be unhappy."


    Hua Lin Yu slightly furrowed his brows. Wasn''t that still the same thing in the end?


    On the other side of the table, Fei Bai Mu cleared her throat. "I don''t think this is the right moment to flirt. Rather than that, I want to know more about this matter. Is there any real danger to Grandmaster Leng and his husband?"


    Xin Lan shook his head immediately. "This matter could have originally been dangerous but by now, it is only an annoyance. Since Jinde''s soul has been healed, he''s back to his peak strength. The demon king ¡­" He shook his head once again. "He won''t be able to keep up with him. Both for the dragons and demons, a long life usually means more strength. After me, Jinde is probably one of the oldest dragons alive. And he was originally gifted with magic from birth. You can imagine how strong he is by now. His injury might have stilted his growth a little but it doesn''t change the fact that he was originally quite strong before. There was a reason why he was attacked with that weapon back then." His expression dimmed a little and his gaze became distant, making Hua Lin Yu feel another pang of jealousy.


    He knew he shouldn''t feel like this considering that all of this was old news and that it was an important part of Xin Lan''s life but he still couldn''t help himself. He just ¡­ he didn''t really want to see this kind of gaze from Xin Lan. It made him feel so distant. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-story-from-long-ago_52300672904786464 for visiting.


    Fei Bai Mu also saw that her disciple''s expression was a little off but right now, that wasn''t what she should care about. "I''m afraid I don''t know the whole story. What exactly happened?"


    Xin Lan gave a hum, not quite sure how much he should say. "This has been over for a long time already. And I''m not sure if he would appreciate me talking about it."


    "He has married the Grandmaster of our sect. I don''t think he really minds being open about anything. Also, don''t mention him, but Grandmaster Leng might need some help in the future if the demon king is going to be a problem for them. So it would be best if he knew what we were up against."


    Xin Lan slightly tilted his head, his fingers absentmindedly brushing through Hua Lin Yu''s hair. "What you''re saying makes no sense. You wouldn''t be able to go up against the demon king. Pretty much in the same way that you are completely unable to go against the current dragon king either. Your Grandmaster ¡­ he might have a faint chance to at least get a tie but you? I''m afraid you''ll still have to train for a few millennia to make that possible.


    "But no matter, since you are curious, I''ll make an exception." In any case, this woman was his fiance''s Master. He knew that their relationship was quite close so honoring Fei Bai Mu was honoring his fiance. Naturally, that was something that he wanted to do.


    "This whole matter ¡­ it did not start just with the current generation."

 Chapter 1307 - The Story of the Past Generation

    "To understand this whole situation you need to have a general knowledge of the relationship between the people involved. The current demon and dragon king are of the same generation. The dragon king, Qiu Ling, is the son of your Grandmaster''s past self ¡ª a warrior of the dragon race by the name of Chun Yin. His mother ¡­ was of the demon race, half-dragon, half-demon. Officially, she was the wife of the demon king of that time, Jian Heng. It was he who sent her to the side of Chun Yin. Originally, Chun Yin''s partner should have been the past dragon king, Jinde."


    Fei Bai Mu''s expression turned subtle. From what Xin Lan was saying, she slowly started to realize that maybe it would have been better not to ask. This was something that they better shouldn''t meddle in. Clearly, there were secrets involved that went far above and beyond what they could imagine. Still, since she had asked and Xin Lan was even willing to answer, she should listen until the end. Who knew if it wouldn''t help with keeping their Grandmaster safe after all?


    Xin Lan didn''t stop either and continued to explain. "With Chun Yin marrying somebody else and having a child with her, his relationship with Jinde fell apart, which finally resulted in Jinde staying alone.


    "He was always somebody who longed to have a family though. He might not have been able to be with Chun Yin but he still wanted to at least have the child that he wished for. That is where Jin Ling comes into play. Unfortunately, Jian Heng once again used the opportunity to deal him harm.


    "Jin Ling is actually part dragon as well even though he is able to conceal it quite well. The problem is that despite being raised at Jinde''s side for almost all his life, under the influence of Jian Heng, he developed some feelings for him that are not quite in line with his role. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/the-story-of-the-past-generation_52323995097295381 for visiting.


    "Jinde ¡­ took it quite hard. In the end, he had to banish him from the dragon realm. It has been a long time but Jin Ling still hasn''t given up hope. He even believed that after Chun Yin''s death, he would have some kind of chance with Jinde which ¡­ is ridiculous. He will never see him as anything else but his son."


    There was some faint annoyance in Xin Lan''s voice, that made Hua Lin Yu give him another look. This probably explained what exactly he had against that demon king. To treat the person that he had liked this way ¡­ it was probably hard for Xin Lan to stomach.


    Fei Bai Mu didn''t care too much about Xin Lan''s involvement and just focused on the matter itself. "Then what about Jinde''s injury? You said that it also had something to do with this?"


    Xin Lan nodded again. "Looking back, it is quite obvious. This whole matter was orchestrated by Jian Heng from the very beginning: Sending Qiu Ling''s mother over, separating the one person that would have made Jinde happy from him, then striking up a deal to have him hang his heart on Jin Ling, only to take that away from him as well, and finally even revealing to him that the person he loved most ¡ª Chun Yin ¡ª had already long been killed by the woman he had cheated on him with. All of that was part of Jian Heng''s plan.


    "In the end, he started a large-scale attack against the dragon realm when Jinde was at his lowest point. You can imagine what kind of toll going to war at that time took on him. Just living his own life was difficult enough, having to govern was hard but still doable, but war? From the very beginning, Jinde had to put his life on the line to make it through.


    "The demon king was even more insidious though. In the immortal realms, there is a special pair of daggers, one used to engrave a soul, one used to eradicate a soul. As far as it was known at that time, if one was injured with the soul-devouring dagger, there is no help anymore.


    "In that war, it was precisely this weapon that Jian Heng wielded. And he used some underhanded tricks to injure Jinde, which resulted in the injury he has been grappling with since long ago. That was why there was so much damage to his soul that he needed many millennia to heal from it."


    Fei Bai Mu furrowed her brows. "But he did manage to heal."


    "He did. Which still came at a price but was able to preserve his life and that was all that he wanted. He came to the mortal realm and hid, covering up his tracks so everyone believed him to be dead. But even though he had managed to kill Jian Heng in that battle, there was still Jin Ling out there and he still hadn''t given up.


    "I spent quite a bit of time in the demon realm, watching what he was doing. He would continuously send out people to search for him, unwilling to believe that he was truly dead. Even I thought he was. I don''t know if I should say that Jin Ling trusted in Jinde''s abilities more than I did or that he had already reached a degree of obsession far above anything I have ever seen. Most likely, it is the latter. He will never let him go."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. "In other words, no matter what we do, he would never accept another man at Jinde''s side. Is that what you want to say?" In that case, their Grandmaster really was in trouble.


    Xin Lan nodded. "By the time Jin Ling fell in love with Jinde, Chun Yin had already long been living with Qiu Ling''s mother. Dragons usually only have one partner for their whole life. Chun Yin''s death was the only hope that Jin Ling had to ever be with Jinde. Now that his reincarnation and Jinde have found each other and even got married, that hope has been dashed. Knowing Jin Ling, it is completely possible that this will push him over the edge. He will try everything he can to obtain Jinde. Killing his lover will be one of his top priorities because not only would that allow him to draw Jinde out, it would also free up the place at his side that he desires to take."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded gravely. "I see. And there''s nothing that we can do?"


    Xin Lan shook his head. "The only thing you can do is to try and limit what he finds out. For example, it would be good if nobody was aware when Jinde and Leng Jin Yu leave the Yun Zou Sect to go to the Jian Yi Sect. But it will be difficult to ensure that. After all, Jinde''s appearance won''t be easy to hide. As long as some person that is working for Jin Ling sees him it will be over. And you have seen with that Qiguan Cheng Da or whatever his name is that it is pretty impossible to tell just who is working for the demons. It will not necessarily be one of their own. Jin Ling has many ways to ensure that people do his bidding."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded, realizing that the situation really was even graver than expected. But she was able to grasp onto one point that might allow them to muddle through: A lot of this hinged on people actually seeing Jinde because he was the one who was difficult to hide.

 Chapter 1308 - An Idea to Hide Them

    Fei Bai Mu continued to ponder for some time, but finally, she still felt that it was better to mention her idea and make sure whether it could work on not together with Xin Lan. After all, this was something that concerned their Grandmaster''s well-being and marital bliss. "In the mortal realm, there are objects that can put an illusion on a person''s appearance. That way, they can look like somebody completely else. Is there something similar in the immortal realms that could be used to fool the demon king?"


    Xin Lan didn''t answer immediately. To be honest, since he had believed that Jinde was dead, he had never really thought about how to go about this. In the same vein, Jinde probably hadn''t put too much thought into what he could or couldn''t do since he had been too gravely injured to leave the special dimension of the Yun Zou Sect previously.


    But now that he was healed, there really was no reason for him to stay inside. In fact, he had already made clear that he intended to go travel as soon as he got the chance. And if he could, he would definitely stay outside with his husband for quite some time. Naturally, they could do what he did before and cover up his hair and face but that wouldn''t always work. Inside rooms, it was inconvenient to keep on a dr.a.p.ery hat and it''d also make people ask more than it probably should. That kind of appearance was actually quite eye-catching, really not convenient for Jinde to travel around in.


    On the other hand, an object that could give the illusion of another appearance would be exactly the kind of thing that Jinde needed. It would make it seem as if he was another person altogether, while not drawing any attention to himself. As long as Jin Ling didn''t manage to see through the illusion, even if he stood in front of Jinde, he wouldn''t realize. And since Jin Ling probably wouldn''t have time to come running here himself considering that there was a fight over the demon king''s throne happening right now, it would only be his subordinates that needed to be fooled. Most of those shouldn''t be a problem.


    Thinking about it like this, what Fei Bai Mu had suggested was actually a good idea. It was definitely something worth considering. Knowing Jinde, he wouldn''t have anything against it. On the contrary, he might like to give it a try just so he could be playful and try to prank people. That was just the type of person he was. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/an-idea-to-hide-them_52347360256252757 for visiting.


    Xin Lan finally nodded. "There''s indeed that type of object in the immortal realms. It is not a hundred percent effective but I guess it should be enough to fool most people in the mortal realm. As long as Jin Ling doesn''t send anyone special, it should be enough to fool them. So, yes, maybe this would indeed be a way to deal with this matter."


    Fei Bai Mu actually heaved an audible sigh of relief. "Very well. Then I will suggest this to the Grandmaster. It should allow them to move around more freely in the future. I will also warn them about the fact that there are spies of the demon king around. Well, with that Qiguan Cheng Da having been taken care of, maybe there isn''t as much to fear. I don''t think he should have several people in the Yun Zou Sect at the moment, or what do you think?"


    Xin Lan pondered for a moment and finally shook his head. "No, most likely, that guy was the only one. In any case, I believe that Jin Ling will have only sent somebody here in the first place to have an eye on what Qiu Ling is doing since his lover was a disciple of the sect. Most likely, he didn''t even know that Jinde was here before Qiguan Cheng Da mentioned something to him." And, well, the fact that he himself had rushed over here several times had probably also tipped off Jin Ling. He couldn''t deny that.


    Fei Bai Mu slightly raised her brows when he said that. "The relationship between the demon and the dragon king ¡­" From what she understood, these two weren''t actually related even though the people that they were close to had had a relationship. So she wasn''t quite sure how exactly they stood to each other.


    "Jin Ling hates Qiu Ling and vice versa. The former sees him as the proof that Jinde was betrayed by the person he loved most so ¡ª in some kind of personal vendetta ¡ª he wants to make trouble for him where we can. As for Qiu Ling, while he doesn''t like Jin Ling, he will normally just ignore him unless provoked first. The situation really isn''t easy."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. To be honest, she hadn''t expected it to be. In any case, it was already common knowledge that the dragons and demons weren''t on amicable terms. It wasn''t that strange for their kings not to get along. What was strange was the fact that there was actually such a personal story behind that.


    Well, that was also something that didn''t really have anything to do with them. In the future, it would probably be best to not pry any further. If they could keep out of this conflict, it would be quite good. She just wanted to help their Grandmaster and his husband.


    Xin Lan raised his brows at her, wondering if there was anything else. Even though he didn''t mind answering any of the questions, he would still very much preferred if he was able to spend some alone time with Hua Lin Yu now. After all, even though Hua Lin Yu seemed to have calmed down, this was still a situation that required him to coax him a little more.


    Fei Bai Mu glanced from one person to the other and then sighed. "Well, that is everything that I wanted to know. I guess I will go and speak to the Grandmaster and his husband now. If the two of you need some help to solve the situation on your end, you know that you can always come to me."


    Xin Lan gave a faint hum while Hua Lin Yu nodded eagerly.


    "Of course, Master! If you need help for anything, you can also say so."


    Fei Bai Mu smiled and then got up, reaching over the table to rub his head. "Very well. I''ll rely on you then if there''s something happening in the future. Now, I will leave the two of you alone. You probably also have something that you want to talk about without a third wheel around."


    Hua Lin Yu gave an embarrassed smile and lowered his head while Xin Lan just waited for her to get out. In any case, he couldn''t deny that he did indeed want to be alone with his lover. Thus, Fei Bai Mu left the house and the two of them remained alone.

 Chapter 1309 - We Have Forever

    Hua Lin Yu waited for the door to close before he turned to Xin Lan. He didn''t really know what to say though. This whole matter ¡­ he understood it now. And he definitely didn''t blame Xin Lan for anything. He knew that he had just done what he needed to do. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/we-have-forever_52370526789750002 for visiting.


    On the other hand, he just found out quite a lot about the kind of things that happened in the dragon realm. It made him feel a little unaccustomed. In any case, while there were definitely some secrets in the cultivation sects of the mortal realm and also in cultivation families like the Hua family, it definitely couldn''t compare to this. And also, he had grown up quite sheltered not only by his family but also by his Master and all of his senior martial brothers and sisters. The ugly sides of the cultivation world ¡­ he had hardly ever seen them.


    Xin Lan smiled when he saw Hua Lin Yu''s hesitant expression. "It''s alright. You don''t have to say anything. This matter ¡­ it is something from quite long ago. As soon as there is a way for Jinde and Leng Jin Yu to leave the Yun Zou Sect undetected, it won''t have anything else to do with us. So don''t worry too much."


    Hua Lin Yu hurriedly shook his head. "I''m not worried because it has to do with us. In any case, you said that Jinde saved your life. Naturally, you won''t just abandon him. Since this matter is important to him, it will naturally be important to you as well. I don''t mind that. I can even understand it. So I don''t want you to change anything. It''s just a little much to take in all at once and I''m not sure if I am really equipped to understand all of it. I''ve never had to do with this kind of thing before."


    Xin Lan nodded and then leaned closer, cupping Hua Lin Yu''s cheek with his hand. "It''s alright. You don''t have to understand immediately or find some way to deal with it. You can just take your time. If there''s something else that you want to know, you can always tell me. I will answer all of your questions as far as I can." Of course, there were some secrets that needed to be kept even in front of his fiance. He owed Jinde as much. "In any case, if everything was to go according to my will, the two of us will have forever to figure out whatever you want to." He smiled, rubbing Hua Lin Yu''s skin with his thumb.


    Hua Lin Yu lowered his head, not quite sure what to say to that. Xin Lan was really sweet. Especially when it came to serious situations such as this. "I''ll keep it in mind."


    Xin Lan gave a hum and bridged the last gap between them, pulling Hua Lin Yu into his arms. "I''m just glad that you don''t blame me for killing him. When I realized that you followed me over, I panicked. In your eyes, I don''t want to be a bad person. But I can''t deny that I sometimes just want to go the easiest way. If that means killing the other person to eradicate a problem, I am willing to do it. If that is a problem for you ¡­" He leaned back a little, peering into Hua Lin Yu''s face as if he wanted to find out just what his fiance was thinking.


    Hua Lin Yu pondered for a moment, not wanting to give an answer too fast. "To be honest, I was shocked at that moment. But it''s alright. In the future ¡­ I will trust that you know how to make a judgment on these things. In any case, I didn''t know the full situation but you did. That is what I should''ve trusted in."


    "I''ll be glad if you can do that." Xin Lan tilted his head and kissed the corner of Hua Lin Yu''s mouth before pulling back. "Very well. I guess that was it for our stroll today. Is there anything else you want to do?"


    Hua Lin Yu hesitated for a moment but finally shook his head. Going outside again ¡­ he really didn''t feel like doing that. On the other hand, there was nothing else he had planned on doing so he wasn''t sure. Right now, knowing that there was some kind of investigation about the person that his fiance had killed, he also felt a little strange. No matter what he tried to do, he probably wouldn''t be able to calm down. Unable to find an answer, he could only voice these thoughts in front of Xin Lan. "I really don''t know. Right now ¡­ I guess I just feel a little strange. This kind of situation is new to me."


    Xin Lan nodded. "I can understand. If there''s something I can do to make it better ¡­ just tell me."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded but he didn''t even know exactly what he felt. How was he supposed to know what would make it better? Thus, he could only stay quiet, wondering if inspiration would strike sometime soon. If not ¡­ well, there were probably other things to do. Maybe he should just go back to cultivating. Even though his level wasn''t low, if he wanted to continue traveling with Xin Lan, it would be best to be of an even higher level so he wouldn''t be a burden to him. But then again, he likely wouldn''t be able to focus enough. Right now, things were just too fresh.


    Xin Lan could also see that Hua Lin Yu didn''t really know what to do. Finally, he got up and rubbed his head just like Fei Bai Mu had done before. "I''ll go and get your brother." Even though he wasn''t sure if Hua Lin Rong could help, at least having another familiar person around might make things a little better. And Hua Lin Rong was usually able to make people not think about whatever negative thing was currently going on. So if he wanted to cheer his fiance up, then he felt that his brother-in-law should have the best chance to do that.


    When he left the room, Hua Lin Yu looked at his back, his heart actually jumping for a bit. Xin Lan ¡­ The way he cared about him was really quite special. Others might have wanted to take advantage of the situation and just stay alone with him, trying to comfort him themselves. But Xin Lan ¡­ he would just leave and get somebody else to do so because he figured that it would be best for him. Really, how could he be unhappy with that?

 Chapter 1310 - I Want to Tell You

    While Xin Lan and Hua Lin Yu were getting closer again, things were also turning a little better between Qiu Ling and Jing Yi in the Nine Heavens. Jing Yi continued to ask Qiu Ling all the questions he had about the books he just read while Qiu Ling did his best to answer him as well as he could. There were some things he didn''t know about but he always reminded him that there was still An Bai around to ask. In any case, he couldn''t compare to a scholar so he didn''t feel embarrassed about this. Since he had promised An Bai to work together with him in the future, this was also the least that this guy could do for him in return.


    By the time the two of them had finished their discussion, it was already in the middle of the night and Jing Yi didn''t feel comfortable going to disturb An Bai. Instead, he retired to their room with Qiu Ling.


    They had spent a millennium living together in the dimension together with Leng Jin Yu and Jinde before and then had traveled together. But now, it felt a little awkward to lie down next to each other in the same bed. Jing Yi just couldn''t help but think of the last few days before he had managed to cultivate into an ascended deity when Qiu Ling had been gone to stay at Jing He''s side instead.


    Qiu Ling noticed that he wasn''t quite himself so he also felt strange. It would be even more awkward to just leave though. No matter what kind of excuse he brought up, it would sound way too fake. Thus, he could only do his best to pretend that nothing was the issue. He pulled Jing Yi into his arms and smiled faintly. "Well, things aren''t perfect yet but I guess for your first day in the Nine Heavens, as bad as it started, it still managed to get better, don''t you think so?"


    Jing Yi hesitated a little but finally still nodded. "I guess you''re not wrong. But I guess it also wasn''t that difficult to upgrade from almost being killed to something better."


    Qiu Ling chuckled and then reached out, brushing Jing Yi''s hair back. "I''m sorry. All of this probably wouldn''t have happened if I had stayed with you the last few days. I should have known that your ascension was that close by. At that kind of time, I definitely shouldn''t have left."


    Jing Yi shook his head. "Something came up and you just couldn''t help yourself. I''m not going to make a big deal out of that."


    Qiu Ling nodded hesitantly and then cleared his throat. "Do you ¡­ Do you want to know?"


    Jing Yi raised his brows, not quite sure what was going on. "Didn''t you say that you can''t talk about it yet?" Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/i-want-to-tell-you_52393809807472015 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling nodded and made another awkward pause but finally explained after a sigh. "Yes, but I''ve been thinking today while we were walking through the capital city and visited the Tower of Wisdom. I think it''d still be better to be open with you about everything. In any case, I can''t expect you to understand my position if I keep such things from you. So I want to tell you if you don''t mind."


    Jing Yi''s heart thumped. To be honest, being told something like this was almost like a dream come true. He wanted to know more. He wanted to be just the same way with Qiu Ling as Jing He was. This seemed to be the first step on his way to getting to that point. "Well, if you''re ready to do so, then I''d be glad to listen. Don''t force it though." This time, he wasn''t lying about his feelings. He would definitely be happy to hear the whole story from Qiu Ling but just the fact that he had suggested doing this was enough for him. He didn''t necessarily need him to explain immediately. Just hearing that he was willing to take a step back for him was enough.


    Qiu Ling smiled and leaned closer, kissing Jing Yi''s forehead. "No, I really want you to hear. It''s just that I don''t quite know how to tell you. I guess I''ll have to start from an earlier point."


    Jing Yi glanced at the window that showed just how late it had gotten. "It''s already a little late but I don''t mind staying up all night just to hear this from you. I might not be Jing He and maybe I can''t soothe you as well as he does but I will try my best to listen and help if I can somehow."


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Don''t be too hard on yourself. There''s nothing you actually need to do. Just telling you is alright. In any case, do you remember what happened with my parents?"


    Jing Yi nodded gravely. "Of course." How could he ever forget? What Qiu Ling had told him back then had been so horrifying that he would definitely never forget.


    Qiu Ling nodded. "Well, us dragons are able to split off a part of our soul and merge it with the soul of another dragon if we are in love with him and they allow us. And my father did that with his original lover, Jinde. And after Jinde met my father''s reincarnation, they finally decided that Jinde wanted to give a part of that soul''s part back to him so he would know what happened in his past life."


    Jing Yi slightly furrowed his brows. He wasn''t quite sure if he understood all of that but he at least realized that this was quite the important matter and something that had probably made Qiu Ling feel all kinds of emotions, none of them good. For him, this was something that he had a hard time dealing with. Of course, it wouldn''t be easy to speak about it. It had really been quite insensitive to force him to do so. Now that he knew, he actually felt sorry about it.

 Chapter 1311 - A Decision for Both of Them

    Qiu Ling didn''t seem to see that he was in a troubled mood and just continued to explain. "In any case, things didn''t quite go as they intended. While he regained his memories, the soul of a dragon is probably just stronger than that of a mortal so for a moment, my father''s reincarnation was actually overwhelmed by that last remnant of my father''s soul. Or in other words, my father resurfaced for a few hours despite having died already. And he came to see me."


    Jing Yi stared at Qiu Ling, unable to figure out what he was supposed to say. This ¡­ he didn''t quite know what he would feel if he was in Qiu Ling''s situation. After having grown up and becoming a cultivator, he definitely would''ve liked to see his father or his mother again as well. It would be nice to see them again and be able to tell them that he was doing well, that they didn''t need to worry about him, and that he was happy. To him, that would''ve been something great.


    But his situation with his parents was completely different from Qiu Ling''s. While his father had died suddenly while he was young as well and that even been in a violent dispute as well, it couldn''t measure up to what had happened with Qiu Ling''s parents. There were definitely a lot of unresolved issues between Qiu Ling and his father. Suddenly seeing him had to have been difficult for him.


    Qiu Ling didn''t know what to say either. Seeing Jing Yi''s gaze, he realized that his lover wasn''t able to really grasp this. He didn''t know what he had expected but he felt a little disappointed. If it had been Jing He ¡­ would it have been different? What would he have done and said at that time? It wasn''t a nice thought to have but he couldn''t help himself. Being able to see his beloved''s original self and tell him about this definitely would have been nice. Right now though, there was no way to do so. And telling Jing Yi, although it helped with restoring the trust between them a little, he knew that it wouldn''t help him with what had happened. That was something that he could only take care of by himself.


    Realizing this, he cleared his throat. "In any case, it was quite a lot to take in, especially because it happened so suddenly. I just needed some time to process it. I don''t actually know why I went to Jing He since it isn''t like he could comfort me. But I guess that being confronted with something from my past, it just didn''t feel right to go to you. After all, this is the present. And Jing He is currently also part of my past. He also understands quite a bit more about our races I guess so maybe it just felt that going to you would need me to explain too much which I couldn''t do at that time. I probably could''ve gone to any other place as well and just sat by myself for a while. It wouldn''t have changed a thing."


    Jing Yi nodded slowly, still not sure how to react. But in any case, he wasn''t angry anymore. Now that he knew ¡­ he somewhat understood. "Thank you for telling me. I think I finally understand what the problem was. Something like this naturally couldn''t have been easy to speak about. It is my fault for expecting you to just tell me about it. I clearly didn''t realize that this matter wasn''t that simple. That is my fault."


    Qiu Ling just nodded, not trying to say anything else. In any case, Jing Yi wasn''t wrong. He had expected this to be something small but to him, it naturally wasn''t. To him, this was one of the biggest things that had happened in the last years. And it had come so out of the blue that he was still reeling just thinking about it. "In any case, that part of his soul has already assimilated with Leng Jin Yu''s now. He is completely gone."


    Jing Yi looked at him, trying to find something, anything he could say. But he was afraid that whatever he chose would be the wrong thing so finally, he stayed silent.


    Qiu Ling sighed, then shook his head. "Well, it''s over now. Let''s just focus on the future. What do you want to do tomorrow?" Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-decision-for-both-of-them_52416869470106351 for visiting.


    Jing Yi felt somewhat uncomfortable when he asked this question but he couldn''t put his finger on what the problem was. Maybe it was that Qiu Ling had told him something this big but they didn''t really talk about it. But then again, maybe Qiu Ling didn''t want to talk about it either. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have changed the subject so soon.


    Thinking of that, Jing Yi didn''t insist and instead pondered the question he had asked. Unfortunately, he also didn''t know. "Well, we can''t leave the Nine Heavens so I guess other than going back to the Tower of Wisdom to get a few more books and having another look around the capital city there isn''t anything we can do. Or is there anything you would like to show me? Maybe some of the places you visited with Jing He before?" His voice shook a little when he suggested this but he still forced himself.


    In any case, wasn''t it just seeing a bit of scenery? He could do that. While it would be torture to see the places where Qiu Ling and Jing He had been happy together, he also realized that he should probably give it try.


    In any case, Jing He was important to Qiu Ling, trying to deny it wouldn''t do him any good. No, it was much better to accept it and make an effort himself to show Qiu Ling that he was willing to work on his misgivings. Only that way could they go forward, very much like how Qiu Ling had decided to tell him about something even if it troubled him.


    If they wanted to live together well as a couple, then sometimes, things couldn''t just go after what was best for one of them. Sometimes, they would need to make a decision that was just for the benefit of the two of them.

 Chapter 1312 - He Means the World to Her

    Qiu Ling''s gaze softened when Jing Yi offered this. He knew that it definitely hadn''t been easy for him to say that just now. The fact that he was still doing it meant that they were probably going in the right direction.


    In the end, he shook his head though. "I know that it''s not easy for you to hear how much he means to me. So don''t worry. I won''t actually do that. I''ll try to hold back a little. I can''t promise that I won''t remember things every now and then since we spent all of our time here after all but I won''t deliberately bring it up. I think that just wouldn''t be fair to you."


    Jing Yi smiled as well. "Looks like I worried too much."


    Qiu Ling reached out to take his hand and then couldn''t help but shake his head. "I think over the last few days, the two of us have both been thinking too much. In any case, the situation is what it is. We can''t change anything about that. We can only try to take it one step at a time and see how to get through this. I know it''s unfair to you but I don''t think there''s anything else we can do."


    Jing Yi nodded and squeezed Qiu Ling''s hand back. "I also know that it''s not your fault. The laws of the Nine Heavens ¡­ it''s not like they were made by you. No matter what you think of it personally, it won''t change what the gods want. Even if you were to tell them that you don''t agree, what would it change? At most, they might not even allow you to see me and just try and take matters into their own hands again. Then, it wouldn''t have helped at all." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/he-means-the-world-to-her_52440109806582214 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling nodded. "That is precisely what I think would happen, yes. Well, I think from their perspective, it is understandable. They don''t really know you. You are a stranger to them while Jing He ¡­ to the Heavenly Emperor and Heavenly Empress, he naturally has the highest priority." He couldn''t help but fall silent and think of what the Heavenly Empress had told him.


    If there had really been other children before, if such a curse existed, then it was no wonder that the two of them would be like this. After all, there was currently a chance that they might lose this one child that they had actually managed to raise into a.d.u.l.thood as well and that only because something had gone wrong on this trial that originally should have been safe.


    For a moment, Qiu Ling''s thoughts couldn''t help but jump to the future. After Jing He returned and they got married, there would come a day when they decided that it would be time to have children as well. It wouldn''t be immediately considering Jing He''s age but one day, it would happen.


    Would that curse still be valid for them? Even though Jing He had married outside of the god race? He was afraid that if this curse was just placed on the bloodline of the Heavenly Emperor, that would indeed be the case. So maybe, he and Jing He would have to go through the same thing.


    Just the thought of having a child with Jing He and then losing it ¡­ it pained him. Going through the actual experience ¡­ he didn''t even want to imagine that. But, well, what could he do? The curse existed. And he wanted to be with Jing He. There was nobody else.


    In fact, even if it was Jing Yi, the curse might affect him since he still carried Jing He''s soul after all. But in any case, he knew that having a child with Jing Yi would never be an option anyway. Treating him like he treated Jing He was already a risk. Marrying him before he managed to marry Jing He was out of the question because surely, Jing He would not be able to take it. And then, having a child ¡­ he was certain that this was something that Jing He would never be able to get over no matter how much he talked.


    Jing Yi saw that Qiu Ling had suddenly become absent-minded and couldn''t help but reach out and nudge his forehead. "What''s the matter? You are suddenly looking ¡­ worried again."


    Qiu Ling was pulled out of thoughts but didn''t quite know how to explain. This was a private matter that the Heavenly Empress had confessed to him and something that didn''t concern Jing Yi. He knew he shouldn''t tell him but there was a faint trace of guilt. He sighed, feeling that he really needed to work on this problem.


    In the end, Qiu Ling could only shake his head. "I was just thinking of the Heavenly Empress. You know I don''t get along that well with Jing He''s father but she was always nice to me. She had some worries in the beginning that I wouldn''t treat him well enough and might not be the right person for him but overall, she was always in favor of our relationship.


    "I know that Jing He means the world to her. And she must be very pained now that she knows that he will still not wake up for quite some time. Originally, it should''ve only been a few months. Two, maybe three. Then she would have gotten him back. I know for a fact that even at that time, she already missed him. And by now, more than three years have gone by. I think it''s safe to say that it is really heartbreaking for her. I can''t help but feel a little guilty about it since I was the one who derailed the trial so much in the first place."


    Jing Yi nodded but didn''t say anything. In any case, his own perspective on this matter was something that wasn''t really valuable to Qiu Ling right now. Thus, he just held his hand, trying to silently be there for him while he calmed down.

 Chapter 1313 - A Good Outcome Considering the Circ.u.mstances

    Qiu Ling only needed a moment to find back to himself. The fact that Jing Yi was there also made it a little easier. "Well, in any case, all that I wanted to say was that I can understand why the two of them would be like this. As for the others ¡­ from what I know, the God of Justice is somebody who takes his job quite seriously and I think he had a son that he loves just as much as the Heavenly couple loves Jing He. Maybe he sees himself in them a little bit. If it was his son, he would probably want to get him back as well. So I guess that is why the three of them are so adamant about this."


    Jing Yi nodded. "I know. It''s not that I can''t understand it. But it still hurts to be rejected just for who I am. I haven''t done anything. It is like I committed some kind of crime that I am being hunted for now. But just because of the fact that my soul was somebody else''s before I am suddenly in this type of situation. It just seems unfair, you know?"


    Qiu Ling gave a hum in response. "I do understand that. It is unfair to you. The whole situation is. Not just since we returned to the Nine Heavens but even before that. You ¡­ you grew up having to do these trials just because it is something that the gods have to do. So there are things in your life that you went through that normal humans might not have needed to suffer. And even now that you''ve returned, things are being made difficult for you just based on that fact. Where is the fairness in that?


    "At the same time, it isn''t fair to Jing He either. Believe me, he never would have wanted to go on this trial if it hadn''t been a necessity. To him, while he doesn''t have a problem with doing it in general, the time was really ¡­ unfortunate." He faintly raised his brows, thinking of the day when Jing He had told him. Clearly, his beloved had had a guilty conscience.


    In any case, just the day before, they had promised each other to get married. He had offered to go to the Heavenly Emperor but Jing He had asked him not to and said that he wanted to tell his father alone. He had probably hoped that this way, the Heavenly Emperor would be more likely to agree because he wouldn''t be able to bear scolding Jing He too much. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-good-outcome-considering-the-circ.u.mstances_52463477935107342 for visiting.


    But then, things had turned out differently because right at that time, the Heavenly Emperor told him first that it was time for his trial. The courage that Jing He had built up had all been for naught. Suddenly, things were completely different from what they had expected. Thus, the next day, he had only been able to confess to him, hoping that he would be more understanding. At the same time, he had clearly worried about it as well. Who wouldn''t? In any case, this had dashed all hopes that they had held before. The promise they had made, suddenly, it wasn''t worth anything. Even though officially, this was just pushing things back a little, after everything that they had gone through before that, it easily could''ve been interpreted as a new refusal. Why shouldn''t Jing He worry about that?


    Jing Yi actually wasn''t quite sure about what kind of timing Qiu Ling meant but seeing his gaze, he wasn''t sure if he should ask about it either. In any case, while he was willing to take a step back for Qiu Ling and would not make a fuss about it when hearing about Jing He every now and then, he definitely didn''t want to hear his praises all the time. Especially not if it was in connection with Jing He''s relationship with Qiu Ling. It just hurt too much.


    Qiu Ling realized that most likely, what he had just said wasn''t nice either. He winced inwardly but forced himself to keep a calm look on the outside. In any case, the two of them needed to learn to speak about this. Otherwise, they really wouldn''t be able to continue being a couple going forward. Because no matter what, Jing He would always be a part of their life. For Jing Yi because he couldn''t escape the fact that his soul had been Jing He''s originally and for him because he would never stop loving Jing He. That was just a fact. Thus, as hard as it was, they slowly needed to work toward being able to have at least this much of a conversation about the topic.


    Qiu Ling didn''t want to overdo it right away though so he could only return to the previous topic. "Well, you''ve read about Tian. I can''t say that I fault him. There were things that were wrong between the three immortal races. And after driving his lover crazy, I can also understand why he had this wish for revenge.


    "But that doesn''t change the fact that this has been going on for hundreds of thousands of years. And now, I can''t help but wonder if maybe it is time to take a step back. Maybe we''ve paid enough. Is it really alright to punish also subsequent generations of a race for something that their forefathers did? Save for one person, nobody else from that time is alive anymore as far as we are aware. And even he hadn''t actually been born at that time. So maybe this is overdoing it."


    Jing Yi nodded. Being punished for something somebody else had done ¡­ he could understand that sentiment right now. Thus, he didn''t even need to think before he nodded. "I guess it would be good if the curse is lifted. But I guess it was never intended to be. So from that day forth, it was just a new reality for the immortal races. I guess it won''t change anymore."


    Qiu Ling nodded, feeling that this was indeed the case. "Yes, I''m afraid that''s true. We will just have to go forward like this. Unfortunately, that also means that situations like this will crop up again in the future. While it''s not good, nothing can be done about it. Well, maybe this case will at least help with learning how to deal with it better. That would be a good outcome considering the circ.u.mstances."

 Chapter 1314 - Do You Know about Formations?

    Jing Yi nodded and then sidled up closer to Qiu Ling. "No matter what, we''ll find a way to deal with everything. Now though, how about we stop talking about that? The situation won''t go away and we''ll have to do with it for quite some time. So I think it would be nice to focus on something else when we have the chance."


    Qiu Ling looked a little guilty when Jing Yi brought that up. Right. He was probably talking about this way too much as if it wasn''t on Jing Yi''s mind enough already. He lightly cleared his throat and then pressed his hands up against his chest, giving a faint smile. "What do you want to talk about it?"


    Jing Yi gave a hum and pondered, trying to think of something that he really wanted to talk about. By now, there wasn''t much though. The last years had always been spent cultivating and he hadn''t really taken interest in much else. Refining was the sole exception but Qiu Ling really wasn''t the right person to talk about that with. Thus, at most, he could talk about something that was related to cultivation. Continuing to think in that direction, his expression finally lit up. "Do you know about formations?"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows and then nodded. "I do. It''s something that most people in the immortal races will learn if they have anything to do with fighting. Formations can be quite valuable in that regard."


    Jing Yi couldn''t help but worry a little when he heard Qiu Ling''s explanation. Qiu Ling had never wanted him to have to do anything with that. So most likely, he wouldn''t be happy about this question. "Well, I was thinking that I would like to learn." He gave a wry smile, waiting for Qiu Ling''s verdict.


    Qiu Ling didn''t seem to mind though and just straightforwardly nodded. "Of course. You didn''t really have the chance to learn much in the mortal realm since we were traveling around the first few years and then you still didn''t get a Master after returning to the Yun Zou Sect. Otherwise, you would''ve had the chance to at least dabble in it a little. It was probably good enough that you were able to learn a bit more about alchemy." And, to be honest, that wasn''t thanks to anyone in the Yun Zou Sect but to Jinde and that Zheng Yin from the spiritual beast tribe. In the last millennium before Jing Yi''s ascension, the two of them had helped him to learn a little more. Otherwise, he always would''ve just known the basics that he had originally discovered in the Hei Dian Sect.


    Jing Yi was honestly surprised when Qiu Ling just agreed. "Are you sure? Is there really nothing else you have to say to that?"


    Qiu Ling was a little puzzled at that reaction. "Is there anything else that I should say?" He really didn''t know what Jing Yi meant. In any case, wasn''t it just learning about formations? What was so strange about that?


    Jing Yi hesitated but then still explained his reasoning. In any case, it was best to speak up about the things that he was thinking. Otherwise, they would just misunderstand each other. "Well, I remember how you only agreed to teach me how to defend myself before but never agreed to let me find out more about how to attack somebody?"


    Qiu Ling tensed up at that but still had to nod. How could he forget about that? Jing Yi had asked him about it not just once and clearly hadn''t been happy each time when he was denied. But no matter how he thought, he just hadn''t been able to bring himself to do this. He didn''t want Jing He to have memories of something like that. Because in his mind, Jing He was still that gentle person who couldn''t hurt anyone. Knowing how to defend himself was good but attacking somebody would be out of the question. In any case, he didn''t think that he needed to know. After all, even if something happened, wouldn''t he be there to protect him? Thus, he had indeed always kept Jing Yi from giving it a try.


    Qiu Ling cleared his throat and then explained himself. "This wasn''t quite what I meant. It is not that formations are really there to attack somebody. There are many different kinds and they can be used strategically. So by utilizing formations, you can actually prevent yourself from having to fight. You could say that they are good for defending yourself.


    "Also, there are a lot of formations that have nothing to do with fighting but usually, a guard would be knowledgeable about at least a few kinds because they will need them to do their job efficiently. There are other professions that also dabble in formations but, for the most part, everyone will just learn what they need to. It''s mostly those scholars like An Bai who learn more than that just because they want to know." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/do-you-know-about-formations_52486290117032946 for visiting.


    Jing Yi gave a hum, feeling that he understood Qiu Ling''s reaction better now. In this case, it was clear why he wouldn''t have a problem with him learning it. Most likely, if he told him, he would leave out anything that he didn''t want Jing He to know about. In fact ¡­ "Did Jing He know how to use formations?"


    Qiu Ling raised his brows but he wasn''t quite sure how to answer that. "Well, I have never seen him use one but I would guess so, yes. In any case, he is the crown prince and will rule the Nine Heavens one day. He always knew and was being prepared for that. So I think it isn''t wrong to say that he was quite well-versed in most things."


    Jing Yi nodded, trying not to feel inferior. In any case, the difference in their birth status was something that he would never be able to overcome. That was just a fact.

 Chapter 1315 - Clinging to Life

    Qiu Ling cleared his throat when he saw that Jing Yi''s expression had gotten tangled again. "Anyway, if you want to, I can try to explain to you. The formations used in the immortal realms and those of the mortal realm are different though. I don''t know too much about the ones from the mortal realm but I could teach you those that we use in the dragon realm. I don''t know too many either to be honest since I didn''t really have that kind of formal education either but I have at least learned a little over the years."


    Jing Yi was startled when Qiu Ling mentioned that he hadn''t had that kind of education but then he remembered what Qiu Ling had told him about his family. Right. Despite having lived in the dragon king''s palace at first, Qiu Ling had also not grown up that differently from a normal person. Everything he had right now had not been given to him because of who his father was but because of his own hard work. In that regard, the two of them were actually quite similar.


    Just thinking about that, Jing Yi''s troubled mood calmed down and he nodded. "I would be really happy if you did that. The one regret that I have about ascending already is that I wasn''t really able to learn things well. Even my knowledge of alchemy isn''t that deep. At most, I can probably be considered to be of an intermediate level.


    "As a cultivator, if I hadn''t had quite a few lucky encounters, I also wouldn''t have been able to ascend in just slightly over a millennium with my own aptitude. So I can''t be called talented there either. Most likely, compared to other ascended deities, I''m actually quite weak." He really didn''t have any doubts about that. When he had been confronted with the God of Justice of the God of War, as well as all those soldiers, at the ascension platform he had realized for the first time just how helpless he actually was.


    He really didn''t know how to fight. Who to attack first, and whom to leave for later, how to evade the attacks and how to counterattack ¡­ he had never learned any of that. He didn''t have any experience either. How could he be able to defend himself?


    Sometimes, just standing there and erecting a wall around you, hoping that those attacks wouldn''t hit you just wasn''t enough. So even though Qiu Ling had had good intentions back then, it also hadn''t really helped anything. If he wanted him to be kept safe, then he should have taught him how to fight for real.


    But that was really crying over spilled milk. Since he hadn''t learned yet, and Qiu Ling probably still wasn''t willing to teach him that, he could only try to make up for it in another way. Maybe it was stupid to try and learn about formations when he hadn''t even managed to master alchemy yet but he felt that this was the best thing he could do right now. Sometimes, second-best was just the best option one had because everything else was above what you were able to do and your circ.u.mstances didn''t allow anything else.


    In terms of teaching Jing Yi about formations, Qiu Ling didn''t have any opinion. If he wanted to learn, then he didn''t have a problem with it. "Then I''d say let''s start with that tomorrow morning. I can teach you the basics first and after that, we can go and explore the city a little more. Then after that, we can see how much time is left."


    Jing Yi nodded and then snuggled up against Qiu Ling''s chest. "Let''s do that. In any case, now, let''s sleep first. It was a long day. A lot has happened. I really think that I need some rest." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/clinging-to-life_52509663849138946 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling nodded and reached out, hugging him. "Yes, you probably should."


    The two of them fell silent and Jing Yi did indeed deed fall asleep soon. On the other hand, Qiu Ling stared into the darkness, his thoughts spinning. Learning about formations ¡­ Jing Yi still hadn''t given up, had he? This kind of knowledge would be unimportant as soon as the gods found a way to solve the situation. When it was exploring the city, he could still understand. But this was going beyond that. This was Jing Yi actively clinging to life. Well, he couldn''t fault him for that. Who didn''t want to live?


    Qiu Ling looked at the youth in his arms that still looked pretty much like he had back in the mortal realm when they had just gotten to know each other for real. He was different from Jing He in a lot of ways but there were probably also some similarities.


    In any case, his own heart would cry out for him in pretty much the same way that it did for Jing He. He wasn''t able to express that with words but it was something that he felt deep inside. He didn''t know if his feelings for Jing He were really stronger. The attachment was clearly different but it had a lot to do with the timeline of their meetings.


    Well, pondering that over and over again also wouldn''t get them anywhere. It was best to just let these matters rest and focus on other things. In any case, right now, Jing Yi was the one who was here. He was the one he should protect and love. One day, after Jing Yi had really left this world, he would make it up to Jing He. It might cause some confusion at the beginning but just like with Jing Yi today, he would be able to clear things up with Jing He as well.


    This was just how things worked. Sometimes, things couldn''t be changed. The circ.u.mstances were already there and you could only do your best to deal with them. If he could do so with Jing Yi, then he could do so with Jing He. While the two of them hadn''t had a millennium to hash out how to talk about such things, they would be getting married after Jing He returned. Then, they would have all the time in the world to get to know this side of their relationship as well. There was no reason to think too much about it right now.

 Chapter 1316 - Unexpected Guests

    Back in the mortal realm, things were developing fast. To solve the situation with Qiguan Cheng Da''s ¡­ previous traitorous behavior, Yuchi Bing Xia had immediately asked the Elder of one of the demon-hunting sects that had survived the dispute a millennium ago for help. Since they had also been invited to Leng Jin Yu and Jinde''s wedding, no time was lost and they could deal with the matter immediately.


    This sect happened to be the Ye Zhong Order that only accepted female disciples. And to everyone''s surprise, one of the disciples that had accompanied the Elder was none other than Hong Bao.


    Yuchi Bing Xia hadn''t noticed her back at the wedding since he had been busy with many other things so now that he finally saw her, he slowly raised his brows. If he remembered correctly, then this woman was the direct disciple of Xian Xun, the Sect Master of the previous Chun Feng Sect. How had she ended up in the Ye Zhong Order?


    The Elder in charge noticed his gaze and gave a wry smile. "I see Sect Master Yuchi remembers Hong Bao. Back then, she had been tasked by her Master to deliver a letter to us in regard to what he deemed to be the traitorous behavior of the Yun Zou Sect. She didn''t arrive in time and instead brought this letter over after everything had already been resolved. Since the Chun Feng sect wasn''t willing to repent afterward and comply with the rules that everybody had set up, she was left without a place to stay after they disbanded. Seeing that she is quite talented as a demon hunter and happens to be a woman as well, we took her in. She didn''t grow up with Xian Xun like most of the others, and also isn''t that headstrong so she was willing to swear to abide by the rules."


    Naturally, the Ye Zhong Order had paid close attention to what she was doing especially in the beginning. Soon enough, they had found out that Hong Bao really couldn''t be looked at like the other disciples. Most of the time, she was quite the headache. They couldn''t give her any task to do alone because they could never know what would happen. Thus, she was only ever sent out in a group anyway so there was no way for her to mess up or overstep the bounds of the rules that had been laid down.


    Through this, the sect also found out that she was even more lenient than the other demon hunters. If one of the demons told her some kind of sob story about why they were doing things, she would often start to pity them and even try to actually help them out. The results of that ¡­ they were really giving the Ye Zhong Order quite the headache. But that was something that she wouldn''t admit to in front of Yuchi Bing Xia. She didn''t want to lose all of the sect''s face after all.


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded, but he honestly wasn''t too surprised. He still vividly remembered how Xian Xun had come to him back then, telling him that his disciple had vanished. Back then, it had come out soon that she hadn''t actually been abducted or anything but instead just gone to visit her family, not bothering to finish the task she had been given or tell her Master about her changed plans. Just from that, it could be seen that this girl was a somewhat special case.


    Thus, after the Elder explained, he just nodded. Looking at the people on the other side though ¡­ "I do understand why Miss Hong would be here. But am I imagining things or is this person here the Sect Master of the Hei Dian Sect?" He looked at Shen An De, his brows furrowing. In any case, while the demon-hunting sects were usually neutral in the fight between the righteous and the demonic sects, it still was somewhat strange to bring the Grandmaster of the demonic sect to a meeting with the Sect Master of a righteous sect. That kind of neutrality was going a little too far, wasn''t it?


    Shen An De inclined his head, also feeling a little strange about the current situation. "Sect Master Yuchi shouldn''t blame the Ye Zhong order. Hong Bao happened to tell my wife about what was going on and seeing that this has to do with the demon race, I thought I might be able to give some input so I followed along."


    Actually, she had already called them over before because she had mistakenly thought that the ones getting married were Qiu Ling and Jing Yi. Seeing that they also had some relationship with that couple, Shen An De and Hong Ai had agreed to come, only to find out that they had gone to the wrong wedding. All awkwardness aside, that had come in handy when this new situation popped up. He really was interested in helping out here and making some trouble for that uncle of his.


    "In any case, while the relationship between our factions might not be that good, demons causing havoc in the mortal realm is still a problem to everyone. I think it would be good to call it a truce for the time being and just focus on the matter at hand. After that, I believe we can go back to hating each other without a guilty conscience."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s lips twitched. Well, that was easy for him to say! In any case, Shen An De wasn''t in a difficult situation here. Even though he had only brought his wife along and nobody else from the sect, his strength was unparalleled. Most likely, he would even be able to win over their own Grandmaster Zhangsun. So he probably didn''t feel any pressure at all. On the other hand, Yuchi Bing Xia felt quite pressured here.


    The Elder from the Ye Zhong Order cleared her throat to get back the attention. "No matter what, I think there was an investigation that you wanted our help this. Why don''t we go and take a look at that? The sooner we finish this investigation, the sooner Grandmaster Shen will be able to leave again. I think that would be in all of our interests."


    Shen An De nodded straightforwardly, keeping quiet. In any case, he was only staying here to make sure that his sister-in-law wasn''t getting into trouble and even though his wife had left her own sect long ago, she was still quite worried about these matters so she had naturally also wanted to take a look. Since the opportunity was there, could he say no?


    Yuchi Bing Xia also realized that arguing wouldn''t lead anyway so he nodded and motioned for them to follow him. "Follow me, please. I will bring you there right away." With that, he led them to an unassuming building in the inner sect where they had kept both the body of Qiguan Cheng Da and the evidence that had been found on him. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/unexpected-guests_52532954919913949 for visiting.

 Chapter 1317 - A Tool for Communication

    Stepping into the building, the visitors immediately turned to look at the body that was presented on a table in the middle of the room.


    The Elder of the Ye Zhong Order raised her brows and walked over, looking at the wounds on Qiguan Cheng Da''s throat. "Was this done by a demon?" Usually, she wouldn''t ask such a question outright but considering that the other side was the Sect Master of the Yun Zou Sect, she felt that he might actually have some insight into this.


    Just as expected, Yuchi Bing Xia was able to answer her question. He shook his head though and walked over as well, standing on the other side of the table. "No, the person who killed him is of the dragon race. From what he said, he found out that this person had been colluding with the demons and then killed him to get rid of the problem. While I think that the person in question is trustworthy, I still think that this needs to be investigated so I hope that Elder Suo would be able to find some kind of clue."


    Elder Suo tilted her head and continued to look at the wound while the disciples she had brought with her gathered around her, looking over the body as well. "I can definitely tell you that this person hasn''t been killed by a human. That much is for sure. But if you already have somebody who admitted to having committed this crime, then what exactly are we searching for? There won''t be any clues on his body for whether he cooperated with the demons or not."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded, understanding her puzzlement. Without any leads, she could hardly investigate. "I thought so but the person of the dragon race indicated that one of the items this disciple was carrying with him was used to contact the demons." He motioned at the mirror that had been placed to the side and Elder Suo raised her brows as soon as she looked over. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-tool-for-communication_52556834149553513 for visiting.


    She picked it up and turned it in her hands, her expression grim. "Well, I don''t think that you need to worry about that dragon lying. This is indeed something that is mostly used in the demon realm. Even if this disciple had come across it, it wouldn''t have made much sense to keep it. It is worthless if not connected to another one of these."


    "Do you know what exactly it is used for?"


    "Well, for the most part, this is only a theory because I''ve never seen it used in real life but there are notes from our predecessors, mentioning how this kind of mirror can be used to connect with somebody else as long as the other person has a mirror that is similarly made. No matter how far apart both people are ¡ª even if they happened to be in different realms ¡ª they would be able to see each other in the glass and converse just by putting in some spiritual energy.


    "From what we know, there are several similar materials in the immortal realms. We have searched for something of the same effect in the mortal realm but without success so far. It is something that would have made our lives much easier. But as it stands, it seems that the difference between our realm and their realms is still too big."


    Shen An De nodded at that and inserted an explanation of his own. "That is what I know of as well. I think the gods and dragons use some kind of stone. I don''t have much more information though. I may have spent some time in the demon realm, but it wasn''t enough.


    "In any case, this kind of mirror is also something that not everybody could possess. Most likely, the person that gave this to your disciple should have been a high-ranking demon. Probably somebody who is at least affiliated with the demon king or whoever it is he is contending against right now. That is definitely not a no-name demon. So the claim that that dragon made regarding how this disciple might have to do with the demon king isn''t without reason."


    The Elder of the Ye Zhong Order nodded at that. "I don''t know enough about the inner workings, but I would agree to that. If you look at the surface, it is very smooth. The craftsmanship going into making something like this is quite high. I doubt that a demon of low birth would be able to get something like this made. Maybe it could also be somebody who is rich but that is something I can''t say for sure. We would need to input some spiritual energy to see who it connects to. But then, we would also give away what has happened to this disciple and I don''t think that Sect Master Yuchi wants that to happen."


    Yuchi Bing Xia hastily shook his head. "No. If what that dragon said is true, then the demon in question is after somebody in our sect. The more information they have, the less secure that person will be. It wouldn''t do to alarm them. Right now, we can still try to swiftly think of a way to ascertain that person''s safety. As soon as the demon catches on that something happened to their spy, things will get more difficult. To be honest, we don''t know if there might not be others around but right now, that might still be unlikely. In the future, things will be more difficult."


    Elder Suo nodded, put down the mirror, and turned to the spatial bag that was lying next to it. "Are we allowed to take a look at this as well?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia immediately inclined his head. "If you would be willing to do so, I would be very happy. The more clues you can find, the better."

 Chapter 1318 - Quite Likely

    Elder Suo didn''t lose any further words and just opened up the bag, taking out what was inside and distributing it on the table next to them so the disciples could also take a look.


    After deliberating for a while, one of the girls spoke up. "That spiritual plant looks like something that is only found in the demon realm."


    Elder Suo nodded. "Yes, a mist lily. There are actually only a few spots in the demon realm where it grows. To the demons, it is pretty much worthless but to humans, it is a different matter altogether."


    Yuchi Bing Xia slightly furrowed his brows. From what they had found out from their own quick investigation, Qiguan Cheng Da had never been on any mission in the demon realm. If this flower could not be found in the mortal realm, then unless he had taken it from somebody else, it had been given to him by somebody who was part of the demon race. And all things considered, this was the likeliest explanation.


    Elder Suo turned to Shen An De, motioning at the flower. "Maybe Grandmaster Shen knows a little more about this?"


    "Well, I agree for the most part. It is quite valuable for humans because it can be made into several pills and potions. A skilled refiner would be happy to get their hands on this. For the demons, it is indeed mostly worthless but it can still be used for some amus.e.m.e.nt so they will regularly collect them. Thus, it isn''t that easy to find one as a human. Even if this guy went into the demon realm, the chance to encounter one in the wild is really quite low."


    Elder Suo nodded. "We have indeed had trouble to find these. So it was because of that. Unfortunately, they can''t really be cultivated in the mortal realms. This kind of spiritual plant needs way too much spiritual energy for that and I think there are some requirements on the soil. It truly is a pity."


    Shen An De glanced at her, pondered for a moment, and finally couldn''t help but clear his throat. It wouldn''t hurt him to help out a bit and since his sister-in-law was part of their sect, he still felt that it was better to do them a favor. "You could try to contact somebody of the dragon race. From what I know, while the mist lily isn''t found there naturally, it would at least be possible to cultivate it there. They might be willing to strike a deal with you considering that the current dragon king''s beloved is currently human."


    Elder Suo raised her brows, not having expected that. But then again, she also remembered how a few of the dragons had turned up at the trial back then, so she didn''t find it that strange anymore. "Thank you, Grandmaster Shen. I will go discuss this with our Sect Master. Maybe that would indeed be a way to go about it."


    Shen An De merely nodded but didn''t say anything else. In any case, this matter didn''t have too much to do with him. It was just a suggestion that they could follow or not. He felt that he had already done more than enough.


    Elder Suo turned back to examine the possessions of Qiguan Cheng Da and was able to point out a few more that were related to the demons and the demon realm. In conclusion ¡­ "Naturally, it can''t be said for sure but it is very likely that this disciple from your sect was involved with the demons. If it was just the mirror or just one of the other things, it wouldn''t count for much. But the number of things that are related to the demons are just too many.


    "Even if you looked at the possessions of one of our disciples who regularly go to the demon realm for missions, you wouldn''t necessarily find as many. Especially not of such high quality. So I will maintain that he likely had relations with the demons and even with one that is of a high rank. I''m not sure if we can say for sure that he was affiliated with the demon king but at least it should be somebody who is quite close to the throne. As for everything else, I''m afraid I can''t help with that. But the dragon''s words seem to be credible. So Sect Master Yuchi probably doesn''t need to worry about that."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and then cupped his fists, bowing. "Thank you very much, Elder Suo. The Yun Zou Sect is indebted to the Ye Zhong Order."


    Elder Suo hurriedly waved. "No need to be so formal, Sect Master Yuchi. In any case, the Ye Zhong Order is a demon-hunting sect. Dealing with matters that pertain to the demons is what we are there for. Speaking of which ¡­ you mentioned that one of the people of your sect might be in danger. Would you be willing to discuss this with us? There might be something that we can do."


    Yuchi Bing Xia already wanted to nod but glancing at Shen An De and his wife, he wasn''t too sure if it would be alright to say out loud. In any case, this guy was a half-demon himself from what he knew. And he was also the Grandmaster of a sect of the opposite faction. He wasn''t willing to trust him to this degree.


    Shen An De realized that his presence here was a hindrance so he cleared his throat and put his arm around his wife''s waist. "Well, I came to help with this matter, and now, it seems to be taken care of. My wife and I should probably leave then. As for my sister-in-law, I''ll leave her to you. But if you don''t mind, I''d like her to send us off."


    Yuchi Bing Xia naturally didn''t have a problem with that but Hong Bao was a disciple of the Ye Zhong Order. Thus, he could only turn to Elder Suo. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/quite-likely_52579515049758626 for visiting.


    The woman smiled wryly and then motioned for Hong Bao to leave. In any case, to be related to a half-demon, this was also quite strange for a demon hunter. But sometimes, fate just was like this. Who was she to judge?

 Chapter 1319 - A Lucky Youth

    Yuchi Bing Xia and Elder Suo waited until Shen An De had left with the two women before turning back toward each other. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-lucky-youth_52602413953115325 for visiting.


    "To be honest, I don''t even know where to begin. This matter concerns my youngest disciple and his husband."


    Elder Suo''s expression changed when she heard that. As it turned out, this was not just any person in the sect. But, well, she probably should''ve expected that. If it was just anyone, would Yuchi Bing Xia really care this much about it? "That does sound like it is quite grave. "How about going to discuss this in your study instead of in this kind of inauspicious place? I think I would also like to meet your disciple and his husband if possible in case they can give us some clues."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and then led her outside. He had one of the disciples take care of the disciples that had come from the Ye Zhong Order and then led the Elder over to his own palace. Going into the study, he poured a cup of tea after they had sat down. Then, he started to recount in detail what had happened before and what Xin Lan had told them about this matter.


    Elder Suo''s expression changed for the worse the more she heard. When he had finished, she shook her head with furrowed brows. "I''m afraid that this is something that can''t be taken easily. We will definitely have to do something or your disciple and his partner will be in grave danger."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded, his expression not good either. He also didn''t want Yu Jin to be injured. Or even worse, maybe end up dead. Even though he knew that he couldn''t keep him here, he still liked this youth. To think that he might find his doom just because he had fallen in love with a person that somebody else desired ¡­ he really didn''t even want to think about it. It was especially despicable because clearly, Yu Jin and that man were quite happy. What did a third party have to do with that?


    "To be honest ¡­ Well, I''m not sure if this is something I should speak about but it might help you find a way to deal with this so I guess I can''t keep it to myself. In any case, my disciple, Yu Jin, was asked by the Sect Master of the Jian Yi Sect if he wants to join them."


    Elder Suo raised her brows. Even as the Elder of a demon-hunting sect, she naturally knew about the Jian Yi Sect. Among the premier sects that weren''t ranked, it could probably be counted as the strongest. To have been asked this question by their Sect Master ¡­ this youth was more than lucky. "That is indeed quite the valuable information, Sect Master Yuchi. If possible, do you think that we could invite Sect Master Fei over to have a talk with her as well? We might be able to come up with a plan together." Usually, she wouldn''t dare to suggest this even Sect Master Fei had shown interest in this person before but as it happened, everyone was already gathered at the Yun Zou Sect anyway for the wedding. In this case, it wouldn''t inconvenience the Sect Master too much to join them.


    Yuchi Bing Xia immediately got up, indicating that he would go and find out. Before he left, he turned back though. "Maybe it would be good to invite the dragon over as well? I mean he might have some kind of idea."


    Elder Suo inclined her head. "Yes, I think that is a good idea. In any case, he seems to know the situation best. It would be good if he was able to provide some insight."


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and then went out to tell the disciples to invite the two people to come over.


    Soon enough, Fei Bai Mu appeared but Xin Lan wasn''t in sight. Yuchi Bing Xia looked over to the door, wondering why he needed so much longer.


    Fei Bai Mu just smiled wryly after she heard just who Yuchi Bing Xia was waiting for. "I''m not quite sure if he will really come over. Right now, he is probably spending time with my disciple. Xiao Yu got quite the shock after what happened before. As his fiance, Xin Lan probably wouldn''t want to leave him alone."


    Yuchi Bing Xia''s brows rose, and he suddenly realized that he might indeed have asked a little too much of this person. Indeed. Something like that had just happened and his fiance had even been there. Naturally, his thoughts would be somewhere else. "Well, in that case, I hope this will be enough." He motioned over to the table and invited her to sit as well, explaining what Elder Suo had just said.


    Fei Bai Mu nodded and then turned to the Elder. "What Sect Master Yuchi said is true, I do want to invite him to join our sect. Also, about coming up with a way to deal with this ¡­ you should know that I already had a talk with Xin Lan before. We were thinking that maybe using some kind of item that can mask their appearances might work. There are some of those in the mortal realm but probably even more in the immortal realms. Xin Lan will take a look at it for us. I''m sure that with his help, this shouldn''t pose a problem."


    Elder Suo raised her brows, surprised to hear that in the time she had talked with Yuchi Bing Xia, things had already taken another turn. Maybe her help wouldn''t even be needed anymore.


    Yuchi Bing Xia also felt as if he had done something unnecessary. On second thought though ¡­ "I am afraid that would only be a temporary solution though. After the demon king finds out that his spy is dead, he might send others. Who knows if they wouldn''t find out something? It would be best if we could find a long-term solution."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded. She definitely couldn''t argue against that. It was just ¡­ she was afraid that there wasn''t anything they could do.

 Chapter 1320 - An Extraordinary Person

    In the end, the three people agreed that it would be best to go and see Jinde and Leng Jin Yu to talk things through with them. In any case, they were also the ones who were in danger of being found out. So they should make a choice of their own. If they felt that it was enough for them to just temporarily alter their appearances to go out, then the Ye Zhong Order wouldn''t bother about this any longer and just help the Yun Zou Sect wrap up the case. If they wanted a long-term solution instead, then they would try and think of another way.


    They went to the array that led to the dimension where the two sweethearts were, and Yuchi Bing Xia couldn''t help but feel a little embarrassed. One of the people on the other side was his own disciple that he had taken into the sect. He probably shouldn''t feel that there was anything strange about going to see him. But ¡­ this disciple had just gotten married today. The kind of thing these two would be busy with right now ¡­ it really wasn''t hard to imagine. Since this was the case, maybe they should just come back tomorrow.


    Fei Bai Mu glanced at Yuchi Bing Xia and had a faint guess in her heart just what was going through his mind. She smiled and then stepped forward and into the array, letting the Grandmaster decide himself whether he and his husband wanted to see her or not.


    The Elder of the Ye Zhong Order glanced at Yuchi Bing Xia and then also stepped into the array, waiting together with Fei Bai Mu. In any case, she was quite intrigued by this story. She at least wanted to know what exactly was up with it.


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed and then followed the two of them into the array. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/an-extraordinary-person_52625777233021686 for visiting.


    Inside the dimension, Leng Jin Yu raised his head, his gaze complicated. "We got some visitors: Sect Master Fei, Sect Master Yuchi, and a woman who seems to be a demon hunter. She should be from the ¡­ Ye Zhong Order."


    Jinde who was currently in a just half-dressed state gave him a look and then sighed deeply. "It is really such a bother to be married to an important person. Even our wedding night can''t just be enjoyed but will be interrupted."


    Leng Jin Yu glanced at him and shook his head while tidying up his own clothes. "I find it quite strange that the person telling me this is the former dragon king of all people. Clearly, your position is quite a bit higher than mine if you want to think like this."


    Jinde also fixed his appearance, even though he was quite reluctant to do so. "Ah, the important part in that is the word ''former'' so you should focus on that."


    "I would, but then you should also keep in mind that neither am I currently the Grandmaster of the Jian Yi Sect. I am just a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect."


    "Not for long anymore." Jinde shook his head and then waved. "In any case, just go and receive them. I''ll wait here." Right now, he might not need to hide anymore, but it was still better to let Leng Jin Yu handle these things.


    His husband nodded, but still leaned down again and kissed his temple. "I''ll try to keep it short."


    Jinde laughed and shook his head while he pushed him off. "Don''t kid yourself. Everybody knows that we got married today even if our ceremony was so rudely ended. They wouldn''t come here if it wasn''t about something important."


    Leng Jin Yu''s gaze turned serious and he nodded. Indeed. Especially today, nobody would just come to disturb them. Unless ¡­ something major had happened. After their wedding and Jing Yi''s ascension, he really wondered just what that might be. Well, he''d find out in a bit.


    He casually activated the array, while he himself went to the door of the palace, to greet the three people.


    When Elder Suo saw Leng Jin Yu, she couldn''t help but look at him intently. She had seen him at the wedding ceremony of course but since she wasn''t actually that interested in the festivities and had only come to represent her sect, she hadn''t paid too much attention. Now that she saw him close up, she had a strange feeling though. This person ¡­ was he really just a disciple of the Yun Zou Sect? Maybe this dimension was partly at fault but the way he carried himself suggested that he was an extraordinary person. So maybe he was that lover who was fancied but the demon king? There were all kinds of thoughts rushing through her head, but she said stayed quiet and didn''t voice even a single one of them.


    Yuchi Bing Xia shot Leng Jin Yu an apologetic gaze. "Ah Jin, I''m sorry. I know it''s your wedding day today but something happened outside. I''m afraid we''ll have to bother you and your husband."


    Leng Jin Yu just smiled faintly and motioned inside. "I already thought so. Why don''t you come in?"


    Yuchi Bing Xia nodded and the three people followed him over to a room where Jinde had casually placed a tea set already so Leng Jin Yu could receive the guests. He himself had left though, feeling that he would just let his husband deal with this matter.


    Fei Bai Mu glanced around, realizing what was likely going on. "What about your husband? I think that this matter will also be of interest to him."


    Leng Jin Yu raised his brows but nodded. "I will go and get him. Please take a seat already." He inclined his head and then left, giving Jinde who had already appeared outside a meaningful look.


    "Looks like it is something even more major than what you thought."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded and reached out, taking his hand. "Whatever it is, I''m sure we can deal with it."


    With that, the two of them went back inside, sitting down at the table with the other three people, and quietly listened while Yuchi Bing Xia explained.

 Chapter 1321 - A Possible Solution

    Jinde''s brows furrowed tightly after the Sect Master had finished. "That little devil! He actually dared to do such a thing." No wonder that Jin Ling had almost caught him before. He had probably been spying on the sect for quite some time.


    Leng Jin Yu glanced at him, gently squeezing his hand. Despite the fact that he had regained Chun Yin''s memories, he didn''t know anything about the inc.u.mbent demon king. That person had only entered Jinde''s life after he left with Bian Hao. Because of that, he really didn''t have much of an impression of this demon king. The only bits and pieces that he knew were what Qiu Ling and Jinde had mentioned before. That was all.


    Thinking for a bit, he finally felt like the true question was what they wanted to do. "I think temporarily hiding our appearances wouldn''t be too bad. In any case, he can''t hurt you anymore since you are healed. As for me ¡­ well, as long as we are together, I guess I won''t have to worry." In fact, from what he understood, Jin Ling was a bit weaker than Qiu Ling so maybe he would have the ability to contend against him. He might not be able to defeat him, but it should be enough for a draw. In that case, he wouldn''t have to worry too much. It was just that that was something that he couldn''t mention in front of Yuchi Bing Xia and the Elder of the Ye Zhong Order without exposing his identity. Thus, he could only stay vague and let Jinde pick up on his true meaning himself.


    To his surprise, Jinde shook his head though. "The troublesome thing about demons is the fact that they can use dark energy. That means that from one moment to the other, he could appear in another place. That means that you''d have to be prepared for an attack from all directions at random. And he isn''t that young anymore. Thinking back, he wasn''t a bad fighter. He might be lacking compared to the current dragon king but that doesn''t mean that he is weak. You really shouldn''t take this lightly."


    Leng Jin Yu''s expression dimmed a little. So in other words, Jinde was of the opinion that he likely wouldn''t be able to win against him. Well, in that case, they really were in a bad situation. Unless ¡­ he became stronger.


    Leng Jin Yu''s expression turned pensive but right now really wasn''t the moment to talk things through with Jinde. He turned to Yuchi Bing Xia, his expression a little wry. "Master, this might be a bit rude but could you give us a bit of time to think things through? In any case, we just got married today. We won''t leave immediately. And just like Jinde said, this isn''t something that can be decided lightly. We should really make sure that we know what we are up against." He glanced at Elder Suo but then figured that as Yuchi Bing Xia''s disciple, it really wasn''t up to him to suggest too much.


    Yuchi Bing Xia hesitated a little, feeling that while he understood what Yu Jin meant, he also couldn''t just ask Elder Suo to ignore everything else, right? If they wanted to find a solution ¡­


    Elder Suo cleared her throat though, drawing everyone''s attention back to her. "I actually think that this is a good idea. In any case, from what I understand, Sect Master Yuchi intends to let all the visitors stay for a while anyway, right? And Sect Master Fei will also continue to stay here. Then my disciples and I will stay for a while longer as well and wait for your decision. Whatever it is that you come up with, or whatever you want to talk about later on, I am sure that he will be able to work something out. In any case, a few days more or less won''t make a difference. Since that traitorous disciple just made a report to the demon king, he probably won''t expect a new one that soon."


    Leng Jin Yu inclined his head, giving his thanks. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-possible-solution_52648804968618451 for visiting.


    Yuchi Bing Xia also didn''t have any problem with that, and finally, the group bid them farewell. Leng Jin Yu got up to see them out, but Fei Bai Mu asked to stay behind. He had anticipated as much so he just nodded, and Yuchi Bing Xia indicated that he would take Elder Suo outside first.


    Fei Bai Mu Leng Jin Yu both remained where they were and only waited until they were sure that the two of them had indeed left the dimension.


    Leng Jin Yu immediately put away the act of a good disciple and went to his husband''s side, pulling him into his arms. "I know that this is difficult for you. But I''m sure that we will be able to get through this somehow."


    Jinde nodded and then turned to Fei Bai Mu. "I guess Sect Master Fei has some things to say."


    Fei Bai Mu nodded, then looked from one person to the other, still feeling astonished to see the original stoic Leng Jin Yu this gentle with somebody. It wasn''t that he had been a callous person that would keep a distance from others, but he had also never been this close to someone. Even after seeing them together so often, she still couldn''t help but be amazed every single time.


    She finally retracted her gaze and pondered for a moment how to voice her thoughts. "Well, first of all, I hope you aren''t mad at me for prying into your private matters. I know that this is something that you probably wouldn''t like others to casually know about."


    Jinde shook his head. "It definitely isn''t anything to be proud of but how could I blame you? At the end of the day, it was Xin Lan who exposed this and I''m sure that he also wouldn''t have done so without reason." He was actually a little surprised that Xin Lan had just spoken about it, but considering that Yuchi Bing Xia had said that his fiance had been there, he could imagine that things had been a bit more complicated.


    This boy ¡­ Xin Lan really seemed to like him very much. It seemed that this time, he was serious about this. Well, that was good. As long as the boy managed to ascend, ¡ª and he was sure that he would with Xin Lan''s help ¨C, then Xin Lan would be able to have a life partner of his own and find the happiness he had always missed out on. What better thing could there be?


    Fei Bai Mu nodded, not trying to argue with him any longer. "In any case, I thought that maybe you would like to have a discussion with me as well. After all, in front of Sect Master Yuchi, you also can''t say some things. It shouldn''t be a problem to have a discussion with me. So, have you already thought about it?"


    Leng Jin Yu had thought of first discussing this with Jinde but he also didn''t feel like it would be a problem to say it in front of Fei Bai Mu. "Well, to be honest, there is one possible solution that I thought of but it might depend on too many factors and I''m afraid that Sect Master Fei will not be happy about it."

 Chapter 1322 - Get Stronger

    Fei Bai Mu raised her brows when she heard that. "If you say it like this, I guess that means that your plan would involve not returning to the Jian Yi Sect?"


    Leng Jin Yu hesitated but still nodded in the end. "Temporarily hiding our appearances isn''t bad. But Jin Ling is indeed obsessed with Jinde. In that case, can we really just rely on that? I''m afraid it might only work for some time but as soon as we are exposed, it will make matters more difficult. And even though it might be unlikely for him to send someone of a high level after us, there is no guarantee for that. Look at it this way: His only goal in life is to obtain Jinde. Would he really go about this casually if he was just one step away from maybe making his dream come true?"


    Next to him, Jinde shook his head. "No, he wouldn''t. I mean in the past, he even came here himself to try and find me. I just escaped by a hair''s breadth. Now, he might be busy with the fight for the throne, but to him, the throne probably isn''t that important. He would be willing to give up on it to get to me. Very much like Qiu Ling would also give up his throne to be with Jing He. It is a certain kind of obsession that drives the two of them. Just that Qiu Ling''s pursuit is actually welcome." He sighed and rubbed his forehead, feeling a little weary.


    It had been so many years, but Jin Ling still hadn''t given up. Even now, he couldn''t help but wonder where he had gone wrong when raising him. He treated him like he would have treated any child. And he had never seen him as anything but his son. How had Jian Heng managed to instill this desire in him? How had that been able to be more powerful than all the years they spent together? His raising Jin Ling should have made this impossible.


    But then, he also knew that Jian Heng had always been a rather crafty asshole. If he wanted something, he would be able to get it. In the end, hadn''t he almost succeeded with everything he had wanted? What a pity for him that he had still been killed. And that the one who still had the last laugh was the person he had tried to pull down step-by-step. Yes, in the end, he triumphed over Jian Heng. He just wished it hadn''t come at that high a cost. Losing his lover, losing his son, almost losing his life ¡­ Naturally, he also wasn''t happy about it.


    Leng Jin Yu squeezed his hand again, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Don''t think about it."


    Jinde sighed again and then leaned to the side, hugging his husband''s arm. "Yes, I won''t." In any case, it wouldn''t change anything no matter how much he thought about it. "So, what is that plan of yours?"


    "The reason why we are in the situation is that I am not strong enough to confront him on my own. So we would always have to worry that if he finds us, he might attack. You wouldn''t be able to keep calm because you would need to worry about me. And I might not be able to confront him. Thus, the only way to get out of this is for me to get strong enough to fight against him myself. I don''t need to be good enough to defeat him. Just good enough to defend myself so that you can put your mind at ease."


    Jinde raised his head from his shoulder and shook his head. "You''re making it sound way too easy. You don''t understand this. For dragons and demons, they grow stronger with age naturally. It is pretty much the same way that human cultivators will also gain strength with time because they continue to cultivate or practice their swordplay, just that they don''t really need to put in much effort. Effort makes it even more prominent but even without that, they are strong.


    "Jin Ling has millennia on you. No matter how hard you try, you just won''t be able to catch up with him in a short amount of time. Not to mention ¡­ I trained that child myself. I can tell you that back then, he was quite gifted. And that was even before he was able to use his dark energy. Now, he will have only grown in strength."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded as if he hadn''t doubted any of that for even a single moment and had been completely aware. "I know that. But it is the only chance that we have. I''m not saying that it is going to be easy but I think that there still is a chance. Fighting is not only about actual strength but also a lot about experience. I''ve gained a lot in the mortal realm. And I think as long as I gain some in the immortal realms, I will be able to progress by leaps and bounds. It is just that ¡­ to do so, we would likely have to go there." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/get-stronger_52672025960964709 for visiting.


    Jinde looked at him with a troubled expression. "You wanted to stay in the mortal realm. To keep an eye on the Yun Zou Sect, to return to your Jian Yi Sect, all of these things. Are you really sure that you want to do this?"


    Leng Jin Yu smiled faintly and turned Jinde''s hand in his own, lightly grasping his fingers. "We talked about it before, didn''t we? After traveling around, after having a bit of fun, the two of us wanted to settle down and have a child. From what I understand about the process, it would be safest if we did that in the immortal realms instead of here. So ¡­ sooner or later, we would have to return there for quite some time anyway. Maybe ¡­ it would be a good idea to combine that."

 Chapter 1323 - Who to Ask for Help?

    Jinde gave a faint hum, the idea actually growing on him. It was true that to have a child, it would be easier if they did it in the immortal realms. After all, while the process of creating a child might sound simple on the surface, just one misstep would mean that the child can''t live. So if one of them had to leave for the immortal realms, and too much time passed in the mortal realm before they could return, they would lose the child before they could even meet them.


    So the immortal realms would indeed be the best bet for creating this child. They could return with them after they had been born but before that, this really was safer. It was just ¡­


    "The idea is good but we will likely be even easier found in the immortal realms. After all, there are enough people there that still know of me. Even some that have at least taken a glance at me before. And that, very unfortunately, includes people of all the immortal races.


    "So if we did as you suggest, I''m afraid we will put ourselves at risk of being found sooner, as well as risking Qiu Ling''s relationship with Jing He. After all, it is a bit precarious already with the Heavenly Emperor not being on his side. If I was to return now and would be found ¡­ I''m afraid that this matter would become even worse. So I really don''t think we can do this."


    Leng Jin Yu furrowed his brows. This was something that he had come up with on the spur of the moment, but he still felt that it was the best idea to somehow make this work. In any case, the spiritual energy in the immortal realms was much denser than in the mortal realms so even though the time flowed differently, he would be able to advance faster. Also, there would be more people to spar with so he could gain more experience.


    "As for the mortal realm ¡­ right now, there were only Jinde and Xin Lan. While he could ask Jinde, he was the one who had trained Jin Ling. So if he were to get used to Jinde''s style of fighting, while it would help him anticipate Jin Ling''s fighting style more easily, Jin Ling would also be able to see through him much easier. So that wouldn''t help at all. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/who-to-ask-for-help_52695189004805932 for visiting.


    As for Xin Lan ¡­ That guy might do him the favor for Jinde but considering that he had a fiance of his own right now, he might not be willing to give it a try. After all, his priorities right now were definitely somewhere else. He couldn''t blame him and, to be honest, he was also happier if Xin Lan wasn''t in the picture. Even though he knew that he shouldn''t, some of the previous jealousy still remained. After regaining all of his memories as Chun Yin, that was even more the case. It would take some more time to work that out.


    Other than the two of them, there would only be Qiu Ling who they could ask but he had already followed Zhong Jing Yi back to the Nine Heavens. Since that was the case, they really couldn''t expect him to run back here to help them out, could they? No, that also didn''t seem to be a possibility. It seemed that this matter had come to an end just like that.


    Leng Jin Yu sighed, not sure what else to do. "I''m afraid I don''t have a better solution then either. Maybe we will really just have to rely on temporarily changing our appearances and depending on luck."


    Looking at his face, Fei Bai Mu finally spoke up. "Your idea was quite good, but might just not be feasible to put into motion in a short amount of time. But I''m sure that you can figure out a way to work on it. Other than that ¡­ maybe this would be a good chance to work together with the demon-hunting sects. You can use an item to change appearances, but for the worst case''s sake that you are indeed discovered, they might have some things that would allow you to restrict the movements of a demon. It would at least be worth a try, wouldn''t it?"


    Leng Jin Yu looked at her, trying to think it through. Indeed, this didn''t seem like such a bad idea. Maybe they would indeed be able to make this possible somehow. It was just ¡­ he was also a bit afraid of exposing himself.


    Jinde glanced at him and felt that he could imagine just what it was that Leng Jin Yu was worried about. "Nobody needs to know who you are. In any case, that Elder of the Ye Zhong Order currently thinks that you have been pulled into this matter because of me. Let''s just leave it at that. She doesn''t need to know anything else. In any case, we could also inquire about news from somebody else. At least for that, I think we could also ask the bear child for help."


    Thinking of it, he actually took out his necklace and imbued his spiritual energy. This time, he didn''t use it to contact Xin Lan though but instead used it to give Qiu Ling a call. After all, the one who would have the easiest time gathering some information was definitely the current dragon king who could just casually tell his people to do so. He felt that the fact that he was married to his father should definitely be able to make the bear child help them out a bit. Especially if what he needed to do was such a simple task.

 Chapter 1324 - The Perfect Time to Leave

    As a result, Jinde just continuously poured spiritual energy into the necklace, but nothing happened. The other side didn''t react at all. Jinde lowered the necklace and then turned to his husband, wondering if he had any idea what was going on.


    Leng Jin Yu gave a wry smile. "Zhong Jing Yi just ascended. Most likely, things will be a bit troublesome in the Nine Heavens right now. Qiu Ling probably has his hands full right now so he won''t react no matter what you do."


    Jinde sighed, but it seemed that his husband was right. He probably should''ve expected that. "The difference in time is really vexing." This was another reminder that it would be better to have their child over in the immortal realms though. He definitely didn''t want this kind of thing to happen at that time. "Well, in any case, it seems that we are back to square one. What are we supposed to do now?"


    Leng Jin Yu pondered for a moment and then shook his head. "I would say we shouldn''t worry about it for now. First, let''s take a few days just for ourselves. In any case, we just got married. Jin Ling won''t immediately come here to make trouble. As for everything else ¡­ we can slowly start to think about it by then." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/the-perfect-time-to-leave_52718352837172920 for visiting.


    Jinde nodded, even though he was a little angry and also disappointed that things were like this. Spending a few days here was nice and all, but he wanted to leave so badly. He wanted to see the world again, to travel, and just do whatever he wanted. After not getting the chance for so long, it really was something he looked forward to.


    Leng Jin Yu saw his expression and got up. "If that isn''t what you want, then let''s go take care of it immediately. We can just take one of those items and hide our appearances first. Then, we''ll leave the Yun Zou Sect and go somewhere that no one knows about. As long as we aren''t seen when we leave, it won''t be a problem.


    "Later on, we can find more ways to hide ourselves. A year or so from now, we can contact Qiu Ling again or maybe find somebody else to help me. And you can also take some time to teach me a bit. In any case, learning from somebody else would probably be more beneficial in the long run, but this would also allow me to get more familiar with the way that Jin Ling will probably fight. It isn''t without merit."


    Jinde hesitated for a moment but thinking about it, it still seemed reasonable. In any case, this was what he wanted. The problem of Jin Ling being obsessed with him wouldn''t go away. And he had hidden long enough. Now, it was the perfect time to leave.


    If he waited any longer, it might be too late. After all, Jin Ling knew that he had gotten married. Maybe he was going even crazier because of that. If the left, it would be better. After all, with the difference in time, Jin Ling wouldn''t be able to make it over here this fast unless he went immediately. And he didn''t think that he would.


    Fei Bai Mu looked from one person to the other and then opened her spatial bag. "There might be something that I can do for you. It''s not much, but these are the official robes of the Jian Yi Sect. Wear these when you leave. You can pretend to be two disciples on a mission or just that you went outside to gain experience. With the name of the Jian Yi Sect, you won''t run into too much trouble and people likely won''t ask too many questions. Grandmaster Leng also knows the sect quite well so you know how to pretend to be real disciples. If somebody asks, you will always be able to pretend to be currently from there as well."


    Leng Jin Yu looked at the all-too-familiar robe and finally took it. "It feels a bit nostalgic."


    Jinde took the other one and gave a hum. He hadn''t seen the Jian Yi Sect so far, so he was quite interested in this. After all, that place had played a huge part in Leng Jin Yu''s life. If he was able to know more about it, that would also make him happy.


    Fei Bai Mu also pulled out an identification jade and handed one over to each of them. "I guess I do not need to explain any further. Now, I''d better leave here. The two of you should wait inside for while. I will go and tell Elder Suo of the Ye Zhong Order about how you''ve decided and get the item for you. You can have something better delivered to you by somebody else. For now, it''s only important that you leave the Yun Zou Sect as soon as possible."


    The two of them nodded and then watched her leave before turning to glance at each other.


    "Looks like you will finally get the journey that you were so eager to have."


    "A real adventure with my husband ¡­ that really sounds tempting. It''s a bit too stimulating though. Actually, I just wanted to peacefully travel around." His gaze grew distant when he said that and he reached out, taking Leng Jin Yu''s hand. "I can''t help but think about how when we were young, we also came to the mortal realm for a while."


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. There were some memories like that from Chun Yin. In hindsight, he was actually surprised that the two of them hadn''t gotten together earlier. Clearly, at that time, the mutual attraction had already been there. And if not for some coincidences along the way, they probably would''ve returned from that journey as a couple already.


    Who knew if fate was toying with them that it had still turned out differently? In any case, they were together now. So this time, their travels would indeed be different.

 Chapter 1325 - A New Life

    Fei Bai Mu didn''t lose any time and immediately went to see Elder Suo. "I managed to convince the two of them that it would be better to go with the temporary solution at least for the time being. That way, they can leave the sect and find a place to hide that the demon king doesn''t know of. When things have calmed down and we have maybe been able to investigate a little more, they can still come back and we can try to think of another solution."


    Elder Suo nodded. "I have already sent one of my disciples to get items like that. I thought that even if they didn''t want them, it couldn''t hurt to be prepared. The disciple should return today. I told them to hurry as much as they could."


    Fei Bai Mu inclined her head. "Thank you very much."


    Elder Suo nodded but her gaze was a bit difficult. "I guess this means that Sect Master Fei will not be able to take that disciple back to the Jian Yi Sect though."


    Fei Bai Mu sighed and shook her head. "Well, I probably won''t be able to do so for a long time but if the other person''s life is in danger, then I also think it is better to just let go of it. Maybe it''s not meant to be after all." In fact, she had already had this doubt for a while now. There had just been too many hindrances already.


    First, their Grandmaster had been reluctant because there was the Yun Zou Sect in the picture, then, there had been the wedding, now there was this matter with the demon king, but in any case, they clearly wanted to go out and travel and have a child. This type of thing probably meant that the fate between Grandmaster Leng and the Jian Yi Sect had already been severed. He wasn''t part of the sect anymore. He might be able to lend a helping hand every now and then, but he couldn''t be a constant presence anymore. Most likely, she also shouldn''t expect that. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/a-new-life_52741524974266721 for visiting.


    In any case, he had been lending them a helping hand for much too long already. They couldn''t rely on that any longer. Since they had managed to gain this position and hold onto it for a long time, they would need to do so on their own. In any case, whether it was her or the Elders, neither of them was weak. And should things one day get to a point where they were not able to hold onto this position, then maybe that just was what fate had in store for them. In any case, she was prepared.


    Seeing that there was nothing else to discuss, Fei Bai Mu returned to her own accommodations and didn''t think about it any longer. Right now, there really was nothing to do but to wait.


    In this way, the day slowly came to an end. Xin Lan and Hua Lin Yu had already made up again and seemed to have gotten closer through the whole ordeal, while the disciple of the Ye Zhong Order finally returned with the items, handing them over to Elder Suo secretly who then went to give them to Yuchi Bing Xia, only for them to end up with Leng Jin Yu and Jinde.


    The Sect Master looked at his pretend-disciple, a bit of hesitation and worry in his eyes. "Are you sure that this is the right thing to do? In here, he won''t be able to make trouble for you, right?"


    Leng Jin Yu nodded. "I''m honored that Master is worried for my sake but we can''t stay. We might be safe in here but what kind of life is that? We would never be able to leave again. As soon as he sends new spies over, this will become nothing but a trap. I really don''t want that to happen. Thus, we can only do it this way. In any case, thank you for your care, Master. These years, I''m afraid I wasn''t a good disciple. Staying in here, getting married against your wishes, I really didn''t show any piety."


    Yuchi Bing Xia sighed and patted his shoulder. "Aiya, don''t say things like that, Ah Jin. In any case, when I picked you up back then, I felt it had to be fate. Now, I''m already realizing that while it might have been fate that we met, that was just one stretch on your path. This is not your destination. For you, there''s something more out there. As your Master, it pains me to see you leave, but I also wish for you to be able to discover a new horizon out there. Make the best out of it. And if you need help, you can always contact me."


    Leng Jin Yu cupped his fists and then bowed, quietly apologizing to Yuchi Bing Xia in his heart. This man ¡­ he had lied to him quite badly. Hopefully, he would never find out. At the very least, then, he could still hold onto these thoughts of his good disciple and how they had parted amicably.


    Next to him, Jinde also inclined his head. "Thank you, Sect Master. I owe very much to the Yun Zou Sect for letting me stay here all these years. I''m afraid I have made quite a bit of trouble for you as well. Now, I am going to leave. But if I''m able to, I will make it up to you one day."


    Yuchi Bing Xia once again shook his head. "You''re being too serious about this. In any case, your presence was also something that allowed us to keep our standing. Seeing you leave, I also feel like there will be something missing from here. Even though I didn''t come over here often, your presence was still something that I was a bit used to. Now ¡­ well, what can I say?" He shook his head and then motioned outside. "I should leave the two of you alone. Leave the sect when you''re ready. Don''t take any risks, and make sure that nobody sees you. You don''t have to ever come back if it''s not convenient. But if you do want to and you have the opportunity, then I would naturally like to see you again."


    The two of them nodded and then watched him leave.


    Finally, a few hours later, the two of them left the sect, traveling far away to start a new life as wandering practitioners outside.

 Chapter 1326 - He Would Still Help Him

    Ye Yang knocked on the door with a faint smile and waited for a response. After a moment, there still wasn''t one though. He lightly furrowed his brows, wondering what exactly was up. An Bai wouldn''t have suddenly decided to completely refuse to see him, would he? No, that would be too strange. In any case, he had been coming over regularly already for quite some time now. And so far, An Bai had never refused to see him. He wouldn''t suddenly start doing so.


    Unless ¡­ Ye Yang furrowed his brows even further, then looked down at the book in his hands. This time, it was a collection of love poems. Clearly one of the more risky things he had brought over. Could it be that this little dragon had fallen in love with somebody else? Was it too late? At the very least, that would be a likely explanation. If it was the truth, he would actually have to give up. Although he had to admit that it was a bit of a pity.


    He sighed, then turned around, wondering what he should do now.


    Just then, the door on the other side of the corridor opened, and Fu Min stepped out, freezing on the spot when he saw Ye Yang. His expression immediately darkened, and he glared at him. "What are you doing here again?!" He definitely hadn''t forgotten how this person had made use of him to get to An Bai. How dare this guy appear in front of him this often?!


    Hearing his husband''s anger, Fu Heng also came rushing over and then joined him in glaring at Ye Yang.


    The demon opposite them just smiled faintly. "Greetings. I came to see An Bai again but it seems that he is out at the moment. You wouldn''t know when I could expect him to be back, would you?"


    Fu Min crossed his arms in front of his chest and raised his chin. "Even if I knew, I wouldn''t tell you."


    Ye Yang inclined his head, not bothering to ask again. "Fair enough." In any case, he also knew that he had lied at the beginning. It seemed that this little dragon was still angry at him about that. "Then I will be coming by again later." He weighed the book in his hands and then just threw it into his spatial ring, not feeling like giving it to somebody else. Who knew if it would really end up in An Bai''s hands otherwise?


    He didn''t bother to talk any longer to the other two dragons and just turned away, leaving the corridor. He couldn''t help but wonder where exactly An Bai had gone though. Usually, it was a safe bet to look for him in his study. If he wasn''t there ¡­ most likely, he would be on the lookout for something that he needed or he had gotten some kind of task.


    While pondering this, Ye Yang left the palace and then stood on the street in front of it, looking in both directions. He should probably go and have a look around. Maybe he would be able to find out something. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/he-would-still-help-him_52764645605298096 for visiting.


    Strolling through the streets, Ye Yang tried to find the places where An Bai could be. He even straightforwardly asked about him, but even though quite a few of the people he chose knew of him, they also hadn''t seen him today.


    Ye Yang fell into deep thought. He wasn''t in the palace and he also wasn''t in the capital city. Could it be that he had been sent somewhere else for a mission? This really was quite intriguing. Unfortunately, there was no clue at all as to what kind of mission that could be or where he might have gone. And without anybody volunteering that kind of information to him, Ye Yang also wouldn''t be able to find An Bai.


    He sighed, and then left the dragon realm, returning to the demon king''s palace.


    Having a look around, Ye Yang couldn''t help but feel a little vexed. The atmosphere in here really was tense these days. The conflict between Jin Ling and Yong Hai hadn''t diminished at all. Instead, both sides had made some progress, making it questionable just who would come out on top. While Jin Ling had managed to gain the upper hand, for the time being, it was just by a hair''s breadth. If nothing happened soon to tilt the scales in either direction, he was afraid that this would end in a bloody war among their own people.


    Well, this was something he couldn''t do too much about. He might be strong but he was just one person. And while he could talk and try to pull over a few people to their side, there was also a limit to that. It was true that there were quite a few demons who were unhappy with Jin Ling abandoning the quest for merging the dragons with their race again.


    Personally, Ye Yang still couldn''t understand. What was so good about ruling over the dragons? Even if they managed to subjugate them for the time being, that would just come back to bite them when they were some strong individuals born in the race later on.


    In the end, who could say for sure that it would be the demons ruling the dragons and not the other way around? Especially when looking at the current dragon king, he felt that there was a certain chance of that happening. That guy ¡­ he was pretty strong and despite the rumors, he also seemed like a sly one. Jin Ling, for one, definitely couldn''t contend with him in either regard.


    But no matter what, he would still help him.


    Ye Yang went to Jin Ling''s chambers, entering without bothering to knock, and gave him a faint smile when he saw him reclining in front of the window. He went over and hugged him around the waist, pulling him up against his chest. "What are you thinking about, beautiful?" He leaned down and kissed his chin, feeling contented. No matter how he looked at it, he had never seen a person more beautiful than Jin Ling in his life. Even if there was no love in the demon realm, he still made his heart thump faster.

 Chapter 1327 - An Unattainable Person

    Jin Ling looked up, his gaze lazy. This Ye Yang ¡­ he was a useful pawn but unfortunately quite sticky. Especially right now that he had heard about Jinde getting married, he wasn''t happy at all. He pulled away, then got to his feet in a swift motion, walking a few steps away, but pretending to be casual about it.


    Ye Yang''s gaze followed him, and there was a small smile on the demon''s lips. "You know, I''ll notice if you are avoiding me. What happened to rain on your parade?" He still followed him but didn''t try to touch him again. In any case, he could also see that Jin Ling wasn''t in the mood and he was a guy who would force himself on others. If Jin Ling wanted, he would welcome him with open arms. If not, he wouldn''t bother.


    Jin Ling clicked his tongue, still feeling vexed, but he finally turned to look at Ye Yang. "Even if I told you, I''m afraid you wouldn''t be able to understand."


    Ye Yang raised his brows, a little surprised. "Is that so? Well, you could try me. Maybe I will surprise you."


    Jin Ling laughed and went back to him, wrapping his arms around Ye Yang''s neck. "Have you ever had something taken from you that you desired very much?"


    Ye Yang reached out, and grabbed his face, looking into those caramel-colored eyes. "That would probably depend on what kind of thing we''re talking about."


    "Like ¡­ a person. Has that ever happened to you?"


    Ye Yang''s lips curled up further and he leaned down a little, bringing his face close to Jin Ling''s. "You must be teasing me. Of course, it happened to me." In any case, hadn''t Jin Ling himself done something like that to him? Back then, when Jin Ling had wanted to take the throne after his predecessor died, he had been there to support him. In exchange, he had wanted Jin Ling. But all he got was a bit of passion for one night. That definitely wasn''t enough for him.


    Even after all this time, Ye Yang hadn''t been able to forget about it, causing him to make pretty much the same deal once again. He knew it was idiotic because he would once again be left with nothing but he also couldn''t help himself. He wanted what he wanted. But with the principles he had, there was no way to obtain it without striking some kind of deal.


    Hearing Jin Ling say such a thing now made Ye Yang quite curious. "I gather that there was such a person for you too. But you somehow didn''t manage to win their favor?" Ye Yang couldn''t help but feel that this was a little amusing. Jin Ling ¡­ He was beautiful beyond belief and he had a charm that could topple nations. Was there really a person that could resist him? If he really tried to ensnare somebody who would be able to do so?


    Jin Ling clicked his tongue again, admiring the expression in his eyes. If only Jinde would look at him like this. This kind of admiration ¡­ Why couldn''t he get it from him? "Not only did I not get who I want, but he was even taken away by another person, getting married. Now, these two will be in a world of their own. And I ¡­ I''m supposed to watch on. That really isn''t something I can take."


    Ye Yang gave a hum, feeling that there was quite a dangerous glint in Jin Ling''s eyes. "And now? What are you going to do about it?"


    Jin Ling didn''t answer immediately. He just continued to look at Ye Yang, weighing his options. "I know where that person currently is. I could go there, wait for him, surprise him, kill the person who took him away and have my happily ever after. I think that sounds quite good, wouldn''t you say so?"


    Ye Yang gave another hum, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Jin Ling was really willing to do something like this. He probably shouldn''t be surprised considering the position he was currently in. In any case, nobody became the demon king without being willing to sacrifice everything and not adhere to any kind of morals. That just didn''t happen.


    On the other hand, there was also a feeling of unhappiness in his heart. He clearly wanted to be with Jin Ling and he felt that he also was a good partner. Whether it was his looks, personality, skills, there wasn''t anything about him that was lacking, right? Why wasn''t that enough? Why go after a person that was unwilling to be with him? Ah, but maybe that was exactly what Jin Ling liked about whoever it was. The unattainability of somebody could really stimulate some demons.


    "Unfortunately, if you leave now to go and stalk somebody, you will definitely lose your throne. Is that what you want?"


    Jin Ling once again kept quiet, his expression unreadable. Naturally, he wouldn''t mind at all. Who cared about that stupid throne of the demon realm? If he could get Jinde, he didn''t care about anything else. And in any case, after they were together, they might as well rule over the dragon realm together. Nobody needed Qiu Ling there. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/an-unattainable-person_52788064971450170 for visiting.


    It really was such a beautiful idea. Unfortunately, he didn''t know if it could really play out like this. After all, if he lost the throne of the demon realm, then that Yong Hai would become the new demon king and he would definitely attack the dragon realm as soon as he could. He couldn''t let that happen.


    "Well ¡­ you''re right about that. In that case, I could only send somebody over that I trust." He moved his hands and gently brushed over Ye Yang''s neck, finally rubbing his throat. "If only there was somebody who would be willing to do me that little favor ¡­ I would definitely be forever grateful to them."


    Ye Yang looked at him, fully aware of what was going to happen. In the end, he still nodded. "Well, I guess I should leave immediately then. Where exactly do you want me to go?"

 Chapter 1328 - It’s Not About Trust

    Over at the Yun Zou Sect, a few days had already gone by at this time. Fei Bai Mu had waited until she was sure that Leng Jin Yu and Jinde had long left before she gathered the Elders, and then went to bid goodbye to her disciple. Originally, she might''ve wanted to take Hua Lin Yu with her but considering the circ.u.mstances, she knew that this wouldn''t be a good idea. No, right now, it was clearly better if Hua Lin Yu and Xin Lan spend a bit more time together to deal with their issues. Thus, she left as soon as she had seen him and made sure that he was doing well.


    Seeing that she had left, Xin Lan turned to his fiance and pulled him into his arms. "Since your Master is leaving, how about we do the same?" Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/it%E2%80%99s-not-about-trust_52813036196525197 for visiting.


    Hua Lin Yu hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "Yes, let''s go and say goodbye to my brother then. I''m sure that he will also be happy if he is able to return home."


    Xin Lan smiled faintly, feeling that Hua Lin Yu really didn''t know his brother that well if he thought that he would be happy. Clearly, Hua Lin Rong would be much happier if he was able to stay with his younger brother.


    Having made up his mind, the two of them did indeed go over to tell him their decision. Just as expected, Hua Lin Rong''s brows immediately furrowed when he heard that his beloved little brother would leave with just his fiance, without taking him along.


    He looked from one person to the other, not quite sure what to say. He knew exactly just why Hua Lin Yu hadn''t agreed to marry Xin Lan after all. On the one hand, he really hoped that these two would be able to make up, but on the other hand, he also knew that there were quite a few problems beneath the surface. So whether he went with them or stayed here ¡­ he really didn''t know what the right thing to do was.


    Xin Lan smiled faintly and tried to make Hua Lin Rong the decision a little easier. "Brother-in-law, don''t you trust me?"


    Hua Lin Rong looked at him, his gaze turning even more complicated. Xin Lan was calling him his brother-in-law this straightforwardly while he had no idea just what was really going on. He didn''t know if he should pity him or be glad that he hadn''t found out. But now, he could only smile wryly. "This isn''t about trusting you. If it is just this, then you really don''t need to worry. I do trust you. But it''s ¡­ Who knows what will happen? Maybe it would be better if I accompanied the two of you. At the very least, if something goes wrong or somebody makes trouble, I can still help you."


    Xin Lan gave him a lazy smile in return. "And you really believe that there''s something where you can help that I wouldn''t be able to deal with on my own?"


    Hua Lin Rong''s lips twitched. Well, that was also true. "Just being of the Hua family might already deter a few people from making trouble. That is a luxury that you currently don''t have. And Xiao Yu hasn''t been outside often enough to make people recognize him."


    Xin Lan gave a hum, feeling that it was reasonable. At the same time, he really didn''t want Hua Lin Yu''s big brother to tag along all the time. After all, cultivating feelings also relied on being able to spend time together and sharing things just between the two of them. The more there was that they did together and that nobody else had anything to do with, the better the feelings between them would become. One day, he would be an existence in Hua Lin Yu''s life that he just couldn''t imagine not being there. That was what he was going for.


    Hua Lin Yu also smiled faintly and reached out to grab his brother''s hand while still holding onto Xin Lan with the other. "big brother, don''t be like this. You also know how strong Xin Lan is. And I am also not useless. Together, there really aren''t many people that could make trouble for us. Even if they try, we''ll just beat them back."


    Hua Lin Rong slightly furrowed his brows but he did have to say that what his younger brother said wasn''t unreasonable. Well, neither had been what Xin Lan said before, but he just wasn''t at ease. He wanted to be there just in case that something happened. After all, even if nobody came to make trouble for them, what if trouble arose between the two of them? He looked from Hua Lin Yu to Xin Lan and back again, his thoughts pretty much written on his face.


    Xin Lan took his hand back from Hua Lin Yu''s grip and leaned down, kissing his cheek. "It seems your brother is a little reluctant to part with you. I''ll leave the two of you alone. You can talk things through. In the meantime, I''ll just go and wait outside." He flashed Hua Lin Yu a smile, rubbed his shoulder intimately, and then left.


    Hua Lin Yu wanted to hold him back but Xin Lan had been pretty decisive and Hua Lin Rong also didn''t say anything so in the end, he stayed quiet. Well, maybe it was good if he could have a word with his brother. He turned back to him, his expression pretty much just as complicated as Hua Lin Rong''s. "Big brother, what''s the matter? You really don''t trust Xin Lan?"


    Hua Lin Rong raked a hand through his hair, wondering just what was going on with his little brother. "It''s not that I don''t trust Xin Lan. I''m just worried about you. Just a while ago, the two of you couldn''t decide whether you wanted to get married or not. So far, there''s always been somebody around you to try and help out. If that isn''t the case anymore ¡­ will you really be able to deal with him?"


    He didn''t think that Xin Lan would force Hua Lin Yu to do anything but who knew if his silly little brother would mess things up beyond repair? Clearly, that had almost happened in the dragon realm before. If not for the fact that Xin Lan sincerely loved him, he definitely wouldn''t have come back to the mortal realm with them.


    If it had been any other man, he was pretty sure that they would have just given up and never spoken a word with them. And he wasn''t sure if his brother would regret that.

 Chapter 1329 - Don’t String Him Along

    Hua Lin Yu couldn''t help but be stunned when his brother brought that up. Well, unfortunately, he really couldn''t argue with that. There had really been some problems between them beforehand. But now ¡­


    He finally shook his head, seeming pretty decisive. "You don''t have to worry! It''s not like that anymore. In any case, we are in the mortal realm now. And we''re giving it another shot. Isn''t it just getting to know each other better? I''m sure that nothing bad will happen."


    Hua Lin Rong looked at him, not quite sure how much he could believe this. In any case, before this, he also wouldn''t have thought that Hua Lin Yu would be able to just reject Xin Lan after living together for three years. It had come completely out of the blue.


    If it happened again ¡­ He really wasn''t sure if Xin Lan would be able to take that again. Because clearly, everybody had a point where they would stop doing something. And for Xin Lan, it might very well be that this point was already close by. If Hua Lin Yu refused him again, then why should he persist?


    Hua Lin Rong sighed and put his hands on Hua Lin Yu''s shoulders, looking into his eyes. "Xiao Yu. I''m not saying that you can''t do it. I''m just telling you that you need to be sure about this.


    "Originally, the two of you promised each other to get married. You could still say that in the very beginning, you were too small to make a real decision. But you still maintained that you wanted to do this when you met him again after you turned an a.d.u.l.t. So that was the time when I would say the real promise was made. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/don%E2%80%99t-string-him-along_52834280967041155 for visiting.


    "Now, you''ve already lived together for three years. But you''ve refused him. I know that you had your reasons and I''m not even blaming you for it. I''m not saying that I can understand how that happened but it was just the case. It wouldn''t do us any favors to question it too much.


    "But in any case, think about what it meant for Xin Lan. After three years, after the promise had already long been given and you were just waiting for the sake of our parents, he got rejected. No man would be able to take that just like that. This relationship of yours already has one crack. If something like this happens again, then I don''t think you can come back from this.


    "That is something that you need to keep in mind. If you feel like you can''t marry him because you really don''t love him, then it is better to tell him right now instead of trying and trying again. You''d just hurt him this way."


    Hua Lin Yu furrowed his brows. "I really do like Xin Lan."


    Hua Lin Rong looked at him, a hint of disappointment mixed into his gaze. "You also like me and our parents, and your Master, and all your senior martial brothers and sisters at the Jian Yi Sect. Liking him is simply not enough and you know that. So you should ask yourself whether you love him enough to marry him. But if the answer is no, then you should better stop now."


    Hua Lin Yu shook his head. "No, you are worrying too much. I really do love him." He had almost wanted to say ''like him'' again but he caught himself at just the right moment.


    Hua Lin Rong saw that he had hesitated for the slightest bit but he was too tired to argue with his brother about this any longer. "If you say so, then I can only hope that it''s true. If you figure out on the way that you have made a mistake, you have to be honest with him. Don''t string him along. Xin Lan is ¡­ a decent man. There''s no reason to do something like that to him."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded. He had also never wanted to hurt Xin Lan. So naturally, if he could, he wanted to spare him from even more hurt. It was just that in his heart, no matter what, nobody else seemed to be able to measure up to Bai Mu. That was a secret he might as well take to his grave. He was sure that Hua Lin Rong wouldn''t talk about it. And he had never told anybody else. So he could just pretend that it had never happened.


    "Don''t worry, big brother. In any case, traveling together with just the two of us is also so that we can get to know each other better. After doing so for a while, I''m sure that I will also be ready to marry him. I just need a bit more time."


    Hua Lin Rong nodded and patted his shoulder before finally taking his hand back. "Very well. Then I won''t stop you. If you do need my help or that of our family after all, you know how to send a paper crane. Don''t hesitate to contact us."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded and the two of them left the house together, seeing Xin Lan stand further away as if he wanted to make sure that he wouldn''t accidentally overhear anything.


    Hua Lin Rong led his brother over and gave Xin Lan a deep look. "Thank you for taking care of him. I know I don''t need to say anything but just make sure he gets back home safely whenever that may be. If you can, come by every now and then or at least sent a letter or something. That way, we will know that we don''t need to worry about him."


    Xin Lan inclined his head and took Hua Lin Yu''s hand. "Don''t worry. I will definitely do my best to keep your brother safe. You don''t need to worry. I''d rather lose my own life than let him get hurt." He reached up and brushed back a loose strand of hair, leaning down and giving Hua Lin Yu a kiss on the temple.


    Watching the two of them, Hua Lin Rong felt a pang of regret. Just why couldn''t his little brother sincerely love this man? If he did, everything would be so much easier.

 Chapter 1330 - You’re Clearly Special

    After bidding farewell, Xin Lan and Hua Lin Yu finally left the Yun Zou Sect. They didn''t really have a direction or a goal in mind, and just walked out of the gate hand-in-hand, and down the path through the forest. Hua Lin Yu curiously looked around, taking in every little bit of the scenery. Previously, even though he had been a disciple of the Jian Yi Sect, he had hardly gotten the chance to do something like this.


    Come to think of it, Xin Lan didn''t even know about these things yet that had happened in all that time he had stayed at the sect. Hua Lin Yu turned to him, smiling faintly. "When I was really young, somebody broke into the estate of my family. My parents were afraid that whoever it was might be after me so they sent me to the Jian Yi Sect."


    Xin Lan glanced at him, wondering just where he was going with this. "I was there when you were sent over."


    "I know. I just wanted to say that after that, I didn''t get the chance to leave much. Because my Master knew about that problem, she hardly ever let me go out. I was training inside the sect, learning about all kinds of things concerning cultivation and the many different practices out there, but contrary to the other disciples of my generation, I couldn''t really go and gain any experience on missions.


    "When my senior martial brothers and senior martial sisters went out, I always had to stay inside. It was just books over books and some old jade slips or talismans ¡­ there wasn''t anything that was really fun. That time when we met in the capital city of the Long kingdom, was the first time that Master actually let me go outside because she figured that I was too old to keep me inside all the time. But even then, we would only travel on well-known routes and only stop in the big cities where they were sure that we could ask for help from other sects or cultivation families if something happened. I''ve never had the chance to be outside like this."


    Xin Lan looked at him and realized that Hua Lin Yu looked really unhappy. Clearly, that time hadn''t been something he liked. "I''m sorry."


    Hua Lin Yu smiled and snuggled up against his side, shaking his head. "What are you being sorry for? In any case, it''s not like it''s your fault. I just wonder who that was and what exactly they wanted though. Isn''t it strange? I mean I was only a newborn child. Who cares about somebody like that?"


    Xin Lan was of half a mind to tell him that it had actually been him but then again, that might create new problems between them. Thus, he finally kept quiet. In any case, if he told him that it had been him, he would need to tell him just why he had done this. And that would require him to tell Hua Lin Yu about Xiang Yu. That was something that he really didn''t want to do. If he did, who knew of it wouldn''t end up just like with Qiu Ling and that reincarnation of the Son of Heaven? That was definitely something that he didn''t want to risk.


    Even without Xin Lan''s input, Hua Lin Yu was able to think about it. "Actually, it must be because I''m especially talented! So that either it was some hidden Master that wanted me to be their disciple or it was somebody with nefarious interests who wanted to do something bad to me."


    Xin Lan nodded, figuring that something along those lines would be a logical conclusion. And, well, even though he didn''t want to be his Master, he had indeed gone after him because he had promised to be his lover and needed to make sure that he got the right child later on. So it wasn''t like Hua Lin Yu was that far off.


    "Well, in these years since I was brought away, that person hasn''t appeared again. I think that''s a little strange. But maybe that just means that it really was the former and after checking around for a bit, they realized that I wasn''t the kind of disciple they wanted after all." Hua Lin Yu actually looked a little down when he said so as if he had imagined the glorious scene of the hidden expert appearing to tell him to follow them to some secret realm where they would impart all their knowledge to him. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/you%E2%80%99re-clearly-special_52856637882431744 for visiting.


    Xin Lan watched his expression for a little while longer, feeling that it was quite the novel experience. Previously, no matter who it was, he usually hadn''t had the chance to see something like this. Even though Jinde had still been young when he met him, he hadn''t been so young that he had needed to care about these things. He had already been established as the king of the dragon race and had long finished learning under his Master. This really was a first to him.


    Xin Lan smiled and then reached up, gently brushing through Hua Lin Yu''s hair again. "Well, if you''re right with that, then I''m pretty sure that they will already have regretted it deeply. If it was me, I definitely would''ve wanted you to be my disciple."


    Hua Lin Yu chuckled and looked up, his eyes glittering with some unknown feelings. "I think you''re just biased."


    Xin Lan leaned down and pressed a kiss onto his lips before pulling back with a satisfied expression. "I will not deny that. But in any case, I still think that I''m not wrong. And didn''t even that Sect Master of the Jian Yi Sect want you as a disciple? That should show that I''m not too biased to make this decision. Clearly, she also thinks that you are somebody special."

 Chapter 1331 - Let’s Just Give It Time

    Hua Lin Yu smiled happily, not even sure what to say to Xin Lan''s sweet words. When they were together like this, he always felt this way. When there was nothing to disturb them, they were the perfect couple. It was just a pity that as soon as somebody else came in between, he couldn''t keep up with this feeling. He didn''t know what to do about that.


    Hua Lin Yu''s expression became a little complicated, making Xin Lan wonder if he had said something wrong. "What''s the matter?" He stopped in his tracks and reached out, cupping Hua Lin Yu''s cheeks.


    Hua Lin Yu really didn''t know what to say but with Xin Lan reacting like this, he felt even worse. "I ¡­ it''s nothing."


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    Seeing Xin Lan so serious, Hua Lin Yu really didn''t know how to change the topic. Usually, he would just tell him that he didn''t need to say anything, that they could find a way to deal with it, but maybe it was because they were alone this time and outside in the wilderness that Xin Lan felt that it wouldn''t be the right way to go about things.


    He hesitated for a moment, not sure what to say. He couldn''t tell him what he had just thought. Because if he did, that might really destroy their relationship. That was something he didn''t want. He wanted to be with him. He really did. It was just that he was a bit insecure as well.


    Hua Lin Yu continued to ponder for a moment and then just hugged Xin Lan''s waist. Looking up at him, he slightly furrowed his brows. "You are always so nice to me. I feel like I''m not treating you well enough in return. I also don''t know why I am hesitating. It would probably be better to just say yes and get married already."


    Xin Lan looked at him and realized that his saying that Hua Lin Yu was special had probably triggered the same thought process as before. He sighed and then leaned down further until the two of them were at the same height. "I''ve said this before: You don''t have to rush into anything.


    "I have a lot of time. In any case, was born immortal. And there is hardly anyone in the world that would be able to kill me. So when it concerns time, you can waste quite a lot of it. I don''t mind. I''d mind more if you were to force yourself to do something for my sake.


    "I don''t want your pity or that you marry me because of some sense of duty. I want you to marry me because you really love me. That is all that I want. Nothing less, nothing more. If you feel like you can''t give that to me for now, then let''s not get married. Let''s continue to wait. In fact, let''s just not think about getting married for now. In any case, being engaged also isn''t bad, is it? Or maybe you don''t want to put any kind of label on it? Maybe we could just be two people traveling together. I wouldn''t mind either."


    Hua Lin Yu leaned closer and rested his head against Xin Lan''s shoulder. "I still feel like I''m letting you down." Especially because he knew that the reason for this was that while he wasn''t able to give his love to Xin Lan, he had indeed given his heart to somebody else. That was something that he shouldn''t have done. But it had still happened. He knew that it was wrong but he also couldn''t change it anymore.


    Xin Lan tilted his head to the side and kissed Hua Lin Yu''s temple again, trying to reassure him. "Don''t think about it. Just ¡­ just don''t think of anything. Just continue traveling. Who knows? A year from now, everything might have changed already. And if it isn''t a year, then maybe two or five will be enough. That isn''t that much time at my age, but a lot of time in yours. I also know that. So just trust me when I say that it doesn''t make much of a difference."


    Hua Lin Yu nodded, even though in his heart he was still feeling a bit complicated. In any case, he did have to trust Xin Lan on this. He couldn''t just decide on his own what he thought about this. He needed to think for the two of them.


    Xin Lan was right ¡ª as was his brother ¡ª that this kind of thing could only work out if his heart was really there. So it was better to just give it time. In any case, even after just having left the dragon realm not that long ago, and spending time one-on-one with Xin Lan, he already felt like some of those feelings from before were returning. So with a bit more time like this, it was a given that things would change again, right? That was something he just had to believe in.


    With that, Hua Lin Yu finally nodded. "Alright. Then let''s do it that way. I swear I won''t bring it up again for the time being. When I''m sure of my feelings, then I will tell you. So you also don''t need to say anything. Just wait for me to figure it out on my own. Then, I will make a proposal for you the next time!"


    Xin Lan couldn''t help himself and laughed before kissing him on the lips. "Very well. I''m definitely looking forward to it." To be honest, this really was the truth. The person he loved proposing to him ¡­ how could anything better ever happen to him? More and more, he felt that Xiang Yu had done him a big favor by going on this new trial. Otherwise, he never would have met this youth and he would have missed out on a lot of happiness.

 Chapter 1332 - He Needed a Few Years

    Time slowly passed by in the mortal realm. Whether it was Jinde and Leng Jin Yu or Hua Lin Yu and Xin Lan, they managed to travel unhindered, not needing to deal with too much trouble. At most, they would run into some unruly travelers, but as soon as they showed a bit of their strength, those people usually ran away straightaway.


    At the same time, the days in the immortal realms seemed to go by in a flash, as if there could never be enough of them.


    Qiu Ling and Jing Yi had followed what they had talked about on that first night and were dedicating some time each day to stroll through the city while the rest was spent on going to the Tower of Wisdom, reading a few books there, and then taking a few more back.


    Whenever there was something that Jing Yi didn''t understand, he would ask Qiu Ling. And if he didn''t know an answer, he would then go and speak about it with An Bai. Qiu Ling''s adviser still preferred Jing He over him but he had to admit that Jing Yi wasn''t as bad as he had feared at first. In any case, if he actually had the time to grow into himself, An Bai was pretty sure that he would also make for a decent partner for their king. Unfortunately, with each day, the threat of Jing Yi''s death came closer.


    Over in the building that the two of them had been given by the Court of Justice, Jing Yi put down the book and looked out of the window where the sun was currently setting, dyeing the sky red like blood.


    Qiu Ling had been sitting on the other side of the table, dealing with some official doc.u.ments. Since he had made the promise to An Bai and Xiang Yong, he had actually started to behave like a diligent king once again.


    Nowadays, one of his two advisers would return to the dragon king''s palace every few days, gather whatever needed to be done, and bring it over to the Nine Heavens so their king could take a look. There were still a few things that they dealt with themselves but it wasn''t everything anymore.


    Needless to say, the two were ecstatic about this change. They would have been even happier if things finally progressed in regard to the Son of Heaven and his reincarnation so that their king could have his wedding and return to the dragon realm with his partner. Then, it really would be perfect. But they also realized that this would still take some time.


    In any case, at this moment, Qiu Ling had noticed that Jing Yi had paused. He looked up himself and gave his lover a questioning look. "Is there something that you don''t understand?" He put down the brush in his hand, willing to take however much of a break would be necessary to explain to Jing Yi.


    Jing Yi shook his head though. "It''s the end of another day. By now, more than a week has gone by. I just feel that one of these days, they will probably send somebody over to tell me that it''s time for me to leave."


    Qiu Ling''s expression turned complicated. He also knew that this would happen sooner or later. It wasn''t something that he looked forward to, however.


    Jing Yi shook his head and turned back to him, giving a faint smile. "I''m sorry. I know I shouldn''t bring it up. There''s nothing you can do about it and I know that. Everything that needed to be said was already said long ago. Just ¡­ continue." He picked up the book that he had been reading, but his thoughts couldn''t help but stray.


    With each day, he was getting a little more fl.u.s.tered. No matter how much he learned, it wouldn''t change anything. He couldn''t manage to find out more about the Nine Heavens, their rules, and laws, and history than a trueborn god that had grown up here would know.


    By now, he may manage to measure up to a child in terms of knowledge. But that would never be enough to find a solution for himself. There was definitely no chance he would be able to find out enough to convince the God of Justice to let him go.


    And, well, he would be lying if he said that that wasn''t his goal. He wanted to find a way to survive. Most likely, nobody would think differently if they were in his situation. Who didn''t want to live? Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #.-my.-fate-!_10609838905077905/he-needed-a-few-years_52903333572166836 for visiting.


    Qiu Ling hadn''t turned back to his doc.u.ments yet and was still watching him. Seeing Jing Yi''s expression, he knew pretty well what was going on. "I asked An Bai about it and they haven''t found anything yet. So for the time being, I don''t think you need to worry. It will probably be another few weeks at least."


    Jing Yi nodded, but he couldn''t help but inwardly think to himself: What were few weeks? That wasn''t enough. A few years was more like it. If he spent every waking minute focusing on finding out whatever he could, then maybe he would have a chance.


    The problem was that he was one person working against not only the God of Justice but a whole team of people working for him, as well as Qiu Ling''s adviser who was a scholar. He definitely couldn''t measure up to most of them.


    Just looking at the book in his hands, he realized every now and then that there were words he didn''t know. He had learned to read late in his life and had only been taught by Qiu Ling. And even though Qiu Ling had done a rather good job, he never taught anyone before. His way of teaching somebody was a bit sloppy. He couldn''t deny that. Now, that really wasn''t helpful.


    Qiu Ling continued to look at him but he wasn''t sure what to say. Jing Yi was right in that there wasn''t anything he could say to change things. "Is there anything else I can do for you to make things easier?" This was really the only thing he could come up with. It might not help much, but it was better than nothing. At the very least, it would show Jing Yi that he cared and wouldn''t make him feel like he had been rejected by everyone.